Vietnam to research monkeypox treatments The Vietnamese Ministry of Healths Drug Administration has asked local pharmaceutical firms to focus on researching medicines and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of monkeypox. According to the Ministry of Health, monkeypox cases have been on the rise globally. Many countries have intensified research into new treatments. At present Tecovirimat, Brincidofvir, Cidofovir, and Probenecid, have been allowed for monkeypox treatment by the World Health Organisation. Monkeypox vaccines have been used in some nations. Monkeypox cases have been on the rise globally Under the Drug Administration of Vietnams instruction, local pharmaceutical companies need to seek sources for monkeypox medicine imports in necessary cases. The administration will create the most favourable conditions for granting licenses for the import and distribution of monkeypox medicine. The import of materials for medicine production will also be prioritised. The Ministry of Health has urged localities nationwide to monitor foreign arrivals from countries with monkeypox as an early response after infections were spotted in the region. Foreign arrivals from countries with monkeypox will have their body temperatures checked and be subject to other monitoring measures. Those suspected to be infected with the condition will be isolated and have their biological samples taken for testing. U.S. urged to stop attempting to contain China with Taiwan: spokesperson Xinhua) 08:49, August 11, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China will resolutely make a fightback each time the United States makes a serious provocation that encroaches upon China's sovereignty and interferes in China's internal affairs, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. "China will never allow its national sovereignty and territorial integrity to be wantonly trampled upon and undermined," spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing, urging the United States to stop its attempt to contain China by using Taiwan. Wang pointed out Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region is a major political provocation which upgrades exchanges between the United States and Taiwan. Pelosi's visit violated relevant commitments by the U.S. side in the China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, the one-China principle widely accepted by the international community and confirmed in the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, and the principle in international law of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, which is enshrined in the UN Charter, he said. Disregarding China's dissuasion and warnings concerning Pelosi's visit, the United States has chosen to pursue the wrong course of action, Wang said, noting that it is the United States, not China, who has reneged on commitments. "It is the United States that infringed upon China's sovereignty, not China violating the sovereignty of the United States. It is the United States who connived at and supported 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities, not China conniving at and supporting separatist activities in the United States," Wang added. Wang said the United States is going down the path of obscuring, hollowing out and distorting the one-China principle, while accusing China of changing the status quo. "The United States carries out over a hundred military drills in China's adjacent waters every year, but accuses China of overacting," Wang added, "Neither China nor the international community will accept such a gangster logic." If the United States truly hopes to abide by international law and uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries as it claims to, it should return to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, Wang said. He urged the United States to refrain from reckless moves and stop attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and do right things and take concrete steps to facilitate the sound development of China-U.S. ties and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) A Lifelong Journey, a Chinese play adapted from an award-winning novel with the same name by writer Liang Xiaosheng, will be staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Aug 14 and Aug 18 to Aug 20. The novel tells the story of three siblings from a working-class family in northern China over the course of 50 years. With their personal ups and downs, it also reviews some of the country's development and changes, such as resumption of the gaokao (the national college entrance exam) in 1977, reform and opening-up in 1978. In 2019, the novel won the Mao Dun Literature Prize, one of China's most revered honors for literary works. Premiered in 2021, the play was directed by Yang Jiayin and featured Chinese actress Li Xiaomeng and actor Miao Chi. This year, it will tour over 50 Chinese cities. It's part of the ongoing NCPA Theater Festival 2022, which runs until October. One of the highlights will be Interrupted Dream, featuring veteran Chinese actor-director Chen Peisi. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Floridas Medicaid regulator has finalized new rules banning health care providers from billing the taxpayer-funded program for gender-affirming medical treatments, a move that comes as the state has sought to block such therapies for young people. The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration on Thursday added new language to the rules governing the states $36.2 billion Medicaid program. The new rules declare that the program does not cover services for treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapies or surgical procedures as a treatment for gender dysphoria, which refers to the feelings of discomfort or distress some transgender people experience when their bodies dont align with their gender. The updated rule will take effect on Aug. 21. The new rule is the latest step by Gov. Ron DeSantis to restrict gender-affirming treatments. Last Friday, Floridas medical board voted to start the rulemaking process that could lead to the banning of gender-affirming medical treatment for youths. And the Republican Florida governor has become increasing vocal in his objections to such treatments. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association support gender-affirming care for adults and adolescents. But medical experts said gender-affirming care for children rarely, if ever, includes surgery. Instead, doctors are more likely to recommend counseling, social transitioning and hormone replacement therapy. A coalition of LGBTQ and health rights groups, including Lambda Legal, Southern Legal Counsel, Florida Health Justice Project, and National Health Law Program, said the rule will leave thousands of transgender Floridians without critical care when they need it most. Ignoring thousands of public comments and expert testimony, Floridas AHCA has finalized a rule that will deny Medicaid coverage for all medically necessary gender-affirming care for both youth and adults, the coalition statement said. This discriminatory and medically unsound rule will take effect on August 21, 2022, putting transgender people in jeopardy of losing access to critical gender-affirming health care services. Story continues The move by Floridas Agency for Health Care Administration to ban Medicaid from covering such treatments began in April after the agency published a report claiming there was not enough scientific evidence to prove that the treatments improved health. AHCA held a public hearing on the new language in June that attracted more than 150 people on a late Friday afternoon. Floridas Department of Health also accused the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the American Academy of Pediatrics of misleading the public into believing the treatments are safe. The American Academy of Pediatrics, however, has ramped up efforts to protect transgender youths amid an increase in states pushing legislation aimed at preventing minors from accessing gender-affirming care or transgender girls participating in women and girls sports. It is critically important for every child to have access to quality, comprehensive and evidence-based care transgender and gender-diverse youth are no exception, said Lee Savio Beers, American Academy of Pediatrics immediate past president in a statement earlier this year. A former Kansas couple were charged in Sedgwick County District Court on Wednesday in connection with the death of a 19-year-old college student in 2010, court records show. Kristopher and Candace Valadez, both 32, were arrested last month in Simpsonville, South Carolina. The couple used to live in Wichita, according to a news release from the Butler County Sheriffs Office. Kristopher Valadez was charged with second-degree murder. Candace Valadez faces one charge of aiding a felon, court records show. The charges stem from the slaying of 19-year-old German Clerici, whose body was found in Butler County more than 12 years ago. Clerici was a student at Cowley College at the time. Clerici was reported missing by his mother on Feb. 1, 2010 after she had not heard from him for a few days. His body was found days later in a culvert in Butler County with a gunshot wound, the news release said. In 2021, Butler County Sheriff Monty Hughey said he had investigators take another look at Clericis case after information was discovered that prompted investigators to conduct follow-up interviews un-covering even more information along with new evidence, the release read. The couples next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 22. Their bonds are set at $250,000 and $100,000 respectively, according to court records. A former Spokane neonatologist pleaded guilty Wednesday to transmitting threats in interstate commerce for his role in a scheme to hire hitmen from the internet to kidnap his estranged wife and assault a former colleague, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref announced. According to court documents, Ronald Ilg, 55, sent dozens of messages in early 2021 through the internet as part of a plot to hurt a former colleague and have his estranged wife kidnapped. Ilg used the moniker Scar215 to hide his identity and sent more than $60,000 in Bitcoin for the scheme. Ilg directed the hitmen to assault another Spokane-area doctor, with specific directions that the victim should be given a significant beating that is obvious. It should injure both hands significantly or break the hands. Ilg paid more than $2,000 in Bitcoin in this scheme, sent the hitmen the victims address, and gave the hitmen a link to the victims picture. In later messages, Ilg asked to see evidence that the beating happened and suggested that he had another, more complicated job for the hitmen if this one went well. Regarding the second victim, Ilg solicited hitmen to kidnap his estranged wife and have her injected with heroin in an effort to get her to drop divorce proceedings that were pending at the time. Ilg even devised a structure where he gave bonuses to the hitmen if they actually kidnapped the woman and achieved certain goals. After the FBI got copies of Ilgs messages, he falsely claimed in an interview that he hired the hitmen to kill himself. Later, Ilg sent a letter to a key witness against him, begging her to marry him so he could control whether she testified. He also offered to pay tuition for the womans child to attend Gonzaga Preparatory School and St. Aloysius Catholic School in Spokane. Ilg faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison plus up to three years supervised release. As part of the plea agreement, Ilg will serve between 60 and 96 months. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 8. This case demonstrates how violent offenders exploit cyberspace and cryptocurrency to further their criminal agendas, Waldref stated. Mr. Ilg solicited and paid for multiple dark web hitmen to target the two victims in this case. Mr. Ilg also wanted to target additional victims if the hitmen followed through with the plan to harm these first two victims. Former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio came up short in his bid to unseat Fountain Hills Mayor Ginny Dickey, but the race was worth watching to the end as he closed the gap to 213 votes. The final results on the Aug. 2 election released by Maricopa County on Wednesday settled that race, although Arpaio told The Arizona Republic that he's "not going to concede (and) that's a fact," citing the close margin and debunked claims of voter fraud in the 2020 General Election. Regardless, Wednesday's vote tallies show who won outright and who is headed to runoff elections in cities and towns across metro Phoenix. Nonpartisan mayoral and council candidates had to reach specific voting thresholds in the primary election to avoid runoffs between the top vote-getters in November. The exact formulas vary by city. For races continuing to Nov. 8, the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 11. Maricopa County voters can check their status and register online at BeBallotReady.Vote. Here's how the election played out in cities with competitive mayoral and council races. Scottsdale City Council Voters arrive to the polling place inside the Islamic Center in Scottsdale on Aug. 2, 2022. Scottsdale will see just one runoff race after incumbents Kathy Littlefield and Solange Whitehead won two of three open City Council seats outright. Earning enough votes to avoid a runoff is a rare feat for candidates in Scottsdale, City Clerk Ben Lane said. But Littlefield and Whitehead held consistent leads throughout vote tallying despite a busy ballot with five other challengers. Whitehead said she plans to focus on infrastructure funding, water conservation and development policies designed to preserve Scottsdale in her next term. Littlefield said she expects short-term rental regulation will be a focus for the council, as well. Scottsdale City Council Candidate Barry Graham Barry Graham, who has served on the citys Planning Commission since 2020, will face off against businesswoman Pamela Carter for the final council spot. Graham led Carter by thousands of votes but didn't meet the threshold to win outright. Story continues He chalked up the large margin to voters wanting somebody who's experienced that they can trust to protect the city's character. That was the way I interpreted those results, Graham said. I've got more experience within the city than any other non-incumbent candidate, having served on boards and commissions for the past decade. Graham plans to keep pushing his platform, which centers around protecting Scottsdale's character and promoting tourism, ahead of the November election. Scottsdale City Council Candidate Pamela Carter We are making no assumptions. We're taking nothing for granted, he told The Republic. We're going to keep working to earn votes and get support. Fact focus: Why final election results take days, not hours in Arizona, across US Carter, who has also taken a stance against new development in the city, plans to ramp up her campaign efforts. She said Littlefields endorsement of Graham was a factor in the vote gap, adding that she is still very happy with my results." We are contacting all of our volunteers and coordinating as many activities (as possible), she said. I want to be out in the community meeting the voters from now until November. We don't stop. We just keep the train moving. Mesa City Council Mesa's District 4 race will continue into November as incumbent Jenn Duff and newcomer Trista Guzman-Glover go head-to-head. Duff led the vote count in District 4 but was just shy of the majority vote needed to win outright. She said she would focus her disappointment on running a successful runoff campaign in the general election. Tight races aren't new for Duff. She won her first term on council in a tight runoff race in 2018. Guzman-Glover said she's excited to continue in a runoff and sees an opportunity to reach out to a larger voter base in the general election. District 4 covers central and downtown Mesa. Scott Somers, a former Mesa city council member and U.S. Air Force veteran, is running to represent District 6, which spans southeast Mesa. In southeast Mesa's District 6, the city's only other competitive race, Scott Somers topped his opponent to win outright. He will be seated in January, replacing outgoing Councilmember Kevin Thompson. Gilbert City Council Yung Koprowski, Jim Torgeson and Chuck Bongiovanni garnered enough votes to win City Council seats, while Bill Spence and Bobbie Buchli are headed to a runoff. The town saw 10 candidates compete for four open Town Council seats. It would have been much more enjoyable to have finished out in the primary, said Spence, who came in just ahead of Buchli, but short of the threshold for an outright win. Spence said hell continue to campaign and get his messaging out that he is a candidate that will make data-driven decisions. The retired Naval lieutenant commander and nuclear engineering officer said he looks forward to a larger pool of voters in the general election. Spence briefly served as an appointed council member in 2020. Buchli, a real estate broker, said she would have rather have sealed the deal in the primary election, but shes excited to continue into the fall race. I feel strong and good, she said. One of her top priorities for the town is conducting studies for the remaining land as Gilbert approaches buildout by 2030, she previously told the Republic. Races settled without runoffs from Fountain Hills to Chandler; Despite close races, candidates in many communities avoided any runoffs. The Fountain Hills mayoral race was a nail-biter, but Dickey was able to stay ahead of Arpaio. The three council seats in Fountain Hills went to Brenda Kalivianakis, Hannah Toth and Allen Skillicorn, who all avoided runoffs. In Chandler, Mayor Kevin Hartke won a second term over challenger Ruth Jones by a wide margin. The race for three spots on the City Council was closer, but Jane Poston and incumbent Matt Orlando handily secured two seats and Angel Encinas edged out Darla Gonzalez for the third. Nick Haney won in Surprise, leading a three-way race to represent the city's sprawling District 1, which covers the city's northernmost reaches. Election guide: 2022 primaries Election results |Congressional races | State races |Mayor, city council races|How to vote A tight contest for three seats on Goodyears City Council will not be headed to a runoff election after incumbents Wally Campbell and Brannon Hampton and newcomer Vicki Gillis secured enough votes to win outright. Gillis edged out fellow newcomer Benita Beckles for the third seat. Appointed Goodyear Mayor Joe Pizzillo, who faced a write-in candidate in the race for mayor, easily won election to the position. In Tolleson, three incumbents: Jimmy Davis, Clorinda Erives and Linda Laborin retained their seats and avoided the need for a runoff election. In Cave Creek and Carefree, which send their entire councils to the ballot every two years, the town clerks said no runoffs are slated. Carefree's six council seats went to Sheila Amoroso, Cheryl Kroyer, Tony Geiger, Michael Johnson, Vince D'Aliesio and Stephen Hatcher. Sitting Councilmember John Crane won the race for mayor. In Cave Creek, Bob Morris won the mayor's seat by a sizable margin, while council positions were won by Kathryn Royer, Thomas McGuire, Tom Augherton, Bryan "Dusty" Rhoades, Ernie Bunch and Paul Eelkema. Paradise Valley's town clerk confirmed there will be no runoffs in that town, either, although those races weren't nearly as close as others in the northeast Valley. Mayor Jerry Bien-Willner won reelection and the the three open council seats went to Anna Thomasson, Ellen Andeen and Christine Labelle. Republic reporters Corina Vanek and Endia Fontanez contributed to this article. Reach reporter Sasha Hupka at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arpaio loses mayoral; other wins and runoffs in Phoenix area cities Fox News Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy flipped the script on Thursday morning, pushing back on House Minority Whip Steve Scalises wild suggestion that FBI agents went rogue in executing a court-approved search warrant at former President Donald Trumps residence. Doocy further took issue with the immediate rush to judgment made by Scalise and other conservatives, asking if they could at least wait a week before determining that the FBI is crazy. Fox News has engaged in a full-scale meltdown since Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate was raided by FBI agents on Monday, reportedly because investigators were tipped off that Trump was hiding classified documents on the property. The networkin effect, proving wrong the narrative that it was distancing itself from the ex-presidenthas since peddled baseless conspiracy theories and unhinged rhetoric to boost Trumps claims that the Justice Department has been weaponized against him and conservatives. In recent days, the irresponsible speculation and dangerous incitement on the network have ramped up to extreme levels. Several Fox hosts and guests, for instance, have pushed the fabricated allegation that the FBI planted evidence in materials they took from Trumps home. Additionally, the channels stars have stoked outrage over the judge who signed the warrant, who has received threats on his life from far-right extremists. While Doocys Fox & Friends colleagues have helped fuel the networks round-the-clock rage-fest on the Trump raid, Doocy took a remarkably different tack on Thursday morning while interviewing Scalise. After the Republican lawmaker said the DOJ must be held accountable because the department wants to trample over the Constitution, Doocy noted that field agents are now receiving death threats amid the over-the-top rhetoric coming from the right. He also pointed out that many Republicans have been calling for the dismantling and defunding of the FBI. (A talking point that has been picked up by Fox News.) Story continues Im just curious whatever happened to the Republican Party backing the blue? And, in particular, the [35,000] members of law enforcement, federal law enforcement, at the FBI? Doocy pressed the ultra-conservative congressman. Frankly, we are very strong supporters of law enforcement, and it concerns everybody if you see some agents go rogue, Scalise responded. If you see an agent that doesnt have the right checks and balances at the top. This is coming from the top. Doocy firmly interjected: Who went rogue, Steve? Who went rogue? They were following a search warrant! The Republican leader insisted they want to find that out, adding that is why we are asking these questions. He went on to say that Attorney General Merrick Garland needs to hold a press conference about the search warrant, despite the DOJs longstanding policy of not commenting on active investigations. I think that is deafening right now, that silence, Scalise said. Referencing the recent seizure of Rep. Scott Perrys cell phone in relation to the Jan. 6 investigation and the proposed addition of 87,000 IRS agents, Scalise then lamented that the Biden administration is weaponizing other agencies, prompting Doocy to push back yet again. Steve, why not wait a week or so until we know more about this search warrant than immediately rush to judgment and say, The FBI, theyre crazy, the veteran Fox News host pleaded. Scalise, of course, insisted he and other Republicans are merely asking questions that the FBI is not answering. Doocy, for his part, has on occasion served as the surprising voice of reason on the curvy couch, especially when Trumpworld and his colleagues appear to get over their skis in their latest outrage. In the past, for example, the Fox & Friends mainstay has urged Trump to stop talking about Hunter Biden, debunked the bogus Dominion voter fraud conspiracy, and called for the then-president to wear a mask during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. 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. Facebook sparked outrage by complying with US police probing an abortion case, boosting simmering fears the platform will be a tool for clamping down on the procedure. Criticism built after media reports revealed the social networking giant had turned over messages key to a mother being criminally charged with an abortion for her daughter. Advocates had warned of exactly this kind of thing after America's top court revoked the national right to abortion in late June, as big tech companies hold a trove of data on users locations and behavior. Jessica Burgess, 41, was accused of helping her 17-year-old daughter to terminate a pregnancy in the midwestern US state of Nebraska. She faces five charges -- including one under a 2010 law which only allows abortion up to 20 weeks after fertilization. The daughter faces three charges, including one of concealing or abandoning a corpse. Yet Facebook owner Meta defended itself Tuesday by noting the Nebraska court order "didn't mention abortion at all", and came before the Supreme Court's highly divisive decision in June to overturn Roe v Wade, the case which conferred right to abortion in the United States. "That sentence would seem to imply that *if* the search warrants mentioned abortion, there would be a different result. But of course that's not true," tweeted Logan Koepke, who researches on how technology impacts issues like criminal justice. When queried about handing over the data, the Silicon Valley giant pointed AFP to its policy of complying with government requests when "the law requires us to do so." Nebraska's restrictions were adopted years before Roe was overturned. Some 16 states have outright bans or limits in the early weeks of pregnancy in their jurisdictions. - 'Can't release encrypted chats' - For tech world watchers, the Nebraska case surely won't be the last. "This is going to keep happening to companies that have vast amounts of data about people across the country and around the world," said Alexandra Givens, CEO of the non-profit Center for Democracy & Technology. Story continues She went on to note that if companies receive a duly-issued legal request, under a valid law, there are strong incentives for them to want to comply with that request. "The companies at a minimum have to make sure that they're insisting on a full legal process, that warrants are specific and not a fishing expedition, searches are very narrowly construed and that they notify users so that users can try to push back," Givens added. Meta did not provide AFP the Nebraska court's order. The police filing asked the judge to order the company not to tell Burgess's daughter about the search warrant for her Facebook messages. "I have reason to believe that notifying the subscriber or customer of the issuance of this search warrant may result in the destruction of or tampering with evidence," police detective Ben McBride wrote. He told the court he began investigating "concerns" in late April that Burgess's daughter had given birth prematurely to a "stillborn child", which they allegedly buried together. Advocates noted that apart from not using Meta's products, one sure way to keep users' communications out of government hands would be for them to be automatically encrypted. Meta-owned WhatsApp has end-to-end encryption, which means the company does not have access to the information, but that level of privacy protection is not the default setting on Facebook messenger. "The company has never said it would not comply with a request from law enforcement in a situation related to abortions," said Caitlin Seeley George, a campaign director at advocacy group Fight for the Future. "If users could rely on encrypted messaging, Meta wouldn't even be in a position where they could share conversations," she added. gc-jm/st The author with her friend Eitan, whom she's known since they were 16 years old. Courtesy of Sarah Gundle Seeing that I was unhappy, my friend offered to help me run away right before I got married. My marriage didn't last, but our friendship has been strong for 36 years. More than anything else about my wedding, I remember him asking me if I wanted to leave. I've always wondered why we don't celebrate friendship anniversaries as we do with romantic relationships. My friends have defined my life far more than any romantic partner. My marriage didn't even last a decade, but my relationship with my friend Eitan is going on 36 years. In fact, the abiding memory I have from my wedding isn't the actual ceremony it's Eitan's offer to help me run away. Video: One type of marriage that's most likely to end in divorce Nobody understood my choice of husband not my family, my friends, or even a graduate-school mentor, who demurred politely after I introduced them: "Well, what's important is that you love him." To them it was obvious we were entirely different people. As a psychologist, I spent my life immersed in people's inner worlds, while he, a financial analyst, lived entirely in the external world and had little curiosity about his or my psyche. My friend and I met when we were teens Eitan and I were 16 when we met. I was living in Seattle, he in London, but we both attended an Israeli summer camp. That summer we developed an intense friendship, which might have ended there but for our shared love of writing. For years we communicated through the post, our letters serving as a sort of diary for each of us. More than a decade later, we found ourselves living a few blocks from each other on the Upper West Side of New York. It was there that I met my future husband. In my early 30s, I was eager to start my next chapter. Tall and dark, he wooed me with grand gestures and the intimacy of speaking Hebrew together, its guttural sounds familiar and comforting. Instead of developing a true connection with him, I played a game of make-believe. We moved into a cozy apartment, took long walks, and ate at a little cafe in the West Village where the staff knew us so well that we didn't have to order. We had physical chemistry, shared values, and a common vision for our future. If we lacked real friendship and intimacy, couldn't I find that elsewhere? Story continues The wedding gave me anxiety As our wedding approached, I found myself consumed with anxiety. Almost every evening I padded over to Eitan's apartment to cry. One night, meeting me at the door with a box of tissues in hand, he shook his head. "Sarah, I've known you for 16 years. You realize I have seen you cry more in the last month than in all the other years combined. What are you doing?" Still, the wedding planning marched on as if I were a bystander, growing from the intimate affair I'd imagined to an extravaganza involving hundreds of guests. As I stood in front of the mirror in the frosted confection of a dress I had ordered from Vera Wang, I asked myself Eitan's question: What was I doing? The night of our rehearsal dinner, while my fiance's business-school friends toasted us drunkenly, Eitan leaned into me. "Sarah, you know you don't have to do this." I laughed. "Do what?" But his face was serious. "This," he said, motioning to the phalanx of men stumbling about trying to take selfies. "All of it. He doesn't know you. I'll rent a car. It's not too late. You don't have to go through with this. "Come on, let's go," he said softly but firmly as he stood and took my hands. Even at that moment, bleary and exhausted after all the Champagne and phony, brittle smiling at dinner, I knew how brave he was to say out loud what most of my friends had thought. Some piece of me knew he was right, but I felt paralyzed, strapped into a runaway train. The wedding didn't last, but the friendship did The next day, Eitan was one of the witnesses who signed our ketubah, pausing for a long moment to look at me after the rabbi handed him the pen. A week later, on my honeymoon, my new husband and I had a fight that resulted in a stony silence between us for days. "You were right; I should have listened," I emailed Eitan. It was an omen of the stark loneliness to come. Six years later, after expending every ounce of effort I could on saving my marriage, I finally left. Eitan and I are still close his loving, courageous honesty still guides me. All these years later, I barely remember my wedding or the years of recrimination with my ex-husband. What has stayed is Eitan's friendship except now when he calls me out on what I'm doing, I always listen. Read the original article on Insider The Justice Department moved on Thursday to unseal portions of the search warrant executed at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this week, and the former president later said in a statement that he wouldn't oppose the request. The publics clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing, prosecutors revealed in a court filing connected to the search warrant. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the news moments after the department filed the motion in federal court in Florida. I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in the latter, he said. Addressing criticisms of the department and FBI agents lodged by Trump and his allies, he added: I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked. Hours later, Trump issued a statement indicating that he plans to consent to the motion. "Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the unAmerican, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. Its unclear how quickly the presiding magistrate judge in Florida, Bruce Reinhart, will act on the Justice Department's motion to unseal the warrant, but it's likely to move quickly given Trump's public assent. The filing noted that the motion was being made absent objection by former President Trump, who could either support or attempt to block public release of the warrant. Reinhart on Thursday ordered the Justice Department to immediately serve a copy of the motion on Trump's lawyers, and to advise the judge by 3 p.m. Friday whether the former president opposes the motion to unseal the warrant. Thursday's press conference was Garlands first public statement since Mondays search and the first public acknowledgment that the Justice Department is investigating Trumps handling of classified presidential records. He declined to reveal much about the search warrant or about the circumstances surrounding the case. He spoke for roughly five minutes and did not take questions. Story continues All Americans are entitled to the evenhanded application of the law, the due process of the law and to the presumption of innocence, said Garland. Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations. The motion to unseal portions of the search warrant, including a redacted Property Receipt listing items seized pursuant to the search was signed by U.S. Attorney Juan Gonzalez and Jay Bratt, chief of DOJs Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The only reference in the DOJs motion to the subject of the search was a direct quotation from one of Trumps attorneys, Christina Bobb, who told the New York Times that the search concerned presidential records or any possibly classified material. It was Trump himself who first publicly confirmed the search and his representatives who made statements characterizing what agents were after. As such, the occurrence of the search and indications of the subject matter involved are already public, Gonzalez and Bratt wrote in the filing. Garland, likewise, said he was speaking out publicly only after Trump himself acknowledged the FBI search. Monday's search followed months of indications that the Justice Department was scrutinizing Trumps handling of presidential records, including classified materials that were relocated to Mar-a-Lago in the closing days of his presidency. The National Archives revealed its concerns about the missing records in February, acknowledging that it had referred the matter to prosecutors. Trump allies were incensed over the court-ordered search in part because of what Trumps lawyers have claimed were productive discussions between DOJ, Trumps lawyers and Trump himself, who was present when investigators visited Mar-a-Lago on June 3. In his first statement released after Garland's news conference, Trump leaned into this narrative. He said his lawyers were "cooperating fully" and had "very good relationships" with investigators, suggesting Monday's search came "out of nowhere." The former president didn't address whether his legal team would move to block the public release of the search warrant until hours later, closer to midnight. Since the search, Republicans have marshaled an intense defense of the former president, assailing Garland and the FBI as political hatchetmen despite having no insight into the basis of their actions. Some have called for Garlands impeachment, others have simply vowed to mount an intensive investigation of the department should Republicans retake the majority in January. Myah Ward and Josh Gerstein contributed to this report. Scholz is skeptical about the ban on issuing visas to Russians due to the war in Ukraine According to Scholz, such a decision would be contrary to international law. He explained his attitude by saying that it is Russian dictator Vladimir Putin who is responsible for the war against Ukraine. The president of Russia is responsible for this war, Scholz said. This is Putins war, so I find it difficult to agree with this idea. Read also: German chancellor denies curtailing aid to Ukraine The German chancellor reiterated that the EU had already adopted a number of decisions on sanctions against decision-makers in Moscow. We will continue this, he said. He added that he does not consider it justified to impose sanctions against all Russians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with U.S. newspaper the Washington Post said that a visa ban for Russian citizens could be one of the most effective measures against Russia. The idea of a complete ban on entry to Western countries for all Russians is gaining more and more supporters: in addition to Ukraine, such calls are voiced by Russias European neighbors. Many of them have already closed their borders to Russian citizens, but demand a collective decision from the EU countries. Read also: Estonia to ban entry to Russian citizens with Estonian-issued visas Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced on Aug. 8 that she wants to limit the travel of Russians to Finland and other EU countries. Earlier the Latvian Embassy in Russia said it had stopped issuing visas to Russians for an indefinite period. Estonia announced on Aug. 11 that it would ban Russians with Estonian-issued Schengen visas from entering the country from Aug. 18. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine DETROIT A 49-year-old man is dead following a fight at General Motors' Orion Assembly plant in Orion Township, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office confirmed Thursday in a news release. Sheriff's Communications Officer Steve Huber identified the victim as Gregory Lanier Robertson of Pontiac. Robertson had worked at the plant for about seven months. A 48-year-old male coworker was in custody at Oakland County Jail. Later Thursday afternoon, the Oakland County Medical Examiner's office completed the autopsy report. It lists Robertson's death as homicide with the cause as "multiple blunt force injuries," Cas Miarka, an administrator at the medical examiner's office, told the Free Press. The sheriff's office confirmed both men in the fight worked for a cleaning service hired by GM, but Huber told the Free Press his office is not releasing the name of that cleaning company. GM hires vendors to do cleaning as well as some maintenance and parts distribution for the assembly line. OnStar no longer optional: General Motors cars just got more expensive thanks to forced OnStar plan Kia recalls 260,000+ Optimas: Plates inside headliner can detach if airbags deploy A 48-year-old man is in custody after a fight at GM's Orion Assembly Plant led to a co-worker's death. The plant was shut down Thursday for the investigation, but regular production will resume Friday morning and employees should report at their regular time unless notified otherwise by their leaders, GM spokesman Dan Flores said. "We will start the shift with a discussion about the recent incident at the plant and the support services available to employees," Flores said in a statement. Dead at the scene Huber said earlier Thursday that "there was an altercation and we have detectives on the scene. It happened at 1:37 in the morning and there was no risk to the public." Huber later described what happened in a news release: Deputies arrived to find Robertson "unconscious and bleeding." CPR was performed but deputies could not revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Story continues The suspect was found in a dock area not far from Robertson's body. "The item used in the slaying was recovered," Huber said in the release. "The incident and possible motive remain under investigation." In a statement released later Thursday, Flores said GM was working with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office to investigate "an altercation between two employees of a third-party service provider at Orion Assembly early Thursday morning. The incident resulted in the death of one of the individuals. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim's family." Huber said detectives will present the case to prosecutors Friday for possible homicide charges. Other fatal factory fights GM has security at all of its factories, including Orion Assembly where about 1,200 people work. During the non-production shifts, there is typically only a handful of employees there such as the security personnel and cleaning crew. Flores was not sure if there were metal detectors at the plant's entrances or not. There have been deadly incidents at auto factories before in Michigan. In 2017 at Ford Motor Co's. Woodhaven Stamping Plant, Jacoby Hennings, a temporary, part-time employee, was involved in a dispute before shooting himself, leading to the plant's evacuation and shutdown. Hennings, then 21, was of Harper Woods. In 1996, the media reported that Gerald Michael Atkins, then 29, was arrested after dressing "like Rambo and using an AK-47 to shoot his way into a Ford plant in Wixom. A manager was killed and three others were wounded. GM's Flores said he does not recall a fatal killing at a GM factory until now. According to GM's 2021 Sustainability report, the automaker had two work-related deaths at its facilities, up from one death in 2020. Orion's production future GM builds the Chevrolet Bolt and Bolt EUV, an SUV styling of the all-electric car, at Orion on one dayside shift that starts at around 6 a.m. and runs to 2:30 p.m., Flores said. GM had just restarted production of the Bolt and Bolt EUV in April after months of shutdown. GM idled the factory late last year so GM could focus on fixing defective batteries as part of a global recall of 2017-22 model year Bolts. About 140,000 vehicles are affected in the recall because they could catch fire. There were more than a dozen fires, but no one was injured. When GM restarted the plant in April, Chevrolet leaders said once production ramped up, the EVs would achieve record sales this year, topping 24,000 Bolts. Through June, GM has sold 7,303 Bolts. In the same period last year, GM had sold 20,288 through June. In January, GM announced it would invest $7 billion in Michigan factories, included in that is $4 billion to upgrade Orion to start building the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV. pickup. More: GM CFO says supply plan will keep auto production going even in a downturn More: GM calls $1,500 OnStar plan optional but new car buyers are being forced into it Contact Jamie L. LaReau at jlareau@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @jlareauan. Read more on General Motors and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: General Motors plant fight ends in one death You are here: Business China's Ministry of Finance issued this year's second batch of renminbi treasury bonds in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Wednesday, according to a statement of the ministry. The second batch worth 5 billion yuan (about 739.5 million U.S. dollars) included two-year bonds worth 4 billion yuan and ten-year bonds worth 1 billion yuan, the statement said. The issuance was well received by institutional investors with the total bid amount reaching 21.79 billion yuan, 4.36 times the amount in circulation, it said. The ministry planned to issue treasury bonds worth 23 billion yuan in four batches in the Hong Kong SAR this year. The third batch worth 5.5 billion yuan will be issued in October. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) voted Thursday to allow Google to push forward a Gmail pilot program that would allow campaign emails to dodge spam filters, a move that comes after accusations from Republicans that the filters were biased against their messages. The FEC voted 4-1 to approve the program, concluding that the test of new features is permissible under campaign law. Commissioner Ellen Weintraub, a Democrat who voted against the order, said she has a hard time getting around the fact that this is a unique benefit offered to political committees, and only to political committees. Democratic Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum joined the three Republicans in voting for the program, but expressed similar hesitation. I dont want to [support this], and its for the same reasons all the commenters dont want to, but I think the law and commissioner regulations and commission precedent permits this, Lindenbaum said. I also dont want to hamstring innovation and pilot programs. So if Google does move forward with this program, I hope it will reduce and not expand spam and increase best practices for bulk senders, she added. Democratic Commissioner Shana Broussard abstained. Google requested the FECs approval on the program in June, Axios first reported, after receiving backlash from Republicans over accusations that Gmail filters were pushing more GOP campaign emails to spam. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said the company will reflect on the positive and negative feedback received during the public comment period. Our goal during this pilot program is to assess alternative ways of addressing concerns from bulk senders, while giving users clear controls over their inboxes to minimize unwanted email. We will continue to monitor feedback as the pilot rolls out to ensure it is meeting its goals, he said in a statement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. If Google isnt confident about the overall quality of search results when you search for something, it will now let you know at the top of the results page. This doesnt mean that no helpful information is available, or that a particular result is low-quality, Pandu Nayak, Googles vice president of search, said in a blog post that the company published on Thursday. Rather, the warning, which Google calls a content advisory, will show up only when the sites algorithms feel like giving you context about an entire set of results on a page, and despite the notice, you will still be able to see individual search results. As an example, Google cited a search for getting in touch with the Illuminati, a reference to a popular conspiracy theory that a society of elites secretly controls the world. The move is a part of broader updates that the worlds most popular search engine is making to improve the quality of information that it surfaces in a world racked by online misinformation and disinformation. Most people now think of Google as the place to find direct answers to questions, rather than links to pages that will hopefully be helpful, and the search engine has had to evolve to deal with this. Were [not] able to know the truth of billions of documents on the web, Nayak said. Its not something that algorithms can detect. And its not something that any one person or even a large organization can do. So, instead, what we have developed is a process for understanding signals of quality and reliability of sources on the web. Google already shows similar content advisories when a search topic is new or rapidly evolving and there arent enough reliable sources that it can show in results yet, and the new advisory will be one more way to signal people to not rely indiscriminately on Google as a source of truth and facts. In addition to fessing up when it thinks that the quality of a set of search results isnt great, Google is also making some other incremental changes. Story continues Its improving the quality of snippets, the little nuggets of information that it scrapes from webpages and offers up in bold as answers right at the top of the site when you ask specific questions like, How long is the Great Wall of China? If you now search for a question that has no real answer as examples, Google cited What year did Alexander Graham Bell first write Call Me Maybe? and When did Snoopy assassinate Abraham Lincoln?, although who exactly is searching for this is still unclear Google will refrain from providing a snippet with information thats only partially correct (previously, it showed Lincolns assassination date, and ignored the fact that a comic strip beagle did not, in fact, kill the former president). Google said it has reduced when snippets are triggered in instances like these by 40%, although a company spokesperson declined to share the total number of search queries that triggered them in the first place. These improvements to snippets will also show up in the People Also Ask section on the search results page, Nayak said. A final new feature thats coming this week to people who use the Google app on iPhones and iPads, for whatever reason, instead of a browser: If you need more context about a website youre on, such as its reviews, how widely it is cited as a source, who owns it, and more, you can swipe up from the bottom navigation bar to find out. The feature will come to Android Googles own operating system for phones and tablets later this year. Still, none of these improvements will apply to YouTube, the other big Google-owned platform where misinformation sometimes runs rampant. Their problem is a little bit different than ours, Nayak said, because, unlike Google Search, YouTube actually hosts videos and serves them up algorithmically. We dont share code bases directly. We dont work on YouTube directly and YouTube doesnt work on us directly. More on this You know that highlighted piece of text at the very top of a Google search results page when you look up a piece of information? That's called a "featured snippet," and it's meant to provide you with a quick answer to your query. Now, Google is making sure that the information it highlights is reliable and accurate by using its latest AI model, the Multitask Unified Model, so that Search can now look for consensus when deciding on a snippet to feature. Google's Search AI can now check snippet callouts those are the information with larger fonts that serve as heading for featured snippets against other high-quality sources online. It can figure out if there's a general consensus for that callout, even if sources use different words or concepts to describe the same fact or idea. Google says this "consensus-based technique has meaningfully improved the quality and helpfulness of featured snippet callouts." Google featured snippet But for some queries, such as those with false premises, displaying features snippets isn't the best way to deliver information. To address that issue, Google tweaked its Search AI so that this particular update reduces the triggering of snippets for those types of queries by 40 percent. Google is now also making its "About this result" tool more accessible. That's the panel that pops up when you click on the three dots next to a result, showing you details about the source website before you even visit. Starting later this year, it will be available in eight more languages, including Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese and Indonesian. It's adding more information to the tool starting this week, as well, including how widely a publication is circulated, online reviews about a company, or whether a company is owned by another entity. They're all pieces of information that could help you decide whether a particular source is trustworthy. Finally, in case Google's AI has determined that the overall results for a search query may have questionable quality, the results page will now display a content advisory. "It looks like there aren't many great results for this search," the advisory will say, telling you to check the source you're looking at or to try other search terms. It could help you stay alert and be on the lookout for potential fake information while checking the results the website had presented. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A grain-carrying ship that was scheduled to depart from Ukraine's Chornomorsk port under a U.N.-brokered deal on Thursday was unable to set sail due to bad weather conditions, Turkey's defence ministry said. The deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey between Russia and Ukraine has allowed 12 ships to depart from Ukraine's Black Sea port since Aug. 1. The agreement was reached last month after warnings that the halt in grain shipments from Ukrainian ports due to the conflict could lead to severe food shortages and even outbreaks of famine in parts of the world. "A ship whose departure from Chornomorsk Port for grain shipment was planned for today could not set sail due to bad weather and sea conditions," Turkey's defence ministry said. The Ocean Lion, the biggest ship to depart Ukraine so far, was at anchor in the Sea of Marmara, near the southern end of Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait after leaving Ukraine on Tuesday. Two other ships, the Sacura and the Mustafa Necati, were anchored close by, while the Rahmi Yagci was anchored on the northern end of the Bosphorus. The Razoni, the first ship to leave Ukraine, was initially headed to Lebanon but the Ukrainian embassy there said the buyer refused delivery due to a delay of five months. It was anchored off Turkey's southern coast on Thursday morning, according to Refinitiv ship tracker data. Before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, in what Moscow calls a "special operation" to demilitarise its neighbour, the two countries together accounted for nearly a third of global wheat exports. The resumption of grain exports is being overseen by a Joint Coordination Centre (JCC) in Istanbul where Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and U.N. personnel are working. The Turkish defence ministry, in its statement, also said that two grain ships had been inspected in Istanbul on Wednesday and were on their way to Ukraine but gave no further details. Story continues It also said that ships in Ukrainian ports were being loaded, but did not elaborate. Two empty cargo ships, the Fulmar S and the Osprey S, arrived in Ukraine in the past week to collect grain after being inspected by a JCC team in Istanbul. (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Susan Fenton) The Granville Farmers Marketjoins markets across the country in celebrating National Farmers Market Week from Aug. 7-13, 2022. The Market is presented weekly by the Granville Area Chamber of Commerce through Oct. 29, 2022. This year National Farmers Market Day will be celebrated on Saturday, Aug. 13 with a Tomato Taste-Off event. This is an opportunity to sample multiple varieties of tomatoes from farmers at the Granville Area Chamber of Commerce tents. From 9-11 a.m. a wide selection of tomatoes will be available to sample. Participants will try them all and vote for the tomato variety they think is best tasting. Also happening on Saturday is a special Pedal To Produce event that encourages bike riders to bike the TJ Evans Bike Trail from Johnstown to Granvilles Farmers Market. This activity is jointly sponsored by the Licking County Health Department, the Licking Park District, the Granville Recreation District, the Licking County Area Transportation Study, and the Granville Farmers Market. Farmers markets foster direct relationships between community members and farmers, which can work to create a more fair and sustainable food system. Farmers markets are also a hub for connection and collective action around shared values. National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration of farmers markets coordinated by the Farmers Market Coalition, a membership-based nonprofit organization that supports farmers markets nationwide through training, technical assistance, and network-building. This year, the campaign is centered around the essential role that farmers market operators play in our local food systems and in developing resilience in communities as hubs for local economies and connection. The Granville Farmers Market began in 1993, and currently hosts more than 50farmers and producers selling a wide variety of products with locally grown vegetables and fruit, organic produce, meats and cheeses, home-baked breads, assorted baked goods, candies, salsa, mustards and more. Fresh brewed coffee from the local coffeehouse is available, musicians entertain, and folks greet one another with "See you at the market!" Story continues This is done by creating a direct outlet for local growers and home-based artisans, who bring the highest-quality produce and handmade goods making them accessible to all. Our market has been called 'the best in Central Ohio' by vendors and shoppers alike, says Market Manager Steve Matheny. The Market supports sustainable agriculture as well as the health and economic well-being of our community." The vision for the Granville Farmers Market is to be a landmark destination and community gathering place. This market brings a diverse assortment of healthy, fresh and local foods and artisans that accommodate the needs of the community, all in a festive and family-friendly atmosphere that provides a unique learning experience about sustainable agriculture for Granvilles citizens and visitors. For more information about the 2022 Granville Farmers Market please visit www.granvillefarmersmarket.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: Granville Farmers Market hosts Tomato Taste-Off KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Zack Greinke worked out of trouble to hold Chicago scoreless into the seventh inning, and the Kansas City Royals beat Dylan Cease and the White Sox 5-3 on Thursday. Greinke allowed nine hits but didnt walk a batter, striking out five while throwing 95 pitches in 6 1/3 innings. The White Sox loaded the bases with no outs on three straight singles in the third, but Grienke struck out Eloy Jimenez and Jose Abreu and induced Yasmani Grandals inning-ending grounder. I dont think youre going to see a pitcher put on a display of tough pitches in a bigger spot than what he did right there with who was coming up, Royals manager Mike Matheny said. He just found a different level. Weve seen him do that a couple of times, but I dont know that it was like that. He mixed it up, knowing how to stretch the zone, taking a little off, it was really impressive. He just looked good all day. He had a nice rhythm. It didnt look like he was working hard today. Greinke downplayed his performance as usual. I didnt really think about it too much, he said of the third-inning jam. I was just trying to make some pitches. I got lucky to get out of it. Vinnie Pasquantino homered and Nicky Lopez had a two-run single for the Royals, who won back-to-back four-game series for the first time since Aug. 11-18, 2014. Kansas City took three of four from visiting Boston before doing the same to Chicago. Cease (12-5) allowed three hits and one run on Pasquatinos homer leading off the second in six innings as his ERA dropped to 1.96. He has not given up more than one earned run in a game since May 24, a span of 14 starts. Scott Barlow allowed Andrew Vaughns homer in the ninth but closed it out for his 18th save in 21 chances. Pasquantino hit a 3-2 slider into the Royals bullpen in right field, the 10th homer Cease has allowed this season. Im sure if you would ask (Cease) he would have wanted to locate that slider in a different spot, Pasquantino said. He missed his spot and I was able to take advantage of it. Story continues Lopez put the Royals ahead 3-0 in the seventh with his single against Jose Ruiz, who came on after Joe Kelly allowed two baserunners. Grandal hit a two-run homer in the eighth against Jose Cuas to get the White Sox within 4-2. Michael A. Taylor had an RBI single for the Royals in the bottom half. TRAINERS ROOM Chicago OF A.J. Pollock was held out of the lineup again Thursday after fouling a ball off his foot Tuesday. Manager Tony La Russa said Pollock was available if necessary, but he would prefer to wait until Friday when the White Sox host Detroit. ... RHP Kelly left with lightheadedness. UP NEXT White Sox: Open a weekend series against visiting Detroit on Friday, with RHP Michael Kopech (4-8, 1.98 ERA) facing Tigers LHP Daniel Norris (0-4, 6.90). Royals: Welcome the major league-best Los Angeles Dodgers for a three-game series starting Friday. The Dodgers will start RHP Tony Gonsolin (13-1, 2.30), while the Royals will hand the ball to LHP Daniel Lynch (4-7, 4.79). ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) Drag performers shimmied up and down a walkway between cafe tables, as enthusiastic patrons took photos, waved cash and filled out ballots ranking the shows. The mock election, fueled by performances that brought the din of an Anchorage, Alaska, cafe to a roar, was aimed at teaching voters about the state's new ranked choice voting system. The first ranked voting election under a suite of elections changes approved by Alaska voters in 2020 will be the Aug. 16 special U.S. House election featuring Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich and Democrat Mary Peltola. Organizations have gotten creative in trying to help voters understand how to cast their ballot, as the mock election featuring drag performers shows. Under ranked voting, ballots are counted in rounds. A candidate can win outright with more than 50% of the vote in the first round. If no one hits that threshold, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. Voters who chose that candidate as their top pick have their votes count for their next choice. Rounds continue until two candidates remain, and whoever has the most votes wins. Leaders of some of the efforts see their work as critical to getting voters comfortable with ranked voting, whether they like the system or not, and to helping voters avoid errors in casting their ballots. In the spirit of democracy, you need to at least understand how this works, said Bernadette Wilson, state director of Americans for Prosperity-Alaska. The group opposed the 2020 ballot initiative but we lost, she said. The new system is the law of the land, and we have an election coming up. While Americans for Prosperity Action-Alaska has endorsed Begich, Wilson has avoided using the actual candidates as examples in videos she's posted on Facebook explaining the system, opting instead to demonstrate with colorful sticky notes on a whiteboard. She also did a presentation and Q&A at an Anchorage theater, an event sponsored by an education wing of the group, Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Story continues A commenter on one of Wilson's posts said: I am glad she understands. Clear as mud to me. Wilson said she wonders how many people risk incorrectly filling out their ballot and having it rejected because they read a comment on Facebook somewhere or got bad information from a friend. Maine uses ranked voting in state-level primaries and in general elections for federal offices. But Alaska's unique system combines open primaries with ranked vote general elections. The top four finishers in each primary race, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election. Supporters see ranked choice as a way to give voters more choice and to have candidates seek support from beyond their traditional bases. Three candidates are in the House special election after elections officials and courts determined that independent Al Gross, who finished third in the special primary, withdrew from the race too late for fifth-place finisher Republican Tara Sweeney to make the ballot in his place. The winner will serve the remainder of the late Rep. Don Young's term, which ends early next year. Young died in March. The special election will be on one side of the ballot. The other side will feature regular primary races, in which voters select one candidate per race. Palin at a recent forum called ranked voting convoluted and complicated and said it should be changed. Former President Donald Trump, who has endorsed Palin, at a rally in Anchorage last month called ranked choice a rigged deal. Palin's campaign did not respond to questions from The Associated Press about whether the campaign is trying to help voters understand the system or encouraging them to rank a certain way. Neither did Peltola's. Peltola, at the forum, said she was hopeful about the new system. Begich said his job is to make sure voters mark him first. Begich, who said he would like to see Alaska return to its old system, said he's focused on campaigning and leaving education around the process to others. The Alaska Division of Elections, which oversees elections, has produced ads, videos, fliers and online explainers. But a candidate for governor, Democrat Les Gara, said one of its mailers risks confusing people because it uses a mock state Senate race as a ranked choice example when no state legislative races will be ranked in August. A division spokesperson did not respond to the criticism. Some of the outreach efforts are political. For example, the National Republican Congressional Committee in a video encourages voters to leave the Democrat blank and only rank the Republicans in the House special election. The Alaska Democratic Party is urging voters to rank the candidate(s) that most closely align with their values. The Alaska Center Education Fund, a nonpartisan arm of the progressive-leaning The Alaska Center, helped sponsor the recent Drag out the Vote event in Anchorage. Kyla Kosednar, the fund's advocacy director, said the fund's work is focused this year on young and first-time voters. We try to add those fun elements into these voting events so that folks are more likely to take time out of their busy summer schedule and come learn about ranked choice voting, Kosednar said. Kosednar said Young's death accelerated the timeline for educating voters. She said some people don't realize an election is happening or are unfamiliar with the new system. She said practicing helps. Once people do practice it they're like, Oh, this makes total sense,'" she said. Sarah Erkmann Ward, who owns a communications agency in Anchorage, has a contract with Alaskans for Better Elections and is doing outreach to help conservatives understand the system, she said. Alaskans for Better Elections backed the new elections system and has been working with a variety of groups in efforts to help voters understand it. Ward said she hasn't seen any ranked voting skeptics leave her presentations an advocate. It's more of a realization that, 'OK, this is not as hard as I thought, still not wild about the idea but I know how to vote.' And that's really the goal here, just to get people comfortable with how you vote." An angry gunman reportedly took up to ten bank employees and customers hostage in Lebanons capital Thursday, demanding full access to $200,000 he claims to have stored in an account there before leaving the premises in a car occupied by his brother, reports say. The dramatic situation that unfolded at a Federal Bank of Lebanon location in Beirut comes as the country remains embroiled in a financial crisis due to successive governments racking up debt, forcing banks to limit withdrawals of hard currency, according to Reuters. "I'm in my office. He gets agitated then calms down then gets agitated again," Hassan Halawi, the manager of the bank branch who was among those captive, told Reuters. A video posted on Twitter shows an individual standing at the entrance of the bank, holding a weapon and talking to a crowd that gathered outside. HEZBOLLAH THREATENS TO SEVER THE HAND OF ISRAEL IF IT ATTEMPTS TO TAP DISPUTED OFFSHORE GAS A security source told Reuters that he entered the bank in the Hamra neighborhood around noon local time. "He demanded access to around $200,000 he had in his bank account. When the employee refused the request, he began screaming that his relatives were in the hospital. Then he pulled out the gun," the source told Reuters. That individual, identified as 42 year-old Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, later walked out of the bank and went into a white car occupied by his brother, Al-Jadeed News reported. It was not immediately clear if he had been given any money. Hussein had entered the bank carrying a canister of gasoline, a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press. The man fired three warning shots, the official said. George al-Haj, head of the Bank Employees Syndicate, told local media that seven or eight bank employees were taken hostage along with two customers. Lebanons interior ministry said negotiations with the gunman had been ongoing and at least one elderly man was released from the bank. Story continues HEZBOLLAH, ALLIES LOSE THEIR MAJORITY IN LEBANON PARLIAMENT Meanwhile, a crowd that has gathered outside the bank appeared to be showing some support for the hostage taker, chanting "down with the rule of the banks!", while one man yelled "We are depositors and we want our money! We are with him, we're even ready to help him!" according to Reuters. One person in that crowd, identified as Hassan Mughnieh, the head of Lebanon's Depositors Association, told Reuters that he has been in touch with the gunman and has voiced his concerns to bank leadership. "He wants to live, he wants to pay his electricity bill, feed his kids and treat his father in the hospital," Mughnieh said. Husseins brother Atef, standing outside the bank, told The Associated Press earlier that his brother would be willing to turn himself in if the bank gave him money to help with his fathers medical bills and family expenses. "My brother is not a scoundrel. He is a decent man," Atef al-Sheikh Hussein said. "He takes what he has from his own pocket to give to others." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Hagerstown teenager who turned himself in Tuesday regarding a Friday night shooting that left one dead was previously charged in a July 2021 attempted murder, according to the Washington County State's Attorney's Office. For the second consecutive day, the bond hearing for Ty Shan Jerome Dotson, 16, of Hagerstown, was continued this latest time until Friday. On Wednesday, Washington County District Court Judge Victoria J. Lobley continued the bond hearing a day to give the defense time to file motions regarding possibly moving Dotson to a juvenile facility. On Thursday, Judge Mark D. Thomas continued the bond hearing until Friday because Dotson's private attorney was not present in the courtroom. Dotson is facing charges, including first- and second-degree murder in the shooting death of Taron Shawnta Trice, 44, of Silver Spring, Md., according to Hagerstown Police. Charged as an adult, Dotson also is charged with first- and second-degree assault and use of a firearm in a violent crime. Police responded to the 1400 block of Haven Road around 11:06 p.m. Friday for a report of a homicide and found a person dead in the parking lot of the Stone Ridge Apartments and Townhomes. There does not appear to be a connection to the apartment complex because neither subjects live there, according to a police news release. That neighborhood is west of Pennsylvania Avenue in the city's North End. More:Washington County judge issues opinion for sentence reduction request in 1994 murder On Monday, Hagerstown Police announced they had identified the suspect as Dotson and an arrest warrant was issued. Dotson turned himself in on Tuesday, according to police. "It is believed that the shooting resulted from a verbal argument earlier in the night that escalated once the suspect and victim came in contact with each other at the parking lot," according to a police news release. Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Flores said Wednesday the shooting followed a search for a phone belonging to Trice's girlfriend who also is the mother of Dotson's girlfriend and an altercation with Trice. Story continues Trice told them if they could find his car, they could get the woman's phone, Flores said. Dotson's girlfriend was driving her mother's car in which Dotson was a front-seat passenger, and the girlfriend's younger brother was in the backseat, Flores said. They went looking for Trice's car and Trice showed up and opened the front passenger door and started to hit Dotson, Flores said. Dotson's response was to allegedly shoot Trice several times, she said. Dotson was being held at the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday and appeared via video for the bond hearing held in District Court. Assistant Public Defender Garrett Byron told Lobley it was a serious matter, but yet they were still allegations. He asked if Dotson could be released on bond or transferred to a juvenile facility. Flores said the state's attorney's office would oppose transferring Dotson to a juvenile facility because he has a history of problems with staff and other residents and would pose a danger. Lobley continued the bond hearing to allow for defense motions, which could include a transfer request. On Thursday, Assistant Public Defender Sean Mukherjee told Thomas that Dotson had declined the public defender's office's representation and Dotson had a private attorney. Teen's criminal history Flores said Dotson has a criminal history, including being charged as an adult for attempted first-degree murder and other charges for what she described as "like a set up" at Mulberry Lofts on July 30, 2021. Dotson, then 15, was allegedly walking around Mulberry Lofts with a gun, a car arrived and he started firing, she told the court. That case resulted in a plea deal in which the attempted murder charge was dropped and a Juvenile Court judge gave Dotson six month's probation for weapons offenses, Flores said. Dotson also was charged for possession of a firearm by a minor on Oct. 26 last year, and that case was transferred back to juvenile court, Flores said. Juvenile court is "big" into rehabilitation, Flores said sarcastically. Flores told the court that rehabilitation has been tried with Dotson and it didn't work, and now there has been a death. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Hagerstown teen charged in shooting death has violent criminal history Harvey Weinsteins youngest known accuser, former model Kaja Sokola, has spoken out against the movie mogul. She was 16 when she first met the movie producer at an event. He was 50 at the time. Now 35, Sokola has opened up to tell her story in a new interview with Rolling Stone. Some readers may find details in this article upsetting People at the event said, This is the king of Hollywood, and he can make everything happen, Sokola recalled of her first encounter with Weinstein. He said, If you want to be an actress, I can see you have potential and I would like to meet with you for lunch and discuss it. Of course, Ive heard, Do not go out for dinners. People can put all sorts of drugs in your drinks. But a lunch seemed safe. Reiterating what she had detailed in her 2019 lawsuit, Sokola said she gave Weinstein her phone number. Three days later, he called her and picked her up for lunch. When he asked her old she was, she told him she was 16. Afterwards, they were dropped off at his Soho apartment, where she alleges that within minutes Weinstein sexually assaulted her. Kaja Sokola (Patrick McMullan via Getty Image) She said when she tried to flee, he obstructed her exit and gripped her arms to hold her in place. He then attempted to neutralise the situation by claiming it was normal in the industry, before listing off names like Gwyneth Paltrow and Penelope Cruz as women whose careers hed helped. Years after, Sokola says Weinstein continued to keep her on the hook by promising to help her career. Weinsteins attorney Imran H Ansari has stated that his client categorically and emphatically denies Sokolas allegations. Ansari added: A timeline of events, corroborated by other evidence, including witness testimony, will refute Ms Sokolas allegations of sexual abuse as a minor, that were statutorily required to be alleged in her complaint in order to sue Mr Weinstein under the Child Victims Act and not be time-barred due to the passing of the statute of limitations. Story continues Weinsteins spokesperson additionally claims that the producer didnt purchase his Soho apartment the location Sokola alleges the attack took place until 2005. Sokolas suit also directly takes aim at Disney, the former parent company of Miramax, the TV company Weinstein co-founded with his brother Bob. During the time Disney owned Miramax, Miramax paid settlements to multiple women who were victims of Harvey Weinsteins sexual harassment and abuse. Based on Disneys control of Miramax finances, Disney knew or should have known of these payments, which should have caused additional inquiry and investigation, reads the complaint filed in December 2019. Harvey Weinstein (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) The Independent has reached out to Disney for comment. Bob and Miramax are also listed as defendants in Sokolas suit. This suit is yet another attempt to hold Bob Weinstein responsible for an alleged sexual assault committed by Harvey Weinstein that Bob had nothing to do with, Gary Stein, Bobs attorney said. Numerous similar claims have been filed against Bob over the past several years. Each and every one of them has been dismissed by the courts. The Independent has reached out to Miramax for comment. Since New York Timess original damning 2017 report about Weinstein was published, more than 80 accusers have come forward. Weinstein, 70, is currently serving a 23-year sentence in Los Angeles while awaiting trial on 11 additional charges. He is also facing two counts of indecent assault against a woman in London in August 1996. If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here. You are here: China With the resurgence of infections in neighboring countries, China's COVID-19 prevention and control efforts are facing increasing pressure, a health official said Wednesday. Nine provincial-level regions in China have each reported more than 100 COVID-19 cases since August, with over 2,000 infections in Hainan, said Mi Feng, spokesperson for the National Health Commission (NHC). The latest COVID-19 outbreak in Sanya, a coastal resort city in south China's Hainan province, is still evolving at a high level, said Mi. The epidemic situation in provincial-level regions like Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Guangdong is evolving rapidly, Mi said, cautioning about the risk of community spread. The NHC spokesperson added that the recently reported cases in the Tibet Autonomous Region also pose a high risk of spread. The epidemic situation in some provincial-level regions that previously reported infections has been brought under control, according to Mi. Noting that working groups have been dispatched to affected regions to aid containment efforts, Mi reiterated the importance to guard against imported cases and domestic resurgence and adhere to the dynamic zero-COVID policy. As of Tuesday, 3.427 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered on the Chinese mainland. Nearly 239 million elderly people aged 60 or above had been vaccinated against COVID-19, the NHC spokesperson said. Northampton, MA --News Direct-- FedEx Corporation Photo credit: Heart to Heart International In contrast to the devastating fires in the western U.S., Kentucky is experiencing a once in a thousand year flood. In response to the flood, to help with relief efforts, Heart to Heart International (HHI), based in Kansas City, KS, dispatched their brand new mobile medical van, donated by FedEx. According to Kim Carroll, President and CEO of HHI, the van headed out for Whitesburg, Kentucky on Sunday, August 7. HHI had team members on the ground in KY the first week of August, assessing how to best support those impacted by the severe flooding. HHI deployed a follow up team on the 7th. Carroll stated: Their work will focus on supporting our partner, Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) and will consist primarily of providing ARH with transportation (vehicles and trained drivers) to vulnerable populations in rural areas who cannot access health services due to complications related to the flooding. ARH will provide their own personnel and supplies to tend to the patients, while HHI will provide the drivers and FedEx-donated Sprinter van as a facility out of which to operate. HHI is also providing local organizations with PPE, first aid supplies and hygiene kits. This response marks the first deployment of the van. Carroll went on to say: HHI received the finished unit in April and have trained our entire volunteer driver pool on her unique requirements. The Van is perfect for this type of response, where medical care is needed in remote, hard to reach geography. FedEx has been a proud supporter of HHI for decades in their work across the U.S. and around the world. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from FedEx Corporation on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/heart-to-heart-international-mobile-medical-van-heads-to-kentucky-191887641 Savannah now has a special assistant U.S. attorney to prosecute federal crimes. At Thursday's City Council meeting, the mayor and alderman approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the city and U.S. Attorneys Office by a 6-3 vote. The special assistant, who will serve as a city employee, will work from the U.S. Department of Justice's Southern District of Georgia office. Asked why Savannah was a focal point, David Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, told Savannah Morning News, "Most of the violent crime occurs in the population centers Augusta, Savannah, Statesboro, Brunswick." On May 18, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson sent a letter to the Chatham County District Attorney, the USDOJ and Savannah Police Department about the increase in violent crime in Savannah, "essentially asking what can be done about it," said Estes. 'In any crisis, there's an opportunity': Interim Savannah Police chief vows transparency, communication Mayor Johnson: After 2 weeks of City Market shootings, curfew is 'still on our mind' Estes asked if the mayor would be interested in hiring a special assistant U.S. attorney to address crimes of a federal nature, such as gun violence crimes committed by convicted felons. "And they were amenable to that," said Estes. The memorandum, Estes said, remains a draft and has not been finalized yet. The special assistant, he explained, will help the Southern District focus more on violent crime in Savannah, something hard to do when the district is responsible for 43 counties across south Georgia and employs a "limited number of prosecutors." "So, I can't direct all of my resources to just Savannah, but I do live here and I want to address violent crime," Estes said. David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, speaks during a news conference Nov. 22, 2021, to announce indictments in USA v. Patricio et al, Operation Blooming Onion, a human trafficking investigation naming 24 defendants on felony charges including human smuggling and document fraud. Federal crimes As far as Savannah's rising gun violence, the Southern District of Georgia prosecutes only cases of convicted felons who possess firearms that have been transported in interstate and foreign commerce, or both. Most of the people the USDOJ prosecutes reach plea deals because most of the cases are not "overly complex," said Estes. Story continues The Southern District of Georgia also works with local law enforcement agencies on special programs including Project Safe Neighborhoods and Operation Ceasefire. In the latter project, the USDOJ meets with SPD, and SPD presents USDOJ with potential federal crimes, and the USDOJ decides whether or not they are able to prosecute the crime. "If we have the evidence and we have the jurisdiction, we're gonna take it," said Estes, though he wasn't sure what percentage of cases the USDOJ takes on that local police departments propose. District 3 Alderwoman Linda Wilder Bryan speaks before Savannah City Council's vote on the Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Attorney's Office at Thursday's city council meeting. Recently: Leaked Chatham County District Attorney's prosecution rubric raises community concerns Interim SPD Chief Lenny Gunther said one of his major priorities is to "initiate more enforcement actions against gangs, even neighborhood-based gangs, in the community." To do so, Gunther said, he plans to bring "different law enforcement agencies to the table," including the USDOJ. "We're working toward indictments and to identify and prosecute as many individuals that are out there that are claiming a part or being part of gangs and committing these crimes under the umbrella of being a gang and prosecuting them federally," Gunther said last week. At-Large Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely looks on as City Manager Jay Melder explains details of the city's Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Attorney's Office at Thursday's City Council meeting. Memorandum details The memorandum of understanding allows the city of Savannah to interview and appoint a candidate, with input from the U.S. Attorney's office. The appointment will be for two years, but the USAO can terminate the position at any point before then, and a mutual agreement between the city and the USAO can renew or extend the term. Savannah city council will also have termination powers for the position, and for the MOU as a whole, at any point after the attorney is hired. The position will be under the city's payroll through appropriated funds, and the USAO will provide no funding. However, the USAO will pay for the travel and training expenses incurred by the position. The attorney's main focus will be violent crime in Savannah, in which the city is the lead agency on the investigation, and "in cases in which the city has a significant interest." Council Vote Two city council members, Alderwoman Alicia Blakely (at-large) and Bernetta Lanier (District 1), expressed concern that the memorandum was rushed, saying Johnson didnt tie them into the conversation prior to the memorandum being brought before council. "We did not even have any discussion about it. I didn't even find out about this until I saw it in the agenda," said Blakely. At-large Alderwoman Kesha Gibson-Carter disagreed with the allocation of the funds to address federal violent crimes. She added that the language in the memorandum is very loose." She added that Black and Brown people have been negatively affected by the justice department before. At-Large Alderwomen Alicia Miller Blakely and Kesha Gibson Carter look on as Savannah City Council discusses the details of the city's Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Attorney's Office at Thursday's City Council meeting. Both Blakely and Carter voted against the measure. "For us to expected to enter in an agreement or sign off on a resolution that will impact many lives, victims as well as criminals, I think its irresponsible, Gibson-Carter said. Additionally, she questioned the effectiveness of the memorandum, pointing out that many crimes in Savannah are not federal crimes, but state crimes. She thought funding the SPD special victims unit would be a better way to spend money. More: Leaked Chatham County District Attorney's prosecution rubric raises community concerns District 6 Alderman Kurtis Purtee disagreed, saying many SPD officers are frustrated that they see repeat offenders. This is a no brainer folks, if you cant figure that out, then I dont know what to tell ya." Multiple city council members expressed support for the memorandum because of their personal connections to gun violence, including Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan. Mayor Johnson said it was an opportunity to help SPD. "It is a tool in the toolbox," said Johnson. District 2 Alderman Detric Leggett hold his head in his hands as the Savannah City Council discussion on the city's Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Attorney's Office drags on at Thursday's City Council meeting. Hiring process As far as next steps, Estes said his office will help the city find a candidate, who must pass two separate background checks, one by the city and another by the USDOJ. "As soon as we can get somebody on board, we'll put them to work," said Estes. "And the mayor has indicated to me that they would like to do this sooner than rather than later. I'm in the same boat. We want to move out as quickly as we possibly can." Drew Favakeh is the public safety reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@savannahnow.com. This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah, DOJ partnership to ramp up prosecution of violent crimes A new report found that social media giant Facebook has profited from searches and ads for white supremacist groups, but the company said it has corrected the issue. Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased creating his own social media platform. This is Hillicon Valley, detailing all you need to know about tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Send tips to The Hills Rebecca Klar and Ines Kagubare. Someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Report targets online hate on Facebook Facebook has profited from searches and ads for white supremacist groups on its platform, according to a report released Wednesday from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP). The TTP investigation found ads monetizing search results for some white supremacist groups, of which there are more than 80 using Facebook as a hub, according to the report. The ads werent for the white supremacist groups themselves, but generated revenue for the social media giant when they appeared in searches. A Facebook spokesperson said on Wednesday that the platform has corrected the issue. The 80-group count found in the report amounts to more than a third of 226 total white supremacist groups labeled as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Anti-Defamation League and Facebook. Meta says it has designated 270 groups under that label and has banned them all from the platform. Read more here. Musk teases social media platform Elon Musk on Tuesday evening appeared to tease creating his own social media platform if he does not ultimately buy Twitter. Have you thought about creating your own social platform? If Twitter deal doesnt come through, an account titled Tesla Owners Silicon Valley asked the billionaire on Twitter. X.com, Musk wrote in response. In 1999, Musk co-founded an online financial services company with the same name. X.com merged in 2000 with Confinity, which developed the PayPal electronic payment system. Story continues The domain for Musks former company now connects users to a page that displays a singular x on a blank background. Read more here. CYBERATTACK HITS FINLAND AMID NATO PUSH Finlands parliament website was temporarily down on Tuesday following a cyberattack that coincided with President Bidens move to admit the Nordic country to NATO. The Finnish parliament said in a statement on Twitter that a denial-of-service attack hit the parliaments external websites at around 2:30 p.m. local time. The Parliament takes steps to limit the attack together with service providers and the Cybersecurity Center, the statement said. On Wednesday, the parliament announced on Twitter that the website returned to normal on Tuesday night. The attack against the parliament occurred the same day Biden signed a measure backing Finland and Swedens admittance into NATO. Read more here. BITS & PIECES An op-ed to chew on: New digital privacy bills wont protect women seeking abortions Notable links from around the web: The Boy Bosses of Silicon Valley Are on Their Way Out (The New York Times / Erin Griffith) Teens have fled Facebook but are loyal to YouTube, poll shows (The Washington Post / Heather Kelly) How Trump changed Facebook (Vox / Shirin Ghaffary and Alex Heath) Lighter click: Man in the mirror One more thing: EU heads to Silicon Valley The European Union is opening a new liaison office in Californias Silicon Valley to streamline communication with U.S. tech companies, as new laws are set to go into effect that will ramp up regulation of the technology sector in Europe. The EUs executive branch, the European Commission, will run the new tech embassy, according to the Wall Street Journal. Gerard de Graaf, a senior executive at the European Commission who has worked on technology legislation, will lead the office in the San Francisco Bay area. The office will open on Sept. 1, according to the newspaper. Big Tech companies like Apple, Google and Meta will be subject to new laws in the EUs 27-nation member bloc. Read more here. Thats it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hills Technology and Cybersecurity pages for the latest news and coverage. Well see you tomorrow. VIEW THE FULL VERSION HERE For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. 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 A bottlenose dolphin calf at six months (stock image) A dolphin has bitten two more swimmers on the arm, in what is believed to be the latest in a string of attacks on a Japanese beach. According to local media, at least one man was taken to hospital on Thursday after encountering the sea mammal. Japanese officials believe the same dolphin is responsible for at least six related attacks so far this summer. While dolphins are not usually aggressive to humans, hostility towards swimmers is not unheard of. Local media reported that one man was bitten on both his arms on Thursday morning, which was followed by another attack the same afternoon on a second man - who suffered injuries to fingers on his left hand. The incidents both took place at Koshino Beach, a popular destination for swimmers and dolphins alike near the western Japanese city of Fukui. Officials have now installed ultrasonic transmitters along the beach in the hope that its high-frequency noises will deter dolphins from the area. Swimmers have also been warned of the dangers posed by the wild creatures - and have been instructed to avoid any in the water. It is not currently clear what species of dolphin was involved in the attack. According to local media, dolphins in the area have become used to human interaction and have been sighted in extremely shallow sections of the beach - including in knee-depth waters. Worldwide, dolphin attacks are rare but not unheard of. Scientists have suggested that wild bottlenose dolphins find swimming alongside humans "incredibly stressful," finding evidence that it disrupts their behavioural routines. In Ireland two women were injured in the space of ten days in 2013 by the same dolphin, including one who suffered from a broken rib. A year later five swimmers had to be rescued off the Irish coast when a dolphin encircled them aggressively. As well as hostility towards humans - dolphins are known at times to behave extremely violently towards their fellow sea creatures. In Cornwall, a bottlenose dolphin was seen flipping a porpoise into the air as part of an aggressive attack. You might also be interested in: A former Bank of Japan official who once wore a pregnancy belly for two days was chosen to replace female minister Seiko Noda as the cabinet head in charge of tackling the countrys plummeting birth rate. Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reshuffled his cabinet on Wednesday in an effort to distance his administration from the conservative Unification Church and its ties to the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe. Masanobu Ogura, 41, was appointed to replace 61-year-old Noda, a ruling party veteran and mother of one, as minister for gender equality and childrens issues. In an interview with the Associated Press last month, Noda blamed indifference and ignorance in the male-dominated Japanese parliament as the reason for the countrys declining population, an issue she described to be a national crisis. More from NextShark: Entire Train Car Defends Chinese Cancer Survivor From Racist Tourist in the UK She added, The politics of Japan will not move unless [the problems of children and women] are made visible. Ogura posted onto Twitter on April 9, 2021, that his intentions with the simulated pregnancy experience were to better understand the challenges of carrying a baby while living out day to day routines. He shared at the time that he would be wearing the 16-pound pregnancy belly to party meetings, parliamentary activities and to personal events. More from NextShark: Vancouver woman on trial for anti-Asian attack is filmed using anti-Asian slur on her way to court Ogura acknowledged the shortcomings of his experiment, conceding that There is no way you can understand a 10-month pregnancy period in just two days. Also, I hear that it starts with morning sickness, physical pain and mental anxiety as well as weight. Story continues After the first night, Ogura reported that he couldnt sleep well because of the pressure on his stomach. He also posted clips of him struggling to do normal household activities, such as cleaning the bathtub and cutting his toenails. More from NextShark: Suspects Face Charges for Killing 6-Year-Old Boy in Road Rage Shooting in California For me, its only one night, but if youre pregnant, Im sure this will last for months. Japans birth rates hit a record low in 2021 for the sixth year in a row with 811,604 births. The number of people aged 65 and above made up more than 29 percent of the population as of September, and the death rate reached a post-war high of 1.44 million. While Japan appears to be directly attacking the issue, the trend of a growing senior population and a shrinking working-age population has expanded to many places around the world, with experts anxious about how a shortage of workers might affect the global economy. Featured Image via Masanobu Ogura John Bolton urged the Biden administration to cease negotiations with Iran after a federal indictment revealed an alleged plot to assassinate the former Trump adviser. Bolton said others are also being targeted and called for the U.S. to work on removing the regime from power. I do think its important for people to understand that this plot, this effort to kill me ... and Im certainly not alone in this, theyre after plenty of people, including average citizens, not just former government employees that shows the real nature of the regime, Bolton told Yahoo News in an interview Thursday. On Wednesday the Justice Department unsealed charges against a member of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in what court documents describe as a brazen murder-for-hire plot to assassinate the former national security adviser to avenge the death of Iran top military general Qassem Soleimani. This comes after the Biden administration and Iranian officials recently concluded talks in Vienna to potentially revive the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal. The U.S. withdrew from the agreement in 2018 under the Trump administration but is now trying to resuscitate the deal. A flag with an image of senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani is displayed by Hezbollah soldiers in Lebanon during a ceremony marking the first anniversary of his killing. (Aziz Taher/Reuters) I wouldn't restart the nuclear talks, Bolton said. To me, going back in the deal is a huge strategic mistake for the United States. So what I would do would be to terminate discussions. I dont think youre ever going to achieve peace and security in the Middle East as long as the current regime in Tehran is in power. So my policy would be removing the regime. He said this could be done by exploiting factions and rivalries inside the regimes military and leadership. I think finding those potential dissident military officers in particular, and very carefully communicating with them to separate the regime at the very top is the way, with careful planning, I think you can bring it down, he told Yahoo News. Its not going to happen overnight. ... It takes time. Its hard. Its very risky. Story continues The White House did not respond to Yahoo News request for comment on Boltons call for the U.S. to topple Irans regime. Bolton said this is the only way forward and skewered the Biden administration for solely focusing on restoring the 2015 deal. An FBI wanted poster of Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, of Tehran, Iran, who has been charged with plotting to murder John Bolton, the national security adviser to former President Donald Trump. (FBI/Handout via Reuters) Bolton described the administration's efforts to revive the deal as the holy grail for them, and said it would take something extraordinary for the administration to stop their efforts. I know many of the people involved in this in the administration, they are pursuing this with a religious zeal, Bolton said. Yahoo News reported on Wednesday that an unnamed second target, referred to as a former senior high-ranking Trump administration official, is former Secretary of State and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. A source close to Pompeo said the Justice Department contacted the former secretary of state last week to notify him of the plot and the charges. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani denied the allegations in a statement, calling them fiction, according to Israeli news outlet i24NEWS. The Islamic Republic warns against any action that targets Iranian citizens by resorting to ridiculous accusations, Kanani said. John Bolton, national security adviser, left, and Mike Pompeo, U.S. secretary of state, in 2018. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The plot against Bolton stems from the death of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, according to the indictment. In January 2020, the Trump administration conducted a drone strike that killed Soleimani while he was on a trip to Iraq. Since then, the regime in Tehran has threatened revenge against those it deems responsible and has made a series of threats and started legal proceedings against U.S. officials. Bolton left the Trump White House prior to Soleimanis death but his hawkish views on Iran and other past actions have been cited by Iran as reason for wanting him killed. What is remarkable about all the Iranian operations on U.S. soil so far is the relative simplicity and straightforwardness of their approach: literally seeking guns for hire," said Behnam Ben Taleblu, an expert on Iran and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. What is even more remarkable is that none of these assassination threats and plots against former U.S. officials has been sufficient to get the Biden administration to even blink with respect to its quest to resurrect the JCPOA." An intelligence report obtained by Yahoo News last month stated that the Iranian regime is waging a multipronged campaign including threats of lethal action, international legal maneuvering, and the issuance of Iranian arrest warrants and sanctions against select U.S. officials to avenge the death of IRGC-QF Commander Soleimani in January 2020, raising the threat at home and abroad for those Iran views as responsible for the killing. IRGC-QF stands for Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, an elite division of Irans military. According to the report, Tehran has consistently identified former President Donald Trump, former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, and former CENTCOM Commander General Kenneth McKenzie as among its priority targets for retribution since January 2021. Former national security adviser John Bolton speaking at Duke University in North Carolina, February 2020. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images) Yahoo News previously reported that concerns about retaliatory attacks after Soleimani's death against officials involved in the strike against him prompted Congress to appropriate $15 million for security for departing Secretary of State Pompeo and others. I think in the White House, their brains are compartmentalized, Bolton told Yahoo News Thursday. Here, you have the nuclear problem here, you have the terrorist problem. Theyre not compartmentalized in Iran. And unfortunately, Iran is the adversary thats threatening us. So ... at a conceptual level in the White House, they can distinguish between the nuclear program and attacks on Americans on American soil. Thats not how they see it in Tehran. Four former officials being targeted by Iran told Yahoo News that they were dismayed by the Biden administrations continued efforts to negotiate with a regime actively trying to assassinate them and other former U.S. officials. Two of these former officials told Yahoo News they supported the nuclear deal but urged the administration to put JCPOA talks on hold until Iran stops trying to kill officials on U.S. soil. The nuclear deal is not a good deal but its better than nothing, said one former official who said he supported the Biden administration efforts to revive the 2015 agreement. But, this person said, talks should only resume if there are assurances Iran will stop trying to kill American officials on U.S. soil. This person requested anonymity out of concern for the security of family members. Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, center, at a meeting with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran in 2016. (Office of Iranian Supreme Leader/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) The real concern for all of us is not what Iran is doing, its what the U.S. is not doing, said Rob Greenway, former senior director for Middle Eastern and North African Affairs of the National Security Council. Greenway said there were steps that the White House should take immediately to respond to the threats against former officials. Greenway is one of the former U.S. officials sanctioned by Iran; Iran requested Interpol issue red alert notices on officials including Greenway, currently an adjunct fellow at the Hudson Institute. I would extend protection for all government officials against whom there are active Iranian threats. Not all those threatened by Iran have government-provided personal security details, Greenway said. The White House did not respond to Yahoo News questions about providing security for additional officials. He also said he would recommend we cease active negotiations with Iran until compelling and verifiable assurances made publicly and privately to cease all efforts targeting U.S. citizens including former government officials. Greenway told Yahoo News. A White House spokesperson told Yahoo News that the Biden administration will continue to pursue JCPOA talks as long as he believes its in U.S. national security interests. President Biden at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following an Arab summit there, July 16, 2022. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) President Biden has been clear that he will ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. He believes diplomacy is the best path to achieving that goal, a spokesperson said. At the same time, the Biden administration has not and will not waiver in protecting and defending all Americans against threats of violence and terrorism. We will continue to bring to bear the full resources of the U.S. government to protect Americans. When asked how he thinks the U.S. should be responding to the threats, Bolton reiterated his opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, and said he doesnt believe therell be peace and security in the Middle East as long as the current regime in Tehran is in power. Bolton called for the Biden administration to remove the regime from power, but demurred when asked if hed tried to do this when he worked in the Trump administration. I think [the regime is] far more vulnerable than people think. I think theres enormous dissatisfaction across the country. The government has the weapons thats the problem. The people dont have the weapons. So its a difficult situation, but nobody should think this regime is rock solid. It definitely is not. The plot described in court records shows the world what Iran is capable of, he said. Its a look inside their soul. And its a confirmation [that] they can make a lot of commitments about their nuclear weapons program, [and] have no intention whatsoever of honoring them. Scott Peterson's trial attorney missed an opportunity to grill a California juror about bias who eventually helped send him to death row for murdering his pregnant wife and unborn child, his appellate lawyer conceded Thursday while arguing the former fertilizer salesman deserves a new trial because of juror misconduct. Attorney Cliff Gardner, who alleges juror Richelle Nice was biased and lied to get on the jury that convicted Peterson in 2004, said it was a mistake not to question Nice after she indicated on a jury questionnaire that she couldn't stick solely to evidence at trial and avoid preexisting opinions from influencing her verdict. She checked she couldnt be fair," San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo said. He never even followed up." Gardner said he thought defense lawyers believed Nice's answer was an error on the questionnaire but agreed it was a mistake not to ask about it. But he said her response reinforced his argument that she was gunning for Peterson. It seems astonishing to me, Gardner said. It seems absolutely consistent with the idea that she had some kind of predetermined bias in the case and she was talking about it there. The defense is seeking a new trial for Peterson, 49, who was convicted of first-degree murder of Laci Peterson, 27, and second-degree murder of the unborn son they were going to name Conner. The California Supreme Court upheld Peterson's conviction but overturned his death sentence in 2020 because some jurors were improperly dismissed over their disagreement with the death penalty despite saying they could follow the law and impose it. Massullo was assigned to decide if juror misconduct prevented Peterson from getting a fair trial. Peterson's lawyers contend, among other things, that Nice sought to be on the jury because she wanted notoriety and for financial reasons. Nice, who was dubbed Strawberry Shortcake for her bright red hair, later co-authored a book about the case with six other jurors. Story continues The defense said she lied on the lengthy questionnaire given to prospective jurors that asked among other things whether she was a crime victim or had ever filed a lawsuit. Nice failed to disclose during jury selection that she filed a lawsuit and had sought a restraining order while pregnant in 2000, saying she really fears for her unborn child because of threats from her boyfriends ex-girlfriend. She also failed to disclose that a boyfriend beat her in 2001 while she was pregnant with another child. Nice testified that she may have improperly answered questions, but did so truthfully. I didnt write it on the questionnaire because it never crossed my mind, ever," she said about the restraining order. "It wasnt done intentionally it didnt cross my mind. Gardner said there was a chasm between what Nice had written in legal papers and what she testified to during the hearing held over several days in February and March. Nice testified in March that she didn't recall a fellow jurors account that when she joined the jury in deliberations she declared, We should get Scott for what he did to Laci and little man. It doesnt sound like something I would say, but I have no idea, she said. I dont remember this. Nice testified earlier that she held no bias against Peterson until after she heard the evidence that he dumped his wifes body in San Francisco Bay on Christmas Eve 2002. Stanislaus County prosecutors contend there was no juror misconduct and that Nice either misunderstood or misinterpreted the questionnaire. Special Assistant District Attorney David Harris said there was no evidence Nice had a secret motive to get on the Peterson jury. Harris said defense attorney Mark Geragos actually tried to keep Nice in the selection process after the judge dismissed her because her employer would only pay two weeks for jury service. After Geragos interjected to say she could serve if she was willing, the judge said Nice could stay if she wanted, Harris said. She then sat back down and eventually became an alternate juror who joined the deliberations after two original jurors were removed. Shes trying to leave, Harris said. This is not ... I really want to be here because Im gonna secretly get this guy. ... If thats the case, shes the worlds worst spy because shes already been excused. Geragos relied on her false answers and never would have allowed Nice to stay on the jury had he known about the restraining order, Gardner said. Harris said Nice truthfully answered questions about her ability to be fair and said she had no opinion based on pretrial publicity. The judge has 90 days to issue a ruling. Kansas City police were investigating Wednesday after the body of an unidentified person was discovered in the Missouri River. Police and firefighters responded to the area at the rivers Mile Marker 359, near the Ameristar Casino, around 2:45 p.m. Boats were used to locate and pull the body from the water following the reported discovery. Kansas City police had no information about the persons identity on Wednesday night. The Jackson County Medical Examiners Office was tasked with figuring out who the person was along with the cause and circumstances surrounding the death. A Danville man was arrested Monday on multiple counts involving online child porn, according to the Kentucky State Police. Michael D. Rhodus, 37, has been charged with 10 counts of distribution of matter portraying a minor under the age of 12 in a sexual performance and 10 counts of possessing matter portraying a minor under the age of 12 in a sexual performance, according to a news release. Both charges are Class C felonies so Rhodus could face 5 to 10 years in prison on each count if convicted. The investigation is ongoing, state police said. Equipment seized from his location on Pope Road was taken to the state police forensic lab for examination, according to the release. Rhodus is being held in the Boyle County Detention Center. He was arrested after an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. The Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch began the investigation after discovering Rhodus was distributing sexually explicit images online, according to the release. The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has accomplished all tasks in the series of joint military operations carried out recently in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island, a spokesperson with the Command said Wednesday. The operations involving troops of multiple services effectively tested the armed forces' integrated combat ability, said Shi Yi, spokesperson with the Command. The Command will closely follow the development of the situation across the Taiwan Strait, continue to carry out military training for war preparedness, and organize normalized combat-readiness security patrol in the Taiwan Strait to defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Shi said. The military operations around the Taiwan Island began on the night of August 2, when Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, landed in China's Taiwan region. The rocket force under the Command launched multiple types of conventional missiles targeting designated maritime areas to the east of the Taiwan Island while the army conducted precision strikes on specific areas in the eastern part of the Taiwan Strait, according to Shi. Over the past few days, troops from the Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force and Logistic Support Force under the Eastern Theater Command conducted joint exercises and training in the waters and airspace off the northern, southwestern and southeastern coasts of the island, including operations of joint blockade, assault on ground and sea targets, airspace control, joint anti-submarine drill, and integrated logistics and support. The armed forces' integrated combat ability has been improved and their readiness in contingency response been tested, Shi said. New armaments including stealth fighters, multiple launch rocket systems and YY-20 refueling aircraft were applied in the operations. Lakewood police are searching for a missing 59-year-old Indigenous man who suffers from dementia and has limited mobility. At 2 p.m. on Sunday, Frank Cooper walked away from the adult family home in Lakewood. Cooper is 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, has gray hair and brown eyes. Anyone who sees Cooper is asked to call the Lakewood Police Department or 911. More news from KIRO 7 DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP An August Sturgeon Moon rises over New Orleans in 2021 (Nasa) The next full Moon, and the last Super Moon of the year, depending on how you define it, will appear on the evening of Thursday, 11 August. Sometimes known as the Sturgeon Moon, the full Moon will peak at 9.36pm EDT, when its high in the sky, but will look its largest as it rises in the east around sunset. The term Sturgeon Moon comes from the native American Algonquin tribes, who noticed sturgeon fish were more easily caught this time of year, according to Nasa. If you count the full Moon as a Super Moon, it will be the last of 2022. A Super Moon occurs when a full Moon coincides with the Moons perigee, or closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit around our planet. A Super Moon can appear 14 to 30 percent bright than a full Moon at apogee, or the point where the Moon is the furthest distance from Earth along its orbit. The peak of the coming full Moon will lag the Moons perigee by a day, with the Moons closest approach taking place the afternoon of Wednesday 10 August. How much of a different will be noticeable by the casual observer is debatable; the Moon will look full from Wednesday through Friday. The Sturgeon Moon could put a damper on other sky watching activities however. The 11 August peak of the full Moon also coincides with the Perseids meteor shower, generally considered one of the best meteor showers of the year. Resulting from Earth passing through the tail of the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which takes 133 years to orbit the Sun, the Perseids will peak on 13 August, but will be remain active through 1 September. By Augustas Stankevicius VILNIUS (Reuters) -Latvia and Estonia withdrew from a cooperation group between China and over a dozen Central and Eastern European countries on Thursday, following in the footsteps of Baltic neighbour Lithuania which withdrew last year. The move comes amid Western criticism towards China over escalating military pressure on democratically ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, and Beijing's strengthening of ties with Russia during the invasion of Ukraine. Relations between Lithuania and China worsened after the former allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy late last year. Latvia's Foreign Ministry said the country's continued participation in the China group was "no longer in line with our strategic objectives in the current international environment." In statements published Thursday, both Latvia and Estonia said they would continue to work towards "constructive and pragmatic relations with China" while respecting the rules-based international order and human rights. Estonia's Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for further comment. The Chinese embassies in Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia are among countries that remain in the cooperation format. The Czech Republic's foreign ministry said in May the promise of large Chinese investments and mutually beneficial trade were not being fulfilled, following calls within the country's parliament to quit the group. (Reporting by Augustas Stankevicius and Terje Solsvik; Additional reporting by Michael Martina and Simon Lewis in Washington; Writing by Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Josie Kao and John Stonestreet) The Daily Beast Tennessee Department of CorrectionA woman who shared a kiss with a prisoner during a visitation in Tennessee has been charged with murder after the inmate died shortly after their exchange.Rachel Dollard was taken into custody over the weekend by special agents from the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) and the Dickson County Sheriffs Department, the TDOC confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. She is accused of smuggling drugs into the Turney Center Industrial Complex.Dollard is facing ch FREETOWN (Reuters) - At least 13 civilians were killed in Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown, during anti-government protests on Wednesday, staff at the city's main mortuary said on Thursday. (Reporting by Umaru Fofana, writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Jon Boyle) D'won Nicholas Still Lexington police are currently looking for a man wanted for murder for hire charges after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase on Monday night. The suspect was also previously charged in several violent home invasions in the area last two years. According to information provided by the Lexington Police Department, at approximately 9:30 p.m. officers were attempting to conduct a traffic stop of a 2018 Dodge Charger on Cotton Grove Road in connection with an ongoing investigation of murder for hire and soliciting to commit murder. Want to know more about what is happening in Davidson County? Support local journalism, subscribe to The Dispatch. The driver of the vehicle, Dwon Nicholas Still, failed to pull over and accelerated in speeds up to 85 miles per hour on Cotton Grove Road, which has a speed limit of 35-miles per hour. According to the police report, Still was passing vehicles on the shoulder of the road and crossing the center line in a no passing zone at a high rate of speed. During the chase, Still continued onto northbound Interstate 85 reaching speeds of 130 miles per hour and driving without headlights, according to the police report. Officers withdrew from the pursuit shortly afterward due to a high likelihood of a serious accident endangering the public. The vehicle was later located at the interstate rest stop in Davidson County at mile marker 98. The Lexington Police Department is working with federal, state and local partner agencies to continue the search for Still. Representatives from the Lexington Police Department stated Still has pending warrants for murder for hire and soliciting to commit murder, as well as charges for fleeing to allude arrest, reckless driving, speeding and numerous other driving violations. Information on the murder-for-hire and soliciting murder charges is not available due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. Still has previously been arrested for several violent home-invasions in the area in the past two years, including one in Davidson County. Story continues More: UPDATE: Three charged in Lexington home invasion In 2021, Still was charged with two other men in a Lexington home invasion on Jan. 11, 2021 where the homeowners were restrained with zip ties and robbed at gunpoint after the suspects broke into their house. Still was charged with felony first degree kidnapping; felony second degree kidnapping; felony robbery with a dangerous weapon, felony first degree burglary; felony conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon; felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury; felony larceny and felony probation violation. Alan Shane Hess, 33, of Lexington and Alexander Ballew, 27, of Guilford County, were also charged in connection with the armed robbery. The three men were also arrested for another home invasion in Rowan County on Jan. 19, 2021 where a 93-year-old man was assaulted. According to law enforcement, the attackers rushed into the mans home while he was letting his dog out and then kicked him while he was on the ground, resulting in a gash on his head that required staples and on his lip that needed stitches. Still, Hess and Ballew were also charged with first-degree burglary and robbery with a dangerous weapon for an alleged home invasion incident in Mocksville in 2020. According to information provided by law enforcement, on the evening of Aug. 24, 2020, the parents of Mocksville Mayor Will Marklin reported that two men forced their way into their home after saying they were from EnergyUnited. The victims were bound with zip ties, and one of the homeowners was assaulted while the suspects ransacked the house. More: Four Winston-Salem men arrested for home invasion in Arcadia and killing family dog According to police reports, Still was given a $500,000 bond for each of the charges in Mocksville, Lexington and Rowan County. Stills home invasion case in Davidson County is still awaiting trial in Superior Court but a court date has not been set. He also has a pending court date on Oct. 27 for breaking and entering and safe cracking in Davidson County District Court. General news reporter Sharon Myers can be reached at sharon.myers@the-dispatch.com. Follow her on Twitter @LexDispatchSM. This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: Lexington Police seeking murder-for-hire suspect after high-speed chase "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda is defending his award-winning work after a Texas church staged an allegedly unauthorized version of the Broadway musical. "Grateful to all of you who reached out about this illegal, unauthorized production. Now lawyers do their work," Miranda tweeted Wednesday. Last weekend, The Door Christian Fellowship Ministries in McAllen, Texas, produced and livestreamed a rendition of Hamilton that appeared to conclude with a sermon by a church pastor comparing being gay to being addicted to alcohol or drugs. The final sermon by an associate pastor, Victor Lopez, compared homosexuality to drug addiction, according to a full video of the performance. Maybe you struggle with alcohol, with drugs, homosexuality, maybe you struggle with other things in life, your finances, whatever, relationships, the video shows Lopez say. God can help you tonight. The livestream video has been taken down, but NBC News obtained a recording of the performance from writer and atheism advocate Hemant Mehta. Mehta would not identify whom he obtained the video from. The Texas church could potentially face legal penalties related to copyright infringement, allegedly producing the show without permission and implementing script changes to include religious references but nothing had been filed in court as of Wednesday evening. The Dramatists Guild a professional organization representing playwrights, composers and lyricists also condemned the church "for its unauthorized production" of "Hamilton." "In addition to performing the show without a license, the Door McAllen Church changed lyrics and added text without permission," the Dramatists Guild said in a statement. "We hold up the Door McAllen Churchs brazen infringement to shine a light on the problematic pattern of some theatrical organizations performing authors work without a license and rewriting the text without authorial consent." Story continues "No organization, professional, amateur, or religious, is exempt from these laws," the guild added. "No writers work, whether they are a student who has just written their first play, or Lin-Manuel Miranda, can be performed without their permission. And it is never okay to change the words, lyrics, or notes, without their express consent." In his tweet Wednesday, Miranda added that he is "always grateful to the @dramatistsguild, who have the backs of writers everywhere, be it your first play or your fiftieth." The "Hamilton" version staged by the church also included several biblical references that were not originally in the Tony Award-winning musical, according to a description of the livestream by Howard Sherman, the director of the Arts Integrity Initiative at The New School in New York City, who was not affiliated with the performance. Sherman said the production, which was first reported on by OnStage Blog, changed one of the main characters lines by adding the sentence, Jesus gives me the strength to pull through; when I needed him most he was right on time. Another line from a video posted by Mehta shows the actor portraying Alexander Hamilton reciting more changed lyrics. What is a legacy? the actor says. Its knowing that you repented and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ that sets men free. You sent your sinless son of man on Calvary to die for me. Representatives for the church did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. But in a statement to The Dallas Morning News, Roman Gutierrez, a pastor at The Door Christian Fellowship Ministries in McAllen, said that the church is not anti-LGBTQ and that the church had received legal permission from Hamilton to produce the show. Shane Marshall Brown, a spokesperson for the official Hamilton production, said it does not grant amateur or professional licenses for any stage productions and that it did not authorize the church to put on the performance. The Hamilton production was made aware Saturday of an unauthorized staging of the musical from the night before, he said. It was also told the church was planning to hold additional performances, according to Brown, prompting a cease-and-desist letter for "unauthorized use of Hamiltons intellectual property, as well as a demand that the church immediately remove any videos of the production from its social media accounts and website. The church had also planned to hold a performance Saturday night. After Hamilton received a response to the cease-and-desist letter, the production informed the church that it could proceed with its last performance as long as it did not record or broadcast it and it did not put on any further production, Brown said. Another condition was that Hamilton would be discussing the matter with the parties behind this unauthorized production within the coming days once all facts are properly vetted. Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. KCRA - Sacramento Videos A man convicted in 2010 for the torture and imprisonment of a teenage boy in Tracy will soon find out if he will be released from prison. Anthony Waiters was granted parole back in March. However, the Board of Parole is now taking a second look at the decision. Waiters was sentenced to life in prison for his part in the ongoing abuse of then-16-year-old Kyle Ramirez, who was kept captive in a Tracy home for more than a year until his 2008 escape. As he has done scores of times before, U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart last week signed off on a search warrant. Unlike the countless others he has inked in his four-year judicial career, this one, allowing FBI agents to search Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach home of former President Donald Trump, ignited a political firestorm. Major news outlets from Newsweek to Politico to Fox News to the London-based Independent, wrote stories, analyzing the 60-year-old Reinharts political contributions, his choice of clients, and other aspects of his professional life. Some reporters falsely claimed he was a Trump appointee. In response to Reinharts newfound notoriety, his biography and his contact information were removed from the website of the U.S. District of Court for the Southern District of Florida. Officials didnt respond to an email asking why such unusual steps were taken. But Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg said it was in response to threats Reinhart has received. Main entrance to Mar-a-Lago facing S. Ocean Blvd. Thursday morning August 11, 2022. More: AG Merrick Garland: Justice Department files motion to unseal Mar-a-Lago search warrant FBI search: Donald Trump knows what FBI agents took from Mar-a-Lago and why they took it, experts say Trump and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach: How big is it, is it open to the public and security breaches VIDEO: See replay: After FBI search, supporters with signs, loud music cruise past Mar-A-Lago I hear he's getting threats, that his information was taken down from the judicial directory, and he's the object of vitriol from supporters of the former president, Aronberg said. Those who worked with Reinhart during the decade he worked as a federal prosecutor in West Palm Beach said they are stunned by the misinformation and the malice being heaped on a magistrate who was simply doing his job. Former Boynton Beach police officer Michael Brown, left, leaves Federal Court with his attorney, Bruce Reinhart, after being sentenced to three years probation, 150 community service and 180 days electronic monitoring Tuesday, February 27, 2018. I just think its a total misdirection, said Roger Stefin, who retired in 2020 after spending 32 years as a prosecutor for the South Florida U.S. Attorneys office. Theres no political equation that goes into (approving a search warrant). Story continues What is a magistrate? Magistrates, who are hired by district judges to help them with routine matters, simply decide whether law enforcement agents have established probable cause that a crime has been committed and that the search would uncover evidence of that crime. "Being a magistrate judge is not a political position," Stefin said. "It's not whether someone's a Democrat or Republican." Ellen Cohen, who worked with Reinhart when he was a prosecutor, a defense attorney and a magistrate, described her former colleague as meticulous. Car sits inside a gate at Mar-a-Lago near S. Ocean Blvd. Thursday morning August 11, 2022. Every time I brought a search warrant to him, and I brought many, he read it, digested it and asked questions, said Cohen, who retired recently after a 41-year career as a prosecutor. He wasnt someone who would sign off on it just because the government presented it to him. Secret service agents stand at the gate of Mar-a-Lago after the FBI executed a search warrant on the former president's club on Aug. 8, 2022. Like all magistrates, Reinhart has undoubtedly reviewed hundreds of search warrants since he joined the judicial ranks in 2018 when he was selected over 63 other lawyers who applied for the post. Thats what he does every day whether its a crime of drug dealing, gun sales or whether its having possession of government documents or high-security documents youre not supposed to have, Cohen said. More on Bruce Reinhart: West Palm Beach attorney Bruce Reinhart appointed U.S. magistrate Since the warrant involved the unprecedented request to search the home of a former president, she said the warrant would have been vetted at the highest levels of the Justice Department, including Attorney General Merrick Garland. Garland said Thursday he "personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant" while announcing that the Justice Department had filed a motion to unseal the warrant and property receipt from the search. Bruce Reinhart, then 45 years old, in a 2008 photo soon after he quit being a federal prosecutor to become a criminal defense attorney. But, she said, even knowing that, Reinhart wouldnt have simply rubber-stamped it. He reviewed it and did what he is legally responsible to do," Stefin agreed. "He found probable cause based on the allegations in the affidavit." Tama Kudman, a West Palm Beach defense attorney, echoed Stefins claims. Knowing him, he would never let any politics or anything else influence his decision, she said. Judge Bruce Reinhart has ties to Jeffrey Epstein case Many of the news stories about Reinhart have focused on his representation of associates of serial molester Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 in a New York City jail cell after being accused of trafficking dozens of young women for sex. As part of the long and complicated case that began a decade before Epsteins death, Reinhart was named in a lawsuit attorney Bradley Edwards filed on behalf of some of the Palm Beach financier's young accusers. Jeffrey Epstein In it, they claimed federal prosecutors violated their rights by not telling them a plea deal had been approved that would allow Epstein to plead guilty to state prostitution charges to avoid federal prosecution. Search theories: Why did the FBI search Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate? 5 potential explanations Reaction to search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago: Reaction to search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago: Anger from supporters, caution from critics In court papers, Edwards claimed Reinhart used his position as a federal prosecutor to curry favor with Epstein. Then, when Reinhart left the U.S. Attorneys Office, he immediately joined Epsteins payroll by representing the politically-connected financiers pilots and women who were accused of helping him recruit teenagers for sex, Edwards said in the lawsuit. Magistrate Bruce Reinhart is seen here in 2017 when, as an attorney, he defended then-Boynton Beach police officer Michael Brown, right, who was accused of violating the civil rights of a Boynton Beach man who was beaten up after a chase. Saying the unfounded factual and legal accusations hurt his reputation, Reinhart in 2011 asked U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra to sanction Edwards. Marra declined, saying the dispute had nothing to do with whether federal prosecutors violated the womens rights. The Court cannot permit anyone slighted by allegations in court pleadings to intervene and conduct mini-trials to vindicate their reputation, Marra wrote, in denying Reinharts request. Cohen called Edwards' allegations against Reinhart offensive. The whole idea that he quit (the U.S. Attorneys Office) so he could become a lapdog for Epstein is nonsense, she said. Reinhart quit, after a nearly two-decade career as a federal prosecutor in West Palm Beach and Washington, D.C., to become a criminal defense attorney. Good for him, she said. Just because you represent a murderer doesnt mean you condone the murder. Reinhart, however, did acknowledge he encountered some ethical problems when he briefly represented then-Palm Beach County Commissioner Mary McCarty before she was formally charged in 2009 with conspiracy to commit honest services fraud by federal prosecutors. When he stepped off McCartys case, Reinhart told The Palm Beach Post that his former bosses told him that if he continued to represent McCarty he would be violating rules prohibiting him from representing defendants on matters he had dealt with as a federal prosecutor. While working as a criminal defense lawyer, Reinhart occasionally gave to political candidates, mostly Democrats, campaign finance records show. In 2008, Reinhart contributed $1,000 to future Democratic President Barack Obama's election. That same year, he donated $1,000 to Jupiter attorney Bryan Miller, who lost his bid for the state house. In 2012, he gave $250 to Aronberg to boost the Democrat's first campaign for state attorney. In 2015, Reinhart donated $500 to former Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's failed presidential campaign. The Republican nomination went to Trump. Judge Reinhart is a Princeton graduate who got his law degree at Penn Reinhart graduated from Princeton University with a degree in civil engineering and got his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He worked as a trial attorney in the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice and was a senior policy advisor at the U.S. Department of the Treasury before joining the federal prosecutors office in West Palm Beach. Two days before he was appointed as a magistrate, his wife Carolyn Bell, also a former prosecutor, was appointed to the Palm Beach County Circuit Court bench by then-Gov. Rick Scott. She currently presides in juvenile court. Bruce Reinhart and his wife Carolyn Bell in 2017. Like others, Aronberg said the uproar about the search warrant for Mar-a-Lago and the attacks on Reinhart are unfortunate. The whole backlash against him is unfair, and its really damaging for our judicial system to have people believe that when a judge issues a search warrant, it must be for some nefarious reason, Aronberg said. But, he said, there is no evidence any strings were pulled or corners cut. By all indications, everyone involved in the search warrant process followed the law," he continued. "Theres a process in place, and it was followed. Probable cause needed to be found. It was. Palm Beach Post crime and safety reporter Hannah Phillips contributed to this story. Jane Musgrave covers federal, civil and criminal courts for The Palm Beach Post. Contact her at jmusgrave@pbpost.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Judge Bruce Reinhart signed off on search warrant of Trumps Mar-a-Lago The military operations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) around the Taiwan Island were righteous and necessary countermeasures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Wednesday. The operations also acted as a deterrent against the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' collusion with external forces in making provocations, said Tan Kefei, the ministry's spokesperson. He made the remarks in response to media reports in Taiwan claiming that the mainland's military operations restricted Taiwan's strategic space. The relevant exercises and training were open, transparent, professional, and followed domestic and international laws as well as international practice, Tan said. "For the sake of the wellbeing of people in Taiwan, we will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But the PLA will leave no room for separatist activities of 'Taiwan independence' and external interference in any form," he said. Ignoring the interests of the Chinese nation in exchange for gains of their own, the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces have embarked on a road of no return, he said. Currently, cross-Strait relations are again facing two options that will lead to two different futures, the Taiwan authorities should make the right choice, Tan said. A Bartlett man who fatally stabbed a woman he had dated and her teenage son after breaking into their Scenic Hills home has been indicted on murder charges. Jose Murillo-Salgado was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated burglary. He was captured in Arkansas hours later and is in the Shelby County Jail on a $2 million bond, DA said in a press release. RELATED: Man arrested for stabbing woman and her 14-year-old son to death Witnesses said that at approximately 3 AM on Jul. 28, Murillo-Salgado forced his way into the victims home in the 2800 block of North Highland Road near Scenic Highway. He began arguing with Claudia Nunez who had wanted to end their relationship of several months, DA said. Murillo-Salgado went into the kitchen, grabbed a butcher knife, and stabbed the womans 14-year-old son, who had tried to intervene. He also stabbed the mother several times and then returned to his car, driving away. Claudia Nunez was pronounced dead at the scene. The son was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly after. Memphis Police issued a BOLO alert on Murillo-Salgado and the white Toyota Camry he was driving, DA said. At around 12:30 PM, an Arkansas State trooper saw the suspect on I-30 in Hope, Ark., some 245 miles southwest of Memphis. The trooper followed Murillo-Salgado when he took an exit to a service station and arrested him in the parking lot. Murillo-Salgado was picked up by the Shelby County Sheriffs Office and brought back to Memphis. Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: Orange County deputies say theyve solved a 30-year-old murder, WFTV reports. They say now 64year-old Ronald Cates killed a local maintenance worker in August, 1992. According to court documents, Cates was in a hospital in North Carolina when he told staff there he killed his friend John Stagner in Florida. Deputies say Cates frequently visited the maintenance facility where Stagner lived and worked to borrow tools.. Its also where Stagner was found murdered by his wife early on the morning of August 10, 1992. Our deputies responded to North Forsythe Road where they found 53-year-old John Stagner deceased, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said at a press conference announcing Cates arrest. He had head and facial trauma. According to the Orange County Sheriffs Office, there was always speculation from the families of both men that Cates was the killer. ALSO READ: SBI identifies Meck County murder suspect killed by officers in Forsyth County Investigators say Cates had a drug problem and would sell the tools he borrowed from Stagner for cash. According to the sheriffs office, Stagner confronted Cates about the tools just before his wife found him dead. At the time when detectives started investigating this, they went to the Cates home and one of the daughters was visibly shaking and said he wasnt home, Detective Kevin Wilson explained. Later on, detectives learned Mr. Cates was hiding under the house that day. 28 years later in a hospital in North Carolina, Cates confessed to the crime, first to staff, then to police in an interview captured on body camera video. Hes been jailed since then while the sheriffs office builds its case. There was enough evidence at that point to go up and interview Mr. Cates again and charge him with our homicide here in Florida, Detective Wilson said. ALSO READ: Man charged with murder after deadly east Charlotte shooting, police say Cates remains jailed in North Carolina, awaiting extradition. Story continues There are still more than 500 open cold cases in Orange County dating back to 1941. Their full-time cold case team has solved 13 of those since 2020. Theyre currently reviewing more than 40 more cases in which modern technology could be used to test existing evidence for new clues. (WATCH BELOW: Courtney Clenney, OnlyFans model, Instagram influencer, arrested on murder charge) Reuters NEW YORK (Reuters) -Workers at an Amazon.com Inc warehouse near Albany, New York, are seeking to unionize, the National Labor Relations Board said in a statement on Tuesday. The Amazon Labor Union - the same independent group that organized a historic union win at another warehouse on New York's Staten Island in April - petitioned the federal labor board to hold an election at the warehouse near Albany and represent about 400 workers. Employees at dozens of Amazon warehouses across the United States are considering joining unions as the online retailer faces claims that it prioritizes profit over worker safety and has unlawfully discouraged union organizing. In Jacksonville's Eastside neighborhood, volunteers Jordan Mullens and Seyi Oyeyemi scrape and repaint the front porch of a home on Van Buren Street as part of a United Way of Northeast Florida day of service in June 2021. The United Way of Northeast Florida has named Melanie Patz, a longtime nonprofit and community leader, as its new president and CEO after a national search. Patz, 51, earlier spent 10 years as vice president of community impact for the Jacksonville-based agency, which funds health, education and financial stability programs for residents of Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam and Northern St. Johns counties. She has 27 years of nonprofit management experience and currently serves as vice president of community investment and impact at Baptist Health. United Way of Northeast Florida: CEO to retire, nonprofit also celebrates 211 milestone Patz "United Way plays a critical role in our community, and its impact throughout its nearly 100-year history is far-reaching," she said. "Its an honor to take the helm of an organization that has benefitted so many individuals and families in our region and meant so much to me personally." Patz begins the new job Sept. 26, succeeding Michelle Braun, who retired in April after eight years as president and CEO. "Weve identified an exceptional person to lead our United Way, build on the impact of its work and strengthen its relationships with our community, including its business, government and nonprofit partners," said Lisa Palmer, board chairwoman and president and CEO of Regency Centers. "Melanie is a proven leader and a natural collaborator who strives to bring people together. She has a unique understanding of our community's challenges and a history of success in developing solutions to address them." Patz, who was born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., joined Baptist Health in 2014. Among other accomplishments there, she spearheaded two major initiatives: JaxCareConnect, an online initiative developed to connect uninsured Jacksonville residents to primary care, and Blue Zones Jacksonville, the local affiliate of a national program that helps change people's health behaviors by transforming their neighborhoods. Story continues JaxCareConnect: Website launched to connect Jacksonville's uninsured to health care Community health assessment: Report reveals nagging issues, inequities, opportunities for action such as Blue Zones Hope for 'critical conversations': Baptist Health plans mental-health conference in Jacksonville Also while at Baptist, she helped develop a strategic plan to address critical community health priorities, including infant mortality and mental health. Braun During her first stint at United Way, Patz worked on education, income and health initiatives and supervised programs including Achievers For Life, 211, Success By 6, RealSense and Full Service Schools of Jacksonville. She also served on the United Way Worldwide advisory councils for health and education and was a member of the United Way Worldwide Education Social Change Task Force. She has a bachelors degree in business management from Samford University and a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in economics from the University of North Florida. She is a founding board member of 904WARD, formed to advance racial equity in Jacksonville, and serves on the boards of the System of Care youth mental health initiative and the Early Learning Coalition of Duval. 904Ward: With no name, Black man's reported 1925 killing being retold at Jacksonville event Sunday $20 million to United Way: 3 Jacksonville-area nonprofits benefit from MacKenzie Scott's $4 billion in grants Miller Electric gift: United Way of Northeast Florida receives $1M to help community address racial disparities "The search committee ran a comprehensive and competitive national search," said committee chairman Michael Herman, senior vice president and general counsel of Regency Centers. "We couldnt be more pleased and excited that we found our new leader right here in Jacksonville. bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109 This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville-based United Way of Northeast Florida names new CEO (Independent) Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday will deliver his first remarks since the FBI executed a search warrant at former president Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach Florida. Republicans have intenseley criticised Mr Garland since the search of Mr Trumps home. Mr Garlands statement will come amid news that federal investigators attempted to retrieve highly classified documents from Mr Trumps estate that he improperly removed from the White House this past spring. It also comes as Judge Bruce Reinhart, who signed off on the search warrant, instructed the Department of Justice to unseal the warrant that it used to conduct the search. A Florida OnlyFans model accused of stabbing her boyfriend months ago has been criminally charged, according to Miami-Dade States Attorney Kathy Rundle. Courtney Clenney, a 25-year-old known online as Courtney Tailor, was spotted covered in blood on the balcony of her luxury Miami high rise on Sunday, April 3, after police said she stabbed her 27-year-old boyfriend, Christian "Toby" Obumseli, once in the chest. No charges were filed at the time after police characterized the slaying as self-defense. But Rundles office opened a review of the case that lasted nearly fourth months. MIAMI MODEL WILL BE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO BOYFRIEND'S STABBING DEATH, LAWYER SAYS The sealed arrest warrant on a second-degree murder charge is expected to be made public Thursday, according to Rundles office. Police arrested Clenney in Hawaii Wednesday, according to her attorney, Frank Prieto. "We are completely shocked at Courtneys arrest based upon the clear evidence of self-defense in this matter. Obumseli attacked her and choked her that evening; Courtney had no choice but to meet force with force," Prieto told Fox News Digital Wednesday. "Further, we are disappointed that the State Attorney sought an arrest warrant in this matter; we have cooperated with the investigation from the beginning with both the State and the City of Miami Police Department." He said his client had "always offered to self-surrender" if charges were to be filed and that she maintains the stabbing came in self-defense in response to domestic abuse. A heavily redacted police report states officers arrived at the couples home around 5 p.m. in response to an aggravated battery call. They met a front desk supervisor who brought them up to the apartment, where police found Obumseli with a single stab wound to the torso. The initial decision not to charge Clenney outraged Obsumselis family. "Although the family is still mourning the untimely death of Mr. Obumseli, we believe that once a full investigation is done Ms. Clenney will be held to account for taking the life of Mr. Obumseli," their attorney, Larry Handfield, predicted at the time. Story continues FLORIDA MAN DEAD, MODEL LOVER FOUND SOAKED IN BLOOD Obumselis brother, Jeffrey Obumseli, also argued that Clenney had not suffered any injuries in the altercation that would have justified her claim of self-defense. "The bottom line is inextricably clear: Courtney is being treated differently because of her privilege as a wealthy White woman," Jeffrey Obumseli wrote on Instagram. "Within 24 hours following Tobys death, the detective on the case prematurely concluded this was not a crime of violence." Prieto, Clenneys defense attorney, has said his client killed Obumseli in self-defense and that he was "mentally, emotionally and physically abusive with Courtney." "That tragic night, there was a physical altercation, and Courtney had no choice but to defend herself," he told Fox News Digital days after the slaying. A law enforcement source told Fox News Digital that Clenney was taken to a hospital under the Baker Act for a mental health evaluation after the incident. Under the law, details about such hospitalizations are confidential. She was staying at a facility in Hawaii that treats PTSD related to the April incident when police arrested her on the Miami murder warrant, Prieto said Wednesday. "It is an absolute injustice to charge a victim of domestic violence and human trafficking with a crime," he added. "Courtney was clearly defending herself. We will vigorously defend Courtney and clear her of this unfounded and baseless charge. " A fire alarm company, a security alarm monitoring firm and a swimming pool contractor settled for about $1 million each in the Surfside condominium collapse class-action case, according to a Miami-Dade circuit court filing on Wednesday. In addition, a $50 million settlement from the Champlain Towers South condo association will be shifted from reimbursing unit owners for their financial losses into the fund for paying wrongful death and personal injury claims. The $53 million from the four defendants insurers brings the total of the wrongful death and personal injury settlement deal to nearly $1.1 billion, second-largest in Florida legal history, behind only the $11.3 billion Big Tobacco settlement in 1997. The former Surfside Wall of Hope & Memorial is pictured on July 16, 2021. The makeshift memorial wall, along Harding Avenue in Surfside, was taken down for preservation in August 2021. Early on the morning of June 24, 2021, two sections of the 12-story tall, oceanfront Champlain Towers South building collapsed, killing 98 people. The ensuing complex legal dispute has been overseen by Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman, who is now conducting hearings with the relatives of the deceased and with survivors who have personal injury claims to determine how the settlement money will be allocated. Some three dozen entities have agreed to settle lawsuits and avoid going to trial. Originally, the condo associations $50 million in liability and property insurance was going to be allocated to the owners of the buildings 136 units as part of a $96 million settlement for the loss of their properties. But now, the condo associations insurance coverage will be shifted to the nearly $1.1 billion settlement for the relatives of people who died in the buildings collapse and to survivors who suffered injuries. To offset the transfer of the condo associations insurance, a matching amount will be allocated to the property owners fund from proceeds of the $120 million sale of the now-vacant property. Lawyers on the case are seeking as much as $100 million in pay for their work over the past 14 months from the wrongful death funds. Story continues Premier Fire Alarms and Integration Systems, Central Alarm Control and Infinite Aqua, the pool company, agreed to settle for $3 million total. Related story lead image SURFSIDE INVESTIGATION The company paying the biggest portion of the wrongful death settlement $517.5 million is Securitas Security Services USA. The firms employees were contracted to provide guard services, monitor visitors in the lobby and operate the buildings security system on an emergency basis, including the alarm panel at the front desk to alert residents. A Securitas manager acknowledged in a deposition that the guard working the night shift on June 24, 2021, was not trained to activate the system. READ MORE: Judge gives final approval to remarkable $1 billion Surfside condo collapse settlement Hallandale Beach-based Premier installed the fire alarm system in 2017. Premiers President Matthew Haiman told the Herald last year that the system worked properly that night, despite survivors saying they heard nothing during the seven-minute period after the pool deck collapsed but before the tower fell. Teams search for survivors in the ruins of Champlain Towers South. On Wednesday, Premiers owner, Haiman, labeled as frivolous any article that suggested the companys fire system had failed. A person answering the phone at Central Alarm Control said she did not wish to comment. A call to Infinite Aqua was not returned. As with previous settlements, there is no admission of negligence or responsibility. The developers of the luxury condo Eighty Seven Park built next door and the projects engineers, architects and related parties involved in construction accounted for another big chunk of the settlement, totaling about $400 million. Their payments, through insurance carriers, also were not an admission of responsibility or negligence. Miami Herald investigative reporter Nicholas Nehamas contributed to this report. Although only one case of monkeypox has been reported in Knox County, the Knox County Health Department is administering vaccines to those currently identified as high risk. Monkeypox is primarily spread through direct skin-to-skin contact. Men who have sex with men have been identified as the most at-risk in this year's worldwide outbreak. This group is being prioritized for vaccines. The viral disease has infected over 9,000 people in the United States, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency in July. Two doses are required for full protection, offered about a month apart. It's largely preventable: Knoxville doctor on what you need to know about monkeypox From USA TODAY: After repeating early COVID mistakes, US now has the worlds biggest monkeypox outbreak Knox News reached out to Kelsey Wilson of Knox County Health Department regarding monkeypox concerns and vaccine access. For more information about monkeypox, call the health department at 865-215-5093. Where to get the monkeypox vaccine and who should get it Knox County Health Department: We are administering vaccine (at no charge to the patient) and are following CDC recommendations regarding eligibility, first prioritizing those in the identified high-risk groups who are at greatest risk for severe disease. Currently, the group at highest risk of exposure to monkeypox includes gay and bisexual men. Due to limited supply, those who are at highest risk for severe disease (i.e., immunosuppressed individuals) are being prioritized for vaccination in the initial stages of vaccine distribution. How concerned should Knox County residents be about monkeypox? While we encourage everyone to be aware of how this virus is transmitted and take steps to reduce the spread, the risk remains low. Additionally, it is reassuring to see that in most cases across the country, the disease is relatively mild and without lasting severe health outcomes. Story continues What can the health department share regarding this monkeypox outbreak being framed as a 'gay disease' or STI? Anyone who has direct skin-to-skin contact (regardless of sexual activity) with the rash or other objects that had contact with the rash can get the virus. While the greatest number of cases are currently being seen among gay and bisexual men, transmission can happen to anyone with direct contact to the virus. Whats the main thing Knox County residents should know about monkeypox? We encourage folks to be aware of how monkeypox spreads. To that end, avoid close skin-to-skin contact with a person who has rash that looks like monkeypox. If you have symptoms, reach out to your provider and get tested. If someone has questions about vaccine eligibility, they can call KCHD at 865-215-5093. Devarrick Turner: Trending news, from pop culture to politics in East TN Instagram | Twitter | Email | Unlock premium perks at knoxnews.com/subscribe. This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Monkeypox vaccine: Where to get it in Knox County, who needs it most A man receives a dose of the Monkeypox vaccine ALAIN JOCARD/POOL/AFP/Getty Man getting monkeypox vaccine The manufacturer for the monkeypox vaccine is sharing concerns after the Biden Administration announced plans to stretch the nation's limited supply by splitting doses and changing how they are administered. Paul Chaplin, CEO of Bavarian Nordic, which manufactures the Jynneos vaccine, wrote a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert M. Califf detailing "reservations" the company has about the dose-sparing approach "due to the very limited safety data available." In the letter, obtained by The Washington Post, Chaplin said "it would have been prudent" to conduct studies on the strategy that could provide more safety information. "We have been inundated with calls from U.S. state government officials with questions and concerns regarding the ID administration," he wrote. "We will of course align our responses with our colleagues at the CDC, but we believe this alignment would have been better served before any announcement." On Wednesday, Becerra addressed the concerns but noted that the Biden Administration is confident in the vaccine strategy. "We've had conversations with them about this, and so has FDA," Becerra said. "We wouldn't have moved forward unless we thought it was safe and effective, and if FDA hadn't dotted its I's and crossed its T's." RELATED: Biden Administration Plans to Stretch Monkeypox Vaccine Doses Due to Limited Supply: Reports RELATED: Confirmed Cases of Monkeypox Surpass 10,000 in the United States The Biden Administration announced the plan Tuesday, stating that the emergency declaration would permit providers to administer one-fifth of the current dose of the Jynneos vaccine into the skin instead of a full dose into underlying fat. Califf indicated last week that the FDA was considering the use of a different injection method which is known as intradermal injection. A small dose can be used with intradermal injection because the vaccine is "staying in the skin; you're not going through the skin," Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease specialist at Columbia University, told CNN. Story continues The method which was previously used for flu and rabies vaccines produces an immune response due to dendritic cells which are found in the skin. "The skin has special cells that are very good at helping a vaccine stimulate the body's immune system," epidemiologist Dr. Jay Varma told the outlet. "They live in the skin, and they're better at teaching the immune system what they need to respond to," he added. The Jynneos monkeypox vaccine is currently administered in two doses under the skin. According to The Washington Post, the new strategy may lead people to need additional doses if the same level of protection is not found. Additional training of local health officials may be needed to properly administer the shots. As of Monday, the US has shipped more than 600,000 doses of the monkeypox vaccine to states and jurisdictions. According to the CDC, there are currently more than 10,300 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States. You are here: China The State Council, China's cabinet, announced the appointment and removal of officials on Wednesday. Zhang Xingwang was appointed vice minister of agriculture and rural affairs. Huang Guo was named deputy commissioner of the National Medical Products Administration, replacing Chen Shifei. Wang Aiwen, was removed from the post of vice minister of civil affairs. Zhang Xu no longer serves as vice minister of culture and tourism. Lin Wanhong was removed from the post of deputy director of the National Public Complaints and Proposals Administration. Liu Zhenfang no longer serves as head of the National Railway Administration. Wang Annan no longer serves as director of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed an update to a rule, which if implemented, would provide more protection for travelers in the event of flight delays and cancellations, as reported by Travel and Leisure. Currently, airlines are required to provide refunds whenever they significantly change or cancel a flight. Under the DOTs new change, the aforementioned significant changes would have a concrete definition rather than being left completely open for interpretation. The significant change would be a delay of over three hours for domestic flights and over six hours for international flights. An increase in connecting flights or changing the airport of arrival or departure would also constitute a significant change, as would an aircraft change that leads to a significant downgrade in the air travel experience or amenities available onboard the flight. In a statement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said, When Americans buy an airline ticket, they should get to their destination safely, reliably, and affordably. This new proposed rule would protect the rights of travelers and help ensure they get the timely refunds they deserve from the airlines. In addition to the defined terms, airlines would have to offer vouchers or credits that do not expire in the event travelers are unable to locate fly due to a pandemicnamely, reasons such as border closures, travel bans, or passengers who have been advised against traveling due to health concerns. Many passengers are currently unaware of their rights regarding cancellations and refunds. During an appearance on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Buttigieg said, If they cancel your flight, you are entitled to a cash refund and we enforce that rule. When you ask them to give you a refund, they have to do it. But if they dont, come to us. We have an entire office of Aviation Consumer Protectionbut know your rights because we have your back. The Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC) will discuss the topic in their upcoming virtual public meeting, which will be held on Aug. 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT. Requests to attend the meeting must be submitted here by Aug. 15. Related: Delta Facing Lawsuit From Customers Seeking Refunds For Canceled Flights Nicola Peltz Beckham is speaking out about her alleged feud with her mother-in-law, Victoria Beckham, and why she thinks the rumours were started. During an interview with Variety published on Wednesday, the 27-year-old actor talked candidly about the rumoured feud, following her marriage to Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, and how its been making headlines. When asked why she thought the claims about her and Victoria were made in the first place, Nicola said it could be due to her wearing a Valentino couture gown at her wedding -- instead of a dress designed by her mother-in-law. I was going to and I really wanted to, and then a few months down the line, she realised that her atelier couldnt do it, so then I had to pick another dress, she said. Nicolas comments come after a source claimed to Page Six that the Transformers: Age Of Extinction star and former Spice Girls member cant stand each other and dont talk. While speaking to Variety, Nicola also said she didnt publicly discuss the wedding dress with Victoria so fans were prompted to assume that the pair was feuding. She didnt say you cant wear it; I didnt say I didnt want to wear it. Thats where it started, and then they ran with that, she continued. Nicolas husband Brooklyn chimed in to say of his wife and mother: Everyone gets along, which is good. The son of the 48-year-old fashion designer and 47-year-old soccer star, David Beckham also detailed some of the online criticism hes faced and how he doesnt let it get to him. I always wish them well, the haters, he said. Im just doing what I love doing, staying healthy, being happy, and thats what it is. I hope they like my next video. The couples joint interview arrived days after Nicola spoke out on Instagram about feeling hurt. In her post, she said it was okay to be vulnerable and shared how other people have made her feel bad. We all have days where people make you feel bad and its okay to be hurt by it. I just thought I would write something because I never show this side of me here, she wrote in the caption, as she shared a photo of herself crying while lying in bed. I wanted to show this side of me. I love you all so much and truly appreciate all of your support. It means so much when you guys are kind on my page, she continued. I want you to know i see you, I hear you, and it means a lot to me. By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) -China's threat of force is undiminished, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said on Thursday, even though Beijing's largest ever military drills around the island seemed to be scaling down. Furious about a visit to Chinese-claimed Taiwan last week by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China launched ballistic missiles and deployed multiple aircraft and warships in recent days to simulate sea and air attacks. China said on Wednesday it would keep up patrols but had "completed various tasks" around Taiwan, signalling a possible end to the war games even while keeping up pressure. Taiwan has also been conducting relatively small-scale, annual exercises, scheduled before the flare-up and aimed at preparing to repel an invasion. "At present, the threat of Chinese military force has not decreased," Tsai told air force officers, according to a statement from her office. Taiwan will not escalate conflict nor provoke disputes, her office quoted her as saying, adding: "We will firmly defend our sovereignty and national security, and adhere to the line of defence of democracy and freedom." A source briefed on the matter told Reuters that the number of warships close to the Taiwan Strait's median line, an unofficial buffer, was "greatly reduced" from previous days. But several Chinese navy ships were conducting missions off Taiwan's east coast and near Japan's Yonaguni island on Thursday, said the source familiar with security planning. Yonaguni is the Japanese island closest to Taiwan, about 100 km (62 miles) away. Taiwan's Defence Ministry said in a statement it had on Thursday detected 21 Chinese military aircraft and six Chinese naval ships in and around the Taiwan Strait, of which 11 planes had crossed over the median line. That was down from the 36 aircraft and 10 ships detected the previous day, when 17 aircraft crossed the median line. Story continues 'MILITARY PROVOCATIONS' Taiwan has lived under the threat of Chinese invasion since 1949 when the defeated Republic of China nationalist government fled to the island after Mao Zedong's Communist Party won a civil war. 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's democratically-elected government says the People's Republic of China has never governed the island so has no right to decide its future or claim it for themselves. "In the face of China's recent military provocations, the nation's armed forces are right on the front lines, and its duties will only be more onerous and the pressure will be even greater," added Tsai. China's military did not make any new comment on its military activity around Taiwan on Thursday. However, the two sides continued their war of words, with Taiwan reiterating a rejection of China's proposed "one country, two systems" model for bringing the island under Beijing's control. Only Taiwan's people could decide its future, the spokesperson for Taiwan's foreign ministry, Joanne Ou, told a news conference in Taipei. China was using Pelosi's visit to Taipei as an "excuse to create a new normality to intimidate Taiwan's people", Ou added. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that "reunification" was inevitable one day. "We are willing to create a wide space for peaceful reunification, but we will never leave any room for all forms of secessionist activities for Taiwan independence." (Reporting By Yimou Lee; Additional reporting by Martin Pollard in Beijing; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky, Robert Birsel, Andrew Cawthorne) More than a thousand soldiers will be stuck in moldy barracks for weeks as officials at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, begin "assessing locations and options" for them after last week's inspection by Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston found the buildings to be unlivable. Cheryle Rivas, a spokeswoman for the post, said that no soldiers have been moved yet, but she emphasized that the Army hopes to start within the next 30 days. "The priority is to relocate soldiers into other barracks rooms on the installation," Rivas said in an email to Military.com, before adding that the service is "currently in the process of accessing room availability." Read Next: Sexual Assault Case Against Former Joint Chiefs Vice Chair Gets Green Light from Appeals Court The decision to evacuate the decades-old barracks came as a surprise last week, given that it appears the issues have been known about for years. The Army said the "10 to 12 barracks" that are impacted -- located in the Smoke Bomb Hill area at Fort Bragg -- were built in the 1970s and "do not meet today's HVAC standards." One of the most common issues caused by faulty air conditioning is mold. The problem is hardly unique to Fort Bragg; it has persisted for decades and can be found on posts throughout the country. Soldiers have previously reported developing health issues after moving into moldy living quarters, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says exposure can cause a long list of conditions that range from flu-like symptoms to memory loss and lethargy. When asked about soldiers seeking medical care stemming from the barracks conditions, Rivas said that the base has "yet to receive any complaints." "There is a medical expert available should soldiers have mold-related concerns or questions," she said, adding that troops "are encouraged [to] seek medical help and notify their chain of command." Story continues Rivas reiterated that "the priority is to relocate soldiers into other barracks rooms on the installation that meet Army health and safety standards." Meanwhile, "following inspections and assessments, some barracks will be renovated while the majority in the Smoke Bomb Hill area will be demolished." -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. Related: More than 1,000 Fort Bragg Soldiers Displaced After Surprise Decision to Evacuate Old, Moldy Barracks The Daily Beast via GoFundMeIn the wake of the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting, the story of 8-year-old Cooper Roberts survival was embraced by many following updates on the boys recovery.And more than a month after the massacre, Roberts is long out of intensive carebut his family says he is now in constant pain and hopeless, sad, and angry at the realization he is paralyzed.In a sobering and gut-wrenching statement released Tuesday, the Roberts family said they want people to see the u Mr Kim (left) and his sister Kim Yo-Jong, who is a senior official, pictured in 2018 North Korea's Kim Jong-un suffered from "fever" during the Covid pandemic, his sister has said - in what appears to be the first suggestion he had the virus. Kim Yo-jong also blamed South Korea for her country's outbreak - saying it sent leaflets contaminated with Covid across the border. South Korea rejected the claims as "groundless". Ms Kim was speaking as her brother declared victory in the country's battle against Covid. The secretive country announced its first Covid outbreak in May and has reported fever infections and deaths since. But there is widespread doubt over the data, especially the low number of deaths. In her speech, Ms Kim - who is a powerful senior official - blamed South Korea for spreading Covid into the North by sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border. Activists in South Korea have done this for decades, using balloons to float propaganda leaflets into the North, although the practice was banned last year. Ms Kim called the sending of leaflets a "crime against humanity", and cited "the danger of spreading an infectious disease through contacting contaminated objects", according to state news agency KCNA. She warned that North Korea was considering "a strong retaliatory response". Also in her speech, Ms Kim spoke of her brother's health, saying: "Even though he was seriously ill with a high fever, he could not lie down for a moment thinking about the people he had to take care of until the end in the face of the anti-epidemic war." North Korea refers to "fever" rather than coronavirus patients due to a lack of testing equipment. Mr Kim meanwhile declared a "shining victory" over the virus and praised the "indomitable tenacity" of North Koreans, KCNA reported. The North Korean leader ordered restrictions to be lifted and hailed the "miracle" of just 74 virus deaths. North Korea has not reported any new suspected cases since 29 July - but international observers say the country has limited testing. Story continues KCNA claims there have been 4.8 million infections since late April, but only 74 deaths, which is a fatality rate of 0.002% - the lowest in the world. Many experts find these statistics hard to believe. They say the country has one of the world's worst healthcare systems with few intensive care units and no Covid treatment drugs or vaccines. The country has not rolled out any vaccination programme during the pandemic, relying instead on lockdowns, homegrown treatments, and what Mr Kim has called the "advantageous Korean-style socialist system". An Oklahoma man pleaded guilty Wednesday to cyberstalking Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., and threatening to "kidnap and assault" Hern and his wife, court papers show. Under the terms of the plea deal, Keith Charles Eisenberger, 39, of Bartlesville, is likely to be sentenced to three years in prison for what federal prosecutors described as a yearslong campaign of threats and harassment. A criminal complaint filed this year in the Northern District of Oklahoma said Eisenberger had a history of harassing politicians in the state and turned his focus to Hern after he took office in 2018. Eisenberger called Hern's staff in late 2018, complained that Hern's election was "illegal" and said, "I will do everything I can to stop this," the complaint said. The threatening calls continued, and Eisenberger later showed up at Hern's Washington, D.C., office demanding to see him, according to the complaint. He also posted messages and videos on Facebook, where he threatened to put Hern in the hospital and said he wanted to drag him and his wife out of bed and arrest them. In the plea agreement, prosecutors and Eisenberger's attorney agreed that the sentencing guidelines call for 36 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson said in a statement that the guilty plea shows that his office "and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate online threats of violence meant to intimidate elected officials or members of our community. The guilty plea comes weeks after a Seattle man, Brett Forsell, 49, was arrested and accused of yelling racist threats outside the home of Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., while armed with a handgun. Forsell has pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony stalking. In June, an armed man was arrested near the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after he called 911 on himself. When police detained him, the man said he was there to kill the justice, authorities said. The suspect, Nicholas John Roske, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of attempted murder of a federal judge. Speakers: Sun Maoli, member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) Wu Deqing, director general of the Personnel Training Bureau of the MPS Qiu Baoli, director general of the Public Order Bureau of the MPS Liu Zhongyi, director general of the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the MPS Wang Yingwei, director general of the Cybersecurity Bureau of the MPS Li Jiangping, director general of the Traffic Management Bureau of the MPS Chairperson: Shou Xiaoli, spokesperson of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Date: July 25, 2022 Shou Xiaoli: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. Today, we are holding the 17th press conference under the theme of "China in the past decade." We are joined by Mr. Sun Maoli, member of the Party Committee of the MPS; Mr. Wu Deqing, director general of the Personnel Training Bureau of the MPS; Mr. Qiu Baoli, director general of the Public Order Bureau of the MPS; Mr. Liu Zhongyi, director general of the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the MPS; Mr. Wang Yingwei, director general of the Cybersecurity Bureau of the MPS; and Mr. Li Jiangping, director general of the Traffic Management Bureau of the MPS. They will brief you on the achievements of public security authorities in building a peaceful China at a higher level and answer your questions. Now, let's give the floor to Mr. Sun for his introduction. Sun Maoli: Ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press: Since the 18th CPC National Congress, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, public security authorities across the country have further promoted the building of a peaceful China. We are focused on strengthening public participation and rule of law in social governance, and making social governance smarter and more specialized. We have worked to help people feel more satisfied, happier and more secure. The sense of security among the Chinese people has risen from 87.55% in 2012 to 98.62% in 2021, and has remained at a high level for the past 10 years. It is internationally acknowledged that China is one of the safest countries in the world. First, we have unswervingly adhered to the Party's leadership as the fundamental principle of building a peaceful China. We have been loyal to the Party. We have increased our awareness of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core and maintain alignment with the central Party leadership. We have stayed confident in the path, the theory, the system and the culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We have firmly upheld Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and upheld the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We have thoroughly implemented the decision-making and deployments of the Party Central Committee, and ensured that the Party exercises leadership in an all-round way in building a peaceful China. We are on the right track politically, and the political and institutional advantages can be leveraged to help build a peaceful China. Second, we have unswervingly taken the safeguarding of national political security as the primary task of building a peaceful China. We have kept a close eye on the prominent political security risks and are focused on maintaining security of the state power and system, strictly guarding against and severely cracking down on acts of infiltration, subversion, disruption and sabotage by hostile forces at home and abroad. We have thoroughly implemented the Party's guideline for governing Tibet and Xinjiang in the new era, and stepped up the fight against terrorism and separatism. There have been no violent terrorist incidents in the country for more than five consecutive years. We have resolutely safeguarded the security and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, and promoted the realization of long-term stability in Hong Kong and Macao, and the steady and long-term implementation of "one country, two systems." Third, we have unswervingly taken the maintenance of social stability as the primary goal of building a peaceful China. Playing the role as the main force in building a peaceful China, we have kept a close eye on major economic and financial risks. Since 2013, we have solved 908,000 cases of economic crime and recovered 477.46 billion yuan of economic losses. We have further promoted the protection of the Yangtze River, and earnestly safeguarded the national biological and ecological security. We have strengthened the management of railways, civil aviation, ports, shipping and road traffic, and effectively served the domestic and international dual circulation. We provide security services for major events such as the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, as well as the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics, all of which have been successful. We have put the people and their lives first and made every effort to prevent and control COVID-19. On ensuring stability on the six key fronts and security in the six key areas, we have introduced a series of measures to facilitate the people and enterprises in household registration, traffic control, immigration and overseas travel, among others. We have contributed to the achievement of the goal of helping 100 million people with rural household registration obtain urban residency ahead of schedule, and more than 100 million people enjoyed services such as taking driving tests, inspection of vehicles, and replacement of licenses, on an inter-provincial basis. Fourth, we have unswervingly pursued the protection of people's peaceful lives in building a peaceful China. We have cracked down hard on gang activities. Since 2018, a total of 16,600 gang-related criminal groups have been destroyed. The crackdown on organized crime and local gangs has been one of the campaigns that received people's support since the 19th CPC National Congress. We have maintained a tough stance against eight major types of criminal crimes. The number of registered cases in 2021 dropped by 64.4% compared with 2012. The homicide clearance rate reached 99%. China has long been ranked among the countries with the lowest murder rate in the world. We have focused on frequent cases related to pornography, gambling, drugs, theft, robbery, fraud, food, medicine and environment-related crimes and other crimes such as the abduction of women and children, and cracked major cases faster and more small cases. Since June 2021, the number of telecommunications and internet fraud crimes registered has decreased year-on-year for 12 consecutive months. Fifth, we have unswervingly improved the crime prevention and control system to support the building of a peaceful China. We have built an integrated working mechanism featuring intelligent guidance, reasonable dispatch, prompt actions and attention to people's concerns. Supported by big data and smart technology, the crime prevention and control system has taken shape, covering all places, units and elements in the cities. We have pushed ahead with the building of "model cities" and 256,000 smart safe communities were built. We have launched campaigns to study from Fengqiao Police Station. We have created many models, such as "one comprehensive command room and two teams of police officers working in the communities and as law enforcers," "one police officer responsible for one district (grid)" and "one auxiliary police officer responsible for one administrative village under the police station's jurisdiction." A "three-dimensional grid" for crime prevention and control system at the grassroots level has taken shape. We have continued to deepen the building of peaceful campuses and hospitals. Compared with 2012, the number of school and hospital-related cases dropped significantly in 2021, and the number of related cases decreased by 38.4%. Sixth, we stayed committed to safeguarding cybersecurity as part of the efforts to build a peaceful China. While upholding the principle that "cybersecurity is essential to national security," we have consistently conducted our special campaign to clean up the online environment. Since 2017, we have resolved 255,000 such cases and arrested 385,000 suspects. We have also implemented rules for the graded protection of cybersecurity and the critical information infrastructure security plans, engaged in cybersecurity supervision in accordance with the law, and safeguarded the security of critical information infrastructure, major networks, and data. Seventh, we have stayed committed to deepening institutional reform in the police force as the drivers for building a peaceful China. By following the standards and requirements for improving combat effectiveness, we have deepened the institutional reform in the police force and improved our organizations, police categories, grassroots structure, and foundations. As a result, the reform has brought historical transformations, systematic reshaping, and holistic restructuring of the police force. We have improved the capacity to safeguard China's political security and social stability, laying a solid foundation for our efforts to fulfill our duties in the new era. Eighth, we have stayed committed to building a police force as strong as iron in their belief, faith, discipline and sense of responsibility, which is the solid foundation for constructing a peaceful China. We have always considered the general requirements of loyalty to the Party, serving the people, impartial law enforcement, and strict discipline. We have strengthened the police force by following political principles and deepened reform to build a strong police force. We have improved practical training under actual combat conditions, exercised strict team management, and explored new ways to provide preferential treatment to the police force. The political ecosystem and the capabilities and disciplines of the police force have further improved. Over the past decade, more than 3,700 police officers have lost their lives and over 50,000 injured on their duties across the country. One person was posthumously awarded the national honorary title of "People's Hero," one person was awarded the title of "Reform Pioneer," one person was awarded the "July 1 Medal," and one was awarded the "August 1 Medal." Meanwhile, posthumously, nine individuals and one team were awarded the "Model of the Times," and a large number of police officers and teams were awarded provincial and ministerial-level honors. Individuals and teams were honored with more than 2.4 million and 240,000 awards respectively because of their services. For the next step, the public security organs across the country will continue to follow Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, bear in mind the country's fundamental interests, and be loyal to their services and perform their responsibilities diligently. All of this will continue to contribute to the new chapter of China's miracle of long-term social stability and set the stage for the 20th CPC National Congress. That's all for my introduction. Thank you. Shou Xiaoli: The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news organization you represent before raising your questions. An OnlyFans model who fatally stabbed her boyfriend in Miami was arrested in Hawaii and is expected to be extradited on a charge of second-degree murder, authorities said. Courtney Clenney, 26, was charged with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon in the April 3 stabbing of her boyfriend, Christian Toby Obumseli, the state attorney for Miami-Dade County, Katherine Fernandez Rundle, announced Thursday. Rundle described the couple's relationship, which began in November 2020, as "extremely tempestuous and combative." She said the building management where Clenney and Obumseli lived documented multiple instances of loud arguments and was ready to evict the couple before Obumseli's death. Courtney Clenney and Christian Toby Obumseli. (christianvstoby via instagram) Clenney had kicked Obumseli out of their apartment in the last week of March, but the couple seemingly reconciled two days before his death. Investigators believe Obumseli was stabbed between 4:33 p.m. and 4:57 p.m. on April 3, Rundle said. Key fob records show him leaving the apartment shortly after 1 p.m. and returning to the building at 4:32 p.m. Shortly after, neighbors began calling building security reporting a disturbance in their apartment, and security called police at about 4:46 p.m., Rundle said. Police found that Clenney made two calls to her mother during that time frame before she called 911 herself at 4:57 p.m. requesting help for Obumseli. "On that 911 call Christian can be heard in the background. We repeatedly say that he was saying and he was losing feeling and his arm," Rundle said. "Defendant Clenney is also heard saying, 'I'm so sorry.'" In a statement to police, Clenney's mother said she heard her daughter yelling at Obumseli to leave the apartment while she was on the phone with her. Clenney told police that after an argument, Obumseli grabbed her by the throat and shoved her against a wall. "Then she says he threw her to the ground but allowed her to get up," Rundle said, recounting Clenney's interview. "And it was at that point that Clenney went to a kitchen area and got the knife as Christian sort of approached her. She threw the knife at him from a distance that she's estimated to be about 10 feet." Story continues A medical examiner's report found that Obumseli's stab wound occurred from a "forceful downward thrust." Rundle said the chief medical examiner disagreed that a throw from that distance could have caused the fatal stab wound. "The police observed no visible injuries, which would have corroborated her account," Rundle said. Clenney was taken into custody Wednesday by the Hawai'i Police Department while she was in rehabilitation for substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder, said her lawyer, Frank Prieto, confirming comments first reported by The Miami Herald. She was being held at the East Hawaii Detention Center and was expected to make a first appearance in local district court Thursday, the department said. Rundle said Clenney's attorney indicated she will not contest her extradition to Florida. In a statement, Prieto, who has previously described the couple's relationship as "clearly toxic," said he was completely shocked at Clenney's arrest because of the clear evidence of self-defense in this matter. Obumseli attacked her and choked her that evening, he said. Courtney had no choice but to meet force with force. Rundle accused Clenney of being the aggressor in the couple's tumultuous relationship. Rundle showed an elevator video from February, a month after the couple moved into their apartment, in which Clenney appears to initiate a physical assault on Obumseli during an argument. It's unclear what happened before the couple began walking into the elevator. "You will draw your own conclusion, but it certainly appears that the defendant was aggressively attacking Christian," Rundle said. Larry Handfield, a lawyer representing Obumselis family, said the announcement of a charge against Clenney were a relief to the family. He also accused Clenney of having a "history of being the aggressor" throughout the couple's relationship. "What you saw in the elevator was just an isolated glimpse of a pattern of conduct that was demonstrated by the defendant in this case," Handfield said. A cousin of Obumselis has previously said the family has "no cause to believe that this was a case of self-defense," adding: "Toby was raised by a very strong family, with strong morals, strong values. He does not come from that." Clenney appeared on OnlyFans under the name Courtney Tailor and has 2 million followers on Instagram. If you or someone you know is facing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence hotline for help at (800) 799-SAFE (7233), or go to www.thehotline.org for more. States often have domestic violence hotlines as well. An Instagram and OnlyFans model who claimed self-defense in the April stabbing death of her boyfriend has been charged with his murder after state prosecutors said new evidence depicts her as the aggressor who plunged a knife three inches into his chest. Courtney Clenney, 26, was arrested in Hawaii Wednesday on a charge of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon in the April 3 killing of Christian Obumseli, 27, in Miami, authorities said. Clenney, who goes by the name Courtney Tailor on social media, where she has 2 million followers on Instagram, gave inconsistent statements to police upon questioning. She also claimed that she only threw the knife at Obumseli, while standing more than 10 feet away, after he shoved her by her throat in their shared apartment that afternoon, state prosecutors said at a press conference Thursday. Courtney Clenney is seen following her arrest Wednesday in Hawaii for second-degree murder with a deadly weapon. (Photo: via Associated Press) Courtney Clenney is seen following her arrest Wednesday in Hawaii for second-degree murder with a deadly weapon. (Photo: via Associated Press) The medical examiner who performed Obumselis autopsy said that such a deep knife wound, which punctured an artery, would likely be more consistent with a forceful downward thrust. Clenney also was not found with any injuries supporting her claim of being physically attacked as she described, said Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. The couple for two years had an extremely tempestuous and combative relationship, resulting in multiple noise complaints, an eviction threat, 911 calls, and Clenneys arrest, Rundle said. Clenney was previously arrested in July of last year for domestic battery against Obumseli in Las Vegas. The couple moved into their Miami apartment in January and the following month, elevator footage shared by Rundle appears to capture Clenney repeatedly striking Obumseli as he tried to physically distance himself from her and calm her down. This is video of a previous encounter between murder suspect Courtney Clenney and her now deceased boyfriend. The 2/21/22 incident shows her attacking him in an elevator before he pushed her away. @wsvnpic.twitter.com/Dt3B0rX9Vq Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) August 11, 2022 Then on April 1, just two days before Obumselis death, police were called to their apartment due to another domestic disturbance where Clenney was described by police as appearing intoxicated, according to a copy of her arrest warrant unsealed Thursday. Story continues Clenneys defense attorney said hes completely shocked by the arrest, telling 7News on Wednesday that theres clear evidence of self-defense. Obumseli attacked her and choked her that evening; Courtney had no choice but to meet force with force, attorney Frank Prieto told the Miami station. Prieto didnt immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment. Elevator footage taken in January appears to show Clenney repeatedly striking Obumseli. (Photo: Miami SAO) Elevator footage taken in January appears to show Clenney repeatedly striking Obumseli. (Photo: Miami SAO) Prieto called Clenney a victim of domestic violence and human trafficking, and said she was seeking mental health treatment in Hawaii for PTSD related to Obumselis death when she was arrested. Courtney was clearly defending herself. We will vigorously defend Courtney and clear her of this unfounded and baseless charge, the lawyer said. The couples relationship had been described as rocky and sometimes violent by their friends as well. Clenney's attorney said Obumseli's death was self-defense. (Photo: Instagram) Clenney's attorney said Obumseli's death was self-defense. (Photo: Instagram) Weve seen her hit him. Ive never seen him hit her, a friend, Ashley Vaughn, told Local 10 News days after the stabbing. Prieto in May acknowledged to Rolling Stone that violence in the couples relationship could have gone both ways, but said that didnt change Clenneys self-defense claim in the killing. Christian was committing a crime, and she had every right to defend herself, Prieto said. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... (Instagram) On OnlyFans model has been charged with murdering her boyfriend, who was stabbed to death in Miami in April. Courtney Clenney, 26, was arrested in Hawaii on Wednesday and will be extradited back to Florida for trial. Ms Clenney has been charged with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon for the 3 April stabbing of Christian Toby Obumseli. Im completely shocked, especially since we were cooperating with the investigation and offered to voluntarily surrender her if she were charged, her defence lawyer Frank Prieto told The Miami Herald. We look forward to clearing her name in court. Mr Prieto told the newspaper that his client was in Hawaii for substance abuse rehabilitation and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Officials in Miami say they will explain the arrest at a press conference on Thursday. An investigation was launched after Ms Clenney allegedly killed her boyfriend at a luxury apartment building. Her lawyers have claimed that the killing was justified as she acted in self-defence. The suspect is known as Courtney Tailor on social media platforms, where she has more than 2m followers. Authorities say that the couple had been dating for less than two years and that she had been arrested for domestic battery in Las Vegas. Police in Austin, Texas, and also reportedly been called to their home on multiple occasions. They had only been living in the One Paraiso building in Edgewater, Florida, for several months, where managers had dealt with several domestic disturbance complaints and were moving to evict them, according to The Herald. Police in Miami had been called to their apartment to deal with a domestic disturbance call on 1 April, then two days later the suspect called 911 to report that the victim had been stabbed. In a pathetic and predictable development, supporters of Donald Trump have lobbed an outrageous lie into the public arena. No, not the one about a stolen election. Another one. The FBI, they claim, planted incriminating evidence at Trumps Florida home when they searched it earlier this week. That search, pursuant to a lawful warrant authorized by a federal judge, was executed by special agents in the FBIs Miami Division. Lies for and by Trump are noxious, but they happen so frequently that we tend to ignore in some cases the harms they cause. Traveling in Omaha, Neb., this week, FBI Director Christopher Wray (also predictably) was asked about the planted evidence allegation. I worked with Chris at the Department of Justice, respect him and like him. He is smart, fair and principled a man of great integrity. But when he refused to address that lie, one that Trump himself is floating, he made a big mistake. Of course, Justice Department and FBI officials cannot ordinarily comment on ongoing grand jury investigations. There are lots of good reasons for this rule and it is a rule including that it is patently unfair to criminal subjects to air investigative details in public short of charges in open court. Discussing ongoing cases also can tip off other bad guys and lead to bad outcomes, such as threats to witnesses and the destruction of evidence. But the FBI director did not have to comment about the Trump case to rebut the planted evidence fib. He could have said something like: I will not address the details of this investigation or any other. But I will defend the men and women of the FBI against disgraceful lies. Everyone in this great organization took an oath as I did to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. We uphold the law, always and everywhere. That ethos is in the marrow of our bones. The allegation that FBI special agents planted evidence at this search or any search is dishonest and contemptible. Story continues I spent most of my professional career in federal law enforcement, including two stints at the FBI. Am I biased in its favor? Absolutely. But I believe to my core that it is inconceivable the FBI would have planted evidence at Mar-a-Lago. That is not the way it operates, that is not the FBI I know and admire, and it did not happen. How certain am I? Pretty damn certain. Might I be wrong? I often am, but not on this. What harms do these lies cause? These lies undermine the work of the FBI, the morale of the professionals at the FBI and the confidence of citizens in the remarkably important mission of the FBI. Remember, it was only 18 months ago that two FBI special agents in Miami were shot and killed in the line of duty. You may have forgotten that. I assure you that their colleagues in Miami and around the world have not. Is there any value to Wray categorically denying the planted evidence accusation? At the very least, it would support the Miami agents who executed the search, 13,000 other FBI special agents and the remaining 24,000 professionals who work for the FBI in hundreds of offices, small and large. Is it useful to anyone else? Yes. It is the type of thing that the press and the public should hear, too, because agents did not plant evidence. Would it make a difference? To Trump supporters and enablers, that seems unlikely. To the folks who work for the FBI? Absolutely. They know their leader cannot change the world, just as they know that their work will be disparaged by dark forces that do not want them to succeed. But they do expect Wray to defend them and their FBI against loathsome lies. That is not an unreasonable expectation. The Irish satirist Jonathan Swift noted that falsehood flies and truth comes limping after it ... Swift died in 1745, so he was likely not writing about Donald Trump. We know this maxim in other forms, including that a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on. Chris Wray had a chance to begin to chase down an outrageous lie. He may not have caught it and he certainly would not have changed the hearts and minds of some, but he would have sent a clear message to the men and women of the FBI that he has their back. He needs to get his boots on. Aug. 10PARIS The select board enthusiastically approved a plan by the Police Department to apply for a grant that would help fund a new K-9 unit. Police Chief Michael Dailey and Officer Daniel Hastings presented the proposal to the board at Monday's meeting. The $47,000 grant would cover much of the cost for the program for approximately three years, Hastings said. In addition to paying for the special cage in the cruiser for the dog, $14,000 of the grant would pay for 14 weeks of training for the officer and the dog. Town Manager Dawn Noyes said she hopes to get a local business to donate food for the dog. According to Paris officials, Norway, which also has a K-9 unit, gets its food donated by a local business. According to state laws, police cannot extend a traffic stop to get a dog, Hastings said. An officer can only wait for a reasonable amount of time. "If I feel there are drugs in the car, but I do not have enough to justify pulling someone out of the car to search their car, I have 10 to 15 minutes to get a dog to me or I watch the drugs go bye-bye, which typically happens to us," Hastings said. Hastings added that police can legally walk a dog around a vehicle for what is called an open-air sniff. The multi-purposed dog would also be trained for search-and-rescue operations and would also serve as a bite dog to chase after suspects," Hastings said. The dog likely a shepherd will be sent from Europe and initially trained in Connecticut before coming to Paris to complete its training with the K-9 officer. The state training would be conducted by the Maine State Police. In other business, the board set Aug. 22 as the date of a public hearing on the proposed marijuana ordinance. The public hearing will begin at 6 p.m. at the Town Office. The board also will hold a workshop at 6 p.m. Monday in the Town Office to establish a group of residents who would develop a community resilience grant for the town. The town would be eligible to receive two $50,000 grants from the state for various community resilience programs. Story continues In a lengthy discussion, Selectman Carlton Sprague complained about the lack of bathroom facilities at Moore Park. Noyes said the portable bathrooms on site in the past became a dumping station for travelers on state Route 26 at all hours of the day. The facility was often trashed, and people did not respect it. She added that there was a question about who would have to keep the facility clean, which she described as "disgusting." The highway department provided two bids for a plow truck, which would not be available until 2023-24 winter season. One truck was a Mack and the other a Western Star. Selectmen tabled the request after Selectman Michael Bailey asked for time to study the specs. Noyes announced that the town received a check for $4,100 for workman's comp reimbursement. Law enforcement officers stand looking at a memorial following a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School on May 26, 2022 in Uvalde, Texas. According to reports, 19 students and 2 adults were killed, with the gunman fatally shot by law enforcement. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is rolling out plans for the upcoming school year in Uvalde, Texas. One of his steps to increase security includes adding 30 police officers to patrol the schools. The plan comes after a scathing report detailed failures by cops during the Robb Elementary mass shooting. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced how the state will make Uvalde, Texas, classrooms safer this fall: adding dozens of cops to the district's schools. Thirty new police officers will patrol the district at the request of the schools' superintendent, Abbott said, weeks after a scathing report revealed widespread failures by police that allowed a lone gunman to kill 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in May. A total of 376 law enforcement officers responded to the shooting, the investigation by the Texas House revealed. Yet, as dozens of cops stood just feet away from the classroom where the shooter carried out his attack, police didn't confront him for over an hour as the school's police chief fiddled with finding a key to unlock the door. "They failed to prioritize saving the lives of innocent victims over their own safety," the report said. A spokesperson for UCISD superintendent Hal Harrell didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. In the announcement laying out the state's plan for the upcoming school year, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw said on Wednesday he's working to ensure "each child, parent, and teacher feels safe and protected during this difficult time." "We know going back to school will be especially challenging for many in Uvalde," McCraw said in the statement. Steps to make Uvalde safer also included investments by the governor's office, including $5 million for a long-term mental health hub in Uvalde and $1.25 million to fund counseling and crisis intervention in the district. The governor's office highlighted the $105.5 million invested in "school safety and mental health initiatives" in Texas announced in June. Of those funds, $50 million will go toward buying bullet-resistant shields for the schools. Read the original article on Business Insider Ranveer Singh, 37, became one of the first Bollywood actors to pose naked for a magazine last month (Getty) A public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been filed against Ranveer Singh at a state high in India over the Bollywood actors recent nude photoshoot for the Paper magazine. Last month, Singh became one of the first Bollywood stars to pose nude for a magazine cover, drawing praise from other actors such as Priyanka Chopra, and Indian filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap. However, after the photos were released on social media, Singh was accused of hurting womens sentiments and modesty in complaints filed across the country. Now, a petitioner is seeking legal action at the Calcutta High Court against the Gully Boy actor for harming the peace and breaching the minds of young children for the sake of money, according to a Bar & Bench report published on Wednesday (10 August). The petitioner has asked the court to stop the circulation of the photographs in question, arguing obscenity under the Indian law. After the images were released on 22 July, Mumbai-based matrimonial lawyer Vedika Chaubey filed a separate complaint against Singh, requesting the police to investigate whether the 37-year-old actor intended to offend women. Of course this is vulgar. We can see his bum, Chaubey said in a live interview with NDTV. This is a national issue. Singh, who is one of Bollywoods most colourful actors, was asked whether he felt nervous about getting naked for the cover. He said: Its so easy for me to be physically naked, but in some of my performances Ive been damn f***ing naked. You can see my f***ing soul. How naked is that? Thats being actually naked. I can be naked in front of a thousand people, I dont give a sh*t. Its just that they get uncomfortable. MELBOURNE, Australia The Philippines has confirmed it is in the process of canceling a contract to acquire Russian-built transport helicopters, citing changes in priorities brought on by world events. National Defense Department spokesman Arsenio Andolong said in a statement carried by the Philippines national news agency that the government is currently formalizing the termination of the contract with Russias Sovtechnoexport for 16 Mi-17 helicopters. We are also preparing to initiate a diplomatic dialogue with the Russian side regarding matters arising from the projects cancellation, Andolong said, adding cryptically that changes in priorities necessitated by global political developments resulted in the cancellation of the project by the previous administration. He also said efforts are being made to retrieve the $48.2 million down payment for the helicopters made in January. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana previously told The Associated Press that the government was canceling the $322.3 million deal due to concerns over potential U.S. sanctions. He also said the decision was approved by then-President Rodrigo Duterte, whose administration had signed the contract for the helicopters in November 2021. The Philippines insisted as recently as March 2022 that the procurement would go ahead despite the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began Feb. 24. Those buying Russian arms could be hit with sanctions under the U.S. law Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The law was passed in 2017 and is meant to discourage governments or entities from acquiring weapons as well as military hardware and parts from American adversaries like Iran, North Korea and Russia. Without the Mi-17s, the Philippines would be left with an outstanding requirement for heavy transport helicopters. The Mi-17 was chosen because of its relatively spacious cabin as well as its rear ramp or clamshell doors (depending on the variant). Story continues Transport helicopters are a vital component of the Philippine military; the country is an archipelagic nation made up of more than 7,000 islands and is beset with natural disasters and ongoing insurgencies. Its existing fleet of transport helicopters are often engaged in relief operations or transporting troops and equipment. The Mi-17 has similar payload capabilities to several Western transport helicopter types, but its price was a draw for the Philippines, with the country seeking to modernize its aging and modest military in the face of a tight budget. India halts Ka-31 helicopter deal with Russia RICHMOND, Ind. A police officer and a Richmond man were seriously injured Wednesday during an exchange of gunfire near North 12th and C streets in Richmond, according to Richmond Police Chief Mike Britt. Officer Seara Burton, 28, a four-year member of the Richmond Police Department who recently became a K9 officer, was fighting for her life Wednesday night, officials reported. Burton and Phillip M. Lee, 47, were taken to Reid Health, then Burton was flown by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, according to Indiana State Police. An initial report indicated both Burton and Lee were at Miami Valley. "It's traumatic," Britt said of Burton's injury. "One of the things we've dealt with tonight is this is a worst-case scenario. There are secondary victims. I've got emotionally injured officers. "It's been a battle here for a long time like any city in the state. Constant violence. Every day my people hold up and do a good job," he added. Lee has been arrested on probable cause, according to the state police. He had not been booked at the Wayne County Jail by 2 p.m. Thursday. The Indiana Department of Correction's online records list Lee, who has a long criminal history, as on parole. The records indicate he was released from incarceration Dec. 31, 2021, after being convicted in May 2018 of possession of a syringe and possession of a narcotic drug. His one-year sentence was enhanced by three years because he was adjudicated a habitual offender. In addition to those convictions, Lee has previous felony convictions for escape, burglary, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, attempted burglary, auto theft, resisting law enforcement, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia, according to case records. Lee also has previous misdemeanor convictions for resisting law enforcement, battery, possession of marijuana, perjury, driving without a license and leaving the scene of an accident. Story continues Officer Seara Burton and Brev recently completed K-9 training at Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana. Burton was called about 6:30 p.m. to assist with a traffic stop and located Lee riding a moped, according to the Indiana State Police, who took over the investigation. Lee was stopped in the 200 block of North 12th Street, and Burton's K-9 partner, Brev, indicated to the presence of a narcotics odor. While officers spoke with Lee, he pulled out a firearm and fired multiple shots at officers, according to the state police. Burton was struck. Other officers fired back at Lee, who fled on foot. The state police said he was quickly captured and treated for gunshot wounds. STAY INFORMED AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Subscribe today using the link at the top of this page. Its a very heavy day," Mayor Dave Snow said at the scene Wednesday night. "First and foremost right now all of our thoughts and all of our prayers are with Officer Burton, her family and all of our officers, who are devastated by this. It goes without saying that this type of behavior will not be tolerated in our city. In the residential area where the traffic stop and shooting took place, one neighbor watching the aftermath unfold Wednesday night said she had gathered her kids in the bathroom after hearing shots fired. Her daughter later went to a friend's house because she was afraid to stay at home. Police tape blocked North 12th Street, and evidence markers dotted the ground. An RPD officer at the scene used a lockout tool to get Brev out of Burton's vehicle. Portable lighting was eventually brought to the scene, including by Richmond Power & Light, so officers could continue their investigation after dark. The investigation also utilized a drone that flew over the roadway. At midnight, state police officers searched among the illuminated residences on the west side of North 12th Street, just a block from the Wayne County Historical Museum. They remained at the scene for several more hours. At the same time, many RPD officers' vehicles remained in the police station's parking lot, with a couple of small groups of officers conversing outside the Richmond Municipal Building. Britt said RPD's officers, who are devastated by Burton's injury, had pulled together Wednesday to support Burton and each other. Many offered their assistance at the scene. Another four officers were on motorcycles heading to a function. When they learned of Burton's injury, they diverted to meet Burton at Miami Valley Hospital. Snow said that Burton has supported the community and now needs the communitys support as shes in a difficult fight right now. He and Britt asked that community members pray for Burton. State Sen. Jeff Raatz, a Richmond Republican representing District 27, on Thursday released a statement also asking for prayers. "It is with a heavy heart that I ask our community to return the care Officer Burton has granted us by keeping her wellbeing and family in our prayers," he said. "The selfless service to our community from officers like Seara Burton is what continues to allow Hoosiers to lead safe, fulfilling lives. "I have long appreciated the sacrifice our local law enforcement and emergency personnel have made to protect Hoosiers, and will continue to admire their diligence and care for our community." The Richmond City Employees Federal Credit Union announced Thursday on its Facebook page that it is collecting donations for Burton and her family. Checks should be made payable to "Blue Angels," and Venmo information is available in the Facebook post. A prayer vigil is also being organized for 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at the police station, 50 N. Fifth St. The Facebook event notice asks attendees to wear blue and carry supportive signs. Burton, who is engaged to be married soon, is the stepdaughter of another RPD officer. She is the second RPD officer to be seriously injured this year. Austin Adams sustained head injuries April 5 when he was pushed from the tank of a stolen semi-tractor trailer as the suspect drove away. Adams has recovered from his injuries and returned to full duty. In fact, Britt said Adams was at Wednesday night's shooting scene. The state police asks that anyone with information about Wednesday's incident call 765-778-2121. Wednesday's shootings are the third and fourth in less than a month within a couple of north-side blocks. Terill Devoni Strickland, 22, has been charged with Level 5 felony criminal recklessness in connection with the July 18 shooting of Brandon M. Pyle, 40. Pyle was shot in the back about 10 p.m. July 18 in the 1300 block of North C Street. There has not yet been an arrest in the the July 10 shooting of Skyler A. Goodwin, 22. Goodwin was wounded in the left leg just before 4 p.m. in the 1300 block of North B Street. This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Police officer, suspect seriously injured in Wednesday night shooting Three local police departments are warning residents of several burglaries that have occurred in their communities. The Bellingham, Franklin and Medway police departments have each said they have had numerous house break-ins in the past week. Although they have not confirmed the suspect is the same, Franklin police said in a press release that the burglaries occurred "under similar circumstances." They said the break-ins occurred sometime between 9 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday in the northern area of town. Witnesses saw two vehicles that may be involved a white Ford Edge and a dark-colored SUV that may be a Jeep Cherokee, police said in the release. "The operator is believed to be a male wearing a white shirt that would walk from his vehicle after parking a far distance from the target homes," Franklin police said in a statement. More: After rash of break-ins, Framingham police release videos in seeking help Police offered tips on avoiding being targeted for burglary. "Please remember to lock all doors and windows in your home when you are away and refrain from posting travel details on social media," Franklin police said in their press release. Have someone check your home while you're away." Franklin police are asking residents who may have recorded anything suspicious on home security cameras to contact Detective Cody Landry at 508-440-2761 or by email at clandry@franklinma.gov. In Medway, there were three house break-ins that occurred sometime Friday, most likely during the afternoon, police in that town said in a press release. "The suspect appears to have looked for unlocked doors and chose to break rear windows to gain entry when he or she failed to find an open door," police wrote. "The suspect appeared to be looking for cash and/or jewelry." More: Bellingham police share video of burglary suspect The Medway break-ins appeared to occur between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Brentwood area of town and on Oakview Circle. Story continues "Most suspects will park a short distance away from their target, walk to it, then knock to make sure no one is home before trying to get in," police wrote. "If someone answers, they will have some story ready to deflect suspicion, such as that they are looking for their lost dog or another address." Police said the burglar appeared to be looking for cash and jewelry and targeted master bedrooms. Police recommended not to keep valuables in the bedroom and to create "a bait" jewelry box filled with costume jewelry or items with no sentimental value. More: Going on vacation? Police offer tips to protect your home while you're away Medway police ask that if anyone saw someone suspicious on Friday or remember a stranger knocking on their door to contact them at 508-533-3212. Bellingham police said three burglaries were reported on July 31, a Sunday. The incidents occurred on Arrowhead Road, Temi Road and Rondeau Road. "The homes that were targeted showed signs that they were unoccupied," police said in a statement. "It does not appear that this suspect would attempt to enter an occupied home," they said. Anyone with information is asked to call Bellingham police at 508-966-1515. Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow Norman Miller on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime. This article originally appeared on The Milford Daily News: Bellingham, Franklin and Medway police investigate burglaries Atlanta-based rapper Young Thug is facing six new felony charges over allegations that he participated in a criminal street gang. The 30-year-old artist has been accused of conspiracy to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (or, RICO) along with four other defendants. The news emerged after an indictment was filed in Fulton County Superior Court last week. The performer, who was born Jeffery Williams, now faces a slew of charges in the wake of his arrest at his Atlanta home in May. They include violation of Georgia's controlled substances act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a machine gun and drug charges, reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Young Thug Paras Griffin/Getty Images Young Thug The initial filing included 56 counts against 28 individuals who allegedly carried out crimes under orders of the Young Slime Life street gang. Young Thug is alleged to be one of three founders of the Atlanta-based gang, which is reportedly associated with the Bloods gang. Rapper Gunna was also named in the initial indictment. In documents supplied to EW by the office of the Fulton County District Attorney at the time, Gunna (born Sergio Kitchens) was also charged with conspiracy to violate RICO. Williams' attorney, Brian Steel, maintained his client is innocent in a statement. "Mr. Williams has committed absolutely no crimes," Steel told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday. "We cannot wait for a trial date." Williams currently remains behind bars after he was denied bond, with a new hearing on the matter scheduled for next week. The conspiracy charge is connected to activity as far back as 2013, with the gang-related charge stemming from 2018, reports the Associated Press. Young Thug is best known for co-writing the track "This Is America" with Childish Gambino, Donald Glover's musical moniker. The song went on to become the first hip-hop song to win Song of the Year at the Grammys, taking home the coveted award in 2019. Story continues He has also collaborated with Camila Cabello for "Havana", Drake and Future for "Way 2 Sexy," and Travis Scott and M.I.A. for the hit "Franchise." A tentative trial date has been set for Jan. 9, 2023. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Related content: Dalia Stasevska conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in her Hollywood Bowl debut Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) The Hollywood Bowl has spent the first month of its 101st season with the Los Angeles Philharmonic reimagining and reinventing the orchestra's long history in the famed amphitheater. It had the incomparable assist of Gustavo Dudamel, the most Bowl-happy major conductor since the flamboyant Leopold Stokowski began appearing in the 1930s. Its been a splendid month of Bernstein, Beethoven and the movies, of Wagner newly animated, the Paris Opera Ballet and, thanks to L.A. Phil resident conductor Paolo Bortolameolli, a revived Saint-Saens. Now comes another Hollywood Bowl tradition, an often more problematic one. For the rest of August, the L.A. Phil will be primarily in the hands of conductors making their debuts with the orchestra. Beginning in the 1950s, management has used the summer concerts as a fail-safe way to try out emerging conductors. There is little economic risk, their fees being lower at this stage in their careers. Its but a day in the life of the orchestra a morning rehearsal and the evening concert. Repertory is usually so familiar that the orchestra can wing it if necessary. The crowd, furthermore, may not mind all that much, what with the pleasures of a picnic and a night under the stars and still some dollar seats in a beloved venue (ignoring the less pleasurable traffic and parking). For the young conductor, however, the safety net has as many holes as thinly sliced Swiss cheese. Last season became an occasion for giving former Dudamel fellows their first Bowl date, so they at least knew the orchestra, the acoustics and the daunting scene. This year, the guest conductors are not family, although all the debutants are already well along on their career paths. Tuesday night saw the belated appearance of Dalia Stasevska, who had been slated to make her Bowl debut in the pandemic-canceled season two summers ago. Although born in Ukraine, she emigrated to Finland when she was 5, and has now entered the ever-growing ranks of Finnish conductors of all generations. In Finland, Stasevska is music director of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra, one of the countrys finest, and is also royalty, having married Sibelius' great-grandson, the eclectic electric bassist of the Finnish power metal group Stratovarius and an intriguing composer in his own right. Story continues As principal guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Stasevska has already passed a trial by fire: She conducted the orchestra in the Last Night at the Proms in September 2020. A difficult enough assignment at any time, this raucous populist London tradition always ends with Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory sung by a large chorus and 5,000 spectators. That year, a reduced, distanced orchestra and chorus was required, and the concert was broadcast without a live audience. The BBC Symphony decided that COVID-19 restrictions made the singing of those numbers impractical, but there was also nervousness about how the musical numbers represented colonial Britain, particularly during that summer of international racial reckonings. Stasevska, who is a vocal proponent of Black Lives Matter but who was not involved in the decision, got the blame and threats on social media. Boris Johnson was among those who insisted that lyrics be reinstated, and they were. Stasevska impressively soldiered on and led an unusually judicious virtual Proms. A Bowl debut might hardly seem intimidating after that. Stasevska confidently strode onstage Tuesday and began with Anna Merediths exciting, colorful Nautilus, inspired by the composer stomping on the beach in her native Scotland. Thomas Ades had launched the L.A. Phil's Gen X festival with it in April, and at the Bowl the five-minute score, which opens sounding like a stuck-record brilliant brass fanfare, became a compelling wow moment as delivered with Stasevskas dynamic energy. The promising Nautilus broke the ice for Stasevska before she proceeded to Iceland. Five years ago, Dudamel premiered Icelandic composer Daniel Bjarnasons Scordatura, a violin concerto written for Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto. Well, it just so happens that three weeks ago, Stasevska conducted a Proms concert that mixed Icelandic and Russian composers. Violinist Pekka Kuusisto was the soloist in Daniel Bjarnason's "Scordatura" with the L.A. Phil at the Hollywood Bowl Tuesday night. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) Scordatura, which begins strangely with the violinist playing a duet with himself, whistling while plucking strings of his violin, is an enthralling vehicle for Kuusisto. The violinist has a winning aspect, all but made for the Bowls large video screens, of being an old-school nonchalant virtuoso able to effortlessly toss off anything while at the same time demonstrating, through vivid facial expression, emotional entrancement. Likewise, Bjarnasons concerto is both cool and hot. Melodies float like shards of ice on a cold sea, but there is lightning and thunder in stormy orchestral attacks that lead to Kuusistos startled, breathtaking cadenzas. Stasevska boldly egged the orchestra on. She then, after intermission, boldly egged the orchestra on in Dvoraks Eighth Symphony. That she could create a striking interpretation with so little rehearsal turned out, however, more extraordinary than maybe advisable. This is a symphony the orchestra knows well. It has recorded the work three times, thrillingly under Zubin Mehta, suavely under Andre Previn and, in an exceptional new release, grippingly under Dudamel. Stasevska led as though she was still stomping on the Scottish beach. Every big effect was just that, a big effect, with thumped-out rhythms. She regularly treated warmly expressive lyric passages as theatrically sudden pauses for slowly drinking in a beauteous sight before once again briskly moving on. The L.A. Phil did as Stasevska commanded, but one sensed a kind of bristling from the players, as though they were not invited into the picture. The ensemble playing was tense. The effects became predictable. The slow movement proved the most interesting. I dont know whether there is such a thing as a Finnish Dvorak, but Stasevskas changes of gear between quiet passages and loud began to sound intriguingly like a Sibelius soundscape. But even here the Bowl undid her thanks to a helicopter circling overhead throughout the movement. Stasevska returns to the L.A. Phil in March, when she will have the opportunity to conduct Sibelius in Walt Disney Concert Hall under likely more inviting conditions. The parade of conductors giving the Bowl a whirl for the first time includes Lina Gonzalez-Granados (Aug. 11), Louis Langree (Aug. 16), Joseph Young (Aug. 18) and another young Finn, Eva Ollikainen (Aug. 30 and Sept. 1). Meanwhile, a young conductor who made her Bowl debut last summer, Marta Gardolinska (Aug. 25), has been invited back. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO THURSDAY, 11 AUGUST 2022, 17:23 According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, about 30-40% of generals and officers of the Russian Federation who planned the war against Ukraine are under investigation in Russia. Source: Oleksii Hromov, the Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at a briefing at the Ukraine Ukrinform media centre Quote: "Repressive measures against the highest and senior officers of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are ongoing due to the failure of strategic plans on the Ukrainian front. According to the available data, Shoigu, the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, and Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, remain in their positions solely to prevent the discrediting of the top military and political leadership. About 30-40% of the generals and officers who participated in the planning of the "special military operation" have been suspended from their duties and are under investigation. Details: Hromov added that, taking into account the recent explosions at the Saky airfield in occupied Crimea and Zyabrovka airfield in Belarus, "new personnel decisions regarding the management staff are expected". Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda! (Reuters) - Russian anti-aircraft defence systems thwarted Ukrainian attacks on the occupied Ukrainian city of Enerhodar and the nearby Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, state-owned news agencies TASS and RIA reported on Thursday, citing the Russian-imposed authorities in Zaporizhzhia region. Reuters could not independently verify the claim. (Reporting by Reuters) OLENA ROSCHINA THURSDAY, 11 AUGUST 2022, 11:51 On 11 August, searches of activists homes were conducted in the city of Dzhankoy and the Dzhankoy district of Russian-occupied Crimea. Source: Crimean Solidarity, [informal human rights organisation and public movement started in 2016 to protect victims of political repression - ed.] Details: At least six searches in the Dzhankoy district of Crimea have been recorded. Russian occupying authorities ordered searches of the houses of Vilen Temeryanov (Vilne village), and "Crimean Solidarity" journalist and activist Enver Krosh (Blizhnehorodskoe village). After the searches, the activists were taken in an unknown direction. Russian security forces prohibited the filming of anything near Krosh's house. Occupiers also went to the house of Temeryanov's mother. Seitaya Abbozov (Dzhankoy town) and Murat Mustafayev (Myrnivka village) were also searched. They were also taken away after searches. Occupiers also searched the house of Edem Bekirov (Ozerne village) and the house of Rinat Aliyev (Timofiivka village). Bekirov was also taken away by security forces. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work! Michael O'Leary Ryanair won't be offering flights at rock bottom prices any more thanks to the soaring cost of fuel, the budget airline's boss has admitted. Chief executive Michael O'Leary says the era of the 10 ticket is over. The airline's average fare would rise from around 40 (33.75) last year to roughly 50 over the next five years, he told the BBC. But he says he believes people will continue to fly frequently, despite the rising cost of living. "There's no doubt that at the lower end of the marketplace, our really cheap promotional fares - the one euro fares, the 0.99 fares, even the 9.99 fares - I think you will not see those fares for the next number of years," Mr O'Leary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. The rise in fuel costs that is pushing up air fares, is also raising household energy bills, eating into people's disposable incomes. But the airline boss said, despite that, he expects customers to seek out lower-cost options rather than cut back on flights. "We think people will continue to fly frequently. But I think people are going to become much more price sensitive and therefore my view of life is that people will trade down in their many millions." As airfares have become cheaper in recent decades, the number of flights taken has risen, with more people taking short breaks abroad, on top of an annual holiday. Airlines like Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling and Wizz Air have competed to offer low-cost no-frills services. Commercial flights now account for about 2.4% of global CO2 emissions, and the sector is facing pressure to reduce its impact on the climate, including campaigns to persuade people to switch to rail and road travel. However, Mr O'Leary argued road transport and shipping were bigger contributors of CO2 overall, and said the focus on reducing emissions from air travel was "misplaced". He said Ryanair was investing in more fuel efficient aircraft, but that greater reductions in fossil fuel use would come from the switch from petrol and diesel to electric road vehicles. Story continues In the wake of the Covid pandemic, which severely disrupted international travel, people have proved eager to get back on board flights. But as demand for air travel has bounced back, staff shortages at airlines and airports have lead to delays and cancellations, in the UK and abroad. Some passengers have been forced to wait for hours, or reschedule travel at the last minute. Mr O'Leary said Ryanair had managed the situation better than other airlines because it had been "part lucky and part brave" in its decision to start recruiting and training cabin crew and pilots last November when the Omicron variant was still affecting international travel. In the first six months of 2022, Ryanair cancelled 0.3% of flights, compared with British Airways' total of 3.5%, and Easyjet's 2.8%, according to air travel consultancy OAG. Mr O'Leary said he had "very little sympathy" for the airports, saying they knew schedules months in advance and that security staff, which are the responsibility of the airports, required less training than pilots. He accused Heathrow, which has capped the number of passengers coming to the airport over the summer, of "mismanagement". Mr O'Leary said he was "hopeful" the problems at UK airports would be resolved by next summer, but said Brexit could continue to create challenges when recruiting staff. Heathrow has previously defended the cap, saying it was necessary to provide a reliable and safe service. Publishing its latest traffic figures on Thursday the airport said the cap was working and that July had seen "improvements to passenger experience" - with fewer last minute cancellations and better aircraft punctuality and baggage handling. It said 88% of passengers were now clearing security in 20 minutes or less. It added that 1,300 people had been hired at the airport since last November, and that "security resource is back at pre-pandemic levels". The Airports Operators Association has said airports in general have been recruiting staff since late last year and most passengers are now travelling with no, or minimal, disruption. Ryanair is based in Dublin, but operates hundreds of routes in and out of the UK. Britain's departure from the EU had proved to be a "disaster for the free movement of labour" Mr O'Leary said said and called on the government to "be honest and own up" that it was the cause of worker shortages. The UK labour market was "fundamentally broken" Mr O'Leary said and argued it was time for the UK to consider reversing "some of the stupidity of Brexit". He said the priority for the next UK prime minister should be to sign a free trade deal with the EU, including free movement of labour. A South Carolina judge on Thursday revoked bond for Curtis Eddie Smith, a distant cousin and alleged co-conspirator of Alex Murdaughs, sending Smith back to jail until trial. Judge Clifton Newman revoked Smiths bond after S.C. Attorney General prosecutor Creighton Waters told the judge that Smith was lying when he told the judge at a June bond hearing that he had no money. He said, I aint got no money twice, Waters said. But in fact, on the day when Smith said that, he had some $58,000 in a bank account. And just a few weeks ago, he had $80,000 in a checking account, Waters said. Moreover, Smith had strayed from the boundaries during his house arrest to places like Wal-Mart and various private residences where he was not supposed to be under the bond conditions, Waters said. I apologize for taking up your time, Smith told the judge Thursday just before Newman sent him to jail. Smith, 62, is accused of drug trafficking and running a longtime money laundering scheme that involved some 2.4 million in money allegedly stolen by Murdaugh. Prosecutors described Smiths crimes as engaging in a money laundering operation, whereby Murdaugh over the course of several years then gave Smith some $2.4 million in checks. many of which were converted to cash and given back to Murdaugh. Much of that money went to buy drugs for Murdaugh, who remains in jail on a slew of financial-related charges and also weapons and murder charges in the June 2021 shooing deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul. Smith has denied the charges. Last month, Smith was given a $250,000 surety bond, allowing him to stay out of jail. The bond required Smith to stay under house arrest except when away from home Jarrett Bouchette, Smiths lawyer, told the judge that Smith didnt really misrepresent his financial situation, and that some recent money Smith had come into came from an insurance settlement. This is a man of limited means, Bouchette said. Smith has also been paying down debts with much of the money, Bouchette said, adding that Smiths entire life savings is about $52,000. Story continues We certainly did not mean to imply or misrepresent anything to the court, Bouchette said. Newman told Bouchette Thursday that Smith has an obligation to be candid with the court and not misrepresent anything to the court. Aimee Zmroczek, Smiths other attorney, told the judge that some of the work that Smith does requires him to make deliveries and those were the houses he was going to. He went to Wal-Mart to get medicines, Zmroczek said. Since some of his work is not traditional work, there clearly needs to be more communication about where hes going, Zmroczek told the judge. Zmroczek also said she and Bouchette had a serious come-to-Jesus meeting with Smith about where he can and cannot go and how he has to check in with authorities when he goes to unapproved places. Smith suffers from serious medical conditions and they could get worse if he is put into jail, Zyrockzek said. A bond revocation at this point your honor would be harsh, a harsh punishment, for people who didnt have a sufficient understanding (of the bond terms), Zmroczek said. This is a breaking news story and it is developing. It will be updated. A white paper, titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," will give a significant boost to efforts to pool strength for national reunification and rejuvenation. The white paper, published by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office on Wednesday, comprehensively elaborates on the position, principles and policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government on advancing and realizing national reunification in the new era. It bears great significance in strengthening the trend of opposing "Taiwan independence" and advancing national reunification, resolutely curbing separatist activities and interference from external forces, and firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. The CPC, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people have striven for decades to achieve this goal. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, the CPC and the Chinese government have adopted new and innovative measures in relation to Taiwan. They have continued to chart the course of cross-Straits relations, safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and promote progress towards national reunification. The achievements in advancing the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and peaceful national reunification in the new era have once again demonstrated that the CPC has always been the backbone of the Chinese nation, exercising strong leadership in realizing national rejuvenation and reunification. However, in recent years the Taiwan authorities, led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), have redoubled their efforts to divide the country, and some external forces have tried to exploit Taiwan to contain China, prevent China from achieving complete reunification, and halt the process of national rejuvenation. The actions of the DPP authorities in advocating "Taiwan independence" have resulted in tensions in cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. They are obstacles that must be eliminated in the process of advancing peaceful reunification. External interference is another obstacle to China's reunification. Still lost in delusions of hegemony and trapped in a Cold War mindset, some forces in the United States insist on perceiving and portraying China as a major strategic adversary and a serious long-term threat. They do their utmost to undermine and pressurize China, exploiting Taiwan as a convenient tool. It is the sacred right of every sovereign state to safeguard national unity and territorial integrity. It goes without saying that the Chinese government is entitled to take all measures necessary to settle the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification, free of external interference. China is firmly committed to peaceful development. At the same time, it will not flinch in the face of external interference, nor will it tolerate any infringement upon its sovereignty, security and development interests. Relying on external forces will achieve nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail. "We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification," the white paper says. "But we will not renounce the use of force," it adds, stressing that the use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances. National reunification is an essential step toward national rejuvenation. The future of Taiwan lies in China's reunification, and the wellbeing of the people of Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, an endeavor that bears on the future and destiny of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Associated Press Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and backers of universal school vouchers took a victory lap Tuesday over legislation the Republican-controlled Legislature enacted in June giving the state the nation's most expansive voucher system, and he also used the time to attack backers of public schools who are trying to block the measure at the ballot. Ducey touted the signature bill he signed in July that gives all Arizona parents the ability to take state money that would go to their local public school and instead use it for private school tuition or other education costs. The governor had a ceremonial signing at a central Phoenix Christian school that already gets large benefits from the state's tax credit donation programs and existing school voucher program. The two women and a 13-year-old girl were trapped inside this basement flat South Korea's capital Seoul will move to phase out semi-basement flats after two women and a teenager died during flooding earlier this week. The tiny flats, featured in the Oscar-winning film Parasite, are usually rented out to people on low incomes. Seoul will no longer give out permits to construct such homes from this week on and will gradually convert existing apartments, officials said. This comes after the city was hit by the heaviest rains in 80 years. As of Wednesday, at least 11 people were confirmed dead or missing as a result of the floods, which have gone on for three days. On Monday night, two sisters in their 40s and a 13-year-old girl were found dead in their flooded semi-basement flat. They had reportedly sought help as their home filled with water, but rescuers were unable to reach them. The tragedy has renewed attention on income inequality and the dangers of living in the semi-underground flats - or banjiha - which are known for cheap rents and poor living conditions. On Wednesday, officials said that the city would consult with the government to revise the building law to completely ban the use of basement or semi-basement spaces for residential purposes, according to a Yonhap report. The city will give owners of such flats 20 years to convert them for non-residential uses such as storage or parking lots. Authorities will also provide support for existing banjiha tenants to move to public rental housing, according to reports. "Underground and semi-underground housing threatens the vulnerable in all aspects," Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon told Yonhap. The family in Parasite (left) lived in a banjiha in Seoul Bong Joon-ho's 2019 film Parasite, which featured a low-income family living in a banjiha in Seoul, raised awareness of these flats internationally. Following the Oscar-winning movie's success, the city government said it would financially support 1,500 households living in semi-basement apartments so that they could improve their living conditions. As of 2020, there were about 200,000 such flats in Seoul - making up 5% of all households in the capital - official data shows. You may also be interested in: An ongoing lawsuit against the former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff caught a big break Thursday when a panel of judges ruled that the generals former aide, who has accused him of sexual assault during her time working with him, does in fact have the right to sue him for damages. Attorneys for the government, on behalf of now-retired Air Force Gen. John Hyten, had sought to get the suit dismissed on the basis that the Feres doctrine prohibits troops from seeking damages for injuries sustained during service, except in cases of medical malpractice. But Feres, a 1950 Supreme Court ruling intended to block troops from suing over combat and training casualties, doesnt apply to sexual assault because the alleged sexual assault [could] not conceivably serve any military purpose, a three-judge panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco wrote in their decision. The judges upheld a lower courts ruling allowing retired Army Col. Kathryn Spletstosers lawsuit to proceed to trial. She originally filed the case in November 2019, after a previous Air Force investigation could not substantiate her claims. Spletstoser came forward earlier that year as Hyten was being considered for the vice chairman job, alleging that he had sexually assaulted her during his time as head of U.S. Strategic Command. Her lawsuit falls into a bit of a legal gray area, as she sued Hyten individually for the assault, rather than the military in general for any sort of negligence. Still, Justice Department lawyers have been representing Hyten, arguing that because the incident took place during their military service, it falls under their jurisdiction. Thursdays ruling may end up setting a precedent either way, allowing military sexual assault survivors to sue not only their assailants, but the Defense Department as well. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten speaks during the Air Force Association Virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium at the Pentagon, Feb. 17, 2021. (Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos M. Vazquez II/Department of Defense) The court, without specifically saying it, made it clear that they dont think sexual assault is ever going to be incident to service, retired Air Force Col. Don Christensen, a former chief prosecutor who is now president of service member advocacy group Protect Our Defenders, told Military Times on Thursday. Story continues The effects could be seen locally at first, in the 9th Circuit, as a new precedent. That might also influence other circuits, but theres a third option, wherein the Justice Department could appeal this latest ruling and send the case to the Supreme Court, which could decide once and for all whether service members can sue over sexual assault. Supreme Court justice castigates Feres Doctrine over cadets rape lawsuit Feres has at least one enemy there in Justice Clarence Thomas. At a minimum, we should take up this case to clarify the scope of the immunity we have created, Thomas wrote in a 2021 dissenting opinion, after the court ruled against a former West Point cadet seeking damages for an alleged rape. Without any statutory text to serve as a guide, lower courts are understandably confused about what counts as an injury incident to military service. Thomas invoked an example in which, if one civilian and one service member are injured due to government negligence in the same incident, only the civilian would have any recourse. Under our precedent, if two Pentagon employees one civilian and one a servicemember are hit by a bus in the Pentagon parking lot and sue, it may be that only the civilian would have a chance to litigate his claim on the merits, he wrote. To uphold the Feres doctrine in Spletstoser v. Hyten, the Supreme Court would have to explain why it believes sexual assault is an inherent, unavoidable risk to be expected in the course of military service. I just cant see them going there, Christensen said. By Umaru Fofana and Cooper Inveen FREETOWN (Reuters) -Dozens died in anti-government protests in Sierra Leone, police and other sources said on Thursday, sharply raising the death toll from the previous day's clashes as shocked citizens stayed mostly behind closed doors in the capital Freetown. Six police officers and at least 21 civilians were killed, the sources said, as hundreds took to the streets in frustration at economic hardship and a perceived failure by the government to cushion the impact of rising prices. The unrest is highly unusual for Sierra Leone, especially in the West African country's capital Freetown. A few people have been killed in isolated protests in other cities in recent years. One video verified by Reuters from Freetown showed a police officer firing a gun into a crowd. Sulaiman Turay, a 19-year-old living in east Freetown, marched briefly before police started firing teargas and said he later he saw demonstrators getting shot at from his porch. "I think people are shocked. It's not the country we know. Sierra Leone is a peaceful place," he told Reuters. President Julius Maada Bio said the circumstances surrounding Wednesday's events would be "fully investigated". Other verified images from Freetown showed clouds of smoke and teargas as large crowds threw rocks and burned tyres and armed officers patrolled the streets. The protests were concentrated in the opposition's northern heartland and the capital. Long held in check, citizens' frustrations have been exacerbated by rising prices for basic goods in a country where, according to the World Bank, more than half the population of around 8 million live below the poverty line. Wednesday's death toll included two police officers killed in Freetown, three in the northern town of Kamakwie and one in the northern city of Makeni, police inspector general William Fayia Sellu told Reuters. At least 13 civilians were shot dead in Freetown, said staff at the city's main mortuary. Hospital sources said that four civilians were killed in Kamakwie and another four in Makeni. Story continues An eerie calm had returned to Freetown on Thursday, residents said, as stores were closed and people stayed in out of fear of unrest. The internet was cut for two hours on Wednesday and again overnight, according to internet observatory NetBlocks. Police said a curfew would remain in effect from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. local time from Thursday after the government imposed a 3 p.m. curfew on Wednesday in a bid to stem the violence. (Reporting by Umaru Fofana and Cooper Inveen; writing by Nellie Peyton; editing by Mark Heinrich and John Stonestreet) UPDATE @ 9:07 p.m. (Aug. 11): Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton, shot and wounded during a traffic stop Wednesday night, remains in critical condition and is showing slight signs of responsiveness, Richmond Police Chief Michael Britt said in an update posted to social media Thursday night. Officer Burton has not regained consciousness following surgery, the chief said, noting the officer was shot in the head. >> RELATED: Shooting of Richmond police officer leaves city staggering As you could imagine, this event was traumatic to not only Off.[sic] Burton but to the many officers that responded to the scene to assist where they could. The critical injuring of our sister in blue was not easy to see. I have chosen to temporarily re-assign most officers involved with the incident to other duties, along with EAP to collect themselves, Chief Britt said. The city is well protected, he said, assuring residents they will have a police response when needed. Along with the Indiana State Police handling the scene and investigation, their command staff committed to assign a group of I.S.P. troopers to the city of Richmond to augment police department responses for the next few days, he said. If emergency services are needed, please dont be surprised to see a trooper show up, Chief Britt said. Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter and his agency have committed personnel to the city as well to ensure total coverage of our citizens needs. The City of Richmond will still have abundant law enforcement while we sort things out, he said. Phillip Matthew Lee, 47, the accused shooter, remains in the Wayne County (Indiana) Jail on several charges involving guns and two counts of attempted murder. FIRST REPORT (Aug. 10): A Richmond police officer remains in critical condition after she was shot during an traffic stop Wednesday night, the third area officer shot in the line of duty in less than a month. The suspected shooter was also shot and was hospitalized after the incident, according to investigators. Story continues >> Richmond officer third local officer shot in line of duty in less than a month Seara Burton, 28, and a four-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department, was identified as the officer shot Wednesday around 6:30 p.m. Burton was flown by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital where she was listed in very critical condition, the Pendleton Post of Indiana State Police confirmed. >> PHOTOS: Richmond police officer seriously hurt after being shot during traffic stop We need this community to pray for her. I ask that you pray for the officer, Richmond Police Chief Michael Britt said said to News Center 7s Brandon Lewis and other media gathered near the scene of the shooting Wednesday night. Police say Burton was responding to a call from other officers to assist with a traffic stop in the area of North 12th Street and C Street. Burton located the vehicle, which was a moped being ridden by a man, and made a traffic stop at that location. During the traffic stop, Burtons K-9 partner was used to conduct an open-air sniff around the moped and indicated the possible presence of narcotics, according to police. The suspect was identified by police as 47-year-old Phillip Matthew Lee of Richmond. >> Local law enforcement offers prayers to Richmond police officer shot during traffic stop While officers were speaking with Lee, he allegedly pulled a firearm and fired several rounds toward officers, police said. Burton was struck by the gunfire. Other officers on the scene returned fire and Lee ran, according to police. After a brief foot chase, Lee was apprehended and treated for gunshot wounds by the officers. He was later taken by ambulance to Reid Hospital in Richmond. Lee is in custody and the Wayne County Prosecutors Office will determine charges upon review of the case, police confirmed. ISP, which has taken over the investigation, does not know what led to the traffic stop, Indiana State Police Sgt. Scott Keegan said. Chief Britt said there were a lot of facts yet to be determined, but noted, it is not a common thing for Richmond police officers to be shot in the line of duty. He called Officer Burton, a K-9 handler, a fine officer who is engaged and was to be married, I believe, next weekend. Mayor Dave Snow, who also attended the media briefing, said this is a heavy evening in our community. [Officer Burton] has worked hard for this community. This will not be tolerated, he said of the shooting. News Center 7 will continue updating this story as we learn more. Photo by Brandon Lewis (Staff) Photo by Brandon Lewis (Staff) Photo by Brandon Lewis (Staff) Burton was seriously injured Wednesday after being shot during a traffic stop In this article: TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan rejects the "one country, two systems" model proposed by Beijing in a white paper published this week, the self-ruled island's foreign ministry said on Thursday. Only Taiwan's people can decide its future, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou told a news conference in Taipei, the capital. China was using U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taipei as an "excuse to create a new normality to intimidate Taiwan's people," Ou added. (Reporting by Sarah Wu; Writing by Martin Quin Pollard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) ISLAMABAD (AP) A bombing killed a prominent Taliban cleric on Thursday at his religious center in the Afghan capital of Kabul, authorities said, the latest attack to strike the country in the year since the former insurgents seized power. Officials identified the cleric as Rahimullah Haqqani, a name that signifies he graduated from Darul Uloom Haqqania in Pakistan, an Islamic university long associated with the Taliban. Bilal Karimi, a deputy Taliban spokesman, acknowledged Haqqani's death, calling him a great personality and academic figure. Karimi said that Haqqani had been killed by a brutal attack of the enemy, without elaborating. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing. However, the local affiliate of the Islamic State group has been targeting the Taliban and civilians in attacks since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan last August as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final stages of their withdrawal from the country. Following the bombing, Taliban fighters prevented reporters in Kabul from getting to Haqqanis religious center. Taliban officials also did not elaborate on what kind of bombing targeted the cleric or say if anyone else had been killed or wounded in the assault. A U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban government following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Since regaining power, the militants also face a crippling economic crisis as the international community has frozen funding to the country. By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Jibran Ahmad KABUL/PESHAWAR (Reuters) -A prominent Taliban cleric, Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, was killed in an attack in a seminary in Kabul when the attacker detonated explosives hidden in a plastic artificial leg on Thursday, according to officials and Taliban sources. "Very sadly informed that respected cleric (Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani) was martyred in a cowardly attack by enemies," said Bilal Karimi, a spokesperson for the Taliban administration. It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast. Four Taliban sources told Reuters the attacker was someone who had previously lost his leg and had hidden the explosives in a plastic artificial leg. "We are investigating who this ... person was and who had brought him to this important place to enter the personal office of Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani. It's a very huge loss for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," said one senior Taliban official of the interior ministry, referring to the group's name for its administration. Haqqani was a prominent cleric in the Taliban who had survived previous attacks, including a large blast in the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar in 2020 claimed by the Islamic State that killed at least seven people. The Taliban say they have restored security since they took over as foreign forces withdrew almost a year ago. However, regular attacks, many of them claimed by Islamic State, have taken place in recent months, often targeting religious and ethnic minorities as well as Taliban leaders. (Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Jibran Ahmad in Peshawar; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) Tesla FSD test by The Dawn Project Courtesy of The Dawn Project Tesla drivers are testing whether the Full Self-Driving software stops for children with varying results. One video that did not use FSD went viral after it showed a Tesla plowing over a child-sized mannequin. The tests are not subject to US testing standards and Elon Musk called one of the videos a "scam." Tesla drivers are staging their own tests to determine if the carmaker's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software stops for children. On Tuesday, a video from Tesla critic Taylor Ogan went viral after it showed a side-by-side comparison of a Tesla next to a Lexus that appears to be equipped with Luminar autonomous driving sensors. In the clip, the Tesla plows over a child-sized mannequin, while the Lexus slows to a halt mere feet from another mannequin. The video which was taken in May in San Mateo, California and now has over 12 million views on Twitter has since spurred multiple users to test how Tesla's FSD interacts with children. However, Ogan told Insider the original video shows a failure of Tesla's Automatic Emergency Braking system (AEB) and FSD was not in use. Tesla's AEB is designed to work at speeds between 3 to 90 miles per hour, though the company has added the disclaimer that it is "designed to reduce the severity of an impact" and not to "avoid a collision." "Of course it's not going to stop for a child consistently on an advanced software if it's not stopping on AEB," Ogan said. Independent tests yield varying results Ogan has been known to repost videos of Tesla FSD gaffs. His recent viral video was posted after tech CEO Dan O'Dowd shared a similar video of a Tesla that was allegedly using FSD driving through a toddler-sized mannequin at about 25 miles per hour. A spokesperson for O'Dowd said the CEO has been in touch with Ogan, but their videos were performed and posted independently. Story continues O'Dowd's video spurred debates on Twitter as to whether FSD was truly activated during the test, and several users attempted to recreate the test with varying results. The tests conducted by O'Dowd, Ogan, and other Twitter users were all done independently without the oversight of a US regulator, which means they are not subject to testing standards. The raw materials needed to produce an EV battery have increased by an average of 140% since March 2020, according to data by Alix Partners. picture alliance / Contributor A Tesla spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment from Insider, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk called O'Dowd's video a "scam" in a comment on Twitter. Tesla has told drivers that the system does not replace a licensed driver and instructs them to keep their hands on the wheel and be prepared to take over when the system is running. Though FSD claims to be fully self-driving, in reality it operates as an optional add-on that enables Teslas to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park. The software is still in a beta testing mode and requires a licensed driver to monitor it at all times. FSD currently has over 100,000 subscribers who Tesla can use to test the software in real time and allow the system's AI to learn from experienced drivers. Still, some drivers remain skeptical of the technology. One Twitter user posted a video that appeared to show Tesla's FSD identifying a cardboard cut-out of a child and slowing multiple times for it as a stationary object in the street, as well as an object in motion. A YouTuber also tried his own test with a balloon imitation of a child. In the video, the Tesla slams into the dummy as it moves across the road. "Generally speaking, I am very pro-Tesla and I really don't want to expose a situation like this, but I have to state the facts," the YouTuber known as TechGeek Tesla said. "Tesla has some work to do here." The driver said he felt his figure was representative of an actual child, though he noted the dummy did not move like a real person. Tesla fan blog @WholeMarsBlog reposted a series of videos that appeared to show Tesla FSD stopping for pedestrians. Whole Mars Catalog (@WholeMarsBlog) August 10, 2022 "I drive with FSD Beta with my kids in the car all the time," Twitter user @TeslaDriver2022 told EV blog Teslarati. "I see how safe it is. It's safer than anything else that's out there." Read the original article on Business Insider Photo credit: Ron Askew - Hearst Owned Photo credit: Ron Askew - Hearst Owned I just logged hundreds of mellow miles in a GMC Sierra Denali equipped with Super Cruise, convinced more than ever that GMs hands-free driving tech is unsurpassed. How the worm has turned: While I was capital-C Cruising in New England, watching the Sierra pull off fully automated passes and lane changes with panache, Tesla was being spanked and sued by a California regulator for years of bad faith and broken promises over its Autopilot. The Cliff Notes version: Teslas still cant drive themselves without human oversight. And I agree with experts who believe they never will (in current form), and certainly not safely, because of fundamental flaws in Autopilots design and philosophy. Those flaws, and GMs divergent approach call it humanism versus hubris trace to the origins of both systems. Beginning in 2014, Elon Musk defied a near-consensus among technologists in autonomy. Musk insisted cameras alone could create a fully self-driving car, thanks to near-magical software and reams of shared data from owners. Along with scoffing at redundant sensors, Musk rejected the need for a driver-monitoring system, despite growing evidence that keeping humans in the loop would be essential for safety. Keen for first-mover advantage, Musk pushed employees to make his vision a reality, despite deep misgivings from engineers who saw the literal blind spots. In October 2015, Tesla began equipping the Model S with Autopilot hardware. The next October, software was switched on to enable automated cruising, braking and lane keeping. We know what happened next. The world was dazzled, if not bamboozled, by Musks increasingly bold promises of full self-driving. Shortly after its debut, Musk told reporters that Autopilot is probably better than a human driver. Within two years, he promised, owners would summon Teslas from across the country. Robotaxi Teslas would earn owners money as they slept. A credulous, slavering media seized on Autopilot as further evidence of Teslas insurmountable tech lead. Like the mythical flying car, wed all soon be driving autonomous cars, and riding in sci-fi taxis with no garrulous dude up front. Roadway deaths and injuries would plummet. Seniors and the disabled would gain miraculous freedom. Parents would rest easy as their offspring attended proms and parties. Story continues Photo credit: General Motors Automakers are still spending billions of dollars to crack the code of self-driving, yet today that optimism seems quaint. Weve gone from can-do heights to the trough of disillusionment, as Gill Pratt, the DARPA Challenge pioneer and now Toyotas autonomy guru, told me in an interview. Ill argue the root of that disillusionment traces directly to Tesla and Musk, who continues to overpromise and underdeliver on self-driving while letting his beta-testing customers sort out any mess for a price of course. Surveys suggest the public mood has begun to sour over driverless cars: Pew Research found 44 percent of adults now view widespread use of autonomous cars as a bad idea for society, versus 26 percent who find it a good idea. (Men remain far more likely to want to ride in a robo-car than women, at 46 percent versus 27 percent). GM, along with other legacy automakers, knows it cant get away with Silicon Valleys breaking things ethos, not without shedding billions of dollars in lawsuits or having cars recalled en masse. Fortunately, its driver-assistance tech with zero claims to autonomy or self-driving works as advertised. That may be the best thing about Super Cruise, and a potentially revolutionary offshoot coming next year: They can make us remember when self-driving cars seemed like a great idea. GM began working on the problem in suburban Detroit in 2013. Popular Mechanics honored the announced Super Cruise that fall. But in a familiar, sometimes frustrating pattern, it took GM four years to bring the tech to showrooms in the Cadillac CT6. GM had introduced plenty of innovative tech, often with great fanfare, yet its record of popularizing it had been dismal: The EV1, hydrogen fuel cells, Quadrasteer, Chevy Volt. Teslas vaunted Autopilot had beaten GM to market. Would Super Cruise be next in GMs line of fizzles or failures? The pressure was on. Yet the techs creators, including then-Chief Engineer Jason Ditman and Mario Maiorana, stuck to first principles. The number-one thing was doing it responsibly, providing value to customers, but not at the expense of safety, says Maiorana, now Super Cruise chief. One non-negotiable was an infrared camera to monitor facial position and eyes, ensuring a driver watches the road and can quickly retake control. We knew we wanted to be hands free, but we knew we wanted that driver-attention camera. It was always front-and-center of our focus, Maiorana says. In hindsight, it seems obvious, that these new systems faith-based and fallible still require humans to be active wingmen, without lulling them into distraction or overconfidence. Onboard Lidar maps provide another layer of vision and safety redundancy, geofenced to ensure Super Cruise only operates (for now) on divided Interstates with those minutely detailed scenes. The systems light bar on the upper steering wheel rim was another illuminated stroke of genius, as I was reminded on my Sierra test: Flashing green, blue or red in various situations, the light bar greatly improves on the dinky-or-confusing IP telltales in some competing systems. Its such a great indicator, properly placed to give a driver no confusion over whos in control, Maiorana says. Photo credit: General Motors So what took so long? Maiorana said GM faced daunting challenges in fusing multiple sensors from varied suppliers with high-definition onboard Lidar mapping and software, all to get dead-accurate images. The first, notorious fatal Autopilot crash in 2016 in which a Tesla failed to spot the broad side of a blueberry-hauling semi changed the equation again. Consumer Reports urged Tesla to disable Autopilot. GM took more heat when CEO Mary Barra announced the company would step back and delay Super Cruises planned debut on the Cadillac CT6 to 2017. Pressed for answers, Mark Reuss, GMs global product chief, said, Itll be ready when its ready. Ditman recalls the intense scrutiny: It all came back to, Was the system ready to deploy to customers in a way that inspired confidence to let go of that steering wheel? That can be a difficult thing to do. Photo credit: General Motors Here in 2022, GMs caution has been vindicated, though the company has remained stingy in offering Super Cruise throughout its lineup. (Id argue that, as a technological calling card and goodwill-generator, Super Cruise is potentially more valuable than a six-figure, low-volume Hummer EV). General Motors customers have logged more than 34 million miles with Super Cruise. From my initial test in a CT6 in 2017, I can attest to that uncanny-valley aspect of trusting a robotic car. But a system thats transparent and trustworthy imbues confidence. The latest iteration solves a major frustration with transparency, when Super Cruise would often disengage with no clue as to why. When the system does shut down in the Sierra Denali, the instrument cluster flashes reassuring messages: Roadway Not Mapped, or informing me I cant drive hands-free in an exit lane. Ultra-accurate lane centering lets me sit back with hands crossed behind my head I love seeing the look on other drivers faces while the Sierra threads the needle between semis at 75 mph. That unerring path control is a clear differentiator versus some competing systems, including Fords Blue Cruise that I sampled in Texas on the F-150 Lightning. The otherwise-brilliant electric pickup often struggled to stay centered in its lane, and the system disengaged constantly, to the point that I lost faith in operating hands-free. For good reason, it turns out: Crossing an overpass on a busy San Antonio freeway, the Lightning lost its way entirely. The pickup crossed a lane marker and threatened to bash a concrete median, forcing me to yank the Ford back on path. Fully automated lane changes are another new Super Cruise trick. (Drivers can still choose to use a manual turn signal to initiate a lane swap). Encountering a fast-lane dawdler in Connecticut, the Sierra checks over its brawny shoulder to make sure the lane is clear, flicks the turn signal, and executes a lane change smooth enough to satisfy a persnickety Drivers Ed instructor. The truck sometimes slides back into its original lane, or sticks with a lane for a clearer path through traffic. Its impressive stuff, not least in a loaded, three-ton pickup truck with restricted rearward vision. GM just announced that later this year, Super Cruise will more than double its geofenced domain, to operate on more than 400,000 miles of North American roads. That includes two-way roads for the first time, encompassing some of Americas most epic byways, from the Pacific Coast Highway and U.S. Route 66 to the Trans-Canada Highway. The idea of doing look Ma, no-hands! through Big Sur on the PCH, the Pacific Ocean a semi-autonomous plunge away, raises similar concerns that Tesla has faced with its expanded Autopilot. Engineers insist the system will handle it. We make sure the maps and sensors are capable of what were asking, Maiorana says. The more-sophisticated system will recognize intersections and road crossings, yet keep those crossings entirely in human hands: It will alert drivers and disengage at least 350 meters before an intersection. To avoid annoying disengagements, engineers envision Super Cruise handling long stretches of two-laners, shutting down in towns with closely-strung stoplights, then allowing re-engagement beyond city limits. Photo credit: General Motors The potential game-changer is called Ultra Cruise. A bit ironically, this all-new system promises much of what Tesla has failed (so far) to deliver: Hands-free driving on every mile of paved road in North America, from 42nd Street in Manhattan to a snowbound town in Alaska. GM says the system will autonomously follow navigation routes, react to stoplights and other traffic-control devices, make 90-degree turns, support close-object avoidance and even park in residential driveways ideally without squashing your kids bicycle. Diagnostic and learning systems can identify tricky driving scenarios and trigger data recordings that can GM can process to continuously improve performance. GM says Ultra Cruise will ultimately work in 95 percent of operating scenarios. (Still waiting for the autonomous car that can handle Times Square on New Years Eve). GM plans to launch Ultra Cruise next year, and limit it to premium entries for now. The system will kick off with 2 million miles of roadways, and eventually 3.2 million miles in the U.S. and Canada. Where Super Cruises vision relies on the aforementioned Lidar map scans, Ultra Cruise will use new types of multi-modal data details to come to create an in-house map of some of the most obscure roads and outposts in North America. Photo credit: General Motors Its not practical to drive a (survey) vehicle with a Lidar sled on it over every possible mile of roadway; that would take forever to do, Ditman says. Fusing all those new sensors will let us paint a richer picture of the scene and do all the maneuvers. Engineers arent ready to divulge the full suite of Ultra Cruise sensors, but a Lidar laser scanner is among them. The system definitely requires the newfound computing might of GMs Vehicle Intelligence Platform and Ultifi the slick software platform that debuts next year to work its magic. Ditman notes that early Ultra Cruise prototypes were all Escalades, because the compute box took up the entire cargo hatch behind the second row, and required liquid cooling and a second alternator. Now, its the size of maybe three stacked laptops for production, and air cooled. The system will remain geofenced, and the company can turn off sections of road if there are any concerns. If you think its hard to get someone to let go of the steering wheel on highways, Ditman says, imagine city streets clogged with pedestrians, or a rainy country road at night. Refreshingly, in the wake of Musks more-Barnumesque claims, GM underscores that even cars equipped with Ultra Cruise wont be autonomous by any stretch. This is simply a more advanced form of driver assistance, one that still requires a sentient human at all times. For full-on autonomy, GM is still counting on its Cruise division, despite $5 billion in losses since 2018 as it tries to ramp up a robotaxi business in San Francisco. Photo credit: Hearst Owned Skeptics, including some driving enthusiasts, suggest tech like SuperCruise is the answer to a question no one was asking. Asked the ultimate point especially since drivers must keep watching the road Maiorana says Super Cruise frees drivers from the most mundane parts of the task. Among extensive feedback from owners, he says, many insist theyd never buy another GM car without it. Owners feel more refreshed, they feel more relaxed, yet they are still attentive, he says. After letting Super Cruise do the driving for about two hours of a boring run on I-95, I concur. These systems arent buzzkills, nannies or evil robots, determined to replace us. Theyre a useful tool, easing the burden anywhere that driving isnt fun or rewarding. As well know too well, that describes too many of our modern hours behind the wheel. You Might Also Like You are here: World Flash Former U.S. President Donald Trump declined to answer questions in a civil investigation into his business dealings on Wednesday morning. After arriving at the New York attorney general's office for a deposition, Trump issued a statement saying that he would invoke the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The Republican also lashed out at New York Attorney General Letitia James for what he called a policy of "Get and Destroy Trump." James' office has been conducting a civil investigation into whether the Trump Organization improperly inflated the value of assets on financial statements in order to obtain loans and tax benefits. Trump's two children -- Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump -- were deposed earlier this month. The deposition came two days after Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. The unannounced operation was said to have involved classified materials that Trump allegedly took with him from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, when he left office in January 2021. Neither the FBI nor the U.S. Department of Justice has commented on the raid, of which the White House has denied any advance knowledge. Tess Holliday Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Tess Holliday Tess Holliday wants fans to think twice before going under the knife for a beauty trend. On Thursday, the 37-year-old model and body activist shared a video on TikTok and addressed fans using her image and Ashely Graham's as "inspo" for Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs). "I am pro plastic surgery, I'm pro do whatever you wanna do with your body, I have Dolly [Parton] tattooed on me for a reason," Holliday said. Added Holliday: "I'm just here to remind you guys that these are trends. Don't do anything to your body to fit into a trend. Don't do it." "I was told my entire life that how I am was not good enough and I have made money off of how I am. So don't change it. If you want to, great, but don't feel like you have. You're perfect as you are." RELATED: Tess Holliday Says Weight-Bias Led to Delayed Anorexia Diagnosis: 'I Could Have Gotten Help Sooner' In the caption, she acknowledged cosmetic procedures that she has done, but then reiterated her message. "Yes I got lip filler yearsss ago and I get Botox occasionally for ME but plz remember that some of these procedures are life threatening & do your research if you do' love yall! #effyourbeautystandards," she wrote. Holliday is no stranger to speaking out about body image. RELATED: Tess Holliday Tries Her First-Ever Big Mac After Body-Shaming Followers Tell Her to 'Lay Off' of Them In April, she said she was working on repairing her relationship with her body after she was diagnosed with anorexia, and had been "really struggling." "I'm gonna be honest, I've been really struggling with body image in a way I've never experienced," she shared with her followers on Instagram. "It's been almost debilitating because even though y'all see me out having fun, it sometimes takes so much work and energy just to be able to leave the house." The mom of two shared a carousel of pictures from an Easter weekend trip along the California coast with her family, and said that these were the first photos she's actually wanted to share. Story continues RELATED VIDEO: Tess Holliday Had the Perfect Response to a Woman Who Body Shamed Her in a Waiting Room "I'm the kind of gal that always wants my photo taken, until lately and these are some of the first photos I've taken in a while where I saw myself in them and was kind," she said. "(I'm working on it.)" "Soaking up this family time & feeling grateful, even when it's tough ," she added. In December, the star also told fans about her struggle with body dysmorphia a mental health disorder in which people obsess over perceived flaws in their appearance. "My body dysmorphia has been really trying me lately and when photos from previous years pop up while I'm scrolling through my phone, it causes me to spiral a bit," Holliday wrote on Instagram at the time. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. But Holliday tries to remind herself the body she misses in those photos are from a difficult time in her life when she was struggling in her marriage to ex-husband Nick Holliday and dealing with anorexia. "I have to check myself and ask: 'Why are you really sad?' because I like how I looked there but I was also in the throws of my most disordered eating, in an abusive relationship, and so deeply unhappy." Holliday said that "now, my body is different but my heart is fuller." If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or go to NationalEatingDisorders.org. Buses carrying migrants from Texas to New York at the direction of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has set off a firestorm of condemnation from Democratic leaders. To the Republican governor of the Lone Star state, the Northeast Democrats should call on President Biden to secure the border and remedy the immigration crisis. "This is horrific when you think about what the governor is doing," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday, when he met migrants getting off a bus from Texas. It was the second bus of migrants to reach New York since Friday, and Adams slammed Abbott for the move, arguing some of the migrants on the bus wanted to go to destinations other than New York but were not allowed. Conservative leaders in red states along the border had threatened sending some of the record number of migrants that have come to the U.S. since Biden took office to liberal cities located far from the border. NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS BLASTS TEXAS GOV. GREG ABBOTT AFTER SECOND BUS OF MIGRANTS ARRIVES: THIS IS HORRIFIC "President Biden and his administration have willingly surrendered the United States southern border to dangerous criminal cartels, with no thought given to the South Texas border communities like McAllen and Del Rio, which are running low on resources from dealing with this massive influx of illegal immigrants," Sen. Ted Cruz said last year while introducing a bill that would relocate migrants from South Texas to ports of entry in liberal cities such as Palo Alto, Calif., and vacation hot spots like Marthas Vineyard. In April of 2022, Abbott took action and sent the first bus of migrants from Texas to Washington, D.C. This month, two buses of migrants from Texas reached New York City and more are headed to D.C. Approximately 30 migrants disembark after arriving from Texas at Union Station near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, July 29, 2022. Reuters/Ted Hesson/File Abbotts office hit back at Adams comment that it was "horrific" the governor was sending buses of migrants up to New York, telling him to take the matter up with the president and call for strengthened border policies. Story continues NYC MAYOR ERIC ADAMS REJECTS BORDER TOUR INVITE FROM TEXAS GOV. ABBOTT DESPITE DECRYING MIGRANT INFLUX "Whats horrific is the thousands of illegal immigrants overrunning and overwhelming our border communities with populations smaller than a New York City borough, and Mayor Adams is hypocritically upset about welcoming a few dozen into his sanctuary city," Abbott press secretary Renae Eze told Fox News Digital on Monday. "If the mayor wants a solution to this crisis, he should call on President Biden to take immediate action to secure the bordersomething the President continues failing to do," she added. The office also hit back at the argument from New York Democrats that some of the migrants bused to New York wanted to go to other areas in the country, but were forced to travel to the Big Apple. "These migrants willingly chose to go to New York City, having signed a voluntary consent waiver, available in multiple languages, upon boarding that they agreed on the destination," Eze said. Gov. Greg Abbott tours the U.S.-Mexico border at the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, on May 23, 2022. Allison Dinner/AFP via Getty Images New York Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Adriano Espaillat have also sounded off on the matter, writing a letter to Department of Homeland Security chief Alejandro Mayorkas decrying reports that some migrants who have reached New York are showing up with bogus paperwork. The New York Democrats told Mayorkas that migrants are "dealt official Department of Homeland Security documentation" with destination addresses where they could not receive shelter, and called on the DHS chief to ensure migrants are given the proper documentation. They said the lack of proper paperwork risks migrants missing asylum appointments due, as other important documents would be mailed to the wrong addresses, NBC New York reported. "With recent news of Texas Governor bussing additional asylum seekers to New York City, we are concerned that if this matter is not dealt with in a timely manner, thousands of migrants will continue to be misled and denied resources they are legally owed such as access to food and shelter," they wrote in the letter. MIDNIGHT RUNS: BIDEN SECRETLY FLYING UNDERAGE MIGRANTS INTO NY IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT In one case currently under investigation, an immigration officer reportedly gave a migrant paperwork with a fake address and phone number, and signed it with what NBC New York reported was a hand-drawn emoji with its tongue sticking out. ICE said in a statement to NBC New York that it "takes allegations of inappropriate behavior very seriously" and that "any allegations of inappropriate behavior is appropriately investigated." An Adams office official told Fox News Digital that "Texas is intentionally disrupting federal proceedings as people were forcibly bussed to NYC even though they had their official immigration documentation to other cities and states." The disruptions increase the chances of migrants missing important immigration meetings and hearings, the official added. The New York City Council held a special session on Tuesday regarding the buses and how the city can cope with the influx of migrants. The meeting was highlighted with condemnation for Abbott and how the New York City shelter system is already strained, sitting at a 1% vacancy rate. "What is new now, is the systematic diversion of asylum seekers and immigrants to New York City by external forces, including by the disgusting, cruel and cowardly actions of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott," Immigration Commissioner Manuel Castro told the city council during the hearing. Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference at City Hall in New York City, Jan. 24, 2022. Reuters/Brendan McDermid When asked by "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday what "statement" Texas is sending to New York by busing migrants to the blue-voter stronghold, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said it was a message of "fairness." "Part of it is that we have a significant problem on the border. They're [NYC] only experiencing a slight bit of this. I mean, it's almost a little inconvenience for them, but it's a major problem for us. And so it's just interesting to see some of these mayors who have invited and have created sanctuary cities to suddenly start complaining that they've got a few thousand immigrants when we're dealing with millions," Paxton said. The Center for Immigration Studies published a report in June finding the "foreign-born population" in the U.S. had increased by more than 2 million since Biden took office. In May alone, the number of migrant encounters at the southern border hit a new record at 239,416 encounters. FIRST TEXAS BUS OF MIGRANTS ARRIVES IN NYC A CBP source told Fox News in June that there have been 440,000 known instances of illegal immigrants getting past border agents since the fiscal year began in October, which means there have been more than 800,000 gotaway instances since October 2020 to May of this year. Conservatives leaders in border states and across the country have slammed the president for his immigration policies, including ending the Trump administrations "Remain in Mexico" policy, announcing an ultimately-failed plan to offer citizenship to 11 million illegal immigrants at the start of his presidential tenure, loosening border enforcement policies, among other issues. Illegal immigrants on April 1, 2022. as the deadline for Title 42 to expire loomed. John Moore/Getty Images "The Biden Administration is allowing historic levels of illegal immigrants, weapons, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to surge into our state and dumping migrants in our border towns with little to no help provided," Abbotts press secretary told Fox News Digital. "Texas continues stepping up to respond to this crisis by deploying Texas National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers, building our own border wall, busing migrants to sanctuary cities Washington, D.C. and New York City to provide relief to our local partners, and now sending illegal immigrants back to the border." The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digitals request for comment. Adams said Monday that he has a call set up with the White House to discuss federal assistance. Abbotts office said last week that more than 6,100 migrants have so far been bused to Washington, D.C. Dozens of migrants have so far reached New York City. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that migrants bused out of state are given voluntary consent waivers and are not as New York City Mayor Eric Adams has alleged being forced onto the buses. The Republican governor, along with his Arizona counterpart, Doug Ducey, has enraged Adams and Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser by sending thousands of migrants to their cities. Theyve both said the action is to protest the Biden administrations border policies. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, left, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Getty Images After around 40 migrants arrived at the Big Apple on Sunday, Adams said some of the migrants "wanted to go to other locations and they were not allowed to do so." "They were forced on the bus with the understanding that they were going to other locations that they wanted to go," Adams said. NYC MAYOR ADAMS DUBS ABBOTT AN ANTI-AMERICAN GOVERNOR AS MIGRANT SPAT ESCALATES Abbotts office told Fox News that the mayors allegations are false, and that all migrants sign a waiver available in multiple languages before they get onto a bus to D.C. or NYC. Fox News has reached out to the mayors office for comment on the governors allegations. Another round of migrants arrived in New York City by bus Tuesday morning. While awaiting the arrival of the three new buses, NYCs Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro accused a "morally corrupt" Abbott of using the busing of migrants to the Big Apple as a "political ploy" aimed to "foment anti-immigrant sentiment." Abbott began sending migrants out of his state into liberal cities as a way to bring evidence of the migrant crisis to their doorstep, and to bring attention to the issue of illegal immigration in his own state. "In addition to Washington, D.C., New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city," the Texas governor said. "I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief." Texas has sent more than 5,100 migrants to Washington, D.C., a surge that caused Bowser to activate the District of Columbia National Guard. Fox News' Danielle Wallace, Lawrence Richard and Adam Shaw contributed to this report. Georgijevic / iStock.com Some financial advisors suggest that consumers should never buy anything with a credit card and should only use cash for purchases. The philosophy behind this advice does have some merit, but for those that use credit responsibly, there's a whole host of benefits. In fact, for some types of purchases, failure to use a credit card can actually be a mistake, as you'd be forsaking various forms of protection and benefits. Here It Is: Our 2022 Small Business Spotlight Small Business Spotlight 2022: GOBankingRates Celebrates Small Businesses Across the US Although the caveat is always there that you must use your credit responsibly, here's a list of purchases that you should always consider making with a credit card. kimberrywood / Getty Images/iStockphoto Electronics and Appliances Depending on the type of card you have, you should always buy appliances and electronics on credit. Beyond any points that you might earn, many credit cards offer extended warranties on purchases of electronics and appliances. For example, if you buy a dishwasher with a one-year manufacturer's warranty, your credit card company may double that warranty period to two years. Some credit cards also offer damage and theft purchase protection. If your purchase is damaged or stolen within a certain time period, usually 90 to 120 days, your card company will repair it or reimburse you for the purchase, up to certain limits. POLL: Do You Think You Will Be Able To Retire at Age 65? Mny-Jhee / Getty Images Airfare Flights are among the most obvious purchases to make with credit cards. For starters, many rewards credit cards offer additional bonus points for the purchase of flights. However, most travel-oriented credit cards offer many additional perks for flight purchases. Some cards offer free trip delay or cancellation insurance, while branded cards often grant free baggage privileges for flights purchased using the card. Many travel cards also offer lost luggage insurance, reimbursing you for your bags and their contents if they don't turn up. Once you begin your trip, some cards offer free access to airport lounges as well. Story continues Pekic / Getty Images Car Rentals Some travel-oriented credit cards offer car rental insurance, allowing you to decline the expensive coverage that car rental companies typically charge. In some cases, this insurance is primary insurance, meaning you won't have to involve your own car insurance company at all. Some cards also offer free enrollment and premium status in various car rental rewards programs, which can provide access to car rental discounts, free upgrades and other perks. Using a credit card for a car rental can also make it easy to check out when you return your car, as you can often simply leave the car, walk away and receive a receipt in your email. andreswd / Getty Images Purchases You Might Return No one can predict with certainty if they're going to return something after they purchase it. However, if you feel like there's any chance that you might want to make a return at some point, buying that item with a credit card is a good move. The primary reason for this is that sometimes merchants are reluctant to live up to their return policies. If you're trying to return something and the merchant won't take it back, you can usually file a complaint with your credit card company. In most cases, the credit card company will conduct an investigation and refund your purchase price if they can't get the merchant to capitulate. Obviously, this doesn't apply to cases of fraud or abuse, but for most legitimate transactions, you'll have the backing of your credit card company. Sanja Radin / Getty Images/iStockphoto Vendors You Don't Trust Sometimes, you want to buy a product but you may have questions about the vendor. Usually, this happens with an online storefront, but it could also come in the form of a street vendor that uses a portable credit card machine. In any event, it's imperative that for a transaction like this you use a credit card rather than cash or other payment options. If the merchant delivers a shoddy product or vanishes off the face of the Earth after your purchase, you can file a complaint with your credit card company to investigate and get a refund. If you pay with cash instead, you'll never see that money again. A credit card can also protect you from any fraudulent transactions that an unscrupulous vendor may make using your card. dima_sidelnikov / Getty Images/iStockphoto Mobile Phone Bills If you pay your cellphone bill with certain credit cards, you'll receive cellphone protection for damage or theft. If your phone is damaged or stolen, you can file a claim with your credit card company and get reimbursed for the loss, typically up to $600. Usually, this coverage only lasts while you continue to pay your monthly bill with your credit card. This benefit can be an actual money saver even if you never file a claim, because phone carriers may charge as much as $15 per month for the same type of coverage, Some may even have a deductible or service charge on top of the monthly insurance cost. Shutterstock.com Concert or Event Tickets When buying concert or event tickets, it makes sense to use a credit card simply for the dispute resolution services provided by credit card companies. Plus, using the right credit card can also get you additional ticket benefits. Some credit cards offer priority access to event tickets, meaning you'll get access to buy seats before the general public. If you're looking for the best seats for a hot show, this can be an invaluable benefit. Sometimes, card companies also offer additional enhanced event experiences, such as VIP parking or seating and access to meet-and-greets or pre-/post-event parties. bernie_photo / iStock.com Bonus Categories Credit card issuers operate in a competitive field, and that has benefitted credit card customers immensely. Most rewards cards now offer bonus multipliers in various categories, such as three times points on travel and dining or two times points on groceries. The key to maximizing these bonus points is to pick a card that provides enhancements for things that you normally spend your money on. For example, if you spend a lot of money on groceries and gas, you'll want to direct that spend toward a card that provides bonus points in those categories. The caveat here, of course, is that you'll have to avoid the temptation to overspend in categories you might not normally spend money on, such as travel, dining, home improvement or other common bonus categories. katleho Seisa / Getty Images Online Shopping Using a credit card for your online purchases can not only help protect you from fraud but also provide you with additional perks. Many credit card companies now offer you everything from discounts to cash back if you buy through their shopping portals. For example, you might be able to earn 4% cash back if you buy a Samsung product through a shopping portal or 2% back at Macy's. Most shopping portals offer access to hundreds if not thousands of stores. There's no additional cost to consumers for using these shopping portals, so if you're going to make a purchase anyway, you might as well get cash back for doing it. HBRH / Shutterstock.com International Purchases If you're going on an international trip, be sure to pack your credit card with you. Credit cards generally offer better exchange rates than foreign vendors or money changers, getting you more value for your money. Some overseas merchants may not even accept U.S. debit cards or American money, so using a credit card can be much more convenient. Although some credit cards charge international transaction fees of 3% or more, there are plenty of cards that have no foreign transaction fees at all. Before you travel, be sure to verify that your card falls into the latter camp. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Top Purchases You Should Always Make With a Credit Card Image Credits: TechCrunch It seems like there are always people butting heads in the crypto world, and this week was no different. Cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash was hit with sanctions by the U.S. and Binance and WazirX disagree over whether the Indian exchange was acquired (two years after the deal allegedly closed). A lot is still up in the air (maybe due to a certain Tornado protocol?) So let's get into it. Hello and welcome back to the Chain Reaction podcast, where we unpack and explain the latest crypto news, drama and trends, breaking it down block by block for the crypto curious. This week, Jacquelyn and Anita dove into Tornado Cash, Coinbases not-so-hot second-quarter earnings, and the Binance and WazirX deal-or-no-deal drama. (Lucas is on vacation and we hope hes enjoying time away from the typical crypto craziness.) The Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), a watchdog within the U.S. Treasury that enforces sanctions violations, confirmed sanctions against Tornado Cash on Monday, immediately prohibiting American citizens and businesses from using the service. The cryptocurrency mixer has laundered anywhere between $1.5 billion to over $7 billion worth of digital assets since its inception in 2019, according to differing reports by crypto analytics platform Elliptic and the U.S. Treasury, respectively. Tornado isnt the only cryptocurrency mixer that has faced regulators head on others like Helix and Blender.io have also been sanctioned for similar services, hinting that this may be a sign of the times for this type of crypto business. Separately, we dove into Coinbases lower-than-expected second-quarter earnings that came out on Tuesday. The largest cryptocurrency in the U.S. reported a net revenue decline of about 60% from $2.033 billion in the first quarter to $802.6 million in the second quarter. In general, crypto trading activity has slowed down across all exchanges globally, which in turn has impacted their main revenue streams of transaction fees. Coinbase also noted its core retail customers are trading less and looking toward non-investing activities and holding onto their assets instead of selling. In a similar sense, Coinbase is looking into new offerings like staking to (hopefully) build up its revenue in the future. Story continues Lastly, we discussed the public Twitter interaction between Changpeng Zhao, founder and CEO of Binance, and Nischal Shetty, co-founder of WazirX. Binance, the worlds largest crypto exchange by trading volume, said on Friday it doesnt own India-based platform WazirX despite both companies disclosing the acquisition in 2019. This is the latest move that has baffled industry players, including the Indian firm that insists the purchase did take place. Make sure to tune in on Tuesday next week for an interview with web3 investor Li Jin, the co-founder and general partner of Variant. Chain Reaction podcast episodes come out every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:00 p.m. PDT. Subscribe to us on Apple, Spotify or your alternative podcast platform of choice to keep up with us every week. LGBT communities in New York and across the country are demanding more action on monkeypox The US declared monkeypox a public health emergency late last week. It follows weeks of concern that more needs to be done to contain the virus. On a private daily Zoom call, adult gay men who have contracted monkeypox compare notes. They share their frustrations over trying to get tested or treated but being turned away by healthcare professionals. They throw around tips on how to manage pain that gets worse with each new blister on your body and leaves you unable to do anything. And, to keep from going stir-crazy as they wait for the lesions to heal, they bond over a shared experience none of them asked for. The first US monkeypox case this year was detected on 18 May in the state of Massachusetts. Since then, more than 10,000 cases have been reported across the country, in every state except Wyoming. Although anybody can contract the virus through direct contact with an infected person or surface, men in recent sexual contact with other men have accounted for the vast majority of cases. Last Thursday, the federal government declared a public health emergency over the outbreak, a move that is expected to speed up the distribution of vaccines, treatments and related federal resources. Those who've already endured a bout of the virus wish the help had come a lot sooner. "It's a very traumatic experience," said Jeffrey Galaise, who hosts the Zoom meetings. "I'm a different person having been through this." "If you haven't lived through it, you have no idea the kind of pain that this is, and the red tape that's attached to trying to get help and support." Jeffrey Galaise hosts daily Zoom sessions with others who have contracted monkeypox The New York native, 41, began feeling sick on the day he was supposed to get his vaccine. Currently on day 25 of the illness, he has experienced practically every symptom, from the lesions and swollen lymph nodes to an extended high fever. Although public awareness is rising, vaccines remain in short supply and the Biden administration has said it will stretch the limited number of jabs available by administering only a fifth of one full dose. Story continues But the virus is spreading quickly in larger states like New York, Florida and California. In San Francisco, one state senator said seeking out the vaccine feels "a little bit like the Hunger Games", a reference to the dystopian Hollywood movie trilogy in which people fight to the death for food and supplies. Mr Galaise also claims that information on how to treat the virus after you've got it is still sparse. "People are really suffering and nobody knows what to do," he said. Gay men from all over the country drop in to his hour-long Zoom conversations, which have become a de facto support group and shared space for resources. Silver Steele, an adult entertainer from Texas, has joined a couple of sessions. His monkeypox ordeal lasted nearly a month. Lesions developed all around his mouth, making eating difficult, and he lost some 13Ibs (5.8kg) in weight. Aside from taking an oral anti-viral drug known as Tpoxx, which has been in short supply, "all you can really do is pain management", he said. Yet the 42-year-old considers himself lucky, as he has heard "horror stories" from other patients - about anal lesions that make you feel like you're excreting needles and penile lesions that become bacterial infections of their own. "Even though my face looked really disfigured, I didn't have anything below the waist," he said. "I will gladly take it on the lip for the world to see as long as I don't have to deal with any of that garbage." Silver Steele documented his monkeypox experience on social media Monkeypox is not a new virus; in fact, it is endemic to parts of western and central Africa. But the 2022 outbreak's prevalence in the gay community has exposed public health flaws, as other demographics - including women and children - also now fall ill. Yvonne Phan ran into roadblock after roadblock when she tried to get tested for monkeypox in Colorado three weeks ago. The first doctor she spoke to misdiagnosed the large red wheals on her skin as contact dermatitis. A sexual health clinic declined to test her, sceptical that a woman, with no recent sexual history, could have contracted the virus. Others redirected the 33-year-old to the state's department of public health or transferred her call to various specialists, with nobody taking an authoritative stance on what she should do. "It was like trying to ask your mom for permission for something, and she says 'go ask your dad', and then your dad says 'go ask your mom'," said Ms Phan. "I couldn't seem to get an answer." Ms Phan did test positive for monkeypox when she finally secured a swab test, but she does not know how. She still wears a mask in public and avoids large gatherings as a Covid-19 precaution. The only way she could have caught monkeypox, she claims, is from the clinic where she gets her allergy shots. Public health experts have dragged their heels in explaining why this outbreak has affected mostly gay and bisexual men - but it has led many to draw parallels with how the gay community felt abandoned during the AIDS crisis of the 1970s and 80s. "There's a lot of layered issues that have come up that are very heavy," said Mr Galaise of his Zoom conversations. "You have people who lived through AIDS suffering from PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], people that are in extended isolation for 25 to 30 days, people dealing with stigma from their community." So patients who are already experiencing the immense pain caused by the virus have had their suffering compounded by the slow response of elected officials and public health experts, and a lack of financial and mental health resources, he said. Silver Steele, the sex worker, documented his illness daily on social media. Many of his posts went viral, some attracting hateful and ignorant comments, he alleged. "So many people just look at what we're going through and think 'oh look, its HIV part two." "I noticed the emergency was declared after some children tested positive," he continued. "It wasn't an emergency while it was just the gay guys." Former US President Donald Trump waves while walking to a vehicle outside of Trump Tower in New York City on August 10, 2022. - STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images The US Department of Justice has moved to unseal the Mar-a-Lago search warrant. Trump himself could release the warrant immediately. But the former president's team is reportedly consulting outside counsel before deciding. Former President Donald Trump could unilaterally release the warrant that federal agents used to search his resort and residence at Mar-a-Lago. But news reports suggest that Trump and his allies are still trying to decide whether or not to fight the Department of Justice's motion to unseal the document and the list of goods that were confiscated. At a Thursday afternoon press conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that he was moving to release the search warrant in light of the publicity surrounding the case. The judge who signed off on the warrant has ordered the Department of Justice to confer with Trump's attorneys and inform the court by 3 p.m. on Friday as to whether the former president plans to fight the release. According to The New York Times, Trump's allies are "discussing the possibility of challenging" the release of the documents and have "contacted outside lawyers" to discuss the matter. CNN reported Thursday evening that the former president and his team "have not yet reached a decision." One source told the outlet Trump's team is considering challenging the motion to unseal the warrant. Both outlets reported that his team is consulting with outside attorneys. William Jeffress, a lawyer who previously represented former President Richard Nixon, told Insider that he would not object to a client wanting to release the documents on their own, as is Trump's right. But there are mitigating factors, he noted. "As a defense lawyer, I see no danger that release of the items would hurt his legal defense," Jeffress said. "But it surely might hurt his effort in the media to characterize the search as baseless or abusive." Details around what led to the raid have been scarce, with many Republican lawmakers demanding an explanation from the Justice Department after the search was carried out and publicized by Trump on Monday. Before Garland's announcement on Thursday, the Justice Department and FBI had offered no comment. Story continues The lack of details fueled accusations by the former president and other Republicans that the raid was politically motivated. The calls for transparency continued even after Garland said he was moving to have the search warrant released. "What I am looking for is the predicate for the search. Was the information provided to the judge sufficient and necessary to authorize a raid on the former president's home within ninety days of the midterm election?" Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement provided to Insider. "I am urging, actually insisting, the DOJ and the FBI lay their cards on the table as to why this course of action was necessary. Until that is done the suspicion will continue to mount." Garland also suggested Thursday the move to have the warrant released was in part to defend the FBI's actions. "I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," he said. "The men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants." Read the original article on Business Insider (Bloomberg) -- Conservative leadership front-runner Liz Truss ruled out a fresh windfall tax on energy companies if she becomes prime minister, while her opponent Rishi Sunak vowed to find up to another 10 billion to help Britons pay for soaring power bills. Most Read from Bloomberg Trusss comments at a hustings in Cheltenham came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson held talks with energy companies Thursday, where Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi hinted that the Treasury was exploring new taxes on electricity generators. Read more: Boris Johnson Meets Energy Firms as UK Winter Crisis Looms Ministers would evaluate the extraordinary profits seen in certain parts of the electricity generation sector and the appropriate and proportionate steps to take, Zahawi said. But Truss rejected that approach, arguing: One thing I absolutely dont support is a windfall tax. Its a Labour idea and all about bashing business and it sends the wrong message to international investors and to the public. I dont think profit is a dirty word, and the fact it has become a dirty word in our society is a massive problem, she added. The energy giants, if they are in an oligopoly, should be held to account. And I will rigorously hold them to account, but the way we bandy around the word profit as if its dirty and evil, we shouldnt be doing that as Conservatives. Growth and Competition Her opposition to a new windfall tax on energy companies appeared at odds with polling suggesting both Conservative and Labour voters would support the policy. In an article for the Times newspaper, Sunak sketched out a plan to ensure households can pay their energy bills this winter. To finance it, he said hed probably levy more funds from power companies, identify savings across the government and, as a last resort, increase borrowing. Story continues Because whatever the boosterish talk of others, you cant heat your home with hope, Sunak said in a swipe at some of Trusss previous comments. North Sea Truss once again refused to be drawn on any further support she would offer households to deal with rising energy bills, but did give some details of her future energy policy. Truss would seek to get more gas in the North Sea on stream pretty quickly, she said, and expressed her support for fracking, tidal, nuclear and hydrogen power, but said she opposed solar panels on farming land. Truss vowed not to call a general election before 2024 and suggested she would review the regulation of utilities including water companies. Read more: UK Plans for Blackouts in January in Emergency Energy Plan I think the problem with a lot of utility regulation is that we were one of the first countries to privatize utilities and we created these regulators, but over time, they have become less effective at doing the job, and in some cases they are actually not promoting enough growth and competition as well, she said. So I would review the regulators and how they are operating to make sure they are much more effective, calling water a natural monopoly and we have to be tough on the water companies to do the right thing. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Escambia County's Group 1 judge race pits a longtime defense attorney against a longtime assistant public defender. Scott Ritchie, an assistant public defender for over a decade, will face off Aug. 23 against Paul Hamlin, a defense attorney with his own law firm. Ritchie told the News Journal that he plans to bring his trial experience to the bench to manage a "crowded docket with limited resources." "I've handled a lot of cases and have had responsibilities overseeing attorneys," Ritchie told the News Journal. Scott Ritchie Meet Paul Hamlin: Candidate, Escambia County Court Judge Group 1 Meet Scott Ritchie: Candidate, Escambia County Court Judge Group 1 In his Q&A filled out for the News Journal, Ritchie said, "Those that do wrong must face consequences for wrongdoing" and that he will "be a judge for Escambia County that cares for our community and respects the rights of every citizen." Hamlin wrote in his Q&A that he plans to run a courtroom with the "safety of the community in mind" and will "apply the law as written, with common sense and fairness." "I want to utilize the extensive experience gained from my many years of being in the courtroom almost daily to oversee a court that doesn't waste time, that makes rulings with the safety of the community in mind, that actively listens to those who come before it and that makes its rulings by following the law combined with common sense and fairness," Hamlin wrote. Hamlin did not respond to multiple calls from the News Journal. Paul Hamlin Ritchie said he has spent time supervising attorneys and cases while managing a daily budget, demonstrating his ability to oversee the courtroom. Ritchie and Hamlin both appeared on a YouTube forum called "Coffee and Conversation" published Aug. 3 in which Ritchie said his supervising experience is what makes him fit for judge. "I think the experience that I have that makes it more important for a judge is that I've supervised attorneys and support staff about 60 attorneys and 60 support staff across four counties and six offices," Ritchie said. "At any one time, I was overseeing between 30,000 and 40,000 cases a year, and that's the kind of administrative experience and administrative oversight it's going to take to run the court docket." Story continues Public defender challenges statements After the candidate forum aired, however, First Judicial Circuit Public Defender Bruce Miller, countered Ritchie's claims. Miller argued that during his nearly 10 years as public defender, Ritchie was not involved in the budget and he supervised a small number of attorneys, ranging between eight and 16 at any given time. "Further, candidate Ritchie has never 'overseen' between 30,000 and 40,000 cases a year," Miller wrote in a statement to the News Journal. "This number of cases would reflect the entire total number of all cases handled by the Public Defenders office in any one year." When asked about these claims, Ritchie told the News Journal that Miller was "patently false" in his allegations. Hamlin's own history Hamlin has run for judge before, but was plagued by a previous charge and a trial to determine whether he must register as a sex offender. Hamlin's past: FDLE loses secret court fight to force Escambia County judge candidate to register as sex offender Hamlin was charged with sexual battery, assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful taking of a vehicle in 1991 in Irvine, California. Hamlin took a plea deal and the charges were dismissed except one, which was dismissed in 1997 when Hamlin completed probation. In December 2021, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement argued that, because of the plea, Hamlin should register as a sex offender in Florida. "Paul John Hamlin pleaded guilty to one of the most serious sexual offenses in California," attorneys representing FDLE wrote in a brief filed with the First District Court of Appeal in February 2021. "He then came to Florida, where because of his offense, he is required to register as a sexual offender with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. For years, however, he never did. When FDLE instructed him to do so, he refused and instead petitioned the circuit court for an order enjoining FDLE from including him on the sexual-offender registry." Hamlin won the court battle with the First District Court of Appeal ruling that Hamlin was not required to register as a sex offender in Florida. Both Hamlin and Ritchie will be on the ballot for District 1 judge on Aug. 23. Benjamin Johnson can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com or 850-435-8578 This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia County District 1 judge race: Paul Hamlin, Scott Ritchie face PLA Eastern Theater Command fulfills all tasks of joint military operations around Taiwan Xinhua) 08:53, August 11, 2022 NANJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has accomplished all tasks in the series of joint military operations carried out recently in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island, a spokesperson with the Command said Wednesday. The operations involving troops of multiple services effectively tested the armed forces' integrated combat ability, said Shi Yi, spokesperson with the Command. The Command will closely follow the development of the situation across the Taiwan Strait, continue to carry out military training for war preparedness, and organize normalized combat-readiness security patrol in the Taiwan Strait to defend China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Shi said. The military operations around the Taiwan Island began on the night of August 2, when Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, landed in China's Taiwan region. The rocket force under the Command launched multiple types of conventional missiles targeting designated maritime areas to the east of the Taiwan Island while the army conducted precision strikes on specific areas in the eastern part of the Taiwan Strait, according to Shi. Over the past few days, troops from the Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force and Logistic Support Force under the Eastern Theater Command conducted joint exercises and training in the waters and airspace off the northern, southwestern and southeastern coasts of the island, including operations of joint blockade, assault on ground and sea targets, airspace control, joint anti-submarine drill, and integrated logistics and support. The armed forces' integrated combat ability has been improved and their readiness in contingency response been tested, Shi said. New armaments including stealth fighters, multiple launch rocket systems and YY-20 refueling aircraft were applied in the operations. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Flash China will resolutely make a fightback each time the United States makes a serious provocation that encroaches upon China's sovereignty and interferes in China's internal affairs, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. "China will never allow its national sovereignty and territorial integrity to be wantonly trampled upon and undermined," spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regular news briefing, urging the United States to stop its attempt to contain China by using Taiwan. Wang pointed out Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region is a major political provocation which upgrades exchanges between the United States and Taiwan. Pelosi's visit violated relevant commitments by the U.S. side in the China-U.S. Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, the one-China principle widely accepted by the international community and confirmed in the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, and the principle in international law of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, which is enshrined in the UN Charter, he said. Disregarding China's dissuasion and warnings concerning Pelosi's visit, the United States has chosen to pursue the wrong course of action, Wang said, noting that it is the United States, not China, who has reneged on commitments. "It is the United States that infringed upon China's sovereignty, not China violating the sovereignty of the United States. It is the United States who connived at and supported 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities, not China conniving at and supporting separatist activities in the United States," Wang added. Wang said the United States is going down the path of obscuring, hollowing out and distorting the one-China principle, while accusing China of changing the status quo. "The United States carries out over a hundred military drills in China's adjacent waters every year, but accuses China of overacting," Wang added, "Neither China nor the international community will accept such a gangster logic." If the United States truly hopes to abide by international law and uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries as it claims to, it should return to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, Wang said. He urged the United States to refrain from reckless moves and stop attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and do right things and take concrete steps to facilitate the sound development of China-U.S. ties and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Former two-time bantamweight title holder Dominick Cruz returns home to San Diego for this weekend's UFC main event. His opponent, fifth-ranked Marlon "Chito" Vera, is a winner of three straight, including his most recent five-round butchering of Rob Font. Cruz has been in the Octagon with the best the division has ever had to offer, but still comes in as a big underdog against the more dangerous Vera. The fascinating clash of Cruz's cerebral approach vs. Vera's unrelenting acts of violence will surely have us all afraid to blink while we sweat this out. It's not the most straightforward fight on the card to handicap, but I am confident I am landing on the right side. Marlon Vera (-225) vs. Dominick Cruz (+180) Bettors get a little bit of sticker shock seeing a +180 price on one of the most dominant fighters in bantamweight division history. Cruz has strung together two straight wins, but neither fighter he faced is on the same level as Vera right now. Cruz has made a career using his elite footwork to frustrate his opponents. His unpredictable rhythm allows him to rack up striking stats that ultimately bury his opponents on the scorecards. However, if he is standing with Marlon Vera for five rounds, he better plan on wearing some damage. Vera can beat Cruz at his own game because he is happy to trade volume for violence. His devastating arsenal of kicks and elbows is just as unpredictable as Cruz's unique stand-up. The difference between the two approaches is Vera's success moves him much closer to finishing the fight, which is an important aspect of the scoring criteria. Typically, if Cruz lasts all five rounds, he is money in the bank. But I'm not convinced that's the case if Chito is carving him up. In addition, Vera can use his kicks to cut off the former champ's mobility, slowing him down as the fight progresses. (L-R) Marlon Vera of Ecuador punches Rob Font in a bantamweight fight during UFC Fight Night on April 30, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) That's the challenge I have with backing the underdog. If Vera is winning on the feet early, the only out for Cruz is his wrestling. If it gets to that point, it might be too late. There is a reason Cruz was 0-for-7 on takedowns in his loss to Cody Garbrandt. Mixing in wrestling off your striking is different than desperately shooting for takedowns because you are getting punished standing. Vera can time his shots and counter with kicks, knees, or uppercuts. That's how I see the later rounds unfolding in this one. Story continues Vera looked remarkably fresh in his first five-round fight with Font, so the 36-year-old Cruz won't have the cardio advantage that separated himself from so many of his opponents in the past. However, both fighters are incredibly durable, so I can't blame bettors who prefer to play the decision props. Ultimately, I see Vera's explosive striking and finishing ability as too much of a factor not to bet him on the moneyline. The bet: Marlon Vera (-225) Ariane Lipski (-200) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (+165) One of my favorite angles when betting MMA is fading the vulnerable favorite. I think Lipski fits that description perfectly this week. The "Queen of Violence" comes in with an underwhelming 3-4 record with the promotion. After failing to get medically cleared last week, it's hard to imagine we will see the best version of Lipski. However, despite the red flags, she comes into this fight as a big favorite. Fighters have bounced back after botched weight cuts in the past, but Lipski attributing her challenges to COVID-19 is a considerable concern. Cachoeira wants to turn every fight into a war on the feet, so Lipski's cardio will undoubtedly come into play. As the more refined striker, Lipski must rely on footwork and hand speed to catch Cachoeira with counters. We haven't seen Lipski's punching power translate in the UFC, so she will surely lose if she allows Cachoeira to coerce her into a slugfest. The problem with Lipski's path to victory is that it relies on her gas tank in both grappling and striking. Lipski hasn't landed a takedown since her UFC debut, and I am confident Cachoeira forces her to fight at a wild pace. After the first round, I can see Lipski's compromised cardio convincing her to fight Cachoiera's fight. And once she inevitably slows, Cachoeira will hunt her down, blasting her with enough damaging blows to persuade the judges. The Bet: Priscila Cachoeira (+165) *Stats provided by ufcstats.com, Richard Mann. Ukraines air force says its counting on support from Belarusian partisans Spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, Yuriy Ignat praised the work of the Belarusian partisan movement in comments to Polish-based Belarus opposition television channel Belstat on Aug 11. We know that they are extremely kind, smart and quick-witted people, who are already extremely good at helping our state and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ignat told Belsat. Read also: Belarus Defense ministry comments on nighttime explosions at Zyabrovka airfield And we have nothing but gratitude towards the fraternal Belarusian people, who will help Ukraine defeat the invaders and drive them out of our land, as well as theirs. Nevertheless, Ignat said that as in the case of the destruction of Russian airbase at Novofedorivka in Crimea, people should trust official information from Ukraines Defense Ministry regarding the incident at the Zyabrovka airfield. On the night of Aug 11, explosions were heard and flashes were seen near the Zyabrovka airfield. A shock wave was also reported. According to an official statement by the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, the explosions were caused by live-fire exercises carried out by the Air Defense Forces and the Air Force. Read also: Russia launches over 20 missiles at Ukraine from Belarus Full control of Zyabrovka airfield was handed to the Russian military by the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko on July 7. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine WASHINGTON There has never been a set of presidential scandals like this one. Of course, there has never been a president like Donald Trump. While predecessors like Richard Nixon, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Warren Harding and Bill Clinton faced their share of allegations, no president has been the subject of such an array of inquiries as Trump, ranging from the handling of classified material to accusations of inciting an insurrection. Just this week, Trump became the first former president to have his home searched. Two days later, he became the first to invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, when he gave a deposition in a New York state inquiry into past business practices. A search of Trump's place:What's happening at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home? Was the FBI there? Answers to your questions Taking the Fifth:Donald Trump says he invoked 5th Amendment in deposition for New York investigation "There's never been anything like this," said Julia Azari, a political science professor at Marquette University who specializes in presidential politics. "The whole Trump phenomenon is unique when it comes to pushing back on institutions and norms," as well as "the extent of the post-presidency legal issues." 'Pretty unprecedented' Johnson and Clinton were impeached, and Nixon was on his way to impeachment when he resigned in 1974. Until Trump, however, no president had been impeached twice first over pressuring Ukraine to investigate then-candidate Joe Biden, then for his behavior before and during the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. "Allegations against presidents go way back," said Thomas Alan Schwartz, professor of history and political science at Vanderbilt University. "The idea of an actual criminal probe of a former president? That's actually new. ... It's really pretty unprecedented." Former President Donald Trump departs Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in New York, on his way to the New York attorney general's office for a deposition in a civil investigation. A litany of investigations In Trump's case, it's multiple investigations. Story continues A special congressional committee, a district attorney's office in Atlanta and the Department of Justice in Washington are looking at Trump over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden and his role in the attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters. All the president's investigation:Trump in midst of gathering storm of investigations. Mar-a-Lago document inquiry is one of many. The Jan. 6 probe:Federal prosecutors questioning witnesses about Trump's conduct related to Jan. 6 inquiry Past problems range from alleged payoffs to mistresses to Russian efforts to help Trump in his 2016 presidential campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton. The FBI search of Trump's home at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida was part of yet another investigation, this one involving the handling of documents and classified material as he exited the White House on Jan. 20, 2021. In denouncing the search, Trump claimed another distinction: first U.S. president to suggest the FBI may have planted evidence against him without an iota of proof. As for the search itself, he said: "Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before." Trump came in as a unique president the first to win without holding office or military experience and he says his battle against the establishment is at the root of these investigations. "I stood up to Americas bureaucratic corruption," he said, and "the establishment hated it." What we know:What to know about Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida Questions/answers:Questions about Mar-a-Lago search? Here's how warrants, subpoenas and grand juries work The former president also said political enemies are trying to block him from running for president again in 2024: "They are trying to stop me, and the Republican Party, once more." The annals of presidential scandals Several presidents saw their administrations marred by traditional forms of scandal and investigation: fights with Congress, suspected financial chicanery, covering up incidents of misbehavior, and lying to Americans. A partial list and abbreviated summary: Andrew Johnson (1865-69). Johnson became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His frequent clashes with Congress over how to treat the South after the Civil War led to the first impeachment of a president. The charges revolved around the Tenure of Office Act, a law that said presidents could not fire Cabinet members and other officials without the consent of the Senate. Johnson fired War Secretary Edwin Stanton anyway, despite congressional objections. The House voted to impeach Johnson, and the Senate acquitted him by a single vote. Opinion: Democrats so badly want Trump to go away, but FBI's Mar-a-Lago search is helping him stay Ulysses S. Grant (1869-77). Grant lacked electoral experience, but his leadership during the Civil War made him an obvious choice for president in the election of 1868, following Johnson. The Grant administration faced a number of financial scandals. They included the "gold panic" of 1869, the "salary grab" of 1873, and the "Whiskey Ring," in which distillers bribed Treasury Department agents to avoid excise taxes on liquor. More: Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart facing firestorm for signing Mar-a-Lago search warrant. Who is he? None of those scandals reached Grant himself. Warren Harding (1921-23). The Harding scandals include Teapot Dome, in which Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall took bribes in exchange for oil leases at Navy petroleum reserves in California and at Teapot Dome, Wyoming. Fall became the first Cabinet member to go to prison. Investigations of the Harding administration also included illegal financial dealings with the Veterans Bureau and the activities of his pals in the "Ohio Gang." Harding a newspaper publisher and civic booster from Marion, Ohio, before entering politics was untouched personally by the scandals. But some historians wonder if that would have held the beleaguered president died of a heart attack in 1923 before any serious inquiries had a chance to go very far. During his presidency, Harding also guarded against rumors that he had fathered a child with a mistress. That scandal didn't burst forth until 1927, when Nan Britton wrote a book called "The President's Daughter." Richard Nixon (1969-74). Nixon represents the former gold standard of presidential scandal. The House Judiciary Committee investigated Nixon over his taxes and his secret bombing of Cambodia. It approved articles of impeachment over Nixon's reaction to the break-in of Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate office complex in June 1972. Watergate? Watergate 'in reverse'? Historians and legal analysts pan Trump's claims and point to legal peril ahead Trump and Nixon:Donald Trump, Richard Nixon and Watergate: What's the same and what's different? After a court-ordered release of White House tapes showed that Nixon did indeed seek to kill an investigation into the Watergate break-in and had lied about it for more than two years he preempted a full House impeachment vote by resigning on Aug. 9, 1974. Richard Nixon says goodbye after resigning the presidency on Aug. 9, 1974. When he left the White House that day, Nixon faced the possibility of criminal investigation and prosecution, a la Trump nearly five decades later. But Nixon's successor, President Gerald Ford, voided those possibilities by issuing a presidential pardon. Bill Clinton (1993-2001). The Clinton administration was beset with an array of investigations, from the Whitewater land deal to the operation of the White House Travel Office to his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. White House officials said Republicans ginned up those efforts in an effort to take down a Democratic president. The Republican-led House impeached Clinton in late 1998 over allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice with respect to his conduct with Lewinsky. Official White House photo taken Nov. 17, 1995 from page 3179 of Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's report on President Clinton, showing President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky at the White House. Congress laid before a wary nation the raw footage of the president's grand jury testimony and 3,183 pages of evidence chronicling his relationship with Monica Lewinsky in explicit detail. The Senate could not muster the two-thirds vote necessary to convict Clinton in 1999, similar to what would happen to Trump in 2020 (Ukraine) and 2021 (Jan. 6). Opinion: Lack of details around FBI's search of Trump's home is maddening. It's also the process. 'An astounding pace and variety' People can and will argue whether this or that allegation against Trump is worse or more benign than allegations against past presidents. But it's hard to dispute the claim that no president has faced the volume and intensity of the accusations than Donald Trump. The Trump presidency was "prone to an astounding pace and variety of scandal," in the words of Marc Horger, a senior lecturer with the Department of Human Sciences at Ohio State University who has written on these issues. Yet Trump has survived them so far and is still considered the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. One reason for this and for Trump's behavior in general is his attitude as an outsider who is eager to defy the rules, Horger said. And Trump's base of voters include millions of people who dislike Washington and the government in general and don't really mind Trump's malfeasance. "Part of his appeal has always been his lack of qualifications," he said. Trump says the entire set of his investigations stems from his battle against an establishment that wants to block him from running again in 2024. Hours after the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago, the former president said that "the political persecution of President Donald J. Trump has been going on for years." "It just never ends," he said. "It is political targeting at the highest level!" This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump's scandals are unprecedented. Here's how. Former President Donald Trump on August 05, 2022 in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Scott Olson/Getty Images Trump's allies have been comparing the FBI to the Gestapo following a raid on his Florida home. The Auschwitz Museum told Insider such commentary isn't even worth reacting to. The Holocaust Museum told Insider it's long warned against comparing contemporary issues to the Holocaust. Congressional Republicans and conservative commentators have been comparing the FBI to the Gestapo and Nazi Germany after the agency searched former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida. "This should scare the livin' daylights out of American citizens," Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said of the FBI search. "The way our federal government has gone, it's like what we have thought about the Gestapo and people like that," Scott added. Steve Bannon, who served as White House chief strategist under Trump, told Fox News that "the FBI right now is the Gestapo" in reaction to the raid. GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado called the raid "Gestapo crap." The Gestapo Nazi Germany's brutal secret police played an intricate role in the deportations of Jews to ghettos, concentration camps, and death camps (also referred to as extermination camps or killing centers) during World War II. The methods and tactics of the Gestapo were notoriously ruthless and violent. Organizations that educate people on the Holocaust have long warned against comparing modern-day events to the crimes against humanity committed by Nazi Germany. When asked by Insider whether likening the FBI to the Gestapo risked trivializing the Holocaust, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum said such commentary wasn't even worth reacting to. "In our eyes having to comment on such type of allusive ascents is in fact unworthy of any person who understands memory, history, and the victims' dramas," Bartosz Bartyzel, a spokesperson for the Auschwitz Museum, told Insider. Story continues When asked the same question, Raymund Flandez, a communications officer for the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, told Insider that the museum has "issued a number of items over the years about why comparisons of contemporary issues to the Holocaust are inaccurate and offensive to Holocaust survivors." A statement on the museum's website reads: "Nazism represented a singular evil that resulted in the murder of six million Jews and the persecution and deaths of millions of others for racial and political reasons. Comparing contemporary situations to Nazism is not only offensive to its victims, but it is also inaccurate and misrepresents both Holocaust history and the present." "The Holocaust should be remembered, studied, and understood so that we can learn its lessons; it should not be exploited for opportunistic purposes," the statement adds. Similarly, Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, in a tweet on Tuesday said, "A number of right-wing officials are comparing the FBI's executed warrant on Trump's home to police tactics in Nazi Germany. Let's be clear: it's never appropriate to make such comparisons to the Holocaust--doing so demeans the memory of six million murdered Jews. This must stop." The FBI raid was reportedly in connection to boxes of documents including classified material Trump brought with him to Florida when he left the White House. The raid has prompted uproar among Trump's allies, who've reacted with incendiary rhetoric about civil war and vehement criticism of the FBI. Read the original article on Business Insider The sailors of the carrier George H.W. Bush Avengers, named for the plane the late president flew during World War II crowded on the rails in dress whites, blue coveralls and camo-printed Navy Work Uniforms as the ship departed Wednesday afternoon. It begins a seven-month tour as part of a strike group that includes guided-missile destroyers USS Truxtun, USS Delbert D. Black and USS Farragut and guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf that will relieve the Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman. Many sailors left behind family members waving mini-American flags and homemade signs. Matilyn Sommerfeldt, the mother of 2-year-old Willow with a second baby due next month, came to the security buffer to wave goodbye to husband Brendon. This is the couples first deployment. I told my husband its just like a Band-Aid, Sommerfeldt said. You just have to rip it off. They go, but then theyll be back. She wasnt sure whether Willow understood that her dad wouldnt come home with them Wednesday night. But the couple made a teddy bear with Brendans voice, and recordings of him reading story books. The couple plan to talk whenever they can, especially once the baby arrives. When he comes back from deployment, well be holding signs like Has somebody seen my daddy? and Does anybody know who my daddy is, said Jody Sommerfeldt, Brendons mother. Wearing red, white and blue, Brandons grandmother has been around the block. His grandfather served over 21 years in the Navy. You need to stick together, as Navy families, as physical families, Nellie Cardaugh said. I think its awesome that they now have Facebook and those sorts of things. We had snail mail! Jody Sommerfeldt, who has deep connections within the military community through friends and relatives, said maintaining morale and mental health is one of her main concerns for sailors like her son and the families they leave behind. Rear Admiral Dennis Velez, the carrier strike groups commander, said mental health was a priority for this carrier group. A psychologist is onboard the Bush, and the staff organizes activities such as movie nights and prioritizes communication with loved ones. Story continues Sitting under a USO tent full of military families, Girl Scout cookies and raspberry tea, Jen Pollard, the wife of Capt. David-Tavis M. Pollard, reflected on her familys 11th deployment. While mental health for deployment sailors has received more attention in the past few years, families often need support throughout the deployment process, she said. With the help of organizations like the USO, military families create their own community and support their sailors in the process. Thats the key. Thats the key, is having good networking and resources for families, as well as the sailors on the ship, Pollard said. Thats is the key to a successful deployment, and good morale, and welfare, and mental health. I know theyre doing a lot of things for the ship for that, which is great. As the last line was untied from the bollard, families cheered and waved tiny American flags, as soldiers waved their hats from above. Under way shift colors. Sailors moved the American flag from the fantail to the ships mast. In about seven months, theyll be mooring it at home again. Suzannah.perry@virginiamedia.com. SmartAsset A bill is headed for consideration by the full Senate that would move the age at which you have to start drawing down your retirement plan savings to 75. The House of Representatives passed a similar measure, so sponsors are Continue reading The post You're One Step Closer to Being Able to Delay Your RMDs in Retirement appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. A Washington jury sided with the two Issaquah police officers who were accused of using excessive force in restraining an Asian senior with Alzheimers disease, causing a neck injury that eventually led to his death in 2018. A seven-member federal jury in the U.S. District Court in Seattle unanimously sided with officers Michael Lucht and Kylen Whittom on June 16 on a 2019 lawsuit filed by the wife of the man with Alzheimers disease. Wangsheng Leng, 66, underwent surgery for spinal cord decompression after he went limp when officers investigating a domestic dispute on Aug. 5, 2018, pushed him onto a couch by his neck and handcuffed him. Leng suffered a neck injury and died a month after the incident. Lengs wife, Liping Yang, filed a lawsuit on April 3, 2019, accusing Officers Lucht and Whittom of using excessive force during the incident. More from NextShark: South Korean president elect retreats on anti-feminist pledge to abolish Ministry of Gender Equality The Issaquah officers forced their way into Lengs home after a neighbor called in a noise complaint, which they believed was a possible domestic violence call. It was only after Leng was placed in handcuffs that they learned he was suffering from an advanced stage of Alzheimers disease. According to Yang, Leng did not speak English well, and would end up getting lost when he would leave their home. When she tried to stop him from leaving, he would start becoming aggressive. The King County Medical Examiner ruled Lengs death a homicide. His death was the result of complications from a blunt force injury to the neck, which occurred in circumstances involving the use of physical restraint. More from NextShark: Filipino American Father, Daughter Electrocuted by Downed Power Lines in LA However, the defense attorney argued that Lengs health conditions were unknown to the officers. They claimed that Lengs frailty and health problems contributed to his death. The City of Issaquah is pleased the federal jury unanimously found the actions of its police officers were reasonable, necessary and lawful, the officers attorneys, Shannon Ragonesi and Brian Augenthaler of the Seattle firm Keating McCormick Bucklin, reportedly said in a joint statement. Story continues The facts proved, and the jury found, there was no excessive police force used in this case, they added. Mr. Lengs injury and eventual death would not have happened if he did not have serious, preexisting medical conditions that were completely unknown to the officers at the time the physical force was applied. More from NextShark: Taiwanese singer Angela Chang says her mother stole her $3.4 million in savings David Owens, one of Yangs attorneys, said the verdict was more than disappointing and that it was a heartbreaking reminder that injustice perpetuates injustice. It is a reminder that our court system can, and does, re-traumatize innocent people subject to arbitrary violence by the government, Owens reportedly wrote in an email. The verdict is not only wrong, it is trauma that our client and their family did not deserve and did not choose. An innocent man is dead, killed by the police, and left with little recourse, he added. This should not be the case. So, while standing up to the court-sanctioned culture of violence at the core of policing is a difficult but not impossible task, the fight continues. More from NextShark: South Korean Official Says Kim Jong Un is Alive and Well Featured Image via KIRO-TV Flash As a result of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, China has suspended China-U.S. talks on climate change and all the consequences should be borne by the United States, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Wednesday. "Firstly, the countermeasures taken by China are justified and a reasonable response to Pelosi's provocative visit to Taiwan," spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a daily news briefing. China has repeatedly made clear to the U.S. side that the one-China principle is the political foundation for China to develop bilateral relations with other countries, he added. In disregard of China's strong opposition, Pelosi insisted on her provocative visit to China's Taiwan region, seriously harming China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said. This trip was in fact conducted with the connivance and support of the U.S. government, which has undermined the political foundation of China-U.S. relations and is bound to cause major disruption to bilateral exchanges and cooperation, Wang added. "Since China has already said this before, the U.S. side should not be surprised," he said. Secondly, all the consequences of the suspension of China-U.S. talks on climate change, which is a result of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, should be borne by the U.S. side, Wang said. "As a responsible major country, China will, as always, take an active part in international and multilateral cooperation on climate change," he added. China will remain committed to the goal of carbon peaking and neutrality, take an active part in negotiations on major channels of climate change, provide support and assistance to other developing countries within its capacity, and make its own contribution to tackling the global challenge of climate change, Wang said. Thirdly, the U.S. side should earnestly undertake its historical responsibilities and obligations in the field of climate change, Wang said. "China has always maintained that in tackling climate change, we cannot rely on shouting slogans without taking action," Wang said, adding that the U.S. Supreme Court has recently passed a ruling limiting the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the United States has used Xinjiang-related issues as an excuse to impose sanctions on China's photovoltaic companies, which has directly undermined the atmosphere of China-U.S. cooperation and the efforts of China and other countries to address climate change, he said. "Such a contradictory approach has raised doubts about the ability and determination of the U.S. side to deal with climate change. The United States should earnestly fulfill its historical responsibilities and due obligations in addressing climate change and stop making excuses for its inaction," he said. ST. PETERSBURG So much has changed since the first request for proposals to redevelop Tropicana Fields prime 86 acres was put out in the summer of 2020. Despite a pandemic, Tampa Bay underwent a rapid growth spurt. But with it came an increasingly dire affordable housing crisis. And a disparity study found minority-owned businesses were enjoying few of the perks of St. Petersburgs renaissance even as the city elected its first Black mayor. To Mayor Ken Welch, that called for a do-over for soliciting new proposals that took all that under consideration. He said they must address the urgent need for affordable housing and reflect a commitment to hiring minority contractors. And, he said, it needs to offer something tangible that recognizes and remembers the Gas Plant community, the historically Black neighborhood where his family lived and that was razed to build Tropicana Field. The new Tropicana Field property needs to have something that benefits everyone, including the descendants of those displaced, Welch told the Tampa Bay Times. Minority-owned businesses not just for construction but for ongoing operations. Places for Black residents to live and play, not just work. Welch scrapped the prior bid process in June that had been initiated by his predecessor. He announced plans for a new one that is expected this month. And he gave the expanse a new, old name that reflects his vision: The Historic Gas Plant District. The clock is ticking as the Rays lease at Tropicana Field expires in 2027. But this time around, the Rays are 100 percent committed to staying in Tampa Bay, said Rays president Brian Auld on Wednesday. The City Council is on board. And St. Petersburg is younger, with a vibrant downtown that will soon link to the beach with bus rapid transit. A wider Howard Frankland will make it easier to get there from Tampa. I think its a different picture for the viability of a stadium in St. Petersburg than it was a decade ago, Welch said. I think developers see the value of those 86 acres. And hopefully, with certainty on the Rays participation in that redevelopment, it should be more enticing, I think. Story continues What St. Petersburg wants Though community forums were held virtually during the pandemic to solicit public opinion on the redevelopment of Tropicana Field, Welch believes that stifled feedback another nod in favor of seeking new bids. The city held three community conversations this summer, all of which were at capacity, and used a St. Petersburg Downtown Partnerships meeting to hear from the business community. They drew residents, activists, developers and political candidates. More than 100 comments were submitted online. The meetings began with questions about what the public would like to see at the Trop. Participants answered through their smartphones. The answers were compiled in a word cloud in real time for all to see on a projector. Answers included equity, affordable housing, a stadium. The business community called for inclusivity, density, opportunity, redevelopment, partnership. It struck Welch that the answers were similar. I think what stands out is folks dont want to be left behind, he said. They dont want to be forgotten. Dont want to feel like weve just sold out to the highest bidder and it just becomes another expensive area of town where folks dont feel welcome. The St. Petersburg Tenants Union turned out at every meeting, submitting answers to demand public, city-owned housing on the Trop site. Were tired of seeing our city be handed over to corporations. And we dont want more privately-owned affordable housing which is really just a euphemism for developer handouts, said organizer Karla Correa. The 86 acres of land should benefit the workers, tenants, and, most importantly, the Black community that was displaced from this land. Also at those meetings were representatives from the Tampa Bay Rays and Sugar Hill, a group led by San Francisco developers JMA Ventures that was one of two finalists for the first request for proposals. Theyve also met with each other. David Carlock, the development manager for Sugar Hill, said the Rays shared their vision for the land and stadium with them. He said Sugar Hill is open to submitting a bid with the Rays as a partner. The more weve learned about St. Petersburg and the Trop, the more committed weve gotten to this, the more excited weve gotten about the prospects for what this project can become, Carlock said. What the Rays want Rays President Brian Auld is even feeling better about Tampa Bay these days. For years the team has said the stadium needs to be closer to the center of the regions population, voicing a preference for Tampa. But game attendance is exceeding projections for this year. The region is growing faster than ever. And both mayors, Welch and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, are regularly in talks with Auld and the Rays. Tampa and St. Pete are both great cities, better than theyve ever been as far as Im concerned, Auld said at the Suncoast Tiger Bay forum earlier this month at Tropicana Field. For the first time that I can remember, mayors on both sides of the bay are asserting that they will put their absolute best foot forward to make sure that the Rays stay in this region. Tropicana Field is the only site being considered by the Rays in Pinellas County. The Rays need a roof, Auld said, and a smaller stadium. A new ballpark will bring new season ticket holders and sponsors. The teams goal, Auld said, is to be able to add $10 million to $20 million a year to the payroll. But Auld pointed out that St. Petersburg would benefit from keeping the Rays around. The Trop, Auld said, is the only venue big enough to hold high school graduations. It has been regularly used as a COVID-19 testing site. When emergencies happen, police set up headquarters there. That entire project is going to work so much better if you have an anchor tenant thats bringing over a million people each year (split over) 81 times at a minimum to the site, and we expect it to be open and available 365 days a year, Auld said. Without it, St. Pete needs something. Rays majority owner Stuart Sternberg also made an appearance at Tiger Bay and weighed in. A very important part is integrating wherever the stadiums going to be and what is around it, and making sure that it jibes with the entertainment district or something that people visit and want to come to not just for baseball, but take the baseball and then go visit what else is around it, he said. You cant just stick it out in no mans land surrounded by 50 acres of land. WEST PALM BEACH A judge Tuesday sentenced a 35-year-old Wellington woman to 10 years in prison following a February 2021 crash that killed a motorcyclist. Samantha DeMaio pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the Feb. 27, 2021, crash that killed 54-year-old Andre Bonhoure of Riviera Beach. Circuit Court Judge Sarah Willis sentenced DeMaio to 10 years on each charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently. Willis also revoked DeMaio's driver's license for life. The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office represented DeMaio in court. For subscribers: Anything but 'normal': Lives of Parkland victims' families marked by absence, anguish, sorrow For subscribers: Jury rejects Acreage families' claim that Pratt & Whitney caused cancer cluster among children For subscribers: 'All being priced out': Soaring rents in Wellington, Royal Palm have some wondering if they can stay Authorities said DeMaio rear-ended Bonhoure's Suzuki GSX motorcycle as the bike stopped at a traffic signal at Jog Road and Summit Boulevard in Greenacres. The impact pushed the motorcycle into the rear of a pickup that had stopped in front of it, throwing Bonhoure to the pavement. DeMaio "failed to reduce speed or to take any kind of evasive action" to avoid the crash, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators said in arresting her in September. Toxicology tests done about 75 minutes after the crash found traces of fentanyl and cocaine in her blood, investigators said. Investigators said at the time they suspected that DeMaio had passed out behind the wheel before the crash. DeMaio initially told investigators Bonhoure had been weaving through traffic behind her on Jog, and then moved in front of her and slammed on the motorcycle's brakes as he approached the traffic signal. But investigators determined that her actions were the sole cause of the crash. Willis credited DeMaio with the 413 days nearly 14 months she has served in jail while awaiting trial. Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Judge sentences Wellington woman to 10 years for DUI manslaughter An unidentified worker died in Gregg Township on Wednesday after receiving a fatal electric shock, according to a report filed by state police at Rockview. At about 3:20 p.m., the person was electrocuted while working at 139 Tressler Lane, police wrote. Penns Valley EMS responded to the scene and attempted life-saving measures, but those efforts were unsuccessful. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that monitors workplace safety, said Thursday the worker was employed by Centre WISP, which is installing broadband service in rural Centre County areas. An OSHA spokesperson confirmed the agency is launching an investigation into the death. A preliminary police report suggested the workers death was accidental in nature. Police did not provide any additional details and could not be reached for comment. Members from the Centre County Coroners Office, Penns Valley EMS and Miles and Gregg Township Fire Companies responded to the scene along Tressler Lane. On Thursday, the Centre County Coroners Office declined to offer more details surrounding Wednesdays incident, saying it was under investigation. OSHA has up to six months to conduct its investigation and release its findings. NEW YORK Gov. Kathy Hochul is pushing ahead on a congestion pricing plan that would raise billions in revenue for public transit projects and promises to significantly decrease traffic into Manhattans central business and tourism district. But an environmental review of the program shows the difficult political hurdles Hochul will have to overcome, both within state borders and in neighboring New Jersey where Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat, has made his consternation with the plan known. Congestion pricing would charge drivers extra during so-called peak hours to enter Manhattans Central Business District, which is defined as the area south of 60th Street. For years, transit officials have talked about the plan. But until Wednesday, there was little information on what the tolls could look like and whether some drivers could get exemptions or credits. A special panel is ultimately tasked with finalizing those details, but the review provides a first glimpse at how the system could be implemented. Some of the scenarios proposed by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority raise tolls by as much as $23 a day for commuters crossing the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey. All of the proposed options would divert more truck traffic to the Bronx, creating potential political hurdles as New York officials look to get the plan over the finish line. If implemented, New York will have finally achieved a decadeslong push to implement a first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan, following in the footsteps of major European cities like London and Stockholm. It would generate much-needed revenue for the MTA, which is projecting a $2.6 billion operating deficit in 2025 because of a nationwide decline in public transit use during the pandemic. And it would successfully curb traffic in the economic hub of New York City, as traffic levels seem poised to surpass the record highs seen in 2019. That doesnt mean there arent sore spots. Story continues I am a supporter of congestion pricing in principle. That being said, any plan that threatens to intensify diesel truck traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway would raise serious concerns about public health and racial equity, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), whose district includes the South Bronx, said in a statement. My office and I are carefully reviewing the MTAs proposal for the environmental impact it would have on the South Bronx. While the Murphy administration is so far keeping a tight lip on the new report, Hochuls ally across the Hudson River has made clear his willingness to go nuclear on behalf of New Jersey drivers, once referencing how he could leverage his influence to drag out work at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Hochul is somewhat beholden to lend Murphy an ear, as the two are still hashing out agreements over the proposed expansion and reconstruction of Penn Station in midtown Manhattan. While the environmental assessment is under review by New Jersey state agencies and comments will be submitted where necessary and appropriate, the Murphy Administration will not support a double tax of New Jerseyans that provides no direct relief for our states commuters, Murphy spokesperson Bailey Lawrence said in an email. A long time coming The release of the environmental review is years behind schedule because of various delays at the federal level. The MTA waited more than a year to hear from federal officials about the type of review it must conduct to implement congestion pricing; transit officials blamed New York state's sour relationship with the Trump administration. Federal approval is required because the plan involves placing tolls on highways that have received federal funding. Last year, the Biden administration said the MTA was clear to move forward on a 16-month environmental assessment, a timeline advocates and some city officials said was too slow. The assessment then faced additional hold-ups, which the MTA said was because of technical questions posed by the Federal Highway Administration. Now that the document has been released, MTA officials are significantly closer to securing final approval from the federal government, which would give them the green light to install toll cameras in and out of Manhattan. Top transit officials hope the system is a go by the end of 2023. The reports findings The environmental review assesses seven different tolling scenarios, each with different combinations of potential discounts, crossing credits and exemptions. Fares range from $9 to $23 for passenger vehicles and between $12 and $82 for trucks. Some scenarios contemplate exemptions for taxis, while others cap the number of times certain vehicles can be charged in a single day. There are even options under which the MTAs own buses must pay the toll, effectively resulting in the agency paying itself. This is on top of existing tolls for the George Washington Bridge and Lincoln and Holland tunnels. The report found that the plan would achieve its main objective of reducing traffic into central Manhattan by as much as 20 percent for personal vehicles and 80 percent for trucks. Higher toll prices would result in steeper declines in traffic, according to the report. Only one of the proposed scenarios failed to generate $1 billion in annual revenue for the MTAs capital plan. A senior MTA official said it was included to show how the combination of lower toll prices and exemptions makes it difficult for the system to meet its mandate under state law to generate $15 billion for the agencys $54 billion capital plan. More than half of New Yorkers travel to work by public transit and commuting into the Manhattan central business district is overwhelmingly by transit, said Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director for the Riders Alliance, a public transit advocacy group. Congestion pricing is going to be a win-win-win for transit riders, drivers and everybody who breathes in this city and we cannot see it through soon enough. The review also found that every congestion pricing scenario will result in more truck traffic on the Cross-Bronx Expressway and RFK Bridge, as drivers look to circumvent the new tolling structure. The option that posed the least amount of new truck traffic on the Bronx entailed charging every vehicle class the same toll, with a toll cap for some vehicle types. Most of the scenarios also recorded an increase in truck traffic on I-95 in Bergen County, N.J. In response to those findings, the MTA said it will expand its air quality monitoring and said its transitioning its fleet to zero-emission buses and prioritizing new bus lanes in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Theres no way around the fact that were adding a lot of trucks to these Bronx highways, said Nicole Gelinas, a senior fellow at the fiscally conservative Manhattan Institute, who has voiced support for pursuing congestion pricing. 'You can't tax New Jersey drivers' The tolling structure also poses some challenges for placating New Jersey politicians. Murphy wants the MTA to take care of George Washington Bridge drivers by offering them the same credits New York could give drivers entering Manhattan via the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. But in the one MTA scenario that does what Murphy has asked for, the total cost to New Jersey drivers would actually be more than in scenarios where there is no discount for anybody. In the MTAs base plan, everybody would pay $9 to come into the central business district. But in the scenario that looks at discounts the MTA calls them crossing credits for all bridge and tunnel drivers, the toll would be $23, with a discount of up to $13.10. That means the new toll for a New Jersey commuter would be $9.90 90 cents more than a scenario with no discount. The math appears to torpedo an easy compromise, since it means Murphy getting what he wants would cost New Jersey commuters more than if everybody paid the same new toll. And, of course, anyone who isnt crossing a bridge or tunnel, including many New Yorkers, would pay $14 more than under the base plan. The scenario makes it hard to see how New Jersey could favor the crossing credit plan, and means New Yorkers would be paying even more. MTA officials said the plan is good for the region. "The value of congestion pricing is clear: Less traffic, reduced pollution and more reliable mass transit for the vast majority of commuters, including those in New Jersey, who take trains and buses to Manhattan," MTA spokesperson Tim Minton said in a statement. That's a win for the entire region that can't be disguised by grandstanding politicians." Other New Jersey politicians, especially Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), have taken a hard line against any kind of increase on New Jersey drivers. Hes even urging New Jersey businesses to open new offices in the state so New Jerseyans can avoid working in New York offices. While that would certainly cut traffic, which is the whole point of the MTAs new tolling plan, it could also hurt the citys tax base and economy that are still recovering from the pandemic. If they want to tax people from Mississippi or Wyoming or Kansas, then I dont care. But you cant tax New Jersey drivers, Gottheimer, whose district includes commuter-heavy Bergen County, said in an interview. The Regional Plan Association, which supports congestion pricing, has also warned about a congestion pricing plan that encourages toll shopping. A few MTA scenarios consider offering discounts for all tunnel commuters but not all bridge commuters, something that could drive traffic to already overwhelmed bottlenecks, like the Holland Tunnel. The RPA points out that most New Jersey commuters into Manhattan are already taking public transit, not driving. Those commuters would benefit from improved air quality in the region and also increased investment by the MTA once they reach New York. But the new revenue from the tolls does not help fund NJ Transit, which also faces a massive shortfall in coming years and is key for commuters to reach Manhattan in the first place. Tiffany-Ann Taylor, the associations vice president for transportation, said she hopes the MTA will be flexible if something isnt working after the tolls are imposed. I understand wanting to get it right as much as possible for the first go," she said, "but I do hope there will be an opportunity to make adjustments once Day One happens. The launch of a nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline in July could mark a major step toward getting a handle on the worsening mental health crisis. But its easy to see why medical professionals and mental health advocates are concerned. Will the hotline work effectively once its fully operational? Will people in crisis receive the care they need, especially in rural areas? Will this reduce the burden on law enforcement and other first responders, leaving them free to focus more directly on their spheres of influence? Replacing the National Suicide Prevention Lifelines cumbersome 800 telephone number with a three-digit, easily remembered hotline makes sense. Mental health advocates hope that using 9-8-8 will soon become as automatic as 9-1-1. Its also wise to expand the Suicide Prevention network into a more comprehensive network handling a wide range of mental health crises. Plans are for a system that will send a crisis-response team to deal directly with someone who is having a mental-health crisis when a telephone conversation wont be sufficient. The expanded system also is supposed to include emergency mental health centers similar to urgent care clinics. The goal is to have mental health professions, rather than law-enforcement officers, responding to calls for people in crises. And the belief is that a new approach will improve outcomes for all involved. But just because the new, streamlined emergency number is up and running doesnt guarantee that the expanded hotline will transform the way American communities deal with mental health woes.Funding will be one problem. The law Congress passed in 2020 to establish the 988 hotline puts considerable burden on states, which must stand up call centers and response teams. The federal government has provided more than $380 million to help states establish extended mental health crisis response systems, but so much will depend on effective state administration. When it comes to financing, Virginia is out in front. It was the first state to implement a 988 service fee monthly on telecom bills. That will help, but it remains to be seen whether a new hotline can work effectively and across communities to ensure people who need help receive it quickly. That depends on having resources and professionals ready to go now. Virginia started the shift to the new, centralized 988 hotline last year. Calls had already risen 25% before the official rollout in July. Officials expect the call volume to grow significantly as people become aware of the new hotline. An existing shortage of mental health providers, made worse by the pandemic, looms as an impediment to effective service. The danger is that there wont be enough crisis-response teams to dispatch when calls come in. The national mental health crisis hotline is up and running, but its still a long way from being a fully developed, efficient system. Theres the potential for a real breakthrough in our mental health crisis. Whether that goal is realized depends on sufficient funding, recruiting, adequate staff, building trust and doing whatever else is necessary to make this long-needed service as good as it can be. Its worth the effort. There has been no shortage of fun for McKenzie Button this summer. Button, 9, is a Council Bluffs girl who will be entering her fourth grade year at Longfellow Elementary School this fall. She transferred to Council Bluffs Schools from St. Albert Elementary School in the first grade, and shes been at Longfellow ever since. She doesnt know who her teacher will be yet, but she said shes excited to find out soon. Button said she loves reading, and shes excited to check out some new books and make some new friends as a fourth-grader. Although shes excited to get back to the classroom, Button is trying to have as much fun in the sun as she can as the days of summer break wind down. Shes spent a lot of time doing things around Council Bluffs with her sister, Madison, 4, and grandma. They enjoy the programming at the Council Bluffs Public Library, and just yesterday they were spotted at Graham Park to check out a K9 demonstration hosted by the Council Bluffs Police Department service dogs and their handlers. The event was part of the citys Recreation On-the-Move, a free drop-in program with pop-up recreational activities throughout the citys parks. Button is an avid swimmer, and shes been splashing around all summer. One of her grandmas has a pool, so she spends a lot of time there. Button and her sister also spend plenty of time at Pirate Cove Water Park when they want to hit the slides and diving board. Their favorite swimming spot this summer, though, was the beachside action during a family trip to Jamaica. From snorkeling to swimming and more, Button had a blast crashing against the waves and checking out the ocean life beneath the waters surface. It was an experience she said she wont forget, and hopes to go on another international trip soon. There are only so many days left before the school year starts back up, so Button is making the most of the rest of her summer break. Google will give a $150,000 grant to the Governors STEM Advisory Council and hold a hands-on Coding Carnival at the Iowa State Fair to help promote computer science education in Iowa, the company announced Tuesday. The grant will help support the STEM Advisory Councils mission to increase awareness, achievement and interest in STEM education with students in Iowa. There are projected to be more than a half-million new STEM job opportunities in the U.S. by 2029, including some in Iowa. This collective effort is helping to set Iowa students up for success to meet this demand with programs such as the Computer Science is Elementary Mentorship Program, the 2022 Future Ready Iowa STEM Summit, Iowa STEM Scale-Up and the Iowa STEM Teacher Externship Program. Not only will these students benefit from the economic opportunity from developing these skills, they will be directly shaping the future, a press release from Google stated. I am proud of the partnership between Google and the Iowa Governors STEM Advisory Council and Googles commitment to preparing our students for a better tomorrow, Gov. Kim Reynolds said in the press release. Public-private partnerships are so critical if we expect our future workforce to have the skills needed for high-demand jobs in our state. Through Googles investment, they realize the value and importance of STEM education in our schools and the access our students will have to hands-on, advanced technology ,which will ultimately prepare them to be successful and career ready. The Google Coding Carnival at the Iowa State Fair will help ground students in how computer science skills can impact the industries in their backyard such as agriculture, wildlife, healthcare and sports, the press release stated. The Google Coding Carnival will be open throughout the 10-day run of the fair and located in a tent on the lawn next to the Jacobson Center. Through interactive games like Corn Catcher and Cookie Scoop, students and fairgoers will have the chance to build code and solve brain teasers for a chance to win prizes. Games in the Coding Carnival tent include: Arcade coding games Impossibly Possible computer science gallery 4-H + Google Problem Solving Puzzles Google prize center Google has been committed to helping Iowa grow since we first broke ground in 2007, said Dan Harbeke, head of Public Policy and External Affairs at Google in Council Bluffs. We know education is the foundation of a highly skilled workforce and vibrant communities, and we are doubling down on our efforts to provide access to computer science education that will not only prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow but also help us retain them here in Iowa. Google has called Iowa home for more than a decade and its first data center in Council Bluffs came online in 2009. Since then, Google has invested more than $5 billion in Iowa and established a long-term commitment to the state. Google has created jobs for more than 900 people at its Iowa facility and has awarded more than $3 million to local schools and nonprofits in Iowa. DES MOINES Deidre DeJear, the Democratic candidate for Iowa governor, on Tuesday called on Republican incumbent Gov. Kim Reynolds to participate in at least three debates before the Nov. 8 election. At a news conference near the Iowa Capitol, DeJear said her campaign has accepted at least three invitations from media outlets and advocacy organizations that are hosting debates or candidate forums, and has been in discussions with more. When we talk about all political power being inherent in the people, the peoples way is through democracy and exercising their right to vote. And the people deserve myself and our current governor on a stage, DeJear said at the news conference. Reynolds campaign spokesman said the governor is happy to debate, and that those details will be ironed out as fall approaches. Rick Stewart, the Libertarian Party candidate for governor, posted on social media his own debate challenge to DeJear, calling on her to reject any offers from debates that do not also include him. MATHIS ENDORSEMENTS: The campaign for Democratic congressional candidate Liz Mathis announced the endorsements of nine Black pastors in Black Hawk County. The endorsements were reached as a group, according to one of the pastors statement in a Mathis campaign news release. Mathis, a state legislator and nonprofit leader from Hiawatha, is running against Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson. Our group met with Liz Mathis and I believe Liz is the only one who can eliminate the division in our state and restore the much needed unity we have longed for, said Dr. Frantz Whitfield, a pastor at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Waterloo. Iowans need a person who has our best interests at heart. Lizs work in the Iowa state senate proves shes ready for the task ahead and we need her in Washington. She will get the job done and she will not put party over people. Council Bluffs residents got up close and personal with two of the citys police service dogs at a K9 demonstration Wednesday morning at Graham Park just not too close. Dont pet the dog, Ofc. Colby McCord told the assembled crowd of children and parents before allowing them to have their picture taken with the animals. Before pictures, McCord and his K9 companion Rudy, along with Ofc. Alex Klement and his partner Houser, demonstrated some of the different ways the dogs are utilized while on duty. Were here to let residents know that were out there for them, but also to let them know what our dogs are capable of doing, McCord said. While dogs will be dogs Rudy, an almost 5-year-old Dutch shepherd, is fond of belly rubs, and Houser, a 2-year-old Belgian malinois, loves to play fetch, according to their puppy profiles on the CBPD website trained PSDs are able to go from playful to working at the drop of a hat. After McCord donned a heavily padded bite suit, he play-acted suspicious activity. Klement and Houser worked to apprehend the suspect. Klement shouted multiple warnings at McCord, telling him to surrender. When McCord continued being uncooperative, Klement sent Houser to locate and subdue the suspect. Houser raced up to McCord and barked continuously, signaling that he had found someone while keeping the suspect rooted in place. Klement told Houser to stand down while he began frisking the suspect. McCord, still defiant, shoved Klement away from him, which triggered Houser to go after him. With no prompting from Klement, Houser leapt toward McCord and locked his jaws around his bite suit-encased arm. The dogs are trained to bite and hold a suspect, and while an arm or leg is preferable, the dogs cant be trained to go after a specific body part. Later, McCord pretended to run away from Klement. Houser, again with no verbal command from Klement, went after him, again holding McCords arm in his vice-like grip. Once the demonstration was over, the officers answered questions from the assembled crowd. (The dogs are) basically a part of our family, Klement explained. (Houser) comes home with me every night. Ive only had him less than a year now, and he gets along with my whole entire family. He gets along with my wife; my parents have met him. Hes, for all intents and purposes, my dog. Obviously, he belongs to the city, I understand that, but we are just around each other 24/7. Im the only one who feeds him. Im the only one who lets him out. Its just like it would be with your pet at home. We are just that close with them, and then the fact that weve trained them to help save other peoples lives and our lives is what makes them so valuable to us. Dogs that are trained for police service can cost tens of thousands of dollars, McCord said. All of the citys police dogs have been purchased from international vendors and transported to the United States. Houser hails from Hungary, and Rudy is from the Netherlands. Training begins when the dogs are a year and a half to two years old. The state of Iowa doesnt have a certification process for police service dogs. There are no guidelines for training, so the CBPD K9 unit uses the Nebraska certification standard. Council Bluffs K9s are used in both narcotics and patrol situations. To remain certified, dogs and their handlers must record 16 hours of service time in each role per month. The dogs and their handlers also train once a week with counterparts from other jurisdictions, including Omaha, Douglas County and Papillion. K9 Houser was named after Marine Sgt. Thomas Houser, a graduate of St. Albert High School, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2005. Around the time the city purchased the dog, there was a ceremony naming Gleason Ave. after Sgt. Houser, and the name felt appropriate. We thought it would be a cool honor to do that, Klement said. There doesnt appear to be a story surrounding K9 Rudys name, at least not as far as McCord knows. His previous handler just liked the name, I guess, McCord said. The demonstration was part of the citys Recreation On-the-Move program, a free drop-in program with pop-up recreational programming throughout the citys parks. The activities are designed for kids to attend with friends, parents or caregivers and feature a different theme with related games and activities. The next Recreation On-the-Move event is a movie night collaboration with the Council Bluffs Public Library, scheduled for Sept. 23 at Roberts Park. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Ways to foster partnership and cooperation between Morocco and Spain in matters of security and the fight against transnational organized crime and terrorism were reviewed at a meeting in Rabat Wednesday between Director General of National Security and Territory Surveillance, Abdellatif Hammouchi, and Director General of the Spanish National Police, Francisco Pardo Piqueras, who is on a working visit to Morocco. This visit embodies the firm commitment to consolidate and further develop the partnership and cooperation relations between the Moroccan and Spanish security services, said the Directorate General of National Security (DGSN) in a statement. Both sides seek to advance their partnership on the basis of solid foundations of trust and credibility, to serve the common interests of the two countries, to ensure security and stability, while promoting the sharing of experiences and expertise in the fight against transnational organized crime, the statement said. The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss a set of security issues of common interest, including those related to the fight against the threats of extremist terrorist groups and organized crime networks active in the Western Mediterranean, as well as ways to deal with criminal activities related to human trafficking and international trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances. The strengthening of mechanisms and channels for exchange of operational data related to the security field was also discussed. The two sides also reviewed ways to increase institutional partnerships in vital areas such as border crossing security and forensics, and to strengthen police training programs in various professional disciplines, including the qualification of elite police teams and their upgrading in the management of highly sensitive interventions. This meeting between the Director General of National Security and Territory Surveillance and the Director General of the Spanish National Police crowns an advanced course of the strategic partnership uniting the Moroccan and Spanish police services, a course marked by the common will to expand the areas of bilateral cooperation, at the service of the citizens of both countries and for the security and stability in both countries, the statement added. Piqueras is leading a high-level security delegation composed of the Commissioner General of information, Eugenio Pereiro Blanco, the Commissioner General of judicial police, Rafael Perez Perez, the Commissioner General of foreigners and borders, Juan Enrique Taborda Alvaraz, the head of the division of international cooperation, Alicia Malo Sanchez and the adviser to the Director General, Jesus Ramirez Jara. Since its creation in 1989, the North African grouping known as the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) remained ink on paper unable to meet the most basic aspirations of Moroccans, Mauritanians, Algerians, Tunisians and Libyans to economic integration and freedom of movement. At the heart of the impediments to the Maghreb integration lies the regional dispute over Western Sahara, a relic of colonialism transformed during the Cold War by the Algerian military regime into a separatist issue, wherein Algiers hosts, sponsors and arms the Polisario separatist militia to hold its pro-Western rival in check. The deal in 1989 between the Maghreban leaders was to leave the Sahara issue with the UN and work on integration issues within the umbrella of AMU, an endeavor that never materialized as borders between the Maghrebs two demographic and economic heavy weights remain sealed. In 1994, the killing of tourists in Marrakech by Algerian nationals in an armed attack propelled Morocco to impose visas on Algerians at a time their country was suffering a brutal civil war with a risk of a spill-over of terrorism across the region. Algerias response was to close the borders, which remained sealed since then despite multiple calls by Moroccos leadership to turn a new page. On the surface, Algerian leaders evoke all sorts of false arguments from fear of drug trafficking to demanding apologies! But they never cite the deep causes for maintaining the borders closed, causing unnecessary difficulties to families in border cities. Economy Algeria fears that if borders are open, Morocco will benefit the most from the flow of tourists. Prior to 1994, Morocco was the favorite destination for Algerian tourists thanks to its advanced infrastructure and diversity of its tourism offer, at a time Algeria saw little interest in developing its own tourism sector. Algerias state-dominated economy is also likely to be outperformed by Moroccos diversified economy in the case of genuine economic integration allowing the free flow of goods and capital. Moroccos attractiveness for foreign investors will be bolstered with the opening of trade with Algeria, building on the Kingdoms investment friendliness, advanced financial services and availability of the work force. Aware of the inability to compete with Moroccos private sector, the Algerian government has now resorted to tactics that verge on insanity going as far as stoking tension on a daily basis, while conducting a mean propaganda campaign to depict Morocco as an enemy. When the Algerian economy was about to crumble in 2021, the new Algerian military autocracy escalated its anti-Moroccan rhetoric severing ties, banning all Moroccan airplanes from its airspace and halting the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline. The surge in gas and oil prices gave the regime some space to return to its modus vivendi of buying social peace but time and money will soon run out for Algeria. Amid a media blackout and crackdown on dissent, the few Algerian economists abroad have made the case for regional integration starting with opening borders with Morocco as the only way to strengthen an economy that has yet to join the World Trade Organization. While it risks losing to Morocco on the short term, in the longer term both countries will win as integration means the convergence of quality of services, prices and salaries. Leading economist Joseph Schumpeter argues that countries that trade with each other create a convergence impact in their economic fabrics. Algerias state-run economy is not working, and its rentier model creates a vicious circle. It is high time Algeria used its remaining oil and gas rent to diversify its economy with a liberal mindset allowing for free trade first with its neighbors. Many, if not most, African economies have endured a torrid time over recent years, as their finances have been hard hit by two global crises Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war. As a result, numerous states across Africa have turned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for assistance. Ghana is expecting to receive $3 billion dollars over three years from the IMF, if an agreement on a program is reached. The loan requested was double the amount of $1.5 billion the west African nation was requesting a month ago. The Extended Credit Facility for low-income countries is the Funds main tool for medium-term support for countries facing protracted balance of payments problems, similar to Ghanas, an IMF spokeswoman said. Last month, Ghana government announced a u-turn of an initial decision of not resorting to the IMF for support despite economic hardship hitting the citizenry. Consequently, a team from the IMF arrived in Ghana to start negotiations with the Ghana government. The government has since maintained to secure a good deal for the country. This comes after Zambia announced it should soon access a 1.3 billion dollars IMF-support fund. The bailout was validated just after the southern African nations creditors, led by China and France, agreed to provide it with debt relief. IMFs support plan had been signed in December 2021 but was suspended until the green light was given. Kristalina Georgieva, the IMFs managing director, said that she was very pleased that the fund could be unlocked. Meanwhile, in Kenyas case, the IMF has recently based its loan to the country on three new conditions, which do not match the populist approach of the leading presidential aspirants signaling a potential conflict between the multilateral institution and Kenyas new government. These three conditions, known as structural benchmarks, include implementation of national tax policy, scrapping fuel subsidies and a push for Kenya Power to fully bridge its fiscal gap by 2023. Last month, the IMFs board also approved a $1.05 billion extended credit facility for Tanzania and plans to disburse $151.7 million immediately. The financing is the nations first IMF policy-reform funding program in a decade and comes after the Washington-based lender raised Tanzanias risk of debt distress to moderate from low in September 2021. Malis military government has been handed over several fighter jets and helicopters by Russia that is positioning itself to fill a political vacuum, as French and European forces are in the process of withdrawing from the country. The aircraft were formally received during a ceremony at Bamakos airport, with Malian President Assimi Goita and Russian Ambassador Igor Gromyko present. Russia has become Malis close and controversial ally in its fight against Islamist militants, as France decided to end its nearly decade-long effort in its former colony to contain the spread of terrorism and pave the way for a peace deal uniting the politically divided country. Mali already received two Russian helicopters in April, and four helicopters as well as weapons in September 2021. The Malian government reportedly entered into discussions with the Russian Wagner Group late last year and, in December 2021, its military instructors began deploying in the landlocked West African country. Meanwhile, the French army is in the final stages of withdrawing from Mali, announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in February, following increasing tensions with Malis military government and concerns over Mali working with Russian mercenaries. In the most recent incident to rock the troubled Sahel country, 42 Malian soldiers died in a sophisticated Sunday (7 August) attack by suspected jihadists using drones and artillery. The toll is one of the bloodiest in Malis decade-long insurgency, which has spread from the north of the country to the center and south and into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. Nigerias liquified natural gas (LNG) facility at Bonny Island has seen production decline in recent months as a result of a shortage of natural gas supply due to rampant theft and sabotage of oil and gas pipelines. Also unplanned disruptions at LNG plants in the United States and Australia have wrong-footed traders, including BP and Shell, forcing them to pay inflated costs for alternative supplies. As a consequence of several outages that hampered efforts to fill European storage ahead of the winter heating season, major energy traders are taking hundreds of millions of dollars in losses as they scramble to plug the ensuing LNG supply gap. In a market already struggling to meet global demand for natural gas after Russia sharply reduced pipeline supplies into Europe, the lost LNG cargoes which can be transported by ship, have pushed global prices sharply higher in recent months. In June, a sudden shutdown of Freeport, the second-biggest U.S. LNG export plant and a major supplier of BP, meant that the latter took a more than $500 million hit to replace the lost LNG cargoes. Frances TotalEnergies said it would replace eight cargoes of LNG it was scheduled to receive from Freeport by buying in the spot market in the third quarter of the year. Shell, the worlds largest LNG trader with a 20% market share, cut its LNG production volumes in the second quarter by 4%, mainly due to supply losses from the Sakhalin-2 plant in Russia, where it exited operations after the Russia-Ukraine war flared up. Meanwhile, Philip Mshelbila, managing director and CEO of Nigeria LNG Limited, has recently cautioned against pipeline vandalism, oil theft, illegal refining and illegal bunkering as the global energy crisis worsens: We have people who are participating in this activity, masquerading as though this is a community problem, and pretending to be immature modular refineries. That is not the case, this is criminality, outright criminality, and it needs to be dealt with as such. Moroccan authorities announced this Thursday the arrest of a dangerous Jihadist who was planning to carry out terrorist attacks in the North African Kingdom. The 36-year-old man was captured by police anti-terror units in the Northern city of Tetouan. He was very active on social media networks, promoting extremist ideology and encouraging criminal acts against some personalities, public infrastructures and private sites. The investigators are focusing on the terrorists plans and targets as well as on his links with other terrorist cells and organizations operating both in Morocco and overseas. The arrest of this jihadist is part of the continuous efforts made by the Moroccan security services in the fight against extremist cells threatening the countrys peace and stability. Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Tunisias major opposition party, said Wednesday he was ready to leave the leadership of the party only if there was any solution to the ongoing political crisis that has engulfed the North African country. In an interview with Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu, the Islamist leader said in the interest of the country, he is not interested in any presidential position. Ghannouchi co-founded Ennahdha in 1981 but the party became official in 2011. The movement leads the dissolved parliament, with the 81-year old man as its Speaker. Tunisia has further slid into chaos since July 25 last year after incumbent Kais Saied seized all major powers and sealed one-man rule this July 25 through a referendum on a new constitution. Ennahdha and other major opposition movements boycotted the referendum and condemned the 2021 move by the president as a putsch. IRINI, the European Union (EU) naval operation tasked to reinforce the UN arm embargo on Libya, has arrested a ship bound to Libya transporting vehicles intended for military use, reports say. The action took place July 18 when the vessel identified as MV VICTORY RORO, flying the flag of Equatorial Guinea entered IRINIs search zone off the eastern Libyan coast. The multinational operation stopped the ship and inspections revealed that the vessel was carrying dozens of vehicles designed or modified for military use. It left the Jordanian port of Aqaba and was heading to Libya. IRINI diverted the ship to Marseille, France, to offload the cargo before leaving the port on August 2 to resume its commercial activities. MV Victory RORO has been on the radar of the UN Panel of Experts on Libya after it allegedly delivered military vehicles to the eastern part of the oil-rich country in early March. Libya has been under UN embargo since 2011. The eastern part of the country is controlled by warlord Khalifa Haftar. Libya currently has two administrations respectively headquartered in the coastal city of Sirte and capital Tripoli. Fifty Palestinian youngsters from Al Quds will spend their summer holidays in Morocco starting this August 12 within the frame of the Kingdoms unwavering and longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian people. The two-week summer break is organized by Bayt Mal Al-Quds Agency under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of Al Quds Committee. The young Palestinian holidaymakers will take part in several recreational, educational, artistic and sporting events. They will also visit historical sites in Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Assilah, Tetouan, Mdiq and Chefchaouen and landmark projects such as the Tangier-Med port, car plants and several other major infrastructures. Spending summer vacation in Morocco is an opportunity for Al-Quds children to meet with Moroccan peers to build friendship ties and exchange views and ideas on several matters of common concern. So far, 3,000 children from Al Quds had spent their summer holidays in Morocco wherein they enjoyed and lived memorable experiences. A setback for President Kais Saied: the administrative court of Tunis suspended the execution of his decision taken in June to dismiss 57 judges, a measure that had caused an outcry in the country. According to the courts spokesperson, a certain number of judges could finally return to the courtroom after the examination of their appeals. After reviewing the factual and legal data in force during the investigation, 48 of the 57 judges dismissed by the Tunisian president could resume their work, according to the administrative court. Last June, President Kais Saied issued a decree dismissing these judges on suspicion of corruption, for changing the course of certain cases, and for disrupting investigations in terrorism cases. The list of charges also included accusations of financial and moral corruption, which the judges deny. Mourad al-Masoudi, president of the Association of Young Tunisian Judges, and one of the dismissed judges, says the administrative court made the decision after discovering that the judges had no connection with the charges. They are not the subject of any criminal or disciplinary or moral complaints. They did not even have any records. The decision of the administrative court normally has the effect of suspending the presidential decree, which had been rejected by the unions and political parties. All of them now welcome this decision of the Tunisian justice. The presidential palace has not communicated for the moment. Moroccan Ambassador to China Aziz Mekouar has reiterated Moroccos adherence to the One China principle, affirming that this stand forms the basis of relations between the two friendly countries. The diplomat stressed that this adherence is based on the Kingdoms principled positions, which are characterized by consistency, responsibility, credibility and reliability regarding the respect of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of other member countries of the United Nations. Morocco continues to support the Peoples Republic of China on this issue and renews its positions expressed many times, at different levels, both bilaterally and within international organizations, Aziz Mekouar added. The Moroccan diplomats remarks came following recent developments between Taiwan and China after the visit to Taiwan of speaker of the U.S. House of Representative Nancy Pelosi. China described the visit as controversial and as an act that betrays U.S. commitments to China. At a press briefing held Thursday at the Chinese Embassy, in Rabat Chinese Ambassador to Morocco Li Changlin reiterated criticism of Pelosis visit to Taiwan, calling this trip a serious event that violates the One-China principle, and that betrays U.S. commitments to China. The Chinese diplomat cited the measures taken by Beijing in reaction to this visit, including sanctions against Ms. Pelosi and her relatives, the holding of transparent military exercises near Taiwan and the cancellation of bilateral cooperation projects. We have no choice but to defend our sovereignty, our integrity, and we say that the principle of non-interference in the affairs of sovereign states cannot be ignored or abandoned, otherwise the world will be returned to the law of the jungle, he said. The One-China principle is the consensus of the international community and is also a fundamental norm, governing relations between China and foreign countries, he explained. The Chinese ambassador took the opportunity to welcome the excellent relations between Rabat and Beijing, thanking Morocco for its constant support to all issues of vital interest to China, recalling, in this context, Morocco 1971 vote in favor of Chinas return to the United Nations. Nancy Pelosi is the first senior U.S. official to visit Taiwan since the visit made to the island in 1997 by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich. After Pelosis visit to Taiwan, the first by a senior U.S. official since the visit made to the island in 1997 by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated at a press conference that nothing has changed with respect to the U.S. One-China policy. [] We do not support Taiwanese independence. The One China principle is the position held by China that there is only one sovereign state under the name China, and that Taiwan is a part of China as stated in the 1992 consensus between China and Taiwan. In his statement, the Moroccan ambassador also touched on bilateral relations, insisting that Morocco attaches great importance to these relations, and that the two countries are committed to strengthening their multidimensional cooperation, through the establishment of an institutionalized strategic partnership to intensify trade, promote investment and create new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in all areas. Morocco has maintained a position of neutrality in conflicts opposing big powers while staying attached to the UN charter and international law as well as the peaceful resolution of inter-state disputes. The popular Sandhills Open Road Challenge offers drivers from across the country an opportunity to legally drive fast through the winding roads of central Nebraska. The first race, the Loup 2 Loup, is today. It is the 22nd running of the annual event, going from Halsey to Purdum and back again. The grid of 120 cars fills up on the first day of registration annually with a long waiting list. The first Sandhills Open Road Challenge was held in Arnold in August 2001. Thirty-four drivers came from 17 states. Joe Shown of Stapleton, one of the event founders, said in a previous interview that there are three such road races in the United States. All three claim to be the best, but Shown, understandably, says the SORC sits at the top of the heap. The reason, he said, is that the winding road from Arnold to Dunning brings out the best of both the drivers and their cars. Tech inspections begin on Wednesday of race week at the Robbi Smith shop just west of Arnold. Volunteers do all the work from placing numbers on the cars to cleaning up after each race event. Clay Mohr of Arnold, president of the SORC board, said they have donated well over $1 million back to local communities. The cars range from very high-dollar automobiles to less sophisticated ones. Some are professional drivers who race regularly, and others local race track drivers, but all appear to enjoy the experience. For safety reasons, spectators must get to viewing locations early each day. The road north of Halsey closes at 7:30 a.m. for the Loup 2 Loup Race. The One-Mile Shootout takes place Friday morning 12 miles north of Cozad on Road 421 or one mile west of Callaway and 16 miles south on Cozad-Callaway County Road. The road closes that morning at 7:30 a.m. as well. Following the Shootout, a parade and car show takes place in Arnold with numerous associated events scheduled around the town. The big race, the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, begins at Arnold Saturday morning with the road closing at 7 a.m. All three races will be livestreamed at SandhillsExpress.com/live. For more information, go to sorcrace.com, where schedules, photos and history are posted. Outside the Planned Parenthood clinic near 48th Street and Old Cheney Road, a crowd gathers. Some are kneeling, praying the rosary. Others are dressed in rainbow colors and hold signs that read Honk 4 Choice. People dressed in blue vests hand out pamphlets. Clinic escorts shake tambourines and blare music. While the grassy space outside the clinic has been home to prayer gatherings and protests in the past, Andi Curry Grubb, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, said the Lincoln clinic has seen an uptick in peripheral activity since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Lincoln is a health center that has always seen quite a bit of protest activity, she said. We have seen a bit of an increase. There's more people, and they're a little bit more amplified. For years, abortion opponents from Lincoln Right to Life and various Catholic churches have been gathering outside the Planned Parenthood clinic to pray. Tuesday morning, more than 40 people recited a prayer to end abortion and sang God Bless America. Afterward, they convened at the nearby Womens Care Center a pregnancy center that offers ultrasounds but does not provide abortions. Mike Davis, president of Lincoln Right to Life, said the group seeks to end abortion, and it does so through prayer and encouraging women to visit the clinic across the street from Planned Parenthood. He said the Womens Care Center has seen an increase in visits in the past few weeks. Davis, one of five Lincoln Right to Life members who bought the building strategically located across the street from the Planned Parenthood location, said that's proof his group is helping women access health care. Were reaching out to them to not make a terrible mistake, he said. They all regret it. They know that it's a child in their womb. But abortion rights activists are gathered, too. They began coming after the Supreme Court decision, and they hope their presence puts pressure on the anti-abortion group, which they believe is disruptive and uncaring toward women seeking affordable health care. Judy King is one of the demonstrators whos been active this summer. She said things arent always civil between the two groups. At times, hateful things are chanted and signs displayed that she believes could be upsetting. These protests are taking over a space that should just be quiet, she said. They come in, and theyre passing out flyers, and they're teaching lies. King called the police a week ago after she alleged someone threw salt on her, though Lincoln Police Department Assistant Chief Michon Morrow said officers did not pursue the incident because it was unclear whether it was intentional. LPD Capt. Todd Kocian said officers were also dispatched to the clinic another time in July during a protest dispute. On this Tuesday, Thia Hartley holds a sign that encourages drivers in support of abortion rights to honk. Horns blare as she waves and smiles. She said shes supporting women who might want to enter the clinic. Its like a dragon has awoken since Roe, Hartley said. Women and men are pissed off. Mary Sand is one of the prayer group members, and she said she believes the abortion rights activists have been hateful, not her group. Things often get tense on the Planned Parenthood lawn when the other group chants explicit things, she said. We've been coming here for years, praying peacefully, and we continue to pray peacefully, she said. Curry Grubb said that while there have been abortion rights demonstrators at the clinic, its not something Planned Parenthood encourages or organizes. Instead, the organization has clinic escorts outside the entrance to welcome those who attempt to enter. Curry Grubb said the escorts are necessary because anti-abortion demonstrators harass the women walking through the clinic doors. Our patients are the ones that should be able to make decisions about their own health care, she said. That's what we've always stood for. That's what we'll continue to stand for. One new tactic, she said, is for people with the anti-abortion group to pose as clinic escorts and appear as though they are associated with Planned Parenthood. Then, they direct women to the clinic across the street. Lisa McInerney wears a vest, similar to the Planned Parenthood clinic escorts rainbow garments, except her vest is blue. But she doesnt believe shes deceiving women. Her vest says sidewalk advocate." Sidewalk Advocates for Life is an anti-abortion group that places volunteers outside clinics to pass out flyers and encourage women to visit centers such as the Womens Care Center. We try to make sure that we have a posture of just offering help and not shoving information onto people, she said. We don't yell at people. But Curry Grubb worries about the effect activity outside the Lincoln clinic might have on patients. She never wants women or staff to avoid coming to the Planned Parenthood clinic because of a crowd outside. In response, a few more clinic escorts than usual are stationed outside. Our focus is always making sure that our patients and our staff are safe. That's our No. 1 priority, she said. No matter how many people are there, that's where our focus is going to be. ReportLinker APAC is the fastest-growing region with increased investments from global and local colocation data center operators worldwide. With the construction of additional data centers, local colocation providers in each country also increase their presence, thus boosting the market growth. New York, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "APAC Data Center Colocation Market - Industry Outlook and Forecast 2022-2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06313590/?utm_source=GNW In 2021, China, India, Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong were the leading markets that witnessed colocation data center investments in the APAC. China contributed over 35% of the APAC data center colcoation market share. Colocation service providers are continuously involved in the adoption of renewable energy and are aiming to reduce the carbon footprint that will aid sustainable data center developments. Mergers & Acquisition and Joint Venture (JV) will lead to the entry of new colocation data center operators into the different countries across APAC, leading to significant investments during the forecast period. In APAC, the retail colocation market is valued at around USD 8.65 billion (66% share), whereas the wholesale colocation market is around USD 4.45 billion (34% share). The wholesale colocation market will witness significant growth through the increasing presence of hyperscale cloud service providers across APAC. KEY TRENDS IN THE MARKET Adoption of Innovative Data Center Technologies Intelligent monitoring is one of the technologies being adopted by data center operators in APAC. Power infrastructure maintenance demands preventing operational failure by automating data center facilities. Cooling systems also require data center operators to monitor their energy consumption. Regions and states with a higher cost of power will witness increased adoption of microgrids. For instance, in countries such as Japan and the Philippines, the installation of microgrids can be beneficial to data center operators. An increase in carbon emissions is one of the major challenges identified across APAC. To overcome the challenge, fuel cells are being installed to improve the efficiency of data centers. Renewable energy adoption is increasing rapidly among APAC countries. Government initiatives and data center service operators are taking significant measures to purchase and produce renewable energy to power their data centers. For Instance, Taiwan aims to generate 20% of its electricity through renewable energy by 2025 via wind and solar PV promotion plans. The renewable power capacity is expected to reach over 26 GW within the next five years. In 2022, CTRL has built a new data center facility in Hyderabad with a power capacity of 18 MW. Additionally, the company has aimed to establish 500 edge data centers in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across the country with a 500-acre solar plant to power its operation with renewable energy. Sustainability is taking center stage, and it is expected that renewable energy generation will be a key consideration for data center operators when building data centers in the APAC region. SEGMENTATION ANALYSIS Electrical infrastructure adoption will grow by around 7% year-over-year (YOY) in the APAC region. In terms of power infrastructure, the generators segment was the largest contributor to the market revenue through the adoption of DRUPS systems. APAC data centers use both water-based and air-based cooling techniques. Data centers that depend on free-cooling techniques such as free cooling chillers and evaporative coolers to cool the facility will grow among facilities in China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea. China, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Australia, and Japan continue to dominate growth in terms of colocation revenue. The retail colocation market dominates in the market where the wholesale colocation market is rapidly growing. In terms of revenue, China Telecom Corporation led the overall revenue generation investment in the APAC market with multiple data center projects in 2021. Equinix was followed by GDS Services with a revenue of around USD 880 million in 2021, growing at around 37% compared to 2020, mainly contributed by colocation services. Segmentation by Colocation Service Retail Colocation Wholesale Colocation Segmentation by Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure General Construction Segmentation by Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems Generators Transfer Switches & Switchgear Power Distribution Units Other Electrical Infrastructure Segmentation by Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems Racks Other Mechanical Infrastructure Segmentation by Cooling Systems CRAC & CRAH Units Chiller Units Cooling Towers, Condensers & Dry Coolers Economizers & Evaporative Coolers Other Cooling Units Segmentation by Cooling Technique Air-Based Cooling Technique Liquid-Based Cooling Technique Segmentation by General Construction Core & Shell Development Installation & Commissioning Services Engineering & Building Design Fire Detection & Suppression Physical Security DCIM/BMS Segmentation by Tier Standard Tier II Tier III Tier IV GEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS APAC has and will be the preferred market for cloud service and global colocation providers. The rising demand for on-demand video, mobile gaming, and online content will be a stronger force for colocation data center procurement in the region. China and Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Australia, Japan, and South Korea are witnessing strong growth in the use of artificial intelligence, IoT, virtual reality, online payment systems, and smart solutions to attract data center investments into the region. The pricing of colocation varies a lot from one country to another in the APAC region. Markets such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan have the highest colocation pricing in the APAC region compared to the other markets. The major demand came from telecommunication and internet service providers for the regions colocation of data center facilities. China led the colocation data center market in the APAC, contributing 35% of the investment, followed by Japan, Australia, and others with respect to Colocation Investment. In 2021, SEA countries witnessed over 30 colocation data center developments in Southeast Asia with a corresponding market investment of over USD 2 billion. Singapore is a mature market in Southeast Asia that accounted for around 50% of investments, followed by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam, among other countries. In January 2022, the Singapore government lifted the moratorium with conditions to promote data center operators to construct more sustainable data centers. Earlier, the government had initially frozen the construction of new data centers in the country will slow the growth in capacity for the next two to three years, after which capacity is expected to pick up. Segmentation by Region APAC o China o Hong Kong o Australia o New Zealand o India o Japan o Taiwan o South Korea o Rest of APAC o Southeast Asia VENDOR ANALYSIS In 2021, Equinix, Digital Realty, AirTrunk Operating, Colt Data Centre Services, Keppel Data Centres, 21Vianet Group, NEC, Global Switch, GDS Services, NTT Communication, Tenglong Holdings Group, Space DC & GIC, and NEXTDC were some of the colocation data center investors in APAC. In terms of investment in the APAC data center colocation market, GDS Services led the market and was among the major investors in 2021, with multiple expansions and newly built projects across China. It had a market share of about 18.7% in the APAC. Many data center operators are investing in new facilities and expanding existing data centers as there is a huge surge in demand from customers, leading the APAC colocation market to be highly competitive. New entrants are investing in the construction of core and shell properties across the region. These new facilities are expected to be fully commissioned within two years of initial build-out. AECOM, Arup, Aurecon Group, CSF Group, DSCO Group, and PM Group are some construction contractors building data centers in the APAC region. The region has the presence of both global and local construction contractors, engineering, and architectural firms. The growth in the data center market will provide opportunities for local sub-contracts in construction, engineering, and architectural verticals. Key Support Infrastructure Providers ABB Caterpillar Cummins Eaton Rittal Schneider Electric STULZ Vertiv Other Prominent Support Infrastructure Providers Airedale International Air Conditioning Alfa Laval Canovate Delta Electronics EAE HITEC Power Protection Legrand Rolls-Royce Power Systems Shenzhen Envicool Technology Siemens KOHLER (SDMO) Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Socomec Trane (Ingersoll Rand) Key Construction Contractors AECOM Arup Aurecon CSF Group DSCO Group Gammon Construction Larsen & Toubro (L&T) PM Group Studio One Design NTT Facilities Group Other Prominent Construction Contractors Chung Hing Engineers Group BYME Engineering Ltd Corgan DPR Construction Faithful+Gould Fortis Construction Hutchinson Builders ISG Kienta Engineering Linesight LSK Engineering M+W Group Nakano Corporation Obayashi Corporation Powerware Systems (PWS) Sato Kogyo Sterling and Wilson (Shapoorji Pallonji Group) Red-Engineering Turner & Townsend Key Data Center Investors AirTrunk Operating Digital Realty Equinix GDS Services Global Switch KDDI Keppel Data Centers NEXTDC NTT Global Data Centers ST Telemedia Global Data Centers SUNeVison Vianet Group Other Prominent Data Center Colocation Service Providers AIMS Data Centre Bharti Airtel Big Data Exchange (BDx) Bridge Data Centers Canberra Data Centers Chayora ChinData Group Colt Data Centre Services (COLT DCS) CtrlS Iron Mountain LG Uplus Mantra Data Centers Pi Data Centers Princeton Digital Group (PDG) Regal Orion Sify Technologies Space DC Tenglong Holdings Group Yotta Infrastructure VADS New Entrants Data Center First Vantage Data Centers KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED 1. HOW BIG IS THE APAC DATA CENTER COLOCATION MARKET? 2. WHAT IS THE GROWTH RATE OF THE ASIA PACIFIC DATA CENTER COLOCATION MARKET? 3. WHO ARE THE KEY INVESTORS IN THE APAC DATA CENTER COLOCATION MARKET? 4. WHAT ARE THE GROWTH FACTORS OF THE APAC DATA CENTER COLOCATION MARKET? 5. WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS IN THE APAC DATA CENTER COLOCATION MARKET? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06313590/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 ReportLinker Pet Insurance Market Research Report by Product (Accident and Illness and Accident Only), Animal Type, End-user, Region (Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa) - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 New York, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Pet Insurance Market Research Report by Product, Animal Type, End-user, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301205/?utm_source=GNW The Global Pet Insurance Market size was estimated at USD 5,190.11 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 5,608.96 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 8.32% to reach USD 8,385.87 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Pet Insurance to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Product, the market was studied across Accident and Illness and Accident Only. Based on Animal Type, the market was studied across Cats and Dogs. Based on End-user, the market was studied across Agency, Bancassurance, Broker, and Direct Writing. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Pet Insurance market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Pet Insurance Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Pet Insurance Market, including ALLIANZ INSURANCE PLC, Anicom Holding, Inc, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, Direct Line Group, Economical Mutual Insurance Co, Embrace Pet Insurance By NSM Insurance Group, LLC, Figo Pet Insurance LLC, Floracopeia Inc, Hartville Group, Health for Pet, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, ipet Insurance Co Ltd, Japan Animal Club, Lansforsakringar, Medibank Private Limited, MetLife, Inc, Nationwide Building Society, Oriental Insurance Company Ltd, Petsure (Australia) Pty Ltd, Royal & Sun Alliance, Royal Bank of Scotland, Trupanion, and Warburg Pincus LLC. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Pet Insurance Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Pet Insurance Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Pet Insurance Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Pet Insurance Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Pet Insurance Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Pet Insurance Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Pet Insurance Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301205/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Story continues CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001 Manufacturing and technology experts gather at annual event, showcasing new innovations in automation, immersive learning opportunities, and much more! MILWAUKEE, August 11, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the worlds largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for Automation Fair 2022, hosted by Rockwell and members of its global PartnerNetwork program. The annual event will be held at McCormick Place West in Chicago, Illinois, Nov. 14-17, and expects to bring over 10,000 manufacturing and technology leaders from around the globe to experience the newest solutions, hear innovative case studies, participate in technical training, and collaborate at networking events. Automation Fair will showcase the power and value of connecting an enterprise end-to-end to deliver data-fueled insights through immersive exhibits featuring the newest solutions for industrial production. The event also offers hundreds of learning and training opportunities, from interactive technical discussions and hands-on labs to industry forums addressing todays challenges. "Were extremely excited to be gathering in Chicago to celebrate more than 30 years of Automation Fair," said Tina Dear, Rockwells vice president of global marketing. "Not only are we celebrating the community Automation Fair brings together, but also the results we achieve for and with our partners and customers. Were putting together amazing content and an immersive 200,000-square-foot show floor that spans all industries and showcases the ability for any operation to achieve even greater results. We look forward to making this the best Automation Fair possible!" Process Solutions User Group/PSUG | Nov. 14 & 15 (Paid) On Nov. 14 and 15, process automation customers will discuss and learn about best practices, innovative approaches, and new technologies at PSUG. The event will feature executive keynotes, insightful technical and customer-led sessions, and hands-on labs addressing todays most relevant topics, including control strategies, optimization, and process safety. PSUG is a paid event, with early bird pricing of $399 available now through Oct. 15, and $599 thereafter. Story continues Perspectives | Nov. 15 (Invite Only) Global media, industry analysts and customers will be invited to attend Perspectives at Automation Fair on Nov. 15. Rockwell executives and industry leaders will showcase how organizations are celebrating results achieved for customers and discuss strategies to address opportunities and challenges in areas such as cybersecurity and workforce shortages. They will share critical issues impacting the industry as well as thought leadership and executive keynotes. Automation Fair | Nov. 16 & 17 Automation Fair will take place Nov. 16-17 and feature over 200,000 square feet of interactive exhibits from over 100 leading companies, and more than 150 educational opportunities. The forums, showcasing best practices and peer exchanges from leading companies, will cover a variety of topics including sustainability and solutions for machine builders, along with industry-specific challenges and outcomes. Highlighted industries include: Discrete - auto, warehouse and logistics Hybrid - consumer packaged goods, food & beverage, life sciences and tire Process - mining, metals, chemical, oil & gas, pulp & paper and water/wastewater Hands-on labs will deliver interactive hardware and software training, while product and technology sessions will provide interactive discussions focused on cutting-edge use cases and demonstrations. Sessions are organized by 20 key areas of focus and by job role to assist customers with building their learning agendas. Registration for Automation Fair and PSUG is now open. About the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Program The Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program offers global manufacturers access to a collaborative network of companies mutually focused on developing, implementing, and supporting best-in-class solutions to achieve plant-wide optimization, improve machine performance, and meet sustainability objectives. About Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 25,000 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com. Automation Fair and PartnerNetwork are trademarks of Rockwell Automation, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005091/en/ Contacts Chaya Jacobs Global Public Relations Rockwell Automation 414-305-2784 cjacobs@rockwellautomation.com (Bloomberg) -- Sanofi, GSK Plc and Haleon Plc have lost a combined $40 billion in market value since Tuesdays close amid mounting concerns about litigation around the recalled heartburn drug Zantac. Most Read from Bloomberg Sanofi fell as much as 13% on Thursday in trading volumes nearly 10 times the average, taking its two-day decline to 20%, the steepest drop ever over that timeframe. GSK slid as much as 12% in London, while its recent spinoff Haleon slumped 13%. GSK shares were at one point showing their worst one-day retreat since February 1998, before paring losses. Zantac was a once-popular antacid that has drawn a flurry of US personal-injury lawsuits alleging it causes cancer. Sanofi, GSK and Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH -- among many other generic drug makers -- are accused in the lawsuits of failing to properly warn users about health risks. While news of the litigation is not new, the publication of a series of analyst notes in recent days highlighting the potential exposure the companies face awoke investors to the risks. Indeed, the damages from Zantac litigation could possibly reach $10.5 billion to $45 billion, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley, based on similar litigation settlements in the past. There is considerable uncertainty at this stage surrounding the potential total financial impact of the Zantac litigation, they wrote in a note to clients. GSK declined to comment on stock moves and ongoing lawsuits around Zantac, while Haleon said its not a party of the litigation proceedings and that it has never marketed the drug in any form in the US, either as Haleon or as GSK Consumer Healthcare. Sanofi didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Story continues Pfizer Inc., which owns more than a quarter of Haleon, fell as much as 3.5% at the New York market open. Several Zantac-related lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer in various federal and state courts, according to a recent company filing. A Pfizer spokesperson said the company sold Zantac only for a limited period of time and that it hasnt sold it in more than 15 years. Zantac was withdrawn from the market in 2019 after the US Food and Drug Administration said it appears to produce unacceptably high levels of a cancer-causing chemical when exposed to heat for as little as five days. Highlighting an upcoming Illinois case on Aug. 22 and some key court trials in early 2023, Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis warned on Thursday that the issues are likely to act as a short-term headwind for both GSK and Sanofi shares. UBS Group AG analyst Laura Sutcliffe warned that some investors are avoiding Sanofi until there is further clarity. Downgrading her rating to neutral from buy, she said the litigation in early 2023 may become an overhang for the stock. Sanofi has previously downplayed the risks of the litigation, with executives saying on an earnings call last month that theres no reliable evidence that Zantac causes cancer and that plaintiffs wont be able to prove their claims. Haleon said it has certain indemnification obligations to GSK and Pfizer, which may include liabilities related to OTC Zantac, in a prospectus ahead of listing its shares in London last month. Thats while Credit Suisse analysts flagged Haleons involvement in Zantac litigation was limited. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body An Auburn University research team from the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Agriculture recently became the first to map a high-quality genome assembly of the blue catfish. The genome, which was published in the journal GigaScience, is essential for genetic improvement using gene-editing or genome-assisted selection and will aid in the genetic enhancement of better catfish breeds for the multimillion-dollar catfish farming industry. Catfish farming is the largest aquaculture industry in the U.S., accounting for approximately 70% of the nations total aquaculture output. Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas account for the great majority of total U.S. freshwater catfish production, with Alabama ranking second only behind Mississippi. The primary fish utilized for farming purposes is a hybrid produced by breeding male blue catfish with female channel catfish. The hybrid catfish is superior in growth and disease resistance, according to Xu Wang, assistant professor of comparative genomics in animal health in the College of Veterinary Medicines Department of Pathobiology and adjunct faculty investigator with the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, who is one of the leaders of the project. Faster growth means more profit. Originally, farmed fish were primarily channel catfish, but three major bacterial pathogens resulted in a 40% loss of production and annual economic damage of over $100 million in the U.S. industry alone. The hybrid mix of the blue and channel catfish has improved disease resistance and reduced mortality by half. Even so, Wang says there is a critical need for further genetic improvement using genomic methods. The channel catfish genome was mapped in 2016 by John Lius lab at Auburn [now at Syracuse University], but the blue catfish genome was not available until we published it, Wang added. Our high-quality blue catfish genome addresses the urgent needs to achieve the long-term goal of improving growth, feed utilization, stress and disease resistance and reproduction. Wang served as senior author of the GigaScience paper, assisted by Haolong Wang (no relation), a doctoral student in biomedical sciences supported by both an Auburn Presidential Graduate Research Fellowship and a College of Veterinary Medicine Deans Fellowship. The veterinary researchers collaborated closely with a team from the College of Agricultures School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences led by Professor Rex Dunham, an internationally recognized authority in the genetic enhancement and gene editing of catfish. This is a fantastic step forward, Dunham said of the mapping of the blue catfish genome. There have been many genetic enhancement projects related to gene transfer and gene editing that were not possible for blue catfish without it. As a result, we could not do parallel work with what we are doing with channel catfish. Since a hybrid between channel and blue is the best genetic type for the catfish industry, that also put limitations on what we could do with these tools to improve the hybrid. That roadblock is now gone. Having the blue catfish genome available opens a huge treasure chest of markers we can use for other approaches, such as marker assisted selection, and also gives us many more tools to distinguish and track different genetic types of blue catfish. Thanks to this research, we are much less limited than before. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body An Auburn University research team in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment has been awarded a grant of $450,000 to develop a holistic platform that integrates multiscale observations, machine learning and systems modeling for coastal monitoring, assessment and prediction, or Coast-MAP, of ecosystem health, water resources and social resilience. Led by Shufen Susan Pan, lead principal investigator, the team will consider multiple stressors including climate change, floods and droughts, hurricanes, land use, urbanization, nutrient uses, sewage and nutrient loads. The Gulf of Mexico has been experiencing increased impacts of persistent climate stressors, including frequent floods, intense hurricanes, increasing sea level rise and is likely to undergo further rapid climate change in the coming years. To address the combined effects of multiple stresses and to improve predictability, there is a critical need for methodological advancements that integrate multiple layers of geographic information and pursue a science-based approach to monitoring, understanding, predicting and responding to changes in coupled social-ecological systems along the Gulf of Mexico, said Pan. As director of the colleges GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Pan has used emerging technologies in geospatial modeling, computer simulation, satellite observation and AI/machine learning to monitor, assess and predict, or MAP, multiscale dynamics of coupled social-ecological systems in the context of climate and global environmental change. To achieve their goal, the team, comprised of Pan and co-principal investigators Christopher Anderson, Hanqin Tian and the University of Alabamas Wanyun Shao, has proposed four objectives. First, we will evaluate the contemporary states of ecosystem health, water resource and social resilience through ground and satellite observations, machine learning and geospatial mapping observing, said Pan. We then will assess and attribute impacts over the past 30 years of multiple stresses on ecosystem health and water resource. The team will predict potential impacts of climate and land use changes on ecosystem health and water resources in the next 30 years, as well as work to improve the understanding of the effectiveness of specific resilience-based assessments and decision-making tools with stakeholders. The methods and metrics will be used to measure coastal resilience that are context specific, validated with observed data and ground-truthed via stakeholder participation, said Pan. In addition to numerous other methods, the team hopes to achieve their goals by holding stakeholder workshops to learn about stakeholders risk perceptions of future climate conditions; assess multiple stresses impacts on the ecosystem and water resources in the Alabama gulf; and collect remote sensing observations from multiple sources to monitor the functions of different terrestrial ecosystems in Alabamas gulf. The work Pan and her team of researchers are conducting will help us to predict and respond to changes in coupled social-ecological systems along the Gulf of Mexico, said Janaki Alavalapati, dean of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. This science-based approach will help predict potential impacts of climate and land use changes on ecosystem health and water resources. The 100,000 bpd production target increase that OPEC+ set for September may end up effectively being a production cut, the IEA said on Thursday, with a possible dip in Russian production. OPEC+ is unlikely, the IEA said, to increase production in the coming months because they are short on spare capacity. Comparatively low levels of operational spare production capacity, held mainly by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, may thus all but rule out substantial further OPEC+ output increases in the coming months, the IEAs new Oil Market Report-August 2022 reads. This will place the burden of meeting the anticipated 2.1 million bpd 2023 demand growth squarely on the shoulders of those producers that lie outside OPEC+, the IEA said. The IEA noted, however, that while they were still expecting a decline in Russian crude oil production, it had revised its outlook for world oil supply upwards, with Russias supply declines now seen as more limited than it previously forecast. According to new IEA data, OPEC-10s spare capacity is 2.73 million bpd, with the total OPEC spare capacity at 3.38 million bpd. The IEA estimates the total OPEC+ effective spare capacity at 3.74 million bpd. OPEC+, however, is not eager to tap into this effective spare capacity, which would diminish the groups power to respond to market emergencies with increased production. After OPEC+s last meeting in early August, OPEC+ referred to its severely limited spare capacity, which should be used with great caution in response to severe supply disruptions, reinforcing the IEAs predictions that additional OPEC+ output increases are unlikely in the coming months. Global crude oil inventories are now expected to grow 900,000 bpd for the rest of the year, and 500,000 bpd over 2023 H1, Augusts Oil Market Report said. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Gasoline prices will fall slower than they rise, however, because if they pass a sudden discount on to customers then they may end up in the red when the next delivery comes. Most gas stations profit primarily from the products they sell inside their stores, as margins on gasoline range from 1%-2%, and actually make more money when prices are low. Companies have been accused of price gouging at the pump this year due to high gasoline prices, a claim that is entirely unsubstantiated. About a month ago, American consumers were confronted with the highest retail gas prices in history when gas prices soared past $5 per gallon for the first time ever. Not surprisingly, Americans were treated to another round of political bluster and ivory tower jousting, with Republican lawmakers blaming President Biden and his energy policies while Democrats rolled out new bills, investigations, and even sent letters to the heads of oil companies accusing them of price gouging. Profit margins well above normal being passed directly onto American families are not acceptable," President Joe Biden declared as he called on congress to suspend gas tax for at least three months. However, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers hit back against those calls, calling the idea of price gouging at the pump dangerous nonsense and warning that anti-gouging legislation could lead to shortages. "The 'price gouging at the pump' stuff ... is to economic science what President Trumps remarks about disinfectant in your veins were to medical science, he said. Whereas gas prices have dropped by more than a dollar per gallon from their July peak, roughly half of states are still paying gas prices above $4.00. No doubt some consumers [and politicians] eager for relief at the pump will continue suggesting that slashing those fat mark-ups is the answer to lower gas prices. However, the reality of the American fuel retailing business is very different from what some politicians have been portraying. Source: Y-Charts Fuel Retailing In America The United States is home to roughly 9,000 independent oil producers, each of which, including the majors, sells crude oil into a global market at the prevailing price. The country is also dotted with 145,000 gas stations that independently set pump prices based on wholesale costs of gasoline plus a host of other local competitive factors. Only 0.4% of all gas stations are owned by oil producers, with the vast majority being small independent businesses operating under a licensing agreement, hence the famous BP (NYSE: BP), Shell (NYSE: SHEL) or ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) and Chevron (NYSE: CVX) signage. The cost of crude oil makes up roughly 55% of the price consumers pay at the pump, while the remainder is made up of an assortment of costs, including taxes, refining costs, distribution costs, and only then, profits for the retailer. But heres the kicker: gas station profit margins are typically very low, in the range of 1-2%. Compare that to nearly 40% profit margin by gas pipeline transportation companies and over 40% for private equities and hedge funds. Basically nobodys vertically integrated anymore. The big oil companies got out of retail a long time ago. Theres hardly any profit so why stay in the industry? Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy has told Courthouse News Service. A recent check by Upside on 30,000 gas stations in the U.S. found that on average, gas retailers net profit per gallon is around $0.03-$0.07- after factoring in costs like labor, utilities, insurance, and credit card transaction fees. This works out to a net profit margin of less than 2%. Gas stations profit primarily from the products they sell inside - the convenience store assortment. Over the long term, retail fuel prices constantly fluctuate with changes in crude prices. Gas prices move in tandem with oil prices, but not as much in either direction. Indeed, over the past 10 years, a 10% rise in crude prices has only produced about a 5% hike in gas prices. But one thing you have always suspected is actually true: pump prices do rise fast in response to a spike in crude oil prices, but not in the reverse. There is a logical reason for this, as well: Gas station owners set their prices on future deliveries. If they pass a sudden discount on to customers then they may end up in the red when the next delivery comes and prices have spiked. There were days when the wholesale price of diesel went up by 75 cents a gallon. When wholesale prices are climbing, youre losing money because you cant raise your prices until other station owners do. Then you try to recoup your lost margin. And youre reluctant to immediately pass along decreases because the wholesale price could spike the next day, De Haan has told Courthouse News Service. It might seem counterintuitive but high crude prices actually hurt gas retailers margins, especially when they rise too fast. Most gas stations are actually far more profitable when prices are low because people buy less gas when prices go up. Another allegation that has been leveled against oil producers is that they are taking advantage of the situation by limiting their production in a bid to keep prices high. Indeed, Exxon, Chevron, BP, and Shell spent more than $44 billion on stock buybacks and dividends in 2021 instead of spending on drilling. In fact, theyve committed another potential $30 billion or more in additional buybacks this year. It is extremely frustrating to see that there's not a full-on return to production at the moment of crisis, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has lamented. Why arent they drilling? Because they make more money not producing more oil--the price goes up," Biden mused at a press conference last week. However, the biggest reason why Big Oil is reluctant to drill more is simply because their shareholders dont want them to and also due to ESG concerns. Moreover, economists at the Dallas Fed have projected that U.S. production increases would only add a few hundred thousand barrels per day above current forecasts even under the most optimistic view. Thats hardly enough to bridge the deficit that will be created by the looming reduction in Russian oil exports due to war-related sanctions that could easily reach 3 million barrels per day. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Recent acquisitions are designed to increase value for the shareholder, with companies buying mature wells to refrac rather than more expensive options. Now, interest in acquisitions appears to be growing for both private equity firms and shale drillers as they look to take advantage of high prices. The value of mergers and acquisitions in U.S. shale fell by 65% in the second quarter of 2022 compared to a year earlier. U.S. shale oil producers have been in Washingtons sights for several months now, refusing to produce as much oil as legislators and the White House want them to. They have also been attacked for reaping fatter profits from higher oil prices. And now they may be starting to consolidate again. Last month, Energy analytics provider Enverus reported that the value of mergers and acquisitions in the U.S. shale industry fell to $12 billion in the year's second quarter. This was a solid 65-percent drop from 2021. Enverus Intelligence Research Director Andrew Dittmar attributed this to disagreements between buyers and sellers about the value of assets in the environment of heightened uncertainty around oil prices. He noted, however, that private equity firms are still well placed for acquisition deals in the shale space, especially for so-called non-core assets that fetch better prices. Private equity still has dry powder for deals. They are using this to target assets being tagged as non-core by public companies. Once you step out of the core of the Permian Basin and a few other key areas, competition for deals drops, and these positions are often available at buyer-friendly price points, Dittmar said in July. Yet its not just private equity firms. Shale drillers are also doing business in acquisitions, and these may pick up, according to energy analyst and consultant David Blackmon. In a recent article for Forbes, Blackmon noted the acquisition by Devon Energy of Validus Energy, an Eagle Ford-focused shale company, for $1.8 billion. The deal, which closed this month, will add 42,000 net acres to Devons own acreage in the Eagle Ford and follows Devons acquisition of acreage from RimRock Oil&Gas in the Williston Basin across Montana and the Dakotas. The seller was a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus. Companies want to capture as much value as possible while commodity prices are high and adding barrels that are already online is the surest way to do that, Enveruss Dittmar told David Blackmon. It also matches investor preferences for immediate capital returns as it is easy to show line-of-sight from a deal like this with its strong cash flow accretion and a boost to dividends and buybacks. Dittmar referred to the fact, noted by Blackmon as well, that the assets Devon recently acquired are not exactly untapped reservoirs. These are mature assets that, under other circumstances, would not have been the first choice of buyers flush with cash from higher prices for their product. Yet right now, the shale industry appears to be exclusively focused on value rather than production growth and is acting accordingly. Blackmon sums it up as follows: As has been the case in every previous oil boom anywhere in the world over the past 170 years, the formula for success in U.S. shale is constantly evolving. Many industry critics scoffed at the idea of refracs in the Eagle Ford just a decade ago, claiming they would be uneconomic and maybe even technically unfeasible for the formation. Today, the technique is becoming positively trendy, cash flow accretive and additive to shareholder value. Indeed, re-fracs are on the rise in the shale patch. The reason: higher production and material costs, which make drilling an all new well more expensive than many drillers seem to be ready to pay. So they are turning to secondary fracking in already drilled wells to keep their costs low but expand production. It will certainly be a while until M&A activity in the shale patch expands the way it expanded in previous cycles. The pandemic made this latest cycle unique in more than one way, and this cycle made the industry more cautious than it has ever been. But as Forbes Blackmon noted, its a constant evolution. In their bid to drive more value for shareholders, which appears to be the number one priority for many public shale oil companies, they might just turn to more acquisitions yet. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The majors acknowledged in their earnings calls that there was an impact on gas marketing and trading divisions, without providing any numbers. Despite sky-high LNG prices, the world's largest liquefied natural gas traders have seen hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in losses in recent months as production outages diminished the supply of cargoes under offtake deals, forcing traders to source more expensive spot LNG to fulfill orders. The top LNG traders, some of which are also the biggest international energy majors, realized lower earnings in their gas trading divisions in the second quarter compared to an "exceptionally strong" first quarter, majors such as Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies said in their earnings releases. The supermajors, however, did not quantify the impact of reduced LNG supplies, mostly stemming from the Freeport LNG outage in the United States in early June, but also due to an industrial action at Shell's Prelude floating LNG platform offshore Australia and lower supply from Nigeria's NLNG due to security reasons. The majors acknowledged in their earnings calls that there was an impact on gas marketing and trading divisions, without providing any numbers. Industry sources told Reuters that the hit from the Freeport LNG outage to BP exceeded $500 million. Freeport LNG accounts for 20 percent of the United States' total LNG export capacity, capable of processing 2.1 billion cu ft of gas per day. According to Freeport LNG, it is the seventh-largest liquefaction facility in the world, and the second-largest in the United States. Freeport LNG said earlier this month it would restart in October three liquefaction trains, two LNG storage tanks, and one loading dock, which will make it possible to start exporting again at a rate of 2 billion cu ft daily. This, the company said, would serve to fulfill its obligations to clients with long-term contracts. BP declined to quantify the impact of the Freeport LNG outage during the earnings call in early August, with CEO Bernard Looney saying, "Just on Freeport, we are not providing a number. But what we are saying is that management's best estimate of the full impact of the Freeport outage is in today's accounts. So full impact, our best judgement is in today's accounts." Related: Ford Hikes EV Truck Prices As Material Costs Soar Compared to the first quarter, in gas and low carbon energy, the result benefited from higher realizations, offset by an average gas marketing and trading result following the exceptional performance in the first quarter, BP's executives said. "The result includes our best estimate of the impact of the recent outage at Freeport LNG leading to a significant reduction in the number of cargoes expected to be received," they added. Shell, for its part, said that its record adjusted profit for Q2 "compared to Q1 2022, reflects higher realised prices and refining margins, stronger gas & power trading and optimisation results, partly offset by lower LNG trading and optimization." Shell said its LNG sales volumes dropped from 18.29 million tons in the first quarter to 15.21 million tons in the second quarter, and warned that the industrial action at Australia's Prelude makes the Q3 outlook more uncertain. TotalEnergies, while saying its average LNG selling price was $13.96/Mbtu in the second quarter, more than double the same period in 2021, admitted that its LNG operations would be affected by the Freeport LNG outage in the third quarter. Replacing cargoes from Freeport with others sourced on the spot market will come at a cost, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on the Q2 earnings call. TotalEnergies received 2 cargoes in the second quarter, and "planned accordingly 8 missing cargoes for the next quarter." "So of course, we will have to replace these cargoes on the spot market, so it has a cost. But I will tell you it's already taken into account somewhere in our results partially. We will not use that excuse to tell you that the results in Q3 are lower than in Q2," Pouyanne added. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinas state-run China Petrochemical Group, Sinopec, says it has discovered a massive oilfield in the Tarim Basin, containing 1.7 billion tons of oil reserves. The discovery is the result of exploration in the Shunbei oil and gas field, said to be one of the deepest commercial fields in the world, in the countrys Xinjiang region. According to the Global Times, Sinopecs exploration program at Shunbei includes 117 wells, one of which strikes 9,300 meters in depth. Citing the director of China's Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, the Global Times said the newest discovery could supply the countrys oil demand for two years. Shunbei is estimated to have the capacity to produce 244 tonnes of crude oil and 970,000 cubic meters of natural gas per day, according to Sinopec. The Chinese are targeting the Tarim Basin as having the potential overall to meet domestic oil and gas demand for a decade. Luo Zuoxian, head of intelligence and research at the Sinopec Economics and Development Research Institute, told the China Daily that while the Tarim Basin is one of the most difficult to explore due to its harsh ground environment and complicated underground conditions it has sufficient energy resources that will guarantee a continuous supply for the countrys future development. said the discovery will substantially help boost domestic oil and gas output in the country. The discovery announcement comes on the heels of another major exploration victory for China last month, when state-run oil giant CNOOC made the countrys first-ever offshore shale find in the Beibu Gulf in the South China Sea. The wildcat well, the first drilled offshore China, is said to be a commercial discovery in a gulf that the Chinese believe holds nearly 9 billion barrels of shale oil in place, though the technological complexity of extraction could pose challenges. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The European Union embargo on imports of coal from Russia went into effect on August 11, with no exemptions from now on. The EU agreed months ago, in April, to impose a ban on imports of coal and other solid fossil fuels from Russia as of August 2022 as part of the fifth round of EU sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The package includes a prohibition to purchase, import or transfer coal and other solid fossil fuels into the EU if they originate in Russia or are exported from Russia, as from August 2022. The 10th of August is the end of the wind-down period for the import of Russian coal and no further exemption will apply, a spokesperson for the European Commission told Reuters on Wednesday. The EU was a large importer of Russian coal before the war in Ukraine and now will have to source more coal from alternative suppliers, which is set to drive global coal prices higher and upend seaborne coal shipments. In 2021, the European Union imported 46% of coal imports from Russia, according to the European Commission. Energyincluding coal, oil, and natural gasrepresented 62% of all EU imports from Russia, and cost $102 billion (99 billion euro) last year. The full EU ban on Russian coal is set to keep global coal prices elevated for years, according to a Fitch Solutions analysis carried by Bloomberg earlier this week. Fitch hiked its forecast for the Asian thermal coal benchmark for coal loaded at Australias Newcastle terminal for this year and for the next four years. Fitch now sees Asian thermal coal prices averaging $320 per ton in 2022, up from $230 a ton previously expected. For the period 2022 through 2026, the forecast was raised to an average of $246, up from $159 per ton previously expected. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A former British Prime Minister has called for the nationalization of energy utilities that cannot offer their customers lower electricity prices. In an op-ed for The Guardian, Gordon Brown wrote that the energy cap on electricity bills needs to be removed before it is updated later this month, and energy firms windfall profits and bonuses have to be properly taxed now before the money flees the country. The government should pause any further increase in the cap; assess the actual costs of the energy supplies being sold to consumers by the major companies; and, after reviewing the profit margins, and examining how to make standing charges and social tariffs more progressive, negotiate separate company agreements to keep prices down, Brown argued. If any energy companies failed to comply with these requirements, he continued, they had to be nationalized, as a last resort, until the crisis is over. A growing number of Britons are facing energy poverty as the price of electricity continues climbing. CNN reported earlier this week that annual bills could before long hit the equivalent of $5,000, or over $400 per month. This would be a threefold increase in prices from the start of this year, which would push a third of the UKs population into energy poverty. Thats about 10.5 million households. Meanwhile, British energy companies are being pressured into using their windfall profits from higher electricity prices to invest in more low-carbon energy, the Financial Times reported. Indeed, Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi threatened to level more windfall taxes on the energy sector if companies do not pour more money into wind and solar instead of using it to return cash to investors. The government continues to evaluate the extraordinary profits seen in certain parts of the electricity generation sector and the appropriate and proportionate steps to take, a government spokesman said earlier this week. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Major UK energy providers met with the government on Thursday to discuss ways to alleviate the cost pressures on households who are seeing soaring energy and gas bills, and those bills are expected to surge even further when winter comes. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng met with companies, including British Gas owner Centrica, EDF, and Scottish Power, which are some of the top energy providers in the UK. The firms agreed to cooperate with the government to ease the burden on households, Zahawi said. The government continues to evaluate the extraordinary profits seen in certain parts of the electricity generation sector and the appropriate and proportionate steps to take, the cabinet said in a statement, as carried by Reuters. The UK government will keep urging the electricity sector to continue working on ways we can ease the cost of living pressures and to invest further and faster in British energy security, PM Johnson said, as quoted by AP. Energy bills in the UK are set to surge more than expected this winter, with many households struggling to be able to pay them after Russia further slashed gas deliveries to Europe, sending gas and energy prices for the winter and for next year soaring, UK-based consultancy BFY Group said at the end of last month. "With typical usage patterns, this means that bills for January alone will now be in excess of 500 [$602]. Further support will be required for the majority of households for them to not be classed as in fuel poverty," said Gemma Berwick, Senior Consultant at BFY Group. "Huge swathes of the British public aren't going to be able to afford their bills this winter. Average families with two working parents will be in fuel poverty," Berwick said, as carried by The Telegraph. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday rebuked Rwandan authorities over democracy and human rights concerns, saying the central African country may not reach its full potential without opening up political space and protecting freedoms. We recognize Rwandas incredibly difficult history of the 1994 genocide and we know the ongoing legacy of that genocide but the criminalization of some people ... in politics, harassment of those who express opposition views to the current government, we believe (that) undermines total peace and stability and success which has been extraordinary in the case of Rwanda," said Blinken at a press briefing. He was speaking in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, the last stop on his three-nation tour of Africa. Earlier Blinken toured a memorial for victims of Rwanda's 1994 genocide, saying he was moved by this memorial and inspired by the resilience of the survivors and the remarkable progress of this country." Blinken laid a wreath at the mass graves honoring the more than 800,000 victims of the genocide perpetrated by Hutu extremists against the Tutsi ethnic group and moderate Hutus. My family experienced the horrors of holocaust and I appreciate the importance of memorializing such tragic events," Blinken wrote in a guest book at the memorial. "The United States strongly supports Rwandas continued efforts towards renewal and national reconciliation. One of Blinken's aims in Rwanda is to engage officials regarding the case of Paul Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident whose conviction on terror charges and incarceration has drawn attention to what some say is the Rwandan government's harsh treatment of its critics at home and abroad. Rusesabagina is the hero of the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda, which dramatized his efforts as a hotel manager to shelter hundreds of Tutsis during the genocide. The U.S. asserts that Rusesabagina, a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, is wrongfully jailed in Rwanda. We have been clear about our position with the trial of Paul Rusesabagina. We still have conviction that the trial wasnt fair," Blinken said. "I discussed this with President Paul Kagame but I wont go into specifics of our discussion, but will continue to engage and also follow up with the family." Many activists believe only diplomatic intervention from Washington can possibly help Rusesabagina, 68, who has suffered poor health in recent years, according to his family. He was sentenced to 25 years last September. His conviction came more than a year after he disappeared during a visit to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and appeared days later in Rwanda in handcuffs, accused of supporting the armed wing of his opposition group. Blinken, who visited South Africa and also went to Congo earlier in the week, comes to Rwanda at a particularly difficult time for Africas Great Lakes region, with the small central African nation at odds with vast neighbor Congo over allegations that both governments support rebels opposed to each other. Blinken said he told Kagame that the recent U.N. report accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels is credible. Rwandan authorities deny those charges and have rejected the report by U.N. experts as a move to distract from real issues. Rwandan authorities in turn accuse Congo of giving refuge to ethnic Hutu fighters who played roles in Rwandas 1994 genocide that killed ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus. There have long been tensions between the countries. In the late 1990s, Rwanda twice sent its forces deep into Congo, joining forces with rebel leader Laurent Kabila to depose the countrys longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. After his meetings with the leaders of Rwanda and Congo this week, Blinken said he believes both are committed to peace talks and he said the U.S. will support African-led efforts to end the fighting. My message to both presidents of Congo and Rwanda this week has been the same. Any support of any armed group in eastern (Congo) endangers local communities and regional stability and every country in the region must respect the territorial integrity of the others," he said. A meeting between Kagame and Tshisekedi in Angola on July 6 produced a statement calling for a return to normal diplomatic relations, a cessation of hostilities and the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the M23 from its positions in eastern Congo. But M23, which comprises mostly ethnic Tutsis from Congo, continues to hold its positions near the border with Uganda, keeping the spotlight on Rwanda. The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a letter to Blinken last month called for a comprehensive review of U.S. policy toward Rwanda and noted his concern that Washingtons support for Rwanda, widely described by human rights groups as authoritarian and repressive, is not in line with U.S. values. It's too soon to tell whether abortion will be a deciding factor in Nebraska's general election. But the lack of action this summer is pushing some candidates to be more specific about their views. FARMER CITY The Eastern Illinois Foodbank will distribute food to area families facing food insecurity from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Trinity Community Fellowship, 1300 W. Clinton Ave., Farmer City. The food giveaway is open to residents of DeWitt, Piatt and McLean counties. Attendees are asked to bring boxes or bags to transport food. The distribution is part of the food bank's Foodmobile program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or underserved areas. Those who plan to attend should pre-register at EIFclient.com; however, this does not guarantee a spot in line. Income guidelines will apply. Visit eifoodbank.org for more information. BLOOMINGTON Pediatrician Andrea Kane gets a list of medical students she will be working with every year, but this summer was the first time it included the name of a former patient. Annabelle Shaffer grew up in Bloomington-Normal and started seeing Kane when she was 8, Shaffer said. Now she is a student at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the medical school at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I remember her being probably the first female doctor I ever met, Shaffer said of Kane. In that way, Kane was a role model who helped encourage Shaffer's interest in the medical field. Kane, who has been with Normal's Carle BroMenn Medical Center since 2008, went to medical school at Rush Medical College and did her residency Northwestern. She has been working with the UIUC medical school for more than five years. I love seeing the students, especially ones that I know outside of here, she said. Shaffer, 23, is doing her clinical clerkships right now as part of her second year of med school. The family practice clerkship involves five weeks of pediatrics, five weeks of internal medicine and 10 weeks of family medicine. Her time with Kane wrapped up earlier this month. This is one of our first clinical experiences, Shaffer said. Shaffer has her bachelors and masters degrees from UIUC as well. In Bloomington-Normal, she went to Grove Elementary School, Chiddix Junior High School and Illinois State University lab schools before switching to home-schooling. Home-schooling led to an opportunity to participate in a neuroscience research project at Illinois State University, which The Pantagraph covered in 2015. Shaffer has two years of medical school left, and then up to seven years of a residency. She might go on to a fellowship after that as well, she said. During clinical clerkships, students have opportunities to interview patients and perform some exams as appropriate, Kane said. Pediatric patients parents are asked for permission before med students take part in their care. We want (the student) to get a full experience when theyre here for their education, Kane said. Both Kane and Shaffer said these past few weeks have been busy with the lead-up to the new school year, as students come in for physicals and to get any vaccinations needed before school starts. Its been pretty quick lately with all the physicals, Shaffer said. Pediatrics takes a different approach than adult medicine, she said. Kids have more respiratory problems than adults, which surprised her. Theres a lot of little things you dont think about with kids, she said. Those differences were part of what attracted Kane to the specialty, she said. Kids generally bounce back from illness and injuries, and when they do get sick, it's typically from an outside source, and not due to their own lifestyles, Kane explained. Shaffer does not plan to specialize in pediatrics, opting for neurosurgery instead. I was always fascinated by it as a kid () to this day we dont know where that fascination came from, she said. EAST ST. LOUIS East St. Louis will partner Lowe's to distribute flooding relief kits for residents trying to recover from historic flooding that hit the region last month. The announcement was made during a press conference at city hall on Wednesday afternoon. The kits will include cleaning supplies, flashlights, air conditioning units and more. Supplies can be picked up at city hall, 301 Riverpark Drive, starting Aug. 12 at 10:30 a.m. Lowe's will also donate additional products beyond Friday's event. "Nothing is more important right now than to have community output and understand what the community needs and being able to respond with community," Mayor Robert Eastern III said. Wednesday's briefing was the city's second press conference since heavy rainfall last month caused severe flash flooding. In July, up to 12 inches of rain hit the St. Louis metropolitan area, including the metro-east. Families living along Terrace Drive and Mary Avenue in East St. Louis were the most impacted by flooding in the city. Residents in the neighborhood demanded assistance as water hadn't receded for nearly four days. Mayor Eastern announced a state of emergency for the city on Tuesday, July 26, when flooding began. With the help of American Red Cross, the city opened a temporary shelter for displaced residents at Mason-Clark Middle School later that week. Eastern said on Wednesday that the shelter has been deactivated as water in the area has receded. He said residents who were still at the shelter were placed in temporary housing. On Aug. 1, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a disaster declaration for St. Clair County and Washington County, which allowed East St. Louis residents to gain information for recovering from the flood through the multi-agency resource center (MARC). The center was housed at East St. Louis Senior High School last weekend and served nearly 500 families in the area. Beth Elders, executive director of American Red Cross Greater St. Louis, said residents still in need of emergency shelter and assistance can visit the agency's shelter at St. Vincent Community Center, at 7335 St Charles Rock Road in St. Louis. Red Cross will operate the final day of a multi-agency resource center at Friendly Temple, 5515 Dr Martin Luther King Dr in St. Louis, on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Elders said services at those locations are available for both Illinois and Missouri residents. 'Everything is just lost' The state is also offering a virtual multi-agency resource center for residents. "The city has been hard at work in response to the needs of our community and we've been diligent at our task," Eastern said. Sharon Franklin, who resides on Terrace Drive, is currently staying in Baymont by Wyndham Hotel in O'Fallon, which was provided through assistance she received at the multi-agency resource center last weekend. But she's trying to find a permanent place to stay because of the her home's flooding damages. "It has mold, water damage, and I didn't know that a tree fell in the backyard and took out the whole porch and back end of my home," Franklin said. "Then, the mold you smell it when you walk in. Everything is just lost." Denise Smith, another Terrace Drive resident, said her job put her in a nearby hotel. She said she thinks she developed a cold from cleaning her mold-infested home. "Even being in that home trying to clear some stuff out that I'll be able to save, it's not possible because of all the mold," she said. Eastern said that with the help of community partnerships, like the one with Lowe's, residents should be able to safely clean their homes as they recover from flooding. Community Lifeline, located at 1764 State St. in East St. Louis, is accepting donations for toiletries, food and clothing. Donations can be dropped off at the nonprofit's family resource center at 1468 State St. during the week. On weekends, donations can be dropped off at New Life Community Church at 1919 State St. Students of East St. Louis School District 189 (the fall semester starts Aug. 15) who've been impacted by the flooding can contact the district's Wraparound Wellness Center at 618-646-3333. The city also shared a Google form for residents who've been affected by the flood. Residents in need of assistance are encouraged to call United Way of Greater St. Louis at 2-1-1, Urban League at 618-274-1150, and Community Lifeline at (618) 482-2950. All of the gadgets that are critical to our lifestyles depend on semiconductor chips. Laptops, cellphones, TVs, appliances, bank systems, security, the medical field and more -- all rely on miniscule chips. The Biden administration is determined to reactivate U.S. production in that market, and the recently signed bi-partisan CHIPS and Science Act will play a key role. (CHIPS stands for creating helpful incentives to produce semiconductors.) It took two years to reach an agreement on the bill. Among other things, the bill contains $52 billion to subsidize American semiconductor manufacturers. China is the largest producer of semiconductors, accounting for 24% of the worlds semiconductor production, followed by Taiwan at 21% and South Korea at 19%. The U.S. produces about 12% of the world's semiconductors. That percentage was 37% as recently as 1990. The U.S. military alone requires about 2 billion chips a year for weapons, communications and more. The idea of a significant percentage of those chips coming from China could be troubling, especially given the present relations between the countries. More manufacturing means more jobs, both in research and design of chips and in manufacturing them. Those jobs are probably a couple of years away at least, but the act will economically impact some Americans. It can be a career growth field as well. One of the issues with semiconductor creation and production is the number of workers who come from overseas to fill jobs in America. Hopes are this bill will help encourage more young adults to consider the field. A number of manufacturing facilities will be built, and with Rivian production in Central Illinois, the state is a prime landing spot. We have a lot of manufacturing, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. Were in the heart of what used to be called the rust belt, now the innovation belt, and our manufacturers use semiconductors in virtually everything that they do, and its been very hard to obtain those chips when they needed it. The Social Security and the National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has so far linked some 1.9 million SSNIT numbers with the National Identification Authority numbers (GhanaCard), saving the Scheme about GH60million that would have otherwise gone into the printing of new cards. This comprises 383,200 pensioners and lump-sum beneficiaries; 1,246,839 active members; as well as some 293,010 inactive members (members who have not contributed in the last 12 months). Between June 2021 and June 2022, SSNIT deployed its systems to allow members to merge their SSNIT and NIA numbers, as it issued a directive that the Ghana Card is the only identification that will be recognised by the Trust in July 2022. This complies with Regulation 7 (1) of the National Identity Register Regulations, 2012, L.I. 2111, which requires use of the Ghana Card as identification for transactions pertaining to individuals in respect of pensions and transactions that have social security implications. According to the Director General of SSNIT, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang, the printing of new biometric cards halted in 2018 in anticipation of the Ghana Card, as it costs SSNIT more than US$7 per card. Since then, SSNIT has signed on about 1.2 million people as well as those who had lost their cards and wanted them replaced. With the integration of SSNIT numbers with the Ghana Card, SSNIT intends to leverage the national platform for a more effective and efficient identification system for convenience, ease of doing business, eliminating the cost of printing cards, improved claims processing time, and expansion of coverage among others. Adoption of the Ghana Card by the Trust has tremendous benefits; including easy identification of members and nominees, convenience in the use of only one card to transact business with the Trust as well as other institutions, and elimination of the cost fot printing SSNIT biometric cards, he said. Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang was speaking at a regional sensitisation engagement organised in collaboration with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Kumasi, and disclosed the SSNIT pension scheme, as of July 2022, has an active membership of over 1.7 million. Meanwhile, the private sector forms 63 percent of the Active Members of SSNIT, being 1,130,069 with the public sector constituting 36 percent, being 649,072; while self-employed persons totalled 17,006 which translates to one percent. This is out of an estimated workforce of 11.5 million, according to the Ghana Statistical Service 2021 Population and Housing Census Report. According to the Director-General, SSNIT will this year roll out a comprehensive campaign to register self-employed persons and informal sector workers onto the Scheme. Among other things, he indicated that the pensions paid by SSNIT are only a reflection of the basic salaries workers have declared. Pensions are a direct reflection of the basic salaries on which contributions are paid; therefore the higher the salaries on which members contribute, the higher the pension, he said. The regional engagements The regional meetings are aimed at sensitising regional and district leaders of the congress about the scheme and the benefits it offers members to enable them plan effectively for retirement. The engagements, which have already been held in the Eastern, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions, also form part of the Trusts efforts to improve public knowledge about its operations. Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang said such engagements help to address concerns of members, clarify misconceptions about operations of the Trust, improve transparency and accountability, and enhance stakeholder buy-in. The Deputy Secretary-General of the TUC, Joshua Ansah, in his remarks at the programme entreated participants to take full advantage of the engagement to become better equipped to educate the workers they represent. He urged workers to think about retirement, adding that: We must all think about retirement the very moment we receive our appointment letters, because a day is coming when we can no longer work. Source: B&FT 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 Presidential aspirant of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Joe Ghartey, has said that the country should do all it can to continue to attract foreign investment. Hon. Ghartey who is the author of Ghanas leading legal text on foreign investment, Doing Business and Investing in Ghana, made this comment when he had successful meetings with business leaders interested in a wide range of business. He used the occasion to brief the business leaders on the legal framework for doing business and investing in Ghana. For those interested in the petrochemical sector, Joe Ghartey informed the potential investors of recent developments in the petrochemical industry in Ghana including the establishment of an institutional framework for the sector which is seeking to create a petrochemical hub. Other areas investors showed interest in was large scale mining, ICT, education and renewable energy. The investors asked about Ghanas economic situation, but after discussions it was agreed that the current situation would not last forever and should not influence medium to long term investments. Joe Ghartey returned to Ghana on the 8th of August after a week of successful business promotion in the United Kingdom. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The boom in digital payment platforms and digital banking systems have come with its own risks and cost to the financial industry. Latest figures from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) indicate that the global financial industry loses about US$67 billion to fraud-related activities annually. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also reports that about US$1.6 trillion is laundered globally through banks each year for criminal enterprises and terrorist activities. In Ghana, the situation is no different as the 2021 Banking and Specialised Deposit-Taking Institutions (SDIs) and Electronic Money Issuers (EMIs) fraud report issued by the Bank of Ghana indicated that the banking sector lost GH61 million through fraud and other banking malpractices in 2021. The need for banks to, therefore, strengthen their anti-fraud systems and anti-money laundering systems has become more necessary than ever. It is against this background that IT solutions company, CWG Ghana has committed to deepen its collaboration with financial crime risk management company, Clari5 to jointly help banks to combat enterprise fraud and money laundering. In a media interaction, the Chief Executive Officer of Clari5, Rivi Varghese, who is on a business visit to Ghana, said the two institutions were committed to help Ghanaian financial institutions maintain their trust with customers. Trust is essential He said Clari5 currently serves over 710 million accounts globally, operates in 24 countries and processes about 10 billion transactions each day. He said the company was, therefore, ready to bring this expertise and experience to help Ghanaian institutions. Trust is so essential and if we lose trust in our financial system, then our economy collapses. That is the reason why central banks and commercial banks invest heavily in making things trustworthy. There are normally about 10,000 attacks on every bank each day which requires that every bank strengthens its systems, he stated. The Managing Director of CWG Ghana Limited, Harriet Attram Yartey, said Clari5, which was one of its strategic partners, was in the country for a visit which seeks to strengthen the business relationship between the two institutions. She said the visit was also to ensure that some of the customers that have already started engagement with the company were moving forward in the right direction. Ms Yartey pointed out that the CWG had been in business for over three decades across the continent and would be 20 years in Ghana next year. Our business cuts across all markets, from telcos, banks, oil and gas companies, governments, manufacturing companies among others. Over the years, we have helped 100s of businesses across Africa and our goal is to ensure that we remain the benchmark for IT excellence in Africa, she stated. Providing business solution For his part, the Head of Project Management and Corporate Development at the CWG Ghana, Oluwaseun Layade, said the CWG was not just an IT company but a business solutions provider. We have moved away from just being an IT company. We look at business problems and we use IT to solve them to enable the businesses to scale up, especially in this day and age where everything has moved to the cloud. Businesses did not want to move to the Cloud but COVID-19 taught us a difficult lesson and people that did not want to move had to make that immediate transition and the CWG was able to assist a lot of organizations in making that transition, he stated. 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 The UN Eminent Peace Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Samuel Ben Owusu has stated that it will take four key factors, Homework, hard work, network and smart work to run a successful business in the country. He made the assertions at the Mantse Amugi Business Africa 2022 Conference which was held at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on the 9th to 10th of August 2022. The Conference and Exhibition dubbed, Realizing the AfCFTA Benefits and More was organised under the auspices of the Ga Traditional Council in Partnership with the Office of the Ga Mantse and JLA Group International. Touching on Homework, Amb. Samuel Owusu said the most valuable thing to spend time on before starting a company is the market and not the idea. I am of the strong belief that if you do your homework effectively, you will attract the right investors for your business. The most valuable thing to spend time on before starting a company is the market, not the idea, he said. He continued, "Do as much homework as possible. Deeply understanding the potential customers pains and desires allows a founder to iterate the product and vision to quickly find product/market fit. Really knowing the market allows a team to be flexible in their plans and to identify and analyse new opportunities as they arise. It also strengthens your confidence, your self-esteem and integrity in your industry. He also said, You must align yourself with a certain character and attitude to effectuate your homework studies, you must have the attitude of quick response, responding to inquiries and the market demands will keep you ahead if the market obedience to the fluctuation of the market and being obedient to your task. Hard work Amb. Samuel Owusu made it clear that for a business to progress, it is important that one puts in hard work. Hard work allows you to improve your skills and become more productive, which in turn transcend to your workers. When employees are productive, the business can grow and make more profit. Hard work also allows businesses to become more competitive in the market. Hard work is pivotal to the growth of a company, it will draw investors to you and your business because they will know you will work hard to grow their investment. it must be precipitated by certain attitude: Persistence and consistency, Determination, Focus and Unsatisfactory. Network Aside the above, Amb. Samuel Owusu said effective networking was very key to the success of a business. The more people you meet, the more people will get to know and remember both you and your business. You should use every professional and social opportunity to meet and connect with new people. Networking provides you with a great source of connections and opens the door to highly influential people that can be a boon for your business. Your network determines your net worth and value in business, he added. Smart work Meanwhile, Amb. Samuel Owusu speaking on Smartwork said, Smart working gives you the option to choose when and where you work, which increases productivity, reduces costs, and enhances brand reputation. Organizations often provide smart working opportunities to increase staff work-life balance and improve their quality of life. The principals of smart working is motivated by Platforms availability branding communications. I believe as you practice these key principles of repositioning, you will attract supports, investors and even customers to advance your business portfolio. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The World Health Organization declared the rapidly spreading monkeypox outbreak a global health emergency on July 24, 2022. Monkeypox typically causes mild symptoms including fever, aches and skin lesions. People tend to recover within two to four weeks, according to the WHO. First identified in monkeys, the virus is transmitted chiefly through close contact with an infected person. Until this year, the disease had rarely spread outside Africa, where it is endemic. But reports of a handful of cases in the United Kingdom in early May signalled that the outbreak had moved into Europe. It is now reported in at least 84 countries, according to data from Our World in Data. The United States has reported 9,461 confirmed monkeypox cases as of August 9, followed by Spain with 5,162 and United Kingdom with 3,022 cases. Across the world, 10 people have reportedly died from monkeypox. Note: Shows cumulative confirmed cases since May 6, 2022. Source: Our World in Data 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 Mr Governs Kwame Agbodza, the Member of Parliament for Adaklu, has urged the Government to decentralise the supply of food to Senior High Schools (SHSs) to ensure sustenance of the policy. He said the centralisation of the policy was making it difficult to feed students due to the irregular supply of food and putting a lot of pressure on school administrators. Mr Agbodza was speaking at a ceremony at Adaklu SHS at Adaklu Waya, where he donated food items worth GHC40,000 to the school from his personal resources. These include 50 bags of rice, 10 bags of sugar, 25 cartons each of mackerel, tomato paste, and frytol cooking oil. Mr Agbodza said when the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education visited some SHSs in the country the food they saw being served the students were not the best, a situation which he described as worrying. He noted that the Adaklu SHS also needed an upgrade in its facilities to enhance teaching and learning adding that the GETFund must assist. The MP also bemoaned the situation where the Adaklu SHS and Gbekor SHS at Adaklu Abuadi/Tsriefe were not being provided with buses as done for other schools. Some schools have two to four vehicles and yet are always considered when new busses are procured for SHSs while our pleas for busses for schools in Adaklu are always ignored, he said. Mr Agbodza said Ghana comprised both urban and rural settings, therefore, the distribution of the national cake should benefit all. The future of Adaklu did not hinge on gold, bauxite nor oil deposits but on the number of her children educated to the highest level, he said. He appealed to the students to be disciplined and shy away from drugs adding; Your attitude and the way you conduct yourselves and not only your academic credentials will make you achieve your goals. Mr Agbodza called on those pushing for the legalisation of wee farming for its economic benefits to the country to consider its negative effects on the youth, adding that the cultivation of wee could not be a panacea to Ghanas economic problems. He appealed to the final year students to avoid examination malpractices as that could be disastrous for their future and congratulated them and their teachers for braving the odds in these trying moments. Togbe Agbobada IV, a Board Member of the School, noted that the food situation was not peculiar to the school alone but a national challenge, which needed urgent attention. Education and feeding of our children in SHSs is better than Ghana card so let us set our priorities right, he said. Mr Seth Amewor, the Headmaster, commended the MP for his generosity and said the donation came at an opportune time and appealed to other well-meaning citizens to emulate the example of the MP. The current enrollment of the school is about 1000 with more than 800 in the boarding house. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) President of Tamale Technical University, Sayiby Afa Yaba has reportedly been arrested by police in the Northern Region over comments he shared on social media about the minister for the region. According to a report by Radio Tamale, the TESCON president was arrested on the night of Wednesday, July 10, 2022, after he made a Facebook comment to the effect that Alhaji Saani Alhassan; the regional minister, did not take his bath when he led a delegation to welcome President Akufo-Addo during his visit to the region. The arrest has been confirmed by the TTU Students Representative Council (SRC) President, Dauda Gafaru who spoke to Radio Tamale on the morning after the arrest. We were on campus when one police officer led a team to arrest our colleague. From the introduction, we thought it was a joke. Only for him to be handcuffed and sent to the police station, he told radio Tamales Fuseini Safianu. Dauda further alleged that the arrest of their colleague was in connection with his comment about the minister on Facebook. We were asked if it was appropriate to speak the way our colleague wrote about the minister, he stated. A photo of the Northern Regional Minister meeting the president on Monday, August 8, at the Tamale Airport went viral on social media. The minister who was wearing a shirt with khaki trousers and sandals was deemed by some social media commentators as inappropriately dressed for the occasion. Commenting on the viral picture shared on the Facebook page of Tamale Radio, Sayiby Afa Yaba wrote that, I want to believe our Northern Regional Minister didnt bath before he came out. 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 The Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare has removed the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy commissioner of police, (DCOP) Iddi Seidu. DCOP Iddi Seidu, has been moved to the National Patrols Department to deputize Commissioner of police, (COP) Paul Manly Awini. DCOP Dr Sayibu Gariba, the Upper East Regional Commander takes the position as the Accra Regional Commander. The Head of the Anti-Land Guard Unit at the Police headquarters, Superintendent Atullub Karimu, has also been moved to the Western Region to be in charge of operations. The Central Regional Commander, DCOP Antwi Tabi, the Central Regional Police Commander has also been moved to the Legal Unit of the CID. It is however unclear, who is going to occupy the Upper East Regional Command and the Anti-Land Guard Unit as the reshuffle is said to be done in batches. Source: dailyguidenetwork.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 Former President John Dramani Mahama and his wife, Lordina, have visited Mr Julius Debrah, a former Chief of Staff, to commiserate with him and his family on the death of his brother, Kwabena Nkansah Debrah. A statement issued by the Office of the former President, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said Mr Mahama, accompanied by his siblings, Peter, Alfred, Hawa and Ibrahim, expressed the condolences of the Mahama Family to Mr Debrah, the wife of the deceased, and the larger Debrah Family. It said the deceased, popularly known as Cambodia, was a younger brother of Mr Julius Debrah, who is presently a Senior Adviser to President Mahama. The funeral, the family said, would take place in Accra in early September. 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 Police in Sierra Leone say dozens of civilians and six police officers have been killed in anti- government protests. The Reuters news agency puts the number of dead civilians at 21, citing multiple sources. It also says smoke clouds and tear gas can be seen in the capital Freetown where large crowds have been throwing rocks, burning tyres and armed officers are patrolling the streets. Journalist Umaru Fofana says the unrest is highly unusual for Sierra Leone, especially in Freetown Hundreds of people have been taking part in the demonstrations in Freetown - and in places such as Makeni and Kamakwie in the opposition's northern stronghold - because they are fed up the high cost of living, corruption and police brutality. A night-time curfew enforced on Wednesday will remain in place, police say. According to the internet watchdog NetBlocks, there were intermittent cuts yesterday and overnight. 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 The Youth Employment Agency today welcomed their new Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong as he begins his first day of work at the agency. The young and vibrant new Chief Executive received a rousing welcome amidst cheers when he was introduced by the former Chief Executive Officer, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua who is now the General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party. Staff who were visibly happy, having learnt of the humble but principled nature of the new CEO and his will to continue and improve the fortunes of the agency, expressed their gratitude in seeing the smooth transition and the assurance of a continuum in leadership. In his introduction, the former Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua tasked the staff to lend the same support, cooperation and conducive environment he enjoyed to his successor for him to succeed with the agency. He also assured that, even with his new role as General Secretary, he will remain an integral part of the YEA and promote its programmes at the cabinet level. He was extremely grateful to all stakeholders for the support he enjoyed during his six-year tenure as CEO. Handing over documents officially to the new CEO, Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong, Mr. Kodua Frimpong urged a detailed assessment for review and continuation of the programs and modules rolled out so far in order to improve upon them for the benefit of the unemployed youth. Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong, on his part, expressed appreciation at the warm reception received from the staff and assured of a great management and staff collaboration to implement the programmes of the agency and to further create employment for the youth of Ghana. He assured the former CEO of a continuation of the reformation agenda that has brought a renewed hope to the youth of Ghana. The CEO urged the staff to disabuse their minds of any perceived reassignments as a result of the change at the helm of affairs. For Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong, his main preoccupation was about achieving results, therefore promised to meet the staff to evaluate their individual roles and how best to improve upon them. Another important issue for the CEO is attitude to work with regard to commitment to the course of youth development, hardwork and punctuality. He believes a great attitude by all staff will obviously inure to the mutual benefit of the agency and its key stakeholders, beneficiaries and job seekers. The new Chief Executive Officer is also looking forward to running with speed, discipline and result orientation as the backbone and achieve the One Million Jobs Agenda of the Youth Employment Agency. Mr. Agyepong continued the day with a meeting with the governing Board of the Agency led by Rev. Mrs. Anita Kusi Boateng. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ada Traditional Council has justified the decision to bar journalists from community radio station Radio Ada from covering the just-ended Asafotufiami festival. The Asafotufiami Festival Planning Committee in an August 1 letter to the management of Radio Ada said the station was barred from mounting a stage at the festival grounds (Ada Asafotufiami Park) and the Chiefs would also not grant interviews to their journalists. The letter added that three journalists; Noah Dameh, Serwah Warri and Amanor Dzeagu who are hosts of programmes on the station were not to be seen at the park in Radio Ada paraphernalia for allegedly using unrefined language towards some Chiefs. The Deputy Station Coordinator of Radio Ada, Mr. Noah Narh Dameh, said the station was barred from covering the festival because the Chiefs were unhappy about how the leasing of the Songhor Lagoon to an investor for the mining of salt was discussed on the station. "They said even if we want to talk about, make any programme on the Songhor Lagoon or read any document we shouldn't add Nene, the Paramount chief's name and we told them we couldn't do that because it is a document and we cannot read and jump someone who signed the document's name," Mr Dameh said in an interview on Joy FM. Reason The Mankralo of the Ada State, Nene Agudey Obichere, who is also the Chairman of the 2022 Asafotufiami Festival Planning Committee, said the decision to bar Radio Ada was informed by "the constant attacks and unrefined language directed to the Traditional Council by journalists of Radio Ada". "Okay, so press freedom says that we should insult our chiefs? If we have an issue to talk about, you can talk about it without insulting. "If you feel so strongly about an issue, it's not a problem that you must say it but if you use the language that is unrefined about your chiefs, what do you expect to happen?" 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 A motorbike mechanic, Richard Owoo aka Paa, together with a commercial motor rider, Masawudu Rahim, and Sanusi Abubakar have been put before an Accra Circuit Court for various criminal charges, including robbery and dishonestly receiving. The accused persons were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy to commit crime, robbery, stealing, and dishonestly receiving. The Circuit Court 5, presided over Christine Cann, was told yesterday that Owoo and Masawudu were facing three counts of conspiracy to commit crime, stealing and robbery, while Abubakar was answerable to two counts of dishonestly receiving. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecuting Officer Inspector Jonas Lawer said the accused persons committed the crime with two others Jowell Gaza and Boye Ka who are currently on the run. He said the complainants were Ernest Amanie, who is a commercial motorbike rider, residing at Dansoman, and Michael Tetteh, an auto electrician who also live at Dansoman. Inspector Lawer said on July 18, 2022, Owoo engaged the services of Ernest Amanie to transport him from West Hills Mall to Dansoman. According to him, on reaching Pambros, a suburb of Dansoman, Owoo made Ernest to stop under the pretext of urinating. He continued that as soon as Ernest stopped Owoo suddenly put off the engine of the motorbike and one of his accomplices who is at large, one Jawell Gaza, emerged from a hideout with a sword and they robbed the rider of his motorbike. Ernest then reported the case to the Dansoman police and the Surveillance Unit of the Operations Department at Police Headquarters mounted a search for the accused persons. Again, on July 26, 2022, the police had information that the accused persons and two others on the run were into snatching of motorbikes and vehicles within Dansoman and its surrounding suburbs. As a result, personnel of the Unit were dispatched to Dansoman Pambros, where they arrested Richard Owoo alias Paa and retrieved two motorbikes, three fuel tanks of motorbike, eight motorbike side covers, and six different motorbike number plates. Owoo was said to have told the police during interrogation that he and one Boye Ka (at large), stole a Toyota Hiace mini bus which they gave to Masawudu and Abubakar to be sold. Masawudu was also arrested and led the police to arrest Abubakar, who also led the police to Kumasi to retrieve the minibus. The owner of the bus, Michael Tetteh, went to the police station to identify it. Further investigations disclosed that Al and his accomplice, Jowell Gaza, snatched the motorbikes and gave two to A2 to be used for commercial purpose. The two motorbikes are yet to be retrieved. The court granted Owoo bail in the sum of GH100,000 with three sureties, two to be justified with title deeds of landed properties in their names. Masawudu and Abubakar were granted bail in the sum of GH50,000 each, two sureties, one of who is to justify the bail condition with documents of landed property in the name. The case has been adjourned to August 29, 2022. Source: thechronicle.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 Mr Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu Monday urged the National Identification Authority (NIA) to as a matter of urgency consider another mass registration in the country. He said this would enable as many people as possible who were not able to register and were finding it difficult to travel from the remotest areas to the district offices to register. Mr Agbodza made the suggestion when he paid a familiarization visit to the Adaklu district office of the NIA at Adaklu Waya. His reports reaching him indicated that only about two thousand people had received their cards in the district out of over 25,000 people who were 15 years and above. "This creates the impression that we are not yet there, but we are putting a lot of things on the Ghana card, thereby, denying a lot of people from accessing government services and also their accounts at the banks," he said. Mr Agbodza wondered how many people could pay GH250 for the premium service of NIA to enable them to acquire the cards. He intimated that registering people was not the same as people receiving their cards and said though the NIA claimed to have registered over 20,000 people in the district only few people actually had their cards. "Some people want to use the power they have to suppress the majority of us, though Ghana is a peaceful country we will fiercely resist such oppressive moves to the hilt," he noted with concern. He said the data being held by NIA was so important and crucial, so, they needed a very conducive and convenient office space to operate. Mr Agbodza while congratulating the staff for their efforts and agreeing to work in that office environment, urged them to use the two FM stations in the district to educate the people on the acquisition of the card. Mr Dennis Okyere Antwi, Adaklu District Head of NIA said double registration was a challenge in the district, which he described as a "very complex and challenging district." He said this could be due to ignorance and frustration and many people wanted to use the card to change their identities adding that it became a complex issue for the staff and the people. Mr Okyere Antwi said because of the connectivity challenges, it sometimes took them eight minutes to print a card instead of two and half minutes. He confirmed that the data of most people were not captured during the mass registration so they needed to be re-registered before they could have their cards. Mr Okyere Antwi said they had registered 1,959 people since the office was opened and that they had 622 unclaimed cards. He said office accommodation was another challenge saying, "some of our equipment are still in their boxes due to non-availability of space," but added that the District Chief Executive had promised to provide them with a more spacious one in an office complex being put up by the Assembly. 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 Anti-corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem, has called on businesswoman and Council of State member, Mrs. Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, to resign from her position. According to him, if President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was really committed to the anti-corruption fight, steps should be taken to ensure that Mrs. Asomah-Hinneh leaves her position following recent corruption-related offences involving her and her company. This Council of State member should have resigned by now. If the leadership, the President and his executive are determined to fight corruption, that should be the case, Azeem told Accra-based Citi News. He holds further that the President must conduct further investigations into the corruption report issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Titled: Report of Investigation into Alleged Commission of Corruption and Corruption-Related Offences involving Labianca Group of Companies and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, it implicated the Council of State member as using her position to get favourable tax exemption decisions. The Special Prosecutor, like the former one, is probably struggling to do his best, but I am not sure if he will be given the necessary cooperation and the necessary support [he will succeed], Azeem added. Background An amount of GH1.074 million was retrieved by the Office of the Special Prosecutor from the Labianca Company Limited, a frozen foods company, belonging to the member of the Council of State. The amount represented a deficit in import duties paid to the state. According to the investigative report, Ms. Asomah-Hinneh used her position as a member of the Council of State and a member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to influence a favourable decision from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), leading to a reduction in the tax liabilities of Labianca Limited. A Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Operations, Joseph Adu Kyei, was cited by the OSP for issuing what it described as an unlawful customs advance ruling. This, according to the report, reduced the benchmark values of the goods imported by Labianca Limited, translating to reduced tax obligations of the company to the state. The OSP finds that there is strong evidence to suggest that Mr Kyeis decision to issue a customs advance ruling for the applicant was procured through influence peddling or trading of influence by Ms Asomah-Hinneh by employing her position as a member of the Council of State and member of the Board of Directors of the GPHA," the report signed by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, stated. 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 The outgoing Deputy General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen says he disagrees with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addos stance not to reshuffle his Ministers after a call from the Alliance For Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA). According to him, the Presidents posture will make things difficult for the NPP to Break the 8. Alliance For Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA), a grass root wing of the ruling NPP, called on President Akufo-Addo to urgently reshuffle his appointees to energize the economy. According to the group, some notable appointees of the government are dormant in their discharge of the duty which is slowing the economic growth. But President Nana Akufo-Addo during a radio interview on North Star radio in Tamale as part of his tour of the Northern Region said those calling for the reshuffle of his Ministers may be persons looking for job opportunities. The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilize the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs, the President said. But Nana Obiri Boahene in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show, 'Ghana Montie' said the Presidents response was unfortunate. Not responding to them would have been right. Politically, we cannot brush aside the role of the foot soldiers. They are very instrumental in the partys victory. Lets listen to them. We want power, he added. 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 President Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that the economy will soon bounce back. Speaking in an interview on North Star Radio in Tamale, President Akufo-Addo said the policies the government was implementing would bring the economy back to a better place. Since 2020, the government has taken some very significant, proactive measures to minimize the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic." The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr in reaction borrowed a popular phrase saying: "If that is what the President is saying, whom am I". "We've heard these assurances over and over again and we are still at the same place, but if that is what he's saying; we all want it to be true and so we will wait . . . " Meanwhile, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has condemned the importation of items which can be produced in the country; a situation that contributes to the depreciation of the cedi. 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 As part of activities earmarked by the NDC Glasgow branch going into election 2024, the leadership in tandem with members held a maiden hybrid meeting on Sunday, 7th August 2022 to cement and foster unity within its rank and file and also seize the opportunity to deliberate on pertinent issues that would potentially help NDC win back power in January 2025. In attendance were other UK/Ireland chapter executives to grace the occasion. Notable among them were the chapter Chairman, Alhaji Alhassan Mbalba, the chapter Secretary, Comrade Michael Kudiabor and the deputy chapter Secretary, Alhaji Awudu Sanni. The special guest of honour for the occasion was Hon. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah (MP), Ho West constituency. The programme commenced with an opening prayer said by Mrs. Janet Bapanaye, followed by welcome address from the branch Chairman, Dr. John Ayanaba. In his address, the Chairman expressed enormous appreciation to all branch members and executives towards their relentless effort and readiness to respond to the call to duty whenever the need arises. This, according to Chairman Dr. Ayanaba, is a positive feat that must be protected at all costs if we want to see the party come to power in 2024. Chairman Ayanaba further encouraged members to continue the good work to serve Mother Ghana and the party and with God in the helm of affairs, their effort will not be in vain but rather crowned with resounding victory in 2024. The Chairman for the occasion, Mr. Frank Nyame was very delighted to play such an honourable role in the capacity as chairman for the event. Mr. Frank Nyame, one of the founding fathers of the NDC Glasgow branch in his acceptance speech urged members gathered to use the occasion to fraternise and get to know each other very well going into 2024. With all the level of corruption scandals in the country, Mr. Nyame tasked members to see it as clarion call to rescue the country from the clueless NPP Government. Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, MP for Ho West Constituency was very much excited to join the Glasgow branch in person and applauded the leadership of the branch for such good job done in the diaspora. Despite being a budding branch, he enumerated some of the remarkable successes chalked by the branch since its inauguration at the beginning of this year. Hon. Bedzrah took members present through the modus operandi of the Ghana parliament and succinctly touched on all the scandals in the country where there are new every morning. He explained to members the role of the MPs from the minority caucus on how they are keeping the government in check in spite of all the attacks they receive on daily basis for just doing their duties enshrined in the constitution. Issues relating to the Techiman South shootings and the position of the minority caucus was also clearly explained by the honourable member of parliament. One of the key questions asked by the NDC South London branch organiser, comrade Malik Dramani Mahama, was on how the delay in the organization of the partys internal elections could have on the fortunes of the NDC in 2024. There were some concerns also noted on the position of the party regarding the MP for Dome/Kwabenya and NDC MP for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson. Hon. Bedzrah meticulously addressed these concerns highlighted by the Chapter Secretary, Comrade Michael Kudiabor. A leading member of the NDC Glasgow branch, Comrade Marian Danzerl also touched on the partys position on how to tackle social media slandering by the NPP on the NDCs flagbearer, President John Dramani Mahamas persona. She noted that these uncouth behaviour by some members in the NPP, played crucial role in the outcomes of the 2020 election. Again, the Member of Parliament responded that some of her thoughts were already being actioned by the minority caucus to ensure history do not repeat itself in 2024. An executive member of the branch, comrade Ebenezer Essien also thanked the minority caucus for all their effort especially with the level of hostility bestowed on them by the ruling NPP government. The MP rounded up his session by entreating members in the diaspora not to give up on the NDC as it is the only hope to salvage the country from its present predicaments. He tasked members to continue to avail themselves to activities of the party and also be willing to adopt a branch in Ghana to support the party through provision of logistics. In the Chairman of the occasions (Mr. Frank Nyames) closing remarks, he thanked everyone who made the programme a success but again reminded members to be fishers of men for the NDC. He highlighted on the need for proactive membership drive programme going into 2024 and also used the opportunity to advice all contesting comrades in the upcoming branch elections to threat each other with respect and show some decorum where the need be especially when there is any form of incongruity. Mr. Joy Ngorgbeatsi delivered the vote of thanks and the closing prayer was said by Mr. Salim Awudu. Source: Tabbi Wilberforce Awotwe (Ph.D), Communication Officer, NDC Glasgow(Scotland) branch 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 Governance Lecturer at the Central University, Dr. Benjamin Otchere-Antrah, has called the Electoral Commission (EC) to take punitive measures against political parties that only become effective when it is time for elections. Dr. Otchere-Ankrah wondered why the EC allows such political parties to exist while the constitution has clearly spelled out the qualifications and duties before one can establish a political party. Speaking on Peace FMs Kokrokoo programme, he asked the Commission to weed out those that do not deserve to call themselves political parties. He made this comment in relation to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) boycott of IPAC meeting with the Electoral Commission. 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 researcher can count the layers within a tooth that were added over time to determine how old a person lived to be. Credit: Benoitbertrand1974/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Every year I ask the college students in the course I teach about the 14th-century Black Death to imagine they are farmers or nuns or nobles in the Middle Ages. What would their lives have been like in the face of this terrifying disease that killed millions of people in just a few years? Setting aside how they envision what it would be like to confront the plague, these undergrads often figure that during the medieval period they would already be considered middle-aged or elderly at the age of 20. Rather than being in the prime of life, they think they'd soon be decrepit and dead. They're reflecting a common misperception that long life spans in humans are very recent, and that no one in the past lived much beyond their 30s. But that's just not true. I am a bioarchaeologist, which means that I study human skeletons excavated from archaeological sites to understand what life was like in the past. I'm especially interested in demographymortality (deaths), fertility (births) and migrationand how it was linked with health conditions and diseases such as the Black Death hundreds or thousands of years ago. There's physical evidence that plenty of people in the past lived long livesjust as long as some people do today. Bones record the length of a life One of the first steps in research about demography in the past is to estimate how old people were when they died. Bioarchaeologists do this using information about how your bones and teeth change as you get older. For example, I look for changes to joints in the pelvis that are common at older ages. Observations of these joints in people today whose ages we know allow us to estimate ages for people from archaeological sites with joints that look similar. Another way to estimate age is to use a microscope to count the yearly additions of a mineralized tissue called cementum on teeth. It's similar to counting a tree's rings to see how many years it lived. Using approaches like these, many studies have documented the existence of people who lived long lives in the past. For example, by examining skeletal remains, anthropologist Meggan Bullock and colleagues found that in the city of Cholula, Mexico, between 900 and 1531, most people who made it to adulthood lived past the age of 50. And of course there are many examples from historical records of people who lived very long lives in the past. For example, the sixth-century Roman Emperor Justinian I reportedly died at the age of 83. Analysis of the tooth development of an ancient anatomically modern Homo sapiens individual from Morocco suggests that our species has experienced long life spans for at least the past 160,000 years. Population numbers in 2019. Credit: Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: populationpyramid.net Get the data Clearing up a math misunderstanding Given physical and historical evidence that many people did live long lives in the past, why does the misperception that everyone was dead by the age of 30 or 40 persist? It stems from confusion about the difference between individual life spans and life expectancy. Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining for people of a particular age. For example, life expectancy at birth (age 0) is the average length of life for newborns. Life expectancy at age 25 is how much longer people live on average given they've survived to age 25. In medieval England, life expectancy at birth for boys born to families that owned land was a mere 31.3 years. However, life expectancy at age 25 for landowners in medieval England was 25.7. This means that people in that era who celebrated their 25th birthday could expect to live until they were 50.7, on average25.7 more years. While 50 might not seem old by today's standards, remember that this is an average, so many people would have lived much longer, into their 70s, 80s and even older. Life expectancy is a population-level statistic that reflects the conditions and experiences of a huge variety of people with very different health conditions and behaviors, some who die at very young ages, some who live to be over 100 years old, and lots whose life spans fall somewhere in between. Life expectancy is not a promise (or a threat!) about the life span of any single person. What some people don't realize is that low life expectancy at birth for any population usually reflects very high rates of infant mortality. That's a measure of deaths in the first year of life. Given that life expectancies reflect averages for a population, a high number of deaths at very young ages will skew calculations of life expectancy at birth toward younger ages. But typically, many people in those populations who make it past the vulnerable infant and early childhood years can expect to live relatively long lives. Advances in modern sanitationwhich reduce the spread of diarrheal diseases that are a major killer of infantsand vaccinations can greatly increase life expectancies. Consider the effect of infant mortality on overall age patterns in two contemporary populations with dramatically different life expectancies at birth. In Afghanistan, life expectancy at birth is low, at just over 53 years, and infant mortality is high, at almost 105 deaths for every 1,000 children born. In Singapore, life expectancy at birth is much higher, at over 86 years, and infant mortality is very lowfewer than two infants die for every 1,000 who are born. In both countries, people do survive to very old ages. But in Afghanistan, because so many more people die at very young ages, proportionally fewer people survive to old age. Living a long life has long been possible It's incorrect to view long lives as a remarkable and unique characteristic of the "modern" era. Knowing that people often did have long lives in the past might help you feel more connected with the past. For example, you can imagine multigenerational households and gatherings, with grandparents in Neolithic China or Medieval England bouncing their grandchildren on their knees and telling them stories about their own childhoods decades before. You might have more in common with people who lived long ago than you had realized. Explore further German life expectancy decreased during pandemic years This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Before we embark on this new journey to outer space, before we build colonies and extract resources from another planet, we must be intentional about improving our relationship with Earth and with one another. Credit: Composite by Mary Crawford and photo by Andrew Adkins for Virginia Tech Maybe infinity and beyond should wait. Prominent physicists and wealthy tycoons envision life scattered across the solar system. Elon Musk wants humans to become a multiplanetary species. Jeff Bezos pictures floating space colonies home to billions. Simulated-gravity ecosystems powered by the sun. Giant corporations drilling into moons and Mars. Children born on spaceships. Earth turning into a tourist destination. Ripped from the pages of sci-fi novels, the future of humanity could exist beyond Earth. But first, Savannah Mandel would like a word. "Before we embark on this new journey to outer space, before we build colonies and extract resources from another planet, we must be intentional about improving our relationship with Earthand with one another." Mandel is an outer space anthropologist and a doctoral student in the Science and Technology Studies program at Virginia Tech. Her research centers on human space exploration. She's delivered talks at NASA and the National Air and Space Museum. Connected with colleagues throughout the space industry. Interned with the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Studied congressional hearings. Researched at Spaceport America, the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport. She earned the title of rising star and "the vanguard of researchers looking at the human side of leaving Earth" from Ozy Magazine. She's worked alongside physicists and space technology scholars with the goal of ensuring humanity stands at the forefront. On the side, she's a budding novelist. All this, and yet Mandel's career is still in its early stages. Through her research, Mandel reinforces the concepts of collaboration, social awareness, and reflexivity. "I want to make sure we explore space responsibly, with equity and a caretaker's mindset," she said. "Is human space travel worth it, right now, when climate change is devastating the natural world? When there's so much social and political turmoil here on Earth? That's a question we must address." Anthropologists traditionally immerse themselves in a culture with its inhabitants. Some might argue outer space anthropology can only exist aboard the International Space Station. But the work of Mandel and her colleagues proves outer space anthropology is not only possibleit may be crucial to humanity's survival. "The prospect of human life in space is a repository for fantasies of leaving behind our terrestrial problems: environmental destruction, violence, inequality," said Daniel Breslau, associate professor in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society. "Savannah's work shows us how space exploration is an extension of humanity as it exists, not an escape." On Earth, scientists have tried to simulate the experiences of off-world life through projects such as NASA's NEEMO initiativeor the controversial Biosphere 2 experiment enclosing eight humans in an artificial ecosystem for two years. Rather than build simulations, Mandel suggests studying natural environments on Earth to better understand life in extreme conditions. "Most of my love of space has to do with the unknown and the extreme and how we can make connections to pre-existing analog places," said Mandel. In a 2019 commentary for Physics Today, Mandel proposed researching the culture of Arctic communities. "The stress levels humans will experience in extraterrestrial environments while participating in long-duration space missions go beyond necessitating thorough psychological and behavioral testing," Mandel wrote. For instance, she suggests the conflict resolution methods people in the Arctic use could help space scientists better understand how a society develops a fundamentally peaceful social structure without relying on intensive forms of technologies. Life in scorching deserts could also offer insights. Mandel recognizes the argument against adopting indigenous knowledge for space research. "I understand the criticism about whether or not anyone has a right to the knowledge Indigenous people possess, and whether indigenous people should be asked to share it," said Mandel. "Considering how different societies function, and connect to nature, demonstrates how the practices of one specific culture are not the only way forward." Mandel hopes to conduct research on McMurdo Station, a U.S. research station in Antarctica. "If you were to walk outside your established zone of technology in McMurdo, you won't survive long due to the extreme cold," Mandel said. "This is a major reason it's an ideal comparative model for understanding the social challenges of isolation in a confined space." Observing submarine crew members, who spend months aboard a vessel below sea level, could set expectations for a 140 million-mile journey to Mars, Mandel suggested in her commentary. She also proposed studying the culture of oil rig workers. "Like a spaceship or extraterrestrial outpost, oil rigs are driven by technology that is omnipresent," she wrote. "Employees on rigs rely on their coworkers and the machines around them to work constructively. They possess the ability to handle often unpredictable situations, just as astronauts on space stations do." As nations push full throttle to Martian and lunar territories, Mandel seeks answers to questions of ethics. Here's one: Will the wealthy wield power across the universe as they do on Earth? Commercial interests already dominate segments of space travel. Since 2021, space tourism has rapidly accelerated. From William Shatner to Richard Branson, celebrities and billionaires buckled into spaceships on suborbital trips amid a global pandemic. Paying passengers spent as much as $28 million to fly with Bezos and his company, Blue Origin. Branson's Virgin Galactic is selling space tickets for $450,000 per person to the general public. The power dynamics of space exploration interest Mandel. In her article "The Elysium Effect: Space Law and Commercial Space Disparities," she describes global superpowers competing for resource acquisition and research development, along with space tourism. Mandel suggests imbalances in power across our planet are already manifesting in space and could lead to the inequitable distribution of natural resources extracted from Mars and moons. Wealth and privilege would determine which nations benefit. Mandel advocates for a more equitable and inclusive future in space and on Earth. Her dissertation focuses on congressional hearings on space. She will draw from her observations in Washington, D.C., interviews with experts and a variety of sources. She plans to "debunk expert witness panels" and examine "who we call an expert and why" in government proceedings. "Becoming an astronaut doesn't necessarily mean you're an expert on what the human race should be doing on Mars, for example," she said. "Militaristic desires tend to overlay congressional hearings about space, even if the presentations are framed as benign exploration." Mandel serves as treasurer for JustSpace Alliance, an organization devoted to lifting diverse voices in human space exploration. "I'm part of the JustSpace Alliance because I believe you can be pro-human space exploration but recognize the need for change and advocate for inclusivity," she said. She's also worked closely with Humanity in Deep Space, a nonprofit group of space professionals, scholars, and organizations focused on issues and challenges associated with life beyond Earth. She befriended the organization's founder, Kris Kimel, who touted Mandel for her efforts in outer space anthropology. "Our transition off the planet to a deep, spacefaring civilization poses an unprecedented existential challenge to humankind," said Kimel, also the co-founder of aerospace company Space Tango. "Savannah Mandel is pursuing a bold, nontraditional path in recognition of the critical role anthropologyand our understanding of human culture and behaviorwill play in the ultimate success or failure of this next great human migration." For Mandel, the journey to outer space anthropology began during her Florida upbringing. "Growing up, I developed a deep love for science fiction and anthropology," she said. "Like many kids, I wanted to be an astronaut. But while I loved the thought of working in the space industry, I had little interest in math, and I just rid myself of the idea." But she carried her passion for space and sci-fi into higher learning. While completing her master's degree in social anthropology from University College London, Mandel learned about a small but growing field. "One of my professors told me about outer space anthropology," said Mandel. "I learned about how he and other scholars research topics that are speculative, futuristic, and prophetic while maintaining a solid academic and theoretical grounding." Mandel said she applied to Virginia Tech's Department of Science, Technology, and Society because of its range of faculty experts and ability to tailor programming to fit her scholarly needs. "Our graduate program is a learning community," said Breslau, who serves as co-chair of Mandel's dissertation committee. "Faculty learn from our graduate students and students from each other. Having someone with Savannah's unique background and expertise in our program adds value for everyone." Outside of human space exploration, Mandel's research interests include the study and construction of expertise, power dynamics, and identity. Experiences working in the food and beverage industry sparked her interest. "Working in restaurants and bars for 10 plus years teaches you a lot about power systems and control," said Mandel. "I couldn't help but want to dig further into those topics. Previously with food studies and now with space exploration and Congressional hearings." A prolific author, Mandel's work has appeared in academic journals and mass media outlets. "Savannah truly spans the academic-public divide in her work, seeking out opportunities to bring her insights to a wide range of audiences through academic, public nonfiction, and fiction writing," said Saul Halfon, chair of the Department of Science, Technology, and Society. "This kind of work fulfills the mission of our field to fully engage with real world science and technology concerns." This summer, Mandel landed her first book deal. The nonfiction book will focus on the ethics and timing of human space travel, asking if it's truly worth itsocially, politically, and economicallyto send humans to outer space. "My book will be deeply reflective and critical of manned space exploration," said Mandel. "Should we continue on this path, or should we focus on saving this planet first?" The Latin name of this plant is Scalesia atractyloides Arnot, but the researchers have chosen to call it Darwin's giant daisy. The plant is providing researchers new clues about how evolution works. Credit: Sara Santacruz Naturalists Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Darwin both presented the theory of evolution at the same time in 1858. They thus changed both the course of biology and how we understand the natural world around us. Evolution is about how species change over time with the help of genetics, but also about how new species are created. Without evolution we would not exist, because species would not be able to adapt to changes in the environment. Now, researchers have gained greater insight into how evolution takes place, and how several species have evolved from a single species. They have discovered what the ancestors of several of today's species were like. The research group tackled the task by studying trees that Darwin came upon during his trip to the Galapagos Islands in 1835. "We've found irrefutable evidence of the island syndrome in the genes of Darwin's giant daisies," says Jose Cerca, a researcher in NTNU's Department of Natural History at the NTNU University Museum. He is the first author of a new article in Nature Communications involving 30 different researchers from four different continents. So what does "island syndrome" actually mean? First, you need to know a little more about evolution and why scientists often look at islands to understand it. Island syndrome makes evolution clear Islands in general are particularly interesting for anyone who wants to study evolution. How evolution affects different species can become very clear on islands, a phenomenon referred to as the "island syndrome." You might have heard that the reindeer on the arctic archipelago of Svalbard are smaller than their southern relatives, an adaptation that may be related to the far northern island's harsh climate and limited access to nutritious food. A similar adaptation was found among dwarf mammoths on North American islands, but these became extinct almost 4,000 years ago. For some species, one consequence of the island syndrome is to become smaller. The most famous example of adaptions to island life, however, are Darwin's finches from the Galapagos Islands, an archipelago that is part of Ecuador. Darwin collected birds from several of the islands during five hectic weeks. Other scientists studied them later for years. (They actually aren't finches, but that doesn't matter here.) The reindeer on Svalbard have, among other things, adapted to the rough conditions by becoming smaller. Credit: Brage Bremset Hansen, NTNU The famous finches Darwin's finches consist of 18 different species, all of which have probably evolved from a single species. One of these species is native to Cocos Island, which belongs to Costa Rica, while the rest are native to the Galapagos. All species in the Galapagos have been allowed to develop undisturbed on the remote islands, without any significant genetic contributions from the mainland almost 1,000 kilometers away. The geographical isolation makes evolution much clearer and easier to study on islands and prevents clouding the results with genes from the outside. Some of the species found on the Galapagos today are geographically separated locally as well, but they seem to differ from each other primarily by adapting to different niches in the environment. The finch species sing differently, some of them eat insects, others are vegetarian, some have long beaks while others have short ones, all depending on what is most useful to them for obtaining food. Small variations in the birds' genetics have given rise to several species that specialize in different ways. These finches are therefore often cited as the crowning example of evolution. But the finches face competition from a plant genus. Finches face competition The competing plant genus is Scalesia. The entire genus of 15 species is endemic to the Galapagos Islands, meaning that they are found only on these islands. The genus consists of shrubs and trees. All these species have also evolved from a single species that at some point in the distant past came to this archipelago. The descendants later adopted several niches and completely different habitats and gradually developed into more specialized species, just like the finches. Birds that Charles Darwin collected in the Galapagos during his voyage with the Beagle. They appear to be the same. But not completely. Credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London Study of one species The research group this time selected one of these species to study. Scalesia atractyloides Arn. is the Latin plant name, but scientists have chosen to call it Darwin's giant daisies, which is a little more manageable to pronounce for most of us. This species is a critically endangered dwarf tree found only on the island of Santiago in the Galapagos. Santiago is one of the four islands that Darwin visited during his trip to the archipelago. "We sequenced and described the genome of the plant," says Cerca, which means that they now know the genetics and the gene sequence in great detail. Cerca worked with Michael D. Martin, a professor also at the Department of Natural History, a genetic expert and the study's senior author. They found several variants in the genetic material that could have contributed to the original species being able to develop and spread to different niches in the environment. "These variations are associated with vascular development, growth, adaptation to salinity and flowering time," says Cerca. In other words, they reflect different possibilities for adapting to varying conditions. Original plant had a double set of genes Genetic research has come a long way in the last few years. Scientists can learn much more than ever before, not only about the plant itself, but also what the plant's predecessors were like. By using several different methods, the research group this time managed to find their way back to what the very first plant must have been like. All species of Scalesia originate from a hybrid plant with twice as many chromosomes, and thus also genes, as a normal plant. This provides a large selection of genes from which descendants can develop. Credit: Norwegian University of Science and Technology "We found that the common ancestor of all the species in the Scalesia genus was an allotetraploid," says Cerca. This might not immediately sound like a reason to get excited for most of us, but it does mean that the original plant was quite special. An allotetraploid is a variantor a hybrid if you willthat has twice as many chromosomes, and therefore also genes, as a normal plant. This came about because two different plants had crossbred and created a hybrid species. The crossbreeding also provides a large selection of genes from which offspring can develop. Such crossbreeding is probably more common than believed a few years ago, but for researchers it is still a big deal. Valuable insights "We're beginning to understand the genetic basis for how this one original plant species might have evolved into several species," says Cerca. "The study of plants and animals that have evolved on islands has been extremely useful for learning how the process of biological evolution actually works," Martin said. "Our study offers the first in-depth analyses of the many genetic changes plants undergo in order to adapt to the island environment, which gives us insight into the evolution of all forms of life around the world." The group's work provides valuable insights that may also be useful to other researchers who are working to understand how species adapt to different environments. Now we know a little more about how species manage to keep up and adapt to varying conditions. This is perhaps especially important at a time when the environment in numerous places on the planet seems to be changing faster than it has for a long time. How new species can evolve Species can adapt to new environments because variations in the genes of individuals make it more or less likely that they will reproduce and thus pass on their genes to the next generation. Over several generations, the most well-adapted individuals will usually pass on their genes more often. This can lead to changes in the species, but it can also give rise to new species because different groups of the original species evolve in completely different directions. Explore further Iguanas reproducing on Galapagos island century after disappearing More information: Jose Cerca et al, The genomic basis of the plant island syndrome in Darwin's giant daisies, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Jose Cerca et al, The genomic basis of the plant island syndrome in Darwin's giant daisies,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31280-w Entanglement is a significant threat to the health of birds, especially those which spend a lot of time at sea. Credit: Trish Loli Brewster While no longer as prevalent as they once were, the billions of face masks and gloves that were produced during the pandemic are making plastic pollution an ever-greater issue. The impacts of COVID-19 go far beyond the disease itself, and are set to stay with us for centuries to come. A study using community science observations from around the world found that disposable face masks and plastic gloves could pose an ongoing risk to wildlife for tens if not hundreds of years. Entanglements were one of the most prevalent threats, with some animals being killed after becoming caught in the plastic debris. Dr. Alex Bond, the principal curator and curator in charge of birds at the museum, was a co-author on the paper published in Science of The Total Environment. "Ultimately, we really don't know how big a problem pandemic waste could be," Alex says. "As many areas of the world had restrictions on non-essential movement, we will never be able to know the true extent of the issue, but this study gives us a snapshot into the sheer diversity of species that were affected." While the study captures only 114 observations from around the world, it is likely that it represents just a fraction of the much larger impacts of COVID-19 waste on wildlife. With an estimated global demand of over 129 billion masks per month at the height of the pandemic, the effect of pandemic waste will become more pronounced as even more plastic works its way into our ecosystems. "We filter out most litter in our environment, as it represents examples such as crisp packets or cigarette butts that we've seen for years or decades," Alex adds. "When PPE [personal protective equipment] flooded our waste management systems in the early days of the pandemic, it was a lot more obvious because it was new." "Now we don't even flinch when we see a blue face mask on the ground. It's rapidly become part of our everyday experience of waste in our environment." How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect plastic pollution? When COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, it kickstarted what the scientists describe as an "unprecedented increase in the production and use of single-use plastics." The market value of the PPE industry jumped by around 200 times in the first year of the pandemic as legal requirements were introduced in countries around the world to stem the spread of the virus. Some of these requirements specified particular types of face mask and other protective gear, most of which was single use. From March to October 2020, this caused the amount of abandoned face masks to increase by more than 80 times to represent almost 1% of all dumped litter globally, and as much as 5% in the U.K. Some of these masks even made their way to uninhabited areas, with 70 face masks found on the beaches of the Soko Islands believed to have washed ashore from nearby Hong Kong. Disposable gloves, meanwhile, initially jumped to around 2.4% of dumped litter globally in April 2020 but then dropped back to 0.4% as the year progressed. As levels of litter increased, wildlife struggling with pandemic-related debris became more common. For instance, the RSPCA raised concerns after rescuing a gull which was having difficulty walking because of a mask tangled tightly around its legs. The litter has also been linked to wildlife deaths, with one of the first believed to be an American robin found dead in Canada in April 2020 after becoming entangled in a face mask. Later that year, a face mask eaten by a Magellanic penguin in Brazil is believed to have led to the bird's death. Even if not the direct cause of death, litter can weaken wildlife and make them more susceptible to fatal injuries. For instance, a gull in Rotterdam was struck by a car while tangled in a mask, which is believed to have limited its ability to escape. Aside from birds, COVID-19 masks and gloves have also affected bats, crabs, hedgehogs and a variety of other wildlife. The researchers behind the current study wanted to investigate the ways in which this debris has affected wildlife, and how community scientists could help investigate at a time when international travel was heavily restricted. How were wildlife affected by COVID-19 waste? The researchers used data from a variety of sources, including unpublished scientific reports, community science platforms and social media networks. The witnesses were then contacted to gain as much information about each pandemic waste incident as possible. In total, the researchers gathered 114 sightings, of which 83% involved birds. Mammals were the next most exposed to COVID-19 waste, in 11% of sightings, while 3.5% of sightings featured invertebrates and 2% involved fish. The results reflect existing research which shows that birds are at particular risk of entanglement from plastic, with an estimated third of seabird species and a tenth of freshwater species known to have been caught in synthetic items. As a whole, entanglement reflects around 42% of the impact of pandemic waste on wildlife, but this is only slightly more than the 40% of sightings which saw masks and gloves used to build nests. "Many birds build nests and they generally build them out of filamentous items, whether that's grass, twigs, moss or spider silk," Alex says. "Unfortunately, a lot of rubbish has the same characteristics, particularly objects like masks that have strings to loop around the ears. When that is incorporated into nests, it presents a significant entanglement risk to both adults and their chicks." Though the study was limited to English language searches, and social media platforms that aren't as dominant in some nations of the world, the research provides an insight into how the pandemic will continue to affect the environment. With disposable face masks estimated to take up to 450 years to decompose, the waste left behind by the response to COVID-19 will have to be considered in any future attempts to tackle global plastic pollution. In this fight against waste, the study demonstrated that community scientists could be relied upon as allies to help find and alert others to the problem. The researchers called for greater efforts to develop more streamlined community science platforms to help people from all walks of life to assist scientists and policymakers in the battle against plastic pollution while making the field more equitable. Explore further PPE waste kills animals throughout the entire world More information: Justine Ammendolia et al, Tracking the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic-related debris on wildlife using digital platforms, Science of The Total Environment (2022). Journal information: Science of the Total Environment Justine Ammendolia et al, Tracking the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic-related debris on wildlife using digital platforms,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157614 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain During the pandemic, business shifted from in person to work-from-home, which quickly became the new normal. However, it left many workers high and dry, especially those with less "socially acceptable" occupations. The pandemic has adversely impacted sex workers globally and substantially increased the precariousness of their profession. And public health measures put in place made it almost impossible for sex workers to provide any in-person service. Although many people depend on sex work for survival, its criminalization and policing stigmatizes sex workers. Research shows that globally, sex workers have been left behind and in most cases excluded from government economic support initiatives and social policies. There needs to be an intersectional approach to global COVID-19 recovery that considers everyone's lived realities. We propose policy recommendations that treat sex work as decent work and that center around the lived experiences and rights of those in the profession. Sex work and the pandemic The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently reported that apart from income-loss, the pandemic has increased pre-existing inequalities for sex workers. In a survey conducted in Eastern and Southern Africa, the UNFPA found that during the pandemic, 49% of sex workers experienced police violence (including sexual violence) while 36% reported arbitrary arrests. The same survey reported that more than 50% of respondents experienced food and housing crises. Lockdowns and border closures adversely impacted Thailand's tourism industry which relies partially on the labor of sex workers. In the Asia Pacific, sex workers reported having limited access to contraceptives and lubricants along with reduced access to harm reduction resources. Lockdowns also disrupted STI or HIV testing services, limiting sex workers' access to necessary healthcare. In North America, sex workers have been excluded from the government's recovery response. And many began offering online services to sustain themselves. Government vs. community response Globally, sex workers have been left to fend for themselves during the pandemic with little to no support from the government. But communities themselves have been rallying. Elene Lam, founder of Butterfly, an Asian migrant sex organization in Canada, talks about the resilience of sex workers during the pandemic. She says organizations like the Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform are working in collaboration with Amnesty International to mobilize income support and resources to help sex workers in Canada. Organizations in the United Kingdom, Germany, India and Spain have also set up emergency support funds. And some sex worker organizations have developed community-specific resources for providing services both in person and online during the pandemic. Global recovery needs to include sex workers The International Labor Organization's "Decent Work Agenda" emphasizes productive employment and decent working conditions as being the driving force behind poverty reduction. Sociologist Cecilia Benoit explains that sex work often becomes a "livelihood strategy" in the face of income and employment instability. She says that like other personal service workers, sex workers also should be able to practice without any interference or violence. In order to have an inclusive COVID-19 recovery for all, governments need to work to extend social guarantees to sex workersso far they haven't. As pandemic restrictions disappear, it is crucial to ensure that everyone involved in sex work is protected under the law and has access to accountability measures. Recommendations As feminist researchers, we propose that sex work be brought under the broader agenda of decent work so that the people offering services are protected. Governments need to have a legal mandate for preventing sexual exploitation. Law enforcement staff need to be trained in better responding to the needs of sex workers. To intervene in and address situations of abuse or violence is critical to ensure workplace safety and harm reduction. Awareness and educational campaigns need to focus on destigmatizing sex work. Policy-makers need to incorporate intersectionality as a working principle in identifying and responding to the different axes of oppression and marginalization impacting LGBTQ+ and racialized sex workers. Engagement with sex workers and human rights organizations need to happen when designing aid support to ensure that an inclusive pathway for recovery is created. Globally, there needs to be a steady commitment towards destigmatizing sex workers and their services. Despite the gradual waning of pandemic restrictions, sex workers continue to face the dual insecurity of social discrimination and loss of income support. Many are still finding it difficult to stay afloat and sustain themselves. Societally, we need to recognize that sex workers have agency and deserve the same respect, dignity and aid as any other person selling their labor. Explore further Self-employed among hardest hit by pandemic This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Footprints from the late Ice Age some 12,000 years ago were discovered in the US state of Utah when researchers driving past in a car noticed the distinct depressions in a dried river bed. Footprints laid down by Ice Age hunter-gatherers and recently discovered in a US desert are shedding new light on North America's earliest human inhabitants. Dozens of fossilized prints found in dried-up riverbeds in the western state of Utah reveal more details about how the continent's original occupants lived more than 12,000 years agojust as the frozen planet was starting to thaw. The fossils could have remained unnoticed if not for a chance glance out of a moving car as researchers Daron Duke and Thomas Urban drove through Hill Air Force Base chatting about footprints. "We were talking about, 'What would they look like?'" Duke told AFP. "And he said, 'Kind of like that out the window.'" What the men had found turned out to be 88 distinct prints left by a mixture of adults and children. "They vary between just looking like discolored patches on the ground and... little pop-ups, little pieces of dirt around them or on them. But they look like footprints," Duke said. The discovery was followed by a painstaking few days of very careful diggingwith Duke sometimes lying on his bellyto ensure that what they were looking at was as old as it appeared. "What I found was bare feet of people... that had stepped in what looks to be shallow water where there was a mud sub-layer," Duke explained. For Daron Duke (R), the footprints are an awe-inspiring reminder of the connections between humans today and in the distant past. "The minute they pulled their foot out, the sand infilled that and has preserved it perfectly." Duke, of the Nevada-based Far Western Anthropological Research Group, had been in the area looking for evidence of prehistoric campfires built by the Shoshone, a people whose descendants still live in the western United States. He had brought Urban over from Cornell University because of his expertise in uncovering evidence of ancient humansincluding the discovery of human tracks in New Mexico's White Sands National Park that are thought to be up to 23,000 years old. 'Awestruck' The new fossils add to a wealth of other finds from the areaincluding stone tools, evidence of tobacco use, bird bones and campfire remainsthat are starting to provide a more complete record of the Shoshone and their continuous presence in the region beginning 13,000 years ago. "These are the resident Indigenous people of North America; this is where they lived, and this is where they still live today," Duke said. Footprints in the sand: the impressions add to a growing body of evidence about North America's original human inhabitants. For him personally, finding the footprints has been a professional high point. "Once I... realized I was digging a human footprint, I was seeing toes, I was seeing the thing in immaculate condition... I was just kind of awestruck by it," he said. "Nothing beats the sense of discovery and awe that maybe as an archaeologist, you are actually chasing your whole career." And sharing the discovery with the distant descendants of the people who made the prints was immensely rewarding, Duke said. "You realize the same thing is happeningwhat the connection is to such a distant past and to something so human, I think it gets to everybody in one way or another eventually." Explore further Ice Age human footprints discovered in Utah desert 2022 AFP In their study, the researchers focused on the deaths-head hawkmotha large, nocturnal migrant that travels up to 4,000 kilometers between Europe and Africa every year. Credit: Christian Ziegler / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Insects are the world's smallest flying migrants, but they can maintain perfectly straight flight paths even in unfavorable wind conditions, according to a new study from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB) and the University of Konstanz. Researchers radio tracked migrating hawkmoths for up to 80 kilometersthe longest distance that any insect has been continuously monitored in the wild. By closely following individuals during migration, the world-first study unlocks a century-old mystery of what insects do over their long-range journeys. The study, published in Science, confirms that hawkmoths can accurately maintain straight trajectories over long distances, employing sophisticated strategies to counter and correct for unfavorable wind conditions. The findings reveal that insects are capable of accurate navigation, confirming that an internal compass guides them on their long journeys. With trillions of individuals migrating every year, insects are some of the most common migrating animals on Earth. They include species of renown, such as the monarch butterfly, as well as species of enormous societal and environmental importance, such as locusts, mosquitos, and bees. But even though insect migrants far outnumber better-known migrants, such as birds or mammals, their migration is the least understood form of long-range animal movement. After tagging, moths were released in Konstanz, Germany, and followed in a light aircraft for up to 80 kilometers into the Alps. Credit: Myles Menz / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior The problem, for the most part, has been methodological. "Studying insects on the move is a formidable challenge," says first author Myles Menz, who conducted the research at MPI-AB and is now a lecturer at James Cook University in Australia. "They're usually too numerous to mark and find again, and too small to carry tracking devices." Much of what we know about insect migration has come from studies that sample insects at a single moment in time, such as through radar or direct observation, which has left vast blank spots in our knowledge. "Understanding what insects do during migration, and how they respond to weather, is a last frontier in migration science," says Menz. The current study, which followed radio-tagged individuals in a light aircraft, is the first to continuously study nocturnal migrating insects in the wild and represents the longest distance over which any insect has been continuously tracked in the field. The team, which includes researchers from the MPI-AB and University of Konstanz in Germany and the University of Exeter in the U.K., focused on the death's-head hawkmotha large, nocturnal migrant that travels up to 4,000 kilometers between Europe and Africa every year. Like many insects, the species is a multi-generational migrant, which means that no individual knows the entire route. At the MPI-AB in Konstanz, Germany, the team reared caterpillars until adulthood in the laboratory to ensure that individuals were naive. When moths emerged as adults, they were fixed with radio tags weighing 0.2 gramsless than 15% of adults' body weight. "The moths would probably eat more weight than that in a night, so these tags are extremely light for the insects," says Menz. The moths are extremely large for flying insects, weighing up to 3.5 g, and were fixed with tiny radio tags weighing 0.2 gramsless than 15% of adults body weight. Credit: Christian Ziegler / Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior The researchers released the tagged moths and waited for flight to begin, after which they chose a single individual to follow at a time. The team followed 14 moths each for up to 80 kilometers or 4 hoursa stretch long enough to be considered migratory flightusing antennas mounted on a Cessna airplane to detect precise locations every five to 15 minutes. Insects were followed in the south-south-west direction from Konstanz into the Alps, which follows the route taken by hawkmoths towards the Mediterranean and Northwest Africa. Due to practical constraints of flying in an aircraft, the scientists tracked moths continuously until the insects stopped on route. "When you're in an airplane, it becomes extremely difficult to wait for the insects to begin migrating again because you would have to be in the air when this happens, which could be anytime in the night," says senior author Martin Wikelski, a movement ecologist from the MPI-AB and University of Konstanz, who piloted the plane during the study. The results show that moths maintained perfectly straight trajectories for long distances during flight. This was not because they waited for favorable tailwinds. Rather, they employed a range of flight strategies to buffer against prevailing winds, allowing them to hold their course throughout the night. When winds were favorable, they flew high and slow, allowing the air to carry them. But during harsh headwinds or cross winds, they flew low to the ground and increased speed to keep control of their path. Says Menz: "For years it was assumed that insect migration was mostly about getting blown around. But we show that insects are capable of being great navigators, on par with birds, and are far less vulnerable to wind conditions than we thought." "By showing that it is technically possible to continuously monitor individual insects over migration, and to observe their flight behavior in detail, we hope to inspire more studies to answer many more big questions in this area." For the study authors, the next step is to answer the question of how moths are able to maintain such straight lines. "Based on past lab work, it's possible that the insects are using internal compasses, both visual and magnetic, to chart their way around the world," says Menz. Explore further Bogong moths first insect known to use magnetic sense in long-distance nocturnal migration More information: Myles H. M. Menz et al, Individual tracking reveals long-distance flight-path control in a nocturnally migrating moth, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn1663 Journal information: Science Myles H. M. Menz et al, Individual tracking reveals long-distance flight-path control in a nocturnally migrating moth,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abn1663 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new study from BYU and the University of Virginia analyzed 400 million voter records from elections in 2014 and 2016 and found that minority citizens, young people, and those who support the Democratic Party are much less likely to vote than whites, older citizens, and Republican Party supporters. Moreover, those in the former groups were also more likely to live in areas where their neighbors are less likely to vote. "We're finding that the circumstances of other citizens who live around you plays an important role in voter turnout," said Dr. Michael Barber, BYU professor of political science and co-author of the study. "Much of the country is segregatedespecially by race and partisanship. Minorities are more likely to live around other minorities who are also less likely to vote. The same is true of voters of both parties. These patterns can create a situation that results in persistent patterns of lower turnout in certain communities for a variety of reasons." The study, recently published in the academic journal PLOS One, leveraged voter file data from analytics firm The Data Trust LLC. Researchers combined voter registration lists from all 50 states to create a file of approximately 400 million voter records across two election cycles; a midterm election in 2014 and the Presidential Election of 2016. The large dataset is unique in scope and breadth, allowing the researchers to confidently aggregate voter partisanship and turnout rates neighborhood-by-neighborhood in an unprecedented way. The results highlight large and persistent gaps in voter turnout by race, age, and political affiliation. "We wouldn't be able to look at voter turnout with such a fine-grained analysis without the use of these new, enormous national datasets," said Barber. The data show considerable gaps in voter turnout by race. In 2016, white citizens voted at a rate of between 9 and 15 percentage points higher than Black citizens, Asian citizens, and Hispanic citizens in the same election. In 2014, the gaps were even more significant. Whites voted at a rate 9 to 18 percentage points higher than these same minority groups. Similar gaps existed by political party. Republicans were more likely to vote than Democrats in both 2016 and 2014. The data also revealed that older citizens (60 years of age or older) voted at an astounding rate of roughly 40 percentage points higher than younger citizens (30 years of age or younger). Barber and co-author Dr. John Holbein, former BYU professor and current professor of public policy at the University of Virginia, argue that some of the differences in voter turnout can be attributed to social context. When looking at the distribution of voter turnout by communities, both Black and Hispanic citizens, Democrats, and young people are more likely to live in what the authors call "turnout deserts"voting precincts where voter turnout is significantly lower than the national average. "Turnout deserts are located all across the country. It's not as easy as simply saying they're 'only in rural or urban areas,'" says Barber. "People tend to live around people who are like them. If racial minorities are less likely to vote and they live around other minorities then the whole neighborhood is going to be less likely to vote." This can have important political implications. Such inequalities are unfortunately likely to persist if there is insufficient citizen-based pressure on elected officials (through, you got itvoting) to implement public policies to address and disrupt such patterns. Explore further Text campaign had significant effect on voter registration More information: Michael Barber et al, 400 million voting records show profound racial and geographic disparities in voter turnout in the United States, PLOS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE Michael Barber et al, 400 million voting records show profound racial and geographic disparities in voter turnout in the United States,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268134 Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) attacking factitious host eggs. Credit: Jin-Ping Zhang A study involving scientists from the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA)-CABI Joint Laboratory (Joint Lab) has highlighted the mass rearing capabilities of a natural enemy to fight the brown marmorated stink bug pest. Dr. Feng Zhang, CABI's Regional Director, East & South-East Asia, led research which shows how the solitary egg endoparasitoid Anastatus japonicus Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) can be produced efficiently to tackle the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys Stal (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in China. He, and colleagues from the Joint Lab as well as from the University of California,the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Sun Yat-Sen University, and the Hexi University, believe that mass rearing of the wasp could achieve long-term sustainable management of the brown marmorated stink bug on important economic crops such as kiwifruit. The brown marmorated stink bug, is a polyphagous pest native to East Asia and invasive in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Chile. It can cause significant damage to many important crops in both its native and invaded ranges. Occasional outbreaks have been reported in kiwifruit orchards in China. Losses of approximately 30% in kiwifruit production, for example, have been reported in some orchards in Italy. In 2016, the brown marmorated stink bug caused US $60m worth of damage to Georgia's hazelnut crop and in 2010, US $37m worth of apples were destroyed in parts of the U.S.. Chemical control with broad-spectrum insecticides have been broadly used to control the brown marmorated stink bug in conventional farming systems. This is despite harm to human health and the environment. The study, published in the journal Pest Management Science, states that biological control programs with indigenous or introduced parasitoids have been initiated to explore more environmentally friendly, sustainable methods for brown marmorated stink bug control. Dr. Zhang said, "Our present study is the first important step towards the successful use of A. japonicus. We assessed the reproductive attributes of A. japonicus reared on the factitious host Antheraea pernyi (Guerin-Meneville) (Lepidoptera: Anthelidae)particularly adult longevity and both age specific and lifetime fecundity. "We also evaluated the age-specific functional response of individual A. japonicus females to varying densities of A. pernyi, as well as their response to conspecific females (i.e., mutual interference) in terms of progeny production and progeny sex ratio. "We found that higher lifetime fecundity, longer oviposition period and female-biased progeny production in the beginning of production not only make the rearing system of A. pernyiA. japonicus more cost effective but also make it feasible to use A. japonicus for inundative biological control against the brown marmorated stink bug." In conclusion, the scientists suggest that large-scale and cost-effective A. pernyi-based mass rearing and field release testing are needed to evaluate field efficacy and non-target effects before recommending the use of mass releases of A. japonicus for control of the brown marmorated stink bug to growers. Explore further First discovery of adventive populations of Trissolcus japonicus More information: QianQian Mi et al, Reproductive attributes and functional response of Anastatus japonicus on eggs of Antheraea pernyi, a factitious host, Pest Management Science (2022). Journal information: Pest Management Science QianQian Mi et al, Reproductive attributes and functional response of Anastatus japonicus on eggs of Antheraea pernyi, a factitious host,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/ps.7088 Provided by CABI Bob Karp waited nearly three hours through a hot August Sunday for a glimpse of the painted buntingsometimes called the most gorgeous bird in North America, with its feathers flashing red, green and blue. And just about the time Karp had given up hope, walking back to his car at Dix Park in Raleigh, it landed right in front of him, posing, rewarding his patience. "I only had 20 seconds to shoot," said Karp, a Raleigh photojournalist. "It sounds corny, but you feel like you're blessed to spend that moment and then it's gone. He was the rock star." For the past few weeks, bird fans from as far as Charlotte have traveled to Dix where, just outside the sunflower field, the male bunting appears with its patchwork of feathers. Some birders report spotting a female as wellcolored yellow-green all over. 'Such a fluke that I had to see it' The bright-yellow goldfinch is far more common here. But the bunting, nicknamed "nonpareil" or unrivaled, warbles more in the brush around Texas, often making it to the Southeastern coast, according to Audubon.org. "It was such a fluke that I had to see it," said Karp, who has made five forays into the Raleigh park, most recently with a half-dozen other birders. "There was no politics going on. It was just bird. 'Have you seen him? Have you seen him? Have you seen him?' " At least a dozen delighted Twitter posters show the colorful visitor, head lifted in song. "What a day! What a bird!" tweeted Brenda Hiles-Hurt. "Amid all the trouble in the world, a little splash of happiness." Having spent 30 years photographing all sorts of news, in New Jersey before Raleigh, Karp recalls the year New York went crazy for a mandarin duck in Central Park, which he shot along with a row of photographers. "You'd have thought it was George Clooney," he said. But Raleigh's avian celebrity feels special, he said, because it requires silence and intense listeningtuning in for the hint of a song, a flutter of wings and a fleeting visit from a winged curiosity. Explore further Raleigh to host first in-person Fortnite tournament since 2019 World Cup 2022 The News & Observer. Distributed at Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Transportation systems play a critical role in maintaining supply chains for effective post-disaster recovery. The March 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns coincided with a 5.7 magnitude earthquake in Salt Lake City, Utah, resulting in supply chain disruptions throughout the region. A team of researchers collaborated with local agencies and transportation organizations to use this event and the community's response to evaluate the challenges faced by local business owners and the actions they took to manage the disruptions. Their new report assesses the potential economic impacts of a catastrophic earthquake in the region of Salt Lake City, with an eye toward helping small and medium-sized businesses increase their resiliency. Divya Chandrasekhar and Sua Kim of University of Utah's (UU) City & Metropolitan Planning Department worked with John Downen and Joshua Spolsdoff of UU's Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute to survey local businesses about their recovery actions after the March 2020 disasters. The researchers noted that while increasing risk awareness among businesses, the events of March 2020 had not translated into concrete preparedness or mitigation actions. Based on the findings of this research, the authors suggest the following actions to build future economic resilience along the Wasatch Front: Increasing pre-disaster investment in resilient transportation infrastructure to reduce the cost of eventual recovery; Improving business resilience practices for high-impact industrial sectors, through education and outreach; Identifying structural barriers to adoption of resilient business practices, and promoting mitigation through recovery. Mainstreaming disaster resilience into economic development by breaking the siloed approach to emergency management and economic development. Breaking the silos is key. A primary focus of this project was the developing of partnerships between the university, the community, and the transportation organizations and policy entities in the region. Partners on this project include the Utah Division of Emergency Management, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, the Utah Inland Port Authority, and the University of Utah. Why do this research? "The genesis of this project was a conversation that I had with some FEMA colleagues in Region 8 a few years ago, who were wondering about how we could do some more logistics-related research that would help them in their planning. The big question was, how do supply chains get affected when we have this big earthquake?" Chandrasekhar said. According to the Utah Seismic Safety Commission, the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch Fault is overdue for a "Big One" (an M7.0 seismic event) which last occurred 1,400 years ago. In the aftermath of an earthquake of that magnitude, the Wasatch Front will likely experience a short-term economic loss of $33 billion, including $24.9 billion in direct buildings-related (capital) loss, $6.9 billion in income loss, and $1.4 billion in lifeline-related loss which includes transportation facilities. Modeling the potential economic impact of transportation-related disruptions is an important step to promoting pre-event communitywide recovery and resilience planning. However, existing supply chain and economic impact models are cost prohibitive and overly sophisticated for use by public sector entities with limited resources. That's why the UU team focused their efforts on small and medium enterprises, helping to increase our understanding of how these enterprises adjust to post-disaster transportation disruption and what they can do to prepare for similar events. Apart from expanding our knowledge on the disaster resilience of small businesses, this study also develops an affordable analytical framework for planners and policymakers in high hazard-risk areas to use, to make data-driven decisions on transportation and economic resilience planning. The research In the first phase of the project, the team integrated results from three popularly used models (Hazus, the Wasatch Front Travel Demand Model, and REMI PI+) to identify the industrial sectors expected to be most impacted by transportation loss in a M7.0 earthquake scenario. They found that approximately 70% of the Wasatch Front regional economy falls into some of the hardest-hit sectors. Next they estimated travel delays, damage to roads and bridges, and other potential impacts on the regional economy. Detailed results from each analysis are available in chapter 2 of the final report. In the second phase, the team surveyed 130 Salt Lake City businesses within the top 10 worst-affected industrial sectors identified in Phase 1 to understand how they are currently navigating supply disruptions due to COVID-19, and their future earthquake preparedness. Businesses reported significant impact to supply chain management and production cost due to the disasters. Utah businesses took a range of actions to manage these disruptions, including adjusting capital expenditures and diversifying suppliers within and outside the city. While the disaster experience had raised awareness and confidence in preparation for the future, most businesses reported taking few concrete actions in terms of mitigation and preparedness. What can local businesses do? Chandrasekhar identified several actions that small and medium businesses can take to mitigate against future disasters. Knowing your hazard risk and exposure is important, she says, and so is knowing the condition of your building. For example, many buildings in Utah have unreinforced masonry, which constitutes a severe risk. Other actions include getting business interruption insurance; having a disaster plan in place (for example, a data recovery plan in the event of digital data loss); and being familiar with your own supply chain: knowing where your goods come from and what can affect their travel. Chandrasekhar also advises businesses to take advantage of the resources that local and state agencies can offer. For example, the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity and the Be Ready Utah initiative offer assistance in business continuity planning for disasters, an opportunity which many business owners may not be aware of. The study highlights the need for high hazard risk communities to identify at-risk industrial sectors and do targeted disaster management outreach and awareness raising in these sectors. Explore further Economic resilience actions help businesses avert losses when disaster strikes Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Symbiotic relationships between legumes and the bacteria that grow in their roots are critical for plant survival. Without those bacteria, the plants would have no source of nitrogen, an element that is essential for building proteins and other biomolecules, and they would be dependent on nitrogen fertilizer in the soil. To establish that symbiosis, some legume plants produce hundreds of peptides that help bacteria live within structures known as nodules within their roots. A new study from MIT reveals that one of these peptides has an unexpected function: It sops up all available heme, an iron-containing molecule. This sends the bacteria into an iron-starvation mode that ramps up their production of ammonia, the form of nitrogen that is usable for plants. "This is the first of the 700 peptides in this system for which a really detailed molecular mechanism has been worked out," says Graham Walker, the American Cancer Society Research Professor of Biology at MIT, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor, and the senior author of the study. This heme-sequestering peptide could have beneficial uses in treating a variety of human diseases, the researchers say. Removing free heme from the blood could help to treat diseases caused by bacteria or parasites that need heme to survive, such as P. gingivalis (periodontal disease) or toxoplasmosis, or diseases such as sickle cell disease or sepsis that release too much heme into the bloodstream. "This study demonstrates that basic research in plant-microbe interactions also has potential to be translated to therapeutic applications," says Siva Sankari, an MIT research scientist and the lead author of the study, which appears today in Nature Microbiology. Other authors of the paper include Vignesh Babu, an MIT research scientist; Kevin Bian and Mary Andorfer, both MIT postdocs; Areej Alhhazmi, a former KACST-MIT Ibn Khaldun Fellowship for Saudi Arabian Women scholar; Kwan Yoon and Dante Avalos, MIT graduate students; Tyler Smith, an MIT instructor in biology; Catherine Drennan, an MIT professor of chemistry and biology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator; Michael Yaffe, a David H. Koch Professor of Science and a member of MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research; and Sebastian Lourido, the Latham Family Career Development Professor of Biology at MIT and a member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. Iron control For nearly 40 years, Walker's lab has been studying the symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia, a type of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These bacteria convert nitrogen gas to ammonia, a critical step of the Earth's nitrogen cycle that makes the element available to plants (and to animals that eat the plants). Most of Walker's work has focused on a clover-like plant called Medicago truncatula. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria elicit the formation of nodules on the roots of these plants and eventually end up inside the plant cells, where they convert to their symbiotic form called bacteroids. Several years ago, plant biologists discovered that Medicago truncatula produces about 700 peptides that contribute to the formation of these bacteroids. These peptides are generated in waves that help the bacteria make the transition from living freely to becoming embedded into plant cells where they act as nitrogen-fixing machines. Walker and his students picked one of these peptides, known as NCR247, to dig into more deeply. Initial studies revealed that when nitrogen-fixing bacteria were exposed to this peptide, 15 percent of their genes were affected. Many of the genes that became more active were involved in importing iron. The researchers then found that when they fused NCR247 to a larger protein, the hybrid protein was unexpectedly reddish in color. This serendipitous observation led to the discovery that NCR247 binds heme, an organic ring-shaped iron-containing molecule that is an important component of hemoglobin, the protein that red blood cells use to carry oxygen. Further studies revealed that when NCR247 is released into bacterial cells, it sequesters most of the heme in the cell, sending the cells into an iron-starvation mode that triggers them to begin importing more iron from the external environment. "Usually bacteria fine-tune their iron metabolism, and they don't take up more iron when there is already enough," Sankari says. "What's cool about this peptide is that it overrides that mechanism and indirectly regulates the iron content of the bacteria." Nitrogenase, the main enzyme that bacteria use to fix nitrogen, requires 24 to 32 atoms of iron per enzyme molecule, so the influx of extra iron likely helps those enzymes to become more active, the researchers say. This influx is timed to coincide with nitrogen fixation, they found. "These peptides are produced in a wave in the nodules, and the production of this particular peptide is higher when the bacteria are preparing to fix nitrogen. If this peptide was secreted throughout the whole process, then the cell would have too much iron all the time, which is bad for the cell," Sankari says. Without the NCR247 peptide, Medicago truncatula and rhizobium cannot form an effective nitrogen-fixing symbiosis, the researchers showed. "Many possible directions" The peptide that the researchers studied in this work may have potential therapeutic uses. When heme is incorporated into hemoglobin, it performs a critical function in the body, but when it's loose in the bloodstream, it can kill cells and promote inflammation. Free heme can accumulate in stored blood, so having a way to filter out the heme before the blood is transfused into a patient could be potentially useful. A variety of human diseases lead to free heme circulating in the bloodstream, including sickle cell anemia, sepsis, and malaria. Additionally, some infectious parasites and bacteria depend on heme for their survival but cannot produce it, so they scavenge it from their environment. Treating such infections with a protein that takes up all available heme could help prevent the parasitic or bacterial cells from being able to grow and reproduce. In this study, Lourido and members of his lab showed that treating the parasite Toxoplasma gondii with NCR247 prevented the parasite from forming plaques on human cells. The researchers are now pursuing collaborations with other labs at MIT to explore some of these potential applications, with funding from a Professor Amar G. Bose Research Grant. "There are many possible directions, but they're all at a very early stage," Walker says. "The number of potential clinical applications is very broad. You can place more than one bet in this game, which is an intriguing thing." Currently, the human protein hemopexin, which also binds to heme, is being explored as a possible treatment for sickle cell anemia. The NCR247 peptide could provide an easier to deploy alternative, the researchers say, because it is much smaller and could be easier to manufacture and deliver into the body. Explore further How legumes give oxygen to symbiotic bacteria in their roots More information: Graham Walker, A haem-sequestering plant peptide promotes iron uptake in symbiotic bacteria, Nature Microbiology (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41564-022-01192-y Journal information: Nature Microbiology Graham Walker, A haem-sequestering plant peptide promotes iron uptake in symbiotic bacteria,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41564-022-01192-y Australian snapper (Chrysophrys auratus). Credit: David Harasti New research on snapper has revealed that there are more genetically distinct populations in the western part of its Australian range than previously understood. The research, led by the Molecular Ecology Lab at Flinders University (MELFU) as well as government fisheries agencies, used a large genomic dataset of more than 10,000 DNA markers to uncover three different oceanic snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) populations between Shark Bay in Western Australia and Ceduna in South Australia. Two of these snapper populations occurred in WA, with the northernmost one extending around 800 km from Shark Bay to Lancelin, and the second spanning about 600 km from Fremantle to Albany. The west coast of SA is home to an additional unique snapper population that is genetically distinct from the two in WA. Genetically distinct populations form when there is limited movement and interbreeding between groups of individuals occupying different geographical areas. "Such knowledge is valuable from a sustainability perspective because genetically distinct populations may need to be managed differently as they could respond uniquely to fishing pressures," says Andrea Bertram, first author of the study published in the journal Evolutionary Applications. First author of the study and PhD student Andrea Bertram. Credit: Flinders University The use of contemporary genomic techniques has improved knowledge based on previous genetic work that suggested snapper form a single population from Shark Bay to Albany. "The high resolving power of our large genomic dataset compared to the smaller ones used in the past is what allowed us to uncover the two distinct snapper populations in Western Australia," says MELFU director Professor Luciano Beheregaray. The large geographical ranges of these three populations also suggests that snapper can make movements of several hundreds of kilometers. While the differences between the populations means that snapper don't often move outside of their geographical boundaries, one fish from the SA population was found to have moved as far west as Busselton in the south-west corner of WA. "Although it's not totally clear why snapper don't often venture across the boundaries between these populations, ocean currents and maintaining proximity to spawning and nursery habitats may be important," says WA fisheries scientist Dr. David Fairclough, who is the second author on the new paper. The results are now being discussed by fisheries scientists and managers to help improve snapper management across WA. This research is part of a current ARC Linkage Project titled "Fisheries Genomics of Snapper," which involves using genomic data to improve the management of wild snapper fisheries as well as the production of snapper through aquaculture. The paper, "Fisheries genomics of snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) along the west Australian coast," (2022), has been published as open access in the journal Evolutionary Applications. Explore further Octogenarian snapper found in WA becomes oldest tropical reef fish by two decades More information: Andrea Bertram et al, Fisheries genomics of snapper ( Chrysophrys auratus ) along the west Australian coast, Evolutionary Applications (2022). Andrea Bertram et al, Fisheries genomics of snapper ( Chrysophrys auratus ) along the west Australian coast,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/eva.13439 Supercomputer simulations have probed primordial black holes and their effects on the formation of the first stars in the universe. Black holes can help stars form by seeding structures to form around them through their immense gravity. They also hinder star formation by heating the gas that falls into them. XSEDE-allocated Stampede2 simulations show these effects basically cancel each other out. Shown here is an artist's concept that illustrates a hierarchical scheme for merging black holes. Credit: LIGO/Caltech/MIT/R. Hurt (IPAC) Just milliseconds after the universe's Big Bang, chaos reigned. Atomic nuclei fused and broke apart in hot, frenzied motion. Incredibly strong pressure waves built up and squeezed matter so tightly together that black holes formed, which astrophysicists call primordial black holes. Did primordial black holes help or hinder formation of the universe's first stars, eventually born about 100 million years later? Supercomputer simulations helped investigate this cosmic question, thanks to simulations on the Stampede2 supercomputer of the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC), part of The University of Texas at Austin. "We found that the standard picture of first-star formation is not really changed by primordial black holes," said Boyuan Liu, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge. Liu is the lead author of computational astrophysics research published August 2022 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. In the early universe, the standard model of astrophysics holds that black holes seeded the formation of halo-like structures by virtue of their gravitational pull, analogous to how clouds form by being seeded by dust particles. This is a plus for star formation, where these structures served as scaffolding that helped matter coalesce into the first stars and galaxies. However, a black hole also causes heating by gas or debris falling into it. This forms a hot accretion disk around the black hole, which emits energetic photons that ionize and heat the surrounding gas. And that's a minus for star formation, as gas needs to cool down to be able to condense to high enough density that a nuclear reaction is triggered, setting the star ablaze. "We found that these two effectsblack hole heating and seedingalmost cancel each other out and the final impact is small for star formation," Liu said. Depending on which effect wins over the other, star formation can be accelerated, delayed or prevented by primordial black holes. "This is why primordial black holes can be important," he added. Liu emphasized that it is only with state-of-the-art cosmological simulations that one can understand the interplay between the two effects. Regarding the importance of primordial black holes, the research also implied that they interact with the first stars and produce gravitational waves. "They may also be able to trigger the formation of supermassive black holes. These aspects will be investigated in follow-up studies," Liu added. Matter fields at the moment of cloud collapse (i.e. onset of star formation) as projected distributions of dark matter (top) and gas (bottom) in four simulations targeted at the same region but with different abundances of primordial black holes, measured by the parameter f_PBH. Primordial black holes are plotted with black dots and the circles show the size of the structure that hosts the collapsing cloud. The data slice has a physical extent of 2000 light years and a thickness of 1000 light years. The age of the universe at the moment of collapse first decreases with f_PBH for f_PBH<0.001 when the "seeding" effect dominates. Then it increases from f_PBH=0.001 to f_PBH=0.01 and above as the "heating" effect becomes more important. Credit: Liu et al. For the study, Liu and colleagues used cosmological hydrodynamic zoom-in simulations as their tool for state-of-the-art numerical schemes of the gravity hydrodynamics, chemistry and cooling in structure formation and early star formation. "A key effect of primordial black holes is that they are seeds of structures," Liu said. His team built the model that implemented this process, as well as incorporating the heating from primordial black holes. They then added a sub-grid model for black hole accretion and feedback. The model calculates at each timestep how a black hole accretes gas and also how it heats its surroundings. "This is based on the environment around the black hole known in the simulations on the fly," Liu said. XSEDE awarded the science team allocations on the Stampede2 system of TACC. "Supercomputing resources in computational astrophysics are absolutely vital," said study co-author Volker Bromm, professor and chair, Department of Astronomy, UT Austin. Bromm explained that in theoretical astrophysics, the ruling paradigm for understanding the formation and evolution of cosmic structure is to use ab initio simulations, which follow the 'playbook' of the universe itselfthe governing equations of physics. The simulations use data from the universe's initial conditions to high precision based on observations of the cosmic microwave background. Simulation boxes are then set up that follow the cosmic evolution timestep by timestep. But the challenges in computational simulation of structure formation lie in the way large scales of the universemillions to billions of light years and billions of yearsmesh with the atomic scales where stellar chemistry happens. "The microcosm and the macrocosm interact," Bromm said. "TACC and XSEDE resources have been absolutely vital for us to push the frontier of computation astrophysics. Everyone who is at UT Austinfaculty members, postdocs, studentsbenefits from the fact that we have such a premier supercomputing center. I'm extremely grateful," Bromm added. TACC's Stampede2 supercomputer. Credit: TACC "If we look into one typical structure that can form the first stars, we need around one million elements to fully resolve this halo or structure," Liu said. "This is why we need to use supercomputers at TACC." Liu said that using Stampede2, a simulation running on 100 cores can complete in just a few hours versus years on a laptop, not to mention the bottlenecks with memory and reading or writing data. "The overall game plan with our work is that we want to understand how the universe was transformed from the simple initial conditions of the Big Bang," explained Bromm. The structures that emerged from the Big Bang were driven by the dynamical importance of dark matter. The nature of dark matter remains one of the biggest mysteries in science. The clues of this hypothetical yet unobservable substance are undeniable, seen in the impossible rotational speeds of galaxies. The mass of all the stars and planets in galaxies like our Milky Way do not have enough gravity to keep them from flying apart. The 'x-factor' is called dark matter, yet laboratories have not yet directly detected it. However, gravitational waves have been detected, first by LIGO in 2015. "It is possible that primordial black holes can explain these gravitational wave events that we have been detecting over the past seven years," Liu said. "This just motivates us." Said Bromm: "Supercomputers are enabling unprecedented new insights into how the universe works. The universe provides us with extreme environments that are extremely challenging to understand. This also gives motivation to build ever-more-powerful computation architectures and devise better algorithmic structures. There's great beauty and power to the benefit of everyone." The study, "Effects of stellar-mass primordial black holes on first star formation," was published August 2022 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The study authors are Boyuan Liu, Saiyang Zhang, and Volker Bromm of the University of Texas at Austin. Liu is now at the University of Cambridge. Explore further Did black holes form immediately after the Big Bang? More information: Boyuan Liu et al, Effects of stellar-mass primordial black holes on first star formation, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2022). Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Boyuan Liu et al, Effects of stellar-mass primordial black holes on first star formation,(2022). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stac1472 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain North Carolina State University researchers released findings from an analysis of 284 different studies on the challenges and best practices for teaching K-12 classes onlinean effort launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to help teachers and administrators as they transitioned rapidly to online instruction. The researchers used the findings, which have now been published in Review of Educational Research, to develop a series of free, online and asynchronous professional development courses for teachers. The courses were provided online to more than 1,000 teachers during the early years of the pandemic. "We've learned a lot about what works for online instruction in U.S. higher education, but we wanted to see what works for K-12," said the study's lead author Carla C. Johnson, professor of science education at NC State. "We noticed that many teachers hadn't had any training for online instruction; we have been preparing them to teach face-to-face. Ultimately, we found that some of the strategies that worked well in-person also worked online, with some modifications." In their analysis, researchers searched for existing studies on online, virtual, distance or remote delivery of K-12 education. After reviewing the studies for key themes, researchers revealed three foundational elements needed for effective online instruction: teacher training in online teaching; district and school access to technology and the Internet; and consideration of student developmental level in instructional planning, such as whether students are able to learn independently. "You have to have a good foundation to build your home on, or you're going to have challenges down the road," Johnson said. "For example, in terms of student development, we know that adults can sit in front of a computer, but when you're thinking about elementary school children, and even some in middle school, teachers need parents' partnership to make sure students are set up to be successful, to have a schedule they follow, and to keep distractions out of the way. Teachers have to think about breaking up instructional delivery into smaller time increments." In addition, the study revealed a conceptual framework for essential aspects of online K-12 instruction. The first consideration was the course design. Researchers reported courses that were easy to navigate and organized could help reduce students' "cognitive load," or the amount of effort they have to put in to access the course online. "There are a lot of design principles to ensure K-12 students can logistically find things and maneuver online, so it doesn't impede learning," Johnson said. Another key factor was whether teachers developed a sense of community for students so they could connect socially and emotionally in the online classroom. "There are strategies and tools to make classes more interactive, and to make sure kids don't feel isolated or get lost onlineto feel a connection to each other," Johnson said. "When you teach others, or work with others to discuss what you're learning, there are more opportunities to apply the information and develop a deeper conceptual understanding." Other important factors for teaching successfully online were: accessibility to course information for students of all abilities; a supportive classroom environment; tailored instruction to meet the needs of individual students or student groups; "active learning" strategies that keep students interested or excited; and assessment of student learning in real-time. A major challenge researchers faced in completing the analysis was that many schools in the United States used online course delivery in limited ways before the pandemic; for example, many schools used online learning for just a single type of course. Learning entirely online was mostly restricted to charter schools for students who chose it. That meant findings from those settings were limited in terms of their application for taking face-to-face schools fully online during a pandemic or in a rapid manner. "During the transition to online learning, schools took lemons and made lemonade in some cases, but now we need to do more research in the area of K-12 online learning to figure out what is working," Johnson said. "We need to learn how to do this in a better and more effective way moving forward. For example, we found there was very little, if any, research on teaching specific disciplines, such as teaching mathematics and science, online in K-12." In addition, Johnson said there's a need to address disparities in online resources and teacher training for school systems across the country, as well as making this a focus in teacher preparation programs. "We need to continue to build resources for schools that don't have as much access to money or training," she said. Explore further During COVID, students taking courses online got a lot more sleep More information: Carla C. Johnson et al, Online Teaching in K-12 Education in the United States: A Systematic Review, Review of Educational Research (2022). Carla C. Johnson et al, Online Teaching in K-12 Education in the United States: A Systematic Review,(2022). DOI: 10.3102/00346543221105550 Delta smelt. Credit: Clinton & Charles Robertson, CC BY 2.0 The fragile little fish that swim around in dark tanks in a lab are the last hope for their kind. The lab director who oversees their care, Tien-Chieh Hung, explained that when the Delta smelt captives are young, scientists at the UC Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory put snails in the black interiors of the tanks as a slow-moving mollusk cleaning crew. The snails must do the work because the fish are so delicate, they could get tangled in a human cleaner's arm hair and perish. The whole project of painstakingly raising these temperamental endangered creatures, Hung said, may be futilethe smelt could just keep surviving in the lab because of human intervention, and vanishing in the wild because of human intervention. With a California Delta habitat especially damaged by the rising temperatures and drought wrought by human-caused climate change and the unslakable thirst of people and farms in California, the smelt are perilously close to extinction. "We do research, we try to do something for the earth," Hung said. "There are just so many things to be done." It might not be enough to save the silvery fish, but it's created a bizarre parallel world for these small creatures and the scientists who look after them, as well as for the visiting scientists who have much less experience with the smelt, and accidentally kill a bunch of them every time they handle the fish for research. Significant Delta smelt populations only exist three places in the world: The Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory at the mouth of the California Aqueduct, which Hung oversees; the Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery at the base of the Shasta Dam, where Hung sends emergency fish in case something catastrophic happens to his own lab; and in their native California Delta, in precipitously dwindling numbersas of this past winter, Hung sends reinforcements there, too. Probably less than a thousand smelt are flitting through murky waters in the wild. In the rows of tanks in Byron, scientists care for more than 100,000 fish. And Hung, a wry former pesticides engineer, led the charge to release 56,000 captive fish in the winter for the first time, after years of debate. He wasn't sure they would make it in the "home" that had never been their home. "They might be too naive," he said. "They might just become (a) buffet for bigger fish." But the scientists thought they had no choice, because with so few smelt in the wild, researchers couldn't even find them anymore. Months later, Hung smiled telling a reporter that at least some of the freed smelt were thriving. In an irony befitting the Delta smelt, Hung knew this because they'd been caught and killed in surveyors' nets. A smelt is drafted into a culture war In a sense, Delta smelt can trace their controversial status to Republican President Richard Nixon. A federal law championed by Nixon, the Endangered Species Act, prohibits people from driving another species out of existence. "Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed," he said in 1973. "It is a many-faceted treasure, of value to scholars, scientists, and nature lovers alike, and it forms a vital part of the heritage we all share as Americans." Years later, the Delta smelt rose to fame as a casualty of California's water wars: Because they are endangeredtheir numbers have been dropping since the 1980sthe government is obligated by law to protect them and their habitat. In 1996, the lab was formed; it was not until 2008 that scientists there successfully spawned the fish in captivity. Their spawning behaviors in their wild habitat aren't well understood. And their wild habitat happens to supply millions of acre-feet of water to other parts of the state. The smelt's story resonates so much that then-presidential candidate Donald Trump brought up this "certain kind of 3-inch fish" on the 2016 campaign trail in Fresno. Trump acolyte and former U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes called them a "stupid little fish." As Tufts University sociology professor Caleb Scoville has written, the fish was only recognized as a unique species because of the water infrastructure that was threatening to destroy their home: "Building extractive infrastructure," he said, "resulted in the proliferation of scientific knowledge about the natural systems it disrupted." And now, Hung and his team raise hundreds of thousands of tiny fish in dozens of tanks, less than 200 yards away from some of the water infrastructure that's killing them. The apparatus of survival for an endangered species In captivity, the smelt have a peculiar life. They only spawn when a lab worker plucks them out of the water and squeezes them until they release eggs or sperm into a plastic dish. Their mates are carefully chosen by DNA testing through UC Davis' Genomic Variation Lab. "Basically," Hung said, "it's like a Match.com". The fish lab once had some wild-caught smelt that it brought in every year to maintain genetic diversity and make sure the captive fish weren't getting too dissimilar from their wild brethren. But in the 2021-2022 season, the lab's workers tried to collect the 100 wild smelt they're permitted to capture every year. They couldn't catch a single fish. In the generations of smelt at the lab today, every one hatched in a little plastic tube and descended a little waterslide into a bucket, to be collected by scientists and carefully raised in a series of big, dark, circular tanks. They retrieved the full 100 fish for the last time in the 2017-18 season, pulling in nets gently 15 times. The next season, the fish's population had a steep decline. "We put out 10 times more effort"111 gentle pulls, Hung said"but we can only get 28 fish." In the 2020-2021 season, workers set out a net and gently pulled it in by hand 451 times, more than 40 trips. They caught two fish. "It's so important," Hung said, "to make sure one species is not going into extinction." Hung wasn't sure what to expect releasing the 56,000 captives during December 2021 and January and February 2022. The permission to release the fisha multi-agency dealcame fairly last-minute, and his team didn't have much time to prepare. There was a chance the tiny, sensitive fish would all just die. How well they're doing is still unknownless than 1,000 fully wild smelt, Hung said, were suddenly joined by 56,000 newcomers. Although the fin-tagged fish are popping up in surveyors netsyou can recognize the lab fish by the little gouges in their fins and the pop of neon color injected under their scalesthe habitat these lab fish were introduced to was still the same Delta that was increasingly inhospitable to their species. Farmers have cried out that they need the Delta waters that are being held back in part to protect this fish. Nunes and some of his former constituents believed the "stupid little fish" didn't deserve all these protections. In a way, Hung agrees with them: It kind of is a stupid little fish. "People always ask this question: They're asking, what happens if this fish disappears?" he said. "Will that affect the food chain? Will that affect the ecosystem?" The answer, he said, is no: The fish are pretty much gone already. "If they all disappear, nothing will change," he said. But once the Delta is too hostile for the most fragile little smelt, then it will just get too hostile for the next-most-fragile animal. "It's important to keep diversity for ecosystems. After the Delta smelt, there are just several other local speciesthey will disappear. They (are) already in danger." The next in line is likely the longfin smelt. The lab is working to help develop a refuge population for this species, too. The longfins are followed by a long procession of Delta lifeforms that could be wiped out. He stood in a darkened room next to 33 tanks with about 1,000 smelt each, water pumps whirring as two students fashioned new covers for the tanks to keep out the debris and light that stress the fish out. "We don't want our ecosystem (to) become just one single survivor," he said. If the smelt die, it's bad news for the whole ecosystemthe ecosystem that people depend on, too. Hung returned to his office. He sat at his desk, next to a collage by a more cynical photographer who's trying to take a picture of every species that's about to be gone forever. Hung had shown him around the lab a few years before, and Hung let him take pictures even though he's trying to stop the outcome the photographer expects. Because the smelt might be a stupid little fish, but if he gives up on them, he's giving up on everything. 2022 The Sacramento Bee. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The recent transfer of a "difficult cohort" of teenagers to a maximum-security adult prison in Western Australia raises familiar questions about Australia's prison system. The 17 young detainees have "significant offending histories" and had for months been destroying infrastructure, assaulting staff and harming themselves at Perth's Banksia Hill juvenile center, according to the head of the WA justice department, Adam Tomison. Tomison didn't elaborate on what led to these incidents. According to Gerry Georgatos, coordinator of the National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project, the damaged cells were a sign of the strain detainees were under at Banksia Hill. Premier Mark McGowan and Corrective Services Commissioner Mike Reynolds said the government had been left with no choice. The transfer was a necessary circuit-breaker, they argued, to provide greater security and safety for the management of the detainees. While no time frame has been specified, the WA government has described the move to Casuarina Prison as "temporary." Australia's juvenile detention centers have been under the spotlight since 2016, when ABC Four Corners revealed the treatment of inmates at Darwin's Don Dale Youth Detention Center. The children were being stripped naked, tied to restraint chairs, manhandled and even teargassed. Such was the shock when the episode aired that, within hours, then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called for a royal commission into juvenile detention centers in the Northern Territory, though he later refused to extend the inquiry to other states and territories. The release of the commission's final report, almost two years later, followed a familiar pattern. It found staff had in many cases not followed required procedures and the system had "failed to comply with the basic binding human rights standards in the treatment of children and young people." Nevertheless, none of the officers involved was charged and the commission's recommendations seem to have been ignored. Those incidents were not unique to Don Dale. While the government blames them on "difficult" juveniles, it ignores how young detainees are also among the most vulnerable members of society. Unfortunately, as the Banksia Hill case shows, Australia pays scant attention to the difference between a child and an adult offender. The evidence suggests it's time to rethink this approach. A national problem Problems concerning the treatment of inmates at Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centers have been known for years. A 2017 report noted the increasing use of a special operations group to manage incidents at the facility. This group uses stun grenades, gun-laser sights and pepper spray, which is unprecedented in either adult or youth facilities in the state. The report noted this was a "telling sign of a facility that is failing the basics." An unscheduled visit by WA's custodial inspector last year raised "reasonable suspicion" that young detainees were being subjected to "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment," including been held in their own cells for 23 hours of the day. While Don Dale and Banksia Hill represent the more egregious cases, other youth detention centers around the country have also faced significant scrutiny in recent years. These include Frank Baxter in New South Wales and the Parkville facility in Victoria. Changing the age of criminal responsibility is key Article 37 (c) of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child states juvenile detainees "shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interest not to do so." On ratifying the convention, Australia specified it was "unable to comply with" this requirement. Children would be separated from adult prisoners only when "feasible." The federal government has so far rejected calls by the UN to raise the age of criminal responsibility from ten to 14. In this regard, Australia's stance is oblivious to what's commonly known as "the labeling effect." Young people who are labeled "criminal" are likely to live up to this label rather than growing out of crime as would normally occur. Youth justice detention, from this standpoint, is inherently criminogenicit encourages rather than reduces criminal behavior. The risk of labeling grows where young offenders are housed with adult offenders. News reports are already suggesting some of the juveniles sent to Casuarina have been speaking to adult prisoners through the fence. Last November, the Productivity Commission noted "Australia's prison dilemma": our imprisoned population is at an historic high, yet crime rates are falling. Governments spend more than $4bn each year keeping people behind bars, and taxpayers should ask what that money is achieving. Australia must also recognize the role mental health plays in the behavior of "difficult" children. We can't continue to sweep that problem under the carpet. Explore further Young crime is often a phase, and locking kids up is counterproductive This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Hikers making the trek this week were well-equipped, with walking sticks, hiking boots and rain gear. Tens of thousands of people have braved a steep, rugged trail in Iceland to catch a rare glimpse of an active volcano after it erupted last week, spewing red-hot lava into the sky. Tourism officials said Thursday that almost 23,000 people had made the difficult, hours-long trek to spot the volcano in the Meradalir valley, just 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the capital. "We've been here for three, four hours and we never get tired of it, it's always moving", said Jean-Paul Couturier, a French pensioner on vacation in Iceland. The hike to the newly-formed crater is a 14 kilometers round-trip across tough terrain, with a 300-meter (985-foot) ascent. The walk takes about two hours from the nearest car park. Strong winds and rain have done little to deter crowds. On Wednesday alonewhen authorities reopened the site following a three-day closuremore than 4,600 people took in the mesmerizing views of the red-hot magma. The volcano is located in the Meradalir valley, an uninhabited area that would normally not attract more than a few visitors. Known as the land of fire and ice, Iceland has 32 volcanic systems currently considered active, the highest number in Europe. It had an eruption every five years on average. The latest volcano erupted in the Meradalir valley on August 3 and has continued at a fairly stable rate since, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. The lava fountains spurt as high as 70 meters (230 feet). 'Nature's power' "It would be very easy for it to last as long as the previous one", vulcanologist Thorvaldur Thordarson told AFP. Last year, lava spewed from the nearby Mount Fagradalsfjall volcano for six months, the longest eruption in Iceland in more than 50 years. Hikers making the trek on Wednesday were well-equipped with walking sticks, hiking boots and rain gear. It was a sharp contrast from the shorts and flip flops worn by some of the first curious onlookers who initially rushed to the scene. Observers watch from a safe distance the red-orange lava fountains spurting as high as 70 meters before falling back to the ground, forming a large blanket of magma and a volcanic semi-cone as it solidified. The lava reaches temperatures of 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 Fahrenheit), the hottest lava produced on Earth, and has so far flowed almost two kilometers to the south across the valley. "The hot rock shooting out of the earth is really the first most impressive thing that you see," American tourist James Maniscalco said. For French tourist Clemence Ernoult, the experience was as rare as it gets. "You really see Nature's power," she said. "It's something you'll probably only see once in your life". 2022 AFP Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Wildfire has ravaged the Western United States throughout the last decade. Over three million acres have already burned across the country this year. As fires spark earlier and extend further into autumn each year, turning from "fire seasons" to "fire years," the National Interagency Fire Center reports that many Western U.S. regions show above-average fire potential. From predicting big blazes to preventing future fires, researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are tackling the problem of increasingly intense wildfires from numerous scientific angles. And they're keeping our lights on in the process. Fighting fires... from space While firefighters battled blazes on the frontlines in 2021, a team of scientists helped from a unique vantage point: outer space. PNNL data scientist Andre Coleman leads RADR-Fire, the satellite image processing system that maps active fires. RADR-Fire helps firefighting personnel, utilities operators, and other decisionmakers better understand a fire's behavior so they can make informed choices in the midst of natural disaster. But it's also a planning tool. The same information gathered by the RADR-Fire system can help utility operators assess risk by identifying areas that are most prone to wildfire and which energy infrastructure needs protection. Sensors riding aboard many different satellitesone of them an experimental sensor aboard the International Space Stationgrant a sweeping view of Earth's surface. Some satellite-based sensors can reveal where fuel is strong, like areas with dry, densely packed vegetation. Others show where vulnerable infrastructure, like transmission lines or generating stations, fall within a fire's path. Coleman's team has worked with firefighters to add new capabilities to the system, like the ability to flag where fire retardant drops have landed. As firefighters battle fires on the ground, RADR-Fire provides valuable intel from above. Conventional fire mapping techniques involve nighttime aerial imaging aboard firefighting aircraft. Wildfire analysts process images after the aircraft return to base, often drawing the fire's shifting boundaries by hand based on the aerial imagery. Those maps help firefighting decisionmakers allocate limited resources and strategically manage the fire. But the costly process often takes hours, views can be obscured by thick smoke clouds, and poor weather can ground planes, which often aren't available when multiple fires demand attention. RADR-Fire accomplishes the task quickly and more equitably. Where fire observation aircraft are often dedicated to the largest, most dangerous fires, RADR-Fire can assess smaller wildfires that rarely get scarce aircraft attention, whether they're inching toward cities or moving through uninhabited countryside. Its sensors can peer through smoke and detect heat, showing exactly where and how hot fires are burning even when visibility is low. RADR-Fire is not a single-point panacea, however. The mapping ability is just one crucial tool among many, meant to support ongoing wildfire management efforts. Today, Coleman and his team use a similar satellite network to share seasonal, near-term forecasts of fire risk with power utilities. By processing sensor data focused on vegetation surrounding energy infrastructure, Coleman maps the "fuelscape," flagging especially water-starved areas that are rich with dry, fire-sustaining fuel. "These seasonal forecasts are really an extension of our RADR-Fire work," said Coleman. "At its core, RADR-Fire is about monitoring active wildfires. But we've extended our tools using satellite remote sensing to now understand the condition of fuels, so we get the most current and updated picture of what's going on." Coleman's team helps utilities identify other grid-related risks. If a substation or powerline corridor is surrounded by dry brush and humidity levels are low, they can flag not just that fire risk, but also the impact of a regional power shutoff. Utilities must understand the consequences of power shutoffs for a variety of services, including hospitals, assisted living facilities, police stations, water treatment and delivery, and more. Stopping fires before they start Techniques like forest thinning and controlled burning can help tame future fires before they ignite. Flames halted just as they met Yosemite's sequoias earlier this summer, for examplesomething park managers credit to controlled burns. PNNL chief scientist Mark Wigmosta developed a new tool with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to help government agencies know where to thin or apply controlled burns. In some cases, these approaches reduce fire hazards by 2596 percent. Zeroing in on the Wenatchee region in Washington State, which lays claim to the largest wildfire in state history, the team worked to see how different land use patterns can make this area more resilient to both wildfire and climate change. "By mimicking nature, and adding complexity to landscapes, it helps prevents future fires from getting out of control," said Wigmosta. As wildfires grow increasingly severe, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are working to slow their spread and mitigate their harmful effects. From uncovering where best to apply controlled burns to protecting energy infrastructure from outer space, these researchers are using science to get an edge on tomorrow's wildfires. Credit: Sara Levine With approximately 500 million acres of public, private, state, and tribal forests supported by USFS management, prioritizing which areas to focus these efforts with limited resources has been challenging. Approaches like Wigmosta's also offer other benefits, such as reducing smoke from future fires by 33 percent and even strengthening streamflow by 7 to 10 percent. "This information will help land managers design a path forward for directing their resources for the greatest payoffswhether it's reduced wildfire emissions, enhanced long-term carbon sequestration, or even increased streamflow," said Wigmosta. Predicting tomorrow's wildfires Many of the agencies charged with flagging fire risk rely on well-known fire weather factors to estimate danger. Drive through a public forest and you might see a color wheel indicating the chance of fire: green when risk is low, red when factors like high temperatures and strong winds point to heightened danger. But wildfiresand all the variables that shape their intensityare more complex than that. A few basic factors like temperature and wind speed can give a rough estimation of risk. To get a more robust and accurate picture of wildfire behavior now and in the future, however, we must consider more. That's why atmospheric scientist Ruby Leung led a team of scientists in designing a new approach to projecting wildfire behavior. A new pair of models considers an expanded list of 28 "wildfire predictors" that project wildfire behavior now and, when paired with models that estimate climate change, several decades into the future. The dryness of vegetation, the level of atmospheric moisture, the number of people living nearbythese and other variables can deliver a more complete picture of how likely it is that a fire strikes, how far it burns, and how much smoke it releases into the atmosphere. Projecting how fire emissions rise and fall in tomorrow's climate was the original goal of the work, said Leung, which began in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency and was further supported through HyperFACETS, a climate science project sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Science. Though future fire behavior will vary by region, fire emissions are projected to rise. "Some places will see greater increase in fire emissions, while others will see less," said Leung. "But across the board, the entire United States will see increasing fire emissions in the future. And that is driven by warmer temperatures and increasing dryness." The new approach uses artificial intelligence to tease out which variables are most important for predicting burn area and smoke levels. Just as an artificially intelligent system can deftly sort pictures of cats and dogs, so too can it sort which fire-predicting variables are key for skillful predictions. Unsurprisingly, fuel dryness and fuel load are top contributors. But weather patterns that unfold over years can also significantly boost risk. Such patterns aren't typically considered in conventional fire behavior modeling. Tracking fire emission levels is important for its widespread risk to human health, said Leung. But that importance will only grow as fires burn stronger. "When we think about pollution," said Leung, "we often think about emissions from car exhaust or from burning fossil fuels. Yet pollutants from wildfire emissions could surpass those two and become the biggest source of pollutants in the future as fire emissions increase while anthropogenic emissions will be curbed." When researchers paint increasingly thorough pictures of tomorrow's wildfires, many stand to benefit. Utility operators are better equipped to protect energy infrastructure from natural disasters, decisionmakers are more informed when managing responses to a changing climate, and the scientific community holds a greater understanding of extreme weather. Chinese state councilor calls for opening-up, win-win cooperation in 5G development Xinhua) 08:57, August 11, 2022 HARBIN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong on Wednesday stressed the need for opening-up and win-win cooperation to accelerate 5G development. When addressing the opening ceremony of the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Wang urged efforts to improve new infrastructure related to 5G, promote technological innovation, and facilitate the integration of digital technology and the real economy. China will deepen international exchanges and cooperation in its 5G development, Wang said, citing network construction, the setting of standards, research and development, application, and talent cultivation. Both Chinese and foreign enterprises are supported in their participation in China's 5G development, he said. Wang called on countries around the world to uphold true multilateralism, strengthen mutual trust in cybersecurity, share the benefits of technological innovation, and create an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for 5G development. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Arvid Aase, paleontologist and museum curator at Fossil Butte National Monument, mounts one of the fossils in the X-ray microscope for imaging. Credit: Idaho National Laboratory Idaho National Laboratory is perhaps best known for innovative research that helps shape the clean energy economies of today and tomorrowand for good reason. But while much of the laboratory's work is focused on building a sustainable future, INL is also doing its part to preserve the past. INL researchers recently imaged several fossils using a powerful X-ray microscope. The 3D images will be used to create exhibits for Wyoming's Fossil Butte National Monument and help experts gain insight into the origins of these and other relics. The fossils, found in private quarries around Wyoming, were imaged using a technique known as X-ray microscopy. At INL, researchers typically use high-resolution X-ray microscopy to view specimenssuch as samples of irradiated nuclear fuelat a level of detail not possible with conventional microscopes. The depth and granularity afforded by this technique will help paleontologists learn a great deal about these fossilsincluding an unknown object resembling an insect egg case or pea podand the conditions under which they formed. "You can see the limestone layers as well as submillimeter and thinner organic materials that have been compressed into waxy, pre-petroleum substances around the specimen," said Arvid Aase, a paleontologist and the museum curator at Fossil Butte National Monument. "These incredibly detailed images will help us determine the organism's taxonomy and reveal information about its fossilization process, such as how long it was laying on the bottom of the lake covered in microbes before getting buried by limestone." The fossilization process may have occurred over a period of months, though the timing still remains unknown, he added. Buried in history Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock that usually forms in shallow marine environments. As the remains of organisms with calcium carbonate-based shells, such as mollusks and snails, accumulate on the seabed, they gradually form sedimentary layers. Through a process known as lithification, limestone deposits develop as the calcium carbonate particles consolidate into solid rock formations. These formations often, though not always, contain fossils. Limestone can also form as water rich in calcium carbonate ions evaporates. Rainwater is slightly acidic and dissolves some of the limestone as it flows over or through, breaking it into calcium carbonate ions. As standing water evaporates, the ions become concentrated in the lake or shallow ocean. When the water reaches saturation, wind agitating the water releases dissolved carbon dioxide, causing the calcium carbonate ions to combine and create calcite molecules that settle to the bottom. In ancient Fossil Lake, where the unknown object was found, these carbonate molecules created a thin layer over a microbial mat, which recolonized the lake bottom on top of the carbonate sediment many thousands of times. Organisms that settled to the bottom were incorporated into the layers and fossilized. Over hundreds of years, the carbonate mud dried out and the molecules combined to become limestone. "It appears that the unidentified fossil fell to the lake bottom during a storm, as limestone was present both above and below the fossil," Aase said. The images will be sent to researchers at the University of Florida as well as in Canada and France to help classify the cryptic fossil. "Based on the morphology, it's possibly an egg casing, though it could also be a seed structure," he said. The fossils, found in private quarries around Wyoming, were imaged using a technique known as X-ray microscopy. Credit: Idaho National Laboratory Collaborating for science The imaging was conducted at INL's Irradiated Materials Characterization Laboratory, a facility with sophisticated instruments that are primarily used to examine nuclear fuels and materials at the microstructural level after they've been irradiated in a reactor. The facility is one of 50 designated Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) around the country. The Department of Energy's NSUF program provides nuclear energy researchers access to and assistance at these facilities free of charge, with selection determined via a competitive process. While this fossil imaging collaboration was not organized as part of the NSUF initiative, INL researchers are hoping to attract more interest among non-nuclear scientists in using these instruments. "INL has the only ZEISS X-ray microscope in the Idaho/Montana/Wyoming area, and it can be used for a wide range of applications beyond post-irradiation examination," said Nikolaus Cordes, an INL instrument scientist. "Providing local researchers access to this microscope will help foster relationships, facilitate cutting-edge research in several areas of science and further INL's Cultural Resource Management mission." INL's Cultural Resource Management team is charged with integrating cultural resource considerations into project and land use planning and implementation for lab projects and programs. The team includes archaeologists, historians and preservationists who help INL conduct its mission while being mindful of the fragile artifacts, both natural and man-made, that can be found in abundance on INL's nearly 900 square mile property. "I first got in touch with INL researchers about three years ago, and it's been great to work with them," Aase said. "The images we got will go a long way toward helping us learn about the fossils themselves as well as the sediment they were found in." Aase also plans to use the images to create 3D rotatable exhibits for visitors at Fossil Butte National Monument. Explore further Recycled concrete and CO from the air made into a new building material Provided by DOE/Idaho National Laboratory Vanilla agroforest on former fallowland. Credit: University of Gottingen How can biodiversity be preserved while securing the economic livelihood of smallholder farmers growing vanilla in Madagascar? There is a way, according to a study by the Universities of Gottingen, Marburg and Hohenheim. The research team shows that vanilla plantations established on fallow land do not differ in terms of yield from those established in the forest. Cultivation on fallow land also increases biodiversity there. The results were published in Nature Communications. In this study, researchers recorded crop yields in vanilla agroforestry systems in northeastern Madagascar, the world's largest vanilla-growing area, which is dominated by smallholder farmers. They related these results to the biodiversity as identified by trees, herbaceous plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies and ants. The economic and ecological aspects of cultivation were combined. The main finding: increasing vanilla yields were unrelated to overall biodiversity. In addition, the vanilla harvest on plantations established on fallow land did not differ from the harvest of plantations established in the forest. "The good news is that farmers do not have to clear land to achieve high yields. In fact, they can add value for biodiversity to fallow land by cultivating vanilla there," says first author Dr. Annemarie Wurz, a former Ph.D. student in agroecology at Gottingen University and now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Marburg. "In northeastern Madagascar, the export of vanilla is an important source of income for tens of thousands of smallholder farmers and the widespread cultivation is a way to escape from poverty." Another argument is biodiversity: vanilla cultivated in the forest instead of on fallow land led to a loss of 23 percent of all species, and endemic species decreased by 47 percent. Vanilla in flower. Credit: University of Gottingen Collecting data on Madagascar. Credit: University of Gottingen If the farmers planted the vanilla more densely or increased the length of the vanilla plants, the harvest was higher, but the number of tree and reptile species decreased. However, this had no negative impact on birds, amphibians, butterflies, ants and herbaceous plants. "We also observed that species diversity can be increased by high tree cover on plantations and in the landscape," says co-author Professor Teja Tscharntke, an agricultural ecologist at Gottingen University. Co-author Professor Ingo Grass, ecologist for tropical agricultural systems at the University of Hohenheim, adds that "promoting vanilla cultivation on fallow land is ecologically and economically significant. This contributes to the current UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration. In addition, this study illustrates possibilities for promoting and conserving biodiversity outside protected areas." Explore further How vanilla cultivation in the right place pays off for people and nature More information: Annemarie Wurz et al, Win-win opportunities combining high yields with high multi-taxa biodiversity in tropical agroforestry, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Annemarie Wurz et al, Win-win opportunities combining high yields with high multi-taxa biodiversity in tropical agroforestry,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30866-8 Young Japanese macaque (foreground) producing a coo call. Credit: KyotoU WRC/Hideki Sugiura An ongoing debate among scientists, on why chimpanzees and other nonhuman primates cannot speak or sing like humans, has focused mainly on evolutionary changes in human brain development. Attention has now expanded to anatomical changes of the voice box that may have played a role in our capacity to produce complex sounds. In a study published in Science, a team of researchers from Japan and Europe has now revealed that evolution of the human larynx contributed to the stable voices we use to communicate. Unexpectedly, these changes do not include the addition of structures but rather the loss of specific vocal folds or cords in the larynx. "Paradoxically, the increased complexity of human communication involved a simplification of our vocal anatomy," says lead author Takeshi Nishimura of KyotoU's Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, or EHUB. Most primates have thin, ribbon-like vocal membranes rising out of their vocal folds. The loss of these air sacs seen in chimpanzees and other apes seems to have provided a stable voice quality and controllable voice pitch that we humans use when singing or speaking. Nishimura adds, "Studies by the late Dr. Sugio Hayama, on which our work was largely based, showed that evolutionary modifications in the larynx were necessary for the evolution of spoken language. We took his work to the next level, demonstrating that the simpler the vocal fold morphology, the easier it is to control its vibrations." Senior author Tecumseh Fitch of the University of Vienna explains that the thin vocal membranes found in the larynx in the team's large selection of monkeys and apes are specific to nonhuman primates. Based on computer modeling showing how vocal membranes allow nonhuman primates to create their characteristic vocalizations, the team posits that the melodious quality of the human voice directly results from losing these membranes during evolution. "Inside the larynx of vocalizing chimpanzees and monkeys, we see active vibrations of their vocal membranes causing loud and unstable scream-like calls," Fitch says. According to Isao Tokuda of Ritsumeikan University, whose study of nonlinear dynamics in animal vocalizations led to his investigation of voice production in chimpanzees, the presence of vibrating tissues to the vocal folds may increase the vibrational degrees of freedom, causing frequent vocal instability. "By avoiding this instability, humans possibly achieved stable source sounds, accelerating the evolution of human language." Evolutionary biologist Jake Dunn at Anglia Ruskin University notes, "Using the comparative method to reconstruct our evolutionary past has shown that if humans alone lack the vocal membranes that virtually all nonhuman primates have had as a trait, we may have lost it in our recent evolution despite sharing a common ancestor." Austrian voice scientist and former KyotoU scholar Christian T Herbst sees the apparent tradeoff between the reduced voice box complexity and our increased ability to create and transmit enriched verbal information as a "movement of the ability to produce complex vocal information from the throat to the brain." Ole Nsbye Larsen at the University of Southern Denmark notes that "a comparison of extant species is often used to infer the evolution of traits, such as animal behavior, that do not leave a fossil record. Our past video recordings of how the squirrel monkey voice box works during vocalization now seem to support a hypothesis on the evolution of the human ability to speak." Nishimura concludes, "Other changes, including those in our brains, were also needed to gain language, of course, but this anatomical simplification probably accelerated the accuracy with which we sing and speak." Explore further Chimpanzees found to combine calls to form numerous vocal sequences More information: Takeshi Nishimura et al, Evolutionary loss of complexity in human vocal anatomy as an adaptation for speech, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm1574 Journal information: Science Takeshi Nishimura et al, Evolutionary loss of complexity in human vocal anatomy as an adaptation for speech,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abm1574 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The federal government is relying more than ever on whistleblowers to sniff out corporate fraud and misconduct. According to a new study from the University of Kansas, the government programs that pay "bounties" to whistleblowers who come forward have, themselves, been hampered by mismanagement, cronyism and abuse. Alexander Platt, associate professor of law, spent the better part of two years battling the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission over a series of Freedom of Information Act requests for information about the whistleblower programs. When he finally prevailed, he quickly saw what the agencies might have been trying to cover up. Among other findings presented in his study, Platt shows that the CFTC has awarded nearly two-thirds of all money to tipsters represented by a single law firm and the SEC had disproportionately favored tipsters represented by former SEC officials. "These are extremely secretive programs," Platt said. "The agencies have to preserve anonymity for whistleblowers, many of whom still work for companies they're reporting on. The problem is, the agencies have invoked this justification as an excuse to also hide embarrassing or controversial information about the programs' operations." A summary of Platt's findings was recently published on the Columbia Law School Blue Sky Blog. The full study, entitled "The Whistleblower Industrial Complex," is available on SSRN. Since Congress created the whistleblower programs in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, a defining challenge for the agencies administering them has been triaging the avalanche of tips coming in the door. In 2021, for instance, the SEC received nearly 50 tips every workday while employing just a few dozen staffers to sift through them. Platt argues that the agencies have solved this mismatch by effectively outsourcing the tip-triage function to the private whistleblower barespecially the concentrated group of well-connected, repeat player lawyers whom, he found, have been dominating both programs. "Private lawyers have likely extracted hundreds of millions of dollars in fees and expenses from these programs," Platt wrote, adding that "Unlike traditional plaintiffs' side securities attorneys and attorneys who represent clients seeking government payments in many other contexts, private whistleblower lawyers operate free from virtually all public accountability, transparency or regulation." Platt pays particular attention to the role of the revolving door. About one-quarter of dollars awarded by the SEC have gone to clients of lawyers who formerly worked for the agency. Platt estimates that means as much as $70 million has been paid by the SEC to its own alumni. "It's a very small number of lawyers who show up again and again, representing clients who get pay outs," Platt said. Platt warns that these important government programs may have been captured by this concentrated group of attorneys, and he makes recommendations to ensure that these programs are operating in the public interest. Expanded transparency and oversight of the private attorneys could ensure a more sustainable, accountable and efficient whistleblower program, he wrote. "If good cases are being left out, that means the program isn't working. Would these programs prevent another Madoff scheme today? We don't know," Platt said. "Today, whistleblower programs are a bit of a free-for-all when it comes to the attorneys involved. That's a policy choice that was made at the outset of these programs. Ten years in, I think it's time to tighten the reins a bit. These are good programs that could be, and should be, better." More information: Alexander I. Platt, The Whistleblower Industrial Complex, SSRN Electronic Journal (2022). Alexander I. Platt, The Whistleblower Industrial Complex,(2022). DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.4112398 LAKE GEORGE A Johnsburg woman was arrested on July 29 for allegedly driving while intoxicated with juveniles in the vehicle. State police responded to the Exxon station on state Route 9 in Lake George for a report of a larceny in progress. During the investigation, police identified Nicole L. Brown, 19, as the driver of the vehicle transporting the larceny suspects. When troopers interviewed Brown, they detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Roadside sobriety tests indicated that Brown was intoxicated, police said. She had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08%, the legal threshold for DWI in New York state. Brown was charged with felony aggravated DWI and misdemeanors of DWI and operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration greater than 0.08%. Four juveniles that were in the vehicle at the time of the incident were turned over to their guardians by the Warren County Sheriffs Office. State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, on Monday announced that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that Woerner introduced to enhance a state program that assists senior citizens with home repairs. The Residential Emergency Services to Offer Home Repairs to the Elderly program (RESTORE) was established in 2018 to assist low- and moderate-income senior citizens with the cost of critical emergency repairs, such as leaking roofs or inoperable furnaces. The program provides funding to local nonprofit organizations to hire local contractors. The new legislation doubles the amount of money available per repair to reflect the increased cost of materials and labor, and extends the time frame to complete projects. At Habitat for Humanity, we receive weekly calls from seniors who have owned their homes for decades but now desperately need help to comfortably age in place, said Adam Feldman, executive director of Habitat for Humanity for northern Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties, in a news release from Woerner. In other regional political news: Bill signing U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, attended President Joe Bidens bill-signing ceremony on Tuesday for the Chips and Science law. I was at the White House lawn celebrating with him. It was awesome, Tonko said in a telephone interview later on Tuesday. The legislation provides federal funding to incentivize domestic manufacturing of computer chips, among other measures. Tonko said the legislation marks the beginning of a new era in high-tech economic development. It will enable us to build it in America, he said. Pataki raises campaign cash Former Gov. George Pataki was set to headline a fundraiser for the campaign of Republican state Assembly candidate David Catalfamo at The Parting Glass in Saratoga Springs on Aug. 9, according to announcements posted on the Catalfamo campaign and Saratoga County Republican Committee Facebook pages. Contribution levels ranged from $100 to $1,000 per person. Catalfamo, an economic development official and writer from Wilton, is challenging Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, in the 113th Assembly District. Catalfamo worked as a spokesman and economic development official in the Pataki administration. Joy endorsements Republican congressional candidate Liz Joy on Aug. 6 announced that the New York Federation of College Republicans endorsed her candidacy. Liz is a strong advocate for our veterans and law enforcement, and she will fight to secure our borders and make the U.S. energy independent, the organization said in a news release. On Tuesday, Joy announced an endorsement from Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo. I appreciate her steadfast outreach and support for policies, such as the school resource officer program, that keep Saratoga County a safe place to live, work and raise a family, he said. Joy is running in the 20th Congressional District, where Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, is the incumbent. Rostilav Rar, an immigration lawyer from Albany, is challenging Tonko in an Aug. 23 Democratic primary. Early voting for the primary begins Saturday. Stefanik endorsement U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, on Wednesday announced that more than 60 elected officials from Clinton County endorsed her re-election bid, including seven Democrats and one independent. I am endorsing Congresswoman Stefanik because she truly cares about Clinton County and the North Country, said Blackbrook Councilman Howard Aubin, a Democrat, in a news release. Throughout the devastating flooding earlier this year, Elise was in constant contact with state and local officials. Matt Castelli, a former CIA counterterrorism official from Glens Falls, and Matt Putorti, a lawyer from Whitehall, are running in an Aug. 23 primary for the Democratic nomination to challenge Stefanik in November. Castelli is already on the general election ballot on the Moderate line, an independent line that his campaign established. Castelli endorsement Democratic congressional candidate Matt Castelli on Wednesday announced an endorsement from Jay Bellanca, the Salem town Democratic chairman and co-chairman of the New York Progressive Action Network, a statewide political advocacy organization. His experience, devotion to duty, and his ability to represent all the people of the 21st (District) is why I wholeheartedly support him for our representative in Congress, Bellanca said in an endorsement announcement posted on Twitter. BRIGANTINE The first week of dredging St. Georges Thoroughfare hasnt discouraged visitors from enjoying the Cove beach, as many still pulled their cars up to the waters edge despite crews working only a few feet away. Some, like Patrick Maginnis, watched as different colors of sand spewed from a black steel pipe that was part of the operation, finding it entertaining. Maginnis, of Norwood, Pennsylvania, was visiting with his friend and her two children. He drove his silver Jeep Grand Cherokee onto the sand, parking the vehicle feet from both the water and construction. Maginnis has been a devoted Brigantine visitor since the 1960s, and the Cove is one of his favorite beaches. Theres a lot of action going on here, he said of the Cove, famous for allowing permitted vehicles on the sand. Twenty to 40 cars lined the beach Tuesday, some straddling a makeshift fence erected to keep the public away from the work zone. The dredging project, which started Monday, is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week operation. Work is expected to be finished by mid-September, officials have said. Artist Christian Correa brings Atlantic City history to life with his 48 Blocks creation One in a series of articles looking at local artists who are contributors to Atlantic Citys As part of the project, contractors are removing sand buildup to make a workspace for themselves, after which a barge will dredge the inlet, Mayor Vince Sera said. So far, the project is on schedule. Sera said the projects timing actually benefits the city as the late-summer start means beach crowd sizes are beginning to wane. Sports are starting back up, and some Pennsylvania schools are starting to go back, Sera said. Originally, city and other local lawmakers struggled to convince the state Department of Transportation to include the Brigantine project in its 2022 dredging lineup, with the DOT instead prioritizing it for next year. But things changed last month, and the city was notified DOT would fit the project in this year. The projects cost is unclear. DOT spokesperson Steve Shapiro did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon. Two wounded Friday in Atlantic City shooting Two men were wounded in an Atlantic City shooting Friday, according to a police news release The Cove would have needed to be closed for an entire summer for the job to happen, but DOT developed a strategy to close off only a section of it. Dredging is being done at the beachs far north section, near where the sand leads into the thoroughfares waters. Sediment buildup has made that portion along the Absecon Inlet too shallow, threatening boat access and public safety. Sera previously said the area is shallow enough to where boat owners have lost the capability of using docks behind their homes because the channel is impassable. Most people understand we need the project, Sera said. They know that now is not the most convenient time, but they also understand that DOT has done everything they can to minimize the impact to the beaches. That understanding was evident Tuesday on the beach. Kayla Harrell, of Atco, Camden County, and her friends sat reclined in their beach chairs, savoring the suns rays. Despite a brief rumble in the ground, Harrell forgot workers were about 50 feet from her setup. Prehistoric safari lights up Atlantic City's S. Vermont Avenue ATLANTIC CITY If youve passed the Absecon Lighthouse in the South Inlet neighborhood rece It (dredging) doesnt phase me, Harrell said. In the water, DOTs plan has accommodated boaters passing through the thoroughfare. Sera said he was initially informed that captains would have to radio a warning into the workers about their approach about 20 to 30 minutes before coming into contact with the equipment. Thats lessened to only a few minutes, making it easy to maneuver around the dredging. Theyre pretty much on track, and they seem like theyre moving along pretty good, Sera said. CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE Cape Regional Medical Center will receive almost $1 million from the U.S. Department of Agricultures Rural Development program to buy equipment for a nine-bed, freestanding COVID-19 unit in an expanded emergency department. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., was at the hospital Thursday morning with Rural Development New Jersey State Director Jane Asselta to announce the grant, which comes from American Rescue Plan funds. It will allow Cape Regional to better deal with the continuing challenges we have with COVID patients as well as others seeking critical care, Menendez said. These are crucial upgrades, all part of our efforts to ensure that every New Jerseyan ... can access the high-quality health care facilities they deserve. Rural Development is a mission area of USDA, Asselta said, and its purpose is to support rural communities by providing grants and loans to residents, businesses and community assets such as hospitals and food banks. Asselta is a Vineland native and former vice president of the Southern New Jersey Development Council who was appointed in February by President Joe Biden to lead rural development in the state. We will expand our negative air flow rooms, said Emergency Medicine Director Dr. Richard Nussey, which keeps infectious agents such as the virus that causes COVID-19 from spreading. The project also will add machines for CAT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds to the emergency department. This will reduce wait time and allow us to provide a diagnosis in a more efficient manner, Nussey said. Work on the expansion project began about two months ago, said Tom Piratzky, executive director of the Cape Regional Foundation, which raises funds to support Cape Regional Medical Center. With this grant, the hospital has now raised $4.3 million of its goal of $12 million toward the project since December. Cape Regional announced recently that it will end maternity care as of next month, but Piratzky said the medical center is in talks to try to keep the service in house. The hospital has said a lack of OB/GYN physicians forced the change. Emergency department at Cape Regional to be renamed after $3M gift CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE A $3 million gift will mean a new name for the revamped emergency dep In March, Cape Regional announced a $3 million gift from the family of Larry L. Luing and said the emergency department will be renamed for him. Luing was a longtime summer resident in Stone Harbor who died in 2016. The project, which will include an updated and expanded radiology department, follows the opening of the freestanding 19,000-square-foot Claire C. Brodesser Surgery Center last year. The creation of the Brodesser Center opened space in what had been a same-day surgery unit in the main building, Piratzky said. The former surgery unit has been demolished and will be rebuilt as a new radiology department, Piratzky said. When that is finished, the former radiology department will be rebuilt as the expanded emergency department and the new nine-bed COVID unit, he said. The footprint of the hospitals main building will not change. The expansion project should be complete in about 18 months, Piratzky said. The radiology department expansion includes a new interventional radiology suite, CT scan, special procedures suite and fluoroscopy suite, according to hospital officials. Big expansion, new partnerships for Cape Regional CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE With a multimillion-dollar expansion underway for a new out-patient s The emergency department will increase to 42 beds from 33, Joanne Carrocino, president and CEO of Cape Regional Health System, has said. Carrocino was not at the grant announcement Thursday due to a death in the family, Piratzky said. Cape May County has about 92,000 residents year-round, but on summer weekends that number can climb to more than 1 million. The hospital must be ready to deal with the annual influx, Carrocino has said, so the expansion is needed. Meanwhile, in A.C. Menendez followed the Cape announcement with a visit to the Atlantic City Boardwalk, where he and Mayor Marty Small Sr. celebrated a previously announced $6 million grant to rebuild part of the iconic walkway. By improving the safety of the Boardwalk, were supporting the small businesses that depend on tourist revenue to stay afloat, Menendez said. He said the work would support about 100 jobs. The city will focus on the area from Missouri to Texas avenues, said Small. That includes the area around Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and Kennedy Plaza on the Boardwalk across from the hall. That plaza hosts concerts and other events that require bringing heavy equipment up on trucks. Michael Chait, president of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber, said the improvements to that section of Boardwalk will help him in running the Atlantic City Airshow each August by allowing him to bring heavy trucks over the Boardwalk with equipment and infrastructure needed for spectators. The project is not expected to be finished for at least a year. Right now only trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 8,900 pounds are allowed, Chait said. That has forced the airshow to hire more than 50 small trucks to bring everything over. The labor cost is outrageous, Chait said. It will help our event and any other large event. The Boardwalk grant is funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administrations American Rescue Plan Travel, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Program, according to Menendez. Staff Writer Bill Barlow contributed to this report. STAFFORD TOWNSHIP A man and woman from Middlesex County are accused of stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise from various New Jersey Home Depot stores. Ronnie Bridgelal, 20, of Carteret, was stopped by police after they were called to the townships Home Depot off Route 72 in Manahawkin on Tuesday for a shoplifting report. Bridgelal was caught trying to steal approximately $3,500 worth of items from the store, police said in a news release. Officers located Bridgelals vehicle in the parking lot while it was occupied by Jessica Bridgelal, 29, also of Carteret. An additional $8,500 in stolen merchandise from other Home Depot stores was found in the vehicle, police said. Little Egg Harbor man pleads guilty to 2020 hit-and-run, officer assault A Little Egg Harbor Township man pleaded guilty Monday to driving drunk and leaving the scen Ronnie and Jessica Bridgelal were both charged with shoplifting, conspiracy to commit shoplifting, hindering and receiving stolen property. Ronnie Bridgelal was additionally charged with resisting arrest and possession of a false government document. Ronnie Bridgelal was taken to the Ocean County jail, and Jessica Bridgelal was issued a summons pending court. The shoplifting investigation remains ongoing, police said. Police did not state whether there was a relationship between the two Bridgelals. Authorities in South Jersey were investigating widespread complaints about a gas odor later identified as a chemical with a rotten-egg smell first reported in Gloucester County. There were no reports of injuries. Late Wednesday night officials said testing was ongoing but there was no known risk to the public. Gloucester County Emergency Management reported late Wednesday afternoon that emergency responders from multiple agencies were investigating the odor complaints and that the state Department of Environmental Protection also is assisting in the response. Later Wednesday evening, officials in East Greenwich Township reported that the odor was coming from a truck stop with a trailer containing 7,000 gallons of a chemical that has a rotten-egg smell. The township said in a Facebook post that it was not being caused by natural gas. It is recommended to stay indoors and limit outdoor activities at this time while crews work on the leak, the township said. We are aware that this odor is extremely widespread throughout western Gloucester and other parts of the county, Gloucester County Emergency Management said in its late-afternoon post on Facebook. Our 911 dispatch center is working extensively answering calls and related complaints of odors, please be patient with us as we move forward with this investigation, the agency said. Video from TV station helicopters showed emergency responders at a gas station at the truck stop near Exit 18 of Interstate 295 in Gloucester County. TOMS RIVER New Jerseys top environmental officer says the state is not ready for the worsening effects of climate change and rising seas. Testifying Thursday to a joint state Senate-Assembly panel on coastal issues, Shawn LaTourette, the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, said New Jersey is not where it needs to be in the face of a warming planet and rising seas. We should all be alarmed, he said. We are not ready. But empowered by sound science, we can get ready. We have the power now to change this. LaTourette noted that the state is coming up on the anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which he said was responsible for 30 deaths in New Jersey. He said rainfall has increased over the last 23 years by 2% to 10% in the state, with larger percentage increases forecasted for the near-term future. The Idas and the Sandys will come, he said. We need to plan for it. LaTourette said the state needs to combine engineered projects such as bulkheads, replenished beaches and other hard barriers with natural solutions, including restoring marshes and wetlands to absorb flood waters and blunt the force of storm waves. In April 2021, the state proposed an ambitious resiliency plan aiming to incorporate the impacts of climate change and rising seas into all its major policy decisions in the near future and seeking to share the costs of protecting the state among all levels of government and the private sector. The plan seeks to incentivize people to move from flood-prone areas to safer ones, help low-income communities who are least able to respond to the effects of climate change and seek new funding for resiliency measures. LaTourette said conditions will only get worse in years to come, and that even if the state fully adopted nuclear, wind and solar power, it still would not offset the damage already done to the environment by past emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases. We could do all that tomorrow, and conditions still would get worse, he said. We have no choice but to become resilient. These alarming conditions are exactly what scientists and the DEP said were coming. Eric Olsen, director of conservation programs with The Nature Conservancy, called on the state to make a major push to restore salt marshes and wetlands. Next phase of Wildwood Boardwalk repair project planned WILDWOOD The next phase of a long-term plan to repair Wildwoods iconic Boardwalk is set t Increasing the health of New Jerseys salt marshes will protect peoples homes by storing water, absorbing carbon and reducing wave action, he said. Raymond Cantor, vice president of government affairs at the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, said climate change and rising sea levels are real and are occurring now. But he also urged the elected officials not to go too far with proposed solutions. There is no need at this moment to retreat from the Jersey Shore, he said. Tom Fote of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association said warming ocean temperatures are negatively impacting fishing off the states coast, pushing cold-water species out and bringing in others that never used to be found this far north. We had a viable lobster industry, and weve seen that collapse, he said. We have a manatee that usually lives in Florida that makes a trip to New Jersey each year. LaTourette said the state, its residents and businesses need to summon political courage to address resiliency challenges that could take years to show benefits. If you hear urgency in my voice, its because we are not ready, he said. But we can be. If a merger between two North American rail companies is approved by a federal board, Davenport will receive up to $10 million from the new company under an agreement aldermen unanimously approved Wednesday. The agreement is the latest approved by local governments in Iowa that attempts to leverage the rail road's resources in what many say is a likely to be approved $31 billion merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern. Cities plan to use the settlements to pay for improvements they were unlikely to get from a federal transportation board, such intersection upgrades to reduce noise from additional freight traffic or overpasses to prevent blockages. Davenport aldermen approved the agreement Wednesday after a lengthy public comment where at least 15 Quad-Cities residents asked the council members to delay approval, ask for more money from the rail companies, or deny it and gather support to lobby the Surface Transportation Board to deny the merger altogether. But Mayor Mike Matson said ahead of the vote he believed with the research the city has done into previous agreements that it would be irresponsible for the city to turn down the offer and risk the federal board approving the rail merger and then paying for mitigation measures through the city's budget. I believe the city council's role and obligation is to ensure that our city does not find itself in a position where the merger moves forward and we have $0 invested by Canadian Pacific in our community. That outcome would be completely irresponsible, Matson said. Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern are seeking to merge, which would create the first single-line rail system connecting the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Freight along the new cross-continental route would have to pass through the Iowa Quad-Cities. In its application to the federal Surface Transportation Board, which will decide whether the merger forges ahead, Canadian Pacific expects to attract freight traffic from other rail routes and from 62,000 trucks a year because of greater efficiencies of a single-line rail system. The rail companies expect that diverted traffic is expected then to increase the number of trains through the Iowa Quad-Cities from roughly 8 to 22. Davenport's agreement includes an $8 million payment to be used as the city sees fit, which likely would fund infrastructure improvements to create a "quiet zone" between Mound Street and Marquette Street, as well as address other access concerns for vehicles and pedestrians. It also includes a $2 million commitment to go toward an overpass at South Concord near a water pollution control plant close to W. River Drive and Credit Island. This commitment hinges on the city securing other grant funding for the project. The city would not receive the money if the board denies the merger. Last week, the Surface Transportation Board and Office of Environmental Analysis released a 357-page draft environmental impact statement that sought to measure the impact of the merger on noise, safety, the environment, cultural resources, among others. Overall, the draft report concluded that the merger's impacts would be "negligible, minor, and/or temporary" save for train noise, "which could result in adverse impacts at some locations." Alderman Kyle Gripp said the council wanted to wait to vote on the agreement until the draft statement was released. But, he said, for him, the report further cemented the likelihood that the board would approve the merger, and dwindled his confidence that Davenport would be awarded anything without the voluntary agreement. Out of all 20,000 miles of track in the new network, Scott County is expected to have the most locations sensitive to extra noise that would be "adversely affected" by the added train traffic. Those locations include homes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and places of worship. What's next? The Office of Environmental Analysis will hold a public comment period, where it'll take comments on the draft environmental impact statement. People can comment online at www.stb.gov/ The public comment period ends Sept. 26. Davenport will host one of four public in-person meetings across the country. It'll be Sept. 13 from 6-8 p.m. at the River Center, 136 E. 3rd St., Davenport. Three online comment meetings will also be held. After the comment period, a final impact statement will be released, and the Surface Transportation Board will make a ruling to allow or not allow the merger to go through. In Chicagoland, about eight cities banded together to oppose the merger before the Surface Transportation Board, something that Davenport's agreement will prevent them from doing. Several people who spoke at public comment encouraged aldermen to not "throw in the towel" by signing an agreement that would preclude them from making further comments on the merger. Many sung praises of the riverfront, and fear that too much noise beyond train horns could deter music groups from booking there, people from walking there, or enjoying lunch on the riverfront. Or, even more disastrous, a train delaying emergency response vehicles or a heightened, though still slight, risk of derailment. "Are we a victim of circumstance?" Michelle Solis Russell asked aldermen. "Because the big boys are coming through town throwing something at us and we're just going to take it? Or are we the strongest peg on that bench? And there's a lot of pegs on that bench along the river across the country that are like us. But they're not as strong as Davenport. We can be that peg that says no, slow down. Let's gather that bench together" Russell continued: "Are we going to be train town? Is that Davenport, Iowa? Or are we going to be river town?" Others, including Scott County Supervisor Ken Croken and State Rep. Cindy Winckler voiced concerns about the impact of increased train traffic overall, and encouraged aldermen to ask Canadian Pacific to allow them to delay the vote until after Sept. 13. Tom Warner, the Davenport city attorney, clarified after the meeting that the city had had a 10-day window to approve the agreement, and delaying the vote could've meant scrapping the agreement. In the last month, Bettendorf and Muscatine, too, have signed agreements with Canadian Pacific for compensation if the merger does go through. Other cities along the route, including LeClaire and Clinton remain in regular meetings with rail road officials. Andy Cummings, spokesperson for Canadian Pacific, said after the meeting that the company was very pleased with the unanimous adoption of the agreement. "We are here to stay," Cummings said. "We've been here for a very long time. We're here to serve the businesses of eastern Iowa; we have a lot of employees locally, and we look forward to continued good relations with the city." East Moline is heading in the right direction as the city looks to improve streetscaping along roads connecting them to other areas in the Quad Cities. The third time was a charm as the city was awarded $23.7 million from the RAISE grant. This funding will be used to complete streets and streetscaping of 15th Avenue from 6th to 13th streets, 12th Avenue from 1st to 7th streets, and 7th Street from 15th to 12th avenues. A new road and streetscape will also be extended from 3rd Street along Bend Boulevard to 6th Avenue. City Engineer Tim Kammler told the Dispatch Argus/Quad-City Times the city had applied for grants for nearly three years and is thrilled to move forward with revitalizing downtown. "With the transformative nature of this project, people will see the difference and be able to feel the difference with this big of a grant," Kammler said. Kammler said with a riverfront that has been historically industrial and divided from the rest of the area, connecting downtown to the Rust Belt will be a welcome transformation. The next steps in the process are filling out the proper documents and soliciting proposals from engineering and planning consultants. Mayor Reggie Freeman told the Dispatch Argus/Quad-City Times that the city has looked forward to receiving the grant for years and that he is thankful for city staff and elected officials from the state, federal and local level working to make this happen. The state was awarded $83.5 million in grant funding by the Department of Transportation through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity discretionary grant program. Illinois Democratic Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth released joint statements congratulating the Illinois communities who received grant money for improvement projects. Durbin said that investments in rebuilding and modernizing the state's infrastructure are critical in improving resident's quality of life. "This grant from the Department of Transportation will allow these communities to make improvements that meet the demands of the 21st century," Durbin said. The program is intended to help communities around the country carry out infrastructure and transportation projects that have significant local or regional impact. Duckworth said this Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will benefit Illinois residents and that federal support will go a long way in modernizing and making transit more efficient as well as adding more good-paying, local jobs. The others cities that were awarded grant money through the RAISE grant was Chicago, Springfield and Harvey. Illinois Republican candidates for statewide offices are criticizing Democrats, who they say are opening a window to tax retirement income. Mike Thoms, mayor of Rock Island and the GOP candidate for Illinois' 36th District, joined state treasurer candidate and State Rep. Tom Demmer of Dixon in a news conference Wednesday. Thoms said over the past five years of being mayor, he had worked hard, along with City Council, to attract businesses to the city, but it's been more difficult lately. Thoms said that taxing pensions would put Illinois at a disadvantage. "We need to work on building economic development, getting people to want to live in Illinois," Thoms said. The candidates said Treasurer Michael Frerichs suggested the state might tax retirement income, such as pensions and 401(k)s, when Democrats were rallying support for a graduated income tax. The graduated tax ultimately failed, and as a result, Illinois maintained its flat tax rate of 4.95% in which everyone's income is taxed at the same rate. Frerich's campaign on Thursday disputed suggesting a retirement tax was ever on the table, adding that the state treasurer does not have authority to implement a tax on retirement income. Fifty-four percent, or 2.7 million voters, rejected the amendment. "We're standing up strong today (on) behalf of those 54% of Illinois voters," Demmer said. Demmer has created a petition on his campaign website in opposition of a tax on retirement income. He also filed a House Resolution in the spring to affirm trust in Illinois voters who rejected the path of taxing retirement income. It did not attract bipartisan support or make it to the floor for a vote. DES MOINES Iowas latest broadband map is its most detailed yet, but officials and broadband experts say Iowans should confirm the speeds reported at their homes and businesses to make sure the map is accurate. The Iowa Office of the Chief Information Officer released the latest broadband coverage map last week, which aims to determine where high-speed internet is available in the state and where it's lacking. Previous maps determined eligibility for funding using census blocks small statistical areas usually encompassing a few hundred residents. But the new map identifies individual addresses and determines the availability of broadband to each home, business or other location. For previous rounds of funding, a census block was considered served if one house in the region had access to broadband, which often left out people without access and didnt allow state funding to go to projects in those areas. It's kind of like looking at a fuzzy picture, it's sharpening the focus on that picture, Community Broadband Action Network co-founder Curtis Dean said. And the benefit that that will be for providers that are looking to potentially serve those areas is, it gives them a lot better definition of where service needs to be extended. The preliminary map divides locations between being likely eligible and likely ineligible for funding. Addresses eligible for funding are reported as having access to speeds under 100 megabits download and 20 megabits upload, and not covered by previous state-funded projects. But like other maps at both the state and national level, Dean and Dave Duncan, CEO of the Iowa Communications Alliance, said the map is not perfect. The map is currently in a challenge process through Sept. 2, where residents and providers can present objections to the information given in the map. Dean and Duncan said the process will be vital for making sure money goes to the right places in future broadband allocations. The state used a combination of third-party data and internet providers self-reporting coverage areas to develop the map, Dean said. In previous maps, internet providers have sometimes over reported their speeds and areas in order to protect their turf and prevent money from going to other providers to build competing networks, he said. Experts and government officials alike said individuals have an important role to play in verifying the maps authenticity. Because it is location based, Iowans can use the map online to find their address, and find out if the speeds reported there match what is available to them. If that is incorrect, then those consumers should notify the OCIO and say, Wait a minute, I cant get this coverage, and therefore we should be eligible for funding so that I can get an upgrade, Duncan said. When the map was announced, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowans should verify the information reported at their address. We are making important progress to connect all Iowans to high-speed broadband, but many communities remain unserved, Gov. Reynolds said in a press release last week. Today, Im asking all Iowans to visit the broadband map and let us know if the broadband service reported at their location is inaccurate. This feedback will help us to direct resources to areas with the greatest need for broadband investment in the future. The new map comes as the federal government works to finalize the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, a $42.5 billion fund from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law that will likely be distributed to states sometime next spring. Since 2018, the state has awarded more than $380 million in grants to expand broadband into rural and underserved areas. The bulk of that funding has been in federal coronavirus relief funds from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan. Reynolds and the Legislature also devoted close to $100 million in state funds last year. At least $100 million more will be coming sometime next year from the infrastructure law. The state could also make funding available from a number of channels, including budgeting money during the next legislative session, before then. I would anticipate there will be a round of state funding with funds sourced from the BEAD program, sometime next spring, early summer, Dean said. SAN FRANCISCO A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Walgreens can be held responsible for contributing to San Francisco's opioid crisis for over-dispensing highly addictive drugs for years without proper oversight and failing to identify and report suspicious orders as required by law. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said the pharmacy chain "continually violated what they were required to do under the federal Controlled Substances Act," failing to track opioid prescriptions, preventing pharmacists from vetting prescriptions and "nor did they see the many red flags of physicians and others who were dramatically over-prescribing." "Pharmacists were pressured to fill, fill, fill," he said, "and as a result, Walgreens filled our streets with opioids." U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer wrote in his decision that from 2006 to 2020, "Walgreens pharmacies in San Francisco dispensed hundreds of thousands of red flag opioid prescriptions without performing adequate due diligence. Tens of thousands of these prescriptions were written by doctors with suspect prescribing patterns. The evidence showed that Walgreens did not provide its pharmacists with sufficient time, staffing, or resources to perform due diligence on these prescriptions." He said the large volume of illegitimate opioid prescriptions contributed to the city's hospitals being overwhelmed with opioid patients, libraries being forced to close because of syringe-clogged toilets, and syringes littering children's playgrounds in San Francisco. A Walgreens spokesman said the chain is disappointed in the outcome, which he said is not supported by the facts and the law. "As we have said throughout this process, we never manufactured or marketed opioids, nor did we distribute them to the 'pill mills' and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis," spokesman Fraser Engerman said in a statement. "The plaintiff's attempt to resolve the opioid crisis with an unprecedented expansion of public nuisance law is misguided and unsustainable. We look forward to the opportunity to address these issues on appeal." San Francisco in 2018 sued Walgreens and drug manufacturers and distributors over the city's worsening opioid epidemic, saying they created a "public nuisance" by flooding the city with prescription opioids. All the other defendants previously settled with the city for a total of $114 million, including $54 million that opioid makers Allergan and Teva agreed to pay on the eve of closing arguments in the trial, leaving Walgreens as the sole defendant. Wednesday's ruling did not include a ruling on monetary damages, which will be determined in a future trial. The opioid epidemic has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades, counting those from prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and generic oxycodone as well as illicit drugs such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl. The surge in deaths has led to more than 3,000 lawsuits filed by state and local governments, Native American tribes, unions, hospitals and other entities in state and federal courts over the toll of opioids. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency last year in the Tenderloin neighborhood, saying something had to be done about the high concentration of drug dealers and people consuming drugs in public. The city attorney's office says San Francisco saw a nearly 500% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths between 2015 and 2020 and that on a typical day, roughly a quarter of visits at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Emergency Department are opioid-related. In 2020, 712 people died of drug overdoses, compared with 257 people who died of COVID-19, according to the city health department. A high percentage of an estimated 7,800 homeless people in San Francisco many of whom pitch tents in the Tenderloin are struggling with chronic addiction or severe mental illness, often both. Some people rant in the streets, nude and in need of medical help. Pharmacy chains have been sued less often than opioid makers or wholesalers that distribute pharmaceuticals more broadly. In one groundbreaking case, a federal jury in Ohio last year found CVS, Walgreens and Walmart recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties. In May, Walgreens reached a $683 million settlement with the state of Florida in a lawsuit accusing the company of improperly dispensing millions of painkillers that contributed to the opioid crisis. Walgreens did not admit wrongdoing in its agreement with Florida and will make payments to the state over 18 years. The company also faces litigation in Alabama, Michigan and New Mexico, among other states. Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. runs a network of around 9,000 drugstores in the United States. Walgreens and other prescription drug distributors have faced a slew of lawsuits over the opioid crisis. ___ Associated Press writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report. Traveling with Bad Wolves, Falling in Reverse and Papa Roach, Hollywood Undead made their debut appearance at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Tuesday night as a special guest in Papa Roach's and Falling in Reverse's Rockzilla Summer Tour. Sturgis was the 10th stop on the four rock bands' 25-concert tour that started on the East Coast and is now winding through the Midwest before the groups play several shows in the Southwest and then wrap up in the music capital of the country, Nashville. Veteran member of Hollywood Undead, Jorel Decker, 38, who goes by J-Dog, has been with the group since its inception in California in 2005. J-Dogs positions in the band include vocals, guitars, bass, keyboard and programming. Before Tuesday, he had never been to Sturgis before, despite his family connections. My dads side of my family was like super into biker culture My dad was super into it. My grandpa was like a Hells Angel. His name was Jungle Jim Decker. It never stuck with me though, he said. I saw some wild [expletive] as a kid being around that stuff. My dad came and went so much. He wasnt in my life a lot, so thats probably why. J-Dog said he wouldnt have gone to Sturgis if it hadnt been for the tour, but he spent the morning walking around downtown and taking in the sights of the rally. I always wanted to do this, but its not something I would necessarily do on my own, he said. Although J-Dog is able to play different instruments as well as provide vocals for the band, he never received any formal musical training growing up. His mother was resistant to the public school system, and he stopped going to school at about 13 years old. I feel like in this day and age, if you cant teach yourself something, thats just an excuse, especially with the invention of YouTube and whatnot, you can learn anything, he said. Anybody can learn anything. You just have to be willing to learn basically. So I just taught myself everything through friends, books and the internet. Hollywood Undead is scheduled to release their eighth studio album, "Hotel Kalifornia," on Friday. Throughout the creation of those albums, J-Dog has been able to watch the band evolve and develop over the years with fluctuation of members and the passing of time. Its hard for any artist or band to evolve and keep your fan base happy but also change enough where you feel like youre progressing and not doing the same thing over and over, J-Dog told the Journal just hours before the group took the stage on Tuesday. Its been a difficult process, but we just do whatever feels natural. We dont try to force anything. As far as what feel "Hotel Kalifornia" will have, J-Dog said he cant completely define it. Its all over the place, he said. Every album we write literally goes from a metal song to a hip hop song to a rock song to a ballad, so I cant really say theres a vibe. I think its just us feeling like kids again. Were all best friends still, and when we wrote this, we checked our egos at the door and were just like lets just write music like we used to, he said. It came together really well. We havent written like that for a very long time. J-Dogs favorite track on the new album is World War, which he said reminds him of a real good '90s track. Hollywood Undead took the stage Tuesday as the sun began to set following Bad Wolves and before Falling in Reverse and Papa Roach. The group played some of their better known hits, Bullet, Here Me Now, Undead, and the crowd favorite Everywhere I Go on a fairly minimalist set featuring a backdrop with the bands name on it. J-Dog said ego doesn't have a role between the four bands who have been traveling together since July 27 and will continue to do so until the end of August. "Everybody gets along great. From the opening bands to the headlining band, we're all just close friends. It's kind of rare to come across that," he said. STURGIS Facial hair took center stage at Rally Point in Sturgis Wednesday for the Mustache and Beard Contest, gathering whiskers from far and wide to compete in six different categories. Judges handed out prizes for Papa Beard, full beard over six inches and natural, Baby Beard, full beard under six inches and natural, Double Dapper, full beard with styled mustache, Beer Soakin Mustache, natural mustache, Dapper Stache, styled mustache, and Whiskerina, a special category for the ladies. Contestants included a retired state senator and rally-goers from California, Montana, Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin and Kansas, in addition to some local South Dakotans. Bud Harris, from Belle Fourche, entered his beard and mustache in the Papa Beard and Beer Soakin Mustache contests. The beer soakin comes from the inevitable results of drinking a beer with a mustache, Harris explained: It gets soaked. Harris used to grow out his beard in the winter and shave it in the summer, but it became a year-round endeavor 10 years ago when he made a bet with his son. His son traveled a lot, and every time he traveled, hed grow his beard out, Harris said. Used to seeing his dads beard long in the winters from childhood, he said he bet he could out-beard his dad. Harris hasnt shaved it since. When asked who won the bet, Harris said "undetermined." Before he first grew it out, Harris said hed have to shave twice a day for his job. Will he ever shave it off now? I doubt it, Harris said. A first-time contestant but long-time rally-goer, Harris entered the contest at the encouragement of his wife, Deb, a champion of his facial hair. He keeps it clean and she finds it handsome, she said. It also draws adoring female fans asking to touch and braid it. Not for the faint of heart, Harris said growing a beard takes commitment and patience. You got to be comfortable in your own skin before you can do it, Harris said. Harris flowing white beard looked impressive Wednesday, but he said it used to be even fuller. COVID-19 took a toll on it, but its slowly returning to its former glory. Wayne Hickman, from Fort Worth, Texas, didnt even know about Wednesday's contest until the day of. He entered his waxed mustache in the Dapper Stache category, the ends twisted together in wax. The evolution of Hickmans stache began when he was drafted for Vietnam, when he had a trimmed, military-style mustache. His mustache took on its signature waxed twist in 2014, when he started a job in Fort Worth that involved a twice-a-day cattle ride, where they drove longhorns right down the street. One ofthe drivers, Hickman said he decided to grow a beard that was period correct. Maintenance of Hickmans mustache is simple: wax. Usually once a day, sometimes multiple times a day, depending on his daily activities. Once signed in, contestants were assigned numbers and announced one by one, giving small details about their beards and where they hail from. Gift bags were doled out to the winners, and a peoples choice award was bestowed by applause from the crowd from among the category winners. Another year in the books, time to start growing for next year. STURGIS The 82nd Sturgis Motorcycle Rally continues to run smoothly, at least from the perspective of local law enforcement agencies and city departments. We are handling things pretty good, Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater said Wednesday. Its been quiet overall. VanDewaters assessment seems to jive with the number of overall calls for police service, which continue to lag behind last years levels. Through 6 a.m. Wednesday, officers have responded to approximately 882 calls, compared to 1,232 through the same period in 2021. Officers have responded to 20 accidents, seven resulting in injuries. No traffic fatalities have been recorded in the city of Sturgis. Arrests for driving under the influence, felony and misdemeanor possession of drugs or paraphernalia, and citations for illegal parking continue to lead the tally as the rally enters the home stretch of its 10-day run. Another four DUI arrests bring this years total to 36, in pace with last years 34. There have been 11 total arrests for felony drug possession thus far, compared to 14 at this time last year. Seven misdemeanor drug or paraphernalia arrests Tuesday bring the rally total to 40, well ahead of 15 last year. Felony drug arrests stand at four, same as in the same period in 2021. VanDewater is unsure of the reason for an increase in arrests for possession of small amounts of marijuana and paraphernalia. It could be that more and more states are legalizing it, and its not quite legal here yet, he said. Another seven illegal parking citations issued on Tuesday bring the total for the week to 102, still ahead of 91 tickets last year. Parking is always an issue. Theres just not enough of it, said Sturgis Public Works Director Rick Bush. People just park wherever they want. They try to get close to downtown and were fairly limited on spaces available close to downtown, he said. Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin said his numbers continue to be on par with last year. Its been a good rally, good year, Merwin said. The Meade County Jail has seen a total of 209 bookings so far this year compared to 191 last year, with 95 still in custody Wednesday. Misdemeanor drug arrests stand at 11, with six felony drug arrests, compared to nine misdemeanor and 10 felony arrests last year. Driving under the influence arrests (24) are slightly behind last years 26. County deputies have investigated 21 traffic accidents, with 16 involving injuries. Over the same period last year, nine of 16 accidents included reportable injuries. South Dakota Department of Transportation vehicle counts continue to show a slight increase over the previous five-year average traffic numbers. On Tuesday, 58,610 vehicles were counted entering Sturgis via nine locations in and around town. The five-day total of 300,386 shades the previous five-year vehicle count average of 284,819. Bush said traffic is moving well. We havent had any major traffic back-ups or issues, Bush said. I think today (Wednesday) was about the heaviest traffic weve seen yet. Three detained over Promsvyazbank embezzlement allegations MOSCOW, August 11 (RAPSI) A Moscow court ordered media technology expert Olga Arkharova, PR specialist Inna Churilova and journalist Alexandra Bayazitova to be kept in custody until October 7 over alleged extortion from Promsvyazbank. Investigators claim that Arkharova, Churilova and Bayazitova asked for money promising to keep a lid on publishing negative materials about Promsvyazbank and a number of persons associated with the bank. Arkharova and Churilov pleaded guilty to extortion, while Bayazitova insists that she did not commit the crime she stands accused of. Arkharova, Churilova and Bayazitova are believed to be connected to a network of Telegram channels, through which materials about the bank were supposed to be distributed. Promsvyazbank was a commercial bank until it was bailed out by the central bank and nationalised in 2017. The bank has focused on the defence sector since then. In February it was targeted with U.S. sanctions. In the meantime, Yevgeny Moskvin, Viktor Malushenko and Alexey Slobodenyuk, suspected to be administrators of some popular Telegram channels, were detained earlier this week on fraud charges. They face up to six years in prison if convicted. Ex-St. Petersburg lawmaker sentenced to 9 years in prison on bribery charges ST. PETERSBURG, August 11 (RAPSI) Roman Koval, a former lawmaker of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, was sentenced to 9 years in prison for large-scale corruption, the Joint press service of St. Petersburg courts told RAPSI. Besides, Koval was ordered to pay 35 million rubles (about $580,000) in fines. He was barred as well from holding public office for 8 years. Prosecutors asked the court to sentence Koval to 14 years behind bars and a fine of 88 million rubles (about $1.5 million at the current exchange rate), as well to prohibit him from holding public office for 7 years. Although pleading guilty in part in the course of investigation, Koval denied guilt when in the courtroom. In July 2020, Koval was detained on bribery allegations. According to investigators, between 2018 and 2020 he repeatedly took bribes personally and through his assistant. He allegedly used his official position in submitting and adopting lawmakers amendments to the city budget. The funds were allocated as subsidies for state healthcare institutions for the purchase of equipment and materials from the firms of a bribe giver. According to the case papers, in 2019 he received three bribes totaling nearly 8.7 million rubles. In 2018, investigators claim, he took a new Audi Q7 car as a bribe; in 2020, he received money and property worth over 16.9 million rubles. Ex-TV journalist placed under house arrest for alleged spreading fake news MOSCOW, August 11 (RAPSI) Moscow's Basmanny District Court placed former Russian TV journalist Marina Ovsyannikova under house arrest in a criminal case where she is charged with spreading fake information about the country's armed forces, the press service of the court told RAPSI. The court granted a move of the Investigative Committee to place Ovsyannikova under house arrest until October 9. Ovsyannikova was accused of publicly disseminating false information about the operation of the Russian Armed Forces based on political, ideological, racial, national or religious hatred or enmity, or on the basis of hatred or enmity against any social group, as defined by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. She faces up to 10 years in prison, according to her lawyer Dmitry Zakhvatov. This summer, Moscow courts fined Ovsyannikova twice in the framework of administrative proceedings for discrediting the countrys armed forces. Also, this March, the Moscow Ostankinsky District Court found Ovsyannikova guilty of committing an administrative offense, that is a violation of the established procedure for organizing or holding a meeting, rally, demonstration, procession or picketing, and imposed an administrative fine on the ex-editor in the amount of 30,000 rubles ($500). The fine was imposed after Ovsyannikova had demonstrated a poster against the special operation in Ukraine in the course of a live broadcast of the Vremya program on Channel One. Just 11 days after going to Extreme fire danger, the highest level possible, the Bitterroot National Forest (BNF) announced Thursday that it is implementing Stage 2 Fire Restrictions beginning Friday, Aug. 12 due to hot temperatures and dry fuel conditions. We will be moving directly into Stage 2 fire restrictions this season, said Mark Wilson, fire management officer. We decided not to implement Stage 1 restrictions and immediately go to the highest level because we currently meet the conditions for Stage 2. Short and long-term forecasts indicate sustained weather conditions that support continued significant fire behavior through mid-September. With current fire activity and predicted weather, we all need to do everything we can to prevent additional wildfires from starting, stated Matt Anderson, Bitterroot National Forest supervisor. We are asking the public to recreate responsibly and adhere to these restrictions. Fire restrictions are intended to decrease the chance of preventable, human-caused fires in the designated areas. Stage 2 Fire Restrictions will be effective Friday, Aug. 12, at 12:01 a.m. for all Bitterroot National Forest lands in Montana, including the Anaconda Pintler and Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Areas in Montana. Under the Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited on federally managed or protected lands, roads and trails: Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or closed of all flammable materials. Operating a chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine (prohibited from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m). Welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame. Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails. Exemptions: Persons with a Forest Service special use authorization, or other authorization specifically exempting them from the effect of this order. If the authorization allows operation of an internal combustion engine or welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame, such acts are prohibited from the hours of 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Outside of these hours; a one-hour foot patrol in the work area is required following cessation of these activities. Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the device. Operating generators with an approved spark arresting device within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the generator. Operating motorized vehicles on designated roads and trails. Emergency repair of public utilities and railroads conducted. Persons conducting activities in those designated areas where the activity is specifically authorized by written posted notice. Any federal, state, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty. All land within a city boundary is exempted. Anyone caught violating the restrictions could be fined up to $5,000 and face up to six months in jail. They may also be held liable for all suppression costs and damages if they start a fire. Visit www.mtfireinfo.org to learn more about current fire restrictions in place throughout Montana. BNF wilderness areas in Idaho including the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return are not included in the fire restrictions at this time. See forest map for more details. The ridge of high pressure that is bringing our hot temperatures is also transporting smoke from wildfires in Idaho, Oregon and California causing hazy skies and smoke impacts. For the latest air quality information visit http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair. This site displays particulate concentrations and health effects including a daily Wildfire Smoke Update. For more information about fires in Montana and other fires across the country, visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov or go to www.facebook.com/DiscoverBitterrootNF for local fire information. This summer, there have been 27 wildfires on the Bitterroot National Forest; 9 human-caused and 18 lightning fires. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled that a Montana law barring residents of other states from gathering petition signatures for ballot initiatives violates their First Amendment rights. [T]he residency requirement imposes an outright ban on a form of core political speech for all non-residents and necessarily diminishes the pool of (petition) circulators, wrote district Judge John R. Tunheim, a member of the three-judge panel that heard the case. We thus hold that the residency requirement here imposes a severe burden on the First Amendment rights of both out-of-state residents and instate proponents, of ballot initiatives. The panel, however, stood by the district court ruling that upheld the states ban on paid signature-gatherers. They agreed that the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate that it caused a severe burden on their First Amendment rights. The plaintiffs in the case are Nathan Pierce, the Montana Coalition for Rights, Montanans for Citizen Voting, Sherri Ferrell and the Liberty Initiative Fund. The groups, which had sought to include citizen initiatives on Montanans ballots in 2018, challenged the law that year in federal court in Helena. Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan are named as defendants. Oral arguments between the two sides took place in February. The restrictions went into place after the 2006 election cycle, when some nonresident signature gatherers who were paid per signature tricked people into signing more ballot initiative petitions than they intended. In 2018, it was challenged in U.S. District Court in Helena by a coalition of groups that were then trying to qualify several citizen initiatives for the ballot. In arguing that the residency restriction was constitutional, the state had maintained it was needed to prevent similar instances of fraud in the future. The appeals court acknowledged that is a compelling state interest, but said that the state hadnt shown that its prohibition was narrowly tailored to avoid infringing on non-residents rights, and noted that less stringent options were available. The Republicans seeking to win Montanas two U.S. House seats defended former President Donald Trump this week after an FBI raid on his home at Mar-a-Lago in what Trump's attorneys have said was a search for classified documents related to the Presidential Records Act. The Democrats in those races and an Independent candidate said the process should play out but expressed concerns about partisanship and GOP attacks on the federal law enforcement agencies. In a statement posted to Twitter, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, of California, vowed an investigation into the U.S. Department of Justice if Republicans win back the House in this fall's midterm. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts and leave no stone unturned, McCarthy wrote. Attorney General (Merrick) Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar. Democrats hold a majority in the House and the Senate is split evenly. Montana has two House seats up for election this November. In the eastern part of the state, U.S Rep. Matt Rosendale is seeking re-election to one of Montanas two newly drawn House seats. He faces Democrat Penny Ronning, Independent Gary Buchanan and Libertarian Sam Rankin. Republican Ryan Zinke, former Secretary of the Interior under Trump, is running in the west. His opponents are Democrat Monica Tranel and Libertarian John Lamb. Western race In a statement posted on Twitter on Tuesday, Zinke said as of today, we are in a police state where the FBI and the IRS can do whatever they want without cause. If they can do this to a former president, think what they can do to an average citizen. He also said the IRS and FBI were being used for political witch hunts. The Washington Post reported Tuesday the search was authorized by a court and part of an investigation into if Trump took documents that should have been sent to the National Archives instead to his Florida estate. Under the Presidential Records Act, documents related to the president's official duties must be preserved. Zinke was also asked in an interview Monday, before news of the raid broke, about investigations into his actions while he was Secretary of the Interior. As a part of his answer, Zinke said people don't trust the FBI, don't trust the DOJ, they don't trust the AG. We need to restore trust. We should be able to trust our government. We need to return to accountability to make sure that our public officials are held accountable, and our federal employees are also held accountable, Zinke continued. Zinke was the subject of several investigations during his time as Secretary of the Interior. While he has been cleared in some, a report from that agencys Inspector General released this February found that Zinke misused his official position and failed to abide by ethics obligations, as well as not complying fully when questioned by ethics officials. The investigation was related to his involvement working with a foundation on a project in Whitefish that he said he would not be involved with after being Secretary. Zinke has called the investigation a hit job. He was also investigated over redrawing the boundaries of a national monument in Utah but cleared of wrongdoing. One probe by a grand jury into his statements to federal investigators about the permitting of a tribal casino is still pending. In a statement Tuesday, Zinke said taking back the House was critical for Republicans to halt what he called abuse of powers. Leadership absolutely is important for holding government accountable, Zinke said. "... Republicans need to be more judicious and wield the power taxpayers trust us with to investigate what matters. Tranel in a statement Wednesday pointed to the investigation against Zinke in light of his statements about the raid. He is still under federal investigation for lying about whether he was unduly influenced by donors when blocking a casino deal, Tranel said. No one is above the law In her campaign, Tranel has gone on offense against Zinke, working to highlight the investigations, both closed and still pending. On Wednesday she also pointed to Republicans in Congress that have called for revoking funding for federal law enforcement operations because of the Trump raid. That includes far-right House members Lauren Boebert, of Colorado; Paul Gosar, of Arizona; and Marjorie Taylor Greene; of Georgia, among others. They want to stop an ongoing, serious, and sensitive criminal investigation. Due process means letting evidence be gathered and making judgments on the facts that exist, Tranel said. Shutting down an investigation before we even know what is going on serves only to avoid accountability. While winning the western House seat in Montana could be a part of Republicans taking back a majority in Congress and enacting what McCarthy calls for, Zinke has not advocated for defunding those agencies. Zinkes campaign said he would back a Federal Employees Accountability Act to create a removal pathway for federal employees who abide their power or are bad public servants. Eastern race In a statement emailed Tuesday, Rosendale said the DOJ has been weaponized to go after the Lefts political opponents. These types of actions are eroding the American peoples trust in our institutions. If this can happen to the former President of the United States, it can happen to you. The unprecedented raid, however, will only strengthen the Republican base, and it will bring a larger red wave in November. Ronning, a former Billings city councilperson who also works as an advocate against human trafficking, said that experience in working with the FBI and DOJ has shown getting warrants is not an easy task. These types of search warrants, theyre not random. These are the type of search warrants that have extensive work done to collect evidence to have a federal judge be able to sign off on them, Ronning said in an interview Tuesday. McCarthys vow to investigate the DOJ, Ronning said, is far from addressing the issues shes hearing as she travels the district about an inability to find affordable housing, problems paying for health care and child care, and struggles to survive in the ag industry. She said elected officials should focus on those issues. Its time that elected officials really start focusing on the needs of the people versus playing some sort of political chess game and bumping fists when they get to Washington, D.C. That serves no one, Ronning said. Ronning felt it would be irresponsible to form an opinion about the raid without further information but that she didnt think conclusions should be drawn based on party affiliation. Buchanan said Wednesday that the allegations better be serious for the DOJ to take a step like this. These records belong to the American people and may involve sensitive national security issues, Buchanan said. The sooner the results are publicly released, the better. Former President Trump is entitled to due process. Buchanan said hes noticed both major parties rush to extremes following news of the raids. Beyond the news about Trump, Buchanan said that hes hearing from people while out knocking doors that they're tired of the extremes of both parties and the excessive partnership. If we start the next congressional session in January with these kinds of extremes, were once again in trouble, Buchanan said. A boisterous extended clan gathers for a family holiday, launching the requisite arguments, hurt feelings, grudges, inside jokes, laughter, love, reconciliation and lots of eating, plus maybe a car chase. So far, so familiar. Whats different about Easter Sunday, a joyful if overly broad family dramedy starring comedian Jo Koy, is that this extended clan is a Filipino American family and the cast is almost all Filipino. That is a welcome achievement, especially for Koy, whose life is echoed here and who anchors the enterprise with a winning charm. The writing could be sharper and the ending is more than a little sappy, but this is an undeniable step forward for representation on the big screen. Koy clearly channels much of his own story in his feature film debut, drawing from his hugely popular stand-up comedy. (Jay Chandrasekhar directs from a script by Kate Angelo and Ken Cheng.) Koy plays Joe Valencia, a Los Angeles comedian seeking his big acting break in Hollywood just as hes navigating family issues on multiple fronts, all coming to a head on, well, Easter Sunday. We meet Joe, a divorced dad, on a day of competing obligations. His son, Junior (a sweetly goofy Brandon Wardell), needs his presence at a school meeting to discuss mediocre grades. His own demanding mom, Susan (Lydia Gaston, blending imperious, demanding, loving and needy), is constantly calling, making sure hes on track for Easter celebrations. And hes auditioning for a sitcom something thatll take him beyond that beer commercial where hes famous for the line, Lets get this party started, baby! Joe (unsurprisingly) misses the school meeting but makes the audition, only to be told that they love him but want a half-Filipino accent even though its an accent he doesnt have. Easter Sunday comes, and Joe heads up the California coast to Daly City and the Filipino American neighborhood where his mom and her sister, Teresa (Tia Carrere, who has said this is her first Filipino role in a 40-year career), are each planning holiday meals. Theyre feuding, too, over something or other. As the holiday festivities proceed apace and Joe tries to keep his sitcom prospects alive, several subplots come into play. One involves Joes lovable but less-than-sensible cousin, Eugene (Eugene Cordero), and his ill-conceived entrepreneurial efforts, which land him and Joe in a potentially deadly conflict with gun-toting bully Dev Deluxe (Asif Ali) and bring them together, improbably, with Filipino American star Lou Diamond Phillips, playing himself. Theres also a brief run-in with the law during a car chase, the law being none other than Tiffany Haddish, in a cameo as Vanessa, an ex of Joes with an ax to grind and, now, a cops badge. Haddish is, not surprisingly, quite funny. Less welcome is the whole splapsticky criminal-gang subplot that detracts from the more human themes. Speaking of humanity, the lovely Eva Noblezada (Broadways Hadestown) projects it beautifully as Tala, a romantic interest for Junior a confident young woman who shows the LA-raised boy some of the values around family that shes learned in Daly City. Bodies Bodies Bodies might just be the first great Gen Z thriller. In director Halina Reijns film is a razor-sharp satire of a specific kind of modern privilege set inside an escalating murder mystery in a remote mansion as a hurricane rages outside. Dripping in neon, platitudes, sweat and fear, Bodies Bodies Bodies is playful, cutting and never dull. The events are limited to one long night, but the toxic tensions were boiling over long before an actual corpse is introduced to the party. Sophie (Amandla Stenberg) has decided to take her new girlfriend, Bee (Maria Bakalova), to meet her oldest friend, David (Pete Davidson), who is hosting a kind of end-of-the-world rager in his parents mansion to ride out a hurricane. Sophie reassures Bee that her friends arent as nihilistic as they seem online, and Bee looks on like anyone in a new relationship would: with nervous hope. It is not immediately evident that this film is about the young adult children of obscene wealth until Sophie drives up to a mansion that The Great Gatsbys Daisy Buchanan might find impressive. This is no 1980s-greed-is-good portrait of young affluence, with cashmere cable knits and Lacoste polos, nor is it a 90s version bedecked in designer logos. These are the kids whom only other wealthy kids would recognize as wealthy, who know enough to apologize for their privilege but also enough to be wary of outsiders. Not that those friendships borne out of the same boarding schools and tax brackets are somehow intrinsically safer, theyre just the devil they happen to know. In the back of the house, David, his girlfriend, Emma (Chase Sui Wonders), and their friends Jordan (Myhala Herrold) and Alice (Rachel Sennott), all excellent in their roles, are in the pool partying with an exhibitionists abandonment, as if they want everyone they hope is watching to think they think no one is watching. It soon becomes wildly clear that Bee is one of those outsiders and that Sophie was not, exactly, expected. They are anything-goes youths, except when it comes to the sin of not having responded yes in a text chain. The title of the film is derived from a game they play that involves slapping, shots and a fake killing. When the lights come back on, they have to find the body and figure out the killer. But this game brings out the festering wounds in the group and several quit in protest, including Alices boyfriend, Greg (Lee Pace), who is trying to fit in with a crowd that is probably two decades younger than he is. And then the real murders start. Bee becomes our innocent eyes and ears to the whole confusing, debaucherously bloody endeavor in which the social contract expires along with everyones cellphone service. The film, written by Sarah DeLappe and based on a story by Kristen Roupenian (who wrote the viral New Yorker story Cat Person), acutely exposes how quickly social dramas and slights can seem like cause for murder. And yet even as things devolve and more friends are killed, the dwindling surviving characters try their best to avoid microaggressions and triggering words as if navigating a fight on Twitter. A Henrico County man accused of shooting and wounding a Richmond police officer and who was critically injured when the officer returned fire has been charged with aggravated malicious wounding and four other charges stemming from the incident, court records show. The officer, identified in a court affidavit as Timothy R. Burgess, on July 25 was grazed by a bullet that splintered his hip bone, and has bone fragments still lodged in his body. The victim now utilizes a cane to walk, Richmond police Sgt. George Wade wrote in the affidavit. Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Christine Cestaro obtained a five-count criminal information in Circuit Court against Dakari Jaden Reinhardt, 20, on charges of aggravated malicious wounding, felony use of a firearm, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm while possessing drugs and hit and run driving causing more than $1,000 in damage. A criminal information is a formal charging document that describes the criminal charges against a person and the factual basis for those charges. It differs from an arrest warrant authorized by a magistrate or judge that authorizes the police to take someone accused of a crime into custody. An arrest warrant originates in lower court. The affidavit in support of the charges provides a more detailed account of the events that led to the exchange of gunfire that wounded Reinhardt and Burgess. Richmond Police Chief Gerald Smith provided a summary of the incident during a news briefing hours after the 3:25 a.m. incident, but noted at the time that police were still in the early stages of the investigation. Richmond police officers in a marked unit initially observed Reinhardt speeding and followed him down Oliver Hill Way in the city. Officers saw him run a red light and drive recklessly before entering southbound Interstate 95, Sgt. Wade said in the affidavit. Officers continued to follow Reinhardt, who exited I-95 at Maury Street and then crashed the car he was driving into a tree along Commerce Road. The car was estimated to have sustained more than $1,000 in damage, the affidavit says. Officers, including Burgess, who was working in uniform, saw Reinhardt run from the crashed car along Commerce Road and pursued Reinhardt as he fled into a nearby housing complex. There, Reinhardt shot at Burgess repeatedly, and ultimately struck Burgess once, police said. Burgess returned fire in an attempt to disable Reinhardt, according to the affidavit. Another officer on scene saw Reinhardt toss a pack onto a nearby porch. The bag contained a digital sale and a rock of suspected crack cocaine weighing about 7 grams. Police also found more than $1,000 in cash on Reinhardt after his arrest, the affidavit says. A narcotics distribution expert would testify that the cocaine of that weight, paired with such a large amount of cash and a digital scale, would be inconsistent with personal use, Wade wrote in the affidavit, adding that police also recovered a handgun on the ground next to Reinhardt. At the July 25 news briefing, Smith said Reinhardt sustained life-threatening wounds to his upper torso. FBI: Scammer claiming to be local construction firm defrauded VCU of $470,000 An employee of Virginia Commonwealth University transferred $470,000 to a group of Nigerian scammers who defrauded millions of dollars from go Smith said after the officers initially encountered Reinhardt after the crash and attempted to engage him, he fled on foot to the intersection of Commerce Road and Stockton Street. From there, the officers and Reinhardt entered a nearby apartment complex, where Reinhardt entered a breezeway. The exchange of gunfire occurred there, Smith said. Reinhardt was to have appeared Wednesday in Richmond Circuit Court but the hearing was postponed until Monday. Court records also indicate the Richmond Commonwealths Attorneys Office will seek indictments against Reinhardt when a circuit court grand jury meets Sept. 6. Reinhardt, who according to court records lives in the 9900 block of Magnolia Point Court in Henrico, has several prior convictions. Court records show he was convicted on Jan. 25 in Richmond of carrying a concealed weapon. He was given a 12-month suspended sentence. He also was convicted on Feb. 16 in Henrico of petit larceny and forging a bank note, and on Dec. 22, 2020, of misdemeanor eluding police, court records show. An employee of Virginia Commonwealth University transferred $470,000 to a group of Nigerian scammers who defrauded millions of dollars from government entities, construction companies and universities in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas, the FBI said Wednesday. The FBI has extradited three Nigerian citizens from the United Kingdom, and authorities charged Olabanji Egbinola, 42, in Virginia federal court with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The FBI alleges that Egbinola defrauded VCU in the fall of 2018 by claiming to be a Richmond construction company doing business with the university. A VCU spokesman said the university recovered a significant portion of the money through insurance. The university also implemented safeguards to protect against future instances of fraud. WWBT, Richmonds NBC affiliate, previously reported the story. Online scammers often target real estate purchasers, the elderly and others by persuading them to make wire transfers to bank accounts the criminals control. The scammers may impersonate an employee or business partners, and they are often members of transnational criminal organizations that originated in Nigeria and spread throughout the world, the FBI said. The following account of the scam is based on an FBI news release and a criminal complaint filed in federal court. In the fall of 2018, someone using the name Rachel Moore contacted an employee in the procurement department at VCU using the email address accounts@kjellstromlee group.com. Kjellstrom and Lee is a construction firm located in Richmond that has done business with VCU. Its email address is similar to the one used in the scam. The scammer wrote that Kjellstrom and Lees bank account was being audited and asked if VCU could send the next payment to a foreign bank account. The scammer and the VCU employee corresponded several times over the course of three months. Hope you are good, the scammer wrote. Can you please notify us at remittance@kjellstromleegroup.com when a payment has been made. On Dec. 20, 2018, VCU sent $469,819.49 to an account with the Bank of Hope. On Jan. 3, VCUs bank contacted the university, concerned the payment was made to a fraudulent account. VCU contacted Kjellstrom and Lee and learned the construction company doesnt employee a Rachel Moore. The roughly $470,000 could not be recovered. Authorities claim the money was redistributed through at least 50 wire and check transactions in the five days after VCU sent it. An investigation by the FBIs Richmond Division determined that someone used the account bridgetclark to create fraudulent email addresses through the internet domain registrar NameCheap Inc. The scammer registered more than 50 domains with names similar to legitimate construction companies. The scammer who created the bridgetclark account used a variety of techniques to conceal his or her identity. The account was paid for using Bitcoin cryptocurrency, which is hard to trace. The scammer also used a virtual private network, known as a VPN, to conceal his or her IP address and physical location. In February 2019, the FBI sent a network investigative technique, or NIT, to the fraudulent email address used in the scheme. An NIT is a technology used by the government to gain access to a computer. Once the scammer opened the email and its attachment, a file was executed, providing data to the FBI, including the IP address of the computer that opened the attachment. The scammer was in the United Kingdom. Police in the United Kingdom determined that the IP address originated from a two-story brick house in Chafford Hundred, about 20 miles east of London. Authorities say one resident of the home was Egbinola, the man charged this week by U.S. authorities. Egbinola has a criminal history, U.S. authorities said. In 2008, officials say, U.K. police arrested him on suspicion of money laundering and discovered a large quantity of U.S. currency at his residence. His computer contained information related to bank accounts of individuals who were victims of fraud. Its unclear if Egbinola was ever tried for the crime. In 2015, Egbinola traveled to Los Angeles, and the address he visited is associated with another investigation of fraud and money laundering. When traveling to the U.S., Egbinola listed his email address as aegbinola@gmail.com. The FBI says Egbinola used that email address to communicate with another address that is the subject of an FBI investigation for scamming construction companies in North Carolina. The FBI also arrested Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo, 43, a Nigerian citizen and U.K. resident, and Donald Ikenna Echeazu, 40, a dual U.K. and Nigerian citizen, on suspicion of defrauding $1.9 million from a North Carolina university through an email scheme. Adeagbo is also charged with defrauding Texas government entities, construction companies and a Houston-area college of more than $3 million. U.K. officials arrested all three in April 2020, and the U.S. requested extradition. The defendants filed appeals, but the U.K. High Court rejected them last month. Limited funds led the state to shut down its COVID-19 Rent Relief Program to new applications May 15 but officials expect to pay eligible requests that were pending when the program shut its doors. The state Housing and Community Development department has processed more than 30,000 applications that were in its system as of May 15, and there are about 7,000 still to complete. All of those remaining have gone through an initial review process. We anticipate having funds available to process and pay the eligible approved applications received by the portal closure date, DHCD spokeswoman Amanda Love said. The program has so far disbursed more than $865 million in more than 168,000 payments to more than 131,900 households. Its priority was to help households with incomes less than half the area median income and those where one or more members were out of work for the 90 days immediately before applying for help paying the rent. In Richmond, median household income is $51,420, the U.S. Census Bureau says. After moving priority applications through the system, other pending applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, Love said. Virginia was one of the first states to launch a rent relief program using federal CARES Act funds, in June 2020. The state also kicked in funds from the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, creating a pool of more than $1 billion between federal and state sources. But DHCD closed the Rent Relief Program in May because of limited funds and a surge in applications. Chesterfield County and Fairfax County ran programs using Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds from the U.S. Treasury. Five years after the Unite the Right rally, James Alex Fields Jr. is in prison for life. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to 29 hate crimes after driving his car into a group of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, killing Heather Heyer and injuring dozens of others. While Fields is behind bars, the kinds of hateful views and actions he and others espoused on that day still are all around us. In April, the West End Islamic Center in Short Pump was vandalized by trash, graffiti, glass and water bottles that damaged prayer rugs. Per NBC12s report, it was the second such incident at the center in six months. In June, St. John Neumann Catholic Community Church in Reston also was hit with graffiti tied to the Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade, The Washington Post reported. Fairfax County police also said a fire was started on the property. In June and July, antisemitic flyers appeared in the city of Richmonds Westover Hills neighborhood and Chesterfield Countys Bon Air community. In NBC12s report, a young child whose family prays at the West End Islamic Center asked: Why are they doing this to us? Why do they hate us? This childs innocence cuts to the heart of the matter. Preventing hate crimes hinges on accuracy and attention to detail. Poor data is the first factor that needs to be remedied. The FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting Program releases an annual set of hate crime statistics. The most recent year available (2020) shows 170 incidents in Virginia were reported to authorities. When the report was made available in August 2021, then-Attorney General Mark Herring suggested that figure represented an undercount. Virginia State Police also produces its own set of hate crime statistics. In June of this year, the 2021 figures were released: 123 hate crimes in the commonwealth, affecting 106 victims. This marked a 35% decrease from VSPs data for 2020. But does a drop in reported offenses mean the number of occurrences actually declined? Those quantitative figures dont seem to match recent ground-level observations in communities across Virginia. The commonwealths definition of a hate crime has to adequately capture scenarios that can cause harm. From the Code of Virginia: Hate crime means (i) a criminal act committed against a person or his property with the specific intent of instilling fear or intimidation in the individual against whom the act is perpetrated because of race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin or that is committed for the purpose of restraining that person from exercising his rights under the Constitution or laws of the Commonwealth or of the United States; (ii) any illegal act directed against any persons or their property because of those persons race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin; and (iii) all other incidents, as determined by law-enforcement authorities, intended to intimidate or harass any individual or group because of race, religion, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, or ethnic or national origin. In response to the Unite the Right rally, the Virginia Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights issued a 130-page report in late 2020. Committee meetings sought to identify the best practices used in defining, identifying, reporting, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes. Members recognized obstacles and issues in setting a strong definition. Heres one sample scenario: A crime does not qualify as a hate crime merely because the perpetrator can be shown to have substantial bias, or even to subscribe to a hateful ideology. To illustrate, if a neo-Nazi were to assault a Jewish person, that would not automatically qualify as a hate crime. Instead, one must show that the attacker was specifically and substantially motivated to perform the attack out of demographic animus. The report also addressed measuring or reporting hurdles. One contributing factor: Attempting to prosecute a hate crime may cost [a] prosecutor a conviction of a lesser, easier-to-prove crime. Many suspected hate crimes are never prosecuted as such. Accordingly, relying on official numbers of convicted hate crimes likely understates the hate crime incidence. And what about the impact that hate crimes have on an entire community? Flyers in a residential area that target one group can strike fear in every neighbor on the block. Hate crimes affect the broader community in ways other crimes do not, the report said. Democracies are committed to equality and inclusivity. Hate crimes both demonstrate and [result] from ongoing divisions and prejudices among the public. Hate crimes threaten to reduce inclusion, create mutual animosity and distrust, and impede the proper functioning of democratic government. To stop hate, elected leaders must take a real stand. We need more than words. We need actions that transform how hate crimes are defined, measured and reported, and how laws are shaped and enforced. The health of our communities depends on this. Chris Gentilviso There was great excitement in January after doctors at the University of Maryland transplanted a genetically modified pigs heart into a terminally ill man. The heart was produced by Revivicor, a biotech company in Blacksburg, and the patient survived for two months before succumbing to an apparent viral infection in the organ. Later the same month, doctors in Alabama transplanted gene-edited pig kidneys by Revivicor into a brain-dead patient. Researchers saw no signs of organ rejection for the three days the patient was kept alive afterward. In both cases, the pigs genes had been hacked to reduce chances of the human immune system rebelling against the foreign organs. But pigs are hardly the only livestock medical researchers are considering as a potential source of future human organ replacements. Another is sheep, which may be a better organ match. Unlike pigs, theyre born at and grow to roughly human weights. Toward that end, a nonprofit in Southwest Virginia is seeking to capitalize on the growing need for farm animals specially bred for scientific research purposes. The Blue Ridge Plateau Initiative, which formed roughly five years ago, is assisting a New Hampshire company to expand its operations into Grayson County, breeding disease-free sheep for medical research. The company, New England Ovis, is owned by two New Hampshire veterinarians, Julie and Richard Hurley, and its been around for 17 years. Annually NEO raises 300 sheep that are free of 54 specific pathogens. NEO bills them as the healthiest sheep in the world. Its specific-pathogen-free lambs sell for $3,400 each, and are used in cutting-edge biomedical research. That compares to $200 each or so the animals would bring at a traditional meat market. The current demand for NEOs animals already far outstrips its supply. But its farm in New Hampshire cant grow in its present location because its landlocked. The company learned about the potential of expanding in Grayson because an economic developer working with NEO, Peter Lampesis, is friends with a retired anthropologist from Roanoke, Jerry Moles. Moles, a friend of mine, is a founding member and secretary of the Blue Ridge Plateau Initiative. He connected Lampesis with Danny Boyer, BRPIs president, who had a three-decade career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On a visit to NEOs New Hampshire operation, Boyer realized Grayson Countys climate and terrain would be a great place to raise specific-pathogen-free sheep. New England Ovis has already completed a lamb-breeding pilot project in Grayson, in which 150 specific-pathogen-free lambs were birthed by Caesarian section in a sterile environment, then shipped to New Hampshire for raising. Now that they know they can do it in Virginia, theyre seeking $12 million to $15 million to get a Grayson County expansion off the ground, Lampesis said. It would involve at least two biosecure farms that together would produce an additional 500 specific-pathogen-sheep per year. Were seeking the right investor-partner to grow with us in Virginia, a partner who sees the vision for regenerative medicine and comes along for the ride with us, Lampesis told me. NEO sheep sell for such a high price because theyre free of different diseases common to the species. Such pathogens can easily ruin research projects because they add too many potential variables to scientific results. Infected sheep also pose a risk of passing zoonotic diseases to human researchers. With pathogen-free animals, results are faster and more accurate because there are no confounding diseases, Julie Hurley told me. And the animals have no diseases to pass on to handlers. Lampesis said New England Ovis already has one customer interested in buying 12,000 of their specific pathogen-free sheep, but the company cant raise anywhere near that number presently. (The company said it cant publicly disclose its corporate customers. But if it could, most people would recognize the names.) The really thrilling potential of the business is the prospect of organs from disease-free sheep being used as replacements in sick humans who need a heart, a kidney, lungs or other anatomical parts such as ligaments and tendons. Current research suggests those organs can be stripped of their sheep cells in a process called decellularization. What remains is the organs collagen scaffolding theyre known as ghost organs and appear as almost see-through. Those can then be repopulated with human stem cells collected from the organ recipient. The latter process is called recellularization, and researchers havent yet figured everything out with that. The goal is for a patients immune system to recognize the transplanted organ as human, rather than reject it as foreign. It sounds like science fiction, but there are plenty of scientific facts that support that potential. Julie Hurley estimated were probably five years out from a sheep heart, infused with human stem cells, being implanted in a cardiac patient. This will be a heart that wont be rejected by the recipient, she said. That means the recipient wont require anti-rejection drugs, which suppress the human immune system. Transplantation of sheep kidneys could come even sooner, she added. Imagine the potential, if animal organs could cure sick people of human maladies, and organs could be ordered in a process akin to calling your local auto parts store for a specific car models alternator. The cardiologists I know, and there are some in my family, are so excited, Boyer told me. It can help people needing hearts, kidneys, etc. It can change the whole transplantation dynamic. Theres a long, long list of people waiting for heart transplants. This is just one of the projects the Blue Ridge Plateau Initiative is working on. Another, which is otherwise unrelated, is a USDA-approved abattoir in Carroll County that would serve livestock farmers who now have to ship their animals hours away to out-of-state slaughterhouses. Moles said that grew from a survey conducted at Virginia Tech, in which farmers in 18 counties in Southwest Virginia and northern North Carolina were asked what they needed to help their livestock operations. The No. 1 response was a slaughterhouse that would help them bring their meat to market. So members of the BPRI focused on that. Theyve already identified a parcel of land owned by Carroll County, just off Interstate 77, as a suitable location and procured approval from the countys economic development authority. The slaughterhouse would produce about 30 direct jobs, and would break even if it processes 65 head of cattle per week, according to its business plan. The BRPI is aiming for a facility that would process 200 cattle per week, and Moles said they already have commitments from farmers for 100 head weekly. Boyer estimated building the slaughterhouse will cost $5 million to $6 million. Hes placing great hopes in grants that the state and federal government have earmarked for small and medium-sized meat producers, in the wake of coronavirus meat shortages that persist. That slaughterhouse is needed now, Boyer said. And the need for [pathogen specific sheep] is so great, I think theres a really, really good chance its going to succeed. He added: Its going to succeed somewhere. Why not in Southwest Virginia? A shooting in a southwest Roanoke residential neighborhood Wednesday night left one man injured, Roanoke police said. At 7:17 p.m., an E-911 call reported a person with a gunshot wound in the 800 block of Marshall Avenue, according to a news release. Officers found an adult male in the front yard of a residence with wounds that were not life threatening, police said. Roanoke Fire-EMS Department personnel took the man to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment. The incident brings the number of non-fatal shootings in Roanoke since Jan. 1 to 28. Details about what led to the shooting are limited at this time, the press release said. No suspects were located on scene and no arrests have been made regarding this incident. This remains an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information about the incident can call 540-344-8500 or send a text beginning with RoanokePD to 274637 to share what they know. Police say both calls and texts can remain anonymous. A Botetourt County man has been charged with assaulting a mail carrier. Jerry Lee Orange Jr., 45, of Troutville has been charged with abduction, stalking, simple assault and sexual assault, the Botetourt County Sheriffs Office said Wednesday. The incident that led to Oranges arrest took place Aug. 2. Orange is being held at the Botetourt-Craig Regional Jail in Fincastle without bond. The case remains under the investigation of the sheriffs office. He has been convicted on assault charges in Botetourt County before. According to Virginias court case information system, in August 2018 he was charged with felony eluding and the assault and battery of a police officer. Orange pleaded guilty to those two charges and was sentenced to seven months in jail the following October. Once released, he was placed on supervised probation for two years. Not one but three Danish Maids will preside over this years annual Danish Days festival that will take place Friday through Sunday, Sept. 16 to 18, in downtown Solvang. FLORENCE,S.C. The annual Perseid Meteor shower will reach its peak between Thursday and Friday, according to the American Meteor Society. Meteor showers occur when dust or particles from asteroids or comets enter Earths atmosphere at very high speed. This process creates what we commonly refer to as shooting stars. Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation close to the meteor. The Perseid is named after the constellation Perseus and is the most famous meteor shower. Francis Marion University astronomy professor Jeanette Myers explained what happens when the Perseid Meteor shower occurs. There are comets that come close to Earth and as they orbit around the sun they leave debris fields behind, she said. As Earth crosses through the debris fields, which are about the size of a pea, Earths gravity pulls the debris into the atmosphere and we see those streaks, which are little pieces of the comet burning up in the sky. Meyers said as the Earth is orbiting the sun, it passes through the debris fields every year at the same time, which is the reason for recurring meteor showers. The peak is the time to see the most streaks in the sky, she said. That is what we call the shooting stars, she said. What we see during the peak also depends on the moon. If the moon is out and is very bright then it is difficult to see the smaller streaks. Myers said the moon will be in a full-moon phase Thursday and Friday. There will be a full moon on Aug. 12, she said. That is going to be a very bright moon. It would be like looking at a 60 watt light bulb. That will make the faint streaks impossible to see. The larger streaks we should be able to see with our eyes. The Perseid Meteor shower comes from comet Swift-Tuttle, which takes approximately 133 years to orbit around the sun. Myers said the last one was close to us in 1992 and will not come around again until 2126 to repopulate the debris field. DARLINGTON, S.C. Darlingtons Saturday on the Square concert series this weekend is a special one. The Rick Strickland Band will be performing. - Two of the band members are Darlington natives. Lesa Hudson, the keyboard player for the Rick Strickland Band, and Debbie Anderson, the bass player for the band, both got their start in music in Darlington. Hudson said it is always a pleasure to come back and play for your hometown. This is about our third or fourth time coming back to play for this concert series, Hudson said. It is just a pleasure to come home and see the faces I grew up with and see the people that have known me all my life. The feeling is indescribable. Hudson said she learned how to play the piano at her home church, the Darlington First Church of God on Main Street. I started playing the piano at 6 years old and the music director at my church, who was my piano teacher, afforded me different opportunities to play in different places when I got older, she said. I started off taking requests for songs at church and then graduated to singing with a trio and traveling to playing with the Rick Strickland Band. Hudson said even though the type of music the band performs is secular, the music still has a meaning of unity and love. Even though the band sings beach type of music, I still believe that it is a ministry to sing inspirational, happy and encouraging songs, she said. Debbie Anderson had a similar story. Anderson said she has been in Darlington all of her life. I got my start in church, Anderson said. I am excited to get to play in Darlington. It is a blessing to share our gift of music to our friends and family. According to Lisa Bailey, the planning and economic development director for the city, this band is supposed to bring in large crowds from the beach area and North Carolina. The concert is open to the public and is free. It will last from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Rick Strickland Band has been a prominent fixture in the beach music market, performing at festivals and concert series across the Southeast. The band is known for its heart and soul music and the personalities of beach musics top two celebrated artists and songwriters, Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson. The band has received multiple award nominations at the annual Carolina Beach Music Awards show each November, and for the past several years has earned the distinction of having the most nominations each year. Bailey said the music is original and the band brings a good time. It is really just a good time for the community to get together for something positive, Bailey said. Everyone from around town gathers at the square and enjoys an evening of music. Michelle Magidow, Union Saloon Michelle went into full-time restaurant work when she was 20 and cooked for 20 years. She never attended culinary school, she just started working. "Having six things coming at you at the same time in the kitchen is where you really learn," she says. Her first job was in a deli. "It was an iconic moment for me. They taught me how to flip eggs by putting three flats of eggs in front of me and saying, 'over easy,' 'over hard,' 'scrambled' - just fired at me." In the '80s, she moved to San Luis Bay Inn, a large place with a catering kitchen, dining room, bar, wine steward. It was big and they did a lot of weddings. "I learned all kinds of things there. When the pastry chef was going on vacation, I trained with her before she went. I waited tables. I was the only girl on the line in the kitchen, so they put me on the buffet." She left to manage a small coffee house, then moved to Seattle in 1989, and got a job at Le Taste de Vin. "I was the first woman to cook on the line there. It was challenging and hysterical. I had to put a milk crate near the stove because the pans were hung so high I couldn't reach them. I learned a lot there, including how to stand up for myself. I drew the line one night and left while we were cleaning and figured they'd fire me. No one called, so I went back to work, and from that moment on, I was an equal." She worked for quite a while at Sweet Life Cafe in Snohomish, then moved to Paris. When she returned from Paris, she began working at Salumi where she was Armandino Batali's sous chef, as well as working front of the house. She worked their well-known Friday night dinners and realized she had a love for customer service, the interaction between people. When Armandino's daughter and husband came in, she moved on to make room for them. Moving to Harvest Vine, she spent three nights in the kitchen and two on the floor. "I loved that mix; I could be creative in the kitchen and have the interaction on the floor." In the late '90s, she traveled extensively, through France, Spain, and Italy, and began learning about wine. "I love using that knowledge when I work on the floor." Lark approached her and she joined them for ten years, working the floor and sharing FoH management with Kelly Ronan. When they opened the bar Licorous two doors down, she joined John Sundstrom, Kelly, and J.M. Enos as a partner. When Licorous closed, she felt it was time to learn something new. She moved to The Walrus and the Carpenter, staying about a year. "They had a great team and business was booming. But it wasn't me. It was so busy, I couldn't really engage with the customers. It wasn't a real neighborhood spot; you didn't get to know people through repetition because new people were always coming in. A good problem to have, just not my place." From there, she went to Delancey. "It was the right time for all of us. Molly Wizenberg's book came out. Molly and Brandon Pettit were doing a good job and business was growing. I implemented a wine program and created a better-functioning dining room." She was there about four years. That's when it was time to put all her ideas and experience into her own place, Union Saloon, which opened in 2017, in the Wallingford neighborhood. July 2022 "When a Prison Sentence Becomes Unconstitutional" | Main | Another Jan 6 rioter who was convicted at trial sentenced to 87 months in federal prison August 11, 2022 Man beats his dog ... and gets 25 years in a Texas prison!?! I just saw a discussion of what sound like a remarkable local sentencing case out of Texas. This local story, headlined "San Antonio man handed one of Texas' longest ever animal abuse prison sentences," provides these basics: A San Antonio man is headed to prison on one of the longest sentences for animal abuse in Texas History. Animal Care Services said that Frank Javier Fonseca was sentenced to 25 years in prison on animal abuse charges for a violent beating of his puppy, which was captured on video. He was sentenced in June and has previous felony convictions that include drug possession and crimes of retaliation, according to an ACS news release. The video was captured in February 2019, showing Fonseca repeatedly hitting his young Rottweiler puppy named Buddy with his fists and a piece of wood, as well as kicking and choking the dog. ACS said the video was recorded by "an anonymous Good Samaritan." Court records show Fonesca was arrested in September 2021. The 56-year-old San Antonio man told ACS that he was disciplining the dog for leaving his yard on Fenfield Avenue. Buddy survived the abusive attack and is now living with a new adoptive family, officials said. This new Reason commentary, authored by Billy Binion, rightly questions this outcome under this full headline: "A 25-Year Prison Sentence for Beating Up a Dog Is Not Justice: Frank Javier Fonseca's punishment, which may amount to a life sentence, is a microcosm for many of the issues with the U.S. criminal legal system." A quick google search has not turned up much more information to justify or even fully explains what seems like a severe outcome, though I suppose I should never be too surprised by the lengthy sentences that can be and often are imposed under various habitual offender statutes. August 11, 2022 at 08:58 AM | Permalink Comments The description makes it seem like a rather aggravated case of animal abuse. The problem with discussing the sentence is not knowing the relevant Texas statutes. Does animal abuse in Texas have aggravating elements? What is the law on recidivist offenders? And what did that make the authorized range of punishment. It is easy to say that twenty-five years seems excessive (even for the severity of the abuse), but there are people who think dogs are people and would think that treating animal abuse as similar to assault is perfectly fine. I disagree, but knowing the above information on how this sentence was on the table would point out what needs to be fixed to get a more "appropriate" sentencing range. Posted by: tmm | Aug 11, 2022 10:29:03 AM Based on the article, it seems like Fonseca likely was convicted of an offender under Tex. Pen. Code 42.092(b)(1), which would be third-degree felony, 42.092(c-1), punishable by a sentence of 2-10 years. Tex. Pen. Code 12.34. It seems then, that the Texas repeat and habitual offender law are what is driving the sentence, as you surmised. The Texas repeat and habitual offender code is fairly complicated. See Tex. Pen. Code 12.42. But, I think that this is probably the applicable section: (d) Except as provided by Subsection (c)(2) or (c)(4), if it is shown on the trial of a felony offense other than a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a) that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of two felony offenses, and the second previous felony conviction is for an offense that occurred subsequent to the first previous conviction having become final, on conviction the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years. A previous conviction for a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a) may not be used for enhancement purposes under this subsection. Tex. Pen. Code 12.42(d). For that repeater section to come into play, Mr. Fonseca's previous offenses must have been third degree or higher felonies (punishable by 2-10 years). But I could be wrong. I'm no expert on Texas sentencing law and the article is short on details. Posted by: CBL | Aug 11, 2022 11:12:13 AM If the defendant did that to a dog, I would be concerned what he would do to a person. So I don't think we have enough information to say this is or is not reasonable. Posted by: William C Jockusch | Aug 12, 2022 9:49:58 AM He was sentenced under the habitual statute. In the paralance of practitioners, he was "high bitched" which is what we call it when an aggressive DA turns a relatively minor felony into 25-Life. Ridiculous outcome and just one more reason to take habitual crazy high mandatory minimum sentences out of the prosecution hands and give it back to the jury. At least then the community has a say in things. Posted by: Zachary Newland | Aug 12, 2022 12:40:07 PM He was sentenced under the habitual statute. In the paralance of practitioners, he was "high bitched" which is what we call it when an aggressive DA turns a relatively minor felony into 25-Life. Ridiculous outcome and just one more reason to take habitual crazy high mandatory minimum sentences out of the prosecution hands and give it back to the jury. At least then the community has a say in things. Posted by: Zachary Newland | Aug 12, 2022 12:40:07 PM Post a comment Nominee Director fees may rise with the pending legislative amendments affecting corporate secretarial service providers. nominee director fees If you are foreign company, start-up or individual and are new to the Singapore business ecosystem, and have been researching about setting up Singapore companies, you would know that Singapore Companies Act requires at least one local resident director for a Private Limited company. If your company has 100% foreign owners, you must appoint a nominee director to fulfil this mandatory requirement of the Companies Act The nominee director can be A Singapore citizen, or Permanent resident, or Employment Pass holder and has a Singapore residential address. A nominee director is a person appointed by a company to act as a director in the companys name. The nominee director may be appointed by the companys board of directors, or even the shareholders. The appointment of a nominee director is often used to protect the company from potential legal action by third parties. If you want to appoint a nominee resident director in Singapore, there are a few ways to do so. You can either: Ask a friend or family member to be your local director; Appoint a professional corporate service provider for this service; or Nominate an existing company director. Why are Nominee Director fees going up? Right now and according to the Companies Act, there are no specific requirements for Corporate Service Providers (CSP) to ensure that the individuals they appoint as nominee directors are fit and proper. There are also no additional obligations imposed on individuals acting as nominees directors by way of business. The Government of Singapore however, is proposing that this be changed through a legislative amendment and the introduction of a new Bill, the Corporate Service Providers Bill (CSP Bill). The new CSP Bill will require CSP to ensure that individuals they appoint to act as nominee directors are fit and proper; and satisfy prescribed training requirements, if they hold more than a legally prescribed number of nominee directorships by way of business (unless they are qualified persons). Story continues A qualified person is an individual who satisfies such criteria as may be prescribed by the Government authorities but the general requirements for being a registered qualified person are: be a qualified individual, which term is defined in the ACRA (Filing Agents and Qualified Individuals) Regulations to mean: an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore; a public accountant registered under the Accountants Act 2004; a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants; a member of the Association of International Accountants (Singapore Branch); a member of the Institute of Company Accountants, Singapore; a member of the Chartered Secretaries Institute of Singapore; or a corporate secretarial agent; i.e. a person who is carrying on the business of providing corporate secretarial services for one or more companies and has been doing so for at least 3 years in the preceding 5 years; and has been a secretary of a company for at least 3 years in the preceding 5 years.; be a fit and proper person; and if applicable, not less than 2 years have elapsed since the cancellation of his previous registration as a qualified individual due to a sanction by ACRA. The new CSP Bill has been introduced because there has been a significant increase in the misuse of nominee directorship arrangements in the creation and misuse of shell companies by concealing the identity of a companys true beneficial owners, in order to facilitate money laundering. The Singapore Government observed that the situation is largely created by CSPs, who in carrying on business of providing nomineeship directorship services and appoint unqualified individuals to act as nominee directors. Such individuals who act as nominee directors are also not required to comply with additional legal obligations relating to directorship. Therefore, the proposed amendments are intended to address these risks and prevent the misuse of nominee directorship arrangements by way of business, and to improve the quality of individuals who act as nominee directors by way of business. Also, right now, individuals who are nominee directors/shareholders are only required to disclose their particulars to their companies, and such information has to be maintained in the Register of Nominee Directors. This information is not publicly available nor submitted to ACRA. But with the introduction of the new Bill, the Government will require nominee directors and shareholders to disclose their nominee status and the identity of their nominators to ACRA and for ACRA to maintain such information. Upon disclosure to ACRA, the nominee status of the director/shareholder will be made publicly available. With the amendments to the Financial Action Task Forces (FATF) recommendations in February 2022, to enhance the transparency of nominee arrangements, the new measures are proposed. The FATF Recommendations now require nominee directors and shareholders to disclose their nominee status and the identity of their nominator to ACRA and for ACRA to maintain such information. They also require that the nominee status of the director/shareholder be made publicly available. Paul Ho, the chief officer of Articulat Private Limited, said, with all these new requirements that are proposed in the CSP Bill, there are more compliances for corporate secretarial service providers. We have to accept that the new proposed requirements will improve transparency over nominee arrangements and that it will also prevent misuse of nominee directorship arrangements. But with the improvements to the quality of individuals who act as nominee directors by way of business will also come an increase in Nominee Director fees provided by CSP, Mr Ho added. This is because CSP now has to screen that the Nominee Director it provides is a Qualified Person and will comply with additional legal obligations relating to directorship CSP currently charge anywhere between $1,800 and $3,000 to provide a Nominee Director to a company which is 100% foreign owned. With the proposed legislative amendments, the Nominee Director fee is expected to rise to the range of $2,500 $4,000 depending on the assessed risk level of being a Nominee Director by the CSP. The proposed amendments and the new Bill will address the risks presented by the misuse of nominee arrangements in the creation of shell companies to facilitate money laundering, and to require individuals who act as nominee directors, by way of business, to be qualified persons. With that Companies which are 100% foreign owned will also have better peace of mind that the Nominee Director they have appointed is an individual qualified to transact on official matters on behalf of the company. The post Nominee Director fees may have to be adjusted upwards with pending legislative amendments appeared first on iCompareLoan. Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to land in Thailand on Thursday for a temporary stay before seeking asylum in another country. Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka capital Colombo, protesters who brought down the Rajapaksa government due to the poor handling of the severe economic crisis, announced they were dismantling their demonstration site near the president's office amid a violent crackdown on their leaders. Months of street protests against the government forced Mr Rajapaksa, 73, his wife and two bodyguards to flee the cash-strapped nation on 13 July. The disgraced president fled to the Maldives before landing in Singapore the next day on a private visit. He was initially issued a 14-day visit pass, which was extended for another two weeks and is set to expire on Thursday. The Singaporean government has maintained that it did not accord privileges, immunity and hospitality to Mr Rajapaksa. He is now expected to land in Bangkok on 11 August, but has no intention of seeking political asylum, Thailands foreign minister Don Pramudwinai said on Wednesday. The current Sri Lankan government reportedly made an appeal on behalf of the ousted president and supported Mr Rajapaksas trip to Thailand. Mr Pramudwinai added that the former president should be able to stay in the country without a visa for 90 days because of his diplomatic passport. Prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said it was a humanitarian issue and there is an agreement that its a temporary stay. During his stay in Thailand, Mr Rajapaksa will not be allowed to engage in political activities, the prime minister added. The Sri Lankan Supreme Court on Wednesday further extended a travel ban on former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother, former minister Basil Rajapaksa, until 5 September. Earlier this month, newly-elected president Ranil Wickremesinghe said it was not the right time for Mr Rajapaksa to return. I have no indication of him returning soon, he told The Wall Street Journal. Story continues Trade union and civil society activists led by leftists' People Liberation Front shout slogans denouncing president Ranil Wickremesinghe (AP) Mr Wickremesinghe, who declared a nationwide emergency in July and handed over absolute power to the military to restore law and order, has been accused of using brute force to dismantle the protest. The day after his election, security forces were accused of using excessive force to evict demonstrators, with more than 80 people requiring hospitalisation. Since then, over a dozen of activists have been arrested and charged of damaging state property, prompting demonstrators to clear out their tents along the Galle Face seafront promenade. Joseph Stalin, a top trade union leader, was released on bail following an international outcry over his arrest on the charge of causing damage for $90. We have been protesting for over 120 days. We wanted Rajapaksa gone but we are not happy with Wickremesinghe either. For the time being, we are leaving the demonstration site, but that does not mean the protest is over. We might consider taking it elsewhere, a protestor, who did not wish to be identified, told The Independent. Not everyone who has been part of the anti-government protests, however, was ready to evacuate and give in to the crackdown. Hundreds of Sri Lankans rallied against it on Tuesday demanding answers to the countrys worst economic crisis. Protesters led by religious and trade union leaders marched in Colombo and made several demands, including withdrawal of emergency laws, an end to the arrests of peaceful protesters and immediate dissolution of parliament. Our condition is deteriorating everyday. There is barely anything left to make the ends meet. What should we do if not protest against the government. The use of force on us just the day after Wickremesinghes election took us by surprise, Sajith Lakshan, a college student who has been a regular at the protest site for over two months, told The Independent. We will keep the protest alive online. 0.63% 0.87%5% 200 4010 iPhone7 Pro 1% 5%4% 0.35% 0.26%4% 25.3537.6% 1800-20001416 18.711.33% 12001600 3010-3169 2.0429.2% 825A0.2564 4550 NOVO LAND180 6300 3.094 5031% 4162 MIAMI QUAY 12 2022 STORM LAKE, Iowa Yahir Medina bounded out of a Storm Lake school gymnasium, looking like a million bucks. He's now ready for anything the upcoming school year might bring, especially after getting a haircut that cost his parents nothing. "I wanted to get a haircut before school to look amazing," Yahir, an eighth-grader, said, pleased with the sharp-looking style cosmetologist Jose Adrian Gomez gave him. "Now with this haircut I feel like I can go to school perfectly." He perfectly summed up the mood of dozens of children and their parents who came to Storm Lake High School Tuesday to register for school. In addition to browsing at a mini health fair, parents could get their children a free back to school haircut. "A fresh look, I guess," senior Eric Ocegueda said while sitting down for Jaime Rodriguez, owner of Plebes Frescos Barber Shop in Storm Lake. A regular customer of Rodriguez, Eric took advantage of the chance to get his usual trim for free. "I'd do the same thing," Rodriguez, a 2009 Storm Lake graduate said, nodding in appreciation of his customer's financial smarts. Rodriguez didn't mind spending eight hours cutting hair for free. When asked by Storm Lake Police Chief Chris Cole if he'd take part in the event, he saw it as a chance to give back to the community. Cole said offering free hair cuts was a unique way for his department to build stronger ties in a community and school made up of immigrants from dozens of nations. After seeing news of similar law enforcement outreach events in Texas, he thought it was worth a try in Storm Lake. His twist -- offer it during school registration, an event that already draws a large number of kids. Cole also has an in with the Storm Lake Community School District administration. Superintendent Stacey Cole, his wife, liked the idea but wondered if her husband was taking on too big a task. "Honestly, I looked at him and said I think you're crazy. I think you're looking to pull off something bigger than we're capable of," Stacey Cole said. But she told him she was all in if he could get enough barbers and stylists on board. No problem. Chris Cole posted a request for volunteers on Facebook and immediately received responses from interested barbers and cosmetologists. "I was excited. I thought it was a great idea, just the giving back to the community, the kids, the school," said Jennifer Barth, a cosmetologist at Sunjara salon and spa in Storm Lake, who helped secure the necessary license from the state to set up shop at the school. Donations paid for refreshments and supplies, and leftover funds will be used to buy school supplies. "It's heartwarming, and you get a great feeling when you think about all these individuals in our community helping these kids," Chris Cole said. On Tuesday, barber chairs lined the gym's walls, and 13 barbers and cosmetologists gave 219 students a new look before they begin school on Aug. 24. Cole and other officers mingled with the children and their parents, getting better acquainted with the residents they serve. "I didn't know people cut hair at school," Jose Ayala said while sitting with his cousin Justin Torres, both fourth-graders sporting fresh cuts. Across the gym, Jose's grateful mother, Yolanda Sanchez, waited while another of her four school-age children got a haircut. Sanchez was surprised when learning on social media about the free haircuts, but welcomed the chance to trim her family's annual back to school costs. "It gets very expensive," she said. "I need to take advantage. It will save me a little bit of money." With a number of district families near or below the poverty level, every little bit helps. It's impossible to quantify the benefits of an event like Tuesday's, Stacey Cole said, but if saving a little money here means a mom and dad now can pay for an opportunity for their child they otherwise couldn't afford, everyone wins. "The indirect help is something we can probably never identify," she said, "but the school district feels it." No matter which way you cut it, the school and community are better for it. A former elementary school in a residential area of Sioux City has been reborn as a performance arts center. Flux Dance Company acquired the old Lincoln Elementary school building at 117 Midvale Ave. The building, which dates to the 1950s, has been named Jensen Performing Art Center in honor of Flux Dance Company's artistic director Jessica (Jensen) McCully and her family. A grand opening and open house for the center is scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. Since McCully returned to Sioux City in 2009, her goal has been to educate and inspire children and adults in the art of dance while positively impacting the cultural landscape of Sioux City. Her vision for Flux Dance Company is to create access for all qualified youth dancers to gain a strong foundation in dance and prepare for professional level study and performance beyond Siouxland. The company has brought in renowned artists to perform in Sioux City as well as teachers to hold master classes and workshops here. Flux has hosted highly acclaimed teachers such as Matthew Shaffer and Tracie Stanfield of New York, Matthew Prescott and Yush Sorzano of Los Angeles, and Chelsea Hightower of Las Vegas. This summer, Flux will host a workshop with Broadway star, Nikki Snelson. In addition to Flux Dance, the Jensen Performing Arts Center will house Contemporary Dance Studio, a studio that offers instruction in ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip hop, and acrobatic arts. The first floor of the building will hold dance studios and music rooms. There are a couple of individual suites with private entrances available for rent. The entire upper floor will be available to interested parties with purposes pertaining to the performance arts. An outdoor stage arena is planned to be completed this year. The stage will accommodate artistic performances for the community including music, theater and dance. SIOUX CITY Sioux Gateway Airport will receive more than $280,000 in state funds for airport improvements, according to a statement from State Senator Jackie Smith, of Sioux City. The funding will come from the State Aviation Fund for aviation safety, planning, and airport development projects throughout Iowa. "The Sioux City Gateway Airport is an important Iowa and regional transportation asset, a resource that helps our community grow," said Smith, the ranking member of the Iowa Senate Transportation Committee. "Siouxland is growing and supporting our local economy is a smart investment of state dollars." The state funds will cover half of the $300,000 total cost of the north ramp taxi lane overlay at the airport. The state is providing an additional $131,896, which will cover the entire cost of a project to rehabilitate and build hangars at the airport. The Sioux City investment was one of a group of projects scheduled for 21 different airports across Iowa. SIOUX CITY Dozens of wind turbine opponents, and a much smaller number of wind turbine advocates, packed the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday evening for a discussion of the county's commercial wind farm setback distances. The supervisors are considering amending a wind energy ordinance that would increase the distance between wind turbines and residences in the county, from the current 1,250 feet to a potential 2,500 feet. Supervisor Rocky De Witt originally proposed the 2,500-foot setback after residents contacted him seeking to increase the distance between wind turbines and homes. Representatives of MidAmerican Energy Company, which has proposed a large wind installation in Woodbury County, said during the meeting that a 2,500-foot setback would hobble the entire project, due to the fact that it would put large swaths of land in the county off-limits because of the proximity to residences. Among the myriad, emotionally charged concerns raised by the wind-turbine opponents during Tuesday's lengthy meeting: A sentiment, apparently widely shared among the turbine opponents, that wind turbines are visually displeasing and would alter the aesthetics of rural Woodbury County; Worries that wind turbines are noisy and would harm the quality of life of people who reside in their vicinity; A dislike of the blinking red lights at the tops of wind turbines, visible at night, which serve as a warning to airplane pilots; A sense, also apparently widely shared, that wind turbines would benefit those who own land in rural Woodbury County but live elsewhere, and benefit MidAmerican itself, to the detriment of those who live in the vicinity of the turbines; Potential environmental issues, including the idea that turbines would deface or otherwise injure the Loess Hills; Concerns that property values would decline as a result of nearby wind turbines; Anecdotes involving residents of nearby counties and other states regretting or resenting wind turbine projects; Concerns that the footings of wind turbines put agricultural land out of productive use; A sentiment that wind turbine advocates are shortsightedly concerned with financial benefit, and allegations that wind turbines produce little monetary gain; And assertions that wind turbines are associated with population loss in places where they are erected. "The vote you make today, and in the following weeks, will change lives, and this county, for decades, if not forever, and not for the better," said Larry Fillipi, of Anthon, Iowa, who made an impassioned plea for the supervisors to increase the turbine setback distances. The wind-turbine opponents presented the supervisors a petition with more than 720 signatures to the board in favor of the increased setbacks. Advocates of wind turbines who spoke up cited the environmental benefits of wind turbines, which generate far less carbon emissions than the burning of coal or natural gas; the noise issues raised by the opponents, the advocates said, are exaggerated; and, they said, the rights of property owners who wish to do with their land as they please would be threatened by allowing neighbors to dictate what can be done with land. "I think that wind turbines are beautiful," said one of the wind-turbine advocates at the meeting. "I have grandchildren, I want them to have a clean-energy future," he added. MidAmerican's representatives responded to several of the turbine opponents' assertions in a presentation -- after most of the opponents had already left the room -- citing studies that wind turbines do not have a negative impact on property values, and pointing out that wind turbines have a good safety record. They also said MidAmerican plans to explore airplane-safety options for wind turbines that don't involve red lights blinking incessantly at night, and added that MidAmerican seeks to "minimize" the noise associated with the turbines. They also said that MidAmerican hadn't planned to install turbines within the boundaries of the Loess Hills. They pointed out that property owners would receive somewhere between $76 million to $92 million over the roughly 40-year lifespan of the project and that the county would receive around $150 million in tax revenues. Increasing the setback more modestly -- to 1,500 or 1,600 feet -- would be more workable, MidAmerican's representatives at the meeting said. "A 2,500-foot setback would effectively allow somebody a a half-mile away to decide what you can and can't do with your property," said Adam Jablonski, a vice-president of resource development at MidAmerican, who spoke at the meeting. After the public comments, Supervisors De Witt, Matthew Ung and Jeremy Taylor spoke in favor of increasing the setback distance. Keith Radig and Justin Wright were opposed, citing an opposition to the "tyranny of zoning" laws and lamenting that neighbors can't hash these matters out themselves, and instead rely on government to provide regulatory solutions. "Nobody seems to remember that there's now two -- there was four -- coal-fired power plants sitting along the river. You don't even notice them unless you're going by on the interstate. I have yet to find somebody that wants to to stare at 90 to 100-some-plus wind turbines out there, blinking lights," said De Witt, referring to MidAmerican's coal-fired Neal power station south of Sioux City, where he worked for 22 years. Additional discussion of the turbine setbacks is planned for the supervisors meetings on Aug. 16 and Aug. 23. Garland asks court to unseal warrant for Mar-a-Lago search WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department has asked a court to unseal the federal warrant the FBI used to search the Florida estate of former President Donald Trump. Announcing the action Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland cited the substantial public interest in this matter." Garland also said he personally approved the search warrant, which was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trumps Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this year. Trump criticized the search anew, as did his allies who have demanded that the warrant be made public. Man who tried to breach FBI office killed after standoff WILMINGTON, Ohio (AP) The Ohio State Highway Patrol says an armed man who tried to breach the FBIs Cincinnati office was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene and engaged in an hourslong standoff. A law enforcement official said federal investigators are examining whether the man, identified as 42-year-old Ricky Shiffer, may have had ties to far-right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys. The official said Shiffer is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and may have been present at the Capitol on the day of the attack. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Albuquerque Muslims help bid to keep killings suspect jailed ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) New Mexico prosecutors are amassing evidence they hope will convince a judge that the Afghan refugee suspected of killing four Muslim men should remain jailed pending his trial. Muhammad Syed is due in court Monday and a state judge will decide if he's enough of a danger to the community to deny him bond. Syed is charged with two killings and authorities say he the primary suspect in the other two. He has denied the allegations. Muslim community leaders say they're working with law enforcement to push for Syed's continued detention. They cite previous accusations of domestic violence against him and a 2020 tire slashing incident outside the local mosque. CDC drops quarantine, distancing recommendations for COVID NEW YORK (AP) The nations top public health agency is relaxing its COVID-19 guidelines and dropping the recommendation that Americans quarantine themselves if they come into close contact with an infected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said Thursday that people no longer need to stay at least 6 feet away from others. The changes come more than 2 1/2 years after the start of the pandemic. They are driven by a recognition that an estimated 95% of Americans 16 and older have acquired some level of immunity, either from being vaccinated or infected. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine The Kremlin has refused to announce a full-blown mobilization as Russia suffers military losses in its invasion of Ukraine which is nearing its sixth month. Such a move could be very unpopular for President Vladimir Putin. Russia is engaged instead in a covert recruitment effort that includes using prisoners to make up for the manpower shortage. This also is happening amid reports that hundreds of soldiers are refusing to fight and are trying to quit the military. Authorities seem to be pulling out all the stops to bolster enlistment although the Defense Ministry denies any mobilization activities are happening. Billboards urge men to join up and authorities have set up mobile recruiting centers. Sweeping climate bill pushes American energy to go green WASHINGTON (AP) Congress is poised to pass a transformative climate change fighting bill. Friday's vote would be the first major climate package in the U.S. and would include close to $375 billion in spending. Most of the bill is aimed at infusions of cash, subsidies and tax breaks to make green energy eventually so cheap it's nearly irresistible. It would slice U.S. carbon emissions by about 40%. This compromise bill comes 34 years after Congress was warned that climate change was a serious threat. Since then there have been 308 weather disasters that each cost $1 billion. Buried as numbers, more of Buchas victims are laid to rest BUCHA, UKRAINE (AP) With graves marked only with numbers, not names, burial services were held for 11 more unidentified bodies found in Bucha. That's the town outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv which saw hundreds of people slaughtered under Russian occupation. Under a grim gray sky, the two women and eight men were buried Thursday following their discovery in a mass grave near the town's Church of Andrew the Apostle. The 11th victim had been shot dead and found in a village 10 miles away. Another man who was shot dead but who was identified was also buried Thursday at the same cemetery. The civilian killings at Bucha have become a symbol of brutality of the war. Brazilians rally for democracy, seek to rein in Bolsonaro SAO PAULO (AP) Thousands of Brazilians are rallying in defense of the nations democracy. The event was held Thursday at the University of Sao Paulos law school. It carried echoes of a gathering nearly 45 years ago when citizens amassed to denounce a brutal military dictatorship, which lasted two decades. At the rally, organizers read from documents supporting democratic institutions and the electoral system. While the letters don't mention President Jair Bolsonaro by name, they appear aimed at reining in the far-right leader as he seeks reelection. Much like former U.S. President Donald Trump before him, Bolsonaro has repeatedly attacked the country's election system without providing any evidence. Scientists use tiny trackers, plane to follow moths on move NEW YORK (AP) Scientists in Germany attached tiny trackers to giant moths looking for clues about insect migration. In a study published Thursday, researchers followed moths around in a small airplane to map out their journeys. They found that the moths flew in straight paths and used different strategies to deal with changing wind conditions. The research suggests that the moths have strong navigation skills, challenging earlier ideas that migrating insects are mostly getting blown around by the wind. Many questions remain about insect migration, which brings trillions of creatures across the globe each year. Russells No. 6 being retired across NBA, a 1st for league Bill Russells No. 6 jersey is being retired across the NBA, a first for the league. The league and the National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday that the number worn by the 11-time champion, civil rights activist and person good enough to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach was being permanently retired by all 30 teams. Major League Baseball permanently retired No. 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson, who broke the big leagues color barrier. And the NHL retired Wayne Gretzkys No. 99 in honor of that sports all-time scoring leader. NBA players who currently wear No. 6 including the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James may continue doing so. But the number cannot be issued again. 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 KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) Deputies in the Florida Keys on Wednesday fatally shot a pilot who was deputized to carry guns on planes in what appears to be a "suicide by cop," officials said. Lane Morgan Caviness, 48, was killed at a Key Largo home following reports of an intoxicated, armed suicidal man, a Monroe County Sheriffs Office news release said. The sheriff's office had initially identified Caviness as an off-duty federal law enforcement officer. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, a state agency investigating the shooting, later clarified that Caviness was part of the Transportation Security Administration's Federal Flight Deck Officer Program. The program allows armed pilots and flight crewmembers of passenger and cargo aircraft to defend against acts of criminal violence or air piracy. Multiple deputies had responded and observed an armed man at the home, officials said. Deputies were able to reach Caviness by phone after he disappeared from view. He told deputies he was intoxicated and was prepared to confront law enforcement, officials said. Caviness reappeared and pointed a gun at deputies, who responded by firing at him, officials said. Deputies began first-aid, but the man was pronounced dead. In a news release, Sheriff Rick Ramsay said that although this appears to be a suicide by cop situation," state law enforcement officials will conduct an independent investigation of the shooting. Officials did not immediately disclose who the pilot worked for. The Kremlin has refused to announce a full-blown mobilization as Russia suffers military losses in its invasion of Ukraine which is nearing its sixth month. Such a move could be very unpopular for President Vladimir Putin. Russia is engaged instead in a covert recruitment effort that includes using prisoners to make up for the manpower shortage. This also is happening amid reports that hundreds of soldiers are refusing to fight and are trying to quit the military. Authorities seem to be pulling out all the stops to bolster enlistment although the Defense Ministry denies any mobilization activities are happening. Billboards urge men to join up and authorities have set up mobile recruiting centers. This beautiful 1 bedroom bungalow is ready to be included into your portfolio or to welcome its new owners. It is conveniently located at the end of the street, giving you a sense of privacy and providing a lengthy parking space on the west side of the house. It's close to grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, a wide range of restaurants, coffee shops, fitness centers, etc. The yard is big and has a beautiful leafy tree that provides a large shade. Buyers are encouraged to do inspection but being sold in the as is condition. Come see this little gem yourself! My child is really nervous about middle school. I wouldnt say any of her anxiety is out of the ordinary, from what she tells me (just that its so much bigger, navigating changing classes, shes worried it will be much harder, etc.). But Im trying to come up with the right things to say to calm her nerves. Everyone else is, too, doesnt seem to be cutting it. Any thoughts, or tips for how to navigate it? Advertisement Middle School Nerves, Dear Middle School Nerves, Theres nothing you can say that will take away her anxiety about attending middle school. What will take away her anxiety is attending middle school. She may get lost a time or two, but shell learn her way around. Ive never had a student who still got lost after the third week of school. Changing classes will become second nature; shell wonder how she ever stayed in one classroom all day. Her classes will likely feel exactly as hard as her elementary school ones felt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So dont worry about saying the right thing. Just listen. Let her get it all out. Give her the space have to have big feelings. Advertisement The only thing that might reassure her a tiny bit is Everyone feels that way. Let her know that even the kids who look like theyve got their ducks in a row are struggling with the same thoughts and concerns she is. And maybe think about how you might be influencing her attitude. How do you feel about her attending middle school? Because guess what: Shell be fine. Ms. Scott (high school teacher, North Carolina) Slate needs your support right now. Sign up for Slate Plus to keep reading the advice you crave every week. My young elementary age kiddo was recently diagnosed with high functioning autism. Shes a super smart, wonderful kid. The struggles seem to be social. She doesnt make a lot of eye contact and doesnt know how to engage naturally with kids her age. Advertisement Advertisement Her doctors are pushing for a lot of intervention from school. One recommended a full-time paraprofessional to help her with social issues. Another said we had to get an IEP. Both said the school bureaucracy would be our enemy. Advertisement The school has offered to have her meet weekly with the counselor and speech therapist and put her in the (mainstream) class that focuses the most on social-emotional intelligence. Theyll talk about the issue of her playing by herself at recess every day. I dont really know what to do next. Do I need to push for an IEP? She had no academic issues last year. (Shes way above grade level in all academic subjects.) Im torn between the easy path (believe the school will do right by her without me needing to push) and the hard path (believe the doctors that Ill need to bludgeon the school into giving her appropriate help). What would you do if it were your kid? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Should I Push? Dear SIP, This may be my school-based bias I dont like the adversarial framing the doctors have set up for you. Bureaucracy is always a challenge, regardless of setting, and our entire educational system is a constant struggle between what we know is good for learners versus what politicians are willing to let us do. Nevertheless, the people at the school are likely the first line of defense when it comes to advocating for supports for your child. Any services will likely come through the school, and that means you will be in a partnership with the teachers and providers at your childs school. Viewing them as the enemy is going to make that partnership hard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it were my child, I would ask the school for a psycho-educational evaluation (a psycho-ed, for short). A psycho-ed will evaluate the need for all kinds of servicescounseling, speech, and academic. If there is a need for services, the school would write an IEP. Autism is a qualifying diagnosis for an IEP, so there shouldnt be additional necessary steps if speech and counseling are the only services they need, and she should qualify even if she doesnt need academic support. If you have concerns about her fine- or gross-motor development, you should bring them up! She may also qualify for OT/PT, and this can be evaluated formally or informally at the same time as the rest of the psycho-ed. Advertisement As a parent, you have the right to request an evaluation at any time. Often, for students who were not struggling significantly in academic areas, we teachers would privately hope parents would ask for them. The school team is in your childs corner, but psycho-eds cost the district money, and we cant just do them for every child. We have red tape on our end. But if a parentespecially a parent whose child already has a qualifying diagnosisrequests one, we have to provide it. Once that process is in motion, its a clearer path for us to provide the supports we want to provide. The school may be required to provide RTI services (like the less formal sessions you mentioned) for a certain amount of time before they can begin the psycho-ed, but if you put the request in, the school knows you are asserting that right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speech therapy, in particular, may be very beneficial. Its a fairly common service (in my experience, the speech pathologist typically has the largest caseload of service providers in a building), so your child is likely to receive speech services in a group. The layman assumption is that speech therapy is like diction class. However, especially as kids leave early childhood, therapy focuses on pragmatic social skills as well as grammar. They play games, practice engaging in conversation, learn soft social skills like how to ask follow-up questions. I dont think you have to choose between trusting the school and advocating for your child. Those should both be parts of a good partnership with the school. For example, you can share the doctor recommendations with the school, and they can tell you from an educational perspective which recommendations make most sense (unless there are behaviors you havent mentioned, a paraprofessional is unlikely to pass the justification process!) and, together, you can make a plan to support your daughter in her elementary school career. Advertisement Ms. Sarnell (early childhood special education teacher, New York) I am the parent of two younger boys. My older child is just going to start fourth grade. Floridas curriculum is way too difficult for most of the children. They spend all their time studying for Floridas state math and ELA tests (their fsas) and forget most everything else. That includes spelling, grammar, most science, social studies, etc. Their FSA tests are so difficult that most of the students average Cs at absolute best, many are much lower. They are asking questions that are way over many adults heads, let alone third graders. Ive talked with most of the administration, the teachers, parents, and students. They all agree. But nothing is being done about it. All this is doing is making the children feel like failures. My child believes he is stupid and comes home crying most days. The best of what my sons school has done is to confirm he is stupid (according to him), and they put students in 504 programs to get special help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What can I do about this? This is a widely known problem, but it seems no one is doing anything. Its ridiculous. F the FSA Dear F the FSA, So many of us are as fed up as you are! I am not sure that the FSA is overly hard (or any harder than other states), but regardless of its difficulty, standardized tests leave kids hating education (and woefully undereducated in the process), drive teachers away from the profession because they see it being butchered, and infuriate parents who know their kids deserve better. In all cases, the most important thing is that we make kids feel like they matter as individuals, that they are not defined by test scores, and that they can find joy in learning. While it may be tempting to speak out at your local school board or call your state representative or any of a dozen forms of protest against the abysmal state of public education (seriously, as a Floridian, I feel I can say that the state is quickly becoming one of the worst places in America to raise your children), the real action that needs to be taken is to help your sons see their self-worth. Whatever subject they are most interested in, let their teachers know (that reminder never hurts) and pursue it wildly at home. History? Have documentary nights and play time period-based board games. Science? Sites like YouTube and Pinterest are full of fun at-home experiments, and you can do everything from take them on nature hikes to maker-space projects through your public library. Advertisement Advertisement I know that part of you is screaming the schools should be doing that! and I agree. If I had a good advocacy group to send you to, I would. I got as far as reaching out to an education professor in state who basically told me I would need to start the revolution myself. I can offer the condolence that the FSA is being phased out. Will its replacement fix the problem? I doubt it. Its another standardized test. Advertisement Whats important here is your child and how you can help him enjoy learning again. Mr. Vona (high school teacher, Florida) More Advice From Slate My nearly 2-year-old has been cared for full-time by his grandmother since I went back to work a few months after he was born. For me, the benefits are solely financial, as my mother-in-law is unusually sensitive and can be volatile. She is also very clingy. His eventual enrollment in kindergartenstill years awayis already a sore subject for her. She has tried to talk us into agreeing to let her home-school him. When we refuse, she says she will follow him wherever he goes as a volunteer, or shell get a paid position at the school. How do I get her to back off? On Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland offered the first official account of Mondays FBI raid on Donald Trumps home at Mar-a-Lago in search of reportedly classified documents that Trump had taken from the White House when he left office, documents that he allegedly still had not turned back over to the government. [Update, Aug. 11, 2022, at 9:42 p.m.: The Washington Post reported that classified documents relating to nuclear weapons were among the items FBI agents sought.] While Garland did not reveal many details, he did take a blowtorch to the GOPs unhinged defenses of the former president and attacks on the Department of Justice over the past 72 hours.] Advertisement Garland pulled this off with a straightforward legal filing: The Department of Justice requested that the judge in Trumps case unseal the search warrant and the FBI property receipt listing what was taken from Mar-a-Lago, absent objection from the former President. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This puts the onus on Trump and his lawyerswho for the past three days have unleashed fury against the FBI and gone so far as to suggest the bureau was planting evidenceto object in court to unsealing the documents in order to keep them secret. This immediately flips the script away from the saturation of what is the DOJ hiding media coverage of the past few days and raises the obvious question: If Trump objects to unsealing these documents, what is he hiding? Advertisement Indeed, Republicans like former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have demanded that the DOJ provide immediate answers about the raid. Now the DOJ is saying that so long as the judge in question assents, they will immediately turn over answers the moment Trump relinquishes his rights to keep those answers secret and lets the DOJ publicize what this was about. If Trump surrenders his rights to keep this secret and the DOJ is asking the court to reveal it, then it seems like there would be little rationale for the judge to deny the motion. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart has given Trump until Friday afternoon to notify the court whether he objects to the unsealing of the documents. Advertisement Advertisement Ordinarily, the DOJ would not make this request. In order to protect the rights of people under investigation by the departmentso as not to impugn subjects in the event that criminal charges are never filedsuch information would normally be kept secret unless and until there was an indictment. However, the Republican Party and its media allies have raised such hackles over the lack of information about this raidwith Trump in turn fundraising off of the noisethat apparently the DOJ thinks there is a clear public interest in releasing the documents. Advertisement Advertisement The Department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former presidents public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter, Garland announced matter-of-factly. Advertisement Advertisement The accompanying motion to unseal the documents was similarly straightforward in its argument. Given the intense public interest presented by a search of a residence of a former President, the government believes [the] factors favor unsealing the search warrant, its accompanying Attachments A and B, and the Property Receipt, absent objection from the former President, the motion read. The motion was signed by acting U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Florida Juan Antonio Gonzalez and Jay Bratt, the chief of the counterintelligence and export control section at the Justice Department. This is notable because Gonzalez would have signed off on the warrant and Bratta top counterintelligence officialreportedly was among four investigators who previously visited Mar-a-Lago seeking to have Trump comply fully with a grand juryissued subpoena for the confidential documents.* Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garland also sought to tamp down claims in the press that this was an overreaction to a minor document dispute, saying that he personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter. It has previously been reported by Newsweek that Garland had not signed off on the search, which would have been an extraordinary oversight. Garland has been noted for his excessive caution in his approach to politically charged law enforcement decisions, and the implication that he did not sign off made it look like the search may have been conducted by rogue actors over something trifling. The Newsweek source, who is now shown to have been not telling the truth, indeed said as much himself: The senior Justice Department source [] insists [] that Garland had no prior knowledge of the date and time of the specific raid, nor was he asked to approve it. I know its hard for people to believe, says the official, but this was a matter for the U.S. Attorney and the FBI. FBI director Christopher Wray ultimately gave his go-ahead to conduct the raid, the senior Justice official says. It really is a case of the Bureau misreading the impact. Advertisement Advertisement Almost certainly alluding to the previous efforts to get Trump to turn over the documents, reported by the New York Times earlier on Thursday, Garland added: The Department does not take such a decision lightly. Where possible, it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search and to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken. Again, assuming the judge would agree to make the warrant public, the motion itself puts the entire impetus now on Trump and his legal team to keep the details of the search a secret. This matter plainly concerns public officials or public concerns, as it involves a law enforcement action taken at the property of the 45th President of the United States, the court motion notes. The publics clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing. That said, the former President should have an opportunity to respond to this Motion and lodge objections, including with regards to any legitimate privacy interests or the potential for other injury if these materials are made public. Your move, Donald Trump. On Tuesday, the New York Times published an opinion piece that declared New Yorks hottest club is the Catholic Church. The piece was written by an editor at the stuffy conservative Christian journal First Things, which, under the recent leadership of the Catholic theologian R.R. Reno, has swung toward the reactionary right. The author of the piece, Julia Yost, argued that young, cool intellectualsbored by the corny politics of their liberal peershave found transgressive delight in embracing the rituals of traditional Catholicism, along with at least some of its moral stances on sex and gender. Advertisement These young edgy reactionaries, she wrote, are associated with the buzzy but mostly nominal downtown Manhattan Dimes Square scene. (The name refers to a restaurant in the area.) They have embraced monarchist and anti-feminist sentiments, she wrote, and they debate esoteric Catholic topics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not your grandmothers churchand whether the new faithful are performing an act of theater or not, they have the chance to revitalize the church for young, educated Americans, Yost declared. Yost does not mention that the pope has warned that the most adamant pockets of traditionalist Catholicsor trads, as many observers of online extremism know themare a danger to the faith. Or that he put restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass in an effort to tamp down their movement. Or that the reactionary Dimes Square scene, such that there is one, is basically an outgrowth of kids who wanted to party in downtown Manhattan during the height of the pandemic, and have since moved on to embrace other taboos, like using the word retarded. (Brave!) Advertisement Advertisement The writer also didnt mention that trad Cath social media, with all its semi-ironic memes about saints and sacraments, attracts those who like to post winkingly about the Crusades. Or that there is a growing group of traditionalist Catholics, yearning for an old version of the religion before the church took out violently anti-Semitic language from its liturgy, who sometimes tread dangerously close to white supremacy. (Traditionalist Catholics are often defined by their rejection of the teachings of the 1965 Second Vatican Council.) Advertisement Just as white supremacists reach back to a fictional version of the Middle Ages or the Viking Age to create their own mythos, the trads look back to an imagined pre-modern church. Yost is not entirely wrong about Catholicisms online cultural moment and the transgressive appeal of it for the young participants. Its undeniable that many young trads pride themselves on their intellectual independence from their peers, and on the countercultural nature of the worldview theyve embraced. Advertisement Yost may also be right that Gen Zs intellectual formation in the waters of social media could naturally make the aesthetics of Catholicism more tempting. Catholicism, in an artistic sense, is nothing if not dramatic. Its gold and lace. Its incense and violence. Its martyrs and marble and blood. (Or at least, the theatrical version of it is. Pope Francis has urged the church to drop its obsession with grandmas lace.) Advertisement Advertisement But Yost tries to push the argument further than it really goes. Young trads may think they are being transgressive, but that does not mean that they genuinely are. There are some 50 million Catholics in the U.S., and theres no denying the influence the religion has had in shaping the country: Just look at its role in the reasoning of the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade. The Mets Heavenly Bodies theme, Yost argued, was chosen because Catholicism pairs well with transgression. Are we sure its not because of the centuries of religious artwork? The opulence of the churchs vast historical wealth? Or of the slight thrill of sacrilege, rather than the appeal of traditionalism? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This line of the piece was intriguing to me: The scenesters of downtown Manhattan may simply find it less dreary to shame one another for fornication than for bearing privilege. But Yost tips her hand when she implies that these young people have been, essentially, forced into this position by the failures of secular society. Disaffection with the progressive moral majoritycombined with Catholicisms historic ability to accommodate cultural subversionhas produced an in-your-face style of traditionalism, she writes. By disparaging traditional gender roles and defining human flourishing in meritocratic terms, progressive moralism militates against young peoples attainment of basic goods: marriage and procreation. Its thismore than describing the fashion of any sort of scene, real or imaginedthat matters here. The traditionalists are not all harmlessly larping. Many are campaigning, sometimes quite vehemently, for the stripping of rights from women and queer people. Advertisement Yost knows this. Her arguments about the churchs chance to revitalize the church for young, educated Americans makes assumptions based on the specific philosophy First Things represents. To conservative Catholics, there is a clear strategy to survive this crisis point in the churchs history: embrace tradition, embrace aesthetics, embrace black-and-white morality and discipline to give clarity in a tumultuous and confusing time. Pope Francis strategy is the opposite: reach out to the young and disaffected and bend, as much as possible, to the times; embrace the vast diversity of the faith and hope young people are drawn in by compassion. Advertisement Advertisement The church in the U.S. is, in many ways, torn between these two philosophies. In New York, the several members of the trad Cath Dimes Square crowd may be the flashiest and most exciting public display of the faith to trend story aficionadosas a journalist, I certainly cant scoff at a fun trend piecebut there are so many other forms of Catholicism operating in the city, with far greater numbers: Immigrant groups, socialist worker groups, old-fashioned Italian and Irish cradle Catholics. Its a mistake to overstate the trads influence, or even to imply theyre the most interesting story in the Catholic Church right nowespecially in New York. Advertisement It would also be a mistake, however, to ignore traditional Catholics political power. There are degrees to trads. Some are apolitical converts or reverts, who love the larp of it, as Yost noted. Some choose to engage more in the churchs political wars than in partisan politics. (Yost nods to the sedevacantists, who typically think Francis is an anti-pope; they may be oddballs, yes, but they are also loud and active on social media). Somethe rad tradsare ready to wage the culture wars in American politics, regardless of whose civil rights are thrown under the bus. And extremism experts have been warning about them for some time. Advertisement Advertisement To be fair, Yost writes with some skepticism of this crowd, especially when it comes to their perceived faith. The story links to pieces on the housewives of white supremacy and the awful advent of reactionary chic. But still, Yost urges the reader not to reject the Dimes Square trad Caths practice as inauthentic because authentic internal conversion is not a Catholic demand but a Protestant one. Instead, she says, what Catholicism requires is adherence to disciplines and dogmas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes right that we cant dictate who is and isnt a Catholic by examining the authenticity of their faith. But she falls short by claiming it is, instead, a matter of rule-following. Scholars will tell you there are many ways to live out any religion, including Catholicism. Polls show that even when it comes to basic dogmatic elements, such as the literal transformation of the Eucharist, many Catholics simply shrug off the official line. Some Catholics choose to draw inspiration more from biblical teachings on tolerance and compassion. Catholics, like nearly all Christians, have chosen which elements of the faith to live by. Yost and the First Things crowd highlight a militant and rigid version of that choice, declaring it the churchs promising future. Last month, Fatima Abdelwahab, a Sudanese American resident of Houston, was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancybut only after it burst her fallopian tube, becoming a full-fledged medical emergency. There are a lot of reasons it might have taken a while for Fatima to get the treatment she needed: Ectopic pregnancies can be difficult to diagnose, health care facilities may have been swamped, and Abdelwahab was often in too much pain to question her doctors at length. Maybe her doctors wanted to make sure they werent jumping to conclusions. But in hindsight, Fatima is left with many questions. Did Texas abortion ban stand in her way? Were her physicians even were even allowed to treat her? Texas anti-abortion law makes an exception for when the mothers life is in dangerbut how much danger does it take to trigger medical care? On Thursdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Abdelwahab about what happened to her and the insidious ways abortion bans are coming between women and their doctors. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary Harris: Can you tell me about your first inkling last month that something could be wrong? Fatima Abdelwahab: My period came a few days earlier than it typically does. Im on birth control. That was a little odd to me, and then my cramps were really bad, but I ignored it because I thought it was probably just that I was exhausted after traveling. When did you think you needed to get a doctor involved? We were driving to visit my parents on a Friday night, and right after we got there, on Saturday around 1 a.m. is when I felt like this is unbearable. We drove over to an urgent care and as soon as I got in I told the guy out front, please, if theres anything you can do to get me in quickly, I feel like somethings going to explode. I held my left side and I felt pain, especially in that area. Advertisement Advertisement How quickly do they see you, and what do they tell you? It was probably fairly quickly after the urine pregnancy test, when the doctor came in told me, Youre pregnant. I was just shocked because] Im on birth control, and this is not the first thing that came to mind at all. Advertisement And you have a real period. Youre having real bleeding and cramping. Exactly. And in my mind Im thinking, even if Im pregnant, I dont know if the pain should be this bad. Then there was the thought of how Roe v. Wade was just overturned and Im a Black woman and my mom had lost two friends, one prior to birth while pregnant, the other after birththats what started coming through my mind instantly. So there was this fear that what if something is wrong? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What did the doctor say about what should happen? At that moment, he said, we had to do some bloodwork and an ultrasound, and theyll get some morphine to help with the pain. The ultrasound was extremely painful. It was transvaginal. They did the topical one as well. Then the doctor came in and said, Were not seeing anything. So this could be a ruptured cyst. It could be a viable pregnancy. It could be an ectopic pregnancy. It could be a miscarriage. That was ultimately the takeaway of me going to urgent care that night: no resolution to what I was feeling or what was happening. Advertisement Advertisement Thursday morning I woke up and the cramps were worse and my flow was heavier for sure than it had been the days before. Advertisement Advertisement At this point, youve been having your period for a pretty long time, and it sounds like its not abating, when it usually would after a week. Exactly. You went to an ER, not realizing until she arrived that it wasnt connected to a hospital. The doctor that came in was not compassionate at all. I felt like I was committing a crime for even coming there. I got asked questions like, Which ER did you go to before? Why didnt you go back to them? Why did you come to this E.R.? It was crazy to me that I was getting asked this question when Im in so much pain visibly and could barely talk. Advertisement Then he finally did more bloodwork. Another transvaginal ultrasound. My third transvaginal ultrasound. Again, I was told they dont see anything, and he thought I was having an incomplete miscarriage. That was the first time that Id heard like, This is not a viable pregnancy. That was the first time Id heard, like, Youre having a miscarriage. It was a lot to take in. When I asked what I should do about the pain, the response was, Unless youre filling up a pad an hour or basically hemorrhaging, theres nothing we can do for you. Advertisement Advertisement You found out were miscarrying five days after you first reported symptoms. That Thursday evening, you were at her sisters house when you started to feel worse, and the pain was distinctly on the left side. Advertisement I had been told I was going through a miscarriage, so Im thinking, why am I feeling pain specifically on my left? I went to the bathroom at some point and started passing these really big clots. I felt the cramping get really, really bad, worse than it had been all the days prior. I started to feel really nauseous and dizzy. You passed out briefly and then went to a hospital and talked to yet another doctor. Pretty much immediately they gave me morphine. I asked if I could have something stronger, and the doctor said, If you want something stronger than morphine, then we both need to agree that this is a miscarriage, which, she thought it was a miscarriage but also had had to let me know there was that chance it could be viable. And if it is viable, anything stronger will harm the baby. Advertisement When did you learn that you had an ectopic pregnancy? It wasnt until I went to my OB the following day. Advertisement Advertisement Nearly a week since youd first experienced symptoms. She kind of pushed around my abdomen and said: I think maybe you have an ectopic pregnancy. Im not doing surgeries today. My colleagues on call. Im going to call and get started on your paperwork, so head over to this hospital. We left her office and drove immediately over there. Once at the hospital, you received another ultrasound, showing an ectopic pregnancy: The embryo had implanted in the left fallopian tube, instead of the uterus. And the tube had burst, which can lead to life-threatening internal bleeding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was when I was finally told, Heres whats happening: You have a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. Were going to check your vitals, get some more blood. Youll be in surgery soon. I just kept nodding my head because the pain was unbearable, completely unbearable. Ive never felt such pain in my life. From what I understand, ectopic pregnancies can be hard to diagnose and hard to see on an ultrasound. Does that make a difference in how you understand what happened to you? Im not sure, honestly. I think about moments when I went to the ER was asked, Why are you here? It just really upset me and made me wonder, would it have made a difference? I know its no ones fault if they werent able to see it. If its not there, its not there. Theres nothing they can do about it. But I do wonder, having heard this is a miscarriage twice on Thursday, like, why wasnt I given anything else? There was no clarity, always Well, were not sure whats happening. That was really frustrating and upsetting, and it just made me feel like, why isnt anyone able to tell me whats happening? Im at nearly a week now of being in and out of health care offices and no one having a solid answer for me. Advertisement Advertisement Did anyone at any point during your treatment mention Texas abortion laws even obliquely? No, not at all. Not a single person. When I did a little reading about ectopic pregnancies, I found that in the past, before the Supreme Court ruling, doctors seemed to worry a lot that they acted too quickly may have terminated viable pregnancies. They came up with these guidelines encouraging doctors to slow down when it came to diagnosing this, like do multiple ultrasounds to confirm, wait a little while. Is there a chance that thats what your doctors were doing here? Advertisement I think if it were my personal choice, I just would have been like, I cant move forward with this pregnancy. I would hope that it doesnt take this much pain, that it doesnt take a pregnancy to rupture for me to actually get help. Because of all that pain that I went through, Im traumatized to even think about having kids. It was a lot. Advertisement Has anyone talked to you about how your experience might have affected your fertility? My OB told me that my chances were significantly lower. I dont have my fallopian tube. Its hard to know how the abortion laws affected your care. But hearing your story, it sounds like the laws created a cloud of suspicion where, for any medical professional you interacted with, there was already some kind of break in the trust you had because you didnt know why they were treating you one way or another, and you were a little suspicious. Absolutely. I think everyones on edge, unsure. Theres so much confusion. I think, had it been a year ago, maybe people would have acted in a more urgent manner. Maybe I would have been able to get things resolved sooner. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. July 29, when Beyonces new album dropped, was a great day for her Wikipedia article, which received more than 90,000 views. But that same day, another article, Recession, racked up more than 200,000 views, pushing it past the entries for Beyonce, the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, World War II, and Earthcombined. The deluge of traffic, which briefly shot the articles popularity rank to No. 2 out of 6.5 million (No. 1 was Hunter Moore, the subject of a recent Netflix documentary), came from conservative tweets and media coverage claiming that the encyclopedia had manipulated its definition of a recession to favor the Biden administration. Advertisement The actual story of what happened bears little resemblance to that narrative. The reality is a very typical case study of how Wikipedians modify articles in response to current eventsand a clear example of how some conservatives are learning to weaponize the encyclopedia as part of a political battle to delegitimize traditional sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The article was thrust into the limelight on July 28, when the Commerce Department released data showing that the U.S. gross domestic product had shrunk for a second straight quarter, meeting a common shorthand definition of a recession. Republicans, seeking to highlight the economys weakness as part of a case against Democrats ahead of midterm elections this fall, jumped on the news. Although most serious economists do not accept the two quarters shorthand definition, this didnt stop politicians like Sen. Rick Scott of Florida from declaring that Joe Biden has officially plunged America into a recession. The Biden administration, meanwhile, emphasized that the National Bureau of Economic Research, the body responsible for judging recession dates, had not declared one. Advertisement Advertisement In the days leading up to July 28, editors began flocking to the Wikipedia page. At the time, the article quoted from the NBER in its introduction, stating In the United States, it [a recession] is defined as a significant decline in economic activity spread across the market, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales. (The line was added in April 2019.) An edit war soon erupted over whether to add a phrase along the lines of two consecutive quarters of decline in a countrys real gross domestic product is commonly used as a practical definition of a recession. The inclusion of the phrase would benefit the Republican narrative; its omission would help Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement When a disagreement arises, editors are supposed to cease editing the contentious portion of the article and go to the articles talk page to discuss the issue. The encyclopedia aims for content to be supported by reliable sources, so debates often focus on which option aligns best with reputable news coverage and academic research. Advertisement Advertisement A discussion was opened on the articles talk page on July 29; it is expected to run for 30 days, after which an experienced editor will assess the communitys consensus and the article will be updated accordingly. In the interim, the two consecutive quarters definition remains in the live version. A volunteer administrator applied a weak form of protection, known as semi-protection, to the article on July 27. Intended to prevent disruption from vandals and new editors unfamiliar with the sites policies, it limits editing to those whose accounts are four days old and who have made at least 10 edits. Advertisement Advertisement None of this is particularly unusual. Dozens of edit wars and heated debates happen on Wikipedia every day, and thousands of articles at any given time are semi-protected, including a large proportion of high-profile or controversial topics. There was just this sort of general sentiment that this was a really unique situation when it wasnt, said Samantha Lien, a spokesperson for the Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that hosts Wikipedia (but does not edit its content, which is the work of volunteer contributors). Advertisement Advertisement But while Wikipedias editorial process kicked into gear, an entirely different process began playing out on Twitter. The articles edit history, taken as a whole, shows edit warring that ultimately led to the addition of the two quarters definition to the lead. However, editors removed it several times. Advertisement You can cherry-pick individual edits to create pretty much any narrative you want, said Ryan McGrady, a Wikipedian and media researcher. If you look at it over time, as opposed to each one of those changes, you can see that you wind up with a result that isnt as radical as any of the individual changes. Screenshots of those individual edits removing the two-quarters language began circulating on Twitter, often accompanied by claims that Wikipedia was censoring its definition to align with Bidens narrative. Advertisement The first of these to gain significant traction came from writer Ann Bauer. Bauers July 27 tweet, which received more than 4,600 likes, included only a straight presentation of the revision history without attached commentary. She told me she shared it out of a general concern about information sources being guided by politics but that she cant be sure whose agenda is being pushed. Advertisement Advertisement From there, however, the story quickly entered the right-wing media ecosystem. The Daily Wire, a conservative news site co-founded by Ben Shapiro, published an article on July 28the day the Commerce Department released its figuresthat described repeated attempts to alter the historical definition of a recession, meaning the two quarters definition, which the article did not mention had been added to the introduction as a general definition just days prior. The articles authors did not seek comment from the Wikimedia Foundation, nor from an editor, Soibangla, who was criticized, according to those parties. (The Daily Wire did not respond to Slates request for comment.) Within hours, several other conservative sites picked up the story, all thinly rewritten versions of the Daily Wires piece. Advertisement On Twitter, Mike Cernovich, an alt-right personality and conspiracist with more than 1 million followers, tweeted, Wikipedia changed the definition of recession to favor the Biden regime, and then locked the page. Again, the page was locked only to new editors, but the tweet received more than 48,000 likes. Wikipedians see neutrality as a core tenet of their work, and have long resisted providing any sort of commentary alongside articles apart from notices about the article itself (such as banners flagging inadequate sourcing). But in an unprecedented move, editors have placed a notice at the top of the article reading Please visit the talk page and view the FAQ for questions about this page. If this notice is adopted elsewhere, it would signal a shift in Wikipedias approach, away from letting its work speak for itself and toward a more active, transparent defense of its editorial decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The talk page FAQ, written by a Wikipedian who goes by JPxG, seeks to dispel the conservative narrative. It begins, Hi, people from online. Im JPxG. I agree that censorship is a cowardly chickenshit attack on the foundations of free society, that the basic principles of the open Internet are threatened by attempts to rewrite history, and all of that stuff. However, allow me to address a few things. This is a political thing, which means that theres a lot of brain fungus floating around, but I dont think that we need to concentrate and inhale it, JPxG told me. The Wikimedia Foundation also helped, sending out a statement to journalists helping clarify what happened at the article. Advertisement But the hundreds of thousands of recent visitors to the article likely represent only a fraction of those who saw the tweets and articles, and the approximately 70,000 views to the talk page FAQ represent a smaller fraction still. Explanations or corrections simply dont go viral the way appealing falsehoods do. For many in the conservative media ecosystem, the narrative they first heard is the one that will stick, eroding their trust in one of the last bastions of shared reality. Advertisement The major social media platforms are in a better position to intervene effectively, but they have been slow to identify false or misleading posts and hesitant to engage with them out of fear of backlash. A participant in Twitters crowdsourced program to fight misinformation, Birdwatch (which is modeled off of Wikipedia), flagged Cernovichs tweet, pointing to the talk page FAQ. However, because the program is still in development, the note was shown only to other Birdwatch users. Advertisement The next day, the story continued to spread. Libertarian venture capitalist Mike Solana tweeted, Wikipedia is now a weapon, and Elon Musk replied, Wikipedia is losing its objectivity, garnering 64,000 likes. Advertisement Musk tagged Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, who replied, reading too much Twitter nonsense is making you stupid, linking to the talk page FAQ. More traditional journalism outlets began to pick up the story, including NPR, whose article initially reported, In the days preceding the release of the data, revisions made to Wikipedias definition reflected an alignment with the Biden administrations stance denying a recession. (After McGrady contacted the reporter, the article was updated to add a more balanced description of the edit history.) So, whos right about the definition of a recession? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its worth noting that Wikipedia has a global scope, so the recession article should ideally describe how the concept is interpreted around the world, not just in the U.S. Yet the article introduction currently has definitions only for the U.S. and the U.K. (which uses the two quarters of negative growth one). In the U.S., the NBER has for decades been considered the authority on defining recession dates. Despite its official-sounding name, it is a private nonprofit organization, not a government entity, and its status is not written into law. However, until now, virtually everyone has been happy to defer to itincluding government agencies. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis writes in its glossary (unchanged since 2018) that the often-cited identification of a recession with two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth is not an official designation. The designation of a recession is the province of a committee of experts at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Benjamin M. Friedman, a Harvard economist who sat on that committee from 1978 to 1991, took issue with the line in the articles introduction about the two quarters definition. I dont know any serious economist who would accept that, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt the first time viral screenshots have caused trouble for Wikipedia. In April 2020, after Donald Trump falsely suggested that ultraviolet light might help cure COVID-19, a screenshot circulated on Facebook of what looked like a Wikipedia article introduction for blood irradiation therapy, claiming that it exposes the blood to light to heighten the bodys immune response. The text was actually pulled by Google from the website of the Riordan Clinic in Kansas, which has been warned by the Federal Trade Commission for spreading COVID-19 misinformation. Screenshots of vandalized Wikipedia articles, even when reverted within minutes, often have a much longer afterlife in news reports and on social media, creating the public impression that the platform is more vulnerable to abuse than it actually is. Advertisement Although many conservatives have long used attacks on traditional, fact-based media to engage their audience and push them to extremist sources, they have not generally attacked Wikipedia as extensively. Right-wing commentators have grumbled about the sites purported left-wing bias for years, but they have been unable to offer a viable alternative encyclopedia option: A conservative version of Wikipedia, Conservapedia, has long floundered with minimal readership. Wikipedia is no stranger to controversial topicswhen youre covering every one of the worlds most heated subjects, its hard to play it safe. But its not as used to finding its own editorial processes at the center of attention, and this incident shows that it can have trouble communicating their complexities to outsiders. As polarization has increased, the number of sources trusted by both the left and the right as neutral authorities has shrunk. If Wikipedia were like Facebook or Twitter, there would be not one main page on recessions but many, each defining it in a way algorithmically targeted to appeal to you to get you to engage (and reinforcing your beliefs, driving further division). Still, Wikipedia stubbornly insists on presenting a single, shared version of reality for all readers on a given topic. And that makes every topic a potential battleground. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. August 15 is a public holiday in Spain: everything you need to know about the summer puente The feast of the Assumption of the Virgin will be marked by a three-day weekend in Spain this year Quite aside from being the very height of the summer season, the month of August in Spain is rich with festivals and festivities, from the street parties of the Virgen Blanca in Vitoria to the chain of celebrations in Madrid to mark San Lorenzo and the Virgen de la Paloma. This coming Monday August 15 is another important event on Spains festival calendar as it commemorates the Assumption of the Virgin and because it falls on the first day of the week, most workers in Spain will enjoy a three-day bridge, or long weekend. August 15 is also a red day throughout Spain without exception, meaning that banks, public administration buildings and many shops will be closed across the country. Several of the larger supermarkets do actually open on national holidays, some for limited hours, so its always worth checking with your local stores to be on the safe side. The 2022 work calendar in Spain includes a total of 14 holidays. Of these, eight are enjoyed across the country while the others are regional. This year we have already celebrated three national holidays: January 1 (New Year), January 6 (Epiphany of the Lord) and April 15 (Good Friday). After Mondays Assumption of the Virgin, we have to wait until October 12 for the next Spanish National Holiday. The August 15 puente corresponds to Catholic doctrine and tradition and remembers the Virgin Marys ascension into heaven. Once were passed the National Holiday in October, the countdown to the arrival of a new year will begin, with only four major Spanish holidays remaining: All Saints Day on November 1 Constitution Day on December 6 , the Immaculate Conception on the 8th and the Monday after Christmas Day, December 26, which is kept in the majority of regions. Image: Flickr Expert says best thing for safety of Zaporizhzhia facility would be Russian exit. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled On August 5, missiles hit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Although no radioactive leaks were detected, experts have warned fighting near the plant poses a major safety risk. The Sme daily talked about the situation with nuclear physicist MARTIN VENHART from the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Is there a risk of a radioactive leak if the power plant is shelled or bombed? Certainly, although it depends on what has been hit, the type of ammunition, and the intensity of shelling. Damaging a reactor vessel itself so much that there is a leak is extremely unlikely. These are very robust structures and are built to withstand direct hit by an aircraft. I am not saying there is no ammunition that would breach the vessel, but it is difficult and it would have to be a targeted strike. The supporting infrastructure that the power plant needs for its safety is also at risk. In addition, spent nuclear fuel is located in an area that is usually not as protected as the reactor itself. Related article Related article Nuclear physicist: Nuclear weapon threats cannot be taken lightly Read more What might happen if this supporting infrastructure was damaged? There would be a risk of a Fukushima scenario. I think the Chernobyl scenario is extremely unlikely because the reactors can be shut down very quickly. The accident at Chernobyl occurred while the reactor was operating at high power, well above its nominal level. As a result, active substances reached the upper layers of the atmosphere, which was the biggest problem in the disaster. That did not happen in Fukushima. KABUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- At the center of Kabul University in Afghanistan sits a newly-built teaching building and auditorium, constructed with the help of China. With a spectacular glass wall, the four-story and modern-style complex, inaugurated last week, is expected to bolster the development of the war-torn country's tottering education sector. Hailing the construction as an architectural success, Hamid Gholami, a professor with the university's Department of Foreign Language and Literature, said, "this building is unique in comparison with other educational buildings in Afghanistan as it is new and well-equipped." It can help students to study more energetically, he said. "The auditorium is unique not only in Kabul but also in the country," said Osama Aziz, the rector of Kabul University, expressing gratitude to China for the construction of the modern facility. The teaching building has an academic lecture hall and 30 classrooms equipped with projectors, audio and other multimedia teaching equipment. The auditorium can hold more than a thousand people. "This is the first time I have worked in such a modern building, or even seen such a modern building," said Amanullah, who has participated in the project's construction. "Thanks to the Chinese friends for coming here and donating an expensive building for us." China also helped build a three-story teaching building in a uniquely Chinese style for the university's Department of Chinese Language and a guesthouse for foreign teachers. In addition, China has built teaching and administration facilities for Afghanistan's national vocational and technical institute. Abdul Baqi Haqqani, acting minister of higher education of Afghanistan's Taliban-led caretaker government, said he hopes for more educational cooperation with the Asian country. "We are thankful to China," Haqqani said. TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iranian experts started reviewing the proposals from the European Union (EU) to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after the Iranian delegation returned from Vienna, Iran's Noor News website reported on Thursday. "No high-level meeting has yet been held to review the ideas of the European Union coordinator in Tehran," said the report, adding that the preliminary result of the expert-level review will be presented to relevant decision-making institutions for a final decision. The EU on Monday put forward a final text of the draft decision on reviving the nuclear deal, while awaiting political decisions from participants of the Vienna talks. The talks on reviving the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. The latest round of talks, which had begun on Thursday following a five-month hiatus, came to an end on Monday. Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact. Alvin Miller knows what its like to bring a longshot to the Dan Patch Stakes. He also knows that anything is possible, even for a longshot. Last year, Millers Tellmeaboutit was 68-1 from post nine in the annual event for older male pacers at Harrahs Hoosier Park Racing & Casino but came charging from the back of the pack in :25.2 over the final quarter-mile to finish second by a neck to Catch The Fire. On Friday, Tellmeaboutit again will be a longshot when he meets nine foes in this years $315,000 Dan Patch Stakes. The event features headliner Bulldog Hanover, who in his most recent start on July 16 in the William R. Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands won in a history-making 1:45.4 and brings a six-race victory streak to Hoosier Park. The four-year-old stallion is the 3-5 morning line favourite. The field also includes Rockyroad Hanover, who last month won a division of the Roll With Joe Stakes in 1:46.2 and subsequently finished second twice behind Bulldog Hanover, including in the Haughton. Last week, the four-year-old stallion was second to Catch The Fire, who is sitting out the Dan Patch, in the Sam McKee Memorial. Rockyroad Hanover is 9-2. The only other horse with morning line odds less than 15-1 is Abuckabett Hanover, who is 6-1. Tellmeaboutit enters the Dan Patch with two wins, two seconds and three thirds in his past seven races. Known for his fast-closing style, the six-year-old gelding has come home faster than 26 seconds four times during that span, including his last two starts. Hes not won a lot, but hes raced decent heading into it, said Miller, who trains Tellmeaboutit and shares ownership with Twila Harts. He likes chasing horses down, sometimes he just has a little too much work to do. I think he will be coming with his A game. I think hes ready. Like most of them in there, hes going to need a little luck with a trip. Tellmeaboutit is a son of Tellitlikeitis-Portia Blue Chip, with his mom being a half-sister to millionaire Hypnotic Blue Chip. Tellmeaboutit has won 24 of 78 career races, hit the board a total of 63 times, and earned $732,065. He was an Indiana Sire Stakes champion at ages three and four. He was purchased for $25,000 at the 2017 Hoosier Sale. Hes one of them that everybody wants or would like to have, Miller said. For a local horse, hes been a pretty nice one. We just basically race in Indiana. We venture out to Ohio every once in a while, but thats about as far as we go. Hes a pleasure to have around. Hes a nice horse to deal with on a daily basis. Tellmeaboutit was the only horse in last years Dan Patch with odds greater than 25-1, and Miller himself admitted having little hope. Honestly, I didnt think we had any kind of a shot out of the nine-hole, said Miller. But they raced aggressively on the front end and it worked to his favour. It was his kind of race. Obviously, hes a closer. But he always gives you an effort. We need similar kind of luck. We just have to hope it sets up right. You never know. Racing begins at 6:15 p.m. (EDT) at Harrahs Hoosier Park. For free daily programs, visit the tracks website. The Dan Patch Stakes is Race 14 on Fridays 15-race card. The following is the field in post order with driver, trainer and morning line odds. 1. Workin Ona Mystery - David Miller - Ron Burke - 15-1 2. Little Rocket Man - John DeLong - Missy Essig - 15-1 3. Bulldog Hanover - Dexter Dunn - Jack Darling - 3-5 4. Rockyroad Hanover - Todd McCarthy - Tony Alagna - 9-2 5. Tellmeaboutit - Mike Oosting - Alvin Miller - 30-1 6. Backstreet Shadow - Trace Tetrick - Ron Burke - 15-1 7. Fortify - Sam Widger - Ron Burke - 20-1 8. Lous Pearlman - Brandon Bates - Ron Burke - 20-1 9. This Is The Plan - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke - 15-1 [10. Abuckabett Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Ron Burke - 6-1 (starts from the second tier) (USTA) The Gold Cup & Saucer has welcomed a number of star performers over its illustrious history, but few have the accomplished resume in Canadian harness racing of pacing powerhouse Sintra. The fields are set for the 2022 Gold Cup & Saucer trials. The three trials will take place over the weekend with two going Saturday and the final trial being held on Monday all at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. One horse that bettors and fans should keep an eye out for is Sintra, making his Maritime debut. This nine-year-old gelding has had a long and profitable racing career. He started racing in 2015 and, over the next several years, the son of Mach Three - Dancin Barefoot participated in some of North Americas most coveted stakes events and faced off against world class competition. In 2017, Sintra captured the richest pacing event in Canada for older horses, the Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk Racetrack, defeating an accomplished group of rivals that included recent Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee McWicked as well as triple millionaire All Bets Off, Rockin Ron, Nirvana Seelster, Keystone Velocity, Easy Lover Hanover, Check Six and Dealt A Winner. That victory helped Sintra garner national honours as Canadas Older Pacing Horse of the Year in 2017. One year later, he prevailed in the 2018 Mohawk Gold Cup Invitational where he won in 1:48, again beating McWicked as well as Jimmy Freight. Now, Sintra, a winner of 39 career races with a mark of 1:47.2 and more than $1.5 million in earnings, finds himself in a new stable with new ownership as he was bought earlier this summer by TheStable.ca. Trot Insider caught up with co-founder Anthony MacDonald to discuss Sintra and what went behind purchasing the veteran warhorse. We mostly have yearlings, but we have started buying more racehorses, said MacDonald. Ive watched Sintra race for a really long time. He might be in the twilight of his career, but he still has a lot of good racing left. Since we bought him, he hasnt finished outside the top three. After his great performances at Mohawk over his last few starts including a win, a second and two thirds while pacing in the 1:50 range each time it became apparent that Sintra could fit in well with the Gold Cup and Saucer crowd. We were toying with the idea [of bringing] him home to P.E.I. We didnt buy him for the Gold Cup and Saucer. We already had a horse to go into the Gold Cup and Saucer in Patrikthepiranha A but Sintra has been racing so good we thought it would be nice to give him the chance to race in it as well. Patrikthepiranha A will race in Monday night's trial. The Australian-bred son of Four Starzzz Shark Thats The Spirit has been racing in North America for the last two years and has put up some impressive numbers himself. He has made 19 starts in 2022 and found himself in the winners circle on six occasions. He has a lifetime mark of 1:48.4 taken as a six-year-old at The Meadowlands and looks to take a bite out of his rivals this weekend leaving from post five with Mark Beckwith in the sulky for trainer Melissa Beckwith and Thestable Patrikthepirana of Guelph, Ont. MacDonald feels Sintra should fit into the field Saturday night well even though he is unsure about the competition. Im not really familiar with all the other horses racing on Saturday but hes coming into it sharp and should be fine. The oddsmaker at CDP agrees and has listed Sintra as the 5-2 morning line choice, leaving from post four in Trial #2 for trainer Jamie Smith. Perhaps not a household name in Canadian harness racing, Smith is a known quantity for MacDonald and when it came to choosing an East coast conditioner, he didnt have anyone else in mind. Jamie is a good friend of mine. I worked with him over 20 years ago. He worked for me 10 years ago. Weve been friends for a very long time. There was never any doubt who [Sintra] would go to if he went out east to P.E.I. Sintra will team up with Canadas leading driver James MacDonald and that gives the ownership group even more confidence that they will have some success this weekend. Hes got James driving him. Hes coming into the race sharp and we have one of the best drivers in Canadawe should be in good shape. MacDonald is unable to attend the eliminations in person due to a heavy racing schedule with his other horses. We have horses racing in stakes in Ontario, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky, he noted. But MacDonald does not count out the possibility of making it to the finals if one or both of his horses can find a way to qualify. If I can make it to P.E.I. then great. I know James cant drive him in the finals regardless of how he does on Saturday night. So, theres always a possibility for that but its not first and foremost for me right now. All the action of Old Home Week racing can be seen at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park, with stakes action starting on Friday, Aug. 12. First post time for the Saturday night card of harness racing will be at 7 p.m. Atlantic time. To view Saturdays harness racing entries, click the following link: Saturday Entries - Charlottetown Driving Park. (A Trot Insider exclusive by Trey Colbeck) Health issues grounded Soaring Now during his two-year-old season, but the colt is flying high again as he heads to Saturdays $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial Invitational for three-year-old pacers at MGM Northfield Park. Soaring Now heads to the Milstein off back-to-back victories in the Indiana Sire Stakes. For the year, he has three wins and two seconds in seven starts for trainer Aaron Stutzman and owner James Miller of Dixon, Kentucky. Last year, Stutzman prepped Soaring Now for his rookie campaign before turning the horse over to trainer LeWayne Miller. The colt won his first three races, capped by a 1:51 score in the first leg of the Indiana Sire Stakes at Harrahs Hoosier Park, but failed to hit the board in his next three starts and saw his season ended for throat surgery. He started off real good, but then everything kind of went downhill for him, said Stutzman. But hes come back awesome this year. We didnt really know what to expect. We were just happy to get him back racing and hes really come into himself these last three or four starts. Hes been sound and racing good. Were just kind of along for the ride right now. Youve got to take it when you get it. Soaring Now will start the Milstein from post three with driver Joey Putnam and is 8-1 on the morning line. Adios winner Bythemissal, once beaten in eight lifetime races, is the 7-5 favourite and will leave from post five with Chris Page driving for trainer Ron Burke. Burke also will send out Ronnie Wrenn Jr.-driven JK Victory, who is 9-2 from post four. The gelding was second to Soaring Now in his most recent start on July 22 at Hoosier. Night Hawk, coming off a third-place finish in the Cane Pace, is the 4-1 second choice, with David Miller driving from post one for trainer Brian Brown. The field also includes Messenger Stakes winner Pleaseletmeknow, who will have Matt Kakaley in the sulky for trainer Travis Alexander. He is 6-1 and will start from post seven. Itll be a good race, said Stutzman. Its going to be fun. The owner is excited, Im excited about it. It looks like theyre pretty evenly matched. I figure its whoever gets the trip. It could work out all kinds of ways. Well go try it and see what happens. Soaring Now is a son of JK Endofanera-Sunflower, with his dam being a half-sister to Skippin By, who was an Ontario Sire Stakes champion in 2014. Stutzmans father, Levi, bred the colt at his Luckiana Farm in Indiana. Miller bought Soaring Now for $6,000 at the 2020 Hoosier Classic Yearling Sale. Hes got a lot of heart, Stutzman said about Soaring Now. And a good gait. The Milstein, contested on a half-mile track, will be Soaring Nows first race away from Hoosier Parks seven-eighths-mile oval. He hasnt raced on a half, but I train on a half, so he can get around that, said Stutzman. He trained awesome [Wednesday], so were heading there with confidence and well see what we can pick up. He is razor sharp right now. Saturdays card also includes the $100,000 Tom Aldrich Presidents Trot and $100,000 Myron Charna Presidents Pace. Both are invitationals for Ohio-sired horses ages four and up. Near-millionaire Its Academic is the 2-1 favourite in the Aldrich while Charlie May, who won last years Milstein, is the 7-5 favourite in the Charna over 2021 Breeders Crown Open Pace winner Ocean Rock at 9-5. The Milstein is Race 10 and will be preceded by the Aldrich (eight) and Charna (nine). Racing begins at 6 p.m. (EDT). For complete entries, click here. The following is the field for the Milstein Memorial in post order with driver, trainer and morning line odds. $300,000 Carl Milstein Memorial Invitational Pace Post - Horse - Driver - Trainer - Morning Line 1. Night Hawk - David Miller - Brian Brown - 4-1 2. Heinikin Bythebay - Aaron Merriman - Kevin Switzer - 10-1 3. Soaring Now - Joey Putnam - Aaron Stutzman - 8-1 4. JK Victory - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke - 9-2 5. Bythemissal - Chris Page - Ron Burke - 7-5 6. Ponda Warrior - Jimmy Whittemore - Jay Hochstetler - 20-1 7. Pleaseletmeknow - Matt Kakaley - Travis Alexander - 6-1 8. Layton Hanover - Chris Lems - Travis Alexander - 15-1 9. Sport Secret - Billy Davis Jr. - Gregg McNair - 12-1 (USTA) For the fifth consecutive year, Standardbred Canada (SC), in cooperation with racetracks, associations and industry partners across the country, will host National Caretaker Appreciation Day events the week of August 29 September 4. This initiative was launched to recognize and reward caretakers in the Standardbred industry. Last year, several racetracks across the country participated in the event, and many trainers and owners at farms and training centres also got involved in the celebration. To date, the following racetracks have confirmed events: Clinton Raceway Sunday, September 4 Flamboro Downs Sunday, September 4 Grand River Raceway Wednesday, August 31 Hanover Raceway Saturday, September 3 Hippodrome 3R Sunday, September 4 Kawartha Downs Saturday, September 3 Red Shores Racetrack & Casino the at Charlottetown Driving Park Saturday, September 3 Red Shores at Summerside Raceway Wednesday, August 31 Rideau Carleton Raceway Thursday, September 1 Truro Raceway Friday, September 2 Woodbine Mohawk Park Thursday, September 1 Here are a few ideas on how owners, trainers and drivers can say 'thank you' to their caretakers, whether they are racing, working at the farm or training centre: Refreshments drop off donuts or muffins and coffee to the stable. Host a stable BBQ or contribute to a delivered catered lunch. Give them a day off with pay or a bonus. Give them a thank you card along with a gift card. Purchase a win photo for them of one of the horses they care for, the next time it wins. Racetracks not racing during the summer will have the option of selecting a fall date for their National Caretaker Appreciation Day. For more information, please contact Program Coordinator Hailey Saunders at [email protected]. Creators of the new Hulu miniseries based on a best-selling book about the opioid epidemic devastating generations of Americans will converse with the local congresswoman about this most pressing topic Thursday night on Instagram Live. U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger will host the virtual event at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11 with those responsible for Emmy-nominated, Dopesick. Its an appropriate conversation everywhere, including in Culpeper, where new state medical examiner data reports 19 here died last year from using the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, nearly tripled from 2020. Dopesick series creator Danny Strong will join Beth Macy, of Roanoke, author of Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America, in discussing overdoses and substance use in Virginia and across the U.S. in the virtual event. They will also discuss @abigailspanberger how the congresswomans bipartisan Summer Barrow Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Act would help strengthen nationwide response to this crisis. The deadliest opioid at the moment is fentanyl, an elephant tranquilizer being widely laced into other controlled substances with deadly consequences. Across Virginia in 2021, a total of 2,038 people died from a Fentanyl overdose, according to the Virginia Dept. of Health Quarterly Drug Death Report released in July by the chief medical examiner. This is a nearly 23 percent increase from 2020, and the highest level ever recorded. VDH projects another 1,988 Virginians will die this year from Fentanyl. Second behind Fentanyl deaths were 408 fatal overdoses from heroin last year in Virginia, followed by 96 fatal overdoses from Oxycodone, another opioid once widely prescribed by doctors. In Culpeper County in 2021, there were a total of 22 fatal overdoses, including 19 from Fentanyl, according to the drug death report. There were 7 fentanyl overdoses in Culpeper in 2020, according to VDH. There have been four fatal opioid overdoses in 2022 so far in Culpeper, according to the data. The county is in the mid-to-high range statewide for level of fatal drug overdoses. In response to local impacts of the drug epidemic, Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services a year ago opened the Support, Encourage & Empower (SEE) Recovery Center at 710 U.S. Ave. in the Town of Culpeper. The center, open to all, experienced 10,000 visits during its inaugural year of offering support as a free, drop-in center for mental health and substance use disorder services. The 2021 streaming series, Dopesick, takes viewers to the epicenter of Americas struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Purdue Pharma, to a distressed Virginia mining community, to the hallways of the DEA, according to imdb.com. It stars Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard and Rosario Dawson. The show is based on the nonfiction book from 2018. The New York Times reviewed the 376-page, on-the-ground look at the opioid crisis when it first came out: Macys strengths as a reporter are on full display when she talks to people, gaining the trust of chastened users, grieving families, exhausted medical workers and even a convicted heroin dealer, whose scheduled two-hour interview with the author ended up stretching to more than six hours. Macy captures an Appalachian landscape in a state of emergency and in the grip of disillusionment, but theres little here thats new. Indeed, thats part of her pointnot enough has changed, wrote Jennifer Szalai in the review from four years ago. The term dopesick refers to opioid withdrawal symptoms to include anxiety, goosebumps, restlessness, insomnia, yawning, runny nose, watery eyes, widened (dilated) pupils, body aches, sweating, vomiting, belly cramps, diarrhea, fever, shaking, fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, high blood pressure, hallucinations and seizures, according to WebMd. These can show up within 12 hours after taking the last dose of the drug for up to two weeks after. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday overturned a three-year prison sentence for an American citizen who had represented slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, one of his lawyers said, instead punishing him with a fine of $1.36 million and deportation. The U.S. citizen, Virginia-based lawyer Asim Ghafoor, had been convicted in absentia in the UAE on murky charges that included money laundering and tax evasion. Authorities have not released specifics about the case, saying only that it involved illegal money transfers through the UAE banking system. Last month, Ghafoor's supporters say Emirati security agents arrested him upon landing at Dubai International Airport and sent him to a detention facility in Abu Dhabi, where he was sentenced to three years in prison followed by deportation. Ghafoor's lawyer spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not want to disrupt the proceedings as his client was still in the UAE. He said Ghafoor was ordered to pay the $1.36 million fine before he could leave the country. There was no immediate acknowledgement from Emirati officials. The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi did not respond to request for comment. Ghafoor had been transiting through Dubai en route to Istanbul for a family wedding. His supporters say he had no idea the UAE had convicted him at some point in the past. Emirati authorities claim they had investigated Ghafoor at the request of the United States. The State Department, however, said Washington had not ordered Ghafoors detention. The Justice Department has declined to comment. Ghafoors lawyer rejected the charges of tax evasion and illegal money transfers. His supporters insist he had no opportunity to defend himself against the charges and describe his trial and conviction as unjust. Ghafoor serves on the board of Washington-based human rights watchdog Democracy for the Arab World Now, DAWN, which is highly critical of human rights abuses in the autocratic UAE. Ghafoors connection to Khashoggi, the Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist who was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents in Turkey in 2018, has raised the profile of the case. However, the State Department said there was no indication Ghafoors detention was related to his association with Khashoggi. Many foreigners have landed in prison in the UAE after falling foul of the federations strict legal system based on Islamic law. Even the smallest debts can lead to years in prison. The federation of seven sheikhdoms also outlaws political parties. V IRGINIANS owe a debt of gratitude to Gov. Glenn Youngkin and congressional candidate Yesli Vega. On the issue of abortion, these two politicians have made clear the stark line between principled conservatives and the extremists who now control much of the state Republican Party. Just after the Supreme Court of the United States struck down Roe v. Wade, Youngkin outlined his plan to curtail abortion access in Virginia. In a June 24 statement, he stated: Im proud to be a pro-life Governor and plan to take every action I can to protect life. The truth is, Virginians want fewer abortions, not more abortions. (The truth is, abortions in Virginia are already down, sharply, and have been falling steadily since 2008.) Unlike governors in Texas and Oklahoma, however, who did nothing to stop trigger laws all but outlawing abortion completely, or the governor in Indiana who signed new legislation essentially banning abortion, Youngkin took the position of disallowing abortions after 15 weeks. Explaining to The Washington Post why he didnt back a total abortion ban, Youngkin said: I am not someone who is going to jump in and try to push us apart. There is a place we can come together. By contrast, Vegawho has spoken little to the press and not responded to emails or phone calls from The Free LanceStarhas now twice expressed abortion positions that are both grossly uninformed and steeped in Christian nationalism. First came her rambling statement during an event in Stafford County about rape. As reported by Axios, when asked if its harder for a woman to get pregnant as a result of rape, Vega said: Well, maybe because theres so much going on in the body. I dont know. I havent, you know, seen any studies. It wouldnt surprise me. Because its not something thats happening organically. Youre forcing it. The individual, the male, is doing it as quicklyits not like, you knowand so I can see why there is truth to that. Anti-abortion politicians have made this claim before, and its patently false. In a piece summarizing research on rape and pregnancy rates for Scientific American, Kate Clancy showed that rape and consensual sex have the same pregnancy rate. Then on Aug. 4, VPM released a video of Vega speaking in May to a group in Spotsylvania County about abortion policy. Heres what she had to say: And then you have the other liberal states where theyre gonna have a free-for-all at taking innocent life, and thats where we have to step in and say What is acceptable and what is not? in my opinion, Im sorry, look, God is a giver of life, right, and therefore God takes life. Not only is Vega dangerously uninformed about rape and its consequences, she is making clear what other extremists are now pushinga total nationwide ban on abortion in the U.S. Two evangelical, anti-abortion Christian politicians. Two very different understandings of democracy. To Youngkins credit, at least for now and on this issue, he recognizes that not all (or even most) Virginians want an abortion ban. As governor, he has a responsibility to find solutions that balance the voices of those who put him into power, and the very large number who do not share his views. Vega, by contrast, is a Christian nationalist. She not only rejects the opinions of those who disagree with her and her theology, she would disallow the majority of voters in states like Kansas, who overwhelmingly voted to keep abortion, from setting their own policies. Vega says on her website that the wisdom of our Founding Fathers has never been more needed. We agree, and Vega needs to spend considerably more time in their works. The Founding Fathers, James Madison in particular, were clear about the importance of preserving minority rights, which is the cornerstone of the American Constitution (See Federalist Paper 10). And no legitimate reading of the Constitution places Christianity above any other tradition. As Christianity continues to shed adherentsit has been in a steep decline since 2007extremists like Vega, knowing they cant use reason to convert people, have adopted an authoritarian posture. On abortion, we commend Youngkin for balancing his religious beliefs with respect for the constitutionally protected views of those who disagree. We would like to see him take the same approach in other policy areas. Vega offers no balance. Just ignorance, and an iron fist for anyone who disagrees. BEIRUT, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab said on Thursday that the border demarcation dispute between Lebanon and Israel must be resolved before September. "The attack on Gaza delayed the demarcation file. We do not have infinite time to deal with this issue. The deadline must expire before September to preserve stability," Bou Saab said in a statement by Lebanon's Presidency. His remarks came following his meeting with President Michel Aoun to discuss the latest developments on border demarcation and other issues. Bou Saab said that Lebanon is in contact with U.S. Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein who is still exerting efforts on the issue. "Hochstein moved directly to Israel after he visited Lebanon but did not return to Beirut yet," Bou Saab said. Lebanese authorities are trying to reach a solution with Israel to end the dispute over maritime borders which has escalated after Israel sent June 5 a vessel operated by London-based Energean to the Karish field, which Israel claims is within its economic zone while Lebanon claims in disputed waters. In response, Hezbollah launched three unarmed drones in a reconnaissance mission toward the field while threatening that it has the "military and logistical capacity" to prevent Israel from pursuing its activities in the field. U.S. Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein visited Lebanon on July 31 to discuss border demarcation with Lebanese authorities and announced a day later that he is optimistic about reaching an imminent solution. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Service Center in Scottsbluff is hosting a disaster assistance workshop on Thursday, Aug. 18, at 1 p.m. at the North Platte Natural Resources District office, 100547 Airport Rd., in Scottsbluff. The meeting is intended for farmers, ranchers and rural landowners impacted by the recent wildfire in the Carter Canyon area. Representatives from USDAs Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service will present information on the various disaster assistance programs and resources available for farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners. Representatives from the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research & Extension Center and Nebraska Forest Service also will be present to provide resource information. Workshop topics include a review of programs that may be available to assist producers with livestock and crop-related expenses and losses, assistance programs to help with restoration and rehabilitation of farm and ranch land, and a discussion of technical assistance to help with recovery efforts. For more information, contact the Scottsbluff USDA Service Center at (308) 632-2195. Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting, should contact FSA County Executive Director Ainsley Lockwood at 308-632-2195, ext. 2 or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 by Aug. 15. Kimberly Whiteman has always loved balloons. Since I was really little, I loved balloons, and (a hot air balloon) is just a bigger balloon. I just fell in love with it, she said. I just like balloons, you know, toy balloons, whatever. Im not really sure what sparked it, but it was a balloon, so I just fell in love with it like I fell in love with sharks. Thats why Im Team Shark. Whiteman said she saw her first hot air balloon before she was old enough to pilot one. We moved down to San Diego when I was 12, and they had him in the evening in Del Mar. I actually saw my first balloon up close and personal and touched it to see what it felt like. So, I started crewing for whoever I could when I could drag my parents out, she said. She also had her first ride in a balloon at the age of 12. My parents surprised me with a balloon ride, Whiteman said. When she was old enough to get her drivers license, she started working as a crew member for a company, she said. I just started meeting other pilots and finally got my private license in 04, commercial license in 2010, Whiteman said. I didnt have my own balloon yet. I finally went to a school in Albuquerque. They just sat me down and did the training stuff the book stuff. That was the tough part. Once I got that out of the way, the flying part was easy. The flying part came naturally for me. Unfortunately, it was family losses that led to her owning her first balloon. My grandpa I lost him actually I lost four family members in the last two years. I lost my mom and both my grandfathers in 2020. Then my grandma in 21, she said. When my moms dad passed, he left me some money. Thats how I got this balloon, her name is Flame Bouyant. The top of it has an Army star, thats in honor of his service. Then my aircraft number is a combination of my moms birthday and his initials. I miss them. I wish they could have seen this. My mom knew that this has been my dream since I was really little just fly and have a balloon. Whiteman is now in her second year of competitive flying. I actually didnt really start this level of competition until last year. Ive done a few little events. Weekend events that maybe had one or two targets, she said. Whiteman said the technology involved is taking some getting used to. With all the electronics thats the part Im learning. The flying part I do just fine. I was in the womens nationals. I got sixth, but I didnt have electronics like everybody else did. I was fine with the map. (With electronics), now I can up my game a little bit, because I know the targets ahead of time so I get myself lined up. There is one aspect of flying with electronics that she doesnt care for: You might as well be texting and driving. Whiteman and the rest of the pilots will begin the third round of competition on Thursday. After Tuesdays first round, Johnny Petrehn is in first place with 4,370 points. The Heartsills Joe, Rhett and Lucas finished second through fourth place respectively. Rounding out the top 10 is Chase Donner in fourth, Jonathan Wright is sixth, Joe Zvada sits at seventh. In eighth place is Shawn Raya, ninth is Bruce Wood and Branden Bloom is 10th. Results for Wednesdays second round were not yet available as of publication. LINCOLN The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska has gone to federal court seeking the release of information on the alleged mistreatment of workers rounded up during a 2018 immigration raid in Nebraska. The group filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Monday after getting no response to a Freedom of Information Act request for more than two years. The suit names the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the departments Office of Inspector General as plaintiffs and asks the court to order them to release documents and other information relating to an OIG investigation into the alleged mistreatment. Jane Seu, an ACLU of Nebraska attorney, said department officials have failed to meet their responsibilities under public records laws. ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents conducted this raid, tearing a community apart while using public dollars, and the public has a right to understand what the investigation into that raid looked like and whether any agents faced consequences for any substantiated concerns, she said. Federal law outlines clear requirements on responding to public records requests, and its troubling we have to turn to the judicial system to compel officials to follow the law, Seu said. The raid occurred on Aug. 8, 2018, with ICE agents entering several worksites in and around the northeast Nebraska town of ONeill. The agents arrested at least 118 workers at businesses, including meat processing plants, a potato factory, a hydroponic tomato greenhouse and a cattle company, for suspected immigration violations. They arrested another 17 people for exploitation of the arrested workers. ACLU and other organizations responded to provide legal help after the raids. ACLU representatives said they got reports from released detainees about potential civil rights violations. Among them: Many workers, including two pregnant women, reported a lack of access to food and water in nearly 100-degree weather for approximately 12 hours. Workers reported a lack of air conditioning and extreme temperatures while on ICEs bus transporting them during the two-hour drive from ONeill to Grand Island, Nebraska. Finally, workers reported a general lack of adequate interpretation and translation by ICE agents during interviews, which impeded their ability to exercise their constitutional rights. According to the lawsuit, the OIG, which is supposed to provide independent oversight of immigration enforcement activities, launched an investigation into the allegations and interviewed affected people in October 2018. The ACLU participated in at least two interviews. The suit said that the investigation has been completed but the inspector generals office has not released any information. The ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the information on June 16, 2020, and got a reply dated June 19, 2020, that acknowledged the request and promised a response within 20 days. The lawsuit said that ACLU has not received the information or any response to subsequent inquiries, made by both email and voicemail. Homeland Security did not respond to a message seeking comment Wednesday about the lawsuit and the reason for delay in releasing records. In a statement at the time of the raids, ICE denied the claims of mistreatment. Spokesman Shawn Neudauer called the allegations blatantly false. He said ICE was well prepared to provide items such as commercial cooling units and on-site medical services. Every step possible was taken to ensure that these individuals were provided with food, water, restroom breaks and that they were processed as quickly as possible in order for our agents to focus on the criminal investigation that they are conducting into money laundering, wire fraud and the exploitation of these individuals, he said. Filming of the independent movie, "Snack Shack" complete with clothes and vehicles from the '90s continues in Nebraska City in part thanks to a new state film incentive program. (Courtesy of Lou Leone) LINCOLN A Nebraska native has returned home to film a Nebraska story, in large part because of a new state grant program for filmmaking. Adam Rehmeier, now a Michigan-based screenwriter and director, has been shooting his coming-of-age comedy, Snack Shack, in his hometown of Nebraska City for the past two weeks as part of a six-week shooting schedule. The film is based on Rehmeiers youthful experience running the concession stand at age 14 at the Steinhart Park Pool in the Missouri River community. A real win Up to 65 actors and crew members a day have been working on the film. The crew has shot scenes at the Nebraska City pool, its movie theater, the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha and Horsemans Park in Omaha. Its a real win for Nebraska City. Its good for the local economy, its good for the local people, said Rehmeiers father, retired District Judge Randall Rehmeier. Im glad Adam decided to do it here, the judge added. The decision to shoot the film, which has a $4.5 million budget, in Nebraska was aided by a new state filmmaking incentive. Last year, state lawmakers set aside $1 million in state grants for films and TV productions that feature Nebraska-based stories and locales, employ the services of Nebraska film crew members and have budgets of at least $1 million. Three films got grants Snack Shack received a $200,000 grant. A project from Omaha-based producer/director Dana Altman, Going For Two, got $400,000. And the planned film I Am a Man about the trial of Ponca Chief Standing Bear that gave legal recognition of Native Americans as people received $400,000. State Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, who proposed the film incentive legislation, said she is excited to see the funding put to good use supporting the Nebraska film industry and telling Nebraska stories to the world. This is exactly what I had in mind, she said. Production of I Am a Man got an additional $5 million allocation of federal funds through an economic recovery bill sponsored by Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne. Filming of that movie is expected to begin this fall. Jordan Foley, the Los Angeles-based producer of Snack Shack, said the movie would have likely been shot elsewhere if not for the state grant, along with $50,000 in funding from the City of Nebraska City. Rehmeier told the city council last month that film incentives may be better in states like Georgia and Ohio, but Nebraska City is where the film needs to be to make it special, according to News Channel Nebraska. These three films will definitely be engaging and entertaining, said Laurie Richards, director of the Nebraska Film Office. Locals cast in parts Several Nebraska City residents have been enlisted as extras or for bit parts. For instance, the city administrator, Lou Leone, was cast as the city park director, and two Peru State College students got roles as party girls. Leone said his teenage daughter also got some career advice from cast members about working as an art director for a film. The town itself has been quite upbeat about it, he said. In addition, the filming will result in increased sales and lodging tax revenue, Leone said, and is good publicity for Nebraska City, a river town known for its museums, apple orchards and annual AppleJack Festival. Some adjustments have been made in Nebraska City to turn the clock back to 1991, when the Snack Shack was run by the filmmaker and his friend. Clothing and vehicles had to match that period, and some signs in town have been altered to make it seem like it was 30 years ago. A new snack shack was built. And few cell phones existed in 1991. Father had to sign off The elder Rehmeier said he had to sign off on the proposal to the city by his then 14-year-old son and a buddy to run the concession stand at the Steinhart Park Pool. To be honest with you, we thought to some extent it was a joke. But they wanted to make some money, Rehmeier said. Adam has always been kind of a right-brain kind of person thinking outside the box. Hes creative and artsy, his father said. He figured, Why cant we do this? He said that he and his wife and other parents assisted in running the concession stand, and the two boys made more money than they could at other jobs, especially in the first of two years. A prolific writer The retired judge, who also served on the Nebraska Board of Parole and now does mediation work, said he hasnt read the script of the movie, thinking his son wants to keep that as a surprise. The producers of the film are also not talking about who plays the lead characters. That, Foley said, will be released later as part of a publicity campaign. Adam Rehmeier, who was a prolific writer as a youth, has done well in the movie business. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for two years before transferring to Columbia College in Chicago, which specializes in fine arts and cinematography. He worked on low-budget, independent films for several years and served as a documentarian for the jam band Phish. He composed the music for a 2011 movie, The Bunny Game, and was the cinematographer for Jonas in 2013. He was the writer, editor and director of the 2020 film Dinner in America, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won several awards at other international film competitions. Hes the real deal, Foley said. Long hours Rehmeier is working 12- to- 14-hour days shooting the movie, and his crew was filming Friday in a house next door, according to his father. But his son was able to visit some on Friday, which was his 46th birthday. Foley, a Minnesota native, said the film crew has received a lot of Nebraska nice while shooting here. He said that if all goes well, the movie should be ready by next summer, when it will be shown at film festivals in hopes of being picked up, as Dinner in America was, for wider distribution. We have to wait and see what will happen, Foley said. Iredell Democrats announced Tuesday that Sarah Pittman will replace Michelle Coffey as their candidate for the Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education District 3. Pittman will face Republican Abby Trent in Novembers general election. The District 3 seat is held by Samuel Robert Kennington Sr., a Republican. Pittman, a former middle school teacher, was endorsed by Coffey. I got into this race to be a voice for reason and common sense, and to fight back against the activists trying to take control of our schools. Im proud of the efforts our campaign has made so far and grateful to the Iredell County Democratic Party for the support theyve given me, Coffey said. However, at this time, I am withdrawing my candidacy. I am thrilled that Sarah Pittman has agreed to run for District 3; she is excellently qualified and will make a great addition to the I-SS Board. Pittman, who worked in I-SS schools, graduated from N.C. State University before teaching at the middle school level for seven years, including stints at North Iredell, West Iredell, and Oakwood middle schools according to the news release. She also completed a certificate program in gifted education at East Carolina University and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Virginia Curry School of Education with a masters in curriculum and instruction. I am honored by the Iredell County Democratic Partys nomination, and Im looking forward to the opportunity to advocate for students and teachers on the Board, Pittman said. Im a product of the Iredell-Statesville School system, and Ive loved my time teaching in this district, but Im also acutely aware of the challenges our schools face. Im excited to talk to the voters of District 3 about those challenges, and about common sense, education-focused solutions to make our schools the best they can be. Beth Kendall, county Democratic Party chairwoman, also issued the following statement in the news release: Sarah Pittman is exactly the type of Board member ISS needs. As a mother and an experienced educator, shell be a voice for what really matters in our schools: giving our students and teachers the resources they need to succeed. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves our district alone has 90 open teaching positions, mere weeks away from the start of the school year because theyre not getting the support, financial or otherwise, that they deserve. Our school board doesnt need culture-warriors who would use the school board for fear-mongering and social activism. We need someone with practical, hands-on experience who will focus on what matters most: providing Iredell County children with the best education possible. Sarah Pittman is the best choice for District 3. More information on Pittmans campaign can be found at Facebook.com/Pittman4SchoolBoard. In other election news, county Board of Elections Director Susie Jordan confirmed that Max Ralston James Jr. will be a write-in candidate for Iredell-Statesville Schools Board of Education, District 1. New Chinese ambassador pledges to deepen cooperation, friendship with Rwanda Xinhua) 09:05, August 11, 2022 Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun (1st R) presents the Letter of Credence to Rwandan President Paul Kagame (1st L) in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, Aug. 9, 2022. (Rwandan Office of the President/Handout via Xinhua) KIGALI, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- New Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun presented the Letter of Credence to Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on Tuesday. Presenting his credentials to Kagame, Wang conveyed the cordial greetings and best wishes of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation and mutual friendship. Speaking to reporters shortly after presenting his credentials, Wang spoke highly of Rwanda's great accomplishments achieved in the country's development and stability. "I had a friendly and fruitful meeting with President Paul Kagame, and we talked about bilateral cooperation and relations between China and Rwanda. Since the establishment of our bilateral ties, our bilateral cooperation and friendship have grown at a faster pace," he said. "In the face of COVID-19, our two countries stood in solidarity against the virus, and we are looking forward to working together to deepen our political mutual trust and promote mutually beneficial cooperation," he said. Wang pledged that he would do his best to improve the friendly cooperation relations between China and Rwanda, as well as between the Chinese people and Rwandan people. Last November, Rwanda and China marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. China currently ranks among the top investors in Rwanda. Since 1982, China has also dispatched 22 medical teams to Rwanda, providing medical services to more than 700,000 local people, according to data from the Chinese embassy. Over 5,000 students have been enrolled in the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda while more than 2,000 members registered with the Rwanda Kung-Fu Wushu Federation. Hundreds of Rwandan students also receive Chinese scholarships to study in China every year while more and more Chinese have been learning about Rwanda and visiting the central African country for sightseeing and business purposes. Rwandan President Paul Kagame (R) and new Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun pose for photos in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, Aug. 9, 2022. New Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda Wang Xuekun presented the Letter of Credence to Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Kigali, capital of Rwanda, on Tuesday. (Rwandan Office of the President/Handout via Xinhua) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Thursday denounced a Lithuanian official's visit to China's Taiwan region, warning that China will take resolute countermeasures. According to media reports, Lithuanian Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Agne Vaiciukeviciute arrived in Taiwan with a delegation on Aug. 7 for a five-day visit. "China strongly condemns the Lithuanian anti-China forces for their deliberate violation of China's sovereignty and gross interference in China's internal affairs," Wang told a daily news briefing. Wang said the one-China principle is one of the basic norms of international relations and the political foundation for China to develop bilateral relations with other countries, including Lithuania. The communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Lithuania states clearly that the government of the Republic of Lithuania recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and Taiwan as an inalienable part of the Chinese territory, and that the government of the Republic of Lithuania undertakes the obligation not to establish official relations or engage in official contacts with Taiwan, according to the spokesperson. "However, the Lithuanian side repeatedly breaks its promises, which is a blatant breach of faith," said Wang, adding that China will firmly retaliate against the vicious provocation by the Lithuanian side, as it harms the one-China principle and undermines China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "We urge the relevant people on the Lithuanian side not to continue serving as pawns of 'Taiwan independence' and anti-China forces, still less head further down the wrong path," Wang said. Editors note: Information is provided by the Cowlitz County Corrections Department and local law enforcement agencies. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Assault Cowlitz County deputies Tuesday arrested Darrin Bailey, 51, of Castle Rock on suspicion of second-degree assault and felony harassment. Burglary Longview police Tuesday arrested Sultan Blackman, 29, of Portland on suspicion of second-degree burglary. Burglary Longview police Tuesday arrested Jaime Card, 43, of Longview on suspicion of residential burglary, misdemeanor theft and violating a protection order. Failure to register Cowlitz County deputies Tuesday arrested Michael Harlan, 46, of an unknown location for failing to register as a sexual offender. Burglary Longview police Wednesday arrested Elijah Smith, 19, of Longview on suspicion of first-degree burglary, second-degree theft, felony malicious mischief and possessing a controlled substance without a prescription. Editors note: A software switch at Cowlitz County dispatch has prevented the agency from temporarily supplying 911 call logs and officer notes past June 6. The agency is working to create new reports to supply media outlets. Two new sections of Longview roads opened Wednesday. The streets were privately built by the developers of the Longview Business Park and given to the city. The Longview Business Park is 43 acres and was developed by local broker Jordan Willis and the Sari family, the latter of which owns the land and previously owned the Columbia Ford and Hyundai dealerships before selling the business to Bud Clary Auto Group in 2021. A section of Alaska Street, which runs from the 900 block through the 1300 block, west of California Way, as well as a section of 11th Avenue, from Alaska Street to Beech Street, are now open for traffic. The speed limit is 25 MPH and the streets have two lanes of travel, with bike lanes and sidewalks. The contractor is wrapping up minor items this week and the city of Longview asks travelers to expect delays. A longrunning event to show free movies on an inflatable screen at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview returns later this week with weekly Friday night films through August. Longview Parks and Recreations Movies at the Park kicks off Friday with Luca, a 2021 computer-animated Pixar and Disney film about an Italian sea monster childs dreams to live above the water. The 2010 computer-animated DreamWorks film How to Train Your Dragon, about a young outsider Vikings friendship with an injured dragon, follows on Aug. 19. The series ends on Aug. 26 with the 1981 Steven Spielberg-directed action flick Raiders of the Lost Ark, about an archaeologists epic quest to find a religious relic. If you go What: Longview Parks and Recreation Movies at the Park When: Friday; Aug. 19; and Aug. 26 Where: Martin's Dock at Lake Sacajawea Park, 1199 West Kessler Blvd, Longview. Cost: Free to view the films Info: www.facebook.com/LongviewRecreation Longview Parks and Recreation Coordinator Karry Williquette said organizers try to select at least one current film, as well as a movie geared toward teens. She said she provides a list of up to 15 possible films to staff of the series sponsor Fibre Federal Credit Union, who have the last pick. She said the event needs a sponsor to cover fees like permits. The Movies at the Park screen is roughly 20 feet by 18 feet and films are shown on a projector. Movies start at dusk, which Williquette said could be around 8:45 p.m., at Martins Dock to ensure darker lighting to view films. Williquette said around 400 to 600 people attend movies, depending on the weather. The National Weather Service forecasts partly cloudy skies Friday night and a low of 57 degrees. Longview Parks and Recreation is scheduled to sell popcorn and candy at the event for minimal charges, Williquette said. She said a bag of popcorn is about a dollar. People are encouraged to bring their own snacks, as well as blankets and lawn chairs for comfortable viewing. Williquette said young moviegoers often come in pajamas with sleeping bags. Williquette said watching films outside creates a different experience than inside typical movie theaters. Its pretty surreal outside, and having nature right there with you, she said. You might be able to talk a little more than you could inside and enjoy a chill in the air and wrapping in blankets. Before the film, families can meet at 7:30 p.m. at Martins Dock to enjoy a balloon artist and bingo. Williquette said Fibre Federal staff will hold a craft tutorial for kids. The event was never canceled during the pandemic. Viewers watched films in their vehicles in the Southwest Washington YMCA parking lot instead of the park in 2020 to social distance, according to The Daily News archives. Williquette said the event returned to its regular outdoor viewing at the park last year. Williquette said the department hosts the event to encourage quality time among families. I think its just like any other family event, she said. We want to encourage families to play together, spend time together, be outdoors, enjoy fresh air, and make memories. The wait is finally over and Samsung Malaysia is thrilled to announce that the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are now available for pre-order. The pre-order period has already begun since last night and will last until 1 September 2022. If you pre-order the Galaxy Z Flip4 or Galaxy Z Fold4, you will enjoy rewards up to RM1,618 and be entitled to an extra one year of warranty, which covers a total of 2 years of screen coverage. To top it off, you will also receive a Samsung Malaysia Online Store e-voucher worth up to RM650, a free Flap Leather Cover or a Standing Cover with Pen when you pre-order the newest Galaxy Z devices. As for the wearables, you can bring home a free Hybrid Leather band (worth RM149) and a pair of Galaxy Buds Live (worth RM549) for pre-ordering the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro respectively. Buying either one of the watches also grants you a 20% off purchase with purchase on selected Galaxy Buds (Galaxy Buds Live, Galaxy Buds2, Galaxy Buds2 Pro). Finally, placing a pre-order on the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro will come bundled with a free Galaxy Buds Cover (worth RM99). But before we end this news article, you can also use our referral code to get more freebies! If you use the code TNGZF4VIP for the new Galaxy phones, you will get a Super-Fast Wireless Charger Duo that's worth RM369 (with an adapter and cable), whereas the wearables will come with a 15W PD Adapter (USB-C) worth RM59 (without cable). The Boeing 787 Dreamliner that was delivered to American Airlines on August 10, 2022 is seen in a handout photo from the aviation giant. Boeing delivered a 787 Dreamliner to American Airlines on Wednesday, the first of that aircraft to be sent to a customer in over a year due to defects discovered in the plane. US air safety regulators on Monday cleared the aviation giant to resume deliveries of the top-selling widebody after Boeing made changes to its production process. "We have resumed 787 deliveries, following our thorough engineering analysis, verification and rework activities to ensure all airplanes conform to Boeing's exacting specifications and regulatory requirements," a company spokesperson confirmed to AFP. It was the first delivered to a customer since June 2021. But for American the wait was longer. "Today is an exciting day! We're thrilled to welcome our first BoeingAirplanes 787-8 delivery since April 2021," the company said on Twitter. The 787's travails date to late summer 2020, when the company uncovered manufacturing flaws with some jets, and subsequently identified additional issues, including with the horizontal stabilizer. The difficulties curtailed deliveries between November 2020 and March 2021. Boeing suspended deliveries later in spring 2021 after more problems surfaced. However, the company said none of the issues posed "an immediate safety of flight concern for the in-service 787 fleet." The news will be welcomed by US airlines and travelers who have suffered from massive delays and canceled flights in recent weeks, partly due to the shortage of aircraft. American said it currently has 47 of the planes in its fleet, and has ordered another 42. Inability to deliver the Dreamliner has dragged down Boeing's profits, which plunged 67 percent in the second quarter. And the manufacturing changes have led to billions in additional costs for the company. The firm has delivered just over 1,000 of the planes since it was first introduced in 2004. Explore further US regulators clear Boeing to resume 787 deliveries 2022 AFP Credit: CC0 Public Domain A perovskite solar cell developed by engineers at the University of California San Diego brings researchers closer to breaking the ceiling on solar cell efficiency, suggests a study published Aug. 10 in Nature. The new solar cell is a lead-free low-dimensional perovskite material with a superlattice crystal structurea first in the field. What's special about this material is that it exhibits efficient carrier dynamics in three dimensions, and its device orientation can be perpendicular to the electrodes. Materials in this particular class of perovskites have so far only exhibited such dynamics in two dimensionsa perpendicularly orientated solar cell has never been reported. Thanks to its specific structure, this new type of superlattice solar cell reaches an efficiency of 12.36%, which is the highest reported for lead-free low-dimensional perovskite solar cells (the previous record holder's efficiency is 8.82%). The new solar cell also has an unusual open-circuit voltage of 0.967 V, which is higher than the theoretical limit of 0.802 V. Both results have been independently certified. The open-circuit voltage is a solar cell property that contributes to its efficiency, so this new solar cell "may have the potential to break the theoretical efficiency limit of current solar cells," said study senior author Sheng Xu, a professor of nanoengineering at the UC San Diego. "This might one day allow us to achieve higher efficiency with more electricity from existing solar panels, or generate the same amount of electricity from smaller solar panels at lower costs." The researchers hypothesize that the material's improved open-circuit voltage might be attributed to a new physical mechanism that they call intraband carrier relaxation. The material's unique superlattice structure allows different components of the solar cell to integrate in the vertical direction, which creates an atomic-scale double band structure. Under light, the excited electrons could relax from one component (smaller bandgap region) to another component (larger bandgap region) before equilibrating to alter the fermi levels in the superlattice solar cell. This contributes to a higher open-circuit voltage. This process is verified to be related to the built-in potential in the superlattice solar cell. The researchers also acknowledge that there are other possible mechanisms occurring in the unique superlattice structure that might be contributing to its unusually high open-circuit voltage. To create the new lead-free low-dimensional perovskite solar cell, the researchers used chemical epitaxy techniques to fabricate a superlattice crystal network. The network's structure is unique in that it consists of perovskite quantum wells that are vertically aligned and crisscrossed. This crisscrossed structure makes the material's carrier dynamicswhich include electron mobility, lifetime and conduction paths in all three dimensionsmore efficient than just having multiple quantum wells. These techniques can potentially be used to create perovskite superlattices of different compositions. "This perovskite superlattice demonstrates an unprecedented carrier transport performance that many researchers in the field have dreamed about," said Yusheng Lei, the lead author of this paper, who was a Ph.D. student in Xu's lab at UC San Diego and is now a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. The superlattice consists of a nanoengineered phase separation between Bi3+ alloyed and intact Sn-I regions in vertically aligned multiple-quantum-wells. This composition creates component variations in the atomic scale, which in turn enables hot carriers to quickly cross the multiple-quantum-wells heterostructural interface before they relaxa feat that is usually impossible to achieve, the researchers explained. Here, it is possible because of the short diffusion length required to cross the heterostructural interface. "This work opens up a lot of new exciting potential for the class of lead-free low-dimensional perovskite materials," said Xu. Moving forward, the team will work on optimizing and scaling up the fabrication process to make the superlattice crystals, which is currently still laborious and challenging. Xu hopes to engage partners in the solar cell industry to standardize the process. Explore further New record for solar cell efficiency signals bright future for solar tech More information: Yusheng Lei et al, Perovskite superlattices with efficient carrier dynamics, Nature (2022). Journal information: Nature Yusheng Lei et al, Perovskite superlattices with efficient carrier dynamics,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04961-1 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain From increasing decarbonization, electrification, and distributed generation, to more frequent extreme weather events from climate change, the electric power system is undergoing immense change. These factors impact how the grid is planned and operated to maintain safe and reliable power. The North American Electric Reliability Corporationwhich is dedicated to monitoring the overall health of the bulk power system and minimizing reliability and security riskspublished the 2022 Summer Reliability Assessment. The report identified several areas that are at higher risk this summer due to extreme drought conditions, transmission lines out of service, higher demand, and more. Heightened reliability risks make power system planning even more important. To frame the issue of reliability, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) use the "three Rs of power system reliability": resource adequacy, operational reliability, and resilience. All three Rs are required for a safe and reliable power system. This concept has guided recent NREL studies on maintaining reliability with a changing grid and environment. There is no single absolute definition for each of the three Rs, and some aspects overlap. In addition, the metrics used to measure power system reliability are still being developed and are currently an important conversation within the grid planning space. However, the three Rs can inform holistic power system planning and operation to ensure a safe and reliable grid. "Every region is different and requires its own unique analysis, but the three Rs can help to provide a more comprehensive picture of power system reliability and risk to grid planners, regulators, and policymakers," said Paul Denholm, principal energy analyst at NREL. "The three Rs can also guide the evolution of power system reliability metrics moving forward." Resource adequacy: Sufficient spare capacity Resource adequacy is the ability of the power system to supply enough electricityat the right locationsto keep the lights on, even during extreme weather days or times when load drops. Resource adequacy is typically measured by the probability of an outage over an extended amount of time. When evaluating resource adequacy, NREL broadly considers uncertainty in both supply and demand. Load uncertainty includes increasing electric demand, stressful load periods, and more. Supply uncertainty includes the occasional but expected common outages in power plants, transmission and distribution lines, and other grid equipment. Supply uncertainty also includes the availability of variable resources like solar and wind, as well as energy storage and demand response, particularly during times of system stress. An adequate system has enough available resources (e.g., spare capacity and/or flexible load) to replace capacity that fails, is out of service for maintenance, or is unavailable due to fuel constraints. The transmission system is also important to ensuring resource adequacy because it delivers generation from many resources to load sites and enables access to a greater diversity of variable renewable resources and load across neighboring regions. With more renewables being added to the grid, resource adequacy must increasingly account for the variability of renewable energy supply, role of storage, changes in demand patterns, and impact of transmission outages and interregional coordination. Operational reliability: Ability to respond in real time Operational reliability is the ability of the power system to balance supply and demand in real time by managing variability, ramping constraints, and flexible loadsincluding immediately following an "event" like a large power plant or transmission line failure. A reliable power system can keep the lights on during these unexpected events with power plants that can rapidly vary output or end users that can reduce their electricity consumption. One aspect of operational reliability is operating reserves, or available spare capacity that actively responds during an event to help balance power and maintain stable frequency. For example, inertia on the grid allows time for the mechanical systems that control most power plants to detect and respond to a failure. Grid services like inertia have traditionally been provided by conventional fossil, nuclear, or hydroelectric plants that use spinning synchronous generators. However, wind, solar photovoltaics, and batteries are inverter-based resources, meaning they rely on power electronics, or inverters, to generate grid-compatible electricity. "As more conventional generators are replaced with inverter-based resources, it's important to understand how they can maintain a safe and stable grid," said Mohit Joshi, NREL grid analyst who supports developing countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia with their long-term power system planning. Resilience: Ability to bounce back Resilience is not as clearly defined as resource adequacy or operational reliability. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission defines it as "the ability to withstand and reduce the magnitude and/or duration of disruptive events, which includes the capability to anticipate, absorb, adapt to, and/or rapidly recover from such an event." Parts of resilience overlap with resource adequacy and operational reliability, but generally it captures how well a system recovers or how quickly power can be restored after an outage. Resilience also includes more extreme events than the typical outages considered with resource adequacy and operational reliability. "Over the years with increasing renewable generation, electric vehicles, demand response, and other emerging technologies, we have learned that there doesn't have to be a tradeoff between decarbonization and power system reliability," Joshi said. "About a decade ago, there was skepticism in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries whether the power system could operate with wind and solar, but in some grids, we have seen instantaneous contributions of variable generation up to 100%. Moving forward, there will be new technologies and there may be new challenges, but through our research we can find solutions to continue to ensure a low-carbon, safe, and reliable grid." Explore further Video: How having more than enough renewable energy capacity can make the grid more flexible Faculty leaders at Texas A&M University in College Station are calling on President M. Katherine Banks to better collaborate and be more transparent with professors about changes to the university. Just weeks before the start of the new academic year, the Faculty Senate approved a resolution this week that said shared governance is no longer functioning as envisioned by faculty at Texas A&M University. The faculty group said it wants to reset the relationship with administrators to be more inclusive of faculty. This is a matter of sentiment, Kathryn Falvo, a senator and history professor from Texas A&M Galveston, said at a Monday meeting. Im hearing from a great deal of faculty and a great deal of students that there is a lack of trust in the administration. The vote, which is largely symbolic, signaled an escalation in tension among faculty members who are frustrated with Banks leadership of the 73,000-student university. The faculty has expressed openness to taking additional measures if the relationship doesnt change. Meanwhile, the university argues it has included faculty in many changes made throughout Banks first year. Banks was dean of Texas A&Ms engineering school before she became president of the flagship university in June 2021. She immediately hired MGT Consulting to review A&Ms organizational structure and provide recommendations for change. In December, she announced 41 recommendations that she had accepted and would put into place during the next year. The resolution argues that Banks did not seek enough faculty input before approving those changes, which has created distrust among faculty in the administrations decision-making process. Sustainable and lasting change at a major university comes not via presidential decree, but rather by developing collective buy-in for new ideas from its constituent groups, the resolution states. It also calls for Banks to recommit to the academic principle of shared governance. Shared governance is the longstanding academic principle held at universities across the country that a universitys internal operations are run through collaboration of the governing board, administration and faculty. It is a principle adopted by multiple national organizations that guide universities across the country, including the Association of American Universities and the American Association of University Professors. The resolution was approved by 80% of the 77 faculty senators who were present at the Zoom meeting and who voted on the measure, according to Dale Rice, faculty senate president. While faculty had expressed concerns with various changes discussed throughout the spring semester, the resolution signals that they could become a more collectively outspoken group in opposition to Banks leadership moving forward. At least one faculty senator said at the meeting that if the status quo continues, it could lead to a vote of no confidence. I want President Banks to succeed, but if things keep going the way theyre going, things could go that way, said Adam Kolasinski, a finance professor and senator. I see this resolution as a way to try to avoid that outcome. The recommendations Banks has started to put in place include combining A&Ms College of Liberal Arts, College of Science and College of Geosciences into one College of Arts and Sciences. It is also launching a new School of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts to house performance studies, dance and visualization programs under one roof. These changes, among others, will go into effect Sept. 1, according to a university press release. In a statement, the university pushed back on the notion that faculty have not been involved in changes under Banks tenure. Its disappointing that this resolution doesnt recognize the extensive faculty input that has been listened to on every major issue and change that has occurred in the last year, said N.K. Anand, vice president for faculty affairs. There have been multiple opportunities for faculty opinion to influence decisions. There simply is not a single example given of when both the spirit and the letter of the policy was not followed. But Rice, president of the Faculty Senate, said there is a difference between alerting faculty of upcoming changes and having meaningful shared governance. You have to invite faculty into the process early on, and that has not happened in many situations, he said. And you also either need to take into account faculty concerns or give a full explanation of why decisions are being made that dont take those concerns into account. You can argue all day long that we have followed the rules to the letter, but that doesnt mean that meaningful shared governance occurred. Other changes include a restructuring of the universitys libraries so they no longer house tenured faculty. Tenured librarians will be able to keep their tenure, but new hires will not be eligible for tenure moving forward, according to university spokesperson Kelly Brown. Banks also approved a restructuring of the Qatar campus, a branch of Texas A&M in the Middle East that offers engineering undergraduate and graduate degrees. According to a July 14 memo sent to the Qatar community, as of Sept. 1, faculty who work in areas beyond engineering will no longer be able to conduct research. Faculty who teach in areas that can grant degrees will shift from rolling contracts to fixed-term contracts for up to five years, and faculty who teach in non-degree granting areas will be on annual contracts, which critics argue will create more job insecurity. Finally, Banks consolidated school leadership under one dean. Critics have argued that changing the faculty contract process will make it more difficult to recruit quality professors, and many will leave Qatar. Beyond the 41 reorganization recommendations, Banks has made other changes over the past year that have received pushback from faculty and students. In February, Banks announced the student newspaper, The Battalion, would immediately end its print version of the paper and shift to online only. The move sparked swift outcry from students and alumni. But Banks reversed gears and allowed the paper to keep the print edition through the end of the spring semester. Joe Ramirez, vice president of student affairs, issued an apology for the way the changes were announced. The school ultimately added Battalion representatives to the working group that is discussing ideas for how to implement another one of Banks recommendations: reviving a journalism school at Texas A&M. Banks and administrators also faced criticism for pulling funding and support for an annual drag show on campus called Draggieland. Students told the Houston Chronicle that they felt previous protests of the event by conservative students and alumni had led to the universitys decision to no longer be affiliated with the event. The show was performed last year after LGBTQ groups on campus raised funding to support the event. Aron Collins announced his candidacy Monday for the College Station City Council, Place 1 seat, and, if elected, said he hopes to fulfill his dream of giving back to the community. My father was drafted and ended up serving in Vietnam where he received multiple purple hearts. All of my uncles and cousins served in the military, and I was the youngest among them and I just felt the need to serve my country like my father and relatives, he said Monday. After I felt I had a missed opportunity to serve in the military, I always hoped to serve my community in some way. This seemed like the best way I could give back and participate, and do my part to contribute. Collins is a former board member of Bryan Rotary and serves as a current member. He also serves on the OPAS board of directors. He is the owner of Comfort Keepers in College Station. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in biology. If elected, Collins said he hopes to sustain growth for the city of College Station. I think anyone who has lived in College Station for the past 20 years will recognize the pace at which it is growing. I think we need to cast an intentional vision so that we can grow in a sustainable way that benefits everyone, he said. The reason people want to move to College Station and do business and grow is because it is a wonderful place to live. I dont think Texas needs more Houstons and more Dallases, I think the people need more College Station. Councilman Bob Brick is term limited from the position. Filing for Place 1 ends at 5 p.m. Aug. 22. For more information, call 764-3541 or email tdsmith@cstx.gov. BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China published a white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era" on Wednesday, which resonated strongly among overseas Chinese. In separate interviews with Xinhua, overseas Chinese were of the same mind that the white paper demonstrates the firm will and determination of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people in pursuit of national reunification, and reveals the egregious moves of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities "seeking independence by soliciting U.S. support" and external forces attempting to "use Taiwan to contain China." They also expressed confidence in the bright future for the great cause of China's reunification. CPC'S LEADERSHIP: KEY TO NATIONAL REJUVENATION, REUNIFICATION The white paper points out that resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. It is indispensable for the realization of China's rejuvenation. It is also a historic mission of the CPC. Many overseas Chinese said they can see from the white paper the strong determination, firm will and strong ability of the CPC and the Chinese government to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity and to realize the complete reunification of the motherland, which makes them feel very excited. "It is an indisputable fact that Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. The CPC and the Chinese government have always made it an unswerving historical task to realize the complete reunification of the motherland," said Lu Hongmin, executive director of the Federation of Ottawa Chinese-Canadian Community Organizations. "We are convinced that the Chinese nation, with a splendid civilization history of more than 5,000 years, will realize the great historical mission of complete reunification of the motherland with its will, wisdom and ability," said Lu. Liu Shufang, vice president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Cuba, said Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, which is the universal consensus of the international community. "We can see that the CPC is firmly committed to the complete reunification of the motherland and has made great efforts to promote the peaceful and integrated development of cross-Straits relations and uniting compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits," Liu said. "The CPC has always cared about the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots, and has been working tirelessly for the peaceful reunification of China and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It is the backbone of the Chinese people and nation, and the firm leadership core for national rejuvenation and reunification," said Qiao Fengxiang, president of the National Association of Chinese-Americans. Wu Youyi, president of Western America Chinese Peaceful Unification, said that the white paper reviewed the principles and policies adopted by the CPC to resolve the Taiwan question at various historical stages, and systematically expounded the major policies and policy propositions of the CPC and the Chinese government to promote the reunification of the motherland in the new era. Wu said that the CPC has always regarded resolving the Taiwan question and realizing the complete reunification of the motherland as an unswerving historical task, and has played a core leadership role in resolving the Taiwan question. Li Zhuohui, editor-in-chief of Harian Xin Bao Indonesia, has noticed "the greatest sincerity and efforts" from the CPC and the Chinese government in promoting peaceful reunification. He said the CPC and the Chinese government have put forward the most feasible guidelines and policies, fully respecting and considering the interests and well-being of Taiwan compatriots. The two sides should enhance mutual trust and recognition on the common political basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," so as to lift their exchanges and interactions to a new height, Li said. "Taiwan is part of China's territory, and the historical and legal facts are clear and unquestionable," said Xu Yiping, president of the Association of Culture and Commerce of China in Chile. "I believe that in the new era and on the new journey, the CPC and the Chinese government will continue to unite and lead the compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The historical task of the complete reunification of the motherland will surely be realized," Xu said. SEEKING INDEPENDENCE A DEAD END; USING TAIWAN TO CONTAIN CHINA DOOMED TO FAIL To protect the interests of the Chinese nation as a whole, including our compatriots in Taiwan, we must resolutely oppose it (separatism) and work for peaceful reunification, the white paper emphasized. "We Chinese will decide our own affairs," it said, adding the Taiwan question is an internal affair that involves China's core interests and the Chinese people's national sentiments, and no external interference will be tolerated. Zhu Hailun, chairman of the Finnish Association for Promoting Peaceful Reunification of China, has considerable reflections on the white paper, saying "Taiwan independence" separatists and a small number of foreign politicians were just making a noise with their clumsy political stunts in the process of China's national reunification. To challenge the one-China principle is to make an enemy of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, Zhu said, adding that attempts to hinder China's complete reunification are doomed. "National reunification reflects the aspiration of the people and meets the call of the times, which cannot be impeded by anyone or any force," said Qian Qiguo, chairman of the Australian Alliance for Peaceful Chinese Reunification. Associations in Australia for promoting China's reunification regard the Taiwan question purely as an internal affair of China, which brooks no external interference, Qian said, stressing that the Chinese people have the strong will to secure national reunification and territorial integrity. Zhao Qian, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Branch of the Business Association of China in Vietnam, said that in recent years, the Taiwan authorities led by the DPP have caused tensions in cross-Straits relations by relying on foreign forces to seek independence, while some external forces have taken the chance to make provocations. These obstacles, endangering peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, must be cleared in China's endeavor for peaceful reunification, Zhao said. The United States has been playing the "Taiwan card" deliberately to incite the separatist forces to stir up troubles, which has jeopardized regional peace and stability, said Bai Yi, president of the Federation of Overseas Chinese and Chinese Businessmen Association the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, who believes that any plot for "Taiwan independence" or external interference will surely be thwarted. Relying on external forces to seek independence is a dead end and attempts to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail, said Jin Xiaodong, president of the Overseas Chinese Association of Nepal, noting that people on both sides of the Straits share the same origin and the bond of kinship. People all over the world have seen a few countries led by the United States fan the flames everywhere for self-interest, Jin said, adding that the one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community, which is consistent with the basic norms of international relations. Having read the white paper, Tie Jilong, head of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Korea, said that as a Chinese living and working in South Korea, he will contribute to helping strengthen the solidarity between compatriots on both sides of the Straits. "The attempts to use Taiwan to contain China and seek 'independence' by soliciting U.S. support are definitely in vain, and any action to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity is destined to failure," Tie said. COMPLETE REUNIFICATION SURELY TO BE REALIZED The white paper pointed out that "as long as we Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Straits devote our ingenuity and energy to the same goal, let there be no doubt - we will tolerate no foreign interference in Taiwan, we will thwart any attempt to divide our country, and we will combine as a mighty force for national reunification and rejuvenation. The historic goal of reuniting our motherland must be realized and will be realized." Reflecting on those points highlighted in the paper, Shang Liang, vice-president of the general association of Chinese merchants and entrepreneurs in Madagascar, said, "Achieving complete reunification of the motherland is the common aspiration of all sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, and is a prerequisite for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Sons and daughters of the Chinese nation in Africa stand in solidarity with the motherland, and the great cause of achieving complete reunification of the motherland will surely be accomplished." Gu Di, vice president of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Namibia, voiced confidence that under the leadership of the CPC and with the joint efforts of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, Taiwan will surely return to the motherland. Li Youbao, secretary general of the Chinese Business Club in Saudi Arabia, said he firmly believes that reunification of the motherland will bring more benefits for compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Li said that realizing peaceful reunification will create vast potential for Taiwan's social and economic development, and bring about tangible benefits for Taiwan compatriots. Overseas Chinese firmly support the great cause of achieving reunification of the motherland. "Cross-Straits amity and cooperation stand to gain from peace and cooperation. Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international community as a whole," said Fang Yuan, president of the Chinese Women (Fiji) Union, after reading the white paper. Fang said realizing the complete reunification of the motherland is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation, and is the historical inevitability for achieving national rejuvenation. Chen Yinglie, head of the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification in Croatia, said, "I believe that under the strong leadership of the CPC, the great cause of achieving national reunification will surely be accomplished, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese national will surely be realized." Deng Zhuting, president of London Chinatown Chinese Association, said he was deeply impressed by a sentence in the white paper, which said: "We hope they (fellow Chinese in Taiwan) will stand on the right side of history, and be proud of their Chinese identity." "I think that to be Chinese proud of our Chinese identity is to bravely shoulder the responsibility to safeguard the greater good of the nation, conform to the general trend of history, push forward extensive cross-Straits exchanges, cooperation and development and participate in the cause of promoting peaceful reunification of the motherland through practical actions. The motherland is our strongest support. The overseas Chinese in Britain firmly believe that reunification of the motherland must be realized and will be realized," Deng said. A state district judge ruled Wednesday that the Department of Public Safety does not have to turn over records related to the Uvalde school shooting sought by state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who had sued the state police in hopes of securing them. The order by Travis County 419th Civil District Court Judge Catherine A. Mauzy was narrow, however, and sidestepped the question of whether the state police can withhold records concerning their response to the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School. Mauzy concluded that Gutierrez had not properly filed his request under the Texas Public Information Act, the states public records law, and therefore DPS was not obligated to fulfill it. Still, the outcome grants a reprieve for the state police, who have fought to keep secret the details of how 91 officers responded to the shooting. Gutierrez, whose district includes Uvalde, wrote a letter to DPS Director Steve McCraw on May 30, requesting the agencys training manuals as well as any documents that detail how the state police responded to the shooting that day. In a hearing last week, DPS officials said that request should have gone to the agencys media relations office. Gutierrez said Wednesday he disagreed with the ruling and suggested the state police were simply looking for an excuse not to comply with his request. The lawmaker has been among the most critical state officials of how DPS has handled the shooting. It is most absurd that Department of Public Safety continues to fight even the most benign distribution of documents, like a training manual, Gutierrez said. And they refuse to do it because theyre culpable of their negligence and malfeasance on that day. At a hearing in the case last week, the district attorney for Uvalde County urged the judge to side with DPS. The prosecutor, Christina Busbee, said since late May she has asked all government agencies not to release any information about the Uvalde shooting, for fear of compromising ongoing investigations by the Texas Rangers, a division of DPS, and the FBI. Since then, several government agencies, including the state police, have declined to fulfill records request filed by The Texas Tribune. Many cited an exemption in the states public records law that allows documents to be withheld if they relate to an ongoing investigation. DPS has not always followed Busbees request, however. McCraw on June 21 testified for more than four hours in front of a Senate committee investigating the shooting. He placed much of the blame for the delayed police response to the shooting on the Uvalde school district police chief, Pete Arredondo, and spent little time detailing the actions of state troopers. A separate lawsuit against DPS, filed by a consortium of news organizations including The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, seeks to persuade a judge to compel the state police to release Uvalde records that the journalists submitted under the public information act. That case is ongoing. 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe The first ever incident possibly involving the ransomware family known as Maui occurred on April 15, 2021, aimed at an unnamed Japanese housing company. The disclosure from Kaspersky arrives a month after U.S. cybersecurity and intelligence agencies issued an advisory about the use of the ransomware strain by North Korean government-backed hackers to target the healthcare sector since at least May 2021. Much of the data about its modus operandi came from incident response activities and industry analysis of a Maui sample that revealed a lack of "several key features" typically associated with ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operations. Not only is Maui designed to be manually executed by a remote actor via a command-line interface, it's also notable for not including a ransom note to provide recovery instructions. Subsequently, the Justice Department announced the seizure of $500,000 worth of Bitcoin that were extorted from several organizations, including two healthcare facilities in the U.S. states of Kansas and Colorado, by using the ransomware strain. While these attacks have been pinned on North Korean advanced persistent threat groups, the Russian cybersecurity firm has linked the cybercrime with low to medium confidence to a Lazarus subgroup known as Andariel, also referred to as Operation Troy, Silent Chollima, and Stonefly. "Approximately ten hours prior to deploying Maui to the initial target system [on April 15], the group deployed a variant of the well-known Dtrack malware to the target, preceded by 3proxy months earlier," Kaspersky researchers Kurt Baumgartner and Seongsu Park said. Dtrack, also called Valefor and Preft, is a remote access trojan used by the Stonefly group in its espionage attacks to exfiltrate sensitive information. It's worth pointing out that the backdoor, alongside 3proxy, was deployed by the threat actor against an engineering firm that works in the energy and military sectors in February 2022 by exploiting the Log4Shell vulnerability. "Stonefly specializes in mounting highly selective targeted attacks against targets that could yield intelligence to assist strategically important sectors such as energy, aerospace, and military equipment," Symantec, a division of Broadcom Software, said in April. Furthermore, Kaspersky said that the Dtrack sample used in the Japanese Maui incident was also used to breach multiple victims in India, Vietnam, and Russia from December 2021 to February 2021. "Our research suggests that the actor is rather opportunistic and could compromise any company around the world, regardless of their line of business, as long as it enjoys good financial standing," the researchers said. This isn't Andariel's first tryst with ransomware as a means to reap monetary gains for the sanctions-hit nation. In June 2021, a South Korean entity was revealed to have been infected by file-encrypting malware following an elaborate multi-stage infection procedure that commenced with a weaponized Word document. Then last month, Microsoft disclosed that an emerging threat cluster associated with Andariel has been using a ransomware strain known as H0lyGh0st in cyberattacks targeting small businesses since September 2021. Paris, TX (75460) Today Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 84F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 66F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the clashes between rival security forces in the Yemeni oil-rich province of Shabwa increased to 28, and the injuries to 68, a medical official told Xinhua on Thursday. "Figures by the local medical centers confirmed that a total of 28 people were killed and more than 68 others injured following days of fighting across Shabwa's streets," the local medical source said on condition of anonymity. "All the wounded from both sides are receiving medical care in the public and private hospitals in Shabwa," he said. On Monday, deadly clashes erupted between rival security units across residential neighborhoods in Yemen's southern province of Shabwa. Security units loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islah Party launched an attack against the government security forces in Ataq, the provincial capital, triggering intense street battles. The infighting occurred after a new commander was appointed to lead the security units loyal to the Islah Party, according to local Yemeni officials. On Wednesday, the governor of Shabwa ordered the southern Giants Brigades troops to carry out a military operation to crack down on the rebellious troops and secure the local state facilities in the province. Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) voiced its full support for the governor of Shabwa and urged the pro-government forces to impose security and stability in the strategic province. Following the infighting, the Yemeni council issued new decisions that included dismissing a number of security and military leaders accused of organizing a rebellion against the local authorities in Shabwa. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. The war has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced 4 million, and pushed the poorest Arab country to the brink of starvation. COLUMBIA Georgia-Pacific, one of the worlds leading makers of tissue, pulp, packaging and building products, today announced plans to expand operations in Clarendon County. The company is investing approximately $40 million into the project. The Clarendon OSB facility is an important part of Georgia-Pacifics ability to produce best-in-class wood products and meet demand in a state with a strong housing market," said Georgia-Pacific Structural Panels President Andy Konieczka. "This addition will get us further down the road to realizing the facilitys full potential. Founded in 1927, Georgia-Pacific and its subsidiaries are global manufacturers and marketers of consumer tissue and tableware products; building products; paper-based packaging; cellulose and specialty fibers; nonwoven fabrics; and related chemicals. The company currently operates five manufacturing facilities in South Carolina, collectively employing more than 900 team members and providing close to $64 million in wages and benefits. We welcome Georgia Pacifics expansion plans in Clarendon County. " said Clarendon County Council Chairman Dwight L. Stewart Jr. "We pride ourselves on making sure our existing industries have everything they need to be successful. This solidifies our commitment to Georgia-Pacific, and we thank them for being a fantastic corporate citizen. Located at 8250 Sumter Highway in Alcolu, Georgia-Pacifics expansion in Clarendon County includes the addition of a third strander to increase the throughput capacity of the facility. The equipment processes wood logs into strands used in manufacturing-oriented strand boards (OSBs). Georgia-Pacifics multimillion-dollar investment isnt just advancing the companys capabilities for the future, its improving current and future opportunities for Clarendon County, as well," said Central SC Alliance Chairman Matthew Shaffer. "Its always exciting to see the commitment companies have in building on their local presence. After a decade of operating in the county, were looking forward to seeing many more years of growth and success for Georgia-Pacific in partnership with Clarendon County. The expansion is expected to be complete in 2023. Individuals interested in joining the Georgia-Pacific team should visit the companys careers page. A 17-year-old Orangeburg male is accused running over a Richland County sheriffs deputy with a stolen car on Tuesday, according to Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. Jamon Cheatham is facing one count of attempted murder, Lott said. The incident occurred around 10 a.m. when a stolen car was found in a Columbia parking lot on Two Notch Road, Lott said. He noted two deputies approached the car. One of those deputies was SRT Operator Sarah Merriman. Cheatham allegedly backed up at a high rate of speed, pinning Merriman against her patrol SUV for a brief moment before running over her. Lott claims Cheatham struck another car before getting out of the parking area. That car was no different than a gun, Lott said. It couldve taken her life. Lott said Merriman is going to survive although she has severe head and body injuries. Cheatham will be tried as an adult. A Richland County magistrate set Cheathams bond at $150,000. Lott noted that if Cheatham is able to post bond, hell immediately be taken to the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice. Cheatham is wanted by SCDJJ for failing to show up for court in an unrelated matter, Lott said. Lott said Cheatham has faced the following charges over the past two years: carjacking, grand larceny and two counts of attempted murder not including the one on Tuesday. Lott said that he, the victims advocate and the solicitors office each asked the magistrate not to set bond on Cheatham because of his previous charges and because hes wanted by SCDJJ. Someone who tried to kill a deputy yesterday, bond was set. He can get out from a minimum of $25 to $15,000. That makes me mad, Lott said. Lott explained a bonding company may charge a minimum of $25 and is only required to put up ten percent of the total bond. If Cheatham is convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison. (TBTCO) - Theo cac chuyen gia, thi truong bat ong san ang oi mat voi nghich ly a xuat hien nhieu nguoi ban nhung it nguoi mua. Hien nay, nhung nha au tu, hoac nguoi co nhu cau mua thuc ang co tam ly oi gia giam sau hon khien thi truong tram lang. BEIRUT Judicial authorities in Lebanon Wednesday ordered the temporary seizure of the property of two deputies in the case of the deadly explosion which destroyed Beirut port two years ago. Judge Najah Itani has issued a temporary seizure order worth LL100 billion on the property of MPs Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zeaiter, a judicial source told AFP. The source said the decision was issued in the context of a complaint filed by the Beirut Bar Association to question the two for having used their rights... in an arbitrary manner by filing complaints intended to hinder the investigation. Compensation of LL100 billion is being sought. A judicial source also confirmed to L'Orient Today that the seizure order was issued by the Enforcement Department in Beirut. The Prosecution Office of the Beirut Bar Association filed the lawsuits, accusing Khalil and Zeaiter of abusing of the right of defense of the families of the blasts victims, prosecution and obstruction of justice, a statement by the families of the victims said. In a statement issued Wednesday night, the MPs defense attorneys said that LL100 billion "is the number claimed by the Prosecution Office of the Bar Association in the lawsuit filed by it against MPs Zeaiter and Khalil ... not the real estate value of the house on which the seizure sign is placed." The statement added that once officially notified of the seizure order, "we will present a reply statement in response to the allegations and fallacies of the plaintiff and [seek] to lift the seizure, because it is in anticipation of the decision of the judiciary before which the malicious case was submitted." On Thursday, crisis-hit Lebanon marked two years since the massive port blast ripped through Beirut. The dockside blast of haphazardly stored ammonium nitrate, one of historys biggest non-nuclear explosions, killed more than 200 people, wounded thousands and decimated vast areas of the capital. After the tragedy, the bar launched legal proceedings against the state on behalf of nearly 1,400 families of victims. However, an investigation into the cause has been stalled amid political interference and no state official has yet been held accountable over the tragedy. Khalil and Zeaiter, of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berris Amal party, filed a total of 20 complaints against Judge Tareq Bitar for obstructing the investigation which he himself was carrying out. Politicians on all sides have refused to be questioned by the judge. Officials close to the powerful Hezbollah movement have also curtailed Bitars work with a series of lawsuits. His investigation has been paused since December 23. On Thursdays second anniversary of the blast, relatives of victims demanded an international inquiry. Luxembourg's major gas suppliers, which act as a buffer between market and consumers, have announced that prices are likely to increase by 80% in autumn. The EU's gas emergency plan has been in effect since Tuesday, which means that the government, municipalities, businesses, and private households have been urged to save energy. People heating with gas are likely to do so voluntarily, as Luxembourg's major suppliers announce new upticks in prices. Advances in autumn will be raised by 80%, say Enovos and SUDenergie. Luxembourg receives the majority of its gas supplies from Belgium. Around 60% of imported gas are used to heat buildings, the rest is used for industrial production. Since nobody knows how long the war in Ukraine will continue or if the Russians decide to stop all gas exports to the Union, elected officials are looking for alternative solutions to keep market prices low. By October, the EU thus hopes to have filled its gas storages by 90%, which should help stabilise prices over the winter. Furthermore, the EU plans on urging member states to reduce their gas consumption by 15%. Video report in Luxembourgish The Grand Ducal police reported a number of burglaries overnight from Wednesday to Thursday. Police in the capital arrested two individuals on Rue de Hollerich overnight following a break-in. Officers arriving at the scene found a glass entrance door had been smashed, although there were no other signs of entry. A search of the area around the building revealed a car with two suspects inside. When approached, the driver became aggressive towards police; a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed the two were in possession of an air soft gun and two magazines of ammunition. They were consequently arrested; the car, which was not registered correctly, was confiscated; and a complaint was raised against both suspects. Another incident took place in Hollerich earlier on Wednesday, after a residential property on Rue Baudoin was targeted by burglars twice; once at 2.30pm and again at 7.00pm. In Esch-sur-Alzette, a flat on Rue d'Audun was broken into between 8.30 and 9.00am on Wednesday. Burglars also broke into a family home in Oetrange, on Rue de Moutfort, at around 5.00pm. In Limpertsberg, one or multiple individuals tried to gain access to two homes on Rue Michel Lentz, but were thwarted in the attempt. Again in Limpertsberg, thieves targeted a cafe on Avenue Pasteur between 10.00pm and 6.00am, stealing bottles of alcohol as well as cash. Finally, burglars broke into a business in the regional activity zone in Ehlerange between the hours of 7.00pm and 7.00am, searching the premises and stealing a number of items. Police have launched investigations into the incidents, while their experts have conducted surveys of the targeted buildings. Sexual offences, assaults on police officers, violations of weapons laws: a number of Luxembourg nationals are currently involved in very serious criminal cases in Germany. In a parliamentary question addressed to the Minister of Justice, LSAP MP Dan Biancalana addressed the subject of offences committed by Luxembourg abroad, and particularly those recorded by the German police. The MP referred to statistics from the German Federal Criminal Police Office, which state that 704 offences have been attributed to Luxembourgers on the other side of the border. Among the crimes listed, 206 are drug offences, with 82 cases of theft, 20 violations of weapons laws, 15 sexual offences and four assaults on German police officers. In 28 cases, Luxembourg nationals inflicted grievous bodily harm on their victims. It is not necessarily known how the cases concluded, however. The Grand Ducal prosecutor's office is not systematically informed when a crime is committed by a Luxembourg national or resident abroad, according to the response published on Thursday by the Minister of Justice. Sam Tanson replied that the statistics mentioned by Biancalana are not recorded in Luxembourg. The Ministry responded to just two requests made by Biancalana - regarding the figures showing the number of transfers of residents detained in Luxembourg to foreign countries, and figures relating to probation measures over the last five years. At present it appears it is not known how many people with Luxembourgish nationality are currently being prosecuted, or have been convicted, in other countries, including Germany. Authorities in Natrona County have arrested a man identified as a person of interest in an active double-homicide investigation, officials said Wednesday afternoon. The man, Luke Thomas Young, was located roughly 16 hours after officers responded to the homicide, according to the Natrona County Sheriffs Office. Officers had warned the public Wednesday morning that Young may be considered armed and dangerous. Young was arrested on an outstanding warrant from a different county, sheriffs spokesperson Kiera Grogan said. Sheriffs deputies have been on scene since 11 p.m. Tuesday. Two people were found dead, and no other injuries have been reported, according to Grogan. The Natrona County Coroners Office identified the two people as Kameron Young Johnson, 27, and Acacia Colvin, 19, both of Casper. Autopsies for both have been scheduled. Earlier Wednesday, the sheriffs office said Young was last seen in the area of Ten Mile Road and Highway 20-26 west of Casper, and authorities suspected he might be traveling on foot. The sheriffs office thanked the many vigilant citizens that reported pertinent information about the incident in a statement Wednesday afternoon. He is the only suspect in the investigation, Grogan said. On Thursday night, Young failed to report back from an Adult Community Corrections program that he was sent to after serving time in prison on a drug charge, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. He was apparently on a work-release program and did not come back from his job. The corrections department says its director, Daniel Shannon, issued a warrant for Youngs arrest on Friday. As part of the investigation Wednesday, officers temporarily closed U.S. Highway 20/26 from Zero Road to Thirty Three Mile Road. The closure was lifted shortly after 11 a.m. On Wednesday morning, Natrona County School District said it would control access and have heightened awareness at all of its schools and buildings. Outdoor school activities will be limited, but summer school will occur as normal. The sheriffs office also asked people in the area to secure their homes and cars. Officers from the countys Special Response Team and Wyoming Highway Patrol were also on scene Wednesday morning. A man arrested in connection to a double homicide outside Casper this week had escaped from a Gillette corrections facility a week earlier, court records show. Luke Thomas Young was arrested on a felony escape warrant Wednesday afternoon following a roughly 16-hour search. A release Thursday said he was located near 7 Mile and 6 WN roads after a resident reported suspicious activity from someone matching Youngs description. Officers responded to a reported shooting west of Casper off U.S. Highway 20/26 around 11 p.m. Tuesday and found two people dead. They were later identified as Kameron Young Johnson, 27, and Acacia Colvin, 19, both of Casper. No other injuries were reported. This is an absolute senseless and tragic crime, Sheriff John Harlin said in Thursdays release. We are focusing our efforts on conducting a thorough investigation and providing the victims families the resources they need so that they can begin to grieve the loss of their loved ones. Young did not return to a residential work-release program in Gillette on Aug. 4, court records show, where he had been since June. The Wyoming Department of Corrections issued a warrant for Young the following day. He was completing a three- to five-year sentence for a 2017 conviction for delivering a controlled substance in Sheridan County. That prison sentence was initially suspended in favor of a four-month jail stay, then five years of supervised probation. But in 2018, it was reimposed after Young violated his probation by using a controlled substance without prescription and being unsuccessfully discharged from a residential treatment program at the same Gillette facility, court documents show. Young was then sent to a boot camp in Newcastle, a program for young people convicted of crimes. In a 2019 letter asking for a sentence reduction after he completed the program, Young wrote that he had sold methamphetamine while homeless, partly to support his own addiction. He also wrote that he intended to make amends, and live a successful sober life free of crime. Staff wrote that Young had made positive progress during the program, taken a leadership position and was ready to be transferred back to the Gillette facility. The rest of his sentence was traded for three years of supervised probation, which he violated in early 2021. After some time in prison, a parole grant allowed Young to return to the Gillette program this summer. According to the sheriffs office, Young was still being held at the Natrona County Detention Center on the warrant as of Thursday afternoon, though he did not appear in court. Charges had not been filed in connection to the investigation at that time. BAGHDAD, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Fuad Hashim, a vintage radio repairer, is fully aware that his profession is dying out with modern technology, but the 65-year-old said he wouldn't quit his job because he truly loves it. Hashim does his work in the old alley in Souq al-Mdallal, or al-Mdallal market, in downtown Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Walking around in his shop among dozens of vintage radios ranging from the 1920s to 1960s feels like witnessing the history of radios. The collections are of different makes and brands such as Siera, Philips, Zenith, Philco and others. "I have been in this profession for 30 years. At first, it was a hobby, then it became a profession," Hashim told Xinhua. "I realized that the whole world has changed, but I love this profession and find pleasure and comfort when I repair vintage radios," he said, repairing a 1958 Philips tube radio. In general, the prices of vintage radio sets range between 300 U.S. dollars and 1,500 dollars, depending on their condition, features and designs, and some could gain in value over time. The customers of Hashim's shop are mostly lovers of vintage radios, such as artists and intellectuals, as well as collectors of antiques. "I think these vintage radio sets, for many people, are the sound of nostalgia because radios in the past used to gather the whole family members at home," Hashim noted. Anas Dara, a resident in Salahudin Province north of Baghdad, told Xinhua that he is lucky to find someone like Hashim who can repair his family's vintage radio set as spare parts for this device are not easily available. Dara said his father and grandfather really cherish the old radio because they used to listen to news, songs and programs with the piece. "When I brought it back home, my family members were dying to play it ... We are all so proud of it as a family heirloom," Dara said. With less than a week before primary day in Wyoming, state candidates fundraising numbers were released, giving a look at how much money theyve been collecting and spending. Wyomings midterm elections are taking place Tuesday, when offices like governor, secretary of state, and superintendent of public instruction will be up for grabs. In two of those three, there is not a true incumbent running, opening up the field to heated races. Secretary of State Ed Buchanan is not running for reelection, having sought and obtained a position as a judge in Goshen County. Now, Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, is battling it out with Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper for the secretarys seat. Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow resigned to take the same job in Virginia earlier this year, which meant that the Wyoming Republican Party was tasked with filling the seat. The partys central committee selected three candidates, of which Gov. Mark Gordon appointed Brian Schroeder, who is now running to be elected to the post. Because Schroeder is unelected, but has held office for a few months, he has some advantage of incumbency on his side, but likely not as much as someone who served a full term in office and was elected by voters. Former President Donald Trump threw his support behind the two most hard-line Republicans in those races: Schroeder for superintendent and Gray for secretary of state. Gov. Mark Gordon, on the other hand, is facing multiple challengers to his right in his run for reelection. Secretary of State Grays campaign collected roughly $528,000 to Nethercotts $333,000, according to campaign finance reports released by the secretary of states office. But Nethercott collected more in individual donations ($181,350) than Gray ($17,480). Grays father, Jan Charles Gray, donated $500,000 to his campaign, the records show. Gray himself donated $10,000 to his own campaign. Nethercott also loaned her campaign $95,000, which she says was necessary to start [the] campaign. I am humbled and grateful for the financial support from the generous and hard working men and women of Wyoming, she said. This campaign would not be possible without their support. Excluding Grays or Nethercotts own donations or immediate familial donations (Nethercott also had a cousin who donated $2,500) Nethercott out-raised Gray by roughly 10 to 1. Both candidates have just over $96,000 left in the bank to spend. Some of the big names that donated to Gray were Dan and Carleen Brophy, two wealthy political donors, in addition to Susan Gore, founder of Wyoming Liberty Group and the Gore-Tex heiress, who was accused in a New York Times investigative piece last year of funding a political spying operation in the state. Gray also received donations from Rep. Tim Hallinan, R-Gillette, Sen. Tim French, R-Powell as well as Donna Rice, a member of Wyoming Republican Party leadership. Nethercott received donations from over a dozen Republican legislators plus three Democratic lawmakers Rep. Andy Schwartz, D-Jackson, Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie, and former Sen. Liisa Anselmi-Dalton. Nethercott also took almost $55,000 from political action committees, the records show. Gray collected $500 in PAC money. "President Trump has endorsed our campaign because I support voter integrity measures and passed the voter ID bill," Gray said in a statement. "But the insider establishment has big money to support candidates like Liz Cheney and Tara Nethercott, including with PAC dollars. Theyre teaming up with the Star Tribune to put out false, defamatory stories that serve as a contribution to the Nethercott campaign worth hundreds of thousands of dollars---lm grateful to all of my supporters, including my family for stepping up to counter these liberal attacks with funds from family businesses that I helped to build." Gray and Nethercott have emerged as candidates on opposite sides of the debate on election integrity. Gray is running as a 2020 presidential election skeptic, saying that there was more fraud than the margin of votes between Trump and President Joe Biden. Gray is pushing to ban ballot drop boxes, which have become a target after the movie 2000 Mules was released, a film that alleges widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Gray has also sponsored numerous showings of the movie throughout Wyoming while on the campaign trail. Nethercott says that there is no objective evidence to prove that the 2020 election was stolen for President Joe Biden, and she repeatedly emphasizes her confidence in Wyomings elections. According to a database maintained by the right-leaning Heritage Foundation, Wyoming has seen just three instances (involving four people) of voter fraud in 40 years, and none since 2014. Governor Once again, Gordon is facing multiple opponents to the right of him politically. The governor brought in about $541,000. Of that, $392,800 of that came from individual donors the sitting governor received $100,000 in loans from his wife and $45,000 from PACs (about 80% of that came from PACs outside Wyoming). In the 2018 gubernatorial primary, Gordon came out on top of a crowded field with only 33% of the vote, helping to spur an unsuccessful movement from the right to enact run-off elections. Gordon is not well liked by some on the far-right in Wyoming. Multiple times during a recent gubernatorial debate, Gordon made sure to point out that he is a Republican, and a conservative Republican at that. Gordon is being challenged by retired Marine Brent Bien who reported nearly $100,000, records show. Over a third of that was from him or his immediate family. Bien himself donated over $31,000. From individual donors, Bien garnered about $54,000. Brent and Sue have been blessed to have great careers that has allowed Brent to pursue service including using his own money to travel the state and meet voters where they are, said Sam Rubino, Biens campaign manager. This campaign has always been about the hard working people of Wyoming, not millionaires and political donors. Veterinarian and serial political candidate Rex Rammell, on the other hand, only raised $9,200 from individuals while loaning his campaign over $66,000. Rammell has a colorful history, including criminal charges and multiple bids for office in Wyoming and Idaho. He ran for Wyomings governor in 2018 as a Constitution Party candidate and made multiple runs in Idaho. During the recent debate, Rammell used his closing statement to accuse Bien of not meeting state constitutional requirements needed to hold the office of governor. To run for governor, a candidate must reside in the state for five years, but according to the state constitution, residency is not lost by military service, and Bien who recently moved back to Wyoming after serving in the military said he maintained his residency throughout his time in the Marines. Rammell filed a complaint with the Wyoming Secretary of States office, which responded by closing it without taking action because the complaint seeks a legal analysis of the term residency which goes beyond that contained in the current statutes. Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, formerly chief policy officer at the education department and currently the government and regulatory affairs manager for Morningstar Partners Oil & Gas, raised nearly $130,000 from individuals, plus about $10,000 from her immediate family and $70,000 in loans of her own money. It is clear that Wyoming voters want conservative elected officials they can count on, who have actually lived in and contributed to our communities and who focus on issues that matter to our state. As a lifelong Wyomingite, I am that candidate. I will be accountable to the taxpayers of this state and I will work tirelessly to prepare students for successful futures in Wyoming, Degenfelder said in a recent press release. She also received a significant amount of PAC money $23,050. The primary PAC donations came from Wyoming industries that represent the workforce that students are eventually going to be entering into, Degenfelder said. It shows that theyve decided that Im the candidate whos most likely to understand the needs of industry. Like Schroeder, Degenfelder also applied to be the interim superintendent when Balow resigned, but ultimately got fourth in the central committees vote. Degenfelder also received the endorsement of former U.S. Sen. Al Simpson, a Wyoming political icon who recently received the presidential medal of freedom, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis and more than 20 current lawmakers, according to a campaign press release. Trump-endorsed Schroeder trailed Degenfelder in individual donations, raising less than $27,000 from individuals who arent himself or family. Some of that money came from Gore, Hallinan and former state representative Marti Halverson (who was also a finalist for the superintendent position earlier this year). Schroeder is the former head of Veritas Academy, a private Christian school in Cody, and has experience as a family and youth coordinator and as a teacher and administrator in private schools in California, Wisconsin, Michigan and Wyoming. Hes deeply conservative; hes called for Wyoming to enact a law similar to Floridas Parental Rights in Education Act, which, among other things, prohibits classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in certain grade levels. He advocates for more parental control in public schools. He opposes the teaching of critical race theory (which is not currently taught in Wyoming public schools). The other Republican candidate in the superintendent race is Casper-based substitute teacher and cosmetologist Jennifer Zerba who raised only $300 from two individuals. While fundraising is one indication of a candidates viability, it is not infrequent that those who outraise their opponents lose the election. Early voting is ongoing and primary day is Tuesday. Former President Donald Trumps candidate to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney in the race for Wyomings single House seat holds a colossal 29-point lead over the incumbent with days until the primary, a new University of Wyoming poll finds. Natural resources attorney Harriet Hageman leads Cheney 57% to 28%, according to a Wyoming Survey & Analysis Center/School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies/Wyoming Public Media survey. Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Burns, polled at 2%, while 10% of likely Republican voters say they are still undecided. Wyomings House race is among the most closely watched in the nation. Cheney has become one of Trumps biggest political adversaries, and the contest is seen as part of a larger battle between traditional and hard-line Republicans. Cheneys vote to impeach the former president after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and her relentless criticism of Trump as a threat to democracy and the rule of law have spurred the toughest reelection fight of her career. In September, Trump selected Hageman from several challengers as his pick to take on Cheney. Of those who said theyd vote for Cheney, 66% indicated their vote was an expression of support for the incumbent congresswoman. A mere 29% of respondents expecting to vote for another candidate said they were supporting that candidate, while 41% said their vote was in opposition to Cheney. The race for the Republican nomination appears to be a referendum on Cheney, as it usually is when an incumbent seeks reelection, Jim King, a professor of political science at UW, said in a press release on the poll. Cheney is also being challenged by retired Army colonel Denton Knapp and small business owner Robyn Belinskey who both garnered below 1% in the UW poll. The poll also surveyed some of the states Democrats, a significant number of whom say theyre changing their voter registration to be able to vote for Cheney in the Republican primary. The UW poll found that of the respondents who identify as Democrats and likely voters, about half say they will vote in the Republican primary. And of those, 98 % say theyll vote for Cheney. Among likely voters in the primary who identify as independent (or unaffiliated), the candidates are much closer with 41% supporting Hageman and 43% supporting Cheney. But independents, let alone Democrats, dont make up a large portion of the electorate to move the needle for Cheney of the likely voters polled, 8% identified as Democrats and 21% identified as independents. Back-of-the-napkin math says that number could represent as many as 20,000 votes in the GOP primary from currently registered Democrats, compared to as many as 200,000-plus votes from registered Republicans, Harnisch said. It does not appear at the time of this survey the numbers are there for party switching to have a significant effect on the outcome of this race. The survey was conducted from July 25 to Aug. 6, yielding 836 responses from Wyoming residents, including 562 who identified as likely voters in the primary. Primary polls dont typically survey randomly, but instead rely on voter registration lists, a decision that the group made intentionally, said Brian Harnisch, director of WYSAC. Given the unique attention this race is receiving, and the accompanying increases in voter registration and potential party switching, we decided to field this survey to a random sample of all Wyoming residents on cellphones and landlines and work to identify likely voters in the GOP primary, Harnisch said. When looking only at residents who say they are Republican and likely voters in the primary, we actually see Hageman leading by roughly 50 points. The university poll had similar findings to a recent poll that the Star-Tribune performed with Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy in early July. The Star-Tribune poll found that Cheney trails Hageman by 22 points compared to the 29 points that the university came up with. Months earlier, a poll funded by Club for Growth, a national conservative political action committee (PAC) that has been in the business of unseating Cheney for over a year, found that Hageman leads Cheney by 30 points. When asked, 56% of participants said they would vote for Hageman if the election were held today, as opposed to 26% for Cheney and 12% for state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Burns. Six percent were undecided. The poll was conducted from May 24-25, a couple days before Trumps visit to Casper to rally support for Hageman. Club for Growth has so far spent nearly $60,000 in Cheney opposition efforts. In past elections, Cheney has handily beat her primary opponent. And given that Wyoming is one of the nations most conservative states, the Republican House nominee often coasts to victory in the general election. But the Wyoming Republican Party has turned on Cheney, censuring her soon after Trumps impeachment and voting last fall to no longer recognize her as a member of the GOP. Both the Hageman and Bouchard campaigns declined to comment, but the Cheney campaign pointed the Star-Tribune to the congresswomans closing campaign message, which she released Thursday. STURGIS Four crashes, two involving injuries, brought the total to 16 this year for the Sturgis Police Department and Meade County Sheriff. However, the South Dakota Highway Patrol reports three fatal wrecks, so far. The latest fatality occurred Tuesday morning on State Highway 44 near mile marker 88. Three motorcycles were involved. One person died as a result of the crash. The incident remains under investigation. At about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, two miles west of Summerset, an eastbound motorcycle traveling on Interstate 90 swerved to miss an eastbound SUV which was ahead of it, according to South Dakota Highway Patrol spokesperson Tony Mangan. The motorcycle hit the SUV and the driver was thrown from the motorcycle. An eastbound motorcycle hit the first motorcycle laying in the roadway. The 51-year-old male driver was thrown from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet, according to a press release. Another fatality accident occurred at approximately 10:57 a.m. Saturday on South Dakota Highway 34, near mile marker 157. Sturgis police seem to be getting a handle on the issue of illegal parking at the 82nd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Sturgis Police Department numbers compiled as of 6 a.m. Tuesday showed just five citations written on Monday, after 35 citations were issued Sunday, bringing the total issued to 95 for the first four days of the rally. Police made six DUI arrests Monday, bringing the four-day total to 32, compared to 31 last year. Most other traffic citation numbers were on par with last year or down slightly. Six misdemeanor drug or paraphernalia arrests Monday made a total of 33 so far, up just one from last year. For Sturgis police and the Meade County Sheriffs Office, overall calls for service (708) are about half of 2021s total of 1,411 calls after four days. The Meade County Jails inmate population dropped slightly, with 89 prisoners booked as of 6 a.m. Tuesday. Deputies have responded to fewer calls for service (359) this year compared to 2021 (399). Deputies have made nine misdemeanor drug arrests this year, identical to the same period last year. Six felony drug arrests show a decrease from 10 arrests tallied last year. Twenty-one people have been arrested for DUI, compared to 25 last year. Deputies have responded to a total of 11 accidents, eight involving injuries. 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. A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy is in critical condition at the Port of Spain General Hospital after bei BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The release of a white paper on Taiwan question and China's reunification is of great significance, Taiwan studies experts said. The white paper, titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," was released by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office on Wednesday. Wu Yongping, head of the Institute of Taiwan Studies under Tsinghua University, said the white paper demonstrates the resolve of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people and their commitment to national reunification. Experts said that the trend toward a closer bond between people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits will not be intimidated or obstructed by the Democratic Progressive Party authorities. They said the release of the white paper further serves to shape the trend of fighting against "Taiwan independence" and advancing national reunification, and demonstrates the irresistible historical trend of national reunification. According to the white paper, after reunification, foreign countries can continue to develop economic and cultural relations with Taiwan. With the approval of the central government of China, they may set up consulates or other official and quasi-official institutions in Taiwan, international organizations and agencies may establish offices, relevant international conventions can be applied, and relevant international conferences can be held there. Wang Yingjin, director of the cross-Straits relations research center of the Renmin University of China, said the white paper has provided details on what is envisioned for Taiwan's external exchanges after reunification. This demonstrates good will, he said. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close OMAHA, Neb. (AP) The director of the FBI had strong words Wednesday for supporters of former President Donald Trump who have been using violent rhetoric in the wake of his agency's search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. Christopher Wray, who was appointed as the agencys director in 2017 by Trump, called threats circulating online against federal agents and the Justice Department deplorable and dangerous. Im always concerned about threats to law enforcement, Wray said. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with. Wray made the remarks following a news conference during a long-planned visit to the agencys field office in Omaha, Nebraska, where he discussed the FBI's focus on cybersecurity. He declined to answer questions about the hours-long search Monday by FBI agents of Trump's Palm Beach, Florida resort. It has been easy to find the threats and a call to arms in those corners of the internet favored by right-wing extremists since Trump himself announced the search of his Florida home. Reactions included the ubiquitous Lock and load and calls for federal agents and even U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to be assassinated. On Gab a social media site popular with white supremacists and antisemites one poster going by the name of Stephen said he was awaiting the call to mount an armed revolution. All it takes is one call. And millions will arm up and take back this country. It will be over in less than 2 weeks, the post said. Another Gab poster implored others: Lets get this started! This unelected, illegitimate regime crossed the line with their GESTAPO raid! It is long past time the lib socialist filth were cleansed from American society!" The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: In 1789, American citizens celebrated the ballot-box tally for our first elected leader, George Washington. Eleven score and 10-plus years have passed since that defining moment when voters (albeit, white male landowners) chose the person they respected as the consummate leader best able to hold the reins of the dynamic, democratic experiment unfolding before their eyes. Looking back, what criteria were critically important for those very first citizens to vote for POTUS 1 (President of the United States). Luckily, one only has to read Mason Locke (Parson) Weems 1809 biography The Life of Washington to get a sense of the nations zeitgeist at the time. Weems made it abundantly clear that Georges elders knew that being truthful and having integrity were vital qualities for a boy to embody and foster into adulthood in order to marshal mutual peer reverence and respect. Cut to 2020. POTUS 45 lost his re-election bid to President Biden. During his first term, Trump spewed on average 15 gross exaggerations every day now well over 30,000 lies in total. At the time, should we the citizens of our democratic republic have continued to look the other way despite our constant disgust and shock of the indecent actions coming from the Oval Office? Should our elected leaders be allowed to openly and directly lie to the American people? Should we have laws against such actions? Lets step back and ask what would George Washington think? If you read Weems, one gets the sense that POTUS 1 would probably call POTUS 45 the most shameful, buffle-headed person (a slang word popular in the late 1700s that meant idiot.) to hold office. Trumps habitual lying is the main argument to profess his actions as being tantamount to sedition, especially now after learning of Trumps refusal to stop his planned insurrection. Trumps daily intentional lying and volley of threats to the American people are juvenile, despicable, and grandiloquent nonsense not to mention a window into Trumps dark-triad soul. For the first time in our brief history, descriptions like habitual liar, racist, misogynist, and bigot regularly accompany the descriptive narrative of our nations highest officer. At what point will Congress stand with We The People and hold POTUS 45 accountable for his habitual lying and divisive verbiage? Simply put, President Trump has failed the POTUS 1 litmus test: Trump cannot open his mouth without lying and spreading fear and hate like a tyrant, hence, he cannot be trusted to hold any public office. After 230 years of growing pains, our democratic experiment struggles once again, but this time it is Lincolns worst fear that comes to fruition partisan politics suffocating our governance from the inside out. Trumps daily trolling for accolades is unrelenting. Here in 2022, Trump continues to cry out his big lie about a stolen election. The division Trump verbally stitches into our nations multicultural fabric is leading to a stroppy end of our three separate but equal governing bodies. America teeters on the edge of a major political, civil, and moral paradigm shift because of Trump. Here is where the rubber hits the road locally. His big lie has hoodwinked Arizonas Goldwater Republicans. Now, he demands everyone take a loyalty oath to his person not the Constitution. As a veteran, I will never forget him calling Sen. John McCain a loser for being a POW. Now, gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake has swallowed Trumps Kool-Aid and vociferously spreads his corrosive nonsense in order to get herself elected. Voting is the sharpest instrument in our countrys democratic toolshed the only tool designed to excise retrograde partisan pestilence. If they move forward, their divisive posture sadistically promotes an unobstructed lane for those willing to hate. The clock ticks. Actions are necessary. We the people need to stand unified in defiance to their lies, their hate, their immorality, and their desire to end our democratic experiment. Owasson JJ Willis is enjoying newfound success in his early moviemaking career. Willis, a 19-year-old sophomore studying creative media production at the University of Oklahoma, wrote and directed a new short film that premiered on YouTube this month. A place where magic happens: Cherokee Nation celebrates opening of Owasso film studio Cherokee Nation's Owasso film studio, which hosted a dedication ceremony on Friday, is bringing the glitz and glamor of Hollywood to Oklahoma. The 2021 Owasso High School graduate released Textbook on Friday, Aug. 5, and held a private screening with close friends and family the day prior. It was a fun process, said Willis, who devoted the last year to working on the project. Now that its finally out, published and done, its very exciting; Im ready for people to see it. The 12-minute, coming-of-age film depicts a day in the life of a college student struggling to fit in and find a sense of purpose. The movie gets its title from the protagonists efforts to ascribe a textbook definition to his ambiguous life journey. Its semi-autobiographical, Willis said. Its just about the interactions that he has throughout the day, the opportunities for connection with other people and the ways he either fails or succeeds at grasping onto those possibilities. Willis wrote the screenplay last October, and used his own journal entries he penned during his freshman year as fodder for the main characters internal monologue throughout the film. Moving down to Norman, I found that I was a lot more introverted, and I was struggling to interact with people in the way that I had back home, he said. It relates to me in the sense that I was really just pouring those thoughts out onto the page it really is all of what I was feeling. Willis teamed up with several of his fellow creative media classmates to shoot Textbook, and also spearheaded a new production company, Second Season Productions, to help propel the creative process. He and his crew pooled their resources and equipment over the 10-month timeframe, and filmed mainly at Normans Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, along with other local sites like Mid Del Taco in Del City. Whats more, Williss time spent producing and acting in various high school projects backed by the OHS Theatre Department and the Owasso Community Theatre Company served as further inspiration to a quality production. Every costume piece and every shot and every movement of the camera I wanted to be very deliberate, Willis said. Each word was pretty specifically placed, and each prop each color was made the way that it was to convey a specific emotion or to symbolize a specific feeling. Since its release, Textbook has garnered over 90 likes and nearly 1,900 views a pair of numbers that Willis hopes will continue to grow as the films underlying meaning spreads to others. The problems that I was going through when I wrote Textbook were very much alleviated through the process of making Textbook because I was struggling to make connections, and thats what (the film) is about. So I guess the message is that if you can open yourself up to be just a little bit vulnerable, even for a split second, theres a chance that not every day has to be miserable, and you can build your community from there. Willis plans to continue writing screenplays and generating content for Second Season Productions throughout his college career. He hopes his current path will lead him to make movies on a national stage. To view Textbook, visit youtube.com/watch?v=GiaJemwlyUE. For the second time in less than a year, the city of Sand Springs is looking to hire a new fire chief, having announced the retirement of Chief Justin Hall on Thursday afternoon. Hall, who will retire from the Sand Springs Fire Department at the end of August, said he has accepted a job in the private sector, but he declined to be specific. Leaving is bittersweet, he said Thursday afternoon. Ive had a long tenure in the fire service, but through that time, Im thankful that Im able to have a retirement through the firefighters pension system. Hall said the decision to leave wasnt easy, but after much thought and prayer, it was one that I decided I needed to pursue. It has been a pleasure working for the city of Sand Springs and the citizens of Sand Springs, he said. I have nothing but great things to say and be thankful for the opportunity to serve here. Im looking forward to this next chapter of my life. City Manager Mike Carter said Hall will be missed, and I wish to extend my gratitude to him for the excellent work he has performed. Justin is universally liked due to his caring and professional demeanor, and we wish him well wherever his future endeavors take him. Deputy Fire Chief Jeremy Wade will serve as the interim fire chief, Carter said, adding that the city most likely will search both internally and externally for a permanent fire chief. We have the time to do so with Deputy Chief Wade acting as interim, he said. I have full confidence in him. Carter said he expects the search and hiring process for the citys next fire chief to take three to six months. Hall also has been the citys emergency management director, a post that will be held on an interim basis by Police Chief John Mars, according to Carter. He said the emergency management director position is likely to remain an internal position within the Police or Fire department. Hall was named the Fire Departments interim chief last Sept. 1 when then-Chief Mike Wood retired and was named chief outright about six weeks later in mid-October. He began in the fire service in 1995 as a volunteer firefighter in Catoosa. In 2001, he became a paid firefighter for the Catoosa Fire Department. In 2005, he joined the Sand Springs Fire Department, where he served as both vice president and president of the local International Association of Fire Fighters. He was named deputy chief in 2011. Hall holds an associate of arts degree from Rogers State University and an associate of science degree in fire and emergency services from Tulsa Community College. He said in October that he was working toward a bachelors degree in fire administration from Columbia Southern University. He said Thursday that he no longer plans to complete that degree as it is not relevant to his plans now. Hall said when he was hired as chief that one of his most immediate tasks would be work on the hiring process for the Fire Department, which oversees a roughly 68-square-mile area. There are lots of fire departments that are hiring. There have been many retirements recently. And its very competitive, he said then. We have to find unique ways to get candidates to look at Sand Springs. Were getting quality candidates, but its a challenge in getting people to apply, Hall said Thursday. Its a lot different job than it was 50 years ago. Now we do a lot more than firefighting, he said, ticking off hazardous materials, rescue and medical emergencies as among the calls to which the Fire Department also responds. Carter called it a sign of the times that the city is facing a new chief search so soon after the last one. Government is continually in competition with the private sector for the top performers, and especially so now with the unemployment figures where they are at, he said. WINDHOEK, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Wednesday launched a tourism digital marketing campaign to rebuild consumer confidence and drive travel recovery post-COVID. The global tourism space is a fiercely competitive market, as most destinations have experienced the impact of COVID-19 and are now seeking their share of the same global travel market, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta said at the launch event in Windhoek, the capital. "The tourism industry desires to be at the very edge of innovation leadership in digital travel technology, as the industry rethinks and reimagines travel and destination marketing in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution," he said. Shifeta said the application of technology is opening up a direct artery between markets, trade partners, and influencers in the consumer circles and the media, changing the way that tourists interact with destinations and with each other. "Namibia as a tourism destination is competing with the rest of the world; online presence is regarded as tourism infrastructure," Shifeta said, adding that just as websites are essential, social media presence is a must and for Namibia to be properly represented online, the industry should be empowered and encouraged to engage more online to create a powerful tourism profile of the country. "Most notably, these include its cost-effectiveness and attraction to all groupings and demographics - niche and mass markets, business and leisure travel, men and women of all age groups," he said. "Without a doubt, going forward you want to lead from the front in applying adaptable technology to market our destination and create a better experience for our visitors." According to Shifeta, restoring air connectivity remains a key priority for Namibia's tourism recovery agenda as connectivity is critical for the success of inbound tourism. As part of the digital campaign, the ministry has produced a video that culminates with beautiful footage of the country, which will be uploaded on the Namibia Tourism Board website. "Namibia Tourism Board is positioning a clear and concise message to the new conscientious traveler, one that appeals to both self-growth, as well as the impact on the world around us to re-connect and rediscover responsibly, whilst giving you the space to grow," Shifeta concluded. CLAREMORE The 2nd Congressional District Republican runoff may boil down to who has the longer coattails, former President Donald Trump or the late U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn. That was the upshot of a debate recorded Wednesday at RSU-TV in Claremore. During the 50-minute back-and-forth, state Rep. Avery Frix repeated his claim to be the America First candidate who will stick to President Trumps agenda, while doing his best to saddle former state Sen. Josh Brecheen as the anti-Trump candidate because of his biggest financial backer. Brecheen, a former Coburn staffer, did not invoke his old bosss name as often as Frix did Trumps, but he frequently recited lines that sounded as if they came from Coburns old stump speeches. Although less direct, Brecheens answer to a lot of questions boiled down to no. Regardless of the questions posed by Tulsa World Editorials Editor Ginnie Graham and retired Muskogee Phoenix reporter DeWayne Smoot, answers almost always seemed to come back around to Trump and the Club for Growth, an arch-conservative organization that helped elect Coburn to the Senate and is connected to a political action committee that has put at least $1.8 million into helping Brecheen. All of that has come from one donor, Pennsylvania futures trader Jeff Yass. The subtle smear is that Im a never-Trumper, which is absolutely false, said Brecheen. I voted for him. I supported him. Because a particular organization likes me and they may have an issue (with Trump) on a policy position doesnt mean I am not in support of what President Trump stood for and the policies he had. Frix invited viewers to look up the Club for Growth, which has had a tumultuous relationship with Trump over the years. It initially opposed him, then supported him, then riled him up by supporting candidates other than those he endorsed in Republican primaries this year. Frix also claimed that Yass is not a Republican. Asked why they chose to emulate Trump, given his penchant for inaccurate statements and in some cases outright lies, Frix said he did not accept the premise. The only person I try to emulate is Jesus, said Brecheen. Like Coburn, Brecheen outlined a belief in drastically scaled down federal government except when it comes to building a wall on the border with Mexico, which he said must be done more or less regardless of the cost. Asked how he would pay for such a wall, Brecheen said from government waste. Besides staunchly supporting whatever Trump puts forward, Frix said his priorities include veterans, the wall, and the oil and gas industry. Asked about a possible federal ban on contraception and same-sex marriage, both candidates ignored the first part of the question but said they favor a national abortion ban as well as a ban on same-sex marriage, which Brecheen seemed to equate with evil. The debate will be shown on RSU-TV at 7 p.m. Tuesday, 8 p.m. Aug. 20 and 4 p.m. Aug. 21. Featured news video: 10 years of assault-style weapons sales net $1 billion-plus Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kendra Horn has a pretty simple definition of extremism. Its the all-or-nothing mentality that disturbs me, Horn, the Democratic nominee in the special election for the unfinished term of U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, said Wednesday night at the Greenwood Cultural Center. Horn said extremism is the No. 1 issue because it is allowing some of the really dangerous ideology that divides us. It also shows up in our unwillingness to listen to each other, she said. We have to be willing to defend each other, even if we dont always agree. We have to recognize were all in this together. Horns first example of extremism is Oklahomas abortion laws, said to be the strictest in the country, and the positions of the states congressional delegation. Our polling shows a solid, solid majority of Oklahomans not only opposed the law but say they would vote against anyone who voted for it. It makes sense, then, that Horns first television ad attacks 2nd District Congressman Markwayne Mullin my probable opponent on that issue. It may be the first time a candidate for statewide office in Oklahoma has made such a strong pitch for abortion rights. Horn does not limit her critique of all-or-nothingism to Republicans or conservatives. During her term in Congress, from 2019-21, Horn was at odds with Democrats who shot down a bipartisan infrastructure bill because it did not include everything they wanted. That is extreme to me, she said. This was billions of dollars that would have gone into their communities. It disregards the needs of the community. Horn said gerrymandering is largely to blame for making politics even more of a team sport instead of public service. The large majority of congressional districts, she pointed out, are not competitive, which means members do not have to listen to political minorities. What I see in so much of dialogue today is a disrespect that comes from a lack of understanding. That lack of understanding comes from separation, Horn said. Bridging the divide is making sure we have people serving in elected office who want to make things better in all of our communities. Horn said Oklahomans are telling her theyre tired of people who just shout and yell and dont get anything done. The toughest thing, Horn said, is not the anger. Its not the finger-pointing. The toughest thing is showing people we can make a difference. Its overcoming the idea that its hopeless and youre helpless and that it doesnt matter. The power to change things is right here. <&rule> OKLAHOMA CITY A veterans organization has filed suit over Gov. Kevin Stitts new appointee to the Oklahoma Veterans Commission. In a lawsuit filed late Wednesday in Oklahoma County District Court, the Oklahoma Military Order of the Purple Heart and five of its members allege that Stitt did not follow the law in appointing Robert W. Allen Jr. to the panel. The suit alleges that the appointment must come from a list of five names submitted by the Oklahoma Military Order of the Purple Heart, which did not occur. The vacancy occurred when Stitts office notified Larry Wayne Van Schuyver, who was serving after being nominated by the group, that he was being removed from the panel that governs the seven veterans homes and hires the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. Allen was unlawfully appointed without the consent of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the organization says. The five other plaintiffs in the lawsuit who include Van Schuyver were nominated by the organization to replace Van Schuyver, according to the suit. The governing board has nine members, all appointed by the governor, and members serve at the pleasure of the governor. The governor can appoint three of the members at large. The other six seats, however, are to be represented by the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the National Guard Association of Oklahoma. The suit alleges that when a vacancy occurs in one of those six seats, Stitt is required to appoint a new member from among five nominees submitted by the organization that holds the seat in this case, the Order of the Purple Heart. While Mr. Allen is believed to be a purple heart recipient, he has not been active in any of the Oklahoma chapters of the Order of the Purple Heart, and the organization did not nominate him, the suit says. The plaintiffs want the court to declare that Allen is not qualified for the appointment. They want a declaration that the position for the Oklahoma Military Order of the Purple Heart is vacant and open for a proper appointment. Additionally, they are seeking a restraining order to prevent Allen from acting as a commissioner. Kate Vesper, a Stitt spokeswoman, did not respond to a request for comment. Last week, Van Schuyver and Paul D. Costilow sued Stitt in federal court, alleging that he removed them from the Oklahoma Veterans Affairs Commission in retribution for their support of Joel Kintsel, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs, who made a failed attempt to unseat Stitt in the Republican primary for governor. The Oklahoma Veterans Affairs Commission had given Kintsel a leave of absence to run for office. That suit alleges that Stitt violated the plaintiffs First Amendment rights. Other members who voted for Knitsels leave also have been removed from the panel. <&rule> Featured video: Veterans respond to political bickering over PACT The dearth of human resources in the hospitality industry is posing big challenges to operators of accommodation establishments in Vietnam, especially when they are expecting to welcome a large number of tourists following the COVID-19 pandemic. Four months after the countrys full reopening, more than 90 percent of accommodation establishments in Vietnam have resumed operations, Nguyen Thanh Binh, deputy head of the Hotel Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said at a seminar on Tuesday. All hotels in the country are expected to be put back into operation by the end of the year, Binh continued. In June and July, the average occupancy rate on weekends was over 55 percent and was between 25 and 50 percent on weekdays. Hotels and resorts at popular beaches reported a higher overall occupancy rate, at 70-95 percent on weekends and over 60 percent on weekdays. In famous destinations such as Ha Long, Sa Pa, Quy Nhon, and Phu Quoc, the occupancy rate of local accommodation establishments exceeded 95 percent during peak times. In contrast to the bustling activities, the workforce in the hospitality industry has declined in both quantity and quality compared to 2019, Binh stated. The main labor force at accommodation establishments is less than 400,000 people, meeting more than 70 percent of the demand if the average occupancy rate is less than 50 percent. The shortage of personnel was more serious during peak times such as holidays, Lunar New Year, and weekends. There is a serious shortage of highly qualified human resources, especially senior management positions, the official elaborated. The imbalance in human resources among regions also led to a drop in service quality in emerging destinations. The quality of hospitality personnel following the COVID-19 pandemic is low because most employees are inexperienced and not properly trained, according to Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, a senior official of Silk Path Group. There was fierce competition among hotels in the recruitment of employees and talents. The quality of accommodation establishments depends largely on the capability, attitudes, thinking, and professional skills of employees, Thuy said. The country's tourism industry is witnessing a 'great recruitment drive' as many travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, and service establishments are hunting for workers, said Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research. Businesses reported that their current workforce can only meet about 50-60 percent of the market demand, while the recruitment has been challenging because many of their old employees already secured new jobs in other sectors. Universities and colleges in the hospitality sector are also having a hard time enrolling students, Nguyen Quyet Thang, dean of the department of tourism, restaurant, and hotel management at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH). After the pandemic, many families shy away from letting their children pursue a tourism and hospitality career due to a high jobless risk, Thang added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Cambodia arrested four Vietnamese nationals for the illegal possession of narcotics last week, Cambodia's newspaper Khmer Times reported on Tuesday. The anti-drug police of Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia captured four Vietnamese for drug trafficking during a raid on August 5, including one woman and three men. All four were brought to the provincial court on Tuesday following an interrogation and investigation into the case by the provincial police force. Evidence against the Vietnamese defendants in Cambodia, August 5, 2022. Photo: Supplied The operation was conducted by the Anti-Drug Planning Special Forces of Svay Rieng, which was headed by Keo Sotha, deputy commissioner for Anti-Drug Planning. Identities of the individuals have yet been revealed by relevant forces. Police also confiscated several types of drugs, including methamphetamine, ketamine and ecstasy, weighing more than one kilogram, as well as 12 mobile phones, one laptop, US$922, VND28 million ($1,197), and 40,000 Cambodian Riel ($10). Evidence against the Vietnamese defendants in Cambodia, August 5, 2022. Photo: Supplied In the first quarter of the year, the police force of the Anti-Drug Department under the Cambodian Ministry of the Interior seized twenty times more drugs than during the same period in the previous year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! ISLAMABAD, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were killed and 10 others injured in a collision between a truck and a van on Thursday in Khairpur district of Pakistan's south Sindh province, local media reported. According to the reports, the truck hit the van in the wee hours at the Mehran National Highway, resulting in the death of three people on the spot. Rescue teams reached the site and shifted the victims to hospitals. The ill-fated van was going from Sindh's capital city Karachi to Khairpur, the reports said. Road accidents frequently happen in Pakistan, mainly due to poorly maintained vehicles, dilapidated roads and negligence of road safety measures. The Institute for Studies of Society, Economy, and Environment (iSEE), in collaboration with Vietnam-based LGBT+ rights group ICS Center, re-launched the LGBTI+ campaign Toi Dong Y (I Do) 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday in the hope of garnering social support for same-sex marriage in Vietnam. Under the theme Hon nhan khong khuon mau (Marriage without model), the campaign will host activities from August to September with the aim of boosting public support for same-sex marriage in Vietnam. The first iteration of the campaign was held in 2013 and was considered a resounding success, culminating in the abolishment of Vietnams ban on same-sex marriage in 2014 a landmark event owed, in part, to a 12,000-signature petition submitted by Toi Dong Y to Vietnams National Assembly. Vietnam neither prohibits nor recognizes same-sex marriage now. In addition to hosting discussions at ten universities across the country about gender equality, publishing the first book about same-sex marriage in Vietnam, and publishing research on the positive economic and societal effects of legalizing same-sex marriage, this years campaign aims to gather 250,000 signatures in support of same-sex marriage through the toidongy.vn website. Though same-sex marriages generally receive a great deal of attention and support from the community, homosexual couples continue to face many barriers given that their matrimony is not awarded the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual wedlock. A representative of 'Toi Dong Y' 2022 signs the event banner at the campaigns opening in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10, 2022. Photo: Vu Thuy / Tuoi Tre News Longstanding cultural norms and assumptions of what constitutes a legitimate family do give way to prejudice and discrimination. Speaking at an event hosted by Toi Dong Y, Nguyen Lang Mong, team leader of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), addressed the pressure placed on parents of homosexual children to ensure their happiness. The process of parents recognizing their child as a member of the LGBTI+ community is arduous and stressful, Mong said. There are families that take as long as ten years to embrace their childs [sexual orientation], and some never accept their child's sexuality. When an LGBTI+ child brings a partner home to meet their parents, the pressure on the parents increases due to concerns about the child's happiness and the acceptance of their sexual orientation by other relatives. Luong The Huy (left), director of iSEE Institute, and Ngo Le Phuong Linh (right), director of ICS Center, deliver a speech at the opening of 'Toi Dong Y' 2022 in Ho Chi Minh City on August 10, 2022. Photo: Vu Thuy / Tuoi Tre News Mong also pointed out that fully legalizing same-sex marriage will likely lead to a more tolerant view of LGBTI+ individuals and, therefore, more widespread acceptance by their families. Minh and Hoang, a same-sex married couple who have been living together for over ten years, shared that being unable to make an important life decision for each other due to legal restrictions is a constant source of anxiety. If my spouse needs surgery and the doctor asks a relative to sign a medical power of attorney, then I have no rights, Minh said. According to Ngo Le Phuong Linh, a representative of Toi Dong Y, homosexual spouses will continue to face numerous obstacles as long as their rights differ from those awarded to heterosexual spouses. Linh stated that these obstacles relate to legal procedures, civil status documents, real estate ownership, shared property, and legal representation for lovers and spouses. Vietnamese celebrities representing 'Toi Dong Y' 2022 deliver a speech at the campaigns opening in Ho Chi Minh City, on August 10, 2022. Photo: Vu Thuy / Tuoi Tre News For many members of the LGBTI+ community, the opportunity to marry their lifelong partner was once an inconceivable fantasy. The 2014 Marriage and Family Law was a significant milestone when, for the first time, positive signals were sent to the LGBTI+ community in Vietnam. However, to reach the true goal of equality, the LGBTI+ community needs the backing of the entire society. There is no foundation for declaring that the model family must consist of one man, one woman, and children, said Nguyen Thi Minh, a participant in the 'Toi Dong Y' 2022 campaign. This model is oppressive. "Numerous nations, including France and the United States, have already accepted same-sex marriage. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! China on Wednesday vowed zero tolerance for "separatist activities" in Taiwan and reaffirmed that it would take the self-ruled island by force if necessary. The warning from Beijing, which considers Taiwan its territory, came after days of unprecedented Chinese military drills around the island sparked by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip. Pelosi last week became the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in decades despite stark threats from China, which tries to keep Taipei isolated on the world stage. China's Taiwan Affairs Office on Wednesday issued a white paper laying out how it intends to claim the island through a range of economic incentives and military pressure. "We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification, but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form," said the white paper. China will "not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures". It added, however: "We will only be forced to take drastic measures to respond to the provocation of separatist elements or external forces should they ever cross our red lines." China last issued a white paper on Taiwan in 2000. Since the late 1990s, the island has transformed from an autocracy into a vibrant democracy, and a distinct Taiwanese identity has emerged. Relations between the two sides have significantly worsened since Tsai Ing-wen became president in 2016. Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party do not consider Taiwan to be part of China. Their platform falls under China's broad definition of Taiwanese separatism, which also includes those who advocate for the island to have an identity separate from the mainland. - Invasion fears - The Chinese white paper promised Taiwan economic prosperity as well as "greater security and dignity" after "reunification". But that offer comes in the shadow of the biggest military exercises China has conducted around the island, including training for a blockade. Story continues The drills have raised fears that China's Communist leadership could be preparing for an invasion. The exercises were initially expected to conclude on Sunday, but have continued this week with no confirmation of when they will end. China's People's Liberation Army on Wednesday released details of the exercises it conducted a day earlier around Taiwan. The PLA's Eastern Theater command said the Tuesday drills focused on establishing air dominance, releasing video and photos of jet fighters taking off and conducting manoeuvres -- including in-flight refuelling from a tanker. Taiwan has accused China of using the Pelosi visit as an excuse to rehearse for an invasion. It has conducted its own military drills to prepare for an attack on the island, and on Wednesday released footage of its air, land and sea forces responding to the Chinese exercises. The Taiwanese drills prompted another Chinese warning on Tuesday. Any conspiracy to "resist reunification through arms", said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin, "will end in failure like a mantis trying to stop a chariot". tjx/qan/cwl The Observers Since 2018, the FRANCE 24 Observers team has been sharing tips for helping you to verify images that circulate online yourself. In this guide, well explain how to avoid falling into online traps whether they involve photos or videos taken out of context or ones that have been actually doctored. Well keep updating this guide, to keep you up to date on verification tools available for public use. JAKARTA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is planning to plant 1 million dwarf coconut trees across the archipelago country, President Joko Widodo said on Thursday during a visit to Central Java province. The president, also known as Jokowi, visited two villages in the province and planted dwarf coconut trees alongside a number of officials. Jokowi said the authorities had so far planted around 200,000 dwarf coconut trees in the province. "This is just starting here. Later, we will plant them in the provinces where coconuts can grow well. The target is approximately 1 million dwarf coconuts," he told a virtual press conference. Jokowi said a dwarf coconut tree is able to produce 180 fruits in one year and they can be processed into palm sugar and cooking oil and will hence increase the income of the locals. The performances are part of a project about Vietnamese identities across borders entitled Mein Vietnam (My Viet Nam). The project is co-organised by the Goethe Institute Vietnam and the literary online magazine Zzz Review. Each play, lasting around five minutes, draws upon personal experiences and issues of cultural identity. The writers include Nhung ang from Prague, Eric Nguyen from Washington DC, Line Papin from France, and Khue Pham from Berlin. Born in 1988, Nhung ang is a performer, artist and director trained at the Theatre Faculty of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and Rose Bruford College in London. Her most significant projects question matters of identity, such as a documentary multimedia piece Oizoioi (So, Where Are You Really From?), and the interdisciplinary show Homeland. Eric Nguyen from Washington DC. Photo courtesy of Eric Nguyen The same age as Nhung ang, Eric Nguyen earned an MFA in Creative Writing from McNeese State University in Louisiana. He is the editor in chief of diaCRITICS.org. He has published a debut novel Things We Lost to the Water. Line Papin. Photo courtesy of the author Born in 1995 in Hanoi, Line Papin moved to France at the age of 10. She studied cinema and art history at the Sorbonne and at the film school La Femis. Her first book was published in 2016. Khue Pham from Berlin, Germany. Photo courtesy of Khue Pham Khue Pham, born in 1982 in Berlin, studied communication science and sociology in London. She worked as a journalist for various media outlets in English-speaking countries. Since 2010 she has been working for the well-known German weekly magazine Die Zeit. Her debut novel Wo auch immer ihr seid (Wherever You Are) made her the most important voice of the Vietnamese diaspora in Germany. The book will soon be pubilshed in English by the Scribe Publications an independent publishing house in Melbourne, Australia. Alongside four writers from abroad, five young authors from the North and the South of Vietnam also joined the project. Five young authors from the North and the South of Vietnam also joined the project 'My Viet Nam'. Photo courtesy of the Goethe Institute Vietnam Chukim (Nguyen Anh Tuan, born in 1988) a writer of short stories and poetry, has composed the short play The Ma Cung La Nha Tho (How, for Heavens Sake, Can You Call Yourself a Poet?). Filmmaker-writer Do Van Hoang (born in 1987) has written Coca, Rau Muong, Toi (Coke, Water Spinach, Garlic), while Le Khai Viet (born in 1983) completed Nha Hang Viet Nam (The Vietnamese Restaurant). Other plays are Mong Tam Sinh (The Dream of Three Lives) by writer-filmmaker Maik Cay (Nguyen Phuong Anh, born in 1988), and Can Phong (The Room) by Vu Anh Duong (born in 1985), a screenwriter, film critic and lecturer in Communication and Film Studies. All nine plays will be performed in the language of the respective writers in a non-theatre-space that will be audiovisual-recorded. Each recording will be subtitled in English, Vietnamese and German and presented on a project-landing page of the Goethe Institute. However, while the four productions from Germany, France, Czech, and the US are financially secure, the project presently requests financial support for the film production of the five Vietnamese plays. To support the project, please visit www.crowdify.net/en/project/my-vietnam. Source: Vietnam News HA NOI President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Ha Noi on Tuesday for Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army. The President expressed his hope that Hun Manets visit will significantly contribute to the success of the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022 marking the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties (June 24, 1967). Phuc congratulated Cambodian people on great, comprehensive achievements they have recorded over the past time, and noted his belief that Cambodia will gain more attainments in both home and external affairs in the time ahead, and successfully fulfill its ASEAN Chairmanship 2022 and organise its general elections in 2023. Highlighting the traditional friendship between the two neighbouring countries, the President said he hopes that the Lt. Gen., in both his current and future positions, will make more contributions to preserving and developing the good neighbourliness, traditional friendship and comprehensive, sustainable, long-term cooperation. For his part, Hun Manet also congratulated Vietnamese people on their achievements, especially in COVID-19 prevention and control, socio-economic recovery and development and the organisation of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31). He conveyed the deep gratitude of Cambodian people to the Vietnamese Party, State, army and people for their support during Cambodias struggle against the genocidal regime as well as the present cause of national construction and development. The officer also thanked Viet Nam for backing Cambodia in performing the role of ASEAN Chair 2022, suggesting the two countries strengthen their solidarity in the face of regional and international uncertainties. The two sides noted with pleasure active developments of the Viet Nam-Cambodia multi-faceted cooperation, especially joint efforts in maintaining all-level meetings at all channels and coordination in organising activities within the friendship year. They said two-way trade has maintained its growth, hitting US$6.3 billion in the first half of this year, up more than 20 per cent year-on-year. Emphasising the progress in defence cooperation an important pillar in the bilateral ties, host and guest expressed their hope that the collaboration will grow further for peace, stability, independence and self-reliance in each country. Phuc asked Hun Manet to convey his wishes and regards to King Norodom Sihamoni, Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior leaders of Cambodia. The same day, Politburo member and permanent member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV)s Central Committee Vo Van Thuong hosted a reception for the visiting Hun Manet. Hun Manet, who is also Commander of the Royal Cambodian Army, expressed his delight that the two countries are celebrating the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties with various events, including a ceremony held in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the historical journey made by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to overthrow Pol Pots genocidal regime (June 20, 1977 2022). Cambodia will forever maintain and nurture its friendship with Viet Nam and strengthen the bilateral partnership to develop amidst the complex global situation, the Cambodian official said. He informed Thuong on the outcomes of his visit to enhance cooperation between the two Parties and States, particularly between their young army officers and youths. He also thanked Viet Nam for supporting Cambodias tenure as ASEAN Chair this year and at international and regional forums. For his part, Thuong emphasised that the CPV and CPP share common roots from the Indochinese Communist Party, and expressed his pleasure at the thriving relations between the two countries, with defence cooperation as a pillar. He expected the two Parties to remain united and keep supporting each other for future progress. Viet Nam is willing to support Cambodia in promoting external affairs, he said, noting that he is confident that under the leadership of King Sihamoni and the CPP, Cambodia will continue building a prosperous and developed country. VNS Hanoi In response to impacts of storm Mulan in the Gulf of Tokin, Vietnamese airlines have adjusted operation plans of flights to and from some affected airports from August 11. Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Accordingly, Vietnam Airlines will cancel two flights between the northern port city of Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City. It will also delay flights between Hai Phong and a series of localities Buon Me Thuot, Cam Ranh, Da Lat and HCM City on August 11. Passengers on flights affected by the storm will be supported by the carrier in line with regulations and transferred to other available flights of the same itinerary if required. Bamboo Airways, meanwhile, adjusted schedules to ensure absolute safety for flights from/to the Pleiku, Da Nang, Cat Bi, Vinh, and Van Don airports on August 11. Vietjet also announced that it would adjust schedules of some flights to Hai Phong on the same day. Storm Mulan, the second to appear in the East Sea this year, is heading towards the northern coast. It is forecast to move west - northwest at about 15 - 20km per hour between 4pm on August 10 and 4am on August 11. Under the storms impact, from August 10 evening to August 12, northern localities along with Thanh Hoa and Nghe An provinces in the northern central region are predicted to experience downpours with rainfall of 100 - 200mm, even over 250mm. Havana The ASEAN Committee in Cuba (AHC) has offered condolences to the Cuban government and people over the human and assess losses caused by a massive blaze at an oil storage facility which started in Matanzas province on August 5. At the scene of the blaze on August 9 (Photo: VNA) In a message sent to Cubas official state news agency Prensa Latina, Indonesian Ambassador Nana Yuliana, also the rotating chair of the AHC, extended ASEANs deepest condolences to the bereaved families, expressing her hope that the Cuban government can quickly recover from such a tragic incident. The largest industrial disaster in the Cuban history so far has left one person dead, 14 missing and 128 injured, including seven in critical condition. The assessment of economic damage has only just begun. Vietnam, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar are ASEAN member countries having diplomatic missions in Cuba. Cuba signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) with the bloc on November 10, 2020, becoming the first Caribbean country to join this agreement. According to data from Coin98 insights, the total value of funding rounds announced last week amounted to more than $1.5 billion. Lightspeed Venture Partners, a mid-sized global venture fund, has raised its largest fund dedicated to India and Southeast Asia at $500 million. These are two areas that are attracting the attention of investors with many outstanding projects and ideas. Many entrepreneurs would prefer strategic investment rather than a boat-load of cash straight up, Chi Cuong Vietnam, which is known as one of the five leading countries and a potential market for blockchain technology development, could benefit from this shift of investment capital. The amount of capital invested in blockchain startups in Vietnam in the coming time could reach billions of dollars or more. A huge source of capital will come from Vietnamese investors because the young generation is very passionate about technology, commented Johnny McCamley, CEO of crypto asset investing consultants CryptoClear, at last months Global Blockchain Congress in Hanoi. Park Bong Kyu, chairman of the Marvels World Blockchain Summit in South Korea, also highly appreciated the potential of the Vietnamese market at the Vietnam-South Korea Cooperation Forum that took place two weeks ago. Kyu said while this industry in South Korea is shrinking, Vietnam is emerging with young businesses and many ideas. The Vietnamese blockchain industry has a stronger and more dynamic development potential than the South Korean market, he said. In the last few months, the South Korean blockchain market has given investors a bad impression when the Luna cryptocurrency of the Terraform Labs ecosystem crashed in May, causing losses of up to $40 billion for investors. Although it is estimated that the proportion of capital poured into blockchain startups may account for a third or even half of the total investment capital in startups in Vietnam in the second half of this year, in fact, projects are starting to be pickier about investors than in the previous period. Instead of choosing investors who are happy to pour money in, projects want long-term companionship with experienced and strategic investment funds that can support their sustainable development. Phan Thanh Tung, co-founder of Moon Knight Labs, the owner of blockchain game Faraland said, We care more about the quality of our products than the mobilised capital and do not expect too much from the initial capital. Mobilised capital is essentially a debt. It is difficult for businesses to be creative when carrying a pile of debt. Tung said that Moon Knight Labs so far has not needed to use seed round funding because they are still maintaining good revenue-generating activities such as advertising and selling technology. Meanwhile, the taste of investors is also gradually changing towards being stricter when choosing projects and also more cautious in investment decisions. According to CEO of HOBBIT Investment William Do, who has successfully raised nearly $10 million for the FOTA game, investors now want to be recognised for their contribution and the value they bring to the project. As a result, they have become tighter than they were during the previous boom. If you want to attract investors, you need to inspire them. If you fail to create strong emotions for them to see your project, you have failed from the very first moment of bringing the project to market, said Do. Quang Nguyen, CEO of MetaDOS, also agrees that projects need to prove they are worthy of investors trust. Nguyen has more than 10 years of experience in game development. Currently, MetaDos owns two blockchain games, including one that attracts more than 10,000 players every day. Quang confidently asserts that with a current market capitalisation of up to $15 million, they are continuing to raise enough capital to develop products. However, he and his associates aim to develop long-lasting products, focusing on user experience before finance. After the market saw a decline with many failed projects, the studios approach will be more sustainable in the future, Quang said. Opening up capital flows for local blockchain startups A more transparent system and speedy investment attraction are making blockchain-related ventures a fertile ground for startups in Vietnam. Game developers looking for long-term strategy Many Vietnamese game businesses assert that blockchain will contribute to purifying the market and steering them to more sustainable and long-term value. Blockchain industry faces talent shortage A lack of human resources in the booming blockchain industry is one of the biggest problems in developing blockchain projects in the country. Passion is available to turn Vietnam into blockchain hub Even if traditional entrepreneurs have a fantastic business idea, typical fundraising processes require significantly more effort, time, and money. William Do, CEO of HOBBIT Investment, explained to VIRs Hoang Dan why fundraising in crypto may offer an alternative that is best suited for blockchain-related projects. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia has inaugurated the Upper Mekong Aquatic Animal Production and Research Center in northeastern Stung Treng province, said a news release from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on Thursday. The 1.75-million-U.S.-dollar center, funded by a World Bank loan and a contribution from the government, was developed on a parcel of 10 hectares in Sesan district, the news release said, adding that the construction of the center started in October 2020 and was completed in September 2021. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon said the center is essential to develop aquaculture in the northeastern part of the country. He added that the center will play an important role in ensuring food security through fish farming and aquaculture to supply local and export markets. "The center will play a role in the production and promotion of aquatic species and it will be a venue for training breeding and raising techniques and conserving aquatic species," Sakhon said. "It will also improve the efficiency of the management of fishery resources in the upper Mekong River." World Bank country manager for Cambodia Maryam Salim said the center is the first regional research and hatchery center for Cambodia based in the upper Mekong province. "The center will produce 3 million fingerlings a year and provide better services to fish farmers," she said at the event. "In addition, the center will also become an important research and innovation hub for local and international researchers on the high value fish species." Poum Sotha, director-general of the Fisheries Administration, said the center has 24 ponds, including one large water storage pond, 12 young fry ponds, four ponds for fattening fish, six for breeding and one for wastewater treatment. There are also facilities for administration, research and laboratory, aquaculture, training, and fish breeding, hatchery and rearing, he said. On August 1, Nguyen Manh Hung, Minister of Information and Communications, received Ng Boon Heong, CEO of Temasek Foundation, a Singapore-based non-profit organisation, who sought for more business opportunities in the country. Digital business lines developing well. Source: freepik.com Temasek has strong expertise in innovation, climate change, education, and healthcare, and wishes to cooperate with Vietnam on green development and digital transformation in the upcoming years. Likewise, service provider NCS, a member company of Singtel Group, is going to develop a strategic technology centre in Vietnam as a way to expand in the country. This Singaporean firm visited Vietnam last week to sign a cooperation agreement with FPT Software to realise the plan. Ng Kuo Pin, CEO of NCS, told VIR, We see a lot of opportunities for digitalisation in the country. NCS is looking for partners to help enlarge our global talent pool of IT resources around the world. Digital talent is a very important topic for NCS and companies in our space because people are really the most important factor in our success. We believe that to be successful, we need to form strategic partnerships with different companies. Similarly, US tech giant Amazon Web Services is going to expand with a new local zone in Hanoi to boost its presence in the country in anticipation of growing local demands for cloud services. The new facility will join 16 existing ones across the US and an additional 31 worldwide. These moves are underpinning momentum for Vietnams tech industry. According to To Thi Thu Huong, deputy head of the Department of Information Technology under the Ministry of Information and Communications, the telecom industry has performed well this year thanks to contributions from IT and telecoms services. In particular, IT revenues were estimated at $72.5 billion in the first six months of 2022, up 17.8 per cent on-year. Moreover, export turnover from hardware and electronics was $57 billion, up 16.4 per cent on-year. Specifically, computer export hit $29.1 billion - up 21.8 per cent, and mobile phone export rose 11.2 per cent to $27.9 billion. The improvements are attributed to growing contributions from an increasing number of Vietnamese digital technology businesses, which jumped to 67,300 in the span from only 3,422 in December 2021. Huong added that Vietnamese-made products contributed nearly 27 per cent of IT revenues, or $19.4 billion. Better performance of the countrys biggest telecom conglomerates also added value to the local industry. They are strongly developing their digital business lines at home and partnering with more international groups to venture future into the international market. FPT, one of the biggest brands in the local IT industry, recorded revenues of $861.7 million and a before-tax profit of $157.82 million between January and June, up 22.2 and 23.9 per cent on-year respectively. The double-digit growth mainly came from increased demand in the technology segment, especially digital transformation services and growth in the profit margins of the telecommunications segment. Specifically, the technology sector (including domestic and global IT services) continues to play a key role, contributing 57 per cent of revenue and 45 per cent of the pre-tax profit of FPT Corporation. Similarly, Viettels profits rose nearly 20 per cent on-year. Elsewhere, Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group made a consolidated profit of $136.95 million, up 17 per cent on-year. The industrys good results are also attributed to the amendment of industry regulations that increases facilitation for players. The Authority of Radio Frequency Management built the draft amendments to the Law on Radio Frequencies, while it is also working on the rules on a band auction for international mobile communications, among others. It plans to launch the auction in July next year and complete it by the end of 2023. The authority proposed in February that the Ministry of Finance issue Circular No.11/2022/TT-BTC regulating collection, management, and use of a license fee for radio frequency use. Nguyen Phong Nha, deputy head of the Vietnam Telecommunications Authority, added that the National Assembly adopted an amendment to the Law on Telecommunications and added it to the countrys legislation plan for 2023. Vietnams digital technology industry, which has a market scale of over $150 billion, is expected to be increasingly attractive to international tech firms in the months to come. According to Alain Cany, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, the government here is currently trying to promote high-tech, sustainable growth over the low-skilled manufacturing that initially attracted investors to the country. Vietnams growth plans are also in line with the European Green Deal, resulting in increased interest. With all parties working toward the same goals, there is substantial potential for future economic cooperation between Vietnam and European companies, he told VIR. The path for digital business in Vietnam Digital transformation is taking place across industries in Vietnam, with more enterprises succeeding in this journey. Truong Gia Binh, chairman of FPT Corporation and president of the Vietnam Software and IT Services Association, talked to VIRs Bich Thuy about the latest trends and how the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement is accelerating the movement amid stiffening competition. Vietnam seeks to strongly develop digital business Policymakers, businesses, and experts on December 11 gathered at the National Forum for Development of Digital Technology Businesses 2021 to discuss solutions that will enable digital transformation to be the driving force of economic recovery and development. On August 9, general director Pham Le Phu of National Power Corporation belonging to state-owned power authority Electricity of Vietnam (EVNNPT) had a working session with Chairman of Dong Nai Peoples Committee Cao Tien Dung to discuss measures aiming at clearing the hurdles related to site clearance and compensation that power transmission projects in the province are facing. Joining the EVNNPTs working group were Nguyen Ngoc Tan, board member of EVNNPT, Truong Huu Thanh, EVNNPTs deputy general director and director of the Southern Power Project Management Board (SPMB); and leaders of EVNNPTs functional departments. From the part of Dong Nai Peoples Committee, representatives from different management agencies like the Department of Finance, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and other related locations took part in the working session. Leaders of Dong Nai People's Committee and EVNNPT joining the working session According to Thanh, to meet Dong Nais burgeoning power demand for socioeconomic development, the power sector is injecting about $652 million into expediting a raft of transmission projects in the province, four of them are urgent for completion right in 2022. Of these urgent ones, the first involves building a 16.4km long 500kV Long Thanh-Song May transmission line which is slated for completion to connect to the power grid in September. The project covers Trang Bom and Long Thanh districts in which 11 households in Long Thanh districts are impeding the projects progress despite having received compensation. To satisfy the power demand for Dong Nai in the forthcoming time, EVNNPT is exercising site clearance and compensation for a string of other projects to facilitate a suitable implementation pace. The second project is on building a 500kV Long Thanh transformer station and associated connection lines. The project is slated for completion in September. Site clearance has so far been completed. The third project involves building a 220kV Tam Phuoc transformer station which is slated for completion in November. As of now, Bien Hoa City Peoples Committee just greenlit compensation plans for two out of 18 households. The third project aims to build a 13.67km long 220kV power transmission line crossing Bien Hoa city and Trang Bom district. The project is scheduled for completion in November, yet facing many roadblocks related to the foundation position and associated corridor in both localities. To satisfy power demand for Dong Nai in the forthcoming time, EVNNPT is exercising site clearance and compensation for a string of other projects to facilitate a suitable implementation pace. The projects include building a 220kV Dinh Quan transformer station, a 220kV transformer station at Nhon Trach industrial park and an associated connection line, a 500kV power transmission line connecting Nhon Trach 4 power plant Phu My-Nha Be, and others. In addition, EVNNPT engages in investment preparations for a number of other projects in the province, such on building a 500kV Bac Chau Doc transformer station and connection line and a 500kV Dong Nai 2 transformer station and connection line, among others. Drastic measures EVNNPT's general director Pham Le Phu presented the proposals at the working session At the working session, Pham Le Phu, EVNNPTs general director, noted that as power transmission projects aim to ensure national power security, EVNNPT wanted Dong Nais management authorities to place such projects on the list of the provinces key projects which would receive due attention to facilitate site clearance work, paving the way for the projects to reach completion on time. The drastic efforts must gear towards soon completing the handover of the 500kV Long Thanh-Song May transmission line and connecting lines to the 500kV Long Thanh transformer station. For the projects related to the 220kV Tam Phuoc transformer station and 220kV Song May-Tam Phuoc transmission line, the handover must be completed in September. With respect to the 220kV transformer station which has completed in June, the road heading to the station has yet to be completed. EVNNPT asked Dong Nai Peoples Committee to urge relevant competent agencies to focus on tackling impediments to the projects operation. The 500kV Long Thanh-Song May transmission line For the projects in the investment preparation phase, EVNNPT leaders proposed Dong Nais relevant departments soon approve transformer station site plans and the direction of associated connection lines, laying the foundation for the provincial leaders to greenlight project implementation. 500 kV transmission line Vung Ang-Quang Trach-Doc Soi-Pleiku 2 officially energises Energising the third circuit of the 500kV transmission line Vung Ang-Quang Trach-Doc Soi-Pleiku 2 will contribute to undertaking electricity supply and energy security for the South and releasing the power of renewable energy projects. EVN accelerates 500kV Van Phong-Vinh Tan transmission line Electricity of Vietnam has proposed changing the use purpose of the forest land while accelerating land clearance to develop the 500kV Van Phong-Vinh Tan transmission line project. Transmission boost to remove major power bottlenecks Structural changes to remove the bottlenecks for power generation and create competition in the energy sector are necessary, according to local experts, for example by allowing private investments in the transmission system. At the working session, Chairman Dung appreciated EVNNPT and SPMBs efforts for effective cooperation with the provinces competent agencies in removing the bottlenecks that power transmission projects in the province face in site clearance and compensation. As Dong Nai will be expediting many projects on building industrial zones and infrastructure such as those on building Long Thanh International Airport or the Nhon Trach port complex, these power transmission projects are deemed very significant to beef up development. Hanoi (VNA) - Storm Mulan weakened into a tropical depression after entering the Gulf of Tonkin on August 10 night, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Storm Mulan weakened into a tropical depression after entering the Gulf of Tonkin on August 10 night. (Photo: VNA) The tropical depression is forecast to move west-northwest on August 11, with a speed of 20km/h. The northern region and the north-central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Nghe An are expected to experience downpours on the day. In response to storm impacts, Vietnamese airlines have adjusted operation plans of flights to and from some affected airports from August 11. Accordingly, Vietnam Airlines will cancel two flights between the northern port city of Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City. It will also delay flights between Hai Phong and Buon Me Thuot, Cam Ranh, Da Lat and HCM City on August 11. Bamboo Airways, meanwhile, adjusted schedules to ensure absolute safety for flights from/to the Pleiku, Da Nang, Cat Bi, Vinh, and Van Don airports on August 11. Vietjet also announced that it will adjust schedules of some flights to Hai Phong the same day. Mulan is the second storm in Vietnamese waters this year. The first, Chaba, arrived in July. Storm Goni turns into low tropical pressure Storm Goni, the 10th of its kind to enter the East Sea this year, turned into low tropical pressure on November 5 afternoon, reported the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Tropical depression grows into storm Etau A tropical depression has strengthened into a tropical storm named Etau, the 12th in the East Sea this year, and is moving west towards the central coast of Vietnam. Storm Etau claims two lives in central region Two deaths have been reported as storm Etau, the 12th hitting the East Sea this year, swept through the central region on November 10, bringing strong wind and heavy rains, according to the standing office of the central steering committee for natural disaster control. Storm-proof home initiative transforming living conditions The recent storms causing misery in central Vietnam may have left large wounds in the lives of poor residents in the south-central province of Quang Ngai. However, many of them are able to avoid the very worst thanks to firm shelters provided through a jointly-funded special scheme. Bangkok Thai Airways International Pcl will receive key financial support from the government for its 80 billion (2.2 billion USD) capital-raising and debt-to-equity swap plan which is aimed at helping the carrier come out of bankruptcy, according to Bloomberg News. Thai Airways will receive financial support from the goverment to save the carrier from bankruptcy . (Photo: AFP/VNA) State-owned banks will lead in funding new loans, converting debt and injecting equity capital into Thai Airways as part of a revised revamp plan the airline gave the court for approval last month, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith was quoted as saying in an interview with Bloomberg News on August 8. He noted that the ministry and other agencies will continue to maintain a combined stake of at least 40%, but the proportion will not exceed 50% to induce the carrier to stay competitive. The carrier's debt restructuring plan, which is under court supervision, is expected to be completed in 2024. Previously, it filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020, due to accumulated losses from 2013. However, the recent recovery of global air travel has helped Thai Airways' boost its cash flow and reduce loans. The improving finances and capital-raising plan will accelerate the resumption of trading in the airlines shares, which were suspended in May, the official said, adding that the previous timeline for trading to begin again was in 2025. Bangkok Thailand will import over 10,500 tonnes of sea shrimps this year to ease a shortage at processing plants under a decision made on August 8 at the first meeting of the shrimp board with 21 members representing the Government as well as shrimp farmers and processors. Head of the Thai Fisheries Department Chalermchai Suwannarak (Photo: Voice-TV) Head of the Fisheries Department Chalermchai Suwannarak said since domestic production failed to meet demand from processors for export, the board decided to allow the import of 10,501 tonnes of shrimp from Ecuador and India this year. About 42 tonnes of shrimp have been imported since the department approved shipments on June 10. The board has targeted domestic production of 320,000 tonnes of white shrimp this year, rising to 400,000 tonnes next year. This year, Thailand had produced 138,733 tonnes of shrimp up to the end of July, including 129,100 tonnes of Pacific white shrimp and 9,632 tonnes of black tiger prawns, Chalermchai said. Thailand now has about 30,000 shrimp farms covering 96,000 ha, according to the Federation of Thai Aquaculture. However, it confirmed that production has dropped to 250,000-350,000 tonnes per year due to persistent outbreaks of early mortality syndrome (EMS). Thailand: weaker baht helps exports The weaker baht is expected to boost the Thai economy and increase real GDP of the country by 0.4 percent, but not all manufacturers will reap the benefits, according to the Industry Ministry of Thailand. Thailand calls for businesses cooperation to stabilise product prices The Thai Commerce Ministry has called for continued cooperation from manufacturers to maintain product prices as long as possible in order to curb the negative impact on consumers. Thai electronic exports forecast to grow 4.1pc in 2022 The Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) projects exports of Thai electronic products will rise by a modest 4.1pc this year from 4.22 billion USD earned in 2021. We may tell future generations about what happened Wednesday. Scattered showers threatened the drought, and southbound and northbound traffic moved freely on a 7-mile stretch of Interstate 35 between Waco and Bellmead. The occurrence on Interstate 35 means a $341 million upgrade that commenced in April 2019 nears completion, to the relief of hoteliers, real estate developers, elected officials and the traveling public. Texas Department of Transportation spokesperson Jake Smith said the I-35 project should be substantially complete when New Years Eve arrives. All northbound main lanes between North Loop 340 and South 12th Street flew open last week. They were joined Wednesday by southbound lanes. Were thrilled. Im thrilled, Waco Mayor Dillon Meek said. Were grateful to our partners, TxDOT and Webber Construction, for all their hard work in delivering the project ahead of schedule. Thanks to TxDOT for structuring an arrangement to make sure it was delivered ahead of schedule. Webber could earn up to $15 million in incentives if crews completed phases on time or earlier than projected. Initial discussions involving Webber, TxDOT and local leaders working through the Waco Metropolitan Planning Organization pictured a more than 5-year progression, meaning completion in late 2024. But Webber has steadily beat timing estimates as it rolled to this point in the project. The tally stands at 3 years, 3 months and 12 days between the projects first closures and Wednesdays clear sailing for all new main lanes. Early delivery is a benefit to the community. The main lanes opening is the first step, Meek said. Were right around the corner from completion, which is great news for the connectivity of Baylor University and downtown, and for businesses along the I-35 corridor. Things can get back to normal. Carla Pendergraft, who promotes tourism and conventions for the city of Waco, said rolling into town from nearly anywhere just got easier. Its been a little daunting, until now, for the casual impulse visitor to find their way to a downtown exit and make their way into town, she said. While theres still a lot of construction going on, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Our hoteliers and attractions are all celebrating. Economist Ray Perryman said the revised I-35, with its four main lanes in each direction and improved access, gives the city a more attractive gateway that should add to the appeal of the area. He said Waco is emerging as a destination location, and an improved I-35 should enhance its reputation. Work that we and others have done in the past shows that interstate highway development and expansion has brought annual returns on investment to the economy of approximately 35% as a result of increased efficiency and nearby development, Perryman said by email. There is every reason to believe that, given all of the favorable factors both in Waco and along the corridor between Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin, that this project will meet or exceed that threshold. Bellmead City Manager Yost Zakhary said work related to the I-35 improvements remains incomplete along Bellmead Drive. But already the city is experiencing a surge in economic development potential. Were getting more calls than weve ever had the last three or four weeks, Zakhary said. Weve had calls from commercial developers interested in projects right off the interstate, in the center anchored by H-E-B, in Eastgate, near Home Depot, and in the center where Harbor Freight has opened. I havent had anyone move in yet, but we have had calls, Zakhary said. The city also has its own project coming up, the installation of sidewalks, lighting and access points for people with disabilities between the Sams Club on East Waco Drive and Bellmead City Hall. Commercial real estate specialist Clay Fuller seconded the notion that development along Interstate 35 may rebound. I can tell you, the last couple weeks, Ive engaged with two national food chains showing interest in the former La Quinta site on Interstate 35 near the Baylor campus. Its not a coincidence that now is the time interest is picking up, with I-35 moving toward completion, Fuller said. In the meantime, Webber crews will keep plugging away. There is still work to be done, including sidewalks in a few locations, aesthetics, seeding, the northbound frontage road near University Parks Drive and some side street work, TxDOTs Smith said by email. Smith said TxDOT expects the annual daily traffic count along I-35 soon to reach the pre-construction pace of 111,000 vehicles. By 2040, TxDOT sees the daily average jumping to 184,000 vehicles. A Waco family of three died Tuesday in a fiery wreck south of Rosebud after the driver swerved out of his lane on U.S. Highway 77 and hit a tractor-trailer, authorities said. The family was driving north around 2:10 p.m. when their 2005 Toyota Corolla struck a southbound 2021 Freightliner and became engulfed in flames, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement. The wreck occurred near the unincorporated community of Burlington near the Milam-Falls County line. The driver, Raul Julian Ramos, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene of the wreck along with Abigail Marie Ramos, 24; and their 3-year-old daughter, according to the statement. For reasons unknown the Toyota crossed onto the right improved shoulder and its right side went off the edge of the roadway, DPS spokesperson Sgt. Bryan Washko said in the statement. (Raul) Ramos overcorrected to the left causing the Toyota to swerve across the northbound lane and into the path of the Freightliner. Washko described the stretch of road where the family died as a straight shot. The collision caused both vehicles to leave the west edge of the roadway and the Toyota became fully engulfed, Washkos statement reads. The crash investigation is still active and open. Unfortunately, we will never know the reason for the drivers actions, Washko said in text message Wednesday afternoon. There is nothing left of the car, or anything in it. The driver of the Freightliner, a 32-year-old man from Houston, was transported for medical care of non-incapacitating injuries, DPS officials said. Google Street View images show the crash site as a two-lane stretch of road with improved shoulders and no turn lanes or medians. Population aging is complicating retirement planning for Americans, and specifically for immigrants. As a 2017 National Academy of Science study showed, Mexican immigrants who arrive at older ages often struggle to support themselves in the United States and often consider returning home. Yet we lack a binational retirement policy that addresses those concerns. What we need are two things: 1. bilateral agreements that enable Medicare coverage in Mexico, and 2. a Social Security totalization agreement allowing Mexican workers in the United States to earn Social Security credits for work in Mexico and the United States. Such solutions would expand retirement planning options for workers with increasing life expectancies. The United States and Mexico share a border that is among the most frequently crossed in the world by migrants seeking labor. Yet, while these two nations have Social Security totalization agreements with dozens of other nations, they do not have one with each other. Simply put, a binational retirement policy would ensure retirement security for a population with limited resources that is at high risk of protracted periods of illness. It is true that work and immigration remains controversial in the United States, but at the same time, there is a growing recognition of the U.S. worker shortage and how Latin American workers can help solve it and maintain the productivity of the U.S. economy. Congress should address the needs of these populations, who will contribute to this country and who may later seek to retire elsewhere, including their native lands. In 2020, 13% of Americans age 60 and older had no retirement savings. Retirement savings are even less prevalent among younger and immigrant workers. This means that a large proportion of future retirees will depend on Social Security for most or all of their retirement income. Among Mexican retirees, a modest retirement income is more likely to support an acceptable standard of life in Mexico than in nearly any U.S. city. Our research shows that Mexican immigrants are poorer and less educated than Mexican Americans. They tend to work in jobs that may not provide access to Social Security benefits or to have legal status that prevents them from claiming Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits. Many, especially those who speak only Spanish, do not understand how Social Security programs work. The U.S. Social Security Administration is expanding outreach efforts to improve financial literacy among Hispanics. Older Mexican Americans and immigrants would especially benefit from this initiative. But an even more potent solution would be a bilateral Social Security agreement that would combine work credits from both countries, allowing individuals who do not have enough credits in either country who qualify for a pension to receive one. This would enable Mexican immigrants and returning migrants to more readily access benefits and reduce their dependence on other income safety net programs. Culturally sensitive approaches to retirement policy and planning such as these will become even more pressing in coming decades as Hispanics are redefining the next America. Policymakers will face difficult economic and political choices. The segment of the U.S. population that is at least 65 years of age will become more diverse in coming decades, as Hispanics triple their share of the older American population. We will increasingly need to address the threats to retirement security and care across multiple cultures. Hispanics and other culturally diverse workers will become an even greater part of the U.S. labor force, particularly those serving the needs of a growing older population, and they will need options for their own retirement. Retirement policies reflecting the wide experiences and backgrounds of workers and diversity in their retirement desires can help retirees achieve the independence and freedom they need to choose how, when and where they retire. WASHINGTON The year was 2016, the presidential candidate under investigation was Hillary Clinton and the FBI director at the time, James Comey, laid out the factors the Justice Department weighs in deciding whether to charge someone with mishandling classified records. Fast forward to 2022 and that tutorial proves instructive as another candidate from that election, Donald Trump, is entangled in an FBI probe related to sensitive government documents. Whether an FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence is a prelude to criminal charges is unknown. The action Monday nonetheless focuses attention on the thicket of statutes that govern the handling of government records, though the department's own history of prosecutorial discretion some high-profile investigations have ended without charges or in misdemeanor plea deals makes it hard to forecast with certainty what might happen this time. These are statutes that have historically not been enforced to the fullest extent, said University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck. A judge has ordered an Omaha man charged with second-degree murder to be held on no bail. Jordan Humphrey, 21, is accused of fatally shooting Dayton Wenz, 18, on Saturday night near 34th and Davenport streets. Police were called to the area about 11 p.m. Saturday to investigate a report of gunshots. Officers found Wenz suffering from gunshot wounds. Wenz, a 2022 graduate of Omaha Central High School, was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, where he died. Prosecutor Eric Fabian from the Douglas County Attorneys Office said in court Tuesday that Wenz and Humphrey had met up so that Wenz could buy Xanax from Humphrey. Wenz reportedly grabbed the bag of Xanax that Humphrey was holding and ran off. Fabian said two people who were with Humphrey, Schuyler Buckingham-Yeoman, 18, and Alicia Granneman, 19, followed Wenz, yelling out his location to Humphrey. Humphrey eventually caught up with Wenz and fired a gun at him seven times, Fabian said. Buckingham-Yeoman is accused of hiding the gun Humphrey is alleged to have used in his basement. He also is accused of hiding the getaway car in his garage. Granneman is accused of helping hide the car. Douglas County Judge Thomas Harmon ordered that Buckingham-Yeoman and Granneman each be held on $500,000 bail, meaning each of them would have to put up 10%, or $50,000, to be released. Humphrey also has been charged with use of a weapon to commit a felony, possession of a defaced firearm, tampering with evidence and two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute. At a vigil Tuesday afternoon near the spot Wenz was killed, dozens of family, friends and well-wishers described Wenz as kind, funny and someone who kids looked up to before his life was derailed by drug addiction. He was my shining star, said Wenzs mother, Sarah. Hes already very missed. The slaying was the 13th homicide recorded this year in Omaha. That compares with 23 homicides at this time in 2021 and 25 in 2020. World-Herald staff writer Dan Crisler contributed to this report. FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Five persons including two security personnel were wounded in a bomb blast that rocked Faizabad, capital of Afghanistan's northern Badakhshan province on Wednesday, provincial head of information and culture department Maazudin Ahmadi said Thursday. The blast took place at 08:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday in Police District 4 of the city, injuring five persons. Police have arrested one person believed to be involved in the incident, the official said. This is the first blast reported in the peaceful Badakhshan province over the past several months and no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast. (COLUMBUS, OHIO August 11, 2022) The non-profit Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame and Learning Center (OAS) has received a $275,000 grant from the City of Columbus toward the renovation of the historic original Port Columbus terminal into its new home and for aviation-themed youth education programming designed to enhance workforce development in the aerospace and technology sectors. The original terminal and tower, a 13,000 square-foot Art Deco style structure on the corner of East Fifth Avenue and Hamilton Road, was built in 1929. It served as the terminal and control tower for Port Columbus, now John Glenn International Airport, until 1958, when a modern terminal took over operations on the other side of the airport property. The terminal was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. After being leased from the airport and converted to business offices in 1984, it sat vacant after the last tenants moved out in the early 1990s. Seeking to preserve the terminal, a local group raised funds to stabilize the building and install a new roof in 2016. In 2018, the OAS secured a State of Ohio grant of $550,000 toward renovation costs and signed a long-term lease on the property with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. An OAS two-phase campaign remains underway to raise the approximately $4 million total required to convert the vacant structure into a civic showpiece that will feature a public exhibit hall, state-of-the-art education center, observation deck, and event space. OAS has received numerous grants and donations since its inception and announced in January that Columbus-based NetJets and Flight Safety International each sponsored parts of the project and agreed to partner on workforce development initiatives. Additionally, OAS has a Memorandum of Understanding with The Ohio State Universitys Center for Aviation Studies to co-develop AvSTEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum for high school students and collaborate on public education outreach programs across the state. OAS officials expect to similarly engage the engineering and aeronautics departments of other Ohio universities and community colleges in the coming months. The OAS Board of Trustees, our generous supporters, and I want to thank the Mayor and Columbus City Council for this significant and most timely support, said OAS Executive Director, Ron Kaplan. We are dedicated to transforming this historic, grand landmark to honor our city and states rich aviation heritage and to ensure that our AvSTEAM focus vitally impacts the Strong Neighborhoods, Good-Paying Jobs, and Pathways Out of Poverty initiatives of the Mayor and City Council. Columbus is a growing city that has become more attractive to visitors and new residents globally because of our vast resources and rich history, said Columbus City Councilmember Emmanuel V. Remy. Renovating the 1929 Port Columbus Air Terminal restores a valuable piece of our history while also bringing The Ohio Air and Space Hall of Fame and Learning Center to the great city of Columbus. This will be an invaluable asset that will inspire young minds and remind the rest of us of our accomplishments as a nation. OAS officials anticipate Phase One renovations will begin in early 2023. For more information visit www.OhioAirandSpace.org or call (937) 212-8847. About The Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame and Learning Center: The Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame and Learning Center (OAS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to permanently preserving the inspiring legacies of this states outstanding pioneers of flight, prominently heralding their achievements both as a point of pride and to foster continued innovation and a skilled workforce. The OAS will additionally educate the public about the rich history of Ohios aviation and aerospace industries, and its airports, including that of the OAS future home in the soon-to-be-renovated original Port Columbus Air Terminal, located at John Glenn International Airport (CMH) in Columbus, Ohio. From an original article published on The National Waco Clubs website. The National Waco Club was founded in 1958 by a small group of six Waco enthusiasts who felt that they should have some type of organization to support their hobby and love of owning and flying Waco airplanes. One of the key members of this group was Raymond H. Brandly. Ray Brandly was a B-17 pilot who had come home to Dayton, Ohio after WWII and resumed flying after a 10-year hiatus at what was known as South Dayton Airport. Ray became interested in Waco airplanes when he and several others went together and purchased a 1941 Waco UPF-7 in the mid-fifties. Ray was so smitten with Wacos that he soon purchased several more. The Waco Aircraft Company in Troy, Ohio was still in business, although they were no longer building aircraft. Ray quickly became acquainted with President Clayton Bruckner and a lifetime friendship evolved. Waco had always maintained that no Waco airplane would ever have to want a spare or replacement part. Consequently, there existed a large inventory of new parts for practically every model of Waco airplane that had been built. It was decided that the handling of these parts for purposes of sale to customers, would not justify the time or expense involved. In October of 1957, Mr. Bruckner approved the sale of these parts to Ray Brandly, never suspecting a movement would soon be underway to restore the many forgotten and sadly neglected Waco airplanes that were still a common sight at many airports around the country. This brings us to the Antique Airplane Association gathering in 1958 at Ottumwa, Iowa. After a sunny day of flying and great camaraderie with the other antique airplane enthusiasts, the Waco owners got together and decided to form a club. Since Ray was the go-to man for Waco parts, he naturally was chosen to lead the club. Ray and the other owners went home and soon Ray was receiving letters and phone calls from other Waco owners across the country, simply by word of mouth. It was soon decided that the club needed a newsletter and Ray took on that responsibility as well. In addition to the newsletter, the National Waco Club became formally recognized by the Antique Airplane Association and Ray would write a monthly article for their magazine on what was happening in the world of Wacos. It was decided that in 1959, the National Waco Club would host its first gathering at the new South Dayton Airport (moved 2 miles from its old location around 1957). The first gathering was a grand event with approximately 10 Wacos attending. Over the next few years, the National Waco Club held its annual reunions at several locations, including the Waco Aircraft Company in Troy, Ohio 1963-65. The Club formally moved the National Fly-in to Hamilton, Ohio in 1970. The airport at Hamilton, Ohio was one of the oldest airports in Ohio, continuously owned and operated by the Hogan family since the late 1920s. The National Fly-in was held at this location from 1970-1988 when the county purchased the airport. During the early years, the National Waco Club allowed several other Type Clubs, namely the Beechcraft Staggerwing and Stinson Gullwing Clubs, to hold their National gatherings in conjunction with the National Waco Club. What a sight that was to see three of the finest airplanes built all together at one location. By the late 1980s we routinely had close to forty Wacos attending every gathering. The decision was made to move the National Waco Club Fly-in to Wynkoop Airport in Mt. Vernon, Ohio in 1989. Wynkoop Airport is a beautiful, all-grass airport that has been run by the Wynkoop family since the late 1940s. Owner Brian Wynkoop was more than happy to offer his airport to the National Waco Club and a friendship with the Club evolved and still continues to this day. As the years passed on and the Club grew larger and larger (over 600 members in the late 1980s), Ray felt that he needed help. In the early 1990s, Waco restorer Wayne Hayes moved to Mt. Vernon from New Jersey to set up a total Waco rebuilding facility and became part of the driving force to keep the National Fly-in at Mt. Vernon. Wayne took over the responsibility for running the Fly-in while Ray ran the Club. Unfortunately, Wayne suffered some medical setbacks and soon was unable to do all the work himself. At this point, Ray asked Pete Heins if he would help him run the National Fly-in. For two years, Pete helped Ray with the Fly-in and helped make the gathering even more successful. At the same time, brother Andy Heins and life-long Waco friend Doug Parsons came on board to help Pete. In the fall of 1996, Pete, Andy, and Doug were asked to come to Rays home for a visit and to discuss the coming years Fly-in. During the discussion, Ray again asked if they would help with the Fly-in and then asked if Andy would help with the newsletter. Within two months of the conversation, we received a call that Ray had passed away and the family wanted to know if we would consider taking over the Club completely. Since all three had grown up with Wacos, the only answer to the question was a resounding YES. Due to business obligations, Pete quickly pointed out that he could help with the Fly-in, but simply did not have the time to write a newsletter. The same went for Doug, who had obligations flying for a major airline and simply was not home enough to handle Club correspondence. That left Andy, who also worked for a Commuter airline, but had the time and ambition to handle what was needed in order to keep the Club running. It was quickly decided that Andy would run the Club and Pete and Doug would handle the Fly-in. Since that time, many things have changed. Andy continues to run the day-to-day business with the Club. Doug is now totally in charge of the National Reunion. Pete had to relinquish his role but is still an active supporter and attends every year in his 1930 Waco CRG. The newsletter went from four pages to twelve, mailed bi-monthly. Every National Reunion now has a free early-bird cookout and a free Corn Boil for all attending members. Participation awards are given to every pilot flying a Waco to the Reunion. A fund-raiser auction is held every year at the Reunion following the banquet. We now have owner-operator forums on Friday and Saturday at the Reunion on such topics as restoration, aircraft coverings, and products, engine overhauls, etc. The Club also maintains the largest collection of Waco photos in the U.S., as well as a huge collection of manuals and brochures, all available to Club members. We also maintain the largest, complete database listing of every Waco ever built (excluding Troop Gliders) from 1921-1946 with such information as models, serial numbers, registration numbers, dates built, original purchasers, and any other pertinent information available. The National Waco Club is recognized as the oldest Type Club in the United States. Membership is open to anyone with a love for Waco airplanes, be it a current owner, former owner, employee, or anyone who appreciates the beautiful airplanes built by the Waco Aircraft Company. For more information about The National Waco Club, visit www.nationalwacoclub.com From an original paper by the Virginia Department of Aviation. Tired of a traditional savings account or the stock market as a way to make money? Aviation enthusiasts have long known that classic, museum-worthy aircraft are a solid investment capable of doubling in value every 10 years. There is a multitude of reasons why collectors hone in on particular aircraft, which include that their grandfather or father flew one when serving in the military, or as a child, they were overcome by the sight and sound of a specific aircraft that just left them in awe, said Jeremy Cox, an industry expert with more than 25 years experience appraising planes. If they have the money and flying skills, their field of choice is actually growing. As an example, Cox cites the Spitfire, a British single-seat fighter aircraft most commonly associated with World War II. He estimates that there are approximately 130 Spitfires worldwide that are either airworthy or soon will be. These Spitfires are selling for between $2 million and $5.7 million. Dick Knapinski, director of communications of the Oshkosh-based Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), said, Warbirds consistently seem to be the most popular collectible aircraft, especially from the World War II erawell-restored examples of P-51 Mustangs and other fighters can fetch seven-figure prices. Cox said While the P-51 Mustang is a highly desirable warbird, they are relatively common today. However, most surviving examples have no little military history to them, having survived precisely because they hadnt been worn out through the rigors of combat. However, P-51D-20-NA Mustang 44-72364 (N723FH) is a combat veteran which served with the 8th Air Forces 353rd Fighter Group. It was assigned to Captain Harrison Bud Tordoff, who is credited with shooting down a German Me 262 jet fighter. The late Paul Allens Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum acquired this aircraft in 1998 and had it restored with a level of authenticity matching it almost exactly to the way it was back in 1945. Bought by the late Paul Allen in 2004 for US$9Million (500 to 600% above FMV). The two largest firms in the business are Platinum Fighter Sales and Courtesy Aircraft Sales, both specializing in the sale of historic, vintage, and warbird aircraft for both pilots and collectors. Platinum Fighter Sales Co-owners Simon Brown and John Rayner have brokered more than $300 million in classic aircraft and warbirds over the last 30 years. Their sales include the only surviving prototype Spitfire; a combat veteran Spitfire V; an Oshkosh Grand Champion FG-1D Corsair; and perhaps the most famous flying warbird in existence: the Oshkosh Grand Champion P-38F Glacier Girl. Brown says sales climbed 250 percent between April 2020 and December 2020, and another 300 percent between January 2021 and March 2021, and it keeps growing into 2022. Brown said, We are seeing world-record prices on almost all transactions. We cannot keep up with this pace. Its literally a feeding frenzy. While noting how some of his existing clients have been adding to their collections, Brown has seen an uptick in new customers. Many of these first-time buyers are not pilots nor have they ever owned a plane, Brown says. We recently sold a P-51 to a gentleman who said as a little boy he had seen them flying at the local Air Force base. He just wanted to go for a ride in a P-51 and admire it as a piece of art. The P-51 Mustang is one example of an in-demand plane with limited supply as there are only about 250 left of the 15,000 produced. Its virtually impossible to purchase one for less than $2 million. All of our high-net-worth individuals are saying the same thing: Collector planes are undervalued as compared to the vintage car marketwhich they are, Brown said. We have seen several sales of more than $10 million happen within the last year. Planes that are restored to the best of the best are selling for premium prices, said Brown, who notes that American fighter planes and bombers, such as the P-38 Lightning ($10 million-plus); P-47 Thunderbolt ($3 million-$6 million, depending on the version); B-17 Flying Fortress ($10 million-plus); and F6F Hellcat (likely more than $5 million if one became available), are most in demand. According to Mark Clark, owner of Courtesy Aircraft Sales, while the company continues to deal in civilian aircraft, everything from J-3s to Citations., the bread and butter of the business is warbirds. In a typical year, Courtesy will conduct 40-60 transactions, but over the years theyve sold over 3,000 aircraft, including 80+ Mustangs, some of them several times over. Their current inventory (as of this writing), includes a PT-17, PT-22, P-40, F-86, B-25, A-26, four T-6/SNJ/Harvards, and two rare Harriers, among others. Iconic aircraft like the North American P-51 series and the Supermarine Spitfire series are virtually recession- and pandemic-proof, said Cox. Or as Bloomberg simply puts it Owning a vintage bird could be more profitable than owning stock. Plus, its a plane. by Adam Estes Convairs massive B-36 Peacemaker emerged from a U.S. Army Air Forces request in early 1941 for a strategic bomber with intercontinental range. It was a requirement driven by contemporary fears that Britain might fall to a German invasion, which was not inconceivable at the time. Convairs engineers worked at an incredible pace, having the first prototype, XB-36 42-13570, ready for unveiling in August, 1945. However, it wasnt until August 8th, 1946, that the XB-36 performed its maiden flight in Fort Worth, Texas, with Convairs legendary test pilot, Beryl Erickson at the controls. Taking place at noon, the air temperature that summers day exceeded 100F, but the inside the cockpit, the aircrew had to bear conditions upwards of 140F! With the flight a success, and mass production already well under way, the newly independent U.S. Air Force received its first operational B-36 in June 1948, all of them slated for Strategic Air Command (SAC). Powered by six Pratt & Whitney R-4360 engines, the B-36 could cruise at 230 mph, however with the addition of four General Electric J47 jet engines on wing-mounted pylons, the aircraft could reach speeds of 435 mph. The jet pods, added with the introduction of the B-36D (and retrofitted to all preceding models still in service) ran on the same aviation gasoline as the piston engines. The B-36 could carry up to 87,200 pounds of nuclear or conventional weapons and had a range of up to 10,000 miles. While Peacemakers formed the bulk of SACs nuclear deterrent fleet between 1949 and 1955, there were a variety of design offshoots, with some B-36s having purpose-built, strategic reconnaissance roles. A handful of others received modifications to test the launch and retrieval of parasitic aircraft like the McDonnell XF-85 Goblin fighter or the specially-adapted RF-84F/K Thunderflash photographic reconnaissance jets. One example, NB-36H 51-5712, even carried an operational nuclear reactor aboard, with the aim of proving whether such a device could power the bomber in flight. While this aircraft never did propel itself with nuclear power, the design team were able to demonstrate that the crew would not receive excessive radioactive exposure from the reactor in normal flight conditions. In all, Convair built 384 B-36s by the time production ceased in August 1954. Despite massive expenditures on the program, the aircraft was arguably obsolete by the time it entered service. It was too slow to evade contemporary enemy jet fighters, such as the MiG-15, and lacked any aerial refueling capability. However, during its prime, the Peacemaker was the only USAF strategic bomber with sufficient range to penetrate the Soviet heartland, so the type had to straddle the breach until SAC could field sufficient numbers of Boeings far more capable B-52 Stratofortress. The 93rd Bombardment Wing became the first operational B-52 unit in March, 1956, flying from their home at Castle AFB in Atwater, California. This marked the beginning of the end for the B-36, with early model B-36s already in the boneyard, and the rest soon to follow. The last handful of USAF Peacemakers retired in early 1959, with the final operational flight taking place on February 12th, 1959 (B-36J 52-2827 now on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona). The final B-36 flight ever, involved the example presently with the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (NMUSAF) in Dayton, Ohio, B-36J 52-2220, which flew from its Arizona boneyard to Dayton on April 30th, 1959. Thus ended the saga of the worlds biggest ever strategic bomber. Despite the aircraft having never flown in anger, the type served an important role during the early days of the cold war by dampening Soviet territorial ambitions in Europe and elsewhere. Just four complete B-36 Peacemakers survived the scrapping operations to the present day, these being the aforementioned B-36Js at the NMUSAF and Pima, B-36J 52-2217 at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum in Ashland, Nebraska, and RB-36H 51-13730 at Castle Air Museum in Atwater, California. It is the latter example which is the subject aircraft of this profile. Convair RB-36H-30-CF Peacemaker 51-13730 was the 275th airframe constructed. The bomber rolled off the Convair assembly-line adjacent to Carswell AFB in Fort Worth, Texas during 1952, with the USAF formally accepting her for service that September. The 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, South Dakota became the aircrafts first operational unit. The Peacemaker received an upgrade to Featherweight Configuration II, ironic terminology for such a massive aircraft, but this involved removing a lot of the redundant items from the airframe, such as its defensive armament. In 1957, the aircraft moved to Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois, where it became an instructional airframe on outdoor display alongside other decommissioned aircraft in the bases air park. While there, 51-13730 received a repaint in the markings of B-36D-45-CF 44-92065, c/n 62 (originally built as a B-36B-15-CF) from the period when that aircraft flew with the 326th BS, 92nd BW from Fairchild AFB in Spokane, Washington. The actual 44-92065 had already flown to Davis-Monthan AFB for decommissioning (and eventual scrapping) on February 27, 1957. While on external display in Rantoul, the aircraft received a fair amount of TLC, and part of this involved replacing some of the corroded magnesium alloy skins, which hadnt faired too well after decades of exposure to the elements. In 1991, a year or so before Chanutes closure, the NMUSAF assigned the airframe to Castle Air Museum. The move took place in 1992 and involved a huge disassembly operation, as one might imagine, with the pieces making their way by rail on eleven flatbed cars to their new home for reassembly and repainting, which museum volunteers completed in 1994. She has been on display ever since and is the only surviving RB-36H variant of 73 built. Now looking rather tired, museum volunteers are part way through a projected decade-long restoration effort which will hopefully see the aircraft last long into the future. Adam Estes is a university student who has a passion for aviation history. He is a volunteer for the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California, and has kept tabs on numerous aircraft and museums around the world. His goal is to become a museum curator while continuing to write articles and books on aviation history. Editors Note: The B-36 remained in service for just a handful of years, and the living memory of those days is fading fast. For those of us too young to have seen this aircraft in flight, but wishing to have some idea of what that must have been to witness in person, one need only turn to the 1955 motion picture, Strategic Air Command. While laden with leaden dialogue and a stagnant plot line, there is no disputing the extraordinary historical gift this film has provided us, with its technicolor recording of B-36 operations; for that alone, we must be grateful. The clip reveals a marvelous portrait of this magnificent, though short-lived, giant in all its glory. WATERLOO A Black Hawk County jury is trying to determine if a Memphis man opened fire in a Waterloo convenience store in April. Tony Cecil Orr Jr., 18, is charged with going armed, carrying weapons and intimidation with a weapon. Authorities allege Orr and his brother entered Logan Convenience Store on April 20, where his brother rekindled an argument with a store clerk. At the tail end of the argument, Orr allegedly fired three shots toward the clerk, sending him and customers diving for cover. No injuries were reported. On Thursday, following a day and a half of testimony, Orrs defense attorney, Jared Knapp, said the state didnt meet its burden of proving his client was the gunman. He noted that the clerk had never identified Orr as the assailant until he took the witness stand Tuesday. He also noted that the clerk said the shooter briefly lifted a mask he was wearing, allowing for the identification, but he questioned whether a store surveillance video showed this happen. The weapon used in the attack was never recovered. Assistant County Attorney Brad Walz said the bullets came close to hitting the employee. Quite easily those bullets could have struck him, could have injured him, could have killed him, Walz said. Also Thursday, jurors saw surveillance footage from the store showing a man in a ski mask wearing a gray Backwoods sweatshirt and red-and-black shoes pull a handgun with an extended magazine from his waistband, aim and fire. Investigator Nicholas Sadd told jurors police were able to identify Orrs brother, Alante Amaechi, from the video. Police were already investigating Amaechi in an unrelated drug case. When they searched an East Second Street home where they had been staying, police found an extended magazine and ammunition but no firearm. Sadd said Orr admitted to taking the magazine and ammo when he came to Waterloo from Memphis. But Sadd said Orr denied bringing a gun along to Iowa. Police also found a Backwoods sweatshirt and red-and-black shoes at the Second Street house. In his police interview, Orr admitted to going to Logan Convenience with his brother, but he said he waited outside in the car. WAVERLY The Iowa Department of Transportation is replacing the Bremer Avenue bridge that passes over the Cedar River in the downtown. For about year, the new infrastructure could be under construction. An informational meeting has been scheduled for Monday from 5 to 6:30 pm at Waverly City Hall, 200 First St. N.E. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the bridge, carrying the road also known as Iowa Highway 3, was built in 1950 and its condition is rated fair rather than "good" or "poor." However, Pete Hjelmstad, a DOT field services coordinator, said the bridge is near the end of its useful life, and it would be most cost effective to replace it, rather than make the needed repairs. There are no safety concerns at this time, he said Wednesday. Or else, we would have closed it. The $5.8 million project was approved by the Iowa Transportation Commission as part of the states Five-Year Transportation Improvement Program, said Hjelmstad. Waverly's Marianne Waldstein, 92, recognized for inspirational role in her community Even Friday afternoon when she was celebrating being honored with the Leading Life Award from LeadingAge Iowa, she was collecting soda can tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. According to Hjelmstad, bid letting is scheduled for October 2023. Construction could start before the end of that year or the beginning of 2024. The hope is the new bridge would open by the end of 2024. At this point in time, the project is set to go forward, and would only be delayed by an unforeseen circumstance such as bids coming in higher than the DOTs estimate. Nothings ever 100% certain, Hjelmstad said. He said the steel beam bridge will be replaced with a 352-foot long by 74-foot wide concrete beam bridge. Hjelmstad said the only noticeable difference might be four new pedestrian overlook areas, two on each side. Additionally, he said the size of the pedestrian walkway on the north side will become 10 feet rather than eight feet. Waverly to add new 'wayfinding' signs The City Council unanimously approved the $55,002 package Monday in response to a master plan funded by the Chamber of Commerce. At the informational meeting, Iowa DOT staff will be present to discuss the proposed bridge replacement with renderings and images related to the project. But no formal presentation will be made. Questions and comments will be accepted by staff. Any input would play into DOT staff's decision on bridge design or aesthetics, according to Hjelmstad. For general information regarding the public meeting, contact Hjelmstad at the Iowa DOT District 2 Office, 428 43rd St. S.W., Mason City, Iowa 50401. He can be reached by phone at (641) 423-7584 or (800) 477-4368 and by email at pete.hjelmstad@iowadot.us. A virtual presentation will first become available at noon Monday. To get access it, go online to www.iowadot.gov/pim and click IA 3 Bridge Replacement. CEDAR FALLS Firefighters rescued a dog that was pinned in a semi cab after the truck overturned on a Cedar Falls interchange Thursday. Details werent immediately available but the semi was heading north on U.S. Highway 218 at the Iowa Highway 58 interchange when it rolled on its side, completely blocking the ramp. The driver wasnt injured, but the dog, a passenger in the truck, had its leg trapped. Crews with Cedar Falls Fire Rescue used inflatable jacks to raise the cab enough to release the leg. Authorities took the dog to a nearby veterinarian to treat the injured leg. Firefighters handled a diesel fuel leak, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources were notified. WIXOM, Mich. (AP) An auto trim maker violated the law after releasing industrial chemicals into a river system northwest of Detroit, Michigan environmental officials say. Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says its Water Resources Division issued citations Tuesday to Tribar Manufacturing in Wixom for discharging a plating solution containing hexavalent chromium into a sanitary sewer system the weekend of July 29. The solution ended up at a wastewater treatment facility that sends wastewater into a creek that flows into the Huron River system. Hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen and can cause a number of health problems if someone ingests, touches or inhales it, according to Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services. Tribar Manufacturing was cited for failing to immediately notify the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy after discovering the discharge. The agency also alleges that the unauthorized discharge of pollutants interfered with the wastewater treatment process. The agency said it is still investigating exactly how much chemical was released and why. Tribar Manufacturing has until Aug. 20 to respond in writing to the notices, according to the state agency. The Associated Press called Tribar Manufacturing Wednesday afternoon but was unable to leave a message on the companys voicemail system. State health officials have said testing at 55 downstream locations in the Huron River system did not find any hexavalent chromium. Health officials say people and pets should avoid contact with the Huron River in parts of Oakland and Livingston counties. It also advises that fish caught in that area should not be eaten. BUENOS AIRES (AP) Former Paraguayan president and current senator Fernando Lugo was in a medically induced coma Wednesday after suffering a stroke. Doctors said his condition was stable with no evidence of significant lesions though they warned it was too early to tell the extent of the damage given his previous health woes. He is stable now and the primary lesion we see is a lesion that allows us to be a little bit optimistic, said Dr. Jorge Querey, who like Lugo is a senator for the leftist Frente Guasu coalition. Lugo, 71, was transferred to a different hospital for further tests. The former president appears to have ignored minor symptoms possibly related to a stroke he experienced earlier in the day. He then suffered a convulsion while in his Senate office, Querey said, describing it as what people normally know as an epileptic attack. Lugo, a former Catholic bishop, was president from 2008 to 2012, when he was impeached by the Senate. He remains the only elected left-leaning president in Paraguays recent history. The lesion is relatively small, Querey said. If we dont find anything extraordinary outside of what weve already found, it could be manageable. The former president will remain in a medically induced coma for at least 12 to 24 hours. Querey, who is overseeing much of the former presidents care, said the consequences could be "minimal" while warning he is a chronic patient due to his previous ailments. Lugo, who was diagnosed with lymphoma while president, was taking drugs for hypertension and to improve his circulation. He received treatment for his cancer in Brazil and doctors said his lymphoma had been in complete remission. China condemns 'unfair' US chip bill 09:16, August 11, 2022 By Cheng Yu, Ma Si ( Chinadaily.com.cn A technician tests chips at a tech firm in Hefei, Anhui province. [Photo by Xie Chen/For China Daily] China has expressed strong opposition to the United States' "unfair" new legislation on chip subsidies, saying that using political power to intervene in a sector that is highly globalized and based on market dynamics will eventually harm the interests of companies globally, including in the US. The comments came after US President Joe Biden signed on Tuesday the Chips and Science Act to offer $52.7 billion in subsidies and extra tax credits for US semiconductor production and research. The legislation prohibits companies from expanding their advanced semiconductor manufacturing in China for 10 years after they receive a subsidy to build a US plant. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a news conference on Wednesday that the legislation is an example of economic coercion by the US, and decoupling will harm both itself and others. Restrictions and suppression will not stop the pace of China's technological and industrial development, he said. In a joint statement on Wednesday, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the China Chamber of International Commerce, two influential foreign trade associations, said that the legislation is a typical industry-specific subsidy that does not conform to the nondiscrimination principles of the World Trade Organization. The bill identifies particular countries as key targets, which would lead companies to be forced to adjust their global development strategies and layouts, they said. In particular, the bill gives a wide definition to "any country of concern", which would infinitely expand the discretionary power of its law enforcement, they added. Following the passage of the bill, South Korean chip giant SK hynix dropped nearly 3.5 percent on Wednesday on the Korea Exchange, while tech heavyweight Samsung Electronics Co Ltd fell 1.5 percent. "The new semiconductor legislation is a high point in arbitrary US moves to set barriers to other countries like China, which can be seen from a series of previous moves like restricting China's access to advanced chip manufacturing and design technologies," said Feng Weijiang, secretary-general of the National Institute for Global Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He said that the US is recovering its relatively unadvanced chip manufacturing industry at the expense of the efficiency and profits of multinational companies in the semiconductor field, adding that this move will also hamper innovation and development in the global semiconductor industry. "Chip companies that are forced to choose sides will lose the Chinese market as the legislation requires them not to boost production of advanced chips in China if they are subsidized. But, in fact, no company would like to abandon China's huge semiconductor market," he added. Hao Min, a professor of technology security at the University of International Relations in Beijing, said that the US' intention to boost its own growth by blocking other countries' technological development will not work in the long run and will hurt the US in the end. According to the latest US Congressional Budget Office estimates, the new semiconductor legislation will increase the US budget deficit by $48 billion over the next five years and by $79 billion through 2031. While Boston Consulting Group expected it would cost $350 billion to $420 billion to create a self-sufficient semiconductor supply chain in the US, an executive from a Chinese chip designing and manufacturing firm who wished to remain anonymous, said that "the $52.7 billion subsidy is really a drop of water in the bucket, not to mention that it will be divided up by a number of chip companies." (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Photo taken on Aug. 10, 2022 shows the city skyline in Singapore. According to Enterprise Singapore, the city-state's total merchandise trade grew by 28.1 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2022, to 357.8 billion Singapore dollars (260.8 billion U.S. dollars), compared to the 20.8-percent growth in the first quarter. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey) SINGAPORE, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Enterprise Singapore, a government agency, announced on Thursday in the Review of Second Quarter 2022 Trade Performance that it adjusted the 2022 growth projection upward further to 15-16 percent for Singapore's total merchandise trade. Meanwhile, it lifted the 2022 growth projection for Singapore's Non-oil Domestic Exports (NODX) to 5-6 percent. Enterprise Singapore lifted the 2022 growth projections for Singapore's total merchandise trade and NODX from the same 0-2 percent to 8-10 percent and to 3-5 percent respectively this May. Besides both Singapore's total merchandise trade and NODX growing better-than-expected in the second quarter of 2022, the further upward adjustments were because higher oil prices and robust global semiconductor demand are likely to continue in 2022, which should support growth in oil trade in nominal terms and NODX respectively, and in turn total trade. Another reason is that most of Singapore's key trade partners were expected to grow in 2022, albeit moderating from 2021's pace for most economies. According to Enterprise Singapore, the city-state's total merchandise trade grew by 28.1 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2022, to about 357.8 billion Singapore dollars (about 260.8 billion U.S. dollars), compared to the 20.8 percent growth in the first quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, Singapore's NODX grew by 9.1 percent year on year in the second quarter, compared to the 11.4 percent increase in the previous quarter. Enterprise Singapore added that Singapore's total services trade grew by 12.9 percent year on year to 168 billion Singapore dollars in the second quarter of 2022, after the 9.8 percent increase in the previous quarter. The services exports and imports grew by 13.2 percent and 12.6 percent respectively. (1 Singapore dollar equals 0.73 U.S. dollar) Photo taken on Aug. 10, 2022 shows the city skyline in Singapore. According to Enterprise Singapore, the city-state's total merchandise trade grew by 28.1 percent year on year in the second quarter of 2022, to 357.8 billion Singapore dollars (260.8 billion U.S. dollars), compared to the 20.8-percent growth in the first quarter. (Xinhua/Then Chih Wey) Four states hold primaries this Tuesday. There is also a special election to fill a U.S. House vacancy in Minnesota. Results for some of the more interesting elections are on this page. Use the links below to see all results. Latest poll closing (Eastern Time) appears below the state name. If you are voting in one of these locations, check with your polling place as the hours may differ. Connecticut >> Minnesota >> Vermont >> Wisconsin >> 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 7:00 PM 9:00 PM U.S. House Special General Election Minnesota District 1 Before we get to the primaries, there is a special election to fill the vacancy in Minnesota's 1st Congressional District. The winner will complete the term of former Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died in February. In the May primary, businessman Jeff Ettinger easily won the Democratic nomination. For the Republicans, former State Rep. Brad Finstad edged out State Rep. Jeremy Munson. Although Hagedorn only narrowly won his seat in 2018 and again in 2020, Donald Trump defeated Joe Biden here by 10 points. That margin might better reflect the partisan lean of the district. As such, Finstad is favored in the special election. Finstad and Munson will also be on the ballot for a rematch in the regular District 1 GOP primary. U.S. Senate Seats in Connecticut, Vermont, and Wisconsin are up for election this year. Only Wisconsin's race looks to be competitive in November. Connecticut (Republican) Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal was renominated for a third term at the party's convention in May. Three Republicans are vying for the party's nomination. Donald Trump stepped in with a last-minute endorsement of businesswoman Leora Levy. The other prominent candidate is former State House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, who did not vote for Trump's reelection. Regardless of which Republican advances, Blumenthal is favored to win in November. Vermont: First elected in 1974, Democratic Sen. Pat Leahy is retiring after eight terms. Despite the deep blue lean of the state today, he is the only Democrat that Vermonters have ever elected to the Senate. That will almost certainly change in November. There are three Democrats looking to succeed Leahy, with Rep. Peter Welch the overwhelming favorite. Wisconsin (Democratic) Republican Ron Johnson is seeking a third term. He faces a minor primary challenge. On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is expected to be the nominee after all his prominent opponents withdrew and endorsed him in the closing weeks of the campaign. Those candidates - State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry, and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson - remain on the ballot. Looking ahead to November, Barnes led Johnson by two points, well within the margin of error, in a late June Marquette poll. Governor All four states have gubernatorial elections this year. Connecticut: Nominees were chosen at party conventions. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont is seeking a 2nd term. The GOP nominee is businessman Bob Stefanowski. This is a rematch of the 2018 election, which Lamont narrowly won, 49% to 46%. Minnesota: Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is seeking a second term. He faces nominal primary opposition. On the Republican side, former State Sen. Scott Jensen was endorsed at the party's May convention. He has two nominal primary opponents. Most forecasters rate the general election Leans or Likely Democratic. Vermont: One of two states (New Hampshire is the other) where gubernatorial terms are two years in length. Republican Gov. Phil Scott faces nominal primary opposition and will be a heavy favorite in November. Nonprofit excecutive Brenda Siegel will be the Democratic nominee. Wisconsin (Republican) Wisconsin is expected to hold the most competitive general election gubernatorial election among these four states. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has no primary opposition as he seeks a second term. There are four Republicans vying for the nomination, the frontrunners are former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and businessman Tim Michels. The wealthy Michels was a late entrant to the race in April, spending heavily via self-funding. He also won the endorsement of Trump. The primary looks like a true toss-up. The two recent public polls were well within the margin of error. With current Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes running for Senate, Evers will have a new running mate this year. That will most likely be State Assemblywoman Sara Rodriguez. In Wisconsin, lieutenant governor nominees are chosen in separate primaries, after which the two run together as a single ticket for the general election. U.S. House Minnesota District 1 (Republican) As discussed above, this is a rematch of the May special election primary that Finstad won by about 400 votes. After conceding, Munson had said he would endorse Finstad and not run, but switched course and entered on the last day of filing. While this primary is being conducted with redistricted boundaries, there is about a 90% overlap between the old and new version of District 1, so it is largely the same set of voters that nominated Finstad. It would be a bit surprising if he were to win the special election but lose this primary. Minnesota District 5 (Democratic) 'Squad' member Ilhan Omar faces a centrist primary challenge from former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels. Vermont At-Large (Democratic) Eight-term Democratic Rep. Peter Welch is retiring to run for U.S. Senate. Vermont is one of six states with a single at-large district. It is also the only state that has never sent a woman to Congress. That will almost certainly change this year. The leading Democratic candidates are State Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint and Lt. Gov. Molly Gray. Balint appears to be the frontrunner after consolidating progressive support behind her, including an endorsement last month from Sen. Bernie Sanders. The winner will be an overwhelming favorite over whichever Republican emerges as the nominee. Wisconsin District 3 (Republican) Democrat Ron Kind is retiring after narrowly winning a 13th term in 2020 against Derrick Van Orden, a retired Navy SEAL. Van Orden is unopposed for the GOP nomination. Four Democrats are looking to replace Kind. Most forecasters rate the general election 'Leans Republican', making Van Orden a slight favorite to flip the district as the general election gets underway. State Assembly Wisconsin District 63 (Republican) Last week in Arizona, State House Speaker Rusty Bowers lost his primary bid for State Senate. Bowers had been dismissive of Trump's efforts to overturn his narrow 2020 loss in the state. As a result, Trump endorsed former State Sen. David Farnsworth who crushed Bowers by 65% to 35%. This week Trump is looking to oust Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos for pretty much the same reason in another state he narrowly lost. The former president has endorsed Adam Steen. Upcoming Anadolu Agency/Alamy Stock Photo When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in 1955, he introduced a magical place where parents and children could have fun together. His vision revolutionized the American vacation. But despite Disneylands success, Disney quickly realized that his 160-acre flagship theme park wasnt big enough to contain all of his dreams. What Disney truly wanted was to create a fully immersive, theatrical experience. Because he didnt own the land surrounding the park, however, tacky hotels and fast-food restaurants began popping up outside the park gates, tarnishing Walts glittering fantasyland. In 1964, the Walt Disney Company began scouting locations for Disneyland East. Under the guise of shell companies with tongue-in-cheek names like M.T. Lott Real Estate Investments, Disney secretly scooped up huge tracts of Florida swampland for about $180 an acre. The location guaranteed that Disneys new vacation destination would be protected from commercial sprawl. In Florida, we have something special we never enjoyed at Disneyland the blessing of size, Disney said in a 1965 television program announcing the companys Florida project. There is enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we could possibly imagine. Sadly, Walt Disney never realized those ideas and plans the pioneering animator died just six weeks later. But the Florida project lived on through Walts older brother Roy, who postponed retirement to take the helm. In October 1971, Roy Disney stood beside Mickey Mouse and officially named the park Walt Disney World as a tribute to his brother. Last October marked the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, which encompasses 43 square miles and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 25 hotels, more than 200 restaurants and a 120-acre shopping and dining complex. Whether this will be your first trip or your 50th, prepare to be wowed the resort has already rolled out plenty of golden anniversary magic, including brand-new attractions, dazzling park decor and unparalleled nighttime spectaculars. And because the festivities are due to continue through March 2023, theres even more in store in the coming months. Heres our guide to getting the most out of your trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth. Getting There Most visitors to Disney World will fly into Orlando International Airport, which is about 20 miles from the resorts entrance. As of January 2022, Disney eliminated the Magical Express, its complimentary airport transfer service. Travelers on a budget will want to reserve a shuttle like Sunshine Flyer or Mears Connect, which costs about $32 round trip. Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft are another good option. Prices start around $45 one-way and depend upon demand and vehicle size. On-site transportation throughout Walt Disney World, which consists of everything from buses and boats to monorails and the new Disney Skyliner, is free and efficient, making renting a car unnecessary if you opt to stay at one of the on-site Disney hotels. Finally, be prepared to do a lot of walking. The average Disney guest walks 7 to 10 miles per day during his or her vacation. Folks with mobility issues can rent wheelchairs and electric conveyance vehicles (ECVs) at each of the four Disney theme parks, as well as at the water parks and Disney Springs. Additionally, several off-site companies offer multiday wheelchair and ECV rentals at lower prices than youll find on Disney property. KABUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 400 private schools have closed their doors due to various reasons including economic problems, reported a local television channel the Tolonews on Thursday. Tolonews quoted Zabihullah Furqani, a member of the Union of Private Schools, as saying that many students gave up school due to poverty, while girls from grade six to 12 can't attend classes under the current restriction. Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesman of the Taliban-run administration, has reportedly said that the restriction on girls attending schools is based on religious reasons. Earlier, the administration's education ministry said that the closure of girls schools above grade 6th is temporality and would resume within the framework of Sharia, or Islamic laws, in the future. Tolonews quoted Mohammad Daud, the former head of the Union of Private Schools, as saying that thousands of people would lose their job with the closure of the schools. Afghanistan has been facing extreme economic problems since the U.S. government froze nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars assets of Afghanistan's central bank following the U.S. forces defeat in and withdrawal from Afghanistan in August last year. Page under Maintenance This page is under maintenance, while being upgraded. Please visit later. Thank you. [Go Back] Sometimes a little vacation is needed. For Cody Canada, because hes so busy on tour, his time off from the road is spent with his family. We went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers in LA, he says. We were having fun. I realized that my kids are almost grown up and I want to spend that time with them. Ill have a senior in high school. Its going by too fast. Canada has been performing music since he was a teen with Cross Canadian Ragweed for years, and now with Cody Canada and The Departed. Now 46, hes worked hard for the niche hes carved out for himself in music. Canada and The Departed are taking part in the 8750 BBQ and Music Festival in Red River. The three-day event begins on Thursday, Aug. 18, and runs through Aug. 20. The band recently released a reboot of the classic album, Soul Gravy, on July 1. This was the second studio album that Cross Canadian Ragweed recorded on Universal Records in 2004. The original album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart and featured the singles Sick and Tired and Alabama both which charted on the singles chart. Sick and Tired featured Lee Ann Womack on the original and shes back singing on the new version. Canada says for two years, he didnt play any Ragweed songs. Then about 10 years ago, he began playing the old songs and they still resonated with audiences. This is what gave him the idea to head into the studio and rerecord the entire album. We took two or three weeks to record, he says. I wanted to get back to the songs because I wanted to fix the guitars because I didnt like the way they sounded on the original. Being a guitarist, those had to be right. Canada was excited to be able to revisit the singles, Sick and Tired and Lonely Girl. Working on the songs took me back to the reason they were written, he says. All of the feelings came back. Recording these again was also kind of I told you so to the record label that originally put the album out. They were leaning on Sick and Tired because it featured Lee Ann Womack. I wanted Lonely Girl to be a single and they said it wasnt a radio single. Im proud of the original album, but I think there could have been more done. Lonely Girl was like one of my kids and it hurt my feelings to say that its not good enough. Canada says his songs often come from a personal place, which is why songs like Sick and Tired, Lonely Girl and Too Far Gone still resonate. These songs I needed to get off my chest and I need to be honest, he says. Too Far Gone is about me missing my wife when Im on tour. Lonely Girl and Sick and Tired were about my sister. I write from a personal place all the time. If making music full time wasnt enough, Canada helps his wife, Shannon, out when he can running School of Rock New Braunfels. The school helps nurture the younger generation coming up with through music. Their songs are students at the school and have their own band called Waves. The family traveled to Portugal to play at the School of Rock at Rock in Rio. I do this for her, he says of his wife. She started the school and Ill pitch in when I get a chance to. Its such a beautiful thing. Weve always leaned on each other for 24 years of marriage. Two summers ago, I had the privilege of dining with a group on the expansive Luminaria Restaurant patio and was smitten with Executive Chef Tony Smiths touches that make classic Italian staples seem even more special with a New Mexico twist. In fact, I am still dreaming about the addition of chopped candied lemons in the kale salad for a sweet and acidic punch of flavor, and his interpretation of arancini that will make any Italian grandmother proud. Though I had not been back to this restaurant, it was a friends recent posting of Chef Smiths Watermelon Gazpacho that caught my attention and reminded me to return to this hidden gem in the heart of downtown Santa Fe. Located in the Inn and Spa of the Loretto Hotel, this is one of four Heritage Hotel properties in town and, let me be clear, this is not your typical staid hotel restaurant. In fact, as the name indicates, Luminaria shines bright, attracts both locals and tourists and for good reasons. The well-shaded covered and open-air patio is a winning spot that is so close to the Plaza you can get there in a few hundred steps. And yet the patio is tucked just enough away from the hustle and bustle so you almost feel like you are somewhere completely off the beaten track. Lush plants, flowers and trees dress the outdoor space. Chirping birds provide natural background music and the St. Francis Church bells ring to keep you both present and grateful for such an opportunity. My dining companion started with Luminarias signature Strawberry-Jalapeno Margarita ($14), a drink that is featured on the Margarita Trail. The rim of a cocktail glass is seriously dipped in a spicy-salty, golden-hued Tajin seasoning that when coupled with the strawberry-jalapeno margarita makes for a significantly more spicy than sweet beverage. My friend loved it as this drink set her palate on fire, but a taste was all I needed. While she sipped, I nibbled and sampled all of the offerings in the complimentary bread and cracker basket. The bread is locally made by Boultawns Bagelry and the stellar crackers are made in-house. The heart-shaped water crackers, lavash and a thin cracker with flowers and herbs were the stand-outs, and we appreciated the soft herb-infused butter. Having previously sampled some of Chef Smiths signature dishes and fallen in love, we reordered both the Green Chile Arancini ($15) and Baby Kale Salad ($15). Three crispy but tender ping-pong sized green chile risotto balls are placed on an elongated dish with a swoosh of avocado mousse and topped with a spoonful of roasted corn, a few black beans and microgreens. The arancinis are light and almost melt in your mouth with barely a hint of green chile, so as to not overwhelm diners. The cold avocado plays well against the freshly fried and warm arancini. We also had the sensational summer soup, Watermelon-Jalapeno Gazpacho ($11), the dish that lured me back and it was an interesting variation with the addition of jalapeno. Veering from tradition, Chef Smith sprinkles a bit of salty feta, pickled bites of strawberry and lots of fresh mint to add more layers of flavor to this seasonal tomato soup which hit the spot on a warm summer night. The Baby Kale Salad ($15) was as good as I remembered and once again I was swooning with the candied lemons. What I didnt remember was the other interesting ingredients in the salad, including roasted red pepper, goat cheese, watermelon radishes and toasted almonds. Collectively, this salad is a symphony of flavors different tones to speak to different taste buds. Thoroughly satisfying, in future visits, I will request grilled fish or shrimp to turn this appetizer into an entree. What didnt enchant was the Elote Salad ($15) though when it arrived, it did fit the description. Mixed greens are topped with cherry tomatoes and pickled onions, queso fresco, lime crema and dressed with chile-lime vinaigrette. Baby ears of corn are coated in rice flour and tempura batter and fried. I was vacillating between the Grilled Mediterranean Caesar ($15) that features a creative roasted eggplant Caesar dressing, which totally intrigued me, and the Elote Salad. When I inquired with the server, he suggested the Elote Salad and I acquiesced. Next time, its the Grilled Mediterranean Caesar. Timing between courses was significantly delayed and though I appreciated the pause as it gave us time to sit back and enjoy the incredible outdoor ambiance, it felt gratuitously protracted. Having owned and operated a resort and restaurants, I wondered what was happening behind-the-scenes. When I contacted Chef Smith, he informed me that they are replacing the hardwood floors throughout the restaurant. This explained the hiccup. The chef also shared that the kitchen is getting a major face lift this year to make this an even better experience for guests. That the kitchen remained open during construction made it easy to overlook the break in service. Creative entrees range from Crispy Duck Thigh ($39), Yellowtail Veracruz ($43), New Mexico Wild Boar Ribeye ($49), as well as a vegetarian option, Zucchini Medallions ($42), and their award-winning Loretto Burger ($20) with Hatch New Mexico Green Chiles. My friend had the Coffee Rubbed New York Strip ($53) and it was a carnivores dream. The coffee rub provides both flavor and texture, and it was grilled to her request of medium. Served with a few slices of fondant potatoes, sauteed broccolini and red wine demi-glace sauce, the steak was substantial enough to have leftovers for a steak sandwich the next day. Because we were completely satisfied with our meals, we skipped dessert and decided to take a stroll around the Plaza instead. There was a jubilant spirit in the air as the Plaza was bustling with a band. As we walked, I realized Luminaria exists to feed hotel guests, but those of us who live here are the lucky ones. The patio is one of the citys best outdoor dining spots, the menu is wildly diverse and appealing and the food is the shining star. Having been at the helm since April 2021, Chef Tony Smith has definitely found his groove. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE New Mexico county sheriffs are wading into this years race for governor. In a new campaign ad for Republican Mark Ronchetti, four sheriffs criticize Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams handling of crime-related issues, including the Lujan Grisham administrations decision to release some low-risk inmates from state prisons in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. The TV ad comes after the Democratic governor last week released a video saying Ronchetti supported defunding the police, a claim the Ronchetti campaign strongly disputed. In the new ad, the four sheriffs appear in uniform alongside Ronchetti and accuse Lujan Grisham of appointing soft on crime judges. Shes made our jobs impossible, one of the sheriffs, San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari, says during the 30-second ad, which began airing this week on cable and network channels. The four sheriffs who appear in the ad are all Republicans: Valencia County Sheriff Denise Vigil, Lea County Sheriff Corey Helton, Otero County Sheriff David Black and Ferrari. The ad does not come as a total surprise, as Lujan Grisham has clashed with some sheriffs in recent years over their flouting of pandemic health orders and opposition to gun control legislation, including the 2020 red flag gun law that allows firearms to be seized from individuals deemed to pose a threat to themselves or others. Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton recently said he would not use the law in his county and other sheriffs have also expressed reluctance about enforcing it. In a statement, Lujan Grisham campaign spokeswoman Kendall Witmer touted the governors approval of legislation this year toughening certain criminal penalties and increasing funding for law enforcement hiring and training. Instead of detailing his policies on how he will protect New Mexicans and make communities safer, Mark Ronchetti has defaulted to partisan political tactics and catchphrases cooked up by D.C. consultants, Witmer told the Journal. New Mexicans deserve a leader with a track record of delivering on public safety not an out-of-touch, inexperienced TV weatherman who doesnt believe its his responsibility to keep New Mexicans safe. Crime has emerged as a top issue in this years race for governor, as New Mexico recorded the nations second-highest violent crime rate in 2020 and Albuquerque set a record high for homicides last year. Despite their back-and-forth attacks, Lujan Grisham and Ronchetti hold some similar positions on crime issues. For instance, both support making it easier to hold defendants accused of violent crime in jail until trial, though the governor did not call for such legislation until the run-up to this years 30-day legislative session. A proposal ultimately stalled due to concerns about its legality and whether there are more effective ways to address violent crime. JAKARTA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian authorities said Thursday that they had intensified a search for the owner of palm oil corporation PT Duta Palma Group, Surya Darmadi, a suspect in an alleged corruption scandal estimated to have caused state losses of 78 trillion rupiahs (5.3 billion U.S. dollars), the largest amount in the country's history. As the latest move, Indonesia's Attorney General's Office (AGO) asked the immigration authorities on Thursday to ban Darmadi from going abroad, despite the uncertainty of whether he was currently in Indonesia or not. "We've already received the request from the AGO. The ban is valid up to six months ahead," Director of Supervision and Enforcement of Indonesia's Immigration Office I Nyoman Gede Surya Mataram said in a press release. Darmadi has been on the most-wanted list of the country's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) since 2019. He has been named suspect for accepting bribery related to a land use change of a 37,095-hectare oil palm land in Riau province that belonged to his company. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal The Sandia Science and Technology Park in Southeast Albuquerque remains a powerful driver for local economic growth, significantly boosting the regional economy year after year, according to the Mid-Region Council of Governments latest biannual economic-impact report, released Wednesday morning. The park, located just north of the Eubank entrance to Kirtland Air Force Base, is home to 40 companies, the vast majority of them high-tech firms that supply goods and services to Sandia National Laboratories and the Air Force Research Laboratory. That includes cutting-edge research and development, and manufacturing operations that provide critical support to the labs, while also helping to create new technologies for both the defense industry and commercial markets. Park-based activities boosted the gross regional product the total value of goods and services produced in Albuquerque and surrounding areas by nearly $1.05 billion from 2020-21, according to the new report. That, in turn, generated thousands of local jobs, including 1,786 employees working directly in the park as of year-end 2021 at an average annual salary of $97,339, or nearly double Albuquerques average annual salary of $54,028. And, for every park-based employee, roughly another two additional jobs are created in the region, generating 3,177 indirect jobs as of last December in everything from construction and manufacturing to retail, health care, and food and professional services. That brought total direct and indirect park-related employment to nearly 5,000 employees last year in the mid-Rio Grande Region, generating $331.2 million in wages and salaries. In fact, since the parks creation in 1998, companies and organizations located there have paid nearly $7.2 billion in wages and generated more than $4 billion in taxable personal income. As a result, since 1998, the state has received $166.1 million in tax revenue and the city $36.6 million. Having the technology park in Albuquerque has been instrumental to the success of flagship employers and employees, said Mayor Tim Keller in a statement. For nearly 25 years, (the park) has supported our incredibly talented workforce, and spurred opportunity, innovation and continued growth in the citys cutting-edge technology and research industries. Sandia Director James Peery praised the parks economic impact. It creates jobs, attracts talented professionals to our state, and builds partnerships between the labs and the private sector that bring trailblazing technologies to the marketplace, Peery said in a statement. Still, despite the parks ongoing economic vitality, companies located there suffered a lot in the global pandemic, contributing to a marked decline in direct, onsite employment as workers began telecommuting. That was particularly challenging for park-based operations, because high-tech companies generally require direct work in the lab, said Sherman McCorkle, board chairman for the Park Development Corp. COVID was doubly difficult for these specialized technology companies because most have labs that cannot be managed remotely, and everyone must show up, McCorkle told the Journal. Employees also travel a lot, and people from other places frequently visit the companies, so the pandemic was very hard on them. About 200 park-based jobs also disappeared in 2020 after Raytheon Technologies Corp. closed two facilities it operated there. Total direct park employment fell 25% from prepandemic levels, down from 2,369 jobs in 2019 to 1,786 last year. But, with the pandemic receding, many remote workers are expected to return to the park going forward. In addition, Virginia-based engineering firm BlueHalo LLC is now growing its park-based workforce after leasing two more facilities there this year, including one of the abandoned Raytheon buildings. That will expand its original park footprint from about 50,000 square feet to more than 200,000 square feet. In addition, real estate firm Titan Development plans to build a new high-tech innovation center to attract more companies to the park. While the park was impacted by the pandemic, it is still bringing people to the area and creating jobs, said Mid-Region Council of Governments Executive Director Dewey Cave in a statement. The park companies helped fortify our communities during difficult times that have impacted everyone. A new petition initiated by New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness staff is urging Albuquerque officials to hit pause on plans to close Coronado Park to break up a large unsanctioned encampment that has developed there. The petition said the city should, however, stick to its plan to create sanctioned and well-managed encampments. Citing crime and other problems at the park near Third Street and Interstate 40, Mayor Tim Keller recently announced plans to close Coronado Park, where an estimated 75 to 120 people sleep nightly. He has said it would happen in August, though the city has not given a specific date. It continues sending outreach staff to the park to talk with residents about what they will do once the park closes. Keller has said there are enough shelter beds in the city to host the number of people sleeping in the park, though officials acknowledge some will not use shelters. The petition argues park residents were left out of the citys decision and that the city has no real plan for what to do next. It takes an average of 713 days for someone who is homeless to become housed, it says, and that factors in only the people who actually procure housing. The petition describes itself as coming from a collective of people currently experiencing homelessness, people with lived experience with homelessness, people working in housing and homeless assistance, and other community members. Tony Watkins, a program director for NMCEH, said he started the petition after speaking to a man at Coronado Park who wanted to address the City Council about the closure, but the public comment sign-ups for the councils most recent meeting were too full by the time he tried to register. Those are the people often left out of the process, and theyre the people that we need to be listening to, Watkins said. Kellers office said in a statement that Coronado Park is too dangerous for the entire community. Our citys most vulnerable have become prey to crime in the park, spokeswoman Ava Montoya said in an email. That cant be allowed to continue. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal An Albuquerque attorney wants to know if jail officials are providing someone with recordings of his phone conversations with a client and has filed a lawsuit seeking an answer. Attorney William Cooley filed a public records request May 25 with the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center to learn the identity of anyone seeking recordings of his protected conversations with an inmate. Jail officials called the request broad and burdensome and repeatedly asked for additional time to respond, according to the 2nd Judicial District Court lawsuit. You would think that that would be the easiest thing for them to answer, Cooley said Wednesday. I didnt realize it was going to be such a hassle to get the answer. Conversations between attorneys and clients are protected by law, he said. Without disclosing details, Cooley said he has reason to believe that some person or agency has sought recordings of those conversations. I have some idea that thats a possibility, Cooley said. I hope that Im wrong. The lawsuit asks a judge to issue an injunction ordering Bernalillo County to produce the records. It also seeks unspecified damages. Bernalillo County spokeswoman Tia Bland said Wednesday that the county will review the lawsuit and work toward a resolution. Cooley represents Stephen Bailey, a driver for an Albuquerque towing company who was accused in May 2021 of drunken driving, fatally striking a pedestrian and fleeing the scene in his employers tow truck. Jonathan Rosales, 26, was found dead at the scene in the 7600 block of Isleta SW near Interstate 25. Bailey, 26, has remained at MDC since May 2021 on charges of vehicular homicide while intoxicated and knowingly leaving the scene of an accident. Cooley said he and his client have had numerous phone conversations since Baileys arrest. Cooley filed the records request May 25 through Bernalillo Countys Inspection of Public Records Act web portal seeking records of any inquiries/requests for information about Bailey, according to the suit. Cooley also asked for names and contact information for the individuals or agencies that requested the information. The state Inspection of Public Records Act gives the public the right to inspect records of state and local agencies on written request, with certain exceptions. If access cant be provided within three business days, the agency must send a letter explaining when the records will be available. But the records must be provided within 15 days unless the request is determined to be excessively broad and burdensome. Bernalillo County responded to Cooley through its web portal five times from May 25 to July 20, saying each time that the request was broad and burdensome and extending the expected response date, the suit said. Phillip Baca, an Albuquerque attorney who filed the lawsuit on Cooleys behalf, said MDC provided a large number of records after the lawsuit was filed on July 25, but none of the records appear to provide the information Cooley requested. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal A third man has been charged in connection with a shooting that left one man dead and another wounded outside an East Central convenience store in May. Anthony E. McCrady, 28, is facing an open count of murder in the May 8 shooting that left 25-year-old Raymond Sedillo dead. A warrant has been issued for McCradys arrest. It is unclear if he has an attorney. Police have arrested two other suspects so far in the case: Curtis Taylor III, 24, and Tyrell Burr, 27. Albuquerque police responded to gunfire at the In and Out Market at Central and Pennsylvania during the early hours of May 8. After the shooting, Sedillo was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries on May 21. Taylor was arrested July 2 after police traced the SUV involved in the shooting to Taylors girlfriend, who later identified him as one of the shooters from the surveillance footage. Burr was arrested July 13 when police found messages between him and Taylor that referenced the homicide. Burrs phone was searched by police and subsequently placed at the scene of the shooting within 15 minutes of the homicide. According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court, on June 30, a confidential informant identified a third shooter as McCrady. Police matched a previous mugshot of McCrady to the surveillance video taken on the night of the shooting and a detective also confirmed the ID. Burr picked McCrady out of a photo lineup, telling police he fired first at Sedillo before Burr opened fire. WASHINGTON Recently retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has become the honorary co-chairman of a nonpartisan group devoted to education about the Constitution, joining Justice Neil Gorsuch at a time of intense political polarization and rising skepticism about the courts independence. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia said Thursday that Breyer and Gorsuch, who has served since 2019, will be spokesmen for civics education and civility in politics. The justices decision to work together is especially meaningful in this polarized time, Jeffrey Rosen, the centers president and CEO, said. The 84-year-old Breyer retired at the end of June after nearly 28 years as a justice. His seat was taken by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the high courts first Black woman. Breyer has been a constant voice for seeing the court as something other than politicians in robes even as the court has issued a string of conservative-driven decisions topped by eliminating the constitutional right to abortion and overturning Roe v. Wade. In recent months, the court with six Republican-appointed conservatives and three liberals appointed by Democrats also has expanded gun rights, weakened the separation of church and state and constrained the Biden administrations efforts to combat climate change and the coronavirus pandemic. Gorsuch was in the majority of all those cases and Breyer, in dissent. Challenges to affirmative action in education and key election-related cases highlight the term that begins in October and seem likely to produce more sharp splits along ideological lines. Despite the strong disagreements on the court, Justices Breyer and Gorsuch, like all their colleagues, unite around a shared belief that civics are necessary for the future of the republic, Rosen said. Recent public opinions surveys have shown a sharp drop in approval of the court and its role as an institution that is above the political fray. Still, Breyer said last week at a lawyers convention in Chicago that he remains optimistic about the American legal system. In a statement, he said, The nonpartisan work of the National Constitution Center is essential, and I look forward to working with Justice Gorsuch to promote civil dialogue and debate. Breyer also will return to teaching at Harvard Law School. Past center chairmen have included President Joe Biden, who resigned when he launched his presidential campaign in 2019, and former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. The centers home in Philadelphia is near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Constitution was drafted. EVANSVILLE, Ind. Three people were killed Wednesday when a house exploded in the southern Indiana city of Evansville, authorities said. David Anson, chief deputy coroner for Vanderburgh County, told The Associated Press that the identities of the people who died would not be released until the next of kin has been notified. Evansville Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Gray said at least one other injury was reported and that victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Evansville Fire Department Chief Mike Connelly said a total of 39 houses were damaged by the explosion at around 1 p.m. He said the department has not confirmed how many of the houses were occupied when the explosion happened because some were too unstable to enter. At least 11 of the 39 homes damaged are uninhabitable, Connelly told the Evansville Courier & Press. The cause of the explosion has not been determined, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was investigating. A phone message seeking comment was left at the Evansville field office of the ATF. Debris is strewn over a 100-foot (30-meter) radius, including typical construction materials such as wooden boards, window glass and insulation, Connelly said. Aerial video posted on social media shows damage in a residential neighborhood with police and fire vehicles on the scene in Evansville, on the Kentucky border. CenterPoint Energy, the local gas utility, was last called to the home in January 2018, Connelly said. CenterPoint issued a statement saying it worked with first responders to secure the area. CenterPoint Energy is working closely with the Evansville Fire Department, State Fire Marshal and other agencies as the investigation of this incident continues, the utility said. Jacki Baumgart, an office manager at Award World Trophies about two and a half blocks from the site of the explosion, said she and other employees in their building panicked when they heard the loud blast and saw smoke. We thought a tree fell on the building or a car ran into the place, Baumgart said. Debris from the ceiling came down. She continued: Everybody here immediately ran out of the building. We thought the building was going to come down. It was the second house explosion in the area in just over five years. A house explosion on June 27, 2017, killed two people and injured three others. Wednesdays explosion also brought to mind a massive blast in 2012 that destroyed or damaged more than 80 homes on Indianapolis south side and killed two people. A man was convicted of tampering with a natural gas line at his then-girlfriends home in an attempt to commit insurance fraud, with the explosion killing two next-door neighbors. That man, his half-brother and girlfriend all received long prison sentences. ___ This story has been corrected to show the first name of the chief deputy coroner in Vanderburgh County is David. Aug. 9Clovis mayor Mike Morris knows recent criminal activity in the city such as shots fired incidents, shooting deaths and more are alarming and have the community concerned and upset. Morris addressed the problem in the opening minutes of Thursdays regular meeting of the Clovis city commission. Morris said it was very concerning that teenagers seem to be involved in the incidents. Morris noted the most recent victim, the fourth in Clovis this year, was Schammiel Kirven, 17, who died in what police are calling an accidental shooting Wednesday. The mayor offered condolences to Schammiels family. Why are our young people choosing crime, Morris asked as he spoke. He wondered what it would take to turn young people away from such a choice. Morris told the audience that he and some of the citys commissioners have met with Clovis police chief Roy Rice about the problem. The Clovis police department in swift fashion has solved crimes and made arrests, Morris said. Im telling the chief I support you, what do you need?' Morris said Rice told him, I have what I need when it comes to dealing with the uptick in criminal activity. Morris repeated his belief the police department is doing a great job. In other business the commissioners heard from assistant city manager Claire Burroughes the local infrastructure and capital improvements plan for 2024-2028. Burroughes outlined the desired infrastructure plans that need abut $197 million in funding to come to fruition: The building of a wastewater re-use facility, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard improvements, a behavioral health facility, renovations for the Lyceum Theater and animal shelter improvements are the top five projects on the list. City manager Justin Howalt addressed the shooting complex and archery range north of the city at Ned Houk Park and the decision that it will be operated by the city. Originally it was to operated by a subcontractor but that candidate backed out of the deal. Howalt said that he does not see the facility as being in competition with any privately held business in the area. No time-table was set for opening the facility but Howalt told the commissioners he knows the public wants it opened. Cannon Air Force Base wing commander Colonel Terence G. Taylor appeared before the commissioner along with Sara Williams the bases education liaison, vice wing commander Brent Greer, IRON deputy Amy Egbert and director of staff Rick Masters to present the city with its award for the Pete Taylor Partnership of Excellence Award. ___ (c)2022 Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. Visit Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. at www.easternnewmexiconews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Aug. 9CLOVIS Schammiel Kirven, 17, liked hanging out with friends, especially her cousin, Legacy Kirven, who was like her sister, Pastor Daniel Murrell said. Murrell is pastor of the First Church of the Brethren where Schammiels funeral is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. today. The teenager died a week ago, shot in an incident her alleged shooter called an accident. The suspect, Zyon Williams, 19, remains in the Curry County Adult Detention Center charged with abuse of a child resulting in death. Williams has a detention hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Friday Ninth Judicial District Court. Murrell, a former Clovis High Wildcat and a long-time resident of Clovis, is concerned about too much violent crime amongst young people. Our youth are subjected to enormous pressures, Murrell said. The music and the environment is making them lose touch with reality. Murrell believes young people dont have the knowledge needed to have guns or the finality of playing with guns. This is not a video game, Murrell said. He said in real life you dont get shot then get back up. Murrell said Schammiel and her family came to church for years. She was a loveable young lady, Murrell said. She was very respectful. Murrell said the community cares when young people are gone too soon because of violence. Murrell said he and other members of the church and community wanted to reach out with the love of the Lord. He said people who would like to make dishes to feed the family or make donations are invited to bring items by the church at the corner of Acoma Street and Manana Boulevard. I love the fact of how our community comes together; there has been such an outpouring of love, Murrell said. It just proves we are still Clovis strong.' ___ (c)2022 Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. Visit Eastern New Mexico News, Clovis, N.M. at www.easternnewmexiconews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TORONTO Alan Nichols had a history of depression and other medical issues, but none were life-threatening. When the 61-year-old Canadian was hospitalized in June 2019 over fears he might be suicidal, he asked his brother to bust him out as soon as possible. Within a month, Nichols submitted a request to be euthanized and he was killed, despite concerns raised by his family and a nurse practitioner. His application for euthanasia listed only one health condition as the reason for his request to die: hearing loss. Nichols family reported the case to police and health authorities, arguing that he lacked the capacity to understand the process and was not suffering unbearably among the requirements for euthanasia. They say he was not taking needed medication, wasnt using the cochlear implant that helped him hear, and that hospital staffers improperly helped him request euthanasia. Alan was basically put to death, his brother Gary Nichols said. Disability experts say the story is not unique in Canada, which arguably has the worlds most permissive euthanasia rules allowing people with serious disabilities to choose to be killed in the absence of any other medical issue. Many Canadians support euthanasia and the advocacy group Dying With Dignity says the procedure is driven by compassion, an end to suffering and discrimination and desire for personal autonomy. But human rights advocates say the countrys regulations lack necessary safeguards, devalue the lives of disabled people and are prompting doctors and health workers to suggest the procedure to those who might not otherwise consider it. Equally troubling, advocates say, are instances in which people have sought to be killed because they werent getting adequate government support to live. Canada is set to expand euthanasia access next year, but these advocates say the system warrants further scrutiny now. Euthanasia cannot be a default for Canadas failure to fulfill its human rights obligations, said Marie-Claude Landry, the head of its Human Rights Commission. Landry said she shares the grave concern voiced last year by three U.N. human rights experts, who wrote that Canadas euthanasia law appeared to violate the agencys Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They said the law had a discriminatory impact on disabled people and was inconsistent with Canadas obligations to uphold international human rights standards. Tim Stainton, director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship at the University of British Columbia, described Canadas law as probably the biggest existential threat to disabled people since the Nazis program in Germany in the 1930s. During his recent trip to Canada, Pope Francis blasted what he has labeled the culture of waste that considers elderly and disabled people disposable. We need to learn how to listen to the pain of the poor and most marginalized, Francis said, lamenting the patients who, in place of affection, are administered death. Canada prides itself on being liberal and accepting, said David Jones, director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Britain, but whats happening with euthanasia suggests there may be a darker side. ___ Euthanasia, where doctors use drugs to kill patients, is legal in seven countries Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain plus several states in Australia. Other jurisdictions, including several U.S. states, permit assisted suicide in which patients take the lethal drug themselves, typically in a drink prescribed by a doctor. In Canada, the two options are referred to as medical assistance in dying, though more than 99.9% of such deaths are euthanasia. There were more than 10,000 deaths by euthanasia last year, an increase of about a third from the previous year. Canadas road to allowing euthanasia began in 2015, when its highest court declared that outlawing assisted suicide deprived people of their dignity and autonomy. It gave national leaders a year to draft legislation. The resulting 2016 law legalized both euthanasia and assisted suicide for people aged 18 and over provided they met certain conditions: They had to have a serious condition, disease or disability that was in an advanced, irreversible state of decline and enduring unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be relieved under conditions that patients consider acceptable. Their death also had to be reasonably foreseeable, and the request for euthanasia had to be approved by at least two physicians. The law was later amended to allow people who are not terminally ill to choose death, significantly broadening the number of eligible people. Critics say that change removed a key safeguard aimed at protecting people with potentially years or decades of life left. Today, any adult with a serious illness, disease or disability can seek help in dying. Canadian health minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the countrys euthanasia law recognizes the rights of all persons as well as the inherent and equal value of every life. ___ The countries that allow euthanasia and assisted suicide vary in how they administer and regulate the practices, but Canada has several policies that set it apart from others. For example: Unlike Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal for two decades, Canada doesnt have monthly commissions to review potentially troubling cases, although it does publish yearly reports of euthanasia trends. Canada is the only country that allows nurse practitioners, not just doctors, to end patients lives. Medical authorities in its two largest provinces, Ontario and Quebec, explicitly instruct doctors not to indicate on death certificates if people died from euthanasia. Belgian doctors are advised to avoid mentioning euthanasia to patients since it could be misinterpreted as medical advice. The Australian state of Victoria forbids doctors from raising euthanasia with patients. There are no such restrictions in Canada. The association of Canadian health professionals who provide euthanasia tells physicians and nurses to inform patients if they might qualify to be killed, as one of their possible clinical care options. Canadian patients are not required to have exhausted all treatment alternatives before seeking euthanasia, as is the case in Belgium and the Netherlands. Still, Duclos said there were adequate safeguards in place, including stringent eligibility criteria to ensure no disabled people were being encouraged or coerced into ending their lives. Government figures show more than 65% of people are being euthanized due to cancer, followed by heart problems, respiratory issues and neurological conditions. Theresia Degener, a professor of law and disability studies at the Protestant University for Applied Sciences in northwestern Germany, said allowing euthanasia based exclusively on disability was a clear human rights violation. The implication of (Canadas) law is that a life with disability is automatically less worth living and that in some cases, death is preferable, said Degener. ___ Alan Nichols lost his hearing after brain surgery at age 12 and suffered a stroke in recent years, but he lived mostly on his own. He needed some help from us, but he was not so disabled that he qualified for euthanasia, said Gary Nichols. In one of the assessments filed by a nurse practitioner before Nichols was killed, she noted his history of seizures, frailty and a failure to thrive. She also wrote that Nichols had hearing and vision loss. The Nichols family were horrified that his death appeared to be approved based partly on Alans hearing loss and had other concerns about how Alan was euthanized. They lodged complaints with the British Columbia agency that regulates doctors and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, asking for criminal charges. They also wrote to Canadas minister of justice. Somebody needs to take responsibility so that it never happens to another family, said Trish Nichols, Garys wife. I am terrified of my husband or another relative being put in the hospital and somehow getting these (euthanasia) forms in their hand. The hospital says Alan Nichols made a valid request for euthanasia and that, in line with patient privacy, it was not obligated to inform relatives or include them in treatment discussions. The provincial regulatory agency, British Columbias College of Doctors and Surgeons, told the family it could not proceed without a police investigation. In March, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Patrick Maisonneuve emailed the relatives to say he had reviewed the documentation and concluded Alan Nichols met the criteria for euthanasia. The familys parliamentary representative, Laurie Throness, asked British Columbias health minister for a public investigation, calling the death deeply disturbing. The health minister, Adrian Dix, said the provinces oversight unit reviewed the case and has not referred it for any further inquiry. He pointed out that the euthanasia law does not allow for families to review euthanasia requests or be privy to hospitals decisions. Trudo Lemmens, chair of health law and policy at the University of Toronto, said it was astonishing that authorities concluded Nichols death was justified. This case demonstrates that the rules are too loose and that even when people die who shouldnt have died, there is almost no way to hold the doctors and hospitals responsible, he said. ___ Some disabled Canadians have decided to be killed in the face of mounting bills. Before being euthanized in August 2019 at age 41, Sean Tagert struggled to get the 24-hour-a-day care he needed. The government provided Tagert, who had Lou Gehrigs disease, with 16 hours of daily care at his home in Powell River, British Columbia. He spent about 264 Canadian dollars ($206) a day to pay coverage during the other eight hours. Health authorities proposed that Tagert move to an institution, but he refused, saying he would be too far from his young son. He called the suggestion a death sentence in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Before his death, Tagert had raised more than CA$16,000 ($12,400) to buy specialized medical equipment he needed to live at home with caretakers. But it still wasnt enough. I know Im asking for change, Tagert wrote in a Facebook post before his death. I just didnt realize that was an unacceptable thing to do. Stainton, the University of British Columbia professor, pointed out that no province or territory provides a disability benefit income above the poverty line. In some regions, he said, it is as low as CA$850 ($662) a month less than half the amount the government provided to people unable to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heidi Janz, an assistant adjunct professor in Disability Ethics at the University of Alberta, said a person with disabilities in Canada has to jump through so many hoops to get support that it can often be enough to tip the scales and lead them to euthanasia. Duclos, the national health minister, told The Associated Press that he could not comment on specific cases but said all jurisdictions have a broad range of policies to support disabled people. He acknowledged disparities in access to services and supports across the country. Other disabled people say the easy availability of euthanasia has led to unsettling and sometimes frightening discussions. Roger Foley, who has a degenerative brain disorder and is hospitalized in London, Ontario, was so alarmed by staffers mentioning euthanasia that he began secretly recording some of their conversations. In one recording obtained by the AP, the hospitals director of ethics told Foley that for him to remain in the hospital, it would cost north of $1,500 a day. Foley replied that mentioning fees felt like coercion and asked what plan there was for his long-term care. Roger, this is not my show, the ethicist responded. My piece of this was to talk to you, (to see) if you had an interest in assisted dying. Foley said he had never previously mentioned euthanasia. The hospital says there is no prohibition on staff raising the issue. Catherine Frazee, a professor emerita at Torontos Ryerson University, said cases like Foleys were likely just the tip of the iceberg. Its difficult to quantify it, because there is no easy way to track these cases, but I and other advocates are hearing regularly from disabled people every week who are considering (euthanasia), she said. Frazee cited the case of Candice Lewis, a 25-year-old woman who has cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Lewis mother, Sheila Elson, took her to an emergency room in Newfoundland five years ago. During her hospital stay, a doctor said Lewis was a candidate for euthanasia and that if her mother chose not to pursue it, that would be selfish, Elson told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. ___ Canada has tweaked its euthanasia rules since they were first enacted six years ago, but critics say more needs to be done especially as Canada expands access further. Next year, the country is set to allow people to be killed exclusively for mental health reasons. It is also considering extending euthanasia to mature minors children under 18 who meet the same requirements as adults. Chantalle Aubertin, spokeswoman for Canadian Justice Minister David Lametti, said in an email that the government had taken into account concerns raised by the disabled community when it added safeguards to its euthanasia regulations last year. Those changes included that people were to be informed of all services, such as mental health support and palliative care, before asking to die. Aubertin said those and other measures would help to honor the difficult and personal decisions of some Canadians to end their suffering on their own terms, while enshrining important safeguards to protect the vulnerable. Dr. Jean Marmoreo, a family physician who regularly provides euthanasia services in Ontario, has called for specialized panels to provide a second opinion in difficult cases. I think this is not something you want to rush, but at the same time, if the person has made a considered request for this and they meet the eligibility criteria, then they should not be denied their right to a dignified death, she said. Landry, Canadas human rights commissioner, said leaders should listen to the concerns of those facing hardships who believe euthanasia is their only option. She called for social and economic rights to be enshrined in Canadian law to ensure people can get adequate housing, health care and support. In an era where we recognize the right to die with dignity, we must do more to guarantee the right to live with dignity, she said. ___ Nicole Winfield in Edmonton, Alberta, contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. CATCHES OF THE WEEK At Alumni Pond, Noah Benavidez, 11, of Las Cruces caught a 12-inch bass using a worm Aug. 6. Albert Gonzales of El Paso, Texas, caught a 6-pound catfish using a hot dog July 29. Donovan Maruch of Albuquerque caught a 42-inch, 17-pound tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake using a swimbait July 31. Jeneva Martinez of Roswell caught a 16-inch, 2.5-pound largemouth bass at Brantley Lake using a nightcrawler worm July 31. Jennifer Macke of Albuquerque caught an 18.5-inch trout at Gravel Pit Lakes in Cimarron Canyon State Park using homemade dough bait July 30. At Cochiti Lake, Zach and Courtney Stimson of Rio Rancho caught a 29-inch, 10.5-pound catfish using minnows and a 25-inch, 6-pound catfish using chicken liver Aug. 1. Jothum Stallings Junior, 13, of Albuquerque caught an 18-inch smallmouth bass using a jig with a 4-inch chartreuse twin curly tail grub. At Elephant Butte Lake, Dennis Duran of Albuquerque caught a 5-pound, 12-ounce largemouth bass using a Googan crankbait July 31. Aaron Gutierrez of Albuquerque caught a 17-inch largemouth bass using a white minnow buzz bait July 24. Patrick Mondragon of Clovis caught an 8-pound catfish at Greene Acres Lake using shrimp marinated in Pautzke catfish nectar July 31. Amrek and Drake Wilson, 12 and 10, of Cyril, Oklahoma, caught a 22-inch rainbow trout and an 18-inch rainbow trout on the Red River using pink PowerBait worms at the Red River City Pond on July 22. On the San Juan River, Emmet Fowler of Farmington caught a 24-inch, 6-pound rainbow trout using a size 24 zebra midge fly Aug. 2. Shapes Padilla of Belen caught a 23-inch brown trout using a minnow fly Aug. 1. Josiah Salazar, 5, of Albuquerque caught his first fish, a 13-inch rainbow trout, at the Seven Springs Brood Pond using orange PowerBait on Aug. 6. If you have a catch of the week story, send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com. NOTES FROM GAME & FISH Northeast fishing report Cabresto Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Charette Lakes was good using salmon peach PowerBait. Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was 34.5 cubic feet per second. Fishing for trout was good using caddis dry flies and hopper dry flies. Fishing for trout at Gravel Pit Lakes was good using homemade dough bait. Fishing for catfish at Clayton Lake was fair to good using chicken liver and homemade dough baits. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass at Conchas Lake was good using wacky rigged plastic worms. At Costilla Creek, the department is implementing the final phase of a project to expand Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The final phase involves the removal of fish within a designated area (Rio Costilla from Costilla Dam downstream to the Valle Vidal Boundary, including all tributaries and Comanche Creek from the road culvert crossing on Forest Road 1950 downstream to its confluence with Rio Costilla and all tributaries). Tentative stocking of Rio Grande cutthroat trout is set for spring 2023. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including Cowles Ponds. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information. Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for rainbow trout at Eagle Nest Lake was fair to good using dry flies and salmon peach PowerBait. Eagle Rock Lake had no reports from anglers this week. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including the Gallinas River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including Hopewell Lake. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Lake Alice had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Lake Maloya was good using PowerBait, Pistol Pete spinner flies, corn and dough bait. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including Los Pinos River. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week. Monastery Lake will remain closed until further notice. For more information, visit the Open Gate webpage. State park closures have been in place restricting fishing access including Morphy Lake. Visit Morphy Lake State Parks webpage or call 575-387-2328 for the latest closure information. Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 206 cfs. National forest and state park closures have been in place restricting fishing access to much of the Pecos River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest forest closure information. Visit Pecos Canyon State Parks webpage or call 505-670-8196 for the latest park closure information. Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 115 cfs. Fishing for trout was slow using live worms and Panther Martin spinners. Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 648 cfs. Anglers reported high water levels and muddy water. Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was 57.2 cfs. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was 149 cfs. National forest and state park closures have been in place restricting fishing access to the Rio Mora. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest forest closure information. Visit Pecos Canyon State Parks webpage or call 505-670-8196 for the latest park closure information. Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Pe n asco on Monday morning was 29.0 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using stimulator flies and red Copper John flies. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Santa Cruz Reservoir had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Shuree Ponds was good using dry flies. Fishing for catfish at Springer Lake was good using chicken liver and nightcrawler worms. Fishing for trout at Storrie Lake was fair to good using pink and orange PowerBait. Stubblefield Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for walleye at Ute Lake was slow. Fishing for white bass was good using vertical jigs and spoons for suspended fish in 25-30 feet of water. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was good using drop shot rigs in 8-26 feet of water, and top water lures in the back of coves. Fishing for crappie was slow. Fishing for catfish was good using punch bait. The main lake water surface temperature was in the lower 80s and the water clarity was clear. Northwest fishing report Abiquiu Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 552 cfs. Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake was good using swimbaits and Rapala jerk baits. Fishing for trout on the Brazos River was good using worms. Fishing for trout at Canjilon Lakes was good using Pistol Pete spinner flies and orange PowerBait. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Fishing for bass at Cochiti Lake was fair to good using twin tail chartreuse curly tail grubs. Fishing for catfish was good using minnows and chicken liver. El Vado Lake can be accessed at Hargroves Day Use Area off State Road 322 and the Main Park area off State Road 112. The Rio Chama can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area on State Road 95, 10 miles west of U.S. Highway 84. Lake levels are steady but expected to drop as crews work on the El Vado Dam. The Dam Day Use Area is closed due to the ongoing construction. State Road 112 over the dam will experience periodic closures. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Parks webpage or call 575-588-7247. Fishing for trout at Fenton Lake was good using nymph flies, worms, salmon eggs and garlic PowerBait. Grants Riverwalk Pond has dried up due to pump failure. The city is planning to repair the pumps but is taking this opportunity to dredge the pond. They expect the pond to be offline for at least two to three months. Fish stockings will be discontinued until all work is done. Fishing for trout at Heron Lake from shore was fair using garlic PowerBait. At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez Springs on Monday morning was 79.9 cfs. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information. Fishing for trout at Laguna del Campo was good using PowerBait and spinners. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including Lagunitas Lakes. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Lake Farmington had no reports from anglers this week. Stocking efforts have been suspended at McGaffey Lake due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions. Lake conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve. Fishing for smallmouth bass at Navajo Lake was good using plastic worms and Ned rigs in 10-20 feet of water. Fishing for kokanee salmon was fair to good using pink and orange spinners tipped with corn. Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake and below Abiquiu Lake on Monday morning was 461 cfs and 508 cfs, respectively. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only. Fishing for catfish on the Rio Grande near Albuquerque was fair to good using chicken liver and cut bait. Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1) had no reports from anglers this week. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including San Gregorio Lake. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information. Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Monday morning was 362 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using size 24 zebra midge flies, grey foam wing emerger flies, crystal flash midge flies and minnow flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was fair to good using worms, red annelid flies and black and gold spinners. Fishing for trout at Seven Springs Brood Pond was good using orange PowerBait. Tiger Park Reservoir had no reports from anglers this week. Tingley Beach had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout was good at Trout Lakes using pink PowerBait, corn and salmon eggs. National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access. Visit the Carson National Forest webpage or call the Carson National Forest office at 505-758-6200 for the latest closure information. Southwest fishing report Fishing for bass at Alumni Pond was fair to good using worms and blue and white crankbaits. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using worms and hot dogs. Fishing for all species was slow at Bear Canyon Lake. Fishing for catfish at Bill Evans Lake was fair to good using nightcrawler worms. Fishing for crappie at Caballo Lake was slow using live minnows and small jigs. Fishing for bass was slow to fair using crankbaits. Fishing for walleye was good using small red deep-diving crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was fair using small crankbaits. Fishing for catfish at Elephant Butte Lake was good using cut carp bait. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair to good using Googan crankbaits and white minnow buzz baits. Fishing for white bass was very good using curly-tail grubs and Sassy shad. Fishing for crappie was fair to good using Sassy shad and live minnows. Fishing for walleye was slow using green grubs, nightcrawler worms and curly tail grubs. Fishing for catfish at Escondida Lake was fair using shrimp and nightcrawler worms. Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 213 cfs. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using cut bait. Glenwood Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was fair using salmon eggs and PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was good using chicken liver. Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for trout at Quemado Lake was good using dry flies during the morning and nymph flies in the afternoon. Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for catfish on the Rio Grande was fair to good using cut bait and homemade dough bait. Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for bass at Trees Lake was good using 3-inch plastic worms. Fishing for catfish was good using cut carp bait and live worms. Fishing for catfish at Young Pond was slow to fair using Smoky Links sausage, nightcrawler worms and chicken liver. Southeast Fishing Report Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was slow using worms. Fishing for catfish was fair using nightcrawler worms. Fishing for catfish at Bataan Lake was good using shrimp, worms and chicken liver. Berrendo Creek had no reports from anglers this week. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property. Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 8.90 cfs. Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the city of Alamogordo due to fire damage. Fishing for catfish at Bosque Redondo Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms. Fishing for bluegill was good using nightcrawler worms. Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for largemouth bass at Brantley Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms and wacky rigged Senko worms. Fishing for catfish was fair using nightcrawler worms. Fishing for catfish at Carlsbad Municipal Lake was fair using worms. Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for catfish at Eunice Lake was slow to fair using stink bait. Green Meadow Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for catfish at Greene Acres Lake was good using shrimp marinated in Pautzke catfish nectar. Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was fair using chartreuse PowerBait. Jal Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Lake Van had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for catfish at Oasis Park Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms. Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 121 cfs. Perch Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Fishing for rainbow trout at Rio Bonito was fair using worms. Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Monday morning was 5.28 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using worms. Rock Lake Hatchery Kids Pond had no reports from anglers this week. A water release on Friday will drop the Santa Rosa Lake level to a previous low where the boat ramp will not be usable. Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week. Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week. Source: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish SYDNEY, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists are confident they have unearthed strong evidence that the Earth's continents were formed by the impact of massive meteorites more than 3 billion years ago. Their findings, published in the Nature journal, are based on the examination of tiny zircon crystals in rocks from a region known as the Pilbara Craton in the northwest of the state of Western Australia (WA). The Pilbara Craton has long interested geologists as it is believed to contain the best-preserved section of the Earth's ancient crust, dating back to a time when the planet consisted of a huge land mass or "supercontinent." Explaining the latest study, Curtin University earth and planetary sciences associate professor Dr Tim Johnson said oxygen isotopes in the zircon crystals revealed a "process starting with the melting of rocks near the surface and progressing deeper, consistent with the geological effect of giant meteorite impacts." Johnson said zircon could survive intact for billions of years, which means scientists can determine "quite precisely when it was formed, based on the decay of the radioactive uranium it contains." "What's more, we can find out about the environment in which zircon formed by measuring the relative proportion of isotopes of oxygen it contains," he wrote in an article published on the website of The Conversation on Thursday. Johnson said the research provided the first solid evidence that the processes that ultimately formed the continents began with giant meteorite impacts, similar to those responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs, but which occurred billions of years earlier. "Data related to other areas of ancient continental crust on Earth appears to show patterns similar to those recognized in Western Australia," he said. "So we would like to test our findings on these ancient rocks to see if, as we suspect, our model is more widely applicable." The slow cast and shimmering ripple of a fly-fishing line is therapeutic. Project Healing Waters believes in that philosophy. The national organizations mission is to offer emotional and physical rehabilitation to disabled military personnel through the sport of fly-fishing. The program covers all 50 states, including two locations in New Mexico: Albuquerque and Taos. The state shares a region with Arizona, California and Nevada. John McKenzie, program lead in Albuquerque and the Southwests regional coordinator, said veterans come to the program with a myriad of issues, but even when he started as a participant, no one ever pushed him to explain why he was there. It was always about recovery, not forcing an immediate recollection. Every personal journey can be told organically when the time is right. They get relaxed as if they know theyre talking to somebody whos been there, he said about participants in the program. Theyre kind of forgetting about their stuff for a little bit which is sometimes what people need. Its just kind of a break, and thats why we have people stay with us. McKenzie has been part of Project Healing Waters for eight years. He himself is a veteran and started as a participant in the program before climbing the ranks, driven by his devotion to support his fellow military men and women. This organization makes sure you know how to fish and enjoy it, but its more about the camaraderie with the other veterans, he said. By using fly-fishing and all related activities, participants learn how to cope with their disabilities through mental distraction, patience and relaxation. In addition, participants are able to bond and find comfort in others who are in identical situations. Guides and volunteers teach veterans the entire process of fly-fishing, each step serving a healing purpose. Veterans learn how to build their own rods, tie their own flies, how to correctly cast and head out to the water to fly-fish. Its almost meditative, McKenzie said, reflecting on his own experience. I was really proud when I got my first fish on my own rod, my own fly. It gives you a sense of satisfaction. McKenzie knew he wanted to help after benefiting from the program. The organization thrives off the nature of volunteers who are patient and supportive. Many volunteers are fly-fishing guides themselves, but no experience is necessary, for there are other roles people can claim. Doc Thompson is the program lead in Taos. Though he didnt serve in the military, his lifelong experience as a fisherman and his dedication to supporting his community through his personal talents has helped many disabled military members ease their mental and physical struggles. It helps develop patience, and that kind of calming factor, Thompson said of fly-fishing. A lot of fly-fishing requires pretty pinpoint focused concentration it engages both the brain and hand-eye coordination. It kind of helps to reset your mind. The Taos program services the rural north of New Mexico where there are many opportunities to get out on the water and fish, even if some of the people are fairly new to the sport, Thompson explained. Though each participant has a different experience, Thompson said most benefit from the program, and fly-fishing allows some people to feel more normal, escape from what they deal with and be with others who have relatable stories. We have a handful of our participants that reference without the program, they would still be lost in life, Thompson said. The unexpected battle disabled military personnel must face beyond service is trying, but there are others in search of the same support. Project Healing Waters aims to provide another line to recovery. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Police detained the driver of an SUV for questioning hours after the vehicle was allegedly involved in an incident where a police vehicle was rammed and police opened fire Thursday morning in Corrales. Rio Rancho Police Lt. Jacquelynn Reedy said the officer was injured when his police vehicle was rammed during the confrontation. She said police at one point fired at the SUV before it fled. Reedy said a tip led police to find the SUV near Central and Old Coors in Albuquerque. Rio Rancho officers were able to stop the vehicle and detain one individual for questioning, she said. Reedy said that around 8:15 a.m. officers pulled over an SUV that had been reported stolen at a home on Meadowlark Lane in the village of Corrales. She said the driver began ramming the stolen vehicle into a police unit. The incident resulted in an officer-involved shooting, Reedy said. The suspect(s) then fled east on Meadowlark Lane through the village of Corrales into the city of Albuquerque. The police department posted about the incident on Facebook shortly after, along with a photo of the SUV, asking for the publics help in finding it. In the post, the agency said the rear window is now broken out. The post did not say whether the suspect or suspects had been shot. Thank you all for your vigilance and assistance in locating this vehicle, the department said on Facebook. AUSTIN, Texas Democrat Beto ORourke responded to a heckler at a campaign stop with an expletive after the Texas gubernatorial candidate heard a cackled laugh while criticizing the ease with which the Uvalde elementary school gunman legally purchased an AR-15-style rifle. By Thursday, video of ORourkes exchange at a town hall in rural Mineral Wells had drawn millions of views on social media, becoming the latest instance in which ORourke has gotten attention for his calls for stricter gun laws following one of the deadliest classroom shootings in U.S. history. ORourke on Wednesday was railing against how the 18-year-old gunman in Uvalde was able to legally purchase a weapon originally designed for use on the battlefields and take it into a classroom of fourth-graders. When a person in the crowd laughed, ORourke paused and pointed in their direction. It may be funny to you, (obscenity), but its not funny to me, ORourke said. Supporters stood up and cheered. Video shows a small number of people in the crowd were holding signs for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, ORourkes opponent in November, though it does not show who ORourke was specifically addressing. Chris Evans, a campaign spokesman, said the town hall continued without any further encounters. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed in the May massacre. ORourke, who has called for raising the age to legally purchase AR-style and other such high-powered guns in the U.S. to 21 years old, interrupted a news conference led by Abbott in Uvalde after the shooting and accused the two-term governor of not taking action. Gun violence has been one of ORourkes most animated issues as a candidate, including during his run for president in 2019, when he said, Hell yes, were gonna take your AR-15 on a debate stage. He has sought to give a more moderated message on firearms during his run for governor in gun-friendly Texas. The FBI has updated a list of Native Americans missing in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation, according to an FBI news release. The list, which can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/mmip-data-081022.pdf/view, has been updated to add 19 names. Ten names have been removed. There are 186 missing Indigenous persons now on the list, the release states. This list exceeded our expectations, Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque FBI Division said in the release. Besides appearing to be accurate for the state of New Mexico and the Navajo Nation, the list has galvanized local and tribal law enforcement agencies to update their files on missing Indigenous people. Thats good news for the families who are seeking answers. The public also has reached out to us and our partners to share information. If an Indigenous persons family member is missing and is not included in the list, they are urged to contact their local or tribal law enforcement agency, the release states. Anyone who knows the location of anyone on the list is also asked to contact law enforcement. The FBI plans to update the list monthly, according to the release. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Las Vegas could face water issues from the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire for the next decade, city and state officials said Wednesday. The fire burned thousands of acres in the Gallinas River watershed, where the northern New Mexico city gets almost all of its water. Utilities Director Maria Gilvarry told the City Council that the municipal infrastructure cant treat the turbid, ash-laden water from the burn scar. What we see coming down the river right now with all this sediment, next year its going to be logs and sediment, Gilvarry said. For years were going to have a huge challenge in this community. Las Vegas has about 63 million gallons of treatable water stored in Bradner Reservoir a 40-day supply. The state has authorized a total of $2.25 million in emergency money for the city to buy a new pre-treatment filtration system. City officials said the system could be installed this week. In the meantime, the city has implemented new water restrictions. Car washes and swimming pools are shut down. Utility employees are notifying businesses and residents if their water use is above average. Many restaurants have switched to using paper plates, disposable utensils and bottled water. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funded a $7 million project to protect the citys water diversions west of town from post-fire flooding. The flood control structures are catching sediment and debris that enter the river after rains over the burn scar, said Jim Riesterer, a Glorieta Geoscience hydrologist consulting with the city on post-fire projects. But cleaning the structures is labor-intensive and will require more federal funding. Everything was kind of done to get it through the monsoon season, but we all know that this is going to be going on for several years, Riesterer said. The pre-treatment filter system and flood barriers are temporary fixes. But permanent and costly upgrades will likely be needed for the main Las Vegas water system. Ash and debris have impacted the citys Peterson Reservoir, which is not currently being used. New Mexico Environment Secretary Jim Kenney applauded city officials for their work to deliver safe water to residents. He said the quality of the drinking water has actually improved since the fire began because its being monitored closely by the city and the state. The city owns some water storage space in Storrie Lake. In May, State Engineer Mike Hamman, with the agreement of local water users, issued an order restricting irrigation water diversions out of Storrie Lake. The order aims to preserve water supply for Las Vegas. Thats been a significant hardship from an agricultural perspective, Hamman said. State water and agriculture agencies are discussing plans to compensate farmers and ranchers who have suffered crop losses because of the lack of irrigation water. KYIV, Ukraine On a day of give and take, Western nations made more pledges to send arms to Ukraine while the European Unions full ban on Russian coal imports kicked in Thursday, adding to the sanctions against Moscow that intelligence claims are hurting its defense exports. Germany, seen early in Russias invasion as a lackadaisical Ukrainian ally, is making what Chancellor Olaf Scholz described as a massive break with its past by sending weapons to the war-ravaged country. Scholz said Germany is shipping arms a great, great many, sweeping and very effective. And we will continue to do so in the coming time. His government has approved military exports of at least $710 million and plans to provide further financial aid to Ukraine, the chancellor said. At a conference in Copenhagen, Britain and Denmark also made additional commitments to help Ukraines defense against Russias invasion, which has devastated the nation and reverberated across the world. We will not let you down, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said as she opened a daylong international donors conference. Denmark said a new contribution of $113 million would push the total amount of funding from the small northern nation of 5.8 million to over $500 million. She called it a huge donation. In comparison, Ukraines top donor, the United States, has committed $9.1 billion in security aid since Russian troops invaded on Feb. 24. To put more pressure on Russia, Britain announced it will send additional multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine. The missiles can hit targets up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) away with pinpoint accuracy, the U.K. government said. The new weapons, whose number wasnt specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems Britain provided earlier this year after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the bolstered military support shows the West will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putins invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking by videoconference to the meeting of mostly northern European countries, pleaded for more aid. The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe, he said. Britain said Moscow was already strained by the need to produce armored fighting vehicles for its troops in Ukraine and hence is highly unlikely to be capable of fulfilling some export orders, in a sector it has long taken pride in. The British defense intelligence update, highlighting the increasing effect of Western sanctions, dovetails with Western belief that the series of measures imposed on the Kremlin since the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine are increasingly having an impact on the Russian economy. The update said that because of the war and sanctions, its military industrial capacity is now under significant strain, and the credibility of many of its weapon systems has been undermined by their association with Russian forces poor performance. As the war nears the half-year point, Russia faces other challenges. Amid reports that hundreds of Russian soldiers were refusing to fight and trying to quit the military, covert recruitment efforts are underway that include using prisoners to make up for a shortage in trained troops. Russias military credibility came under more pressure on Wednesday when Ukraine said nine Russian warplanes were destroyed following explosions at an air base in Russian-controlled Crimea that appeared to be the result of a Ukrainian attack. Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in the blasts or that any attack took place. But satellite photos clearly showed at least seven fighter planes at the base had been blown up and others probably damaged. The U.K.s Wallace dismissed Russian explanations of the blasts, including a wayward cigarette butt, as excuses. When you just look at the footage of two simultaneous explosions not quite next to each other, and some of the reported damage even by the Russian authorities, I think its clear that thats not something that happens by someone dropping a cigarette, the British minister said. Ukrainian forces mounting a broad counter-offensive in the south have recaptured 54 settlements in the Kherson region, overrun by Russia in the early days of the war, the governor said Thursday. Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Yaroslav Yanushevych also accused Moscow of shelling the areas it lost in retaliation, creating a catastrophic humanitarian situation in towns and villages along the regions northern boundary. The governor said 92% of the Kherson region remains under Russian occupation. In the east of the country, the Ukrainian military said it had repelled Russian attempts to advance on the city of Bakhmut, a key target of Moscows offensive in the Donetsk region. It also said Russian troops had tried and failed to break through Ukrainian defensive lines near the cities of Kramatorsk and Avdiivka, also in the Donetsk region. The military also reported Russian shelling of dozens of towns and villages in Ukraines north, south and east. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians not to divulge details about the countrys military operations. If you want victory for Ukraine, then thats another matter, and you should feel your responsibility for every word you say about what our state is preparing in terms of defense or counter-offensives, he said. Russia, meanwhile, was taking apparent steps to strengthen its control over the eastern Luhansk region after driving out the last Ukrainian troops last month. Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, the industrial heartland. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, said he was joined on a visit to the region by Russias top law enforcement and security officials and also the minister in charge of construction. Medvedev, in a post on a messaging app, said they met with local Kremlin-backed officials to discuss restoring infrastructure, repairing hospitals and preparing schools for the start of the school year, solving social problems and supporting civilians. In other developments Thursday: Burial services were held for 11 more unidentified bodies found in Bucha, the town outside the Ukrainian capital that saw hundreds of people slaughtered under Russian occupation early in the war. The governments of Ukraine and Russia traded more accusations over which side was responsible for shelling the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed to Moscow and Kyiv to stop military action around Europes largest nuclear plant to avoid a catastrophe. The European Unions ban on coal imports from Russia took effect following a long phase-in that started in April. The 27-nation EU said it will affect about 25% of Russian coal exports and create a loss of about $8 billion a year. The EU is also trying to wean itself off Russian gas imports, but is too dependent to impose a full ban. And in perhaps the most symbolic example of give and take on Thursday, McDonalds announced plans to start reopening some of its restaurants in Ukraine in the coming months. The fast-food giant shuttered and sold hundreds of its Russian restaurants in March. Looking beyond a hoped-for return to peace, Scholz said Germany was working with the EU to develop plans for the reconstruction of Ukraine. That is going to be a big, big task which can hardly be described as a Marshall Plan, he said, referring to the massive U.S. aid plan for Europe in the wake of World War II. Its bigger. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, iconic radio host Larry Elder, Dr. Voddie Baucham, civil rights activist Bob Woodson, documentarian Chad Jackson, Dr. Alveda King, Pastor Corey Brooks, and many others will meet in Tinley Park, Ill., Sept. 8-10 NEWS PROVIDED BY Freedom's Journal Institute Aug. 11, 2022 CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, iconic radio host Larry Elder, Dr. Voddie Baucham and filmmaker Chad Jackson a.k.a. "The Mount Rushmore of Black Conservatism" who are featured in the controversial film Uncle Tom II: An America Odyssey -- are scheduled speakers Sept. 8-10 at the Black Conservative Summit (www.blackconservativesummit.net). Uncle Tom II exposes what the filmmakers describe as "the Marxist strategy of creating false racial tension" between Americans -- an attempt to tear the nation apart. The fifth annual Black Conservative Summit -- one of the largest gatherings of Black conservative leaders in the U.S. -- kicks off with a star-studded film screening. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/CwgT11qOCHE Registration for the summit is open to the public and the press. The summit's theme "How to Fix Black America" will serve as "a constant reminder that America is 'one nation under God, indivisible," said Dr. Eric Wallace, a Black scholar and former Republican candidate for the Illinois State Senate who co-founded Freedom's Journal Institute (FJI), a faith-based public policy action group, with his wife Jennifer. "Right now, race, gender, and new science are being weaponized to challenge the status quo of American values," he said. "This radical liberal ideology is infiltrating our churches, our schools, and our socio-political institutions at every level." With midterm elections fast approaching, the summit -- which attracts Black lawmakers, professionals, business leaders, theologians, educators, and others -- will focus on conservative priorities, including "responsible government, individual liberty, economic empowerment, and family values." Family 'Under Attack' "The traditional, nuclear family in the U.S. whether red, yellow, black, brown or white is under attack from an extreme liberal agenda," summit organizers claim. They cite Critical Race Theory (CRT), Black Lives Matter (BLM), and the promotion of unrestricted abortion and gender fluidity as major threats to the traditional family -- and the cause of many problems facing Black communities. "Many of the problems facing the Black community in America -- including high crime and incarceration rates -- stem not from racism; but from the rise of welfare and the disintegration of the traditional 'nuclear' family," said Bob Woodson, founder of the Woodson Center. Woodson will address "The Power of the Free Market Versus the Call for Socialism Today" on Sept. 9th at the Summit. Sadly, the number of homes in America where the traditional or nuclear family consists of a married couple with children -- currently 23.1 million homes -- is the lowest since the late 1950s, according to the 2021 census. However, "our earnest conviction is that many of the Black communities' problems, as well as other communities, could be solved if we gave more attention to building strong and healthy families," said Jennifer Wallace, who serves as FJI's Senior Fellow for Marriage and Family Life and Director of Black Families Matter. As hosts for the Summit, Dr. and Mrs. Wallace will address underlying issues such as a "conflict of visions" and the need for "strong family values," respectively, among other pertinent topics addressed by confirmed speakers. Find the complete Summit agenda and list of speakers/topics here. Confirmed Summit Speakers The Summit has an unprecedented line-up of speakers who will join Dr. Eric M. and Jennifer L. Wallace of FJI. They include Dr. Ben Carson, former HUD Secretary; Larry Elder, former syndicated radio talk show host; Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr., Founder, Voddie Baucham Ministries; Todd Ricketts, co-owner, Chicago Cubs; Bob Woodson, Founder, Woodson Center; Chad Jackson, filmmaker, "Uncle Tom II"; Dr. Shelby Steele, Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow, Hoover Institute; Charles Love, Executive Director, Seeking Educational Excellence; Rev. Dean Nelson, Chairman, Frederick Douglass Foundation; Ken Blackwell, Chairman, AFPI Center for Election Integrity; and special music by concert pianist Huntley Brown. "We believe that in order to minimize Black confrontation with police -- and reduce abortion clinic visits, school dropout rates, incarceration, and illicit drug use among Blacks -- we must focus on combatting the dysfunction and disintegration of the Black family," Jennifer Wallace said. "The family serves as the center for social, educational, economic, and spiritual life to build strong bonds among the generations; and to pass on a way of life that has transcendent meaning," she said. "Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain." MEDIA: For interviews with BCS speakers, contact Gregg Wooding, I AM PR, 972-567-7660/ gregg@iampronline.com. About Freedom's Journal Institute Dr. Eric Wallace, an African American scholar, and his wife Jennifer are the Co-Founders of Freedom's Journal Institute (FJI), an Illinois-based nonprofit organization committed to addressing contemporary social, political, and religious issues with a biblical worldview. FJI's Kingdoms in Konflict program airs on Total Living TV Network and National Religious Broadcasters TV Network. For more information, click here: www.iampronline.com/single-post/mount-rushmore-of-black-conservatism-convenes-at-5th-annual-black-conservative-summit SOURCE Freedom's Journal Institute CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, I AM PR, 972-567-7660, gregg@iampronline.com Allu Arjuns massive fandom and popularity grows in heaps and bounds with every passing day. Having cemented his position as one of the most successful and bankable superstars, Allu Arjun now seems to have taken the brand world by storm. #AANo1Choice#AlluArjun is the choice for major Pan Indian brands at the moment. As it should be pic.twitter.com/rLGD0wFIGG (@Dharshini_teddy) August 10, 2022 What a fine, massy actor #AlluArjun is, he deserves all the hype and it's the brands honour to have #AlluArjun's name as their Ambassador #AANo1Choice (@Luvbeingurself) August 10, 2022 Its so obvious that Allu Arjun is everyones first choice always #AANo1Choice pic.twitter.com/25mAOUIXkz Smita (@SmitaDa9) August 10, 2022 Such is the buzz the superstar has generated amongst brands; both on home turf and nationally, that the hashtag #AAno1Choice was trending on Twitter and sparked excited conversation amongst his many million fans. The fact that Allu Arjun has Pan-India appeal across a wide demographic, is one of the most charming men in the country and someone who audiences respect and admire has only gone on to boost his popularity in the brand world. While he was already amongst the most sought-after brand endorsers, the unparalleled success of 'Pushpa' made him the numero uno choice for most brands. Apart from being one of the most successful films of all time, Pushpa managed to bring cinema to its former glory during a gloomy pandemic phase for Indian cinema. The success of the film was testimony to Allu Arjuns popularity and his unshakeable hold over audiences across the country. It comes as no surprise then that Allu Arjun was signed by some of the biggest brands across categories ranging from F&B, FMCG and travel and lifestyle for national campaigns that target a Pan-India audience. Award-winning PR agency SPAG, a FINN Partners company, announced strategic partnership with Reckitt to champion impact-driven communications for a healthier world. The campaign aims to elevate Reckitts thought leadership voice, and commitment to improving hygiene and sustainability in the ASEAN region through a series of activities including stakeholder engagement, opinion leader building, content and design development, and social media and media strategy. This collaboration marks a pivotal step forward for both organizations in shaping a more sustainable and transparent communications landscape amidst a changing world. As an organization that is home to the worlds best loved and trusted hygiene, health and nutrition brands, our priority has always been to protect the world and the people we love. Our decision to work with SPAG stems from their acute understanding of consumers needs and motivations, and Reckitts core vision, said Sumeet Vohra, President, SE Asia, Japan. We are confident of our partnership together and believe that this will be a defining step for us to create impact in the ASEAN region. In recent times, global warming and its consequences including temperature anomalies and the spread of infectious diseases (Covid-19 and Monkey Pox) highlight the urgency to strengthen the resilience of global health. In Asias developing areas, these changes add pressure to weak health infrastructures and manpower constraints. With this, consumers are increasingly looking for solutions-oriented organizations and causes that value sustainability to protect the future of our world. Creating transparent communications as such will be paramount for brands, and SPAG stands at the forefront of this shift. At SPAG, we believe in the power of driving meaningful conversations. Our positioning in Asias communications landscape and our expertise in the healthcare and innovation sectors demonstrate the depth of understanding we have of what consumers and brands are looking for today. That is, transparency, safety, and reassurance in the new world order, said Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, and FINN Health Practice Asia Lead. Aligned with Reckitts mission to build a cleaner and healthier world, we believe that our subject matter expertise and solutions-driven communications will support the cause that they have set out for. With a strong footprint in Asia including India, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, SPAG, who has recently joined FINN Partners, is well-versed in the regions integrated communications landscape. It specializes in public relations, public affairs, and advocacy in healthcare as well as other sectors, making it a vertical-agnostic company. Together with its partner D Yellow Elephant, a digital and social media firm, SPAG offers a slew of communication-driven solutions including design and conceptualization, content development, website and SEO development, social media, and media engagement. Leading male grooming and lifestyle brand, Beardo, today launched a new film for their trademark Whisky Smoke EDP with the very dapper Bollywood sensation, Vicky Kaushal. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vicky Kaushal (@vickykaushal09) Aptly titled Its Time, the campaign reminisces the achievements men make along their journey from boyhood to manhood. Beardo Whiskey Smoke, the most mature fragrance in Beardos stable, is designed as a celebration of success goading men who are relentless in their pursuit to take a step back to celebrate their own success. BEARDOs latest campaign showcases Vicky Kaushal in an all-new, smouldering avatar exuding the sophistication that defines the scent. He reminds us that Its Time to be a BEARDO. Talking about the collaboration, Vicky Kaushal said, Beardos latest campaign feels personally curated for me. The concept of groomed yet rugged is something I relate to. I believe that a man's choice of fragrances is an extension of his signature style. I like mine classy yet undeniably masculine, a combination that Beardo's range of fragrances does very well. Truly excited to share what weve been working on together. Announcing the new campaign, Sujot Malhotra CEO Beardo said, Beardo believes in celebrating every facet of masculinity that goes towards making men the best version of themselves. One of the many ways we partner them in this journey is by helping them look and smell immaculate and irresistible. Given his sophisticated ruggedness and the values that the brand stands for with #HairyMasculinity, we believe Vicky is a perfect fit to inspire men on our behalf to be Raw, Real & Unfiltered basically the best version of themselves. Josh, Indias fastest growing and most engaged short-video app, has launched #SurakshaBandhan campaign on the joint occasion of Raksha Bandhan and Independence Day. The campaign aims to spread awareness on social injustices by encouraging users to pledge solidarity for a host of social causes and protect themselves and others in a raksha-bandhan sutra. Josh has constantly strived to leverage its platform to lead meaningful conversations and raise awareness on important social issues through the power of short-video content. The #SurakshaBandhan campaign is yet another step towards mobilising creator voices and bringing positive impact in the society. The campaign, running from 7th to 16th August, will enable users to create compelling content using special #SurakshaBandhan filters. Celebrating the spirit of the auspicious Raksha Bandhan and the 75th Independence Day, users can pledge their support to protect fellow Indians from social injustices such as inequality, discrimination, corruption, and crime against women. Winners of the campaign will be awarded a chance to attend the momentous Independence Day parade at Wagah border along with their families. In a symbolic gesture to honour the guardians of the country, the winners will also tie rakhis to our brave Indian soldiers thereby denoting the nations gratitude towards them. Stakeholders from the police, medical fraternity, and bureaucrats have joined the campaign by sharing stories of people who have been affected by various social injustices. Speaking on the campaign, Head of Creator and Content Ecosystem, Sunder Venketraman said, At Josh, weve always worked towards engaging our user base to elevate socially relevant conversations. #SurakshaBandhan is doubly special for us as we commemorate two significant celebrations in the country - Raksha Bandhan and Independence Day. Through this campaign, we aim to create a dialogue on fighting social injustices and encourage users to pledge their allegiance to the cause. This season, Kerala is eagerly awaiting to celebrate the homecoming of their biggest superstar. Onam celebrates the homecoming of every Malayali's superhero, the benevolent king Mahabali. When it comes to good times, Malayalis consider the times of the legendary Mahabali to be the gold standard. Malayalis relive those times of prosperity, equality and abundance by celebrating Onam with fervour. It's the time when family budgets have extra provisions, homes are refreshed and long pending shopping wish lists are fulfilled. Thus, Onam truly is the beginning of the great Indian shopping season. The South Swag Onam was always the biggest shopping season in Kerala. But this year, the South Indian festival is all set to be one of the biggest shopping seasons in the country as well. South as a region was always seen as smaller or less flamboyant, with a far less appetite than north. Bigger cities, big business houses, big celebrations are all usually attributed to North India. But that position is observed to be shifting now. It was the evolution of the startup economy that began this change, with cities like Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram riding the tech wave. Now, South India holds lead positions when it comes to new economy parameters like internet penetration, data usage etc. According to TRAI, Kerala comes a close second in terms of internet density in the country with 87 subscribers per 100 population. In recent months this emergence has been amplified by the awakening of another south Indian giant - the movie industry. Back-to-back hits like Bahubali, KGF, RRR and Vikram are breaking collection records and are even becoming huge grossers in Hindi speaking states. This emergence of the South is a perfect prelude to the most awaited festival in Kerala, Onam. An indicator of this trend could be found in the fact that Kerala's favourite Malayalam news portal Manoramaonline bagged gold at the WAN IFRA South Asian Digital Media Awards for the best news website for the third year in a row. The Onam Campaign from Manoramaonline - 'Kerala's Biggest Superstar coming soon' proudly points out this trend to the fraternity, thereby inviting it to become a part of this big festive season by ensuring that its brand is present on Manoramaonline. Tiki, a short video-making community, announces the launch of its campaign - #MyTirangaStory to commemorate the 75th momentous year of India's independence. With an aim to promote national integrity and independence, the campaign will encourage creators from different genres to showcase their love towards the nation through their content. As India is celebrating its 75 years of independence- Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Honble Prime Minister through the Ministry of Culture has appealed to all the citizens of India to hoist the Tricolor at homes and offices. Tikis #MyTirangaStory campaign is an initiative to further strengthen the PM's message of hoisting the national flag and invoke a feeling of patriotism in the hearts of the people. To further spread the love for the nation amongst the community, the brand has curated different content buckets. Tiki will be launching a filter in a quiz format to add fun elements and unheard facts about Tiranga. Through these questions, the aim is to create awareness among the users and also share infotainment videos to provide guidance about the Dos and Donts for the national flag hoisting. In addition, Tiki designed Tiranga Rose and Tiranga Kite, two national flag-inspired virtual gifts, for users to create feelings of patriotism & pay tribute to the country during their live streaming. Tiki also partners with Indias well-renowned NGO Bhumi to launch a series of offline charitable initiatives to make the Day not only for celebration, but also for empowerment. Speaking more on the campaign, Ian Goh, CEO, Tiki said, Our creators are the face of Tiki, and it has been our constant endeavor to encourage them to thrive through their differentiated talent. As an entrepreneur from Singapore, I feel so honored that we have this opportunity to serve millions of talented creators in this great country and see a meaningful impact. Launching Tiki as a Make In India for Indians platform is my own Tiranga story. Tanya Sharma, a verified creator from Mumbai said, We are extremely elated that Tiki has provided us with a platform where I can showcase my love towards my motherland. With Tiki, I feel that I have got a platform that truly understands my potential. This Independence Day, I look forward to sharing #MyTirangaStory in a unique and creative way. Abhishek Kumar, a verified creator from Mumbai said, I am thrilled to participate in the Independence Day campaign organized by Tiki and I am also excited to share #MyTirangaStory in my own creative way. I firmly feel that this campaign not only celebrates Independence Day but also brings opportunities to the talented pool of independent creators available on Tiki to put their best foot forward. By John Stone I recently wrote to Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer of England and to the British government, asking her for the basis of her statement to the BBC regarding MMR: "It's a safe vaccination - we know that", and was a lucky enough to receive a reply (letter of 12 November, from which I extract): Specifically in relation to whether MMR vaccines may be a cause of autism, a substantial body of population-based research has found no evidence to suggest a causal association. This evidence (not just for MMR, but other types of vaccine) is available for review in the published medical literature, and was summarised in a meta-analysis in 2014 which is free to download (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X14006367?via%3Dihub). In relation to vaccine safety monitoring more generally, I can assure you that systems are in place to keep safety under review. This includes continual review of suspected adverse reaction reports (such as those submitted through the Yellow Card Scheme), evaluation of GP and hospital-based health records linked to immunisations, review of worldwide data and close collaboration with international health authorities. It is noteworthy that the "meta-analysis" by Luke E Taylor is identical to the one cited by Thomas Insel to a US Congressional committee in 2014, but it constitutes no more than a bureaucratic fig-leaf. Dame Sally - who is the UK's leading government adviser on medical matters - ought to be able to do a lot better than this if every child is to be subjected to these products. It is, if anything, a rather naive response citing a shallow collection of studies which were published under political pressure decades after the policy was introduced. I have since attempted a conscientious and detailed reply: 21 November 2018 Dear Dame Sally, Thank you for your letter of 12 November. I would point out that though you are quite right I am concerned about the rise in autism I specifically asked about the evidence base for MMR safety. That said it is reasonable to point out autism for a whole host of reasons is a much more serious problem in modern Britain (and elsewhere) than measles. When the DHSC last surveyed this problem in 2004-5 the overall ASD rate among school children was ~1% which was 5 times higher than the rate for those young people born between 1984-8 mostly before MMR was introduced, as reported in the equivalent 1999 survey. Since then your department has neglected to look at the issue (apart from a couple of failed adult autism surveys) as everything manifestly got worse, year on year [1,2]. As it is, a recent survey carried out by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland showed that the rate had risen from 1.2% in 2009 to 2.9%, while in Belfast it was as high as 4.7%. Moreover, 60% are educational Stage 5 [3], ie the most severe level of disability, so these are not cases that could previously have been missed because somehow subliminal. Educational data from across the nation and reports of collapse in educational services in the media testify that Northern Ireland is not an isolated case, but just better documented [4]. Regarding the meta-review by Taylor 'Vaccines are not associated with autism' [5] which you cited I note that there are just six MMR related studies included all of which have major problems. Three of the studies show apparent protective effect of MMR vaccines against autism (Madsen 8% [6], Smeeth 14% or 22% [7] and Mrozek-Budzyn 83%!!! [8]) which suggests bias. Of the Madsen paper Cochrane 2005 warned [9]: "The follow up of diagnostic records ends one year (31 Dec 1999) after the last day of admission to the cohort. Because of the length of time from birth to diagnosis, it becomes increasingly unlikely that those born later in the cohort could have a diagnosis" It remains troubling that as with a number of studies from this Danish group the co-ordinator on behalf of US Centers for Diseases Control, Poul Thorsen, is wanted for financial fraud from the CDC, though not extradited to the US now after nearly 8 years [10]. Of the De Stefano paper Cochrane commented [9]: The conclusion, however, implied bias in the enrollment of cases which may not be representative of the rest of the autistic population of the city of Atlanta, USA where the study was set. And indeed in 2014 the paper was repudiated by one of the leading authors, William Thompson [11]: I regret that my coauthors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the journal Pediatrics. The omitted data suggested that African American males who received the MMR vaccine before age 36 months were at increased risk for autism. Decisions were made regarding which findings to report after the data were collected, and I believe that the final study protocol was not followed. The study by Smeeth [7] is compromised by its patchy data source, the General Practice Research Database where the autism rate represented is perhaps only one tenth of cases diagnosed [12]. Cochrane commented [9]: In the GPRD - based studies (Black 2003; Smeeth 2004) the precise nature of controlled unexposed to MMR and their generalisability was impossible to determine It remains problematic whether the unvaccinated in this study were genuinely unvaccinated. Of the Uchiyama study [13] Cochrane commented [14]: The cohort study of Uchiyama 2007 was potentially affected by a different type of bias, considering that the participants were from a private clinic and that definitions of applied Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) diagnosis and of methods used for ASD regression ascertainment were not clearly reported. And the Uno study [15] will suffer from similar issues since the cases came from the same clinic. Moreover, in both instances the studies were far too small (904 persons and 413) to necessarily provide any clear result even if they had been better controlled. Nor can the Taylor meta-analysis [5] cover up the entire absence of pre-marketing studies. In 1988-9 when the British government was persuaded to introduce Pluserix, MMR2 and Imravax there were no safety studies at all, and successive governments have been forced into the defence of a policy which they had embarked on without safety evidence. As to the robustness of the yellow card reporting system I note the recent correspondence in the columns of BMJ On-Line regarding monitoring of Pandemrix vaccine from Wendy E Stephen and Clifford G Miller [16], which has serious implications for how the MHRA monitor all products. The MHRA has, of course, the ultimate conflict of being entirely funded by the manufacturers. It may be mentioned that in 1992 the Pluserix and Imravax vaccines were withdrawn not apparently by the British Government concerned about patient safety but by the manufacturers catching the government on the hop [17]. We are confronting a catastrophic situation among our young people with chronic illness replacing infectious illness as the main issue and cost to the state, and laying the emphasis on infectious diseases (with endless hate campaigns in the media against critics labelled anti-vaxxers) is a distraction, and a distortion of policy. It would be unfortunate if ministers were being advised about the safety of the programme on such a threadbare and inadequate basis. Re-examining the policy is both essential and urgent. [1] John Stone, Response to David Oliver I (The Indisputable Rise in Autism), BMJ Rapid Responses 28 August 2018, https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3596/rr-12 [2] John Stone, What about autism? BMJ Rapid Responses, 21 August 2018, https://www.bmj.com/content/362/bmj.k3596/rr-0 [3] Information Analysis Directorate 'The Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children in Northern Ireland 2018', published 10 May 2018, https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/asd-children-ni-2018.pdf [4] Responses to Viner RM, 'NHS must prioritise health of children and young people', https://www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k1116/rapid-responses [5] Luke E Taylor et al, Vaccines are not associated with autism: An evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies, Vaccine 2014, https://autismoevaccini.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/vaccines-are-not-associated-with-autism.pdf [6] Madsen et al, A Population-Based Study of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Vaccination and Autism, NEMJ 2002, https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa021134 [7] Smeeth et al, MMR vaccination and pervasive developmental disorders: a case-control study. Lance 2004, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15364187 [8] Mrozek-Budzyn et al, Lack of association between measles-mumps-rubella vaccination and autism in children: a case-control study. Pediatric Infectious Diseases Journal 2010, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19952979 [9] Demicheli et al, Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children., Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Oct 19;(4):CD004407. [10] Office of Inspector General, US Department of Health and Human Services, Fugitive Profiles, https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/fugitives/profiles.asp [11] https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2016/WorkGroups/House%20Health%20Care/Bills/H.98/Witness%20Testimony/H.98~Jennifer%20Stella~William%20Thompson%20Statement~5-6-2015.pdf [12] John Stone, An old story: the GPRD does not provide credible autism data 11 February 2014 https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/10/e003219.responses [13] Uchiyama et al, MMR-vaccine and regression in autism spectrum disorders: negative results presented from Japan. J Autism Dev Disord. 2007 Feb;37(2):210-7. [14] Demicheli et al, Vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella in children., Cochrane Systematic Review - Intervention Version published: 15 February 2012, https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004407.pub3/full [15] Uno et al, The combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines and the total number of vaccines are not associated with development of autism spectrum disorder: the first case-control study in Asia, Vaccine. 2012 Jun 13;30(28):4292-8. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.01.093. Epub 2012 Apr 20. [16] Responses to Godlee, A tale of two vaccines BMJ 2018, https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4152/rapid-responses [17] Report, BMJ 26 September 1992, https://www.bmj.com/content/305/6856/777 When your government, the BBC or the mainstream media tell you that MMR is safe, this the best that the British government can do. After three decades of pure bluster they need to go back to the drawing board. Americans should find it shocking, frightening, and intolerable that acting on our God-given fundamental rights as human beings has now been deemed illegal behavior and can result in being charged with a crime in a growing number of situations and locations. Stop and think about that for a few minutes. That which prior to 2020 were considered basic human rights, including the rights to breathe, smile at others, communicate, entertain, move about, congregate, shop, conduct business, seek care and services, and go to church, have instantaneously been labeled dangerous behaviors if done in a free, unregulated, and unimpeded manner, deemed worthy of fines, ostracization, shaming, social isolation, forced quarantine, closures, lockdowns, lawsuits, and no doubt very soon, prison time and re-education camps. Perhaps this is why nearly half of U.S. states have released thousands of prisoners before their sentences were completed, including those who have committed violent crimesto make room for those who will refuse to comply with rights-stripping, unconstitutional, life-destroying edicts made and enforced by those abusing their positions of power. In the event you havent noticed, things are getting worse, not better. And I am not talking about Covid-19, whatever that is or isnt (no way for us to know, as we have been lied to from the get-go). I am talking about the state of our God-given rights, many of which our U.S. Constitution was created to protect, rights that include: the right to breathe freely, minus dangerous impediments; the right to communicate and socialize with others, minus facial covering and physical distancing requirements; the right to move about freely, including frequenting businesses of our choosing, minus finding businesses forcibly closed, and minus absurd shopping and walking around town rules; the right to conduct business, minus being deemed non-essential, minus being restricted in scope and ability to conduct business, and minus being coerced to enforce dangerous and absurd requirements of employees and customers; the right to assemble, minus ridiculous and arbitrary physical distancing and maximum number restrictions, and minus the forced covering of the majority of ones face; the right to seek medical, dental, and eye care, minus temperature checks, facial masking, and in some cases, Covid-19 testing requirements (with the nasal swab testing causing harm and damage to some of those being tested that way); the right to practice ones religion, and to congregate and fellowship with others, minus rules and requirements which prevent one from doing so; and the right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, minus unwarranted, unconstitutional, and unacceptable government interference. I went grocery shopping this past Saturday, first time in 30 days. I find seeing my fellow humans masked, including young children, to be soul-stripping, and I come home angry and depressed. For some reason, I thought I would not be the only unmasked person at this stage of the insanity, but I was wrong. The store was more crowded than I had seen it to date, and yet, I saw no other shopper, or employee, not wearing a masknearly 6 months into this global machination. In short order, we have been put under mask requirements, physical distancing requirements, quarantining of healthy people, business closures, lockdowns, required testing (or lose your job, or be denied services), contact tracing (how long will it take for literally every American to be put on someones listI predict that could be accomplished in less than 2 weeks), and soon dissenters will be victims of knocks on their doors, removal to quarantine centers and/or re-education camps, forced vaccinations while being held down, and prison time, followed by suicides and unexplained deaths. Our country is being run by a real-life mafia, comprised of a small group who has assumed a powerful form of global authority. These mafia heads have many minions who populate the pharmaceutical industry and government leadership and regulatory positions. These mafia underlings then have their many minions which include elected officials, university and education system officials, the mainstream media, and public health officials. And as of late, this despotic mafia has succeeded in enlisting citizens to police one another, both voluntarily and for pay, via snitch lines, social media shaming, contact tracers, informants who report violations, and non-police enforcers of mask wearing and physical distancing. We are seeing evidence of this mafia, and associated mafia-style consequences, in many places: businesses, schools, and churches being forced to close without having committed any violations; business owners fearful of allowing anyone into their establishments who is not wearing a mask, even when the person meets one of the many legal exemptions (given that the requirements themselves are not legal, there is no justification to have to legally exempt oneself), knowing they may face financially devastating fines and/or forced closure; college faculty, staff, and students being required to submit to regular Covid-19 testing, temperature checks, mask wearing, physical distancing, and contact tracing, and for those in the very large UC system, the requirement of an influenza vaccine by 11-1-20 has now been added, with refusal resulting in being fired and being denied enrollment; those needing/wanting surgery are being required to submit to Covid-19 testing, with refusal resulting in no treatment; those needing/wanting medical, dental, or eye care are now being required to submit to temperature checks and masking requirements, with refusal resulting in no service; those frequenting many businesses are being required to sign in for future contact tracing purposes, with refusal resulting in being told to leave; all with no viable opt out, even if a legal exemption exists, for fear the mafia and its many minions will penalize and/or annihilate persons and businesses not falling into line and enforcing their edicts. Todays exemptions will soon be on tomorrows no longer accepted list. Should you need proof of that, just look at the history of vaccine mandates. The noose on freedom and personal liberties is tightening, and in many areas, has already been cinched. For those who think it is no big deal to comply with the ever-increasing rules, requirements, and mandates, or that it is somehow virtuous, I urge you to reconsider and take a look at where all of this is headed, and what it means for your future, and the future of your children and grandchildren. The progression of increasing, illegal, and unconstitutional requirements has been rapid, and backed by force. It is not going to stop. Next up will be proof of Covid-19 status, with required periodic and repeated testing, to enter any public or private business (as though there is even one reliable test, for something that has yet to be clearly identified, for something that has yet to be proven to be contagious, and for something that has yet to be proven to be prevented or halted by mask wearing or physical distancing), mandatory signing in wherever you go for contact tracing purposes, proof of Covid-19 vaccination (with proof of additional vaccines in short order), and in the very near future, the requirement of some type of chipping that can be scanned prior to entering any public or private business or entity, to ensure full compliance with the mafias demands. Comply, or be deniedor worse. It is not wise or virtuous to condone or support that which eliminates the most basic rights of human beings. It is not wise or virtuous to willingly give up our God-given, Constitutionally-guaranteed rights and freedoms, in exchange for tyranny, threats, and torture. It is not wise or virtuous to accept mafia dominance over our lives, the lives of our children and grandchildren, or the lives of others. None of what I have written prohibits anyone from doing that which they believe protects their health, or the health of their children. If someone believes that masks are protective, not harmful, prevent the transmission of viruses, and/or believe that they or their children are particularly vulnerable for some reason, they are free to wear a mask. If their mask works as they believe it does, it should not matter to them whether or not anyone else is wearing a mask. The same argument holds true for vaccination. If someone wants to permit a vaccine for themselves or their child, they are free to do so. If they believe that a vaccine is protective for them or their child, it should make no difference to them whether or not anyone else is vaccinated. And therein lies the truthwhen individuals and parents are free to make their own health-related decisions, that is how and when individuals, children, communities, and society at large thrive. When something is effective, it is continued, or repeated if/when necessary. When something is ineffective, or harmful, it is discontinued, not repeated, and something else may be tried in the future. No one has a more vested and sincere interest in an individual or child being healthy and well than the individual or parent. No one has a better firsthand account of the results of health-related decisions than the individual or parent, and therefore, it is their experiences and their decisions that matter most. No one will be more accountable and personally responsible for individual and parental health-related decisions than the individual and parent, and therefore, such accountability and personal responsibility are the most natural and effective motivators for beneficial and effective decisions to be made, or adjusted as needed, and for harmful and ineffective decisions to be completely avoided, or never repeated. We do not need elected officials legislating and dictating our health-related decisions, nor do we need public and global health officials pronouncing and enforcing what they deem is and isnt healthy for us and our families, especially given their terrible track records, their conflicts of interest, and the many lawsuits against and criminal convictions of the companies who bribe, buy, influence, and control them. What we need is health and medical choice freedom, paired with rock-solid parental rights. What we need is the free flow of information so that people can make fully informed decisions. The censorship of anything and everything that challenges or disproves the mafias propaganda must be stopped. Perhaps most importantly, we need those who comprise the mafia described above, and their many minions, behind bars. We need to be the change we want to see. Continued compliance will lead to increasing tyranny. We need to act individually and collectively. Connect with like-minded people in your area and get involved with Dr. Pam Poppers Make Americans Free Again and Peggy Halls The Healthy American. Become a member of the Weston A Price Foundation, which provides excellent health-related information as well as action items related to protecting and regaining rights and freedoms. Refusing to comply today is the path to regaining our rights and freedoms tomorrow. Laura Hayes writes and speaks about the importance of healthcare/medical choice freedom and parental rights. She has been outspoken for many years regarding the urgent need to immediately: ban vaccine mandates; enact a moratorium on each and every vaccine, as not one has been tested or approved properly or ethically; repeal the 1986 Act; and fully restore individual and parental rights with regard to healthcare and medical decision making. You can read more of her work at the Age of Autism Exclusives. By John Stone Following the TV broadcast of two civil servants, Patrick Vallance and Chris Whitty, a Conservative member of Parliament, Desmond Swayne, has called from the chamber of the House of Commons for them to be sacked for spreading fear. He particularly refers to the use of a graph showing the infection rate doubling exponentially every seven days. Swayne is appalled by the authoritarian route the Johnson government has taken. View the 1 min 42 second video. It was also disturbing to watch them broadcasting from the Prime Ministers residence as I noted in a letter to British Medical Journal Rapid Responses: Not least was it dismaying to see two civil servants - Patrick Vallance and Christopher Whitty - on Monday address the public from Downing Street as if they were the government. We have got used to No 10 briefings, and even the absence of the Prime Minister at such briefings when he became ill in the spring, but this time we had Civil Servants unmediated by elected government politicians. The sheer oddity of it rings alarm bells - we seem to be entering some parallel and perhaps menacing universe. Where is the country we once knew? Now the government politicians and their advisors take it in turns to hide behind one another. John Stone is UK Editor of Age of Autism #Srinagar A major tragedy was averted after the police and security forces in a joint operation recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) in South Kashmirs Pulwama district on Wednesday, officials said. Acting on a specific input about the planted IED on the circular road in Pulwama, an operation was started that led to the recovery, the officials said. This road is heavily trafficked, especially in the morning when school buses, office goers and other commuters use it. An IED weighing approx. 25 to 30 Kgs recovered near Tahab Crossing on Circular road in Pulwama by Police and Security Forces. A major tragedy has been averted by specific input generated by Pulwama police, Jammu and Kashmir Police quoting Additional Director General Police Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar tweeted. Meanwhile, a case has been registered and police have started the investigation. IANS Kashmir University says data unmodified #Srinagar Amid reports that its student database was spotted on dark web officials of the Kashmir University said on Wednesday that Universitys database was unmodified and the reported breach was being analysed. It was reported by an independent media outlet that the database of Kashmir University has been put on sale for $250 on a hacking forum by ViktorLusting. IANS Following on your campaign promise to end fossil fuel, consider just some of the policy and investment signals being sent by various federal agencies and allied state governments to the market about our refining industry, the American Petroleum Institute and American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers wrote to In an article for the Wall Street Journal, Holman W. Jenkins wrote about the recent search (raid) of our 45th president's Mar-a-Lago palatial home. Jenkins's long-winded analysis concludes: "Don't put it past Mr. Garland's inherited crew of bumblers to end up electing Mr. Trump a second time." This "objective assessment" is not far from the observations made by former N.Y. governor Andrew Cuomo, who thinks this type of Justice Dept. and FBI overreach may generate a lot of sympathy for Trump and thereby dilute the credibility of the Jan. 6 House "investigation" (actually, a Soviet-style show trial that calls no defense witnesses). Jenkins and Cuomo are looking exclusively at the political implications of this latest abuse of power and conclude that instead of its putting Trump in a bad light, the opposite may be the result. Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey, is not as concerned as Jenkins or Cuomo about the raid generating support for Trump. Instead, he seems to think this raid is no big deal. He states that breaking into safes is standard operating procedure for operations of the kind that took place in Florida, but ho hum we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out. So the Wall St. Journal, Cuomo, and Christie have in common being oh, so detached and "objective." What has happened in Florida is just another political and legal procedure that will run its course. Their conclusions that FBI and DOJ "bumbling and meddling" (more accurately to be called corruption) might have certain unintended political consequences or is a type of merely legal limbo are devoid of integrity. What all three of the above fail to see is the disintegration of the rule of law in the USA taking place before our eyes. This search of Trump's Florida home should be seen as a collapse of integrity in and by our Justice Dept. The lack of integrity of public figures coast to coast and in government has been exposed. It is clear that this is a monumental ethical crisis and not mainly a political or legal crisis. Not a finger was raised to stop this travesty while it was in progress. Justice Dept. and FBI employees did not resign en masse. Greg Kelly on his Newsmax show on August 9 expressed his view that this would be in order, but it has not occurred. Ron DeSantis did not call up the National Guard to confront the FBI in Florida to thereby intensify and expose the crisis for what it is. Nor did he go to Mar-a-Lago to personally stand with other public officials (or perhaps with governors from other states) to personally object and argue with the FBI at Trump's residence. Rather, the FBI's right to execute this nefarious action went unchallenged. FBI overreach has increasingly been in the news the past few years, but we have not seen any real pushback by our elected or appointed officials. We see that an FBI agent was present but drove away from the attempt a few years ago to assassinate Pamela Geller by Islamic extremists. Aware of this intention because of a deftly placed agent (or perhaps he was the instigator), nothing was done by the FBI to prevent this attempt, which was stopped by a local sharpshooter in Garland, TX. Gov. Whitmer of Michigan was supposedly the intended victim of a kidnapping plot, but two of the accused were acquitted, and a mistrial was declared for the other two. Not only was it some of the worst investigative work in the history of the USA, but serious questions were raised as to whether the FBI, rather than the indicted men, actually set up the entire project as a false flag to allow the arrest of certain right-wingers. It may have been (and this writer believes it is likely) that this was part of an ongoing FBI plot to make the right seem dangerous and out of control. With weapons and an excessive show of force, the FBI arrested Roger Stone, Peter Navarro, and Simone Gold, showing unnecessary aggression. Our ship of state is sinking faster than the Titanic. Where are the religious leaders of Christianity and Judaism, screaming to high heaven about the breach of the commandment "Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"? This is the basis in law for our laws against perjury but also for our belief that justice is and should be "blind" i.e., even-handed in its application. Has it already been forgotten that we are not to bear false witness against our enemies any more than against our friends? The DOJ and FBI are taking steps, according to Joe DeGenova, former attorney general for Washington, D.C., to indict Pres. Trump. I am already imagining a grim photo op of Trump being led to an FBI vehicle in handcuffs. Some of our senators and congressmen were vocal and insistent in questioning Christopher "Pretty Boy" Wray or Merrick "Dried Prune" Garland recently in the formal halls of Congress. But, after an egregious event of this magnitude in Florida, why do not some of these so-called conservative or right-wing senators and congressmen as a group go to the homes of Garland or Wray or to restaurants where they eat and confront them to express how offended they are? Why are we not seeing the leaders of various conservative groups and Protestant denominations and churches, as well as the Conference of Catholic Bishops, picketing the DOJ and FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. with signs saying "Tell The Truth," "Follow the Ten Commandments," "Love Your Country," "Be Men of Honor," or "Corrupt Officials Must Resign"? We have reached a crucial turn in the road, but those driving the truck of state appear to be asleep at the wheel. Our spiritual leaders are also dragging their feet and sluggishly accepting the status quo. Without pro-active leadership, the truth will be corrupted and then expunged. Lies and deepening injustice will increase. Image via Pixabay. On August 8, 2022, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's Florida residence. Such an act against any president, past or present, has never been done before. The FBI served their warrant, searched the Trump family home, and even pried his safe open. They found...nothing. Not even Ashley Biden's lost diary. What was Donald Trump's supposed crime that justified such an extreme measure? Bribery? Nope, that's a Biden thing. Treason? Nope. Assault (perhaps on a Secret Service agent)? Nope. Espionage? Nope, that's a Swalwell thing. Cutting the tags off pillows? Nope. The feds were looking for classified documents from when Trump occupied the Oval Office, which should have been turned over to the National Archives. Those would be the same documents that have already been declassified and that the Trump people are currently reviewing with the National Archive people to figure out if they should be returned or not. The Clinton administration provides a good point of comparison. Bill Clinton's former national security adviser, Sandy Berger, smuggled documents out of the National Archives in his pants and then destroyed them. It is believed that the documents would have embarrassed President Clinton during the 9/11 investigation. Was Berger's home searched? Nope. Did he go to jail? Nope, he was sentenced to...community service. Does anybody think Merrick Garland has community service in mind for Donald Trump? An FBI application for a search warrant requires an affidavit from an agent swearing under oath to the need and circumstances for a warrant. According to Alan Dershowitz, to get a warrant, there should be no less intrusive means to obtain the evidence like asking for it from a subject who is already cooperating with the investigation. Alternatively, there could be an immediate danger of evidence being destroyed while being reviewed by other federal employees. Sure. But when working with a magistrate who was formerly employed by Jeffery Epstein, the FBI may have ways to get around those little formalities. In other words, there was no rational reason to execute a search warrant on Trump's home. This also means that the FBI most certainly lied on the affidavit for the warrant as they have a history of doing. Kevin Clinesmith has forever tainted the FBI's credibility on such matters. I suspect that when the search warrant is reviewed by congressional investigators and it will be we will see proof of what we already suspect. The raid was an outrageous act, by a rogue federal agency, in service to a corrupt administration. Putting aside the legality of the whole thing, I have a bunch of questions. Did President "Return to Normalcy" approve this, or is America now run by a shadow government? Biden claims he didn't know about the raid. If true, that's even scarier than the raid. Has Merrick Garland erased any doubt that the Deep State is a genuine threat to our republic? Is there any need for more evidence to fire Chris Wray and impeach Merrick Garland? Has anyone made a stronger argument than Merrick Garland for limited government? Does this raid undermine or reinforce the notion that we now have a two-tiered justice system? If searches of ex-presidents are now accepted practice, who has the most to hide: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, or Joe "Ten Percent for the Big Guy" Biden? It's a valid question because they're all fair game now. Is it just a coincidence that Director Wray cut his Senate testimony short, and skedaddled out of Washington just days before the raid? Might he have been worried about a leak concerning the raid while he was still seated before Senator Grassley? Do we have enough now to at least start talking seriously about disbanding the FBI? Is this the "return to normalcy" that the Democrats promised us? Has this action "red-pilled" any traditional Democrat voters? Has this action shamed any of them, similar to how the FBI has shamed former agents? Will this raid encourage or discourage Democrat voters from going to the polls in November? Has this action gotten any independent voters off of the fence? If so, are they likely to fall left or right after news of the raid? Are people suffering through stagflation getting sick of the Democrat party's obsession with the last election? Will this raid enhance or poison future legislative cooperation? Will this be the "crossing of the Rubicon" that actually forces RINOs to take a side? Did the NeverTrumps not see the character of the people they were climbing into bed with? Do they see now that they should have used protection? Is this the kind of banana republic b------- that the NeverTrumps meant to unleash on America when they sided with the Dems? Where do the NeverTrumps stand on the raid? Are they against or in support of the action? Do they have any principles left, or has hatred burned their consciences to ashes? What is Liz Cheney's position on the raid? Does her hatred of Trump outweigh her love of country? I have the same question for Kevin "Real Man" Costner and Senator Pierre Delecto. Has this raid increased or decreased the likelihood that The Donald will run again? I'm sure the Dems have contemplated this question a lot. Has this raid increased or decreased the likelihood of The Donald being re-elected? I'm pretty sure the Dems didn't spend much time thinking this one out. Did the Dems consider that this action might actually help to rehabilitate Trump's image? They created an America in which victimhood is admired and they just made Trump public victim number one. Has Merrick Garland converted Trump from a mean-tweeting ogre to a sympathetic martyr yet? Could the Biden administration have possibly done anything more potent to maximize Republican turnout in November? Has this angered average Americans? If so, how are they likely to respond? Did the Dems devote even one brain cell to that question? These are not rhetorical questions. I have suspicions about the answers but I don't know for sure. I am pretty sure the Democrats don't know, either which makes this raid seem all the more desperate. Tell me again how MAGA isn't winning. If the sun were really setting on MAGA, would the left and its servants in the Deep State be acting like this? Desperation is never a sign of strength or confidence. One thing is certain: Merrick Garland just took a sledgehammer to Pandora's box. I suspect we'll learn what the contents are in a few months. I'm guessing that Pandora has a better Election Day surprise for conservatives than liberals, but we'll see. We live in interesting times. Our generation will be witness to either the rebirth or the death of a great nation. The way it goes depends on us. John Green is a political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He has written for American Thinker, American Free News Network, and The Blue State Conservative. He can be followed on Facebook or reached at greenjeg@gmail.com. Image: Ninian Reid via Flickr, CC BY 2.0 (cropped). These are the times that try men's souls. Patriotic, law-abiding Americans have been voicing their grievances against the federal government for years, if not decades. They have called out the ever-growing administrative state that seeks control over every part of an American's life. They have called out the politicization of justice and the unequal application of the law. They have denounced the domestic surveillance Deep State that tracks their movements, reads their emails and texts, and monitors their bank accounts without warrants or probable cause. They have urged state governments to reclaim powers stolen by federal authorities, and they have begged federal politicians to return to a system of true federalism, separation of powers, and balanced government. They have screamed at the top of their lungs for Congress to stop spending money it does not have and to fulfill its decades of promises to secure the porous Southern border from endless illegal immigration saturating small interior communities with crime, murder, drugs, and social disintegration. The federal government has refused to listen. A mere four years from the 250th anniversary of the thirteen colonies' Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, and much of America now sees history repeating again. A tyrannical system of government that rules imperiously from its royal city walls has become every bit a threat to human liberty today as it was two and a half centuries ago. A faceless, unelected, and unaccountable administrative army makes and enforces its own rules and uses its byzantine system of regulation and taxation to intimidate ordinary Americans into compliance and submission. A nefariously partisan DOJ and FBI hunt political opponents and citizen-dissenters as enemies of the state. An independent and obscure collection of intelligence agencies use their obscene powers not to keep the United States safe from foreign attacks, but rather to keep the American people under a constant state of surveillance. With every tool for silencing public debate at its disposal, the United States government seeks to make itself impervious to the will of America's voters. No nation can remain united when its corrupt politicians betray their representative duties. No country can endure when its government views its citizens as enemies. No constitutional republic can survive when its bloated bureaucratic system undermines its own constitutional limits. Peace will not hold. The federal government has two chief responsibilities to the American people: (1) to protect the nation from foreign threats and (2) to maintain a limited system of government that preserves and maximizes Americans' personal liberties. It has failed in both duties. Instead of securing the nation's borders, the U.S. government concerns itself with Ukraine's. Instead of preventing Islamic terrorists from killing Americans, the FBI hunts patriotic Americans as domestic terrorists. Instead of ensuring America's energy independence and strengthening America's industrial and manufacturing self-reliance, the federal government's international "trade deals" and Green New Deal suicide pacts have made the United States dependent on its geopolitical enemies for survival. Instead of safeguarding the value of the U.S. dollar and protecting future American generations from unsustainable debt and deficits, congressional budgets far beyond anything the American taxpayer is willing to support have set the monetary system on a path to inevitable collapse. For all the federal government's wasteful money-spending, fondness for foreign wars, commitment to enriching adversarial nations at Americans' expense, intentional violations of immigration law, and innumerable failures to stop foreign terrorist attacks on American soil, what have citizens received in return? An oppressive regime that uses its religious commitment to cultural Marxism, "climate change" fanaticism, overtly racist Critical Race Theory, anti-Christian bigotry, and ever-changing standards for political "correctness" as an ideological sickle and hammer for crushing American liberty, stamping out free expression, and persecuting every free-thinker. The federal government and its bureaucratic agents despise freedom. D.C.'s unaccountable agencies detest personal privacy and property rights. The Leviathan's regime enforcers abhor the Bill of Rights and Americans' other inviolable and natural individual liberties. Why? Because rights, private ownership, and personal freedoms are the most important checks against illegitimate exercises of government power. American freedom is an absolute guarantee against State tyranny. And in the federal government's embrace of communist principles, it cannot survive if the American people maintain power. Much will continue to be written about the decision of Washington's despotic government to raid President Donald Trump's personal residence on August 8, 2022, in search of a crime any crime that can be used as an excuse for keeping him off the 2024 election ballot. What happened at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida may one day be remembered as the spark that finally tore the nation in two. It is important to remember that it is merely the latest in a long train of abuses orchestrated by the federal government against the American people. When Americans made history by sending a complete "outsider" to Washington, D.C., in 2016 in the hopes of rectifying decades of gross government mismanagement, the levers of the permanent bureaucratic State set to work to usurp Donald Trump's presidency. The FBI and DOJ orchestrated massive fraud against the American people by promoting and sustaining Hillary Clinton's Russia collusion hoax, meant to take down Barack Obama's successor. A disloyal and hostile Deep State worked to sabotage the Trump administration with innuendo, illegal leaks to the press, and outright subversion of lawful orders. An unscrupulous Congress committed to its own corrupt aggrandizement and united in its efforts to resist necessary reform in the swamp engaged in endless investigation and casual calumny meant to weaken the president's authority. An irredeemable corporate news media establishment ignored all of Washington's crimes while promoting its most absurd conspiracies. And the whole wretched bunch transformed understandably raucous January 6 political protests into an immoral, shameless, conscienceless, and Machiavellian opportunity to murder, hunt down, torment, and jail their political adversaries. D.C. is rotten to the core. Two-tiered justice will deliver certain crisis. The political Union will not hold when George Bush's PATRIOT Act is used to trap Americans within a national security surveillance state. The Union will not hold when Barack Obama's IRS, FBI, and DOJ are used as sledgehammers for harassing political opponents. The Union will not hold when the Biden and Clinton families' decades of known criminal conduct are ignored, while the federal government pursues endless and endlessly corrupt investigations unabashedly intent upon Donald Trump's imprisonment. The Union will not hold when free speech is censored as "misinformation." The Union will not hold when a lawless Deep State makes the American people its enemy. A nation divided against itself cannot stand. If there be anyone remaining in Washington, D.C. who understands the gravity of this moment, now is the time to speak loudly and prominently before the nation's passions become an inferno. The time is approaching, if it has not already passed, when no governmental reforms or rhetorical promises will save what is broken. In that dangerous moment, desperate pleas from those who remain quiet today will fall on a country of deaf ears. Violence, carnage, and chaos will return, as they always do, when people entrusted with great power choose instead to abuse what's in their custody. Those silently complicit in the federal government's overreach today will find no such luxury should the American continent cleave in two. Americans have begged for their grievances to be redressed. The federal government has chosen instead to poke them repeatedly in the eye. Anyone familiar with American history knows that wounded and wild American patriots are a force to behold. And the scariest thing is...they have not yet even begun to fight! Image via Pixnio. The entire panoply of the Chinese Coronavirus pandemic countermeasures, from lockdowns to vaccine mandates, has been a once in a century fiasco and among the biggest blunders in American history. This chapter is also the catalyst that emboldened an already despotic ruling class and the American left: to unabashedly take their fraudulent manipulation of elections out of the shadows and into the daylight, to no longer hide their socialist agenda, to brazenly weaponize the justice system against their political opponents, and to be so audacious as to unjustifiably raid the home of President Trump, their archenemy. YouTube screengrab Over the centuries, in virtually all societies, people known to be infected by various diseases were confined and isolated to mitigate the spread and protect the rest of society. Never has a nation essentially shut down its economy, closed schools and confined the entire populace. Nor has the United States ever enforced de facto national mandates for unproven and potentially dangerous vaccines. And, never in the nations history has a pandemic been politicized in order to defeat a certain candidate and benefit one political party. Centuries of best practices and ethical standards were discarded by many in the medical profession and scientific institutions. The federal medical bureaucracies abandoned virtually all oversight of the pharmaceutical companies and became in effect their marketing departments, promoting and mandating covid vaccines without adequate safety standards and long-term testing. What was obvious blatant propaganda was presented and accepted by the American citizenry as unquestioned truth. The entirety of the corporate and social media willingly morphed into mouthpieces and censors for the government. Why did the vast majority of the American citizens meekly succumb to the unprecedented usurpation of their rights and unquestioningly believe the so-called experts? Why did so many turn into a group-thinking herd mindlessly marching to the music played by the government? Why did so many scientists, educators, doctors, and journalists abandon their integrity and compassion as well as scientific and intellectual curiosity? Over the past half-century, the all-consuming pursuit of unfettered personal and physical satisfaction has eventuated in abject disdain toward and the abandonment of the basic rules of human behavior and morality as espoused by Judeo-Christian teachings. The moral fiber of a country, and the religious basis upon which the United States and European nations developed, is being replaced by a misguided and unquestioning faith in man and his institutions (i.e., government, educational establishments, global corporations, and experts). As a result, an ever-increasing percentage of the citizenry has been conditioned to unquestioningly look to the government and its attendant institutions and experts to cure all societal and health related ills. The unprincipled ruling class and its allies, the radical American left and mainstream media, have for decades promoted this mindset as it abets their lust for permanent power. However, this obligates those in power to cure all ills, even a global pandemic. Thus, it follows that the State will inevitably claim that in order to do so it must take control of our lives against our will even if we are healthy. The most effective tool in manipulating an increasingly agnostic and secular populace is to provoke fear and panic. Which is easily done with a sizable percentage of the American population that has become hyper risk-averse and permanently on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Herd mentality and mass hysteria are effortlessly fomented as far too many, rather than question the experts, are willing to believe anything the omnipotent government bureaucrats and politicians say and to mindlessly follow their edicts. The well-publicized and choreographed draconian lockdowns undertaken by the Chinese Communists promoting the inane concept of eliminating the virus, combined with 1) the mimicking of China by the first lockdown in the West (Italy in February of 2020) and 2) the dire grossly exaggerated and unscientific fatality estimates by various institutions who recommended world-wide lockdowns, gave the ruling elites the pretext to sow fear and panic by portraying the virus in Hollywoodesque apocalyptic terms. Yet, it was known among medical professionals that Covid was far less deadly and was in fact on the decline in Italy before other western countries full lockdowns began. It was also known that the virus had an exponentially lower infection fatality rate than projected and that the vast majority of infections and fatalities were among the health-compromised elderly and not the general population. The unscrupulous ruling class and the American left, following the lead of their soulmates in China, seized upon lockdowns not as solution to the Covid pandemic but as a means of entrenching themselves and defeating Donald Trump. Their demand for Covid lockdowns assumed a majority of the malleable citizenry, who view the government as virtually omnipotent, could be easily herded and manipulated. Even they were astonished how easily the overall populace succumbed to their unscientific and unreasonable demands. This trait among the public-at-large further emboldened the elites and the left to unabashedly and overtly manipulate and unconstitutionally change voting laws in numerous states, resulting in a massively fraud-ridden election that eventuated in the swearing in of an unqualified, incompetent, and compliant Joe Biden. They were confident that the courts and a majority of the citizenry would not vehemently object and would in fact meekly tolerate the results of the election and accept a dementia-ridden Joe Biden as president. They were right, again. Once the bulk of the American citizenry had been stampeded into mass hysteria, a solution to the Coronavirus had to found. The various Coronavirus vaccines were designated as that solution once Joe Biden was elected. Prior to that, the corporate media and many in the medical profession warned about the dangers of unproven vaccines being approved too fast. Nonetheless, these vaccines, devoid of adequate safety standards and long-term testing, were quickly approved after the election was over. Further, Biden told the nation, Youre not going to get Covid if you have these vaccines. A population steeped in panic and unquestioned trust in government quickly lined up for the shots. Further flexing their hold on a vast majority of the citizenry, the ruling class unabashedly resorted to vaccine mandates. They read the people correctly again. As to date 262 million Americans or 79% of the population have received at least one dose of the vaccines and 223 million or 67% are considered fully vaccinated. The reality is that those who have been fully vaccinated and/or boosted are succumbing to Covid infections at astonishing rates. Further there has been an unheard of and extraordinarily high number of deaths and serious side-effects in less than 18 months of covid shots as compared to the total number of deaths and serious side-effects over thirty years of all other vaccines combined. Yet, despite the economic and societal turmoil caused by the lockdowns, the fraudulent election in 2020, the gross malfeasance with the Covid vaccines, and the ongoing national chaos precipitated by the election of Joe Biden, far too many Americans, having turned their back on God, still place virtually all their trust and hope in their new God: government, various institutions, and so-called experts. It is little wonder that the iniquitous ruling class and the American left are emboldened to promote unfettered abortions and de facto infanticide, to unabashedly persecute their political adversaries, to openly torment President Trump and raid his home in order to keep him from running in 2024, to force a catastrophic green new deal on the nation, to undermine the monetary system and economy, to embolden their spiritual ally China, and to manipulate elections at will. They are confident, as Americas God, that they are invincible and infallible and will be in power in perpetuity, as the majority of the populace will always look to them for salvation. The human race has always been susceptible to its base nature, which has been the downfall of civilizations since the dawn of man. If the bulk of the American citizenry do not begin to return to a belief in a Supreme Being and endeavor to live by the tenets of Judeo-Christian teachings as well as turn out in massive numbers to vote in November of 2022 and elect either Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis in 2024, then this nation as founded will have gone past the point of no return. One of the most famous grievances the Founding Fathers enumerated in the Declaration of Independence was this: "he has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance." Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer, more fans of King George than George Washington, are looking to do the same thing today, with their recent IRS expansion in the reconciliation bill. Oh, boy another 87,000 IRS agents with more power than the FBI, to harass small business, gig workers, and anybody else the Deep State may enjoy tormenting. But I am more than a bit skeptical that this will all actually come to its intended poisonous conclusion. First, the IRS cannot just hire anybody. Applicants need to have an extensive accounting background. Not all of them need to be a CPA, but most real accountants do wind up with this credential. Consider that fewer than 95,000 take the CPA test each year, and maybe 45,000 actually pass. Almost all of them already have good jobs in the private sector. Just finding qualified new IRS employees is going to take several years at a time when fewer young people are entering the profession because it is difficult to begin with. Second, accountancy is a profession with a well earned reputation for honesty. (Lois Lerner was a political lawyer, newly appointed to Obama's IRS.) Most people in that field are not interested in making their life's work harassing fellow citizens for the pleasure of our ruling elites, nor in getting less pay working for the government when accounting salaries in the private sector are going through the roof, as one recruiter points out. So it is going to take at least a couple of years for the Biden IRS to recruit and train even a fraction of those 87,000 new agents. Meanwhile, we will have a Republican Congress coming into power in 2023. They may not get much else done, but one thing I am sure they will do is find something better for all that IRS appropriation money than hiring an army of new agents. And with any luck, we will have a Republican president in 2025. If there are still more hands at the IRS available, I suspect that a President Trump or President DeSantis will have a more productive task for them namely, tracking down all the illegal aliens and their employers, who take credits and deductions using phony tax numbers to which they are manifestly not entitled. Doing such a job properly would actually mean the IRS hiring some more people, and that would be well worth it. Frank Friday is an attorney in Louisville, Ky. Image via Pixabay. It's no surprise to anyone that crime is rampant in New York City. The police force is understaffed and held on a tight leash by leftist politicians. And when the police are allowed to arrest a criminal, charges are dropped, or the criminal is simply released because of the state's bail reform laws. New York City mayor Eric Adams said during a recent news conference, "Time and time again, our police officers make an arrest, and then the person who is arrested for assault, felonious assaults, robberies and gun possessions, they're finding themselves back on the street within days if not hours after the arrest." How is that a deterrent to crime in the city? It isn't. "Between lenient judges and liberal state bail reform laws, a slew of violent criminals landed back on the streets only to reoffend," according to the New York Post. The New York Post reported recently about ten criminals who are showing no fear of breaking the law. They have nearly 500 arrests among them, and most of them are still out on the street, working to push their personal crime wave upward. "Two of the defendants are actually accused of embarking on lives of crime in the wake of bail reform, with one busted 33 times since 2020 and the other busted 22 times, all this year, the data shows," according to the post. And those are just the crimes that they were caught for! How many people have they injured or killed? How much property have they stolen or damaged? The bail reform law, which many consider soft on crime, was originally passed in 2019 and modified in 2020. It takes a judge's discretion away and bars him from setting bail on nearly all misdemeanors and non-violent felonies. Is it any wonder these criminals have decided that crime pays? There's no penalty except on paper. They can commit crimes and be released without even having to post bail. Mayor Eric Adams wants the state to drop the bail reform law and allow police and prosecutors to crack down on repeat offenders. So far, his outrage has fallen on deaf ears. "Our criminal justice system is insane," he said during a recent news conference. "It is dangerous, it is harmful, and it's destroying the fabric of our city." At the top of the list is Harold Gooding. He's been arrested 101 times, 88 since bail reform was enacted. Nearly three out of four of those charges were for larceny. "The career crook has 15 convictions, including three for felonies, and failed to appear in court at least 14 times, leading to the issuance of a 'significant' number of bench warrants, according to the NYPD," the New York Post reported. He has also violated parole and probation. "He's hit one location 20 times. The same location, 20 times," NYPD chief of crime control strategies Michael Lipetri said during a press conference. "And again, we're talking about arrests here. We've arrested that individual 100 times. How many crimes do you think he really committed? Two hundred? Three hundred? A thousand? And guess what: he's walking around the streets of New York City today, probably committing another crime as we speak." How many more policemen have to leave the job in disgust before the politicians realize they aren't fighting crime, but aiding and abetting it? It's time New York admit that bail reform didn't work and repeal it. Then let criminals get arrested and placed in jail. Try that, and see what happens to the crime rate in the city. Michael A. Letts is the CEO and Founder of In-VestUSA, a national grassroots non-profit organization helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. Image via Pixy. Eric Trump, in an interview with the Daily Mail, revealed astounding details regarding the FBI raid conducted at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home on Monday. The raid was conducted by more than 30 plainclothes agents from the Southern District of Florida and by the FBI's Washington Field Office. The agents accessed the Trump family's entire 3,000-square-foot private quarters and offices, ransacking their contents. The raid lasted for the equivalent of a working day, beginning at 9:00 A.M. and ending at around 6:30 P.M. The most startling revelation was that FBI agents initially refused to hand over the search warrant for their raid on Mar-a-Lago to Donald Trump's lawyer, Christina Bobb. They only showed it to her from about ten feet away. Bobb was left in perplexity as to why a lawyer for the person's home being raided by the FBI was not able to see or obtain a copy of the search warrant and thoroughly read it. Bobb also said the supporting documentation for the warrant describing the probable cause was sealed. The low-level federal magistrate judge, Bruce Reinhart, who signed off on the warrant, was in the news for switching from federal prosecutor to defense attorney for individuals connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Reinhart also donated $1,000 to Obama's presidential campaign and $1,000 to Obama's Victory Fund. Bobb also said she was ordered to stand on the outskirts of the Mar-a-Lago property i.e., in the driveway throughout the raid while the temperature was a sweltering 91 degrees with high humidity. It was an unprecedented refusal to permit a client's attorney to be present as they conducted their search. The demeanor of the three DOJ lawyers who accompanied the FBI was described as "arrogant," and they repeatedly told Trump representatives, "We have full access to everything. We can go everywhere." Eric said the 30 agents who arrived at the property asked staff to turn security cameras off, but the request was wisely refused. If they were operating per procedure, there was no reason for secrecy. The footage from security cameras enabled officials at Mar-a-Lago to learn the extent of the FBI's raid. Both President Trump and his lawyer have rightly expressed concern that the FBI may have planted evidence. The New York Post also revealed that the FBI spent several hours scouring Donald Trump's private office, even breaking open his safe and rifling through drawers. They also looked through a locked basement storage room in which 15 cardboard boxes of material from the White House were stored. They searched the master bedroom, known as the Versailles Room, which Melania Trump renovated two years ago, and rummaged through the former first lady's wardrobe and searched through her clothing. Trump's attorneys, led by Evan Corcoran, told the New York Post they were "cooperating fully" with federal authorities to arrange the return of the documents, with the process beginning in May 2021, when it was noticed that some records were missing. In January 2022, some of the documents were returned, and in February this year, the news became public. In early June, four top DOJ officials traveled to Mar-a-Lago to speak with the former president's attorneys about the documents. The Justice Department has been investigating the "mishandling of classified information" since the National Archives and Records Administration said it had received from Mar-a-Lago 15 boxes of White House records, including documents containing classified information, earlier this year. Trump's team showed the government officials where Trump was storing documents in a basement room. Investigators reportedly observed that some of the files there were marked as classified. At one point, Donald Trump himself reportedly stopped by to "make small talk." By law, all presidential correspondence and documentation have to be handed over to the National Archives. Former top Trump administration official Kash Patel told Breitbart that a report claiming that classified materials were found at Mar-a-Lago was misleading. The documents were actually already declassified by President Trump, but the classification markings had not been updated. As president, Trump had the authority to declassify any classified material in the government's possession. There are multiple federal laws governing the handling of classified records and sensitive government documents, including statutes that make it a crime to remove such material and retain it at an unauthorized location. The raid, however, doesn't mean that prosecutors have determined Trump committed a crime. Now for a bit of history. Back in 2014, the House Select Committee on Benghazi asked the State Department for all of Hillary Clinton's emails. The department didn't have them all because, instead of using only the State Department email system (with an email address ending in @state.gov), Clinton used a personal email address (@clintonemail.com) housed on private servers located in the basement of her home in Chappaqua, New York. How did the FBI react? Were there raids on Clinton's Chappaqua home or rummaging through Hillary's wardrobe? No! The FBI issued its findings in July 2016 and conceded that classified information had been improperly transmitted. However, they attributed it to carelessness, not an intent to skirt the law, hence she was let go. Bill Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, was prosecuted in 2004 for stealing and even destroying classified documents on the Clinton administration's mishandling of terrorism prior to his testimony before the 9/11 Commission. Gen. David Petraeus was similarly charged for sharing classified documents with his mistress. Neither Berger's nor Petraeus's home was ever raided. They merely pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges and were let go. What happened at Mar-a-Lago on Monday seems like the actions of the Stasi. The Stasi were the secret police of East Germany, established with Soviet help in 1950 by German communists after World War II. They were responsible for the relentless persecution of dissidents or anyone who wasn't a complete conformist. The Stasi conducted surveillance without warrants, espionage, and unannounced raids. The accused weren't given access to lawyers, and they were subject to prolonged detention without a warrant. All the East German government agencies and even the courts were forcibly drafted and co-opted. If they needed a warrant, the judges became stenographers and gave the Stasi what they wanted. The Stasi enforced the law selectively. While dissidents were punished for small infractions, loyalists to the state could get away with serious crimes. The celebrated film The Lives of Others (2006) depicts the horrors of living in East Germany. The huge difference, of course, is that East Germany was a totalitarian dictatorship, while the U.S. is a representative democracy. In a functioning democracy, every citizen, irrespective of his wealth, power, or connections, must be equal before the law. These blatant dual standards only cause trust in government agencies that should be apolitical to erode. The citizen, particularly the conservative citizen, will be thinking that if this could happen to a former president, what chance do citizens have at receiving fair treatment? When there is no trust left in law enforcement agencies, anarchy begins. The Democrats are viciously gnawing at the roots upon which the nation stands. The questions remains: will winning elections be enough to stop them? Image: Anagoria via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. President Biden has been ill with China virus. We all know that. Twice within the past half-month Biden has been kept in China virus isolation. During isolation, his public affairs have been limited, and when he does take part in events, he's been doing them remotely. Supposedly, his handlers allow him to circulate in public after two successive days of being tested negative, when he is supposed to be in normal health, but you sure wouldn't have known that from the performance he put on last Tuesday at the outdoor signing ceremony on the White House South Lawn for the passage of the CHIPS in Science Act of 2022 which Brandon consistently misnamed as "the CHIPS and Science Act." The signing ceremony was one prolonged cough-a-thon. It was 45 minutes long, and under tropical conditions of heat and humidity approaching that of the Amazon rain forest, which certainly didn't help the obviously still sick president. His handlers should never have allowed this ceremony to go forth. At the very least, it should have been held indoors in air-conditioned comfort. Even granted that the so-called "Dr." (D.Ed.) Jill is no medical doctor, what on Earth was she doing allowing this to go on? I watch every single Biden speech I can because I keep track of as many Bidenism gaffes as I can. Ordinarily, I do not listen to whatever other speakers there may be, but this time, I had to force myself to pay attention to every single word Chuckie Schumer uttered as he read through and recited yet another boring speech. Talk about slow torture! I paid attention to all the speeches because I noted all the times Biden coughed, blew his nose, took sips of water, or shook hands despite coughing into his hands constantly and never sanitizing his hands. This is what I got: Coughs into his bare hand: IIII IIII IIII IIII III = 23 times Bare-handed unsanitary handshakes: IIII III = 8 times Sips water: II = 2 times Blows his nose: II = 2 times On Thursday, he's supposed to fly to South Carolina in order to vacation on some island near Charleston. Even by his standards, that is a very long vacation. It makes me think he's still sick and is taking in the ocean air, hoping to recover by the end of a very long weekend. Image via Pxhere. A Washington Post account, August 10, of the FBI swoop-down at Mar-a-Lago included a report indicating that some 30 to 40 FBI agents in ten to fifteen vehicles were in the search party. Isn't that a lot of personnel to serve a search warrant and grab a bunch of documents? What were the FBI raiders prepared for a violent response from the Secret Service detail at Donald J. Trump's Florida home? Speaking of violence, apparently, the defenders of police state tactics on the left comprehend the threat of violence when conservatives speak of this regime's weaponization of the justice system. Just see Dana Milbank's August 10 column in The Washington Post, or the article "Simmering threat of violence comes to fore" in the same edition of The Post. More likely, it seems that the left is stretching its anti-Republican propaganda to justify a crackdown on GOP voters in time for the coming midterm elections? The truth is, all the demonizing of former President Trump is just hogwash. How fond the left has been of denouncing him as, among other evils, "authoritiarian." Authoritarian presidents don't get investigated for nearly two years by "special counsel," particularly when the House and Senate have majorities representing the same party as the "authoritarian" president. Authoritarian presidents don't get impeached one time, let alone two times. Dissidents would not dare insult, much less lie about, an authoritarian president on a daily basis. Why? Because an authoritarian president would have the dissident thrown in jail if not disappeared. The fact of the matter is, the left never had the slightest fear of the former president. Would leftists have demeaned him, otherwise, as a buffoon? Mr. Trump got it right in his statement after the search raid: he is hated by the establishment for being a conservative populist, for opposing those who, in Madison's words in Federalist No. 57, "aim at an ambitious sacrifice of the many to the aggrandizement of the few." Mr. Trump, all along, has stood with the "forgotten American," with the people in "flyover country." And should the John and Jane Does of the country stand with Donald J. Trump, the establishment is quick to detect the threat of violence for the purpose of putting down the spirit of liberty in America. President Trump, in his inaugural address, vowed to improve life for the forgotten American and he succeeded, overcoming the resistance of the establishment and its shock troops in the FBI and the Intelligence Community. Yet the establishment saw his inaugural remarks as a threat to their hegemony, their stranglehold, over the country. The fault, to borrow from Shakespeare, lies not with former president Trump; the fault lies with the Hillary Clintons, the John Brennans, the James Clappers, and their ilk, who are the existential threat to American liberty. But it must be said: the enemies of a free people would never get to first base but for the timidity of Republicans in Congress to oppose them. The day after the FBI swoop-down on Mar-a-Lago, Rep. Scott Perry had his phone seized by you guessed it the FBI. If an FBI agent dared to seize the phone of a Democrat, the entire Democrat caucus would be on the steps of the Capitol denouncing this expression of fascism in America. This writer sent an email to Mr. Perry's communications director to inquire how the House GOP will respond to this act of Stalinism. Perhaps Mr. Perry's aide is too busy to respond. Perhaps Republicans are too busy to respond to queries from citizens about Democrat encroachments on the liberty of a Republican member of Congress. But to be silent as a group as the FBI abuses a Republican House colleague? No wonder FBI agents swooped down on Mar-a-Lago. The establishment is convinced: they may not be above the law; they just happen to be the law. Image via Wikimedia Commons, public domain. The Biden administration has finally pulled the plug on "Remain in Mexico": The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that it has ended a Trump-era policy requiring asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico for hearings in US immigration court, hours after a judge lifted an order, in effect since December, that the so-called Remain in Mexico rule be reinstated. What happens now? That's the $64,000 question, as my late mother used to say. Well, this is what we hear: The program now will be unwound in a "quick, and orderly manner", DHS said in a statement. No more people are being enrolled and those who appear in court will not be returned to Mexico when they appear in the US for their next hearings. The policy "has endemic flaws, imposes unjustifiable human costs, and pulls resources and personnel away from other priority efforts to secure our border", the department said. Many questions remain, including whether those whose claims have been denied or dismissed will get a second chance or if those whose next court dates are months away will be allowed to return to the US sooner, where many immigration courts are struggling with backlogs and staff shortages. DHS said it will provide additional information "in the coming days". We will wait for additional information. Maybe the DHS will respond a little faster than the DoJ has done to the raid in former President Trump's home. "Remain in Mexico" worked. In fact, it worked so well that then-candidate V.P. Biden promised to end it. It was V.P. Biden pandering to the immigration activists and hoping he'd never get elected and have to terminate the successful program. It was also the Democrats pandering to Hispanics but not realizing that open borders is not what they want in South Texas. Last, but not least, the absence of "Remain in Mexico" will overwhelm the Border Patrol agents trying to do their jobs. PS: Check out my videos and posts. Image: National Archive. I had never heard of the website called The Righting when a person named Michael Lovato, identifying himself as a reporter for it, emailed me asking for an interview. I checked it out, including a few interviews they had done with other people in the conservative media, and, feeling frisky, agreed to respond in writing to written questions. They seem like a more civilized version of Media Matters. Here is the result, which quotes very selectively from what I wrote and mostly is a narrative by Lovato. The URL of the article seems to indicate that the title was changed after it was first loaded on their server: https://www.therighting.com/meet-the-harvard-man-behind-american-thinker The URL of the article seems to indicate that the title was changed after it was first loaded on their server: https://www.therighting.com/meet-the-harvard-man-behind-american-thinker It's not very long, so I suggest that, if interested, you read the whole thing. And, if you are really interested, here is the entire written Q&A that went through a second round of "follow-up" questions. You will then be able to follow the editorial decisions made in publishing what The Righting chose to feature and what to omit. 1. How and when was American Thinker founded? What role did you play in its founding? I came up with the concept, logo, and design for American Thinker in 2003 and started publishing in November 2003, when we began a series of test articles. Starting in early January 2004 we began daily publication. My friends Richard Baehr and Ed Lasky, with whom I had been trading political commentary and analysis via email for a long time, assisted me in obtaining the software and server capacity and in committing to write for us. They both are credited as co-creators. 2. How many regular contributors does American Thinker have? Do you have a full-time staff, or do you rely primarily on freelance contributors? We have a large number of people who send us material repeatedly. I can't put a number on them, but certainly dozens. But we also open to reviewing material from new contributors and if you look at the list of authors we have published (https://www.americanthinker.com/archives.html), you will see that they number on the hundreds, perhaps even over a thousand. If you care to count them up, please share the total with me. We have a staff of five paid editors in addition to me, but none are full time employees. 3. Are all of your contributors paid, or do you have some freelancers who contribute stories for free? No contributors are paid. We exist to provide a platform for people who feel they have something important to share with a national and global audience. 4. How many original stories does American Thinker publish over the course of a week? A month? We normally publish 5 or usually 6 original articles (essays addressing a topic of interest) and 15 blogs (commentary on current events and on material published elsewhere) a day. On a weekly basis, that would mean more than 140 items and on a monthly basis more than 600. 5. I noticed that American Thinker solicits donations is that your primary source of funding, or do you generate revenue via other means? Our revenue sources are advertising, ad-free subscriptions with the ability to leave comments, and donations. 6. How large would you estimate American Thinker's readership is? How many paying subscribers do you have? We reach well over a million unique individuals a month 7. What kind of posts tend to generate the most traffic on American Thinker? I wish that I had a formula for that, but I don't.Experience has taught me the wisdom of what renowned screenwriter William Goldman said about predicting what sorts of scripts would yield hits: "Nobody knows anything." 8. Has the popularity of American Thinker fluctuated over the years? Have you noticed its popularity peaking with certain events? Of course, election years have more traffic, with presidential elections substantially better than midterm election years. 9. American Thinker was threatened with legal action by Dominion Voting Systems for claims the website made about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election has that experience, and your subsequent retraction of some of those claims, changed what kind of stories you publish or how you use sources? We do not publish stories on voting machines 10. Earlier this month, American Thinker published an article titled "Michelle Obama's Changing Sexual Identity" by Joel Gilbert. While the article seems to suggest that the rumor about Michelle Obama being a transsexual is false, it openly speculates about Barack Obama's sexuality. Do you agree with Gilbert's speculation about Barack Obama's sexuality? Do you worry that the headline to the story is misleading considering the conclusion Gilbert reaches in the article? I am not sure what "agree on speculation" means. I don't rule out addressing questions which have been the subject of extensive public discussion. I allowed the headline on the article because I thought it was playful, and because the article was very clear on the subject. Lastly, there's the Final Four these are questions about the biggest stories of the day that we ask all of our interview subjects: 1. Are you fully vaccinated? No. I follow the FLCC protocol and have not been infected with Covid, unlike so many fully vaccinated and repeatedly boosted people like Biden and Fauci. This protocol uses pharmaceuticals and supplements that have been employed by millions of people for many years and which have proven very safe. The experimental drugs approved on an emergency use basis do not have a comparable safety record, and there are very disturbing reports, such as the VAERS data, which suggest caution is the preferred option with experimental drugs that have not been tested the way normal new pharmaceuticals are. 2. Do you think the 2020 presidential election was stolen? I think it is an open question and would like to see the evidence fully investigated. 3. Would you support Donald Trump if he ran for president in 2024? He is not my first choice for the Republican nominee, but I would support him if he were on the ballot as matters now stand. 4. Do you believe in climate change? Of course, climate has changed repeatedly, substantially, and cyclically over the millennia for which we have any evidence. I grew up in Minnesota where the more than 10,000 lakes were attributed to glaciation. I can't imagine any informed person would claim that climate does not change. We are still coming out of what was termed the "Little Ice Age," that occurred after the "Medieval Warm Period," so temperatures have risen slightly in accord with that cyclical trend. I do not know what the ideal global temperature or climate is and find it odd that those who predict catastrophe refuse to specify what the ideal climate is. Are we supposed to believe that the current point in the cycle is the ideal? If so, why? Far more people die from cold than heat. We know that an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide increases crop yields as well as other vegetation such as forests. Incidentally, this increase in vegetation works to moderate CO2 increases, as plants convert CO2 to O2. Would the world, currently facing the specter of famine, be better off with cooler weather and lower atmospheric CO2 levels? If so, why? Theories of anthropogenic climate change are based on computer models that do not account for clouds and other important factors. Karl Popper famously stated that for a theory to be scientific, it must be able to be tested and conceivably proven false. Anthropogenic global warming theory fails this well-known and highly regarded test. We have seen repeated predictions of imminent or near term catastrophe by advocates of the anthropogenic global warming theory (for example, "The End of Snow") that have not panned out. I keep an open mind on open questions, but so far, the advocates of catastrophic global warming (now rebranded as "climate change") have not proven their case. Donald Trump released a statement regarding the fact that he was scheduled to appear for a deposition before New York attorney general Letitia James, who is suing Trump's businesses on the Beria-like theory that she can find some crime to connect to Trump. In his statement, Trump described James's pathological obsession with destroying him. He concluded by explaining that he was, in the vernacular, "taking the Fifth." That statement was met with the usual "that means he's guilty," but, in fact, Trump's plight perfectly demonstrates why the Fifth exists. The Fifth Amendment states in relevant part that "no person ... shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself ..." The purpose of the amendment is to prevent the government from persecuting people into confessing crimes, whether real or imaginary. In an era before the protections our Constitution provides, people were tortured to "confess" that is, to be witnesses against themselves. It is the government's responsibility, with its vast resources, to find evidence that overcomes every defendant's presumption of innocence. Thanks to the Fifth, the government does not get to take a shortcut by forcing the defendant to "confess." Image: The Fifth Amendment means Americans don't worry about the "Spanish tickler," which was used to rip the flesh off prisoners, all the way down to the bone, as they were tied to the rack. (Image from Jeronimo Roure Perez, CC BY-SA 3.0.) Of course, even with the Fifth, the government can still torture people to confess. Thus, you've heard the phrase "the process is the punishment." In the case of General Michael Flynn, the government, with its unlimited resources, destroyed his reputation, bankrupted him, lied about the evidence it had, and then threatened to go after his son. This was a form of torture, and Flynn responded with the equivalent of a confession by taking a plea bargain. Flynn's experience proved that when torture is sufficient, people will confess to anything to make it end. There's little difference between saying "I did it" to be taken off the rack and "I did it" to protect your child from being destroyed. It was only when Sidney Powell stepped in and went after the government like an avenging fury that we learned about the government's corruption. Flynn withdrew his plea (with great difficulty), but that didn't return to him his reputation, his savings, or years of his life. However, if the government is a little less vicious or if the defendant, as is the case with Trump, still has resources available, the defendant can stand up to the government by saying nothing at all. This is especially true when the defendant is being attacked relentlessly from all sides. With a prosecutor like James, if Trump were to say, "I like jam" under oath on Monday and then say, "I like jelly" under oath on Friday, his words would be twisted so that both statements would be perjury, rather than being understood to mean Trump likes both jam and jelly. Again, the best defense is silence, and Trump need not fear hot irons or the lash to make him talk. With that explanation in mind, it's edifying to read how Trump described James's fanatical hatred for him and her willingness to use the power of the state to destroy him. I've included his statement below, but the video of James's despicable monomania is even more compelling: Juliette Kayyem is a former employee for homeland security operations during the Obama years, an Ivy League academic, and also an author. Two days ago, The Atlantic published her essay, titled "The Bad and Good News about Trump's Violent Supporters" and despite her being a noticeably talented wordsmith, her points were entirely unsupported and antithetical to reality. Right from the start, Kayyem says: The bad news is that much of this talk is sincere. It is intended to intimidate the people investigating Trump's many abuses of power, and to galvanize and organize his true believers some of whom already proved on January 6, 2021, that they will commit violence in his name. If her claim were true, that January 6 was the rampage the media describe it to be, federal agents would be arresting real criminals rather than Christian pastors. In fact, the only violence committed was that against unarmed Ashli Babbitt, who was shot at point-blank range by a federal employee. Kayyem also cites a tweet from the National Rifle Association, featuring Justice Clarence Thomas and an "indignant" quotation from a recent legal opinion: SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED pic.twitter.com/OtWC4vGKqC NRA (@NRA) August 9, 2022 Then, she switches gears, turning into even more of a conspiracy theorist. She claims that the MAGA movement is in "decline" and simply a "smattering of people [who] respond to the overheated rhetoric of Trump and his allies." Did she not see what just happened in the Arizona primary? Arizona is a battleground, largely because there is a massive faction within the Republican Party that is the Establishment Swamp leftover cogs in the McCain machine working together with the Democrats to drown out conservatives. Despite all that, Trump-endorsed and MAGA candidates achieved an incredibly high success rate. In one legislative district, a slate known as the Freedom Team who ran on a very pro-America message earned a significant amount of the vote, securing the nominations in three of the three races. Nice work to LD-17 Republican Primary nominees! @Wadsack4Arizona- Senate @RJ4arizona - House@CoryMcGarr - House Now is the time for conservatives to UNITE and kick out-of-touch Democrats to the curb pic.twitter.com/EIWpCKsdoz Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) August 7, 2022 The reality is, MAGA is alive more than ever before. We understand the need for writers like Kayyem to self-soothe, but printing undeniable falsehoods only stands to further damage the reputation of what should be prestigious (albeit left-leaning) publications. Correction: An earlier version of this misdated the article in The Atlantic. Samsung may not have reduced the price tag of the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 over their respective predecessors, but the company is offering other ways for customers to save money. It will repair a broken folding screen for the same amount as a standard candy-bar smartphone screen. Owners of the new foldables can have the screen replaced out of warranty for just $29 if they subscribe to the $11 per month Samsung Care+ plan at purchase. This one-time deductible for repairing the folding screen on an out-of-warranty Galaxy Z Fold 4 or Galaxy Z Flip 4 is much, much less than what Samsung charged for the 2021 models. Even with the Samsung Care+ subscription, Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 owners had to shell out $249 if they damaged their foldables screen. The company has reduced the deductible this year by $220. So if you happen to frequently drop your phone, you might want to subscribe to the Samsung Care+ plan for your new Galaxy foldable. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are pretty strong and durable for foldable phones, though. They boast an IPX8 rating for water resistance. No other brand has figured out how to waterproof these unconventional phones. Additionally, Samsung is offering an Armour aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus+ front and back panels. So, they can handle drops much better and are also more scratch resistant. Despite all these durability improvements, the new foldables come lighter as well. Advertisement Galaxy Z fold 4 and Flip 4 continue Samsungs push to make foldables mainstream The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are Samsungs fourth-gen foldables. Over the past three years, the company has significantly improved its foldable lineup while reducing the price tag. Theres no price cut this year, likely because of the rising manufacturing cost. But the latest foldables continue the Korean behemoths mission of making foldable mainstream. For one, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 are closer to conventional flagship smartphones in terms of specs than previous offerings. The former features pretty much the same camera setup as the Galaxy S22+. Theres a 50-megapixel main shooter, a 10-megapixel 3X optical zoom camera, and a 12-megapixel ultrawide lens on the back. The front camera is a 10-megapixel sensor. The foldable also gets a 4-megapixel under-display selfie camera on the inside. These functionality and durability improvements, coupled with lower repair costs, should instill more confidence in people to buy foldable smartphones. We will know for sure once the sales figures for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 start coming in. Meta and its photo-sharing app Instagram are waiting for the European Union to announce its final verdict over childrens data practices on the platform. Instagram reportedly violated EU rules by allowing underage children to open business accounts. The dispute between Instagram and the EU roots back in 2020 when Irelands Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) launched a probe into Instagrams handling of childrens data. The probe was first sparked by a US-based data scientist who found that Instagram allows underage children to change their account settings to business. This makes their contact information public and could expose them to various threats. The DPC investigation wanted to ensure that Facebook (later rebranded as Meta) did its best to protect childrens privacy. The EU is now about to announce its final decision. According to DPCs deputy commissioner, Graham Doyle, the final decision goes public by the end of the last week in August or the first week in September. Advertisement Instagram may face a heavy fine in Europe over the handling of childrens data Instagram is now accused of violating the EUs General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Of course, everything depends on the final verdict that the EU will rule. The fine that Meta and its subset platform could face in case of being found guilty is still unknown. However, the company may face one of the heaviest fines ever imposed by the EU on a foreign company. Instagrams handling of childrens data is also a controversial issue for the company in the United States. Last year, the company announced its plans to build a dedicated app for children. Then, it paused the plans over privacy concerns. Back in February, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn introduced a new bill that aimed to increase childrens privacy on social media. The bill gave children more control over their shared data on online platforms. Of course, forcing social media platforms to comply with the bill guidelines is a challenge for lawmakers. Hot off the heels of news that the Google cloud gaming platform, Stadia, isnt shutting down, the company is actually expanding service into new regions. Thats based on a recent teardown of an incoming update, highlighting potential upcoming features. Including at least one new feature that Pro members will certainly be excited for. The biggest change, however, is undoubtedly going to be the appearance of several new languages. Suggesting that Google Stadia is coming to new regions. Specifically, if the underlying code bears out, to Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Turkey. With the latter location potentially including Northern Cypress. Tucked into the code with the most recent update to Stadia 4.26, the app includes support for es-MX for Mexico. As well as for es-419 covering the other Spanish-speaking regions noted above. Finally, the language code tr has been added. As mentioned earlier, thats the code for Turkish, spoken chiefly in Turkey and Northern Cypress. Advertisement What else is new behind the scenes for Google Stadia with the new update? In addition to the new languages for new regions, Google has also added some behind-the-scenes code hinting at new features. The biggest of those is almost certainly the addition of a new Claim all button. That will, once added, presumably allow Pro users to claim all of a given months free titles with a single tap or click. Thats as opposed to scrolling through available Pro titles and selecting them one at a time. Typically, once selected, users also need an additional selection on the claim button. A new Tips and tricks action is in the works as well. The implication seems to be that Google wants to offer game-specific help to users. That would fall in line with Assistant-based features found on the platform. Or, conversely, Google wants to rework how users get help with system-level issues. Such as networking and game quality. Advertisement Finally, the search giant appears to be adding in the beginnings of code to support motion controls with the addition of code pointing to a Flutter plugins platform channel name. Specifically, the name for motion-based controls. And Google is also adding code pointing to a more mysterious MultiStream feature. Although what exactly that is, once it appears in the apps and online, remains to be seen. Any attempt to reverse the unstoppable trend in reunification of China bound to fail People's Daily Online) 10:06, August 11, 2022 Cartoon by Ma Hongliang On Aug. 2, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi paid a visit to China's Taiwan region. The will of the people cannot be defied. Those who play with fire will perish by it. Her attempt to fish for political capital by manipulating the Taiwan question, which has been proved a political farce, is doomed to fail. On Aug. 5, Chinas Foreign Ministry announced the countrys sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members, accompanied by eight countermeasures against the U.S. Over the past few days, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched unprecedented joint combat exercises and training in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. Chinas resolute countermeasures are just actions to safeguard the core interests of the country, which are also necessary to deter "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external interference forces. In the meantime, people from all walks of life on the Taiwan Island have exposed Pelosis despicable trick of creating tensions across the Taiwan Strait for the sake of her private political profits. They refused the manipulation from external forces and refused to be coerced by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities. The international community has seen right through the unscrupulous nature of Pelosis visit to Taiwan. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a recent conference that Our position is very clear. We abide by General Assembly resolutions, by the one-China policy, and that is the orientation that we have in everything we do. More than 170 countries and many international organizations have spoken up for what is right, reaffirming their commitment to the one-China principle and expressing support for China in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Countries, with their population accounting for 80% to 90% of the worlds total, are standing with the Chinese people. It is the resolute aspiration of the over 1.4 billion Chinese people to safeguard Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. The will of the people cannot be defied, and the reunification of China is an inevitable trend. No matter what show Pelosi and her likes stage, they will never change the historical and legal fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, or obstruct the complete reunification of China. Any attempt to exploit Taiwan to contain China or to rely on the U.S. to seek Taiwan independence would be like drawing water with a sieve, it is bound to fail. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) (ANSA) - ROME, AUG 11 - Italian police on Thursday seized 160 million euros in assets from an 'Ndrangheta-linked businessman in Reggio Calabria. They said the man, Carmelo Ficara, had close ties to the Calabrian mafia. From the mid 80s to 2017, they said, he relied on these links to build a construction empire in and around the Calabrian capital. Among the assets seized were seven companies active in the building and real estate sector, 99 pieces of property and 16 motor vehicles. Ficraa was sentenced to 12 years in jail in December for external association with the Calabrian Mob. 'Ndrangheta has spread from its Calabrian heartlands to the rest of Italy, Europe and around the world, and is considered Italy's richest and most powerful mafia due to its control of the European cocaine trade from South America. 'Ndrangheta (from a Greek word meaning 'heroism' or 'virtue') once lived in the twin shadow of Cosa Nostra in Sicily and the Camorra in Naples. While those two syndicates, notably the Sicilians, were feeding off the transatlantic heroin trade through operations like the infamous 'French connection', 'Ndrangheta was only just emerging from its traditional stock-in-trade of kidnappings in the Calabrian highlands. It has since become a highly sophisticated global network with a chokehold on the European cocaine trade and control over swathes of its home turf where police fear to tread, Italian officials say. As well as being the richest, 'Ndrangheta is also regarded as the most impenetrable of Italy's mafias, with its close-knit family-based organisation outdoing the Sicilian mafia in its ability to defeat police efforts to turn members into State witnesses. The European law enforcement agency Europol has identified 'Ndrangheta as one of the "most threatening" organized crime groups on the global level, due to its "enormous financial might" and "immense corruptive power," with a presence in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, USA, Colombia and Australia, where 'Ndrangheta turf wars have gained headlines. In Europe, 'Ndrangheta really only came into the public eye in 2007, when six clan members were gunned down on the midsummer Ferragosto holiday in the German city of Duisburg in a feud that began as a wedding spat in a Calabrian coastal town, San Luca, in 1991. (ANSA). Search continues for missing refugees in Greece Huge search operation underway near Rhodes after vessel sinks Related (ANSA) - ATHENS, 11 AGO - Greece's coast guard continued what is seemingly a fruitless search for survivors in the Aegean Sea south of Rhodes on Thursday after a boat carrying an estimated 80 people sailing from Turkey to Italy sank. Under difficult weather conditions in the area, a major search and rescue operation including a Navy ship and three coast guard vessels has yet to add to the 29 people that were rescued from the sea on Wednesday when the ship carrying the refugees foundered. According to local media reports, the ship was carrying dozens of people - between 60 to 80 people in a vessel with a capacity of only 30. Those rescued said the boat had set sail from the Antalya area on the southern Turkish coast and was aiming for Italy when it ran into difficulties during the night. And so far, 29 people (Afghans, Iranians and Iraqis), all men, have been saved. Two were transported by a Super Puma helicopter to Karpathos, and 27 by a Greek-owned tanker to Kos according to an announcement made by the Greek Coast Guard. Two coast guard patrol boats, a Greek navy vessel, an air force helicopter and at least three ships sailing nearby were participating in the search and rescue efforts, the coast guard said. The Aegean Sea, from Turkey to nearby Greek islands, is the most common sea route for asylum-seekers trying to reach Europe from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Greek authorities have increased border protection and security patrols in the Aegean in recent years in an effort to stem the flow of people trying to reach their shores, which has resulted in repeated and persistent reports of illegally deporting new arrivals to Turkey without allowing them to apply for asylum, performing so-called "pushbacks". As a result of this, many vessels organized by traffickers are now skirting the Greek islands and trying to take the much longer, and more dangerous route directly to Italy. Athens has consistently denied that they carry out any such illegal deportations of asylum-seekers, despite criticism from human rights organizations and international media observers. Earlier this summer at the end of June, Greece was even warned by the European Union's top migration official, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, to stop "violent" deportations of migrants from the country, or risk losing funds. Those comments by Johansson came following a rapid rise in incidents in the Aegean Sea with the Greek Coast Guard having to reduce hundreds of asylum seekers attempting to enter the country on boats from the Turkish coast. Over just one weekend, incidents involved over 1,000 migrants in total who had boarded inflatable boats on Turkish shores and tried to get into Greek territorial waters in the direction of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Rhodes. But Greece's Minister for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis, who has been a central figure in Greece's migration policy planning and execution since New Democracy came to power in the summer of 2019, has continued to reiterate that Greece will protect its borders while working within the framework of International Law. Meanwhile, in related news, three migrants were reportedly killed by a passenger train on the route from Drama to Thessaloniki. According to local media reports, the three men of as yet unconfirmed nationalities were sleeping on the railway tracks and were run over and fatally injured as a result. An announcement from the local police force said: "A passenger train running the route Drama - Thessaloniki, near the city of Drama, ran over and fatally injured three foreign nationals." A preliminary investigation into the case is being carried out by the Drama Traffic Police Department. (ANSA). Venice population falls below 50,000 for first time 14,000 residents lost in 20 years, 8,000 in last 10 years (ANSAmed) - ROME, AUG 11 - The population of Venice's historic centre has fallen below 50,000 for the first time, the city council said Thursday. As of yesterday, August 10, the number of residents in the centre of the iconic lagoon city, including the Giudecca island, was 49,997. On Monday the resident population count was 50,011. The de-population of Venice's centre has been the subject of debate for years amid a hollowing out of local people due to mass tourism. The phenomenon now appears to be unstoppable, the council said. Twenty years ago, in 2002, Venice's population was 64,000. Ten years ago, in 2012, it had fallen to 58,200. (ANSAmed). Search continues for missing refugees in Greece Huge search operation underway near Rhodes after vessel sinks (ANSA) - ATHENS, 11 AGO - Greece's coast guard continued what is seemingly a fruitless search for survivors in the Aegean Sea south of Rhodes on Thursday after a boat carrying an estimated 80 people sailing from Turkey to Italy sank. Under difficult weather conditions in the area, a major search and rescue operation including a Navy ship and three coast guard vessels has yet to add to the 29 people that were rescued from the sea on Wednesday when the ship carrying the refugees foundered. According to local media reports, the ship was carrying dozens of people - between 60 to 80 people in a vessel with a capacity of only 30. Those rescued said the boat had set sail from the Antalya area on the southern Turkish coast and was aiming for Italy when it ran into difficulties during the night. And so far, 29 people (Afghans, Iranians and Iraqis), all men, have been saved. Two were transported by a Super Puma helicopter to Karpathos, and 27 by a Greek-owned tanker to Kos according to an announcement made by the Greek Coast Guard. Two coast guard patrol boats, a Greek navy vessel, an air force helicopter and at least three ships sailing nearby were participating in the search and rescue efforts, the coast guard said. The Aegean Sea, from Turkey to nearby Greek islands, is the most common sea route for asylum-seekers trying to reach Europe from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Greek authorities have increased border protection and security patrols in the Aegean in recent years in an effort to stem the flow of people trying to reach their shores, which has resulted in repeated and persistent reports of illegally deporting new arrivals to Turkey without allowing them to apply for asylum, performing so-called "pushbacks". As a result of this, many vessels organized by traffickers are now skirting the Greek islands and trying to take the much longer, and more dangerous route directly to Italy. Athens has consistently denied that they carry out any such illegal deportations of asylum-seekers, despite criticism from human rights organizations and international media observers. Earlier this summer at the end of June, Greece was even warned by the European Union's top migration official, Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, to stop "violent" deportations of migrants from the country, or risk losing funds. Those comments by Johansson came following a rapid rise in incidents in the Aegean Sea with the Greek Coast Guard having to reduce hundreds of asylum seekers attempting to enter the country on boats from the Turkish coast. Over just one weekend, incidents involved over 1,000 migrants in total who had boarded inflatable boats on Turkish shores and tried to get into Greek territorial waters in the direction of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Rhodes. But Greece's Minister for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis, who has been a central figure in Greece's migration policy planning and execution since New Democracy came to power in the summer of 2019, has continued to reiterate that Greece will protect its borders while working within the framework of International Law. Meanwhile, in related news, three migrants were reportedly killed by a passenger train on the route from Drama to Thessaloniki. According to local media reports, the three men of as yet unconfirmed nationalities were sleeping on the railway tracks and were run over and fatally injured as a result. An announcement from the local police force said: "A passenger train running the route Drama - Thessaloniki, near the city of Drama, ran over and fatally injured three foreign nationals." A preliminary investigation into the case is being carried out by the Drama Traffic Police Department. (ANSA). Turkey rescues 130 migrants pushed back from Greece Had been trying to reach Greek islands in Aegean illegally prev next Migranti: naufragio mar Egeo, almeno 9 morti, 5 bimbi (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, AUG 11 - The Turkish Coast Guard has rescued 130 migrants that were trying to reach Greek islands in the Aegean Sea illegally from the Turkish coast when they were pushed back by Greece. The Turkish daily Hurriyet reported the news and quoted a Coast Guard statement that said that the migrants had been rescued between August 8 ad August 9 in four operations off the coast of Dikili and Karaburun in the Izmir province. Turkey regularly accuses Greece of pushing dinghies carrying migrants trying to reach Greek territory back into Turkish waters. (ANSAmed). Hunger-striking Islamic Jihad detainee in Israeli hospital Factions warns it will hold Israel responsible if he dies (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, AUG 11 - Israel has transferred a Palestinian detainee on a hunger strike to hospital after his conditions began deteriorating. The detainee, Khalil Awawdeh, has refused food for over 160, according to media reports. Awadeh is believed to be a member of the Islamic Jihad and is in administrative detention without having been charged with any crimes or having appeared before a court. The Islamic Jihad has called for his release alongside that of the commander of the organisation in the West Bank, Bassem a-Saadi, who was arrested by Israel in Jenin on Aug. 1 and whose arrest sparked conflict with Gaza last week. A spokesman for the Palestinian faction in the Gaza Strip quoted by the media warned that, if Awadeh dies, "Israel will bear full responsibility". Israel has always denied that the liberation of a-Saadi and Awawdeh is a clause in the conditions imposed by the islamic Jihad for a ceasefire. (ANSAmed). Diane Keaton has recalled her childhood dreams of being part of the wonder-filled world of Hollywood, as she placed her handprints in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre. The actress, 76, paid tribute to her mother and father, telling them she was still that little Dianey with ambitions to be on the silver screen at the ceremony on Thursday. Keaton, whose acting career spans more than six decades, is well known for her roles in The Godfather trilogy, Annie Hall, Father Of The Bride and The First Wives Club. She has earned multiple accolades including Academy Award nominations for her role in the film Somethings Gotta Give, Reds and her performance in Marvins Room. Keaton won the Golden Globe for her performance in Somethings Gotta Give, written and directed by Nancy Meyers, and co-starring Jack Nicholson. Arriving for the ceremony at the famous theatre in Los Angeles dressed in a large black hat and flared white trousers, she laughed excitedly and waved to friends and members of her family who had arrived to support her at the ceremony. As a girl growing up in Orange County, the mere thought of Hollywood Boulevard seemed like a mysterious dream that would never come true, she said. A cement slab showing the hand and footprints of actress Diane Keaton (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) One summer day mom and dad piled us kids into the car with a nice surprise treat, which turned out to be an empty parking space near Graumans Chinese Theatre. Each one of us was dazzled by the sheer wonder of the building it was was mind-blowing for dad to see his favourite stars (footprints). I was overwhelmed by a secret desire early on to be funny I already wanted so, so much to be part of the wonder-filled world called, of course, Hollywood. Its just amazing that Im here right now. Becoming audibly emotional, she added, This is to mom and dad, Im still that little Dianey, all knotted up with emotion. Diane Keaton places her feet in cement at the TCL Chinese Theatre (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) I used to dream on the silver screen and I just want to thank you, for me being here right now is not just an honour its also a real reminder to take care of our treasured monuments. Im so lucky to be stood in front of you at this time in my life. Thank you for this honour, its just remarkable. With the help of event staff, Keaton then placed her hands and feet into the cement, remarking this is so weird and signing her name. The ceremony coincides with the US release of her latest film Mack And Rita, in which she plays the 70-year-old manifestation of young homebody Mack Martin which is set to hit theatres on August 12. A drought is set to be declared for some parts of England on Friday, with temperatures to hit 35C making the country hotter than parts of the Caribbean. Britons have been warned of the health impacts of extreme heat and the risk of wildfires amid a heatwave blasting the nation. The National Drought Group, made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers Union (NFU), is set to meet on Friday to discuss the prolonged dry weather. There are expectations drought could be declared for the most affected areas of England in the south and east, after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976. It will see the Environment Agency and water companies implementing more of their plans to manage the impacts of low water levels, which can include actions such as hosepipe bans. Yorkshire Water has become the latest company to announce a hosepipe ban, with restrictions coming into effect from August 26. Yorkshire Waters director of water, Neil Dewis, said: Our decision to introduce a hosepipe ban is based on the risk that water stocks continue to fall in the coming weeks and the need to be cautious about clean water supplies and long term river health. By Friday afternoon, temperatures are to soar as high as 35C in southern areas of the UK, which will be hotter than the Bahamas, Jamaica and Barbados. A four-day amber warning for extreme heat from the Met Office is in place for much of England and Wales until Sunday, with warnings of health impacts and disruption to travel. Temperatures are to soar as high as 35C in southern areas of the UK on Friday afternoon (Jonathan Brady/PA) Forecaster Craig Snell told the PA news agency: Its going to be an incredibly hot day, and very sunny across the board, with temperatures slightly higher than what we saw on Thursday. There is also a heat health alert in place from the UK Health Security Agency, with experts advising people to look out for those who are older or with existing health conditions, as well as young children. The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last months record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires. Four water companies in England and Wales had earlier brought in hosepipe bans or signalled their intention to do so, while the Wildlife Trusts have called for an England-wide hosepipe ban to protect nature and rivers. (PA Graphics) Some water companies have failed to meet their own targets for cutting household leaks and domestic use, with many blaming the coronavirus pandemic as more people have been at home. Ofwat, the water regulator. said in a statement: Progress has been made in the past few years but there is much further to go, which is why we are pushing companies to reduce leakage, fix their environmental performance and become more financially resilient while keeping bills affordable and helping customers reduce their consumption. Where we find that companies have fallen short, we will act over the last five years, for example, we have imposed penalties and payments of over 250 million. It comes after temperatures reached 34.2C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, on Thursday afternoon, while many areas in southern England and Wales hit the low 30s. Fires broke out in different areas, including London, Essex, Gloucestershire, Surrey and Cheshire. Johnny Depp is set to star in his first feature film since the conclusion of his multi-million dollar defamation case against former partner Amber Heard. New images show the Hollywood star in costume for the upcoming film Jeanne Du Barry, produced by French company Why Not Productions. Depp is pictured in regal attire; a white plumed hat and curled white hair, with a black blindfold on. It comes after the actors victory in the now infamous legal battle in Fairfax County, Virginia earlier this year. Mr Depp sued his former partner over a 2018 article she wrote for The Washington Post about her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse, which his lawyers said falsely accused him of being an abuser. It comes after the actors victory in the now infamous legal battle in Fairfax County, Virginia earlier this year Yui Mok/PA) Representatives for the actor said he had lost work opportunities and high-profile roles such as being dropped from the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise following the accusations. Jurors found in his favour following the six-week trial. Jeanne Du Barry is directed by French filmmaker Maiwenn and reportedly started shooting at the end of July following the conclusion of the trial. The story follows Jeanne, a young working-class woman who uses her intelligence and allure to climb the social hierarchy, eventually landing on the radar of King Louis XV. The cast is reported to also include Benjamin Lavernhe, Pierre Richard, Melvil Poupaud, Noemie Lvovsky, Pascal Greggory and India Hair. A suspected gas explosion in a London suburb that killed a four-year-old girl was an accident waiting to happen, neighbours have said. Sahara Salman died after a terraced house collapsed in Galpins Road, Thornton Heath, in the southern borough of Merton, shortly after 7am on Monday. The girls mother, Sana Ahmad, accused Southern Gas Networks (SGN) of neglecting problems in the area and said her world has been torn apart. The NHS receptionist told the Evening Standard she reported the smell of gas to the utility firm 10 days before the blast but the familys concerns were dismissed and a follow-up inspection did not happen. Sahara Salman (Metropolitan Police/PA) Three other people were seriously injured, with an 11-year-old boy and a 54-year-old woman still in hospital on Thursday. Now residents of the street have claimed that gas engineers were due to visit for emergency repairs four hours after the explosion. They alleged that issues with gas on the street stretched back decades but were ignored. A 200-metre long police cordon remained in place on Thursday, with residents from around 80 homes still evacuated to nearby hotels while detectives and dozens of gas workers dig up the street for clues. Shirley Darmanin, a resident on Galpins Road for 32 years who lives several doors down from Saharas family, said the street has had gas leaks for years. Im always ringing and ringing them (SGN) and they said they would fix it and youd smell it again. Its terrible on that road, theres always a gas van outside, its constant and Ive been there 32 years, she told the PA news agency. This was an accident waiting to happen, Im really angry that this poor child has died it wasnt necessary, if somebody was doing their job she would not have died. Theres a main pipe in our road and it supplies all the area. Because its going to cost them a lot of money (to fix) they wont do it, and thats what its all about money, nobody cares. They said they were coming at 11am on Monday to carry out repairs and at 7am it exploded. We all got shook out of our bed and ran out in our pyjamas, the whole building and windows shook. It was like a bomb. Another resident in the cordon zone, Mudassir Ali, told PA: Me, my wife and our children were sleeping and we woke to a big explosion. People were running out towards it, there was no smoke and no fire but the whole house collapsed and some across the road. Obviously Im angry because weve lost a girl and people have been badly injured, they will take a long time to recover from the crush. I hope that if there is a leak in future and people ring, they will respond in the proper way. Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, of the Mets Specialist Crime unit, said: We are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive and our investigation is being fully supported by partners and local officers. My thoughts are also with those who remain in hospital, their families and all those affected. The girls mother Ms Ahmad told the Evening Standard she was on the phone to her mother in the house with her four children when the blast took place, and lost Sahara in the rubble. She described her daughter as the most incredible little girl, who was due to turn five and start school in September. Merton council has said the explosion was the result of a gas leak, but official investigations remain ongoing. Volunteers at the New Horizon Centre, the evacuation hub in Mitcham, are crowdfunding 5,000 to take residents affected by the tragedy on day trips this summer. More than 250 was donated via GoFundMe on the first day. A spokesman for Southern Gas Networks said the company was shocked and saddened by this tragic loss of life and engineers are helping the emergency services investigate. FILE PHOTO: First U.S. commercial flight of a Boeing 737 MAX, since regulators lifted a 20-month grounding in November, lands in New York (Reuters) - Airlines canceled more than 600 flights in the United States on Thursday morning, as thunderstorms in Texas disrupted operations at one of the busiest airports in the country for a second straight day. A total of 1,213 flights were canceled across the country on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday that a mix of thunderstorms and clouds could delay flights at several hubs. More than 2,000 flights were delayed within, into, or out of the United States. (https://bit.ly/3bNQmzu) American Airlines Group Inc said "unexpected and heavy" thunderstorms had hit operations at its largest hub at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, leading to the cancellation of many flights on Wednesday and Thursday, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. The airline canceled 368 flights on Wednesday and called off more than 300 as of Thursday morning, Flightaware.com data showed. "This was the worst storm we've seen at DFW this summer," American Airlines Chief Operating Officer David Seymour said. Southwest Airlines Co also canceled nearly 250 flights on Wednesday, blaming weather and air traffic control programs. "We are working through some residual effects this morning," Southwest spokesperson Chris Perry said in an emailed statement. In June, several U.S. carriers were forced to cut thousands of flights due to adverse weather conditions and labor shortages. (Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath, Shinjini Ganguli and Anil D'Silva) Researchers have developed an implant made from pigs skin which resembles the human cornea and can restore sight to the blind and visually impaired, according to a study. In a pilot study, the implant made from collagen protein from the animal restored vision to 20 people with diseased corneas, most of whom were blind prior to receiving the implant. Researchers say their promising results bring hope to those suffering from corneal blindness and low vision. The bioengineered implant is an alternative to transplants of donated human corneas, which are scarce in countries where the need for them is greatest. The cornea is the transparent part of the eye that covers the iris and pupil, and allows light to enter the eye crucial for the ability to see. Neil Lagali, professor at the department of biomedical and clinical sciences at Linkoping University, Sweden, was one of the researchers behind the study. He said: The results show that it is possible to develop a biomaterial that meets all the criteria for being used as human implants, which can be mass produced and stored up to two years and thereby reach even more people with vision problems. This gets us around the problem of shortage of donated corneal tissue and access to other treatments for eye diseases. Experts estimate that 12.7 million people around the world are blind due to damaged or diseased corneas, but only one in 70 patients receives a cornea transplant. And those who need cornea transplants tend to live in low and middle-income countries in which access to treatments is very limited. Mehrdad Rafat is the researcher and entrepreneur behind the design and development of the implants, and chief executive of LinkoCare Life Sciences AB, which manufactures the bioengineered corneas used in the study. He said: Weve made significant efforts to ensure that our invention will be widely available and affordable by all and not just by the wealthy. Thats why this technology can be used in all parts of the world. To create an alternative to the human cornea, the researchers used collagen molecules derived from pig skin that is a by-product of the food industry, making it easy to access. The researchers have also developed a new, minimally invasive method for treating the disease keratoconus, in which the cornea becomes so thin that it can lead to blindness. Transplant usually involves a patients cornea being surgically removed and replaced with a donated one, which is sewn into place using surgical sutures. Prof Lagali, who led the research group that has developed this surgical method, said: A less invasive method could be used in more hospitals, thereby helping more people. With our method, the surgeon doesnt need to remove the patients own tissue. Instead, a small incision is made, through which the implant is inserted into the existing cornea. No stitches are needed with this new surgical method. The surgical method and the implants were used by surgeons in Iran and India, two countries where many people suffer from corneal blindness and low vision, but where there is a significant lack of donated corneas and treatment options. Twenty people who were either blind or on the verge of losing sight due to advanced keratoconus received the biomaterial implant. According to the study, the operations were free from complications, the tissue healed fast, and an eight-week treatment with immunosuppressive eye drops was enough to prevent rejection of the implant. With conventional cornea transplants, medicine must be taken for several years. The patients were followed for two years, and no complications were noted during that time. Before the procedure, 14 of the 20 participants were blind. After two years, none of them were blind any more, and three of the Indian patients who had been blind before the study had perfect (20/20) vision after the operation. The research is published in Nature Biotechnology. FILE - Young Thug performs on Day 4 of the Lollapalooza Music Festival on Aug. 1, 2021, at Grant Park in Chicago. The Atlanta rapper whos accused of conspiracy to violate Georgias RICO Act and participation in a criminal street gang, is facing six new felony charges along with four others linked to the case. A new indictment was filed in Fulton County Superior Court last week against the artist, whose real name is Jeffery Williams. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) (Amy Harris/Invision/AP) ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta rapper Young Thug, whos accused of conspiracy to violate Georgias RICO Act and participation in a criminal street gang, is facing six new felony charges along with four others linked to the case. A new indictment was filed in Fulton County Superior Court last week against the artist, whose real name is Jeffery Williams. He now faces additional charges of participation in criminal street gang activity, violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun and drug charges, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The new charges stem from what investigators found during Williams arrest on the original May 9 indictment at his home in Atlanta's upscale Buckhead neighborhood, authorities said. The initial indictment contained 56 counts against 28 people for alleged involvement in crimes committed on behalf of the Young Slime Life street gang. The updated indictment now contains 65 counts, six of which apply to Williams. At the time of Williams' arrest, there was a question of whether the new charges would be folded into the RICO case. Court records now indicate that is what has been done. Williams' attorney, Brian Steel, said his client is innocent and looks forward to fighting the charges in court. Mr. Williams has committed absolutely no crimes, Steel told the newspaper on Wednesday. We cannot wait for a trial date. Williams, along with rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, remain in jail after bond was denied for both earlier this year. Steel said a new bond hearing for Williams has been scheduled for next week. A tentative trial date has been set for Jan. 9, 2023. Martinez Arnold, also known as Duke, and Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, face additional charges including participation in criminal street gang activity, violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a machine gun. Kendrick also has been indicted on a charge of possession of a firearm by convicted felon. Shannon Stillwell and Quamarvious Nichols were charged with one additional count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon related to the death of Shymel Drinks on March 18. Arnold's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, told WSB-TV that she is confident her client won't be convicted. She said he will plead not guilty to the new charges as he already has to the original charges. The indictments center around Young Slime Life, an alleged gang prosecutors say was founded by Williams and two others in Atlanta with ties to the national Bloods gang. Young Thug co-wrote the hit This is America with Childish Gambino, making history when it became the first hip-hop track to win the song of the year Grammy in 2019. kali9 / iStock.com You've just eaten a five-star meal in Taiwan, taken a taxi ride in Ireland or settled into your hotel in Iceland. Now what? Tipping in the U.S. is fairly straightforward, but the rules overseas get complicated and incredibly varied. If you aren't up on the customs, you're likely either throwing away money or overlooking the working people who rely on tips as part of their income. Find Out: How Long $250,000 Will Last in Retirement in Each State Read Next: 7 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Reach Your Retirement Goals In order to save you a little money (and a lot of embarrassment), we've rounded up the tipping etiquette for 25 of the most popular destinations overseas, from restaurants to hotels to taxi drivers. Read on to see the etiquette for tipping around the world so you can keep your travel budget in check. Visun Khankasem / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Australia Hotel staff: None expected Since the country's minimum wage is significantly higher than average, hotel workers don't expect or rely on tips to supplement their income. You can give $1 to your porter, especially in a more expensive hotel. Restaurant staff: None expected, but you can add a nominal tip Tipping in Australia at restaurants also isn't expected. If you insist on leaving a tip, 10% is common, but more for exceptional service sometimes left. Transportation services: Offer the change Like all hospitality service workers, transportation service workers in Australia also earn a high minimum wage and don't expect tips in addition to what they already charge for their services. If you really want to tip your driver, you can tell them to keep the change. Take Our Poll: Do You Tip for Service? trabantos / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Austria Hotel staff: 1 euro For a valet, one euro per bag is customary. For a housekeeper, it's one euro per day of your stay. Restaurant staff: About 10% or round up to a convenient amount It's customary to round up the total when paying by about 10% -- give or take a bit. If your check is 25 euros, rounding up to 28 euros is a bit more than 10% extra. Transportation services: About 10% A tip of 10% is the widely accepted fee in Austria if you tip your taxi driver. A tip is expected, especially in the big cities. Catarina Belova / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Brazil Hotel staff: Daily tip of 5 to 10 Brazilian reals for the housekeeper, 1 real per bag for the porter, 10 to 15 reals if a concierge offered exceptional service Workers in the hospitality industry in Brazil earn wages that are on the lower side, so tips are greatly appreciated. Restaurant staff: About 15%. If the restaurant hasn't added in a service charge, 15% is acceptable. Transportation services: 10% for longer trips, round up for shorter ones Expect to tip about 10% for an extended journey or if the driver assisted with your luggage. For shorter trips, round up the Brazilian reals. Lucky-photographer / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Canada Hotel staff: $1 to $15 Canadian Tipping in Canada is very similar to the United States, so it's customary to tip hotel staff like bellhops, concierge and valet anywhere from $1 to $15, depending on the level of service provided. Restaurant staff: At least 15% Like the United States, travelers to Canada should expect to tip at least 15% in bars and restaurants. Transportation services: Up to 10 percent It's customary to tip taxi drivers in Canada about 10 percent for their services, a little less for shorter hauls. f11photo / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Chile Hotel staff: 1 to 15 Chilean pesos There is no set rule or percentage to tipping in Chile -- most service workers generally get a small tip for good service. Interesting fact: In a hotel, you can top in the currency of any nation, but don't tip in coins from any country except Chile. They can't be exchanged. Restaurant staff: 10% to 15% A 10 percent service charge is typically included (and should be noted) in the bill. If the service was good, it's expected that you'd pay it. But you can tip less than 10 percent if the service was poor. Transportation services: 10% or round up A tip of 10% is appreciated by taxi drivers in Chile, especially if you got assistance with your luggage. For a short ride, round up your fare. Nitchygallery / Shutterstock.com Tipping in China Hotel staff: No tip It's not customary to tip in China, so resist the urge to slip the bellhop a little cash. In fact, The Washington Post reported, a tip could be construed as a bribe in China. Restaurant staff: No tip The same goes while dining out in China -- no one tips for these services. Transportation services: No tip for taxis It's actually illegal to tip taxi drivers in many areas of China. Just be sure to give a sincere "thank you." Matteo Colombo / Getty Images Tipping in Costa Rica Hotel staff: $1 per bag to porters, $2 per day for housekeeping Travelers aren't required to tip hotel staff, but gratuity is appreciated -- especially if you received excellent service. Restaurant staff: Included A 10 percent service charge is typically added to the bill. Servers, however, always appreciate it if you leave a little extra if you feel their service was exceptional. Transportation services: $1 to $5 You can round up your fare if your driver takes you a short distance, but be prepared to leave anywhere from the equivalent of $1 to $5 in American dollars if you take a longer ride. photosmatic / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Croatia Hotel staff: Up to 20 Croatian kunas A tip for a porter is on the lower end of this spectrum, with the high end going to the concierge who provided exceptional service. One kuna is a very small amount in U.S. dollars. Restaurant staff: 10% to 20% A tip of 10% to 20% is appropriate in Croatia, but here's a tip for the tipper. You can't leave a tip on your credit card, so carry some cash in local currency with you. Transportation services: Nothing, or round up Driving in Croatia is considered a professional career and tipping is not expected. However, it's perfectly acceptable to round up your fare about 5% or more if your driver provides excellent service, like carrying bags or ensuring you catch a flight if you're running late. Ditty_about_summer / Shutterstock.com Tipping in France Hotel staff: 1 to 2 euros If you receive excellent service, then it's acceptable to tip the porter 1 to 2 euros per bag and 2 euros to housekeeping. Restaurant staff: Included All meal checks in cafes and restaurants include a 15% service charge -- not paid to the waiter, but to the owner of the establishment, who pays the staff. However, leaving an extra tip on top of the service charge is appreciated by French servers. Transportation services: Round up or 5% to 10% If you need to take a taxi in France, then a tip of as much as 10% of the far is appropriate for great service. Mariia Golovianko / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Germany Hotel staff: 1 to 10 euros Travelers to Germany should tip 1 to 2 euros per bag, 2 to 3 euros per night for housekeeping and up to 10 euros for very helpful concierge services. Restaurant staff: 10% It's typical to add 10% to the total. Don't leave the money on the table, though -- ask the server to add it to your bill. If the check is 18 euros, tell your server you want to put 20 on your card. If you pay in cash, tell the server how much you want to add for a tip and how much change you expect back. Transportation services: Round up It's common to tip taxi drivers in Germany by simply rounding up the bill or asking them to keep the change. For a great ride, add a euro or two. Kite_rin / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Greece Hotel staff: 1 euro It's typical to tip bellhops 1 euro per bag and housekeeping 1 euro per day, at most. And you only need to tip concierge services if they provide extraordinary service. Restaurant staff: 10%-15% Some restaurants and bars in Greece might add a service charge to the bill. If that's the case, you don't need to tip more, but you can round up. Otherwise, leave 10% to 15% of the check total. Transportation services: Round up While tipping your taxi driver in Greece is not obligatory, it is typical to round up the amount of your total fare. Naeblys / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Iceland Hotel staff: No tip Overall, there is no tipping of any sort in Iceland hotels. Icelanders are familiar with the tradition of tipping and won't turn you down if you try, but you are definitely not expected to tip for any services. A small tip would be a nice gesture for exceptional service. Restaurant staff: Included There is usually a service charge included in restaurant bills in Iceland. If you decide to leave an additional tip, even a small amount would be appreciated. Tips generally are not added to a credit card but instead left in small notes of local currency. Transportation services: Not expected Taxi drivers in Iceland don't expect a tip. In fact, some get a little embarrassed about it. So if you want to give your driver something extra, it's nice to add a comment such as, "Afternoon coffee is my treat." Pikoso.kz / Shutterstock.com Tipping in India Hotel staff: Varies Tipping at a hotel in India depends on the hierarchy of the staff. Bellhops and housekeeping receive the least, with the concierge receiving the most. For a hotel porter, tip 20 rupees per bag. For the housekeeping staff, up to 50 rupees per day is appropriate if you'd like to tip. The Indian form of currency, the rupee, is pennies on the U.S. dollar. Restaurant staff: Included Sometimes the service charge is included in your bill. It is acceptable to leave a small cash tip on top of that. If there is no service charge, an appropriate tip is anywhere between 10% and 15%, depending on the level of services received. Transportation services: Round up If the driver gets you safely to your destination, feel free to round up to the nearest whole amount, or tell the driver to keep the change. Giancarlo Liguori / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Ireland Hotel staff: 1 to 2 euros Compared to the United States, there is not a strong culture of tipping in Ireland, including for hotel staff. However, in the rare instance a hotel porter might bring your bags to your room, consider giving a tip of 5 euros. Restaurant staff: Up to 15% It is customary to leave a top of 10% to 15% -- more for exceptional service. Before paying the bill, make sure a service fee was not included. Transportation services: Round up A tip is not mandatory, but round up your payment to the nearest 5 or 10 euros if you've received good service from your taxi driver. For example, if the fare is 13 euros, round up to 15. Umberto Di Cioccio / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Italy Hotel staff: 1 to 10 euros It's typical to give the housekeeping staff 1 euro per night, the porter 2 euros per bag and the concierge between 5 and 10 euros. Restaurant staff: Varies Italian restaurants will display service charges -- called "servizio incluso" -- on the menus and add the fees to the check, making a tip unnecessary. You might also see the word "coperto," which covers a separate cover charges for extras such as bread and olives. If no service charge is included on your bill, it's appropriate to pay 10% to 15%. Be prepared to pay that in cash; there's no way to add it to your card in Italy. Transportation services: No tip It's not necessary to tip your taxi driver in Italy, but rounding up the fare to the nearest euro is always appreciated. Nopasorn Kowathanakul / Getty Images Tipping in Japan Hotel staff: No tip Tipping in Japan is not mandatory -- and in many cases, tips might be considered offensive. A February 2022 article in The Washington Post said many Japanese consider a tip to be "intrusive and rude." Restaurant staff: No tip The From Japan website says a genuine "thank you" from guests is enough of a tip for restaurant staff. They do, however, appreciate visitors who buy the restaurant's official merchandise, such as T-shirt - and wear it in Japan to promote the establishment. Transportation services: No tip Because tipping is not part of the culture at all, the simple act of trying to tip your driver might create confusion. jannoon028 / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Maldives Hotel staff: No tip required Tipping isn't expected in Maldives, but additional tips are critical for employees who don't receive any portion of the service charges at all, which isn't uncommon. The housekeeping staff would welcome a tip equivalent to $2 in U.S. funds a day. Restaurant staff: Included A 10 percent service charge is added to everything in Maldives, but staff members earn very low salaries, so it's generous to tip more for good service. A tip of 5% to 10% would be appreciated. Transportation services: No tip Again, tipping in Maldives isn't expected, but your driver will certainly appreciate any extra money you leave. Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Mexico Hotel staff: 10 to 100 pesos Tipping in Mexico is similar to the United States, and 20 to 100 pesos a day for housekeeping is perfectly acceptable. One peso is worth about a nickel. The porter or bellman can receive about half that. A note: When you tip in Mexico, do so in Mexican pesos and not American dollars wherever possible. Changing foreign currency into pesos can be difficult in the country, and coins are not exchangeable. Restaurant staff: 10% to 15% In Mexico, some restaurants might include the tip in the bill, which means it's not necessary to tip on top of that. If it's not included, it's standard to tip 10% to 15%. Transportation services: Round up While tipping the taxi driver isn't mandatory, drivers would appreciate it if you added a tip by rounding up to what would be equivalent to the next $5 or $10 in U.S. money. MarinaDa / Shutterstock.com Tipping in the Netherlands Hotel staff: Included Many hotel services have fixed costs, which includes any tips to the staff. If you'd like to tip for exceptional service, payment of a few euros is fine. Restaurant staff: Included, or 5 to 10 percent Service charges are either included in your restaurant bill or you can add 5 to 10 percent. If your service wasn't the best, anything from no tip to leaving change to a small round up is OK. Transportation services: Round up, or 1 to 2 euros Many taxi drivers don't expect an additional tip -- it's typically baked into the price of their services. But you can choose to round up or add a euro or two. Tappasan Phurisamrit / Shutterstock.com Tipping in the Philippines Hotel staff: Optional Tipping in the Philippines isn't required but it often is done, especially in tourist areas. If you're staying at a lower-tier hotel, a tip isn't expected. At better hotels, a top of 50 to 100 pesos would suffice for any hotel staff member who has provided good service. Restaurant staff: Included or up to 10% In the Philippines, the service charge is already included (you might see "SC" on your bill) or travelers can tip independently, usually 10%. The tips should be in cash, as they aren't processed on credit cards. Transportation services: About 50 pesos Taxi and tricycle drivers often are tipped by rounding up the fare, but they'd appreciate higher tips, too. About 50 pesos, or a bit more, is common. Tupungato / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Spain Hotel staff: Up to 10 euros a day While Spain isn't known to have a much of a tipping culture, it is customary in hotels. Housekeeping staff expects between 2 and 5 euros a day, and concierges who provide special services typically receive up to 10 euros. For porters, 1 euro per bag is fine. Restaurant staff: Included, or 10% The restaurant where you dine might assess a service charge. If that's the case, no tip is necessary. Otherwise, a tip of 10% is acceptable, and cash is always preferred. Transportation services: Optional Tipping the taxi driver in Spain is rare. Tipping a driver who provided exceptional service would be welcome. Scanrail1 / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Sweden Hotel staff: Not expected Gratuities, in general, aren't expected by hotel staff in Sweden. If someone has gone out of the way to provide exceptional service, then a small tip would be appropriate. Restaurant staff: Included, or round up the bill The meal check in Swedish restaurants will include a service charge that covers tips. But if you'd like to give your server a bit extra, no one will mind if you leave a few kronor by rounding up. Transportation services: Not expected Again, a few kronor would be a nice treat for your driver, although it isn't require. Gaspar Janos / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Switzerland Hotel staff: Small tip For tipping in Switzerland, service workers are paid decent salaries, thus a small tip of one or two Swiss francs is acceptable for the porter or housekeeping staff. Restaurant staff: Included, plus a bit extra Swiss federal law requires all service charges to be included in advertised prices. Still, many visitors add about 10% to the bill. Transportation services: Round up You can round up the taxi fare by a few francs or tell the driver to keep the change. Phiradit Worawitphinyo / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Taiwan Hotel staff: Bellhops only The only service providers who expect tips in Taiwan hotels are bellhops. Plan on tipping the equivalent of an American dollar or two per bag. Restaurant staff: Included or 10% Restaurants typically add 10% to the check to cover gratuity. But if not, feel free to add 10 percent. Transportation services: Round up A taxi driver will not expect a tip. Round up by telling the driver to keep the change. S-F / Shutterstock.com Tipping in the United Kingdom Hotel staff: 2 British pounds Travelers should offer a porter 2 pounds for helping with a bag or hailing a taxi. Housekeeping staff typically do not get a tip. Restaurant staff: Included, or 10% to 15% Your restaurant might include a service charge on the bill. If it doesn't, a tip of 10% to 15% is appropriate. Transportation services: Up to 10% Rounding up to the nearest British pound is common, but for exceptional service or help with bags, leave up to 10%. More From GOBankingRates Morgan Quinn contributed to the reporting for this article. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much To Tip When Traveling to These 25 Countries An armoured police van, believed to be carrying Aine Davis, arrives at The City of Westminster Magistrates Court on August 11, 2022 in London, England. (Getty Images) LONDON (AP) An alleged member of an Islamic State group cell nicknamed The Beatles that tortured and killed Western hostages was charged with terrorism offenses in Britain on Thursday after being deported from Turkey. The militants dubbed The Beatles by their captives because of their British accents, held about two dozen Westerners a decade ago, when IS controlled a large swath of Syria and Iraq. Several of the captives were killed in gruesome beheadings that were broadcast online, including Americans James Foley and Steven Sotloff and Britons David Haines and Alan Henning. Aine Davis, 38, was arrested at Luton Airport north of London on Wednesday night after arriving on a flight from Turkey and charged with offenses under the Terrorism Act, the Metropolitan Police Service said. Davis was due to appear in a London court on Thursday. The Crown Prosecution Service said the charges relate to terrorism offences in 2014 and possession of a firearm for a purpose connected with terrorism. A man holds up a sign in memory of U.S. journalist James Foley during a protest against the Assad regime in Syria in Times Square in New York August 22, 2014. Foley, who was abducted in Syria in late 2012, was beheaded by a masked member of the Islamic State group. (Reuters) Davis was arrested in Turkey in 2015 and convicted in 2017 of belonging to the Islamic State group. During his trial there, he denied being one of The Beatles. The groups four alleged members knew one another in West London before traveling to the Middle East and joining IS. Mohammed Emwazi, who carried out the executions and was nicknamed Jihadi John, was killed in a drone strike in 2015. Two others, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, were captured by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in 2018 and are imprisoned in the U.S. Kotey has been given a life sentence and Elsheikh is expected to get life when he is formally sentenced later this month. Image of Whole Foods store with Amazon banner in front After initially saying it had "no plans" for the palm-reading payment tech in Whole Foods stores, Amazon's getting ready to go all in. On Tuesday, the ecommerce giant announced it would be expanding Amazon One, its proprietary palm-recognition payment system, to 65 Whole Foods stores in California. As reported in Supermarket News, customers will able to pay for their bougie groceries by hovering their palm over a scanner at locations in Malibu, Santa Monica, and Montana Avenue in Los Angeles. In the coming weeks, according to the food retail publication, Amazon One will also launch at additional stores in Los Angeles, Orange County, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and Santa Cruz. Amazon One was first introduced in the company's hometown of Seattle in April 2021 and later in a select group of locations in other parts of Washington, Texas, California, and New York City. But the simultaneous deployment of dozens of Amazon One locations marks the most aggressive rollout of the technology since the initial soft launch. Back in 2020, when Amazon initially announced plans to implement Amazon One, many privacy advocates immediately criticized the move, citing past data breaches, a lack of legal accountability for protecting people's biometric data, and a disproportionate negative impact on low income people and people of color. At the time, Amazon assured skeptics that it was serious about protecting consumer data, stating in a blog post FAQ that "palm images" are encrypted and stored in a "highly secure area" in its cloud, and that users can request to delete that data. Image of person hovering hand over Amazon One payment scanner Amazon One enables paying with your unique palmprint, but at what cost? Credit: Amazon Despite ongoing privacy concerns, however, the use of biometric data for payment and identification is becoming increasingly common just look at Apple's Face ID or CLEAR's eye/facial recognition for security clearance at airports. As we noted when Amazon first introduced the palm-recognition technology, Amazon One sends scanned images to the cloud, whereas Face ID stores what Apple calls "mathematical representations" of one's face on a user's personal device. So not only does Amazon retain your personal information in its own cloud storage, but it also keeps fully intact scans of your palms, making any security breach a potential privacy nightmare. Amazon One is framed as a tool that makes in-person retail convenient and frictionless an objective that Amazon has been pushing hard. Its Just Walk Out tech is basically the shopping equivalent of a hotel mini bar with sensors that automatically charge you, so you can buy stuff and just leave without any physical kind of checkout process. But beyond privacy concerns, cashierless shopping also raises questions about where retail workers would fit into the picture, if at all. When asked for comment, an Amazon spokesperson pointed to its 2021 blog post addressing various FAQs which said Amazon One is a payment option alternative to traditional checkout and that "Whole Foods Market Team Members will continue to maintain all of their current responsibilities." In similar fashion, Mashable asked Amazon about the job security of retail workers during the January 2022 launch of its brick-and-mortar store Amazon Style with its "magic closet" fitting room. The company said retail workers would be a "big part of the Amazon Style shopping experience" and that "hundreds" of employees will work at the store. Time, of course, will tell. Image of person hovering hand over Amazon One scanner Amazon says its cashierless technology won't take away retail jobs, but time will tell. Credit: Amazon Contactless payment and ease is the major selling point for Amazon One. "Just scan your palm, enter your mobile number and provide a credit card and/or merchant membership number," says the Amazon One website. "Once you're signed up, you can use your palm to enter, identify, and pay where Amazon One is available its that simple!" SEE ALSO: Amazon's cashierless tech is coming to Whole Foods stores But despite the ease of signing up, the potential privacy cost is high, as Albert Fox Cahn, founder and executive director of non-profit privacy advocacy organization S.T.O.P., notes. "When someone hacks your Amazon account, you can reset your password, even change your credit card number. But you cant change your hand. When biometric data is breached, the harm lasts a lifetime." Is a lifetime waiver of your unique palm print worth the temporary ease of paying for groceries? Fox Cahn thinks not. "[Amazon] should stick with keeping the products organic, not the payments. Suspect in Cincinnati FBI breach may have posted on Trump's Truth Social during incident The area near Center and Smith roads was closed for hours during a standoff Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Clinton County, Ohio, after an armed man tried to breach the FBI's Cincinnati office and fled north on te highway. CINCINNATI, Ohio An armed man was fatally shot by law enforcement after he attempted to break into the FBI's Cincinnati office and then fled the scene Thursday morning, authorities said. As troopers pursued his fleeing car on an interstate, the suspect fired shots before pulling off, abandoning his car on a rural road and engaging in an hourslong standoff with police, according an Ohio Highway Patrol spokesperson. Law enforcement officers shot and killed the suspect at about 3:45 p.m. after he raised his gun toward police, said Lt. Nathan Dennis. "He succumbed to his injuries at the scene and everything remains under investigation at this time," Dennis said at a press conference. Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect, but the Associated Press reported that an official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, identified him as 42-year-old Ricky Shiffer. TIES TO JAN. 6? Suspect in FBI breach may have posted on Trump's Truth Social during incident The official said Shiffer was believed to be in Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 attack of the Capitol, and may have been present at the insurrection. Shiffer was not charged with any crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, the official said. A USA TODAY review of social media posts by an account in the name "Ricky Shiffer" shows that the suspect may have been posting messages to former President Donald Trump's Truth Social site, even as he was engaged in the attempted incursion. The suspect attempted to breach the visitor screening facility at around 9 a.m. at the bureau's field office in Cincinnati, the FBI said in a tweet. Officials said the man was wearing body armor. After an alarm went off and special agents responded, the man fled north onto Interstate 71, where he was pursued by Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers. The man was armed with a nail gun and AR-15, law enforcement sources told NBC and CNN. The area near Center and Smith roads was closed for hours during a standoff Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in Clinton County, Ohio, after an armed man tried to breach the FBI's Cincinnati office and fled north on te highway. Dennis said no officers were injured by the suspect's gunfire. Clinton County Emergency Management issued a lockdown for all buildings within a one-mile radius of the area and instructed residents and business-owners to lock their doors and remain inside during the standoff. WATCH: Director Christopher Wray responds to threats against FBI JUST THE FAQs: Here's why the FBI search at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home is unprecedented The incident came a day after the FBI director warned against threats circulating online against agents and the Justice Department in the wake of the agencys search of former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago home. On Wednesday, the FBI cited increased social media threats when warning agents to avoid protesters and ensure their security key cards are not visible outside FBI spaces. FBI Director Christopher Wray reiterated his defense of the bureau after the attempted breach in Cincinnati. Unfounded attacks on the integrity of the FBI erode respect for the rule of law and are a grave disservice to the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect others, Wray said in a statement. Violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI, are dangerous and should be deeply concerning to all Americans. Every day I see the men and women of the FBI doing their jobs professionally and with rigor, objectivity, and a fierce commitment to our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. I am proud to serve alongside them." Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY NETWORK: FBI Cincinnati attempted breach: Armed man died after standoff CINCINNATI (AP) An armed man decked out in body armor tried to breach a security screening area at an FBI field office in Ohio on Thursday, then fled and exchanged gunfire in a standoff with law enforcement, authorities said. The confrontation at the FBI's Cincinnati field office comes as officials warn of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Federal officials said the man had attempted to breach the visitor's screening area at the FBI office and fled when he was confronted by agents. He was chased onto Interstate 71 and has exchanged gunfire with police, according to the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency. Authorities have closed the interstate in both directions as police remained in a standoff. No injuries were immediately reported. Officials in Ohio have locked down a mile radius near the interstate and urged residents and business owners to lock doors and stay inside. An FBI evidence team has arrived at the office to investigate, according to multiple media reports. There have been growing threats in recent days against FBI agents and offices across the country since federal agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. On Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists and antisemites, users have warned they are preparing for an armed revolution. Federal officials have also been tracking an array of other concerning chatter on Gab and other platforms threatening violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced the threats as he visited another FBI office in Nebraska on Wednesday. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with, Wray said Wednesday in Omaha. The FBI on Wednesday also warned its agents to avoid protesters and ensure their security key cards are not visible outside FBI space, citing an increase in social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. It also warned agents to be aware of their surroundings and potential protesters. The warning did not specifically mention this weeks search of Mar-a-Lago but attributed the online threats to recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity. Lebanese security forces secure the area outside a bank in Beirut,, Lebanon, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022. A Lebanese security official says a man armed with a shotgun has broken into a Beirut bank, holding employees hostage and threatening to set himself ablaze with gasoline unless he receives his trapped saving. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) BEIRUT (AP) A Lebanese man with a shotgun and a gasoline canister took up to 10 people hostage at a Beirut bank Thursday and threatened to set himself on fire unless he was allowed to withdraw his trapped savings to pay his father's medical bills, authorities said. Soldiers and police converged on the city's bustling Hamra district and sought to negotiate an end to the standoff, the latest painful episode in Lebanons economic free-fall, now in its third year. The country's cash-strapped banks since 2019 have slapped strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency assets, tying up the savings of millions of people. The gunman, identified as 42 year-old Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, entered a branch of the Federal Bank carrying the canister, said a security official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The man fired three warning shots, the official said. George al-Haj, head of the Bank Employees Syndicate, told local media that seven or eight bank employees were taken hostage along with two customers. The gunman released one hostage, who was taken away by ambulance. Hussein had $210,000 trapped in the bank and been struggling to withdraw his money to pay his fathers medical bills, said Hassan Moghnieh, who as head of the advocacy group Association of Depositors in Lebanon took part in the negotiations. Husseins brother Atef, standing outside the bank, told The Associated Press that his brother would be willing to turn himself in if the bank gave him money to help with the bills and other family expenses. My brother is not a scoundrel. He is a decent man, Atef al-Sheikh Hussein said. He takes what he has from his own pocket to give to others. Lebanese army soldiers, police officers from the countrys Internal Security Forces and intelligence agents surrounded the area. Dozens of protesters gathered during the standoff, chanting slogans against the Lebanese government and banks, hoping that the gunman would receive his savings. Some bystanders hailed him as a hero. Lebanon is suffering from the worst economic crisis in its modern history. Three-quarters of the population has plunged into poverty, and the Lebanese pound has declined in value by more than 90% against the U.S. dollar. What led us to this situation is the state's failure to resolve this economic crisis and the banks' and Central Bank's actions, where people can only retrieve some of their own money as if it's a weekly allowance, said Dina Abou Zor, a lawyer with the advocacy group Depositors' Union who was among the protesters. And this has led to people taking matters into their own hands. Dania Sharif said her sister, who serves coffee and tea at the bank, was among the hostages and had not been harmed by the gunman. He just wants his money, Sharif said, standing outside the bank. I will not leave until my sister comes out. In January, a coffee shop owner withdrew $50,000 trapped in a bank in Lebanon after taking employees hostage and threatening to kill them. Beluga whale that strayed into River Seine euthanised during rescue Beluga whale strayed into France's Seine river By Benoit Tessier SAINT-PIERRE-LA-GARENNE, France (Reuters) -An ailing beluga whale that strayed into the River Seine died on Wednesday during an attempt to return it to the sea off northern France, authorities said. Rescue divers overnight guided the whale into a net before a crane lifted it from the river in an operation which lasted six hours. It was then transported in a refrigerated truck to the Channel port of Ouistreham. During the road journey, the already-weak beluga suffered respiratory failure and it was euthanised by vets shortly after arriving in Ouistreham. "Despite an unprecedented rescue operation, it is with sadness that we announce the cetacean's death," the local Calvados authorities said. The plan had been to move the malnourished whale to a saltwater basin in the hope it might recover some strength before being transferred to the sea. But it was a risky venture. The four-metre male weighed 800 kilograms (1763 pounds), well below an adult beluga's typical weight of 1,200 kg, and had not fed since it was first spotted in the Seine last week. Rescuers believe it was sick before it wandered up the river to within 70 km (43 miles) of Paris. The whale's condition deteriorated during the road journey to the coast. It was still alive when it reached Ouistreham but was weak and struggling to breathe. Marine conservation group Sea Shepherd France, which was involved in the rescue operation, said leaving the whale in the Seine would have condemned it to certain death. Beluga cannot survive prolonged periods in the warm, freshwater of rivers. "(The operation) was risky, but essential to give a chance to an otherwise doomed animal," the group added. In late May, a gravely ill orca swam dozens of miles up the Seine and died of natural causes after attempts to guide it back to sea failed. In September 2018, a beluga was spotted in the River Thames east of London, in what was then the most southerly sighting of a beluga on British shores. Beluga whales typically live in pods in Arctic or sub-Arctic waters. (Reporting by Benoit Tessier and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten and Richard Lough; Editing by Robert Birsel, Alexandra Hudson) In blasting the unprecedented FBI search of former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago home this week, Florida Republican leaders revived a familiar theme: The targeting of a former president and political foe is something that could only happen in a Third-World country. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a rising star in the national Republican Party, said the scene was akin to one in a banana republic, a pejorative term thats been historically used for some politically unstable countries in the Americas. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said the raid was 3rd World country stuff. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio made a comparison to Nicaraguas Daniel Ortega jailing political opponents. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar tweeted she was concerned about the U.S. going down the path of countries like Cuba & Nicaragua. And Trump himself used the term in his statement confirming federal officials had been at his home, declaring the U.S. had already become one of those Countries. Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before, Trump said in a statement Monday. They even broke into my safe! The ratcheted-up rhetoric about the raid, in which the FBI seized about a dozen boxes of paperwork from Trumps South Florida mansion, have had a particular resonance in Miami-Dade County. South Florida is home to thousands of residents who hail from countries where authoritarian leaders have been known to consolidate power by weaponizing judicial institutions against political enemies. But where some saw a Third-World-like attack on a former president they support, some exiles say they saw the opposite. To some, it was proof of a functioning system as the separation of powers made it possible for the feds to raid Trumps home. Some Hispanic leaders were quick to agree with Republican officials that the Mar-a-Lago raid reminded them of power grabs in their former countries. Ariel Montoya, a columnist and exiled conservative leader from Nicaragua, said the FBI raid reminded him of home invasions conducted by the left-wing Sandinistas in the 1980s. He argued that what makes the case so delicate is that Trump is expected to run for the presidency again in 2024. I think thats the gravest thing that could happen to the United States, that their own political institutions ... have an agenda thats being followed that, one way or another, charges against some candidates, who in this case may also aspire to the presidency, Montoya said. But Ade Ferro, who runs the Democratic-leaning Venezuelan-American Caucus from Miami, said the comparison to countries like hers to score political points were offensive. I come from a Third-World country. And this is the other way around, Ferro said. Theres many, many of us who just want justice to be done .... and for our own suffering to stop being used for political gains. Places like Nicaragua Likely none of the Florida Republican lawmakers who spoke about the raid were as specific as Rubio, who has long spoken against left-wing leaders in Latin America, in comparing the U.S. Department of Justices actions to an authoritarian governments. This is what happens in places like Nicaragua, where last year every single person that ran against Daniel Ortega for president, every single person that put their name on the ballot, was arrested and is still in jail. Thats what you see in places like Nicaragua. Weve never seen that before in America, Rubio said in a video he tweeted the night that news of the raid became public. The FBI raid was unprecedented for America,but familiar to those in Florida who fled nations where political opposition was criminalized If voters put us back in the majority we better have the guts to subpoena the records & make those who authorized this testify under oath pic.twitter.com/dcLTr01T6H Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 9, 2022 Ferro, who has been a vocal critic of Rubio, said that she believes it is members of the Republican Party who have taken steps to erode the separation of powers, like replacing or suspending judicial officials or contesting the results of a fair election. The minority leader, Rep. [Kevin] McCarthy, spoke like Diosdado Cabello in his daily show Con el Mazo Dando, Ferro said, referring to the top Venezuelan official under leader Nicolas Maduro. He was threatening like, Get your papers in order because Im going to put you in jail. So, who are the ones acting like authoritarian regimes? Ernesto Ackerman, a Republican and president of the Independent Venezuelan American Citizens, was not as fast to condemn the raid. Instead, he said that what sowed distrust and doubt in the legal process is the perception that federal law enforcement has not been as quick to act against high-profile Democrats. I want there to be justice. If there was any infraction committed, I want justice to be served. But what I wonder is what happened to Hillary Clinton? What happened with Hunter Biden? ... What has happened with all the corrupt Democrats? Ackerman said. Why precisely when were in the middle of an electoral cycle where Democrats will be defeated? The FBI was investigating Clinton and said so just before the 2016 election, an announcement that was cheered by her detractors and likely dogged her presidential bid. Rubio doubled down on that during an appearance with Fox News Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, where he said the raid was part of a playbook generally adopted by authoritarian communist regimes. Im here in a very unique position in South Florida surrounded by people that come from countries where this is familiar to them, Rubio said. This is shocking to Americans, but in Latin America and many of these countries around the world, heres what happens: A group takes power, one of the first things that group does is they begin to persecute and go after their political opponents and then when the supporters of their political opponents begin to complain about it, they begin to target them and they criminalize opposition. Allusions to communism in South Florida Eduardo Gamarra, a political science professor at Florida International University, said that the rhetoric is par for the course during an election cycle in Florida, when Republican candidates have often alluded to communist regimes when attacking Democrats. The labeling of Democrats as socialists has been an effective messaging strategy for Republicans in South Florida for many years. And after Trump made significant gains with Hispanic communities in 2020, the label has surged nationally in more recent election cycles. In contrast to what occurs in countries that are openly authoritarian, here what you see is an authorization from an independent judicial branch, Gamarra said. A judicial branch that acts without consulting political actors and that acts with a base of criteria that are very clearly established. Gamarra added that the comparison was also bad faith, pointing to the Trump administrations tendency to appoint officials who had little experience in their fields but that were loyal to his political platform. Its a bit paradoxical, particularly considering Senator Rubios party spent four years politicizing the justice system, Gamarra said. The rhetoric also caught the attention of Florida state Sen. Annette Taddeo, who is running in the Democratic primary to challenge Salazar. Taddeo said the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol while the 2020 election results were being certified was more of a reminder of something that would happen in a communist regime than the FBI raid. I find it just quite appalling but at the same time interesting that they would make that comparison when its the kind of thing that weve never seen before for a reason, Taddeo said. In this country, no one is above the law. Whether youre the former president or not. She added that the director currently at the helm of the FBI was not appointed by Biden but by Trump, a fact that on its own should convince voters of the legitimacy of the process. I understand how theyre trying to utilize this to their political gain but I dont see how that will work when the Department of Justice was politicized under Trump. Manny Diaz, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, was similarly outraged by the comparisons to Latin American countries and recalled that leaders in European countries have also had to face legal consequences for wrongdoing. They have prosecuted former leaders in those countries because they also follow the law, Diaz said. Nicaragua? Cmon. Is that a buzzword now? Facing criticism for past comments comparing abortion to the Holocaust, the Republican nominee for governor in Illinois is refusing to apologize and claiming that a group of rabbis backed the comparison. The Jewish community themselves have told me that Im right, Darren Bailey, a GOP state senator who is trying to unseat Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, said in a radio interview over the weekend. All the people at the Chabads that we met with and the Jewish rabbis, they said, No, youre actually right. In a 2017 Facebook video that resurfaced earlier this month, Bailey said that the attempted extermination of the Jews of World War II doesnt even compare on a shadow of the life that has been lost with abortion since its legalization. GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey speaking in Mendon, Ill., on June 25. (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) Pritzker, who is Jewish, condemned the comparison. Darren Baileys disgusting assertion that a woman determining her own reproductive future is worse than the Nazis genocide of 6 million Jews is offensive to Illinoisans everywhere, Eliza Glezer, press secretary for Pritzkers campaign, said in a statement. With violent antisemitism on the rise and in the wake of a massacre against a predominately Jewish Highland Park, Bailey must answer for his hateful comments. Pritzkers campaign also released a television ad highlighting Bailey's comments. Bailey said the ad was released a day after he met with the rabbis. Pritzker knew that, he said. So the timeliness was no mistake. Its unclear which group of rabbis he was referring to. Rabbi Avraham Kagan, the director of government affairs for Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois, told the Forward, We dont know who he met with and his comments do not reflect our position. A representative for Bailey did not immediately return a request for comment. Bailey, pictured here in Mendon, is doubling down on his controversial comparison of abortion and the Holocaust. (Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) Bailey said he is pro-life but conceded that nothing is going to change the law in Illinois, where abortion is legal and protected. My goal is to make abortion unnecessary, he said. We work together with everyone and we come up with real solutions, of which we do not have right now. Baileys comparison of abortion to the Holocaust has drawn widespread condemnation. The Holocaust and abortion are not the same, the Anti-Defamation Leagues Midwest chapter said in a statement. These types of comments have no place in public discourse. They are deeply offensive and do an incredible disservice to the millions of Jews and other innocent victims killed by the Nazis. Comparing the extreme horror of the Holocaust and its immeasurable loss to a womans right to choose is unacceptable, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said in a statement. Full stop. Bailey greeting potential voters in Wheaton, Ill., on July 31. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Its not the first time Bailey has stirred controversy. Shortly after the mass shooting in Highland Park, Ill., on July 4, he was in nearby Skokie, Ill., one of several surrounding communities forced to cancel their Independence Day parades in the wake of the massacre. The shooter is still at large, so lets pray for justice to prevail, Bailey said while leading a group prayer that was broadcast live on his Facebook page. And then lets move on and lets celebrate the independence of this nation. He added: We have got to get corruption and evil out of our government. Bailey later apologized for suggesting the community quickly move on and celebrate Independence Day. I apologize if in any way we diminished the pain being felt across our state today, he said in a statement. I hope we can all come together in prayer and action to address rampant crime and mental health issues to make sure these horrific tragedies dont happen again. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a United Steelworkers convention Wednesday in Las Vegas. (John Locher / Associated Press) American labor leaders see this as a moment for radical change: Workers in Starbucks coffee shops and Amazon warehouses are rising up and demanding representation. Polls show millions more support unions or wish they had the chance to join them. President Biden, with majorities in both chambers of Congress, wants to lead the most pro-union administration since Franklin D. Roosevelt. "Theres a great reckoning and workers have had it, said Mary Kay Henry, president of the Service Employees International Union, one of the largest and most influential unions. Yet even as experts acknowledge the newfound excitement around labor, they caution that unions, which have suffered decades of declining membership, are unlikely to turn the tide. Unions' moment of opportunity could already be slipping away. Republicans are poised to gain seats in the November elections. And a potential recession could wipe away the rare leverage workers have held in the tight labor market that emerged in the wake of the pandemic. The winds have been at workers back and that has helped spark labor drives in places that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, said Jake Rosenfeld, the author of What Unions No Longer Do and a sociology professor at Washington University in St. Louis. But there are clouds on the horizon, he added. Unions have long complained about the structural advantages held by employers fighting off organizing efforts. Employers can hold mandatory meetings where supervisors lobby against unions. And although firing workers for trying to organize is technically illegal, the penalties employers face for doing so are often small and invariably come months or years after an organizer's dismissal. Employers can also drag out the union recognition process and the contract negotiation that comes after it, as they wait for employees to leave their jobs or for economic conditions to change. Employers' power will only grow if the labor market, now one of the tightest in recent years, loosens, and workers begin fearing a recession. When theyre holding those captive audience meetings, they can say basically, Well, the economy is about to get bad, so its going to be harder for you to find a job, said Jon Shelton, a labor historian at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. About 1 in 10 American workers is in a labor union, down from a peak of more than 1 in 3 in the mid-1950s. Government workers are five times more likely than private-sector employees to be in a union. The National Labor Relations Board has received more requests to hold union elections this year than during the same period in 2021. But much of the increase in these requests for elections is coming from Starbucks cafes, each of which employs only a couple of dozen workers, meaning the potential impact on overall union representation may be modest, even if those elections succeed. Shelton criticized Democrats for their failure to rally enough support to pass labors top priority, the PRO Act, which would overhaul the rules governing organizing. In an interview with The Times three months before his death last August, Richard Trumka, the influential president of the AFL-CIO, praised Biden for thinking like a union guy, but said the success of his labor agenda would depend on passing that bill. If the PRO Act is not ultimately passed, then there wont be a recovery for working people, he said. Theres nothing to drive it. Trumka predicted Democrats would muster 50 votes and find a way to pass the bill in the evenly divided Senate, with Vice President Kamala Harris tie-breaking vote. But it has been stalled, in part because Democrats have been unable to assemble the 50 votes or change the Senate filibuster rules, which require most legislation to get 60 votes. The administration has tried to use its authority to make administrative changes that have helped organizers gain recognition at the National Labor Relations Board and to build in requirements on its signature spending bills that tie subsidies on things like electric cars to American jobs. The PRO Act is still a necessary step, but whats remarkable about the Biden administration is they are using every tool and level of government, said Henry, of SEIU. Biden and Harris, who leads the administrations labor council, have also used their platform to support unions far more than even prior Democratic administrations, recording messages of support for Amazon workers trying to unionize and invoking workers and wages in their speeches. In May, Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh met with Christian Smalls of the Amazon Labor Union and Laura Garza of Starbucks Workers United at the White House. Harris on Wednesday was in Las Vegas a city that will be key for control of the Senate to speak at the United Steelworkers convention. "You helped make America the most powerful nation in the world," she said, recalling her youth in the Bay Area, learning about steelworkers' role in building the Golden Gate Bridge and other American monuments. Harris talked about the decline of manufacturing in the 20th century and the impact it had on middle-class wages and communities. She praised steelworkers for leading "a new era in the American labor movement," including help in unionizing Google contractors, and went on to talk about union workers' role in building high-speed internet, clean drinking pipes and roads projects approved during Biden's tenure. She promised the administration's climate and healthcare spending bill, which is expected to win final passage in the House in the coming days, would bring jobs "in steel towns and in coal country": forging steel for wind turbines, cutting glass for electric cars, installing rubber for solar panels. Biden's pro-union rhetoric goes further than that of leaders such as Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. An emphasis on workers may have helped Biden defeat former President Trump in 2020. But many white working-class union members have left the Democratic Party and could help Republicans regain control of the House, Senate or both in the November elections. Mark Wilbur, president of the Los Angeles-based Employers Group, which advocates for business owners, said the decline in unions is a result of their obsolescence, especially in California, which has more worker protections than other states. Workers, he said, don't want to pay dues for something they don't need and consumers do not want to pay added costs. "One hundred years ago, it was really needed," he said. "Workers died on the job. Those days arent really relevant anymore. Liz Shuler, who replaced Trumka as president of the AFL-CIO, said that shes in touch with members of the administration daily and that unions are not giving up on passing legislation. But she believes many Americans are overlooking the hundreds of billions of spending the Biden administration has secured for infrastructure building a semiconductor industry, electric car expansion, roads and highways. All of these huge investments have labor standards attached to them, Shuler said, to make sure that were going to benefit working people. She said her federation of unions is increasing its investment and cooperative efforts to help fledgling movements to unionize Amazon workers and other industries. Shuler pointed to the example of Microsoft, which agreed to make it easier for employees of one of its gaming subsidiaries to unionize, as a positive sign. But she said the struggle with Starbucks which has raised wages and pushed back against organizers shows resistance remains strong. The one missing ingredient is companies," she said. "Companies are fighting workers with everything they have. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, left, speaks at a news conference alongside Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis / Albuquerque Journal) A fear of attacks that had rippled through Muslim communities nationwide after the fatal shootings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque gave way to shock and sadness when it turned out the suspect in the killings is one of their own. Muhammad Syed, 51, was arrested late Monday after a traffic stop more than 100 miles from his Albuquerque home. The Afghan immigrant denied any connection to the crimes that shook the city and its small Muslim community. In court documents, in fact, he told police that he was so unnerved by the slayings that he was driving to Houston to find a new home for his family, which includes six children. But investigators said they have ample evidence to prove his guilt, though they have yet to uncover the motive for the ambush-style killings, the first of which was in November and then three between July 26 and last Friday. According to the criminal complaint, police determined that bullet casings found in Syeds vehicle matched the caliber of the weapons believed to have been used in two of the killings and that casings found at the crime scenes were linked to guns found at Syeds home and in his vehicle. Of the more than 200 tips police received, it was one from the Muslim community that led them to the Syed family, authorities said, noting that Syed knew the victims and an interpersonal conflict may have led to the shootings. The news of Syed's arrest stunned Muslims in Albuquerque. I wanted a little closure for the community, as we saw it going out of hand and people were really panicking. But Ill be honest with you, I was shocked, said Samia Assed, a community organizer and member of the Islamic Center of New Mexico. She said she did not want these heinous crimes to be in any way, in any capacity used to divide a community. Salim Ansari, president of the Afghan Society of New Mexico, said he felt relief at the news that an arrest had been made. But he was especially taken aback because he knew Syed through social gatherings and was dumbfounded to learn of his arrest and that court documents showed three domestic violence cases against him. We never knew," Ansari said. Ansari said he first met Syed and the family when he was invited into their home in 2020 to tell them about the local Afghan community and the group that he heads. Syed and his wife ended up joining the society as members. As recently as last month, Syed and his family brought food and joined a potluck gathering, Ansari said. I dont know what happened, he said. On Wednesday, Syed made his first court appearance during a virtual arraignment. He was shackled and in a jumpsuit that said HIGH RISK on the back. His case was transferred to state District Court, where a judge will consider a motion by prosecutors to keep him detained without bond pending trial. He is a very dangerous person, and the only way to protect the community is to hold the defendant in custody, prosecutors said in court documents. Syed, through an interpreter, asked for permission to speak, but his attorney asked that the court not take any statements from him. He was not asked to enter a plea. Syed has lived in the U.S. for about five years. When interviewed by detectives, he said he had been with the special forces in Afghanistan and fought against the Taliban, according to a criminal complaint filed late Tuesday. Police said they were about to search Syeds Albuquerque home Monday when they saw him drive away in a Volkswagen Jetta that investigators believe was used in at least one of the slayings. In the complaint, authorities said a 9-millimeter handgun was seized from his car, and they found an AK-47-style rifle and a pistol of the same caliber at the family home while serving a search warrant. Syed bought the rifle and his son Shaheen purchased the pistol at a local gun shop. On Wednesday, Shaheen Syed was charged by federal prosecutors with providing a false Florida address when he bought two rifles last year. He has denied any role in the killings and has not been charged in connection with them. He and another brother were interviewed by police Monday. The first of the four men fatally shot was Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, an immigrant from from Afghanistan. Naeem Hussain, a 25-year-old from Pakistan, was killed Friday. 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. Ehsan Chahalmi, the brother-in-law of Naeem Hussain, said he was a generous, kind, giving, forgiving and loving soul that has been taken away from us forever. Investigators consider Syed the primary suspect in the deaths of Naeem Hussain and Ahmadi but have not yet filed charges in those cases. Albuquerque police said Wednesday that as long as the suspect is detained, homicide detectives will not rush the case. Police say they are looking at a number of possible motives. When asked at a news conference Tuesday if Muhammad Syed, a Sunni Muslim, was angry that his daughter had married a Shiite Muslim, Deputy Police Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock did not respond directly. He said motives are still being explored fully. CNN interviewed Syeds daughter shortly before the announcement of his arrest. She said her husband was friends with two of the men who were killed. She also acknowledged that her father initially was upset about her 2018 marriage but recently had been more accepting. My father is not a person who can kill somebody, the woman told CNN, which did not disclose her identity to protect her safety. My father has always talked about peace. Thats why we are here in the United States. We came from Afghanistan, from fighting, from shooting. In 2017, a boyfriend of Syeds daughter reported to police that Syed, his wife and one of their sons had pulled him out of a car, punching and kicking him before driving away, according to court documents. The boyfriend, who was found with a bloody nose, scratches and bruises, told police that he was attacked because they did not want her in a relationship with him. Syed was arrested in May 2018 after a fight with his wife turned violent, court documents said. Prosecutors said both cases were later dismissed after the victims declined to press charges. Syed also was arrested in 2020 after he was accused of refusing to pull over for police after running a traffic light, but that case was eventually dismissed, court documents said. Former FBI profiler Mary Ellen OToole said the crimes Syed is suspected of carrying out fit the definition of a serial killer even though Albuquerque police have not classified him as such. She said serial killers often have red flags like domestic violence or sexual assaults in their past that precede the killings. People dont wake up one morning and just become a serial killer, she said. We would go back and we would look at other crimes that were occurring in the area before the serial murders occurred. Because theres periods of time where they have to practice being violent. And that practice can begin at home. OToole said motives for the four killings may have varied from victim to victim. OToole said she would want to know what prompted three killings in quick succession eight months after the first. This behavior that were seeing in this case is cold-blooded, premeditated, and it involves hunting behavior actually hunting human beings which is probably as cold as it can get, she said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shakes hands with a health official in Pyongyang on Wednesday. (Korean Central News Agency / Korea News Service) In a striking speech before thousands of North Koreans, leader Kim Jong Uns sister said he suffered a fever while guiding the country to victory over the coronavirus. She blamed rival South Korea for the outbreak and vowed deadly retaliation. Kim Yo Jong, a powerful official in charge of inter-Korean relations, glorified her brother's leadership during the outbreak in her speech Wednesday at a national meeting where he jubilantly described the country's widely disputed success over the coronavirus as an amazing miracle in global public health. North Koreas statements about its outbreak are widely believed to be manipulated to help Kim Jong Un maintain absolute authority. But experts believe the victory announcement signals his intention to move to other priorities and are concerned that his sisters remarks portend a provocation, which might include nuclear or missile tests or even border skirmishes. The Norths official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday that Kim declared victory over COVID-19 and ordered an easing of preventive measures just three months after the country first acknowledged an outbreak. In her first known televised speech, his sister said he suffered a fever and glorified his epoch-making leadership. In a dubious claim, she accused South Korea of spreading COVID-19 to North Korea's largely unvaccinated populace, saying the initial infections were caused by leaflets, banknotes, awful booklets and other items flown across the border by anti-North activists in the South. North Korea first suggested in July that its outbreak began in people who had contact with objects carried by balloons launched from South Korea. South Koreas Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, expressed strong regret over North Koreas extremely disrespectful and threatening comments based on ridiculous claims. A senior South Korean presidential office official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in a background briefing, said Seoul was preparing for various possible North Korean provocations, including a test detonation of a nuclear device. Since North Korea acknowledged its coronavirus outbreak in May, it has reported about 4.8 million fever cases in its population of 26 million but identified only a fraction of those as COVID-19. The country, which likely lacks test kits and other public health tools, has claimed that the outbreak has been slowing for weeks and that just 74 people have died. Since we began operating the maximum emergency anti-epidemic campaign [in May], daily fever cases that reached hundreds of thousands during the early days of the outbreak were reduced to below 90,000 a month later and continuously decreased, and not a single case of fever suspected to be linked to the evil virus has been reported since July 29, Kim said in his speech Wednesday during a national meeting at which he announced a revised pandemic response. For a country that has yet to administer a single vaccine shot, our success in overcoming the spread of the illness in such a short period of time and recovering safety in public health and making our nation a clean virus-free zone again is an amazing miracle that would be recorded in the worlds history of public health, KCNA quoted him as saying. For Kim to declare victory against the coronavirus suggests he wants to move on to other priorities, such as boosting the country's broken and heavily sanctioned economy, which has been further damaged by pandemic border closures, or conducting a nuclear test, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. South Korean and U.S. officials have said North Korea could be gearing up for its first nuclear test in five years amid a torrid series of weapons tests this year that included its first launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. The provocative tests underscore Kims intent to advance his arsenal while also pressuring the Biden administration over long-stalled negotiations in which he hopes to use his nuclear weapons as leverage for badly needed sanctions relief and security concessions, experts say. During Wednesdays meeting, Kim Yo Jong called the countrys virus outbreak a hysteric farce kicked off by South Korea to escalate confrontation. [South Korean] puppets are still thrusting leaflets and dirty objects into our territory. We must counter it toughly, she said. We have already considered various counteraction plans, but our countermeasure must be a deadly retaliatory one. North Korean state TV showed some people in the audience of thousands crying as she spoke about her brothers fever a reference that wasnt further explained. The crowd applauded and cheered as she vowed that North Korea would eradicate not only the virus but also [South Korean] government authorities if the enemies continue dangerous acts that could introduce the virus into our republic. While Kim Yo Jong has made many speeches and statements in recent years as one of the most powerful members of her brothers leadership circle, Thursday was the first time North Korean media have broadcast the complete video and audio of one of her speeches, South Koreas Unification Ministry said. The highlighting of her speech by state media reflects her rising status and could be aimed at emphasizing the threat directed at South Korea. In 2020, Kim Yo Jong drove a pressure campaign in which North Korea blew up an empty South Korean-built liaison office in its territory and threatened to end a 2018 military agreement on reducing border tensions, in a furious response to South Korean leafleting campaigns. In 2014, North Korea fired at propaganda balloons flying toward its territory and South Korea returned fire, though there were no casualties. North Koreas claim about the origin of the outbreak contradicts outside experts, who believe the Omicron variant spread when the country briefly reopened its border with China to freight traffic in January, and surged further following a military parade and other large-scale events in Pyongyang, its capital, in April. In May, Kim Jong Un prohibited travel between cities and counties to slow the spread of the virus. But he also stressed that his economic goals should be met, which meant huge groups continued to gather at agricultural, industrial and construction sites. At the virus meeting, Kim called for the easing of preventive measures and for the nation to maintain vigilance and effective border controls, citing the global spread of new coronavirus variants and monkeypox. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Climbing Russian casualties and reports suggesting that Russia is now looking to North Korea to aid its flagging troops raised eyebrows this week as some began to question whether Moscow would drag Pyongyang into its war in Ukraine. Russia expert and former intelligence officer in Russian doctrine and strategy for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Rebekah Koffler, threw cold water on these claims and said they were "implausible." "The Russian propaganda machine could say that 100,000 North Korean volunteers would fight on behalf of Russia, just to scare the West, but in reality, its disinformation," she said in answer to questions from Fox News Digital. RUSSIA CREATES NEW VOLUNTEER GROUND FORCE AS TROOP NUMBERS FLAG, UK INTELLIGENCE QUESTIONS EFFECTIVENESS Reports claiming that North Korea may send up to 100,000 soldiers to aid Russias campaign in Ukraine began to circulate on Western and Russian news sites this week after the pro-Kremlin Regnum News Agency released an article earlier this month suggesting as much. The article dated Aug. 2 said that "North Korea, through diplomatic channels, made it clear that it is ready to help the LPR [Luhansk Peoples Republic] and DPR [Donetsk Peoples Republic] in strengthening defense[s]" and "is ready to transfer up to 100,000 of its soldiers." "Pyongyang will be able to transfer its tactical units to the Donbas," the article continued. The report never detailed whether the news outlet obtained the "diplomatic channels" referenced in the report but instead pointed to comments made by a Russian member of parliament who championed Pyongyangs alleged willingness to help. North Korea in March backed Russia when it joined it and three other nations in voting against a United Nations General Assembly resolution that condemned Moscows invasion of Ukraine. But Koffler said Pyongyangs support for Russian President Vladimir Putin does not mean the Kremlin chief would actually allow North Korea to send ground forces into Ukraine. "Putin will never accept its implausible," she said. "Just think about the sheer scale of it." North Korean soldiers march and shout slogans during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of the country's founding father, Kim Il-sung, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on April 15, 2017. Reuters/Damir Sagolj Apart from the fact that Russia and North Korea have not held joint combat training and Pyongyang hasnt even seen active combat in decades, the logistics of such an alliance would prove tricky. "The command-and-control aspect of it is impossible. They do not speak Russian," Koffler said in reference to the average North Korean soldier. "How are they going to use Russian weapons systems?" RUSSIA LAUNCHES IRANIAN SATELLITE INTO SPACE AMID FEARS IT WILL BE USED TO SURVEIL UKRAINE "It would make more of a mess than it would help," she added. As Russian causalities in Ukraine continue to climb and Moscow continues to increase joint military drills with neighboring Belarus, some have become concerned Putin may add to his fighting force with the help of Minsk. But Koffler said North Korea does not pose the same threat to the war in Ukraine that Belarus does. "Remember, Belarussians, Chechens, Buryats, anyone from the former Soviet Union speaks Russian," she said. "They are more integrated. Not only do they have the same, what we call tactics, techniques and procedures, but doctrinally they are on the same page [in their] war-fighting doctrine." Koffler said it is more likely that North Koreans could be used to assist Russia with its rebuilding efforts in eastern Ukraine if Moscow is successful in holding off Kyiv from retaking occupied territory. A soldier salutes from atop an armored vehicle during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of the country's founding father, Kim Il-sung, in Pyongyang, on April 15, 2017. Reuters/Damir Sagolj The Russia expert also suggested Moscow could be looking to Pyongyang to assist its forces with more advanced weaponry like the KN-25 which outranges the U.S. HIMARS in the wake of Western arms supplies to Ukraine. "That is the real value added from North Korea that Putin would approve and is plausible," Koffler said. Octavio Enriquez, an investigative reporter from Nicaragua, rides a bus in San Jose, Costa Rica. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) On Father's Day of last year, Octavio Enriquez shared pizza and soda with his two children. Then he told them he was leaving. A Nicaraguan journalist known for rigorous investigations, his latest reporting had led him dangerously close to President Daniel Ortega, a former leftist revolutionary who ruled his nation one of the poorest and most corrupt in the Western Hemisphere with little mercy. Enriquez, 42, was preparing a series of stories that exposed Ortega's links to nearly two dozen businesses that had received millions of dollars in government contracts. But the reporter worried he would be jailed before he could publish. Never be ashamed of your father," said Enriquez as he hugged his children and headed under cover of darkness for a border crossing. "Im on the right side of history." Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife and Vice President Rosario Murillo lead a rally in Managua, Nicaragua. (Alfredo Zuniga / Associated Press) Since Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, had violently suppressed democratic protests in 2018, the couple had tightened their grip on power, imprisoning political opponents, business leaders and members of civil society and attacking freedom of expression from all sides. They had raided newsrooms, jailed journalists and ordered dozens of news outlets to close. They pushed a series of laws that made it a crime to spread fake news and publish information not authorized by the government and had even banned newspapers from importing paper and ink. The offices of Confidencial, the online news magazine where Enriquez worked, had been occupied by police forcesand its publisher was facing money laundering charges dismissed by human rights advocates as "absurd." Then Enriquez was called in for police questioning over his connection to a nonprofit that trained journalists which the government claimed was a front for the CIA. He and his wife, who is also a journalist, decided the only way he could continue reporting on Ortega's finances was if he fled the country. They didn't tell anyone where he was going, not the kids or his twin brother, with whom he shared a passion for social justice and writing. As Enriquez hiked for hours in the dark, reaching safety in Honduras just as the sun was rising, he joined the estimated 200,000 Nicaraguans who have fled the country since 2018, a mass exodus that includes at least 140 journalists. Journalist Octavio Enriquez walks through San Jose, Costa Rica. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) With virtually no independent media left inside the country and foreign reporters banned from entering, Nicaragua has become "an information black hole," said Natalie Southwick of the Committee to Protect Journalists. Government propaganda is all that remains. The Ortega family and its allies own multiple television and radio channels that portray the United States as "the Yankee empire" and pro-democracy protesters as "coup-plotters," terrorists" and "termites." "Not even Orwell could have dreamed up a country like this," said Gioconda Belli, a writer and former guerrilla fighter who was the president of PEN Nicaragua until the freedom-of-expression group was booted from the country last year. "It's a dystopia. Reality is completely distorted." For Enriquez and other newly minted members of the Nicaraguan diaspora, the message is clear: It is on them to expose the truth of what is happening back home. That mandate is shared by more and more journalists these days, as hundreds of media workers globally have fled their countries. From Russia to Afghanistan to Hungary, freedoms are under attack as those in power subvert national narratives for their own gain. The problem is especially bad in Central America, where leaders in Guatemala and El Salvador have copied many of Nicaragua's novel legal strategies for neutralizing the media and civil society, part of a larger shift toward authoritarianism in the region. Even from exile, the risks of a journalist reporting on an authoritarian state are considerable. When Enriquez escaped, traveling from Honduras to Bogota, Colombia, and eventually to San Jose, Costa Rica, he continued investigating, analyzing official documents exposing Ortega's secret links to multiple companies. Last August, Enriquez sent an email to Murillo, the government spokesperson, asking her to comment on the evidence. She didn't respond. Instead, police arrived at Enriquez's home in Nicaragua and pounded on the door. Officers told his startled wife and children that Enriquez was wanted again for questioning. He knew at that moment he had to do two things: finish his investigation and get his family out. An image of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega looks out from a poster in Managua. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Ortega, 76, has been a leading protagonist in Nicaragua's history since the 1970s, when he and his rag-tag army of Sandinista revolutionaries helped topple Anastasio Somoza, a right-wing dictator whose family had controlled the country for decades, enriching itself while Nicaraguans languished in poverty. Ortega served as president in the 1980s during a bloody civil war that pitted Sandinista fighters against U.S.-backed Contra rebels. He was voted out in the 1990 presidential election but returned to power in 2007. By rigging elections, he has remained president ever since, becoming the longest-serving leader in Latin America. Many of Ortega's friends from the revolution have turned on him, saying he betrayed their dreams of a socialist utopia and has come to resemble the dictator they helped overthrow. That is not the story Ortega wants told. He has long been hostile to the independent press, once closing a newspaper during the civil war that he accused of supporting U.S. aggression. But in recent years, reporters had been able to operate more or less freely, and a host of new online outlets had sprung up, staffed by a generation of idealistic young journalists. They were tolerated by a government that wanted at least the veneer of civil liberties. An anti-government protest in Nicaragua. (Alfredo Zuniga / Associated Press) That changed on April 18, 2018, when nationwide protests erupted, spurred, in part, by media reports about a sweeping social security reform that would increase taxes and decrease benefits. As outraged citizens massed in the streets, police and pro-Ortega paramilitary groups opened fire, killing dozens. Nestor Arce, 31, was livestreaming the protests in the capital, Managua, still dressed in slacks after teaching a university journalism class that morning. He identified himself as a journalist but was attacked three times, one of dozens of reporters and photographers injured that day. As Arce reported through months of protests and deadly repression, his colleagues were frequently beaten and one was shot to death. When police occupied two news outlets and began hauling journalists to jail, he decided it was time to leave. Arce returned to Nicaragua the following year to open a news site, Divergentes, with several friends. But in the lead-up to the country's presidential elections in 2021, Ortega began jailing opponents and resumed his attacks on journalists. Two of Arce's colleagues at Divergentes were called in for police questioning. Arce realized he was under surveillance and did not wait around for his summons he fled a second time. Nestor Arce, 31, a journalist with Divergentes, fled Nicaragua. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Journalism has become a crime," Arce said. We had to close before they seized our offices, took our computers and sent us to jail. Along with more than 150,000 Nicaraguans fleeing Ortega's rule, Arce and his team settled in Costa Rica, long a beacon of peace and democracy in conflict-ridden Central America. He and his team report from a co-working space in a hip section of the country's capital above a popular coffee shop. Arce, who on a recent rainy afternoon sipped a mocha latte as he typed on his laptop, said he likes Costa Rica, but spends so much time thinking about Nicaragua that he sometimes forgets he is no longer there. He wonders about all the stories not being told back home, and about the lies invented by a government held to little accountability. His website features the news of the day such as a surge in remittances from Nicaraguans abroad or the ongoing case against a Catholic bishop whom Murillo has accused of committing crimes "against spirituality" but it also tackles bigger projects. A recent multimedia piece examined, in unprecedented scope, what exactly happened during the 2018 protests. It named the government officials who carried out the crackdown and detailed hundreds of prosecutions of protesters on terrorism charges. Video testimony from eyewitnesses was published alongside stories about the legions of parents of slain student activists forced to flee the country. This year the project won the Ortega y Gasset prize, one of the highest awards in Spanish-language journalism. We all covered the protests as breaking news, Arce said. "We wanted to have everything in a single place, and contribute to the construction of historical memory." He hopes the series will be a bulwark against collective amnesia, and maybe someday could be used to help prosecute those who committed crimes. He sometimes questions, though, the impact he is having, wondering who can endure longer: authoritarian leaders or a free press. "Of course there are times when you feel frustrated," said Arce as he drove through the streets of San Jose with the help of a navigation app. "We all think about and dream about a future without Ortega. "Of course there are times when you feel frustrated," says Nestor Arce as he drives through the streets of San Jose, Costa Rica. "We all think about and dream about a future without Ortega." (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Lucia Pineda is also in exile in Costa Rica. She was stone-faced the other day as she interviewed the wife of a political prisoner who has been held in Nicaragua for more than a year. "What impression do these photos give you?" Pineda asked, alluding to two pictures of the prisoner, NGO employee Walter Gomez. One showed Gomez before he was jailed, robust and smiling. Another was an artist's rendition of what Gomez looks like today 60 pounds lighter, with a gaunt face and boney shoulders. "It's anguishing," said Consuelo Cespedes, the wife of Gomez. "I'm afraid he could die." Pineda, 48, has raised awareness about the plight of the nearly 200 political prisoners languishing in Nicaraguan prisons. She was one of them herself. The news channel that Pineda works for, 100% Noticias, covered the 2018 protests extensively, airing footage of authorities committing human rights abuses. Police guard the Managua headquarters of 100% Noticias. Nicaragua's government shut down the station in 2018. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) It wasn't long before police turned up at their headquarters. Authorities cut the station's signal and hauled away its owner, Miguel Mora. As Pineda reported on what was happening via Facebook Live, police returned to the station and arrested her. They wanted to silence the truth," she said. She spent six months in jail, part of it in the country's notorious El Chipote prison, where the Somoza regime had tortured Sandinista fighters. She was held in solitary confinement and interrogated constantly, including 30 times in a single week. You incited violence, her jailers insisted, saying the channel had encouraged protests. Where did the money come from?" Miguel Mora speaks to the press after his release from prison in 2019. (Associated Press ) Pineda and Mora were released in 2019. She immediately fled to Costa Rica, where her mother urged her to change professions. But Pineda resumed work immediately, relaunching the channel as online-only using computers lent by Costa Rican journalist friends. Pineda took over for Mora after he separated from the channel and announced he was running for president. He was jailed a second time last year and remains imprisoned. At times, it seems Ortega is more powerful than ever, Pineda said. But she is proud that she "did not give Ortega the pleasure of destroying the channel," now one of the top sources of news on Nicaragua. The country is home to 6 million people, with about 600,000 living abroad. Her website gets 23 million visitors each year. Lucia Pineda, director of 100% Noticias, fled Nicaragua after being jailed for six months. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Enriquez never figured he'd have to arrange safe houses for his family in Nicaragua. But after the police showed up at his home last year, he had them move every few weeks. It was during the time that his twin brother died after contracting COVID-19.Enriquez doesn't blame Ortega for his brother's death, but he says the government's response to the pandemic demonstrated the dangers of a dictator who is free to spin whatever narrative he wants. As nations around the world locked down to help contain the coronavirus in 2020, Ortega assured his country there was nothing to worry about. Schools and businesses remained open as Ortega encouraged residents to attend concerts, parades and sporting events. If the country stops working, it dies, he said. Reporters showed how the government purposely undercounted infections and deaths. But nobody knows exactly how many Nicaraguans have died in the pandemic. As Enriquez mourned the death of his brother and saved money to help his family leave, he found solace in his work. "Journalism saved me," he said. He finally got his family out before the winter holidays. They crossed on foot into Costa Rica and spent the next few days embracing and decorating a Christmas tree. A Nicaraguan chef now living in Costa Rica prepares Nicaraguan-style fried food at her restaurant in San Jose. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Enriquez published his investigation in February. The stories caused a splash throughout Latin America, but in Nicaragua, the president and his family remained silent. Enriquez was left wondering whether the stories had any impact at all. "I believe journalism changes things," he said. "I just don't know how quickly." But then he remembers 2018, when a protest song emerged as a rallying cry for those marching in the streets. The song referenced an investigation Enriquez had published a year earlier about social security fraud. Enriquez knows that in Nicaragua, it is too dangerous for people to talk openly about the government's transgressions. But Enriquez is convinced that they are following the news produced by independent sources, and that it is fomenting unrest below the surface, like a volcano that could erupt at anytime. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. People on both sides of the abortion debate protest last year outside the Supreme Court. (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) The case of a Nebraska woman charged with helping her teenage daughter end her pregnancy after investigators obtained Facebook messages between the two has raised fresh concerns about data privacy in the post-Roe world. Since before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in June, Big Tech companies that collect personal details of their users have faced new calls to limit that tracking and surveillance amid fears that law enforcement or vigilantes could use those data troves against people seeking abortions or those who try to help them. Meta, which owns Facebook, said Tuesday it received warrants requesting messages in the Nebraska case from local law enforcement on June 7, before the Supreme Court decision overriding Roe came down. The warrants, the company added, did not mention abortion at all, and court documents at the time showed that police were investigating the alleged illegal burning and burial of a stillborn infant." However, in early June, the mother and daughter were only charged with a single felony for removing, concealing or abandoning a body, and two misdemeanors: concealing the death of another person and false reporting. It wasnt until about a month later, after investigators reviewed the private Facebook messages, that prosecutors added the felony abortion-related charges against the mother. History has repeatedly demonstrated that whenever people's personal data is tracked and stored, there's always a risk that it could be misused or abused. With the Supreme Court's overruling of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion, collected location data, text messages, search histories, emails and seemingly innocuous period and ovulation-tracking apps could be used to prosecute people who seek an abortion or medical care for a miscarriage as well as those who assist them. In the digital age, this decision opens the door to law enforcement and private bounty hunters seeking vast amounts of private data from ordinary Americans, said Alexandra Reeve Givens, the president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a Washington-based digital rights nonprofit. Why did Facebook turn over the messages? Meta said it received a legal warrant from law enforcement about the case, which did not mention the word abortion. The company has said that officials at the social media giant always scrutinize every government request we receive to make sure it is legally valid and that Meta fights back against requests that it thinks are invalid or too broad. But the company gave investigators information in about 88% of the 59,996 cases in which the government requested data in the second half of last year, according to its transparency report. Meta declined to say whether its response would have been different had the warrant mentioned the word abortion. Not a new issue Until May, anyone could buy a weekly trove of data on clients at more than 600 Planned Parenthood sites around the country for as little as $160, according to a recent Vice investigation. The files included approximate patient addresses derived from where their cellphones sleep at night income brackets, time spent at the clinic, and the top places people visited before and afterward. Its all possible because federal law specifically, the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA protects the privacy of medical files at your doctors office, but not any information that third-party apps or tech companies collect about you. This is also true if an app that collects your data shares it with a third party that might abuse it. In 2017, Latice Fisher of Mississippi was charged with second-degree murder after she sought medical care for a pregnancy loss. While receiving care from medical staff, she was also immediately treated with suspicion of committing a crime," civil rights attorney and Ford Foundation fellow Cynthia Conti-Cook wrote in her 2020 paper, Surveilling the Digital Abortion Diary. Fisher's "statements to nurses, the medical records, and the autopsy records of her fetus were turned over to the local police to investigate whether she intentionally killed her fetus, she wrote. Fisher was indicted on a second-degree murder charge in 2018; conviction could have led to life in prison. The murder charge was later dismissed. Evidence against her included her online search history, which included queries on how to induce a miscarriage and how to buy abortion pills online. "Her digital data gave prosecutors a window into [her] soul to substantiate their general theory that she did not want the fetus to survive, Conti-Cook wrote. Industry response Though many companies have announced policies to protect employees by paying for necessary out-of-state travel to obtain an abortion, technology companies have said little about how they might cooperate with law enforcement or government agencies trying to prosecute people seeking an abortion where it is illegal or who are helping someone do so. In June, Democratic lawmakers asked federal regulators to investigate Apple and Google for allegedly deceiving millions of mobile phone users by enabling the collection and sale of their personal data to third parties. The following month, Google announced it will automatically purge information about users who visit abortion clinics or other locations that could trigger legal problems following the Supreme Court decision. Governments and law enforcement can subpoena companies for data on their users. Generally, Big Tech policies suggest the companies will comply with abortion-related data requests unless they see them as overly broad. Meta, for instance, pointed to its online transparency report, which says we comply with government requests for user information only where we have a good-faith belief that the law requires us to do so. Online rights advocates say that's not enough. In the Nebraska case, for instance, neither Meta nor law enforcement would have been able to read the messages had they been end-to-end encrypted the way messages on Meta's WhatsApp service are protected by default. Meta must flip the switch and make end-to-end encryption a default in all private messages, including on Facebook and Instagram. Doing so will literally save pregnant peoples lives, said Caitlin Seeley George, campaigns and managing director at the nonprofit rights group Fight for the Future. Burden on the user Unless all your data is securely encrypted, theres always a chance that someone, somewhere can access it. So abortion-rights activists suggest that people in states where abortion is outlawed should limit the creation of such data in the first place. For instance, they urge turning off phone location services or just leaving your phone at home when seeking reproductive healthcare. To be safe, they say, it's good to read the privacy policies of any health apps in use. The Electronic Frontier Foundation suggests using more privacy-conscious web browsers such as Brave, Firefox and DuckDuckGo but also recommends double-checking their privacy settings. There are also ways to turn off ad identifiers on both Apple and Android phones that stop advertisers from being able to track you. This is generally a good idea in any case. Apple will ask you if you want to be tracked each time you download a new app. For apps you already have installed, the tracking can be turned off manually. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) defended her trip to Taiwan on Wednesday, saying that she led a congressional delegation to the self-governing island to salute this thriving democracy. Our purpose in going to Taiwan was to say that we have this strong relationship built on the status quo, which we support, Pelosi told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. We will not allow China to isolate Taiwan. They have kept Taiwan from participating in the World Health Organization, other things where Taiwan can make a very valued contribution. And they may keep them from going there, but theyre not keeping us from going to Taiwan. We will not allow them to that was our purpose, to salute this thriving democracy she added. Pelosi touched down in Taiwan on Aug. 2, putting the pin on days of speculation regarding whether the Speaker would visit the self-governing island during a trip to the Indo-Pacific region. She was joined by a group of Democratic lawmakers. Pelosi and her office refused to confirm the trip to Taiwan prior to her arrival, emphasizing that they do not give travel information in advance for security reasons. The stop in Taiwan, however, was the topic of much speculation, especially since President Biden told reporters in July that the military thinks its not a good idea right now when asked about the potential trip. China also urged Pelosi against making the trip. The delegation ultimately held bilateral meetings with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu. The trip made Pelosi the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the self-governing island since 1997, when then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) traveled to the territory. Pelosi has a history of confronting Chinese leaders. The trip sparked new military activity in the Pacific, with China moving two of its aircraft carriers in the South China Sea and flying planes close to the median line between the Taiwan Strait and the sea. The U.S. Navy also positioned a number of warships in waters close to Taiwan, though the service said the move was part of routine operations. China imposed sanctions on Pelosi and her immediate family members in response to her trip to Taiwan. In a statement announcing the penalties, a spokesperson for the foreign minister called the speakers visit an egregious provocation, and said it was a gross interference in Chinas internal affairs. Asked about those sanctions on Wednesday, Pelosi brushed them aside. Theres no reaction, Pelosi said. Who cares? We didnt go there to talk about China, we went there to praise Taiwan. We went there to show our friendship, to say China cannot isolate Taiwan, so thats what it was about. That is incidental to me of no relevance whatsoever, she added. Pelosi also confirmed Wednesday that her son joined the congressional delegation on the trip to the Indo-Pacific region. She said he was serving as her escort. Usually, we invited spouses. Not all could come, but I had him come and I was very proud he was there, and Im thrilled it was nice for me, she said. When asked if he any business dealings in relation to the trip, Pelosi said no he did not, of course he did not. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ana Lopez, 40, is one of three generations of Latinas in an Orange County family who talk about their opinions on abortion and reproductive rights. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Ana Lopez was 14 when her mother shared some gossip about a woman in their Huntington Beach neighborhood who, rumor had it, had gotten an abortion. "How could they kill that innocent baby?" Bertha Valdez asked her daughter. "Catholic people don't do that." "Se va a ir al infierno," Lopez recalls her mother telling her. "She's going to hell." They didnt really talk about sex, Lopez says, and Valdezs denunciation of abortion was unwavering. So Lopez listened and said nothing, even though she already believed women should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies. Nearly three decades later, Lopez, now 40, says the memory remains vivid, a reminder of her family's long-standing beliefs and of how important it was for her to break with tradition and challenge the stereotype of Latinos as socially conservative. She has made it a point to teach her two daughters and son about reproductive health and abortion. Recently Lopez along with her 15-year-old daughter, Emily has found herself lamenting that for many American women, the right to choose will be determined by politicians. The Supreme Courts reversal of Roe vs. Wade after nearly a half century and subsequent abortion bans in many states have pushed reproductive rights to the forefront of the political debate ahead of the midterm elections. Political science and consulting experts predict the controversy will catalyze Democrats and inspire many young Latinas who arent die-hard Democrats and might have otherwise skipped voting in the midterms to fill out their ballots. But for Lopez, abortion rights are also at the heart of a family dynamic that has been evolving over 50 years. The issue has been divisive and unifying among the women in her family and has led to some shifts in perspective she could never have imagined as a 14-year-old girl. Ana Lopez and her daughter, Emily, 15, who did not want their faces shown in photos, discussed their views on abortion at their home in Orange County. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Lopez, a registered Democrat who works at a call center for a grocery store, is among those likely to choose a candidate who aligns with her views on reproductive rights. Her political outlook, she said, flows out of her childhood experiences shadowed by Catholicism, conservatism and Valdez, her strict and skeptical immigrant mother. And Valdez, in turn, was shaped by her own childhood and challenges. Bertha Valdez was 25 when she left her home in rural Huetamo, about 150 miles southwest of Mexico City, in 1980 and arrived in Huntington Beach. She didnt speak or read English, but with the help of a friend she rented an apartment and found a job nearby as a housekeeper in a hotel. Bertha Valdez, holding the cross of a keepsake necklace, was conflicted when she found out about the Supreme Court's ruling. "For one part, I thought, 'Yes, thank God! This shouldn't be happening,'" she said. But she also thought about the pain the ruling would cause for sexual assault survivors. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Valdez, now 67, was among the first to settle in what would become the beach city's predominately Latino barrio of Oak View. Two years later, she gave birth to Lopez and then a son. Life with her partners was short-lived, but, eventually, some of Valdez's siblings also settled in the neighborhood. As a child, Lopez helped her mother sell homemade tamales and sopes throughout Oak View for extra cash. At the time, there wasn't much to do in the neighborhood miles from the coast and tucked well away from the city's surf aesthetic. She wasn't allowed to go to her friends' homes, and made do playing with her brother in front of their apartment complex. On Sundays, she looked forward to savoring the sugar doughnut her mother always bought her after attending Mass. Lopez said her relationship with her mother became strained when she entered her teenage years. Valdez avoided any talk of sex or reproductive health. When her elementary school sought permission for her to attend a sex-education class, her mother refused to sign the form. Lopez had to get her information from her friends and her tias,much like Valdez had once learned about menstruation from her aunt. On a recent Sunday afternoon, Lopez, leaning against the armrest of her couch with the family dog, Nena, perched next to her, said she was relieved to share her experience and opinions on abortion in the privacy of her own apartment, without her mother listening. (Her mother lives about five minutes away.) It was a Sunday and her children were home. Before she continued her story, she reminded Hector, her 12-year-old, to leave the living room and stay in his bedroom. He was still too young to listen in, she said, and would surely interrupt with questions. "She didn't want to sign it," Lopez continued, shaking her head. She mimicked her mother's questioning, "'Why do you want to know?'" before trailing off. "Esas creencias que tienen." It's their beliefs, she said; it was how Valdez grew up. Valdez's parents were corn and watermelon farmers in the verdant Huetamo. There was no time or interest in explaining puberty to their 14 children. She was 14 and on the way to her uncle's house when she got her period for the first time. She panicked, imagining the worst. "My mom or dad didn't talk to me about this," Valdez explained, occasionally pausing her story to welcome guests to a party she organized in Oak View to say farewell to their local priest. A worn scapular illustrating the Immaculate Heart of Mary hung from her neck. "To talk about this was shameful." In rural Mexico, a parent's priority is providing food at the table and a place to live, said Olga Mejia, an associate professor in counseling at Cal State Fullerton who specializes in working with Latino immigrant families. While the U.S. presents its own set of challenges, she said, it creates space for most immigrants to think beyond those priorities and discuss "taboo issues" like sex, abortion and mental health. But some immigrants and their families live in an "in-between space, the idea of ni de aqui, ni de alla," neither from here nor there, said Mejia, who was born in Baja California and moved to the U.S. at 9. Part of the problem is some families feeling stuck between two cultures may not realize it, Mejia added. "It just starts to blend in, not always in a graceful way." Valdez spoke proudly of her journey to the United States and her ability to figure things out on her own. But her voice grew soft, almost inaudible over the music blaring from the church party, as she reflected on the moments when pregnancy, violence and death intersected with her life. Her mother died during childbirth, and the baby, a girl, died as well. She said a doctor had warned her mother against more pregnancies, but her father disregarded the advice. God, she remembers him saying, would grant the couple many, many children. "They made their own decisions and everyone respected their decisions as humans, as partners," Valdez said. "We had no point in sharing our opinion because it was their business." Years later, during a brief stint working in Mexico City before heading farther north, she was accosted by a stranger. As she stepped off a bus at her regular stop, a man grabbed her by the neck and shoved his hand under her top. Decades would pass before she told Lopez of the encounter. When she was a young mother living in Oak View, acquaintances told her she should abort her youngest child because of the heavy burden of being a single working parent. She ignored their comments and waved off questions about her relationships; her children were blessings, she told them. Yet when she found out about the Supreme Court's ruling through her parish, she was conflicted. "For one part, I thought, 'Yes, thank God! This shouldn't be happening,'" she said. But, she quickly added, "I didn't jump for joy," punching her fists into the air in a mock celebration because of the pain that sexual assault survivors carrying a pregnancy to term would feel, the baby a living reminder of their trauma. Valdez's nuanced opinion isn't uncommon; a majority of Americans' views do not easily align with religion or political affiliation. A 2022 Pew Research Center survey on abortion found 71% of U.S. adults either say it should be mostly legal or mostly illegal or say there are exceptions to their blanket support for, or opposition to, legal abortion. Asked how she reconciled her Catholic faith with supporting abortion under some circumstances, Valdez said she doesn't dwell on it, though she doesn't plan to share her opinion with her church. After all, she said, she hopes to soon join her friends inLegion of Mary, a local chapter of Catholics who promote praying the rosary, visiting prisoners and praying in front of clinics that provide abortions. "That contradiction is what is the glue that's going to hold a polarized country together," GOP consultant Mike Madrid, a co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project who favors abortion rights, said, partly tongue-in-cheek. "It's very Mexican Catholic to say, 'I know this is wrong. This is not what we should be doing. But when it happens, we should not only be OK with it, but we should seek forgiveness and try to make amends for it,'" said Madrid, who is Mexican American. Valdez's granddaughter, Emily, is shifting the family's dynamics even further to the left, adding mental health to her list of priorities. Later in the afternoon, Lopez called her daughter to join her on the couch. The 15-year-old talked matter-of-factly about the difference between her mother and grandmother, adding that she'd learned what to avoid discussing when visiting her grandmother: sex, race and religion. Valdez immigrated to the U.S. at a young age, Emily said, without time to enjoy her youth in a new place because she was focused on survival. Now her grandmother is older, she added, and stuck in her ways. Emily is proud of her mother for "changing the cycle" in her multigenerational family. "Low-key, she's kind of like the only person I talk to because my dad doesn't really care about this," Emily said. "And he's more strict, right?" Lopez interjected, in a rare moment of interruption. At first, Emily said, she found it awkward when her mother brought up periods, relationships and sex. Now, some of her friends look to her mom for advice or pose hypothetical scenarios they may be too shy to talk about with others. The soon-to-be sophomore says she is focusing on training for volleyball games and plans to enroll as a business major in college. Lopez reminded her of her dream to become the first female president. "In third grade," Emily said, correcting her mom. She said she "looked into" the process and concluded it was too "grueling" and "scary" to be in such a high-ranking position. Her interest in politics has since waned because it's become "too messy," with abortion policies the latest frustration. "People might say because we're younger we don't know what to think," Emily said. But the conversation suggests otherwise. Sitting next to her mother, Emily explained how a woman's income, trauma and housing situation could affect her ability to be a mother. "They say, 'Put the baby in foster care,' but our foster care isn't that good.... I believe abortions are OK because you never know the situation and what people are going through." And if the country reforms its path and she's old enough to be president, Emily said she's "still up to it." Hector had found his way back into the living room and played nearby, listening in. Lopez stayed silent and listened, smiling as her daughter spoke. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the United States became one of only four countries that have rolled back abortion rights since the mid-90s, joining Poland and two Latin American countries: El Salvador and Nicaragua. But elsewhere in Latin America, there's been momentum building in the opposite direction. A widespread, grassroots movement known as "The Green Wave" has been gaining ground for reproductive rights in the region, winning major legal victories in the last couple of years. That's in Latin America's three most populous countries. In December 2020, lawmakers in Argentina passed a law allowing abortion within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy. Less than a year later, in September 2021, Mexico's Supreme Court decriminalized abortion through a unanimous decision. Then in February of this year, Colombia's highest court legalized abortion during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy. Coming up in September, voters in Chile will decide whether to ratify a new constitution that would protect the right to abortion. These changes are a huge deal for countries that are predominantly Catholic and historically very conservative with abortion rights. Argentina is the birthplace of Pope Francis, who made last-minute appeals against both an unsuccessful bill in 2018 and the bill that was passed in 2020. Meanwhile Chile, another historically very Catholic country, had a total abortion ban until as late as 2017. So, what exactly is this movement, and how did it achieve such huge victories against the odds? The Green Wave began in Argentina. Organizers took inspiration from the "Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo:" a group of women who protested against the ruling military junta in the late 70s. The women, protesting the thousands of civilian killings ordered by the mIlitary, famously wore white scarves on their heads. Fast forward a couple of decades, two women decided to pay homage to the protesters without reusing the color white. The original organizers brainstormed together and settled on the color green to symbolize life and growth. The green bandanas made their debut in 2018 to support a bill to decriminalize abortion. Though the law didn't pass then, the image of the waves of green stuck and the movement began in earnest. It's worth noting: The region is still one of the most restrictive in the world when it comes to reproductive health laws. As of 2021, abortion is entirely banned in Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Suriname. But, the recent wave of victories seems to be changing public opinion. For example, one poll in Mexico showed support for abortion access jumped dramatically from 29 to 48%. That poll was taken just as Argentina was passings its laws, and Mexico would follow nine months later. This shift correlates with another important shift in the region: Some surveys indicate a decline in Catholicism among most Latin American countries. Argentina had one of the biggest drops in this regional survey, from 76% to 49% reporting they identified as Catholic. That begs the question: What effect from this might be seen in the U.S.? The green symbolism has already made its way stateside, and some elected officials like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a green bandana on the steps of the Supreme Court after the ruling. Still, the question still remains of how the U.S. might translate this symbolism into real, legislative action seen in Colombia, Mexico and Argentina. (Reuters) - South African lawmakers on Thursday urged the government to accelerate the closure of abandoned mines in the country, which attract illegal miners, some of whom have been arrested for an alleged gang rape. The alleged rape has caused public outrage and put the spotlight on the problem of the abandoned mines and the illegal miners, many of whom are illegal immigrants. South Africa's mines, police and home affairs ministers on Thursday briefed the country's upper house of parliament on the government's response to illegal mining and other related crimes. Police minister Bheki Cele told lawmakers the government believes international syndicates were behind the illegal miners and that a special investigations unit was investigating this. Police said they had arrested more than 130 illegal miners, most of whom are illegal immigrants, following the alleged rape incident in Krugersdorp, 40 kilometres (24.85 miles) west of Johannesburg on July 28. Prosecutors said seven of them appeared in a Johannesburg court on Wednesday charged with rape, sexual assault and robbery. Seven more were due in court on Thursday, the prosecutors said. Lawmakers expressed outrage at the reports of the rape, which triggered protests by residents in Krugersdorp and other townships affected by illegal miners' criminal activities. "Why does it have to take one of our long-standing and most ignored social issues to bring attention to the rehabilitation of mines that should have been done as part of the normal functions of your department?" Delmaine Christians, a lawmaker for the opposition Democratic Alliance, asked mines minister Gwede Mantashe. Mantashe said although every operational mine is required by law to plan and fund mine rehabilitation at the end of operations, the government was facing problems with "ownerless and derelict mines." The government had closed 135 such mines in the last three years, the minister said. "In terms of our plans, we are closing 40 holes per annum. At the rate we're going, it's going to take 17 years to close the known holes," Mantashe said. Armed gangs of illegal miners also routinely frustrate efforts to clean up and close disused mines, Mantashe said. (Reporting by Nelson Banya. Editing by Jane Merriman) (Reuters) - Russia is attacking scores of civilian and military targets in its bid to establish full control over the east Ukraine regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, with 120 rockets hitting the area around the town of Nikopol overnight, Ukrainian officials said. FIGHTING * Two U.S. newspapers cited unnamed Ukrainian officials as saying Ukrainian special forces had carried out an attack on Tuesday on an air base on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula, destroying military aircraft. * Moscow had said the explosions were detonations of stored ammunition. Kyiv has not taken responsibility for the attacks. * Heavy fighting raged around the eastern Ukrainian town of Pisky near Donetsk on Thursday, while further west, Ukraine accused Russian forces of using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant to shield artillery. * There was no immediate comment from Russia, which has accused Ukraine of shelling the plant, something Kyiv denies. Reuters was unable to verify battlefield reports. * The head of the Russian-backed separatist administration in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region said the trial of captured personnel from Ukraine's Azov Regiment would take place by the end of the summer, likely in the city of Mariupol. [nL8N2ZM5Q1} DIPLOMACY * China's ambassador to Russia called the United States the "main instigator" of the crisis in Ukraine, accusing Washington of backing Moscow into a corner with repeated expansions of the NATO defence alliance and support for forces seeking to align Ukraine with the European Union. * The head of the Russian-backed separatist administration in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region said a trial of captured personnel from Ukraine's Azov Regiment would take place by the end of the summer, likely in the city of Mariupol. ECONOMY * Ukraine's overseas creditors backed its request for a two-year freeze on payments on almost $20 billion in international bonds, helping it avoid a debt default. * A grain-carrying ship that was scheduled to depart from Ukraine's Chornomorsk port under a U.N.-brokered deal on Thursday was unable to set sail due to bad weather, Turkey's defence ministry said. * Russian law firm Rybalkin, Gortsunyan, Dyakin & Partners (RGD) plans to appeal to Euroclear clearing house to help unfreeze funds of investors in foreign securities that were tied up by Western sanctions against Russia, a RGD partner said. * Gas flows eastbound through the Yamal-Europe pipeline to Poland from Germany were steady on Thursday, data showed, as were flows via Nord Stream 1 from Russia, which has cut the pipeline to 20% of its capacity, citing maintenance work. (Compiled by Hugh Lawson) Vanessa Bryant's attorney accused Los Angeles County officials of exploiting Kobe Bryant's death and sharing photos from the scene of his helicopter crash "for a laugh" in opening arguments of a civil trial that started on Wednesday. Bryant is suing the county for invasion of privacy, arguing that Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and firefighters took and shared grisly photos from the scene of the 2020 crash that claimed the lives of her husband and Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant, their 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. Per the Associated Press, Bryant's attorney Luis Li argued in his opening statement that the photos were taken on cell phones and shared in nonprofessional personal settings that he described as "visual gossip." Bryant wiped away tears as Li made his case. "January 26, 2020 was the worst day of Vanessa Bryant's life," Li said in a Los Angeles U.S. District Court room. "The county made it much worse. They poured salt in an open wound and rubbed it in. ... "They were shared by deputies playing video games. They were shared repeatedly with people who had absolutely no reason to receive them." Mira Hashmall, the lawyer for the county, argued that the photos were a necessary tool for the first responders on the scene. "Site photography is essential," Hashmall said. Vanessa Bryant leaves a federal courthouse on Wednesday after opening arguments in her lawsuit against Los Angeles County. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) They each made their case in front of a jury of 10 that was selected earlier Wednesday and includes a nun, a TV producer and a college student. Per CNN, potential jurors who claimed strong feelings for either Kobe or Vanessa Bryant or Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva were struck from the pool. Villanueva acknowledged in 2020 that members of his department took photos and shared them in personal settings. He said in March of that year that he was content that eight deputies who took photos had deleted them. That was my No. 1 priority, was to make sure those photos no longer exist, Villanueva told NBC4 in 2020. We identified the deputies involved, they came to the station on their own and had admitted they had taken them and they had deleted them. And we're content that those involved did that. Per AP, Li showed jurors security footage from a bar of an off-duty deputy sharing images from the scene with a bartender, who shook his head in response. He then told jurors that firefighters shared images at a banquet two weeks later and showed them documentation that those photos were eventually shared with 30 people. Bryant described the trauma the existence of the photos has caused her in a pre-trial legal filing in December. These deputies and firefighters took the worst thing that has ever happened to me the worst thing that could happen to any mother or spouse and made it worse, Bryant stated in the filing. I will never be able to shake the anguish from knowing that the officials who are supposed to keep us safe treated Kobe and Gianna with such callous disrespect. "For the rest of my life, one of two things will happen: either close-up photos of my husbands and daughters bodies will go viral online, or I will continue to live in fear of that happening. Hashmall argued on Wednesday that the photos haven't appeared online, a testament to the discipline of the first responders in ensuring their security. "They're not online," Hashmall said. "They're not in the media. They've never even been seen by the plaintiffs themselves. That is not an accident. That is a function of how diligent they were." She also addressed the deputy who shared the image with the bartender, whom she described as a longtime friend of the deputy. "He pulled out his phone, and that should not have happened," she said. "In a lapse, in a moment of weakness, he showed those photos, and he has regretted it every day of his life." Chris Chester, whose wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Payton were killed in the crash, is also a plaintiff. Per USA Today, his lawyer Jerome Jackson described a graphic image of Sarah's body having been cut in half at the waist as one that was shared. Thats what they photographed, Jackson said, per USA Today. Thats what they shared. Thats what they laughed at. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was Kobe's agent and close friend and Gianna's godfather. He took the stand on Wednesday and testified that the sharing of the images has added so much more grief," according to USA Today. Hasmhall argued that the grief experienced by the crash victim's survivors was about their deaths not the photos. "There is no doubt these families have suffered," she said, per AP. "It's unspeakable. But this case is not about the loss from the crash. It's about the pictures." The White House warned Iran against attacking U.S. citizens on Wednesday after the Justice Department revealed that a member of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) hatched plans to assassinate former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton. "We have said this before and we will say it again: the Biden Administration will not waiver in protecting and defending all Americans against threats of violence and terrorism," national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement. "Should Iran attack any of our citizens, to include those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences," Sullivan continued. "We will continue to bring to bear the full resources of the U.S. Government to protect Americans." The Justice Department said Wednesday that 45-year-old Shahram Poursafi, who was acting on behalf of the IRGC's Quds Force, allegedly attempted to pay individuals $300,000 to murder Bolton in Washington, D.C., or Maryland. MASIH ALINEJAD SAYS BIDEN NEEDS A STRONG RESPONSE AGAINST IRAN Poursafi is wanted on charges of providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot, as well as use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. The Justice Department also informed former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that he was a target in Poursafi's plot, a source close to Pompeo told Fox News. Poursafi allegedly told an individual in the U.S. that after assassinating Bolton, he had a second "job" that would pay $1 million. RUSSIA LAUNCHES IRANIAN SATELLITE INTO SPACE AMID FEARS IT WILL BE USED TO SURVEIL UKRAINE The murder-for-hire plot was apparently in retaliation for the January 2020 death of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of IRGC's Quds Forces, who was killed by a U.S. strike in Baghdad, Iraq. Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghaani, who replaced Soleimani, said on the second anniversary of Soleimani's death earlier this year that the IRGC would take "revenge against Americans by the help of people on their side and within their own homes without our presence." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Bolton served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration and was former President Trump's national security adviser in 2018 and 2019. "While much cannot be said publicly right now, one point is indisputable: Irans rulers are liars, terrorists and enemies of the United States," Bolton said in a statement on Wednesday. Fox News's Michael Lee contributed to this report. Police are appealing for urgent assistance in locating a four-year-old boy who has gone missing in Turkey. George Jack Temperley-Wells was last seen in the Marina area of Antalya, having travelled from Darlington with his mother, Brogan Elizabeth Temperley, on June 29. Police have serious concerns for his welfare and are urging anyone in contact with them to reach out to the authorities. George is described as having red hair, a pale complexion and dark eyes, while Ms Temperley is 28 years old and slim, with long, dark hair and dark eyes. They are likely to have spent time in Turkey with the four-year-olds father, 41-year-old Scott Nigel Wells. Anyone in the UK with information can call Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident number 325 of June 30, while those in Turkey can go to a local police station or call the emergency number on 112 / 115. A suspect arrested after four Muslim men were killed in New Mexico denied having a role in their deaths, claiming he was considering a move to Houston because he was rattled by the crimes, according to new court documents. Muhammad Syed, 51, had his first court appearance on Wednesday, via video. Judge Renee Torres advised him not to speak. OK, sounds good, Syed said, according to NBC News. Yes, your honor whatever you guys think is the right thing sounds good. He is in custody pending another court appearance next week. Syed was arrested Monday in connection with the killings that occurred in different locations around Albuquerque. Three of the deaths were in late July or early August; the first victim was killed last November, officials say. Syed was pulled over more than 100 miles outside of Albuquerque, with officials saying he knew the victims. A criminal complaint says a handgun was found inside Syeds car, as were bullet casings that matched the caliber of guns officials suspect were used in two shootings. A gun found at Syeds home was connected to casings from those crime scenes, according to authorities. Muhammad Syed denies guilt in the killings. Muhammad Syed denies guilt in the killings. Syed, who is from Afghanistan, told officials he was on his way to Houston, where he was looking for home for his family amid the recent violence in Albuquerque. His son, Shaheen Syed, was charged Wednesday with providing a false Florida address when he bought two rifles last year. He has not been charged in the killings. The victim killed last November, 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi, was from Afghanistan. The three victims killed in recent weeks Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, Aftab Hussein, 41, and Naeem Hussain, 25 were from Pakistan. Suspect arrested in killings of 4 Muslim men in Albuquerque Authorities say each of the victims was ambushed. Syed is charged with murdering Muhammad Afzaal Hussain and Aftab Hussein. He has not been charged in the deaths of Naeem Hussain or Ahmadi, but officials consider him to be the primary suspect. The offender knew the victims to some extent, and an interpersonal conflict may have led to the shootings, police said. Syed fought against the Taliban with the Afghan military, he told investigators. Police say Syed has lived in the United States for five years. With News Wire Services A budget airline has announced it will be cancelling most of its winter flights from Cardiff Airport due to economic pressures. Wizz Air is to suspend journeys to nine popular destinations from September 19, saying the routes are not commercially viable. The airline is no longer offering tickets to Alicante, Corfu, Heraklion, Faro, Larnaca, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Sharm el-Sheikh or Tenerife. Its bosses said the decision was made to minimise disruption to passengers, who will be informed by email if they are affected. Ticket-holders will be offered options to either rebook to take their trip this year as planned but from London Gatwick or Luton Airport, or book comparable flights to go next summer from Cardiff. People will also be offered either a full cash refund or 120% of their ticket cost in airline credit. Flights to Milan, Italy, and Romanian capital Bucharest will still operate over the winter months, Wizz Air confirmed. Tickets to those destinations are being offered from October. However, all other links will be cancelled until April 2023 when the airline said it intends to then increase operations from Cardiff. Its staff at Waless only international airport will be offered opportunities at other UK airports over the winter to return in the spring. Managing director of Wizz Air UK Marion Geoffrey said: We are very disappointed to have to suspend several routes from Cardiff Airport for the winter season. Though these routes have proved popular through the summer season, it would not be commercially viable to continue to operate them through this coming winter due to the challenging macro-economic environment. This leaves us with no option but to pause these routes until next spring. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this will cause customers who already booked flights with us. We are in touch with all affected customers to explain their options. It takes time to build up sustainable operations at any base and we are prepared to build up operations at Cardiff over the long term. The company set up a new base at Cardiff Airport in December 2020, creating 40 new jobs, with the aim of increasing the airports yearly seat capacity by 350,000. However it reported growing losses of 381 million in the first quarter of this year, which it said was down to the effect of fuel costs and recent airport disruption. It said rising demand and ticket prices should ensure a material operating profit in the second quarter. Cardiff Airport has been owned by the Welsh Government since March 2013. Welsh Government minister Julie James said: Whilst this is unfortunate timing, the airport board remains positive about its recovery from the pandemic as there continues to be significant demand for travel this year. My officials will continue to maintain a close and open dialogue with the airport board and despite this announcement I remain positive for the airports recovery and eventual growth. Welsh Conservative shadow minister for transport Natasha Asghar said: This is incredibly disappointing news for Cardiff Airport, which has already seen falling passenger numbers and continues to make a loss. Wales needs an airport that will attract airlines in order to boost the economy and show Wales off to the world. Labour ministers need to monitor the situation and provide urgent clarity as to when the services will resume and what alternative routes are being planned from other airlines. There were more electives There were better teachers There were less tests There were more exciting ways to learn Other Vote View Results The writer, a retired Army officer, is the author of Watershed 1967, based on a forgotten war between India and China, and a member of the guest faculty at New Yorks Columbia University. The Indian army is arguably one of the most diverse, versatile and inclusive combat forces on earth There is an interesting story from the 1965 war between India and Pakistan. Pakistani President General Ayub Khan had attended the Sandhurst military academy in England before Indias partition in 1947. Among his batchmates were officers who later joined the Indian army, including the army chief in the 1965 war General Jayanto Nath Chaudhuri Ayubs company mate at Sandhurst. Fond of whisky and horses, the anglicized, urbane Ayub wore pinstriped suits and smoked a pipe. Yet his own prejudice and the communal leanings of his minister Zulfiqar Bhutto coloured Ayubs thinking, causing him to infamously remark before the war that the Hindu had no stomach for a fight and could be silenced with a few good blows. Ayub Khan and Bhutto believed in the twaddle of civilizational supremacy. Despite having served in pre-Independence India, Ayub believed the Indian army was an army of Hindu soldiers. A witless Ayub and his belief in religious supremacy was to be proved wrong. By the time the war in 1965 ended, the Indian army closed in towards Lahore pushing Pakistan onto the backfoot. Capt (later Lt General) Ranjit Singh Dayal, who led the famous capture of the Haji Pir pass, was a Sikh, as was Lieutenant General Harbaksh Singh, who led the army in war. General J. N. Chaudhuri, the chief, was a Hindu. A bright star of the war, Havildar Abdul Hamid, was a Muslim who worked as a tailor before joining the army. As the company quartermaster havildar, Hamids job was to ensure supplies to troops. In an unprecedented individual action in the history of war, Hamid single-handedly destroyed seven Pakistani tanks. The Keelor brothers, the first siblings to win Vir Chakras for their heroics using Gnat fighters to bring down superior Sabre jets, were Christians. Colonel Adi Tarapore was a Parsi officer whose exploits, before he died fighting for his armoured regiment, so impacted Pakistani forces that they stopped shelling during his cremation as a mark of respect. Brigadier Desmond Hayde, who was born to English parents but stayed back after 1947 and joined the Indian army, was called the bawra Jat (the crazy Jat) who led his unit across the tough Ichhogil canal and beat back the enemy. Ayub Khans army had been thwarted by the combined strength of a secular India. The Indian army is arguably one of the most diverse, versatile and inclusive combat forces on earth. Infantry regiments have been based on regional affiliations Marathas, Sikh, Dogras, Madras, Kumaon and other regiments were named after the regions of their soldiers. There are mixed regiments in infantry and artillery that have Muslim and Hindu Rajput companies. Despite the fact that Indian and Pakistani armies emerged out of the British army, it is this aspect of collective secular vigour that, over the decades, separated the Indian armys consistency and effectiveness from the Pakistani armys dubious unpredictability and thus shaped its legacy. Religious inclusivity has helped assemble the best in the past. At the time of the countrys partition in 1947, Brigadier Mohammad Usman one of Indias bright officers was invited by Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Jinnah to join the Pakistan army. Usman refused and chose the Indian army instead. After independence, Usman gave up his life fighting for India against Pakistani invaders and was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra in 1948. One of the reminisced instances of inclusive leadership was 1971 Gen Sam Manekshaw, the army chief was a Parsi, Lt General Jagjit Aurora the Eastern Army Commander was a Sikh, Maj Gen JFR Jacob the Chief of staff - was a Jew while Lt General Sagat Singh the Corps commander, who was the architect of capturing Dhaka and thus ensured Indias victory was a Hindu Rajput. During national emergencies, radical religious influences within the armed forces can cause a crisis. In the 1980s, the Punjab crisis provoked unrest and mutiny amongst regiments. At the Sikh Regimental Centre in Ramgarh in Bihar, the Commandant Brig Puri was shot dead by a few mutinous soldiers while a few officers were injured. Sepoy Gurnam Singh led a bunch of rebels and headed towards Amritsar. They were intercepted and 35 people were killed in skirmishes between the mutineers and the soldiers manning the roadblocks, according to a newspaper report. There were some other instances of violent dissent that were ably handled by the army. Commanders at all levels dealt with the crisis admirably and protected the impeccable credentials of the Indian army. On the other hand, the experiment with radical religion has left the Pakistani army in tatters. Until 1971, muslim soldiers and officers in the Pakistani army followed their religious beliefs but the organisation kept religion largely outside of professional duties and functions. However, after its defeat in 1971, the Pakistan army was transformed into a more politicized and religious instrument. After General Zia ul Haq took over as president, he further accelerated the policy of islamisation of the armed forces. The Pakistani armys embrace of radical Islamic practices in the army was to grow alongside Zias ploy of using religion as a tool of execution in Afghanistan and Kashmir. Pakistani army officers who were commissioned in the early 1970s had, under Zias policies, grown to become senior commanders who pursued Islamic agenda inside the army. By 1990s, Lt General Hamid Gul, as the ISI chief, was heading a hydra headed monster in which many officers actively supported Islamist terrorist groups. On the other hand, religion in the Indian army is guided by a simple, powerful principle line: the religion of an officer is that of the troops he commands. There is however, a degree of ignorance about the tradition bound, regimented organisation which results in ridiculous assumptions as happened in a recent instance. A few months ago, the army hosted an iftar function in Jammu and Kashmir which included officers, jawans and locals. The function was misinterpreted by a radical right wing television channel. In response, the army PRO deleted the social media pictures, which was a mistake. Fortunately, the gaffe by the army PRO was corrected and the army affirmed its inclusive culture by posting a tweet of the Corps commander in Kashmir at the Eid prayers at JAK Li Centres Mandir Masjid Gurudwara (known as MMG). The MMG is a unique institution in the Indian army that has a mandir, masjid and gurudwara in the same compound and is a sarv dharam sthal - a praying space for all. There are many such splendid instances from history and current practice. However, a reason to write this piece about the role of secularism as an irrefutable non-negotiable in the armed forces is to highlight the troubling emergence of toxic half-truths on religious and other divisive subjects. Many of these narratives find their way into social media groups of serving and veteran soldiers. Discussions on religious issues that lead to discomfort, discord and divisiveness can have a long term impact on the concept of pluralism in the armed forces. It would be unfortunate if course mates or batch mates lose an essential article of trust that binds them. Some of the younger military leaders would be senior commanders of tomorrow and given that they would lead formations of mixed religious and regional denominations, their current social media remarks on sensitive issues is bound to impact the cohesive strength of units in future, unless a course correction is made. An exercise of restraint and discretion in judgment would go a long way in preserving the sanctity of the ethos of the organisation and its leadership. An unrestrained, wrongly-informed social media doesnt serve to strengthen unity amongst men united by the uniform and units they serve. In the past, there was an unequivocal thumb rule: politics was never to be discussed in messes, clubs and public gatherings in the army. However, the army is a subset of the larger society and it is unrealistic to expect it to stay unaffected by the ongoing narrative of public discussions. The risk lies in letting radical propaganda go on to play a divisive role in social media groups of a truly secular organisation in India. In an army where leaders command men of different religious denominations, including minorities of several kinds, it is precarious to allow discussions to go down the slippery slope of rancour. Though instances of aggressive and discordant discussions on religion arent many, the emergence of such occurrences ought to be discouraged. The armed forces, on its part, has taken note of it and laid down instructions on the use of social media by its serving personnel. However, the armed forces cannot invisibilize the social media. One reason the principles and code of conduct have sustained themselves is because the uniformed organisation kept away from the external ecosystem. Increasingly, the forces are bound to be impacted by different external elements. However, one has to only look at history to reaffirm the celebrated inclusivity in the organisation. by John Ai According to analysts, to modernise the Chinese military needs people with specialised skills. Beijing's new White Paper on Taiwan envisages reunification with less autonomy than previously offered to the island. Rome (AsiaNews) China is set to begin its semi-annual military recruitment in mid-August. This follows the end of its military exercises around Taiwan that started on 4 August in response to a visit to the island by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi earlier this month. Amid the tensions, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) extended for the first time the maximum recruitment age from 24 to 26 years, with priority given to graduates with scientific and technological training and people with military skills. According to the state-owned China Central Television (CCTV), more than 110,000 people have enlisted in the army in the eastern province of Zhejiang; 50,000 are university students and 27,000 graduates. A young man told the TV channel that he had enlisted over the situation in the Taiwan Strait. The Beijing Evening News noted that several army combat units are looking for new recruits with professional skills, as the process of weapons and equipment modernisation accelerates. The PLA want personnel specialised in computer science, communications, engineering, equipment repairing, and drones. According to analysts, China is preparing for a future hi-tech war, and the military is eager to incorporate more educated young people to improve their capabilities. Official statistics show that in June the unemployment rate among young Chinese 16 to 24 hit 19.3 per cent. This year, for the first time, the number of graduates exceeded 10 million. The slowdown in the economy and the rise in patriotic sentiment over the Taiwan issue could encourage more young people to join the military. Taiwan reacted to Chinas manoeuvres with its own exercises. However, according to analysts, Beijing could make the latest military drill around the island permanent, establishing an air and naval blockade. In fact, it has already launched cyber and disinformation attacks against Taipei. Chinese hackers have already targeted the websites of Taiwanese government agencies and universities. Digital bulletins at supermarkets and railway stations displayed swearing sentences against Pelosi. China yesterday published a third White Paper on Taiwan, reiterating that it does not exclude the use of force to take back the island, deemed a rebel province. The document shows Xi Jinping's hard-line towards Taiwan, which must accept reunification according to the principle of one country, two systems, rejected by Taiwans main parties. The new White Paper provides far less autonomy than previously offered. In the 1993 and 2000 papers, Beijing made the promise of not sending Chinese troops or administrators to Taiwan. Now that pledge is no longer included. Likewise, no longer in the White Paper is the sentence everything can be negotiated as long as Taiwan accepts the existence of only one China and does not seek independence. RED LANTERNS IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO THE CHINA. TO RECEIVE A WEEKLY UPDATE EVERY THURSDAY, CLICK HERE. by Melani Manel Perera After a series of arrests, activists left Colombos Galle Face Green urban park of their own accord. Some say they need to change strategy against Ranil Wickremesinghe. Meanwhile, the new president is accused of violence and torture in connection with anti-communist crackdown of 1988 and 1989. Colombo (AsiaNews) Protesters have dropped four petitions filed at the Court of Appeal regarding the recent eviction order issued by the government. The police had ordered protesters to vacate Colombo's Galle Face Green urban park by 5 August. The attorney general pledged that the unauthorised structures would not be removed until 10 August. Yesterday, of their own accord, protesters left the site, which is located near the main government buildings. Before leaving, they held one last rally to remember the people who, in the past few months made sacrifices for the struggle. Gatherings at the site were widely described as Aragalaya, the Sinhalese word for struggle. A few tents remained, though, as did some diehards who refuse to leave. After they got gas, people forgot about corruption and stolen money, some of them said speaking to AsiaNews. We have been laying low for a bit because our lives are at risk for fighting for the nation, they added. Many told us to accept the victory over Gotabaya Rajapaksa." Meanwhile, Sri Lankas former president is expected to fly to Thailand from Singapore. On 9 July, protesters stormed and occupied the Presidents House, forcing him to flee. Several protesters stressed the need to change strategy. For them, The way used to oust the Rajapaksa family is not suitable for Ranil Wickremesinghe, the new president, who has been accused of harsh repression against protesters. Sri Lankan authorities claim that the recent arrests were only made against those who violated the law. Still, religious leaders from all denominations held a silent protest on Monday against the government's arrests and snatchings. For Fr Rohan Silva, director of the Centre for Religion and Society, Sri Lanka is going backward, towards the violence of the past. "The [current] president has earned a bad reputation as the murderer of Batalanda,'" he explained. Wickremesinghe is accused in connection with events at the Batalanda detention centre, where tens of thousands of people from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a militant communist group, were tortured and killed in 1988 and 1989. A government commission that investigated the crimes committed in the prison recommended that Wickremesinghe be stripped of his civic rights, which would have prevented him from running for political office. No Sri Lankan government has ever taken legal action in this regard. Email Newsletters Get the best of The Aspen Daily News in your inbox. Our newsletters are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Share This: Talk about a huge haul! For quite some time weve followed the YouTube channel Adventures with Purpose as the team has pulled all kinds of interesting cars from rivers and other bodies of water. Often, the aim of these events is to clean up waterways, which is a good cause, but occasionally the submerged cars yield something more sinister, like a dead body. And while some of the areas the team has visited contained several cars, their trip to the Nashville, Tennessee area is the highest yield weve seen yet at over 40 cars pulled from the water. Thats an insane number of vehicles to even find underwater and pulling them all out is a monumental effort. As you might imagine, they didnt do all that work by themselves. Adventures with Purpose is a small outfit and they always get the help of local vehicle recovery companies, but this time it was different. City officials offered their resources in the effort, showing that the influence of this YouTube channel has grown significantly. The group held a livestream event on YouTube to show off all the vehicles they pulled out of the water in Tennessee. They were all sitting in a nice row under a cover, almost like the remnants of a crashed plane collected and sorted in a hanger. Among the cars recovered was Jeep YJ, probably one of the most collectable and desirable of the bunch. Some people might still be excited by other cars found underwater, but even in excellent shape and not rusty, water-damaged, and with parts missing theyd still fetch incredibly little on the market. Among them is the regrettable final-generation Pontiac LeMans, which was just a badge-engineered Daewoo. Theres also a ninth-gen Ford Thunderbird and... SUV Even as far as botched tuning jobs are concerned, oddly-named German aftermarket shops like Keyvany occupy a front-ranked piece of the niche trade right alongside Mansory . The only thing that differentiates them is their level of international reach, probably.As far as Frankfurt-based Keyvany is concerned, they are trying their best to stand out in all crowds though not necessarily for the right reasons. They worked up the super-Italian thoroughbred Lambo Urus to MMA standards with 1,021-horsepower Tiffany Blue creations, for example. Then, they also flipped the opulence switch beyond level XXXL with a unique Hayula Qatar Edition creation that is actually a straight-piped, 750-horsepower Rolls-Royce Cullinan monster.But enough with the (hideous) SUV shenanigans. It is now time to admire (or run away from, screaming in fear, whichever option one may prefer) the result of their arduous work on a classic supercar. Oddly enough, they are also dubbing this Ferrari F8 Spider example as a member of the Hayula breed, although we do not see any kind of sibling relationship between the Cullinan or Urus kits and this Satin Yellow and Black open-top monstrosity.Perhaps someone might need to teach them about the perils of marketing confusion even before the first lessons on how not to customize a Prancing Horse . And they should probably use this 850-hp F8 as didactic material though we are also not going to hold it against anyone who actually believes this aggressive treatment is their right kind of a tuning cup of tea. After all, even I found something to relate to: that satin yellow paint (or is that a neat wrap job?) would look great on this feisty Ferrari without all the unnecessary Hayula trinkets. Now another automaker has confirmed the impact of the chip shortage. Honda , which is one of the leading companies in the automotive market, revealed that its profit in the first fiscal quarter went down no more, no less than 33 percent, as compared to the same quarter a year ago.The Japanese brand, therefore, reported $1.1 billion in profit, a notable decline from $1.7 billion in the April-June quarter of 2021.In terms of vehicles, the decline means that Hondas sales went down from close to 1 million cars in the 2021 quarter to 815,000 vehicles this year, with notable declines in all big markets, including the United States.As for the reasons that caused this decline, Honda says it loud and clear: the very constrained chip inventory makes it impossible to keep the production up and running at the desired pace. The demand continues to be strong, but on the other hand, building enough cars for customers is pretty much impossible right now, simply because Honda doesnt have enough chips to install on the vehicles it builds.But as if the semiconductor crisis wasnt enough, Honda is also struggling with other worsening factors, including the lockdowns happening in China and the rising costs of materials.In case youre wondering when the whole nightmare could finally come to an end, this is something that nobody seems to be able to predict accurately. On one hand, carmakers expect the last months of 2022 to bring some signs of recovery, but on the other hand, tech giants dont believe the chip shortage could come to an end earlier than late 2023 or early 2024. Weve previously covered Lil Uzi Verts huge birthday gift from JT at the beginning of the month, but now we have a better look at the luxury ride. The rapper, who upgraded their pronouns to they/them in mid-July, got a ride fit for royalty.The Mercedes-Benz V-Class is already big enough to make traveling comfortable, especially after a show or an event. But if you customize it and add Maybach gear, you get to enjoy the"first class" travel treament.RD Whittington, the owner of Wires Only, sells such a vehicle. Other famous people who have purchased the luxury van are Kim Kardashian and Kanye West , both with a big love for anything luxurious and in need of a lot of space for their four children. Lil Uzi Vert does not have children (yet), but they are a successful rapper who travels a lot.In a recent video posted on its official Instagram account, WiresOnly gives us a better look at the luxury minivan, which comes with a two-tone exterior paint job and deep blue seats and black accents throughout. It offers seven seats, enough to give their friends a ride if they need too. Although its a Mercedes-Benz Luxury Metris, Lil Uzi Vert will be able to feel like theyre in a Rolls-Royce thanks to the Starlight Headliner on a black roof.The Maybach logo is present throughout the cabin, including on the treadplates, the seats, and even the pillows. According to WiresOnly's official website , the luxury minivan comes with a price of between $200 and $300k, based on the specs.JTs gesture came in return after Lil Uzi Vert bought her a McLaren 720S last year for her birthday. She also added in a BMW motorcycle. And, if you can believe it, these arent the only new additions to Lil Uzi Verts garage, because they just added a West Coast Customs-made Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat 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. A series of impressive show-of-force videos were published this week by the Navy, showing just how massive the exercise was. The first in the series, almost four minutes long, is available at the bottom of the page, and shows something the military branch calls an amphibious raid over an undisclosed area.Having taken place in Hawaii, the mission involved forces of Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5 and Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). The Navy also deployed U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys and CH-53E Super Stallions for a landing mission during multinational littoral operations.The video published by the Navy shows the helicopters at lift off, during their journey from the sea over to the undisclosed land mass they were targeting, and simply invading the place. For what its worth, the part where the helicopters reach their destination and start unloading troops is the most impressive of the entire clip.RIMPAC 2022 saw soldiers from 26 countries take part. In all, the military deployed 38 ships, three submarines, 170 aircraft, and 25,000 soldiers. It is, by all accounts, the world's largest international maritime exercise, and its supposed to provide a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.And, given Chinas recent actions around Taiwan, it was the perfect opportunity for America and its allies to flex some muscle in what is turning into a blinking game with global implications. The car in question was a convertible that came in Silver Blue over a cream interior, was powered by an LS3 powerplant, and rode on Schott wheels. That is exactly like the one we have in the gallery attached to this piece. The thing is, though, the car we have here is not the one that sold in January.You see, Jeff Hayes is not one of those guys who come out with a custom project and then disappears from sight. Hes been at it from all the way back in 2007, and in the time that has passed since, over 70 Corvettes came into this world after being handled by him.That essentially means custom Corvettes will repeat themselves from time to time. And thats exactly whats happening with the one we have here, which will be sold by Barrett-Jackson in October, during the event in Houston, probably with the hopes it will snatch at least as much as its twin.This one too is fitted with an Art Morrison sport chassis under the perfectly sculpted body, and packs Wilwood brakes on all four corners. The Corvette also hides an LS3 engine, which in this application, and running with a 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission, develops 540 horsepower.This Corvette is the first car to be announced by the auction house for the Houston event. The list of impressive machines that will go under the hammer there is just beginning to be compiled, so expect a flood of exciting cars to come our way in the coming weeks. AWD As far as deliveries are concerned, Toyota can easily put its Corolla nameplate even above the record-breaking Ford F-Series because the compact Japanese is the all-time best-selling nameplate on a global level. But once you are at the top, they say one can only go down.That is not entirely true because, with arduous work and a little bit of flair, you can always hold on to the crown. That is easier said than done, but so far Toyota has done a wonderful job of keeping the Corolla at an exceedingly high level of ownership enthusiasm across twelve generations. But, as they say, the latest one is still starting to grow a little long in the tooth.After all, available with three body styles (hatchback, sedan, and station wagon), it hit the market way back in 2018 and a four-year period is already like an eternity for this hungry automotive market. Alas, Toyota did keep things fresh, most recently with the stunning GR Corolla hatchback for North America and the subtle nip and tuck (plushybrid powertrain) it awarded to the 2023 model year Still, some folks believe this will not be enough, eventually. For example, the host of the AutoYa info channel on YouTube has recently imagined the first look (complete with color choices) of a possible 2024MY refresh which could bring forth a lot more visual updates, both for the interior and exterior.Sure, there are not a lot of details to go with Toyota has not allowed any rumors to swirl around, no spy shots were flaunted by our spy partners, let alone there are no official teasers just yet. On the other hand, the channels pixel master had some neat ideas based on the recent prototypes and Toyotas latest new models. There are numerous eVTOL developers across the U.S., each claiming to be better thanks to some innovative feature or function. But the title that Wisk Aero claims cant be challenged it developed the first autonomous, all-electric air taxi in the U.S. Throughout the years, it continued to further improve its eVTOL, which is why its now getting ready to launch the 6th-generation version, an achievement thats probably unmatched in the global industry.This 6th-generation aircraft will be developed at the companys latest engineering hub. Its located in Montreal, Canada, and was recently launched. Canada is known for being a great talent pool for the aviation industry, and Wisk stated that it plans to grow this new facility to 30 employees by the end of this year.Earlier this year, Wisk hit other milestones as well, expanding in Australia and launching a partnership with the City of Long Beach. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay area, the eVTOL veteran plans to extend as much as possible globally.This new engineering hub will help it reveal the 6th Wisk air taxi by the end of this year. The 5th-generation prototype is 21-foot (6.4 meters) long and equipped with 12 independent rotors, which means that the aircraft can continue to operate even if one of the rotors malfunctions.Its current top speed reaches 100 mph (161 kph), and it can handle short-distance flights of up to 25 miles (40 km) on a single charge. Details about the newest-generation version and its improved capabilities are expected to be released later this year. During a news briefing Ivan Nechayev, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stressed that Russian peacekeepers in the region are engaged in efforts to stabilize the situation on the ground. During last weeks weekly cabinet meeting in Yerevan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian strongly criticized the Russian peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh following the most serious fighting along the line of contact that left at least two Armenian and one Azerbaijani soldiers dead. Pashinian urged Russia to do more to prevent further ceasefire violations, charging that Baku has been stepping up such violations despite the presence of Russian peacekeeping troops in the region. In these circumstances, it is becoming imperative to adjust details of the [Russian] peacekeeping operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Pashinian said. We expect that any attempt to cross the line of contact will be stopped by the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation. In an apparent reaction to this criticism, Nechayev said that along with intensive political contacts Russian peacekeepers also continue to be engaged in active work, taking necessary efforts for stabilization on the ground. Both Baku and Yerevan have before emphasized the important role of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. We do not consider separate criticism of the peacekeepers to be fair, the diplomat added. Nechayev also announced that Moscow plans to organize high-level trilateral contacts by the end of August on different subjects concerning the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. The representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that the situation around the Lachin corridor should be resolved in accordance with the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020. Point 6 of the statement stipulates that the plan for the construction of a new route through the Lachin corridor, which will ensure a link between Karabakh and Armenia, should be determined with the agreement of the parties in the next three years, with the subsequent redeployment of Russian peacekeeping troops to maintain the security of the route, he said. The Armenian prime minister also insisted last week that the ceasefire agreement requires Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia to work out before 2024 only a plan for the construction of a new Armenia-Karabakh road. He emphasized that no such plan had been drawn up yet. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, however, that the three sides did agree on the route of the new corridor early this year and accused Yerevan of dragging out construction work on its Armenian sections. After the latest escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh the local ethnic Armenian authorities ordered the few remaining Armenian residents of villages situated along the current route of the Lachin corridor to leave their homes for good until August 25. Incidentally, Azerbaijan announced on August 11 the completion of the construction of its section of the road bypassing Lachin. The Armenian side launched construction on its section of the road on August 1 and expects the work to be completed by spring. Until then, authorities say, people will have to fall back on unpaved roads for travel. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Dreamstime / Dreamstime/TNS A 20-year-old Port Arthur man was hospitalized after being shot at an apartment complex last week, according to information from the Port Arthur Police Department. Shortly after midnight on Aug. 5, officers were called out to Southeast Texas Medical Center, where they found the 20-year-old victim shot in his buttocks. Myanmars junta has yet to deliver humanitarian assistance pledged three months ago by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the countrys more than 1.2 million refugees of conflict who aid workers said are in dire need of food and medicine. At a May 6 meeting in Cambodias capital Phnom Penh, the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) agreed to deliver aid to Myanmar under the supervision of the military regime which would distribute it to those in need. However, aid workers in northwest Myanmars Sagaing region told Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online affiliate of BenarNews, that as of Monday none of the promised aid had been delivered there or other regions with refugees in need, including Chin, Kayah and Kayin states. ASEANs help hasnt made it to Sagaing yet, said Thet Oo, who is assisting victims of conflict with the People-to-People Program in the regions Yinmarbin and Salingyi townships. Its been three months since their meeting, but nothing has come to Yinmarbin district at all. Thet Oo warned ASEAN not to trust the juntas promises. The junta, which is terrorizing us, will never provide the aid or assistance they agreed to with ASEAN, he said. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced on Aug. 3 that 866,000 people had joined the ranks of Myanmars refugees since the militarys Feb. 1, 2021, coup, bringing the total number to more than 1.2 million, or more than 2 percent of the countrys population of 54.4 million. Of the new refugees, about 470,000 were forced to flee their homes in Sagaing, where clashes between junta troops and the armed opposition are among the deadliest and most frequent in the nation. Thet Oo said his organization is struggling to provide assistance with only donations to rely on. Meanwhile, the military is carrying out a scorched earth offensive in the region, conducting raids on villages and setting them on fire, and creating new refugees each day, he said. In neighboring Chin state, where fierce fighting is also a daily occurrence, refugees are also facing severe shortages, aid workers told RFA. The need for food and medicine is still very great. There isnt enough food in the mountains. No NGOs have yet come here, said a spokesman for the Mindat Township Refugee Camps Management Committee speaking on condition of anonymity. Since the beginning, when we heard ASEAN would be providing assistance through the junta, we have been skeptical. It was clear that Chin state would not be included in the distribution program. Sure enough, no aid has reached the refugees in Mindat township to date. Repeated calls by RFA seeking comment from junta Deputy Information Minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun on the status of the ASEAN aid distribution went unanswered. Agreement panned ASEANs decision to deliver assistance to Myanmars refugees through the junta was slammed by the countrys shadow National Unity Government (NUG), as well as the Karen National Union (KNU), Karenni National Progressive Party and Chin National Front ethnic parties as unacceptable in a joint statement on May 30. The groups, which the junta says are terrorist organizations, were not extended an invitation by ASEAN to the May 6 meeting in Phnom Penh at the request of the military regime, nor was the U.N. secretary generals special representative to Myanmar, Nolin Heza. Win Myat Aye, NUG minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, told RFA this week that ASEANs plan to provide aid through the junta will not do anything for the people who are suffering the most in Myanmar. What ASEAN is doing is impractical. It hasnt been successful because it never reached those who really need it for more than three months now, he said. NUG is now already working to meet the actual needs on the ground. We are working in cooperation with international organizations, so the information we act on will be true and we can provide the necessary help. In order to be successful, we need to help with real action, not just words. Win Myat Aye noted that the NUG disaster ministry had been providing shelter and medicine to refugees since the coup. Aid workers helping refugees in Chin, Kayah and Kayin states, as well as some townships in Sagaing and Magway regions, told RFA that even if the junta is working to deliver assistance from ASEAN, it only controls Myanmars cities and its administration is broken in rural areas. KNU spokesman Pado Saw Tawney said that the junta is incapable of reaching all of the countrys refugees on its own. There are over a million [refugees] according to available statistics. But in fact, what we believe is that there may be 2 million or more, he said. This situation has become a problem that cannot be solved internally. It requires cooperation with the international community. Thats the bottom line. Nothing will happen if it is carried out by the junta alone. The U.N. humanitarian affairs office said in its statement on Aug. 3 that the security and humanitarian aid situations in Myanmar have worsened significantly as fighting continues throughout the country. The agency said efforts to deliver assistance to refugees have been hamstrung by military restrictions on the transportation of essential goods, including food and medical supplies. Ethnic Chin refugees shelter in a jungle area after fleeing fighting between Myanmars junta forces and local militias in Chin states Mindat township, May 2021. [Citizen journalist] Call for stronger measures Reports of the worsening refugee situation in Myanmar came as the countrys opposition groups and analysts called on ASEAN to adopt stronger measures in its dealing with the junta following the blocs 55th Foreign Ministers Meeting in Phnom Penh from July 31 to Aug. 6. During the gathering, most ASEAN member states criticized the junta for failing to implement the blocs agreements and for its July 25 execution of four democracy activists, including former student leader Ko Jimmy and a former lawmaker from Myanmars deposed National League for Democracy party. However, the wording of a statement issued at the end of the meeting was toned down because of an objection from the Myanmar delegation. The decision regarding Myanmar will be taken at the annual ASEAN Summit in November after studying and evaluating the extent to which the blocs 2021 Consensus is implemented by the junta. Kyaw Zaw, spokesman for the NUG presidential office, said it is no longer enough for ASEAN to simply make criticisms. Instead, he said, the bloc should undertake practical measures, noting that there is no resolution in sight for Myanmars political crisis more than 18 months after the takeover. The 5-Point Consensus (5PC) has been disregarded and is still being ignored and it has been almost a year and a half since the coup, he said, referring to an agreement between the junta and ASEAN to end violence in Myanmar during an emergency in April 2021. Were thankful that they expressed their concern and they said they condemn the Myanmar issue. But Id like to reiterate that now is the time to talk less and take action more. Kyaw Zaw said he welcomed the ASEAN foreign ministers decisions not to allow high-ranking representatives of the junta to attend the blocs ministerial-level meetings in the future, set a precise time frame for the implementation of the ASEAN Consensus and to hold formal discussions with the NUG. Zero implementation Under the 5PC, the junta agreed to end to violence in the country, facilitate constructive dialogue among all parties, and allow the mediation of such talks by a special ASEAN envoy. The 5PC also calls for the provision of ASEAN-coordinated humanitarian assistance and a visit to Myanmar by an ASEAN delegation to meet with all parties. Even regime leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing acknowledged that the junta had failed to hold up its end of the bargain on the consensus in a televised speech earlier this month in which he announced that the junta was extending by six months the state of emergency it declared following last years coup. He blamed the coronavirus pandemic and political instability for the failure and said he will implement what we can from the 5PC this year, provided it does not jeopardize the countrys sovereignty. The juntas failure to abide by the 5PC drew criticism last week from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who told Voice of Americas Khmer service that if the agreement is not met, ASEAN should adopt new measures, including suspending Myanmars membership in the bloc. Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun did not immediately respond to request for comment on ASEANs criticism. The juntas Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that inviting a lower-level delegate from Myanmar to the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and related meetings was a violation of the blocs charter. Thein Tun Oo, executive director of the pro-military Thayninga Strategic Studies Institute, warned that ASEAN would become weaker if Myanmar were to be suspended. Currently, its not easy to suspend Myanmar straight away. But even if they were to make such a decision, Myanmars special interests would not be affected, he said. We think ASEAN would become weakened and break up because of the [suspension.] Sai Kyi Zin Soe, a political analyst, said removing Myanmar from the bloc would only lower the pressure on the junta. ASEAN doesnt have much leverage now. Expelling Myanmar would be the worst case scenario. It is within the bounds of what they can do, but I dont think they will go that far, he said. If they cut Myanmar off like that, it will be more difficult to engage ... so, its unlikely. ASEAN Special Envoy for Myanmar Prak Sokhonn is scheduled to make his third official visit to the country in September. During his last visit in July, the envoy did not meet with any armed ethnic groups that are opposed to the juntas coup, nor the NLD, which won Myanmars 2020 election in a landslide victory before being deposed in last years putsch. Observers said Sokhonns failure to meet the opposition or other anti-junta stakeholders during his visit would only serve to legitimize military rule. A man wears a headband with a slogan calling for Manila to protect the West Philippine Sea - the local name for the South China Sea - as protesters mark the sixth anniversary of an international arbitration courts ruling, in front of the Chinese Consulate in Makati city, Metro Manila, July 12, 2022. The Philippine foreign office said Thursday it was backing legislative efforts to formally rename the countrys portions of the South China Sea as the West Philippine Sea, in a move to bolster Manilas territorial claims in the contested waterway. On Wednesday, Sen. Francis Tolentino announced he had filed Senate Bill 405, a proposed piece of legislation that aims to institutionalize the use of the West Philippine Sea as the official name of territories claimed by the Philippines in waters that China and other neighbors also contest. The air space, seabed, and subsoil on the western side of the Philippine archipelago would be renamed to reinforce the Philippines claim to the disputed territories found on the western side of the archipelago, according to an excerpt from SB405. Maria Teresita Daza, spokeswoman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said Tolentinos bill was consistent with a 2016 international arbitration courts ruling that sided with Manila. The West Philippine Sea was already actually defined in 2012 through Administrative Order 29, Daza told a press briefing on Thursday. Nevertheless, the department recognizes what the process of legislation can do in terms of clarity and institution building. And we look forward to supporting the process, should we be invited to do so, she said. Tolentinos bill covers waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal, as well as the Luzon Sea, or waters also known as the Luzon Strait between the northern Philippine island of Luzon and Taiwan. The Philippine senator said that the proposed legislation came about in response to the archipelagic doctrine embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Under it, the Philippines is granted a territorial sea of up to 12 nautical miles, a contiguous zone of up to 24 nautical miles, and an exclusive economic zone of up to 200 nautical miles where the West Philippine Sea is located. The bill also directs government offices to use the name in all communications, messages, and public documents, and to popularize the use of such [a] name with the general public, both domestically and internationally. Six years ago, the Philippines won an arbitral award against Beijing before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The landmark ruling nullified Chinas expansive claims to the sea region, including in waters that reach neighbors shores. Manila had filed the case in 2012, when the Chinese occupied areas near Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of rocks and reefs that Filipinos consider a traditional fishing ground. Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim parts of the sea. China, for its part, draws a nine-dash line to delineate its claim of historical rights to almost 90 percent of the waterway. The line also overlaps with the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of another nation Indonesia. And while the name South China Sea has gained near universal acceptance in usage, countries that have claims to the disputed waters have their own different names for it. Vietnam calls the maritime region the East Sea, and, to Beijing, it is plainly known as the South Sea. In 2017, Indonesia renamed a resource-rich northern region around its Natuna Islands, which lie off the southern end of the South China Sea, as the North Natuna Sea. The waters near the Natunas have seen some tense standoffs in recent years between Indonesian ships and ships from China and other nations, including Chinese coast guard vessels. Jakartas decision to change the name of the sea region north of the islands was spurred by the arbitration courts ruling in Manilas favor the year before that nullified Chinas historical claim to the entire South China Sea through the nine-dash line, Arif Havas Oegroseno, then the deputy of maritime sovereignty at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told reporters at the time. Since the arbitration court ruled for Manila in 2016, Beijing has refused to budge from the area around Scarborough Shoal. On Thursday, officials at the Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to BenarNews efforts seeking comment on the Philippine bill. The proposed formal name change is a far cry from the policy on the disputed waters implemented by former President Rodrigo Duterte, who did not seek to enforce the ruling when he took office in 2016, but instead pursued warmer ties with Beijing. During his six-year term, Duterte, who left office on June 30, also pulled the Philippines away from the United States, the Philippines longtime ally and Chinas main rival, until later in his term when he declared that the arbitration award was beyond compromise. The U.S. government, meanwhile, has insisted on the doctrine of freedom of navigation and has sailed its navy ships into the contested waters. Dutertes successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his first state of the nation address to Congress last month, declared he would not preside over any process that would give away even one square inch of territory to foreign rivals. Marcos newly appointed military chief, Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, told his generals and other military officials during his first command conference on Wednesday that the armed forces supported President Marcos pronouncement. We only do what is required of us to do and what is important is we are able to perform our mandate to protect (the state and) our people, Col. Medel Aguilar, a spokesman for the military, told reporters. Then-Sri Lankan presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa waves as he leaves the election commission after filing his nomination in Colombo, Oct. 7, 2019. Thailands prime minister and foreign minister said Wednesday that Bangkok would allow ousted former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to enter and stay in the country conditionally for up to 90 days after he fled Colombo amid massive anti-government protests. Rajapaksa went to the Maldives briefly on July 13, and then to Singapore, after protesters stormed his residence in the Sri Lankan capital during demonstrations where people vented their rage over his governments handling of the island nations worst-ever economic crisis. After arriving in Singapore, Rajapaksa announced his resignation on July 14, leading to a sudden change in Sri Lankas government the first time in the countrys 74-year history that a president had resigned while in office. This is [a] humanitarian matter. There is an agreement that [he] stay temporarily no politics, no visits, no meeting, no movement at all, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha told reporters on Wednesday, specifying that Rajapaksa could not take part in any meetings about Sri Lankan politics while in Thailand. Don Pramudwinai, the Thai foreign minister, said the application for entry for Rajapaksa, 73, the holder of a diplomatic passport, was being backed by the new Sri Lankan government. So the holder of a diplomatic passport [from] our friendly countries can stay up to 90 days. We, the foreign ministry, dont see it as a problem. No objection from the government either ... There is no indication that Sri Lankan nationals living here would cause trouble to Thailand, Don told reporters. Earlier in the day, Tanee Sangrat, chief spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said it had received a request from the current Sri Lankan government for Thailand to allow Rajapaksa in. In a statement to reporters, Tanee said that with his diplomatic passport, Rajapaksa could enter and stay for 90 days without a visa. The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought, Tanee said. People throng Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksas official residence in Colombo for a second day after anti-government protesters stormed it, July 11, 2022. [AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool] During the recent turmoil, his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister in Gotabayas government. The turmoil, which had been building for months, saw millions of Sri Lankans grow desperate as households nationwide had to endure power outages, long lines for gasoline and shortages of food. Many Sri Lankans accused the Rajapaksa brothers and their relatives who held posts in the administration of being deeply corrupt, spending lavish sums of taxpayer money on ambitious infrastructure projects, and running Sri Lankas government as though it were a family-owned business, according to news reports. Gotabaya, a dual U.S.-Sri Lankan citizen who served as defense chief under then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, oversaw a crushing military offensive in 2009 that put an end to a 26-year war with Tamil Tiger separatist rebels and killed their leader. Although the brothers were praised as heroes as the time for ending the rebellion, both have since been tied to allegations of atrocities and human rights abuses committed against civilians from the ethnic Tamil minority as military forces swept to victory against the Tamil Tigers in their northern Sri Lankan stronghold. Summer vacation destinations in China hit by new resurgence, to 'deal blow to tourism in short time' By Liu Caiyu, Zhang Changyue (Global Times) 10:16, August 11, 2022 Urumqi of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Ngari Prefecture of Southwest China's Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous - two of most popular tourism destinations in China - on Wednesday escalated their COVID-19 response levels by imposing "static management" in a bid to contain this wave of COVID-19 resurgence. Observers believed that climbing daily cases will deal a certain blow to China's tourist industry in August, due to some popular destinations being hit by COVID-19, from previously affected Guangxi, Inner Mongolia and Gansu to the recent cases in Hainan, Xinjiang and Xizang. But they believed the overall enthusiasm for summer travel has not decreased and in the long run, public confidence in domestic travel will rise since the country's epidemic measures are more precise and science-based. In a notice on Wednesday, Xizang's Ngari Prefecture said the region will impose static management for three days starting from Thursday, encouraging tourists and residents to stay put during the period. Supermarkets and banks can shorten their operation hours and public amusement venues will be closed. Previously, the cities of Lhasa, capital of Xizang region and Xigaze have imposed static management. The entire Xizang registered 54 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday. While in Xinjiang region, the COVID-19 situation is still grim. On Wednesday, the 11th day since the region reported a COVID-19 case, Urumqi, capital city of the Xinjiang region, partially suspended public transportation and closed off residential communities for five days as 27 cases were detected. The Urumqi airport operated normally on Wednesday and it also arranged free buses to evacuate tourists. As of 9 pm on Wednesday, Xinjiang region has zero confirmed cases and 776 asymptomatic infections. Since this wave of sudden flare-ups comes at a time when the nation's tourism sector is at its annual peak, it has halted trips by millions of tourists. The Global Times found at least 18 places in six provincial-level regions are under static management. In a description of the COVID-19 big picture across the country, Mi Feng, the spokesperson of the National Health Commission (NHC), said at Wednesday's press conference that so far in August, China has had nine provinces that have registered COVID-19 cases surpassing 100. The recent COVID-19 outbreaks in multiple Chinese tourist hot spots in such a high season will deal a hard blow to China's tourist industry in 2022, especially since the static management in some places has hit the confidence of would-be tourists who planned trans-regional trips in the short term, some tourism insiders told the Global Times. But Han Jie, the head of YTS Aoyou Travel Technology Development, told the Global Times on Wednesday that as the country's precise and scientific COVID-19 measures continue to roll out and the circuit-breaker mechanism for cross-provincial trips can precisely target individual counties, tourists' confidence is actually rebounding. In epidemic-hit regions, we saw rising group tours and customized orders get canceled. Meanwhile, we have seen a rise in short trips to the suburbs and neighboring cities and other unaffected regions for travel. So that overall, the public enthusiasm for summer travel has not decreased, Han noted. As a precautionary move, a number of Chinese tourist destinations that have not experienced epidemics have introduced measures to strengthen their epidemic prevention. Dalian in Northeast China's Liaoning Province asked new arrivals to undergo a free nucleic acid test. If they fail to receive one within 48 hours, they may be persuaded to leave the city. Though facing unprecedented COVID-19 pressure, the tourism market is not necessarily at an entire standstill. Lu Hongzhou, head of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, said the key is to confine the epidemic to a certain scope once there is one, stressing the importance of implementing an "early finding" mechanism in crowded tourism sites. Dong Xiaoping, a chief virologist from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, told Wednesday's press conference that based on precise and scientific measures, epidemic-hit regions are able to cope with this wave of resurgence. It also indicates that China's ninth version of the COVID-19 playbook that was newly adjusted in June is still effective for Omicron variants, Dong said. Since August, six variants have emerged across China, and most are variant BA.5 mutations, according to media reports. Dong added that compared with variant BA.2, variant BA.5 has slightly higher transmission and significantly enhanced immune escape ability, which could increase the risk of re-infection, posing greater challenges to the country's COVID-19 handling. In response to public concerns over Xizang's handling of COVID-19, Guo Yanhong, an official from the NHC, said at the press conference that Xizang has the ability to cope with COVID-19 flare-ups. She revealed that the State Council, China's cabinet, has dispatched COVID-19 working groups composed of testing staff, medical experts and epidemiologists to Xizang. To help Hainan, which has reported more than 2,000 cases so far, Guo said more than 10,000 medical and health workers from 19 provinces and municipalities have been dispatched to the province, expressing confidence toward its handling of COVID-19. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) 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. PITTSFIELD Actors rehearsing for an annual Shakespeare performance were harassed three times in the past week during rehearsals at Pittsfields The Common, prompting them to seek help from police. Shakespeare in the Park will still take place in free performances at The Common, starting at 7 p.m. Thursday. Quote The first incident happened Aug. 3 around 6 p.m., when a group of "male and females" on bikes with backpacks started fights with Shakespeare in the Park staff, according to Pittsfield Police Department report logs. Enrico Spada, founder and director of the program, said the incidents have been dealt with and are not a continuing cause of concern for the company. The first incident happened Aug. 3 around 6 p.m., when a group of male and females on bikes with backpacks started fights with Shakespeare in the Park staff, according to Pittsfield Police Department report logs. Actors told The Eagle that members of the group appeared to be in their teens. According to the log, Officer Jennifer Carr said the group scattered upon arrival by police. Officers were able to speak to a few of the young people, and got them to move along. The actors were unable to provide identification for individual members of the group. There was another incident Monday, when one member of the group showed up with his dog around 6:30 p.m., leading to the cast and staff retreating into the Zion Lutheran Church on First Street at the edge of The Common and again calling Pittsfield police. There was no physical altercation. And again on Tuesday, the same group member started to circle the Shakespeare in the Park company members around 8 p.m. Spada said Lt. Jeffrey Bradford talked to the unidentified person and his mother Tuesday about his presence there. Performances of The Comedy of Errors start Thursday as planned. Spada said the company has been in close contact with Pittsfield police to shape a safety plan. Were feeling confident towards the event. There will be a police presence, so everyone can feel safe during the show just like there has been in other events this summer like Third Thursdays, he said. PITTSFIELD Berkshire District Attorney candidate Timothy Shugrues campaign finances outpace incumbent DA Andrea Harringtons campaign finances by a ratio of about 2 to 1. That data comes from the states Office of Campaign and Political Finance, which hosts a trove of information on the countys best funded primary contest. Individual donations to Shugrues campaign now number $78,935, not including a $25,010 loan the candidate wrote to his campaign in April to kick off donations. Donations to Harringtons campaign total about $37,258, not including a $7,000 recent loan Harrington made to her campaign. Shugrue, a local defense attorney, is outspending Harrington in the district attorney campaigns as well. From April when Shugrue began reporting contributions and expenditures to August, his campaign spent about $34,662, or about a third of the funds hes raised in this election cycle. Harrington reported about $13,425 in expenditures in that period and about $8,972 between the start of the year and April. That brings the district attorneys total use of funds to about half of what shes raised since the start of the year. Having trouble viewing this chart? Visit this coverage at berkshireeagle.com. Who are the donors? To date, 478 people have contributed to the Shugrue campaign and 135 to the Harrington campaign. For both candidates, that support has a strong home base in Berkshire County, with 87 percent of Shugrues donors and 67 percent of Harringtons donors listing a county residence on their donation information. When it comes to out-of-state donations, Shugrue and Harrington have produced almost equal support. Shugrue reported $4,000 in contributions from 21 donors. Harrington has reported $3,570 in donations from 13 donors. Data from the office shows that when it comes to the money game, Pittsfield appears to be a stronghold for Shugrue. More than 230 residents of the countys largest city have donated money to the Shugrue campaign. Seventeen Pittsfielders have contributed to Harringtons campaign. Having trouble viewing this chart? Visit this coverage at berkshireeagle.com.Throughout the campaign, Shugrue has touted his connections with the countys legal and law enforcement community. The donor information backs Shugrues claims. Nearly 70 attorneys, police officers, probation officers, paralegals, and judges have contributed to Shugrues campaign, including those who are both active and retired. Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler is among them. Harrington has received donations from 24 attorneys, including former Gov. Deval Patrick, former Attorney General Scott Harsbarger and Governors Council candidate Jeffrey Morneau. None of Harringtons donors were listed as police officers or probation officers. Wheres the money going? Consultants have been the big ticket spend for both campaigns. Shugrue paid CK Strategies LLC of Boston just over $15,000 in June. Harrington has put money toward work with two Boston-based campaign finance firms, DLM Strategies ($8,000) and Chick Montana Group (about $3,600). The remainder of Shugrues spending has gone to lawn signs ($7,251), bulk mailing ($3,209), food for campaign events ($2,750) and the rental of headquarter space ($1,500). The Harrington campaigns other expenditures cover a range of low-level costs related to sign printing, donation processing fees and email campaigns. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PRAGUE (AP) Oil shipments from Russia through a critical pipeline to several European countries resumed after a problem over payments for transit was resolved, Slovakias Economy Minister Richard Sulik said on Wednesday. Oil is already on Slovakia territory, Sulik said on Facebook. He gave no further details. But no oil has reached the neighboring Czech Republic yet, the countrys Mero pipeline operator said, and Hungary also was still to receive deliveries by Wednesday evening. Russian state pipeline operator Transneft said Tuesday it halted shipments through the southern branch of the Druzhba, or Friendship, pipeline, which runs through Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The northern leg of the Druzhba pipeline, which runs through Belarus to Poland and Germany, was unaffected, Transneft said. Transneft cited complications due to European Union sanctions for its action on Aug. 4, saying its payment to the companys Ukrainian counterpart was refused. Earlier Wednesday, Sulik said the payments would be made by Slovak refiner Slovnaft after both the Russian and Ukrainian sides agreed to the solution. Slovnaft is owned by Hungarys MOL energy group. MOL confirmed the money has been transferred. But Slovnaft spokesman Anton Molnar said the deal covered only shipments to Slovakia and Hungary and not to the Czech Republic. Czech Industry and Trade Minister Jozef Sikela said his country has joined forces with Polish authorities to look for options to resume oil shipments to the Czech Republic. Two Czech oil refiners, including the one in Litvinov that processes Russian oil, are owned by Polands oil and energy giant PKN Orlen. Sikela didnt provide more details. Slovakia receives practically all its oil through the Druzhba pipeline. Sulik said the payment is worth some 910 million euros (up to $10.2 million). He said his country would work on a long-term solution to the problem which he said was caused by the refusal of an unnamed bank in Western Europe to transfer the money due to the sanctions imposed by the EU on Russia for its war against Ukraine. I wouldnt look for a political context behind it, theres none, Sulik said. However, Simone Tagliapietra, an energy expert at the Bruegel think tank in Brussels, said Russia has weaponized natural gas heading to Europe by claiming technical issues, and this opens questions on whether it might now do the same with oil. Russia has blamed equipment repairs for its decision to slash flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, whose government has called it a political move to sow uncertainty and push up prices amid the war in Ukraine. EU leaders agreed in May to embargo most Russian oil imports by the end of the year as part of the blocs sanctions over Moscows invasion of Ukraine. The embargo covers Russian oil brought in by sea, but allowed temporary Druzhba pipeline shipments to Hungary and certain other landlocked countries in central Europe, such as Slovakia and the Czech Republic. These countries are very dependent on Russian oil and as such they might face shortages in the short term should the interruption be lasting, Tagliapietra said. Some drivers in Hungary were anticipating that on Wednesday, prompting MOL to appeal to the public asking customers to reduce their petrol purchases. For now, I keep trying to keep my cars tank topped up, so I dont run out of fuel. And then well see, said Erzsebet Kovacs. ___ Courtney Bonnell in London and video journalist Bela Szandelszky in Budapest, Hungary, contributed. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices The initiative benefited 400+ underserved populations in the region Mumbai-based startup Karkinos Healthcare, a purpose-driven oncology platform in partnership with TradeIndia, hosted a community outreach camp for cancer screening and early detection services. The initiative is aimed to help eliminate cervical cancer through extensive cancer screening and treatment for the population in Delhi- NCR region. Statistics say that 1 in 10 women test positive for Cervical Cancer in India making it the second most common form of cancer in women; even though it can be completely prevented. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) estimates, there will be a 12 per cent rise in cancer cases in India by the next five years and also indicates that the most common form of cancer will be breast cancer, cervical cancer and oral cancer. This initiative focuses on creating awareness, empowering women for cancer screening and also emphasising the need for early detection. Through this initiative, Karkinos is on the journey to screen as many people and also eliminate cervical cancer as a threat in India we could look at reversing the cancer numbers, by providing a sustainable and long-lasting solution for its treatment. 31-year-old Sowetan musician, Jamie, who appeared in Chicken Licken's Love Me Tender Burger TV ad, has finally found love in his soul mate, Sive. Image supplied. Jamie, who appeared in Chicken Lickens Love Me Tender Burger TV ad, has finally found love in his soul mate, Sive It's almost crazy how unconventional it was for me to find Sive. She's such a cool human, the conversations I've had with her leave me with such a bomb-diggity feeling that I want to be a better version of myself. Says Jamie. Just days after the ad was aired thousands of hopeful South Africans signed up to the dating app, Tender, launched especially for Jamie, to stand a chance of being a perfect match. Love Me Tender Competition was fierce but, in the end, there could be only one. The final three were all wonderful humans, and it was difficult having to break hearts. But I am very happy and content with my choice. Sive fits my ideal woman in that she is kind, smart, beautiful, and funny. Sive is revealed to the world in the conclusion of the Love Me Tender TV ad, which aired on 21 July 2022. From the traffic lights to the clouds, from the bikers to the air dancers, everyone seemed to have found their someone, who now also includes Jamie. At the end of the commercial, he finds himself sitting on a bench waving to Sive, who runs over to share his Love Me Tender burger from Chicken Licken. Integrated campaign The integrated campaign ran for eight weeks and included social media, digital, outdoor, TV and radio. The public was able to vote for their best matches, as did Jamie. The campaign was done by creative partner Joe Public, and production company Star Films Director Tebza and cast coordinator Mlindelwa Mahlangu. The TV ad sees Jamie waking up in his home, walking down the street he lives on, and catching a taxi to work just like he does every day. It even co-stars some of his family and friends. On his journey, it seems like love is all around him. In fact, the only person that looks like they need love, is Jamie. This is painfully pointed out by his inner voice, played by the wonderfully euphonious Msaki, who follows him wherever he goes singing her rendition of What Jamie needs now, is love, sweet love. Everyone working on this campaign has been rooting for Jamie. We set out to find one guy love and we literally did it. Its an incredible feeling and we couldnt be happier for him, shares Gareth OCallagan, who is the integrated creative director at Joe Public. Its so rewarding to work on a campaign and physically see a result beyond just spreadsheets and numbers. Every campaign should be executed with as much love as this one, says OCallagan. Jamie shares this advice for anyone who is looking for love to remember, that the road to love is paved with genuineness. The Local Fashion Police online competition was launched in Johannesburg on 10 August 2022. Members of the public have until the end of the day on 7 October 2022 to post photos or selfies of themselves on social media wearing South African fashion be it locally made ready-to-wear garments or designer couture while showing the label of origin in the picture. Participants are also encouraged to tag the store and/or designer they bought their outfits from! If your submission catches the eye of one of the police fashion designers Biji Gibbs from Biji La Maison de Couture, Sello Modupe from Scalo, Hangwani Nengovhela from Rubicon Clothing and Gavin Rajah of Gavin Rajah Atelier you stand a chance of winning one of four R20,000 fashion vouchers, redeemable from the four designers. Its time for South African quality and design excellence to reclaim its rightful place in our hearts and minds, said Proudly SA chief marketing officer Happy maKhumalo Ngidi. Locally made is not synonymous with poor quality quite the opposite, in fact. Our clothing sector produces high-quality garments, and South Africans may be surprised to learn that much of our designer couture is affordable enough to allow you to step out for that special occasion in style. She says Proudly SA encourages people to buy local, support local jobs and celebrate South African design excellence because of the sectors vast capability for economic growth, innovation and creativity. The clothing, textiles, footwear and leather (CTFL) sector is labour-intensive and creates thousands of jobs which our country desperately needs, she adds. The garment sector in South Africa holds immense potential to create and sustain jobs. Thats why Proudly SA has launched the second instalment of Local Fashion Police to promote our clothing, textiles, footwear and leather industry, and show South Africans that wearing local is really, really lekker. So, consider this an invitation to show us how you rock that Mzansi style! Ngidi said. The Local Fashion Police 2022 online competition will culminate in an awards ceremony and fashion show on 27 October, during which the four winners will have their chance to shine and will feature a fashion showcase by the four celebrity designers. During the event, Proudly SA will also celebrate its 21st anniversary with a showcase of local music to complement the fashion on display. How to enter Food Lover's Market is serious about energy efficiency, investing in solar projects in many of its Distribution Centres (DCs). Source Zaubee Zaubee Food Lover's Market has successfully implemented solar at its new state-of-the-art Montana store in Pretoria The countrys fresh produce retailer has successfully been running a solar project at its City Deep DC in Johannesburg for the last five years to elevate its reliance on Eskom-supplied electricity to the facility. Now, it is increasing the solar generation capacity of that facility and also converting its Brackengate and Centurion Distribution Centres to solar energy, giving it a cumulative saving of 6,000 tonnes of CO per annum as well as saving a third of its electricity consumption from Eskom. Multi-million rand investment in renewable energy We aim to be the best store in every community we serve. To be a responsible neighbour in these communities means that we have to live our sustainability values in every store and Distribution Centre, says Paul Fouche, Food Lovers Market commercial director. To that end, whenever we design a new store, we look at ways to include energy-saving elements such as energy-efficient LED lights in the building design, sustainable ways to conserve water, and ways to heat or cool down our stores in an energy-efficient way, he explains. As a result, weve made a multi-million-rand investment in renewable energy by using solar power to supplement electricity at our head office DCs and certain stores, which is set to offset up 30% of our annual energy needs on these sites, he adds. Warehouses and DCs typically consume large amounts of electricity in the course of day-to-day operations. Given the energy use in these buildings and the current energy crisis in South Africa, as well as the importance of achieving sustainability goals, there is growing interest to meet electricity demand with clean, renewable energy. Solar energy is not only better for the environment, but can cut energy costs in the business significantly. The solar panels at our distribution centres typically provide around 400 to 400 MWh of electricity each year - which amounts to an energy saving of up to 30%, which is a significant reduction in energy consumption, says Fouche. State-of-the-art stores The retailer has also successfully implemented solar at its new state-of-the-art Food Lovers Market Montana store in Pretoria, when they relocated to a new site in 2021. Food Lovers Market Bothasig another world-class stand-alone store set to open end of September this year will be the next store to have a solar system installed. Food Lovers Market has been working with Energy Partners - a supplier of sustainable energy solutions - to roll out its solar and will continue to do so over the next four years, with their Cape Roasters Production business (Roasting and Packing of Nuts and Dried Fruits) and the Port Elizabeth DC in the pipeline for the next year. More efficiencies Other store efficiencies currently implemented at stores include: A hot water recovery system. High-density ceiling insulation. Polyurethane cold rooms. LED light Systems. Doors on perishable fridges. Changing refrigeration plants from simplex to multiplex (which translates into a 20% saving on electricity for these plants). Food Lovers Market partners with Terra Firma Solutions - a turnkey energy engineering solution provider - to monitor energy usage across all stores on a real-time basis. This real-time monitoring identifies spikes and nighttime usage and can measure the energy output of a store on an hourly basis. Future store efficiencies will include remote cabinet monitoring capability and ice storage systems for aircon. This all forms part of Food Lovers Markets sustainability journey, which is being spearheaded by its Earth Lovers division. All of these measures have been put in place as part of our sustainability journey, but also to save costs. We want to do what we can to improve our energy efficiency amidst a buckling power grid and exploring renewable energy is the logical and responsible next step, says Fouche. Latitudes Online and Anna Pure Organic have announced the winner of the 2022 Anna Award. Image supplied: Anna Award winner Lerato Nkosi The winner is Lerato Nkosi - who receives R100,000 cash, a one-month residency at Plaas #inplaasvan in Franschhoek, South Africa, a profile on Latitudes Online, and a years supply of Anna products. The winner was chosen from among the 12 finalists by the Anna selection committee. Finalist Sinalo Ngcaba is the winner of the Audience Award, for which Latitudes received 2,767 votes from the public. Nkosi was born in Mpumalanga, South Africa and lives and works in Johannesburg. Drawing from her experiences as a young girl growing up in a sheltered world that was created for her by her predecessors, she has developed a dynamic practice that examines the intricacies of existing in the world as a woman with the awareness that the teachings are impacting and affecting her existence. Her work employs ink and stamps as a vital, organic, multifaceted material. For Nkosi, ink and stamps are mediums that stain and certify with their contact on any surface, these materials are those that never leave a surface the same after being in contact with it. The stamp and ink are always used to verify and ordain documents of importance which grants the holder automatic approval to the decision of others, an individual of authority always handles this process. The teachings of parents onto the girl child are embedded in and never leave her the same as she previously was, with the ideas that whatsoever have been stamped and inked upon her being approved. The medium tempers heavier subjects that are faced in societies regarding the expectations of a woman. Investigating the medium allows Nkosi to overcome her daily conundrums and escape the victim mentality. To see the full list of finalists, go here. According to the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM), 6,423 workplace accidents requiring medical attention were reported in 2021. Of these reported incidents, 56 resulted in fatalities. In addition, the report indicates that 11,761 days were lost in 2021 as a result of employees being injured and five people were permanently disabled. In light of this, the Master Builders Association Western Cape (MBAWC) urges its members, employers and employees in the construction industry to prioritise safety both on and off site at all times with a view to eliminating accidents. Health and safety manager at the MBAWC, Deon Bester, says the FEM figures are concerning. Not only is any death, injury or disablement unacceptable, the downtime that occurs as a result of accidents impacts the overall delivery of projects. This is why employers and employees need to work together when it comes to health and safety compliance. The Occupational Health and Safety Act states that all employees have the right to work in a safe environment, but with that comes the responsibility of complying with the health and safety standards that have been put in place, he adds. Motor accidents one of the largest contributors A closer look at the most common accidents that occur within the construction industry reveals that motor accidents are one of the largest contributors to the issue. This is a very difficult area to control, but people who make use of company transport, especially those being transported in open vehicles, must know the rules of the road. These employees should not allow themselves to be transported in unsafe modes of transport. Employers operating these vehicles should always ensure that they abide by the requirements of the National Road Traffic Act, as well as the requirements of Section 23 of the Construction Regulations, says Bester. While many contractors and employers invest significantly in training their staff about health and safety compliance, it is up to all parties to ensure adherence to the safety learnings and on-site measures. The MBAWC offers assistance to its members to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Act. We believe that nobody should lose their life while at work, which is why we offer advice on how our members can ensure that safety is constantly prioritised both on and off site, concludes Bester. Real-time data and AI have made it possible to deliver curated content, services and products designed for individual customers, but many banks are unable or unwilling to embrace the opportunity offered by hyper-personalisation. There is no doubt that hyper-personalisation is effective. A Deloitte report on the topic points out that Amazon and Netflix have respectively derived 35% and 60% of their sales from hyper-personalised recommendations, while Starbucks incremental revenue increased three-fold, as a result of hyper-personalised offer redemptions. However, while customers seem happy enough to part with their data if they get something tailored to their needs in return, the same Deloitte paper says that 94% of banks cant deliver on hyper-personalisation. Sergio Barbosa, CIO of enterprise software development house, Global Kinetic, and CEO of its open banking platform, FutureBank Most of us are aware that a lot of information about us, our lives and our likes can be gleaned from our social media profiles. But the most insight about us often comes from how we spend our money. If you can see someone is paying school fees, for instance, it stands to reason you could be upselling them life insurance, if they dont already have. This is how financial services have been using hyper-personalisation for some time and, in a tighter economy where consumers are becoming hyper vigilant about how they spend, finding the right psychological levers will become more important than ever, says Sergio Barbosa, CIO of enterprise software development house, Global Kinetic, and CEO of its open banking platform, FutureBank. Unlocking data must be the first priority Barbosa points out that while payments should offer richer insights into individuals, our traditional payment rails and standards are well over two decades old, which is hindering the deployment of hyper-personalisation for many traditional players. The systems that most local banks use were built around twenty years ago and many banking CTOs are reluctant to swap it out. However, while the older software may ensure compliance with card and EFT payments, the information derived from these payments tends to remain locked in the system. Newer payment methods such as wallets or those triggered by QR codes offer far more granularity which is precisely what is needed to produce the information-rich data used for effective hyper personalisation, he explains. To address this challenge Barbosa says modernisation is key. There are still no regulations forcing open banking, but South African banks are having their hands forced by our ageing infrastructure. We know that the edge of the payment network is where the innovation is really happening. But without proper modernisation, traditional banks can simply not benefit from the channels, like mobile, which are capable of capturing the useful data that is needed for meaningful insights. Jailed data is useless data and banks will need to make some changes if they hope to take advantage of this revenue generator, he says. Conscious capitalism and other societal shifts Barbosa says banks and fintechs which have tapped into hyper-personalisation have tended to focus on the upsell opportunities and while this makes great business sense, new market forces and looming stagflation could shift customer behaviour. One trend that can benefit from the insights of hyper-personalisation is a more philanthropic, environmentally conscious consumer. When it comes to sustainability, banks have always had to invest a good deal into reputational management to ensure they have the trust of their customers, most especially their younger clientele which have a more philanthropic mindset. Millennials, for instance, seem to outshine the other generations when it comes to charity, with studies during the pandemic showing that three out of four millenials have donated to a non-profit or assisted a family member. Banks, like every other brand, have a unique opportunity to tap into a new way of doing business. More and more consumers are becoming sensitive to who they support. Consumers now want to spend their money with brands that reflect their values. Conscious capitalism where brands act ethically and dont relentlessly pursue profit over purpose is just one example of what modern customers are looking for in a financial institution, he says. Unfortunately fintechs have a much easier time creating products and services that resonate with environmentally and ethically conscious customers. However, Barbosa says that by understanding customers better, banks can see who donates regularly and can offer value added services that allows them to support the kind of charities they are interested in and this can even be tailored to allow bankers to donate to local NGOs, making a big impact while boosting customer loyalty. Never before have we experienced such rapid shifts in consumer behaviour and as our markets become more unpredictable, having your finger on the pulse will be the best way to remain relevant. Building a better bank must start by ensuring it can quickly and easily access data as well as quickly and safely integrate with third parties. The immense benefits of hyper-personalisation begins with modernisation, he sums up. About Global Kinetic Global Kinetic is a premium software business with extensive experience and expertise in enterprise grade software engineering and digital transformation projects. Trusted across multiple global industries, and with deep expertise in banking and fintech, Global Kinetic has pioneered innovative solutions to complex enterprise projects for almost 20 years. A matured and perfected managed team approach guarantees high quality and predictability, augmented by unique strategic technology consulting services and software delivery accelerators. With just over 100 permanent employees in Cape Town and Palo Alto, Global Kinetic is an evangelist of agile, cloud, mobile and enterprise software engineering. A deceased estate comes into existence when a person dies and leaves property or a will. Such an estate must then be administered and distributed in terms of the deceased's will or, if there is no valid will, in terms of the Intestate Succession Act (Act 81 of 1987). Pearl Scheltema, CEO, Fitzanne Estates The estate of a deceased person must be reported to the Master of the High Court within 14 days of the date of death. Anyone who oversees the deceaseds property or is in possession of their will may report their death by submitting a completed death notice to the Master. The Master of the High Court appoints an executor to manage the estate of the deceased when a person passes away. The only person who is lawfully authorised and empowered to manage the deceaseds assets is the executor. The goal is to safeguard the heirs financial interests and the orderly winding up of the deceaseds financial affairs. No one is authorised to represent the deceaseds estate until an executor is named. This means, among other things, that no one may sign any documents relating to a transfer of an immovable property owned by the deceased, including a sale agreement. In South Africa, when the registered owner of immovable property has died, the property needs to be transferred to someone else. Important: All powers of attorney automatically expire upon death, preventing anyone from acting under any of them. A power of attorney to register a transfer of property would fall under this category. What happens when the owner of a sectional title unit dies? When the owner of a property in a sectional title dies and is no longer available to fulfill his duties and responsibilities, ownership of the section remains with the deceased estate. The executor of a deceased estate, acting in the best interests of that estate, could attend general meetings, participate in discussions, and vote on matters as if he or she were the registered owner of the property. The executor is responsible for fulfilling any outstanding duties that the deceased owner may have had as a scheme owner. These commitments might include finishing any physical improvements to the property, such as an addition to the section or a redesign of an exclusive use area. Other responsibilities could include participation in body corporate decisions, particularly those that could have an impact on the units value, like voting in a resolution to approve an enhancement to the common property or a change to the schemes regulations. During this time, the executor would be liable for any debts that the owner could have accumulated, including paying any fines or special levies that might have been in effect as well as the monthly levy. Under these circumstances, the payment of special levies is an interesting point. The owner of the property in a sectional title at the time the trustees adopt a resolution imposing a special levy is liable for paying that special levy. Where normal levies become the responsibility of a new owner when the property is sold under normal circumstances, a special levy remains the responsibility of the original owner of a deceased estate. This means the executor is responsible for paying the balance of the special levy from the funds within the estate unless a written agreement is signed by the new owner to accept responsibility for payment of any contributions as from the date of transfer. To better understand the roles and responsibilities of trustees, Fitzanne Estates highly recommends that all scheme executives undergo scheme executive training. Scheme executive training covers all areas of the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act 8 of 2011, ensuring that trustees are up to date with all relevant legislation. Purchasing a property from a deceased estate The property in a deceased estate frequently provides good value for the money. Buyers who are interested in purchasing a home from a deceased estate should be aware of what to anticipate as this procedure can occasionally be drawn-out and challenging. As soon as the Master of the High Court issues the letters of executorship, the executor of the deceased estate is appointed to manage the estate. The transfer or sale of any property is one of the executor's administrative responsibilities. A notice to debtors and creditors must be published in a local newspaper and the Government Gazette in certain types of deceased estates, requesting that they file their claims with the executor within 30 days of the advertisement's publication. To find out if there is any property in the estate and whether it will be sold, those who are interested in buying something from a deceased person's estate can get in touch with the executor. Most real estate sales agents are also aware of properties that form part of a deceased estate that will come onto the market. In order to protect the interests of the heirs, the property must be sold for its fair market value, irrespective of whether a real estate sales agent is involved or not. The main drawback of buying property from a deceased estate is that the buyer must be aware of the formalities that could cause prolonged delays. One of these procedural delays is obtaining the Masters consent, which is required for the sale of any property from a deceased estate. Because no one has the legal authority to act on behalf of the estate prior to the Master issuing letters of executorship, the sale of immovable property in a deceased estate is handled by the executor only after those letters are issued. A real estate sales agent or an auctioneer will be hired by the executor to market and sell the property. The executor can also sell the property on the open market. After the property has been sold, the signed agreement of sale is given to a conveyancer who will handle the property transfer. The conveyancer shall obtain the consent of all the heirs in the estate and deliver the same to the Master of the High Court with other documents in support thereof. The Master will review the paperwork before making a decision regarding the sale. Unfortunately, the Master's office does not have a set turnaround time for issuing the consent, which aggravates buyers and sellers. Therefore, we want to make sure you are aware of this aspect of buying property from a decedent's estate. Additionally, it should be noted that once the Master's approval is finally granted, the transfer process will proceed normally. Due to the complex nature of purchasing a property in a deceased estate, its highly recommended that purchasers make use of both a real estate sales agent and a conveyancer. Having a trustworthy and reliable team on your side makes all the difference. Deceased estate transfers When an immovable property's registered owner passes away, the property must be transferred to another person, usually a family member. The property must usually be transferred to an heir or beneficiary named in the decedent's will, but it may also be done in accordance with the Intestate Succession Act in some cases. Immovable property transfers from the decedent's estate to the heirs or to a third-party buyer are complicated processes that are best handled by conveyancing attorneys with experience in such matters. Transfer of immovable property to a beneficiary in a deceased estate The appointed executor of a deceased estate is the only person who is lawfully permitted by the Master of the High Court to handle the assets of the deceased. The executor is required to process the transfer of the immovable property in terms of the last will and testament of the deceased. When there is no will, the provisions of the Intestate Succession Act 81 of 1987, as amended, will determine to whom the immovable property must be transferred. Under these circumstances, no transfer duty is payable. However, the deceased estate will bear the conveyancing costs including costs such as the Deeds Office fee. The deceased estate will also bear the cost of obtaining rates and levy clearance certificates, valid until after the anticipated date of registration. The transfer cannot be completed before the liquidation and distribution accounts have laid for inspection by the general public. The conveyancer handling the transfer will need to certify in terms of Section 42 (1) of the Administration of Estates Act 66 of 1965, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the Administration of Estates Act), that the transfer is in terms of the liquidation and distribution account. The liquidation and distribution account must first be approved by the Master of the High Court and have laid for inspection. Sale by the executor to a third-party purchaser If the beneficiaries agree, the executor of the deceased estate may sell immovable property to a third-party purchaser directly. The Offer to Purchase/Sale Agreement must be signed by the executor on behalf of the deceased estate, and the executor must also sign the transfer documents in due course. According to Section 13(1) of the Administration of Estates Act, a person who has not received Letters of executorship is not permitted to sign an agreement. Before the executor signs any Offer to Purchase/Sale Agreement, the executor must first be appointed in writing in order to comply with Section 2(1) of the Alienation of Land Act 68 of 1981, as amended. To confirm that the Master has no objections to the said transfer, the conveyancer must obtain a Section 42 (2) Administration of Estates Act Certificate from the High Court where the estate was reported. The purchaser would typically be responsible for paying the transfer costs, including transfer duty. The costs of obtaining rates and levy clearance certificates that are valid up until registration and of canceling any bonds that have been registered over the property would be borne by the estate. What happens to the tenant when a landlord dies? Tenants are usually not required to move out upon the death of the landlord because lease agreements typically continue after his or her passing. After paying out the legatees, the executor of the landlord's estate will take over estate administration and transfer the "residue" to the heirs. The lease's rights and obligations will also be transferred to the heirs through this process. Although it is uncommon, it is possible for the lease agreement to state expressly that the lease expires upon the death of the landlord. If this is the case, the tenant will, at the very least, need to be given a reasonable amount of time to vacate the property. At best, if the property has also passed to the heirs, they should let the lease run its course. If they decide to end the lease agreement with the tenant, it should be done with reasonable time to vacate as well as possible provisions made for damages, in other words, the tenants may have a claim against the heirs for early termination of the lease agreement. Most commonly, however, the heirs will simply "inherit" the lease as it is and become the legal successors to the deceased landlord, meaning that there will be no immediate change for the tenant. And even if the heirs decide to sell the property, the new owners will usually have to let the existing lease run its course before they can ask the tenant to leave or negotiate new terms. While the estate is still being wrapped up, the monthly rental fees should be paid to the executor of the estate. Conclusion As seen above, the executor in a deceased estate is the only person authorised by law to transfer immovable property of behalf of a deceased estate. The executor also bears the responsibility to ensure that his/her duties and responsibilities are complied with. It is always advisable that an attorney be instructed to assist with the administration of the deceased estate and that a conveyancer be instructed timeously to assist with any transfer of immovable property. The Master of the High Court has offices in all major cities in South Africa. Master of the High Court helpline: +27(0)123151207 or email az.vog.ecitsuj@retsamfeihc. Since its establishment in the 1950s, commercial radio in South Africa has been at the forefront of technological innovation - and Algoa FM has been among the leaders since privatisation 26 years ago. Lesley Geyer, marketing manager at Algoa FM We appreciate the advantages of technology, and have embraced the full spectrum of broadcasting mediums, including online streaming and through DSTV, says marketing manager Lesley Geyer. Algoa FMs headquarters in the Baakens Valley of Gqeberha is home to the latest broadcasting and recording technology, as well as sophisticated building management systems. The premises was designed to generate its own power through solar panels and to store water run-off from the roof as well as all condensate generated by its advanced air-conditioning system. Algoa FM has consistently been one of the most innovative companies in the Eastern Cape. That is why we support the next generation of disruptors who are creating the building blocks for a new digital economy at the Propella Business Incubator in Nelson Mandela Bay, adds Geyer. Algoa FM provides strategic support at board level, and also uses the power of radio and its online platforms to connect the innovators with potential customers, partners and funders. Many of the Propella incubatees are working on projects that are close to Algoa FMs heart as they support our socio-economic development pillar of education, says Geyer. Propella is a business support initiative whose main function is to support small and medium companies through incubation and acceleration processes in the technology and ICT sector. The aim is to improve their sustainability and delivery to their clients, says Aphelele Jonas, marketing coordinator of the Propella team with Algoa FM. The partnership with Algoa FM allows Propella to provide additional support to the ICT/Tech-based businesses during their incubation programme. The partnership agreement provides the incubator itself, along with ICT ventures which are in the commercialisation stage of the incubation programme, with on-air radio time, website, and social media advertising and exposure. To date, the partnership with Algoa FM has increased Propellas ICT programme reach on a large scale and has assisted 12 ICT entrepreneurs with advertising and securing their first client, he says. Being featured on Algoa FM provides the start-up enterprises with credibility. Our research tells us that Algoa FM listeners support businesses and brands they know and trust, says Geyer. As the leading media business in the region, we view it as a privilege and a responsibility to help other businesses develop and succeed. Through Propella we are engaging and working with a myriad of young innovators who are shaping the new economy, adds Algoa FM managing director Alfie Jay. Incubatees supported by Algoa FM include Urban Tech, which is transforming the coffee industry by reinventing the way customers order coffee; Get Interview, which is pioneering online job interviews; Qlik Quote, which turns the market-place on its head by providing a platform for buyers rather than sellers; and Kamatel, which specialises in ICT infrastructure, connectivity, installation and solutions. There are many other incubatees who see opportunities in the new economy which they are helping to create. Algoa FM has provided the initial exposure to the market which they need to take their ventures to the next level, says Jonas. Vodacom's managing executive for group strategy and innovation, Mamello Selamolela, is a warrior in the war that is being waged against women in South Africa. She's a fighter because she is not silent about the ongoing turmoil in our country for women and is aware of what needs to be done to curb the mayhem. Selamolela's advocacy for women's rights directly translates to her job, where she proactively empowers females. Mamello Selamolela We recently caught up with Selamolela to find out more about herself, Vodacom's role in empowering women in the tech sector, and what it takes to reach the top of the telecoms sector. Tell us about yourself and your career journey... As a Black child growing up in South Africa in the 1980s, my parents were determined that I would not be exposed to apartheids Bantu education system. At that time, church-run independent schools were the only other education option for Black children, so we relocated to the East Rand and my parents sacrificed everything to afford to send me to St Columbas School in Benoni. This gave me a solid foundation in accessing learning opportunities and supported my sense of intellectual curiosity, which has significantly shaped my career. After completing my Masters Degree in Economics at the University of Cape Town, I joined a consulting firm - McKinsey and Company - as a business analyst. This gave me exposure to multiple industries and a wide range of business functions, from strategy to operations. The firm then provided me with an opportunity to study for an MBA at London Business School. After about three and a half years in the UK, my husband and I returned to South Africa where I continued to work at McKinsey in an engagement manager role, consulting with various African companies on relevant issues to the continent, such as strategy, operations, and organisational effectiveness in diverse industries including education, healthcare, energy and logistics. What prompted you to enter the telecoms sector in 2015? Having worked across various sectors with a diverse range of companies in a consulting role, I wanted to focus on one industry, where I could build a deeper level of expertise and experience. Importantly, I wanted to work in an industry that had an impact beyond its commercial bottom line and made a tangible and lasting impact on society. I had no significant experience in the telecoms sector, but I was intrigued by the power of mobile technology to transform lives and contribute to sustainable socioeconomic development, especially in Africa. I was working for another mobile network operator when, in 2016, Vodacom approached me to head up its group strategy and shape Vodacoms transformation into a digital company. It took some convincing, but group CEO Shameel Joosub was persuasive, and I was excited at the prospect of playing a part in defining Vodacoms future at a time when new innovations in mobile technology, such as OTT [over-the-top media service] and digital payments, were changing the future of the industry. I have had an incredible five and a half years at Vodacom, including two and a half years as managing executive of central region, where I worked with an incredible team to use the power of technology to transform lives, businesses and public sector organisations in Free State and Northern Cape. I am now the managing executive for Vodacom Group Strategy and Innovation, working with all our markets across the African footprint to deliver on our Vision 2025 strategy. What do you enjoy most about working in the tech field as a woman? Being a woman in a leadership role means I am able to bring a different voice and perspective into the boardroom, allowing for more balanced dialogue and decision-making. Working in a traditionally male-dominated industry, I have both an obligation and an opportunity to be a part of other womens success in the organisation. Even though there are still too few women in tech and especially in senior leadership roles, its been amazing to see that number grow and to have more role models emerge for younger women and girls to aspire to. It has also been rewarding to see the impact of our technology on empowering other women, which has benefits for greater society as a whole. For example, by providing digital solutions to entrepreneurs and to female farmers, we give them access to tools that boost their productivity and financial inclusion, which in turn benefits their families, their communities and the socioeconomic development of our country and continent. What sparked your passion for the development and success of young South African women? My parents did a fantastic job in very trying circumstances. I had the best education but even so, I didnt always have access to networks, input and advice on how to really navigate the world of work. There are a lot of ground-breakers like me who have no frame of reference when they start careers. There are rules of engagement, especially in a corporate environment, which are not transparent, and a poor understanding of how businesses and corporates actually function can put young people at risk of not being able to progress and reach their potential. Fortunately, I have been blessed with incredible mentors, sponsors, experiences, opportunities and wisdom in my own journey, and I want to share what I and other ground-breakers have learned in the trenches, to hopefully equip, educate and empower others for their journeys. How is Vodacom supporting and empowering women in the telecoms industry? Female representation remains a challenge for our business and the broader telco sector, which is why Vodacom supports gender empowerment initiatives both in and outside the organisation. We have to start at the beginning, by encouraging and empowering young women to aspire to careers in tech. One of these initiatives is Vodacoms CodeLikeAGirl Programme, initiated in 2017, which is aimed at girls aged between 14 and 18. The girls learn how to code and develop soft skills to stimulate their interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers. More than just giving the girls exposure to digital skills, the programme helps instil confidence in working with technology, as well as providing a platform to engage with and inspire other girls interested in STEM, and to meet women in tech who serve as powerful role models. I am also particularly proud of Vodacoms Bursary programme. As a bursary beneficiary myself, I know the impact of this type of support, especially for young women. Every year, Vodacom South Africa provides funding for students from disadvantaged communities, giving them an opportunity to pursue qualifications in STEM disciplines and helping to address the skills shortage in South Africa. This past financial year we awarded bursaries to 80 full-time students, with approximately 60% going to female recipients. In addition to increasing representation, we need to help women to advance to senior levels of leadership and impact. Within our own organisation, we are strongly focused on building future female leaders. We have scaled our Womens Network Forum, which aims to use various development programmes to advance women to senior and top management levels. To promote the success of women in the workplace, Vodacom also focuses on equal pay, supporting work-life balance, and striving for gender balance across all levels and areas of the business. Why do you support womens empowerment and gender equality? I really wish we lived in a world where womens empowerment and gender equality were no longer challenges that require specific attention. I wish we could say that we had fulfilled the dreams of our grandmothers and mothers before us and attained the equality that they fought and sacrificed for. Unfortunately, we have not. I believe our generation, therefore, has a responsibility to continue the fight for equality. Those of us in leadership have an even greater responsibility to create an environment that will enable and accelerate success for the women who are looking up to us. Our daughters need to live in a world where the concept of male-dominated does not exist and where they are free to dream, aspire and achieve on their own terms. In South Africa specifically, we are living in the middle of a war that has been declared on women and children whose lives are at risk every day through gender-based violence. We, therefore, need to escalate and amplify everything we are doing to empower women and ensure they are equal citizens who have the right to safely enjoy everything this country has to offer and live to their full potential. Im proud of Vodacoms commitment to the safety of women through the work we do to end gender-based violence and support survivors across all our markets. Can you share some personal tips for getting to the top in your industry? My first piece of advice for young professionals is to understand that the trajectory of your career is established in the first 10 years - its incredibly important how you start out on your career path, as that sets you on a course that can be difficult to adjust later on. You need to decide early on what your ambition is, what type of environment you want to work in and who you want to be exposed to in terms of leaders and managers. My second tip is that simply showing up is not enough to get to the top if you want more, you have to put in more. You have to be willing to go above and beyond your basics of your role, and outside your comfort zone. By actively seeking access to learning opportunities and engaging with different people in and out of the company, youre broadening your capabilities and demonstrating to the decision-makers in your organisation and your industry that you are willing and able to do more. I cannot overstate the importance of embracing a growth mindset and cultivating curiosity. Our industry is fast-paced and evolving at an unprecedented pace. In order to remain relevant and continue to grow, we all need to be deliberate about learning, growth and continuous reinvention. Take every learning opportunity, whether its formal classroom training, new on-the-job experiences, or a voracious appetite for reading - learning has to be a life-long pursuit. Finally, find sponsors. Mentorship is great, but you need sponsors in order to realise your ambitions. No one is self-made. We all need people who are willing to put their capital on the line social capital, influence capital, intellectual capital, time capital and even financial capital in order to invest in your success. What words of inspiration do you have for women in the tech field? Its important to understand and believe that you have a seat at the table because you deserve to be there. You have unique strengths, experiences and insights that can contribute to building a more inclusive, innovative industry and society. We need to support each other as women in tech so that we can all maximise our success, attain our highest aspirations and reach the very pinnacle of our chosen professions. If you want to be a CA(SA) but do not know how you will afford the study fees, applications for Thuthuka's 2023 intake close at the end of August. For the past 20 years, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica) has been working through its Thuthuka Bursary to fix the member demographics of the chartered accountancy profession to be reflective of those of the country. The Thuthuka Bursary funds academically talented African and Coloured students who want to become CAs(SA) and is one of the countrys most sought after bursaries in the chartered accounting profession. The bursary covers tuition, books, meals, residence fees and accommodation and is also an integrated and holistic approach that provides bursary recipients with wrap around support in the form of, among others: academic support, including various academic enrichment programmes such as additional tutorials, study skills workshops and more social and emotional support work-readiness and life skills training mentoring and counselling and access to dedicated programme manager exposure to experienced chartered accountants and business leaders as mentors Thuthuka students remain fully funded for all the years that they continue to pass their degree within the requisite time the programme follows, that is within the three years required for an undergraduate degree and also, eligible students that meet the requirements for CTA are also funded. Year on year, this model has made Thuthuka funded students more successful than their counterparts. It is also this approach that makes Thuthuka students ready to face the challenges of the workplace. To qualify for the Thuthuka bursary, you must: be a South African citizen; be black African or Coloured; be either in Grade 12, out of school (with matric) for no more than two years or a university student currently studying a CA-stream BCom degree; have obtained at least 60% (5 or above on the NSC scale of achievement) in Mathematics in Grade 11 or Matric (Maths Literacy and Technical Maths learners are NOT considered); have applied to or are currently studying a BCom Accounting (CA stream) degree at a Thuthuka partner university. The full list of universities offering the Thuthuka programme can be found on Saicas website; come from a family that has a combined income of R350,000 per annum or less; and write and pass the National Benchmark Test (NBT). To apply, visit www.thuthukabursaryfund.co.za and submit your application by latest 31 August 2022. From her home in Soweto to the bright lights of New York city, Siphesihle Sitole, a beneficiary of the Cyril Ramaphosa Education Trust (CRET), proves the organisation's selection of students based on potential. This vibrant graduate has been selected to participate in the Fordham University Emerging Markets and Country Risk Analysis programme and spent six weeks in the Big Apple. Now, the programme shifts to Pretoria for the final leg, with the international cohort coming to South Africa in August. Siphesihle Sitole The all-expenses-paid programme focuses on upskilling Bachelor of Commerce graduates by training them in Emerging Markets and Country Risk Analysis content, including financial accounting, economics and international investments. The selection process for the Fordham University programme is strict, and Siphesihle passed a series of interviews before being chosen as a participant. She graduated with a general Bachelor of Commerce degree along with an honours degree in marketing and business science. She is currently completing her post-graduate diploma in property development and management. Fordham University already has a relationship with the University of Pretoria and, because of the success of a previous CRET student in the programme, extended the application opportunity to CRET students as well. During her six weeks abroad, her first time travelling internationally, Siphesihle soaked up the cultural exchange and gained valuable knowledge, both academically and personally. The programme participants explored various boroughs of New York City along with trips to New Jersey and the city of Boston. Along with a theoretical component, they were afforded the chance to see the practical application of the coursework by visiting multinational businesses. I feel very empowered, and my knowledge base has expanded. We did site visits at international companies and got to meet top executives of organisations who shared how they operate and created policies based on international guidelines. We had great presentations and we had to complete analyses of various countries in terms of political risk. Although were two thirds of the way through the programme, I can analyse political events with a broader view, and I have a better understanding of the socio-economic dynamics of different communities. says Siphesihle. The time in the USA really opened my eyes. The American students are very different to South Africans, and they arent afraid to voice their opinion or discuss different points of view. A difference that stood out to me was how much history is celebrated with great fanfare and we as South Africans can learn from that, she muses. Siphesihle is excited about welcoming her new American friends and classmates to Mzansi. As part of the trip, theyll be visiting Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria where theyll be doing site visits at the South African head offices of multinational organisations, participating in lectures with local academics, and enjoying some of our fun tourist attractions. Whenever I said Im from South Africa, it was the conversation starter, and my classmates already have lists of places they want to see when theyre here. I cant wait to show them my hometown and we are all looking forward to completing our course together. Beyond the great acumen we develop through this programme, weve also built valuable connections and get to enjoy this cross continental cultural exchange. she says. Siphesihle aims to fully gain the advantages the programme offers. I believe itll make me stand out from the rest. We all have degrees, we have distinctions in our academic transcripts so, what makes you stand out? Ill have this training now, and I am so looking forward to the doors itll open in the future. she says excitedly. I want to take what Ive learnt, teach it to others and apply it in any sector where I might work. My goal is to be in the finance space, banking specifically. Were in the fourth industrial revolution, you need to adapt to whatever is new, and I want to see the growth and development in the finance sector. This programme can help me do exactly that. NWU students showcase photographic flair through exhibition titled Attached to the Soil presented by NWU Gallery, in collaboration with Vinco, the Fulbright Scholar Program and the Michigan State University. The North-West University Gallery in collaboration with Visual Narratives and Creative Outputs (Vinco), the Fulbright Scholar Program and the Michigan State University presents Attached to the Soil. The exhibition will run from 11 August to 16 September 2022 at the NWU Main Gallery. To my compatriots. I have no hesitation in saying that each one of us is as intimately attached to the soil of this beautiful country as are the famous jacaranda trees of Pretoria and the mimosa trees of the bushveld. Each time one of us touches the soil of this land, we feel a sense of personal renewal. Nelson Mandela, 10 May 1994 In 2019, Professor Peter Glendinning, Fulbright scholar and professor in art, art history, and design at Michigan State University, USA, visited several South African universities where he collaborated with staff and students on the collaborative project, Attached to the Soil. The projects title and genesis is the metaphor proposed by former president Nelson Mandela in his first words to the people of South Africa upon his inauguration in 1994. At the North-West University, Potchefstroom campus, Glendinning collaborated with students and members of the research niche Vinco to create their own photographic projects. The students were asked to develop their own metaphor derived from their perception of South Africa, to collaborate with Glendinning in recording an oral history interview regarding the insights and story of their chosen portrait subject and create a tableau portrait of the sitter in a setting that captured the metaphor and the sitters oral narrative. The product of this phase (2019) of the project was a collection of 50 portraits, each accompanied by the students metaphors and the stories of the portrait subjects. Those works comprise the content of the exhibit, Attached to the Soil. This year, in a Fulbright Specialist Project coordinated by the University of Pretoria, Glendinning will visit six South African universities where the 50 portraits and accompanying oral history accounts will be exhibited. The exhibition at NWU Gallery opens on 11 August 2022, with the launch of an exhibition catalogue, walkabouts and photography workshops for students and emerging artists. The workshop participants will be invited to create their own new projects based on the original concept, including soil-related metaphors, oral history interviews, and locations portraits of subjects with the relevant life experiences. The new projects will be exhibited worldwide on the digital platform of the Global Youth Advancement Network (GYAN), hosted by the Michigan State University International Studies and Programmes (https://globalyouth.isp.msu.edu/). Attached to the Soil Exhibition title: Venue: NWU Art Gallery (North-West University, Building E7, Hoffman Street, Potchefstroom) Time: 6pm 10pm Opening date: 11 August 2022 Closing date: 16 September 2022 Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries SUBSCRIBE Search match: All Words Any Words Exact Phrase Custom Date posted: All Last day Last 3 days Last 7 days Last 14 days Last 30 days Last 60 days Highest qualification: All Not Applicable Matric Diploma Degree Honours Masters Doctorate Experience level: All Student Junior Junior/Mid Mid Mid/Senior Senior Management (Jnr - Mid, 1-4 yrs) Management (Snr - Executive, 5+ yrs) Remuneration: All salaries GreaterThan5000 GreaterThan10000 GreaterThan15000 GreaterThan20000 GreaterThan30000 GreaterThan40000 GreaterThan50000 Position type: All Permanent Contract Temp BEE policy: N/A BEE Salary specified jobs only: In the immediate aftermath of the January 6 riot at the US Capitol, many pundits and politicians were eager to describe the events of that day as a coup detat in which the nation was this close to having some sort of junta void the 2020 election and take power in Washington. The headlines at the time were unambiguous in their assertions that the riot was a coup or attempted coup. For example, the riot was A Very American Coup, according to a headline at the New Republic. This Is a Coup, insisted a writer at Foreign Policy. The Atlantic presented photos purported to be Scenes from an American Coup. This general tactic has not changed since then. Just this month, for example, Vanity Fair referred to the January 6 riots as Trumps Attempted Coup Last month, Vox called it Trumps Cuckoo Coup. Moreover, anti-Trump politicians have repeatedly referred to the riot as a coup, and attempted coup has become the standard the January 6 panels standard term of choice. At the time, it was obvious that if the riot was a coup at all, it failed utterly. Thus, the debate is now over whether or not it was an attempted coup. On January 8, 2021, I argued the riot was not an attempted coup. Now, eighteen months later, after months of investigation and testimony before the January 6 committee, weve learned new details about the events that occurred that day. And now I can say with even more confidence that the January 6 riot was not an attempted coup. It was not an attempted coup because it simply wasnt the sort of event that historians and political scientiststhe people who actually study coupsgenerally define as a coup. Even the Justice Department admits that virtually all of the rioters were, at most, guilty only of crimes such as trespassing and disorderly conduct. And the tiny minority charged with actual conspiracyeleven peoplelacked any sort of institutional backing or the support that is necessary for a coup attempt to take place. Nor is this just some meaningless debate over semantics. Words matters and definitions matter. This should be abundantly clear to anyone in our current age of debates over what terms like recession or vaccine or woman mean. In fact, the use of term coup has been thoroughly weaponized in that outside academic circles, it is employed largely as a pejorative to discredit political acts designed to register discontent with a ruling regime or to oppose a ruling coalition. For many, the term is now increasingly used to describe political acts one doesnt like. But if the term coup ultimately means political thing those bad guys did, then it ceases to have any precise meaning at all. But this meaning does explain why so many pundits and politicians routinely label their opponents coup plotters. Its basically name calling, and really only tells us about the users political leanings. What Is a Coup? In their article for the Journal of Peace Research, Global Instances of Coups from 1950 to 2010: A New Dataset, authors Jonathan M. Powell and Clayton L. Thyne provide a definition: A coup attempt includes illegal and overt attempts by the military or other elites within the state apparatus to unseat the sitting executive. Although the terms military and coup are routinely employed together, Powell and Thyne emphasize that military involvement at early stages is not necessary: [Other definitions] more broadly allow non-military elites, civilian groups, and even mercenaries to be included as coup perpetrators. This broad definition includes four sources, including [a definition stating that coup] perpetrators need only be organized factions. We take a middle ground. Coups may be undertaken by any elite who is part of the state apparatus. These can include non-civilian members of the military and security services, or civilian members of government. Moreover, it is not necessary that violence actually be used. A threat issued by some organized group of elites is sufficient. This definition is helpful because there are many types of political actions that are not coups, even if the intended outcome is a change in the ruling regime. Powell and Thynes definition is useful because it avoids conflating coups with other forms of antiregime activity, which is the primary problem with broader approaches. For example, popular uprisings that force ruling executives from power are not generally coups. Intervention by a foreign regime is not a coup. Civil wars initiated by nonelites or other outsiders are not coups. Why the January 6 Riot Was Not a Coup In the case of January 6, the rioters had no institutional backing, no promises of help from elites, and no reason to assume they had access to any coercive tools necessary to seize and hold control of a states executive apparatus. Nor was Donald Trump even in a position to promise such things. As noted by Elaine Kamarck at the Brookings Institution: We now know that Trump did not even have the support of his own family and friends nor his handpicked White House staff. To pursue his plans, he had to rely on a close group of advisors known as the clown show led by Rudi Giuliani, a pillow manufacturer, and a dot-com millionairenone of whom was in government and none of whom controlled the most important assets (guns, tanks, planes etc.) needed to take over a government. In contrast to most successful coups in history, Trump had no faction of the military, no faction of the National Guard, and no faction of the District of Col[u]mbia Metropolitan Police at his disposal. In other words, the rioters had no avenue to call upon any faction of the state or any group of elites for backing. Kamarck continues: As we learned in some of the most recent hearings, it was Vice President Mike Pence who was in contact with the military and the police, and most importantly, the military and the police were taking orders from Pence not Trump, the commander in chief! Given that Trump didnt actually attempt to secure power for himself, we can guess Trump knew that no branch of the federal government was about to step in to illegally extend his tenure as president. We can never know for sure what Trump was really thinking on that day, but even if Trump sought to encourage protestors to somehow put pressure on Congresseven if by violent meansthats not a coup. Its a popular uprising. The Bolivian Coup: The Anti-Morales Protestors in Bolivia The protests that followed the 2019 elections in Bolivia are a case interestingly similar to the January 6 riot and demonstrate that its often quite debatable what constitutes a coup. As the Bolivian election neared its end on October 24, 2019, sitting president Evo Morales began to claim victory. Numerous opponents, however, claimed Moraless supporters had engaged in electoral fraud. Both sides refused to accept the election results, and protests and riots soon erupted across the nation. Morales and his supporters accused the opposition of staging a coup. The opposition accused Morales of the same. Or, more precisely, they accused Morales of attempting an autocoupautogolpe in Spanishin which Morales was attempting to hold on to power via illegal means. Ultimately, Morales resigned after he failed to maintain control over the police and military. High-ranking officials from those institutions recommended that Morales resign, and he did so soon after. Morales went into exile, and Mexico and the opposition became the de facto governing coalition in Bolivia. There remains no agreement, however, as to whether the actions of either side in Brazil constituted a coup (or autocoup). Moraless supportersmostly leftistsrefer to the political crisis following the election as a coup. Those who are convinced Morales did lose the election refer to his efforts as an autocoup. But many also refer to the events as a popular uprising. For many, the situation in Bolivia in 2019 remains ambiguous, and we can see how it shares many elements in common with the events surrounding the January 6 riot at the Capitol. The January 6 riot began with claims of election fraud and ended with a group of protestors attempting to pressure Congress to change the elections outcome. This is not fundamentally different from the popular uprisings in Bolivia, except that the outcome was never really dubious in the United States. There was never really any doubt as to whether the Pentagon would be helping Trump push through an autocoup. Trump never had any real reason to believe he could hold on to power, even with nine hundred mostly unarmed protestors trespassing in the Capitol. Coup Now Means Thing I Dont Like The Bolivia situation also helps illustrate how the term coup is used selectively for political effect. The fact that Moraless leftist supporters are generally those who favor the use of the term to describe Moraless removal from office is no coincidence. Those who support one side say its a coup, while the other side does not. We see the same dynamic at work in the US, and we should not be surprised that the media has rushed to apply the term to the riot. This phenomenon was examined in a November 2019 article titled Coup with Adjectives: Conceptual Stretching or Innovation in Comparative Research?, by Leiv Marsteintredet and Andres Malamud. The authors note that as the incidence of real coups has declined, the word has become more commonly applied to political events that are not coups. But, as the authors note, this is not merely an issue of splitting hairs, explaining that the choice of how to conceptualize a coup is not to be taken lightly since it carries normative, analytical, and political implications. Increasingly, the term really means this is a thing I dont like. Its clear the January 6 panel in Congress, and countless anti-Trump pundits, use the term in this way to express disapproval and also to justify regime crackdowns against pro-Trump opponents of the regime. Its easier to justify harsh prison sentences for a disorganized group of vandals if their acts can be framed as a nearly successful coup and therefore a threat to our democracy. Moreover, if the situation were reversed, and if protestors had invaded the Capitol to support a left-wing, proregime candidate, we can be sure that the vocabulary used to describe the event in the mainstream press would be quite different. The US Department of Commerce Census Bureau is demanding gun holster makers and retailers turn over customers order numbers, product descriptions and shipping information, according to letters from the agency obtained by AmmoLand News last month. Those who dont comply could face fines of up to $10,000. Companies JM4 Tactical and On Your Six Holsters both received letters from the Department of Commerce asking them to take part in the Commodity Flow Survey, AmmoLand reported, but each refused to comply with the departments demands. The Commodity Flow Survey is a review sent to random companies annually in an effort to help the government formulate better policies on transportation and shipping. However, this year, an unusual number of holster companies have reported receiving the letter, prompting some pro-gun businesses to raise the alarm. The Census Bureau asserts that contacted companies are required to participate in the survey. Title 13, United States Code, Sections 131 and 224, require businesses and other organizations included in the survey to answer the questions and submit a response, the bureaus website states. The bureaus website further states that companies who fail to report could face penalties of up to $5,000 or $10,000 for intentionally providing false information, although AmmoLand questioned the exorbitant fees, noting that the statutory limit on fines is $500. We will never turn over any information on our customers to the government no matter [what it] costs us, said Chad Myers, President of JM4 Tactical. To do so would violate our core beliefs. We need to stand up to an overbearing government. Our customers can rest assured that their information is safe with us! Weston Martinez, the former Texas Real Estate Commissioner, said he believes holster companies are being targeted by the Biden administration. Clearly, the Biden administration is saber rattling for the left in the wake of all the recent losses they have incurred by Supreme Court rulings, Martinez said. My clients and I will never back down from anyone that is trying to impugn our Constitutional and God-give rights like the Second Amendment. The Biden administration has repeatedly pushed for more gun control, particularly targeting gun makers and retailers. Earlier this year, Biden called gun dealers merchants of death while announcing his administrations latest gun control. Were going after rogue gun dealers. The last time we had data on this was more than 20 years ago. Five percent of gun dealers sold 90 percent of illegal guns found at crime scenes. Five percent sold 90 percent. These merchants of death are breaking the law for profits. Selling guns that are killing innocent people, Biden said at the time. Allies and partners: Can the West and Ukraine jointly form a "community of values"? 11. 8. 2022 / Karel Dolejsi cas cteni 7 minut Photo: Volodymyr Zelensky and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaidjan There are not many such indiscriminate attacks on human rights defenders as we have witnessed in recent days by the Ukrainian authorities. Probably the closest thing to this was seven years ago, when Amnesty International documented the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the idol of the Western left, the Kurdish militias, against Arabs and Turkmens in Syria. YPG/PKK activists then even boasted on social media using stories of how intimidating the authors of the research with physical violence had worked. There are not many such indiscriminate attacks on human rights defenders as we have witnessed in recent days by the Ukrainian authorities. Probably the closest thing to this was seven years ago, when Amnesty International documented the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the idol of the Western left, the Kurdish militias, against Arabs and Turkmens in Syria. Of course, there are vast differences between the rebranded offshoot of the PKK terrorist organisation and the internationally recognised Ukrainian state. Even the very nature of the 'controversial' facts found here are markedly different. In the case of Ukraine today, it is not appropriate to talk emotionally about 'war crimes', even though international law and the Ukrainian army's own field regulations have been violated. But there is also a difference in the intended position of the two entities vis-a-vis us. Although the PKK/YPG has tried to outwardly present itself as a "progressive leftist organ" and thus become permanently acceptable to the West, the plans of the US high command have, after all, always considered it more of a one-time "partner force" than a true ally. In such a case, then, significant differences in values would not necessarily matter - if it were not for the fact that US support for the PKK/YPG inadvertently triggered a process in which the country with NATO's second largest army, Turkey, became closer to Russia at a critical moment due to the abandonment by its allies. But Ukraine is not to be any mere "partner" entity henceforth. Prospectively, it would like to join the EU - and, if it can one day, NATO. This is not just a matter of purely pragmatic interests on both sides. At stake is also the future of the Western value communities that both of these international organisations aspire to be. Where common values are really lacking - most obviously at the moment in the case of Orban's Hungary, in the case of "European candidate" Serbia, but there is also a big problem with Poland - relations are not working very well. There may continue to be a simple old-fashioned military alliance, such as the one that still formally links us to alienated Turkey, or a value-free common market, but deeper integration also requires deeper consensus. As in the case of the Kurdish militias we were told years ago that they were 'fighting for us', this time too comes the indiscriminate pressure to significantly relax our value claims after learning unpleasant facts about our security partners, and to excuse non-compliance with basic international norms by an 'emergency'. Supporting the PKK/YPG was, of course, a misguided Western move from the outset - and the still unfinished fight against the 'Islamic State' should probably have been better left to existing local Middle Eastern actors, who would have eventually handled it similarly badly as Western intervention would have done by proxy. By contrast, we do not have the same choice in the case of Russian expansionism in Europe. One cannot say "Let Ukraine fight it out on its own" and think that such a catastrophe would not affect other European countries. But on the third hand, even a Ukrainian victory, if we can now see its possible outlines, would not completely guarantee that the chapter of Russian expansionism will be closed, at least for the immediate future. Putin may also try to quickly swallow the fifth of Ukraine he now holds and in just six months send newly recruited troops to occupy a completely different European territory. At least a piece of it. Not everywhere is well prepared for him. The narrative that they are fighting for Tbilisi, Chisinau or Vilnius at Kherson may end up being misleading. It would undoubtedly be symbolically valid if it were about defending shared values. But if it is not, and if even the totally uncontroversial demand for compliance with the Geneva Conventions is causing a stormy allergic reaction, the only thing that matters now is the fact that Ukraine is now tying up Russian armed forces. The attitude towards the "unpleasant" findings of human rights organisations is the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to the value orientation of governments. A hostile or strongly hostile, implacable response to "unpleasant" facts indicates that some sort of "value community" with those so responding cannot be formed. The European Union is already creaking internally enough with anti-liberal Poland and Hungary inside. To add another large and important country where the functioning of democracy is not looking good, where there are obvious authoritarian tendencies and where the critics of the government are silenced, could ultimately prove fatal to the EU. Ukraine is undoubtedly fighting for its life under Russian attack. Part of this struggle is to defend its government and the nationalist project it represents. It is not at all in our interest for this project to fail. However, in what sense we can say that 'in Ukraine, the fight is also for us' is now in serious doubt. Very much like the Kurdish fighters, who have been financed for years by the drug trade, we should probably stop telling ourselves that the struggle we are pursuing necessarily involves fighting for what is dear to us. Individually, many Ukrainians certainly feel this way and deserve our immense respect and support. Unfortunately, this is not true in the aggregate. The cult of the un-criticisable army and the un-criticisable President represent infinitely more in this country than some 'abstract' protection of civilians under international law. We do not see that in the real West. At various stages of the ongoing war, the individuals who have published "inconvenient" information have been attacked by furious Ukrainians as 'Russian agents'. This label has been applied to such clearly pro-Ukrainian figures as Kevin Rothrock, editor-in-chief of the English version of the Meduza news server, Julian Roepcke, editor of the Bild, and even Keir Giles, director of the British Conflict Studies Research Centre. And the list is getting longer and longer every day. Still this morning this perfectly decent story is causing @mjluxmoore to be vilified as a Russian propagandist and colonialist. Mainly it seems because he was made to look like one by a misguided @WSJ tweet - https://t.co/ffxVvbXIdI Keir Giles (@KeirGiles) August 8, 2022 International organizations like UN, ICRC, IAEA, Greenpeace, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have failed Ukraine. Theres nothing but contempt for them among Ukrainians. No one expects anything from them anymore. Sergey Mohov (@krides) August 8, 2022 0 1588 Already during the Ukrainian counterattack in Donbas in the summer of 2014, Western commentators criticized the Ukrainian military's practices, which were not all that different from Russia's at the time. Mass artillery fire on entire settlements was no exception.However, strangely, no one at the time shouted anything about "aiding the Russians" and "Putin's agents", but instead the authorities simply made sure that such practices ended. There was political will. It worked. Perhaps part of the reason was that a different person sat in the presidential chair than today.But the last few days a foreign-looking tissue of paranoid, self-righteous Ukrainian petulance towards the entire outside world has grown in the petri dish of war. At least under the current government, it looks much more like a "partnership" than a proper alliance with the West. AMP boss Alexis George has assured investors the companys quest for greater scale wont come at the cost of shareholder returns, even as the wealth manager amps up its search for digital growth opportunities. The company, which is going through a period of rapid change as it sells parts of its business to simplify its core offerings, has committed to returning $1.1 billion to shareholders over the next 12 months. The announcement came as part of AMPs half-year results on Thursday. George said she wanted to focus energy on finding opportunities for growth, particularly in AMPs wealth and bank businesses. AMP chief executive Alexis George said the wealth giant had made significant progress simplifying its portfolio to make the company more efficient. Credit:Louie Douvis We have to maintain focus on the performance of our current businesses, but well look at inorganic and organic growth opportunities that help with scale or delivering new capabilities, she said. And when I talk about capability, I mainly mean in that digital space. And so how can we be a bit more creative about delivering digitally? Energy giant Santos has bought a company with plans to build a new pipeline to send gas from Queensland to Australia's southern states, which it says could help ease the threat of looming shortfalls in coming years. Ahead of a meeting of state and federal energy ministers on Friday, which is expected to include talks on whether some Australian gas should be set aside for domestic use only, Santos said it had struck a deal to buy Hunter Gas Pipeline Limited. The company owns an underground pipeline route that aims to connect Queenslands Wallumbilla gas hub to markets in Newcastle and Sydney. A NSW court has dismissed a legal challenge against energy giant Santos plans for a $3.6 billion coal-seam gas project at Narrabri. Credit:Bloomberg The underground pipeline route passes close to Santoss controversial Narrabri coal-seam gas project in New South Wales, where the company is preparing to undertake appraisal drilling this year before giving the project the financial go-ahead. No matter what indicator you use, Russian President Vladimir Putin is winning in the energy markets. Moscow is milking its oil cash cow, earning hundreds of millions of dollars every day to bankroll the invasion of Ukraine and buy domestic support for the war. Once European sanctions against Russian crude exports kick in from November, the regions governments will face some tough choices as the energy crisis starts to bite consumers and companies. Electricity costs for homes and businesses are set to soar from October, as the surge in oil income allows Putin to sacrifice gas revenue and squeeze supplies to Europe. UK prices are likely to jump by 75 per cent, while in Germany some municipal utilities have already warned prices will increase in excess of 100 per cent. Russia has successfully weaponised energy supplies; Western governments will come under increasing pressure to spend billions either subsidising household bills or, as is already the case in France, by taking control of power companies. After that initial struggle, Russia has found new customers for the million barrels a day or so that European oil refiners have stopped purchasing due to self-sanctioning. Credit:AP The first indicator showing how Putin has turned the oil tide is Russian crude production. Last month, the countrys output climbed back to near pre-war levels, averaging almost 10.8 million barrels per day, only marginally down from the 11 million pumped in January immediately prior to the invasion of Ukraine. Based on industry estimates, oil production is slightly higher so far this month. It isnt a blip: July marked the third consecutive month of oil production recovery, with output up significantly from this years low point of 10 million barrels set in April, when European buyers started shunning Russia and Moscow scrambled to find new buyers. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size I was raised to have no personal ambition. Instead, I was culturally required to fulfil my obligations. They were the expectations my parents had for me as an immigrant child after settling in a dusty, foreign land. My parents, like thousands of others, left Hong Kong in the years leading up to the handover for a country they had never even visited before. They went searching for a better life and placed all their hope in the only thing theyd ever known: the Commonwealth. They had ambitions that couldnt be fulfilled in one of the worlds most densely populated financial hubs as it entered a period of undefined, and potentially non-democratic, rule. They gave up their jobs, packed up their lives and fled to an outer suburb of Melbourne in the 1980s. They had two children. First, my sister. Then, me. Before we were even born, they defined our paths for us. Our options were: doctor, lawyer, engineer, or disappointment. Its a long-running joke to be the Disappointment Child when youre an Asian kid. It is what most of us end up as. Its not just that we have failed to climb the social and economic ladder, bridging the gap between minimum-wage immigrant and highly educated, white collar, respected member of society in a single generation its also because we have wasted all the time, money and sacrifice that was spent to get us there. Jess Ho as a child: I had no hobbies, no personality, and no friends. Credit:Courtesy Jess Ho I had no childhood. As soon as I was capable of sitting upright without assistance, I learnt to play the piano. When I wasnt at school, I was practising scales, learning pages of sheet music, how to sight read and memorising bars at a time, every day of the week. On Saturdays, I went to Chinese school to learn how to speak and write in Mandarin. After, my sister and I would be carted off to tutoring. This wasnt extra study to help us catch up on subjects we didnt understand. It was advanced, out-of-school education, learning the curriculum years beyond the standard syllabus to help us either earn scholarships to private schools, a place in the states highest ranking selective school, or to ensure we graded the highest in every class we took. On Sundays, we went to church. I was drowning in homework, exam preparation and piano practice. I hated it. I had no hobbies, no personality and no friends. I was socially inept because I couldnt relate to my peers. I was constantly frustrated in class because the other kids didnt automatically grasp ideas, concepts and structures as soon as they were laid out for them. The teachers sent me to the library so I could independently study, which was another way of saying, Stop discouraging the other students for being normal. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When I start to read about actress, comedian and author Jenny Slate, one small biographical detail stands out. In the midst of the pandemic, when the world was locked indoors, she managed to marry her husband, art curator (and general store owner) Ben Shattuck, and give birth to a daughter. All in all, not a bad pandemic. Introducing myself to her, I explain that I too had a good pandemic I lost weight, while everyone else claimed to gain it and I wonder if the first sod of earth on common ground we can jointly turn is that strange sense of survivors guilt. That somehow, in the middle of something awful, we experienced something positive. Whats lovely about it, and what is real, is that you can feel the hard things as majorly as youre going to feel them, you can feel the isolation, you can feel the disbelief, you can feel the powerlessness and the fear of being ill, or of your loved ones dying, or of collective suffering, and still be able to, if youre lucky, make the most of what you still have, Slate says. A scene from Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. Credit:A24 For me, I still did have the health in my physical body, and I had this partner who now is my husband, who I love so much. And its an interesting study in how much do you have to do in order to show everybody else that you are aware that we are all at a collective disadvantage, that we are all suffering. Is there a way to do both at once? I think for me there was. Slate, who is coming to Australia next month to appear at the Melbourne Writers Festival, lives in a small town in Massachusetts, on Americas east coast. Her husband, whose occupation is listed on Wikipedia as art curator, is also a small business owner, running the towns general store which, she says, sells groceries and books and beer. We had a very connected experience. So, all of the good things that happened to us, happened privately. And I feel really grateful for them, Slate says. Youre allowed to ask yourself, is what I am doing taking me away from others? And for me, the answer was no. I can definitely get married in my living room. I dont think thats a bad thing. Advertisement I walk through the world with a certain shyness ... My loneliness feels very connected to the absolutely nonstop way that I am hopeful. Jenny Slate The 40-year-old comedian-turned-filmmaker will be in Melbourne to discuss her creative ambitions and chameleonic career, according to marketing for the festival. She will also appear at Sydneys Antidote Festival. And to prove that good things come in threes, her film, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, is at the Melbourne International Film Festival this month. Coming off the back of her 2019 book Little Weirds which The New York Journal of Books called a beautifully written, free-flowing meditation on the comforts and discomforts of being and a role in the critically acclaimed film Everything Everywhere All at Once, you could be forgiven for thinking that Slate was having a moment. It is strange to have so much happen at one time, and it wasnt a planned thing to have Everything Everywhere All at Once and Marcel come out, really, within months of each other, she says. Maybe, she says, shes having a moment of reiteration, something shes sure everyone in the pandemic era can relate to. Jenny Slate in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Credit:AP I think the pandemic forced us all, both physically and emotionally, to really go inside, Slate says. So everybodys having a moment right now, everybody is reemerging, and most people have changed in one way or another after the collective experience that weve all had. The theme for the writers festival ambition opens up a bunch of complicated thoughts for her. Ambition has a very toothy edge to it that, eventually, can just bite back at you, she says. But you have to have a drive, and that drive, the engine behind how you do your creative thinking, it has to change as you change. Advertisement That drive has taken her from stand-up comedy to acting she notably lent her voice to The Lorax (2012), Zootopia (2016) and The Secret Life of Pets film franchise (2016-2019). But it has also seen a different, authentic but also wholly eclectic side of her emerge. Persistent in her work, and deeply felt in both Little Weirds and Marcel, is a vein of melancholy. You get a sense, perhaps, that shes the kind of person who can feel lonely in a crowded room. I relate to it, I say, a by-product perhaps of working in an industry populated by overly familiar but fundamentally impersonal professional relationships. Loading Its easy for me to feel that way, Slate says. No matter what you do, you have a spotlight on you, but whatever that thing is, it takes place in a big empty theatre or an airport hangar in Los Angeles. Its confusing, and theres a dissonance there. Its often impossible to connect to people honestly. But what is in that loneliness is a desire for closeness, and a plea for understanding, and a request for a comfortable seat in a community, Slate adds. I dont think thats something that Ive outgrown. I walk through the world with a certain shyness, and a love of chatting and talking to people. My loneliness feels very connected to the absolutely nonstop way that I am hopeful. Unpicking the knotty mess of comedy in 2022 a world where everyone seems convinced that edgy comedy is under threat, and the world is risk-averse feels like wading into quicksand. But when I invite Slate to offer her thoughts, as with most things, she leaps in smile first. You have art itself, then you have artists, she says. And art itself, if I can make such a grand statement, thrives on extremes. Big darkness, big joy, big sexual feelings, big fear, big confusion, big excitement. Art wants that, it wants that richness to plant itself in. Advertisement But then, she says, you have the artist. Some artists are looking for darkness. Thats the creature that they are. Other artists are looking to prove that theyre light, and some people need to do both. Theres a bazillion ways that one can be that thing. The times are troubled, Slate says. In the United States, the Supreme Court has abandoned any human being that has a reproductive system. And living in a place where children are getting repeatedly murdered in their schools, and people are getting murdered while theyre trying to pray. Its hard to live in that every day. Of course, you can make comedy still, [and] I think some great comedy, at least for me, comes from what Im afraid of, she says. You can be afraid of such a real thing, but your fear itself can tell such a weird, silly story. There are ways to filter it. But, if youre going to play with the darkness, you have to keep clear lines about who is the fool, and what is the danger, and at least in your opinion as the artist, she adds. Because the second you blur the line between satire and reality, you end up with a president like Donald Trump. Everybody thinks its just a joke, but then the joke is on us. Slates speaking tour serendipitously follows the release of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On at the Melbourne International Film Festival. The stop-motion film is based on two short films Slate wrote (and voiced) in 2010 and 2011, about Marcel, a creature of exquisite beauty, whose relative tininess manifests in unexpected and delightful ways. I nibbled on a piece of cheese and my cholesterol went up to 900, he observed in the 2010 short. The Marcel the Shell with Shoes On team: Slate, right, with animation director Kirsten Lepore and director/co-writer Dean Fleischer-Camp. Credit:AP Advertisement Hes hard to unpack for Slate, perhaps because she has had such a long relationship with him. I think that theres something about how hes so small, but he still completely believes in what he has to say, and hes not grandiose about it at all, Slate says. Hes just totally honest, and takes himself seriously. And while they are not the same, Slate concedes that perhaps like a lot of art Marcel is in some ways autobiographical, a talisman for her exploration of her own sense of loss. Marcel shuts down because he cant deal with the idea that he might lose more than hes already lost. In the end, he learns thats not up to you. And thats something that Ive had to learn, Slate says. Its the autobiography of accepting myself more for my beautiful smallness in this gigantic universe. Loading Big thoughts, for someone so beautifully small. And perhaps a glimpse into the wisdom she plans to impart on her Melbourne and Sydney stages. Or not, Slate smiles wryly. Thats a really, really hard one. Im 40 years old, Im not 25, Im hitting maybe the midpoint of what my life is, she says. I know what I want to give and how I want to live. My best friend said to me during the pandemic, protect everything that you can and at the same time, give away everything that you can, Slate says. When you do that type of sorting, you see what is left, what youve really, really kept for yourself. And I know now, in a way, what I have kept for myself, and I hope to give that to other people, she adds. I would like to leave the people who are kind enough to come and be my audience with the true belief that I am one of the people out there that wants to help them feel happy. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is at the Melbourne International Film Festival on August 16 and 21. Jenny Slate appears at the Melbourne Writers Festival on September 9 and 10 and at Antidote at the Sydney Opera House on September 11. Since being at the centre of Australias most high-profile fashion deal, sass & bide co-founder Sarah-Jane Clarke has been on many private journeys but with her travel-inspired brand, she is now returning to the runway on her own terms. In 2011, sass & bide was snatched from the David Jones family of designers by department store rival Myer, who purchased 65 per cent of the brand for $42.5 million. Two years later the remaining 35 per cent was purchased by Myer for $30 million, and Clarke and co-founder Heidi Middleton happily drifted away from Australian fashions front lines. Designer Sarah-Jane Clarke (right) with model Magnolia Maymuru wearing Sarah Jane pieces at David Jones, Sydney. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Now Clarke returns to David Jones, taking part in the stores spring season launch tonight in Sydney, with her eponymous label Sarah-Jane Clarke sharing the runway with Matteau, Toni Maticevski and Bianca Spender. Its quite different to what it was like in my twenties, says Clarke, who started sass & bide at Londons Portobello Market with Middleton in 1999. It did seem like we were after world domination back then. Now Im moving at a gentler pace. During early IVF treatment, Shelby Hill figured her colleagues knew something was up, thanks to her hormone injections. Working in the office (pre-pandemic), it was pretty obvious something was happening, she said. I was very emotional, people would see me crying in the meeting room ... it was like, what is going on? I was having lots of appointments, constantly out of the office, coming in late or sneaking off early for whatever [the next procedure] was. Shelby Hill knew her colleagues probably suspected something was up when she was having fertility treatment before the conception of daughter, Harper, so she told them. Credit:Wayne Taylor When Hill and husband Cameron learned they needed fertility treatment, she did what many women feel they must: kept quiet about it at work. She turned to Instagram, searching for IVF hashtags and accounts for people going through what can be a notoriously stressful process. Queensland could soon host one of the southern hemispheres largest wind projects as the federal government commits to fast-tracking its connection to the national energy grid. The states Southern Downs renewable energy zone will receive a $160 million federal investment for new infrastructure to connect power generated from wind farms to the grid. Powerlink, run by the state government, will use the funds to build and operate 65 kilometres of high-voltage overhead transmission lines and two new switching stations. The landmark agreement between the federal and state governments will deliver more renewable energy to households and businesses in southern Queensland and the east coast, Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said. A Melbourne neo-Nazi allegedly extorted hundreds of dollars from a city publican after a staff member recognised a far-right tattoo on the shoulder of a patron and spat in their drink. Local neo-Nazi members have been bragging on secret and encrypted social media channels populated with right-wing supporters that Irish Times Pub manager Nitin Parashar handed over $651 after they threatened the pub with complaints to regulators and flooded Google with negative reviews. Far-right activists Jimeone Roberts, Neil Erikson and Stefanos Stefan Eracleous at a pub in Melbournes CBD. Parashar, who has managed the pub for 12 years, told The Age he did not know what the tattoo meant, or who the individuals were when they complained about their treatment. He has spoken to police about the incident. I have been in hospitality for 17 years, and Ive never come across anything like this. I would never have thought in my wildest dreams that I would be part of something like this. The last thing I want is this to tarnish our brand name and what we stand for, he said. The way the Chinese air force sent a J-16 fighter to intercept an Australian surveillance plane on May 26 is the essential backdrop to the intransigent message delivered with a smile by Chinas top emissary in Canberra this week. The timing of the interception said everything about a decision within the Chinese leadership to test Australia just five days after the May 21 federal election. Chinas ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, during his address to the National Press Club on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen So, while it is tempting to regard the speech this week by the Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, as merely a restatement of belief from Beijing, it is part of a new and unsettling dynamic that seeks to shift debate inside Australia while the threat of war hangs over the region. Will it work? So far, the federal government is showing no sign of changing the fundamental Australian position on China and Taiwan. Yet the scrambling of the J-16 shows that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the cabinet will have to contend with direct and material challenges, not just rhetoric from the podium of the National Press Club, when Beijing pushes Australia to retreat on points of principle. What will those events be? Use your imagination, said Qian on Wednesday about the use of force against Taiwan. That ominous language puts all Australians on notice about an era of deepening conflict, even war. Federal Resources Minister Madeleine King has called for more Queensland gas fields to be unlocked. Queensland gas is a natural ally of renewables and will support the addition of more intermittent energy, the minister told a business audience in Brisbane on Thursday. A Santos coal seam gas well near Roma, Queensland on October 31 (file image). Credit:Glenn Hunt She also hosed down fears of a new tax on gas after the state government imposed higher coal royalties. Without Australias resources sector, the world doesnt have net-zero, Ms King said. Copenhagen, Denmark: Estonia has decided to bar people with tourist visas from entering the northernmost Baltic country from neighbouring Russia as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Fellow-Baltic nation Latvia declared Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for attacks on civilians during the war in Ukraine and urged other countries to follow suit. Russian citizens opportunity to visit Estonia in large numbers or to visit Europe through Estonia is incompatible with the meaning of the sanctions weve established, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu was quoted as saying by the Baltic News Service said on Thursday, Tallinn-time. Incoming traffic to Finland at the Nuijamaa border station in between Finland and Russia in Lappeenranta, Finland. Estonia and Finland want European countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russians amid the war in Ukraine. Credit:AP The European Union, of which Estonia is a member, already has banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine. But Russians can still travel by land to Estonia and apparently are then taking flights to other European destinations. Many took to social media encouraging civil war, urging people to lock and load and asking when does the shooting start? One post called for the assassination of Garland, another suggested to kill all feds while others encouraged users to post the address of the judge who signed off on the warrant, with one declaring: I see a rope around his neck. Garland, however, insisted due process was followed: a copy of the warrant and the receipt was provided to Trumps counsel who was on site on the day, and the raid was authorised by a federal court upon the required finding of probable cause. However, due to the substantial public interest in this matter, the department had filed a motion in court on Thursday to make the warrant public, he said, as well as the property receipt. The affidavit to the warrant, which would provide broader details about the investigation into Trump, has not been sought. It is still not clear whether the documents in question had anything to do with the January 6 Capitol attack or were simply classified material that Trump, under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act, was not entitled to take after leaving the White House. The Washington Post reported that nuclear documents were among those being sought by the US government in the raid. Experts in classified information said the unusual search underscored the deep concern among government officials about the types of information they thought could be stored at Mar-a-Lago. Experts also pointed to the danger of those documents falling into the wrong hands. Trump later announced on his website that he supported the release of the documents Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the unAmerican, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents, Trump said in the post. Nonetheless, Garlands comments, which the White House insists it did not know about in advance, mark a rare departure from the departments practice of not discussing ongoing investigations. It came a day after FBI director Christopher Wray also spoke out, describing growing threats of violence against law enforcement agencies as dangerous and deplorable. While Wray did not provide details of why the search took place or what was seized, he told reporters: We have had in this country over the last few years an alarming rise of violence against law enforcement. Last year, there were 73 law enforcement officers around this country who were killed in the line of duty as in murdered in the line of duty. Thats the highest number since 9/11. FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks to journalists at the bureaus Omaha office about the threats. Credit:Omaha World-Herald An example of the rise in violence emerged in Ohio on Thursday, when authorities reported that a person wearing body armour, armed with an AR-style rifle and a nail gun, tried to break into an FBI building in Cincinnati, trading shots with officers as he fled the scene. The suspect was killed after an hours-long stand-off with authorities, and it is still not clear if his actions were directly linked to this weeks events. The New York Times and NBC News, citing unnamed sources, identified him as Ricky Shiffer, 42, who may have had extreme right-wing views. A man by that name forewarned of the attack on Truth Social, the website created by Trump. If you dont hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the F.B.I., and itll mean either I was taken off the internet, the F.B.I. got me, or they sent the regular cops ... , the message said. NBC News, citing two unnamed officials familiar with the matter, said the suspect was at the US Capitol building in Washington during the assault by Trump supporters on January 6, 2021. Meanwhile, as the violent rhetoric continued to swirl, Washington was jolted by reports that the FBIs search warrant may have been leaked by an informant inside Trumps inner circle. Loading Earlier this year, the National Archives - which is responsible for the preservation of government and historical records - retrieved 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago. However, justice department officials werent convinced that there wasnt more sensitive material at the property. Trump has framed the raid as an attempt by the radical Left to stop him from announcing another run for the presidency in 2024, and has fuelled suggestions that the FBI could have planted material at Mar-a-Lago during the search. In one of his latest Truth Social posts, he has also accused the FBI of ripping off the lock they had asked him to install in the room where boxes of documents were stored. In early June, the DOJ and FBI asked my legal representatives to put an extra lock on the door leading to the place where boxes were stored in Mar-a-Lago - We agreed, Trump wrote, confirming earlier reports that officials had visited months before this weeks events. They were shown the secured area, and the boxes themselves. Then on Monday, without notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock that they had asked to be installed. A surprise attack, POLITICS, and all the while our Country is going to HELL! Following Garlands press conference, Trump added that his lawyers had been co-operating with authorities before the raid and very good relationships had been established. The government could have whatever they wanted, if we had it, he said. with Reuters Sydneys rental crisis has continued to worsen with residential vacancy figures diving to their lowest level since August 2017, resulting in an extreme shortage in stock for many potential tenants looking to enter the market. According to the latest survey by the Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW), the vacancy rate for Sydney dropped to 1.7% thats around the same level as where it was five years ago. REINSW data showed that the vacancy rates in the inner ring of Sydney was down to 2.2%, remained stable in the middle ring at 1.4%, and was up to 1.6% at the outer ring, news.com.au reported. Vacancy rates outside Sydney, meanwhile, were more varied, with decreases in Hunter and increases in Illawarra. REINSW CEO Tim McKibbin said declines had been recorded in places like the Central Coast, the Central West, Riverina, and South East. REINSW members are telling us that theyve never experienced such a lack of supply. The shortage of stock is extreme and theres no denying that the rental crisis is real, McKibbin said. In the face of cost-of-living pressures, many tenants would embrace the opportunity to secure a more affordable rental property. However, despite rent increases, theyre choosing to stay put because theyre just not confident that theyll be able to secure another property. Its a very stressful time for tenants. Vacancy rates were up in places such as Albury, Mid-North Coast, Murrumbidgee, Northern Rivers, Orana, and South Coast, news.com.au reported. The is planning to invest Rs 57,575 crore in with the state government approving its proposal to set up two projects a 4 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) Integrated alumina refinery and a 30 MMTPA iron ore (value addition) project. is one of our most strategic states where we have continue to invest and are always appreciative of the support we have received from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said Gautam Adani, Chairman, . Metals are critical commodities in which our nation must be self-reliant, and these projects are aligned with our vision of Atmanirbharta. In addition, being a power intensive business, it is a great adjacency to the renewable energy that we are able to generate and help to produce the greenest alumina anywhere. Our capital investment will create 9,300 direct jobs and open up tens of thousands of indirect employment opportunities in Odisha, Adani said in a statement today. The 4 MMTPA integrated alumina refinery, to be set up in the vicinity of potential bauxite reserves or operational mines, will produce smelter grade (Metallurgical Grade) alumina, which will help India move towards import substitution. The 30 MMTPA iron ore (value addition) project will comprise an iron ore beneficiation plant producing iron ore concentrate, a slurry pipeline for iron ore concentrate slurry and a dewatering/filtration & pellet plant to produce filter cake and pellet. The iron ore beneficiation plant will be located in Deojhar, in northern Odishas Keonjhar district, while the pellet plant is to be set up in Dhamra, in the adjoining Bhadrak district. The slurry pipeline will run along the utility corridor of the roads between Deojhar and Dhamra, the company said. The flagship company of the got the approval to build the refinery and a captive power plant in Rayagada for an investment of $5.2 billion, according to a Twitter post on Wednesday by the office of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The refinery will have an annual capacity of 4 million tonnes, according to another statement by the state government. A representative for Adani Enterprises declined to comment on the Odisha project, or the companys plans for its fledgling aluminum business. The group will also set up a 175 megawatt capacity captive power plant (CPP) at Kashipur of Rayagada district. Odisha possesses more than half of Indias bauxite reserve. The major bauxite deposits of Odisha are associated with Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt which Rayagada along with neigbouring Koraput districts is part of. Bauxite reserves are situated at 900 metre to 1400 m above mean sea level. Utkal Alumina International Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aditya Birla Group company Hindalco, is also present in the Kashipur area. The Utkal Alumina has 1.5 mtpa alumina refining capacity. The Adani Group companys proposed refinery is expected to generate employment opportunities for over 7,750 people. According to Odisha government, the 10 industrial projects would collectively employ 24,047 people in the state. The establishment of these plants will have an environmental impact since they will create ammonia and hydrogen using renewable resources, which will cater to the steel and fertiliser sector in Odisha, Industries secretary Hemant Sharma said. Adani had set up a wholly-owned subsidiary Mundra Aluminium in December, signalling his aspirations in a sector that is dominated by heavyweights such as the Aditya Birla Group and the London-based Vedanta Resources. The tycoon, with the worlds biggest wealth gain this year to $126 billion, built his empire on agri-trading and ports, but has speedily diversified into airports, data centers and renewable energy, often moving in lockstep with the Centres policy priorities. Adani had scaled up his nascent cement business overnight by acquiring Holcim India units for $10.5 billion in May, less than a year after setting up a cement subsidiary. He is now steadily building up his groups metals portfolio after announcing plans for steel and copper plants earlier in the year. Holcim, through its subsidiaries, holds 63.19 per cent in Ambuja Cements and 54.53 per cent in ACC (of which 50.05 per cent is held through Ambuja Cements). In June, Adani Enterprises raised 60.7 billion rupees in a syndicated club loan for a 500,000 tonnes new copper refinery complex in Gujarat. The company also announced a tie-up with South Korean steel major Posco in January to explore business opportunities in India, including the setting up of a green steel mill. A representative for Adani Enterprises declined to comment on the Odisha project, or the companys plans for its fledgling aluminium business. Chief Minister has distributed titles for community forest resource rights to 10 villages in core and buffer areas of two tiger reserves under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Community forest resources include traditional grazing grounds; areas for collection of roots, tubers, fodder, wild edible fruits and minor forest produce, sources of water for human or livestock use; medicinal plant collection territories of herbal practitioners. On the occasion of World Indigenous Peoples Day (August 9), Baghel gave the titles to five gram sabhas each of Achanakmar Tiger Reserve and Sitanadi-Udanti Tiger Reserve respectively. The gram sabhas whose rights have been recognised in Achanakmar Tiger Reserve fall under Mungeli district. Of these, 4 villages are situated in the core area, while 1 falls under the buffer area. Similarly, community forest resource rights have been jointly recognised in three gram sabhas of Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, along with two in the buffer area of the Udanti part of the Sitanadi-Udanti Tiger Reserve, in Gariaband district. The recognition of rights in tiger reserves was a long-time demand of villagers residing in the core zone. In total, the Chief Minister recognised rights over an area of 12,527.548 hectares of forest land, thereby authorising the gram sabhas to conserve, protect, rejuvenate and manage their community forest areas, even within the tiger reserve, a forest department official said. The right is granted under section 3(1) (i) of the Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006. Meanwhile, the government will launch a campaign from August 15 to January 26 to create awareness regarding Community Forest Resource Rights among the Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers. The Foundation for Ecological Security in collaboration with the forest and tribal development departments prepared a calendar for this campaign to educate the gram sabhas about their rights. At present, claims of Community Forest Resource Rights have been approved in 3801 villages of the state. These include claims over 15,32,316 hectares. The state government has distributed titles for Kulhadighat gram sabha, a remote village in Gariaband, where the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had visited in 1985 to interact with the people of primitive and vulnerable tribal community Kamar. The village, where Gandhi had his lunch, has received the title over 1321.052 hectares of forest areas. Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha will release in India on Friday. With the movie, Khan has returned to the big screen after four years. Khan's last movie, Thugs of Hindostan, was released in 2018. Laal Singh Chaddha is an adaptation of the 1994 Hollywood movie, Forrest Gump. Tom Hanks, who played the lead role in the movie, won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Gump in 1995. The movie won six Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Directing. Laal Singh Chaddha has garnered mixed reviews from film critics and actors. Many have praised Khan's performance in the movie, while others found it 'exaggerated'. However, people have shown a robust response to the movie's release. Also Read | Please watch my film: Aamir Khan on calls to boycott 'Laal Singh Chaddha' According to a report by Pinkvilla, the booking trends indicate an opening collection between Rs 17 crore to Rs 20 crore. Reviewing the movie, film critic Proma Khosla of Indie Wire said, "Instead of a box of chocolates or the obvious Indian equivalent, the film takes things a step further, adding strong depth and resonance to what could otherwise have been an unremarkable adaptation. Laal Singh Chaddha measures its emotional beats tactically, deploying poignant punches sporadically throughout." Another critic Fred Topel of United Press International wrote, "Laal Singh Chaddha is faithful to Forrest Gump from the floating feather to the plot structure. Since the history is less vital to the narrative, it gives the story itself more weight, with some new thematic context." Laal Singh Chaddha will release with Akshay Kumar's Raksha Bandhan. Aamir Khan's movie will release on 4,000 screens. On the other hand, Akshay Kumar-starrer Raksha Bandhan will release on 4,200 screens. Both the had recently faced backlash on Twitter with users tweeting #boycottrakshabandhan and #boycottlaalsinghchaddha. On this, Khan said on Sunday, "If I have hurt anyone by any means, I regret it. I don't want to hurt anyone. If someone doesn't want to watch the film, I'd respect their sentiment." Two terrorists were killed and five soldiers injured in a gunfight when a suspected suicide group tried to enter an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district early on Thursday, officials said. "Someone (terrorists) tried to cross the fence of Army camp at Pargal. Sentry challenged and exchange of fire took place," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh said. Two terrorists were killed in the gun battle, Singh said, adding that five soldiers also suffered injuries and were undergoing treatment. Unofficial reports claimed three soldiers have died. (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 CID on Wednesday conducted a at the residence of one of the three arrested MLAs in connection with the probe into the cash seizure case and recovered Rs 5 lakh and an SUV from there, a senior officer of the agency said here. A CID team raided the residence of Irfan Ansari at Jamtara in and spoke to the politician's family members. "This SUV was used to bring Rs 75 lakh in cash from Kolkata. We have got CCTV footage from the city's Lalbazar area. This is part of a bigger conspiracy. We have also seized Rs 5 lakh (in cash) during the at Ansari's residence," the officer said. Apart from Ansari, the Police had arrested on July 31 two other Congress MLAs - Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari - after seizing Rs 49 lakh in cash from the car in which they were travelling. After taking over the investigation, the CID arrested businessman Mahendra Agarwal, who had allegedly supplied the seized cash to the three MLAs. The Congress, which is a part of the JMM-led government in Jharkhand, alleged that the BJP was trying to topple the Hemant Soren government by offering Rs 10 crore each and a ministerial berth to MLAs. The Congress has also dragged in the name of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the alleged conspiracy, but these allegations were rubbished by the BJP, which claimed that the grand old party was trying to hide its own corruption after the cash was found. (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.) Legislation barring political parties from offering voters freebies is not advisable and to de-register them for making such promises would be "anti-democratic", said the on Thursday as it protested the Election Commissions affidavit in the matter being leaked to the . The said the economy is losing money but peoples welfare has to be balanced. That's why there is a need for this debate and there must be someone to put thoughts to this vision, it said. The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition, had a week ago suggested setting up an expert committee "to take a holistic and comprehensive view of the matter and make their recommendations". The declined to be part of the committee, citing its status as a constitutional body. Regarding the petitions demand that political parties which announce freebies be de-registered, the said it will not look into that aspect. That is [de-registration] an anti-democratic thing. We are a after all, it said. The court expressed its displeasure over the contents of the Election Commissions affidavit being made public. We've to read affidavits in newspapers, it said. The court will hear the matter again on August 17. The Commissions lawyer referred to a previous judgment, saying a provision can be made under the Representation of Peoples Act for political parties to say in their manifestos that they will not announce freebies in elections. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who argued for the government, said such a provision would be difficult as most freebies are not part of parties' manifestos but are declared during rallies and speeches. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, who argued for the petitioner, said some stakeholders have raised the issue in court that freebies are part of the Constitutions Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP). "However, giving gold chains cannot be part of implementing the DPSP, he said. Freebies and welfare schemes are not the same, said senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who argued for the Aam Aadmi Party, which governs Delhi. The word freebies is used in a very wrong manner, he said. Mehta, responding to Singhvis argument, said elections are practically being fought on the promise of freebies. If freebies are considered to be for the welfare of the people, it'll lead to a disaster, he said. Mehta said it will be difficult finding beneficiaries of freebies who can be members of the committee the court has suggested setting up. He instead suggested representatives from the political parties, the Niti Aayog, the civil service, the central bank, and other sectors. Bharat Chugh, a former judge and now an advocate in the Supreme Court, said that for any committee recommendation to be effective it has to be given shape in concrete law. The definition of 'corrupt practice', for instance, may be enlarged to include freebies and there should be real consequences for making such promises, he said. Senior advocate and politician Kapil Sibal, whose opinion the court has sought in the matter, said the impact regulating freebies will have on different sectors, especially agriculture, has to be considered. A French Air and Space Force contingent, including three jets, made a strategically crucial stopover at the IAF's Sulur base in Tamil Nadu as part of a mega military operation it carried out in the Pacific Ocean. The support provided by the Indian Air Force to the French force reflected the implementation of the reciprocal logistics support agreement signed by and India in 2018 to boost military cooperation. A French readout said on Thursday that the cooperation with the Indian Air Force demonstrated a high level of mutual trust and interoperability between the two sides. It said the French contingent was hosted for a technical stopover at Air Force Station Sulur on August 10 and 11 during a long-distance deployment from metropolitan to the Pacific Ocean. The French Air and Space Force is carrying out a major long-range mission in the Indo-Pacific, code-named Pegase 22, from August 10 to September 18. "The first stage of this mission aims to demonstrate France's capacity for long-distance air power projection by deploying an Air Force contingent from metropolitan to the French territory of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean in less than 72 hours (10th-12th August)," the statement said. "To achieve this unprecedented 16,600-km deployment, the Air Force contingent made a technical stopover in India, at Air Force Station Sulur," it said. The contingent comprises three jets and support aircraft. "Landing at Air Force Station Sulur on August 10th evening, it flew out in the early hours of 11th August after refuelling, en route to New Caledonia," the readout noted. "The operation demonstrated a high level of mutual trust and interoperability between the French and Indian Air Forces, which has been further boosted by the fact that both Air Forces now fly jets," it said. The readout mentioned the cooperation between the two air forces illustrated the "concrete" implementation of the reciprocal logistics support agreement. "France is a resident power of the Indo-Pacific, and this ambitious long-distance air power projection demonstrates our commitment to the region and our partners," French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said, lauding the IAF's role in the successful operation. He said it is only natural that to carry out this mission, France relied on India, and described it as France's "foremost strategic partner in Asia". In the following stages of Mission Pegase 22, the French Air Force contingent will take part in the "Pitch Black" air exercise taking place in Australia from August 17 to September 10. The Indian Air Force will also participate in this multilateral drill, along with Australia, Japan, the US, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore, the UK, and South Korea. Mission Pegase 22 is a powerful demonstration of France's capacity for quick deployment in the Indo-Pacific. "The mission is also proof that the security situation in Europe has not diminished the French and European commitment in the Indo-Pacific. In this respect, it also aims to strengthen ties with key strategic partners," the French readout 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.) New [India], August 11 (ANI): As the COVID cases are on rise in the country, especially in the national capital, ahead of the festival season, experts feel that the infections are mild but are underreported. According to Dr S Chatterjee, Senior Consultant Internal Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, it seems as if the next wave has already started as a huge number of cases are coming and most of them are underreported. "The number of cases are huge at this moment in the city. I think it has been underreported because quite a few people not even getting themselves tested. The doctors also not advising and the patients are also not getting tested," Dr Chatterjee. He further said that if the testing is increased then the daily number of cases will also increase. "So, if we start testing more number of people, then the number of cases will be higher because every other day I receive calls that they are suffering from fever, and most of the people will say that, simple flu. But what I think is that they should be tested for COVID and at the same time they should be also tested for swine flu. Because we are seeing a huge uptick in the cases," said Dr Chatterjee. "Most of the people are coming out to be positive. So what we can see is that the number of cases are definitely higher," he added Dr Chatterjee said that severity is low in cases of those who are testing positive for COVID-19, however, he said that the hospital admissions also have increased but the severity is not that bad. "If you talk about the severity or hospital admissions it has increased, but the severity is not that bad. Most of the people are surviving, and it's not a serious disease. But we need to be careful because one out of those numbers might become sick, because of the vulnerability and because of the comorbidity," he said. On the fourth wave, Dr Chatterjee said it looks like our country is witnessing another wave in the manner cases are being reported daily. "The way the numbers have increased in the last couple of days, I would think that is the beginning of the wave already. Because anybody you speak with almost somebody, one of the family members has COVID these days when they are testing. So I think is already the beginning because the numbers have risen like that," he said. "But yes, there's nothing to panic about but really to be careful. The good thing is that obviously, the vaccines have worked. Maybe the strain is also weaker this time at this moment," added Dr Chatterjee. He also said that vaccines are effective and there is nothing to panic about at all. Dr Chatterjee further said that children are being infected with COVID-19 because they are going to the schools but none of them has required admission. "Children are getting sick because they are going to the schools. People are going to college. They are also getting sick, but as I said, none of them are requiring really admissions to a hospital," he said. Talking about the symptoms, he said that symptoms are almost similar and most of the people would have a runny nose, sneezing sore throat, cough, headache, and body ache a few with diarrhea and a few people only present with headache and tiredness is a similar spectrum of symptoms. (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.) An analysis and advisory organisation has released an update on India's "first-ever effort" to track green investment flows, which are falling far short of the country's current need for its ambitious climate targets. Climate Policy Initiative in its report titled 'Landscape of Green Finance in India', has claimed that "the tracked green finance in 2019-2020 was Rs 309,000 crore (nearly USD 44 billion) per annum, which is less than a fourth of India's needs". The report estimates that for India to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris agreement, the country requires approximately Rs 162.5 lakh crore (USD 2.5 trillion) from 2015 to 2030 or roughly Rs 11 lakh crore (USD 170 billion) per year, the US-based organisation said in a statement. The evaluation of finance flows has been estimated for key real economy sectors like clean energy, clean transport and energy efficiency, the organisation said. The study tracks both public and private sources of capital -- domestic as well as international -- and builds a framework to track the flow of finance right from the source to the end beneficiaries through different instruments with an emphasis on bottom up approaches based on actual flows rather than commitments, providing the most accurate analysis to date of where India's climate finance stands, the finance gaps it faces, and the opportunities that lie ahead, the statement said. This year, the report also provides a first-of-its-kind evaluation of adaptation financing for select sectors. "The report shows increased flows to renewable energy sectors. This indicates the positive role policy support has had on the renewable sector. We would also in the future hope to see a similar role being played in other sub-sectors like distributed renewable energy - rooftop solar and clean mobility," said Neha Khanna, project manager and lead author, Climate Policy Initiative-India. (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.) Covid makers in India are now vying for positioning their vaccines as the heterologous booster shot that may be administered after two doses of any . Bharat Biotechs intranasal expected to get a nod from the drug regulator this month has been tested as both a preliminary dose and a mix-and-match booster after Covaxin. Similarly, Dr Reddys Laboratories (DRL) is planning to submit data related to using the Sputnik Light (single-dose version of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V) as a heterologous booster. A universal booster or a heterologous booster means that the third shot of a vaccine given to an individual is different from the primary two doses. In April, Serum Institute of Indias Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla had indicated that it plans to conduct a trial to test the Covovax as a booster shot in a mix-and-match trial. India formally allowed the mixing of vaccines or a heterologous boosting policy this week, with Biological Es Corbevax becoming the first vaccine to be approved as a heterologous booster in adults who have taken two shots of Covishield or Covaxin. Experts have endorsed the adoption of a mix-and-match boosting strategy for vaccines. Shahid Jameel, senior research fellow at Green Templeton College at Oxford University, has said India must use science to update its booster policy. The researcher had said last month that the recent data from Christian Medical College, Vellore study on mixing Covishield and Covaxin showed that Covishield after Covaxin was a far superior combination. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation allowed using Corbevax as a heterologous booster, paving the way for other vaccines to vie for the spot. As for Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech, its intranasal vaccine is based on the adenovirus vector platform and is distinct from Covaxin. The vaccine helps to trigger the generation of immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies which line the nasal mucosa. Bharat Biotech claims the vaccine helps to reduce the transmission of the Sars-CoV-2 virus as it attacks the virus at its first point of entry the nose and the upper respiratory tract. It had conducted a three-leg Phase 2 clinical trial for its intranasal vaccine. The vaccine was tested in three combinations - two intranasal shots, first a Covaxin shot followed by the nasal vaccine, or Covaxin shot following a nasal shot. The company has sought approval for its vaccine both as a primary shot and also as a booster dose. It has plans to have an annual capacity of 1 billion doses of the intranasal vaccine and is also open to having global partners for its manufacturing and distribution. DRL, meanwhile, is readying to submit data on the Sputnik Light as a universal booster to the Drugs Controller General of India. Delhi on Wednesday reported a slight dip in new Covid cases in the last 24 hours, at 2,146 against 2,495 reported on previous day, however, the number of deaths rose to eight, against seven a day earlier, as per the health bulletin. Meanwhile, the Covid positivity rate of the city has risen to 17.83 per cent, and the number of active cases stands at 8,205, out of which 5,549 patients are being treated in home isolation. The Noida Authority will on Thursday file in the the status report on preparations for the demolition of Supertech's illegal twin towers in the city, officials said, as it appeared that the blast date could be deferred from August 21. The apex court, which had ordered the demolition of the nearly 100-metre-tall structures, will take up the matter for hearing on August 12, according to the officials. The twin towers in Sector 93A are so far scheduled to be razed by controlled implosion at 2.30 pm on August 21. The had ordered their demolition by August 28. The time between August 21 and 28 was kept as a buffer period. Mumbai on Wednesday reported 852 Covid-19 cases, the highest daily rise after July 1, and a single fatality, taking the tally to 11,29,285 and the toll to 19,661, the city civic body said. On July 1, the metropolis reported 978 cases and two fatalities, before the daily number of cases started dipping gradually. Masks are back in the national capital, bringing back memories of the Covid-19 wave that kept the country on its toes for a large part of the last two years. After the test positivity rate crossed 17 per cent in Delhi and over 5.7 per cent of its hospital beds were occupied, the city brought back the mandatory mask rule. Violating the mask guidelines will attract a fine of Rs 500. Tamil Nadu had already made masks mandatory a few months ago and the step seems to have paid off. A Business Standard analysis showed that Chennais test positivity rate has remained stable at 4.6 per cent from end of July till date. Delhi, however, has seen a sharp rise in test positivity rate over the past few weeks from 9.3 per cent in the end of July to 17.8 per cent now. In the past few weeks, cases have seen a spike in Delhi, hovering around 1,500-2,000 daily, and around 520 patients are admitted in various hospitals. Doctors say that many hospitalised for other ailments are turning out to be Covid-19 positive incidentally; there is a rush of patients with Covid-19 symptoms at OPDs. Shuchin Bajaj, director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals, said: There is a rush of patients in the OPDs who have Covid-19 symptoms fever, cold, cough and upon testing many turn out to be positive. Among those hospitalised, many are admitted for other ailments but turn out to be Covid-19 positive. A matter of concern is that Delhi has witnessed over 32 deaths in the first 11 days of August. We cannot take this virus lightly at all. There is a rise in post-Covid-19 heart attacks. We do not know about the long-term impacts of this virus even now, Bajaj said. Other major cities too are catching up Mumbai has already seen an upward trend in the number of cases. In fact, the city saw a 79 per cent jump in fresh cases on Wednesday to 852 cases, up from 476 infections reported on Tuesday. So far, only 1.2 per cent of Mumbais hospital beds are occupied. Mumbai is yet to bring back mask guidelines. There has been an increase in the share of tests that are positive in Mumbai and Delhi, while Chennai has remained the same. Mumbais test positivity rate has risen from 2.4 per cent to 8.8 per cent in the same period (see chart 1). There has been a drop in tests conducted amid the rising positivity rate. Delhi testing is down 10.9 per cent and Mumbai is down 28 per cent. Chennai has seen a 36.3 per cent testing decline; although it has not seen the rise in positivity rate witnessed in the other two cities (see chart 2). Doctors in Kolkata say that the Covid-19 numbers have started to show a decline, while swine flu numbers are rising. Aviral Roy, consultant-intensivist, internal medicine and critical care, Medica Superspecialty Hospital said: We had an increase in Covid-19 numbers a month or two ago, but the numbers have recently begun to decline. However, there have been numerous isolated cases of H1N1 swine flu, a subtype of the influenza A virus. He added that every week, one to two such individuals were admitted to the hospital. The patients show serious infection, and a few fatalities have recently been reported. The Union health ministry had written letters to Maharashtra, Delhi, Odisha, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on August 5, highlighting that the case positivity rate was rising in these states. The Centre had also directed the states to increase testing, monitor clusters of infections closely and report district-wise influenza-like illnesses regularly. On August 5, Delhi had a weekly positivity rate of 9.86 per cent. Covid-19 spread can escalate quickly within merely a week, the positivity rate almost doubled in the national capital. India has reported an average of 17,016 daily fresh cases in August and an average positivity rate of 4.7 per cent. As of Thursday, Indias overall positivity rate is 4.85 per cent. The approved the proposal of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for the continuation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (-U) up to December 31, 2024, said officials on Wednesday. As per the proposal, financial assistance is to be provided for the completion of already sanctioned 122.69 lakh houses till March 31, 2022. PMAY-U, Housing for All is one of the major flagship programmes being implemented by the Government of India to provide all-weather pucca houses to all eligible beneficiaries in the urban areas of the country through States/UTs/Central Nodal Agencies. The scheme covers the entire urban area of the country, i.e., all statutory towns as per Census 2011 and towns notified subsequently, including Notified Planning/ Development Areas. The scheme is being implemented through four verticals: Beneficiary Led Construction/ Enhancement (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS). "During the period 2004-2014, 8.04 lakh houses were completed under Urban Housing Scheme. Under the Modi Government, the issue of providing houses to all eligible Urban dwellers in saturation mode was brought into focus and the scheme of PMAY-Urban was conceptualised. In 2017, the original projected demand was 100 lakh houses. Against this originally projected demand, 102 lakh houses have been grounded/under construction," read a statement by the Union Ministry. The ministry cited that out of the total sanctioned 123 lakh houses, the proposals of 40 lakh houses were received late (during the last 2 years of the scheme) from the States/UTs which require another two years to complete. Therefore, based on the requests from the States/UTs, the decided to extend the implementation period of PMAY-U till 31.12.2024. "The continuation of the scheme based on the request of States/UTs upto 31st December 2024 will help in the completion of already sanctioned houses under BLC, AHP & ISSR verticals," the statement 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.) Nalini Sriharan, serving life sentence in the case, has moved the seeking her premature release. Nalini has challenged the June 17 order of the Madras High Court, which rejected her plea for early release, and cited the apex court judgement ordering the release of co-convict A G Perarivalan while seeking to be set free. The high court had on June 17 rejected the petitions of and Ravichandran, both convicted in the former Prime Minister case, to order their release without even the consent of the state's governor. The High Courts do not have the power under Article 226 of the Constitution to do so, unlike the which enjoyed the special power under Article 142, the high court had said while rejecting their pleas. Invoking its extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution, the top court had on May 18 ordered the release of Perarivalan, who had served over 30 years in jail, and said the Tamil Nadu governor ought not to have sent the "binding" advice made by the state cabinet for his release to the president. The apex court had said the advice of the state cabinet is binding on the governor in matters related to commutation/ remission of sentences under Article 161 of the Constitution. Under article 142, the top court may issue any verdict or order necessary to provide "complete justice". Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally. In its May 1999 order, the top court had upheld the death sentence of four convicts Perarivalan, Murugan, Santhan and Nalini. However, in 2014, it commuted the death sentence of Perarivalan to life imprisonment along with those of Santhan and Murugan on the ground of an 11-year delay in deciding their mercy petitions. Nalini's death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2001 on the consideration that she has a daughter. (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 (UP) government has created an angel fund of Rs 1,000 crore to facilitate setting up 10,000 start-ups across sectors. So far, 6,800 start-up ventures come up with Noida, Ghaziabad, and Lucknow leading the pack. According to a spokesperson, incubators in fintech, education, health, agriculture, textile, and IT/IT-enabled services have been set up. The incubators aim to boost UPs entrepreneurial talent and provide young entrepreneurs an inclusive start-up ecosystem. They will not only promote start-ups, but also give a push to mass employment opportunities and attract private investment. Till now, 15 incubators have come up in state universities, engineering colleges and private institutions. In fact, Indias largest start-up incubator is in the works in Lucknow. An innovation hub has also been made operational, which supports more than 200 start-ups even as eight other ventures are being handled by the multi-specialty Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, he added. At least one incubator will be set up in each of the 75 districts of UP. Earlier, the government had plans to set up a Fintech City over 100 acres in the Noida-Greater Noida corridor. Currently, about 240 fintech start-ups are operational in the region dedicated to digital lending, payments, blockchain and digital wealth management. Some of these firms include Pine Labs, Spice Money, Paytm Payments Bank, Advisorymandi, DiGiSPICE, OneCode, Wishfin, GramCover, FanTiger, Marquee Equity, Easypolicy, Buddy4Study, Oye Loans, PayMe India, PortDesk, Nivesh.com. Prep for funding winter: warns its portfolio firms After a recent fall in profit, of announced that the Japanese tech investor will look at dramatic cost-cutting. Before he does that, investments in India for calendar year 2022 (CY22) will fall radically, observed sources in the know. Read more... eyes $100-bn revenue by 2030, capex of about $3-bn in next two yrs Billionaire Anil Agarwal, who is chairman of Vedanta, said on Wednesday that the company was targeting $100 billion in revenue by 2030 as it continued to diversify its operations across the natural resources spectrum. Read more... HDFC- Bank merger could set off Rs 48k-cr Nifty50 churn: Brokerage The imminent merger between Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) and Bank could lead to a churn of nearly Rs 48,000 crore in the benchmark Nifty50 index. Currently, both the financial sector behemoths have considerable weightage in the 50-share index. Read more... Most Snapdragon 5G platforms already available to Indian OEMs: Qualcomm Chip firm has said that it is selling most of its Snapdragon 5G platforms with key features like the standalone (SA) mode to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in India. It expects most of the upcoming 5G phones in the market would be enabled to run on SA networks. Read more... MeitY may stick with a govt-backed GAC for social media content issues Against the background of its brushes with big social media outfits, the government may stick with its plan to create a grievance appellate committee (GAC) for the sector. Read more... As India is celebrating 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav', everyone should visit the War Memorial to pay tributes to the soldiers who have made the supreme sacrifice, Union Tourism Secretary Arvind Singh said on Wednesday. At an event held at the memorial here, tribute was paid to the fallen heroes as 144 earthen pots containing soil from the hometowns of Army martyrs from across the country, including the 40 killed in the Pulwama attack, were put on display, according to an official statement. Umesh Gopinath Jadav from Bangalore travelled more than 1.15 lakh km by road and met families of the 144 martyrs and collected the soil from outside their homes as part of the journey -- 'Bharat Ki Mitti Ka Samman', it said. "As we are celebrating 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' and we are going to enter into the 'Amrit Kaal', I appeal to everyone to come and visit the War Memorial during the Amrit Kaal and pay tributes to the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the nation," Singh said. The ministry celebrated 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' at the memorial on Wednesday by organising a visit of various tourism-related stakeholders there. It also felicitated seven kith and kin of the martyrs, the statement said. The guests were taken on a guided tour of the memorial and they also witnessed 'laying the wreath ceremony' which is observed every day. The evening ended with Beating the Retreat Drill before sunset. Over 150 people from travel trade industry, students, Incredible India tourist guides, travel bloggers and social media influencers and other stakeholders took part in the event. Spread over 40 acres in the midst of India's capital stands the National War Memorial as a tribute to all the soldiers who fearlessly fought for India and lost their life, the statement said. Inaugurated on February 25, 2019, this memorial stands in the glow of the eternal flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti as a national pride depicting a nation indebted to its soldiers, it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Health and education are the main principles of a welfare state and no government in India ever denied them, Finance Minister said on Thursday. Her comments came against the backdrop of an ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on the issue of populist schemes, or freebies, and a charge by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that the central government was opposing free health care and education. Delhi Chief Minister has given a perverse twist to the debate on freebies. Health and education have never been called freebies. No Indian government has ever denied them. So, classifying education and health as freebies, Kejriwal is trying to bring in a sense of worry and fear in the minds of the poor. There should be a genuine debate on the matter, the finance minister said. On Thursday, the Supreme Court said legislation banning political parties from offering voters freebies is not advisable, while de-registering such parties would be anti-democratic. After the latest hearing, Kejriwal held a press conference in which he alleged that there seemed to be something wrong with the Centres finances the way it was strongly opposing free facilities for people. He said the Centre collected a huge amount of taxes, including Rs 3.5 trillion per annum on petrol and diesel, and was still against providing people of the country free education, health care and other facilities. Countering the charge, the Centre released major expenses it incurred since 2014-15, a chunk of which went to developmental schemes. The view in the central government is that the debate on freebies should be held in the public policy and political realm and not in the judicial realm. Earlier, a top government official had told Business Standard that as long as state governments showed the numbers in their budgets and are paying vendors on time, they are within their rights to announce any freebie. How do you define freebie? It is a matter of the political and policy realms. One can argue that fiscally it is a bad strategy, etc. The argument on freebies should be held in the political realm and decided there. If a state is announcing free electricity, they should have the means to pay the power distribution companies as well, the official had said. On July 26, the Supreme Court had sought a reply from the Centre on whether a body like the Finance Commission can regulate freebies and if revenue allocation to states could be regulated by taking into account the amount a state has spent on unnecessary freebies, especially ahead of elections. However, the 15th Finance Commission stands dissolved, and although it was mandated with taking a look at populist measures by states, it steered clear of defining populist schemes or freebies. As many as six merchant bankers are vying to handle and manage the sale of the government's 29.53 per cent residual stake in Ltd (HZL), according to an official notice. ICICI Securities, SBI Capital Markets, HDFC Bank, IIFL Securities, Axis Capital and Citigroup Global Markets will make their presentations via video conferencing before the government officials on Friday, highlighting their plans in managing the offer for sale. The bankers to manage the sale process would be finalised after the presentation and opening of financial bids on August 12, as per the notice. The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) had in early July invited bids from merchant bankers for managing HZL residual stake and set July 28 as the deadline for placing bids. The selected merchant bankers assist the government on the timing of the divestment, get investor feedback, and hold investor road shows, besides seeking regulatory approvals. HZL was a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the administrative control of the Mines Ministry and was privatised in 2002. Currently, Vedanta Ltd holds 64.92 per cent in HZL, while the government holds 29.53 per cent. Only a 5.5 per cent stake is with the public. The Union Cabinet in May approved the sale of 124.9 crore shares or 29.53 per cent stake the government holds in zinc producer HZL, which was sold to mining mogul Anil Agarwal's Sterlite Industries in 2002. The government disinvested 26 per cent of its equity holding in HZL along with a transfer of control to Sterlite Opportunities and Ventures Ltd (SOVL) on March 28, 2002. Subsequently, as per provisions of the shareholding agreement, the strategic partner exercised its call option and the government transferred 18.92 pet cent to SOVL, which is part of Agarwal's Vedanta group. Shares of HZL rose 0.79 per cent to Rs 274.95 on the BSE on Thursday. At the current market price, the sale of 124.9 crore shares would fetch about Rs 34,000 crore to the exchequer. The government has budgeted to raise Rs 65,000 crore through CPSE disinvestment in the current fiscal. So far this fiscal, it has realised Rs 24,544 crore. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State on Wednesday said he was concerned about reports of the detention of an opposition political leader in . On the second day of his visit to the central African nation, Blinken said his delegation was trying to get more facts about the opposition figure's detention which he said had happened in the last 24 hours. Blinken said his delegation had raised the issue with Congo's government and he called it a possible setback in establishing the right environment for elections. We have full respect for the laws of the DRC (Congo) but we are concerned about any steps taken that could actually reduce the political space, especially as the country heads into elections, Blinken said. The secretary of state was speaking at an event promoting democracy in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, as part of his three-nation African tour. Jean-Marc Kabund, the former vice president of the National Assembly and former ally of President Felix Tshisekedi, was placed under provisional detention Tuesday following his interrogation by the prosecutor general, according to his lawyer. He is being investigated for making public insults and harmful accusations that were of offense to the president, local reports said. Kabund has was ousted as vice president of the National Assembly and head of Tshisekedi's party earlier this year for criticizing the president. Kabund then formed his own party. Also on Wednesday, Blinken met with Congo's Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde for discussions that included Congo's security, economy and environment. Blinken also hosted guests including Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege at the US Embassy. Before leaving for Rwanda, his third and final stop in Africa, Blinken reiterated the United States' willingness and availability to work with on the issues discussed. The agenda that we have on various topics, whether it's food security issues, whether it's climate preservation issues, whether it's the work we do together to support democracy, to help to restore peace and security in (Congo's) East ... All these subjects demonstrate both the depth and the importance of our relations. We are delighted to be able to work together, Blinken said. While Blinken was in Congo, the US State Department announced the allocation of up to USD 23.75 million to support the country's general elections scheduled for 2023. The funding is to support the electoral system, improve civic and voter education, and help marginalized communities to understand and participate in the political process, said a statement. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has put a hold on a proposal by the US and at the to blacklist Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) chief Masood Azhar and a senior leader of the Pakistan-based terror organisation. Abdul Rauf Azhar, born in 1974 in Pakistan, was sanctioned by the US in December 2010. On Wednesday, sources said put a hold on a proposal by and the US to designate Azhar as a global terrorist and subject him to assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo. This is the second time in less than two months that has put a hold on a listing by the US and to blacklist a Pakistan-based terrorist under the sanctions committee of the UN Security Council. In June this year, China had put a hold, at the last moment, on a joint proposal by India and the US to list Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki under the 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. Makki is a US-designated terrorist and brother-in-law of Lashkar-e-Taiba head and 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed. New Delhi and Washington had put a joint proposal to designate Makki as a global terrorist under the 1267 ISIL and Al Qaida Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council but Beijing placed a hold on this proposal at the last minute here. The US Department of Treasury had in December 2010 designated Abdul Rauf Azhar, a senior leader of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM), for acting for or on behalf of JEM." The US said as a senior leader of JeM, Abdul Rauf Azhar has urged Pakistanis to engage in militant activities. He has served as JEM's acting leader in 2007, as one of JEM's most senior commanders in India, and as JEM's intelligence coordinator." "In 2008 Azhar was assigned to organise suicide attacks in India. He was also involved with JEM's political wing and has served as a JEM official involved with training camps. A day before Beijing blocked this latest proposal, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj had said at a Security Council meeting chaired by permanent-member and Council President China that the practice of placing holds and blocks on listing requests without giving any justification must end and asserted that the credibility of the Sanctions Regime at an all-time low. An effective functioning of the Sanctions Committees requires them to become more transparent, accountable and objective. The practice of placing holds and blocks on listing requests without giving any justification must end, Kamboj said. Kamboj had added that it is most regrettable that genuine and evidence-based listing proposals pertaining to some of the most notorious terrorists in the world are being placed on hold. Double standards and continuing politicisation have rendered the credibility of the Sanctions Regime at an all-time low. We do hope that all members of the UNSC can pronounce together in one voice, sooner than later, when it comes to this collective fight against terrorism, she had said. Earlier also, China, an all-weather friend of Islamabad, has placed holds and blocks on bids by India and its allies to list Pakistan-based terrorists. In May 2019, India had won a huge diplomatic win at the UN when the global body designated Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist, a decade after New Delhi had first approached the world body on the issue. A veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, China was the sole hold-out in the 15-nation body on the bid to blacklist Azhar, blocking attempts by placing a "technical hold". All decisions of the committee are taken through consensus. In 2009, India had moved a proposal by itself to designate Azhar. In 2016 again India moved the proposal with the P3 - the US, the UK and France in the UN's 1267 Sanctions Committee to ban Azhar, also the mastermind of the attack on the air base in Pathankot in January, 2016. In 2017, the P3 nations moved a similar proposal again. However, on all occasions, China blocked India's proposal from being adopted by the sanctions committee. (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.) Hong Kongs population dropped by a record as people fled strict Covid-19 restrictions that have hobbled the city as most other regions move on from the pandemic. The city saw a decline of 121,500 residents in the year ended June 30, leaving the population at about 7.29 million, according to government data released Thursday. That means the population fell 1.6%, marking the third straight year of declines and the biggest drop in at least six decades. A wide-reaching national security law may have also been a contributing factor. Amid the continued impact of Covid-19, stringent border control and quarantine measures have been in place in Hong Kong, the Mainland and other places around the world, resulting in severe interruption of cross-boundary travel, a government spokesperson said in a statement accompanying the data, adding that the inflow of people into has remained at a low level. -- which saw its population swell in the post-war era amid waves of mass migration from the mainland -- has only seen a few instances of decline since 1961. The overall population shrank by 0.2% amid an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome and protests against an earlier security law in the 2002-03 period, for instance. However, recent declines have swelled amid the citys tight pandemic controls. Former Chief Executive Carrie Lam implemented some of the citys stringent social distancing measures of the pandemic during the last year and threatened to mass test all residents, with anyone infected facing isolation in government camps. The mass testing plan never materialized, but people still fled the city as it enacted flight bans on countries including the US and the UK, and as fears that families could be separated in quarantine grew. has since lifted many of its restrictions, but a three-day hotel quarantine requirement for arrivals still isolates the city from much of the world. The citys campaign against dissent following Beijings imposition of a security law in June 2020, which raised questions about the one country, two systems framework that underpins the former British colonys financial center, could have also contributed to the population decline. Hong Kong authorities have increasingly used a wide array of tools beyond the security law to restrict the rights of Hong Kongers. At least 30 individuals have been arrested for inciting or publishing seditious text or materials. Earlier this year, a court handed a 40-month prison sentence to the first person convicted under a colonial-era sedition law since the handover to China -- a sign authorities intend to dish out stiff punishments for critical speech as part of a broader political crackdown. Some Hong Kong residents with foreign passports or those with overseas have sought to relocate recently -- especially to the UK, which opened up a pathway to citizenship for holders of British National (Overseas) passports. Germany's Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has urged cities and municipalities across the country to set up more free fountains. Citizens should be able to obtain water more easily when they are on the move, as well as fill up with free water for domestic use, reports dpa news agency. A corresponding bill by the Green politician passed the federal cabinet on Wednesday. "Access to must be as easy as possible for all people in Germany," Lemke said. The bill provides for municipalities to set up fountains in parks, pedestrian zones and shopping arcades, for example, as long as this is technically feasible and meets local needs. As a first step, cities and municipalities are to set up about 1,000 additional fountains, the Ministry said. There are already more than 1,300 public drinking water fountains across the country. "The recent dry and hot summers have shown us that persistent heat waves are no longer a rare event in Germany," Lemke said. Drinking fountains with tap water are one of the basic components of good public health in these circumstances, she added. "If municipalities take action now, they will make an important contribution to protecting the health of citizens," Lemke said. "Tap water is a controlled foodstuff, it saves energy and is provided without packaging at the drinking fountain, so the environment also benefits." --IANS 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.) Sri Lanka's ousted president Gotabaya arrived in on Thursday on a charter flight for a temporary stay before seeking permanent asylum in another country after his short-term visit pass expired in Singapore, according to a media report. is believed to have arrived at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport around 8 pm Bangkok time from Singapore's Seletar Airport earlier in the evening, The Straits Times newspaper reported. arrived in Bangkok on the same day that his visa in expired, the report said. Rajapaksa boarded the flight from to Bangkok, after confirmed a day before that it had received a request from the current Sri Lankan government for him to visit the country. A condition for Rajapaksa's stay in is that he should not cause problems for the country. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday confirmed a temporary visit to Thailand by the 73-year-old embattled Sri Lankan leader for humanitarian reasons, and said he promised not to conduct political activities in the kingdom during his search for permanent asylum in another country. After fleeing to the Maldives on July 13, Rajapaksa then flew to Singapore, where he announced his resignation a day later after months of protests over Sri Lanka's unprecedented economic crisis. "This is a humanitarian issue. We have made a promise that it's a temporary stay. No (political) activities are allowed, and this will help him find a country to take refuge in," Prayut was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post newspaper on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the ousted president can stay in Thailand for 90 days as he is still a diplomatic passport holder, the report said. Don said the Sri Lankan government did not oppose the visit and the Thai government would not make accommodation arrangements for him. The visit would not pose conflicts with Colombo as acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe had worked for him when he was in power, he added. The minister said a condition for Rajapaksa's stay was that he should not cause problems for Thailand. Meanwhile, a report in the Daily Mirror newspaper in said Rajapaksa will return to in November after his 90-day Thai visa runs out. The Sri Lankan government had directly appealed on behalf of the ousted President and sought permission to allow him to seek temporary shelter in Thailand, the report said. However as the 90 day Thai visa runs out in November, political sources said that Rajapaksa will return to as he was a Sri Lankan citizen and had all the legal rights to remain in the country. Although several attempts had been made for Rajapaksa to seek asylum in the Middle East, he had not received any favourable response, the report said. It also said that the cost for the Rajapaksas to flee from the country was borne by himself and his son Manoj Rajapaksa and no state funds had been utilised so far except for the Air Force flight that was used to transport him and his wife from Colombo to Male last month. Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials. The massive protests that began in March culminated with Rajapaksa's resignation. The protesters accused the Rajapaksa family, which has dominated Sri Lanka's political scene for nearly two decades, of plunging the country into the worst economic crisis since the country's independence in 1948 through mismanagement and corruption. The country, with an acute foreign currency crisis that resulted in foreign debt default, had announced in April that it is suspending nearly USD 7 billion foreign debt repayment due for this year out of about USD 25 billion due through 2026. Sri Lanka's total foreign debt stands at USD 51 billion. The United Nations has warned that 5.7 million people require immediate humanitarian assistance, with Sri Lankans experiencing extreme shortages of essentials including food, fuel and medicines. The new Sri Lankan government led by Rajapaksa's ally Wickremesinghe faces the task of leading the country out of its economic collapse and restoring order. Sri Lanka has seen months of mass unrest over the worst economic crisis, with the government declaring bankruptcy in mid-April by refusing to honour its debt. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese insurer Ping An Insurance Group believes HSBC has overstated the challenges and difficulties of spinning off the bank, said a source with direct knowledge of the thinking of the bank's biggest shareholder. The bank came under pressure from Ping An in April to explore options including spinning off its mainstay Asia business to increase shareholder returns. Details of Ping An's internal discussions come after HSBC on August 1 pushed back on the Chinese investor's proposals while reporting its half-year earnings. HSBC said a break-up would mean a potential long-term hit to the bank's credit rating, tax bill and operating costs, and bring immediate risks in executing any spinoff or merger. Ping An declined to comment, while a spokesperson for HSBC said the bank had nothing to add to comments made by its executives last week. The detailed rebuttal as described by the source with knowledge of Ping An's thinking represents the investor's most detailed pushback yet of HSBC's strategy, and signals Ping An's intention to continue the dispute. While activist investors sometimes acquire a stake in a big bank and confront management on how it is run, it is unusual for a Chinese entity such as Ping An, whose top include state-backed entities, to take such a proactive stance. Ping An believes a spin-off would generate an additional $25-$35 billion in market value and release over $8 billion in capital, said the source, citing "external" analysis. The source declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. Responding to HSBC's argument that spinning off its Asian business will hit global synergies, the source said HSBC would remain a major shareholder of the Asian unit after the separation and both parties could enter into cooperation agreements. The spat between HSBC and Ping An shows the challenges facing the UK lender, as it attempts to navigate geopolitical tensions between the U.S., Britain and China amid criticism from lawmakers in the West over the bank's activities in Hong Kong. HSBC Chief Executive Noel Quinn said on Aug.1 the bank's dialogue with Ping An "has been purely around commercial issues", with no political aspect. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HyperSocial CEO Braden Wallake has been mocked for posting a photo of himself in tears online after laying off some of its . Wallake, who founded Hyper Social in 2016, posted a lengthy message to LinkedIn this week explaining his devastation at dismissing the employees, reports the DailyMail. "I know it is not professional to tell my that I love them. But from the bottom of my heart, I hope they know how much I do," he said. On Wednesday, he admitted that only two of his lost their jobs -- with his girlfriend Emily Chucta, the chief operations officer, firing the second, the report said. Meanwhile, social media users took different platforms to slam the CEO. "Maybe the crying CEO who had like 20 employees did a good thing for those still there. It is probably the most publicity his company has ever received. I had never even heard of HyperSocial before. They are not even on Twitter," a user wrote on the microblogging site Twitter. "#BradenWallake, the 'crying CEO', used #LinkedIn to consolidate his position on sacking employees. Poor guy just wanted to present his human face. Wrong decision to use Linked. He should have used TikTok or Instagram instead. LinkedIn is the new Facebook!" taking a dig at the CEO, another user wrote. Wallake told Motherboard that both of the laid-off employees were "over-the-top nice" about it and "assured" him and Chucta that they were "going to be okay". He said he decided to make the LinkedIn post several hours later. "I was just sitting here at my desk, just kind of crying, I guess, and decided to make the post because I have seen a lot on LinkedIn recently of how awful business owners and CEOs are for laying off their employees and that they are laying off employees while they are getting their third house in the Bahamas or wherever," Wallake said. --IANS vc/pgh (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 Group of Seven (G7) nations on Wednesday asked Russia to vacate Zaporizhzhya plant in citing a risk of a dangerous nuclear accident. The statement was issued by foreign ministers of countries came after shelling near the plant in recent days that drew condemnation from atomic officials. This comes as Western media reports said Russian forces occupying the Zaporizhzhya plant have turned the site into a military base. "We, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union, reiterate our strongest condemnation of the ongoing unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine," the said in a statement. They said the Russian Federation must immediately withdraw its troops from within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders and respect Ukraine's territory and sovereignty. "In that context, we demand that Russia immediately hand back full control to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine, of the Zaporizhzhya Plant as well as of all nuclear facilities within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders to ensure their safe and secure operations," the leaders said and added, "it is Russia's continued control of the plant that endangers the region." The G7 leaders said they remain profoundly concerned by the serious threat that the seizure of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and other actions by Russian armed forces pose to the safety and security of these facilities, significantly raising the risk of a nuclear accident or incident and endangering the population of Ukraine, neighbouring states and the community. "It also undermines the IAEA's ability to monitor Ukraine's peaceful nuclear activities for safeguarding purposes," the statement 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.) Sanofi, Plc and Haleon Plc have lost a combined $40 billion in market value since Tuesdays close amid mounting concerns about litigation around the recalled heartburn drug Zantac. fell as much as 13% on Thursday in trading volumes nearly 10 times the average, taking its two-day decline to 20%, the steepest drop ever over that timeframe. slid as much as 12% in London, while its recent spinoff Haleon slumped 13%. shares were at one point showing their worst one-day retreat since February 1998, before paring losses. Zantac was a once-popular antacid that has drawn a flurry of US personal-injury lawsuits alleging it causes cancer. Sanofi, GSK and Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH -- among many other generic drug makers -- are accused in the lawsuits of failing to properly warn users about health risks. While news of the litigation is not new, the publication of a series of analyst notes in recent days highlighting the potential exposure the face awoke investors to the risks. Indeed, the damages from Zantac litigation could possibly reach $10.5 billion to $45 billion, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley, based on similar litigation settlements in the past. There is considerable uncertainty at this stage surrounding the potential total financial impact of the Zantac litigation, they wrote in a note to clients. GSK declined to comment on stock moves and ongoing lawsuits around Zantac, while Haleon said its not a party of the litigation proceedings and that it has never marketed the drug in any form in the US, either as Haleon or as GSK Consumer Healthcare. didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Pfizer Inc., which owns more than a quarter of Haleon, fell as much as 3.5% at the New York market open. Several Zantac-related lawsuits have been filed against Pfizer in various federal and state courts, according to a recent company filing. A Pfizer spokesperson said the company sold Zantac only for a limited period of time and that it hasnt sold it in more than 15 years. Zantac was withdrawn from the market in 2019 after the US Food and Drug Administration said it appears to produce unacceptably high levels of a cancer-causing chemical when exposed to heat for as little as five days. Highlighting an upcoming Illinois case on Aug. 22 and some key court trials in early 2023, Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis warned on Thursday that the issues are likely to act as a short-term headwind for both GSK and shares. UBS Group AG analyst Laura Sutcliffe warned that some investors are avoiding Sanofi until there is further clarity. Downgrading her rating to neutral from buy, she said the litigation in early 2023 may become an overhang for the stock. Sanofi has previously downplayed the risks of the litigation, with executives saying on an earnings call last month that theres no reliable evidence that Zantac causes cancer and that plaintiffs wont be able to prove their claims. Haleon said it has certain indemnification obligations to GSK and Pfizer, which may include liabilities related to OTC Zantac, in a prospectus ahead of listing its shares in London last month. Thats while Credit Suisse analysts flagged Haleons involvement in Zantac litigation was limited. pictures released on Thursday showed devastation at a Russian air base in Crimea, hit days earlier in an attack that suggested Kyiv may have obtained new long-range strike capability with potential to change the course of the war. Pictures released by independent firm Planet Labs showed three near-identical craters that had precisely struck buildings at Russia's Saki air base. The base, on the southwest coast of had suffered extensive fire damage with the burnt-out husks of at least eight destroyed warplanes clearly visible. Russia has denied aircraft were damaged and said explosions seen at the base on Tuesday were accidental. Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack or said exactly how it was carried out. "Officially, we are not confirming or denying anything; there are numerous scenarios for what might have happened... bearing in mind that there were several epicentres of explosions at exactly the same time," Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters in a message. Western military experts said the scale of the damage and the apparent precision of the strike suggested a powerful new capability with potentially important implications. Russia, which annexed in 2014, uses the peninsula as the base for its Black Sea fleet and as the main supply route for its invasion forces occupying southern Ukraine, where Kyiv is planning a counter-offensive in coming weeks. "I'm not an intel analyst, but it doesn't look good," Mark Hertling, a former commander of US ground forces in Europe, wrote on Twitter, linking to an image of the devastation at the Russian base. "I am. It's very good," replied his fellow retired four-star American general, Michael Hayden, former head of the CIA and National Security Agency. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chinese mainland reports 614 new local confirmed COVID-19 cases Xinhua) 10:33, August 11, 2022 Staff members dispatch daily life supplies to stranded tourists at a hotel in Yalong Bay, Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng) BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Wednesday reported 614 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 559 were in Hainan Province, the National Health Commission said Thursday. Altogether 1,379 local asymptomatic carriers were newly identified on the day, including 805 in Hainan and 380 in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said the commission in its report. A total of 125 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospitals after recovery on the Chinese mainland on Wednesday. The total number of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals after recovery reached 224,112 on the Chinese mainland as of Wednesday. Wednesday saw no new deaths from COVID-19, with the total death toll at 5,226, according to the commission. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Ukraine's overseas creditors have backed its request for a two-year freeze on payments on almost $20 billion in bonds, a regulatory filing showed on Wednesday, a move that will allow the war-ravaged country to avoid a messy debt default. With no sign of peace or a ceasefire on the horizon nearly six months after Russia's invasion began, holders of around 75% of the outstanding total agreed to Kyiv's proposal, documents showed. " will save almost $6 billion on payments," said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in a statement. "These funds will help us maintain macrofinancial stability, strengthen the sustainability of the Ukrainian economy and improve the power of our army." The solicitation needed approval by holders of at least two-thirds of the total and more than 50% of each issue. "The two-year debt freeze makes sense because even if the war ends soon, Ukraine's situation is not going to improve overnight," said Stuart Culverhouse, chief economist at London-based research firm Tellimer. "Creditors were even surprised that the country decided to be current on the bonds until now." BlackRock Inc, Fidelity International, Amia Capital and Gemsstock Ltd are among the biggest holders of Ukraine's debt, whose market value has slumped by more than 80% since a build-up of Russian troops on its borders began late in 2021. Graphic: Ukrainian bonds in deferral proposal, https://graphics.reuters.com/UKRAINE-CRISIS/BONDS/myvmnekabpr/chart.png A separate but related consent solicitation approved by creditors allows changes to about $2.6 billion of GDP warrants, a derivative security that triggers payments linked to a country's gross domestic product. Creditors of Ukravtodor and Ukrenergo, two state-owned firms that have government guarantees on their debt, have approved separate solicitations similar to the one proposed by the sovereign. DEBT RELIEF With facing an estimated economic contraction of as much as 45% in 2022, bilateral creditors including the United States, Britain and Japan had also backed a debt repayment delay and a group of governments in the Paris Club agreed to suspend payments until the end of 2023. "This will improve the foreign currency cash flow for Ukraine, but by itself it's unlikely to be sufficient to stabilize FX reserves," said Carlos de Sousa, emerging markets debt portfolio manager at Vontobel Asset Management. Ukraine's reserves fell from $28.1 billion in March to $22.4 billion at the end of July. A comprehensive debt restructuring is expected following the debt freeze, De Sousa said, as it is "unlikely" that will be able to regain market access in two years. Ukraine completed a $15 billion debt restructuring in late 2015 after an economic crisis linked to a Russian-backed insurgency in its industrial east. The deal left it with a large number of payments due annually between 2019 and 2027, and it returned to markets in 2017. With a monthly fiscal shortfall of $5 billion, Ukraine is heavily reliant on foreign financing from Western allies and multilateral lenders including International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. It has so far received $12.7 billion in loans and grants, Finance Ministry data shows. The United States said this week it would provide an additional $4.5 billion to Ukraine's government, bringing its total budgetary support since Moscow began what it calls a "special military operation" to $8.5 billion. Ukraine also aims to agree a $15 billion-$20 billion IMF programme to help shore up its economy, its central bank governor said, and the government expects to receive this assistance before the year-end. By Jorgelina do Rosario, Rodrigo Campos and Karin Strohecker (Reporting by Jorgelina do Rosario, Rodrigo Campos and Karin Strohecker; additional reporting by Anna Pruchnicka in Gdansk and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Alexander Smith, Matthew Lewis, Mark Potter, Kirsten Donovan) (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) If success has many fathers, then a crypto exchange in the eye of a money-laundering storm has become an orphan. After Indian law enforcement froze $8 million in WazirX assets, Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao denied owning the country's largest crypto exchange. Binances November 2019 blog post, which had announced the takeover, now comes with a postscript: The acquisition described in this blog was limited to an agreement to purchase certain assets and intellectual property of WazirX. Binance did not purchase any equity (and does not own any equity) in Zanmai Labs, the entity operating WazirX and established by the original founders. One of those founders, however, disputes this version of the deal. Nischal Shetty, now based in Dubai according to media reports, contends that Binance indeed controls WazirX it owns the domain name and could shut down the platform. The only thing that isnt under the thumb of the worlds largest crypto exchange is Zanmai, Shetty argues. Naturally, if Binance desires control of Zanmai, they can acquire shares, he tweeted. So why doesnt it, if as Shetty claims, it was interested in doing so as late as February? CZ, as the Binance CEO is popularly known, wont be so foolish as to walk into the lair of India's dreaded to stake a claim on Zanmai. Certainly not after the EDs Aug. 5 press release that alleges Zanmai owns WazirX and that the crypto exchange was used to launder money by predatory Chinese loan apps. (In a press release, Zanmai said it co-operates the platform with Binance and is in the position of any other intermediary whose platform may have been misused.) The dodgy apps rented the balance sheets of Indian nonbank lenders and vanished with their illegal profits. The maximum amount of funds were diverted to WazirX exchange and the crypto assets so purchased have been diverted to unknown foreign wallets, the directorate said, adding that Zanmai officials are giving contradictory and ambiguous answers to evade oversight by Indian regulatory agencies. Also read: No-tolerance policy on illegal activities: Crypto exchange WazirX What oversight? The Reserve Bank of India, the banking regulator, hates crypto. In 2018, the instructed banks not to entertain customers who dealt in virtual currencies. Exchanges like WazirX, then a fledgling startup, survived the draconian diktat by restricting themselves to facilitating person-to-person transfers. In 2020, the industry heaved a sigh of relief when India's Supreme Court held the RBI's ban to be unconstitutional. However, all that has happened since then is that authorities have started taxing crypto trading, without bothering to regulate it. The crypto winter brought on by the collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin may have convinced the that its dismissive stance was the right one. Governor Shaktikanta Das termed cryptocurrencies as a clear danger in Singapore last month. His host nation a far smaller economy has also taken a few knocks in this year's turmoil, most recently with the payment freeze at crypto lender Hodlnaut, which had an in-principle nod to obtain a license under Singapores Payments Services Act. The approval has been rescinded, but limited spillover into the local financial system means that the monetary authority doesnt see crypto as a systemic risk. It's not something the city-state is going to outlaw. India could also have said that if people are going to play with hazardous tokens anyway, lets make sure they dont hurt themselves or others. By showing scant interest in regulating digital assets, the RBI has left the industry in a bad place. Thanks to a recent Indian Supreme Court ruling, the has nearly unlimited powers for carrying out arrests and raids, attaching property and recording self-incriminating statements. Bail is near impossible, and the burden of proving innocence is on the accused. A couple more scandals, and the ED may achieve the shutdown the RBI has long wished for: The considerable talent India has in this area will flee to more welcoming jurisdictions like Dubai. If a comparison with a global financial center like Singapore is not very helpful, maybe India should look to Thailand for inspiration. There, the existing digital regulations are being tweaked to actively create a role for the central bank in safeguarding investors at licensed entities like Zipmex (Thailand) Ltd., a exchange that briefly suspended coin withdrawals. All that the RBI wants, meanwhile, is a blanket ban on crypto because it is not possible to regulate something that one cannot define. Lame excuses like that have led to the present bizarre situation where nobody is coming forward to claim parentage of Indias largest crypto bourse. Thats just what you get by letting jail risk do the job of adult supervision. The enforcement authority in its press release took WazirX to task for its alleged lack of due diligence: No physical address verification is done, it said. There is no check on the source of funds of their clients. If this picture of a lawless terrain is true, then a big part of blame goes to the RBIs dangerous disinterest. Letting the add its own chilling effect to the crypto winter will make the industry shrivel and die. Shares of TCPL hit a record high of Rs 1,191.55 and rallied 14 per cent on the BSE in Thursdays intra-day trade after the company reported robust earnings for the quarter ended June 2022 (Q1FY23). The stock of this smallcap company has surpassed its previous high of Rs 1,107.20 that it had touched on July 25, 2022. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the companys standalone revenues grew 48.4 per cent to Rs 335.5 crore and cash profits improved 105.6 per cent to Rs 46.9 crore in Q1FY23. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (ebitda) margins, meanwhile, improved 253 bps to 16.0 per cent from 13.4 per cent in Q1FY22. The management said that TCPL is well positioned to cater to growing demand of sustainable solutions from leading brands and continues to support efforts towards facilitating a waste-free world. TCPL is mainly engaged in the business of manufacturing printed blanks & outers, folding cartons, litho lamination, plastic cartons, blister packaging, shelf ready packaging, flexible packaging materials etc. The company ventured into flexible packaging industry, with capability to produce printed cork-tipping paper, laminates, sleeves, and wrap-around labels. TCPL has also set-up TCPL Innofilms Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary to manufacture blown polyethylene (PE) films. So far in the calendar year 2022, the stock price of TCPL has zoomed 130 per cent from level of Rs 518.20 on December 31, 2021. In comparison, the S&P BSE was up 0.33 per cent. The global packaging industry market size continues to grow mainly driven by increasing demand from end-user sectors such as FMCG, food and beverage, retail, tobacco, e-Commerce, and healthcare industries. "Looking ahead, a rising young population, growing income levels and changing lifestyles are expected to drive consumption across various industries leading to higher demand for packaging solutions, including the sustainable paperboard-based carton and flexible packaging segment," TCPL said in their FY22 annual report. The company is now recognized as a leader in its field across segments, hence, the management is very confident of leveraging its existing relationships with leading customers and plans to enter new customer segments to continue high rates of growth. "Further, the ability to produce recyclable flexible packaging gives the company an edge over competition in the times ahead," TCPL added. Canara Bank is quoting at Rs 231.8, up 2.79% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 48.88% in last one year as compared to a 8% gain in NIFTY and a 20.35% gain in the Nifty Pharma index. Canara Bank is up for a third straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 231.8, up 2.79% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.79% on the day, quoting at 17673.85. The Sensex is at 59374.24, up 0.95%. Canara Bank has added around 6.87% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Pharma index of which Canara Bank is a constituent, has added around 7.99% in last one month and is currently quoting at 2803.8, up 2.31% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 81.22 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 113.79 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark August futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 232.75, up 2.67% on the day. Canara Bank is up 48.88% in last one year as compared to a 8% gain in NIFTY and a 20.35% gain in the Nifty Pharma index. The PE of the stock is 5.49 based on TTM earnings ending June 22. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolte Patil Developers announced the acquisition of Pune based Sampada Realities. Under this acquisition, Kolte Patil has acquired residential development potential of ~2.5 Million Sq.ft. at Kiwale in Pune. The transaction entails the acquisition of ~ 85% equity shares in Sampada Realities on an immediate basis with the balance ~15% stake to be acquired in due course. With this transaction, Kolte Patil has committed an aggregate total investment of ~ Rs 120 crore to be paid over a period of time. Sampada Realities comprises of only one residential real estate project on ~ 25 acres of land parcel at Kiwale in Pune to be developed in a phased manner. The development represents a revenue opportunity of over ~ Rs 1,400 crore for Kolte Patil. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Patanjali Foods advanced 2.82% to Rs 1,149.95 after the FMCG company's net profit surged 39% to Rs 241.26 crore on 36.9% jump in net sales to Rs 7,210.97 crore in Q1 FY23 over Q1 FY22. On sequential basis, the company's net profit rose nearly 3% while net sales increased 8.21% in Q1 FY23 over Q4 FY22. Total Income stood at Rs 7,370.08 crore during the quarter, up 39.2% year on year (YoY) from Rs 5,295.99 crore in Q1 FY22 and up 10.39% quarter on quarter (QoQ) from Rs 6,676.20 crore in Q4 FY22. Profit before tax was at Rs 332.47 crore during Q1 FY23, rising 39.3% YoY from Rs 238.62 crore in Q1 FY22 and up 12.44% QoQ from Rs 295.69 crore in Q4 FY22. For the quarter ended 30 June 2022; EBITDA stood at Rs 550.80 crore with an EBITDA margin of 7.47%. The EBITDA from operations stood at Rs 401.80 crore with an EBITDA margin of 5.57% after providing for income of Rs 149 crore on pre-redemption of redeemable preference shares. Patanjali Foods' branded business including brands sold under royalty arrangements and institutional segment achieved sales of Rs 5,016.84 crore and Rs 412.38 crore respectively, for the quarter ended 30 June 2022; contributing to 70.80% and 5.82% of the total sales of products for such period. The branded business registered a growth of 11.97% on QoQ and 33.25% on YoY basis. In Q1 FY23, the Others business segment (food products etc.) achieved sales of Rs 572.48 crore contributing 11.41% of the branded business of the company registering a growth of 16.41% QoQ basis and 60.49% YoY basis. The company's robust pan India distribution network and increased presence on emerging digital channels has enabled company to deliver strong financial performance through wider availability across the retail shelf. The company continues to implement organization-wide strong risk management practices to ensure effective risk management and protecting the bottom line. The planning and forecasting tools deployed by the company are facilitating in driving efficiency and cost optimization, the FMCG company stated in its press release. Patanjali Foods said that its focus for the next few quarters is to continue the accelerating growth of the highly profitable food vertical which shall ensure overall growth of the EBITDA margin of the company. The company firmly believes that the food business with large portfolio of products and strong brands comprising of various food products like Cow Ghee, Chyawanprash, Honey, Juices such as Amla, Aloe Vera Juice etc. shall grow at a higher pace in the coming quarters when the sale of the acquired food business gets reflected as the acquisition has been effected from 1 July 2022. Patanjali Foods (formerly known as Ruchi Soya Industries), is a diversified Indian conglomerate with strong focus on Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Fast Moving Health Goods (FMHG) segments. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wipro announced the launch of Wipro Shelde Australia, a sovereign cybersecurity offering for the Australian government and critical infrastructure industries, to help navigate the cyber threat landscape. Wipro acquired Ampion in 2021 and in integrating its two businesses - Shelde and Revolution IT - into Wipro, it gained access to specialist Australian cybersecurity, DevOps and engineering capabilities. The specialist Australian cybersecurity services provided by Shelde will now be promoted under the new offering. This offering will provide clients access to local next-generation cybersecurity services through a pool of national security cleared consultants, experienced with the PGPA Act, Privacy Act, Protective Security Policy Framework, Essential 8, The Information Security Manual and Commonwealth Risk Management Policy. It will bolster Wipro's comprehensive global cybersecurity and risk services to help clients meet critical business imperatives. In addition, clients can also leverage its security Zone 3 protected facility in Canberra1 for prototyping solutions up to PROTECTED. All of this comes with the support of Wipro's Melbourne Cyber Defence Centre, which enables customers to rapidly expand capacity and run their security operations in compliance with the local data requirements. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Here is the best of Business Standards pieces for Thursday Nitish Kumar took oath as chief minister of Bihar for the eighth time on Wednesday, a day after resigning from the post. On Tuesday, Mr Kumar and his party, the Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), walked away from the National Democratic Alliance and decided to form a new government with the Mahagathbandhan. Our lead editorial in this context notes that the state is likely to witness a reorientation of priorities and its reasonable to assume that some of the ongoing projects and programmes will suffer. Also, its not easy for political parties to focus on governance with a consistent threat to survival. Read here Anyone suffering from complacency about India s macroeconomic resilience should note that the latest June quarter estimate (from CMIEs rolling surveys) shows Indias employment rate languishing at a very low 36.6 per cent, by far the lowest among all large economies, writes former chief economic adviser to the government of India Shankar Acharya. Read here Kanika Datta talks about the hardening faultlines between work from home and work from office. Read here Over the past decade and a half, financial, health, and geopolitical shocks have pummelled world . The 2008 global financial crisis devastated the banks that financed much of the worlds commerce, and then triggered a secular decline in economic growth. In 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic closed factories and upended global supply chains. And now Russias invasion of Ukraine has disrupted food and energy supplies, threatening to divide the world along geopolitical lines. Some argue that these three shocks might even lead to the death of globalisation. But the reality is likely to be more complex: The disruptions will probably transform the global trading system rather than shrink it, with the impact varying across countries. Significantly, will probably lose, while India might even gain. Starting in the early 1990s, developing countries advanced as a group for almost two decades, rapidly catching up to rich countries standards of living. This convergence was facilitated by hyper-globalisation, whereby liberalisation and large declines in transport and communication costs swiftly increased opportunities for the developing world. and India benefited enormously, leading to the largest reductions in poverty the world has ever seen. This golden age ended with the 2008 global financial crisis. Since then, national growth trajectories have varied considerably. Chinas deceleration has been dramatic: After decades of double-digit annual expansion, gross domestic product (GDP) growth has now slowed to almost zero. But other countries such as India have continued to grow (apart from in pandemic-hit 2020), albeit less rapidly on average than before. Why the difference? The global shocks have proved particularly damaging for because they have come on top of an ongoing, secular loss of competitiveness, as labour migration from farms to factories has started to reach its limits, causing wages to rise. Johns Hopkins Universitys Shoumitro Chatterjee and one of us (Subramanian) estimated that declining competitiveness has caused China to lose out on about $150 billion worth of exports. Moreover, the shocks themselves have had an asymmetric impact. After 2008, in goods stopped growing as a share of global GDP, while trade in services continued to rise. This affected China more severely, because it is a manufacturing powerhouse, whereas India is a competitive services trader. As a result, Chinas exports-to-GDP ratio decreased from its pre-2008 peak of 36 per cent to 18.5 per cent while Indias declined by much less, from 25 per cent to about 19 per cent. The long-term consequences of the shocks could be very serious for China. For starters, the country has reached an inflection point in its development, where it needs to navigate the difficult transition from middle-income to upper-income status. When South Korea attained Chinas current level of development (a GDP per capita of roughly $15,000 in purchasing-power-parity terms), its further transition required exports to surge by another 25 percentage points of GDP. The prospect of China being able to replicate this seems remote, in large part because the worlds political willingness to absorb Chinese exports has reached its limits. The Covid-19 shock has forced a reassessment of globalisation, with countries seeking to reduce their reliance on imports of critical goods such as pharmaceuticals. Moreover, Russias invasion of Ukraine has led to a broader geopolitical realignment, with the United States and its allies on one side and Russia and China on the other. This reordering comes on top of a longer-standing superpower rivalry between the US and China. The severe Western sanctions against Russia and the resulting weaponisation of interdependence have further sharpened the geopolitical divide. Meanwhile, Chinas growth model is under huge stress. The real estate and construction boom that powered the economys rapid expansion for decades has come to an end, leaving many leading developers close to bankruptcy. Demographic trends are far more adverse than the countrys official population statistics indicate. And President Xi Jinpings embrace of state intervention is undermining entrepreneurship and economic dynamism the domestic wellsprings of growth. This will leave China more dependent on exports, just at a time when global demand is dimming. Consequently, the Chinese growth model may be in even more serious trouble than many believe. But as Chinas prospects darken, those of other countries are brightening. For example, countries such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Indonesia have increased their exports at extraordinary rates. All have seized the opportunity created by the $150 billion of manufacturing export space that China has vacated. At the same time, the global shocks have increased opportunities for services exporters. The Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged services firms to allow their staff to work from home. But if workers for a Boston-based firm can log in from Boise, then why not from Bengaluru? Indeed, services trade has boomed over the past few years, benefiting India. Similarly, friend-shoring of production will boost countries perceived to be friendly to the West. A growing number of firms have exited Russia, and foreign capital is fleeing China, aggravated by Mr Xis domestic policies. At the same time, integration efforts among the US-led alliance are increasing, with India having resumed negotiations on free-trade agreements with the European Union and the United Kingdom. But to gain from the globalisation shocks that have differentially favoured services and open, pluralistic democracies, India will need to change its policy direction. It will need to reverse its recent inward turn and become more open economically. At the same time, it needs to improve what we call the software of economic and political policymaking, ensuring the rule of law, even-handed treatment of all investors, robust domestic institutions, and social stability, all of which are critical for creating a favourable environment for sustained economic growth. In sum, the three shocks to globalisation have squeezed opportunities for China while enlarging them for India. Of course, China can overcome its challenges, just as India can seize the initiative. But in each case, success will require a reassessment of current domestic policies and governance. Subramanian is a senior fellow at Brown University and a distinguished non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development. Felman is director of JH Consulting. Project Syndicate, 2022 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has published the first set of norms to regulate . This follows up on the recommendations made by a working group set up to examine this space in January 2021. The central bank also said it would release a second set of norms after engagement with the government and other stakeholders. There may also be a need to set up institutional mechanisms and, perhaps, institute legislative changes. The oversight of this nascent segment is vital. It has seen breakneck growth, anecdotal allegations of a large number of frauds, and the hard-selling of such products to digitally unaware customers who dont understand the implications and fine print. Action must not only be taken to protect citizens; the central bank is also right to be concerned about the possibility of widespread defaults in a fast-growing, bubbly segment. It must ensure defaults dont occur on a large scale and that there is no cascading. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The "washing machine" is now washing a Shiv Sainik who has become a minister in the Maharashtra cabinet after having been forced to resign when the saffron party was in the Opposition, the said on Thursday. The swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was an apparent reference to the induction of rebel Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Rathod into the state cabinet. Rathod, who was a minister in the previous Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, had resigned last year after his name was linked to the death of a woman in Pune. "Congressmen with skeletons in their cupboards took advantage of the Washing Machine to become CMs, Ministers, MPs & MLAs," general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet. "Now the same machine is washing a Shiv Sainik who's become a Minister now after having been forced to resign when was in the Opposition in Maharashtra," he said. Rathod joined the Shinde camp after the latter rebelled against the Shiv Sena leadership in June this year, which had led to the collapse of the Thackeray government. Shinde was on June 30 sworn in as the chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the deputy chief minister. On Tuesday, Shinde expanded his two-member ministry. Eighteen legislators, including Rathod, were sworn in as cabinet ministers at Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai. (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 Assembly on Thursday will discuss a no-confidence motion brought by the and the CPM against the Jai Ram Thakur-led state government. The notice for the motion was given by 22 MLAs and the lone CPM legislator, said Speaker Vipin Parmar, who allowed it. He said a debate will start in the state Assembly at 11 am, and Chief Minister Thakur will give his reply at 3 pm. The speaker told the House on Wednesday that the notice was given at 9.50 am under Rule 278 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Legislative Assembly. "The notice stated the House expresses no confidence in the council of ministers as the government fails on all fronts," the speaker added. On Wednesday, as the House reassembled at 3.45 pm after a 15-minute adjournment, a head count was undertaken in the Assembly to know the exact numbers of MLAs favouring the no-confidence notice. legislators, including Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, Harshwardhan Chauhan, Asha Kumari and Ram Lal said the time allotted for the debate from 11 am to 3 pm is very less. They demanded that more hours be allocated for the debate. Chief Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Bhardwaj said they are ready to face the debate. A strong government is in place in the state and ready to face a no-confidence motion, they added. On the contrary, Mukesh Agnihotri said the BJP government failed on all fronts. The BJP has 43 MLAs in the 68-member House while the Congress has 22. There are two Independents and one CPI(M) MLA. (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.) Two-time former Finance Minister on Thursday refused to appear before the in connection with the Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) scam at their office in Kochi, saying that ED was a political tool to target political rivals. He said since he has not been told what wrong he had done, he will not appear before the ED in the case, and instead has sought a legal recourse. This was the second notice from the ED to Isaac. Speaking to the media here, Isaac said he has filed a petition before the High Court and hence won't appear. "ED has now become a tool for the to target political rivals. The apex court has clearly said ED is to tackle cases under Public Money Laundering Act and not under FEMA. It is the RBI which deals with FEMA and the affairs of the KIIFB and all mandatory filings have been made to the RBI," said Isaac. "My offence has not been told to me by the ED. And if they are not informing me of that, then they should recall their notice to me. Hence I have approached the court. ED appears to have more rights than the CBI. They are using this to usurp the powers of the state governments and are trying to create a smokescreen to confuse people here that something very big has happened in KIIFB," added Isaac. Then turning his ire at the Congress here, Isaac said KIIFB was inactive during the period of the Oommen Chandy government ( 2011-16). "Five years were lost and that has caused a serious dent in the development of Kerala, as they did nothing and now they have joined hands with the ED. The CPI-M has now decided to deal with ED legally and politically. We will get support from the people here in our fight against the ED and when that happens, nothing can be done," said Isaac. In a related development five ruling legislators have also approached the High court against the ED stating that "they are out to ruin the KIIFB and the court should intervene". --IANS sg/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.) The CPI(M) on Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister over his freebies remarks and said that the only freebies on offer were the loan waivers to "crony" industrialists. Dedicating to the nation a Rs 900 crore second generation ethanol plant at Panipat in Haryana, the prime minister attacked certain opposition parties for engaging in of freebies, saying such things would only do a disservice to the nation as it hampers investment in new technology. "The poor citizens of this country are not getting any freebies. The PM and the government have been elected by the people to do their duty and ensure that all the people get their constitutional rights. Income inequality has sharply risen under this government. All citizens have right to a dignified life, food, health and education. Nothing is "free" or "muft". This is all people's money. "Freebies are what cronies get when loans of ?10L cr of friendly businessmen are written off in last six years," said CPI(M) general secretary in a tweet. He also said that freebies are when a new aircraft, a new car and a new house is built for self when these are not needed. "Freebies are money spent on PR and advertising of one man. India is a welfare state. The money is of the people not of the government or the PM. To take care of the people is a duty of the government not some favour or charity. This kind of language used by PM must be condemned by all," Yechury 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.) and will hold chief minister-level talks in New Delhi later this month or early September to find an amicable solution to the inter-state border dispute, according to an official statement issued here on Wednesday. The development came a day after the two northeastern states held a ministerial-level discussion to resolve the decades-old boundary dispute. Two ministers Atul Bora and Ashok Singhal on Wednesday met Chief Minister Zoramthanga here and discussed the border issue. During the meeting with ministers, Zoramthanga spoke to his counterpart in the neighbouring state Himanta Biswa Sarma and "both agreed to have chief minister-level talks in Delhi in the last part of August or early September", the statement said. Zoramthanga told the visiting Assam ministers that his government would make efforts to amicably resolve the border disputes. He laid emphasis on the importance of mutual trust and understanding between the two states. The chief minister said the between and Assam "can't be resolved overnight or at one time" but measures should be taken to find solutions to the problems step by step. Assam ministers said they have strong faith in Zoramthanga, who has vast political experience. They assured Zoramthanga that the Assam government would take steps to resolve the in such a manner, which is acceptable to the people of both states. A ministerial-level discussion was held on Tuesday in Aizawl during which both the states agreed to maintain peace and prevent any untoward incident along the border. The two states signed a joint statement, in which they proposed to hold meetings of deputy commissioners of bordering districts at least once in two months. Both states also agreed that economic activities, including farming, which have been practised by the people on either side of the borders should not be disturbed. The two delegations also agreed to hold the next round of ministerial-level talks at Guwahati in October. Three Mizoram's districts- Aizawl, Kolasib and Mamit- share a 164.6-km long boundary with Assam's Hailakandi, Karimganj and Cachar districts. The between the two states is a long-standing issue, which stemmed from two colonial demarcations- 1875 and 1933. The decades-old boundary dispute between the two northeastern states mainly stemmed from two colonial demarcations in 1875 and 1933. Mizoram accepted the demarcation under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BERF) notified in 1875, which covers vast stretches of area, now falling under Assam, as its actual boundary. The Assam government, however, said the demarcation made under the 1933 notification was its constitution boundary. At least six policemen and a civilian from Assam died last year and around 60 people were injured in a clash that took place at a disputed area near the border between the two 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.) Whether it is your friend or sibling, you would surely be concerned about their safety and security. Though the advent of social media apps has improved reachability and connectivity, it is important to consider some measures to stay well connected with your siblings. Software applications with advanced positioning methods can help you know where they are, should they need you. From empty roads to crowded places, most applications use GPS technology to know the precise location of people. Here, we have listed 10 safety apps that allow you to find out the location of your loved ones. So, check out these 10 safety apps you can consider for your siblings. Also read | Gender-based violence sparks debate on women safety on Chinese social media My Safetipin My Safetipin is among the top-rated apps for womens safety, and allows you to keep a track of your friends or family. Features: This free-of-cost app is designed for personal safety and incorporates features such as emergency contact numbers, GPS tracking, and providing directions to a safer location. Also, the app pins safe and unsafe areas with a relative safety score. Availability: It is available in Hindi, Spanish, Bahasa, and English. Himmat Plus App Himmat Plus App is a free safety app recommended by Delhi Police for women. One can use this app after registering and filing their details on the Delhi Police website. After completing registration, one needs to verify it using OTP and complete the app configuration. Features: In case of a problem, the user raises the alert from the app. Then, the location information along with audiovisuals is sent to the Delhi Police Control room. Thats how the police reach the location. Availability: Himmat Plus app is available on Playstore in Hindi and English. The Smart24x7 app Various state police officials endorsed the Smart24x7 app to ensure the safety of senior citizens and women. Features: The application sends panic alerts to emergency contacts in case of a safety threat. It can also record videos and take photos during an incident. Besides, it comes with call centre support to track the users movement. Availability: It is available on Google Playstore and Apple in English. Shake2Safety app The Shake2Safety app is a decent safety app available on Playstore. This app can also be used in case of an accident, harassment, robbery, or any natural calamities. Features: The user just needs to shake their smartphone or just press the power button four times to send an text or call to registered contacts. Besides, it works with a locked screen on, and even without internet connectivity. Availability: The Shake2Safety app is available in English on Google Playstore. BSafe app BSafe is a womens security and safety app that connects you with your contact through a live GPS trail. Features: In BSafe app, it allows contacts to follow you through a GPS trail and also set a timed alarm that goes off if you have not checked in. Further, it will also make your phone ring with a fake call and also notify your emergency contacts with the location, even video. Besides, there is a Guardian alert button that immediately shares your GPS location with your family and friends. Availability: The safe app is available on Google Playstore and Apple store. 112 India 112 India is launched by the Central Government of India, as an all-in-one womens security app that can be used to issue an alert with only a single tap. Features: 112 India is a highly productive app that integrates existing emergency services with ease. Further, it also aids in the investigation of events. Also, the audiovisual media is used to deliver the emergency alarm. Availability: The app is available on the Apple store and . Guardians Guardians is a women's safety app by Truecaller that uses GPS for tracking. Features: Guardian allows users to share their location via GPS with their friends and family. The App comes with the 'I need help' feature which alerts guardians immediately when you are feeling unsafe. Availability: It is available for Android and iOS devices. Microsoft Family Safety App Microsoft Family Safety App is designed to help users keep a track of their family members. Features: The Microsoft Family Safety app displays the location of a particular member of the family and sends location alerts. Further, this app can be used to set parental guidance or control to filter inappropriate apps and set kid-friendly websites. Availability: The app is available on both Android and iOS devices SpotnSave Feel Secure SpotnSave Feel Secure is among the most advanced safety applications. It uses the same Bluetooth technology and is available on most platforms. Features: SpotnSave Feel Secure notifies your contacts about your current location every two minutes. Also, if the users phone is not accessible, he or she will have to use the wristband, which works via Bluetooth. Availability: The app can be found on iTunes and Google Playstore. iGoSafely iGoSafely is a personal security app that can be activated easily by shaking the phone or removing the headphones. Moreover, one can record a thirty-second audio through the phones microphone. Features: This app sends alert notifications, emails, messages, and GPS positions to emergency contacts on activation. Through this, you can send messages every minute, unless the alarm is switched off using the secret arm code. Availability: iGoSafely is available on Playstore and Apple and is among the most sought-after apps for personal safety. Penneys will officially open the doors of its much-anticipated brand-new store in The Square Shopping Centre on Thursday 15th September at 9:30am. Located on the ground floor of The Square Shopping Centre, the new store will offer 43,400 sq. ft of retail and beauty space, packed with Penneys full ranges of fashion, homeware and beauty, including a Nails @ Penneys salon. This is the first new Penneys store in Dublin in six years, following its opening in Liffey Valley Shopping Centre in December 2016. Penneys, which operates as Primark outside of Ireland, currently has 36 stores in Ireland and over 400 stores in total across Europe and North America. The Irish retailer has committed to invest 250 million in Ireland over the next 10 years, including the new Tallaght store, existing store redevelopments and the development of a state-of-the-art warehousing and distribution facility in Newbridge, Co. Kildare which is currently under construction. Speaking this week, Head of Penneys Ireland and Northern Ireland, Damien ONeill said, "We cant wait to welcome our colleagues and customers into our fantastic new store in Tallaght. We know our customers have been waiting for Penneys at The Square for a long time. The store is nearly ready, and we are really excited to finally open our doors next month. Well have something for everyone all at our everyday affordable prices. Were proud to continue to expand Penneys in Ireland and keep investing in Irish retail." Head of Retail for The Square Town Centre, Jack Martin added, "This is a fantastic addition to the Centre and will be widely welcomed by the community not just in Tallaght but many of the surrounding areas. Our partnership with Penneys marks a significant step in our development and we are very excited about the opportunity that this brings. The people of Tallaght have been crying out for a Penneys store for over 20 years and I have no doubt will make this a hugely successful launch." Source: www.businessworld.ie 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. A mother and kid with the national flag participate in Heritage Walk on Gandhi Hill on the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations in Vijayawada on Thursday. DC Image/C. Narayana Rao VIJAYAWADA: Enthusiasts of Vijayawada participated in the Heritage Walk organised on the Gandhi Hill to commemorate the sacrifices of Indian freedom fighters as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on Thursday. Former minister and Vijayawada West MLA Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao, city mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi, VMC commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar and YSRC East Constituency in-charge Devineni Avinash flagged off the heritage walk, inaugurated the freedom fighters photo gallery in the planetarium and unfurled the national flag at Mahatma Gandhi Sthupam atop the hill. MLA Srinivasa Rao said Gandhi Hill has a long history as a platform for meetings of the Mahatma, who ignited patriotism and freedom spirit among the people. He underlined that importance of the hill has been retained by turning it into a tourist place with a mini-train, observatory, library, lighting sound system and other equipment to make it attractive for people, including children. Commissioner Swapnil underlined that many are unaware about the history of Gandhi Hill. Hence, a heritage walk has been organised to educate people about the importance of the iconic hill. He announced that national flag hoisting programmes will be organised in the city from August 13 to August 15 as part of Har Ghar Tiranga programme. For the purpose, government will be providing flags to households through the secretariat staff. Later, YSRCs Devineni Avinash, Srinivas Rao, Swapnil and mayor Bhagyalakshmi presented certificates to winners of various competitions held on the occasion. Bengaluru: The Bengaluru police have denied permission to Munawar Faruqui's stand-up comedy show in the city on Sunday amid protest by the Hindu right wing outfits who alleged that the artist had hurt the Hindu sentiments in one of his shows. "Yes, we have denied him permission. He will not perform any public show today," a senior police officer told PTI on condition of anonymity. Faruqui also shared a statement on social media confirming that his Bengaluru show that had sold "600 plus" tickets was cancelled Sunday in the wake of the "threats to venue vandalism" and said he was "done". "My name is Munawar Faruqui. And that's been my time, you guys were (a) wonderful audience. Good bye, I'm done," he said. The proceeds from the show were supposed to be donated to late Kannada star Puneeth Rajkumar's charitable organisation. In the same statement, the 29-year-comic said they initially did not want to reveal that the show was for charity. "Putting me in jail for the joke I never did to cancelling my shows which has nothing problematic in it. This is unfair. This show has gained so much love from people in India irrespective of their religion. This is unfair (sic)" he added in his Twitter statement. Faruqui claimed that his 12 shows were called off in the last two months because of the threats to the venue and audiences. The comedian also claimed they have a "censor certificate of the show", which proves there was "nothing problematic" in the stand-up act. Faruqui, however, found support in actors Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub and Swara Bhasker. Ayyub urged the comic to not lose hope. "And WE Failed once again as a society . looking forward to see you back on stage.." he tweeted. Bhasker described the turn of events as "heartbreaking and shameful" and apologised to Faruqui. "A project of hate & bigotry twill always hate an articulate, rational, educated, charming, talented & funny Other' who connects beyond identity with a heterogeneous public.. make no mistake Munawwar, Umar Khalid & other such articulate Muslims are a huge threat to Hindutva," she wrote on the microblogging site. "Also.. it's heartbreaking & shameful how we as a society have allowed bullying and gaslighting to become normalised. I'm sorry Munawwar!" she said in a follow-up tweet. According to reports, Faruqui had planned a performance 'Dongri To Nowhere' on Sunday evening. The show was organised in Bengaluru by Vishal Dhuria and Siddharth Das of New Delhi-based Curtain Calls Event. However, various right wing organisations including Sriram Sena and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, had lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru city police Commissioner against the comedian charging him of hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus by allegedly insulting Hindu Gods. The inspector of the Ashokanagar police station in the city under whose jurisdiction the Good Shepherd Auditorium falls wrote a letter to the organisers on Saturday to call off the event as the comedian is a controversial figure. "It is learnt that Munawar Faruqui is a controversial figure..... Many states have banned his comedy shows. It is learnt that a case has been registered against him in the Tukoji police station in Indore of Madhya Pradesh," the inspector said in his letter. He also stated that many organisations are opposing his show, which may cause chaos, disturb peace and harmony and create a law and order problem. "Therefore, it is suggested that you should cancel Faruqui's stand-up comedy show," the letter said. Earlier this year, Faruqui was arrested by the Indore Police in a case for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and was in jail for almost a month. The comic, who has alleged heavy trolling against him on social media in the past, was released from the Indore central jail on February 7 after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the case. Faruqui and four others were arrested on January 1 following a complaint by a BJP MLA's son that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed during a comedy show at a cafe in Indore on New Year's day. The Apex court also stayed the production warrant issued against Faruqui by a court in Prayagraj in connection with an FIR lodged there. Khammam: Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said on Thursday that the BJP government at the Centre was bent on erasing from history the role of minorities in the Freedom movement. The minorities played a key role in the Independence struggle. Freedom fighters like Abdul Kalam Azad and Sayyed Fazal Ul-Hasan worked shoulder to shoulder with Mahatma Gandhi. Sayyad Fazal placed a resolution seeking Complete freedom to India in the 1921 Congress session in Ahmedabad, he noted. The Azadi ka Gaurav Yatra led by Vikramarka reached Pallepadu in Wyra constituency on Thursday. He said, This apart, the famous slogan Inquilab Zindabad was given to the country by Sayyed Fazal and it inspired the youth and guided them to the revolutionary path against British imperialism. Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Chandrasekhar Azad were inspired by the slogan. It is really sad if we seek to dismiss the role of such leaders in the Independence movement. The Indian Constitution speaks of fraternity and equality in social life to all the people. The BJP line is against such a concept, but the Congress party is campaigning on such issues during our Azadi Ka Gaurav march in the country, he said. Referring to the crop losses to farmers due to floods and incessant rains, Bhatti Vikramarka urged the government to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to the farmers. The government has not sent the officials to the fields to evaluate the crop loss even after a month of the rains, he said. Mulugu MLA and AICC women wing general secretary Sitakka said the NDA government increased petrol and diesel prices eight times in the last eight years. There is no way for the common man to live peacefully with the sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities due to the GST imposition on all prices, she said. Sitakka said the Congress will waive upto Rs 2 lakh of loan to the farmers immediately after returns to power. Sithakkas Azadi Ka Gaurav Yatra reached Lingapur in the Mulugu district through Venkatapur and Lingapur. SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines is now offering one of the best valued BMW ... HYDERABAD: Telangana's financial condition would have been much better, had the Centre not put spokes in the form of restrictions on loans, cut in funds and grants, reduction in tax devolution etc, felt the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan on Thursday. A press release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said the finance department officials explained to the Cabinet that the state had received just Rs 47,312 crore funds under CSS (centrally-sponsored schemes) in the last eight years. In the last financial year, the state government's total expenditure was Rs 1.84 lakh crore. Out of which only Rs 5,200 crore had been received under CSS schemes amounting to a meagre 3 per cent of total expenditure. Officials informed the Cabinet that the state registered 15.3 per cent growth rate in the state's revenue in this financial year. The Chief Minister said it was noteworthy that the state registered growth despite the funds due to the state under CSS and various schemes from the Centre registered negative growth of -12.9 per cent. Delay in the release of central funds to the states was taking place due to the introduction of the System of National Accounts (SNA). Not only this, the FRMB limits were not being finalised in time and also enforcing cuts in the limits, the meeting felt. The state revenues would have increased further and registered a growth rate of 22 per cent if there were no cuts in the FRMB limits. Telangana state contributed 5 per cent of the countrys income although the state's population is only 2.5 per cent in the total countrys population. Officials informed the Cabinet that Telangana stood number one in the country with 11.5 per cent growth in state tax revenue. Official sources said since the Centre was creating financial hurdles, the Cabinet directed officials to explore all the options to raise revenues on their own to ensure that the welfare schemes and development programmes were not hit due to fund crunch. The Cabinet asked officials to improve tax collections by plugging leakages, identify government land parcels in all the districts which could be put up for auction, encourage land pooling by urban local bodies to develop layouts and auction them etc, it is learnt. IT special secretary Jayesh Ranjan told the Cabinet that 1.55 lakh new jobs were created last year and Telangana was number one in job creation in the country. IT officials explained that Bengaluru which was number one in IT created 1.48 lakh jobs and Hyderabad generated more jobs. Officials informed the Cabinet that the development in the IT sector had been made possible with the special policies, incentives, investor friendly policies, infrastructure creation, maintenance of law and order, uninterrupted quality power supply and availability of human resources which had been implemented by the state government in the IT sector. On this occasion, the Chief Minister expressed his happiness on the fast pace development of the IT sector of the state. The Chief Minister praised IT minister KT Rama Rao, IT secretary Jayesh Ranjan and other officials. John R. and Matilda Brockhaus had a city view from their spacious bungalow at the north end of Cedar Street. Prior to that they had built a home at 205 Poplar St. - both on Cameron Hill. John R. Brockhaus, Jr., like his close friend and business associate Charles Reif, hailed from Cincinnati. They both were from German families. Brockhaus married Matilda Mardorf. Their children, who were raised on Cameron Hill, were Elsie, Harry E. and Albert. When they first arrived, the family lived for several years in a house on Frazier Avenue at the corner of Barton Avenue in North Chattanooga. They built the Poplar Street house around 1899. Brockhaus joined with Charles Reif in operation of the Chattanooga Brewery on Broad Street not far from the foot of Cameron Hill. They operated it until it was closed by Prohibition. Then they turned to "near beer" and soft drinks. Brockhaus had the Welch-Ade Bottling Company and was treasurer of the People's Building and Loan Corporation. While the brewery was still open, Albert Brockhaus was a brewer there and Harry a cashier. J.H. Brockhaus loved music and was an active member of the Chattanooga Maennerchor and the Chattanooga Turnverein. He was a charter member of the Elks Lodge. Brockhaus in 1913 built the first house that was in the 200 block at the very north end of Cedar Street. This was just behind the family's earlier Poplar Street home. The new house was a little higher on Cameron Hill and, from the back porch, provided an excellent view of the nearby Tennessee River and downtown and beyond. The bungalow-style home had a spacious front porch with rock pillars. There were dormers on either side of the roof and two tall chimneys, including a living room one made of rock. The house was featured in the 1917 edition of Art Works of Chattanooga. The 200 blocks of Poplar and Cedar were at the section known as Reservoir Hill since an early water reservoir had been there since the Civil War days. The 205 Poplar St. house was sold to George Killian. The Brockhaus family was still at 200 Cedar St. when he died in July 1936 at the age of 70. He had been in business in Chattanooga for almost 50 years. Matilda Mardorf Brockhaus was still at 200 Cedar when she died in April 1949 at the age of 83. She was born in August 1866 and came with her husband to Chattanooga in 1891. Harry E. Brockhaus had moved to Detroit. However, Albert C. Brockhaus and Miss Elsie Brockhaus were still in town. Miss Elsie lived in the beloved home on Cedar Street until the bulldozers came. In honor of National 8-1-1 Day on Thursday, Chattanooga Gas reminds property owners and professional excavators of the importance of calling Tennessee 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects. Tennessee law requires a call to 811 at least three business days before the work. The call notifies the appropriate utility companies of the intent to dig. Professional locators will come to the site for free to mark the approximate locations of underground lines with flags, paint or both. The safety of our team members, customers and community is our number one value at Chattanooga Gas, said Pedro Cherry president, and CEO of Chattanooga Gas. Digging without knowing the approximate location of underground utilities can result in serious injuries, inconvenient service disruptions and costly repairs. Summer is often the peak time for outdoor projects, and 8/11 Day is a good reminder to contact Tennessee 811 before you dig. It is free and it is the law. "Contacting Tennessee 811 before digging is the easiest way to avoid damaging buried utilities. However, in a national survey conducted by the Common Ground Alliance, a national nonprofit organization working to protect underground utility lines, 49 percent of those surveyed, or approximately 34.9 million Americans, will take a risk by not contacting 811 before starting home improvement projects that involve digging," officials said. Chattanooga Gas encourages homeowners and contractors to follow these safe digging guidelines and always dig with CARE: Call or Click Before You Dig: Before starting any outdoor digging project, customers should call 811 or visit Tennessee 811 at least three days in advance to request to have underground utility lines marked. The service is free. Allow the Required Time for Marking: After contacting Tennessee 811, wait for locators to mark the approximate locations of underground utility lines before digging (about three business days). The lines will be marked with color-coded spray paint, flags or stakes corresponding to the utility. The color used for natural gas is yellow. Respect the Marks: Only use hand digging tools to carefully when digging near location markers. Excavate Carefully: Make sure the marks remain visible during the project. If the lines are damaged or removed, customers are encouraged to contact Tennessee 811 to have lines remarked. If a natural gas line is damaged accidentally or the distinctive rotten-egg odor associated when natural gas is present, call 911 or the Chattanooga Gas 24-hour emergency phone line at 1-866-643-4170 from a safe location. Do not operate any machinery or equipment that might cause a spark or create an open flame. Chattanooga Gas is also partnering with the National Excavator Initiative and well-known tv personality, author and social media influencer, Mike Rowe, to spread the word about safe digging. Known for the hit TV series Dirty Jobs, and his groundbreaking Facebook show Returning the Favor, Mr. Rowe and his animated sidekick Micro Mike Rowe are helping Chattanooga Gas highlight the importance of underground utility infrastructure and share what can go wrong if homeowners and contractors do not contact 811 before digging. Learn more about natural gas safety at: https://www.chattanoogagas.com/safety.html. Five Jewish-themed, award-winning films produced in the United States, France and Israel will be shown in-person and virtually on five consecutive weeks beginning at Monday, Aug. 22 and continuing through Friday, Sept. 23. Each in-person screening will begin at 7:15 p.m. and be held at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. Each virtual film screening will be available from noon on Sunday and conclude at noon on Friday. To register to view the films in-person or virtually visit www.jewishchattanooga.com. Films are available for $12. Virtual screenings must be pre-paid in advance by visiting www.jewishchattanooga.com. You will receive the login code the first morning of the screening and a link for recordings of discussions and interviews for specific films. Walk-ins for in-person screenings are available for those people who are vaccinated. Masks are optional. All films in the Series have garnered international film awards and nominations, and have received recognition at film festivals throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. The Jewish Film Series schedule is as follows: 1. In-person Monday, Aug. 22 / Virtual noon Sunday, Aug. 21 noon Friday, Aug. 26 Our (Almost Completely True) Story Finding true love in Hollywood has always been challenging; it's even more difficult when you're no longer a young starlet, no matter how many movie-star friends you have. And, if you're a short funnyman with a face for radio, well, you can practically forget it. Still, true love can happen. This romantic comedy features Mariette Hartley, Jerry Sroka, Morgan Fairchild, John Rubinstein, Peter MacNicol, Sam McMurray and others. English, 92 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoQRyYPwbcQ 2. In-person Monday, Aug. 29 /Virtual noon Sunday, Aug. 28 noon Friday, September 2 Berenshtein In an old house in the modest neighborhood of Kiryat Ata, Israel, neighbors did not imagine that the old man who lives next door is the last living commander of a partisan battalion in World War II. He is the man who located the secret facility where the Germans developed their last hope for victory - the V2 missiles. Russian, German, Polish, Subtitles 105 minutes Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDolRt9M5aE 3. In-person Tuesday, Sept. 6 /Virtual noon Sunday, Sept. 4 - noon Friday, Sept. 9 A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff A hybrid of memoir docudrama and narrative fantasy, the film tells the story of Madoff, seen through the eyes of musician/poet Alicia Jo Rabins, and the system that allowed him to function for decades. Fueled by her growing obsession and real-life interviews, she transforms them into music videos, and a vivid, vulnerable work of art reflective of her unique perspective. English, 75 minutes A recorded interview with Alicia Rabins (writer/actor), Alicia Rose (Director) and Lara Cuddy (Producer) facilitated by Chattanoogan Alison Lebovitz will also be available. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOoK6ghCrts 4. In person Monday, Sept. 12 / Virtual noon Sunday, Sept. 11 noon Friday, Sept. 16 The Levys of Monticello This film is a documentary that tells the little-known story of the Levy family, who owned and carefully preserved Monticello for nearly a century far longer than Jefferson or his descendants. The remarkable story of the Levy family also intersects with the rise of antisemitism that runs throughout the course of American history. English, 71 minutes A recorded interview with Steve Pressman (Director) with Chattanoogan, Alison Lebovitz will also be avialble. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0cC8U_ei1A 5. In-person Monday, Sept. 19 /Virtual noon Sunday, Sept. 18 - noon Friday, Sept. 23 Rose In this film Rose, 78, has just lost her beloved husband. When her grief gives way to a powerful impulse of life that makes her realize that she can still redefine herself as a woman, the whole balance of the family is upset. French, Yiddish, 102 minutes Trailer: https://youtu.be/Njo9lEjpim0 A committee of dedicated volunteers reviews an average of 25 documentary films each year in order to choose four films. Films screened at major national and international film festivals, those recommended by peers throughout the United States, and those brought to the committees attention by filmmakers are included in the selection process. Corporate sponsors are Chattanooga Allergy Clinic, Market Street Partners, Patton Albertson & Miller, Chambliss, Barnett & Company, First Horizon and Kleen-A-Matic. Students across Tennessee can make their voice heard in the gubernatorial race between Republican Incumbent Bill Lee and Democrat Nominee Jason Brantley Martin in the Secretary of State's 2022 Tennessee Student Mock Election. "The mock election allows students to see firsthand how we, as Tennesseans, select our elected officials," said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. "By participating, I hope students will feel prepared to vote and be inspired to be civically engaged adults." The Tennessee Student Mock Election is a non-partisan, educational experience that gives students a chance to learn how elected officials are selected. All Tennessee students in pre-K through 12th grade from public, private or home school associations are welcome to participate. Registration is now open for the 2022 Tennessee Student Mock Election. Schools can begin reporting their mock election results on Oct. 19, the first day of Tennessee's early voting period. The final day to submit results is Nov. 1. The Secretary of State's office will provide participating schools with printable mock ballots, which students can use to vote in the gubernatorial race. Schools will also receive "I Voted" stickers and a Tennessee Student Mock Election "I Voted" sign they can use for photos and on social media. To help schools incorporate civic engagement and citizenship into their curriculum, the Secretary of State's office offers free lesson plans and resources created by Tennessee teachers. The lesson plans and resources are available on their website, sos.tn.gov/civics/lessonplans. The Secretary of State's office launched the Tennessee Student Mock Election during the 2016 presidential election. More than 37,000 students from 262 schools participated in the most recent mock election held during the 2020 presidential election. For more information about the 2022 Tennessee Student Mock Election and the Secretary of State's other civic engagement initiatives, visit sos.tn.gov/civics. The participants in the 2022 Tennessee elk hunt will be announced during the August meeting of the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. In addition, the grand prize winners of the Tennessee Conservation Raffle will be announced. The meeting will be held Aug. 18-19 (Thursday-Friday) in Gatlinburg at the Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center. The meeting starts at 1 p.m. the first day and 9 a.m. the second day. Winners of the 14 drawn permits to hunt elk on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agencys North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area or private lands within the Elk Restoration Zone will be announced by TWRA Elk Program Coordinator Brad Miller on Friday morning. This will include seven quota permits for the archery-only hunt to be held Sept. 24-30, one youth permit for Oct. 1-7, and six permits where participants will have the option to use archery, gun or muzzleloader for the Oct. 8-14 hunt. The final elk permit is included in the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundations Conservation Raffle as one of 10 prize packages. Proceeds from the raffle support habitat restoration efforts. This years raffle winners will be announced during the meeting by the Foundation's Executive Director Joey Woodard. In other items, a presentation will be made on the proposed 900-acre waterfowl refuge on Big Sandy Wildlife Management Area. The presentation will include a map of the proposed area with closure dates of the refuge and input received to date on the public comment period which began last month. An overview of the TWRAs 2023-24 budget will also be presented to the commission for approval. The budget for each fiscal year goes into effect July 1. Brooke Pippenger has begun her duties as the Town Consultant for the Town of Lookout Mountain, Tn. - a role that current Mayor Walker Jones had added to his duties after the retirement of Dwight Montague in 2018. Prior to accepting the position, Ms. Pippenger worked with the Mothers Day Out Program at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church. She had served as the program director since 2012, where she supervised a staff of 24 women and managed a preschool ministry for families. Originally from Knoxville, Ms. Pippenger graduated with a liberal arts degree in Speech Communications and a minor in Psychology from UTK. She worked in the non-profit sector, serving as a youth director at the YWCA in Knoxville. After moving to Chattanooga, she began a five-year career working for Siskin Children's Institute, formerly Siskin School and Children's Wellness Center (a joint program created by TCTCH and Siskin Foundation). Her responsibilities included developing and implementing Safety City, a portable city that traveled to local elementary schools with the goal of teaching injury prevention to children. Ms. Pipppenger served as the coordinator for the Chattanooga SAFE KIDS Coalition, a group of like-minded professionals including local fire and police, educators, health officials and volunteers. After attending playground safety school sponsored by NPPS, National Program for Playground Safety, she was able to help with the development of the new "boundless" playground for Siskin Children's Institute. With her experience in playground safety and accessibility, Ms. Pippenger served as a resource to the community, including assisting in the development of the new Mountain Maze Playground at the Town Commons on Lookout Mountain. As her children began attending Lookout Mountain School, Ms. Pippenger became involved in both PTA and recreation, serving as PTA president, softball commissioner and a Recreation Board member. She began serving on the Lookout Mountain Town Commission in 2014 in the Parks and Playground role and in 2020, was elected to serve as the education commissioner. She said, My husband Andy and I moved to Lookout Mountain almost 22 years ago. We love the community and the many opportunities that it has offered our family through the years. I am honored to serve the town in this role. The Pippengers have three children - a son Wiley, who is beginning his senior year at Rhodes College in Memphis, daughter Janie, who is in her second year at King's College London, and daughter Marguerite, who is beginning her senior year at Baylor School this fall. Hyderabad: Tarun Chugh, BJP national general secretary, will join TS BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar, on his Praja Sangrama Yatra on Friday. Chugh, who remains in-charge of Telangana BJPs political affairs, is expected to hold a Target Munugode meeting with senior state party leaders. Also to be discussed are the partys plans for a public meeting in Munugode on August 21, the day Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, the former CongressMLA from the constituency, is scheduled to join the party. The BJP said Sunil Bansal, national general secretary of the party appointed to oversee Telangana BJP affairs on Thursday, will be incharge of the party organisational matters. On Friday, Chug is also expected to review the ongoing Palle Gosa-BJP Bharosa rallies of the party across the state. Speaker Nancy Pelosis decision to go to Taiwan wasnt crazy or foolish. Theres a reason that 26 Republican senators reached across the aisle to show support for someone long-considered their political adversary. Pelosis visit highlights that its more than just principles on the line--its the entire global order. Pelosi stated there were three main pillars to this US-Taiwan alliance: security, economy and governance, and her itinerary in Taiwan reflects this foundation. The delegations first stop in Taiwan was the Legislative Yuan, one of the oldest symbols of democracy in the book and the foundation for rule of law. Dialogue between Taiwan and the U.S. at every level of governance is imperative to this fight for democracy. Indeed, the insistence of many U.S. officials, including governors, former executive appointees, and state legislators, to show support for Taiwan prior to this visit are a testament to how crucial Taiwan is for all Americans interests. Pelosi also made it a point to meet influential executives from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., producer of much of the worlds semiconductor chip supply and irreplaceable supplier for some of the USs most successful businesses. Take that away, and the world would experience another crisis like the current global food supply crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. To prevent this, its important that everyone works closely to keep China from controlling the market. Its one reason why TSMC has started building a factory in Arizona, but true stability cannot be ensured until Taiwans self-defense is ensured. As Taiwans sovereignty is put more at risk, we must not bow to Chinas wishes to remain silent on the issues that matter most. The welcome Pelosis delegation received from Chair of the National Human Rights Commission Chen Chu at Taiwans National Human Rights Museum is a stark contrast to the environment within China. The act should be seen as the resolve of the US to uphold human rights and democracy, and its a celebrated move in Taiwan. The state honor President Tsai awarded Pelosi is not only an acknowledgement of the fulfillment of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act but also a symbol of the widespread support Americans have in Taiwan. If we backed down in the face of groundless threats, what would that say about our commitment to these values as well as our friends in times of conflict? We not only want to ensure democracy and freedom, but we also need to build a legacy of trust with our allies and establish stability in the international system. Well need trustand some gritto triumph over autocracy. Elliot Wang Director-General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta Ree Drummond makes an easy sheet pan supper recipe thats perfect for any seafood lover. The Pioneer Woman star calls her sheet pan shrimp puttanesca a simple all-in-one meal that is totally delicious. Ree Drummond | Tyler Essary/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank Ree Drummond jumps on the sheet pan supper trend Drummond made her shrimp sheet pan supper recipe on an episode of The Pioneer Woman. Im just getting back from Tulsa and I have some precious cargo in the truck shrimp, she explained. It doesnt get any more landlocked than Oklahoma and it doesnt get any further away from a fresh seafood market than the ranch. The Food Network host continued, So when Im in the city, I often pick up seafood and bring it back. And I have a favorite fast way to cook it that doesnt even take 40 minutes. Drummond added, Sheet pan shrimp puttanesca is an all-in-one meal that is totally delicious and a great spin on this sheet pan supper trend that is so popular right now. How to make Ree Drummonds shrimp sheet pan supper Drummond started by cutting bread into cubes to make croutons for her shrimp sheet pan supper. Ive started using bread chunks more and more whenever I make things on a sheet pan because when the rest of the ingredients are cooking in the oven, you get these nice, big croutons, she explained. And theyre always crisp and they always absorb the flavors of whatever it is youre making. The Pioneer Woman star placed the bread cubes on a sheet pan and added chunks of red onions, cherry tomatoes and possibly my favorite ingredient in any puttanesca recipe black olives. She drizzled everything with olive oil and added salt and pepper. I really think that sheet pans are the slow cooker of my generation, she said. It is such an easy way to cook dinner. Basically everything goes on the pan. Sometimes in stages, sometimes all at once. I even use the sheet pan as the serving platter so there is a lot less cleanup. Drummond tossed everything together and cooked the meal in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes. The Pioneer Woman star added the shrimp and a scrumptious dressing Drummond prepped the shrimp by placing it in a bowl, drizzling it with olive oil, adding salt and pepper, and tossing everything together. I didnt want to put the shrimp on the sheet pan right from the top because it would overcook, she explained. The Food Network host removed the sheet pan from the oven, sprinkled the shrimp on top, and returned the pan to the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. She made a scrumptious dressing to put over the top of the puttanesca next. Drummond whisked together olive oil, red wine vinegar, capers, and minced anchovy. After she pulled the sheet pan out of the oven, Drummond poured the dressing over the top, sprinkled on parsley leaves, added shaved parmesan, and tossed everything together. I always like to shave on the cheese right when it comes out of the oven, she explained. And then it just kind of softens and becomes a part of the mix. Drummond showed off the finished dish, saying, Sheet pan puttanesca I think Im in love. The full recipe is available on the Food Network website. RELATED: The Pioneer Woman: Ree Drummonds Easy Trick for Her Delicious Sheet Pan Macaroni and Cheese Recipe The new Mg2+ conductor consists of a metalorganic framework holding Mg2+ ions in its pores. A guest molecule acetonitrile is introduced into the structure to accelerate the ionic conductivity of Mg2+ and allow its migration through the solid. The development of highly efficient energy storage devices that can store renewable energy is crucial to a sustainable future. In todays world, solid-state rechargeable lithium ion (Li+) batteries are the state of the art. But lithium is a rare earth metal, and societys dependence on the element is likely to lead to a rapid decline in resources and subsequent price hikes. Magnesium ion (Mg2+)-based batteries have gained momentum as an alternative to Li+. The earths crust holds ample magnesium, and Mg2+-based energy devices are said to have high energy densities, high safety, and low cost. But the wide application of Mg2+ is limited by its poor conductivity in solids at room temperature. Mg2+ has poor solid-state conductivity because divalent positive ions (2+) experience strong interactions with their neighboring negative ions in a solid crystal, impeding their migration through the material. This hurdle was recently overcome by a research team from the Tokyo University of Science (TUS). In their new study published online on 4 May 2022 and on 18 May 2022 in volume 144 issue 19 of the Journal of the American Chemical Society, they report for the first time, a solid-state Mg2+ conductor with superionic conductivity of 103 S cm1 (the threshold for practical application in solid-state batteries). This magnitude of conductivity for Mg2+ conductors is the highest reported to date. According to Junior Associate Professor Masaaki Sadakiyo of TUS, who led the study, In this work, we exploited a class of materials called metalorganic frameworks (MOFs). MOFs have highly porous crystal structures, which provide the space for efficient migration of the included ions. Here, we additionally introduced a guest molecule, acetonitrile, into the pores of the MOF, which succeeded in strongly accelerating the conductivity of Mg2+. The research group further included Mr. Yuto Yoshida, also from TUS, Professor Teppei Yamada from The University of Tokyo, and Assistant Professor Takashi Toyao and Professor Ken-ichi Shimizu from Hokkaido University. The paper was made available online on May 4, 2022 and was published in Volume 144 Issue 19 of the journal on May 18, 2022 The team used a MOF known as MIL-101 as the main framework and then encapsulated Mg2+ ions in its nanopores. In the resultant MOF-based electrolyte, Mg2+ was loosely packed, thereby allowing the migration of divalent Mg2+ ions. To further enhance ion conductivity, the research team exposed the electrolyte to acetonitrile vapors, which were adsorbed by the MOF as guest molecules. The team then subjected the prepared samples to an alternating current (AC) impedance test to measure ionic conductivity. They found that the Mg2+ electrolyte exhibited a superionic conductivity of 1.9 103 S cm1. This is the highest ever reported conductivity for a crystalline solid containing Mg2+. To understand the mechanism behind this high conductivity, the researchers carried out infrared spectroscopic and adsorption isotherm measurements on the electrolyte. The tests revealed that the acetonitrile molecules adsorbed in the framework allowed for the efficient migration of the Mg2+ ions through the body of the solid electrolyte. These findings of this study not only reveal the novel MOF-based Mg2+ conductor as a suitable material for battery applications, but also provide critical insights into the development of future solid-state batteries. "For a long time, people have believed that divalent or higher valency ions cannot be efficiently transferred through a solid. In this study, we have demonstrated that if the crystal structure and surrounding environment are well-designed, then a solid-state high-conductivity conductor is well within research, explains Dr. Sadakiyo. When asked about the research groups future plans, he reveals, We hope to further contribute to society by developing a divalent conductor with even higher ionic conductivity. Police section off the site where an SUV came to an abrupt stop after a driver careened through the parade route of the Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration. in Gallup, New Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 4. 2022. Police arrested several people who were in a large SUV that drove through a Native American celebration in New Mexico, causing multiple injuries along a parade route crowded with families. At first blush, it may not seem like Cheshire is in need of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The name suggests some sort of a Tom Clancy-imagined bunker secretly hidden away in the Washington, D.C.s underground rather than a small room in the basement of Cheshire Town Hall. But in fact, if recent history is any indication, the EOC, when finally completed in Cheshire, will get significant use. As Town Manager Sean Kimball recently reminded The Herald, since hes taken over in his position, Cheshire and the state as a whole have faced a number of emergencies. Four tornadoes touched down in Connecticut in 2018, including one in Cheshire, snapping trees in half, downing power lines and leaving numerous residences without power. In 2019, the remnant of Hurricane Dorian reached Connecticuts shores, resulting in minimal impact, but in 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias knocked out power to 750,000 customers and resulted in $230,000 million in damages. Last year, it was Tropical Storm Elsa that knocked down some trees and resulted in more than 10,000 customers losing power statewide. And of course, there was a once-in-a-century pandemic with which to contend. All of it requires some level of coordination between the entities in Cheshire charged with responding to such emergencies and then communicating with the public as to what exactly is about to happen and when. Thats where the new EOC will come in. With the newly-announced state funds of $450,000, a current storage room at Town Hall will be transformed into a space complete with audio and visual equipment capable of connecting all members of the Towns Emergency Response Team in real time, whether they are present at Town Hall or on the scene in the middle of the community. During storms, it will allow the town to track where power outages are happening and the response of utility companies, allowing Cheshire leaders to communicate clearly and immediately with residents. Kimball had requested local funding for the creation of this EOC in a future capital budget year, and its believed that members of the Council were amenable to the concept. However, $450,000 is a considerable amount of money, especially for a community that expects to embark on some rather ambitious and expensive plans in the very near future. Its not hard to imagine that, if belt-tightening were necessary in the coming year or two, the EOC would have been put on hold. Now, with the state funds coming in, work has already begun. While theres no timetable for when the current storage room will be transformed, its likely to happen sooner rather than later. And perhaps best of all, as Kimball explained, the room will get plenty of use even when theres no emergency to speak of. With the expected installation of state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, the room can easily accommodate training sessions and other meetings where such technology is necessary. Hopefully, theres little use for an EOC. So far this winter, spring, and summer, Cheshire has been spared any serious weather events, aside from the oppressive heat and humidity that arrived in late July and doesnt seem ready to relent anytime soon. We still have several weeks left in summer, however, and recent years have seen the most violent of storms pop up sometime around the end of this month and beginning of September. Perhaps things will stay quiet 2022, more than they did in 2020 and 2021. But in the future, when emergencies do pop up, having a designated EOC there for local leaders to coordinate their response will only help to lessen the pain such events cause. Thats money well spent. What Nitish Kumar pulled off in Bihar through a flawlessly executed political manoeuvre against the BJP and its top leadership is like a thunderbolt out of the blue. All that Nitish Kumar has to do now is revive the Indian political imagination, of voters and political parties by recalling Jayaprakash Narayans unfinished movement of establishing social justice through a Sampoorna Kranti, or Total Revolution. Nitish Kumars rebirth as an anti-BJP politician matters. It matters to the BJP. It matters to the caste-based regional parties that are the main opposition to the BJP in the Hindi heartland and to the Congress. It matters above all to the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United), all of whom emerged from the Jayaprakash Narayan movement and then established themselves as the pillars of Mandal politics that recognised the discrimination and deprivation of the Other Backward Castes. Nitish Kumar is the last of the politically active and physically robust survivors of the Mandal versus Kamandal war of the 1990s.Through all the years of his alliance with the BJP in Bihar, he has successfully shepherded the small but important Kurmi votes and held off encroachments by the predatory BJP, which has worked tirelessly to shift the OBC and Extremely Backward Caste voters to its side. By dumping the BJP, Nitish Kumar has signalled to OBC and EBC voters that they need to rethink on giving support to the other side. His disclaimer, immediately after he took the oath of office as Bihars CM for the eighth time, that he was not pitching for a new role in national politics, may be the embodiment of humility, but it is not truthful. In the Hindi heartland, where the BJP believes its support is baked rock solid through its management of OBC-Dalit identities and its majoritarian Hindutva agenda that others the Muslim minority and permits Uttar Pradeshs second-term chief minister Yogi Adityanath to declare that the recently-concluded election in the state was a contest between 80 (per cent Hindu) versus 20 (per cent Muslim), Nitish Kumars new alliance will set off political tremors. It will be disturbing and potentially destabilising. Having cut himself loose from the oppressive restraints of the BJP, Nitish Kumar is and has been a persistent and audible champion of caste demographics. His demand for a caste census as part of the national census has been a thorn in Narendra Modis side. The repeated postponement of a full-fledged national census by the Narendra Modi government on the excuse that it could not be unrolled while the Covid-19 pandemic was still a threat is also an indication that the head count, including a caste-based head count, is an avoidable decision. There is every reason to think that Nitish Kumar will again raise the demand for a caste census, and this time he has the freedom to turn it into a campaign that would unify groups and parties that represent OBCs, EBCs and others. This makes Nitish Kumar a potentially dangerous destabilising force. He may not, as yet, feel up to joining in the rough and tumble of anti-BJP Opposition politics at the national level, but he is fully aware of the effect of his switch. His deliberately cryptic comment on the chances of Narendra Modi returning to power in 2024 was aimed at delivering a challenge and testing his position in the Opposition political space. For starters, Nitish Kumar is not cooped up any longer. He has a national stature. And Bihar, even though it is Hindi-speaking, is culturally different from the rest of the heartland. What happens in Bihar has great significance outside the state, partly because of the migrant population and partly because it is a state with a distinctive identity. The Bihar Mahagatbandhan is a rainbow of anti-BJP forces, with the Congress in the middle and the CPI(M-L) at the other end. It spans the different ideologies that together constitute the middle ground, bookended by the BJP as defender on the Right and the Left as the last but not least challenger. The message that is Bihar can be read in other ways too. Voters across India, certainly in Bihar and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, will take note that Nitish Kumar dumped the BJP and installed himself as the head of an ideologically very different alliance, without fuss and the vulgar display of money as power. It was a neat, fast and clean operation. It was frugal. It was austere and it was superlatively efficient. There were no private jets flying around the country; there were no resorts or hotels booked for would-be defectors. None of the 164 Bihar state Assembly legislators backing the new alliance were spirited away, not even on buses. The contrast between the over one week-long drama in Maharashtra, where all that the voter saw was MLAs locked up in a luxury hotel in Assam, and then in Goa, while the Shiv Sena collapsed and Uddhav Thackerays chief ministerial stint ended conveys a deeper message. Regional parties can hit back and resist dismemberment by the BJP. Underestimating Nitish Kumar and his ability to survive may be the biggest miscalculation that the BJP has made in recent times. Unable to come up with an adequate response, the BJP top brass has deployed its backbenchers, Bihars former deputy chief minister and credible leader Sushil Modi, Ravi Shankar Prasad and state leaders to take down Nitish Kumar for his disloyalty, his betrayal of the electoral mandate of 2020, by changing sides. The big bosses of the worlds largest party, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi and even party president J.P. Nadda, have been offline and absolutely speechless. There is a reason why the BJP is taking time to recover from the blow delivered by Nitish Kumar. The BJP lost its largest ally in terms of the seats the JD(U) occupies in the two Houses of Parliament, and it is a big hit. Despite the friction between the BJP and Janata Dal (United), Nitish Kumar was indispensable as an ally. He punched way above his weight in Bihar politics, even though he won only 45 Assembly seats out of 243. He helped the BJP to win 77 seats and cleared the space the party needed to set up shop in Bihar. Even if the Mahagatbandhan falls apart as it did in 2017, it will have triggered a new phase in the run-up to the 2024 general election and the BJPs ferocious efforts to ensure another win for Mr Modi. When Christians around the world today think of Indonesia, the first thing that may come to mind is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. However, Indonesia is a culturally and religiously diverse country. Christians are an estimated 10 percent of Indonesias population of 210 million, putting Indonesia in the upper third of countries with the largest numbers of Christians. Today, millions of the Chinese diaspora community live in Indonesia (estimated numbers range from more than 2 million to more than 7 million, depending on the statistical method). There are Chinese churches with different traditions and compositions throughout Indonesia. Historically, Chinese in Indonesia were discriminated against and marginalized at various times. How did the Chinese church in Indonesia survive and develop in the difficult past? In todays Indonesia, there are also some unique regulations on religious practices. What impact would that have on Chinese church growth? What evangelical challenges and opportunities do Chinese churches in Indonesia face serving the younger generation in todays multicultural environment? The following is part of a transcript of an interview of pastor Samuel Fu of Pontianak Congregation of West Kalimantan Christian Church by David Doong, general secretary of the Chinese Coordination Center for World Evangelism (CCCOWE) in February 2022. Multiculturalism in the nation of a thousand islands Doong: If you were to introduce Indonesia to people who didnt know much about it, what would you say? What is the situation of the Chinese immigrants in Indonesia? Fu: Indonesia is a country of a thousand islands, or nusantara in Indonesian. It is a country composed of more than 6,000 islands. There are more than 100 ethnic groups in Indonesia. Although Muslims are the majority, Indonesia is a very diverse country. Different places and different ethnic groups have distinctive languages. The unified language of our country is Indonesian, and almost all Indonesians can speak Indonesian, including the Chinese immigrants. Most Chinese today are in the second or third generation, so they are all educated in Indonesian. The Indonesian government recognizes six religious beliefs: Islam, Catholicism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The state does not allow civilians to have no religious belonging. On the ID card, every civilian must choose one of the beliefs. In 1965, a coup d'etat happened. The government believed that there was a communist influence behind it and considered most of the Chinese to be communists. A lot of Chinese were arrested. Because of the discrimination, many Chinese chose Christianity as their religion on paper during that time. There were a lot of refugees, and the people came out from inland. It turned out to be a good opportunity to share the gospel. Many Chinese believed in Jesus due to political factors. Christianity and Catholicism in Indonesia have grown rapidly in the past few years. On the one hand, many young people came to faith. On the other hand, Chinese churches in Indonesia are also actively participating in social services, such as running schools and hospitals. Through these community services, the church has opportunities to share the gospel. In recent years new media has also become a practical way to share the gospel. The church in Indonesia is in an ever-growing state. Doong: The policy that everyone must choose a religion is interesting. If a person converts to Christianity, does he or she need to change the information on the ID card? Or are people not allowed to convert to another religion? Fu: You will need to go through legal procedures to convert to another religion. If a Muslim converted to Christianity, he would face more pressure from society. He may get excluded, and even face threats and persecutions. However, under state law, a person is allowed to change his beliefs. If you convert from Confucianism and Buddhism to Christianity, it will be relatively simple, and the government will not interfere because it is a personal matter. As for the Chinese church, our main reach-out is to people of Buddhist and Confucian backgrounds. When they believe in Jesus and are baptized in the church, their ID cards will be changed from Buddhism or Confucianism to Christianity. There is no significant difficulty. Article continues below The situation of Chinese immigrants and the Chinese Church Doong: As far as I know, there was a time when children were prohibited from learning Chinese in Indonesia. The second generation of Chinese who grew up in Indonesia, including many middle-aged and younger generations, are very unfamiliar with Chinese and mainly use Indonesian and English. Will these next generations prefer to attend multicultural churches or churches that speak Indonesian and English? Fu: Chinese Indonesians tend to maintain relationships with other Chinese people while also integrating into society. We live in areas that are populated mostly by Chinese. In some provinces of Indonesia, the Chinese people are educated in Indonesian and stipulated to speak only Indonesian in public places. Yet they have kept speaking a Chinese dialect at home despite the gap with the Chinese language for more than 30 years in the society. After Suharto stepped down as president in 1998, Indonesia began to open up to the Chinese language. Chinese in some areas have the opportunity to communicate and receive education in Chinese. There are three types of Chinese Indonesian churches: The first is Chinese Indonesian churches that speak Indonesian only while 70 percent or more of the people are ethnically Chinese, and there are many such churches now. The second type is the bilingual churches, in which the older people speak Chinese or their mother tongue dialect, and the younger ones speak Indonesian. My church belongs to this category. In general, this type of church would have Indonesian gatherings with translation and bilingual sermons. The third type is the Chinese-speaking Chinese churches. They worship and serve in Chinese only, but they are relatively rare. Doong: I have come across many young Indonesians who also speak English. Is it because English is also a primary language besides Indonesian? Fu: It is easier for people whose first language is Indonesian to learn English. We have been learning English since elementary school. However, the general English ability of Indonesians is rather basic. If they are Indonesians studying abroad, their English would be much better. For local Indonesians who learn English as a third language, their listening ability may be fine, but they would struggle with English speaking. Doong: Fifty-seven years have passed since 1965. I am curioushow would you see the growth of Chinese churches in Indonesia? What are the good developments? What are some opportunities? Are there any bottlenecks and crises? Fu: I think three characteristics mark the Chinese churches in Indonesia. First, Chinese churches in Indonesia are generally enthusiastic about sharing the gospel and have planted many inland churches. Second, they are diligent in studying the Bible and pursuing the truth. Third, they are devoted to prayer. These are the ways these churches practice discipleship. I believe as long as we keep up these good traditions, the Chinese churches in Indonesia will continue to prosper and grow healthily. In addition, our country is relatively open now. With the fast economic growth of mainland China, the Chinese government has invested a lot in Indonesia, which indirectly caused the Indonesian government to see Chinese Indonesians in a better way. The people also realize the importance of the Chinese language, and their interest in learning Chinese has increased. This is particularly a good phenomenon for Chinese churches. Article continues below When Suharto came to power and banned the use of Chinese and Chinese-speaking schools, the Chinese church was the only group of people that kept the language amid the 30 years of Chinese-language gap. It is Gods grace and mercy that the Chinese language and culture was preserved through the church. When the country opened up, the Chinese church was quick to adapt to the change. The second type of Chinese Indonesian church that I just mentioned had stopped worshiping in Chinese before, but now they use Chinese again. Many young people in the church go to China or Taiwan to learn the Chinese language and use Chinese to participate and serve in the church after returning. I am optimistic about the future of the Chinese Indonesian church. Helping the younger generation Doong: In terms of shepherding and cultivating young people, the global church is facing more challenges today. Do Chinese churches in Indonesia also encounter such challenges? Fu: Honestly, yes. For example, some churches are more conservative and traditional in terms of worship, which leads to the loss of the younger generation. Some young people will go to churches that practice their preferred style of worship. Over the past few years, Chinese Indonesian churches have reviewed and reflected on how to react to the trend. Of course, we dont want superficial improvements such as worship style. The essential question is how to keep these young people in the faith. We believe that the younger generation seeks to be recognized in the church and wants to have a sense of belonging to the church. They hope they can grow and participate in it. But Chinese churches in Indonesia still tend to be more paternalistic. Deacons and pastors are usually older people. I think we need to listen to the opinions of young people more and give them more opportunities to participate in church service to keep them. Doong: Conservative or not is relative. What we think to be the conservative style of worship was trendy 50 or 60 years ago. Sometimes I believe that God created us to be way more sophisticated and creative. On the one hand, we do not need to feel that there is one correct way to worship; on the other hand, we do not need to chase trends. Tradition has its beauty, and trendy style has its merit. The task of our generation is to be transformed by the renewal of our mind, to learn from the precious heritage of the 2,000 years of church history, to share the gospel and train disciples in todays language. Fu: I agree. What we care about is not the style of worship but the way to implement discipleship and let these young people find an environment where they would feel they are recognized and able to grow and learn. I believe this is our primary responsibility. Just like in my church, we are currently encouraging young people to start small groups. They are very committed, devoted, and active in their group. A coworker recently did a survey in our church. When asked, What do you expect the most from the church? teenagers, young people, and adults in my church have all answered with the Word of God. Their expectation for the church is not better music or worship but solid biblical teaching. I believe that we must recognize and respond to the deepest concern of the congregation. What should be the center of our worship and shepherding? We must not rigidly adhere to styles or superficial needs. David Doong is general secretary of the Chinese Coordination Center for World Evangelism (CCCOWE) and host of the Missional Discipleship podcast in Mandarin. Translation by Yiting Tsai [ This article is also available in and . ] This piece was adapted from Russell Moores newsletter. Subscribe here. If heaven aint a lot like Dixie, I dont wanna go, Hank Williams Jr. sang. If heaven aint a lot like Dixie, Id just as soon stay home. The song was, of course, meant to be more of a praise of the South than a developed eschatology. But after detailing all the things he loved about his home region, Hank Jr. concluded that if these things were missing from eternity, then just send me to hell or New York City; it would be about the same to me. Recent studies show that, increasingly, white Southern evangelicals are deciding that when it comes to the church, if not to heaven, theyd just as soon stay home. Last week here, I referenced an analysis by historian Daniel K. Williams (no relation to Hank) on studies of a fast-growing trend among white Southern Protestants who seldom or never attend church and yet self-identify as evangelical Christians. To recap, Williams points to data on how these unchurched evangelicals are not secularizing in the same way as, say, people in Denmark or Germany, or even as folks in Connecticut or Oregon. Unchurched evangelicals in the South not only keep their politics but also ratchet up to more extreme levels. They maintain the same moral opinionsexcept on matters that directly affect them (like having premarital sex, smoking marijuana, and getting drunk). This category of lapsed and non-church-attending evangelicals are now, as Williams points out, the largest religious body in the South. They are also lonelier, more disconnected, angrier, and more suspicious of institutions. These findings have seismic implications for the church and for the broader culture. Years ago, I argued that a kind of cultural Christianity was dying out in the Bible Beltthe kind that required you go to church, or at least to be somehow affiliated with one, if you wanted to be a normal person. I often recounted how a friend of mine in college, an atheist, suddenly asked me one day to recommend a Southern Baptist church to joinbut one thats not too, you know, Southern Baptist-y. After giving several recommendations, I asked him how he had become a Christian. Waving away my question, my friend said he didnt believe in any of that stuff. But he wanted to run for office one day, and demographically, there were more Southern Baptists than anything else in his potential constituency. At that time, most people didnt have such a blatantly transactional view of the church. Thats why it was expected that kids who wandered away from the faith would eventually be back once they settled down to marry and start a family. In many of these places, to be a grown-up and not a rebel or weirdo meant you attended church. Yet increasingly, I once argued, it was less and less necessary for people to go to church for those cultural reasons. What I didnt count on was that cultural Christianity would be infected with a delta variant and morph into something else. The kind of cultural Christianity we now see often keeps everything about the Religious Right except the religion. These people arent in Sunday school, but they might post Bible verses on Facebook (or quote them on TikTok). Cultural Christianity, as we once knew it, is largely being replaced by a kind of blood-and-soil Christianity. The Christianity in such settings is the sense of belonging and obligation not to a church but to a particular brand of white political and cultural identity. For, say, a front-row choir member to become such a disconnected, culturally combative non-churchgoer is akin to the old God-and-country civil religion morphing into the kinds of Christian nationalism we see emerging around the world. Article continues below On one hand, the rise of the unchurched white evangelicals should provoke a second thought for secular progressives. Those who assume secularization equals progress (liberally defined) may think that people who stop going to church will start discussing NPR at mimosa brunches. Yet in most cases, the reverse is happening. Going without worship and connection does not end the culture warsit often heightens them. Almost any disconnection from organic community leads people to extremism and anger, no matter their place on the ideological spectrum. Consider the evolution of the Leftfrom the days when leadership was wielded mostly by labor unions of plumbers, teamsters, electricians, and so on, and when civil rights leaders were typically pastors or pillars of local congregations. To use the most trivial example possible, at almost any other time in Southern Bible Belt churches, older deacons and church ladies would give a stern reprimand to whoever used Lets Go Brandon as a synonym for a vulgarity (even if they agreed with the politics). As Leon Wieseltier once noted, wherever identity is the thinnest, it is often the loudest. Theres a world of difference between confident and combative Christianity. Confident Christianity constantly reminds us that this life is less important than the next. It demonstrates something of what it means to forgive and serve one another and to be on mission together within a true, visible local body. Combative Christianity tries to differentiate us culturally, politically, or racially from those deemed to be the irredeemable enemies. This is especially true when people combine a sense of identity as an entitled majority (We are the real America) with an identity as a besieged minority (Elites are out to destroy us). A blood-and-soil mentality is the way of Cainwho resented his brother because he himself was not recognized. True Christian worship is the way of Abelwho offered his sacrifice to God even though it cost him his life. Some might say, See, thats the problem! Abel ended up dead. Cain at least was a fighter. That makes sense from one point of view. The problem is that this isnt the perspective of Jesus, the Bible, or the church of the living God (Heb. 11:4). I must return to another myth that persists in secular progressive enclaves outside the Bible Belt. When many people in these places look at conspiracy theories or political polarization or political violence, they blame the local churches. They assume that the problem lies in pastors whipping their people into a frenzy with dangerous ideaswhether they be vaccine avoidance or much, much darker ideas. Yet apart from a handful of well-publicized churches led by such personalities, this is rarely the case. Instead, at least in my experience, churches are usually the sanest outpost of what now goes by American Christianity. At one point, I would have said the problem is not in the pulpit but in the pews. But now I think I would say the problem isnt primarily in the pews either. Now, to be sure, this sort of unchurched Christianity affects the church. And my point is not that the problem is with nominal Christians, not real ones. My point is that if we really pay attention to what is going onwith the loneliness, disconnection, and fanaticism disguised as convictionwe can see that the local church is, in many ways, not the problem but the solution. Article continues below This is true not only because churches provide a place of connection that works against loneliness. And its not only because churches give a sense of purpose and meaning beyond screaming into the void of cyberspace. Its not only because churches that train people to evangelize signal that ones neighbors are a mission field, not a battlefield. All those things are true and important. But, far more importantly, Jesus told us he would come to us, uniquely, within the context of church fellowship (Matt. 18:20)in the breaking of bread, in the building each other up with spiritual gifts, in the encouraging one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. If the church is what we believe it to bea body connected to a Head (Eph. 4:1516; 5:2930)then we know that we are shaped, formed, and made holy mostly through a set of rhythms and practices we often dont even notice is changing us. And the whole body is supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews as we grow (Col. 2:19). That sort of connection is the only way we can find the right kind of individuality and authenticity. Thomas Merton once said, I cannot make good choices unless I develop a mature and prudent conscience that gives me an accurate account of my motives, my intentions, and my moral acts. Without that sort of conscience, Merton argued, our choices will be determined by what is acceptable to the crowd, and evil will be defined by what upsets that crowd. The result of an unformed conscience is one that is merely the delegate of the conscience of another person, or of a group, or of a party, or social class, or of a nation, or of a race. When a party-line or blood-and-soil worldview shapes the conscience, Merton contended, true love becomes impossible since one cannot give to others what one does not have. The conscience is meant to be formed together in communityin worship, mission, and the reading and obeying of Gods transforming Word. Thats the opportunity in front of us. Yes, if all people see of Christianity is the anger and loneliness of half-Christians, then they will not see the real Jesus. But the converse is true too. In a time of loneliness, separation, and boredom, we ought to see a craving for what Jesus told us we all need. Against the backdrop of all the surrounding cultural wreckage, how distinctive it is for those hungering and thirsting for something more to find a church of peoplehowever small, however unnoticed who know how to pray, gather around a table, and say Amen to the Bible together. Such a body can cry together over their sins and rejoice together over their forgivenessto see in one anothers lives that there is power, wonder-working power, in the blood of the Lamb. For those who cant tell the difference between hell and New York City, maybe this is the moment for a different Way altogether. If heavens not a lot like Dixie, maybe heaven is exactly where we want to be. Russell Moore leads the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today. Kentucky pastor helps over 300 residents traumatized by deadly flooding 'Without the strength of the Lord, there is no possible way' When rain waters that seemed heavier than usual began to fall in eastern Kentucky roughly two weeks ago, Pastor Brad Stevens of the Church of God Worship Center in Clay County said he wasn't afraid. As he laid down to rest that night, Stevens said he remembers thinking, "It is just water after all." However, to his great surprise, the next day, on July 27, upon waking up, Stevens realized it was still raining just as hard as it had been the night before. As the rain poured with record intensity, the waters ravaged neighboring communities and caused extensive flash flooding. When the rain finally stopped, Stevens, a 44-year-resident of east Kentucky, found out that the livelihood of hundreds of people had been "turned completely upside down" and that many residents had been left "traumatized" as they encountered near life-and-death situations. In an interview, Stevens told The Christian Post that many residents felt their "lives flash before their eyes" as the flooding tore through their communities, destroying homes, bridges, roads and infrastructure and killing residents. "Growing up in Kentucky, I have seen so many floods ever since I was a kid. But this rain was oddly different," said Stevens. "This is something that you really can't prepare for." Across the state, at least 38 people died due to the flooding that began on July 27 and lasted for about a week, damaging hundreds of homes and displacing thousands across several counties in the eastern portion of the state. As the pastor became aware of how the rain had taken its toll on the masses, he immediately felt deep within his heart a call from God to take action to be the "hands and feet of Jesus" by devoting his time to helping his community. Stevens took to social media, holding multiple live videos from his Facebook page to show his followers the devastation caused by the flooding. He informed viewers that he needed donated funds to further aid in disaster relief work. Stevens said he then began receiving donations from "generous" donors across the nation, allowing him to provide aid to over 300 Kentucky residents directly impacted by the flooding. He delivered food and water to those in need while helping rebuild infrastructure and bridges. "I began seeing the devastation and finding people who were trapped and couldn't get out. I saw needs changing from day to day. There were a lot more people that needed help than we anticipated. But, God has somehow made a way," Stevens said. In the two weeks since the flooding hit, Stevens is still working to save those trapped. Many impacted by the flooding are struggling with grief from losing their personal items, sense of normalcy and livelihood, and in some cases, their loved ones. "Some of the most difficult things to see is the fact that there are so many of these folks that have lost everything. And they go to their homes, and they see everything is destroyed and out in a pile in their yard getting ready to be hauled away in a garbage truck," Stevens described. "And once they get the parts of their home that were torn down, hauled away, the work has just begun. They have to start tearing out walls and insulation and floors and restore. It's hard to take in sometimes just how incredible the loss is." Stevens said he has prayed with and counseled people who've experienced significant trauma from witnessing what, for many, has been the most traumatic experiences of their lives. The pastor can't count the number of times he has heard from residents, "I thought we were going to die." "There has been a lot of prayer and just being there for them. And I've seen that it has been beneficial for some people when I don't say anything and just let them talk and share their experiences. It's like it gives them a sense of relief to be able to just talk to somebody. And you can almost sense the anxiety leaving as they get out what they haven't been able to speak about. So, we've just been an ear to listen," Stevens detailed. "And other times, you know, we're called to counsel and pray and try to do what we can to encourage and help them," he added. A great emotional need and trauma has taken its toll on many mentally, according to Stevens, as residents navigate the reality of the losses. "I believe a lot of folks are still in a state of shock. I've seen people standing, looking at their property that's destroyed and they're still in a sense of shock that it even happened and scrambling to try to figure out how to pick up pieces. And that's what we're doing. We're trying to just help them have some relief and pick up the pieces again; try to get them to see a little sense of normalcy," Stevens explained. "I've had people tell me that when they lay down to go to sleep at night, they can still hear the water roaring outside. It's a sound they'll never forget. So, it was definitely a traumatic experience. I know a couple of families lost their loved ones in our community. And it really is a struggle. Our families are really close-knit in this community. When something happens that affects one that's out of our control, it's such a tough situation for everyone in the neighborhood." Even though the flooding did not damage his home and church building, Stevens said he, too, has faced a mental and emotional struggle during this time. He said he relies on God to guide him and give him strength because helping in the aftermath of the flood has been "the most labor intensive and tough calling" that God has ever placed on his life. In 2010, Stevens suffered a stroke involving his brain stem, which still affects him today, and he continues to struggle daily with finding the energy to do labor-intensive work. "Without the strength of the Lord, there is no possible way that I could keep going with the mental, emotional and even physical work that I have been doing, and just seeing so many people facing so much hardship would be tough for anybody," Stevens shared. "I can honestly say that through this, God has strengthened me and made me able to do above and beyond what I would have ever thought would be possible." Amid the devastation, Stevens said communities in eastern Kentucky have not given up as community members have banded together to help one another. Most people have shown an overall attitude of perseverance, Stevens assured. As long as his church sees a need, Stevens hopes to continue receiving donations that allow him to do the work of restoration in neighboring communities. "They are really fighting hard to beat this fight," Stevens said. "And we won't give up helping, even if it takes a year or longer to recover. It's also so amazing to see how God is moving in such a mighty way by putting an unexplainable peace in these communities during this extremely difficult time." Liberty University selects CarterBaldwin search firm to identify its next president The Georgia-based CarterBaldwin Executive Search will conduct the search for the next president of Liberty University, a prominent Evangelical university founded by Jerry Falwell Sr. in Virginia. In an announcement Wednesday, the Lynchburg-based university stated that CarterBaldwin will oversee the search for a person to replace interim Liberty President Jerry Prevo, who has served in that role since the resignation of former President Jerry Falwell Jr. in 2020. Gilbert "Bud" Tinney, Jr., a member of Liberty's Board of Trustees and chairman of the search committee, spoke of the current situation as a time of stabilization. "During this season of institutional transition, Liberty University has benefited tremendously from a combination of stabilizing leaders with vast institutional experience and some of the nation's best outside experts," stated Tinney. "The selection of CarterBaldwin demonstrates clearly Liberty's ongoing commitment to excellence and its determination to work with the absolute best advisors to find the right individual to lead Liberty University into its next 50 years." CarterBaldwin has an extensive history of working with faith-based and nonprofit organizations and has placed more than 100 CEOs in faith-based institutions. CarterBaldwin Chairman Price Harding said in a statement that he is "extremely proud of our work on behalf of faith-based institutions." "Liberty University isn't just one of the world's largest institutions of higher education, it is also a unique institution with unique characteristics and nonnegotiable values," Harding stated. "We are excited about partnering with the search committee to find the right leader. Along the way we will bring to the university our commitment to always providing objective counsel and the best available expertise in executive search." Liberty will release a position profile in mid-September to begin the process of soliciting and evaluating candidates. The Liberty board of trustee's search committee hopes to install a new president before the 2023-2024 academic school year. Prevo will continue to serve as acting president until the role is filled. The search will be led by Harding and CarterBaldwin partner Bill Peterson. In August 2020, Falwell Jr. resigned as Liberty president after he and his wife, Becki, were implicated in a sex scandal by a young man named Giancarlo Granda. The allegation came after Falwell had been put on an "indefinite leave of absence" from his roles as president and chancellor following the leaked photo of him on social media at a costume party on a yacht during his family's vacation. In the photo, Falwell wore unzipped jeans that exposed his abdomen and underwear while his hand was around the waist of his wife's assistant, who wore a tank top and unzipped shorts. Falwell became the head of the university in 2007 following the death of his father, who founded the institution under the name Liberty Baptist College in 1971. Prevo served as chairman of the university's board of trustees since 2003. During Prevo's time as interim president, Liberty faced allegations of failing to adequately respond to claims of sexual assault and harassment by students. In July 2021, a dozen women filed a class-action lawsuit accusing Liberty of mishandling their sexual assault complaints when they were students. The litigation was settled in May, with the details of the agreement between the two parties kept confidential. Liberty became the subject of a federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education in May. According to the government, there were questions over whether Liberty was in compliance with the Clery Act, which requires schools to support victims of sexual violence. Terrorists kill elderly Christian, kidnap others in northern Nigeria ABUJA, Nigeria Suspected Muslim terrorists in northern Nigeria killed an 86-year-old Christian in his home on Aug. 2 and kidnapped two others who were later released, likely after ransom payments, sources said. The gunmen killed Daniel Yatai at his home in predominantly Christian Manchok village, Kaduna state, shortly after 11 p.m., according to his son Philip Daniel Yatai, who said the assailants kidnapped his niece, 21-year-old Brenda Friday. The terrorists forcefully broke into their home as they were already sleeping, shot our dad and kidnapped my niece, Yatai told Morning Star News. They phoned us on Wednesday morning [Aug. 3] asking for a ransom of 15 million naira [US$35,845] before my niece can be released. While not disclosing whether a ransom was paid, Yatai on Aug. 5 confirmed that his niece had been released. Also kidnapped from his home in Manchok on Aug. 2 and held for ransom was Amos Magbon, rector of the Federal School of Statistics in Manchok, who was also released by Aug. 5, Magbons brother, Innocent Magbon, told local media. Area residents said the assailants attacked the village in Kaura County, southern Kaduna, with gunfire before breaking into some homes. A daughter of the late Yatai, Christiana Yatai, reportedly said the gunmen ordered their door be opened, and when the five relatives in the home refused, the terrorists forced their way in. One of the gunmen outside shot Daniel Yatai through a window, while the others who had broken into the home then entered his room and shot him again, Christiana Yatai told local media. In mid-July in nearby Zangang village, three Christians were ambushed and shot, killing two of them, residents said. Area resident Isaac Gandu said the three Christians were workers at the Health Department of Kaura Local Government Council. They had gone to some rural Christian communities to provide health services to them when they were ambushed by terrorists and shot at, Gandu told Morning Star News in a text message. Two of the victims, who are males, died at the spot they were ambushed, and the third victim, a lady, is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital here. Kidnapped Christian Women The attack followed Islamic militants kidnapping of 21 Christian women on June 21 in nearby Kasan Kogi village. The Rev. Ezekiel Garba, pastor of Chapel of Good News Church in Kasan Kogi village, told Christian Solidarity Internationals Nigeria Report that his wife was among those held captive. They said they will marry off our women to their members if we dont pay 100 million naira (US$230,000) ransom within days, Pastor Garba told Nigeria Report. They said they will use them to produce children who will kill us in the future. About 300 armed terrorists, hooded and clad in military fatigues, attacked Kasan Kogi, about 20 miles south of the city of Kaduna, on motorcyles, killing the Rev. Ezra Shamaki and another resident. They kidnapped Pastor Shamakis wife, one of the 21 females abducted along with six males, Pastor Garba told Nigeria Report. The assailants went straight to the morning fellowship of a group of women meeting at the local Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) church, Pastor Garba said. They came rushing into the village and split up, he told Nigeria Report. Some went to other parts of the town while others surrounded the church. They killed the pastor of the church and kidnapped his wife along with other women in the church. The terrorists captured Pastor Garba, his wife Salama and their 21-year-old daughter as they tried to flee, he said. They first grabbed my wife at a different corner and snatched my daughter as she was running close to me. When I saw she was crying helplessly, I stopped and submitted myself, Pastor Garba told Nigeria Report. They took us on their bikes to the outskirts of the village where they gathered all the other hostages before moving to the bush. But before then, they asked me to go and mobilize money for them. I pleaded for my daughter and wife, but they only released me and my daughter, who I told them was breastfeeding. The assailants swore to eliminate all Christian villages in the area, he said. Their leader identified himself as Akakkabe from Niger Republic, Pastor Garba told Nigeria Report. He said he left his former base in Sokoto to assist his fellow Muslims here. He warned me not to delay with his money. Pastor Andrew Galva of the Chapel of Good News Church in Kasan Kogi was also kidnapped with his wife at a different location, and he too was released on the captors hope that he would raise ransom money, he said. I pleaded that that was the second kidnapping this year in my family, and we didnt have any money, but they wouldnt accept it, Pastor Galva told Nigeria Report. Jonathan Asake, president of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), told Nigeria Report that in previous raids the terrorists have forced kidnapped women into sexual slavery. They kidnap women and turn them into sex slaves, Asake told Nigeria Report. Many of the women have returned traumatized, with many of them dying after being released. Umar Barde, who represents Kajuru and Chikun constituencies in the Nigerian House of Representatives, confirmed the sex slavery. Sexual violations by terrorists here are rampant, Barde told Nigeria Report. They rape both old and young women, even teenagers. But because of stigma, people are ashamed to say it. But if you ask men who may have been kidnapped along with the women, they will tell you they witnessed mass rapes in their camps. Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith last year (Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021) at 4,650, up from 3,530 the previous year, according to Open Doors 2022 World Watch List report. The number of kidnapped Christians was also highest in Nigeria, at more than 2,500, up from 990 the previous year, according to the WWL report. Nigeria trailed only China in the number of churches attacked, with 470 cases, according to the report. In the 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to seventh place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 9 the previous year. This article was originally published by Morning Star News. Texas megachurch with 14K members votes to leave UMC amid homosexuality schism A Texas megachurch has voted to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church due to the mainline Protestant denominations ongoing debate over homosexuality as over 200 churches in the Lone Star State are considering disaffiliation. The Woodlands Methodist Church, a congregation with approximately 14,200 members located in Woodlands, Texas, voted on Sunday to leave the UMC Texas Annual Conference. According to an announcement from the church, about 3,000 members gathered at the church on Sunday and about 2,678 members or 96.3% of those voting supported disaffiliation. Senior Pastor Mark Sorensen posted a video on the churchs website saying that the vote affirmed that we are united in one vision and one clear mission. We are ready to move on past the division and the differences that have been an ongoing distraction in our denomination for far too long, said Sorensen. Remember, we are changing to stay the same. With this vote, we are preserving the ministry that we know and love. Sorensen offered a blessing to those who wanted to remain in the UMC, suggesting it is time to bless one another, even as we go our separate ways. In this there is no victory, in this there is no winner or loser, he added. We are called to pray for and lift up others in whatever ministry God has calling us to now and in the future. According to the UMC Texas Annual Conference, more than 210 member congregations are considering disaffiliation from the denomination as of late July. The conference will host a special session on Dec. 3 in Houston that will, among other things, include officially recognizing the departure of churches that have taken the necessary steps toward disaffiliation. Woodlands is not the only congregation to disaffiliatee from the Texas Conference on Sunday. The 1,300-member Faithbridge of Spring, Texas, approved disaffiliation when all 549 members present for the vote supported leaving. Im realistic about where the denomination is heading, and so I have no second thoughts, said Faithbridge Senior Pastor Ken Werlein, as reported by UM News. Weve done the right thing, the smart thing, the wise thing to keep Faithbridge Faithbridge. Over the past several years, the UMC has faced a polarizing debate and schism over whether the United States' second largest Protestant denomination should maintain its official stance banning the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of noncelibate homosexual clergy. Although theological liberals within the denomination have failed to change the official rules, many of them in positions of leadership have refused to enforce the existing rules highlighted in the UMC Book of Discipline, causing much frustration among theological conservatives. Across the United States, many congregations have left or are considering disaffiliating from the UMC. Many have joined the Global Methodist Church, a newly created conservative Methodist denomination. UK Tavistock gender clinic could be sued by 1,000 former patients for 'medical negligence' A United Kingdom gender clinic is expected to face a massive class-action lawsuit from people who experienced adverse effects from what a lawyer leading the legal action describes as possibly one of the "largest medical negligence scandals of all time." The U.K. law firm Pogust Goodhead has launched a website featuring a "lawyer bot" designed to help people "investigate a claim involving treatment received and Gender Identity Development Services (GIDS) provided by the Tavistock Centre." The firm is pursuing a group litigation order against the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust in London. People who received gender transition services at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust as a minor have the option to fill out the form, as do guardians of such patients. "Following concerns raised by young people, parents, and professionals working at GIDS about the services provided, [National Health Service] England commissioned an independent review to assess how children and young people with gender dysphoria are being supported by the service," a Wednesday statement from the law firm states. "Since the interim review was published, a number of service attendees have spoken publicly about their concerns that they were misdiagnosed." Pogust Goodhead asserts that "those that had taken masculinising or feminising hormones are now left to live with the irreversible and life-changing consequences." The law firm acknowledged that while "the long-term effects are unknown," many who sought treatment at Tavistock continue to suffer psychological repercussions. Barrister Thomas Goodhead of Pogust Goodhead told The Times that the firm anticipates that "at least 1,000 clients" will join the class-action lawsuit his firm is spearheading against the clinic. "It's hard to put a precise number on it now, but we ran over 25 very large class actions in our firm," he said in an interview with Times Radio. "We've got decades and decades of experience in the size of these groups that sign up." He predicted that litigation against Tavistock would reveal "one of the largest medical negligence scandals of all time." The Tavistocks gender clinic is facing a class action lawsuit from patients over treatments. Barrister @thomasgoodhead, who leads the class action, says the case "is going to be one of the largest medical negligence scandals of all time". pic.twitter.com/yZUW3MFe55 Times Radio (@TimesRadio) August 11, 2022 The U.K. National Health Service recently ordered Tavistock gender clinic to close following the publication of a review determining that the gender clinic's "clinical approach and overall service design has not been subject to some of the normal quality controls that are typically applied when new or innovative treatments are introduced." The review also concluded that the "single specialist provider model is not a safe or viable long-term option in view of concerns about lack of peer review and the ability to respond to the increasing demand." Dr. Hilary Cass, a former president of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health and former chair of the British Academy of Child Disability, headed the review. The findings of that review were published in an interim report, which expressed concern about the "affirmative, non-exploratory approach, often driven by child and parent expectations" at the clinic and the lack of a "standardised approach to assessment or progression through the process." The Cass report also noted that once an adolescent was "identified as having gender-related distress, other important healthcare issues that would normally be managed by local services could sometimes be overlooked." The report cited testimony from clinic staff who felt "pressure to adopt an unquestioning affirmative approach" they viewed as "at odds with the standard process of clinical assessment and diagnosis that they have been trained to undertake in all other clinical encounters." Sajid Javid, who served as secretary of state for health and social care under U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson before resigning earlier this year, characterized the order for Tavistock to close as "welcome news and absolutely the right decision based on the independent evidence gathered by Dr. Hilary Cass." "As Health Secretary, I was determined to protect vulnerable children from being failed by gender identity services at Tavistock," Javid stated. As Health Secretary, I was determined to protect vulnerable children from being failed by gender identity services at the Tavistock. This is welcome news and absolutely the right decision based on the independent evidence gathered by Dr Hilary Cass. https://t.co/QddfRT7z0V Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) July 28, 2022 Concerns about the ethics and practices of Tavistock date back to long before Pogust Goodhead began pursuing class-action litigation against the gender clinic. Between 2017 and 2019, a social worker at the clinic repeatedly raised questions about the "rogue medics" embraced by her employer, specifically referring to the prescription of experimental drugs as puberty blockers for youth with gender dysphoria. She received $27,000 in damages after a court concluded that she faced improper retaliation from Tavistock for sharing her concerns. Additionally, the National Health Service's Care Quality Commission awarded Tavistock an "inadequate" rating in 2021, citing its "overwhelming caseloads, deficient record-keeping and poor leadership." The Telegraph reported that since 2009, about 20,000 children have been referred to Tavistock. The 5,000 referrals to the clinic between 2021 and 2022 constituted a dramatic increase from the 250 referrals a decade earlier. Keira Bell, a "detransitioner" who once identified as a member of the opposite sex and underwent hormone therapy but has returned to identifying with her biological sex, has emerged as perhaps the most prominent critic of Tavistock and gender transitions for youth in general. Bell was a claimant in a lawsuit filed against the clinic and maintains that minors cannot "consent to the use of powerful and experimental hormone drugs like I did." Goodhead said that the topic of gender transition services "has been very much taboo in the public sphere until quite recently." "There is a very poor quality of data," Goodhead said. "The percentage of those who have undergone these treatment pathways who subsequently detransitioned or who regret it or long-term evidence in respect of the effect of puberty blockers and then people almost inevitably continue on to sex hormone treatments is still unknown." Concerns about the long-term effects of puberty-blocking drugs and other gender transition services for minors have spread to other countries. A hospital in Sweden recently shut down the prescription of puberty blockers to children with gender dysphoria, citing such concerns. In the United States, Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas have implemented bans on medicalized gender transition procedures for minors while the Texas Commissioner of Family and Protective Services has classified such procedures as "child abuse." Why the battle cry of Isaiah is for this time A battle cry is used to summon armies to war. A loud, unified shout could intimidate the strongest of enemies. Confidence in battle often tilts the scale toward victory, whereas timidity, fear, and cowardliness will surely lead to defeat. In these dreadful times, dont be shamed into silence. Follow Isaiahs lead and raise your voice like a trumpet awake and arise! (58:1; 60:1). Can we handle the truth? America today is a lot like Israel in Isaiahs time. He painted a very vivid picture of Israel's depravity: You sons of the sorceress, you offspring of the adulterer and the harlot! (57:3). The love of the occult, magic, and divination has never been greater, nor has sexual perversion. The stench has surely reached the nostrils of God. Isaiah lamented that they inflamed themselves with gods under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks (57:5). They slaughtered their children on the altar of pleasure. Sound familiar? Did you know that rape or the loss of life of the mother is not the driving force behind abortion? The main driving force is failure to take responsibility for sexual sin. Blatant sin demands a strong rebuke Many today would no doubt chide Isaiah for his apparent lack of grace and love. But God showed tremendous grace, mercy, and love while dealing with Israel. Even today, He is patient and long-suffering with us. Although many of the prophetic books are not always in chronological order, we find in Isaiah 55 that everyone who thirsts could come to the waters and drink freely and that those who seek the Lord will find Him. What an incredible promise! In Isaiah 56, we are encouraged to seek righteousness. He then switches gears and talks about blind watchmen who cannot bark and warn the people. God loved His people so much that he would send prophetic voices to warn them. Are you listening today? Mocking the messenger Sadly, instead of repenting, the people of Israel would often mock God through disobedience. Like America today, they crossed a very dangerous line their blatant sin demanded a strong rebuke.This is why I often say that the silent pulpit is not Gods pulpit. Pastors, are you fulfilling your calling to warn and rebuke when warranted? If not, what is your reason from a biblical perspective? Isaiah challenged their futility: When you cry, let your idols deliver you (57:13). Today we would say, Cry out to your political party to save you. Count on your 401k to deliver you. Ask your popularity to set you free. As we all know, this would be futile. Whats in a name? Its in this setting that we find one of the most powerful Scriptures in all of the Old Testament: For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy (57:15). Of all the attributes of God, holiness is mentioned above them all. His name is holy. He is set apart. He is awesome. He is indescribable. Hes unparalleled. When God speaks, we must listen. As S.M. Lockridge once preached: Hes the loftiest idea in literature. Hes the highest personality in philosophy. Hes the fundamental doctrine of true theology. Hes the highway of holiness. Hes the gateway of glory. Hes the Master of the mighty. Are you seeking holiness or has apathy overrun your life? A battle cry encouraging holiness must be voiced again! God says that He dwells with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones (57:15-19). The power of humility to alter the course of history is clear in Scripture. The heart cry must proceed to the battle cry Before there is a battle cry there must be a heart cry.Before we fight, we must repent.Sadly, many Christians are angry but still arrogant, wound-up but not worshippers, haughty but not holy. Whats it going to take to finally break us? More perversion? More violence? More depravity? Wake up Church! Like Isaiah, preachers and pastors must again warn the people, Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression (58:1). Then, and only then, will our healing come. Although many agree that chapter 60 of Isaiah has future application, the current application is clear: Once weve been cleansed, renewed, and revived, we are to arise and shine when our light has come (60:1). Repent of apathy and prayerlessness. Consider fasting as you truly seek the heart of God. Remove everything that is distracting you and pulling you away from God. Although it is God who fills us, we must yield. He empowers but we must surrender. He awakens but we must repent. Let Isaiahs battle cry become your battle cry and watch what God does in and through you arise and shine. Chad Veach shares how prayer 'grounded' family amid daughter's devastating diagnosis Pastor identifies key reason for rising prayerlessness The rise in anxiety and depression in recent years is directly linked to the epidemic of prayerlessness among even professing believers and the issue is only going to get worse until people get serious about prayer. That's according to Chad Veach, the pastor of Zoe Church, a youth-oriented Christian congregation based in Los Angeles, California. In an interview with The Christian Post, he suggested that keeping people from prayer is one of Satan's greatest tactics. "Prayer takes me from stress into peace, from being depressed into joy," he said. "It takes me from anxiety into comfort. So I need prayer, and the enemy knows what prayer can do for us. And so he keeps us away from this lethal ability that God wants us to walk in." The 38-year-old pastor cited 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." "If we were to start being a praying generation or praying nation, God says, 'I'll hear your prayers. I will forgive you of the sins of the land, and I will bring healing,'" he said. "We just deal with such a broken society, so much vitriol, so much anger, so much animosity, so much division, and the healing that we are all looking for cannot happen without prayer. God is so clear; He's like, 'I'll do it. But you'e got to repent, and you've got to pray, and you've got to humble yourself and come to me, and then I will do amazing things.'" A 2021 study from the Pew Research Center found that 45% of U.S. adults say they pray daily compared to 58% who reported doing so in 2007 and 55% who said they prayed daily in 2014. Another study from Pew found that 70% of teens across all genders, races and family-income levels say that anxiety and depression are significant problems among their peers. The reason for this rise, the pastor and father of four said, is primarily due to the number of distractions today from social media to substances. "We just have so many options; we have so many other sources to numb our pain, so many distractions," Veach said. "It's like an old preacher cliche saying, but they're weapons of mass distraction. We turn to our phones, or the bottle, or Netflix, or whatever, but we're not turning to God." But a more fundamental reason many people don't pray, the pastor stressed, is because they simply don't know how. "The only thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them was how to pray. Like, they never thought, 'Hey, can you show us how to turn water into wine?' Or, 'Do you think you can teach us how to walk on water one day?' Or, 'Do you think you could show us how to heal dead people?' But they did ask Him, 'Show us how to pray.'" "The Bible says because of Jesus, we all have access to the Father; we can come with confidence. So I think if people knew that they could come boldly and with confidence, I think they would." In hopes of helping a struggling nation return to prayer, Veach released his latest book,Worried about Everything Because I Pray about Nothing, along with the Pray about Everything Devotional Journal. "The point of prayer is relationship," Veach stressed. "The Bible is so clear: Before we ask God for anything, He already knows what we need. So we're never telling him about a situation or a need that He's not aware of. But at the end of the day, this whole thing is about relationship. So God wants us to talk to Him; God wants us to turn in." "If you draw nearer to Him, He can draw nearer to you. When I pray, all my problems don't just fade away. They're still there when I'm done praying, I'm still in financial hardship, or still in this abusive relationship, or still going through a hospital situation, but now, I have peace instead of being tormented with fear and anxiety." Veach, who hosts the "Leadership Lean In" podcast, knows firsthand the peace that prayer can bring. His daughter, Georgia, now 10, was born with lissencephaly, a rare condition that causes a child's brain to develop the wrong way during pregnancy. The father said it's "scary" to think where he and his wife, Julia, would be without prayer. "We'd be angry, be bitter, we'd be tormented, we'd be in fear, we'd be stressed, our lives would just be completely upended," he said. "The first thing you do when you get a diagnosis like that your child, literally, for whatever reason, her brains never formed the first thing we did was pray. We prayed healing for her, but we also began to pray for ourselves: 'Give us strength, give us wisdom, give us endurance. God, help us to have discernment on what to do. Show us, God, what can you do in our home and through us, through this? How can we be an inspiration to the special needs community?'" "Prayer is what kind of grounded us right from the beginning," he added. And prayer is what guides him as he leads a very public ministry. Veach, who famously married Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, reflected on the tension of sharing biblical truth in a winsome way. "Some people are going to die on certain hills, and I have to make the decision for me, what am I going to be known for? And what am I going to die for? So I've just made the decision, I'm going to die on the hill of the Gospel. Yeah, I am going to preach Jesus Christ crucified. I'm dying on the hill. I'm dying on the Holy Spirit. I'm dying on the living, breathing Word of God being the absolute truth for the world, so I think you got to count that cost," he said. "For me, as a minister, the real message of my life is the love of Jesus Christ," he said, adding that he takes inspiration from the way "heroes of the faith," like older and more seasoned pastors, handle hot-button topics. "Of course, we get all of our wisdom from the scriptures first, but there's also a lot of great leaders out there that we can emulate," he said. But whatever issues culture faces, every believer's first response should be prayer, Veach said, emphasizing that "magic happens" when Jesus shows up. "When does Jesus show up? Wherever two or more gathered in His name. I think we've got to teach people how to do that because then when Jesus shows up, it's like, I've been in meetings that were hundreds but felt like thousands and then been in meetings with thousands that felt like hundreds, and the only difference is Jesus. We pray, and Heaven comes, which is Jesus, the presence of Jesus. We're going to get everything that we need." Two-thirds of younger adults with a commitment to Christ don't attend church: survey A strong majority of Generation Z and Millennials who say they have made a personal commitment to Christ do not attend church in person or online at least once a month, according to a new study. The August edition of the "State of the Bible: USA 2022" report from the American Bible Society finds that 40% of Generation Z adults ages 18 and over attend church "primarily online." They were followed closely by 36% of churchgoers ages 77 and up. However, the report suggests that among Gen Z and Millennials who have made a meaningful commitment to Jesus, about 66% do not attend church either in person or online at least once a month. The study produced 2,598 responses from a representative sample of adults 18 and older within all 50 states and the District of Columbia collected from January 10-28, 2022. Gen Z is defined as those ages 10 to 25 in 2021, while Millennials were defined as ages 26 to 41 in 2021. While more than half (54%) of all adults up to age 57 said they have "made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in your life today," fewer than a third of those in the three youngest generations who have made that commitment are "practicing" Christians. "This should challenge every Christian and ministry leader to intentionally cultivate relationships with their younger neighbors, who are often seeking security and hope amidst ever-increasing anxiety," said John Farquhar Plake, director of ministry intelligence for the American Bible Society. "It's our prayer that every generation is able to meaningfully connect with the Word of God, engaging with it as a way of life and actively living out their faith in community." Practicing Christians were defined as those who identify as Protestants or Catholics, consider their faith very important to them and attend religious services at least once a month. Non-practicing Christians identify as Christians but fall short in at least one of those other areas, the importance of faith or church attendance. Sixty-one percent of non-practicing Gen Z Christians say they have made a personal commitment to Chrsit, while 57% of their Millennial counterparts say the same. Only 28% of Gen Z respondents said they attend church at least once a month, while 22% of Millenials said the same. Only 13% of Gen Z and 12% of Millennial respondents were considered "Scripture Engaged." Gen X (75%) is the most Scripture-engaged generation among Practicing Christians. According to the survey, those considered "non-practicing Christians" are far more likely than "practicing Christians" to attend services online. While practicing Christians prefer in-person services, non-practicing Christians are about as likely to attend online as in person. According to the survey's definitions of "practicing" versus "non-practicing" Christians, nearly half of all American adults (46%) fall into the non-practicing category. "You might consider them the 'sleeping giant' of the church," the survey noted. "They have some contact with the Bible and the church. They know some things about Jesus. Yet they're saying they long to know more. How will churches respond? How will publishers, charities, schools, and creative artists step up to this curiosity?" According to the study, half of Gen Z respondents said they "wish they read the Bible more," and 55% said they are "curious to know more about Jesus." "Among Non-Practicing Christians, Gen Z has the highest percentage of people saying they've increased their Bible reading in the past year (17%) ... and also the highest percentage who say they've decreased their Bible reading (20%)," the report states. "This may indicate a certain volatility as they make choices about their spirituality and reading habits." The "State of The Bible" findings closely mirrored a report from Pew released in March, which showed in-person church attendance has stagnated after churches reopened following the COVID pandemic shutdown. In July 2020, a few months after the pandemic lockdowns began, according to the report, 13% of U.S. adults said they attended religious services in person the previous month. In March 2021, Pew reported that the figure had increased by four percentage points to 17%. And in September 2021, the share of adults who said they attended a religious service in the past month rose to 26%. But in March 2022, the share of Americans who attended religious services in person in the previous month was 27%, just slightly higher than the 26% reported last September. The study also mirrors a 2019 Barna study that finds that two-thirds of American young adults who attended a Protestant church regularly for at least a year as a teenager say they dropped out of church for at least a year between the ages of 18 and 22. Only 34% said they continued to attend church twice a month or more. Among the top reasons they listed for dropping out of church were they "moved away to college," church members seemed "judgemental or hypocritical," they didn't feel connected to people in the church, they disagreed with the church's stance on social issues or their work responsibilities prevented them from attending. Among young adults who attended church regularly for at least one year as a teenager, 31 percent are currently attending twice or a month or more, suggesting there is a 69% chance that teenagers who drop out of church won't return. Teen charged for illegal abortion after Facebook surrenders chat messages; pro-life researcher reacts A pro-life legal researcher does not believe a case in which Facebook had to turn over private chats between a mother and daughter to Nebraska police as part of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the girls abortion could become common in a post-Roe world. The investigation was launched in April before the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Mississippis 15-week abortion ban, overturning Roe v. Wade and returning the abortion issue to the states. According to court documents, Nebraska police obtained the Facebook chats after serving the social media website with a warrant. Jessica Burgess, 41, and her daughter, Celeste, 18, were charged in July with allegedly removing, concealing, or abandoning a dead human body, concealing the death of another person and false reporting. The mother was additionally charged with performing or attempting an abortion on a pregnancy at more than 20 weeks and performing an abortion as a non-licensed doctor. Jessica Burgess reportedly ordered abortion pills in March to abort her teenage daughters pregnancy. According to a sworn affidavit from Detective Ben McBride of the Norfolk Police Investigations Unit, a woman claiming to be a friend of the daughter said she saw the teenager take the first abortion pill in April. Abortion is illegal in Nebraska past 20 weeks post-fertilization. Celeste Burgess claimed she had a miscarriage at 23 weeks gestation. McBride applied for a warrant in June, seizing six smartphones and seven laptops and ordering Facebook to turn over chats between the mother and daughter. The chats reportedly show Jessica Burgess referring to What i ordered last month and instructing her to take two pills 24 hours apart. Pro-choice activist Olivia Julianna tweeted Tuesday that women should delete their Facebook accounts in response to the case, causing the hashtag #DeleteFacebook to trend. A lot of people are missing the point here. Regardless of what is in those messages, they thought she had an abortion, she wrote. They subpoenaed Facebook who cooperated without any pushback to find out more information. This precedent is dangerous. This will put people at risk. Daniel Gump, a legal researcher and author of Criminal Abortion Laws Before the Fourteenth Amendment: A Timeline and Visual Review of Jurisprudence and Historical Milestones, argued in a Wednesday statement to The Christian Post that abortion proponents are misrepresenting the facts surrounding the case. This is a case of someone illegally procuring a post-viability induced abortion for a minor, and three individuals then attempting to destroy and hide evidence that included human remains, he wrote. The details of the crimes eventually leaked out, and that led to an investigation that included interviews and warrants to seize electronic devices and communication records on social media. Justice is being served. As The Norfolk Daily News reported in July, the Madison County Attorneys Office alleges that the mother and daughter planned to bury the babys remains in a rural location. The teen and her mother allegedly buried the body three different times and also attempted to burn the body after the second exhumation. Another individual, Tanner Barnhill, pleaded no contest to concealing a death for lending the Burgesses transportation to the burial sites. Barnhill is expected to be sentenced later this month. He faces up to 3 months in jail, a $500 fine, or both. Jessica Burgess pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 2, and she faces up to 8 years of imprisonment. Her daughter, whose pre-trial hearing is set for later this month, faces up to four years of imprisonment. Both mother and daughter have pled not guilty to the charges. Facebook's parent company, Meta, said in a statement shared with media outlets that "nothing in the valid warrants we received from local law enforcement in early June, prior to the Supreme Court decision, mentioned abortion." "The warrants concerned charges related to a criminal investigation and court documents indicate that police at the time were investigating the case of a stillborn baby who was burned and buried, not a decision to have an abortion." Immigration To Fuel US Population Growth, Texas Megachurch Leaves UMC, Olivia-Newton John's Pact With God link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:52 06:52 A Congressional report suggests that net immigration will likely account for all of the United States' population growth in the next two decades, even as fertility rates are projected to increase slightly. The Village Church in Texas has reached a settlement with former church members over allegations that a childrens minister sexually abused their daughter at a church camp event in 2012. A Texas church has received a cease-and-desist letter after performing the award-winning musical Hamilton without getting prior permission to do so and adding Christian content to the play. In one of her last interviews before her death, Olvia Newton-John revealed the pact she made with God while pregnant with her daughter. A Texas megachurch has voted to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church due to the mainline Protestant denominations ongoing debate over homosexuality. Deeply disturbed: Conservative Evangelical leaders denounce FBI raid on Trump home Conservative Christian leaders have denounced the Federal Bureau of Investigation's raid on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, claiming the action was politically motivated. FBI agents raided Trump's home on Monday, reportedly searching for classified documents that the former president was supposed to turn over to the National Archives. The former president announced the raid on his residence and safe, calling it an unfair action spurred by the Justice Department and Democrats to hurt his 2024 chances. As Trump gained the support of many conservative Evangelical leaders during his presidency, many of whom were invited to the White House on several occasions, several Evangelicals pastors voiced their displeasure with the raid on social media. Jentezen Franklin, a megachurch pastor and bestselling author, posted a statement on his Instagram page Tuesday saying he is "deeply disturbed over the raid of a former president's home." "If the goal of the current administration was to further divide this country then that mission was accomplished with the weaponization of the DOJ and the FBI," Franklin, the pastor of the Free Chapel in Georgia, stated. "The American people are not blind to political bias and injustice and they witnessed both with this unprecedented act of cowardice." Franklin, who was among groups of pastors who attended events at the Trump White House, claimed that the raid was a "federal abuse of power" that only occurred because of Trump's "political ideologies and his opposition to woke policies and values." "If you are like me, you cannot wait for November to vote this failed and incompetent leadership out of office all across the nation," he concluded. Tony Perkins, a Baptist pastor and the president of the Washington, D.C.-based conservative Christian advocacy group the Family Research Council, took to his Twitter account to express his opposition to the Mar-a-Lago raid. "Who trusts the FBI to pursue justice?" asked Perkins. "The agency has become so politicized that even if their actions were justified half the nation still would not trust them." The Rev. Franklin Graham, head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, believes the FBI and DOJ risk losing credibility again. Graham, the son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, referenced the 1992 Ruby Ridge incident, in which an FBI sniper shot and killed the wife of a man believed to have been tied to violent white supremacists, sparking outrage. "Thirty years ago the FBI lost a lot of credibility over the unfortunate events that surrounded Ruby Ridge. Last night as we watched the events that unfolded at Mar-a-Lago, I couldn't help but think that the FBI and DOJ are losing credibility and the trust of the American people again," Graham wrote. "I have no idea what was in former President Trump's safe, but if the government thought there was something there that belonged to them, they certainly could have asked for it." Graham insisted that "politics has entered into the FBI, the DOJ, and even the IRS," expressing concern over the recent news that the IRS is hiring around 87,000 new personnel. "It is an issue of freedom as Americans we are losing our freedoms. Our nation has become so corrupt politically and morally. We need to repent and turn from our sins and call on the name of God, asking for His forgiveness," he continued. "We need changes in leadership. We need men and women who respect Biblical principles and values to run for office at the local, state, and national level." Described by the Associated Press as "unprecedented," the raid was approved by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. The White House claims to have been unaware of the raid until after it had begun. "The President learned about this just like you all did, through the public reports. And we learned about this just like the American people did," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing. "This is a criminal investigation that the Department of Justice is independently running. We will leave it to them to speak to this." In response to the claims of politicizing the FBI, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi noted that FBI Director Christopher A. Wray was appointed by Trump in 2017. "The FBI director was appointed by Donald Trump," said Pelosi, as quoted by the AP. "Facts and truth, facts and law, that's what it's about." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., stated that if Republicans take control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming midterm elections, they will launch an investigation into the "weaponized politicization" of the Justice Department. "I've seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization," McCarthy said. "When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned." "Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar," McCarthy added. In his statement, Trump compared the raid on his residence to the 1972 Watergate scandal, "where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee." "Hillary Clinton was allowed to delete and acid wash 33,000 E-mails AFTER they were subpoenaed by Congress. Absolutely nothing has happened to hold her accountable. She even took antique furniture, and other items from the White House," Trump added. People familiar with the discussions surrounding the raid told The Washington Post Wednesday that federal authorities had grown increasingly concerned that Trump or his aides had not returned all documents and material that were government property. According to the anonymous sources, officials were suspicious after Trump handed over 15 boxes to the National Archives seven months ago that either Trump or those close to him held onto important documents. According to two sources familiar with the situation who spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity, National Archives made attempts to contact Trump's team to demand the return of documents believed to be covered by the Presidential Records Act. A Trump lawyer confirmed that agents acting on a judge-approved warrant took about 12 more boxes of documents after conducting their search. McCarthy vows to investigate 'weaponized politicization' of DOJ after FBI raid on Trump's home House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has warned that if Republicans take back control of the House they will investigate the "weaponized politicization" of the Department of Justice following the FBI raid on the Mar-a-Lago home of former President Donald Trump. In a statement posted to his official Twitter account on Monday, McCarthy denounced the raid and vowed to investigate the U.S. Department of Justice should the Republicans take back control of the House of Representatives in January. Ive seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization, McCarthy said. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned. Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar, McCarthy said. The FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago home on Monday evening in a move that has been denounced by many Republicans and conservatives as politically motivated and unprecedented. The White House was reportedly not told about the raid, which was reportedly tied to classified documents that Trump allegedly took with him after leaving the White House last year, according to multiple reports. In February, the National Archives and Records Administration reported that it needed to retrieve 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago the month before that were supposed to be handed over to them. The January collecting of documents raised questions on if Trump was violating the Presidential Records Act, which mandates the preservation of written communications related to a presidents official duties. The Presidential Records Act is critical to our democracy, in which the government is held accountable by the people, said archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero, as reported by The Washington Post. Whether through the creation of adequate and proper documentation, sound records management practices, the preservation of records, or the timely transfer of them to the National Archives at the end of an Administration, there should be no question as to need for both diligence and vigilance. Records matter. Jonathan Turley, a professor and constitutional law expert, told Fox News on Tuesday morning that laws on classified documents were "not heavily enforced" and usually included only light punishments. "Sandy Berger being an example. He actually stuffed documents in his socks and snuck them out of a secure location leaving them at a spot to be retrieved later. He received no jail time and just pled guilty to a misdemeanor. He wasnt even forced to lose his security clearance permanently," said Turley on "Fox & Friends." "It was just a three-year suspension. So this is an act that is not known for robust criminal enforcement. That does raise questions as to the all-hands-on-deck raid that occurred." Trump released a statement Monday confirming the raid, which he described as a weaponization of the Justice System and an attack by Radical Left Democrats. These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents, wrote Trump. Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those countries, corrupt at a level not seen before. Trump added that FBI personnel broke into my safe and drew parallels between the raid and the Watergate scandal, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee. Hillary Clinton was allowed to delete and acid wash 33,000 E-mails AFTER they were subpoenaed by Congress. Absolutely nothing has happened to hold her accountable. She even took antique furniture, and other items from the White House, he added. I stood up to Americas bureaucratic corruption, I restored power to the people, and truly delivered for our Country, like we have never seen before. The establishment hated it. Now, as they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories, and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop me, and the Republican Party, once more. Texas church ordered to cease unauthorized' production of Hamilton A Texas church has received a cease-and-desist letter after performing the award-winning musical "Hamilton" without getting prior permission to do so and adding Christian themes and Bible references to the play. The Door Christian Fellowship Ministries of McAllen has been told it can no longer perform its variation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical telling the reimagined story of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. The church first performed the play on Friday and had additional performances planned. The church is also accused of making heavy edits to the script. In a statement Monday, the team behind the musical said it "does not grant amateur or professional licenses for any stage productions and did not grant one to The Door Church." "On Saturday, August 6, we were made aware of the unauthorized staging of HAMILTON by The Door Church in McAllen, TX that took place on Friday, August 5, and their plans for additional performances," the team continued. "We issued a cease and desist letter for the unauthorized use of Hamilton's intellectual property, demanding the immediate removal of all videos and images from previous productions from the internet, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, their own website, and elsewhere." The team noted that the church could perform the show on Aug. 6 provided that it was neither live-streamed nor recorded, that no videos or photos were taken, that no further performances were given. The statement said, "we would be discussing this matter with the parties behind this unauthorized production within the coming days once all facts are properly vetted." The Christian Post reached out to The Door Fellowship Church. A church representative said Thursday they could not offer a comment. Senior Pastor Ramon Gutierrez said during a Sunday service that the church received a "license" to perform the play. However, the team behind the play assured that licenses for the musical were not made available. Gutierrez acknowledged that the church was contacted by a lawyer from the "Hamilton" team and instructed to remove the videos online. "We did that immediately. We apologized for any inconvenience. And she gave us the OK to continue last night," Gutierrez said. "Thank you so much for entrusting us with such an amazing play." A video of the performance posted online shows that the church made script changes to include references to Jesus Christ. According to video posted to social media, Hamilton is asked to pray and receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. According to My San Antonio, Pastor Victor Lopez made an alter call after the play concluded in which he allegedly said that "maybe you struggle with alcohol, with drugs, with homosexuality, maybe you struggle with other things in life, your finances, whatever, God can help you tonight. He wants to forgive you for your sins." The reference to homosexuality in the list of sins has prompted many on social media to call the church production homophobic. Responding to the criticism, Guttierez told the congregation that the church is not anti-LGBT and that "everyone is always welcome." Immigration will fuel US population growth in next two decades amid projected fertility rate rise: report A Congressional report suggests that net immigration will likely account for all of the United States' population growth in the next two decades, even as fertility rates are projected to increase slightly. The Congressional Budget Office, which conducts a nonpartisan analysis of bills proposed by the U.S. Congress, released "The Demographic Outlook: 2022 to 2052" last month. The report includes population projections for the next 30 years. The CBO contends that "the size of the U.S. population and its age and sex composition affect federal spending, revenues, deficits, debts, and the economy." Over the next three decades, the report predicts the U.S. population will rise from 335 million today to 369 million in 2052. The CBO forecasts that by the year 2043, U.S. population growth will be driven entirely by net immigration as the number of deaths in the country will exceed the number of births beginning at that time. The total fertility rate the average number of children per woman is expected to rise in the next three decades but will remain below the replacement rate, defined in the report as "the fertility rate required for a population to exactly replace itself in the absence of immigration." Following a projected decline to 1.60 births per woman in 2021, the CBO estimates that the total fertility rate will rise to 1.75 births per woman in 2031 and remain steady over the next two decades. That figure fails to reach the replacement rate of 2.1 births per woman. Over the next three decades, women under 30 are expected to see their fertility rate decline, while women aged 30 or older will see their fertility rates increase. The CBO attributes this phenomenon to "trends of delayed childbearing and the rising average age of mothers." "[T]he size of the working-age population affects the number of people employed; likewise, the size of the population age 65 or older affects the number of beneficiaries of Social Security and other federal programs," the report reads. The size of the working-age population, specifically those between the ages of 25 and 54, is forecasted to grow at a slower rate than the population aged 65 and older. The population of seniors is expected to grow at a 1.2% rate per year over the next 30 years, while the population between 25 and 54 will increase at a much slower rate of 0.2%. Meanwhile, the ratio of people between the ages of 25 and 54 to the elderly is slated to shrink from 2.3 to 1 in 2022 to 1.7 to 1 in 2052. These statistics could have an impact on the U.S.'s ability to maintain its social safety net for older Americans, Medicare and Social Security, with the number of people working to fund those benefits decreasing in the face of increased demand for the programs caused by a rising number of seniors seeking to obtain the benefits. A decreasing mortality rate and increasing life expectancy complicate concerns about the social safety net for seniors. Following a brief increase in the mortality rate due to the coronavirus pandemic, the mortality rate is expected to decrease over the course of the next three decades steadily. At the same time, the CBO projects that life expectancy will rise from 77.1 years in 2022 to 82.3 years in 2052. The report forecasts net immigration the number of immigrants who leave the U.S. in a given year subtracted from the number of immigrants who come to the country in that year will grow from around 950,000 in the next decade to about 1.1 million in the final decade of the projection period. In the next decade, an average of 800,000 lawful permanent residents will settle in the U.S., along with about 80,000 "foreign-born people without legal status" and another 80,000 legal temporary residents. Lawful permanent residents are "authorized to work, liable to pay income taxes, and eligible for most federal programs." On the other hand, "foreign-born people without legal status" are "generally not eligible for federal programs," and legal temporary residents have limited eligibility for such programs. By the final decade of the projection period, the number of lawful permanent residents settling in the U.S. per year will likely rise to 870,000 while the number of "foreign-born people without legal status" arriving in the U.S. every year will nearly double to 150,000. The number of legal temporary residents coming to the U.S. will remain steady at 80,000 if current projections hold. Documentary reveals the mind of a pastor conman The three-episode Discovery+ documentary series King of the Con tells the life story Barry Minkow, an infamous conman turned pastor, who subsequently robbed a church of $3 million dollars. The Bible warns of people like Minkow, As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. Proverbs 26:11 NIV Minkows life could serve as a playbook for corrupt televangelists as so many of the same techniques are repeatedly used. Through interviews, Minkow describes how he rationalized his criminal behavior. Looking back, it sounds crazy but at the time I really didnt think it was so bad. As a teenager, Minkow started ZZZZ Best, a carpet cleaning company, in Inglewood, a small city near Los Angeles. When he was 19 years old, ZZZZ Best went public. As investors purchased stocks, the companys value soared and a year later was worth $280 million. (Wikipedia provides a good overview of Minkows crimes.) Minkow hired publicist Jeri Carr to promote his company. Local media enjoyed telling the story of a high school student launching a successful business. Carr and the media didnt know that Minkow was also operating an illegal insurance restoration scheme. Insurance companies were billed for work that was never performed. Early in the history of ZZZZ Best, Minkow needed funding to grow and turned to mafia-connected Jack Catain for a loan. The mafia generated large profits by loan sharking which is providing high-interest loans to people and businesses that banks considered too risky to serve. This may surprise many Christians but at least two televangelists have received loans from mafia-connected figures. In his autobiography The Soul-Winning Century, Rex Humbard revealed how he received a loan from Jimmy Hoffa, the infamous president of the Teamsters. The unions pension fund also financed criminal enterprises as Hoffa made lucrative loans to the mafia, according to Harvard law professorJack Goldsmith. Robert Tiltons church obtained a loan from Herman Beebe, an associate of Carlos Marcello, former head of the New Orleans mafia. In 1993,Tilton testified about the loan in federal court, After we had gotten the loan from his insurance company we began to hear rumors and people saying that when you borrowed money from these particular people, that if you missed a payment they were prone to come and take over your properties, and that they were the type of people that we did not want to have any type of association with, and so we paid the loan off as quickly as possible. After ZZZZ Bests Ponzi scheme collapsed following critical news coverage and a federal investigation, a jury convicted Minkow of fraud. Rebranding by creating a new life story Following his prison release, Minkow rebranded himself by playing the role of a reformed ex-criminal. People love redemption stories. Minkow became a pastor and started the Fraud Discovery Institute. Minkows charismatic preaching and interesting stories drew an audience. His investigations into fraudulent companies gained the respect of journalists. Minkow claimed that while in prison he befriended an inmate nicknamed Peanut who challenged him to stop taking shortcuts in life. According to Minkow, Peanuts advice was life-changing. However, Scott Lowther, senior pastor of Community Bible Church in San Diego where Minkow previously served as pastor, doubts that Peanut ever existed. Sometimes religious leaders invent false testimonies to market themselves. While Minkow ran ZZZZ Best, Americas most famous Christian comedian Mike Warnke falsely claimed to be a former satanist. As Minkow served his first prison sentence, televangelist Benny Hinn wrote his dishonest autobiography Good Morning, Holy Spirit containing the lie, My father was the mayor of Jaffa during my childhood. Jim Bakker authored the book I Was Wrong to remake himself as a repentant pastor. In the early 1900s televangelists Robert Tilton, Larry Lea, and W.V. Grant were exposed by ABC Prime Time Live with Diane Sawyer, helped by Trinity Foundation; and within a few years, W.V. Grant was convicted and spent a year in prison for income tax evasion. Like a leopard that cant lose its spots (from Jeremiah 13:23) both Robert Tilton and W.V. Grant never stopped using the worst fundraising techniques up until the present day. Stealing church funds After a member of Minkows church lost his wife to cancer, the widower donated money to the church to fund the building of a hospital in Africa for AIDS patients. Minkow took the money for himself. $50,000 was stolen from the church weeks before Minkow resigned. Although he was never charged, Minkow was the primary suspect as the security system was turned off during the time of the break-in. When Minkow quit his job as a pastor, the church was practically broke. While stealing from the church, Minkow hatched a criminal scheme through his Fraud Discovery Institute. Minkow shorted the stock of Lennar Corporation before he released a report accusing the large home construction company of fraud. Minkow rationalized his criminal behavior. It became a lifestyle and always with the excuse that Im uncovering fraud. The church is growing. Were expanding. No ones getting hurt. Its all good. Minkow enjoyed the excitement that accompanied his criminal conduct, When youre in the middle of doing something wrong, those consequences get cropped out. You know what I mean? You just see the fun. Its pleasure on credit, right? Pastor Lowther believes that Minkow has never reformed. Barry used what God intended for good, Barry used for his own personal evil and thats the ultimate prostitution, I suppose. Washed by the Word vs. defiled by the news This past Sunday night, having just returned home from a beautiful day of ministry in Fort Worth, Texas, I decided to spend a few minutes catching up on the latest news. This is part of my regular routine, either in preparation for my daily radio show or while working on my next op-ed, or simply to be aware of what is happening in the world. But this time, I couldnt stomach the latest news. I felt defiled. Immediately I sensed the contrast between the beautiful worship I had experienced earlier in the day the holy presence of God, the purity of the Word, the glory of the Spirit and the filthiness of this carnal world. The headlines were not only filled with bad news. They were also filled with venom and malice. They were meant to provoke and enflame and divide. They were earthy, carnal, of this world. They were defiling. In fact, there was a large picture of one of our elected officials at the top of one of the webpages, and the moment I saw him, I felt animosity towards him. What an evil man, I thought to myself for a split second. But then I caught myself. I know virtually nothing about this man other than the negative stuff Ive read about him. I have never read one sympathetic article about him or listened at length to anyone speak well of him. And had I been on the other side of the political and ideological divide, he would likely be viewed as a hero, a champion of important causes who is unwilling to compromise. His picture would evoke warm feelings, not hostility. The truth be told, and more than we would like to admit, we are manipulated and defiled by the news by which I do not simply mean the latest reporting of the facts. I mean the biased, partisan news that bombards us every day. It does not build our faith. It does not bring us closer to God. It does not purify our thoughts. It does not produce love. Contrast the negative effects of the news with this beautiful description about Jesus the Messiah and His bride, the Messianic congregation (known as the Church): Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body (Ephesians 5:2530). Notice again that phrase: the washing of water with the word, meaning, the Word of God. This is how the Lord cleanses us. This is how we renew our minds. This is how we grow in faith. This is how our inner being becomes beautiful. This is how we become more and more like Jesus. What a glorious, holy process of metamorphosis! Thats why Paul exhorted in Colossians 3, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16). With the Word dwelling richly in our hearts, we can do what Paul called us to do in the rest of the verse, teaching and admonishing one other in all wisdom and expressing our joyful worship with thankfulness in our hearts to God. With our hearts and minds filled with partisan headlines and sensationalistic news (or for that matter, filled with any kind of earthly garbage), we will do little spiritual good. With our hearts and minds filled with the Word of God, we can make an eternal difference in many lives. It is one thing, then, to stay informed and to be alert. It is another thing to be defiled. It is one thing to be aware of what is happening in our world. It is another thing to feed on the news. Let us, instead, be nourished by the life-giving, life-sustaining, life-transforming living Word of the living God. Let us drink from healthy, pure, beautiful, and glorious streams. Not only will we ourselves thrive and bear much fruit, but we will be able to give nourishing drink to others as well. Be washed afresh with the Word of God and then go and wash others. (If you want a refresher from the Word about the importance of the Word, I suggest reading through Psalm 119 slowly and prayerfully, asking yourself if you love the Word as the psalmist did.) 18 students accuse Canadian Christian school of abuse, forced exorcisms School condemns actions of its previous leaders Eighteen former students of a Christian academy in Canada have filed criminal abuse complaints against the school and an associated church, alleging that they were coerced into exorcisms and suffered corporal punishment. Christian Centre Academy which changed its name to Legacy Christian Academy in 2013 has been accused of engaging in forced exorcisms and other abuse. Following a 12-month investigation, Saskatoon police transferred the case to Crown prosecutors in April to address if potential charges will result from the complaints, as stated in emails from police that were addressed to students. "This was abuse. This was a hate crime," Coy Nolin, one of the former students, told CBC News when describing an alleged unwanted exorcism performed on him at his home in May 2004. Nolin, who was 16 at the time, alleged that he was interrogated for hours in an office by the school's director after informants told the director Nolin identifies as gay. Nolin claimed that the director not only wrongfully questioned him but also allegedly engaged in name-calling by labeling him "evil" and "an abomination." In the culmination of the office visit, Nolin said he was suspended from the school and allegedly told they would try to "cure" him. Three days later, according to Nolin, four educators visited him and his mother at home. Nolin claims they allegedly tried to perform an exorcism to cast out his "gay demons." Nolin alleges that the school director was one of the four. The director is accused of bending Nolin over his lap and using a large wooden paddle to spank him, leaving bruises and a limp. "That was one of the worst days of my life. Even now, just thinking about it, I go numb," said Nolin, who filed his complaint with Saskatoon police in July 2021. Seventeen other students have filed complaints mentioning frequent paddlings, which reportedly occurred after Canada outlawed corporal punishment in schools. "Every part of me wanted to walk to the police and simply pull down my pants and show them what was done to me," Sean Kotelmach, who attended the school from 1996 to 2008, told CBC. "[But] I was scared. I was so scared. I worried my parents would get in trouble for sending me to that school." In another complaint, a student named Christina Hutchinson told Global News about when she was an 8-year-old attending Christian Centre Academy and unwillingly endured alleged spankings and treatment which she said mirrored that of an "exorcism." Hutchinson said she and other students were asked to recite a morning prayer in front of a school instructor. She said she refused to join because she was too nervous. "The teacher at the time seemed to think that that meant I had a demon, so she would keep me in at break times and rock me in her lap while she spoke in tongues," Hutchinson was quoted as saying. "It was an exorcism in the sense that she was trying to drive a demon out of me. I didn't know what she was doing, and I didn't have any control over it," she continued, mentioning that the teacher had labeled her "demon possessed." The Christian Post reached out to Christian Centre Academy for a response to the allegations on multiple occasions. The school did not return comments by press time. Christian Centre Academy and Mile Two Church, the congregation the school is tied to, sent a statement to Global News last week expressing heartbreak over the situation. Mile Two Church was previously known as the Saskatoon Christian Centre. "We are all heartbroken to learn the stories of some former students about their experiences from over 15 years ago. The current staff and leadership are hearing some of these stories for the first time, and we condemn any acts of abuse that previous leaders committed," they stated. The school and church also said that "the people that are accused of these actions are no longer here or affiliated with us in any way." As the school continues to operate, some including the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party, have called on the academy to have its public funding frozen. Saskatchewan's education ministry told Global News last week that it is aware of the allegations. Still, it noted that these incidents appeared to have occurred before the school began receiving public funds. "It is our understanding, based (on) the accounts contained in the letter, that these allegations are in regards to incidents that took place in the 2000s," the government body said in a statement. "Since LCA began receiving provincial funding, no complaints have been registered with the ministry against LCA and no irregularities have been found during routine inspections." As the investigation remains pending, it's unknown when Crown prosecutors will make their final decision on each of the 18 complaints. A spokesperson would not make any official statements based on Crown's policy not to make statements on pending police investigations. "While we can appreciate the desire for details regarding the situation, this remains an active investigation. In respecting that process, we are unable to offer you additional details at this time," a police spokesperson wrote in an email. "In cases where police choose to seek an opinion from prosecutions related to an investigation, any advice provided is privileged communication." Chinese built railway an economic game-changer for Kenya 11:07, August 11, 2022 By Stephen Ndegwa ( People's Daily Online A freight train runs on the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway track in Mombasa, Kenya, on July 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Dong Jianghui) Kenyas 480-km Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) which was officially launched by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 31, 2017, has ushered in a new era in Kenyas national development, as it is the single most expensive infrastructural project in Kenyas history. The SGR was highlighted as a key project in Kenya under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The BRI was envisaged as a vehicle for achieving infrastructure, policy, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity to create new drivers of shared development. According to data released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) on July 6, the SGR passenger train moved some 7.78 million passengers between Nairobi and Mombasa since its inception in June 2017. In 2021 the Chinese-built train carried the highest number of passengers at 2 million passengers, with 2018 coming second at 1.67 million passengers ferried. Further, KNBS said the SGR ferried 699,055 passengers in 2017, 1.59 million passengers in 2019, and 1.29 million passengers in 2020. Using the modern rail service, this massive movement of people proved Madaraka Express is a display of increasing popularity of the SGR. Reducing travel time for passengers from Nairobi to Mombasa from an average of 10 hours to only five, the SGR is the biggest Chinese project yet in Kenya. Conceived by President Kenyatta and President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, when they jointly witnessed signing of the memorandum of understanding on financing the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR Project on August 19, 2013, the building of the SGR was necessary. First, the old railway technology and system had become an outmoded meter gauge railway with low speeds, obsolete facilities, and low payload. This state of affairs was gradually hampering transportation of people and goods between the two most economically significant destinations in the country. Alongside numerous other investments in key infrastructure projects (energy, roads, water) that drive investment, SGR is putting Kenya on the path to industrialization, especially in manufacturing and value addition, which will ultimately improve the countrys import/export ratio through Mombasa and Lamu ports. The most immediate impact of SGR includes reliable and high-capacity transport, reduced freight cost, decongested roads leading to savings in road maintenance, decongested ports, skills transfer, and an increase in employment opportunities, directly and indirectly, through industries that are coming up along the railway line development. The SGR is in line with the East African Railway Master Plan, which aims to rejuvenate existing railways serving Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, extending them initially to Rwanda and Burundi, and eventually, to South Sudan, Ethiopia and beyond. SGR is also a Kenya Vision 2030 project, which places efficient transportation as a major enabler of both national and regional development. Goods going to the East Africa hinterland countries of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi will be cheaper due to decreased transport costs and faster arrival to their destinations. Taking at least two days for trucks to reach Kampala from Mombasa, this could be shortened to just one day once the railway reaches Kisumu. It will also make integration of the EA Community a reality with the easy movement of people within the region. According to the Presidents Delivery Unit (PDU), the SGR is a modern, efficient transport system that is enabling safe, comfortable travel for individuals and freight across the country and region at lower costs. SGRs impact has also reached the common man in terms of being a cheap and efficient channel to do business, and has proved to be the economic game changer it was touted to be at both the national and local levels. Kenyas Big Four programme, that has left the signature legacy projects for President Kenyatta, have enjoyed significant support from China as part of the programs under the framework of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation between Kenya and China. The two countries will continue to cooperate on both bilateral and global issues including peace and security, health, climate change, and blue-green technology transfer and circular economy. In a telephone conversation with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo on June 15, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated Chinas willingness to continue working closely with one of its major African bilateral partners. China is ready to work with Kenya to firmly advocate and practice multilateralism, safeguard the common interest of developing countries, and uphold the basic norms governing international relations, Wang said, adding that the Chinese side looks forward to Kenya's participation in the Global Development Initiative. Wang told his counterpart that he hopes Kenya will ensure the safety of Chinese institutions, projects and personnel in the country. Indeed, this is significant, particularly in this election year when political passions run high. Still, Kenya remains a haven of peace for foreign nationals with a soft centre for China due to the positive outcomes of the deepening partnership. The author is the Executive Director of South-South Dialogues, a Nairobi based research and development communication think tank. The opinions expressed in this article reflect those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of People's Daily Online. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Only 34% of babies under 6 months are exclusively breastfed, according to the Somali GovernmentMogadishu, 1 August 2022 While marking World Breastfeeding Week this year, the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Federal Republic of Somalia, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) called for a concerted effort from all actors to ensure breastfeeding-friendly environments for mothers and babies in all health facilities and workplaces in the country. Underpinned by evidence-based national policies, this would help improve exclusive breastfeeding rates among Somali women, and adequate nutrition and health among Somali children in both the short and long term. We are calling on parents, families, community leaders, policy-makers and development partners to actively step up capacity and transform systems at all levels to support breastfeeding adequately, said HE Dr Fawziya Abikar Nur, Somalias Federal Minister of Health and Human Services. All the support systems, from family, community and health facilities, should be educated and capacitated to support mothers to optimally breastfeed their babies. This includes breastfeeding right from birth through early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of the childs life and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond. This is part of a global call to action to Step up for breastfeeding: Educate and support. It comes at a time when Somalia is witnessing an increase in child malnutrition, including a reduction in infant and young child feeding practices, due to steep declines in household incomes, among other challenges. Shocks such as drought, flooding, conflict, displacement, and disease outbreaks like measles and COVID-19 have deepened inequalities and resulted in nutrition insecurity. WHO and UNICEF recommend early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, feeding the child only breast milk for the first 6 months (exclusive breastfeeding), and continuing to breastfeed for up to 24 months or beyond, with the introduction of timely, nutritionally adequate and safe complementary, solid foods at 6 months. It is important for mothers to offer colostrum, the first form of breastmilk released after giving birth, to newborns as it is high in nutrients, antibodies and antioxidants. Breastfeeding provides children the best start in life as it is designed for a childs nutritional and immunological needs, said Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Representative in Somalia. Breastmilk helps to prevent infections, promotes bonding between mother and child, regardless of setting, and provides food and nutrition security to infants from the very beginning of life, contributing to the food security of the whole family. Somali mothers, generally caregivers of their families, need a supportive environment to be able to breastfeed their babies properly. Credit: WHO Somalia/ Ismael Taxta During World Breastfeeding Week, breastfeeding awareness campaigns will be launched throughout the country, and skilled breastfeeding counselling will be provided in various settings, including health facilities and clinics and through home visits by community health workers. The campaign will also stress that breastfeeding is still safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and the current drought emergency. Breastfeeding remains the essential, safest and cheapest food for the child, and it is a babys first vaccine, providing antibodies that give babies a critical boost. In a fragile country like Somalia, affected by conflict and recurring emergencies such as drought, COVID-19, and other diseases, breastfeeding is an effective way to ensure child health and survival. Breastfeeding offers babies all the energy and nutrients that they need for their first months of life, and complements other foods after the first 6 months. We need to jointly create an environment to encourage Somali mothers to breastfeed their newborns and babies, said Dr Mamunur Rahman Malik, WHO Representative to Somalia and Head of Mission. As part of the Federal Ministry of Healths national nutrition strategy 20202025, countrywide efforts will be scaled up with the primary goal to increase the number of babies aged 06 months old who are exclusively breastfed to above 50% by 2025. According to the latest government data, only 34% of babies under 6 months are exclusively breastfed. Breastfeeding must be considered a public health issue that requires capacity and education at all levels. Together, we can ensure that every mother has access to information, and skilled breastfeeding counselling, empowering her to give her baby the best possible start in life, added the Health Minister. ### Note to editors: In 2018, a World Health Assembly resolution endorsed World Breastfeeding Week as an important breastfeeding promotion strategy. The importance of breastfeeding is mentioned in the Holy Quran, in the 233rd verse of Sura Al-Baqarah, in which it is stated that: "mothers [should] breastfeed their children for a total of 2 years. For additional information, kindly contact: Khadar Hussein Mohamud FMoH Head Coordination and Communication This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it +252615602637 Fouzia Bano WHO Communications Officer This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it +252 619 235 880 Lisa Hill UNICEF Communication Manager This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it +252 613 642 623 Pastor faces death threats in Uganda after leading dozens of Muslims to Christ NAIROBI, Kenya A month after a Christian was killed in Kiboga District, Uganda, a pastor in the same district fears for his life following death threats from Muslim extremists, he said. Pastor Godfrey Ssemujju, who oversees 130 Elim Pentecostal churches in Kiboga district, 75 miles northwest of Kampala, said the lives of his family and church members are also in danger. I am worried and very fearful, Pastor Ssemujju said. He said that one of the text messages read, We warn you to stop converting our people to Christianity. If you continue doing this, then take note that [taking] your life is our Jannah [koranic paradise in the afterlife]. After killing you, our Allah will reward us with it. Pastor Ssemujju has received such messages for three months, with the threats increasing after his preaching at open-air events and one-on-one conversations in June and July led to 70 Muslims turning to Christ, he said. Some of the converts are teachers in Muslim elementary schools. His churches have undergone a series of attacks in the past few months. On July 25, assailants killed tens of head of livestock belonging to one of his church members; on July 6, Muslim extremists attacked Robert Bwenje, who succumbed to his injuries on July 10 at age 28, and assistant pastor Ambrose Mugisha, seriously wounding his head; and on June 26, Muslim extremists demolished a church building in Rwomuriro village and threatened to kill Pastor James Baingana. Pastor Ssemujju said 14 Muslims have threatened his life. Homeless In eastern Uganda, a family of eight lost their home after leaving Islam to put their faith in Christ, sources said. Muslim extremists and their relatives in Maumo village, Waibuga Sub-County, Luuka District, on July 23 went to the home of Musa Kasadha, Kasadha said. Sheikh Huraira and his team, Ndiwo Huraira, Magulu Kassimu and Kapio Aramanzani, came to our home and inquired whether we had converted to Christianity, Kasadha told Morning Star News. We could not refuse but fearlessly told them that Christ has entered our lives, and that were new creatures. The attackers beat us badly. George Mwandah, chairperson of the local council, said he heard wailing and mobilized seven other council members to go to their rescue. Reaching the scene, we managed to rescue Musa and his wife, as well as the entire family who were being beaten badly and tortured, Mwandah said. A Muslim named Magulu Kassimu alleged that the Kasadha family had blasphemed the Islamic faith by converting to Christianity, and that hence they deserved to be killed. The assailants set the familys home on fire, and they lost it and everything in it, he said. The family needs assistance in terms of clothes and food, Mwandah said. The attacks were the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented. Ugandas Constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country. This article was originally published by Morning Star News. Nigeria arrests suspects for Pentecost Sunday massacre at Catholic church Military officials say they have arrested the suspected gunmen charged with carrying out a massacre on a Catholic church service in southwestern Nigeria that killed over dozens on Pentecost Sunday. Nigeria's Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Leo Irabor told local reporters that "those behind the dastardly act" that worshippers dead at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo in Ondo state in June have been taken into custody, according to The Daily Trust. Further details were not released, but Irabor told The Associated Press that investigations remain ongoing. "In due course, the world will see them and others who are behind other daring attacks in the country," the Nigerian general was quoted as saying. The June 5 attack at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church left around 40 people killed and as many as 80 reportedly injured. Bishop Jude Arogundade of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ondo told The Christian Post the massacre "left the entire community broken" and the "entire diocese shattered." Arogundade told AP that the Catholic church has not been informed yet of the arrests. He added church officials will wait to receive further confirmation about "the motive because we are a peaceful organization, we don't get into politics or into controversial issues." Arogundade described the southwestern portion of Nigeria where the diocese is located as a "stable part of Nigeria" and said it has "never had this kind of incident before." "We're so shocked and surprised that anyone would come from far away to attack us," he said. In the 2022 Open Doors USA World Watch List of the countries where it is most challenging to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to seventh place, its highest ranking ever. Violence against Christians and Catholics in Nigeria has stepped up in recent months, including the murder of two Catholic priests in the Nigerian states of Kaduna and Edo in June. Those murders came about a month after two other priests were slain in two other districts in the West African country. In May, unidentified gunmen stormed a Catholic parish in northern Nigeria. They abducted two priests, Fr. Stephen Ojapa and Fr. Oliver Okpara, from the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. Vatican News reported at the time that two unidentified boys from St. Patrick Catholic Church in Gidan Maikambo area of Katsina state's Kafur Local Government Area were also abducted. Open Doors USA, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, reported that at least 4,650 Christians were killed between Oct. 1, 2020, and Sept. 30, 2021, marking an increase from 3,530 the previous year. During that same timeframe, more than 2,500 Christians were reportedly kidnapped, up from 990 a year earlier. When Ginsey Stephenson moved to San Francisco for work in February, she finally met and mixed with her colleagues for the first time. It was something the 23-year-old had longed for since entering the professional world out of college seven months prior. The boutique public relations firm she works for follows a hybrid schedule of three days in the office per week, meaning she no longer has to nervously message people on Slack she had never met in person. Most importantly, being in the office has helped her transition from working from her parents' Virginia home - much like she did in school - to life as a working adult. "I actually love going into the office - it feels more organic," Stephenson said. "But I don't know how anyone went into the office every day. I don't know if we were cut out to work in a pre-covid world." Stephenson represents a generation entering the labor market at a time when businesses and employees are redefining work and the workplace after the pandemic hit. Unlike the generations that came before, one of the biggest struggles for the new crop of professionals is interpersonal connections and relationships in the workplace, after the pandemic left them isolated during some pivotal years of development. To Generation Z - those born between 1997 and 2012, as defined by Pew Research Center, and also known as Zoomers - money may not always be the top job priority. Instead, their list includes flexibility to work from the office and remotely, wellness and mental health initiatives as well as meaningful work and culture. And many are willing to job hop to find the best fit. For employers, accommodating these preferences may become increasingly important. Gen Z workers are expected to more than triple to 87 million people by 2030 in Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, accounting for 30% of total employment, according to a study by Oxford Economics. "We're seeing this young cohort of workers demand that employers care about them as whole people," said Linda Jingfang Cai, vice president of talent development at LinkedIn. "And the ability to understand their career path is worth more than a paycheck." Gen Z can be an enigma to some of their older counterparts. They are often labeled as "lazy" or "entitled." But Allison Williams, a 2022 Pepperdine University graduate, said people need to remember that the coronavirus pandemic hit right in the middle of some of the most influential years for Gen Z - when they were forming who they are and what they value as adults. The pandemic changed the way they formed friendships, received their education and got their first internships and jobs. It had a big impact on the way they view work and how it can and should be done, she said. "My generation is going to embrace . . . flexibility and is taking a different approach rather than going straight to the corporate ladder," Williams said. Some companies are trying to rise to the challenge of luring Gen Z by expanding benefits and flexibility. Handshake, a San Francisco-based online service that connects college students and employers, points to General Mills and Procter & Gamble as examples. General Mills updated its benefits to include mental health offerings, which are now also available to summer interns. And Procter & Gamble now offers candidates a stress management app to help them during the process. - - - Tips for luring Gen Z hires Employers aiming to hire more young people have a lot to consider. Here are some tips from LinkedIn's Jingfang Cai and polls of Gen Z conducted by Gallup. - Flexibility is key. Gen Z either wants hybrid or remote options, Jingfang Cai says, so companies may want to consider offering flexible options that allow workers to choose what makes sense for them. - Communicate and demonstrate values. Gen Z wants to know what their employers value, how that's being prioritized and what investments are being made as a result, she says. Wellness is often a value the generation prioritizes, according to Gallup. - Review the wording of the job listing. Ensure that entry-level jobs don't require years of experience, as you may be missing out on an entire crop of young talent, Jingfang Cai says. - Prioritize learning. Gen Z wants to grow and learn, she says, so make sure your openings also include opportunities for training, professional growth and mentorship. - Create diverse and inclusive workplaces. Gen Z considers it imperative to work at a job that promotes respect, equity and inclusion, according to Gallup surveys. - Ethical leadership is a must. Gen Z wants to know their leaders are ethical, expect action to address moral blind spots and want to know their work has a positive impact on the world, Gallup polls show. - - - Many Gen Z workers say they place a big emphasis on opportunities that consider their mental health and wellness. Sam Folz, a 22-year-old software engineer at Capital One, said his company offers unlimited mental health days, a benefit he considers "huge" given Zoom fatigue and other mental exhaustion that workers might experience. Kenny Colon, 23, who graduated this year from the University of Central Florida, said he believes a company's office policy ultimately demonstrates whether it supports employee wellness. After he attends graduate school the next couple of years, he said he could be lured by wellness perks. For example, he said, EY, where he is currently interning, offers its workers a reimbursement of up to $1,000 for wellness needs such as mattresses. "This generation wants to open up more; they want to talk about mental health," Colon said. "It's a very big thing." Leo De La Uso, a fully remote marketing and communications specialist for a Texas nonprofit who graduated from Texas A&M San Antonio this year, said his first priority in a job is knowing a company is genuinely interested in investing in its employees. He ideally prefers a hybrid work environment. "The compulsory notion you have to be [at an office], I don't think it's something that meshes well with me and my generation," the 23-year-old said. For Sam Purdy, a 2022 graduate of the University of South Carolina who's currently job hunting, a job ideally would give him some sense of long-term stability and security, in addition to flexible work options. He's not interested in "being stuffed in a cubicle" every day, but also wants to know that amid all this change, his job won't disappear. "It's weird because we don't have a lot of leveraging power," he said. "But you're going to see us prioritize things other than work and push back on things like [having] to be in the office." For Pittsburg State University graduate Weston Charles-Gallo, remote options represent the chance to hop around and experience different cultures at an early age. He's still hoping to land his dream job in the field of communications. "You hear of older people who . . . wait until they retire to travel," he said. "My generation is taking advantage of working remotely to go to the airport and travel." But Folz, the Capital One engineer, said leaders shouldn't discount the importance of the office entirely. He said the office plays a big role in getting settled as he's moving from Cincinnati to Arlington, Va., for his job. "You're in a brand new city with maybe no people you know," he said. "Work is the best place to meet those first friends." And for some jobs, the hands-on experience is invaluable. Isabella Hickey, who works as a planning technician for the town of Juno Beach in Florida, said she prioritized remote jobs during her search, but ultimately landed a full-time, in-person gig. "Being [at the office] in person has helped me grow and learn much more versus being at home trying to learn," she said. Building work relationships requires a concerted effort for some people. "A bustling office is something I'd like to experience sometime," said 22-year-old Selena Tran, a 2021 graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, who works fully remote for a Bay Area fintech company. Tran voluntarily meets with co-workers at the office every week or two to have lunch. "You don't get the same interactions in remote work." Tran prefers to work some days from home, but she also wants to work for a company that cares about its people. So she looks at social media and Glassdoor reviews to see engagement levels and get a better sense of culture. She wants to see a priority placed on people's well-being as well as diverse teams and inclusivity. The assumption that Gen Z workers are just a bunch of entitled TikTok addicts who don't want to work is unfair, said Stephenson, the public relations professional. Instead, she said, they're a group of young people who were just "dealt an interesting hand of cards" and want something better than what was offered to previous generations. "It's not that we're not hard-working," she said. "We just see the workforce without the lens of people who had been in it pre-covid." #DeleteFacebook is trending online this week in response to news that Facebook shared a Nebraska teen's messages to her mom with cops investigating the teen for allegedly getting an abortion in violation of Nebraska state law. Celeste Burgess, 17, was charged in July with allegedly removing, concealing or abandoning a dead body and hiding another person's death following a medication abortion that police say she had at 23 weeks of pregnancy. Nebraska bans abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Jessica Burgess, her mother, also faces charges for allegedly helping to end the pregnancy. The #DeleteFacebook hashtag caught fire on Twitter Tuesday after news stories came out about Facebook sharing the Burgess's DMsallegedly describing how they carried out Celeste's medication abortionwhich began circulating across social media platforms. "Every woman should delete Facebook right now," Houston-based activist Olivia Julianna tweeted Tuesday afternoon, along with "#DeleteFacebook" and later a link to a Forbes article in her thread. The tweet has amassed more than 113,000 likes and more than 33,000 retweets (and counting). Users also included the hashtag in tweets, warning others to protect themselves while communicating online and to call on Facebook to add encryption to its messaging utilities. "If you don't #DeleteFacebook, at least make sure you never talk about anything over Facebook Messenger that you wouldn't want turned over to the police," journalist Emily Crockett posted to her followers Tuesday. The digital privacy advocacy group Fight For The Future pushed Facebook to encrypt its users' personal chats: "Sure #DeleteFacebook if you want. But let's be real, many people won't. So instead, let's demand that Facebook implement default end-to-end encryption on all DMs," the organization's account tweeted Thursday evening. As the hashtag gained steam online, Facebook's parent company Meta jumped in to refute any news reports about the shared DMs, arguing that the reporting was "just plain wrong." In a statement released on its corporate site, a Meta spokesperson wrote that the company "received valid legal warrants from local law enforcement on June 7, before the Supreme Courts decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. The warrants did not mention abortion at all." "Court documents indicate that police were at that time investigating the alleged illegal burning and burial of a stillborn infant," the spokesperson continued. "The warrants were accompanied by non-disclosure orders, which prevented us from sharing information about them. The orders have now been lifted." HAVANA (AP) Officials said Thursday that a second firefighter has died in Cuba, where crews have controlled a massive blaze that began last week at a key oil storage facility amid a deepening energy crisis. The 24-year-old firefighter identified as Elier Correa had been hospitalized in extremely critical condition, according to government news site Cubadebate. Another 14 firefighters are missing after lightning on Friday sparked the fire, which has injured 130 people and destroyed four of the facilitys eight tanks. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Members of New Mexico's Muslim community pushed Thursday for the Afghan refugee suspected of killing four Muslim men to remain behind bars pending trial citing previous accusations of domestic violence and video surveillance that appeared to show him slashing the tires of a vehicle parked outside the local mosque. The video from early 2020 had prompted leaders of the Islamic Center of New Mexico at the time to admonish Muhammad Syed and tell him not to return to the mosque. The woman whose tires were slashed never went to the police and charges were never filed, said Ahmad Assed, the Islamic center's president. But nearly two years later, her brother-in-law became one of the victims. Muhammad Zahir Ahmadi was fatally shot last November behind the market he owned with his brother. Police have named Syed, 51, as the primary suspect in Ahmadi's death and in the fatal shooting of another man in early August. Authorities already have charged him with two counts of murder in the deaths of two other Muslim men in recent weeks. Syed was arrested late Monday more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from his Albuquerque home. He told authorities he was on his way to Texas, citing the ambush-style killings as his concern. Albuquerque police on Thursday released two brief videos showing part of Syeds arrest. The footage from body-worn cameras includes an 18-second clip of Syed face-down on the ground as officers tell him to put his hands behind his back. He appears to tell them he does not speak English as they put him in handcuffs. In the other clip, he is shown walking from the back of a police cruiser into the department's headquarters. He wore a striped long-sleeved shirt, dark pants and sandals. Syed is scheduled to appear in court Monday, when a state judge will consider a motion by prosecutors seeking to detain Syed without bond pending trial. Prosecutors have argued that Syed is dangerous and that no conditions of release will ensure the community's safety. Syed denied any connection to the crimes that shook the city and its small Muslim community after he was arrested during a traffic stop, saying he was heading to Houston to find a new home for his family over fear about the killings. His public defenders declined comment on the case Thursday except to say that they were reviewing evidence and preparing for Monday's hearing. Given the level of media attention, we need to be very careful to not let this case be tried in the public forum and not a court of law, said Tom Clark, one of Syed's state appointed attorneys. Assed and other members of the city's Muslim community said they were working with law enforcement to try to keep Syed in custody. Despite police saying personal conflicts might be part of the motive for the killings, Assed said in an interview that Muslims are struggling to understand why the men who were killed were targeted and that the killings raised questions and concerns about whether more attacks had been planned. Its certainly our concern for this community as we move forward and its a concern because not knowing more about the motive, we are at a disadvantage in understanding whether that was what was planned, that was it, or whether more victims were on the radar, Assed said. The first killing in November was followed by three between July 26 and Aug. 5. According to a criminal complaint, police determined that bullet casings found in Syeds vehicle matched the caliber of the weapons believed to have been used in two of the killings and that casings found at the crime scenes were linked to guns found at Syeds home and in his vehicle. Police said they received more than 200 tips and one from the Muslim community that led them to the Syed family. Syed knew the victims, authorities have said. Syed has lived in the United States for about five years. When interviewed by detectives, Syed said he had fought against the Taliban, according to a criminal complaint filed in court Tuesday. He lived in an apartment in Albuquerque with family members who told reporters that he was a truck driver but hadn't worked for a company in a long time. Court documents show the domestic violence allegations Syed was accused of involved separate altercations with his wife, a son and his future son-in-law. The cases were dismissed because the victims declined to press charges. Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content. Farah N. Jan, University of Pennsylvania (THE CONVERSATION) This month marks the 75th anniversary of Pakistans independence and of its Partition from British India in a devastating process that uprooted more than 15 million people and resulted in 1 million to 2 million dead. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs communities that had coexisted for hundreds of years all participated in the sectarian violence. Countless people have borne the scars from these events over multiple generations. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, sought to create a democratic, egalitarian and secular country where the Muslims of the subcontinent, who constituted about 25% of the population, could enjoy full equality. For most of his life, he sought to achieve this equality within an undivided Hindu-majority India. Later he became convinced that a separate homeland was necessary to realize such equality. Today, widespread and escalating violence against Indian Muslims under Prime Minister Narendra Modis right-wing, Hindu-nationalist rule seems to confirm Jinnahs fears. Jinnah died just a year after Pakistan was born. As a scholar of South Asia, I know that in the years that followed, the military and the business elite consolidated their power and helped shape a country that bears little resemblance to his vision although many continue to fight for it. Pakistan today Ideology and religion are divisive forces in Pakistan today from sectarian violence against Shia Muslims to the states blasphemy laws that authorize a death sentence for anyone who insults Islam. Religion, as interpreted by the state, plays a significant role in politics and governance. An example of its harmful role can be seen in the deterioration of the rights of Ahmadis, members of a religious minority targeted by the state. Other religious minorities also face discrimination, with Christians subject to particularly harsh treatment. According to Pew Research statistics, 75% of Pakistanis say blasphemy laws are necessary to protect Islam, while only 6% say blasphemy laws unfairly target minorities. Pakistan also remains on a turbulent political and economic trajectory. The army has been in direct control of the state for most of its existence, with four military coups and decades of military rule since 1958. The military and notorious intelligence services remain in direct control of domestic and foreign policy, making decisions to protect their power and economic interests, including vast commercial holdings. Economically, Pakistan has lagged behind other developing countries, with debt as high as 71.3% of its GDP. Inequality is high, with the top 10% of households owning 60% of the national wealth, and the bottom 60% owning just 10%. The elite evade taxes on a massive scale, contributing to the countrys economic instability. While millions live in dire poverty and hunger, the governments spending to mitigate poverty is among the lowest in the region. Dissidents, human rights activists and journalists face censorship and repression. Jinnah had hoped for much better. Jinnah: An advocate for Muslims in British India Born in Karachi in 1876 to a Muslim family, Jinnah was first educated at a local Muslim school and later at Karachis Christian Missionary Society High School. At 16, Jinnah was sent to London, where he decided to study law. After returning to India, he established himself in Bombay as a successful and eloquent lawyer. Jinnah joined the Indian National Congress in 1906, becoming part of the largest Indian political party organizing for independence from British colonial rule. At this time, he was the foremost proponent of Hindu-Muslim harmony in India and pursued a strategy of a unified front against the British. He considered himself a staunch Congressman and rejected political organizing that separated Muslims and Hindus in India. Accordingly, Jinnah delayed joining the All-India Muslim League, the political party formed to represent the rights and concerns of the Muslims of British India, until 1913. For years he remained a member of both parties. Jinnahs concerns over Hindu nationalism Jinnahs faith in the Congress party would wane, and he resigned in 1920. He was increasingly concerned with Congress growing emphasis on Indias Hindu identity and the lack of political representation for the countrys Muslim minority. Jinnah was also deeply disturbed by the emergence of right-wing Hindu nationalist groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, a violent paramilitary group that drew inspiration from European fascist parties, opposed Muslim-Hindu unity and increasingly sought to force Muslims to convert or leave India. In 1934, Jinnah was unanimously elected as the president of the Muslim League, and he continued to advocate for the rights of Muslims in a unified India. He did not embrace dividing the Indian subcontinent into separate Muslim-majority and Hindu-majority areas until the 1940s. In this period, escalating sectarian violence stoked by both Hindu and Muslim right-wing groups, and Congress refusal to accept a federation in which Muslim-majority regions enjoyed greater political representation, contributed to foreclosing an alternative to partition. During this period, Jinnah stressed that Muslims would never enjoy security and full equality in the Hindu-majority nation. Jinnah eventually led the Muslims of India to form a nation of their own with the creation of Pakistan in 1947. He insisted that this new nation be a secular democratic country with equal rights for all who resided there. Jinnahs vision for a secular Pakistan Jinnah emphasized the necessity of secular education to improve social and economic conditions in the Muslim community, argued for equality between the sexes and advocated for the discarding of the parda, or veil. Jinnah did not write a book or memoir, but his speeches give an insight into his vision for Pakistan. Notably, his speech a few days before becoming Pakistans first president, delivered on Aug. 11, 1947, expressed his secular aspirations for the newly formed country. In it he stressed: You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed that has nothing to do with the business of the state. Four days later, on Aug. 14, 1947, British India was divided into the independent nations of Pakistan and India. As the first president of Pakistan, Jinnah again emphasized his secular vision for the new country, saying, We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are all citizens and equal citizens of one State. Jinnahs dream unrealized Jinnahs achievement remains a significant milestone of the 20th century. But 75 years later, Pakistan is far from the country he envisioned. People from the region, nostalgic for a unified country and cognizant of the suffering during Partition and beyond, sometimes express that it might have been better if they had not been divided based on their religious identity but had instead continued the struggle for a pluralistic society with equal rights for all. Others maintain that Jinnah was right to conclude that Muslims in India were bound to face continued violence and be treated as second-class citizens in a Hindu-majority country. What is certain is that Jinnahs dream of a compassionate homeland for the minorities of the subcontinent remains unrealized. But glimmers of it have lived on in movements and people who have gone on to dream of a more equitable, inclusive and just Pakistan. For example, Christian and Muslim landless farmers in the Peasant Movement, one of the largest and most successful land rights movements in South Asia, have resisted violent efforts to quash their demands for a more equitable society. Some 80,000 lawyers were part of the Lawyers Movement, which challenged the power of the military and fought for a free and independent judiciary. And individuals such as human rights activist Sabeen Mahmud have paid with their lives for their dream of a just and pluralist Pakistan. And while todays Pakistan is far from Jinnahs vision, the work of these people and movements reflects the famous words of Pakistans most celebrated revolutionary poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz: We must [continue to] search for that promised Dawn. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. The Conversation is wholly responsible for the content. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday rebuked Rwandan authorities over democracy and human rights concerns, saying the central African country may not reach its full potential without opening up political space and protecting freedoms. We recognize Rwandas incredibly difficult history of the 1994 genocide and we know the ongoing legacy of that genocide but the criminalization of some people ... in politics, harassment of those who express opposition views to the current government, we believe (that) undermines total peace and stability and success which has been extraordinary in the case of Rwanda," said Blinken at a press briefing. He was speaking in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, the last stop on his three-nation tour of Africa. Earlier Blinken toured a memorial for victims of Rwanda's 1994 genocide, saying he was moved by this memorial and inspired by the resilience of the survivors and the remarkable progress of this country." Blinken laid a wreath at the mass graves honoring the more than 800,000 victims of the genocide perpetrated by Hutu extremists against the Tutsi ethnic group and moderate Hutus. My family experienced the horrors of holocaust and I appreciate the importance of memorializing such tragic events," Blinken wrote in a guest book at the memorial. "The United States strongly supports Rwandas continued efforts towards renewal and national reconciliation. One of Blinken's aims in Rwanda is to engage officials regarding the case of Paul Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident whose conviction on terror charges and incarceration has drawn attention to what some say is the Rwandan government's harsh treatment of its critics at home and abroad. Rusesabagina is the hero of the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda, which dramatized his efforts as a hotel manager to shelter hundreds of Tutsis during the genocide. The U.S. asserts that Rusesabagina, a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, is wrongfully jailed in Rwanda. We have been clear about our position with the trial of Paul Rusesabagina. We still have conviction that the trial wasnt fair," Blinken said. "I discussed this with President Paul Kagame but I wont go into specifics of our discussion, but will continue to engage and also follow up with the family." Many activists believe only diplomatic intervention from Washington can possibly help Rusesabagina, 68, who has suffered poor health in recent years, according to his family. He was sentenced to 25 years last September. His conviction came more than a year after he disappeared during a visit to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and appeared days later in Rwanda in handcuffs, accused of supporting the armed wing of his opposition group. Blinken, who visited South Africa and also went to Congo earlier in the week, comes to Rwanda at a particularly difficult time for Africas Great Lakes region, with the small central African nation at odds with vast neighbor Congo over allegations that both governments support rebels opposed to each other. Blinken said he told Kagame that the recent U.N. report accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels is credible. Rwandan authorities deny those charges and have rejected the report by U.N. experts as a move to distract from real issues. Rwandan authorities in turn accuse Congo of giving refuge to ethnic Hutu fighters who played roles in Rwandas 1994 genocide that killed ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus. There have long been tensions between the countries. In the late 1990s, Rwanda twice sent its forces deep into Congo, joining forces with rebel leader Laurent Kabila to depose the countrys longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. After his meetings with the leaders of Rwanda and Congo this week, Blinken said he believes both are committed to peace talks and he said the U.S. will support African-led efforts to end the fighting. My message to both presidents of Congo and Rwanda this week has been the same. Any support of any armed group in eastern (Congo) endangers local communities and regional stability and every country in the region must respect the territorial integrity of the others," he said. A meeting between Kagame and Tshisekedi in Angola on July 6 produced a statement calling for a return to normal diplomatic relations, a cessation of hostilities and the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the M23 from its positions in eastern Congo. But M23, which comprises mostly ethnic Tutsis from Congo, continues to hold its positions near the border with Uganda, keeping the spotlight on Rwanda. The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a letter to Blinken last month called for a comprehensive review of U.S. policy toward Rwanda and noted his concern that Washingtons support for Rwanda, widely described by human rights groups as authoritarian and repressive, is not in line with U.S. values. WASHINGTON (AP) An off-duty Virginia police officer who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan, 6, 2021, with a fellow officer was sentenced Thursday to more than seven years in prison, matching the longest prison sentence so far among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. Former Rocky Mount Police Sgt. Thomas Robertson declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper sentenced him to seven years and three months in prison. Cooper also sentenced Robertson to three years of supervised release after his prison term. Federal prosecutors had recommended an eight-year prison sentence for Robertson. His sentence equals that of Guy Reffitt, a Texas man who attacked the Capitol while armed with a holstered handgun. Robertson gets credit for the 13 months he has already spent in custody. Robertson has been jailed since Cooper ruled last year that he violated the terms of his pretrial release by possessing firearms. The judge said he was troubled by Robertson's conduct since his arrest not only his stockpiling of guns but also his words advocating for violence. After Jan. 6, Robertson told a friend that he was prepared to fight and die in a civil war and he clung to baseless conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen from then-President Donald Trump, the judge noted. Sentencing guidelines calculated by Cooper recommended a prison term ranging from seven years and three months to nine years. It's a long time because it reflects the seriousness of the offenses that you were convicted of, the judge said. In April, a jury convicted Robertson of attacking the Capitol to obstruct Congress from certifying Joe Bidens 2020 presidential victory. Jurors found Robertson guilty of all six counts in his indictment, including charges that he interfered with police officers at the Capitol and that he entered a restricted area with a dangerous weapon, a large wooden stick. Robertsons lawyers said the Army veteran was using the stick to help him walk because he has a limp from getting shot in the right thigh while working as a private contractor for the Defense Department in Afghanistan in 2011. The judge said he agreed with jurors that Robertson went to the Capitol to interfere with the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. Robertson was an active and willing participant, not some bystander who got swept up in the crowd, Cooper said. Robertson traveled to Washington on that morning with another off-duty Rocky Mount police officer, Jacob Fracker, and a third man, a neighbor who wasn't charged in the case. Fracker was scheduled to be tried alongside Robertson before he pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in March and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities. Cooper is scheduled to sentence Fracker next Tuesday. Prosecutors have asked Cooper to spare Fracker from a prison term and sentence him to six months of probation along with a period of home detention or community confinement. They said Fracker's fulsome cooperation and trial testimony was crucial in securing convictions against Robertson. Robertson's lawyer, Mark Rollins, sought a prison sentence below two years and three months. He questioned the fairness of the wide gap in sentences that prosecutors recommended for Robertson and Fracker given their similar conduct. Robertson served his country and community with distinction, his lawyer told the judge. His life already is in shambles, Rollins said. Robertson and Fracker were among several current or former law enforcement officers who joined in the riot. Prosecutors say Robertson used his law enforcement and military training to block police officers who were trying to hold off the advancing mob. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi said Robertson was prepared for violence when he went to the Capitol and did a victory lap inside the building, where he posed for a selfie with Fracker. The defendant is, by all accounts, proud of his conduct on Jan. 6, she said. Jurors saw some of Robertsons posts on social media before and after the riot. In a Facebook post on Nov. 7, 2020, Robertson said being disenfranchised by fraud is my hard line. Ive spent most of my adult life fighting a counter insurgency. (Im) about to become part of one, and a very effective one, he wrote. In a letter addressed to the judge, Robertson said he took full responsibility for his actions on Jan. 6 and any poor decisions I made. He blamed the vitriolic content of his social media posts on a mix of stress, alcohol abuse and submersion in deep rabbit holes of election conspiracy theory. I sat around at night drinking too much and reacting to articles and sites given to me by Facebook algorithms, he wrote. The town fired Robertson and Fracker after the riot. Rocky Mount is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Roanoke, Virginia, and has about 5,000 residents. Roughly 850 people have been charged with federal crimes for their conduct on Jan. 6. More than 350 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor offenses, and more than 230 have been sentenced so far. Robertsons jury trial was the second for a Capitol riot case; Reffitts was the first. Jurors have unanimously convicted seven Capitol rioters of all charges in their respective indictments. ___ For full coverage of the Jan. 6 hearings, go to https://www.apnews.com/capitol-siege This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TORONTO (AP) Alan Nichols had a history of depression and other medical issues, but none were life-threatening. When the 61-year-old Canadian was hospitalized in June 2019 over fears he might be suicidal, he asked his brother to bust him out as soon as possible. Within a month, Nichols submitted a request to be euthanized and he was killed, despite concerns raised by his family and a nurse practitioner. His application for euthanasia listed only one health condition as the reason for his request to die: hearing loss. Nichols family reported the case to police and health authorities, arguing that he lacked the capacity to understand the process and was not suffering unbearably among the requirements for euthanasia. Alan was basically put to death, his brother Gary Nichols said. Disability experts say the story is not unique in Canada, which arguably has the worlds most permissive euthanasia rules allowing people with serious disabilities to choose to be killed in the absence of any other medical issue. Many Canadians support euthanasia and the advocacy group Dying With Dignity says the procedure is driven by compassion" to end suffering. But human rights advocates say the countrys regulations lack necessary safeguards, devalue the lives of disabled people and are prompting doctors and health workers to suggest the procedure to those who might not otherwise consider it. Equally troubling, advocates say, are instances in which people have sought to be killed because they werent getting adequate government support to live. Canada is set to expand euthanasia access next year, but these advocates say the system warrants further scrutiny now. Tim Stainton, director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship at the University of British Columbia, described Canadas euthanasia law as probably the biggest existential threat to disabled people since the Nazis program in Germany in the 1930s. Canadas health minister Jean-Yves Duclos, meanwhile, says the euthanasia law recognizes the rights of all persons ... as well as the inherent and equal value of every life. Euthanasia, where doctors use drugs to kill patients, is legal in seven countries Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain plus several states in Australia. Other jurisdictions, including several U.S. states, permit assisted suicide, where patients take the lethal drug themselves. Canadas initial 2016 euthanasia law granted the procedure for people aged 18 and over who met several conditions, including having a grievous and irremediable medical condition causing unbearable suffering, and whose death was reasonably foreseeable. Legislators later removed the restriction that death be imminent, a move that critics say removed a key safeguard. Unlike other countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal for two decades, Canada does not have monthly commissions to review potentially troubling cases. There is also no restriction on doctors suggesting euthanasia to patients who have not already requested it, a practice explicitly forbidden elsewhere. People who seek euthanasia in Canada are also not required to have exhausted all their treatment options, as is the case in Belgium and the Netherlands. Under the current law, any adult with a serious illness, disease or disability can ask to be killed. Theresia Degener, a professor of law and disability studies at the Protestant University for Applied Sciences in Germany, said allowing euthanasia based exclusively on disability was a clear human rights violation. The implication of Canadas law is that a life with disability is automatically less worth living and that in some cases, death is preferable, she said. After Alan Nichols death, his family went to police, but in March an officer told the family that documentation showed that he met the criteria for euthanasia. In one of the euthanasia assessments filed by a nurse practitioner before Nichols was killed, she noted his history of seizures, frailty and a failure to thrive. Trudo Lemmens, chair of health law and policy at the University of Toronto, said it was astonishing authorities concluded Nichols death was justified. Meanwhile, some disabled Canadians have chosen to be killed in the face of mounting bills. Before being euthanized in August 2019 at age 41, Sean Tagert struggled to get the 24-hour-a-day care he needed. The government provided Tagert, who had Lou Gehrigs disease, with 16 hours of daily care at his home in Powell River, British Columbia. He spent about $264 Canadian dollars ($206) a day to cover the other eight hours. Health authorities suggested Tagert move to an institution, but he refused, saying he would be too far from his young son. I know Im asking for change, Tagert wrote in a FaceBook post before his death. I just didnt realize that was an unacceptable thing to do. Stainton, the University of British Columbia professor, pointed out that no province or territory provides a disability benefit income above the poverty line. In some regions, he said it is as low as CA$850 ($662) a month less than half the amount the government provided to people unable to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Duclos, the national health minister, told The Associated Press he could not comment on specific cases but said all jurisdictions have a range of policies to support disabled people. He acknowledged disparities in access to services and supports across the country. As assisted dying legislation is extended globally lawmakers are set to debate it in Britain and Portugals Parliament recently backed a euthanasia bill some experts say the system in Canada warrants further scrutiny. Next year, Canada is set to allow people to be killed exclusively for mental health reasons. It is also considering extending euthanasia to mature minors, children under 18 who meet the same requirements as adults. Landry, Canadas human rights commissioner, said politicians should listen to the concerns of those facing hardships who believe euthanasia is their only option. In an era where we recognize the right to die with dignity, we must do more to guarantee the right to live with dignity, she said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Dwight Stirling, University of Southern California (THE CONVERSATION) Less than a month after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin took the extraordinary step of pausing all operations for 24 hours to address extremism in the ranks. Pentagon officials had been shaken by service members prominent role in the events of Jan. 6. Of the 884 criminal defendants charged to date with taking part in the insurrection, more than 80 were veterans. Thats almost 10% of those charged. More remarkable, at least five of the rioters were serving in the military at the time of the assault: an active-duty Marine officer and four reservists. Service members involvement in the insurrection has made the spread of extremism particularly white nationalism a significant issue for the U.S. military. Solving the problem A blue ribbon committee called the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group was quickly commissioned in April 2021 to evaluate the extent of the problem. The group found about 100 substantiated cases of extremism in the U.S. armed forces in 2021. The latest instance occurred in July 2022, when Francis Harker, a National Guard member with white supremacist connections, was sentenced to four years in prison for planning an anti-government attack on police. Harker, who carried a picture saying there is no God but Hitler, was planning to attack police officers in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with Molotov cocktails and semi-automatic rifles. Worried, Austin has tightened the rules regarding political speech within the military. The new rules prohibit any statement that advocates for violence to achieve goals that are political or idealogical in nature. The ban applies to members of the military both on and off duty. Also, for the first time, the new rules prohibit statements on social media that promote or otherwise endorse extremist activities. While the intent behind the new rules is laudable, political speech even of an offensive or distasteful nature goes to the core of U.S. democracy. Americans in uniform are still Americans, protected by the First Amendment and afforded the constitutional right of free speech. In light of the stricter policy, it is useful to consider how courts apply the First Amendment in the military context. Good order and discipline While soldiers and sailors are certainly not excluded from the protection of the First Amendment, it is fair to say they operate under a diluted version of it. As one federal judge observed, the sweep of the protection is less comprehensive in the military context, given the different character of the military community and mission. The right to speak out as a free American must be balanced against providing an effective fighting force for the defense of our Country, a federal judge noted in a separate case. These and other federal judges point to the militarys need for good order and discipline in justifying this approach. While never precisely defined, good order and discipline is generally considered being obedient to orders, having respect for ones chain of command and showing allegiance to the Constitution. Speech that prevents the orderly accomplishment of the mission or promotes disloyalty and dissatisfaction within the ranks harms good order and discipline, and can be restricted. In 1974, for example, the Supreme Court ruled that the Army can punish an officer for encouraging subordinates to refuse to deploy. The officers comments included: The United States is wrong in being involved in the Vietnam War. I would refuse to go back to Vietnam if ordered to do so. In 1980, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Army could legally fire an ROTC cadet for making racist remarks during a newspaper interview. Explaining his political philosophy, the cadet said: What I am saying is that Blacks are obviously further behind the whites on the evolutionary scale. In 2012, a San Diego district court ruled that the Marine Corps can lawfully discharge a sergeant who mocked president Barack Obama while appearing on the Chris Matthews Show. At one point the sergeant told the host: As an active duty Marine, I say screw Obama and I will not follow his orders. While each of these statements is protected by the First Amendment in civilian life, they crossed the line in military life because they were deemed harmful to morale and represented what one federal court described as more than political discussion at an enlisted or officers club. The militarys job is to fight, not debate In deciding these First Amendment cases, courts often hark back to why the military exists in the first place. It is the primary business of armies and navies to fight the nations wars should the occasion arise, the Supreme Court said in 1955. In a separate case, the Supreme Court declared: An army is not a deliberate body. It is the executive arm. Its law is that of obedience. Quickly following orders can mark the difference between life and death in combat. On a national level, the degree to which an army is disciplined can win or lose wars. A mindset of obedience does not come solely from classroom training but from repeated rehearsals under realistic conditions. As a military judge observed in a 1972 decision, while service members are free to discuss political issues when off duty, the primary function of a military organization is to execute orders, not to debate the wisdom of decisions that the Constitution entrusts to Congress, the judiciary and the commander in chief. New policy bans liking extremist messages The U.S. militarys revised approach to political speech prohibits retweeting or even liking messages that promote anti-government or white nationalist and other extremist groups. Does a restriction this broad comply with legal precedent? As a law professor who has served more than 20 years in the U.S military, I believe the broader rules will probably be upheld if challenged on First Amendment grounds. The most comparable case is Blameuser v. Andrews, a 1980 case from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals where an ROTC cadet espoused white supremacist political views in a newspaper interview. Amongst other extremist remarks, the cadet told the reporter: You see, I believe that in the final analysis, the Nazi Socialist Party will take over America and possibly the whole world. Finding that the statements harmed good order and discipline, the Seventh Circuit ruled that the Army did not violate the First Amendment when it subsequently removed him from the officer training program. The cadets views on race relations draw into question his ability to obey commands, especially in a situation in which he regards the military superior as socially inferior, the Blameuser decision said. The military has wide latitude in deciding who is deserving of the special trust and confidence that comes with military employment. Military officials are free to consider political and social beliefs that are inimical to the vital mission of the agency in making hiring and firing decisions, the Blameuser decision said. Social media posts expressing support for violent political activities will likely be treated in the same way. As the Seventh Circuit said in Blameuser, by liking or retweeting an extremist message, a service members actions are demonstrably incompatible with the important public office they hold. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/faced-with-a-rise-of-extremism-within-its-ranks-the-us-military-has-clamped-down-on-racist-speech-including-retweets-and-likes-187760. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate LOS ANGELES (AP) California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday appointed one-time nemesis and rival Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Los Angeles mayor, to a new post helping steer a gusher of federal dollars to road, port and transit projects. These days, the two are more friends than frenemies. Newsom announced that Villaraigosa would assume the post of infrastructure czar, an advisory position in which he would be pursuing billions of federal dollars and helping pair it with needs in the state. Money is not our problem anymore, the governor said, referring to a recently enacted $1 trillion federal infrastructure deal that promises to send billions for improvements to the nation's most populous state. California has to go out and get it, Newsom added, which is the charge Villaraigosa has in the new post. Villaraigosa said: We got to build. We got to invest. And thats what this is all about. The appointment marks the latest chapter in a long-running relationship that has veered from open hostility to, now, playing for the same team. Newsom was mayor of San Francisco when Villaraigosa was in charge of City Hall in Los Angeles, a time when each was often looking to outshine if not rattle or embarrass the other. The two Democrats later faced off in a 2018 primary race for governor, a contest won by Newsom that turned so nasty the two later made a public appearance together to dispel any notion of lasting enmity. As mayor in L.A., Villaraigosa was credited with kicking off a transit buildup that continues today. Newsom said he would bring extensive know-how in capturing federal dollars and getting shovels in the ground. Technically, Villaraigosa will not be a state employee. This position is funded through a partnership with California Forward, a nonprofit that seeks to promote job growth and cost-effective government. During their 2018 campaign matchup, Villaraigosa depicted Newsom as a wealthy elitist, out of touch with Californians left behind by the surging economy. Newsoms campaign ads recalled a six-figure ethics fine paid by Villaraigosa, and his time as adviser to supplements and weight loss company Herbalife, which the ads called a pyramid scheme. They later sought to mend the relationship. At a news conference shortly after the election, they traded compliments and shared a lunch. Villaraigosa, a former state Assembly speaker, said it was important to "move beyond whatever differences we might have had. This wasn't personal, he added at the time. Villaraigosa served as L.A. mayor from 2005 to 2013. In 2021, there was speculation that Villaraigosa might become a candidate in a recall election that sought to remove Newsom from office. Villaraigosa never entered the race, and Newsom easily beat back the attempt to remove him. WASHINGTON (AP) Whether it's the fitness tracker on your wrist, the smart home appliances in your house or the latest kids fad going viral in online videos, they all produce a trove of personal data for big tech companies. How that data is being used and protected has led to growing public concern and officials outrage. And now federal regulators are looking at drafting rules to crack down on what they call harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security. The Federal Trade Commission announced the initiative Thursday, seeking public comment on the effects of companies data collection and the potential benefit of new rules to protect consumers privacy. The FTC defines commercial surveillance as the business of collecting, analyzing and profiting from information about people. In Congress, bipartisan condemnation of the data power of Meta the parent of Facebook and Instagram Google and other tech giants that have earned riches by aggregating consumer information used by online advertisers, has brought national data privacy legislation to its closest point ever to passage. Around the country, parents concern has deepened over the impact of social media on children. Frances Haugen, a former Facebook data scientist, stunned Congress and the public last fall when she exposed internal company research showing apparent serious harm to some teens from Instagram. Those revelations were followed by senators grilling executives from YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat about what theyre doing to ensure young users safety in the wake of suicides and other harms to teens attributed by their parents to their usage of the platforms. As concerns rise, social media platforms from Snapchat to TikTok to Instagram are adding new features they say will make their services safer and more age appropriate. But the changes rarely address the algorithms pushing endless content that can drag anyone, not just teens, into harmful rabbit holes. The Democratic members of the FTC said Thursday its imperative for Congress to pass a new law, but that the agency was taking action in the meantime by issuing the notice of proposed rules. Mass surveillance has heightened the risks and stakes of data breaches, deception, manipulation and other abuses, the FTC said.. Agency officials noted that the FTC has brought hundreds of enforcement actions against companies over the last two decades for violations of privacy and data security. They included cases involving the sharing of health-related data with third parties, the collection and sharing of sensitive TV viewing data for targeted advertising, and failure to put in adequate security measures to protect sensitive data such as Social Security numbers. However, the officials said, the FTCs ability to deter illegal conduct is limited because it generally lacks authority to seek financial penalties for initial violations of law. That could change if the comprehensive privacy legislation were to clear Congress. Firms now collect personal data on individuals at a massive scale and in a stunning array of contexts, FTC Chair Lina Khan said in an online news conference. Our goal today is to begin building a robust public record to inform whether the FTC should issue rules to address commercial surveillance and data security practices, and what those rules should potentially look like. We are very, very eager to hear from the public, Khan said. Topics of interest could include how companies use algorithms and automated systems to analyze the information they collect, and the potential effects of various data practices. Khan, who was an outspoken critic of Big Tech as a law professor, was appointed by President Joe Biden last year to head the FTC an independent agency that polices competition and consumer protection as well as digital privacy. The rulemaking proposal was adopted in a 3-2 vote by the five FTC commissioners. Khan and the other two Democrats voted to issue it, while the two Republicans opposed it. On Tuesday, Snapchat introduced new parental controls in what it calls the Family Center" a tool that lets parents see who their teens are messaging, though not the content of the messages themselves. Both parents and their children have to opt into the service. __ Follow Marcy Gordon at https://twitter.com/mgordonap (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Emily M. Godfrey, University of Washington and Adelaide H. McClintock, University of Washington (THE CONVERSATION) Just over a month after the Supreme Court struck down 50 years of federal protection of abortion rights in the U.S., at least 43 abortion clinics in 11 states have stopped offering abortion services. In states where abortion remains legal, abortion clinics are experiencing excessive wait times due to the influx of out-of-state patients. Wait times are only expected to grow as more states restrict abortion with regulations such as gestational age limits, waiting periods and requirements for in-person visits, unnecessary clinical tests and required parental consent for minors. Abortion bans and restrictions are associated with higher rates of complications and are harmful to the health of women because they delay necessary care. Although primary care doctors and clinicians are not typically associated with the abortion debate, they are a critical, untapped resource to help offset the abortion care crisis. Primary care is a key access point for patients, especially for adolescent, low-income and rural women. And because almost all Americans value their relationship with their primary care provider, primary care has a responsibility to ensure patients maintain personal bodily autonomy, including deciding when and how many children to have. In the post-Roe era, primary care providers can help their patients prevent unintended pregnancy and avoid delays in abortion care by providing comprehensive contraceptive and family planning services, knowing how to counsel and refer individuals seeking pregnancy termination and providing post-abortion care. Due to various state restrictions, providers should familiarize themselves with their specific state regulations to determine what is permissible in their current practice environment. We are practicing primary carephysicians who include comprehensive family planning as part of our practices. We have written extensively about the feasibility of including full-spectrum birth control and first-trimester abortion services in primary care. Primary care providers make up 30% of the entire U.S. clinician workforce. They include family physicians, general internists, pediatricians and advanced practice clinicians such as nurse practitioners, midwives and physician assistants, who are often the only source of care in underserved and rural areas. Primary cares role in preventing abortion One of the top reasons why patients go to their primary care provider is for birth control. Primary care clinics that provide all-inclusive birth control services reduce unintended pregnancy rates in their communities, which can help alleviate the demand for abortion services. Primary care providers can talk with their patients about becoming pregnant now or in the future, using clinical tools that help patients decide which birth control method to use. Nationally based birth control clinical guidelines empower clinicians to prescribe even the most effective birth control methods, such as an implant or intrauterine device IUD to patients with serious and chronic medical conditions. Primary care can also help patients with emergency contraception, either in the form of a pill or IUD, within five days after unprotected sex. Emergency contraceptive pills are considered safe and effective. They are high-dose birth control pills that work by interfering with the process of ovulation, and thus will not affect a pregnancy if already pregnant. Emergency contraception is a last chance to prevent unplanned pregnancy. Abortion pill prescription falls within primary care Abortion with medications can be safely and effectively used up to the 11th week of pregnancy, with low rates of complications. Of the approximately 1 million legal abortions provided each year in the U.S., 90% occur in the first trimester, or through the 12th week of pregnancy. Thus, its no surprise that more than half of abortions are now managed with medicines that can be prescribed by a primary care provider. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine have issued evidence-based guidelines reiterating that trained, licensed primary care clinicians can safely and effectively provide medication abortion. Patients who have received abortions from primary care providers report that they are satisfied with the experience. Studies show that patients prefer abortion services in primary carebecause of the privacy, convenience and continuity of care. How abortion care can be integrated into telehealth Despite the fact that first-trimester abortion care fits well within primary care medical services, it has not been widely offered in this setting. This is due to roadblocks, including lack of provider training, federal and state legislation, institutional barriers and administrative resistance. However, there are now new, more simplified medication abortion protocols that allow primary care to safely offer abortion care remotely with a history screening tool that doesnt require unnecessary clinical laboratory and ultrasound testing. Primary cares expansion of telehealth abortion services has the potential to significantly reduce delays in care. This could help reduce abortions at more advanced gestational ages and the complications that come with them. Our study from 2021 conducted among primary care physicians providing telemedicine abortion found that more than 85% of patients were less than seven weeks pregnant when they sought care. Post-abortion primary care In states with restricted abortion access, it is inevitable that patients will seek abortions on their own. Given the current legal landscape, clinicians are often confused about how to treat patients with pregnancy complications, including miscarriage. The World Health Organization stresses that even in settings where abortion may be outlawed, it is incumbent for clinicians to provide compassionate, nonjudgmental post-abortion care. Post-abortion care includes managing residual side effects or complications of abortion, as well as the provision of comprehensive birth control services without discrimination or coercion. Complications from abortion or miscarriage are rare. However, complications like retained pregnancy tissue in the uterus, bleeding or infection can occur, most of which can be managed by primary care providers in the clinical setting. Primary care providers who dont offer abortion care can still counsel patients about where to seek reliable, high-quality abortion services. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information about Americans rights to reproductive health care. The short-term implications of the Supreme Court decision remain uncertain as state legislators weigh public opinion among their constituents. What remains certain in the post-Roe era, however, is that primary care continues to be among the most reliable resources in the U.S. for accurate information and safe reproductive health care services. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/how-primary-care-is-poised-to-support-reproductive-health-and-abortion-in-the-post-roe-era-186278. SEABROOK, N.H. (AP) Authorities blamed human error Thursday for some sirens that were inadvertently activated at a New Hampshire nuclear power station last month. The state Homeland Security and Emergency Management agency and plant owner NextEra Energy Resources put out statements more than 30 minutes after beachgoers in nearby Hampton and Rye said they heard announcements about the beaches being closed on July 12 because of a problem at the plant. Ten of the 121 sirens were activated. The announcements sent some beachgoers scrambling but officials said that there was no emergency nor danger to the public. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds asked the state courts on Thursday to allow her to implement a law banning most abortions that a judge permanently blocked in 2019. Reynolds previously said she would turn to the courts instead of calling a special session to hold a divisive abortion debate and vote just months before she and several other Republican leaders run for reelection. The court filing is just the first step in a legal battle that could take months to resolve and end up before the Iowa Supreme Court again. The 2018 law bans abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant. An Iowa law banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy remains in effect while Reynolds pursues the tougher ban in court. Reynolds lawyers argue that since the U.S. Supreme Court and the Iowa Supreme Court have now removed broad constitutional protections for abortion rights, the previous order should be removed and the law enforced. The historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe has given us a new hope and pathway forward to challenge the Iowa courts previous decision, Reynolds said in a statement. Life and death are determined by a persons heartbeat, and I believe that includes our unborn children." Laws such as Iowa's ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat can be detected, though that does not easily translate to medical science. Thats because at the point where advanced technology can detect that first visual flutter, the embryo isnt yet a fetus, and it doesnt have a heart. An embryo is termed a fetus eight weeks after fertilization. Iowa's law contains exceptions for medical emergencies including threats to the mothers life, rape, incest, and fetal abnormality. Iowa House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst said Reynolds is circumventing the will of the people in a state where polls have shown most people support abortion rights. A poll published last month by the Des Moines Register indicated 60% of Iowa residents believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases. This is the opposite of what Iowans are telling us they want," Konfrst said. This is way extreme. We've seen voters across the country reject this and because the governor knows voters would reject this here in Iowa, she's playing politics. Iowas high court in June overturned a previous ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion under the state constitution, acting just one week before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Reynolds' lawyers said the state Supreme Court can and should dissolve the injunction permanently right now because no additional factual development is needed to establish that there has been a 'substantial change' in the law. The law was successfully challenged by abortion provider Planned Parenthood and lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa. They said they plan to continue to fight Reynolds' efforts in the state. This is an outrageous and dangerous attack on Iowa women looking to take away practically all access to abortion in our state," said ACLU of Iowa Legal Director Rita Bettis Austen. "We will continue to do everything in our power to stop attempts at banning abortion in Iowa. Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP LOS ANGELES (AP) Model and actor Jerry Hall and media mogul Rupert Murdoch have agreed to the terms of their pending divorce, her attorney said Thursday. Hall filed a request in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday to dismiss her original petition for divorce from Murdoch, which she filed last month, with permission to file a new one. DETROIT (AP) A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after jurors said they couldn't reach a unanimous verdict in a dispute over whether two engineering firms should bear some responsibility for Flint's lead-contaminated water. Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, known as LAN, were accused of not doing enough to get Flint to treat the highly corrosive water or to urge a return to a regional water supplier. The eight-person jury met for roughly seven days after hearing evidence for months. The jury first signaled on July 28 that it couldn't reach a verdict before taking a planned 11-day break. The group returned to work Tuesday. Further deliberations will only result in stress and anxiety with no unanimous decision without someone having to surrender their honest convictions, solely for the purpose of returning a verdict, the jury said in a new note Thursday. U.S. Magistrate Judge David Grand declared a mistrial, rejecting a request by lawyers for four children to allow a verdict that's less than unanimous. This is not a focus group, Grand said. The trial centered on the engineering firms and the effects of lead on the children, not all Flint residents. But the result was being closely watched because there are other cases pending against Veolia and LAN. The firms were not part of a landmark $626 million deal involving property owners, thousands of residents of the majority-Black city, the state of Michigan and other parties. We don't see this as a defeat, Veolia attorney Dan Stein told The Associated Press. The plaintiffs were the ones trying to prove their claims to the jury, and they were unable to do so. Corey Stern, an attorney for the children, said he was only one juror shy from winning the case. The lack of a verdict means a trial can be held again with a different jury. I'm fired up for the next one, Stern said. I wish the judge would schedule it for Monday. I hated leaving the courthouse. Youre an inch from the goal line after toting the ball for 99 yards. Flint's water became contaminated in 2014-15 because water pulled from the Flint River wasnt treated to reduce the corrosive effect on lead pipes. Citing cost, managers appointed by then-Gov. Rick Snyder stopped using water from a Detroit agency and switched to the river while awaiting a new pipeline to Lake Huron. The Michigan Civil Rights Commission said the bad water was the result of systemic racism in the city, doubting that the water switch and the spurning of complaints would have occurred in a white, prosperous community. During closing arguments, attorneys for the children argued that Veolia should be held 50% responsible for lead contamination and that LAN should be held 25% responsible, with public officials making up the balance. But Veolia's lawyers noted the firm was briefly hired in the middle of the crisis, not before the spigot was turned on. LAN said an engineer repeatedly recommended that Flint test the river water for weeks to determine what treatments would be necessary. LAN attorney Wayne Mason said outside engineers were getting lumped in with a platoon of bad actors, namely state and local officials who controlled all major decisions about the water. The health effects on the four children were also challenged at trial. Snyder was summoned as a witness but declined to answer questions, citing his right against self-incrimination. He was indicted on misdemeanor charges in a separate Flint water investigation. The Michigan Supreme Court said the indictment was invalid, though state prosecutors are trying to reinstate the charges. The jury instead watched a video of Snyders 2020 interview with lawyers. I wish this never would have happened, he said of the water mess, acknowledging mistakes by government. ___ Follow Ed White at http://twitter.com/edwritez LAS VEGAS (AP) A Las Vegas man has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a health inspector last month in an attempt to steal money from two fast-food restaurants, according to authorities. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said 22-year-old Dimitar Kolev was booked into the Clark County jail Wednesday on suspicion of two felony counts of burglary of a business and two gross misdemeanor counts of impersonating a public official. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP) Latvias Parliament on Thursday declared Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for attacks on civilians during the war in Ukraine and urged other countries to follow suit. Lawmakers adopted a strongly worded statement that accuses Moscow of using suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralize the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyze the functioning of the state. It declares that Latvias Parliament recognizes Russias violence against civilians in pursuit of political aims as terrorism, recognizes Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view. Sixty-seven lawmakers in the 100-seat assembly voted in favor of adopting the statement and 16 abstained, the Parliament said. The resolution says Russian forces are deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians in the war, including with attacks on a theater in Mariupol in March, a shopping mall in Kremenchuk in June and a residential area of Odesa in July. Russia rejects deliberately targeting civilians in the conflict, which it describes as a special military operation. The Latvian Parliament also called on Western countries to reinforce sanctions on Russia and urged fellow members of the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament adopted the statement last week before submitting it to the full assembly. Committee chairman Rihars Kols said the resolution was a political statement that could have practical implications by inspiring other countries to take similar measures, adding momentum to efforts to reinforce sanctions on Moscow and set up a tribunal to prosecute war crimes. Neighboring Lithuania adopted a similar resolution in May and Estonia may follow suit in coming weeks, Kols said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced the Latvian statement as a manifestation of xenophobia." Sergei Tsekov, a member of the upper house of Russia's parliament, warned that Russia would take "retaliatory measures that will show Latvia its place and will be quite painful. That could include restrictions on transit, he said in remarks carried by state news agency RIA Novosti. The Baltic countries, which spent almost five decades under Soviet occupation, are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine and the fiercest critics of the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Estonia decided Thursday to stop allowing Russian citizens entry with tourist visas starting Aug. 18. EU countries banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine, but officials in Estonia and Finland say Russian tourists have circumvented the flight bans by traveling by land to neighboring EU countries and then taking flights to other European destinations. ___ Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. ALOHA, Ore. (AP) The body of a missing 27-year-old woman was found Tuesday in an Oregon landfill, according to Washington County Sheriffs Office. Sheriffs officials said Wednesday that an autopsy confirmed a body found at a landfill in Corvallis was that of Kaylee Birdzell. She had been reported missing on Friday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A judge scheduled a hearing for Monday on the status of plea negotiations for the two remaining officers awaiting trial on state charges in the killing of George Floyd, with the hearing coming after the judge's window for accepting any deal appears to have closed. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in previous orders that he would not accept plea agreements unless they came within a 15-day window after former Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were sentenced in federal court on separate civil rights charges. Those sentences came down July 27. His orders did not specify business days or calendar days. Court spokesman Matt Lehman said only that Monday's scheduled 9 a.m. hearing was to discuss the status of plea negotiations. The Minnesota attorney general's office had no comment on the nature of the hearing. Thaos attorney, Bob Paule, and Kueng's attorney, Thomas Plunkett, did not immediately return phone messages. Local defense attorney Mike Brandt, who's been following the case, said deadlines like the one Cahill set are more the exception than the rule, but they're not unusual either. Some judges don't want to go to the effort and expense of gearing up for a big trial, including summoning potential jurors, if a case is going to settle anyway, he said. The trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 24, with opening statements Nov. 7. Thao and Lane are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. Former Officer Thomas Lane pleaded guilty in May to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in a deal that calls for a three-year sentence. His sentencing is Sept. 21. Thao, Kueng and Lane were working with then-Officer Derek Chauvin when he pinned Floyds neck with his knee for more than nine minutes as the 46-year-old Black man said he couldnt breathe and eventually grew still. The killing, captured in bystander video, sparked protests worldwide and a reckoning on racial injustice. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder last year and sentenced to 22 1/2 years on the state charge. The four have already been sentenced on the separate federal civil rights charges, ranging from 21 years for Chauvin to 3 1/2 years for Thao, 3 years for Kueng and 2 1/2 years for Lane. Chauvin remains in the state's maximum security prison at Oak Park Heights pending his transfer to federal prison. The other three remain free on bail. ___ Associated Press writer Amy Forliti contributed to this story. ___ Find APs full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SEOUL, South Korea (AP) In a striking speech before thousands of North Koreans, leader Kim Jong Uns sister said he suffered a fever while guiding the country to victory over the coronavirus. She blamed rival South Korea for the outbreak and vowed deadly retaliation. Kim Yo Jong, a powerful official in charge of inter-Korean relations, glorified her brother's leadership during the outbreak in her speech Wednesday at a national meeting where he jubilantly described the country's widely disputed success over the virus as an amazing miracle in global public health. North Koreas statements about its outbreak are widely believed to be manipulated to help Kim Jong Un maintain absolute authority. But experts believe the victory announcement signals his intention to move to other priorities and are concerned his sisters remarks portend a provocation, which might include nuclear or missile tests or even border skirmishes. The Norths official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday that Kim Jong Un declared victory over COVID-19 and ordered an easing of preventive measures just three months after the country first acknowledged an outbreak. In her first known televised speech, his sister said he suffered a fever and glorified his epoch-making leadership. In a dubious claim, she accused South Korea of spreading COVID-19 to North Korea's largely unvaccinated populace, saying the initial infections were caused by leaflets, banknotes, awful booklets and other items flown across the border by anti-North Korean activists in the South. North Korea first suggested in July that its COVID-19 outbreak began in people who had contact with objects carried by balloons launched from South Korea a questionable claim that appeared to be an attempt to blame its rival. South Koreas Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, expressed strong regret over North Koreas extremely disrespectful and threatening comments based on ridiculous claims. A senior South Korean presidential office official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in a background briefing, said Seoul is preparing for various possible North Korean provocations, including a test detonation of a nuclear device. Since North Korea acknowledged its coronavirus outbreak in May, it has reported about 4.8 million fever cases in its population of 26 million but only identified a fraction of those as COVID-19. The country, which likely lacks test kits and other public health tools, has claimed the outbreak has been slowing for weeks and that just 74 people have died. Since we began operating the maximum emergency anti-epidemic campaign (in May), daily fever cases that reached hundreds of thousands during the early days of the outbreak were reduced to below 90,000 a month later and continuously decreased, and not a single case of fever suspected to be linked to the evil virus has been reported since July 29, Kim said in his speech Wednesday during a national meeting at which he announced a revised pandemic response. For a country that has yet to administer a single vaccine shot, our success in overcoming the spread of the illness in such a short period of time and recovering safety in public health and making our nation a clean virus-free zone again is an amazing miracle that would be recorded in the worlds history of public health, KCNA quoted him as saying. For Kim to declare victory against the coronavirus suggests he wants to move on to other priorities, such as boosting the country's broken and heavily sanctioned economy, which has been further damaged by pandemic border closures, or conducting a nuclear test, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. South Korean and U.S. officials have said North Korea could be gearing up for its first nuclear test in five years amid a torrid series of weapons tests this year that included its first launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. The provocative tests underscore Kims intent to advance his arsenal while also pressuring the Biden administration over long-stalled negotiations in which he hopes to use his nuclear weapons as leverage for badly needed sanctions relief and security concessions, experts say. Kim Yo Jong's bellicose rhetoric indicates she will try to blame any COVID-19 resurgence on South Korea and is also looking to justify North Koreas next military provocation, Easley said. Activists in South Korea for years have flown balloons across the border to distribute hundreds of thousands of propaganda leaflets critical of Kim's regime. North Korea has often expressed fury at the activists and at South Koreas government for not stopping them. During Wednesdays meeting, Kim Yo Jong called the countrys virus outbreak a hysteric farce kicked off by South Korea to escalate confrontation. (South Korean) puppets are still thrusting leaflets and dirty objects into our territory. We must counter it toughly, she said. We have already considered various counteraction plans, but our countermeasure must be a deadly retaliatory one. North Korean state TV showed some people in the audience of thousands crying as she spoke about her brothers fever a reference that wasnt further explained. The crowd applauded and cheered as she vowed North Korea will eradicate not only the virus but also (South Korean) government authorities if the enemies continue dangerous acts that could introduce the virus into our republic. While Kim Yo Jong has made many speeches and statements in recent years as one of the most powerful members of her brothers leadership circle, Thursday was the first time North Korean media have broadcast the complete video and audio of one of her speeches, South Koreas Unification Ministry said. The highlighting of her speech by state media reflects her rising status and could be aimed at emphasizing the threat directed at South Korea. In 2020, Kim Yo Jong drove a pressure campaign in which North Korea blew up an empty South Korean-built liaison office in its territory and threatened to end a 2018 military agreement on reducing border tensions, in a furious response to South Korean leafletting campaigns. In 2014, North Korea fired at propaganda balloons flying toward its territory and South Korea returned fire, though there were no casualties. North Koreas claim about the origin of the outbreak contradicts outside experts, who believe the omicron variant spread when the country briefly reopened its border with China to freight traffic in January, and surged further following a military parade and other large-scale events in Pyongyang, its capital, in April. In May, Kim Jong Un prohibited travel between cities and counties to slow the spread of the virus. But he also stressed that his economic goals should be met, which meant huge groups continued to gather at agricultural, industrial and construction sites. At the virus meeting, Kim called for the easing of preventive measures and for the nation to maintain vigilance and effective border controls, citing the global spread of new coronavirus variants and monkeypox. ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) A gunman shot and wounded a police officer and two other people Wednesday at a suburban Los Angeles home and then remained inside for five hours before police took him into custody, authorities said. All three victims suffered non-life threatening injuries in the shooting, which occurred in Arcadia, a foothill community northeast of Los Angeles. Nurhan Venk, 47, surrendered and was treated for what appeared to be an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg before he was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and attempted murder of a peace officer, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Venk was arrested late Wednesday night and remained jailed Thursday on $1 million bail, according to a Sheriffs Department website. It wasnt immediately clear if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf. Arcadia police officers went to the home shortly after 5:30 p.m. after receiving reports of a family disturbance and a man with a gun, according to a Sheriff's Department statement. Venk was estranged from his family and was told to move out of the home within the last year, , who is estranged from his family, used to live at the home but had been made to move out within the last year, sheriffs Lt. Derrick Alfred said, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. He had been living in his car but had returned home several times, Alfred said. Officers learned that Venk had gone to the home that afternoon, had several handguns and was threatening his mother, 73-year-old Ankine Venk, authorities said. As the officers were outside the house, they heard at least two gunshots, followed by more shots as they approached and an officer was shot in jaw, authorities said. The officers didn't fire back but retreated as more shots were fired from inside the home. Ankine Venk and her 12-year-old grandson ran out of the home, according to the Sheriff's Department. Venk had been shot in the chest but the boy wasn't hurt, authorities said. A neighbor who lives across the street, 83-year-old Zoo Ching Yang, was at home when a stray bullet went through a bedroom window frame and struck him in the eye, according to the Sheriff's Department. All three victims were treated at a hospital for critical but non-life threatening injuries. SWAT team members were called in and some neighbors were evacuated or told to shelter in place. Venk remained barricaded in the house and finally surrendered after hours of negotiations with the Sheriff's Department Crisis Negotiation Team, the department said. The wounded officer wasn't immediately named but authorities said he 26, has been with the Arcadia Police Department for about six months and had about three years of law enforcement experience. He was expected to make a full recovery, Police Chief Roy Nakamura said in a statement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A court in Russia on Thursday ordered a former state TV journalist placed under house arrest for nearly two months pending an investigation and potential trial on charges of spreading false information about Russias armed forces. Marina Ovsyannikova was charged over a street protest last month, when she held up a banner that said, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is a killer, his soldiers are fascists. 352 children have been killed (in Ukraine). How many more children should die for you to stop? If convicted, Ovsyannikova faces up to 10 years in prison under a new law that penalizes statements against the military. The law was enacted shortly after Russian troops moved into Ukraine. In the courtroom on Thursday, Ovsyannikova held up a poster saying Let the murdered children come to you in your dreams at night. She first made international headlines on March 14, when she staged an on-air protest against Moscow's war in Ukraine. Marina became a hostage of her own conscience and a hostage of her love for her children, you see," her lawyer, Dmitry Zakhvatov, said after the hearing. She cannot be abroad because her children are here, and she cannot stay silent here because shes a prisoner of her conscience, Zakhvatov said. "As a mother, she cant stay silent. She sees whats going on and its making her speak out. In March, Ovsyannikova appeared behind the anchor of an evening Channel One news broadcast holding a poster that said Stop the war, dont believe the propaganda, they are lying to you here. She quit her job at the channel, was charged with disparaging the Russian military and fined 30,000 rubles ($270 at the time). After quitting her job, Ovsyannikova became somewhat of an activist, staging antiwar pickets and speaking out publicly against the conflict. She was fined two more times in recent weeks for disparaging the military in a critical Facebook post and with comments she made at a court where an opposition activist also accused of spreading false information about the military was remanded into custody. According to Net Freedoms, a legal aid group focusing on free speech cases, as of Wednesday there were 79 criminal cases on charges of spreading false information about the military and up to 4,000 administrative cases on charges of disparaging the armed forces. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW YORK (AP) Trillions of insects migrate across the globe each year, yet little is known about their journeys. So to look for clues, scientists in Germany took to the skies, placing tiny trackers on the backs of giant moths and following them by plane. To the researchers surprise, the moths seemed to have a strong sense of where they were going. Even when the winds changed, the insects stayed on a straight course, the scientists reported in a study published Thursday in the journal Science. Their flight paths suggest these deaths-head hawk moths have some complex navigation skills, the authors said, challenging earlier ideas that insects are just wanderers. For many, many years, it was thought that insect migration was mostly just dictated by winds, and they were blowing around, said lead author Myles Menz, now a zoologist at James Cook University in Australia. Its been tough for scientists to get a close look at how insects travel, in part because of their small size, Menz said. The kinds of radio tags used to follow birds can be too heavy for smaller fliers. But transmitters have gotten tinier. And it helps that the death's-head hawk moth is huge compared to other insects, with a wingspan up to 5 inches (127 millimeters). The iconic species dark colored with yellow underwings and skull-like markings was able to fly well with the tiny tracker glued to its back, said Martin Wikelski, a study co-author and migration researcher at Germany's Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior. The moths are thought to migrate thousands of miles between Europe and Africa in the autumn, flying by night. For the study, researchers released tagged moths in Germany in the hopes theyd start flying on their migration path toward the Alps. Wikelski, the study's pilot, took off in his plane, circling the area and waiting for any moths on the move. If he did pick up a signal from a tiny traveler, he would follow its radio blips for hours at a time. The little moth is guiding you, he said. The researchers followed the flight paths of 14 moths, with their longest track around 56 miles (90 kilometers). Not only did the moths fly in straight lines, but they also seemed to work around wind conditions, Menz said, flying low to the ground when the winds were against them, or rising up to catch a helpful tail wind. Though the number of moths tracked was fairly small, getting any close-up look at insect migration is significant, said Ryan Norris, an insect and bird migration researcher at the University of Guelph in Canada, who was not involved in the study. I was surprised at how far they could track them, Norris said. And it certainly is surprising that individual moths stay on this straight trajectory." ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATLANTA (AP) The Rev. Al Sharpton demanded a full accounting of how a Georgia woman fell from a moving patrol car after her arrest, saying at her funeral Thursday that he would seek a Justice Department review of her case if the family didn't get answers. Brianna Grier, 28, suffered significant injuries on July 15 and died July 21 at an Atlanta hospital. Authorities had been called to her home in Sparta, Georgia, as she experienced a mental health crisis, a family attorney has said. Sparta is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta. Sharpton, noting reports Grier was having what he called a mental health episode, said the issue was not what she was thinking, but what police were thinking. She may have had an episode. What were they having that they had not secured who they arrested in the back of the cruiser, he asked at the funeral service for Grier in Atlanta. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said deputies who put Grier in the back of a patrol car to take her to the Hancock County Sheriffs Office failed to close the rear passenger-side door before driving off. Grier was not wearing a seatbelt and her hands were cuffed in front of her, according to GBI investigators. Grier fell out of the moving patrol car and suffered a fatal brain injury that put her in a coma until she died, according to family attorney Ben Crump. Crump also has represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Taylor's mother attended the funeral service and briefly stood next to Crump in the pulpit. We're going to make the world know that she matters, Crump said of Grier. Authorities had said Grier kicked the door and jumped out, her father, Marvin Grier, noted. He said the family seeks justice and accountability and wants to tell Griers twin daughters the truth about her death. The family planned to march to the state Capitol after the service. The night that this happened, we called the police for help, he said. For help, not death." Sharpton, who pledged $5,000 for the education of Grier's daughters, used his address to urge Black people to continue the fight for racial justice, blasting members of the community who don't vote and who engage in self-aggrandizement on social media. Cases such as the fatal shooting of Taylor and the murder of George Floyd continue to occur because some members of the community have not kept up the struggle of the civil rights era, he said. We must be worthy of our ancestors that paid the price for us, that never was going to get any of what we did but they paid it anyhow, he said. But he also said law enforcement must be held to a higher standard. In Grier's case, he said, officers were supposed to take her safely for medical treatment. If you couldnt do the job, then you shouldnt have signed up for the job," he said. NEW ORLEANS (AP) A deputy constable for one of New Orleans city courts has been suspended while authorities investigate a complaint that he did not act when a witness told him a woman was being raped. The constable for 2nd City Court told New Orleans news outlets the deputy was suspended pending an investigation. The deputy constable's name was not released. He was on a private duty security job at the time of the July 26 incident in the French Quarter. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Western countries agreed Thursday to continue long-term funding to help Ukraines military keep fighting nearly 5 months after Russia invaded its neighbor, saying 1.5 billion euros ($1.5 billion) has been pledged so far and more is coming. The money is for enhancing armaments production, including artillery and ammunition; developing and strengthening the training of Ukrainian soldiers and assisting Ukraines efforts to demine areas. All the countries that came to Copenhagen came with the intention of supporting Ukraine, Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov said at the end of the one-day meeting of 26 nations and the European Union. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the meeting proved that Russian President Vladimir Putins ambition (of the West losing its willingness to support Ukraine) has failed. We are still determined, Wallace said. The 1.5 billion euros included donations by the U.K., Denmark and Norway but it will grow, Bdskov said, adding "some of the countries need to go back home and get the support of their parliaments." Bdskov said that money alone will not do the trick, as you say, we need increased productions. He thanksed Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic for signaling a willingness to expand production of artillery systems, ammunitions and other equipment. At the conference, Norway said it would help train Ukrainian troops in Britain. Sweden and Finland earlier said they would do the same. Iceland will assist demining efforts in Ukraine by training trainers, its foreign minister said. In a live feed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations to provide more money, saying the sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe. We need armaments, munitions for our defense, he said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference, declined to give details on what weapons his country will get. The conference, co-hosted by Denmark, Britain and Ukraine, followed an April meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany that established the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which coordinates international military support for Ukraine. Britain on Thursday announced that it will send more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine to help it resist Russias invasion. The new weapons, whose number wasn't specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems it gave Ukraine earlier this year. Ukrainian troops have been trained in Britain to use them. Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putins invasion, Wallace, the defense chief, said. Before the conference, Denmark said it would give Ukraine an extra 820 million kroner ($113 million), which would bring Denmarks total contribution to more than 3 billion kroner ($413 million). Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it a huge donation. Part of the money will pay for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram said there was still unwavering Western support for Ukraine. It is decisive for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian attack," Arild Gram said. The Kyiv School of Economics released a report Wednesday assessing the cost of war damage to Ukraines infrastructure at more than $110 billion. The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities were either destroyed or damaged. ___ Jill Lawless in London, and James Brooks in Copenhagen, contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine It's an history-making time for Volkswagen of America. The automaker is, for the first time, building electric vehicles in the USA. Specifically its flagship the ID.4 which recently started rolling down the production line at its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It means that VW won't have to import the ID.4 into America from overseas anymore. Photo Credit: VW. Pricing and Availability The first U.S.-built ID.4 deliveries are expected as soon as October. With that in mind, VW is sharing pricing details and announcing a new lower-priced ID.4 model to the lineup that will arrive late this year. The ID.4 is available in three trim levels: Standard/Pro, S, and S Plus. The returning ID.4 Pro features a larger 82 kWh battery and a preliminary manufacturer estimated range of 275 miles. (ID.4 AWD Pro models add an asynchronous motor to the front axle, resulting in a bump to 295 horsepower, and an EPA-estimated range of 255 miles.) On the VW website, the base ID.4 Pro starts from $ 42,495. Later this year, VW will launch the new entry-level ID.4 Standard, with a new 62 kWh battery, 201-horsepower and a preliminary manufacturer estimated range of 208 miles is available as rear-wheel drive and will start from $37,495. VW says it plans to ramp up production at its Tennessee facility to 7,000 ID.4's a month this fall and further increase output through 2023. New for 2023 The ID.4 adds some new standard tech features for 2023, includes Intelligent Park Assist, 45w USB-C charging and a 12-inch infotainment display. VW also says it's upgraded the design inside and out, including all-new colors and trim, new wheels and a new console. Photo Credit: VW. "We're just starting to write a new chapter for Volkswagen in America, and it is very much an American story," said Thomas Schafer, Chairman of the global Volkswagen brand. "When we promised to bring Volkswagen EVs to the millions, it always included American workers building those EVs right there in Chattanooga. We couldn't be prouder to see that vision realized today with our ID.4 electric flagship rolling off the lines. This is another milestone in Volkswagen's ambitious electrification strategy for the U.S. market and globally." Plug&Charge functionality is also now standard on the ID.4, enabling owners to make even better use of their three years of included 30-minute DC fast charging sessions at Electrify America stations. Chattanooga Investment VW invested $800 million to turn its Chattanooga factory into an EV facility, with dedicated facilities for vehicle and battery pack assembly. The factory in Tennessee is now the sixth global site to produce vehicles for Volkswagen's electric line-up. Photo Credit: VW. The Tennessee plant employees more than 4,000 people, and is actively hiring more than 1,000 new production team members through 2022, to help meet high customer demand for the ID.4 and Atlas SUV family. To prepare for the EV transition, the factory has organized more than 75,000 hours of workforce training on battery-powered vehicle and high-voltage systems. Suppliers VW says the American-assembled ID.4 will be mainly sourced in the North American region, particularly the United States. The vehicle includes materials and components assembled in 11 U.S. states, from steel in Alabama and Ohio, to interior parts in Indiana and South Carolina, and electronics components in Kentucky and North Carolina. The EV battery will be supplied by SK Innovation located in Georgia. Photo Credit: VW. VW says it's delivered 190,000 ID.4's to customers globally since its launch in 2021. Photo credit: Volkwsagen. This article originally appeared on CarProUSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DALLAS (AP) The nearly $50 million defamation verdict against Alex Jones for his years of lies about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre is far from a final reckoning. Jones' attorneys plan to appeal and try to lower the price tag a Texas jury put on his false claim that the nations deadliest school shooting which killed 20 students and six teachers was a hoax. The conspiracy theorist faces bankruptcy and other defamation lawsuits. And the courtroom conduct of Jones and his lawyers has exposed the Infowars host to new legal perils, including possible sanctions, allegations of perjury and renewed scrutiny in the investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Here's a look at the fallout from the successful suit against Jones by the parents of one of the child victims in the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting at the school in Newtown, Connecticut. WILL JONES PAY AND HOW MUCH? A Travis County jury last week ordered Jones to pay Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis $4.1 million in compensatory damages for the suffering he put them through by saying the shooting that killed their 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was staged to increase gun controls. The jurors also leveled $45.2 million in punitive damages against Jones, bringing the total fine to roughly a third of the $150 million the couple had sought. It's the first time Jones has been held financially liable for repeatedly claiming the Sandy Hook shooting was faked. Lewis said after the trial that Jones had been held accountable. His lawyers plan to appeal and to seek to reduce the damages. Legal experts say Jones probably won't pay the full amount. In most civil cases, Texas law limits how much defendants have to pay in exemplary, or punitive, damages to twice the economic damages plus up to $750,000. But jurors are not told about this cap, and eye-popping verdicts are often hacked down by judges. Russ Horton, an Austin attorney, said it's almost a surety that the damages against Jones will be cut to conform with the law, either by an appeals court or the trial judge. A Virginia judge did just that in Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Under a cap similar to Texas' law, the judge in July cut the $10 million in compensatory damages that a jury awarded Depp to $350,000. What Jones can afford is also disputed. He testified that any award over $2 million would sink us, and Free Speech Systems which is Infowars Austin-based parent company filed for bankruptcy protection during the first week of the trial. But economist Bernard Pettingill testified that Jones and his company are worth up to $270 million. He said Jones withdrew $62 million from the firm in 2021, when default judgments were issued in that case and two other Sandy Hook defamation suits. Since the verdict, Jones has urged Infowars' supporters to buy the nutritional supplements, survival gear and other products he sells, saying he needs funds to continue the show and his legal fights. "If we dont get solvent and get enough money to come out of this bankruptcy, theyll appoint a receiver and start selling off the equipment," he said Monday. PERJURY? There would be extensive court wrangling before the Infowars studio could be sold for parts. But Jones has more immediate risks and may see his legal bills mount. Jones appeared to be caught in at least one lie while on the witness stand, when a lawyer for the parents suing him revealed he had digital copies of texts and other content from Jones' cellphone. The messages, including communications about Sandy Hook, were accidentally emailed to the plaintiffs' attorneys by one of Jones lawyers. Jones sought to shrug the revelation off in cross-examination, ridiculing an opposing lawyer and denying that he lied. But legal experts say the episode could open Jones up to a possible perjury charge. Criminal charges of perjury are rare and difficult to prove, but Jones' prominence may make him an attractive target, especially in liberal Austin. It would be very hard to imagine a state prosecutor going after someone in a civil case for perjury, said Benson Varghese, an attorney in Fort Worth, Texas. The chance are slightly higher for Jones, given the high-profile case. Aggravated perjury, the charge frequently brought in Texas for lies on the witness stand, is punishable with up to 10 years in prison. A spokesman for the Travis County District Attorneys Office, which would handle a potential criminal case against Jones, declined to comment. SANCTIONS? Even if prosecutors never pursue a case, Jones could face further consequences from Judge Maya Guerra Gamble. Before the trial, lawyers for the parents suing Jones filed a motion asking the judge to sanction him for failing to produce evidence. Gamble is set to take up that motion. And in court, Gamble repeatedly admonished Jones to tell the truth. At one point, she sent the jury out of the room and scolded him for telling jurors he complied with pretrial evidence gathering when he hadn't. And the judge scolded him further for testifying that he's bankrupt, which has not been determined by a court and prompted fury from the lawyers opposing Jones. This is not your show, Gamble told Jones. Your beliefs do not make something true. You are under oath. Judges have wide discretion to set sanctions including fines, imprisonment and other punishments but its rare to see them imposed. Avi Moshenberg, a lawyer for the parents, declined to say whether they would seek other sanctions but said "there were certainly some troubling things that happened during trial. Jones attorney, Andino Reynal, did not respond to a request for comment. JONES AND THE JAN. 6 INVESTIGATION Jones' lawyers accidentally handing over his text messages in the case also exposes him to further scrutiny from the U.S. House committee examining the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot that sought to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election. The committee, which has spent months showing how former President Donald Trump relentlessly pushed his false claims of a rigged election, subpoenaed Jones to testify. And the panels chairman accused him of helping to organize a rally near the Capitol that preceded the insurrection. Now, the lawmakers reportedly have Jones' texts. An attorney for the parents suing Jones, Mark Bankston, gave the committee two years worth of Jones' messages, CNN reported Monday, citing an unnamed person familiar with the matter. Bankston told The Associated Press that he was cooperating with the committee" but did not comment further. On his Tuesday show, Jones downplayed the significance of the messages. He showed a photo of his wife in a swimsuit that he had sent to Roger Stone, a Trump confidant who was also subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee, and said the messages didn't include anything past April 2020. Its six months of limited texts, Jones said. Its a fraction of my phone." OTHER CASES Before the trial in Austin, Jones had already been found liable in a separate defamation lawsuit in Texas and another in Connecticut by relatives of some of the Sandy Hook victims. The other Texas case was filed by Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah was killed in the shooting. The Connecticut case has the potential for a larger award because it consolidates three lawsuits filed by 15 plaintiffs, a former FBI agent who responded to the school and the relatives of nine Sandy Hook victims. It will be up to a Connecticut jury to decide what, if any, damages Jones owes in that case, although law there could also limit what he would have to pay. Trials for damages were scheduled to begin in both cases next month, but their progress has been complicated by Free Speech Systems' July filing for bankruptcy protection, a process that freezes pending litigation. Horton, the Austin lawyer, said the cases could potentially proceed against Jones personally while Free Speech Systems is in bankruptcy court, and he warned that filing for Chapter 11 gives the bankruptcy court tremendous power to examine Jones finances. Bankruptcy is not a place to hide out if you have anything to hide, Horton said. ___ Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut, and Tarm reported from Chicago. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. Getty Images New York City Mayor Eric Adams threatened on Tuesday to bus New Yorkers to Texas to campaign against Governor Greg Abbott. His remarks came in response to the Republican leader's ongoing policy of bussing undocumented migrants detained at the Texas-Mexico border to New York City and other so-called "sanctuary" cities, Fox 26 reported. "I already called all my friends in Texas and told them how to cast their votes," said Adams during a Tuesday news conference. "I am deeply contemplating taking a busload of New Yorkers to go to Texas and do some good old-fashioned door knocking because we have to get him out of office." Texas gubernatorial hopeful Beto O'Rourke couldn't hold back his ire or an expletive Wednesday night when his speech during a town hall in Mineral Wells, Texas was interrupted by heckler as O'Rourke discussed the recent Uvalde shooting. While the Democrat described the weapon that was used to kill 19 children and two teachers during the May 24 massacre, a man in the crowd, an alleged supporter of Gov. Greg Abbott, cackled in response. In the lead up to the interaction, O'Rourke was describing how the 18-year-old gunman "followed the law that's on the books that says you can buy not one, but two or more AR-15s, hundreds of rounds and ammunition and take that weapon that was originally designed for use on battlefields in Vietnam to penetrate an enemy's helmet at 500 ft and knock him down dead." However, before O'Rourke was able to finish his point, the man began laughing loudly enough to disrupt the candidate, prompting him to swiftly turn toward the man and shout: "It may be funny to you motherf--ker, but it's not funny to me." The crowd cheered and applauded the fiery response, turning their O'Rourke signs to face the collection of Abbott supporters standing in the back of the room. "We're gonna make sure that our kids who are starting their school year right now, that they don't have to worry about somebody walking into their school with a weapon like this," O'Rourke continued. "That we take common sense steps, we find the common ground. Democrats and Republicans, gun, non-gun owners alike." A video of the moment posted by an O'Rourke fan page on Twitter quickly went viral, amassing more than 23,000 likes and more than 7,000 retweets within hours. Other videos of the moment were also widely shared on social media Wednesday night, sparking praise from several O'Rourke supporters. Fred Guttenberg, whose teen daughter was killed during the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla. swiftly applauded the action, tweeting: "Go @BetoORourke!!! This is how you respond while discussing the mass shooting in Uvalde." Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents Uvalde, tweeted: "@BetoORourke captures the anger and frustration that so many of us feel when people like this heckler and @GovAbbott show no compassion for Uvalde victims and their families." "This is how it's done, Texas. Vote Beto," tweeted New York-based comedian Noel Casler. Author Don Winslow wrote on Twitter: "You really need to see this short video with @BetoORourke. Wait for it...it's worth it. This man should be the next governor of the state of Texas." Not everyone was impressed by O'Rourke's show of anger Wednesday night. Some gun owners challenged his understanding of gun laws, while others suggested the heckler was an actor hired by O'Rourke. One Twitter user argued that the candidate's "profanity degrades himself, his family and all Texans. This disrespect invalidates his ability to represent a civilized people." Shortly after the video first surfaced online, O'Rourke tweeted: "Nothing more serious to me than getting justice for the families in Uvalde and stopping this from ever happening again." It's not the first time O'Rourke, who has pushed for more restrictive gun laws, has stood up against Abbott and his supporters. During a press conference the day after the Uvalde massacre, O'Rourke directly confronted the Republican governor, approaching the stage as Abbott spoke. Despite being told to sit down by Uvalde Mayor Donald McLaughlin and Sen. Ted Cruz, O'Rourke continued to defiantly shout toward Abbott as he was escorted out by officers, claiming that the Texas Governor was "doing nothing" and that the shooting was "totally predictable." WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 11, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Southeastern Otero County in south central New Mexico... North Central Hudspeth County in western Texas... * Until 600 PM MDT. * At 250 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Cornudas and Cornudas Mountains, including portions of Highway 62/180 around Cornudas. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. In hilly terrain there are numerous of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO EL PASO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 11, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... West Central Hudspeth County in western Texas... * Until 600 PM MDT. * At 254 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 1.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Fort Quitman and Esperanza. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. In hilly terrain there are numerous of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route. Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain. Arroyos, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in League City has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Central Harris County in southeastern Texas... * Until 715 PM CDT. * At 639 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Hooks Airport to Atascocita, moving southwest at 30 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Humble, Jersey Village, Aldine, Cloverleaf, Northside / Northline, Greater Greenspoint, Near Northside Houston, Bush Intercontinental Airport, Eastex / Jensen Area, Central Northwest, Fairbanks / Northwest Crossing, Willowbrook, Hunterwood, El Dorado / Oates Prairie, Hidden Valley, Acres Home, Independence Heights, Settegast, Atascocita and Hooks Airport. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 11, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Spokane has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northeastern Whitman County in eastern Washington... * Until 445 PM PDT. * At 354 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Colfax, or 10 miles northwest of Pullman, moving northeast at 40 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Colfax, Palouse, Garfield, Albion, Oakesdale, Farmington and Belmont. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in Spokane. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Analysis: Factors that may affect Express Entry CRS scores An early analysis of the first all-program Express Entry draws in 2022. Analysis: Factors that may affect Express Entry CRS scores An early analysis of the first all-program Express Entry draws in 2022. Analysis: Factors that may affect Express Entry CRS scores An early analysis of the first all-program Express Entry draws in 2022. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Canada has resumed all-program Express Entry draws as of July 6. Since then, the number of Invitations to Apply (ITAs) issued in each draw has grown by 250 each week, causing the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score requirements to go down. That being said, score cutoffs are still quite high. The most recent Express Entry draw required candidates to have at least a score of 533. In order to get a score this high, candidates would need to be relatively young, highly educated with work experience, and perhaps even bilingual in order to get an ITA. It typically follows that the more Express Entry candidates Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) invites, the lower the CRS cutoff will be. However, there is currently a large number of Express Entry candidates in the pool with scores above 501, partially due to pent-up demand. IRCC had paused draws for Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) draws since December 2020, and the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) had been paused in September 2021. During this time, the number of candidates scoring more than 501 in the pool grew as there were no draws inviting them to apply. Express Entry profiles are valid for up to 12 months in the pool. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment For that reason, the number of high-scoring candidates in the pool has skyrocketed compared to pre-pandemic. On March 3, 2020, the last draw before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, there were some 21,900 Express Entry candidates in the pool with scores between 450 and 600. During the August 3, 2022 draw, there were 66,813 Express Entry candidates in the same range. The number of Express Entry candidates with scores between 501 and 600 is about 8,975, according to the most recent figures available on the government website. Although this figure represents fewer candidates in this range compared to the July 20 Express Entry draw, it is still more than observed on July 6. This suggests more high-scoring candidates are entering the pool, but not fast enough to prevent the CRS cutoff from dropping. The number of Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in the pool is another factor that could affect how low the CRS score will drop. This figure is determined by the provinces, as these governments are the ones that issue nominations. It then depends on how fast the Express Entry candidate can respond to an invitation to apply for a nomination (if they want to) and how much time it takes the province to process the nomination. In the most recent three draws, the increase of 250 ITAs per draw has been enough to offset the intake of new Express Entry candidates as well as PNP candidates. As a result, the CRS score has continued to go down. Express Entry ITAs and Pool Distribution July 6 July 20 Aug 3 ITAs 1,500 1,750 2,000 *PNP in pool (CRS 601+) 669 580 640 *CRS 501-600 8,773 9,101 8,975 *Note that these are the score distributions published at the same time as each draw and do not necessarily reflect the number of candidates in the pool on the exact draw date. If draws continue like this If IRCC continues to increase the number of ITAs by 250 every two weeks, it will take 30 weeks for draw sizes to match the 5,000 we saw in December 2020. That would be March 8, 2023. The average number of ITAs per draw between January 8 and March 4, 2020 was 3,700. It will take IRCC 20 weeks, or until December 28, 2022, to exceed this figure if draws increase at the same pace. Of course, IRCC does not have to hold draws every two weeks and the department can adjust invitations as it sees fit. The number of invitations issued, as we have seen throughout the pandemic, depends on the departments ability to maintain its processing standard of 80% of applications finalized in six months, as well as the multi-year immigration levels plan. What does the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan say? IRCC is expecting to welcome about 55,900 Express Entry candidates in 2022. We know from internal briefing notes that this figure will be made up of people who are in the immigration backlog. However, new Express Entry applicants are expected to be among the 75,750 targeted for 2023. ITA holders have 60 days from when they receive their invitation to apply for permanent residence, and it can take IRCC six months or more to process the application. Then in 2024, the Express Entry target is going up to 111,500, which is comparable to annual Express Entry targets in 2021. What can we take away from this? If you are looking for CRS scores to go down so you can get an ITA, keep in mind these factors: IRCC does not publicize draw strategies in advance. It can hold draws whenever it wants and set draw sizes based on whatever it wants. However, draw sizes can be influenced by the Express Entry targets found in the immigration levels plan, which is set to be updated by November 1. CRS scores typically do go down as more invitations are issued. However, an increase of PNP candidates or more high-scoring Express Entry candidates in the pool can also affect score cutoffs. There is already a larger-than-normal amount of candidates in the pool with scores above 501 due to the 18-month pause in all-program draws. The reason why IRCC resumed draws in July is because the department had cleared the backlog in applications enough to meet its processing standard. Candidates who do get invited to apply are expected to see their applications processed in six months. Looking forward Starting in early 2023 IRCC is expected to start holding draws focused on an economic goal, such as occupation, language competency, or another factor. As such, CRS scores and program types may no longer be the only deciding factors on whether someone gets an ITA. Furthermore, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has until September 8 to put forth a plan on how to give more weight to in-Canada work experience under economic immigration programs, among other priorities dictated by a motion put forward by Randeep Sarai, the member of parliament for Surrey Centre, British Columbia. The ministers mandate letter, tabled in December, calls on Fraser to Expand pathways to Permanent Residence for international students and temporary foreign workers through the Express Entry system. However, the minister told CIC News in a June interview that it does not necessarily mean candidates would be awarded more points through the Express Entry system. Over the next number of months we should be able to share some clarity as to what these pathways may look like and Im really looking for it because I think its a huge opportunity for Canada, Fraser said. Canadas provinces are also calling for more immigration powers. Four immigration ministers from Canadian provinces signed a letter requesting a greater say over immigration, including Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Both Saskatchewan and Ontario are requesting greater autonomy over immigration and more nominations to invite immigration candidates. If they are successful, there could be even more opportunities for Express Entry candidates to gain permanent residence through the PNP. Get a Free Express Entry Assessment CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access The war will progress from horror to horror, he declared, and with it the protest, disgust, and anger of the people will deepen. What to do? Why, head overseas to meet with the enemy leader, naturally. It never hurts to talk, and the encounter might just lead to peace. This little narrative, which would fit any number of current politicians, was the final episode in the career of Elbert Green Hubbard (18561915), a true American original. Once world-famous, now obscure, Hubbard was a unique amalgam of essayist, huckster, impresario, sage, and egomaniac. It was the last attribute that cost him his life. On a mission to see Kaiser Wilhelm II and stop World War I in its tracks, he and his second wife, Alice, boarded a ship to Europe. At dockside in New York City, Hubbard ebulliently informed reporters that he was a negotiator without portfolio, an ex-officio General Inspector of the Universe, with power to investigate anything in any way I choose, as long as I do not violate the Pure-Food laws. The inspector never reached his destination. On the morning of May 7, 1915, as the RMS Lusitania cut through the Irish Sea, a German torpedo hit her prow. She sank in 18 minutes. Among the 1,190 victims who drowned were Elbert and Alice, last seen arm in arm as they headed for their stateroom. The next morning, newspaper obits brimmed with the deceaseds achievementsand aphorisms: Many a mans reputation would not know his character if they met on the street. To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. No one ever gets far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day. Editor: A person employed by a newspaper, whose business it is to separate the wheat from the chaff, and to see that the chaff is printed. Men are not punished for their sins, but by them. You can lead a boy to college, but you cant make him think. The teacher is one who makes two ideas grow where only one grew before. Enthusiasm is the great hill-climber. Of all the subjects that consumed him, Hubbard knew most about hill climbing. He came from nowhereor, to be more specific, from the tiny hamlet of Hudson, Illinois, where he grew up in a hard-shell Baptist household. His father was a prim small-town physician who made calls in a horse-driven gig. His mother was a long-faced homemaker who had lost three sons in infancy or early childhood. Melancholia never seemed to leave the large frame house; even the drop-ins were sad. Elbert recalled a series of Civil War veterans, gaunt and bearded men in uniform, some invalids, some drunkards and broken with vice, who needed his fathers aid and counsel. Perhaps in rebellion against this blue background, Elbert was buoyant, humorous, optimistic, a whirlwind of positive energy. After high school, he hit the road as a soap salesman. His powers of persuasion made Harold Hill, the ebullient drummer of The Music Man, look like a victim of chronic fatigue syndrome. When I arrived in a town, wrote Hubbard, the bus driver smiled, the babies cooed, the dogs barked, and the dining-room girls giggled. I scattered smiles, lilac-tinted stories, patchouli persiflage, good cheer, and small silver change all over the route. . . . And I sold the goods. He sold so many, in fact, that by 1881 he had established himself as a partner in the J. D. Larkin Soap Company, whose products he peddled with such panache. That year, he courted and married a pretty girl named Bertha Crawford, from Normal, Illinois. Elbert had swept Bertha off her feet during one of his downstate trips. She was to bear three sons and a daughter, notes Hubbard biographer Freeman Champney, and to get on his nerves dreadfully. The young couple relocated to East Aurora, New York, 18 miles south of Buffalo, where Larkin had its headquarters. As he began his third decade, Elbert G. Hubbard was poised to become the George F. Babbitt of his epoch, fashionably mustachioed, barbered, and tailored, spouting bromides, raising a family in prosperous, horsey suburbia, getting on in the Gilded Age. But a funny thing happened on the way to prosperity: he fell in love. The object of his affection was Alice Moore of neighboring Wales, a rather plain, highly intelligent schoolteacher and one of the areas first liberated women. Later13 years laterElbert acknowledged that Alice had caused me, at thirty-three years of age, to be born again. Part of that rebirth was a sudden desire to pursue a literary career. The love affair remained clandestine; the aspiration did not. In 1892, Elbert sold his Larkin shares for $75,000, a princely sum in those days (I have sloughed my commercial skin, he told his mother), took Greek and Latin lessons from a local minister, developed a voracious appetite for American and English literature, and applied for admission to Harvard. He entered the university in September of the following year; three months later, he dropped out, disenchanted with the faculty. One incident was particularly wounding. Professor Jarrett Bennett, he remembered, deigned to read a composition by the 35-year-old freshman. On being ushered into the Presence, I stood first on one foot, then tother, and rolled my hat in the vain hope of giving the impression of the humility which I did not feel. Finally the ass opened its mouth and spake: I was told that my work was totally lacking . . . that I would never make a writer. Hubbard had a low threshold for rejection. Fueled by acrimony, he quit Cambridge and set out to prove his professor wrong. He scribbled three novels (all published, all ignored) and made notes for a series of essays on great men. For research, he traveled to England, visiting the homes of early-nineteenth-century writers and artists. Upon return, Elbert shuttled surreptitiously between two households in upstate New York: Alices in Potsdam, and Berthas in East Aurora. He acquired some modest stone buildings near the East Aurora home, and there founded a monthly magazine of protest. Well aware of Matthew Arnolds pejorative use of philistine to describe the vulgar and unlettered, he impudently called his publication The Philistine. The pocket-size periodical allowed for no sacred cows and viewed the robber barons with particular disdain. In Hubbards view, Millionaires as a rule are woefully ignorant. Up to a certain sum, they grow with their acquisitions. Then they begin to wither at the heart. The care of a fortune is a penalty. I advise the gentle reader to think twice before accumulating ten millions. The Philistine was a hit from issue one. Some 52,000 impulse buyers snatched up the first copy, and soon an audience of 126,000 was quoting Elberts iconoclastic views. Readers loved it when he criticized high society and the medical establishment, and lampooned the academy with pseudo-ads: H2 BOYESSEN, Literary Analyst Ibsen interpreted while you wait Columbia College, N.Y. Not all Hubbard views were negative. Presenting himself as a latter-day Ralph Waldo Emerson, the writer/editor trumpeted the virtues of self-reliance and urged his readers to choose homemade goods over mass-produced ones. The handiwork and socialist philosophy of William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement in Britain, particularly impressed him. Morris paid homage to medieval textiles and furniture, producing some of the most beautiful designs of the nineteenth century; Hubbard believed that the time was propitious for an American version. In 1895, he founded the Roycrofters, named for the seventeenth-century English bookbinders and artisans Samuel and Thomas Roycroft. Like them, Elbert and a group of newly hired colleagues started from scratch, designing their own fonts, making their own paper, and producing their own volumes, page by page. The first effort was a reprint of the Song of Songs. This was not an arbitrary or a theological choice. Though Elbert had turned into a freethinker who believed that formal religion was organized for slaves, he found backing for his clandestine affair in King Solomons sonorities. Accompanying the book was a study written by the main Roycrofter. Surely the love of man and woman is not an ungodly thing, proclaimed Hubbard, else why should God have made it? Gods dice are loaded, says Emerson, and further he adds, All natural love between boy and girl, man and woman, is a lovely object, for the richness of its mental and spiritual possibilities are to us unguessed. This essay was part of an elaborate defense built against the day when the dalliance with Alice might become public. Elbert would need it. For in the fall of 1894, he became the father of two daughters: Katherine by Bertha, and Miriam by Alice. To avoid scandal, Alice parked her infant with a sister in Buffalo and went off to address suffragette rallies in New England and the West. Aside from a few well-chosen confidantes, no one was the wiser. But the clock was ticking down to denouement. On the last page of Song of Songs appeared a proud declaration: no power save the Human Muscle had created the book. If the Roycrofters debut was a bit rough around the edges, succeeding volumes showed more than brute force; they were objets dart. Some bore suede covers and gilded edges; others came bound in blue leather, collectors items from the moment they rolled off the presses. The Philistine also gained stature and popularity with each issue. Stephen Cranes writing appeared in its pages; so did Shaws, Kiplings, and Tolstoys. Hubbard had a different affect now: a broad-brimmed hat sat atop his clean-shaven face, and he took to wearing elongated Western-style jackets and a large velvet bow tie. Countercultural when counterculture wasnt cool, he called himself Fra Elbertus. The Fra was a sort of medieval monk gone modern, abandoning poverty, chastity, and obedience to worship at the twin altars of Art and Commerce. In that spirit, Hubbard founded another periodical, this one called Fra and subtitled A journal of affirmation. Unlike The Philistine, with its A-list contributors, Fra was basically a one-man show. The new magazine had a larger format (9 by 14 inches) allowing for longer copy, and, of greater significance, illustrated ads. These presented another kind of A-list: major American products, including Kelloggs cereals, Wrigleys chewing gum, B. F. Goodrich tires, Ford and Studebaker automobiles, and Equitable life insurance. In his new magazine, Elbert wrote blurbs for various items and servicesfor a fee. George Batten, a founder of the advertising agency Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne, looked on admiringly: For anyone to deny the cleverness of Hubbard is like saying that flying machines cant fly. Hubbard has always been smart. He makes and sells everything from literature to andirons. Besides writing, publishing, and managing, Elbert went on lecture tours, appearing in 18 cities in nine states. Full houses greeted him everywhere. He also did a turn in vaudeville, lecturing on the same bill with the Scottish comedian Harry Lauder. Predictably, he adored the limelight: Sir Harry later described Hubbard as the only performer he knew who wore his makeup offstage. He wasnt the only one to view the dynamo with something less than awe. Shaw exploded when Elbert edited him, and Kipling threatened to sue when the title of one poem wound up changed without his permission. But if Hubbard had detractors, he was never without advocates, either. William Marion Reedy, editor of the influential newspaper Reedys Mirror, helped to establish the reputations of Theodore Dreiser, Edgar Lee Masters, and Amy Lowell. Like Elbert, he was a self-made journalist, and wrote in defense of his colleague: It has been said that Hubbards appeal is to the half-baked. It is true, for the greater part. But we are all half-baked for that matter. Culture is relative. People who follow Hubbard do not stay half-baked. They come out of it. He makes lovers of books out of people who never knew books before. In fact, books were but a few of the objects that the Roycrofters turned out. Widening his scope, Elbert hired skilled workers to design and manufacture furniture, ironwork, stained-glass windows, lamps, and jewelry. Some 800 artisans found employment in East Aurora, and most adored the boss. He motivated them with pep talks, shared some (though by no means all) of the profits, and showed them how to flog the merchandise by stressing William Morriss slogan, It is not how cheap but how good. No wonder they applauded unbidden when he entered the dining room. Elbert basked in the flattery. He began to reappraise himself and other leaders. William Morris was a genius, all right, but maybe his brand of socialism wasnt the answer, after all. Those major industrialists . . . perhaps the criticisms were unfair. Experience had taught Elbert that running a business took fervor, intelligence, and leadership. To stimulate the Roycrofters, he tacked notes around the place in a manner that IBM would one day mimic: Self-Control, Loyalty, Mutuality. And he reached out to his vast audience, regarding each reader as a potential customer. A couplet in The Philistine advised readers to Take the train for East Aurory/Where we work for Art and Glory. In 1896, the magazine went further: it invited every one of its subscribers to visit. They would be welcome to seats at the table and a place to sleepof course without charge. Those who remained for more than one night, however, had to work for the public good at least two hours a day. There is type setting, proof reading, copying and addressing wrappers to do, besides taking care of the Roycroft Baby (limited editionde luxe copy), cooking, washing, and then there is a good big wood pile. So many visitors accepted his invitation that Hubbard turned one of the buildings into an inn. Instead of numbers, rooms bore the names of his kind of celebrity: Socrates, for example, Beethoven, Edison, and, reflecting Alices influence, George Eliot and Susan B. Anthony. To woo a larger audience (and put a few more coppers in the coffer), Elbert got around to publishing those articles on the famous. He called the popular series Little Journeys. There were Little Journeys to the Homes of English Authors, among them Robert Burns, Samuel Johnson, and Walt Whitman, whom hed once met. Milton knew all about Heaven, observes the author, and Dante conducts us through Hell, but it was left for Whitman to show us Earth. He never boasted that he was higher, nor claimed to be any less than any of the other sons of men. He met all on terms of absolute equality, mixing with the poor, the lowly, the fallen, the oppressed, the cultured, the richsimply as brother with brother. But Hubbards praise of equality had limits. Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Musicians praised Wagner, Paganini, Beethoven, and Verdi, composers not known for love of their fellow man. And in Little Journeys to the Homes of Eminent Artists, Elbert fervently endorsed the cantankerous master of landscapes and seascapes, J. M. W. Turner. As Hubbard saw it, the painters emotional outlook bore certain parallels to his own: Turners temperament was audacious, self-centered, self-reliant, eager for success and fame, yet at the same time scorning public opiniona paradox often found in the artistic mind of the first class; silent alwayswith a bitter silence, disdaining to tell his meaning when the critics could not perceive it. In Little Journeys to the Homes of Great Business Men, Elbert shed the last traces of romantic collectivism. He produced hortatory profiles of bankers and industrialists, among them Andrew Carnegie and Peter Cooper: Democracy has great disadvantages. Democracy is a safeguard against tyranny, but it often cramps and hinders the man of genuine initiative. If the entire public-school system of the state had been delegated to Peter Cooper in 1850, he as sole commissioner would have set the world a pace in pedagogy. In writing about these captains of industry, Hubbard came to believe that when the world is redeemed from sickness, woe, want, worry and distress, it will be through the influence of businessmen, not through the courts, the preachers or the professional reformers. This was music to the ears of the emerging manager class. Executives quoted the inspirational words of Elbert Hubbard, and The Philistine became secular scripture in corner offices across the nation. Elbert developed a Business Credo, and sales reps from New York to California made it their mantra: I believe in myself. I believe in the firm for whom I work. I believe in my colleagues and helpers. I believe in American business methods. I believe that Truth is an asset. I believe that when I make a sale I make a friend. And I believe that when I part with a man I must do it in such a way that when he sees me again he will be gladas will I. Even the Credo could not compete with what Hubbard produced on the night of February 22, 1899. Over dinner, he and his 16-year-old son, Elbert Bert Jr., had a discussion about the recently concluded Spanish-American War. Who was the conflicts real hero? Teddy Roosevelt, leader of the Rough Riders? General Calixto Garcia, Americas Cuban ally? President McKinley? Bert insisted that it was a certain Lieutenant Andrew Rowan. After the dishes were cleared away, Elbert pondered. The preceding day had not gone well; several employees had given him a hard time, challenging the bosss orders and failing to follow through on assignments. Finally, Elbert concluded that Bert was right. The true champion is one who doesnt ask for reasons; his is but to do or die. He retired to his study and tossed off a 1,500-word essay entitled A Message to Garcia. It concerned Lieutenant Rowan and his assignment: find General Garcia and give him a message from the U.S. president. The obedient officer unquestioningly took the letter, wrote Hubbard, sealed it up in an oil-skin pouch, strapped it over his heart, in four days landed by night off the coast of Cuba from an open boat, disappeared into the jungle, and in three weeks came out on the other side of the Island, having traversed a hostile country on foot, and delivered his letter to Garcia. Then the moral: It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies: do the thing: Carry the message to Garcia! In case anyone missed his point, Hubbard concluded, We have recently been hearing much maudlin sympathy expressed for the downtrodden denizens of the sweat-shop and the homeless wanderer searching for honest employment, and with it all too often go many hard words for the men in power. Nothing is said about the employer who grows old before his time in a vain attempt to get frowsy neer-do-wells to do intelligent work, and his long, patient striving after help that does nothing but loaf when his back is turned . . . . Self interest prompts every employer to keep the bestthose who can carry a message to Garcia. The Message ran without fanfare in The Philistine. Elbert considered it a literary trifle until an assistant brought the news: orders were pouring in for reprints. George Davies, president of the New York Central Railroad, ordered 100,000 copies, one for each of his employees, the rest for his colleagues and their staffs. Other executives followed suit. Prince Hilakoff, director of the Russian Railroad, had the Message translated into Russian and given to his workers. When the Russo-Japanese war began, each soldier received a copy. Eventually, the essay was translated into 37 tongues. Nothing Elbert had previously done came close to this triumph. As his fame spread, the Roycrofters sales skyrocketed. Everyone connected to Hubbard seemed to benefit from the association. Well, almost everyone. Alices (and Elberts) daughter, Miriam, had lived with her aunt for seven years. During that time, the still-smitten Alice received no money from her lover. In 1901, her brother-in-law had had enough. Ignoring her protests, he sued for child support. An out-of-court settlement followed, but the wire services got wind of it and the scandal broke in newspapers everywhere. Humiliated, Bertha left Elbert and filed for divorce. Editorials thundered with denunciations. The New York Sun was characteristic: It is said that like Faust Hubbard has sold his soul to the devil. The sinner found himself pilloried as a seducer, an adulterer, and, worse still, a man who deprived his child of her birthright. Elbert fought back with his customary aphorisms: It is a satisfaction to a vast number of people to hear of the downfall of others. If joy comes to you the news will go unheralded, but if great grief, woe, disgrace be your portion, flaming headlines will tell the tale to people who never before heard of you. Privately, though, he acknowledged that he had fatefully misstepped. A letter to his mother confessed, If I go down it will be because I deserved it. Evidently he didnt deserve it. In 1904, Elbert made Alice an honest woman, marrying her in a widely publicized ceremony in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In the process, he legitimized Miriam. Two of his four children by Bertha, 21-year-old Bert and 16-year-old Sanford, elected to live with their father. All this helped restore his image as a family man. Over the next several years, he quietly repaired his public reputation. He put Alice in charge of the Roycrofters, and she ran the place unobtrusively and well. Turning to his old ally, the pen, he wrote a series of tributes to his new wife. These appeared in the 1907 volume White Hyacinths. To make a better woman than Alice Hubbard, said one, you would have to take the talents and graces of many great women and omit their faults. If she is a departure in some minor respects from a perfect standard, it is probably because she lives in a faulty world, with a faulty man, and deals with faulty folks, a few of whom, doubtless, will peruse this article. Gradually, some of Elberts harshest critics came around. The Detroit Press called the book tender and gentle and sweet. The New York Times agreed: Coming at a time when the world seemed given up to defamation, it marks the very high tide of appreciation. The old confidence returned. In a memoir, Frank Lloyd Wrights son recalls a meeting between the entrepreneur and the architect. Elbert was almost as picturesque as was Father, wrote John Lloyd Wright. They talked arts, crafts and philosophy by the hour. Said Elbert the Hubbard to the Papa one night, Modesty being egotism turned wrong side out, let me say here that I am an orator, a great orator! I have health, gesture, imagination, voice, vocabulary, taste, ideas. I acknowledge it myself. What I lack in shape I make up in nerve. Said Dad the Papa to the Hubbard, Not only do I intend to be the greatest architect who has ever lived, but the greatest who will ever live. Just a couple of boys trying to get along. When the moment was auspicious, Elbert began a campaign to win back the industrialists. The cover of the December 1911 Philistine declared, I am not in the business of defaming America nor using as a doormat the things that are building it up: I believe in big business and more of it. He mocked the emerging revolutionaries in Eastern Europe. His definition of a Marxist was any man who, when given a room in a hotel that contains two beds, sleeps in both; and who also uses the towels to polish his shoes. When the Titanic sank in 1912, Elbert extolled Isidor Straus, John Jacob Astor, and other moneyed folks among the victims: I did not guess your greatness. You are now beyond the reach of praiseflattery touches you notwords for you are in vain. First the obscure came around, then the prominent, including poet James Whitcomb Riley, Nobel Peace laureate Elihu Root, meatpacking magnate J. Ogden Armour, catsup king Henry J. Heinz, and seed-company founder W. Atlee Burpee. And yet, for all his boosterism, Elbert Hubbard continued to avoid easy categorization. As war clouds gathered, he took stock of the deteriorating conditions overseas, of the munitions manufacturers, and of the profiteers. Abruptly, almost in shock, he fingered the very people he had previously admired: Big business is to blame for this thing, let it not escape this truththat no longer shall individuals be allowed to thrive through supplying murder machines to the mob. Inconsistent? No doubt. Then again, so was Elberts idol Whitman, the great avatar of self-promotion and soul who took pride in his own conflicts: Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes. To the end, Elbert, like Walt, was a festival of opposing beliefs and behaviors, moralist and reprobate, aesthete and advertiser, upright citizen and nose-thumber. Indeed, one of his last acts was a flaunting of federal authorities, and ultimately it did him in. Officials at the U.S. Post Office took offense at a tale printed in The Philistine: The bride of a year entered a drugstore. The clerk approached. Do you exchange goods? she asked. Oh, certainly! If anything you buy here is not satisfactory we will exchange it. Well, was the reply, here is one of those whirling-spray [contraceptive] affairs I bought of you, and if you please, I want you to take it back and give me a bottle of Mellins [baby] Food instead. Elbert received a $100 fine for this bawdy indiscretion, and, incredibly, had to surrender his passport. His citizenship rights werent restored until he came up with the idea of visiting Germany in the name of peace. Elbert appealed to the White House, begging permission to cover the war as a journalist. Something of a fan, Woodrow Wilson granted the pardon that sealed the Hubbards fate. When news of the Lusitania hit the papers, journalism suddenly got a little quieter; it was as if the circus had left town. For with all his shortcomings and excesses, Elbert had beguiled millions, educating themand himselfin the process. In his fathers spirit, Bert tried to keep Roycroft going. But the enterprise could not function without an engine; it dwindled rapidly, and in 1938 sputtered out. The Roycrofters output wound up relegated to attics and cellars for decades, awaiting a recognition that never seemed to come. In fact, it had to wait until the new millennium, when the books and artifacts showed up in antiques road shows at very respectable prices. Today, eBay lists hundreds of Roycroft items. In East Aurora, the Roycroft Museum on Oakwood Avenue celebrates the arts and crafts of a bygone era. The nearby Roycroft Inn, now a National Landmark, continues to welcome visitors, and Elbert Hubbard remains a presence in the area and outside it. So does the controversy that swirled around him in life. Some continue to find him an enigma; his biographer refers to him as both an elemental force and a true quack. Reedy offered a similar profile during Elberts life: Every day he does something for someone and someone for something. Thus works out his glorious motto: Be kindbut get the mazuma. But for all that, Hubbard did manage to leave a great deal of sound and valuable work in his wake. Did the author of the Message, which has sold some 40 million copies, combine the best attributes of Emerson, Whitman, and P. T. Barnum, or the worst? Was he a lover of intellect and a maker of beautiful objects, or a hustler out for the Main Chance? Was he an American archetype, or an American anomaly? The answer to all these questions is yes. In the end, Elbert Hubbard is a figure that only Elbert Hubbard could have invented: great, petty, attractive, repellent, inspiring, exhausting, sincere, hypocritical, ephemeral, memorable. In short, a man who wasnt punished for his sins but by them, whose character would not recognize his reputation if they met on the streetyet who, until his dramatic finale, accomplished the impossible at least once a day. Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images A.O. Centrul de Drept al Femeilor anunta concurs privind selectarea specialistilor in cadrul echipelor mobile in contextul realizarii activitatilor ca raspuns la criza refugiatilor Primeste notificari pe email Contractare si Achizitie Bunuri Anunturi de Angajare Granturi - Finantari Burse de studiu Stagii Profesionale Oportunitati de voluntariat Toate Articolele Charities are disappointed by the lack of government action on tackling the cost-of-living crisis, as Boris Johnson ruled out any emergency fiscal interventions earlier this week. The spokesperson for Johnson said this is a task for the future prime minister as "by convention, it is not for this prime minister to make major fiscal interventions during this period". The new prime minister will take over once the leader of the Conservative Party is decided on 5 September. However, charities like Citizens Advice told Civil Society there's no time to waste as demand for its services rise. Mind has said the crisis is negatively impacting people's mental health, as the number of people that have contacted its helpline about financial difficulties has risen by 30% this year compared to 2021. Refuge: An emergency fund should be put in place Ruth Davison, chief executive of the domestic abuse charity Refuge, said her organisation was disappointed that the prime minister had ruled out an urgent fiscal intervention. The crisis is impacting many of the most vulnerable, including survivors of domestic abuse who are facing increased barriers to fleeing their perpetrators, due to economic hardship, she said. A recent survey of Refuge frontline staff revealed that 75% of frontline workers surveyed said that the cost-of-living crisis means that survivors needed to use food banks for essentials. 92% reported that it is pushing survivors further into debt and 73% said the cost-of-living crisis is increasing barriers to leaving their perpetrator. Refuge supports the call of Womens Aid Federation England for an emergency fund to be put in place for survivors of domestic abuse, and for the 20 Universal Credit uplift to be immediately reintroduced for all claimants, as a first step towards ensuring survivors of domestic abuse are able to flee and access the specialist support, they need and deserve. Citizens Advice: Theres no time to waste Morgan Wild, head of policy for Citizens Advice, said: The cost-of-living crisis is already having a devastating impact on peoples lives. Every day we hear from people who cant afford to turn the lights on or cook their kids a hot meal. The government did the right thing by bringing in targeted support, but it wont be enough for people to manage these previously unthinkable price hikes. The obvious place to start is to increase benefits to keep pace with the cost of living. Theres no time to waste. StepChange: A clear and ambitious set of measures is needed, and fast Richard Lane, director of external affairs at StepChange Debt Charity said: We know the situation for many households across the country is already dire - figures out today show consumers are trapped in 1.3bn of energy debt, while around one in four StepChange clients are coming to us with energy debts a significantly higher proportion than before the pandemic. Against this backdrop, a catastrophic price cap rise is looming, threatening many millions of households with fuel poverty, problem debt and the prospect of making unthinkable choices between turning the heating on and feeding their families. It is not too late to help those on low incomes to navigate this increasingly difficult period, but time is running out. A clear and ambitious set of measures is needed, and fast. Joseph Rowntree Foundation: Everyday action is delayed, anxiety for low-income families increases Peter Matejic, chief analyst at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: The latest projections of annual energy bills exceeding 4,200 from January is the latest in a series of terrifying warnings over the past week, from the Bank of England and others. Families on low incomes cannot afford these eye-watering sums and as a nation, we cant afford to ignore an impending disaster. Everyday action is delayed is increasing anxiety for low-income families who do not know how they will get by this winter. The payments promised by the government earlier in the year offer some help but their scale has been overtaken by events, and they must now be at least doubled if they are to protect people from serious hardship on a massive scale. Mind: The cost-of-living is fast becoming the UK's mental health emergency Vicki Nash, head of policy, campaigns and public affairs at Mind said: The cost-of-living crisis is currently running head first into the UKs post-Covid mental health emergency and both need addressing urgently. According to the ONS, rates of depression have doubled since 2019, and at Mind earlier this year we were already seeing a 30% rise compared to the previous year of the number of people getting in contact with our helpline about financial difficulties. As more and more people start experiencing money problems, it follows that more people will need support with their mental health, which will only add pressure to our already stretched-to-their-limits mental health services. If the UK government doesnt quickly get a grip on whats happening to our countrys household finances, and address the years of underinvestment in mental health services, we are on course for an incredibly difficult winter for millions with little help available. People need support now for their finances and their mental health. Crisis: 'We can't afford to wait' Jasmine Basran, policy manager at Crisis, said: Forecasts this week that energy bills will skyrocket to over 4,000 per household are hugely alarming, causing real distress to many people who are already struggling to balance high rents with bills and rising food costs. We need assurances now we cant afford to wait until a new prime minister is chosen weeks from now to understand what help households will receive. The government and leadership candidates must grip this crisis and agree measures to support people as quickly as possible. This should include increasing housing benefit so that it covers the cost of renting, so people dont need to worry about their rent increasing at the same time as their energy bills, putting them at risk of losing their homes. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Power to Change has called on the government to fund community businesses, which can work alongside charity shops and not for profits, to help regenerate British high streets. A new report from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University, commissioned by Power to Change, looks at how community ownership is key to levelling up high streets. Currently 16% of shops on Britains high streets stand empty, and Power to Change is calling for a new high street buyout fund to make community ownership accessible and help local communities take over and repurpose important empty buildings on their high streets. It is specifically calling on government to invest 100m of Levelling Up Fund money to help capitalise the fund. Nick Plumb, policy manager at Power to Change said traditional charity shops can thrive simultaneously alongside community businesses. Indeed, many community businesses will run charitable services providing low cost meals that tackle food waste, selling pre-loved clothing or employment and skills support from their high street premises. He explained: Community businesses are owned, run by and for their local communities, and are focused on developing services that meet the needs of local people. The report found that community businesses support new and emerging forms of economic activity; slow down and prevent gentrification; create clusters of activity supporting other businesses; create conditions that support high street revitalisation and support the development of policy and funding to better support high streets. It said that community-owned spaces contribute 220m to the UK economy, and 56p of every 1 they spend stays in the local economy, compared with just 40p for large private sector firms. Plumb said: A high street buyout fund will help local people overcome the barriers they face, such as access to money at speed, in taking ownership of their high streets. We need this radical action now to ensure our much-loved community spaces survive and thrive. sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Garland vowed to depoliticize Justice. Then the FBI raided Trumps safe. That was how the Washington Post chose to headline a story on Tuesday, one day after federal law enforcement searched Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence in apparent connection with classified documents that he took with him when he left the White House. The top of the Posts story noted that supporters of Merrick Garland, the current attorney general, said he would try to rebuild trust after the tumultuous Trump years by convincing the public and lawmakers that he is apoliticalbut that the search had landed him square in the middle of a huge political firestorm, drawing praise from Democrats who have been hoping the Justice Department would seriously investigate Trump and the ire of conservatives who decried the search as an abuse of power. Two expert sources quoted further down characterized Garlands conduct as appropriate, but a third said the Justice Departments reputation would suffer if it didnt yield blockbuster evidence. Part of it depends on what happens hereafter, they said. The search of former President Donald J. Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate is a high-risk gamble by the Justice Department, but Mr. Trump faces risks of his own. That was the subheading on a news analysis piece that the New York Times published about the search, also on Tuesday. The gamble, the top of the piece explained, is whether the search will stand up to accusations that the Justice Department is pursuing a political vendetta against a political opponent; the piece noted in the following paragraph that Trumps own demonization of federal law enforcement during his time as president has made Garlands task more sensitive, but then characterized Garland as having put his departments credibility on the line. If the search for classified documents does not end up producing significant evidence of a crime, the piece continued, the event could be relegated by history to serve as another example of a move against Mr. Trump that backfired. The piece then assessed what the risks for Trump might be. In its sixth paragraph, it noted that a number of historians viewed the search as appropriate. Related: What toilets say about the latest Trump news cycle These two storiesand, in particular, the headline on the first and subheading on the secondquickly drew the ire of media critics: the former for insinuating that the search was, as the media professor Jay Rosen put it, unduly politicized and that Garland had thus U-turned on a commitment not to be unduly political; the latter for equating the risks faced by Garland and Trump when the latter is the one under investigation, and for neglecting, as Rosen also put it, to consider the risk to the country should Trump be suspected of wrongdoing but allowed to escape consequences. These were just two articles of many, of course, both at their own papers and across the wider media landscape. But the criticism seemed to reflect a much broader frustration with the sweep of coverage as a whole since the search. (The NYT Pitchbot Twitter account, which has shot to viral fame by satirizing lame headlines in the Times and elsewhere, has been working overtime.) That coverage has been voluminous, and, as always when thats the case, generalizing about it is perilous. Weve seen some smart analysis of the stakes of the search, and reporting that has sought to expand our understanding of how it went down. Newsweek, for instance, reported yesterday that a confidential FBI source tipped agents off as to where Trump was keeping classified materials. The Wall Street Journal later confirmed this. Still, there remains a whole lot that we dont know about the search, including very basic facts like what the searchers were looking forand critics of the coverage are, I think, ultimately right to say that the resulting vacuum has been filled with a lot of noise that has been unhelpful at best, destructive at worst. The latter characterization, of course, applies principally to right-wing coverage of the search, which has veered from the risibly hyperbolic to the outright dangerous to the intensely hypocritical. (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah juxtaposed footage of the Mar-a-Lago search with Fox News commentary from 2016 excoriating Hillary Clintons handling of classified documents.) Mainstream coverage has obviously met a higher bar than thatbut it has sometimes amplified these right-wing talking points, and weve seen other flaws, too. CNNs Brian Lowry noted that the search was a new example of an old problem: how to handle a story thats impossible to ignore in the hours of time to fill, but lacking more detail, equally hard to advance. He was referring specifically to cable news. But the problem hasnt stopped there. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Lets start with the aforementioned amplification of right-wing talking points, which hasnt been limited to right-wing media figures: Republican politicians (including some who tend to be held up as paragons of reason by mainstream outlets) have more or less united in defending Trump and excoriating the FBI, with many of them throwing around incendiary references to the Third World and the Nazis, suggesting that the FBI may have planted evidence, pledging to investigate Garland, and warning that if the FBI can raid a US president, imagine what they can do to you. (This was apparently not meant as an accurate summary of the rule of law.) This reaction was newsworthy, particularly given its breadth and extremity, and some coverage put it in context: one Post story referred to top Republicans echoing evidence free claims; another to thinly veiled calls for violence. But major outletsincluding the Postsometimes just relayed quotes, an exercise that bordered on he said/she said stenography, as the academic Jeremy Littau put it, allowing bad actors to frame whats going on when details are at their most scant. The latter point, again, is important. Whatever else you think about top Republicans rhetoric around the search, its undeniable that it was based on minimal factual informationunless they think any investigation of Trump is inherently illegitimate, a position that itself demands close unpacking. Worse than stenography, no little coverage of the search overtly treated it as a story about the 2024 presidential election, often concluding that it is redounding to Trumps political benefit. The broader 2024 framingwhile generally premature, horse-racey, and annoying, as I wrote on Mondayis, in this instance, substantively relevant, at least in part: it says something about a political party, after all, when a search of its standard-bearers home in a well-documented criminal matter only solidifies his support. In practice, though, 2024 chatter around the search has often been, well, premature, horse-racey, and annoying. Reuters said that the search arguably placed Trump in his political sweet spot; after Trump-backed candidates won midterm primaries on Tuesday, Politico actually published the line: Election deniers had a good night. So did women. But the week belongs to Trump. Even on its own terms, such commentary is nonsensebecause, again, we dont know much about the search. If Trump were to end up in prison because of it, that would be, in Beltway-media parlance, a crushing blow to his 2024 aspirations. The lack of actual information here has led to errors not only in framing what the search means, but also in framing whose fault the lack of information is in the first place. A narrative has developed, including in the press, that Garlands silence on the search (the Justice Department and FBI still havent commented, to this point) is untenable, and that hell need to say something to plug the informational hole to stop Trump and his allies from exploiting it. As Ive written of other ongoing investigations involving Trump, its legitimate for journalists to ask the Justice Department for more transparency and clarity in the public interest. But there are limits to what officials can properly sayand, if they stay quiet, its irresponsible for the press to respond by letting the loudest voices flood the void and calling that Garlands fault. Most pertinently here, Trump himself could easily help us learn much more about the search by releasing the warrant and saying what the FBI took. No little coverage has noted this factbut it hasnt been uniformly prominent, which is hard to justify when Trump is instead trying to fill the news cycle with wild, unevidenced claims. The Post and Times stories on Garlands gamble that I cited above dont even mention that Trump has the proof. Ultimately, all of the abovethe furious right-wing response, the 2024 chatter, the analysis of Garlands riskis rooted not just in an absence of evidence but in the person at the center of the story actively withholding that evidence so he can shape the narrative in a way thats favorable to him. Again, no few astute articles have pointed out the absurdity and danger in this, but no few is not enoughby now, anyone covering politics in the US, or who is just alive on Earth, should know what Trumps narrative tricks are. Sure, Trump being searched is new, and the apparent fact that its over his handling of records is surprising. But major newsrooms have had months to prepare for the general scenario of federal law enforcement criminally probing Trump, the profound democratic questions that this would trigger, and the cravenness with which far-right voices were always likely to respond. Those newsrooms could have thought seriously about how best to cover that. Perhaps they did. But the evidence from this weeks coverage is mixed at best. Too much of it has been reactive, speculative, trivial, or naive. After facing criticism yesterday, the Post changed its initial headlineGarland vowed to depoliticize Justice. Then the FBI raided Trumps safeat least once. It now reads: FBIs search of Mar-a-Lago lands Merrick Garland in a political firestorm; on Google, it displays as: For Garland, FBI search of Trump property makes it hard to avoid political fray. The updates constitute an improvement in that they dont implicitly accuse Garland of politicizing the rule of law. But theyre far from perfect, resting on DC clichespolitical firestorm; political fraythat are worn and passive, offering no insight into who might have started the fire or frayed democracy. This might seem pedantic, but headlines, and language more broadly, matter. How we frame political developments is always a choice, even if we think were neutrally writing down conventional wisdom or just things that people are saying. One choice available to us, of course, is to say, Lets just wait and see. It all depends on what happens hereafter. Below, more on the search and democracy: Mole in one? The Newsweek and Journal stories, and another in Axios, about a source guiding the FBI to classified materials at Mar-a-Lago have heightened fears in Trumpworld that it has a mole. Trump is wondering if his phones are tapped, or even if one of his buddies could be wearing a wire, Rolling Stones Asawin Suebsaeng wrote yesterday. One Trump adviser tells Rolling Stone that since Tuesday, maga loyalists have been asking to pass their suspicions to Trump, telling him not to trust certain individuals and to investigate them for possible contacts with federal authorities. The Newsweek and Journal stories, and another in Axios, about a source guiding the FBI to classified materials at Mar-a-Lago have heightened fears in Trumpworld that it has a mole. Trump is wondering if his phones are tapped, or even if one of his buddies could be wearing a wire, Rolling Stones Asawin Suebsaeng wrote yesterday. One Trump adviser tells Rolling Stone that since Tuesday, loyalists have been asking to pass their suspicions to Trump, telling him not to trust certain individuals and to investigate them for possible contacts with federal authorities. Schorsch-sided: Before Trump himself said on Monday night that his home had been searched, the news was broken on Twitter by Peter Schorsch, a former political operative who now runs a site called Florida Politics. A contact of Schorschs texted him to say he had a Yyyyyuuuuugggggeeeee scoop, then chitchatted with him for twenty minutes before delivering the goods, the Posts Elahe Izadi reports. After that, Schorsch essentially gave the news away, Izadi writes, tweeting it out with the admission that, TBH, Im not a strong enough reporter to hunt this down. His approach stood in stark contrast to the norms of a hyperventilating digital political news environment. Before Trump himself said on Monday night that his home had been searched, the news was broken on Twitter by Peter Schorsch, a former political operative who now runs a site called Florida Politics. A contact of Schorschs texted him to say he had a Yyyyyuuuuugggggeeeee scoop, then chitchatted with him for twenty minutes before delivering the goods, the Posts Elahe Izadi reports. After that, Schorsch essentially gave the news away, Izadi writes, tweeting it out with the admission that, TBH, Im not a strong enough reporter to hunt this down. His approach stood in stark contrast to the norms of a hyperventilating digital political news environment. Fifth hole: Trumps present legal jeopardy, of course, doesnt stop at his records management. Yesterday, he was deposed by Letitia James, New Yorks attorney general, in a civil case concerning his business dealings, reportedly confirming only his name before asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than four hundred times. As many journalists were quick to point out, Trump has previously ridiculed people who take the Fifth. The Mob takes the Fifth, he said in 2016, of aides to Hillary Clinton. If youre innocent why are you taking the Fifth Amendment? Trumps present legal jeopardy, of course, doesnt stop at his records management. Yesterday, he was deposed by Letitia James, New Yorks attorney general, in a civil case concerning his business dealings, reportedly confirming only his name before asserting his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination more than four hundred times. As many journalists were quick to point out, Trump has previously ridiculed people who take the Fifth. The Mob takes the Fifth, he said in 2016, of aides to Hillary Clinton. If youre innocent why are you taking the Fifth Amendment? Albatross: According to Michael Scherer, Ashley Parker, and Tyler Pager, of the Post, President Biden sat last week for a nearly two-hour private history lesson from a group of academics. The conversation unfolded as a sort of Socratic dialogue between the commander in chief and a select group of scholars, who painted the current moment as among the most perilous in modern history for democratic governance, the Post reports. The participants included Jon Meacham, Anne Applebaum (who writes for The Atlantic), Sean Wilentz, Allida Black, and Michael Beschloss (who is NBCs presidential historian). Other notable stories: ICYMI: The margins of Alex Jones Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. NEW DELHI (AP) Last month, a small cybersecurity firm told a major Indian online insurance brokerage it had found critical vulnerabilities in the companys internet-facing network that could expose sensitive personal and financial data from at least 11 million customers to malicious hackers. The little-known firm followed the standard ethical-hacker playbook, giving Policybazaar, the insurance aggregator, time to patch the flaws and inform authorities. It did not seek authorization in advance to test Policybazaars system but said it considered itself justified, in part because it had employees who were customers. A week later, on July 24, Policybazaar, which is publicly traded and counts the Chinese conglomerate Tencent among its investors, notified Indias stock exchanges it had been illegally breached but no significant customer data was exposed. It said little more. The startup, CyberX9, is not keeping quiet. Its managing director wants Indians to know that the multiple extremely critical vulnerabilities were so easy to find it was almost as if Policybazaar intentionally left itself open to criminal or nation-state intrusion. It wouldve been extremely easy for anyone with good computer/IT knowledge to discover, exploit, and leak all of this data, CyberX9 director Himanshu Pathak said. The data include not just names, home and email addresses, dates of birth and phone numbers but what people must show to get insurance: digital copies of identification, health and financial documents including tax returns, pay slips, bank statements, driver licenses and birth certificates, CyberX9 said. A broker for multiple carriers and types of policies that claims 90% of Indias online insurance aggregator market, Policybazaar amasses data through user uploads and self-generated records. It included questionnaires that Indian armed forces members filled out the company offers various insurance policies tailored to them listing their ranks, branch of service, and whether they work in danger zones and handle weapons and explosives. The Associated Press reached three people listed in sample data including copies of sensitive personal documents provided by CyberX9, one a soldier stationed in Ladakh, a region in dispute with Pakistan and China. All three confirmed they were Policybazaar customers. All said they had not been made aware of any security incident. According to documents on the website of Policybazaars parent company, PB Fintech Ltd., 56 million people were registered on the site at the end of December, including 11 million transacting customers who purchased 25 million insurance policies. Policybazaar would not respond to questions from the AP, other than to say it had fixed the identified vulnerabilities and referred the incident to external advisers for a forensic audit. It did not confirm that CyberX9 had alerted it to the vulnerabilities, describe how its IT system was subject to illegal and authorized access or explain what customer data was exposed. Policybazaar said the flaws were identified on July 19, the day after CyberX9 says it first alerted the brokerage. Pathak provided the AP with copies of his email exchanges with Indias Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), which said on July 25 that Policybazaar reported the vulnerabilities had been fixed, and with a national cyber security official, Lt. Gen. Rajesh Pant, who told Pathak in a July 26 email: Thanks for informing. Shall initiate action against Policy Bazaar. Neither CERT-IN nor Pant responded to AP emails seeking comment. CyberX9 said it decided to probe Policybazaars network for flaws after learning during its November IPO how much sensitive and confidential data the company was managing. It said it found five vulnerabilities and was able to retrieve user data with no authorization check -_ and there were no restrictions on how many times an unauthorized user could make such a retrieval. The researchers tested the vulnerabilities by fully automating them using very simple scripts, all of this without facing any viable restrictions by your systems, CyberX9 told Policybazaar in the technical report it sent the company last month. Considering the simplicity and ease of discovery and exploitation of these vulnerabilities, Policybazaar have clearly left the doors open to threat actors to invade the lives of its users. It was unclear whether CyberX9 will face any legal repercussions for probing Policybazaars system. The incident highlights the gray area in which many security researchers operate globally, including in India. Good-faith security researchers intent on preventing malicious hacks and ransomware attacks must tread carefully in India as its computer crime law draws no distinctions in malice and ethics when it comes to identifying and exploiting weaknesses in software code. There is ambiguity in the law it says you cant test without permission and only after that can you probe, said Apar Gupta, executive director of the nonprofit Internet Freedom Foundation. CERT-IN issued a responsible disclosure policy in September offering good-faith hackers guidelines, he said, but it includes a disclaimer that nods to the ambiguity. U.S. law is also ambiguous, though the U.S. Justice Department announced a new policy in May directing that good-faith security research should not be charged. Sandeep Kamble, founder of the Indian firm SecureLayer7, said the judicial system is completely immature in its handling of such cases as judges generally lack the technical acumen. That means the system favors the brash and the bold, who better also have good lawyers. Kamble and Gupta said it seems the CyberX9 researchers, as Policybazaar customers, had good cause to probe the companys digital edifice for easily exploited flaws as long as they did it responsibly. In its report to Policybazaar, CyberX9 said it would be pleased to receive a so-called bug bounty reward which some companies customarily pay researchers for good-faith flaw identification though it is not necessary. Pathak said no such reward was paid. India, with 800 million internet users, also does not have a data protection law even though the countrys top court in 2017 held privacy as a fundamental right and directed the government to draw up legislation. In Parliament, the bill was delayed by criticism over some provisions, including one that gave the government access to personal data in the name of sovereignty. Last week, Parliament withdrew the legislation, saying it would start the process anew. Digital experts say a data protection law is necessary in India where financial fraud and data leaks are rampant. Its absence has exacerbated privacy concerns in the country, where past incidents have seen both private companies and the government leak peoples data. Bajak reported from Boston. About the photo: A man looks at the website of policybazaar website at a local insurance company office in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022. A cybersecurity firm told the major Indian online insurance brokerage last month that critical vulnerabilities in the companys internet-facing network could expose sensitive personal and financial data from its 11 million customers. CyberX9 followed the standard ethical-hacker playbook, giving the brokerage time to patch the flaws and inform authorities. A week later, publicly traded Policybazaar said it had been illegally breached but no significant customer data was exposed. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CORONA, Calif. (AP) A single-engine airplane landed and caught fire Tuesday on a Southern California freeway and the pilot and a passenger were able to escape safely, authorities said. The Piper PA-32 was flying to Corona Municipal Airport when the pilot reported engine trouble and landed in eastbound lanes of State Route 91 in Riverside County, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Local TV news showed dashcam footage of the plane landing in moving traffic and bursting into flames on the freeway near Corona. No injuries were reported. The pilot, Andrew Cho, told the Southern California News Group that he and his passenger had time to get out before the flames spread. Cho, 54, said they had taken off from Corona airport about an hour earlier and were planning to return when the engine suddenly lost power. There was an empty spot (on the freeway) so we went for that, Cho said. Thank God we really didnt hit anybody. The plane clipped the left-rear of a Toyota Tundra pickup. Cho said he is the co-owner of the Piper. The FAA said it was investigating. About the photo: The burned remains of a small airplane that crashed on the 91 Freeway, west of the 15 Freeway in Corona are photographed on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Although the aircraft caught fire, no injuries were reported. (Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Walgreens Boots Alliance contributed to the opioid epidemic in San Francisco through its sale of prescription drugs in the city, a federal judge concluded on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco said that Walgreens failed to properly investigate suspicious opioid orders for nearly 15 years. The amount the pharmacy chain must pay will be determined in a later trial. Walgreens pharmacists filled hundreds of thousands of suspicious opioid prescriptions from 2006 to 2020 with pharmacists not given time, staffing or resources to properly investigate red flags, Breyer wrote. San Francisco in 2018 sued Walgreens, as well as several drug manufacturers and distributors, over the opioid epidemic in the city, saying they created a public nuisance by flooding the city with prescription opioids and failing to prevent the drugs from being diverted for illegal use. A trial began in April, and all of the defendants except Walgreens reached settlements with the city before the court ruled. Breyer said San Francisco had shown that Walgreens lax oversight led to illegal drug use that substantially contributed to the opioid epidemic in the city. Walgreens said that it was disappointed with the ruling and intends to appeal. We never manufactured or marketed opioids, nor did we distribute them to the pill mills and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis, Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman said. The opioid epidemic has caused more than 500,000 opioid overdose deaths over two decades, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 3,300 opioid lawsuits have been filed nationally against drug manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, culminating with many of the other companies though not the pharmacies agreeing to proposed global settlements. The opioid crisis has hit San Francisco hard, with opioid-related emergency room tripling from 886 in 2015 to 2,998 in 2020, according to the court ruling. Paul Geller, an attorney who represented the city in the case, credited San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu for working to hold companies accountable for contributing to the horrific epidemic in the Bay Area. Walgreens was found liable in 2021 for contributing to the opioid epidemic in a similar trial brought by two Ohio counties. Walgreens and its co-defendants, CVS Health Inc and Walmart, are awaiting a ruling from the Ohio court on the amount they must pay to address the opioid crisis in those counties. Russia started developing the Tupolev PAK DA as its first stealth bomber to supplant the current bomber in service with the Russian Air Force. Some believe it is a duplicate of the US B-2 Spirit that has been leaked online, causing a frenzy among western experts scrambling to evaluate it. Russian Stealth Bomber Designs Surfaced on the Net A technical design for an engine uptake duct has recently leaked, and this is believed to be the basic design for Putin's first stealth bomber, reported EurAsian Times. Though work began in 2007 to replace long-range bombers such as the Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear-H and Tu-160 Blackjack, which are faster than subsonic stealth bombers, noted the Drive. Despite rumors of a flying wing arrangement, no officially acknowledged models or artworks have been verified. For the time being, Russian aerospace forces in Ukraine are using the T-90 and T-160 bombers as platforms to deliver cruise missiles. Previously, sources in the Russian aircraft manufacturing business told the Russian news outlet TASS that a test model of the PAK DA long-range bomber aircraft is expected to be finished by 2023. According to Russia's deputy defense minister, Alexey Krivoruchko, in a December 2019 interview, the jet has been approved, but no actual documentation has been made public. Even the origins of the American bomber are steeped in obscurity. Nonetheless, the US Air Force released a B-21 rendering last year, unlike the Russians. Read also: B-21 Bomber Is the Most Advanced Bomber Made to Overcome Anti-Stealth Defenses Western Experts Claim Russia's Aircraft Not so Stealthy The Tupolev PAK DA is designed the same way as the USAF's B-2, with a flying wing and everything that comes with it. No pieces are protruding from the fuselage. Most of these low-observable flying wings are based on the US B-2 Spirit. It has a slanted nose but clearly cranked wings, with a 35-degree angle flying wing/fuselage and a serrated trailing edge. Outboard regions of narrower wings have less severe sweep angles. The patent illustration depicts a kinked wing that might not make it to the prototype. According to Piotr Butowski, a Russian aviation specialist who wrote about the PAK bomber will have a continuous, leading-edge angle like the B-2. It will make the prototype look a lot like a B-21 bomber. Differences exist with the B-21 Raider design of the USAF when it comes to simplicity. Compared to a platypus or shelf-type exhaust system, the PAK features engine exhaust on the wing's trailing edge for the dual-engine stealth bomber. Only China, the US, and Russia have the capability to develop their stealth-capable aircraft program, though Russia is thought to be the third-ranked in such technology. The only operational stealth fighter in the nation, the Sukhoi Su-57, is undoubtedly the least stealthy aircraft of the fifth generation currently operational, and the PAK DA's prospects aren't much better. Many western experts discount this stealth bomber even before the actual prototype. Tupolev PAK DA is a low observable bomber that will be fielded to combat a new kind of battle using stealth as a weapon. Related Article: New B-21 Stealth Bomber Can Defend Itself with Air to Air Missiles @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China's coal-rich Shanxi makes strides in high-quality development Xinhua) 11:26, August 11, 2022 Aerial photo taken on July 28, 2022 shows a view of the Sanggan River National Wetland Park in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Yang Chenguang) TAIYUAN, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Shanxi, a major coal-producing province in north China, has made continuous advances in high-quality development over the past decade, according to a press briefing held Wednesday. Shanxi's accumulated coal output over the past 10 years reached nearly 10 billion tonnes, accounting for about a quarter of China's total, said Lin Wu, secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, adding that Shanxi's coal output is expected to reach 1.3 billion tonnes in 2022. While ensuring China's energy supply, Shanxi has strived to push forward the transition of its energy supply structure by adopting measures such as accelerating the coordinated development of new energy and digitalization of its coal sector, among other efforts, Lin noted. Official data showed that the non-coal sector contributed 7.1 percentage points to Shanxi's year-on-year economic growth of 9.1 percent in 2021. Over the past decade, Shanxi also made efforts to improve its business environment and promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Since the beginning of 2021, 365 high-tech enterprises and three state-level science and technology innovation platforms, such as key state laboratories, have settled in Shanxi, according to the press briefing. Shanxi governor Lan Fo'an said the province has made great progress in improving the environment and people's livelihood. From 2017 to 2021, the ratio of days with good air quality in Shanxi increased from 65.7 percent to 72.1 percent, while the ratio of water categorized as good quality grew from 55.2 percent to 72.3 percent, said Lan, adding that the province's forest coverage rate has exceeded the national average. Shanxi has lifted 3.29 million people out of poverty over the years and, for many years in a row, the province spent more than 80 percent of its fiscal expenditure on improving people's livelihood, Lan said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Russia is reportedly dangling the idea of freedom in order to recruit prisoners to fight in the Ukraine war as Moscow struggles to find volunteers to join its military aggression. Convicts in cramped jail cells were offered promises of freedom and riches as frantic phone calls were made between relatives and inmates considering the idea. Later, prisoners vanish, leaving their loved ones to sift through reports of the wounded arriving in hospitals. Russia's Recruitment of Prisoners That type of situation has been playing out in the convict communities across the Russian nation. With a regular army that has been stretched thin after nearly six months of fighting in Ukraine, there is increasing evidence that the Kremlin is showing its dark side by recruiting Russian prisoners to fight in the war. After a month-long investigation, many inmates were interviewed over Russia's newest recruitment scheme, along with their relatives and friends. Activists believe that hundreds have been approached in dozens of prisons across the country. The individuals include murderers and drug offenders and some have even been taken from the prison where one high-profile American was jailed in Russia. That individual is Paul Whelan, and his brother David said in a statement in July that ten volunteers had left IK17 in Mordovia for the frontlines in Ukraine, as per CNN. There were dozens of chat messages between reviewed messages that detail the tempting rewards offered to fight in Ukraine, where the risk of death is high. The latest assessments by the West suggest that up to 75,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured since the beginning of the invasion. Read Also: Russia Launches Iranian Satellite Into Space Amid Concerns Moscow Would Use it To Spy on Ukraine One prisoner spoke out while inside his cramped jail cell, which had a cat crawling across bunk beds and a fan clamped on top of an old tv. The individual, who was imprisoned for multiple years for drug offenses, spoke on the condition of anonymity and said that Russia accepted murderers but not rapists, pedophiles, extremists, or terrorists. Fighting in Ukraine The convict added that Russian authorities offered amnesty or a pardon in six months to prisoners who would be willing to fight in the war. He noted that the offers were made when unidentified men, believed to be part of a private military contractor's firm, came to the prison in the first half of July. According to the Independent, one U.S. official said, "What we need to understand better is that Russia is prepared to operate over a much longer timeframe than we think typically." This comes as Moscow's advance has slowed down as a result of casualties where 20,000 are thought to have been killed. The Russian Ministry of Defense said that a "large portion" of the new 3rd Army Corps (3 AC) would comprise volunteers from across the nation, who are being offered "lucrative cash bonuses" for deployment to Ukraine. However, Moscow is unlikely to be able to bring the formation to its typical full strength of 15,000 to 20,000 troops. This is due to the "very limited levels of popular enthusiasm for volunteering for combat in Ukraine." Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far refrained from ordering a full mobilization, though Ukraine has claimed that a covert mobilization is already underway, drawing on reservists, Fortune reported. Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: US Claims Russian Officials Now Training on Iranian Drones That Can Carry Precision-Guided Missiles @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Authorities have reported instances of skimming scams in Connecticut and SNAP Benefits-for-Cash Fraud found in Portsmouth as Americans continue to struggle financially due to the economy. As life gets more expensive for everyone, many Virginians are relying on the government for support for their daily needs. A portion of that assistance comes from the benefits of food stamps, which are known as SNAP benefits. SNAP Benefits However, some residents are still taking advantage of these benefits for their own good even at the expense of other people. A Portsmouth woman, Sara Levi, said that she has seen people in her neighborhood selling their SNAP benefits for the money. "I've seen people, where I live, hand somebody their card and get money. I don't understand why we don't stop some of this fraud," Levi said. She makes roughly $10,000 per year and relies on social security and SNAP benefits to get by. Despite this, the resident has said that it was barely enough, as per WTKR. Levi questioned how the government expects her to live on $800 per month with gas taking up $55 every two weeks. She said that there were just many factors and expenditures that ate up all of her money. This is the reason that she thought that has caused many people to cheat the system. Read Also: Houston Nurse Charged with Deaths of 6 People, Including Pregnant Woman, Baby in LA Crash; Suspect Involved in 13 Prior Accidents The resident said that in her Portsmouth neighborhood she sees people selling their food stamps for cash and pocketing the money. She noted that when someone is getting cash for their food stamps and is still getting food from every food bank in Portsmouth something was definitely wrong. According to KFOR News, the situation comes as food assistance programs become a lifeline for thousands of Oklahomans and millions of residents from across the United States. One resident Katherine Henderson and her family of five rely on SNAP benefits to get by. Skimming Scams But earlier this month, she received bad news at the grocery store where she got a receipt that said there was only $20 left. She was surprised and thought that it was not accurate because that day was supposed to be the day to get her deposit. The situation was a result of roughly $1,000 in government assistance dollars being stolen and taken out by someone in California. Katherine said that when she called the Department of Homeland Security they revealed a troubling trend, potentially at local big box chains. She said that stores had skimmers on their self-checkout, and people have been stealing SNAP numbers through the skimmers. Apparently, the criminals took a lot of people's money all at once. Oklahoma City Police put out a warning a couple of weeks ago as skimmers have become a problem that is widespread across the Metro. People on SNAP are particularly vulnerable as the money stolen is non-refundable. The Department of Social Services warned Connecticut residents who are on SNAP to be wary of skimming scams. There have also been reports of a phishing scam in the area where SNAP recipients receive scam text messages regarding their DSS benefits, NEWS8 reported. Related Article: FDA Issues Emergency Use Authorization To Stretch Out Supply of Monkeypox Vaccine Amid High Demand @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Tributes pour in for Singapore on its 57th National Day After two years of muted celebrations, Singapores national day parade returned to mark the countrys 57th birthday. The Float at Marina Bay was filled to capacity with spectators eager to catch this years parade themed Stronger Together, Majulah. The Float@Marina Bay was filled to capacity with spectators eager to catch this years National Day Parade (NDP). Photo courtesy: Twitter/@shilpa_tweetz On the occasion, tributes poured in from all across the globe. Warm greetings to FM @VivianBala and the Government and people of Singapore on their 57th National Day. Our Strategic Partnership is exploring new opportunities and setting higher goals, said Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Ambassador for the Argentine Republic Maurine Nine wished for continued friendly bilateral ties. "My wish for Singapore is to have 57 more years of prosperity and development, with the support of all our friends across the world, like myself from Argentina." Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has extended greetings to Singapore President Halimah Yacob. Over fifty-seven years of sovereignty, your beautiful country has become a leading trading center in Southeast Asia, a true jewel of ASEAN. Singapore's experience of social and economic transformation is an excellent example of the effective development of an independent and self-reliant state, the president said. Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has sent a cable of greetings to President Halimah Yacob of the Republic of Singapore on the occasion of her countrys National Day. In the cable, His Majesty the Sultan expressed his best wishes for President Halimah and the friendly people of Singapore. Leaders of Vietnam have offered greetings to their Singaporean counterparts on the 57th National Day of the city state (August 9, 1965 - 2022). State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent his greetings to President of Singapore Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh extended greetings to his counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, and Chairman of the National Assembly Vuong Dinh Hue did the same to Speaker of the Singaporean Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin. Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi forwarded a message of congratulations to Singaporean President Halimah Yacob, felicitating the Singaporean National Day. The Iranian President cabled a message of congratulation on Tuesday, extending greetings to Singaporean President Yacob and the people of Singapore on the advent of the country's National Day on August 9. The Float@Marina Bay was filled to capacity with spectators eager to catch this years National Day Parade (NDP). This year's parade - themed Stronger Together, Majulah - celebrates Singapore's 57th birthday. Read more Singapore News and National Day News here In its attempt to annex Taiwan, China said on Wednesday that it will "not abandon the use of force." Beijing's military was winding down war drills surrounding the island that had been started following House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's contentious visit last week. According to a statement released on Wednesday by China's Taiwan Affairs Office, the country will "operate with the greatest sincerity and use our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification." China "Successfully Completes" Tasks Around Taiwan After Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on August 2, China conducted days of drills that included simulated air and sea strikes that crossed into Taiwanese territory and ballistic missile tests that came dangerously close to Taipei. In addition to disrupting planes and ships in waterways that are essential for reducing the backlog in the global supply chain, the military provocations strained already poor ties between Washington and Beijing. Per NY Post, the People's Liberation Army announced that normal patrols will continue near Taiwan as the drills came to a close. In response to China's ongoing threats, Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Defense Ministry, stated that Taipei will "completely adapt the distribution of forces based on criteria such as the enemy threat." According to Reuters, Chinese vessels continued to patrol Taiwan's west and east coastlines and drew close to the median line, which serves as the island nation's maritime boundary in the Taiwan Strait. According to Taiwan, 17 Chinese fighter planes violated the hypothetical line on Wednesday. Taiwan sent ships and planes to the area in response to the intrusions in order to monitor the activities and as a show of force to demonstrate its willingness to protect itself. The first trip by a House speaker in 25 years and a legislative delegation spent nearly 19 hours on the island before departing by plane on August 3. Read Also: Houston Nurse Charged with Deaths of 6 People, Including Pregnant Woman, Baby in LA Crash; Suspect Involved in 13 Prior Accidents China-Taiwan Tensions Continue Beijing, which sees Taiwan as a part of its territory, was enraged by Pelosi's visit. Pelosi has been a vocal opponent of China and a close supporter of President Joe Biden. Defying Chinese threats, Pelosi declared in Taipei that she had come to the island to make it clear that "America stands with Taiwan." The US continues to follow a strategy of "strategic ambiguity" with regard to Taiwan, acknowledging China's claims to the island yet refusing to support them. Washington has also promised to arm Taiwan so it can defend itself in the event of an attack. According to a significant policy paper on China-Taiwan relations, China reiterated just before Wednesday's statement that the drills had finished that it would use force against Taiwan should the mainland not seize control of the freely ruled island "through peaceful means." The document reportedly revealed China stepping back on a commitment made in 1993 and again in 2000 to not send military or administrative officials to the island if Beijing gained control. It adds that such action would be a "last resort implemented under compelling circumstances," The Hill reported. Despite the fact that the United States and Taiwan do not have official diplomatic relations, such a move by China would be important for Washington since the Taiwan Relations Act requires the United States to assist Taiwan in defending itself. Related Article: China Develops Nuclear-Powered 'Super Torpedo,' Matches Russia's Doomsday Poseidon Nuke as Moscow, Beijing Clash Against Ukraine, Taiwan @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The United States Justice Department said that they have charged an Iranian individual who allegedly plotted to assassinate former national security adviser John Bolton. After the assassination attempt, the official on Wednesday criticized President Joe Biden's administration for negotiating with Iran on a new nuclear deal. Bolton argued that the government's attempts to "appease" Tehran is encouraging threats against U.S. officials. Iranian Assassination Plot In an interview, Bolton said that because the nature of the Iranian regime "drives it to this kind of action," Biden should not be trying to revive a 2015 deal. He argued that the agreement limited Iran's nuclear abilities in exchange for easing U.S. sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation. Bolton said that it was a big mistake for the Biden administration to continue to show weakness to Iran by asking to get back to the 2015 nuclear agreement. The official has long been skeptical of Iran and argued that these only encourage Tehran to conduct terrorist activities. The Iranian nationalist that the Justice Department charged on Wednesday is a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The individual allegedly plotted to hire someone to kill off Bolton, as per The Hill. The department also said that the individual, identified as Shahram Poursafi, began plotting the assassination in October, likely to retaliate against Bolton for a January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the IRGC's elite Quds Force. Read Also: US Police Crisis: Top Official Raises Alarm as More Policemen Quit Their Jobs The suspect allegedly planned to pay up to $300,000 for someone to assassinate Bolton in Maryland or Washington, D.C., said the Justice Department. He was reportedly in contact with a U.S. resident whom he asked to kill the official. The resident is listed as a confidential source in department documents. According to CNN, prosecutors said that the 45-year-old suspect, while already attempting to pay $300,000 to one individual for Bolton's assassination, had a second job for $1 million. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was also found to be another target of the Iranian assassination plot. John Bolton Poursafi, who has not yet been arrested, asked the U.S.-based individual to take photos of Bolton for a "book that Poursafi was writing," court documents revealed. Later, the Iranian nationalist asked if the informant could hire a person to "eliminate someone" who was revealed to be Bolton. The suspect also suggested that the murder be done "by car," provided the CHS with an address for Bolton's office, and noted that the official had a habit of taking walks alone. The informant traveled to Washington, D.C. in November 2021 and sent Poursafi images of Bolton's office and descriptions of the building. The Iranian allegedly said that the killing should happen in the building's garage, as it was a "high traffic" area. Poursafi has been charged with the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, with carries a 10-year maximum prison sentence. In a press release, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division said, "The Justice Department has the solemn duty to defend our citizens from hostile governments who seek to hurt or kill them. This is not the first time we have uncovered Iranian plots to exact revenge against individuals on U.S. soil and we will work tirelessly to expose and disrupt every one of these efforts," Fox News reported. Related Article: Russia-Ukraine War: US Claims Russian Officials Now Training on Iranian Drones That Can Carry Precision-Guided Missiles @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In January 2018, the entire computer industry was put on alert by two new processor vulnerabilities dubbed Meltdown and Spectre that defeated the fundamental OS security boundaries separating kernel and user space memory. The flaws stemmed from a performance feature of modern CPUs known as speculative execution and mitigating them required one of the biggest patch coordination efforts in history, involving CPU makers, device manufacturers and operating system vendors. Meltdown and Spectre were certainly not the first vulnerabilities to result from a hardware design decision, but their widespread impact sparked the interest of the security research community into such flaws. Since then, many researchers, both from academia and the private sector, have been studying the low-level operation of CPUs and other hardware components and have been uncovering more and more issues. Some hardware vulnerabilities are impossible to mitigate completely without releasing a new generation of components, while others can be fixed in firmware, the low-level programming present in hardware chips. In either case, patching is not straightforward, so such flaws can continue to impact real world devices for a very long time. Here are some of the most significant hardware-related vulnerabilities, discovered both before and after Meltdown: CPU side-channel attacks Spectre variant 1 - CVE-2017-5753 Spectre variant 2 - CVE-2017-5715 Meltdown variant 3 - CVE-2017-5754 Meltdown-GP - CVE-2018-3640 Meltdown-NM - CVE-2018-3665 Spectre-NG - CVE-2018-3639 Spectre-PHT - CVE-2018-3693 Meltdown-RW Foreshadow-OS - CVE-2018-3620 Foreshadow-VMM - CVE-2018-3646 Foreshadow-SGX - CVE-2018-3615 Meltdown-PK and Meltdown-BND Spectre-PHT-CA-OP, Spectre-PHT-CA-IP and Spectre-PHT-SA-OP Spectre-BTB-SA-IP and Spectre-BTB-SA-OP Fallout - CVE-2018-12126 RIDL - CVE-2018-12127 and CVE-2018-12130 Zombieload - CVE-2019-11091 Starbleed PLATYPUS SRBDS - CVE-2020-0543 Spectre-BHI - CVE-2022-0001, CVE-2022-0002 and CVE-2022-23960 Retbleed - CVE-2022-29901 and CVE-2022-29900 Hertzbleed - CVE-2022-23823 and CVE-2022-24436 Spectre variant 1 - CVE-2017-5753 Also known as bounds check bypass, CVE-2017-5753 allows attackers to exploit the branch prediction feature of modern CPUs to extract information from the memory of other processes by using the CPU cache as a side channel. It allows one process to extract sensitive information from the memory of another process but could also bypass the user/kernel memory privilege boundary. The vulnerability affects Intel, IBM and a limited number of ARM CPUs. Spectre variant 2 - CVE-2017-5715 Spectre variant 2 has the same impact as variant 1 but uses a different exploitation technique called branch target injection. Mitigating this variant of Spectre efficiently requires updates to the affected CPU microcode, which can be applied either through BIOS/UEFI updates or by the operating system at every reboot. Meltdown variant 3 - CVE-2017-5754 Also known as Rogue Data Cache Load (RDCL) or variant 3 of the CPU speculative execution flaws, Meltdown is a vulnerability that leverages the out-of-order execution capabilities of modern Intel CPUs. It allows a user process to read protected kernel memory across security boundaries. The fix only requires operating system updates and involves enforcing stricter isolation of the kernel memory, which typically contains sensitive secrets, through mechanisms such as Linux's kernel page-table isolation (KPTI). Meltdown-GP - CVE-2018-3640 A variant of Meltdown, or variant 3a, it uses speculative reads of system registers to achieve side-channel leaks of information. Because of this, it is also know Rogue System Register Read (RSRE). Mitigation requires microcode updates. Meltdown-NM - CVE-2018-3665 A speculative execution flaw related to Meltdown that's also known as LazyFP and can be used to leak the state of the floating-point unit (FPU) -- a specialized math coprocessor present in Intels modern CPUs that's used to accelerate mathematical operations on floating point numbers. The FPU state can contain sensitive information from cryptographic operations. This vulnerability can be mitigated by enforcing "eager" instead of "lazy" FPU context switching at the operating system level. Spectre-NG - CVE-2018-3639 Also known as Spectre variant 4, or Speculative Store Bypass (SSB), this is a Spectre variant that allows performing memory reads before prior memory write addresses are known and can be used to leak cross-process information. Mitigation requires both microcode and OS updates. Spectre-PHT - CVE-2018-3693 Also known as Spectre 1.1, is a variant of Spectre that leverages speculative stores to create speculative buffer overflows. It allowed bypassing some of the previous software-based mitigations for Spectre and requires OS updates. Meltdown-RW Also known as Spectre 1.2, is a variant that leverages speculative stores to overwrite read-only data and code pointers. This variant can be used to breach software sandboxes and is related Spectre 1.1. Mitigation required OS updates. Foreshadow-OS - CVE-2018-3620 Also known as L1 Terminal Fault, Foreshadow is a speculative execution attack against Intel CPUs that allows extracting information from the processor's L1 data cache. This is particularly sensitive in the context of virtual machines which split the same physical CPU into multiple virtual CPUs, because those virtual CPUs use the same L1 cache. This variant allows attackers to extract information from the OS or SMM (system management mode), an alternate mode of CPU operation that is separate from the operating system and is designed to be used by BIOS/UEFI or low-level OEM code. Foreshadow-VMM - CVE-2018-3646 A variant of Foreshadow that affects virtual machines and allows a guest operating system running inside a VM to potentially read sensitive memory from other guest VMs or the hypervisor itself. Foreshadow-SGX - CVE-2018-3615 A variant of Foreshadow that allows attackers to read the memory of Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) enclaves. SGX is a trusted execution environment provided by some Intel CPUs that allows developers to store data and execute code securely, even if the operating system itself has been compromised. Meltdown-PK and Meltdown-BND Meltdown-PK (Protection Key Bypass) and Meltdown-BND (Bounds Check Bypass) are two variants of Meltdown presented in November 2018 by a team of academic researchers as part of a larger evaluation of transient execution attacks. Meltdown-PK affects Intel CPUs while Meltdown-BND affects both Intel and AMD. Spectre-PHT-CA-OP, Spectre-PHT-CA-IP and Spectre-PHT-SA-OP These are variants of Spectre that leverage the CPU's Pattern History Table (PHT). They were disclosed at the same time as Meltdown-PK and Meltdown-BND by the same team. Spectre-BTB-SA-IP and Spectre-BTB-SA-OP These are variants of the Spectre attack that leverage the Branch Target Buffer (BTB). They were disclosed in November 2018 by the same team who found Meltdown-PK and Meltdown-BND. The team concluded at the time that "most defenses, including deployed ones, cannot fully mitigate all attack variants." Fallout - CVE-2018-12126 Fallout, also known as microarchitectural store buffer data sampling (MSBDS), is a vulnerability whose effects are similar to Meltdown in that it can be used to leak sensitive secrets from protected memory regions across security boundaries. It is part of a new class of side-channel attacks against CPUs that Intel calls Microarchitectural Data Sampling (MDS). The flaw affects both operating systems and hypervisors and mitigation requires CPU microcode updates. RIDL - CVE-2018-12127 and CVE-2018-12130 Another two variants of MDS attacks known as microarchitectural load port data sampling (MLPDS) and microarchitectural fill buffer data sampling (MFBDS). Like Fallout, mitigation requires CPU microcode updates. Zombieload - CVE-2019-11091 A fourth variant of MDS attacks known as microarchitectural data sampling uncacheable memory (MDSUM). Like Fallout and RIDL, it can be used to leak sensitive kernel or hypervisor memory. Starbleed Starbleed is a design flaw in the bitstream encryption process of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) made by Xilinx. Unlike CPUs, which come with a predetermined set of general purpose instructions that are fit for most computing tasks, FPGAs are integrated circuits whose logic is completely programmable by the customer. They're usually configured to perform one specific task better and more efficiently than general purpose CPUs and are widely used for mission- or safety-critical applications in sectors such as aerospace, finance and the military. The configuration files loaded by customers onto FPGAs are called bitstreams and FPGA manufacturers like Xilinx, which controls around 50% of the FPGA market, have added encryption and bitstream validation mechanisms to allow customers to protect their intellectual property and other secrets their deployed FPGAs might contain. A team of researchers from the Horst Goertz Institute for IT Security at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany have found a design flaw in the bitstream security mechanism of Xilinx 7-Series and Virtex-6 FPGAs that can allow an attacker to decrypt bitstreams and even modify them. "By our attack, we can circumvent the bitstream encryption and decrypt an assumedly secure bitstream on all Xilinx 7-Series devices completely and on the Virtex-6 devices partially," the researchers wrote in their paper, which will be presented at the 29th USENIX Security Symposium. "Additionally, we are also able to manipulate the bitstream by adjusting the HMAC. Out attack setting in general is the same one as commonly encountered in mainstream practice: The adversary only needs access to the configuration interface of a fielded FPGA. In this setting, the secret decryption key has already been loaded into the FPGA -- e.g., after device manufacturing, the key is stored in internal battery-backed RAM (BBRAM) or eFUSEs. As will be shown later, the adversary uses the FPGA with the stored key as an oracle to decrypt the bitstream." To pull off the Starbleed attack, hackers need access to a hardware configuration interface on the FPGA which normally means they would need physical access to the device. However, some FPGAs are programmed and reprogrammed through separate microcontrollers, which can be connected to a network, in which case such an attack could be executed remotely. The design flaw cannot be patched because it exists in the silicon, so it will be corrected in future generations of Xilinx FPGAs. The company has been notified of the vulnerability before the paper was published and has sent an advisory to customers. PLATYPUS PLATYPUS is a side-channel attack that abuses the running average power limit (RAPL) interface that's used to measure power consumption in CPU cores and is present in all Intel CPUs developed since 2011 (Sandy Bridge). It is the first differential power analysis attack that can be executed remotely and used to leak secrets such as encryption keys from the Linux kernel memory and Intel SGX secure enclaves. The attack was announced in November 2020 and was devised by a team of researchers from the Graz University of Technology, the University of Birmingham in UK and CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security. The Linux kernel developers patched the vulnerabilities, which are tracked as CVE-2020-8694 and CVE-2020-8695, by preventing unprivileged applications from accessing the RAPL energy consumption data. However, this does not address the privileged attack vector against Intel SGX, a trusted execution environment (TEE) built into the CPU that's supposed to keep sensitive cryptographic data secure even in the case of a complete OS compromise. To address this, users have to deploy CPU microcode updates released by Intel. While the researchers tested and confirmed their attack on Intel CPUs, they warned that CPUs from other chip makers including AMD, Nvidia and ARM also have on-board energy meters that are accessible and could be vulnerable to a variation of this attack. SRBDS - CVE-2020-0543 SRBDS (Special Register Buffer Data Sampling) is an attack technique developed by researchers at VU Amsterdam in 2020 that demonstrates that speculative execution attacks that leak data through side-channels are possible across different CPU cores. Previously, such attacks and the mitigations developed for them assumed that the the attacker and victim share the same CPU core because the internal CPU buffers used to leak data from are shared by the hyperthreads running on the same CPU core. However, the researchers found that some instructions can read data from a staging buffer that is shared between all CPU cores and this expanded the attack surface of known and previously mitigated speculative execution attacks like RIDL (CVE-2018-12127 and CVE-2018-12130). The team developed a tool called CrossTalk to examine the behavior of all x86 instructions in different contexts to determine when they make offcore memory requests and then used the new attack technique to leak the random number generator output used by Intel SGX secure enclaves from the staging buffer. With this RNG output they were able to leak the ECDSA private key of an Intel SGX enclave running on a separate CPU core after the key was used to perform a single digital signature operation. Many ransomware gangs have risen to the top over the years only to suddenly disband and be replaced by others. Security researchers believe many of these movements in the ransomware space are intentional rebranding efforts to throw off law enforcement when the heat gets too high. This is also the suspicion for Black Basta, a relatively new ransomware operation that saw immediate success in several months of operation. Some believe it has splintered off from the infamous Conti gang. Black Basta was first detected in April 2022, but researchers found evidence the operation was launched in February and it took time to test the new malware strain. The gang behind it engages in double extortion, which combines file encryption with data leak extortion, and has claimed responsibility for compromising at least 50 organizations so far. Black Basta gang has high level of expertise Even though the gang posted messages on cybercriminal forums offering to buy network access credentials for organizations in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand, it hasn't openly recruited affiliates. Despite this, it has been successful in a short amount of time, making some researchers believe they already started with significant in-house expertise. One theory is that Black Basta was set up by former members of the Conti and REvil gangs, both of which went dark after gaining a lot of attention. REvil, one of the most successful ransomware gangs of the past few years, shut down its operations last year. In January it was announced that the Russian FSB arrested two key members, one of them involved in the 2021 attack on Colonial Pipeline that caused fuel disruptions on the U.S. East Coast. Conti, another high-profile ransomware gang, shut down in May after hitting multiple Costa Rican government agencies that prompted the U.S. State Department to put up a $10 million reward on the identity or location of Conti's leaders. Researchers also noted similarities between the Black Basta and the Conti leak sites as well as in how their respective negotiation teams operate. Conti representatives later dismissed any connection to Black Basta via its leak site, referring to the people behind Black Basta as kids. In June, security researchers reported that Black Basta appears to have entered into a partnership with Qbot, a botnet that has been used in the past as a deployment vehicle by multiple ransomware operations, including Conti. Qbot started out as a banking Trojan and in addition to its ability to deploy additional malware, it focuses on credential theft and lateral movement. "The use of QBot saves time for ransomware operators," researchers from Cybereason said in a report in June. "QBot has many built-in capabilities that are very useful for attackers. Some of them used to perform reconnaissance, collect data and credentials, move laterally, and download and execute payloads." Windows and Linux targeting for ransomware After harvesting credentials and mapping the network the Black Basta attackers execute code on other systems using PsExec with the goal of locating and compromising the domain controller. Once this is achieved, they create a group policy to disable Windows Defender and other antivirus products. Once the ground is set, the attackers deploy the Black Basta ransomware on all identified endpoint systems using a PowerShell command and the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) interface. When executed on a system the Black Basta program first deletes all Volume Shadow copies and then starts encrypting files, except for those with certain extensions and located in certain folders that are specified in an exclusion list. The files are encrypted with the ChaCha20 cipher but only partially to speed the process. The ransomware encrypts chunks of 64 bytes and then skips the next 128 bytes, which is enough to leave files unusable. The ChaCha20 file encryption key is encrypted with an RSA public key to ensure only attackers can recover it with their corresponding private RSA key. The extension of the encrypted files is changed to .basta. In addition to destroying local backups, the Black Basta attackers establish RDP connections to Hyper-V servers and modify the configuration for the Veeam backup jobs and delete the backups of virtual machines hosted on such servers. In June, researchers discovered that Black Basta added a mechanism to encrypt files on Linux servers that host VMware ESXi virtual machines. This capability has also been implemented recently by other ransomware groups such as LockBit. So far, this gang has exhibited high levels of expertise and connections in the cybercriminal underground. It favors targeting organizations from English-speaking countries and developed economies, performs human-operated attacks that involve lateral movement, engages in double extortion, and asks for millions in ransoms, and has managed to compromise many organizations in a relatively short amount of time. "It is pretty clear that the Black Basta gang knows what they are doing, and they want to play in the 'big league' of ransomware, the same league as Conti, Ryuk, REvil, BlackMatter and others," the Cybereason researchers concluded in their report. Ever since the Kremlin's troll farm, the Internet Research Agency, targeted the American electorate during the 2016 U.S. presidential election with social media disinformation campaigns, nation-states across the globe have jumped into their own weaponized information campaigns to influence elections. In 2019, the U.S. State Department issued a report addressing the rise of state-sponsored disinformation that looked at not only Russian influence campaigns but also Chinese, Iranian and North Korean disinformation efforts. According to the report, a growing number of nation-states, in pursuing geopolitical ends, are leveraging digital tools and social media networks to spread narratives, distortions, and falsehoods to shape public perceptions and undermine trust in the truth." These U.S. adversaries are not alone in pushing political disinformation efforts to exacerbate social conflicts and steer public sentiment toward desired national leaders. Sandra Quincoses, senior intelligence analyst at Nisos, shared her thoughts this week with Black Hat attendees on an investigation Nisos conducted involving a disinformation campaign that originated in Venezuela. That disinformation campaign was designed to drive voters toward Colombian presidential candidate and former M-19 revolutionary member Gustavo Petro, who ultimately became president of his country in August 2022. Tracing the disinformation campaign's origins Quincoses' team at Nisos traced the campaign's origins. First, the campaign heavily relied on an influential Twitter account, @ChalecosAmarill, which advocated for presidential candidates with foreign policy positions favorable to U.S. adversaries, including Russia, Venezuela and Cuba. The account's name comes from the "Yellow Vests" social protest movement that emerged in France in 2018 and spread to neighboring countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Spain. Nisos's investigation discovered that this now-suspended Twitter account was affiliated with Twitter accounts @_Ralito and @RalitoDigital (both also now suspended), which Venezuelan national and left-wing supporter Rafael Nunez ran. The Ralito accounts remain active on other social media platforms, and Nunez serves as administrator of a still-operating Telegram channel found on @ChalecosAmarill's Twitter bio, GlobalRevolutionORG. Nunez also works for Comunicacion Digital VE, a firm that offers pro-Venezuelan regime apps. (The Twitter account of Comunicacion Digital VE, @ComuniDigitalVE, has also been suspended by Twitter.) The firm's CEO has a Venezuelan government email address and previously served as social media director of Venezuela's Ministry of Communication and Information (MINCI). Nisos believes that Nunez and his associates are responsible for the content found on @ChalecosAmarill's Twitter account and known bot and sock puppet networks running various Colombia-focused digital campaigns in favor of Petro. Fomenting anger the goal of disinformation "It was a very well organized disinformation effort from the Venezuelan government, trying to influence Colombian elections," Quincoses tells CSO. The disinformation campaign was active on the Twitter account from 2018 to 2022, so she and her team had a lot of material to work with in tracing its efforts. "The Latin America region of the world is often overlooked in global news, so it was able to do what it wanted to do very effectively, which was turn most governments in Latin America more towards the left and closer to the political ideology in Venezuela, Cuba, Russia and China," she says. In one instance, in May 2021, anti-government protests over taxes in Colombia turned violent. Like many social media accounts established to foment divisions within a country, the @ChalecosAmarill account began reposting videos of the violent confrontations to deepen those divisions. "It was disturbing but very effective," Quincoses says. But the account had no affiliation, and it wasn't automatically clear to Colombian Twitter users they were being fed Venezuelan disinformation. The account's clever use of hashtags characteristic of Colombians further masked the account's origins. Tweets promoting Petro received over 8,000 retweets from Colombia-based accounts. Still, because not all Twitter accounts carry geo-location information, the possible reach of those tweets was far higher, according to Quincoses. Another indication of the account's origins was its echoing of state media content from Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, Iran, and other countries that are adversarial towards the United States. Like most effective propaganda, only a tiny portion of the content from the @ChalecosAmarill account was false. "I would say that maybe 2% of all its posts might have been false news," says Quincoses. The goal was not necessarily to mislead users but to make them angry. "When there were protests in Chile back in 2018 or 2019 in Ecuador, during this vulnerable time in society, it was putting out really sensitive content that would make people angry," pushing them to elect leftist leaders in those countries. Ideological ties with Russia Venezuela's goal in promoting Petro was an economic one, Quincoses says. "What benefit Venezuela would have had in this is that Colombia is the closest ally in South America to the United States. They see Petro, the opposition candidate who won, as their best option to soften U.S. sanctions that are really hurting their economy." In March 2022, Twitter suspended the @ChalecosAmarill account once it started posting about Ukraine and echoing Russia's war coverage. A new one has cropped up with a different but similar-sounding screen name that steers clear of content that might get it too suspended from Twitter. However, that account links to a Telegram account that continues along the same disinformation path. Although Nisos could not establish a direct connection between @ChalecosAmarill and Russia, Quincoses thinks there is an ideological connection between Venezuela and Russia. "Venezuela and Russia have media agreements with one another, and they basically echo each other because they cover a lot of news similarly," she says. It's difficult to detect and even more challenging to fight nation-state-sponsored disinformation efforts. Quincoses says a vital step that organizations can take is to "pay more attention to the source of their information and spend more time attributing accounts that stand out because they can reveal motivation." By tracking down the source of information, platforms like Twitter and Facebook can get ahead of the curve in snuffing out disinformation campaigns. "It's important to pay attention to the content, but perhaps the priority should be placed on the source," Quincoses says. [Editor's note: This article originally appeared on the CSO Germany website on July 29.] Claire Tills, senior research engineer at Tenable, describes the methods of the hacking group Lapsus$ as bold, illogical and poorly thought out. The criminals attacked renowned companies such as Microsoft, Samsung, Nvidia, Vodafone, Ubisoft and Okta. They stole data and sometimes used ransomware to extort their victims. How Lapsus$ became famous In contrast to other cybercriminal gangs, Lapsus$ organizes itself exclusively through a private Telegram group and does not operate a leak site on the dark web. As Tills wrote, the group has so far announced its next victims via Telegram. She also noted that Lapsus$ asked the community for suggestions as to which company data should be published next. Lapsus$ garnered a lot of attention for its unconventional tactics and unpredictable methods. Early this year, for example, it was involved in the multi-stage theft of data from computer systems of the customer service provider Sitel. This in turn led to a security incident at IAM provider Okta. According to Tills, the group then relied heavily on classic tactics such as Initial access via purchased or publicly accessible login databases Password theft Paying employees for their access data Bypassing multi-factor authentication by spamming submissions or contacting the helpdesk Access to applications such as VPNs, Microsoft SharePoint or virtual desktops to collect additional credentials and access sensitive information Elevating permissions by exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities in Jira, GitLab and Confluence Smuggling data out via NordVPN or free file drop services and then wiping resources Leverage access to victim's cloud environments to build attack infrastructure and remove all other global administrators Does Lapsus$ stay dormant? Although it is difficult to identify individual members of the hacking group, law enforcement agencies have been able to trace Lapsus$'s operations to a few teenagers in Brazil and the UK. From the subsequent arrests and "apparent silence from the group," Tills concludes that the hackers are talented but inexperienced. Lapsus$ has been quiet for a few months (although Cisco claims the group was among those responsible for a breach of its IT network in May). Tills did not speculate whether this is because some members were unmasked and arrested, or whether the teenagers simply lost interest. Instead, she concluded her report with an appeal: "Ransomware extortion attacks will never end unless they become too complicated or too costly. Organizations should consider what defenses they have against the tactics used, how they can be hardened, and whether their crisis response plans effectively take these incidents into account. Therefore, the danger emanating from hacker groups like Lapsus$ should not be downplayed. Especially since the group successfully attacked large international tech groups with simple tactics, sometimes with serious consequences." IT, networking, and cybersecurity solutions giant Cisco has admitted suffering a security incident targeting its corporate IT infrastructure in late May 2022. On August 10, the firm stated that an employees credentials were compromised after an attacker gained control of a personal Google account where credentials saved in the victims browser were being synchronized. Bad actors published a list of files from this security incident to the dark web, Cisco added. The incident was contained to the corporate IT environment and Cisco did not identify any impact to any Cisco products or services, sensitive customer data or employee information, Cisco intellectual property, or supply chain operations, the company said. Cisco claimed it took immediate action to contain and eradicate the bad actor, which it has linked to notorious threat group LAPSUS$. It also said that it has taken the decision to publicly announce the incident now as it was previously actively collecting information about the bad actor to help protect the security community. Attacker used sophisticated voice phishing tactics In an executive summary of the incident, Cisco Security Incident Response (CSIRT) and the companys cybersecurity intelligent group Cisco Talos wrote The attacker conducted a series of sophisticated voice phishing attacks under the guise of various trusted organizations attempting to convince the victim to accept multi-factor authentication (MFA) push notifications initiated by the attacker. The attacker ultimately succeeded in achieving an MFA push acceptance, granting them access to VPN in the context of the targeted user. CSIRT and Talos have not identified any evidence suggesting that the attacker gained access to critical internal systems, such as those related to product development and code signing, they added. After obtaining initial access, the threat actor conducted activities to maintain access, minimize forensic artifacts, and increase their level of access to systems within the environment. Throughout the attack, we observed attempts to exfiltrate information from the environment, Cisco continued, confirmining that the only successful data exfiltration that occurred during the attack included the contents of a Box folder that was associated with the compromised employees account and employee authentication data from active directory. The Box data obtained by the adversary in this case was not sensitive. The threat actor was successfully removed from the environment and displayed persistence, repeatedly attempting to regain access in the weeks following the attack. However, these attempts were unsuccessful. The adversary repeatedly attempted to establish email communications with executive members of the organization, but did not make any specific threats or extortion demands. Attack linked to LAPSUS$ threat group Cisco assessed with moderated to high confidence that this attack was conducted by an adversary that has been previously identified as an initial access broker (IAB) with ties to the UNC2447 cybercrime gang, LAPSUS$ threat actor group, and Yanluowang ransomware operators. Some of the TTPs discovered during the course of our investigation match those of LAPSUS$...a threat actor group that is reported to have been responsible for several previous notable breaches of corporate environments. UNC2447 is a financially motivated threat actor with a nexus to Russia that has been previously observed conducting ransomware attacks and leveraging a technique known as double extortion, in which data is exfiltrated prior to ransomware deployment to coerce victims into paying ransom demands. Prior reporting indicates that UNC2447 has been observed operating a variety of ransomware, including FIVEHANDS, HELLOKITTY, and more. However, Cisco stated that no ransomware has been observed or deployed in the attack. Every cybersecurity incident is an opportunity to learn, strengthen our resilience, and help the wider security community. Cisco has updated its security products with intelligence gained from observing the bad actors techniques, shared indicators of compromise (IOCs) with other parties, reached out to law enforcement and other partners, it said. Cisco has implemented a company-wide password reset upon learning of the incident. Strengthen MFA, device verification and network segmentation to mitigate risks Cisco advised organizations to take steps to mitigate the risks associated with this incident, including strengthening MFA, device verification, and network segmentation. Given the actors demonstrated proficiency in using a wide array of techniques to obtain initial access, user education is also a key part of countering MFA bypass techniques. Equally important to implementing MFA is ensuring that employees are educated on what to do and how to respond if they get errant push requests on their respective phones. It is also essential to educate employees about who to contact if such incidents do arise to help determine if the event was a technical issue or malicious. It is beneficial to implement strong device verification by enforcing stricter controls around device status to limit or block enrollment and access from unmanaged or unknown devices, Cisco added. Network segmentation is another important security control that organizations should employ, as it provides enhanced protection for high-value assets and enables more effective detection and response capabilities in situations where an adversary is able to gain initial access into the environment, the firm said. Centralized log collection can help minimize the lack of visibility that results when an attacker takes active steps to remove logs from systems. Ensuring that the log data generated by endpoints is centrally collected and analyzed for anomalous or overtly malicious behavior can provide early indication when an attack is underway. Data breaches exposing consumers sensitive information continue unabated even as organizations amass and sell vast sets of consumers personal, financial, and location data to a thriving data broker industry. Concerns over the use of the growing stockpile of sensitive personal data have reached a fevered pitch in the wake of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which raises the specter of law enforcement weaponization of widely available digitized content against American citizens. Against this backdrop, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the launch of an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to crack down on harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security. Firms now collect personal data on individuals at a massive scale and in a stunning array of contexts, said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. The growing digitization of our economycoupled with business models that can incentivize endless hoovering up of sensitive user data and a vast expansion of how this data is usedmeans that potentially unlawful practices may be prevalent. In the FTCs view, commercial surveillance refers to the collection, aggregation, analysis, retention, transfer, or monetization of consumer data and the direct derivatives of that information. Commercial surveillance heightens the risks and stakes of data breaches, deception, manipulation, and other abuses. Data security includes breach risk mitigation, data management and retention, data minimization, and breach notification and disclosure practices. The ANPR is just the first step in the FTCs process. It seeks to get the ball rolling before creating eventual new rules by compiling an extensive public record of their potential need. The Commission argues that it has the authority to implement regulations governing surveillance and lax data security procedures under its establishing legislation, the FTC Act, and decades of enforcement and policy experience in both areas. ANPR seeks answers to an extensive set of questions The ANPR is a wide-ranging document that touches on virtually all current controversies around the largely unregulated collection, use, and sale of individuals data. Through the ANPR, the FTC invites public comment on the nature and prevalence of harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security practices, the balance of costs and countervailing benefits of such practices for consumers and competition, and proposals for protecting consumers from harmful and prevalent commercial surveillance and lax data security practices. The ANPR spells out a series of extensive questions for which it seeks answers. These are: To what extent do commercial surveillance practices or lax security measures harm consumers? The FTC articulates a dozen questions on how consumers might be harmed by commercial surveillance or lax security, including what kind of data should be subject to its possible new rules, how it should address indirect harms such as psychological distress, and how a new rule should address injuries to different consumers across different sectors. To what extent do commercial surveillance practices or lax data security measures harm children, including teenagers? The Commission asks commenters to address whether children are particularly vulnerable or susceptible to specific surveillance and lax data security practices, to what extent new rules should provide teenagers with an erasure mechanism, whether services that collect information from large numbers of children should be required to provide them enhanced privacy protections regardless of whether the services are directed to them, and more. How should the Commission balance costs and benefits? The FTC invites comments on the relative costs and benefits of any current practice, as well as those for any responsive regulation, the right time horizon for evaluating the relative costs and benefits of existing or emergent commercial surveillance and data security practices, how it should regulate harmful practices, and more. Questions about data security and minimization Aside from the wealth of privacy-focused questions, the FTC delves into technical considerations that outline how the agency might start laying down some data security, retention, and minimization requirements. The ANPR asks whether the FTC should: Implement new rules that require businesses to implement administrative, technical, and physical data security measures, including encryption techniques, to protect against risks to the security, confidentiality, or integrity of covered data. Implement new rules to codify the prohibition on deceptive claims about consumer data security, authorizing the Commission to seek civil penalties for first-time violations. Consider other state and federal laws that already include data security requirements. Require firms to certify that their data practices meet clear security standards and if so, who should develop those standards, the FTC or a third party. Consider new rules to impose limitations on companies collection, use and retention of consumer data and whether they should establish minimization requirements or purpose limitations. The FTCs ANPR further delves into the controversial topic of biometrics and whether it should consider limiting commercial surveillance practices that use or facilitate facial recognition, fingerprinting, or other biometric technologies. Another emerging and touchy topic addressed in the ANPR is the use of algorithms and automated decision-making systems and whether the FTC should require firms to evaluate and certify that their reliance on automated decision-making meets clear standards concerning accuracy, validity, reliability, or error. Finally, the ANPR raises a series of questions about consent -- how effective current consent agreements are when it comes to surveillance activities, and whether consumers should be allowed to withdraw their consent to share data for surveillance. What about the ADPPA? During a press briefing, Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said she gave a speech three years ago arguing that case-by-case enforcement for data abuses wasn't effectively protecting users or deterring law-breaking and called for a new federal law. Since then, the U.S. Congress has made remarkable progress on a sweeping privacy bill called the American Data Privacy and Protection Act (ADPPA), which establishes meaningful restrictions on collecting and using consumers sensitive data. Slaughter said shes incredibly impressed with the ADPPA, which she sees as complementary to the FTCs rulemaking process. FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya also expressed support for the ADPPA, saying, It's the strongest privacy bill that has ever been as close to passing. I hope it passes. He said he would not vote for any FTC rules coming out of the ANPR if they overlap with the ADPPA. The two Republican commissioners at the FTC point to the ADPPA as the reason they dont support the ANPR. The momentum of ADPPA plays a significant role in my no vote on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announced today, Commissioner Christine Wilson said in a statement. I am gravely concerned that opponents of the bill will use the ANPR as an excuse to derail the ADPPA. Commissioner Noah Joshua Phillips said in a statement that national consumer privacy laws pose consequential questions, which is why I have said repeatedly that Congressnot the Federal Trade Commissionis where national privacy law should be enacted. I am heartened to see Congress considering just such a law today and hope this Commission process does nothing to upset that consideration. Reaction to the proposed rulemaking Elizabeth McGinn, partner at Buckley LLP, tells CSO shes not surprised the FTC is exploring new rules on data surveillance and lax security. The areas of concern that the FTC is asking for public comment are areas that the FTC has expressed concern over, issued guidance about, and held workshops about in investigations and enforcement actions. Janis Kestenbaum, Partner at Perkins Coie, who worked on privacy and data security matters at the FTC, tells CSO, The timing of this notice is itself notable given that Congress is closer than it ever has been to enacting comprehensive privacy legislation in the form of the American Data Privacy Protection Act, which covers the very topics that the FTC proposes to address. While the FTC says it will not move forward with this rulemaking if Congress passes the ADPPA, in the meantime, significant government and private sector resources will be spent addressing this rulemaking in what will be a time-consuming proceeding. On Capitol Hill, Republican lawmakers did not warmly embrace the FTCs action. U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) said, To get real consumer data privacy protections, Congress must act. FTC commissioners have acknowledged that legislation, not regulation, is the preferred way to achieve these protections. I hope todays action by the FTC helps underscore the urgency for the House to bring the American Data Privacy and Protection Act to the floor and for the Senate Commerce Committee to advance it through committee. The time to move on ADPPA is now. Even one Democratic lawmaker, New Jerseys Frank Pallone, chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, gently chastised the FTC. I appreciate the FTCs effort to use the tools it has to protect consumers, but Congress has a responsibility to pass comprehensive federal privacy legislation to better equip the agency, and others, to protect consumers to the greatest extent. Ultimately, the American Data Privacy and Protection Act is necessary to establish comprehensive national statutory privacy protections for all Americans and Im committed to getting it passed and signed into law. Predicting future technological performance is tricky business we anticipate linear growth, but experience something different. So, as much as we might like to, we cant predict the future by extrapolating from a straight line. Unfortunately for us forecasters, the dichotomy between expectation and reality makes it difficult to anticipate the exponential nature of technological progress, and that holds us back as change accelerates. Futurists frequently apply Moores Law which suggests that processing power doubles every two years to technological advancements. For example, in April 2020, Zscaler announced that the cloud-based Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange was processing more than 100 billion daily transactions. Eighteen months later, the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange is processing more than 200 billion transactions daily. (Thanks, Gordon!) For context, its estimated that there are between 7 to 10 billion Google searches and around 5 billion YouTube videos viewed daily. So 200 billion for Zscaler is truly remarkable. Moore's Law and Neven's Law define the trajectory of the technology revolution Moores prediction has defined the trajectory of the technology revolution. But in the next 10 years, Moores Law will confront physical limitations. Nevens Law, a newer postulate, holds that quantum computers are gaining computational power at a doubly exponential rate. Nevens Law could theoretically supplant Moores Law to accurately predict technology evolution. Smartphone development aligns with Moores Law. We will continue to see smaller, more powerful devices with more memory and computational power. This is also true for networking bandwidth. But when it comes to network latency, no such luck. Improvement in latency reduction when it happens occurs in small increments. Computing, storage, memory, and bandwidth capacity will continue to accelerate and grow in the future. So how do we deal with latency? Unfortunately, transmitting data faster than the speed of light is presumably impossible. I had thought leveraging quantum entanglement to transmit data might address this challenge, but that doesnt seem to be the case, at least for the foreseeable future. Latencys limit: When traveling at the speed of light isnt fast enough Moores Law correlates loosely with Zscalers exponential transactional-processing growth on its platform. But that same growth forecasting model breaks when it comes up against physical limits. Some physics: Light travels at 299,792,458 meters/second and covers a kilometers distance in 3.33 microseconds. The light you see from that beautiful sunrise took more than eight minutes to reach Earth from the sun, some 152 million kilometers away. The eight-minute delay is latency in its purest form: the speed of light is an absolute boundary in the physical world. As much as we might want to, we cant go faster than that. Light's progress slows as latency increases when moving through a physical medium. For example, light travels around 4.9 microseconds per kilometer through a fiber optic cable. While 4.9 microseconds of latency may not sound like much, it adds up over distance. And that latency is particularly significant in the world of networking. For example, a direct fiber cable laid in a straight line from Copenhagen, Denmark, to Auckland, New Zealand, would stretch 17,500 kilometers. The roundtrip signal travel time? 178 ms. Thats direct, mind you. However, more realistic real-world routing includes hops, routers, and suboptimal routing protocols along the way, all of which lengthen travel distance and add additional latency: the total latency is more like 300 ms. Why latency matters Latency in all of its combined forms impacts enterprise network throughput, creates performance problems for collaboration platforms, and affects any application requiring connectivity. As a result, its the bane of application performance, leading to productivity reduction and even profit loss. Emerging technologies like 5G, IoT/OT, VR/AR, smart city applications, and even autonomous vehicles demand near real-time connectivity performance. Often, vendors of those technologies promote associated latency-reduction and response-time improvements. But no matter how those technologies are promoted, there will always be some element of latency. The fixed, constant baseline for latency: Why we can't ignore the flat line Latency improvements in protocols, TCP hand-shaking, DNS response, etc. all converge to approach an absolute baseline: the speed of light. Zscaler Figure 1. Computational exponential growth vs. slow convergence toward the speed of light for application latency (Note: speed of light not to scale). While networking protocol overheads tend to add the most latency, other aspects can slow connectivity performance. To ensure an optimal path for data traffic, IT leaders seek to reduce built-in infrastructure latency, particularly when they shift to fog and edge computing. When centralized, security adds more latency as users travel long distances over backhauled MPLS networks to move data single-file through stacked appliances. Placing security processing (in a distributed fashion) at the cloud edge improves performance by shortening travel distance and at least in the case of the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange removing linear security processing. That security must be automated and software-defined to ensure scalability and simple policy enforcement. The next evolution in connectivity acceleration: New advances in digital telecommunications are disrupting traditional connectivity. We already see this in the deployment of 5G networks: companies can connect more directly and more often with employees, customers, and partners, with computing occurring closer to users and devices. Importantly, data travels a comparatively shorter distance, promising faster performance. Telco companies behind 5G are moving away from legacy in-house, monolithic solutions and toward massively scalable, cloud-first, and (importantly!) highly-distributed enterprise designs. They are refactoring infrastructure to be centrally managed but dynamically implemented at the cloud edge, nearer to onramps and consumption points. An internet future: Secure Service Edge (SSE) to the rescue Latency in its many forms complicates the delivery of effective cybersecurity solutions over traditional networking infrastructure. This new cloud-first, device-agnostic, work-from-anywhere world requires a management mindset change in how we architect security into the organization: we must protect users, devices, and workloads no matter where resources reside. We must ensure policy is user-, device-, and workload-centric, not network-centric. Enforcement must be architected for speed, leveraging single-scan multiple action technology to accelerate performance. We may never be able to travel faster than the speed of light. But we can do something to reduce the time it takes for data to travel from A to B: we must bring security to the users and devices rather than expecting the users and devices to travel to the security. Achieving that requires distributed, cloud-edge-delivered security, and specifically, a Secure Service Edge (SSE) architecture that ensures secure connectivity while minimizing data travel. The future is user-experience-based. The way we interact with technology requires that security enables edge-based speed. Businesses will not survive without it. To learn more about Secure Service Edge, visit Zscaler. Moscow is fighting the West via its Ukrainian proxy manipulated by the US and NATO to fight to the last standing. Since the fighting began in February, the western alliance has supposedly been guiding its dummy, Ukraine. Because Washington and NATO are exploiting the corrupt European nation to advance against the Kremlin and its leader, Vladimir Putin, Kyiv is not the adversary. The Real Enemy Is Not Kiev Sergey Kirienko, President Putin's deputy chief of staff, claimed that the US-led NATO is Russia's true adversary and is doing everything it can to destabilize Russia, reported RT. He further claimed that Zelensky had betrayed his nation's interests by being subservient to NATO and Washington. These Western governments don't care how many die in Ukraine to advance their selfish interests. In Ukraine, the entire NATO alliance is at war with Russia, Kirienko declared in a speech on Wednesday. Place the responsibility for the violence on the Ukraine government, charging it with allowing the nation and its people to be sacrificed as a Ukrainian proxy engaged in combat against Russia on behalf of the western alliance, noted FA News. He spoke at a symposium for young political scientists in Russia that was held this week outside Moscow. Reminded the attendees via video conference that it is up to them to provide original ideas and compelling stories that will advance the country. In this future world, the crisis in Ukraine and other causes will help to shape, citing CSM Times. Read Also: Donald Trump Net Worth 2022: Did Trump Get Richer Since Leaving the US Presidency? What the War With NATO Entails According to Putin's deputy chief of staff, the war rages as Western ideology fights with the Kremlin, with far-reaching repercussions beyond the actual battle in Ukraine. Why do allies support the Biden administration's misguided plans to wage an illegal economic war. Also, the propaganda of the West is lying about the facts to cover up its misdeeds in the fight against Russia. Moscow's opponents committed an error in determining how to react to the Russian armed response in Ukraine, according to Kirienko, who cited classified Western papers. Western nations spoke of engineering a situation in early March that would compel regime change with five million people on the streets, or possibly ten million by the end of March and April. But it never happened, and despite their boldness, these western saboteurs were powerless. It was naive to imagine that Russia would be distracted enough not to notice a brewing protest or western agents or groups inciting a rebellion against Putin. Even if the US and its allies have not succeeded in destabilizing the Kremlin, being alert and resisting pressure to foresee even the most subtle western ploy and nip it in the bud is essential. Russian professionals make mistakes and adjust. However, this is not the case with the United States and its allies. On February 24, the Kremlin allowed a special operation to roll out to act after the failure of the Minsk agreement. Ukraine reneged on granting the DPR and LPR special status. Attempts by Paris and Berlin to resolve the problem failed, as former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko admitted it was a ploy to buy time. Also, Ukraine chose to align with NATO and attempted to attack the Donbass but denied it. Related Article: Ex-Russian President Says Western Powers Are Trying To Eliminate Moscow as Its Greatest Impediment @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ENFIELD Police are investigating the homicide of a homeless man whose body was found early Wednesday in a gazebo on the town green. He was identified Wednesday afternoon as Christopher Kennedy, 56, Capt. Steven Kaselouskas said. Police Chief Alaric Fox said the mans body was found shortly before 2:40 a.m. in the gazebo at 820 Enfield St., or Route 5. Neither he nor Kaselouskas elaborated on how the man died. Kaselouskas said police are waiting for the autopsy to confirm the precise cause of death. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said an autopsy will be performed on Thursday. Town Manager Ellen Zoppo-Sassu said the man had wounds, but she wasnt more specific. He is believed to not have a home, she said. Kennedy was using an electrical outlet in the gazebo to power up a cellphone at the time he was killed, Zoppo-Sassu said. The person who reported the discovery of the body to police had been planning to use the outlet as well and apparently also does not have a home, she said. Asked how she felt when she heard the news, she said, I went between the feeling of sadness because the person is someones son, sibling, friend, and all of those things resonate with me because of the failures of the system in trying to get people help. And then I bounced to, how do we prepare employees who are coming to work, walking into a crime scene? Some employees work closely with members of the homeless community, Zoppo-Sassu said, and the town has offered counseling to its workers. We do have relationships with a majority of the members of our homeless community who traverse this area, who avail themselves of the amenities that are in this area, who use some of the social services, so they are not faceless people to us, she said. Zoppo-Sassu said people in the community have been passing information to police, who are making progress on the case. We are very confident in our police department as well as with the assist from the state that there is going to be a resolution on this soon, Zoppo-Sassu said. Major Crime detectives with the Connecticut State Police helped Enfield police with the case by collecting evidence and documenting the scene. At lunchtime, about a half-dozen detectives were in the gazebo, continuing to work. Crime scene tape stretched across the town green. Representatives of the Chief Medical Examiners Office removed the body at 12:30 p.m. Enfield hasnt had any other homicides this year, Zoppo-Sassu said. Lt. Bryan Nolan said he is not aware of any complaints about loitering or drug use in the area. The crime definitely is not typical, he said. The greens expansive lawn is more likely to have families with children on it than crime scene tape. Many public events are regularly held there, including farmers markets, last weeks National Night Out, a Taste of Enfield and Family Day, which is planned for Sept. 18. Lewis Fiore, the towns Democratic registrar of voters, said he and three other staff members left town hall next to the gazebo at 11 p.m. Tuesday after they were finished working on the primary election. No one noticed anything amiss, he said. Its a shame, Fiore said. Its a shame that this happened. This is a highly patrolled area. We have a police substation next-door. Police cleared the scene by mid-Wednesday afternoon. However, the gazebo remained closed as the town cleans up the scene. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, has video surveillance footage of the area or has information about the homicide can call the Enfield Police Departments detective division at 860-763-8930. Staff writer Liz Hardaway contributed to this story. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TORONTO (AP) Alan Nichols had a history of depression and other medical issues, but none were life-threatening. When the 61-year-old Canadian was hospitalized in June 2019 over fears he might be suicidal, he asked his brother to bust him out as soon as possible. Within a month, Nichols submitted a request to be euthanized and he was killed, despite concerns raised by his family and a nurse practitioner. His application for euthanasia listed only one health condition as the reason for his request to die: hearing loss. Nichols family reported the case to police and health authorities, arguing that he lacked the capacity to understand the process and was not suffering unbearably among the requirements for euthanasia. They say he was not taking needed medication, wasn't using the cochlear implant that helped him hear, and that hospital staffers improperly helped him request euthanasia. Alan was basically put to death, his brother Gary Nichols said. Disability experts say the story is not unique in Canada, which arguably has the worlds most permissive euthanasia rules allowing people with serious disabilities to choose to be killed in the absence of any other medical issue. Many Canadians support euthanasia and the advocacy group Dying With Dignity says the procedure is driven by compassion, an end to suffering and discrimination and desire for personal autonomy. But human rights advocates say the country's regulations lack necessary safeguards, devalue the lives of disabled people and are prompting doctors and health workers to suggest the procedure to those who might not otherwise consider it. Equally troubling, advocates say, are instances in which people have sought to be killed because they werent getting adequate government support to live. Canada is set to expand euthanasia access next year, but these advocates say the system warrants further scrutiny now. Euthanasia cannot be a default for Canadas failure to fulfill its human rights obligations, said Marie-Claude Landry, the head of its Human Rights Commission. Landry said she shares the grave concern voiced last year by three U.N. human rights experts, who wrote that Canadas euthanasia law appeared to violate the agencys Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They said the law had a discriminatory impact on disabled people and was inconsistent with Canadas obligations to uphold international human rights standards. Tim Stainton, director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship at the University of British Columbia, described Canadas law as probably the biggest existential threat to disabled people since the Nazis program in Germany in the 1930s. During his recent trip to Canada, Pope Francis blasted what he has labeled the culture of waste that considers elderly and disabled people disposable. We need to learn how to listen to the pain of the poor and most marginalized, Francis said, lamenting the patients who, in place of affection, are administered death. Canada prides itself on being liberal and accepting, said David Jones, director of the Anscombe Bioethics Centre in Britain, but whats happening with euthanasia suggests there may be a darker side. ___ Euthanasia, where doctors use drugs to kill patients, is legal in seven countries Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain plus several states in Australia. Other jurisdictions, including several U.S. states, permit assisted suicide in which patients take the lethal drug themselves, typically in a drink prescribed by a doctor. In Canada, the two options are referred to as medical assistance in dying, though more than 99.9% of such deaths are euthanasia. There were more than 10,000 deaths by euthanasia last year, an increase of about a third from the previous year. Canadas road to allowing euthanasia began in 2015, when its highest court declared that outlawing assisted suicide deprived people of their dignity and autonomy. It gave national leaders a year to draft legislation. The resulting 2016 law legalized both euthanasia and assisted suicide for people aged 18 and over provided they met certain conditions: They had to have a serious condition, disease or disability that was in an advanced, irreversible state of decline and enduring unbearable physical or mental suffering that cannot be relieved under conditions that patients consider acceptable. Their death also had to be reasonably foreseeable, and the request for euthanasia had to be approved by at least two physicians. The law was later amended to allow people who are not terminally ill to choose death, significantly broadening the number of eligible people. Critics say that change removed a key safeguard aimed at protecting people with potentially years or decades of life left. Today, any adult with a serious illness, disease or disability can seek help in dying. Canadian health minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the countrys euthanasia law recognizes the rights of all persons ... as well as the inherent and equal value of every life. ___ The countries that allow euthanasia and assisted suicide vary in how they administer and regulate the practices, but Canada has several policies that set it apart from others. For example: Unlike Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal for two decades, Canada doesnt have monthly commissions to review potentially troubling cases, although it does publish yearly reports of euthanasia trends. Canada is the only country that allows nurse practitioners, not just doctors, to end patients lives. Medical authorities in its two largest provinces, Ontario and Quebec, explicitly instruct doctors not to indicate on death certificates if people died from euthanasia. Belgian doctors are advised to avoid mentioning euthanasia to patients since it could be misinterpreted as medical advice. The Australian state of Victoria forbids doctors from raising euthanasia with patients. There are no such restrictions in Canada. The association of Canadian health professionals who provide euthanasia tells physicians and nurses to inform patients if they might qualify to be killed, as one of their possible clinical care options. Canadian patients are not required to have exhausted all treatment alternatives before seeking euthanasia, as is the case in Belgium and the Netherlands. Still, Duclos said there were adequate safeguards in place, including stringent eligibility criteria to ensure no disabled people were being encouraged or coerced into ending their lives. Government figures show more than 65% of people are being euthanized due to cancer, followed by heart problems, respiratory issues and neurological conditions. Theresia Degener, a professor of law and disability studies at the Protestant University for Applied Sciences in northwestern Germany, said allowing euthanasia based exclusively on disability was a clear human rights violation. The implication of (Canadas) law is that a life with disability is automatically less worth living and that in some cases, death is preferable, said Degener. ___ Alan Nichols lost his hearing after brain surgery at age 12 and suffered a stroke in recent years, but he lived mostly on his own. He needed some help from us, but he was not so disabled that he qualified for euthanasia, said Gary Nichols. In one of the assessments filed by a nurse practitioner before Nichols was killed, she noted his history of seizures, frailty and a failure to thrive. She also wrote that Nichols had hearing and vision loss. The Nichols family were horrified that his death appeared to be approved based partly on Alan's hearing loss and had other concerns about how Alan was euthanized. They lodged complaints with the British Columbia agency that regulates doctors and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, asking for criminal charges. They also wrote to Canadas minister of justice. Somebody needs to take responsibility so that it never happens to another family, said Trish Nichols, Garys wife. I am terrified of my husband or another relative being put in the hospital and somehow getting these (euthanasia) forms in their hand. The hospital says Alan Nichols made a valid request for euthanasia and that, in line with patient privacy, it was not obligated to inform relatives or include them in treatment discussions. The provincial regulatory agency, British Columbias College of Doctors and Surgeons, told the family it could not proceed without a police investigation. In March, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cpl. Patrick Maisonneuve emailed the relatives to say he had reviewed the documentation and concluded Alan Nichols "met the criteria for euthanasia. The familys parliamentary representative, Laurie Throness, asked British Columbias health minister for a public investigation, calling the death deeply disturbing. The health minister, Adrian Dix, said the provinces oversight unit reviewed the case and has not referred it for any further inquiry. He pointed out that the euthanasia law does not allow for families to review euthanasia requests or be privy to hospitals decisions. Trudo Lemmens, chair of health law and policy at the University of Toronto, said it was astonishing that authorities concluded Nichols death was justified. This case demonstrates that the rules are too loose and that even when people die who shouldnt have died, there is almost no way to hold the doctors and hospitals responsible, he said. ___ Some disabled Canadians have decided to be killed in the face of mounting bills. Before being euthanized in August 2019 at age 41, Sean Tagert struggled to get the 24-hour-a-day care he needed. The government provided Tagert, who had Lou Gehrigs disease, with 16 hours of daily care at his home in Powell River, British Columbia. He spent about 264 Canadian dollars ($206) a day to pay coverage during the other eight hours. Health authorities proposed that Tagert move to an institution, but he refused, saying he would be too far from his young son. He called the suggestion a death sentence in an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Before his death, Tagert had raised more than CA$16,000 ($12,400) to buy specialized medical equipment he needed to live at home with caretakers. But it still wasn't enough. I know Im asking for change, Tagert wrote in a Facebook post before his death. I just didnt realize that was an unacceptable thing to do. Stainton, the University of British Columbia professor, pointed out that no province or territory provides a disability benefit income above the poverty line. In some regions, he said, it is as low as CA$850 ($662) a month less than half the amount the government provided to people unable to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heidi Janz, an assistant adjunct professor in Disability Ethics at the University of Alberta, said a person with disabilities in Canada has to jump through so many hoops to get support that it can often be enough to tip the scales and lead them to euthanasia. Duclos, the national health minister, told The Associated Press that he could not comment on specific cases but said all jurisdictions have a broad range of policies to support disabled people. He acknowledged disparities in access to services and supports across the country. Other disabled people say the easy availability of euthanasia has led to unsettling and sometimes frightening discussions. Roger Foley, who has a degenerative brain disorder and is hospitalized in London, Ontario, was so alarmed by staffers mentioning euthanasia that he began secretly recording some of their conversations. In one recording obtained by the AP, the hospitals director of ethics told Foley that for him to remain in the hospital, it would cost north of $1,500 a day. Foley replied that mentioning fees felt like coercion and asked what plan there was for his long-term care. Roger, this is not my show, the ethicist responded. My piece of this was to talk to you, (to see) if you had an interest in assisted dying. Foley said he had never previously mentioned euthanasia. The hospital says there is no prohibition on staff raising the issue. Catherine Frazee, a professor emerita at Torontos Ryerson University, said cases like Foleys were likely just the tip of the iceberg. Its difficult to quantify it, because there is no easy way to track these cases, but I and other advocates are hearing regularly from disabled people every week who are considering (euthanasia), she said. Frazee cited the case of Candice Lewis, a 25-year-old woman who has cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Lewis mother, Sheila Elson, took her to an emergency room in Newfoundland five years ago. During her hospital stay, a doctor said Lewis was a candidate for euthanasia and that if her mother chose not to pursue it, that would be selfish, Elson told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. ___ Canada has tweaked its euthanasia rules since they were first enacted six years ago, but critics say more needs to be done especially as Canada expands access further. Next year, the country is set to allow people to be killed exclusively for mental health reasons. It is also considering extending euthanasia to mature minors children under 18 who meet the same requirements as adults. Chantalle Aubertin, spokeswoman for Canadian Justice Minister David Lametti, said in an email that the government had taken into account concerns raised by the disabled community when it added safeguards to its euthanasia regulations last year. Those changes included that people were to be informed of all services, such as mental health support and palliative care, before asking to die. Aubertin said those and other measures would help to honor the difficult and personal decisions of some Canadians to end their suffering on their own terms, while enshrining important safeguards to protect the vulnerable. Dr. Jean Marmoreo, a family physician who regularly provides euthanasia services in Ontario, has called for specialized panels to provide a second opinion in difficult cases. I think this is not something you want to rush, but at the same time, if the person has made a considered request for this and they meet the eligibility criteria, then they should not be denied their right to a dignified death, she said. Landry, Canada's human rights commissioner, said leaders should listen to the concerns of those facing hardships who believe euthanasia is their only option. She called for social and economic rights to be enshrined in Canadian law to ensure people can get adequate housing, health care and support. In an era where we recognize the right to die with dignity, we must do more to guarantee the right to live with dignity, she said. ___ Nicole Winfield in Edmonton, Alberta, contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. The case of a Nebraska woman charged with helping her teenage daughter end her pregnancy after investigators obtained Facebook messages between the two has raised fresh concerns about data privacy in the post-Roe world. Since before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Big Tech companies that collect personal details of their users have faced new calls to limit that tracking and surveillance amid fears that law enforcement or vigilantes could use those data troves against people seeking abortions or those who try to help them. Meta, which owns Facebook, said Tuesday it received warrants requesting messages in the Nebraska case from local law enforcement on June 7, before the Supreme Court decision overriding Roe came down. The warrants, the company added, did not mention abortion at all, and court documents at the time showed that police were investigating the alleged illegal burning and burial of a stillborn infant." However, in early June, the mother and daughter were only charged with a single felony for removing, concealing or abandoning a body, and two misdemeanors: concealing the death of another person and false reporting. It wasnt until about a month later, after investigators reviewed the private Facebook messages, that prosecutors added the felony abortion-related charges against the mother. History has repeatedly demonstrated that whenever people's personal data is tracked and stored, there's always a risk that it could be misused or abused. With the Supreme Court's overruling of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion, collected location data, text messages, search histories, emails and seemingly innocuous period and ovulation-tracking apps could be used to prosecute people who seek an abortion or medical care for a miscarriage as well as those who assist them. In the digital age, this decision opens the door to law enforcement and private bounty hunters seeking vast amounts of private data from ordinary Americans, said Alexandra Reeve Givens, the president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology, a Washington-based digital rights nonprofit. WHY DID FACEBOOK TURN OVER THE MESSAGES? Facebook owner Meta said it received a legal warrant from law enforcement about the case, which did not mention the word abortion. The company has said that officials at the social media giant always scrutinize every government request we receive to make sure it is legally valid and that Meta fights back against requests that it thinks are invalid or too broad. But the company gave investigators information in about 88% of the 59,996 cases in which the government requested data in the second half of last year, according to its transparency report. Meta declined to say whether its response would have been different had the warrant mentioned the word abortion. NOT A NEW ISSUE Until this past May, anyone could buy a weekly trove of data on clients at more than 600 Planned Parenthood sites around the country for as little as $160, according to a recent Vice investigation. The files included approximate patient addresses derived from where their cellphones sleep at night income brackets, time spent at the clinic, and the top places people visited before and afterward. Its all possible because federal law specifically, HIPAA, the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act protects the privacy of medical files at your doctors office, but not any information that third-party apps or tech companies collect about you. This is also true if an app that collects your data shares it with a third party that might abuse it. In 2017, a Black woman in Mississippi named Latice Fisher was charged with second-degree murder after she sought medical care for a pregnancy loss. While receiving care from medical staff, she was also immediately treated with suspicion of committing a crime," civil rights attorney and Ford Foundation fellow Cynthia Conti-Cook wrote in her 2020 paper, Surveilling the Digital Abortion Diary. Fisher's "statements to nurses, the medical records, and the autopsy records of her fetus were turned over to the local police to investigate whether she intentionally killed her fetus, she wrote. Fisher was indicted on a second-degree murder charge in 2018; conviction could have led to life in prison. The murder charge was later dismissed. Evidence against her, though included her online search history, which included queries on how to induce a miscarriage and how to buy abortion pills online. "Her digital data gave prosecutors a window into (her) soul to substantiate their general theory that she did not want the fetus to survive, Conti-Cook wrote. INDUSTRY RESPONSE Though many companies have announced policies to protect their own employees by paying for necessary out-of-state travel to obtain an abortion, technology companies have said little about how they might cooperate with law enforcement or government agencies trying to prosecute people seeking an abortion where it is illegal or who are helping someone do so. In June, Democratic lawmakers asked federal regulators to investigate Apple and Google for allegedly deceiving millions of mobile phone users by enabling the collection and sale of their personal data to third parties. The following month, Google announced it will automatically purge information about users who visit abortion clinics or other locations that could trigger legal problems following the Supreme Court decision. Governments and law enforcement can subpoena companies for data on their users. Generally, Big Tech policies suggest the companies will comply with abortion-related data requests unless they see them as overly broad. Meta, for instance, pointed to its online transparency report, which says we comply with government requests for user information only where we have a good-faith belief that the law requires us to do so. Online rights advocates say that's not enough. In the Nebraska case, for instance, neither Meta nor law enforcement would have been able to read the messages had they been end-to-end encrypted the way messages on Meta's WhatsApp service are protected by default. Meta must flip the switch and make end-to-end encryption a default in all private messages, including on Facebook and Instagram. Doing so will literally save pregnant peoples lives, said, Caitlin Seeley George, campaigns and managing director at the nonprofit rights group Fight for the Future. BURDEN ON THE USER Unless all of your data is securely encrypted, theres always a chance that someone, somewhere can access it. So abortion rights activists suggest that people in states where abortion is outlawed should limit the creation of such data in the first place. For instance, they urge turning off phone location services or just leaving your phone at home when seeking reproductive health care. To be safe, they say, it's good to read the privacy policies of any health apps in use. The Electronic Frontier Foundation suggests using more privacy-conscious web browsers such as Brave, Firefox and DuckDuckGo but also recommends double-checking their privacy settings. There are also ways to turn off ad identifiers on both Apple and Android phones that stop advertisers from being able to track you. This is generally a good idea in any case. Apple will ask you if you want to be tracked each time you download a new app. For apps you already have installed, the tracking can be turned off manually. WASHINGTON (AP) Recently retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer has become the honorary co-chairman of a nonpartisan group devoted to education about the Constitution, joining Justice Neil Gorsuch at a time of intense political polarization and rising skepticism about the court's independence. The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia said Thursday that Breyer and Gorsuch, who has served since 2019, will be spokesmen for civics education and civility in politics. The justices' decision to work together is especially meaningful in this polarized time, Jeffrey Rosen, the centers president and CEO, said. The 84-year-old Breyer retired at the end of June after nearly 28 years as a justice. His seat was taken by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the high court's first Black woman. Breyer has been a constant voice for seeing the court as something other than politicians in robes" even as the court has issued a string of conservative-driven decisions topped by eliminating the constitutional right to abortion and overturning Roe v. Wade. In recent months, the court with six Republican-appointed conservatives and three liberals appointed by Democrats also has expanded gun rights, weakened the separation of church and state and constrained the Biden administration's efforts to combat climate change and the coronavirus pandemic. Gorsuch was in the majority of all those cases and Breyer, in dissent. Challenges to affirmative action in education and key election-related cases highlight the term that begins in October and seem likely to produce more sharp splits along ideological lines. Despite the strong disagreements on the court, Justices Breyer and Gorsuch, like all their colleagues, unite around a shared belief that civics are necessary for the future of the republic, Rosen said. Recent public opinions surveys have shown a sharp drop in approval of the court and its role as an institution that is above the political fray. Still, Breyer said last week at a lawyers' convention in Chicago that he remains optimistic about the American legal system. In a statement, he said, "The nonpartisan work of the National Constitution Center is essential, and I look forward to working with Justice Gorsuch to promote civil dialogue and debate. Breyer also will return to teaching at Harvard Law School. Past center chairmen have included President Joe Biden, who resigned when he launched his presidential campaign in 2019, and former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. The centers home in Philadelphia is near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Constitution was drafted. These so-called dog days of summer are, in reality, the perfect time to introduce children to some of Connecticuts hidden treasures. For the next few weeks, ending on Labor Day, children 18-and-under can get into many of the states museums for free under the Connecticut Summer at the Museum program funded by the American Rescue Plan. Yeah, yeah, we know. If youre a kid, the word museum just sounds like a grownups excuse to chase you off another afternoon of Roblox. Museum is to any computer game what broccoli is to ice cream. So, if youre an adult, you may need to do a little extra work to demonstrate that there are actually a lot of tasty flavors out there in Connecticuts museums. They not only offer views by land, sea and air, but will take visitors into space as well. So get on board and consider a sample of some of the stops you can make over the next four weeks. For starters, Connecticut offers several rail showcases, including the Danbury Rail Museum, (where legendary director Alfred Hitchcock filmed scenes for Strangers on a Train), and the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor. Or perhaps you favor a one if by land, two if by sea approach at the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat. If youd rather stick to the water, Norwalks Maritime Aquarium hosts 7,000 animals of some 363 species. Some kids may prefer to check out the spider monkeys and red pandas at Bridgeports Beardsley Zoo As for the air offerings, consider the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks. If thats not far enough on the horizon for your child, gaze instead at the stars at the Discovery Science Center & Planetarium in Bridgeport. Connecticuts youngest residents might prefer EverWonder Childrens Museum in Newtown, Stepping Stones in Norwalk, or West Hartfords Childrens Museum. Older children with more patience, and an interest in local history, can explore historical societies that deserve more attention in so many communities, including Greenwich, Stratfield, Norwalk, Stamford, Bristol, Avon, Glastonbury and Simsbury. Theres also the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford. Budding artists might consider different perspectives available at the Alridge Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, while wannabee fashion designers can seek inspiration at the Victorian exhibit at Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk. Many state residents are likely unaware of some offerings, such as the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association Museum in Kent. And mobile devices have already become so ubiquitous as timekeepers that kids of a certain age might be shocked by centerpieces at Bristols American Clock and Watch Museum. A few offerings cant be found anywhere else in the world. Consider the Boothe Memorial Park and Museum in Stratford, which has unique structures the Boothe brothers built on their 32-acre homestead before donating their unusual collections and estate to the Town of Stratford. Only Connecticut residents are eligible for the program, so remember to bring an ID, and check first in case online reservations or masks are required. And while this can serve to reveal treasures to kids, it can also remind a lot of adults that the Nutmeg State is really just one big museum. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT While state Sen. Dennis Bradley and rival Rev. Herron Gaston were locked in electoral combat during Tuesdays Democratic primary for the formers 23rd District seat, Juliemar Ortiz and her allies were gathering signatures for her to qualify to oppose the winner in November. Wednesday was the deadline for Ortizs campaign to submit those petitions to the Bridgeport town clerk. She needs 244 signatures of registered voters to appear on the general election ballot as the Working Families third partys candidate. In separate interviews Thursday spokespeople for Ortiz and the Working Families Bryon Chong and Roger Senserrich said they believe she has gathered more than enough, but will not know for certain until early next week. Specifically Chong said the campaign gathered just short of double the necessary signatures. We are looking forward to them getting certified Monday, Chong said, referring to the process of the town clerk forwarding the petitions to the secretary of the states office. We think its plenty, added Senserrich. We are confident that by Monday well know shes running. If Ortiz succeeds, she will go up against fellow Democrat Gaston, who won Tuesdays primary. Gaston, a pastor, activist and aide to Mayor Joe Ganim, received the Democratic Town Committees endorsement over Bradley at the spring convention. Ortiz had subsequently sought to petition her way onto the primary ballot, but fell short of the necessary 1,585 signatures from registered Democrats in the Bridgeport and Stratford neighborhoods that make up the 23rd state Senate District. Her campaign had tried to salvage her primary bid in court by convincing a state Superior Court judge to accept signatures tossed out by Bridgeports Democratic registrar of voters. But Judge Thomas Welch ruled that Howard properly disqualified two of the people Ortiz had circulating petitions. Ortiz, 29, has sought to portray herself as the independent candidate who is not part of Bridgeports politics and the citys Democratic machine. Bradley, who was the school board chairman and is serving his second, two-year term in the Senate, tried to do the same given Gaston has the backing of several prominent insiders like Ganim, Council President Aidee Nieves and of the town committee. Gaston is also Ganims assistant chief administrative officer. Ortiz is a former political reporter for the New Haven Register who later worked as a press secretary for Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and more recently for the Vineyard Wind energy company. Ortiz and the Working Families Party in a joint statement Wednesday said Gaston is a machine politician, part of the failed leadership that has repeatedly failed voters in our district. She also condemned the bitter race between Bradley and Gaston during which Bradleys pending trial for alleged federal campaign finance fraud related to his 2018 Senate bid and Gastons 2010 arrest. In 2018 Gaston had a book published The Darkest Night: An Incarceration Memoir, From Jail to Yale which details his nine-month stint in the criminal justice system in Florida after being falsely accused of sexual assault. Gaston, who does not have a criminal record, even had an attorney order a Bradley ally to cease-and-desist distributing some old information about his 2010 case. This race has been plagued by backroom deals, rumors, unfounded allegations, and backstabbing - actions that only serve to confuse and agitate voters, rather than informing (them) about the policy differences between candidates, read the joint statement from Ortiz and the Working Families Party. Gaston, 34, in a brief interview Thursday said he would not be surprised if Ortiz qualified for the November ballot, noting her campaign workers were standing outside of polling places Tuesday collecting signatures from primary voters. I have been a tireless ambassador of social change across Bridgeport and Stratford. I am a team player. I know how to work together to build bridges and not operate in silos, he said. Its important that our state senator is able to exercise thoughtful independence while at the same time being able to work with our local (legislative) delegation, our city council persons and along with our local mayors to improve the quality of life of our constituents. I believe I represent that. In an interview with the Russian state-owned news outlet Tass on Wednesday, Zhang Hanhui, China's ambassador to Moscow, praised his nation's close ties to Russia while blaming the United States for the "Ukraine crisis." According to the UN, Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 resulted in the deaths of at least 5,400 civilians and the displacement of more than 10 million people. China Calls US "Main Instigator" of Ukraine Crisis Per Fox News, fighting has consolidated in the eastern Donbas area five months into the conflict as Ukrainian military attempt to prevent Russia from taking any further territory. Prior to the invasion, Putin made an effort to improve ties with China by traveling to Beijing for the Winter Olympics and announcing in a joint statement with Chinese President Xi Jinping that their cooperation knows "no limits." Although China seems to agree with Putin's justification for the conflict, the nation has so far refrained from offering any direct military backing or helping the Kremlin evade sanctions, according to US officials. The ambassador's defense of the invasion of Ukraine, which led to tens of thousands of deaths, the obliteration of entire cities, and the flight of more than a quarter of the population, was strikingly similar to Russia's own justification. According to Zhang, refraining from meddling in other people's domestic affairs is the most important principle for maintaining international peace and stability. It should come as no surprise that he applied this theory to denounce Washington's Taiwan policy but not Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He claimed that the US was employing the same strategies in Taiwan and Ukraine to "revive a Cold War mentality, contain China and Russia, and provoke major power rivalry and confrontation." He also criticized Nancy Pelosi for visiting the self-governing island nation of Taiwan last week, which China claims as its own, as per WION via MSN. Read Also: China Breaks Promise Not To Send Military Troops, Vows To Conduct Regular Patrols Around Taiwan Expert Says Russia, China Ties Were Due to "Interests" Neil Melvin, director of international security studies at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), claimed that it would be misleading to refer to China and Russia's relationship as an alliance, instead describing it as one that was established by a "coincidence of interests." Melvin stated in an interview with Express.co.uk that the conflict in Ukraine has revealed "very clear limits" to the relationship between the two nations, which they had previously regarded as being "without bounds." He said that although China has been "maintaining a verbal support," "it hasn't at all gone to Russia's aid." Before Russia decided to attack Ukraine, Presidents Putin and Xi Jinping of China met up for the Winter Olympics in Beijing. In a joint statement, the two leaders declared their relationship as having "no limits." Putin denied having invasion plans for Ukraine at the time the comment was made. Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia as China's top oil supplier in June notwithstanding Western sanctions against it due to the conflict in Ukraine. China became one of Russia's major oil customers, providing financial backing, although China has never formally endorsed Russia in its decision to attack Ukraine. Melvin said that it would be improper to categorize which of the two superpowers poses the greatest threat to the world economy and national security when considering China and Russia separately and in light of the most recent events regarding China-Taiwan relations. Related Article: China Develops Nuclear-Powered 'Super Torpedo,' Matches Russia's Doomsday Poseidon Nuke as Moscow, Beijing Clash Against Ukraine, Taiwan @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A former Twitter manager was found guilty of acting as a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia and was convicted of fraud. When the ruling was released on Tuesday, a federal jury in San Francisco charged him with spying and selling private user information to the Kingdom's government. Twitter Manager Convicted of Spying Ahmad Abouammo, a dual US-Lebanese national, was in charge of managing relationships with journalists and celebrities in the Middle East and North Africa, reported RT. According to a copy of the verdict, he faced 11 charges involving money laundering, deception, and working as an illegal agent of a foreign power, and was charged and convicted of six of them. Prosecutors said the accused, 44, received more than $300,000 from the Saudis, as well as a watch worth more than $20,000, in exchange for revealing information about critics of their government, such as email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, and other data used to identify people behind anonymous accounts, noted Good Word News. US prosecutor Colin Sampson said in his closing arguments to the California jury, "The evidence shows that, for a fee and believing no one was monitoring, the accused traded his position to an insider of the crown prince." He went on to mention Bader Al-Asaker, a senior adviser to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who is thought to have employed him, citing Mass News. Defense of the Accused A former Twitter manager explained that the gift was part of their culture, which is famed for its generosity and expensive gifts. Read Also: Hungarian Energy Firm Negotiates Reopening, Resume Russian Oil Supply Amid Pipeline Sanctions While there appeared to be a plot to gather sensitive information about Saudi critics through Twitter, His defense attorney argued that the prosecution failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that he was a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia. Even so, the ex-legal manager's team admitted that their client had broken Twitter's regulations by not informing the firm about getting payments and a watch from a person close to the Saudi crown prince. In October 2018, the putative spy was charged for the first time, and another person was named a suspect. A Saudi national who had previously worked at Twitter's San Francisco branch is also accused of acquiring more than 6,000 accounts' personal information on behalf of Saudi Arabia. Of the two, the courts successfully prosecuted Abouammo, who was detained on November 19. However, Alzabarah fled the US and his family before the charges could reach him. Twitter Admits To Being Hacked According to reports, a system flaw gave a hacker access to the personal information of more than 5 million individuals. Twitter notified users of a security vulnerability last Friday that had permitted "a bad actor" to access and sell account holders' personal information. The tech giant concealed the number of hacked accounts, but media claims suggest that up to 5 million users may have been affected. According to a business statement, the system issue, triggered by a code change in June 2021, enabled users to input an email address or phone number to find out if either was linked with a particular account. Early in 2022, Twitter rectified the problem. The company, however, became alerted of a press report in July that indicated someone might have taken full advantage of this and was attempting to sell the data they had collected. A Former Twitter manager accused as a foreign agent of Saudi Arabia was charged and convicted but another away before getting charged. Related Article: Elon Musk Calls Out Russiagate Campaign Hoax To Bring Down Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Elections @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It is known that Prince William will visit America this year to receive his Earthshot Prize Awards. Like Prince Harry did on July 18, he apparently also has plans to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly. In December, the Duke of Cambridge will visit Boston to present the Earthshot Prize Awards. He reportedly also intends to meet with former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, a global adviser to the Earthshot Prize, when he is in the nation. He also has a UN climate change special envoy, as per Mirror. Prince William Won't Visit Prince Harry in US Later this year, Prince William will travel to the United States to attend the Boston, Massachusetts, celebration honoring the winners of the second Earthshot Prize. The 50 finalists in the 10-year program, which the Duke of Cambridge launched in 2021, will each get 1 million to scale up their environmental solution for the biggest possible effect. Prince William said that Boston will serve as the event's host city this year, and that the ceremony would take place at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in December. Many people wondered if Prince William will visit his brother, Prince Harry, and his family in California in light of the royal tour to the US. Due to the vast distance between the two states and the date of Prince Harry's much awaited memoir, experts on ITV's Royal Rota podcast appear to believe that this is impossible. Princes William and Prince Harry won't be meeting in America, according to Chris Ship and Lizzie Robinson, the hosts of ITV's Royal Rota podcast. Regarding Prince Harry's memoir, there are still a lot of unanswered issues. Despite the fact that not much is known about it, a source earlier informed Page Six that it was "juicy." JR Moehringer, a ghostwriter who has won a Pulitzer Prize, is writing the book. Numerous people are concerned that Prince Harry's new account would further widen the family rift due to the author's fame. Read Also: Fred Savage Faces Accusations of Sexual Harassment, Assault by 'Wonder Years' Reboot Crew Members That Led to His Firing Experts Weigh on Prince William's Reaction to Prince Harry's Memoir Although the release date of the book is not yet known, the royal experts thought that its subject matter would prevent Prince William from traveling from Boston to California. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Edinburgh's lifetime commitment to environmental preservation inspired the Duke of Cambridge to take an interest in it. There are rumors circulating regarding whether Prince Harry's memoir would further damage his relations with the royal family. A royal expert chimed in on what Prince William would think when the book is ultimately published. 'The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor' author Tina Brown weighed in with her predictions on Prince Harry's book. "Prince Harry won't pursue the queen because she is precious. And if he really adores Kate Middleton, he probably won't harm her," Brown said in an interview with the Telegraph in April. In the book, Brown also discussed her thoughts on how Prince William may respond if Prince Harry attacks the royal family. Meanwhile, t he host of the To Di For Daily podcast and royal analyst Kinsey Schofield is confident that Prince Harry won't write anything negative about his family. Prince Harry "doesn't have the DNA to write something salacious," claims Schofield. The commentator thinks Prince arry is using the book to establish himself as "a leader in the United States." She asserted, "What I believe he's trying to do is portray himself as a Mark Zuckerberg or Barack Obama - some guy who can collect $100,000 for a lecture in Miami to a bunch of rich dudes." Related Article: Meghan Markle Is Accused of Spreading Prince William Cheating Rumors After Source Claims Duchess Has Obsession with Cambridges' Marriage @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement Brad Pitt has starred in dozens of movies over the years - appearing alongside a host of famous actors along the way - but it turns out, the on-screen star was less than impressed with several of his co-stars, so much so that he keeps a list of those that he will never work with again. The 58-year-old's rolling list of actors-non-grata was revealed by his Bullet Train co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson this week, sparking furious speculation about who exactly has landed themselves a spot. But while Brad has remained mum about the people who appear on his list, other actors over the years have been much more vocal about their dislike for their co-stars - opening up about on-set feuds, fall-outs, and bitter behind-the-scenes tension. From long hours filming to channeling intense emotions during scenes, it's easy for frustration and anger to build while on set. In fact, some on-set feuds have been so intense that they lead to stars cursing each other out, storming off of set or even physically attacking each other. From Sarah Jessica Parker's infamously acrimonious relationship with her Sex and the City co-star Kim Cattrall to Meryl Streep's very unflattering review of Dustin Hoffman's behavior while they were filming Kramer V. Kramer, there is no shortage of actors who have willingly opened up about their dislike of their fellow stars. No thanks: Brad Pitt has a list of actors he won't work with again, according to his Bullet Train co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The 58-year-old Hollywood legend is said to keep notes on the actors who he loves and the ones he doesn't wish to be on set with again, just like Aaron, 32. Seen in July in London Indeed, even Taylor-Johnson, 32, admitted to keeping notes about his co-stars, just like his fellow actor Pitt, telling Variety this week: 'You work with many actors and after a while you start making notes: "I am definitely not working with this person ever again."' He added, 'Brad has this list too: the "good" list and the s*** list,' while assuring that Brad keeps these lists in good spirits and with a positive intent. 'He just wants to bring light and joy into the world and be around people who are there to have a good time,' the actor explained. Here are some actors who have engaged in bitter on-set fights - and readily told their stories after the cameras stopped rolling. Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep fought just like their Kramer v. Kramer characters Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep played an estranged husband and wife at odds in the 1979 film Kramer v. Kramer Dustin Hoffman, 85, and Meryl Streep, 73, played an estranged husband and wife at odds. It turns out their relationship off-screen was just as tumultuous as their characters' on-screen relationship. While speaking to Time in 1979, Meryl described their uncomfortable first encounter. Dustin was 42 years old at the time while Meryl was 30 years old. 'He came up to me and said, "Im DustinburpHoffman," and he put his hand on my breast,' Meryl told the outlet. '"What an obnoxious pig," I thought.' Things didn't get better once they started filming. While filming one of the couple's arguments, Meryl claimed Dustin slapped her without warning. 'This was my first movie, and it was my first take in my first movie, and he just slapped me,' she told The New York Times of the experience in 2018. Meryl claims that Dustin put his hand on her breast when they first met on Kramer v. Kramer, pictured above winning Oscars for the film Meryl, now 73 (pictured left), claimed she thought of Dustin as a 'pig' when she first met him and Dustin, now 85 (pictured right), would get annoyed when Meryl would request 'feminist' line changes One of the film's producers told the outlet that he would 'goad' her by talking about her late boyfriend, John Cazale. Dustin would also get annoyed when Meryl would make some suggestions improve her character. 'Meryl, why dont you stop carrying the flag for feminism and just act the scene,' Hoffman said in one instance, according to a feature on Streep in Vanity Fair. Dustin has since claimed that he was taking out his frustrations from his own divorce on his on-screen wife. 'I'm sure I was acting out on her [Streep] throughout the movie,' he told the Huffington Post. 'Stuff that I was feeling toward the wife that I was divorcing in real life.' Charlize Theron felt threatened by Tom Hardy while filming Mad Max: Fury Road and requested full-time protection while on set Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy had a full-blown yelling match while filming Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015 Charlize Theron, 47, and Tom Hardy, 44, embraced the film's war themes by getting in their own real-life feud. The two had a full-blown yelling match on-set when Tom showed up to set three hours later. Charlize was 40 years old at the time while Tom was 37 years old. In the book Blood, sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road, a number of crew members opened up about the grueling filming process. 'Eleven o'clock. She's now in the War Rig, sitting there with her makeup on and a full costume for three hours,' Mark Goellnicht, a camera operator, said in the book. 'Tom turns up, and he walks casually across the desert. She jumps out of the War Rig, and she starts swearing her head off at him, saying, "Fine the f****** c*** a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he's held up this crew," and "How disrespectful you are!"' 'He charged up to her up and went, "What did you say to me?"' Goellnicht said. 'He was quite aggressive,' Goellnicht continued. 'She really felt threatened, and that was the turning point.' After Tom and Charlize got into an altercation on set over Tom's tardiness, she reportedly then requested to have 'protection' with her at all times throughout the rest of filming 'We were either fighting or we were icing each other,' Charlize, 47 (pictured left), said reflecting on her experience filming with Tom and Tom, 44 (pictured right), insisted Charlize needed 'a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me' Charlize reportedly then requested to have 'protection' with her at all times throughout the rest of filming. 'It got to a place where it was kind of out of hand, and there was a sense that maybe sending a woman producer down could maybe equalize some of it, because I didn't feel safe,' Charlize said in the book. It's also clear in the book that the two are both able to reflect on the issue with a more objective standce. 'It was like two parents in the front of the car,' Charlize recalled about her dynamic with Tom. 'We were either fighting or we were icing each other I dont know which one is worse and they had to deal with it in the back.' She added: 'It was horrible! We should not have done that; we should have been better. I can own up to that.' Tom also claimed responsibility over his contribution to the feud in his book. 'In hindsight, I was in over my head in many ways,' he explained. 'The pressure on both of us was overwhelming at times.' 'What she needed was a better, perhaps more experienced partner in me,' he continued. 'That's something that can't be faked. I'd like to think that now that I'm older and uglier, I could rise to that occasion.' And Just Like That... Sex and the City stars Kim Cattrall and Sarah Jessica Parker 'were never best friends' Kim and Sarah allegedly feuded over salaries while filming Sex and the City It's no secret that Sex and the City stars Sarah Jessica Parker, 57, and Kim Cattrall, 65, aren't as close as their characters are. Stories broke over the years about how the two feuded over salaries during filming while Kim was 42 and Sarah was 34. It was claimed that Kim tried to get herself a higher salary after Sarah got a $300,000 pay bump for also being an executive producer. While both women initially denied there was any feud, the facade began to break down years after the show wrapped. In 2017, DailyMail.com published a story stating that the Sex and the City 3 movie was canceled because Kim was making demands. Kim had hoped that Sarah and the rest of the SATC cast and crew would defend her and deny the claims, but that didn't happen. At this point, Kim started to speak out against Sarah, claiming they were 'never best friends.' While both denied feud rumors, Kim began to speak out against Sarah after Sarah refused to refute rumors that Kim refused to do the Sex and the City 3 movie over her demands Kim, 65 (pictured left) slammed Sarah for her supportive comments after her brother's death, claiming she 'exploited our tragedy to restore [her] "nice girl" persona' and Sarah, 57 (pictured right), didn't include her in the And Just Like That reboot 'This is really where I take to task the people from Sex and the City and specifically Sarah Jessica Parker in that I think she could have been nicer,' she said on Piers Morgan on the matter in 2017. 'I really think she could have been nicer. I dont know what her issue is, I never have,' she continued. Kim spoke out against SJP after she tried to console Kim on social media after her brother died. 'I can't begin to know how her family is managing such a loss,' Sarah told Extra at the time. 'We all send her our love and condolences and grant her the privacy that she's asked for.' 'I dont need your love or support at this tragic time @sarahjessicaparker,' Kim wrote on Instagram. She then accused Sarah of 'exploiting our tragedy to restore [her] "nice girl" persona,' adding: 'Your continuous reaching out is a painful reminder of how cruel you really were then and now.' The final snub came when Sarah launched the Sex and the City reboot, And Just Like That, and included all of the lead characters except Kim's. Janet Hubert called Will Smith an 'egomaniac' after filming Fresh Prince of Bel Air and left the show after season three Janet Hupert and Will Smith played mother and son respectively on Fresh Prince of Bel Air but they were certainly not as close as family might be. Janet Hupert and Will Smith played mother and son respectively when Will was 22 years old and Jane was just 34 years old. However, they were certainly not as close as family might be. Janet left the show in 1993 over 'creative differences.' At the time, Will made it clear she wasn't a fan of his. '[Janet] said once, "I've been in the business for 10 years and this snotty-nosed punk comes along and gets a show." No matter what, to her I'm just the Anti-Christ,' Will said during an interview. However, it later came out that she didn't approve of Will's behavior on set. 'I was a dark-skinned, African-American mother, and Will used to tell the you're-so-black jokes to the audience before the show,' she told BlackAmericaWeb in 2010. 'At one point, I came out and stopped him...He didn't understand how unbelievably disrespectful that was to women like me.' A year later, he posted a photo that he captioned 'fresh prince reunion' with some of his former castmates. Rumors started to swirl about a reunion show. Jane was quick to shut those rumors down, though, telling TMZ, 'There will never be a reunion as I will never do anything with an a**hole like Will Smith.' Janet left the show in 1993 over 'creative differences,' later sighting she wasn't a fan of his jokes and found them hurtful Will, 53 (pictured left), apologized to Janet during an episode of Red Table Talk and Janet, 66 (pictured right), accepted his apology because she 'felt the honest' 'He is still an egomaniac and has not grown up. This constant reunion thing will never, ever happen in my lifetime unless there is an apology, which he doesnt know the word.' Even though the odds seemed slim at one point, the two have made peace ahead of the Fresh Prince reboot in 2020. Will apologized on a segment of Red Table Talk. 'I waited a long time to hear those words,' Janet told WABC, adding that it was 'easy' to forgive him' because she had 'felt the honesty. I felt the change. He is not the same person that he was at 21 years old.' Then Janet explained the real reason she left. 'They offered me 10 weeks of work and they said you can't work anywhere else. My agent said you cannot accept this. They'll come back, but they didn't,' she shared. She also shared that she was asked to go to her dressing room between take because she wouldn't laugh at Will's jokes and other cast members were offered money to 'take her down.' Dwayne The Rock Johnson and Vin Diesel fought furiously while filming Fast and Furious 8 As filming for The Fate of The Furious went on, rumors surfaced that Dwayne and Vin couldn't tolerate the other's behavior while on set Fast and Furious stars Vin Diesel, 55, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, 50, reportedly grew furious at each other while filming the eighth installment of the series, the Fate of the Furious. As filming went on, rumors surfaced that both Vin and Dwayne, who were 50 and 45 respectively at the time, couldn't tolerate the other's behavior while on set. 'Tension has been building up for months,' a source close to the production told People at the time. 'Vin has been having problems with The Rock because The Rock keeps showing up late for production,' the insider said. 'Sometimes he doesn't show up at all and he's delaying the production.' Inversely, other sources attributed the same issues to Vin Diesel. 'Vin Diesel and the Dwayne Johnson have been butting heads throughout the production of Fast 8,' a source told Page Six. 'Vin has a reputation for being difficult he shows up late, keeps people waiting, holds up production and is disrespectful to people on the set. Dwayne lost his patience with him.' Their feud went into the public domain when The Rock wrote a not-so-subtle post slamming 'some' of his male co-stars. 'Some [male costars] conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don't,' he wrote via Instagram on a since-deleted post in August 2016. 'The ones that don't are too chicken st to do anything about it anyway. Candy a****. When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I'm not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling you're right.' Vin tried to downplay Dwayne's post during an interview with USA Today, stating 'some things may be blown out of proportion.' 'I don't think the world really realizes how close we are, in a weird way,' he said. 'I think some things may be blown out of proportion.' He continued: 'I don't think that was his intention. I know he appreciates how much I work this franchise. In my house, he's Uncle Dwayne. 'I protect the franchise. I protect everybody including Dwayne. I protected Dwayne more than he'll ever know. And it doesn't matter. He doesn't have to know. But he appreciates it. He knows it.' He added: 'Dwayne Johnson only has one big brother in this film world and that's me.' At the time, Dwayne didn't address Vin's comments. Rather, he spoke out to Rolling Stone in 2018 about how the two have 'a fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating.' Vin claimed, 'Dwayne Johnson only has one big brother in this film world and that's me' but Dwayne retorted, 'I have one big brother and it's my half brother Vin, 55 (pictured left), made a public plea for Dwayne to rejoin the Fast and the Furious franchise ahead of the tenth film but Dwayne, 50 (pictured right), did not appreciate Vin's social media post and called it 'manipulative' However, during a 2021 interview with Vanity Fair, Dwayne shared that they had a meeting about his post in his trailer. 'I wouldn't call it a peaceful meeting,' he told the outlet, adding that at the end of the meeting, 'it really became just crystal clear that we are two separate ends of the spectrum.' And in response to Vin's 'brother' comment, Dwayne stated, 'I have one big brother and it's my half brother. And that's it.' That same year, Vin stated that he and Dwayne's relationship was tense due to his tendency to give out acting advice while on set. 'My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting [his] performance where it needed to be,' he told Mens Health. Dwayne also reacted to Vin's 'tough love' comments during the Vanity Fair interview, stating, 'I laughed and I laughed hard. I think everyone had a laugh at that. And Ill leave it at that.' The Rock ultimately made the decision to leave the franchise. However, Vin wasn't ready to take no as an answer. He made a public plea for his 'little brother Dwayne' to rejoin the franchise on Instagram in December 2021. 'My little brother Dwayne... the time has come,' he began the lengthy post. 'The world awaits the finale of Fast 10. As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you dont send well wishes... but the time has come. Legacy awaits. 'I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo [Paul Walker]. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in the finale that is 10! I say this out of love... but you must show up. 'Do not leave the franchise idle you have a very important role to play. Hobbs cant be played by no other. I hope that you rise to the occasion and fulfill your destiny,' he concluded the post. Dwayne was none too pleased with Vin's public plea. 'I was very surprised by Vin's recent post,' Dwayne said to CNN. 'This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly and privately that I would not be returning to the franchise.' 'I didn't like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker. Leave them out of it,' he continued. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams went from enemies to love interests during The Notebook... and then broke up Ryan and Rachel reportedly 'didn't get a long' while filming The Notebook Ryan Gosling, 41, and Rachel McAdams, 43, ended up dating for two years after filming The Notebook. However, they didn't always see their relationship as romantic. In fact, Ryan and Rachel, who were 24 and 26 at the time respectively, reportedly did not get along for a portion of filming. Director Nick Cassavetes opened up to VH1 about one particularly rough fight they had on set in 2014. 'Maybe Im not supposed to tell this story, but they were really not getting along one day on set. Really not,' he shared. 'Ryan came to me, and theres 150 people standing in this big scene, and he says, "Nick come here." 'Hes doing a scene with Rachel and he says, "Would you take her out of here and bring in another actress to read off camera with me?" I said, What? He says, "I cant. I cant do it with her. Im just not getting anything from this."' Ryan and Rachel ended up dating in 2005 but broke up two years later During their on-set fight, Ryan, 41 (pictured left), demanded that Rachel be replaced by another actress and Rachel, 43 (pictured right), ended up having a screaming match with Ryan over the issue Cassavetes said that after allowing the two actors to have it out, the shoot was able to continue. 'We went into a room with a producer; they started screaming and yelling at each other. I walked out,' Cassavetes said. 'At that point I was smoking cigarettes. I smoked a cigarette and everybody came out like, "All right, lets do this."' Evidently, the two eventually patched things up and even started dating in 2005. When they won the 2005 MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss with The Notebook, the two even reenacted their kiss on stage. Ultimately, the two ended up calling it quits in 2007 - much to The Notebook fans' dismay. Ryan touched on the reason behind their breakup in a 2007 interview with GQ, stating, 'The only thing I remember is we both went down swingin' and we called it a draw.' Teri Hatcher seemingly didn't get along with the entire rest of the cast of Desperate Housewives Nicollette Sheridan reportedly called Teri 'the meanest woman,' Eva Longoria commended Felicity Huffman for helping her stand up to the on-set 'bully' and Marcia Cross stormed off a photoshoot with Teri Teri Hatcher may have played the sweet Susan Meyers on Desperate Housewives but according to her costars, she was much more difficult to work with in real life. The problem started right from the top of the nine-season show. The show's creator, Marc Cherry, claimed he was called to set during season one because there was a problem between Teri and Nicollette Sheridan, who played her on-screen nemesis, Edie. 'They were furious with each other,' he while on trial against Nicollette. 'Nicollette pulled me aside and told me that Teri Hatcher was the meanest woman in the world because of how she was acting. There's no denying that he and Nicollette ended up at odds after he physically hit her one day on set an then killed off her character. However, more evidence supports that Teri was the true problem on set out of the actresses. In 2005, the women did a photoshoot for Vanity Fair. An ABC employee told the photo crew, 'Whatever you do, do not let Teri go to wardrobe first,' as she was known for having diva behavior. Teri showing up first is exactly what happened though. 'This is a problem. I'm getting text messages from Eva [Longoria]. Everything is not fine,' the ABC employee told the photo staff. Teri reportedly demanded to be in the center of the picture, Marcia Cross ended up storming off set and Nicollette was made to stand in between the two actresses to separate them. The magazine even captured the photo, 'You wouldn't believe what it took just to get this photo.' When reflecting on the show in 2012, Eva Longoria painted the picture that Teri and the res of the cast weren't close friends. 'You know, Teri was just a loner,' Eva said during an event held for the Eva Longoria foundation. 'I don't know. Me and Marcia [Cross] and Felicity [Huffman] were a lot closer because we are just girlie girls who like to be in each other's company. Teri didn't.' 'I will never disclose the true and complicated journey of us all,' Teri said of her relationship with her Desperate Housewives costars At the end of the show, Marcia, Vanessa, Felicity and Eva all signed a card thanking the crew for filming - leaving out Teri On top of this, as the show wrapped, the cast members got gifts for the crew. Teri's name was the only name left out. Even Vanessa Williams, who only appeared in the show's later seasons, signed the card. It read, 'Thank you for a magical eight years. Love, Eva, Marcia, Felicity and Vanessa. However, the true tea was spilled when Eva and Marc wrote letters for Felicity Hoffman during the college admission scandal. Eva commended Felicity for standing up to one particular 'bully' on set in a letter obtained by NBC. I dreaded the days I had to go to work with that person because it was pure torture,' Eva penned. Until one day, Felicity told the bully enough and it all stopped.' She continued: 'Felicity could feel that I was riddled with anxiety even though I never complained or mentioned the abuse to anyone. I know I would not have survived those 10 years if it wasnt for the friendship of Felicity. Marc also cited an actress with 'big behavioral problem's on Desperate Housewives who had given them the silent treatment. 'She was a big star with some big behavioral problems,' he wrote, supposedly of Teri. 'Everyone tried their darnedest to get along with this woman over the course of the show. It was impossible. And things went from bad to worse. At some point during season seven this woman decided she would no longer speak to her fellow cast members. Felicity still insisted on saying, Good morning to this actress, even though she knew she wouldnt get a response. Teri never spoke out about her true relationship with co-stars except to say that she plans on staying silent on it. 'I will never disclose the true and complicated journey of us all, but I wish everyone on the show well,' Teri said to TV Guide. Star Trek's William Shatner and George Takei have one of Hollywood's longest-running feuds William and George have been feuding since the original Star Trek series in 1966 William Shatner, 91, and George Takei, 85, have had a decades-long feud that started while they were filming Star Trek when William was 35 and George was 29. Many on set instances happened to ignite this feud, including William being annoyed with George for unsafely playing with his fencing sword prop to George being annoyed that William tried to take credit for putting out a fire on set with a 'prop hose.' This ultimately lead to George almost backing out of The Final Frontier. 'I have a lot of friends in my Star Trek cast, except for one. We had a friendly tension going between us,' George said in a 2014 interview, referring to William. 'And I thought, the best thing to do with Star Trek V, which was being directed by him, was to demur from doing it.' However, he eventually folded and ended up filming the movie. They then both made digs at each other in their memoirs. William called George a 'loose cannon' and accused him of trying to actually hurt him during the fencing sword incident. In his 1994 memoir, George accused William of intentionally not acknowledging his presence and insisting that his character never command a starship. Fast forward to 2008, he had attended the roast of William Shatner two years prior but did not invite his William to his wedding. William did not take well to the snub. 'Theres such a sickness there, its so painfully obvious that theres a psychosis there,' he said of George during an interview. William and George have both vented about each others' behavior on set in their memoirs, with William calling George a 'loose cannon' and George claiming William would ignore him on set George, 85 (pictured left), enjoyed roasting William during his 2006 roast meanwhile, William, 91 (pictured right), didn't understand why George didn't invite him to his wedding 'There must be something else inside George that is festering, and it makes him so unhappy that he takes it out on me, in effect a total stranger.' In 2014, it seemed that their feud may have been settled once and for all when they reached a 'quid pro quo,' as per USA Today. William agreed to appear George's documentary so long as George allowed him to use footage from the 2006 roast for his one-man-show. However, the peace didn't last for long. In an episode of Real Time with Bill Maher that year, when Takei was asked why he didnt like Shatner. 'Canadians have a certain image of being even-tempered and friendly and all that,' George replied. 'Well, he is a person who is that way with himself. He is very self-centered.' William called George 'a disturbed individual' to the Australian press one year later in 2015. During a 2018 Q&A, William even wished George dead as a joke - or perhaps not. One audience member had asked, 'Do you wish George Takei was dead instead of Leonard Nimoy?' 'What a terrible question,' William said, before jokingly adding, 'Yes.' Debbie Reynolds said Gene Kelly 'shoved his tongue down her throat' while filming Singin' in the Rain Debbie described Gene as a 'cruel taskmaster' when they were filming Singin' in the Rain Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly's Singin' in the Rain love story did not translate off screen. Debbie described Gene as a 'cruel taskmaster' in her 2013 memoir Unsinkable. 'He came to rehearsals and criticized everything I did and never gave me a word of encouragement,' she noted. Debbie, who was cast in the role at 19, had never danced before opposed to Gene who was 20 years her senior. 'I had three months to learn what Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor had been doing for years,' Reynolds wrote in her 2013 memoir Unsinkable. Debbie, who was learning to dance during the film, said the more-experienced Gene 'criticized everything I did' Debbie described Gene as a 'cruel taskmaster' in her 2013 memoir Unsinkable (pictured left) and Gene (pictured right) reportedly admitted that he 'wasn't very nice to Debbie' while they filmed Singin' in the Rain She also accused the actor of using tongue while kissing her without her consent. 'The camera closed in. Gene took me tightly in his arms . . . and shoved his tongue down my throat, she wrote of the experience.'"Eeew! What was that?" I screeched, breaking free of his grasp and spitting.' She continued: 'I ran around frantic, yelling for some Coca-Cola to cleanse my mouth. It was the early 1950s, and I was an innocent kid who had never been French-kissed. 'It felt like an assault. I was stunned that this thirty-nine-year-old man would do this to me,' she added. Gene reportedly acknowledged that he wasn't friendliest to her while filming. 'I wasn't very nice to Debbie. I'm surprised she still speaks to me,' he said, as per Country Living. Rumors swirled that Gossip Girl stars Blake Lively and Leighton Meester 'avoided each other like the plague' Blake and Leighton reportedly weren't the best of friends unlike their Gossip Girl characters Blake Lively, 34 and Leighton Meester, 36, played best friends on Gossip Girls. However it quickly became clear the two 'were not friends.' Rumors began to surfaced that the two were feuding while filming. 'They avoid each other like the plague,' a source told New York Magazine in 2008. At that time, Blake's publicist came forward with a statement, admitting the two were never friendly. 'Blake and Leighton have never been best friends and never professed to be,' the publicist's statement read. 'Blake goes to work, does her job and goes home.' The two were still able to get through filming six seasons together. Eventually, a writer from the show, Josh Safran, weighed in how the stars' relationship truly was. 'Blake and Leighton were not friends,' he admitted in the 2017 Vanity Fair report. 'They were friendly, but they were not friends like Serena and Blair.' 'Blake and Leighton have never been best friends and never professed to be,' Blake's publicist said of their relationship while filming The two reportedly had personality differences as Blake, 34 (pictured left), liked going out to the hottest places while Leighton, 36 (pictured right), preferred to read books and keep to herself on set He then explained that the two of had differing personalities and interests, why likely contributed to why they didn't click. 'Blake is very much in the moment. Blake knows whats happening,' he shared. 'You talk to Blake on a very contemporary level, and she would be like, Im doing this thing tonight. Have you been to this restaurant? He continued: 'Leighton was very removed and very quiet, and, after her scenes were done, she would wander the stage. ' 'I had this image of her just in these gorgeous dresses with a book in her hand, sort of a little bit out of focus out in the corners.' A Connecticut couple tied the knot in a heartwarming ceremony held in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where their premature daughter was treated for more than 100 days. Grier Stanley, 37, and Jason Barnwell, 36, from New London, said 'I do' in front of their daughter Drue and her caregivers at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital on August 3, after their wedding was pushed back twice following their baby girl's early arrival. 'Drue gave us a smile at the end,' the new mom told Today. 'She was smiling probably because it was her plan.' Grier Stanley, 37, and Jason Barnwell, 36, from New London, Connecticut, said 'I do' in front of their daughter and NICU staffers at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital on August 3 Baby Drue, who was born two months early, was dressed in a blush-colored dress and a flower crown for her parents wedding in the NICU Stanley was just 28 weeks pregnant when she headed to the hospital with stomach pains on April 21. She didn't think she was in labor until she was told she was already 6 centimeters dilated. She gave birth to Drue about two hours later. The couple's daughter, who weighed just 2 pounds when she was born, needed to be intubated and received a blood transfusion. 'The first 12 hours were really really rough,' Stanley recalled. 'Its just a helpless feeling and we are both protectors and doers and fixers and this was really a crazy curveball to not to be really able to do anything.' Amid their concerns for their newborn daughter, they also had to reach out to the church's rector and photographer to explain that they needed to postpone their wedding. The couple had to push back their wedding twice while their daughter was in the hospital, prompting a nurse to suggest they have their wedding in the NICU Drue was extubated within 24 hours, but she struggled to breathe at times. Doctors said she would need to stay in the NICU for at least eight to ten weeks. When Stanley and Barnwell were ready to get married, they had to reschedule again after learning their rector had become ill. They were trying to figure out when they should get married when a staffer suggested they have the ceremony in the NICU. 'The plan for the wedding, it was brought up by a nurse and shes like, "Oh well, you guys should just get married here," because she knew what had happened with Drue coming early,' Barnwell told Today. 'We laughed it off like, "Are you serious?" But she took it to another level. The new dad donned a navy suit and bowtie for the occasion, while Stanley wore a cream lace duster over a white pantsuit. She topped off her wedding look with a crown that her aunt Marty wore at her own wedding several decades ago. Stanley and Barnwell were treated to a small wedding cake and bottles of sparkling juice while celebrating with the NICU staffers who had been caring for their daughter After more than 100 days in the hospital, Drue was given the clear to go home on August 5, which also happened to be her mother's birthday Baby Drue, who was able to take part in the ceremony, looked precious in a tiny blush-colored dress and a flower crown on her head. Stanley carried her in a wrap on her chest as they exchanged vows. After they were declared husband and wife, they were treated to a small wedding cake and bottles of sparkling juice to celebrate with the NICU staffers. Stanley explained that their family didn't know they were getting married, so they kept a video journal of their big day to share with them. Two days later, Drue was given the clear to go home on August 5 her mom's birthday to the delight of her parents. Barnwell shared that the time he and Stanley spent in the NICU with their daughter brought them closer than ever before. 'We love each other even more,' he said. 'Its like "Wow, look how far we have come. Look how far Drue has come." All those emotions are catching up [to us]. Its like, "Wow look at what we did, look how strong we were as a family, all of us together."' A mother-of-eight who spent years indoors because she was self-conscious about her appearance has died at the age of 47. 'Glamorous' Nicola Kilby avoided her reflection and refused to be photographed due to a rare illness which affected her entire body and altered the way she looked. The condition, known as Wegener's Granulomatosis (GPA) attacked Nicola's ears, nose, sinuses, kidneys and lungs. The condition is a type of vasculitis which slows the blood flow to your organs. Although her cause of death is unconfirmed, Nicola's 27-year-old son Kieran spoke about the way his mother's ailing health impacted her life. Due to her GPA Nicola, from Cirencester, was deaf in both ears and unable to talk as the condition ate away at her soft palate and collapsed her nose. Nicola Kilby passed away last month at the age of 47 after a battle with Wegener's Granulomatosis (GPA). PIctured: Before her illness took hold Nicola, a mother-of-eight, pictured her in 2006, would not let people photograph her in her later years of life due to the change in her appearance After the mother and grandmother passed away last month Kieran, from Sutton Coldfield, paid tribute to the 'amazing person' she was. Describing her as an adoring woman, Kieran said everyone was always welcome in her house. He told BirminghamLive: 'She was a very strong woman and even when she was in the worst pain imaginable, she'd never let on. 'She didn't want to subject anyone else to what she was going through.' Nicola leaves behind her husband of 10 years, Kevin, and eight children aged between eight and 27. Nicola lived in Cirencester, The Cotswolds, with her husband of 10 years, Kevin> PIctured: On their wedding day in 2012 Describing his mother's illness, Kieran said it was 'one of the most horrendous things I can imagine anyone going through'. What is Wegener's granulomatosis? Wegener's granulomatosis, otherwise known as Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), is a type of vasculitis, which is a blood vessel disorder. GPA slows down the blood flow to major organs. The affected tissues can develop areas of inflammation called granulomas, which can affect how these organs work. Some people who are diagnosed early with GPA can be treated and make a full recovery. However if the condition is discovered late it can be fatal. Symptoms of GPA include: Pus from your nose, stuffiness, sinus infections and nosebleeds Coughing, sometimes with bloody phlegm Shortness of breath or wheezing Fever Fatigue Joint pain Numbness in your limbs, fingers or toes Weight loss Blood in your urine Skin sores, bruising or rashes Eye redness, burning or pain, and vision problems Ear inflammation and hearing problems Source: Mayoclinic.org Advertisement He said the condition made life very difficult for his mother, who could be severely affected by a common cold - meaning the Covid pandemic was a terrible time. When Nicola was first diagnosed, doctors told her she may be able to live for 10 years with it. Sadly, Kieran said the condition 'affected her very rapidly' to the point where she couldn't walk up and down the stairs. As she became self-conscious about her appearance, Nicola stopped leaving the house. 'None of us have any pictures of my mum from the past five years because she wouldn't allow it - not even with the grandkids on her birthday,' Kieran explained. After watching an episode of This Time Next Year, presented by Davina McCall and which followed a woman with vasculitis who was given a prosthetic nose, Kieran said his mother was desperate to look into prosthetics. While the family tried hard to find somewhere that could rebuild her nose, they didn't have any luck as the clinics were all in the US. Kieran also described his mother's mental health decline as she became more and more isolated. At one point she was so lonely she began accepting friend requests on Facebook from people she didn't know, 'so she had some friends to speak to'. After his mother's death Kieran wants to raise awareness of GPA. The family has also set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the funeral costs, a memorial bench for Nicola and the charity Vasculitis UK. Writing on the fundraising page, which has reached more than half of its 5,000 goal from 121 people, Kieran explained a little bit more about his mother's illness. He wrote: 'Even a slight cold could turn a sniffle into hospitalisation, its far from comfortable. She endured this for over five years holding on until she couldnt no more.' After Nicola was diagnosed with GPA, Kieran said she declined fairly quickly Explaining why the family had opted to raise money, he said the cost of the funeral was 'unbelievably expensive'. He added: 'Although there are many of us the cost just isnt viable for some and this woman deserves the best send off possible. 'Unfortunately we cant do it alone and thats the hardest and saddest thing to admit.' 'The last thing we want is for her to leave this world in the opposite way of who she was a person and in life. 'She was a woman of glamour and style. A beautiful wife, a loving mother and the best friend everyone deserves! 'She always put others above herself no matter what.' Kieran wrote: 'The majority of funds will go to the charity fighting for support against this horrendous disease, allowing sufferers to live their life more comfortably and for better research into the detection and prevention of the illness.' He added: 'If you can donate even the tiniest amount then our mum's life meant something and with the money raised can change/help someone else going through the same as she did knowing that they wont suffer the way she did. 'R.I.P mum this ones for you xx' Nicola's son Kieran described his mother as a 'glamorous' woman who welcomed anyone and everyone into her home, PIctured: On her wedding day in 2012 A singleton was stunned when a man branded her 'unladylike' for eating a full salad on their first date - because he wants a woman who 'knows when to stop eating'. Diamond Jackson, 23, from Dinwiddie, Virginia, had been chatting to a man on an online dating site for a week before he asked her out on a date. They enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant and Diamond thought the date had gone well when they said goodbyes with promises of seeing each other again. So Diamond was stunned when her potential suitor texted later that night saying he didn't think they are 'compatible' because of her eating habits. Diamond Jackson, 23, from Dinwiddie, Virginia, was stunned when a man branded her 'unladylike' for eating a full salad on their first date - because he wants a woman who 'knows when to stop eating' Mentioning his own strict lifestyle of meal prep and daily gym sessions, the man branded Diamond 'greedy' for eating her entire meal on the date - despite it only being a side portion of grilled chicken Caesar salad. After her date's unexpected confession that her appetite made him worried that she would be 'overweight in the near future', Diamond swiftly blocked his number. The nursing assistant is now using her bad experience to urge other singletons to not ignore 'red flags' like this early on when dating. Diamond said: 'I met him online on a dating app and we started talking and then he got my number and we started texting. The singleton had been chatting to a man on an online dating site for a week before he asked her out on a date 'We had been messaging for about a week before we met up. 'The first impression was pretty good, we had good conversion on the date and our conversation through text message prior was pretty good as well. 'While we were on the date it didn't seem like anything was off. Before we left we hugged and he was like, "Am I going to see you again?" and I said "Sure".' After saying, 'I'll hold you to it', and telling Diamond to drive safe, they went their separate ways. 'Then later on he sent that message and it caught me off guard because I thought everything went well. It was crazy, it definitely was unexpected,' she explained. 'I feel it shows his true personality - how unsettled and insecure he is with himself. Mentioning his own strict lifestyle of meal prep and daily gym sessions, the man branded Diamond 'greedy' for eating her entire meal on the date - despite it only being a side portion of grilled chicken Caesar salad The nursing assistant is now using her bad experience to urge other singletons to not ignore 'red flags' like this early on when dating 'Misery loves company and he has to be pretty miserable with life itself to even think like that.' The text message Diamond's date sent to her read: 'Honestly Diamond. You seem like [an amazing woman] but I don't think we're compatible. 'You ate the whole damn salad which isn't ladylike. [It] makes me feel like you're greedy for food and I need a woman who knows when to stop eating. 'You know I meal prep and go to the gym daily. I just feel like you'd be overweight in the near future. 'I still want to hang out but that bothered me. I almost exploded. 'I love your vibe and energy [though]. You're perfect, it's just that one thing plus it was our first date.' He questioned how she could 'eat that much' during a first date when you're supposed to have 'butterflies'. After returning home from the restaurant date in the neighbouring town of Colonial Heights, Virginia, the nursing assistant was gobsmacked to receive the man's berating text message. Diamond says she had only ordered a side portion of a grilled chicken Caesar salad as her meal for the evening Diamond says she had only ordered a side portion of a grilled chicken Caesar salad as her meal for the evening. Meanwhile, her 'hypocritical' date ate his entire meal of chicken, asparagus and mashed potato as well as an entire basket of bread before the main. Diamond said: 'I had a grilled chicken Caesar salad and he had some sort of parmesan chicken with grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes. 'He ate the majority of his meal and just left a few pieces of the asparagus. 'He ate like the whole basket of bread that you get before the meal as well so he's a hypocrite really. 'I feel like a grilled chicken Caesar salad is healthy. To me, any salad is healthy. 'It wasn't even a big salad, I got the side salad, so for him to say that was just like 'wow'. 'If I had got the big salad I probably wouldn't have even finished that but the side salads are pretty small. 'I didn't respond to the text message - I felt like no response is a response. I laughed at it and then I blocked him. Diamond posted about her bizarre dating experience on Facebook and was bombarded with more than 6,000 comments from people who shared her confusion at the man's text 'My feelings were hurt a little bit but it was just like 'whatever' - I didn't really take it to heart because he wasn't the kind of person for me. 'I understand everyone has standards but that was just pure foolishness.' Diamond posted about her bizarre dating experience on Facebook and was bombarded with more than 6,000 comments from people who shared her confusion at the man's text. Some even accused the anonymous suitor of being 'fat-phobic' and 'controlling' - warning Diamond to 'run away' from him. One commenter said: 'He deserves to be alone if the potential for chub scares him before it even happens*a whole SALAD*.' Another said: 'That's not a potential boyfriend, that's a prison warden who wants a cheap date [...]. 'RUN don't walk away from this guy and leave him in a cloud of dust. [...] 'Not into dates so obviously shallow and controlling, sings of doom from the start.' A third said: 'People are weird. I've never heard of anyone being put off by someone eating their whole meal. 'Were you supposed to just eat a half salad? I'm confusedLike dang what [does] he eat?' The nursing assistant says she will never meet up with the man again but will continue dating until she finds Mr Right. She is now using her 'lucky escape' dating experience to warn others about 'red flags' early on in relationships. Diamond said 'I will continue dating because not all guys are like that and there's plenty more fish in the sea. 'I'm glad he did it sooner rather than later because most guys usually take about six months to show the true them but this guy did it on the first night. It was a very lucky escape. 'Don't ignore the red flags and pay attention to the signs.' Fashion fans have slammed Victoria Beckham for using an 'underage' looking model in her new campaign. Showing off new pieces in her VB body capsule collection, the fashion designer, 48, posted a black-and-white photo of model Morgan Porter in one of the cardigans. Morgan, who is 19, is signed to Storm Models and has shot campaigns for Louis Vuitton and walked the catwalk for Victoria Beckham and Jil Sander. The caption read: 'Meticulously designed and new to the VB Body capsule collection, the cropped cardigan hugs the body whilst accentuating the waist. Victoria Beckham's fashion brand has been criticised for using a model who fans say looks 'underage' and 'like a child' The model, who is wearing pieces from VB Body's capsule collection, was dubbed childlike by Victoria Beckham's followers Fans commented on the young appearance of the model chosen for the campaign, whose age is unknown The fashion designer has been criticised in the past for the models involved in her campaigns Available in black and white, its the perfect layering piece.' But the cardigan itself was lost on fans, who were more concerned about the appearance and age of the model. With many people agreeing she looked 'too young', fashion fans slammed the designer for choosing her to front the campaign. Although Morgan is actually 19 years old, people thought she at least looked very young. One person wrote: 'This image isn't right! If she isn't a child she is very child like which obviously is what you wanted. Just wrong!' Fans of the fashion brand were quick to express their discontent with the model that had been chosen Another said: 'Model is way too young. Totally inappropriate.' Some people thought the model was so young they were convinced the photo was a 'child in their underwear'. This is not the first time the designer and mother-of-four has come under fire for her choice of models. In 2019 people criticised the brand for using a 'skeletal' model who was 'ill-looking', which they said promoted an unhealthy body image. Back in March 2016, Victoria received criticism on social media after posting a quirky GIF of a model on her Instagram page. The fashion designer quickly saw the moving picture, which showed a young, blonde-haired model turning left and right against a backdrop of the New York skyline, amass 32,000 likes. While many fans have criticised the younger model used in the new VB Body capsule collection, they welcomed the casting of a plus-size woman Fans praised the 'curvaceous' model and said the brand was finally representing women of all sizes However, many of the nearly 300 comments rounded on the designer for using a model they felt was 'way too thin'. While this particular photo has riled up fans, other promotions from the campaign have won approval for showcasing models of different shapes and sizes. After a video was posted of a plus-size model showcasing the new collection, fans praised the designer for using 'models of all sizes'. One person wrote: 'Finally qween! (sic) You listened to our feedback and used curvaceous models for your campaign.' Another said: 'As a larger lady I love this. Hard to stay classy when your options are SHEIN or a tent for two.' Although it appears the designer is listening to fans' comments about being more inclusive with the models chosen for campaigns, she has defended her use of more slender models in the past. Responding to criticism about 'skinny' models, she told The Telegraph: 'They're young, they're thin, but that doesn't mean they're ill.' FEMAIL has contacted Victoria Beckham for comment. The poignant story of a British woman who lost two fiances to Spitfire crashes during World War II is revealed in a new book. The late Joan Welch, who died in 2020 at the age of 100, was engaged to childhood sweetheart Flight Lieutenant Lester Sanders, of 222 Squadron, who was killed during a test flight in 1942. The 23 year-old had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his gallantry in the defence of Malta which was flattened by the Luftwaffe and Italian air force. Joan, from Hales, near Market Drayton, Shrops, lived close to RAF Tern Hill and found love again with Pilot Officer Ian Smith. They were due to marry when he lost his life in a Spitfire crash in Palestine in 1945. Joan Welch, from Hales, lost two fiances in Spitfire crashes during World War II, but eventually found love again. She died aged 100 in 2020 Mercifully, it was third time lucky post-war as she married Phillip Eaton, who she met while working in a council architect's office. She lived to the age of 100 before passing away at a care home in Horsham, West Sussex, in 2020. Joan kept hold of her wartime letters and other mementos, which were passedon to her son Mark Eaton. He also has her diary which on the day of Flt Lt Sanders' death simply read: 'Lester killed.' Lester Sanders, left, Joan's childhood sweetheart and first fiance was killed in a test flight in 1942. Her second fiance, Ian Smith, died in Palestine in 1945, right Joan's heart-breaking sstory of love and loss was turned into a book, published by Pen & Sword Joan's story is published for the first time in historian Dilip Sarkar's new book, Spitfire Down. Mr Sarkar said: 'Joan grew into a beautiful young woman, and living close to RAF Tern Hill - which throughout the war accommodated both operational fighter squadrons and service flying training schools - she consequently became acquainted with several fighter pilots. 'Joan became engaged, in turn, to two Spitfire pilots - but sadly both hoped-for marriages were prevented by the prospective grooms' deaths. 'They say that lightning never strikes twice, but sadly in this case it did..' Joan kept a letter from Flt Lt Sanders sent in August 1942 describing a near miss when he crashed during a test flight with Vickers Armstrong, based in Birmingham. It was eventually third time lucky for Joan, who married her husband Phillip Eaton, left, in 1954 and they stayefd together until his death in 2006 Phillip and Joan on their wedding day. Post-war, Joan worked as a draughtsman in Shropshire County Architect's Office, where Phillip was employed as an architect Joan kept hold of her wartime letters and other mementos, which have passed to her son Mark Eaton. This is the telegram through which Joan learned Ian had been killed He wrote: 'I had my first crash the other day. My undercarriage would not go down and then my engine failed. 'The undercarriage then went down and would not come up, and I had to forced-land in a very small and soft potato field, with my wheels down. 'Luckily the plane did not turn over, and apart from tearing one wing and few odds and ends off, everything was alright. 'I was really frightfully lucky when I think about it now.' But his luck changed on October 23, 1942, when his Spitfire broke up in the air over Cannock Chase, Staffs. Phillip and Joan during their marriage. Mark, their only child, was born in 1956 and Phillip then set up his own architects' practice An official telegram sent to Joan following his death read: 'As an RAF officer his general conduct and demeanour was exemplary. 'Although he was stationed at Castle Bromwich but a short while, his demise left a void not easily filled and to me as Chief Test Pilot I lost not only a conscientious assistant but a loyal and gallant friend, the memory of whom will remain with me always.' Joan met her second fiance, P/Off Smith, while he was training at RAF Tern Hill. He was posted to Petah Tigva in Palestine and killed in a crash on February 22, 1945. Post-war, Joan worked as a draughtsman in Shropshire County Architect's Office, where Phillip was employed as an architect. Mark enlisted the help of historian Dilip Sarkar, in red, to tell the story of his mother and her fiances They fell in love and it was third time lucky as they tied the knot at St Chad's Church in Shrewsbury in 1954. Mark, their only child, was born in 1956 and Phillip then set up his own architects' practice. Joan and Phillip were married for 52 years until his death, aged 81, in 2006. Mr Sarkar has also shone a torch on the little-known story of 17 year-old Sergeant Geoffrey Painting, the youngest RAF pilot killed in World War Two. Sgt Painting was desperate to follow in the footsteps of his war hero father Albert, who received a Military Cross in World War One. At the outbreak of the conflict, he was evacuated from his home in Gravesend, Kent, to Beccles in Suffolk, where he volunteered with the Home Guard. He then lied about his age to enlist with the RAF in 1940. After completing his training, Sgt Painting was posted to 118 Squadron, based at RAF Ibsley, near Ringwood, Hants, in September 1941. He did patrolling convoys off the south coast of England in the squadron who were featured in Lesley Howard's film The First of The Few. On September 30 that year, he was talking part in an attack on German trawler-type ships in the Channel off Cherbourg when he was hit by flak. Sgt Painting's Spitfire crashed into the sea and he was never seen again, with newspaper articles paying tribute to 'The baby of the RAF'. Mr Sarkar has spoken to his descendants who have shared a treasure trove of material relating to the lost hero, including a moving telegram sent to his parents after his death. In it, Sgt Painting was described as an 'exceptionally good' pilot who showed 'great promise'. The telegram, from Squadron Leader Howell, read: 'He had only been with us a short time but showed such great promise not only in the air but on the ground too, that I should have recommended him for a commission quite shortly. 'His death is a great loss to this squadron and all the pilots wish to join me in sending you their very sincerest condolences.' Wing Commander Howard Williams said of the raid: 'My No 2, Sergeant Painting, was shot down... We were later informed that one of the ships (600 tons) sank.' He added of Sgt Painting: 'Although we tried not to dwell on losses, Geoffrey Painting's loss was deeply felt because of his very young age, of which we were unaware at the time.' Also among the 14 pilots featured in the book is American trainee fighter pilot, Pilot Officer 'Jim Bob' Lee, who perished when his Spitfire collided with a Wellington Bomber over Gloucestershire in 1942. Mr Sarkar said: 'In this book, we reconstruct the all too brief lives of the young men involved, often privy to their personal letters and diaries, through which we get a glimpse of their innermost thoughts, emotions, and of how it was for people back then. 'These young men came from various backgrounds and walks of life, professional airmen and amateurs, NCOs and officers, and represent what was a multi-national effort to defeat Hitler. 'Sadly, owing to the sheer volume and march of time, countless stories will be lost to history, but these at least have been recorded and represent those who gave their all - flying Spitfires.' Spitfire Down, by Dilip Sarkar, is published by Pen & Sword and costs 25. A Berkeley-educated engineer who grew up in a 'very religious family' in Korea has revealed how she ditched her job at Amazon to build the world's first ever 'smart vibrator.' Anna Lee, 31, from California, moved to Korea when she was a baby before she returned to the US at the age of six, where she grew up in a 'very religious and conservative family.' She studied mechanical engineering at Berkeley but after landing a job at Amazon, she began wondering if she could feel 'fulfilled' by the work. She met the founder of a sex toy company at a party and, inspired by their work, set about launching her own 'smart' sex toy. The tech entrepreneur, who was named on Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2020, spent the next seven years developing Lioness, a vibrator she compares to a sexual 'Fit Bit.' It is not known if Anna has a partner but she recently told podcast Were Having Gay Sex that she was pansexual, saying: 'I'm in an exploratory phase and having fun. The world of play parties has happened...I'm having a good time.' The $230 Lioness vibrator uses an array of sensors to detect changes in temperature, contraction, and positioning, allowing it to create a personalized profile of a persons sex drive. And, once its gotten to know its owner, Lioness can also make recommendations based on the feedback. Anna Lee, 31, from California, has revealed how she ditched her job at Amazon to build the world's first ever 'smart vibrator' The tech entrepreneur, who was named on Forbes 30 Under 30 list for 2020, spent the next seven years developing Lioness, a vibrator she compares to a sexual 'Fit Bit' (left, in development in 2016, and right) Anna, who was born in the US before moving to Korea as a child, has spoken of having a 'very traditional and conservative upbringing' Anna was born in California to Korean immigrant parents, who came to the US 'with nothing.' When she was a baby, they moved to Korea for six years with her family. She then returned to Torrance, where she grew up 'living the LA life' until she turned 18. Speaking to itsyozine.com, Anna explained: 'I got into UC Berkeley, where I decided to study mechanical engineering. After that, I joined Amazon Lab126's concept engineering team.' The 31-year-old has previously spoken of how her Korean parents moved to the US 'with nothing' before having her The first Fitbit for vaginas: How does it work? Lioness explains that sexual well-being is just another component of healthy life, on par with eating, sleeping, and breathing. The vibrator works using built-in sensors and an accompanying smartphone app, according to the IndieGoGo page. Inside this vibrator are embedded sensors that can measure your arousal and orgasm states so you can learn different things about your sexual health, like how it correlates with things like the time of day or your mood or your menstrual cycle, explains Co-Founder and Lioness CEO Liz Klinger in the IndieGoGo video. Embedded sensors will collect data while a person uses the device as normal, and will record up to 20 sessions. Then, when the vibrator and app are on at the same time, the data will sync. The app can then make suggestions on different aspects of the sexual experience, including recommended foreplay time. It also aims to help users understand how their sex drive changes in relation to their menstrual cycle. Using the app, Lioness users can adjust the vibration strength and even share the data with a partner. Once a person begins using the smart vibrator the Bluetooth will turn off, as many people are not comfortable with the idea of it being on during the activity. Coupled with the integrated technology, the design of the vibrator itself aims to optimize the experience. It is body-safe, rechargeable, and water resistant according to the page, and gives users a new mindset of what else should I try? Advertisement She said she felt 'very lucky to have found that space', calling it 'a big corporate setting' which 'gave her the taste of how to iterate quickly, do concepts, and pitch.' However she confessed she felt a pressure to have a corporate job so that she could provide for her family. She continued: 'So I did it for a couple years, and I thought if I have to do this for another 30 years, am I going to feel fulfilled?' The 31-year-old was at a party in San Francisco when the founder of a sex toy company told her that vibrators are often tested on your nose, 'because thats what a clitoris felt like.' She told GroupSimata: 'Before I was even involved with Lioness, I remember meeting a male founder of a female vibrator company and thinking to myself how he could understand the product he was creating. 'Its funny because almost pre-empting my thoughts, he started to explain how the industry standard of what vibration on the clitoris feels like is comparative to the tip of your nose and it was at this moment I realised how much Lioness, and a female-led team was needed!' Having left feeling inspired, Anna set about starting her own firm with co-founder Liz Klinger. While working full time at Amazon, she decided to launch Lioness, explaining: 'I went to work during the day at Amazon, and then went to Berkeley to work on Lioness when it was a start-up, and I would come home at 3 AM. I would do that every day.' Ultimately, she decided to quit her day job after she woke up at noon having slept through all her alarms. However she 'didn't tell her mother' she had quit her job, adding: 'It was the feeling of an Asian parent that's given you as many opportunities as they could, and it felt like a huge let down to say Im going to work at this start-up, I am not getting paid, and I am not getting health insurance. Its going to be fine! ' Meanwhile she confessed working on something 'so sexual' was 'tough.' Eventually, Anna felt forced to tell her mother after she came to visit her office in Northern California. She said: 'After I explained why it was important she was really quiet. 'I was nervous she was going to be upset. 'But she said when I was younger I used to have a vibrator. 'And then for the next two hours she was telling me about her sex life, and it was the most beautifully disgusting conversation Ive had with my mom.' After studying at Berkeley, Anna took a job at Amazon for two years - but quickly began to feel unfulfilled Initially, the entrepreneur tried to balance working on the project with her full time job at Amazon - before she ended up quitting the tech giant Meanwhile speaking to HerCampus, she said: 'My friends are very amused. My brother has always been supportive since day one.' The company raised $1.4 million from Creative Ventures and early stage angels, and it officially launched the first product, the Lioness Vibrator in August 2017. Anna has now become convinced the company could help women 'close the orgasm gap.' Meanwhile she has also found fame promoting female sexual health and products on TikTok. The company raised $1.4 million from Creative Ventures and early stage angels, and it officially launched the first product, the Lioness Vibrator in August 2017 The 31-year-old has amassed an incredible 9.1M Likes on the platform, where she often shares tutorial videos and information about the company. In one video, which has amassed over 19 million views, she speaks about masturbating with a shower head while living with her parents. But speaking to The Times, Anna said there was still much she wanted to research about women's sexual wellbeing. She explained: 'We still know very little about female sexual dysfunction, because we dont ever study it. 'So much money has been poured into erectile dysfunction, compared with female sexual wellness. There is very little data out there.' After she launched the sex toy business, Anna said her friends and family have both been equally shocked by her decision Meanwhile she has also found fame promoting female sexual health and products on TikTok and has over 8,000 followers on Instagram It was renamed from Sussex Royal in 2020 after the couple lost their royal titles Royal couple Prince William and Kate Middletons charity has gone from strength to strength since their split with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, new figures show. According to 2021 accounts, the income for the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stands at 20.4million. This was a marked increase on the 2019 figure, which stood at 6.7million. Charity Commission figures show that the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge received at total of 19.95 million in donations and legacies, and spent 15.13 million on charitable activities. Funds are used for projects such as Prince William's Earthshot Prize, which awards 1 million grants to winners. It comes after Prince Harry, 37, and Meghan, 40, who left the joint foundation charity in September 2019, splitting up the 'fab four', finally dissolved their UK charity, MWX (Markle Windsor) Foundation, this week. The Cambridges: Kate, William and Princess Charlotte recently pictured at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The couple's charity now boasts 20.4million The coule set up their own Archewell foundation in the US, which received less than $50,000 in 'gross receipts in 2020, according to the US Internal Revenue Service. The couple's UK charity, MWX Foundation changed its name from Sussex Royal in late 2020 after the couple moved to California and were prevented from using their royal titles for work purposes by the Queen. Previous figures from UK Companies showed that the now-defunct Sussex Royal charity had US$380,000 (280,624) in its accounts in 2020 and spent at least US$55,600 (41,084) on attorneys. All the money in its accounts was transferred to Harrys non-profit sustainable travel company Travalyst when it dissolved. Prince Harry and his wife Megan arriving at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York last month where Harry was a keynote speaker at the UN General Assembly. The couple now have the Archewell Foundation, although their are no recent figures of its accounts The Sussexes later founded Archewell at the end of 2020, which is registered in Delaware and has offices based in Beverly Hills. Archewells website says the charity aims to 'unleash the power of compassion to drive systemic cultural change' through non-profit work. The charity is set to be honoured alongside Harry and Meghan for its work advocating for Afghan refugees. The couple, who will not receive the award in person, are also being thanked for their generous donation to the Human First Coalition. Archewell Foundation Executive Director James Holt will be receiving the Partner Organization Award on their behalf at an event next week in New York. As well as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, US Sen Richard Blumenthal will also be receiving the Haji Abdul Rauf Service Award for advocating on behalf of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. The event will feature traditional Afgan food, music, performances and a bazaar with tickets costing $100 being donated to the organisation. It seems that as soon as the sun is out, us Brits either completely strip off (yes, there were bare chests on the Central line circa 8am), or do the opposite and act as if there's no heatwave at all, rocking jeans and tops as though it's still March. But we can do better than this! There's a chic in-between that will leave you stylish and cool, I promise. The highly-anticipated 35 degrees is hitting the UK by the weekend. It means now is the perfect time to nail hot weather dressing and put those summer style mistakes (leggings wearers, I'm looking at you) firmly to bed. I'm not saying I'm a pro at summer dressing, by the way. Navigating the perfect summer outfit that works for the commute, an air-conditioned office and a too-hot lunchtime stroll is no mean feat, but I've adopted a few failsafe summer rules to get me by. From breezy maxi dresses, tailored shorts for the office and black separates (yes, you read that right), these are the wardrobe staples that will help you avoid making those all-too-easy summer style mistakes in the heatwave. Now is the perfect time to nail hot weather dressing and put those summer style mistakes firmly to bed The mistake: Smart suit trousers Fix it: Tailored Bermuda shorts Krissy Turner (pictured) recommends Bermuda shorts. She writes: 'Cut a little longer and wider than standard versions, they're the perfect smart casual look' H&M Bermuda shorts. From 6- 17.99 depending on colour Shorts are controversial summer territory, but it's because denim cut-offs are often the first style that spring to mind. If you're heading to the office and not Glasto however, something smarter is needed. May I turn your attention to Bermuda shorts? Cut a little longer and wider than standard versions, they're the perfect smart casual look. Opt for a stylish neutral shade. I typically pair shorts with a white shirt or light knit, as the coverage nicely balances when having your legs out. For the office, pair with slick leather accessories and a matching top to complete the office-appropriate look. The mistake: Skinny jeans Fix it: Linen trousers Krissy (pictured) recommends loose trousers 'which are smarter and are much more bearable in the heat' Arket Linen Trousers, 69 Clingy, warm, thick skinny jeans are just not the one in the sun. Or any jeans for that matter. Instead, I'd recommend loose trousers which are smarter and are much more bearable in the heat. Wide-legs that allow some breeze are perfect. But if you choose the right material, tapered styles work too: stick to natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk. I have this Arket pair in both black and beige and have had them on rotation this week, wearing them with racerback vests and cotton shirts. Depending on where you're heading, linen trousers look great with espadrille wedges (more on those later), strappy mules and chunky dad sandals. The mistake: A bodycon dress Fix it: Wafty maxi Krissy (pictured) recommends a loose midi dress and says to 'pick a printed one which will disguise sweat marks better than a colour block number' Zara printed panel dress, 49.99 I can see why you'd reach for a fitted outfit in hot weather sort of seems like it'll be less cumbersome, right? The thing is, wearing a warm jersey material so close to your skin is a recipe for a sweat disaster. I can guarantee you'll feel more comfortable in a loose midi dress which allows for breeze and doesn't stick to your skin. Pick a printed one which will disguise sweat marks better than a colour block number, and a quick-dry cotton fabric for an outfit that you can feel smug all day in. The best part about a wafty frock? It's easily dressed up and down. Pair it with Birkenstocks and a straw bag by day, then block-heeled mules and glitzy earrings by night. The mistake: Showing too much skin Fix it: Oversized shirt 'Take it from me an oversized shirt or floaty blouse is your saviour,' Krissy (pictured) writes in her advice for heatwave fashion With Nothing Underneath, 'The Boyfriend: Linen' shirt, 100 Throwing on a strapless top and denim shorts might feel like the safest bet to get through warm climes, but having lots of skin on show only leaves you susceptible to sun damage. You'd also be forgiven for thinking it was the coolest option, whereas something that covers you and protects but crucially, feels weightless, is actually the wisest. Take it from me an oversized shirt or floaty blouse is your saviour. Shirts don't come better than With Nothing Underneath's Boyfriend style, so use the brand as your starting point. Regardless of the fabric, thanks to its tailored fit, a shirt always adds a smart vibe to a look. During this week's climbing temperatures, I'll be wearing them tucked into Bermuda shorts or with tapered linen trousers. The mistake: Chunky shoes Fix it: Breathable wedges NET-A-PORTER CASTANER Carina 80 canvas wedge espadrilles, 85 Sweaty toes, can you think of anything worse? This season's It chunky dad sandals pass muster since they're strappy and allow air to travel through, but otherwise, chunky leather shoes should be a hard pass this week. If you've opted for them because you're heading to work, fear not, as there are more summery styles that are just as chic. Wedge espadrilles are easy to walk in, comfortable, breathable and light, and flat versions work just as well if you're not keen on added height. Job done! Watch out for those ankle straps which can appear to cut off your legs at an awkward point, depending on the hem of your bottoms: I'd recommend pairing them with a floaty full skirt that hits mid-shin for the most flattering look. The mistake: Avoiding black Fix it: Sleek summer dress According to Krissy (pictured), this 'black midi ticks two heatwave dressing boxes: stylish black and a wafty silhouette' & Other Stories Puff Sleeve Linen Midi Dress, 95 If you're wedded to your black separates for the rest of the year (they make up a chic capsule wardrobe, after all), there's no need to avoid them just because the sun's out. In fact, I'd argue a black dress in summer is as chic as it gets. A pleated midi dress, a linen sun dress, cotton separates the options are endless so don't limit yourself if it's typically your favourite shade to wear. You're always going to look best in what you feel most comfortable in cheesy, but true. This black midi ticks two heatwave dressing boxes: stylish black and a wafty silhouette. Just add smart leather sandals and a pair of oversized sunnies and you're good to go. Follow Eliza online, on Instagram and TikTok. The younger sister of former President Donald Trump's ex-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany is launching a conservatives-only dating app called The Right Stuff, which is being funded by rightwing PayPal founder Peter Thiel and will only allow 'ladies' and 'gentlemen' to join. Ryann McEnany, 34, from Tampa, Florida, designed the new platform, which is set to launch this September, to help 'young conservatives' find 'people that see the world the right way,' after she said she noticed that other dating apps have 'gone woke.' Created to 'connect people who arent offended by everything,' the upcoming app is 'invite only,' so 'not just anyone can join.' Ryann explained that only 'ladies' and 'gentlemen' who are determined to 'get back to the right way of dating' like her will be welcome to use The Right Stuff, during a recent promotional video which was uploaded to the brand's Twitter page. The younger sister of former President Donald Trump's ex-press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Ryann McEnany, is launching a conservatives-only dating app called The Right Stuff Ryann, 34, from Tampa, Florida, designed the new platform, which is set to launch this September, to help 'young conservatives' find 'people that see the world the right way' Ryann (seen with her sister) she said she noticed that other dating apps had 'gone woke' so she created one to 'connect people who arent offended by everything' The upcoming app is 'invite only,' so 'not just anyone can join,' Ryann explained in a promotional video, adding that only 'ladies' and 'gentlemen' will be welcome to use it While the app will be free to use, it will offer a premium subscription with extra perks for a small fee, but the exact price hasn't been released yet. However, upgrading to premium will only cost extra for men. 'For my ladies, you'll never have to pay because we all get premium subscriptions for simply inviting a couple friends,' Ryann said in the video. 'Gentlemen, if you want access to premium, that's on you. By the way, those are the only two options: ladies and gentlemen.' Ryann explained that the app is designed to encourage people to 'put their best foot forward.' She said you start off by 'building your perfect profile - no pronouns necessary.' 'Our prompts give you the opportunity to let people know various sides of you,' she added. 'Remember, be authentic and creative.' Users will have the ability to scroll through the profiles of people in their area - or they can adjust the settings to see people in other locations too. While the app will be free to use, it will offer a premium subscription with extra perks for a small fee, but the exact price hasn't been released just yet However, upgrading to premium will only cost extra for men. 'For my ladies, you'll never have to pay because we all get premium subscriptions for inviting friends,' Ryann explained Ryann (seen with Trump) added that the app is designed to encourage people to 'put their best foot forward' and that 'no pronouns are necessary' You hit the like button on people you may be interested in, and you can see everyone who has liked your profile. 'If you like them back, you can start chatting with them. It's that simple,' Ryann shared in her promotional video about the app. Ryann added that The Right Stuff is 'all about getting into the right dating pool with people who share the same values and beliefs as you' You can then create the 'ideal date' by choosing the time and place and where you'd like to go, and share it to your profile to see if anyone wants to join you. 'You can either keep your options open and post it for everyone to see, or, just post it to the people you've liked,' Ryann continued. 'This concept is all about getting you out there, and getting you on dates.' Ryann concluded that The Right Stuff is 'all about getting into the right dating pool with people who share the same values and beliefs as you.' 'We're sorry that you had to endure years of bad dates and wasted time with people that don't see the world our way - the right way,' she said. 'If you're a young conservative looking to amp up your dating life, go to JoinRightStuff.com. We need to get back to the right way of dating.' Ryann, who graduated from the University of Florida in 2017 with a degree in Telecommunications and got her Masters one year later in Science and Sport Management, interned in the White House's office of digital strategy in 2018. 'We're sorry that you had to endure years of bad dates and wasted time with people that don't see the world our way - the right way,' she said. She is pictured with former President Trump Ryann (seen with her sister), who graduated from the University of Florida in 2017 with a degree in Telecommunications, interned in the White House's office of digital strategy in 2018 According to Reuters, she also worked as the social media manager for Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. She now has a job in digital marketing and brand communications According to Reuters, she also worked as the social media manager for Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. Ryann often shares her support for the former president to her social media accounts. She now has a job in digital marketing and brand communications at America First Policy Institute, per her LinkedIn. 'If you're a young conservative looking to amp up your dating life, go to JoinRightStuff.com,' Ryann said in the video. 'We need to get back to the right way of dating' Her sister, Kayleigh, served as Trump's press secretary during his presidential re-election campaign from 2019 to 2020, and for a good part of the last year of his presidency - from April 2020 to January 2021. She also worked as his senior advisor from October 2020 to January 2021, and she currently serves as an on-air contributor for Fox News. The app is being funded by former Trump staffers John McEntee and Daniel Huff, as well as PayPal billionaire founder Thiel. 'What we're doing has really not been done before. No one has built a high quality, properly funded app with a dedicated team,' Huff told The Hill while discussing the platform last month. 'It's an important, underserved market. Liberals own the education, media corporations, and we can't let them control our personal relationships.' He told the outlet that while the app is designed for heterosexual couples, the team is looking to expand to same-sex relationships 'down the road.' 'Connect with people who arent offended by everything. Get back to normal, view profiles without pronouns,' The Right Stuff's website reads 'Quit swiping, scrolling, and trolling the wrong people. There are people out there just like you,' it said. 'If you're single and not on this app, you ain't conservative!' The app is being funded by former Trump staffers John McEntee (left) and Daniel Huff (right), as well as PayPal billionaire founder Peter Thiel In recent years, it has appeared that Thiel (pictured) is looking to carve out his own influence within the Republican Party and in 2016, he donated $1.5 million to pro-Trump groups Ryann's sister, Kayleigh, served as Trump's press secretary during his presidential re-election campaign from 2019 to 2020, and for a good part of the last year of his presidency 'Quit swiping, scrolling, and trolling the wrong people,' The Right Stuff's website reads. 'There are people out there just like you. 'The Right Stuff was created for conservatives to connect in authentic and meaningful ways. Other dating apps have gone woke. We bring people together with shared values and similar passions. She also worked as his senior advisor from October 2020 to January 2021, and she currently serves as an on-air contributor for Fox News 'Connect with people who arent offended by everything. Get back to normal, view profiles without pronouns. If you're single and not on this app, you ain't conservative!' In recent years, it has appeared that Thiel is looking to carve out his own influence within the Republican Party. In 2016, he donated $1.5 million to pro-Trump groups and even addressed the Republican National Convention. The German-born investor also served on Donald Trump's transition board. More recently, he gave about $2 million to an unsuccessful bid aimed at getting Trump-backed Kris Kobach elected to the US Senate in 2020. He also donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the RNC in 2018. The venture capitalist, once described as a libertarian, also gave a combined $20 million last year to the Senate campaigns of Ohio conservative and Hillbilly Elegy author JD Vance and Thiel Foundation President Blake Masters in Arizona. Beyond founding Paypal, Thiel is also known as being Mark Zuckerberg's first outside investor in Facebook. He also co-founded Palantir Technologies, a data analytics software company. Hunter Biden boarded Air Force One with his father, US President Joe Biden, on Wednesday for a trip to Kiawah Island, South Carolina, with the family. Republicans have criticized the FBI for using a "double standard" by raiding the property of the former president Donald Trump but not the Bidens. In addition to being under federal investigation for tax fraud, money laundering, and unregistered lobbying, Hunter Biden frequently involved his father Joe in foreign business deals. However, there is no evidence that either the father or the son have been the subject of an FBI raid in connection with the ongoing investigation, NY Post reported. Lawmakers Question FBI's "Double-Standard" Process Just two days had passed since the FBI executed a search warrant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, reportedly to recover presidential records that might contain classified information. Trump described the raid as "political targeting at the highest level," and he rejected the nomination of Attorney General Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, who is in charge of the FBI. The Justice Department hasn't said much about the raid, and the White House maintains that Biden wasn't made aware of it beforehand. The FBI's handling of Trump as contrasted to the Bidens, according to Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, demonstrated a "Banana Republic"-style judicial system. A copy of the FBI search warrant, which would provide light on the motivation behind the raid, has not been made public by Trump's legal team. The former president is apparently under investigation for his management of government data as well as his attempts to contest his defeat in the 2020 election. Meanwhile, the Hunter Biden inquiry is slowly moving. A source earlier informed Fox News that the government probe into the first son's tax troubles had reached a "critical stage." The son of President Biden is being investigated by authorities to see whether to bring charges for alleged foreign lobbying violations, among other things. The federal grand jury investigating Hunter Biden's business transactions concluded its most recent term late last month, according to a different source who spoke to Fox News, although she said no charges had been brought. David Weiss, a US Attorney in Delaware who was chosen by Trump, is leading the inquiry. Read Also: Russia-China Ties Grow Closer as Beijing Blames US of Being "Main Instigator" of Ukraine War Republicans Prepare To Focus on Hunter Biden Probe House Republicans are preparing a future Hunter Biden inquiry to trap Joe Biden in advance of a prospective reelection attempt as they rush to claim that the FBI search of Donald Trump's house was tainted by politics. The interest of House Republicans in investigating the business affairs of the president's son and other family members do not conflict with their mistrust of the FBI's law enforcement activity at Mar-a-Lago. They argue that the Bidens' oversight would act as a check on the Justice Department, where they see politics to be at play in cases like the investigation into Trump's 2020 election interference. The House GOP has come a long way since Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy received criticism within his own party in 2015 for promoting the electoral benefits of a Hillary Clinton investigation, however, as evidenced by their eagerness to speak publicly about their Biden investigation and inject presidential politics into an already contentious chamber. After years of ignoring conflicts of interest among Trump's family, Republicans are now openly discussing their plans to use a Hunter Biden investigation as a springboard to pursue his father in 2019. There is no proof that the financial practices of Hunter Biden, who is the subject of a protracted federal investigation, influenced his father's choices as president, as per Politico. However, GOP legislators are moving forward with their expansive investigation into the ethics of Hunter Biden's artwork sales and other commercial dealings, as well as the administration's policy choices. Related Article: Trump Supporters Rage on FBI's Mar-a-Lago Raid, Point to Contrast Treatment to Hillary Clinton Years Earlier @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A breast cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy followed by reconstruction has opened up about her decision to remove her implants after an excruciating battle with breast implant illness. Rachel Garlinghouse, 40, from Missouri, has been candid about her experience on TikTok, where she shares topless videos of herself to raise awareness for breast cancer and breast implant illness (BII) an unofficial term for the varying health issues that are believed to be caused by breast implants. The author had been struggling with 29 different symptoms, ranging from depression to purple toes, when she had explant surgery to have her implants removed while fighting breast cancer for a second time. 'One of the best days of my life was the day I had surgery to remove my breast implants,' she wrote in an essay for Insider. 'After three and a half years of scans, labs, and appointments, I was finally free of the silicone bags sewn into my chest that were making me sick.' Breast cancer survivor Rachel Garlinghouse, 40, from Missouri, has opened up about her experience with breast implant illness (BII) after having her implants removed last year She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, and she opted to get a double mastectomy and implants during the same surgery (L). She had the implants removed in 2021 (R) Garlinghouse, who also has Type 1 diabetes, was 35 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in 2017. She made the decision to get implants a few weeks later and underwent a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction during the same surgery. 'My breast implants looked perfect,' she recalled in her latest essay for the site. 'I joked to friends that I would be the hottest old lady at the nursing home one day.' The mother of four said she suffered from 'excruciating shoulder pain' immediately after the surgery, but an MRI was unable to pinpoint the cause. Garlinghouse was advised to start seeing a physical therapist, which cost her thousands of dollars when combined with chiropractic care. Garlinghouse explained in an essay published by Insider that her 'breast implants looked perfect,' but she immediately suffered from shoulder pain In 2019, she developed a wide range of symptoms, and her 'health took a sharp decline' when she entered her third year with breast implants Two years later, she developed a host of other unexplained symptoms that had her at a loss, including brain fog, joint inflammation, and yellow-tinted skin. 'Just when I thought I had one handled, another would pop up. I sought the help of 10 yes, 10 different medical professionals. They all came up empty-handed, aside from a rheumatologist, who said I had "maybe lupus" based on some questionable lab work,' she explained. Garlinghouse said her 'health took a sharp decline' when she entered her third year with breast implants. 'I was experiencing digestive issues, anxiety, depression, insomnia, symptoms of the aforementioned lupus, dizzy spells, muscle aches, purple toes, dry eyes, hair loss, and sudden food intolerances. When I sat down and made a list, I came up with a whopping 29 symptoms,' she recalled. 'I was experiencing digestive issues, anxiety, depression, insomnia, symptoms of the aforementioned lupus, dizzy spells, muscle aches, purple toes (pictured), dry eyes, hair loss, and sudden food intolerances,' she wrote After meeting with ten different doctors who were unable to find out what was wrong with her, she started researching breast implant illness and decided to have her implants removed The writer was diagnosed with breast cancer a second time in 2019, and she had both a mass in her chest and her implants removed at the same time Without any official diagnosis from doctors, she started researching her symptoms online and read other women's stories about having breast implant illness. She was convinced removing her implants was the only way she would heal, but she explained that when she spoke with a few medical professionals, she 'faced medical gaslighting' from them. 'They suggested that my illness was all in my head, and asked me things like, "What if you develop depression from being completely flat-chested?"' she said. Garlinghouse noted that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new safety guidelines for breast implants in October 2021 and included a section on breast implant illness. Garlinghouse said that even though she was fighting cancer for a second time, she was 'giddy' to no longer have implants Garlinghouse went on to have 33 rounds of radiation, 12 months of immunotherapy, and 12 rounds of chemotherapy to treat her breast cancer Some of Garlinghouse's breast implant illness symptoms went away immediately after her explant surgery, while other slowly subsided The mother of four said she felt healthier fighting cancer a second time than she did when she had her breast implants The FDA stated that the 'removal of the breast implants without replacement is reported to reverse symptoms of breast implant illness.' The writer was looking to have her implants removed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer for a second time in January 2021, when she was 39. Garlinghouse's explant surgery was delayed multiple times due to the pandemic. When she finally had her implants taken out, doctors also removed a 10-millimeter mass from her chest to treat her breast cancer reoccurrence. She said that even though she was fighting cancer for a second time, she was 'giddy' to have her implants removed. Some of her breast implant illness symptoms went away immediately after the surgery, while others gradually subsided. In the midst of her cancer treatments, she joined TikTok and started sharing her story while proudly baring her chest Garlinghouse noted that she 'faced medical gaslighting' from a few doctors who tried to convince her the symptoms were all in her head Garlinghouse explained that she has had online trolls accuse her of 'posting for attention,' but she has also inspired many women to share their stories and consider removing their implants Garlinghouse went on to have 33 rounds of radiation, 12 months of immunotherapy, and 12 rounds of chemotherapy to treat her breast cancer. 'Despite facing a year of cancer treatments, I was healthier than before because I made the bold decision to remove the implants that were making me ill,' she wrote. In the midst of her cancer treatments, she joined TikTok and started sharing her story while proudly baring her chest. She explained that she has had online trolls accuse her of 'posting for attention,' but she has also inspired many women to get mammograms and share their own breast implant horror stories with her. 'The difference between my implanted and explanted self was remarkable,' she said. TikTok superstar and curve model Remi Bader is beloved by her two million plus followers for her realistic try-on hauls and hilarious commentary. After sharing a review of items she purchased (but didn't fit) from REVOLVE on her social channels, the 27-year-old urged the popular retailer to offer an extended sizing collection. They not only listened, they asked her to design it. To celebrate the launch, social media stars of all shapes and sizes took over Sadelle's in Manhattan dressed to the nines in looks from REMI x REVOLVE. TikTok superstar and curve model Remi Bader - known for raising popular shared frustrations with the fashion industry surrounding sizing and fit for curvier body types on her social channels - has collaborated on a plus size line with REVOLVE The extended size collection is the first for the next-generation fashion retailer REMI x REVOLVE lands with an initial release of 15 affordable styles in sizes XXS to 4X Remi often uses her platform to voice her frustrations with the fashion industry surrounding sizing and fit for curvier body. 'We listen to our community every step of the way, and this is exactly how REMI x REVOLVE was born,' shared REVOLVE's Raissa Gerona. From the moment Remi began to share the development process with her highly engaged community, she encouraged an open dialogue and feedback. 'When we first announced REMI x REVOLVE, I said that every piece in the collection would be something I was never able to find in my size, or for my body,' shared the influencer. Adding: 'Now I am able to make this available to people that feel the same way, which is the best part. The process over the past few months has shown that there is incredible interest and demand, and there is also a constant need to evolve, and understand customer needs.' According to Remi, being able to share the process, and provide step-by-step input from herself and her community was crucial to creating a fully-realized collection created by - and for - the REVOLVE customer. She worked closely with the design team on scale specifications for each piece, and even participated as a fit model in the final stages of sampling. This marks the first time REVOLVE is extending sizing above an XL. The collection focuses on a range of sexy, elevated separates, from suiting and matching sets to slinky dresses and skirts with figure flattering cuts, ranging in price from $55 - $150 Meant for day-to-night wear, the line features a color palette of saturated hues, including deep green, cherry red - and neutrals, including black, soft pink, and pale gray Versatile fabrics like rayon ponte, jersey, faux leather and knitwear are core to the collection, while novelty pieces are offered in power mesh and burnout velvet From the moment Remi began to share the development process with her highly engaged community of two million plus followers, she encouraged an open dialogue and feedback The 15-piece launch collection is being offered in sizes XXS to 4X. A second drop will hit the site in September with a special activation during New York Fashion Week. The collection focuses on a range of sexy, elevated separates, from suiting and matching sets to slinky dresses with daring cutouts and skirts with thigh-high slits, in a color palette of saturated hues. Versatile fabrics like rayon ponte, jersey, faux leather and knitwear are core to the collection, while novelty pieces are offered in power mesh and burnout velvet. Inspired by the collection's bold and sexy silhouettes, Sadelle's was transformed to reflect the ultimate night out. The Bachelor's Kit Keenan and model Brooks Nader were in attendance REVOLVE Co-CEO & Co-Founder Michael Mente and REVOLVE Chief Brand Officer Raissa Gerona, posed with Remi 'The Bachelor's' Tayshia Adams was a vision in a black faux leather corset top and blue jeans Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff showed her support for the 27-year-old social media star To celebrate the launch, Sadelle's was transformed to reflect the ultimate night out. In attendance was 'The Bachelor's' Tayshia Adams and Kit Keenan, TV personality Ciara Miller, models Paige Lorenze, Brooks Nader and Olivia Ponton. Along with fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff, REVOLVE Co-CEO & Co-Founder Michael Mente and REVOLVE Chief Brand Officer Raissa Gerona, and many more. Guests enjoyed Carbones spicy rigatoni and specialty cocktails, as they danced the night away to tunes by DJ Pamela Tick. The gentle giants are red-hot favourites among many dog lovers. But Leonbergers like quite a few of us have found the heatwave hard going. The 2ft 6in-high dogs, which have thick coats, struggle in the extreme heat. But owners have found ways to keep them cool. Four-year-old Archie, who weighs 13 stone, enjoyed being drenched by student Karina Samee, 17, as she emptied a watering can over him and splashed him with a hose in Byfleet, Surrey. Karinas mother Emma, 42, said: Archie loves anything to do with water and gets in the canal when we take him for a walk. One day someone asked me why I was walking a pony in the water! Four-year-old Archie, who weighs 13 stone, enjoyed being drenched by student Karina Samee, 17, as she emptied a watering can over him in Byfleet, Surrey Fellow Surrey Leonbergers Jackson and Kodi climbed into a paddling pool as owner Angela Cairns gave them a cooling shower in Dorking Meanwhile, fellow Surrey Leonbergers Jackson and Kodi climbed into a paddling pool as owner Angela Cairns gave them a cooling shower in Dorking. Mrs Cairns, 60, said: Theres no hose pipe ban here yet, thank goodness. She added: You get soaked when they have a shake afterwards, but thats a benefit in this weather! She also helps the pair chill out with cooling mats for them to lie on indoors and buckets of water for them to drink from. Four-year-old Archie, who weighs 13 stone, enjoyed being drenched by student Karina Samee, 17, as she splashed him with a hose in Byfleet, Surrey 'They're a very laid back breed and love being in the water. They have webbed feet like Newfoundlands,' said Mrs Cairns, whose husband David, 63, is a mechanic. 'We've had Leonbergers for 20 years and the dogs we've had in the past have done rescue training. We're hoping to start Jackson and Kodi on water rescue training once the weather has cooled down.' Leonbergers originate from Leonberg in Germany where they were bred from St Bernards crossed with Newfoundlands in the 19th century to resemble the lions on the town's heraldic crest. Puppies cost around 1,600 each. Margot Robbie looked to be having the time of her life as she hung out with pals on a lavish yacht in the Mediterranean moored near the Spanish island of Formentera. The Hollywood actress, 32, who is set to play the titular character in the upcoming Barbie film, leapt off the boat while holding hands with friends before hanging out with her husband Tom Ackerley. But it was her bikini grabbing all the attention because of its 70s-style design, and at $146 for the set it's not priced so high that many of her fans can't copy the style. Margot looked incredible in the mustard yellow triangle bikini from Triangl, which highlighted her toned midriff and long legs as she soaked up the rays. But it was her bikini grabbing all the attention because of its 70s-style design, and at $146 for the set it's not priced so high that many of her fans can't copy the style It's still available in most sizes on the website and comes with a fully adjustable triangle top and bottoms with self-tie fastenings. The Wolf Of Wall Street star, who's married to British film producer Tom, 32, was joined by friends including A-lister Rami Malek, 41, aboard the luxury vessel. The Oscar nominee appeared to be enjoying her break from working on the film, reclining on the back of the vessel with her spouse. In April the co-founder of Triangl bikinis revealed how all of the fame, fortune and success associated with running the multi million-dollar brand with her ex-fiance led her into a spiral of depression. It's still available in most sizes on the website and comes with a fully adjustable triangle top and bottoms with self-tie fastenings The Oscar nominee appeared to be enjoying her break from working on the film, reclining on the back of the vessel with her spouse On Instagram Erin Deering's life running one of the hottest Australian fashion exports with the father of two of her children, Craig Ellis, was enviable: Holidays in the Maldives and Italy, a home base in Monaco, $300million deals on the table with venture capitalists and walls adorned with original Andy Warhol art. But behind the glamorous pictures Erin, who was then in her early 30s, was feeling more alone than ever before and was 'embarrassed' to tell her family and friends back home in Melbourne that things were not as them seemed. Speaking on the Peaches podcast with hosts Tori Clapham and Bec Chidiac, Erin detailed the personal cost of her success, saying goodbye to her business partner and ex-fiance and exiting from the label itself in 2018. On Instagram Erin Deering's (pictured today aged 37) life running one of the hottest Australian fashion exports with the father of two of her children Craig Ellis was enviable Originally from Melbourne the 37-year-old started Triangl alongside her ex-fiance and father of her two children, Craig Ellis, in 2012 (both pictured) The now 37-year-old started Triangl alongside Craig in 2012, developing the idea on their second date, which was at the beach. Erin struggled to find a swimsuit for the all-important date that was reasonably priced, stylish and well made without spending a fortune. After spending three hours on the shoreline talking about the inconvenient lack of two pieces the pair decided to sell their belongings and move to Hong Kong to launch a swimwear company. 'It was tough at the start,' Craig told FEMAIL in 2016. 'We had to sell all our stuff and borrow money from some friends to get by.' Eating tinned food on the floor of their tiny flat and trying to sell one bikini a day, they eventually stumbled on a style that was selling: the black binded neoprene number. Neoprene naturally curves around a human shape with ease, which Craig suspected is why it was so revolutionary at the time (pictured is one of their winning designs) The early days: It was at this point when sales increased dramatically and Triangl was selling 2,000 pairs of bikinis and making a $150,000USD/$197,000AUD a day profit 'We used social media to get the message out there because we couldn't afford billboards, PR agents and advertising. Similarly we went with neoprene instead of nylon or prints, which we also experimented with, because it seemed to be selling,' he said. Neoprene naturally curves around a human shape with ease, which Craig suspected is why it was so revolutionary at the time. It became so popular that model Kendall Jenner caught wind of the brand, asked for some samples, and before long was posting pictures of the designs on Twitter. 'The celeb endorsement really helped,' Craig said. 'But I think people can tell when that comes about organically and naturally, rather than us just pushing our product on people who we want to wear it. The couple at the time where living in Monaco and appeared to constantly be on vacation 'It doesn't mind what's going on in your physical outside world, if the inside is chaos nothing will matter,' she told the podcast hosts 'Plus the price point, which is under $150AUD, is the sweet spot. It's reasonable, but expensive enough to be good quality.' It was at this point when sales increased dramatically and Triangl was selling 2,000 pairs of bikinis and making a $150,000USD/$197,000AUD a day profit. But with great financial security came great discomfort for Erin. 'It doesn't mind what's going on in your physical outside world, if the inside is chaos nothing will matter,' she told the podcast hosts. 'I still feel quite detached from that period of time because I lost so much of me.' Erin's relationship with Craig fell apart and they parted ways. This coincided with her leaving the business. On March 15 Erin celebrated Triangl's 10 year anniversary with an Instagram post Eventually she went and saw a therapist, met her current partner Zachary Keane (pictured) - who has she two other children with - and began looking forward to a brighter future Eventually she went and saw a therapist, met her current partner Zachary Keane - who has she two other children with - and began looking forward to a brighter future. On March 15, Erin celebrated Triangl's 10 year anniversary with an Instagram post. 'A whole decade ago, Craig and I officially started Triangl. If you have listened to any of my podcasts, you'd know how much I struggled with my identity, self worth, and overarching mental health during those years,' she wrote. 'I have shared my most vulnerable moments during those times (and continue to do so), in the hope of helping others feel better about their struggles, internal battles, and life in general.' An Australian woman battling two serious illnesses has shared how Olivia Newton-John called her out of the blue to help her through her lowest times. Mel Dee Dzelde, 52, from Adelaide, was diagnosed with stage 4 rectal cancer in 2017 then Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2021 and claims to have received the call during treatment as she shared a mutual friend with Olivia. 'She said: "Hi Mel, it's Olivia here. I've heard you've been going through a challenging time",' Mel told FEMAIL. 'We spoke for about an hour - she wanted to know what I was going through and shared some of her own struggles with cancer.' The beloved Grease actress died on Monday aged 73 at her home in southern California after a 30-year fight with cancer. Mel described Olivia as her 'earth angel' who continued to check-up on her from time to time, including on her birthday and at Christmas. Mel Dee Dzelde, 52, from Adelaide, (pictured) received a phone call from the late Olivia Newton-John while undergoing cancer treatment after being diagnosed in 2017. said: "Hi Mel, it's Olivia here. I've heard you've been going through a challenging time",' Mel told FEMAIL Beloved Aussie actress Olivia Newton-John (pictured) who starred in Grease died on Monday aged 73 at her home in southern California after a 30-year fight with cancer The friendship began when Mel's mutual friend, Megan, told Olivia what she was going through - and without hesitation the actress offered to call. At the time Mel was undergoing rounds of chemotherapy and was shocked when she heard who was on the other side of the line. Mel described Olivia as a 'very loving and kind person' who treated everyone equally and the pair continued to stay in touch through texting and phone calls. 'Olivia was so caring, it was like she was holding my hand through it all. She would always check-in on me which was lovely,' she said. The two spoke about meeting in person but Covid prevented this from occurring as Mel was in Australia and Olivia was overseas. Lessons learnt from Olivia: Don't focus on sickness and to instead focus on wellness Always be positive Make use of natural therapies Embrace life no matter what's happening to you Always be kind and show love to others Laugh and enjoy life Advertisement During the last few years, Olivia taught Mel a lot of valuable lessons about how to live a happy life despite experiencing cancer treatments. 'Olivia always said to not focus on the sickness, but on the wellness. She showed me how to embrace life no matter what's happening to you,' she said. Mel last spoke to Olivia indirectly through Megan last month. 'She hadn't answered my last couple of messages and I was worried about her, so she sent her love to me and encouragement to stay positive when she was talking to my friend,' Mel said. During the last few years, Olivia taught Mel a lot of valuable lessons about how to live a happy life despite experiencing cancer treatments. 'Olivia always said to not focus on the sickness, but on the wellness. She showed me how to embrace life no matter what's happening to you,' she said Mel last spoke to Olivia indirectly through Megan last month. 'She hadn't answered my last couple of messages and I was worried about her, so she sent her love to me and encouragement to stay positive when she was talking to my friend,' Mel said (pictured: Mel and her husband) When Olivia passed away on Monday, Mel said she spent the day in tears as she reminisced on the beautiful person Olivia was. 'She was such a beautiful human and an important person who helped so many people - it doesn't matter who she spoke to, she acted the same way to everyone,' she said. 'I like to think she's experiencing all the love the world has for her.' The NHS is still recruiting diversity and inclusion managers, despite a Government promise to crack down on 'waste and wokery'. MailOnline has found five adverts for senior equality roles at trusts across England, which pay up to 76,000 per year triple the average UK salary. Four out of the five roles offer flexible working, with some actively encouraging people to work from home. One of the job descriptions says the successful candidate will be responsible for making staff feel 'safe' to 'express' their diversity. The adverts were listed on various websites such as Indeed, Total Jobs and the NHS' internal recruitment system between July 21 and August 5. Critics slammed them as a waste of taxpayer money and urged politicians to 'get a grip' and ensure the roles are wound down. The 76,000 pay packet alone could be spent on at least two NHS nurses, who make up to 37,000 annually. It comes despite an order earlier this year by former Health Secretary Sajid Javid for the NHS to axe the positions and focus on frontline services and clearing backlogs. There are concerns the NHS' 12billion a year funding boost raised through a 1.25 per cent National Insurance hike is being swallowed by management salaries. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals listed a job advert for 'Head of Leadership, Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Wellbeing' on July 21 Sheffield Childrens NHS Foundation (pictured) said they wanted their head of diversity and inclusion to create a' culture of inclusion' where staff can 'bring their whole selves to work, thrive and develop' John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said Britons would be disappointed Mr Javid's commitment hasn't been followed through. 'Brits are sick of seeing taxes rise to pay for NHS diversity hires on bumper salaries,' he said. 'Taxpayers welcomed commitments to cut non-jobs in the health service, not least given the painful national insurance hike, and dont expect bosses to continue pumping out these job ads. 'Politicians need to get a grip and ensure these right-on roles are wound down.' The continued recruitment of senior diversity managers comes as the NHS grapples with its worst crisis on record, with waits for routine care, A&E and ambulances all at record levels. About 700,000 NHS workers, including frontline staff like nurses and junior doctors are threatening to go on strike over pay and working conditions. Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals listed a job advert for 'Head of Leadership, Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Wellbeing' on July 21 The 'band 8' role pays between 65,664 and 75,874, with the ideal candidate a 'talented, enthusiastic, and motivated leader with great vision, energy, passion and ability to deliver results'. Whoever takes on the role of Equality Diversity and Inclusion lead at NHS Surrey Heartlands needs to be a 'champion' who will make staff feel 'safe' according to the job description NHS South Central and West's Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Project Manager will be able to enjoy flexible working hours with most of their staff currently working from home ...meanwhile the NHS crisis deepens England's emergency department performance plummeted to its worst ever level last month, with nearly 1,000 patients a day forced to wait more than 12 hours. Latest NHS data shows that more than 29,000 sickened people queued for half a day, often in pain, at A&E units last month four times more than the NHS target and up by a third on one June, which was the previous record. Meanwhile, the proportion of patients seen within four hours the timeframe 95 per cent of people are supposed to be seen within dropped to 71 per cent last month, the lowest rate logged since records began in 2010. Separate ambulance figures show the average wait for heart attack and stroke victims surpassed 59 minutes for only the second time ever. And waits for the most serious 999 calls hit a record high of nine-and-a-half minutes. The NHS blames the crisis on so-called bed blockers healthy people that can't be discharged from hospitals due to a lack of social care staff along with record calls from people with life-threatening illnesses and injuries. Meanwhile, the number of people in England on the waiting list for routine hospital treatment hit a record 6.7million in June meaning one in eight are now stuck in the backlog. The NHS this week bragged that it had 'virtually eliminated' two-year waits, with 3,800 in the queue by the end of June. Health bosses say the vast majority have either chosen to delay treatment or are complex cases. But the number of people forced to wait one year has hit a record high of 355,000. However, the health service says the number forced to wait 18 months has fallen by a third since January. It comes as health service data leaked yesterday revealed that more than 10,000 people were waiting three months or more to start cancer treatment by the end of July. Medics warned thousands will die unnecessarily because of the disruption. Advertisement A description on the NHS jobs website says the diversity role involves: 'Working with senior leaders to be a forward-thinking and inclusive people-centred employer which embraces and values diversity, difference and lived experience.' The successful candidate will be responsible for leadership development, equality diversity and inclusion, wellbeing and organisational change across the trust's three sites, which employ more than 6,600 people. Another position, for a Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Lead at NHS Surrey Heartlands, posted on August 3, offers between 47,126 to 53,219 a year. Whoever gets the job will also enjoy an additional supplement for living in a high cost area, the equivalent of 5 per cent of their salary. This is nearly double the salary of an entry level junior doctor, who earns about 29,000. The trust said whoever takes on the position will be a 'champion' of equality who will make staff feel 'safe'. Working from home is an option for this post, with flexible working 'encouraged'. 'Our EDI Lead will act as a champion, ensuring that developments across the system take equality issues into consideration as part of their everyday work and that individuals feel safe and supported in expressing their diversity,' the job ad reads. Sheffield Childrens NHS Foundation Trust is also looking for a 'Head of EDI', who will earn up to 53,000 a year. The trust says it wants to create a 'culture of inclusion' where staff can 'bring their whole selves to work, thrive and develop.' It also boasts of a 'generous annual leave entitlement' and that it encourages staff to request flexible working. Meanwhile, NHS South Central and West - which employs 1,300 staff across the south of England - is advertising for a Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Project Manager. The post was published on August 4 and the salary ranges from 40,057 to 45,839, depending on experience. And the new Equality, Diversity & Inclusive Engagement Coordinator at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will earn between 32,306 to 39,027 a year. In most cases, NHS hires start on the lowest salary within a band which then increases annually until they reach the maximum pay in that band. An NHS England spokesperson said it was critical the health service had a diverse workforce. 'Having a workforce that is representative of the people we care for is good for staff and patients alike,' they said. They added that the NHS needed more diversity and equality managers to help reduce discrimination in the workforce and the number of roles could be reduced once this had been achieved. 'The review by General Sir Gordon Messenger in June this year highlighted that all NHS leaders have a responsibility to take a zero tolerance approach to discrimination and drive greater equality, diversity and inclusion,' they said. 'He also concluded that specific roles are needed to achieve this cultural and behavioural shift - which would enable the number of dedicated EDI professionals to reduce over time.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the Government had accepted the recommendations of the Messenger review, adding that their current priority is to ensure the NHS is ready for the challenges of the upcoming winter. Mr Javid's commitment to stop the proliferation of 'diversity and inclusion posts across the NHS came during the launch of a review NHS management by General Sir Gordon Messenger, published in June. New Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, has yet to address his predecessor's commitment since taking office on July 5. Scientists have developed a drug that is hoped could lead the fight against superbugs. Fabimycin a man-made antibiotic was found to kill hundreds of bacteria that are resistant to common medicines. Superbugs are estimated to contribute to around 7million deaths per year, with some experts warning they should be taken as seriously as global warming. They have evolved a resistance to common antibiotics due to the drugs being overprescribed or incorrectly used, known as antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The study found fabimycin cleared drug-resistant pneumonia and urinary tract infections (UTUs) in mice. Further research in a lab setting revealed the drug was also effective against 300 other strains of superbugs. Researchers said the findings could pave the way toward treating stubborn infections in humans. Researchers found fabimycin a yet to be approved antibiotic works against infections caused by 300 types of gram-negative bacteria (pictured) WHAT IS ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE? Antibiotics have been doled out unnecessarily by GPs and hospital staff for decades, fueling once harmless bacteria to become superbugs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously warned if nothing is done the world is heading for a 'post-antibiotic' era. It claimed common infections, such as chlamydia, will become killers without immediate solutions to the growing crisis. Bacteria can become drug resistant when people take incorrect doses of antibiotics or if they are given out unnecessarily. Former chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies claimed in 2016 that the threat of antibiotic resistance is as severe as terrorism. Figures estimate that superbugs will kill 10 million people each year by 2050, with patients succumbing to once harmless bugs. Around 700,000 people already die yearly due to drug-resistant infections including tuberculosis (TB), HIV and malaria across the world. Concerns have repeatedly been raised that medicine will be taken back to the 'dark ages' if antibiotics are rendered ineffective in the coming years. In addition to existing drugs becoming less effective, there have only been one or two new antibiotics developed in the last 30 years. In 2019, the WHO warned antibiotics are 'running out' as a report found a 'serious lack' of new drugs in the development pipeline. Without antibiotics, C-sections, cancer treatments and hip replacements will become incredibly 'risky', it was said at the time. Advertisement Millions of people worldwide are infected by gram-negative bacteria including E. coli every year. They are behind 75 per cent of global drug-resistant deaths. Soaring superbug rates have stoked fears that common conditions and medical operations could become more dangerous as patients succumb to previously treatable bacterial infections. The latest study, published in the scientific journal ACS Central Science, was led by researchers from the University of Illinois. They used an existing antibiotic called Debio-1452, which is in Phase 2 clinical trials the US for use against staph bacteria. The bugs cause skin infections, blood poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. Researchers modified the drug to create 14 different versions in a bid to make it work against superbugs. It was tested against 10 different bacteria in mice, including E. coli which can cause UTIs, as well as stomach bugs and K. pneumoniae, which can cause lung infections and pneumonia. One of the tweaked versions of Debio-1452, called fabimycin, was the only candidate that stopped all the bacteria types from multiplying in the experiments. So researchers took it to the next stage of trials. It was tested against non-harmful human bacteria and was shown not to kill it, suggesting the antibiotic would not damage people if taken on to human testing. Probiotics known as 'friendly bacteria' help restore the natural balance of bacteria in the gut, which is vital for digestion. Researchers then tested fabimycin against 300 more strains of harmful bacteria, and it was found to kill off all of them. Writing in the paper, the authors said: 'Urinary tract infections represent one of the biggest risks for healthy individuals in terms of exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria with many individuals contracting one in their lifetime. 'UTIs caused by gram-negative pathogens, particularly those that are drug-resistant, are becoming more frequent and remain a major clinical challenge. 'Fabimycin has translational promise, and its discovery provides additional evidence that antibiotics can be systematically modified to accumulate in gram-negative bacteria and kill these problematic pathogens.' About 2.8million antibiotic-resistant infections are now thought to occur in the US every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This leads to about 35,900 deaths from these illnesses in the US, up half from the 23,000 estimated in 2013. Some 61,000 antibiotic resistant infections occurred in England in 2018, according to latest estimates from health chiefs. But it is unclear how many deaths these caused. A breakthrough new blood test can quickly tell physicians a patients risk of dying or suffering severe complications from a head injury - and as a result allow them to act faster in certain high risk cases to save a life they may not have otherwise. A joint research team from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan found that they could test for two specific biomarkers that indicate a person's risk of severe disability or death from a head injury in only minutes using portable blood analyzers. In doing so, doctors can get a snapshot of how serious a case they are dealing with. This allows to to act faster when providing more significant medical treatment - which doctors can be late on if they do not realize the true extent of a person's injury at first. These findings could be extremely valuable, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability among America's youth. In total, 50,000 Americans die from a TBI each year, and nearly 100,000 suffer long-term disability. Researchers have found that a simple blood test searching for two proteins can determine a person's likelihood of dying or suffering a severe disability as a result of a head injury (file photo) 'We believe this tool may encourage clinicians to be more aggressive in their decisions to begin or continue life-saving treatment,' Dr Geoffrey Manley, co-author of the study and vice-chair of neurosurgery at USCF said in a statement. Researchers, who published their findings Wednesday in the Lancet, use the biomarkers GFAP and UCH-L1 as the centerpiece of their testing. Levels of both proteins in a person's blood after a TBI can indicate the severity of an injury, and determine the risk of the worst possible outcomes. They gathered data from 1,696 patients who has presented to a medical facility with a TBI and had a blood sample gathered. Each sample was rated on a scale from one-to-10 for its most likely medical outcome. Most severe cases that were likely to result in death were placed in category one. Those placed in category eight were likely to be able to continue life post-injury with little complications. Dr Geoffrey Manley (pictured), vice-chair of neurology at UCSF, said that the test is both diagnostic and prognostic Of the sample, seven percent of patients had died as a result of their injury. Another 14 percent had an 'unfavorable outcome' that placed them between categories two and four. These include a person living but being in a vegetative state, or suffering a significant disability as a result of the injury. The test developed by the researchers was highly effective at determining whether a patient would die, doing so with near 90 percent accuracy. It was also able to predict a patient's risk of severe disability with around 85 percent accuracy. As the severity of injury lessoned, so did its accuracy, falling into the 60 percent range for predicting whether a person would make a full recovery or continue living with a light disability. Manley described the process as 'both diagnostic and prognostic', not only telling physicians what is wrong now but also what will potentially go wrong in the near future. There already are some ways to gauge brain damage after a traumatic injury, but being able to do so with a quick blood test is more efficient. At the moment, a patient will need at MRI and CT scan to determine the true extent of their injury. Not all medical facilities have access to these devices, though, and there also could be long wait times to use them. These findings can be significant for medical professionals going forward. The CDC estimated that around 1.5 million Americans suffer a TBI each year. Of that group, 50,000 will die. Somewhere between 80,000 and 90,000 will experience a long-term disability. Around 230,000 will be hospitalized and survive their injury. Hackers are holding an IT firm that supplies NHS trusts to ransom following a cyber attack last week, according to sources. Health bosses are concerned criminals have access to confidential health records and could leak them if their demands aren't met. The software company Advanced, which provides patient data to dozens of trusts and most NHS 111 providers in England, was hacked last Thursday. Call handlers across 85 per cent of the country are still without a crucial IT system and have had to resort to using pen and paper for the past week. Agencies including the National Crime Agency and GCHQ are now investigating the data breach. A source close to the investigation said the attackers have made 'some demands', according to the Health Service Journal, although it is not entirely clear what they are. But there is a suggestion cyber criminals are looking for payments in exchange for not leaking information and removing the malware. Hackers have issued demands to an IT firm that supplies NHS trusts after it was hacked last week, it was claimed today. Pictured: The company Advanced's Adastra software that is used by 85 per cent of NHS 111 providers in England What happened in the NHS cyber attack and who has been affected? Cyber criminals targeted a firm that supplies IT to NHS providers last week. Software company Advanced, which provides patient data to dozens of trusts and 85 per cent of NHS 111 providers in England, was hacked last Thursday. Advanced's Adastra software, one of the systems that was attacked and is used by NHS 111, covers 40million patients, according to the company. Affected NHS 111 call handlers currently do not have access to the GP records or NHS numbers of people ringing the non-emergency service. They are also unable to make electronic bookings with GPs or send out ambulances for patients while the Adastra software is still offline. GP notes, mental health records and patients' unique NHS numbers may have been stolen in the attack. The criminals also hacked the company's Carenotes EPR software, which holds mental health records. Affected mental health trusts warned staff are currently facing a 'pretty desperate' situation, still unable to access vital patient records. Advertisement GP notes, mental health records and patients' unique NHS numbers are thought to have been affected in the attack. An Advanced spokesperson said: 'With respect to potentially impacted data, our investigation is under way. 'When we have more information about potential data access or exfiltration, we will update customers as appropriate.' Advanced's Adastra software, one of the systems that was attacked and is used by NHS 111, covers 40million patients, according to the company. The criminals also hacked the company's Carenotes EPR software, which holds mental health records. Affected mental health trusts warned staff are currently facing a 'pretty desperate' situation, still unable to access vital patient records. One mental health trust chief executive, who preferred to stay anonymous, told the HSJ: 'Its really difficult and the longer it goes on, the harder it gets for staff.' Advanced said it will bring its NHS 111 and urgent care services back online 'within the next few days'. But it could take another month before Carenotes EPR is back online. Advanced said: 'We are working tirelessly to bring this timeline forward, and while we are hopeful to do so, we want our customers to be prepared. 'We will continue to provide updates as we make progress.' Carenotes EPR is used by at least nine mental health trusts, and dozens of other trusts use different software from the company that is still offline. Meanwhile, affected NHS 111 call handlers currently do not have access to the GP records or NHS numbers of people ringing the non-emergency service. They are also unable to make electronic bookings with GPs or send out ambulances for patients while the Adastra software is still offline. An Advanced spokesperson said: 'We want to stress that there is nothing to suggest that our customers are at risk of malware spread and believe that early intervention from our Incident Response Team contained this issue to a small number of servers. 'Since our Health and Care systems were isolated at the end of last week, no further issues have been detected and our security monitoring continues to confirm that the incident is contained, allowing our recovery activities to move forward.' Ransomware attacks on companies are becoming more common as firms go digital. The NHS attack was initially feared to be from another country. Health chiefs told hospitals to shore up their system earlier this year amid fears of a Russian attack in retaliation to Western interference in the war in Ukraine. There have been widespread concerns about the technological resilience of the NHS which only last year stopped using fax machines. It was famously hacked in 2017 in the WannaCry attack, which brought the whole health service to a standstill for days and cost the UK 92million. NHS-backed guidance on periods will be updated to include the terms 'women' and 'girls' in a victory for campaigners. This week MailOnline exposed how they had been omitted in favour of phrases like 'people who bleed' and 'half of the population'. The guidance was published on a website called Bloody Brilliant, which cost taxpayers 84,000 and was set up by the Welsh Government. The branch of NHS Wales responsible for the advice confirmed to MailOnline the language will be changed to include 'women' and 'girls'. 'We want Bloody Brilliant to be a resource that is authentic and relevant to our audience and so we have listened carefully to recent feedback on our use of language,' NHS Wales Health Collaborative said in a statement. 'Having considered a wide spectrum of views, we will be making some changes to include referring to young women and girls rather than "people who bleed".' The statement goes on to say the website will still remain sensitive to the needs of those who menstruate but 'do not identify as female'. In a statement the Welsh Government said it will also be taking the recent feedback on board for ongoing consultation on ensuring period dignity in Wales. The victory for campaigners comes comes after MailOnline exposed a string of examples of NHS advice being 'de-sexed' in favour of gender-neutral language. Bloody Brilliant, an NHS commissioned website on periods was heavily criticised for refusing to mention 'women' and 'girls', instead referring to 'people who bleed' The website claims to say to aspire to 'empower everyone that bleeds' and that people shouldn't feel embarrassed about something that 'half the population' has MailOnline has uncovered a string of examples of how woke language changes have engulfed NHS communications. Some of these examples have been taken from national NHS communications while others are used by individual hospitals This website revealed how terms like 'women' had been scrubbed from pages on the menopause and womb cancer, and 'breastfeeding' replaced with 'chest-feeding' earlier this year. The period is part of the menstrual cycle, a series of changes in hormone production and structure of the ovaries and uterus, that make pregnancy possible. If a pregnancy doesn't occur during the cycle, part of the lining of the uterus is shed from the body via the vagina, becoming a period. Menstruation is a process unique to biological females and a man cannot have one, even if they transition to become a woman later in life. NHS is STILL hiring 'diversity and inclusion managers paid up to 76,000 a year despite No10 pledge to scrap roles as part of war on 'waste and wokery' The NHS is still recruiting diversity and inclusion managers, despite a Government promise to crack down on 'waste and wokery'. MailOnline has found five adverts for senior equality roles at trusts across England, which pay up to 76,000 per year triple the average UK salary. Four out of the five roles offer flexible working, with some actively encouraging people to work from home. One of the job descriptions says the successful candidate will be responsible for making staff feel 'safe' to 'express' their diversity. The adverts were listed on various websites such as Indeed, Total Jobs and the NHS' internal recruitment system between July 21 and August 5. Critics slammed them as a waste of taxpayer money and urged politicians to 'get a grip' and ensure the roles are wound down. The 76,000 pay packet alone could be spent on at least two NHS nurses, who make up to 37,000 annually. It comes despite an order earlier this year by former Health Secretary Sajid Javid for the NHS to axe the positions and focus on frontline services and clearing backlogs. There are concerns the NHS' 12billion a year funding boost raised through a 1.25 per cent National Insurance hike is being swallowed by management salaries. Advertisement Bloody Brilliant was commissioned by the devolved Labour Government and NHS Wales in 2021. It was set up with the aim of 'breaking the taboo around periods by encouraging conversation on one of the most normal, natural topics'. The online resource was outsourced to English creative marketing agency Social Change UK. The non-for-profit site describes its role as helping to inform and demystify periods. 'We are Bloody Brilliant a source of knowledge, support, information and empowerment for young people who bleed across Wales,' the website reads 'Our aim is to break the taboo around periods by encouraging conversation on one of the most normal, natural topics that half the worlds population experience.' The website consists of half a dozen period related topics, including the science behind menstruation, advice about using period products such as tampons, and how to support those going through the process. But it fails to mention women or girls once in its guidance, instead being described as 'anyone with a uterus'. In its description of puberty, the terms are omitted in favour of 'child'. 'When a childs body begins to develop including growing pubic hair, boobs starting to develop, growing taller and starting your period,' the website reads. In a section about ending period stigma, the website ironically says: 'No more hiding, covering up or awkward euphemisms, we need some straight-talking.' There has been no time-frame announced for when the language used on the website will be changed. A Welsh Government spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Our intention is always to use inclusive language and not exclude anyone from learning about and discussing these important topics.' But they added the recent feedback regarding the language used on Bloody Brilliant would be taken on board in its ongoing consultation on periods. 'We will be publishing our Period Dignity Plan in the autumn and will take into account views expressed in the consultation,' they said. The plan aims to end stigma and shame surrounding menstruation in Wales. Currently the language section of the plan says 'person who menstruates' should be used most often as it encompass all people affected by the consultation. Dr Karleen Gribble, a nursing and midwifery expert from Western Sydney University in Australia, told MailOnline earlier this week the confusing language used by Bloody Brilliant was 'unhelpful'. 'It seems like we have gone from menstruation being unmentionable, contributing to much distress and difficulty for many young girls around their period, to the fact that it is girls and women who have periods being unmentionable,' she said. 'Neither of these things are good.' She added the lack of clarity about who actually goes through menstruation could confuse both girls and the wider public. 'It's entirely possible that this lack of clarity about just who it is who gets periods could be confusing for many young girls,' she said. Transwomen, a man who turns female, cannot go through menstruation as they do not have the ovaries or uterus to produce the tissue that becomes the period. On the other hand, transmen, those who transition from female to male, can have periods, though many find they stop when they take testosterone as part of their treatment. One example of gender neutral language is referring to female puberty as a process that happens to a 'child' rather than a girl How NHS language is going woke MailOnline has uncovered a string of gender neutral language changes to NHS resources for women's health. Menopause The old version of the NHS website said menopause is 'when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally'. The new gender neutral version says: Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels'. Female cancers NHS advice pages about ovarian, womb, vaginal and cervix cancers quietly scrubbed the word 'women' from their webpages. For example, the original version of the ovarian NHS cancer page featured the line: 'Ovarian cancer, or cancer of the ovaries, is one of the most common types of cancer in women.' This was removed with the page now saying: 'Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer, but it mostly affects those over 50.' Chestfeeding Advice for trans parents failed to mention the word 'breast'. A page titled 'chestfeeding if you're trans or non-binary' makes no mention of breasts and refers to breast reduction operations as 'top surgery'. The guidance also encouraged people to keep taking hormone transitioning drugs when they 'chestfeed', despite admitting 'it is unclear what effect this could have on your baby'. Advertisement Dr Gribble said it would be more helpful if the website had a dedicated section for gender dysphoria sufferers rather than erasing women and girls from generic information about periods. 'I think that for young female people who are transgender and don't like to be referred to as girls or women that it would be entirely appropriate to have targeted communications,' she said. 'Some of them will also have specific medical needs as a result of taking puberty blockers or testosterone which they will need information on.' Earlier this week Ms Hill told MailOnline Bloody Brilliant was both an example of inclusivity gone mad and another sign of the 'troubling' erasure of women. 'Its absolutely infuriating to me. I do understand the need for inclusivity but this is not inclusivity,' she said. 'Its leaving out the very people they are supposed to have at the centre of their work women and girls.' Asked by MailOnline if it was a part of a broader attempt to erase women from the NHS, she said yes Ms Hill, who has written a guide on puberty for girls called 'My Period', added it was ridiculous for the website to talk about reducing stigma and challenging taboos while erasing girls and women from the topic of menstruation. 'Ironic when you think of how people didnt used to be able to say the word "period" or name the parts of womens bodies and just as we were starting to make some headway with challenging that, here we are with this new taboo,' she said. 'Imagine how much effort it must have taken to create an entire website about periods without mentioning the word woman or girl once.' Ms Hill added the guidance would harm the neediest children searching for information about their bodies online. 'It is certainly confusing to be described as a "person who bleeds across Wales" in particular if you are young, have low literacy, or English as a second language,' she said. 'It is also playing along with an ideology that I think people are coming to realise is actually harming children by reinforcing the idea that there is no such thing as biological sex. 'I know this website does not overtly state that, but it is still very much entrenched in gender ideology.' Earlier this year, MailOnline exposed how the terms 'women' and 'woman' were being quietly removed from NHS online advice for female cancers and the menopause. Terms like 'breastfeeding' were also replaced with 'chest-feeding' and other gender-neutral language. These changes still haven't been reversed, despite a promise to strip out gender-neutral phrases a month ago by ex-Health Secretary Sajid Javid. On the broader issue of NHS de-sexing its language Dr Gribble said there needed to be more information who was making these decisions, and why. 'What testing did they do on how desexing this public health communication impacted understanding?' she said. NHS Wales Health Collaborative previously said the language on Bloody Brilliant is 'consistent with similar materials, including Welsh Government publications, and following expert advice and consultation with young people in Wales.' From 'chestfeeding' to 'human milk' and 'birthing PARENTS': How NHS language is going woke - with women quietly being scrubbed out of 'inclusive' advice pages 'Chestfeeding' instead of breastfeeding and asking men if they are pregnant before getting a scan are just two ways NHS language has gone woke recently. NHS chiefs have repeatedly defended the changes, saying they want to be 'inclusive, respectful and relevant'. But health experts have warned de-gendering medical advice could be dangerous as it over-complicates and obscures vital health messaging. Here, we detail some of the ways the woke language storm has engulfed the health service. NHS removes the word 'women' from its MENOPAUSE page MailOnline revealed the NHS's online guidance about the menopause had the terms 'women' and 'woman' removed. The webpage used to describe the condition as 'when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally'. But a new, gender-neutral description made in May, says: 'Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels'. The old advice also highlighted menopause usually occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, but about one in 100 women experience it before 40. But none of this information is included in the overview section of the updated webpage. In total six mentions of 'women' and 'woman' have been scrubbed from the page. Justifying the change, NHS Digital said they wanted language to be 'inclusive and respectful'. Experts warned that de-sexing the menopause page meant women with low English or health literacy could miss out and not read further. The NHS has quietly omitted the terms 'women' and 'woman' from its webpage on menopause. Pictured here is the older version of the menopause overview page (May 16) which mentioned women six times But the new version omits women from the overview entirely. Experts have warned women could be disadvantaged by de-gendered medical advice confusing health messaging NHS midwives told that sex is 'ASSIGNED' at birth Midwives denounced claims they 'assign' the sex of children at birth in a row on woke language. The wording came from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in an 'inclusivity' statement. Their document said: 'We recognise maternity and gynaecological services will be accessed by women, gender diverse individuals and people whose gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.' But some midwives hit back at the colleges, arguing that they merely 'observe' the reality of a baby's sex at birth as opposed to deciding it themselves. Jo Gould, a midwife in Sussex, said she was 'ashamed' of her representative body and that the statement was 'nonsense' and 'offensive'. But the RCM said the phrase sex assigned at birth was used correctly arguing it is the UK governments Office for National Statistics legal terminology for the sex observed at birth and then recorded on the birth certificate. A statement on inclusivity from the Royal College of Midwives and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has provoked outrage from some midwives on social media for using the term 'sex assigned at birth' NHS pregnancy advice refers to 'chestfeeding' and refuses to mention breasts The NHS was criticised over 'ideological' new advice for trans parents that failed to mention the word 'breast'. A page titled 'chestfeeding if you're trans or non-binary' makes no mention of breasts and refers to breast reduction operations as 'top surgery'. It was also accused of 'normalising' a potentially dangerous chest-binding technique. The guidance also encourages people to keep taking hormone transitioning drugs when they 'chestfeed', despite admitting 'it is unclear what effect this could have on your baby'. The advice was written a year prior to publication but was only issued online after nearly 12 months of internal NHS wrangling. It provoked concern among nurses and maternity experts, who said the advice fails to warn people about health risks of such practices to both parents and babies. The term chestfeeding is used throughout the page with the term 'breast' omitted. Breastmilk likewise has been replaced with 'milk from the chest' The page also says testosterone can pass through breast milk to babies but adds it is 'unclear' what affect passing the hormone on to a baby could have Critics of the page have said it normalises a potentially dangerous 'binding' technique used to make breasts smaller using fabric and which can cause a variety of health problems NHS bosses removed term 'WOMEN' on ovarian and womb cancer advice pages Official NHS advice pages about ovarian, womb, vaginal and cervix cancers were found to have quietly scrubbed the word 'women' from their webpages earlier this year. The term was missing from the landing pages of three sections explaining the cancers, which are only found in biological women. For example, the original version of the ovarian NHS cancer page featured the line: 'Ovarian cancer, or cancer of the ovaries, is one of the most common types of cancer in women.' Another line read: 'Ovarian cancer mainly affects women who have been through the menopause (usually over the age of 50), but it can sometimes affect younger women.' However, in an update sneaked out in January these were removed with the page now saying: 'Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer, but it mostly affects those over 50.' The changes were made late in 2021 and early 2022 but only came to light in May. The old version of the NHS ovarian cancer page as of December 30 2021 (left) mentions women specifically twice, whereas the new version (right) omits them NHS reinstates the word women in its miscarriage advice In June, the health service added the word 'women' back to its miscarriage page following backlash. The health service replaced 'women who know they're pregnant' with 'people who know they are pregnant'. Another line on the page was also criticised for saying miscarriage 'only affects about one in 100 people' instead of women. Despite amending one of the sentences to state that having three consecutive miscarriages 'only affects about one in 100 women', other pages in the NHS guidance make no mention of women at all. A section called 'aftermath' refers to 'people' seven times but not once to women, including in its sub-paragraph about the emotional impact of a miscarriage. Another section titled 'causes' does mention women several times when attributing their age as a factor on their pregnancy, with one in ten expectant women under 30 having a miscarriage compared to five in ten over 45. NHS Digital has now partially amended the webpage to include the word 'women' once at the end NHS-backed guidance states transwomen can breastfeed Experts warned newborn babies could be harmed by woke NHS-backed guidance stating biologically born men can breastfeed. Guidance from the La Leche's charity linked to on the NHS's controversial 'chestfeeding' advice page states biological men who swap sex can stimulate milk supply using the Newman-Goldfarb protocol. But the procedure, which involves taking a powerful drug called domperidone, has been mired in controversy and is effectively banned in the US because of its side effects. NHS bosses only recommend it to women struggling to produce milk in some cases because domperidone carries a risk of giving a baby an irregular heartbeat. Experts told MailOnline how scientists have 'no idea about the implications', of breastfeeding in men and that the NHS should focus on improving access to breastfeeding rates for women. An NHS England spokesperson said the link to La Leche's advice on the chestfeeding guidance page was to an 'independent, non-profit support site' and added does not reflect NHS policy. Hospitals asking men if they are pregnant before scans In March, it was revealed that men were being asked if they are or could be pregnant before given radiotherapy by some NHS trusts. Male cancer patients, as well as those having X-rays and MRI scans, were asked if they were expecting a baby, because the word 'female' was replaced by 'individuals' for medical procedures. For example, the Walton Centre NHS in Liverpool now asks 'all patients under the age of 60, regardless of how you may identify your gender' whether they could be having a baby. The dangers that radiotherapy, diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine pose to an unborn child mean medics must find out if biologically female patients are pregnant before carrying out the procedures. But campaigners warned the move could spark the beginning of a 'clinically dangerous' move to record only gender, and not sex, on medical records. Patients and their families have also complained of 'unnecessary confusion and agitation' for vulnerable patients. Student midwives being taught how to help biological MEN give birth In May this year, it was revealed that midwifery students at Edinburgh Napier University were being taught biological men could get pregnant and trans men could give birth even if they have a penis. In a coursebook that has since been revised, trainee midwives were given detailed instructions on how to treat a male-to-female trans person during childbirth. The book's introduction stated: 'You may be caring for a pregnant or birthing person who is transitioning from male to female and may still have external male genitalia.' Another section with photo demonstrations detailed how to fit a catheter in a person with a penis and scrotum during labour. The book also included special instructions for people with prostate glands which are exclusive to biological men who may feel particular 'discomfort'. Several experts criticised the university, describing the woke material as 'remarkably ignorant about basic biology, sex and anatomy'. Bosses at the university have now changed the wording to say, 'people transitioning from female to male' rather than 'male to female', following the uproar. NHS told to use inclusive birth terms to avoid offending transgender people NHS services were told to use 'inclusive' terms like 'chestfeeding' so trans pregnant people aren't offended by a Government-funded report published in April. Produced by charity the LGBT Foundation other suggestions of language change was avoiding terms like 'vaginal birth', recommending 'frontal' or 'lower birth' instead. The charity also says some trans and non-binary people would benefit from having a private space in hospitals to give birth, so that they are not made uncomfortable by seeing women. It detailed the experience of one trans person, who said: 'I didnt have to go to a ward full of women after giving birth, I was actually provided with a private room for me and baby which was very helpful and accommodating for me and my gender identity.' The report was based on a survey 121 trans Britons on their experience of pregnancy. It was commissioned by the Health & Wellbeing Alliance, a partnership between charities and the NHS, which is managed jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. NHS hospital tells staff to say 'birthing parents' and 'human milk' In February last year Brighton and Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust unveiled 'gender inclusive' phrases it wanted its staff to use. These included terms like 'birthing parents' and 'human milk' rather than 'mothers' and 'breast milk' to avoid offending transgender people. The Trust said using 'gender inclusive' phrases was part of a drive to stamp out 'mainstream transphobia'. Other changes include replacing the use of the word 'woman' with the phrase 'woman or person', and the term 'father' with 'parent', 'co-parent' or 'second biological parent', depending on the circumstances. The new terms will be used for documents, protocols and Trust-wide communication. The move was welcomed by inclusivity campaigners at the time, with the group TransActual tweeted: 'This is fantastic, well done. Let's hope many more trusts follow suit. Everybody deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.' Public health authorities in China are on high alert following reports of the emergence of a new virus that infected dozens in the country. According to Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control, at least 35 persons have contracted the Langya henipavirus (LayV) in China's Shandong and Henan provinces in the northeast per a report from Fox News. A recent article from the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) titled "A Zoonotic Henipavirus in Febrile Patients in China" was mentioned by the health agency. What are the Signs of Infection? Researchers that tracked the patients discovered that Langya Henipavirus symptoms, including fever, coughing, headaches, painful muscles, exhaustion, nausea, and loss of appetite, appear to be comparable to those of the flu. Only LayV was found to be present in 26 out of the 35 patients, indicating that no other infections were detected. Researchers noted: "These 26 patients presented with fever (100% of the patients), fatigue (54%), cough (50%), anorexia (50%), myalgia (46%), nausea (38%), headache (35%), and vomiting (35%), accompanied by abnormalities of thrombocytopenia (35%), leukopenia (54%), and impaired liver (35%) and kidney (8%) function." According to the study's summary, the LayV-positive patients apparently had a "recent history of animal exposure in eastern China." Through the use of throat swab samples that underwent "metagenomic analysis and subsequent virus isolation," healthcare experts were able to identify the new virus. According to reports, LayV has an 18,402 nucleotide genome. Its genome organization is the same as that of other henipaviruses in the Paramyxoviridae family, also known as a family of single-stranded RNA viruses. The virus was "predominantly detected" in shrews per a study of wild small animals, indicating that the species may be "a natural reservoir" of the virus. There is currently no proof of Langya Henipavirus transmission from person to person, CNA reported. Researchers said: "There was no close contact or common exposure history among the patients, which suggests that the infection in the human population may be sporadic." The experts added the sample size was too small to determine the status of human-to-human transmission. Read Also: China Breaks Promise Not To Send Military Troops, Vows To Conduct Regular Patrols Around Taiwan The Langya henipavirus was discovered for the first time in Shandong and Henan in late 2018, according to a report from The Guardian. Only last week did experts formally identify it. The Hendra virus and the Nipah virus are among the viruses in the same family as the genus henipavirus. It is known that these viruses can infect people and lead to deadly illnesses. According to the World Health Organization, the Nipah virus was initially identified after an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia in 1999. It has been detected in Bangladesh and India too. In previous outbreaks, 40 to 75% of infected individuals perished due to Nipah infection. It can be spread from humans to humans and from animals like pigs and bats to humans. No Need To Panic Professor Wang Linfa, who took part in the research and teaches at Singapore's Duke-NUS Medical School, told China's Global Times that the cases of LayV infection had not been deadly or particularly serious. The publication cited him as stating there was no cause to fear. According to the researchers, the fatal Mojiang henipavirus, which infected six miners in southern China in 2012, shares the most genetic similarity with LayV. In the end, three perished. The Hendra virus was initially discovered in Australia in 1999, where it has since infected more than 70 horses in addition to seven people. Al Jazeera reported that the WHO stated all the cases occurred only along Australia's northeastern coast. Henipavirus infections have no known cures or vaccines as of present reporting. Related Article: Hungarian Energy Firm Negotiates Reopening, Resume Russian Oil Supply Amid Pipeline Sanctions @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has further rolled back COVID-19 guidance, announcing Thursday that it no longer recommends people with a known exposure to the virus to enter isolation if they are up-to-date with their vaccines. Instead, the agency recommends wearing a mask in indoor public places and testing for the virus after five days. In a release, the agency says that the move is streamlining its COVID-19 guidance. No other changes appear to have been made to the nation's Covid guidelines. Now, a person with a known exposure to the virus is expected to quarantine for at least five days if they are not up-to-date on their vaccines. This means having received at least two booster jabs for people over 50, and at least one booster for younger adults. The change comes as America's Covid situation remains stagnant and fear of the virus among the population continues to fall. The BA.5 variant-fueled summer surge that many experts feared never materialized and case and death figures have remained in a steady range for months. As of Thursday, the U.S. is recording 109,663 new cases every day, a six percent drop in the last week. Deaths caused by Covid have jumped 24 percent over the past week to 570 per day. People who have been exposed to COVID-19 are now longer required to isolate for five days under new CDC guidance. Instead, they are recommended to mask indoors when around others before getting tested on day five 'We're in a stronger place today as a nation, with more toolslike vaccination, boosters, and treatmentsto protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19,' Dr Greta Massetti said in a CDC release. 'We also have a better understanding of how to protect people from being exposed to the virus, like wearing high-quality masks, testing, and improved ventilation. This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives.' The five day period is to account for the incubation period of the virus, which is usually around that time after exposure. This is the first major change to Covid guidelines made by the nation's leading body on the pandemic since it lifted guidance for masks on transit. As of this new guidance's release, the only people who are required to isolate are people who test positive for the virus - for at least five days - or exposed persons who are unvaccinated. America's Covid situation has largely been stagnant in recent months. The 109,633 cases being recorded daily remains on the lower end of the range cases have remained in since May. While deaths have shifted upwards, the 570 per day is still a relatively low total compared to early spring. Many experts feared that this would not be the case just weeks ago. The BA.5 variant quickly stormed the world in late-Spring and early-Summer after first being detected in South Africa. The variant initially caused cases to increase as it took over as the nation's dominant strain, but the massive surge some expected never materialized. The BA.5 variant (dark green) makes up around 87% of active cases in the U.S. according to most recent data from the CDC Most recent data from the CDC earlier this week shows that the variant now makes up 87 percent of cases in the U.S. - snuffing out previous forms of the virus. The BA.4 variant that was detected in South Africa around the same time makes up around 6.6 percent of cases - while the BA 4.6 lineage accounts for around five percent of sequenced cases. The BA 2.12.1 variant that was previously dominant now accounts for less than two percent of infections. The BA.2 'stealth' variant and original BA.1 strain of Omicron have been almost entirely wiped out. The CDC may feel more comfortable loosening guidelines as new vaccines are around the corner. Earlier this year, a leading Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel voted in favor of reformulating the COVID-19 vaccines to specifically target the Omicron variant. Currently available shots were formulated against the original Wuhan strain of the virus that overwhelmed the world in early 2020. In the time since, the virus has mutated to evade protection against infection provided by those shots. Retailoring the jabs to fight the Omicron variant could blunt the virus's ability to circulate - allowing for lax guidelines. COCKTAILS, A STILL LIFE by Christine Sismondo & James Waller (Running Press 16.99, 192 pp) Fun facts such as these, as well as delicious recipes and beautiful paintings, can be found in this essential little book for all cocktail connoisseur Although unlikely to be prescribed by doctors, the 'hair of the dog' is a common method of cutting through the fog of drinking too much the night before. In Scandinavia and central Europe, it's called a 'repair beer', in Italy it's 'chiodo scaccia chiodo', which translates as pulling a nail out with another nail; in China, the morning-after tipple is known as 'the drink that brings back your soul'. Fun facts such as these, as well as delicious recipes and beautiful paintings, can be found in this essential little book for all cocktail connoisseurs. Chin-chin! Britons are urged to be on their guard against rogue traders when having work done on their home, amid a rise in official complaints. Homeowner complaints about cowboy builders soared by almost a third last year compared to the previous year, according to Citizens Advice Bureau complaints data obtained by GS Engineering through an Freedom of Information request. According to the data, 43,359 people in England reported being scammed by cowboy builders in 2021, a huge 31 per cent rise from the 33,064 reports in 2020. Going rogue: When seeing poor-quality work, nearly a third of Britons claim to have confronted the tradesperson, according to Nationwide With more than 14,000 complaints lodged in the first four months of this year, there could be a similar number of complaints recorded in 2022. It also revealed that window fitters, kitchen fitters and general builders were the trades most likely to be targeted by rogue operators. What is a rogue trader? Generally, individuals or companies who carry out work to such a poor standard that it requires fixing or redoing to bring it up to the required level are considered rogue traders. More than two in five Britons have either fallen victim to one or know someone who has, according to research by Nationwide. Once work has begun it can quickly become a very disruptive and expensive mistake. For example, poor work on the kitchen is likely to cost more than 4,500 on average to put right. Red flag: More than half of Britons have had someone knock on their door uninvited saying they could help with work on their home When seeing poor-quality work, nearly a third of Britons claim to have confronted the tradesperson, according to Nationwide. A further 28 per cent resorted to leaving bad reviews online, and more than a quarter posted about it on social media. However, 15 per cent admitted they did nothing. Despite the poor-quality work, almost two in five said the money paid wasn't returned. Of the 48 per cent of people who did get some back, only one in five were fully refunded. How can homeowners protect themselves? More than half of Britons have had someone knock on their door uninvited saying they could help with work on their property, according to Nationwide. At face value, it is not easy to distinguish between a rogue and a genuine professional. It is therefore essential for homeowners to do their own due diligence. A great first step for homeowners is to always demand proof of a trade body membership from any tradesperson they are considering hiring. Industry bodies for electricians include the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) and National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT), whilst with gas engineers, you should look for a Gas Safe Register certificate for example. Choosing a good tradesman online The most common find-a-trader websites include TrustATrader, Checkatrade, Rated People and MyBuilder. These sites not only enable you to find tradesmen, but also see how well they have been reviewed by previous customers. However, these websites are also funded by the tradesmen advertising on them, and therefore they are not necessarily a guarantee for quality workmanship. Another possibility is the Government-backed approved trader scheme, TrustMark. With strict codes of conduct imposed on its members and a dispute resolution ombudsman that customers can turn to if something goes wrong, this website can provide further peace of mind for home improvers. On top of these sites, the expert advice is to always conduct your own research into whoever it is you decide to hire. However, it's important not to just take the tradesperson's word for it. Most trade associations will have a directory of their members on their site. It may also be wise to check the firm out on Companies House, to see how long it has been trading and assess its financial situation. It can also help getting multiple quotes for any major job, asking each tradesperson questions to assess their expertise and perhaps more importantly, decide whether or not you trust them. When it comes to deciding who to pick, don't necessarily go with the cheapest quote. If it is hundreds or even thousands of pounds lower than the average and sounds too good to be true, it probably is. It could mean they are a cowboy builder, or could not be experienced enough to give accurate figures. And after all, paying for a cheap job might end up costing more overall if it needs to be re-done. For bigger jobs it is important to have a building contract in place and avoid paying large amounts upfront. A trustworthy builder will be unlikely to ask for cash upfront and should have enough money as a business to cover the initial outlay for materials - although in some cases they may ask for an upfront deposit. However, it's always sensible agreeing to pay on completion of the work, or release funds according to an agreed schedule upon each completed stage of a job. Finally, it's worth being mindful of any trade with very high availability. So when that next so-called tradesperson comes knocking at your door, treat it as an immediate red flag. Beware invoice and payment scams When it comes to paying a tradesperson for their work, Nationwide is also warning homeowners to be on the lookout for fake email invoices from scammers. A quarter of people surveyed by Nationwide have been the victim of an email hack scam where a fraudster intercepts an email from an actual trader and modifies the payment details. Despite receiving payment details via email and text, more than a third of people surveyed by Nationwide admit they had not previously been aware that criminals can intercept genuine email and text exchanges. In addition, nearly two thirds of people say they have not checked an email address to see whether it has been compromised. Ed Fisher, head of fraud policy at Nationwide, said: 'When it comes to paying for the work it's always important to make sure that any emails you receive are genuine. 'Email scams can happen at any time, whether the work has been done properly or not. 'It's important to be careful when receiving requests for payment over text or email as fraudsters have the capability to intercept these and make subtle changes to account details which will divert the payment to them. 'Ring the tradesperson on a number you know is theirs and double check the account details. If anything in the email header looks odd, don't send the money.' Advertisement Three in five local authorities are behind schedule in their rollout of public electric car charging points - and some have even seen their networks shrink in the last 12 months, according to a new report. There are just over 32,000 public charge points are available across the UK - 268,000 short of the 300,000 ministers say are needed by the end of the decade, latest Department for Transport data shows. Analysis of the data revealed that local authorities need to accelerate installations on average by an annual rate of 32 per cent to meet the Government's 2030 target, with some at risk of falling 'woefully short' having reduced the number of devices in their areas in the last year. Among the towns and cities where public charger numbers have declined include Canterbury, Luton and Milton-Keynes, the report found. Revealed: These are the local authorities that reduced their public electric car charging point networks by the most over the last 12 months, despite the Government calling for there to be 300,000 devices across the country by the end of the decade The latest official records published by the DfT show there were 32,011 public devices across the UK as of 1 July. Of these, 4,974 are rapid chargers, which accounts for almost a fifth of the total. With just 90 months remaining to hit the ambitious target of 300,000 chargers, car leasing comparison site LeaseLoco - which conducted the analysis of DfT data - says a number of local authorities have their work cut out meeting the Government's expectations. THE 22 LOCAL AUTHORITIES THAT HAVE REDUCED EV CHARGER AVAILABILITY IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS (JULY 21-JULY 22) LOCAL AUTHORITY PUBLIC CHARGING DEVICES IN JULY 2021 PUBLIC CHARGING DEVICES IN JULY 2022 PERCENTAGE CHANGE Brentwood 7 3 -57% Canterbury 65 48 -26% Dacorum 23 18 -22% Antrim and Newtownabbey 37 32 -14% Forest of Dean 16 14 -13% Mid and East Antrim 28 25 -11% Luton 50 45 -10% Hillingdon 199 180 -10% Harrow 49 45 -8% Fermanagh and Omagh 38 35 -8% Wigan 42 39 -7% Milton Keynes 364 343 -6% Renfrewshire 71 67 -6% Eastbourne 36 34 -6% Charnwood 41 39 -5% Mid Ulster 24 23 -4% North Somerset 89 86 -3% Cheltenham 33 32 -3% Ashford 35 34 -3% Caerphilly 39 38 -3% Brighton and Hove 331 323 -2% Belfast 52 51 -2% Source: LeaseLoco analysis of DfT data published 21 July 2022 According to its review, 228 of 375 local authorities missed infrastructure growth targets over the past 12 months. Around a quarter expanded their public charger network by less than 10 per cent and 12 authorities failed to add a single charging point over the course of the year (July 2021 to July 2022). Incredibly, 22 local authorities appear to have scaled down their charging networks in the previous 12 months, it found. Canterbury, for instance, is listed as having 65 EV charging devices in July 2021, but only 45 a year later, equating to a loss of a quarter of its already-limited network. Luton has seen the number of public chargers in the town fall by 10 per cent over the past year, Wigan a decline of 7 per cent and drivers in Milton Keynes having seen numbers dip by 6 per cent. Electric car owners in Brentwood have also seen a fall in available chargers from a meagre seven to a paltry three in the last 12 months, the records show. The report will add fuel to concerns for the stalling growth of the public charging network, which is failing to keep pace with the number of electric cars hitting the road. Just 1,721 new public chargers were added in the months of April, May and June, the DfT's records show. That is down 10 per cent on the first quarter of 2022 and 30 per cent shy of the number of installations in the last quarter of 2021. In the same months of April to June, some 50,775 pure electric cars were registered in Britain, meaning there was a new public charging device to every 30 EVs entering the road. Scotland, North West and South East were the worst performing regions in terms of installation growth in the last 12 months. Although Scotland currently has more EV chargers per 100,000 population (54.7), than England (48.6) and Wales (37.6), the charger network north of the border only increased by 16.5 per cent over the past 12 months. While some local authorities are falling behind, others have 'blazed a trail' over the past 12 months, says LeaseLoco. Seven have more than trebled the size of their charger networks since July 2021. East Hertfordshire leads the way, increasing public charger numbers from 17 to 71 while Dover has expanded its network from 14 to 47 devices. On a regional level, London - which has the biggest EV ownership - has 40 per cent more public chargers than a year ago. The capital has seen charger installations surge from 7,489 in July 2021 to 10,482 last month. Canterbury, for instance, is listed as having 65 EV charging devices in July 2021, but only 45 a year later, equating to a loss of a quarter of its already-limited network. Two electric car charging spaces at Wincheap Park and Ride carpark in Canterbury The borough of Westminster has the highest concentration of EV chargers anywhere in the country, with 522 per 100,000 population. Outside London, Coventry (132 per 100k) has the highest concentration of EV points, followed by Milton Keynes (127 per 100k), Brighton & Hove (111 per 100k) and Winchester (91 per 100k). Just 1,721 new public chargers were added in the months of April, May and June 2021, according to latest date published by DfT The Government has pledged to spend 1.6billion to build a network of 300,000 EV chargers by 2030. Announcing fresh investment in infrastructure in March, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: 'No matter where you live be that a city centre or rural village, the north, south, east or west of the country we're powering up the switch to electric and ensuring no one gets left behind in the process.' However, John Wilmot, LeaseLoco's chief executive, said this new analysis yet again reveals the 'stark reality that the charging infrastructure rollout is not progressing at a fast enough rate in many areas'. The report will add fuel to concerns for the stalling growth of the public charging network, which is failing to keep pace with the number of electric cars hitting the road He added: 'The Government has a colossal task on its hands if it hopes to hit the 300,000 target by 2030, and create a charging infrastructure able to cope with the growth in EV ownership over the next decade. 'Although home charging will have a pivotal role to play, there will still be a huge reliance on the public charging network. And the ramifications on local economies of a substandard charging infrastructure could be severe. 'Also, the public isn't stupid. They won't be convinced to early switch to electric if they don't believe the charging infrastructure can cope with demand. And the government will have scored a huge own goal by declaring such an ambitious target and then coming up woefully short of it.' In April, my partner and I took a first class return British Airways flight from Mauritius to London, with a connecting flight in Johannesburg. It was the worst travel experience I have had in 40 years of travelling with BA. My partner, who is from Eastern Europe, was treated badly by staff, including being subject to extensive security checks in Mauritius which seemed targeted and unnecessary. On the plane, she was directed to use the economy toilet when she was sitting in first class. Lost luggage: Reader M.D's bags were misplaced when he travelled home from holiday - then arrived missing expensive items When we finally arrived at Heathrow, our bags were nowhere to be found. We waited at baggage collection for an hour and a half. We were given different information by different staff members about where exactly the baggage had been lost, and eventually had to head home and log a missing baggage claim for all four of our suitcases. The luggage was sent to our home three days later, but the bags were damaged and several items were missing, including a MacBook Pro laptop, various items of jewellery, two pairs of sunglasses and a first aid box containing some medication. These would cost 3,000 to replace. When I called to report the missing items, I was cut off four times before being told that that the only option was for an investigation to be opened which would take up to six months. BA opened an investigation but concluded that it was not liable for the loss, and would only compensate us for the first aid box. I have been an extremely loyal BA customer for many years, spending tens of thousands of pounds with the company, and have been a shareholder for 25 years. I won't use the airline again. Can you help? M.D, London. Helen Crane replies: To fly, to serve - that's BA's motto. But in your case it seems that travelling with Britain's flagship carrier has only delivered on the first half of that promise. Following a recent spate of delays and cancellations due to strikes and understaffing, its Trustpilot rating has plummeted to a paltry 1.4 out of five. Your trip preceded such issues, but you were still shocked by the shoddy service that you received from this British institution. You had been to the tropical paradise of Mauritius and were no doubt feeling rested and relaxed, but that came to an abrupt end when you arrived at the airport for your flight home. Relaxing: Our reader had visited the tropical island of Mauritius, but his peaceful holiday came to an abrupt end when he lost his luggage during the journey home It seems that BA's good reputation is as extinct as the island's native Dodo. Customers should expect good service no matter the cost of their ticket, but it is especially galling that you did not get the first-class experience you paid for. You don't say how much you paid for your flights, but a long-haul trip in first class would have cost several thousands of pounds. You say that your partner was treated with disrespect by BA staff both on the ground and in the air, which I was sorry to hear about. CRANE ON THE CASE Our weekly column sees This is Money consumer expert Helen Crane tackle reader problems and shine the light on companies doing both good and bad. Want her to investigate a problem, or do you want to praise a firm for going that extra mile? Get in touch: helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk And while reaching your destination with all your belongings intact is hardly a luxury, BA fell short on this basic requirement. You were first told that your luggage was 'missing' when you arrived at your stopover in Johannesburg, but were later told that it was safely loaded on to the plane headed to London. That assurance turned out to be nothing but hot air, as when you finally arrived your four bags were nowhere to be found. As if that wasn't annoying enough, when the bags arrived at your home days later those valuable items were missing. You immediately contacted BA, and after some frustrating back-and-forth were told that it wouldn't compensate you for your lost belongings. After months of trying to make it see sense, you got in touch with me to see if I could help. I contacted BA and asked it why it wouldn't reimburse you, and whether it would reconsider its decision - both on the grounds that you were an extremely loyal customer, and because getting your belongings home from a holiday in one piece should be a given. Gone: The items lost in transit included sunglasses and jewellery I'm sorry to say that my request was refused. At first the airline tried to blame the loss on Comair, the 'partner airline' which operated your initial flight to Johannesburg, which has now entered administration. It said that Comair was responsible for your bags until they were loaded on to the BA flight. It statement read: 'We're sorry our customer had a bad experience while travelling in South Africa with our franchise partner Comair. 'We know how upsetting it must have been to realise that some items were missing from their luggage when they received it. 'Our customers may be able to claim for any lost items through their travel insurance, and the insurers would then investigate the loss with Comair.' That is going to be difficult given it is no longer operating. You have already contacted your insurer, who said it would expect BA to cover the loss - but I have suggested you go back again with proof that BA is refusing responsibility. The response also avoids the fact that you were never told where exactly the bags had gone missing - and say that you managed to track the laptop to Heathrow Terminal 5 when, believing it stolen, you accessed it remotely to try and delete your personal information. And regardless, you booked your flight with BA, so in my mind it should accept the responsibility. But BA also mentioned that expensive and fragile items should be kept in hand luggage, not put in the hold. A bird in the hand (luggage): BA suggested that our reader and his partner should have kept their valuables with them, and would not accept responsibility for losses in hold baggage This was getting confusing, so I asked BA straight - why exactly was it turning the request for compensation down? It referred me to its conditions of carriage, which state that customer should not keep 'fragile or perishable items or items of special value' in their hold bags. This, it says, includes money, jewellery and computers. So future BA travellers, be warned: it won't be responsible for any valuables packed in the hold as part of its terms and conditions. I am sorry that my efforts didn't get BA to see sense. It seems the traditional British values of good service and rewarding loyalty it was founded on no longer hold much weight. Hit and miss: This week's naughty and nice list Every week, I look at the companies who have fallen short when it comes to customer service, and those who have gone above and beyond. Hit: This week, we reported on Iceland offering a free a 30 voucher to up to 40,000 pensioners who rely solely on state pension and benefits, to spend on food and other essentials. Launched in partnership with The Rothesay Foundation, it will roll out across 269 Iceland stores in the 17 areas with the highest levels of pensioner deprivation. This is on top of its existing offer, launched in May, of 10 per cent off for all over-60s every Tuesday. Nice-land: The grocer is offering a free 30 voucher to those on just the state pension A great PR move for Iceland, and a small but welcome boost for older people whose pensions aren't keeping pace with the rising cost of food. It seems to have gone down well with This is Money readers. 'Good on Iceland,' wrote one in the comments. 'I for one will be shopping more there.' It's great to see big firms offering a helping hand to those most in need, and I would urge readers to tell their older friends and family about the scheme - especially if they aren't online. The vouchers will be available until mid-September, and it would be nice to see other supermarkets picking up the baton once the Iceland scheme has ended. Over to you. Miss: This week, I helped reader K.D sort out an easyJet booking that turned out to be far from easy after she made a mistake with the dates. In March, she booked return flights for her and two friends to Menorca departing in July, at a cost of 390. However, two days before, her friends - a couple - got Covid, meaning they would have to postpone the holiday and wait a little longer for their fix of Spanish sunshine. She went online to change the flights to a date in September, which she did at a cost of 156. Tick-box exercise: Our reader forgot to change the month when she adjusted her flights online However, on receiving the booking confirmation a few minutes later she noticed that she had forgotten to change the month, meaning that the flights were booked for days later in July, and not for the same date in September as she intended. A silly mistake, but one that is easy to make when filling out online forms. Companies selling services or products online must offer a 24-hour cooling off period, when customers can cancel without penalty - so K.D was keen to sort out her mistake as soon as possible. She tried to call easyJet a number of times, but says that after hanging on the line for about 20 mins each time she was cut off. Panicking because of the time deadline, she changed the flights again online at a cost of 126, and then changed the return flight for 261, hoping to then be able to recoup the money for the first cancellation when she could get through on the phone. But after phoning several more times and finally getting through, she was told she had to fill a form in online, which she did on the same day. She got an email reply on a couple of weeks later asking for PCR test results, but she explained that she was looking for a refund on the re-booked flights because of her booking mistake, not on the original flights due to the Covid. Spanish sunshine: K.D was hoping to head to Menorca with friends but Covid cancelled their plans, and they wanted to reschedule When she spoke to easyJet on the phone again, she was told the 24 hour cooling off period policy didn't apply as the flights were booked in March - even though the mistake in fact related to her new booking. As she had paid the disputed funds within that 24-hour window, that doesn't seem fair to me - but the airline has insisted this is its policy. K.D asked to speak to a manager but the person on the phone refused to put her through, so she decided to get in touch with me. I'm pleased to say that when I contacted easyJet, it offered to refund her for the mistaken changes. A spokesperson said: 'We are sorry to hear that K.D was unable to travel with us and while she was correctly advised on our policy for changes to flight transfers, we are looking into the difficulty she experienced getting in touch with us by phone and why this may have occurred, as our average call wait times are currently under six minutes. 'We have also introduced additional measures to support our customers this summer, including extended customer service hours and more advisors in our team than ever before. 'We have been in touch with K.D to apologise for her experience and refund her for the changes she mistakenly made to her booking as a gesture of goodwill.' Coca-Cola HBC has seen earnings tumble by about a third following its decision to drastically scale back its operations in Russia. The London-listed group revealed that first-half net profits declined by 34.4 per cent to 152.9million even as total sales exceeded forecasts on the back of price hikes and growing demand within emerging markets. The anchor bottler incurred 190million (161million) in impairment charges during the opening six months of the year, mostly concerning its Russian business, and it expects a further 82million hit in the second half. Earnings: Swiss-based Coca-Cola HBC revealed that first-half net profits declined by 34.4 per cent to 152.9million even as total sales exceeded forecasts All production and sales of Coca-Cola company brands has been stopped in Russia due to the escalation of the Ukraine war, which has resulted in trade dropping significantly across both countries. Last week, HBC said it would have a much leaner operation in Russia going forward that will sell local soft drinks brands, such as Dobry, Rich and Moya Semya. Yet despite the financial impacts of the Ukraine War, the FTSE 100 firm still managed to boost its net sales revenue across emerging markets by more than a third, or 14.2 per cent on an organic basis. It attributed the expansion to higher pricing, strengthening Russian rouble and Nigerian naira currencies, as well as the acquisition of a majority stake in the Cola Bottling Company of Egypt. The group's developing and established markets also performed well thanks to increases in both volumes and prices, with revenues jumping by at least a fifth in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Demand for HBC's sparkling and still products only rose modestly, but roaring trade at Costa Coffee outlets, many of which were forced to temporarily close last year, helped volumes in its coffee division surge by over 50 per cent. Meanwhile, volumes of the firm's energy drinks, which include Monster Energy and Predator, climbed by 18.6 per cent, following double-digit percentage growth in multiple territories, such as Nigeria, Italy and Greece. Commenting on the company's results, HBC chief executive Zoran Bogdanovic remarked: 'I am pleased we achieved strong organic growth, balanced between volume and revenue per case. 'Pricing, mix and cost efficiencies helped to mitigate input cost increases, underpinning successful conversion of revenue growth into profits and cashflow.' The company has reinstated its annual guidance, with comparable operating profits of between 740million to 820million anticipated this year, ahead of market forecasts. Coca-Cola HBC shares closed trading 3.33 per cent higher at 20.47 on Thursday, although their value has fallen by around a quarter in the past 12 months. Advertisement Beau Wise and his family were struggling through a power outage at their Oklahoma home last Monday night when he got a call. The Marine veteran hadn't been watching the news and text messages were slow to get to him. Tom Sileo, the co-author of Beau's memoir Three Wise Men, was on the other end of the line and said: 'He's dead.' He was referring to Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who hours before had been taken out by the US in a drone strike in Kabul. For 38-year-old Beau and his family, it was deeply personal. The terrorist leader was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans - including his older brother Jeremy. 'I ran inside, muted the TV, sat down in quiet for a minute and thought to myself: 'Oh my God, we finally got him,' Beau told DailyMail.com. Jeremy, a Navy SEAL turned CIA contractor, was one of the seven Langley operatives killed in 2009 in Khost, Afghanistan, by a suicide bomber- who lured them into a deadly trap by claiming they had information on al-Zawahiri's whereabouts. Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi talked his way into Camp Chapman, claiming to have information intelligence agencies had been seeking for decades, and then detonated a suicide vest. The horrific ambush was later portrayed in the 2012 film Zero Dark Thirty. It was one of the darkest days in the agency's history during a 30-year manhunt for the 9/11 mastermind - known as Osama Bin Laden's right hand man - that poignantly ended on Saturday, July 30. As he stepped onto his balcony, al-Zawahiri was bit by two Hellfire missiles - fitted with extending blades - reportedly fired from a CIA drone. For the agency, it was payback. Jeremy, a Navy SEAL turned CIA contractor, was one of the seven Langley operatives killed by a suicide bomber in Khost, Afghanistan, in 2009 - who lured them into a deadly trap by claiming they had information on Al-Zawahiri's whereabouts From left to right: Jeremy, Ben and Beau Wise attend Ben's Special Forces Graduation at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in 2008. It was the last time they were all together Beau visits the graves of his brothers Jeremy and Ben at a veterans' cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia. He is the sole military survivor of his family For the Wise family, Jeremy's death was the first of two in Afghanistan. Beau's Green Beret brother Ben was also killed while serving his country after being shot in the leg multiple times in Helmand Province in 2012. The three Wise brothers had five deployments between them between 2005 and 2009. Beau, who deployed to southern Afghanistan twice as a Marine, is the sole survivor of the family and now runs a liquor store, and goes home to his wife and adopted children. He is in one of the very few families in America to have lost two family members in either Iraq and Afghanistan in the post 9/11 wars. 'It's even more fitting that we got him in Afghanistan. To me that was absolutely perfect,' Beau told DailyMail.com in an interview. 'It was poetic justice. The Taliban were caught with their pants down. They can't explain why he was in Kabul. Everybody's just glad he is dead. The world's a better place without him.' After learning about the strike, he texted his sister and mom and a wave of relief rushed over their family. Beau said he doesn't like to dwell on the 2009 attack and questions like: 'What if we had got him (Al-Zawahiri) 10 years ago?' To him it is just another day. Jeremy is still gone whether it is September 29 or December 29, but he still allows himself time to reflect and have vulnerable moments. But he is frustrated that the Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan last year has meant there are no American forces on the ground. 'Everybody's angry that we didn't maintain some kind of presence in Afghanistan. I don't want to speak for an entire generation of veterans, but the majority of people that I've talked to agree,' he said He, along with many others, had doubts that Afghanistan could sustain a democracy when the US and western allies pulled out - and that the majority of citizens in the poverty-stricken country wanted them to stay. Later this month the US will mark the one-year anniversary of the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, 20 years after the first forces landed in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. The hunt for al-Zawahiri was already on at the start of the invasion following his planning of the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Twelve Americans were among the 224 people who died in the blasts. The CIA, who was heavily involved in the massive operation to track him down, provided a statement from Director Bill Burns to DailyMail.com on how personal the strike was for the agency - 13 years after the fateful day in Khost. 'This was deeply personal for CIA. In the hunt for Ayman al-Zawahiri, a brutal attack took the lives of seven CIA officers in Khost in 2009. 'Following that attack, Zawahiri continued to pose an active threat to the country all Agency officers are sworn to protect and defend. 'While terrorism remains a very real challenge, Zawahiri's removal diminishes that threat and offers a measure of justice.' The CIA wouldn't confirm that they were behind the drone strike that killed him. It has been widely reported that it was their operation. Al-Zawahiri's death showed that Al Qaeda is back in Kabul and seemingly enjoying a safe haven under the Taliban regime that stormed the country as western troops left. It was a chaotic week that was epitomized by the attack on the Hamid Karzai International Airport that killed 13 US service members and at least 170 Afghans. Jeremy (main) and his brother Ben (right) mourn Jeremy's death at ceremony at the Little Creek Chapel in Virginia on January 7, 2010. Jeremy was killed in the attack by the Taliban 'triple agent' just before Christmas Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi (left and second from right) talked his way into Camp Chapman, claiming to have information intelligence agencies had been seeking for decades, and then detonated a suicide vest. The bombing was later portrayed in the 2012 film Zero Dark Thirty Jeremy (above) left the Navy SEALS to become a contractor and was working alongside the CIA when he was killed in the 2009 attack Beau believes the U.S. should have maintained a presence in Afghanistan to stave off the resurgence of Al Qaeda. Republicans and intelligence analysts say the Taliban have created a safe haven for these terrorist groups because of the vacuum left by the departure of Western forces. He adds that 'human intelligence' on the ground is crucial, especially in places like Helmand Province where power lines often don't work and electronic communication is hard to come by. With no American forces on the ground, drones like the once used by the CIA in the strike are one of the only ways to track terrorists and gain information on planning. 'Afghanistan is going to be a real concern in the future,' he added. He also worries about the Afghan interpreters and SIV applicants who are still left in Afghanistan and fighting to survive under the Taliban. In the final days of the withdrawal, the U.S. and other western allies tried to get as many Afghans who had worked alongside them out. At the time, officials said that the majority of Afghan SIV applicants had been left behind because of issues getting to the airport and sometimes incorrect paperwork. The U.S. has brought thousands of Afghan refugees over, but it's unclear how many SIV applicants are still trying to escape, and many military members past and present have no idea if they are still alive. 'When I reach out to other Marines there are certain people that I ask about that, and interpreters are top of the list. 'They protected me. They helped me when I was not in a good place and I consider them my closest friends.' One of the Afghan allies who served alongside him would say he was from Minnesota, because all he wanted to do was 'be an American'. 'That guy had as much trust as one of my Marine brethren. 'It's absolutely terrifying. I haven't heard from him. I haven't heard from anybody that's heard from him. The relationship and the trust with him was was huge for me. 'When I went back to Afghanistan with a very high level of animosity, he kept me from going to dark places. I went back with a lot of healthy stuff in my head and my heart. 'He helped me remove it and put me back on my feet. I just hope and pray that they're still alive.' Jeremy had decided to let his military contract expire in September 2009 after having to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas away from his wife Dana and her young son Ethan, whom he treated as his own. He took a job with Xe services - the defense contracting company formerly known as Blackwater - to work as a security guard in Afghanistan. The pay was $700 a day - more than three times his salary as a Navy SEAL. It was late December 2009 when Beau last spoke to his brother Jeremy via satellite phone. Beau says he sensed Jeremy was uneasy but he wouldn't explain why and that his brother quickly got off the phone. Beau was in Afghanistan and just a few days later, when he returned from a patrol, he got a visit from his battalion chaplain, who told him Jeremy had been killed in the attack in Khost. They thought they had turned the doctor, and decided against patting him down on his way into the base, fearing it would scare him away. When he refused to get out of the car he drove into the base with, Jeremy and another guard pulled out their guns and the jihadist shouted in Arabic 'There is no god but God' before detonating an explosive hidden on his body, killing 6 in one of the deadliest attacks the agency had experienced in decades. Even though they were in the same country, Beau was one of the last to hear about Jeremy's death. With tears in his eyes, Beau punched a hole through the plywood desk he was sitting at. After Jeremy's death, and still with multiple questions for the CIA on how the attack was allowed to happen, Ben and Beau flew back to Afghanistan. Beau still felt he had a job to do and felt like he had found his true calling. On January 9, 2012, middle brother Ben was shot multiple times in the leg while in the hills of northern Afghanistan and was airlifted to a US military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. He was just three weeks away from going home when he volunteered for the mission that would ultimately kill him. Both of Ben's legs were amputated. Beau wrote in Three Wise Men that seeing him lying in the hospital bed was one of the worst moments of his life. Jeremy delivers the toast at his brother Ben and wife Traci's wedding Beau believes the U.S. should have maintained a presence in Afghanistan to stave off the resurgence of Al Qaeda. Beau decided to join the Marines after hearing Jeremy talk about his job and after watching 9/11 unfold on the TVs in his high school classroom Beau mans the turret while on patrol through Garmsir in Afghanistan's Helmand Province in the summer of 2011 during one of his two deployments The 30-year manhunt for Ayman al-Zawahiri (right) - Osama Bin Laden's right hand man ' ended on July 30 when the US took him out in a drone strike on the balcony of his safehouse in Kabul. Above, he sits for an interview in November 2001 He died six days after the shooting. By 2015 Beau had spiraled into depression and was drinking heavily and on one night, at one of his lowest points, he finished a bottle of whiskey and put a gun to his head. 'It's time to grow up', he heard his brothers whisper in his head and put down the pistol. His brothers saved a lot of lives during their military career, and the last one was mine, he wrote. Like most younger siblings, Beau Wise looked up to his big brothers Jeremy and Ben as his heroes. When he was big enough he would sneak into the room shared by his older brothers in their El Dorado, Arkansas home to sleep on the floor. And when he was older, Jeremy, the brother 10 years his senior, taught him to shoot his first weapon. Middle brother Ben was the first to enter the military, joining the Army at the age of 23 in 2000 after dropping out of college and working as a waiter. Jeremy followed suit by enlisting in the Navy at 27. At the time, he was studying to be a doctor in medical school but decided to join the military following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Parents Mary and Jean had high hopes for one non-military son when Beau received a scholarship to Southern Arkansas University to study music but Beau partied too much and had to drop out. Beau decided to join the Marines after hearing Jeremy talk about his job and after watching 9/11 unfold on the TVs in his high school classroom. A year after joining up, Beau was a lance corporal and serving in Helmand province, Afghanistan at the same time Jeremy was working in the country as a private contractor in Khost. Beau Wise and Tom Sileo's Three Wise Men is available online now and at most bookstores. There is growing outrage over a California school board's decision to give a pro-communism, ANTIFA teacher a generous $190,000 payout instead of firing him after he was exposed for trying to indoctrinate kids to become 'revolutionaries'. Gabriel Gipe was last year exposed by Project Veritas. A teacher at Inderkum High School, he plastered his classroom with photos of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong with the slogan 'Antifascist Action'. The Natomas Unified School District placed him on paid leave pending an investigation and four months later, struck a deal with him in which he received $190,000 and he tendered his resignation. That deal was made public this week. Now, there is growing outrage over the payout. Gabriel Gipe was paid $190,000 to resign from his role at Inderkum High School after being exposed by Project Veritas for trying to push his ANTIFA agenda on kids Gabriel Gipe displayed an Antifa flag in his classroom in the high school despite kids saying it made them uncomfortable Gipe also displayed a poster of Chinese Communist Party leader Mao Zedong in his classroom at Inderkum High School, in Sacramento, California Many critics say it is another example of the double standard that is permeating America; one rule for conservative thinkers and another for anyone who leans to the left. 'This exorbitant payout for a teacher who should have been terminated on the spot is illustrative of why trust in schools is eroding so quickly. 'This exorbitant payout for a teacher who should have been terminated on the spot is illustrative of why trust in schools is eroding so quickly Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education 'The settlement paid in public dollars only incentivizes bad actors to bring their activism into the classroom and then sit back and wait for a windfall of cash,' Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education, told DailyMail.com. Harmeet K. Dhillon, former vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party, echoed the anger. She said it was indicative of the hold the teachers' union has over schools. 'This is a classic example of the death-grip the California Teachers Association has on both our schools and our politicians theyve made it virtually impossible to fire even the most harmful, corrupt, and anti-learning teachers! 'This teacher repeatedly violated multiple school norms about politicizing the classroom and yet had to be paid off handsomely to leave, like a squatter in an abandoned building. Republican Congressional candidate Kevin Kiley said the payout summed up the education system in America Gabriel Gipe, pictured wearing a derogatory shirt against police during a protest. The teacher offered his students extra credit if they attended protests, too 'And yet Sacramento Democrats are unified in their opposition to charter schools, vouchers, school choice, and parental rights. The education of Californias children seems to be the lowest priority of the school system,' she told DailyMail.com. Congressional candidate Kevin Kiley told Dailymail.com: 'This teacher has admitted to turning his classroom into an indoctrination center, with the professed goal of making his students Antifa revolutionaries. 'For the district to reward him with a golden parachute is outrageous. 'It's also a sign that this teacher was not far afield from the broader agenda of California's education establishment, which recently succeeded in getting Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to mandate CRT as a high school graduation requirement.' This teacher has admitted to turning his classroom into an indoctrination center, with the professed goal of making his students Antifa revolutionaries....for the district to reward him with a golden parachute is outrageous. Congressional candidate Kevin Kiley Natomas School District Superintendent Chris Evans in defense of the decision, appears to blame the California Teacher's Association union. 'California is not an easy place to fire a teacher. I think everyone knows that,' Chris Evans, the Natomas Unified School District Superintendent told the Sacramento Bee. Project Veritas filmed Gipe undercover last year. In the damning footage, he was filmed saying: 'I have an Antifa flag on my [classroom] wall and a student complained about that he said it made him feel uncomfortable. 'Well, this [Antifa flag] is meant to make fascists feel uncomfortable, so if you feel uncomfortable, I dont really know what to tell you. Maybe you shouldnt be aligning with the values that this [Antifa flag] is antithetical to. 'I have 180 days to turn [students] into revolutionaries,' he told an undercover reporter. He put up posters of Chairman Mao in his classroom and encouraged kids to attend right-wing demonstrations as counter-protesters. Chris Evans, the Superintendent of the school district, blamed the teacher's union. 'California is not an easy place to fire a teacher, everyone knows that,' he said He said he would even give them extra credit for doing so. 'I post a calendar every week Ive had students show up for protests, community events, tabling, food distribution, all sorts of things. 'When they go, they take pictures, write up a reflection thats their extra credit.' Last year, Evans - the school superintendent - sat down with Project Veritas in an attempt to absolve the school of any wrongdoing. 'The posters were added over time... I am absolutely disappointed in the way it was handled,' he said. He chastised the journalists for exposing Gipe with their own cameras rather than asking for formal permission from him and the school board. Gipe's case is in sharp contrast to that of Tanner Cross, a conservative teacher who was suspended last year from his role after publicly condemning the transgender policies being pushed by the Loudoun County School board. He was ultimately reinstated, after a public legal battle and public backlash towards the school. A tech company CEO has been mocked online for posting a photo of himself in tears after laying off some of his employees - with the ridicule only increasing after it emerged that only two staff members were let go. Braden Wallake, who founded Hyper Social in 2016, posted a lengthy message to LinkedIn on Tuesday explaining his devastation at dismissing the employees. 'I know it isn't professional to tell my employees that I love them,' he said. 'But from the bottom of my heart, I hope they know how much I do.' He added: 'I can't think of a lower moment than this.' The company's website lists 18 people as employees. Braden Wallake posted a tearful photo to LinkedIn on Tuesday, telling of his devastation at having to get rid of employees Wallake is pictured with his girlfriend Emily Chucta, the chief operations officer, with whom he was living and working in a branded camper van traveling the US before returning to Ohio Wallake and his girlfriend were living out of van, but he announced that they just returned to Columbus, Ohio and are taking a break On Wednesday, he admitted that only two of his employees lost their jobs - with his girlfriend Emily Chucta, the chief operations officer, firing the second. Wallake and Chucta have spent the last three years traveling in a branded camper van and working remotely. He announced on LinkedIn last week that they had returned home to Columbus, Ohio. One of those laid off was Noah Smith, a South Dakota-based sales and account management specialist. Wallake had been to visit Smith in Sioux Falls last month. 'The best part about living out of a van as a business owner,' he wrote. 'When your employees are all completely remote, you get to visit them! Noah Smith was one of the two employees let go by Wallake 'We are heading to Chicago and decided Friday that we were going to stop into Noah Smith's house and work for a couple of days in Sioux Falls!' Wallake told Motherboard that both of the laid-off employees were 'over-the-top nice' about it and 'assured' him and Chucta that they were 'going to be okay.' He said he decided to make the LinkedIn post several hours later. 'I was just sitting here at my desk, just kind of crying, I guess, and decided to make the post because I have seen a lot on LinkedIn recently of how awful business owners and CEOs are for laying off their employees and that they're laying off employees while they're getting their third house in the Bahamas or wherever,' Wallake said. Responding to comments on the post, Wallake said that he had stopped taking a salary, in order to avoid laying off staff. He was previously taking $250 a week. He told Motherboard that he had previously taken no pay after he rebranded the company in 2019, and only started taking a paycheck last year. Yet as recently as two months ago, he was still taking on more staff. 'I'm hiring,' he posted on LinkedIn. 'Know anyone who might be interested? 'Many sales/marketing roles available: BDR/SDR/, Lead Generation, Account Executive, High Ticket Closer, and more!' Wallake and Chucta were traveling the United States, living and working remotely from the vehicle Wallake and Chucta are pictured with their dog, Roscoe He said he never intended to downplay the emotions felt by those let go, but wanted to share his feelings. 'This was a low time in my life,' he told Motherboard. '[I] was not attempting to compare my low time to the laid off employees low time, because theirs is much worse. 'But just to simply share the journey that I am going through personally as a business owner in the current world.' Others accused Wallake of being too weak to run a company, or seeking sly self-promotion. His company specializes in promotion on LinkedIn. One of their areas of expertise is 'LinkedIn outreach services'. 'Need more sales activity for your B2B business? With our process, we take cold outreach and turn them into warm conversations with powerful, customized messaging,' their website states. They also offer 'content creation' and 'LinkedIn profile optimization'. Wallake himself has 31,000 followers on LinkedIn, and 36,000 followers on Instagram. His posts include: '5 Tips for LinkedIn to Optimize Your Presence,' 'Best Practices for Responding on LinkedIn,' '8 LinkedIn Secrets Most Business Owners Don't Know,' 'Is LinkedIn a Waste of Time?' and '6 LinkedIn Business Page Mistakes Every Entrepreneur Should Avoid.' 'Can't believe my eyes. Do you really think you're having a worse time that those you let go? Come on dude,' said one. Another commented incredulously: 'You fired people and took a picture of yourself crying and hit post?' Droves of comments on LinkedIn slammed Wallake for making the situation about himself instead of the employees he laid off Jason B, a blockchain investor, wrote: 'CLICK BAIT AMATEUR HOUR STRIKES AGAIN. 'Did this guy actually just post a selfie of crying? I mean seriously, does he not have a clue how anyone with an IQ above 100 is going to see this as the most ridiculous trash posted on LinkedIn for the day (maybe week? month?? all year???). 'This fake self-pity self-attention self-focus self-less self-junk cluttering LinkedIn has got to stop. Is there a STUPID button we can click to hide this kind of vomit?' Manuel Pablo Arnao, a real estate agent, added: 'That selfie, geez. A little restraint might be good.' And Jackie Stabach, a VP of brand strategy, accused him of self pity. 'Yikes. I was just laid off - along with many others. If my CEO sent this I'd probably lose my mind. You're crying? I'm crying. We're crying. 'You still have your job. Imagine if we all posted pictures of US crying? We'd never get hired, because we are forced to be RESILIENT in our industries. 'Put those tears in a jar and make a potion to help the peoples lives you laid off better. Connect them to other agencies/potential opportunities. 'This isn't how you show empathy. DO MORE for your employees that were let go and those still existing. THIS ISN'T how. Yikes again.' Others were more supportive, praising Wallake for being open with his emotions and showing his humanity. Wallake answered questions posted online, and said he hoped it helped some - even if it saw him being mocked. When one person noted he was being accused of self promotion, Wallake replied: 'It's how people help themselves feel better I think. 'It's much easier to assume I'm being disingenuous with this post rather than try and get to know me and learn the actual truth of whether this post was an attention grab or came from the heart.' He added: 'I've laughed at people on other social media platforms who have posted pictures of themselves crying. And then I did it. 'I have no doubt this post can be a useful tool to either keep those employees or help them find better positions.' He told one commentator: 'I do not regret the post. I regret how it was received.' The vast majority of burglary victims are being let down by the police, a damning report finds today. Officers are missing opportunities to catch suspects from the moment crimes are reported, it concludes. Are you a burglary victim who was let down by police? Email rory.tingle@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement The latest Home Office figures show that just 3.7 per cent of burglaries, 4.2 per cent of thefts and 6.6 per cent of robberies result in a charge. Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke says these are not minor crimes and they strike at the heart of how safe people feel in their own homes and communities. He said the low charging rates were damaging confidence in the police and has ordered a back-to-basics approach amid fears that sloppy investigations mean victims arent getting the justice they deserve. The low charging rates are unacceptable and unsustainable, according to a devastating audit by Her Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary. Its bombshell report comes amid increasing concern that police are putting too much focus on woke issues and not enough on crimes that shatter peoples lives. The report found success rates for securing charges on burglaries, thefts and robberies varied wildly from force to force, creating an unacceptable postcode lottery for victims. It pointed to a national detective shortage and a large number of inexperienced officers as contributing factors. The latest Home Office data shows that fewer than 10 per cent of burglaries lead to a charge (this data includes robberies, burglaries and thefts) Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke says these are not minor crimes and they strike at the heart of how safe people feel in their own homes and communities The report also cited pressure on 999 call handlers, meaning some gathered only the bare minimum of information from victims. Inspectors found that in 71 per cent of burglary reports, call handlers failed to give victims any advice on crime scene preservation meaning vital forensic evidence could be lost. Mr Cooke said: A lack of experienced officers means that too often, these crimes are being investigated poorly and are not adequately supervised often because supervisors themselves are inexperienced and overstretched. Almost a third of officers in England and Wales have less than five years experience but in a third of cases there was insufficient supervision, the report says, resulting in missed opportunities including intelligence gathering and linking cases. Some forces can take six months to return fingerprint identifications, which can rule out prosecutions in magistrates courts due to statutory time limits rendering an entire investigation useless. The latest Home Office figures show that just 3.7 per cent of burglaries, 4.2 per cent of thefts and 6.6 per cent of robberies result in a charge (stock image) And compliance with the code of practice for victims the minimum standard victims should expect was inadequate in almost half of investigations, the audit found. No prosecutions for sham marriage couples in 4 years Hundreds of people who have used a sham marriage to stay in Britain have avoided prosecution and remain in the country, an investigation has found. Nobody who has exploited settlement rules in this way has been removed in the past two years and there has not been a single prosecution since 2018. At least 365 couples have tried to fraudulently exploit a post-Brexit scheme which gives EU citizens and their spouses the right to remain in the UK, according to figures obtained by BBC News. The EU Settlement Scheme allowed European Union citizens, their spouses and relatives to continue to live in the UK after Britains departure from the union if they were resident by December 2020 and applied for permission to stay. Spouses from any country, including non-EU states, were eligible to apply. But at least 365 marriages between an EU and a non-EU national were found to be a sham between March 2018 and the end of September last year. Albania had the most of any country with 146 people involved, Freedom of Information figures show. Some entered into the arrangement for money, with organised criminal gangs often facilitating the union. A Home Office spokesman said: As the public rightly expects, we take abuse of the spouse and partner immigration routes very seriously and to suggest otherwise is wrong. We will not hesitate to take enforcement action against individuals found to be in a sham marriage or civil partnership including ...removing them from the UK. Advertisement Mr Cooke said: There needs to be a concerted drive to address this issue because it directly affects the publics confidence in the polices ability to keep them safe. At the moment, depending on where in England and Wales they live, some victims are more likely than others to get a thorough investigation from their force. This postcode lottery cant be justified. Mr Cooke said simple measures such as visiting a burglary victim in person could go a long way in reassuring the public that the police were taking action. Among the reports recommendations are that forces should ensure crime-scene management practices are brought up to the recommended standard by next March. Forces should also ensure that supervisors have the capability and capacity to properly oversee investigations. Burglaries, thefts and robberies increased by 24 per cent between March 2017 and September 2019. There was a reduction from 2020 driven by lockdown but inspectors expect to see an increase in the post-pandemic figures. The report also highlighted the devastation caused by reoffending criminals, who create 18.1 billion in economic and social costs each year. Of this, 9.3 billion is from theft offences committed by adults. Deputy chief constable Amanda Blakeman, of the National Police Chiefs Council, said the report highlighted gaps in service while acknowledging the demands on officers. Increased demand on forces had led to the prioritisation of cases with a realistic prospect of conviction, she added. Police can, and do, use alternatives outcomes like cautions or restorative justice where it is appropriate to do so, she said. We will always prioritise attending home burglaries and provide support to those victims who may be particularly vulnerable, such as the isolated elderly. Chief constables will always have to make difficult operational decisions, including the dispatching of officers, based on an assessment of the level of threat and risk. Chief constable Andy Marsh, chief executive of the College of Policing, said the report was right to recommend the full adoption of national standards on managing investigations for burglary, robbery and theft. Only by taking a consistent approach will we fully protect the public and not let burglars off the hook, he added. Nation's largest firms the driving force for economic growth The National Centre for Socio-Economic Information and Forecast (NCIF) on August 10 launched a workshop assessing the Top 500 Vietnamese largest private enterprises (VPE500). Workers at Ho Guom Garment Company's factory. (Photo courtesy of Ho Guom Garment) Opening the event, Luong Van Khoi, deputy director of the NCIF under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), said that domestic private enterprises are playing a more and more crucial role in economic growth. In 2019, Vietnam had 668,503 enterprises, of which 647,632 were private, representing 96.88% of total companies. Private enterprises contributed 15.127 trillion VND (64.7 billion USD) or 57% of total net revenue, and hired 9.075 million employees, accounting for 59.9% of the total employees in the countrys enterprise sector. According to a report conducted by the NCIF and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), the VPE500 outperforms local private enterprises in terms of size and average business results, as well as participation in import-export activities and business linkages. During 2016-2019, the average labour size and total assets of VPE500 member enterprises were 83 and 132 times higher, respectively, than those of other private companies in general, while VPE500s net revenue is also about 123 times higher. The report said that the VPE500 is considered the driving force, influencing the market. And the groups business results are seen as a thermometre of the corporate sector. Economist Pham Chi Lan also emphasised the importance of large businesses in the economy. It is clear that the number of enterprises with relatively large or large size is gradually growing. And large companies are significant to the growth of the economy. Because an economy that only relies on small and medium businesses with limited competitiveness can never expand, Lan said. The VPE500 not only has a stronger foundation in technology, equipment, and machinery than other private enterprises, but the source of these assets also differs, with a higher percentage of VPE500 members engaging in self-developed machinery activities and utilising advanced technology. In addition, the group has a higher rate of automation and digitisation than the rest. It shows that large enterprises have been the driving force of the private sector in improving long-term productivity and technology development and application. However, Director of NCIF Tran Toan Thang said that the VPE500s labour productivity is not growing as fast as its size, indicating that the group is developing based on production expansion rather than depth. Its labour productivity only increased by about 5.3%, compared to 4.6% of other private enterprises, and lower than that of the FDI sector and State-owned enterprises. Nevertheless, the groups short-term financial indicators, such as return on assets (ROA) or return on equity (ROE), are quite high when compared to other private enterprises. While the VPE500 has spillover effects on productivity and salaries of other private enterprises, it also puts a certain pressure on them. In the same industry, the VPE500 harms the labour productivity of other private enterprises. The report also showed that the VPE500 is concentrated in the two major economic centres of HCM City and Hanoi (which account for nearly 50% of the total), and some localities that have numerous industrial zones, such as Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Hung Yen, and Ninh Binh provinces. In general, the VPE500 is formed based on advantages in local infrastructure, resources, and markets. But the entry-exit ratio of the group members is quite high, according to the report. On average, more than 20% of this years VPE500 list will not appear in next year's, and about 10% of the VPE500 enterprises will only appear once a year. As one of the companies expanding from a small to large size, Ho Guom Garment Company understands the hardship that every firm has to go through, especially in administrative formalities which add extra expenses for companies, according to the company's representative. Florian Constantin Feyerabend, resident representative of KAS Vietnam, hopes that the report can contribute to the creation of regulations to boost the development of the countrys economy and companies in particular. The NCIF-KASs report on VPE500 is different from current business ranking methods. The Top 500 list was identified based on three criteria labour size, total assets, and revenue./. PLA Eastern Theater Command completes joint exercises around Taiwan Ecns.cn) 13:08, August 11, 2022 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. 9, 2022. (Photo provided to China News Service) The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army has accomplished all tasks in the series of joint military operations carried out recently in the waters and airspace around the Taiwan Island. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Elon Musk confirms selling billions worth of Tesla shares. This comes as a surprise since just a couple of months ago, on April 29, Musk went to Twitter to respond to a user stating that there were no further plans to sell another set of Tesla stocks. The Tesla co-founder stated, "No further TSLA sales planned after today." No further TSLA sales planned after today Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 29, 2022 A filing from the Securities and Exchange Commission in April revealed that Musk had sold $8.4 billion worth of Tesla stocks. However, despite the confirmation coming from himself, it looks like the decision was changed to address a looming trial he has with Twitter. Elon Musk Is Preparing Cash To Acquire Twitter Elon Musk's sudden sale of Tesla stock was announced by another Tesla investor named, Sawyer Merritt. Merritt published Musk's activities during August 5, 8, and 9 showing that the Tesla co-founder had sold 7,924,107 shares at an average price of $869.09, worth about $6.9 billion. Merritt then tweeted Musk asking if he was done selling. Musk replied by saying "yes." Musk stated the looming trial against Twitter as an explanation for the new plan. The Tesla co-founder sold $6.9 billion of Tesla stock to help himself by allowing that amount to cushion the blow when, in an unfortunate case, Twitter forces him to close the deal and some equity partners would opt not to continue with the deal. Yes. In the (hopefully unlikely) event that Twitter forces this deal to close *and* some equity partners dont come through, it is important to avoid an emergency sale of Tesla stock. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 10, 2022 Musk sold those shares earlier this year to help finance the acquisition of Twitter, and now that he's trying to exit the arrangement, they're going to battle it out in a Delaware courtroom. However, it is also speculated that the act of Musk selling billions of Tesla shares to prepare himself to buy Twitter shows his interest in genuinely continuing through the deal. According to The Verge, analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush stated that, "Musk selling TSLA stock after he said no more sales will lead the Street to focus on chances of Twitter deal happening and Musk preparing cash portion, this stock sale will raise a lot of conversation on Street for bulls/bears in the morning." Read Also: Tesla Is Taking a Break From Hiring-Elon Musk Might Cut Off 10% of Jobs Elon Musk and the Twitter Trial The Elon Musk vs. Twitter trial now has a confirmed schedule in the Delaware Court of Chancery. This trial will tackle the legal responsibilities of Musk as he attempts to exit the acquisition deal wherein he persuades the company to sell him the remaining stocks, only to back out at the last minute. The Twitter acquisition deal is worth $44 billion and is included in the contract of both parties. Musk is obliged to pay a certain amount of money in the event that he decides to discontinue his deal. While the attorneys for each side initially fought over potential dates for the case, Twitter's attorneys wanted the trial to begin in September, while Musk's attorneys wanted it to begin in 2023. It is clear that sooner is preferable to later for Twitter, given that the company has already placed blame on Musk for creating uncertainty and contributing to earnings results for the second quarter of 2022 that were lower than those of the previous year. However, the legal team for Musk proposed the trial to be on October 17, which Twitter's team agreed to under the condition that the trial would only last for five days. The Verge reports that Judge Kathaleen McCormick decided that the trial would begin on October 17 and continue until October 21. Related Article: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Confirms a Home HVAC With HEPA Filter Is on the Product List Aussie scientists are getting closer to being able to test and treat Long Covid - a condition may have up to half a million sufferers. The disease is a complex and sometimes debilitating condition which until now has had no proven treatment and no tests available. Long Covid symptoms include extreme fatigue, heart palpitations, tightness and pain in chest, which linger for months or sometimes years after a Covid diagnosis. Researchers at Griffith University discovered the illness has several similarities to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) - a condition they have been working to treat for more than a decade. The university's research into chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), estimating to cost Aussie sufferers $14.5bn per year, revealed a group of receptors don't function properly in someone who has the condition (pictured, a patient at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney) The research found both conditions have similar groups of nervous system receptors that don't function properly. The research also found low levels of calcium in the cells of Long Covid and chronic fatigue sufferers. Calcium is 'critical' to cell function in daily life as it is connected to brain activity and muscle contraction. Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik said calcium supplements weren't effective in addressing it. 'It's not what you ingest, it is how calcium gets processed and gets into the cell that matters,' she said. Most CFS patients develop the condition after catching a virus and those with long Covid have also suffered had a viral attack. Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik (pictured) from Griffith University said there are similarities between CFS and long Covid A blood test to diagnose long Covid is not far off as the scientists have already developed a similar method for CFS. The researchers are also working on a treatment to fix the calcium issue. Five per cent of the 9.5 million Covid cases in Australia are expected to develop long-term issues. The studies were published in the Journal of Molecular Medicine on Thursday. Atlanta rapper Young Thug, who is accused of being the 'top dog' in criminal street gang Young Slime Life, is facing six new felony charges along with four others linked to the case. Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, now faces additional charges including participation in criminal street gang activity and a violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Williams, 30, also faces new charges of a possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun and drug charges. The new charges, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, stem from what investigators found during Williams' arrest on the original May 9 indictment at his home in Atlanta's upscale Buckhead neighborhood, authorities said. Prosecutors have argued that Williams is the head of Young Slime Life, which he co-founded. Atlanta rapper Young Thug, who is accused of being the 'top dog' in criminal street gang Young Slime Life, is facing six new felony charges along with four others linked to the case. The initial indictment contained 56 counts against 28 people, including rapper Gunna for their alleged involvement in nearly 200 crimes. Pictured: Young Thug and Gunna in 2019 Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, now faces additional charges including participation in criminal street gang activity and a violation of the Georgia controlled substances act The gang committed multiple murders, shootings and carjackings over roughly a decade and promoted its activities in songs and on social media, prosecutors alleged in the original indictment. The initial indictment contained 56 counts against 28 people, including rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, for their alleged involvement in nearly 200 crimes, including murders and shootings, committed on behalf of the Young Slime Life street gang. The updated indictment now contains 65 counts, six of which apply to Williams. Atlanta rapper Young Thug, who is accused of being the 'top dog' in criminal street gang Young Slime Life, is facing six new felony charges along with four others linked to the case At the time of Williams' arrest, there was a question of whether the new charges would be folded into the original case where Williams was accused of conspiracy to violate Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Court records now indicate that is what has been done. Williams' attorney, Brian Steel, said his client is innocent and looks forward to fighting the charges in court. 'Mr. Williams has committed absolutely no crimes,' Steel told the newspaper on Wednesday. 'We cannot wait for a trial date.' Atlanta rapper Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, is displayed on a monitor as he waits during a virtual appearance before a Fulton County Magistrate judge on May 10 in Atlanta Williams, along with rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, remain in jail after bond was denied for both earlier this year. Steel said a new bond hearing for Williams has been scheduled for next week. A tentative trial date has been set for Jan. 9, 2023. Martinez Arnold, also known as Duke, and Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, face additional charges including participation in criminal street gang activity, violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a machine gun. Kendrick also has been indicted on a charge of possession of a firearm by convicted felon. Shannon Stillwell and Quamarvious Nichols were charged with one additional count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon related to the death of Shymel Drinks on March 18. Arnold's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, told WSB-TV that she is confident her client won't be convicted. She said he will plead not guilty to the new charges as he already has to the original charges. The indictments center around Young Slime Life, an alleged gang prosecutors say was founded by Williams and two others in Atlanta with ties to the national Bloods gang. Young Thug co-wrote the hit 'This is America' with Childish Gambino, making history when it became the first hip-hop track to win the song of the year Grammy in 2019. A man has been shot dead and three people left injured in a trail of destruction on the Isle of Skye and a nearby village - before police tasered and arrested a suspect. A 47-year-old man was found dead at a property on the Isle of Skye this morning, less than an hour after officers were called to reports of a seriously injured woman at a nearby property. Police later found a man and a woman hurt at an address in Dornie, which is a 40- minute drive away on the Scottish mainland, and have said they believe all incidents are linked. The attacker targeted four victims from the popular holiday island to Ross-shire, with the incident only halted when police tasered and stopped the suspect in the village of Dornie. Dozens of police cars and the force helicopter were deployed to the remote Scottish region, which is a tourist hotspot, this morning after reports were made of an injured woman at a property in the Tarskavaig area of the island at 9am. Inside they found a 32-year-old victim who was seriously injured and airlifted to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for treatment. A shotgun incident then took place 30 minutes later, seven miles away in the fishing village of Teangue, on the Sleat peninsula, where the 47-year-old man was killed. Police officers were then alerted to reports of gunshots 26 miles away on the mainland in Dornie, close to the famous Eilean Donan Castle. A man and a woman in the village were seriously injured. One of the victims was flown by helicopter to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, where they are understood to be in a critical condition. The other victims were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and Broadford Hospital on Skye. Dozens of police cars and the force helicopter were called to reports of an injured woman at a property in the Tarskavaig area Police officers were then alerted to reports of gunshots 26 miles away on the mainland in Dornie Police say there were three linked incidents on Skye and the Scottish mainland which have led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man A police van at the scene of one of the incidents on the Isle of Skye this morning. One man has died and three other people were injured An air ambulance pictured at the scene of one of the incidents in the Scottish Highlands this morning Despite the police presence in Teangue (pictured) on Skye, Police Scotland says there is no further risk to the community How this morning's rampage unfolded Just before 9am Police were called to a property in the Tarskavaig area, a remote region in southern part of the Isle of Skye, after reports of an injured woman. Officers found a 32-year-old woman seriously injured, and she is airlifted to hospital in Glasgow for treatment. 9.30am Emergency services were then called to a property in Teangue, which is less than a 20 minute drive from Tarskavaig, after reports a firearm had been discharged. On arrival they found a 47-year-old man, who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Later on Wednesday morning Police were then called to a property in the Dornie area in Wester Ross after reports of a firearm being discharged. On arrival they found a man seriously injured and an injured woman. The man was airlifted to hospital in Inverness, while the woman was taken to a hospital on Skye. Arrest is made Officers later arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with all three incidents. He was taken to hospital in Inverness for treatment on unspecified injuries. Advertisement Last night, police officers stood guard at the property in Teangue as forensic teams wearing white suits combed the area. A tight cordon remained in place, and officers could be seen patrolling outside the house. One local man, who asked not to be named, told the Mail that the news of the shooting had shocked the community to the core. He said: I am absolutely shocked, we knew the man that was killed, the wife and the family. The police cars were all lined up outside his former practice, I cant believe it. Everybody is totally shocked. It is a such a shock to the community, especially because we are so tight-knit. An elderly lady who lives nearer to the house [in Teangue] phoned me and told me about the police arriving. Other than that I never heard anything. In Dornie, neighbours told how they heard sirens and the sound of the air ambulance at around 9.30am. One man said: I looked outside and saw maybe 13 police cars and an ambulance racing past. Its a terrible shock, everyone is talking about it. Another local who was working at nearby Eilean Donan Castle at the time told of his fear his children might be caught up in the violence. He said: I heard something bad was happening while I was at work, so I phoned my daughter and told her to stay in the house. It was scary. Youd think of something like this happening out in America but you dont expect it around here. Yesterday, a house remained cordoned off with three police officers standing guard. Police say a 39-year-old man who has been arrested in relation to all three incidents has also been taken to Raigmore Hospital. Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, local policing commander for Highlands and Islands Division, said: 'Incidents such as this are thankfully extremely rare but I understand that this will have a significant effect on the local community in these rural areas. 'I would like to reassure people that we are treating these incidents as contained with no wider threat to the public. 'There will a significant police presence in the area over the coming days and we will be working with partners to provide support to the local community. I would like to thank people for their co-operation as our investigation progresses.' Earlier on Wednesday Ian Blackford, the SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said he has been told 'there is one fatality'. He said: 'This is dreadful and shocking news - especially for a place like Skye and Lochalsh. 'I have been kept informed of the events and I understand a firearm and knives were involved. I have been told that there is one fatality and three injured. 'Firearm regulations are there for a reason and there must be a review of this incident to ensure if any lessons can be learned from it. 'I want to pay tribute to the emergency services, including the police and Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as the local authority. I understand the situation is under control.' An ambulance at the scene of one of the incidents on the Isle of Skye this morning. A total of three people were injured and one man killed on Wednesday A Scottish Charity Air Ambulance flies overhead as emergency services deal with the fallout of the incidents on Skye and in Dornieon Wednesday Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch described the news as 'one of the worst days that I can recall in the history of Skye and Lochalsh.' She said: 'I cannot begin to imagine what the family and friends of those who have lost a loved one are going through, and they should be in all our thoughts and prayers right now. 'West Highland communities are close-knit, we are warm and welcoming, and this will shatter us to the core. 'It feels like our very heart has been ripped apart. I, and I am sure many others, never thought we would see such an awful day.' A dozen police cars including armed response units and the force helicopter were deployed to the scene on Wednesday morning. Locals have reported that the suspect is believed to have used a knife and firearm in a series of attacks, however this hasn't yet been confirmed by police. One resident said at the time of the incident: 'Stabbing in Sleat, then shotgun was used in Dornie. The victim is on the way to hospital. 'This is from a Dornie resident. Don't know if the perpetrator is caught yet.' Following the man's arrest, police have described the situation as 'contained'. Speaking this afternoon, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We were made aware of a woman injured at a property in the Tarskavaig area on Skye shortly before 9am on Wednesday, August 10. 'Police are also attending two further incidents in Teangue on Skye and Dornie which are being linked. 'A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incidents. At this stage we believe the situation is contained and there is no risk to the wider community. 'Enquiries are ongoing.' Police were first alerted after they were called to reports of an injured woman in the Tarskavaig area of Skye (pictured) Officers were then alerted to a second incident in nearby Teangue, which is also on the Isle of Skye (pictured) Hamish Fraser, chairman of Broadford and Strath Community Council, said: Im shocked that such an incident has taken place in our island and within our close communities here. Our immediate thoughts are with those who have been immediately affected by this terrible tragedy and broader communities who have to live with that over the next few years. Highland Councils convener, Bill Lobban, added: We are thankful to our emergency services colleagues for bringing this very serious and shocking incident to a close. We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected. And Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, an MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said: My heart goes out to all those affected by these appalling, related incidents on Skye and in the Lochalsh area. Id like to pay tribute to the prompt response and bravery of our emergency services who managed to prevent the situation escalating further. As ever, we are in their debt. 'We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. 'The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected.' Skye attracts 500,000 visitors-a-year with such natural features as The Fairy Pools and The Old Man of Storr. Dornie is separated from Skye by the island's famous bridge. Muhammad Syed, 51, denies that he committed the four murders in Albuquerque The daughter of the Afghan immigrant accused of murdering four other Muslim men in New Mexico is insisting on his innocence, even as records reveal the suspect's long history of alleged violence against his own family as well as strangers. Muhammad Syed, 51, was arrested Monday after a traffic stop more than 100 miles from his home in Albuquerque, where he is suspected in four fatal shootings that took place between November and August. Syed denied any connection to the crimes that shook the city and its small Muslim community, raising fears of a hate-crime spree -- but which police now say may have been driven by personal grudges. His daughter told CNN that Syed knew several of the slain men, but insisted that her father was at home at the time of the shootings, without offering any proof to support the alibi. CNN did not name the daughter, but Syed's daughter Lubna has spoken out in his defense in other interviews. Religious sectarian tensions between Syed and Lubna's husband are being probed as a potential motive in the murders. Mohammad Zahir Ahmadi, 62, (left) was the first Muslim man killed. Naeem Hussein, 25, (right) became the most recent victim when he was gunned down in the middle of the street on Friday The victims of an apparent serial killer include Aftab Hussein, 41, left, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, who was shot near the University of New Mexico on August 1. All of the victims immigrated to the United States from South Asia, and all practiced the Muslim faith Investigators say they have ample evidence to prove his guilt in the four killings. The first ambush-style shooting happened in November and was followed by three more between July 26 and August 5. Syed has been officially charged with two of the murders that have rocked New Mexico's largest city: the July 26 killing of Aftab Hussein, 41, and the August 1 death of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27. Both men moved to the U.S. from Pakistan. Police say the gun used in those two shootings was found in Syed's home. The other two victims were both Afghan-born: Mohammad Zahir Ahmadi, 62 and Naeem Hussain, 25. Police say that ballistic evidence links the four murders, and that Syed will likely soon be charged with all four. When interviewed by detectives, Syed spoke through a Pashto interpreter and said he had been with the special forces in Afghanistan and fought against the Taliban, the criminal complaint said. Police said he has lived in America for about five years. Police say they are looking a a number of possible motives, and have declined to comment directly on reports that Syed, a Sunni Muslim, was angry that his daughter married a Shiite Muslim. Deputy Police Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock told reporters on Tuesday that 'motives are still being explored fully to understand what they are.' Four Muslim men have been shot and killed within a five-mile radius of each other over the past nine months Meanwhile, more disturbing details have emerged about Syed's alleged history of violence, including claims that he attacked his own son with a spoon, threatened to kill his daughter's boyfriend, assaulted staff at Walmart and Home Depot, and beat his wife inside a state building. Syed has a history of allegations of domestic violence against his wife and children dating back to 2017, according to records reported by the Daily Beast. Despite the wide array of arrests for battery and assault, Syed never faced formal charges, in part because his family often seemed to downplay the incidents to police investigators. Police also had difficulty communicating with Syed directly without a translator, and his children often served as intermediaries. In one July 2017 incident, police reports show cops were called when Syed's daughter Lubna reported 'ongoing verbal and physical disputes with her very conservative Muslim parents.' The daughter said that she was in a dispute with her father over his insistence that her brother escort her to classes at the University of New Mexico, which she felt was unnecessary. Police interviewed the daughter and observed swelling around her eye, but were unable to make an arrest when she declined to press charges. People sprinkle dirt over the grave of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Friday. A funeral service was held for Aftab Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico on Friday Muhammad Syed, 51, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with the murder of two fellow Muslim men Then in December 2017, police intervened in two physical altercations between Syed and Iftikhar Amir, who was described at the time as his daughter Lubna's boyfriend. Public records suggested that Lubna later married Iftikhar, listing her as owning a home with a man identified as Iftikhar Hussain Am Jan. On December 17, 2017, police responded to a report of an altercation when Muhammad Syed and his wife Bibi said they confronted Lubna about coming home late, and then followed her to Iftikhar's home, where a physical confrontation ensued in which Iftikhar allegedly slashed Syed with a knife. Days later, Iftikhar told cops that he was sitting in Lubna's car on December 23, 2017 when Lubna's father, brother and mother pulled him out and began kicking and punching him because the 'did not want her having a relationship' with him. In that incident Syed was charged with battery, but the case was later dropped. In 2018, police responded to Iftikhar's complaint that Syed threatened to kill him. Syed denied the allegation and claimed that Iftikhar had been the one making threatening phone calls. No charges were filed, and cops warned the two men to stay away from each other. In another May 2018 incident, Syed was accused of kicking his wife out of their car on the was to an appointment at the New Mexico Department of Human Services and making her walk two hours to get the rest of the way there. When the wife Bibi arrived at the building, employees reported hearing her screaming and finding her laying on the floor of the lobby with a chunk of hair missing. Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina, left is joined at a press conference by Mayor Tim Keller and Governor Michelle Grisham in announcing the arrest of Muhammad Syed Bibi told police that Syed was angry they missed their appointment as he waited for her to arrive, and pushed her to the ground, but no charges were filed. Syed's son Maiwand also called police in late 2018 saying that his father was beating his mother with a large metal spoon. Cops found the son with a bloody laceration on his head, and Maiwand said that Syed regularly beat him and his mother with the spoon. Syed was arrested but the case was later dropped. Other police records show allegations that did not result in arrest, including claims of food stamp fraud, attempted theft from a Home Depot and assault on a staffer there, and an attack on a Walmart worker. The Walmart employee Msambya Eboko said that he had previously met Syed in English language classes, and that Syed berated and kicked him as he was trying to return shopping carts from the parking lot. The news of Syed's arrest this week stunned Muslims in Albuquerque. 'I wanted a little closure for the community, as we saw it going out of hand and people were really panicking, but, Ill be honest with you, I was shocked,' said Samia Assed, a community organizer and member of the Islamic Center of New Mexico. 'I was angry, frustrated,' Assed said, adding that she did not want 'these heinous crimes to be in any way, in any capacity used to divide a community.' But she also said that the Muslim community in New Mexico is 'going to have a more united front.' Prosecutors on Wednesday filed a motion to detain Syed without bond pending trial. 'He is a very dangerous person, and the only way to protect the community is to hold the defendant in custody,' they said. Authorities seized a 9 mm handgun from his vehicle and found an AK-47-style rifle and a pistol of the same caliber at the family home while serving a search warrant, according to court documents, which indicate the weapons were legally purchased last month. Syed bought the rifle, and his son Shaheen Syed purchased the pistol, at a local gun shop. On Wednesday, Shaheen Syed was charged by federal prosecutors with providing a false Florida address when he bought two rifles last year. He has denied any role in the killings and has not been charged in connection with them. Police say they are looking at a number of possible motives but aren't directly commenting on reports that Syed was enraged over his daughter's marriage to a Shia Muslim. Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, on Tuesday acknowledged that 'there was a marriage,' but he cautioned against coming to any conclusions about the motivation of the suspect, who occasionally attended the centers mosque. Religious leaders from different denominations take part in the the prayer vigil at the Islamic Center of New Mexico after the arrest of Muhammad Syed, a suspect in the recent murders of Muslim men in Albuquerque CNN interviewed Syeds daughter shortly before the announcement of his arrest. She said her husband was friends with two of the men who were killed. She also acknowledged her father initially was upset about her 2018 marriage but recently had been more accepting. 'My father is not a person who can kill somebody,' the woman told CNN, which did not disclose her identity to protect her safety. 'My father has always talked about peace. Thats why we are here in the United States. We came from Afghanistan, from fighting, from shooting.' In 2017, a boyfriend of Syeds daughter reported to police that Syed, his wife and one of their sons had pulled him out of a car, punching and kicking him before driving away, according to court documents. The boyfriend, who was found with a bloody nose, scratches and bruises, told police that he was attacked because they did not want her in a relationship with him. Syed was arrested in May 2018 after a fight with his wife turned violent, court documents said. Prosecutors said both cases were later dismissed after the victims declined to press charges. Syed also was arrested in 2020 after he was accused of refusing to pull over for police after running a traffic light, but that case was eventually dismissed, court documents said. The Albuquerque slayings drew the attention of President Joe Biden, who said such attacks 'have no place in America.' They also sent a shudder through Muslim communities across the U.S. Some people questioned their safety and limited their movements. 'There is no justification for this evil. There is no justification to take an innocent life,' Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said at a Tuesday news conference in Washington, D.C. He called the killings 'deranged behavior.' The suspect vehicle in one of the slayings was this silver Volkswagon The earliest case involves the November killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, from Afghanistan. Naeem Hussain, a 25-year-old man from Pakistan, was killed last Friday. 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. Investigators consider Syed to be the primary suspect in the deaths of Naeem Hussain and Ahmadi but have not yet filed charges in those cases. Ehsan Chahalmi, the brother-in-law of Naeem Hussain, said he was 'a generous, kind, giving, forgiving and loving soul that has been taken away from us forever.' Police said they were about to search Syeds Albuquerque home on Monday when they saw him drive away in a Volkswagen Jetta that investigators believe was used in at least one of the slayings. All of the victims had immigrated to the United States from South Asia, and were fatally shot within a five-mile radius of each other over the past nine months. Islam's great schism In Islam, Sunnis and Shiites differ on who should have succeeded the Prophet Muhammad after his death in 632. Sunnis supported the succession of Abu Bakr, the prophet's friend, whereas Shiite Muslims believe the successor should have been the prophet's son-in-law and cousin, Ali bin Abu Talib. This difference has been the root cause of conflicts across the Islamic world for centuries. Sunnis believe Muslim leaders can be elected for the job. But Shiites believe leaders should be direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. The two denominations still believe in the same holy book - the Quran - and they also pray to the same god - Allah. Advertisement Ahmad Assed, president of the city's largest mosque, said he had been told that a hatred of Shiite Muslims was being investigated as a possible motive. The different denominations of Islam splintered off and have opposing beliefs on who should have succeeded the Prophet Muhammad. Both branches of the religion still follow the same holy book and worship the same god. Yet Imtiaz Hussain, the brother of Afzaal Hussain, told DailyMail.com that he did not support the theory. 'My brother is a Sunni Muslim. Not a Shite Muslim,' said Imtiaz, who was a prosecutor in Pakistan before moving to Albuquerque. 'So I reject the theory that has been widely published that Muhammad Syed killed my brother and others because his daughter married a Shiite Muslim. 'My brother was a Muslim. He never carried any ID that said he was a Sunni or Shiite.' Imtiaz Hussain also said he did not believe his brother knew Syed. 'He only went to the Islamic Center every three to four months,' he continued. 'I've never meet this person who murdered my brother nor do I think my brother knew him. 'He's 51 years old, my brother is 30 years younger, they wouldn't have a lot in common with that age gap.' Assed said the fear in his community was even more intense than after the September 11 attacks, when anti-Muslim sentiment was heightened. 'To experience something as atrocious and as horrific as what we've experienced the past few weeks is just mind-boggling,' Assed said, adding people were afraid to go near windows. 'It feels like we're in a parallel universe.' The Department of Justice was ordered on Wednesday to respond to motions to unseal the warrant used in the FBI's raid of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. Order follows revelations from the former president's son Eric Trump in an interview with DailyMail.com that the FBI did not hand over a copy of the warrant to a lawyer on the Florida property at the time of the raid. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who allegedly signed and approved the unprecedented search, said the DOJ must file by Monday a response to motions to unseal the document from the Albany Times Union and conservative group Judicial Watch. Reinhart said the DOJ's response may be redacted 'as necessary to avoid disclosing matters already under seal.' Appointed to his current position in 2018, Reinhart, recused himself in June from a lawsuit between Trump and Hillary Clinton because of 'personal bias.' At the time, Trump was suing Clinton, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other political entities for promoting stories alleging he had colluded with Russia during the 2016 campaign. On Monday dozens of FBI agents descended on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of a probe into whether he took classified records with him upon leaving the White House. The raid immediately led to intense backlash from Republicans and continues to face questions from the right over whether it was conducted properly. 'Biden's DOJ obtained the warrant to raid President Trump's home,' Ohio Representative Jim Jordan lamented in a Wednesday tweet. 'That's the same DOJ that approved the use of the Patriot Act to spy on parents protesting at school board meetings.' 'They're weaponizing government to intimidate their critics!' the Trump ally added. Eric said lawyer Christina Bobb was forced to wait at the end of a driveway during the search. Pictured: Armed Secret Service agents stand outside an entrance to former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, late Monday, August 8 in Palm Beach, Florida Secret service members stand guard outside former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., August 8, 2022 Secret Service looks on as FBI removes a dozen boxes from the property Trump's Palm Beach, Florida club was raided while he was in New York City on Monday GOP Representative August Pfluger from Texas demanded answers in a tweet, saying: '48 hours and still nothing from the FBI and DOJ on the raid of President Trump's home.' 'The country has been left to speculate on this extreme action. How is this serving justice?' he questioned. Judge Reinhart cited in his June 22 recusal part of U.S. code requiring magistrate judges to disqualify themselves from cases if they have 'personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, or personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning the proceeding.' Reinhart did not specify whether his personal bias was toward Trump, Clinton or any of the dozens of defendants in the lawsuit. The judge also has some connections to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In 2008, Reinhart vacated his post as an assistant U.S. attorney and the next day started representing some of Epstein's employees. Two of the accusers filed a lawsuit accusing Reinhart of leaving the Justice Department to give Epstein inside information. Reinhart denied the allegations in 2018, but shortly after his connections to Epstein went viral, the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Florida removed the judge from its website. In 2018, Reinhart was appointed by district judges to his current post as a magistrate judge. While agents would typically provide people with a copy of their warrant, Eric claimed they would not hand over the document and only would show a copy to lawyer Christina Bobb from 10 feet away. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, the former president's son said the 30 agents who arrived at the property asked staff to turn security cameras off but they refused. He also said that Trump's attorney Christina Bobb was forced to stand at the end of the Mar-a-Lago driveway while the team searched inside - and allegedly used safe crackers to break into his father's safe. 'There's 30 agents there,' he recalled of the Monday search in a phone call interview. 'They told our lawyer you have to leave the property right now. Turn off all security cameras.' 'They would not give her the search warrant,' he claimed. 'So they showed it to her from about 10 feet away. They would not give her a copy of the search warrant.' The claim is at odds with what Bobb told the New York Times - that she received a copy of the warrant. Bobb said agents removed about a dozen boxes from the property. Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to meet with New York Attorney General Letitia James for a civil investigation on August 10, 2022 in New York City Two days after the raid, Trump spent some four hours pleading the Fifth as part of James' civil investigation into the Trump Organization's finances The above timeline highlights just some of former President Donald Trump's battles with the National Archives since leaving office, including an unrelated court fight with the January 6 committee Bobb also told Real America News on Tuesday that she was able to see the warrant, however, she claimed that it was partly sealed, making it impossible for her to see what the probable cause was that compelled a judge to approve the raid. She also did not suggest that she received a physical copy of the warrant. 'When I arrived and kind of announced myself as the legal representation for President Trump, I asked to see a copy of the warrant,' the Trump lawyer detailed of the Monday events. 'Initially they refused and said, 'You know, we don't have to show it to you.' And there was a little bit of an exchange about whether it was appropriate to withhold the warrant when you're searching the residence of the former president, who's likely to be the Republican nominee in the next election,' she added. 'Though they conceded and let me see it, they did not give me a copy of it right away, but they did let me see it,' added Bobb, who once was a host on the far-right One America News Network. The FBI declined to comment to DailyMail.com on the raid and Eric's claim no search warrant was handed over to Trump's legal team. Donald Trump lamented Wednesday that the FBI blocked his lawyers from the property during the raid at his Palm Beach, Florida residence and suggested that agents may have 'planted' evidence. 'The FBI and others from the Federal Government would not let anyone, including my lawyers, be anywhere near the areas that were rummaged and otherwise looked at during the raid on Mar-a-Lago,' Trump posted to his Truth Social page on Wednesday morning. 'Everyone was asked to leave the premises, they wanted to be left alone, without any witnesses to see what they were doing, taking or, hopefully not, 'planting,'' he continued while placing doubt that the raid was conducted properly. Earlier this year the National Archives and Records Administration said it took 15 boxes of records out of Mar-a-Lago, roughly 12 months after Trump left office. Some of those files were apparently labeled 'classified.' The National Archives had asked the Justice Department to look into the ex-president's potential mishandling of top secret documents, it was reported in May. Four top DOJ officials traveled to Mar-a-Lago in early June to speak with the former president's attorneys about the documents, it was reported by CNN the day after the FBI raid. Trump claimed after the raid that his attorneys had been cooperating with FBI requests and installed an extra lock on the room where the documents were stored, as instructed. 'In early June, the DOJ and FBI asked my legal representatives to put an extra lock on the door leading to the place where boxes were stored in Mar-a-Lago - We Agreed,' the ex-president wrote. They were shown the secured area, and the boxes themselves. Then on Monday, with no notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock that they had asked to be installed. He finished, 'A surprise attack, POLITICS, and all the while out Country is going to HELL!' Advertisement The ridiculously pretty village of Northend awash with tumbling roses, thatched roofs, very crisp white paintwork and a village green and pond has been thrust into the news this week. Not because it must surely be one of the UK's most desirable places to live, at least for those who yearn for rural charm and the warm embrace of community. Or because Northend together with its neighbouring hamlets Turville and Southend on the Oxon-Buckinghamshire border is one of the most popular TV settings, popping up in everything from Foyle's War to Lewis, Miss Marple to Midsomer Murders. No, it's because this village and its hot and harassed residents have just won the dubious title of 'first village to run dry in the heatwave', as Thames Water claims it is trying to fix 'technical issues' at Stokenchurch reservoir in Buckinghamshire. 'We can't shower, or bathe, or wash up or flush the loo,' says John Sturt, 42, a teacher and father of two. Dr Gina Brown adds: 'I wasn't expecting when I moved here to be struggling with a basic human resource having access to fresh water.' A tanker from Thames Water delivers a temporary water supply to the village of Northend in Oxfordshire, where the water company is pumping water into the supply network following a technical issue at Stokenchurch Reservoir The ridiculously pretty village of Northend awash with tumbling roses, thatched roofs, very crisp white paintwork and a village green and pond - has been in the news this week as its hot and harassed residents have just won the dubious title of 'first village to run dry in the heatwave', Northend is located in Oxfordshire in the heart of the home counties just up the M40 from High Wycombe Farmer Peter Langford, 69, tells me he came 'ludicrously close' to being forced to water his entire herd of Herefordshire cattle with the emergency bottled water provided by Thames Water. It all started on Sunday, days before the Met Office's amber warning for extreme heat comes into effect. The Sturts were just home, hot and filthy, from a camping weekend. Cat Yoxall, a marketing and communications manager, had returned with her teenagers from a weekend away. And radiologist Dr Brown a couple of doors down had been on a very long, very hot bike ride. All rushed for the shower. All were disappointed. There was no water. Not a drop, for 68 residents from 20-odd houses, whose homes are supplied by the same Thames Water pipe. Not on Sunday night, all day Monday and most of Tuesday until, finally, a lorry arrived with bottled water and a tanker chugged up the hill. Men in hi-vis started pumping water into the system as an emergency solution. So the tankers very noisily pump in the water, often in the middle of the night with flashing lights, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief and rushes to flush their loos and stick a wash on. 'Then half an hour later, all the water's gone again and we're back to bottles,' says Ms Yoxall. And, in desperation, jumping in their cars to drive to the next village where the vicar has turned the vicarage bathroom into a pop-and-wash. 'It's not a solution, it's a sticking plaster,' says Mr Langford. If they all sound a bit weary, it's hardly surprising. This has been going on for years. Ever since the heatwave of 2018. Cat Yoxall (left), a marketing and communications manager, had returned with her teenagers from a weekend away when she found out there was no water in her home Villager Carolyn Evans moves bottles of water delivered by Thames Water out of the sun Back then, though, Thames Water seemed to take it a bit more seriously. It even sent a representative to check they were all OK. There were rumours of dodgy pipes and broken valves and unresolvable water pressure issues, but when the water finally came back on, Thames Water assured residents the problem had been sorted. It hadn't. With the next stretch of hot weather, it was off again. 'During the pandemic it went off several times but we gave them the benefit of the doubt because I'm sure they had bigger fish to fry,' says John Sturt. This summer, though, has been a nightmare. 'In the first heatwave back in July when it hit 40 degrees, I had to go to school to teach without a shower which wasn't very nice for me or the children,' says Mr Sturt, looking pretty sweaty. The problem here is two-fold. It's not just that the water is off so often no one can turn a tap on with any confidence. It's the way they've been treated by Thames Water. All tell of hours spent on hold, desperately trying to speak to someone who can help them, only to be told there's no record of any problem. 'I've been on the phone to them a LOT,' says Mr Sturt. 'They hung up on you daddy!' chips in daughter Lottie, nine. 'They did, that was 5.30am and I was getting quite frustrated,' he agrees rather grimly. 'I also emailed the company chairman and the CEO. But we're just a small rural community, so they don't care.' Thames Water has stated that there is a 'technical issue'. There are also ongoing problems with the water pressure, which could have something to do with the pipes. Meanwhile, reports suggest the reservoir has dried up. A Thames Water tanker pumps water delivered by truck in to the tanks for the homes A view of a dried up pond in the village of Northend in Oxfordshire. The Met Office has issued an amber warning for extreme heat covering four days from Thursday to Sunday for parts of England and Wales as a new heatwave looms But despite Thames Water's apologies this week, still nothing concrete appears to have been done to address the long- term problem. Which is a shame because Northend is a wonderful place. And it's expensive. (The only property currently for sale is Royal Oak Cottage a beautiful six-bedroom period house in an acre of grounds, with swimming pool for 2.95million). In fact, perhaps the only thing wrong with the village is its water supplier which, of course, the residents can't change, however much they want to. And however much they feel patronised, ignored, overlooked and discounted by Thames Water which they all do. 'It's frustrating because you read about all the millions of litres Thames Water loses each year from leaks and we don't have any water at all,' says Ms Yoxall. She's right. While it has been busy announcing hosepipe bans for 15million customers across London, Surrey and Gloucestershire in the coming week, the company is haemorrhaging water. By its own calculations, 24 per cent of the 2.4billion litres of water it supplies each day around 600million litres of water a day, based on a three-year average. So, what with all that, and the palettes of water littering the green, and the noisy pumping tankers with flashing lights keeping everyone awake at night, tempers are fraying and anxiety levels are rising. Dr Brown moved to the village nine months ago to a house with an annex for her elderly parents, aged 97 and 83. 'It's a really lovely place with a very supportive community, but this is a big worry,' she says. 'My dad's diabetic and completely housebound so he's totally reliant on having amenities he's very frail. He can't be heading out to have a shower.' While the bottled water is a godsend in current circumstances, everyone hates having to rely on it. 'Flushing the loo with plastic bottles! It just feels awful. The whole village is now a sea of single use plastic. It's just hideous,' says Ms Yoxall. 'And some were left in the sun so we can't drink those because there's some problem with bacteria and sun and plastic.' 'Though it does mean they're warmer for washing your hair with,' says Suzanne Price. The only people who don't seem to care about the empty taps are the teenagers after all, what's a few days without showers for them? But for the rest of the residents doggedly kept on 'hold' by Thames Water it must be hard to stand by as their beautiful village is fast being turned into a bone-dry, noisy, plastic-polluted mess. Labour is under pressure to explain why Sir Keir Starmer is on holiday after the party accused ministers of going missing at a time of crisis. Sir Keir has been away for the past week and yesterday one of his frontbench team faced questions about when he will return and set out his plans for tackling energy bills. Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson was asked on Sky News: Where is Keir Starmer? She replied: I think like everyone Keir Starmer is entitled to a holiday. Sir Keir Starmer, pictured, has faced criticism after he questioned Boris Johnson's decision to go on holiday in the middle of the cost of living crisis The Labour leader, pictured here in Liverpool on July 25 is currently on holiday His front benchers were forced to defend his absence on TV interviews On BBC Breakfast she was asked by presenter Sally Nugent: Im just interested to know, where is Keir Starmer? Miss Phillipson said: We will hear further very, very soon about additional measures. Energy minister Greg Hands said in response to Labour adverts accusing the Government of going missing: Sir Keir is on holiday. I have no problem with that. But why, from the sun lounger, put out a press release attacking the PM for being on holiday? Two bartenders have been fired from a pub after they allegedly spat into the beer of a neo-Nazi. Jimeone Roberts had been drinking at The Irish Times Pub in Melbourne's CBD on August 2 with three mates when they confronted a male worker behind the bar. It's understood the employee spat into Mr Roberts' drink after noticing he had a 'black sun' tattoo on his arm. The symbol was used by the SS military unit during Nazi-era Germany. Footage shared to social media shows the group blasting the worker after the drink was ruined, with the bartender then repeatedly asking them to leave. 'That's his personal choice, he can do whatever he wants,' a friend of Mr Roberts is heard saying to the bartender. Mr Roberts then starts to verbally abuse the worker calling him a 'fa***t'. 'I don't like fa***ts, you don't like Nazis, I didn't start s**t with you for being a f**king fa***t',' he says. His friend then continues to berate the bartender, saying it shouldn't matter what Mr Roberts was wearing, his drink should never have been spoiled. 'It was a sign of disrespect,' the bartender replies. 'This is the problem at the end of the day, it's called disrespect, you're supposed to be doing a job,' the friend hits back. Jimeone Roberts (pictured) had been drinking at The Irish Times Pub in Melbourne's CBD on August 2 with three mates when they confronted a male worker behind the bar 'It makes me feel ill. I'm frustrated at the fact you think it's appropriate.' The group eventually leave the pub with one asking the bartender what time he finishes so they can 'meet up somewhere'. The Irish Times apologised for the incident and confirmed two employees had been sacked. 'The Irish Times Management would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Jimeone Roberts and his friends - Stefanos, Neil Erikson, Thomas Sewell, and Ricky T. for the incident that took place on 2nd August 2022,' a statement read. 'Following the incident, the Irish Times Management took immediate disciplinary action by terminating the two employees involved in the event which violated The Irish Times' workplace code of conduct. It's understood the employee spat into Mr Roberts' drink after noticing he had a 'black sun' tattoo on his arm. The symbol was used by the SS military unit during Nazi-era Germany 'The Irish Times Management team strongly disapproves of the ex-employee's unprofessional conduct by spitting into the patron's drink as a consequence of a discussion with the patron over a political topic. 'As part of our commitment to provide the highest level of service to our patrons, we will continue to reinforce that all staff must remain respectful towards our patrons at all times to avoid any such future recurrence.' In a separate post the pub said they were still suffering the impacts from Covid on the hospitality industry, adding they had sought legal advice before dismissing the staff. 'We do not want to be in the center of any political views or topics,' pub management said. Mr Roberts is seen arguing with the bartender after his drink was spoiled 'As always, we only want what is best for our staff and customers in continuing to serve the community, which this pub has done for over 20+ years. We would appreciate your understanding and support on this matter.' The incident has sparked division on social media, with many applauding the worker for standing up to the group with such controversial views. 'If your bartender spits in a Nazi's beer, they deserve a pay rise and a bonus,' one said. 'The young fella deserves solidarity,' another wrote. Others condemned his behaviour, adding there was no place for an unhygienic act in the middle of a pandemic. 'It is unhygienic and feral and has hurt an innocent business that after two years of hell is just trying to get by and do what they do,' one said. Addressing the incident at The Irish Times, Mr Roberts said the bartender had 'hassled' him. 'As a white Australian, I should be able to have a beer in any pub or bar in this country without having my food or drink contaminated because people disagree with my views,' he told The Herald Sun. 'Imagine the hysteria if the roles in this situation were reversed.' Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission and Australia's leading anti-hate campaigner said he imagined people would be 'applauding' the bartenders. Thomas Sewell (pictured), who had been with Mr Roberts at the pub, is facing assault charges over an unrelated incident where he allegedly punched a security guard outside the office of Channel Nine 'I understand the disgust and rage they felt when they realised that they are serving hateful individuals who were probably toasting Hitler and fantasising about rounding up Australian Jewish men, women and children and taking them into open fields to be shot,' he said. 'This incident is a reminder that neo-Nazism is alive in our state and should send a chill down every Victorian's spine since the rhetoric that these hardcore bigots are spewing online, can cross the line into real-world lethal attacks.' Dr Abramovich added spitting into a drink was not appropriate. 'Still, there are more effective and appropriate ways to fight the evil they represent than spitting into their beers,' he said. 'Refusing to provide them with service is one, walking out in protest is another.' Mr Roberts was recently sentenced to a community corrections order after he stuck up countless anti-Semitic posters around Melbourne. His behaviour was described by Magistrate David Starvaggi as 'one of the most disgusting, vile, repugnant acts of anti-Semitism and racial behaviour that I have ever seen.' His friend Thomas Sewell, who had been with him at the pub, is facing assault charges over an unrelated incident where he allegedly punched a security guard outside the office of Channel Nine. The Queen will meet her new prime minister at Balmoral only if her health is poor enough to warrant it, I am told. Courtiers prefer this outcome because of the negative publicity the alternative would bring. A return to London in early September could mark the early end of her summer break coming just after the only fixed point in her Scottish summer, the Braemar Gathering on September 3 the first after a pandemic hiatus. 'The Queen will meet her new prime minister at Balmoral only if her health is poor enough to warrant it, I am told' The BBC has found a new way of spending our licence fee. A Miss Marianna Spring tweets: Delighted Ive been promoted from reporter and Im now the BBCs first Disinformation and Social Media Correspondent! Ill keep investigating real-world consequences of online disinformation, trolling and all thats bad on social media... Shouldnt this be covered by their media correspondent? Adrian Dunbar Droll Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar, pictured, who played quirky Irish-born copper Ted Hastings, says hell be singing in his forthcoming comedy TV series, Ridley. It turns out hes a former Elvis Presley impersonator. Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey! as his Line of Duty character is fond of exclaiming. Porn publisher Paul Raymond mistakenly hired Olivia Newton-John who has died aged 73 and her singing partner, Pat Carroll, to perform at his Raymonds Revuebar sex club, believing they were singing strippers. He paid them off with 40 after they sang without removing a stitch. A friend of ON-J says: It happened during her earliest days in London after arriving from Australia. She was very young and unworldly. When Shadows guitarist Bruce Welch took her on a champagne-slurping tour of hot night spots in London, she was sick in his Rolls Royce. Should Rishi Sunak get the keys to Downing Street, he will become the first PM to have gone to Winchester College since Henry Addington Should Rishi Sunak get the keys to Downing Street, he will become the first PM to have gone to Winchester College since Henry Addington (in office 1801- 1804). The majority of male PMs have been privately educated, 20 of them at Eton. There hasnt been a Harrow boy in No 10 since Churchill. Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May went to grammar schools. And Liz Truss may be the first comprehensive pupil to become PM. The permanently cash-strapped Taylor family in EastEnders are given 100 by a well-wisher for a family day out to Legoland. Good luck to them. Admission for the Taylor family of four would come to 156 (with the advance booking online discount) plus transport, food and treats. If they dont get them online, tickets on the day will cost 248. The Duchess of York might be pleased by a fawning article on the website of the Conservative-leaning Spectator magazine. Except she may feel its author, Sara Nixon, goes too far In Defence of Fergie, writing: Quite frankly, I wouldnt care if the money for her new home [reportedly costing 5million] was raised through trafficking cocaine. Did any responsible person read this before it was put out? Hard-left academics launched a 'witch-hunt' against colleagues over differing opinions on gender identity, it was claimed last night. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) vowed to draw up a list of university backroom staff they suspected of having 'gender-critical beliefs', according to leaked meeting minutes. The revelation sparked outrage, with some employees accusing the group of stifling free speech on campuses. Jo Grady is general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), which was accused of launching a 'witch-hunt' against colleagues over differing opinions on gender identity Minutes seen by the Times reportedly show that the union was looking to email a survey on the issue to LGBT members. This would 'get information about gender critical equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) consultants...employed in HR departments of various institutions', the paper reports. Suggested questions included asking members if they were aware of their institution employing EDI consultants and demanding they be named. Furthermore, it vowed to 'inform branches' if HR staff and consultants were found to be gender critical. However, the union insists that while it surveyed LGBT members as part of its commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, it didn't ask about the views of EDI colleagues, not did it 'make or keep lists of staff with gender-critical views'. Nevertheless, academic sources have reacted furiously to the revelations. One told the Times: 'These minutes are compelling evidence that UCU is seeking to discriminate against and harass members who believe in sex.' Last year, feminist philosopher Kathleen Stock has quit her job at the University of Sussex after students carried out a 'bullying and harassment' campaign to oust her from her position over a row about transgender rights. Last year, feminist philosopher Kathleen Stock has quit her job at the University of Sussex after students carried out a 'bullying and harassment' campaign to oust her from her position over a row about transgender rights Professor Stock, 48, an expert in gender and sexual orientation, had been branded a 'transphobe' by some outraged students who called for her to be fired. Posters put up in the tunnel from Falmer station to the university's campus earlier this month said she 'makes trans students unsafe' and 'we're not paying 9,250 a year for transphobia'. Banners saying 'Stock Out' had also been held alongside burning flares and scores of people were criticising her online under the Twitter hashtag #ShameOnSussexUni. The University's Vice Chancellor Adam Tickell had strongly defended her 'untrammelled' right to 'say what she thinks', whilst more than 200 academics from other universities signed a letter calling out alleged abuse from 'trans activist bullies'. But Professor Stock announced on Twitter that she was 'sad to announce' she was leaving her position, and added that she hoped 'other institutions can learn from this'. The Department of Justice is preparing to sue Google for its dominance in the ad market. There is a possibility that the United States DOJ will soon bring a second antitrust lawsuit against Google. After a year of investigating whether the tech giant has been abusing its dominant position to illegally monopolize the digital ad industry, it has now been revealed that the Department of Justice is getting ready to file a lawsuit against the company as soon as September. Google Lawsuit Google's upcoming lawsuit from a government agency has revealed that preparations for this complaint regarding technological advertising have been going on for the past year. This legal action to hold the tech giant accountable for its actions closes off years of work to create a case that the company illegally dominates the digital advertising market. In yet another round of interviews, attorneys from the DOJ's Antitrust Division are questioning publishers with the goal of refreshing data and gleaning additional details for the complaint. Some of the interviews that will be used during the legal battle have already been conducted, while others are set to take place in the weeks to come. They build upon earlier interrogations that were carried out at an earlier stage of the ongoing inquiry. The government sued Google in 2020, claiming that the tech giant monopolized the online search industry in violation of antitrust rules. This is the DOJ's second complaint against Google since that time. According to Engadget, the agency said that mandating Android phone manufacturers to use Google as the default search engine inhibits competitors from gaining a foothold and ensures the firm earns a large amount of money from search-related advertising. Engadget stated, "In the same year, Texas filed a multi-state lawsuit against Google, with the state's Attorney General accusing the company of using its "monopolistic power to control" ad pricing." Read Also: Elon Musk Sells $6.9 Billion Worth of Tesla Shares To Avoid an Emergency Stock Sale DOJ Against Google and Tech Companies As Bloomberg reports, after over a decade in which authorities took little to no action, the Department of Justice has begun an investigation into the advertising technology industry as part of its effort to rein in the major technology platforms in the United States. In line with that commitment, the Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms Inc. in an effort to compel the company to divest itself of Instagram and WhatsApp, and it is conducting an investigation into Amazon.com Inc. about the company's dominance in the online retail industry. Furthermore, prosecutors have not yet made a decision regarding whether they will file the lawsuit in the federal court in Washington, which is where the search case is currently being heard. Another option they are looking into is New York, which is where the state attorneys general have their own antitrust case linked to Google's ad tech company. The government agency has not yet officially filed the case. However, Peter Schottenfels, Google's spokesperson, stated, "Our advertising technologies help websites and apps fund their content and enable small businesses to reach customers around the world." "The enormous competition in online advertising has made online ads more relevant, reduced ad tech fees, and expanded options for publishers and advertisers," Schottenfels adds. Related Article: BEWARE! These Google Play Apps Have the Joker, Facestealer, and Coper Malware in Them The FBI paid visits to multiple Republicans in the Pennsylvania House and Senate Wednesday to look for information on Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and his scheme to install alternate electors in 2020, according to a report. The bureau delivered subpoenas and sought information from multiple individuals, sources told PennLive, after his phone was confiscated by agents while he was at an airport with his family and after Mar-a-Lago was raided. Some were explicitly told they were not the target of the investigation, the report states, and it seems the bureau was looking for the GOP members to assist their investigation. The FBI and Department of Justice are under intense scrutiny from the Republican party for failing to publicly release a statement on the raid or provide their reasoning for searching Trump's Florida estate. 'I'm outraged though not surprised that the FBI under the direction of Merrick Garland's DOJ, would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress,' Perry said in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday. 'My phone contains info about my legislative and political activities, and personal/private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends. None of this is the government's business.' Perry said that while he and his family were traveling earlier Tuesday, he was approached by three FBI agents who handed him a warrant and seized his cellphone. Republican Rep. Scott Perry says that the FBI confiscated his personal cellphone one day after FBI agents raided former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home Perry was with his family when agents approached him and confiscated his phone. It is believed the investigation is linked to the efforts to overturn the election 'They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish,' he said. Perry, a loyal Trump ally, is an original member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and took over as the group's leader at the beginning of the year. He was part of a scheme in Pennsylvania to install fake electors and overturn the certification of President Joe Biden's win. The Jan. 6 committee claimed Perry is one of five Republicans who allegedly sought a pardon for their role in attempting to overturn the election, but Perry has denied ever doing so. While Perry's phone was taken through a warrant - which would have required the approval of a magistrate judge - the subpoenas handed out to Pa. lawmakers did not require the review of a judge. Still, the lawmakers are required to comply unless they take the matter to court and the subpoena is quashed. The confiscation of Perry's phone comes just one day after FBI agents descended on Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida in what Perry called in his statement an 'unnecessary and aggressive action.' Republican Rep. Jim Jordan was among members of the GOP who led the backlash against the FBI's actions against Perry Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to meet with New York Attorney General Letitia James for a civil investigation on August 10, 2022 in New York City The FBI raided Trump's home one day before seizing Perry's phone and two days before subpoenaing Pa. lawmakers 'As with President Trump last night, DOJ chose this unnecessary and aggressive action instead of simply contacting my attorneys,' he stated. 'These kinds of banana republic tactics should concern every Citizen especially considering the decision before Congress this week to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to further persecute law-abiding Citizens.' The FBI raid on Monday was related to Trump's removal of classified documents from the White House and not the Department of Justice's investigation into January 6, The New York Times reported. Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, 'is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.' 'After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,' Trump said. The confiscation of Perry's phone comes just one day after FBI agents descended on Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in what Perry called in his statement an 'unnecessary and aggressive action' Trump later put out a campaign-style video warning that 'we are a nation that has weaponized its law enforcement against the opposing political party, like never before.' Trump continues to drop a series of not-so-subtle hints that he plans to run for president again in 2024. Politico reported Tuesday that Trumpworld is keeping tabs on the Republicans who are leaping to the ex-president's defense. 'They're going to drastically use this to rally their allies, GOP leaders on Capitol Hill and juice for his political agenda and run for 2024,' one source close to the former president told Politico. 'If there was a 99 percent chance it's 100 percent now. He makes it part of his platform going after the FBI,' the source said of Trump's White House ambitions. Leading members of the party including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel and House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik sent out furious statements about the raid. McCarthy told Attorney General Merrick Garland via Twitter to 'preserve your documents and clear your calendar.' 'I've seen enough,' he wrote. 'The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. Republican leader Kevin McCarthy called out US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Twitter, telling him 'preserve your documents and clear your calendar' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the raid 'rogue behavior of communist countries, NOT the United States of America!!!' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent member of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives, called the raid 'rogue behavior of communist countries, NOT the United States of America!!!' 'These are the type of things that happen in countries during civil war. The political persecution MUST STOP!!!' she tweeted. Rep. Lauren Boebert, another prominent member of the Republican Study Committee, tweeted that the DOJ 'must be held accountable.' 'Biden's FBI just raided the house of the man most likely to be the Republican Presidential nominee in 2024on top of all the other fake investigations into President Trump. Stop weaponizing federal agencies to distract from your own failed agenda!' Boebert said. 'The GOP must set up a Select Committee to investigate the FBI's politically-motivated raid on Mar-a-Lago and on ALL the fraudulent persecution of President Trump from our government,' she continued. This cannot wait. We are turning into a banana republic at record speed.' A 60 Minutes reporter has marched down to a local council meeting to try and stop his neighbours getting clear glass installed on their apartment balconies because he doesn't want to look at their bikes or washing. Owners of five terrace homes being built in the suburb of Nedlands near Perth, WA want a condition that requires them to have frosted glass on their balcony removed. The fight is much to the dismay of Australian journalist Liam Bartlett, who lives opposite the new development. Mr Bartlett went to a Nedlands Council meeting objecting to clear glass windows being put in as he believes he has already been accommodating enough to the council. The reporter objected to the move and said he didn't want to have to look at the residents' 'bikes' or 'washing'. 60 Minutes reporter Liam Bartlett (pictured) has complained at a local council meeting about the use of clear glass on adjacent apartment balconies as he doesn't want to have to look at their bikes or washing It's not just the clear balconies aggravating Mr Bartlett, the 60 Minutes reporter also argued he had lost parking space and the development had brought 'more bins and less amenity'. PerthNow reported Mr Bartlett's house was elevated behind his wall and had four windows which overlooked the new development. 'I don't know about you, but I'm not fond of looking out onto people's balconies and their bikes and their washing or whatever else they want to stick up on their balcony or what they're doing behind their balconies,' he said. Mr Bartlett said the recommendation to allow clear glass was 'beyond the pale' - outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour. Owners of five terrace homes being built in the suburb of Nedlands near Perth, WA want a condition to have frosted glass on their balcony removed and instead have clear glass balcony windows as per the original plans they agreed to 'I can't understand why we paid rates for 29 years at that property. The first I hear about this is an email saying administration has recommended it,' he said. The City of Nedlands approved the construction of five grouped homes, with one located on the corner of a Nedlands street and the others on an adjoining avenue in 2021. City staff are considering the condition imposed to use 'either opaque material or frosted glass' on the balcony window to be removed. They were all sold for $690,000 and are under construction, with council staff likely to approve clear glass windows stating street surveillance from the balcony by the way of using clear glass is 'a positive outcome'. 'Passive surveillance from the balcony on to (the streetscape) is a positive outcome, as it is generally a good planning principle to promote safety through providing opportunities for 'eyes on the street',' staff said. One of the homeowners, Geoffrey Nathan said the condition for frosted glass was added after they had bought their homes individually and all the sales material reflected the glass would be clear. Mr Nathan said it was a 'matter of aesthetics' and that frosted glass would cut off their natural light and clear view of the street. Council staff estimated it would cost the city between $30,000 to $50,000 if the council refused to remove the condition with the owners taking the matter to the State Administrative Tribunal. The council is scheduled to vote on whether or not to remove the condition at its August 23 meeting. Trans comedian Eddie Izzard wants to emulate Ukrainian wartime president Volodymyr Zelensky as a comic who went on to become a good leader in her bid to launch a career in politics. The storied stand-up comic has long declared her goal to run as a Labour candidate for Parliament as soon as a suitable seat is available. When challenged by Clive Allen on the My Seven Wonders podcast that perhaps the public will be tired of comedians as leaders after the downfall of Boris Johnson - who was 'essentially a comedian' - Izzard, 60, had a customary lightning-fast comeback. 'Volodymyr Zelensky,' she said. 'There you go. Have I answered you? He's been very strong. Very consistent.' Zelensky came to national renown in Ukraine by producing and starring in the political satire 'Servant of the People', in which he played a high-school history teacher in his thirties who is unexpectedly elected president. Eddie Izzard, pictured at the The South Bank Sky Arts Awards last month, wants to become Britain's first transgender MP and stand for Labour at the next general election She has mentioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as an example of a comedian who became a politician Izzard has similar designs to reinvent herself as a serious character, having switched pronouns from he / him to she / her last year, telling Allen: 'I prefer she / her, but I don't mind he / him.' The trans comedian said: 'I was trying to be an MP at the last general election and I am hoping to be an MP at the next general election. 'I will try very hard to get there and I hope the people of the constituency will elect me. 'So I am very serious about it - I have said it since 2010 quite categorically.' President Zelensky has struck an indefatigable, Churchillian, war-time, global statesman figure as leader of Ukraine during the Russian invasion, meeting almost every day with world leaders and influence groups via video chat to drum up support for his country. There are rumours in Labour circles that Eddie Izzard intends to stand in the Sheffield Central constituency when incumbent Paul Blomfield steps down next yea She said she wants to help Sir Keir Starmer become the next Labour Prime Minister It is a path that Izzard seeks to follow, amid rumours in Labour circles that she intends to stand in the Sheffield Central constituency when incumbent Paul Blomfield steps down next year. One political insider, who asked to remain anonymous, told The Star in April: 'Eddie's interested in becoming an MP and her renewed interest in the city might not be unconnected with that, but I'm sure she will be looking at other seats around the country too.' Another anonymous source close to the Labout Party downplayed Izzard's ambitions in Sheffield, but a third claimed that she was 'very interested' in running for Sheffield Central. Izzard has previously said she wishes to be considered for a constituency. 'I would love to be elected and I would love to fight for Keir Starmer to be the next Prime Minister,' she said last year. Eddie had previously urged the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to drive anti-Semites out of the party. Izzard was born in Yemen, when it was formerly the British colony of Aden, but she has links to the city, having studied at the University of Sheffield in the 1980s. Aussies earning over $45,000 will have their taxes slashed in 2024 after Treasurer Jim Chalmers slapped down union demands to cancel the upcoming cuts. Dr Chalmers said it was Labor's intention to keep the third stage of tax cuts which were passed in 2019 after the country's biggest trade union group pushed him to scrap them. The stage three tax cuts are controversial because, unlike the first two stages which are already in place, they will benefit the wealthiest Australians the most. From July 2024 a politician on $211,250 will get a tax cut of $9,075 while a registered nurse on $72,235 will get a tax cut of $681, a bus driver will get $461 and a chef will get $321. Ahead of September's jobs and skills summit, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) had released a list of economic demands including rent controls, higher taxes on company profits, and scrapping the stage three income tax cuts. Aussies earning over $45,000 will have their taxes slashed in 2024 after Treasurer Jim Chalmers (pictured) slapped down union demands to cancel upcoming cuts Chefs are set to save $321 a year when the stage three tax cuts come into play in 2024 But Dr Chalmers shot down the union plan in an ABC radio interview on Thursday. 'We intend to leave them in place,' he said of the cuts. Dr Chalmers said the only tax change Labor is contemplating is a crackdown on corporate tax avoidance. 'We think that there are steps that can be taken now in the tax system particularly in relation to multinational tax avoidance,' he said. 'That where our priorities should be.' This table by the Australia Institute shows how much Australians can expect to save from stage three tax cuts in 2024 Dr Chalmers said the ACTU's suggestions do not reflect government policy but accepted their right to submit ideas. 'The whole point of having a summit like this is to bring people together to see if there can be common ground found,' he told ABC Radio National on Thursday. 'It would be pretty strange if we said, ''come along to a summit and only bring along ideas which have been pre-approved by the government''. 'That's not in the spirit of the summit, not the spirit of the way the government operates.' Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was invited to attend the summit but said on Wednesday he would not go, labelling the event a 'stunt with the unions'. Nationals leader David Littleproud accepted an invitation. Dr Chalmers said Mr Dutton was going out of his way to divide people and 'wreck consensus. Bus drivers are set to save $461 a year when the stage three tax cuts come into play in 2024 'I think his behaviour in the last couple of days has isolated himself, humiliated himself and it's already split the coalition,' he said. But Mr Dutton on Thursday reiterated his stance, confirming he would not attend. '(Jim Chalmers) sent the invitation to me by email (and) 25 minutes later he dropped it to the press gallery, so if you don't see that as a stunt then I don't know what is,' he told ABC radio. 'If people think this is an accord in the modern age, it's not. It's a wish list from the ACTU about higher taxation.' Australia is rolling out monkeypox vaccines, with three states now making a jab available for the rapidly-spreading painful disease. Victoria, NSW and South Australia are allocating the JYNNEOS smallpox jab to those most vulnerable. Gay and bisexual men are the groups most commonly contracting the illness, which is passed on through sustained close contact with an infected person, or with their clothing or bedding. 'Most people are not at risk from monkeypox,' said Health Protection NSW executive director Jeremy McAnulty. 'We're particularly concerned that men who have sex with men are protected.' Infection can occur through rashes, skin sores or blisters (pictured, a man with a case of monkeypox) Authorities are advising those at-risk groups to curb their number of sexual partners and to practice safe sex. Sex workers and those who have drug addiction issues are also more vulnerable, along with those who are HIV positive or otherwise immune suppressed. Travellers who are flying out to the UK and North America before October 31 are also eligible. Executive Director or Health Protection NSW Jeremy McAnulty (pictured) said the disease was passed on by skin-to-skin contact but most people were not at risk from it Victoria is doling out the vaccines this week, while NSW is set to give 5,500 to those at high risk by Monday. South Australia will also allocate 900 doses to those who most need it, with more for the general population months away. Monkeypox is related to the virus that causes smallpox but is less severe and does not transmit easily between humans. Infection can occur through rashes, skin sores or blisters and via bodily fluids and most cases resolve within two to four weeks without treatment. However during the period of infection, the sufferer develops painful sores. The vaccine is given in two doses, 28 days apart and contains a live vaccinia virus, which is unable to replicate. Sexual Health Specialist Dr Nick Medland told GP News the aim is to slow transmission down. 'We expect the outbreak will begin to slow after 75,000 members of our community have had one dose of the vaccine and may not be eliminated until 250,000 doses have been administered to those who need them most,' he said. Australia received 450,000 doses of the jab last week. A sexual health specialist said the aim was to slow transmission down (pictured, a syringe drawing out the monkeypox vaccine) A father whose toddler son died when crushed by a quad bike his dad was doing 'doughnuts' on in a Christmas Day tragedy has been ordered to community service as punishment for his part in the boy's death. Lincoln Browne was thrown from the vehicle and crushed after his father lost control in the paddock of their home in Victoria's northeast during the 2020 family gathering. Christopher Browne was supported in court on Thursday by his wife, who County Court Judge Michael Cahill said had remained staunchly loyal. A psychologist who has treated Browne said the only thing keeping the now 33-year-old going is his sense of responsibility to look after his wife and their younger child. The couple had stillborn twin daughters before Lincoln's birth. Browne's doctor implored the court to apply compassion, saying he had already suffered enough. Lincoln Browne was killed after falling from an ATV on a Barnawartha North property near the Victoria-New South Wales border on Christmas Day 2020 Christopher Browne (pictured) was sentenced to a three-year community corrections order with 250 hours of unpaid community work The family had gathered at Browne's Barnawartha North home for a Christmas brunch when he offered rides on his new off-road buggy. With two-year-old Lincoln on his lap and his sister beside him, Browne did several doughnuts, sped up and down the driveway and returned to the paddock for a final burnout when the bike tipped. He and his wife rushed to Lincoln's side and there were attempts to revive him, but the little boy could not be saved. Judge Cahill said Browne's offending was objectively serious - both he and his son were unrestrained. By sitting on top of the clipped-in seatbelt, Browne had overridden a safety interlock - which would have limited the speed to 25km/h. The buggy was only supposed to have two people on board, not three. Browne told police later that he became complacent about safety and had been trying to scare his sister. Police pictured at the scene on the private property on Moss Road, Barnawartha North on Christmas Day, 2020 He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and reckless conduct endangering serious injury. Browne has become withdrawn since the crash and will carry the demons of the accident for life, his father-in-law said. A friend described him as a shadow of his former self. Judge Cahill said ordinarily a prison sentence would follow a serious offence with such tragic consequences. But a three-year community corrections order with 250 hours of unpaid community work would satisfy the punitive and rehabilitative requirements of sentencing, the judge said. Browne will also be disqualified from driving for 18 months. Prosecutors had called for a prison sentence. In a similar case another father was sentenced to more than three years behind bars and an appeal on the grounds that it was manifestly excessive was refused, they argued. The public war of words between columnist Peter FitzSimons and Senator Jacinta Price has intensified - with the writer's mate now wading into the fight. Mr FitzSimons and Sen. Price have been exchanging accusations through the media about an interview he conducted with her about her opposition to the Indigenous Voice to Parliament. She has accused him of being 'rude and aggressive' in the interview, while the writer has responded by saying she has publicly misrepresented his conduct. Now media identity Mike Carlton - who is a close friend of FitzSimons as they share a private school upbringing, vaunted positions in Sydney's old media establishment, passion for rugby and virtuous left-wing politics - has weighed in. 'Three days in a row The Australian and the publicity-hungry Jacinta Price have attacked my friend (Peter FitzSimons),' he Tweeted. Author and journalist Peter FitzSimons (also known as Pirate Pete for his distinctive bandana) is pictured with his wife, television host Lisa Wilkinson Mike Carlton (pictured) defended his close friend Peter FitzSimons amid his war of words with Aboriginal senator Jacinta Price Carlton, who attended Sydney's exclusive Barker College and used to co-host a 2UE radio show with FitzSimons and is a former colleague of his at the Sydney Morning Herald, also took aim at another Aboriginal leader. 'Inevitably, that d***head Warren Mundine joins in,' he wrote. Carlton also used the opportunity to take a swipe at the paper where he was a star columnist until he left in controversial circumstances in 2014. 'Deafening silence though, from (the Sydney Morning Herald). Which, of course, is notorious for its weak-kneed refusal to back its columnists,' he added. The foul-mouthed Carlton resigned when the newspaper launched disciplinary action against him for using offensive language in replies to emails from readers who questioned his condemnations of Israel. Mike Carlton's tweet in which he defended his friend and former colleague Peter FitzSimons The battle between the Northern Territory senator and the multi-millionaire author, who lives in posh north shore suburb of Cremore, also includes their views on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, which she opposes and he supports. In her now-deleted Facebook post, Country Liberal Party Senator Price said the interview with FitzSimons, who is married to TV host Lisa Wilkinson, started out well, but that he became 'aggressive... condescending and rude' to her. She said it 'was like talking to a brick wall' and she felt 'insulted'. 'I'm not a wilting violet but he's a very aggressive bloke, his interview style is very bloody aggressive, he doesn't need to launch in,' she said. 'Accusing me of somehow giving power to racists because the issues I raise are confronting he loses the point completely,' said Ms Price, who was born to a Warlpiri mother and an Anglo-Celtic father. She said FitzSimons had accused her 'of somehow giving power to racists because the issues I raise are confronting he loses the point completely'. 'I said to him, "Get down from the bloody ivory tower and come out to one of my communities".' FitzSimons denied Sen. Price's characterisation of how the interview went and said her claims were 'complete and utter ... nonsense'. The interview was a 'professional exchange', he said. Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields also weighed in on Wednesday night after listening to the interview. 'Ive listened to audio of the full interview between Peter FitzSimons and Senator Price. There was no yelling and no shouting from either participant. This was an interesting interview in which the senator's positions and views were tested. The Australian really needs to move on,' Shields wrote. 'Its worth noting that Peter provided Senator Price with a transcript of what he proposed to publish in his column and she approved it. She also deleted her initial Facebook post about the interview.' However, neither the Herald nor FitzSimons himself has met Sen. Price's challenge to release the audio of the interview so the public can assess it for themselves. Country Liberal Party senator Jacinta Price is pictured makes her maiden speech in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Wednesday, July 27, 2022 What is the Indigenous Voice to Parliament? Anthony Albanese wants a body enshrined in the Constitution that would enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to provide advice to the Parliament on policies and projects that impact their lives. A referendum is needed to change the Constitution. The vote will need support from the majority of Australians in the majority of states to be successful. The question that could be put to Australians is: 'Do you support an alteration to the constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?' Advertisement 'Every single word recorded, as I told her,' FitzSimons told The Australian's Media Diary. He said the interview was conducted without a raised voice and that Ms Price approved the final story. 'This is not remotely a matter of interpretation. Friendly interview, nice text exchange at its conclusion,' he said. Jacinta Price and Peter FitzSimons both furiously claimed they had witnesses to their phone call in a heated text exchange (pictured) after she accused him of being 'aggressive' Ms Price said she was shocked by FitzSimons' stance on Indigenous issues. 'I was really taken aback and I was exhausted by the energy it took having to defend myself,' she said. 'I was made to feel as though what I was trying to do is wrong and my voice is not as legitimate as those who purport to suffer from 250 years of colonisation.' Daily Mail Australia has obtained a series of text messages between Ms Price and FitzSimons, as the debate over who said what continues. A man said he is 'absolutely heartbroken' after his six-month-old puppy died following a walk at a popular beach - one of a mysterious spate of five dog deaths in 72 hours. Dusty Sammon took his rescue pup Yindi for a walk on August 3 along Kawana Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Mr Sammon said Yindi was having a great time 'sniffing and playing' with other dogs but at 8pm became very ill. Dusty Sammon's six-month-old puppy Yindi (pictured) died from acute renal failure three days after going for a walk along Kawana Beach on Queensland's Sunshine Coast Mr Sammon said he is 'absolutely heartbroken' because Yindi had gotten into his heart and was his best mate (pictured, Sammon and Yindi) 'We got home at about 8 o'clock and she just started vomiting and became really ill very quickly,' Mr Sammon told 7News. 'By about 10.30pm we had her at the vet, and she was vomiting and diarrhoea non-stop.' Yindi's condition worsened and she was put down three days later after her sickness turned into acute renal failure. 'Each day got worse and worse, she was spending the whole day at the vet on IV,' Mr Sammon said. 'Saturday afternoon they called me and said the best option was to let her go. 'Despite their best efforts and tests and medications and antibiotics, nothing was improving and turned into acute renal failure.' Mr Sammon is now warning fellow dog owners to stay clear of the nine-kilometre Kawana Beach stretch (pictured, Sammon and Yindi) Mr Sammon said he was 'absolutely heartbroken' as Yindi had gotten into his heart and was his best mate. He is now warning fellow dog owners to stay clear of the nine-kilometre Kawana Beach stretch. 'Serious warning to all dog owners, stay clear of Kawana beach stretch at the moment, theres been 5 dogs in last 72 hours died soon after being there and a lot more seriously ill but survived,' Mr Sammon wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. 'This doesnt seem like a coincidence so Id recommend steering clear for now. Please share around as I dont want any other beloved pets to die or anyone else to go through what I have.' Experts suspect poisonings have claimed the lives of at least five dogs while many others have been rushed to vet hospitals requiring life-saving treatment. All dogs had visited either Buddina Beach or surrounding beaches Kawana, Minyama, Point Cartwright and La Balsa prior to falling ill. The RSPCA has declared the matter a 'current priority investigation' and is working in partnership with Queensland Police and the local council. At least five dogs have died after going for walks on beaches in Queensland (pictured is Billy the beagle) Owners took their dogs for walks on Buddina Beach (pictured) and other nearby beaches on the Sunshine Coast including Kawana, Minyama, Point Cartwright and La Balsa North Coast Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care has issued a public warning for dog owners to 'use caution' when visiting identified areas with their furry friends and to keep a vigilant eye to ensure they don't drink or eat anything of which the origins are unknown. 'We unfortunately have had a series of patients presenting with alike symptoms that may suggest a toxicity by ingestion,' the clinic posted. 'Although we are unable to confirm the cause of these presentations the link to these patients is the area that they have walked within the 12 hours prior. 'Symptoms to look out for are gastrointestinal upsets, lethargy, or any change to your pets behaviour. 'We have chosen to err on the side of caution and have made local authorities aware.' Rescue dog Sophie died after a suspected poisoning incident at Buddina beach, which left her owner 'absolutely heartbroken' A doggie day care centre also issued a similar warning as it expressed heartbreak over the death of Billy the beagle - one of it's much-loved clients. 'Our heart is broken. Our beautiful boy Billy seems to have been a victim of poisoning,' Doggie Adventure Playhouse wrote. 'Dogs are our hearts, our love, our companions and faithful cuddle buddies. 'Our loving thoughts and cuddles go out to Billy's beautiful and heartbroken parents.' Billy's owners, Val and Peter Logan, told the ABC they took Billy for a walk to the beach and he returned home 'quite happily'. Half-an-hour after bringing him back, the two-year-old pup began to vomit incessantly to the point Mr and Mrs Logan had to rush him to the emergency vet. Billy died later that evening. Silver Lining Pet Rescue Inc announced on August 3 one of its rescue dogs Sophie died after a suspected poisoning incident at Buddina beach. He, like Mr and Mrs Logan, had taken his dog for a walk on the beach on Friday afternoon. But Sophie became severely ill at night and died. Another dog owner Tara Clegg said her cattle dog Max drank from the water bowl at the old gate 13 access along Kawana beach on last Tuesday before he died three days later. The RSPCA confirmed its investigating with assistance of police and the local council. The RSPCA has launched an investigation into the mysterious spate of deaths in conjunction with Queensland Police and the local council (stock image) 'The focus of investigation is to attempt to locate cause of recent spate of poisoning on the Sunshine Coast to determine if origin was intentional, accidental or environmental,' an RSPCA spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'Anyone who suspects their dog may have ingested something toxic are encouraged to seek immediate veterinary treatment. 'We're urging all dog walkers to remain vigilant and keep an eye on their pet so they don't drink or eat anything of which the origins are unknown. ' The council said the exact cause of the poisonings remains unclear. 'Sunshine Coast Council expresses our condolences to our community members who have lost their beloved pet as a result of the suspected poisonings,' a spokeswoman said. 'Council has taken precautionary measures to reduce the risk of animals drinking possibly contaminated water by emptying and sanitising all dog water bowls in the area. 'We are also working to remove any loose water bowls and seal any fixed bowls to prevent access.' Pet owners to keep their dogs in sight at all times while in off leash areas and to ensure their dog is responsive to voice commands before letting them off leash so they can be called away from unknown food sources. Pet owners should also watch out for signs of gastro, breathlessness or listlessness. Dog owners who suspect their pet may have ingested something toxic are urged to report it to RSPCA on 1300 ANIMAL or police. A Florida man, completely naked and armed with a machete, ended up lying on his stomach and arrested after trying to steal another man's clothes Monday. Brandon Wright, 34, was allegedly picking palmetto berries in the woods in the town of DeLand, officials in Volusia County say. Wright suddenly wielded a large, machete-style knife and demanded that a nearby surveyor give him his clothes, wallet and phone, according to QFox13. The surveyor started to comply until Wright threw the machete and some of the berries he'd collected at him. Luckily, the sword hit the surveyor by the handle and bounced off his chest. He then made off into the woods before getting into a white Dodge Challenger and trying to make his getaway. A Florida man, completely naked and armed with a machete, ended up lying on his stomach and arrested after trying to steal another man's clothes Monday Wright suddenly wielded a large, machete-style knife and demanded that a nearby surveyor give him his clothes, wallet and phone A license plate reader tipped law enforcement off to Wright and a short time later, they were alerted to a naked man near a gas station. Footage captured from a helicopter shows Wright being spotted as police officers get on the scene. Someone in the helicopter could be heard solemnly stating: 'He is naked, yelling at people in the parking lot. Very animated'. As the official describes, Wright then starts to walk away from the fueling station into traffic and starts yelling at people. Wright then comes back to the gas station and starts to do push-ups, for some reason. He then made off into the woods before getting into a white Dodge Challenger and trying to make his getaway Officers arrived shortly after and forced Wright to lie on his stomach as they arrested him. Wright was jailed and charged with attempted robbery with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police say he's also ran around naked in this area back in August 2021 and has previous convictions for false imprisonment, coke possession and battery on a police officer. With a new school year about to begin, Texas plans to send 30 state police officers to bolster school patrols in Uvalde, three months after the city suffered the deadliest school shooting in more than a decade. Governor Greg Abbott announced the measure on Wednesday, saying that the cops from the state's Department of Public Safety would be on hand when classes resume next month. For many Uvalde students, the start of the school year on September 6 will be their first time back in the classroom since the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School. which left 19 children and two teachers dead. Robb Elementary itself will never reopen due to concerns about traumatizing the surviving students, and the building is slated to be demolished. Crime scene tape surrounds Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in May. Texas plans to send 30 state police officers to bolster school patrols in the district as classes resume next month Governor Greg Abbott announced the measure on Wednesday, saying that the cops from the state's Department of Public Safety would be on hand when classes resume Abbott said in a statement that the additional police presence was requested by Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Hal Harrell ahead of the new school year. 'The beginning of a new school year should be an exciting time for students and teachers, and the State of Texas is working to provide that for the Uvalde community,' said Abbott, a Republican, in a statement. 'As a new school year begins, we must ensure students, parents, and all dedicated school personnel can look forward to new opportunities to learn and grow,' he added. The governor vowed: 'Texas will keep working to provide all available support and resources to the Uvalde community as they continue to heal.' Following the deadly attack in May, law enforcement officials have faced harsh criticism over their response to the shooting. Law enforcement personnel stand outside Robb Elementary School on May 24 after the deadliest school shooting in the last decade Abbott initially praised cops who responded to the shooting, but later called for an investigation into the law enforcement response after it became public knowledge that cops waited over an hour to confront and kill the gunman. Uvalde's local school district police chief Pete Arredondo faced the heaviest backlash after failing to take command of the scene on the ground. It took 74 minutes for police to storm the adjoining classrooms where 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos killed all 21 victims after shooting his own grandmother in the face in a dispute over his phone bill. But state and federal police were also part of the haphazard and hesitant law enforcement response, leading to a blame game between different agencies. The police response to the shooting is currently the subject of two separate investigations, by the Texas DPS and the federal Department of Justice. On Wednesday, a judge ruled that DPS does not have to turn over records related to the school shooting to a state lawmaker who had sued the state police in hopes of securing them. DPS has fought to keep a lid on details of how 91 state cops at the scene responded to the shooting. The final hospitalized survivor of the Uvalde shooting, Mayah Zamora, 10, leaves a San Antonio hospital after being discharged on July 29, 2022 An officer walks outside of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022 However, Wednesday's ruling did not grant DPS a blanket right to keep the records secret, but merely found that state Sen. Roland Gutierrez did not properly file his public records request in seeking the documents. Teachers in Uvalde returned to work this week, and will have several weeks to prepare for the new school year. Classes start September 6. The school district serves roughly 1,250 students in Uvalde, Real, and Zavala Counties. 'We know going back to school will be especially challenging for many in Uvalde,' said DPS Director Steven McCraw in a statement. 'The Texas Department of Public Safety is committed to working with the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District to ensure each child, parent, and teacher feels safe and protected during this difficult time,' he added. 'There is no task more important than this.' Microsoft released the cumulative update for Windows 11 KB5016629 on Tuesday. No, this is not a random update. In fact, this cumulative update addressed some issues and also included some improvements. Find out below what changes you should expect with Windows 11 KB5016629. Windows 11 KB5016629 Update A new Focus Assist feature, about 22 improvements, fixes for File Explorer and the Start Menu, and security updates are all included in this release. According to Bleepingcomputer, these are the changes that is included in Windows 11 KB5016629 Update: As previously mentioned, this update includes a new Focus Assist feature. When Focus Assist is activated, Windows 11 can now be configured to receive important notifications. This means that Windows 11 will prompt you to confirm your intention to continue receiving important alerts when a notification sends its first important notification. You can modify this setting on the Settings > System > Notifications page. You can now update to a new version of Windows 11 (if one is available) when you start a new Windows device. Fixed an issue that caused File Explorer to freeze when the play and pause keyboard shortcuts were used. Fixed an issue that prevented File Explorer from functioning if you clicked on the context menu in the Start Menu while using an external monitor. The taskbar's search icon can now be hovered over normally without popping up a blank window. Fixed issues with the Start Menu not opening. Troubleshooting Tools now open without an issue. How To Install Windows 11 KB5016629 Cumulative Update Windows 11 users can follow these steps to install this update: Got to Start Select Settings Click Windows Update Finally, select "Check for Updates" Another method of installing it is by manually downloading this update from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Read More: Ethereum From Tornado Cash Have Been Sent to Notable Individuals Like Shaquille O'Neal, Jimmy Fallon How Important Is This Update The mandatory cumulative update KB5016629, according to Bleepingcomputer, includes the August 2022 Patch Tuesday security patches for vulnerabilities found in earlier months. As we have reported, Microsoft's August 2022 Patch Tuesday included improvements and fixed a number of system vulnerabilities. What Can You Expect With August 2022 Patch Tuesday Updates for a total of 121 vulnerabilities, including the actively exploited zero-day vulnerability known as "DogWalk," are included in the August 2022 edition of Microsoft's Patch Tuesday. According to a separate BleepingComputer report, the latest patch addressed 121 vulnerabilities which includes: 64 Elevation of Privilege Vulnerabilities 31 Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities 20 vulnerabilities fixed in Microsoft Edge 12 Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities 7 Denial of Service Vulnerabilities 6 Security Feature Bypass Vulnerabilities 1 Spoofing Vulnerability The two zero-day vulnerabilities are also addressed in Microsoft's Patch Tuesday, one of which is already being actively used in the wild. The one vulnerability that has been used in attacks is known as "DogWalk" and is a remote code execution vulnerability that Microsoft lists as CVE-2022-34713. Additionally, Microsoft has identified the second zero-day vulnerability as CVE-2022-30134, which enables attackers to view email messages from selected victims. The company reports that although the vulnerability CVE-2022-30134 has been made public, no evidence of an attack using it has been detected. If you want to know more about the August 2022 edition of Microsoft's Patch Tuesday, you head to the link below. Related Article: Microsoft August 2022 Patch Tuesday: Is a Fix for the 'DogWalk' Zero-Day Vulnerability Included? Friends of missing California teen Kiely Rodni compared the party she disappeared from to 'Lord of the Flies' and revealed that the end-of-school event was full of illegal activity. Rodni, 16, was last seen Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee at the party attended by more than 100 juveniles and young adults, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said. Her phone has been out of service since the party, and her car, a 2013 silver Honda CRV, has not been found. Rodni's friend, Sami Smith, who was at the party with her, shared footage with The Sun that showed a group of teens gathered at the campsite that was littered with what appeared to be bottles of alcohol. 'I think a lot of them were scared to talk,' Smith said. 'They were engaging in illegal activity in the woods, it's like this Lord of the Flies space where they can just be.' Another source told The Sun that the teens at the party were sometimes 'fighting,' smoking weed and drinking alcohol. Police said this week they have no evidence to suggest she was abducted and are focusing on a search and rescue investigation instead. Kiely Rodni, 16, was last seen at a party at the Prosser Family Camp Ground in Truckee, California, in the early hours of Saturday morning Rodni's friend, Sami Smith, who was at the party with her, shared footage that showed several teens gathered at the campsite that was littered with what appeared to be bottles of alcohol Smith told The Sun she believes teens who were at the party and might have seen something that would help find Rodni are afraid of the consequences or how they might be viewed. 'We've said over and over again, we're not investigating any of you, we're partnering with you in an investigation for a missing person, this isn't about things you shouldn't have done. 'But it's also hard because there are so many teenagers, what are their relationships like with their parents? That can define a lot of what they're going to say. Are they used to hiding everything? 'They're afraid of the consequences or how they're going to be viewed, how their parents are going to react. But at this point, it's like, who cares? We need to find her.' Lindsey Rodni-Nieman, the teen's mother, pleaded in an online video shared by authorities for anyone with information to come forward. 'We just want her home,' Rodni-Nieman said. 'We're so scared, and we miss her so much.' Police released a surveillance image showing the missing teen hours before she vanished at a nearby campground. The image shows Rodni at 6:08pm Friday at business in Truckee, California, about ten minutes south of the Prosser Family Camp Ground where she was last seen at 12:30am later that night. The Placer Sheriff's department released a surveillance image (above, right) showing Kiely Rodni, 16, at 6:08pm Friday in Truckee, California, ten minutes from the camp she vanished from later that night 'Kiely last seen wearing black spaghetti strap bodysuit, green Dickies pants w/ black grommet belt&black Vans,' the Placer Sheriff's department wrote in a tweet releasing the image. Police have said they have no evidence to suggest she was abducted and are focusing on a search and rescue investigation instead. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show cops have set up a forensic tent at the bottom of a boat ramp that is accessed from the Prosser Family Camp Ground. A small submarine with a camera attached was also seen being pulled from the water. Kiely was last seen at an end of high school party at the campground where friends said she appeared very drunk. Police released a statement saying as of earlier this week they had received 300 tips since Rodni was reported missing on Saturday. They also noted they had assigned 265 personnel to the search and logged a collective 4,600 hours. In addition to the boats and dive teams combing the reservoir, authorities have deployed helicopters to conduct aerial searches for the missing teen. Sheriff's deputies set up a forensics tent on a ramp into Prosser Creek Reservoir and launched mini-submarines fitted with cameras in a bid to find Kiely's SUV Police dive teams have now joined the search for Kiely and exclusive DailyMail.com photos show boats searching the Prosser Creek Reservoir, which is a 760-acre stretch of water A dive team from the Nevada County Sheriff's Department was on site early Tuesday morning and was seen setting up in a spot next to the reservoir, southwest of the camping area and accessible by a dirt trail Detective Sergeant Scott Alford, who is leading the operation, said yesterday that no stone would be left unturned and pleaded with teens who attended the party to come forward. This is a search and rescue operation focused on the area where Kiely was last seen and the search has expanded from there,' he said. Right now, we have no evidence that supports an abduction but we are not ruling it out. This is being investigated as a missing persons case and a search and rescue, not as an abduction. Police boats and helicopters spent Tuesday searching the reservoir a 760-acre lake that lies directly beneath the camp ground where Kiely was last seen. Friends said Kiely had appeared very drunk at the party and said they believe she has been taken because her Honda CRV SUV still hasn't been found Kiely was at a party at the Prosser Family Campground, along with 100 other kids. The police say there were teens from multiple states there. She was driving her Honda but neither she nor the vehicle have been located The Placer County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday released an old image of Kiely Rodni's 2013 silver Honda, which has been untraceable along with her.Officials also shared a photo of a hoodie that Kiely had borrowed on 5 August, the day before she went missing Officials also shared a photo of a hoodie that Kiely had borrowed on 5 August, the day before she went missing. "We don't know whether Kiely was wearing that hoodie when she disappeared, but we believe it was still in her possession," the authorities said More than 100 cops were combing the area near the campground where she was last seen, with police boats and divers scouring the 73ft deep Prosser Creek Reservoir which sits directly below. Police have blocked access roads leading to the reservoir and are believed to be working on the theory that Kiely, 16, accidentally drove her silver Honda SUV into the water. A dive team from the Nevada County Sheriff's Department was also on site early Tuesday morning and was seen setting up in a spot next to the reservoir, southwest of the camping area and accessible by a dirt trail. Blonde Kiely was last seen at a party at the Prosser Family Camp Ground in Truckee, California, in the early hours of Saturday morning at a party for high school students. Police said the party was attended by more than 100 teenagers some from as far away as the Bay area of San Francisco and Reno, Nevada. Kiely was last seen at 12.30am on Saturday morning about 10 minutes north of Truckee and a short drive from her family's hotel Kiely had been due to meet friends at a local Starbucks at 9am ahead of a camping trip but failed to show up prompting her mother to sound the alarm Friends have said that Kiely had been drinking and they were worried about her attempting to drive home. Kiely's friends and family have issued a plea for teenagers with any information to come forward but family friend Abby, who asked not to give her last name, told DailyMail.com that it is proving difficult. She said: 'They don't want to come forward I think because of underage drinking and things like that. 'We're trying to tell them that we don't care about alcohol we're just looking for any information that will help us find Kiely.' The Placer County Sheriff's Office has made a similar appeal and said in a statement: 'We are trying to obtain as much information as possible our focus is getting Kiely home safely. 'We urge anyone who may have any information about Kiely to please contact our tip line. You can remain anonymous.' Police say they have received more than 100 tips so far and have assigned 77 personnel to the case who are working alongside more than 150 volunteers. Cops have also been using license plate technology in the search and have been checking cars as far away as Reno, Nevada, but are yet to find any sign of Kiely's vehicle. But while authorities explore all avenues the epicenter of the search is now at the lake Kiely was last seen at 12.30am on Saturday at the Prosser Family Camp Ground, 10 minutes north of Truckee and a short drive from the hotel her family owns. The teenager sent her mother Lindsey, 42, a text message saying she planned to leave in 45 minutes at approximately 11.30pm. She had been due to meet friends at a local Starbucks at 9am ahead of a camping trip but failed to show up prompting her mother to sound the alarm. Kiely's desperate mother Lindsey made a video appeal on Sunday begging for information Speaking to DailyMail.com on Monday, Lindsey said she believed her daughter has been abducted and begged the alleged kidnapper to bring her home. She said: 'I am terrified. My mind reels and my sleep is plagued with nightmares... thoughts that I just can't get out of my head.' 'I last saw her on Friday morning, she was going to meet us to go to a vintage car show but then she changed her mind and wanted to go to this party instead. 'I extended her curfew. I had done it before and felt safe. She texted me at 11.30pm to say she would be leaving at 12.15am to come home. 'She said ''I love you, mom.'' That was the last I heard from her'. Lindsey said she is sure that her daughter would not have run away. 'My daughter is not the runaway type not to stigmatize kids who are but my daughter is not. She had the resources to run away and would have done if she wanted to.' Something strange is happening in Australian workplaces - even here in the NSW Parliament on Macquarie Street. It is now classified as 'bullying' to tell an employee their work is not up to scratch and they need to improve. It is now regarded as 'harassment' for a boss to lose their temper and blow up in reaction to staff incompetence. It is now so touchy-feely that no staff meetings can be held before 10am, when everyone has completed their 'carer responsibilities' for the morning. The younger generation has responded to these entitlements with a 'you can't talk to me like that' view of their employer. Mark Latham (pictured) believes 'entitled' young workers are holding Australia back Poll Do you agree with Mark Latham? Are younger Aussies going soft? Yes No Do you agree with Mark Latham? Are younger Aussies going soft? Yes 1237 votes No 126 votes Now share your opinion Consultants are everywhere conducting workplace reviews that encourage and enable staff to be snowflakes, perpetually offended, upset and complaining. In the NSW Parliament, the recent Workplace Review has cost a small fortune in taxpayers' money, even though, in establishing the process, no specific problems were identified in our building. Emails were sent to staff in our One Nation office but none saw the need to participate in the consultant's review. Ironically, one received so many emails he felt bullied to participate. I thought the review was a waste of money with an entirely predictable pre-scripted outcome, so I never agreed to be interviewed. I'm interested in solving real problems in NSW, not ones invented by Snowflake Lefties. Every MP should be responsible for their own office and staff that is why we elected them. Instead, the new trend is to establish special Complaints Officers (as they now have in Macquarie Street) to add to the culture of complaint and dobbing. The Parliamentary Workplace Review is being released on Friday, and undoubtedly it will make findings of a 'toxic culture' and recommend that everyone go on training courses (run by other consultants at further taxpayer expense). I don't see it myself. Before getting into parliament, I worked as a staffer for two fairly volatile politicians: Bob Carr and Gough Whitlam. Before getting into parliament, Mark Latham worked as a staffer for former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam (pictured in 1972 with singer Little Pattie) Mark Latham also worked alongside Bob Carr (pictured at the Sydney Opera House with wife Helena in 2019) Gough would explode like a volcano, his body shaking, his teeth grinding with anger. But a few minutes later he would come around to my desk and say, 'What are you working on now, comrade?' and give me a friendly hug. I took this to be his way of letting off steam. Busy people in public life who work hard, come under pressure and expect perfection in their work standards, are likely to go off when things go wrong. Mr Latham says young workers need to harden up (stock image) I never thought for a moment Whitlam was disrespecting or harassing me. A mature, sensible worker would immediately know that. Ultimately, taking offence is a choice, and I chose never to be offended. I recommend this for the younger Snowflake Generation: to take a teaspoon of cement and harden up. Most of all, I worry that the woke 'respect at work' agenda is diminishing our standards and performance as a nation. If incompetent staff are allowed to survive without anyone being allowed to point out their failings, then many more businesses are going to go broke, many more governments are going to mess up public policy and many more public agencies are going to be out-of-touch and incapable of meeting community needs. Mr Latham refused to partake in a workplace review in the NSW Parliament. Pictured is Premier Dominic Perrottet in Parliament Serious problems like sexual harassment and violence are already criminal offences and workers should go to the police if this occurs. Otherwise, the 'hurt feelings' syndrome is dragging down our once strong and resilient country. Words have become as dangerous as weapons. There was a time when we ridiculed the sooky snowflakes overseas. Now Australian workplaces are joining them. Mark Latham is the NSW leader of Pauline Hanson's One Nation and is a former Labor Party leader. The NSW Parliament's review into workplace behaviour is handed down on Friday (today) Melbourne lags the rest of the country significantly in getting workers back into the CBD after the Covid lockdowns, with less than 40 per cent of available office space being leased in July. The city's office occupancy rate fell by 11 points from 49 to 38 per cent last month due to a brief flare-up of the latest Covid strain prompting people to return to work-from-home mode, a Property Council Australia report revealed. The report showed Melbourne's occupancy rates were by far the lowest of any state capital. The lack of office staff is having a devastating impact on city shops and eateries, and has prompted calls for the Andrews' government to order public servants back into the offices now that Covid case numbers are falling. The government is pushing workers to return to offices for at least three days a week, but few believe that is happening in a deathly quiet CBD. Critics say the leasing numbers as a 'wake-up call', adding 'we cant take our foot off the pedal when it comes to CBD recovery'. Melbourne's office occupancy rate fell by 11 points from 49 to 38 per cent last month, a report said (pictured, stock photo) The research came as most other cities across the country fell in their office-occupancy rates in July - but not as low as Melbourne (pictured) The research came as most other cities across the country fell in their office-occupancy rates in July - but not as low as Melbourne. Sydney's occupancy rate dipped from 55 to 52 per cent, Brisbane from 64 to 53 per cent and Adelaide 71 to 64 per cent. The report revealed Canberra and Perth were the only markets to record an increase in office occupancy, from 53 to 61 per cent and 65 to 71 per cent, respectively. But it is a massive setback for Melbourne, with the Council calling on the city to end its 'winter hibernation'. Property Council Acting Victorian Executive Director Adina Cirson said these numbers arose from a 'perfect storm' of deterrents to businesses to resume in the city, including the hysteria over COVID-19 a bad influenza season caused by Covid lockdowns causing lest robust immune responses, and the chilly Melbourne weather. 'While Melbourne has enjoyed steady growth in office occupancy numbers over the first half of the year, it's clear that there are serious challenges facing us in terms of encouraging workers back into the city,' Ms Cirson said. She added the state government's working-from-home policies stood in the way too. 'Government advice about working from home, especially internal policies for public service colleagues, has seriously dampened any momentum for a broader return to the office,' Ms Cirson said. 'These numbers should serve as a wake-up call to our policy makers and business leaders that we can't take our foot off the pedal when it comes to CBD recovery.' She added there should be 'bold messaging' in attracting workers to the office again, as soon as health advice allows. Daily Mail Australia contacted the Victorian government for comment. Advertisement Firefighters have tackled a grass fire in a popular London picnic spot while Brits hit the beach to cool off in the sea today as an 'Extreme Heat' warning comes into force - ahead of the 35C heatwave predicted by forecasters this weekend. Fire crews have been battling ferocious wildfires across the capital today amid the sweltering temperatures across the dry, tinderbox conditions - while a 'substantial fire involving crop' continues to rage in Leicestershire. It has also emerged that a drought could be declared for some parts of England on Friday. The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet tomorrow to discuss the prolonged dry weather. There are expectations drought could be declared for some parts of England such as southern and eastern areas, prompting action by agencies and water companies to manage water resources to ensure supplies and protect the environment. It comes as the London Fire Brigade were called at 11:36am to a fire at Hollow Ponds on Whipps Cross Road in Leytonstone, where around 75 square metres of grass and shrub land were alight. Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters attended the scene and the inferno was under control around an hour later. The cause of the blaze is still being investigated. The Met Office raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - today for much of southern England, and Wales alongside an amber, as the mercury is forecast to climb to 'lethally hot' temperatures of 35C (95F) over the weekend. The warning system also been at its second highest level of alert for seven weeks, which is the longest stretch since 1976. It comes as a double heat warning has been put in place by experts amid increasing heatwave temperatures that are set to soar, with Manchester set to reach 31C (88F), London 33C (91.4F), while Portsmouth will reach a balmy 29C (84F) today - albeit not quite as high as the record-breaking 40.3C blast experienced last month. The heat is likely to affect health, transport and working conditions, meteorologists said, as water companies are being urged to protect essential supplies heading into a 'likely very dry autumn'. Firefighter battles a wall of flames as he and his crew attempt to put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday Firefighters put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday afternoon as parts of the UK have become a tinder box due to the extreme hot weather Sunseeking Brits flock to Bournemouth beach on Thursday as temperatures soar past 30C Pictured: Aung-Bo, a 21-year-old asian elephant is cooled down by a keeper at Chester Zoo during the heatwave on Thursday Pictured: Sunseekers head to Bournemouth beach on Thursday morning to enjoy the sizzling heatwave amid warning from the Met Office Pictured: A woman is seen shading her face from the early morning sun, while commuting through Hyde Park in London this morning Pictured: London Underground Commuters head into work via the Jubilee line on Thursday morning Pictured: West Midlands fire service are warning Britons to stay safe in the heat and keep hydrated throughout the heatwave Pictured: Sunseekers arrive at Bournemouth beach this morning to enjoy an early dip in the sea Pictured: Britons arrive at Bournemouth beach early to secure their spot before crowds arrive as the day progresses A cyclist braves the soaring temperatures across Britain today as the Met Office has also raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional Wildfires threaten to sweep across the country this weekend posing an 'exceptional risk' to homes, as an 'Extreme Heat' warning comes into force from today with temperatures set to reach at least 33C (91F) in London Woman in her 80s dies after being pulled from the water at popular beach during heatwave, as man drowns off Lincolnshire beach An elderly woman has died after she was pulled from the water at a beach in Essex during this week's extreme heatwave. Essex Police said emergency services responded to concerns for the wellbeing of a pensioner at Walton Beach at 6.20pm on Wednesday August 10. Despite the efforts of the public and paramedics the pensioner in her 80s died. A spokesperson from the Police said: 'Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared for the coroner. 'We want to thank the members of the public and partner agencies for their efforts responding to this incident.' Elsewhere, a man has died after getting into difficulties in the sea at Humberston Fitties, in Lincolnshire. Humberside Police said officers were called at around 4pm on Wednesday, August 10 following reports for a concern for safety. They found a man who was unconscious after coming into difficulty in the water. Coastguard, RNLI, ambulance crews and police all attended the scene. Humberside Police said CPR and lifesaving efforts were carried out by the lifeboat crew and paramedics, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Advertisement National Highways have also urged Britons to be 'prepared' with bottles of water before setting out amid more train strikes scheduled this weekend. Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: 'The risk is very high across much of central, southern and eastern England. Going into Friday and the weekend, it starts to increase further, going into the highest category of exceptional risk.' Britain has been told to brace for a sweltering heatwave this week as a Level 3 Heat Health Alert also came into effect Tuesday and has been extended until Saturday - with little rain expected to help relieve the threat of drought which has prompted hosepipe bans and fire warnings. Mark Hardingham, the chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said that he 'can't remember a summer like this' in his entire 32-year career in the fire service. He told The Telegraph: 'We're not going to see temperatures as hot as we saw three weeks ago, but that doesn't matter because the ground couldn't get any drier than it already is. 'The wildfires are as prevalent in semi-urban areas as they are in rural communities so it's difficult to know where the next one will be.' It comes as firefighters are tackling a village field fire in Leicestershire this afternoon as temperatures soar across the county. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a "substantial fire involving crop" in Sutton Cheney, north of Hinckley. Crews were first alerted to the scene in Bosworth Road at 12.46pm and are still tackling the blaze. People have been asked to avoid the area while the fire is dealt with. Leicestershire Police has also been called to the scene. Meanwhile, London Fire Brigade said its control room had dealt with 340 grass, rubbish and open land fires during the first week of August - an eightfold increase on the 42 during the same week last year. Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: 'This summer has seen an unprecedented long, dry spell with high temperatures, so the grass in London is tinderbox dry and the smallest of sparks can start a blaze which could cause devastation. 'Despite our continued warning over the last few weeks, we know there are still people who are barbecuing in parks, dropping cigarettes out of car windows and leaving rubbish lying around. 'We really need to prevent a repeat of the situation we saw on July 19, when homes, shops, garages, outbuildings and vehicles were destroyed across London in a number of significant fires. Pictured: A view from the runway of Gatwick Airport sees smoke billowing in the distance from a suspected wildfire from the Crawley area earlier today. The heat and constant dry weather in the south west has risen concerns about serious drought and wildfires Pictured: An alarming aerial image shows Euston Estate farm's depleted reservoirs, located outside Thetford Pictured: Skyrocketing energy prices, drought and historic heatwaves are all heavily affecting the Euston Estate farm, which is fighting to save its crops Pictured: Bournemouth beach is filled with families enjoying the sweltering temperatures during the summer holidays Pictured: As the scorching heatwave continues, cattle search for drinking water in Dartmoor, Devon, at what until recently was an established watering hole, but is now completely dry Pictured: Britons head to the Bournemouth beach coastline to enjoy the scorching heatwave temperatures amid a Level 3 Heat Health Alert An aerial photograph taken today shows dried out fields at the Euston Estate farm, outside Thetford, as drought is expected to be declared tomorrow 'So please - we are asking Londoners to help us protect the city we all love by doing everything you can to prevent further grass fires. Please don't barbecue in open spaces or balconies, throw your rubbish away safely and put your cigarettes out properly.' Riccardo La Torre, national officer for the Fire Brigades Union, has also warned that services across the UK are 'completely unprepared' for the level of risk posed by the imminent heatwave. Mr La Torre told Sky News: 'These are brutal, brutal fires to fight. The temperature that they burn at, the speed at which they spread at. 'The reality is we've been left completely unprepared to do that as a fire and rescue service. 'We've had over a fifth of the workforce cut since 2010, that's over 11,500 firefighters cut. Yet we're asking them to deal with these extreme weather events in increasing regularity and increasing severity. The Met Office has raised the Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - for much of southern England, and stretching as far west as Abergavenny in Wales, for this coming Sunday Mark Hardingham, the chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) told The Telegraph that he 'can't remember a summer like this' in his entire 32-year career in the fire service. Pictured: The Met Office's Fire Severity Index (FSI) which shows how the red 'highest risk' is spreading from Thursday (left) to Friday (middle) to Saturday (right) In soaring temperatures ahead of warnings for extreme heat, fire crews attend a large wildfire between St Hilary and St Erth in Cornwall County Durham and Darlington firefighters dealt with multiple grass fires amid increasing temperatures on Wednesday The Met Office has raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - today for much of southern England, and Wales alongside an amber, as the mercury is forecast to climb to 'lethally hot' temperatures of 35C (95F) this weekend Pictured: The sun rises high above the London skyline on Thursday morning as temperatures are set to reach 36C in parts of England this weekend Pictured: A group of men go for a job along the promenade at Bournemouth beach on Thursday morning Families take shelter under sun umbrellas as they enjoy a day out to Bournemouth beach amid searing temperatures on Thursday Pictured: Families enjoying their summer holidays head to Bournemouth beach on Thursday to make the most of the soaring temperatures Pictured: Brits have been pictured enjoying the sea at Bournemouth beach on Thursday morning as the Met Office's amber 'extreme heat' warning comes into force Pictured: London underground commuters are pictured waiting for the Jubilee line to arrive on Thursday morning Pictured: A woman rides an electric scooter along the promenade at Bournemouth beach on Thursday morning Pictured: Sunseekers head to Bournemouth beach this morning to enjoy the sizzling temperatures Council suspends food and garden waste collections for a MONTH - in the middle of heatwave Waltham Forest Council gave residents just five days notice that their food bins and garden waste bins will not be collected until September 12 Some Londoners have been left outraged after being informed by their council that food bins will not be collected from their homes for more than a month despite the next heatwave looming. Waltham Forest Council took to social media to let people know that from August 15, both food and garden waste bins will not be collected until September 12. Furious residents of the north-east London borough have fired back, highlighting that their 'rotting' food will be left uncollected during the UK heatwave. And Waltham Forest deputy group leader for the Conservatives Afzal Akram revealed that him and his colleagues were 'flabbergasted' when they heard about the suspension. Cllr Akram told MailOnline: 'We are flabbergasted by this decision being made and by the way it has been communicated. 'We as councillors only heard about it once the council put it out on social media. It's one of those blue sky thinking moments that you think of something and straight away you should throw it in the bin. 'But for them to go and implement it is ridiculous. We are in a heatwave and they expect residents to leave food lying their for month - the stench, the stink is going to be unbelievable.' The council believes that the 'temporary' measure will allow it to focus on other services over the summer and reduce unnecessary journeys. It highlighted that less garden waste has had to be collected given the lack of rainfall in the UK this summer. The council has told homeowners to dispose of any garden and food waste in brown bins until collection resumes. Advertisement 'The professionals on the ground have been warning that these conditions are coming and we very much saw the reality of that in these last few weeks. 'Firefighters have been injured, firefighters have ended up in hospital, we've seen families lose their homes, we've seen businesses lost, infrastructure burn to the ground, because we simply can't get to these fires quick enough. 'When we do, we simply don't have the resources to deal with them adequately.' Jonathan Smith, assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, has said 'we're not out of the woods as far as this heatwave is concerned', as he urged people to avoid using disposable barbecues and take care when extinguishing cigarettes. Mr Smith added: 'We're urging the public to think about and modify their behaviour over the course of the next four days in particular to take that pressure off the emergency services... we're not out of the woods as far as this heatwave is concerned.' Meanwhile, Met Office boss Paul Davies said the increasing heatwave temperatures may now occur once every five years - and annually by the end of the century. He told The Mirror: 'When I started out as a forecaster, if someone had said in your lifetime you'll see 40 degrees, I'd have said; 'No, surely not!'. 'We are in uncharted waters. We're entering areas we've never experienced before and it's not just the UK, it's the planet as a whole.' Meanwhile, a man has died after getting into difficulties in the sea at Humberston Fitties. Humberside Police said officers were called to Humberston Fitties beach at around 4pm on Wednesday, August 10 following reports for a concern for safety. They found a man who as unconscious after coming into difficulty in the water. Coastguard, RNLI, ambulance crews and police all attended the scene. Humberside Police said CPR and lifesaving efforts were carried out by the lifeboat crew and paramedics, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. A Humberside Police spokesperson said: 'Our thoughts are with man's family and loved ones who were supported by officers on scene.' The incident has been reported to HM Coroner, the spokesperson added. A spokeswoman for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance said: 'Our LNAA crew attended an incident in the Humberston area yesterday (Wednesday 10 August 2022). The crew was flown to scene on board the helicopter, putting our doctor-paramedic team by the side of the patient in under 20 minutes.' Families across the country are being warned to expect some uncomfortable nights, with temperatures unlikely to drop beyond the mid-to-high teens. It comes as the driest first seven months of the year in decades and hot spells have left parts of the UK facing looming drought, prompting hosepipe bans and warnings about the impact on agriculture, rivers and wildlife. The latest analysis from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) has warned that low or even exceptionally low river flows and groundwater levels are likely to continue for the next three months in southern England and Wales. Mr Petagna said that rain could be on the horizon early next week, adding: 'There are signs that we could get some rain next week, but details at the moment are uncertain,' he said. 'What we really need is a few weeks of light rain to soak into the ground. Thunderstorms are more likely to cause some flooding issues because the ground is hard the water can't sink in.' The water industry has said they are doing 'everything possible' to stop leakage but it remains a constant battle. It comes after Tory frontrunner Liz Truss said there needs to be 'tougher action' on water companies as there 'hasn't been enough action to deal with leaky pipes'. Stuart Colville, director of policy at Water UK, has said it is a 'constant battle' to stop water leakage but that the water industry is doing 'everything possible' to do so. Mr Colville said that it is looking 'increasingly inevitable' that the Environment Agency will declare a drought for England, adding this would be the 'right decision given some of the pressure on the environment that we're seeing at the moment.' Pictured: A rare green field gets watered on Thursday at East Fen Farm in Soham, Cambridgeshire as the drought continues Pictured: The East Fen Farm in Soham, Cambridgeshire has its own reservoir but that is now running low after the UK experienced its driest July since 1935 Pictured: A water irrigator at work in a field in Cambridge as the sun rises this morning amid increasing temperatures Pictured: One of Britain's rare green fields gets watered on Thursday morning at East Fen Farm in Soham, Cambridgeshire Pictured: A water irrigator at work in a field in Cambridge on Thursday. Temperatures keep rising this week with some areas expecting to reach in to the low to mid 30s Pictured: A view of the low water levels at the United Utilities, Woodhead Reservoir, in Derbyshire Pictured: Tinderbox Britain's dry conditions continue their alarming effects at Bessom Bridge over Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor in Somerset Pictured: London Underground Commuters on another hot day as people head into the capital on the jubilee line today The sun rises behind The Shard skyscraper as a second heatwave is predicted for parts of the country on Thursday Our leaks shame: Thames Water is wasting 635m litres A DAY through leaky pipes... but bosses are STILL threatening to impose hosepipe ban Britain's biggest water company is threatening to impose a hosepipe ban despite failing to stop millions of litres of water leaking from its pipes. Thames Water confessed yesterday to letting nearly a quarter of all water it supplies leak through cracks but the firm's strategy director said we needed to 'be more efficient' like the Germans and Danes. It said it is preparing to impose a hosepipe ban in the 'next couple of weeks', affecting 15million customers in London and the South East. Environment Secretary George Eustice called in water company bosses yesterday to discuss the water crisis amid reports a state of drought could be declared. Yorkshire Water confirmed it was also considering bringing in a hosepipe ban. Sources at the Environment Agency confirmed that Yorkshire, Anglian and South West Water are all considering hosepipe bans which would place water restrictions on more than 32million people in England and Wales. South East Water in Kent and Sussex, Southern Water in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Welsh Water have declared bans. But Thames was forced to admit that while it was seeking a hosepipe ban it wastes more than 635million litres of water a day. Cathryn Ross, strategy and regulatory affairs director at Thames Water told Radio 4's Today: 'In all probability we'll be moving to introduce the hosepipe ban in the next couple of weeks.' She confirmed leaks were endemic across Thames's network. She added: 'We totally accept we need to do better on fixing leaks, that's why we're fixing more than 1,100 leaks every week. We are not where we need to be, we have a lot of work to do to fix Thames Water.' She admitted it was likely that households would have to cut water use due to climate change. 'We're going to have to look at all the tools in the toolkit to make sure that we keep customers with taps flowing.' But high usage of water was partly to blame. 'We use 150 litres of water per person per day in England,' she said. 'In Germany it's 120, in Copenhagen, where they've had a big push on this, it's down to nearly 100.' Water companies in Germany and Denmark are publicly owned. Germany also has a much better record of tackling leaking pipes than in the UK with around 5 per cent of all water lost to leaks, compared with 20 per cent in the UK. The Government wants leaks cut to 10 per cent by 2050. Yorkshire Water confirmed it was considering a hosepipe ban after reservoir levels fell below 50 per cent, 20 per cent lower than usual. The Environment Secretary met water company bosses yesterday. Mr Eustice said: 'All water companies have reassured me that water supplies remain resilient across the country. Each company has a pre-agreed drought plan which they are following.' He added: 'We are better prepared than ever before.' The Angling Trust wants water companies to stop dragging their feet and order hosepipe bans. Trust policy chief Martin Salter said: 'Millions of gallons of scarce water is being wasted keeping golf courses and lawns green rather than helping rivers survive and our wildlife and economy protected.' Advertisement An Oxfordshire village has also become the first in Britain to run dry, with residents forced to rely on deliveries of bottled and tanker water. Northend, on the Buckinghamshire border, usually gets its water from the now dried-up Stokenchurch Reservoir. Thames Water had to send water tankers and bottles to its residents, struggling after high demand on the natural resource in recent hot weeks. The company has also recently announced it will be issuing a hosepipe ban for 15million customers across London, Surrey and Gloucestershire in the coming weeks. A Thames Water spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We're sorry to customers in the Stokenchurch area who are experiencing lower pressure than normal due to technical issues with our Stokenchurch reservoir. 'We have a team on site working hard to resolve this as soon as possible and the situation is improving and supplies have been restored to customers. 'We're using tankers to help boost supplies to customers in Northend to keep up water pressures for these customers so they do not see supply issues as well as delivering water bottles. 'Customers may experience lower than normal pressure during periods of higher demand. 'These times are typically in the morning and during the early evening. 'We've also identified everyone in the affected area who has pre-registered with us as having special requirements, such as being medically reliant on water, so we can get in touch and make sure we give them the help and support they need. 'We realise how inconvenient this is, especially during such hot weather, and appreciate customers' patience as we work to resolve things' Last night Andrew Sells, head of Natural England between 2014 and 2019, accused water companies of selling off reservoirs which could have helped ease drought to housing developers. 'Several of our water companies preferred to build houses on some of their reservoirs, and last week we learned that together they have built precisely zero new reservoirs in the past 30 years', he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. 'No doubt some reservoirs had reached the end of their working lives, but in abandoning this infrastructure, without any replacements, they have again put short-term profits ahead of long-term supply.' The Met Office also predicted the extreme heat will become more commonplace in the coming years as global warming continues. Professor Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, said: 'The warnings for extreme heat from both the Met Office and the heat health alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency are another reminder that this summer in the UK is proving to be lethally hot. 'Compared to the July record-breaking heat, this event will be less intense but last longer, which could actually have a greater impact on people's health. 'This heatwave might not break any records for maximum temperatures, but it might actually cause more deaths.' Climate change is making heatwaves more intense, frequent and likely, with last month's record temperatures made at least 10 times more likely because of global warming and 'virtually impossible' without it, research shows. Scientists also warn the likelihood of droughts occurring is becoming higher due to climate change, driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and other human activities. Government minister Paul Scully said it is 'always sensible' for people to conserve water, when asked about the possibility of a hosepipe ban for London. He added: 'But we'll look carefully because the whole point about London and the South East is that the more development you have and the less rainfall there is, then obviously there's less to go around and we've got to be careful.' Pictured: Portobello beach, a few miles from Edinburgh city centre, was busy with sunseekers on Thursday as temperatures hit the high twenties A woman covers her head from the scorching sun on a small green grass patch to enjoy her lunch break in London today A woman was pictured walking near Big Ben in London today as heatwaves and prolonged dry weather are damaging landscapes, gardens and wildlife, the National Trust has warned Pictured: An aerial view of the scorched harvest during the heatwave in Scampton, Lincolnshire, on Thursday What is your water company doing to cope with the dry weather? The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet tomorrow to discuss the prolonged dry weather Four water companies have announced hosepipe bans in the UK as another heatwave scorches the country. Thames Water was the latest to say it expects to implement a temporary usage ban (TUB) in the coming weeks due to the dry weather. Here are each water company's current guidelines concerning hosepipe bans and water usage across the UK, alongside water leakage statistics for those based in England and Wales: - Anglian Water Area: East of England and Hartlepool Customers: Six million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 86 litres A spokesman said: 'We have no hosepipe bans currently in place across our region and we're working hard to keep it that way, but we're watching river levels very closely right now as things can change quickly and the forecast for this month remains dry and warm.' - Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) Area: Most of Wales and parts of western England on the border with Wales Customers: Three million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 116 litres The company has introduced a hosepipe ban for customers in the region of Pembrokeshire and a small part of Carmarthenshire, which will come into effect on August 19. The TUB will be in place 'until we have had enough rain to replenish our water resources'. - Hafren Dyfrdwy Area: North-east and mid-Wales Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 134 litres The water provider does not currently have any restrictions in place but has not ruled out implementing 'joint policies' along with the Welsh government should the situation with the dry weather worsen. A spokesman said: 'Whilst we don't have any concerns about raw water position for Hafren Dyfrdwy, we continue to monitor the situation and are a part of the Welsh Government's Taskforce, working closely with them to create joint policies and processes in the event of drought action.' - Northumbrian Water Customers: 2.7 million Area: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and parts of North Yorkshire Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 110 litres The website says there are 'no plans in place to implement any drought measures such as hosepipe bans', but adds it is 'good practice' to use water wisely. - Severn Trent Water Area: From the Bristol Channel to the Humber and from mid-Wales to the East Midlands Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 112 litres The region covered by Severn Trent Water currently has no hosepipe bans in place. However, the company said it will continue to monitor reservoir levels and demand for water 'closely', as it does every year, for any changes. - South West Water Area: Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset Customers: 1.7 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 118 litres South West water customers are at risk of 'formal restrictions' being introduced over the coming weeks. The last water restriction in the region was in 1996, but the company said on August 3 it may have to make the 'difficult decision' to introduce restrictions 'if the exceptional levels of demand and sustained dry weather continues'. - Southern Water Area: The south-west of England, including Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, most of Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire Customers: 2.5 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 87 litres A hosepipe ban has been in place for customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight since August 5. The company has applied for a Drought Permit on the River Test from the Environment Agency to allow them to continue to 'take water if levels continue to drop'. - Thames Water Area: London and the Thames Valley Customers: 15 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 161 litres Thames Water said it is planning to issue a hosepipe ban in the coming weeks 'given the long term forecast' of hot and dry weather for the region. It added: 'The timing is not confirmed due to a number of operational and legal procedural requirements but we will be updating our customers, partners, regulators and stakeholders at the earliest time to ensure a co-ordinated approach. 'In the meantime, we continue to urge our customers to only use what they need for their essential use.' - United Utilities Area: The North West in a region from Crewe to Carlisle Customers: More than three million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 130 litres A company spokesman told the PA news agency it is 'not considering any restrictions on use' of water at present but did encourage customers to use water wisely. - Wessex Water Area: The South West including Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and parts of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Hampshire Customers: 2.8 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 111 litres No hosepipe bans are planned by Wessex Water but the company does warn that reservoir and groundwater levels are low and urges customers to 'use water responsibly'. - Yorkshire Water Area: West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, part of North Lincolnshire, most of North Yorkshire and part of Derbyshire Customers: More than five million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 130 litres A spokesman said: 'We haven't applied for any drought orders or implemented TUBs. They do both form part of our drought plan and so they are tools that we could call on if/when we need to.' On its website, the firm said there is not currently a hosepipe ban in place but it 'can never rule it out. It's been a really dry year, so we all need to save water where we can.' - Affinity Water Area: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and other parts of the South East Customers: 3.83 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 120 litres Parts of the South East covered by Affinity Water are 'unlikely' to see any hosepipe ban this year. The company's website says: 'At current levels, it's unlikely we'll need to introduce restrictions this year.' - Bristol Water Area: Bristol city, north east Somerset and south Gloucestershire Customers: More than 500,000 Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 69 litres At the end of July, the company said: 'We will continue to monitor the situation, but with our current water resource outlook we do not foresee any issues in supply to customers.' - Portsmouth Water Area: Portsmouth and the surrounding area Customers: 698,000 Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 79 litres Despite Southern Water issuing a temporary usage ban for nearby Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth Water reassured customers on Twitter on Tuesday 'there is no hosepipe ban in the Portsmouth Water area of supply'. It added: 'But please, please, please use water responsibly! We're all in this together.' - South East Water Area: The south-east of England, including Eastbourne, Maidenhead and North Kent Customers: 2.2 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 99 litres A hosepipe ban will come into force on Friday for customers in Kent and Sussex. The company announced: 'We have been left with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers from 12.01am on Friday August 12 within our Kent and Sussex supply area until further notice.' On its website, South East Water said: 'We are taking this step to ensure we have enough water for both essential use and to protect the environment. 'This will enable us to also reduce the amount of water we need to take from already stressed local water sources.' - South Staffs Water Area: West Midlands, South Staffordshire, South Derbyshire, North Warwickshire and North Worcestershire Customers: 1.3 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 111 litres Head of water strategy and environment Natalie Akroyd said: 'With the recent hot weather and less-than-average rainfall for this time of year, we continue to monitor our water resources and encourage our customers to use water wisely. 'We currently don't have any plans in place to introduce hosepipe bans.' - SES Water Area: Parts of Surrey, Kent and south London Customers: 745,000 Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 82 litres SES Water wholesale director Tom Kelly said: 'The prolonged dry weather, coupled with higher demand for water, continues to affect our levels of resources, which are less than we'd expect for this time of year. '85% of our supplies come from groundwater resources, which is water stored in aquifers underground, and the remaining 15% is abstracted from rivers into our Bough Beech reservoir in Kent. 'These resources are refilled by rainwater between October to April and so, unlike some other water companies, we don't rely on summer rainfall to replenish. 'We'll be monitoring rainfall levels during the winter months, as that's when our groundwater sources refill, in case restrictions need to be brought in next spring. 'While they have still been affected by the dry weather, it's the increase in demand for water that's the main cause for the decline in water resource levels. 'Customers playing their part to save water is helping us from having to introduce restrictions. 'We continue to closely monitor our resources on a daily basis and won't rule out bringing in a hosepipe ban if we feel it is required. 'In the meantime, we're asking customers to keep using water responsibly, as we play our part to keep leakage as low as we can, and together we can make sure there's enough for everyone this summer.' - Scottish Water A Scottish Water spokesman told PA there were no plans for water usage restrictions in Scotland. He added: 'We are monitoring and managing our water resources and, in some instances, reservoirs are being topped up from alternative water sources to ensure supply resilience for customers.' - Northern Ireland Water A spokesman for Northern Ireland Water said: 'The amount of water in our impounding reservoirs is kept under continuous review and we are content with our current level of storage. However, it is imperative that customers continue to use water wisely, especially given the forecast for the next number of days. 'At this point in time, NI Water is not introducing a hosepipe ban. The situation is, however, being closely monitored and if storage reduces significantly or demand became excessive, NI Water would have to consider the possibility of putting in place measures in order to protect water supplies.' Water leakage information was compiled by the information dashboard Discover Water and is based on information agreed by water companies, the water regulators, the UK and Welsh Governments and the Consumer Council for Water. Advertisement Saharan Britain: Aerial views of England show scorched earth as parts of the UK resemble a desert after fields and trees turn brown in heatwave Shocking aerial shots have revealed the impact of the sizzling heatwave leaving farmers with parched crops as half of the UK population could be facing a hosepipe ban within weeks. These alarming photographs showed vast desert-like landscapes in areas that would normally be filled with swathes of greenery as the country endured its driest July since 1935 and record-breaking temperatures of 40C (104F). Patches of scorched grass could be seen right across the countryside in photographs taken surrounding East Midlands Airport as concerns grow over water shortages thanks to rising temperatures. The Met Office has also raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - today for much of southern England, and Wales alongside an amber, as the mercury is forecast to climb to 'lethally hot' temperatures of 36C (97F) this weekend. The warning system also been at its second highest level of alert for seven weeks, which is the longest stretch since 1976. It comes as several households in parts of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire are facing water shortages after a pipe burst on Thursday and the Stokenchurch Reservoir dried-up. Thames Water confessed yesterday to letting nearly a quarter of all water it supplies leak through cracks but the firm's strategy director said we needed to 'be more efficient' like the Germans and Danes. It said it is preparing to impose a hosepipe ban in the 'next couple of weeks', affecting 15million customers in London and the South East. These alarming aerial photographs showed vast desert-like landscapes in areas that would normally be filled with swathes of greenery as the country endured its driest July since 1935 and record-breaking temperatures of 40C (104F) Brits in Oxfordshire (pictured) and Milton Keynes were pictured using umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun on Wednesday while they played golf on a bone dry course An image of scorched Britain was captured yesterday and showed how the ongoing drought conditions have effected the country Patches of scorched grass could be seen right across the countryside in photographs taken surrounding East Midlands Airport as concerns grow over water shortages thanks to rising temperatures Pictured: Golfers are seen playing on a scorched course as the UK enters another sizzling heatwave Pictured: Cows are pictured eating straw and grass silage, which is normally a winter feed, at a farm in Harpole, near Northampton Pictured: An alarming aerial view of a dried out grass outfield during a T20 Last Man Stands cricket match Environment Secretary George Eustice called in water company bosses yesterday to discuss the water crisis amid reports a state of drought could be declared. Yorkshire Water confirmed it was also considering bringing in a hosepipe ban. Sources at the Environment Agency confirmed that Yorkshire, Anglian and South West Water are all considering hosepipe bans which would place water restrictions on more than 32million people in England and Wales. South East Water in Kent and Sussex, Southern Water in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and Welsh Water have declared bans. But Thames was forced to admit that while it was seeking a hosepipe ban it wastes more than 635million litres of water a day. Cathryn Ross, strategy and regulatory affairs director at Thames Water told Radio 4's Today: 'In all probability we'll be moving to introduce the hosepipe ban in the next couple of weeks.' She confirmed leaks were endemic across Thames's network. Andrew Sells, head of Natural England between 2014 and 2019, accused water companies of selling off reservoirs which could have helped ease drought to housing developers. 'Several of our water companies preferred to build houses on some of their reservoirs, and last week we learned that together they have built precisely zero new reservoirs in the past 30 years', he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. 'No doubt some reservoirs had reached the end of their working lives, but in abandoning this infrastructure, without any replacements, they have again put short-term profits ahead of long-term supply.' Pictured: Sunseekers walk near the low water levels at Baitings Reservoir in Ripponden, West Yorkshire as water company bosses are being urged to impose a England-wide hosepipe ban to avoid the worst effects of drought on rivers and wildlife Pictured: Arid areas of land in South East London as the hot weather continues and threats of hose pipe bans may come into force Pictured: Dried out ground in a park, following a long period of little rainfall and hot weather in St Albans Firefighters bring a field fire under control near Ashford in Kent as the Met Office raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - today for much of southern England, and Wales The sports grounds at a Cambridge University college remain dry and dusty following weeks of exceptional hot weather in Britain. Drone photos show the parched cricket pitch and tennis courts Scorched fairways at the Links Golf Club in Newmarket, as Britain is braced for another heatwave that is set to last longer than July's record-breaking hot spell An aerial view of the historic Iron Age hill fort of Maiden Castle at Dorchester in Dorset where the grass has been scorched by the hot summer sunshine and drought conditions The companies which have sold off decommissioned reservoirs in recent years include Thames Water, Severn Trent and Southern Water. Meanwhile, the Woodhead Reservoir in the Peak District has seen a drop in water levels over the last few days. Photos taken at the Dernford Reservoir near Cambridgeshire also show low water levels as water companies struggle to meet demand. Nearby, the River Granta is still flowing but at much lower levels than usual. Last month it was reported that the river was at a lowly 5cm, despite previously sitting at more than one metre. Advertisement A Briton accused of being a terrorist in the Middle East has appeared in court today charged with terror offences and was remanded in custody. Aine Leslie Davis, 38, also known as Aine Leslie Rodrigues and Hamza Davis, was arrested after his flight from Turkey landed at Luton Airport last night. This morning he was charged with offences contrary to sections 15, 17 and 57 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The first two charges relate to fundraising for the purposes of terrorism and the final charge relates to possession of a firearm for terrorist purposes. London-born Davis appeared at Westminster Magistrates' this morning. He was flanked by two detectives for his brief appearance in the dock where he spoke to confirm his name and date of birth before the charges were read out by the clerk of the court. Davis, wearing a grey prison issue track suit, showed no emotion as he looked around the courtroom. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back as the three charges were read out. His lawyer Matt Foot said he would not be making a plea on his behalf and no application for bail. He was remanded in custody and will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 2 for a pre-trial hearing. An armoured police van brought him to the court from a south London police station at after 9am. The blue vehicle was followed into the underground car park by a Mercedes car containing anti-terrorism officers. The convoy left again around 11am and is likely to have taken him to Belmarsh Jail. Aine Davis, sketched in the dock today, and right in Syria, was arrested by counter terrorism police earlier last night at Luton Airport and charged with three terror offences this morning Davis leaves is rushed out of Westminster Magistrates Court this morning after his court appearance charged with three terror offences Although no bail application was made, the district judge Paul Goldspring told Davis he would have denied bail as he was at risk of re-offending and also fail to surrender to bail. Last night officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command arrested Davis at Luton Airport after he arrived into the UK on a flight from Turkey. A spokesman for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division said: 'Mr Davis, 38, has been charged with terrorism offences and possession of a firearm for a purpose connected with terrorism. 'The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Davis are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.' A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We will always ensure the safety and security of the UK, and will not allow anything to jeopardise this.' 'We can confirm that a British national has been deported from Turkey to the UK, but it would be inappropriate to comment further while police enquiries are ongoing.' Manly Sea Eagles hooker Manase Fainu has been found guilty of stabbing a church youth leader in a brawl outside a Sydney church dance. The 24-year-old pleaded not guilty to wounding Faamanu Levi with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Wattle Grove late at night on October 25, 2019. In his evidence to the District Court jury, he denied being the stabber saying when he heard 'knife knife' he ran away scared for his own safety. But the jurors took just over two hours to return a guilty verdict on Thursday. The Crown immediately made a detention application while his barrister argued he should remain on bail. The hearing is continuing. Manase Fainu (pictured) arrives at the Parramatta District Court on August 9 for his trial over the stabbing Manase Fainu (pictured) has played 24 matches for the Manly Sea Eagles since making his debut in 2018 Crown prosecutor Emma Curran told the court the Manly Sea Eagles player and his friends had been kicked out of an event organised by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, following a fight on the dancefloor. The jurors were told Fainu and his friend Uona Faingaa known as 'Big Buck,' were involved in the dancefloor fight and ushered outside by Mr Levi who told them not to fight on church grounds. CCTV footage showed Fainu with a white towel draped over his head and his four friends jumping back over a fence and into a car park where the brawl occurred with Mr Levi. 'When things looked like they were getting out of hand, Mr Fainu pulled out a knife and plunged it into the back of Mr Levi, causing a wound that punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding. 'Not content with having stabbed him once ... (Fainu) moved around to the front of Mr Levi and swung the knife upwards towards (his) face cutting him across the eyebrow. 'Then he ran back to the car,' the court was told. Ms Curran submitted that witness Tony Quach gave impressive, persuasive evidence in painstaking detail. Tony Quach (pictured) has been a key witness for the prosecution in the trial 'He told you ... that he clearly saw the accused's face, his left arm in a sling and that the accused looked angry.' Mr Quach told the court he saw Fainu holding a knife in his right hand with a clenched fist and elbow bent at 90 degrees before Mr Quach pushed him saying 'get out,' causing him to stumble. After Mr Quach reverted his attention to the melee, where a 'big guy' was punching his friend, he told the court he saw Fainu plunge the knife into Mr Levi's back. Mr Quach had a clear, unobstructed view and this was his first fight, Ms Curran said. 'Not something you would be likely to forget.' Another witness involved in the brawl - Kupi Toilalo - gave evidence that he saw a male in a sling approach his brother holding a knife. Fainu denied any involvement in the brawl and gave evidence that when he heard someone yell there was a knife, he ran away scared for his own safety. Ms Berejiklian told Sky News that she had 'no interest' in returning to politics Gladys Berejiklian, in her first television interview since resigning as NSW Premier, has shot down rumours she's planning a big return to politics, insisting she has 'no interest' in running for office again. The former state leader who lead NSW through the Black Summer bushfires and the Covid pandemic, was forced to step down in October last year after being embroiled in a corruption inquiry linked to her MP ex-boyfriend Daryl Maguire. Since leaving her political life behind, she's taken up the role of managing director of enterprise, business and institution for telecommunication giant Optus - joining the telecommunications company in February. Ms Berejiklian sat down with Sky News business reporter Ross Greenwood and Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin for a candid interview set to air on Sunday. Former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) has ruled out a return to politics after she abruptly resigned from office last October when an ICAC investigation was launched into her conduct as premier 'There is a lot of speculation about you returning to politics at some stage down the track,' Greenwood said. 'I've already said I've had no interest in that whatsoever,' the former premier replied. 'I exceeded my expectations as to what I wanted to achieve in public life and that's behind me and I'm proud of what I've done but I'm now looking forward to the future,' she said. Greenwood then turned his attention to Ms Rosmarin and asked if her colleague 'would make a good member of federal parliament' or even a 'good prime minister of this country'. 'What I might want for Gladys may not be the same as she wants for herself,' Ms Rosmarin replied as Ms Berejiklian sat beside her and mouthed 'no' three times. She added that she felt 'so grateful' Optus had 'welcomed' her with open arms back in February. In her first television interview since she resigned, Ms Berejiklian (pictured) firmly told Sky News business reporter Ross Greenwood that she had 'no interest' in running for office again and was happy in her new career with Optus Greenwood asked Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (pictured right) if Ms Berejiklian (pictured left) would make a 'good prime minister of this country' during the interview, to which Ms Berejiklian mouthed 'no' three time Greenwood later questioned what her views were about 'pathways' politicians 'should take' when they leave the profession. Ms Berejiklian said she 'can't speak for what other people decide' and can only speak for herself before touching on her future with Optus. 'And you sure you can't be tempted back into politics at some stage?' the Sky News reporter asked one final time. 'A million per cent,' the former premier quickly responded. After abruptly leaving politics behind, the former premier took up a position at telecommunications company Optus in February as managing director of enterprise, business and institution The Independent Commission Against Corruption held an inquiry into whether she breached public trust by playing a role in two government grants handed out in Mr Macguire's electorate. In August last year it emerged that Ms Berejiklian showed 'interest' in a proposed $5.5million grant for a shooting association clubhouse and conference facility in her secret lover's electorate, documents show. Mr Maguire had previously been accused of abusing his public office before admitting to being involved in a cash-for-visa scheme and seeking secret commissions for brokering property deals. But the ex-premier continues to insist she's done nothing wrong. ICAC is yet to hand down its findings from the hearing late last year. The ousted premier stood down as NSW leader after it was revealed she had become the centre of a corruption probe linked to her disgraced former lover Daryl Maguire (pictured together) The four victims of a gunman's deadly rampage have today been pictured as it emerged a father-of-four who was shot dead had been trying to save others from the attacker. John MacKinnon, 47, was named locally as the victim of yesterday's horrific shooting - in which a further three people were injured before police Tasered and arrested the suspect. Wednesday's horror began when the first victim, named locally as Mr MacKinnon's sister-in-law, Rowena MacDonald was stabbed at a property in the village of Tarskavaig at around 9am. Following the incident in Teangue, the gunman then drove about an hour away to Dornie in Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland before launching an attack on two locals named as osteopath John D Mackenzie, 63, and mental health nurse wife Fay, 63. Mrs MacDonald was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow with serious injuries, while Mr and Mrs MacKenzie were rushed to Raigmore Hospital and Broadford Hospitals respectively. A 39-year-old man, who was a registered firearms holder, was arrested yesterday in connection with the three linked incidents. Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said what happened during Wednesday's tragedy has 'shocked the place to the core'. The SNP's Westminster leader also threw his weight behind calls to review Scotland's gun laws in the wake of the Wednesday's terrifying scenes. He said: 'Given what we have seen over the course of the last 24 hours, it is right and proper that we continue to look at the regulations that we have in place for the very simple reason that all of us have got a responsibility to keep people safe.' John MacKinnon, 47, has been named locally as the victim of yesterday's horrific gun rampage, in which a further three people were injured before police Tasered and arrested a suspect Wednesday's horror began when the first victim, named locally as Mr MacKinnon's sister-in-law, Rowena MacDonald, 32, (pictured) was stabbed at a property in the village of Tarskavaig at around 9am The gunman then drove about an hour away to Dornie in Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland before launching an attack on two locals named as osteopath John D Mackenzie and wife Fay (pictured together, centre) Police say there were three linked incidents on Skye and the Scottish mainland which have led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man The suspect targeted four victims in a trail of destruction from the popular holiday island to Ross-shire. The spree started at 9am yesterday when 32-year-old hotel worker Rowena was stabbed at a home in the Skye village of Tarskavaig. Seven miles away in the fishing village of Teangue, on the Sleat peninsula, Mr MacKinnon was reportedly killed after being blasted by a shotgun while trying to wrestle the firearm off the attacker. Osteopath John D Mackenzie (above) was named locally as the third person injured during the gunman's rampage Distillery worker Mr MacKinnon, 47, was described by heartbroken friends and neighbours as a 'wonderful and kind man'. One school friend shared their tributes to John MacKinnon and told the Press & Journal that he was 'one of the kindest men'. 'He loved a laugh and he lit up a room and made everyone feel special,' they added. Another neighbour said: 'No one can believe what has happened here on Skye today. We will miss him.' Police officers were later alerted to reports of gunshots 26 miles away on the mainland in Dornie, close to the famous Eilean Donan Castle. The major incident only ended when police tasered and stopped the attacker in the village of Dornie. How the gun rampage unfolded Just before 9am Police were called to a property in the Tarskavaig area, a remote region in southern part of the Isle of Skye, after reports of an injured woman. Officers found a 32-year-old woman seriously injured, and she is airlifted to hospital in Glasgow for treatment. 9.30am Emergency services were then called to a property in Teangue, which is less than a 20 minute drive from Tarskavaig, after reports a firearm had been discharged. On arrival they found a 47-year-old man, who was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Later on Wednesday morning Police were then called to a property in the Dornie area in Wester Ross after reports of a firearm being discharged. On arrival they found a man seriously injured and an injured woman. The man was airlifted to hospital in Inverness, while the woman was taken to a hospital on Skye. Arrest is made Officers later arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with all three incidents. He was taken to hospital in Inverness for treatment on unspecified injuries. Advertisement Last night, police officers stood guard at the property in Teangue as forensic teams wearing white suits combed the area. A tight cordon remained in place, and officers could be seen patrolling outside the house. Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, local policing commander for Highlands and Islands Division, said: 'The thoughts of everyone are with the family and friends of Mr MacKinnon and the three people who remain injured in hospital. 'These incidents took place in close-knit, rural areas and will have a significant impact not only on those directly affected, but also friends and neighbours living in these communities. 'Serious incidents which were witnessed yesterday are extremely rare and I would like to further reassure the local communities that they were dealt with and there is no further threat to local people. 'The policing response was significant as people would expect and involved national resources from across Scotland, including Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow being brought in to support local policing on Skye and Lochalsh. 'Local officers who live and work in these communities brought the situation to as swift a conclusion as possible and I thank everyone involved, including colleagues from the Scottish Ambulance Service, for their outstanding efforts in responding to what was a distressing series of incidents. 'The investigation, being led by Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team, is complex and challenging and I would also like to thank the local communities for their understanding and co-operation as we work through our enquiries. 'Given the size of the investigation and the fact we are dealing with a number of different sites, the considerable police presence will remain for the near future.' One local man, who asked not to be named, told the Mail that the news of the shooting had shocked the community to the core. He said: 'I am absolutely shocked, we knew the man that was killed, the wife and the family. 'The police cars were all lined up outside his former practice, I can't believe it. 'Everybody is totally shocked. It is a such a shock to the community, especially because we are so tight-knit. 'An elderly lady who lives nearer to the house [in Teangue] phoned me and told me about the police arriving. Other than that I never heard anything.' In Dornie, neighbours told how they heard sirens and the sound of the air ambulance at around 9.30am. One man said: 'I looked outside and saw maybe 13 police cars and an ambulance racing past. 'It's a terrible shock, everyone is talking about it.' Another local who was working at nearby Eilean Donan Castle at the time told of his fear his children might be caught up in the violence. He said: 'I heard something bad was happening while I was at work, so I phoned my daughter and told her to stay in the house. It was scary. 'You'd think of something like this happening out in America but you don't expect it around here.' Yesterday, a house remained cordoned off with three police officers standing guard. Police say a 39-year-old man who has been arrested in relation to all three incidents has also been taken to Raigmore Hospital. Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, local policing commander for Highlands and Islands Division, said: 'Incidents such as this are thankfully extremely rare but I understand that this will have a significant effect on the local community in these rural areas. Dozens of police cars and the force helicopter were called to reports of an injured woman at a property in the Tarskavaig area Police officers were then alerted to reports of gunshots 26 miles away on the mainland in Dornie A police van at the scene of one of the incidents on the Isle of Skye this morning. One man has died and three other people were injured An air ambulance pictured at the scene of one of the incidents in the Scottish Highlands this morning Despite the police presence in Dornie (pictured) on Skye, Police Scotland says there is no further risk to the community 'I would like to reassure people that we are treating these incidents as contained with no wider threat to the public. 'There will a significant police presence in the area over the coming days and we will be working with partners to provide support to the local community. I would like to thank people for their co-operation as our investigation progresses.' Earlier on Wednesday Ian Blackford, the SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said he has been told 'there is one fatality'. He said: 'This is dreadful and shocking news - especially for a place like Skye and Lochalsh. 'I have been kept informed of the events and I understand a firearm and knives were involved. I have been told that there is one fatality and three injured. 'Firearm regulations are there for a reason and there must be a review of this incident to ensure if any lessons can be learned from it. Mr Blackford, who lives on Skye, added: 'I want to pay tribute to the emergency services, including the police and Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as the local authority.' An ambulance at the scene of one of the incidents on the Isle of Skye this morning. A total of three people were injured and one man killed on Wednesday A Scottish Charity Air Ambulance flies overhead as emergency services deal with the fallout of the incidents on Skye and in Dornieon Wednesday Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch described the news as 'one of the worst days that I can recall in the history of Skye and Lochalsh.' She said: 'I cannot begin to imagine what the family and friends of those who have lost a loved one are going through, and they should be in all our thoughts and prayers right now. 'West Highland communities are close-knit, we are warm and welcoming, and this will shatter us to the core. 'It feels like our very heart has been ripped apart. I, and I am sure many others, never thought we would see such an awful day. Not a single West Highland home will be untouched by this terrible tragedy.' A dozen police cars including armed response units and the force helicopter were deployed to the scene on Wednesday morning. Locals have reported that the suspect is believed to have used a knife and firearm in a series of attacks. One resident said at the time of the incident: 'Stabbing in Sleat, then shotgun was used in Dornie. The victim is on the way to hospital. 'This is from a Dornie resident. Don't know if the perpetrator is caught yet.' Following the man's arrest, police described the situation as 'contained'. Speaking this afternoon, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We were made aware of a woman injured at a property in the Tarskavaig area on Skye shortly before 9am on Wednesday, August 10. 'Police are also attending two further incidents in Teangue on Skye and Dornie which are being linked. 'A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incidents. At this stage we believe the situation is contained and there is no risk to the wider community.' Police were first alerted after they were called to reports of an injured woman in the Tarskavaig area of Skye (pictured) Officers were then alerted to a second incident in nearby Teangue, which is also on the Isle of Skye (pictured) Hamish Fraser, chairman of Broadford and Strath Community Council, said: 'I'm shocked that such an incident has taken place in our island and within our close communities here. 'Our immediate thoughts are with those who have been immediately affected by this terrible tragedy and broader communities who have to live with that over the next few years.' Highland Council's convener, Bill Lobban, added: 'We are thankful to our emergency services colleagues for bringing this very serious and shocking incident to a close. 'We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. 'The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected.' And Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, an MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said: 'My heart goes out to all those affected by these appalling, related incidents on Skye and in the Lochalsh area. 'I'd like to pay tribute to the prompt response and bravery of our emergency services who managed to prevent the situation escalating further. As ever, we are in their debt.' 'We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. 'The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected.' Skye attracts 500,000 visitors-a-year with such natural features as The Fairy Pools and The Old Man of Storr. Dornie is separated from Skye by the island's famous bridge. Ex-prime minister Gordon Brown has unveiled a detailed plan to help avert a winter energy bill crisis - with a swipe at politicians taking holidays while millions face financial disaster. The former Labour leader said that the price cap on bills, which is due to soar in October and again in January, should be axed. He called on ministers to negotiate with individual firms to lower bills and nationalise - temporarily - any businesses that go bust due to the difference in the rate they charge customers and the wholesale price of gas. Mr Brown, has already criticised Boris Johnson this week for going on honeymoon last week when the Bank of England unveiled a terrifying analysis of the next 18 months for Britain. And he took another swing at politicians taking time off, telling the Guardian: 'Time and tide wait for no-one. Neither do crises. 'They don't take holidays, and don't politely hang fire - certainly not to suit the convenience of a departing PM and the whims of two potential successors.' However his remarks could also apply to current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who is also on holiday. While not in Government, and therefore having no official role in helping alleviate the problems, there has been disquiet in Labour ranks at his absence when they feel the Government's feet should be held to the fire. Politics Home last night reported that he is expected to make a speech on the subject when he returns to Westminster next week. Mr Brown took another swing at politicians taking time off, telling the Guardian: 'Time and tide wait for no-one. Neither do crises' He has already criticised Boris Johnson this week for going on honeymoon last week when the Bank of England unveiled a terrifying analysis of the next 18 months for Britain. However his remarks could also apply to current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who is also on holiday. While not in Government, and therefore having no official role in helping alleviate the problems, there has been disquiet in Labour ranks at his absence when they feel the Government's feet should be held to the fire. Mr Brown, who previously called for the Tory leadership contenders to set aside their differences and work on an emergency plan with Boris Johnson, has been joined in his calls by a boss at one of the UK's biggest energy companies. Philippe Commaret, managing director of customers at EDF, said: 'We are asking Government and the two Conservative candidates to work with industry so we can find a viable solution for those customers most in need this winter. 'Customers need to know now that help is coming. Delaying a decision will cause anxiety for millions of people, and discussions need to happen now.' Consumer champion Martin Lewis also made similar calls, telling broadcasters: 'I accept the point that Boris Johnson is running a zombie government and can't do much, but the two candidates - one of them will be our prime minister - they need to get together in the national interest to tell us the bare minimum of what they will do.' Bosses of Britain's biggest energy firms will face pressure from ministers about how they can help customers cope with rising bills at a crunch meeting at Downing Street today. Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will press gas and electricity company executives for solutions to the predicted spike in bills over winter. The summit with utilities bosses comes after Cornwall Insight predicted bills are set to soar to around 3,582 in October, from 1,971 previously, before rising even further in the new year. Martin Lewis yesterday claimed rising energy prices were a 'cataclysmic' financial emergency 'that risks lives'. Energy executives are being asked to submit a breakdown of expected profits and payouts, as well as investment plans for the next three years. There has been anger at Shell, BP and British Gas owner Centrica announcing bumper financial results as households struggle. Former prime minister Gordon Brown has suggested scrapping the price cap and negotiating lower rates with energy bosses. There are also reports the windfall tax, currently limited to oil and gas, could be extended to electricity, although Mr Kwarteng is believed to be against this. Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss continue to face questions about what they will do to help struggling families, while Labour has called for a 'loophole' in the oil and gas windfall tax to be closed to raise more support cash. Microsoft is laying off the Modern Life Experiences team, according to reports of The Verge and Windows Central. The Modern Life Experiences team was put together in 2018 aiming to "win back consumers." Around 200 employees of the team were told to seek another position at the company within 60 days, or take severance pay. Aside From the Lay Off, Microsoft Also Plans to Slow Hiring The news about the layoff comes weeks after the company laid off less than 1 percent of its 180,000-person workforce, with reduced workforce in consulting, and customer and partner solutions. Microsoft also made an announcement that it was planning to slow hiring amid a weakening economy. Windows Central mentioned that the Modern Life Experiences team was dedicated to "bringing consumer products directly to the people who need them... empower(ing) families to learn, explore and connect in a fun and safe environment." It's unclear how the layoff would affect Microsoft's consumer efforts outside of Xbox and Surface. CVP Yusef Mehdi stated in 2018 that Microsoft had "lost a little magic with consumers," and that the Modern Life Experiences team would be the one to "begin the journey to win back consumers with our vision." Despite the cut in the number of employees, Microsoft will keep on selling many of its products to consumers, such as its line of Surface devices and Xbox hardware and services. The company will also continue to market consumer versions of Microsoft 365, Outlook, Family Safety, and other front-end software and services. It can be noted that Microsoft also has a consumer version of Teams built into Windows 11, however, since launch, it has seen little success. Read Also: Microsoft Still in the Smartphone Business Despite Nokia Layoffs? Microsoft is Working on Strengthening Its Product Subscription There is no official comments from Microsoft, but in a LinkedIn post, a company's senior designer said that there was "hard news" for the Modern Life Experiences team this week. The consumer efforts Microsoft are now centered on Windows, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams for consumer, Surface, and Xbox. Modern Life Experiences team was originally formed in 2018 after the company experienced a rocky phase for its consumer services. The company officially ended its Groove Music service in 2017. In the same year, if discontinued Kinect and also declared that Windows Phone was dead. In 2016, the Microsoft Band fitness device also disappeared. The works made with Cortana lost to rivals and Microsoft "switched things up to chase business users instead," according to The Verge. The company switched its strategies and pivoted its HoloLens hardware towards commercial customers. Eventually, Microsoft attained success with its Microsoft 365 subscriptions for consumers. In the recent quarter, the consumer subscription of Microsoft 365 grew by 15 percent, up to 59.7 million. Amid a proliferation in hybrid and remote work, Office consumer increased by 9 percent year over year. The future of some of Microsoft products is now in the hands of Microsoft's hire last year, Manik Gupta, the former head of product at Uber. Gupta is behind Microsoft Teams consumer, Skype, and GroupMe. Currently, he's working on building consumer experiences across Microsoft. Related Article: Microsoft Lays Off 1,850 Employees As It Quits Its Nokia Phone Business Experiment Advertisement France is gasping from a dire water shortage with hundreds of towns and villages left with no tap water as 'ogre' wildfires rip across the country for the second time this summer in a 'vision of hell'. The entire nation is suffering its worst drought on record with restrictions in place to limit water usage, but for more than 100 parched communes, they don't even have the option to ration their supply. French environment minister Christophe Bechu said it is a 'historic' crisis for so many communities to have no tap water at all, as fleets of vans ferry bottled water to the desperate residents. Exacerbating the crisis, fires are razing down thousands of hectares of land across four different departments, causing havoc to agriculture and vineyards. The suffocating heat with no water relief is a story reflected across Europe, with Spain, Italy, Portugal and Germany also under emergency measures. Water levels on the Rhine are critically low, causing a huge logjam for essential cargo deliveries of oil and coal to Dutch ports which could further worsen the continent's energy crisis. In a river between Poland and Germany, five tonnes of dead fish have been hauled out of the water due to the low water levels combined with toxic chemicals. Italy's Po River is at its lowest in history while Spain is also battling wildfires and a drought that has left one reservoir 87 per cent empty. The head of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, said rising land temperatures and shrinking rivers as measured from space are a certain sign of climate change, saying: 'It's pretty bad. We have seen extremes that have not been observed before.' Here, MailOnline takes a look at how the furnace-like conditions have caused perishing droughts and catastrophic fires across the continent. Europe is in the grips of sweltering heat, severe drought and raging wildfires that are tearing through Spain, France and Portugal, while key waterways such as the Rhine and the Po are running dry FRANCE: Firefighters attempt to tackle a blaze near Saint-Magne, south of Bordeaux, southwestern France, as wildfires rip through France again FRANCE: The sky is illuminated by flames at a wildfire near Belin-Beliet as thousands flee their homes from the encroaching fire FRANCE: Firefighters desperately try to quell the raging blaze that has destroyed thousands of hectares of forest FRANCE: French officials warned that flare-ups could cause a massive wildfire to further spread in the country's parched southwest FRANCE: A partially dried pond is seen near Aire-sur-Adour, southwestern France, amid the country's 'historic' drought which has caused water supplies to run dry PORTUGAL: - A wildfire burns in Manteigas, central Portugal, in the natural park of Serra da Estrela GERMANY/POLAND: Along the Oder River, which flows from Czechia north into the Baltic Sea, volunteers have been collecting dead fish that have washed ashore in Poland and Germany GERMANY: Cargo ships travel on the dried-out Rhine River with lighter loads due to the low water levels SPAIN: Civil Guard agents watch on as a forest fire burns near the town of Bustelo in Pontevedra, Spain ITALY: A view shows the bottom of the Po river in the province of Mantua with water levels at their lowest in recorded history Bone dry: Almost half of EU land is currently under a drought warning or worse because of a combination of heatwaves and a 'wide and persistent' lack of rain, experts have warned. A map (pictured) reveals the countries most at risk. Areas in orange are under 'warning' conditions, while 15 per cent of land has moved into the most severe 'alert' state (shown in red) France The unusually hot and dry summer combined with a lack of snow in the Alps has led to a water shortage which has been exacerbated by the lethal wildfires torching much of the country, with eight still active. In the village of Ollieres in Var, south east France, the taps ran completely dry and when supplies were eventually resumed, the water was declared unsafe because of the sand and sediment that had entered the pipes. More than 1,000 firefighters, nine planes and two water bomber helicopters have been deployed to tackle the blazes across four French departments as locals described the sky 'roaring like the ocean' in the 'hellish' scenes. Gregory Allione from the French firefighters body FNSPF told RTL Radio today: 'I would qualify the fire in Landiras as a mega-fire,' Allione told RTL Radio. 'It's an ogre, it's a monster,' he added. Flames in the Gironde region near Bordeaux in southwestern France have destroyed homes, forced the evacuation of 10,000 residents, some of whom clambered onto rooftops for safety, and scorched more than 6,800 hectares of forest. The Gironde was hit by major wildfires just last month - the driest month seen in France since 1961 - which destroyed more than 20,000 hectares of forest and temporarily forced almost 40,000 people from their homes. 'It's a disaster, economically, ecologically, it's awful,' Jean-Louis Dartiailh, the mayor of Hostens, a small town close to the fire, told Radio Classique. 'The area is totally disfigured. We're heartbroken, we're exhausted.' More than 57,200 hectares have gone up in flames so far in France this year, nearly six times the full-year average for 2006-2021, data from the European Forest Fire Information System shows. The Gironde was hit by major wildfires just last month - the driest month seen in France since 1961 - which destroyed more than 20,000 hectares of forest More than 57,200 hectares have gone up in flames so far in France this year, nearly six times the full-year average for 2006-2021 No one has been injured but 16 homes were destroyed or damaged near the village of Belin-Beliet, and officials said six fire engines had been burned More than 1,000 firefighters, nine planes and two water bomber helicopters have been deployed to tackle the blazes across the country Acrid smoke has spread across a huge swathe of the Atlantic coast and its beaches that draw huge crowds of tourists each summer French officials warned Thursday that flare-ups could cause a massive wildfire to further spread in the country's parched southwest The government said Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin would travel to the frontline of fire-fighting efforts in the southwestern French region of Gironde on Thursday. No one has been injured but 16 homes were destroyed or damaged near the village of Belin-Beliet, and officials said six fire engines had been burned. Acrid smoke has spread across a huge swathe of the Atlantic coast and its beaches that draw huge crowds of tourists each summer, with the regional ARS health agency 'strongly' urging people to wear protective face masks. 'The risks are very high' that parched conditions will allow the fire to spread further, said Martin Guespereau, prefect of the Gironde department. 'The weather is very unfavourable because of the heat, the dry air, the record drought and the fact that there is a lot of peat in the ground... the fire didn't go out in July, it went underground,' he told journalists. Darmanin said investigators suspected arson may be involved. 'There were eight fires that erupted between 8:00 and 9:00 am (0600 and 0700 GMT) that erupted at intervals of a few hundred metres, which is extremely unusual,' he said in Mostuejouls, north of the Mediterranean city of Montpellier, where another fire was raging in the Grands Causses natural park. He also told reporters that Sweden and Italy would send fire-fighting aircraft to France within 24 hours to help. 'It's a major fire... much more intense and fast-moving' than at the height of the Landiras blaze last month, Marc Vermeulen of the regional fire-fighting authority told journalists. France has been buffeted this summer by a record drought that has forced water-use restrictions nationwide Many villages were evacuated, such as Saint-Magne, Mano, Belin-Beliet, Moustey and Saugnac-et-Muret, and the A63 highway was also closed Flames in the Gironde region near Bordeaux in southwestern France have destroyed homes and forced the evacuation of 10,000 residents The wildfires have threatened wine-growing regions in France with vintners saying their crop is ready for harvest unusually early this year due to the warm weather 'I opened the door last night and there was (a) red wall in front of us, the sky was roaring like the ocean,' said Eliane, a 43-year-old at a temporary shelter for evacuees in Belin-Beliet. For Christian Fostitchenko, 61, and his partner Monique, waiting at a martial arts dojo in nearby Salles, it was their second evacuation of the summer from their home in Saint-Magne. 'This time we were really scared - the flames were less than 100 metres (328 feet) from the house,' he said. The fire was spreading toward the A63 motorway, a major artery linking Bordeaux to Spain, with thick smoke forcing the road's closure between Bordeaux and Bayonne. Wildfires have also ignited in the dry hills of the southeast and even in the normally lush areas of Brittany along the coast. On Wednesday, officials in western France said a wildfire near Angers and Le Mans has burned 1,200 hectares since Monday as nearly 400 firefighters struggle to contain it. Germany The drought in Germany has caused water levels on the Rhine to fall so dramatically that it could reach a critically low point in the coming days, officials have said. This could make it increasingly difficult to transport goods - including coal and gasoline - through the key waterway which could worsen the already devastating energy crisis. Weeks of dry weather have turned several of Europe's major waterways into trickles, posing a headache for German factories and power plants that rely on deliveries by ship and making an economic slowdown ever more likely. The Rhine river - Germany's most-important waterway - is running so low that it may soon become impassable to barges, threatening huge economic damage Transport vessels cruise past the partially dried riverbed of the Rhine river in Bingen, Germany, amid the ongoing droughts The droughts are not only affecting Germany, with Spain, southern France, Portugal and most of Italy suffering from the shortages Transporting goods by inland waterways is more important in Germany than in many other Western European countries, according to Capital Economics. 'This is particularly the case for the Rhine, whose nautical bottleneck at Kaub has very low water levels but which remains navigable for ships with small drafts,' said Tim Alexandrin, a spokesman for Germany's Transport Ministry. Authorities predict that water levels at Kaub will dip below the mark of 40 centimetres early Friday and keep falling over the weekend. While this is still higher than the record low of 27 centimetres seen in October 2018, many large ships could struggle to safely pass the river at that spot, located roughly mid-way along the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz. 'The situation is quite dramatic, but not as dramatic yet as in 2018,' said Christian Lorenz, a spokesman for the German logistics company HGK. Due to the lack of water, ships bringing salt down the Rhine River from Heilbronn to Cologne that would normally carry 2,200 metric tons of cargo are only able to transport about 600 tons, he said. Tonnes of dead fish have been hauled out of the River Oder which flows along part of Poland's border with Germany, as water officials warned people from entering the river In recent days thousands of dead fish have been found in various parts of the second largest Polish river Polish Environmental Protection Inspectorate had notified the prosecutor of an ecological disaster Firefighters and volunteers have removed about five tonnes of dead fish from the town of Olawa in southwest Poland, officials said 'Of course, we hope that shipping won't be halted, but we saw in 2018 that when water levels got very low the gas stations suddenly had no more fuel because ships couldn't get through,' Lorenz said. Authorities are taking steps to shift more goods traffic onto the rail network and, if necessary, give it priority, said Alexandrin, the Transport Ministry spokesman. Along the Oder River, which flows from Czechia north into the Baltic Sea, volunteers have been collecting dead fish that have washed ashore in Poland and Germany. Piotr Nieznanski, the conservation policy director at WWF Poland, said it appears that a toxic chemical was released into the water by an industry and the low water levels caused by the drought has made conditions far more dangerous for the fish. 'A tragic event is happening along the Oder River, an international river, and there is no transparent information about what is going on,' he said, calling on government authorities to investigate. People living along the river have been warned not to swim in the water or even touch it. Poland's state water management body said the drought and high temperatures can cause even small amounts of pollution to lead to an ecological disaster but it has not identified the source of the pollution. Spain In Andalusia, one of Europe's hottest and driest regions, paddle-boats and waterslides lie abandoned on the cracked bed of Vinuela reservoir which is now 87 per cent empty. A prolonged dry spell and extreme heat made July the hottest month in Spain since at least 1961. Spanish reservoirs are at just 40 per cent of capacity on average in early August, well below the ten-year average of around 60 per cent, official data shows. A forest fire burns near the town of Bustelo in Spain which had to be evacuated due to the proximity of the flames Flames from a forest fire burning in O Irixo in Pontevedra in Spain edge towards homes as wildfires rip across Europe The country was gutted by wildfires last month, and more have sprung up again, destroying 270 hectares in Carballeda de Valdeorras. Fire fighters say the blaze is 'still active and out of control' after it broke out on Tuesday in Casaio, which suffered a wildfire in July. The dry, hot weather is likely to continue into the autumn, Spain's meteorological service AEMET said in a recent report, putting further strain on Europe's largest network of dammed reservoirs with a holding capacity of 5.6 billion cubic metres. 'We are in a particularly dry year, a very difficult year that confirms what climate change scenarios have been highlighting,' Energy Minister Teresa Ribera told a news conference on Monday, also highlighting that the drought was leading to devastating wildfires. Portugal Nearly 1,200 firefighters backed by eight aircraft have battled a blaze in the mountainous Covilha area. The region 170 miles northeast of Lisbon has seen more than 3,000 hectares of forest ravaged since Saturday. The blaze is being fanned by strong winds, causing a 'very violent' ignition after the flames were previously brought under control. The fire razed hectares of natural heritage landscape including precious habitats and 100-year-old trees that will never be recovered, and three firefighters have been taken out of service due to injuries sustained tackling the inferno. Protected species such as bellflowers, campion and juniper have been lost, as well as owl, deer, rabbit, buzzard and red kite habitats. A wildfire that broke out on August 6 has been raging in the natural park of Serra da Estrela The region 170 miles northeast of Lisbon has seen more than 3,000 hectares of forest ravaged since Saturday Nearly 1,200 firefighters backed by eight aircraft have battled a blaze in the mountainous Covilha area The blaze is being fanned by strong winds, causing a 'very violent' ignition after the flames were previously brought under control The fire razed hectares of natural heritage landscape including precious habitats and 100-year-old trees that will never be recovered Italy Local authorities in areas surrounding Italy's longest river, the Po, have declared a state of emergency after levels dropped sharply. The Po is responsible for about a third of Italy's agricultural production. Large sandbanks now bake in the sun as water levels recede sharply, revealing the very bottom of the river. The drought-stricken waters are running so low they revealed a previously submerged World War Two bomb. Military experts defused and carried out a controlled explosion on Sunday of the 450-kg (1,000-pound) bomb, which was discovered on July 25 near the northern village of Borgo Virgilio, close to the city of Mantua. Members of the Italian army remove a World War Two bomb that was discovered in the dried-up River Po 'The bomb was found by fishermen on the bank of the River Po due to a decrease in water levels caused by drought,' Colonel Marco Nasi said Military experts defused and carried out a controlled explosion on Sunday of the 450-kg (1,000-pound) bomb Drought and unusually hot weather have raised the salt levels in Italy's largest delta which is killing rice fields 'The bomb was found by fishermen on the bank of the River Po due to a decrease in water levels caused by drought,' Colonel Marco Nasi said. About 3,000 people living nearby were evacuated for the disposal operation, the army said. The area's airspace was shut down, and navigation along that stretch of the waterway as well as traffic on a railway line and state road close by were halted. 'At first, some of the inhabitants said they would not move, but in the last few days, we think we have persuaded everyone,' said Borgo Virgilio's mayor, Francesco Aporti, adding that if people had refused to go, operations would have been halted. Bomb disposal engineers removed the fuse from the U.S.-manufactured device, which the army said contained 530 pounds of explosive. Then the bomb squad, escorted by police, transferred the device to a quarry in Medole municipality about 30 miles away, where it was destroyed. The drought and hot weather have also raised the salinity in Italy's largest delta, where the Po feeds into the Adriatic Sea south of Venice. Local authorities in areas surrounding Italy's longest river, the Po, have declared a state of emergency after levels dropped sharply At least one-third of the stock of prized double-valve clams raised in the Po Delta have died due to high temperatures and salty water, which is also killing off plants in nearby paddies and putting at risk this year's harvest The increased salt is killing rice fields along with the shellfish that are a key ingredient in one of Italy's culinary specialities: spaghetti with clams. At least one-third of the stock of prized double-valve clams raised in the Po Delta have died off. Plants along the banks of the Po River are wilting as they drink in water from increasingly salty aquifers and secondary waterways have dried up, shrinking amphibians and birds' wetland homes. 'It is evident that there is an entire system with an ecology that will have permanent problems,' said Giancarlo Mantovani, director of Po River Basin Authority. The amount of water entering the delta from the Po River is at an all-time low, hitting just3,350 cubic feet a second last month, due to drought conditions caused by a lack of wintertime snowpack and spring and summer rains. That is one-tenth of annual averages. It has been nearly two months since farmers have been able to tap the river water for agriculture. The impact may be even more lasting, as saltwater is leaching inland distances never before recorded, and seeping into aquifers, underground layers of rock that can hold water. 'The territory around the Po is three meters below sea level, therefore there is a continual flow of saline water that is going into the aquifers,' Mantovani said. 'We are therefore not only creating an agricultural problem, a human problem, but also an environmental problem. ... This is a perfect storm.' A raging homeowner has claimed a driver blocked their 'bulging skip' from being collected, branding them 'selfish' after it cost them hundreds of pounds to book a recollection. The black Vauxhall Corsa is thought to have parked in an awkward position preventing the skip from being picked up from a residential street in Dovecot, Liverpool. The furious skip owner went on to plaster the car with the same angry message that warned against 'selfish idiotic parking'. More than 13 sheets of A4 paper with the message printed on were stuck on the car's windscreen and windows with duct tape. But after the incident was revealed on Twitter, users on social media were divided over whether the action was right or wrong. The black Vauxhall Corsa, parked in Dovecot, Liverpool, was plastered with angry A4 notes calling out the 'selfish, idiotic parking'. The car is thought to have parked awkwardly blocking a skip collection which the homeowner said cost hundreds of pounds to rebook. The angry note read: 'Selfish idiotic parking! Parking right next to a bulging skip that's due to be collected today has cost me a lot of time and money. 'At 0803hrs this morning you parked in front of my property blocking an obviously bulging skip that was due to be collected today. 'I have spent hours knocking on every house and asking in the shop about the owner. 'It is now 1400hrs and it's still blocking the skip; I will now have to pay extra charges because of your selfish stupidity.' The angry note said: 'Parking right next to a bulging skip that's due to be collected today has cost me a lot of time and money.' At the bottom the skip owner warned the driver to never park in front of his home again. People on social media, however, have been left divided over who is in the right and who is in the wrong. One person wrote: 'It's not illegal to park in front of somebody's property.' Another added: 'People that think they own the road outside their house are hilarious in fairness.' People on social media have been divided over whether the skip owner is in the right or the wrong. Some people pointed out that the duct tape stuck on the car window and windscreen could cause damage. One said: 'If that tape peeled the clear coat off my car I'd be f*****g ranging.' Another added: 'I'd be knocking on his property informing him he needs to remove that tape ... defo grounds for criminal damage if it f***s with the paint.' Others pointed out the posters taped to the car's window and windscreen could cause damage to its coat. Others showed sympathy for the homeowner, agreeing that the driver should have parked in a more considerate way. One woman said: 'They have a point to be fair, if it is a driveway, if they're an on-call health professional someone could be in a lot of trouble by the time they get there.' Another man added: 'How about don't be a p***k and park in front of someone's drive?' Others felt sorry for the skip owner and said the driver was in the wrong for parking in awkward position. The homeowner said booking the skip recollection cost hundreds of pounds. Selina Flowers on Facebook said: 'People really need to be more aware when parking their car, park where you wish as long as its legal but being aware of your surroundings is common courtesy. 'Now they have a bill for paint work.' Kevin Foster added: 'Why not give the car owner the bill from the skip company for the so-called extra money it has cost the homeowner. 'Normally it's a pay on the collection of the skip, if the wagon can't pick it up then it's not the homeowners fault it's the car owner for blocking it.' Some called on the car owner to pay the bill for recollection of the 'bulging skip' while others said people need to be more aware of where they are parking. Some found the situation laughable. One woman said: 'Nothing could make me this embarrassingly angry.' Another man added: 'Should've just put it in the skip, probably where all Corsas belong to be fair. 'I'm mildly disappointed he didn't run out of toner in the printer and then subsequently printed off more to tell the person they now owe them for the toner and fuel to go to the shop and buy it.' Shakespeare's Globe Theatre is portraying historical icon Joan of Arc non-binary, sparking its very own tempest and claims of 'violating history'. A new production of I, Joan is billed as 'powerful and joyous' and 'questioning the gender binary'. But while it is yet to open at the world-famous venue on August 25, pre-publicity uses the pronouns 'they' and 'them' when referring to the French historical figure. A separate post on the history on the warrior-saint even does the same thing, declaring 'whoever Joan truly was, perhaps the most accurate descriptor for them is simply "icon".' This afternoon the theatre defended itself and confirmed the titular figure 'Uses the pronouns they/them in the show - and insisted Shakespeare would have approved. But one academic today told MailOnline it 'Completely violated the meaning of history' and reframed the real-life heroine in terms completely alien to her time. Joan has been adopted as a feminist icon and for the suffragette movement was even featured on their posters. Frank Furedi, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Kent, told MailOnline: Playwrights are allowed to have a bit of poetic license but I think what is interesting about the play is that it very much falls in with the idea of rewriting history. Joan of Arc is one of the most famous and inspirational women in French history and a saint Joan is to be played in the new I,Joan show by Isobel Thom and directed by Ilinca Radulian A publicity picture for the new play at The Globe, which has prompted some controversy The life of Joan of Arc Joan of Arc was born in 1412 into a pious Catholic family of peasants. She began to hear voices at the age of 13 and believed God had chosen her to lead France to Victory against England in the 100 Years War. She convinced Charles of Valois to let her lead the army to the besieged city of Orleans, where it was victorious. But after the prince became King Charles VII, Joan was captured by English allies, the Burgundians. She was tried for witchcraft, heresy and dressing as a man, among 70 charges, History.com reported. Keen to distance himself from the accused witch, Charles VII didn't come to her aid. Joan initially said she had heard voices and saw visions of saints, but under duress, she relented on her claims she had ever received divine guidance in her mission to put Charles on the throne. The story goes that she went against orders by wearing men's clothes days after doing this and was sentenced to death as a result. She was burned at the stake in the market place of Rouen at just 19 years old, in 1431. Some 20 years later, however, a new trial ordered by Charles VII cleared her name Joan of Arc was canonized in 1920 and is one of historys most famous saints. Advertisement The reinterpretation violates the historical reality. Its plundering history to legitimise views in the here and now. Someone like Joan of Arc would not have any idea what non-binary was. It is a recharacterisation of something that did not even exist at the time. It completely violates the meaning of history its the projecting of a fantasy backwards. I imagine in time someone will suggest Jane Austen was transgender or George Elliot was non-binary. It completely violates the meaning of history its the projecting of a fantasy backwards. For French patriots Joan of Arc is someone very special. Her role was all the more heroic because she was a woman. Debates about gender identity currently ongoing mean the move by the Globe - which was given 3million of taxpayers' money in 2020 to help it through the pandemic - is sure to prompt controversy. It is not clear whether the play was commissioned or funded by the Globe itself. Isobel Thom plays the title role. The play is written by Charlie Josephine who is non-binary and whose website says uses the pronouns they/he. In an interview about I, Joan, the writer said of the production: 'It's going to be this big sweaty, queer, revolution, rebellion, festival of like joy. 'It's a big story, on a big stage, Joan of Arc was this incredible historical figure. 'Joan was this working class, young person, who was transgressing gender at a time when it as really dangerous and that just felt instantly relatable to me. 'I was assigned female at birth. I'm non-binary, I'm from a working class background. I've often felt like I've had something to say and haven't been given permission to say it. 'So to get an opportunity to write a play about a character, that's also trying to do that, I was like, uh it's too good to be true really. Rehearsals of the new play which opens later this month at Shakespeare's The Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre, on the South Bank in London, is one of the word's most famous attractions Pre publicity for the upcoming show says Joan is non-binary and uses pronouns 'they' or 'them' Theatre artistic director Michelle Terry insists Shakespeare 'would have approved' 'Shakespeare did not write historically accurate plays. He took figures of the past to ask questions about today's world. Our writers of today are doing no different, whether thats looking at Ann Boleyn, Nell Gwynn, Emilia Bassano, Edward II, or Joan of Arc. 'The Globe is a place of imagination. A place where, for a brief amount of time, we can at least consider the possibility of worlds elsewhere. We have had entire storms take place on stage, the sinking of ships, twins who look nothing alike being believable, and even a Queen of the fairies falling in love with a donkey. 'Shakespeares Globe proudly presents a new play, I, Joan with Joan as a legendary leader, who in this production, uses the pronouns they/them. The production is still being created and opens on 25 August in the open-air Globe Theatre. We are not the first to present Joan in this way, and we will not be the last. To respond specifically to the use of pronouns, the use of they to refer to a singular person has been traced by the Oxford English Dictionary to as early as 1375, years before Joan was even born. But theatres do not deal with historical reality. Theatres produce plays, and in plays, anything can be possible. 'Joans army will be made of hundreds of Groundlings standing in the Yard, all coming to watch a play for 5 - the most accessible ticket price in London theatre. We hope this 5 ticket invites as many people as possible to come and have an opinion of their own, and even if we dont agree with each other, still show kindness, curiosity, and respect. 'It was no accident that Shakespeare moved his playhouse beyond the jurisdiction of the London City Walls. He wanted to play. Play with identity, power, with the idea of pleasure, and with all sides of an argument. Shakespeare had the capacity to imagine the lives of 1,223 characters, he could understand perspectives and differences and express them so beautifully that we still enjoy his work over 400 years later. 'For centuries, Joan has been a cultural icon portrayed in countless plays, books, films, etc. History has provided countless and wonderful examples of Joan portrayed as a woman. This production is simply offering the possibility of another point of view. That is the role of theatre: to simply ask the question "imagine if?".' Advertisement 'So it's like a huge, huge thing that I want to get right and I really care about.' Director Ilinca Radulian added: 'We're just trying to do something that puts people in Joan's shoes, in Joan's body, like, with that mission, with those questions and with that sense of possibility. 'We want to take the audience on a journey of discovery with Joan.' Charlie continued: 'It's like an expansion of a historical figure, yeah and I hope that opens up new possibilities for empathy and new possibilities for understanding for everyone. Michelle Terry, artistic director of the Globe, said the production was asking the audience to consider something different. She said: 'Shakespeare did not write historically accurate plays. He took figures of the past to ask questions about today's world. Our writers of today are doing no different, whether thats looking at Ann Boleyn, Nell Gwynn, Emilia Bassano, Edward II, or Joan of Arc. 'The Globe is a place of imagination. A place where, for a brief amount of time, we can at least consider the possibility of worlds elsewhere. We have had entire storms take place on stage, the sinking of ships, twins who look nothing alike being believable, and even a Queen of the fairies falling in love with a donkey. 'Shakespeares Globe proudly presents a new play, I, Joan with Joan as a legendary leader, who in this production, uses the pronouns they/them. The production is still being created and opens on 25 August in the open-air Globe Theatre. We are not the first to present Joan in this way, and we will not be the last. To respond specifically to the use of pronouns, the use of they to refer to a singular person has been traced by the Oxford English Dictionary to as early as 1375, years before Joan was even born. But theatres do not deal with historical reality. Theatres produce plays, and in plays, anything can be possible. 'Joans army will be made of hundreds of Groundlings standing in the Yard, all coming to watch a play for 5 - the most accessible ticket price in London theatre. We hope this 5 ticket invites as many people as possible to come and have an opinion of their own, and even if we dont agree with each other, still show kindness, curiosity, and respect. 'It was no accident that Shakespeare moved his playhouse beyond the jurisdiction of the London City Walls. He wanted to play. Play with identity, power, with the idea of pleasure, and with all sides of an argument. Shakespeare had the capacity to imagine the lives of 1,223 characters, he could understand perspectives and differences and express them so beautifully that we still enjoy his work over 400 years later. 'For centuries, Joan has been a cultural icon portrayed in countless plays, books, films, etc. History has provided countless and wonderful examples of Joan portrayed as a woman. This production is simply offering the possibility of another point of view. That is the role of theatre: to simply ask the question "imagine if?".' A carriage horse collapsed during the Midtown Manhattan rush hour on Wednesday as its driver shouted 'get up, get up!' before police arrived to douse the creature in water and give him an adrenalin shot. The driver was on the busy 9th Avenue and West 45th Street in Hell's Kitchen as traffic built around him and the horse. In a video recorded at around 5pm, he called: 'Get up! Get up! Get up! C'mon, get up' to the animal, whose knees were buckling. He also pulled the reins and slapped him in a bid to make him stand, as people watching on were horrified. But he failed to get the animal up, with him remaining on the ground, exhausted and believed to be suffering with EPM (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a neurological disease caused by infected opossum droppings), while his driver removed the carriage with a pedestrian's help. Police eventually arrived to spray the horse with water. According to videos and witnesses on the busy street, they finally got the animal back on its feet after more than an hour and after giving him an adrenalin shot. The driver was on the busy 9th Avenue and West 45th Street in Hell's Kitchen as traffic built around them. In the footage, taken at around 5pm, he called to the horse to get up as his knees buckled and the carriage remained attached to him The horse was then taken for treatment at another, unspecified location, according to police. People were left shocked by the incident, which happened after a long heatwave in the city. According to the New York Post, one person says in the video: 'What if I slapped you around like that, bro?' Meanwhile, others were heard pleading with the man to stop hitting the horse, as he replied that he is trying to get him to stand up, and whips him with the reins twice. A witness, Uber Eats driver Kelvin Gonzalez, described seeing the horse 'collapse' and added that the animal was obviously malnourished, dehydrated and hungry. He also pulled the reins and slapped him in a bid to make him stand, as people watching on were horrified. But he failed to get the animal up, with him remaining on the ground, exhausted. Police arrived and sprayed him with water and got him up after more than an hour, after giving him an adrenalin shot The horse was then taken for treatment at another, unspecified location, according to police. People were left shocked by the incident, which happened after a long heatwave Speaking to the New York Post, he added that he told the driver to give the horse some water and said the situation was 'really sad.' Kelvin added that the horse had tried to stand up more than 10 times but kept falling back down before police officers gave the animal adrenalin. The witness said that he believed the horse knocked the water over as he was disorientated and licked the water from the street because he was thirsty. He alleged that the man did not care about the animal and just wanted to get the horse on its feet again to make more money from him. What is EPM? (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis More than 50 percent of all horses in the United States may have been exposed to the organism that causes EPM. The causative organism is a protozoal parasite called Sarcocystis neurona. The disease is not transmitted from horse to horse. Rather, the protozoa are spread by the definitive host, the opossum, which acquires the organism from cats, raccoons, skunks, and armadillos and possibly even from harbor seals and sea otters. The infective stage of the organism (the sporocysts) is passed in the opossum's feces. The horse comes into contact with the infective sporocysts while grazing or eating contaminated feed or drinking water. Once ingested, the sporocysts migrate from the intestinal tract into the bloodstream and cross the blood/brain barrier. There they begin to attack the horse's central nervous system. The onset of the disease may be slow or sudden. If left undiagnosed and untreated, EPM can cause devastating and lasting neurological damage. SYMPTOMS The clinical signs of EPM can be quite varied. Clinical signs are usually asymmetrical (not the same on both sides of the horse). Actual signs may depend on the severity and location of the lesions that develop in the brain, brain stem or spinal cord. Signs may include: Ataxia (incoordination), spasticity (stiff, stilted movements), abnormal gait or lameness; Incoordination and weakness, which worsens when going up or down slopes or when head is elevated; Muscle atrophy, most noticeable along the topline or in the large muscles of the hindquarters, but can sometimes involve the muscles of the face or front limbs; Paralysis of muscles of the eyes, face or mouth, evident by drooping eyes, ears or lips; Difficulty swallowing; Seizures or collapse; Abnormal sweating; Loss of sensation along the face, neck or body; Head tilt with poor balance; horse may assume a splay-footed stance or lean against stall walls for support. Source: American Association of Equine Practitioners Advertisement Another onlooker said that the horse had blood coming from its knee. Meanwhile, Cathy Garfield, 75, a tourist, who had grown up with horses, said that she told those on the scene to not try and force the horse to get up. According to witnesses, the animal was on 9th Avenue for more than an hour with no veterinary care. In a statement, New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) Executive Director Edita Birnkrant said: 'How many more incidents like this do we need? This is clearly animal abuse and it must be stopped.' And Nathan Semmel, 52, an advocate for Voters for Animal Rights, said that horse-drawn carriages should be replaced with electronic vehicles. That proposal is currently being considered by the city council. He told the Post that it was time to replace horses with modern technology. He added that horses have been suffering for 'years' and the vehicles would provide better benefits for horses and drivers. The footage of the horse collapsing comes after other clips of the animals collapsing and running into cars went viral, further igniting the fight against carriage rides in Central Park and Midtown. New measures would give horse drivers preferences for electric carriage licensure and require that they were paid union wages. In a statement, the Transport Workers Union, which represents drivers, said that the horse was sick. Tony Utano, President of Transport Workers Union Local 100, said: 'We thank everyone for their concern about Ryder, one of the beloved Central Park carriage horses. 'The veterinarian believes Ryder has EPM, a neurological disease caused by possum droppings. 'This is another example why people shouldn't rush to judgement about our horses or the blue-collar men and women who choose to work with them and care for them.' Meanwhile, carriage driver and union shop steward Christina Hansen, said that the horse was 'a danger to itself' while lying on the ground. She said that the animals can thrash and hurt themselves while they are on the ground and the weight on their limbs makes it harder for them to stand up. According to Hansen, it can also cut off circulation to their limbs and gut. New mayor Eric Adams, endorsed by the TWU, does not support a carriage ban but has said he will discuss the issue. Elsewhere, former Mayor Bill de Blasio was an outspoken critic of the industry. However, his multiple attempts to enact a citywide ban on horses during his terms as mayor were halted as political opponents wanted to protect the industry's 200 jobs. Mike Bloomberg, his predecessor, was a fan of the tourist-friendly business and batted off those who said that the industry was abusive. A married school teacher found guilty of of kissing one of her pupils in a nightclub will be allowed to return to teaching. Ashley McConnell, 34, was reprimanded by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) on Wednesday August 10. The council said her fitness to teach was impaired. The Scottish physics teacher has been locked in a weeks-long legal battle to keep her job after an investigation into the 2018 incident. Ms McConnell was said to have danced flirtatiously with a 17 year-old pupil and kissed him at a nightclub in Thurso, Caithness. The teacher is also said to have held hands with the male pupil and told other pupils at the club who questioned her behaviour to 'f*ck off'. Ms McConnell told the GCTS investigation in July she had drank an excessive amount of alcohol before the night out and could not remember the details of what had happened. Ashley McConnell, 34, kissed a 17 year-old pupil in a nightclub in 2018, an investigation found The panel found Ms McConnell danced 'flirtatiously' with the male pupil at local Skinandi's nightclub in Caithness Ms McConnell, also known as Ashley Swanson, previously worked at Thurso High School in Caithness. The secondary school teacher was out that night for dinner and drinks to celebrate a colleague's 50th birthday. A fellow teacher with her on the night out said: 'I do not believe that she was in full control of her actions, she was more than tipsy and I do not remember her making any advances. 'If she was sober it would never have happened as when people are drunk they do things they normally wouldn't. Ashley was feeling like she wanted to party, I was the one who had to push her away.' Ms McConnell gave some evidence through tears as she told the panel she recalled standing in front of the pupil, the Daily Record reported. The GCTS panel handed the teacher a nine-month reprimand but said she would be allowed to return to teaching. A reprimand issued by the GCTS is recorded against a teacher's name for a disciplinary issue for a set period but does not stop them from teaching. The investigation said: 'The panel considered that a combination of factors had influenced her behaviour on that evening.'The panel was persuaded that the teacher's behaviour was out of character and that it was neither predatory nor premeditated in intent. The physics teacher, also known as Ashley Swanson, worked at Thurso High School in Caithness 'The panel considered that the teacher's behaviour was remediable in all the circumstances. The panel noted that the teacher had admitted some of the conduct found proved, and that she had both reflected and taken extensive steps to remediate. 'The panel considered that there was comprehensive and genuine regret and remorse, in addition to the teacher's fervent assurances of having learned her lesson.' It added: 'The panel also considered that a reprimand would satisfy the public interest in the particular circumstances of the case. 'A reprimand appropriately indicated the seriousness of the conduct to the profession and the public and would thus maintain public confidence in teachers and the teaching profession. 'The panel concluded that the reprimand should be imposed for nine months.' Ms McConnell told the panel last month: 'I do have a recollection of Pupil A standing in front of me and I remember spending parts of the night with [a former pupil she tutored]. 'It had probably been about three years since I taught him. He was in my S1 class and S3 class, I knew him and he was recognisable to me. 'I can't remember the content of the conversation [on the night]. I can remember parts of the night and it is not like I have blacked out and not remembered the evening, I don't have an explanation, it is just the effect of drinking large amounts of alcohol. 'I believe that in the pubs I was drinking two drinks at a time and in the club I was drinking shots but I can't be sure I remember drinking the shots.' She added: 'I realised that my conduct had fallen short, I don't drink alcohol anymore, perhaps if I hadn't been drinking alcohol that night I wouldn't be in the situation we are in. 'I feel a great deal of remorse and shame. Behaviour of this nature will never be repeated, I hope you will see that my conduct at the time was in stark contrast to my typical character. The risk of repetition is non-existent. 'My conduct in work was never questioned, I've taken all the steps that I can. I have made lots and lots of changes. 'Did I annoy him that night? Yes, and was he the one who allegedly stopped the events? Yes, but no, I don't think it caused him long-lasting emotional damage.' The panel found there was insufficient evidence that Ms McConnell touched the pupil on the bottom or groin area. Former patients of the NHS's controversial gender identity clinic for children may now take legal action against it. Thousands of young people were treated by the Tavistock centre in north London and in many cases were prescribed powerful drugs to delay the onset of adolescence. But now the NHS has ordered it to be shut down in the wake of a damning report that found teenagers were suffering because they were being forced to wait for treatment. The expert carrying out the review also warned of potentially serious side-effects of 'puberty-blocker' drugs. Thousands of young people were treated by the Tavistock centre in north London and in many cases were prescribed powerful drugs to delay the onset of adolescence Dr Hilary Cass told NHS England there is no way of knowing if the medication may 'disrupt' the process of children deciding on their gender identity, rather than 'buying time' for them. She also raised concerns that the drugs could interrupt the process of the brain maturing, affecting children's ability to exercise judgment. Her findings raise the prospect that patients treated at the Tavistock and their parents may now sue the NHS for compensation. They could try to prove they were damaged by the medication, which staff at the centre are said to have claimed was 'fully reversible' despite a lack of evidence. The patients may also claim they could not have given informed consent to take the drugs given the lack of knowledge about their long-term effects. A high-profile court case was previously brought against the Tavistock by Keira Bell, who transitioned after being prescribed puberty blockers but later regretted it. Judges initially ruled that under-16s could not consent to the treatment but the ruling was overturned on appeal. James Esses, co-founder of Thoughtful Therapists, said: 'I have been contacted by a number of detransitioners who are considering taking legal action. 'Already in the USA there are class lawsuits being taken by parents of children prescribed puberty blockers. It is only a matter of time until we see similar action on our shores.' He went on: 'Gender dysphoria is a mental health condition and should be treated as such through explorative therapy, rather than irreversible medication and surgery. 'Far too many children have been left with physical and emotional scars from decisions we should never have let them make.' John McQuater, president of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said there is a 'potential for claims' but only in specific circumstances. He said: 'A patient can only claim redress if he, or she, has been injured. The law does not require clinicians to provide exemplary standards of care, it only requires healthcare professionals to exercise reasonable standards of care and skill. 'The decision about what level of care is reasonable is made by fellow clinicians and, where the standard has fallen below that benchmark, that patient has every right to full redress to help put things right.' A high-profile court case was previously brought against the Tavistock by Keira Bell, who transitioned after being prescribed puberty blockers but later regretted it Stephanie Davies-Arai, founder of Transgender Trend, who raised concerns on behalf of Tavistock patients' parents, said: 'I would imagine that parents who did not agree with the treatment or approach may now consider a challenge.' But she said that in many cases parents were keen for their children to be treated and added: 'It's very hard for parents because their priority is always to maintain a good relationship with their children.' Barrister Simon Myerson QC predicted that the scandal could even lead to a criminal investigation. He claimed months ago 'that the next wave of legal action will be in respect of gender identity and children' and now believes 'closing the Tavistock will accelerate that process'. 'Interesting to see which solicitors firms do the work. I predict a police investigation into the Tavistock by June 2023,' he wrote on Twitter. 'We're in the extraordinary position that drugs prescribed to children as safe and reversible appear not to have yet been subject to clinical trials in respect of the purpose for which those children received them. There is thus unlikely to be informed consent to taking them.' Laura Preston, a principal lawyer in clinical negligence at Slater and Gordon, one of Britain's biggest law firms, said: 'It is certainly possible that we could see a wave of compensation claims as a result of the closure of the Tavistock clinic. 'This is clearly an emerging area of medicine that requires greater research and regulation in order to better serve the potentially vulnerable people accessing the service. 'We encourage the use of independent reviews which ensure medical facilities are adhering to the strict standards that are expected of them. 'In this instance, the Tavistock clinic was not up to standard and therefore potentially placing patients at risk, which warrants investigation and may result in the need to compensate injured patients.' Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust insisted that the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) was only being closed because the Cass review recommended a regional model instead of a single national service, and not because of safety concerns. A spokesman said: 'We are not aware of any claims for compensation levied against the Trust by GIDS patients. 'The Trust is proud of its Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), which for 30 years has been providing support to children and young people experiencing difficulties around their gender identity development. It is a caring and thoughtful service.' Any claims against the Tavistock would be handled by NHS Resolution, which deals with clinical negligence claims across the country. Latest figures show it paid out 1.7billion in damages to patients in the past year. The United States caused the war in Ukraine and is the 'real destroyer' of world peace, a Chinese official in Moscow has claimed. Beijing's man in Moscow Zhang Hanhui said America is 'the initiator and main instigator' of Putin's invasion and that 'their ultimate goal is to exhaust and crush Russia'. Mr Hanhui warned Washington that a similar approach in Taiwan would result in 'an even greater crushing defeat' than it has supposedly suffered in Ukraine. The Putin apologist ambassador blamed the tens of thousands of deaths in Ukraine on the US and accused it of deliberately expanding NATO to 'threaten' Russia. China's man in Moscow, Zhang Hanhui has been a keen apologist for the Russian war in Ukraine. Zhang is pictured during an interview at the embassy in the Russian capital (January) A homeowner walks into a crater caused by Russian shelling in Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukraine Hanhui added in striking comments to Kremlin news agency TASS: 'China strongly opposes the following misguided US actions: hegemony, intimidation and bullying. 'US hegemonism and power politics have become the greatest challenge to the progress and peaceful development of human civilisation. 'We hope that the United States will understand that [...] indirect wars and interference in the domestic affairs of other countries have no perspective. 'Non-intervention in internal affairs is the most fundamental principle of maintaining peace and stability in our world.' A member of the National Guard of Ukraine fires anti-aircraft equipment yesterday The comments came as Taiwan held more live-fire drills in its waters following the end of Beijing's largest ever military exercises around the self-governed island. China has stayed largely neutral on Russia's war in Ukraine since Putin's forces invaded its neighbour on February 24. Beijing notably abstained from a key UN Security Council vote to condemn the conflict days after fighting began. Nor has China supported Russia with material military assistance of any kind, the White House noted in June. But Chinese Communist Party leaders have slammed the West's sanctions on Russia as illegal and 'unilateral'. And at a Beijing conference with Putin weeks before the invasion, President Xi Jinping called on the West to 'abandon the ideologised approaches of the Cold War'. Smoke rises in Novofedorivka, Crimea after apparent Ukrainian shelling in the annexed region Smoke rises from the beach at Saky, Crimea as Russian holidaymakers were filmed fleeing President Zelensky has vowed to end the Ukrainian war where it began eight years ago Ambassador Zhang insisted China-Russia relations are in 'the best period in history', with 'the highest level of mutual trust' and more 'strategic importance' than ever. China last week accused US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of emboldening 'separatist activists' and challenging the sovereignty of 'China's territory' by visiting Taiwan. But Taiwan has accused China of using the Pelosi visit as an excuse to kickstart drills that would allow it to rehearse for an invasion. Lou Woei-jye, spokesman for Taiwan's Eighth Army Corps, told AFP its forces fired howitzers and target flares as part of the defensive drill on Thursday. The exercise in southern county Pingtung began at 8.30am (12.30am GMT) and lasted about an hour, he said. Artillery tucked in from the coast was lined up side by side, with armed soldiers in units firing the howitzers out to sea one after the other, a live stream showed. China has released Hollywood-style footage of weapons testing around Taiwan this month Taiwan held a similar drill on Tuesday in Pingtung. Both involved hundreds of troops, the military said. The latest exercises came after China completed its own drills yesterday, saying its forces 'successfully completed various tasks' in the Taiwan Strait while vowing to continue patrolling its waters. In the same announcement, China said that it would 'continue to carry out military training and prepare for war'. China's Taiwan Affairs Office also claimed Beijing would 'not renounce the use of force' against its neighbour and reserved 'the option of taking all necessary measures'. Chinese fighter jets are pictured landing and taking off close to the Taiwan Strait last week 'We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification, but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form,' it said in the paper. Taiwan's foreign ministry on Thursday joined the council in rebuffing the 'one country, two systems' model that Beijing has proposed for the island. 'China's whole statement absolutely goes against the cross-strait status quo and its reality,' ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou told a press conference. 'China is using US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit as an excuse to destroy the status quo and taking the opportunity to make trouble, attempting to create a new normal to intimidate the Taiwanese people.' The Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan Affairs Office said in a statement Thursday that Taipei's 'rebellious actions are just a slap in the face and cannot stop the historical trend of reunification' with mainland China. Pelosi has stood by her visit, saying yesterday she is 'very proud' of her delegation - and believed China had used her visit as a 'pretext' to launch its military exercises. A Chinese army officer watches as one of Taiwan's frigates makes its way through the Strait 'We will not allow China to isolate Taiwan,' Pelosi told reporters in Washington. Since the late 1990s, the island has become a democracy and one of the region's wealthiest nations, enshrining a more distinct Taiwanese identity. Relations between the two sides have significantly worsened since Democratic Progressive Party leader Tsai Ing-wen became Taiwan's president in 2016. Tsai does not consider Taiwan a part of China, a clear dividing line with Beijing. Her Democratic Progressive Party's platform falls under what China terms 'Taiwanese separatism', which includes those who advocate for the island to have an identity separate from the mainland. Advertisement A man has been arrested after two people were killed and a schoolgirl left seriously injured when a supercar ploughed into a Israeli family of five on holiday in Ramsgate. The nightmare unfolded outside the multi-storey car park in Leopold Street last night at around 9.35pm when a black Alfa Romeo crashed into them as they stood at the side of the road. A man in his 80s and a woman in her 30s both sadly died a short time afterwards. The girl of primary school age also suffered serious injuries and was taken to a London hospital for treatment. A man in his 40s and a boy of primary school age sustained minor injuries. Police have confirmed that the family were not local to the area. A local said they believed they had been on holiday from Israel. Anastasiya, 42, who didn't want to give her second name, said: 'It was a big crash. A car was driving down the road while people were waiting for the bus. 'I was there just after it happened and called the ambulance and the police and they came really quickly. They arrived around 10pm. 'The police have told us the family were from Israel.' Anastasiya, who has lived in Ramsgate for five years and works nearby the crash site, said she saw the fire brigade lifting the car off a woman before medics tried to resuscitate her with CPR. She said: 'The mum was under the car and the fire brigade used a fork lift to get her out. 'They then did CPR on her but she had no chance of surviving. 'They tried but she was already dead.' The scene outside a multi-storey car park in Ramsgate, where a man aged in his 80s and a woman in her 30s died after a black Alfa Romeo collided with five pedestrians on Wednesday night A man pours water on the pavement where 2 people died and a child was injured after a car crash the night before The family were understood to have been sat on a bench when the terrible tragedy happened, the seat remains this morning The twisted metal and broken brickwork gave an indication of the force of which the car had hit after it went off the road The area the car struck appears to be visible in the damaged bricks to the left of the bench A cleaning van is parked at the scene where two people died and a child injured in Ramsgate This morning an area of the street where the crash took place has been taped off. A wall opposite the entrance to a multi-storey car park has been damaged and a road sign knocked to the floor. A bench has also been removed in the wake of the accident. Mayor of Ramsgate Cllr Raushan Ara, who has a business nearby, said her heart goes out to the family. Reacting to the tragedy, she said: 'It's so sad. I was frightened last night because there so many police cars and ambulances - and the fire engines were going up and down until 11pm.' Cllr Ara added that the incident reinforces the need for 'speed controls' in the town, reducing the limit to 20mph. She added: 'We have been fighting for this for many years.' A man has been arrested after two people were killed and a schoolgirl left seriously injured It unfolded outside the multi-storey car park in Leopold Street last night at around 9.35pm Cllr Ara is holding a vigil at the scene of the crash at 7pm this evening. A spokesman for Kent Police said: 'Officers attended and a 30-year-old man from Ramsgate was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a collision. 'He is also currently receiving hospital treatment for minor injuries. 'Enquiries into the incident are being carried out by officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit who are keen to hear from any witnesses, local businesses with CCTV evidence or drivers with relevant dashcam footage.' An Oklahoma woman was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after she admitted asking her lover to kill her allegedly abusive pastor husband on Wednesday. Mother-of-three Kristie Evans, 49, handed her lover a gun, a box of bullets and left the backdoor of her home open for him to enter through before her husband David Evans was murdered on March 22, 2021. The 49-year-old was handed a life sentence by Pontotoc County District Judge Steven Kessinger yesterday - and she will be eligible for parole in 2060, after serving most of her 45 year sentence. The pastor and his wife were married for three decades - but they had a secret swinger lifestyle where Evans, 50, would often 'pressure' her into having group sex with other men. Evans had asked her lover, Kahlil Square, to fatally shoot her husband while he slept at their home in Ada, Oklahoma, she testified during a sentencing hearing Tuesday. The married couple regularly met up with Square, 27, for threesomes at the beginning of 2021, before the two of them began their own affair behind David's back, where she asked him to kill her husband in their private moment's together. At first, Kristie only reported that an intruder had killed him, but later came clean after confessing that the guilt 'ate her alive' and was arrested in March 2021 along with Square. Kristie Evans, 49, is pictured right with her Pastor husband David Evans, pastor of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church in Ada, who was murdered on March 22, 2021 The 49-year-old was handed a life sentence by Pontotoc County District Judge Steven Kessinger yesterday - and she will be eligible for parole in 2060, after serving most of her 45 year sentence Kristie (left) and her and David's lover, 27-year-old Kahlil Square (right), were arrested in March on first-degree murder charges in connection with the pastor's killing Her husband was abusive towards her, she said in court, describing him as controlling and manipulative behind closed doors. She claims Evans made her sleep with 50 to 100 men - sometimes more than one at once. She 'understands there has to be accountability for her actions, and shes prepared to serve whatever sentence is handed down,' said her legal counsel Joi Miskel, according to NBC News. 'She is not a danger to society,' he said. The convicted mother-of-three told news outlets from jail that her husband would systematically abuse her psychologically as well as verbally for years. She testified that she begged Square to commit the crime to free her from her marriage: 'I was desperate. 'I wanted to be free from that. I knew of no other way.' David, pastor of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church in Ada, is said to have branded his wife a 'frigid b**ch' for her inability to match his voracious appetite for group sex. One time when she threatened divorce, he held a .357 revolver under his chin. He would also restrict her finances, she said, as well as abusing her physically. Long, the pastor's daughter, and one of their two sons, 28-year-old Zachary Evans, also described their father as physically abusive. According to the siblings, he would slam the children's heads together, lift them off the floor by their hair, and make them clean the house at night while berating them. The abuse escalated to a point when in April 2010 the three children were placed with their maternal grandparents after reporting their father's behavior to the police. Kristie and David had been together since 1991 (pictured left as a young couple) and welcomed three children. She and her family claimed her husband isolated her from her friends, restricted her finances and abused their children David, pastor of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church in Ada, is said to have branded his wife a 'frigid b**ch' for her inability to match his voracious appetite for group sex Kristie revealed that her husband once held a pillow to her face while pinning down her arms, but she never reported it to anyone because of the lack of physical evidence. Square entered the Evans family's home while David was sleeping and shot the pastor dead in his bed. The wife heard the shot, saw Sqaure run out of the house, and found her dying husband bleeding after being hit in the forehead. In his final moments, the wife said: 'I held his hand and told him I was sorry.' Kristie called 911, claiming an intruder had broken in and killed her husband. Four days later, she confessed to her daughter, Brittney Long, that she had 'begged' her lover to kill her father. She then went to the police and turned herself in. According to charging documents, Kristie told detectives she had given Square the gun, a box of bullets and left the backdoor of her home open for him to enter through. Square, 27, was also charged with first-degree murder in the shooting. His next court date is August 25. He also confessed to the crime, according to testimony at a preliminary hearing last year. The weapon has never been found. Brittney Long, the Evans' daughter, said her mother felt hopeless in her marriage and 'begged' her lover to shoot her father in their bed David's mother, Jean Richardson, defended her son and said he was not as controlling as Kristie claimed. She argued that if the relationship had been so troubled, she could have left her husband, or sought help, instead of passing a 'death sentence' on her son. Kristie's daughter, who is now married and has a young child of her own, said she does not know what ultimately prompted her mother to take matters into her own hands, but she speculated that it might have been a feeling of hopelessness. 'At least now [she] has some control and say so in her life that she didnt have before as twisted as that may sound,' Miskel concluded. Long also recalled when her mother confessed to the killing and said, 'Even if I spend the rest of my life behind bars, I'll be more free than I was with your dad.' The BBC has admitted to breaching its own impartiality rules after airing an interview with returning Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies at the Baftas where he attacked the government. In the interview, the It's a Sin writer, 59, slammed government plans to sell off Channel 4 and for 'trying to get rid of the licence fee', and urged viewers to 'vote differently'. The clip was originally recorded live outside the Bafta awards on May 8 and then used in a later report which broke impartiality rules because it was 'not balanced by any reflection of Government policy'. Speaking about It's A Sin receiving seven Bafta TV nominations, Mr Davies told BBC News: 'Completely surprised and completely thrilled and it's so nice to see that cast being recognised tonight. 'And of course it was made on a channel that the Government's going to sell off, while they're also planning to get rid of the BBC licence fee - so, if you like shows like this, go and vote differently, that's what I say.' 'And of course it [It's A Sin] was made on a channel [Channel 4] that the Government's going to sell off, while they're also planning to get rid of the BBC licence fee - so, if you like shows like this, go and vote differently, that's what I say,' Russell T Davies (right), 59, told BBC News Mr Davies (right) appeared on the Bafta red carpet alongside Sex Education actor Ncuti Gatwa (left), who had that day, May 8, been unveiled as the to be the next actor to play the Doctor on Doctor Who. Mr Davies, who was responsible for Doctor Who's revival in 2005, will be back to celebrate the long-running sci-fi show's 60th anniversary in 2023 and will be returning as lead writer on future series The report prompted a viewer to complain that Mr Davies' comments had not been 'put into proper context' and were in breach of impartiality rules. The BBC upheld the complaint in a report which was published on August 4 - the BBC said the remarks had been broadcast 'in error'. 'The reporter and producer were on location at the awards ceremony rather than at New Broadcasting House where the material was edited together. 'The reporter's commentary was designed to introduce a remark about Doctor Who, but a different clip was selected by mistake. 'The strong political view it included was not balanced by any reflection of Government policy during the news channel's coverage of the Baftas that evening, and was therefore in breach of the BBC's requirement to show impartiality on politically controversial matters,' it said. Mr Davies was pictured at the Baftas after his drama about the AIDs pandemic It's A Sin (pictured) was nominated for seven awards A review concluded that the finding was reported to the board of BBC News and discussed with the programme team concerned. Mr Davies, who was responsible for Doctor Who's revival in 2005, will be back to celebrate the long-running sci-fi show's 60th anniversary in 2023 and will be returning as lead writer on future series. He appeared on the Bafta red carpet alongside Sex Education actor Ncuti Gatwa, who had that day been unveiled as the to be the next actor to play the Doctor. Last month, Mr Davies was among a cohort of 60 writers to be appointed a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (RSL), alongside Michaela Coel and Nick Cave. Disney said that the price of the ad-free subscription in the US would rise, and users must join up for the ad-supported plan if they want to retain the current price. Disney Announced a Disney+ Subscription Price Hike and an Ad-Support Plan Disney+ will continue to raise its fees. In its third-quarter earnings report, Disney said that starting on December 8, the cost of the ad-free subscription in the US would increase by $3 to $11 per month. Users must sign up for the ad-supported tier that launches the same day if they want to maintain the same pricing. In other words, the ad-supported plan won't be less expensive. They simply have to pay extra to maintain your current, uninterrupted experience. The media behemoth also announced that starting on October 10, the cost of ad-free Hulu will increase by $2 to $15 per month. Additionally, users will pay $8 per month as opposed to the current $7 if they may accept adverts. Ads are available on Disney+ and Hulu for a $10 monthly fee. A package that includes ad-supported ESPN+, ad-free Disney+, and its Hulu equivalent costs $15 per month, but if you can bear advertising on all three, the price drops to $13. To access the trio without any sales pitches, you must pay $20 a month. Disney explained price hikes. Despite acquiring 14.4 million Disney+ users during the quarter, the streaming-focused division's operating losses grew from $293 million to $1.1 billion. Disney+ and Hulu production costs are increasing. The performance stands in stark contrast to a significant opponent. While Disney is preparing its own ad-driven strategy, Netflix is already losing members since it is relying on advertising to revive growth. Despite its uncertain financial situation, Disney+ is in a better place. Read Also: Google Faces Lawsuit for Not Providing Lifetime Access to Early Workspace Subscribers An Original Animated Series from Marvel Studios Launched on Disney+ "I Am Groot," an original animated series from Marvel Studios, debuted today (August 10) on Disney+ and features a toddler-aged Groot from "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2." As its name implies, the animation focuses on Groot in his Baby Groot phase, the floral colossus of the "Guardians of the Galaxy." The collection of cartoons follows Baby Groot as he gets into and out of trouble in a photorealistic animated universe. James Gunn, who directed "Guardians of the Galaxy," is one of the show's executive producers, while Vin Diesel is back to voice Groot. I Am Groot is the newest in a long line of animated films produced by Marvel Studios. Kirsten Lepore, an animator, previously remarked that she had incredible meetings with James Gunn numerous times in the process. The most important, according to Lepore, was their first kickoff meeting when they essentially just spoke about the character he built to make sure we could portray baby Groot properly. The CEO of Marvel Studios Animation, Brad Winderbaum, recently told ComicBook.com, "I believe if I told you about our animation ambitions, it would blow your mind." According to Winderbaum, there are no rules, which is both fascinating and terrifying since one has to make their own. It's the most genuine expression of the creators' imaginations. Disney+ now has the first two "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies for viewing. May 5, 2023, is the scheduled release date for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." A date for the Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special is still pending. Related Article: Disney+ Will Be Expanding in More Than 60 Countries, Including West Asia, Africa, and Europe A teenager has been charged with the murder of an 18-year-old who was stabbed to death in London's summer of violence. Ghulam Sadiq was brutally killed outside a pizza restaurant in Leytonstone, east London, on 6 August. A murder investigation was set up after police were called to High Road at 14.15pm. The 17-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in Walsall, West Midlands, on Tuesday 9 August. A post-mortem gave the provisional cause of death as sharp force trauma in the back. Officers gave Mr Sadiq first aid until Ambulance team arrived but despite their efforts the boy was pronounced dead at the scene. Ghulam Sadiq was brutally killed outside a pizza restaurant last weekend on 6 August The fatal attack took place on High Road (pictured above), Mr Sadiq's killing comes amid a wave of violence across the city The suspect will appear in custody at Willesden Magistrates Court on Thursday morning. 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 over the weekend. He told officers 'I'm dying' while police tried to comfort him as he bled to death outside a playground at Highbury Fields, north London. After the horrific killing Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said: 'Our heartfelt thoughts are with Ghulam's family as they come to terms with this terrible tragedy, which no family should have to endure. Five people were stabbed over days in early July, with the attacks happening in Islington, Leytonstone, Ilford, Lewisham station and Eltham High Street 'He was attacked in broad daylight on the busy High Road on a summer Saturday afternoon. I know this will shock and appall 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. Ms Bradley urged any potential witnesses to come forward and help the police with its investigation. A murder investigation (pictured above) was set up after police were called to High Road at 14.15pm. Officers gave Mr Sadiq first aid until Ambulance team arrived but despite their efforts the boy was pronounced dead at the scene. She thanked local businesses and residents for their cooperation while they carried out the first phase of the investigation. 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.' The murder of Mr Sadiq follows a wave of stabbings in the capital. There have been 14 fatalities since the start of July followed by three further stabbings on Wednesday 3 August. On that day 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 attacked three hours later on Eltham High street, in Eltham, south-east London, at 6.30pm. Four hours later a third knife attack happened in south London, at Lewisham station. London has the third worst homicide rate in England and Wales, according to Statista, a leading data website. The City has a homicide rate of 14.5 per million compared to the North West which stands at 15.5. Officers are looking for the man and spoke with staff and students on Thursday She told police he wore two earrings, nail polish, black ring and twisted bracelet Year Four student was grabbed and carried down the stairs but escaped Masked man tried to snatch girl, 10, from Glenelg Primary School in SA Tuesday A pervert who tried to snatch a little girl from a primary school was wearing earrings, purple nail polish, a distinctive ring and a twisted bracelet. South Australian Police are on the hunt for the masked man who strolled into Glenelg Primary School in Adelaide about 10am on Tuesday, as classes were in progress. Witnesses said the child abductor walked up the stairs and grabbed the Year Four student from a hallway after watching her under a toilet stall. The terrified 10-year-old was dragged downstairs, kicking and screaming - before she managed to escape. But fresh details have emerged on Thursday of the man's description, with the victim providing a investigators with a precise description. A Year Four student from Glenelg Primary School (pictured) managed to escape from a man who attempted to adduct her from school on Tuesday She said he had purple nail polish on one thumb, a black ring with bright dots on the painted thumb, two earrings in one ear and a twisted bracelet. This adds to the description officers already have of the suspect, who is described as being about 180cm tall (or 5'11), bald and wearing a long, light blue shirt, black pants, a black face mask and carrying a beanie. Police rushed to the primary school after receiving a report of an attempted abduction but were unable to locate the culprit. Officers returned to the school on Thursday morning and spoke with staff and students who were at Glenelg Primary School at the time of the attempted kidnapping. Officers attended the school on Thursday and spoke with staff and students who were around at the time of the attempted kidnapping. Police are still searching for the suspect On top of speaking with staff and students, detectives said in a statement they had also 'conducted extensive door knocks and viewed a significant amount of CCTV footage in the area'. 'There is a significant police deployment in the area around the school,' said SA Police assistant commissioner Scott Duval in a press conference. 'Our efforts are going towards finding this man and holding him accountable for his actions.' Police are urgently asking anyone who might have seen the man near the Diagonal Rd school or was driving nearby and has dashcam footage to contact them so they can examine it. The school said the matter was with SA Police in a letter to parents (pictured) A fellow student told The Adelaide Advertiser the suspect had looked at the girl under a toilet stall before he tried to grab her. She said she had no clue who the man was and that she did not want to go back to the school because she was scared. Security guards have been stationed outside the school as of Wednesday afternoon. Glenelg Primary School principal Shane Misso wrote to parents on Wednesday informing them the matter was in the hands of SA Police and the SA Education Department. More than 30 British holidaymakers are considering legal action after claiming they were struck down by gastric illnesses at a Turkish resort which 'had faeces in the swimming pool'. The group travelled to Mukarnas Resort and Spa in Antalya, Turkey, between July 9 and July 27 after booking through tour operator Jet2 Holidays. Some say they are still suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness and fevers and that conditions at the 'five star' resort were poor with 'lukewarm' food. They have now instructed specialist lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate. The group travelled to Mukarnas Resort and Spa in Antalya, Turkey, between July 9 and July 27 after booking through tour operator Jet2 Holidays Salon owner Lauren Scott, 27, and her partner, James Beard, 42, who owns an exterior cleaning business, were both hit by by gastric illness. The couple from Wigan, Greater Manchester, visited the resort with their three young daughters on July 9. After ten days of fun in the sun, the entire family were struck by illness. After being told they would have to pay nearly a thousand pounds for tests, the family returned home to the UK on July 24. Lauren and James continue to suffer gastric issues after their return, with Lauren also suffering from night sweats. Salon owner Lauren Scott, 27, and her partner, James Beard, 42, who owns an exterior cleaning business, were both hit by by gastric illness. James said: 'We were all really excited about going to Turkey. It was our first holiday away as a family and we'd been counting down the days. 'Sadly, the resort was a huge let down. We were shocked at the standards and the number of holidaymakers who were falling ill. 'The food served was never particularly hot and was served lukewarm. The pool was also dirty and we didn't see it being cleaned throughout our stay. 'On one occasion there was poo in the hotel pool, and I was shocked when the lifeguards tried to remove it with their hands and didn't close the pool or try to clean it. 'We've heard of so many other people falling ill, which really isn't something you expect on holiday. 'We feel that the hotel staff were unhelpful and we're concerned that we were allowed to fly out to this resort when it's believed so many holidaymakers were falling ill at the hotel. 'All I want now are some answers as to why this happened; it's the least we deserve after what we've had to endure.' Another victim was Mark Clifton, 38, an electrician from Yeovil. He and his partner visited the same resort between July 15-25 with her two children. Just three days into their trip Mark was unable to get out of bed. Another victim was Mark Clifton, 38, an electrician from Yeovil. He and his partner visited the same resort between July 15-25 with her two children. Just three days into their trip Mark was unable to get out of bed After suffering from stomach cramps, diarrhoea, sweats and a fever he went to see the hotel doctor - who was unavailable. Even now after coming home he still suffers from stomach cramps. He explained: 'I was really shocked by the number of people I heard were ill at the resort. Some staff tried to say it was heatstroke, but I think it was more than that. 'I remember thinking the food at the hotel was lukewarm, and I didn't once see the pool being cleaned or tested while I was there. 'My partner and her children also fell ill, but their symptoms fortunately weren't as bad as mine. More than two weeks on I'm still not 100 per cent and I'm not sure how long this will go on for. 'While I can't turn back the clock, I just want to know why this happened.' Irwin Mitchell's international serious injury lawyer Jennifer Hodgson says that the firm have begun an investigation into what happened. She said: 'Our clients had been looking forward to their holidays, but these were ruined when gastric symptoms struck. Irwin Mitchell's international serious injury lawyer Jennifer Hodgson says that the firm have begun an investigation into what happened. Pictured: Mukarnas Resort and Spa in Antalya, Turkey 'Gastric illness can lead to long-term health issues and its effects should never be downplayed. 'The holidaymakers we represent understandably have many questions about how not only they fell ill, but also why they were not informed of reports of illness among other guests at the resort before they travelled. 'We're now investigating these concerns and are determined to provide the families with answers they deserve. 'If, during the course of our investigations, any issues are identified, it's vital that lessons are learned to reduce the risk of other holidaymakers falling ill.' A Jet2Holidays spokesman said: 'We are sorry to hear about any customers feeling unwell. As lawyers have been instructed, it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment at this time.' There are grave fears for the safety of four little kids after they were last seen getting into a car with a man with 'Joker'-themed face tattoos. Joshua Carter, 28, was seen taking them from an address at The Leap, north of Mackay around 11.30am in a white 2005 Nissan Patrol 4WD. Queensland Police now fear the children, aged eight, seven, four and three, may be at 'significant risk'. The man is described as Caucasian in appearance, solid build, approximately 175cm tall with a shaven head and full bushy beard with multiple face and body tattoos, including the facial tattoos The children aged 8, 7, 4 and 3, are all described as being Caucasian, with police revealing they may be at significant risk The children aged 8, 7, 4 and 3, may be at significant risk, police have warned. Their names haven't been released All of the children are described as being Caucasian in appearance with a slim build and brown hair The Nissan was last seen heading toward the Bruce Highway, Mackay. The nature of the man's relationship with the children has yet to be revealed by police. His appearance was described as 'solid' by cops, who said he is around 175cm tall with a shaven head and full bushy beard with multiple face and body tattoos. One of the man's face tattoos read 'Why so serious?', a nod to Batman villain Joker's catchphrase from the 2008 movie the Dark Knight. He took the children away in a white 2005 Nissan Patrol 4WD. The vehicle was last seen heading toward the Bruce Highway, Mackay An Indian lawyer has finally won a 22-year court battle against the country's railways after he sued them for 21p he was over-charged on tickets back in 1999. Tungnath Chaturvedi was last week refunded his original 21p plus two decades of interest, bringing it to a total of 2.90. He was also handed 154 in fines taken off India's national rail carrier. 'You can't put a price on the energy and time I've lost' fighting the case, Mr Chaturvedi said, revealing he has attended more than 100 hearings in the years since he filed his claim. But he added: 'This was always about a fight for justice and a fight against corruption, so it was worth it.' Lawyer Tungnath Chaturvedi said his family encouraged him to drop the case, but he refused The clerk on the train in Uttar Pradesh (service pictured) overcharged Chaturvedi 20 rupees Mr Chaturvedi paid 20 rupees (21p) more than he should have for two tickets on a North East Railway service from Mathura to Moradabad in 1999. Uttar Pradesh resident Chaturvedi handed over 100 rupees for two tickets on the regional railway line, which cost 35 rupees each. He should have been given 30 rupees back, but the clerk gave back just ten, leaving him 20 rupees out of pocket. After a 22-year legal battle with the company and the clerk, a court in the northern province has awarded Mr Chaturvedi compensation of 15,000 rupees (154). Mr Chaturvedi told the BBC: 'I have attended more than 100 hearings in connection with this case. But you can't put a price on the energy and time I've lost. 'It's not the money that matters.' The court also ordered North East Railway to pay 12 per cent interest on the 20-rupee overcharge for each of the 22 years, totalling 280 rupees (2.90). That brings the railroaded passenger's overall payback to 156.90. Chaturvedi's appeal was rejected by a railway tribunal, but India's Supreme Court ruled he could take the company to a consumer court. Pictured, Mughalsarai station, Uttar Pradesh And if it isn't paid within 30 days, the railway company must pay 15 per cent interest. He said his family urged him to give up the case, but he persisted anyway. A railway tribunal had dismissed the case, but India's Supreme Court ruled that the lawsuit could be heard in a more sympathetic consumer court. Judges' vacations slowed down Chaturvedi's route to justice, he said, as well as legal wranglings that the lawyer was luckily able to negotiate. Chaturvedi represented himself in court, making victory even sweeter - and a little less pricey. He added that he hopes his case can be an inspiration to others: 'One doesn't need to give up even when the fight looks tough.' LaGuardia and Newark Liberty top the table of America's worst airports for flight cancelations, according to new data. Forbes Advisor has compiled the figures from FlightAware which reveal that nearly 2,000 flights were canceled this week across 10 airports. And the publication also revealed that by July of this year, more flights had been canceled than in the whole of 2021. This week, 11.5 per cent of flights were canceled at LaGuardia airport, while Newark saw 10.2 per cent of journeys grounded. It comes as Americans continue to face huge problems travelling across the US due to unprecedented post-pandemic demand and staff shortages. Hundreds of flights have already been canceled and large queues have been photographed as Americans try and get away on summer breaks. Staff shortages also saw almost 1,300 Southwest Airline pilots line up outside the Dallas Love Field Airport as they protested in June and called for better treatment as they faced fatigue and stress caused by the issue. The Flight Aware data reveals that as the Summer season continues, there appears to be no let up in the number of canceled and delayed flights, which have also been caused by pilot shortages. Forbes Advisor has compiled the figures from FlightAware. Pictured: The graphic reveals that 11.5 per cent of flights at LaGuardia were canceled this week Elsewhere, of the 2,916 scheduled at Reagan National Airport, 264 were canceled, or 9.1 per cent of flights. And at Chicago Midway International, of the 1,309 flights, 74 failed to take off- 7.9 per cent. Meanwhile, Chicago O'Hare International had 457 of its 3,320 weekly flights canceled- 6.5 per cent. Drawing equal, both Baltimore and Washington International had 109 of their 1,979 flights canceled, or 5.5 per cent. This week, 11.5 per cent of flights were canceled at LaGuardia airport, pictured in June At John Glenn Columbus International Airport, 43 of the destination's 820 flights were grounded, a total of 5.2 per cent. And taking the last three spots on the list of the worst 10 American airports for cancelations were Raleigh-Durham International, Pittsburgh International and Cleveland-Hopkins International. At Raleigh-Durham, 59 of the scheduled 1,149 flights for the week failed to take off, a figure of 5.1 per cent. Pittsburgh International had 47 of its 934 journeys canceled, or 5 per cent. And Cleveland-Hopkins International had 40 of its 796 flights grounded, also 5 per cent. Elsewhere, the data revealed that nearly half of all flights leaving from Chicago Midway International were delayed upon arrival at their destination. Chicago Midway International had 796 delayed flights out of 1,855 scheduled- almost 47 per cent. And at Baltimore and Washington respectively, 40 per cent of arrivals were delayed. The FlightAware data defines an arrival delay as an aircraft that arrives 15 minutes or more later than its scheduled time. The delay is attributed to the origin airport. Baltimore and Washington airports took the second spot on the list, with 749 flights out of 1,979 scheduled delayed, or 40.1 per cent. At tenth on the list, Orlando International experienced the least delays last week, 29.7 per cent of the 3,253 scheduled flights, or 602. Newark airport, pictured in July, saw 10.2 per cent of journeys grounded this week, as demand continues to surge around the world for sunshine breaks Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, pictured, who previously urged airports to sort out the chaos ahead of the July 4 holiday, was forced to drive from Washington DC to New York in June The chaos has even affected Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg who was forced to drive from Washington D.C. to New York in June. And one Emergency Room nurse from Pittsburgh said in June that her trip home from Italy lasted about 60 hours, noting to WTAE: 'There were no delays until I got into the States.' Luray Hixson said she got stuck for nearly two days at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, explaining: 'The flight itself was changed nine times, with the gates. 'There were other Pittsburghers around who were following,' she said, and 'we were moved from terminal to terminal, which these terminals were nowhere near each other; we had to take shuttles to get to these other places to get your flight.' After her longest delay, which was a whopping 12 hours long, Hixson said her flight was ultimately canceled. Fortunately, she said, her mother was willing to pick her up from the airport and drive her six hours to get home. Now, she says, she's not sure if she will fly again in the near future, saying: 'This is becoming the norm.' New Glasgow University students will not be guaranteed accommodation this year and have been advised only to accept their place if they have already secured somewhere to stay as its students union claimed the university had recruited too many students. The university blamed a 'significant contraction' in Glasgow's rental market for an increased demand in student halls. But the Students' Representative Council (SRC) claimed it had instead accepted too many people. As a result of the 'increased demand' for private rented accommodation in Glasgow, the SRC said they lobbied the university to limit acceptance numbers for 2021. The lack of accommodation could leave some students with long commutes to lectures and some have said they might have to give up their place altogether, with one fresher saying she 'can't commute five-and-a-half hours'. New Glasgow University students will not be guaranteed accommodation this year and have been advised only to accept their place if they have already secured somewhere to stay as the university blamed a 'significant contraction' in the city's private rental market After receiving their results on Tuesday, students who live within commuting distance were automatically denied accommodation. Those who live further away were also told accommodation was not guaranteed, despite the university saying it had increased the number of rooms under its management by 25 per cent, the BBC reported. One 18-year-old, from Burton-on-Trent, has a conditional offer to study politics at Glasgow University but said it looks like she may not be able to go at all. After receiving their results on Tuesday, students who live within commuting distance were automatically denied accommodation and those who live further away were also told accommodation was not guaranteed, despite the university saying it had increased the number of rooms under its management by 25 per cent Elissa Varley, 18, who lives in Burton-on-Trent, said if her conditional offer to study politics is accepted, she might not be able to go at all, as she 'can't commute five-and-a-half hours' Elissa Varley told BBC Scotland: 'Either I withdraw my application, which would also withdraw my insurance option, or I take a risk and try to find somewhere private to stay in two weeks and possibly be left with no accommodation. 'I don't even know my results yet and whether I've got in and then I have two weeks to find private accommodation. 'I can't commute five-and-a-half hours.' Elissa added that she wished prospective students had been told sooner so she could have been better prepared to look for alternative accommodation or applied to a different university through clearing. David Todd, who is based in Manchester, has waited a year to start a PhD at Glasgow University but said he now might have to defer or drop out completely. University of Leeds graduate David Todd, who is based in Manchester, has waited a year to start a PhD at Glasgow University but said he now might have to defer or drop out completely as he was relying on postgraduate accommodation through the university to house him 'I have been relying on postgraduate accommodation through the university to house me as I can't really afford to live anywhere too expensive and I don't know anyone in Glasgow,' he told BBC Scotland. Glasgow University's SRC told MailOnline: 'The SRC is aware of the issues leading up to this point and we would like to express our disappointment at the university's approach. 'After the accommodation crisis across Glasgow last year, the SRC lobbied the university to commit to a moratorium on student numbers, despite this it now seems that over-recruitment has contributed to the creation of a similar situation.' The student council went on to say that the SRC understood finding private accommodation in Glasgow was not easy as it was experiencing an 'unprecedented level of demand' and that students should look at their advice centre for tips. President of the SRC Rinna Vare said the council were very concerned about how the accommodation shortage would impact incoming freshers. University of Glasgow's Student Representatives' Council said it lobbied the university last year to reduce the number of students it was accepting as a result of the accommodation crisis and believed this latest issue was as a result of 'over-recruitment' A University of Glasgow spokesperson said: 'Regrettably, due to a significant contraction in the private rental market, demand for rooms continues to be substantially ahead of expectation and we are no longer in a position to provide guaranteed University accommodation. 'Despite having increased the number of rooms under University management by 25 per cent for the new academic year, we are having to prioritise accommodation for students who are unable to travel from home. 'We understand the concern students have about finding accommodation for the new semester. 'While we are unable to offer accommodation for students living within reasonable commuting distance, we will continue to check regularly on the availability of private provider accommodation and will share updates when we have them.' A group of three girls are lucky to be alive after the air conditioning unit in their hotel room caught fire - making them fear for their lives. As part of a Jet2 package holiday, Alycia McNamara, Megan Kennedy and Faye Turberville, all 21 years old from Birmingham, headed off to Kavos, Greece for their summer holidays. On their first night one of the girls noticed a fault with the AC - and reported it twice to the hotel. However, after no action had been taken, four days later in the early hours of August 8, the machine caught ablaze. Pictured: Faye (left) and Alycia (right) are lucky to be alive after the air conditioning unit in their hotel room caught fire As part of a Jet2 package holiday the girls travelled to Kavos, Greece for their summer holidays Pictured: the blaze taking fold in the Kavos apartment 'We were all sound asleep when Megan woke us up, shouting 'Fire! Fire! Get out now! Fire! Fire!'', Ms McNamara said. She continued: 'I looked over at the AC and it was glowing red and orange. Suddenly I just saw a spark drop. 'We ran out of bed and went to the door, but I was panicking so much that I couldn't get the key in the door to unlock it. 'Sparks were dropping around us as we finally got out the room.' On their first night one of the girls noticed a fault with the AC and reported it twice to the hotel However, after no action had been taken, four days later in the early hours of August 8, the machine caught ablaze According to Ms McNamara, the fire alarm had not gone off automatically, so she rushed to manually set it off herself Ms McNamara (pictured) ran to reception to call for help after no fire alarm went off According to Ms McNamara, the fire alarm had not gone off automatically, so she rushed to manually set it off herself. She said: 'I pressed it about three times before I just started hitting and punching it to make it work. 'Faye then shut the door because in the space of 20 seconds it was getting worse and worse.' Ms McNamara said that after a few minutes when nobody had arrived to help, she ran to reception to call for help. When she got there however, they said that they were unaware that an alarm had been sounded. 'When they finally understood what I was trying to say, four maids ran back to the room with me', Ms McNamara said. 'By the time we got back, less than a couple of minutes later, black smoke was billowing from the building. 'One maid grabbed the fire extinguisher and took her top off to use as a face cover. She just went in and extinguished the whole thing on her own', she said. 'We were all crying when the manager came, saying 'I told you something wasn't right'. We knew there was an issue but they just didn't listen to us the whole time.' When Ms McNamara got to reception they were unaware that an alarm had gone off After the fire, the hotel staff went into the hotel room to retrieve the girls' belongings - all either burned or covered in ash Ms McNamara said that a Jet2 rep had come to visit the girls in Kavos after the fire to help them move to a different hotel, however none were available In total, the package holiday cost the girls 1941 and they have not yet received any compensation After the fire, the hotel staff went into the hotel room to retrieve the girls' belongings - all either burned or covered in ash. 'It was terrifying and we are so lucky to be alive', Ms McNamara said. On the support from Jet2, she added: 'Jet2 have not provided us with any form of compensation for the disaster and we will be making a formal complaint as this could have turned out fatal in seconds more! 'We booked with them for safety as we know they are a reputable company and thought an incident like this wouldn't happen. 'We are hoping to hear back from them as an investigation has been launched but we are incredibly disappointed with the lack of support they gave us considering the severity of the issue.' AC unit set alight while asleep in Olympian Village Hotel Kavos, just about got out in time or consequences unbearable to think about, lucky to be alive @jet2tweets gave us nothing for a near death experience absolutely disgusting pic.twitter.com/DYx4mQ5Pg8 Alycia (@alycia_mcnamara) August 8, 2022 Ms McNamara said that a Jet2 rep had come to visit the girls in Kavos after the fire to help them move to a different hotel. However none were available. Instead, the girls were then moved to another room - this one without a smoke alarm. In total, the package holiday cost the girls 1941. A Jet2 spokesperson said: 'We are sorry to hear about this experience and for any upset caused. Our teams supported Ms McNamara, after a small fire broke out which was limited to the air conditioning unit. This included assisting her in moving rooms, offering medical assistance and completing regular welfare checks. The health and safety of our customers will always be our number one priority and following a thorough investigation, we can confirm that the hotel fully complies with local health and safety requirements.' Two men charged with brutally raping a teenage Ukrainian refugee just minutes apart aboard a German hotel ship appeared in court in Dusseldorf yesterday. Tunisian Rachid B., 38, and Abdullahi A., 26, from Nigeria, allegedly set upon the vulnerable 18-year-old Ukrainian as she headed back to her room from dinner on the Oscar Wilde Hotel ship moored in the Rhine on March 6. Rachid is believed to have followed the girl back to her quarters before forcing his way through the door and assaulting her in her own room. Just ten minutes after Rachid fled the cabin, the second alleged perpetrator burst in and committed his own heinous act, the court heard. Though the alleged rapes were committed in quick succession, the accused are not thought to have known each other and there is no evidence of a joint plan between them, the Dusseldorf public prosecutor's office said. Like the 18-year-old victim, both Rachid and Abdullahi fled Ukraine in the days after Russian tanks rolled across the border on February 24, travelling through Poland and into Germany. The alleged perpetrators hold Ukrainian citizenship, Rachid B. having studied as a dentist in Ukraine and Abdullahi having studied computer science after graduating from high schools in their respective home nations. Tunisian Rachid B., who studied as a dentist in Ukraine before fleeing the war to Germany, hides his face as he appears in court following the alleged rape of an 18-year-old Ukrainian refugee Just ten minutes after Rachid fled the cabin, the second alleged perpetrator Abdullahi A. (pictured) allegedly burst in and committed his own heinous act The rapes are believed to have taken place in quick succession aboard the Oscar Wilde hotel boat, moored in the Rhine, on March 6 The accused were not offered a chance to speak at the hearing on Wednesday, and simply stood before court officials as their history and details of the case were read out. If found guilty, Rachid and Abdullahi face a lengthy prison sentence and deportation. The Ukrainian victim meanwhile did not appear at the court due to a positive Covid test, according to Bild. More than 25 refugees were staying alongside paying guests on the hotel ship at the time of alleged incident after fleeing the invasion of Ukraine. MP Andrea Lindholz told Bild that police must do more to 'specifically ensure the protection of Ukrainian women by checking accommodation' and warned the alleged rape on the Oscar Wilde means authorities must 'act immediately'. A police spokesperson said: 'Politicians should now do everything to ensure that such terrible cases of rape as on the hotel boat in Dusseldorf do not accumulate. 'Harsh and swift punishment followed by deportation is the only language such perpetrators understand.' Some 6.5 million Ukrainians have entered the EU since February, according to Frontex, the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency, streaming into neighbouring countries like Poland with some making their way further west. Around half have since returned to Ukraine, but there are still up to 3 million Ukrainian refugees thought to be living throughout Europe, many of whom are women and children who find themselves particularly vulnerable. Ukrainian refugees queue for food in the welcome area after their arrival at the main train station in Berlin, Germany, March 8, 2022 Some 6.5 million Ukrainians have entered the EU since February, according to Frontex, the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency (refugees pictured in Berlin, March 24). More than 3 million have returned to Ukraine, but there are huge numbers of vulnerable women and children now strewn throughout Europe 'Obviously all the refugees are women and children,' said Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams, the UNHCR's head of global communications, warning that such an outpouring of vulnerable refugees creates ideal conditions for predatory individuals and human trafficking outfits. 'You have to worry about any potential risks for trafficking - but also exploitation, and sexual exploitation and abuse. These are the kinds of situations that people like traffickers look to take advantage of,' she said. Tamara Barnett, director of operations at the Human Trafficking Foundation, a UK-based charity which grew out of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking, said that the exodus of mostly female and child refugees from Ukraine was a 'recipe for disaster.' 'When you've suddenly got a huge cohort of really vulnerable people who need money and assistance immediately, it's sort of a breeding ground for exploitative situations and sexual exploitation,' she said. A gay couple from Georgia have been arrested for allegedly filming 'sexually abusive acts' with their adopted children, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said. William and Zachary Zulock were booked into the Walton County Jail in July, according to the inmate list. Investigators clocked on to the vile acts when investigating a person downloading child sexual abuse material. 'The case originated through the GBI from NCMEC as an escalated Cybertip,' said a spokesperson for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, speaking to MailOnline. 'We provided the tip to the Walton County Sheriffs Office, as they are affiliates with the GA ICAC Task Force.' After they spoke to the person, investigators heard about someone 'producing homemade child sexual abuse material with at least one child who lived in the home with the perpetrator,' according to NBC. Zachary Jacoby Zulock and his husband William Dale Zulock are pictured. The couple were arrested for allegedly filming 'sexually abusive acts' with their adopted children The suspect, whose identity has not been revealed, gave police enough information to track down the couple. Detectives executed a search warrant at a home on the same night in Oxford, approximately 30 miles southeast of Atlanta. Charges of aggravated child molestation and sexual exploitation of children are pending, officials said. William Zulock has an additional charge of child molestation. They confirmed the identities of the children and the alleged perpetrators with the help of Walton County Schools and Walton County's Division of Family and Child Services. 'A small team was dedicated to moving directly to the children to ensure their safety while a team engaged with the adults in the home, securing the scene,' officials said. 'During the execution of the search warrant, evidence that both adult males the adoptive fathers of the sibling pair residing in the home were engaging in sexually abusive acts and video documenting this abuse.' Both men are being held in the Walton County Jail on charges of aggravated child molestation, sexual exploitation of a child and enticing a child for indecent purposes, according to WSB-TV. The couple are in custody with bail denied. The asteroid, which was named 2015 FF, will pass by Earth on Friday, NASA said. An asteroid with the estimated diameter of about 42 to 92 feet or just about the size of an adult blue whale is expected to pass near Earth on Friday, August 12. NASA said that the asteroid named 2015 FF is traveling 33,012 km/h or 27 times the speed of sound. According to Space.com, the 2015 FF asteroid will come within 4.3 million kilometers, or just about eight times the average distance between the Earth and its moon, making it a very short distance. NASA labels any space object that comes within 193 million km as a "near-Earth object" and any fast-moving object within 7.5 million km as "potentially hazardous." Because the 2015 FF asteroid is traveling quickly and falls within the 7.5 million km range, it has been categorized as "potentially hazardous" by NASA. Given this distinction, NASA's astronomers are now closely monitoring the asteroid and other objects like it, determining any deviation from its predicted trajectories. Such occurrences include when an asteroid bounces off another asteroid or object that would make it create another path that may be devastating for residents of Earth. How NASA Monitors Moving Space Objects NASA monitors space objects using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), which is made up of four telescopes that scans the entire night sky daily or every 24 hours. ATLAS first came online in 2017 and since then it has detected more than 700 near-Earth asteroids and 66 comets. ATLAS has also detected two asteroids called 2019 MO and 2018 LA, which both hit Earth. 2019 MO fell into the southern Coast of Puerto Rico, while 2018 LA landed near the border of Botswana and South Africa. Both asteroids were too small to cause any major damage. Thanks to groundbreaking new technology, NASA is now able to estimate the trajectories of all near-Earth objects through the end of the century. The agency said that there is currently no known danger from an apocalyptic asteroid collision for the next 100 years or so. Despite this, NASA remains vigilant as there have been a number of devastating asteroid impacts in recent history. Read Also: Asteroid Bennu Has a Massive Crater Thanks to Collision with Space Rock That Also Caused a Landslide Why NASA Continues to Watch the Skies NASA continuously monitors the skies to ensure that the Earth is prepared for any unexpected events, such as the one in March 2021, in which a bowling ball-sized meteor exploded over Vermont with a force of 200 kilograms of TNT, Livescience reported. In 2013, a meteor struck the atmosphere over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, generating a blast of about 400 to 500 kilotons of TNT, or up to 26 to 33 times the energy released by the Hiroshima bomb. The result was fireballs raining down over the city, damaging buildings, breaking windows, and injuring up to 1,200 people. The public should rest assured, however, that NASA and other space agencies around the world are equipped to handle any asteroid coming the Earth's way and are capable of deflecting the object through various efforts. Back in November 2021, NASA launched a spacecraft as part of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission to redirect a non-hazardous asteroid named Dimorphos, by pushing it off course later this year. Related Article: Asteroid Misses Earth by a Few Thousand Miles: Astronomer Shares Discovery on Twitter Heartbroken parents who lost their baby at an exclusive private hospital when he sustained catastrophic and 'preventable' brain injuries have received a payout. Diane and Andreas Kolbe, from West London, paid 15,000 for Diane to give birth at The Portland Hospital, where Meghan Markle had given birth to son Archie just months before. Victoria Beckham, Jools Oliver and Liz Hurley have also had babies there. Andreas, 43, a banking investment research analyst, and French teacher, Diane, 37, had opted for an induced birth following complications during the delivery of their first child Louis at the Portland in 2016. Baby Raphael sustained catastrophic brain injuries after medics failed to notice there was no trace of a heartbeat 'It was thought safer to have a planned induction because Louis had been large and difficult to deliver. We weren't expecting any problems with an induced birth,' said Diane. The couple said they were 'relaxed' in the lead-up to second son Raphael's birth on August 9 2019. But, at 3 o'clock that afternoon, a heart monitor, meant to be strapped to his mother's abdomen, was removed for 30 minutes by a midwife of 20 years' experience. When it was re-attached there was no trace of baby Raphael's heartbeat. During that time his body had prolapsed against his umbilical cord, cutting off the crucial oxygen supply to his brain. Mr Kolbe said: 'Later we recalled what the midwife had said about being able to deliver babies with her eyes closed. It was an odd statement to make and it clearly wasn't the case. Diane and Andreas Kolbe opted for an induced birth following complications during the delivery of their first child Louis at The Portland in 2016 'Raphael should have been monitored continuously. And if it couldn't be done with a strap in place, then a portable device should have been used.' The cardiotocography (CTG) strap was removed at about the time an anaesthetist came to reposition Mrs Kolbe's epidural pain relief line. Minutes later the baby was delivered lifeless before being resuscitated and rushed to the hospital's neo-natal intensive care unit, where staff cooled Raphael to reduce brain injury caused by the oxygen starvation. He was then rushed to the neo-natal unit at NHS Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, where scans confirmed severe brain damage. The couple were informed that Raphael, born at full term weighing three and half kilos, would die soon after life support was removed. The private Portland Hospital in the West End of London is favoured by celebrities and royals The Portland's childbirth packages start from 15,000 and can cost up to 20,000 He was moved to a hospital closer to his parents' home where he passed away six weeks later on 22 September. 'We have been told that if Raphael had been monitored continuously the cardiotocography heart monitoring strap would have picked up him going into distress,' his mother said. 'He would then have been delivered immediately.' Mrs Kolbe is still suffering from post traumatic stress disorder three years after the death of Raphael and has not returned to work. She is now seven months pregnant and due to give birth at an NHS hospital. She said: 'Because of what I have been through - both of us - it was difficult to try for a baby again. We will never forget Raphael.' The Portland - famous for celeb and royal births - has been hit by fatal mistakes previously. These led to the deaths of two mothers with one grieving husband being awarded 750,000 compensation. And in 2014, Premier League star Jake Livermore lost his baby son due to a heart monitoring error. After three years of legal wrangling, Mr and Mrs Kolbe reached a settlement with HCA Healthcare, which runs the hospital, in February 2022, before court proceedings were issued. Their lawyers at London firm Leigh Day had been working with HCA lawyers since April 2020. An investigation into baby Raphael's death went on for over a year, from 5 November 2019 to 5 January 2021. The inquest concluded on 8 February 2021 and found that his medical cause of death was respiratory failure and severe neonatal hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy. The exclusive London hospital said it has 'implemented learning' since the events in 2019 West London coroner Lydia Brown said in her conclusion: 'During the induced labour his condition was not monitored appropriately from 1500 hours and not at all during the re-siting of the epidural. 'A cord prolapse occurred causing compression of the cord and spasm and leading to a hypoxic brain injury which was unsurvivable. 'Earlier recognition of this obstetric emergency would have allowed for immediate delivery and probably a different outcome.' The coroner added that 'during the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern' and said 'in my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.' The couple's lawyer, Angharad Vaughan, of Leigh Day said: 'Raphael's death was a completely preventable tragedy which happened at London's leading private maternity hospital. 'While the hospital admitted liability for causing Raphael's death at a relatively early stage, the obstructive approach it took meant that it took a further 20 months to achieve a reasonable settlement of the legal claim, which only added to Andreas and Diane's distress. A spokesman for The Portland said: 'The Hospital carried out a thorough investigation of events at the time and has since implemented the learning. 'Patient safety is our most important priority, and we are absolutely committed to maintaining the highest standards of robust audit and training, ensuring a culture of learning from incidents, whenever they occur.' Latvian MPs have declared Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism' and described its war in Ukraine as a 'targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people'. The statement passed in Riga today 'recognises Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view'. MPs in the Baltic state, which borders Russia, said they considered 'Russia's violence against civilians committed in pursuit of political aims as terrorism'. They also condemned its use of cluster munitions 'to sow fear and indiscriminately kill civilians'. Putin's forces are using 'suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralise the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyse the functioning of the state in order to occupy Ukraine,' they added. But Russia hit back, with Kremlin foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova slamming the MPs' statement as 'xenophobic'. MPs in Riga (parliament pictured) today declared Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism' US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin appears alongside Latvian PM Artur Krisjanis Karins during a visit to the Baltic states on Wednesday. The US currently has 500 troops in Latvia Lawmakers in Riga also urged the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas for Russian and Belarusian citizens and to cut down on entry visas in general. They said Russia's invasion was carried out 'with the support and involvement of the Belarusian regime' and called on the international community to impose the same sanctions adopted against Russia on Belarus. The striking statement came a day after US defence secretary visited Latvia and suggested the US may bring in additional trips from America. Lloyd Austin said alongside Latvian PM Arturs Krisjanis Karins yesterday morning: 'We will enhance our rotational deployments in the region and intensify our training with our Baltic allies to further strengthen our combat credible posture in the region.' The US currently stations 500 troops in Latvia, a small chunk of its 100,000 on the continent. There were 100 in place in December, with movements prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Krisjanis Karins added that the country was working closely with the US and boosting its defence budget in response to the looming Russian threat. 'Now that Russia is waging a brutal war in Ukraine, the US and we are united, working on strengthening NATO and providing support to Ukraine,' Karins said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (pictured in South Africa, Monday) has been reluctant to describe Russia as a 'terrorist state', despite the wishes of Volodymyr Zelensky It comes as Republicans, Democrats and President Zelensky have called on Biden to declare Russia a 'terrorist state'. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham appeared with Democratic colleague Sen. Richard Blumenthal to say that a recent Senate vote sent a clear signal to Moscow. 'This designation would be a nightmare for Russia,' said Graham. 'It would be an encouraging event for the people of Ukraine, and more importantly it would be a statement to the world that the United States, in a bipartisan fashion when it comes to Russia, is not forgiving and not forgetting.' Zelensky said in an address last month: 'We need to act immediately and do everything to make Russia stop the killings of children, people, everyone. 'Who among you does not agree that this is terrorism?' Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said he is bound by legal criteria and that the label would make little practical difference as Moscow was already subject to stiff sanctions. 'The costs that have been imposed on Russia by us and by other countries are absolutely in line with the consequences that would follow from designation as a state sponsor of terrorism,' he told the press last month. 'So the practical effects of what we're doing are the same.' Dozens of safari park visitors had to be rescued from a jungle cruise after becoming stranded onboard for more than two hours when the boat became tangled in weeds. The passengers, including a child with leukaemia, spent two and a half hours onboard the packed boat in the middle of the lake at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire last month after the motor stopped working. Passengers claim that children on board were forced to urinate in a bin behind a makeshift door' after a boat failed to rescue them having also become tangled. An initial rescue attempt was made when a small boat was sent to try and help the stranded customers - but it had to divert its mission due to the threat of nearby lurking hippos - called Sonia and Spot - who reside in the lake. A two-minute TikTok video recounted the step-by-step rescue operation at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire that lasted for two and a half hours Some adults tried to push themselves out from the weeds using a large barge pole but were only able to shift slightly closer to land. As Longleat workers tried to rescue the passengers, one employee attempted to throw a grappling hook from the shore into a life ring tossed from the raft. After 20 minutes of failed attempts the grappling hook finally landed in the life ring and staff were able to haul the boat back to shore. Having finally managed to set foot on land again the passengers were then given foil blankets and put on a small train to take them back to the centre of the park. Another cruise ship was sent to rescue the trapped boat but it ended up crashing and also getting stuck in the weeds A second rescue boat had to turn back because of the risk of hippos, two of which - Spot and Sonia - reside in the lake A TikTok video documenting the rescue operation has amassed more than 190,000 views and 6,000 likes. Hundreds of social media users commented on the incident. One said: The foil blankets are just a bit excessive. Another commented: They all did really well to be fair. Accidents happen and they gave a refund. Ive been loads and can't ever fault the attentiveness of the staff, its the best place. Parents tried to push the boat free but the wooden stick they were using was too short to reach the bottom of the lake A third wrote: The rescue boat getting stuck killed me. A fourth replied: I love how all the dads aboard chipped in to help. A fifth added: Well Ive never seen that happen before, I bet the seals were laughing. One passenger, who wished to remain anonymous, said: Children had to wee in a bin behind a makeshift door whilst on the boat. One staff member attempted to throw a grappling hook from the shore into a life ring tossed from the raft One woman had a three-year-old child with leukaemia who was also stuck on the boat. We had to lend the children our jumpers. Were very fortunate that there were no disabled passengers, as there wouldve been no way for them to leave the boat. The boat journey started as normal, when it went to turn around at the end it was blindsided by the wind and pushed into the weeds. After 20 minutes of failed attempts the grappling hook finally landed in the life ring and staff were able to haul the boat back to shore This clogged the motor and left us stranded at the end. The plan was to get the other boat to come and tow us back, but it pulled up alongside our boat and a similar thing happened, causing both boats to become stuck. There was a long wooden pole on the boat which was supposed to be used to push us off of things, but it was pretty useless. Me and other parents helped to push away from the other boat and rotate the boat so we were closer to the shore. The dozens of staff members eventually managed to pull the boat to the bank, where passengers were then given foil blankets and put on a miniature railway train which took them back to the centre of the park The pole was too short to make contact with the ground. A small boat with two people was sent to help us, but they sat and watched before turning around and going back. We were later told that they werent allowed to travel on the lake because of the risk the hippos posed. The staff on the boat threw an orange life ring into the water connected to a rope and the team on the land had a rope with a grappling hook and were throwing, trying to make contact with the orange life ring for around 20 minutes. The TikTok video has racked up nearly 200,000 views, with hundreds of people leaving comments about the unusual situation They were so bad at throwing that I had to explain to them that throwing overarm would make more sense. Ridiculous. We finally made contact and connected to ropes and I pulled a stronger rope across. The rope was then tied onto the boat and the staff pulled us in towards the shore. I insisted that they open their snack hut so that we could all get a hot drink, as it was quite cold on this day, especially seeing as by this point it had been 3.5 hours. Longleat's jungle cruise is described as 'a voyage of discovery', with the opportunity to get up close to Californian sea lions, a lowland gorilla colony and the lake's resident hippos, Spot and Sonia. Longleat's 'jungle cruise' gives visitors the opportunity to see gorillas and hippos. Passengers can also pay extra to feed the Californian sea lions A Longleat spokesperson said: 'On Sunday 24th July at approximately 5.30pm the propeller shaft on one of the Jungle Cruise boats operating on Half Mile Pond became entangled in weed. 'A recovery boat was sent to retrieve the passengers. However, it also became stuck. A team of staff were then brought in to pull both boats back to shore. At all times the passengers were safe and looked after by trained staff. 'Our boats are fully regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and operated by qualified staff, with boatmasters licences. 'We are very sorry for the inconvenience this caused to visitors and the additional time they had to spend on the boat. Our primary concern was to ensure everyone remained safe and secure at all times. 'All the passengers received a full refund and were offered tickets to visit again. Snacks and drinks were also provided. This is the first time an incident of this nature has occurred, and a series of additional preventative measures are now in place.' The FBI director has called death threats against federal agents 'deplorable and dangerous' after supporters of Donald Trump used violent rhetoric online following the raid on the former President's Mar-a-Lago home. Christopher Wray, who was appointed as the FBI's director in 2017, said 'violence' against the FBI and the Department of Justice employees is 'not the answer'. Authorities monitoring social media posts are reporting a significant rise in death threats directed at FBI agents, its director Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, according to Fox News. 'I am always concerned about threats to law enforcement,' Wray said on Wednesday. 'Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you're upset with.' Wray made the remarks following a news conference during a long-planned visit to the agency's field office in Omaha, Nebraska, where he discussed the FBI's focus on cybersecurity. He declined to answer questions about the hours-long search Monday by FBI agents of Trump's Palm Beach, Florida resort. As a result of a surge in threats against Wray, Garland their staff, they are considering steps to improve their security. Both Wray and Garland already travel with armed security guards. But there are discussions to step up protections as violent rhetoric circulates online. Reports suggest a surge in online death threats against Attorney General Merrick Garland (left) and FBI Director Christopher Wray after agents searched Mar-a-Lago The search was reportedly related to the National Archives and Records Administration, which is charged with safeguarding presidential records that belong to the public Mar-a-Lago is closed for the summer. Its well-heeled members generally leave Florida for cooler locations, only returning for the winter. Trump was in New York on Monday It has been easy to find the threats and a call to arms in those corners of the internet favored by right-wing extremists since Trump himself announced the search of his Florida home. Reactions included the ubiquitous 'Lock and load' and calls for federal agents and even Garland to be assassinated. On Gab - a social media site popular with white supremacists and antisemites - one poster going by the name of Stephen said he was awaiting 'the call' to mount an armed revolution. 'All it takes is one call. And millions will arm up and take back this country. It will be over in less than 2 weeks,' the post said. Another Gab poster implored others: 'Lets get this started! This unelected, illegitimate regime crossed the line with their GESTAPO raid! It is long past time the lib socialist filth were cleansed from American society!' Elsewhere, senior conservatives also stepped up their abuse of federal agencies. 'I will support a complete dismantling and elimination of the democrat brown shirts known as the FBI,' wrote Republican Rep. Paul Gosar, of Arizona, comparing federal agents with the Nazi party. 'This is too much for our republic to withstand.' The unprecedented search marked a significant escalation of the federal investigation into whether Trump illegally removed records from the White House as he was leaving office in January 2021. Trump continues to flirt publicly with running again for president in 2024 but has not said clearly whether he will do so. The warrant was related to the National Archives and Records Administration, which is charged with safeguarding presidential records that belong to the public, and whether there were classified documents at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person said the FBI took about 10 boxes of papers, but that a safe that was searched was empty. Since then, Trump's team has bombarded people on its mailing list with requests for donations. They have used fiery rhetoric and accusations of a conspiracy against Trump to solicit cash. 'Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States before, and it's important that you know that it wasn't just my home that was violated - it was the home of every patriotic American who I have been fighting for since that iconic moment I came down the Golden Escalators in 2015,' said Trump in one fundraising email. 'I stood up to the radical left's corruption. I restored power to the people and truly delivered for our country like we have never seen before. The establishment hated it. 'Now, as they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop the Republican Party and me once more.' A seventh suspect has been arrested over the murder of a 17-year-old girl thought to have been caught in the cross-fire of a gang turf war when she was gunned down in a drive-by shooting four years ago. Tanesha Melbourne-Blake was shot dead from a vehicle while hanging out with friends in Tottenham, north London, in 2018. The youth worker, who was pronounced dead at the scene after around an hour, is said to have died when shots were fired from a silver Vauxhall Meriva as it drove past a group of young people just before 9.35pm. Detectives said she had no connection to any gangs and believe she was an innocent victim caught up in a turf war between local gangs. But no one has been charged over the killing so far. One man was arrested in the aftermath of the murder, while another four men were arrested around a year after the killing before all being released on bail. But on Thursday, the Met Police announced a 25-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on July 18 and has since been released under investigation. Ms Melbourne-Blake was pronounced dead at the scene around an hour after she was shot from a Vauxhall Meriva Forensic officers searched the road in Tottenham where Ms Melbourne-Blake was shot dead. Flowers were laid down at the scene as tribute the 17-year-old The Browning .756mm gun used in her shootings was found in a plastic bag by a passer-by, along with a knife and a towel beside a bin in Highgate. And the same gun was used in the murder of Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, in Walthamstow, east London on March 14, 2018 and police believe it had 'been in circulation' for a year. Like Ms Melbourne-Blake, the shooting of Mr Williams-Torres was a case of mistaken identity. Officers believe the weapon was a 'gun for hire' and had been used in four shootings, including the killing of Mr Williams-Torres, before it was passed to another gang and later used in the killing of Ms Melbourne-Blake. The 17-year-old was shot by this Czech-made Browning .756mm handgun which was also used in the murder of Joseph Williams-Torres, who was killed on March 14, 2018 Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, was shot dead by members of the Mali Boys in a case of mistaken identity. The Met Police believe the firearm that killed both Williams-Torres and Melbourne-Blake was a 'gun for hire', rented out by an underworld armourer A timeline of the weapon used in five shootings and two murders May 9, 2017: Two shots are fired into Leyton Slots in Hoe Street, E17. Josephs killers and a group of other men pursued a rival gang member before fleeing. They were later convicted of violent disorder and one of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. September 29, 2017: Man, 27, shot at multiple times on Lea Bridge Road in Leyton. The victim suffered a wound to his leg. Three suspects were arrested but subsequently released with no further action. December 30, 2017: Man, 39, shot following altercation with a group on Clova Road in Forest Gate. March 14, 2018: Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, is murdered in Walthamstow, east London The shootings above were linked to a single gang but, following Josephs murder, the gun was then offloaded to another gang. April 2, 2018: Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, 17, is shot dead in Tottenham, north London. May 19, 2018: The gun is recovered. Advertisement Ms Melbourne-Blake's mother has said its 'disgusting' that young people are able to get their hands on guns so easily. In January, detectives re-arrested two men who had previously been arrested on suspicion of murder - a 34-year-old man, who was originally arrested in April 2018, and a 32-year-old man, who was originally arrested in February 2020. Both have been released under investigation along with three other men while police investigations continue into Ms Melbourne Blake's death, Scotland Yard said. The other three suspects include an 18-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder in March 2019, and a 26-year-old man, who was arrested in April 2019. A 22-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder in March 2019, is another re-arrested suspect. Another man, 50, who was arrested in March 2019, has since been released with no further action to be taken against him. A spokesman for the force said: 'Detectives investigating the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne-Blake in 2018 have arrested a seventh person in connection with her murder. 'Tanesha was shot from a vehicle in Chalgrove Road, N17, shortly before 9:35pm on April 2, 2018 and died at the scene. 'On 18 July 2022, a 25-year-old man [G] was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was subsequently released under investigation pending further enquiries. 'In January 2022, detectives re-arrested two men who had previously been arrested on suspicion of Tanesha's murder.' The parents of a mother missing in Turkey with her four-year-old son urged her this afternoon to 'Just come home.' George Jack Temperley-Wells is believed to have travelled to Antalya with mum Brogan Elizabeth Temperley on June 29 this year before both vanished. Last night grandparents Maureen and George, who lived alongside their granddaughter near Darlington, County Durham, begged for their daughter to get in touch. Retired Royal Navy diver and businessman George, 85, said: 'We just want her to come home. She is frightened to death. 'She cannot lose her child again. It would be too cruel.' Mr Temperley said his daughter met George's dad, who is English, when he was living in Darlington and she was working at a local estate agents. George Jack Temperley-Wells is believed to have travelled from Darlington to the Antalya area with his mother, Brogan Elizabeth Temperley, on June 29 this year George Jack Temperley-Wells is believed to have travelled from Darlington to the Antalya area with his mother, Brogan Elizabeth Temperley, on June 29 this year He said they had a very unhappy relationship and split up before George was born, with Mr Wells moving out of the area. Shortly after becoming a mum, Brogan began having problems with drugs, her father said. He added: 'The baby has to be taken off her while she went into rehab and was in care for about a year. She was allowed to visit and every time she saw him she was heartbroken.' After Brogan received treatment for her problems mother and son were reunited - and have been inseparable ever since, Mr Temperley added. He continued: 'She absolutely doted on him. Everywhere she went he went, except when he was at nursery playing with his friends.' The grandfather said he had provided his daughter with a property he owned in the area and he and his wife Maureen, 78, visited regularly to see their granddaughter and great grandson. But he had not seen either of them for two months, when she told him she was heading down to see friends in the Midlands, where the family used to live and where she grew up. The little boy is pictured with his father 41-year-old Scott Nigel Wells in images recently His mother, Brogan, is 28 and described as slim build with long, dark hair and dark eyes Mr Temperley said: 'We had no idea she was in Turkey or that her ex partner was in Turkey until all this came up. Her friends were stunned.' He added: 'I have never met this fellow Wells and wish she had never met him. They were very bad for each other. If I was still boxing I would knock him out.' 'I cannot believe she would have gone to Turkey so he could spend time with his son. In fact, i don't believe it. There must be some other explanation.' Grand mum Maureen said: 'We love her to bits but she is driving us nuts not knowing where she is. We are a very close family. 'Her and Mr Wells have not been in a relationship for years so we have not got a clue why she would go to Turkey to see him.' George has red hair, a pale complexion, and dark eyes. His mother, Brogan, is 28 and described as slim build with long, dark hair and dark eyes. George was last seen in the Marina area of Antalya, in Turkey, where two of these pictures were taken. Police have serious concerns for his welfare and need to urgently locate George and speak with his mother. Anyone who is in contact with her is asked to encourage her to contact the authorities in Turkey or the UK immediately to confirm her whereabouts and/or seek assistance to return home. If you are in the United Kingdom, please call Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident number 325 of June 30. If you are in Turkey, please either attend a local police station or call their emergency number on 112 / 115. A Lebanese man who took several members of staff hostage in Beirut because a bank refused to hand over his savings has emerged with $30,000 and allowed his captees to leave unharmed. Authorities say 42-year-old Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein entered the bank branch Thursday with a shotgun and a canister of gasoline, threatening to set himself on fire unless he was allowed to take out his money. Lebanon's federal bank has placed restrictions on the amount customers can withdraw from their savings amid a dire economic situation in the country. But Hussein refused to take no for answer, demanding the bank allow him to withdraw his money to pay for his ailing father's hospital bills as he rounded up staff members at gunpoint. After hours of negotiations, he accepted an offer this afternoon from the bank to receive part of his savings, according to local media and a depositors group that took part in the talks. The gunman's actions sparked protests in support outside the standoff earlier today, with bystanders hailing him a hero for standing up to the banks during the country's financial meltdown. Hussein's brother Atef said: 'My brother is not a scoundrel. He is a decent man. He takes what he has from his own pocket to give to others.' Dania Sharif, a sister of one of the hostages, even said: 'He just wants his money.' An armed man demanding deposits frozen by his bank took an unspecified number of hostages Lebanon's cash-strapped banks since late 2019 have implemented strict withdrawal limits on foreign currency assets An aggrieved Lebanese man (pictured) armed with a shogun is holding bank staff hostage in Beirut demanding they hand over $200,000 in his frozen account The gunman has threatened to set himself ablaze and has fired three warning shots at the Federal Bank in Beirut The hostage situation has sparked protests in support of the gunman due to the people's anger at the banks A released hostage walks free from the bank after being holed up with other employees 'He demanded access to around $200,000 he had in his bank account and when the employee refused the request, he began screaming that his relatives were in the hospital. Then he pulled out the gun,' a security source said. Some customers in the bank managed to flee before he shut the doors on the rest, said the source, who was not able to specify how many clients or employees were in the branch. Another security source said a man in his forties 'poured gasoline all over the bank, and closed the bank's front door, holding employees hostage'. The man 'threatened to set himself on fire and to kill everyone in the branch, pointing his weapon in the bank manager's face', said Lebanon's National News Agency (NNA). Earlier, at least one elderly man was released from the bank because of his age and government negotiators were deployed to begin talks with the hostage taker, the interior ministry said. Lebanon's cash-strapped banks since late 2019 have implemented strict withdrawal limits on foreign currency assets, effectively evaporating the savings of many Lebanese. Army soldiers and security forces stand guard outside a Federal Bank branch in Lebanon's capital Beirut The Lebanese Red Cross told Reuters that they had deployed an ambulance on site but had yet to treat anyone Lebanese army soldiers, police officers from the country's Internal Security Forces, and intelligence agents have surrounded the area The country today is suffering from the worst economic crisis in its modern history, where three-quarters of the population have plunged into poverty, and the value of the Lebanese pound has declined by over 90 per cent against the U.S. dollar. Lebanese army soldiers, police officers from the country's Internal Security Forces, and intelligence agents surrounded the area amid the hostage situation. The Lebanese Red Cross told Reuters that they had deployed an ambulance on site but had yet to treat anyone. A Reuters witness earlier today said they saw a bearded man in a black shirt behind the gated entrance to the bank speaking to several men in plainclothes on the outside. 'Let them give me back my money!' he was heard telling them. A crowd gathered outside the bank, many of them chanting, 'Down with the rule of the banks!' The man was carrying a canister of gasoline and is holding up to ten employees hostage Cellphone video footage showed the disgruntled man with his shotgun, demanding his money back. In another video, two police officers behind the locked bank entrance asked the man to release at least one of the hostages, but he refused. A customer at the bank who fled the building as the situation escalated, told local media that the man was demanding to withdraw all of his money to pay his father's medical bills. In January, a coffee shop owner successfully withdrew $50,000 trapped in a bank branch in eastern Lebanon after holding bank staff hostage, and threatening to kill them. Lebanon has yet to implement formal capital controls since the onset of the economic crisis. A senior nurse is suing private healthcare company Nuffield Health for racial victimisation after claiming she was treated like a 'black slave' by her 'white goddess' manager. Rosaline Caesar-Scammell, told an employment tribunal in Southampton she endured 21-years of racism from colleagues, which a friend said included comments about 'blacking up' and 'monkeys'. The 'ostracised' 57-year-old is also suing the health firm for wrongful dismissal after she was fired for a message sent on her phone to a ward WhatsApp group. The message, which she denies sending, bemoaned a lack of PPE equipment and complained of nurses and patients having Covid-19 towards the beginning of the pandemic. Former Rotary Club president Miss Caesar-Scammell claims the investigation into the message was unfair, that her sacking was predetermined and that she faced racial discrimination during the process. Rosaline Caesar-Scammell (pictured above) is suing Nuffield Health for 21 years of racial victimisation and wrongful dismissal, after she was fired in 2020 The senior ward sister, who was the only black nurse at a Nuffield hospital in Bournemouth, Dorset, alleged an 'aggressive' investigating manager told her: 'You type of people are all liars.' Nuffield Health denies any wrongdoing and stands by its decision to sack the nurse for the 'inaccurate' message, which is said to have caused 'deep concern' amongst colleagues. A spokesperson for the firm told MailOnline: Nuffield Health vigorously denies all of these allegations and we do not tolerate any form of racial discrimination as suggested by the claimant in this tribunal. Miss Caesar-Scammell raised a grievance during the disciplinary process, alleging discrimination dating back to the start of her employment, but this was dismissed by the firm, along with her appeals against her sacking. Rebecca Hudson, who chaired the disciplinary process, told the tribunal the nurse had referred to herself as a 'black slave' and to hospital outpatient manager Lorraine Hampton as a 'white goddess' in one meeting. Ms Hudson said: 'Miss Caesar-Scammell had prepared something to say and called Ms Hampton a 'white high goddess' and referred to herself as a 'black slave'.' Miss Caesar-Scammell, 57, claimed she was treated like a 'black slave' and referred to her manager as a 'white high goddess' Dr Steven Bick, a GP and friend of the claimant from the Bournemouth Rotary Club, told the tribunal she had felt 'ostracised' by colleagues. He wrote in a statement: 'During her time at the hospital, Miss Caesar-Scammell would, from time to time, be the subject of inappropriate comments. 'These comments ranged from mockery and name calling, comments about blacking up, comments about monkeys. 'She felt ostracised and ignored. To her, her workplace had become a daily battleground.' The tribunal heard how Miss Caesar-Scammell is of Caribbean descent and originally qualified in the Royal Army Nursing Corps (RANC), while serving in the Royal Navy. She began working for Nuffield Health in 1999 and worked her way up to a position of ward sister. However, the nurse told the tribunal that she was racially abused during her 21 years at the hospital, describing the environment as 'extremely hostile' and said she was never taken seriously when she tried to raise concerns. She said: 'The experience of a black nurse is significantly different to that of a white nurse. 'Due to the insidious nature of racism, the management team failed to recognise, understand or empathise with my lived experience and obvious fears around the situation I found myself in. An employment tribunal in Southampton heard that Miss Caesar-Scammell, who was the only black nurse at a Nuffield Health hospital in Bournemouth, Dorset, felt "ostracised" by her peers 'The working environment of the hospital was extremely hostile. I raised lots of issues by letters and verbally... I was never taken seriously. 'I suffered 21 years of hostility, racism and name-calling from my colleagues. 'Despite this, I remained loyal and committed to my job. I worked for [Nuffield] for 21 years. Throughout this time I was constantly under a microscope. 'I was disciplined or made an example of for the most minor and inconsequential mistake in comparison to my peers. 'Nothing escaped them, everything was super sensationalised and led to the harshest of punishment... constantly [being] singled out, blamed for things even when I wasn't working. 'I am proud of myself and my character. I am proud of what I have done as a nurse.' The tribunal heard Miss Caesar-Scammell was let go in May 2020 after a message was sent to her ward's WhatsApp group the previous month. On April 8, weeks after the first nationwide coronavirus lockdown was enforced in the UK, the senior nurse began her shift at 7am. She told the tribunal she had left her phone, which was not locked or password protected, unattended on the nurses desk during her shift. Later that day, a message was sent from her phone to the 21 members of the group saying: 'Here at work doing a 15x hr shift. Ran out of protective clothing again. 'All a bit scary as non [sic] of the patients here has been tested x2 of the Consysnts [sic] are off with Covid and 10 nurses from my Dept either with Covid or isolating so just a handful of us holding the fort.' Miss Caesar-Scammell was sacked for a message sent from her phone to a work group chat, but she denies sending the message and claimed she faced racial discrimination during the disciplinary process Miss Caesar-Scammel insisted she did not send the message herself, and later messaged the group to say it was a 'hoax'. During an initial investigatory meeting the following day with manager Ms Hampton, Miss Caesar-Scammell said a friend she had discussed the message with suggested it was 'black humour'. She told the tribunal Ms Hampton 'latched on' to the phrase and separately looked up the dictionary definitions of the words 'black' and 'humour', saying 'that's you' when first looking up 'black'. The nurse added: 'Lorraine during her investigation meeting used stereotypically racist language normally used to define black people, particularly black women. 'She was aggressive, loud, dishonest.' Her lawyer Pater Wareing also claimed Ms Hampton 'screamed' down the phone at his client during a 'welfare call' fire days later, telling her: 'You type of people are all liars,' before hanging up. Ms Hampton denied saying this during cross-examination, but Mr Wareing told her: 'You did say that, you meant people who are not like you - not white people.' Ms Caesar-Scammell later received a letter telling her she was suspended and, following two further investigation meetings and a final disciplinary meeting, was sacked by Nuffield Health for gross misconduct. Two years on, she is suing the company for racial victimisation and wrongful dismissal. Advertisement With mobile phone in hand, a migrant leans back on a packed wooden boat as he takes a selfie during his crossing to Europe. But scenes of joy quickly turned to disaster off the southern Italian island of Lampedusa this morning when the overloaded vessel capsized leaving dozens stranded in the choppy waters. Chaotic images show some 40 migrants from Eritrea and Sudan fighting to stay afloat after they tumbled overboard when the strained vessel started taking on water. Some attempted to clamber on top of the ship's hull as it pitched over, while others clasped children as they fervently kicked to keep themselves above the surface. A rescue operation was quickly launched with Spanish NGO Open Arms plucking them from the water and safely transferring all of them to the Italian coastguard. The images highlight the extraordinary risks migrants take with Mediterranean crossings as they seek a new life in Europe. In 2021, 123,300 individual migrant crossings were registered across the Med according to the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) as people flee nations including Eritrea, Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Libya for the promise of a better life in Europe. But more than 3,000 drowned after their vessels sank, the UNHCR said, and many who survive are subject to brutal treatment and abuse at the hands of people smugglers en-route to the northern shores of Africa. With mobile phone in hand, a migrant leans back on a packed wooden boat as he takes a selfie during his crossing to Europe moments before the vessel capsizes Migrants smiled as they made their way across the Med just south of the Italian island of Lampedusa - but the scenes quickly turned to despair as the vessel started taking on water Migrants swim next to their overturned wooden boat during a rescue operation by Spanish NGO Open Arms at south of the Italian Lampedusa island at the Mediterranean sea, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022 The red and blue panted wooden vessel overturned in choppy waters this morning and started to sink Forty migrants from Eritrea and Sudan, two children and one woman, were rescued by NGO Open Arms crew members and the Italian coastguard Migrants are hauled aboard by the Italian coastguard after their vessel overturned In 2021 alone, around 67,500 refugees and migrants arrived in the Italy, with around half landing on the small island of Lampedusa, near the coasts of Tunisia and Libya. Migrants swim next to their overturned wooden boat during a rescue operation by Spanish NGO Open Arms at south of the Italian Lampedusa island at the Mediterranean sea It comes as the frontrunner to become the next Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, last weekend called on the navy to blockade the north of Africa in an attempt to stem the flow of migrants entering southern Italy. The leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party said the navy should screen all migrants attempting to cast off from African shores and turn back any who cannot prove they are genuine refugees. The aim of many migrants who attempt the perilous crossing is to reach the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa. Located south of Sicily, the island is one of the southernmost points of Europe which has a dedicated migrant centre designed to provide temporary accommodation. But many of the Europe-bound migrants are denied asylum because they fled poverty and not persecution or war, and the Lampedusa centre is hundreds of people beyond its capacity due to the sheer number of summer crossings. In 2021 alone, around 67,500 refugees and migrants arrived in the Italy, with around half on Lampedusa due to its proximity to Libya and Tunisia. Meloni, 45, has promised to take a hard stance on the crossings should she be elected to replace outgoing PM Mario Draghi this September. Under her proposed plan, the Italian navy would blockade the Mediterranean and would ensure all migrants who attempt to leave are held in detention centres in Africa rather than Italy. Only migrants who are able to prove they are fleeing war and seeking asylum would be granted passage to Italy - the others turned back. Speaking at the weekend to a TV channel owned by the family of scandal-ridden former PM Silvio Berlusconi, Meloni declared: 'The problem of migrant arrivals on our shores must be tackled at its source, with a 'naval blockade'.' She pitched the idea as a 'European mission to negotiate together with Libya, the possibility to block the inflatable boats during their departure.' But her designs came under attack from political opponents, who said any attempt to blockade the shores of a foreign nation would be a de-facto declaration of war. 'Meloni, do you know that under international law it is considered an act of war,' tweeted former house speaker Laura Boldrini. 'Do you know that more ships would be required than the navy has? Do you know the number of dead would outnumber those rejected?' Giorgia Meloni, current frontrunner to become Italy's next prime minister, has proposed blockading the coast of Libya to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean A Spanish NGO Open Arms crew member helps migrants to get onboard after their vessel capsized this morning Migrants cling to the hull of their overturned wooden boat during a rescue operation by Spanish NGO Open Arms south of the Italian Lampedusa island Ms Meloni wants all new arrivals - both migrants and refugees - to be detained in Africa so their eligibility to travel can be assessed before any of them are allowed to come to Italy (file) Italy's firebrand former interior minister, Matteo Salvini, has also put migration at the centre of his electoral campaign, and last week personally visited the Lampedusa migration centre. Salvini also pledged to move screening centres for people seeking political asylum to northern Africa, alleging that said just 15 per cent of current arrivals qualify as refugees. He also voiced concern that the Lampedusa, Italys largest, was nearing collapse due to overcrowding, calling it 'unworthy of a civilised country.' Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, Greek authorities are into the second day of a search and rescue operation for dozens of migrants who are still missing after the boat they were on sank in rough seas off a southeastern Greek island earlier this week. A Greek navy vessel and three nearby merchant ships were still searching this morning for between around 30 to 50 people believed missing after the boat that had been carrying them from the Turkish coast of Antalya to Italy capsized in the early hours of Wednesday. No further survivors have been located since 29 men from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq were rescued shortly after the boat sank about 33 nautical miles (38 miles) southeast of the island of Karpathos, the Greek coast guard said. Wizz Air is suspending flights from Cardiff to nine popular winter sun resorts including Corfu and Tenerife from mid-September until next spring. The suspensions will start from September 19, with the airline saying the routes are not commercially viable. The airline is no longer offering tickets to Alicante, Corfu, Heraklion, Faro, Larnaca, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Sharm el-Sheikh or Tenerife. Its bosses said the decision was made to minimise disruption to passengers, who will be informed by email if they are affected. Ticket-holders will be offered options to either rebook to take their trip this year as planned but from London Gatwick or Luton Airport, or book comparable flights to go next summer from Cardiff. The suspensions will start from September 19, with the airline saying the routes are not commercially viable. Stock picture People will also be offered either a full cash refund or 120 per cent of their ticket cost in airline credit. Flights to Milan, Italy, and Romanian capital Bucharest will still operate over the winter months, Wizz Air confirmed. Tickets to those destinations are being offered from October. However, all other links will be cancelled until April 2023 when the airline said it intends to then increase operations from Cardiff. Its staff at Wales's only international airport will be offered opportunities at other UK airports over the winter to return in the spring. Managing director of Wizz Air UK Marion Geoffrey said: 'We are very disappointed to have to suspend several routes from Cardiff Airport for the winter season. 'Though these routes have proved popular through the summer season, it would not be commercially viable to continue to operate them through this coming winter due to the challenging macro-economic environment. The airline is no longer offering tickets to Alicante, Corfu, Heraklion, Faro, Larnaca, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Sharm el-Sheikh or Tenerife. Stock picture 'This leaves us with no option but to pause these routes until next spring. 'We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this will cause customers who already booked flights with us. We are in touch with all affected customers to explain their options. 'It takes time to build up sustainable operations at any base and we are prepared to build up operations at Cardiff over the long term.' The company set up a new base at Cardiff Airport in December 2020, creating 40 new jobs, with the aim of increasing the airport's yearly seat capacity by 350,000. However it reported growing losses of 381 million in the first quarter of this year, which it said was down to the effect of fuel costs and recent airport disruption. It said rising demand and ticket prices should ensure a 'material operating profit' in the second quarter. Cardiff Airport has been owned by the Welsh Government since March 2013. Welsh Government minister Julie James said: 'Whilst this is unfortunate timing, the airport board remains positive about its recovery from the pandemic as there continues to be significant demand for travel this year. 'My officials will continue to maintain a close and open dialogue with the airport board and despite this announcement I remain positive for the airport's recovery and eventual growth.' Welsh Conservative shadow minister for transport Natasha Asghar said: 'This is incredibly disappointing news for Cardiff Airport, which has already seen falling passenger numbers and continues to make a loss. 'Wales needs an airport that will attract airlines in order to boost the economy and show Wales off to the world. 'Labour ministers need to monitor the situation and provide urgent clarity as to when the services will resume and what alternative routes are being planned from other airlines.' The SpaceX CEO hinted at a backup plan in case the infamous Twitter deal falls through. Never underestimate billionaire genius Elon Musk. Despite his ongoing $44 billion legal battle with Twitter, Musk is already formulating a backup plan in case the deal to purchase the social media platform does not push through. Enter X.com, a potential social media site developed by Musk himself. On Tuesday night, Musk replied to a Twitter thread in which Tesla Owners Silicon Valley asked him if he ever thought about creating his own social media platform in the event that he couldn't buy Twitter. His answer, simply, was "X.com." What is X.com? According to Gizmodo, X.com is a "potential new social media platform" from Musk, who has signaled his desire to make his own social media company amidst his legal battle with Twitter. X.com is currently a plain white website with just "x" as its contents, as if to bookmark the domain. X.com was formerly owned by PayPal. Musk, who previously served as PayPal's CEO, purchased the domain from the company in 2017. However, the billionaire tech tycoon actually co-founded X.com way back in 1999 as an online bank, before the website merged with a competitor in 2000. In 2017, Musk purchased X.com again because it had "great sentimental value" to him and explained that the best use for the domain would be as a website for all of his endeavors, including Tesla and SpaceX. Read Also: Elon Musk Is Not Moving Twitter's Acquisition Forward Without the Exact Number of Bots Musk's Legal Battle With Twitter Intensifies Hints at a possible social media site X.com comes amidst Musk's court battle with Twitter over his attempt to rescind a proposal to purchase the social media company. According to The Hill, the tech billionaire is attempting to exit the deal over the actual number of spam and fake accounts, which he claims is greater than the figures Twitter presented. Twitter then filed a lawsuit against Musk, requiring him to push through with the $44 billion purchase of the company, but the tech tycoon countersued for fraud, breach of contract and violation of a securities law in Texas, claiming that they had mislead him over the actual size of its user base, the New York Post reported. Musk, who initially wanted to purchase Twitter to "defeat the spam bots," accused Twitter of lying about the actual number of fake accounts on its platform. The tech tycoon claims that his team used Twitter's "firehose" of tweets and Botometer to show that spam accounts actually amounted to 33% of its user base, a far larger figure than Twitter's estimate of 5%, CNN reported. Now, one of Botometer's makers has spoken out, expressing surprise that Musk's team used the free, publicly available tool instead of "[spending] money on hiring people to build some sophisticated tool or methods by himself." Kaicheng Yang is a researcher at Indiana University's Observatory on Social Media and a co-creator of Botometer. Yang explained that Botometer actually doesn't show whether an account is fake or spam but instead shows how likely it is to be automated. This is expected to be a major point of contention in the upcoming Twitter vs. Musk trial, as the definition of "bot" is rather unclear. Musk Awaits Twitter Trial A trial for the lawsuits is set for October 17 in Delaware Chancery Court. Meanwhile, Musk on Tuesday showed through regulatory filings that he sold almost $7 billion worth of Tesla shares amidst the Twitter legal fiasco despite saying in April that he had no intentions of selling more Tesla shares. Musk reasoned that it was important to "avoid an emergency sale of Tesla stock" in the event that equity partners do not come through when he is forced to finally buy Twitter. Related Article: Twitter is Investigating Elon Musk's Silicon Valley Associates, Banks in Connection to the $44 Billion Deal A General Motors assembly plant in Michigan is in lockdown after an employee shot dead a co-worker this morning. The suspect is in custody but the plant in Lake Orion remains closed off. Neither the suspect nor the victim has been identified. FOX News reports that both were employees at the plant. The scene at the Orion plant in Michigan on Thursday morning after an employee shot a co-worker dead inside. Photo courtesy of FOX reporter Charlie Langton Police at the General Motors plant in Lake Orion, some 40 miles northwest of Detroit, after a murder inside the plant on Thursday morning Workers arrived at the plant on Thursday for their shifts but were turned away by police. Neither the suspect nor the victim has been named Police say the men had an argument inside the plant at around 1.30am. They have not issued any further details. More details are expected from police later today. The plant in Lake Orion employs around 1,200 workers. It has employed thousands in the town since it opened in 1983. It's unclear where exactly inside the expansive plant the murder took place. The plant sits across 433 acres. A nine-year-old girl was left to live in a house police described as an 'animal toilet' despite two reports detailing the 'sickening' squalor to a child protection agency. During welfare checks on the girl who was living with her grandfather in regional South Australia, police reported the house was partly flooded, strewn with animal faeces, reeked of urine and was filled with rotting food. Photos taken by officers reveal a filthy interior with clothes and debris heaped in festering piles, a disgusting toilet and what looks to be bread rotting into mounds of mold in the kitchen. The horrifying conditions were uncovered during a court hearing dealing with another matter and have sparked to questions about how the little girl was allowed to stay in the house even after officers made reports. The girl first entered the custody of her grandfather when she was only 12 months old and lived with him in a public housing property, which he had occupied since June 2013. Police said the room that the girl slept in was covered with animal faeces (pictured) Police conducted a welfare check on the girl on January 27, 2019, after being told she was home by herself. When two officers knocked on the front door at about 9.45am the girl answered the door alone, the Adelaide Advertiser reported. 'We had a conversation with her and she advised us that she was home alone and that her grandfather had left the address to go shopping,' the officer told the court. 'I then asked if I could see her bedroom and the front door was ajar and I could see the state of the house. 'The outside area where we were on the front porch wasn't flooded. 'It was as soon as we stepped through that entrance into the dining room those rooms were flooded as well as the hallway. A court case has revealed the squalid living conditions endured by a nine-year-old girl in South Australia who was in the care of her grandfather The girl who cannot be named for legal reasons, led police through the house where they saw the kitchen covered in 'dirt, mold and grime'. There was 'a branch or a log in the hallway covered by clothing' the officer said. Officers were shown where the girl slept in the corner of a room covered with 'animal faeces', 'dirty hair', and with 'very limited linen'. 'There were no mattresses or bedding or anything that I could see to conclude that it was a safe place for a kid to be, it was just all clutter and rubbish and filth,' police said. Officers commented that everything in the house was 'damp', it was a 'very humid environment'. When the girl's grandfather arrived home he was irritated that police were in the house. 'He was more concerned about us being in the address while he wasn't there,' the officer said. Police testified that the house was in a disgusting condition throughout and had a strong smell of urine Read police officer's descriptions of the 'sickening' conditions 'There was a number of items on the ground, clothing, junk, the house was flooded, there was a layer of water on the ground, animal faeces.' 'When I've walked through the dining room you can see straight ahead at the kitchen. I've noticed dirt and mold and grime in the kitchen, piles of dishes and then continued down the hallway, where I saw a branch or a log in the hallway covered by clothing. The hall was also flooded.' 'The photo doesn't really do it justice, the bedding was quite soiled and dirty with hair and other mater on it, it was quite messy compared to the photos. Everything was kind of damp in the whole house, it was a very humid environment.' 'There were no mattresses or bedding or anything that I could see to conclude that it was a safe place for a kid to be, it was just all clutter and rubbish and filth.' 'The kitchen bench was full of decaying scraps and food. There was clothing and general household material mixing with faeces. Piled bedding and clothing everything was damp and wet to the touch. 'The smell, like the whole area was just an animal toilet, everything was littered with filth. The smell was horrendous.' Advertisement 'We advised (the grandfather) about the living arrangement being in our word sickening and that she should not be left alone at the address at her age.' The officers made a report to the Child Abuse Report Line that day. Police were called to the property again on July 7, 2019 for a second welfare check. Officers arrived at the property at about 1.45am and banged on the doors and window for 10 minutes before the grandfather opened the door. According to the officers he was unsettled by their visit. 'Yes, it was 1.40am, but his level of aggressiveness was something that would usually warrant me to think about use of tactical options in a public setting,' one of the officers told the court. 'That wasn't our purpose, we were there to check the welfare of the occupants and make sure everyone was all right, so we were trying to be as diplomatic as possible.' The grandfather had a warrant for breaching bail and the officer took him into custody. 'The assessment of the frontyard and property, it became clear that it was a lot more than just a standard welfare check,' he said. 'When we entered the property it was in a state of disgrace. 'There was faeces everywhere. There was a very hot ammonia smell that burns your nose as you walk in. 'Not just animal faeces it was like a hot urine smell, it was quite bad, as well as the domestic rubbish. 'The smell, like the whole area was just an animal toilet, everything was littered with filth. The smell was horrendous.' Officers saw the girl asleep on couch cushions on soiled bed linen in the living room with a dog curled up at her feet. Despite police reporting twice on the 'sickening' house after making welfare checks the girl was left in the appalling conditions '(The grandfather) walked up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her,' the officer said. 'He said 'Wake up, wake up, the dogs are here, the mutts are going to put me inside'.' The grandfather and the girl were taken to the police station but both were sent back to the house that night. It was not until 20 days later that the girl was removed from the house. Daily Mail Australia have contact the South Australian Child Protection Department has been contacted for comment on the case. Every room of the public housing property, which has since been demolished, was filled with debris and mould Child Protection Deputy chief executive Fiona Ward told The Adelaide Advertiser that the department found the volume of cases it was dealing with 'challenging'. 'Last year, about 39,000 individual children were reported to the department,' a spokeswoman said. 'The majority of families reported to child protection have multiple and complex needs with active domestic violence, unmanaged mental illness, current substance addiction and housing instability as key underlying factors driving children's experience of abuse and neglect.' After other living arrangements were made for the girl police visited in the house once more in late 2019 and took photos indicating it was still in a state of squalor. The number of suspected modern slavery victims in the UK has hit a new record, figures show. Between April and June, 4,171 potential victims of human trafficking, slavery or forced labour were reported to the Home Office. The figure is the highest quarterly figure since records on modern slavery began in 2009. It is also a rise of 10 per cent from the previous quarter and up a third from the same period in 2021. The rising figures have been blamed on the rise in illegal immigrants claiming to be victims of modern slavery to avoid deportation. In 2020, almost one in six used the defence as victims of trafficking or modern slavery are protected through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a unit run by the Home Office. Claims doubled from 5,135 to 10,613 between 2017 and 2020. Figures show the highest number of child victims and 589 referrals involved county lines drugs gangs, also the highest number since records began Home Office minister Baroness Williams of Trafford said last year: There are concerns about the potential for a referral to the NRM to be used to frustrate immigration enforcement processes to gain access to support inappropriately. 'There has been a growth in NRM referrals being made after a person enters immigration detention. This raises legitimate concern that some referrals are being made late in the process to frustrate immigration action and that legitimate referrals are not being made in a timely way. The government has proposed to crack down on the use of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to block deportation and criminal prosecution. Figures show the highest number of child victims and 589 referrals involved county lines drugs gangs, also the highest number since records began. Overall, 14 per cent of referrals involved county lines, with three-quarters (446) of these concerning boys. The figures for suspected modern slavery victims have risen each year, excluding 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, 2,727 potential victims were identified - the highest annual figure since records began, when the number was 552. Of the potential victims, 54 per cent claimed exploitation as adults and 39% claimed exploitation as children. Some 43 per cent claimed their exploitation took place overseas, compared to 36 per cent in the previous three months. The vast majority, 79 per cent, of the suspected victims were male. The most commonly reported form of exploitation for adult victims was labour exploitation, 32%, while children were most often referred for criminal exploitation - 44%. Maya Esslemont, director of After Exploitation, a non-profit organisation, said the news: 'Could represent a loss of trust between survivors and the authorities, as the latter can no longer promise victims that they will be protected from deportation if they comply with an investigation. 'We are worried to see a rise in recorded modern slavery cases, at a time when the life circumstances of so many survivors seems uncertain. The National Crime Agency has made a number of arrests this year in connection with human trafficking 'Since the Nationality and Borders Act was brought into force, survivors no longer have a "guarantee" of support even if they are recognised by the Home Office's own decision makers as victims. 'Today's figures show just how urgently this government needs to step up and address the long-term challenges facing each of the victims recognised as an NRM statistic.' It was reported last year that those claiming to be victims of modern slavery included Albanian gangs growing cannabis in the UK. Albanians comprised the largest number of claims from foreign nationals in the last five years. One case included Armelind Rexha, who appeared in court in 2019 charged with growing cannabis worth up to 672,000. A judge accepted his claim that he had been forced to do it after he cited the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Last year, almost 30,000 people were known to have crossed the channel in small boats to reach the UK - likely an underestimate. This was a huge rise from 2020 when just 8,400 made the crossing. So far in 2022, over 13,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel and the total number for the year could double that of 2021. The surge in channel crossings has largely been fuelled by people-smuggling gangs helping migrants to make the dangerous journey across the Channel. According to the Home Office, 50 suspected criminal gang members were arrested last year in connection to small boat crossings. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has also made several arrests this year connected to human trafficking as the number of Channel crossings continues to rise. Vermont Police and Department of Child Services are investigating Ezra Miller, who is believed to be hiding a 25-year-old mother and her three young children at The Flash star's farm home. Authorities said they attempted to serve an emergency care order to remove the children from the care of the mother, who has not been identified, citing fears over their safety at the scandal-plagued, non-binary actor's home in Stamford, Rolling Stone reported. Miller, 29, however, told police the family hasn't lived with them in months despite the kids being sighted at the property in late-June, and the State Attorney's office described the actor's response as an attempt to 'evade service.' On Tuesday night, police cars were spotted at the property, but it was unclear if anyone was removed from the home. It's the latest in a troubling saga surrounding Miller, who was arrested for a third time this weeks as sources say Warner Bos. Discovery is preparing for the possibility of axing the $200 million Flash film. Vermont Police and Department of Child Services are investigating Ezra Miller (above) for allegedly hiding a 25-year-old mother and her three young children at the star's Vermont home Miller was recently spotted at the home along with their mother (left) and another woman. It is unclear if the woman is the unidentified mother authorities are looking for Officials said Miller had told them the family hasn't lived with them in months despite the kids being sighted at the Stamford property (above) in late-June According to the court order reviewed by Rolling Stone, Vermont police had attempted to serve the papers to the mother twice over the weekend regarding her children, aged one, four and five. The court order reads: 'Miller, the owner of the residence, advised that Mother and the children had not been staying there for the past two months.' 'This contradicts information [the DCF caseworker] presented to the Court in her affidavit as Mother was posting on social media in late July 2022 that [the case worker] recognized as the inside of Miller's residence.' Authorities added that the mother's social media account appears to be deleted now. 'The Court concludes that remaining in the home is contrary to the child's welfare because: The child's safety cannot be reasonably assured if the child remains in the custody of the child's parent, guardian or custodian,' Vermont police referred all questions to the Department of Child Services, which declined to comment given the confidential nature of the investigation. The Rolling Stone reported in June that Miller met the mother back in March at her Hawaii home before they moved into their Vermont home, much to the distress of the children's father, who the magazine did not name. 'I got a bad feeling in my stomach,' the father told Rolling Stone. Miller, 29, now sporting a full mustache and longer hair, was wearing a white T-shirt and necklace as they were busy on their phone while out on the porch of the Stamford home The scandal-plagued actor was seen enjoying the outside air with their mother, Marta (left) The Rolling Stone reported in June that Miller met the mother back in March at her Hawaii home before they moved into the star's Vermont home One person interviewed by Rolling Stone claimed that the one-year-old on Miller's property which is allegedly an unlicensed cannabis farm had been found with a stray bullet in their mouth as authorities said they were worried about the children's safety Previous reports indicated that the children were at Miller's home in June, where firearms were reportedly left lying around. One person interviewed by Rolling Stone claimed that the one-year-old on Miller's property which is allegedly an unlicensed cannabis farm had been found with a stray bullet in their mouth. The latest sighting of Miller on the property this week came just a day after they were arrested and charged with felony burglary after police claim the actor broke into an area home and stole bottles of liquor in May. Vermont State Police said they received a complaint that Miller had burglarized an empty home, and investigators reviewed surveillance footage of the area and took statements from witnesses before charging the actor. Following this latest arrest, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that Warner Bros. Discovery was preparing for three scenarios amid Miller's scandal. The first was an optimistic view of the situation, where executives would prepare Miller for an interview to discuss their erratic behavior and promote the fact that the star is seeking professional help while in Vermont. If Miller refuses help, the company would still look to release the film by the summer of 2023, but the troubled star would be cut from future Flash and DC projects. The third scenario Warner Bros. is allegedly preparing for involves scrapping the movie altogether, similar to the way the company killed the $90 million Batgirl film. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav previously told THR that the company will be sticking by The Flash film, along with other DC properties following the scrapping of several superhero projects. 'We've seen them. We think they are terrific, and we think we can make them even better,' Zaslav said of the movies. The comments came as THR reported that Miller was brought back to the set to reshoot scene in between his back-to-back arrests in Hawaii this spring. The best-case scenario for the film still lingers in peril given that Miller has been the subject of numerous controversies in recent months, and they have been accused of disturbing and violent behavior going back to at least 2020. Given the recent spate of controversies surrounding Miller, Warner Bros. Discovery is allegedly preparing to plans to either aid the troubled star, or scrap the $200 million Flash movie Miller was first arrested on March 28, for disorderly conduct at a bar in Hawaii Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav previously said the company was sticking with the Flash film as it was said to test well with audiences In 2020, a video circulated that allegedly showed the actor choking a woman while at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland. A source told Variety the incident took place after 'pushy fans' approached Miller and the actor lost their temper. Miller has never publicly addressed the incident. A woman claimed to Variety that in March 2020, Miller became belligerent and harassed her in her Berlin apartment after she told them that they could not smoke indoors. 'That just set them off,' said the woman, who was identified only by her first name, Nadia. 'I asked them to leave about 20 times, maybe more. They started insulting me. Im a "transphobic piece of s***." Im a "Nazi." 'It became so, so stressful for me. They were going around my house, looking at everything, touching everything, spreading tobacco leaves on the floor. It felt disgusting and very intrusive.' Amid the recent scandal, a video resurfaced on Twitter of Miller appearing to choke a woman at a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland She was only able to get Miller to leave after a half-hour confrontation when she finally called the police, and the incident left her feeling 'unsafe.' It was reported last month that the investigation had been dropped due to Miller no longer being in the country. Miller also made headlines in January when they posted a now-deleted video on Instagram threatening members of the Ku Klux Klan operating in Beulaville, North Carolina. Miller was seen telling members of the Klan to kill themselves with their own guns, otherwise 'we'll do it for you if that's what you want.' The troubled actor has been arrested twice in Hawaii this year, once for disorderly conduct and harassment and another time for second-degree assault. Miller was arrested In March at the Margarita Village bar for allegedly harassing a number of patrons with belligerent behavior and was charged with disorderly conduct and harassment. The incident started when Miller was reportedly hurling obscenities at a 23-year-old woman singing karaoke. The actor also tried to grab the microphone from her mid-song. Then later on the same night, Miller lunged at a 32-year-old man who was playing darts at the bar. Police were eventually called in to deal with the out-of-control star. Miller is shown being arrested in Hilo, Hawaii, on March 28 after allegedly spitting in someone's face and pulling a microphone away from another person as they tried to sing karaoke A Nerf gun owned by Miller was filmed being put into an evidence bag during their arrest Bodycam footage of the encounter with law shows the furious actor complaining that they were the real victim of assault, before demanding to know the police officers' full names and badge numbers. 'I've been assaulted for NFT crypto art,' Ezra yelled. 'What's your name and your badge number?' Miller was referring to NFTs - digital images or videos which can be sold as pieces of artwork in their original formats. 'Tell me your name and your badge number! Full name! 'Tell me your name and your badge number! Tell me your name and your badge number now! Weeks after that incident, Miller faced a second arrest in Hawaii over claims the actor threw a chair at a woman's head after the star refused to leave her home when asked. The woman suffered a scar on her forehead, and Miller was charged with second-degree assault. The We Need To Talk About Kevin actor was also recently accused of sheltering the teenage runaway Tokata Iron Eyes, whose parents filed a restraining order against the star. Miller has been accused of 'grooming' and 'brainwashing' Tokata Iron Eyes, 18 (backseat), who is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. They are pictured together in a car The actor also allegedly tried to get into bed with the teen a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe during a trip to London when Iron Eyes was just 14, DailyMail.com reported. Tokata's mother Dr. Sara Jumping Eagle said she and her lawyer husband Chase Iron Eyes have 'no idea' where 18-year-old is after lodging legal papers for a protection order against Miller on behalf of their activist child. The mother said she last saw Tokata in Santa Monica on May 29 in a harrowing street encounter after she and Chase flew from their home in North Dakota following a tip that the teen was in California with the Flash star. Miller and Tokata jumped in a taxi after being confronted and sped off, she said. Unable to hold back tears, Sara told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview: 'I would say to her now what I said to her then as she was going down the road away from me: "I love you and that I want you to be safe."' The parents claim in a lawsuit that the actor plied their underage child with drugs including LSD and disrupted their Massachusetts private schooling to such an extent that they dropped out from Bard College at Simon's Rock in December. When they flew to Miller's home in Stamford, Vermont, in January to retrieve Tokata, they allegedly found bruises on their child's body. Tokata also no longer had a driver's license, car keys or a bank card. Beto O'Rourke last night furiously slapped down a heckler who laughed when he railed against AR-15s like the ones used in the Uvalde elementary school shooting. The Democratic gubernatorial candidate branded the man a 'motherf***er' and said 'it may be funny to you... but it's not funny to me'. His comments were met with a rapturous round of applause which appeared to drown out the agitator at a town hall in Mineral Wells, Texas. It comes as the state plans to send 30 cops to bolster school patrols in Uvalde, three months after the city suffered the deadliest school shooting in a decade. Governor Greg Abbott announced the measure on Wednesday, saying police from the Department of Public Safety would be on hand when classes resume next month. The Democratic gubernatorial candidate branded the man a 'motherf***er' and said 'it may be funny to you... but it's not funny to me' Law enforcement personnel stand outside Robb Elementary School on May 24 after the deadliest school shooting in the last decade O'Rourke was at the town hall in Mineral Wells as he continued on his campaign to unseat Abbott as governor later this year. He said: 'I'm going to make sure that now 11 weeks since we lost 19 kids and their two teachers, shot to death with a weapon originally designed for use in combat, legally purchased by an 18-year-old who did not try to obtain one when he was 16 or 17 but followed the law that's on the books ladies and gentlemen that says you can buy not one but two or more AR-15s, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and take that weapon that was originally designed for use on the battlefields in Vietnam to penetrate an enemy soldiers' helmet at 500ft and knock him down dead.' A man erupted in hysterical laughing as he finished his sentence which sparked O'Rourke to whip around and furiously point at him. He told the heckler: 'It may be funny to you motherf***er but it's not funny to me.' His comments were met with cheering throughout the room and many stood up to give him a standing ovation. O'Rourke's comments were met with cheering throughout the room and many stood up to give him a standing ovation For many Uvalde students, the start of the school year on September 6 will be their first time back in the classroom since the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School. which left 19 children and two teachers dead. Robb Elementary itself will never reopen due to concerns about traumatizing the surviving students, and the building is slated to be demolished. Abbott said in a statement the additional police presence was requested by Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Hal Harrell. He said: 'The beginning of a new school year should be an exciting time for students and teachers, and the State of Texas is working to provide that for the Uvalde community. 'As a new school year begins, we must ensure students, parents, and all dedicated school personnel can look forward to new opportunities to learn and grow. 'Texas will keep working to provide all available support and resources to the Uvalde community as they continue to heal.' The final hospitalized survivor of the Uvalde shooting, Mayah Zamora, 10, leaves a San Antonio hospital after being discharged on July 29, 2022 Following the deadly attack in May, law enforcement officials have faced harsh criticism over their response to the shooting. Abbott initially praised cops who responded to the shooting, but later called for a probe into their response after it emerged officers waited over an hour to confront and kill the gunman. Uvalde's local school district police chief Pete Arredondo faced the heaviest backlash after failing to take command of the scene on the ground. It took 74 minutes for police to storm the adjoining classrooms where 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos killed all 21 victims after shooting his own grandmother in the face in a dispute over his phone bill. But state and federal police were also part of the haphazard and hesitant law enforcement response, leading to a blame game between different agencies. The police response to the shooting is currently the subject of two separate investigations, by the Texas DPS and the federal Department of Justice. On Wednesday, a judge ruled that DPS does not have to turn over records related to the school shooting to a state lawmaker who had sued the state police in hopes of securing them. An officer walks outside of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022 Governor Greg Abbott announced the measure on Wednesday, saying the cops from the state's Department of Public Safety would be on hand when classes resume DPS has fought to keep a lid on details of how 91 state cops at the scene responded to the shooting. However, Wednesday's ruling did not grant DPS a blanket right to keep the records secret, but merely found that state Sen. Roland Gutierrez did not properly file his public records request in seeking the documents. Teachers in Uvalde returned to work this week, and will have several weeks to prepare for the new school year. Classes start September 6. The school district serves roughly 1,250 students in Uvalde, Real, and Zavala Counties. 'We know going back to school will be especially challenging for many in Uvalde,' said DPS Director Steven McCraw in a statement. 'The Texas Department of Public Safety is committed to working with the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District to ensure each child, parent, and teacher feels safe and protected during this difficult time,' he added. 'There is no task more important than this.' O'Rourke will battle GOP Governor Abbott for the role in November. Police are searching for a robber who pulled off a string of burglaries at several high-end shops in the West Village and SoHo areas of New York City that amount to a whopping $62k in stolen merchandise. Video shared by the NYPD shows the unidentified thief breaking into a Rag and Bone shop on 104 Christopher Street on July 14 at 8.05am, where he took $7,900 worth of clothing. He's seen lurking outside the store's front entrance before shoving the glass frame in, crawling inside the store and filling up a trash bag full of clothes before walking out without any alarms going off. The burglary lasted for five minutes, according to NBC New York. Police describe the suspect as a black man in his mid-thirties, possibly 35-years-old, five feet seven inches tall and roughly 180 pounds. He was also seen sporting a beard and wearing a black bob hat and a brown jacket in the footage of the Rag and Bone store theft, as well as in another video of him stealing $3,400 worth of clothing at Meermin Shoes on 123 Mercer Street at 6.20am on July 5. The suspect also sported a bear and a black bob hat. His most lucrative burglary was on July 17 when he stole from a Christian Louboutin shop In CCTV footage shared by the NYPD, the thief can often be seeing coming out of shops with a huge, black trash bag. Pictured: The suspect leaving the Meeram Shoes store on Mercer Street A string of West Village and SoHo clothing robberies were coordinated by one suspect, the NYPD reports. All of the break ins took place from July 3 until July 23, often between closing times. These stores are: Loro Piana, Christian Louboutin, A.P.C., Scotch Soda, Rag & Bone, Meermin Shoes and Bonobos The thief repeated similar offenses at five other high-end luxury stores in the West Village and SoHo, including the Bonobos store on Crosby Street, Christian Louboutin on the intersection of Horatio and Greenwich streets, Scotch & Soda on Bleecker Street, Loro Piana on Ninth Avenue, and A.P.C. on West 4th Street. The suspect's most profitable burglary was on July 17, when he stole an estimated worth of $26,500 in clothing from Christian Louboutin, the NYPD said. All of the burglaries happened before or after store opening hours, often between the hours of 5am and 9am, except on one occasion when the thief broke into a Loro Piana shop at 1am on July 17. Every break-in took place in a three-week span starting July 3 through July 23, as the thief would always burst into stores with no customers or staff around. Police also revealed that the only store where the suspect didn't steal from was the Loro Piana Boutique on Ninth Avenue. Every single break-in attempted by the thief took place with no customers or staff around and oiften before or after store opening hours (5am and 9 am) Pictured: The Christian Louboutin store on Horatio and Greenwich streets, where the thief stole $26,500 in cloth - his most profitable heist Pictured: The Rag and Bone store on 104 Christopher St, where the thief stole $7,900 in merchandise His technique to break into these luxury stores allegedly involved disabling front doors somehow, before walking in and coming back out with bags full of stolen goods, according to NBC New York. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Major crimes in NYC have risen approximately 37 percent, according to NYPD data, an increase that has been mainly fueled by grand larcenies, robberies and auto thefts. Mayor Eric Adams indicated he won't be entertaining calls to decrease the number of cops in the city, but will discourage 'heavy-handed' policing from NYPD officers. Police officers are part of the mayor's 'public safety apparatus,' he said last week, adding: 'You can't remove police from this equation,' which includes dealing with the issues around homelessness and improving the school system. He added he doesn't plan to stop talking about crime in the Big Apple, and said 'I'm not going to be inconsistent and not talk about the violence that has happened in our cities every day.' Adams emphasized the necessity of preventative measures rather than reactive measures, and said 'by the time a child picks up a gun, we've already lost.' While murders in the city are down 5.6 percent, robbery is up 39.2 percent, from 6,530 to 9,091, and burglaries increased by 32.9 percent, from 6,251 to 8,305, according to NYPD data. Felonious assaults rose by 18.6 percent and rapes saw an 11 percent increase so far this year over 2021. 'It appears there's a normalization to this violence, and we're saying no to that,' Adams told Smiley last week. The Mayor said reforming a system takes time, and 'when you look at how to reform a system, you don't destroy a system.' Adams has been a vociferous supporter of an expansion in the city's police presence since becoming mayor in 2021, doubling the number of cops on the city's subway and bringing back plain-clothes officers in the new Neighborhood Safety Teams. A five-year-old girl was kicked out of a Louisiana Christian school because administrators said her lesbian parents didn't fit with the school's values. Zoey Parker, 5, got the boot from the Bible Baptist Academy in DeQuincy, just two days before she was due to start kindergarten there. Her parents, Emily, 28, and Jennie Parker, 31, a same-sex couple who have been married since 2016, said the school's director and pastor called them suddenly into a meeting on Saturday. 'They informed us that Zoey wouldn't be able to go to school there anymore because of our lifestyle choices,' Jennie, told KLPC. Zoey - who is Emily's niece, and whose father died in 2020 - previously attended the school for pre-K, but after the Parkers adopted her this summer, Bible Baptist Academy said they were no longer interested. The Parkers first shared their story in a Facebook post, and since then they said the community support they received was overwhelming, saying numerous Christian schools in the area reached out to say Zoey would be welcome there. Zoey was finally enrolled in one of those schools, starting at the Hamilton Christian School in Lake Charles this week. 'There are good Christians out there. The whole community of DeQuincy has showed us what it is to be a good Christian and to not preach hate like this,' Jennie told NBC News, 'They are the reason why we kept faith.' Zoey Parker, 5, got the boot from the Bible Baptist Academy in DeQuincy, just two days before she was due to start kindergarten there Zoey with her adoptive parents, Emily Parker, 28, (left) and Jennie Parker 31, (right). Zoey is Emily's niece Zoey's father was killed in an industrial accident at work in 2020 when he was just 22. Her mother is also no longer in her life, it is unclear why, and on August 3 Emily and Jennie officially adopted her. 'She lost her father, she lost her mother, and now she's losing her school, which she loves very much,' Jennie said. Emily said they had gone to an open house at the school and even bought Zoey her uniforms, but that just three days after the adoption the school changed its tune. 'The pastor met us in the meeting room and started talking about gender identification, and that they teach the words of the lord, and that marriage is between a man and a woman,' Emily said, 'And that they didn't think this was a good fit.' The Bible Baptist Academy in DeQuincy, Louisiana. The school booted five-year-old Zoey Parker because she was adopted by a lesbian couple A statement posted on the Bible Baptist Academy's website in the wake of their decision to boot Zoey Parker because of her parents' sexual orientation Emily said she was initially insulted, but also embarrassed. 'We've never been confronted so bluntly about our relationship,' she said. 'Our love, our marriage, has always felt natural. Our families have always made us feel like we are two people who love each other. This was a big slap in the face.' Those feelings quickly turned to outrage - and even gratitude - by the time Emily first shared the story in a Facebook post that Saturday evening. 'You know what you just taught my daughter? How truly judgmental your church is. How unforgiving and unrelenting you are,' Emily wrote, 'I was angry, hurt, embarrassed but I am not anymore. Now, I am thankful. Thankful you will not mold my tiny human's brain to be anything like you.' In a statement on its website, the school said that though the Bible teaches to 'love everyone with the love of God despite their personal choices,' they are committed to making sure its students 'not only know our beliefs, but we want them to see them as well.' Regarding personal relationships, we hold that those relationships, whether in dating or in marriage, should be between a man and a woman.' 'There are times where our commitment to upholding our Christian values will not line up with the values of other people. This should not be interpreted that we have any hatred or malice toward them,' the school added. Emily (front) and Jennie (back) Parker. The couple was married in 2016 and adopted Emily's niece, Zoey, on August 3 Left to right: Zoey, Emily, and Jennie Parker. Zoey's father was killed in an industrial accident in 2020, and her birth mother is no longer around, though it is unclear why In an update to her Facebook post, Emily wrote that the school was telling people Zoey was barred from returning because the Parkers declined to sign a beliefs statement that agreed their home was free of 'harm.' Emily said that no such a form was ever presented to them. 'There was no paperwork or opportunity given to us. How could we have refused to sign something never presented to us. We might have signed it!' 'I am sorry for all the turmoil that has quickly risen but this was never about my marriage. It was for my girl.' The Bible Baptist Academy could not be reached from comment. Advertisement A Ring doorbell camera caught the terrifying moment a house exploded in Evansville, Indiana, killing three people and damaging 39 homes in a residential neighborhood. Maddie Struble posted the video to Facebook late Wednesday night, showing debris flying before it clears up to reveal the front porch of her home with an American flag still flying. Roof slats were seen bent and broken on top of the porch, as smoke enveloped the area and a home across the street was destroyed. 'Luckily, Trevor and I were not home; however our home is unlivable,' Struble captioned the video. 'We cannot thank the Evansville Police Department for all of their help with finding our dogs and getting them back to us,' she wrote, noting: 'Our cat is still out there, so please be on the lookout for him. 'Our hearts go out to the people across the street who lost their lives from this tragic event.' The blast was reported around 1pm in the 1000 block of North Weinbach Avenue in Evansville and had a 100-foot blast radius, officials said, which completely leveled one house where the explosion occurred, split another in half and heavily damaged 39 others. One resident, Dorthy Waters, described the blast as a 'sonic boom.' 'I thought a bomb fell on us or like a tree fell through the house,' she told 14 News. 'It shook so hard, it went through my chest, it shook my windows. 'I don't know what happened, but I'm very sad about these people.' Three people were killed in the impact, and another was transported to a nearby hospital for non life-threatening injuries. Their names have not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin. Authorities now warn there may be others after they called off search efforts Wednesday night due to the 'instability' of the homes, Fire Chief Mike Connelly said in a news conference Thursday morning. He said crews were being called to the scene on Thursday to shore up the homes so the Fire Department could continue its search efforts but at least 11 homes need to be completely torn down and are 'uninhabitable.' The American Red Cross assisted 15 families who were displaced in the explosion. Evansville fire officials were expected to give an update at 11am local time. A Ring doorbell caught the moment a house across the street in Evansville, Indiana Wednesday afternoon. It shows debris flying around North Weinbach Avenue After the debris cleared up, roof slats could be seen covering Maddie Struble's front porch, and the home across the street was completely gone In a news conference on Thursday morning, Connelly said the Evansville Fire Department first received a call about a home explosion at 12.59pm on Wednesday, and the first units arrived on the scene by 1.02pm. A structural collapse team was also called to the scene, as was the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who were investigating the explosion. CenterPoint Energy, the local gas utility, meanwhile, found no evidence of a natural gas explosion. It was last called to the home where the explosion originated in January 2018. The cause of the explosion remains unclear, Connelly said in his news conference Thursday, noting: 'It's going to be a very tedious process.' He previously said debris including 'typical construction materials' like wooden boards, window glass and insulation were strewn over a 100-foot radius. Aerial video shows the scale of devastation caused by an explosion at a house in southern Indiana on Wednesday morning that killed at least three people and damaged as many as 39 homes At least three people were killed in the impact of the explosion, and one other resident was brought to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries A total of 39 homes were destroyed in the blast, and 11 are now completely uninhabitable Drew Strader captured video of the destruction following the blast where a home has been reduced to complete rubble, and adjacent home was split in half Evansville Fire Department personnel examine the scene after a house explosion at 1010 North Weinbach Avenue in Evansville, Indiana Fire Department crews had to call off their search efforts Wednesday night due to the instability of some of the homes Another look at the N Weinbach explosion in #Evansville. This one is of the actual site of the blast. The home has been reduced to complete rubble. You can see an adjacent home split in half. : Drew Strader Warning: Language pic.twitter.com/JGYM01hgQ8 Valerie Lyons (@VLyonsTV) August 10, 2022 Aerial video posted on social media showed the extent of the damage in a residential neighborhood as police and fire vehicles remained on the the scene in Evansville, on the Kentucky border. Photos posted by Mayor Lloyd Winnecke also showed the destruction of the explosion with pieces of homes scattered across the neighborhood and emergency workers sifting through the debris. Resident Drew Slader, who lived nearby, told local news outlets that he was sitting on his couch when the force of the blast threw him several feet. He shared video from inside his damaged home that showed broken window frames and kitchen cabinets hanging from the wall. Slader told local news outlets that he was sitting down when the forced of the blast threw him off the couch He shared video from inside his damaged home that show broken window frames and kitchen cabinets hanging from the wall Vincent Taylor, meanwhile, was working on a roof two blocks away from the explosion, and when it went off he said he saw debris falling from the sky. Taylor immediately rushed over to the scene, he told 14 News, where he 'saw the guy in the grass, and it looked bad. 'A lot of people lost everything down here, their houses are totally gone,' he said. 'It's bad. Jacki Baumgart, an office manager at Award World Trophies about two and a half blocks from the site of the explosion, also said she and other employees in their the building panicked when they heard the loud blast and saw smoke. 'We thought a tree fell on the building or a car ran into the place,' Baumgart said. 'Debris from the ceiling came down.' She continued: 'Everybody here immediately ran out of the building. We thought the building was going to come down.' And neighbor Roxane Weber, who lives just about a half block down the road from the blast said she is 'worried for other people around them,' noting 'it's mostly older folks on that end.' Ron Ryan carries his Chihuahuas, Molly, 14, left, and Fifi, 13, to his partner, Patty Hite, after a house explosion occurred in the 1000 block of Weinbach Avenue. The dogs were trapped in the home for more than three hours before they were allowed to retrieve them as well as their guinea pig Photos posted by the mayor show damage in a residential neighborhood with police and fire vehicles on the scene in Evansville, on the Kentucky border Emergency workers were on the scene of the house explosion on Wednesday in Evansville, Indiana A blue house was destroyed when another nearby exploded. At least 11 of the 39 homes damaged in the explosion are 'uninhabitable,' Connelly told the Evansville Courier & Press Evansville Police Department posted to Facebook a plea for footage of the incident. 'Our thoughts are with those closely involved with the explosion that happened on N. Weinbach this afternoon,' they wrote. 'As more information becomes available the respective agencies investigating will be able to provide more information. 'N. Weinbach between Columbia and Oak Hill will be shut down for the foreseeable future, please plan an alternate route. If anyone has footage of the incident, please forward a copy of the video to our Detectives Unit at whunt@evansvillepolice.com.' Emergency crews respond to a house explosion in Evansville, Ind., Wednesday afternoon People gather at an intersection as emergency crews respond to a house explosion in the 1000 block of North Weinbach Avenue in Evansville, Indiana on Wednesday Emergency works sift through the debris of an explosion that killed three people and destroyed at least 39 houses At least 39 houses were damaged in the massive explosion that was caught on camera Debris covered the ground and streets throughout the neighborhood after a house explosion on Wednesday The explosion on Wednesday was the second house explosion in the area in just over five years. A house explosion on June 27, 2017, killed two people and injured three others. Five people were inside a home at 1717 Hercules Avenue when the structure exploded and rocked the neighborhood. Three people made it out, but Sharon Mand and Kathleen Woolems died of smoke inhalation, TriState homepage reported. Officials said the explosion 'blew the roof up, blew the walls out, and then everything comes down around on top of it' and that there were 'parts of the building that were across the street and several hundred feet away.' The cause of the explosion was suspected to be a gas leak, according to officials, but said it was undetermined, 'because we never could really pin down exactly the cause of that leak.' An Ohio father fired his shotgun into the air when a party of two hundred teenagers at his home turned violent Saturday night. Travis Turkal, 42, was arrested and charged with endangering children, using weapons while intoxicated and aggravated menacing, the Kansas City Star reports. The partygoers, many of whom were underaged, gathered at Turkal's property in Rayland, located 135 miles east of Columbus, for a party thrown by his own son. But as the news of the party spread like wildfire online, so too did the chaos of the crowd. Travis Turkal, 42, was arrested and charged for firing the weapon to disperse the crowd at his home in Rayland, Ohio Saturday night The party eventually became violent, including several fights after multiple videos of the event circulated across social media. Several attendees ended up in the hospital as a result, including one boy whose face and head were covered in cuts from a broken bottle, a girl being punched in the face, and another boy being 'pistol-whipped in the head.' The teenagers said Turkal was present throughout the party, according to the report. Turkal's home (above) in Rayland, Ohio, which sits on the border of Ohio and West Virginia, is where the wild party ended in violence and at least one gun shot fired into the air After the violence broke out, the property owner went into his house and returned with a shotgun before walking into the crowd and allegedly firing into the air. Turkal claims he did not show any firearms or shoot any weapon and that the fights started 'when he attempted to take people's car keys.' Multiple assaults related to the party are also being investigated and none of the reported injuries are life-threatening. The 42-year-old posted bail and is now out on a $25,000 bond. Turkal will make his initial court appearance in Dillonvale on August 17. A bitter war of words is currently raging between Peter FitzSimons and Senator Jacinta Price - but it's not the first time the columnist and author has been embroiled in a high-profile media battle. FitzSimons had a falling out with Indigenous ABC TV personality Stan Grant over his book on Captain James Cook in 2021. Grant accused his former friend of making Cook sound like 'the prototypical Aussie good bloke' and slammed his description of the explorer as 'an enthusiastic imperialist' as 'ludicrous'. In response, FitzSimons defended his work and said it had been meticulously researched over several years. Relations between the two worsened in April last year when Grant wrote a satirical piece for The Australian mocking FitzSimons and his wife Lisa Wilkinson - host of The Project. Peter FitzSimons had a falling out with Indigenous ABC TV personality Stan Grant over his book on Captain James Cook Relations between the two worsened in April last year when Grant (pictured with wife Tracey Holmes) wrote a satirical piece for The Australian mocking FitzSimons and his wife Lisa Wilkinson For years, FitzSimons hosted an Australia Day barbecue at the couple's multimillion-dollar harbourside home at Cremorne. Grant, who attended the gathering on a semi-regular basis, mocked it in his piece. 'What a woke leftie love-in that was: journos, actors, writers, couple of ex-Wallabies (well it was the North Shore), a few washed up politicians,' he wrote. 'Everyone there voted yes for same-sex marriage - the year before last, they'd all tearily applauded their first gay married couple guests - they hated the Catholic Church and had cried when Kevin Rudd said sorry.' Grant wrote that the hosts FitzSimons and Wilkinson: 'adored Indigenous culture'. 'There were dot paintings on the wall, a photo with their arms around Cathy Freeman at Sydney Olympic Stadium, and a framed copy of Paul Keating's Redfern Statement signed by the last great Australian prime minister himself.' 'Things did get a bit weird though when Fitzy excitedly gave her a copy of his latest book, a biography of Captain Cook. Relations between the two worsened in April last year when Grant wrote a satirical piece for The Australian mocking FitzSimons and his wife Lisa Wilkinson - host of The Project (pictured together 'Apparently Cookie was actually not a bad bloke once you got past his order to open fire on the blacks at Botany Bay. Nobody's perfect.' FitzSimons responded to the Grant piece with a column in The Sydney Morning Herald in which he objected to its blend of 'fiction and fact'. 'For the record, and contrary to what Stan wrote, I don't have a framed Redfern speech on my wall, nor a photo of me hugging Cathy Freeman, nor Indigenous paintings,' he wrote. 'We don't even have the party on Australia Day any more, having moved it to an Independence Day gathering the day before, for obvious reasons.' According to The Australian, FitzSimons told friends he was genuinely wounded by what he felt was an unfair and unprovoked attack Later, Grant said told friends 'there are more important things to worry about in the world' than FitzSimons' reaction to the piece. 'People who can't laugh at themselves aren't one of them,' he added. News of his feud with Grant comes amid his continued stoush with Aboriginal Senator Jacinta Price over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. News of his feud with Grant comes amid his continued stoush with Aboriginal Senator Jacinta Price over the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum. What is the Indigenous Voice to Parliament? Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants a body enshrined in the Constitution that would enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to provide advice to the Parliament on policies and projects that impact their lives. A referendum is needed to change the Constitution. The vote will need support from the majority of Australians in the majority of states to be successful. The question that could be put to Australians is: 'Do you support an alteration to the constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?' Advertisement The two have exchanged accusations through the media about an interview he conducted with her about her opposition to the vote. She claimed he was 'rude and aggressive' in the interview, while the writer has responded by saying she has publicly misrepresented his conduct. Media identity Mike Carlton - who is a close friend of FitzSimons as they share a private school upbringing, vaunted positions in Sydney's old media establishment, passion for rugby and virtuous left-wing politics - has weighed in. 'Three days in a row The Australian and the publicity-hungry Jacinta Price have attacked my friend (Peter FitzSimons),' he tweeted. In her now-deleted Facebook post, Country Liberal Party Senator Price said the interview with FitzSimons, who is married to TV host Lisa Wilkinson, started out well, but that he became 'aggressive... condescending and rude' to her. She said it 'was like talking to a brick wall' and she felt 'insulted'. 'I'm not a wilting violet but he's a very aggressive bloke, his interview style is very bloody aggressive, he doesn't need to launch in,' she said. 'Accusing me of somehow giving power to racists because the issues I raise are confronting he loses the point completely,' said Ms Price, who was born to a Warlpiri mother and an Anglo-Celtic father. She said FitzSimons had accused her 'of somehow giving power to racists because the issues I raise are confronting he loses the point completely'. Peter FitzSimons believes he is an expert on the identity of Indigenous Australians and what they want for themselves 'I said to him, "Get down from the bloody ivory tower and come out to one of my communities".' FitzSimons denied Senator Price's characterisation of how the interview went and said her claims were 'complete and utter ... nonsense'. The interview was a 'professional exchange', he said. Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields also weighed in on Wednesday night after listening to the interview. 'Ive listened to audio of the full interview between Peter FitzSimons and Senator Price. There was no yelling and no shouting from either participant. This was an interesting interview in which the senator's positions and views were tested. The Australian really needs to move on,' Shields wrote. 'Its worth noting that Peter provided Senator Price with a transcript of what he proposed to publish in his column and she approved it. She also deleted her initial Facebook post about the interview.' However, neither the Herald nor FitzSimons himself has met Senator Price's challenge to release the audio of the interview so the public can assess it for themselves. EXCLUSIVE: Text bombshell in Peter FitzSimons vs. Jacinta Price saga as messages show what happened after Aboriginal senator attacked left-wing author - with BOTH claiming they have witnesses to controversial interview By Charlie Moore, Political Reporter for Daily Mail Australia Peter FitzSimons and Price both furiously insisted they had witnesses backing their accounts of a phone interview in which the new senator claims the left-wing author was 'rude' and 'aggressive'. Daily Mail Australia has obtained the furious text messages FitzSimons exchanged with the Country Liberals senator for the Northern Territory in the wake of the interview being published in the Sun Herald newspaper at the weekend. Ms Price has gone public saying she felt FitzSimons - the husband of TV host Lisa Wilkinson - 'imposed' his view on her during their chat about the merits and faults of the Voice to Parliament. In a Facebook post after the article was published, Senator Price alleged FitzSimons 'accused me of giving racists a voice but that wasn't printed' and later told media he was 'aggressive' and 'rude' and shouted at her. Jacinta Price and Peter FitzSimons both furiously claimed they had witnesses to their phone call in a heated text exchange (pictured) after she accused him of being 'aggressive' FitzSimons strongly denies her claims and swiftly texted asking her to remove the Facebook post, which she did. The full text exchange between the pair shows they both claimed to have witnesses to the phone call as they argued over what happened. 'Senator, I urge you to withdraw these defamatory accusations, as you know it is nonsense,' FitzSimons wrote. Senator Price hit back: 'We did yell at each other. I'd like a copy of the interview... you did accuse me of empowering racists.' FitzSimons insisted there was 'not a single raised voice on either side' but she replied: 'I recall I had to yell, as did my chief of staff who was present while you were on speaker.' The author responded by saying: 'I have a witness at my end as well. But it doesn't matter. It is all recorded.' Jacinta Price (pictured), a first term NT Senator, is against an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and changing the date of Australia Day from January 26 FitzSimons again asked her to withdraw her allegations before Senator Price ended the argument by replying: 'Please stop bullying me. 'I don't ever want to communicate with you again.' Senator Price and FitzSimons originally chatted to discuss Anthony Albanese's proposal to change the constitution to establish a Voice to Parliament, a group of Aboriginal people that would advise politicians on policies for Indigenous people. FitzSimons is in favour while Senator Price is against, believing it will not help improve the lives of Aboriginal people. After FitzSimons denied being rude to Senator Price, she urged him to release the recording of the interview so the public could make up their own minds. 'I'm quite happy for him to release the recordings if that will just settle things,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's been a bit of a drain and there's obviously a lot of more important issues that I want to focus on and get to work on as a new senator. It's been a not-so-welcome distraction,' she said of their dispute. Jacinta Price (in traditional headdress) is hugged by Labor senators Jana Stewart, Pat Dodson and Malarndirri McCarthy after making her maiden speech in Parliament on July 27 'My idea of more respectful and effective journalism is to have conversations about issues without having the opinions of a journalist imposed upon you and being made to feel as though you're somehow wrong or incorrect. Senator Price said it is wrong for journalists or commentators to be surprised when an Aboriginal person speaks out against the Voice to Parliament. 'There has been a racial stereotype created around how Aboriginal Australians think and act and behave and we don't generalise in that way about white Australians, or Italian Australians or Asia Australians,' she said. 'So why should we continually have that way of thinking imposed upon us as Indigenous Australians? Again it is a racial stereotype and I won't have a bar of it.' Senator Price said people need to be more accepting of diverse views within the Aboriginal community. 'The narrative that we are a country of oppressed people and oppressors - we've got to get away from that. It's not helpful, it's not constructive,' she said. 'It provides for a very narrow view of how we are as a diverse bunch of Australians and we've got to take it back to basics of what it means to be human.' Jacinta Price and Peter FitzSimons both furiously claimed they had witnesses to their phone call in a heated text exchange (pictured) after she accused him of being 'aggressive' 'Every single word recorded, as I told her,' FitzSimons told The Australian's Media Diary. He said the interview was conducted without a raised voice and that Ms Price approved the final story. 'This is not remotely a matter of interpretation. Friendly interview, nice text exchange at its conclusion,' he said. Ms Price said she was shocked by FitzSimons' stance on Indigenous issues. 'I was really taken aback and I was exhausted by the energy it took having to defend myself,' she said. 'I was made to feel as though what I was trying to do is wrong and my voice is not as legitimate as those who purport to suffer from 250 years of colonisation.' Thanks to its smaller earbuds, improved active noise cancellation (ANC), revised audio, and many other valuable features, the upgraded Galaxy Buds 2 Pro model gives quality benefits. Samsung's Most Recent Galaxy Buds 2 Pro Every time Samsung releases a new generation of smartphones, it also introduces a new pair of wireless earbuds. The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, the successor to the Galaxy Buds Pro that made its debut early last year, will be unveiled with the Galaxy Fold 4, Galaxy Flip 4, and new watches. Although not a whole makeover, this updated model delivers enough of one thanks to its smaller earbuds, enhanced active noise cancellation (ANC), reworked audio, and several other valuable features. Despite all the enhancements, the Buds 2 Pro is $30 more expensive than its predecessor. Hi-Fi Audio Two-way speakers (10mm woofer for deep bass and 5.3mm tweeter for crisp treble) are used within the Buds 2 Pro to produce sound. This model features 24-bit HiFi audio using Samsung's Seamless Codec in addition to 360 Audio (Dolby Atmos), which made its debut on the Buds Pro (the buds also support AAC and SBC). Intelligent ANC This updated model delivers enough of an upgrade with smaller buds and more excellent active noise cancellation, albeit it isn't a significant makeover (ANC). Samsung claims that three new high-pitched microphones can suppress subtle and high-pitched noises with an overall decrease of three decibels when it comes to noise cancellation. Even the loudest noises are muffled so you can focus on what is really important. With Intelligent Conversation Mode using voice detect, it's simple to transition to in-person chats when it's time to allow the outside world in. Begin speaking, and it will automatically reduce your volume and switch your Buds to Ambient Mode so you can clearly hear what the other person is saying. Better 360 Audio Increase the depth of your listening experience. The enhanced 360 audio on the Galaxy Buds2 Pro simulates like 3D glasses for your ears. It follows the movements of your head to provide a personalized experience that seems as if you are surrounded by sound from all directions. Easy Pair and Auto Switch Easy Pair allows for a speedy connection between your Buds and the rest of your Galaxy. To begin listening, you need to remove the case and press the notice that appears on your cellphone. At the same time, its Auto Switch 6 allows you to transfer music smoothly from your Galaxy phone, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Tab, and Galaxy Book, and now for the very first time, even your Samsung television. Read Also: Disney+ to Increase the Price of Its Ad-Free Streaming - How Much Will It Be? Secure Fit Its 15% decrease in overall size gives a better, more comfortable, more secure fit yet smaller and lighter than ever before. Mat Smith, the Chief of the UK Bureau, noted that the smaller size is more comfortable and that the Buds 2 Pro felt "less conspicuous." Put them in, and don't bother remembering they're there. Move about with ease and self-assurance, whether you're working or exercising. Other Notable Features You can get up to 5 hours of continuous gameplay with the active noise cancellation turned on and up to 18 hours more with the wireless charging case. Even if you walk a few ways away, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro will continue to play music thanks to the newest Bluetooth wireless technology (version 5.3). With its IPX7 Water Resistance, you can keep playing no matter the weather. You don't have to stop working out just because it starts to rain a little bit since sweating won't be affected by the water. Pre-Order Now Starting August 10, you can pre-order the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro in graphite, white, and Bora Purple for $230 from Samsung, Amazon, and other stores. On the 26th, everyone will be able to buy. Samsung's actual wireless lineup will still include both the Galaxy Buds Live and the Galaxy Buds 2, depending on whether you want to wear them open or if you want to spend less money. Related Article: Samsung Galaxy Buds Battery Life, Specs Teased; 5 New Colors Also Leaked! A courageous mother with two young children has filmed herself confronting an armed robber as he held up a McDonalds at knifepoint. The 17-year-old boy can be seen on video behind the counter brandishing a large knife and ordering staff to empty the cash register at the fast food store in Stockland Harrisdale Shopping Centre in Perth, at about 6pm on Wednesday. He was arrested and charged by police shortly after with aggravated armed robbery. Danique Buncle, who was with her three-year-old daughter and six-year-old son at the time, started filming the knifeman on her phone. Her daughter, who sounds distressed in the clip, is heard telling her mother that the teen 'has a knife'. 'Police are on their way mate. There's kids here! Don't do this!' Ms Buncle says to the robber. He appears to ignore her and is seen taking money from the open register. After leaving with the cash, the teen walks around the side of the counter still holding the knife. 'Please put it down,' Ms Buncle says as he walks past. The robber proceeds to put the knife into a bin and runs out of the store. A brave mother has filmed herself confronting an armed robber (pictured) threatening staff at a Perth McDonalds on Wednesday No one was injured during the robbery. Ms Buncle told 7News that the McDonald's employees were 'really distressed' by the ordeal and many of them were crying. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union stressed that safety issues have become a major concern at stores like McDonald's for years. Union secretary Josh Cullinan has called for more cameras and security at all restaurants. The 17-year-old boy (pictured) robbed the restaurant while wielding a knife and threatening staff. He was arrested by police near the store and charged with aggravated armed robbery 'It would have been a terrifying experience to have someone come in with such a weapon,' he said to 7NEWS. 'When they are faced with these sort of offences, especially in the workplace, it's terrifying for them. And it's not something they will easily forget.' McDonald's management said staff had followed the correct emergency produces and properly de-escalated the situation. The teenager is set to appear in court on August 25. Marius Mihai Dragici, 48, has been detained by Romanian police in the city of Bucharest Police investigating the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants who were found in the back of a lorry have arrested a man in Romania believed to be the 'final piece of the jigsaw'. Marius Mihai Dragici, 48, has been detained by Romanian police in the city of Bucharest, said Essex Police. Last month Essex Police made a public appeal to trace the Romanian national, who is suspected of being part of the network which co-ordinated immigrants' journeys to the UK. The victims - 31 men and eight women aged between 15 and 44, all Vietnamese - died from suffocation and hyperthermia in the confined space. The lorry had been transported by ferry from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Purfleet in Essex, early on October 23, 2019. The force said on Thursday that 48-year-old Draghici has been detained by Romanian police in the city of Bucharest. It follows the execution of a European Arrest Warrant, and an application is now being made to extradite him to the UK. The migrants suffocated to death in the container on the back of this lorry in 38.5C temperatures as they crossed the Channel from Belgium to Essex The victims included 31 men and eight women, ten of whom were teenagers and the youngest of whom were 15-year-old twins Draghici, who also goes by aliases Marius Mihai Selaru and Marius Lupu and was born in the Romanian city of Onesti. Most of the defendants were allegedly members of the people-smuggling ring. Each of the victims, and their families, had paid significant sums of money to an organised criminal group whose members promised them safe passage to the UK and a life there. However, that promise turned to tragedy and the victims suffocated in the back of the lorry which was being driven by Northern Irishman Maurice Robinson. So far 10 people have been sentenced for their roles in the deaths. Their sentences total almost 100 years. Four men aged between 26 and 36 were also jailed in Vietnam for luring the migrants to make trips abroad (pictured, the regions where the victims originated from) Last month when the appeal was brought forward, Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper, who has overseen the investigation, said: 'We have lived up to our promise of delivering justice but there is one final piece of that jigsaw to be completed. 'We'll be working with international partners and other agencies in order to make sure our appeal is heard far and wide. 'We are committed to tracking down every individual we believe to be connected to this most horrific of crimes.' Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, who is leading the investigation said: 'The investigation into the tragic deaths of the 39 Vietnamese nationals is the most complex ever undertaken by Essex Police. 'So far, we have brought ten people to justice and achieved prison sentences of almost 100 years in total. 'But we made a promise to the families of those who lost their lives in Essex in October 2019 that we would not stop until justice has been delivered in its entirety.' Police said Vietnamese partners have been briefed on the latest developments in the case. The devastated family of a little girl who died after being admitted to hospital with the flu are demanding answers, as authorities reveal the case will be investigated. Rozella Spadafora was taken to Canberra Hospital emergency department by her mother Katrina on July 4 this year - her fifth birthday. The bright and energetic little girl had seen her GP that week and was prescribed steroids but her mother knew something was wrong when she asked to be carried to the living room that day. She went back to the GP who advised her to go to hospital where blood tests could be run after hours. But after arriving at 7pm and waiting in the emergency department, Katrina was told to give Rozella water, Hydralyte and Pananadol by hospital staff. Rozella Spadafora (pictured) went to Canberra Hospital with the flu but died 30 hours later 'We took Rozalia in and never came home with her,' her mother Katrina told A Current Affair. She was accompanied by Rozella's grandmother Maria Callipari and the two believe nurses at the facility were so overworked and under-resourced they dismissed the little girl's symptoms as minor. Katrina said two nurses told them to go home and see the GP in the morning, but they refused. 'We just looked at each other and thought, 'we're not here for a joke, we're here because she is sick,' Rozalia's grandmother, Maria Callipari, said. Ms Spadafora said hours went by as they waited for further treatment with Rozella sleeping but 'white and pale'. The distraught mother said she was not more insistent someone treat her daughter immediately because she had already been made to feel like a 'pest'. Rozella then began vomiting. Her mother Kristina (pictured) wants answers about why her daughter was not given treatment earlier 'When we rang the bell, no one came and we had to do everything and I tried to find warm blankets, because she was cold,' Maria said. At 3am nurses finally took blood for testing and four hours after that at 7am she was taken for a chest X-ray and liver ultrasound. It was after this her mother was told Rozella has inflammation around her heart which can occur in children with influenza A, known technically as myocarditis. Doctors told her she needed to be rushed to Sydney for treatment - with her condition enough to warrant a team of pediatric specialists to be deployed from Sydney in a helicopter to collect her and bring her back. But she never left Canberra Hospital. The little girl had myocarditis a complication of influenza A The family were told the aircraft could not land at the hospital - but footage from the same night taken by a different family shows a helicopter landing on the helipad. The family also say they are yet to be given a proper explanation of what happened. Rozella went into cardiac arrest at Canberra Hospital almost 30 hours after first arriving. Despite doctors and nurses giving her CPR for a full hour she did not survive. 'They called us aside and said, 'she's gone' ... We just had to leave and leave her there with no answers.' Cardiologist Dr Ross Walker said while myocarditis is difficult to diagnose quickly for non-cardiology specialists, it was clear Rozella's condition was deteriorating before and after she was admitted to Canberra Hospital. He said if the condition was found earlier there is a chance she would have responded to treatment. The Coroner has this week confirmed there will be an inquest into Rozella's death. The family is calling for more action to be taken by bureaucrats to relive the pressure on the hospital system. They want to see a dedicated children's hospital built in Canberra - a facility that could have saved Rozella's life. Rozella's (pictured) family want to see a specialist children's hospital built in Canberra ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said in ACT Parliament that she had not made contact with the family because she doesn't personally know them. Opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley has met with the family. 'We spent a couple of hours hearing about this story. This family is heartbroken. This is truly tragic,' Ms Castley said. 'There is a family completely devastated and their little five-year-old girl is not at home.' Nurses and midwives across the Australia having been holding protests in recent months saying they are exhausted with unworkable nurse-to-patient ratios and they need more support. Amelia Dean, the British gap-year student left paralysed after being gored by a bison in the US, has been forced to fly home to the UK after an ultimatum by her health insurers. Amelia, 19, - known as Mia - was travelling in South Dakota when the 2,000lb animal struck, tossing her 15ft into the air and tearing her femoral artery during the shocking attack on June 16. Today Mia's mother Jacqueline Dean confirmed that after her daughter's insurance company announced they were withdrawing financial support, she was forced to abruptly return to the UK by air ambulance. That meant she was denied specialist nerve graft surgery at a US hospital which might save the use of her left leg. 'We are at home', Mrs Dean told MailOnline. British gap year student Amelia Dean (pictured above in hospital), 19, was paralysed after a brutal attack by a 2,000lb bison in South Dakota Amelia - known as Mia - has been forced to return to the UK in an air ambulance after her health insurer warned the family it would withdraw funding Her daughter who was due to start a course at Edinburgh University in October - is understood to be recuperating at the family home while crucial discussions take place with NHS doctors about her future treatment. The family, from Brockham, Surrey, had hoped that Mia would be treated at the pioneering Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and set up a GoFundMe page to raise 140,000 for her extensive treatment, which has so far raised almost 64,000. The insurers refused to pay for treatment at the Mayo, but then told the family that they planned to withdraw funding last weekend and gave Mia one last chance to return home by air ambulance, costing an estimated 100,000. 'The insurance company has given us an ultimatum: to fly Mia home by air ambulance this weekend, after which they will withdraw funding for her case,' wrote Jacqueline and her husband Matthew on the gofundme page last week. Mia's family set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for specialist nerve graft surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and raised more than 64,000 before announcing their daughter's situation had 'changed' Alternatively, staying in the US where she would have received 'world-class specialist treatment in the peripheral nerve field', would have left her without health insurance and dependent upon donations to fund her care. For the family, the chances of their daughter, an avid dancer, of making a full recovery was greater in the US. Mia was in critical condition as the bison completely severed her femoral artery and caused catastrophic damage to her tibial and peroneal nerves. She has been under the American healthcare system since the attack on June 16. Her parents said: 'Since launching this fundraiser, Mia's situation has changed and we have had to make some difficult decisions. 'Our daughter's health is our top priority and we want to get her home as safely as possible. Mia's parents, Matthew and Jacqueline Dean (pictured above), said their daughter's health is their 'top priority' and admitted it was 'gutting' to have to cancel her appointments at the Mayo Clinic 'Now the insurance company has given us an ultimatum: to fly Mia home by air ambulance this weekend, after which they will withdraw funding for her case.' They added: 'If we choose to stay in the US and follow this route we are then potentially left stranded. 'With so many unknowns for her future treatment needs, we feel we have little choice but to cancel Mia's appointments at the Mayo Clinic next week. 'We may have to consider coming back to the Mayo Clinic, should it become necessary. 'It's gutting, but we have to do what is best for Mia's recovery with so little hard information available.' Mia will need complex nerve grafts and potentially a number of surgeries to help her recover. She came face-to-face with the beast on a walking trail in Custer State Park on the second day of her road trip with a friend. As the pair headed along the picturesque route with a dog, they noticed the large male bison blocking their path. They skirted around the beast - which can weigh up to a whopping 2,000lb - while it grazed. It initially seemed unfazed by the walkers before it stopped grazing to examine them. Suddenly, it charged at a terrified Mia. Mia was attacked by a bison on the second day of her road trip while hiking in the Custer State Park and tore her femoral artery, an injury that usually kills in two to eight minutes The bison surged its thorn into Mia's thigh and launched her into the air, leaving her with a wound gushing with blood Mia's parents said they were 'beyond fortunate' that Mia is still alive, after the ambulance took 20 minutes to arrive She was 'shocked into stillness' before the beast surged its horn into her thigh and launched her 15 feet into the air. The horn puncture was so severe that it punctured straight through her thigh and 'came out the other end'. Mia was then left battered and in agonising pain on the ground while the bison towered over her - one of 1,500 in the reserve - and stood directly next to her head before her friend bravely led it away and called for help. Her wound was gushing with blood with an injury that usually kills within two and eight minutes, leading her parents to say she is lucky to be alive. The horrifying ordeal only came to an end when Mia's brave friend led the beast away and called for help. Speaking from her hospital bed, Mia (pictured above) said she thought it a 'miracle' that she lived until the ambulance got there Her parents said: 'We are beyond fortunate that our daughter is still breathing, as she should have bled out in two to eight minutes after the severed artery and the ambulance didn't arrive for 20 minutes. 'It is a miracle that she is alive today. We believe that God put a veil of protection over Mia.' Speaking from her hospital bed, she told KOTA TV: 'I remember feeling the pressure on my hip, my hip being pushed back and I remember the sensation of flying in the air and going head over heels. Mia (middle row on the left, about to perform in Phantom Of The Opera) is an avid dancer and due to start at University of Edinburgh this autumn 'It's a surreal enough experience let alone the fact that we weren't doing anything that really warranted it. We were just having a walk in the park. 'It's a miracle I even lived until the ambulance got there, let alone kept my life and my leg. The keen dancer is now paralysed from the knee down and says she has 'no movement' in her foot. She said: 'I can't walk without a walker or crutches. I can't walk very far. About 20 metres and I'm done, for a long time.' Miss Dean was on just the second day of her US trip when the attack occurred and she had been accepted on a course at the University of Edinburgh. Captain Birds Eye, the advertising mascot for the frozen seafood brand, has stripped off his uniform and gone topless to model the brand's first ever swimwear line. Taking to TikTok to announce the news, Birds Eye posted the Captain wearing the new range on the beach. In varying angles and shots, the Captain can be seen taking off his sailors hat and pointing at the camera. Taking to TikTok to announce the news, Birds Eye posted the Captain wearing the new range on the beach The limited-edition unisex swimwear range is made from entirely sustainably sourced materials. Coined the sea-inspired 'All Aboard shorts', they are fittingly produced using 100% recycled plastic recovered from the sea, and come in two special designs. The first pair 'evokes the mysteries of the ocean depths', with a dark navy blue and bold red piping trim. Modelling the new venture, the captain is joined by crewmates The limited-edition unisex swimwear range is made from entirely sustainably sourced materials Coined the sea-inspired 'All Aboard shorts', they are fittingly produced using 100% recycled plastic recovered from the sea The second pair 'represents shallower waters, with a lighter shade of blue that carries a vivid undertone', said Birds Eye. These royal blue shorts have a white trim and drawstring waist to ensure a comfortable fit. Both designs have pockets in the front and back and have been designed by The Captain to make sure they are both practical and stylish. The exclusive set of limited edition swimming shorts come in two colours Mike Sowerby, marketing manager for Birds Eye Fish, said: 'The Captain has been busy at his helm over the last few months contemplating "what does the UK public really need this summer?" 'And what better idea than taking a trip down to the beach to create and model his own "All Aboard-Shorts". 'Of course, they're made from recycled plastic (recovered from the sea) and we hope we've provided fans with a truly special summer accessory to wear in the glorious sunshine. Mike Sowerby, marketing manager for Birds Eye Fish, said: 'The Captain has been busy at his helm over the last few months contemplating "what does the UK public really need this summer?"' Both designs have pockets in the front and back and have been designed by The Captain to make sure they are both practical and stylish Birds Eye is giving fans of The Captain the chance to win a pair of the All Aboard-shorts via their TikTok page 'The shorts have been made in partnership with ethical clothing producer, Bluebuck. 'Its fabric is GRS-certified so the material used for the All Aboard-Shorts is 100% made from upcycled marine plastic waste.' Birds Eye is giving fans of The Captain the chance to win a pair of the All Aboard-shorts via Birds Eye's TikTok page. GOP Rep. Scott Perry now says he is not the target of the federal probe that included FBI seizure of his cell phone. Perry, whose phone was snatched by federal agents one day after they raided Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property, said late Wednesday night that he'd been informed he was a witness, not the target, to the investigation. 'In a discussion with the DOJ (federal Department of Justice), my attorneys were informed that I'm not a target of its investigation. I've directed them to cooperate with the Justice Department in order to ensure that it gets the information to which it's entitled, but to protect information to which it's not - including communications that are protected under the speech and debate clause of the United States Constitution,' he said through a campaign spokesperson. Members of Congress are shielded by the Constitution from prosecution for their political views by the executive, meaning that it is unlikely he could be charged for his objections to Pennsylvania's 20 electoral college votes for President Biden on January 6, 2021. Meanwhile the FBI paid visits to multiple Republicans in the Pennsylvania House and Senate Wednesday to look for information on Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and his scheme to install alternate electors in 2020, according to a report. The bureau delivered subpoenas and sought information from multiple individuals, sources told PennLive, after his phone was confiscated by agents while he was at an airport with his family and after Mar-a-Lago was raided. Some were explicitly told they were not the target of the investigation, the report states, and it seems the bureau was looking for the GOP members to assist their investigation. The FBI and Department of Justice have not released a public statement on the raid or provided reasoning for searching Trump's Florida estate, but were ordered by a judge Wednesday to respond to motions to unseal the warrant they used. 'I'm outraged though not surprised that the FBI under the direction of Merrick Garland's DOJ, would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress,' Perry said in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday. 'My phone contains info about my legislative and political activities, and personal/private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends. None of this is the government's business.' Perry said that while he and his family were traveling earlier Tuesday, he was approached by three FBI agents who handed him a warrant and seized his cellphone. Republican Rep. Scott Perry says that the FBI confiscated his personal cellphone one day after FBI agents raided former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home Perry was with his family when agents approached him and confiscated his phone. It is believed the investigation is linked to the efforts to overturn the election 'They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish,' he said. Perry, a loyal Trump ally, is an original member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and took over as the group's leader at the beginning of the year. He was part of a scheme in Pennsylvania to install fake electors and overturn the certification of President Joe Biden's win. The Jan. 6 committee claimed Perry is one of five Republicans who allegedly sought a pardon for their role in attempting to overturn the election, but Perry has denied ever doing so. While Perry's phone was taken through a warrant - which would have required the approval of a magistrate judge - the subpoenas handed out to Pa. lawmakers did not require the review of a judge. Still, the lawmakers are required to comply unless they take the matter to court and the subpoena is quashed. The confiscation of Perry's phone comes just one day after FBI agents descended on Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida in what Perry called in his statement an 'unnecessary and aggressive action.' Republican Rep. Jim Jordan was among members of the GOP who led the backlash against the FBI's actions against Perry Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to meet with New York Attorney General Letitia James for a civil investigation on August 10, 2022 in New York City The FBI raided Trump's home one day before seizing Perry's phone and two days before subpoenaing Pa. lawmakers 'As with President Trump last night, DOJ chose this unnecessary and aggressive action instead of simply contacting my attorneys,' he stated. 'These kinds of banana republic tactics should concern every Citizen especially considering the decision before Congress this week to hire 87,000 new IRS agents to further persecute law-abiding Citizens.' The FBI raid on Monday was related to Trump's removal of classified documents from the White House and not the Department of Justice's investigation into January 6, The New York Times reported. Mar-a-Lago, Trump said, 'is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.' 'After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,' Trump said. The confiscation of Perry's phone comes just one day after FBI agents descended on Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in what Perry called in his statement an 'unnecessary and aggressive action' Trump later put out a campaign-style video warning that 'we are a nation that has weaponized its law enforcement against the opposing political party, like never before.' Trump continues to drop a series of not-so-subtle hints that he plans to run for president again in 2024. Politico reported Tuesday that Trumpworld is keeping tabs on the Republicans who are leaping to the ex-president's defense. 'They're going to drastically use this to rally their allies, GOP leaders on Capitol Hill and juice for his political agenda and run for 2024,' one source close to the former president told Politico. 'If there was a 99 percent chance it's 100 percent now. He makes it part of his platform going after the FBI,' the source said of Trump's White House ambitions. Leading members of the party including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel and House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik sent out furious statements about the raid. McCarthy told Attorney General Merrick Garland via Twitter to 'preserve your documents and clear your calendar.' 'I've seen enough,' he wrote. 'The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. Republican leader Kevin McCarthy called out US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Twitter, telling him 'preserve your documents and clear your calendar' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called the raid 'rogue behavior of communist countries, NOT the United States of America!!!' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent member of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative caucus in the House of Representatives, called the raid 'rogue behavior of communist countries, NOT the United States of America!!!' 'These are the type of things that happen in countries during civil war. The political persecution MUST STOP!!!' she tweeted. Rep. Lauren Boebert, another prominent member of the Republican Study Committee, tweeted that the DOJ 'must be held accountable.' 'Biden's FBI just raided the house of the man most likely to be the Republican Presidential nominee in 2024on top of all the other fake investigations into President Trump. Stop weaponizing federal agencies to distract from your own failed agenda!' Boebert said. 'The GOP must set up a Select Committee to investigate the FBI's politically-motivated raid on Mar-a-Lago and on ALL the fraudulent persecution of President Trump from our government,' she continued. This cannot wait. We are turning into a banana republic at record speed.' At least 150 migrants arrived in Britain by boat today as they took advantage of the good weather to make the perilous journey across the English Channel. The groups were made up of mostly young men and male teenagers, some of whom put their thumbs up as they appeared visibly relieved while being ferried to shore by Border Force. Figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) today show the number of migrants to reach UK shores in the past 11 days alone is now 2,309. Meanwhile, a total of 18,708 have sailed across the 21-mile Dover Straits so far this year, compared to 28,526 throughout the entirety of 2021 and 8,410 in 2020. It comes after it was revealed this week how people traffickers have launched a 1,500-a-person 'summer sale' to cross the Channel illegally in a dinghy - mainly aimed at Albanians exploiting a loophole in UK anti-slavery laws - and advertised on TikTok with the promise: 'The French won't stop you - they will escort you safely until you reach the UK'. The first 20 people to arrive to Britain today were brought into Dover, Kent on board Border Force cutter Ranger at around 10am. The mostly male group could be seen carrying their belongings in black bin liners as they were led along the gangway for processing by soldiers in camouflage fatigues. The groups of migrants who arrived to Britain on Thursday (pictured) were made up of mostly young men and male teenagers Figures released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) today show the number of migrants to reach UK shores in the past 11 days alone is now 2,309 A total of 18,708 have sailed across the 21-mile Dover Straits so far this year, compared to 28,526 throughout the entirety of 2021 and 8,410 in 2020 (Pictured: Migrants arriving at Dover Docks on Thursday) The mostly male group arriving to the UK on Thursday (pictured) could be seen carrying their belongings in black bin liners as they were led along the gangway for processing by soldiers in camouflage fatigues One man covered his face and body with a red blanket as the boat approached the harbour. Around an hour later a further 40 migrants were escorted to the port on board the Border Force ship Hurricane. They appeared relieved to reach the UK, with one man giving a thumbs up to onlookers as he was led off the boat. A third group - including several women - were brought into Dover on Border Force vessel Volunteer at midday. And Border Force vessel Defender arrived in the harbour shortly after 1pm carrying a further 30 people. Among them were several teenage boys and a man with a walking aid who appeared to be limping. The busiest day so far this year came on August 1 when 696 migrants were intercepted at sea by Border Force in just 14 boats - an average of around 50 migrants per vessel. Some 28,526 people made the treacherous journey in 2021 - compared to 8,410 who arrived in 2020, according to official government figures. A Government spokesperson said: 'The rise in dangerous Channel crossings is unacceptable. 'Not only are they an overt abuse of our immigration laws, but they risk lives and hinder our ability to help refugees who come to the UK through safe and legal routes. Multiple accounts have been discovered on TikTok selling Channel crossings and promising 'safe passage' One of the TikTok accounts posted a video offering safe passage from Calais, northern France, for 5,000 'The Nationality and Borders Act will enable us to crack down on abuse of the system and the evil people smugglers, who will now be subject to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. 'Under our new Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda, we are continuing preparations to relocate those who are making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys into the UK in order for their claims to be considered and rebuild their lives.' It comes as, amid continuing calm waters and warm temperatures, 'never been cheaper' prices are being offered on social media with experts finding that at least a third of the 3,000 migrants who crossed from France in the past six weeks used one of the offers. MPs have demanded that ministers redouble their efforts to deport migrants to Rwanda following a surge in Albanians using small boats to enter Britain, lured in with cut prices and the promise: 'Hurry Albanians England is waiting.' The price of crossing the Channel appears to have dropped from close to 20,000 to between 5,000 and 3,500 per person. In some cases it has been as low as 1,500 to fill inflatable boats landing on the Kent coast. One advert said: 'Don't pay 17,800-18,000. They are passing by every day, it has never been cheaper', while another shows a group in a dinghy grinning while holding the Albanian flag and promising safe passage to the UK for 5,000. Albanians are understood to be using a loophole in UK anti-slavery laws by claiming that they are the victims of trafficking to Britain for forced work. It is said to help them claim asylum despite their home country not suffering civil war since 1997. Leaked figures have revealed migrants from the Balkan country now make up four in ten arrivals from northern France with 1,075 Albanians arriving 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 now eclipsing all other nationalities including Afghans, Iranians, Iraqis and Syrians. And TikTok is being used to lure them in with nine criminal gangs said to run the route to Britain. Experts are split, with some claiming it is a sale to coincide with the hot and dry summer Europe is enjoying while others believe it is 'a closing down sale as they [gangs] are getting scared that the Rwanda policy will take off'. Tony Smith, former director general of Border Force, told the Telegraph: 'It may be the business model is struggling to handle new markets like Albania and may have to do a bit more of this sales pitch to encourage more people to do it.' The 'summer sale' is said to be contributing to a rise in crossings. And now multiple accounts have been discovered on TikTok selling Channel crossings and promising 'safe passage' - along with advice on using the asylum system. Even more migrants arrived by bus in Washington, D.C. on Thursday as Texas Governor Greg Abbott tells the mayor it's time to push President Joe Biden to act on the southern border crisis. With the Capitol building behind them, individuals and families, some with small children, were spotted Thursday at dawn disembarking a bus they boarded in Texas after illegally crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and New York City Mayor Eric Adams are pushing back on the directive that has seen thousands of migrants sent by the busloads from the southern border to their respective cities. Abbott began the initiative in mid-April, saying that some of America's biggest cities need to experience first hand what small border communities are facing with the migration crisis. He is hoping it will lead to more action on a federal scale to address the prevailing issues in the south. Another bus of migrants who boarded in Texas are dropped off near the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. on Thursday morning Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott wrote an op/ed calling on D.C. and NYC mayors to push President Biden to address the crisis. So far he has sent 6,000 migrants to D.C. as part of a mission to bus illegal immigrants out of his state Two more buses also arrived at Port Authority in New York City on Wednesday as Abbott shifts some focus to The Big Apple after months of sending busloads of undocumented immigrants to D.C. He insisted in an op/ed for Fox News on Thursday that the mission isn't all just a stunt, claiming the busing of migrants out of Texas is also meant to 'provide relief to overrun border communities.' The Republican governor called on Bowser and Adams to tell Biden to 'step up'. He said Bowser 'began decrying the mission after receiving only a fraction of what Texas law enforcement encounter each day along the border.' Bowser recently called on the activation of the National Guard to come into D.C. to help with the influx of migrants to the area. Abbott said the mayor calling the issue a 'federal humanitarian crisis' requiring a 'federal response' was 'finally something reasonable from a D.C. official.' He also said that he has invited Bowser and Adams to see Texas' southern border crisis 'firsthand'. A month after Abbott launched the busing program, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey followed suit in mid-May and started also sending migrants crossing into his state to D.C. and NYC. So far, at least 6,000 migrants have been bused to D.C. from Texas since April. Must less have gone to New York City as buses just started arriving there this month. Migrants who boarded buses in Texas step off the bus Wednesday morning after their trek north to D.C. Migrant crossings finally went on the decline in June the first time in five months there has been a downward trend in apprehensions at the southern border A migrant is spotted with the Capitol in the background walking to a volunteer vehicle on the morning of Wednesday, August 11 after being dropped off in D.C. on a bus from Texas Migrants, some with small children, are dropped off in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday morning after boarding in Texas Sending undocumented immigrants is a form of protest for Abbott as Biden's team prepared in the spring to end a pandemic-era program that allowed border agents to more easily thwart crossings. Two more buses carrying illegal immigrants arrived at New York City's Port Authority on Wednesday around 7:45 a.m. The buses were each carrying around 95 people. In response to Abbott shifting his focus to the Big Apple, Mayor Adams is now threatening to send New Yorkers to Texas in an effort to unseat its Republican governor. As the new migrants stepped off the bus into the City that Never Sleeps on Wednesday, they were greeted by protesters who claimed the mayor has no plan to deal with the onslaught of new migrants. Others, though, handed the new migrants $20 bills in an effort to help them get started with their new lives as hundreds roam the streets looking for shelter. A girl who allegedly shoved her Texas college fling off a boat while they were flirting during a deadly boat party in 2019 posted a photo of the pair together nearly a month after his death. Delaney Brennan and Jack Elliot, 19, had been 'kissing' when she gave him a 'playful shove' that left him overboard before hitting a propeller and drowning in the water at around 8.30pm in October 2019. After witnesses lied to police about what happened to Jack and insisted his death was caused by merely falling off the boat himself - Delaney posted a photo of her and the late 19-year-old on social media. Delaney has since been indicted on a felony charge of tampering with evidence by aiding in the deletion of a cellphone video. She could face up to 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. The black and white photo posted in November 2019 shows off the couple leaning into one another as Delaney clings onto Jack's arm while he is holding a beverage in a tin can. Fashion student Delaney, now 21, also revealed she got a tattoo of Jack's initials on her wrist after the tragedy so that she can remember how much 'he loved life.' Jack and Delaney, both Texas Christian University attendees, were allegedly kissing and flirting when she pushed him off the boat in October 2019 Jack Elliott, 19, a Texas Christian University freshman, was allegedly pushed off a boat while out on a lake near Austin in October 2019. He was struck by the boat's propeller and died Posting onto social media, Delaney (pictured) wrote: 'I'm still messed up from this and my parents are here with me now, but we don't know much still. I just feel like guilty and I don't think I have ever been this sad. I was the last person to touch him' In an affidavit, another teen said panicked Delaney kept repeating: 'He fell! I didn't mean to push him' after the ordeal. Despite the lawsuit being settled privately, Delaney Brennan was indicted on a felony charge of tampering with evidence by aiding in the deletion of a cellphone video. She could face up to 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine Fashion student Delaney, now 21, later revealed she got a tattoo of Jack's initials on her wrist after the tragedy so that she can remember how much 'he loved life.' Jack's grieving family knew there was more to the story than what the teenagers admitted and sought the truth by launching a wrongful death lawsuit in 2020. In her own deposition, Texas Christian University student Delaney revealed how she had tattooed Jack's initials onto her wrist. She said: 'I did that because I wanted to always have something to remember him by. 'When I looked down I wanted to remember how much he loved life and it kind of gave me a reminder to always live my life to the fullest and to do everything in life to basically live up to what he would have done.' Posting onto social media and writing to friends, she said: 'I'm still messed up from this and my parents are here with me now, but we don't know much still. 'I just feel like guilty and I don't think I have ever been this sad. I was the last person to touch him.' Following Jack's death in 2019, Delaney also posted a tribute to him on her Instagram. She wrote: 'Jack Elliot was one of the best people I've ever met. 'He never failed to put a smile on my face, no matter the situation, and after only being best friends with him for two months, we formed such a special bond/friendship that I will cherish forever.' She continued, 'I love you endlessly with my whole heart and miss you so so so much.' However, she is now one of five students facing criminal charges after the justice system weighed in and concluded they have a case to answer for - mainly concerning the alleged story cover-up. Delaney Brennan (far left) allegedly pushed Jack (far right) into the water while flirting with him at the front of a boat in October 2019. The pair are seen with a group of friends prior to the fatal incident Jack, who was 19 at the time, had been partying and drinking together with 11 other teens on the waters of Lake Travis, a manmade lake, northwest of Austin. Jack's body was found 10 days after he drowned more than 100 feet below the surface. Earlier on in the investigation, witnesses on the boat attempted to coverup what really happened Posting onto social media and writing to friends, Delaney said in a tribute to Jack: 'I love you endlessly with my whole heart and miss you so so so much.' A witness changed her testimony since 2019 and now claims she saw Jack Elliot fall from the bow of a 22-foot boat after Delaney, pushed him while flirting out on the waters of Lake Travis, a manmade lake, northwest of Austin. Teens who were present on the boat attempted to conceal the truth by lying to officials, pleading ignorance to Jack's family, and dumping their booze bottles off the side of the boat. The true circumstances were only revealed in a wrongful death lawsuit launched by Jack's grieving family in 2020. Elle Weber, another teen on the boat, detailed in a sworn statement in the suit: 'Delaney and Jack were at the front of the boat, flirting and kissing. 'She gave Jack a "playful little shove" and he fell off the boat.' In an affidavit, another teen said panicked Delaney kept repeating: 'He fell! I didn't mean to push him' after the ordeal. She will appear for a pre-trial at the Travis County Criminal Court on August 17. Delaney's attorney, Dan Dworin, declined to comment on the case. Jack, 19, (pictured) had been 'kissing' the girl he was flirting with when she gave him a 'playful shove' that left him overboard before hitting a propeller and drowning in the water at around 8.30pm. The group were on Lake Travis, a manmade lake, northwest of Austin, in October 2019 A witness changed her 2019 testimony and said she saw Delaney push Jack off the boat Texas Parks and Wildlife wrote in a report that Jack Elliott was pushed by Delaney Brennan (pictured) Mystery surrounded the circumstances of how Jack came to end up in the water after the witnesses 'concocted' a story to coverup the truth from authorities. A total of 12 students from the university were enjoying an afternoon of drinking and wakeboarding when the tragedy struck - but Jack's heartbroken family were forced to fight to reveal what happened to their son. Months after the incident, Elle admitted she had not told the police the full story. She said: 'I was scared and in shock about what happened. 'I wish it had not happened and I wish I'd told police everything the first time.' The lawsuit, lodged by Elliott's family in a bid to get finite answers from the teens, was settled privately and confidentially. In her own deposition, Texas Christian University fashion student Delaney revealed how she had tattooed Jack's initials onto her wrist The boating expedition in 2019 - which turned fatal - was led by Carson Neel whose dad, Billy, ran the Northshore Marina. According to reports by the Orange County Register, Carson told everyone where the life jackets were stowed but gave no further safety instructions to his friends. The group spent their sunny fall afternoon drinking and dancing on the deck of the boat while occasionally dipping into the water for a swim or to go wake boarding. When the boat ran out of beer, they sailed back to the marina to fetch another case before venturing out onto the water once again. But about an hour-and-a-half after sunset, the boat shook as it appeared to rumble over something. Jack, meanwhile, was nowhere to be found onboard. Carson turned the boat back and headed towards the spot where he believed Jack might have gone overboard. In the panic, those onboard shone the lights from their cellphones into the water in desperate hope of finding Jack. 'A lot of people were freaking out and crying and not communicating well,' Carson said in a sworn affidavit seen by the OC Register. 'I tried to stay as calm as possible because I knew it was serious and freaking out would make it worse.' Carson dived into the lake and checked the boats propeller as he searched for Jack. With no sign of him, five minutes later, the group decided to head back to shore. The boating expedition was led by Carson Neel whose dad, Billy, ran the Northshore Marina Elle called 911 - and gave her name to police as 'Elle Macpherson,' believed to be one of the first inconsistencies in the case. She later said during a sworn deposition that she did not know the name she gave was one of a famous supermodel and actress. As they sailed back to shore, the group allegedly dumped their alcohol bottles - including beers, White Claws, and vodka - in the water, a Texas Parks and Wildlife report wrote. In a social media tribute post following the incident, Carson remembered Jack and his 'crazy dance moves.' 'One minute you're having the time of your life and the next one you're grieving the loss of a good friend,' Carson wrote. He continued, 'Don't think it will ever feel right without you here man. I wish I coulda gotten closer to you but God's got a plan.' Following Jack's disappearance, 'the teens hatched a plan to hide the truth from authorities and even Jack's family in Newport Beach,' according to police records. While Carson and Elle Weber had been behind the controls on the boat that day, the group persuaded fellow student, Anthony Salazar, who had not been drinking because he was feeling unwell, to say that he had been behind the wheel at the time of the accident, according to reporting by the OC Register. Jack's body was not recovered for another 10 days, found more than 100 feet below the surface. Police searched for Jack's body after the group of teens on the boat the night of the incident failed to locate him Jack's body was found near where he disappeared. He was found ten days later more than 100 feet below the surface. Jack's body was found in the waters of Lake Travis (above), a manmade lake, northwest of Austin Lake Travis is a popular tourist spot that covers nearly 19,000 acres and is 63.75 miles long The lake is one of the most visited freshwater recreational destinations in Texas, according to laketravis.com Throughout legal proceedings, the teens invoked their Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate themselves, but rumors abounded and the story slowly but surely came out. Once the group returned to dry land, Travis County Sheriff's Office investigators questioned the teens separately, although their stories did not match up. Jack's parents, Amy and Brett Elliott were given a number of scenarios as to what may have happened to their son. One tale suggested Jack did a back flip off the boat into the water. Another alleged how Jack fell in while vomiting over the side of the vessel. Two days later, some of the group gathered in a hotel room in Fort Worth near Dallas where the teens called Jack's parents who were grieving at home in California. Elle did most of the talking, according to the OC Register. She said that the group were sorry for their son's death and for 'all the stories you've heard.' Elle Weber (pictured) had been behind the controls on the boat that day according to her sworn deposition. She originally had told Jack's parents that nobody had any clear idea how their fell overboard - but her answer changed after a 2020 lawsuit. Elle later wrote in a sworn deposition that she had in fact been the only eyewitness and saw another girl push Jack into the lake She acknowledged that nobody had any clear idea how Jack fell overboard. 'We don't know how Jack fell off the boat. We don't know if Jack stood up to change his position and he lost his balance or if he was fixing his hair, we don't know what he was doing. 'These are the most honest answers we can give you right now,' Elle said. Soon after the phone call, Jack's parents were contacted by a father of one of the teens who was also in the room at the time of the call. He told them how he had heard that Jack did not simply fall off the boat but was in fact pushed. 'My heart is broken into a million pieces,' Brett wrote on Jack's Facebook memorial. 'But, with each passing month, you give me more and more strength to keep pushing forward and fighting for TRUTH and ACCOUNTABILITY. I won't stop. You deserve it.' Two months later, by December 2019, Ben Echelson, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden filed a report that contained details of what they believe really occurred. 'Jack Elliott was pushed by Delaney Brennan from the front of a wakeboard boat operated by Elle Weber under the supervision of Carson Neel. 'Jack Elliott was struck by the propeller multiple times and was killed the alcohol on board was thrown overboard,' Echelson wrote. 'False statements were given to the officers responding to the accident concerning the events preceding the push and the manner in which Jack Elliott fell into the water.' The January 2020 lawsuit then confirmed to the family by witnesses how their son was nudged by his lover Delaney - ultimately plummeting to his death. The Elliott family filed a wrongful death suit in January 2020 against Carson, Delaney and Elle in the hope that it might force them to testify and reveal the true events leading to their son's death The lawsuit, lodged by Elliott's family in a bid to get finite answers from the teens, was settled privately and confidentially. Jack is pictured with his dad, Brett Despite the privately-settled lawsuit drawing to a close, the teens again found themselves in hot water in late 2021. A Travis County grand jury decided that those involved had a criminal case to answer - particularly in respects to any alleged cover-up. Each of the five with undergo a pre-trial. As well as Delaney Brennan's indicted felony charge, Carson Neel was also indicted on a felony charge of tampering with physical evidence for allegedly dumping the alcohol overboard. Like Delaney, Carson could also face up to 10 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Carson appeared in Travis County Criminal Courts on August 2. Elle Weber has been indicted on a misdemeanor charge of giving false information to a police officer. She is set to appear in court on August 16. Another of the teens onboard the boat, Josh Evans of Aliso Viejo, was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor. Evans appeared in court on August 7. Anthony Salazar was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of perjury. He appeared in court on August 2. One of the fathers who attended the meeting days after the accident had some words of advice for the teens: 'If you don't tell the truth it comes back to bite you in the a**.' Pictured: Devil's Cove in Lake Travis. Jack was pushed from the boat into the water between the popular party spot, Devil's Cove. A former aide to Jeremy Corbyn who was ordered to pay Rachel Riley 10,000 in damages after wrongly accusing the Countdown star of calling the ex-Labour leader a 'Nazi' during a Twitter spat has lost an appeal against the High Court ruling. The TV maths expert launched legal action against Laura Murray after the former Labour aide claimed that a message shared on Twitter by Miss Riley had compared Mr Corbyn to a Nazi. She accused the Countdown presenter, 36, of suggesting that the former Labour leader deserved to be attacked after an incident in which he had eggs thrown at him by a Brexiteer at Finsbury Park mosque in north London in March 2019. Miss Murray, who is in her 30s, wrote on Twitter at the time: 'Today Jeremy Corbyn went to his local mosque for Visit My Mosque Day, and was attacked by a Brexiteer. 'Rachel Riley tweets that Corbyn deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi. This woman is as dangerous as she is stupid. Nobody should engage with her. Ever.' Miss Riley sued Miss Murray for libel over the message and was last December awarded 10,000 in damages. High Court judges had rejected Miss Murray's defences of truth, honest opinion, and publication on matter of public interest and awarded damages to Miss Riley, saying she was entitled to 'vindication'. Miss Murray challenged that ruling at the Court of Appeal in July, but her appeal was dismissed by three senior judges in a ruling delivered today. Rachel Riley (left) launched legal action against Laura Murray (right) after the Corbynista claimed that a message shared on Twitter by Miss Riley had compared Mr Corbyn to a Nazi Miss Riley posted a screenshot of a January 2019 tweet by Guardian columnist Owen Jones about an attack on former British National Party leader Nick Griffin, which said: 'I think sound life advice is, if you don't want eggs thrown at you, don't be a Nazi.' She added 'Good advice', with emojis of a red rose and an egg. Miss Murray later tweeted: 'Today Jeremy Corbyn went to his local mosque for Visit My Mosque Day, and was attacked by a Brexiteer. Rachel Riley tweets that Corbyn deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi. This woman is as dangerous as she is stupid. Nobody should engage with her. Ever' Timeline: TV star Rachel Riley's libel battle with ex-Corbyn aide Laura Murray January 10, 2019: Former British National Party leader Nick Griffin tweets he had re-watched footage of '100 far-left thugs attacking a BNP MEP press conference' in 2009. He says Guardian columnist Owen Jones was 'cheering them on (from the back)'. Mr Jones replies, saying: 'I think sound life advice is, if you don't want eggs thrown at you, don't be a Nazi. Seems fair to me.' March 3: An egg is hurled at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn at Finsbury Park Mosque. Rachel Riley later posts a screenshot of Owen Jones' egg tweet, saying it was 'good advice', with an emoji of a red rose and an egg. That same day Laura Murray, a senior aide to the then Labour leader, tweets: 'Today, Jeremy Corbyn went to his local mosque for Visit My Mosque Day, and was attacked by a Brexiteer. 'Rachel Riley tweets that Corbyn deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi. 'This woman is as dangerous as she is stupid. Nobody should engage with her... Ever.' Ms Riley launches legal action. April 24, 2020: Ms Riley wins the first round in her High Court libel claim over the tweet. Mr Justice Nicklin says that an 'imputation that a person had publicly supported a violent attack on someone is plainly defamatory at common law'. He adds that it is 'conduct which would substantially affect, in an adverse manner, the attitude of other people towards the claimant or have a tendency so to do'. But he rejects a claim from Ms Murray's lawyer that she was expressing an opinion when she said Ms Riley had said the Labour leader 'deserved to be violently attacked'. He said it was 'a simple factual statement and would be understood as such'. May 10, 2021: Ms Riley tells the High Court she was unable to sleep and bombarded with abuse after Jeremy Corbyn's former aide claimed she said he 'deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi'. December 20, 2021 : Ms Riley is awarded 10,000 in damages after Mr Justice Nicklin rules she is 'entitled' to 'vindication'. August 11, 2022: Ms Murray loses her appeal against the ruling. Advertisement The Countdown star, who is Jewish and faced online abuse after criticising anti-Semitism in the Labour party, called Miss Murray's tweet an 'appalling distortion of the truth' which contained 'defamatory statements of fact' about her. Their row began after a Brexiteer smashed an egg on Mr Corbyn's head during a visit to Finsbury Park Mosque on March 3, 2019. Miss Riley had initially posted a screenshot of a January 2019 tweet by Guardian columnist Owen Jones about an earlier attack on former British National Party leader Nick Griffin, which said: 'I think sound life advice is, if you don't want eggs thrown at you, don't be a Nazi.' She added 'Good advice', with emojis of a red rose and an egg. Later, Miss Murray tweeted: 'Today Jeremy Corbyn went to his local mosque for Visit My Mosque Day, and was attacked by a Brexiteer. 'Rachel Riley tweets that Corbyn deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi. 'This woman is as dangerous as she is stupid. Nobody should engage with her. Ever.' Miss Riley said that she was being sarcastic in her tweet, did not call Mr Corbyn a Nazi, and told the judge that Miss Murray's tweet caused serious harm to her reputation. Mr Justice Nicklin concluded that the tweet meant Miss Riley had 'publicly stated' Mr Corbyn had been attacked when visiting a mosque; that he 'deserved to be violently attacked'; by doing so she had shown herself to be a 'dangerous and stupid person' who 'risked inciting unlawful violence'; and that people should not 'engage with her'. He found that Miss Riley had demonstrated that Miss Murray's tweet had caused serious harm to her reputation, and also said both women had been truthful in the evidence they gave and had done their best to 'assist the court'. Mr Justice Nicklin said there was an 'element of provocation' in Miss Riley's 'good advice' tweet. 'Although posting the good advice tweet could not be described as 'bad conduct' of the claimant, it properly falls to be characterised as provocative, even mischievous,' he said in a written ruling. 'It was calculated to provoke a reaction and it did.' Miss Riley, who studied mathematics at Oxford University and is on maternity leave from Countdown after giving birth in November, had told the judge she is Jewish and has a 'hatred of antisemitism'. She said she speaks out against antisemitism and thought the Corbyn-led Labour Party was 'fostering antisemitism'. Miss Murray was stakeholder manager in Mr Corbyn's office when he was Labour leader, and went on to be the party's head of complaints, before going into teaching. She argued that what she tweeted was true and reflected her honestly held opinions. Mr Justice Nicklin ruled at an earlier hearing that Miss Murray's tweet was defamatory. Miss Murray told the judge that her job had involved her working with the Jewish community to 'try to find solutions to the problem of antisemitism which was becoming evident within parts of the Labour Party membership'. Miss Murray was stakeholder manager in Mr Corbyn's (both pictured) office when he was Labour leader, and went on to be the party's head of complaints, before going into teaching Lawyers for Miss Murray argued that Mr Justice Nicklin was wrong to reject her defences, saying that the 'ambiguity' of Miss Riley's initial tweet meant that Miss Murray's subsequent tweet was 'substantially true'. They also raised objections to his rejection of the honest opinion and public interest defences. But, giving the lead ruling, Lord Justice Warby said Mr Justice Nicklin was 'entitled to conclude that ... the defendant's tweet was not shown to be substantially true'. The judge, sitting with Lords Justice Dingemans and Arnold, also rejected Miss Murray's other grounds of appeal. Google is pressuring Apple to adopt a "next-generation standard" for text messaging. Google is tired of Apple's exclusivity when it comes to sending messages to Android devices. iMessage is famously known for showing "blue bubbles" when communicating with other Apple devices versus "green bubbles" when texting Android devices. Google, which develops the Android operating system, hopes to change that by urging Apple to adopt RCS modern texting standards. On Tuesday, Google boldly called out Apple over its alleged failure to improve the user experience of those who communicate using Apple iPhones and Android devices. Users have already raised concerns about the green message bubbles that appear when using cross-device messages, poor quality compressed videos, missing read receipts, and more, Insider reported. Naturally, Google blamed Apple for failing to use modern texting standards as the company converts texts sent between iPhones and Android devices into SMS and MMS, which are actually decades-old methods of sending text-only messages from devices. Google urged Apple to adopt Rich Communication Services or RCS, which is the "modern industry standard" that is now being used to enable the sending and receiving of texts and media such as photos, videos, and emojis. Google Launches 'Get the Message' Campaign Aimed at Apple To show Apple just how serious they were about their concerns over text messaging issues between iPhones and Android devices, Google launched the a publicity campaign that declared, "It's time for Apple to fix texting" and that users should "Help @Apple #GetTheMessage." Google added that "the frustration is real" and that users are already talking about it on social media. CNBC reported that Google just wants people to stop blaming Android users for "ruining chats" because the truth is that "Apple is responsible" for the lackluster user experience, the company's global vice president for integrated marketing for platforms, Adrienne Lofton said. Google further argued in a statement that messaging should bring people together instead of pulling them apart. Android developers said that the goal was to create a more secure, modern, and better user experience for everyone regardless if they are using Apple iPhones or Android devices. Read Also: Google's Switch to Android App for iOS Quietly Releases on Apple App Store - How To Use It Apple 'Locks In' User with iMessage Tech giants are battling it out over messaging services because users are less likely to switch to another platform or app if they are all using the same service. This is exactly how they get "locked-in" with their service or device, TechCrunch reported. In fact, Meta, which owns WhatsApp, is also in direct competition with Apple's iMessage, which is widely used in the US, where iPhones have over 55% of the market. Earlier this year, Google Senior Vice President for Android Hiroshi Lockheimer revealed through internal Apple emails that the company was indeed using its iMessage platform to lock in its customers. The internal emails were part of a lawsuit in 2021 that revealed how Apple executives rejected proposals to bring the iMessage app to Android devices. But instead of bringing the iMessage to Android, Google has a better solution: for Apple to support RCS, which was developed by a coalition of wireless carriers and tech companies as the improved version of the SMS and MMS systems that had been used for many years now. Apple has not publicly responded to Google's concerns over iMessage and texting standards between iPhones and Android devices. Related Article: Best Budget-Friendly Android Smartphones in 2022 From Samsung, Google A corrupt solicitor who pocketed almost 20million of investors' cash to fund a luxury lifestyle has been locked up for 14 years. Timothy Schools used more than 19.6million in illicitly gained funds to splash out on a motor boat, luxury cars and a 5million fishing and shooting estate in the Lake District, according to investigators. The 61-year-old called his firm 'ATM' because he used it as 'his personal cash machine', Southwark Crown Court heard. Timothy Schools, 61, has been jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of conning investors out of almost 20million More than 500 investors fell into his trap, handing over 100million to the Cayman Island-based Axiom Legal Financing fund, set up by Schools in 2009 to provide loans to law firms pursuing no-win, no-fee cases. Schools, from Penrith, Cumbria, who gave himself more than a 1million per year salary, funnelled the funds to himself while acting as the investment manager for the legal fund. He was convicted on five counts, including fraudulent trading, fraud by abuse of position, and money laundering. Judge Martin Beddoe branded Schools an 'utterly dishonest man' as he handed him his sentence. 'As the case has unfolded I have no doubt, I am sure that you always saw this as a get rich quick scheme,' he said. The 61-year-old fleeced more than 500 investors who handed over 100million to the Cayman Island-based Axiom Legal Financing fund he set up in 2009. Pictured: Schools at Southwark Crown Court on July 29 Schools used the illicit money to fund a luxury lifestyle including the purchase of a motor boat, luxury cars and a 5million fishing and shooting estate in the Lake District (above) On Thursday, he sat in the dock at Southwark Crown Court wearing a grey T-shirt and appeared shell-shocked as the sentence was passed down. Prosecutor Miranda Moore, QC, said many investors were persuaded to part with their life savings. 'It was very popular and over 100m was invested by individuals. People were investing their savings, their pension pots.' The court heard that investors were told their loans would be given to a panel of high quality law firms to fund legal cases with good chances of success, but most of the funds, amounting to 40million, were paid to just three law firms - ATM, Ashton Fox and Bracewell's - all of which Schools either owned or held undisclosed interest in. Some 35,000 clients' had their cases affected, according to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) - the government department that investigates and prosecutes serious or complex fraud He paid himself over 1million in salary, consultancy fees and other personal benefits, from funds received by ATM Solicitors, the SFO said. Investigators said monies were also transferred and hidden in offshore bank accounts held within complex overseas trusts. The cases Axiom funded were not independently vetted, often failed at court and case insurance policies failed to pay out when cases did not succeed, according to the SFO. It explained Schools covered up these failures by arranging for the repayments of old loans with new Axiom loans, giving the false impression to directors, administrators and auditors that law firms were successfully repaying their loans and achieving returns on investment. Schools was convicted on five counts of fraudulent trading, fraud by abuse of position and money laundering The loans provided to these law firms were siphoned off by Schools. The 61-year-old was also disqualified from being a director of a company for 15 years on top of his jail sentence. He was previously sanctioned by his professional body and struck off the solicitor's register in 2014, the court heard. The jury acquitted a second defendant, Richard Emmett, 49, of Grimsargh, Lancashire, on all charges and were unable to reach a verdict on a single count of fraudulent trading against David Kennedy, 69, of Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear. The court heard Schools settled civil action in the High Court but the terms are not known. Lisa Osofsky, director of the SFO, said: 'Mr Schools deliberately abused his position of trust to enrich himself. Through a complex web of lies, he attempted to hide his fraudulent activity, while spending other people's hard earned money.' Mexico's most powerful drugs cartel brutally assassinated a new police chief hours after he was appointed by blowing his head off as he patrolled bars. Juan Miguel Silva Alvarado, known as the boxer due to his past as an amateur boxer, was shot several times by the Sinaloa cartel, who pioneered using tunnels underneath the US-Mexico border to send drugs into America. Photographs of his beheaded corpse lying by the roadside surfaced after he was shot on August 6 near the Sinoloa State Prosecutor's Office in Culiacan. Juan Miguel was set upon while he was escorted by two patrol cars, according to El Financiero. After the shooting, the members of the cartel are alleged to have taken the cops' guns and left the scene. Their guns were found hours later by a bridge, including a rifle, which may have been used to kill Juan Miguel. Juan Miguel Silva Alvarado, known as the boxer due to his past as an amateur boxer, was shot several times by the Sinaloa cartel Alvarado was appointed Deputy Secretary of Municipal Public Security hours before he was killed. Governor of Sinaloa, Ruben Rocha Moya, has said that he 'regrets' Alvarado's death. According to Causa en comun data at least three officers have been killed in the state this year. The cartel in Sinaloa was formed in the late 80s, with the group believed to be the primary supplier of heroin, cocaine, meth, MDMA and fentanyl into the US. The latest murderous attack comes after a spree of cartel violence which has left Mexico reeling. At least 11 people were murdered by gangsters in Tijuana earlier this month between July 31 and August 1. Zeta reported that three men were shot dead- Cristian Alexis Luna, 27, Ricardo Aguirre Rodriguez, 25, and Gary Michael, 31. Police were pictured at the scene after the shooting. There were more than 30 shell cases found, many from 9mm caliber pistols At the scene were more than 30 shell cases, many from 9mm caliber pistols. Two cars were damaged from gunfire at the scene. The attackers are believed to have left the scene in a truck. Elsewhere, one man died after a fight outside a bar and another's body was found on a hill near a school. Reports said that a decapitated head was found next to a handcuffed body wrapped in a tarp. According to reports, a warning from killers was found scrawled in black ink on cardboard next to the corpse. In July, police discovered at least three headless murder victims in Juarez. Police told Border Report that on July 13, one headless body was found wrapped in a blanket. It had been put in a plastic bag and left by the roadside. One member of the Sinaloa cartel is El Chapo's son Ivan Archivaldo Guzman-Salazar. Archivaldo Guzman-Salazar, pictured, is a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel According to police, most of the killings are drug-related. Homicide numbers have sky-rocketed in Juarez, with at least 1,200 homicides reported in 2018. The city has seen at least 400 murders this year. It comes weeks after the decapitated heads and charred corpses of 15 men and women were found in the border resort of Tijuana. Charred remains of two people were found near a Jacuzzi factory and a badly decomposed body was discovered in the trunk of a car. Another chilling discovery was made in a sack, with the head of one woman and legs of another found. With the gruesome find was a note which read: 'This is for all the w****s who support the scourge in Playas, there is already a new administration: La Menchiza.' Meanwhile, Mexican authorities claimed that a cartel killed two priests in a church and stole their bodies in June. The Jesuit Catholic priests Javier Campos Morales, 79, and Joaquin Cesar Mora Salazar, 80, were shot dead. They had tried to help their tour guide, Pedro Eliodoro Palma, when they were killed. Palma hid in the church to protect himself from the drug gang. According to the state prosecutor's office in Chihuahua, the bodies of the three men were then taken away by the group of men in the back of a pickup truck. Seven in ten Americans want Kansas-style abortion ballots in their own state, and Republicans are even keener to hold local votes than Democrats, says a new poll with major implications for the upcoming midterm elections. Ipsos pollsters found that 70 percent of adults wanted state-level ballots on abortion. This included 73 percent of Democrats and a bigger share 77 percent of Republicans wishing to have their say in their states rules on abortion. The poll of some 1,000 adults, conducted this past weekend, also found that, if voters could decide on abortion-related state ballot measures, 54 percent would allow procedures and 28 percent would oppose them. In such a vote, however, supporters of the two main parties would be split. While 76 percent of Democrats would back legalized abortions, only 34 percent of Republicans would support the procedures. With abortion no longer a constitutional right, Americans want their voice heard on the issue, said Mallory Newall, an Ipsos vice president. The Supreme Court in June overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion and punted the issue to the states some of which already had trigger laws in place to outlaw the procedures. Kansas voters last week overwhelmingly rejected a state-level abortion ban, as voters elsewhere ready to vote in similar ballot measures, and as courts and lawmakers across the U.S. grapple with the realities of a post-Roe America. Wyoming judge Melissa Owens on Wednesday blocked the state's near-total ban on abortion from taking effect, calling the law discriminatory and suggesting that legal efforts to overturn it would succeed. Virginia Brierley protests against restrictions on abortion in San Clemente, California, on August 6, 2022. Abortion access is already protected in California. Voters in November will decide whether to enshrine that right in the states constitution Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts, a Republican, on Monday said he would not convene the state legislature for a special session on stricter abortion laws because Republican lawmakers did not have the votes to pass a ban. Indiana's legislature last week became the first in the U.S. to pass new legislation restricting access to abortions since the Supreme Court's decision. It includes exceptions in cases of rape and incest and to protect the health of the mother. Poll Would you vote FOR or AGAINST broad access to abortions in your state? FOR AGAINST Would you vote FOR or AGAINST broad access to abortions in your state? FOR 12 votes AGAINST 3 votes Now share your opinion Republican voters in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Tuesday respectively nominated Tim Michels and Scott Jensen two opponents of abortion for governor of their states, ensuring the issue of terminations features in those races in November's general election. The nearly 20-point win by supporters of legal abortions in Kansas, a conservative state, was an indication that the Supreme Court decision was energizing Democrats and could hurt Republicans in Novembers midterm elections. Even voters in many rural, conservative areas of Kansas voted for legal abortions, in what was a big victory for pro-choice groups after weeks in which many southern and Midwest states restricted or banned the procedure. In the coming months, voters in Montana, Kentucky, California and elsewhere will have a chance to weigh in on abortions, and the issue is likely to impact House, Senate and governor races across the U.S. Some 55 percent of voters say access to abortions is 'very important' to how they will vote in November, according to recent polling by KFF, a health policy group, higher than in previous surveys. In the coming months, voters in Montana, Kentucky and elsewhere can weigh in on abortions, after the Supreme Court in June ruled there was no constitutional right to abortion and punted the issue to the states A Met Police officer has denied raping a woman in the sea off Brighton beach after a stag night. Sergeant Laurence Knight, 33, is said to have carried out the attack on July 17 last year while off duty. The officer met the woman during the night out in the early hours of the morning, a court heard. Prosecutors say the pair walked to the beach together, undressed to their underwear and ended up in the sea, where sexual activity is alleged to have taken place. He was arrested on July 28 2021 and suspended from Stoke Newington Police Station, north London after the allegation was made. Knight, attached to the Mets Detention Unit, appeared at Southwark Crown Court charged with rape and sexual assault. He denies both charges. Sergeant Laurence Knight, 33, (pictured at court on July 5) is said to have met the woman in the early hours of July 17 last year while on a stag do in the city centre. He is then accused of raping her in the sea off Brighton beach Sgt Knight's trial is set for at Southwark Crown Court on 19 June 2023. He denies the charges Judge Phillip Bartle QC bailed the officer ahead of his trial set for June 19 next year. The trial is estimated to last a week. Following Sgt Knights arrest, the Met made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The IOPC determined the misconduct investigation should be led by the Met. Sussex Police released a statement after Knight was charged with rape last summer which said: Sussex Police has arrested a man after a woman reported being raped on Brighton beach on Saturday, July 17 2021. Laurence Knight, 33, who is a Met Police officer, was arrested on suspicion of rape on July 28 and released on bail. Sgt Knight depicted in court artist's sketch on July 5. He was arrested on July 28 2021 and suspended from Stoke Newington Police Station, north London after the allegation was made Sgt Knight, of Waltham Forest, east London, is granted bail on condition he does not contact the complainant and will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on 19 June 2023. Chief Superintendent Pete Gardner, in charge of Met Detention, said after the allegation was made: 'We know people will rightly be concerned to hear about this very serious charge against a serving police officer. 'We absolutely share that concern and I am thankful to Sussex Police for their thorough investigation and the continued specialist support they are providing to the victim. 'The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards are fully aware and misconduct matters will be dealt with once the criminal proceedings have concluded. The officer is suspended from duty.' The trial of a German soldier accused of passing secrets to Russian intelligence has begun, with prosecutors claiming he undermined sanctions in a six-year campaign. Identified only as 'Ralph G.', the suspected spy, 65, is also alleged to have shared secrets about cancelled Germany-Russia pipeline Nord Stream 2. Ralph G. is also charged with handing over high-ranking army officers' personal data while spying for the Kremlin between 2014 and 2020. He allegedly communicated with Russian spies face-to-face, on the phone, by email and via WhatsApp. The accused double agent was reportedly a reserve lieutenant colonel and a sales manager The 'double agent' is also accused of sharing excerpts from an official government document on Germany's relationship with Russia after its annexation of Crimea. Ralph G. today declined to speak, but will do so at the next hearing on September 1. The accused soldier was a reserve lieutenant colonel who also worked as a sales manager for an international engineering company in western Germany, Der Spiegel reported. After his arrest in 2020, he admitted to having supplied information to the Russians, but claims not to have known his contacts were working for the country's military intelligence, the newspaper added. German chancellor Olaf Scholz is pictured alongside high-ranking Germany army officials He was charged in April with leaking information on a variety of sensitive areas for the Federal Republic of Germany. Last year, a German court sentenced a Russian man to life in prison for shooting dead a former Chechen commander in a Berlin park in broad daylight, a murder prosecutors say Moscow ordered. A Russian man also went on trial in Munich in June charged with plotting to kill a Chechen dissident living in Germany on the orders of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Ralph G. is the latest in a string of suspected Russian spies uncovered on German soil. German soldiers are pictured at Rukla military base near Vilnius, Lithuania in February A Munich court in April handed a one-year suspended sentence to a Russian scientist for passing secrets about Europe's Ariane space rocket programme to Moscow. Days earlier, a security guard at the British embassy in Berlin was extradited to the UK to face charges of spying for Russia. And last October, a German man was handed a two-year suspended sentence for passing on floor plans of parliament buildings to Russian secret services while working for a security company. Ukraine has today brutally trolled sobbing Russian tourists, seen fleeing in terror after huge explosions laid waste to an air base in Crimea, with a video advising them not to visit the peninsula unless they want an 'unpleasantly hot summer break'. Footage posted online earlier this week from the Russian occupied territory showed beachgoers running as huge mushroom clouds rose into the air in the distance. The blasts - that have been credited to Ukraine's special forces - hit the Novofedorivka base on Tuesday. The base is close to a beach popular with Russian tourists visiting the peninsula which was annexed by Vladimir Putin's forces in 2014. While authorities in Kyiv are yet to officially take credit for the attack, the video mocked the Kremlin's claim that the explosions were the result of an accident on the base caused by a 'violation of fire safety requirements.' When posting the video to social media on Thursday, Ukraine's defence ministry wrote: 'Unless they want an unpleasantly hot summer break, we advise our valued Russian guests not to visit Ukrainian Crimea. Because no amount of sunscreen will protect them from the hazardous effects of smoking in unauthorised areas.' Ukraine has today brutally trolled sobbing Russian tourists, seen fleeing in terror after huge explosions laid waste to an air base in Crimea, with a video advising them not to visit the peninsula unless they want an 'unpleasantly hot summer break' Text in the video (pictured) suggested alternative destinations to Russian tourists, including Dubai's 'Palm Jumeirah Beaches', 'Antalya Resorts' in Turkey and 'Cuban Cabanas'. Instead, the video says, 'You chose Crimea. Big mistake.' In a stark contrast from the stunning images of the previously listed tourist destinations, the video suddenly shows the huge explosions that rocked Crimea on Tuesday They 35-second video, created in the style of a tourism advert, addresses Russian tourists. 'You had a few options this summer,' bold purple text says. The video then suggests alternative destinations, including Dubai's 'Palm Jumeirah Beaches', 'Antalya Resorts' in Turkey and 'Cuban Cabanas'. Instead, the video says, 'You chose Crimea. Big mistake.' In a stark contrast from the stunning images of the previously listed tourist destinations, the video suddenly shows the huge explosions that rocked Crimea on Tuesday. Pictured: Footage in Ukraine's Defence Ministry video shows the strikes on the airbase One woman, who was filmed in floods of tears as she was driven away from Crimea this week after the attack, is also shown in the video. 'I don't want to leave Crimea, Alushta at all,' she tells the camera. 'How cool it is here' When posting the video to social media on Thursday, Ukraine's defence ministry wrote: 'Unless they want an unpleasantly hot summer break, we advise our valued Russian guests not to visit Ukrainian Crimea. Because no amount of sunscreen will protect them from the hazardous effects of smoking in unauthorised areas' It then shows footage of tourists fleeing a nearby beach as the blasts are seen in the distance, with the text again appearing on screen saying 'Time to head home'. One woman, who was filmed in floods of tears as she was driven away from Crimea this week after the attack, is also shown in the video. 'I don't want to leave Crimea, Alushta at all,' she tells the camera. 'How cool it is here'. To add insult to injury, the video used Bananarama's 'Cruel Summer' as a soundtrack. The video ends with blue and yellow text - the colour of Ukraine's flag - on screen saying 'Crimea is Ukraine'. Several large explosions have rocked a military airbase in Russian-held Crimea as an ominous mushroom cloud sent bathers fleeing from nearby beaches Shocked beachgoers watched on as the smoke began billowing from the direction of the base, before being instructed to evacuate by police officers Meanwhile, satellite pictures released on Thursday showed the devastation at the Russian air base, hit in the attack that suggests Kyiv may have obtained new long-range strike capability with potential to change the course of the war. Pictures from independent satellite firm Planet Labs showed three near-identical craters where buildings at Russia's Saki air base had been struck with apparent precision. The base, on the southwest coast of Crimea, suffered extensive fire damage with the burnt-out husks of at least eight destroyed warplanes clearly visible. Russia has denied aircraft were damaged and said explosions at the base on Tuesday were accidental. Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack or said exactly how it was carried out. Huge explosions are seen in the background in Crimea as stunned civilians look on before jumping into their cars and fleeing Satellite pictures released on Thursday showed the devastation at the Russian air base, hit in the attack that suggests Kyiv may have obtained new long-range strike capability with potential to change the course of the war. Pictured before (top) and after (bottom) the blasts After the blasts, Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko also gleefully shared the footage of the woman crying on Twitter, commenting: 'Do you think Russians will finally begin to understand that it's really a war?' The demographics of the peninsula's population changed rapidly following its 2014 annexation. Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Ukrainians and Crimean Tartars - an ethnic group indigenous to the peninsula - moved out of Crimea amid complaints of intimidation and poor treatment under a pro-Russian government. Others who renounced Russian citizenship were classified as foreign citizens and were not permitted to spend more than 180 days per year in Crimea - and were subject to strict migration legislation which meant they could be forcibly deported. Many more ethnic Russians immigrated to the region, particularly as Russia's military set about reinforcing its presence there and establishing the headquarters of its prized Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. However, after the explosions at the Novofedorivka military airbase killed one, injured 14 and destroyed 10 Russian aircraft, Crimea's highways were backed up by huge traffic jams as fearful residents attempted to evacuate. Gerashchenko claimed on Wednesday the jams stretched for more than 60 miles. An anonymous official told the Washington Post that Tuesday's blasts came as the result of a special forces operation, despite claims that long-range missiles could have been used. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile vowed to 'liberate' the peninsula previously part of Ukraine, but annexed by Russia in 2014 despite international condemnation and Western sanctions. Zelensky did not directly mention yesterday's explosions, the cause of which has not yet been officially confirmed, but spoke with conviction as he declared: 'Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up... The Russian war against Ukraine and the whole of free Europe must end with Crimea and its liberation.' The blasts rang out around 3:30pm local time Thursday afternoon at the Russian-held Novofedorivka military airbase in Western Crimea, which is located within sight of a popular beach. Videos circulating on the Telegram messaging app showed dozens of shocked beachgoers watching trails of smoke snaking into the sky from the base before hastily evacuating the shore. Other clips showed the charred remains of a Russian fighter jet and the smouldering wreckage of several cars on torn up tarmac destroyed in the devastating explosions. Ukraine's air force neither confirmed nor denied its participation in the incident, but said it believed up to 10 Russian fighter jets were destroyed in the explosions (image of a decimated Russian jet involved in the blast) Clips which emerged from the scene appeared to show the charred remains of a Russian fighter jet and the smouldering wreckage of several cars on torn up tarmac (pictured) More blasts have rung out in Crimea today, this time at a key bridge in the northern Chongar region constituting one of very few routes out of the peninsula and into Russian-controlled southeastern Ukraine Russia's Defence Ministry denied the base on the Black Sea had been attacked by Ukraine, instead declaring there had been a catastrophic aircraft munitions detonation, but editor-in-chief of Russian news outlet RT, Margarita Simonyan, tweeted that the explosions were caused by 'sabotage'. Ukrainian social networks meanwhile were abuzz with speculation that the base was destroyed by long-range missiles fired by Ukraine's military after one Ukrainian official speaking on condition of anonymity told the New York Times that the nation's armed forces launched the attack. 'This was an air base from which [Russian] planes regularly took off for attacks against our forces in the southern theatre,' the official said, adding that 'a device exclusively of Ukrainian manufacture was used' to carry out the attack. This sentiment was echoed by Viktor Andrusiv, a political scientist and former adviser to Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs, who wrote on Telegram: 'As you can understand - missiles with a range of 200-300km are already in service with us and are being used in our country. 'The explosions... at the airfield in Novofedorivka in Crimea, are public proof of this.' US systems so-far supplied to Ukraine do not have the range to hit the airbase from territory occupied by Kyiv's forces. But some observers have speculated that the ATACMS missile system could be responsible for the strike. The Biden administration has not officially supplied the system, which has a range of up to 190 miles - and could strike the base from mainland Ukraine. Videos of Russians fleeing the site of the blasts came as the regional administrators of Ukraine's southern Kherson region, currently under Russian occupation, said Russian families there had 'started to panic' after Ukrainian armed forces attacked two key bridges used by Putin's troops as supply routes. 'Because of these events, the mass exodus of the families of the Russian military who lived in Kherson began,' the statement read. Both the Kakhovka and Antonivka bridges - two large crossings east of the occupied centre of Kherson which traverse the Dnieper river and allow Putin's troops in Kherson to receive vital supplies - were badly damaged in a series of Ukrainian strikes. Rising smoke can be seen from the beach at Saky after explosions were heard from the direction of a Russian military airbase near Novofedorivka, Crimea, Tuesday August 9 A large mushroom cloud is seen rising from the scene of explosions at a Russian held airbase in Novofedorivka, Crimea Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility, but a military official speaking on condition of anonymity told the New York Times that the nation's armed forces launched the attack If the airbase was in fact struck by the Ukrainians, it would mark the first known major attack on a Russian military site in Crimea since Putin's forces invaded Ukraine on February 24 Iryna Vereshchuk, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, did post on Facebook, saying: 'Today's explosions in Novofedorivka are another reminder of who is Crimea. Because it is Ukraine.' Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and has occupied the territory ever since despite widespread condemnation from much of the international community. If the airbase was in fact struck by the Ukrainians, it would mark the first known major attack on a Russian military site in Crimea since Putin's forces invaded Ukraine on February 24. Iryna Vereshchuk, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, posted on Facebook: 'Today's explosions in Novofedorivka are another reminder of who is Crimea. Because it is Ukraine.' But an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted Ukraine is not taking responsibility for the explosions. Mykhailo Podolyak, when asked by the Dozhd online television channel whether Kyiv was taking responsibility, replied: 'Of course not. What do we have to do with this?' Novofedorivka is located more than 130 miles from the nearest part of mainland Ukraine not occupied by Putin's troops, and Ukrainian authorities have not officially taken responsibility for the blasts. Russian's defence ministry denied the explosions were caused as a result of incoming missile fire, claiming: 'Aircraft ammunition detonated at the ''Saky'' airfield near the village of Novofedorivka at a rubble storage site. 'No aviation equipment at the airfield was damaged. Measures are being taken to extinguish the resulting fire and investigate the cause of the explosion. 'According to the report from the site, there was no fire impact on the collapsed ammunition storage area at the airfield.' Sir Frederick Barclay was today warned 'the debt will not go away' by a High Court judge who said the businessman should be 'ashamed' for leaving his ex-wife penniless as their legal battle following a 100m divorce settlement continued. The Daily Telegraph tycoon, 87, was facing sentencing for contempt of court over failure to pay nearly 250,000 in legal bills and maintenance to Lady Hiroko Barclay, 79, following the breakdown of their 34-year marriage. Lady Barclay had previously asked for Sir Frederick to be sent to prison after claiming he had breached court orders to pay her more than 100m - saying he had failed to pay two lump sums of 50m. But Sir Frederick was let off the hook last month when Sir Jonathan Cohen ruled he was not in contempt for failing to cough up the huge sums, as Lady Barclay had not proved he had the means to pay it. The judge did rule, however, that he was in contempt for not paying the 245,000 he owed for legal fees and maintenance, as he had the means to pay those debts. Sir Frederick Barclay was today warned 'the debt will not go away' by a High Court judge who said the businessman should be 'ashamed' for leaving his ex-wife penniless as their legal battle over a 100m divorce settlement continued At a hearing on Thursday, Stewart Leech QC, for Lady Barclay, said that while the 245,000 debt had now been paid, 'Sir Frederick remains massively in default, there is still no plan for payment of the 100m'. Sir Jonathan said he would adjourn his decision on whether to impose a penalty against Sir Frederick - which could include jail time - for three months. The Barclay brothers - identical twins - were among the UK's most high-profile businessmen. Their business interests included Telegraph Media Group and The Ritz hotel in London. Sir David died in January last year, aged 86. The judge said today: 'It should be a matter of shame for Sir Frederick and his nephews that Lady Barclay is left with next to nothing in financial resources for the future. 'Does Sir Frederick, and do the nephews, really expect and wish to see her without a penny of her award satisfied? 'It seems to me an extraordinary point that every member of the family is prepared to put their hands into their pockets to help Sir Frederick to avoid prison but will do nothing to assist the greatest victim in this, Lady Barclay, particularly when I have found she is entitled, and I stress the word entitled, to the award that I made which is to be paid out of Sir Frederick's share of the fortune that he and his brother amassed. 'The debt will not go away and I expect Sir Frederick to engage personally with his nephews to find a way through this.' Sir Jonathan said that he would 'not be impressed' if the issue was left to lawyers, adding: 'There needs to be meetings and sustained serious efforts to be made to find a route through this.' During the short hearing at the High Court in London, Mr Leech asked for Sir Frederick to be given a suspended prison sentence of five weeks. 'The pattern is that Sir Frederick simply ignores these orders until his feet are put to the fire,' he told the court. But Charles Howard QC, for Sir Frederick, said no order needed to be made after the businessman 'purged his contempt' with a loan from his and Lady Barclay's daughter Amanda. Lady Hiroko Barclay (right at a previous hearing) insists Sir Frederick Barclay (pictured left) has breached that order and accused him of being in contempt of court and asked the judge to consider a custodial sentence The court also heard that there were also further legal costs and up to six months' worth of maintenance payments in dispute. 'My client has no money and Amanda has made it clear that she is not going to provide any more,' Mr Howard said. It came after Lady Hiroko claimed her former husband had a punch-up at sea with his twin brother Sir David in a battle for control of their businesses. She alleged in her evidence in their London divorce battle at the end of July that Sir Frederick had a fight with his identical sibling on board a yacht. The Barclay brothers were among the UK's most high-profile businessmen. Their business interests included Telegraph Media Group and The Ritz hotel in London. Sir David died in January last year, aged 86. Lady Hiroko said Sir Frederick, and his brother David, had acquired the freehold of Brecqhou - one of the Channel Islands - in 1993 and paid 2.3 million. And she said her ex-husband and his brother had once had a brawl while abroad in a row over the running of their businesses. 'There was a fight on a boat on the holiday,' she told the judge, 'They were punching each other'. The brothers were reported to have bought the Leander G superyacht in around 2016, although it is not known if the alleged fight was on board. She also told Sir Jonathan Cohen, who began overseeing a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Monday, that Sir Frederick had the means to pay but was aiming to 'string things out' until 'one or other of us dies'. Sir Frederick disputes her claims. Lady Hiroko Barclay alleged that Sir Frederick (left) had a fight with his brother Sir David (right), in her evidence in their divorce battle Around five years ago the Barclay brothers were reported to have bought the Leander G, a 75-metre yacht. It is not known if this is the yacht they had a fight on Lady Barclay said Sir Frederick had 'the means to pay', adding: 'For him to pretend otherwise is false.' She told Sir Jonathan, in a written witness statement: 'He has no respect for me or for the court. His aim is simply to string things out, hiding behind a web of complex structures (the initial purpose behind which was the avoidance of tax), allowing our daughter Amanda to fund all his financial needs, until one or other of us dies.' The family also has links to the Channel Islands and Monaco. Sir Jonathan had ruled that Sir Frederick should pay Lady Barclay sums totalling 100 million after overseeing their fight over money. The judge criticised Sir Frederick, saying he had behaved in a 'reprehensible' fashion. He said the businessman had sold a luxury yacht and 'applied the equity for his own use', in breach of orders. The judge said Lady Barclay had wanted 120 million and Sir Frederick had made an offer which might have led her to getting nothing. In her witness statement, Lady Barclay said that while Sir Frederick claimed to have been evicted from a 'palatial' central London residence due to failing to keep up the mortgage, he had carried on staying there for some months, 'seemingly undisturbed, with access to his ballroom and purpose-built oxygen chamber and attended by his housekeeper, security guard and driver'. Sir Frederick's lawyers insist he has been evicted. On his failure to hand over the divorce settlement cash, Lady Barclay said: 'Frederick says he cannot pay. He says he has no money. I do not believe him. It is not that he cannot pay, but that he will not pay. He has never had any intention of doing so.' She added: 'He has no respect for me or for the Court. His aim is simply to string things out, hiding behind a web of complex structures (the initial purpose behind which was the avoidance of tax), allowing our daughter, Amanda, to fund all his financial needs, until one or other of us dies.' She went on to say: 'If Frederick dies before I get my first lump sum, my monthly maintenance will stop. I will be left virtually penniless and almost certainly homeless after a relationship/marriage of close to half a century, where our standard of living was beyond extravagant.' Lady Barclay also alleges that their daughter Amanda has become Sir Frederick's 'de facto banker' and is 'in charge of all financial and business matters about which he claims to know nothing'. A Florida couple arrested after their six-year-old son was found unconscious in a toilet has been charged with murdering the child and for child abuse of their five other children. Bianca Blaise, 25, and Larry Rhodes Jr., 22, were labeled 'monsters' and 'savages' by Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez in a case Lopez described as 'one of the worst cases of child abuse in Osceola County history, and the worst' he had ever seen. Charges for the abuse and murder include murder, aggravated manslaughter, aggravated child abuse and child neglect. The six-year-old was killed by blunt-force trauma to the head and abdomen, police said, in addition to a brain bleed and a lacerated liver. Both parents were angered by the child drinking out of the toilet as the mother initiated the beatings before the father began punching with a closed fist. Police found a bloody shoe inside the motel room which was used to beat the children Both parents had their children stand with their noses to the walls of the motel room as punishment Larry Rhodes Jr., 22, and Bianca Blaise, 25, lived inside the Kissimmee motel room with their five children and eight others Blaise told police that Rhodes was off his medication for schizophrenia and insisted that he was the only one who hit the children, though Lopez told reporters that Blaise was just as responsible for both the death and child abuse. The surviving children aged 5, 4, 2 and 10 months, looked abused, malnourished and were covered in both old and fresh bruises and cuts, Lopez added. 'It was immediately clear the other children were also victims of child abuse,' he said. Investigators who responded to the initial July 5 call to police found marks on the children that were consistent with the bottom of a sandal. A bloodied shoe was later found inside the motel room that the family was living in, which police say was used to punish the children for misbehaving. Along the walls inside the living space were various blood spatters, indicating that the children were forced to stand with their noses against the wall as they were beaten. One boy was found with bruising under both eyes, cuts to his lip and chin, burns to the neck and leg, scars and scratches on his chest and marks on his back, the arrest report said. Blaise claimed that the black eyes were a result of roughhousing between the siblings while everything else was done by the father. Walls inside the motel room were covered in various blood spatters, indicating each of the children were force to stand against the wall as punishment 'It was horrible, imagine being beaten so much that blood was left behind,' Lopez said. 'They were savages. We got there in time to take the other kids from these monsters, and hopefully they'll never see these people again, and they get a hefty sentence.' The family had previously lived in Fort Myers, Fla., before moving to the Knights Inn, a two-bed motel room, in Kissimmee, Fla. They lived in the space with eight other people including the children. None of the children were in school and none had any social connections outside of the home. All of the surviving children have since been placed within the same foster home. 'We were able to take these kids from these monsters and hopefully they will never see them again,' Lopez said. A woman has been arrested on suspicion of swindling a painting worth nearly 50million from her 82-year-old mother by hiring a psychic to claim it was 'cursed'. Sabine Coll Boghici, 48, allegedly tricked Genevieve Boghici, whose late husband was an art collector, into handing over Sol Poente (1949) by Tarsila do Amaral. The celebrated artwork worth 48million was previously exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). It is part of a haul of cash, art and jewellery worth 724million reais (116.3 million) allegedly defrauded by Sabine. Her arrest has exposed a disturbing web of fraud that police say lasted years. It even involved alleged psychics to swindle artwork by some of Brazil's most emblematic painters, cops claim. Police officers pose with Sol Poente by Tarsila do Amaral, which is worth 48million alone. Its owner, Genevieve Boghici, 82, was 'swindled out of the painting' by her daughter and psychics Four people were arrested when officers in Brazil raided the home of a psychic. They were allegedly hired by the owner's daughter to say the paintings were 'cursed' Four other people were also arrested and two others, Diana Rosa Aparecida Stanesco Vuletic and Slavko Vuletic, are on the run. The scam began in 2020 when Genevieve was approached by a supposed psychic with prophecies of her daughter's imminent death. The victim was then taken to several more psychics, who police say used personal information provided by her daughter to scam her distraught mother into transferring money to pay for 'spiritual treatment.' In the months that followed, police allege the suspects physically threatened Genevieve and that she was kept at home for months by her daughter. Sabine Coll Boghici was filmed being led out of her home during her arrest earlier this week The iconic Brazilian artwork was exhibited at New York's Museum of Modern Art in 2018 Sabine and an accomplice posing as a psychic 'began to take the artwork from the (mother's) house, claiming that the painting was cursed with something negative, with negative energy that needed to be prayed over,' said Rio de Janeiro police officer Gilberto Ribeiro. After almost a year of being mistreated by Sabine and her accomplices, the victim decided to go to the police. Police say 16 paintings were stolen, including works by renowned Brazilian artists like Cicero Dias, Rubens Gerchman and Alberto Guignard. Three pieces from iconic modernist painter Tarsila do Amaral - O Sono, Sol Poente and Pont Neuf were also stolen, which together police appraised at a value of 700 million reais (111.4million). Amaral's Sol Poente was among 11 paintings recovered Wednesday in a Rio de Janeiro police raid on one of the psychic's homes. Authorities have also recovered three paintings in Sao Paulo. Two were sold to a museum in Buenos Aires but have not yet been recovered. Police say seven people are suspected of involvement in the years-long crime, facing charges of embezzlement, robbery, extortion, false imprisonment and criminal association. The police chief and a lieutenant in Indiana were suspended after court documents alleged they faked drug and rape charges against a local city council candidate they thought was anti-police, then arrested him to stop him from running for office. Brookfield Police Chief Terry Mitchum and Lieutenant Ryan Geiser were suspended with pay last Thursday after a July 19 hearing seemed to implicate them in a plot to prevent Trevin Thalheimer from running in the May 3 Brookfield town council election. The cops arrested Thalheimer in January, leaving him 'blindsided' and bedridden, and leading him to drop out of the election. But those charges were dismissed in July when it was revealed they were baseless, and a witness testified Lt. Geiser had called her days before Thalheimer's arrest saying they didn't want him to run because he was 'anti-cop.' 'I knew politics was dirty, but I didn't know I'd have to dumpster dive,' Thalheimer told the Washington Post. Trevin Thalheimer was planning to run in the May 3 town council election in the small town of Brookfield, Indiana Brookfield Police Chief Terry Mitchum (left) and Lieutenant Ryan Geiser (right) were suspended after transcripts alleged they faked charges against Trevin Thalheimer On January 27, Lt. Geiser paid a visit to Thalheimer's house while investigating a reported break-in at a neighboring house Thalheimer was supposed to have been watching. Geiser said he smelled marijuana at the house during the visit, and three days later returned with a search warrant and claimed to have found drugs on the property. Thalheimer was arrested on drug charges on January 30, but during the arrest Lt. Geiser also claimed new DNA evidence had emerged in a months-old and unsubstantiated rape allegation, and Thalheimer was charged with rape, too. Thalheimer was detained for about an hour, and said when he was released that his life in the small town of 2,500 people had been 'destroyed' by the charges. 'It was hard, it was very hard, I laid in bed for ten days,' Thalheimer told Fox 19, 'I didn't go to work, my job suffered, there was a lot of things going on at once.' In the ensuing weeks, he decided not to run for town council election. The cops had arrested Thalheimer in January on drug and rape charges, leaving him 'blindsided' and bedridden, and decided not to run in the election Geiser seemed to implicate himself in questionable policework during cross examination in the hearing when he said he didn't know anything about the new DNA he had arrested Thalheimer for But months later during Thalheimer's July hearing, his friend Elise Whittamore testified that Lt. Geiser's called her shortly before paying his January 27 visit to Thalheimer. On the call, she said the lieutenant asked that she run for the town council seat instead of Thalhaimer. 'We don't want him on the town board because he hates cops,' Whittamore testified Geiser told her. Thalhaimer was then arrested three days later. Geiser also seemed to implicate himself in questionable policework during cross examination when he said he didn't know anything about the new DNA he had arrested Thalheimer for. Geiser testified he had heard about the DNA from another officer, but took it upon himself to arrest and charge Thalheimer for it despite not being involved in the investigation. Thalheimer's attorney characterized Geiser's actions as 'unusual' police work. Fox 19 reported they could find no record that DNA evidence existed. Geiser also testified he had arrested Thalheimer on Police Chief Mitchum's orders. The Lieutenant testified he did not remember making a call to Whittamore, but agreed he did not like Thalheimer because he thought he was against the police force. He also said Chief Mitchum was 'not a huge supporter' of the potential candidate. 'From everything that I've heard throughout the law enforcement community is that he wasn't a fan of law enforcement,' Geiser said in the hearing. But Thalheimer insisted he had never been anti-police and had no idea where those perceptions came from. Brookfield Police Chief Terry Mitchum 'I have never stated that I was anti-law enforcement. I don't know where they got that impression that I was. I never had stated that,' he told Fox 19, 'I was under the impression that, you know, when it comes to the Brookfield Police Department, that they're all fair guys.' The Brookfield Police Department is the only in its jurisdiction that doesn't require officers to wear body-cameras, a code the town council has the power to pass. Thalheim speculated that maybe the officers feared he would pass that requirement if elected. 'I do have a bad taste in politics in my mouth,' Thalheimer said when asked if he would consider running again, 'But I do love the idea of serving the community. So that is to be determined.' Indiana State Police told The Washington Post a criminal investigation into the allegations against the officers was 'in its earliest stages.' Thalheimer and his defense attorney, Judson McMillin, said they considering a civil rights violation claim against the department. Cisco confirms the data breach by the Yanluowang ransomware gang. The tech company released a statement admitting that they experienced a cybersecurity incident during the month of May. The threat group allegedly tried to extort money from the tech company by threatening to leak the stolen data they had acquired to public forums and online marketplaces. Yanluowang also claimed to breach the company, but Cisco stated that the only data that the attackers were able to collect and steal from a Box folder that was linked to a compromised employee account was data that was not sensitive. Cisco stated that the Yanluowang gang breached its corporate network, but the attackers could only harvest and steal non-sensitive data from a Box folder linked to a compromised employee's account. The tech company became aware of the hack on May 24, 2022. Since then, the Cisco Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) and Cisco Talos have been hard at work trying to fix the problem ever since it was discovered. The Cisco Data Breach The Cisco hack became public today, on August 10, after the threat actors published the illegally obtained data and files they acquired from the attack. According to Cisco, "During the investigation, it was determined that a Cisco employee's credentials were compromised after an attacker gained control of a personal Google account where credentials saved in the victim's browser were being synchronized." The malicious actor carried out a number of complex voice phishing attacks against the victim, pretending to be a variety of reputable companies in an effort to persuade the victim to agree to accept push notifications for multi-factor authentication (MFA) that had been initiated by the adversary. In the end, the attacker was successful in achieving an MFA push acceptance, which granted them access to VPN in the context of the user who was being targeted. However, BleepingComputer reports that last week, the ransomware gang sent them an email containing the directory list of the data they had stolen from the Cisco hack. Yanluowang claims that they have stolen approximately 3,100 files, a total of 2.75 GB of data. The files that were stolen consist of some engineering drawings, non-disclosure agreements, and data dumps. On their data leak website today, the ransomware gang declared the Cisco breach and uploaded the identical directory information that was previously supplied to BleepingComputer. The tech company states that this attack did not have any negative effects on Cisco's products or services, intellectual property, sensitive customer or employee information, or supply chain management. Read Also: Email Marketing Firm Klaviyo Has Been Hacked; Crypto-Related Mailing Lists Stolen Yanluowang Ransomware Gang Cisco also stated, "We assess with moderate to high confidence that this attack was conducted by an adversary that has been previously identified as an initial access broker (IAB) with ties to the UNC2447 cybercrime gang, Lapsus$ threat actor group, and Yanluowang ransomware operators." In addition, the company states that due to the recent breach, they have put in place additional measures to safeguard their systems. Cisco also stated that they are sharing this incident in hopes of helping other organizations protect the wider security community. Apart from Cisco, the Yanluowang ransomware gang have previously claimed they have breached the internal systems of Walmart. The Yanluowang ransomware group claimed that they had carried out a cyberattack on Walmart in May, stealing valuable data from the company. The malicious actors then went to their public domain to leak the data they had allegedly stolen from the attack. It has been stated that the exposed data on the website comprises a list of domain users for Walmart, as well as security certificates, Walmart's internal network, and other sensitive information. Related Article: Has Walmart Fallen Victim to a Yanluowang Ransomware Attack? A gunman accused of going on a deadly rampage that left one man dead and three others seriously injured was today charged with murder and attempted murder. The 39-year-old man, who is accused of murdering John MacKinnon with a firearm before allegedly turning the weapon on two more victims who were later hospital, is due to appear before Inverness Sheriff Court tomorrow. MacKinnon, 47, was named locally as the victim of yesterday's horrific shooting - in which a further three people were injured before police Tasered and arrested the suspect. His family today released a statement describing him as a 'loving husband and a much-loved member of the community'. Wednesday's horror began when the first victim, named locally as Mr MacKinnon's sister-in-law, Rowena MacDonald, was stabbed at a property in the village of Tarskavaig at around 9am. Following the incident in Teangue, two locals named as osteopath John D Mackenzie, 63, and mental health nurse wife Fay, 63, were attacked. Mrs MacDonald was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow with serious injuries, while Mr and Mrs MacKenzie were rushed to Raigmore Hospital and Broadford Hospitals respectively. Ian Blackford, MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said what happened during Wednesday's tragedy has 'shocked the place to the core'. The SNP's Westminster leader also threw his weight behind calls to review Scotland's gun laws in the wake of the Wednesday's terrifying scenes. He said: 'Given what we have seen over the course of the last 24 hours, it is right and proper that we continue to look at the regulations that we have in place for the very simple reason that all of us have got a responsibility to keep people safe.' John MacKinnon, 47, has been named locally as the victim of yesterday's horrific gun rampage, in which a further three people were injured before police Tasered and arrested a suspect Mr MacKinnon's (pictured right, with actor Robson Green, left) family today released a statement describing him as a 'loving husband and a much-loved member of the community' Wednesday's horror began when the first victim, named locally as Mr MacKinnon's sister-in-law, Rowena MacDonald, 32, (pictured) was stabbed at a property in the village of Tarskavaig at around 9am Following the incident in Teangue, two locals named as osteopath John D Mackenzie, 63, and mental health nurse wife Fay, 63, (pictured together, centre) were attacked Police say there were three linked incidents on Skye and the Scottish mainland which have led to the arrest of a 39-year-old man A 39-year-old man, who was a registered firearms holder, was arrested yesterday in connection with the three linked incidents and has since been charged. The spree started at 9am yesterday when 32-year-old hotel worker Rowena was stabbed at a home in the Skye village of Tarskavaig. Seven miles away in the fishing village of Teangue, on the Sleat peninsula, Mr MacKinnon was reportedly killed after being blasted by a shotgun. Osteopath John D Mackenzie (above) was named locally as the third person injured during the gunman's rampage Distillery worker Mr MacKinnon, 47, was described by heartbroken friends and neighbours as a 'wonderful and kind man'. His family today said in a statement: 'John was a loving husband, father of six, brother, uncle and grandfather to his family, and was a much-loved member of the community. 'John loved the outdoors, was a keen motorcyclist and, as a loved father, shared his activities with his family.' One school friend shared their tributes and told the Press & Journal that Mr MacKinnon was 'one of the kindest men'. 'He loved a laugh and he lit up a room and made everyone feel special,' they added. Another neighbour said: 'No one can believe what has happened here on Skye today. We will miss him.' Police officers were later alerted to reports of gunshots 26 miles away on the mainland in Dornie, close to the famous Eilean Donan Castle. The major incident only ended when police tasered and stopped a suspect in the village of Dornie. How the gun rampage unfolded August 10: Just before 9am Police were called to a property in the Tarskavaig area, a remote region in southern part of the Isle of Skye, after reports of an injured woman. Officers found a 32-year-old woman seriously injured, and she is airlifted to hospital in Glasgow for treatment. 9.30am Emergency services were then called to a property in Teangue, which is less than a 20 minute drive from Tarskavaig, after reports a firearm had been discharged. On arrival they found a 47-year-old man, Mr MacKinnon, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Later on Wednesday morning Police were then called to a property in the Dornie area in Wester Ross after reports of a firearm being discharged. On arrival they found a man seriously injured and an injured woman. The man was airlifted to hospital in Inverness, while the woman was taken to a hospital on Skye. Arrest is made Officers later arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with all three incidents. He was taken to hospital in Inverness for treatment on unspecified injuries. August 11: Suspect charged A 39-year-old man, a registered firearms holder, is charged with murder and attempted murder. Advertisement Last night, police officers stood guard at the property in Teangue as forensic teams wearing white suits combed the area. A tight cordon remained in place, and officers could be seen patrolling outside the house. Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, local policing commander for Highlands and Islands Division, said: 'The thoughts of everyone are with the family and friends of Mr MacKinnon and the three people who remain injured in hospital. 'These incidents took place in close-knit, rural areas and will have a significant impact not only on those directly affected, but also friends and neighbours living in these communities. 'Serious incidents which were witnessed yesterday are extremely rare and I would like to further reassure the local communities that they were dealt with and there is no further threat to local people. 'The policing response was significant as people would expect and involved national resources from across Scotland, including Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow being brought in to support local policing on Skye and Lochalsh. 'Local officers who live and work in these communities brought the situation to as swift a conclusion as possible and I thank everyone involved, including colleagues from the Scottish Ambulance Service, for their outstanding efforts in responding to what was a distressing series of incidents. 'The investigation, being led by Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team, is complex and challenging and I would also like to thank the local communities for their understanding and co-operation as we work through our enquiries. 'Given the size of the investigation and the fact we are dealing with a number of different sites, the considerable police presence will remain for the near future.' One local man, who asked not to be named, told the Mail that the news of the shooting had shocked the community to the core. He said: 'I am absolutely shocked, we knew the man that was killed, the wife and the family. 'The police cars were all lined up outside his former practice, I can't believe it. 'Everybody is totally shocked. It is a such a shock to the community, especially because we are so tight-knit. 'An elderly lady who lives nearer to the house [in Teangue] phoned me and told me about the police arriving. Other than that I never heard anything.' In Dornie, neighbours told how they heard sirens and the sound of the air ambulance at around 9.30am. One man said: 'I looked outside and saw maybe 13 police cars and an ambulance racing past. It's a terrible shock, everyone is talking about it.' Another local who was working at nearby Eilean Donan Castle at the time told of his fear his children might be caught up in the violence. He said: 'I heard something bad was happening while I was at work, so I phoned my daughter and told her to stay in the house. It was scary. 'You'd think of something like this happening out in America but you don't expect it around here.' Yesterday, a house remained cordoned off with three police officers standing guard. Police say a 39-year-old man who has been arrested in relation to all three incidents has also been taken to Raigmore Hospital. Chief Superintendent Conrad Trickett, local policing commander for Highlands and Islands Division, said: 'Incidents such as this are thankfully extremely rare but I understand that this will have a significant effect on the local community in these rural areas. Dozens of police cars and the force helicopter were called to reports of an injured woman at a property in the Tarskavaig area Police officers were then alerted to reports of gunshots 26 miles away on the mainland in Dornie A police van at the scene of one of the incidents on the Isle of Skye this morning. One man has died and three other people were injured An air ambulance pictured at the scene of one of the incidents in the Scottish Highlands this morning Despite the police presence in Dornie (pictured) on Skye, Police Scotland says there is no further risk to the community 'I would like to reassure people that we are treating these incidents as contained with no wider threat to the public. 'There will a significant police presence in the area over the coming days and we will be working with partners to provide support to the local community. I would like to thank people for their co-operation as our investigation progresses.' Earlier on Wednesday Ian Blackford, the SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said he has been told 'there is one fatality'. He said: 'This is dreadful and shocking news - especially for a place like Skye and Lochalsh. 'I have been kept informed of the events and I understand a firearm and knives were involved. I have been told that there is one fatality and three injured. 'Firearm regulations are there for a reason and there must be a review of this incident to ensure if any lessons can be learned from it. Mr Blackford, who lives on Skye, added: 'I want to pay tribute to the emergency services, including the police and Scottish Ambulance Service, as well as the local authority.' An ambulance at the scene of one of the incidents on the Isle of Skye this morning. A total of three people were injured and one man killed on Wednesday A Scottish Charity Air Ambulance flies overhead as emergency services deal with the fallout of the incidents on Skye and in Dornieon Wednesday Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber & Badenoch described the news as 'one of the worst days that I can recall in the history of Skye and Lochalsh.' She said: 'I cannot begin to imagine what the family and friends of those who have lost a loved one are going through, and they should be in all our thoughts and prayers right now. 'West Highland communities are close-knit, we are warm and welcoming, and this will shatter us to the core. 'It feels like our very heart has been ripped apart. I, and I am sure many others, never thought we would see such an awful day. Not a single West Highland home will be untouched by this terrible tragedy.' A dozen police cars including armed response units and the force helicopter were deployed to the scene on Wednesday morning. Locals have reported that the suspect is believed to have used a knife and firearm in a series of attacks. One resident said at the time of the incident: 'Stabbing in Sleat, then shotgun was used in Dornie. The victim is on the way to hospital. 'This is from a Dornie resident. Don't know if the perpetrator is caught yet.' Following the man's arrest, police described the situation as 'contained'. Speaking this afternoon, a Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'We were made aware of a woman injured at a property in the Tarskavaig area on Skye shortly before 9am on Wednesday, August 10. 'Police are also attending two further incidents in Teangue on Skye and Dornie which are being linked. 'A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incidents. At this stage we believe the situation is contained and there is no risk to the wider community.' Police were first alerted after they were called to reports of an injured woman in the Tarskavaig area of Skye (pictured) Officers were then alerted to a second incident in nearby Teangue, which is also on the Isle of Skye (pictured) Hamish Fraser, chairman of Broadford and Strath Community Council, said: 'I'm shocked that such an incident has taken place in our island and within our close communities here. 'Our immediate thoughts are with those who have been immediately affected by this terrible tragedy and broader communities who have to live with that over the next few years.' Highland Council's convener, Bill Lobban, added: 'We are thankful to our emergency services colleagues for bringing this very serious and shocking incident to a close. 'We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. 'The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected.' And Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, an MSP for the Highlands and Islands region, said: 'My heart goes out to all those affected by these appalling, related incidents on Skye and in the Lochalsh area. 'I'd like to pay tribute to the prompt response and bravery of our emergency services who managed to prevent the situation escalating further. As ever, we are in their debt.' 'We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. 'The communities of Skye and Dornie will be shocked and saddened by these incidents and our thoughts are with the individuals affected.' Skye attracts 500,000 visitors-a-year with such natural features as The Fairy Pools and The Old Man of Storr. Dornie is separated from Skye by the island's famous bridge. A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Walgreens can be held responsible for contributing to San Francisco's opioid crisis for over-dispensing highly addictive drugs for years without proper oversight. The ruling came after the city of San Francisco sued Walgreens and other drug manufacturers and distributors in 2018 over the city's worsening opioid epidemic. In the filing, City Attorney David Chiu argued the pharmaceutical conglomerate created a 'public nuisance' by flooding the city with unregulated prescription opioids. Tents line a sidewalk in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, where the city's highest concentration of drug dealers and people consuming drugs out in public reside. (file) A high percentage of an estimated 7,800 homeless people in San Francisco struggle with chronic addiction or severe mental illness. (file) While the court held Walgreens liable, it did not include a ruling on monetary damages, which will be determined in a future trial. Chiu said the pharmacy chain 'continually violated what they were required to do under the federal Controlled Substances Act,' failing to track opioid prescriptions, preventing pharmacists from vetting prescriptions. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer wrote that from 2006 to 2020, "Walgreens pharmacies in San Francisco dispensed hundreds of thousands of red flag opioid prescriptions without performing adequate due diligence. Tens of thousands of these prescriptions were written by doctors with suspect prescribing patterns. The evidence showed that Walgreens did not provide its pharmacists with sufficient time, staffing, or resources to perform due diligence on these prescriptions." A federal judge ruled Wednesday that pharmacy chain Walgreens can be held responsible for contributing to San Francisco's opioid crisis for over-dispensing opioids for years without proper oversight and failing to identify and report suspicious orders as required by law. (file) A Walgreens spokesman said the chain is 'disappointed in the outcome,' and that yesterday's ruling was 'not supported by the facts and the law.' In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed declared a state-of-emergency last year, saying something had to be done about the high concentration of drug dealers and people consuming drugs in public. The city attorneys office says San Francisco saw a nearly 500% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths between 2015 and 2020. The federal judge ruled Walgreens was liable to the city of San Francisco for its role in the opioid crisis and a monetary amount for damages will be decided in a subsequent trial. In 2020, 712 people died of drug overdoses, compared with 257 people who died of COVID-19, according to the city health department. A high percentage of an estimated 7,800 homeless people in San Francisco struggle with chronic addiction or severe mental illness. San Francisco has seen a 500% increase in opioid related deaths since 2015, with 2022's death count already at 297 In 2020, 712 people died of drug overdoses, compared with 257 people who died of COVID-19, according to the San Francisco city health department. In May, Walgreens reached a $683 million settlement with the state of Florida in a lawsuit accusing the company of improperly dispensing millions of painkillers that contributed to the opioid crisis. Walgreens did not admit wrongdoing in its agreement with Florida and will make payments to the state over 18 years. The company also faces litigation in Alabama, Michigan and New Mexico, among other states. An epidemic of epic proportions: a detailed look at the grim statistics of opioid overdoses in America Sleeping people, discarded clothes and used needles are seen on a street in the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco. (File) The opioid epidemic has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades Nearly 92,000 Americans died from drug-involved overdose in 2020 Deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl) continued to rise with 56,516 overdose deaths in 2020 Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50x more potent than morphine Fentanyl is increasingly found in the street drug supply, including cocaine, meth, and heroin Advertisement The National Institute of Health say recognizable signs of overdose included unresponsiveness, irregular breathing, gray, blue or pale skin color and very small pupils. The best and most effective ways to reverse an overdose, according to the NIH, is to call 911 immediately, administer Naloxone, administer CPR, give Naloxone again, and remain calm and comforting. If you or someone you know is dealing with opioid addiction, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 hotline at 1-800-487-4889. Despite blaming delayed and canceled flights on staffing issues, the Federal Aviation Administration says it has received 57,956 applications for this year's 1,500 open air traffic controller positions. The head of the ATC union has slammed the FAA for not hiring fast enough and said there are now thousands fewer available controllers. 'In 2011, there were over 11,750 Certified Professional Controllers and additional trainees yielding over 15,000 total controllers on board at the FAA,' said ATC union leader Rich Santa. 'By the beginning of 2022, there were more than 1,000 fewer fully certified controllers, and 1,500 fewer total controllers on board, a number that has declined for at least the past 11 years,' he continued. The median annual salary for an air traffic controller is approximately $138,556, and all applicants must be under 30-years-old. President of National Air Traffic Controllers Association Rich Santa (left), who has called for the FAA to speed up its hiring process, stands with President Biden Nearly 2,000 flights within, into or out of the US were canceled this week across 10 airports Forbes Advisor has compiled the figures from FlightAware. Pictured: The graphic reveals that 11.5 per cent of flights at LaGuardia were canceled this week Americans continue to face huge problems travelling across the US due to unprecedented post-pandemic demand and staff shortages. LaGuardia and Newark Liberty top the table of America's worst airports for flight cancelations, according to new data. This week, 11.5 per cent of flights were canceled at LaGuardia airport, while Newark saw 10.2 per cent of journeys grounded. On Thursday alone, 2,353 flights were delayed within, into, or out of the United States and 648 were canceled. The data obtained from FlightAware also shows that nearly 2,000 flights were canceled this week across 10 airports. The FAA maintains it is on track to meet its hiring goals for the year, and said in a statement 'The FAA annually hires new air traffic controllers, is on target to meet our hiring goal this year, and is reducing the backlog of training caused by COVID-19.' But Santa says the decrease in air traffic controllers is inexcusable given the 'introduction of new technology and new entrants into the National Airspace System.' 'We should have 1,000 more controllers, not 1,000 fewer than we had a decade ago,' Santa said, but 'FAA staffing is not keeping up with attrition.' Airlines for America, an industry group representing major airlines in the country, sent a letter to congress in June asking them to address the FAA's lack of new hires for the position. This week, 11.5 per cent of flights were canceled at LaGuardia airport, pictured in June Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, pictured, has said his agency is working 'to make sure that FAA personnel, the air traffic control side, is ready to support these flights' 'Specifically, air carriers are taking great care to reduce their summer flight schedules while also accelerating efforts to hire and train new employees to meet the strong resurgence in travel demand,' the letter said. 'The FAA must also work to ensure that the air traffic control system is capable of meeting demand.' But the FAA responded by saying cancelations and delays can be attributed to other reasons. 'Airline data show that the vast majority of delays are not due to air traffic controller staffing,' they said to ABC News. 'Where demand has increased, the FAA is adding additional controllers,' they claimed. The issue has become so heated that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has had to step in and reassure airlines and customers he is doing all he can to mend the problems. 'We're also working to make sure that FAA personnel, the air traffic control side, is ready to support these flights,' Buttigieg said last month. 'So when we have an area where there's a staffing issue, it's been happening in Florida where you've had huge demand and a lot of weather and other issues like military and even commercial space launches affecting the airspace,' he said. The continued chaos comes as American Airlines announced it would be cutting two percent of flights from its schedule in September and October, CNN reported. According to the airline, the cuts were 'proactive adjustments' in order to accommodate the resources it currently has available and build a 'buffer' into the remainder of its summer schedule. The airline says it will reach out to passengers directly with 'alternative travel options' and provide full refunds to those who reject the new flight arrangements. The airline also announced it will be cutting service to four smaller cities starting on September 7. They said they will no longer be flying to Islip and Ithaca in New York, Toledo, Ohio or Dubuque, Iowa. American Airlines spokesperson Brian Metham said the changes were due to a 'lack of regional pilots.' Two people have been arrested for allegedly killing an off-duty police officer in a California gym parking lot after shooting him multiple times as he tried to escape. Newly-minted Police Officer Gardiel Solorio, 26, was fatally shot five times outside of an LA Fitness in Downey, allegedly by Carlos Delcid, 20, on Monday. The off-duty officer was sitting in his car when the shooting occurred and he hit a parked van while trying to back up his vehicle to escape at around 4pm. Authorities do not believe Solorio was targeted for being a cop. He graduated from the Sherriff's Academy in July. The Los Angeles DA, George Gascon, said at a press conference that Delcid had exited a car nearby and approached Solorio in what appeared to be an 'attempted robbery.' 'Officer Solorio attempted to flee by backing out of his vehicle when the suspect fired multiple times,' Gascon said. After allegedly killing the officer, Delcid fled back to the car and left the scene with a 17-year-old getaway driver, whose identity has not been released. Delcid has been charged with murder with a special circumstances enhancement attached to it, as well as, attempted robbery and possession of a firearm as a felon. The LA DA's Office is seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole. Gardiel Solorio, 26, was fatally shot five times outside of an LA Fitness in Downey by a career criminal, who has been arrested three times in the last eight months. The off-duty officer was sitting in his car when the shooting occurred and authorities believe he was not targeted Carlos Delcid, 20, (pictured) has been charged with murder with a special circumstances enhancement attached on, as well as, attempted robbery and possession of a firearm as a felon. He fled the scene with a 17-year-old getaway driver, who has also been charged A large police presence was seen on the scene after the shooting on Monday The 17-year-old has also been charged, but Gascon did not say if the counts were the same. Delcid has been arrested at least three times in the past year, according to ABC 7. He was arrested on December 8 for an unknown felony before being released the next day. He was then arrested on January 20 for another felony, but was released four days later. On February 10, he was arrested again on five counts of domestic violence and convicted of two on March 10 and sentenced to 180 days in jail and four years probation. However, he was released the next day, according to ABC 7. Delcid was arrested within hours of the Downey shooting and is currently being held on a $2million bail, according to Fox News. Solorio's sister and fiancee also attended the press conference, but did not speak. A family member started a GoFundMe page to help with family travel expensive to attend Solorio's funeral. It has raised $16,399 and is no longer accepting donations. Solorio was the youngest of 13 children and had 'dreamed of becoming a police officer' since he was a child, his sister-in-law Wanda Maire Lane Solorio wrote on the GoFundMe. Solorio had graduated from the Sherriff's Academy in late July and had only just begun paroling the streets two weeks ago. He was not working at the time of the shooting Candles and flowers have popped up in the LA Fitness parking lot (pictured) to honor the fallen officer, who had dreamed of being a cop since he was a child Solorio's sister and fiancee (pictured) attended the press conference, but did not speak Solorio was the first person in his family to graduate college and the first police officer, Wanda said. 'He was and has always been true American success story,' she wrote. 'We all knew from the moment we met him that he had the heart of service and was going to be a great officer,' Monterey Park Police Department Chief Kelly Gordon told Fox LA. Solorio's funeral is schedule for August 25, and his family will be traveling from Tennessee, Illinois, and Utah and other parts of California for it. Advertisement This is the tragic mother killed alongside her father when a supercar ploughed into her Israeli family of five in Ramsgate. Cambridge physicist Noga Hirshfeld died after the nightmare unfolded outside the multi-storey car park in Leopold Street last night at around 9.35pm when a black Alfa Romeo crashed into them as they stood at the side of the road. Her father Yoram Hirshfeld, believed to be 78, was also killed after being injured in the crash. A schoolgirl of primary school age also suffered serious injuries and was taken to a London hospital for treatment. A man in his 40s and a boy of primary school age also sustained minor injuries. Police have confirmed that the family were not local to the area. Marc-Pierre Campos, 56, who owns Marc-Pierre's Kitchen, a restaurant near the crash site said the images of the incident will stay with him for the rest of his life. He said: 'There was a big loud bang and a crash and then customers and my staff went rushing down and started shouting for someone to call the emergency services. 'I called them and they asked which service do you need and I said we need all three. 'A fire brigade was needed to pull the car off the woman. And it was clear the police need to be involved too. 'That image will stay with me for the rest of my life.' Anastasiya, 42, who didn't want to give her second name, said: 'It was a big crash. A car was driving down the road while people were waiting for the bus. Cambridge physicist Noga Hirshfeld died after an Alfa Romeo ploughed into her family of five outside the multi-storey car park in Ramsgate, Kent Yoram Hirshfeld (pictured), believed to be 78, was also killed after being injured in the crash last night when a black Alfa Romeo crashed into the family The nightmare unfolded outside the multi-storey car park in Leopold Street last night at around 9.35pm when a black Alfa Romeo crashed into them as they stood at the side of the road Tributes laid next to the damaged wall after the fatal crash, where people have laid flowers and written messages to the family after the fatal car crash at Ramsgate Harbour where Cambridge physicist Noga Hirshfeld and her father, Yoram Hirshfeld, believed to be 78, were killed 'I was there just after it happened and called the ambulance and the police and they came really quickly. They arrived around 10pm. 'The police have told us the family were from Israel.' Anastasiya, who has lived in Ramsgate for five years and works nearby the crash site, said she saw the fire brigade lifting the car off a woman before medics tried to resuscitate her with CPR. She said: 'The mum was under the car and the fire brigade used a fork lift to get her out. 'They then did CPR on her but she had no chance of surviving. 'They tried but she was already dead.' The tragic mother was killed alongside her father when a supercar ploughed into her Israeli family of five in Ramsgate, Kent The scene outside a multi-storey car park in Ramsgate, where a man aged in his 80s and a woman in her 30s died after a black Alfa Romeo collided with five pedestrians on Wednesday night A man pours water on the pavement where 2 people died and a child was injured after a car crash the night before The family were understood to have been sat on a bench when the terrible tragedy happened, the seat remains this morning The twisted metal and broken brickwork gave an indication of the force of which the car had hit after it went off the road The area the car struck appears to be visible in the damaged bricks to the left of the bench A cleaning van is parked at the scene where two people died and a child injured in Ramsgate This morning an area of the street where the crash took place has been taped off. A wall opposite the entrance to a multi-storey car park has been damaged and a road sign knocked to the floor. A bench has also been removed in the wake of the accident. Mayor of Ramsgate Cllr Raushan Ara, who has a business nearby, said her heart goes out to the family. Reacting to the tragedy, she said: 'It's so sad. I was frightened last night because there so many police cars and ambulances - and the fire engines were going up and down until 11pm.' Cllr Ara added that the incident reinforces the need for 'speed controls' in the town, reducing the limit to 20mph. She added: 'We have been fighting for this for many years.' A man has been arrested after two people were killed and a schoolgirl left seriously injured It unfolded outside the multi-storey car park in Leopold Street last night at around 9.35pm Cllr Ara is holding a vigil at the scene of the crash at 7pm this evening. Ramsgate was a particularly popular area among the Jewish community in the 19th century, when a tailor named Levi Abraham married a woman from a Dover family and opened a shop on the coastal town's High Street. The Jewish community was then significantly grew when Sir Moses Montefiore moved to the area in 1822, before erecting a synagogue in 1833. A spokesman for Kent Police said: 'Officers attended and a 30-year-old man from Ramsgate was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and leaving the scene of a collision. 'He is also currently receiving hospital treatment for minor injuries. 'Enquiries into the incident are being carried out by officers from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit who are keen to hear from any witnesses, local businesses with CCTV evidence or drivers with relevant dashcam footage.' Jeremy Corbyn has been refused permission to lodge an appeal at the Supreme Court in a libel claim brought against the former Labour leader by a political blogger. Commentator Richard Millett, 50, is suing Mr Corbyn over remarks he made during an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show in 2018 when he was leader of the opposition. Mr Corbyn, who now sits as an Independent MP, claims he was defending himself against allegations of antisemitism when he made the comments and is contesting the case. In April, the Court of Appeal rejected the Islington North MP's challenge against a High Court judge's findings over preliminary issues in the case. The Supreme Court announced today that permission to appeal to the court is refused because the application 'does not raise an arguable point of law'. Unless a settlement is reached between Mr Corbyn and Mr Millett, the case is expected to proceed to a full libel trial, which is due to begin on October 10. Jeremy Corbyn has been refused permission to lodge an appeal at the Supreme Court in a libel claim brought against the former Labour leader by a political blogger Commentator Richard Millett (pictured), 50, is suing Mr Corbyn over remarks he made during an interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr show in 2018, when he was leader of the opposition During the BBC broadcast nearly four years ago, Mr Corbyn was asked if he was an antisemite and was shown a recording of a speech he made in 2013 in which he referred to 'Zionists' who 'don't understand English irony', judges have previously been told. In response, Mr Corbyn referred to two people having been 'incredibly disruptive' and 'very abusive' at a meeting in the House of Commons the same year, at which Manuel Hassassian - then Palestinian ambassador to the UK - was speaking. Mr Millett's legal action is brought on the basis that, although he was not named by Mr Corbyn, he was defamed because national media coverage before the broadcast made him identifiable to viewers as one of those referred to. In July 2020, Mr Justice Saini ruled on the 'natural and ordinary meaning' of the words complained of by Mr Millett and found that they referred to him. The judge found the meaning of the words included that Mr Millett had been 'so disruptive' that police wished to remove him from the premises, that he had acted in a disruptive way at other meetings and that Mr Hassassian was 'caused distress' by his behaviour. Mr Corbyn at a pro-Palestine event in 2012, before allegations around systemic anti-Semitism under his later leadership came to light He also concluded the remarks were a 'statement of fact', rather than opinion, and were defamatory of Mr Millett at common law. Mr Corbyn challenged some of the judge's findings at a Court of Appeal hearing last March. His lawyers argued the judge was wrong to find his statement was 'entirely factual' and said it was the 'exercise of the right to freedom of expression by a senior politician in the context of a discussion about a highly charged and sensitive political issue'. They also argued the statement was not defamatory at common law. But Mr Corbyn's appeal was dismissed by three senior judges - Lord Justice Warby, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Dame Victoria Sharp. At a pre-trial hearing in June, the High Court was told that some 41 people, including Mr Corbyn and Mr Millett, could give evidence over the course of an estimated 15 day trial. Ron Johnson pleaded in a letter sent to the FBI and Justice Department heads on Wednesday that agents and employees come forward with information related to the raid of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. 'I understand other members of Congress have requested that you provide a full explanation for the raid at the former president's residence. I request that information immediately,' Johnson wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray. 'However, given your history of lack of transparency and obstruction of my investigations,' he continued, 'I am not confident that your explanation for the raid will be forthright, honest, or ease anyone's concerns.' Fellow Republican Senator Rand Paul also predicted that the events surrounding the search will lead to the impeachment of Attorney General Garland. 'I think we have to know under what pretense they think this is right?,' Paul questioned. 'This is really something that's going to require an investigation,' he continued. 'And I wouldn't be surprised if the investigation leads to abuse of power that this could even lead to an impeachment of the attorney general.' The Kentucky Republican said that if there is an investigation, it would 'look at whether or not the attorney general has misused his office for political purposes.' Senator Ron Johnson published a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday telling bureau and DOJ employees to circumvent their bosses and come forward with information related to the raid of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home 'Given your history of lack of transparency and obstruction of my investigations, I am not confident that your explanation for the raid will be forthright, honest, or ease anyone's concerns,' Johnson wrote Johnson claimed in his letter to Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray that the raid further deepens his suspicions that the bureau is riddled with anti-Republican bias. '[The raid] occurred almost two weeks after I sent a letter highlighting recent whistleblower allegations which raise serious questions regarding the integrity of the FBI and your agencies' ability to do its job without political bias,' he wrote. He asked for employees to circumvent their bosses and come forward to him with information. 'I want to reiterate my message to the brave men and women who work at the FBI and the Department of Justice who are frustrated and concerned with the direction your agencies are taking: If you have witnessed wronging at your agency, please come forward and share your concerns with my office,' he wrote in his letter, which was published publicly on Thursday. 'You have a right to talk to Congress,' Johnson added. GOP Senator Rand Paul (left) said he wouldn't surprised if there were an investigation into AG Merrick Garland (right) that led to his impeachment if the GOP retakes the majority in Congress in November The FBI conducted a raid of Trump's Palm Beach, Florida estate on Monday. Armed Secret Service agents stand outside an entrance to Mar-a-Lago late August 8 The Wisconsin Republican is on the Foreign Relations Committee and sent his letter in his capacity as Ranking Member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. He said that there has still been no 'stated justification' for the raid on Trump's Palm Beach estate conducted on Monday. Claims follow a judge ordering the DOJ on Wednesday to respond to a motion to unseal that warrant used to carry out the search. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who allegedly signed and approved the unprecedented search, said the DOJ must file by Monday a response to motions to unseal the document from the Albany Times Union and conservative group Judicial Watch. Reinhart said the DOJ's response may be redacted 'as necessary to avoid disclosing matters already under seal.' His orders follow revelations from the former president's son Eric Trump in an interview with DailyMail.com that the FBI did not hand over a copy of the warrant to a lawyer on the Florida property at the time of the raid. Appointed to his current position in 2018, Reinhart, recused himself in June from a lawsuit between Trump and Hillary Clinton because of 'personal bias.' At the time, Trump was suing Clinton, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other political entities for promoting stories alleging he had colluded with Russia during the 2016 campaign. On Monday dozens of FBI agents descended on Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of a probe into whether he took classified records with him upon leaving the White House. The raid immediately led to intense backlash from Republicans and continues to face questions from the right over whether it was conducted properly. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy claimed Thursday: 'The FBI and the Department of Justice are going to give Trump a fair and impartial firing squad.' 'Biden's DOJ obtained the warrant to raid President Trump's home,' Ohio Representative Jim Jordan lamented in a Wednesday tweet. 'That's the same DOJ that approved the use of the Patriot Act to spy on parents protesting at school board meetings.' 'They're weaponizing government to intimidate their critics!' the Trump ally added. Secret service members stand guard outside former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., August 8, 2022 Secret Service looks on as FBI removes a dozen boxes from the property Trump's Palm Beach, Florida club was raided while he was in New York City on Monday GOP Representative August Pfluger from Texas demanded answers in a tweet, saying: '48 hours and still nothing from the FBI and DOJ on the raid of President Trump's home.' 'The country has been left to speculate on this extreme action. How is this serving justice?' he questioned. Judge Reinhart cited in his June 22 recusal part of U.S. code requiring magistrate judges to disqualify themselves from cases if they have 'personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, or personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts concerning the proceeding.' Reinhart did not specify whether his personal bias was toward Trump, Clinton or any of the dozens of defendants in the lawsuit. The judge also has some connections to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In 2008, Reinhart vacated his post as an assistant U.S. attorney and the next day started representing some of Epstein's employees. Two of the accusers filed a lawsuit accusing Reinhart of leaving the Justice Department to give Epstein inside information. Reinhart denied the allegations in 2018, but shortly after his connections to Epstein went viral, the U.S. Court for the Southern District of Florida removed the judge from its website. In 2018, Reinhart was appointed by district judges to his current post as a magistrate judge. While agents would typically provide people with a copy of their warrant, Eric claimed they would not hand over the document and only would show a copy to lawyer Christina Bobb from 10 feet away. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, the former president's son said the 30 agents who arrived at the property asked staff to turn security cameras off but they refused. He also said that Trump's attorney Christina Bobb was forced to stand at the end of the Mar-a-Lago driveway while the team searched inside - and allegedly used safe crackers to break into his father's safe. 'There's 30 agents there,' he recalled of the Monday search in a phone call interview. 'They told our lawyer you have to leave the property right now. Turn off all security cameras.' 'They would not give her the search warrant,' he claimed. 'So they showed it to her from about 10 feet away. They would not give her a copy of the search warrant.' The claim is at odds with what Bobb told the New York Times - that she received a copy of the warrant. Bobb said agents removed about a dozen boxes from the property. Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to meet with New York Attorney General Letitia James for a civil investigation on August 10, 2022 in New York City Two days after the raid, Trump spent some four hours pleading the Fifth as part of James' civil investigation into the Trump Organization's finances The above timeline highlights just some of former President Donald Trump's battles with the National Archives since leaving office, including an unrelated court fight with the January 6 committee Bobb also told Real America News on Tuesday that she was able to see the warrant, however, she claimed that it was partly sealed, making it impossible for her to see what the probable cause was that compelled a judge to approve the raid. She also did not suggest that she received a physical copy of the warrant. 'When I arrived and kind of announced myself as the legal representation for President Trump, I asked to see a copy of the warrant,' the Trump lawyer detailed of the Monday events. 'Initially they refused and said, 'You know, we don't have to show it to you.' And there was a little bit of an exchange about whether it was appropriate to withhold the warrant when you're searching the residence of the former president, who's likely to be the Republican nominee in the next election,' she added. 'Though they conceded and let me see it, they did not give me a copy of it right away, but they did let me see it,' added Bobb, who once was a host on the far-right One America News Network. The FBI declined to comment to DailyMail.com on the raid and Eric's claim no search warrant was handed over to Trump's legal team. Donald Trump lamented Wednesday that the FBI blocked his lawyers from the property during the raid at his Palm Beach, Florida residence and suggested that agents may have 'planted' evidence. 'The FBI and others from the Federal Government would not let anyone, including my lawyers, be anywhere near the areas that were rummaged and otherwise looked at during the raid on Mar-a-Lago,' Trump posted to his Truth Social page on Wednesday morning. 'Everyone was asked to leave the premises, they wanted to be left alone, without any witnesses to see what they were doing, taking or, hopefully not, 'planting,'' he continued while placing doubt that the raid was conducted properly. Earlier this year the National Archives and Records Administration said it took 15 boxes of records out of Mar-a-Lago, roughly 12 months after Trump left office. Some of those files were apparently labeled 'classified.' The National Archives had asked the Justice Department to look into the ex-president's potential mishandling of top secret documents, it was reported in May. Four top DOJ officials traveled to Mar-a-Lago in early June to speak with the former president's attorneys about the documents, it was reported by CNN the day after the FBI raid. Trump claimed after the raid that his attorneys had been cooperating with FBI requests and installed an extra lock on the room where the documents were stored, as instructed. 'In early June, the DOJ and FBI asked my legal representatives to put an extra lock on the door leading to the place where boxes were stored in Mar-a-Lago - We Agreed,' the ex-president wrote. They were shown the secured area, and the boxes themselves. Then on Monday, with no notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock that they had asked to be installed. He finished, 'A surprise attack, POLITICS, and all the while out Country is going to HELL!' An armed man who attempted to break into the FBI's Cincinnati office was injured today after a five hour stand-off with police. The ordeal, which has now ended as officials work to take him into custody, started after the FBI reported that an armed suspect tried to breach the agency's Visitor Screening Facility at its headquarters in Cincinnati. Sources told NBC News that he was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and fired a nail gun at personnel. After agents rushed to scene amid blaring alarms, the agency said the suspect fled by car north onto Interstate 71, where police were on pursuit. The Clinton County Emergency Management Agency said the man, dressed in body armor, exchanged gunfire with officers near a cornfield by Smith and Center Road, Wilmington, Ohio. Officials said the area is currently under lockdown, with WLWT reporting that the stand-off with police has ended after he was injured in the gunfire. Authorities have said the suspect is currently contained in the blocked-off area, but has yet to be placed under custody. The confrontation in Cincinnati comes as officials warn of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The FBI said an armed man tried to breach its Cincinnati headquarters (pictured) on Thursday before leading police on a chase through Wilmington Two small airplanes and an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter are circling the area during a standoff Thursday Interstate 71 and state Route 73 were among roads closed during a standoff Officers are pictured in pursuit of the suspect on Interstate 71, which has been closed Authorities have said the suspect is currently contained in a one-mile radius near a cornfield by Smith and Center Road, Wilmington The man was reportedly wearing body armor as he got into an altercation with security agents at the FBI's Visitor Screening Facility Officials said he was armed with a rifle and fired at personnel with a nail gun before fleeing The confrontation in Cincinnati comes as officials warn of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump, pictured on Wednesday outside Trump Tower Officials said the incident began on Thursday morning when the suspect got into an altercation with security officers at the FBI office, CNN reported. The agency said in a statement that 'the activation of an alarm and a response by armed FBI special agents' led the man to flee the scene in his car. 'The FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement partners are on scene near Wilmington, OH trying to resolve this critical incident,' the FBI said. Nathan Dennis, a spokesperson for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said in a news conference that 'the suspect vehicle did fire shots during that pursuit.' Authorities have closed the interstate in both directions as police remained in a standoff. Officials in Ohio have locked down a mile radius near the interstate and urged residents and business owners to lock doors and stay inside. The agency and its Cincinnati office did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for additional information. There have been growing threats in recent days against FBI agents and offices across the country since federal agents executed a search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. On Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists and anti-Semites, users have warned they are preparing for an armed revolution. Federal officials have also been tracking an array of other concerning chatter on Gab and other platforms threatening violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray (above) denounced the threats against him and the FBI following the agency's search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate The search was reportedly related to the National Archives and Records Administration, which is charged with safeguarding presidential records that belong to the public Trump has denounced the search as a politicized 'witch hunt' against him The former president is facing a long-running investigation into his real estate empire. Pictured: Secret Service stand guard as Trump leaves Trump Tower for the New York Attorney General's office on Wednesday morning Mar-a-Lago is closed for the summer. Its well-heeled members generally leave Florida for cooler locations, only returning for the winter. Trump was in New York on Monday FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced the threats as he visited another FBI office in Nebraska on Wednesday. 'Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you're upset with,' Wray said. The FBI on Wednesday also warned its agents to avoid protesters and ensure their security key cards are 'not visible outside FBI space,' citing an increase in social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. It also warned agents to be aware of their surroundings and potential protesters. The warning did not specifically mention this week's search of Mar-a-Lago but attributed the online threats to 'recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity.' A man has told of how he smashed his way out of a coffin after being buried alive by festival goers 'as a sacrifice to mother earth' when he passed out while drinking in Bolivia. After passing out the night before following a heavy drinking session at the opening of the Mother Earth Festival in El Alto, Bolivia, on 5 August, Victor Hugo Mica Alvarez, 30, found himself 50 miles away inside a casket in Achacachi. The Mother Earth Festival sees people giving thanks to Pachamama, the goddess of earth and fertility, where they give offerings, also known as a 'sullu', to the planet. Indigenous Bolivians believe the goddess 'opens her mouth' for offerings in August, and many will give anything from live animals to sheep foetuses, as well as cocoa leaves and sweets. Some say ancient human sacrifices and offerings are still carried out in secret. Alvarez believes that other party-goers had buried him alive as a 'sullu', sacrificing him to mother earth. Victor Hugo Mica Alvarez, 30, has told of how he smashed his way out of a coffin after being buried alive by festival goers 'as a sacrifice to mother earth' when he passed out while drinking in Bolivia (pictured being interviewed by local press) After passing out the night before following a heavy drinking session at the opening of the Mother Earth Festival in El Alto, Bolivia, on 5 August, Alvarez found himself 50 miles away inside a casket in Achacachi. He believes he was offered as a sacrifice to mother earth by other festival goers The 30-year-old told local Bolivian news outlet Pagina Siete: 'Last night was the pre-entry [of the festival], we went dancing. And afterwards I don't remember. 'The only thing I remember is that I thought I was in my bed, I wanted to get up to go urinate and I couldn't move. 'When I pushed the coffin, I was able to break a glass that it had and that way I was able to get out.' The Mother Earth Festival sees people giving thanks to Pachamama, the goddess of earth and fertility, where they give offerings, also known as a 'sullu', to the planet. Pictured in May, the festival celebrations and ceremonies continue throughout the year Indigenous Bolivians believe the goddess 'opens her mouth' for offerings in August, and many will give anything from live animals to sheep foetuses, as well as cocoa leaves and sweets - but Some say ancient human sacrifices and offerings are still carried out in secret. Pictured, the festival in May earlier this year 'They wanted to use me as a sullu.' But to add insult to injury, when Alvarez reported his burial to police they refused to believe him saying he was too drunk. The offerings to Pachamama continue all year round, with many indigenous people taking part in folk dances and ritual ceremonies. Ukrainian authorities have launched an investigation into an alleged Russian massacre after 15 bodies showing signs of torture where found in the northern town of Bucha. The bodies were discovered by Kyiv forces after the Russians were forced to withdraw from the area. Bucha's mayor said the bodies were discovered four months after the Russians pulled out of town. Ukrainian officials said they buried 15 unidentified people from the town of Bucha, north west of Kyiv who they claim were tortured by invading Russian forces who were forced out of the area four months ago Russian troops are accused of torturing and murdering Ukrainian citizens in the town of Bucha The evidence of the alleged war crimes emerged after Russian forces were forced to withdraw from the region The bodies were found in a mass grave. Ukrainian officials have since exhumed the victims adn placed them into individual plots They were found dumped in a mass grave and several bodies showed signs of torture. The bodies, which have not yet been identified, have been exhumed from the mass grave and reinterred with dignity. A United Nations report had earlier found evidence of 'breaches of International Humanitarian Law under the Geneva Conventions'. Ambassador Michael Carpenter, US representative at the Organisation of Secuirty and Co-operation in Europe said: 'The experts noted that photographic and video evidence appears to show that Russian forces carried out targeted, organized killings of civilians in Bucha" who were frequently found shot dead, hands tied behind their backs. The OSCE report said: 'A series of torture chambers separated by concrete walls were discovered in a summer camp in Bucha. At the front, there was a room that appeared to be used for executions, with bullet holes in the walls. The Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe believes Russia was responsible for war crimes in the region Some of the victims had clear evidence of torture according to Ukrainian and UN officials 'The following room contained two chairs, an empty jug, and a wooden plank. The Russians had brought in two metal bedsprings and leaned them against the wall in another. The tableaus suggested to Ukrainian investigators that prisoners were tortured here: tied to the bedsprings and interrogated; strapped to the plank and waterboarded. 'In that chamber, five dead men dressed in civilian clothes were discovered. They were covered with burns, bruises, and lacerations.' Ambassador Carpenter said there was also evidence that Russian troops had raped and murdered Ukrainian woman and children. A priest said prayers over the bodies before they were buried with respect The 15 victims in Bucha form part of a wider investigation involving 458 people - 419 of whom likely died volently. After months of meticulous, painful and at times gruesome investigation, officials in Bucha said Monday that they had reached what may be the closest they will get to a final accounting of victims of the murderous rampage by Russian troops that set off worldwide outrage over alleged atrocities: 458 bodies, of which 419 bore markings they had been shot, tortured or bludgeoned to death. Mykhailyna Skoryk-Shkarivska said they have not identified a total of 50 people. A further ten residents have been reported missing. The Russian troops left the corpses of many of those they killed to rot unattended, but also burned some, possibly out of hygiene concerns or to hide evidence of torture, the deputy mayor said. Some of the remains consisted of piles of ashes beyond identification even using DNA analysis. Nearly all of the bodies included in Mondays tally are known to have been civilians, Skoryk-Shkarivska said. The bodies of Ukrainian soldiers killed in Bucha were turned over to Ukrainian authorities and counted separately, while three Russian bodies were sent for repatriation. A total of 366 of the bodies were male, and 86 were female, while five had deteriorated too badly to determine. Nine were children under age 18. People gather outside Trump Tower in New York City Ecns.cn) 13:20, August 11, 2022 Members of the media and protesters gather outside the Trump Tower in New York City, U.S., August 10, 2022 after former U.S. President Donald Trump said that FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach home. (Photo: China News Service/Liao Pan) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Michigan resident Jared Mauch doesn't want to settle for slow Internet connection from AT&T, but at the same time, he doesn't want to pay Comcast $50,000 to expand to his rural home. Mauch did what he thought is the best option: start his own fiber internet service provider. He first made headline in January 2021 as the man who built a fiber-to-the-home Internet provider, according to Ars Technica. Mauch Will Expand His ISP Service to 600 Properties More than a year after Mauch built a fiber-to-the-home Internet provider, he is now expanding his service with the aid of the $2.6 million government money that he got. Mauch was initially providing service to about 30 rural homes including his own house with his ISP, Washtenaw Fiber Properties LLC, as per Ars Technica. But now, he has about 70 customers. With the government money provided to him, Mauch will expand his network to nearly 600 more properties. The money came from the American Rescue Plan's Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. According to Mauch, the US government allocated Michigan's Washtenaw County $71 million for different infrastructure projects. A portion of the budget was devoted to broadband. Before the pandemic happened, the county conducted a broadband study to determine the unserved locations. Upon availability of federal government money, a request for proposal (RFP) was issued by the county to seek contractors who will wire up addresses "that were known to be unserved or underserved based on the existing survey." "They had this gap-filling RFP, and in my own wild stupidity or brilliance, I'm not sure which yet, I bid on the whole project [in my area] and managed to win through that competitive bidding process," Mauch said. The ISP developed by Mauch is one of the four selected bidders by Washtenaw County to wire up different areas. Read Also: 'Internet Apocalypse' Coming? Expert Warns Solar Superstorms That Can Cause Worldwide Internet Outage Mauch Aims to Finish Installing ISP by the End of 2023 Currently, Mauch's network runs about 14 miles of fiber. To complete the government-funded project, he'll build another 38 miles, according to Ars Technica. According to Mauch, the place is a thinly populated rural area and he has at least two homes where he has to build a half-mile to get to one house. He noted that that it will cost "over $30,000 for each of those homes to get served," however, his installation fees are only usually $199, as per Engadget. When customers want to avail the ISP service, they can choose from 100Mbps up/down internet speeds for $55 per month. Another option is the 1Gbps with unlimited data for $79 a month. According to Engadget, Mauch is supposed to complete the contract by 2026. However, his goal is to finish the ISP installation by around the end of 2023. Currently, he has already finished the works with some of the required addresses. He issued a press release when the connection was finished in June. The local commissioner called it "a transformational moment for our community." Running an ISP isn't even connected to Mauch's day job. In fact, he is an Akamai network architect. However, his service has become necessary in the region. "I'm definitely a lot more well-known by all my neighbors... I'm saved in people's cell phones as 'fiber cable guy,'" Mauch said. Related Article: Web 3.0 & The Internet Russia and Ukraine have accused each other on Thursday of shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, as fears rise over another nuclear catastrophe 37 years on from Chernobyl. Both Moscow and Kyiv said there were five rocket strikes near a radioactive material storage area at the plant, Europe's biggest nuclear facility which has been a focus of renewed fighting in recent days. Ukraine's nuclear agency Energoatom said later there had been fresh Russian shelling near one of the plant's six reactors that had caused 'extensive smoke' from a grass fire and 'several radiation sensors are damaged'. The plant, which is in Russian hands, is on the south bank of the River Dnipro which divides the warring armies and where some of the fiercest fighting is raging. Ukraine has accused Moscow of basing hundreds of soldiers and storing arms there. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned Russia could cause an incident 'even more catastrophic than Chernobyl' - a reference to the nuclear disaster in then Soviet Ukraine in 1986. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres also said in a statement that continued hostilities around the facility could 'lead to disaster'. This image purports to show smoke rising from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant today Russia and Ukraine have accused each other on Thursday of shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, as fears rise over another nuclear catastrophe 37 years on from Chernobyl Both Moscow and Kyiv said there were five rocket strikes near a radioactive material storage area at the plant, Europe's biggest nuclear facility which has been a focus of renewed fighting in recent days. Pictured: A Russian serviceman guards in an area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in territory under Russian military control The plant (pictured), which is in Russian hands, is on the south bank of the River Dnipro which divides the warring armies, and where some of the fiercest fighting is raging Both Moscow and Kyiv said there were five rocket strikes near a radioactive material storage area at the plant, Europe's biggest nuclear facility which has been a focus of renewed fighting in recent days A rocket fragment after shelling is seen near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, which the Russian Ministry of Defence claims was fired by the Ukrainian military He urged both sides 'to cease immediately' all military activity near the power plant. The US State Department later on Thursday said the United States supported calls by the UN and others to establish a demilitarised zone around the plant. 'We continue to call on Russia to cease all military operations at or near Ukrainian nuclear facilities and return full control to Ukraine, and support Ukrainian calls for a demilitarized zone around the nuclear power plant,' said a State Department spokesperson. The Russians pointed the finger at Ukrainian forces 'once again' striking the nuclear power plant Thursday, according to Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Moscow-installed puppet regime, who made the claim on messaging app Telegram. 'No contamination has been recorded at the station, radiation levels are normal,' said Yevgeny Balitsky separately, the head of the Moscow-backed administration. He accused the Ukrainian army of seeking to destroy the nuclear waste storage facility 'in order to create some kind of dirty bomb on our territory'. He said among the infrastructure hit Thursday was a radioactive isotope storage facility. 'Staff at the station have been instructed to move to protected premises,' he added. Speaking separately on Russian state television, Balitsky said the station was home to 'thousands of tonnes of nuclear waste'. An accident 'will make the territory unlivable,' he added. Ukraine's nuclear agency, Energoatom, hit back, claiming that 'the Russians shelled the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant again,' in a statement. 'Five strikes were recorded in the area of the station commandant's office, which is located next to the welding area and the storage of radiation sources,' it goes on to say. Ukrainian homes in the Zaporizhzhia region, where some of the fighting is fiercest, have been destroyed by Russian shelling A view of a destroyed house after Russian shelling in a village of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine on August 10 A woman is seen near a damaged houseafter Russian shelling in a village of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, yesterday The dangers of a new radiation disaster come ahead of an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to address global concerns over the facility due today. The Soviet-era plant in southern Ukraine was captured by Russian troops at the beginning of March - shortly after Moscow launched its invasion and has remained on the frontline since then. 'Russia has turned the nuclear station into a battlefield,' Zelensky said, addressing a Ukraine donors conference in Copenhagen by video link. He called for stronger sanctions against Russia saying it was a 'terrorist state' - on the same day that Latvian MPs adopted a resolution calling Russia a 'state sponsor of terrorism'. The statement said Russia's actions in Ukraine constituted 'targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people' and said the use of violence against civilians should be considered 'terrorism'. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba hailed it as a 'timely move' and urged other countries to follow suit, while Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called it 'xenophobia'. Latvia has also urged all EU countries to ban tourist visas for Russian citizens and said the measure should be extended to Belarusians because of the Belarusian regime's support for the invasion. America is spiraling out of control. From the unprecedented raid on Mar-a-Lago, to the seizure of a congressman's phone, to our doddering commander-in-chief, who increasingly seems like a man who doesn't have the sense or stamina to serve out his term. And now, America is on the edge of another political nightmare. We are less than 100 days away from the election of a new Congress to run the country while the de facto leader of the Republican base delights in stoking his supporters' darkest suspicions under the shadow of a sincerely suspect investigation. It feels like the country is battling under crashing waves, struggling for a breath, but the rollers keep coming. Meanwhile, Biden has left town yet again for a beach vacation with his son who has a federal probe looming over his head. It is true that four years of the Trump presidency, with its independent prosecutors, riots, mobs pulling down statues, the two failed impeachments, and Covid lockdowns - were also disturbingly shambolic. But that was supposed to be over when America ejected the Orange Man from the White House. It's not over and it's getting worse. Seen from the White House, America is teetering on the edge of insurrection. And insurrection is a fancy name for civil war. And war means police-state tactics are justified. In their minds they're not dealing with fellow Americans they're dealing with insurrectionists. The rules don't apply. Ransack their homes humiliate them (Above) Secret Service agents stand outside an entrance to former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla A group of beard-pulling historians gathered at the White House in early August to warn the president that democracy in America is on the brink of collapse. Predictably, they pointed to the 'anti-democratic forces in the country' behind the January 6th riot. They could have pointed to many other groups with dark agendas on both sides, but they didn't. The Biden White House has been doing this for the past two years dividing the country between good and evil. For them, it always been someone's else fault and that someone is conveniently their political enemies, Donald Trump and his legions of deplorables. That's how the new administration justifies raiding a former president's home to recover documents, as they did at Mar-a-Lago or seizing a sitting congressman's phone in an airport in front of his family, as happened to Pennsylvania Congressman Scott Perry. Seen from the White House, America is teetering on the edge of insurrection. And insurrection is a fancy name for civil war. And war means police-state tactics are justified. In both instances more gentle, less obtrusive, and offensive measures like a subpoena or negotiations would have sufficed. But in their minds they're not dealing with fellow Americans they're dealing with insurrectionists. The rules don't apply. Ransack their homes humiliate them. The people who lectured America about 'democratic norms' don't follow them themselves. Now Biden and the people running the Justice department have set off a cycle of accusations and retaliations that will reverberate for years even in the lives of ordinary people. They are fanning the flames, not putting out the fire. Every element of these latest DOJ investigations looks partisan and petty to the more than 60 million Americans who voted for Trump in 2020 and the refusal by the White House and the Justice Department to answer reasonable questions only adds fuel to their fire. Their suspicions start with the president himself. Biden's 2020 campaign was bitter. The president and his supporters accused Trump of being a 'dictator' who wanted to 'end democracy.' Trump, in turn, accused Biden's son and brother of taking payments from foreign companies and governments and his surrogates circulated videos of the president's son smoking crack and cavorting with prostitutes. Now Biden and the people running the Justice department have set off a cycle of accusations and retaliations that will reverberate for years even in the lives of ordinary people. They are fanning the flames, not putting out the fire. Every element of these latest DOJ investigations looks partisan and petty to the more than 60 million Americans who voted for Trump in 2020 and the refusal by the White House and the Justice Department to answer reasonable questions only adds fuel to their fire. In order to prosecute Trump for his alleged crimes, Biden would need to ensure that everything was done 'by the book' by neutral professionals and that the case is airtight. But even Attorney General Merrick Garland also has an apparent conflict of interest. President Obama nominated Garland to fill a then-open U.S. Supreme Court seat. President Trump formally withdrew his nomination in January 2017, denying Garland a lifelong ambition. Garland could have recused himself from the decision-making process in the Mar-a-Lago fiasco in order to maintain the appearance of disinterest in justice. But he did not. In a Thursday news conference, light on details, Garland revealed that he personally approved the effort to secure the warrant to search Trump's home. Then, he walked off without talking questions. What about Bruce Reinhart, the judge who issued the warrant? Rather than go to a federal judge that was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the administration went to a U.S. magistrate judge who serves an 8-year term. That judge was an Obama donor who left the U.S. attorney's office in South Florida to represent former employees of convicted pedophile including Epstein's airplane pilots and his so-called 'Yugoslavian sex slave.' Could the administration have found a judge more likely to fuel conspiracy theories than this one? As for the search warrant itself, almost no one has seen it. Garland (above) could have recused himself from the decision-making process in the Mar-a-Lago fiasco in order to maintain the appearance of disinterest in justice. The Biden administration has stumbled or worse intentionally driven into unexplored and dangerous territory. The president's son and brother, Hunter and James, could be investigated, and so could Hillary Clinton and the many foreign funders connected to her Clinton Foundation. But that's just the start. Every connection between a congressman and a union or corporation could, in the mind of a zealous politicized prosecutor, be investigated for crimes. And could ordinary citizens be next? They already are. Consider the January 6 rioters, who were justly prosecuted for destroying public property and menacing elected officials. Many that never entered the U.S. Capitol that fateful day had to hire lawyers and fight charges. Many others lost jobs or gigs due to their reckless rhetorical support for the January 6 chaos on social media. It would be far wiser for President Biden to pardon former President Trump for his alleged misdeeds with the National Archives and thereby sidestep a trial that the government is all but certain to lose. It would also be wise to issue an executive order barring the seizure of phones and other devices of elected officials, unless a criminal indictment has first been handed down. Such pardons and orders would spare the nation decades of poisonous political prosecutions. But Biden's enraged political base is unlikely to support him if he calls a truce. With both sides chanting 'lock him up,' Americans will soon be as unfree as they are on a college campus or woke workplace. The extremists may delight in this, but the rest of us, who try to live our lives outside of politics, will be miserable, anxious, wary and worried. America is at war with itself and the White House should be ashamed. Richard Miniter is CEO of Zenger.News A prominent Taliban cleric has been murdered by a one-legged suicide bomber who had stuffed his artificial leg with explosives in Kabul today, according to officials and Taliban sources. Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, who was in favour of female education in Afghanistan, was reportedly killed in an attack in a seminary when the attacker detonated explosives hidden in his plastic limb. 'Very sadly informed that respected cleric (Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani) was martyred in a cowardly attack by enemies,' said Bilal Karimi, a spokesperson for the Taliban administration. It was not immediately clear who was behind the blast. Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, who was in favour of female education in Afghanistan, was reportedly killed in an attack in a seminary when the attacker detonated explosives hidden in his plastic limb This photo taken on July 8 shows a Taliban fighter keeping a watch at an outpost in Tawakh Village of Anaba district, Panjshir Province. Sheikh Haqqani supported the Taliban government and is one of the highest profile figures killed in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power last year Sheikh Haqqani was an outspoken critic of the jihadist militant group Islamic State Kohrasan Province (IS-K), a regional branch of IS that operates in Afghanistan Although four Taliban sources told Reuters the attacker was someone who had previously lost his leg and had hidden the explosives in a plastic artificial leg. And the BBC reports the Islamic State (IS) group, which has targeted the cleric in the past, took responsibility for the attack, adding that it had happened inside his office. 'We are investigating who this ... person was and who had brought him to this important place to enter the personal office of Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani. It's a very huge loss for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' said one senior Taliban official of the interior ministry, referring to the group's name for its administration. Sheikh Haqqani was an outspoken critic of the jihadist militant group Islamic State Kohrasan Province (IS-K), a regional branch of IS that operates in Afghanistan. The group is against the Taliban's rule, while the religious leader supported its government. Sheikh Haqqani also stood in favour of female education, issuing a fatwa, a religious decree, stating he did so amid the controversy surrounding the issue in the country. The Taliban has ordered the closure of most girls' secondary schools in Afghanistan. In an interview with the BBC earlier this year, Sheikh Haqqani said: 'There is no justification in the sharia [law] to say female education is not allowed. No justification at all.' A burqa clad Afghan woman buys household items at a roadside shop in Kabul today. The Taliban's ascent to power on 15 August 2021 has led to Afghanistan being subjected to the strictest interpretation of Shariah or Islamic law, which has resulted in a complete reversal of the women's rights ensured in recent years. Sheikh Haqqani stood in favour of female education, issuing a fatwa, a religious decree, stating he did so amid the controversy surrounding the issue in the country Rescue workers and police officers examine the site of bomb explosion in an Islamic seminary in Peshawar, Pakistan in 2020. Sheikh Haqqani had survived the large blast claimed by the Islamic State that killed at least seven people He added: 'All the religious books have stated female education is permissible and obligatory, because, for example, if a woman gets sick, in an Islamic environment like Afghanistan or Pakistan, and needs treatment, it's much better if she's treated by a female doctor.' The cleric is one of the highest profile figures killed in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power last year. He had survived previous attacks, including a large blast in the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar in 2020 claimed by the Islamic State that killed at least seven people. The Taliban say they have restored security since they took over as foreign forces withdrew almost a year ago. However, regular attacks, many of them claimed by Islamic State, have taken place in recent months, often targeting religious and ethnic minorities as well as Taliban leaders. A former doctor has been jailed for 15-and-a-half years for subjecting a young girl to appalling sexual abuse spanning over a decade. Lalitkumar Nirmal, 79, traumatised a young girl, who was then under 14, to a campaign of sexual abuse in different parts of the country between 1975 and 1986. The abuse took place in various locations including Croydon, Sydenham in east London and Cwmbran in Wales. During the time of offending, Nirmal was a GP in a practice in the south Welsh town. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was known to Nirmal but was not a patient. In relation to her, Nirmal admitted eight counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 years and four counts of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 14 years. Lalitkumar Nirmal, 79, traumatised a young girl, who was then under 14, to a campaign of sexual abuse in different parts of the country between 1975 and 1986 He was also convicted of a single count of indecent assault against another young girl he knew. Anjie Bowen, Senior Crown Prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Services Rape and Serious Sexual Offences unit, said: Lalitbhai Nirmal carried out a sustained campaign of sexual abuse, whilst hiding behind a veneer of respectability as a doctor and trusted local GP. His vulnerable victims have been left devastated by the harmful impact of his offending on their lives. His actions were predatory and despicable. One of Nirmals victims endured appalling abuse at his hands for a decade, throughout a large portion of her childhood. Reports were first made to police in October 2019. In August 2020, the sex offender was interviewed under caution and he was charged in May the following year. Nirmal was registered as a GP with the General Medical Council between 1972 and 1995. Nirmal appeared at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday where he was jailed for 15 and a half years over the abuse DS Mark Morris, from South East BCU CID, said: I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the victims in this case, who have been extremely courageous in coming forward to police and recounting the trauma of the years of abuse they suffered because of Nirmal. One cant even begin to imagine the impact, both physical and mental, such sustained abuse will have had and I hope todays sentence will give some sense of closure and peace. We know that Nirmal was a GP in the 1980s in the Torfaen area of Wales. Whilst the victims were not patients of his, we must consider the possibility that he abused this position of trust to hurt others. As such, I would appeal for anyone with information they believe could be relevant to contact the police on 101. Any information passed will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence and handled by a specialist team with significant experience in dealing with offences of this nature. Nirmal, of Malham Close, Friern Barnet, north London, denied but was convicted of indecent assault and admitted eight counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 years and four counts of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 14 years. Nearly three quarters of DailyMail.com readers said in a poll they did not approve of the FBI raid on Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate, which drew fierce criticism from the former president and his fellow Republicans. Over two days, 19,358 readers cast their votes. Only 28 percent said they approved of the search, while a large majority 72 percent objected. There is still time to have your say by voting in the box below. Poll Do you approve of the FBI raid on former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate? Yes No Do you approve of the FBI raid on former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate? Yes 7178 votes No 19097 votes Now share your opinion This week's raid prompted outrage from Trump, his Republican colleagues and supporters who rallied near the estate in Palm Beach, Florida. It marks the first time in U.S. history the home of a former president has been searched by federal agents. As readers voted, some also explained their thoughts in the comments section below, expressing a range of views on whether Trump deserves to be investigated, or whether he was being unfairly targeted to hurt his chances in a future presidential run. The FBI has become an organized crime ring, and needs to be abolished, posted one reader from Washington. I now HAVE TO vote for Trump, to defend myself from these same tactics. FBI=KGB and they are coming for the citizens next. Other readers likened the FBI to Russias Cold War-era intelligence agency, the KGB. One posted that the FBI was owned by the left, another suggested the U.S. crime-fighting agency was demonstrating they will punish anyone, even a former president. The biggest loser is the American people. We no longer trust our own government, posted another reader. Pro-Trump protesters stand across the waterfront from president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida two days after it was raided by FBI agents. Nearly three quarters of DailyMail.com readers say they disapprove of the raid Others disagreed, pointing to the various probes into Trumps time in the White House, his handling of classified documents, his business dealings, and his role in the deadly January 6 bid to overturn the results of the 2020 election. His base tried to overthrow our government and violently attacked the police defending us,' posted one San Francisco-based reader. Another, from Fort Worth, Texas, called Trump 'dangerous.' Asking Georgia to lose the number of votes you need to win is a felony crime. It doesn't matter that he failed. His actions on January 6th were basically inciting a riot, also a felony crime, posted one reader. Our survey findings diverge from a snap Morning Consult poll, in which about half of registered voters approved of the FBI search though these results split when broken down by party affiliation. An overwhelming majority of Democrats approved of the raid, and a strong contingent of Republicans disapproved, according to the field survey conducted on Wednesday. The search marked an escalation of the federal probe into whether Trump illegally took records from the White House as he left office in January 2021. Trump continues to flirt publicly with running again for president in 2024, but has not confirmed this. The warrant was linked to the National Archives and Records Administration, which is safeguards presidential records that belong to the public, and whether there were classified files at Mar-a-Lago, according to reports. A Secret Service agent is seen in front of the home of former President Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida on August 9 Donald Trump departs Trump Tower two days after FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach home, in New York City on August 10 The FBI reportedly took some 10 boxes of papers. Trump's safe was searched, but it was empty. Trump has been fuming since revealing news of the search on Monday night and has tried to paint it as a politically motivated move by President Joe Biden's administration ahead of the November midterm elections. He said it meant 'dark times for our nation.' A day later, FBI agents seized the cellphone of Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, one of Trump's top allies in Congress who allegedly aided his efforts to try to steal the 2020 election. But that seizure was related to another Justice Department investigation of the former president, regarding a 'fake-electors scheme' that he and his allies are accused of promoting to stay in power, according to the Washington Post. The raid on Trump's home comes months after the National Archives asked the Justice Department to open an investigation into the Republican's handling of classified records. Officials from the Archives flew to Mar-a-Lago in January to retrieve 15 boxes of files that were meant to be handed over when Trump left office. Some have since been confirmed to have been labeled 'classified.' CNN reported on Thursday that federal authorities took documents from Mar-a-Lago in June and served a grand jury subpoena while on the grounds. Rep. Liz Cheney launched a new campaign ad Thursday pushing that 'truth' about the 2020 election should win and calling out her political rivals for embracing the big lie, calling it a 'cancer.' 'As Election Day nears, I want to talk to citizens across our great state and all across our country. America cannot remain free if we abandon the truth,' Cheney said, looking into the camera as she stands in a field of wildflowers. 'The lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen is insidious.' Cheney is on the Republican primary ballot Tuesday in Wyoming to keep her at-large House seat - and is facing major backlash in her very red state for her criticism of former President Donald Trump, impeachment vote and participation in the January 6 House select committee. She doubled down on that criticism Thursday, slamming Trump and Republicans who have pushed that the FBI's raid of Mar-a-Lago Monday must somehow be corrupt. 'I have been ashamed to hear members of my party attacking integrity of the FBI agents involved with the recent Mar-a-Lago search,' she tweeted. 'These are sickening comments that put the lives of patriotic public servants at risk.' Rep. Liz Cheney launched a new campaign ad Thursday, pushing that 'truth' about the 2020 election should win and calling out her political rivals for embracing the big lie, calling it a 'cancer' Cheney calls out former President Donald Trump (left) for his false election fraud claims, though doesn't name her primary rival Harriet Hageman (right), instead saying 'my opponents in Wyoming have said that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen' and calling it a 'cancer' In the ad, she called the ex-president's false election fraud claims a 'door Donald Trump opened to manipulate Americans to abandon their principles, to sacrifice their freedom to justify violence, to ignore the rulings of our courts and the rule of law.' 'This is Donald Trump's legacy, but it cannot be the future of our nation,' she said. 'History has shown us over and over again these types of poisonous lies destroy free nations.' She then aimed her ire at her election rivals - mainly Harriet Hageman, the Trump-backed candidate who is beating her in a University of Wyoming's Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center poll, released Thursday, by 29 points. 'Like many candidates across this country, my opponents in Wyoming have said that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen,' Cheney said. 'No one who understands our nation's laws, no one with an honest, honorable, genuine commitment to our Constitution would say that.' 'It is a cancer that threatens our great Republic,' the Republican congresswoman warned. 'If we do not condemn these lies, if we do not hold those responsible to account. We will be excusing this conduct and it will become a feature of all elections,' she said. 'America will never be the same.' Cheney argued that nothing is more important 'than the preservation of the miracle given to us by God and our founding fathers.' She told voters she would work hard so that generations of Americans live in a country where there are 'peaceful transitions of power' not 'violent confrontations.' Cheney pushed that 'millions of Americans across our nation - Republicans, Democrats, indepnedents - stand united in the cause of freedom.' 'We are stronger, more dedicated and more determined than those trying to destroy our republic. This is our great task, and we will prevail,' she said. 'I hope you will join me in this fight,' she said concluding the ad. Cheney's re-election chances hinge of independents and Democrats switching their party registration on Tuesday to Republican to vote in her favor. Though, even then, her chances look dire. Pollsters at the University of Wyoming's Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center tried to account for party switching in the Thursday survey, speaking with 562 likely voters to get the results. 'Given the unique attention this race is receiving, and the accompanying increases in voter registration and potential party switching, we decided to field this survey to a random sample of all Wyoming residents on cellphones and landlines and work to identify likely voters in the GOP primary,' said Brian Harnisch, the director of WYSAC. 'When looking only at residents who say they are Republican and likely voters in the primary, we actually see Hageman leading by roughly 50 points,' Harnisch added. Among all likely voters, 28 percent said they supported Cheney, while 57 percent said they backed Hageman. Of those backing Cheney, 66 percent said they were doing so as an expression of support for the incumbent Republican. Among those backing another candidate, 41 percent said they were doing so to oppose Cheney. About half the Democrats surveyed by WYSAC's pollsters said they planned to switch parties and vote in the GOP primary Tuesday. And among this group, Cheney received 98 percent support. Among Republican likely voters in Tuesday's primary, Cheney received 15 percent support. Independent support was split, with 41 percent supporting Hageman and 43 percent supporting Cheney. While this could give Cheney a glimmer of hope, the number of independents and Democrats expected to vote are small - about 8 percent of Democrats and 21 percent of independents are expected to make up the GOP primary's electorate. Of likely voters in the primary, only 8 percent identify as Democrats, and 21 percent identify as independents. 'Back-of-the-napkin math says that number could represent as many as 20,000 votes in the GOP primary from currently registered Democrats, compared to as many as 200,000-plus votes from registered Republicans,' Harnisch said. 'It does not appear at the time of this survey the numbers are there for party switching to have a significant effect on the outcome of this race.' Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida was raided by the FBI on Monday night, the former president revealed in a furious and lengthy statement. The unannounced search was related to White House documents sought by the National Archives, his son Eric Trump told Fox News later that night. Federal agents 'ransacked' his father's office, he said, and in his own statement the former president accused them of breaking into his safe. But Trump's issues with the National Archives reportedly began before he even left office. Politico reported in 2018 that aides were forced to follow the then-president around to tape back documents that he had shredded - a habit the Republican was known for during his prior life heading the Trump Organization - in fear of running afoul of record-keeping laws. And late last year, Trump attempted to slow the release of presidential documents from the National Archives to the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack. It's not clear what specifically is being investigated, but it's worth noting there are laws on the books against tampering and destruction of classified presidential records. Below is a timeline piecing together reports of the former president's legal battle with the Capitol riot committee over his documents, which appeared to run parallel to the National Archives' own efforts to recover classified pages from Trump. The New York Times reported on Tuesday afternoon that the two are not related. Trump sues January 6 committee to block National Archives records In October 2021, the former president launched a lawsuit against the Democrat-led House panel and the National Archives to block the release of White House records linked to last year's Capitol riot. Trump's lawyers called the probe a 'fishing expedition' in a 26-page lawsuit filed in mid-October. The attorneys had also requested that the National Archives send Trump's team any documents that could be relevant for review. Trump lost the case along with two subsequent appeals later that year. FBI agents with a search warrant raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday morning The above timeline highlights just some of former president Donald Trump's battles with the National Archives since leaving office, including an unrelated court fight with the January 6 committee Supreme Court shuts down Trump's bid to block documents, National Archives says it will turn them over The January 6 committee revealed on January 19 that it had begun receiving documents from the National Archives that Trump 'had hoped to keep hidden.' It happened the same day as the Supreme Court rejecting Trump's last-ditch request to shield his records. Nine justices voted against the former president, including three who he appointed to the bench. Only Clarence Thomas, whose wife Ginni is now being investigated by the committee over her efforts to push Trump's election fraud claims, voted in Trump's favor. In addition to his own documents, the tranche also included records belonging to White House legal counsel, ex-adviser Stephen Miller and ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, The Guardian reported. National Archives reveals some Trump records were 'torn up' The record-keeping body confirmed to the Washington Post on January 31 that the documents it handed to the January 6 committee 'included paper records that had been torn up by former President Trump.' At this point the National Archives had reportedly handed more than 700 pages to the committee. Anti-media and pro-Trump protesters stands across the waterfront from Mar A Lago. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after it was raided by FBI agents on Monday Not all of them had been taped back together at the time of the committee's receipt. 'These were turned over to the National Archives at the end of the Trump Administration, along with a number of torn-up records that had not been reconstructed by the White House,' the Archives reportedly said. Trump's 15 boxes of sensitive White House documents The next month, the National Archives revealed that Trump had taken 15 boxes full of White House records to his Mar-a-Lago retreat after leaving Washington, DC the year before. Officials from the Archives and the Records Administration had to retrieve the boxes this past January. It was first reported by the Washington Post on February 7. Items that were improperly taken and had to be retrieved included what Trump called 'love letters' exchanged with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. A letter from then-outgoing President Barack Obama to Trump when he first took office was also among the trove. National Archives asks Justice Department to probe Trump record-keeping Two days after it was revealed that Trump took 15 boxes of White House documents to Mar-a-Lago, the National Archives stepped up its enforcement by asking the Justice Department to probe the ex-president's handling of the sensitive pages. The Archives asked President Joe Biden's DOJ to investigate whether Trump violated the Presidential Records Act, a source told CNN on February 9. The Washington Post reported the next day that some of the files in the 15 boxes the Archives had retrieved were marked as 'top secret' - spurring security concerns. The former president was at Trump Tower in New York City when his home was raided, his son Eric Trump told Fox News that night Trump released a lengthy statement claiming he was 'under siege' and that federal agents broke into his safe At the time, Trump's spokesman Taylor Budowich said the records retrieving process was 'normal and routine' but was being 'weaponized by anonymous, politically motivated government sources to peddle Fake News.' Report details months-long effort to retrieve Trump documents It follows a June visit by DOJ official Jay Bratt and two others to Mar-a-Lago to inquire about the documents While the controversy between the former president and government record-keepers only gained steam earlier this year, a February 13 CNN report reveals that the National Archives knew as early as May 2021 that documents had been missing. National Archives counsel Gary Stern reportedly first contacted an official in the White House who had been named the point-person for records-keeping matters. Stern apparently reached out to one of Trump's other lawyers after his efforts to get the records appeared to be slow-walked. At the time of the February report, one person told CNN the matter had 'not been fully resolved' and the National Archives was still seeking more documents from Trump. 'Former President Trump's representatives have informed NARA that they are continuing to search for additional Presidential records that belong to the National Archives,' the Archives said in a statement. Classified documents were among the 15 boxes Trump took, National Archives says A week later, the National Archives confirmed an earlier Washington Post report that top secret documents were among the trove that Trump took to Mar-a-Lago with him. The body said in a statement published on February 18 that it was 'in communication' with the DOJ on Trump-retrieved documents that were 'marked as classified national security information.' In response to letters from the House Oversight Committee seeking more information on the matter, the Archives revealed the sensitive nature of the documents and added that social media and other online records from White House aides had not been properly stored. The body said Trump aides had been warned about the matter previously. DOJ summons grand jury in National Archives probe and grills Trump staffers After months of silence, the Justice Department was revealed in May to be investigating whether Trump or others mishandled classified White House documents. The DOJ convened a grand jury in the probe, the New York Times reported on May 12. Prosecutors had subpoenaed the relevant documents from the National Archives, and CNN revealed they questioned Trump aides in April and May of this year. Merrick Garland's top officials sit down with Trump lawyers in Mar-a-Lago Four top DOJ officials traveled to Mar-a-Lago in early June to speak with the former president's attorneys about the documents, it was reported the day after the FBI raid. In revealing the visit CNN noted how 'rare' in nature it was. The DOJ's counterintelligence and export control section chief Jay Bratt was reportedly among the group who sat down with Trump's lawyers. Trump's team had also shown the government officials where Trump were storing documents. Investigators reportedly observed that some of the files there were marked as classified. At one point the former president himself reportedly stopped in to say hello and 'make small talk' before leaving again. Trump staffers padlock documents room in Mar-a-Lago Days after the investigators' visit, they reportedly sent a letter to Trump's staff asking them to secure the room where they observed the documents being stored. Aides padlocked the area, according to CNN. Feds raid Mar-a-Lago on Monday morning It was reported that the FBI's operation at Mar-a-Lago occurred in the early hours of Monday morning. The ex-president had been at Trump Tower in New York City at the time. His son Eric Trump told Fox he informed his father of the raid. CNN reported that federal agents' activity was exclusively kept to the portions of the club where Trump's office and residence are. The former president claimed he was a victim of political persecution in a statement that revealed the unannounced search to the public. 'These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,' Trump said through his Save America PAC. 'I stood up to America s bureaucratic corruption, I restored power to the people, and truly delivered for our Country, like we have never seen before. The establishment hated it. Now, as they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories, and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop me, and the Republican Party, once more. The lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt must be exposed and stopped.' Missing teenager Kiely Rodni was wearing a sweatshirt with eerie Lana Del Ray lyrics on the night before she went missing, police said. Rodni, 16, was last seen Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, California, at the party attended by more than 100 juveniles and young adults, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said. Police have now revealed the teen was wearing a sweatshirt with the lyrics: 'You don't want to be forgotten, you just want to disappear' when she went missing. The teen was 'loaned' the hoodie on August 5, the day before she went missing, police revealed. As to who gave her the hoodie, that is currently unknown. 'We dont know whether Kiely was wearing that hoodie when she disappeared, but we believe it was still in her possession,' Placer County Sheriff's Office said on Wednesday. Rodni's friends compared the party she disappeared from to Lord of the Flies and revealed that the end-of-school event was full of illegal activity. However, police said this week they have no evidence to suggest she was abducted and are focusing on a search and rescue investigation instead. Kiely Rodni, 16, (pictured) was last seen Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee, California, at the party attended by more than 100 juveniles and young adults, the Placer County Sheriff's Office said. Police released an image of the sweatshirt (pictured) she was loaned the day before she disappeared. It featured eerie Lana Del Ray lyrics, reading: 'You don't want to be forgotten, you just want to disappear.' Police believe the hoodie is 'still in her possession' and it unknown who 'loaned' her the coat The Placer County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday released an old image of Kiely Rodni's 2013 silver Honda, which has been untraceable along with her Her phone has been out of service since the party, and her car, a 2013 silver Honda CRV, has not been found. Her boyfriend Jagger Westfall told Fox 40, that the last time he had heard from her was 10.30pm the night she went missing. He said he texted her to complain about his day and she replied: 'Oh, I'm sorry that you're going through that.' 'And that was the last time I heard from her,' he told Fox 40. He also reportedly told his girlfriend prior to the party to 'be safe' and 'don't do anything stupid.' Rodni's friend, Sami Smith, who was at the party with her, shared footage with The Sun that showed a group of teens gathered at the campsite that was littered with what appeared to be bottles of alcohol. 'I think a lot of them were scared to talk,' Smith said. 'They were engaging in illegal activity in the woods, it's like this Lord of the Flies space where they can just be.' Another source told The Sun that the teens at the party were sometimes 'fighting,' smoking weed and drinking alcohol. Smith told The Sun she believes teens who were at the party might have seen something that would help find Rodni, but are afraid of the consequences or how they might be viewed. The teen was last seen wearing a black, spaghetti strap bodysuit and green Dickies pants The campground was only 12 miles away from her home in California 'We've said over and over again, we're not investigating any of you, we're partnering with you in an investigation for a missing person, this isn't about things you shouldn't have done. 'But it's also hard because there are so many teenagers, what are their relationships like with their parents? That can define a lot of what they're going to say. Are they used to hiding everything? 'They're afraid of the consequences or how they're going to be viewed, how their parents are going to react. But at this point, it's like, who cares? We need to find her.' Lindsey Rodni-Nieman, the teen's mother, pleaded in an online video shared by authorities for anyone with information to come forward. 'We just want her home,' Rodni-Nieman said. 'We're so scared, and we miss her so much.' Speaking to DailyMail.com on Monday, Lindsey said she believed her daughter has been abducted and begged the alleged kidnapper to bring her home. She said: 'I am terrified. My mind reels and my sleep is plagued with nightmares... thoughts that I just can't get out of my head.' 'I last saw her on Friday morning, she was going to meet us to go to a vintage car show but then she changed her mind and wanted to go to this party instead. 'I extended her curfew. I had done it before and felt safe. She texted me at 11.30pm to say she would be leaving at 12.15am to come home. 'She said: ''I love you, mom.'' That was the last I heard from her.' The teen's mother (pictured) believes her daughter was abducted and is pleading for the allegedly kidnapper to bring her home Lindsey said she is sure that her daughter would not have run away. She said: 'My daughter is not the runaway type not to stigmatize kids who are but my daughter is not. She had the resources to run away and would have done if she wanted to.' Police released a surveillance image showing the missing teen hours before she vanished at a nearby campground. The image shows Rodni at 6.08pm on Friday at a business in Truckee, about ten minutes south of the Prosser Family Camp Ground, where she was last seen at 12.30am later that night, where she was reportedly very drunk. 'Kiely [was] last seen wearing black spaghetti strap bodysuit, green Dickies pants [with] black grommet belt [and] black Vans,' the Placer Sheriff's department wrote in a tweet releasing the image. The teen was allegedly very drunk at the party and her friends believe other youths aren't coming forward due to being afraid of punishment Police said this week they have no evidence to suggest she was abducted and are focusing on a search and rescue investigation instead. Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show cops have set up a forensic tent at the bottom of a boat ramp that is accessed from the Prosser Family Camp Ground. A small submarine with a camera attached was also seen being pulled from the water. Police released a statement saying as of earlier this week they had received 300 tips since Rodni was reported missing on Saturday. They also noted they had assigned 265 personnel to the search and logged a collective 4,600 hours. In addition to the boats and dive teams combing the reservoir, authorities have deployed helicopters to conduct aerial searches for the missing teen. Detective Sergeant Scott Alford, who is leading the operation, said yesterday that no stone would be left unturned and pleaded with the teens who attended the party to come forward. Police dive teams have now joined the search for Kiely and exclusive DailyMail.com photos show boats searching the Prosser Creek Reservoir, which is a 760-acre stretch of water Sheriff's deputies set up a forensics tent on a ramp into Prosser Creek Reservoir and launched mini-submarines fitted with cameras in a bid to find Kiely's SUV Police boats and helicopters spent Tuesday searching the reservoir a 760-acre lake that lies directly beneath the campground where Kiely was last seen. More than 100 cops were combing the area near the campground where she was last seen, with police boats and divers scouring the 73ft deep Prosser Creek Reservoir, which sits directly below. Police have blocked access roads leading to the reservoir and are believed to be working on the theory that Kiely, 16, accidentally drove her silver Honda SUV into the water. A dive team from the Nevada County Sheriff's Department was also on site early Tuesday morning and was seen setting up in a spot next to the reservoir, southwest of the camping area and accessible by a dirt trail. Friends have said that Kiely had been drinking and they were worried about her attempting to drive home. This is the shocking moment an OnlyFans model viciously punched and kicked her boyfriend in an elevator before she stabbed him to death. The horrific footage shows Courtney Clenney, 26, launch a blistering attack on Christian Obumseli, 27, two months before she killed him in Miami. She pounded the touch screen before slapping him and pulling his hair as he desperately tried to fend off her blows. She allegedly stabbed him to death at their luxury apartment in the One Paraiso building in Edgewater, Miami, on April 3. The footage was released by prosecutors who dumped a mound of evidence they had found against Clenney. It included allegations the couple, who had been together two years, had broken up multiple times between January and the start of April. She had allegedly kicked him out of their luxury apartment in the last week of March, just days before she killed him. Meanwhile the documents also told how they would have furious rows when they lived in Austin, Texas, with her allegedly flinging a huge painting off their balcony. And they appear to dismiss the model's claim she threw the knife across the room from over 10ft away, saying it had been up close and personal. Clenney was found by cops coated in blood in her Miami condo but was released because it was thought she had acted in self defense. But she was yesterday charged with second-degree murder after being arrested in Hawaii - where she was in rehab - and is waiting extradition to Miami. The horrific footage shows Courtney Clenney, 26, launch a blistering attack on Christian Obumseli, 27, two months before she killed him in Miami She pounded the touch screen before slapping him and pulling his hair as he desperately tried to fend off her blows She jumped up and grabbed his hair from behind, wrenching his head backwards before punching him in the side of the head A search for her exclusive content shows that it is 'no longer available' but her Instagram account - with two million followers - remains online Clenney allegedly stabbed Obumseli (pictured together) to death at their luxury apartment in the One Paraiso building in Edgewater, Miami, on April 3 Courtney Clenney (pictured in a police mugshot), 26, appears to have removed the page despite posting X-rated content since she killed Christian Obumseli, 27, in April The new one-minute video shows the couple enter the elevator as Clenney bashed on the touch screen to chose a floor. Obumseli appeared to try to calm her down but she turned to him and slapped him and pushed him multiple times in a brutal assault. She jumped up and grabbed his hair from behind, wrenching his head backwards before punching him in the side of the head. The victim tucked her under his arm and tried to restrain her before pressing the elevator button for their floor. But she continued to launch repeated attacks on him as he tried to block her vicious blows. Clenney kept up her attack even as the doors opened and they spilled out into the corridor while appearing to shout at each other. The victim tucked her under his arm and tried to restrain her before pressing the elevator button for their floor But she continued to launch repeated attacks on him as he tried to block her vicious blows Clenney kept up her attack even as the doors opened and they spilled out into the corridor while appearing to shout at each other The footage was disclosed in unsealed documents from Miami-Dade prosecutors as they dropped a heap of evidence in their murder case against the model. It outlines the couple's turbulent relationship, saying they had broken up multiple times since they moved to a 22nd floor condo in Miami in January. They spoke to witnesses who told how they would loudly row into the night, with so many neighbors complaining about them an eviction notice was sought. When they broke up in March and Clenny booted her boyfriend out of the apartment, Clenney's mother Deborah came to stay with her. The couple 'rekindled their relationship' on April 1 and he moved back in, but the arrest warrant says 'arguments began almost immediately'. Cops were called that night and Clenney 'appeared intoxicated', though no arrests were made. Two days later, the day Obumseli died, it had 'began peacefully', with the couple 'playing with their dogs at home. The victim went to Subway to buy them both sandwiches at 1.15pm and got back at 4.32pm. Clenney had just posted a new video on Instagram, and prosecutors think the stabbing occurred in the 13 minutes after her boyfriend returned. The model was arrested at a rehab clinic - where she was seeking help for substance abuse and PTSD - in Laupahoehoe yesterday morning Clenney is shown on April 3 after stabbing Obumseli on the balcony of their home A search for her OnlyFans account - which was under the name Courtney Tailor - yielded no results while a link on her website forwarded to an unavailable page Her Instagram account remains active but she has not shared any images on it for 19 weeks The young couple had recently moved together from Austin, where they met, to Miami She was thought to have been on the phone to her mom, who said she heard her daughter arguing with Obumseli and claim he was 'lying'. The model called cops at 4.57pm to report the stabbing, and could be heard saying: 'I'm so sorry baby.' The warrant added: 'On that call, the victim can be heard in the background repeatedly saying he is dying and cannot feel his arm. 'The amount of blood throughout the condominium at different levels, including two large pools, evidences the victim was bleeding for an extended period before police arrived.' The document goes on to claim her mother texted her to tell her to mention 'self-defense' and 'advised her to not say anything to investigators without an attorney'. But Clenney went on to talk to the cops, arguing she grabbed the knife because Obumseli pinned her against a wall by her throat. Yet detectives pointed out in the document there were no injuries on her and 'at no time did [she] claim the victim was armed with any type of weapon'. Chief Medical Examiner Kenneth Hutchins also poured scorn on her claim she had thrown the knife, saying: 'I do not think that this was... I don't know. He added: 'I really don't know if this was justified at all.' The knife wound penetrated his chest for eight centimeters and was pointed slightly downwards. State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said: 'The violent and toxic two-year relationship of Christian Obumbeli and Courtney Clenney did not have to end in tragedy with Christian's murder as a victim of domestic violence.' Obumseli's family do not believe that he was threatening to harm his girlfriend Clenney Chenney is pictured looking disheveled in a 2020 mugshot after she was landed in court for DUI Meanwhile witnesses revealed how the couple's time living together in Austin was also turbulent. Aidan Nevisky, who lived on the floor below them, reported loud arguments erupting frequently a few years ago. He told the Herald: 'You could hear her throwing glasses, smashing objects. Everyone on the 10th and 11th floors could hear them. They were not quiet.' He said in one furious row Clenney appeared to have chucked a huge painting of a tiger off the balcony, which blew on to his below. Cops in Hawaii detained Clenney on Wednesday morning ahead of extradition back to Miami. She has been charged with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon. Her lawyer said: 'I'm completely shocked, especially since we were cooperating with the investigation and offered to voluntarily surrender her if she were charged.' The attorney, Frank Prieto, added in a statement: 'We look forward to clearing her name in court.' Prieto said that Clenney had been forced to stab Obumseli after he grabbed her by the throat. The model was later caught on video covered in blood on her high-rise balcony just after the incident. Clenney was taken into custody under Florida's Baker Act, which protects people at risk of suicide or mental health crisis, but was freed without charge. Obumseli's brother in April was livid she was not being charged, saying it was 'because of her 'privilege' as a 'wealthy white woman'. Jeffrey wrote on Instagram the family do not believe Clenney and demanded she be charged with killing the brother he called Toby. He said: 'Within 24 hours following Toby's death, the detective on the case prematurely concluded this was not a crime of violence.' The victim's brother also slammed Clenney for videos that emerged following the incident that showed her kissing her dogs and ordering drinks at the hotel bar. He continued: 'We've seen videos of Courtney kissing her dogs while covered in what we believe to be my brother's blood and casually getting drinks at a hotel bar days later while my brother lays in the morgue.' He was referring to videos that show Clenney at Miami's Grand Beach hotel days after her boyfriend's death. Clenney was spotted at a Miami hotel bar days after the killing, trying to have a drink with her father Clenney and her father were chased out of the bar by the woman who said she had 'just killed her boyfriend'. Her attorney says they were trying to pick up a drink and go to the beach Obumseli's family has raised more than $72,000 on a GoFundMe page to help pay for his funeral and to bring his body home to Texas Her attorney pushed back against this claim saying: 'The statement about Courtney 'casually getting drinks' is absolutely false. 'Courtney was not ''casually getting drinks at a hotel bar''. Courtney was sitting at an unattended table in the hotel lobby area that also has a bar.' Prieto added her father was in town and they were having drinks then left because a 'woman was berating them for no reason'. Obumseli's family from Austin, Texas, continues to demand answers. They also raised more than $80,000 via a GoFundMe. On their page, they say he was the victim of a 'heinous act of violence.' It says: 'Christian Toby Obumseli was murdered in Florida a week before his 28th birthday. It is unconscionable to make sense of our new reality. 'That someone's selfish act ripped Christian away from this world. It is not enough to say we are shocked and hurting - we are utterly devastated. 'His murder leaves many unanswered questions and creates a void that can never be fixed or filled. Not even with time. 'Christian was extremely compassionate with a desire always to uplift those around him. He did not deserve for his life to be cut short by a heinous act of violence.' The couple's friends have given conflicting reports on who was abusive during their turbulent relationship. Some said they never saw Obumseli being violent with his girlfriend, but they had seen her hit him. One of the couple's friends Ashley Vaughn said: 'We've seen her hit him. I've never seen him hit her.' She told Local 10 : 'From what we've personally experienced between the both of them, we believe that Christian wouldn't put her in a position where she would need to stab him to protect herself.' Furious neighbours forced to evacuate from their homes after a fatal explosion in south London which killed a four-year-old girl told the local gas provider last night they 'have blood on their hands'. Sahara Salman died after a terraced house collapsed in Galpin's Road, Thornton Heath, in the borough of Merton, shortly after 7am on Monday. The girl's mother, Sana Ahmad, accused Southern Gas Networks (SGN) of neglecting problems in the area and said her 'world has been torn apart'. At a community meeting in South Lodge Avenue, Mitcham on Thursday evening, residents said that at least 18 calls were made to gas firm SGN from Galpin's Road about the smell of gas in the days and weeks leading up to the explosion. Martin Holloway, executive operations director for SGN, told some 100 residents in the local community centre the firm was 'shocked and saddened' about the death of Sahara. Mr Holloway told locals at the community meeting: 'Whilst I appreciate it is frustrating given the ongoing police investigation, I'm unable to talk about what happened in the run-up to the explosion. 'I know that's difficult because people want answers about what's happening.' However, locals immediately began shouting at Mr Holloway, who had to stop speaking. Two residents walked out of the meeting while shouting at the company representative, with one describing the investigation as a 'whitewash'. Sahara Salman (above), 4, died after a terraced house collapsed in Galpin's Road, Thornton Heath, in the southern borough of Merton, shortly after 7am on Monday One resident said the company had 'blood on their hands', while another demanded answers, as 'houses don't just blow up'. One man who lived on Galpin's Road told Mr Holloway: 'A little girl lost her life because of you lot taking your time, and how many people have been telling you that there's been a problem.' Mr Holloway confirmed that 'the entire history, both electronic and paper' of all the work carried out by SGN on Galpin's Road would be available to the police for their investigation. He added that the company would also make a 'voluntary goodwill contribution' to the local council following the blast. Residents were told by SGN that the road 'would be safe from a gas perspective tomorrow', and that those within the outer cordon will start being able to return to their homes from Friday, subject to a sign-off from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Neighbours forced to evacuate from their homes after a fatal explosion in south London which killed a four-year-old girl on Monday told local gas provider Southern Gas Networks 'has blood on their hands'. Pictured second left, SGN's executive operations director Martin Holloway at the community meeting in South Lodge Avenue, Mitcham on Thursday evening Residents (pictured) shouted at Martin Holloway, executive operations director, who had to stop speaking. Two residents walked out of the meeting while shouting at the company representative, with one describing the investigation as a 'whitewash' AJ Sowe, who lived six doors down from the explosion and had his patio doors blown out by the blast, said that he was dissatisfied with the response from the gas network. He had been evacuated on Tuesday after the cordon was extended, amid fears over safety and the possibility of a second blast. He said: 'I expected to come here for specific answers to what has happened and what will happen in the future. 'And what I have been given is the lack of confidence, which I already had in SGN, that they allowed 18 complaints to be unheard, then they allowed the workforce to go out over a three-and-a-half-week period, without resolving this issue, for then an explosion to happen and a child to die.' He expressed anger that gas workers were 'having a little giggle' and 'sharing ice lollies' at the site on Tuesday, while he and several other residents were waiting outside the cordon for updates on the situation. Keri, who wished to be known only by her first name, stood up to tell the panel that she had been given just 40 to feed her family of seven while they stayed in a hotel following their evacuation. Now residents of the street (pictured) have claimed that gas engineers were due to visit for emergency repairs four hours after the explosion A 200-metre long police cordon (pictured) remained in place on Thursday, with residents from around 80 homes still evacuated to nearby hotels while detectives and dozens of gas workers dig up the street for clues She shouted: 'I called the gas company myself; I called them and you know what the lady said to me? "Oh, we're aware of it honey, just bear with us". 'I came up at 5.30 that morning, I smelt gas, I smelt burning oil. And I got into a taxi and god forbid the explosion happened and took me with that taxi. 'I'm wearing other people's clothes because of this, and you're going to sit here and say, "oh, we'll come to you, we'll do this, we'll do that". 'What's going to happen to me and my family come Tuesday?' Thursday evening's meeting marked the first time that a representative from SGN had come to speak to residents caught up in the blast. Mr Holloway appeared alongside local MP Siobhain McDonagh, leader of Merton Council Ross Garrod, and Inspector Barrie Capper from the Metropolitan Police. The meeting began with a minute's silence for Sahara, and Ms McDonagh shared a message from Sahara's mother, who was not present at Thursday's meeting, saying that she was 'thinking of you, and regards you as family'. Following the meeting, a spokesperson told MailOnline: 'This has been an extremely difficult time for the community in Thornton Heath, which is why it was important for us to meet with residents last night. 'Our engineers have been working on site all week, alongside our customer teams who are supporting Merton Council. 'Given the ongoing Police investigation, were unable to discuss what happened in the run-up to the explosion. 'We know thats difficult as people want answers about whats happened but we are working closely with investigators, including the police, to understand what led to the explosion on Monday. 'All of us at SGN are shocked and saddened about the death of Sahara. We send our sincere condolences to her family.' Earlier, an NHS receptionist told the Evening Standard she reported the smell of gas to the utility firm ten days before the blast but the family's concerns were dismissed and a follow-up inspection did not happen. A 200-metre long police cordon remained in place on Thursday, with residents from around 80 homes still evacuated to nearby hotels while detectives and dozens of gas workers dig up the street for clues. Shirley Darmanin, a resident on Galpin's Road for 32 years who lives several doors down from Sahara's family, said the street has had 'gas leaks for years'. 'I'm always ringing and ringing them (SGN) and they said they would fix it and you'd smell it again,' she said Merton council has said the explosion was the result of a gas leak, but official investigations remain ongoing 'It's terrible on that road, there's always a gas van outside, it's constant and I've been there 32 years. 'This was an accident waiting to happen, I'm really angry that this poor child has died - it wasn't necessary, if somebody was doing their job she would not have died. 'There's a main pipe in our road and it supplies all the area. Because it's going to cost them a lot of money (to fix) they won't do it, and that's what it's all about - money, nobody cares. 'They said they were coming at 11am on Monday to carry out repairs and at 7am it exploded. We all got shook out of our bed and ran out in our pyjamas, the whole building and windows shook. It was like a bomb.' Another resident in the cordon zone, Mudassir Ali, said: 'Me, my wife and our children were sleeping and we woke to a big explosion. People were running out towards it, there was no smoke and no fire but the whole house collapsed and some across the road. 'Obviously I'm angry because we've lost a girl and people have been badly injured, they will take a long time to recover from the crush. I hope that if there is a leak in future and people ring, they will respond in the proper way.' Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, of the Met's Specialist Crime unit, said: 'We are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive and our investigation is being fully supported by partners and local officers. 'My thoughts are also with those who remain in hospital, their families and all those affected.' The girl's mother Ms Ahmad told the Evening Standard she was on the phone to her mother in the house with her four children when the blast took place, and lost Sahara in the rubble. She described her daughter as 'the most incredible little girl', who was due to turn five and start school in September. Merton council has said the explosion was the result of a gas leak, but official investigations remain ongoing. Volunteers at the New Horizon Centre, the evacuation hub in Mitcham, are crowdfunding 5,000 to take residents affected by the tragedy on day trips this summer. More than 250 was donated via GoFundMe on the first day. A spokeswoman for SGN told MailOnline: 'We are shocked and saddened by this tragic loss of life and our deepest sympathies are with the family and all those who have been affected. 'Our engineers are assisting the emergency services with the investigation to establish the cause of the explosion. 'We are also on site, liaising with Merton Council, providing support and assistance. 'Given the ongoing Police investigation, we are unable to comment any further at this stage.' gettyimagesbank By Anna J. Park Internet-only banks that have been vocal about their demand for innovation have turned out to be actually lagging behind their traditional peers in their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG)-related efforts. They've been especially weak in fulfilling the governance factor. K bank and Toss Bank haven't even appointed any female independent board members yet, while KakaoBank has appointed only one female board executive out of its six independent board members. She is Lee Eun-kyung, a former judge and legal expert with ample advisory experience in gender and human rights issues. The reason that KakaoBank appointed a female board member is to abide by the revision of the country's Capital Markets Act. The revision obligates companies with over two trillion won ($1.5 billion) worth in capital assets to avoid board members being of a single gender, requiring the firms to appoint at least more than one female board member into their executive group. KakaoBank has also set up an ESG committee within its board, which is the first attempt to do so among the country's internet-only banks. The ESG committee aims to devise sustainable management strategies, while carrying through the firm's related initiatives to pursue ESG goals. The digital bank also aims to publish an annual sustainable management report to publicize its achievements in ESG-related fields. K bank, meanwhile, has to appoint female board members, as it aims to go public as early as next year. Once the firm is listed, the bank will be required to abide by the Capital Markets Act. Currently, all 8 independent board members of the bank are male, which will be in violation of the Capital Markets Act revision, requiring that companies have more than one gender represented on their boards. A K bank official explained that the bank will recruit female board members, once a specific timeline for the listing is determined. Toss Bank is also having a similar problem: all six members of the bank's independent board are male. The bank said it is considering appointing female board members in the long-term perspective. ? An excerpt from an upcoming book obtained by DailyMail.com claims that the computer repairman who turned over Hunter Biden's laptop to the FBI may have been threatened by one of the agents on the case An FBI agent who was tasked with retrieving Hunter Biden's laptop from a repair shop in Delaware in 2019 allegedly threatened the store owner, according to an account from his upcoming book. John Paul Mac Isaac wrote in an excerpt from his book, exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, that two agents came to his laptop repair store to retrieve Hunter's laptop following a subpoena, which came months after he tried to voluntarily hand over the device to the FBI. He claimed that during the events on December 9, 2019 at his shop he tried to 'defuse the award situation with humor' and told the two agents 'I'll remember to change your names when I write the book.' Now, Mac Isaac has actually written a book about the events, American Injustice: My Battle to Expose the Truth, and included the interaction with those agents two years ago. 'Agent Wilson kept walking,' Mac Isaac wrote, 'but Agent DeMeo paused and turned to face me. 'It is our experience that nothing ever happens to people that don't talk about these things,' he said, before turning back and walking out the door.' The author claims he locked the door after they left and weighed whether that was a 'direct threat' or a 'thinly veiled one.' The ordeal came more than two months after Mac Isaac said he deployed his father to try and hand over a copy of the hard drive to the feds in New Mexico. Hunter first came into The Mac Shop is Wilmington on April 12, 2019, according to Mac Isaac's timeline of events, which he detailed to DailyMail.com. The president's son was trying to recover data from damaged devices. Three days after the initial interaction, Mac Isaac spoke with Hunter on the phone about dropping off a related drive to the recovery efforts, which he did the next day. April 16, 2019 was the last time Mac Isaac ever heard from or saw Hunter. When he called him to let him know the job was done and ready for pick up, Hunter never came, Mac Isaac claims. That same month, Biden announced his candidacy for president. John Paul Mac Isaac (pictured) is the laptop repairman who turned over Hunter Biden's laptop to the FBI after the president's son came into his shop in 2019. He claims in his upcoming book that one FBI agent said to him: 'It is our experience that nothing ever happens to people that don't talk about these things' Shortly after, Mac Isaac said he started speaking to his father about concerns related to the laptop - particularly messages he saw related to Ukraine as a story emerged involving President Donald Trump and collusion in the 2016 campaign. Ultimately, on October 9, 2019 Mac Isaac's father took a copy of the hard drive that his son gave him to try and hand it over to the FBI in New Mexico. But, Mac Isaac told DailyMail.com, the field office would not take the device, claiming it was not a federal issue. He claims less than one month later on November 1, the FBI reached out to his father and on December 9, 2019 two agents came to Mac Isaac's store and retrieved Hunter's backup hard drive along with the laptop and other related paperwork. Mac Isaac wrote in his book, set for release November 22, 2022, that he asked the agents what he should say if someone came looking for the laptop. 'Tell them you keep abandoned equipment offsite, like a warehouse location,' one agent told him, according to a book retelling. Hunter's laptop, which came into Mac Isaac's possession in April 2019, included a slew of compromising and X-rated content including nude, pornographic and drug-related images and videos of the president's adult son 'Tell them it will take a day for you to check and they should call back the next day,' he claims the agent added. 'Then immediately text me at my cell number. From now on, only communicate through my cell number. Not Agent Wilson, just me. We need to avoid communicating through, ah, normal channels. I'm sure you can understand. Text me and we will get the equipment back to you and deal with the situation.' Mac Isaac noted: 'I felt like I had given away my only good cards and been left with garbage. But it was too late to reconsider; it was done.' The author and former laptop repairman says in his book that he was relieved to be rid of the materials, but felt that it was a rush job with no real care for the gravity of the matter. This was further proved, he claims, when he was watching the impeachment trial against Trump start in January 2020 and heard no mention of Hunter's laptop. Robert Brockman, the former chief executive of Reynolds & Reynolds Co. who was awaiting trial in the largest federal tax fraud case in U.S. history, has died at age 81. At the time of his death, the Internal Revenue Services and prosecutors had accused Brockman of utilizing various offshore structures to conceal $2billion. The IRS believes he used money from those structures to invest in Vista Equity Partners' software-focused private-equity funds, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. His death will not end the civil litigation brought on by the IRS, which seeks $1.4billion in back taxes, penalties and interest that Brockman owed. Robert Brockman, 81, was awaiting trial for federal charges of tax fraud Brockman was regarded as a penny-pincher by his employees as he rarely gave employees raises, ate frozen dinners and forbade employees from smoking to save on health insurance Brockman and his wife, Dorothy, moved to Houston after marrying in 1968 Born in May 1941 in St. Petersburg, Fla., Brockman was the son of a gas station owner and a physiotherapist. He attended Centre College, a liberal arts college in Kentucky, before making his way to the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he became a salesman at both Ford Motor Co. and International Business Machines Corp. During this period in the late 1960s, Brockman married his wife, Dorothy. The couple then moved to Houston where they had their only child, Robert Brockman II. Here, Brockman began to teach himself computer programming and started his software company, Universal Computer Systems Inc., which developed and supported software for automotive retailers. His early wealth grew as Brockman became an early pioneer in the software industry, utilizing the value of recurring revenue while leading his automotive-dealer customers into long-term contracts. Through the growth of UMC, the company purchased Reynolds & Reynolds, a competing automotive software company, in 2006 for $2.6 billion. During his time as an executive, Brockman was regarded as a penny-pincher. A complex webbing of Brockman's offshore structure outlined by the Department of Justice, showing how he concealed $2 billion Legal filings which argued Brockman was unfit to stand trial because of advancing dementia The former billionaire reportedly purchased used furniture for company offices, forbade employees from smoking to save on health insurance, stayed in motels while traveling, ate frozen dinners and rarely awarded raises to employees. After his 2020 indictment, Brockman's lawyers argued that he wasn't competent to stand trial because of advancing dementia, court filings claim. Lawyers supported this by suggesting that his Parkinson's disease had developed dementia, which had worsened after contracting COVID-19 in December. A judge later ruled in May 2022 that he was competent, though his health had deteriorated. Attorneys said Brockman was bedridden and in hospice care in the weeks leading up to his death. The $8 million Houston-based mansion owned by the billionaire and his family, which complements a 143-acre property in Colorado Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he has to stop harvesting at his Diddly Squat farm due to the risk of fire as the sweltering conditions in the UK continue to dry up soil and raise the probability of wildfires. The former Top Gear host, 62, runs his own farm in Chipping Norton, Chadlington, Oxfordshire, and films his escapades for the Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm, but the run of warm weather has left him unable to harvest. Clarkson took to Twitter to reveal: 'F**ketty F**k. Had to stop harvesting because of, and I'm not making this up, the fire risk.' He explained to a fan asking what may cause a fire that anything could lead to devastating consequences: 'Any damn thing. A bit of litter. A spark from the combine. A fag end. A careless rambler.' One reply quipped, 'at least it will make a nice episode plot', with Jeremy responding that season two had already finished filming on Monday this week. Today it emerged that a drought could be declared for some parts of England on Friday as 96.8F (36C) temperatures are forecasted from Saturday. Jeremy Clarkson (pictured) has revealed he has to stop harvesting at his Diddly Squat farm due to the risk of fire as the sweltering conditions in the UK continue to dry up soil and raise the probability of wildfires The former Top Gear host, 62, runs his own farm in Chipping Norton, Chadlington, Oxfordshire, and films his escapades for the Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm, but the run of warm weather has left him unable to harvest The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet tomorrow to discuss the prolonged dry weather. There are expectations drought could be declared for some parts of England such as southern and eastern areas, could prompt action by agencies and water companies to manage water resources to ensure supplies and protect the environment after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976. Four water companies in England and Wales have already brought in hosepipe bans or have signalled their intention to do so, while the Wildlife Trusts have called for an England-wide hosepipe ban to protect nature and rivers. Clarkson (his farm shop sign is pictured) explained to a fan asking what may cause a fire that anything could lead to devastating consequences: 'Any damn thing. A bit of litter. A spark from the combine. A fag end. A careless rambler' Clarkson, pictured with farming contractor Kaleb Cooper who helps Jeremy maintain his land on the Amazon Prime series Clarkson's Farm, told fans filming finished for season two The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last month's record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires. It comes as fire crews have been battling ferocious wildfires across the capital today amid the sweltering temperatures across the dry, tinderbox conditions - while a 'substantial fire involving crop' continues to rage in Leicestershire. Britain experienced its hottest day on record with temperatures hitting an unprecedented 40.3C (104.5F) in Coningsby on 19 July amidst a scorching heatwave for the UK. The Met Office raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - today for much of southern England, and Wales alongside an amber, as the mercury is forecast to climb to 'lethally hot' temperatures of 35C (95F) over the weekend. The warning system also been at its second highest level of alert for seven weeks, which is the longest stretch since 1976. An aerial photograph taken today shows dried out fields at the Euston Estate farm, outside Thetford, as drought is expected to be declared tomorrow Pictured: As the scorching heatwave continues, cattle search for drinking water in Dartmoor, Devon, at what until recently was an established watering hole, but is now completely dry Pictured: An alarming aerial image shows Euston Estate farm's depleted reservoirs, located outside Thetford The heat is likely to affect health, transport and working conditions, meteorologists said, as water companies are being urged to protect essential supplies heading into a 'likely very dry autumn'. The 62-year-old now-farmer Clarkson, who also stars with ex-Top Gear hosts Richard Hammond and James May in The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime, came under fire last month for suggesting that Britain is overreacting to the heatwave across the country. Trains were cancelled, hospital appointments were axed and schools closed amid warnings from the Met Office that even healthy people could die. Firefighters put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday afternoon as parts of the UK have become a tinder box due to the extreme hot weather Firefighter battles a wall of flames as he and his crew attempt to put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday A man is pictured walking on a path amongst dead grass in Victoria Park, east London. The Met Office has issued an amber heat warning running between Thursday and Sunday, which could see temperatures peak at 36C across southern England and eastern Wales Pictured: A view from the runway of Gatwick Airport sees smoke billowing in the distance from a suspected wildfire from the Crawley area earlier today. The heat and constant dry weather in the south west has risen concerns about serious drought and wildfires Jeremy, 62, seemed to think that the reaction was over the top, and tweeted to his 7.7 million followers: 'Its very hot in the south of France but so far as I know, theres no DefCon 8 level 3 killer death heatwave warning in place.' It attracted a lot of backlash from people who pointed out that Jeremy was incorrect, as much of western France experienced up to 111F (44C) near Bordeaux in what forecasters branded a 'heat apocalypse'. The extreme conditions sparked dozens of fires, with crews left battling a 'monster' blaze in Gironde which forced 16,000 people to evacuate and torched 14,000 acres within a week. Now the heat threatens Christmas dinner! Britain could face shortage of Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli due to dry weather By Jamie Phillips for MailOnline The UK could face shortages of Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli due to the dry weather as soaring temperatures threaten Christmas dinners. Farmers have also warned of a shortage of strawberries as a combination of a severe lack of rainfall and rising costs of production plays havoc with yields. Britain is in the midst of its driest eight months from November to June since 1976, as well as the most arid July on record for parts of southern and eastern England. The production of potatoes, onions, carrots and lettuce is also understood to be suffering amid warnings that hosepipe bans could be in place until October because there is no 'meaningful rainfall' forecast to arrive anytime soon. British Growers Association chief executive Jack Ward told The I that he has 'never seen this combination of no rain and super-high temperatures'. He added: 'Youre putting very small, very sensitive plants into what is now just parched land that hasnt seen a drop of rain for weeks and weeks and weeks and trying to keep those plants alive is a real challenge, so at the moment were all wondering what proportion of the crops that are being planted for harvest in the winter are even going to survive.' An aerial view of a farmer carrying out a harvest during a heatwave in Scampton, Lincolnshire on Thursday Farmers have warned that the UK is facing a shortage of brussels sprouts for Christmas due to the hot weather The UK may also be short of cabbages amid its driest eight months from November to June since 1976 It comes after parts of parts of southern and eastern England recorded their driest ever July on record The potential shortage of vegetables risks affecting Christmas dinners across Britain later this year A woman falls asleep in the heat at a park in London on Thursday as Firefighters attend a wildfire in Rainham, Essex, on Thursday as the period of hot weather and lack of rainfall has increased the risk of blazes The Met Office said southern England had seen its driest July since records began in 1836 Supermarkets normally rely on receiving supplies from Europe if there are shortages of particular foods in Britain, but the entire continent has been impacted by a lack of rainfall this year. Head of horticulture and agroforestry at the Soil Association Ben Raskin has also warned of a shortage of salad leaves due to their short roots - meaning they are unable to access water deeper into the ground. He also said yields for kale and cauliflower are 'looking pretty rubbish'. It comes after Tom Bradshaw, deputy president of the National Farmers' Union, told MailOnline last week that water had become a 'critical issue' and that 'the writing is on the wall' for some crops. he added: 'The impacts of this prolonged spell of dry weather are hugely challenging for many farms across the country and causing concern for all farming sectors. It highlights the urgent need for government and its agencies to better plan for and manage the nation's water resources. 'This will help build resilience into the farming sector and provide investment opportunities for irrigation equipment and to build more on-farm reservoirs.' Mr Bradshaw continued: 'The lack of rain means crops such as sugar beet and maize are showing signs of stress, while there are challenges for farmers needing to irrigate field veg and potatoes. 'To help, the Environment Agency has launched measures to support flexible abstraction and this will potentially give some farmers the ability to trade volumes of water with other farmers. Farming experts said the hot weather has a 'really severe' impact on carrot yield this year Farmers have also said potato yields are likely to be 'well below average' amid the dry weather in Britain The ground starts to crack on a footpath in Windsor Great Park on Thursday due to the continued heat and lack of rainfall Wheat stubble in a field in Eton on Thursday as the ground becomes tinder dry across the UK amid searing temperatures A person jogging on a path amongst dead grass in Victoria Park, east London, on Thursday surrounded by scorched ground 'The dry weather has also severely hampered grass growth which could hit feed supplies for the winter, adding additional costs to livestock farming businesses at a time when costs are continuing to increase significantly. 'With the forecast predicting more dry weather in the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor for any impacts on UK food production.' Months of little rainfall, combined with record-breaking temperatures in July, have left rivers at exceptionally low levels, depleted reservoirs and dried-out soils. All of this has put pressure on the environment, farming and water supplies, and is fuelling wildfires. A North Dakota school board voted to stop saying the Pledge of Allegiance before meetings because the phrase 'under God' doesn't include all faiths. The Fargo School Board voted 7-2 to drop the Pledge on Tuesday because its members felt it wasn't inclusive. During the spring, the board had originally voted to keep the Pledge, but after recent elections - which saw four new board members joining the team - Vice President Seth Holden sought to rescind the previous action, board member Robin Nelson told DailyMail.com on Thursday. Nelson, who voted to keep the Pledge, told DailyMail.com that Holden argued that keeping the pledge violated their 'equity inclusion' clause and didn't represent all religions and those who are atheist or agnostic. The Fargo School Board voted 7-2 to eliminate the Pledge of Allegiance from their meetings on Tuesday (pictured front to back: (front row) Nikkie Gullickson, Robin Nelson, Katie Christensen, Greg Clark, Pres. Tracie Newman, (back row) Nyamal Dei, Jim Johnson, VP Seth Holden, and Melissa Burkland) Holden said the Pledge violated their 'equity inclusion' clause and did not represent all faiths, board member Robin Nelson, who voted to keep the Pledge, told DailyMail.com on Thursday. He reportedly said the word 'God' is 'capitalized,' meaning it only represents 'Judeo-Christian' religions Holden said, according to Inforum, that the word 'God' is 'capitalized' in the Pledge, meaning it only referred to the 'Judeo-Christian God, and therefore, it does not include any other faith such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, all of which are practiced by our staff and students.' Holden also reportedly said that he is not personally against the Pledge, but does not find that it is committed to the religious upbringings of all staff and students. However, Nelson and fellow board member Nikkie Gullickson disagreed and voted to keep the Pledge. 'I did not want that right removed from me,' Nelson told DailyMail.com on why she personally voted no. 'Our job is to focus on the education of the children.' Vice President Seth Holden was the one to bring the Pledge debacle back after it was ruled in the spring to keep reciting it. Although he has nothing personally against the Pledge, he reportedly said it does not represent all students and staff's faiths, including those who are atheist and agonistic Nelson (left) and Nikkie Gullickson (right) voted to keep the Pledge, with Nelson telling DailyMail.com that she did not 'want that right removed from me.' She also said the Pledge discussion was 'distracting' from 'other board issues,' such as student mental health and teacher recruitment She also suggested that revisiting the Pledge debacle was a 'distraction from other board issues,' such as student mental health and teacher recruitment. Although it is unknown the exact religion breakdowns seen through Fargo School District, Nelson told DailyMail.com that it was largely Christian faiths, which many in the local areas being Lutherans or Catholics. Lutherans make up around 30 percent of North Dakota's population and Catholic are just shy of 25 percent, as of 2010. Former board member David Paulson, who was not reelected and had originally brought up the Pledge debacle in the spring, said his former colleagues are 'misinterpreting' the Pledge and focusing on religion, rather than freedom. 'The Pledge isnt a show of our patriotism, its an affirmation of our commitment and our loyalty to the greater cause, and that greater cause is freedom,' he said, according to Inforum. The board originally voted to keep the Pledge in the spring, but after recently election - which saw four new members join - Vice President Seth Holden proposed to rescind the previous action, according to an internal memo, obtained by DailyMail.com Paulson had attended the recent board meeting to plead his case as to why the board should continue to say the Pledge, citing that many other school boards do. Nelson told DailyMail.com that Fargo is the only school district to not say the Pledge in the local area. School Board President Tracie Newman said she doesn't have strong feelings toward saying the Pledge or not, but suggested, they say, a 'shared statement of purpose' ahead of the meetings instead, according to Inforum. 'I'm just not sure that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a useful way to begin every one of our board meetings,' she said. 'I would much prefer that we open our meetings with a shared statement of purpose that would bring us all together to do the work of the board.' Advertisement The 14-year-old horse who fell in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday evening - reigniting the debate on the city's horse-drawn carriages - was seen happily munching down on bales of hay Thursday. Ryder appeared to have a cut on his neck and bruises on his knees following the fall around 5pm at the intersection of 9th Avenue and West 45th Street in Hell's Kitchen, where he tripped and stumbled on his way back to the 39 Street stables, and did not get back up. Such instances are considered medical emergencies, as horses are not supposed to lie down for extended periods of time. Videos posted online show the rider called 'Get up! Get up! Get up! C'mon, get up' to the animal, whose knees were buckling. He also pulled the reins and slapped him in a bid to make him stand, as people watched on in horror. After more than an hour, and with the help of an adrenaline shot, officials were able to get the horse back on its feet. PETA and New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets have since used the video to renew their calls for an end to the horse-drawn carriage industry in New York City, which they say should be replaced with electric vehicles. Christine Hansen, a spokeswoman for Historic Horse-Drawn Carriages of Central Park, which represents the New York City carriage horse industry, told DailyMail.com how Ryder, a 14-year-old stallion is recovering after a fall in Manhattan Wednesday evening Ryder was on his way back from giving two rides in Central Park when he tripped and fell and would not get back up Ryder appeared to have cuts on his neck and bruises on his legs from the fall Wednesday evening He was seen Thursday happily munching down on hay as PETA and other animal rights activists called for an end to the horse drawn carriage industry in New York City The man pulled the reins and slapped him in a bid to make him stand, as people watching on were horrified. But he failed to get the animal up, with him remaining on the ground, exhausted. Police arrived and sprayed him with water and got him up after more than an hour, after giving him an adrenalin shot But Christine Hansen, a spokeswoman for Historic Horse-Drawn Carriages of Central Park, which represents the New York City carriage horse industry, told DailyMail.com how the rider tried to unhook the horse from his black carriage and immediately called for a veterinarian and the New York Police Department's Mounted Unit to assist. When police arrived, they sprayed the stallion with a hose 'just as a precaution because he wasn't getting up,' Hansen said, noting he was showing no signs of overheating, and a veterinarian on the scene found that all of his vitals were normal. In fact, she said, it was only after the veterinarian had the horse walk, that he noticed Ryder's unusual gait and diagnosed him with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a parasite from infected opossum droppings which affects more than half of all horses on the East Coast. Most of the time, the parasite has little effect and leaves the horse's body within a few days, Hansen said, but in rare instances like this one it gets into the cerebral spinal fluid where it can last for months or even years before a horse starts to show signs of neurological issues. The carriage Ryder used to bring tourists around Central Park on Wednesday stood outside his stables in midtown Manhattan Ryder lives with several other horses in the stables, which appeared clean when DailyMail.com toured the facilities His stall, exclusively pictured by DailyMail.com, seems clean with hay bundled in the corner and a small window to let light in throughout the day Prior to arriving in the Big Apple in April, Hansen told DailyMail.com, Ryder worked in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania as a buggy horse. 'Those horses work really hard,' Hansen said, noting they could be made to work for hours a day without any breaks. What is EPM? (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis) More than 50 percent of all horses in the United States may have been exposed to the organism that causes EPM. The causative organism is a protozoal parasite called Sarcocystis neurona. The disease is not transmitted from horse to horse. Rather, the protozoa are spread by the definitive host, the opossum, which acquires the organism from cats, raccoons, skunks, and armadillos and possibly even from harbor seals and sea otters. The infective stage of the organism (the sporocysts) is passed in the opossum's feces. The horse comes into contact with the infective sporocysts while grazing or eating contaminated feed or drinking water. Once ingested, the sporocysts migrate from the intestinal tract into the bloodstream and cross the blood/brain barrier. There they begin to attack the horse's central nervous system. The onset of the disease may be slow or sudden. If left undiagnosed and untreated, EPM can cause devastating and lasting neurological damage. SYMPTOMS The clinical signs of EPM can be quite varied. Clinical signs are usually asymmetrical (not the same on both sides of the horse). Actual signs may depend on the severity and location of the lesions that develop in the brain, brain stem or spinal cord. Signs may include: Ataxia (incoordination), spasticity (stiff, stilted movements), abnormal gait or lameness; Incoordination and weakness, which worsens when going up or down slopes or when head is elevated; Muscle atrophy, most noticeable along the topline or in the large muscles of the hindquarters, but can sometimes involve the muscles of the face or front limbs; Paralysis of muscles of the eyes, face or mouth, evident by drooping eyes, ears or lips; Difficulty swallowing; Seizures or collapse; Abnormal sweating; Loss of sensation along the face, neck or body; Head tilt with poor balance; horse may assume a splay-footed stance or lean against stall walls for support. Source: American Association of Equine Practitioners Advertisement City carriage officials said the have no record about what his medical history was like back in Pennsylvania or whether he was malnourished, but Ryder was set to be sent to a slaughter house before carriage horse officials bought him. Under New York City laws, carriage horses cannot work more than nine hours in any continuous 24 hour period and are required to receive five weeks of vacation or furlough every year at a horse stable facility. They are also required to be seen by a vet at least twice a year and are not allowed to work in extreme heat or extreme cold. In fact, Hansen said, the industry once had to shut down because of a lunar eclipse officials feared would mess up the horse's internal clocks. And in his stables in midtown Manhattan, Hansen said, Ryder is guaranteed veterinarian care, and is under the supervision of a stable hand 24 hours a day. His stall, exclusively pictured by DailyMail.com, seems clean with hay bundled in the corner and a small window to let light in throughout the day. It is cleaned several times a day, Hansen said, and the other horses in the stable including some of Hansen's own horses seem to fit into their stalls well. 'In a lot of ways, he was rescued by the carriage horse industry,' Hansen claimed. Ryder is now recovering from his fall at his home stables in midtown Manhattan. He was watched by a stable hand overnight, and Hansen said 'He's eating, he's drinking, he's doing all of the things horses do.' She and other carriage officials, as well as the horses owner, are now trying to determine what to do with the horse as they await the results of a blood test. EPM can flare up at any time even if Ryder's numbness in his back legs goes away, she said, noting that medication could help Ryder get back to normal. In some cases, though, she said the weakness caused by the infection will remain. 'It can be really devastating or it can be something you can treat,' Hansen said. 'It's just a matter of time will tell.' She said she is now in contact with Ryder's owner, who she said is focused on finding the 'right place' for the horse. If officials determine he is no longer able to work as a carriage horse, Hansen said, Ryder may go into an early retirement. Carriage horses in New York City are automatically retired when they reach the age of 26, after which point, she said, they are often brought to live out the rest of their days on farms, or they go on to be wedding carriage horses on Long Island. People across New York City were left shocked by Ryder's fall Wednesday, which happened after a long heatwave in the city. According to the New York Post, one person says in the video: 'What if I slapped you around like that, bro?' Meanwhile, others were heard pleading with the man to stop hitting the horse, as he replied that he is trying to get him to stand up, and whips him with the reins twice. A witness, Uber Eats driver Kelvin Gonzalez, described seeing the horse 'collapse' and added that the animal was obviously malnourished, dehydrated and hungry. Speaking to the Post, he added that he told the driver to give the horse some water and said the situation was 'really sad.' Kelvin added that the horse had tried to stand up more than 10 times but kept falling back down before police officers gave the animal adrenalin. The witness said that he believed the horse knocked the water over as he was disorientated and licked the water from the street because he was thirsty. He alleged that the man did not care about the animal and just wanted to get the horse on its feet again to make more money from him. Another onlooker said that the horse had blood coming from its knee. Cathy Garfield, 75, a tourist, who had grown up with horses, also said that she told those on the scene to not try and force the horse to get up. The footage of the horse collapsing comes after other clips of the animals collapsing and running into cars went viral, further igniting the fight against carriage rides in Central Park and Midtown. In video from the fall, the rider called to the horse to get up as his knees buckled and the carriage remained attached to him The horse was then taken for treatment at another, unspecified location, according to police. People were left shocked by the incident, which happened after a long heatwave Following the incident, animal rights activists renewed their calls to do away with the carriage industry. In a statement, New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) Executive Director Edita Birnkrant said: 'How many more incidents like this do we need? This is clearly animal abuse and it must be stopped.' And Nathan Semmel, 52, an advocate for Voters for Animal Rights, said that horse-drawn carriages should be replaced with electronic vehicles. That proposal is currently being considered by the city council after being sponsored by Councilman Robert Holden, who tweeted the video Wednesday night writing: 'Drivers and horses deserve better.' But Hansen slammed activists using Ryder's fall for their political advantage, saying: 'They don't get the horses.' She said that as living beings, horses sometimes get sick, but when things happen in the age of social media they 'say that's because they're a carriage horse and not because they're a living being.' 'Of course the animal rights people are going to exploit this,' she said, accusing them of 'exploiting people's emotions' for political gain and saying they were 'excited' when the video went viral. She added there is 'no way I would drive an electric carriage.' And, she said there is no evidence that the 130 active horse drivers and 20 others who rely on the horse carriage industry would make a livelihood under the proposal, which she called an 'anti-horse bill.' Hansen also went on to claim that the sponsors of the bill have never actually been to the stables despite talking about its conditions, and do not think of the horses as living beings who sometimes get sick. 'They would rather have horses be dead,' Hansen said, noting that under the proposal all of the horses would lose their homes and would be displaced. Several people have been injured after a suspected machete attacker rampaged through streets and a park in Liverpool. Merseyside Police says it has arrested one man near to Liverpool FC's stadium after reports a number of people had been attacked by someone with a machete. Officers rushed to Arkles Lane, Anfield, just after 5.30pm to a report a man was walking around and shouting at people while carrying what was described as a machete. A number of alleged victims were taken to hospital for treatment after suffering slash wounds. None of them are believed to have sustained life-threatening injuries. Police have arrested one person after multiple people were allegedly attacked with a machete in Liverpool Multiple police vehicles rushed to the Anfield area after reports a man carrying a machete was shouting at people A number of people were taken to hospital after being allegedly attacked by someone with a machete A man, who is from the area, was detained a short time later in Stanley Park, before being arrested and taken into custody for questioning. Police say the incident is not believed to be terror-related and the suspect is thought to have mental health issues. A number of police cordons have been set up in the area this evening, the Liverpool Echo reports. The paper says Utting Avenue, Ince Avenue, part of Stanley Park and part of Anfield Cemetery have been taped off by officers. Police say they believe none of the people taken to hospital have received life-threatening injuries Police have cordoned off a number of areas after the incident this evening, including parts of Stanley Park and Anfield Cemetery It quoted an eyewitness who said they saw man carrying a 'massive machete' and a young man running away with 'stab wounds to the arm'. The incident took place within view less than a mile from the stadiums of Liverpool FC and Everton FC, both of which back onto Stanley Park. Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings said: 'This incident will have been frightening for those assaulted as well as those who witnessed it, and we will provide them with our full support. 'I understand that the circumstances will be frightening too for the wider community in Anfield. 'Thankfully, specialist officers attended swiftly, arrested a suspect and brought an end to the incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public. 'Extra officers will be deployed on high visibility patrols in the Anfield area in the coming days to reassure the community.' Det Chief Insp Cummings added: 'Incidents such as this illustrate all too clearly the dangers knives and bladed weapons can pose. Merseyside Police says it arrested a man in Stanley Park (pictured) after the incident this evening Police were initially called to Arkles Lane, near Anfield, just after 5.30pm this evening 'That is why we carry out operations all year round to take them off our streets, with warrants, land searches and stop checks enabling us to seize such weapons and take them out of the hands of criminals. 'No-one should fall victim to knife crime, and we welcome any information from the public on where they are being stored and who is carrying them so that we can protect the communities of Merseyside. 'I would urge anyone thinking about carrying a knife to think again, and spare yourself and others the risk of serious injury, and save yourself time in police custody.' 'I would urge anyone who witnessed any part of this incident, or has camera phone, CCTV or dashcam footage, to contact police.' If you can help, DM @MerPolCC, or message Merseyside Police Contact Centre on Facebook quoting reference 22000587067. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or their online form here. A judge in Florida told Donald Trump on Thursday that he has until 3pm on Friday to decide whether or not he will oppose a move to unseal the warrant that led FBI agents to search his Mar-a-Lago home at the start of the week. Trump and his allies have used the fact that the warrant was kept under wraps to claim a conspiracy to persecute him. But on Thursday Attorney General Merrick Garland defended the search and said he wanted it to be made public. Legal experts said Trump had been outmaneuvered. Andrew Weissmann, a former Department of Justice prosecutor, wrote on Twitter: 'Brilliant move by Garland: make motion to unseal everything including material Trump has already (warrant and return); so now the ball is in his court to object or consent! Called Trump's bluff.' The political world was rocked on Monday when Trump himself revealed that FBI agents had spent the day coming his Florida headquarters. Allies have blasted the Department of Justice ever since, accusing it of trying to prevent Trump running in 2024 and demanding that the FBI be defunded. In a court filing on Thursday, the Justice Department petitioned to make the warrant public. It said Trump himself had made the search public, generating a huge amount of media interest. Papers filed by the Justice Department on Thursday put the ball in Donald Trump's court about whether or not to unseal a search warrant. The Department of Justice said the document should be made public 'absent objection by former President Trump' Trump ignored Attorney General Merrick Garland's statement and instead posted a debunked theory about Barack Obama, who in fact transferred the documents to the National Archives 'In these circumstances involving a search of the residence of a former president, the government hereby requests that the court unseal the notice of filing and its attachment, absent objection by former President Trump,' it said. Later Magistrate Judge Bruce E. Reinhart ordered that Trump must respond by 3pm on Friday. It means that Trump must either allow the warrant to be revealed or risk accusations that he is hiding the truth if he objects. For his part, Trump posted, 'Witch hunt' on his Truth Social platform. 'Does anybody really believe that Joe Biden and the White House knew NOTHING about this great embarrassment to our Country - the biggest story since the Afghanistan catastrophe?' he asked. 'I dont think so!' Earlier, he reheated a debunked allegation that Barack Obama shipped millions of presidential pages to Chicago after leaving the White House. 'I continue to ask, what happened to the 33 Million pages of documents taken to Chicago by President Obama? The Fake News Media refuses to talk about that,' he wrote, repeating a claim he had made earlier. 'They want it CANCELED!' The allegation is a favorite smear of the right. In fact, Obama was following the usual practice of working with the National Archives, which owns the papers and has the task of cataloguing them before transferring them to a presidential library. Trump is accused of removing boxes and boxes of documents without any oversight. Earlier Garland said the DOJ moved to make the search warrant public 'in light of the former president's public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter.' The attorney general also revealed that he personally approved officials' request to seek a search warrant. Garland took no questions but went out of his way to criticize the recent verbal attacks and threats against law enforcement in the wake of the 'raid.' 'Let me address recent unfounded attacks on the professionalism of the FBI and Justice Department agents and prosecutors. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,' the Biden official said. 'Men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day, they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves.' His last-minute appearance comes after the former president claimed his home was 'raided' by federal agents who apparently broke a padlocked door and seized documents sought by the National Archives. The Department of Justice on Thursday asked a judge to unseal the search warrant The Justice Department only announced Merrick Garland will speak roughly an hour before the attorney general's expected remarks 'The department does not take such a decision lightly,' Garland explained in an apparent bid to counter accusations of political persecution from Trump's allies. 'Where possible, it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search, and to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken.' A response to the DOJ's motion to unseal the warrant is required by Monday. The former president also has a chance to respond, meaning he could potentially stop its release. Trump has been fuming since revealing news of the search on Monday night, when he said it meant 'dark times for our nation.' Garland said Thursday, 'The department did not make any public statements on the day of the search. The former president publicly confirmed the search that evening, as is his right.' His move toward unsealing the warrant comes after Trump's son Eric claimed the FBI refused to give his father's team a copy of it, though the ex-president's lawyer Christina Bobb contradicted that by suggesting the document is in her possession. There have also been growing calls from Democrats for Trump himself to make the warrant public. A day after the Mar-a-Lago 'raid,' FBI agents seized the cellphone of Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, one of Trump's top allies in Congress who allegedly aided his efforts to try to steal the 2020 election. But that seizure was related to another Justice Department investigation of the former president, regarding a 'fake-electors scheme' that he and his allies are accused of promoting to stay in power, according to the Washington Post. The raid on Trump's home comes months after the National Archives asked the Justice Department to open an investigation into the Republican's handling of classified records. Trump was not in Florida when the FBI conducted its search but rather in New York City The Justice Department has moved to unseal the search warrant used in the operation, though Trump has time to respond and potentially block its release Officials from the Archives flew to Mar-a-Lago in January to retrieve 15 boxes of files that were meant to be handed over when Trump left office. Some have since been confirmed to have been labeled 'classified.' Garland's Thursday appearance happened on the heels of a bombshell new CNN report that reveals federal authorities took documents from Mar-a-Lago in June and served a grand jury subpoena while on the grounds. But his days-long silence on the explosive raid has spurred fury among Republicans, some of whom are even calling for him to be impeached. 'No one would have ever imagined before that we would be using or one political party would be using the FBI to attack their political opponents,' Kentucky Senator Rand Paul told Fox News on Wednesday. 'Now, this is really something that's going to require an investigation. And I wouldn't be surprised if the investigation leads to abuse of power that this could even lead to an impeachment of the attorney general.' Missouri Senator Josh Hawley tweeted that 'Garland must resign or be impeached' at the very least, and that FBI Director Chris Wray should be removed altogether. Monday's raid was reportedly based on 'witness claims' of classified documents within Mar-a-Lago even despite the January collection and June DOJ visit, CNN reported on Thursday. The UK could face shortages of Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli due to the dry weather as soaring temperatures threaten Christmas dinners. Farmers have also warned of a shortage of strawberries as a combination of a severe lack of rainfall and rising costs of production plays havoc with yields. Britain is in the midst of its driest eight months from November to June since 1976, as well as the most arid July on record for parts of southern and eastern England. The production of potatoes, onions, carrots and lettuce is also understood to be suffering amid warnings that hosepipe bans could be in place until October because there is no 'meaningful rainfall' forecast to arrive anytime soon. British Growers Association chief executive Jack Ward told The I that he has 'never seen this combination of no rain and super-high temperatures'. He added: 'Youre putting very small, very sensitive plants into what is now just parched land that hasnt seen a drop of rain for weeks and weeks and weeks and trying to keep those plants alive is a real challenge, so at the moment were all wondering what proportion of the crops that are being planted for harvest in the winter are even going to survive.' An aerial view of a farmer carrying out a harvest during a heatwave in Scampton, Lincolnshire on Thursday Farmers have warned that the UK is facing a shortage of brussels sprouts for Christmas due to the hot weather The UK may also be short of cabbages amid its driest eight months from November to June since 1976 It comes after parts of parts of southern and eastern England recorded their driest ever July on record The potential shortage of vegetables risks affecting Christmas dinners across Britain later this year A woman falls asleep in the heat at a park in London on Thursday as Firefighters attend a wildfire in Rainham, Essex, on Thursday as the period of hot weather and lack of rainfall has increased the risk of blazes The Met Office said southern England had seen its driest July since records began in 1836 Supermarkets normally rely on receiving supplies from Europe if there are shortages of particular foods in Britain, but the entire continent has been impacted by a lack of rainfall this year. Head of horticulture and agroforestry at the Soil Association Ben Raskin has also warned of a shortage of salad leaves due to their short roots - meaning they are unable to access water deeper into the ground. He also said yields for kale and cauliflower are 'looking pretty rubbish'. It comes after Tom Bradshaw, deputy president of the National Farmers' Union, told MailOnline last week that water had become a 'critical issue' and that 'the writing is on the wall' for some crops. he added: 'The impacts of this prolonged spell of dry weather are hugely challenging for many farms across the country and causing concern for all farming sectors. It highlights the urgent need for government and its agencies to better plan for and manage the nation's water resources. 'This will help build resilience into the farming sector and provide investment opportunities for irrigation equipment and to build more on-farm reservoirs.' Mr Bradshaw continued: 'The lack of rain means crops such as sugar beet and maize are showing signs of stress, while there are challenges for farmers needing to irrigate field veg and potatoes. 'To help, the Environment Agency has launched measures to support flexible abstraction and this will potentially give some farmers the ability to trade volumes of water with other farmers. Farming experts said the hot weather has a 'really severe' impact on carrot yield this year Farmers have also said potato yields are likely to be 'well below average' amid the dry weather in Britain The ground starts to crack on a footpath in Windsor Great Park on Thursday due to the continued heat and lack of rainfall Wheat stubble in a field in Eton on Thursday as the ground becomes tinder dry across the UK amid searing temperatures A person jogging on a path amongst dead grass in Victoria Park, east London, on Thursday surrounded by scorched ground 'The dry weather has also severely hampered grass growth which could hit feed supplies for the winter, adding additional costs to livestock farming businesses at a time when costs are continuing to increase significantly. 'With the forecast predicting more dry weather in the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor for any impacts on UK food production.' Months of little rainfall, combined with record-breaking temperatures in July, have left rivers at exceptionally low levels, depleted reservoirs and dried-out soils. All of this has put pressure on the environment, farming and water supplies, and is fuelling wildfires. Crop fear! Jeremy Clarkson reveals he has to stop harvesting at Diddly Squat farm due to FIRE risk - as sweltering conditions in UK dry up soils and raise risk of wildfires Lizzie May for MailOnline Jeremy Clarkson has revealed he has to stop harvesting at his Diddly Squat farm due to the risk of fire as the sweltering conditions in the UK continue to dry up soil and raise the probability of wildfires. The former Top Gear host, 62, runs his own farm in Chipping Norton, Chadlington, Oxfordshire, and films his escapades for the Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm, but the run of warm weather has left him unable to harvest. Clarkson took to Twitter to reveal: 'F**ketty F**k. Had to stop harvesting because of, and I'm not making this up, the fire risk.' He explained to a fan asking what may cause a fire that anything could lead to devastating consequences: 'Any damn thing. A bit of litter. A spark from the combine. A fag end. A careless rambler.' One reply quipped, 'at least it will make a nice episode plot', with Jeremy responding that season two had already finished filming on Monday this week. Today it emerged that a drought could be declared for some parts of England on Friday as 96.8F (36C) temperatures are forecasted from Saturday. Jeremy Clarkson (pictured) has revealed he has to stop harvesting at his Diddly Squat farm due to the risk of fire as the sweltering conditions in the UK continue to dry up soil and raise the probability of wildfires The former Top Gear host, 62, runs his own farm in Chipping Norton, Chadlington, Oxfordshire, and films his escapades for the Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm, but the run of warm weather has left him unable to harvest The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet tomorrow to discuss the prolonged dry weather. There are expectations drought could be declared for some parts of England such as southern and eastern areas, could prompt action by agencies and water companies to manage water resources to ensure supplies and protect the environment after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976. Four water companies in England and Wales have already brought in hosepipe bans or have signalled their intention to do so, while the Wildlife Trusts have called for an England-wide hosepipe ban to protect nature and rivers. Clarkson (his farm shop sign is pictured) explained to a fan asking what may cause a fire that anything could lead to devastating consequences: 'Any damn thing. A bit of litter. A spark from the combine. A fag end. A careless rambler' Clarkson, pictured with farming contractor Kaleb Cooper who helps Jeremy maintain his land on the Amazon Prime series Clarkson's Farm, told fans filming finished for season two The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last month's record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires. It comes as fire crews have been battling ferocious wildfires across the capital today amid the sweltering temperatures across the dry, tinderbox conditions - while a 'substantial fire involving crop' continues to rage in Leicestershire. Britain experienced its hottest day on record with temperatures hitting an unprecedented 40.3C (104.5F) in Coningsby on 19 July amidst a scorching heatwave for the UK. The Met Office raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional - the highest level - today for much of southern England, and Wales alongside an amber, as the mercury is forecast to climb to 'lethally hot' temperatures of 35C (95F) over the weekend. The warning system also been at its second highest level of alert for seven weeks, which is the longest stretch since 1976. An aerial photograph taken today shows dried out fields at the Euston Estate farm, outside Thetford, as drought is expected to be declared tomorrow Pictured: As the scorching heatwave continues, cattle search for drinking water in Dartmoor, Devon, at what until recently was an established watering hole, but is now completely dry Pictured: An alarming aerial image shows Euston Estate farm's depleted reservoirs, located outside Thetford The heat is likely to affect health, transport and working conditions, meteorologists said, as water companies are being urged to protect essential supplies heading into a 'likely very dry autumn'. The 62-year-old now-farmer Clarkson, who also stars with ex-Top Gear hosts Richard Hammond and James May in The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime, came under fire last month for suggesting that Britain is overreacting to the heatwave across the country. Trains were cancelled, hospital appointments were axed and schools closed amid warnings from the Met Office that even healthy people could die. Firefighters put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday afternoon as parts of the UK have become a tinder box due to the extreme hot weather Firefighter battles a wall of flames as he and his crew attempt to put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday A man is pictured walking on a path amongst dead grass in Victoria Park, east London. The Met Office has issued an amber heat warning running between Thursday and Sunday, which could see temperatures peak at 36C across southern England and eastern Wales Pictured: A view from the runway of Gatwick Airport sees smoke billowing in the distance from a suspected wildfire from the Crawley area earlier today. The heat and constant dry weather in the south west has risen concerns about serious drought and wildfires Jeremy, 62, seemed to think that the reaction was over the top, and tweeted to his 7.7 million followers: 'Its very hot in the south of France but so far as I know, theres no DefCon 8 level 3 killer death heatwave warning in place.' It attracted a lot of backlash from people who pointed out that Jeremy was incorrect, as much of western France experienced up to 111F (44C) near Bordeaux in what forecasters branded a 'heat apocalypse'. The extreme conditions sparked dozens of fires, with crews left battling a 'monster' blaze in Gironde which forced 16,000 people to evacuate and torched 14,000 acres within a week. A teenager in Pennsylvania died after getting his clothes caught into a wood chipper while he was working his summer job on Tuesday. Isiah M. Bedocs, 17, of Cosplay, was working for a tree removal service when the fatal incident happened on the 3700 block of Excelsior Road in North Whitehall Township around 1.30pm. The teen was rushed by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital with 'multiple traumatic injuries,' according to Pennsylvania State Police. He was officially pronounced dead a little over an hour after the incident at 2:55pm. Coroner Daniel A. Buglio confirmed on Wednesday that Bedocs' death was marked off as an accident. The teen's official cause of death has yet to be released, as officials and relatives await autopsy results. Pictured: Isiah Bedocs, 17, was killed in a woodchipper accident on Tuesday afternoon while cutting off trees from a resident's home on the 3700 block of Excelsior Road in North Whitehall Township in Pennsylvania Pictured: The wood chipper that caught the teen's clothing while he was working his summer job Bedocs was an incoming senior at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, where he had signed up for the school's auto technology program. In a statement released on Thursday, the institute located in Schnecksville, said it was 'in mourning' over the student's death. 'Our hearts are with his family members and friends as they grapple with this unimaginable tragedy,' the school's statement read. 'Counselors will be provided to students who may be struggling in the wake of the event,' it added, offering mental health services to those in need. A female resident in the area where the incident struck described the series of events as 'very unsettling.' 'My heart just goes out to that poor family, just what that young man went through,' the neighbor who wished to remain anonymous, said. Authorities found the teen with 'multiple traumatic injuries,' according to Pennsylvania State Police, before taking him to Lehigh Valley Hospital by helicopter 'What a horrible thing to have happen to someone so young,' she added. The woman further told WPVI-TV that he she had seen other personnel work on the site for several days. The homeowner who hired the tree cutting service initially wanted 10 trees on his property to be removed, the local news outlet reported. It remains unclear if he is liable for the teen's death. As of Thursday, a Go Fund Me Page for Bedocs had raised $3,310 out of a $5,000 goal to pay for funeral expenses. The Pennsylvania State Police and the coroners office are the law enforcement agencies leading the investigation, with help from the Bethlehem Criminal Investigation Unit and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OnlyFans has been accused of bribing Facebook-owner Meta to get thousands of porn stars on a terrorist watchlist. Adult film stars claim owner Leonid Radvinsky paid staff from the rival firm to shadow ban them so they were exclusive to the site. They argue their photos and videos were falsely flagged as containing terrorist content on social media which impacted their cash flow. Their claims come in one of a mountain of lawsuits against OnlyFans from enraged stars arguing it had caused them financial harm. In all, their lawyers claim they have a list of 21,000 Instagram accounts that had been unfairly branded as potential terrorists. Adult film actress Alana Evans, who is one of the plaintiffs, claimed in the lawsuit she had been slapped on the watchlist Adult film stars claim owner Leonid Radvinsky paid staff from the rival firm to shadow ban them so they were exclusive to the site Adult film actress Alana Evans, who is one of the plaintiffs, claimed in the lawsuit she had been slapped on the watchlist. She said she was among those whose account was placed in a database run by the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism. She told the New York Post: 'When I heard that my content may be listed on the terror watch list, I was outraged. 'I was angry because it affected my income when my social media traffic dropped significantly, and I was angry because I am the daughter of a veteran who fought for this country.' The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, a nonprofit, was set up to prevent mass shooting videos and other extremist material ending up on social media. The alleged move means pictures of models in bikinis on social media would have been flagged as jihadist propaganda across different platforms. The names allegedly being added to the list was said to have seen a plunge in traffic visiting their pages on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Evans said she was among those whose account was placed in a database run by the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism The lawsuit also claims firms, celebrities and other influencers had been targeted despite 'having nothing to do with terrorism'. The claimants argue their accounts had been hit from October 2018 when they claim OnlyFans bribed one or more Meta worker. They say in the suit the money was funneled from OnlyFans' parent company Fenix International to a secret Hong Kong subsidy where it was sent into bank accounts in the Philippines that were set up by the employees. They argued the move saw a 'massive spike in content classification/filtering activity' on other social media sites - but they had a 'mysterious immunity' on OnlyFans. Lawyers acting for JustFor.Fans, which filed its own class action against OnlyFans in California state court in August, said it helped the website grow. The site, which is a rival to OnlyFans, said in court documents: 'The blacklisting of plaintiff and others has caused OnlyFans to achieve a drastically enlarged market share while its competitors stagnated or declined. 'The defendants engaged in a scheme to misuse a terrorist blacklist to obtain a competitive advantage.' Another, FanCentro, also filed a suit in Broward county in Florida against OnlyFans but not Meta. Meta requested the lawsuit against it be chucked out in June, but hearings are scheduled for September. Meta requested the lawsuit against it be chucked out in June, but hearings are scheduled for September Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman is representing the plaintiffs against Meta and OnlyFans in California superior court. Partner David Azar said Meta and the GIFCT should 'open up' their records 'to help figure out whether our clients or their content are indeed on any databases intended for terrorists, and how to get them off'. In a statement to The Post, OnlyFans said, 'We are aware that these cases have been filed. 'We are not aware of any evidence which supports these allegations. The alleged participants have all publicly stated that these cases have no merit.' Meta did not respond to requests for comment but told the BBC, which first reported the bribery allegations, that it had investigated and found no evidence the terror database had been abused. Meta said: 'These allegations are without merit and we will address them in the context of the litigation as needed.' The GIFCT told the BBC earlier this year it was 'not aware of any evidence to support the theories presented in this lawsuit between two parties with no connection to GIFCT'. A spokesman added: 'Our continuing work to enhance transparency and oversight of the GIFCT hash-sharing database is the result of extensive engagement with our stakeholders and has no connection to these claims.' By Lee Min-hyung MSCI has appointed Eric Yun as the new leader of its Korea office. Yun will focus on expanding the MSCI's client base in Korea and drive its sales growth in the local market, the U.S. finance firm said. He took on the new role as the head of Korea client coverage at MSCI on Aug. 1. After studying economics at Seoul National University, Yun received a master's degree in business administration at the University of Chicago. He is best known for his broad range of financial experiences, having worked at major investment banks and hedge funds, including Credit Suisse, UBS, BNP Paribas and LK Asset Management, for about two decades. "More and more Korean investors are expanding their investment portfolio into global assets, and they need more trustworthy and reliable solution providers to achieve their investment goals," Yun said. "We are excited to offer advanced services to Korean customers who have a high interest in MSCI's industry-leading investment solutions." Kazuya Nagasawa, head of APAC client coverage at MSCI, also spoke highly of Yun's broad experiences in the industry. "MSCI is committed to extending its businesses in the Korean market whose growth potential remains high," he said. "We are confident that Yun will play a pivotal role in driving client-centered business strategies, while at the same time achieving sales growth and widening new business opportunities in the Korean market." Yun's priority will be on leading the Korea coverage team and coming up with specific strategies to meet demands from Korean clients. He will collaborate with Yuzo Ogai, head of MSCI's North Asia client coverage. The number of UK learner drivers choosing automatic cars has rocketed by 123 per cent in a year as the young look to dodge congestion charges and future green taxes. More than a quarter (29 per cent) of learners are learning in automatic vehicles, compared with 13 per cent in 2021. Industry experts say the upsurge probably reflects the fact that many electric vehicles (EVs) are automatic and also shows how motorists are pre-emptively avoiding charges by going green. In London, that means avoiding the daily 15 Congestion Charge which non-EV drivers face. Indeed Londoners were ahead of the trend last year with 26 per cent taking a driving test in an EV. The survey, by learner driver insurance experts at Dayinsure, reveals that many opting for auto-only licences believe the test is easier to pass as they dont have to worry about changing gears and clutch control. Many question the point of learning to manually drive, particularly since new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030 and new hybrids only receiving a stay of execution until 2035. More than a quarter (29 per cent) of learners are learning in automatic vehicles, compared with 13 per cent in 2021. But pass rate figures over 15 years show an automatic test is, in fact, no easier. The average manual pass rate is 47 per cent compared with 39 per cent in an automatic, even though the test is the same. There is another drawback. A driver who passes their test in an automatic car is not qualified to drive a manual car unless they take another test to upgrade their licence. But a driver who passed in a manual car can drive both types of vehicles. The number of new drivers taking their test in an automatic car between 2019 and 2022 rose by 25 per cent. In addition, online searches for information relating to automatic driving lessons jumped 24 per cent in 12 months. Pwllheli in Wales has the highest auto pass rate (80 per cent) in the country, while Bury in Greater Manchester has the lowest at 24 per cent). Nicholas Shaw, of Dayinsure, said: As the UK shifts towards EVs, many of which are automatic, well continue to see a rise in learners opting for automatic-only licence. The added benefit of EVs is that London drivers will be able to make hefty savings of up to 15 a day as EVs are exempt from the London Congestion Charge. As other local authorities look to introduce clean air zone charges, driving an automatic EV make sense. 'This could well explain why were seeing a surge in automatic drivers and in the capital, in particular. Whats important now is that there are enough instructors to meet growing demand.' Emma Bagnall, at Driving Test Success, said: Its becoming increasingly common to hear from students who dont see the point in learning in a manual vehicle, when theyll soon be forced down the EV route in a few years. People assume that learning and taking your test in an automatic car would be easier. However some students find that having the control of changing gears helps with their concentration levels.' A search is underway for a thug who allegedly punched a train conductor in the face. The commuter was travelling on a V/Line service between between Geelong and Lara on the Warrnambool line south-west of Melbourne on Wednesday morning when a conductor asked him to turn his music down. The commuter and conductor then both got off the train at Lara around 8.30am, when the man allegedly punched the conductor in the face before fleeing on foot. Police would like to speak to this man about an alleged assault of a train conductor at Lara train station on Wednesday morning The conductor suffered facial injuries. He was initially assisted by station staff before paramedics treated him at the scene and was taken to hospital. The incident sparked major delays on the Warrnambool line, with passengers forced off the Melbourne-bound train. Investigators have released CCTV and images of a man who they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries. The man was wearing a while cap, dark blue hoodie, grey tracksuit pants, white sneakers and had a black backpack. 'Inquiries are ongoing and we are appealing for any witnesses to come forward,' Lara Sergeant Glen Jones said. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. A senior editor at The New York Times wanted to 'check with Senator Schumer' before running an op-ed by a Republican senator, a former employee has claimed. Bari Weiss, who left the paper in July 2020, described being taken aback by the newsroom response to Tim Scott's article. Scott, the only black Republican senator, who represents South Carolina, submitted an article about his proposals for police reform following the May 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Scott on June 17, 2020 introduced the Justice Act, which he said offered 'smart, commonsense steps to address these issues, from ending the use of chokeholds and increasing the use of body worn cameras, to providing more resources for police departments to better train officers and make stronger hiring decisions.' Scott then embarked on a media blitz to drum up support for the bill, and submitted an op ed to The New York Times. Tim Scott (left) appeared on a podcast hosted by Bari Weiss (right) on Wednesday, in which Weiss told him about an internal debate in 2020 around an op ed he submitted The op-ed was apparently never published, and on Wednesday Weiss - who resigned amid a row over an op-ed about the George Floyd protests written by another Republican senator, Tom Cotton - told Scott on her podcast what had transpired. 'I want to tell you a little story that I'm not sure if you know,' Weiss said, when the failure of Scott's Justice Act was mentioned. Scott said the bill collapsed because 'the Democrats really wanted the issue more than the solution.' Chuck Schumer, the leading Democrat in the Senate, said there was not enough support for the bill, which Democrats felt did not go far enough. Weiss told Scott: 'Well, here's what happened. 'I was at the New York Times and you or your staff sent in an op-ed about the bill and why it fell apart. 'And this is the part I'm not sure if you know. There was a discussion about the piece and whether or not we should run it. 'And one colleague, a more senior colleague, said to a more junior colleague who was pushing for the piece: 'Do you think the Republicans really care about minority rights?'' Scott replied: 'Wow.' Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, said he was taken aback by Weiss's story that a senior colleague at the New York Times wanted to seek out Chuck Schumer before running the South Carolina senator George Floyd's May 2020 murder in Minneapolis set off a wave of protest and demand for police reform, which Scott attempted to enact. Pictured are demonstrators in New York City Activists demanding police reform march through Brooklyn after the police officer who killed Floyd, Derek Chauvin, was found guilty of murder Weiss continued: 'And the more junior colleagues said: 'I think Tim Scott cares about minority rights.' Weiss resigned after complaining about bullying and an 'illiberal' environment at the paper 'And then, and here's the pretty shocking part. The more senior colleague said: 'Let's check with Senator Schumer before we run it.'' Weiss said the more junior colleague refused to ask Schumer for his opinion on Scott's article, owing to ethics concerns. A spokesman for The New York Times denied Weiss's account. 'New York Times Opinion never seeks outside approval or consultation whether to publish guest opinion essays,' said Charlie Stadtlander. Weiss asked Scott: 'Are you surprised to hear that? Or does that story feel kind of representative of the way the media has treated you and maybe some of your colleagues?' Scott said he was saddened to hear her story, but not shocked. 'I am disappointed to hear that. I am not surprised to hear that,' he said. Weiss claimed that a senior editor at The New York Times wanted to 'check' with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (above, on Tuesday) before publishing Scott's op-ed He told how his life story had been analyzed in detail by fact checkers, who were strongly skeptical about his biography, and said that the cynicism hurt. 'You have to remember that The Washington Post fact checked my life. 'I can't tell you how disrespectful and dishonoring that entire process was went on for three or four months as they went through records to find out whether or not my grandfather actually dropped out of the school in the third grade, their records suggested he dropped out in the fourth grade, but still didn't learn to read. 'They wanted to know if I had somehow hidden my silver spoon and just was using a plastic spoon instead. 'And the more they dug, the more they realized that there was no evidence that disproved the fact that I am, who I say I am and that I experienced what I said I've experienced. 'So there is something in national media that wants to frame any conservatives, particularly black conservatives as being disingenuous or insincere or a tool for the conservatives. 'When in fact the black community is consistently as conservative as any community.' A mother-of-six went into labour prematurely at the beach on the hottest day ever recorded in the UK after expecting to enjoy a fun family trip out with her children. On 19 July, eight-months-pregnant Kirsty Nott, 33, from Aberdare, Wales, took five of her children out for a day at Aberavon Beach in Port Talbot after a school trip to Porthcawl had been cancelled at the last minute due to hot weather warnings. When they arrived, the beach was packed, so Kirsty told her children, Logan Angell, 14, Braydan Parfitt, 10, Roxy Parfitt, 9, Kruz Parfitt, 8 and Blake Nott, 4, to run into the sea while she set up the towels and beach toys. Her husband Shane Gregory, 36, was at his work as a telecom engineer that day so she had invited her friend to join her, but was delayed in traffic. As she set up alone on the beach she bent over to put her towel down when her waters suddenly broke: 'I hadn't even put my bum on the sand yet,' Kirsty said. Mother-of-six, Kirsty Nott, 33, (pictured with her newborn son Tanner-Jax), from Aberdare, Wales, went into labour prematurely on the beach on the hottest day ever recorded in the UK after expecting to enjoy a fun family trip out with her children At the time, Kirsty was terrified and in a lot of pain and called her mother and partner Gregory who were both in Aberdare, who called an ambulance on her behalf while strangers on the beach started to gather around to help. The five children returned from their swim in the sea and watched in shock as their mother had contractions on the sand. With her sister, step-dad and partner on their way to Port Talbot from Aberdare, Kirsty was faced with the prospect of giving birth on a packed beach with only strangers there to help her. She said: 'I was panicking, there were no familiar faces. I thought he was going to come out on the beach.' Kirsty's previous children had been delivered quickly so she was concerned that this labour would follow the same pattern, but her biggest worry was haemorrhaging whilst far away from a hospital as she had suffered from postpartum haemorrhages with four out of her six births. The paramedics called Kirsty directly but she she handed it to a woman who she had just met as she was in too much pain to listen. Repeating instructions from the paramedics, the woman told Kirsty to lay down and take off all her clothes on her bottom half. On 19 July, Kirsty, took her five children to a day at Aberavon Beach in Port Talbot (pictured) after a school trip to Porthcawl had been cancelled at the last minute due to hot weather warnings. As she set up alone on the beach she bent over to put her towel down when her waters suddenly broke Kirsty was in such shock and discomfort that she had no time to feel embarrassed at stripping off on the beach in front of an audience. 'At the time, I didn't care who was seeing what,' Kirsty explained. As the crowds around her started to grow, Port Talbot coastguards arrived and cleared the area, putting up windbreakers around Kirsty to give her some much-needed privacy. Lifeguards from Swansea RNLI also arrived at the scene. Kirsty's children told her 'Don't worry mam, you're going to be okay,' as a team of coastguards and lifeguards gave her gas and air and liased with paramedics. When they arrived, the beach was packed, so Kirsty told her children (pictured surrounding their new sibling, from left), Logan Angell, 14, Braydan Parfitt, 10, Roxy Parfitt, 9, Blake Nott, 4, and Kruz Parfitt, 8, to run into the sea while she set up the towels and beach toys Kirsty thought the baby was going to be delivered on Aberavon beach - but luckily an ambulance arrived on time to take her straight to Singleton Hospital. Unfortunately this was not the end of Kirsty and her baby's troubles as when she arrived at the hospital, her midwife told her that her cervix was not opening and that her labour needed to be induced. Following the labour induction, baby Tanner-Jax Gregory Nott was born weighing 5lb 11oz and as Kirsty had predicted, she suffered another post-partum haemorrhage. She was taken care of by medical staff who told the mother-of-six it was lucky that she did not give birth on the beach as it could have been a very different outcome. Kirsty thought the baby was going to be delivered on Aberavon beach - but luckily an ambulance arrived on time to take her straight to Singleton Hospital. Pictured with Tanner-Jax Tanner-Jax was jaundiced so had to stay in the hospital for four days, but now the three-week-old little boy is healthy and at home with his mother. Following the incident, Port Talbot coastguards messaged Kirsty to tell her they had a special coastguard teddy for the newborn and activity packs for Kirsty's other children. 'I really did appreciate everything they did, they kept me calm' said Kirsty. She thanked the coastguards with some chocolates but admitted that she felt quite embarrassed seeing them again after what they had seen on the beach that day. Kirsty also said her teenage son Logan is quite traumatised from the very public birth of his new brother but at least her family of nine are safe and sound together in Aberdare. The government is housing refugees from Afghanistan in hotels at a cost of 1million a day in the run-up to the first anniversary of the Taliban takeover, it has emerged. Around 9,500 refugees are understood to be living in the 70 hotels as they wait for more settled accommodation. Officials recognise that living in hotels is not the best situation for families and are working to move them into permanent homes as quickly as possible. The delays are said to be down to the complexities of matching families with appropriate homes, as well as pre-existing pressures on the housing system. Around 7,000 Afghanistan evacuees are said to have been moved into settled accommodation since arriving in the country. The government is housing around 9,500 refugees from Afghanistan in 70 hotels at a cost of 1million a day in the run-up to the first anniversary of the Taliban takeover. Pictured: Afghan people sitting inside a US military craft to leave the country on August 19 last year The new figures show a slight decrease from the 84 hotels which were previously being used, as officials look for new ways to drive down the cost. In February the Home Affairs Committee heard that the government was spending 4.7 million a day housing asylum seekers in hotels, of which 1.2 million was being spent specifically on Afghan refugees. In addition 350 councils are understood to have pledged their support in housing refugees across the UK. In June refugees minister Lord Richard Harrington wrote to councils saying he was determined to move refugees from Afghanistan out of hotel accommodation and appealed for further help. The Taliban launched a 10-day takeover of Afghanistan in August last year as United States-led forces withdrew from the country. Pictured: Taliban fighters celebrating on September 1, 2021 after the US pulled all of its troops out of Afghanistan But he said that, as of the week commencing June 13, there were fewer than 100 properties available to match families with. Lord Harrington said most of those in hotels were larger families and therefore needed properties with at least four bedrooms. He said his department was reaching out to landlords, property developers, the wider private rented sector, including Rightmove, and educational establishments over properties which could be converted, to encourage further offers of homes. The Taliban launched a 10-day takeover of Afghanistan in August last year as United States-led forces withdrew from the country. This was despite billions of dollars being spent by the US and Nato over nearly two decades to build up Afghan security forces. The takeover culminated in the fall of the capital Kabul on August 15 as president Ashraf Ghani fled to Abu Dhabi and admitted the Taliban had won. Chaos ensued at Kabul's airport as people tried to flee, with refugees pictured clinging to planes as they tried to take off. Since then the Taliban have barred girls at secondary school from returning to class and ordered all women to cover their faces in public. Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the takeover next Monday, officials have not provided an up-to-date overall total for the number of people who have arrived in the UK from Afghanistan. Instead, an update is due to be published within quarterly immigration statistics at the end of the month. Liz Truss suggested last night that she would rule out a windfall tax on energy giants if she became prime minister as she declared that profit was not a dirty word. The Tory leadership frontrunner said the Left-wing approach of bashing business would drive away investment from the UK. Asked about the billions now being made by oil and gas firms, she replied: I dont think profit is a dirty word. And the fact it has become a dirty word in our society is a massive problem. She told 2,000 Tory Party members: In this audience, we have hundreds of people who run businesses and make a profit and I think thats a good thing. Miss Truss spoke out after other ministers appeared to warn the power companies that a bigger windfall tax was still on the table if they failed to plough their profits into homegrown power generation to bolster the UKs energy security. Miss Truss conceded that if the companies broke the rules they should be held to account, but went on: The way we bandy around the word profit as if it is something thats dirty and evil, we shouldnt be doing that as Conservatives. Were playing into the hands of people like Jeremy Corbyn, who want to completely undermine our way of life. Liz Truss suggested last night that she would rule out a windfall tax on energy giants if she became prime minister as she declared that profit was not a dirty word At the sixth of the 12th party husting events the biggest so far, with party members filling a conference hall at Cheltenham Racecourse the Foreign Secretary also hit out at Gordon Brown-style approaches to tackle the rising cost of living. My first port of call is always reducing taxes, because I think having a money-go-round where you take off money in taxes and give it back in benefits is fundamentally a bad approach, she said. The warning from other ministers followed a dire prediction that average household bills could top 5,000 per year. The Chancellor summoned bosses to Downing Street to pressure them to plough their profits into homegrown power generation to bolster UK energy security. Nadhim Zahawi, joined by Boris Johnson and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, told the executives the Government continues to evaluate the extraordinary profits in the industry and that they must act in the interest of the country in the face of rising prices. The comments were seen as a thinly veiled threat that the current 5billion windfall tax could be extended if firms hand bumper payouts to shareholders, and do not invest profits into renewables, nuclear and biomass. A Treasury source said that extraordinarily high bills will ultimately damage energy companies. Yesterday, experts at the energy consultancy Auxilione said they expected household bills to hit 4,467 per year from January, and 5,038 from April. The Chancellor summoned bosses to Downing Street to pressure them to plough their profits into homegrown power generation to bolster UK energy security. Pictured: Tom Glover (left), UK Country Chair for RWE Separate analysis published yesterday also suggested prices will not return to 2020 levels for a decade. The attendees at yesterdays crunch meeting included Michael Lewis, the 1million-a-year CEO of E.on, Tom Glover, UK chief at German renewable giant RWE, and Clare Harbord of power generator Drax, as well as representatives of the industry regulator Ofgem. Drax took in 225million before tax in the first six months of 2021 while RWE recorded an adjusted net income of 1.3billion over the same period. E.on UK owned by a German parent company of the same name made adjusted earnings of 245million before interests and tax for January to June of this year. Critics labelled the meeting a damp squib because ministers had vowed to bang heads together to help struggling households, but the bosses left Downing Street promising only to continue working together with the Government. The Prime Minister told the companies that any significant fiscal decisions would be for the next Tory leader to take. The attendees at yesterdays crunch meeting included Michael Lewis (left), the 1million-a-year CEO of E.on, Tom Glover, UK chief at German renewable giant RWE, and Clare Harbord of power generator Drax, as well as representatives of the industry regulator Ofgem After the meeting Mr Johnson said: Countries around the world are feeling the impact of Putins damaging war in Ukraine. We know that this will be a difficult winter for people across the UK, which is why we are doing everything we can to support them and must continue to do so. Following our meeting today, we will keep urging the electricity sector to continue working on ways we can ease the cost-of-living pressures and to invest further and faster in British energy security. The energy firm executives were asked to submit a breakdown of expected profits and payouts, as well as investment plans. BP and Shell, which have recorded multi-billion-pound profits, were notable absences, leading to criticism that it was a public relations exercise for Mr Johnson. Mr Zahawi said afterwards that the industry leaders had in the spirit of national unity, agreed to work with us to do more to help the people who most need it. Drax took in 225million before tax in the first six months of 2021 while RWE recorded an adjusted net income of 1.3billion over the same period. Pictured: Clare Harbord, Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Drax An energy industry source claimed the message was clear: Prove youre investing enough or we might have to reluctantly impose [a] windfall tax. Projections for how high the price cap could get in January and April have climbed alarmingly. Wholesale prices are now up to 15 times higher than in 2020. The Treasury has to come up with options to present to the new prime minister when they take office on September 5 a week after Ofgem announces the price cap for October to December. The Government has stepped in with a 400 bill rebate for all households, and up to 800 extra cash for the poorest families, which will cost the Exchequer 15billion. Dhara Vyas, of Energy UK, which represents the industry, said: The whole sector is committed to working with Government over the coming weeks to see what measures can be put in place to reduce the burden on customers. A young girl has serious chest, neck and facial injuries after a dog attack in Brisbane's south in which a woman and a man were also injured. Two dogs attacked the toddler and a woman in her 60s at a home in Algester about 7.10pm on Thursday. Paramedics rushed the youngster to the Queensland Children's Hospital where she is in a serious condition. A young girl has serious chest, neck and facial injuries after a dog attack in Brisbane's south in which a woman and a man were also injured. Pictured - a stock image of a dog. The woman in her 60s suffered a serious head injury and neck pain and was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital in a serious but stable condition. A man in his 60s suffering back pain after falling off a 1.5 metre retaining wall during the attack, but who was not bitten, was taken to the same hospital in a stable condition. Advertisement Police shot dead an armed man who attempted to breach the FBI's Ohio field office in an attack he boasted about on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump's social media platform, just hours beforehand. Ricky Walter Shiffer, 42, first warned on the site Tuesday that he was 'proposing a war' in response to the FBI's Monday raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. Shiffer called on his followers to 'be ready for combat' and 'kill the FBI on sight.' He escalated his threats by Thursday, writing that morning, 'If you don't hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the F.B.I., and it'll mean either I was taken off the internet, the F.B.I. got me, or they sent the regular cops while.' Ohio police confirmed he was killed later in the day. Shiffer, sporting body armor and an assault-rifle, attempted to break into the agency's Cincinnati field office, prompting a five-hour standoff with authorities. He fled the office and was chased onto the highway before abandoning his car by a cornfield on a country road just off of Interstate 71. He was shot dead by police Thursday after he raised a gun towards officers around 3pm, Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed. The confrontation came as officials warned of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Schiffer had publicly criticized the raid online. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday that he approved the Mar-a-Lago raid, and called any attacks on the FBI 'unfounded.' 'I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,' the Biden official said. Shiffer, a construction electrician, attended the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol and was also under investigation for having 'ties to extremist groups,' including the Proud Boys, NBC News reported, citing two unnamed law enforcement officials. Ricky Walter Shiffer, 42, was shot dead by Ohio police after he attempted to raid an FBI field office in Cincinnati. He is pictured at the US Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection Shiffer foreshadowed the attack in a series of posts penned Tuesday on Donald Trump's social media sight, Truth Social The ordeal started after the FBI reported that an armed suspect tried to breach the agency's Visitor Screening Facility at its headquarters in Cincinnati. Sources told NBC News that he was armed with an AR-15 style rifle and fired a nail gun at personnel. After agents rushed to the scene amid blaring alarms, the agency said the suspect fled by car north onto I-71, where police were on pursuit. The Clinton County Emergency Management Agency said the man exchanged gunfire with officers near a cornfield by Smith and Center Road, Wilmington, Ohio. State highway workers blocked off roads leading to the scene as a helicopter flew over the area. Officials locked down a mile radius near the interstate and urged residents and business owners to lock doors and stay inside. The interstate has since reopened. Shiffer, sporting body armor, attempted to break into the agency's Cincinnati field office, prompting a five-hour standoff with authorities. He fled the office and was chased onto the highway before abandoning his car by a cornfield on a country road just off of Interstate 71 Law enforcement officers have killed the armed man who attacked the FBI 's field office in Cincinnati, Ohio Ricky Walter Shiffer was shot dead by police Thursday after raised a gun towards officers around 3pm, state highway patrol confirmed Shiffer had attempted to break into the office, prompting a five-hour standoff with authorities. The body armor wearing suspect fled the office and was chased onto highway before abandoning his car by a cornfield on a country road just off of Interstate 71 WHO ARE THE PROUD BOYS? Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes started the all-male Proud Boys in 2016. McInnes and the Proud Boys have described the group as a politically incorrect men's club for 'Western chauvinists' and deny affiliations with far-right extremist groups that overtly espouse racist and anti-Semitic views. The Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center designated the Proud Boys as a hate group, saying that its members often spread 'outright bigotry' and 'anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric' over the internet, and have posted social media pictures of themselves with prominent Holocaust deniers, white nationalists and 'known neo-Nazis.' Current national leader of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, marched in the infamous Charlottesville Unite the Right rally in 2017. Proud Boys have been involved in a series of high-profile violent clashes at political events. In New York City in October 2018, police arrested several Proud Boys members who brawled with anti-fascist protesters following a speech by McInnes at a Manhattan Republican club. Proud Boys members also have frequently clashed with counterprotesters at rallies in California and Oregon. Most recently, the group took part in the siege on the Capitol on January 6, where some members were seen breaking into the building. In February, they were designated a terrorist group by Canada. Advertisement Two days before Shiffer attempted to breach the FBI facility an account on Trump's Truth Social platform linked to his name foreshadowed the attack. Schiffer called on his followers to 'kill the FBI on sight' in wake of the agency raiding the former president's Florida estate. 'People, this is it,' the account posted. 'I hope a call to arms comes from someone better qualified, but if not, this is your call to arms from me. 'Leave work tomorrow as soon as the gun shop/Army-Navy store/pawn shop opens, get whatever you need to be ready for combat. We must not tolerate this one.' He then added: 'If you know of any protests or attacks, please post here.' Thursday morning around 9.29am, around the same time the FBI office was breached, Schiffer's account posted: 'Well, I thought I had a way through bullet proof glass, and I didn't. 'If you don't hear from me, it is true I tried attacking the FBI, and it'll mean either I was taken off the internet, the FBI got me, or they sent the regular cops while.' In another Truth Social post penned two days ago, Shiffer directly discussed Trump, claiming he thought the former president would 'call for peace.' 'Donald Trump was my hero just a year ago but we must not continue to lay down and take this,' he wrote. 'If he does not call for peace, it is probably because he fears for the lives of his grandchildren and young children. 'It is a dark situation for that family, but millions of other kids are in danger until we show the enemy how Americans do it.' He added, replying to another user on the platform: 'Dont forget how Americans handle tyrants.' Shiffer was also active on Twitter and Facebook where he touted his involvement at last year's Capitol riot. He appeared to be featured in a Facebook video from January 5, 2021 - the night before the insurrection - displaying his attendance at a pro-Trump rally in DC. He also confirmed his attendance in May 2022, in a tweet responding to a photo of rioters at the insurrection: 'I was there. We watched as your goons did that.' Shiffer blamed Trump foes for the damage, saying: 'When I told the ones trying to break back in that Trump tweeted be peaceful, one of them said, 'F**k Trump."' In another tweet he referenced his affiliation with the Proud Boys, all-male far-right extremist group that has been involved in a series of high-profile violent clashes at political events. 'Oh, the packing. The packing could be here,' Shiffer posted last May. 'Save ammunition, get in touch with the Proud Boys and learn how they did it in the Revolutionary War, because submitting to tyranny while lawfully protesting was never the American way.' His social media accounts have been suspended, likely in wake of his attempt to attack the field office. The FBI said an armed man tried to breach its Cincinnati headquarters (pictured) on Thursday before leading police on a chase through Wilmington Two small airplanes and an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter are circling the area during a standoff Thursday Interstate 71 and state Route 73 were among roads closed during a standoff Officers are pictured in pursuit of the suspect on Interstate 71, which has been closed The man was reportedly wearing body armor as he got into an altercation with security agents at the FBI's Visitor Screening Facility Officials said he was armed with a rifle and fired at personnel with a nail gun before fleeing The confrontation in Cincinnati comes as officials warn of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Trump, pictured on Wednesday outside Trump Tower Officials said the incident began on Thursday morning when Schiffer got into an altercation with security officers at the FBI office, CNN reported. The agency said in a statement that 'the activation of an alarm and a response by armed FBI special agents' led the man to flee the scene in his car. The vehicle eventually came to a stop and gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and police officers, Nathan Dennis, a spokesperson for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, said in a news conference. No police were injured. 'Throughout the day today law-enforcement officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect. After a time the negotiations failed,' Dennis said. 'The suspect then did raise a firearm toward law enforcement and shots were fired by law enforcement officers on the scene,' Dennis said. Authorities said Shiffer died at the site. The agency and its Cincinnati office did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for additional information. There have been growing threats in recent days against FBI agents and offices across the country since federal agents executed a search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. On Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists and anti-Semites, users have warned they are preparing for an armed revolution. Federal officials have also been tracking an array of other concerning chatter on Gab and other platforms threatening violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced the threats as he visited another FBI office in Nebraska on Wednesday. 'Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you're upset with,' Wray said. The FBI on Wednesday also warned its agents to avoid protesters and ensure their security key cards are 'not visible outside FBI space,' citing an increase in social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. It also warned agents to be aware of their surroundings and potential protesters. The warning did not specifically mention this week's search of Mar-a-Lago but attributed the online threats to 'recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity.' FBI Director Christopher Wray (above) denounced the threats against him and the FBI following the agency's search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate The search was reportedly related to the National Archives and Records Administration, which is charged with safeguarding presidential records that belong to the public Trump has denounced the search as a politicized 'witch hunt' against him The former president is facing a long-running investigation into his real estate empire. Pictured: Secret Service stand guard as Trump leaves Trump Tower for the New York Attorney General's office on Wednesday morning Mar-a-Lago is closed for the summer. Its well-heeled members generally leave Florida for cooler locations, only returning for the winter. Trump was in New York on Monday The FBI Agents Association said Thursday that the surge of threats against them after the raid have encouraged violence against law enforcement and are 'unacceptable.' Conservative politicians and Trump himself bashed the agency for being 'corrupt' and 'politicized' following the raid Monday, in which agents sought classified documents that Trump had retained in violation of rules on official records. That was followed by a surge of violent threats against the FBI and Justice Department on social media and in conservative chat rooms. 'Special Agents and their families should never be threatened with violence, including for doing their jobs,' the association said in a statement. 'The threats made recently contribute to an atmosphere where some have, or will, accept violence against law enforcement as appropriate. It is not,' it said. The statement was released shortly after Attorney General Merrick Garland said he himself had approved the unprecedented raid on a former president's home. Garland called the attacks on the FBI 'unfounded.' 'I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,' he said. Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla., was raided by the FBI Monday Trump took 15 boxes of material with him in January 2021 after he left Washington, D.C. The boxes were returned to the National Archives a year later in January 2022 but agents on Monday were looking to see if Trump had additional material; above workers move boxes out of the Trump White House on January 14, 2021 Trump supporters wave flags outside his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday night A supporter of former President Donald Trump waves a flag as he and others gather outside his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday evening after Trump said that FBI agents raided it After the raid Monday, Trump issued a statement saying his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida was 'under siege, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.' 'Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third World Countries,' Trump said. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy accused the FBI and the Justice Department of 'weaponized politicization.' Republican Senator Ted Cruz said the FBI had become 'an attack dog to help the Democrats' and Republican Congressman Paul Gosar tweeted that 'we must destroy the FBI.' Another fervent Trump supporter, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, attacked the agency and spoke of 'civil war.' 'The FBI has gone rogue and is doing the dirty work of a communist regime,' she said on Twitter. 'This is not a partisan or political issue,' the agents' association said in their statement. 'Calls for violence against law enforcement are unacceptable, and should be condemned by all leaders.' Attorney General Merrick Garland's full statement on FBI's unannounced search of Mar-a-Lago The Department of Justice will speak through its court filings and its work. Just now, the Justice Department has filed a motion in the Southern District of Florida to unseal a search warrant and property receipt relating to a court approved search that the FBI conducted earlier this week. That search was a premises located in Florida, belonging to the former president. The department did not make any public statements on the day of the search. The former president publicly confirmed the search that evening, as is his right. Copies of both the warrant and the FBI property receipt were provided on the day of the search to the former president's counsel, who was on site during the search. The search warrant was authorized by a federal court upon the required finding of probable cause. The property receipt is a document that federal law requires law enforcement agents to leave with the property owner. The Department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former president's public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter. Faithful adherence to the rule of law is the bedrock principle of the Justice Department and of our democracy. Upholding the rule of law means applying the law evenly without fear or favor. Under my watch, that is precisely what the Justice Department is doing. All Americans are entitled to the even-handed application of the law, the due process of law, and to the presumption of innocence. Much of our work is, by necessity, conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations. Federal law, longstanding department rules, and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search at this time. There are however, certain points I want you to know. First, I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter. Second, the department does not take such a decision lightly - where possible, it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search and, to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken. Third, let me address recent unfounded attacks on the professionalism of the FBI and Justice Department agents and prosecutors. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked. Men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day, they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves. I am honored to work alongside them. This is all I can say right now. More information will be made available in the appropriate way and at the appropriate time. Advertisement A padlocked basement full of documents in Mar-a-Lago, the DOJ's counterintelligence chief and boxes of classified files: How investigators 'met Trump lawyers in JUNE to ask about "missing" files in search that began last year' Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida was raided by the FBI on Monday night, the former president revealed in a furious and lengthy statement. The unannounced search was related to White House documents sought by the National Archives, his son Eric Trump told Fox News later that night. Federal agents 'ransacked' his father's office, he said, and in his own statement the former president accused them of breaking into his safe. But Trump's issues with the National Archives reportedly began before he even left office. Politico reported in 2018 that aides were forced to follow the then-president around to tape back documents that he had shredded - a habit the Republican was known for during his prior life heading the Trump Organization - in fear of running afoul of record-keeping laws. And late last year, Trump attempted to slow the release of presidential documents from the National Archives to the House select committee investigating the January 6 attack. It's not clear what specifically is being investigated, but it's worth noting there are laws on the books against tampering and destruction of classified presidential records. Below is a timeline piecing together reports of the former president's legal battle with the Capitol riot committee over his documents, which appeared to run parallel to the National Archives' own efforts to recover classified pages from Trump. The New York Times reported on Tuesday afternoon that the two are not related. Trump sues January 6 committee to block National Archives records In October 2021, the former president launched a lawsuit against the Democrat-led House panel and the National Archives to block the release of White House records linked to last year's Capitol riot. Trump's lawyers called the probe a 'fishing expedition' in a 26-page lawsuit filed in mid-October. The attorneys had also requested that the National Archives send Trump's team any documents that could be relevant for review. Trump lost the case along with two subsequent appeals later that year. FBI agents with a search warrant raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday morning The above timeline highlights just some of former president Donald Trump's battles with the National Archives since leaving office, including an unrelated court fight with the January 6 committee Supreme Court shuts down Trump's bid to block documents, National Archives says it will turn them over The January 6 committee revealed on January 19 that it had begun receiving documents from the National Archives that Trump 'had hoped to keep hidden.' It happened the same day as the Supreme Court rejecting Trump's last-ditch request to shield his records. Nine justices voted against the former president, including three who he appointed to the bench. Only Clarence Thomas, whose wife Ginni is now being investigated by the committee over her efforts to push Trump's election fraud claims, voted in Trump's favor. In addition to his own documents, the tranche also included records belonging to White House legal counsel, ex-adviser Stephen Miller and ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, The Guardian reported. National Archives reveals some Trump records were 'torn up' The record-keeping body confirmed to the Washington Post on January 31 that the documents it handed to the January 6 committee 'included paper records that had been torn up by former President Trump.' At this point the National Archives had reportedly handed more than 700 pages to the committee. Anti-media and pro-Trump protesters stands across the waterfront from Mar A Lago. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after it was raided by FBI agents on Monday Not all of them had been taped back together at the time of the committee's receipt. 'These were turned over to the National Archives at the end of the Trump Administration, along with a number of torn-up records that had not been reconstructed by the White House,' the Archives reportedly said. Trump's 15 boxes of sensitive White House documents The next month, the National Archives revealed that Trump had taken 15 boxes full of White House records to his Mar-a-Lago retreat after leaving Washington, DC the year before. Officials from the Archives and the Records Administration had to retrieve the boxes this past January. It was first reported by the Washington Post on February 7. Items that were improperly taken and had to be retrieved included what Trump called 'love letters' exchanged with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. A letter from then-outgoing President Barack Obama to Trump when he first took office was also among the trove. National Archives asks Justice Department to probe Trump record-keeping Two days after it was revealed that Trump took 15 boxes of White House documents to Mar-a-Lago, the National Archives stepped up its enforcement by asking the Justice Department to probe the ex-president's handling of the sensitive pages. The Archives asked President Joe Biden's DOJ to investigate whether Trump violated the Presidential Records Act, a source told CNN on February 9. The Washington Post reported the next day that some of the files in the 15 boxes the Archives had retrieved were marked as 'top secret' - spurring security concerns. The former president was at Trump Tower in New York City when his home was raided, his son Eric Trump told Fox News that night Trump released a lengthy statement claiming he was 'under siege' and that federal agents broke into his safe At the time, Trump's spokesman Taylor Budowich said the records retrieving process was 'normal and routine' but was being 'weaponized by anonymous, politically motivated government sources to peddle Fake News.' Report details months-long effort to retrieve Trump documents It follows a June visit by DOJ official Jay Bratt and two others to Mar-a-Lago to inquire about the documents While the controversy between the former president and government record-keepers only gained steam earlier this year, a February 13 CNN report reveals that the National Archives knew as early as May 2021 that documents had been missing. National Archives counsel Gary Stern reportedly first contacted an official in the White House who had been named the point-person for records-keeping matters. Stern apparently reached out to one of Trump's other lawyers after his efforts to get the records appeared to be slow-walked. At the time of the February report, one person told CNN the matter had 'not been fully resolved' and the National Archives was still seeking more documents from Trump. 'Former President Trump's representatives have informed NARA that they are continuing to search for additional Presidential records that belong to the National Archives,' the Archives said in a statement. Classified documents were among the 15 boxes Trump took, National Archives says A week later, the National Archives confirmed an earlier Washington Post report that top secret documents were among the trove that Trump took to Mar-a-Lago with him. The body said in a statement published on February 18 that it was 'in communication' with the DOJ on Trump-retrieved documents that were 'marked as classified national security information.' In response to letters from the House Oversight Committee seeking more information on the matter, the Archives revealed the sensitive nature of the documents and added that social media and other online records from White House aides had not been properly stored. The body said Trump aides had been warned about the matter previously. DOJ summons grand jury in National Archives probe and grills Trump staffers After months of silence, the Justice Department was revealed in May to be investigating whether Trump or others mishandled classified White House documents. The DOJ convened a grand jury in the probe, the New York Times reported on May 12. Prosecutors had subpoenaed the relevant documents from the National Archives, and CNN revealed they questioned Trump aides in April and May of this year. Merrick Garland's top officials sit down with Trump lawyers in Mar-a-Lago Four top DOJ officials traveled to Mar-a-Lago in early June to speak with the former president's attorneys about the documents, it was reported the day after the FBI raid. In revealing the visit CNN noted how 'rare' in nature it was. The DOJ's counterintelligence and export control section chief Jay Bratt was reportedly among the group who sat down with Trump's lawyers. Trump's team had also shown the government officials where Trump were storing documents. Investigators reportedly observed that some of the files there were marked as classified. At one point the former president himself reportedly stopped in to say hello and 'make small talk' before leaving again. Trump staffers padlock documents room in Mar-a-Lago Days after the investigators' visit, they reportedly sent a letter to Trump's staff asking them to secure the room where they observed the documents being stored. Aides padlocked the area, according to CNN. Feds raid Mar-a-Lago on Monday morning It was reported that the FBI's operation at Mar-a-Lago occurred in the early hours of Monday morning. The ex-president had been at Trump Tower in New York City at the time. His son Eric Trump told Fox he informed his father of the raid. CNN reported that federal agents' activity was exclusively kept to the portions of the club where Trump's office and residence are. The former president claimed he was a victim of political persecution in a statement that revealed the unannounced search to the public. 'These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,' Trump said through his Save America PAC. 'I stood up to America s bureaucratic corruption, I restored power to the people, and truly delivered for our Country, like we have never seen before. The establishment hated it. Now, as they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories, and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop me, and the Republican Party, once more. The lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt must be exposed and stopped.' Advertisement Large parts of England are set to be declared in a state of drought today which could last until next year, leaving millions more facing hosepipe bans and other curbs as temperatures hit 95F (35C) - making the country hotter than parts of the Caribbean. The hardest-hit areas in the South and East of the country are expected to be classified as drought-stricken, which will put pressure on water companies to do more to conserve supplies as Brits panic-buy bottled water in case of shortages. Around 17million people are already affected by hosepipe bans and another 15million could soon join them after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976. Jamie Hannaford, a hydrologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, which advises the Government, told the Telegraph: 'The autumn-winter period as a whole will be critical to dictating what the water resources position will be as we go into 2023.' There are also fears rain after the dry weather will cause flash floods, the Met Office said, with warnings set for northern parts of the UK next week. This has already prompted farmers like TV star Jeremy Clarkson to harvest their crops early. 'It may be the wrong type of rain because it falls very fast and very hard,' Paul Davies, the Met Office chief meteorologist, told the BBC. 'When it comes against the hard ground then the water flows very fast, taking debris and causing flash flooding, whereas other areas may see very little at all.' Experts also worry about the knock-on effect on farmers which could push up prices and deplete supplies of potato, apple, hop harvests, broccoli and sprouts. Parts of southern England have seen the driest July since records began, and reservoir levels have fallen to their lowest levels in 30 years. Sources last night said they expect the drought declaration to be a 'formality'. A four-day amber warning for extreme heat from the Met Office is in place for much of England and Wales until Sunday as temperatures are forecasted to rise to 99F (37C) over the weekend with warnings of health impacts and disruption to travel. Cattle search for drinking water on Dartmoor, Devon at what until recently was an established watering hole, but is now completely dry An aerial view of the harvest during the heatwave in Scampton, Lincolnshire. Parts of southern England have had the driest July since records began, and reservoirs are at their lowest level for 30 years. Sources last night said they expect the drought declaration to be a 'formality' Low water level is pictured yesterday at Pontsticill Reservoir amid the ongoing heat wave near Merthyr Tydfil, Wales An image of scorched Britain captured on July 10 showed how ongoing drought conditions have affected the country Anglian Water staff handing out energy bottles of water to the residents of Haddenham in Cambridgeshire on Thursday afternoon A general view of dry grass on the football pitches at Hackney Marshes. The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning which came into force on Thursday and covers the rest of this week The driest first seven months of the year in decades and hot spells have left parts of the UK facing looming drought, prompting hosepipe bans and warnings about the impact on agriculture, rivers and wildlife. Pictured: A dried out pond in Churchill Gardens, Bromley, east London New oak trees in Windsor Great Park begin to grow next to dead oak trees which still provide a vital habitat for insects A completely dry pond in Wanstead Park in northeast London, as heatwaves and drought caused by climate change continue in the UK A dried riverbed in Kemble, Gloucestershire, near the source of the River Thames is pictured yesterday Firefighters put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London, yesterday Q&A: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DROUGHTS Who decides if it's a drought? The Environment Agency's National Drought Group declares when there is a drought. The group is made up of powerbrokers in the water sector with representatives from government ministries, water firms, unions and regulators and is chaired by Harvey Bradshaw, director of the agency. What makes it a drought? There is no single definition for a drought or set of measures that must be met. Instead, the group looks at rainfall, water supplies in rivers, reservoirs and lakes and temperature forecasts. If they decide the factors have combined in a certain way to warrant a warning, they will raise the alarm and offer a prediction of how severe the drought will be and how long it will last. There are two stages of drought they could declare: 1. Basic where there is a risk of stress on water supplies, reduced crop yields and increased wildfires. 2. Severe involving a risk of widespread environmental damage, wildfires, failure of crops and of water supplies. The last severe drought was in 2011. What happens next? Once a drought is declared, the National Drought Group can limit the amount of water companies can take from rivers and ensure there are suitable plans for dealing with drought incidents. In some situations, the group will perform an 'emergency fish rescue' from drying-out bodies of water. It can also stop businesses using spray irrigation as well as advising the public how to conserve water. If a severe drought is declared, the group activates its major incident procedure and management of the situation will be handed over to the Government. Advertisement It would be the first drought declared in the UK since 2018 although that one was rapidly brought to an end by heavy rain. The move will be announced after a meeting of the National Drought Group today, led by the Environment Agency and including water firms and groups such as the National Farmers' Union and the Angling Trust. It comes as: A Met Office amber warning for extreme heat came into force yesterday that will last until Sunday Forecasters said temperatures could hit 37C (99F) in Birmingham and London between today and the end of the weekend Fire chiefs saw eight times as many grass fires this week compared to a year ago Police say arsonists have targeted tinder-dry fields and parks Sainsbury's became the latest supermarket to stop the sale of disposable barbecues Meteorologists said showers next week are unlikely to be enough to replenish reservoirs While an official declaration of drought will not trigger any specific action by water companies, it creates a 'sense of urgency' for them, according to Government sources. An Environment Agency spokesman said firms were under no obligation to take action. Three firms have already announced hosepipe bans Southern Water, South East Water and Welsh Water. Thames Water and Yorkshire Water have signalled they are considering bans, and South West Water and Severn Trent are also expected to bring in restrictions. Together, they would cover around 32 million people. Stuart Colville, of industry trade body Water UK, told the BBC an official declaration of drought was looking 'increasingly inevitable'. There has been criticism that water firms in England and Wales let 681 million gallons of water leak from their pipes every day, equivalent to 1,245 full Olympic swimming pools. Tory leadership candidate Rishi Sunak yesterday vowed to crack down on leaking water companies if he becomes prime minister, saying 'nothing is off the table'. But aides in Liz Truss's camp said this amounted to a policy U-turn as he had previously supported hosepipe bans. The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology said it would require 'exceptional' rainfall over the next one to three months to replenish water stocks. Satellite images show huge areas of England looking yellow and parched under the extreme dry weather. According to the Sun, some supermarket shelves were stripped dry from water bottles. Hosepipe bans also in turn have an effect on farmers, which could threaten crops. Jerry Knox, a professor of agricultural water management at Cranfield University, told the Guardian: 'We are starting to see real issues for crops such as potatoes. We will see reduced yields and particularly reduced quality.' 'Potatoes are set to become more expensive while farmers are already abandoning plans to grow brassicas like cabbages,' Professor Jerry Knox of Cranfield University told the Times. 'The autumn and winter will be critical to to return to normal conditions.' Professor Liz Bentley, chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, said: 'Drought will not disappear in a matter of days it's going to take a long period of sustained rainfall.' The UK Health Security Agency has put a heat health alert in place. Temperatures hit 34.2C (93.6F) at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, yesterday. Forecaster Craig Snell told the PA news agency: 'It's going to be an incredibly hot day, and very sunny across the board, with temperatures slightly higher than what we saw on Thursday.' There is also a heat health alert in place from the UK Health Security Agency, with experts advising people to look out for those who are older or with existing health conditions, as well as young children. The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last month's record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires. Four water companies in England and Wales have already brought in hosepipe bans or have signalled their intention to do so, while the Wildlife Trusts have called for an England-wide hosepipe ban to protect nature and rivers. Brits have been trying to beat the hosepipe band by coming out with initiative solutions to get around the measure Pictured: West Midlands fire service are warning Britons to stay safe in the heat and keep hydrated throughout the heatwave A fire which broke out on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire yesterday as the UK is warned of more wildfires at the weekend Firefighters attend to a fire yesterday, following a long period of hot weather and little rain in Rainham, Essex Firefighters attend to a fire in Rainham, Essex yesterday, following a long period of hot weather and little rain A water tanker in Northend, Oxfordshire, yesterday as dozens of homes in the Oxfordshire village were left without water after E.coli was found in a nearby reservoir Grass wildfire on Canvey Island yesterday. A wildfire started very close to the big Morrison's store and spread very quickly A man is pictured walking on a path amongst dead grass in Victoria Park, east London. The Met Office has issued an amber heat warning running between Thursday and Sunday, which could see temperatures peak at 36C across southern England and eastern Wales What is your water company doing to cope with the dry weather? The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet tomorrow to discuss the prolonged dry weather Four water companies have announced hosepipe bans in the UK as another heatwave scorches the country. Thames Water was the latest to say it expects to implement a temporary usage ban (TUB) in the coming weeks due to the dry weather. Here are each water company's current guidelines concerning hosepipe bans and water usage across the UK, alongside water leakage statistics for those based in England and Wales: - Anglian Water Area: East of England and Hartlepool Customers: Six million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 86 litres A spokesman said: 'We have no hosepipe bans currently in place across our region and we're working hard to keep it that way, but we're watching river levels very closely right now as things can change quickly and the forecast for this month remains dry and warm.' - Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) Area: Most of Wales and parts of western England on the border with Wales Customers: Three million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 116 litres The company has introduced a hosepipe ban for customers in the region of Pembrokeshire and a small part of Carmarthenshire, which will come into effect on August 19. The TUB will be in place 'until we have had enough rain to replenish our water resources'. - Hafren Dyfrdwy Area: North-east and mid-Wales Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 134 litres The water provider does not currently have any restrictions in place but has not ruled out implementing 'joint policies' along with the Welsh government should the situation with the dry weather worsen. A spokesman said: 'Whilst we don't have any concerns about raw water position for Hafren Dyfrdwy, we continue to monitor the situation and are a part of the Welsh Government's Taskforce, working closely with them to create joint policies and processes in the event of drought action.' - Northumbrian Water Customers: 2.7 million Area: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and parts of North Yorkshire Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 110 litres The website says there are 'no plans in place to implement any drought measures such as hosepipe bans', but adds it is 'good practice' to use water wisely. - Severn Trent Water Area: From the Bristol Channel to the Humber and from mid-Wales to the East Midlands Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 112 litres The region covered by Severn Trent Water currently has no hosepipe bans in place. However, the company said it will continue to monitor reservoir levels and demand for water 'closely', as it does every year, for any changes. - South West Water Area: Devon, Cornwall, parts of Dorset and Somerset Customers: 1.7 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 118 litres South West water customers are at risk of 'formal restrictions' being introduced over the coming weeks. The last water restriction in the region was in 1996, but the company said on August 3 it may have to make the 'difficult decision' to introduce restrictions 'if the exceptional levels of demand and sustained dry weather continues'. - Southern Water Area: The south-west of England, including Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, most of Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire Customers: 2.5 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 87 litres A hosepipe ban has been in place for customers in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight since August 5. The company has applied for a Drought Permit on the River Test from the Environment Agency to allow them to continue to 'take water if levels continue to drop'. - Thames Water Area: London and the Thames Valley Customers: 15 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 161 litres Thames Water said it is planning to issue a hosepipe ban in the coming weeks 'given the long term forecast' of hot and dry weather for the region. It added: 'The timing is not confirmed due to a number of operational and legal procedural requirements but we will be updating our customers, partners, regulators and stakeholders at the earliest time to ensure a co-ordinated approach. 'In the meantime, we continue to urge our customers to only use what they need for their essential use.' - United Utilities Area: The North West in a region from Crewe to Carlisle Customers: More than three million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 130 litres A company spokesman told the PA news agency it is 'not considering any restrictions on use' of water at present but did encourage customers to use water wisely. - Wessex Water Area: The South West including Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and parts of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Hampshire Customers: 2.8 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 111 litres No hosepipe bans are planned by Wessex Water but the company does warn that reservoir and groundwater levels are low and urges customers to 'use water responsibly'. - Yorkshire Water Area: West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, part of North Lincolnshire, most of North Yorkshire and part of Derbyshire Customers: More than five million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 130 litres A spokesman said: 'We haven't applied for any drought orders or implemented TUBs. They do both form part of our drought plan and so they are tools that we could call on if/when we need to.' On its website, the firm said there is not currently a hosepipe ban in place but it 'can never rule it out. It's been a really dry year, so we all need to save water where we can.' - Affinity Water Area: Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and other parts of the South East Customers: 3.83 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 120 litres Parts of the South East covered by Affinity Water are 'unlikely' to see any hosepipe ban this year. The company's website says: 'At current levels, it's unlikely we'll need to introduce restrictions this year.' - Bristol Water Area: Bristol city, north east Somerset and south Gloucestershire Customers: More than 500,000 Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 69 litres At the end of July, the company said: 'We will continue to monitor the situation, but with our current water resource outlook we do not foresee any issues in supply to customers.' - Portsmouth Water Area: Portsmouth and the surrounding area Customers: 698,000 Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 79 litres Despite Southern Water issuing a temporary usage ban for nearby Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth Water reassured customers on Twitter on Tuesday 'there is no hosepipe ban in the Portsmouth Water area of supply'. It added: 'But please, please, please use water responsibly! We're all in this together.' - South East Water Area: The south-east of England, including Eastbourne, Maidenhead and North Kent Customers: 2.2 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 99 litres A hosepipe ban will come into force on Friday for customers in Kent and Sussex. The company announced: 'We have been left with no choice but to restrict the use of hosepipes and sprinklers from 12.01am on Friday August 12 within our Kent and Sussex supply area until further notice.' On its website, South East Water said: 'We are taking this step to ensure we have enough water for both essential use and to protect the environment. 'This will enable us to also reduce the amount of water we need to take from already stressed local water sources.' - South Staffs Water Area: West Midlands, South Staffordshire, South Derbyshire, North Warwickshire and North Worcestershire Customers: 1.3 million Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 111 litres Head of water strategy and environment Natalie Akroyd said: 'With the recent hot weather and less-than-average rainfall for this time of year, we continue to monitor our water resources and encourage our customers to use water wisely. 'We currently don't have any plans in place to introduce hosepipe bans.' - SES Water Area: Parts of Surrey, Kent and south London Customers: 745,000 Leakage per property per day in 2020/2021: 82 litres SES Water wholesale director Tom Kelly said: 'The prolonged dry weather, coupled with higher demand for water, continues to affect our levels of resources, which are less than we'd expect for this time of year. '85% of our supplies come from groundwater resources, which is water stored in aquifers underground, and the remaining 15% is abstracted from rivers into our Bough Beech reservoir in Kent. 'These resources are refilled by rainwater between October to April and so, unlike some other water companies, we don't rely on summer rainfall to replenish. 'We'll be monitoring rainfall levels during the winter months, as that's when our groundwater sources refill, in case restrictions need to be brought in next spring. 'While they have still been affected by the dry weather, it's the increase in demand for water that's the main cause for the decline in water resource levels. 'Customers playing their part to save water is helping us from having to introduce restrictions. 'We continue to closely monitor our resources on a daily basis and won't rule out bringing in a hosepipe ban if we feel it is required. 'In the meantime, we're asking customers to keep using water responsibly, as we play our part to keep leakage as low as we can, and together we can make sure there's enough for everyone this summer.' - Scottish Water A Scottish Water spokesman told PA there were no plans for water usage restrictions in Scotland. He added: 'We are monitoring and managing our water resources and, in some instances, reservoirs are being topped up from alternative water sources to ensure supply resilience for customers.' - Northern Ireland Water A spokesman for Northern Ireland Water said: 'The amount of water in our impounding reservoirs is kept under continuous review and we are content with our current level of storage. However, it is imperative that customers continue to use water wisely, especially given the forecast for the next number of days. 'At this point in time, NI Water is not introducing a hosepipe ban. The situation is, however, being closely monitored and if storage reduces significantly or demand became excessive, NI Water would have to consider the possibility of putting in place measures in order to protect water supplies.' Water leakage information was compiled by the information dashboard Discover Water and is based on information agreed by water companies, the water regulators, the UK and Welsh Governments and the Consumer Council for Water. Advertisement Council suspends food and garden waste collections for a MONTH - in the middle of heatwave Waltham Forest Council gave residents just five days notice that their food bins and garden waste bins will not be collected until September 12 Some Londoners have been left outraged after being informed by their council that food bins will not be collected from their homes for more than a month despite the next heatwave looming. Waltham Forest Council took to social media to let people know that from August 15, both food and garden waste bins will not be collected until September 12. Furious residents of the north-east London borough have fired back, highlighting that their 'rotting' food will be left uncollected during the UK heatwave. And Waltham Forest deputy group leader for the Conservatives Afzal Akram revealed that him and his colleagues were 'flabbergasted' when they heard about the suspension. Cllr Akram told MailOnline: 'We are flabbergasted by this decision being made and by the way it has been communicated. 'We as councillors only heard about it once the council put it out on social media. It's one of those blue sky thinking moments that you think of something and straight away you should throw it in the bin. 'But for them to go and implement it is ridiculous. We are in a heatwave and they expect residents to leave food lying their for month - the stench, the stink is going to be unbelievable.' The council believes that the 'temporary' measure will allow it to focus on other services over the summer and reduce unnecessary journeys. It highlighted that less garden waste has had to be collected given the lack of rainfall in the UK this summer. The council has told homeowners to dispose of any garden and food waste in brown bins until collection resumes. Advertisement Some water companies have failed to meet their own targets for cutting household leaks and domestic use, with many blaming the coronavirus pandemic as more people have been at home. Ofwat, the water regulator. said in a statement: 'Progress has been made in the past few years but there is much further to go, which is why we are pushing companies to reduce leakage, fix their environmental performance and become more financially resilient while keeping bills affordable and helping customers reduce their consumption. 'Where we find that companies have fallen short, we will act - over the last five years, for example, we have imposed penalties and payments of over 250 million.' It comes after temperatures reached 34.2C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, on Thursday afternoon, while many areas in southern England and Wales hit the low 30s. Fires broke out in different areas, including London, Essex, Gloucestershire, Surrey and Cheshire, yesterday. The London Fire Brigade were called at 11:36am yesterday to a fire at Hollow Ponds on Whipps Cross Road in Leytonstone, where around 75 square metres of grass and shrub land were alight. Two fire engines and around 10 firefighters attended the scene and the inferno was under control around an hour later. The cause of the blaze is still being investigated. National Highways have also urged Britons to be 'prepared' with bottles of water before setting out amid more train strikes scheduled this weekend. Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: 'The risk is very high across much of central, southern and eastern England. Going into Friday and the weekend, it starts to increase further, going into the highest category of exceptional risk.' Heatwave thresholds - which are met at different temperatures in different parts of the country - are likely to be hit in much of the UK. Temperatures reached 34.2C at Wiggonholt, West Sussex, on Thursday afternoon, and climbed above 33C in a number of places from Shropshire to the south east of England. Met Office chief meteorologist Andy Page also said: 'Persistent high pressure over the UK means temperatures have been rising day-on-day through this week and it is important people plan for the heat. 'Temperatures are expected to peak at 35C on Friday and possibly 36C over the weekend. 'We will also see increasingly warm nights, with temperatures expected not to drop below the low 20s for some places in the south.' He said temperatures would drop early next week, with heavy showers and thunderstorms likely in some areas - but it was 'impossible to say yet exactly where and when they will occur'. Britain has been told to brace for a sweltering heatwave this week as a Level 3 Heat Health Alert also came into effect Tuesday and has been extended until Saturday - with little rain expected to help relieve the threat of drought which has prompted hosepipe bans and fire warnings. Mark Hardingham, the chairman of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said that he 'can't remember a summer like this' in his entire 32-year career in the fire service. A cyclist braves the soaring temperatures across Britain yesterday as the Met Office has also raised its Fire Severity Index to exceptional A woman was pictured walking near Big Ben in London yesterday as heatwaves and prolonged dry weather are damaging landscapes, gardens and wildlife, the National Trust has warned Algal blooms are smothering parts of the Jubilee River in Slough, Berkshire yesterday. As the heatwave continues an Amber Level 3 Heat Health Alert remains in force with temperatures forecast to peak on Saturday Firefighters put out a grass fire at Hollow Ponds in Leytonstone, East London on Thursday afternoon as parts of the UK have become a tinder box due to the extreme hot weather Pictured: A view from the runway of Gatwick Airport sees smoke billowing in the distance from a suspected wildfire from the Crawley area earlier today. The heat and constant dry weather in the south west has risen concerns about serious drought and wildfires He told The Telegraph: 'We're not going to see temperatures as hot as we saw three weeks ago, but that doesn't matter because the ground couldn't get any drier than it already is. The good, the bad and downright cheeky: How cunning Brits are BEATING (and flouting) the hosepipe ban filling up pools from their baths, taking showers standing in buckets and using 'grey water' from their sinks to water their plants More than 30 million people across the UK are facing hosepipe bans as temperatures continue to soar. The Isle of Man has had the ban in place since Friday, August 5, while Southern Water introduced it in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight yesterday. Southeast Water, which serves Kent and Sussex, will enforce the ban tomorrow. Greater London, the Thames Valley, Surrey, Essex, Gloucestershire, and parts of Wiltshire will also face the restrictions in coming weeks. The rule means that hosepipes cannot be connected to a main hose pipe for any reason, including watering plants, filling paddling pools or washing cars. But savvy Brits are finding tricks to get around the ban, while others are brazenly ignoring it with some even boasting about it on social media. One woman on TikTok was seen to be breaking the ban by attaching her hosepipe directly to her bath tap. She then proceeded to turn on the tap and run the hose to her outdoor paddling pool. In the video the woman can be seen miming: 'I am not allowed, I know I am not allowed. 'I've done it now, it's too bleeding late. What they going to do? What's going to happen? 'Are they going to shoot me? I doubt it, they'd have to catch me first. I'm like a whippet'. In London, one resident was caught filling up a large blue paddling pool using a public tap in St George's Square, Pimlico. Westminster Council said in response to the local's hack that the water is for the shrubs and plants only. The local authority added: 'We'd not advocate filling up pools or any other receptacle in our green spaces, especially during a heatwave.' Drought is expected to be declared for some parts of England, as another heatwave scorches the country after months of low rainfall. Warnings are in place over the health impacts of extreme heat and the risk of wildfires, as temperatures are expected to climb as high as 36C in some areas. The National Drought Group - made up of Government and agency officials, water companies and other groups such as the National Farmers' Union (NFU) - is set to meet on Friday to discuss the prolonged dry weather. There are expectations drought could be declared for the most affected areas of England in the south and east, after the driest July on record for some areas and the driest first half of the year since 1976. The ongoing dry conditions, combined with last month's record-breaking heatwave, have depleted rivers, reservoirs and aquifers and dried up soils, hitting agriculture, water supplies and wildlife and raising the risk of wildfires. Declaring drought will see the Environment Agency and water companies implementing more of their plans to manage the impacts of low water levels, which can include actions such as hosepipe bans. One cheeky Londoner decided to bring their paddling pool to St George's Square in Pimlico, to use the council's tap to fill it up. Westminster Council said that the water is to be used for plants and shrubs only. It added: 'We'd not advocate filling up pools or any other receptacle in our green spaces, especially during a heatwave.' Meanwhile gardeners across the country are finding ways to keep their precious plants hydrated. On the latest episode of Gardeners' World, Monty Don encouraged people to use 'grey water' to water their plants saying whether it's from 'washing up dishes or yourself is perfectly good on floral plants'. He did, however, warn people to not use it on plants that grow food. Some people have been showering in a bucket to collect enough grey water to chuck on their plants while others are are draining the dirty water from their washing machines. Other gardeners found managed to pump the grey water from their showers and their baths directly into a water butt outside. One mother-of-two revealed her sneaky hack on TikTok of emptying 150 litres of bath water into her water butt in her garden to keep her plants alive. The video shows her pulling a hosepipe through the upstairs bathroom window and attaching it with string. She then drains the bathwater through the pipe as her husband sucks the end of it to get the bath water flowing into the container downstairs. In total, the dirty bath water was used to fill 15 watering cans. Dog owners affected by the ban are also taking steps to save as much water as possible when washing their pet pooches. While others took a more comedic approach to the ban pretending to stockpile on hosepipes ahead of the ban. Some people across social media posted sketches of them snitching on their neighbours using their hosepipes - despite the ban. In some areas across the UK people are being urged to snitch on anyone they see flouting the water restrictions. Two women on TikTok were seen poking fun at the advice to snitch on the people who live next door. The video shows a woman filling up her outside paddling pool with a hose, supposedly during the hosepipe ban. Her nosey neighbour is then spotted peering out through her back door in her dressing gown, feeling the rule-breaker on her phone. The snitch is seen saying 'yeh I got you, I got you on camera. I got you on candid camera now' at which point the paddling pool owner shoves the hose in her mouth. While others in more northern parts of the country reveled in the fact they were not affected by the ban so can continue to make 'cooling stations' throughout the hot summer. TikToker Jenny Davies shared a video of her partner finding her filling up the bath with gallon-sized bottles of water. He walks in on her and asks her why she has decided to fill up the bath with bottled water. She replied: 'Because of the hosepipe ban. There's a hosepipe ban in place, we are not allowed to use our water because the hosepipes are connected to our water.' The pair continued to debate what the ban meant for another minute, with the woman insisting the hose was connected to the house water supplies. One amused follower said: 'I do hope this was a skit.' Another added: 'Is this a joke? It can't be genuine surely?' Advertisement 'The wildfires are as prevalent in semi-urban areas as they are in rural communities so it's difficult to know where the next one will be.' It comes as firefighters are tackling a village field fire in Leicestershire this afternoon as temperatures soar across the county. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a 'substantial fire involving crop' in Sutton Cheney, north of Hinckley. Crews were first alerted to the scene in Bosworth Road at 12.46pm yesterday and are still tackling the blaze. People have been asked to avoid the area while the fire is dealt with. Leicestershire Police has also been called to the scene. Meanwhile, London Fire Brigade said its control room had dealt with 340 grass, rubbish and open land fires during the first week of August - an eightfold increase on the 42 during the same week last year. Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: 'This summer has seen an unprecedented long, dry spell with high temperatures, so the grass in London is tinderbox dry and the smallest of sparks can start a blaze which could cause devastation. 'Despite our continued warning over the last few weeks, we know there are still people who are barbecuing in parks, dropping cigarettes out of car windows and leaving rubbish lying around. 'We really need to prevent a repeat of the situation we saw on July 19, when homes, shops, garages, outbuildings and vehicles were destroyed across London in a number of significant fires. 'The professionals on the ground have been warning that these conditions are coming and we very much saw the reality of that in these last few weeks. 'Firefighters have been injured, firefighters have ended up in hospital, we've seen families lose their homes, we've seen businesses lost, infrastructure burn to the ground, because we simply can't get to these fires quick enough. 'When we do, we simply don't have the resources to deal with them adequately.' Labour accused the Tories of putting 'the smoke alarm on snooze' as wildfires break out across the country, with 'woeful' resilience planning to the extreme heat. And Riccardo la Torre, national officer of the Fire Brigades Union, accused the Government and fire chiefs of pressing ahead with cutting jobs. He said firefighters were making 'phenomenal' efforts to deal with the outbreak of summer fires, claiming that fire services were unprepared for the crisis. Climate change is making heatwaves more intense, frequent and likely - with July's record temperatures of more than 40C for the first time for the UK made at least 10 times more likely because of global warming, and 'virtually impossible' without it, research shows. Scientists also say droughts are becoming more likely due to human-driven climate change, warning of the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and take steps to prepare the UK for the impacts of rising temperatures. Mike Childs, head of research at Friends of the Earth, said the climate crisis was 'hitting home' this summer. 'As another health-threatening heatwave hits the UK, rivers and reservoirs run dry and drought threatens our food and water supplies, a deepening cost of living crisis is set to leave millions more people unable to afford their energy bills,' he said. He said it was 'utterly baffling' the candidates were not grabbing green solutions, as he called for investment in the UK's renewable potential and kicking starting an insulation programme to keep homes warm in winter and cool in summer. Jonathan Smith, assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, has said 'we're not out of the woods as far as this heatwave is concerned', as he urged people to avoid using disposable barbecues and take care when extinguishing cigarettes. Mr Smith added: 'We're urging the public to think about and modify their behaviour over the course of the next four days in particular to take that pressure off the emergency services... we're not out of the woods as far as this heatwave is concerned.' Meanwhile, Met Office boss Paul Davies said the increasing heatwave temperatures may now occur once every five years - and annually by the end of the century. He told The Mirror: 'When I started out as a forecaster, if someone had said in your lifetime you'll see 40 degrees, I'd have said; 'No, surely not!'. 'We are in uncharted waters. We're entering areas we've never experienced before and it's not just the UK, it's the planet as a whole.' An Oxfordshire village has also become the first in Britain to run dry, with residents forced to rely on deliveries of bottled and tanker water. Northend, on the Buckinghamshire border, usually gets its water from the now dried-up Stokenchurch Reservoir. Thames Water had to send water tankers and bottles to its residents, struggling after high demand on the natural resource in recent hot weeks. The company has also recently announced it will be issuing a hosepipe ban for 15million customers across London, Surrey and Gloucestershire in the coming weeks. A Thames Water spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We're sorry to customers in the Stokenchurch area who are experiencing lower pressure than normal due to technical issues with our Stokenchurch reservoir. 'We have a team on site working hard to resolve this as soon as possible and the situation is improving and supplies have been restored to customers. 'We're using tankers to help boost supplies to customers in Northend to keep up water pressures for these customers so they do not see supply issues as well as delivering water bottles. 'Customers may experience lower than normal pressure during periods of higher demand. 'These times are typically in the morning and during the early evening. 'We've also identified everyone in the affected area who has pre-registered with us as having special requirements, such as being medically reliant on water, so we can get in touch and make sure we give them the help and support they need. 'We realise how inconvenient this is, especially during such hot weather, and appreciate customers' patience as we work to resolve things' Last night Andrew Sells, head of Natural England between 2014 and 2019, accused water companies of selling off reservoirs which could have helped ease drought to housing developers. 'Several of our water companies preferred to build houses on some of their reservoirs, and last week we learned that together they have built precisely zero new reservoirs in the past 30 years', he wrote in the Daily Telegraph. 'No doubt some reservoirs had reached the end of their working lives, but in abandoning this infrastructure, without any replacements, they have again put short-term profits ahead of long-term supply.' The Met Office also predicted the extreme heat will become more commonplace in the coming years as global warming continues. Professor Hannah Cloke, Professor of Hydrology at the University of Reading, said: 'The warnings for extreme heat from both the Met Office and the heat health alert issued by the UK Health Security Agency are another reminder that this summer in the UK is proving to be lethally hot. 'Compared to the July record-breaking heat, this event will be less intense but last longer, which could actually have a greater impact on people's health. 'This heatwave might not break any records for maximum temperatures, but it might actually cause more deaths.' Climate change is making heatwaves more intense, frequent and likely, with last month's record temperatures made at least 10 times more likely because of global warming and 'virtually impossible' without it, research shows. Scientists also warn the likelihood of droughts occurring is becoming higher due to climate change, driven by greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and other human activities. Government minister Paul Scully said it is 'always sensible' for people to conserve water, when asked about the possibility of a hosepipe ban for London. He added: 'But we'll look carefully because the whole point about London and the South East is that the more development you have and the less rainfall there is, then obviously there's less to go around and we've got to be careful.' The Antarctic ice shelf is crumbling much faster than first thought, a NASA study has revealed, with 12 trillion tonnes of ice being lost over the past 25 years. That is double the previous estimate raising new concern about how fast climate change is weakening the continent's coastal glaciers and accelerating the rise of global sea levels. The first-of-its-kind study, led by researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), used satellite data to reveal that icebergs are being shed more rapidly than nature can replenish the melting ice. They said Antarctica was 'crumbling at its edges' and the consequences could be enormous. Melting: The Antarctic ice shelf is crumbling much faster than first thought, a NASA study has revealed. In this 2016 photo the 200ft-tall front of the Getz Ice Shelf in Antarctica is scored with cracks where icebergs are likely to break off, or calve GLACIERS AND ICE SHEETS MELTING WOULD HAVE A 'DRAMATIC IMPACT' ON GLOBAL SEA LEVELS Global sea levels could rise as much as 11ft (3.3 metres) if the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica collapses, previous research has suggested. Sea level rises threaten cities from Shanghai to London, to low-lying swathes of Florida or Bangladesh, and to entire nations such as the Maldives. In the UK, for instance, a rise of 6.7ft (2 metres) or more may cause areas such as Hull, Peterborough, Portsmouth and parts of east London and the Thames Estuary at risk of becoming submerged. The collapse of the glacier, which could begin with decades, could also submerge major cities such as New York and Sydney. Parts of New Orleans, Houston and Miami in the south on the US would also be particularly hard hit. Advertisement Researchers said their key finding was that the net loss of Antarctic ice from coastal glacier chunks 'calving' off into the ocean is nearly as great as the net amount of ice that scientists already knew was being lost due to thinning caused by the melting of ice shelves from below by warming seas. Taken together, thinning and calving have reduced the mass of Antarctica's ice shelves by 12 trillion tons since 1997, double the previous estimate, the analysis concluded. The net loss of the world's largest ice sheet from calving alone in the past quarter-century spans nearly 14,300 sq miles (37,000 sq km), an area almost the size of Switzerland, according to JPL scientist Chad Greene, the study's lead author. 'Antarctica is crumbling at its edges,' Greene said. 'And when ice shelves dwindle and weaken, the continent's massive glaciers tend to speed up and increase the rate of global sea level rise.' The consequences could be huge because Antarctica holds 88 per cent of the sea level potential of all the world's ice, he said. Ice shelves, permanent floating sheets of frozen freshwater attached to land, take thousands of years to form and act like buttresses holding back glaciers that would otherwise easily slide off into the ocean, causing seas to rise. When ice shelves are stable, the long-term natural cycle of calving and re-growth keeps their size fairly constant. In recent decades, though, warming oceans have weakened the shelves from underneath, a phenomenon previously documented by satellite altimeters measuring the changing height of the ice and showing losses averaging 149 million tons a year from 2002 to 2020, according to NASA. Changes in elevation of the Antarctic ice sheet from 1985 to 2021 are shown. Ice height diminishes (red) as the ice sheet melts by contact with ocean water; it rises (blue) where accumulation exceeds melting. Ice shelves are shown in gray For their analysis, Greene's team used satellite imagery from visible, thermal-infrared and radar wavelengths to chart glacial flow and calving since 1997 more accurately than ever over 30,000 miles (50,000 km) of Antarctic coastline. The losses measured from calving outpaced natural ice shelf replenishment so greatly that researchers found it unlikely Antarctica can return to pre-2000 glacier levels by the end of this century. The accelerated glacial calving, like ice thinning, was most pronounced in West Antarctica, an area hit harder by warming ocean currents. But even in East Antarctica, a region whose ice shelves were long considered less vulnerable, 'we're seeing more losses than gains,' Greene said. One East Antarctic calving event that took the world by surprise was the collapse and disintegration of the massive Conger-Glenzer ice shelf in March, possibly a sign of greater weakening to come, he added. Eric Wolff, a Royal Society research professor at the University of Cambridge, pointed to the study's analysis of how the East Antarctic ice sheet behaved during warm periods of the past and models for what may happen in the future. 'The good news is that if we keep to the 2 degrees of global warming that the Paris agreement promises, the sea level rise due to the East Antarctic ice sheet should be modest,' Wolff wrote in a commentary on the JPL study. Failure to curb greenhouse gas emissions, however, would risk contributing 'many meters of sea level rise over the next few centuries,' he said. The new research has been published in the journal Nature. The headquarters of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on Yeouido, Seoul / Courtesy of FSS By Anna J. Park The Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) has decided to appeal to the Supreme Court over a legal battle with Woori Financial Chairman Son Tae-seung, as the two sides have been fighting over the validity of the FSS' sanctions on the financial group's chief. The decision to appeal came several weeks after the FSS lost its appellate trial on the issue in late July. According to the FSS on Thursday, the financial watchdog decided to appeal the case at the country's highest court following thorough considerations and examinations. "The decision to appeal to the Supreme Court has been made, as the FSS views it necessary for the country to set straight of legal and institutional foundation about financial sectors' internal control issues," the FSS' press release stated. "The decision to bring the case to the Supreme Court is beyond a response to a single case, but rather it is necessary to resolve legal uncertainties surrounding internal control matters stipulated in the country's Act on Corporate Governance of Financial Companies, so that the FSS can carry out more effective and consistent implementations of the law into practice," the statement went on. The FSS explained that lower court verdicts and reasoning on the validity of the FSS' punitive measures imposed on bank chiefs regarding the mis-selling of high-risk derivative-linked funds (DLFs) by Woori Bank and Hana Bank are somewhat contradictory, thus the legal reasoning behind the cases needs to be straightened up at the Supreme Court. In late July, the Seoul High Court maintained the first court's ruling of the administrative case against the FSS' sanctions on the Woori Financial chairman. The first trial of the battle between Son and the FSS was ruled in favor of Son in August last year, nullifying the FSS' punitive measures on him. Earth's continents were formed when our planet was bombarded with giant meteorites around 3.5 billion years ago, a new study has found. Researchers from Curtin University in Perth, Australia analysed crystals of the mineral zircon from the Pilbara Craton to investigate its origins. A craton is a piece of the planet's crust that has remained intact for billions of years, while other pieces broke off and moved around to form the continents. The composition of the zircon revealed information about how the Pilbara Craton was formed. They suggest rocks first melted near the Earth's surface before progressing deeper - consistent with the geological effects of meteorite impacts. Dr Tim Johnson, from Curtin's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said: 'Our research provides the first solid evidence that the processes that ultimately formed the continents began with giant meteorite impacts, similar to those responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs, but which occurred billions of years earlier.' Continents were formed when the Earth was bombarded with giant meteorites around 3.5 billion years ago, a new study from Curtin University, Australia has found (stock image) The three stage evolution of the Pilbara Craton. Stage 1 (a-d) - A giant meteorite altered the crust, reducing pressure and causing the mantle to melt deeper and deeper into the Earth. Stage 2 (e) - Granite magmas (TTGs) begin to form at the base of the newly formed plateu. Stage 3 (f) - The TTGs melt to form granite and are pushed to the surface WHAT IS A CRATON? A craton is an old and stable part of the planet's crust that has survived the merging and splitting of continents and supercontinents for at least 500 million years. Some are over 2 billion years old. Cratons are generally found in the interiors of continents and are composed of ancient igneous rock such as granite. They have a thick crust and deep roots that extend into the mantle beneath to depths of 200 km. Advertisement Over the course of Earth's 4.5 billion year history, land masses have broken up, drifted apart and been pushed back together again. This is the result of heat from radioactive processes within the planet's interior causing these plates to move. However, large and particularly strong parts of the crust have remained stable throughout time despite these processes, which are known as cratons. A new study of the Pilbara Craton, published yesterday in Nature, has provided evidence of how the structure formed and why it is so strong. Geologists analysed the zircon crystals inside igneous rock from the craton, which had been dated to have formed between 3.6 and 2.9 billion years ago. Dr Johnson said: 'Studying the composition of oxygen isotopes in these zircon crystals revealed a "top-down" process starting with the melting of rocks near the surface and progressing deeper, consistent with the geological effect of giant meteorite impacts.' The three types of oxygen isotope - different forms of the element - found inside the zircon indicate that the craton was formed in three stages. The first stage was a giant impact about 3.6 billion years ago that blasted away a part of the planet's crust, and reduced the pressure on the below mantle as a result. The approximate locations of Archean cratons, that are over 2.5 billion years old and include the Pilbara Craton, and surrounding Proterozoic regions worldwide A geologic map of the Pilbara Craton in Western Australia. The rocks exposed here range from 2.5 to 3.5 billion years ago, offering a uniquely well-preserved window into Earth's deep past This mantle then started melting and oozing upwards through the crust to form what's known as an 'oceanic plateau'. High temperatures at the base of the plateau result in the formation of granites, which are stable and have low density; the second stage. In the final stage, the granites move up with the magma and add strength to the forming craton. The oldest rocks were dated to between 3.9 and 3.5 billion years old, which coincide with the Late Heavy Bombardment. This was when a large number of smaller asteroids, up to 40 km wide, collided with the newly-formed planets in the inner Solar System. Images of zircon grains, showing areas targeted and the ratio of the oxygen-18 isotope relative to oxygen-16 in parentheses The Pilbara Craton is an old and stable part of the Earth's outer shell located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (stock image) The researchers claim this is the strongest evidence yet of the decades-old theory that the Earth's continents were formed by giant meteorite impacts. It undermines a competing theory that cratons were formed as a result of ancient volcanic activity. Dr Johnson said that understanding the formation and ongoing evolution of continents is crucial, as humanity is so reliant on them. They host the majority of the Earth's biomass, all humans and important mineral deposits. He added: 'Not least, the continents host critical metals such as lithium, tin and nickel, commodities that are essential to the emerging green technologies needed to fulfil our obligation to mitigate climate change, 'These mineral deposits are the end result of a process known as crustal differentiation, which began with the formation of the earliest landmasses, of which the Pilbara Craton is just one of many.' In future work, the team would like to see if the findings of this study of the Pilbara Craton are applicable to other areas of ancient continental crust. Female monkeys with a tight-knit group of female friends live longer, while their male friends do not have any survival benefits, a study has found. Researchers from he University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) studied the relationships of female white-faced capuchins with companions of all sexes and ages, to investigate any link to their survival. They tracked interactions like grooming and foraging near to each other, as well as when they supported one another during conflict. It was found that strong female-female relationships increase life expectancy, but interactions with adult males only had the same effect when the females provided more grooming. Anthropologists studied the relationships of female white-faced capuchins with companions of all sexes and ages, to investigate any link to their survival It was found that strong female-female relationships increase life expectancy, but interactions with adult males only had the same effect when the females provided more grooming Capuchins watch their friends to learn the most efficient way to eat hard to open fruit Capuchin monkeys learn the most efficient way to open fruit based on the method with the highest payoff, researchers from the University of California, Davis have found. They monkeys used a mixture of learning by observation and individual experience to use their canines to open fruit from Panama trees - which are lined on the inside with stinging hairs. This type of payoff based learning could be used by animals to adapt to rapidly changing conditions, for example due to climate change. Read more here Advertisement Professor Susan Perry said: 'As humans, we assume there is some benefit to social interactions, but it is really hard to measure the success of our behavioural strategies. 'Why do we invest so much in our relationships with others? Does it lead to a longer lifespan? Does it lead to more reproductive success? 'It requires a colossal effort to measure this in humans and other animals.' Professor Perry has been directing the Lomas Barbudal Capuchin Monkey Project in Guanacaste, Costa Rica for over 30 years. She and her team have been documenting the daily lives of hundreds of large-brained monkeys, to investigate how their relationships and behaviours may link to those of humans. In a study, recently published in Behavioral Ecology, over 18 years of data was analysed to discover any connection between female capuchins social integration and their survival. Their analysis revealed that strong female-female relationships increase life expectancy, but interactions with adult males only had the same effect when the females provided more grooming. The types of behaviours measured in the study did not suggest that heterosexual relationships benefited survival. In a separate study, published two years ago in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, the research team discovered that the capuchins performed some rituals with each other that were intended to test their friendship. The researchers discovered that the capuchins performed some rituals with each other that were intended to test their friendship, including poking each other in the eyes, mouth or nose Professor Perry suggests this could be an evolutionary precursor to similar ritual practices humans use, as observed in religion or children's playgrounds This included poking the mouth, eye or nostril, prying open the mouth or hand to inspect it, passing objects from mouth-to-mouth and clasping the hands of their social partner. Other customs included cupping the partner's face, sucking on their appendage or using their back or belly as a drum - all of which could go on for up to 30 minutes. Despite seeming irritating, the authors claim they were used most often between pairs of monkeys who do not know interact that much, and that are usually deemed particularly friendly. Professor Perry suggests this could be an evolutionary precursor to similar ritual practices humans use, as observed in religion or children's playgrounds. Adrien Rabiot's imminent move to Manchester United has become one of the transfer stories of the summer, but it isn't the first time the 27-year-old midfielder has been coveted in the city. After impressing as a youth for French side Creteil, a 13-year-old Rabiot was noticed by scouts and invited to join Manchester City's youth setup in 2008. Travelling over to the UK alongside his mother and agent, Veronique Rabiot, the teenager joined the Manchester City Academy, then under the stewardship of Jim Cassell. Adrien Rabiot spent six months in Manchester City's academy as a teenager (right) - but is now poised to sign for their rivals Manchester United from Juventus However, after spending just sixth months with the club, and amidst a bout of homesickness, Rabiot would ultimately opt to leave Manchester to return to his native France. Speaking later about his experience, Rabiot would offer an insight in to what had gone wrong during his time at the club. 'Everything was going well, but after six months, the club did not respect certain agreements, so my mother said 'Stop' and we went home,' he said in 2020. The French international ultimately left Manchester following a disagreement between the club and his mother and agent, Veronique Rabiot Rabiot would return to his native country before eventually joining PSG, where he would spend nine years before signing for Juventus in 2019 It is believed that the disagreements between the elder Rabiot and Manchester City were related to Veronique wanting assurances from the club for her son that would have breached FIFA regulations on foreign players. After returning to France, Rabiot would turn out for more local clubs before joining PSG's youth set-up in 2010, eventually breaking into the first team at the Parisian club. Following a nine-year stint in the French capital, Rabiot would join Juventus in 2019 during the short reign of Maurizio Sarri at the club. Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is chasing a deal for Rabiot after talks with Frenkie de Jong appear to have broken down Since then the French international has made more than 100 appearances in all competitions for the Old Lady. Rabiot is expected to complete a deal reportedly worth 15million to join Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, with talks ongoing between the club and Veronique regarding personal terms. The club earmarked the former PSG star as an option after it emerged that top target Frenkie de Jong now looks set to join Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea after months of speculation regarding his future. Manchester United fans have taken to social media to rejoice as the club's move for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot appears to have stalled. Earlier this week Juventus agreed a deal worth 15million for the French international that would see Rabiot make the move to Old Trafford, while negotiations on personal terms have been ongoing since. However, reports suggest that Rabiot's mother, Veronique Rabiot, who also serves as the player's agent, has been demanding a significant increase on the 27-year-old's current wage at Juventus for any prospective deal to go through. Adrien Rabiot's prospective transfer to Manchester United is on the brink of c With the ongoing contract negotiations leaving the move in serious doubt, United fans on social media have expressed their excitement at the news. @MUFCTidy on twitter wrote: 'Party time if true' Another user added 'Good he is another wrong type of player we are trying to buy & his stats are terrible' A further fan added: 'YES!!! please collapse!! #NoToRabiot' @MathiasGunnars1 added: 'Thank f**k' @buckko7 was happy that the deal would not go ahead based on the reported wage demands of the player: 'If he wants a fortune in wages personally I would rather we walked away.' Likewise another user was pleased that the club had not given into the player's demands: 'Literally where is the decisiveness? If someone's trying to hold you over a barrel demanding something that's obviously unpalatable, you walk away. Simple.' United had initially shown an interest in Rabiot after their on-again-off-again deal for Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong hit a stumbling block last week. Erik ten Hag is reportedly an admirer of the former PSG midfielder, and had spoken to Rabiot over the telephone regarding a potential move. The French international has found himself frozen out at Juventus, and with only one year left on his deal at the Turin club, a move to Old Trafford represents an opportunity for Massimiliano Allegri's side to acquire a fee for the player before his contract expires. The cast of Grease The Musical in London have dedicated the run of the show to the late Olivia Newton-John. Olivia, who passed away peacefully at her home in Southern California on Monday morning following a 30-year battle with cancer, played Sandy Olsson in the 1978 film. In joint statement following Tuesday nights West End performance of the show, the cast said it was a huge honour to follow in Olivias footsteps each night and they were inspired by her work. The cast of Grease The Musical in London have dedicated the run of the show to the late Olivia Newton-John As the show concluded, actress Olivia Moore, who plays Sandy in current run, addressed audiences against a backdrop of a large image of Olivia, which glowed in the neon pink stage lighting. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure you have all heard the incredibly sad news that Olivia Newton-John passed away yesterday evening,' Moore said to the crowd. 'She of course played Sandy in the film and she is an icon who has inspired countless young performers across the world, especially all of us in this company. 'It is a huge honor to follow in Olivias footsteps each night and perform those songs that she made world-famous with millions of fans that continue to celebrate her incredible talent.' She continued, 'We are dedicating our run of Grease to Olivias memory and all that she stood for.' Moore, 26, added that a collection for breast cancer support, a charity for which Olivia raised much awareness, was being held at the exits of the theatre. Olivia, who passed away peacefully on Monday at her home in Southern California, played Sandy Olsson in the 1978 film The UK production features Aussie stars Peter Andre, who plays Vince Fontaine, and Jason Donovan as Teen Angel. The former Neighbours actor will perform the role at some performances for six weeks, while Andre will be at some performances until October. Andre make a heartfelt tribute to Newton-John following her death, sharing a photo of them together after performing at a charity event. Newton-John's iconic sweet-to-sexy transformation was recreated for years to come in costumes and tributes Newton-John famously resisted the part of Sandy in the 1978 movie Grease. She was 28 at the time and thought she was too old to play a fresh-faced high school student 'The night of the Spina Bifida charity concert in Australia where I had the privilege to perform alongside Dame Olivia Newton John,' he wrote alongside the Instagram post. 'This photo reminds me what a warm, kind and giving person she was. She smiled constantly and spent time speaking to everyone backstage. I will never forget it.' Meanwhile, Donovan shared a video via his Instagram Story that showed buildings in Melbourne light up in pink to honour the Xanadu songstress. London's Grease The Musical is directed by Nikolai Foster and will play at the Dominion Theatre until October 29. On Monday morning, Newton-John's husband broke the news of the star's death in a heartbreak Facebook post, following her brave and extraordinarily public decades-long health battle. 'Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends,' Mr Easterling wrote. 'We ask that everyone please respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time. Just days before her death, Olivia Newton-John posted a heartwarming photo to Instagram alongside her husband John Easterling Olivia's death was announced by her husband John Easterling on Monday on her social media pages, saying she died surrounded by family and friends 'Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. 'Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.' Her Grease co-star and on-screen love interest John Travolta, who played Danny Zuko in the film, also shared a personal tribute. 'My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again,' he wrote in an Instagram post. 'Yours from the first moment I saw you and forever! Your Danny, your John!' John Travolta was among the first to pay tribute to Newton-John on Instagram. Their joint performance catapulted both of their careers in 1978 Chantel Jeffries made an appearance on Instagram on Wednesday as she shared a new post with her fans. The 29-tear-old DJ modeled a skintight white maxi dress from Fashion Nova as she enjoyed a night at Miami's Sexy Fish. In a caption to her 4.7 million followers on the photo-sharing app she asked, 'What we plottin?' Social media: Chantel Jeffries made an appearance on Instagram on Wednesday as she shared a new post with her fans The entrepreneur looked typically gorgeous as she posed in the trendy restaurant's recognizable pink-lit hallway. She crouched down in one photo, demonstrating her agility as she balanced in white, backless heels. Her footwear featured a thick white strap and open-toe design that allowed her to flaunt her pristine pedicure. Chantel carried a small, quilted, metallic-colored Chanel handbag with the brand's signature leather and chain link straps. Engaging: In a caption to her 4.7 million followers on the photo-sharing app she asked, 'What we plottin?' She wore her honey blonde highlighted hair down, styled in a center part with the locks ironed straight. They fell down her back, complementing her less-is-more summertime-appropriate attire. The dress from the popular clothing boutique boasted a low, scoop neckline that highlighted her ample cleavage. And Jeffries drew attention to her chest with a delicate necklace that had her initials encrusted in diamonds. Knockout: The entrepreneur looked typically gorgeous as she posed in the trendy restaurant's recognizable pink-lit hallway Picture perfect: The 29-tear-old DJ modeled a skintight white maxi dress from Fashion Nova as she enjoyed a night at Miami's Sexy Fish The Colorado-born beauty seemed to enjoy her night out with friends as she sat in a pink leather booth for more flicks. The additional photos gave viewers an eyeful as she leaned flirtily, giving a closer look at her ensemble. Chantel, who counts fellow DJ Diplo as a friend, was tantalizing as she stared into the camera with a fully made up face. Her thick, dark eyebrows were carefully shaped, beautifully framing her striking visage. Eye-catching: Jeffries drew attention to her chest with a delicate necklace that had her initials encrusted in diamonds She flaunted her flawless look, which included shimmery eyeshadow, fluttery eyelashes, and soft, winged eyeliner. Chantel's cheeks were coated in a dusting of glowy blush and highlighter, and the look was completed with a glassy lip stain. Taking to her Stories, she shared more outtakes from the night out, posting video snippets with her friends. She was joined at the Miami hotspot with two girl friends, Cassidy Jordan and Sarah Snyder. Three-time Emmy nominee Kaley Cuoco had a 'magical' Subway sandwich lunch date (including Doritos) with Love Actually alum Bill Nighy on the Berlin set of their new film Role Play last week. The 36-year-old SoCal native - who boasts 7.4M Instagram followers - revealed via Instastory on Tuesday that the 72-year-old Englishman 'loves' the Connecticut fast food chain, which happens to have 31 locations in the city. Kaley wound up misspelling Bill's last name twice in her posts, but she meant well, gushing that he was 'the classiest gent around' while giving a tepid shout-out to their castmate David Oyelowo. 'Classic': Three-time Emmy nominee Kaley Cuoco had a 'magical' Subway sandwich lunch date (including Doritos) with Love Actually alum Bill Nighy on the Berlin set of their new film Role Play last week Nighy replaced Billy Bob Thorton, who had a schedule conflict, in the role of 'mysterious stranger' Bob in Thomas Vincent's thriller for Amazon Studios - according to Deadline. 'I already miss him!' Cuoco - who produces and stars as Emma - captioned another snap of herself holding two Polaroids of the unlikely duo looking cozy. While in Germany, the Big Bang Theory alum has been missing her many dogs as well as her boyfriend of four months, Outer Range star Tom Pelphrey. Surprisingly not a paid promotion! The 36-year-old SoCal native revealed via Instastory on Tuesday that the 72-year-old Englishman 'loves' the Connecticut fast food chain, which happens to have 31 locations in the city Oops! Kaley wound up misspelling Bill's last name twice in her posts, but she meant well, gushing that he was 'the classiest gent around' while giving a tepid shout-out to their castmate David Oyelowo (M) Action! Nighy replaced Billy Bob Thorton, who had a schedule conflict, in the role of 'mysterious stranger' Bob in Thomas Vincent's thriller for Amazon Studios Cuoco - who produces and stars as Emma - captioned another snap of herself holding two Polaroids of the unlikely duo looking cozy: 'I already miss him!' Twice-divorced Kaley said it was 'love at first sight' when she met the 40-year-old New Jersey native at the April 21 premiere of Netflix's final season of Ozark at the Paris Theatre in Manhattan. For her role as Cassie Bowden in The Flight Attendant, Cuoco will compete for the lead actress in a comedy series trophy at 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, which airs September 12 on CBS. The Smirnoff brand ambassador will have to face off against Rachel Brosnahan, Quinta Brunson, Elle Fanning, Issa Rae, and Jean Smart. 'BRB crying': While in Germany, the Big Bang Theory alum has been missing her many dogs as well as her boyfriend of four months, Outer Range star Tom Pelphrey Still going strong! Twice-divorced Kaley said it was 'love at first sight' when she met the 40-year-old New Jersey native at the April 21 premiere of Netflix's final season of Ozark at the Paris Theatre in Manhattan 'There are no words. Thank you @televisionacad for this honor that I do not take lightly,' Kaley - who's also executive producer - wrote of the nod on July 12. 'Thank you to my entire flight crew @flightattendantonmax for the flight of a lifetime. And to share this moment with my [love] @tommypelphrey with his own deserved nomination, what a moment and we are so grateful.' Indeed, Tom will compete for the guest actor in a drama series trophy for his role as Ben Davis in Ozark. 'There are no words': For her role as Cassie Bowden in The Flight Attendant, Cuoco will compete for the lead actress in a comedy series trophy at 74th Primetime Emmy Awards, which airs September 12 on CBS 'Thank you @televisionacad for this honor that I do not take lightly': The Smirnoff brand ambassador will have to face off against Rachel Brosnahan, Quinta Brunson, Elle Fanning, Issa Rae, and Jean Smart Pelphrey will face off against Adrien Brody, James Cromwell, Colman Domingo, Arian Moayed, and Alexander Skarsgard for the prize. Cuoco currently executive produces and voices the titular character in the third season of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm's animated series Harley Quinn, which airs Thursdays on HBO Max. Harley Quinn has the distinction of being one of the few out and proud bisexual characters from DC Comics, and has an on/off romance with fellow supervillain Poison Ivy. Louise Thompson has spoken of her fear that her ongoing battle with post-traumatic stress disorder will affect her son Leo as he grows up. The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, has been struggling with PTSD and perinatal anxiety since the birth of Leo in November - and she detailed how she worries she won't be strong enough to throw her son a first birthday party. Sharing a series of sweet snaps with Leo and fiance Ryan Libbey, she wrote: 'I had a reflexology session the other day (which pretty much doubled up as a therapy session) and we ended up discussing recovery. No surprises there. Candid: Louise Thompson has spoken of her fear that her ongoing battle with post-traumatic stress disorder will affect her son Leo as he grows up 'We agreed that it doesnt matter what your circumstances are: whether youre grieving a loss, going through a divorce, physically suffering, dealing with ptsd, dissociation or other mental health conditions, whatever it is one thing that can make recovery. '10x harder is having young children. I absolutely hate to admit it but its true. If youve been through it, im sure you can relate. Having someone (or multiple little people) that 100% depend on you whilst going through a tumultuous time is tough squared. Especially if theyre not at school yet. 'You have to plaster together that strong facade, sticking to their routine religiously whilst placing one foot in front of the other, reciting this too shall pass and PARK your own needs and recovery firmly till the end of the day when youve put your little ones to bed and hopefully theyve drifted off into a DEEP peaceful slumber (the longer the better) then, and only then, can you unpack everything that is going on in your head. Her strength: The former Made In Chelsea star, 32, has been struggling with PTSD and perinatal anxiety since the birth of Leo in November - and she detailed how she worries she won't be strong enough to throw her son a first birthday party Inspiration: Louise shared some sweet snaps with Leo to her Instagram 'All your emotions are free to spill out into a big fat mess or you can just sit and be still with whatever c**p youre dealing with and try to process it, free from the guilt that you might affect their sponge like brains.' Louise said she tries to hide how she's feeling during the day to protect him when she feels unwell, saying: 'As you guys already know one of my biggest recurring fears during this whole process is that Im going to be all over the place as Leo grows up and that its going to have an adverse effect on his development so I try to hide as much as possible during daytime! It honestly haunts me ALL THE TIME. 'That, and the idea that I won't be strong enough to throw him a birthday party come November. So brave: Louise wrote a candid post updating followers on her progress 'I want more than anything for him to feel loved, nurtured, supported and for him to have fun with his parents. I want stability for him. Not for me to be having constant on off weird moments. 'I often struggle to explain it to myself or my partner, so I dont really want to have to explain the complexities of my brain to a poor innocent child. The whole thing also feels quite contradictory because they are the reason that you keep going but also maybe the reason that things take so much longer to process and get better?! 'Ive managed to process things quite quickly in the past with talking therapy etc. but this feels so different and SO SLOW. Ive never suffered with anything like it. 'My lovely reflexology lady joked how gone are the days of getting over things by sleeping in until midday and going out on benders with girlfriends. She was so right. 'I mean that wouldnt work for me now anyway with my total fear of lying in bed surrounded by ruminating thoughts and my on off fear of consuming things that might affect my medication, my colitis or my recovery! I dont think Ill ever drink again tbh. Its been nearly two years and Im WAY too scared.' 'Talking of having time to yourself in the evening I'm guessing that us having a really tight routine in the evening might be one of the reasons that I always feel better around 5pm? Something shifts in my brain. 'The damaged programs in the computer slot back into place. Anyone else experienced this? Maybe its because that is my recovery time. Its not even a conscious decision but my body is somehow signalling to my brain that I can live without total irrational fear. Its saying YES.' This comes after Louise shared a candid post detailing a difficult day which saw her 'cry at every person who set foot in her house,' as she struggled with 'unbearable brain agitation.' In a post shared to Instagram Stories on Wednesday she said: 'Real talk. Today I can't hide the tears, I have cried to every poor person that has set foot in our house.' 'Real talk':This comes after Louise shared a candid post detailing a difficult day which saw her 'cry at every person who set foot in her house,' as she struggled with 'unbearable brain agitation Alongside a sad looking selfie, she added: 'The brain agitation is just unbearable. Please someone make it go away.' The reality star is battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and post-natal anxiety after two near-death experiences during Leo's birth eight months ago. She has recently been attempting to lower her antidepressants dosage with guidance from her medical team. Last week the mum-of-one admitted she was struggling with her emotions as she contended with 'mum guilt' and her disappointment at missing her close friend's wedding. WHAT IS POSTNATAL ANXIETY? As many as 17 per cent of new mothers experience postnatal anxiety after giving birth, studies suggest. It is thought to be caused by a combination of the shock of parenthood, hormonal fluctuations, and the impact family life has on sleep and stress levels. Some women experience postnatal generalised anxiety disorder, which is defined as a constant state of anxiety. This is where you worry about everything from your child's feeding patterns to your ability as a parent. Postnatal obsessive compulsive disorder occurs when a woman experiences distressing thoughts about harm coming to her baby. And postnatal health anxiety is when the mind becomes preoccupied that there may be something wrong with the baby's health. Many anxiety sufferers feel tense and on edge, and battle a constant sense of dread. They may also become paranoid that people can tell something is wrong. And their mind is often busy with thoughts and continuously dwelling on negative situations. Physical symptoms may include: Tense muscles and headaches Pins and needles Feeling lightheaded or dizzy Sweating or hot flushes Palpitations Insomnia Needing the toilet more or less frequently Churning feeling in the stomach Panic attacks Treatment is made up of talking therapies and anti-anxiety medication. People can help themselves cope by shifting their focus onto something small, like the details on a picture or the fabric of their clothes. Breathing exercises and staying active can also help. Advertisement Sharing photos from her London home on Wednesday, Louise admitted she was 'struggling quite a lot this morning'. 'I have to be honest I feel a great sense of comfort and connectedness sharing on here. I feel a sense of safety, like nothing can go wrong because we're all in this together. So I hope you don't mind but I'm going to stick with it,' she added of her willingness to share her feelings. Louise demonstrated her morning qigong routine, a system of coordinated body-posture and movement, breathing, and meditation, which she has been practising over the past week to give her 'stability'. She then clarified why she was finding the day so tough, explaining she was attempting to lower the dosage of her antidepressants. 'I am trying to lower my mirtazapine dose,' she wrote. 'I really just want to stabilise my body and brain naturally. I'm 4 days into a lower dose and this morning I feel all over the place.' 'I feel really dizzy and confused and quite outa body. Like I don't know where to place myself. I can't sit down or think straight.' 'I feel like my nervous system is malfunctioning. Thank goodness Leo is at nursery and I have Ryan.' 'Sometimes I think how the heck did this all happen to me? Give me my old brain back. I beg of you.' Louise later shared her feelings of 'mum guilt' about sending her son to nursery two days a week, explaining that she hasn't even told her fans about Leo's nursery routine because she felt 'so guilty for sending him'. 'I think Ryan nonchalantly mentioned it on a story a while back and I freaked out a bit,' she admitted. 'Tbh when I think back to a few months ago I find it noting short of miraculous that I managed to achieve the simple task of finding and enrolling him into a lovely little school. Need to eliminate the mum guilt.' To add to her struggles, Louise said she was gutted to be missing out on an important event this month- her best friend Binky Felstead's wedding in Corfu. 'Also feeling quite pants because I'm missing my beautiful besties wedding in Greece this week due to a boring hospital infusion tomorrow and other non negotiable medical appointments this week,' Louise wrote. 'I love you @binkyfelstead.' Louise's MIC pal Binky held a second wedding ceremony with her fiance Max in Greece last week after legally getting hitched in London last year. If you have been affected by this story please contact Birth Trauma Association at birthtraumaassociation.org.uk For help and support with perinatal mental illness please contact PANDAS on 0808 1961 776 Kyle Sandilands, 51, and his fiancee Tegan Kynaston , 36, were on the money when it came to naming their newborn child Otto. The name comes from a Germanic origin and means 'the wealthy one' or 'prosperous' - a fitting title for the child of radio's $100million man. Born on Thursday morning, baby Otto Sandilands is set to enjoy a life of luxury and privilege, growing up in Kyle and Tegan's newly-purchased $13.8 million mansion in Sydney's elite Bellevue Hill. The very fitting meaning of Kyle Sandilands (left) and Tegan Kynaston's (right) baby name Otto has been revealed Kyle first revealed Otto's name back in March live on air, telling his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson his relatives weren't thrilled with the decision. 'I don't think it's gone down too well with the family. Even Tegan's mum goes, "Oh, there's no need to rush into a name" And my auntie Jill went, "What sort of stupid name is that?'"' he admitted. Kyle and Jackie - whose daughter is named Catalina - said it was interesting they'd both named their children after popular restaurants in Sydney's east. The name comes from a Germanic origin and means 'the wealthy one' or 'prosperity'- a fitting title for the child of radio's $100million man Kyle first revealed Otto's name back in March live on-air, telling his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson (right) his relatives weren't thrilled with the decision The meaning of Otto Otto is a boy's name of German origin, meaning 'wealth'. For history lovers, this name may bring to mind an image of Otto the Great, generally considered to be the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. With power and might, baby Otto will be wealthy in more ways than just financially. This born leader can guide those around him with ease and prestige, navigating the world as he makes it his own. Source: TheBump.com Advertisement Catalina is an upmarket seafood restaurant in Rose Bay, while Italian eatery Otto Ristorante is located in Woolloomooloo, in the inner east. 'We're ensuring a lifetime of free food!' Jackie joked. Kyle added with a laugh: 'I wanted to call [my son] Grill'd because I like those burgers, but Tegan said no. She prefers Otto.' Weeks before he confirmed Otto's name, Kyle exclusively told Daily Mail Australia that he wanted to name his son Jamillion but Tegan had vetoed the idea. 'Maybe I'll keep it for a middle name', he joked. Kyle and Tegan welcomed Otto on Thursday morning. Jackie announced the happy news joy on-air and Kyle's manager Bruno Bouchet told Daily Mail Australia : 'Little Otto was born this morning. Mum and bub both doing well.' 'Kyle's beyond excited. Kyle will be back on tomorrow's radio show to chat all things Otto,' he added. Jackie, who is Otto's godmother, shed tears of joy as she declared: 'Otto has been born!' Kyle and Jackie - whose daughter is named Catalina (left) - said it was interesting they'd both named their children after popular restaurants in Sydney's east Weeks before he confirmed Otto's name, Kyle exclusively told Daily Mail Australia that he wanted to name his son Jamillion but Tegan had vetoed the idea Kyle later gave a rather graphic update about the birth, telling 'Intern' Peter Deppeler live in the hospital car park: 'Otto's born, Otto's fabulous. I cut the cord, I didn't realise it was like tough calamari and blood spurted out.' Dressed in blue scrubs, the elated new father said: 'I was the first person to touch him, he sh*t himself, poo was oozing out.' Deppeler also recorded a comedic video of Kyle indulging in a cooler bag full of snacks in the hospital. Jackie announced the happy news on air and Kyle's manager Bruno Bouchet told Daily Mail Australia : 'Little Otto was born this morning. Mum and bub both doing well' 'The baby's feeding. Then I thought, well if you're eating, I will too,' he declared. While the KIIS FM team weren't able to broadcast from the birthing suite, they did contribute a personal touch to Tegan's and Kyle's big day by creating a baby-themed playlist for them to play while she gave birth. Among the songs on the list was Guy Sebastian's 2003 hit single Angels Brought Me Here. Guy himself called into the show to send his well-wishes, revealing that he'd been made aware of the birth after a stranger stopped him on the street to share the news. Jackie, who is Otto's godmother, shed tears of joy as she declared: 'Otto has been born!' Kyle gave a rather graphic update about the birth, telling 'Intern' Peter Deppeler live in the hospital car park: 'Otto's born, Otto's fabulous. I cut the cord, I didn't realise it was like tough calamari and blood spurted out' Dressed in blue scrubs, the elated new father said: 'I was the first person to touch him, he sh*t himself, poo was oozing out' TV presenter Beau Ryan also called into the show, jokingly telling Jackie: 'I never thought I'd see this day while I was alive.' Also sending his best wishes was Kyle's idol, veteran radio host John Laws, who mused: 'Does the child look like me?' Elsewhere, baby Otto's uncle Chris Sandilands called into the show to share his joy. While the KIIS FM team weren't able to broadcast from the birthing suite, they did contribute a personal touch to Tegan's and Kyle's big day by creating a baby-themed playlist for them to play while she gave birth Chris said he was thrilled by the arrival, revealing that he was unable to attend the birth due to hospital Covid restrictions but was looking forward to meeting his nephew once they return home. 'This kid is born into luxury. What a lucky little bugger!' he joked. Just an hour earlier, at around 7am, Kyle abruptly left his radio show on as his Tegan went into labour. Baby Otto's uncle Chris Sandilands (pictured) also called into the show to share his joy Just seconds into the show, father-to-be Kyle, 51, told his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson he had to leave and rush Tegan, 36, to the hospital. 'Guys, I am broadcasting from home for a reason, and that reason seems to have raised its head now,' he said, before turning to his pregnant partner and asking her, 'It's all happening?' Turning back to the microphone, Kyle continued: 'Guys, I think it might have to leave the show and go to the hospital.' Just an hour earlier Kyle abruptly left his radio show on as his Tegan went into labour 'Guys, I am broadcasting from home for a reason, and that reason seems to have raised its head now,' he said, before turning to his pregnant parter and asking her, 'It's all happening?' 'It's time? Oh, it's time!' Jackie exclaimed, prompting a rousing applause form the entire radio studio 'It's time? Oh, it's time!' an excited Jackie exclaimed, prompting a rousing applause form the entire radio studio. 'Calm down, we don't want the kid coming too soon,' Kyle joked. Shedding his usual calm demeanour, Kyle seemed rather flustered as he told his colleagues: 'Guys I'm so sorry. I feel very unprepared, I don't... I've got to run... I feel like I'm abandoning you, but I'm there for my child.' Jackie assured him everything was fine, before inviting producer Pedro Vitola to host the show in Kyle's absence. KIIS FM shared this post on social media documenting the exact moment Kyle realised his baby was on the way The high-profile couple announced they were expecting their first child in February Kyle could then be heard removing his headphones and rushing out the door. 'We're so used to seeing everything happen in life I wish there was a way that he could Facetime us so we could all watch or do a live Facebook or a live Instagram,' Jackie said. 'Oh, how exciting! I'm freaking out.' 'We're so used to seeing everything happen in life I wish there was a way that he could Facetime us so we could all watch or do a live Facebook or a live Instagram,' Jackie said Jackie later updated fans on the big news, telling listeners: 'If you've just tuned in, little Otto has been born. It's so hectic, I feel like I can't think straight!' The high-profile couple announced they were expecting their first child in February. Their baby boy will be named Otto. 'We're having a baby! We are having a friggin' baby. I couldn't be happier,' Kyle said on his KIIS FM breakfast show at the time. Tegan and Kyle found out the sex of their baby at an elaborate gender reveal party held on Sydney Harbour later in February Tegan said on air that Kyle had been 'very emotional' since finding out he was going to be a first-time father. Tegan and Kyle found out the sex of their baby at an elaborate gender reveal party held on Sydney Harbour later in February. They hired a superyacht for the occasion and arranged for planes flying overhead to release blue smoke, revealing they're having a baby boy. Kyle and Tegan also became engaged in Port Douglas, Queensland, over the Christmas holidays Kyle and Tegan also became engaged in Port Douglas, Queensland, over the Christmas holidays. In June it was reported that Kyle had purchased a $13.8 million mansion in Sydney's elite Bellevue Hill to make room for their growing family. The four-storey sprawling property boasts five bedrooms, six bathrooms, an internal life and a wine cellar. Before dating Tegan, Kyle was with ex-girlfriend Imogen Anthony for eight years until they called it quits in 2019. Chris Hemsworth is raising little mini-mes. The Thor star was seen taking his children for an afternoon surf at a Byron Bay beach on Wednesday. The actor's daughter, India, nine, and twin boys Sasha and Tristan, both eight, were seen running down the beach with surfboards tucked under their arms. Daddy day care! Chris Hemsworth was seen taking his children for an afternoon surf at a Byron Bay beach on Wednesday. The four, all dressed in black wetsuits, started their adventure running headlong into the sea. Later, they swapped their surfboards out for kickboards for some more in-the-water fun. At one point, Chris appeared to help a young surfer out of a rip before directing her to a safer part of the beach as she lugged her large surfboard. A while after, India was seen clinging to her father's back as they waded through the shallows, looking for the next swell. Hunk: Chris showed off her muscular physique in a skintight wetsuit Warm up: Chris ran on the sand as he warmed up for his surf Mini-mes: The actor's daughter, India, nine, and twin boys Sasha and Tristan, both eight, were seen running down the beach with surfboards tucked under their arms. (Pictured: India, right, and one of the twins) Siblings: India ran into the sea with one of her younger brothers Towards the end of the afternoon, the hunky actor swept his daughter up into his arms and carried her out of the sea after a wave crashed into the two of them. Chris shares her three children with his wife Elsa Pataky whom he married in 2010. The family resides in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay. Thor to the rescue! At one point, Chris appeared to help a young surfer out of a rip before directing her to a safer part of the beach as she lugged her large surfboard Advice: India looked up to her dad as he gave her surfing advice Proud: Chris proudly watched over one of his young ones as they ran straight for the water Last month, Chris said he is working on more and more films in Australia. 'My focus ever since I had any sway was to shoot here in Australia due to, on a personal level, being at home with my family, but also because of the awareness that I had about what was possible here when it comes to the talent,' he told The Daily Telegraph. Chris made his latest film, the Netflix science fiction drama Spiderhead, in Queensland. Fun in the sea: Later they swapped their surfboards out for kickboards for some more in-the-water fun Piggyback: India was seen clinging to her father's back as they waded through the shallows, looking for the next swell Cute: Chris gave his daughter a piggy-back ride This is how it is done! Chris looked determined as he caught a wave Close watch: Chris kept an eagle eye on India as she struggled with her kickboard Just like dad: She he tried to catch a wave just like her father His production company, Wild State Productions, brought Thor 3 and 4, Extraction 1 and 2, Spiderhead and Interceptor to film in Australia, the paper reported. 'Life is sweet. It is great and I couldn't be happier,' Chris added. 'If you had have said or asked me 10 years ago where I would like to be, this is it.' Cuddles: Towards the end of the afternoon outing, the hunky actor swept his daughter up into his arms and carried her out of the sea after a wave crashed into the two of them Family: Chris shares the three Hemsworth kids with his wife Elsa Pataky whom he married in 2010 Yoon Sung-yong, director-general of the National Museum of Korea, speaks during a press conference held at the museum in central Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-soo The art collection of late former Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee will be exhibited abroad in 2024 or 2025 after stints in four cities here Seoul, Gwangju, Daegu and Cheongju. Yoon Sung-yong, the new director-general of the National Museum of Korea (NMK), said the state-run museum will complete the registration for cultural heritage of Lee's private collection by the end of this year. "Once the registration is done, citizens will be able to view Lee's art collection through an e-museum starting January of next year. The exhibition of Lee's collection will only be held in four cities in Korea before showcasing them abroad, because it's important to preserve and manage cultural assets," he said during a press conference at the museum in central Seoul, Thursday. Chris Hemsworth's long-time personal assistant and childhood friend Aaron Grist shared some awkward throwback photos of the Thor star to mark the Hollywood star's 39th birthday on Thursday. Aaron posted some never before seen images to Instagram of a pre-fame Chris, proving even the hunky Marvel action star had an awkward growth phase. In one photo, a teenage Chris is seen with acne and daggy hair while dolled up in a tuxedo to attend his school formal. Chris Hemsworth 's long-time personal assistant and childhood friend Aaron Grist shared some awkward throwback photos of the Thor star to mark the Hollywood star's 39th birthday - including this embarrassing school formal photo The actor nevertheless had his trademark intense glare, hinting at the time a superstar was about to be born. Another embarrassing photo showed Chris proudly displaying his pearly whites seemingly not realising there was spinach caught between his teeth. Aaron shared the pictures alongside a cheeky message wishing him the best for his birthday on August 11. Another embarrassing photo showed Chris proudly displaying his pearly whites seemingly not realising there was spinach caught between his teeth He wrote: 'Chris I know when you wake each time on August 11th youre not excited to see your family or open presents or even eat a delicious cake. 'Youre excited to see my bday post for you. Which includes some of your favourite photos and memories. Youre like the rich and famous uncle ! always wished for,' the personal assistant added. Chris paid his own tribute on Instagram to his wife Elsa Pataky last month for her 46th birthday. Aaron shared a gallery of snaps of a pre-fame Chris Hemsworth He wrote: 'Chris I know when you wake each time on August 11th youre not excited to see your family or open presents or even eat a delicious cake. Youre excited to see my bday post for you. Which includes some of your favourite photos and memories' The Hollywood star shared a precious photo of the pair, which showed a very buff Chris sitting on her petite lap while sharing a laugh on the set of his movie Thor: Love and Thunder. He thanked Elsa for 'always being my rock to sit on but way comfier.' The couple share three children together, daughter India, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 8. Kyle Sandilands dressed in hospital scrubs as he witnessed the birth of his first child, baby boy Otto, on Thursday. The 51-year-old wore the blue attire and a scrubs cap as he spoke with 'Intern' Peter Deppeler live on the Kyle & Jackie O show about the happy news. Standing in the hospital's undercover car park, the new father gave a rather graphic update about the birth, saying: 'Otto's born, Otto's fabulous. I cut the cord, I didn't realise it was like tough calamari and blood spurted out.' Kyle Sandilands dressed in hospital scrubs as he witnessed the birth of his first child, baby boy Otto, on Thursday He continued: 'I was the first person to touch him, he sh*t himself, poo was oozing out.' The radio host and his fiancee Tegan Kynaston, 36, welcomed their baby boy on Thursday morning. Kyle's co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson announced the happy news on air and Kyle's manager Bruno Bouchet told Daily Mail Australia : 'Little Otto was born this morning. Mum and bub both doing well.' The 51-year-old wore the blue attire and a scrubs cap as he spoke with 'Intern' Peter Deppeler live on the Kyle & Jackie O show about the happy news Standing in the hospital's undercover car park, the new father gave a rather graphic update about the birth, saying: 'Otto's born, Otto's fabulous. I cut the cord, I didn't realise it was like tough calamari and blood spurted out' The radio host and his fiancee Tegan Kynaston , 36, (right) welcomed their baby boy on Thursday morning 'Kyle's beyond excited. Kyle will be back on tomorrow's radio show to chat all things Otto,' he added. Jackie, who is Otto's godmother, shed tears of joy as she declared: 'Otto has been born!' Deppeler also recorded a comedic video of Kyle indulging in a cooler bag full of snacks in the hospital. Kyle's co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) announced the happy news on air and Kyle's manager Bruno Bouchet told Daily Mail Australia : 'Little Otto was born this morning. Mum and bub both doing well' 'The baby's feeding. Then I thought, well if you're eating, I will too,' he declared. While the KIIS FM team weren't able to broadcast from the birthing suite, they did contribute a personal touch to Tegan's and Kyle's big day by creating a baby-themed playlist for them to play while she gave birth. Among the songs on the list was Guy Sebastian's 2003 hit single Angels Brought Me Here. Jackie, who is Otto's godmother, shed tears of joy as she declared: 'Otto has been born!' Guy himself called into the show to send his well-wishes, revealing that he'd been made aware of the birth after a stranger stopped him on the street to share the news. TV presenter Beau Ryan also called into the show, jokingly telling Jackie: 'I never thought I'd see this day while I was alive.' Also sending his best wishes was Kyle's idol, veteran radio host John Laws, who mused: 'Does the child look like me?' While the KIIS FM team weren't able to broadcast from the birthing suite, they did contribute a personal touch to Tegan's and Kyle's big day by creating a baby-themed playlist for them to play while she gave birth Elsewhere, baby Otto's uncle Chris Sandilands called into the show to share his joy. Chris said he was thrilled by the arrival, revealing that he was unable to attend the birth due to hospital Covid restrictions but was looking forward to meeting his nephew once they return home. 'This kid is born into luxury. What a lucky little bugger!' he joked. Just an hour earlier, at around 7am, Kyle abruptly left his radio show as Tegan went into labour. Baby Otto's uncle Chris Sandilands (pictured) also called into the show to share his joy Seconds into the show, father-to-be told his co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson he had to leave and rush Tegan to the hospital. 'Guys, I am broadcasting from home for a reason, and that reason seems to have raised its head now,' he said, before turning to his pregnant partner and asking her, 'It's all happening?' Turning back to the microphone, Kyle continued: 'Guys, I think I might have to leave the show and go to the hospital.' Just an hour earlier Kyle abruptly left his radio show on as his Tegan went into labour 'Guys, I am broadcasting from home for a reason, and that reason seems to have raised its head now,' he said, before turning to his pregnant parter and asking her, 'It's all happening?' 'It's time? Oh, it's time!' Jackie exclaimed, prompting a rousing applause form the entire radio studio 'It's time? Oh, it's time!' an excited Jackie exclaimed, prompting a rousing applause from the entire radio studio. 'Calm down, we don't want the kid coming too soon,' Kyle joked. Shedding his usual calm demeanour, Kyle seemed rather flustered as he told his colleagues: 'Guys I'm so sorry. I feel very unprepared, I don't... I've got to run... I feel like I'm abandoning you, but I'm there for my child.' Jackie assured him everything was fine, before inviting producer Pedro Vitola to host the show in Kyle's absence. KIIS FM shared this post on social media documenting the exact moment Kyle realised his baby was on the way The high-profile couple announced they were expecting their first child in February Kyle could then be heard removing his headphones and rushing out the door. 'We're so used to seeing everything happen in life I wish there was a way that he could Facetime us so we could all watch or do a live Facebook or a live Instagram,' Jackie said. 'Oh, how exciting! I'm freaking out.' 'We're so used to seeing everything happen in life I wish there was a way that he could Facetime us so we could all watch or do a live Facebook or a live Instagram,' Jackie said Jackie later updated fans on the big news, telling listeners: 'If you've just tuned in, little Otto has been born. It's so hectic, I feel like I can't think straight!' The high-profile couple announced they were expecting their first child in February. Their baby boy will be named Otto. 'We're having a baby! We are having a friggin' baby. I couldn't be happier,' Kyle said on his KIIS FM breakfast show at the time. 'We're having a baby! We are having a friggin' baby. I couldn't be happier,' Kyle said on his KIIS FM breakfast show at the time Tegan and Kyle found out the sex of their baby at an elaborate gender reveal party held on Sydney Harbour later in February Tegan said on air that Kyle had been 'very emotional' since finding out he was going to be a first-time father. Tegan and Kyle found out the sex of their baby at an elaborate gender reveal party held on Sydney Harbour later in February. They hired a superyacht for the occasion and arranged for planes flying overhead to release blue smoke, revealing they're having a baby boy. Kyle and Tegan also became engaged in Port Douglas, Queensland, over the Christmas holidays Kyle and Tegan also became engaged in Port Douglas, Queensland, over the Christmas holidays. In June it was reported that Kyle had purchased a $13.8 million mansion in Sydney's elite Bellevue Hill to make room for their growing family. The four-storey sprawling property boasts five bedrooms, six bathrooms, an internal life and a wine cellar. Before dating Tegan, Kyle was with ex-girlfriend Imogen Anthony for eight years until they called it quits in 2019. She shocked viewers on Have You Been Paying Attention? earlier this week when she pretended to perform fellatio on a sausage. But Kate Langbroek's husband Peter Lewis says he wasn't at all shocked by his wife's obscene antics. Peter told Kate's KIIS FM's Pick Up co-host Katie 'Monty' Dimond 'it wasn't unpredictable' when they called him during the show on Wednesday. But Kate Langbroek's husband Peter Lewis says he wasn't at all shocked about his wife's obscene act on Have You Been Paying Attention? earlier this week Kate has built a bit of a reputation for her crude sense of humour, but on Monday she pushed it to the limits on the Channel Ten quiz show. She was appearing as a panellist on the satirical game show when host Tom Gleisner showed a picture of, what looked like, a wrapped sausage alongside a Commonwealth Games athlete. He asked panellist Sam Pang whether 'Gotzinger' was the 'discus champ or the liverwurst?' Kate Langbroek (pictured) turned heads when she mimed fellatio on a sausage on Channel Ten's Have You Been Paying Attention? quiz show on Monday This led to some racy jokes thrown around about being 'given the sausage', which prompted Gleisner to throw Pang a wrapped Gotzinger snag. Kate then jumped in by saying 'Tom has given me his sausage from under the desk before!' Pang held up the sausage and said 'I don't like all the innuendo', which prompted Kate to jokingly ask 'what innuendo?' before grabbing the snag from his hands and pretending to perform fellatio on it. Comedian Sam Pang (pictured, right) held up a sausage, which prompted Kate to jokingly grab it and performing the crude mime The audience went crazy over Kate's saucy act and burst into fits of laughter as the camera immediately cut away. Breakfast radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O discussed Kate's raunchy behaviour on their show on Tuesday. Kyle Sandilands, 51, said he was shocked to see Kate 'g**bing a sausage out of someone's hands.' Kate was mortified when she remembered her son was watching in the audience Jackie 'O' Henderson, 47, added that Kate 'forgot her son was in the audience and was mortified.' Kate was one half one of Australia's most successful radio duos for years, Nova 100's Hughesy and Kate, alongside comedian Dave Hughes. Kate and her husband of 17 years, Peter, relocated to Italy with their four children, Lewis, Sunday, Artie and Jan, in January 2019 and she moved back to Melbourne early last year. Kaia Gerber was dressed comfortably as she shopped for groceries in Malibu on Wednesday. The supermodel, who's turning 21 next month, donned a cropped spaghetti-strap tank top that showed off her flat stomach. She made the low-key shopping trip look glamorous as she donned a pair of oval sunglasses for the outing. Casual: Kaia Gerber was dressed comfortably as she shopped for groceries in Malibu on Wednesday Cindy Crawford's look-alike daughter completed her look with a pair of low-rise navy blue sweatpants with an elastic waistband. She wore white socks with a pair of black and grey Adidas sneakers and she carried bags of groceries with nude manicured hands. Kaia's light brown hair was free as it blew in the wind, arranged in a center part as it fell down her neck. She skipped jewelry and was fresh-faced underneath her glossy onyx black shades. Tiny top: The supermodel, who's turning 21 next month, donned a cropped spaghetti-strap tank top that showed off her flat stomach Black bra straps were slightly visible beneath Gerber's scoop neck shirt, and she slung a small green handbag over her shoulder. She flashed a toothy smile as she exited the food store and walked through the parking lot, headed for her car. Kaia - who's in a relationship with Elvis star Austin Butler - was also seen out and about in Malibu on Monday evening. Her downtime comes on the heels of her stunning new ten-second commercial for Celine. Superstar: She made the low-key shopping trip look glamorous as she donned a pair of oval sunglasses for the outing Happy: She flashed a toothy smile as she exited the food store and walked through the parking lot, headed for her car After shooting the advert in Nice, France this past May, the Hedi Slimane-directed spot premiered on Tuesday. The video was shot in black and white and is soundtracked by music artist Hennessey's song Byron is Dead. The promotional clip feature's the iconic fashion house's winter 2022 collection, which will be available on August 26. Gerber modeled a sequined dress in the project, and her hair was styled in a strategically imperfect updo. Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky and their daughter India Rose arrived in Byron Bay on Thursday just in time to celebrate the Thor star's 39th birthday. The pair landed by private jet at Ballina Airport, and the Spanish actress looked excited to be soon reunited with her hunky husband. The glamourous star sported a casual look, wearing a baggy white top, cream trousers and a black wide brim hat. Chris Hemsworth's wife Elsa Pataky and their daughter India Rose arrived in Byron Bay on Thursday just in time to celebrate the Thor star's 39th birthday The Covid conscious star was also wearing a face mask draped around her chin and accessorised her look with a gold pendant necklace. Makeup free she looked half her age and she left her hair out in natural waves. Elsa was carrying three large bags as she walked down the runway, one of which may have contained the birthday boy's present. It comes after Elsa recently enjoyed a trip to Bali. During the vacation, she posted some racy videos of herself dancing in a string bikini at a poolside resort. The pair landed by private jet at Ballina Airport, and the Spanish actress looked excited to be soon reunited with her hunky husband Meanwhile, Chris' personal assistant and childhood friend Aaron Grist shared a birthday tribute to the actor by posting to Instagram some never before seen embarrassing snaps of a pre-fame Chris. In one photo, a teenage Chris is seen with acne and daggy hair while dolled up in a tuxedo to attend his school formal. Chris paid his own tribute on Instagram to Elsa last month for her 46th birthday. The glamourous star sported a casual look, wearing a baggy white top, cream trousers and a black wide brim hat Elsa was carrying three large bags as she walked down the runway, one of which may have contained the birthday boy's present The Hollywood star shared a precious photo of the pair, which showed a very buff Chris sitting on her petite lap while sharing a laugh on the set of his movie Thor: Love and Thunder. He thanked Elsa for 'always being my rock to sit on but way comfier.' The couple share three children together, daughter India, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 8. Chris Hemsworth 's long-time personal assistant and childhood friend Aaron Grist shared some awkward throwback photos of the Thor star to mark the Hollywood star's 39th birthday - including this embarrassing school formal photo Hollywood hunk Matt Damon is currently enjoying a relaxing family holiday with his wife Luciana Barroso in Australia. And on Wednesday, the Bourne Identity star, 51, was seen exploring Byron Bay and visiting a local gift shop. The actor looked stylish in a white jumper and black jeans as he strolled through the town and admired the coastal views. Hollywood star Matt Damon (pictured) looked stylish in a jumper and jeans as he explored Byron Bay during low-key holiday with his wife Luciana Barroso The father-of-three completed his ensemble with a black cap and a pair of white comfortable sneakers. Matt was spotted chatting to a friend as he relaxed at a local park and admired the views. During his stroll, the actor was also seen visiting a nearby gift shop. The father-of-three completed his ensemble with a black cap and a pair of white comfortable sneakers Matt was spotted chatting to a friend as he relaxed at a local park and admired the views It comes after Matt was spotted purchasing a carton of Bundaberg rum and cola at a Byron Bay bottle shop with his wife Luciana Barroso, 46, and some Aussie mates over the weekend. Matt and Luciana, who married in 2005, were joined for the outing by their daughters Isabella, 15, Gia, 13, and Stella, 11, and a group of A-list pals. Among the group was Chris Hemsworth's actor brother Luke and his wife Samantha, who count themselves as long-term pals of Matt and Luciana. During his stroll, the actor was also seen visiting a nearby gift shop Matt has been an 'honourary' Australian for years and frequently visits the country to catch up with his good friends the Hemsworth brothers. Matt has been busy this year filming Oppenheimer, the Christopher Nolan directed biopic, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning American Prometheus. It covers the life of physicist Robert Oppenheimer. He has also been putting the final touches on the limited series he is producing, Green Beret's Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky boast one of the strongest marriages in Hollywood. But some fans may not know the pair actually tied the knot just three months after going public as a couple in 2010. Thor star Chris, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Thursday, hasn't been shy discuss his rushed nuptials, telling Good Morning Britain in 2016 that it was a spur of the moment decision. Chris Hemsworth, 39, hasn't been afraid to discuss the reason behind his rushed wedding to wife Elsa Pataky, 46. The couple are pictured in 2022 'It did happen quick and it just felt right, it made sense,' Chris told the show when quizzed on how fast his relationship with Spanish actress Elsa, 46, progressed. The former Home And Away actor started dating Spanish actress Elsa in early 2010, and they tied the knot in low-key ceremony in December that year. 'There was no great plan to any of it to be honest. We were on holiday and we said "why don't we get married too?" And then the next minute... There probably should have been some planning but it all worked out,' he mused. The former Home And Away actor started dating Spanish actress Elsa in early 2010, and they tied the knot in low-key ceremony in December that year. The couple are pictured in 2010 Thor star Chris, who celebrated his 39th birthday on Thursday, hasn't been shy discuss his rushed nuptials, telling Good Morning Britain in 2016 that it was a spur of the moment decision Chris and Elsa now share three children together, daughter India, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 8 (all pictured) 'Honestly, we had both our families on holiday at the same time, just randomly, and we said this is a good opportunity with everyone together so we just did it.' Chris and Elsa now share three children together, daughter India, 10, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 8. The family resides in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay. The family resides in a $30million mansion in Broken Head, near the celebrity enclave of Byron Bay Last year, Elsa revealed the surprising secret behind her enduring marriage was laughter. Speaking to Hola! magazine, the Madrid-born beauty said her husband has a knack for diffusing any argument with a joke. 'We enjoy doing the same stuff and Chris has a great sense of humour and knows how to take the sting out of things,' she said. 'He always makes me and the kids laugh or when I'm angry, he tells a joke to lighten the mood. Humour counts for a lot. More than anything, I enjoy laughing with him.' Last year, Elsa revealed the surprising secret behind her enduring marriage was laughter She is a proud mother to two-year-old son Onyx. And on Thursday, Australian rapper Iggy Azalea shared a sweet photo to Instagram of herself with her son. In the photo, the 32-year-old and her friend held her son's hands as they lifted him up in the air. Aussie rapper Iggy Azalea (pictured) has shared a sweet family photo of her son Onyx after announcing her return to the music industry Iggy showed off her physique in a long figure-hugging brown dress and also wore a pair of pink sandals. 'My motivation,' she captioned the image, alongside a love heart emoji. Iggy's post comes after she announced she's making a return to music after quitting the industry last year. In the photo, the 31-year-old and her friend held her son's hands as they lifted him up in the air The Fancy hit maker shared the news with fans on Tuesday, declaring: 'I'm coming back. Cry about it.' In a lengthy tweet, Iggy said she quit music because of the 'negative energy' but is now coming back bigger and better than ever. 'A year ago I was willing to walk away from music because I was tired of the negative energy it attracted,' Iggy wrote. 'But what I've learned is that even when I'm minding my business, y'all gonna be negative AND nosey.' Iggy showed off her physique in a long figure-hugging brown dress and also wore a pair of pink sandals Iggy's post comes after she announced she's making a return to music after quitting the industry last year 'So if I can't have peace, neither can you. I'm coming back. Cry about it.' She added in a follow up tweet: 'I'm not gonna talk about dates, direction or anything just know it's happening and there will be a budget.' Iggy is currently supporting Pitbull on his tour in the U.S. In July last year, Iggy announced she was taking a step back from music to focus on 'other creative projects'. At the time the rapper, best known for her 2014 hit Fancy, announced that her third studio album, End of an Era, will be her last for at least 'a few years'. Married At First Sight bride Susie Bradley famously swore off dating for good after breaking up with ex-fiance Todd Carney in June. And it appears the brunette beauty took a thinly veiled swipe at her NRL star ex-fiance on Wednesday when she posted a cheeky meme to her Instagram Stories. Susie's bold image declared in capital letters, 'Maybe you didn't get what you wanted because you deserve more.' Married At First Sight bride Susie Bradley (pictured) appears to take a thinly veiled swipe at her NRL star ex-fiance Todd Carney on Wednesday The image was decorated with illustrations of flowers and a human face staring at the words, appearing to contemplate them. Susie, 29, has herself done a lot of self-reflection since her very public split with Todd, after three years together. The mother-of-two declared in June she would never date again following their break-up. Susie's bold image declared in capital letters, 'Maybe you didn't get what you wanted because you deserve more' Susie rose to fame on the fifth season of Married At First Sight, which aired in 2019. The show partnered her with barista Billy Vincent, but they called it off before their final vows. She began dating Todd in 2019, with him stepping into the role of stepfather to her eight-year-old daughter, Baby. Susie and Todd share one-year-old son Lion Daryl (pictured) together They couple welcomed their first child, a boy named Lion Daryl, in April last year. The reality star launched her own beauty business, 'Injectables by Susie Pearl' in May 2019, and regularly celebrates her business success on social media. 'Injectables by Susie Pearl has only gone from strength to strength, and I plan to do everything I can to continue that moving forward!' she wrote on Instagram. Veteran journalist John Mangos has been charged with mid-range drink driving. The former Sky New broadcaster, 66, was reportedly pulled over on the Northern Beaches in Sydney and breath tested in June. In document tendered to Manly Local Court, police allege he blew 0.127, more than twice the drink drive limit. He is yet to enter a plea and the matter will return to court on October 12. Veteran journalist John Mangos has been charged with mid-range drink driving. The former Sky New broadcaster, 66, was reportedly pulled over on the Northern Beaches in Sydney and breath tested in June Mangos was banned for driving for six months in 2013 and fined $700 by North Sydney Local Court. In 2018, he pleaded guilty to low range drink driving after police pulled him over and found his breath smelled of liquor. Court documents revealed the journalist got behind the wheel on Valentine's Day after drinking two glasses of white wine at his Seaforth home. Police pulled Mangos over in Crows Nest about 3.30pm after officers noticed he wasn't wearing a seat belt over his white shirt. As they spoke to him about his seat belt, cops then noticed the broadcaster had 'watery and bloodshot eyes and breath that smelled of intoxicating liquor'. Roadside tests found he had a blood alcohol reading of 0.086, and a breath analysis test at North Sydney police station confirmed he was 'moderately affected by alcohol'. In document tendered to Manly Local Court, police allege he blew 0.127, more than twice the drink drive limit. John is pictured with family Mangos told officers he had a glass of white wine at home at 2pm, followed by a second at 2.30pm. Court documents revealed it was the third time since 2009 that Mangos has been found guilty of low range drink driving offences. In 2013, was forced to install an alcohol interlock device on his car for 12 months, along with a $700 fine and a six month licence disqualification. The devices stop drivers from starting a car if they have consumed alcohol. Mangos is one of the most recognisable faces in the Australian media, having spent more than 40 years in broadcasting. The journalist is best known for presenting news with Graham Kennedy on Coast to Coast. He has also been seen on Sky, Nine News and 10 News. As a repeat drink driving offender, his licence could be disqualified for more than 3 months. The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other major powers reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and support for diplomacy toward the goal during a regional security forum, a statement showed Thursday. The chair's statement was released five days after the annual ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) held in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, with the attendance of top diplomats from the ASEAN member states, the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan. During the ARF session, the attendees expressed concerns over rising tension on the Korean Peninsula over the North's surge in ballistic missile launches, and called on it to refrain from further nuclear and missile tests. "The Meeting also urged for utmost restraint and refraining from all actions that would hinder the resumption of a meaningful dialogue, and stressed the importance of sustained and peaceful talks among all concerned parties in order to realize lasting peace and stability in a denuclearized Korean Peninsula," the statement read. "The Meeting reiterated support for the international efforts to bring about the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner," it added. (Yonhap) Advertisement All eyes were on Millie Bobby Brown as she cut a fashionable figure in a plunging black peplum top with a lace trim and thigh-skimming miniskirt while attending the Samsung Galaxy Creators Lounge event in New York City. While strutting down a purple carpet in a pair of chic black high heels, the 18-year-old Stranger Things star oozed glamour as she sported a ruby red lipstick and her blonde hair slicked back and perfectly straightened. For the star-studded occasion on Wednesday night, the Florence by Mills founder completed her chic ensemble with a long gold necklace, matching bracelet and bronzer across her cheekbones for a sun-kissed glow. Gorgeous as ever: All eyes were on Millie Bobby Brown as she cuts a fashionable figure in a plunging black peplum top with a lace trim and thigh-skimming miniskirt while attending the Samsung Galaxy Creators Lounge event in New York City Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter, who released her fifth studio album Emails I Can't Send, commanded attention in a silky midriff-baring blouse and matching blue midi skirt. Before hitting the stage to perform, the former Disney Channel star, 23, posed for pictures with actress Madison Iseman, 25. Brown's outing comes after she admitted to struggling with being disliked as she grew up in the spotlight because she 'didn't know who she was yet' during the September issue of Allure. Radiant: While strutting down a purple carpet in a pair of chic black high heels, the 18-year-old Stranger Things star oozed glamour as she sported a ruby red lipstick and her blonde hair slicked back and perfectly straightened Trendy: For the star-studded occasion on Wednesday night, the Florence by Mills founder completed her chic ensemble with a long gold necklace, matching bracelet and bronzer across her cheekbones for a sun-kissed glow When asked how she manages being in the public eye, Millie said: 'It's really hard to be hated on when you don't know who you are yet. So it's like, 'What do they hate about me? 'Cause I don't know who I am.' Millie went on to say that often when she tried to act a certain way she would receive backlash but then she would try being someone else and others would hate that too. She continued: 'Then you just start shutting down because you're like, 'Who am I meant to be? Who do they need me to be for them?' Then I started to grow more, and my family and friends really helped.' Cool girl: Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter commanded attention in a silky midriff-baring blouse and matching blue midi skirt Pals: Before hitting the stage to perform, the former Disney Channel star, 23, posed for pictures with actress Madison Iseman, 25 The child star admitted that it helped to understand that she didn't need to bow to external pressure and only had to develop within herself. Before finding her feet, Millie said she 'always felt different growing up', revealing: 'I enjoyed being different people because I always struggled with self-identity and knowing who I was. 'Even as a young person, I always felt like I didn't quite belong in every room I was in. I also struggle with loneliness a bit. I always felt quite alone in a crowded room, like I was just one of a kind, like nobody ever really understood me. So I liked [playing] characters that people understood [and] people could relate to because I felt like no one could relate to Millie.' Singing away: The performer looked blissful as she sang to the audience Exciting: The crooner released her fifth studio album Emails I Can't Send last month On the stage: As she sang, Carpenter sat on a black roller seat Millie admitted that she felt part of the problem was being 'too mature' for her age and people would tell her that it wasn't a good thing. The screen star said that she got 'really down' about it after people told her that she wouldn't make it in the film and TV industry. The interview comes after it was reported Millie has made history as she is set to receive a paycheck of $10million (8.4million) for her role in Enola Holmes 2. Impressive: It was recently reported Millie has made history as she is set to receive a paycheck of $10million (8.4million) for her role in Enola Holmes 2; seen in May 2022 She is thought to be setting a record for the largest upfront salary paid to an actor under the age of 20. Millie first played the role of Enola in the 2020 film opposite Henry Cavill and is set to earn a significantly larger sum for the sequel, according to Variety. Millie takes on the role of Sherlock Holmes' younger sister in the film series, with Henry portraying the famous detective. Making bank: Millie is already used to a hefty paycheck, having reportedly earned $20,000 per episode of the first season of Stranger Things (pictured in May 2022) Netflix confirmed there would be a sequel to the film - which received positive reviews from critics - in May. Millie is already used to a hefty paycheck, having reportedly earned $20,000 per episode of the first season of Stranger Things. Thanks to the huge popularity of the show, her salary was said to have increased to $250,000 per episode by seson three, according to Deadline. They are doting parents to two adorable young daughters, Nell, 22 months, and Nora, 10 weeks. And Love Island 2017 stars Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt treated their girls to an early glimpse of the jet-set lifestyle as they travelled to New York to attend a family wedding. Camilla, 33, posted an adorable Instagram snap on Wednesday of her and husband Jamie, 32, posing with newborn Nora and toddler Nell after 'the most magical few days' celebrating her brother Rupert's wedding. Happy family: Love Island's Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt posed for a family snap with daughters Nell, 22 months, and Nora, 10 weeks, at Camilla's brother's wedding in New York The former bomb disposal expert looked beautiful in a fuchsia strappy dress with a large bow on the front, while ex-model Jamie looked dapper in a crisp white shirt and smart trousers. Nell, who turns two in October, looked pretty as a picture in a pale pink flower girl dress, while little Nora was dressed in a pale pink T-shirt and leggings. Camilla joked that while her family 'may not have mastered the art of the group photo', they loved spending time with so many of their relatives. She wrote: 'Thank you @rthurlow55 and @jan_nath for the most magical few days celebrating your wedding, you two really are the best! Wedding season: The former bomb disposal expert, 33, joked that while her family 'may not have mastered the art of the group photo', they loved spending time with their relatives Still going strong: Camilla and Jamie are one of Love Island's biggest success stories after meeting on the ITV2 dating show back in 2017 'Our new little family of four may not have mastered the art of getting a group photo yet, but I'm so pleased I got this pic as a reminder of being welcomed for such a happy occasion, where our girls were able to meet and spend time with so many of their family, old and new.' The couple have been adjusting to life as a family of four after welcoming second daughter Nora Bell on May 27. Camilla admitted the transition from one to two children was 'nowhere near as big a shock to the system' and 'less overwhelming than when she became a mother for the first time in October 2020. Speaking in an Instagram Q&A session, she said: 'It's difficult to compare. One to two has been nowhere near as big a shock to the system and I've found the newborn aspects (little getting feeding established, sleep etc) easier and less overwhelming even though Nora is a very different baby. Then there were four: The couple have been adjusting to life as a family of four after welcoming second daughter Nora Bell on May 27 'I have a lot of support and help in place this time (we went into lockdown after Nell was born so that was very different) and I haven't been ashamed to accept any help that is offered. 'Everything has felt a bit more positive this time, but it does still feel like a big change and the challenging aspect has been figuring out how to make sure both girls are getting what they need, particularly during Nora's feeds and Nell's mealtimes.' Camilla and Jamie are one of Love Island's biggest success stories after meeting on the ITV2 dating show back in 2017. The couple announced they were expecting their first child together in May 2020, and welcomed Nell Sophia into the world that October. Jamie proposed in February 2021 by putting Nell in an adorable 'mummy will you marry my daddy?' onesie and the couple married in September 2021 at Gosfield Hall in Essex. She's been enjoying a European jaunt with her fiance Jason Statham this month. And Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looked effortlessly chic as she stepped out for lunch with her beau in Ibiza on Thursday. The model, 35, showed off her perfect sense of style in a summery royal blue maxi dress for the outing. Stylish: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looked effortlessly chic as she stepped out for lunch with her fiance Jason Statham in Ibiza on Thursday The pretty number clung to her figure and flaunted a glimpse of cleavage with lace-up detailing over her chest. She completed her look with silver sliders and accessorised with huge dark shades, a fan to keep her cool and a gold necklace. The blonde beauty wore her long light tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for a natural makeup look to show off her pretty features. Chic: The model, 35, showed off her perfect sense of style in a summery royal blue maxi dress for the outing Meanwhile Jason cut a casual figure in a white T-shirt and black shorts while keeping cool in a cream bucket hat and shades. Rosie recently spoke of her longing to return to her home county of Devon after living in celebrity enclave Malibu, California for years. She and Jason - who share five-year-old son Jack and daughter Isabella, five months, together - sold their Malibu mansion for $18.5 million to move to the Chelsea district of London. Rosie was born in the Devon city Plymouth before moving to market town Tavistock, also located South West English county, and she admits that part of the world is still her favourite. In an interview with Great British LIFE, she said: 'I'm a country girl at heart... 'I spend a lot of my time living in LA which is lovely. I spend a lot of time in other major cities too. There might be the glamour and fun to enjoy in a city but the real beauty is in the countryside and especially in my home county where the people are so nice and ready to volunteer smile for no particular reason. 'The country air smells so fresh and I still love to see the sheep, the pigs, the ducks, chickens and, of course, the horses. Whenever I am here and I really don't like to be away for very long, I just find it all so relaxing and lovely. It is home to me.' Despite being engaged since 2016, Rosie and Jason are in no hurry to rush their wedding preparations. Welcoming their son, Jack, a year after her beau got down on one knee, Rosie told ET in 2018 that the wedding wasn't a 'huge priority.' She said: 'We're looking forward to that time. It's also not a huge priority for us; we're so happy. I think it will be fun to do it when the baby's grown up a bit and he can be involved in the wedding.' Advertisement Tom Cruise's plans for a busy day of filming were thwarted on Thursday when heavy winds meant production had to be called off on Mission: Impossible 8. The actor, 60, is currently in the UK filming scenes for the upcoming blockbuster but he and director Christopher McQuarry were forced to call it a day due to the inclement weather. The film star arrived in a large field in his personal helicopter and was seen chatting with members of the crew. Called off: Tom Cruise's plans for a busy day of filming were thwarted on Thursday when heavy winds meant production had to be called off on Mission: Impossible 8 With high-speed winds and low clouds putting a dampener on plans, the crew decided to abandon filming for the day. Tom was dressed casually for the outing as he wrapped up in a black padded jacket along with a pair of navy jeans. Also on set was director Christopher who sported a navy polo shirt with black trousers and a matching coat. It comes after Tom, who plays Ethan Hunt in the franchise, reportedly apologised for ruining a couple's hike while filming the scene. Production: The actor, 60, is currently in the UK filming scenes for the upcoming blockbuster but he and director Christopher McQuarry were forced to call it a day due to the inclement weather Filming: The film star arrived in a large field in his personal helicopter and was seen chatting with members of the crew Cancelled: With high-speed winds and low clouds putting a dampener on plans, the crew decided to abandon filming for the day Laid back: Tom was dressed casually for the outing as he wrapped up in a black padded jacket along with a pair of navy jeans Jason and Sarah Haygarth were going for a walk nearby when they spotted the production crew's helicopter. 'Toward the end of the walk, last peak, we start seeing helicopters coming up a ravine and dropping people off the top We were like, this didn't seem right,' Jason told Extra. 'We found out the people, they were the cameramen. When we came to the peak, we got stopped by what must have been a production team member, saying, "You can't go. We're going to land the helicopter off the top" So we took a selfie,' he said. After the choppers landed, the couple continued on their way where they ran into Tom strapping on a paraglider. Crew: Also on set was director Christopher who sported a navy polo shirt with black trousers and a matching coat Called off: The crew were seen trying to wait out the bad weather before calling it a day Awkward: It comes after Tom, who plays Ethan Hunt in the franchise, reportedly apologised for ruining a couple's hike while filming the scene Spotted: Jason and Sarah Haygarth were going for a walk nearby when they spotted the production crew's helicopter They said: 'Toward the end of the walk, last peak, we start seeing helicopters coming up a ravine and dropping people off the top We were like, this didn't seem right' 'I could tell it was him straight away,' Sarah said. 'By the time we got there, people were talking about Mission: Impossible was being filmed but I was expecting a stunt double.' 'He apologised first for the noise,' Jason added. '"Sorry, guys, I know we spoiled your walk with the noise." And then he said, "I like your dog."' 'We asked, "What are you doing ?" Then he said, "I'm going to jump off." I was like, "You're going to do what?" He added: 'We found out the people, they were the cameramen. When we came to the peak, we got stopped by what must have been a production team member, saying, "You can't go. We're going to land the helicopter off the top" So we took a selfie' A-lister: After the choppers landed, the couple continued on their way where they ran into Tom strapping on a paraglider Sarah said: 'I could tell it was him straight away. By the time we got there, people were talking about Mission: Impossible was being filmed but I was expecting a stunt double' Jason added: He apologised first for the noise,' Jason added. '"Sorry, guys, I know we spoiled your walk with the noise." And then he said, "I like your dog" ' They added: 'We asked, "What are you doing ?" Then he said, "I'm going to jump off." I was like, "You're going to do what?" ' They said: 'He said, "I'm going to jump off." Just before he jumped off, he said, "See ya! Hopefully this goes well," and we said, "Good luck, Tom" ' 'He said, "I'm going to jump off." Just before he jumped off, he said, "See ya! Hopefully this goes well," and we said, "Good luck, Tom." Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One has a current release date of July 14, 2023. The film, the seventh in the franchise, will star Tom alongside Hayley Atwell, Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg, Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson and The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes. Blockbuster: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One has a current release date of July 14, 2023 Cast: The film, the seventh in the franchise, will star Tom alongside Hayley Atwell, Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg, Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson and The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes Addison Rae seems to be letting off some steam when in Venice, Italy this week. The He's All That actress looked like a Hollywood pinup as she wore a strapless dark blue denim mini dress with knee high socks and chunky black shoes while posing by the iconic canals of the ancient city. This comes after she appears to have unfollowed her mother Sheri Easterling on Instagram, not long after severing ties with her father Monty Lopez on the platform. Summer 2022: TikTok queen Addison Rae seems to be letting off some steam when in Venice, Italy this week In the new images, Addison looks stunning with her long dark hair worn down and pretty makeup on as she models a heart shaped pendant necklace. She makes the most of the flirty little dress that highlights her trim waistline and sculpted arms. The siren also shared images of what Venice looks like and gave a nod to designer Balenciaga. There has been some nasty drama in her family this year that has made headlines. Bella! The He's All That actress looked like a Hollywood pinup as she wore a strapless dark blue denim mini dress Addison seems to have unfollowed her mother Sheri on social media. The move came several months after her father Monty Lopez's alleged affair with 25-year-old influencer Renee Ash came to light. Easterling commented on the unfollowing after the Instagram account, the Tik Tok Room TM, revealed the news. A 10! The looker had on black knee high socks and chunky black shoes while posing by the iconic canals of the ancient city 'Heart wrenching,' Easterling commented, along with an unhappy emoticon. Easterling is just the latest family member Addison, 21, has hit the 'unfollow' button on in recent months. Fans noticed Rae and her mother had unfollowed Monty on Instagram shortly before news of his alleged affair broke. Both Easterling and Lopez still follow their daughter on the social platform. The latest update comes after Addison expressed that she's been 'struggling to post and get out and do things' amid rumors of her dad's infidelity. Earlier this summer a 25-year-old woman named Renee Ash alleged that Monty Lopez, 46, had a five-month affair with her while he was married to Addison's mother Sheri. Although she hasn't publicly acknowledged the scandal, Addison posted a tweet hinting at her private turmoil last month. 'Ive really been struggling to post and get out and do things but I love you all and you mean so much more to me than I can ever express,' she wrote. 'My life is forever changed thanks to all of the people who decided to care about me and support me. I love yall <3 life is weird but worth it.' Since telling the world she had an affair with Lopez, Renee said she's she's been receiving death threats on social media. 'Heart wrenching': Rae appears to have now unfollowed her mother Sheri Easterling on Instagram, not long after severing ties with her dad Monty Lopez on the platform 'It's been horrible, I've been in hiding all week,' she told DailyMail.com. 'People are sending me death threats on Instagram. I haven't even checked TikTok, I'm sure they're on there too.' Ash, herself a social media influencer, said that she and Lopez started hanging out as friends, then 'ended up falling in love.' 'I don't go for looks, I'm a personality person,' she said, 'This one was, like, very questionable for me.' Ash had previously said that Lopez had conned her into the affair, claiming he told her his marriage to Rae's mother, Sheri Nicole Easterling, was over and that he wanted to start a new family. Severing ties: Rae also unfollowed her father Monty on Instagram after his alleged affair with an influencer came to light Lopez has not commented on the situation. Ash told DailyMail.com that Lopez started out 'protective' over her in the relationship, 'and then it turned into very overbearing,' saying he laid out jealous rules about her talking to other men that he didn't uphold himself with other women. 'He was doing a lot of stuff behind my back that he was telling me not to do,' she said. Ash said that she 'was not in contact' with Rae or her family, but that she would be open to speaking with them. When asked if she had any regrets about the affair, she responded in absolute terms that she regrets 'spending any second with him.' Brad Pitt pushes to see his six children as often as possible despite how 'hostile' it has been with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, it has been claimed. The former couple, whose marriage collapsed in 2016, share Maddox, 21, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 14. A source told Us Weekly that in July Brad 'flew to Italy for the twins birthday and that meant a lot to them.' This comes after he made a 'big fuss' of Shiloh on her 16th birthday in May, the site added. Making it work: Brad Pitt 'pushes to see' his six children 'as often as possible' despite 'how hostile it's been with' his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, it is claimed; seen on August 2 in LA The twins turned 14 on July 12. Shiloh turned 16 on May 27. Italy is where Angelina has been directing her new movie Without Blood, starring her friend and Eternals co-star Salma Hayek. Although Angelina reportedly still has custody of the children, Brad 'pushes to see them as often as possible wherever they all are in the world,' the insider said. 'Brad cherishes every moment he gets with the kids. He loves being a parent and has tried to make the best of a tricky situation given how hostile its been with Angelina.' Angelina and Brad have been tied up in legal battles for nearly six years, ever since she made global headlines by filing for divorce in September 2016. Early in the divorce, the FBI looked into allegations that Brad became 'physical' with Maddox on a private plane - but the investigation was closed with no charges filed. Angelina en famille: The former couple share Maddox, 21, Pax, 18, Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 14; pictured in 2019 with their mother When his marriage disintegrated, Brad quit drinking, and shortly thereafter he told GQ that before he dried out 'I cant remember a day since I got out of college where I wasnt boozing or had a spliff, or something.' Although they became legally single in 2019, their custody battle has raged on, in addition to which they are also fighting over the winery they co-owned in France. Since Brad and Angelina began squabbling over custody, Pax and Maddox have reached adulthood, and Zahara will join them in January. Brad has gushed in public about his children growing up, rhapsodizing to Vanity Fair about how 'proud' he was of Zahara entering Spelman College. Throwback: Brad and Angelina became a couple in 2005 (pictured) when he infamously left his first wife Jennifer Aniston for her in a scandal that riveted the world 'Shes so smart. Shes going to flourish even more at college. Its an exciting and beautiful time to find her own way and pursue her interests.' Meanwhile an Us Weekly insider claimed he has privately 'been lamenting to pals' about how long the legal battle has dragged on and suspects Angelia 'will never agree to joint custody and is going to run out the clock until the kids are 18.' He is said to believe Angelina is plotting for the children to 'want nothing to do with' their father as adults - but per the source: 'Brad will not give up the fight.' An insider has alleged to the New York Post: 'It appears that Angelina is determined that Brad should never get 50/50 custody. And there are some who say that she wont rest until the kids are legally adults, so Brad will never have shared custody.' Battle: An insider has told the New York Post : 'It appears that Angelina is determined that Brad should never get 50/50 custody'; Angelina is pictured with some of the children last year Brad and Angelina became a couple in 2005 when he infamously left his first wife Jennifer Aniston for her in a scandal that riveted the world. They waited nearly a decade before they tied the knot in 2014 at the Chateau Miraval in France - the site of the winery they are locked in a court battle over at present. Three of their children are adopted from abroad - Zahara from Ethiopia, Pax from Vietnam and Maddox from Cambodia - and Angelina gave birth to the other three. Angelina and Brad went to Namibia for Shiloh's birth and had the government enforce a no-fly zone over the area they were in. Throwback: Angelina is pictured in London in 2011 with her twins Knox and Vivienne, whom Brad is said to have visited in Italy last month for their 14th birthday An official at Namibia's Washington embassy divulged at that time: 'The government has decided that it will issue visas to journalists to go to Namibia and cover Angelina and Brad if they have consent from the parties.' Police reportedly went door to door in Langstrand - a seaside town near the resort where Brad and Angelina were staying - looking for foreign or local media. Angelina stayed closer to home for the next births, delivering Knox and Vivienne in Nice, less than 200km from the Chateau Miraval. Actress Sharon Stone was spotted in Beverly Hills on Wednesday. The 64-year-old star kept to herself as she darted around the streets by foot wearing a vibrant and colorful three quarter length sleeve jacket and distressed denim Capri pants. The short haired blonde stunner - who was most recently featured in Netflix's drama Beauty - epitomized California casual as she went about her business. Bold and Beautiful: Actress Sharon Stone wore a vibrant floral patterned jacket while in Beverly Hills on Wednesday Stone's boldly patterned jacket was a combination of classic and tropical flair. The colorful floral details against a red background made the boxy oversized jacket look less utilitarian and more feminine. Stone has worn the beautiful intricately patterned jacket in more ways than one, she was originally spotted wearing it over a swimsuit in Portofino with a matching long sarong in July. Busy woman: Stone was quick on her feet as she wore a pair of Mary Jane heels Stone rocked a pair of faded, distressed denim Capri pants below proving further that 90s style is making a comeback. She wore metallic Mary Jane style shoes with chunky heels to round out her outfit. Her signature short blonde hair looked undone and she appeared to be makeup free while on her outing. Vibrant: Stone rocked a bright yellow jumpsuit at the Dolce & Gabbana men's fashion show in Italy last month Stone, whose breakout role in the film Basic Instinct in 1992 put her on the map as one of Hollywood's hottest sex symbols, has shown us that she does duality well. Stone has switched from laidback SoCal casual to Hollywood glam and back again with little effort and has incorporated color into all of her looks both on and off the red carpet. The superstar, activist, and mother of three has had a busy summer as she has been spotted on several red carpets and at fashion shows. One of Hollywood's most successful stuntmen has died. Dave Lea, who worked as a stunt double for Michael Keaton on Batman and Batman Returns passed away Saturday. He was 67-years-old. A posting on his Facebook page read, 'It is with deep sorrow, that we announce the passing of Dave Lea on 6th August 2022 at (5:55 pm) following a short illness. 'He passed on surrounded by his loved ones. Your kind words and wishes are appreciated at this time. Dave, you were a fighter to the end. R.I.P' RIP: Dave Lea, one of the most successful stuntmen in Hollywood has died. He was 67 Although the post calls his death the result of a short illness, TMZ has quoted a source who said the cause of death was cancer. According to the biography posted on DaveLea.com, the hardworking actor began studying martial arts when in his early teens and he traveled the world to learn from masters such as Dan Inosanto who trained under Bruce Lee, and Joseph Cheng of Wing Chun fame. He also studied with Grand Master Leong Swee Lun of Shaolin 5 Animals in Malaysia. The London born artist's goal was to work in television and film and to that end he got a recurring role on the long running UK drama EastEnders, without ever having taken an acting class. Big break: Lea's first big break in Hollywood came when he was hired to work as a stunt double for Michael Keaton in 1989's Batman. He also created the stunts for 1992's Batman Returns Caped Crusader: The in-demand double worked on Batman Forever with Val Kilmer and on Batman and Robin with George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chris O'Donnell He soon got the opportunity to audition for Keaton's stunt double in 1989's Batman. He was hired to work with Keaton again in the 1992 film Batman Returns, and with Val Kilmer as the caped crusader in the Batman Forever. He provided uncredited stunts for Batman and Robin with George Clooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chris O'Donnell. Lea made his first on-screen appearance as an actor in Tango And Cash as Sonny. The film starred Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone, and in addition to his on-screen presence, Lea was hired to train, choreograph and fight Stallone. The film was panned by critics, but an award for Best Fight Sequence put the multitalented trainer on the map. He continued to work regularly for the next 30 years training stars such as Ben Affleck, Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Pfeiffer and many others. Dance: In addition to martial arts, the multi-talented Lea also studied dance saying, 'The best action moves are the ones that simply appear in the choreography. You dont look for them, you feel them' Sly: Lea first worked with Sylvester Stallone in 1989's Tango and Cash. He continued working right up to the end. Sone of his latest work can be seen in Commando as a double for Mickey Rourke Lea also studied dance. On making action scenes look realistic, the in-demand teacher explained, 'Action is like dancing! Turn the music on and dance. The best action moves are the ones that simply appear in the choreography. You dont look for them, you feel them.' The dedicated actor and trainer kept working until the end, working as a stunt double for Mickey Rourke in Commando, and as a stunt coordinator for the upcoming Everything Will Be Fine in the End. Vicky Pattison looked incredible on Thursday in a sizzling Instagram snap from her sun-soaked getaway to Croatia. The former Geordie Shore star, 34, showed off her toned physique in a brown bikini while posing in the sea. She shared the holiday snap alongside a candid picture in her underwear, while posting a lengthy body positivity message. Wow! Vicky Pattison looked incredible in a brown bikini on Thursday in a sizzling Instagram snap from her sun-soaked getaway to Croatia In the first snap, Vicky sported a glam makeup look. Meanwhile in the second photo, she beamed and went makeup free. The natural beauty penned: 'Same girl, same body, same self worth... This is not a 'before and after', not a transformation pic, not a desperate attempt to flog some wonder product. This is just a little reminder that all bodies move, fluctuate and can look slightly different from one day to the next and that doesn't make them any less beautiful or deserving of love 'In this first picture I'm spray tanned, wearing a lush bikini, breathing in (obvs) and have planned my angles and body shape meticulously! But in the second, my spray tan has seen better days, I'm wearing my fave nude undies from Marks and Sparks which are definitely designed more for comfort that fashion or seduction and I'm just letting it all hang out! 'I love social media but I always say the big problem with it is that it's made 'perfect' seem normal and no one is interested in normal anymore! Which feels like such a shame as I LOVE normal! I get so much joy from lovely, nice and normal. Whether it's doing the food shop, walking the dog, having one nail missing or having a squishy tummy... I embrace normal. Stunning: She shared the holiday snap alongside a candid picture in her underwear, while posting a lengthy body positivity message The natural beauty penned an important message: 'Same girl, same body, same self worth...' The media personality added: 'It's normal to have lumps and bumps, skin texture, tiger stripes, stretch marks, cellulite and rolls.. So regardless of what you see on social media today- don't let it change how you see yourself, how you feel about your own body and never EVER let it take some of your sunlight... 'Because as we've established... most of what you see online is a load of shite anyway. Have a great day everyone.' Vicky and her fiance Ercan Ramadan were joined by a group of friends on the holiday, while revealing they stayed at the luxurious Amfora Hotel. Couple: Vicky and her fiance Ercan Ramadan were joined by a group of friends on the holiday, while revealing they stayed at the luxurious Amfora Hotel It comes after Vicky said she finds it 'painful' to watch Geordie Shore as she reflected on her and her fathers relationship with alcohol on Wednesday. The reality star, who recently released a documentary titled Alcohol, Dad And Me, starred on the MTV series about hard-drinking Newcastle natives from 2011 until 2014. Speaking on BBC Breakfast with Ben Thompson and Victoria Fritz, Vicky revealed how that version of herself no longer exists. Vicky began: 'Everyone will assume they know all there is to know about me but this [the documentary] was pivotal, this is different, it wasn't so much honest as it was raw, it was hard. 'People used to watch Geordie Shore and think that they had me all figured out but 100 hours of footage go into 42 minutes of show. 'They were seeing a very small glimpse and probably a version of me that doesn't even exist anymore.' Vicky detailed how she now finds it painful to watch back episodes of the MTV reality show as she added: I found it really painful and thats not just the fashion choices. My behaviour as well, Ive grown up a lot. 'I think its a huge transitional period for anyone between your early 20s and your early 30s but I did my growing up in the public eye which forces you to grow up a lot faster. 'There's real elements of myself and who I was then or at least who I was becoming that Im really not proud of and Im very pleased Ive managed to charter a different course for myself.' Speaking of her father, John's addiction, she explained: 'When your a child you assume that what your childhood is, is completely normal it was only when I became an adult myself, when my friends had children that I realised that there's different ways of doing things. 'I know the experience is mine but I know I'm not the only one, one in five children grow up with an alcoholic parent.' Denise Richards has revealed why she left Charlie Sheen when she was six months pregnant with their younger daughter Lola. The 51-year-old filed for divorce in 2005, and during their explosive split she accused Charlie of making death threats against her, shoving her and endangering their children due to his penchant for prostitutes and pornography. On a new episode of the Dear Media podcast Divorced Not Dead, Denise said: 'You know what it was is I said to myself: "Would I want my daughters to be married to this man?" No offense to him but its true.' Split: Denise Richards has revealed why she left Charlie Sheen while six months pregnant with their younger daughter Lola; the couple are pictured weeks before the divorce filing She added: 'And I think he would take that he would understand what Im saying. And thats when I was like: "Well, why am I accepting this?"' Charlie and Denise married in 2002 and they welcomed two daughters together in quick succession - Sami, 18, and Lola, 17. Denise told podcast host Caroline Stanbury that the collapse of the marriage was down to 'many things, but I dont regret my marriage to Charlie, obviously at all because I really do believe that he and I were brought together to have our daughters. I feel that was not a good marriage, obviously, and relationship.' Later on she reflected: 'Well, there's a lot that the public doesn't know, and you never know what goes on behind closed doors, so it was not a good situation.' Retrospective: On Divorced Not Dead, Denise said: 'You know what it was is I said to myself: "Would I want my daughters to be married to this man?"; she is pictured this summer Despite the financial implications of the divorce: 'I would have rather live in a tent than live in the houses we had at that point. I didnt care. I wouldve been in my car. It was very toxic, so the real thing was my kids, like, would I want this for them? And thats when I said, well, okay, why am I accepting it for myself?' She pointed out that 'also I didn't want to condone certain situations and behavior and make [her daughters] think, as they would be getting older, that's okay too.' However for 'years' she 'struggled' with how 'guilty' she felt over 'breaking up the family unit,' especially as her own parents were married until her mother died. Denise and Charlie's divorce was finalized in November 2006 with a court order stipulating that other than during supervised visits, Charlie remain 300 feet from Denise and their daughters, according to Access Hollywood. Pregnant with Lola: Denise told podcast host Caroline Stanbury that the collapse of the marriage was down to 'many things, but I dont regret my marriage to Charlie' Charlie, who was reportedly once thrown out of the Plaza Hotel by police after trashing his room while on cocaine, is now HIV positive. He and his next wife Brooke Mueller, who both had widely reported drug problems, welcomed twin sons called Max and Bob, 13. In 2013 it was Denise who stepped in and temporarily cared for the boys after the government took them from their mother on account of her drug problem. She told Caroline during her new podcast appearance that she took the twins in because 'Im a family girl and I just wanted to keep the peace with the kids.' Teenager: Lola, who is now 17 years old, is pictured on her Instagram about a year ago Charlie and Denise have been locked in multiple rancorous battles involving their own two daughters, including a lawsuit she filed in 2016. Denise accused Charlie of having told her in 2013: 'I am going to sever your head and mail it to your father.' She also claimed that Charlie had texted Lola: 'Have a merry Xmas with your loser f***s**t mom... your dad is a rock star genius ... your mom is a p*** wart,' when his daughter was only eight years old. However by the following year they had evidently become friendly again and were spotted taking their children to a Twenty-One Pilots concert. Wow: After turning 18 this year, Sami started an OnlyFans account, and although her father Charlie does not support her decision, Denise has defended her Denise has been determined that she and Charlie 'show up' for the children and be 'in front of them,' co-parenting as amicably as possible. She told Caroline she 'never wanted them to sense any discord between us because I didn't want them to feel, I don't know, unsettled, you know what I mean?' Denise pointed out that during 'the times where he was in a good space and able to, I wanted the girls to get to know their dad for him, and not what - he struggled with the addiction so bad there was a huge possibility that he would not be here today.' 'I did Wild Things & Playboy': 'I have to say, I wish I had the confidence my 18 yr old daughter has,' Denise declared, adding: 'And I also can't be judgmental of her choices' Her approach to co-parenting was that 'I wanted them to know their dad for him and not what they may or may not read about him, you know?' After turning 18 this year, Sami started an OnlyFans account, and although her father Charlie does not support her decision, Denise has defended her. 'I have to say, I wish I had the confidence my 18 yr old daughter has. And I also can't be judgmental of her choices,' Denise wrote on Instagram. 'I did Wild Things & Playboy, quite frankly her father shouldn't be either.' As seen on Instagram: In fact Denise approved so enthusiastically of Sami's decision to join OnlyFans that she has followed in her daughter's footsteps and launched a page there herself In fact Denise approved so enthusiastically of Sami's decision to join OnlyFans that she has followed in her daughter's footsteps and launched a page there herself. Sami told TMZ she was 'happy for' her mother, adding: 'I don't mind at all.... I'm super happy, she's doing really well.' Denise, who adopted her youngest daughter Eloise in 2011, is now married to Nicollette Sheridan's dashing ex-husband Aaron Phypers. President Yoon Suk-yeol hosted a dinner for new U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera earlier this week, a presidential official said Thursday. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, Gen. Kim Seung-kyum, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han also attended the meeting, which took place Tuesday at the presidential office, according to the official. "It was a meeting to welcome the new (U.S.) ambassador to Korea and evaluate the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and share opinions," the official told Yonhap News Agency. Yoon received the credentials of the new U.S. ambassador to Seoul late last month. After the meeting, Yoon moved to the National Center for Crisis Management and joined a disaster response meeting to deal with heavy rains, the official said. (Yonhap) Gwyneth Paltrow took her daughter Apple Martin to New York City for 48 hours. The GOOP founder documented the vacation on her Instagram Stories this week much to the delight of her over 8 million followers. The two looked to be having the time of their lives as they dined at high-end restaurants like Via Carota (where they enjoyed a $18 plate of zucchini fries), Fat Choy and The Grill NY and shopped at the home goods store John Derian Company. Kissy in Manhattan: Gwyneth Paltrow took her daughter Apple Martin to New York City for only 48 hours Pass the $18 zucchini fries! The two looked to be having the time of their lives as they dined at high-end restaurants like Via Carota; Apple seen here in a white summer dress The Oscar-winning actress, 49, proved the saying 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' as she and her daughter, 18, dropped by the Goop store in Manhattan. Gwyneth looked youthful and relaxed in a striking white tunic-style top, which featured an opaque front with more translucent material covering her sides. The ex of Brad Pitt completed her outfit with white sneakers, blue socks and baggy beige shorts that reached down past her ankles. Lemon chiffon cake sounds lovely: They had dessert at The Grill NY; Gwyneth cleverly added a lemon and martini emjoi Chinese food too: The GOOP founder documented the vacation on her Instagram Stories this week much to the delight of her over 8 million followers; a look at her Fat Choy food She carried along a canvas tote bag and wore a small red bag slung across her torso. The Shakespeare In Love star's blonde hair was parted in the middle and tied back in a messy bun, while she blocked out the beaming sun with a chunky pair of black sunglasses. Apple opted to stay cool with a wrinkled white sundress with a crinkled top and thick halter straps. Anyone need some fun china? The stars shopped at the home goods store John Derian Company as well A facial for this red carpet favorite: The Sliding Doors actress seen at Christine Chin Spa Staying at the best hotel on the Upper East Side: The blonde also wore a pajama set from her hotel, The Carlyle Apple, whom Gwyneth shares with her ex-husband Chris Martin, completed her outfit with black sandals. And she wore her golden blonde locks tied back in a low-slung ponytail. The actress and lifestyle guru appeared to be taking an active hand in overseeing her Goop company as they dropped by one of its physical locations. They look so much alike: Apple is seen here with layers of gold necklaces as she poses with mom in silver necklaces So GOOPy: Gwyneth of Iron Man fame often poses with very little clothing on for GOOP Gwyneth shares Apple and her son Moses, 16, with her ex-husband Chris Martin, the front man of Coldplay. The couple started dating in 2002 and married the following year. In 2014, she famously announced that they were splitting up and engaging in a 'conscious uncoupling.' Since then, the two have managed to peacefully co-parent their teens, and the two have remained regular fixtures in each other's lives. Also in 2014, the Royal Tenenbaums star began dating American Horror Story producer Brad Falchuk, whom she met when she guest starred on his series Glee in 2010. The lovebirds married in 2018 in the Hamptons. Family: Gwyneth shares Apple and her son Moses, 16, with her ex-husband Chris Martin, the front man of Coldplay; seen together in 2014 Millie Bobby Brown held hands with her boyfriend, Jon Bon Jovi's son Jake, at Stranger Things: The Experience in New York this week. The 18-year-old English actress became an internationally recognized child star on the smash hit Netflix series Stranger Things. And this Thursday she was spotted giving a group - including Mariah Carey's 11-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan - a VIP tour of its New York City pop-up. Having a ball: Millie Bobby Brown held hands with her boyfriend, Jon Bon Jovi's son Jake, at Stranger Things: The Experience in New York this week Mariah shares Monroe and Moroccan with her second ex-husband Nick Cannon, who just welcomed his eighth child and has a ninth on the way. Closing September 4, Stranger Things: The Experience is an immersive hourlong extravaganza that recreates 'Hawkins Lab.' Millie was sprightly as ever during her latest outing, cutting a summery figure in a colorful floral top and matching slacks. She could be seen sharing a warm laugh with her boyfriend as the children on the tour gathered around them. Out and about: this Thursday she was spotted giving a group - including Mariah Carey's 11-year-old twins Monroe and Moroccan - a VIP tour of its New York City pop-up Without their parents: Mariah shares her children Monroe and Moroccan with her second ex-husband Nick Cannon, who just welcomed his eighth child and has a ninth on the way Off she goes: Millie was sprightly as ever during her latest outing, cutting a summery figure in a colorful floral top and matching slacks Place to be: Closing September 4, Stranger Things: The Experience is an immersive hourlong extravaganza that recreates 'Hawkins Lab' At one point the showbiz couple, who have been dating since the summer of last year, were spotted peering over Millie's phone together. Stranger Things follows the residents of a small made-up Indiana town in the 1980s where bizarre supernatural events begin to take place, causing a boy to vanish. Season four dropped on Netflix in two parts in May and July, and a fifth and final season will be following on afterwards. The cast includes Winona Ryder, as well as people like Millie, David Harbour and Finn Wolfhard who were elevated to stardom by the series. Quality time: She could be seen sharing a warm laugh with her boyfriend as the children on the tour gathered around them Serious expressions: At one point the showbiz couple, who have been dating since the summer of last year, were spotted peering over Millie's phone together They feature among names including Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's daughter Maya Hawke, as well as Joe Keery and Gaten Matarazzo. Meanwhile Jake has decided not to follow his father into the music business and is embarking on an acting career instead. When asked by Man About Town magazine about a potential music career, he said: 'I think I'll leave that to my dad! There's really no following the act there.' Jake, 20, reflected: 'As long as you can have your identity who you are and what you originally set out to do and keep that strong, that's the goal.' Rollout: Season four of Stranger Things dropped on Netflix in two parts in May and July, and a fifth and final season will be following on afterwards Love Island's Luca Bish proved to be a very supportive partner on Thursday as he modelled Gemma Owen's swimwear range during the couple's very first holiday together. Just weeks after leaving the famous Spanish villa, the fishmonger, 23, took to Instagram to show him modelling dark grey swimming shorts from Gemma's brand OG Beachwear as he soaked up the sun. His and Gemma's private getaway meant they skipped Tasha Ghouri's 23rd birthday bash on Wednesday, with their absence coming after accusations he bullied her during the show. Model behaviour: Love Island's Luca Bish proved to be a very supportive partner on Thursday as he modelled Gemma Owen's swimwear range during the couple's very first holiday together But Luca appeared to put the drama behind him as he showed off his tanned, tattooed physique after jetting off with the 19-year-old dressage rider to join her family on holiday. Captioning his post, he penned: 'Does this count as our first holiday together or? Its only right that I wear @ogbeachwear @gemowen_1.' Meanwhile, Gemma also shared a glimpse of their idyllic getaway, uploading an image of their breakfast table laden with fresh juice, fruits and a croissant. Back in the sun: Just weeks after leaving the famous Spanish villa, the fishmonger, 23, took to Instagram to show him modelling dark grey swimming shorts from Gemma's brand OG Beachwear as he soaked up the sun While another saw her showing off a fan from her range, with Luca seen in the pool in front of her. Gemma recently revealed that she and Luca would be joining her family on holiday, where the couple also plan to shoot some 'content'. She said on Instagram this week: 'So, Luca is just in a meeting. I'm waiting for him in a car by myself - being a supportive girl. I've had an amazing couple of days and yesterday was so exciting - so many meetings and new opportunities. I actually cannot wait. Support: Captioning his post, he penned: 'Does this count as our first holiday together or? Its only right that I wear @ogbeachwear @gemowen_1' 'We're flying out for a little trip away tomorrow to catch up with family and friends and to shoot some content.' It comes as the couple missed Tasha's birthday bash, with Andrew Le Page, Indiyah Polack, Dami Hope, Adam Collard and Paige Thorne all joining the dancer to ring in her 24th year at London's Mnky Hse. They enjoyed a feast of delicious looking food and plenty of shots together, and even took to the dancefloor. Bliss: Meanwhile, Gemma also shared a glimpse of their idyllic getaway, uploading an image of their breakfast table laden with fresh juice, fruits and a croissant Making a splash: While another saw her showing off a fan from her range, with Luca seen in the pool in front of her Also missing were winners Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti, who were seemingly up in Manchester, where he lives. Andrew, 27, shared a glimpse of the outing on his Instagram stories, showing him enjoying dinner with Paige, Adam and Tasha. He also shared a clip of Tasha being treated to sparklers as they celebrated her big day. The group were soon joined by Indiyah and Dami, with Andrew remarking that the gang were 'back together'. Happy birthday! It comes as several of this year's Love Island stars reunited on Wednesday night to celebrate Tasha Ghouri's birthday, with Luca nad Gemma missing the bash Here they are! Andrew Le Page, Indiyah Polack, Dami Hope, Adam Collard and Paige Thorne all joined the dancer to ring in her 23rd year at London's Mnky Hse Boozy: They enjoyed a feast of delicious looking food and plenty of shots together, and even took to the dancefloor Advertisement Diane Keaton has been acting in hit films like The Godfather, Annie Hall, Baby Boom and Something's Gotta Give for the past 55 years. And the star has no signs of slowing down as he new film Mack & Rita is about to be released. So it's fitting that the acting icon has gotten her hand and foot prints at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, which has been done in the past by such luminaries as Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe. The beauty wore a black-and-white outfit as she smiled throughout the ceremony. And she also made the rare move of posing alongside her children, 27-year-old daughter Dexter and 22-year-old son Duke. Her kids! Diane Keaton made the rare movie of posing with her children, 27-year-old daughter Dexter and 22-year-old son Duke, when at the hand and foot print ceremony for her in Hollywood on Thursday A good time was had by all: Her daughter brought along her husband Jordan White, far left, whom she wed in 2021 Dexter was with her husband Jordan White whom she wed in 2021. Diane is not often seen with her kids at red carpet events. In 1996 at the age of 50, Keaton adopted a baby girl named Dexter. Five years later in 2001 when she was 55 she adopted a second child, son, Duke. 'Motherhood has completely changed me,' Diane once gushed to Film Monthly. 'It's just about the most completely humbling experience that I've ever had. 'I think that it puts you in your place because it really forces you to address the issues that you claim to believe in, and if you can't stand up to those principles when you're raising a child, forget it.' A good look: On Thursday Diane looked elegant in a black and white blouse with white slacks and a black belt So chic: A black blazer look well tailored and she added a black hat; she is famous for wearing oversized hats The results: Her hands and feet looked perfect as she added the date 8-11-22 and her name on top In 2008, the star said she wanted to be in a 'strong and substantive' relationship before becoming a parent but at 50 she grew tired of waiting and made motherhood happen all on her own. She has been romantically linked with Woody Allen, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty. She told Katie Couric in 2010, 'I think the reason I didn't get married was because I would have to compromise too much,. I wanted to try more adventurous things for myself.' On Thursday Diane looked elegant in a black and white blouse with white slacks and a black belt. A black blazer look well tailored and she added a black hat. Her hair was worn down as she stunned in tinted black glasses. Keaton also had on pretty pink lipstick and her nails were painted black. Diane is also an advocate and lover of animals. She is on the board of the animal advocacy group Social Compassion In Legislation, which is an animal advocacy group that promotes legislation to protect animals. Based in California, numerous states have copied the laws that SCIL gets passed. SCIL is known in the US and internationally. Her way: Her hair was worn down as she stunned in tinted black glasses. Keaton also had on pretty pink lipstick and her nails were painted black All muddy for a good time: Here she raised her hands to show off the cement left behind as she smiled The last time she was honored was in 2017 at AFI. Ex-beau Allen playfully roasted Diane Keaton while presenting her with the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. The director first compared Keaton to ambitious actress Eve Harrington from the 1950 Hollywood classic All About Eve. 'This is not to suggest that Diane when I met her was ruthlessly ambitious, but she did make an interesting Freudian slip,' Allen told the star-studded audience at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. 'When we started going out she meant to refer to me as a talented young director, but instead called me a stepping stone. So, it was a red flag,' Allen quipped as Keaton laughed from the dais. Before her feet got dirty: The beauty wore chunky black high heeled lace up boots which she had to take off One shoe off, one shoe on: The star took off one of her boots to reveal she had on polka dot socks in beige and black Allen also said that Los Angeles native Keaton was a 'beautiful girl in New York City' but noted that she wasn't a 'conventional' beauty. 'By conventional, I mean pleasing to the eye,' he joked causing Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon to crack up. Allen also praised Keaton's writing ability and singled out her 2011 memoir Then Again in which she wrote about suffering from bulimia and her love for the director. 'I didn't know you loved me and were bulimic. So we'd have dinner. She tells me she loves me and then she'd go throw up. I was taking her to these high-end restaurants, $400 for dinner. If I had known she was throwing up, I would have taken her to Pizza Hut and saved a fortune,' Allen joked. A film legend, and she has no signs of slowing down: Keaton has been acting in hit films like The Godfather, Annie Hall, Baby Boom and Something's Gotta Give for the past 55 years. And the star has no signs of slowing down as he new film Mack & Rita is about to be released Allen also said he alleviated his good friend Keaton's 'mortal fear of death' by comparing it to a colonoscopy but noted that 'life is like the prep day'. He then turned serious and called Keaton who he directed in eight films a 'great inspiration'. 'Much of what I've accomplished in my life I owe for sure to her,' Allen said. 'This is a woman who is great at everything she does,' he said while presenting her with the 45th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. Keaton during the 90-minute special broadcast on TNT earlier praised Allen during a pre-recorded segment for creating roles for women. She certainly has a lot of friends: Keaton is flanked by her two children as she poses with her collection of close pals She starred in his 1977 movie Annie Hall that won four Oscars, including Best Actress for Keaton, Best Director for Allen, Best Original Screenplay for Allen and co-writer Marshall Brickman as well as Best Picture. Keaton upon accepting her award from Allen then admitted that she wasn't going to deliver an acceptance speech. 'No interest in it whatsoever. Give me a break. Enough is enough,' Keaton said. She instead thanked her family and friends and AFI and revealed she was going to sing a song of gratitude that Allen gave her. Keaton then sweetly sang the little song that included the lyrics 'Seems like old times, staying up all hours, making dreams come true' and received a standing ovation. Warren Beatty, Morgan Freeman, Jane Fonda, Emma Stone,Rachel McAdams, Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda and Witherspoon also paid homage to Keaton during the gala ceremony last week in Hollywood. Steve Martin and Martin Short performed a musical roast of the actress. She's been keeping her fans updated with her holiday looks through a slew of Instagram posts. And Trinny Woodall proved that both she and her daughter Lyla, 18, could rock the same looks as they donned matching Western-inspired outfits on the final night of their trip to Colorado. The fashion expert, 58, took to Instagram to share a fun clip modelling the outfits she and Lyla were sent by No Emotions Clothing, while lamenting that they were coming to the end of their US holiday. Style it out! Trinny Woodall proved that both she and her daughter Lyla, 18, could rock the same looks as they donned matching outfits on the final night of their trip to Colorado In the video, Trinny donned a stylish blue and white spotted blouse with her matching loose-fitting trousers. Meanwhile Lyla, who her mother has nicknamed Bunny, sported an off-the-shoulder blue ruffled top with the matching culottes. Posing for the camera Trinny told her followers: 'Bunny with that shape you could be in the west, that shape it's got something kind of western about it.' Looking good! The fashion expert took to Instagram to share a fun clip modelling the outfits she and Lyla were sent by No Emotions Clothing Chic: In the video, Trinny donned a stylish blue and white spotted blouse with her matching loose-fitting trousers Stylish: Meanwhile Lyla, who her mother has nicknamed Bunny, sported an off-the-shoulder blue ruffled top with the matching culottes Her daughter added: 'It's soft and comfy and I just think it looks pretty good, and it looks good on you too.' Trinny then added: 'It's starting to rain, the sun in the sky, it's our last evening and we're gutted. I hope you've enjoyed our Colorado road trip!' She captioned the post: 'A little matchy-matchy moment with Bunny for our last evening in Colorado were so sad to say goodbye to these truly breathtaking scenes. In a nod to the west, were wearing this fabulous two piece from @noemotionsclothing Lyla is in the full set, but consider a shirt to break things up when styling your own co-ords. Nothing like a mother-daughter outfit to send off a holiday' Lyla is Trinny's daughter from her marriage to businessman Johnny Elichaoff, which ended in 2009. He died by suicide in November 2014. Fashion! Posing for the camera Trinny told her followers: 'Bunny with that shape you could be in the west, that shape it's got something kind of western about it' Here she is! Her daughter added: 'It's soft and comfy and I just think it looks pretty good, and it looks good on you too' Since 2013, Trinny has been dating multi-millionaire Charles Saatchi, and in June the star shared her dislike when others assume he funded her beauty business. Speaking in a candid new interview, she told how she 'shed blood sweat and tears' into her brand during a 'difficult time in her life'. She also told in a separate honest chat how she had to sell her house and clothes to get the initial investment money to start up her now successful company and have her comeback after running into financial difficulties. Family: Trinny then added: 'It's starting to rain, the sun in the sky, it's our last evening and we're gutted. I hope you've enjoyed our Colorado road trip!' RIP: Lyla is Trinny's daughter from her marriage to businessman Johnny Elichaoff, which ended in 2009. He died by suicide in November 2014 The presenter told The Times of her hard work: 'People still assume Trinny London is funded by my boyfriend. The reality is that I have shed blood, sweat and tears on it during a very difficult time in my life. 'It used to upset me. You don't want anybody to make assumptions you know are incorrect. I used to fight them really hard. Now I think: that is your s**t, not mine.' Trinny and Saatchi - who is worth around 170million - have been dating since 2013, following the businessman's divorce from celebrity chef Nigella Lawson. Sheila Hancock has claimed she was axed from Celebrity Gogglebox as she described her experience on the show as 'overwhelming.' The actress, 89, who appeared on the show in 2019 alongside pal Gyles Brandreth, surprised viewers with her no-nonsense take on the week's TV, but did not return for the second series in 2020. Now, in a new interview, Sheila has revealed she was 'deeply shocked' by some of the show's racier programmes adding she may have been 'too rude' to appear on the series. Sacked! Sheila Hancock has claimed she was axed from Celebrity Gogglebox as she described her experience on the show as 'overwhelming' Speaking on BBC Radio 2, Sheila said: 'They didn't ask me back for some reason, I suppose because I was too rude about some of the things I saw. 'I, honest to God, had not seen most of the programmes they showed us like all those where everyone was showing off their private parts. 'And I was deeply shocked, quite genuinely overwhelmed by the whole thing.' MailOnline has contacted representatives for Channel 4 for comment. Amusing: The actress appeared on the show in 2019 alongside pal Gyles Brandreth, , but did not return for the second series in 2020 Saviour! Back in June, Sheila saved a woman from assault when the attacker recognised her from being on Celebrity Gogglebox Celebrity Gogglebox sees an array of stars reacting to major moments from the week in television, with celebrity guests including Stacey Solomon, Shaun Ryder, Denise Van Outen and Nick Grimshaw. Back in June, Sheila saved a woman from assault when the attacker recognised her from being on Celebrity Gogglebox. The actress says she once 'intervened in a quite violent altercation' in the middle of the night in London and managed to stop the 'large attacke.' Dame Sheila wrote in her new autobiography Old Rage: 'I aspire to be a pacifist. It is one of the things you sign up to when you become a Quaker, as I did in 1993... 'I once intervened in a quite violent altercation between a man and a frightened woman in the dead of night on Hammersmith riverside. 'After a bit of a struggle, vocal and physical, I managed to stop the large attacker. 'Sadly, not with my Quakerly anger-management approach, but because he recognised me off Gogglebox.' Health update: It also comes after Dame Sheila revealed she is on a weekly biologic drug injection to manage pain after she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2018 Sheila was later replaced by Dame Maureen Lipman, 76, on Celebrity Gogglebox for the second series, whose place was then taken by Dame Joanna Lumley, 76, and later Carol Vorderman, 61. It also comes after Dame Sheila revealed she is on a weekly biologic drug injection to manage pain after she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2018. She visits the hospital for check ups and frequently has blood tests to monitor her health. But she says she feels lucky to have her injections - which have only recently come into use for the public. Fortunate: She says she feels lucky to have her injections which have only recently come into use for the public (pictured in 1963) She told the Radio Times: 'I'm on immunosuppressants so I was 'extremely vulnerable' and all that bulls**t during lockdown. 'But I'm lucky because I'm on a weekly injection of what they call a biologic drug, only recently in general use. 'It's amazing. Somebody my age would have been crippled in the old days. I have occasional flare-ups of pain but I force myself to rise above it.' Biologic drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are made from proteins. They work by blocking the activity of a key chemical or cell or protein involved in inflammation that gives rise to joint swelling and other symptoms. Former Bachelorette star Georgia Love has shared a candid makeup free selfie while holidaying in Greece to reveal her battle with melasma. The 33-year-old posed up in a bikini in her hotel room in Santorini, explaining that heat triggers her skin condition. 'Melasma triggered by heat (not just direct sun exposure) and hormones - being on the pill is definitely making it worse,' Georgia said. Former Bachelorette star Georgia Love has shared a candid makeup free selfie while holidaying in Greece to reveal her battle with melasma She said that a team of skin specialists from Australia are helping her look after her skin while overseas. 'I'll share updates when I get home about what we do to get it back under control after this trip!' she said. Melasma is a common skin condition where brown patches appear on the face due to hormonal changes and sun exposure. 'Melasma triggered by heat (not just direct sun exposure) and hormones - being on the pill is definitely making it worse,' Georgia said. She said that a team of skin specialists from Australia are helping her look after her skin while overseas It can be treated with skin lightening creams. Her candid post comes after Georgia hit out at trolls after she was told she looked like a 'grandmother' in her favourite floral swimsuits while holidaying in Europe. Georgia directly addressed the backlash she had received in recent weeks, writing: 'Palming off the negativity from people saying I look like a grandma for not wearing string bikinis.' She added hashtags including: 'Haters gonna hate'. It comes after Georgia hit out at trolls after she was told she looked like a 'grandmother' in her favourite floral swimsuits while holidaying in Europe Georgia was body-shamed on Friday when a man said she needed 'a more flattering bathing suit' when she shared a photo of herself in a yellow swimsuit Georgia's stylish two-piece featured a frilly one-shoulder top and high-waisted bottoms. She showed off a golden tan and had her dark locks tied off her face. Georgia was body-shamed on Friday when a man said she needed 'a more flattering bathing suit' when she shared a photo of herself in a yellow swimsuit. He wrote: 'Omg, get some nice bathing suits. You look like my 94-year-old grandmother.' 'You need a more flattering bathing suit,' he added. Not one to have her confidence rattled, Georgia shared the vile message with her Instagram followers and fired back: 'Imagine getting trolled for wearing one pieces. 'Also, remind me when I'm 94 if I still look like this, I'm f**king killing it.' Get a girl who can do both. Aubrey Plaza looked absolutely fantastic in two different outfits on Thursday. The 38-year-old actress showcased her style range from casual to chic while out and about in New York City. Scroll down for video A tale of two outfits: Aubrey Plaza showcased her style range from casual to chic while out and about in New York City First she sported a vintage faded black shirt for 1980s American metal band Megadeth along with blue jeans and white sneakers. Aubrey later switched up her look to a long-sleeved black floral patterned mini dress with polka dots during her second outing in the Big Apple. She showcased her enviable legs with the short number which she teamed with a pair of nude-colored heeled designer sandals. Simply stunning: Aubrey later switched up her look to a long-sleeved black floral patterned mini dress with polka dots during her second outing in the Big Apple Wow factor: She showcased her enviable legs with the short number which she teamed with a pair of nude-colored heeled designer sandals The former star of Parks And Recreation accessorized with a rather large black leather clutch along with a matching pair of shades. Her signature raven-colored tresses were worn down into waves which hung to just above her shoulder as she showcased her natural looks with minimal make-up topped off with pink lip. Aubrey has been busy on the promotional trail for upcoming crime drama Emily The Criminal, which will be released on August 12. She stars in the film which she also produced as the title character, who takes part in a credit card scam in hopes of getting out from massive debts weighing her down. Stunning: Aubrey has been busy on the promotional trail for upcoming crime drama Emily The Criminal, which will be released on August 12, as she is seen at a screening in New York for the film on Tuesday Emily The Criminal, which includes a healthy dose of social commentary and black comedy, was widely acclaimed by critics after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. It is directed and written by John Patton Ford who has received positive reviews for the stylish direction in the movie which is incredible as it marks his directorial debut. The film also stars Gina Gershon, Theo Rossi, Bernardo Badillo, Jonathan Avigdori, Kim Yarbrough, Wesley Hahn, and Megalyn Echikunwoke. Emily The Criminal will enter limited release in theaters starting on August 12. She has been enjoying a romantic getaway in Ibiza with her beau Brandon Myers. And Gabby Allen showed off her toned physique in a skimpy brown bikini while topping up her tan on a lavish boat. The former Love Island star, 30, looked incredible in the revealing ensemble, while accessorising with stylish sunglasses and gold jewellery. Wow! Gabby Allen showed off her toned physique in a skimpy brown bikini while topping up her tan on a lavish boat in Ibiza Gabby sported a natural makeup look with a nude lip and styled her blonde locks in a neat braid. She was joined by her boyfriend Brandon, who went shirtless and flashed his inked skin during the fun day in the sun. Alongside the holiday snaps, Gabby posted a candid natural photo of herself bloated after a day of 'indulging'. Stunning: The former Love Island star, 30, looked incredible in the revealing ensemble, while accessorising with stylish sunglasses and gold jewellery Beauty: Gabby sported a natural makeup look with a nude lip and styled her blonde locks in a neat braid Candid: Alongside the holiday snaps, Gabby posted a candid natural photo of herself bloated after a day of 'indulging' Gabby and Brandon have been dating since June 2020 and went public with their romance two months later. The television personality initially denied speculation they were in a relationship, stating at the time they were 'just friends'. Gabby previously dated Rak-Su star Myles Stephenson until August 2019, when she accused him of cheating on her. The reality star is thought to be worth an estimated 1.3million since finding fame on the 2017 series of Love Island. Stylish: The reality star covered up with a brown and white crochet skirt and donned a bandana Gorgeous: She lay on the lavish boat with her influencer pal Bethan Sowerby who wowed in a black bikini Looking good: She was joined by her boyfriend Brandon, who went shirtless and flashed his inked skin during the fun day in the sun Earlier in the week Gabby proudly showed off her ripped physique after undergoing a year-long body transformation. The Scouse reality star uploaded a' before' and 'after' snap, which clearly illustrated how her abs went from impressively toned to perfectly chiseled. In the first photo, taken last year, Gabby looked sensational as she posed in a bright orange bikini, while in the second, taken recently, the Love Islander lifted up her tank top to reveal rippling abs. Fitness instructor Gabby wrote alongside in a lengthy post: 'ONE YEAR APART,' before praising her 'shape up' groups for being transformative and going on to explain how running the groups has helped to change herself. She insisted: 'We have had some amazing transformations, created sustainable heathy routines, built confidence, educated, introduced new friendships that are now bffe! 'I have improved so much as a trainer. I have educated myself on SO much due to working with incredible people. I have changed my OWN physique, Im stronger, healthier, happier. I am more confident & I love more than nothing else, helping others feel the same too.' She's known for showcasing her toned physique as a professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars. And Peta Murgatroyd didn't disappoint on Thursday when she highlighted her stellar figure in little more than a golden bikini to advertise her new self-tanning products. The 36-year-old dancer and wife of Maksim Chmerkovskiy showed off her own crispy tan in the sizzling images, which she posted to her Instagram account. Golden goddess: Peta Murgatroyd, 36, showcased her stunning figure in a golden bikini to promote her Peta Jane Beauty self-tanning line on Instagram on Thursday In one photo, Peta sat on her knees, with her pert derriere resting on her set of beige open-toe heels. She was dressed only in a lustrous gold bikini top and matching high-cut bottom, and she wore her long blond locks cascading voluminously down her back. The New Zealandborn Latin dancer threw her head back delicately and rested one hand over her throat as she closed her eyes and showed off a winning smile. 'Summer is slowly coming to an end....but your tan doesn't need to [winking emoji],' she captioned her post. 'Don't let that glow go and get yourself some @petajanebeauty mousse and mist [brown heart emoji] It's SOOO GOOD!' Staying tanned: 'Summer is slowly coming to an end....but your tan doesn't need to [winking emoji],' she captioned her post. 'Don't let that glow go and get yourself some @petajanebeauty mousse and mist [brown heart emoji] It's SOOO GOOD!' Stunner: Peta gave her 933K fans a closer view of her toned figure and her washboard abs in a follow-up video. The behind-the-scenes clip showed her being photographed for the shoot as she held up a bottle of her Peta Jane tanning product Peta gave her 933K fans a closer view of her toned figure and her washboard abs in a follow-up video. The behind-the-scenes clip showed her being photographed for the shoot as she held up a bottle of her Peta Jane tanning product. The blond beauty got more serious in a video she posted to her Instagram stories on Thursday in which she updated her fans on her current IVF journey. She looked casual in a powder blue sweatshirt, and she showed off a more minimal makeup look. After apologizing for being 'so MIA' lately, she explained that she was 'just resting' and focusing on 'positive thinking' while 'catching up on work.' She added that she would be sitting at her computer all day while taking care of business for her self-tanner line. Catching up: The blond beauty got more serious in a video she posted to her Instagram stories on Thursday in which she updated her fans on her current IVF journey Ouch! She apologized for being away while she was busy with her business, then added that she was still taking her 'big boy progesterone shots,' before letting out a sign and revealing that her 'a** is still like super hard in areas' because of the shots She added that she was still taking her 'big boy progesterone shots,' before letting out an exasperated exhalation. ''My a** is still like super hard in areas,' she complained of the side effects from the injections. Massaging her back side didn't seem to offer much relief for the inflammation. 'It's just what it is,' she said. Peta had good news about her business, though, as she was looking for an office space so that she could stop working at home. 'If you're a mum, working at home is difficult because it's always noisy, there's always somebody coming in a cute little somebody,' she said. Speaking up: Peta revealed that she had started taking the shots in July, which sounded traumatizing Late last month, Peta seemed to be having a more difficult time keeping up with her IVF shots. 'Of course it's the hardest at the end, right? To get what you want to get this beautiful baby,' she said on Instagram. The dancer revealed at the time that it was her first morning injecting the hormone progesterone. She began to tear up as she said, 'I looked at the injections and I'm like, "Holy crap."' She picked up a transparent packet with the needle secured inside and held it up to the camera to show viewers. Sharing her struggle: She had difficulty taking the intramuscular injection, which had to be done quickly. Her husband Maksim Chmerkovskiy also wasn't home to help her 'It's really big,' she marveled before telling her followers that she remembered a nurse suggesting that her husband lend a hand with it. Speaking vulnerably, she admitted she forgot what intramuscular meant and thought she'd be fine without help. In one snippet she noted that her husband, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, had left earlier and she needed to take the hormone by 10am. Peta added the detail that she'd have to use the needle in her butt, 'which is good, but it's like really actually hard to turn around that much.' 'I'm flexible,' she said, 'but to bend my back around to get the meatiest part of the butt is f***ing challenging. Positive: The mother-of-one credited her son Shai with keeping her 'grounded' and making 'this all worth it' 'Everything is getting upped,' the Dancing With the Stars alum added. 'I've quadrupled my estrogen, I'm still on aspirin, I'm starting antibiotics...' she rattled off. She ultimately had to give herself a pep talk. 'I just kept telling myself, "Peta, get it in. Be grateful. Move on with your day. Stop crying."' The mother-of-one credited her son Shai with keeping her 'grounded' and making 'this all worth it.' The blond beauty shared a photo with the five-year-old boy and added, 'I look at him and I want 4 more babies. He is my everything and I cannot wait to give him a brother or sister.' Family-of-three: 'I cannot wait to give [Shai] a brother or sister,' the mom gushed; seen at a film premiere in LA on July 30 Prior to that, Murgatroyd spoke to People about enduring three miscarriages in just two years. Peta recalled feeling 'petrified, embarrassed, and ashamed' after she miscarried for the first time in a Whole Foods bathroom in the fall of 2020. Nine months later she lost a second baby, days before she planned to share the pregnancy news with Maks. The third miscarriage came last October while Maks was in the Ukraine filming the country's version of Dancing With the Stars. President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Paul LaCamer at Camp Humphreys, the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in this April 7 file photo. President Yoon had a closed meeting with him and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg at the presidential office Tuesday, an official said Thursday. Newsis South Korea, US reinforce military ties amid rising tensions in region By Jung Min-ho President Yoon Suk-yeol had a closed meeting with U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera at the presidential office, Tuesday, in the first talks between the two since he was inaugurated on May 10, a top-ranking official told The Korea Times. "Issues such as the security situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula and Seoul-Washington (military) cooperation were discussed in the meeting," an official familiar with the talks said on Thursday. It was Yoon's second meeting with LaCamera, 58, who serves also as the commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and the United Nations Command. Yoon met him for the first time on April 7 as president-elect at Camp Humphreys, the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. During the 90-minute meeting in Seoul, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Kim Seung-kyum, National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg were also present. The purpose of the talks was to coordinate defense efforts and boost military morale ahead of the joint Ulchi Focus Shield exercise (Aug. 22 to Sept. 1), a JCS official said. It will be the largest combined military training exercise between the two countries since 2018, when U.S. former President Donald Trump suspended the joint exercises. This comes as tensions are rising in and around the Korean Peninsula, with Pyongyang set to conduct its seventh nuclear weapons test and Beijing ratcheting up military pressure on the Taiwan Strait following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to the island. Speaking to reporters Thursday, the ministry's spokesman, Moon Hong-sik, said the military was prepared to respond to the North's possible provocation during and after the upcoming exercise, a day after Minister Lee told all high-ranking officers to stay alert. Kim Yo-jong, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, speaks during a meeting in Pyongyang, Wednesday, in this photo released Thursday by the official Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap Angelina Jolie was emotional as she dropped off her daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt at Atlanta's Spelman College Wednesday. The Oscar-winning actress, 47, was seen in a clip on Instagram Wednesday posted by Darryl Holloman, who is Spelman's vice president for student affairs, as she helped Zahara, 17, move into the college. The Maleficent actress said, 'I'm gonna start crying ... I have not started crying yet,' adding that she was 'holding it together.' The latest: Angelina Jolie, 47, was emotional as she dropped off her daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt, 17, at Atlanta's Spelman College Wednesday. The two posed with Darryl Holloman, who is Spelman's vice president for student affairs The president of the college, Dr. Helene Gayle, reassured the Eternals star that she would have 'plenty of time' to be emotional at other collegiate functions, joking that the events are aimed to 'purposefully to induce' emotions and 'bring it all out.' Jolie said she's 'holding it together still,' adding, 'I heard tomorrow night's the big deal.' Hollman asked Jolie, 'How does it feel to be a Spelman mom?' to which she said, 'I'm so excited; I'm so excited.' Hollman posted a picture of Jolie and Gayle posed together, as well as a selfie with Jolie and Zahara, which he captioned, 'Welcome to campus..Zahara, c2026!!' The Maleficent actress said, 'I'm gonna start crying ... I have not started crying yet,' adding that she was 'holding it together' The A-list actress chat with the president of the college, Dr. Helene Gayle, on the summer day Jolie said she was 'so excited' to see her daughter embark on the latest step in her education Jolie in July posted a group shot of Zahara with a group of her collegiate colleagues, writing, 'Zahara with her Spelman sisters! 'Congratulations to all new students starting this year. A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl.' Jolie and ex-husband Brad Pitt, 58, are parents to six children: Maddox, 21, Pax, 18, Zahara, Shiloh, 16 and twins Vivienne and Knox, 14. Maddox is currently attending South Korea's Yonsei University. Pitt earlier this month told Vanity Fair that he was 'so proud of' Zahara as she was set to attend Spelman, a historically Black college for women. 'Shes so smart,' he said. 'Shes going to flourish even more at college. Its an exciting and beautiful time to find her own way and pursue her interests. Im so proud.' He added: 'Where does the time go, right? They grow up too fast. It brings a tear to the eye.' Jolie in July posted a group shot of Zahara with a group of her collegiate colleagues, writing, 'Zahara with her Spelman sisters!' The Supreme Court on Thursday finalized a not-guilty verdict for a former vice justice minister indicted on bribery charges in connection with a high-profile sex-bribery scandal nearly a decade ago. Kim Hak-ui, 66, was indicted on charges of taking some 43 million won ($33,000) in bribes from a businessman between 2000 and 2011, and sexual favors from the head of a local construction company around 2006. Kim took office as vice justice minister in March 2013 under the previous Park Geun-hye administration but stepped down in less than a week after allegations arose that he took sexual favors and bribes from businessmen. A lower court had initially acquitted of him, which was overturned by an appellate court. But the Supreme Court remanded the case in June 2021, and the Seoul High Court again found Kim not guilty of the bribery charge while dropping the other charges for which the 10-year statute of limitations expired. The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the retrial's decision, citing the lack of evidential validity of the businessman's testimony. (Yonhap) All the accused were arrested from their separate hideouts and remanded to judicial custody. (Representative Image) Hyderabad: One of the juveniles in the Jubilee hills minors gang-rape who received bail recently is reportedly being sent abroad. His parents are keen on sending him abroad for further studies, it is alleged. They have warned him against meeting or speaking to the other accused. On May 28, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a car by five juveniles and one Mohamad Saduddin Malik. Three days later on May 31, the victim lodged a complaint with the Jubilee Hills police, against the accused. All the accused were arrested from their separate hideouts and remanded to judicial custody. All five were granted conditional bail. Sources revealed that the juveniles parents took away their mobile phones so that they do not interact with outsiders. The contact list of the phone has been deleted, the sources said. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy released funds to Jagananna Vidya Deevena scheme in the Bapatla district on Thursday, MP Mopidevi Venkata Ramana, MLC Pothula Sunitha, MLA Undavalli Sridevi others also seen. Photo BY ARRANGEMENT. VIJAYAWADA: Strengthening the bond on Raksha Bandhan, Chief Minister Jagan Reddy on Thursday deposited the fee reimbursement funds of Rs 694 crore for the April-June quarter this year in the accounts of mothers of 11.02 lakh students. This was done by the CM pressing a button at a programme in Bapatla. Addressing the public, the chief minister alleged that some people were spreading false information against the welfare schemes of the AP government. What had the previous TD government done to help the poor, he asked. The chief minister said his government was providing welfare benefits to the poor through direct benefit transfer (DBT) to the beneficiaries bank accounts. Jagan said total fee reimbursement was done on this festive day, and the money was deposited into the mothers bank accounts as part of his governments attempts at social and economic empowerment of women. Describing education as a treasure, the chief minister said such initiatives would be remembered by the students for long and would increase their self-confidence. In a fast-paced world, we should catch up with the evolving changes. We should prepare our SC, ST, BC segments, the Minorities and EBCs to face the competitive world with more confidence in their abilities. That is why we have brought not just primary but even higher education under the Right to Education and are implementing total fee reimbursement, be it Rs 30,000 or Rs 1, 00,000. This scheme, the CM said, should help in bringing out an engineer, doctor or collector from each house. The fee reimbursement will be done quarterly and the amount will be deposited directly into the bank accounts of mothers in the same quarter. We have also cleared the dues of two years of the previous government, amounting to Rs 1,178 crore, which was not paid by Chandrababu. For this college itself, we have paid Rs 14 crore. We have spent Rs 11,715 crore towards the Jagananna Vidaya Deevena and the Jagananna Vasati Deevena during the three years. Degree and Engineering students are getting Rs 20,000, Polytechnic students Rs 15,000 and ITI students Rs 10,000 to ensure that parents do not fall in a debt trap, the CM said. Jagan said, The various welfare measures being taken up by our government to revolutionize the education system include the Jagananna Amma Vodi, the YSR Sampoorna Poshana, the Jagananna Gorumuddha, the Jagananna Vidya Kanuka, the Mana Badi Nadu Nedu, the English medium, the Byju's pact, among others. We have spent Rs 53,000 crore on education during the past three years with Amma Vodi topping the list at Rs 19,618 crore, Vidya Kanuka Rs 2,324 crore, the YSR Sampoorna Poshana Rs 4,895 crore, among others, to increase the GER ratio. Vested interests are unable to digest our initiatives and are spitting venom, but our government is committed to the causes of the poor. Deputy chief minister Satyanarayana, education Minister Botsa, social welfare minister Merugu Nagarjuna, Kona Raghupati, MPs, MLCs, MLAs and officials were present. The Central government has agreed to procure an additional eight lakh tonnes of fortified parboiled rice from Telangana in addition to the 6.05 lakh tonnes that have already been approved. (Photo: PTI File) Hyderabad: In a major reprieve to the Telangana government and state farmers, the Central government has agreed to procure an additional eight lakh tonnes of fortified parboiled rice from Telangana in addition to the 6.05 lakh tonnes that have already been approved. The rice will be milled from the paddy stocks that were procured from farmers during the rabi season (2021-22), which are currently languishing in rice mills and damaged as a result of recent incessant rains. It may be noted that the central government had refused to procure parboiled rice produced in rabi season from any state, including Telangana. Consequently, the Telangana government has agreed to supply raw rice. However, raw rice could not be produced from the paddy stocks that got damaged due to recent rains. The state government sought permission from the Central government to give an exemption and allow it to produce raw rice from damaged paddy stocks to save the state government from suffering losses. The Centre responded favourably and accepted Telangana's offer to supply parboiled rice as a one-time exemption. The department of food and public distribution under the Union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution issued orders to this effect. Union tourism minister G. Kishan Reddy hailed the Centres decision and remarked that it reflects the 'pro-farmer' policies of the BJP government. Reddy asserted that the BJP government opted to purchase parboiled rice stocks from Telangana despite the Centre having adequate parboiled rice stocks in FCI godowns to meet needs for the next three years in order to safeguard farmers' interests and prevent losses. Water levels are 41.65 metres of 43-metre danger level at Chinturu and 41.6 metres at Kunavaram against danger level of 39.24 metres, and 24.367 metres at Polavaram. (Photo:DC) KAKINADA: River Godavari and its tributaries Sabari, Pranahita and Indravathi are overflowing due to heavy rains in upper reaches. Irrigation officials sounded the second warning at Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Dowleswaram of East Godavari district when water levels reached 13.75 feet at 3 a.m. on Thursday. The level stood at 14.60 feet at 8 p.m. on Thursday even as irrigation officials discharged 14,09,029 cusecs of water. Water levels are 41.65 metres of 43-metre danger level at Chinturu and 41.6 metres at Kunavaram against danger level of 39.24 metres, and 24.367 metres at Polavaram. Collectors of Konaseema, Eluru and Alluri Seetharama Raju districts have cautioned people of low-lying and islet villages and requested them to reach safer places. People of Chintur displaced by Polavaram project protested by standing knee deep in water at Sabari Voddu for six hours from Thursday morning. They refused to come out from the water in spite of pleas by other locals. They demanded that their area be included in the list of 41.5 contour, so that they could get due compensation. Alluri Seetharama Raju district collector Sumit Kumar rushed to the spot. He assured the protesters that he will bring their issue to the attention of both state and central governments. The protesters then relented and gave up their agitation. Kunavaram CPM mandal committee demanded that government include all villages getting submerged by the project in the 41 contour list and give R&R packages accordingly, including 3 lakh as immediate relief to each affected family, as they have lost everything in the recent floods. The Seoul city government has disclosed medium- and long-term flood prevention measures centered on the construction of deep underground rainwater storage facilities in six flood-prone areas. According to the measures announced by Mayor Oh Se-hoon on Wednesday, the city government will spend 1.5 trillion won ($1.15 billion) over the next decade to build six large-scale rainwater storage and drainage facilities, also called deep underground tunnels. The underground tunnel project calls for building large-scale drainpipes with a diameter of about 10 meters each at a depth of 40 to 50 meters underground. The measures came after the heaviest downpours in 115 years battered the Seoul metropolitan area earlier this week, leaving at least 16 people dead or missing and more than 2,500 homes and buildings submerged. A total of 525 mm of rain fell in Seoul from Monday to Wednesday morning, causing numerous flash floods throughout southern Seoul. In the first phase of the anti-flood measures, the city government will build underground rainwater storage tunnels in three areas around Gangnam Station in Gangnam Ward, Dorim Stream in Gwanak Ward and Gwanghwamun in central Seoul by 2027. In Gangnam Ward hit hardest by this week's downpours, the underground tunnel will be designed to handle heavy rain of up to 110 mm per hour, the government added. The southern Seoul areas were hit by torrential rains of over 100 mm per hour this week. The deep underground rainwater tunnel project was originally announced by Oh during his previous mayoral term in July 2011. But the project was shelved due to budgetary issues after his successor Park Won-soon took office in October of the same year. Instead, Park's government built only one of seven underground tunnels proposed by Oh in the southwestern Seoul district of Sinwol. The Sinwol rainwater storage facility that can handle 95 to 100 mm of rain per hour and accommodate 320,000 tons of water was completed in May 2020. The area did not suffer serious flood damage this week. (Yonhap) Indore: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Thursday refused bail to comedian Munawar Faruqui who is accused of passing "indecent" remarks about Hindu deities during a show, and noted that to "promote harmony" is one of the constitutional duties. Liberty of a person has to be "balanced" with his duties towards other citizens, Justice Rohit Arya of the Indore bench of the high court said, citing a Supreme Court ruling. The court also turned down the bail plea of Nalin Yadav, another accused in the case. Faruqui and four others were arrested on January 1 following a complaint by a BJP MLA's son that objectionable remarks about Hindu deities and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were passed during a comedy show at a cafe in Indore on New Year's day. One more person was arrested subsequently. Faruqui and Yadav are in judicial remand and lodged in Indore Central Jail. A magistrate's court and a sessions court rejected their bail pleas, following which they moved the high court. In its order, the high court said it would not comment on merits of the case, but based on the material seized, the witnesses' statements and considering the fact that probe was going on, no case is made out for grant of bail. "The evidence/material collected so far suggests that in an organized public show under the garb of stand-up comedy at a public place on commercial lines, prima facie, scurrilous, disparaging utterances, outraging religious feelings of a class of citizens of India with deliberate intent, were made by the applicant," it said. "Liberty of an individual has to be balanced with his duties and obligations towards his fellow citizens," the order said, citing a past Supreme Court judgment. The court noted defence lawyers' argument that Faruqui had come to Indore on an invitation by organizers, and did not say anything that has been alleged. However, in the light of the statements of the complainant and witnesses and video footage of the show, "at this stage it is difficult to countenance to the submissions of the learned counsel for the applicant as complacency of the applicant cannot be ruled out", it said. "It is not a case of no evidence. More so, the investigation is in progress," the court added. There was a possibility that "more incriminating material" would be collected, and further, a similar case has been registered against Faruqui in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, the high court noted. "That apart, there is also specific assertion by the counsel for the complainant that the applicant, along with other co-accused persons, (were) allegedly making outraging filthy jokes in social media deliberately against Hindu Gods, Lord Shriram and Goddess Seeta, hurting religious sentiments of Hindus for the last 18 months, despite protest on various social media platforms. There is nothing on record to the contrary," it said. "Our country is a beautiful country and sets an example of coexistence amid diversities, be it religion, language, culture, geographical locations etc, to the world at large," the high court said. "It is the constitutional duty of every citizen of the country and also of the states to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India irrespective of religious, linguistic, regional or sectional diversities and to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture (Article 15A (e) and (f) of the Constitution of India)," it said. The government must ensure that "ecosystem and sustenance of coexistence is not polluted by negative forces", it said. The high court did not comment on the part of the FIR where it is alleged that indecent jokes were also cracked about Union minister Shah. As per the First Information Report, the comedy show was held at a cafe in 56 Dukan area of Indore on January 1. Eklavya Singh Gaud, son of local BJP MLA Malini Laxman Singh Gaud, had filed a complaint against Faruqui and others. Gaud said he and his associates had gone to watch the show where indecent jokes were made about Hindu gods and goddesses and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He forced the organizers to stop the show, he said. Faruqui and others were arrested under IPC section 295-A (outraging religious feelings). They were also accused of holding the show amid COVID-19 pandemic without permission and booked under section 269 (unlawful or negligent act likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and other relevant provisions. Faruqui's lawyer Anshuman Shrivastava said they will move the Supreme Court against the high court's order. The show was stopped by complainant Eklavya Singh Gaud when Faruqui had not even started his performance, and the FIR was based on controversies surrounding his earlier shows, the lawyer claimed. But Indore's Inspector General Harinarayan Chari Mishra asserted that the police case was based on the January 1 program. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao cancelled the 'special session' of the Legislative Assembly and also Local Bodies scheduled for August 21. (Photo: Twitter) HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao cancelled the 'special session' of the Legislative Assembly and also Local Bodies scheduled for August 21. The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan on Thursday keeping in view the requests made by elected representatives that they needed to attend a large number of weddings on August 21, since it is the 'last auspicious day' of the ongoing marriage season. It may be recalled that the Chief Minister on August 2 announced to hold a special session of Legislative Assembly to mark the diamond jubilee celebrations of India's Independence and asked all urban and local bodies to follow suit. Official sources said the ministers also raised this issue in the Cabinet meeting and made a request to the Chief Minister to consider cancelling the special session as there have been a large number of requests from other elected representatives such as sarpanches, ward members, MPTCs, ZPTCs, MLAs, MPs, Mayors and chairpersons of municipal corporations and municipalities and chairpersons holding various nominated posts in the government. They brought to the notice of the Chief Minister that it would be difficult for them to attend 'special session' owning to their obligations in their constituencies. The Chief Minister agreed to their request and announced the cancellation of 'special session' immediately. Other major decisions of Cabinet 1. Aasara pensions to 10 lakh new beneficiaries from August 15 following reduction of age limit to 57 years from 65 years. Total beneficiaries in the state to increase from 36 lakh to 46 lakh. Aasara pension digital identification cards to be issued to all 46 lakh beneficiaries. 2. Release of 75 prisoners of 'good conduct' from jails to mark 75 years of Independence. 3. ENT Tower with all modern amenities to be built on ENT Hospital premises in Koti. Ten specialist doctor posts sanctioned for ENT Hospital, Koti. 4. New hospital building with all modern amenities to be constructed on Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital premises. 5. Vacant anganwadi posts numbering 5,111 to be filled. 6. Mass rendering of national anthem at 11.30 am on August 16 across the state as part of diamond jubilee celebrations. 7. Expediting distribution of pattas to poor for house sites regularised under GO 58, 59. 8. Committee constituted to look into the problems faced by people in construction of houses in grama kantam lands. Committee asked to submit a report in 15 days recommending a permanent solution to these problems. 9. 15-acres allotted for setting up Autonagar in Vikarabad to encourage the automobile sector. 10. 45 acres allotted in Shabad for allotment to Shabad stone polishing units through TSIIC. After running a government with a two-member Cabinet for 40 days, Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has finally inducted 18 more members in his council of ministers. As per the Article 164(1A) of the Constitution, members in a states council of ministers shall not exceed 15 per cent of the total number of members of the legislative Assembly. In Maharashtras case, the maximum number of ministers can be 43 including the chief minister. However, Mr Shinde has chosen to have a mini-Cabinet cobbled up to cover the bare minimum requirements and face the upcoming monsoon session of the state Assembly. The expansion was still riddled with controversies from the start. There is not even symbolic representation of women in the Shinde Cabinet. Abdul Sattar, a strongman from Aurangabad, has been made minister despite the suspicion raised against him recently in connection with the alleged teacher eligibility test (TET) scam. The names of his two daughters have appeared in the list of candidates debarred by the Maharashtra State Council of Exams for their alleged involvement in the scam. Another minister, Sanjay Rathod, had to resign from the Uddhav Thackeray cabinet in February 2021 because of the BJPs pressure after his name got embroiled in the TikTok star Pooja Chavans suicide case. Embarrassed by Rathods inclusion in the state Cabinet, BJP leader Chitra Wagh has said her fight against him will continue. So why did Mr Shinde not appoint a full-fledged council of ministers and avoid keeping controversial figures out? The only plausible explanation is that the chief minister himself is not sure about his governments legal, constitutional validity and its stability. The issue of whether Mr Shindes revolt against his party president Uddhav Thackeray should be treated as a defection or dissent is pending before the Supreme Court. It appears the Maharashtra chief minister and his new political gurus from the BJP are being overcautious because an unfavourable order by the SC will put them in an embarrassing situation. Therefore, it comes across as the temporary council of ministers of the tentative chief minister. The UK government has said Foreign Secretary Liz Truss instructed her junior minister to summon Chinas ambassador to the UK over Beijings aggressive behaviour towards Taiwan and urged the country to resolve differences by peaceful means. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said on Wednesday that Second Permanent Under-Secretary Sir Tim Barrow summoned Zheng Zeguang over Beijings wide-ranging escalation against Taiwan over the last week, in response to Speaker Pelosis visit on August 2. The UK and partners have condemned in the strongest terms Chinas escalation in the region around Taiwan, as seen through our recent G7 statement, Truss said in a statement. Read | Taiwan rejects China's 'one country, two systems' plan I instructed officials to summon the Chinese Ambassador to explain his countrys actions. We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region, she said. The United Kingdom urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion, she added. Following the meeting, a Chinese report quoted Zheng Zeguang as saying that his governments actions were provoked by the US in collusion with the Taiwan independence separatist forces. Chinas ruling Communist party has long claimed Taiwans sovereignty. Beijing insists its one-China principle would bar most incumbent foreign government officials from setting foot on the island. Zheng last week also warned senior British parliamentarians against visiting Taiwan. India on Wednesday deployed a military helicopter to fly the 14th Dalai Lama from Leh to a remote village amid its continuing stand-off with China along the Line of Actual Control between the two neighbouring nations in eastern Ladakh. The 14th Dalai Lama flew onboard an indigenously developed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Leh to a 15th century monastery near Lingshed, one of the remotest villages of the Union Territory of Ladakh. He had reached Leh on July 15 last for a month-long visit to Ladakh his first outside the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (TGiE) at Dharamshala in northern India after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global icon of the decades-long struggle of the Tibetans against the Chinese rule over their homeland was received by the Air Commodore P K Srivastava, Air Officer Commanding of the IAF station in Leh, on his arrival at the station for flying to Lingshed. Also Read: Ladakh confers highest civilian award upon Dalai Lama New Delhi released pictures of the Dalai Lama with the IAF officials and personnel, apparently to tacitly snub China, which in the past repeatedly conveyed its displeasure over the Government of India facilitating the visits of the Tibetan Buddhist monk. The latest move by Prime Minister Narendra Modis government in New Delhi to send out a subtle-but-firm message to Beijing came just days after the Speaker of the United States House of Representative Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei, defying repeated warnings from China, which responded by launching a week-long military drill across the Taiwan Strait. Beijing considers Tibet and Taiwan as its core issues and repeatedly stressed that its sovereignty on both is non-negotiable. The Dalai Lama recently said in Leh that a change in the situation in China was imminent and the exiled Tibetans should remain strong. Times are changing and truth will prevail. There are indications that things will change for the better in China before long. Therefore, please remain strong and preserve your sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, he said, addressing a congregation of nearly 6500 Tibetans in the outskirts of Leh on Sunday. His Holiness @DalaiLama flew in an IAF Dhruv helicopter from Air Force Station Leh to Lingshet. He was received by Air Cmde P K Srivastava, Leh. His Holiness showered his blessings on all air warriors of the station, a spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India posted on Twitter on Wednesday. He also posted a picture of the Dalai Lama along with the IAF officials and personnel as well as the local Tibetans. The 87-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader presided over the closing ceremony of the 10-day-long Ladakh Ling-Gon Yarchos Chenmo festival at Lingshed. Apart from the Tibetan Buddhists, the ceremony was also attended by representatives of Muslim and Christian communities of Ladakh. The monk also led a teaching session on Tibetan Buddhism to a large number of villagers gathered on the ground in front of the monastery. The Dalai Lama had earlier on July 24 visited not only Jokhang Buddhist temple in Leh, but also the Jama Masjid and the Moravian Church in the capital of Ladakh. The visit by the Tibetan Buddhist monk is also his first one to Leh since the military stand-off between India and China started along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modis phone-call to the Dalai Lama on his 87th birthday last week irked Beijing, prompting it to ask New Delhi to refrain from using the issue of Tibet to interfere in the internal affairs of China. New Delhi responded by underlining that it was a consistent policy of the Government of India to treat the Dalai Lama as an honoured guest in the country. The Dalai Lama has been living in India ever since he fled the Potala Palace in Lhasa in March, 1959, to escape the Chinese PLA, which had by then occupied Tibet. He has been a staunch advocate for non-violence and freedom, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. He has been demanding genuine autonomy not independence from Chinese Governments rule for Tibet. Beijing, however, still calls him a separatist and accuses him of running a campaign to split China. The Chinese Government had in the past repeatedly asked New Delhi to shut down the Tibetan Government in Exile based in India. In what promises to avert an Uttarakhand-like dam disaster, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited has installed an Internet-based cloud software application for an Early Warning System (EWS) in at least 12 major projects in the country including the 2000-MW Subansiri Lower hydro project in Arunachal Pradesh. The system has been installed at a time the NHPC is gearing up to inaugurate the first unit of the Subansiri lower project---the biggest hydroelectric project taken up so far in the country. It is a run of river project in the Subansiri river. The software will enable real time monitoring of water levels, discharge of tributaries and rivers along with close coordination with the project and power station at upstream and downstream of such identified vulnerable projects. It will also issue alerts/warnings to concerned project authorities/stakeholders and local administration to give time to the people to react during floods, enabling local administration and people to evacuate or shelter before a flood, the NHPC said. After the disaster in a hydro project in Uttarakhand in February 2021, the Central Electricity Authority had identified 47 vulnerable projects across the country. Of these, 10 belong to the NHPC and two to Chenab Valley Power Projects, a joint venture between NHPC and Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation. The NHPC was given the responsibility for setting up a Master Control Room facility for monitoring the functioning of EWS of such vulnerable hydroelectric projects (public sector). "The software has been installed in all 12 projects. Hydroelectric projects belonging to other developers can also take advantage of this software portal," said the NHPC in a statement. "The software application has been integrated with inputs from Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on a real time basis for strengthening the forecasting/alerts," it said. "Hydroelectric projects are usually located in mountainous areas and are vulnerable to disasters like landslides, cloudburst, flood, avalanche and glacial lake outburst floods, '' it further said. AK Singh, CMD of NHPC inaugurated the EWS on Wednesday. Stalemate in Subansiri project Work in the Subansiri Lower hydroelectric project started in 2006 but the work remained stalled between 2011 and 2019 mainly due to strong agitation by organisations and people in the downstream areas in Assam's Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts. Local residents demand that the project be scrapped as it may cause massive devastation in the downstream areas in case of a disaster. The fear grew after the Uttarakhand disaster. The BJP has successfully wedded its 'kamandal' politics with Mandal in Uttar Pradesh, but neighbouring Bihar has been a bumpier ride for its Hindutva juggernaut. Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) severing ties with it, and a spectrum of parties ranged against it in the Assembly, the BJP is now the solitary party occupying the Opposition space, which could become the opportunity in work clothes its state unit has awaited. Also Read: Not scared of ED and CBI: Nitish Kumar after dumping BJP Since 1996, the BJPs been wary of contesting in Bihar without the crutches of Mandal parties as allies, whether Samata Party, JD(U) or Ram Vilas Paswans LJP. In 2015, faced with the grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress, the BJP was nervous enough to contest only 157 of the 243-seats. That it allowed LJP and even smaller parties as many as 86 seats to contest betrayed its poor organisational strength and limited appeal among Dalits, EBCs and OBCs of the state. But the future could be different. After the 2020 polls, BJP sent Sushil Modi, the deputy chief minister to Kumar, to Delhi and appointed Renu Devi and Tarakishore Prasad, both EBCs, as deputy CMs. The BJP would also try to exploit the caste contradictions between JD(U)s Kurmis-led EBC and Mahadalit support base and RJDs Yadav support base. The BJPs challenge in Bihar is not merely to give representation to EBCs at the top level, but hand over the leadership of its district and block level organisation to Dalits and EBCs, said political analyst Shambhu Shrivastav. Sceptical of the BJPs ability to accomplish this, given that it is overwhelmingly an upper caste party in Bihar, Shrivastav believes the BJP could become the go-to party for castes and communities, especially those that back JD(U), which might find the new government unsympathetic. Also Read: BJP making organisational changes ahead of LS 2024 polls The BJP would also focus on the RJD-JD(U) contradictions on corruption issues and strengthen its organisation in constituencies that JD(U) contested as part of their alliance. Unlike the RJD, which has its MY cadre in villages, the JD(U)s organisational structure is poor. Moreover, as election strategist Prashant Kishor has pointed out, Kumars credibility has dipped over the years, evident in the JD(U)s seats tally dropping from 117 in 2010 to 72 in 2015 and 43 in 2020. The pitfall for the BJP could be negotiating issues on which the RJD and JD(U) have consensus, especially the demand for a caste census. Finally, unlike in UP, the BJP has struggled to find an emotive issue to consolidate Bihars sundry castes under the Hindutva umbrella. Will it find one now? Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, V D Satheesan came out in support of former minister and Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) leader Thomas Isaac for his petition against the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This was an important development in Kerala politics, as the Congress party in Kerala implied its agreement with the CPMs stand against the central agency in connection with its inquiry into Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)s external borrowings. Strong protests against the ED by the Congress party at national level, regarding the central agencys actions against top leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, has put the opposition party in Kerala with no option other than to support the CPM. Also read | ED is political tool for BJP, will not appear, says ex-Kerala Minister Thomas Isaac Former state finance minister Thomas Isaac, who was summoned by the ED in connection with the inquiry into KIIFBs borrowings, along with five other Left-front MLAs moved the Kerala High Court, questioning the EDs investigation into the KIIFB raising foreign funds through masala bonds. Isaac had challenged the ED summons to him, stating that the ED had no power to inquire into the matter involving Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), and it was for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to look into it, even if there was any FEMA violation. CPM leader Isaac alleged that the ED was carrying out a fishing and roving enquiry into a matter that did not come under its purview. ED had issued two summonses to Isaac, without mentioning the offences against him, even as the central agency was inquiring into the matter for more than a year. KIIFB had issued the masala bonds with RBIs nod, he said. The ED informed the high court on Thursday that Isaac was being summoned just as a witness to collect information. The ED also stated that Isaac need not appear before it until the high court takes up the petition for consideration again. Supporting Isaacs stand, opposition leader V D Satheesan also said that ED had no powers on the masala bond issue, as the matter did not come under the purview of Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Satheesan, however, clarified that the Congress believed that external borrowing by the KIIFB was improper and against the Constitution. Borrowings by KIIFB would also become the state's liability in future, he said. Five Left-front MLAs petitioned the high court alleging that EDs moves against the KIIFB would derail the infrastructure development projects in the state, as the board funded most of them. The ED had opened an investigation into the alleged violations in KIIFBs transactionssuch as issuing masala bonds and trading in London Stock Exchange to raise Rs 2,150 croreafter the Comptroller and Auditor General noted that the external fund raising by the state government agency was against the Constitution. With senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor set to be conferred with France's highest civilian award Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, a host of party leaders congratulated him on the prestigious honour. The French government is honouring him for his writings and speeches and French Ambassador here Emmanuel Lenain has written to Tharoor informing him about the award. "As one who cherishes our relations with France, loves the language and admires the culture, I am honoured to be recognized in this way. My gratitude & appreciation to those who have seen fit to award me this distinction," Tharoor said in response to a tweet congratulating him on the award. Thanks. As one who cherishes our relations with France, loves the language and admires the culture, I am honoured to be recognized in this way. My gratitude & appreciation to those who have seen fit to award me this distinction. @FranceinIndia https://t.co/dyy6L1sQEO Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 11, 2022 Several Congress leaders as well as Congress's Kerala unit and the state's Youth Congress unit also congratulated the MP from Thiruvananthapuram. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said he is in a state of "absolute euphoria" while coming to know that Tharoor is being conferred upon the highest civilian honour of France for his "extraordinary erudition and penetrative knowledge". Responding to Chowdhury on Twitter, Tharoor said, "Thanks a lot @adhirinc. Recognition is always welcome, and your appreciation makes it all the more valuable." Congress leaders T S Singhdeo, Pradyut Bordoloi, Mohammad Jawaid, Praveen Chakravarty, and Indian Union Muslim League M K Muneer also congratulated Tharoor. Six-time MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha is the richest minister in the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government of Maharashtra, with personal assets worth over Rs 441.65 crore. The Association for Democratic Reforms and Maharashtra Election Watch analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 20 ministers, including the chief minister, which they filed before the 2019 Assembly elections. Lodha, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader who represents the Malabar Hill constituency in Mumbai, declared assets worth Rs 441.65 crore, and liabilities of Rs 283.36 crore, when he filed his candidature for the seat. Also read: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde expands 2-member cabinet, 18 ministers sworn in The family of the 66-year-old Lodha, who is also the BJP Mumbai president, deals in real estate and business. The lowest figure in the new ministers team was of Shiv Senas Sandipan Bhumare, the six-time MLA from Paithan in Aurangabad, who declared assets worth Rs 2.92 crore. In the newly sworn-in cabinet, eight ministers declared their educational qualification to be between Class 10th and 12th, while 11 ministers declared to be qualified as a graduate or above, and one minister was shown to be a diploma holder. The ministers' age group ranged with just four ministers being between 41-50 years old, while 16 were between 51-70 years old. As many as 15 ministers declared to have criminal cases charged against them, of which 13 declared that criminal cases against them were serious. US should stop looking for excuses for inaction on climate change: FM spokesperson (People's Daily App) 14:10, August 11, 2022 The US should earnestly deliver on its historical responsibilities and due obligations on climate change and stop looking around for excuses for its inaction, China said on Wednesday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing in Beijing in response to remarks by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry that China's decision to suspend US-China climate change talks was punishing the world and not the United States. The measure taken by China was part of the countrys legitimate and reasonable countermeasures against Pelosis visit to Taiwan, Wang said. It has been repeatedly stressed to the US side that the one-China principle is the political foundation on which China develops bilateral relations with other countries and Speaker Pelosi insisted on visiting Taiwan despite China's strong opposition, which seriously violated China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said. Pelosis visit took place with the US governments connivance and support which undermined the political foundation of the China-US relations and would inevitably cause major disruption to exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, Wang said. China had made those points perfectly clear long beforehand. We said it and we mean it. The US has no reason to feel surprised, the spokesperson said. Due to the egregious impact of Pelosis visit to Chinas Taiwan region, China has suspended its climate talks with the US. All consequences arising therefrom shall be borne by the US. "China is a country committed to real action, not just words on global climate governance," Wang said. As a responsible major country China will continue to actively participate in international and multilateral cooperation on climate change. The US Supreme Court limited the US Environmental Protection Agencys powers to curb greenhouse gas emissions and has been sanctioning and suppressing Chinas solar companies citing the so-called Xinjiang-related issues as a pretext, which has dealt a direct blow to the atmosphere of our cooperation and the climate response of China and other countries, he said. These self-contradictory moves make the world question the USs capability and seriousness on addressing climate change. (Compiled by Wang Jiarui) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) This photo shows the semi-basement flat where a family of three was trapped and killed by flooding due to the torrential rainfall, Sillim-dong, Gwanak District, Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap By Lee Hyo-jin The Seoul Metropolitan Government is planning to phase out the use of semi-basements as dwellings as a number of people living in semi-basement flats were killed when Seoul was hit with torrential rains and flooding, underscoring the vulnerability of those in poor living conditions. Seoul and its surrounding areas were pounded with record-breaking rainfall for two straight days from Monday, before the rains moved to other parts of the country, resulting in 10 dead and 8 missing, as well as major damage to thousands of homes, shops, cars and farmland, so far. A family of three living in Sillim-dong, Gwanak District of Seoul was found dead in their semi-basement home after becoming trapped there when water gushed down into the flat through a sinkhole in the adjacent road. A 50-something woman living with her mother in a semi-basement flat in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak District, was also killed in the flood. The two initially managed to escape from their home, but the younger woman later drowned after she returned to rescue her pet cat, according to the police. These tragic incidents have highlighted the need to protect those in vulnerable living conditions. Semi-basement ("banjiha" in Korean) flats, refer to homes that are built halfway below ground level. Originally required to be built in each building in the 1960s as air-raid shelters, in the 1970s, the building code was amended and the spaces became an affordable housing option for low-income urban dwellers. With minimal light and airflow through small windows, the often damp and moldy homes are especially prone to damage in floods. According to 2020 census data, 327,000 households were living in such flats across the country, accounting for 2 percent of the total households. Of them, the vast majority 96 percent were residing in Seoul and its surrounding areas. After heavy rains in 2010, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, announced that it would restrict building permits to buildings with semi-basement housing, and since then, permits have been restricted to buildings with basement-level residential spaces that face concerns of flooding. Now, following this week's tragic deaths in semi-basement dwellings, Seoul city has announced that it will gradually phase out such housing. The city government will consult with the central government to revise the Building Act, which regulates construction to semi-basement apartments for residential purposes. It will also gradually encourage residents currently living in semi-basement flats to move out in the span of 10 to 20 years. Owners will be subsidized for remodeling or will be offered an option to sell the property to the city authorities. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also vowed to come up with measures to better protect the vulnerable group. "We will review fundamental measures to protect the safety and lives of people living in poor conditions," said land minister Won Hee-ryong on Tuesday during his visit to the neighborhood in Dongjak District where the 50-something woman died. But some civic groups are critical that these moves are only a repeat of previous efforts that were to no avail. They have also expressed concern that the restrictions may further reduce housing options for low-income households. "In order for them (residents living in semi-basement flats) to move out of their current homes, there has to be a sufficient supply of public rental housing. Also, the government should first conduct a large-scale investigation on their living conditions before introducing counter measures," Choi Eun-young, head of the Korea Center for City and Environment Research (KOCER), was quoted as saying during an interview with local radio TBS, Thursday. Forest Minister Umesh Katti appointed as officer on special duty (OSD) a range forest officer (RFO) accused of having links with a timber smuggler. Prasanna Subedar, who served as RFO in Haliyal range, was appointed OSD to the minister on Dec 3, 2021. The appointment was based on a recommendation letter from the minister dated Nov 24, 2021. An OSD usually liaises between the minister and the public. By that time, the assistant conservator of forests (mobile squad) of Sirsi division had submitted a probe report naming Subedar and three others of involvement in a timber smuggling case. The incident dates back to Jan 2020, when nine teak trees were cut and smuggled out by Ramesh Chavan. Subedar, then RFO, had acted on the case. However, activist Manjunath Baddi complained that Subedar had failed to follow rules while booking the case, following which the department initiated an inquiry. The inquiry report came down heavily on Subedar, two deputy RFOs and an assistant conservator of forest. "Prima facie, it seems the officers are slinging mud against one another to cover up deliberate mistakes," it said, adding that they were equally responsible for the violations. Baddi is appalled at the appointment. How could the minister get advice from a person facing serious allegations? Doesnt it show the minister in a poor light, he asked. Subedar told DH the report was not fair. The charges against me are wrong. I acted according to the Forest Code. I also brought the details of the case to the notice of the minister before my appointment as OSD. There is nothing to hide. Activists with vested interests are harassing me, he said. Umesh Katti was not available for comment. Sources in the department said Subedar had recently been transferred as RFO, Khanapur. A Derry man accused of the murder of Lyra McKee in the city over three years ago has been granted a variation to his bail conditions to allow him to go on holiday with his partner. Peter Gerard Cavanagh, 34, of Elmwood Terrace, is charged with the murder of the 29-year-old journalist who was shot dead by the New IRA while observing rioting on Fanad Drive in the Creggan area on April 18, 2019. He faces a number of additional offences relating to rioting on the night in question. At a sitting of Derry Magistrates Court this week, Cavanagh made application to vary his bail to allow him to go on a short break to Arranmore Island off the coast of Donegal with his partner. Objecting to the variation being granted, a prosecution barrister said bail conditions had been imposed to allow police to 'monitor and manage' the risk. She said tpolice believed Cavanagh was a member of Saoradh and was 'clearly associated with the New IRA.' The court was told the defendant was seen outside the Saoradh offices in November 2021. He was also observed at a white line protest in March this year and in June was seen talking to someone outside the Saoradh office. Defence solicitor Derwin Harvey said the papers in the case had been forwarded and there were three strands to the case - identification, forensics and a diligence report. He said the entirety of the evidence was in police hands by March 2020 but it was not until September last year that Cavanagh was charged. The solicitor said if his client posed such a risk why the delay in charging him? He added Cavanagh was 'anxious' to face the charges for what he described as 'this dreadful act' so he could clear his name. The solicitor said Cavanagh had said he was no longer associated with Saoradh and he added that it was clear he would not 'announce it publicly unless it was the case.' He said the variation was for a three night break. District Judge Barney McElholm said I don't think he can get up to much on Arranmore. He granted the variation but ordered Cavanagh to surrender his passport and put forward a cash surety. A body found at a caravan park in Dublin is suspected to be that of a man convicted of a number of sex offences in Derry. The remains are believed to be that of Patrick Porter , a 45-year-old serial sex offender from Inch Island in Inishowen, according to sev- eral national media outlets. Porter's remains were found in a van at Camac Valley Caravan and Camping Park in Clondalkin on July 27. He had checked into the park at the start of the month using his own name. His remains were found after residents complained of a strong smell coming from a van parked on the site. When Gardai examined the van they found human remains inside. The remains were removed and a post mortem was carried out on the badly decomposed body. Foul play is not suspected with regard to Porters death. A Garda spokesperson said: Gardai in Clondalkin are investigating the discovery of a body of a man in a car on Naas Road, Clondalkin on 27th July, 2022. A file is being prepared for the Coroners Court." Porter, who was from Grange on Inch Island in Inishowen, has convictions for lewd behaviour and other sex offences going back as far as 2011. He has served jail sentences from a number of incidents both here and in the Republic. He was jailed for 14 months at Derry Magistrates Court in 2015 when he pleaded guilty to committing an act outraging public decency. On that occasion he leaned over a seat on a sleeping woman on a bus travelling from Dublin to Derry and masturbated beside her while she slept. In 2016, he was given a six month suspended jail sentence for exposing himself to two women from a flat on the Strand Road in the city. In February last year, he was due to appear at Letterkenny District Court charged with performing a lewd act on Aileach Road in Buncrana on May 11, 2017. He could not appear because he was already serving a sentence for similar offences in the North. The law firm representing the family of schoolboy Noah Donohoe has expressed grave concerns over the actions of the Northern Ireland Secretary of State in relation to an application to redact parts of three police files to be used during the inquest into the childs death. The application to redact sensitive materials is being made by the PSNI through the Public Interest Immunity (PII) process, which needs to be supported by a certificate signed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or another Northern Ireland Office minister. It emerged at the end of July that NI Secretary of State Shailesh Vara signed the PII certificate, which was met with criticism by the Donohoe family and the First Minister designate of Northern Ireland. The decision on whether to approve the application now rests with the coroner in the inquest Joe McCrisken. The inquest into Noahs death is scheduled to begin on November 28 and to run for three weeks. The 14-year-old pupil at St Malachys College in Belfast was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he went missing. His mother Fiona is hoping to secure answers to some of the questions surrounding his death through the inquest process. In a statement released on Thursday, KRW Law said the aim of the inquest was to allay rumour and suspicion, but that Mr Varas actions appeared to exacerbate rather than allay deeply held concerns. The application is live before the court, and we shall be making our strenuous objections at the appropriate stage of those proceedings, the statement said. As we have already observed to the Coroner, the application for PII in Noahs inquest was entirely unexpected, and is, in these circumstances, unique in our experience. It has caused Noahs family, and indeed the wider community, enormous distress. Noah Donohoe Inquest. PII application We repose grave concerns re the application by Secretary of State for redactions of sensitive materials citing Public Interest Immunity We consider the application exacerbates rather than allays rumour and suspicionhttps://t.co/qL8kQPRonq pic.twitter.com/2zPckGoJO5 KRW Law Human Rights (@KRWLaw) August 11, 2022 In a statement to the PA news agency, the officer leading the investigation Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan said: We are acutely aware of and appreciate the deep concerns of the family and community surrounding the application for a Public Interest Immunity Certificate regarding the Noah Donohoe inquest. This is an independent judicial process and we have provided all material to the Coroner in order to ensure the facts surrounding the tragic death can be fully explored. In this case, the PII application refers to unique reference numbers and methodology. Where redactions have been sought, we have provided additional descriptive information to explain what the redactions relate to. As always, the Coroner will continue to have full sight of all material in this case and he will make the final decision on PII. NI First Minister designate and Sinn Feins Stormont leader Michelle ONeill said she wrote to Mr Vara at the end of July to say that his decision was totally unacceptable. Ms ONeill said she had relayed concerns to the PSNI that a PII certificate was wholly inappropriate in Noahs case, and is adding significant distress to the Donohue family. The application should be withdrawn immediately, she said. PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne admitted at a meeting of the Policing Board in March that a narrative suggesting the PSNI was attempting to conceal answers about Noahs death was having reputational consequences for the police. Assistant Chief Constable McEwan said at the same March meeting that the claim police were bidding to stop relevant information being disclosed to Noahs inquest couldnt be further from the truth. Mr McEwan emphasised that only a small amount of material was under consideration and stressed that PII was a usual process in many inquests. I know this is a difficult issue and we may be not getting our message across, but I want to reassure members and indeed the wider public were just not seeking to withhold any relevant information from the coroner and indeed Fiona, he said. There is a belief that we are seeking to remove those three flies in their entirety and in some way keep them hidden from the family. This couldnt be further from the truth. Mr McEwan said the first file contained intelligence documents; the second contained an overview of all police actions in the case, including investigative lines of inquiry and intelligence taskings; and that the third file contained other investigative materials such as officers notebooks and professional practice for searching. He said that a failure to redact certain details could result in sources of information getting into the public domain, or police methodology being publicised, which Mr McEwan said needed to be protected for future missing person cases. A Northern Ireland Office spokesperson said in a statement to the PA news agency about the comments by KRW law: We do not comment on ongoing coronial proceedings. Belfast City Council has agreed to submit an official bid to host the Eurovision Song Contest next year if the city is shortlisted on Friday. A two-stage process is under way to select the host city in the UK, Eurovision runners up, after it was decided the event cannot be held in war-torn Ukraine following the Russian invasion. On Wednesday night, Belfast City Councils City Growth & Regeneration Committee discussed the issue and decided to support a full bid if Belfast makes the shortlist. Belfast has submitted an expression of interest for #Eurovision2023, and tonight the proposal to support a full bid, if were shortlisted on Friday, was supported by the Councils City Growth & Regeneration Committee. Who is ready to help us make #EurovisionBelfast happen? Belfast for Eurovision (@EurovisionBFS) August 10, 2022 The BBC who broadcast the contest in the UK and will make the selection alongside the event organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has specified that the host city will be chosen using a two-stage selection process. Once all the applications have been received, a process will take place whereby cities will be shortlisted based on their ability to meet the requirements and their responses around capability and experience. When asked about making the shortlist, SDLP councillor Seamus de Faoite told the PA news agency: I suppose we dont know, well see what Friday brings, but I think Belfast has a really strong case to make. We understand from the BBC and the European Broadcasting Union that so much of the show has to be about the original winners, about Ukraine. I think Belfast has a very particular message to be able to sell there which is to say: we actually understand the value of peace, how difficult it is to build, and the desire of the Ukrainian people to secure it. When asked about infrastructure, Mr de Faoite argued that Dublin in the late 80s and early 90s wasnt lightyears ahead in terms of its infrastructure facilities or tourism, and that the song contest helped showcase the value of Ireland as a tourist destination something that could also be done for Belfast. Speaking while on his way to celebrate the news, Mr de Faoite added: We know that we are a kind of a small fish in this, but that has never stopped us before. We successfully hosted the MTV European Music Awards 10 years ago, we hosted the World Police & Fire Games, the Open in Portrush, there has been so many things that the North has been able to successfully host, put on a great show, and a wonderful welcome for people coming from all over the world. I see no reason why we cant do the same for the Eurovision. San Francisco, Aug 11 (IANS) Tech giant Microsoft has released patches for 141 bugs in its August 2022 Patch update, including two previously undisclosed (zero-day) flaws, of which one is actively being exploited. The total patch count for the August 2022 Patch update includes 20 flaws in Edge that Microsoft had previously released fixes for, leaving 121 flaws affecting Windows, Office, Azure, .NET Core, Visual Studio and Exchange Server, reports ZDNet. The Zero Day Initiative noted that the volume of fixes released this month is "markedly higher" than expected in an August release. "It is almost triple the size of last year's August release, and it's the second largest release this year," the bug hunting group was quoted as saying. Microsoft addressed 17 critical flaws and 102 important flaws this month across. The fixes address 64 elevations of privilege flaws and 32 remote code execution flaws, as well as security feature bypasses and information disclosure flaws. Also, 34 of this month's fixes address bugs in Azure Site Recovery, Microsoft's disaster recovery toolset for the cloud. The actively exploited bug is a remote code execution flaw affecting the Microsoft Windows Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT), tracked as CVE-2022-34713. According to Microsoft, it is related to a bug that some security researchers refer to as "Dogwalk". Researchers reported the Dogwalk bug to Microsoft in early 2020 but Microsoft did not address it until May this year, when attackers began exploiting MSDT via malicious Word documents. The company that month issued the identifier CVE-2022-30190 with mitigation steps, followed by a patch in mid-June and further defense-in-depth measures in July. (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 Tesla CEO Elon Musk has teased the launch of a new social media website named X.com amid the legal battle with Twitter. X.com used to be the domain name of a startup Musk founded two decades back, which he later merged with financial services company PayPal. When asked has he thought about creating his own social platform if the Twitter deal doesn't come through, Musk replied: "X.com." After selling its electric vehicle company shares worth nearly $7 billion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said he would repurchase Tesla stock if the Twitter deal did not close. When asked by a user on the microblogging platform if he is done selling Tesla stock, the tech billionaire replied affirmatively. "Yes. In the (hopefully unlikely) event that Twitter forces this deal to close *and* some equity partners do not come through, it is important to avoid an emergency sale of Tesla stock," Musk wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, while replying to another user who asked "If the Twitter deal does not close, will you buy Tesla stock again," Musk replied, "Yes." As per a report, Musk sold 7.92 million company shares worth around $6.88 billion. Musk's transactions occurred between August 5 and August 9, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings revealed, following Tesla's 2022 annual shareholder meeting on August 4 in Austin, Texas. Musk and Twitter are locked in an intense legal battle over cancellation of the $44 billion takeover deal, and the five-process will start in a US court from October 17. (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. Juniper Capital Grose Juniper Capital announced that Jared Grose has joined its ranks as a VP of business development. He makes the move from WeWork. Juniper says that Grose has aided in over $250 million in residential transactions, and $56 million in commercial transactions, during 11 years in real estate. He said on the company blog, I am excited to be iin a position where we are creating win/win situations for borrowers. We can empower all different types of real estate investors whether that is multifamily, office, retail, hospitality, land development, construction or anything between. China should respect Korea's sovereignty The latest talks between South Korean and Chinese foreign ministers have left a bad taste as Beijing went too far in putting forward irrational demands that could lead to interference in a sovereign state's internal affairs. This is raising concerns that bilateral ties might turn sour amid the escalating rivalry between Chin and the United States. Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi agreed during their talks held Tuesday in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao that the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile battery in South Korea should no longer hamper Seoul-Beijing relations. However, they only agreed to disagree on the most pending issues. Minister Wang suggested that the two countries develop their ties based on the principle of independence, self-reliance and friendship. He also called for the promotion of smooth supply chains to benefit both sides. Besides, Wang stressed the importance of non-interference in each other's domestic matters. But he contradicted himself by demanding that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration uphold the "Three Nos" policy of the previous Moon Jae-in government. The policy refers to no additional deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system here, no participation in a U.S.-led missile defense network and no trilateral military alliance with the U.S. and Japan. China has repeatedly requested the new Seoul government to stick to the policy. However, Yoon has left open the possibility of South Korea allowing more THAAD batteries on its soil in order to strengthen the country's alliance with the U.S. Seoul has already made it clear that the THAAD deployment is a matter of security and sovereignty to protect the country from North Korea's possible nuclear and missile attacks. In other words, Beijing has no right to tell Seoul what to do and what not to do about the THAAD issue. Minister Park explained this to Wang, making it clear that THAAD is a "means for self-defense" against the North's military threats. It is regrettable that the Chinese side has refused to accept the South Korean position. What's more serious is that the Chinese foreign ministry unilaterally said Wednesday that Seoul has even pledged to limit the operation of the anti-missile battery in addition to the Three Nos principle. Immediately, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed displeasure over what its Chinese counterpart said. It warned that the issue would become an obstacle to bilateral relations if Beijing continues to raise the issue. It is also absurd for Minister Wang to call on Seoul not to join the U.S.-proposed chip alliance, also known as Chip 4. The demand came after South Korea decided to attend a preliminary Chip 4 meeting scheduled for late this month or early September. Beijing claimed that the chip alliance is aimed at excluding China from global supply chains amid the escalating Sino-U.S. strategic competition. It would be better Beijing to accept Park's explanation that its decision was made in consideration of national interest and was not intended to exclude China. If China really wants to develop a strategic cooperative partnership with South Korea 30 years after diplomatic normalization, it should no longer try to put more pressure on Seoul to do what it wants. Otherwise, China cannot avoid criticism for applying a double standard. That's why Wang's stress for independence, self-reliance and non-interference sounds self-contradictory. Four food businesses across Ireland received closure orders last month for breaches of safety legislation. According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the orders were served in July 2022 by environmental health inspectors at the Health Service Executive (HSE) for food safety breaches pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The closure orders were issued to restaurants and cafes in Donegal, Dublin and Cork. Superfruit at the English Market in Co Cork, Bamboo Foods Ltd in Co Donegal, and Co Dublin's Zing by Chaska and Doson all received closure orders. Eight Prohibition Orders, which are under appeal, were also served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 to Holland and Barrett in Co Dublin. Reasons for the closure orders include presence of rats, rat droppings near food storage and evidence of pests gnawing foodstuffs, poor standards of basic hygiene in food preparation areas, inadequate training and lack of knowledge on temperature control, and a lack of food safety monitoring leading to unsafe food being produced and sold. Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI has emphasised the importance of vigorous pest control systems, which should be facilitated across all food businesses in Ireland. She also stressed that particular attention is required to ensure food is stored correctly and safely, especially during summer months when temperatures are usually higher. She said, "These Closure Orders demonstrate the importance of regular and consistent checks by businesses to ensure safe food practices are in place and adhered to in the interest of protecting consumer health. "It is disappointing to see a number of these enforcement orders relating to the presence of rodents on the premises. Ensuring food is free of contamination includes putting robust pest control systems in place and also training/supervising staff appropriately. "It must also be noted that summer is a particularly busy time of year for many food businesses, and it is critical that businesses have the necessary systems in place to account for both the increase in customers and temperatures. Food bacteria can multiply quickly in warm weather and food businesses must ensure food is stored correctly. SK Innovation Vice Chairman Kim Jun, left, poses for a photo with Minister of Economic Development and Technology of Poland Waldemar Buda after a meeting in Warsaw, Poland, on Aug. 9. Courtesy of SK Innovation By Kim Jae-heun SK Innovation Vice Chairman Kim Jun visited Poland to ask for the Polish government's support for Korea's bid to host World Expo in Busan in 2030. Kim also discussed ways for his company to cooperate with Poland on SK Group's future green energy businesses. The vice chairman met with the Polish Minister of Economic Development and Technology Waldemar Buda at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology in Warsaw on Aug. 9, local time. SK IE Technology CEO Roh Jae-sok accompanied Kim at the meeting. "We are planning to discuss various agenda items on many challenges that the world faces currently including the climate crisis at the World Expo in Busan. As Poland and SK have the same goals to protect the environment and focus on future energy, the international exhibition will serve as a good opportunity to focus on sustainable development measures around the world," Kim said during the meeting with Buda. Kim is currently the head of the Environment Business Committee of the Supex Council, the highest consultative body within SK Group, which oversees all the green energy projects operated by the company. Poland has previously shared its "Energy Policy 2040," which aims to reduce coal dependence drastically and expand its investment in offshore wind as well as solar energy. SK Group also declared its goal to achieve Net Zero, or carbon neutrality, by 2050 and is actively pursuing green energy businesses such as electric vehicle batteries, hydrogen and small module nuclear reactors. In addition, Kim shared his expectation for close cooperation in the future of the green energy sector with Poland. "I thank the Polish government for its keen interest and support in the company's ongoing investments in Poland. SK will make efforts to proceed with all the investment projects planned by the company's affiliates as promised and will positively review additional business in the field," Kim added. "The Polish government is pursuing unconventional and flexible cooperation with SK Group and other Korean companies. In particular, Poland will support Korean companies that are expanding related investments in the field of electric vehicles and other future energy sectors," Buda said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western nations to provide more money to help Ukraines military keep fighting Russia. The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe, Mr Zelensky said while addressing defence leaders at a Denmark conference aimed at strengthening financing for weapons, training and demining work in his country. We need armaments, munitions for our defence, he added, speaking via a live link from Ukraine. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, Danish Minister of Defence Morten Bodskov and Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov in Copenhagen The conference in Copenhagen is a follow-up to an April meeting at a US air base in Germany that established the US-led Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which coordinates international military support for Ukraine. Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference in Denmarks capital, told journalists that acquiring more fighter planes is the countrys priority right now. In the first stage, we need fighters. After that, de-mining, Mr Reznikov said. Denmark is co-hosting the daylong conference in Copenhagen with Britain and Ukraine. British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the goal of the event was securing concrete steps. Before the conference started, the Danish government said it would give Ukraine an extra 820 million kroner (92 million), which would bring Denmarks total contribution to the war effort to more than three billion kroner (338 million). Part of the money would pay for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain over the coming months. We will not let you down, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said as she opened the conference. The Kyiv School of Economics released a report on Wednesday assessing the cost of war damage to Ukraines infrastructure at more than 110 billion dollars (90 billion). The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities were either destroyed or damaged. Dublin Zoo has announced the arrival of an endangered male okapi calf. The male calf was born on July 7 to parents Lumara, seven, and Kitabu, 14. Able to stand 20 minutes after being born and suckle within hours, the zoo said the calf is in excellent health and has been growing steadily in the past month. He is the second okapi to be born in Ireland. The first, a female named Dalia also born at Dublin Zoo to Lumara and Kitabu, arrived in October 2019. Lumara has once again been showing excellent maternal instincts, the zoo said, while Kitabu has also been displaying great interest in the newborns development. Helen Clarke, the attractions team leader, said: We are absolutely delighted to welcome this okapi calf to Dublin Zoo. The species is listed as endangered so every birth is extremely important. The infant is nesting at the moment, as is typical for okapi calves, but will soon emerge to accompany his mother into their outdoor habitat. The baby is doing very well, and visitors to the zoo walking through the African Plains may be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the new arrival in the coming days. Okapis are a large, hoofed animal related to the giraffe. They have a red-brown velvety coat with distinctive black and white stripes on their back legs. Like giraffes, okapis have long, dark tongues. They are herbivores and eat leaves, shoots, fruit and fungi. They also eat clay and charcoal from burnt trees to help neutralise toxins in plants and to gain minerals. Infant okapis spend most of their time in their nest and hide under the protection of their mother for their first two months. The okapi is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red list due to habitat loss, hunting, deforestation and civil unrest. Their natural habitat is the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. Dublin Zoo is holding a competition to name the new calf, with the winner selected by Dublin Zoo keepers to win a family day pass. Names must be of African origin. Members of the public can enter at dublinzoo.ie/competition, and the lucky winner will be announced on Dublin Zoos social media channels when the competition closes on September 9. Chairperson of the Louth branch of Water Safety Ireland, Cllr Andrea McKevitt, is issuing an appeal for individuals to be vigilant when visiting beaches and lakes over the coming days. "It's only natural that many people will be flocking to the beach to cool down and enjoy this fabulous weather we are experiencing in Ireland", said Cllr McKevitt, "but it is so important, that we always respect the water and know our own limits Cllr McKevitt continues, "we are extremely lucky here in Louth to have three Blue Flag beaches; Clogherhead, Port and Templetown, these beaches will be manned by lifeguards daily from 11am to 6pm daily. A few key things to watch out for: check the tide times, you dont want to get caught, ensure you make yourself aware of any currents, rip tides or other dangers on the beach you choose, dont swim too far out to sea instead swim parallel to shore. "Please do not use floatable devices in the sea - these items drift out to shore. Have respect and do what the lifeguards advise and always pay attention to the signs displayed at bathing spots. If in doubt or if you feel unwell, please dont go swimming, be mindful this weekend and always [recognise] that by putting yourself in danger you run the risk of putting others in danger too." Cllr McKevitt added, "lets have a safe fun time enjoying the much needed sunshine, check out the Water Safety Ireland website for more information." Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong, sixth from left, poses with the CEOs of construction firms doing business in other countries at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul, Wednesday. Newsis President vows to support construction projects in Middle East By Park Jae-hyuk Korean construction companies have ramped up efforts to win more large-scale infrastructure orders from oil-rich Middle Eastern countries, including nuclear power plants, in a bid to achieve earnings recoveries and growth momentum abroad. The move comes as the government has vowed to expand support for construction projects in foreign markets, particularly Middle Eastern countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which have been viewed as lucrative sources of income for Korean builders. President Yoon Suk-yeol also urged the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to make efforts to create a second construction boom in the Middle East, saying that Yoon himself will support domestic builders by holding summits with the leaders of oil-rich countries. The president made the remarks when Land Minister Won Hee-ryong briefed him last month about the ministry's goal of enabling local builders over the next five years to win overseas construction contracts collectively worth $50 billion each year. "We will take a leap forward in overseas construction through what we have termed, 'K-Smart Infrastructure,' set to be announced next month," Won said at that time. Earlier this month, the minister met with the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Oman to ask them to help Korean builders win orders for construction projects in their countries. "Korean builders have won more than half of their overseas construction contracts in the Middle East," Won said at the meeting. "We hope Korean companies' excellent infrastructure technologies will be used for major projects, such as Saudi Arabia's NEOM City construction, UAE's gas field development, Kuwait's airport terminal management and Qatar's desalination plant construction." He also met with top executives from Samsung C&T, Hyundai E&C, GS E&C, Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai Engineering and Samsung Engineering on Aug. 10 to discuss ways to revitalize their construction works in other countries. There is speculation that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will visit Seoul in November to talk with Yoon about hiring Korean builders for the construction of infrastructures in the NEOM smart city near the Red Sea. Some observers even expect the crown prince to ask Korean companies to build nuclear power plants in his country. "The rising oil prices will lead to Middle Eastern countries announcing additional construction projects during the second half of this year," a construction industry insider said. "There will be continuous construction projects in oil-producing countries during the post-pandemic era." Data compiled by the International Contractors Association of Korea (ICAK) showed that the size of overseas construction orders won by domestic builders has shown signs of a recovery this year, as they collectively won orders worth $17.4 billion as of Aug. 8, up 12 percent from the previous year. Although the size of their orders in the Middle East stood at $3.6 billion from January to August 8 of this year, falling short of $4.1 billion achieved during the same period of 2021, Korean builders are set to increase their earnings in the region. Last month, Hyundai E&C and Samsung Engineering were chosen as partners for Aramco's long-term growth projects, which have the exclusive rights to win orders from the Saudi Arabian state-run petroleum company. Doosan Enerbility also said earlier this month that it has won an 840-billion-won ($640 million) order for the construction of a desalination plant in Saudi Arabia. "Starting from Saudi Arabia, we will solidify our leading status in the Middle Eastern construction market, winning more orders in foreign markets," a Hyundai E&C official said. Samsung Engineering vowed to enhance the company's competitiveness in the Middle East. Hyundai E&C CEO Yoon Young-joon, left, poses with Aramco Vice President Abdulkarim Al-Ghamdi during a signing ceremony at the Aramco headquarters in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, July 5. Courtesy of Hyundai E&C Photography exhibitions are being launched at two train stations to mark the 75th anniversary of the flagship Belfast-Dublin Enterprise train service. In 1947, at 10.30am on August 11, a seven-carriage steam train left Belfast and headed to Dublin, bringing about a new era in cross-border travel. The cross-border railway service would feature in the islands history: including being the subject of bomb threats during the Troubles, leading to the establishment of the Peace Train Organisation in 1989; and the Contraceptive Train event organised by the Irish Womens Liberation Movement in May 1971. In its first year in service, one train travelled in each direction. Seventy-five years later, the Enterprise service has eight daily departures in each direction, and Translink says passenger demand is on course to reach an all-time high. The photographic exhibits will launch in Lanyon Place Station in Belfast and Connolly Station in Dublin on Thursday. The 1947 inaugural train was operated by the Great Northern Railway company; it is now jointly operated by Translink NI Railways and Iarnrod Eireann. Translink Group chief executive Chris Conway said that the event was to celebrate the service, staff and customers. He added: Whatever your reason for travel, Enterprise has been there to connect us to family, friends and opportunity, evolving with the times and better connecting Belfast and Dublin. Iarnrod Eireann chief executive Jim Meade said that the service has a rich and evocative history. He added: I am certain that our customers will very much enjoy the exhibition that is now on display at Lanyon Place and Connolly. The Enterprise train is a key economic and social connector for the people of Dublin, Belfast and the stations in between and we look forward to another 75 years of its successful operation. gettyimagesbank By Kim Hyun-bin Customers who booked flights through Interpark Tour are furious over the unexpected additional fees they have to pay three months after booking their nonrefundable flights, according to passengers and industry officials, Thursday. A passenger whose surname is Chung booked a Jeju Air flight departing from Incheon International Airport to Panglao International Airport in Bohol, Philippines in advance in May. She then received an unexpected e-mail and a message on the Kakao instant messenger app from Interpark Tour on Aug. 8 to pay an additional fee for the nonrefundable flight ticket or else the ticket would be canceled and the initial payment would also not be refunded. Chung is scheduled to depart Incheon International Airport on Aug. 21 and take a return flight from Panglao International Airport on Aug. 25. Jeju Air B737-800 CALLS have been made for works on a city council housing scheme on the northside of Cork to be expedited. As part of the Cork City Northwest Quarter Regeneration (CNWQR) project, 24 new residential units are being constructed on a site which is in the ownership of Cork City Council, situated at Kilmore Road Lower in Knocknaheeny. Construction began over two years ago, but the scheme has not yet been completed, sparking concern from people in the locality. Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould called for the units which are near completion to be turned over to residents, and implored the city council to fast-track the delivery of the remaining units. Were asking Cork City Council now to step in, to give out the houses that are almost finished to families who badly need them, and to ensure that the rest of the development is fast-tracked and delivered as soon as possible, he said. His party colleague, Cllr Mick Nugent, also criticised the delays. This is phase two of the City Northwest Regeneration scheme providing 24 new homes, said. These homes will go to local residents in the area. "The delay is unfortunate and hopefully it will be rectified as soon as possible. Sinn Fein councillor Kenneth Collins said a number of people have been onto us in relation to these properties. They want them, theyre going to be a beautiful home for the future of Knocknaheeny, he said. In October last year, a spokesperson for the city council cited the pandemic, along with labour, and material shortages as reasons behind the delay. The delivery of construction projects nationwide has been impacted by Covid-19, the availability of labour, and materials in the past 18 months. The council continue to work with the appointed contractor to mitigate these impacts, including where appropriate, changes to the sequencing of construction works, the spokesperson told The Echo. The CNWQR project includes a number of phases of demolition and new-build housing projects, to be delivered over a long-term period. The vision of the CNWQR strategy is to create better homes, enhance social and economic opportunities, improve transport links, and create better, and safer streets, squares, and parks. Korea's antitrust regulator said Thursday it has decided to impose a combined fine of 256.5 billion won ($197.5 million) on the country's No. 2 steelmaker, Hyundai Steel, and 10 other firms for fixing bidding prices. Hyundai Steel, Dongkuk Steel Mill and nine others colluded to fix their quotations between 2012 and 2018 to bid on rebar contracts put forward by the state procurement agency, according to the Fair Trade Commission (FTC). The price collusion helped them post a combined revenue of 5.5 trillion won during the cited period. Hyundai Steel will be hit with the largest fine of 86.6 billion won, followed by Dongkuk Steel Mill with 46.2 billion won. The FTC has also decided to ask the prosecution to investigate seven steelmakers and nine of their former and existing officials over the collusion. The regulator said it will closely monitor possible price-fixing practices in the raw materials and intermediary goods market, and take stern actions against anti-competition activities. (Yonhap) AS reports of homelessness in Ireland abound, its difficult not to feel despondent. A recent trip to newly-refurbished Edel House, the residence of 20 single women and 13 families experiencing homelessness in Cork, assures me that some Irish people are far too busy to feel hopeless. In the face of our national disaster, as President Michael D Higgins describes it, the predominately female staff of Good Shepherd Cork are fighting back. The entrance area in Edel House, Good Shepherd, Cork. I arrive to check in on the second and final leg of the recent renovations at Edel House. A new building was added in 2021. The team then vacated the old building whilst it was undergoing refurbishment, returning to the completed facility in May. Before taking my tour, I learn more about the general work carried out by Good Shepherd, Cork, and meet with Mary, a current resident. THE BIGGER PICTURE When the service was established 50 years ago by Sister Colette Hickey, it offered vulnerable women the refuge of a room; nowadays, it does a lot more. Edel House, Good Shepherd, Cork. Manager Colette Foster explains the need for holistic, wraparound supports in their service. We know that a child brought up in homelessness is more likely to bring their own children up in homelessness too. Which is why we put so much focus on education. We pay for children to go to summer camps, and we liaise with schools through our Schools Connect programme. We seek to break the inter-generational cycle of homelessness. Artwork by children of the Open Road Project at Edel House, Good Shepherd, Cork. Edel House, 90% funded by Tusla, HSE Social Inclusion, and Cork City Council, works with multiple agencies, providing the most robust safety net possible for potential clients. The staff includes a therapeutic team and childcare workers. They also have a mental health and addiction support worker on staff. Claire Harrington, the Volunteer and Event Coordinator for Good Shepherd Cork, explains that whilst Edel House is the place everybody knows, there are multiple services available. Redclyff House is our family hub on Western road, offering similar services to here; Bruac on Redemption Road is an education centre for young people who have left mainstream school; River View on the North Mall is for teenage girls who are out of home without parents; and Baile and Aoire in Montenotte is comprised of individual homes for older women and those capable of more independent living. The Bluebell room in Edel House, Good Shepherd, Cork. We also run an outreach programme for families staying in B&Bs, supporting them to progress in their journeys towards independence. A RESIDENTS PERSPECTIVE Mary tells me that extensive activities organised by staff allow her to not think for a while. When I do an activity, its like I could be in any situation. I dont need to worry. I can think about the picture Im painting and nothing else. Through their partnership with The Glucksman Gallery in UCC, residents of Edel House spend every Tuesday morning at the gallery. The art classes are organised in line with the Good Shepherd ethos: every individual is important and each has a contribution to make. The peaceful setting offers Mary true inspiration and escape. Its like Im not homeless anymore. Ive never tried art before, but it gives me the sense that I can improve myself and that Ive something to say. One of the art pieces on loan from the Glucksman Gallery in Edel House Good Shepherd, Cork. Claire Harrington, who is also the social care leader when in Edel House, explains that these activities are organised by their Making Change Coordinator Carolyn ORegan. Its not just about offering people emergency accommodation, a bed and four walls, its also about supporting the person, to get them to a place where they can become independent again. We run many other sessions like mindful colouring and cooking. Marys eyes light up at the mention of cooking. We have such a diverse group of women here so, we take turns cooking dinner. It was Venezuelan food last week and next week it will be Polish. We talk about the food and sit down together and share a meal. RENOVATIONS AT EDEL HOUSE Marys experience, her sense of space and freedom, is very different to what a woman might have experienced here a few years ago, manager Colette Foster explains. The renovations are at the very heart of improvements in the service. Colette recalls seeing one woman cry when she returned to the renovated space. She looked at the new room and exclaimed in disbelief, Is this all for me? Their patience over a 20-year-period has paid off. The finished product is bright, clean and joyful. Art chosen from the Glucksman by residents lines the broad, light-filled corridors, alongside their own framed art and that of their children, completed during the Tuesday sessions described by Mary. NEW SPACE Youll notice all the doors of the rooms are in trauma-informed colours because theyre calming, Claire enthuses. And the door colour runs through their room, from the kitchen to the bathroom. We pass a large play area for small children, and a courtyard for outdoor play. There are social areas, a communal kitchen, various meeting rooms and offices and areas for laundry and meditation. Claire says the physical improvements have had a huge impact on staff and client wellbeing. Beforehand, we could have three single women in one room, sharing a small space and bathroom facilities. It wasnt fit for purpose. "One woman might have been in the early stages of battling an addiction, another might have been in early recovery from trauma. They were in on top of each other. Staff now find the house far more peaceful, with everyone having their own space. The community is given the space to live with dignity. They are becoming far more independent, using the communal spaces less frequently. Before, youd often see women in their nightgowns. Come 8 or 9 oclock people go into their private spaces now. We also notice we no longer need food contributions because everyone is buying their own food. Collette Foster explains that this independence is key to reintegrating the women back into society. In the past, women really struggled to survive once they left us as they were so used to being in constant company. They found it so hard to be alone at all. Now were confident theyll do better out in the world on their own because theyll be used to it. Theyll be more resilient. This resilience is certainly building in Mary, who is grateful to the people who took her in following a fall-out with her family, exasperated by the recent lockdown restrictions, her unemployment and poor mental health. I feel that people here understand me. I have been given my own space at last, to be my true self, and I feel truly cared for, not only by my key worker but by every member of staff. Before I leave, Mary is keen to thank me for coming, at pains to highlight how relevant her situation is not just to fellow homeless people, but to all people living in Ireland. Ireland is such a beautiful country with so much to offer but the line you must cross to find yourself homeless is tiny. Even for people working, its nearly impossible to find private accommodation and when you say you have HAP (Housing Assistance Payment Scheme), landlords smile and say they will call you, but they never do. Moms for Liberty (M4L), an astro-turf group that is probably not actually many moms and definitely not about liberty, has moved on. While they didnt seem too afraid of a deadly virus that killed almost 6.5 million people around the globeas evidenced by their increasingly dramatic and dangerous anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests at school board meetings across the countrythey are positively terrified now of a new danger to our children, a danger posed by a perhaps unlikely sourcebooks and libraries Over the last few days Ive been getting some pretty horrible private messages from M4L members with disturbing images and hateful accusations. It all seems to be a part of coordinated campaign intended to attack, demonize, and intimidate teachers and librarians in public schools in our statea curious approach for a group supposedly dedicated to supporting education. For example, one M4L person made a social media post last night with the header, WARNING GRAPHIC, claimed that Mitchell Robinson thinks children should have these books at their disposal, and then expressed her support for my opponents in the upcoming general election for the State Board of Education. One of the commenters on the post went on to say, Im sure they enjoyed this since they are professional sex groomers. Another M4L member sent me similar images in a private message, and asked if I support this book and for what age groups if so. Lets be clearthe issue here is not porn in school libraries. Groups like M4L are using this manufactured crisis as an excuse to demonize LGBT kids and teachers, accuse teachers of being pedophiles and groomers, and weaken the reputation of public schools among the members of their low-information voting base. This is nothing more than a classic, if lazy, attempt at distraction and reframingstraight out of the loaded question school of dirty tricks (i.e., So, when did you stop beating your wife?). At the risk of injecting too many facts into this dialogue, lets talk about books in school libraries and sex education in our schools. First, I have yet to hear about any child being forced to read a book s/he found offensiveor about such a book being used for a required assignment. Further, the vast majority of the books these folks are identifying are not actually *in* school librariesthey are only available through online digital content providers like OverDrive/Sorawhich schools only use because of cuts to school and library budgets. Cuts supported by the groups pushing these dishonest claims about school libraries. And its not very likely the people calling in to school board meetings are finding these books in their local school librariesit appears they are getting them, and very specific instructions about the exact pages with the most graphic content they should read aloud to school board members during public comments sessions, from lists of problematic books produced by groups like Moms for Liberty. How do we know this? Because Moms for Liberty recently shared a list of 41 books they demanded be removed from school libraries, including classics such as Slaughterhouse-Five and The Kite Runner. (So as not to drive more hits to these lists I am not providing the links herethey are easily searchable should you choose to view them.) In March, the Brevard (FL) County chapter of Moms for Liberty provided a local school district with a list of 10 books the organization says violate a Florida statute against providing obscene materials to minors. Damsel by Elana K. Arnold Forever by Judy Blume Lucky by Alice Sebold Mondays Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson Not My Problem by Ciara Smyth Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold Sold by Patricia McCormick This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki What Girls are Made of by Elana K. Arnold* Two weeks later, the group submitted 9 additional titles: A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas Crank by Ellen Hopkins* Infandous by Elena K. Arnold Push by Sapphire The Haters by Jesse Andrews The Nowhere Girls by Amy Reed Tilt by Ellen Hopkins Triangles by Ellen Hopkins Tricks by Ellen Hopkins *The titles above in bold were among those read aloud, in person and over the phone, by Moms for Liberty members to the State Board of Education in Michigan at a recent meeting. Which seems like a pretty big coincidence. Its also worth mentioning that many of the books singled out to be removed from school libraries are award-winning prose, poetry, and graphic novels, chosen for the thoughtful way in which they approach and integrate challenging and often difficult themes. Below is a partial list of the regional, national, and international awards some of these texts have won: Finalist, National Book Awards 2017 for Young Peoples Literature New York Times Bestselling novel This book received the following accolades: Quills Award nominee (2005) Book Sense Top 10 (2005) NYPL Recommended for Teens (2005) PSLA Top Ten for Teens (2005) Charlotte Award (2005) IRA Young Adult Choices Award (2005) Kentucky Bluegrass Award (2006) SSLI Honor Book Award (2006) Gateway Readers Awards winner (2006-2007) Missouri Gateway Readers Award (2007) Soaring Eagle Book Award (2008) Lincoln Award (2009) Green Mountain Book Award (2009) Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis Nominee for Jugendbuch (2011) Goldener Lufti (2012) This book received the following accolades: Selected by the New York Public Library as one of 50 Best Books of the Year for Teens in 2016 Selected by the Chicago Public Library as one of six books on the Best Teen Nonfiction of 2016 list Selected by the American Library Association for the 2017 Rainbow List Selected by YALSA for the 2017 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List Selected for the 2017 Amelia Bloomer List of recommended feminist literature Selected by The Horn Book as a Love Story for Pride Selected by Barnes & Noble as one of 50 Crucial Feminist YA Books 2 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list Nominated for several awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and three Eisner Awards (winning the Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work) As a musical theatre piece, this graphic novel was a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, while winning the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, and the Obie Award for Musical Theater. The Broadway production opened in April 2015 and earned an even dozen nominations for the 69th Tony Awards, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical To be sure, not every one of these resources is right or even appropriate for every student. Matters of age and developmentally-appropriate practice are crucial considerations in matching texts with students interests and needs. Thats where the importance of having qualified, certified teachers and school librarians comes into play. A graphic novel like Maia Kobabes Alex Award-winning Gender Queer may not be the right choice for every student, but Im glad that its there for the young adult struggling with their gender identity and sexuality. Similarly, while a book like How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi has raised a fair amount of controversy from social conservatives uncomfortable with its unflinching honesty about how institutional and systemic racism has impacted our society, it could be a life-line for black students facing the real-life effects of those racist systems. These concerns about pornographic content flooding school libraries are being manufactured by the same groups that fought against children wearing masks and getting vaccinated during a global pandemic, and are now also targeting content about anti-racism, trans, gay, and Lesbian students and teachers, and civil and human rights. Their concerns have nothing to do with protecting children, and everything to do with advancing a narrow, regressive, restrictive worldview in public educationa worldview that would dangerously marginalize anyone who is not straight, white, cisgender, and Christian. Every school district in Michigan is already required to have a sex education advisory board made up of teachers and parents who are responsible for overseeing the districts policies on sex education. Parents have the ability to review materials, be informed about class content, and opt out their child from classes if they so choose with no penalty. So most of what these groups are demanding is already included in state lawmaking their demands even more specious. My wife and I raised two children who went through an excellent public school system. They had outstanding teachersteachers who were committed to helping our children explore their passions and develop their strengths. Their teachers also challenged our kids with books and ideas that pushed them to think critically and creativelysometimes causing them to reexamine previously held beliefs, and grapple with uncomfortable feelings as a result. Far from being some sort of concern for us as parents, this is what we all should *want* in our childrens education. Because learning at its best isnt about being comfortableto the contrary, we learn the most and the best when we are pushed outside of our comfort zone, whether its practicing a new piece of music thats beyond our current technical ability; or struggling with a difficult math problem that seems unsolvable; or encountering a book that presents new information, or old information presented in a new and unfamiliar context, forcing you to reconsider your perspective on an important issue or topic. And thats just what our teachers and librarians are doing when they select the books and other texts that are available to their students. The process of choosing teaching materials is one of the most difficult, yet rewarding things that teachers and librarians get to do. We agonize over each new composition for our middle school choir, or picture book for our kindergarten students, or history textbook for our AP US History class. Its an immense responsibility to choose the materials our students use to learn about their world and themselvesand one that all members of the school staff take very seriously. Moms for Liberty isnt about *your* liberty, or your childs educationits about their ability to decide what your childs education should look like. Every parent is free to raise their children as they see fitbut they dont have the right to determine how other parents raise their kids. Cattle ranching is an important part of Mato Grossos economy and of the livelihoods of thousands of people who live there. The state was the largest beef producer in Brazil in 2021, producing around 1.4 million tons of meat. Ednilson Aguiar / Greenpeace By Sarah Brown A bill loosening restrictions on cattle ranching in the Pantanal wetland has been approved by the Mato Grossos state legislature, prompting concerns it could lead to the loss of thousands of hectares of native vegetation. The Pantanal is a major transitional area between the countrys other major biomes the Amazon Rainforest, the Atlantic Forest, and the Cerrado grasslands and its wet area has already shrunk 29% since the 1980s. Advocates say they hope the new bill will bring an additional 1 million head of cattle to the Pantanal and improve declining socioeconomic parameters, but critics have warned of long-term environmental impacts. Another bill, currently being heard in Congress, aims to cut the state of Mato Grosso out from the countrys legally defined Amazon region, further reducing the protection of the biomes within the state. Lawmakers in Brazil have approved a bill that allows extensive ranching and tourism in protected areas of the Pantanal, the worlds largest tropical wetland. The move by the legislature in Mato Grosso state comes just days after the states governor, Mauro Mendes, vetoed a law that would have banned small hydroelectric power plants along the Cuiaba River a series of developments that environmental activists say threatens to further dismantle environmental regulations in the region. Its a particularly worrying moment for the Pantanal, Leonardo Gomes, strategy director for SOS Pantanal, a conservation nonprofit, told Mongabay by phone. These actions loosen a lot of environmental protection in a short space of time. The state legislation, known as PL 561/22, has now been sent to Mendes, who has until the end of August to sign it into law. If that happens, the bill will amend a 2008 state law on the Pantanal that currently restricts activities that could damage the environment in the Upper Paraguay River Basin. Under the changes, ranchers would be allowed to graze cattle in permanent preservation areas, known as APPs, and legal reserves, the portion of their land that must remain preserved. Both areas are ostensibly legally protected and untouched reserves, and clearing them is currently prohibited and only permitted in land outside these regions. The amendments would also allow an increase in clearing of native vegetation, as well as permit tourism on protected lands. About 80% of the Pantanal lies in Brazil. Of that portion, 65% lies in Mato Grosso do Sul state and the rest in Mato Grosso. The other 20% of the Pantanal stretches across Paraguay and Bolivia. Image courtesy of SOS Pantanal. The Brazilian Pantanal is considered a major transitional area between the countrys other major biomes: the Amazon Rainforest, the Atlantic Forest, and the Cerrado grasslands. It covers an area of nearly 140,000 square kilometers (54,000 square miles), or nearly twice the size of Ireland, with 35% of it in Mato Grosso state and the rest in Mato Grosso do Sul. Extensive cattle farming has been practiced in the wetlands for more than 200 years and is the main economic activity in Mato Grosso. Ranching advocates say the 2008 Pantanal Law compromised the states agricultural economy. They say they hope the amendments can restore cattle productivity to pre-2008 levels by adding a million additional head of cattle to the region. They also hope it will boost tourism and lead to an improvement in Mato Grossos declining socioeconomic parameters. Its very difficult to live with the farming restrictions we have, Amado de Oliveira Filho, a technical consultant at the Association of Breeders of Mato Grosso (Acrimat) and participant in the bills discussions, told Mongabay by phone. The Pantanal [in Mato Grosso] is losing economic viability. However, critics say the push for agribusiness and tourism overshadows environmental protection measures. Both states, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, are beginning to look more at the Pantanal as a potential source of income from commodities, Gomes said. And its not wrong to think about the economy. But it is a region that has many peculiarities and fragility. The changes will allow ranchers to convert up to 40% of their private land into pasture. The bill also reduces the buffer zone area between farmland and riverbanks a measure that was imposed to minimize the risk of soil erosion and protect rivers by up to 70 meters (230 feet). Just with that change, we will lose a few thousand hectares alongside important rivers of the Pantanal, Gomes said. Beyond agriculture, opening protected areas to tourism could also pose a major threat, environmental experts say. The new bill lacks a clear definition of which tourist activities are allowed, risking the construction of large tourist resorts with high impact potential, according to a statement from SOS Pantanal. Extensive cattle ranching in Mato Grosso sees vast herds of cattle graze across immense expanses of land. Ranches in the state are often tens of thousands of hectares large, sometimes spanning up to 100,000 hectares (nearly 250,000 acres). Image Ednilson Aguiar / Greenpeace. About 1 million people visit the Pantanal every year, where jaguar tourism has become increasingly popular. Its an important economic and ecological activity, contributing to conservation in the region and playing a significant role in locals livelihoods. Image courtesy of SOS Pantanal The Mato Grosso Forum for Environment and Development (Formad) published an open letter, signed by 43 organizations and social movements, condemning the bill. PL 561/2022 is an insult to the Brazilian Forest Code, Formad said in the statement. It will harm water quality, animal and plant species, ecological balance, and traditional and indigenous peoples of the Pantanal, largest floodplain in the world, which is already threatened by an increasing loss of its water surface. Experts say the bill also violates the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, an International Labour Organization convention that protects traditional peoples rights to land resources. Known as Convention 169, which Brazil ratified in 2002, it states that traditional peoples must be consulted about activities that may affect their territories and livelihoods. The Pantanal bill failed to do that for the Indigenous communities, riverside dwellers (ribeirinhos) and Afro-Brazilian hinterland inhabitants (Quilombolas) living in the wetland, according to Ludio Cabral, a state legislator from the Workers Party who voted against the bill. Only the farmers who breed cattle were heard in the bills negotiations, Cabral told Mongabay by phone. The traditional communities, the Quilombolas, the ribeirinho communities, the Indigenous communities they werent heard in the projects discussions. This is a disrespect of the convention. Cabral said that if social organizations and the Public Ministry decide to go to court over this apparent violation, it could prevent the bill from being passed into law. The Mato Grosso state government did not respond to Mongabays request for comment. The Pantanal is the worlds largest tropical wetland. Environmental experts say the biome has lost 29% of its surface water since the late 1980s, and continues to face grave threats from climate change and agriculture in the region. Image Gustavo Figueiroa / SOS Pantanal Loosening Environmental Regulations The dismantling of environmental protections in the region is moving at a rapid pace, environmental experts say. A week before the approval of PL 561/2022, Mato Grosso Governor Mendes refused to sign a bill that would have banned small hydroelectric power plants along the Cuiaba River, a regional waterway thats important both for the environment and locals livelihoods, despite an overwhelming vote in the state legislature in favor of the bill. I think that the Pantanal runs the risk even if it seems like an exaggeration to say of disappearing over time, Herman Oliveria, the executive secretary at Formad, told Mongaby by phone. The potential changes in water flows due to hydropower plants along the Cuiaba, coupled with changing agricultural landscapes, present a grave threat to the wetland, he said. You will also have what ecologists call a point of no return. The Pantanal will become a desert. Another potential threat could come from Brazils lower house of Congress, the Chamber of Deputies. In March, the Chamber introduced a bill that seeks to redraw the Amazons borders in favor of agribusiness. If approved, the bill, PL 337/2022, would cut the state of Mato Grosso out from the countrys legally defined Amazon region, reducing the protection of areas of vulnerable biomes from up to 80% down to 20%. The bill is currently in deliberation. A dust track cuts across the landscape in Mato Grosso state. Agribusiness advocates say socioeconomic conditions in the state are declining, and opening up protected land for cattle farming could help bring essential improvements to peoples way of life. Image Gustavo Figueiroa / SOS Pantanal The economic cost of recovering legal reserves, or of compensating for this immense area, is massive and unjustifiable for one of the most important agricultural regions in the country, Juarez Costa, the congressman responsible for the bill, told the official news agency for the Chamber. The dismantling of environmental protections comes at a time when the Pantanal is experiencing record levels of devastation from fires. In 2020, blazes destroyed nearly a third of the biome and killed an estimated 17 million vertebrates. The fires were mostly linked to slash-and-burn farming practices and human-induced climate change, which is drying out the wetland. The Pantanal has lost 29% of its wet area since the late 1980s, according to research collective MapBiomas. Gomes said any damage done from the changes to environmental regulations wont be immediate, but will become apparent over time. The new legislation looks for the short-term benefits rather than the medium- or long-term ones. It favors the immediate results and the speed of development, Gomes said. I think that well end up noticing the impact over the next few years or decades. Smoke drifts across the horizon as fires tear through dry vegetation in the Pantanal. According to Brazils space research institute, INPE, there was a record number of fires in the wetland between January and August 2020, with 7,727 hotspots detected an increase of 211% over the same period the year before. Leandro Cagiano / Greenpeace Reposted with permission from Mongabay. The annual UN Conference of Parties to negotiate international climate policy is supposed to be held in different countries and continents in order to make it easier for activists from otherwise overlooked regions (the global south) to attend. This years COP27 is in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and while the African placement, Yessenia Funes at Atmos writes was meant to represent a win for climate justice as it should make attendance more accessible to activists and advocates from the region, the reality is that the Egyptian governments history of violating human rights, as well as its disregard for other African countries, complicates any sense of victory climate justice mightve felt. Two gay climate activists have announced their refusal to attend unless its moved, calling it a betrayal of the community and inherent discrimination. Elijah Mckenzie-Jackson and Jerome Foster II realized when planning to attend that Egyptian law enforcement has detained, assaulted and tortured LGBTQIA+ people. I just had the courage to come out to my parents this year, Foster told Atmos, and its terrifying for me to have to go through that experience again of trying to hide myself to conform to society. While he and Mckenzie-Jackson are calling on the UNFCCC to move the conference, others are calling for the government to release its political prisoners and create a safe environment for advocates long after COP27 ends, hoping that COP27 will be a rare opportunity to find solutions to the countrys human rights crisis and that the international attention can be leveraged so that no person in Egypt has to live in fear any longer. Foster and Mckenzie-Jackson share that aim in their effort to raise concerns about the lived reality queer people, women, and activists experience every day inside of Egypt. Yasmin Omar, UN manager for the Committee for Justice, is calling for Egypt to release political prisoners, but hopes are fading fast as she had hoped to see more people released from prisons and are now believing that this chance will not really give us the exposure we needed. For a deeper dive: Atmos For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News. Former President Donald Trump gestures as he departs Trump Tower, Aug. 10, in New York, on his way to the New York attorney general's office for a deposition in a civil investigation. AP-Yonhap Donald Trump on Wednesday declined to answer questions under oath about alleged fraud at his family business, as legal pressures pile up for the former president whose house was raided by the FBI just two days ago. Trump said he had "no choice" but to invoke the Fifth Amendment which allows individuals to remain silent under questioning during hours of deposition at the New York attorney general's office in Manhattan. "I declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution," Trump said in a statement. "When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice." After about six hours, Trump emerged from the office building where the deposition took place, waving through the closed windows of his vehicle at a small crowd of onlookers as his motorcade pulled away. "A very professional meeting," he wrote his Truth Social site. "Have a fantastic company with great assets, very little debt, and lots of CASH. Only in America!" The deposition followed a Federal Bureau of Investigation search earlier this week at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, signaling an escalation of legal woes for the 45th president. 'Pursue the facts' Trump on Wednesday again took aim at the search, decrying what he called a lack of "moral and ethical bounds of decency." He said his team had complied with an official request to install an extra lock on a storage area at the residence. "Then on Monday, without notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock," he said on Truth Social. Trump had arrived in a convoy of cars guarded by Secret Service agents at the offices of New York Attorney General Letitia James. James suspects the Trump Organization fraudulently overstated the value of real estate properties when applying for bank loans, while understating them with tax authorities to pay less in taxes. If James, a Democrat, finds any evidence of financial misconduct, she can sue the Trump Organization for damages but cannot file criminal charges, as it is a civil investigation. "Attorney General Letitia James took part in the deposition during which Mr Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment right," her office said in a statement. "Attorney General James will pursue the facts and the law wherever they may lead." The Manhattan district attorney's office, meanwhile, is running a parallel probe into the Trump Organization that does have the potential for criminal charges. That investigation could be a reason Trump's legal team advised him to remain silent, as his deposition could energize the case. The brash billionaire, 76, did not mince words in attacking James, calling her a "failed politician who has intentionally colluded with others to carry out this phony years-long crusade." The Trumps have denied any wrongdoing. Trump and his eldest children, Donald Jr and Ivanka, had been due to start testifying under oath in July, but the depositions were postponed due to the death of the former president's first wife. FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks to journalists at the Omaha FBI office, Aug. 10. AP-Yonhap Chief Constable publishes annual report The Island's Chief Constable has published his annual report. Headline achievements include the overall detection rate rising to 46%, burglary falling by 40% - its lowest for several decades, and fewer serious assaults on Island. Offending in the younger generation continues to be an area of concern for the Constabulary, with 224 young people being responsible for almost 700 offences, though just sixteen individuals committed 275 of those total offences. For the third successive year, adolescents committed more violent offences and teenagers were responsible for half of all assaults on officers. Although there was an overall increase in young offending, over 90% of this group who came to the attention of the Police did not reoffend after intervention. Chief Constable Gary Roberts QPM said: The Isle of Man remains a supremely safe place in which to live, to do business or to visit. There is much that is positive in this years report, but a lot of hard work is needed to address two major issues, the first being offending by young people. This year saw the overall amount of drugs seized on Island fall, partly due to a change in police tactics to disrupt activity, however the amount of heroin seized increased tenfold. As highlighted in last years report, the link between drugs and exploitation of young people is a serious concern for the Constabulary. He added: The second major issue, often linked with the first, is the trade in controlled drugs, which ultimately emanates from the United Kingdom. The year saw further strong evidence that organised criminal groups are exploiting young and vulnerable people and the Constabulary and its partners share a collective will to tackle this problem head on, with important work including Operation Yarrow highlighting the importance of intervention and protective measures. Motorola's last Razr was a nifty folding smartphone and $1,500 fashion statement, but the weak hardware kept it from flagship greatness. Now, the company has responded with the Razr 2022 that might live up to that promise and price, thanks to a true flagship-class Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, Engadget Chinese has reported. The Razr 2022 carries a new design along with the new chip, with the curved chin and top camera notch eliminated in favor of an all-screen design and punch-hole camera. That removes the classic Razr look, but it also drastically increases the screen ratio. It's equipped with a third-generation "Star Trail" hinge that offers a flatter crease and is more seamless when closed, but is also stiff enough to stop at any angle. It weighs 200 grams, and is just 7.62mm thick when open. There are now two rear cameras instead of just the one on the previous model. 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 Motorola On top of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, you get up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, along with a much larger 3,500mAh battery (compared to 2,800mAh before). The 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED display runs at up to 144Hz, while the secondary, 800 x 573 OLED display can do nine functions including call notification, camera, weather, navigation, fitness tracking and more. The cameras look solid too, with a 32-megapixel interior camera, a 50-megapixel OIS main camera and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera. The Razr 2022 is going on sale in China with prices ranging from 5,999 - 7,299 RMB ($890 - $1,380), but there's no word yet on US availability. As a reminder, the last model was sold in the US as a Verizon exclusive for $1,500. Motorola Along with the Razr 2022 Moto also unveiled the X30 Pro and S30 Pro, successors to the Edge X30 and S30, and probably destined mainly for the Chinese market. The X30 Pro is the most interesting, as it also packs a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip. It also comes with Samsung's impressively pixel-dense 200-megapixel ISOCELL HP1 sensor, along with a 50-megapixel ultra-wide angle, 12-megapixel 2x telephoto and 60-megapixel selfie camera. Other features include a 6.67-inch FHD+ 144Hz OLED display, a 4,600mAh battery (with up to 125-watt wired, 50-watt wireless charging and 10-watt reverse wireless charging). It offers up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for a starting price of 3,499 RMB ($519). Merely a day after Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 4 launch, Xiaomi was quick to follow with a surprising punch. The Mix Fold 2 is the Chinese brand's second foldable phone, featuring a surprising thickness of just 5.4mm when opened barely enough to house a USB-C port and 11.2mm thick when folded. While Huawei's Mate Xs 2 is also 5.4mm thick when opened, bear in mind that it folds outwards instead and therefore lacks a secondary display, not to mention its 11.1mm-thick camera "column." One of the features that enables the Mix Fold 2's thickness is Xiaomi's third-gen "micro water drop hinge," which allows for a tighter fold on the flexible display panel within the 8.8mm-tall hinge structure. To put things into perspective, Xiaomi pointed out that the current "water drop hinge" structure on a competitor's foldable with an obvious image reference to Huawei's Mate X2 is 11.25mm tall, as illustrated in the second gallery image below. The company added that with this new hinge and panel, the crease is even less visible narrower space over all, with an average depth of less than 0.15mm. Gallery: Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 | 6 Photos /6 Gallery: Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 | 6 Photos /6 Interestingly, Xiaomi was willing to sacrifice a bit of battery juice to reach this thickness, going from the original Mix Fold's 5,020mAh to 4,500mAh. It's as if Xiaomi is betting big on the efficiency of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor here. There's still support for 67W rapid charging, which goes from zero to 100 percent in just 40 minutes. Together with the smaller hinge and slimmer body parts, these contribute to a lighter overall weight 262 grams (about 9.24 ounces) instead of the old 317 grams (about 11.2 ounces). Other goodies include larger heat dissipation components, dual Harman Kardon speakers, NFC and IR remote. 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 Some adjustments have been made on the two displays. For one, both have adopted a slightly wider aspect ratio. The exterior Samsung panel now comes in a 6.56-inch size with a 2,520 x 1,080 resolution, shielded by Gorilla Glass Victus. The interior foldable screen is a supposedly more efficient 8.02-inch Samsung Eco OLED panel with a 2,016 x 1,914 resolution, and it's covered by a flexible piece of ultra-thin glass (30um). Both screens support up to 120Hz refresh rate and 1,000-nit brightness, along with Dolby Vision and HDR10+. There are also three ambient sensors around the phone for a more accurate auto brightness for both screens. Xiaomi On the photography side, there's no more "liquid lens" gimmick this time. The Mix Fold 2 shares a near-identical 50-megapixel main camera (with optical stabilization) and 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera as the Xiaomi 12, but this time with a Leica Summicron certification much like the Xiaomi 12S Ultra which kick-started this partnership. You also get an 8-megapixel 2x portrait camera (45mm equivalent), as well as a 20-megapixel selfie camera on the other side. But of course, you can also unfold the phone and switch to the rear cameras for selfies instead, in which case you'll be using the secondary screen as a viewfinder. Given the phone's thickness, a camera bump was inevitable, so Xiaomi could only attempt to minimize the camera module height, and it did so by switching to the less common SMA (shape memory alloy) actuator to power the main camera's optical stabilization. It's unclear whether there are any performance disadvantage with this solution, though. Xiaomi's Mix Fold 2 alongside Buds 4 Pro and Watch S1 Pro. Xiaomi With the Leica partnership, the Mix Fold 2's camera app gained a "Leica Authentic" mode for those prefer natural-looking shots, as well as a self-explanatory "Leica Vibrant" mode for everyone else. Regardless of the photography mode, this foldable phone produces the classic Leica M3's shutter sound when shooting, and you'll find various Leica-inspired filters, lens effects and interface elements throughout the camera app. If you often take photos of fast-moving kids or pets, you'll apparently appreciate Xiaomi's AI-assisted "CyberFocus" AI tech here, which was ported over from the company's CyberDog and already featured on the Xiaomi 12 series. Much like the 12S Ultra and the original Mix Fold, the Mix Fold 2 is China-only for now, so good luck finding an importer in your area. That said, Xiaomi added that it worked with Google on optimizing Android 12L (but rebadged as "MIUI Fold") for the Mix Fold 2, so there may still be hope for an eventual international rollout. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 starts from 8,999 yuan (about $1,340) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage version, then it jumps to 9,999 yuan (about $1,480) for double the storage, then to 11,999 yuan (about $1,780) for a whopping 1TB. All three flavors come with a vegan leather case with a built-in kickstand, and folks in China can already pre-order today. The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teressa and Louie, who she began dating in 2020 tied the knot last week in New Jersey. Following the wedding of Joe's sister the people questioned why he didn't attend the wedding when it's so special for his sister. Finally the couples break their silence and address the issues in relation to the wedding saying that they have "laundry list" of reasons. On a "Display" podcast, Melissa shared that they did not attend the wedding because "Obviously there was something that went down at the finale of filming the Real Housewives of New Jersey." Noting that she cannot detail what happened in the film but says nobody knows the full story behind the group's most recent fallout. READ MORE: Did Ezra Miller Have Something To Do With 'Missing' Mom, Kids Staying With Him? The actress also said that it would have been weird for her and Joe to be physically present at the wedding after what happened. If they went to the wedding it would have been stranged for them to congratulate the couples and wish them well on their wedding. We know for sure that it's been hard for the business man to not attend the wedding of his only sibling. "We lost our parents and, to me, it was devastating. It really was. It was one of the hardest days of my life," the business man said. Perhaps what happened in their reunion also marked the relationship of two siblings which is hard to fix because according to the business man, he was "shocked at the way I'm treated by my own family, my blood...that's what kills me. Every day, you have to live a life like that." Working to keep their family intact has been a tough duty for Joe since for the past more than a decade he's been trying but later on he admitted that he gets tired of pushing himself to always fix what's broken. He added that he wants to be depress-free as he now chooses his life, to go with someone's home or to go in the same room and feel loved and wanted. As to deciding if he will attend the wedding, he said that there are a lot of questions going on in his mind at the time like if her sister really wants him to be present and all so he thought he needed to make a decision. He emphasized what's really important to him: his family and children. That is why he decided to put his family in a much healthier environment. Adding that he decided to let go because her sister forced all that's happening to them. READ ALSO: Neve Campbell Reveals SHOCKING Reason Why She Left 'The Scream' Wednesday, August 10, 2022 Congratulations! Youre the proud owner of a (Federal) trademark! You made a smart business decision to secure the trademark that represents your brand. Now it is time to learn about trademark renewal. You now have the exclusive right to use it for the products and services that you sell. This means youre the only one who can use it to represent your brand. You dont have to worry about copycats or rebranding. Plus, you have a leg up when it comes to legally protecting your trademarks. Here is the really good news. A properly maintained Federal trademark may last forever if you use it and keep it in good standing. If you dont stay on top of your trademark renewal, someone else can take your trademark. Heres what you need to know. Start Using the Trademark Symbol You should add the symbol to the upper right corner of your mark wherever it is used. This includes on social media and especially your website. The symbol lets the world know that your brand is protected nationally by Federal law. It also makes it easier to show that someone intentionally copied your mark. You should not use any trademark with your corporate identity. Example: Microsoft Corporation is a corporation in the State of Washington, but Microsoft is a federally registered brand of software, computer hardware, and cloud services. Use Your Mark If you use your trademark to brand a product, then it must appear on the product (e.g., tags or labels), the product packaging, or on a display for the product. If you use your mark to brand a service, then your mark must be used in the sale or advertising of the service (e.g., a website). Be Consistent in How You Use It Youll need to continue using your trademarks in the exact same way. That means the same exact words, colors, spacing, and punctuation. Youll also need to use it on the same products or services. Any alteration in how you use a trademark could hurt your trademark rights. Keep Using It Trademark rights come from use in the marketplace. You need to use your trademark to brand the products or services that you sell. Otherwise, you risk losing it. Also, you need to use your trademark to renew it (see below). Look for Copycats As a trademark owner, you need to find and stop copycats. Otherwise, you could lose your trademark rights. While the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will prevent others from registering similar marks, it does not get involved with enforcement. Youll need to search for similar brands selling similar products or services. The best way to do this is with Internet searches. Some trademark owners set up Google Alerts to automate this process. If you do see a similar brand, for similar products or services, youll want to have a trademark law firm prepare and send a trademark cease + desist letter. Renew on Time Trademarks may never expire if you check-in with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at specific times to let them know that you are still using your trademark. These dates for trademark renewal are listed on your registration certificate and theyre vitally important. If the documents are not filed by the due dates, your registration will be canceled and cannot be revived or reinstated. @ Five years Youll need to file a Declaration of Continued Use. This states that youre still using your mark. Youll need to do this to continue your trademark rights. Also, you may want to file a Declaration of Incontestability if you have used your mark continuously and consistently. Incontestability means that your brand is strong and easier to legally protect. It also makes it harder for people to challenge your trademark. @ Ten years Youll need to file a Declaration of Continued of Use. Again, this states that youre still using your mark. Youll also need to file an Application for a Renewal. This is required to continue using your trademark. @ Every Ten years thereafter Youll need to file both a Declaration of Use + an Application for Renewal. For more than twenty years, Michael Kondoudis has been the go-to trademarking expert for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Michael is a USPTO-licensed trademark and patent attorney, educator, speaker, and author of the Amazon best-seller: Going From Business Owner to Brand Owner. He is also an authority trusted by national news media on major trademark stories. Fun Facts: Michael is a member of the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court and an actual rocket scientist (B.S. Astronomy and Astrophysics, Indiana University 1994). This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate On a recent afternoon, Paul Evans stands beside a small blue and gray robotic arm. Inside the collaborative robotics laboratory on Southwest Research Institutes sprawling West Side campus, the technology next to him offers a notable advancement in automated appendages: It can detect when it comes into contact with something or someone else and stop immediately. The arm is force and torque limited, said Evans, director of SwRIs manufacturing and robotics technologies department. When it hits something, it faults out and stops, he said. Large, fast-moving industrial robots are usually kept in cages on work sites, under tight restrictions to ensure they dont hurt or even kill people who are moving through the space. The collaborative robot in SwRIs lab is a model of a lightweight cobot made without sharp edges and pinch points thats becoming popular in automation. In the new era of robotics, cobots are meant to work side by side with people, and SwRI engineers are seeking to advance the technology. Lets say Im a robot and Im doing something here and a human comes into the workspace, Evans said. The robot should know that it should be able to go around, but it doesnt have that intelligence. Were working on sensors and cameras to watch or monitor humans and robots in the workspace to know where they are and send commands through programming for the robot to replan its path instead of hitting the human. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios growing robotics scene draws national attention, invitation to exhibit at big U.S. show SwRI has nearly 100 electrical, mechanical and software engineers working to solve robotic challenges for a variety of industries, including manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, health care, space science, and mechanical and chemical engineering. Evans leads a 35-member team of engineers focused on industrial automation and custom robotic designs that has influenced developments and programs for autonomous vehicles and drones, as well as several technologies not directly related to autonomous operation. Meanwhile, SwRI and Evans, in particular, have had a profound influence in fostering a budding hub of robotics innovators and innovating young companies in San Antonio. Besides having a reputation among local tech leaders as being on the forefront of the robotics industry, Evans is associated with a nonprofit making a name for itself as a hotbed for building talent and creating companies at a time when roboticists in the city are aiming for a seat among colleagues in the industrys Big Three hubs Boston, Pittsburgh and Silicon Valley. Early days in SwRI robotics The history of robotics in San Antonio, in many ways, is rooted in SwRIs history. The nonprofit contract research organization was founded in 1947 on a converted cattle ranch, where researchers spent the next two decades focusing on automotive testing, radio direction finding and the environment. In the 1970s and 1980s, SwRI expanded its research into space, oil and gas, ocean engineering and robotics amid high interest among U.S. manufacturers. In the mid-1980s, researchers used the large, hydraulic Cincinnati Milacron, one of the first robots here, in an early-stage mobile manipulator for de-riveting aerospace components. The industrial robot had incredible power, but it could rip up the concrete floors if it ever crashed. By the early 1990s, researchers were looking to electric motor-controlled robots and bought a Puma 760 for some of their first vision-guided industrial applications, such as polishing aircraft parts. They also built some of the largest robots in the world designed to remove humans from dirty and dangerous work environments. The series of Big Orange Robots, for example, were built for F-15 and F-16 aircraft coating removal. That was when computational power was a challenge and camera technology was low-res, Evans said, resulting in robots being unable to perform complex machine vision tasks. But even in those early days, Southwest Research Institute was pushing the envelope of what was possible, he said, and we were blazing the trail relative to industry needs that still remain of interest today. The engineer Evans, 50, credits his grandfathers for his affinity for science. His maternal grandfather was a pilot for the U.S. Air Force and for airlines, while his paternal grandfather was a technician supporting utilities for a Navy base. I inherited their own interests in engineering and technology that inspired me to become a roboticist, said Evans, who was born in Tennessee and raised in Alabama and near Des Moines, Iowa. In 1993, he enrolled at Walla Walla University in Washington state as a premed major. But after a few biology classes, he got bored and switched to engineering. He liked figuring out how things worked and quickly found joy in his first robotics course. On ExpressNews.com: Robocity, USA? With the rise of robots in San Antonio, were heading that way After earning his bachelors degree, he attended Iowa State University in 1995, where he initially studied mechanical engineering before drastically switching gears to focus on virtual reality. He went on to build virtual environments and scenarios for industrial applications. His first job in the lab there involved a Ford-sponsored program to optimize noise vibration and harshness for the automotive industry, he said. He also worked on designing virtual mechanisms in a 3D virtual environment versus trying to sketch things on paper or using 2D computer-aided design tools. Evans didnt realize at the time that the graphics programming and software development skills he was honing in that lab would help him succeed in robotics. A lot of the matrix, linear algebra concepts and scaling and transformations have a lot of similar concepts similar to motion-control and robotics systems, he said. In 1997, he interviewed for two jobs at SwRI, one in automotive research and one in the robotics and automotive area. He took the second position and has been there ever since. I came over here and looked through this building and saw cool machines and robots in action, he said. I just knew thats what I wanted. Continuing on cutting edge In the manufacturing and robotics technologies department, Evans greets casually dressed co-workers working on various projects. To the right is the Yaskawa Motoman MH180-120, a blue, noncollaborative industrial robot over 10 feet tall. To the left is the Advanced Mobility Crawler prototype, capable of moving through and inspecting confined spaces such as pipes, storage tanks and fluid transportation tankers. During Evans early years at SwRI, the staff was creating and installing large-scale depainting systems for the military to check for signs of corrosion and other damage on fighter aircraft, such as the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Falcon. The depainting process is labor-intensive, highly repetitive and physically demanding. By 2009, SwRI engineers began thinking about building larger, faster and cleaner robots that can move between hangars instead of being fixed in one location. That notion led them into the world of large-scale, laser-wielding, mobile robots. In 2020, SwRI finished building the laser coating removal robot, a 45-foot-tall, 20-ton robot with a 20-kilowatt laser. Its the largest of its kind and the only one known to fast-track all aircraft coatings on a broad range of defense and commercial aircraft, from fighter-size jets to cargo-size air frames. More recently, SwRI engineers have been working on robotic projects related to nuclear energy. In 2020, the nonprofit was awarded $1.3 million in work from a U.S. Department of Energy contractor to build a robotic system for inspecting the bottom of massive underground tanks at the decommissioned nuclear production complex known as the Hanford Site in Washington state. The tanks each store 56 million gallons of chemical and radioactive waste. Last year, SwRI showcased a drone during the EnRicH 2021 European Robotics Hackathon to explore and map the inside of the Zwentendorf Nuclear Power Plant in Austria. In June, it introduced new automation technology that enables robots using machine learning algorithms and classification software to scan industrial parts and get to work. The technology can grind, paint, polish, clean, weld and seal, representing a paradigm shift in the field developing robots that can perform multiple tasks in an industrial setting. SwRIs robotics family tree S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. Current and former SwRI engineers are part of what many consider an evolving world-class robotic innovation cluster. At Port San Antonio on the Southwest Side, a 15-minute-drive from SwRI, the Tech Port Center + Arena opened its doors to SATX Robotix, a community of technologists working on autonomous vehicles, drones and industrial robots who meet to network and present the freshest technology in their fields. They gathered recently to celebrate news that San Antonio has been recognized by the U.S. Alliance of Robotics Clusters, a group of nonprofits and organizations based in the nations largest robotics hubs. The alliance invited San Antonio-based robotics startups to co-exhibit at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in September in Chicago. Its the nations largest manufacturing and automation expo. Were elevating our profile and doing something with the Big Three, which has always been the mission of our group, Stephanie Garcia, a business development specialist at Port San Antonio who organizes events for SATX Robotix, told the crowd. This is not Austin that was invited. This was San Antonio. I think we can show everybody that we are Robo City USA, she said to applause. Several of those applauding credit SwRI and Evans, who was also in attendance, for seeding a growing family tree of robotics in San Antonio. They include SwRI alumni Shaun Edwards, co-founder and chief technology officer of Plus One Robotics; Michael Blanton, CTO at Renu Robotics; and Kris Kozak, co-founder of Hatchbed, all privately owned San Antonio-based companies On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios Plus One Robotics is a winner in rush to automate amid pandemic After the meetup, Edwards recalled his time as a principal research engineer at SwRI in 2011, when he co-founded the robot operating system program known as ROS-Industrial an open-source software for research that advances robotics in manufacturing and industry. SwRI has since used ROS-Industrial to develop automation robots for various tasks that include sanding, painting, grinding, food processing, inspecting, ink jet printing and bin picking. My founding of ROS-Industrial doesnt happen without Paul Evans leadership, Edwards said in an email. As Edwards told it, Evans allowed him to take a six-month sabbatical to live in Silicon Valley and focus on open-source software at Willow Garage, then a robotics research lab run by several creators of the Google Search Engine. ROS-Industrial was the culmination of that work at Willow, he wrote. I can only imagine the pushback (Evans) would have received from his leadership, to allow a senior engineer the opportunity to work at another company and ultimately release a bunch of open-source software. I would say that such an opportunity is not possible at most places. Paul deserves a lot of credit for making it happen. Over the years, Evans has recruited and managed many future leaders in robotics, including Paul Hvass, co-founder and chief security officer at Plus One Robotics; and Crystal Parrot, the chief operating officer at Plus One Robotics. Blanton at Renu Robotics, also a former research engineer at SwRI, worked with Evans for almost a decade. The reputation that SwRI brings to, and maintains for, the robotics community in San Antonio cant be understated, Blanton said in an email, noting that Evans has helped design some of the largest robotic systems in the world. Paul is a driving force of the efforts at SwRI to bring cutting-edge robotics capabilities to the world. Some former SwRI roboticists have taken their talents beyond San Antonio, including Levi Armstrong, a staff engineer at Tortuga AgTech in Kerrville. Beyond Texas, theres Rob Johanneson, owner of Endpoint Solutions in Pennsylvania, and Clay Flannigan, senior manager at Amazon Robotics, based in the Boston area While Im sure Evans would rather that team remained at SwRI, Edwards said, he should be very proud of the fact that former-SwRI carries a lot of weight in robotics circles. At Hatchbed, five of its staffers worked for SwRI, said Kozak, whos known Evans for more than a decade. SwRI has bright experts, scientists, some of whom left to start companies and stay in the community to advance the city as a whole, he said. Their fingerprints are all over the place. eric.killelea@express-news.net Heres a look at whats new or notable in home video. Movies and TV series are available on streaming sites such as iTunes, Amazon and Vudu unless otherwise noted. Elvis: Although based on actual people, the main characters in director Buz Luhrmanns lurid, kinetic biopic Elvis almost never seem as though theyre real. Promoter Col. Tom Parker is Gollum, and Elvis, the force of nature Parker works to turn into the greatest showman on Earth, is his precious ring and everlasting meal ticket. If the people are somewhat abstract, the emotions sure hit home, not just the excitement of Elvis early rock n roll hits but the 1968 TV special and even Suspicious Minds onstage in Vegas. That makes for a movie thats great especially the first 30 minutes or so and ridiculous, thrilling and sometimes incoherent, not unlike Elvis. And thats all right. Available to buy and rent from digital retailers. Kevin Baker/TNS The mountains of Dallas: Six things TV and movies got wrong about Texas New Blu-ray Men: After her husbands death, a tormented young woman named Harper (Jessie Buckley) seeks refuge in a quiet little town in the British countryside. Shes hardly settled in before her restful stay is interrupted by a series of terrible townspeople, from a naked stalker to a frisky vicar, all portrayed by Rory Kinnear. Director Alex Garland (Ex-Machina) isnt being subtle about the source of the horror that haunts this movie. It might as well be titled #allMen. Buckley is great as Harper, though, keeping the terrors and her nightmarish memories at bay until a mind-boggling ending drops the mother or is it father? of all monsters on her doorstep. Available on Blu-ray. Film Detective New Reissue Battle of the Worlds: Casablanca star Claude Rains last big role was in this 1961 sci-fi flick from Italy about a rogue asteroid heading for Earth. He plays a cranky old scientist whose warnings are ignored by government leaders until its almost too late. Stanley Kubrick reportedly consulted with director Antonio Margheriti while working on 2001: A Space Odyssey, though the movies appear to have come from different galaxies. The special effects in Battle of the Worlds are rudimentary, but the Italian seaside setting is alluring and the exotic score is indeed otherworldly. The movie, newly restored by Film Detective, also looks much better than it ever did on Saturday afternoon TV, the only place anyone is ever likely to have encountered it. A short documentary on European sci-fi before 2001 is worth watching, too. Available on Blu-ray Dear Cathy, When I let my 11-year-old long-haired Chihuahua/papillon mix outside to do his business, he will lie in the sun on hot stone until I pick him up and bring him inside. I can't leave him out for any length of time in this heat for fear of his having a heatstroke. What makes a dog want to get so hot and not come in where it is cool? Carol Dear Carol, Dogs and cats love to sunbathe and often will search for patches of sunlight in the house to nap on. As they age, though, they actually may seek more warmth to get relief for stiff and achy joints. While my 12-year-old dog, Buster, has always loved to sunbathe, he has wanted to be outside more in his senior years. Your dog is likely doing the same thing, which I know seems odd with our summer temperatures. More Animals Matter: Should you get a rabies shot for a feral cat bite? The good news is most dogs and cats know when they have had enough sun and will ask to be let back inside the house. But please keep a watchful eye on your senior dog. Puppies, sick pets and senior pets are much more susceptible to heatstroke than healthy adult dogs. You can sit outside with him, and when you get uncomfortable, it can be a sign for you both to go back into the house. If he insists on staying outside, check on him every 15 minutes and provide cool water and a shady place if he changes his mind. Dear Cathy, The vet who took care of our parrot retired. Would you be able to give me the names of vets who specialize in exotic birds? We have raised him since he was very young. He is now in his 30s and has an extensive vocabulary. I know they have a long life span. He's OK but has needed a vet's care in the past (nail trims, respiratory problems, etc.). I enjoy your column every week. Norma Dear Norma, I'm glad you're lining up a vet for his future health care needs. I can't make specific doctor recommendations, but I can help you find an avian veterinarian. The best way to do that is to visit the Association of Avian Veterinarians website (aav.org) and search for an avian veterinarian in San Antonio. You can plug in your address and decide how many miles from your location you want to travel for care. If you have problems finding a doctor, you can contact the association directly. More animals matter: Keep pets ID info up to date Veterinarians with primary dog and cat practices who also care for birds also will include the word "avian" on their website. An online search using the keywords "avian vet near me" should also show area vets who can take care of your bird. Please let me know if you have any problems finding one. In Texas, where the only thing agreed upon is what passes for barbecue in California, Florida and Nevada, or anywhere else that is inferior to the state's well-smoked delicacies. A new ranking that attempts to position the best barbecue cities in America might turn some heads. The ranking placed San Antonio as the best barbecue city in America. But some might be surprised to learn that Dallas comes in at No. 12, behind San Jose, California, and Tampa, Florida. Austin is No. 2. Houston is No. 17, falling behind the likes of Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida. You might also like: Thief steals $3,000 worth of brisket from famous Austin barbecue restaurant The ranking, compiled by real estate company Clever, was determined by looking at the countrys 50 largest cities. The company weighed metrics such as the number of barbecue restaurants per capita and how far away from each other they were; the average Yelp ratings of barbecue restaurants; Google trend scores for barbecue terms; and the number of major cook-offs, festivals, and other barbecue events scheduled in 2022 and 2023. In other words, it wasn't all about quality. Clever also looked at the number of Kansas City Barbecue Society Master Series and barbecue competitions hosted in the last 10 years. The home of the Alamo is one of the most memorable cities for BBQ enthusiasts, author Matt Brannon wrote. In addition to hosting multiple BBQ events, the city ranks highly in several of our other metrics. Of the 50 cities ranked by Clever, San Antonio had the fourth-most barbecue restaurants per capita 4.2 per 100,000 residents. The city also has a barbecue restaurant every 4.6 miles, better than the average city looked at by Clever, which had one every 5.4 miles. More San Antonio food coverage: 6 San Antonio restaurants for a great meal in a molcajete San Antonio matches that quality of BBQ shops with excellent quality, evidenced by the chopped brisket from 2M Smokehouse, Brannon wrote. Its especially fitting because San Antonio ranks No. 1 on our list in Google search activity for brisket. Austin has 4.7 restaurants per 100,000 people, with a barbecue restaurant every 3.5 miles. Other highlights include standout restaurants like La Barbecue, which scored some of the highest ratings on Yelp based on Clevers analysis. As for Dallas, the city came in as the most affordable barbecue city evidenced by a high rate of Google searches for barbecue-related terms. It was also one of just four cities on the list that has hosted a Kansas City Barbecue Society Master Series competition in the last decade. Here are the top 20 barbecue cities, according to Clever: This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate I've never been to an event catered by Don Strange of Texas. But Ive been to a wedding, a timeshare pitch and a soccer banquet, and I know the drill: things on sticks, things on toast, brown things with au jus, chicken a la whatever. Fold the chafing dish clatter of catering into the idea of a hotel restaurant near the airport, and youve got the perfect storm of modest expectations, a storm that formed when the Estancia del Norte hotel across from North Star Mall announced it was collaborating with the longtime San Antonio caterer for a flagship restaurant called Lazo with Don Strange. But storms are good things when you need the rain, and Lazo with Don Strange washed my expectations clean with its strong Texas vision, a thoroughly professional service experience and food that honors the Strange familys 70-year luxury catering legacy but leaves room for new ideas from the companys CEO Brian Strange and Lazo executive chef Sarah R. Myles. Mike Sutter/Staff Lazo the Spanish word for lasso has been in the works for more than two years as the hotel renovated away from DoubleTree boilerplate back to a blend of Texas chic and Spanish charm more suited to its origin as La Mansion Del Norte. Lazo reflects the renovation with Spanish tiles, warm wood trim, antler chandeliers and French doors that pull light from the villa-style courtyard. In a cowboy hat and glasses, the late founder Don Strange surveys the scene from a Warhol-style pop-art print. The restaurant opened for dinner in May, and the concise menu is a blend of Texas and Gulf Coast cooking and Don Strange standards including sliced-to-order tenderloin, corn pudding, chicken-fried quail and something called Grilled White Wings. On ExpressNews.com: Mike Sutter review: Double Standard doubles down on bar food The tenderloin was the sort of thing youd get from a carving station at a swanky office party, with ruby slices cut from the whole loin, dressed with creamy bearnaise by somebody in a vest. Getting it on a plate without the show is a little like getting Benihana to go. But the steak checked all the boxes a tenderloin should: seared to a fine crust on the outside, rare on the inside, tender enough to cut with a fork. The velvety bearnaise dialed it up a notch with jalapeno, and a side of corn pudding landed somewhere between cornbread and quiche, a bright and sweet Texas sun in an iron skillet. Mike Sutter/Staff Fried quail legs are Americas new best bar snack in these enduring days of the chicken wing shortage. Petite and juicy, theyre polite enough to eat with your fingers in one bite, like chips and salsa if the salsa were thick pan gravy. And like wings, theyre an excuse (if you need one) to get a cocktail, something lighthearted like Lazos Cloud Nine, a margarita spiked with jalapeno, mango, pineapple and hibiscus. Besides the Cloud Nine, I found solace in an old-fashioned made with mezcal, its smoky bitterness pushing it closer to a negroni than the bourbon-soaked sweetness of the traditional drink. I say solace because another cocktail was wrecked by a glass that smelled like a dishwasher, an issue that leached its way into the wine experience, too. Unless you like a Cotes du Rhone with a detergent bouquet. Going back to wings. Lazos Grilled White Wing has nothing to do with wings. The backstorys got something to do with Prince Rainier, but it amounted to dry grilled chicken on a stick with jalapenos and cheese, the one moment at Lazo I felt like a symphony donor picking things off a tray. That was the lone cocktail-party moment because Lazo isnt just a brick-and-mortar extension of a family catering brand; its a legacy in the hands of a loving steward. For chef Myles, whose San Antonio career includes Boiler House at the Pearl and the late, great Restaurant Gwendolyn, her own stories already have become part of reinforcing the brand. Mike Sutter/Staff Working at Gwendolyn with the exacting chef Michael Sohocki, Myles learned the art of the long prep. The bordelaise for Lazos braised beef short-rib involves veal bones, Bordeaux wine, demi-glace, mirepoix and hours of observation. The result tasted like a trip to the French countryside, a deep dive into the mysteries of salt, fat and spice, ladled over beef determined to keep its integrity rather than falling into a lazy pot-roast easy chair. With parsnip puree and roasted carrots like carved heirlooms, its one of the citys best classically composed plates. Myles took the basics and improvised like a jazz trumpeter for roasted red snapper with Texas coastal swagger, finished with poached Gulf shrimp and a corn maque choux with its own Creole story to tell. Myles executive sous chef, Hayley Unruh, adds a boiled egg to her gumbo, a bowl that forged a nicely salted, spicy, confident coalition of andouille sausage, chicken and poached shrimp that was elegant in its rustic glory. The egg? A gumbo whisperers trick that acted both as a binder and a neutral canvas to amplify the sound and fury around it. On ExpressNews.com: Brian Strange looking to rebuild catering business Risks have their rewards. But sometimes theyre just risks. A red snapper ceviche was layered with blistered tomatoes, avocado-lime crema and spicy bacon jam. Too much. Ceviche isnt a fish parfait, and if fish is the last thing I taste in a ceviche, its not doing its job. For an expertly cooked ora king salmon, a black garlic brown butter was fine if itd been glazed on roasted pork. A side of orzo pasta with feta let the pungent cheese commandeer the whole plate with its mismatched funk. Mike Sutter/Staff But Lazo always seemed to find its balance, in part by leaning on strong foundational elements like the Strange familys thick, homestyle Gagas Famous Bread that comes to the table for free, like a gateway drug with honey butter. Lazos meal-size Caesar salad landed with two full heads of Romaine with a shower of cured egg yolk, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and a toasted Parmesan crisp. And while grilled lamb chops make a strong entrance most anywhere, Myles sweetened the deal with pistachio candy crumble and a Dijon gelato that felt like theater but tasted like a revelation. Its a strong showing for Myles repping the Strange brand. More than that, its a rising-star moment, a moment sweetened by the story behind Lazos Samoa pot de creme dessert. You already know that Samoas are the best of the Girl Scout cookies. (You know that, right?) The chocolate-chantilly-custard dessert that comes from them is magic. Even more magical is how Myles worked on the dessert with actual Girl Scouts in the kitchen to help them earn their culinary merit badges. Lazo with Don Strange *** 37 NE Loop 410 at the Estancia del Norte hotel, 210-321-4895, lazowithdonstrange.com Quick bite: Upscale Texas-influenced restaurant collaboration between the renowned San Antonio caterer Don Strange of Texas and the Estancia del Norte hotel Hit: Roasted red snapper, gumbo, Samoa pot de creme Miss: Grilled White Wing, snapper ceviche, glassware issues Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday Price range: Appetizers, $14-$23; soups and salads, $13-$17; entrees $21-$58; desserts, $11-$13 Alcohol: Cocktails, wine and beer ***** Excellent, an almost perfect experience **** Good, among the best in the city *** Average, with a few standouts ** Poor, with a redeeming factor or two * Bad, nothing to recommend Express-News dining critics pay for all meals. See More Collapse All this doesnt make up for me never having attended a Don Strange-catered event. Fine. After a few nights at Lazo, Ill say that if youre inclined to invite me to one, Im not busy that night. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WILMINGTON, Ohio (AP) An armed man clad in body armor who tried to breach the FBIs Cincinnati office on Thursday was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene and engaged in an hourslong standoff in a rural part of the state, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. The confrontation came as officials warned of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The man is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and may have been present at the Capitol on the day of the attack, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the matter. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The suspect was identified as Ricky Shiffer, 42, according to the law enforcement official. He was not charged with any crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, the official said. Federal investigators are examining whether Shiffer may have had ties to far-right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys, the official said. Shiffer attempted to breach the visitors screening area at the FBI office at around 9:15 a.m. and fled when agents confronted him, according to federal authorities account of the incident. After fleeing onto Interstate 71, he was spotted by a trooper and fired shots as the trooper pursued him, said Lt. Nathan Dennis, a Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesperson, at a press conference. Shiffer left the interstate north of Cincinnati with police in pursuit, and got out of his car on a rural road. He exchanged gunfire with police and sustained injuries, although no one else was hurt, Dennis said. A separate highway patrol statement said Shiffer had used his car for cover during the standoff. Shiffer was shot after he raised a gun toward police at around 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Dennis said. The fatal encounter with police happened after negotiations failed and police tried unsuccessfully to use less lethal tactics, Dennis said, without providing details. State highway workers blocked off roads leading to the scene as a helicopter flew over the area. Officials locked down a mile radius near the interstate and urged residents and business owners to lock doors and stay inside. There have been growing threats in recent days against FBI agents and offices across the country after federal agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. On Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists and antisemites, users have warned they are preparing for an armed revolution. Federal officials have also been tracking an array of other concerning chatter on Gab and other platforms threatening violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced the threats as he visited another FBI office in Nebraska on Wednesday. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with, Wray said Wednesday in Omaha. The FBI on Wednesday also warned its agents to avoid potential protesters, and to ensure their security key cards are not visible outside FBI space, citing an increase in social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. The warning did not specifically mention this weeks search of Mar-a-Lago but attributed the online threats to recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity. ___ Welsh-Huggins reported from Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo in Washington and Jim Mustian in New York contributed to this report. In the late 1800s, San Antonio was known as a place to go for sex. Women freely dallied in brothels, saloons and gambling halls across the city. And for a brief period, prostitution was legal in the Alamo City. A band of local men wanting to bolster city coffers with licensing fees and to control growing sexually transmitted disease concerns helped to legalize prostitution in the city for a brief time 133 years ago. Although sex work was only legal for about eight years in San Antonio, it was openly practiced and virtually ignored by law enforcement until World War II. You might also like: After fire destroys former San Antonio brothel and outlaw hideout, city says site is not landmark The move to legalize prostitution came not long after San Antonio received its first railroad in 1877, which ended the citys longtime isolation from the rest of the country. The arrival of the railroad and the establishment of permanent military bases led to a booming population and economy. The growth also led to the area's thriving vice industry. Because of the official acceptance of vice, a 22-block section of it near what is now the University of Texas at San Antonios downtown campus was known as the sporting district, then the largest red-light district in Texas and the third largest in the U.S. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer Then-San Antonio Mayor Bryan Callaghan like the leaders in Fort Worth, Galveston and Austin was puzzled over how to deal with prostitution and settled on the bawdy house ordinance. The law, which first passed in December 1889, required prostitutes and madams to acquire an annual license costing $500 (calculated today as $16,103) and undergo weekly checks by a city physician for sexually transmitted diseases. Soon after prostitution became legal, at least 26 women were arrested for not paying hefty licensing fees, according to the San Antonio Light. One of those women, Emelia Garza, a Mexican American madam, successfully challenged the new law in a case that went all the way up to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. More San Antonio history: The Tower of the Americas was built with a massive design flaw. A public blame game ensued. On Feb. 26, 1890, the court ruled in Garzas favor, noting that San Antonios charter didnt allow them to regulate sex work through licenses or licening fees. Elected officials later refunded the money they had received from gambling halls and brothels. A year later, the city submitted a request the state to revise the city charter to allow the licensing of houses of prostitution. On July 20, 1891, Callaghan pushed through an identical law that made prostitution legal until another administration came into office and outlawed sex work in 1899. About two months after prostitution was legalized in 1891, on Sept. 8, Garza was adjudged to be a lunatic in the county court, the San Antonio Light reported. She became insane Sunday afternoon and has been raving incoherently since then. You might also like: Kroger closed all of its San Antonio stores 29 years ago this week The newspaper account does not explain what led to Garzas insanity. Another San Antonio Light story headlined The Insane Woman said Garza left behind nice furniture, diamond jewelry, a piano and four children. A week later, Garza died in county jail while awaiting transportation to an asylum in Austin. However, its unclear how she died. Garzas life and legal battle have largely gone untold until recently, when a pair of academic dissertations and a Texas Public Radio podcast about San Antonios red light district highlighted her story. One of the academic papers was written by Jennifer Cain, who wrote her UTSA graduate thesis on San Antonios red-light district. She now teaches U.S. history at Sandra Day OConnor High School in Helotes and at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio. San Antonio Light archives A great untold story of brothel owner Emelia Garza who boldly challenged city officials as a woman and as a prostitute, remains to be told, Cain wrote. The legal wrangling that city officials undertook to change the city charter in order to legally license prostitutes most likely frustrated San Antonios municipal leaders. She added: "One year after Ms. Garza beat the city in (the) Appeals Court, she was suspiciously placed into an insane asylum. The reaction of city officials to Ms. Garzas bold agency reflected a time period that found prostitution a necessary occupation, but not yet prepared to embrace a womans audacity. timothy.fanning@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A jury here looked at grisly photographs of a San Antonio woman hacked to death in 2020 with a machete and an ax as the murder trial of Rafael Castillo began Wednesday. He was 26 when he was arrested and charged in the death of Nicole Perry, 31, on Nov. 19, 2020. A Bexar County public works crew contacted the Sheriffs Office after they found Perrys remains wrapped in plastic and placed in blue bins and garbage bags off of W.W. White and Higdon roads. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar called it a gruesome attack, and said at the time that Perry was dismembered partly out of anger and in an attempt to hide her body. Billy Calzada, Staff photographer / San Antonio Express-News On Wednesday, prosecutors said Castillo killed Perry to teach her a lesson. An affidavit supporting his arrest indicated the woman and her boyfriend went to a home where Castillo was staying in the 300 block of West Harlan Avenue, where about 10 others lived at times. Prosecutors said known drug users would hang out there to do methamphetamine together. On ExpressNews.com: Bexar County man charged with hacking woman to death in front of her fiance She was dumped along the side of the road like garbage, prosecutor Jennifer McDaniel told jurors in her opening statement. Castillo was not someone you could mess with, but Perry, known as Niki, who met him 24 hours before she was killed, at times said things that bordered on rude and would make people mad, McDaniel said. He did not think she showed him the appropriate respect, she said. Defense attorney Matt Allen told jurors they would hear from numerous people who either lived at or frequented the house and did meth all day. These witnesses, he said, have changed their stories numerous times. He asked the panel to question their credibility and have an open mind. The Docket: Local crime and courtroom news, delivered to your inbox weekly Dr. James Feig, a forensic pathologist with the Bexar County Medical Examiners office, displayed several gruesome photographs of Perry, taken before and after her autopsy. Feig said Perry had been bound with duct tape at her feet, and a zip tie and towing strap were wrapped tightly around her neck. Her hands were chopped off with a machete before she was struck on the right side of her head and ear with an ax. Perrys hands were never located. Billy Calzada, Staff photographer / San Antonio Express-News The medical examiner could not identify which injury occurred first. As the jury viewed the photos, he said any of them the amputation of both hands, the chop to the head, or the zip tie wrapped so tightly that it would have cut off the blood supply and interfere with breathing could have caused her death. The case is being heard in the 290th District Court. If convicted, Castillo, now 27, faces up to life in prison. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE The Uvalde City Council got through routine city business and authorized a committee to work toward a monument to the 21 victims of the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School but only after a line of speakers stood in line to vent. Thats been the norm for weeks shouting matches, warnings and threats but on Tuesday the speakers included a fair number from out of town, including a New Yorker convicted of a misdemeanor charge in the Jan. 6, 2021, ransacking of the U.S. Capitol. Jack Miller, a self-described investigative journalist and civil rights activist from the San Antonio area, made a podium-pounding demand that all Uvalde police officers who were at Robb Elementary on the day of the shooting be fired. Miller, whose business card says, I expose bad cops, predicted that police who were on the scene that day would fail to act again. They were trained to run in and stop the shooter, and they didnt, Miller said. Im not anti-cop, Im just telling you thats the facts, right? They didnt, so what do you do? You disband. You get rid of every single one that was there, that did not run in there when that guy was shooting. School shooting fallout: Judge blocks release of Uvalde shooting records, but leaves disclosure question unanswered Is it going to cost you money? Absolutely! And I dont think theres one citizen in here that will not sign that check. Let them sue! Let them sue! Some in the crowd applauded. A few cried out, Yeah! as he continued to speak. Held in the small confines of the council chamber, meetings have required an overflow room and Tuesdays was perhaps the most heated since the shooting. Many of those who spoke were regulars locals who made the same points at the school board meeting the night before. But a handful were argumentative men toting video cameras, interrupting other speakers at times and getting repeatedly warned by Mayor Don McLaughlin Jr. to be quiet. The mayor banged his gavel in anger at one point. One of the men was escorted out. Miller, 50, of Kirby warned council members who defied him that they would face a recall election. If you guys dont get rid of your police department nothing against you, I commend you for everything youre doing for these residents and children but Im going to teach your residents how to recall you, he said. Youve got a smirk, Miller then told Councilman Earnest Chip King. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer I already know who you are and I know why youve got a smirk, and thats OK, Miller continued. Call Leon Valley and ask them what happened the last time I told a city that I was going to have you recalled. We had two council people recalled, police chief fired True story. Sir, Im going to tell you right now, you want to start a recall on me, start the damned thing, McLaughlin said at the council session. That sounds good, Miller replied. The one thing that Im tired of, people like you come from outside I dont care what youre tired of, Miller shouted. King later said he didnt remember smirking. I typically dont smirk. That is not my MO, to smirk at people, he said. Sitting in the audience was Daniel Warmus of Alden, N.Y. He was 38 when he pleaded guilty May 23 in federal court for unlawful parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, during which he observed rioters using Mace on police, the Buffalo News reported. Warmus told the council that he drove from western New York to address the session. So what I want is accountability for these officers who put all the other officers in danger, he said. You guys want to talk about officer safety, we ought to talk about heroism because officer safety is nothing more than cowardism, all right? Warmus identified himself on the councils sign-in sheet as Dan, Erie County, but gave his full name to a San Antonio Express-News photographer. Unlike most recent council meetings, few in the audience mentioned the now-suspended Uvalde school police chief, Pedro Pete Arredondo, who was forced off the council last month. His critics have said he failed kids at Robb Elementary and their parents, who continue to grieve. The Uvalde school district superintendent has recommended the school board fire him but has twice canceled a hearing to determine his fate. News from Uvalde: After anger-filled public meeting, Uvalde school superintendent acknowledges, Trust has been crippled Despite the apparent support of the out-of-town activists, some of the locals didnt fully embrace their message or methods. One woman said McLaughlin is the only person who listens to us. I know yall dont know that because youre not from here We have to live it, we have to live it, we have to live it. Were here every day. As she talked, one of the men sitting nearby constantly interrupted her. We have to send out kids back to school, she continued. I wake up he retorted, but was drowned out by the woman before telling her, I love you. Beyond the memorial to the 19 children and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary, the councils regular meeting Tuesday was preoccupied with the mundane business of running a city, with the biggest item a resolution setting a hearing for a proposed property tax rate on which the budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year is based. The council also reviewed a request from the school district and Gabriel Salazar, principal of Flores Elementary School, to change the direction of traffic on Schwartz Street. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer One longtime Uvalde resident who has strenuously advocated for families and friends of the school victims, Jesse Rizo, 51, said most of the locals at the meeting were put off by the out-of-towners. We welcome the support, but were uncomfortable with the tactic, he said, describing it as confrontational and borderline disrespectful to the families. Thats the feedback. Theyve lived it already. Theyve screamed and yelled, Rizo said. McLaughlin dismissed the visitors as combative and disconnected from Uvaldes citizenry. In my opinion they claimed that theyre here to take care of our citizens and our community folks, he said after the meeting. One of them was sitting right by one of the family groups that lost a family member and wanted to argue with her and so forth. They have an agenda of their own, and I dont believe its to take care of these families. sigc@express-news.net The librarian at Roosevelt Elementary School probably wasnt a trained one. In the mid-1960s, the West Side school in the Edgewood Independent School District didnt have such a professional. The schools library wasnt a proper library either. It was just a regular classroom. Books, most of them old and overused, were organized in neat shelves. It was easy to find my favorite section biographies in the back right-hand corner. Inside the front cover of every book, a card was tucked inside a stiff paper pocket containing a history of its borrowers. I loved seeing the names of people I knew, even my own. An all-important column was filled each time you checked out a book, made official by a hardy stamp under Date Due. It couldnt be missed. More Ayala: How a 19-year-old Texas activist turned a congressmans insults into a teaching moment I dont remember the library assistants name but recall how excited she was that a new borrower and an old book would be united. Ive always felt nostalgic about librarians and libraries. Archivists, too. Theyre so similar in character, so careful with information, so committed to safeguarding data. I remember the names of all our news researchers, all worthy of being called librarians: Misty Harris, Mike Knoop, Julie Domel, Kathy Foley and the late Kelly Guckian. They once worked for this newspaper, searching for a hard-to-find fact in a sliver of an old newspaper story or a long-forgotten photograph to verify a historic event. I imagine the librarians and archivists at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., are much the same reserved but dogged, unflinching but kind. They work inside an institution established by Franklin Roosevelt in 1934 that safeguards documents dating to the 1770s. They capture the sweep of the past: slave ship manifests and the Emancipation Proclamation; captured German records and the Japanese surrender documents from World War II; journals of polar expeditions and photographs of Dust Bowl farmers; Indian treaties making transitory promises; and a richly bound document bearing the bold signature Bonaparte. As much as I admire these frontliners, I also know not to cross one. If only Donald Trump knew as much, especially when the National Archives alleges that government documents, some of them potentially classified and top secret, were wrongly removed from the White House when his administration packed up in 2021. The FBI, search warrant in hand, on Monday searched the Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, where the president and his family reside. As part of an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice criminal investigation, agents retrieved 12 boxes. A federal court approved the warrant, and the U.S. Justice Department was aware. In January, 15 other boxes were retrieved as part of the investigation. News reports said investigators had reason to believe Trumps aides werent being forthcoming. The Washington Post said some of them came to suspect Trumps representatives were not truthful at times. It bears repeating that Trump has shown a penchant for destroying records, ripping up paper and reportedly flushing it down toilets. Hes under multiple investigations and was in New York for a deposition in a civil investigation involving the Trump Organizations business practices. He responded as he has in the past that hes the target of a witch hunt. The political victimhood was a charade. A person with knowledge of Trump told the Washington Post he sounded buoyed by the development. Trump believes the search will help him politically. Editorial: To protect against the Big Lie, bolster Electoral College Some Republican leaders played along and expressed outrage, too. Though at least some wish Trump would step aside or be held accountable, especially for his attempts to upend the 2020 elections and for his role in the violent attack Jan. 6 on the U.S. Capitol. True believers protested outside Mar-a-Lago. Others, among them white supremacists and insurrectionists, called for violence on online forums. Whatever the documents will show, the search wasnt persecution. There are people around the world who are legitimate victims. The United Nations can point to refugees and asylum seekers who are extorted, kidnapped and gunned down. Christians and Muslims still suffer persecution for their faiths; and still today, anti-Semites maintain the Holocaust didnt happen. Racial hate and greed led to the genocide of indigenous tribes in the Americas, where Africans were enslaved. People of Mexican ancestry, themselves descendants of indigenous groups, were killed and robbed of their lands. Historical documents that illustrate such history are safeguarded in the National Archives, and books detailing such truths can be found in libraries across the country. A librarian or an archivist can help you find it. Just dont cross them. Cooperate when asked to return a book in the condition in which you found it. Because theyre right, and theyll win, as Trump will ultimately find. eayala@express-news.net Like all great historians, David McCullough illuminated the present by exploring the past. He lived and wrote by the sage words of the Danish philosopher Sren Kierkegaard: Life must be lived forwards but can only be understood backwards. McCullough, the Pulitzer Prize winner whose bestselling books reflected that wisdom, died Sunday, according to his publisher. He was 89. (McCullough) is both the name and the voice of American history, Hamilton author Ron Chernow once said. In books such as Truman and John Adams, readers get none of the dry, tedious prose that burdens the work of many historians. The man could write. He was serious but entertaining, with bursts of insights that were more revealing than a thousand footnotes. Criticized for being too soft on his subjects, he offered a defense none of his critics considered. He was not being too easy on men such as Theodore Roosevelt and Harry Truman; others were being too hard on them. There is a fine line between spite and objectivity, and McCullough never crossed it. Editorial: To protect against the Big Lie, bolster Electoral College Some people not only want their leaders to have feet of clay, but to be all clay, he said in a 2001 interview with the Associated Press. A gifted stylist, McCullough favored storytelling over polemics, his clear, lyrical prose propelling readers from sentence to sentence. You learned as much about the writer as you did his subjects, his warmth and generosity gleaming from every passage. It is perhaps this quality, more than any other, which resonated with his readers. In his masterpiece 1776, however, he achieved the impossible, humanizing figures who had resided on pedestals for centuries the Founding Fathers. He depicted them as noble but flawed, geniuses who failed to recognize their ignoble attitudes toward people of color. The critics who branded him too soft on Truman and Roosevelt failed to recognize his fealty to the truth. To many people, the figures, the main characters or protagonists of the drama of our founding years are perceived as almost like characters in a costume pageant with their powdered hair and their ruffled shirts and satin britches and the rest, McCullough, who won the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006, told NPR. But they were nothing like that. And they werent gods, they werent superhuman. They were very human beings. And each of them had his flaws, his failings and his mistakes. For all the generosity that graced his books, McCullough could abandon niceties in the world beyond his works. He led a group of historians who condemned Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign, calling him a monstrous clown with a monstrous ego. Trump violated our noble traditions, he said, because he did not understand our noble traditions. We have to remind ourselves of what we believe in, in the way of standard behavior, standard dedication, standard patriotism, he told Time magazine. And in order to do that, you have to understand history. Reared in Pittsburgh, McCullough studied English literature at Yale University. One of his professors was Thornton Wilder, who wrote the classic Our Town. The student dreamed of joining him as a playwright, but he developed a fascination for research, and history became a stronger lure than drama, launching him onto a career that would include two Pulitzer Prizes and two National Book Awards, along with an honorary degree from Yale University. As an historian, he paints with words, the citation from his alma mater read, giving us pictures of the American people that live, breathe, and above all, confront the fundamental issues of courage, achievement, and moral character. Ken Burns, whose documentary The Civil War was narrated by McCullough, tweeted it is impossible to conceive of a world without his friend. He is among our greatest historians, writing with an almost magical command of language and story, he said. The man is gone, but his books remain, and they will continue to enlighten us for as long as people read and savor what they learn. I cringe to think how much House Speaker Nancy Pelosis trip to Singapore and Taiwan cost taxpayers. Now, lets also try to find something she accomplished besides stirring a hornets nest with China, for which we may soon be paying dearly. Please enlighten me and tell me what this trip was all about? Pelosis ego? Peggy Bland, Boerne Pelosi showed courage Re: Pelosi crossed a line; now Taiwan, U.S. may suffer, Other Views, Sunday: I am no fan of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but this guest column by University of Texas at San Antonio professor Jon Taylor was way off track. Pelosis trip to Taiwan should be applauded. The rest of the Biden administration was sitting back while Pelosi had the courage to go to Taiwan to let the Chinese Communist Party know it does not dictate American foreign policy. No one else did that. The comment that her trip made Biden look ineffectual is correct because he is. We need to show our allies that we are a reliable friend. Louis Levy Update Missions stadium It is a warm Saturday night in Military City, USA, and the San Antonio Missions have just finished winning a long homestand. Fireworks are going off, and either a C-17 or an F-16 is coming in for a landing. Just imagine well, wait, we dont have to imagine. We have that location now. If you want a new stadium for the Missions, update the current location with plenty of parking and room to grow. Dont let North Side elitism dictate having everything north of Highway 90 and ruin a good location. I live on the Southwest Side, and if I want to see the Spurs or San Antonio FC, I have to drive clear across town. James D. Womack Jr. Occidental Petroleum is planning a series of massive industrial projects in Texas to pull tens of millions of tons of carbon dioxide out of the air, and the company is seeking substantial state tax breaks to help finance the operations. The projects would be the first commercial-scale operation of a long-shot technology that is gaining increased attention from governments and corporations for its potential to help curb climate change. In recent months, Occidental has applied to school districts in the Odessa area and near Corpus Christi for property tax abatements that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars if the company completes the projects. The applications include new details about the scale of the companys planned investments in carbon removal potentially tens of billions of dollars over the next decade and fresh insight into how Occidental is trying to finance these plans by assembling a package of federal and state tax breaks, climate incentives, a burgeoning corporate market for carbon offsets and even the sale of oil. On ExpressNews.com: Huge corporations are saving $10 billion on Texas taxes, and youre paying for it Some policy experts and scientists say technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the air could one day play a small but important role in helping the world achieve the Paris Agreements ambitious targets of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. These efforts remain prohibitively expensive, however, a fact underscored by Occidentals applications, which say the projects cannot move forward without taxpayer support. Carbon removal has also generated controversy within the environmental community. Some activists are concerned the technologies could be used as an excuse to weaken efforts to cut emissions from fossil fuels. Many also say that the technologies, which use considerable energy, could have their own damaging environmental impacts. Making lots of money Commission Shift, a Texas advocacy group, has raised concerns about the Texas Railroad Commissions oversight of oil and gas wells and, potentially, of underground injection of carbon dioxide. I think its kind of absurd, Virginia Palacios, the organizations executive director, said of the possibility that Occidental could receive the state tax abatements. Its supposed to be a public benefit, but ultimately, its a private company thats going to be making lots of money. Because Texas has no income tax, the state depends on property taxes to fund schools and other services. The tax abatements in question, known as Chapter 313 agreements, allow a company to pay school taxes on only a fraction of its true property value for a decade. The program was meant to help draw investment to the state, but academic analysis and an investigation by Hearst Newspapers found that it has rewarded companies with billions of dollars in benefits for projects that likely would have been built anyway. In response to criticism of the program, state lawmakers let it expire this year, leading to a wave of applications that could be grandfathered in for projects that might not be built until the 2040s, in some cases. I think its just important to have some scrutiny over these applications to determine whether theyre actually incentivizing a company to set up shop or not, Palacios said. Occidental has applied for other state tax benefits, and it has already been awarded at least one other 10-year property tax abatement for one of the projects by Odessa College, a public junior college. Under state law, local school districts and colleges approve the property tax abatements. It is unclear how much the abatement from Odessa College could be worth, but Gary Johnson, the chair of the colleges board of trustees, said any loss of revenue would be justified if the tax break generates investment and jobs. Right now, theres nothing there at all, Johnson said of the property, adding that the college would eventually collect full tax revenue from the project after the abatement expires. Occidental said it had submitted tax limitation applications through its subsidiary, 1PointFive. Spokesman Eric Moses said the subsidiary was formed to help curb global temperature rise to advance the Paris Climate Agreement goals by developing and commercializing technologies that provide practical decarbonization solutions on an industrial scale. He said each direct air capture plant will reflect a significant investment in the communities where they are built. There are reasons to doubt that Occidental can achieve the scale described in the applications. Carbon removal technologies remain nascent; the largest operation is a project in Iceland that captures 4,000 tons per year, and there are no truly commercial-scale operations. Occidental is under no obligation to build the projects, even if the applications are approved. You have to be careful how seriously you take these, said Nathan Jensen, a professor of government at the University of Texas at Austin who has studied the tax abatements. Its almost like an options contract. Still, the last year has brought a wave of interest and investment from governments and corporations that could help nudge the concepts into reality. The infrastructure bill passed by Congress last year directed $3.5 billion to help build direct air capture hubs around the country, and the CHIPS Act recently signed by President Joe Biden added an additional $1 billion for research and development. Microsoft, Alphabet, Stripe, United Airlines and other major corporations have pledged billions more in investment, with United investing directly in Occidentals efforts. Occidental is positioning itself to be the first large corporation to bring the technology to commercial scale. It announced plans in 2020 to build a direct air capture plant in the Permian Basin area of Texas and New Mexico, and has said it would initially be able to capture 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The tax abatement filings show that the Ector County Independent School District in Odessa already has approved Occidentals application for the initial project, granting tax breaks under Chapter 313 that could be worth $50 million over a decade if the project is completed. The company has said it will begin construction this year. Occidental also has applied for a Chapter 313 tax abatement from the Riviera Independent School District, along the Gulf Coast southwest of Corpus Christi. In March, the company announced plans to build up to 70 direct air capture plants globally by 2035. But the tax abatement applications provide the first details about the timing, location and cost of those projects. The filings describe plans to build a series of 14 direct air capture projects over the next 15 years at two sites, one outside Odessa and the other in Riviera. If all are completed, the applications say, they would eventually be capable of capturing 56 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The total investment would reach into the tens of billions of dollars. In 2025, the applications say, Occidental plans to invest about $2 billion in three projects at the two sites. The companys entire capital budget for this year, most of which will go to oil, gas and chemical production, is expected to be about $4 billion. The Odessa operations would sprawl over 1,600 acres on a site known as Shoe Bar Ranch, which was historically a cow-calf operation covered with native pasture, mesquite and greasewood. The ranch is close to many oil wells operated by Occidental. Essentially a public good For decades, oil companies have been using carbon dioxide to help squeeze oil out of depleted reservoirs, generally using carbon dioxide that has been mined from underground deposits. With nearby deposits drying up, Occidental wants to start using carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere or from smokestacks to extract the oil. Because most of the carbon dioxide remains in the reservoir after extraction, the company and some independent experts say it is possible to store as much or more of the gas than the carbon dioxide emitted when the oil is eventually burned. This potential has prompted Occidental to begin marketing a new product it calls net-zero oil, describing any crude it produces using captured carbon dioxide. It signed an agreement with a South Korean refiner to sell its first batch. S.A. VOTES Voter Guide: What to know for the Texas runoff election A breakdown of key state and local races and candidates in the May 24 primary runoff. Long term, Occidental has said that it will use carbon dioxide to pump oil and produce chemicals or other products, and it will store carbon dioxide underground for customers who want to buy credits to offset their own emissions. It has announced one of these offset deals with Airbus, the European aerospace giant. Federal tax credits provide another revenue stream. Under current law, Occidental would eventually be eligible to deduct $35 from its taxes for every metric ton of carbon dioxide it captures and uses to produce oil, or $50 for every metric ton that it stores permanently. But if the tax and climate bill championed by Senate Democrats becomes law, those figures would leap to $130 or $180 per metric ton. Under these higher credit values, Occidental could be eligible to receive $65 million a year for 12 years for the first project, even if it used the carbon dioxide to pump more oil. Subsequent direct air capture operations could be far larger, potentially generating more than $1 billion annually. Occidental is also seeking approval from regulators in California to sell carbon credits in that states low-carbon fuels market, which is intended to lower the emissions of the states transportation sector. If it is successful, refiners in California would be able to avoid selling lower-carbon fuels by buying credits from Occidental for pumping carbon dioxide underground in Texas. These arrangements have drawn harsh criticism from many environmentalists, particularly environmental justice organizations, who say they could perpetuate the production and use of oil. But some environmental groups say all this government support is critical to help launch what could be an important tool for limiting warming. Overall, carbon removal is essentially a public good, said Katie Lebling, an associate in the climate program at the World Resources Institute. Theres no market for it, theres no need for people to purchase it, so I think there has to be a role for government in supporting that, especially in the beginning. Lebling and other supporters of carbon removal technologies say these projects need to be deployed rapidly to provide meaningful contributions to limiting warming. But it is that same speed that concerns other environmental advocates, who say too little is known about the potential impacts of the technologies. Assess those risks The tax abatement applications provide the first concrete timelines showing that construction could proceed rapidly. I think its concerning that its moving so fast, Palacios said. The public doesnt really know a lot about this. It is unclear what types of state or federal environmental permits Occidentals direct air capture plants might require. The company declined to say whether any will be necessary. Occidental has said its direct air capture operations would be powered by a combination of renewably generated electricity and natural gas, and that it would capture the carbon dioxide emitted by burning the gas. It is unclear exactly where those supplies would come from, but it could require drilling new gas wells and constructing new wind or solar farms. The company has not yet applied to the federal Environmental Protection Agency to store carbon dioxide underground in Texas, meaning that the only current option for injecting the gas would be into old oil and gas wells to help increase fossil fuel production. I think we just need to be cautious about jumping into some of these new technologies where we know there are risks, Palacios said, and we havent really taken the time to assess those risks. This story is published in partnership with InsideClimate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Airports across the former Yugoslavia are looking to improve connectivity among each other, with talks being held by various stakeholders in several markets. This week, the General Manager of Sarajevo Airport, Alan Bajic, and the head of the Airports of Montenegro Supervisory Board, who is effectively running the operator, Eldin Dobardzic, held talks over the introduction of flights between Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital and Podgorica. The two cities were last linked by B&H Airlines prior to its collapse in 2015. Together with the Montenegrin Ministry for Capital Investment, we believe that the introduction of nonstop year-round flights between Podgorica and Sarajevo, as well as the possible launch of seasonal operations between Sarajevo and Tivat, would be mutually beneficial for both countries, Mr Dobardzic said. Last year, Air Montenegro launched a seasonal service between Tivat and Banja Luka which has proven to be extremely successful. Airports across the former Yugoslavia are looking to improve connectivity among each other, with talks being held by various stakeholders in several markets. This week, the General Manager of Sarajevo Airport, Alan Bajic, and the head of the Airports of Montenegro Supervisory Board, who is effectively running the operator, Eldin Dobardzic, held talks over the introduction of flights between Bosnia and Herzegovinas capital and Podgorica. The two cities were last linked by B&H Airlines prior to its collapse in 2015. Together with the Montenegrin Ministry for Capital Investment, we believe that the introduction of nonstop year-round flights between Podgorica and Sarajevo, as well as the possible launch of seasonal operations between Sarajevo and Tivat, would be mutually beneficial for both countries, Mr Dobardzic said. Last year, Air Montenegro launched a seasonal service between Tivat and Banja Luka which has proven to be extremely successful. The two busiest unserved citypairs in the former Yugoslavia are Ljubljana and Skopje. The Macedonian capital has emerged as one of Ljubljana Airports busiest unserved routes following the collapse of Adria Airways. In 2019, 40.293 passengers flew between the two capital cities, from January until late September when operations ceased. In 2018, the figure stood at 44.828 travellers for the entire year. Air Serbia has since become the main transfer airline for passengers commuting between the two cities. Wizz Air has considered launching the route and has also approached Maribor Airport as an alternative to the Slovenian capital but has requested up to a million euros in subsidies and incentives to maintain services between the two cities. Ljubljana Airports management previously stressed that Skopje is an extremely important route that should be restored. Air Serbia has held talks with Macedonian authorities over the launch of seasonal summer operations between Belgrade and Ohrid next year, which would serve both point-to-point leisure traffic and act as a feeder for its long haul network. The Serbian carrier initially launched a seasonal three weekly service between Belgrade and Ohrid in 2016, following a three-year hiatus. In 2017, operations were increased to four weekly. However, by 2018 the flights were discontinued amid a wide-ranging push to cut costs and rationalise its network. Back then, the airline primarily relied on transfer passengers to sustain its Ohrid service, with special fares targeting the Macedonian diaspora in Australia, many of which hail from the Ohrid region. However, the termination of Air Serbia's Abu Dhabi flights in 2017, which served as a feeder from Australia, significantly affected loads on the Ohrid route. Croatia Airlines has held talks with airport operator TAV Macedonia over the potential expansion of its operations in the country. If there is interest from Macedonian tour operators and partners, we are ready to expand our cooperation onto routes other than Zagreb and Skopje, like perhaps Ohrid and Split, the carrier said. On the other hand, TAV Macedonia noted, Road connectivity between our two countries is unsatisfactory, which is why new airline routes would be a big step forward. We believe flights between Ohrid and Split would be of interest to tourists, so they could visit both countries within a few days in one go. How satisfied are you with your life? Researchers have repeatedly asked this question to people of all ages from across the globe. They've broadly found that life satisfaction follows a roughly U-shaped curve, declining from adolescence through early and middle adulthood, then plateauing in one's fifties before elevating slightly and leveling off again in one's seventies. What's most striking about this curve, however, is the steep drop in adolescence. Between our early teens and early twenties, self-reported life satisfaction absolutely collapses. In new research focused on people living in the United Kingdom and Germany, scientists from the University of Cambridge sought to quantify this drop and offered some potential reasons to explain it. The paper describing their work was recently published in the journal Royal Society Open Science. Lead author Dr. Amy Orben, a College Research Fellow with the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, and her colleagues analyzed life satisfaction data from 132,542 people living in the UK and Germany, including 37,076 participants aged 10 to 24. The data replicated the previously described decline in adolescent life satisfaction. As you can see in the figure below, it is unparalleled across the lifespan a relatively swift fall of roughly 16 percent. Another interesting tidbit from the data: female teens' life satisfaction drops more precipitously than males' early on, before leveling off just before age twenty and remaining higher than males' through the mid-thirties. So what explains the once-in-a-lifetime decline in life satisfaction in adolescence? The researchers proposed a couple of explanations: First, the drop in life satisfaction scores during adolescence could be driven by conditions of life getting worse during this period, e.g. increasing social insecurity, autonomy or uncertainty, or... a consequence of certain developmental changes... Decreases in life satisfaction are steepest in early adolescence, which presents a period of social re-orientation. Second, the appraisal process that determines the response to a life satisfaction question might also change throughout adolescence owing to alterations in cognitive or social processes. For example, the continued development of the social brain in adolescence allows for increased and improved mentalizing, i.e. adolescents skill in understanding how others think and feel. Further, adolescents interest in peers increases and so does the influence of their peer group on behaviour. A decrease in life satisfaction scores could, therefore, also be linked to changes in cognitive and social appraisals of what a question about ones satisfaction with life means, such as an increased sense of a larger social world or comparing ones own life to more stringent and competitive benchmarks. Both of these academic explanations could be paraphrased more succinctly as "the end of blissful ignorance". When we're very young, we generally aren't concerned with what goes on in the big wide world, nor do we consider social dynamics in our interactions. But as we age, our brains grow more capable of grappling with complex issues. With higher order thinking, comes more stress, and lower life satisfaction. Complexity is often uncomfortable. A more developed brain can be quite a burden on our psyche. Source: Orben Amy, Lucas Richard E., Fuhrmann Delia and Kievit Rogier A. 2022. Trajectories of adolescent life satisfaction. R. Soc. open sci. 9211808211808. http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211808 The government has been told to do more to support small-scale farmers in producing local food, including access to the new environmental land management schemes and more permitted development for farm buildings. Researchers at the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) worked with the Landworkers Alliance (LWA) to gain an understanding of the economic, environmental and social impact of small food and farming businesses, their challenges and innovation potential. It found that while LWA members a union consisting of farmers and land-based workers rarely employing more than 10 people do not necessarily identify as conventional 'farmers', they are focused on delivering many of the public goods to which policy is committed. The research drew up ten recommendations for government, designed to provide support to rural microbusinesses with more help to develop food systems, sustainability and innovation. They cover a breadth of measures including eligibility for agri-environment schemes for smaller farms and holdings, provision of affordable rented homes for workers and availability of machinery for small-scale agriculture and food processing. Dr Charlotte Chivers, lead author of the report, said: Given the unique make-up of these microbusinesses which arent traditional farmers or food or catering businesses, this group fall between many policy stools. "At a time of intense debate on how to feed our nation in the wake of the rising cost of living and climate change, their contribution to sustainable, local and healthy food production must be harnessed." LWA members in England, Scotland and Wales operating within localised supply chains were surveyed for this research: Exploring the socio-economic dynamics and innovation capacities of rural food and farming microbusinesses. They found that they are more likely to be new entrants, tend to be younger than their conventional farming peers and run smaller enterprises. Most operate a portfolio of enterprises diversified mainly into the food system, processing and retailing food rather than selling along the food chain or servicing the agricultural sector. Although many are owner-operators, a sizeable minority employ others. These businesses' social and environmental engagements are the primary motivation for the business operators, with profit as means to these ends. The research found that volunteering opportunities are a crucial offer from these businesses while improving and regenerating the farmed environment is an equal priority. To explore the challenges and opportunities for microbusinesses in more depth, the research team also conducted three focus groups with LWA members. The challenges reported are accessing appropriate finance, under-developed markets, insufficient targeted business support, inflexible planning arrangements, and agri-environmental schemes that do not embrace this group. Dr Chivers added: In the ways that these microbusinesses operate, these diverse, complex and sophisticated clusters of enterprises are making a distinctive contribution to the rural economy. The resilience and innovation they bring to rural areas are essential to the diversity of businesses that help rural areas thrive. Tony Little, of the LWA, said the research showed that small, agroecological farms delivered a huge range of benefits, yet they received little or no government support. This work highlights the contribution they can make to addressing some of the biggest challenges we face," he said. What are the ten recommendations? The ten recommendations in the research, which was commissioned for the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE), are: Eligibility for agri-environmental support for smaller farms and holdings Support businesses that benefit wellbeing and the 'green mind' (prioritising nature) Expand permitted development for farm and horticultural buildings Provision of affordable rented properties for agricultural workers Business support packages focused on environmental and social outcomes Machine rings (of shared assets) focused on small-scale agriculture and food processing Support initiatives to provide regional Dynamic Procurement Systems (DPS) schemes Increased renting out of small parcels of land for smaller enterprises Framework for developing novel skills to future-proof businesses Supporting opportunities for local producers to supply good quality staples into the food justice and solidarity networks The government has been urged to draw up a strategy to ensure farmers can continue to water their crops as the UK braces for drought conditions until October. Last month was the driest July for England since 1935, and the driest on record for East Anglia, southeast and southern England, statistics show. England saw an average of 23.1mm rainfall, the Met Office says, while south-east and central southern regions saw an average of just 5.0mm rainfall. Most of the country now has low river levels, with significant consequences for the farming industry, nature and wildlife. Now the Liberal Democrats has called on the government to declare a national drought emergency, as well as tougher action on water firms. Once declared, a Cabinet Minister should host a weekly televised press conference to update the public on guidance to limit water supply after mixed messages in recent weeks. Representatives of the water companies should also attend the press conference to update the public on how many, if any at all, leaks have been reduced during the drought. The party also called for a strategy to ensure farmers can water their crops, and resources directed to parts of the country which are struggling most with water supply. Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson, Tim Farron said ministers needed to 'get a grip' by declaring a national drought emergency and giving themselves power to move resources. "Water companies are the reason we are in this mess now after they sold off reservoirs and refused to fix their creaking infrastructure," Mr Farron said. "Their gross negligence is set to inflict hosepipe ban misery on millions. The public has lost all faith in them and it's clear we cant trust them to ensure Britain has enough water this summer." "A failure to act now will see rivers dry up, farmers unable to water their crops, and millions of people facing unnecessary restrictions." A new highly-pathogenic bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in Devon following a spate of cases which have impacted the county recently. Avian influenza of the H5N1 subtype was confirmed on Wednesday evening (10 August) in poultry at a premises near Tiverton. A 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone has been put in place around the premises, Defra said, and all poultry will be humanely culled. The new outbreak follows several others which have impacted the county recently, including one recorded on Tuesday (9 August) at a commercial duck farm in Cullompton. Before that, highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed on 7 August in commercial poultry in the same area. And a case of the disease was also recorded in poultry on 5 August, at a site near Teignbridge. Yesterday's outbreak makes it England's 109th case of the virus since the start of this year's avian influenza crisis, which began in late October 2021. Defra said: "The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) remains in force across Great Britain until further notice, with only the housing measures component being lifted. "This means, while birds are allowed to range outside, if you keep birds you must continue to take effective and precautionary biosecurity measures until further notice. "While the risk levels have reduced infection may still be present in the environment. Failure to comply with the AIPZ is an offence and risks the health and welfare of your birds." A major UK research consortium has been set up to battle bird flu, comprising of eight of the UK's top scientific organisations, including the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), APHA, the Pirbright Institute and the Roslin Institute. The consortium has been awarded 1.5m of government funding to bolster research projects and develop new strategies to effectively tackle future outbreaks. The UKs chief veterinary officer Christine Middlemiss said: "[It] will allow us to combine our expertise at a national level to increase the speed and quality of our research, ensuring we can develop new strategies to aid our efforts against this insidious disease." Dr Guillaume Fournie, senior research fellow at the RVC, said the scale of the incursion in the UK made it necessary to review gaps in scientists' understanding of the virus's dynamics, especially the role of wild birds in spreading it. As part of this project, the RVC will contribute to improve our understanding of high path avian influenza virus dynamics in wild bird populations, at the interface between wild birds and domestic poultry, and its potential to cause large outbreaks among farms. "This information will allow us to inform the design of more targeted surveillance activities and risk mitigation interventions better tailored to the UK poultry sector. New Zealand farmers will see far greater benefits compared to UK farmers after the post-Brexit trade deal was struck earlier this year, according to new analysis. The report, published by the AHDB on Thursday (11 August), takes a detailed look for the first time at the potential implications of the New Zealand trade deal on UK agriculture. The levy organisation's analysis also considers the limited opportunities presented for UK agri-food products in New Zealand. Working in collaboration with Harper Adams University, economic modelling was conducted of the impact of the new FTA on the UK and other major players. It used a trade network model to measure the impact of the deal. It reveals limited opportunities for UK producers to export product to New Zealand and a limited threat to the supply to the domestic market in the short term as New Zealand focuses its attention on lucrative existing markets such as China. The analysis does, however, highlight the potential longer-term risks to the UK agricultural supply chain when potential future political relationships are factored in. For lamb, New Zealand will increase its exports by diverting some of its existing exports (notably from China), coupled with a small increase in production. A reduction of the current level of non-tariff barriers, in both directions will lead to reduced costs for New Zealand exporters supplying the UK market. If China banned New Zealand lamb imports, New Zealand lamb exports to the UK would increase by 29,000 tonnes (69%). For beef, New Zealand would have to increase output and reduce the amount exported to the EU and the US in order to send more to the UK. If China banned New Zealand beef imports, New Zealand exports to the UK would increase by 7,000 tonnes (830%) For dairy, the potential impact on the cheese and butter trade is much more subdued, compared with the beef and lamb results. From 2018 to 2020 only an average 0.1% of the UKs dairy imports came from New Zealand And for pork, New Zealand and the UK are both net importers, although the UK does export some pork products to New Zealand, the EU and China. The EU and USA are significant global exporters and the model suggests that any changes to trade flows for pork as a result of the trade deal will be minimal. The trade deal with New Zealand is the second major free trade agreement (FTA) to be agreed post-EU exit after the one signed with Australia in 2021 both major agricultural exporting nations. David Swales, AHDB head of strategic insight, said: "Inevitably, these deals prompt debate in the industry with farmers wondering whether this presents yet another headache in the form of cheap imports to the UK market. Its clear that New Zealand farmers will benefit from this trade deal with UK farmers negatively impacted. Our analysis shows that the impact should be modest, but there are risks of a more substantive impact in scenarios where New Zealands trade with China is disrupted. Mr Swales added: While FTAs create opportunities by lowering barriers to trade, its important to remember they dont immediately create new demand or supply. "While our analysis does highlight that the benefits to New Zealand farmers will far outweigh those for UK farmers, its important to remember implementation of FTAs takes time. "As a result it is unlikely New Zealand red meat, for example, will start to flood UK supermarket shelves. Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions enter here to gain access. If you are not a Current Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you! China's bamboo industry contributes to global green development 14:33, August 11, 2022 By Zhu Jinyi, Liu Fawei ( People's Daily Dubbed as the "kingdom of bamboos," China is home to over 800 of the world's 1,642 known species of bamboos. As of October, 2021, the country had planted over 100 million mu, or 6.67 million hectares of bamboos, with an annual bamboo production of around 40 million tons. However, the number only accounted for about a quarter of the annual allowable cut. Tourists experience water slide over a bamboo forest in Shangshu township, Anji county, Huzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, July 27, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Xia Pengfei) Bamboos take about three to five years to get established. They are a valuable renewable natural resource for mankind. Science-based exploitation of bamboos doesn't affect the growth of them, but adjusts their structure and improves their quality, which helps fully tap into the ecological, economic and social benefits of the plants. The Chinese are a pioneer in the exploitation of bamboos. In China, bamboos are widely made into construction materials and daily necessities, such as tissues, straws, tableware and baseboards of truck beds, which are sold to many countries around the world. According to statistics, the output of China's bamboo industry surged from around 82.1 billion yuan in 2010 to 321.8 billion yuan in 2020. The number is expected to exceed a trillion yuan by 2035. Apart from developing its own advantages in the bamboo industry, China is also sharing its technologies and experiences to help other countries with rich bamboo resources get rid of poverty and improve environment. In Africa, China is offering strong support for the Inter-Africa Bamboo Smallholder Farmers Livelihood Development Programme launched by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR). The country, by offering training courses, is sharing its experiences in the protection, planting, cutting and management of bamboos with local bamboo smallholder farmers in Ghana and other African countries, to help the latter get more involved in the value chain of the bamboo industry. A villager is sun-drying bamboo splits at a bamboo processing plant in Xinan village, Gaofu township, Zixi county, Fuzhou, east China's Jiangxi province, July 12, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Wu Zhigui) It is reported that a China-Africa bamboo center is expected to be built in Ethiopia for research and training. It will help Africa better develop its bamboo and rattan industry. As a biologic material that's widely grown around the world, bamboos enjoy a huge potential in driving global green development," said Lu Wenming, deputy director general of the INBAR, adding that bamboos can be applied in a wide range of fields and almost every part of them can be utilized. More importantly, bamboo products are in a low-carbon and even carbon-negative condition throughout their lifecycle. Compared with plastic products, bamboo products can maintain a negative carbon footprint. They are totally degradable and thus more environmentally friendly, Lu noted. Besides, bamboos can advance global green development with their strong capability of carbon fixation. Once bamboos are made into products, they are able to store carbon dioxide for a very long time. Bamboo winding composites are a biological material independently developed by China. China holds full intellectual property rights to the material. The composites can be used to make water conservancy, municipal and transport utility tunnels. Photo taken on July 6, 2022 shows an acceptance letter made from thin bamboo slice issued by Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University. (People's Daily Online/Chen Shengwei) Fei Benhua, director general of the INBAR and president of China Bamboo Industry Association, told People's Daily that pipelines made from bamboo winding composites are lighter, more resilient and stronger than iron ones. Besides, they are also degradable, Fei added. Ten million tons of bamboo winding composites are able to cut 52.23 million tons of carbon dioxide emission if they are used to replace helical welded pipes. On June 24 this year, the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic Initiative proposed by the INBAR was included in the deliverables of the High-level Dialogue on Global Development. It will be jointly promoted by China and the INBAR to reduce plastic pollution, cope with climate change, and advance global green development. Bamboos are a valuable asset as the world seeks green development. China is gradually becoming a global leader in the management and technological innovation regarding bamboo resources thanks to the prospering Chinese bamboo industry. The country is contributing to the world Chinese "bamboo schemes" that reflect infinite possibilities of a green future. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. This Privacy Policy (Policy) sets out our data collection and processing practices and your options regarding the ways in which your personal information is used. This Policy contains important information about your personal rights to privacy. Please read it carefully to understand how we use your personal data. We may update this Policy from time to time without notice to you, so please check it regularly. The provision of your personal data to us is voluntary. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Image: Instagram When it comes to learning about people who rule the fashionscape in India, the answer is undoubtedly celebrities. Their reach is widespread and their influence undeniable. They are early adopters of trends, in some cases, even purveyors of them. Their fashion doesnt waste any time in trickling down and becoming a mainstay in the wardrobes of their millions of followers, who have come to find their sartorial identity inspired by whats visible in Instagrams little matrices. And a celebrity who has been on the radar of us fashion watchers and otherwise is Alia Bhatt , whose pregnancy looks are setting the fashion precedent for women pregnant or otherwise. Alia Bhatt, while promoting her new movie, Darlings, was seen in a pair of tattered denim pants and a white shirt, doing two things for our wardrobes: 1. Bringing back the ripped denim style from the early aughts 2. Wearing it with a white shirt and restoring our faith in the power of the simple classic. She paired the look with the Devon Chunky Heeled Sandals, a signature style from the Italian fashion brand, The Attico, and finished the look with a pair of simple textured hoops from Lune. The denim, from HUEMN, is from the brands Boat X Huemn collection showcased at the FDCI X Lakme Fashion Week earlier this year where it was showcased along with the their asymmetric bralette top a sharp departure from how it was seen on the actor who injected the street-inspired look with her signature femininity. But Pranav Kirti Misra, founder, HUEMN, welcomes the actors take on his 1000 panel distressed denim that was designed in line with his brands edgy aesthetics. I see this as a collaboration of different creative forces, he says, talking about Alias final look that encapsulates the brands philosophy which is open to interpretation of its wearer. Image: Instagram These women are leaders of today, says Pranav about a legion of Bollywood women who are incorporating HUEMNs outfits into their wardrobe. They have a certain voice which is very powerful and when that translates into something like clothing, it leads their audiences to make better, homegrown choices. For Pranav, HUEMN has always been a collaborative platform that uses its clothes to reflect on society. Fashion, by nature, is a torchbearer of what is going to be happening tomorrow, he stresses. If you have to lead the community, you cannot be designing for today. You need to have one foot in the future. But to stay ahead of the curve, you have to make sure that you have the right balance of ingredients which is giving people 70% familiarity and 30% newness, an approach he took for elevating a garment as ubiquitous as denim when he patched denim together to bring new texture and grunge to the garment. Its interesting to note how Alia is choosing her pregnancy to experiment with her style, and push the envelope by stepping out of her sartorial comfort zone. It is almost as if her style evolution is symbolic of her own transition a fierce 30-year-old woman who is standing on the cusp of motherhood. Also Read: Alia Bhatts Newest Fresh As A Daisy Look Is Super Easy To Recreate Issey Miyake, the Japanese designer, who along with Rei Kawakubo, Junya Watanabe, and Yohji Yamamoto, put Japan on the fashion map, passed away at age 84 in Tokyo after suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma a type of cancer that affects the liver. When the news of his death broke, my colleague, who swears by the fact that she has nothing to do with fashion, asked me if he is the man behind the perfume, Pleats, Please, which she says is the most refreshing fragrance in the most visually appealing bottle. That was the power of Issey Miyake. He was everywhere without being anywhere, even when there was no social media, whose powers designers cannot stop yielding today. Perhaps youre reading this and wondering how Issey Miyake, who showed his presentations in Paris, designed his garments in Japan, and never even dressed any celebrity that youre used to witnessing on the red carpet, affects your fashion. But look closely, and youll realise that some of his most famous works, the kinds that forever changed the way people dressed, sit quietly in your wardrobe without you even realising. Image: Instagram The accordion pleats that have become a mainstay in the creations of every brand from luxury labels that belt out couture like Christian Dior and Alberta Ferretti to high-street ones like Uniqlo and Zara were first developed by Issey Miyake in the 80s when the designer saw his textile designer casually fold a polyester scarf that left a crease. Over the period, he developed a heat-treating system to permanently crimp featherweight fabrics that would never lose their shape despite machine washing. If you think the pre-pleated fabric has never been spotted in the Indian fashion space, think again. Designers like Payal Khandwala and Gaurav Gupta have gone on to use the accordion pleated fabric in their creations to elevate the ubiquitous sari to becoming seriously fashionable. The intellectual slant brought on by Steve Jobs black mock turtleneck that the late founder of Apple famously made his uniform, and was seldom seen without, too, was designed by Issey Miyake in the 70s. It is a fashion fact lost on many despite that fact that many have since turned toward the turtleneck for borrowing Jobs cerebral appeal. Zendayas metallic breast-plate outfit designed by Tom Ford and shown as a part of his spring/summer 2020 collection, may have made headlines on the red carpet, but the first time a bodice was ever shown on the runway was in Paris, in Issey Miyakes 1980 autumn/winter show, when the designer sent a moulded cast as the last look of his runway presentation. Recently, Olivier Rousteing, creative director of the French luxury house, Balmain, showed multitudes of the casted bodice-inspired looks for the brands Fall/Winter 2022 collection and left a new mark on fashion. Image: Instagram Of course, when it comes to Issey Miyake, we can hardly have a conversation without mentioning the Boa Boa bag the geometric panelled design boasting prisms within squares, a superior folding-inspired structure which ensured that the bag never creased. The cult bag was everywhere, whether they were inspired by the designer or made by himself, no one knew. So the next time you try on a pleated skirt, tuck a turtleneck that you yanked from its perfect hangar setting, or spritz some Pleats, Please out of the most visually appealing bottle, like my colleague rightfully said, remember that we collectively owe Issey Miyake a debt of gratitude. Rita Tage Entrepreneur & Founder of Naara Aaba A winemaker who works with kiwi farmers in her region. A communications specialist who is creating empowering, feminist rag dolls. An adventure tour specialist who believes in local experiences. An entrepreneur who envisioned and launched an app to help everyone learn Indian languages. Another who brings traditional Maharashtrian fare to dining tables across the world. Our country is replete with visionaries who are working towards empowering local communities and artisans while educating the world about their skills and crafts. Made in India, for the world. In this special issue, we applaud these women who are putting India on the world map...Her bio reads: On a mission to develop a range of world class premium wines made from locally sourced organic fruits, and put Northeast India on the map of wine tourism; driven by a strong vision towards establishing a fully scaled thriving community of farmers, skilled youths, and women in the region. And, boy, is she going in the right direction!Inspired by the hardworking farmers who were being forced to discard excess produce in her beloved Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, Rita Tage decided to dive into an unexplored industry in India making fruit wine. She founded the Naara Aaba kiwi winery in her hometown, Hong village in Ziro Valley.The USP of Naraa Aaba is the organic fruit it sources straight from the farmers; the unique notes it brings to the wine are appreciated by Indians and foreigners alike. With the winery, Rita has not only contributed towards providing a sustainable market for the kiwi farmers, but has also boosted employment opportunities for local women and youth. Rita and her staff also welcome about 300 to 400 domestic and foreign visitors every month, creating a scope for wine tourism in the region.Ritas commitment to supporting her community with her entrepreneurial efforts earned her the Women Transforming India award from NITI Ayog in collaboration with the United Nations in 2018. Recipient of the Nari Shakti Puraskar 2021 from the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the dynamic entrepreneur is all set to take on the on-ground challenges while facing cut-throat competition in the alco-beverage industry in India.Today, many investors are willing to invest in women-owned businesses in emerging markets, and this will bear fruit in the coming days with collective efforts from all stakeholders, especially government authorities, who will be key factors in facilitating the work.I am a passionate, self-motivated woman. My work is an expression of my vision towards achieving the goals I have set myself. I am always thankful for all the love and encouragement I have received.To aspiring women entrepreneurs, I say, Believe in your dreams, come out of your comfort zones and know that the world needs us. India-Australia textile trade is likely to reshape in the years to come as Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) signed this year will open the doors for greater trade among industry of both countries. Indias exports of textile products to Australia are heavily dependent on apparel, while it primarily imports cotton and home textiles. The ECTA aims to boost bilateral trade and investment between the two countries. As per the provisions of the agreement, Australia will supply cotton duty-free to the Indian market. This is expected to increase Indias cotton imports from Australia. Of the $170.1 million textile imports made by India from Australia in 2021, 95 per cent was cotton, and home textiles accounted for the remaining 5 per cent, according to Fibre2Fashions market insight tool TexPro. During the previous years, Indias textile imports from Australia had steadily declined from $326 million in 2017 to $265 million in 2018, $164 million in 2019, and $77.5 million in 2020. India imported textile products worth $57.4 million in the first four months of this year, as per TexPro. Once the ECTA comes into force, this trend may reverse. India-Australia textile trade is likely to reshape in the years to come as Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) signed this year will open the doors for greater trade among industry of both countries. India's exports of textile products to Australia are heavily dependent on apparel, while it primarily imports cotton and home textiles. On the other hand, Indias textile exports to Australia stood at $604.2 million in 2021. In this, the share of apparel was 45 per cent, followed by home textiles with share of 29 per cent, and other textile products with 26 per cent, TexPro data shows. But, with the ECTA, the configuration of the products and their share in exports may change. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 10, 2022 / LFTD Partners Inc. ("LFTD Partners" or the "Company") (OTCQB:LIFD), the corporate parent of leading cannabis and psychedelics manufacturer Lifted Made, today announced that it will release its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 after the U.S. stock market closes on August 11, 2022. Following the release of its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, LFTD Partners will hold an earnings conference call on Friday, August 12, 2022 at 8:30 AM ET. Earnings Conference Call and Webcast Information: Participant phone numbers: Toll Free: 888-506-0062 International: 973-528-0011 Participant Access Code: 377903 Webcast event link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2916/46388 The participant phone numbers and webcast event link will be shown on the Investor Relations section of LFTD Partners' website at https://www.lftdpartners.com/investors. The webcast replay will also be available on the Investor Relations section of LFTD Partners' website. Although attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions during the earnings conference call, attendees are encouraged to submit questions prior to the call by emailing them to: jakejacobs@lftdpartners.com. About LFTD Partners Inc. LFTD Partners Inc. (OTCQB:LIFD) is focused upon acquiring rapidly growing and profitable companies that sell branded hemp-derived cannabinoid products, emerging psychedelic products, and other alternative lifestyle products. LFTD Partners' first wholly-owned subsidiary is Lifted Made (www.LiftedMade.com), Kenosha, Wisconsin, which sells award-winning hemp-derived cannabinoid products and other psychedelic and alternative lifestyle products under its flagship brands Urb Finest Flowers and Silly Shruum. LFTD Partners also owns 4.99% of CBD-infused beverage and products maker Ablis (www.AblisBev.com), and of distillers Bendistillery Inc. d/b/a Crater Lake Spirits (www.CraterLakeSpirits.com) and Bend Spirits, Inc., all located in Bend, Oregon. Please read LIFD's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which fully describe our business and the Risk Factors associated therewith. Learn more by subscribing to our newsletters at www.LFTDPartners.com and www.LiftedMade.com. CONTACTS: LFTD Partners Inc. Attn: Gerard M. Jacobs, CEO Phone: (847) 915-2446 Email: GerardMJacobs@LFTDPartners.com Website: www.LFTDPartners.com SOURCE: LFTD Partners Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711684/LFTD-Partners-Inc-to-Hold-Second-Quarter-2022-Earnings-Conference-Call-on-August-12-2022 TORONTO, Aug. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to announce its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The Company's condensed and consolidated interim financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, together with its Management's Discussion and Analysisand on the Company's website at www.mandalayresources.com. All currency references in this press release are in U.S. dollars except as otherwise indicated. Second Quarter 2022 Highlights: Strengthened balance sheet - an improved net cash position with $47.9 million of cash on hand and $41.5 million in total interest-bearing debt outstanding; Consolidated quarterly revenue of $50.1 million; $16.1 million in net cash flow from operating activities and $7.5 million free cash flow 1 ; ; Consolidated quarterly adjusted EBITDA 1 of $20.3 million; of $20.3 million; Adjusted net income 1 of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share); and of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share); and Consolidated net income of $2.7 million ($0.03 or C$0.04 per share). Dominic Duffy, President and CEO of Mandalay, commented: "Mandalay is pleased with another steady financial quarter in which we generated $7.5 million in free cash flow allowing the Company to further strengthen its balance sheet with an improved net cash position as compared to Q1 2022. We did this in a quarter that had several operational issues resulting in lower than expected production, exhibiting the stability of our financial performance. With forecast production improvements over the remainder of the year, we expect an even stronger cash position by the start of 2023. Reaching a net debt free position was one of the major goals of the Company at the onset of our turnaround over three years ago and I am pleased that we have achieved and exceeded that this year. "During the quarter the Company generated $50.1 million in revenue and $20.3 million in adjusted EBITDA - a margin of 41%. Mandalay earned $16.1 million in net cash flow from operating activities leading to adjusted net income of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share) during the second quarter. "Our consolidated cash and all-in sustaining costs per saleable gold equivalent ounce during Q2 2022 was $1,020 and $1,399, respectively, an increase of 6% and 4% as compared to the $960 and $1,342 during the same period last year. The main driver behind this was the decrease in production rates at Bjorkdal due to lower throughput levels, feed grades and recoveries at the processing plant. _________________________________ 1 Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and free cash flow are not standardized financial measures under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Refer to "Non-IFRS Measures" at the end of this press release for further information. "Costerfield continued its remarkable performance with $32.4 million in revenue and $19.2 million in adjusted EBITDA. This ongoing operating margin performance reflects the continuous high-grade feed and the relatively fixed cost nature of the operation. During Q2 2022, Costerfield processed grades of 11.0 g/t gold and 2.6% antimony and also improved its gold recovery rate of 93.0% against the 92.6% achieved during Q1 2021. "Bjorkdal generated stable production and sales with $17.7 million and $2.4 million in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, respectively, in Q2 2022. The underground ramp up continued as we mined approximately 276,000 tonnes; on pace to exceed our 2021 result of 1.1 million tonnes from the underground. For Q3 2022, mining activities will focus on areas of high confidence as we look to lift the grade during the second half of the year. "The first half of year demonstrated the ongoing strength of our operations and how the Company is well-positioned to build upon its sound financial state. Mandalay is maintaining its 2022 production and cost guidance and looks forward to sustainably generating value for all of our stakeholders." Second Quarter 2022 Financial Summary The following table summarizes the Company's financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021: Three months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2021 Six months ended June 30, 2022 Six months ended June 30, 2021 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 Revenue 50,116 51,352 104,270 103,925 Cost of sales 28,526 27,135 50,242 52,549 Adjusted EBITDA (1) 20,329 23,135 51,634 49,197 Income from mine ops before depreciation, depletion 21,590 24,217 54,028 51,376 Adjusted net income (1) 5,370 11,475 19,257 17,121 Consolidated net income 2,703 4,790 13,188 30,290 Capital expenditure 10,932 13,578 20,562 25,604 Total assets 306,138 310,841 306,138 310,841 Total liabilities 131,528 151,852 131,528 151,852 Adjusted net income per share (1) 0.06 0.13 0.21 0.19 Consolidated net income per share 0.03 0.05 0.14 0.33 Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are non-IFRS measures, defined at the end of this press release "Non-IFRS Measures". In Q2 2022, Mandalay generated consolidated revenue of $50.1 million, 2% lower than in the second quarter of 2021. This decrease was mainly due to lower ounces sold at Bjorkdal and Cerro Bayo's production in last year's quarter. The Company's realized gold price in the second quarter of 2022 increased by 6% compared to the second quarter of 2021, and the realized price of antimony increased by 13%. In Q2 2022, Mandalay sold 1,334 fewer gold equivalent ounces than in Q2 2021. Consolidated cash cost per ounce of $1,020 was higher in the second quarter of 2022 compared to $960 in the second quarter of 2021. Cost of sales during the second quarter of 2022 versus the second quarter of 2021 were $5.7 million higher at Costerfield and $0.7 million lower at Bjorkdal. Consolidated general and administrative costs were $0.2 million higher compared to the prior year quarter. Mandalay generated adjusted EBITDA of $20.3 million in the second quarter of 2022, 12% lower compared to the Company's adjusted EBITDA of $23.1 million in the year ago quarter. Adjusted net income was $5.4 million in the second quarter of 2022, which excludes the $4.4 million of unrealized gain on financial instruments and $7.1 million of revision of reclamation liability, compared to an adjusted net income of $11.5 million in the second quarter of 2021. Consolidated net income was $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2022, versus $4.8 million in the second quarter of 2021. Mandalay ended the second quarter of 2022 with $47.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. Second Quarter Operational Summary The table below summarizes the Company's operations, capital expenditures and operational unit costs for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021: Three months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2021 Six months ended June 30, 2022 Six months ended June 30, 2021 $'000 $'000 $'000 $'000 Costerfield Gold produced (oz) 11,079 9,959 23,276 21,041 Antimony produced (t) 523 858 1,206 1,690 Gold equivalent produced (oz) 14,989 14,818 32,236 30,276 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 646 652 608 646 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 916 1,009 840 972 Capital development 892 3,108 1,638 6,086 Property, plant and equipment purchases 2,216 1,029 4,028 1,930 Capitalized exploration 1,487 1,583 3,174 2,807 Bjorkdal Gold produced (oz) 8,316 10,941 20,700 22,796 Cash cost(1) per oz gold produced ($) 1,696 1,338 1,391 1,259 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold produced ($) 2,120 1,766 1,729 1,647 Capital development 2,361 2,727 4,822 5,120 Property, plant and equipment purchases 2,878 4,277 4,769 8,122 Capitalized exploration 1,066 601 1,821 1,058 Cerro Bayo Gold produced (oz) - 1,807 - 2,531 Silver produced (oz) - 87,062 - 130,761 Gold equivalent produced (oz) - 3,084 - 4,447 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) - 1,097 - 1,066 Consolidated Gold equivalent produced (oz) 23,305 28,843 52,936 57,519 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 1,020 960 914 922 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 1,399 1,342 1,232 1,284 Capital development 3,253 5,835 6,460 11,206 Property, plant and equipment purchases 5,094 5,306 8,797 10,052 Capitalized exploration(2) 2,585 2,437 5,305 4,346 Cash cost and all-in sustaining cost are non-IFRS measures. See "Non-IFRS Measures" at the end of this press release. Includes capitalized exploration relating to other non-core assets. Costerfield gold-antimony mine, Victoria, Australia Costerfield produced 11,079 ounces of gold and 523 tonnes of antimony for 14,989 gold equivalent ounces in the second quarter of 2022. Cash and all-in sustaining costs at Costerfield of $646/oz and $916/oz, respectively, compared to cash and all-in sustaining costs of $652/oz and $1,009/oz, respectively, in the second quarter of 2021. Bjorkdal gold mine, Skelleftea, Sweden Bjorkdal produced 8,316 ounces of gold in the second quarter of 2022 with cash and all-in sustaining costs of $1,696/oz and $2,120/oz, respectively, compared to cash and all-in sustaining costs of $1,338/oz and $1,766/oz, respectively, in the second quarter of 2021. Lupin, Nunavut, Canada Care and maintenance spending at Lupin was less than $0.1 million during the second quarter of 2022, which was similar to the second quarter of 2021. Reclamation spending was $3.3 million during the second quarter of 2022 compared to $0.8 million during the second quarter of 2021. Lupin is currently in the process of final closure and reclamation activities mainly funded by progressive security reductions held by the Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Challacollo, Chile On April 19, 2021, Aftermath Silver Ltd. ("Aftermath Silver") paid C$1.5 million in cash and issued 2,054,794 common shares at fair value of C$0.73 per share to the Company on May 5, 2021, in satisfaction of a purchase price instalment. For the year ended December 31, 2021, Mandalay sold 678,794 shares of Aftermath Silver at an average price of C$0.57 per share. The Company did not sell any shares in the second quarter of 2022. Further information regarding the definitive agreement signed with Aftermath Silver for the sale of Challacollo can be found in the Company's November 12, 2019, press release. The Company completed the sale of Challacollo to Aftermath on August 10, 2022. La Quebrada, Chile No work was carried out on the La Quebrada development property during Q2 2022. Conference Call Mandalay's management will be hosting a conference call for investors and analysts on August 11, 2022, at 8:00 AM (Toronto time). Analysts and interested investors are invited to participate using the following dial-in numbers: Participant Number (Toll free): 877 407 8289 Conference ID: 13731674 A replay of the conference call will be available until 11:59 PM (Toronto time), August 25, 2022, and can be accessed using the following dial-in number: Encore Toll Free Dial-in Number: 877 660 6853 Encore ID: 13731674 About Mandalay Resources Corporation: Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia (Costerfield gold-antimony mine) and Sweden (Bjorkdal gold mine). The Company is focused on growing its production and reducing costs to generate significant positive cashflow. Mandalay is committed to operating safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, while developing a high level of community and employee engagement. Mandalay's mission is to create shareholder value through the profitable operation and continuing the regional exploration program, at both its Costerfield and Bjorkdal mines. Currently, the Company's main objectives are to continue mining the high-grade Youle vein at Costerfield, bring online the deeper Shepherd veins, both of which will continue to supply high-grade ore to the processing plant, and to extend Youle Mineral Reserves. At Bjorkdal, the Company will aim to increase production from the Aurora zone and other higher-grade areas in the coming years, in order to maximize profit margins from the mine. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's anticipated performance in 2022. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mandalay's annual information form dated March 31, 2022, a copy of which is available under Mandalay's profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Non-IFRS Measures This news release may contain references to adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, free cash flow, cash cost per saleable ounce of gold equivalent produced and all-in sustaining cost all of which are non-IFRS measures and do not have standardized meanings under IFRS. Therefore, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management uses adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow as measures of operating performance to assist in assessing the Company's ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future working capital needs and to fund future capital expenditures, as well as to assist in comparing financial performance from period to period on a consistent basis. Management uses adjusted net income in order to facilitate an understanding of the Company's financial performance prior to the impact of non-recurring or special items. The Company believes that these measures are used by and are useful to investors and other users of the Company's financial statements in evaluating the Company's operating and cash performance because they allow for analysis of its financial results without regard to special, non-cash and other non-core items, which can vary substantially from company to company and over different periods. The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as income from mine operations, net of administration costs, and before interest, taxes, non-cash charges/(income), intercompany charges and finance costs. The Company defines adjusted net income as net income before special items. Special items are items of income and expense that are presented separately due to their nature and, in some cases, expected infrequency of the events giving rise to them. A reconciliation between adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, on the one hand, and consolidated net income, on the other hand, is included in the MD&A. The Company defines free cash flow as a measure of the Corporation's ability to generate and manage liquidity. It is calculated starting with the net cash flows from operating activities (as per IFRS) and then subtracting capital expenditures and lease payments. Refer to Section 1.2 of MD&A for a reconciliation between free cash flow and net cash flows from operating activities. For Costerfield, saleable equivalent gold ounces produced is calculated by adding to saleable gold ounces produced, the saleable antimony tonnes produced times the average antimony price in the period divided by the average gold price in the period. The total cash operating cost associated with the production of these saleable equivalent ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in sustaining costs include total cash operating costs, sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion and depletion. Sustaining capital reflects the capital required to maintain each site's current level of operations. The site's all-in sustaining cost per ounce of saleable gold equivalent in a period equals the all-in sustaining cost divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced in the period. For Bjorkdal, the total cash operating cost associated with the production of saleable gold ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable gold ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in costs include total cash operating costs, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization. Site all-in sustaining costs include total cash operating costs, sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion and depletion. Sustaining capital reflects the capital required to maintain each site's current level of operations. The site's all-in sustaining cost per ounce of saleable gold equivalent in a period equals the all-in sustaining cost divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced in the period. For the Company as a whole, cash cost per saleable gold equivalent ounce is calculated by summing the gold equivalent ounces produced by each site and dividing the total by the sum of cash operating costs at the sites. Consolidated cash cost excludes royalty and corporate level general and administrative expenses. This definition was updated in the third quarter of 2020 to exclude corporate general and administrative expenses to better align with industry standard. All-in sustaining cost per saleable ounce gold equivalent in the period equals the sum of cash costs associated with the production of gold equivalent ounces at all operating sites in the period plus corporate overhead expense in the period plus sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization, divided by the total saleable gold equivalent ounces produced in the period. A reconciliation between cost of sales and cash costs, and also cash cost to all-in sustaining costs are included in the MD&A. For Further Information: Dominic Duffy President and Chief Executive Officer Edison Nguyen Direction, Business Valuations and Investor Relations Contact: (647) 260-1566 ext. 1 BONN (dpa-AFX) - German telecom major Deutsche Telekom AG (DTEGY.PK) reported Thursday that its second-quarter net profit fell 22.3 percent to 1.46 billion euros from 1.88 billion euros a year ago. Earnings per share were 0.29 euro, down 27.5 percent from 0.40 euro a year ago. Adjusted net profit grew 15.7 percent to 2.45 billion euros from 2.11 billion euros last year. Adjusted earnings per share were 0.49 euro, compared to prior year's 0.45 euro. Adjusted EBITDA AL went up 5.0 percent from last year to 9.9 billion euros. Net revenue grew 5.9 percent to 28.17 billion euros in the second quarter of 2022 from last year's 26.59 billion euros. Further, the company again raised its fiscal 2022 outlook citing the sound business performance. The company now expects adjusted EBITDA AL for the year of 2022 around 37 billion euros, higher than previously expected more than 36.6 billion euros. Further, Deutsche Telekom expects the free cash flow AL to come in at the recently raised guidance of over 10 billion euros, upping the guidance for business outside of the United States to 3.8 billion euros from previously expected 3.7 billion euros. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX DEUTSCHE TELEKOM-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de NIESTETAL (dpa-AFX) - Solar Technology AG (SMTGF.PK), a German solar energy equipment supplier, on Thursday posted a loss for the first half, with a downslide in sales, reflecting continued supply difficulties for electronic components. The Group reported a net loss of 10.6 million euros for the half year, compared to a net profit of 13.3 million euros last year, and loss per share was 0.31 euros versus profit per share of 0.38 euros. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization or EBITDA for the period fell to 16 million euros from last year's 38 million euros. The Group's sales for the first half declined to 472 million euros from 488 million euros last year. While sales were lower in the Home Solutions segment, sales in the Commercial & Industrial Solutions and Large-Scale Project Solutions segments remained at the level of the previous year. Looking ahead to the fiscal 2022, the Group said it is confirming its sales and earnings guidance. It continues to expect EBITDA in the range of 10 million - 60 million euros, on sales of 900 million - 1.05 billion euros. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Fashion and lifestyle company Gerry Weber International AG (GRYIF.PK) on Wednesday reported earnings before interest and taxes or EBIT of 0.9 million euros in the first half of the year compared with a loss of 14.2 million euros in the previous-year period, helped by growth in sales. EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization increased to 19.6 million euros from 7.5 million euros a year ago. Excluding one-time items, normalised EBITDA was 2.2 million euros compared with loss of 9.2 million euros last year. The company reported net loss of 12.4 million euros or 10 euros per share in the first half, sharply lower than loss of 24.7 million euros or 20.3 euros per share reported during the same period last year. Sales increased 48.4% to 157 million euros in the first half from 105.8 million euros in the same period a year ago. Gerry Weber said its online sales grew by about 27.4% to 26.5 million euros. Looking forward, the company expects full-year normalised EBITDA to be in the negative single-digit million to positive single-digit million range. Net sales for the year is expected between 315 million euros and 340 million euros. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. New Financing to Meet Significant Growth in Global Demand for MolecuLight's i:X and DX Point-of-Care Imaging Devices for the Wound Care Industry TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MolecuLight Inc., the leader in point-of-care fluorescence imaging for real-time detection of wounds containing elevated bacterial loads, announced that it has completed a financing with BDC Capital and iGan Ventures. The funds are to support MolecuLight's continued global expansion to meet growing customer demand for its MolecuLight i:X and DX devices. Leonard Kofman and Jody Staggs, Managing Director of SWK Holdings will join MolecuLight's Board of Directors as observers. "With the continued growth in global demand for our i:X and DX platforms, we are happy to announce this financing from BDC Capital and iGan Ventures, who has been an early investor in MolecuLight," says Anil Amlani, CEO of MolecuLight Inc. "The proceeds will support the continued growth of our commercial operations and infrastructure to meet market demand". "We have invested in MolecuLight since inception and are thrilled to see the company achieve global commercial success," says Sam Ifergan, Founder and President of iGan Partners. "Their customers continue to generate a wealth of published data showing the improved outcomes and cost savings, which is supporting MolecuLight becoming the standard-of-care in wound care globally". "BDC is proud to participate in the financing of MolecuLight, an impressive Canadian company that is making a global impact in terms of improving healthcare outcomes," says Leonard Kofman, Partner with BDC Capital's Intellectual Property-Backed Financing practice. "MolecuLight solved an unmet clinical need - the need to detect bacterial burden in wounds, and has commercialized a suite of products that is positively impacting wound care globally. Demand for the technology is strong and growing and we believe the company is well positioned for continued growth and success". The MolecuLight devices are sold in North America through its direct sales and clinical applications team and internationally through MolecuLight's 15 specialized distributors in 18 countries. About MolecuLight Inc. MolecuLight Inc. is a privately-owned medical imaging company that has developed and is commercializing its proprietary fluorescent imaging platform technology in multiple clinical markets. MolecuLight's suite of commercial devices, which include the MolecuLight i:X and DX fluorescence imaging systems and their accessories, are point-of-care handheld imaging devices for the real-time detection and localization of bacterial load in wounds and digital wound measurement. MolecuLight procedures performed in the United States benefit from an available reimbursement pathway which include two CPT codes for physician work to perform "fluorescence imaging for bacterial presence, location, and load" and facility payment for Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) settings through an Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) assignment. The company is also commercializing its unique fluorescence imaging platform technology for other global markets with relevant unmet needs in food safety, consumer cosmetics and other key industrial markets. Tungsten Advisors served as the exclusive financial advisor to MolecuLight Inc. About BDC Capital BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, Canada's bank for entrepreneurs. With over $3 billion under management, BDC Capital serves as a strategic partner to the country's most innovative firms. It offers a full spectrum of capital, from seed investments to transition capital, supporting Canadian entrepreneurs who wish to scale their businesses into global champions. Visit bdc.ca/capital. About iGan Partners: Based in Toronto, iGan Partners is Canada's leading health technology investors focused on disrupting the sector through breakthrough innovation that dramatically improve patent are while reducing costs. The firm focuses on identifying at an early-stage, then commercializing and scaling technological advancements in AI/Cloud-enhanced medical devices and digital health. iGan provides portfolio companies with smart-capital, active support, and access to a network of industry partners and sector-specific co-investors to help them grow and succeed. About Tungsten Advisors: Tungsten Advisors (www.tungstenadv.com) is an investment banking firm focused on strategic advisory and corporate finance for healthcare and technology companies. Tungsten provides transactional services including financings (private placements/PIPEs), corporate licensing and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Tungsten also focuses on company incubation and makes direct investments alongside the creation of new companies in healthcare and technology. Securities offered through Finalis Securities LLC Member FINRA/SIPC. Tungsten Partners LLC d/b/a Tungsten Advisors and Finalis Securities LLC are separate, unaffiliated entities. Contact: Rob Sandler, Chief Marketing Officer, MolecuLight Inc., T. +1.647.362.4684, rsandler@moleculight.com, www.moleculight.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876348/MolecuLight_MolecuLight_Secures_Financing_from_BDC_Canada_and_iG.jpg The 13th edition of Africa PPP will take place on 25 27 October 2022 in Marrakech, Morocco . The organiser said tchat they were very pleased to have Morocco as the Host Partner of Choice for this edition and under the theme Accelerating Project Delivery and Partnerships. The event will include certified training on PPP and a 2-day conference. Africa PPP features active and upcoming projects in renewable energy, waste to energy, wastewater, bulk water, bulk transport, and infrastructure and spotlights new projects in social service PPPs. More, much more; we are once again bringing you everything under 1 roof over just 3 days! The Public-Private Partnership Conference, Africa PPP, has for years brought together public entities from Africa with PPP project opportunities and who are leading the way in the successful execution of projects. Africa PPP 2022 will examine infrastructure challenges; and how new approaches to proof of value, risk, planning, and asset management are helping asset owners deliver critical projects. Africa PPP is the longest-running PPP conference in Africa hosted annually in both Northern and Southern Africa with key government partnerships. There are many benefits to attending the PPP event: Attendees will leave with improved insights, better strategies and in-hand knowledge that can be implemented into current and future PPP projects. Africa PPP is the only event on the continent where you hear about key bankable projects in energy, transport, and water sectors across Africa and where you connect and engage with key stakeholders from governments, utilities, investors, project developers, industry advisors, DFIs and all stakeholders working in the PPP sphere. This years edition will focus on the presentation of bankable projects in the pipeline, updates from current project developers and showcase of project opportunities in Africa. By attending Africa PPP 2022 Virtual Conference the participants will: Access information on key bankable projects in Africa, Network with key decision-makers, project owners, project developers and investors, Establish partnerships with key stakeholders, Present your opportunities and services to relevant audience, Create opportunities and connect with possible partners from your own home office. Over the years, a strong partnership between the public and the private sectors has proven to be a fundamental element in the delivery and implementation of significant infrastructure projects under the PPP framework. Now more than ever, developing infrastructure is important. Africa PPP will help rebuild the economy by gathering both sectors to develop partnerships in the Electricity, Transport, Health, Water, and ICT industries. The past 12 editions of Africa PPP gathered over 1800 delegates, 1000 companies, 423 speakers, and 40 sponsors. Being hosted in Cape Town last year, the event had the participation of 34% Public Sector, 21% Investors, 6% PPP Units, and 39% Developers, Advisors and Contractors, and presented PPP Projects from 8 countries: Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya , Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Tunisia. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires ATLANTA (dpa-AFX) - Coca-Cola HBC AG (CCH), a Consumer Packaged Goods business and bottling partner of Coca-Cola Co. (KO), reported that its net profit after tax attributable to owners of the parent for the six months ended 1 July 2022 dropped to 152.9 million euros or 0.418 euros per basic share from last year's 233.1 million euros or 0.639 euros per basic share, mainly due to impairment charges relating to operations in Russia. Comparable net profit grew by 34.5% compared to the prior-year period due to higher operating profitability. Comparable basic earnings per share were 0.865 euros compared to 0.646 euros last year. Net sales revenue for the period was 4.21 billion euros up 29.6% from the prior year, driven by the consolidation of Egypt, as well as pricing initiatives, volume growth and mix improvements, supported by favourable foreign currency movements. On an organic basis, net sales revenue grew by 19.4% during the first half of 2022, compared to the prior-year period. Volume for the period was 1.33 billion unit cases up 18.1% from the prior year. The company reinstated guidance for 2022 and expects to generate comparable EBIT in the range of 740 million euros -820 million euros. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Helium Axxent has released new research about crypto wallet features and uses available to the public in 2022. This report fills a knowledge gap in the technically and commercially evolving cryptocurrency app landscape. Interested parties can find the guide online at https://heliumaxxent.com/crypto-wallets-101/. Medford, Oregon--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Crypto news and insights information business Helium Axxent has published new crypto wallet market research in the form of a guide, aimed at informing new investors of changes in how cryptocurrency wallets work and why they're not all the same. The guide seeks to educate investors in making informed choices about crypto wallets that support personal crypto investment strategies and risk tolerances. Interested parties are invited to review the how-to guide in full on their website: https://heliumaxxent.com/crypto-wallets-101/ Helium Axxent Publishes Research On Cryptocurrency Wallets Updated For 2022 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/133222_074d336824b3996e_001full.jpg This how-to guide from Helium Axxent provides detailed information about ongoing crypto wallet developments and their significance within the context of established wallet products and applications. Experienced traders may find new insights in the guide, but it's primarily written for newer investors who need to understand how cryptocurrency wallets work, why they're not all the same, and how to choose a wallet that will provide the most value to them. Helium Axxent states that this accessible, easy to follow guide provides information updated for 2002 that's necessary to start using crypto wallets in a way that minimizes knowledge gap risks and maximizes end-goal benefits to investors' portfolios. The how-to guide attempts to make abstract crypto wallet concepts more understandable by describing them in terms of game playing strategies. Similarly, wallet selection success is described as dependent on specific behavioral tactics. The guide describes many different crypto wallet types and claims most of them are not interchangeable. For example, wallets that work with Bitcoin will generally not work with Ethereum based tokens. According to the guide, that's because crypto wallets are designed to work with specific blockchains, and Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains have important differences that wallet designs must accommodate. Helium Axxent's guide also reviews why most individual investors will need more than one wallet. It states there are at least three important reasons for this. 1) investors want to hold or trade different cryptocurrencies; 2) they want to be able to trade limited amounts of crypto-assents easily and quickly while protecting the bulk of their crypto in less accessible but more secure wallets; 3) investors may have more than one goal or strategy for their crypto investments beyond hodling or trading. For example, they may want to also invest in NFTs, or crypto lending or other DeFi functions. When asked for the reasons behind creating a guide to choosing the best crypto wallet for individual investors, Rickey Williams, lead analyst at Helium Axxent said: "there is quite a bit of information online that new investors can reference to learn about cryptocurrency wallets, but most of it is just bits and pieces, and a lot of it is not current. In this guide we have tried to provide a more complete and up to date view of the crypto wallet landscape in 2022, both from a descriptive point of view and from a 'what does this mean to me as an investor point of view.' Helium Axxent invites new cryptocurrency investors and anybody interested in choosing the best crypto wallet to review the how-to guide online: https://heliumaxxent.com/crypto-wallets-101/ More information about Helium Axxent itself can be found at https://heliumaxxent.com Contact Info: Name: Rickey Williams Email: rickey@heliumaxxent.com Organization: Helium Axxent Address: 290 Dunthorpe Drive, Medford, Oregon 97504, United States Website: https://heliumaxxent.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133222 LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yocova, the end-to-end platform for innovation in aviation, took a good look at the future aircraft demand forecasts from Airbus and Boeing. These came in the form of Airbus' Global Market Forecast and Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook. Both span the twenty years between 2022 and 2041, and cover both passenger and commercial freight. This year, after the dust from the A380 has settled, the COVID recovery seems clearer, and the global economic effects are more predictable, both are similar in some ways and different in others. At a relatively quiet Farnborough Airshow, Yocova took the opportunity to talk in depth with key forecasters from Airbus and Boeing. By the numbers: Airbus Airbus is predicting demand for 39,460 global deliveries over the next twenty years. Of those, regionally: 9,160 are for Asia-Pacific (excluding China ) (excluding ) 8,420 are for China 8,120 are for Europe and the CIS and the CIS 6,990 are for North America 3,000 are for the Middle East 2,550 are for Latin America 1,230 are for Africa Of the total deliveries, Airbus predicts that: 31,620 are 'typically narrowbody' 7,870 are 'typically widebody' With this 'typically' categorisation, Airbus takes account of the fact that a high-density narrowbody (think a Wizz Air A321neo at 230 passengers) sometimes carries more passengers than low-density widebody (think United's high-business 767 at 169 passengers). Airbus doesn't forecast for sub-100 seaters, and includes freighters. Airbus didn't issue a Global Services Forecast this year, but its last one - pre-pandemic, in 2018 - forecast a $4,600 billion dollar market. Airbus tells Yocova that it will be updated in September or October this year. By the numbers: Boeing Boeing is predicting 41,170 global deliveries over the next twenty years. Of those, regionally: 9,310 are for North America 8,550 are for Europe (not including Russia ) (not including ) 8,485 are for China 4,255 are for Southeast Asia 2,980 are for the Middle East 2,345 are for South Asia 2,240 are for Latin America 1,345 are for Northeast Asia (excluding China ) (excluding ) 1,010 are for Africa 650 are for Oceania There are no forecasts this year for the Russia and Central Asia region. Of the total deliveries, Boeing predicts that: 30,880 are single-aisle mainline 7,230 are widebodies 2,120 are regional jets (more than three quarters of which are in North America ) ) 940 are freighters Boeing also predicts a total services market value of $3,615 billion dollars. The differences Overall, Boeing and Airbus are within roughly five percent of each other on most forecasts, taking into account the different categories of aircraft being considered, regional market segmentations decided upon, and the absence of the Russian/CIS/Central Asian market in some forecasts. Boeing is predicting about 1,700 more aircraft than Airbus, roughly 5 percent more global aircraft demand, but Airbus cuts off its numbers at the bottom end as 100 passengers. With Boeing forecasting over 2,100 regional jets, it seems like the numbers are roughly a wash - and certainly are very comparable given the amount of assumptions, predictions and calculations involved in a twenty-year forecasting effort. Indeed, the airframers agree on a surprising number of drill-down predictions. The first, with regard to China, is that the country's airlines will need some 8,400 aircraft - Airbus and Boeing differ by just 65 aircraft in their predictions here. Non-China Asia-Pacific demand is 9,160 for Airbus, but Boeing splits this out into Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania and Northeast Asia. Together, these add up to 8,615, a difference of 545 aircraft - about five percent more demand - in the Airbus predictions. European predictions are roughly similar, with Airbus predicting 8,120 and Boeing 8,550 aircraft, a difference of five percent, this time with Boeing's predictions greater. In the Middle East, airlines will need some 3,000 aircraft - the difference is just 20 aircraft between the two airframers - and that roughly half of the demand here is going to be widebodies, a situation unique to the region. Most other regions are a 20 percent widebody to 80 percent narrowbody split, with the exception of Latin America where widebody demand is in single digit as a percentage. Numbers in this region, too, are roughly similar. Disagreements between the two forecasts come for North America at the higher level. Airbus predicts 6,990 aircraft will be required, while Boeing predicts 9,310, roughly a 25 percent difference or some 2,320 aircraft. However, subtracting the North American regional jet numbers of 1,630 from the Boeing numbers gives a difference of just 690, or 7 percent. Diving into those cargo divergences Headline numbers around production cargo demand were surprising. Airbus sees a strong market for 2,440 aircraft, including conversions, split into: 990 single-aisle freighters 890 mid-sized widebodies 560 large widebodies Boeing, meanwhile, splits its market differently, seeing a total demand of 2,795 aircraft, of which: 1,300 single-aisle freighters, as conversions 425 new medium widebodies 555 widebody conversions, split between medium and large widebodies 515 new large widebodies Boeing is predicting more narrowbody demand - around thirty percent more than Airbus - but Airbus is predicting about twenty percent more mid-sized widebody demand. Exact numbers are hard to calculate given that Boeing combines widebody conversions between large and medium widebodies. So Yocova jumped at the chance to ask detailed questions of Darren Hulst, Boeing's Vice President for Commercial Marketing, and Airbus' Bob Lange, Senior Vice President in charge of business analysis and market forecast. "The big trend we've seen materialise, although it's happening already during COVID, has been the switch in our behaviours to greater use of e-commerce, and greater use of e-commerce doesn't necessarily mean everything is more time sensitive, it means everything is more predictable, and needs to be more predictable," Lange tells Yocova. "So airfreight for e-commerce is about fulfilment of orders, it's about objects being where they need to be, when they need to be them, with a degree of dependability and regularity. And it also means that the densities of goods being shipped by air are decreasing. That changes the picture for our freight overall, and then equally it's the highest growing segment is close to 5 percent a year. So that's what's changing the demand and the nature of airfreight going forward." Boeing's Hulst, by contrast, is slightly less bullish - and in different spaces - on cargo demand. "I think the main area where that is manifest is in the short haul, regional logistics type models where you see a lot of the emergence of e-commerce networks or logistics networks through the use of converted single-aisle aircraft," Hulst tells Yocova. "I think that's the biggest place where we're going to see that, where instead of needing a full capability, high density aircraft, you're looking for volume, and I think the 737-800 BCF has really served the market as airlines build out the network that they want to serve with overnight, or next-day-type air." On the widebody side, Hulst says, "going one step further, the 767 conversions become the next option as far as more volume as networks mature, and as airlines sometimes need to go a little bit further. On the longhaul space, as we look at that intersection between general cargo and e-commerce. I think there's no question that big freighters are going to carry a lot of e-commerce. However, the need for that versatility drives airlines still towards, I think, more of a production freighter with that capability of 10 pounds per cubic foot of density. While they may not always use it, the ability to carry it is an important part of longhaul air cargo, because the diversity of goods that's carried kind of demands that you have that capability. However, I think we will see more and more e-commerce go longer and longer. And we'll see how that shifts the demand relative to the products that are in the market today or even potentially in the future." About Yocova Yocova is an end-to-end platform for innovation: digital infrastructure and services to facilitate the exchange of ideas, data, and apps in aviation. The platform is structured around the pillars of Community, Data Rooms and Marketplace: Community: the global aviation community on one open and trusted platform - connect and collaborate with aviation peers in public forums and private working groups Data collaboration: a decentralised, secure, and voluntary data API exchange giving you full control of who accesses your data to support your digital initiatives Marketplace: a trusted 'go to' aviation marketplace for digital transformation - find, try, buy, and deploy leading digital aviation apps, data API's solutions and services, or sell and manage your own through a global route-to-market For OEM partners, Yocova provides a single command and control platform through which to securely distribute, authenticate, and update all digital content across the customer community. For OEM customers, a single entry-point for swift, efficient user access to all OEM digital content. Yocova continues to pursue its growth strategy at pace with over 1000+ members extending across the aviation value chain, including but not limited to professionals and enterprises from airlines, business jet operators, digital/data vendors, through to airports, ANSPs and OEMs. Contact details: To find out about Yocova membership, join conversations, groups, collaborate, and access the latest aviation insights and digital solutions, email members@yocova.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1874946/Yocova_Logo.jpg The partnership will enable expanded visibility across an NHS organisations' network-connected IoT, IT and IoMT assets and enhance their security posture in the face of rising attacks. LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cynerio, the leader in healthcare IoT cybersecurity, today announced a new partnership with ITHealth, a major provider of security solutions and services to the NHS. The new partnership will enable NHS organisations to increase their visibility and security of their IT, IoT and medical device infrastructure, while achieving compliance with NHS regulations such as the DSP (Data Security and Protection) Toolkit. Cynerio and ITHealth are partnering to deliver providers and commissioners of NHS services an unprecedented level of visibility, IoT and medical device cybersecurity and information governance. The integration of Cynerio's class-leading healthcare cybersecurity solution with ITHealth's Assurance Dashboard will provide organisations with granular visibility into their estate-wide security posture, deliver automated DSP compliance and reduce cyber risk by securing all vulnerable IoT and medical devices. "We are delighted to partner with ITHealth in the UK NHS market" says Doron Dreyer, Vice President of International Sales at Cynerio. "NHS organisations face a mammoth task in accurately understanding their IT, IoT and medical device security posture and making sure it aligns with the DSP Toolkit. Our partnership and integration with ITHealth and their Assurance Dashboard brings together our industry-leading IoT and IoMT visibility and security platform with their unique insight into NHS IT to provide our mutual customers with the highest levels of security and compliance". Despite significant investment in cybersecurity in the aftermath of the WannaCry attack, the NHS and global healthcare systems are the targets of increasing levels of sophisticated cyberattacks, including those from state-sponsored hacking organisations such as the Conti Group - responsible for disrupting Ireland's entire HSE health system in 2021. "With increasing evidence that healthcare cyberattacks are responsible for loss of life in both Europe and the USA, ITHealth's mission is to help the NHS increase their visibility and security posture of their IT assets and better understand the risk they face in their daily operations", says Brett Draper, Managing Director of ITHealth. "We consistently research the market to identify the best fit for our NHS customers, and I am very pleased to announce that we have signed a partnership with Cynerio, as their solution is extremely comprehensive and their commitment to the NHS mirrors our own". About Cynerio Cynerio is the one-stop-shop Healthcare IoT security platform. With solutions that cater to healthcare's every IT need-from Enterprise IoT to OT and IoMT-we promote cross-organizational alignment and give hospitals the control, foresight, and adaptability they require to stay cybersecure in a constantly evolving threatscape. We give you the power to stay compliant and proactively manage every connection on your own terms with powerful asset management, threat detection, and mitigation tools so you can focus on healthcare's top priority: delivering quality patient care. For more information, visit us at http://www.cynerio.com/uk About ITHealth ITHealth works exclusively with NHS organisations providing proven and trusted cybersecurity and access management solutions. Whether it's ensuring fast, reliable, and secure access for NHS mobile workers, or finding effective ways to reduce threats while improving productivity, ITHealth's cost-effective solutions mean NHS systems and data are always secure, easy to access, and simple to manage. ITHealth's Assurance Dashboard Solution is now relied on by over 130 NHS organisations helping each to take greater control of their IT and stay cybersecure, assured, and compliant. https://www.ithealth.co.uk CONTACT: daniel.brody@cynerio.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876294/Cynerio_Logo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876293/ITHealth_Logo.jpg The 17th global edition of World Cyber Security Summit is gearing up with the goal of constructing a security framework for organisations in Jordan. The summit is taking place on 15 - 16 August 2022 in Jordan, and features notable speakers including Mohammad Alkhudari, Ira Winkler, Abdulrahman Al-nimari, Prof. Mohand Tahar Kechadi, George Eapen and many more. Amman, Jordan, Aug 11, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - The 17th global edition of World Cyber Security Summit will be held under the auspices of H.E. Dr Bisher Al-Khasawneh, Prime Minister of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and supported by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Jordan. The summit is taking place on 15 - 16 August 2022 at The Ritz-Carlton in Amman, Jordan. World Cyber Security Summit is part of a global series and is brought to Jordan by Trescon, a global business events and consulting firm that specialises in hosting future-tech events across the world. As the country braces for a protracted cyber insecurity, government and organisations are looking for an action plan to mitigate the risks and become resilient to cyber threats. Thus resulting in the announcements of a raft of policies to manage digital vulnerabilities in the recent years. In order for effective implementation of these policies, World Cyber Security Summit will play its part by providing a platform to conduct thorough debates, and deliberations on the proposed cyber security strategies. The summit will host more than 300+ C level attendees, including government officials, Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Information Officers, CEOs and technology leaders from enterprises and government agencies in Jordan to meet, network, and engage with global cyber security experts and technology innovators over the course of two days. "The importance of cyber security is being increased and it is not an option for companies and organizations, and having the advanced defence in place is required for critical infrastructure and data. Sensitive data and information protection is the source of trust in organizations," said H.E. Belal Hafnawi, Commissioner - Board Member at Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC-Jordan). Abdulrahman Al-Nimari, VP - Cybersecurity from Saudi Arabia stated, "Remember: compliance to regulations does not mean you are secure, you must have your own risk driven cyber security program and strategy that mitigate your own unique risks." Haidar Fraihat, Cluster Leader - Statistics, Information Society, and Technology at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) says, "Corporations can easily fall into the false sense of security syndrome. Illusioned that their precious data is safe, they may tend to drop guard and invest less in enhancing their data security. Realizing that data and information is the strategic asset to organizations, perhaps more than financial resources, is of paramount importance to keep your competitive edge, security and even survivability. Feeling secure doesn't mean you are really secure." Some of the leading industry experts speaking at the summit include: Scott E. Augenbaum - Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent; Author; Cybercrime Prevention Trainer, Scott Augenbaum LLC - Retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent; Author; Cybercrime Prevention Trainer, Scott Augenbaum LLC Glen Thomas - Partner - Head of Technology and Cyber Consulting, Grant Thornton, United Arab Emirates - Partner - Head of Technology and Cyber Consulting, Grant Thornton, United Arab Emirates Haidar Fraihat - Cluster Leader - Statistics, Information Society, and Technology, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Lebanon - Cluster Leader - Statistics, Information Society, and Technology, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), Lebanon Jacob Mathew - Head of Information Technology, Government of Abu Dhabi Entity, United Arab Emirates - Head of Information Technology, Government of Abu Dhabi Entity, United Arab Emirates Nicole Lau - Sales Director, Verimatrix, Oslo, Norway - Sales Director, Verimatrix, Oslo, Norway Ricoh Danielson - CEO, 1st Responder, an Incident Response Firm, United States - CEO, 1st Responder, an Incident Response Firm, United States Abdullah Faisal Biary - CISO, United Cooperative Assurance, Saudi Arabia - CISO, United Cooperative Assurance, Saudi Arabia Taha Hussain - Information Security Specialist, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority - DEWA, United Arab Emirates - Information Security Specialist, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority - DEWA, United Arab Emirates Hossam Elshenraki - Associate Professor, Dubai Police HQ, United Arab Emirates - Associate Professor, Dubai Police HQ, United Arab Emirates Mona Alshehri - Risk and Compliance Analyst, Saudi Air Navigation Services, Saudi Arabia - Risk and Compliance Analyst, Saudi Air Navigation Services, Saudi Arabia Dr Ahmed Abd El Hady Mohamed - Director of Quality in General Administration for Quality and Environmental Affairs, Holding Company for Water and Waste Water (HCWW), Egypt - Director of Quality in General Administration for Quality and Environmental Affairs, Holding Company for Water and Waste Water (HCWW), Egypt E. Belal Hafnawi - Commissioner - Board Member,Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC-Jordan), Jordan - Commissioner - Board Member,Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC-Jordan), Jordan Nada Khater - Head of Digital Transformation Policies and Strategies, Ministry of Digital Economy & Entrepreneurship, Jordan - Head of Digital Transformation Policies and Strategies, Ministry of Digital Economy & Entrepreneurship, Jordan Lama Arabiat - Head of AI, Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Jordan - Head of AI, Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Jordan Ashraf Ahmad - Dean - Princess Sumya University for Technology (PSUT), Open Source Intelligence in Arabic Challenges and Solutions, Jordan & many more elite speakers. The event will focus on topics such as: Jordan's roadmap to the digital revolution through cyber security Cyber Security for the Government of Jordan: Challenges, strategies, opportunities Cyber Security: An enabler and growth partner for modern businesses Zero Trust Model: How to boost application security? How to protect your data in times of constant connection? What is layered security and how does it protect your data? Data Security: Top threats and best practices SaaS Security: Meeting the needs of modern enterprises "We're happy to bring the global series of World Cyber Security Summit to Jordan, with the support of our Strategic Partner, Jordan Cyber Security Awareness Association (JOCSA). We hope this event will be a stepping stone for realising how critical cyber security at this day and age is for organisations in the region," stated Mohammed Saleem, Founding Chairman, Trescon. The 17th global edition of World Cyber Security Summit - Jordan is supported by Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, Jordan and officially sponsored by: Platinum Sponsor - Green Circle | Agualetica Gold Sponsor - Alpha Hub | Mandiant Silver Sponsor - CloudSEK Academic Sponsor - C-PATH | Princess Sumaya University for Technology | Daience University | Jordan University of Science & Technology Strategic Partner - Jordan Cyber Security Awareness Association (JOCSA) Community Partners - Intaj (Information & Communications Technology Association - Jordan) | ISACA | SOFEX JORDAN | JODDB | ABJ | JIF | Crown Prince Foundation | Talal Abu-Gazaleh Global | Jordan Insurance Federation Robotics Partner - QUILL Digital and Production Partner - Q Tech Networks Transportation Partner - Careem Bronze Sponsor - Wizard Cyber | IRIS Technology | Manage Engine To attend World Cyber Security Summit - Jordan, book your tickets here. About World Cyber Security Summit World Cyber Security Summit is a thought-leadership-driven, business-focused global series of events that provides a platform for CISOs who are looking to explore new-age threats and the technologies/strategies to mitigate them. The Jordan edition is hosting CISOs across industry sectors who will meet, network, learn and engage with some of the world's renowned technology thought-leaders, subject matter experts, and technology innovators in a constructive, open-dialogue environment to find solutions for issues hindering their information/cyber security. About Trescon Trescon is a global business events and consulting firm that provides a wide range of business services to a diversified client base that includes enterprises, governments, and individuals. Trescon is specialized in producing highly focused B2B events that connect businesses with opportunities through conferences, roadshows, expos, demand generation, investor connect, and consulting services. For further details about the announcement, please contact: Zeba Rashid PR, Media & Corporate Communications, Trescon +919555915156 | media@tresconglobal.com Source: tresconCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug 11, 2022 - (ACN Newswire) - Habitat for Humanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter announced today a US$300,000 equity investment in TapEffect, a Cambodia-based startup which provides clean and affordable tap water to underserved rural and semi-rural communities. The investment also marks the fifth anniversary of Habitat's Shelter Venture Fund, launched in 2017 to accelerate innovative startups tackling affordable housing challenges worldwide.It is estimated that 110 million people in Southeast Asia lack access to safe drinking water. In Cambodia, one third of the population rely on water from impure sources. TapEffect, founded in 2018, started from the desire to bring safe water to rural communities in Cambodia, while addressing the systemic barriers often faced by local providers, such as set-up costs and ongoing maintenance. The company designs, builds and operates self-sustaining piped water systems that can each support more than 10,000 people, and uses Internet of Things technology for remote monitoring and payment management, which reduces cost and increases operational efficiencies.TapEffect offers a market-based solution where families pay a fraction of the cost for water compared to bottled or truck-in water options. Their initial demonstration system, built in 2020, serves over 14,000 people in 19 villages, and connects 12 schools and two healthcare facilities to clean and safe water."TapEffect's model combines technology, engineering and blended finance to create a holistic approach that can be easily replicated. By employing local contractors and construction teams, we also build capacity within local communities," said Hourt Vuthy, general manager at TapEffect. "We have been partnering with Habitat for Humanity since joining the ShelterTech Southeast Asia accelerator in 2020. The investment will help to bring the solution to more families across the region who still lack access to clean water and sanitation." TapEffect is also an investee of World Hope Social Ventures, which supports market-based, community-driven enterprise solutions.Habitat's Shelter Venture Fund aims to nurture businesses with solutions that can improve housing conditions for low-income families. "We realized that high-potential enterprises often face a pioneer gap in their early stages of growth, when they are considered too risky by impact investors," said Luis Noda, Habitat for Humanity's Asia-Pacific vice president. "Through the Fund, we also send a message to the market that profitable opportunities exist in supporting entrepreneurs that are driving social change through innovation."Twelve startups have received investments from the Shelter Venture Fund to date globally, supporting over 5 million people in accessing improved housing-related products and services. The portfolio includes Tvasta - builder of India's first 3D-printed house; Meridia - which uses mobile-based technology to improve land documentation and tenure security in Africa and Asia; and BURN - which impacts lives and the environment through the design, manufacturing and distribution of clean-burning cook stoves.Since its launch, Shelter Venture Fund investees have catalyzed over US$34 million in further investments. At present, 40% of the portfolio focuses on solutions that are less damaging to the environment than market alternatives, such as water saving and reduced carbon emission technologies. The 12 ventures are also responsible for the creation of over 600 jobs in the locations where they operate.About Habitat's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in ShelterThe Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, a unit of Habitat for Humanity International, works with housing market systems by supporting local firms and expanding innovative and client-responsive services, products and financing so that households can improve their shelter more effectively and efficiently. The ultimate goal of the Terwilliger Center's market systems program is to make housing markets work more effectively for people in need of decent, affordable shelter, thereby improving the quality of life for low-income households. To learn more, visit habitat.org/tcis.About Habitat for HumanityDriven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in South Georgia, U.S.A. Since its founding in 1976, the housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in more than 70 countries. In the Asia-Pacific region since 1983, Habitat for Humanity has supported millions of people to build or improve a place they can call home. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit habitat.org/asiapacific.To set up interviews, receive photos or further information, please contact:Julia Ferrazjferraz@habitat.org+852 61001806Source: Habitat for Humanity InternationalCopyright 2022 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Flutterwave, Africa's leading payments technology company, has completed the recruitment process for its inaugural Graduate Trainee Program, hiring 200 trainees, growing its employee base by 38%. The paid program aims to nurture young Nigerians by up-skilling them with technical and soft skills, exposing them to the company's solutions and products, and giving them experience working at a global organization. The Program is the New Chief of People and Culture's first project upon rejoining Flutterwave. Mansi Babyloni, the New Chief People and Culture Officer was previously Flutterwave's Global Head of People Strategy and Special Projects in 2020, before she left for an opportunity at PwC's People and Org. practice in London, UK. She rejoins Flutterwave as the CPO and will be focusing on investing in people, culture and processes to drive growth for the organization. Flutterwave opened the application portal on July 1st 2022 to enable young graduates across Nigeria to apply for various positions at the company. The portal closed on July 15th with 11,000 applications and 200 candidates making it into the program after a thorough recruitment process. The candidates received their offers August 5th, with their 2-weeks onboarding to commence immediately. The program aims to support young talent in Nigeria who will in turn support Flutterwave's growing need for talent, as it works to meet its growth and expansion objectives. Flutterwave currently supports over 1,000,000 businesses and requires a steady stream of fresh new talent in order to sustain its continued growth. Mansi Babyloni, Chief People and Culture Officer, Flutterwave, said, "I'm thrilled to be back at Flutterwave as the Chief People Officer. This role offers me the opportunity to invest in the talent, develop our people and make us the best employer out there - things I am deeply passionate about. My work starts with the Flutterwave Graduate Trainee Program which has been a passion project of the People and Culture Team for a long time and we are delighted that it is now a reality. The program aims to teach our graduate trainees highly transferable skills via an on the job training methodology, skills that will set them up for success for the entirety of their careers. Flutterwave is what it is because of the talent, passion and innovation of a driven squad. We believe supporting the next generation of young talent to realize their potential is the most important way that we can give back to the community. This program is critically important to supporting our strategic growth needs, as we continue to expand across markets and geographies. As a global company, we're looking forward to how this program can grow across other countries." Olugbenga GB Agboola, Founder and CEO, Flutterwave, said, "The graduate trainee program is a key part of our continued efforts to support young talent and help them kick start their career. Over the years, we've been thinking about developing a program that serves as a pipeline for talent from the University to the workforce. We're happy that Mansi and the entire People and Culture team at Flutterwave have made this a reality. Because of this project, 200 people will have an opportunity to break into their careers and get started on the path towards achieving their dreams. We're elated that Mansi is back and pushing impactful projects in her first month with us." About Flutterwave Flutterwave is a payments technology company that enables businesses across the world to expand their operations in Africa and other emerging markets through a platform that enables cross-border transactions via one API. Flutterwave has processed over 200M transactions worth over USD $16B to date and serves more than 1,000,000 businesses including Uber, Flywire, Booking.com, etc. The Company's key advantage is international payment processing in 150 currencies and multiple payment modes including local and international cards, mobile wallets, bank transfers, Barter by Flutterwave, etc. Flutterwave has an infrastructure reach in over 34 African countries, including Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa. For more information on Flutterwave's journey, please visit www.flutterwave.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876272/Flutterwave_Team.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876273/Mansi.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Exploits Discovery Corp. (CSE: NFLD) (OTCQX: NFLDF) (FSE: 634) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release of July 28, 2022, it has completed a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for gross proceeds of $1,500,399. The Company issued 8,335,550 flow-through common shares (each, an "FT Share") at a price of $0.18 per FT Share. The gross proceeds from the Offering will be used to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" ("CEE") that are "flow-through mining expenditures" (as such term is defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada)) related to the Company's mining projects. The FT Shares issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to, among other things, a hold period of four months and one day in accordance with applicable securities legislation and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange. President and CEO Jeff Swinoga commented, "We are well funded and eager to commence our 2022 drilling program under our new Exploration 2.0 methodology and continuing the vital exploration work to advance our key gold projects. We look forward to an exciting second half of 2022 as we continue to explore our large land package with the goal of becoming the next major exploration success in the Exploits Subzone, Central Newfoundland." About Exploits Discovery Corp. Exploits is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of mineral projects in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company is actively exploring its projects in the Exploits Subzone, covering approximately 2,000 square kilometres of mineral tenements. The Company's Exploration 2.0 Model is focused on discovering high-grade structurally hosted epizonal gold similar to New Found Gold's success at the Keats and Lotto Zones in the Appleton zone. Exploits is leveraging its local team and geologic understanding to become one of the most extensive explorers in the Exploits Subzone. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD /s/ "Jeff Swinoga" President and CEO For more information, please contact: Shanda Kilborn VP, Investor Relations +1 (778) 819-2708 investors@exploits.gold Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, actual results of the Company's exploration and other activities, environmental risks, future metal prices, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. All the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by applicable law. Acknowledgments Exploits Discovery would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Junior Exploration Assistance Program from the Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133346 TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to announce that yesterday it completed the previously announced definitive agreement with Aftermath Silver Ltd. ("Aftermath") (TSX-V:AAG.H) on November 12, 2019, in which Aftermath will acquire Minera Mandalay Challacollo Limitada ("MMC"), which currently owns the Challacollo silver-gold project located in Region I (Tarapaca) of Chile. Pursuant to the terms of the transaction, Aftermath will purchase 100% of MMC in exchange for total consideration consisting of C$8.0 million in non-contingent consideration (the "Non-Contingent Consideration") plus a 3% net smelter returns royalty on production at Challacollo, capped at US$3.0 million. The Non-Contingent Consideration is payable as follows: C$1.0 million in cash payable on or before December 30, 2019 (received in Q4 2019); C$1.0 million in cash payable on or before December 30, 2020 (received in Q4 2020); C$3.0 million in cash or shares payable on or before April 30, 2021 (received in Q2 2021); C$1.5 million in shares and $1.0 million in cash payable on closing, August 10, 2022; and C$0.5 million plus interest in cash on or before December 31, 2022. Dominic Duffy, President and CEO of Mandalay, commented: "Mandalay is pleased to have successfully closed the sale of Challacollo to Aftermath. This transaction aligns with Mandalay's objective with creating value from its non-core assets. We wish Aftermath further success on the restart of exploration in the region and look forward to a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with Aftermath." For Further Information: Dominic Duffy President and Chief Executive Officer Edison Nguyen Director, Business Valuations and Investor Relations Contact: 647.260.1566 About Mandalay Resources Corporation: Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia (Costerfield gold-antimony mine) and Sweden (Bjorkdal gold mine). The Company is focused on growing its production and reducing costs to generate significant positive cashflow. Mandalay is committed to operating safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, while developing a high level of community and employee engagement. Mandalay's mission is to create shareholder value through the profitable operation and continuing the regional exploration program, at both its Costerfield and Bjorkdal mines. Currently, the Company's main objectives are to continue mining the high-grade Youle vein at Costerfield, bring online the deeper Shepherd veins, both of which will continue to supply high-grade ore to the processing plant, and to extend Youle Mineral Reserves. At Bjorkdal, the Company will aim to increase production from the Aurora zone and other higher-grade areas in the coming years, in order to maximize profit margins from the mine. About Aftermath Silver Ltd: Aftermath Silver Ltd. is a Canadian junior exploration company engaged in acquiring, exploring, and developing mineral properties with an emphasis on silver in Chile. The Company is focused on growth through the discovery and acquisition of quality projects in stable jurisdictions. Aftermath continues to seek new opportunities to take advantage of the relatively low silver price. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the sale of MMC to Aftermath Silver. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mandalay's annual information form dated March 31, 2022, a copy of which is available under Mandalay's profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Production efficiencies and cost reduction measures are being implemented to ensure production and cost guidance are met Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Andean Precious Metals Corp. (TSXV: APM) (OTCQX: ANPMF) ("Andean" or the "Company") today announced its financial and operational results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 and provided a strategic and business update. All currency amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise. Highlights Debt-free balance sheet with $88.4 million in cash and $4.0 million in marketable securities as at June 30, 2022 Higher average head grade of 126 g/t silver compared with 115 g/t in Q2 2021 Consistent processing plant throughput of 0.4 million tonnes, same as Q2 2021 Revenues of $28.9 million from sales of 1.3 million silver equivalent ounces 1 with cost of sales of $24.5 million with cost of sales of $24.5 million All-in sustaining costs ("AISC") 2 per silver ounce sold of $21.38; H1 2022 AISC per ounce of $20.15 per silver ounce sold of $21.38; H1 2022 AISC per ounce of $20.15 Adjusted EBITDA 2 of negative $0.7 million driven by lower revenues from a significant decline in silver prices throughout Q2 2022; net loss of $6.2 million or $0.04 per share of negative $0.7 million driven by lower revenues from a significant decline in silver prices throughout Q2 2022; net loss of $6.2 million or $0.04 per share As part of its focus on growth, Andean increased its management bench strength with the appointments of Ben McCormick as Vice President of Treasury and Corporate Development and Patricia Moran as Vice President of Investor Relations "Andean finished the quarter with a strong balance sheet, including over $90 million in cash and marketable securities, and no debt," Simon Griffiths, President and CEO of Andean commented. "Production and costs are expected to improve in the latter part of the year following implementation of production efficiency measures. Additionally, we are closely evaluating our cost base and are addressing input costs to offset soft silver prices. As a result, we are reaffirming our 2022 production and cost guidance." Mr. Griffiths added, "As we enter the second half of the year, our strong cash position provides a measure of insulation against wider economic volatility and allows us to act upon strategic growth opportunities. Specifically, we remain committed to extending the mine life at San Bartolome by identifying new oxide feed sources. We will also continue to increase our efforts to secure accretive M&A transactions in Bolivia and the wider America's region." Operational and Financial Results Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Financial Performance2 Revenue $ 28,892 $ 38,038 $ 58,780 $ 76,385 Cost of sales $ 24,532 $ 24,373 $ 45,179 $ 49,019 Income from mine operations $ 3,613 $ 11,289 $ 10,037 $ 22,566 Net income $ (6,184 ) $ 3,870 $ (3,909 ) $ 2,348 Net cash from operating activities $ 45 $ 11,399 $ 2,748 $ 22,651 Free cash flow1 $ (633 ) $ 10,306 $ 1,579 $ 21,203 Adjusted EBITDA1 $ (715 ) $ 10,250 $ 4,653 $ 20,548 Ending cash and cash equivalents $ 88,449 $ 79,013 $ 88,449 $ 79,013 Capital expenditures $ 634 $ 1,093 $ 1,169 $ 1,448 Cash operating costs (by-product)2 $ 18.68 $ 16.47 $ 17.62 $ 16.17 All-in sustaining costs (by-product)2 $ 21.38 $ 18.97 $ 20.15 $ 18.15 1 Free cash flow, Adjusted EBITDA, cash operating costs ("COC") and AISC are measures of financial performance with no prescribed definition under IFRS. Refer to the "Non-IFRS Measures" section of this release for further details. 2 Figures in this table are presented in thousands except for COC and AISC. In the second quarter of 2022, Andean sold 1.3 million silver equivalent ounces at an average realized price of $22.24 per silver ounce and generated $28.9 million in revenue. This compares to 1.4 million silver equivalent ounces sold at a higher average realized price of $26.71 per silver ounce, for revenue of $38.0 million in Q2 2021. Cost of sales, which comprise the full cost of operations excluding depreciation and depletion, were $24.5 million during the quarter, compared to $24.4 million in Q2 2021. General and administrative expenses for the quarter increased to $3.6 million from $2.2 million in Q2 2021, primarily driven by increased corporate development activity. Net loss for the quarter was $6.2 million, or negative $0.04 per share, compared to net income of $3.9 million, or $0.02 per share, in Q2 2021. The year-over-year decrease of $10.1 million was mainly due to lower silver prices realized and a reduction in silver production volumes. Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Operational Performance Tonnes mined1 (k dmt) 540 473 1,019 887 Average ore mined grade (Ag g/t) 102 96 99 99 Tonnes purchased2 (k dmt) 117 136 234 266 Average purchased ore grade (Ag g/t) 221 198 216 195 Tonnes milled3 (k dmt) 407 430 813 850 Daily average throughput (dmt) 4,769 4,888 4,714 4,830 Average head grade (Ag g/t) 126 115 121 116 Silver recovery (%) 75 84 76 85 Silver production (k ozs) 1,236 1,326 2,387 2,711 Gold production (ozs) 902 1,314 1,800 2,818 Silver equivalent production4 (k ozs) 1,310 1,415 2,530 2,901 Silver sales (k ozs) 1,225 1,334 2,398 2,751 Gold sales (ozs) 900 1,326 1,571 2,577 Silver equivalent sales4 (k ozs) 1,299 1,424 2,526 2,924 1 Tonnes mined includes ore mined from the Company's permitted areas, including Santa Rita, Huacajchi, Antuco, El Asiento, Monserrat and Tatasi-Portugalete during 2022 and 2021. Tonnes mined is reported as run-of-mine ("ROM"). 2 Tonnes purchased includes oxidized material purchased from local mining cooperatives as well as through the Company's contract with RALP. 3 Tonnes milled is reported as +8 mesh. 4 Silver equivalent production and silver equivalent sales include gold production and sales, respectively. Equivalent ounces are calculated using the Company's realized gold and silver prices during the referenced period. Silver equivalent production by source (kozs) Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Pallacos 329 526 842 1,127 Mine reclamation stockpiles 305 200 395 416 Cachi Laguna 242 128 414 234 Oxide purchases 434 561 879 1,124 Total 1,310 1,415 2,530 2,901 2022 Outlook and Guidance Andean will continue to process ore from its surface deposits (termed "Pallacos") at San Barolome and reclaim silver bearing mine waste stockpiles. While silver recoveries in the processing plant were impacted throughout the quarter, recoveries have begun to increase and silver equivalent production is expected to normalize during the second half of 2022. These factors, together with an ongoing review of cost reduction opportunities, are expected to lower unit costs. The Company also continues to advance its technical understanding of the processing options to recover silver and tin at the San Bartolome fines disposal facility ("FDF") and the dry-stack tailings ("DSF"). Andean has now received the latest test work from the FDF study and has also completed a drill programme on the DSF to define tonnes and grade. A dedicated press release will be issued shortly to provide an update on the progress of these technical studies. Andean reiterates that it expects fiscal 2022 silver equivalent production to be between 5.3 and 5.8 million ounces at an AISC (by-product) of $17.25 to $18.75 per silver ounce sold. Reasons for lower metallurgical recoveries at one of the mill feed sources have been identified and the corrective actions taken, which is expected to contribute to lower AISC in the second half of the year. The following table sets out Andean's year-to-date results against its full year 2022 production and AISC guidance: YTD 2022 Actual 2022 Guidance1 Silver equivalent production 2.5M oz 5.3M to 5.8M oz AISC (by-product) $20.15/Ag oz $17.25 to $18.75/Ag oz 1 Andean's commodity price assumptions supporting this estimate are $23.00/ounce silver and $1,750/ounce gold. Andean's complete financial statements and management's discussion & analysis are available for viewing on its website and under its company profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Expanding the Team Andean is pleased to welcome Ben McCormick as Vice President of Treasury and Corporate Development. Ben joins Andean from Rincon where he led the successful sale of the lithium assets in Argentina to Rio Tinto. Prior to Rincon, Ben was employed at Newcrest Mining for 15 years. Ben will be focusing on Andean's growth and capital strategy. In addition, Patricia (Trish) Moran has joined as Vice President of Investor Relations, bringing over 25 years' experience to Andean. Prior to joining Andean, she was with Endeavour Silver as Interim Head of Investor Relations and was Vice President of Investor Relations at Teranga Gold. Trish will refresh the IR strategy, focusing on attracting new investors to the Company. "I would like to welcome Trish and Ben to the team," Simon Griffiths said. "Their combined prior experience and deep industry expertise will prove invaluable as we accelerate our efforts to execute on our M&A objectives and deliver value to our stakeholders." Notice of Conference Call and Webcast Management of Andean will host a conference call today, August 11, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss its second quarter financial results. All interested parties may join the conference call by dialing 1-800-319-4610 in Canada and the United States, or 1-604-638-5340 internationally, approximately 15 minutes prior to the call to secure a line. A live audio webcast of the call will be available at https://bit.ly/Q22022APM. Please connect at least 15 minutes prior to the conference call to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be required to join the webcast. An archived replay of the webcast will be available for 90 days. Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Donald J. Birak, Independent Consulting Geologist to the Company, a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, Registered Member, Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME), Fellow, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). About Andean Precious Metals Corp. Andean Precious Metals is a Canadian headquartered, growth-focused silver producer that owns and operates the San Bartolome project located in the department of Potosi, Bolivia. San Bartolome has been operating continuously since 2008, producing an average of over five million ounces of silver equivalents per year. The Company is also exploring its wholly owned San Pablo and Rio Blanco gold projects and seeking other accretive opportunities in Bolivia and Latin America. Andean is committed to fostering safe, sustainable and responsible operations. For more information, please visit www.andeanpm.com. Company Contact Trish Moran VP Investor Relations tmoran@andeanpm.com T: +1 416 564 4290 North America Anna Speyer NATIONAL Capital Markets aspeyer@national.ca T: +1 416-848-1376 Europe Charles Vivian Tavistock andean@tavistock.co.uk T: +44 20 7920 3150 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Andean with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking statements are often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include without limitation, statements regarding production and costs improving in the latter part of the year, Andean's commitment to extending the mine life at San Bartolome by identifying new oxide feed sources, Andean's increase in efforts to secure accretive M&A transaction in Bolivia and in the wider Latin America region, statements made under the heading Andean's 2022 Outlook and Guidance, statements regarding Andean's plans to continue to process ore from its surface deposits at San Bartolome and reclaim silver bearing mine waste stockpiles, Andean's expectation that silver equivalent production will normalize in the second half of 2022, Andean's expectation that unit costs will be lower through year end, the statement regarding Andean's position for growth in the future and statements regarding Andean's fiscal 2022 production and AISC guidance. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect Andean's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Andean believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed thereon, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of Andean. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements are the following: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws and regulations both locally and in foreign jurisdictions; compliance with extensive government regulation; the risks and uncertainties associated with foreign markets. These forward-looking statements may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Andean and general market conditions, including COVID-19 and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and any actions taken by other countries in response thereto, such as sanctions or export controls. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Andean has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended and such changes could be material. Andean does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law. Non-IFRS Measures COC and AISC COC and AISC are non-IFRS performance measures. COC include total production cash costs incurred at the Company's mining operations, which form the basis of the Company's cash costs, less by-product revenues from gold sales. AISC includes COC plus sustaining capital expenditures, general and administrative expenses, sustaining exploration and evaluation costs and reclamation cost accretion. Reclamation and closure costs represent the gradual unwinding of the discounted liability to rehabilitate the area around San Bartolome at the end of its mine life. The Company reports these measures on a silver ounce sold basis. The Company believes that AISC represents the total costs of producing silver from current operations and provides the Company and other stakeholders of the Company with additional information relating to the Company's operational performance and ability to generate cash flows. These measures are used by management to assess the Company's performance and its expected future performance; however, these measures do not have any standardized meaning. As such, there are likely to be differences in the method of computation when compared to similar measures presented by other issuers. Accordingly, these measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table provides a reconciliation of the cash operating cost per silver ounce sold on a by-product basis: Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Costs of sales, as reported $ 24,532 $ 24,373 $ 45,179 $ 49,019 Total cash operating cost before by-product credits 24,532 24,373 45,179 49,019 Less: by-product gold credits (1,648 ) (2,408 ) (2,931 ) (4,524 ) Total cash operating costs 22,884 21,965 42,248 44,495 Divided by silver ounces sold (k ozs) 1,225 1,334 2,398 2,751 COC per silver ounce sold, on a by-product basis $ 18.68 $ 16.47 $ 17.62 $ 16.17 The following table provides a reconciliation of the all-in sustaining cost per silver ounce on a by-product basis: Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Cash costs, net of by-product credits $ 22,884 $ 21,965 $ 42,248 $ 44,495 General and administrative expenses1 2,352 1,999 4,332 3,479 Sustaining capital expenditures2 634 1,093 1,081 1,448 Lease payments 44 - 88 - Accretion for decommissioning liability 282 248 564 477 Sustaining exploration and evaluation2 - 1 - 19 All-in sustaining costs 26,196 25,306 48,313 49,918 Divided by silver ounces sold (k ozs) 1,225 1,334 2,398 2,751 AISC per silver ounce sold, on a by-product basis $ 21.38 $ 18.97 $ 20.15 $ 18.15 1 For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, general and administrative expenses exclude corporate development costs of $749 and $1,056, respectively; and non-cash share-based compensation costs of $446 and $1,034, respectively. 2 Sustaining capital expenditures and exploration and evaluation reflect costs necessary to maintain current production. Adjusted EBITDA The Company has included adjusted EBITDA as a non-IFRS performance measure. The Company excludes certain items from net income to provide a measure, which allows the Company and investors to evaluate the results of the underlying core operations of the Company and its ability to generate cash flows. As this measure does not have any standardized meaning, there are likely to be differences in the method of computation when compared to similar measures presented by other issuers. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table provides a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA: Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Net income (loss) $ (6,184 ) $ 3,870 $ (3,909 ) $ 2,348 Add: Income taxes 1,501 7,497 4,159 13,161 Finance costs 339 327 660 608 Depreciation and depletion 747 2,376 3,564 4,800 EBITDA $ (3,597 ) $ 14,070 $ 4,474 $ 20,917 Add: RTO Transaction costs - - - 3,451 Add: Change in fair value of marketable securities1 2,882 - 179 - Less: Santacruz loan recovery - (3,820 ) - (3,820 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (715 ) $ 10,250 $ 4,653 $ 20,548 1 These amounts refer to mark-to-market adjustments on securities held of Santacruz Silver. Free Cash Flow The Company has included free cash flow as a non-IFRS performance measure. The Company considers operating cash flow plus capital expenditures to provide a measure, which allows the Company and investors to evaluate the ability of the Company to generate cash flows. As this measure does not have any standardized meaning, there are likely to be differences in the method of computation when compared to similar measures presented by other issuers. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table provides a reconciliation of free cash flow: Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Operating cash flows $ 45 $ 11,399 $ 2,748 $ 22,651 Less: Expenditures on property, plant and equipment (634 ) (1,064 ) (1,081 ) (1,312 ) Lease payments (44 ) (29 ) (88 ) (136 ) Free cash flow $ (633 ) $ 10,306 $ 1,579 $ 21,203 Realized Gold and Silver Prices The Company has included realized prices as a non-IFRS performance measure. The Company quantifies average realized price as revenue per the Statement of Operations divided by ounces of silver or gold sold. As this measure does not have any standardized meaning, there are likely to be differences in the method of computation when compared to similar measures presented by other issuers. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. The following table provides a reconciliation of realized prices: Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Silver revenue $ 27,244 $ 35,630 $ 55,849 71,861 Silver oz sold (k ozs) 1,225 1,334 2,398 2,751 Average realized silver price $ 22.24 $ 26.71 $ 23.29 26.12 Q2 2022 Q2 2021 YTD 2022 YTD 2021 Gold revenue $ 1,648 $ 2,408 $ 2,931 4,524 Gold oz sold (ozs) 900 1,326 1,571 2,577 Average realized gold price $ 1,831 $ 1,815 $ 1,866 $ 1,755 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133460 The African Development Bank has appointed Dr. Alex Mubiru as Director General in the Cabinet Office of the Bank Groups President, with effect from 16 August 2022. Dr. Mubiru, a Ugandan national, brings close to 25 years of experience to the position, with a proven track record in the various positions he has held at the African Development Bank, and elsewhere. Mubiru has been Acting Director General in the Cabinet Office of the President since December 2021 and Director of Strategy and Delivery, in the same office. Mubiru joined the Bank as Principal Research Economist in 2009 and has since served in various other roles. Between 2010 and 2012, he was Principal Country Economist in the Tanzania Country Office. In 2012, he was appointed Lead Strategy Advisor in the Strategy and Operations Policy Department and was part of the core group that coordinated the development of the Banks 2013-2022 Ten-Year Strategy. During the same period, he also served as Task Manager for the preparation of the Banks 2013-2017 Private Sector Strategy. In 2014, he was appointed Manager in the Resource Mobilization Department, where he was part of the core team that led, organized and coordinated the 14th replenishment of the African Development Fund. In 2018, he was appointed as Country Manager in the Tanzania Country Office, where he managed a portfolio of over $2.3 billion. Prior to joining the African Development Bank, Mubiru worked as Assistant Professor of Social Science at the Singapore Management University (2008-2009), Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of the National University of Singapore (2001-2008), Project Economist at the World Bank in Thailand (1999-2001) and Research Associate at the Thailand Development Research Institute (1994-1995). I am deeply touched and inspired by President Adesina for the confidence he has, once again, placed in me with this appointment, Mubiru said. I greatly look forward to working with the rest of the Cabinet as well as Senior Management to support the President as he steers the Bank towards the successful implementation of the stated goals of his second mandate. The Bank has given so much to me ever since I joined, and I shall endeavor to work to the best of my abilities, and use my potential to the utmost, to give back as much to it, while serving in this role. Mubiru holds a PhD and a masters degree in Public Affairs, both from Princeton University, and a Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) in Philosophy, Political Science and Economics from Macalester College, USA. Commenting on the appointment, the President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, said: Alexs well-rounded experience as part of the senior leadership team in my cabinet office as well as elsewhere in the institution will allow him to support me effectively at a crucial time in the institutions history. He brings deep institutional knowledge, a solid track record and a quiet maturity to the role. I am confident that he will have an immediate impact in streamlining strategic initiatives, overseeing program management, and communicating objectives across the institution. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Cleanwatts, the leading climate tech company committed to simplifying, amplifying, and accelerating the energy transition for communities around the world, presents Soma Demeny as VP of HR, assuming the responsibility of leading our most important assets: people This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005340/en/ Digitally savvy seasoned HR Leader with 20+ years of international experience in Telco, Financial Services, Digital and Corporate sectors. Soma Demeny holds degrees in business studies and human resources management and he is a graduate of GE's prestigious Human Resources Leadership Program. Advisory board member of HR Fest (2016). 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Soma will be responsible for designing and overseeing the company's HR strategy, including recruitment and employee retention programs, evaluating and improving the company's employee value proposition, training and development plans, as well as creating a safe workplace, healthy and inspirational culture as the organization continues to build a world in which clean energy is decentralized, digitalized, and democratized. Ends About Cleanwatts We are a climate tech company committed to simplifying, amplifying, and accelerating the energy transition for communities around the world. We achieve this by optimizing the consumption, generation, storage, trading, and balancing of clean energy, where it matters most: locally. We deliver value by creating and managing Renewable Energy Communities, deploying our domain expertise, proprietary technology, financial capital, and management capabilities for the benefit of our clients. At the heart of our offering stands Cleanwatts OS, our Operating System specifically designed to manage energy communities. Cleanwatts OS is a modular, interoperable, and localizable cloud-based platform that seamlessly connects the dots between behind-the-meter optimization for community members, front-of-the-meter grid resiliency, and transaction management for local energy markets. We are now actively managing a growing list of over 100 energy communities built by our very own REC Factory: a highly skilled cross-functional team, committed to working closely with anchor clients, town halls, and other community members to develop the best solution for each local community that we serve. Building on the success of our first REC Factory in Portugal, we're now replicating this level of engagement in other geographies around the world. We are building a world in which clean energy is decentralized, digitalized, and democratized. Follow Cleanwatts on LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005340/en/ Contacts: Contact Person: Giovanni Rossi, Marketing Director giovannirossi@cleanwatts.energy Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Stratabound Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SB) (OTCQB: SBMIF) ("Stratabound" or the "Company") is pleased to announce its summer field exploration program has concluded and results are pending on its Golden Culvert and nearby new Win gold projects located in the southeast Yukon within 20 km of Seabridge Gold's high-grade 3 Aces gold project. The Company is also pleased to report it has received the maximum $50,000 grant allowed under the Yukon Mineral Exploration Program (YMEP) towards funding the Golden Culvert 2022 program. A 6-person field crew was deployed to ground check multiple new gold-in-soil anomalies derived from soil sampling programs discovered during the 2021 field season. Three significant new gold-in-soil anomalies yielding results continuously above 20 to 1,050 parts per billion (ppb) gold average over a kilometre in strike length and between 50 and 350 metres in width. The new anomalies demonstrate a strong periodicity occurring at approximate 2-km intervals along some 14 kilometres of strike north of, and including, the Golden Culvert Main Discovery Zone. Numerous additional smaller and discontinuous anomalies between 20 ppb and 190 ppb gold were also identified along a strike corridor of previously identified gold-mineralized trends. Mr. R. Kim Tyler, President and CEO of the Company, stated, "We are investigating the 2021 gold-in-soil anomalies in detail on the ground and hope to discover mineralized bedrock sources and float trains that similarly characterize the Main Discovery area that has yielded diamond drill results of up to 2.53 g/t gold over 33.1m including 60.1 g/t gold over 0.9m, trench values up to 95.0 g/t gold over 1.5m, and surface float-train samples yielding up to 320 g/t gold within a 3-km by 250-m wide gold-in-soil anomaly." He added, "We are also very appreciative to receive the support and confidence of the Yukon Government and Geological Survey for providing us once again with funding assistance." ABOUT STRATABOUND Stratabound Minerals Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company that is developing its advanced-stage flagship Fremont Gold Project in the Mother Lode Gold Belt of California. The Project includes the Pine Tree/Josephine Deposit hosting an NI 43-101 Mineral Resource estimate of 526,000 ounces at an average grade of 1.60 g/t Au in the Indicated, plus 452,000 ounces at an average grade of 1.29 g/t Au in the Inferred Mineral Resource categories, respectively1). Additionally, Fremont also hosts three undeveloped gold occurrences across four kilometres of strike along the prolific Mother Lode Gold Belt. The Company is also advancing its pipeline of other early-stage gold exploration projects including the Golden Culvert, YT and McIntyre Brook, NB in Canada. Additionally, the Company holds two other projects both of which feature NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimates. These include a significant land position in the Bathurst camp of New Brunswick including the Captain Cobalt-Copper-Gold Deposit. 1)(Technical Report on the Fremont Gold Project, Central California, USA. Report for NI 43-101 Stratabound Minerals Corp. SLR Project No: 233.33360.R0000 September 30, 2021, SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. Filed on SEDAR. Mr. R. Kim Tyler, P.Geo., President and CEO of Stratabound, and a "Qualified Person" for the purpose of NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents and technical information of this news release. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.stratabound.com or contact: R. Kim Tyler, President and CEO 416-915-4157 info@stratabound.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. WARNING: The Company relies upon litigation protection for "forward-looking" statements. The information in this release may contain forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. This forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking information. Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, inaccurate assumptions concerning the exploration for and development of mineral deposits, currency fluctuations, unanticipated operational or technical difficulties, changes in laws or regulations, failure to obtain regulatory, exchange or shareholder approval, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits, changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets and the inability to raise additional financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update this forward-looking information after the date of this release or to revise such information to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133432 Series of orders demonstrates Plurilock's consistency and continued outstanding sales performance across key industry verticals Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Plurilock Security Inc. (TSXV: PLUR) (OTCQB: PLCKF) and related subsidiaries ("Plurilock" or the "Company"), an identity-centric cybersecurity solutions provider for workforces, announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aurora Systems Consulting, Inc. ("Aurora"), has received purchase orders from several organizations in July 2022, totaling US$2,984,599. As has been the case to-date, many of the orders received continue to be part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Solution for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) program, a U.S. Government-Wide Acquisition Contract Vehicle (GWAC), and align with Plurilock's stated goal of expanding within the government and defense verticals. All contracts and orders announced by PlurilockTM and its subsidiaries since January 1, 2022, including the latest orders, represent a combined total of roughly US$14.2 million in sales. About SEWP The SEWP V program, launched by NASA in 2015, is the leading information technology (IT) contract vehicle, with government agencies spending $7.9 billion in fiscal 2020.1 Estimates anticipate that agencies will utilize SEWP V for $8.8 billion in contracted spending in fiscal 2021.2 The contract vehicle provides Plurilock with the opportunity to access downstream customers in the government sector. About Plurilock Plurilock provides identity-centric cybersecurity for today's workforces. The Plurilock family of companies enables organizations to operate safely and securely while reducing cybersecurity friction. Plurilock offers world-class IT and cybersecurity solutions through its Solutions Division, paired with proprietary, AI-driven and cloud-friendly security through its Technology Division. Together, the Plurilock family of companies delivers persistent identity assurance with unmatched ease of use. For more information, visit https://www.plurilock.com or contact: Ian L. Paterson Chief Executive Officer ian@plurilock.com 416.800.1566 Roland Sartorius Chief Financial Officer roland.sartorius@plurilock.com Prit Singh Investor Relations prit.singh@plurilock.com 905.510.7636 Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") related to future events or Plurilock's future business, operations, and financial performance and condition. Forward-looking statements normally contain words like "will", "intend", "anticipate", "could", "should", "may", "might", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential", "project", "assume", "contemplate", "believe", "shall", "scheduled", and similar terms. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, actions, or developments and are based on expectations, assumptions, and other factors that management currently believes are relevant, reasonable, and appropriate in the circumstances. Although management believes that the forward-looking statements herein are reasonable, actual results could be substantially different due to the risks and uncertainties associated with and inherent to Plurilock's business. Additional material risks and uncertainties applicable to the forward-looking statements herein include, without limitation, the impact of general economic conditions, the success of the Company in obtaining new or extended contracts or orders; the Company's ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers; the Company's ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof; and unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the aforesaid expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are beyond the control of Plurilock. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as at the date hereof, and Plurilock undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Risks and uncertainties about the Company's business are more fully discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in its most recent Annual Information Form. They are otherwise disclosed in its filings with securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. https://gov-acq.com/contracts/nasa-sewp-v-contract/ https://about.bgov.com/news/this-is-it-sewp-v-is-the-top-it-vehicle-in-fiscal-2020/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133472 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States has warned that Iran will face severe consequences if it attacks any U.S. citizens, including those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served the country. The warning was given by U.S National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in a statement he issued after the Department of Justice charged a member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with plot to murder former National Security Advisor John Bolton on American soil. Sullivan said that the Biden Administration will not waver in protecting and defending all Americans against threats of violence and terrorism. 'Should Iran attack any of our citizens, to include those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences. We will continue to bring to bear the full resources of the U.S. Government to protect Americans,' he added. Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi, was charged with use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire and with providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot. According to court documents, beginning in October 2021, the 45-year-old member of the Islamist militia attempted to arrange the murder of John Bolton, likely in retaliation for the killing of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Qods Force (IRGC-QF) commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone attack in January 2020. Poursafi, a Tehran native, attempted to pay hired killers in the United States $300,000 to carry out Bolton's murder in Washington, D.C. or Maryland. 'The Justice Department has the solemn duty to defend our citizens from hostile governments who seek to hurt or kill them,' said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. 'This is not the first time we have uncovered Iranian plots to exact revenge against individuals on U.S. soil and we will work tirelessly to expose and disrupt every one of these efforts,' he added. If convicted, Poursafi faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 for the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire, and up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000 for providing and attempting to provide material support to a transnational murder plot. Poursafi remains at large abroad. A staunch opponent of the Iranian regime, Bolton served as National Security Advisor to former President Donald Trump. The IRGC is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Iran dismissed as 'baseless and politically motivated' charges against Poursafi. 'Such baseless claims are made with political goals and motives,' the official IRNA news agency quoted Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Naser Kanani as saying on Thursday. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Wi2Wi Welcomes Jason Grelowski TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / Wi2Wi Corporation ("Wi2Wi" or the "Company") is pleased to announce Mr. Jason Grelowski is joining the board of the Company. Mr. Grelowski is a proven business executive and entrepreneur with over twenty years of experience building, leading and advising organizations ranging from start-ups to mature growth. Grelowski has successfully partnered with emerging and mid-tier firms to stimulate growth, increase profitability, and ensure optimal team effectiveness. As Managing Director of Solvera, Grelowski grew revenues exponentially and built a team of more than seventy-five consultants. The team continues to be recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies and was featured on MediaCorp's Top 100 Employers for four straight years. Currently, Jason is the Chief Executive Officer of Software Development Experts, creators of Digital Transformation Advisor. A native Albertan, Grelowski has lived across Canada and developed strong bonds with both his community and the arts. He is a co-founder of Calgary on Purpose, a group dedicated to constructive conversations about the future of Calgary, and served as development chair and board member of the Glenbow Museum. He received his B.A. Honors from University of Calgary and his MBA from Dalhousie University. "I am honored to welcome Jason to our board of directors," said Zachariah Mathews, Chief Executive Officer of Wi2Wi Corporation. "As we implement our new strategic product development and marketing plan, it is especially important that our board membership reflects the technical knowledge and expertise in the markets and industries we serve. Jason's background will be an asset to the Company and will further strengthen the execution of our vision." The appointment of the new board member is subject to the approval of Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX.V) Investor & Media Contact: Dawn Leeder, Chief Financial Officer +1-608-203-0234 dawn_l@wi2wi.com About Wi2Wi Corporation: Wi2Wi enables customers to substantially reduce their wireless R&D expenses and time to market. Wi2Wi designs, manufactures and markets deeply integrated, end-to-end wireless connectivity solutions as well as customizable, high-performance timing and frequency control devices. Wi2Wi provides real time technical support throughout the entire product life cycle for customers across the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Avionics, Space, Industrial, Medical and Government sectors. Wi2Wi was founded in 2005 and is strategically headquartered in San Jose, California with satellite offices in Middleton, Wisconsin and Hyderabad, India. Wi2Wi's manufacturing operations, its laboratory for reliability and quality control, together with design and engineering for timing and frequency control devices are located in Middleton, Wisconsin. The branch office, located in Hyderabad, India, focuses on developing end to end wireless connectivity subsystems and solutions. Wi2Wi has partnered with best-in-class global leaders in technology, manufacturing and sales. The company uses a global network of manufacturer's representatives to promote its products and services, and has partnered with world class distributors for the fulfillment of orders along with direct sales. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including management's assessment of future plans and operations, and the timing thereof, that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks associated with the ability to access sufficient capital, the impact of general economic conditions in Canada, the United States and overseas, industry conditions, stock market volatility. The Company's actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits, including the amount of proceeds, that the Company will derive there from. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Company's operations and financial results are included in reports on file with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements and if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable law. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Furthermore, the forward- looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Wi2Wi Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711670/Wi2Wi-Appoints-New-Member-to-Board-of-Directors VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / Condor Resources Inc. - ("Condor" or the "Company") (TSXV:CN) is pleased to provide a detailed description and update of our Cobreorco Porphyry- Skarn Project, a copper-gold prospect in south central Peru. Cobreorco is a 47 sq km project acquired by staking, is royalty free, and 100% owned by Condor, located in the province of Andahuaylas in the department of Apurimac, in the prolific Eocene-Oligocene aged Andahuaylas-Yauri porphyry copper belt. This region is influenced by the large Abancay deflection, and is home to the Las Bambas, Huaquira, Constancia, Tintaya and Antapaccay deposits. Refer to Figure 1, Cobreorco Location Map https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4116/figure_1_cobreorco_location_map.jpg An exposed porphyry with intense stockwork and alteration, along with outcroppings of skarn-gossan with massive magnetite-iron oxide, and other calcsilicate minerals that have been exploited on a small scale by artisanal miners, led to our interest in this area. Numerous porphyry and skarn related copper-gold occurrences are exposed in outcrop, and in small scale artisanal workings within the main 2 sq km area of interest. A high portion of surface rock samples contained anomalous copper and gold values: 32% contained greater than 1000 ppm copper, and 44% contained greater than 100 ppb gold. Refer to Figure 2, one of several area of interest at Cobreorco North Target https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4114/figure_2_area_of_interest_at_cobreorco_north_target.png The bulk of our exploration has been concentrated within a 2 sq km area, and has identified two primary targets - the North Target, and the South Target. Sampling programs have collected 226 rock channel samples (typically 2 metres in length), with anomalous copper and gold values, with copper values testing to 1.95%, and gold to 19.3 g/t. Ever Marquez, Condor's VP Exploration, noted "the high values of gold and copper are consistent - more so than a typical copper-gold porphyry, and this could be related to mineralization events of the Eocene-Oligocene era, which era generated many of the world class porphyry deposits in the central Andes." Copper and gold value plots are shown on Figures 3 & 4. Refer to Figure 3, Cobreorco Copper Geochemistry: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4116/figure_3_cobreorco_copper_geochemistry2.png Refer to Figure 4, Cobreorco Gold Geochemistry: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4116/figure_4_cobreorco_gold_geochemistry2.png Geophysics Program A drone based 3D magnetic survey was conducted over approximately 5 sq kms including the North and South Target areas. The survey totalled 68 line kms, flown east-west using 100m line spacing. The survey data suggests the possible presence of two intrusive related centers with typical geometry of anomalies of porphyry and skarns; the location of both centers are well correlated with the exposed gold/copper porphyry and skarn outcrops. Plan and section views of the magnetic survey highlights are shown in Figures 5 and 6. Refer to Figure 5, Cobreorco Magnetic Survey, Plan View: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4116/figure_5_cobreorco_magnetic_survey_plan_view1.png Refer to Figure 6, Cobreorco Magnetic Survey, Section View: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4116/figure_6_cobreorco_magnetic_survey_cross_section_view2.png The North Target The North Target has outcrops of typical mineralized copper-gold porphyry with intense alteration: quartz-sericite-secondary biotite, with intense stockwork typical of multi-event mineralization, with quartz sulphide infill systems. Sampling of the porphyry exposures returned consistent and anomalous copper and gold values. The North Target area also has outcrops of a mineralized skarn, with massive magnetite, and other calcsilicate assemblages, and with consistent values of copper-gold, and other base metals. The alteration and geochemical sample results correlate with the geophysics geometry and signatures. Photo 1, Exposed Porphyry at North Target: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4114/north_target_-_exposed_porphyry_outcrop.jpg Photo 2, Porphyry at North Target - Quartz-secondary biotite-sericite-iron oxides-copper oxides, with intense stockwork of quartz-iron oxides-copper oxides: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4114/north_target_-_closeup_of_exposed_porphyry.jpg Photo 3, Porphyry at North Target - Sheeting and stockwork veins of Quartz-Iron Oxide, secondary copper: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4114/north_target_-_2nd_closeup_of_exposed_porphyry.jpg The South Target The geophysics outlines an anomaly that is coincident with the location of the porphyry outcrops, with consistent mineralization of gold and copper, as a low magnetic center, and with skarn assemblages with gold and copper, with base metals, with a high magnetic ring. In the South Target area there are hydrothermal mineralized breccias, showing multievent phases of fluids with samples testing up to 19.3g/t Au, and with anomalous copper values. Photo 4, Hydrothermal Breccia at South Target - Rock channel samples tested to 19.3 g/t gold: https://condorresources.com/site/assets/files/4114/south_target_-_hydrothermal_breccia.jpg Plans for Cobreorco Baseline sampling of water, air, and soil has been completed, a requirement for filing our application to the Ministry of Energy & Mines ("MEM") for a Declaracion de Impacto Ambiental ("DIA"), a process which is currently underway. In parallel with the DIA application, the company is in dialogue with the two local communities that will be required to grant surface access permits for our drill programs. The next step with both communities will be informative workshops, conducted by the MEM. Both the DIA and the community access agreements are expected to take several months. Condor is an active explorer focused exclusively on Peru, supplemented by a project generator and royalty model designed to generate exploration capital whilst minimizing shareholder dilution. Our objective in advancing our portfolio of projects is the discovery of a major new precious metals or base metals deposit in Peru. Project acquisition and exploration activities are managed by the Company's Lima based exploration team. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Lyle Davis, President & Chief Executive Officer For further information please contact the Company at 1-866-642-5707, or by email at info@condorresources.com The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Brian Game, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. SOURCE: Condor Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711682/Condor-Updates-on-the-Cobreorco-Copper-Gold-Project Jenbacher Ready-for-H 2 engines will power Raven SR's inaugural waste-to-hydrogen plant engines will power Raven SR's inaugural waste-to-hydrogen plant Jenbacher hydrogen engines will operate on blend of landfill gas and hydrogen-rich waste fuel, producing renewable power Jenbacher engines will operate in isolated operation configuration, enabling Raven SR's facility to produce H 2 independent of the California grid INNIO in collaboration with Raven SR today announced Raven SR's plans to use INNIO's Jenbacher engines [60 Hz] with a "Ready for H2" option to produce renewable energy. The energy system will power and heat Raven SR's S- Series hydrogen production facility at a sanitary landfill in Richmond, California. At the site, landfill gas (LFG) will be the primary fuel to provide power for the non-combustion process that converts waste to hydrogen. The hydrogen product will be resold to power fuel cells in heavy-duty trucks. The Raven SR process will also provide a residual fuel containing residual green hydrogen from the concentration process to supplement the LFG to fuel the Jenbacher Ready-for-H2 engines to generate renewable power in a continuous loop. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005309/en/ Raven SR's inaugural waste-to-hydrogen plant in Richmond, California will be powered by INNIO Jenbacher's Ready-for-H2 engines. (Photo: Business Wire) The collaboration with Raven's technology offers a strong renewable hydrogen alternative to electrolysis, using less electricity and no need for fresh water. INNIO's Jenbacher engines will allow the Raven facility to generate a significant amount of their own electricity, reducing demand on California's electrical grid. "We are proud to collaborate with Raven on this hydrogen industry first, which is a milestone in the interconnecting of transportation and industry with the power producing sector," commented Dr. Olaf Berlien, President and CEO of INNIO. "This project produces onsite renewable hydrogen from waste, uses a blend of hydrogen to generate energy to power operations, and provides renewable hydrogen for the transportation industry. This is a model example of how innovation can enable sector coupling which will be critical on the global path to net zero." "INNIO is able to meet our delivery schedule and provide engines that are compliant with emissions requirements for a blend of CO2, methane and hydrogen," said Matt Murdock, CEO of Raven SR. "The Jenbacher engines are a very important element for us to realize our objective of producing renewable hydrogen with our non-combustion Steam/CO2 Reformation Process, independent of the grid. Raven's success in the increasing energy and electricity crisis requires that we generate autonomous power onsite," said Matt Murdock, CEO of Raven SR. "To succeed in the energy transition, collaboration among best-in-class engineering around the world is required. We are grateful to work with INNIO on this advanced, self-contained renewable energy design." Raven SR plans to bring its S-Series online in the first quarter of 2023 at the Republic Services West Contra Costa Sanitary Landfill in Richmond, California. This project will initially process up to 99.9 tons of organic waste per day and produce up to 2,000 metric tons per year of hydrogen. About INNIO INNIO is a leading energy solution and service provider that empowers industries and communities to make sustainable energy work today. With our product brands Jenbacher and Waukesha and our digital platform myPlant, INNIO offers innovative solutions for the power generation and compression segments that help industries and communities generate and manage energy sustainably while navigating the fast-changing landscape of traditional and green energy sources. We are individual in scope, but global in scale. With our flexible, scalable, and resilient energy solutions and services, we are enabling our customers to manage the energy transition along the energy value chain wherever they are in their transition journey. INNIO is headquartered in Jenbach (Austria), with other primary operations in Waukesha (Wisconsin, U.S.) and Welland (Ontario, Canada). A team of more than 3,500 experts provides life-cycle support to the more than 54,000 delivered engines globally through a service network in more than 80 countries. INNIO's ESG Risk Rating places it number one of more than 500 worldwide companies in the Machinery industry assessed by Sustainalytics. For more information, visit INNIO's website at www.innio.com. Follow INNIO on Twitter and LinkedIn. About Raven SR Raven SR, headquartered in Wyoming, transforms biomass, mixed municipal solid waste, bio-solids, sewage, medical waste, and natural or biogas into renewable fuels. Using its proprietary, non-combustion, non-catalytic Steam/CO2 Reformation technology, Raven SR dependably produces a hydrogen-rich syngas regardless of feedstock utilized. Raven SR, led by co-founders Matt Murdock and Matt Scanlon, is committed to adding value to local resources and communities while responsibly reducing greenhouse gases and achieving a low carbon economy. By using modular systems and producing low air emissions, their systems can be located closer to customers and feedstock, creating local fuel from local waste for local mobility. Visit the Raven website here. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005309/en/ Contacts: Media: Susanne Reichelt INNIO Media Relations +43 664 80833 2382 susanne.reichelt@innio.com JuliAnne Thomas Raven SR Director External Affairs +1 307-413-2267 julianne.thomas@ravensr.com Britannia Mining Solutions will install and operate a total of 12 Chrysos PhotonAssay units in strategically important mining centres globally using an innovative hub-and-spoke model Positions Britannia as a leader in offering technology-enabled, data rich and ESG friendly assay solutions to the global mining industry First PhotonAssay unit to be deployed in Q3 2023 in Montreal, serving as an initial regional hub for eastern Canada Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Britannia Life Sciences Inc. (CSE: BLAB) (FSE: L020) ("Britannia") is pleased to announce that its partially owned subsidiary, Britannia Mining Solutions Inc. ("BMS"), has entered into Asset Purchase Agreements (APA) with Chrysos Corporation Limited ("Chrysos") pursuant to which Chrysos will deliver an additional ten Chrysos PhotonAssay ("PhotonAssay") units, bringing the total number of PhotonAssayTM unit lease agreements signed by BMS to twelve. BMS, which is supported by a distinguished group of mining investors and advisors including Eric Sprott and Dr. Quinton Hennigh, was established to provide technology enabled solutions to the global mining industry by setting up laboratories to address the global backlog in minerals assays. With respect to the additional PhotonAssayTM units, Peter Shippen, CEO of Britannia, stated "Britannia is pleased to deepen its partnership with Chrysos in revolutionising the global minerals analysis industry. Like Chrysos, our Britannia Mining Solutions team has an unwavering commitment to the creation of exceptional market value. The signing of these ten new PhotonAssay lease agreements reflects the desire of both organisations to deliver unparalleled levels of customer service through faster, safer and more sustainable assaying technologies." The first PhotonAssayTM unit is expected to be deployed in the September quarter of 2023. Based on its discussions with a variety of mining companies regarding their assay needs, BMS now expects to deploy the first PhotonAssayTM unit in Montreal, Quebec, where it will serve as a Britannia's first regional hub. BMS expects to deploy the eleven additional PhotonAssayTM units globally using this same hub-and-spoke market expansion plan to deliver assay services to strategically important mining centres across the United States, Canada, Central and South America, the Middle East and Europe. Chrysos PhotonAssayTM technology addresses the many challenges of legacy assay processes, including safety and sustainability, with a significantly faster sample turnaround time. The PhotonAssayTM solution provides results in as little as two minutes and eliminates the need for toxic chemicals used in the slower, more hazardous fire assay process. BMS' PhotonAssayTM units will be complemented with a variety of advanced technology solutions aimed at providing superior and more timely insights to geologists and mining executives, to better inform their ongoing drill programs and mine development plans. On the expansion of its relationship with BMS, Chrysos Corporation Managing Director and Chief Executive, Dirk Treasure, stated "These ten new PhotonAssay leases signal a significant expansion of the existing relationship between Chrysos and Britannia Mining Solutions. We are particularly excited by BMS' targeted approach to the roll-out of its PhotonAssay units. Its proposed regional hub model offers flexibility for large and small miners globally and complements the existing mine-site and near mine-site deployment strategies of Chrysos' other customers." About Britannia Life Sciences Inc. Britannia Life Sciences Inc. is a global platform offering an integrated suite of services to assist companies along their product development journey. Britannia's services, including product formulations, safety assessments, analytical and microbiological testing, global compliance, and consumer evaluations are offered to companies ranging from multinationals to startups particularly in the cosmetics, food, and wellness industries. Britannia has garnered significant expertise in the development and regulatory approval of topical and edible cannabis products, including preparation and support for novel food authorizations. Britannia's head office is located at 120 Adelaide Street West, Suite 2400, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 1T1. For inquiries or more information on Britannia's growing suite of product development, analytical testing, regulatory and compliance solutions across a range of industries, please visit https://britannia.life or contact: Peter Shippen, CEO Tel: +1 416 930 7711 or +44 738 744 7441 Email: peter@britannia.life About Chrysos Corporation Headquartered in Adelaide, with operations spanning Australia, Canada and Africa, Chrysos Corporation combines science and software to create technology solutions for the global mining industry. The Company's flagship product PhotonAssayTM delivers faster, safer, more accurate and environmentally-friendly analysis of gold, silver, copper and other elements. For more information about Chrysos or its PhotonAssayTM technology, visit www.chrysos.com.au or email info@chrysos.com.au. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133421 Merck Foundation and African First Ladies announced Call for Applications for 2 new categories of 2022 Awards for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these field; Merck Foundation Awards More Than a Mother 2022 to address issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Support Girls Education, End Child Marriage, End FGM, Stopping GBV and/or Women Empowerment at all level; Merck Foundation Awards Diabetes & Hypertension 2022 to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes & Hypertension. CEO of Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recognized the felicitation ceremony held by H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central Africa & Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother and H.E. BAZOUM HADIZA MABROUK, The First Lady of Niger & Ambassador of Educating Linda to award the Winners of Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2021 from their respective countries. Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of More Than a Mother campaign expressed, I am thankful to my dear sisters H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic (CAR) & Merck Foundation More Than a Mother and H.E. BAZOUM HADIZA MABROUK, The First Lady of Niger & Ambassador of Educating Linda, for conducting the award ceremony and personally handing over the medals and certificates to the winners who became Merck Foundation Alumni. I once again congratulate the winner from CAR and Niger respectively and also appreciate all the efforts put in by them to become the voice of the voiceless to raise awareness about sensitive social and cultural issues such as Infertility stigma, supporting girl education and also health issues like adapting best protection measures during coronavirus, in the past year. Merck Foundation, encouraged by the valuable contribution from the media, has additionally rewarded the winners by providing them with one-year access to an online educational training program called MasterClass. MasterClass is an immersive online experience and self-paced learning course that can be accessed anywhere with the Internet. Merck Foundation in partnership with the CAR First Lady has provided 5 scholarships to young local doctors in the fields of Oncology and Diabetes. One female doctor has completed Merck Foundations Oncology Program and has become the first Gynaecology Oncologist in CAR. As a part of their Educating Linda program, Merck Foundation has also provided 3000 sets of essential school items to girl students in CAR. Moreover, Merck Foundation in partnership with the Niger First Lady has provided 25 scholarships to young doctors in the fields of Oncology, Fertility & Embryology and Diabetes Care. Under their Educating Linda program, Merck Foundation has also provided 3000 sets of essential school items to girl students in Niger. Winners from Central African Republic in partnership with H.E. Madam BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic & Ambassador of Merck Foundation More Than a Mother are: MERCK FOUNDATION MEDIA RECOGNITION AWARDS MORE THAN A MOTHER 2021 RADIO CATEGORY FIRST Position: Schella Claudicia Yemengali, Radio Centrafrique, CAR SECOND Position: Stephane Kokanzo, Radio Centrafrique, CAR MERCK FOUNDATION MASK UP WITH CARE MEDIA RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021 ONLINE CATEGORY FIRST Position: Arsene-Jonathan Mosseavo Winners from Niger in partnership with H.E. Madam. BAZOUM HADIZA MABROUK, The First Lady of Niger & Ambassador of Educating Linda are: MERCK FOUNDATION MEDIA RECOGNITION AWARDS MORE THAN A MOTHER 2021 PRINT CATEGORY FIRST Position: Issa Moussa, Niger Times, NIGER ONLINE CATEGORY FIRST Position: Koami Agbetiafa, Niger Inter Hebdo, NIGER MERCK FOUNDATION MASK UP WITH CARE MEDIA RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021 PRINT CATEGORY FIRST Position: Koami Agbetiafa, Niger Inter Hebdo, NIGER Senator Rasha Kelej further added, In partnership with my dear sisters, the African First Ladies, I am happy to announce the Call for Applications from Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields for two categories of Awards. You can share your work with us at submit@merck-foundation.com. Details of the Awards: Merck Foundation Media Recognition More Than a Mother 2022 to address issues such as: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Support Girls Education, End Child Marriage, End FGM, Stopping GBV, and Women Empowerment at all levels. Merck Foundation Media Recognition Diabetes & Hypertension 2022 to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness about the prevention and early detection of Diabetes & Hypertension Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires WASHINGTON DC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / As tensions between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan escalate following the visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the Chinese Media Studies Project (CMSP) of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is publishing translations, reports, analysis, and videos focusing on the current situation in the region, from inside and outside it. Just last week, China halted cooperation with U.S. on climate and military issues after it sent missiles over Taiwan, in retaliation for the visit; earlier, it had announced sanctions against Pelosi and her direct family members and called the visit "vicious and provocative actions." Well in advance of Speaker Pelosi's visit, CMSP publications focused on the wave of warnings and threats from Chinese officials and experts in connection with it. Since then, the project has released official videos showcasing China's military capabilities, statements reiterating that China's military "remains fully prepared for any crisis," along with reactions to the visit from the Middle East and Russia and speculation about its possible ramifications. The MEMRI CMSP monitors, translates, and analyzes primary source content from print and online Chinese media, videos from Chinese TV channels, schoolbooks, and official government documents and transcripts. It also translates speeches by a wide range of Chinese government and military officials, as well as statements by journalists from Chinese-language media, including social media. By doing so, it provides a greater and more nuanced understanding of China, its people, its Chinese Communist Party-led government, its ideology, and its regional and international aspirations. A new MEMRI CMSP effort is its Chinese Schoolbooks Initiative - an ongoing examination of the Chinese government's educational system. The initiative investigates the PRC's official textbooks for children from elementary to secondary schools, including translated excerpts from, and commentary to, these deeply ideological texts used by the PRC to shape young minds. The CMSP is the only project carrying out this research. Heino Klinck, former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia and former U.S. military attache in China, who is also a member of the MEMRI Board of Advisors and a regular contributor to the CMSP, stated: "I frequently referenced CMSP products while I was in office, as MEMRI's work uniquely captured the narrative woven by the People's Republic of China for its own domestic audience. MEMRI's translations leave no doubt as to the Chinese Communist Party's intent to dominate the region and beyond." For nearly 25 years, MEMRI has been bridging the language gap between the Arab and Muslim world and the West by providing continuous and timely translations in English and other Western languages to Western audiences, with a focus on the reality of the Middle East, from Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, Urdu, and Pashtu media. Over six years ago we added Russian, and in 2020 we added Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese). Readers may receive daily or weekly emails of CMSP research by registering at this link. Subjects Covered By The CMSP Taiwan Military And Security Developments Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Statements And Policy Anti-U.S. Statements Regional and International Relations Reactions To World Events Human Rights Violations Below are some recent reports and videos from the CMSP. You can view all the latest reports and analyses on the CMSP website and all the clips on the CMSP page on the MEMRI TV website. Taiwan And U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Visit China Increases Military And 'Law Enforcement' Activity In Taiwan Straits As 'Serious Warning' To Taiwan Separatists, 'Stern Deterrence' Against American Escalation, August 3, 2022 Chinese FM Spokeswoman Hua Chunying On Pelosi's Taiwan Visit: The U.S. Is Approaching Our Red Line, Any Chinese Countermeasures Would Be Legitimate, August 2, 2022 Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Mouthpiece Global Times: 'Tension Escalates Hours Ahead Of Pelosi's Potential Taiwan Visit As PLA Remains Fully Prepared For Any Crisis', August 2, 2022 Chinese Military Video Published By Iran Ahead Of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Asia Trip Showcases Infantry, Naval, Aerial, Missile Capabilities, August 1, 2022 Chinese Experts: 'People's Liberation Army Rocket Force Could Conduct Drills With New Missiles Targeting Any Possible U.S. Aircraft Carriers... Involved In Pelosi's Visit [To Taiwan]', July 28, 2022 MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10096, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Mouthpiece Commentator Hu Xijin: 'People's Liberation Army Warplane Can "Accompany" Pelosi's Plane If She Visits Taiwan', July 26, 2022 #9707 Chinese Foreign Ministry Officials On Planned Pelosi Visit To Taiwan: The Visit Will Undermine Our Sovereignty, Deal A Heavy Blow To U.S.-China Relations; If The U.S. Insists, China Will Take 'Resolute' Measures To Safeguard Its National Security, July 19, 2022 MEMRI TV Clip No. 9697, Spokesman Of China's Taiwan Affairs Office Ma Xiaoguang: We Will Crush Any DPP Efforts To Attain Taiwanese Independence, July 15, 2022 MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10042, Chinese Media Outlet Chbcnet.com: 'The U.S. Will Not Be Able To Save Taiwan... Once Mainland China Is Forced To Resort To Non-Peaceful Means To Reunify Taiwan', June 27, 2022 Military And Security Developments MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 1009, China Military Online: 'NATO Proved To Be Nothing But An Aggression Bloc;' 'NATO Initiated Intensive Interactions With Asia-Pacific Countries With The Intentions To Endanger World Peace', June 9, 2022 MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10007, , Taiwan's 'Global Defense Magazine': 'If Taiwan Loses Its Sea And Air Superiority In The Initial Battle' With China, The Ukrainian 'Urban Warfare Scenario' May Be Repeated In Taiwan, June 9, 2022 MEMRI TV Clip No. 9646, China Unveils Fujian, Its Third Aircraft Carrier Launched In Ten Years, June 17, 2022 MEMRI TV Clip No. 9584, China Unveils Zhu Hai Yun Unmanned Ship For Carrying And Deploying Drones, Rumored To Have Military Capabilities, May 20, 2022 MEMRI TV Clip No. 9571, Chinese PLA Navy Aircraft Carrier And Naval Aviation Forces Propaganda Film: We Are Sharpening The Sword, April 22, 2022 Middle East And Russian Commentary On China MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10121, Russian Commentators Convinced That Pelosi's Provocative Taiwan Visit Will Play Into Russia's Hands, August 4, 2022 MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10114, Emirati 'Al-Khalij' Daily: The U.S. Is Employing A Confrontational Policy Against China, Which Could Lead To Global Catastrophe, August 2, 2022 MEMRI TV Clip No. 9727, Syrian Presidential Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban on Chinese TV: China Wants to Eliminate Poverty, Has a Humane Mentality of Collaboration; The West Is One-Sided and Racist, Ruins Countries, July 8, 2022 China-U.S. Relations MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10094, Chinese Think Tank Research Report: 'We Should Have No Illusions About The Comprehensive And Intensified Ideological Game Between China And The United States, And Must Make A Full Preparation', July 25, 2022 Special Dispatch No. 10048, CCP Mouthpiece 'Global Times': The 'Small Circles' Of The U.S. And West 'Constantly Seek And Create Enemies' - While BRICS Promotes 'Genuine Multilateralism', June 29, 2022 ABOUT MEMRI Exploring the Middle East and South Asia through their media, MEMRI bridges the language gap between the West and the Middle East and South Asia, providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, Urdu-Pashtu, Dari, Turkish, Russian, and Chinese media, as well as original analysis of political, ideological, intellectual, social, cultural, and religious trends. Founded in February 1998 to inform the debate over U.S. policy in the Middle East, MEMRI is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization. MEMRI's main office is located in Washington, DC, with branch offices in various world capitals. MEMRI research is translated into English, French, Polish, Japanese, Spanish and Hebrew. MEMRI - Middle East Media Research Institute: www.memri.org MEMRI TV - www.memri.org/tv Jihad & Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) - www.memri.org/jttm Cyber & Jihad Lab (CJL) - www.memri.org/cjlab MEMRI Twitter: https://twitter.com/memrireports/ MEMRI YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC59Cpk70K2TwdmApJOTuW9g/videos MEMRI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/memrireports/ Contact Information: MEMRI media@memri.org 202-955-9070 SOURCE: Middle East Media Research Institute View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711739/The-MEMRI-Chinese-Media-Studies-Project-CMSP--As-US-China-Tensions-Rise-Read-The-Latest-Translations-Reports-Analysis-And-Videos-From-Chinese-Media Pomona Capital, a global private equity firm specializing in secondaries investing, announced that it raised a combined total of $4 billion across its platform in the past two years. The Firm recently held a final close on its tenth secondaries flagship fund, Pomona Capital X, L.P. (the "Fund" or "PC X") with commitments of $2.6 billion. PC X was oversubscribed and capped, surpassing its target of $2 billion by 30% and is approximately 50% larger than its predecessor fund Pomona Capital IX, which collected nearly $1.8 billion. The Fund combined with primaries, co-investment interests and its retail product offering have contributed to the Firm's growth momentum and 23% CAGR in the past five years. Pomona Capital X, like its nine predecessor secondary funds, seeks to deliver on the fundamental premise of secondaries investing; solving for both growth and value with enhanced liquidity and a lower risk profile. Pomona is one of the earliest pioneers in the secondary private equity investing space, with over 28 years of experience providing efficient liquidity solutions for investors. With offices around the world, Pomona works closely with investors and assets on a global scale. The Pomona Investment Fund, the firm's retail product offering, increased by $400 million in assets under management in 24 months or 85% CAGR as the demand by retail investors for private equity continues. Of Pomona's recent achievements, Pomona CEO Michael Granoff said, "Over the years, Pomona has executed a differentiated, value-oriented strategy to secondaries investing. Our approach resonates with investors who recognize the long-term attractiveness of private equity but are concerned about risk." Mr. Granoff added, "Our modest fund size enables us to be nimble, flexible and creative to source what we believe to be higher than market quality assets at a lower than market price." Limited partners in the Fund include pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, financial institutions, endowments, foundations, and family offices from nearly 20 countries. Strong support from existing investors was complemented by a significant number of new investors from across the globe. Today's macroeconomic and private equity environments create interesting, and also challenging opportunities in the secondaries market. "What differentiates Pomona in today's market is our targeted approach and ability to be selective. We are not buying a slice of the generic secondaries market and our focus on purchasing high quality, diverse assets with identifiable near-term liquidity at a measured investment pace is well-suited to the current environment," noted Mr. Granoff. About Pomona Capital Pomona is an international private equity firm with over $16 billion in aggregate capital commitments across its sponsored-funds and separate accounts on behalf of a global group of over 350 sophisticated investors from more than 25 countries. Pomona was founded in 1994 and was one of the earliest secondary market investors, establishing itself as a pioneer in the marketplace. Pomona also manages a $5.8 billion business making primary investments in private equity funds as a strategic complement to the secondaries business. Pomona has collectively invested in partnership interests in approximately 750 private equity funds, diversified across the spectrum of private equity, with underlying investments in over 10,000 companies since inception. Pomona Capital's team is based in New York, London and Hong Kong. Pomona's capital capacity and global reach are enhanced by a strategic partnership with Voya Investment Management. About Voya Investment Management Voya Investment Management manages approximately $330 billion* in assets across public and private fixed income, equities, multi-asset solutions and alternative strategies for institutions, financial intermediaries and individual investors, drawing on a 50-year legacy of active investing and the expertise of 300+ investment professionals. Named a Best Place to Work in Money Management by Pensions Investments for seven consecutive years, Voya IM has cultivated a culture grounded in a commitment to understanding and anticipating clients' needs, producing strong investment performance, and embedding diversity, equity and inclusion in its business. (*AUM as of 6/30/22, reflecting pro forma assets of Voya IM and select strategies of Allianz Global Investors U.S., integrated as of 7/25/22.) VOYA-IM View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005400/en/ Contacts: Media: Kristopher Kagel (212) 309-6568 Kristopher.kagel@voya.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Satori Resources Inc. (TSXV: BUD) ("Satori" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the latest drill results from the spring exploration drilling at the 100%-owned Tartan Lake deposit near Flin Flon, Manitoba. Satori's winter drill program focused on shallow holes targeting extensions of the South Zone mineralization down plunge to the west and initial drilling of the McFadden target, a broad area of intense quartz carbonate veining located approximately 1,600 metres south of the South Zone. Table 1.0 summarizes the drill results from the South Zone drill holes. The most significant intersection was reported in hole TLSZ22-21 which intersected 29.06 g/t Au over 5.85 metres and included 198.5 g/t Au over 0.80 metres. Coarse visible gold was observed in the drill core. The intersection, which has been named "SZHW Zone", appears to be a distinct new zone of gold mineralization and is located approximately 75 metres south of the interpreted South Zone. The SZHW Zone is well defined by historical surface and underground drilling. The same hanging wall mineralization was intersected in holes TLSZ21-06 and TLSZ21-07, drilled earlier in 2021. TLSZ21-06 intersected 3.00 g/t Au at a depth of 8.0 metres from surface averaged over 4.75. TLSZ21-07 intersected 4.91 g/t over 3.75 metres at a depth of 9.75 metres from surface. The three holes define an east-west striking zone that dips 70-80 degrees to the north and it appears as if it may converge with the south dipping South Zone mineralization approximately 250 metres below the current limit of drill coverage. The SZHW mineralization is open at depth to the east. Jennifer Boyle, Chief Executive Officer, states that, "The high-grade intersection and multiple sites of visible gold observed in hole TLSZ21-21 were exciting on their own but the indication that this new zone of mineralization may converge with the historically defined South Zone mineralization at depth isolates a premium exploration opportunity for follow up drilling. The interpreted convergence of the two zones is only 450 metres from surface and the hanging wall mineralization is open to the east. The eastern extension is not truncated by Tartan Lake, which means it can be accessed for drilling on a year round basis. I am pleased to report that we have delivered on ALL our key exploration objectives at the Main and South Zones. Our limited drilling program has returned some of the highest grades ever reported at Tartan Lake. We have demonstrated continuity of high-grade mineralization down plunge at the Main Zone where drilling also intersected a potential new hanging wall zone averaging 47.56 g/t over 5.80 metres. We expanded the mineralization limits of the South Zone which remains open at depth, and we have now identified a potential new hanging wall opportunity at the South Zone. These outstanding exploration results were returned from a modest exploration drill program at a site which is road accessible in a premium mining jurisdiction. That's what I call a successful exploration program. We are currently designing a follow up drill program to extend the newly identified hanging wall zones at the Main and South Zone as soon as possible." All three holes also intersected the South Zone as planned, approximately 50-75 metres below the previous deepest holes. All three holes intersected typical quartz-carbonate-tourmaline veining but gold grades were low tenor with the best result intersected in hole TLSZ22-20 which reported 5.00 metres averaging 1.22 g/t Au. Table 1.0 - Summary of South Zone Results Hole ID From To Interval Au Zone (m) (m) (m) (g/t) TLSZ22-20 72.00 74.10 2.10 2.11 SZ HW and 329.00 338.00 9.00 0.78 SZ Main including 331.00 336.00 5.00 1.22 SZ Main TLSZ22-21 177.65 183.50 5.85 29.06 SZ HW including 177.65 178.45 0.80 198.50 SZ HW TLSZ22-22 24.10 26.95 2.85 2.66 SZ HW and 54.00 57.00 3.00 2.21 SZ HW Figure 1: Tartan Lake - South Zone Drill Plan To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3276/133498_e2d8536a043f9a58_002full.jpg Figure 2: Tartan Lake - South Zone Cross Section 324725 E (Looking East) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3276/133498_e2d8536a043f9a58_003full.jpg The Company also completed seven (7) shallow holes testing a broad exposure of quartz-carbonate-tourmaline veining exposed at surface at the McFadden Zone, approximately 1,600 metres south of the South Zone. The McFadden target is preferably accessible during winter. No significant intersections were reported. Wes Hanson P.Geo., Director of Satori, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release. ABOUT SATORI RESOURCES INC. (TSXV: BUD) Satori is a Toronto-based mineral exploration and development company whose primary property is expanding the resource at the past producing Tartan Lake Gold Mine Project, located in the prolific Flin Flon Greenstone Belt, Manitoba. The Tartan Lake Project (2,670 Ha.) is located approximately 12 kilometres northeast of Flin Flon, Manitoba, and includes the Tartan Lake Mine (1986-1989) which produced 36,000 ounces of gold before the mine was shut down due to, in part, the price of gold falling below USD$390. Remaining infrastructure includes: an indicated resource estimate of 240,000 ounces averaging 6.32 g/t Au (see news release February 23, 2017), an all-season access road, grid connected power supply, mill, mechanical, warehouse and office buildings, tailing impoundment and a 2,100 metre decline and developed underground mining galleries to a depth of 300 metres from surface. Gold mineralization is associated with anastomosing quartz-carbonate veins hosted in east-west striking, steeply dipping shear zones up to 30 metres in width. The veins vary from several centimetres to several metres in width and gold grades vary from 1.0 to +100 g/t. Satori believes the mineral resources of the project are currently limited by drill coverage. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Boyle, B.A., LL.B. President and Chief Executive Officer Satori Resources Inc. (416) 904-2714 jennifer@capexgroupinc.com Mr. Pete Shippen Chair, Satori Resources Inc. (416) 930-7711 pjs@extramedium.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release of Satori contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Satori's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133498 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Omai Gold Mines Corp. (TSXV: OMG) (OTCQB: OMGGF) ("Omai" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has been approved to commence the trading of its common shares on the OTCQB Venture Market ("OTCQB"), beginning today under the ticker symbol OMGGF. Elaine Ellingham, CEO commented, "We are pleased with this milestone that offers investors yet another avenue for trading our shares and look forward to increasing the awareness around our company for U.S. investors. We believe that trading on the OTCQB can lead to overall enhanced liquidity and visibility in global capital markets. She further commented, "Our new Director Don Dudek and I are just flying out today from our Omai property in Guyana. Mr. Dudek brings a wealth of experience in the mining industry and particularly relevant is his experience in gold deposits in West Africa that are deemed geologically related to our gold project in the Guiana Shield. Don examined a good deal of our recent core, visited all of our key exploration targets and is already proving to be a great contributor to the future strategic development of our Omai project." The OTCQB is a leading market for early-stage and developing U.S. and international companies. Recognized as an established public market by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the OTCQB has helped companies build considerable shareholder value including enhanced liquidity and valuation. Investors may benefit from efficient trading through their preferred broker or financial advisor, transparent pricing with real-time quotes, and trusted disclosure that is made broadly available to broker-dealers and market data providers. The Company's common shares will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "OMG". An application with the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) is currently pending to further enable the easier electronic clearing and settlement of the Company's common shares in the United States. ABOUT OMAI GOLD Omai Gold Mines Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., holds a 100% interest in the Omai Prospecting License that includes the past producing Omai Gold Mine, and a 100% interest in the adjoining Eastern Flats Mining Permits. Once South America's largest producing gold mine, Omai produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993 and 2005. In 2022, the Company announced an initial Mineral Resource Estimate on the new Wenot gold deposit. The Company's short-term priorities are to build on the known Mineral Resources, while advancing exploration on key targets, providing a solid opportunity to create significant value for all stakeholders. For further information, please see our website www.omaigoldmines.com or contact: Elaine Ellingham P.Geo. President & CEO elaine@omaigoldmines.com Phone: +1 416-473-5351 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of completion of exploration, trenching and drill programs, and the potential for the Omai Gold Project to allow Omai to build significant gold Mineral Resources at attractive grades, and forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the price of gold and copper; and the results of current exploration. Further, the Mineral Resource data set out in the Omai Gold news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133502 Mexico's flagship airline will initially use Pricefx for its agency business with plans to expand to other areas to improve commercial performance using their advanced pricing software Pricefx, the global leader in cloud-native pricing software, today announced that Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline and a leader in Latin American aviation, has selected Pricefx to help enhance its travel agency business analytics. Leveraging Pricefx's award-winning AI technology, Aeromexico will implement Pricefx to evaluate agency performance and improve commission payment insights with future plans to design bespoke, front and back-end Agency commission plans. After the initial implementation, Aeromexico plans to broaden the use cases for Pricefx to other areas of its business to improve commercial performance. "Technology is increasingly important to agency management and other areas of our airline," said Rastislav Martos, Senior Vice President of Revenue Management and Distribution for Aeromexico. "We are excited to partner with Pricefx on the development of a new sales analytics product for the airline industry, driving value in our critical travel agency segment. By leveraging Pricefx's expertise, we believe we can strengthen Aeromexico's commercial strategy with better execution and improved speed-to-market." With dozens of different fare possibilities combined with fare families and ancillaries for each itinerary, the airline industry's public and private fares are complex to manage. With Pricefx, airlines can leverage technology to track return on investment from travel agency commission payments in a meaningful way. Additionally, the Pricefx solution can be used as a single platform for airlines to dynamically price cargo, loyalty points, ancillaries and corporate programs. "The process of managing airline pricing can be dramatically improved with technology that provides critical data insights," said Ronak Sheth, President Chief Revenue Officer at Pricefx. "With Pricefx, Aeromexico will have best-in-class AI and analytics to improve its agency performance. This will be a major game changer and we are looking forward to working with Aeromexico to make it a reality." Aeromexico was recently interviewed about why they selected Pricefx and their implementation plans. The video interview is available on Pricefx's YouTube channel. About Grupo Aeromexico Grupo Aeromexico, S.A.B. de C.V. is a holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in commercial aviation in Mexico and the promotion of passenger loyalty programs. Aeromexico, Mexico's global airline has its main hub at Mexico City International Airport. Its destinations network features the United States, Canada, Central America, South America, Asia, and Europe. The Group's operating fleet is comprised of Boeing 787 and 737 jet airliners and Embraer 190 models. Aeromexico is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, which celebrated its 21st anniversary, and serves 170 countries with its 18 SkyTeam airline partners. Aeromexico created and implemented a Health and Sanitization Management System (HSMS) to protect its customers and employees at all steps of its operations. Follow Pricefx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/price-f-x-/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/price_fx About Pricefx Pricefx is the global leader in SaaS pricing software, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions that are fast to implement, flexible to configure and customize, and friendly to learn and use. Based on cloud-native architecture, Pricefx delivers a complete price optimization and management platform that provides the industry's fastest time-to-value and lowest total cost of ownership. Its innovative solution works for B2B and B2C enterprises of any size, in any industry, in any part of the world. Pricefx's business model is entirely based on the satisfaction and loyalty of its customers. For enterprises facing pricing challenges, Pricefx is the cloud pricing optimization, management, and CPQ platform to dynamically Plan, Price and Profit. For more information, please visit www.pricefx.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005224/en/ Contacts: Media: Cathy Summers Summers PR for Pricefx cathy@summers-pr.com +1 (415) 483-0480 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Canadian Manganese Company Inc. (NEO: CDMN) ("CDMN" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the final drilling results from the recent core drilling program (see December 7, 2021 and May 10, 2022 news releases) carried out at its wholly owned Plymouth manganese-iron deposit (Plymouth Deposit), located near the town of Woodstock, in New Brunswick, Canada. This deposit, the adjoining Hartford exploration area to the northeast, and Company exploration holdings to the southwest comprise the "Woodstock Project." Highlights from the remaining Plymouth Deposit drill holes from the winter 2022 drilling program are summarized below. Hole locations appear in Figure 1.0. Full drill program results are summarized in Figure 2.0. Hole ID From (m) To (m) *Length (m) Mn % Fe % PL-22-032 9.30 104.00 94.70 10.58 14.85 including 11.00 23.00 12.00 14.72 19.45 and 35.00 53.00 18.00 14.09 17.74 PL-22-038 26.20 154.20 128.00 11.72 16.14 including 47.00 68.00 21.00 13.51 18.79 including 74.00 133.00 59.00 12.96 17.45 including 110.00 133.00 23.00 14.11 19.72 and 267.10 452.00 184.90 8.98 12.40 PL-22-040 16.90 146.70 129.80 10.27 14.63 including 29.00 47.00 18.00 14.38 19.71 and 113.00 134.00 21.00 12.40 16.80 PL-22-041 32.00 272.00 240.00 10.87 15.15 including 57.90 86.00 28.10 12.55 17.03 including 120.80 167.00 46.20 12.91 18.35 and 230.00 248.00 18.00 13.81 18.99 PL-22-042 36.50 236.90 200.40 10.12 14.69 including 62.00 86.00 24.00 12.25 16.76 including 149.00 185.00 36.00 12.16 16.44 including 191.20 236.90 45.70 11.41 15.67 and 209.00 236.90 27.90 12.03 16.22 * Note: Downhole core sample lengths are specified. True widths of the mineralized intercepts range between 70% and 90% of these lengths. All Plymouth Deposit holes reported above returned long mineralized intervals (94.7 m to 240m) that exceed the current average mineral resource grade of 10.1% Mn. Three of the holes (PL22-032, PL22-038 and PL22-040) include substantial sub-intervals (12 m to 23 m in length) of high-grade mineralization ranging between 14.09% Mn and 14.72% Mn. This grade distribution trend is consistent with results received for adjacent drill holes and increases confidence in the current Plymouth Deposit geological model. In late July of 2022, the Company completed an initial core drilling campaign to test historically documented manganese-iron mineralization in the Hartford area, located on Company holdings approximately 2.2 km northeast of the Plymouth Deposit. Mineralization at Hartford is hosted by the northeast extension of the same geological sequence that hosts the Plymouth Deposit. The drilling program consisted of 4 drill holes (approximately 1,186 m) completed along one section line. Matthew Allas, President and CEO commented, "We are pleased to now have all the results from our 2021-2022 Plymouth Deposit infill drill program. Not only do these results confirm the grades, widths, and near-surface positioning of the mineralization, they also demonstrate resource size, continuity, and growth potential. We are currently incorporating these results into an updated Mineral Resource estimate and expect a material positive impact, which will highlight the superior fundamentals of the Plymouth Deposit. Our initial drilling at Hartford shows that manganese-iron mineralization similar to that present in the Plymouth Deposit is well developed in this area and that spatial aspects of mineralization correlate well with corresponding historical records. We at CDMN are excited about the potential for defining new Mineral Resources at Hartford that will expand upon our substantial current inventory at Plymouth. Based on results to date, we believe that the large Woodstock Project land package held by the Company covers a manganese district that is clearly significant on a global scale." Technical Information Drill program field supervision, logging and sampling activities were carried out under supervision of Professional Geologists registered in the Province of New Brunswick and employed by Mercator Geological Services Limited of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. Logging, sampling, and assaying procedures were as per the Company's QA/QC protocols whereby drill core was descriptively logged on site, aligned, marked for sampling and then split in half, longitudinally, using a diamond saw blade. Samples consist of half NQ-size diamond core (47.6 mm diameter core). One-half of the core is preserved in core boxes for future reference stored at the Company's secure core logging facility located in Woodstock, NB. Samples comprising the other half of the core were bagged, tagged, sealed, and shipped to ALS's preparation facility in Moncton, New Brunswick with analytical procedures subsequently completed at ALS's Vancouver, BC facility. X Ray Fluorescence (XRF) methods as described in ALS protocol ME-XRF26s were applied for analysis of manganese and iron contents and total sulphur levels were determined in accordance with ALS protocol S-IR08. Specific gravity determinations for selected core samples were carried out in accordance with ALS protocol OA-GRA08/OA-GRA08b. The QA/QC program applied to the 2021/2022 drill core samples included systematic insertion and analyses of Certified Reference Materials, blank samples, duplicate pulp splits and quarter core duplicates at 1 in 20 frequency and coarse reject splits at 1 in 40 frequency. A third-party check sample program for pulp split samples is also included in the Company's QA/QC program, with SGS Canada Ltd., providing analytical services. QUALIFIED PERSON The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been, reviewed and approved by Paul Moore, P. Geo. (NB), the Company's designated non-independent, Qualified Person within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. ABOUT CANADIAN MANGANESE CDMN is a Canadian mineral development company aiming to become a supplier of high-purity manganese metal products for the rechargeable battery industry. CDMN holds the Woodstock Project in New Brunswick. For further information: investors@CanadianManganese.com Matthew Allas: President and CEO +1 647 338 3748 The NEO Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Additional information on CDMN is available at www.CanadianManganese.com. Notice regarding forward-looking statements: This news release includes forward-looking statements regarding CDMN, and its respective businesses, which may include, but are not limited to, the impact an updated Mineral Resource will have on the Plymouth deposit, the development and timing of a new Mineral Resources at Hartford that will expand upon CDMN'S current inventory at Plymouth, the significance of the manganese district on the Woodstock Project land package held by the Company , the expected plan to become a supplier of high-quality manganese metal products. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "is expected", "expects", "scheduled", "intends", "contemplates", "anticipates", "believes", "proposes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of each entity. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections, or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct, and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the timing and ability to develop and updated Mineral Resource, risks regarding the mining industry, economic factors, the equity markets generally, risks associated with growth and competition as well as those risks and uncertainties identified and reported in the Company's public filings under its SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although CDMN has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and CDMN undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Figure 1.0: Plymouth Project Drill Plan Map To view an enhanced version of Figure 1.0, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7184/133501_f72d0267d429486f_002full.jpg. Figure 2.0: Highlighted intercepts from the 2021-2022 Plymouth Drill Program Hole ID From (m) To (m) *Length (m) Mn % Fe % PL-21-026 105.10 112.80 7.70 9.28 13.59 and 284.00 290.00 6.00 5.72 10.85 PL-21-027 106.77 140.00 33.23 5.23 8.81 PL-22-028 149.00 210.05 61.05 10.25 13.80 incl 161.00 173.00 12.00 12.65 18.10 incl 179.00 191.00 12.00 11.86 15.58 incl 196.57 206.00 9.43 13.50 12.55 PL-21-029 82.64 137.91 55.30 9.99 11.23 including 91.00 137.91 46.91 10.36 11.13 and 121.00 137.91 16.91 11.77 9.33 PL-21-030 7.40 80.00 72.60 8.63 11.04 including 62.00 80.00 18.00 10.18 12.46 PL-21-031 8.85 119.00 110.15 9.15 12.15 including 14.00 56.00 42.00 11.26 14.05 PL-22-032 9.30 104.00 94.70 10.58 14.85 incl. 11.00 23.00 12.00 14.72 19.45 incl. 35.00 53.00 18.00 14.09 17.74 PL-22-033 9.50 38.00 28.50 9.87 13.15 incl. 11.00 20.10 9.10 12.50 13.80 and 94.20 155.50 61.30 9.94 14.61 incl 101.90 122.00 20.10 12.28 16.23 incl 140.00 155.50 15.50 11.46 15.26 incl 140.00 140.75 0.75 20.14 13.13 PL-22-034 81.15 179.60 98.45 9.70 12.71 incl. 122.00 137.00 15.00 12.05 16.15 incl. 145.00 179.60 34.60 12.46 14.56 incl. 146.39 172.00 25.61 13.48 15.34 or 146.39 166.00 19.61 14.74 17.07 PL-22-035 116.00 234.00 118.00 9.76 12.32 incl 170.00 185.00 15.00 15.42 17.37 incl 199.10 231.97 32.87 12.98 16.37 Hole ID From (m) To (m) *Length (m) Mn % Fe % PL-22-036 7.90 266.00 258.10 9.80 13.95 incl. 62.00 152.00 90.00 11.54 16.55 incl. 215.00 242.00 27.00 12.45 17.00 incl. 257.00 266.00 9.00 12.36 16.05 PL-22-037 130.00 247.83 117.83 9.15 13.19 incl. 196.08 236.00 39.92 12.42 17.90 and 311.00 373.60 62.60 8.29 11.65 PL-21-038 26.20 154.20 128.00 11.72 16.14 incl. 47.00 68.00 21.00 13.51 18.79 incl. 74.00 133.00 59.00 12.96 17.45 incl. 110.00 133.00 23.00 14.11 19.72 and 267.10 452.00 184.90 8.98 12.40 PL-22-039 75.35 317.70 242.35 10.18 13.87 incl. 77.15 110.00 32.85 13.63 16.19 incl. 101.00 110.00 9.00 17.80 9.92 incl. 113.90 137.00 23.10 13.50 16.31 incl. 122.00 137.00 15.00 15.42 18.38 incl. 167.00 173.00 6.00 16.42 16.48 incl. 215.00 310.80 95.80 11.27 15.63 incl. 230.00 248.00 18.00 13.55 17.47 incl. 257.00 269.00 12.00 15.54 20.57 incl. 288.10 310.80 22.70 11.27 15.88 PL-22-040 16.90 146.70 129.80 10.27 14.63 incl. 29.00 47.00 18.00 14.38 19.71 and 113.00 134.00 21.00 12.40 16.80 PL-22-041 32.00 272.00 240.00 10.87 15.15 incl 57.90 86.00 28.10 12.55 17.03 incl 120.80 167.00 46.20 12.91 18.35 incl 230.00 248.00 18.00 13.81 18.99 PL-22-042 36.50 236.90 200.40 10.12 14.69 incl. 62.00 86.00 24.00 12.25 16.76 incl. 149.00 185.00 36.00 12.16 16.44 incl. 191.20 236.90 45.70 11.41 15.67 incl. 209.00 236.90 27.90 12.03 16.22 Hole ID From (m) To (m) *Length (m) Mn % Fe % PL-22-043 0 152 No Significant Mineralization encountered PL-22-044 86 93.65 7.65 7.90 13.98 and 126.25 131 4.75 11.41 8.46 and 146 151.2 5.2 10.07 13.28 PL-22-045 158.00 176.00 18.00 7.97 12.24 incl. 161.00 167.00 6.00 12.60 15.93 and 197.70 240.95 43.25 9.58 13.71 incl 209.00 237.90 28.90 10.82 14.94 incl 210.80 212.00 1.20 15.42 18.64 incl 240.50 240.95 0.45 21.71 9.58 PL-22-046 181.4 283.7 102.3 11.48 14.75 incl. 217.55 254 36.45 13.46 17.83 incl. 266.00 283.70 17.70 15.28 15.80 and 368 383.2 15.2 7.65 13.04 PL-22-047 145.00 236.00 91.00 10.75 14.81 incl 178.40 203.00 24.60 13.84 19.04 incl 209.00 234.90 25.90 13.47 17.97 or 212.70 233.00 20.30 13.96 18.35 and 415.60 416.75 1.15 20.28 12.40 PL-22-048 0 23 Hole Abandoned before reaching target depth PL-22-048A 73.00 81.35 8.35 9.87 14.23 and 215.00 272.00 54.00 11.02 14.52 incl 236.00 260.00 24.00 13.92 18.80 PL-22-049 60.95 98.30 37.35 8.39 10.80 incl 83.00 95.00 12.00 11.49 12.05 and 188.60 263.00 74.40 10.68 13.93 incl. 201.00 218.00 17.00 12.39 16.27 incl. 224.00 245.00 21.00 13.71 16.97 incl. 224.00 260.00 36.00 12.39 15.21 * Note: Downhole core sample lengths are specified. True widths of the mineralized intercepts range between 70% and 90% of these lengths. **Note: All holes were drilled at angles ranging between -45 and -60 towards the deposit, so as to test mineralization at variable depths below surface. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133501 SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global gene therapy market size is expected to reach USD 10.0 billion by 2028 registering a CAGR of 20.4% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth is attributed to the increasing prevalence of cancer coupled with the lack of effective treatment for the disease. Constant expansion of cancer genetic studies has deciphered relevant information about cancer-related molecular signatures. Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report: Viral vectors have proven their efficiency as a method for effective gene deliveries. As a result, a substantial number of research communities and biotechnology companies have designed their gene therapy programs based on viral vectors. Moreover, most of currently FDA-secured products involve the use of viral vectors, which contributes to the dominance of the viral vectors segment. Due to the approval and huge success of lentivirus-based Kymriah and retrovirus-based Yescarta, retrovirus and lentivirus are also among the key revenue-generating segments. Cancer has led the revenue flow in the market over the past few years and is expected to maintain its dominance in the forecast period. The presence of approved products for various cancer forms including Large B-cell lymphoma, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), and melanoma has resulted in the dominance of this segment. The U.S. is recognized as the hub for clinical trials related to gene therapy. This has significantly impacted the revenue growth of the North America market. market. Also, the success of Yescarta and Kymriah in the U.S. as the first approved CAR-t therapy programs has driven huge investments by various government agencies, sponsors, and key companies in this region. Major market participants are partnering with other key stakeholders via signing licensing, commercialization, and development deals to enhance their worldwide business operations. For instance, in June 2020 , uniQure announced a license agreement with CSL Behring for the commercialization of hemophilia B gene therapy. Read 180 page full market research report for more Insights, "Gene Therapy Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Indication (Large B-cell Lymphoma, Beta-Thalassemia Major/SCD), By Vector Type (Lentivirus, AAV), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", published by Grand View Research. Gene Therapy Market Growth & Trends This has driven the clinical trials for advanced cancer therapeutics, thereby driving the market growth. In addition, expansion of this mode of treatment in non-cancer applications with approval of therapies, such as approval of Bluebird Bio's Zynteglo in June 2019 for -thalassemia and others, demonstrates the shift in the preferences of companies towards other unsaturated segments. Various universities and institutes are observed to exhibit a broad portfolio in the pipeline, which is anticipated to boost revenue generation in the future. The market is anticipated to witnesses a short-term revenue slowdown due to a shift in focus and delay in product launches. However, initiatives for developing novel trial designs, improving the regulatory environment, and managing the supply chain are expected to play a critical role in minimizing the impact of the current global crisis. Gene Therapy Market Segmentation Grand View Research has segmented the global gene therapy market on the basis of indication, vector type, and region: Gene Therapy Market - Indication Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Inherited Retinal Disease Large B-cell Lymphoma ADA-SCID Melanoma (lesions) Beta-Thalassemia Major/SCD Head & Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Peripheral Arterial Disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Others Gene Therapy Market - Vector Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) Lentivirus AAV Retrovirus & gamma Retrovirus Modified Herpes Simplex Virus Adenovirus Non-viral Plasmid Vector Gene Therapy Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2028) North America U.S. Canada Europe Asia Pacific Japan China Russia Australia Rest of the World List of Key Players of Gene Therapy Market REGENXBIO, Inc. Oxford BioMedica plc Dimension Therapeutics, Inc. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company SANOFI Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Bluebird Bio, Inc. Novartis AG Taxus Cardium Pharmaceuticals Group, Inc. (Gene Biotherapeutics) UniQure N.V. Shire Plc Cellectis S.A. Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. Orchard Therapeutics Gilead Lifesciences, Inc. Benitec Biopharma Ltd. Sibiono GeneTech Co., Ltd. Shanghai Sunway Biotech Co., Ltd. Gensight Biologics S.A. Transgene Calimmune, Inc. Epeius Biotechnologies Corp. Astellas Pharma, Inc. American Gene Technologies BioMarin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research: Cell And Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market - The global cell and gene therapy manufacturing market size is expected to reach USD 57.4 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 20.3% from 2021 to 2028. An exponential rise in clinical pipeline coupled with a rising number of regulatory approvals for advanced therapies has majorly driven the market. The global cell and gene therapy manufacturing market size is expected to reach by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 20.3% from 2021 to 2028. An exponential rise in clinical pipeline coupled with a rising number of regulatory approvals for advanced therapies has majorly driven the market. Gene Expression Market - The global gene expression market size is anticipated to reach USD 19.4 billion by 2028 registering a CAGR of 9.96% from 2021 to 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rise in investments for the development of alternative drug discovery approaches coupled with an increase in research activities for genetic studies is expected to drive the global market. - The global gene expression market size is anticipated to reach by 2028 registering a CAGR of 9.96% from 2021 to 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rise in investments for the development of alternative drug discovery approaches coupled with an increase in research activities for genetic studies is expected to drive the global market. Gene Synthesis Market - The global gene synthesis market size is expected to reach USD 5.58 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 18.1% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Gene synthesis space is offering enormous potential for new biological functionality. This has resulted in the introduction of supportive government policies associated with synthetic biology, thereby driving the market. Browse through Grand View Research's Biotechnology Industry Research Reports. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Grand View Compass | Astra ESG Solutions Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg DrazCanna, Inc. (OTCBB:DZCA) Bio-Pharmaceutical Research and Development company announces another Cannabis Industry Leading Environmental Social Governance Initiative (ESG) with Corporate Participation of Phase-1 Application Testing of Linguistic Data Algorithm on its Corporate Press Releases to Aid the Police Industry. DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / "Cannabis Helping Cops" Results of Phase-1 Test of linguistic data algorithm upon DrazCanna, Inc's Press Releases disclosed. The model is designed to aid the police industry in reducing police related deaths and injuries on both sides of the Blue Wall through analysis of police incident report databases to identify officers in need of assistance through the finding of "anomalies" within individual police officer's incidents reports. Part of the tool was utilized within the algorithm of DrazCanna's patent pending cultivation process DrazCanna's most recent initiative to industry leading Environmental Social and Governance commitment is demonstrated by finding innovative ways in which to leverage the talents of their team members to develop approaches and methods that make a positive impact on the world. "This was a unique opportunity for DrazCanna to utilize a linguistic data analytics tool developed to identify anomalies in police incident report databases to find the anomalies. The same analytical algorithm also identifies the 'anomalies' that create top placement of news articles and press releases in Google News rankings for selected keywords", stated DrazCanna's President Hussein Anani. "We are a data-driven company with the goal to be the best emerging growth investment, so it did fit to utilize an advanced algorithm to maximize the reach of our press releases." "The results have been nothing short of extraordinary in maximizing the reach of DrazCanna's first five press releases", exclaimed Hussein. "The process of optimizing the content and message provided within our press releases resulted in number one ranking on Google News for each pre-selected search terms." "The individual that created the program doesn't seek notoriety for his accomplishments in predictive data analytics, so we will call him 'Draz'" stated Ali Anani, Chief Executive Officer of reverse merger partner DrazCanna, Inc (Michigan based). "Who would have thought? A linguistic data algorithm to aid in helping police officers being used by a cannabis company on corporate press releases." The Phase One testing process involved the identification of 'ranking anomalies' on the Google News platform from a variety of search terms. The linguistic data analytics tool was used to analyze the text within the "identified anomaly" news articles and press releases in hopes of "recreating the anomaly" going forward within DrazCanna's press releases. Hussein Anani and Draz DrazCanna's First Google News Algorithm Test The challenge of the first message to the public from an entrepreneurial company is maximizing reach, getting your voice heard. DrazCanna looked at different PR firms to aid in optimizing corporate communications, but a decision was made to write the first few press releases internally. Unbeknownst to other team members, 'Draz' was using a "data analytics tool" to write the first draft of DrazCanna's first corporate press release. The draft was shared with other DrazCanna team members to review and edit before publication. "Prior to publishing of the first press release, 'Draz' put forth that the goal was to be number one on the Google News feed with the agreed upon targeted search words. We were thinking 'yeah right' such a lofty goal but to our collective astonishment, the algorithm was right as each target achieved not just first page ranking but number one." stated Ali Anani, "On the subsequent press releases, 'Draz' made cryptic statements like 'it is one thing to be number one on Google News tab but to be first page on the All tab for the selected keywords is quite the challenge'. Then that happened. We were in complete disbelief, so we reached out to people in the US and around the world to see if they got the same result as we had, which they each did." "I cannot say for sure that 'Draz' cracked the Google News Algorithm but if he didn't there is no doubt that Google really, really likes the way 'Draz' writes" said Ali Anani, "The model most certainly passed with flying colors all five press release tests within the Phase 1 developmental and I believe it is worthy of further development to benefit police officers and its other applications." DrazCanna's Cannabis Industry Leading Environmental Social and Governance - ESG DrazCanna's Environmental, Social, and Governance commitment is a multifaceted approach to industry leadership in each component with the goal to be the best emerging growth investment to our stakeholders. DrazCanna's cannabis industry leading social equity excellence also includes its commitment to employee ownership and hiring practices to benefit the communities in which it operates. DrazCanna's patent pending Nutrient Optimizing Data-Driven Hydroponic System and Methods for Indoor/Hybrid Greenhouse provides the basis for environmental leadership within the cannabis industry. "Our goal is to make a positive impact upon the world we live in. We strive to be an outstanding corporate citizen by seeking solutions that create Win-Win-Wins." added Ali Anani, "After decades of 'cannabis stigma' and criminal prosecution in the US, how could we not in good conscience help improve the working lives of police officers?" DrazCanna benefitted from the police industry research and development performed through its use of an innovative tool providing an unparalleled basis for increasing public awareness of the organization with number one placement out of millions of other related information sources on Google for selected search terms. DrazCanna has secured the exclusive use of the linguistics data analytics program within the cannabis industry for future corporate communications including sharing industry educational, cannabis research and development, corporate citizenship, environmental, lobbying, entrepreneur equity capitalization process, and other messages in its role as a cannabis bio-pharmaceutical research and development company as well as advocating for a better path for criminal justice is police reform that focuses upon aiding police officers. DrazCanna is committed to continue their journey to be the best environmental, social, governance investment, through our innovative application of data-driven solutions to achieve cannabis industry leading Environmental Social and Governance - ESG. The DrazCanna challenge is to innovate tactical solutions to the problems that impact us all, while striving to be the best cannabis bio-pharmaceutical research and development company. A Personal Message from Draz - Cannabis Helping Cops The Origins of the Police Industry Linguistic Data Analytics Program started as a result of an unfortunate police incident in late 2018 in a small Michigan town resulting in police brutality. Like many other innocent victims of police misconduct, I too was faced with overcoming the personal injuries and economic damage from the false arrest. As with most people in the US, my fifty plus years of interactions with good police officers was one I would characterize as mutual respect. Having friends and neighbors as police officers throughout my life, I have seen many examples of good police officers who strive to know better and do better in their work. As a result of the overwhelmingly good experiences in interactions with police officers, I made a personal decision to not view myself or to think as a "victim of police violence" choosing instead to be part of the solution of making it better for all. I chose to seek understanding before judging as I didn't want what occurred to me to happen to any human being. For almost a year and a half after the incident, I was troubled by what occurred, confused and not fully understanding what happened. So I filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the police incident reports and the associated recordings from the officers' cars and mics. Immediately upon reviewing the police incident reports, I saw 'linguistic anomalies and patterns' within the individual police officer's writings concerning the incident. The challenge was to figure out the algorithm that was within the pattern I saw. Evolution of Finding Anomalies within Google News The opportunity to "find other ways to test" the application of the police linguistic data algorithm was the result of the 'resistance' from the small Michigan village to a FOIA request for the police incident database electronic files. A unique request for the village but not for a forensic data scientist. The original plan was to perform developmental testing on roughly five to six thousand individual police incident reports, many of which were from the officers involved in my incident. The choice then became to test the model's application upon job descriptions, press releases, news articles, research papers, legal filings, depositions, court orders, and other written works. Had it not been for the village council refusing to provide the actual police incident report database computer files electronically in a meaningful and financially reasonable way, well let's just say it was very fortuitous to finding the application for Google News ranking. There are 588 different police agencies within the state of Michigan alone, generally each with their own police incident report databases with years of written information from each of the approximately 19,000 Michigan police officers that can be analyzed. The task is to build a larger team to carry forward the development in order to improve policing in the United States for us all, one police agency after the next. It is hoped that other ESG responsible companies in this great country will become corporate partners in this meaningful endeavor as the evolution of development continues. As an experienced auto industry continuous improvement professional, I employed a "root cause" analysis of the officers' actions upon myself seeking to gain understanding to why police officers would behave the way they did in my incident. I analyzed the processes employed by the local police department, state police, investigatory, liability insurance, and legal. What I uncovered was systemic failures within the police industry with the most basic help and support not being provided to aid 'troubled' police officers in improving their on-the-job performance by their police agency, local government, liability insurance company, education providers, and even their own legal counsel, leaving little to wonder as to why these unfortunate police incidents with the public occur. The problems within the police industry are well known. The data is overwhelming that the police industry in the United States is the worst in the developed world in terms of police related deaths. The data shows certain races and ethnic minorities are disproportionately impacted, however the problem can and does affect all human beings in the US. As bad as the data shows the problem is, underreporting makes it even worse. 2021 Police Violence Report Prison Policy Initiative The Marshall Project Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC) - FBI The statistics for death rates are quite clear but the impact of medical injuries and the financial impact of false arrests go untracked and further damage the victims of police brutality. Meaningful police reform will need to focus upon aiding police officers in identifying and addressing the lower levels of excessive force that if left unchecked will escalate to serious injuries and deaths on both sides of the Blue Wall. We have seen our national and state governments attempt to legislate improvements within the police industry with limited or no success to date. The systemic nature of the problems within the police industry creates "an everybody loses" situation from police officers to innocent members of the public to our criminal justice courts. A better path for criminal justice is police reform where everybody wins! Police agencies in the United States need help in reducing deaths, injuries and senseless violence. In order to reduce the police related deaths and suicides, we must choose to be proactive and address troubled police officers before a death occurs. Improvement in our police industry involves tactical solutions, innovating new approaches, new processes, and new procedures that treat police officers as human beings. The path to a better life ahead for all is through identifying and aiding police officers in getting the support that they need. A reduction in police related deaths and injuries will require a change in mindset as well as improved processes and procedures from local police agencies, their governing bodies, the liability insurance companies insuring police officers, attorneys that represent police officers, and the self-investigatory system of police complaints. Identifying officers in need of assistance, education, or direction is a better approach than that of most current police agency approaches based upon "The Blue Wall of Shame" - Draz Contact: DrazCanna, Inc. Hussein Anani, President P.O. Box 600 Dearborn Heights, MI 48127 www.drazcanna.com info@drazcanna.com 'Draz' may be reached at Draz@DrazCanna.com The opinions expressed by 'Draz' are his opinions and may or may not be representative of DrazCanna's position. About DrazCanna, Inc. DrazCanna, Inc. (OTC:DZCA) formerly known as Sibling Group Holdings, Inc., was operating in the educational sector until 2016 and was dormant until 2021 when the corporation filed its reports to achieve current status. For more information, visit www.drazcanna.com. Safe Harbor This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning the plans and expectations of DrazCanna, Inc. These statements are only predictions and actual events, or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties, some of which are out of the company's control. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, that the company's expectations of future growth may not be realized. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof. The company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by the "Risk Factors" and other cautionary statements included in the company's annual, quarterly and current reports and other filings, including but not limited for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, and filings with the OTC Markets. SOURCE: DrazCanna, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711750/Cannabis-Helping-Cops--DrazCanna-Incs-ESG-Initiative-Produces-an-Unexpected-Result-Has-the-Google-News-Algorithm-Been-Cracked NEW YORK, NY and WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / Greystone, a leading national commercial real estate finance company, has provided a $900,000 Fannie Mae loan to refinance a multifamily property in Washington, DC, through the Equity in Action initiative launched by The Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND), the Washington Region's premier member association advocating for affordable housing production and preservation. The financing was originated by Alicia Cotton-Doney, Senior Managing Director at Greystone, on behalf of The Ayesha M. Johnson Revocable Trust. Greystone and HAND launched Equity in Action in 2021 to increase access to working capital for BIPOC real estate developers who face challenges to capital access, asset-based wealth generation, and economic mobility. HAND members gain direct access to advisory and financing solutions for affordable housing construction, refinancing, recapitalization and acquisition, including access to Greystone's #1 ranked FHA lending platform. Built in 1974 and acquired in 2005, 4905 Nash in the District of Columbia's Deanwood neighborhood, is a mid-rise building consisting of 12 units. The non-recourse, fixed-rate $900,000 Fannie Mae loan carries a 10-year term and 30-year amortization period, as well as three years of interest-only payments and a 54% loan-to-value (LTV). In addition to refinancing, loan proceeds enable the borrower to continue to operate the property and monetize a portion of their equity. "For decades, advocates have pointed to patterns of discrimination in the lending sector that have perpetuated barriers for BIPOC developers to access the capital they need to execute on their plans for creating affordable housing," said Heather Raspberry, Executive Director, HAND. "Equity in Action is disrupting this system while ensuring BIPOC developers and their future residents are provided real opportunities to thrive." "We are thrilled to leverage our extensive multifamily lending platform and expertise to secure the right financing for our client," said Ms. Cotton-Doney. "Greystone is deeply committed to making quality housing accessible to all communities. It's our hope that other BIPOC commercial borrowers will draw on the resources available through the Equity in Action program to help address the housing crisis in Washington, DC." Kenya Pleasant (Greystone), Ayesha Johnson, Alicia Cotton-Doney (Greystone) "Thanks to Heather Raspberry and the impactful work of HAND, I began a journey with Greystone as my lending partner. Closing on this transaction is the culmination of a collaborative effort and focused intentions," said Ms. Ayesha Johnson, principal of the borrower. "Alicia and the rest of the Greystone team were both supportive of and responsive to my specific needs and as a result, the current and future residents at this property will benefit for years to come. HAND and Greystone together have given us access to the knowledge and capital that enables us to maintain livable spaces as well as improve and beautify our community, one building at a time." About Greystone Greystone is a private national commercial real estate finance company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Company LLC, Greystone Funding Company LLC and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greystone.com. About HAND Founded in 1991, HAND is a nonprofit membership association comprised of over 450 organizations working across the private, public and nonprofit sectors to collaborate in the production and preservation of affordable housing in the Capital Region of Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond. Through education, engagement and regional advocacy, HAND builds the capacity of its diverse membership to support the development of sustainable communities for individuals and families at all income levels. Visit www.HandHousing.org to learn more about HAND's efforts to build vibrant communities across the metropolitan region. PRESS CONTACT: Karen Marotta Greystone 212-896-9149 Karen.Marotta@greyco.com SOURCE: Greystone & Co View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711752/Greystone-Provides-Fannie-Mae-Financing-for-Multifamily-Property-in-Washington-DC-through-HAND-Housing-Equity-in-Action-Partnership DGAP-News: Eleving Group S.A. / Key word(s): Half Year Results Eleving Group S.A.: Unaudited 6M 2022 results on 15 August 2022 - Invitation to earnings call on 17 August 2022 11.08.2022 / 16:22 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Riga, Latvia, 11 August 2022 Eleving Group and its group companies (the "Group"), specializing in vehicle and consumer financing, cordially invite investors and analysts to an earnings call with the Management Board on 17 August 2022, 15:00 CET, following the publication of its unaudited 6M 2022 results on 15 August 2022. Group CEO Modestas Sudnius and CFO Maris Kreics will present and comment on the unaudited results by means of a presentation. The presentation will be held in English. Participant access information: https://bit.ly/3pclFac The presentation for the earnings call will be available here as of 16 August 2022. For more information, please contact: Toms Vecvagars, Investor Relations Manager Email: toms.vecvagars@eleving.com About Eleving Group Eleving Group comprises a number of financial technology companies with a global presence. The Group operates in the vehicle and consumer finance segments on 3 continents, providing financial inclusion and disruptively changing financial services industries in its countries of operation. Founded in 2012 as Mogo in Latvia, the Group has revolutionized the way people purchase cars. Having expanded across the Baltics within its first year in business, the Group continued expanding in the following years, now servicing 13 active markets. With its headquarters in Latvia, the Group operates in the Baltics, Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia, and Eastern Africa. For two consecutive years (2020, 2021), the Group has appeared on the Financial Times list of Europe's 1000 fastest growing companies. Read more: www.eleving.com IMPORTANT INFORMATION The information contained herein is not for release, publication, or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, or any other countries or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the bonds in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this announcement may come are required to inform themselves of and observe all such restrictions. This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The bonds have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus for the purposes of Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (the "Prospectus Directive") and does not constitute a public offer of securities in any member state of the European Economic Area (the "EEA"). This announcement does not constitute an offer of bonds to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus has been or will be approved in the United Kingdom in respect of the bonds. Accordingly, this announcement is not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of this announcement as a financial promotion may only be distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order") or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons in (i), (ii) and (iii) above together being referred to as "Relevant Persons"). Any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. Any person who is not a Relevant Person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents. PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY - Manufacturer target market (MIFID II product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs key information document (KID) has been prepared as the bonds do not constitute packaged products and will be offered to eligible counterparties and professional clients only. 11.08.2022 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de NEW YORK, and LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Huma Therapeutics Limited , a leading global digital health company, has appointed Kaushik Gune as the company's new U.S. Head of Healthcare. Gune joins Huma to drive further commercial adoption of the company's digital health platforms in the U.S., specifically its 'Care at Home' platform for remote patient monitoring. "Huma is transforming healthcare and research through its digital-first patient care platform, expanding access for patients, increasing capacity for clinical staff and delivering data insights for researchers and providers," said Gune. "I'm proud to be joining a team committed to transforming healthcare for all." "Huma has established a strong track record working with more than 27 million patients across its platforms in the UK and across Europe - both in primary and secondary care," said Michael Macdonnell, SVP Healthcare and Global Head of Operations, Huma Therapeutics. "On the back of Huma's digital health partnership with AstraZeneca , as well as the coveted Prix Galien award, we are now taking our mission to provide digital-first care and research to the US market. Kaushik is the perfect leader for our expansion, combining strategic insight with the business know-how needed to bring our remote monitoring technology to millions of Americans." Gune has held numerous senior leadership roles during his career with a focus on developing and advancing commercial products in the digital health market, most recently as VP of Digital Health & New Ventures at Smith+Nephew. Previously, he served as Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer at Innovative Health Diagnostics, where he led a diagnostic lab through a major growth phase managing finance, strategy and business development functions. From a career spanning a range of business functions, Gune brings experience from Operations at United Airlines, Strategy & Commercial at McKinsey & Co and Finance at NuVasive. He holds a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Mumbai, an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University and an M.B.A. in Strategy & Finance from INSEAD. About Huma Huma Therapeutics is a global digital health company headquartered in the UK that advances digital-first care delivery and research to help people live longer, fuller lives. Huma's award-winning modular platforms are used by more than 3,000 hospitals and clinics, with 1.8 million active users. Huma's offering works across different disease areas and powers: - 'Hospitals at Home' - Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) solutions - DCT platform to support digital or hybrid studies Huma's platform has been shown to almost double clinical capacity, reduce readmissions by over a third, enable better diversity, participant retention and protocol adherence, whilst allowing trials to run within weeks. Please visit www.huma.com and follow us on LinkedIn at Huma Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1427908/Huma_Logo.jpg DGAP-News: Polyus Finance Plc / Key word(s): Miscellaneous Polyus Finance Plc: Extension of Consent Solicitation 11.08.2022 / 16:40 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 11 August 2022 Polyus Finance Plc announces extension of the Consent Solicitation for its outstanding U.S.$700,000,000 3.25% Guaranteed Notes due 2028 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO, OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN, ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT OR THE MEMORANDUM. Polyus Finance Plc (the "Issuer") today announces and hereby notifies the Noteholders of U.S.$700,000,000 3.25% Guaranteed Notes due 2028 (the "2028 Notes") that it has decided to extend the Consent Deadline from 11 August 2022 (5:00 p.m. (London time)) to 25 August 2022 (5:00 p.m. (London time)) (subject to the right of the Issuer to extend, reopen, amend and/or terminate the Consent Solicitation, subject to applicable law and the provisions of the Trust Deed) in respect of the Consent Solicitation for the 2028 Notes (the "New Consent Deadline (2028 Notes)"). Capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the Consent Solicitation Memorandum dated 20 July 2022 (the "Memorandum"). No further actions are required from Noteholders of the 2028 Notes who have already delivered Consent Instructions in the Consent Solicitation. Amendments to the Consent Solicitation for the 2028 Notes are limited to the New Consent Deadline (2028 Notes), as outlined above. All other terms of the Consent Solicitation for the 2028 Notes will remain the same. New Expected Timetable: Consent Deadline (2028 Notes) - 25 August 2022 (5 p.m. (London time)) The following table sets forth details of the 2028 Notes: Description of the 2028 Notes ISIN Code/ Common Code (Regulation S Notes) ISIN Code/ Common Code/ CUSIP Code (Rule 144A Notes) Outstanding Principal Amount U.S.$700,000,000 3.25% Guaranteed Notes due 2028 XS2396900685 239690068 US73181LAB71 239725104 73181LAB7 U.S.$700,000,000 Copies of the Memorandum can be obtained by registering on the Consent Solicitation Website at https://i2capmark.com/event-details/59/Holder/polyusfinance-plc Announcements in connection with the Consent Solicitation will be disclosed by the Issuer on the website of the London Stock Exchange. Copies of all announcements, notices and press releases are available on the Consent Solicitation Website https://i2capmark.com/event-details/59/Holder/polyusfinance-plc Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Consent Solicitation and in connection with delivery of Consent Instruction may be directed to the Information and Tabulation Agent. Information and Tabulation Agent: i2 Capital Markets Ltd Kemp House, 160 City Road London, ECV 2NX, United Kingdom Email: info@i2capmark.com Phone: +44 203 633 1212 Consent Solicitation Website: https://i2capmark.com/event-details/59/Holder/polyus-finance-plc Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Consent Solicitation may also be directed to the Investor Relations Department of PJSC Polyus. PJSC Polyus Investor Relations 3 bldg 1, Krasina St., Moscow, 123056, Russia Email: ir@polyus.com Phone: +7 495 641 33 77 DISCLAIMER This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Memorandum. This announcement and the Memorandum contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Consent Solicitation. If any Noteholder is in any doubt as to the action it should take or is unsure of the impact of its participation in the Consent Solicitation, it is recommended to seek its own financial advice, including in respect of any tax consequences, immediately from its stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee must contact such entity if it wishes to participate in the Consent Solicitation. None of the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee, the Information and Tabulation Agent or any director, officer, employee, agent or affiliate of any such person, is acting for any Noteholder, or will be responsible to any Noteholder for providing any protections which would be afforded to its clients or for providing advice in relation to the Consent Solicitation, and accordingly none of the Issuer, the Guarantors, the Trustee, the Information and Tabulation Agent or their respective directors, officers, employees, affiliates, advisers or agents makes any recommendation as to whether Noteholders should provide Consent, or refrain from taking any action in the Consent Solicitation with respect to their Notes, and none of them has authorised any person to make such recommendation. The Information and Tabulation Agent is agent of the Issuer and owe no duty to any Noteholder. The Consents are only being solicited pursuant to the Memorandum and only in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com. 11.08.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has appointed world-renowned surgical oncologist Dr. Monica Bertagnolli as the new Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Bertagnolli will be the 16th American and the first woman to lead the country's largest biomedical research institute. The NCI is integral to the nation's principal agency for cancer research and funding and will be an important partner in the White House's 'Cancer Moonshot' initiative, which aims to accelerate the rate of progress against cancer. A practicing surgical oncologist, Dr. Bertagnolli joins the NCI at a time of renewed attention to the Cancer Moonshot, one of President Biden's signature initiatives. In February, the Biden administration announced new goals to reduce the cancer death rate in the United States by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years and create a more supportive experience for patients and families. One of the most powerful voices in the country for cancer patients, particularly for those in rural and remote communities, Dr. Bertagnolli has a history of advancing patient-focused programs that incorporate learnings directly from patient experiences to build more inclusive models of care. 'I look forward to working with Dr. Bertagnolli to advance the President's call to end cancer as we know it,' said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. 'Dr. Bertagnolli's decades of cancer research expertise around patient-centered care and her work to create more inclusive clinical trials will be instrumental as we accelerate the rate of research and innovation to fight cancer.' Dr. Bertagnolli, 63, currently serves as professor of surgery in surgical oncology at Harvard Medical School as well as a surgeon at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She is also a member of the Gastrointestinal Cancer and Sarcoma Disease Centers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the top cancer hospitals in the world. Dr. Bertagnolli possesses extensive leadership experience, including serving as president of American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2018. Throughout her career, Dr. Bertagnolli has been at the forefront of the field of clinical oncology, advancing, in particular, current understanding of the gene that promotes gastrointestinal cancer development. As a physician-scientist, she led gastrointestinal science initiatives from 1994 to 2011 within the NCI-funded Cancer Cooperative Groups. In addition, from 2007-2018, she served as the chief of the division of Surgical Oncology for the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BANGALORE, India, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Photomask Market is segmented By Type (Quartz Mask, Soda Mask, Toppan, Film), By Application (Semiconductor, Flat Panel Display, Touch Industry, Circuit Board): Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Computers & Electronics Category. Photomask Market size was USD 4171 Million and it is expected to reach USD 5457.2 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 3.8% during 2021-2027. Major Factors Driving the Growth of Photomask Market The growing penetration of consumer electronics and the continuous development of semiconductors will drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. The advent of flat panel displays, miniaturization of chips, and circuit boards, along with the emergence of IoT will fuel the market growth in the coming years. Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-19H687/Global_Photomask_Market TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE PHOTOMASK MARKET Digitization is accelerating rapidly through the continuous evolution of technologies such as artificial intelligence, automotive, power, and 5G networks. Semiconductors are at the heart of it playing a key role in the expansion of these industries. This fuels the need for photomasks for semiconductor fabrication in turn driving the growth of the photomask market. Additionally, the proliferation of IoT sensors has given rise to smart connected devices like TVs, laptops, and cars which require multiple masks during production. The arrangement of circuits and chips is transmitted accurately. The short lifespan of electronic devices and high memory requirements is bolstering the need for miniaturization and shorter chip sizes. Many companies are investing in photomasks due to improvements in operational efficiency, high accuracy, and timely order fulfillment. This will drive the growth of the photomask market during the forecast period. The shift in the display from LCD to LED, AMOLED, and demand for flat panel displays is driving the need for a newer set of photomasks. This will boost the growth of the photomask market in the coming years. Photomasks help in the miniaturization of smart device chips and computers. Creating precise images and specific general arrangements without a lithographic process is impossible. Hence newer systems are being introduced to handle the manufacturing of wireless computing devices. This will aid in the expansion of the global photomask market. 193nm extensions are being extended and ultraviolet lithography with multiple patterning/exposure technologies is being bought in the industry. Photomasks are extremely useful. However, there are certain issues. The equipment is expensive and is limited by the wavelength of light as it can be done only on flat substrates. This will hamper the growth of the photomask market. The process needs to be undertaken in a clean room that is free from airborne particulate and chemical contaminants. Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-19H687/global-photomask PHOTOMASK MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS: Based on type, the soda mask segment is expected to dominate in the photomask market share with 40%. Based on application, the semiconductor segment will witness considerable growth due to the rising adoption of these tools by semiconductor manufacturing companies. Based on region, Asia-Pacific will grow the highest during the forecast period due to high production and consumption in the semiconductor industry. China is the largest with a market share of 25% followed by Japan and the US both having a total share of 45%. Get Regional Data: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-19H687/Global_Photomask_Market Key Companies: Hoya DNP SK-Electronics Toppan Photronics LG Innotek Compugraphics Photomask Solutions Taiwan Mask IGI Nippon Filcon HTA ShenZheng QingVi Plasma Therm Inquire for Chapter Cost: https://reports.valuates.com/request/chaptercost/QYRE-Auto-19H687/Global_Photomask_Market Buy Now for Single User + Covid-19 Impact : https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-19H687&lic=single-user SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. SIMILAR REPORTS: - The global Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Semiconductors market size is projected to reach USD 6290.7 million by 2027, from USD 750.4 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 35.5% during 2021-2027. - Fine Pixel Pitch LED Displays market size is estimated to be worth USD 2928.1 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 4106.7 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.8% during the review period. - RF Power Semiconductor market size is estimated to be worth USD 21010 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 34660 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.7% during the review period. - Power Semiconductor market size was USD 43750 million and it is expected to reach USD 62800 million by the end of 2027, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.3% during the forecast period 2021-2027. - The global Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment market size is projected to reach USD 53200 million by 2027, from USD 39510 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.9% during 2021-2027. - Outdoor LED Displays market size is estimated to be worth USD 12290 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 19290 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 7.8% during the review period. - Flexible Printed Circuit Board market size is estimated to be worth USD 13130 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 15760 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 3.1% during the review period. - Semiconductor Photomask market size was USD 4352 million and it is expected to reach USD 6203.3 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 4.5% during 2021-2027. - Automotive Semiconductor market size is projected to reach USD 42140 million by 2028, from USD 31430 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 3.8% during 2022-2028. - IoT in Manufacturing market size is projected to reach USD 1148.9 million by 2028, from USD 550.2 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 10.6% during 2022-2028. - Global Quartz Photomask Sales Market Report 2021 - Global Soda Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Circuit Board Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Flat Panel Display Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global IC Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Photomask Equipment Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Semiconductor Chemical Vapor Deposition Equipment Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global and Japan LCP Flexible Printed Circuit Market Insights, Forecast to 2027 - Global 5G Printed Circuit Board Sales Market Report 2021 - Global Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Semiconductor Sales Market Report 2021 - Global Automotive Power Semiconductor Sales Market Report 2021 Click here to see related reports on Photomask Market ABOUT US: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. 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CONTACT US: Valuates Reports sales@valuates.com For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports LinkedIn - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg Cardston, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - American Creek Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AMK) ("the Corporation" or "American Creek") is pleased to present the fourth set of drill results from operator Tudor Gold for Phase l of the 2022 exploration program (the "Program") at their flagship project, the Treaty Creek JV, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle of Northwestern British Columbia. Ken Konkin, President and CEO, comments "During the 2021 drill program, we drilled hole GS-21-113-W2 to the maximum depth possible and noted that the strongest sulphide mineralization occurred at the bottom of this hole. A decision was made to leave the casing and HQ rods in GS-21-113-W2 with the plan of returning to re-enter the hole this year with a more powerful diamond drill rig and we succeeded! The hole was extended 280.1 meters (m) demonstrating that gold and copper grades increase with depth as the strongest mineralization occurs between 1520 m and 1688 m. This portion of the hole averages 2.48 g/t AuEQ over 168 m with copper averaging 0.82 %. Silver mineralization is also becoming stronger at depth within the CS600 domain. In addition, results from targeting the DS5 domain were also successful with drill hole GS-22-139 which intersected 428 m of 1.07 g/t AuEQ and included an enriched upper portion that averaged 1.36 g/t AuEQ over 172.4 m. As previously reported, high-grade visible native gold has occurred from two of three aggressive step-out holes that were 225-meter and 500-meter step-out holes from the 2021 drilling program within the northeastern sector of the Goldstorm Deposit. These high-grade gold results may add a new dimension to the exploration potential of this project and we will continue to advance and explore this rapidly expanding aspect of these well mineralized domains." The Program at the Treaty Creek property includes an aggressive resource expansion and delineation plan for several areas, including the Goldstorm Deposit and the Eureka and Calm Before the Storm Zones. Results included in this press release are reported from six diamond drill holes that were drilled on the Goldstorm Deposit from sections C and D. Five out of six holes were targeted outside the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate area (see link: corresponding Treaty Creek plan map and sections). GOLDSTORM DEPOSIT SECTION C GS-21-113-W2, a 2021 drill hole (see November 30, 2021 press release), was re-entered and extended by 280.1 m to a total depth of 1855.1 m. The composited interval that includes 300H and CS600 domains, that was calculated in 2021, has been expanded from 1320.0 m of 0.97 g/t AuEQ to 1497.5 m grading 1.12 g/t AuEQ. The CS600 domain intercept was expanded from 556.5 m of 1.38 g/t AuEQ to 732.0 m grading 1.60 g/t AuEQ. The high-grade bottom segment of CS600 originally reported 57.0 m grading 2.34 g/t AuEQ which has now been extended to 168.0 m of 2.48 g/t AuEQ (1.41 g/t Au, 0.82 % Cu); visible gold was noted in one core sample. The drill hole successfully exited the lower boundary of the CS600, however, a downdip boundary (northwest boundary) of the orebody has not been identified and the CS600 currently remains open at depth where gold and copper grades are the highest. Increasing grades at depth are closely correlated with increasing potassic alteration as drilling information vectors towards the magmatic source of this extensive porphyry system. GS-22-143 stepped out 225 m to the northeast from the 2021 drilling and targeted 300H and CS600 mineralization. In addition to the high-grade interval of 39.15 g/t AuEQ over 2.0 m that was previously reported (see July 26, 2022 press release) a 102.25 m interval grading 0.98 g/t AuEQ in the CS600 area was intercepted which included a 1.5 m interval of 14.7 g/t AuEQ. The hole skimmed the upper boundary of the CS600, however, deviation did not allow the hole to get into the core of the porphyry where higher grades have been measured. Assays for this hole are fully reported in this press release. SECTION D GS-22-139 targeted the DS5 domain and returned 438.0 m grading 1.07 g/t AuEQ. Within this, two high-grade intervals consisted of 28.4 m grading 1.95 g/t AuEQ and 24.0 m grading 2.05 g/t AuEQ. This hole is located 250 m to the northeast from the 2021 drill holes. Table 1: Drilling Results for Goldstorm Deposit in Press Release August 11, 2022 Section Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (ppm) AuEQ (g/t) C GS-21-113-W2(1) (300H +CS600) 255.00 1752.50 1497.50 0.76 3.70 2685 1.12 Including (300H) 255.00 352.50 97.50 1.25 2.16 78 1.28 And including (300H) 590.00 659.00 69.00 1.80 3.61 78 1.85 And including (CS600) 1019.00 1751.00 732.00 0.91 5.65 5314 1.60 Or 1520.00 1688.00 168.00 1.41 9.07 8153 2.48 D GS-22-139 (DS5) 714.00 1152.00 438.00 0.96 7.33 171 1.07 Including 735.00 907.40 172.40 1.17 13.57 283 1.36 Or 760.50 832.50 72.00 1.49 6.02 171 1.58 Or 879.00 907.40 28.40 1.35 43.71 751 1.95 And including 997.50 1112.00 114.50 1.21 3.23 74 1.26 Or 1009.50 1044.00 34.50 1.57 3.24 78 1.62 Or 1081.50 1105.50 24.00 1.99 4.22 99 2.05 n/a GS-22-140(2) Hole was lost and abandoned, no significant values, plan to re-drill target n/a GS-22-141(3) Hole was lost and abandoned, no significant values, plan to re-drill target C GS-22-142(3) Hole was lost and abandoned, no significant values, plan to re-drill target C GS-22-143(4) (300H) 559.00 561.00 2.00 38.90 15.96 531 39.15 Including 560.00 561.00 1.00 70.60 24.93 572 70.96 And (300H) 733.50 760.50 27.00 1.05 1.56 473 1.13 And (300H) 861.00 890.50 29.50 0.90 0.99 841 1.01 And (CS600) 1113.00 1215.25 102.25 0.79 1.47 1421 0.98 Including 1212.00 1213.50 1.50 14.20 11.18 3090 14.70 Hole GS-21-113-W2 was drilled to 1575.0 m in 2021 and was extended by 280.1 m to a depth of 1855.1 m in 2022. Composites include the parent hole assays (GS-21-113) to the depth of the wedge (292.5 m). Hole GS-22-140 stopped short of intended target depth and was not sampled. Hole GS-22-141 and GS-22-142 stopped short of intended target depth and reported no significant values. Hole GS-22-143 was reported to 985.5 m in the July 26, 2022 press release. Results are fully reported in the current press release. All assay values are uncut and intervals reflect drilled intercept lengths. HQ and NQ2 diameter core samples were sawn in half and typically sampled at standard 1.5m intervals at standard 1.5m intervals The following metal prices were used to calculate the Au Eq metal content: Gold $1625/oz, Ag: $19/oz, Cu: $2.8/lb. Calculations used the formula Au Eq g/t = (Au g/t) + (Ag g/t x 0.01169) + (Cu% x 1.1815). All metals are reported in USD and calculations do not consider metal recoveries. Gold $1625/oz, Ag: $19/oz, Cu: $2.8/lb. Calculations used the formula Au Eq g/t = (Au g/t) + (Ag g/t x 0.01169) + (Cu% x 1.1815). All metals are reported in USD and calculations do not consider metal recoveries. True widths have not been determined as the mineralized body remains open in all directions. Further drilling is required to determine the mineralized body orientation and true widths. Table 2: Drill data for holes in Press Release August 11, 2022 Section Hole ID UTM E NAD 83 UTM N NAD 83 Elevation (m) Azi (o) Dip (o) Depth (m) D GS-22- 139 429255.0 6273307.0 1204.0 87 -76 1217 n/a GS-22- 140 429362.3 6273150.3 1202.2 295 -87 269 n/a GS-22- 141 428741.8 6272910.4 1248.0 295 -82 138 C GS-22- 142 429077.7 6273007.9 1228.0 295 -85 261 C GS-21- 113-W2 428679.3 6273341.8 1076.9 301 -64.5 1855.1 Darren Blaney, President, and CEO of American Creek commented: "The Goldstorm deposit continues to amaze! Hole GS-21-113-W2 is simply a world class hole. This latest hole, along with major step out holes to the north, continue to show the truly massive size of this deposit. Hole GS-22-139 which returned 438m of 1.07 grams per tonne gold equivalent, is impressive in its own right and is located 250m northeast of previous drilling. Recently announced holes GS-22-133 and 134 stepped out 200m and 500m to the northwest and returned 600m of 0.91 grams per tonne gold equivalent and 663 meters of 0.97 grams per tonne gold equivalent respectively. These results are obviously going to have a significant impact on an updated resource calculation for the Goldstorm deposit." Qualified Person The Qualified Person for this news release for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 is Tudor Gold's President and CEO, Ken Konkin, P.Geo. Mr. Konkin heads the exploration being conducted at the Treaty Creek Joint Venture Project. He has read and approved the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the disclosure contained in this news release. QA/QC Diamond drill core samples were prepared at MSA Labs' Preparation Laboratory in Terrace, BC and assayed at MSA Labs' Geochemical Laboratory in Langley, BC. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the submission of blanks, certified standards and duplicate samples inserted at regular intervals into the sample stream by Tudor Gold personnel. MSA Laboratories quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 17025 and ISO 9001. MSA Labs is independent of the Company. Treaty Creek JV Partnership The Treaty Creek Project is a Joint Venture with Tudor Gold owning 3/5th and acting as operator. American Creek and Teuton Resources each have a 1/5th interest in the project creating a 3:1 ownership relationship between Tudor Gold and American Creek. American Creek and Teuton are both fully carried until such time as a Production Notice is issued, at which time they are required to contribute their respective 20% share of development costs. Until such time, Tudor is required to fund all exploration and development costs while both American Creek and Teuton have "free rides". About American Creek American Creek is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with gold and silver properties in British Columbia, Canada. The Corporation has an interest in the Treaty Creek property, a joint venture project with Tudor Gold located in BC's prolific "Golden Triangle". The Corporation also holds the Austruck-Bonanza gold property located near Kamloops. For further information please contact Kelvin Burton at: Phone: 403 752-4040 or Email: info@americancreek.com. Information relating to the Corporation is available on its website at www.americancreek.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Corporation expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including the completion and anticipated results of planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Corporation's planned exploration activities will be completed in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Corporation in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Corporation's plans or expectations include risks relating to the actual results of current exploration activities, fluctuating gold prices, possibility of equipment breakdowns and delays, exploration cost overruns, availability of capital and financing, general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes, timeliness of government or regulatory approvals and other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Corporation with securities regulators. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133514 DGAP-News: Cryptology Asset Group PLC / Key word(s): Statement/Cryptocurrency / Blockchain Cryptology's estimated NAV per share as of 10/08/2022 is 5.44 11.08.2022 / 17:30 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Corporate News Cryptology Asset Group p.l.c. ("Cryptology") Malta, 11.08.2022 Cryptology's estimated NAV per share as of 10/08/2022 is 5.44 Malta, 11.08.2022. Cryptology Asset Group (ISIN: MT0001770107; Ticker: CAP:GR), a leading European holding company for crypto assets and blockchain-related business models, announced its most recent weekly estimated Net Asset Value ("NAV") per share of 5.44. The Board of Directors of Cryptology issued an ad hoc statement on August 9th that Cryptology is planning an upgrade from the primary market segment of the open market of the Dusseldorf Stock Exchange to the regulated market of Dusseldorf Stock Exchange. The company is planning the upgrade for November 2022. Cryptology issued an ad hoc statement in July announcing the Board of Directors had decided to implement the authorization to acquire treasury shares, pursuant to Clause 41 of the Articles of Association granted by the Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting as of 30 May 2022, and to acquire up to 1 million treasury shares in the period from 18 July 2022 to 17 July 2023. The buyback is limited to such a number of shares or to a maximum purchase price of 15 per share. The buy-back will be carried out via the stock exchange. Cryptology's updated estimated NAV figures come on the heels of Hauck & Aufhauser issuing an updated report on Cryptology's shares with a "BUY" rating and a price target of 13.00. Cryptology shares currently trade on several German exchanges including Borse Dusseldorf, Gettex and Tradegate. In order to increase trading liquidity and open up to new shareholder groups, Cryptology is currently exploring an international listing. About Cryptology Asset Group p.l.c. Cryptology Asset Group (ISIN: MT0001770107; Ticker: CAP:GR) is a leading European holding company for crypto assets and blockchain-based business models. Founded by Christian Angermayer's family office, Apeiron Investment Group, and crypto-legend Mike Novogratz, Cryptology is the largest publicly traded holding company for blockchain- and crypto-based business models in Europe. Noteworthy portfolio companies include crypto-giant and EOSIO software publisher B1, leading HPC provider Northern Data, commission-free online neobroker nextmarkets, and crypto asset management group Iconic Holding. Media Contact: Cryptology Asset Group p.l.c. Jefim Gewiet (COO) 66/67, Beatrice, Amery Street, Sliema SLM 1707 Malta E-mail: info@cryptology-ag.com 11.08.2022 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden has called on the government of Syria to release abducted American journalist Austin Tice. In a statement issued on the tenth anniversary of Austin Tice's captivity, President Biden said there is no higher priority in his Administration than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. 'This week marks a decade since American Austin Tice was abducted in Damascus, Syria. Austin served in the United States Marine Corps. He is a son, he is a brother, and he is an investigative journalist who put the truth above himself and traveled to Syria to show the world the real cost of war. We know with certainty that he has been held by the Government of Syria,' the statement said. Biden vowed that his administration will not rest until it brings Austin home. Tice, 41, was one of only a few foreign journalists to report from inside Syria during the worst days of the civil war. Tice was working as a freelance journalist for McClatchy, The Washington Post, CBS, and other media when he was abducted from Darayya, near capital Damascus. There was no immediate contact from Tice or his captors, but in September 2012 a brief video of Tice blindfolded and bound was released. In October, a US spokesperson said it was believed, based on the limited information it had, that Tice was in the custody of the Syrian government. No government or group in Syria has said it is holding Tice. In April 2018, the FBI had increased their reward for information regarding Tice's whereabouts to $1 million and two U.S. officials said Tice is believed to have survived captivity. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares For immediate release 11 August 2022 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announces that it has today purchased 125,000 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 864.82 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 5,657,347; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 219,333,956. The figure of 219,333,956 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 11 August 2022 Rightmove plc Share buy-back programme Rightmove plc - Transaction in own shares Rightmove plc ('Rightmove') announces that today it purchased 143,000 of its 0.1p ordinary shares at a volume weighted average price paid per share of 656.731p. The highest price paid per share was 664.600p and the lowest price paid per share was 653.600p. Rightmove purchased these shares through Numis Securities Limited. The number of shares purchased represented 0.0171% of the voting rights attributable to the total ordinary shares in issue prior to such purchase. The purchased shares will be cancelled. Since announcing a share buy-back programme on 28 December 2007, Rightmove has purchased in aggregate 470,320,229 ordinary shares. The total number of ordinary shares in issue (excluding treasury shares) following this announcement is 836,358,799. Rightmove holds 12,375,052 shares in treasury. In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation) as amended by The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (the "UK MAR"), the schedule below contains detailed information about the purchases made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of the Company as part of the buyback programme. Contact: Sandra Odell, Company Secretary CompanySecretary@rightmove.co.uk Schedule of Purchases - Individual Transactions WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / The American Conservative Values ETF's (NYSE:ACVF) poll of the Most Woke companies, which captures the insights and perspectives of politically conservative investors, was featured in Newsweek magazine's August 12th cover story, "War on 'Woke.'" The Walt Disney Company, Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly known as Facebook), and Alphabet (Google) were identified as the top woke companies in ACVF's survey. See full survey results here. ACVF asked its investors and subscribers to name their top three most woke S&P 500 companies. "It's an ongoing informal survey intended to identify companies with woke or liberal reputations, as well as capture trends over time," states ACVF CEO and co-founder William Flaig. The findings of the ongoing survey mark a dramatic increase in investors' perception of the wokeness of Disney, rising from an approximate 10% of participants at the end of 2021, to almost 50% at the present time. "The significant changes to the rankings of Disney, Blackrock, and Twitter clearly reflect their recent headlines." notes Flaig "We are thrilled that our survey made a Newsweek cover story. It shows that woke businesses are legitimate news targets which, ideally, can be pressured to change their behavior," added Flaig. ACVF's President and co-founder, Tom Carter, said "it's clear Disney's adoption of left-wing ideology led by its war on parental rights is harming the company's brand among politically conservative investors." Disney, as well as nine of top ten Wokest companies, are among the 29 corporations that ACVF currently boycotts. Collectively, these corporations represent approximately 25% of the S&P 500's weightings. "The focus of corporations should be on shareholder returns and providing goods and services to consumers, not weighing in on social and political issues which alienate consumers and investors," said Carter. "The fact that playing politics alienates investors should be on the minds of CEOs and their boards of directors." ACVF's priority is shareholder returns and the fund provides an investment alternative for politically conservative investors. Simply put, ACVF seeks to boycott as many companies hostile to conservative values as possible without sacrificing performance. Links InvestConservative.com 30sec Video ACVF Factsheet About ACVF The American Conservative Values ETF (ACVF) is based on the conviction that politically active companies negatively impact their shareholder returns, as well as support issues and causes which conflict with our conservative political ideals, beliefs and values. Simply put, ACVF seeks to boycott as many companies hostile to conservative values as possible without sacrificing performance. ACVF is designed to replace your current large-cap investments To schedule an interview with Mr. Flaig or Mr. Carter, please contact them at wflaig@ridgelineresearch.com 301-685-7121 tcarter@ridgelineresearch.com 301-685-7122 www.InvestConservative.com SOURCE: American Conservative Values ETF View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711680/War-on-Woke-Survey--ACVF-Investors-Rank-Disney-the-Wokest-Company Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Mink Ventures Corporation (TSXV: MINK.P) ("Mink" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release of June 27, 2022, it has entered into a definitive option and joint venture agreement dated August 10, 2022 (the "Definitive Agreement") with Voltage Metals Corp. (CSE: VOLT) ("Voltage"). Pursuant to the Definitive Agreement, Mink has been granted an option to acquire (the "Transaction") an 80% interest in the Montcalm Ni-Cu-Co project (the "Montcalm Project"). The Montcalm Project covers 38.8 sq. km and is located adjacent to Glencore's past producing Montcalm Mine, which had historical production of approximately 3.9 million tonnes grading 1.25% Ni, 0.67% Cu and 0.051% Co (Ontario Geological Survey, Atkinson, 2011) The Montcalm project is located 60 km northwest of Timmins, Ontario and has excellent access and infrastructure. The Transaction is intended to be Mink's "Qualifying Transaction" for purposes of the TSX Venture Exchange's Capital Pool Company program. Terms of the Definitive Agreement: Pursuant to the Definitive Agreement, Mink may acquire an 80% undivided interest in the Montcalm project from Voltage by, among other things, making the following cash payments, share issuances and minimum work expenditures: Part 1: Pay $25,000 to Voltage on or before the date on which the TSX Venture Exchange (the " Exchange ") issues its bulletin in respect of the Qualifying Transaction (the " Calculation Start Date "); ") issues its bulletin in respect of the Qualifying Transaction (the " "); Issue 800,000 common shares in the capital of Mink to Voltage on or immediately prior to the Calculation Start Date; and Incur a minimum of $300,000 in work expenditures on the Property on or before April 10, 2023. Part 2: Pay $25,000 to Voltage on or before the first anniversary of the Calculation Start Date; Issue 800,000 common shares in the capital of Mink to Voltage on or before the first anniversary of the Calculation Start Date; and Incur a minimum of $300,000 in work expenditures on the Property on or before April 10, 2024. Mink may accelerate and carry forward any of the cash payments, share issuances or work expenditures. Upon full exercise of the option, Mink shall assume responsibility for payment of the aggregate 1.25% net smelter returns royalty to the extent of its relative ownership interest in the Montcalm project. Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance. The Qualifying Transaction, if completed, is an Arm's Length Qualifying Transaction. No Shareholder approval is required to complete the Qualifying Transaction. Private Placement: Mink proposes to complete a private placement raising not less than $1,000,000 (the "Private Placement") to fund the phase one work program on the Montcalm project and general and administrative operating expenses. The Company intends to issue a further press release announcing the terms of the Private Placement. Highlights of the Montcalm Project: 38.8 sq. km claim block adjacent to Montcalm Ni-Cu-Co Mine (historical production of approximately 3.9 million tonnes grading 1.25% Ni, 0.67% Cu and 0.051% Co (Ontario Geological Survey, Atkinson, 2011) with mine host geology (Montcalm Gabbro Complex "MGC") extending on to Mink's property. Mink's holdings cover ~ 66% of the gabbro zone component of the MGC shown in blue in the accompanying Figure 2. The gabbro zone is the primary host of the Montcalm Mine. Other significant features include the megabreccia zone known to host anomalous nickel and copper mineralization designated Unit 4 in Figure 2. There are a number of drill ready targets to be tested. Some of the higher priority VTEM targets and ground IP targets that remain to be tested are within or proximal to a prospective target area designated the "Hook Zone" located within the gabbro zone of MGC. A large portion of the southern section of the property has not been tested with airborne VTEM, which is capable of detecting deeper conductive zones between 350-400 meters below surface, well beyond the +- 200-meter capability of historical surveys. Known deposits at the adjacent mine were present well below the 200-meter elevation. Future Exploration Plans which are subject to the completion and recommendations of an NI 43-101 report, which is currently underway, include: An airborne VTEM survey and airborne gravity survey in the southern part of the property to complement existing surveys; Maxwell Plate analysis of all VTEM data; Further ground induced polarization (IP) surveys over priority Hook Target VTEM anomalies and magnetic anomalies; Ground prospecting and sampling; Secure permits for a diamond drill program Figure 1. Property Location To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8332/133557_4434f8b9641b98c1_001full.jpg Figure 2 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8332/133557_4434f8b9641b98c1_002full.jpg Mr. Kevin Filo, P.Geo. (Ontario), Corporate Secretary and a director of the Company, is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Filo approved the technical data disclosed in this release. About Mink Ventures Corporation: Mink Ventures Corporation is a Capital Pool Company that is focused on identifying and evaluating businesses and assets with a view to completing a Qualifying Transaction. The Company has 8,367,500 shares outstanding. About Voltage Metals Corp: Voltage is a mineral exploration company with a highly experienced team focused on nickel and other battery metals exploration in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Newfoundland. The Company looks to create shareholder value by aggregating and exploring projects that possess sound geology and brand-new discovery potential. Voltage has a deep roster of management and key stakeholders, who are expert in the essential resource trifecta of exploration, operations and finance. For further information about Mink Ventures Corporation please visit www.minkventures.com or contact Natasha Dixon, President & CEO, T: 250-882-5620 E ndixon@minkventures.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the future business and operations of Mink. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and the delay or failure to receive applicable Board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and Mink disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133557 -- Full data support the potential of obicetrapib to address unmet medical need for millions of patients who cannot achieve their LDL-C targets with high-intensity statin therapy (HIS) alone -- -- Treatment with obicetrapib in patients on high-intensity statin therapy was observed to have statistically significant impact on LDL-C, as well as significant impacts on ApoB, non-HDL-C, HDL-C and Lp(a), additional key measures of cardiovascular disease risk -- -- Publication also details obicetrapib's unique physiochemical properties, which enable the potential for improved potency over first-generation CETP inhibitors -- NewAmsterdam Pharma (NewAmsterdam), a clinical-stage company focused on the research and development of transformative oral therapies for metabolic diseases, today announced the publication of full results from the Phase 2b Randomized Study of Obicetrapib as an Adjunct to Statin Therapy (ROSE) clinical trial in the peer-reviewed journal, Nature Medicine. The article, titled "Lipid lowering effects of the CETP inhibitor obicetrapib in combination with high-intensity statins: a randomized phase 2 trial," is available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01936-7. Obicetrapib is NewAmsterdam's next-generation oral, low-dose and once-daily cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor, initially in development for patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease as an adjunct to maximally tolerated statin therapy, both as a monotherapy and in a fixed-dose combination with ezetimibe. In addition to the previously announced data, in which it was observed that obicetrapib significantly lowered low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients on high-intensity statins (HIS), data published in the Nature Medicine manuscript included significant observations for other lipid changes in the treatment arm, which are believed to be clinically meaningful. As compared to placebo, treatment with obicetrapib led to statistically significant changes from baseline in apolipoprotein B (ApoB), non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) concentration, HDL-C concentration and lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), with all effects observed in a dose-dependent manner. The data below illustrates the median percent change in lipid levels against baseline as follows: Lipid Placebo (n=40) Obicetrapib 5 mg (n=40) Obicetrapib 10 mg (n=40) LDL-C -6.5 -41.5 -50.8 ApoB -2.6 -24.4 -29.8 Non-HDL-C -3.5 -38.9 -44.4 HDL-C -4.9 135.0 165.0 LP(a) 4.0 -33.8 -56.5 Obicetrapib was well tolerated in the trial, with adverse event rates similar across placebo and obicetrapib arms. Treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported by 15 subjects in the 5 mg group and eight subjects in the 10 mg group, compared with 19 subjects in the placebo group. TEAEs that were considered by the investigator to be related to study treatment were reported by two subjects (one subject in the 5 mg and 10 mg groups, respectively), compared with four subjects in the placebo group. The majority of TEAEs were mild and moderate in severity; one subject in the placebo group had a severe TEAE. The publication also highlights obicetrapib's unique structural scaffold and physiochemical properties that enables the potential for it to be a significantly more potent CETP inhibitor than prior investigational compounds in the class. A previously completed multiple ascending dose Phase 1 study of obicetrapib showed that CETP activity was inhibited by 90.9% and 97.6%, respectively, for the 5 and 10 mg doses. Although head-to-head clinical trials have not been conducted to date, these results are markedly greater than the CETP inhibition observed with anacetrapib and evacetrapib. A potential and partial explanation for this improved potency is the unique hydrophilic structure of obicetrapib, which is the most polar of all CETP inhibitors that have been in the clinic. It also has been observed to have better bioavailability and greater LDL-C lowering activity at lower doses. Finally, the publication discusses evidence that the ApoB and LDL-C lowering effect of CETP inhibitors functions through increased clearance of ApoB-containing lipoproteins through the liver, the same mechanism of action as most other lipid lowering therapies. This further supports the belief that LDL-C lowering via obicetrapib will translate into improved cardiovascular outcomes for patients. "The data published in Nature Medicine provide additional evidence that obicetrapib is a next-generation molecule that is clearly differentiated from prior CETP inhibitors, with the potential to overcome the safety and efficacy challenges that have historically limited the potential of the drug class," said John Kastelein, M.D., Ph.D., FESC, chief scientific officer of NewAmsterdam Pharma and author on the Nature Medicine manuscript. "Together, the full results of ROSE demonstrate that obicetrapib has the potential to provide significant reductions in LDL-C as an adjunct to high intensity statins, while also improving other lipid biomarkers, like ApoB and Lp(a), which are increasingly recognized as important targets in cardiovascular disease. These data reinforce our confidence that we are advancing a potentially transformative cardiometabolic therapy, which if approved, could change the treatment paradigm for millions of patients who are inadequately managed on HIS therapy alone." "There is an urgent need to deliver a new convenient and cost-effective oral medicine for dyslipidemia, which delivers strong efficacy with a favorable safety profile," said Michael Davidson, M.D., Chief Executive Officer at NewAmsterdam Pharma. "The new data published in Nature Medicine represent a growing consensus among the medical and research community that obicetrapib may fulfill this unmet need. We continue to enroll our ongoing Phase 3 studies and look forward to sharing additional data with the clinical community as we complete our BROADWAY and BROOKLYN trials, which is expected in 2024." NewAmsterdam Pharma is currently evaluating obicetrapib in three Phase 3 clinical trials, BROADWAY (LDL-lowering capability in patients on maximum tolerated lipid-modifying therapies with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) with LDL-C 70 mg/dL), BROOKLYN (LDL-lowering capability in HeFH patients on maximum tolerated lipid-modifying therapies with LDL-C 70 mg/dL), and PREVAIL (CVOT in patients on maximum tolerated lipid-modifying with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with LDL-C 70 mg/dL), and a Phase 2b trial, ROSE2, which is examining obicetrapib as a fixed-dose combination therapy with obicetrapib 10 mg and ezetimibe 10 mg in patients on high-intensity statin therapy with LDL-C 70 mg/dL. About NewAmsterdam Pharma NewAmsterdam Pharma is a private clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to improve patient care in populations with metabolic diseases where traditional therapies have not been sufficiently successful or well-tolerated. NewAmsterdam Pharma is investigating obicetrapib, a next-generation oral, low-dose and once-daily CETP inhibitor, as the preferred LDL-C-lowering therapy for high-risk cardiovascular disease ("CVD") patients. Results from NewAmsterdam Pharma's ROSE Phase 2b trial (presented at AHA Scientific Sessions in 2021) included observations that patients receiving obicetrapib 10 mg experienced a median reduction in LDL-C by 51% versus baseline in patients on statin therapy (vs. a 7% reduction in the placebo arm). Based in the Netherlands, NewAmsterdam Pharma was founded in 2019 by the venture capital firm Forbion and John Kastelein, Chief Scientific Officer of the NewAmsterdam Pharma, and closed a $196 million (160 million) Series A financing in January 2021 led by Forbion, Morningside Ventures and Ascendant BioCapital. In June 2022, NewAmsterdam Pharma entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with the Menarini Group for the commercialization of obicetrapib in Europe, while retaining all rights to commercialize obicetrapib, if approved, in the rest of the world, as well as rights to develop certain forms of obicetrapib for other diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. For more information, please visit: www.newamsterdampharma.com. About Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation("FLAC")is blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company in October 2020 for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. FLAC was formed to leverage the extensive experience and track record of its management team with the goal of financing a company that can both develop transformative therapies for patients in need and deliver significant returns to its investors. For more information, please visit: www.frazierlifesciencesacquisition.com. About Frazier Healthcare Partners Founded in 1991, Frazier Healthcare Partners is a leading provider of private equity capital to healthcare companies. With more than $8.1 billion total capital raised, Frazier has invested in more than 200 companies with transaction types ranging from buyouts of profitable healthcare companies to venture capital and company creation. Frazier has a philosophy of partnering with strong management teams while leveraging its internal operating resources and network to build exceptional companies. Frazier has offices in Seattle, Washington, and Menlo Park, California, and invests broadly across the U.S., Canada and Europe. For more information, please visit: www.frazierhealthcare.com. Important Information About the Merger and Where to Find It A full description of the terms of the transaction will be provided in a registration statement on Form F-4 to be filed with the SEC by NewAmsterdam that will include a prospectus with respect to the NewAmsterdam securities to be issued in connection with the business combination and a proxy statement with respect to the shareholder meeting of FLAC to vote on the business combination. FLAC, NewAmsterdam Pharma Holding B.V. (the "Company") and NewAmsterdam urge its investors, shareholders and other interested persons to read, when available, the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other documents filed with the SEC, because these documents will contain important information about FLAC, the Company, NewAmsterdam and the transaction. After the registration statement is declared effective, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus to be included in the registration statement will be mailed to shareholders of FLAC as of a record date to be established for voting on the proposed business combination. Once available, shareholders of FLAC will also be able to obtain a copy of the Form F-4, including the proxy statement/prospectus, and other documents filed with the SEC without charge, by directing a request to: Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation, Two Union Square, 601 Union St., Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98101, Attn: Secretary. The preliminary and definitive proxy statement/prospectus to be included in the registration statement, once available, can also be obtained, without charge, at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Participants in the Solicitation FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from FLAC's shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of FLAC is set forth in FLAC's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 25, 2022 and is available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to: Frazier Lifesciences Acquisition Corporation, Two Union Square, 601 Union St., Suite 3200, Seattle, WA 98101, Attn: Secretary. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of FLAC's shareholders in connection with the potential transaction will be set forth in the registration statement containing the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus when it is filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Non-Solicitation This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed business combination and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "would," "plan," "predict," "potential," "seem," "seek," "future," "outlook" and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity; expectations and timing related to the success, cost and timing of product development activities, including timing of initiation, completion and data readouts for clinical trials and the potential approval of NewAmsterdam's product candidate; the size and growth potential of the markets for NewAmsterdam's product candidate; the therapeutic and curative potential of NewAmsterdam's product candidate; financing and other business milestones; potential benefits of the proposed transactions; and expectations relating to the proposed transactions, including the proceeds of the business combination and NewAmsterdam's expected cash runway. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this document, and on the current expectations of NewAmsterdam's, the Company's and FLAC's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on as a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and may differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of NewAmsterdam, the Company and FLAC. These forward looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely enter into definitive agreements with respect to the proposed transactions or consummate the proposed transactions, including the risk that any regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions (such as any SEC statements or enforcements or other actions relating to special purpose acquisition companies) that could adversely affect NewAmsterdam or the expected benefits of the proposed transactions, or the risk that the approval of the shareholders of FLAC, the Company or NewAmsterdam is not obtained; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transactions; matters discovered by FLAC, the Company or NewAmsterdam as they complete their respective due diligence investigations of each other; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to NewAmsterdam and the Company; risks related to the approval of NewAmsterdam's product candidate and the timing of expected regulatory and business milestones; ability to negotiate definitive contractual arrangements with potential customers; the impact of competitive product candidates; ability to obtain sufficient supply of materials; the impact of COVID 19; global economic and political conditions, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict; the effects of competition on NewAmsterdam's future business; the amount of redemption requests made by FLAC's public shareholders; and those factors discussed in documents FLAC has filed or will file with the SEC, including the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of FLAC's registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-250858), the registration statement to be filed on Form F-4 in connection with the proposed transactions and other documents filed from time to time. Additional risks related to NewAmsterdam's business include, but are not limited to: uncertainty regarding outcomes of NewAmsterdam's ongoing clinical trials, particularly as they relate to regulatory review and potential approval for its product candidate; risks associated with NewAmsterdam's efforts to commercialize a product candidate; NewAmsterdam's ability to negotiate and enter into definitive agreements on favorable terms, if at all; the impact of competing product candidates on NewAmsterdam's business; intellectual property related claims; NewAmsterdam's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; ability to continue to source the raw materials for its product candidate. If any of these risks materialize or FLAC's, the Company's or NewAmsterdam's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither FLAC, the Company nor NewAmsterdam presently know or that FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect FLAC's, the Company's and NewAmsterdam's expectations, plans, or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this document and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. FLAC, the Company and NewAmsterdam anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause FLAC's, the Company's and NewAmsterdam's assessments to change. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing FLAC's, the Company's and NewAmsterdam's assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Neither FLAC, the Company, NewAmsterdam nor any of their respective affiliates undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005006/en/ Contacts: Media Contact Spectrum Science on behalf of NewAmsterdam Pharma Carmen Lopez P: 1 773-306-6285 clopez@spectrumscience.com Investor Contact Stern Investor Relations on behalf of NewAmsterdam Pharma Hannah Deresiewicz P: 1 212-362-1200 hannah.deresiewicz@sternir.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of new interviews with Mandalay Resources, Alkaline Fuel Cell Power, Datametrex, RooGold, and Prospera Energy on their latest news. The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives. Mandalay Resources (TSX:MND) announces Q2 financial results Mandalay (MND) announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. In Q2 2022, Mandalay generated consolidated revenue of $50.1 million, 2 per cent lower than in the second quarter of 2021. President and CEO Dominic Duffy sat down with Sabrina Cuthbert to discuss the results. For the full interview with Dominic Duffy and to learn more about Mandalay Resources, click here Alkaline (NEO:PWWR) to develop fuel cells for off-grid and back-up generator markets Alkaline Fuel Cell Power (PWWR) is supplementing its 4-kW combined heat and power fuel cell development. The goal is to develop a range of fuel cells that target more immediate revenue opportunities within the off-grid and backup generator markets. Alkaline Fuel Cell CEO Frank Carnevale sat down with Sabrina Cuthbert to discuss the company's plans. For the full interview with Frank Carnevale and to learn more about Alkaline, click here Datametrex AI Limited (TSXV:DM) introduces the mobile charging cart Datametrex AI (DM) subsidiary, Datametrex Electric Vehicle Solutions (DM EVS) is introducing the mobile charging cart to commercial spaces in Vancouver. DM EVS operates in the electric vehicle (EV) industry with its mobile charging units and proprietary mobile application. Marshall Gunter, CEO Datametrex, sat down with Sabrina Cuthbert to discuss the news. For the full interview with Marshall Gunter and to learn more about Datametrex, click here RooGold (CSE:ROO) receives assays from its rock chip sampling program at Arthurs Seat Project RooGold (ROO) has received high-grade gold and silver assays from its preliminary rock chip sampling program at the Arthurs Seat Project in New South Wales, Australia. A total of 274 rock chip samples were collected at the Arthurs Seat Project and 27 rock samples were collected from the Murray and Co Mine. CEO Carlos Espinosa spoke with Sabrina Cuthbert about the rock chip sampling program. For the full interview with Carlos Espinosa and to learn more about RooGold, click here Prospera Energy (TSXV:PEI) announces Q1 2022 financial results Prospera Energy (PEI) is pleased to release its Q1 2022 financial and operating results. Highlights include revenue of $3.5 million, an increase of 414 per cent from the same period in 2021. CEO Samuel David sat down with Sabrina Cuthbert to discuss the results. For the full interview with Samuel David and to learn more about Prospera Energy, click here Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit The Power Play by The Market Herald. 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CONTACT: The Market Herald Charity Robertson charity.robertson@themarketherald.ca themarketherald.ca SOURCE: The Market Herald View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711805/The-Power-Play-by-The-Market-Herald-Releases-New-Interviews-with-Mandalay-Resources-Alkaline-Fuel-Cell-Power-Datametrex-RooGold-and-Prospera-Energy PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / The Board of Trustees of each of the Acquiring Funds, listed below, announces the proposed reorganization of several closed-end investment companies advised by one or more affiliates of Delaware Management Company into the respective Acquiring Funds ("Reorganizations"). The proposed Reorganizations are subject to the receipt of necessary shareholder approvals by each Fund: Acquired Fund Acquiring Fund Delaware Ivy High Income Opportunities Fund ("IVH") abrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund ("ACP") Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income Fund ("DEX") abrdn Global Dynamic Dividend Fund ("AGD") Delaware Investments Dividend and Income Fund, Inc. ("DDF") Macquarie Global Infrastructure Total Return Fund Inc. ("MGU") abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI") The combination of the merging funds will help ensure the viability of the Funds, increasing scale, liquidity and marketability changes that may lead to a tighter discount or a premium to NAV over time. Following the Reorganizations, shareholders of each Acquiring Fund will experience an increase in the assets under management and a reduction in their Fund's total expense ratios. There are no proposed changes to the current objectives or policies of the Acquiring Funds as a result of these Reorganizations, including the Funds' monthly distribution policies. Individually, each Board believes that the Reorganizations are in the best interest of their Fund's shareholders recognizing the strategic objective of creating scale for the benefit of shareholders. Shareholders of the Acquiring Funds will be asked to approve the issuance of shares at a special virtual shareholder meeting tentatively scheduled for November 9, 2022 (the "Meeting"). Each Acquiring Fund Board has fixed the close of business on August 11, 2022 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting and at any adjournment of the Meeting. Each approval of the special resolution of the shareholders authorizing the issuance of new shares will require the affirmative vote of a majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote. It is currently expected that each Reorganization will be completed in the first quarter of 2023 subject to (i) approval of the Reorganization by the respective Acquired Fund shareholders, (ii) approval by the respective Acquiring Fund shareholders of the issuance of shares of the Acquiring Funds, and (iii) the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. No Reorganization is contingent upon any other Reorganization. The Board of Trustees to each Acquired Fund and the Board of Trustees of each Acquiring Fund believe that the proposed Reorganization is in the best interests of the shareholders of that Fund. Additional information regarding the Reorganizations will be presented in a prospectus/proxy statement sent to each Acquired Fund's shareholders and a proxy statement sent to each Acquiring Fund's shareholders (together, the "Proxy Statements"). Each Acquiring Fund's shareholders will be asked to approve the issuance of additional shares in connection with the respective Reorganization. Shareholders of each Acquired Fund will be asked to vote on the Reorganization of their fund into the respective Acquiring Fund at a special meeting currently targeted for November 2022. The Proxy Statements have yet to be filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). After the Proxy Statements are filed with the SEC, each may be amended or withdrawn. The prospectus/proxy statement will not be distributed to shareholders of the Acquired Fund unless and until a Registration Statement comprising of the prospectus/proxy statement is declared effective by the SEC. Important Information In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., abrdn Australia Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC and Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited. The information in this press release is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction pursuant to or in connection with the proposed transaction or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In connection with the proposed combination, the Acquired Funds and their corresponding Acquiring Funds plan to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a combined joint prospectus/proxy statement and the Acquiring Funds plan to file proxy statements. When the prospectus/proxy statements or proxy statements, as the case may be, become available, shareholders are advised to read it because it will contain important information about the proposed transaction and related matters. The prospectus/proxy statements and proxy statements, when available, will be available for free at the Commission's website www.sec.gov. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Funds' investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. For More Information Contact: abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds Investor Relations 1-800-522-5465 Investor.Relations@abrdn.com If you If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact Investor.Relations@abrdn.com https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter/fund-centre/closed-end-funds SOURCE: abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711816/Abrdns-US-Closed-End-Funds-Announce-Special-Shareholder-Meetings-Relating-to-Proposed-Acquisition-of-Assets-of-Four-Delaware-Management-Company-Advised-Closed-End-Funds Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - TriSummit Utilities Inc. ("TSU") announced that it has agreed to issue $100 million of senior unsecured medium-term notes (the "Offering"). The notes carry a coupon rate of 5.28% and mature on August 15, 2052. The Offering is expected to close on or about August 15, 2022. The net proceeds resulting from the Offering will be used (i) as to approximately $98 million, to repay amounts outstanding under TSU's syndicated revolving credit facility and associated operating credit facility, and (ii) as to the remainder, for general corporate purposes. The Offering is being made through a syndicate of investment dealers co-led by RBC Capital Markets and CIBC Capital Markets as joint bookrunners under TSU's Short Form Base Shelf Prospectus dated November 16, 2020 and Prospectus Supplement dated July 6, 2021. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release. This press release is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States (including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia) or any other jurisdiction outside Canada. This press release does not constitute or form a part of any offer to buy or sell any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction outside of Canada. The securities of TSU have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws. Accordingly, these securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to a U.S. person unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or except pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. There will be no public offering of securities in the United States. About TriSummit Utilities TSU is a Canadian company with natural gas distribution utilities and renewable power generation assets. TSU serves approximately 133,000 customers across Canada, delivering low carbon energy, safely and reliably. For more information visit: www.trisummit.ca. For Further Information Contact: TriSummit Utilities Inc. Investor Relations communications@trisummit.ca FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This press release contains forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to TSU or an affiliate of TSU, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, the Offering, the closing of the Offering and the use of proceeds from the Offering. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect TSU's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in TSU's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause TSU's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this press release, including without limitation those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, sought, proposed, estimated or expected, and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this press release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this press release. TSU does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133561 OTCQX: SHWZ NEO: SHWZ Record Quarterly Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Revenue Increases 44% to $44.3 Million Compared to $30.7 Million in Q2 2021 Adjusted EBITDA of $15 Million, 33.9% of Revenue Revised Guidance Driven by Short-Term, Challenging Colorado Market Conditions Q4 2022 Projected Revenue Annualized Run Rate: $175 Million - $200 Million Q4 2022 Projected Adjusted EBITDA Annualized Run Rate: $60 Million - $72 Million Conference Call & Webcast Scheduled for Today - 5:00 pm EDT DENVER, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 ("Q2 2022"). Q2 2022 Financial Summary: Revenues of $44.3 million increased 44% compared to $30.7 million in second quarter ended June 30, 2021 ("Q2 2021") increased 44% compared to in second quarter ended ("Q2 2021") Retail sales were $38.1 million up 77% when compared to Q2 2021 up 77% when compared to Q2 2021 Gross Margin of $25.2 million was up 69% compared to $14.9 million in Q2 2021, this quarter was affected by $0.2M in purchase accounting was up 69% compared to in Q2 2021, this quarter was affected by in purchase accounting Net Income was $33.8 million compared to a Net Income of $4.4 million for the same period last year compared to a Net Income of for the same period last year Adjusted EBITDA of $15 million was 33.9% of revenue, compared to $10 million for the same period last year was 33.9% of revenue, compared to for the same period last year Colorado two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales (1) were 1.8% and one year IDs (1) were (12.7%) comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales were 1.8% and one year IDs were (12.7%) comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 Average basket size (1) for Q2 2022 was $59.98 down 4.1% compared to Q2 2021 for Q2 2022 was down 4.1% compared to Q2 2021 Recorded customer visits (1) for Q2 2022 totaled 444,771 down 8.9%, compared to Q2 2021 for Q2 2022 totaled 444,771 down 8.9%, compared to Q2 2021 New Mexico two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales (1) were 41.0% and one year IDs (1) were 30.4% comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales were 41.0% and one year IDs were 30.4% comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 Average basket size (1) for Q2 2022 was $54.56 down 12.7% compared to Q2 2021 for Q2 2022 was down 12.7% compared to Q2 2021 Recorded customer visits (1) for Q2 2022 totaled 209,591 up 49.4%, compared to Q2 2021 Accomplishments Since December 2021, Schwazze has closed acquisitions adding 15 cannabis dispensaries, 10 in New Mexico and five in Colorado as well as four cultivation facilities in New Mexico and one in Colorado and one manufacturing asset in New Mexico. Closed Acquisition of Urban Health & Wellness Assets Listed Common Stock on the NEO Exchange Closed Acquisition of Brow 2 LLC Assets Closed Acquisition of Emerald Fields Added President of New Mexico Division Closed New Mexico Acquisition, Becoming a Regionally Focused MSO Added to Key Senior Leadership Team Closed Acquisition of Drift Assets Justin Dye, Chairman and CEO of Schwazze stated, "Similar to the rest of the country, the cannabis industry in Colorado is also experiencing a slowdown in growth compared to the last couple of years. Schwazze, however, is demonstrating that our regional strategy, built on a customer first approach, developing significant scale, building brands and leveraging data analytics and technology is not only sound but gaining momentum as demonstrated by revenue and unit sales growth, customer loyalty and by once again outpacing the legacy market growth by approximately 12%. We believe this model will travel well to other states as we find attractive opportunities. Despite share price weakness driven by broader market influences, we remain bullish on our business and have conviction that as Schwazze continues to deliver superior operating results that our shareholders will be rewarded." Justin continued, "As we look to the future, we expect continued growth in Colorado and New Mexico through both organic and inorganic means. Our operations continue to mature and gain momentum, and we firmly believe that we are winning in our markets. Our team will continue to focus on growing profitably and generating cash flow from operations. When positive federal legislation is passed, Schwazze will be well-positioned as a market leader to take advantage of banking services and institutional investment." Q2 2022 Revenue Revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $44.3 million, including (i) retail sales of $38.1 million (ii) wholesale sales of $6.1 million and (iii) other operating revenues of $43,750, compared to revenues of $30.7 million, including (i) retail sales of $21.5 million, (ii) wholesale of $9.2 million, and (iii) other operating revenues of $16,844 during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of $13.5 million or 44%. This increase was due to increased sale of our products as well as execution of our growth through acquisition initiatives. In the second quarter of 2022, the Company acquired one additional retail dispensary, which generated additional retail revenue. Additionally, recreational marijuana sales became legal in New Mexico in April 2022, which increased sales volume and revenues in New Mexico. Wholesale revenues in Colorado decreased due to increased cultivation capacity in the state resulting in an over-supply of wholesale cannabis materials. Cost of goods and services for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $19.1 million compared to cost of services of $15.8 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of $3.3 million or 21%. The increase in cost of goods is driven by the increase in revenue, however not at the same rate. In the quarter, the Company experienced a reduction in costs driven by vertical integration and third-party price negotiations. Gross profit increased to $25.2 million for Q2 2022 compared to $14.9 million during the same period in 2021. Gross profit margin increased as a percentage of revenue from 48.5% to 56.8%, and net of purchase accounting, the gross margin increased to 57.4%. This positive result, net of purchase accounting continues to reflect our consolidated purchasing approach, the implementation of our retail playbook, and vertical product sales in New Mexico. Operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $16.1 million, compared to operating expenses of $10.5 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of $5.6 million or 54%. This increase is due to increased selling, general and administrative expenses, professional service fees, salaries, benefits, and related employment costs driven by growth from acquisitions. Other income for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $29.2 million compared to $0.2 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase in income of $29 million or 18,435%. The increase in other income is due to the revaluation of the derivative liability related to the Investor Notes, offset by higher interest payments. The Company generated net income for the three months ended June 30, 2022, of $33.8 million, compared to net income of $4.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2022 was $15 million representing 33.9% of revenue, compared to $10 million and 32.6% of revenue for the same period last year. This is derived from Operating Income and adjusting one-time expenses, merger and acquisition and capital raising costs, non-cash related compensation costs, and depreciation and amortization. See the financial table for Adjusted EBITDA below adjustment for details. For six months ending June 30, 2022, the Company used cash for operations of ($8.0) million compared to generating cash of $1.4 million for the same period in 2021. The Company has cash and cash equivalents of $33.9 million at the end of Q2 2022. Nancy Huber, CFO for Schwazze commented, "During Q2 we focused on completing integration of our acquisitions and made sure that we used our resources effectively. We are focused on reducing operating and SG&A expenses and judiciously investing growth capital to ensure adequate liquidity and profitability despite difficult market conditions in Colorado, which we believe to be transitory and temporary. Our balance sheet remains strong, and we have ample liquidity. We are focused on delivering positive cash flow net of acquisition costs for the year while driving organic growth and making smart acquisitions." 2022 Guidance The Company has revised its guidance for a fourth-quarter 2022 (Q4 2022) annualized run rate, which excludes transactions that are announced but not closed. Q4 2022 revenue annualized run rate is projected to be $175 million to $200 million, and the Q4 2022 adjusted EBITDA annualized run rate is projected to be from $60 million to $72 million. NOTES: (1)Schwazze did not own all the assets and entities in part of 2021, 2020 and 2019 and is using unaudited numbers for this comparison. Adjusted EBITDA represents income (loss) from operations, as reported, before tax, adjusted to exclude non-recurring items, other non-cash items, including stock-based compensation expense, depreciation, and amortization, and further adjusted to remove acquisition and capital raise related costs, and other one-time expenses, such as severance, retention, and employee relocation. The Company uses adjusted EBITDA as it believes it better explains the results of its core business. The Company has not reconciled guidance for adjusted EBITDA to the corresponding GAAP financial measure because it cannot provide guidance for the various reconciling items. The Company is unable to provide guidance for these reconciling items because it cannot determine their probable significance, as certain items are outside of its control and cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, a reconciliation to the corresponding GAAP financial measure is not available without unreasonable effort. Webcast - August 11, 2022 - 5:00 PM EDT Investors and stakeholders may participate in the conference call by dialing 416 764 8650 or by dialing North American toll free 1-888-664-6383 or listen to the webcast from the Company's website at https://ir.schwazze.com The webcast will be available on the Company's website and on replay until August 18, 2022, and may be accessed by dialing 1-888-390-0541 / # 575833 Following their prepared remarks, Chief Executive Officer, Justin Dye and Chief Financial Officer, Nancy Huber will answer investor questions. Investors may submit questions in advance or during the conference call itself through the weblink: https://app.webinar.net/lwXbZbBZmKN This weblink has been posted to the Company's website and will be archived on the website. All Company SEC filings can also be accessed on the Company website at https://ir.schwazze.com/sec-filings About Schwazze Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ, NEO: SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious practices. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. Forward-Looking Statements Such forward-looking statements may be preceded by the words "plan," "will," "may," "continue," "anticipate," "become," "build," "develop," "expect," "believe," "poised," "project," "approximate," "could," "potential," or similar expressions as they relate to Schwazze. Forward-looking statements include the guidance provided regarding the Company's Q4 2022 performance and annual capital spending. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (ii) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (iii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iv) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; (v) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates; (vi) our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy in Colorado and New Mexico and outside the states, (vii) our ability to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize synergies therefrom, (ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, (x) the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws, and (xii) our ability to achieve the target metrics, including our annualized revenue and EBIDTA run rates set out in our Q4 2022 guidance. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law. MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 Expressed in U.S. Dollars June 30, December 31, 2022 2021 (Unaudited) (Audited) ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 33,862,423 $ 106,400,216 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 5,753,621 3,866,828 Inventory 19,375,341 11,121,997 Note receivable - current, net 71,667 - Prepaid expenses and other current assets 7,743,112 2,523,214 Total current assets 66,806,164 123,912,255 Non-current assets Fixed assets, net accumulated depreciation of $3,212,679 and $1,988,973, respectively 20,955,604 10,253,226 Goodwill 107,969,018 43,316,267 Intangible assets, net accumulated amortization of $11,930,443 and $7,652,750, respectively 105,427,462 97,582,330 Marketable securities, net of unrealized loss of $13,813 and gain of $216,771, respectively 479,741 493,553 Note receivable - noncurrent, net - 143,333 Accounts receivable - litigation 290,648 303,086 Other noncurrent assets 1,464,163 514,962 Operating lease right of use assets 14,755,181 8,511,780 Total non-current assets 251,341,817 161,118,537 Total assets $ 318,147,981 $ 285,030,792 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 3,222,956 $ 2,548,885 Accounts payable - related party 73,387 36,820 Accrued expenses 8,966,821 5,592,222 Derivative liabilities 11,634,721 34,923,013 Notes payable - related party - 134,498 Lease liabilities - current 3,795,776 - Income taxes payable 863,971 2,027,741 Total current liabilities 28,557,632 45,263,179 Long term debt 121,080,876 97,482,468 Lease liabilities 11,532,286 8,715,480 Total long-term liabilities 132,613,162 106,197,948 Total liabilities 161,170,794 151,461,127 Stockholders' equity Common stock, $0.001 par value. 250,000,000 shares authorized; 55,995,681 shares issued and 54,446,575 shares outstanding at June 30, 2022 and 45,484,314 shares issued and 44,745,870 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2021. 55,996 45,485 Preferred stock, $0.001 par value. 10,000,000 shares authorized; 86,994 shares issued and 82,594 outstanding at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. 87 87 Additional paid-in capital 179,623,469 162,815,097 Accumulated deficit (20,711,687) (27,773,968) Common stock held in treasury, at cost, 886,459 shares held as of June 30, 2022 and 517,044 shares held as of December 31, 2021 (1,990,678) (1,517,036) Total stockholders' equity 156,977,187 133,569,665 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 318,147,981 $ 285,030,792 See accompanying notes to the financial statements MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLDIATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (UNAUDITED) For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 Expressed in U.S. Dollars For the Three Months Ended For the Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Operating revenues Retail $ 38,138,799 $ 21,525,816 $ 64,664,515 $ 33,342,016 Wholesale 6,080,843 9,186,181 11,288,231 16,632,445 Other 43,750 16,844 88,200 94,494 Total revenue 44,263,392 30,728,841 76,040,946 50,068,955 Cost of goods and services Total cost of goods and services 19,106,944 15,826,341 39,946,995 27,913,451 Gross profit 25,156,448 14,902,500 36,093,951 22,155,504 Operating expenses Selling, general and administrative expenses 6,666,044 4,797,495 13,521,755 7,987,134 Professional services 1,516,544 1,519,016 4,101,016 3,714,124 Salaries 7,240,368 2,992,055 12,537,145 4,861,413 Stock based compensation 697,842 1,153,018 1,688,925 2,636,824 Total operating expenses 16,120,798 10,461,584 31,848,841 19,199,495 Income (loss) from operations 9,035,650 4,440,916 4,245,110 2,956,009 Other income (expense) Interest income (expense), net (7,489,205) (1,713,770) (14,791,459) (2,675,053) Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative liabilities 36,705,764 1,864,741 23,288,292 610,927 Other income (expense) - - 7 - Gain (loss) on sale of assets - - - 292,479 Unrealized gain (loss) on investments (5,264) 6,627 (13,813) 221,257 Total other income (expense) 29,211,295 157,598 8,483,027 (1,550,390) Provision for income taxes (benefit) 4,405,962 228,474 5,665,856 685,088 Net income (loss) $ 33,840,983 $ 4,370,040 $ 7,062,281 $ 720,531 Less: Accumulated preferred stock dividends for the period (1,766,575) - (3,510,019) - Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders $ 32,074,408 $ 4,370,040 $ 3,552,262 $ 720,531 Earnings (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders Basic earnings (loss) per share $ 0.65 $ 0.10 $ 0.07 $ 0.02 Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 0.24 $ 0.08 $ 0.03 $ 0.01 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic 49,178,494 42,332,144 49,178,494 42,286,168 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted 133,481,667 53,975,521 133,481,667 53,886,727 Comprehensive income (loss) $ 33,840,983 $ 4,370,040 $ 7,062,281 $ 720,531 See accompanying notes to the financial statements MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021 Expressed in U.S. Dollars For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 Cash flows from operating activities Net income (loss) for the period 7,062,281 720,531 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash used in operating activities Depreciation and amortization 5,501,399 4,807,147 Gain on change in derivative liabilities (23,288,292) (610,927) Loss (gain) on investment, net 13,813 (221,257) Loss (gain) on sale of asset - (292,479) Stock based compensation 1,474,380 2,636,824 Changes in operating assets and liabilities (net of acquired amounts): Accounts receivable (1,677,476) (1,854,067) Inventory 3,903,984 (3,368,807) Prepaid expenses and other current assets (1,458,786) (1,250,938) Other assets (946,701) (367,593) Operating leases right of use assets and liabilities 369,181 77,444 Accounts payable and other liabilities 2,248,013 1,169,537 Deferred Revenue - (50,000) Income taxes payable (1,163,770) - Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities (7,961,974) 1,395,416 Cash flows from investing activities: Cash consideration for acquisition of business (95,903,316) (66,082,072) Purchase of fixed assets (7,004,445) (1,203,180) Issuance of notes receivable - 181,911 Purchase of intangible assets (2,825) (29,580) Net cash used in investing activities (102,910,586) (67,132,921) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of debt 19,165,362 40,348,241 Debt issuance and discount costs 4,433,042 - Repayment of notes payable - (5,000,000) Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs 14,736,363 50,282,798 Net cash provided by financing activities 38,334,767 85,631,039 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (72,537,793) 19,893,534 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 106,400,216 1,237,235 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 33,862,423 $ 21,130,769 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid for interest $ 9,004,575 $ 2,131,495 Cash paid for income taxes 6,840,000 - Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: Common stock issued in connection with acquisitions 9,900,506 - Issuance of common stock 379,146 - Return of common stock 551,875 - See accompanying notes to the financial statements MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation Non-GAAP measurement (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 Net income (loss) $ 33,840,983 $ 4,370,040 $ 7,062,281 $ 720,531 Interest expense, net 7,489,205 1,713,770 14,791,459 2,675,053 Provision for income taxes 4,405,962 228,474 5,665,856 685,088 Other (income) expense (36,700,500) (1,871,368) (23,274,486) (1,124,663) Depreciation and amortization 2,960,603 3,016,579 5,501,399 4,807,147 EBITDA (non-GAAP measure) $ 11,996,253 $ 7,457,495 $ 9,746,509 $ 7,763,156 Non-cash stock compensation 697,842 1,153,018 1,688,925 2,636,824 Deal related expenses 1,656,529 916,471 3,913,463 1,662,415 Capital raise related expenses 41,312 230,970 605,632 1,182,089 Inventory adjustment to fair market value for purchase accounting 246,613 - 6,507,047 2,164,686 One-time cultivation asset impairment 329,210 - 329,210 - Severance 44,537 125,826 49,102 142,092 Retention program expenses - 29,687 - 59,375 Employee relocation expenses 332 18,391 19,110 38,391 Other non-recurring items 8,840 90,011 10,650 217,179 Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP measure) $ 15,021,468 $ 10,021,869 $ 22,869,648 $ 15,866,207 Revenue 44,263,392 30,728,841 76,040,946 50,068,955 aEBITDA Percent 33.9 % 32.6 % 30.1 % 31.7 % Investors, Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations, Joanne.jobin@schwazze.com, 647 964 0292; Daniel Pabon, General Counsel, dan@schwazze.com, 303 371 0387 x1031; Media, Julie Suntrup, Schwazze, Vice President, Marketing & Merchandising, julie.suntrup@schwazze.com, 303 371 0387 Palm Beach, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Maximum Leverage Trading is pleased to announce a collaboration with The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association. Maximum Leverage Trading (MLT) is a West Palm Beach based trading firm and system developer providing investors with alternative investment strategies targeting outsized returns. David Goodboy, PBHFA Founder, stated, "We are pleased to welcome West Palm Beach based system developer, Maximum Leverage Trading to the PBHFA. MLT brings unique market research and algorithmic trading capabilities to our active investor membership base. I look forward to sharing these strategies with our members." Dan Amato, CEO/ Founder of MLT, remarked, "We are excited about sharing our trading strategies and research with the PBHFA. I look forward to a long and beneficial relationship." About Maximum Leverage Trading MLT offers a powerful alternative investment strategy for investors to diversify income streams. It is not an algorithmic system that makes money off the bid/ask spreads between the customer/clearing house and exchanges, rather a NEW cutting-edge Black Box day trading system. "We aim to make our licensees lots of money, plain and simple. We are committed to providing proven successful techniques and high level expertise in the high frequency/high leverage algorithmic trading arena. We desire to establish longterm, highly profitable and mutually beneficial relationships with all of our clients." About The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association The Palm Beach Hedge Fund Association is a South Florida trade organization with global reach. Its members consist of active hedge fund managers/ professionals, ultra-high net worth investors, family offices, active financial traders, investment bankers, academics, financial institutions, FOF's, foundations, allocators, as well as the best of the best of service providers including third-party marketers, data providers, prime brokers, administrators, auditors, lawyers, risk managers, and fintech firms. Since launching in the autumn of 2013 with the goal of turning South Florida into a major global financial hub, the association has exponentially grown to become the voice of the South Florida financial community. Contact Details: Name: David S. Goodboy Email: dave@pbhfa.org Job Title: Managing Director and Founder News Source: Pinion Partners PALM BEACH HEDGE FUND ASSOCIATION To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8700/133525_e1f6df55348528ad_001full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133525 Earnings Conference Call Planned For August 12, 2022 at 8:30 AM ET JACKSONVILLE, FL / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / LFTD Partners Inc. ("LFTD Partners" or the "Company") (OTCQB:LIFD), the corporate parent of leading cannabis and psychedelics manufacturer Lifted Made, today reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. Financial results are reported in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and all currency is in U.S. dollars. Income Statement Highlights - Q2 2022 Compared to Q2 2021: Revenue increased 151% to $16,776,502, up from $6,695,144 Operating margin increased 3.14% to 26.40%, up from 23.25% Net income increased 102% to $3,219,460, up from $1,596,154 - the eighth consecutive quarter of positive GAAP net income Basic earnings per share ("EPS") increased 64% to $0.23 per share, up from $0.14 Diluted EPS up 82% to $0.20 per share, up from $0.11 Basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the three months ended June 30, 2022 were 14,099,007 and 15,906,205, respectively Balance Sheet Highlights - June 30, 2022 Compared to December 31, 2021: Cash on hand increased 134% to $3,751,144, up from $1,602,731 Inventory increased 164% to $10,049,245, up from $3,809,944 Current assets increased 50% to $19,678,947, up from $13,152,696 Current ratio increased to 2.09, from 1.10 Working capital increased 725% to $10,284,320, up from $1,246,426 Nicholas S. Warrender, Vice Chairman and COO of LFTD Partners, and founder and CEO of Lifted Made, said, "Q2 2022 was a record quarter for us in terms of net income, earnings per share, and free cash flow." Earnings Conference Call and Webcast Information: LFTD Partners plans to hold a Q2 2022 earnings conference call and webcast on Friday, August 12, 2022, at 8:30 AM ET. Participant phone numbers: Toll Free: 888-506-0062 International: 973-528-0011 Participant Access Code: 377903 Webcast event link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2916/46388 The participant phone numbers and webcast event link are shown on the Investor Relations section of LFTD Partners' website at https://www.lftdpartners.com/investors. The webcast replay will also be available on the Investor Relations section of LFTD Partners' website. Although attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions during the earnings conference call, attendees are encouraged to submit questions prior to the call by emailing them to: jakejacobs@lftdpartners.com. About LFTD Partners Inc. LFTD Partners Inc. (OTCQB:LIFD) is focused upon acquiring rapidly growing and profitable companies that sell branded hemp-derived cannabinoid products, emerging psychedelic products, and other alternative lifestyle products. LFTD Partners' first wholly-owned subsidiary is Lifted Made (www.LiftedMade.com), Kenosha, Wisconsin, which sells award-winning hemp-derived cannabinoid products and other psychedelic and alternative lifestyle products under its flagship brands Urb Finest Flowers and Silly Shruum. LFTD Partners also owns 4.99% of CBD-infused beverage and products maker Ablis (www.AblisBev.com), and of distillers Bendistillery Inc. d/b/a Crater Lake Spirits (www.CraterLakeSpirits.com) and Bend Spirits, Inc., all located in Bend, Oregon. Please read LIFD's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission which fully describe our business and the Risk Factors associated therewith. Learn more by subscribing to our newsletters at www.LFTDPartners.com and www.LiftedMade.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this document are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such information includes the acquisition, financing, revenue growth, profitability, and product strategies, plans and expectations of LFTD Partners Inc. and Lifted Made. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, most notably federal and state laws and regulations, which may cause or contribute to the actual results of these companies' merger plans, financing plans, operations, or the performance or achievements of these companies differing materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain other factors, including the risk factors set forth in LFTD Partners Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell common stock or any other securities of LFTD Partners Inc. CONTACTS: Lifted Made Attn: Nicholas S. Warrender, CEO Phone: (224) 577-8148 Email: CEO@LiftedMade.com Website: www.LiftedMade.com LFTD Partners Inc. Attn: William C. "Jake" Jacobs, CPA, President and CFO Phone: (847) 400-7660 Email: JakeJacobs@LFTDPartners.com Website: www.LFTDPartners.com SOURCE: LFTD Partners Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711824/LFTD-Partners-Inc-Reports-Second-Quarter-2022-Results VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / We are writing today in our capacity as investment fund manager of the Fund (CDO102), a class of shares of Maple Leaf Corporate Funds Ltd., to advise you of the termination of the Fund effective on or about October 10, 2022 (the "Termination Date"). We are terminating the Fund because the fund expenses are becoming increasingly high relative to the small size of the fund. Currently the Fund is closed to new purchases and to switches from the Maple Leaf Resource Class (CDO100/103), another class of shares of Maple Leaf Corporate Funds Ltd. As the Fund prepares to terminate, it may no longer be fully invested in accordance with its stated investment objectives. Options for Investors At any time before the close of business of 4:00pm ET on the Termination Date, you may choose to redeem your units of the Fund. We will waive any short-term trading fees and redemption fees that might otherwise be charged in connection with redemptions prior to the termination. At any time before the close of business of 4:00pm ET on October 5, 2022 investors may elect to switch fee free from Maple Leaf Income Class (CDO102) mutual fund to Maple Leaf Resource Class (CDO100/103). The investment objective of the Maple Leaf Resource Class (CDO100/103) is to maximize capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of natural resource companies and companies that support the resource sector. Please contact your Investment Advisor for advice and assistance, should you wish to switch to the Resource Mutual Fund. Investors should note: The shares of the Maple Leaf Resource Class (CDO100/103) are qualified investment for RRSPs, RRIFs, RESPs, DPSPs, RDSPs and TFSAs. There will be no fees charged for switches to the Maple Leaf Resource Class (CDO100/103). Redeeming Maple Leaf Income Class (CDO 102) shares for cash or switching to the Maple Leaf Resource Class (CDO100/103) may incur a capital gain tax liability. If you do not redeem or switch your units by the close of business on the Termination Date, you will receive proceeds equal to your proportionate share of all property and assets of the Fund attributable to the units of the Fund that you own, which is expected to be the net asset value per unit on the Termination Date multiplied by the number of units held. The proceeds of the termination will be deposited into the bank account on file in the records of the Fund or, where banking information is unavailable, a cheque will be issued. Tax Considerations of the Fund Termination Any redemption or switch of units of the Fund or a distribution upon wind-up will be a disposition for tax purposes. You will generally realize a capital gain (or capital loss) to the extent that your proceeds are more (or less) than the total of your adjusted cost base of your units and your costs of disposition. Unless you hold your units in a registered plan, one-half of any such capital gain must be included in computing your income and one-half of any such capital loss may be deducted against taxable capital gains, subject to, and in accordance with, the detailed provisions of the Income Tax Act (Canada). We encourage all unitholders to consult with their financial advisors to understand the financial and tax implications associated with redeeming or switching their units and the termination of the Fund and to discuss their investment options. If you have any questions regarding the termination of the Fund, please do not hesitate to contact us by email at seiyul@mapleleaffunds.ca. Sincerely, CADO Investment Fund Management Inc. as manager on behalf of the Fund Per: (signed) Seiyul Yu Name: Seiyul Yu Title: Chief Financial Officer SOURCE: Maple Leaf Corporate Funds Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/711857/Notice-of-Termination-of-the-Maple-Leaf-Income-Class-CDO-102-the-Fund Founders of EtherMail, Shant Kevonian and Gerald Heydenreich, are on track to revolutionize web3 communication with this impressive first round of seed funding EtherMail, a Barcelona, Spain-based provider of a Web 3.0 Email Solution setting the standard for anonymous and encrypted wallet-to-wallet communication, raised $3M in Seed funding. The round was led by Fabric Ventures and Greenfield One, with participation from Rene Reinsberg, the founder of Celo. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate solution testing as they gears up for the Q3 release. Co-founded by Shant Kevonian and Gerald Heydenreich in 2021, EtherMail is advancing a tool allowing web3 companies to send rich, relevant content directly to their asset holders based on blockchain-synced real-time information. The solution also helps companies to proactively mitigate the risk of communication fraud by preemptively informing users of breaches and vulnerabilities, while also enabling self-updating mailing lists for community newsletter distribution based on up-to-the-minute smart contract data. The encrypted wallet-to-wallet email communication solution has already received thousands of pre-registrations. EtherMail will be introducing its native utility token, $EMT early next year. $EMT will be an ERC-20 token based on the Ethereum network. FinSMEs 11/08/2022 FundamentalVR, a Boston, MA-based medical simulation platform that combines virtual reality and haptics through data, artificial intelligence, and multimodal learning, raised USD20M in Series B funding. The round was led by EQT Life Sciences and Downing Ventures. The new investments follow a Series A round in October 2019 and bring the companys total funding to over $30 million. As part of the transactions, Drew Burdon of EQT Life Sciences will join the Board of Directors. The company intends to use the funds for further development of HapticVRTM, the machine learning data insights product, and geographic expansion throughout the US. Led by Chief Executive Richard Vincent, FundamentalVR delivers immersive multi-user simulations called Blended VR underpinned with HapticVRTM interactions that enable medical devices and procedures to drive consistency and compliance across their training programs provided on the multimodal Fundamental Surgery platform. The platform allows for full rehearsal of medical and surgical procedures, providing deep data insight into competency and skills development, accelerating safe adoption across the board. Deployed in over 30 countries, FundamentalVRs high-fidelity simulations help life science, pharmaceutical, and med-device companies deploy medical innovations in disciplines from ophthalmology to robotics, gene therapy, and more. FinSMEs 11/08/2022 On August 9, Chinese Ambassador to Sudan Ma Xinmin publishes an signature article titled Pelosis provocative visit to Chinas Taiwan region means four violations for the China Focus Column on Brown Land. The full text is as follows: On August 2nd and 3rd, in disregard of Chinas strong opposition and serious representations, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visited Chinas Taiwan region, which has upgraded official exchanges and substantive relations with Taiwan. Her visit seriously violates the One-China principle and China's sovereignty and territorial integrity,which has aroused strong indignation among the Chinese people and widespread opposition from the international community. Her visit is a major political provocation and political farce that constitutes four violations. Her visit is a serious violation of universally recognized basic principles of international law on national sovereignty and non-interference in others' internal affairs. The Taiwan question is one left over from the civil war in China and purely Chinas internal affair. In the 1940s, the Kuomintangs government of the Republic of China was overthrown. On October 1, 1949, the Central Peoples Government of the Peoples Republic of China was established as the sole legal government of China. However, a group of military and political officials of the Kuomintang clique took refuge in Chinas Taiwan Province as a result of their defeat, and with the support of the then US administration, set up a regime by force of arms in Taiwan, resulting that the two sides of the Taiwan Straits have been in a special state of long-term separation and political confrontation. Although such political confrontation resulted from the civil war has yet come to an end, the legal status of Taiwan being a part of China does not change. Nor is Taiwan vested with any position or rights in international law. As a sovereign state, de jure and de facto, the Peoples Republic of China has the right to exercise sovereignty over its entire territory including Taiwan at home and to exercise the right of independence and representation on international occasions. The Government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The Taiwan authorities are merely the local government taking control of a part of Chinas territory. They are anti-central government political forces surviving from the civil war. Pelosis provocative visit to Taiwan and her support for Taiwan Independence separatists attempts to separate the island from China is an interference in Chinas internal affair, an infringement of Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a gross violation of the principle of non-interference in international law. Universally recognized norms of international law prohibit the interference in the civil war of another state. The Declaration on Principles of International Law clearly provides that no State shall interfere in civil strife in another State. It is an international practice to consider assistance with or support for a countrys separatist forces as illegal interference in that countrys affairs. Second, her visit is a serious violation of US's commitment in the three China-US joint communiques and the commitment made by the US leadership. In the Shanghai Communique released in 1972, the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations in 1978 and the August 17 Communique released in 1982, the US made a clear commitment that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is a part of China. In particular, the US clearly pledged in the Sino-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations that the United States of America recognizes the Government of the Peoples Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan. This is a legally binding international agreement. In November 2021 and in March 2022, the US President Biden made the five notes commitment twice in his phone talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that the US does not support Taiwan Independence. Since China and the United States established diplomatic relations in 1979, Successive U.S. Secretaries of State have stated on various occasions that the U.S. abides by the one-China principles. This is the policy statement and commitment made by the US leadership. It is also a due international obligation for the US. Any US government institution, executive, legislative and judicial alike, must act on the foreign policy and international obligation recognized and committed to by the US government. As the third-highest ranking figure in the US government, the House Speaker Pelosis provocative visit to Taiwan by US military aircraft is a grave breach of the US governments commitment. Her acting in bad faith once again reveals the hypocrisy of the US side. Third, her visit is a serious violation of the one-China principle widely accepted by the international community. There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory, and the Government of the Peoples Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. This is at the heart of the one-China principle. Since the Peoples Republic of China was founded in 1949, 181 countries including the US have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. This fully demonstrates that the one-China principle is a universal consensus of the international community. It is also the political and legal basis for establishing and developing diplomatic relations with China. The one-China principle is binding on all these countries. After Pelosis visit to Taiwan, more than 160 countries and international organizations have made their voice of justice heard. They reiterated their commitment to the one-China policy and expressed support for Chinas efforts to firmly uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Sudans Foreign Minister-designate Ali Al-Sadiq said in a press statement that Sudan supports for the one-China policy, considering Taiwan an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and supports the efforts of China in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. This attests to high-level political mutual trust and deep friendship between China and Sudan. China speaks highly of the statement. Fourth, her visit is a serious violation of the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. The one-China principle is a consensus widely accepted by all countries and also by international and regional organizations like the UN. In October 1971, the 26th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 that decided to restore all its rights to the Peoples Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the UN, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the UN and in all the organizations related to it. Representatives of many countries including Sudan stated clearly when the resolution was under consultation that the lawful seat of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) in the UN be restored. The representatives of the Government of the PRC are the only lawful representatives of China to the UN, taking the place of representatives of Chiang Kai-shek, which marks that Chinas representation in international organizations was legally addressed. A few days ago, the UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres and his spokesman said respectively that the UN follows the UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. The key content of such resolution is about the one-China policy that Taiwan is a part of China. These remarks show their firm commitment to the UN Chart and the UN General Assembly 2758. All countermeasures announced by China are formulated on a legal basis. It is a countrys basic right under international law to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Any sovereign state has the right to use all necessary means in accordance with the international law and its domestic law, either peaceful or non-peaceful, to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Recently, the so-called "Ministry of National Defense" in Taiwan called China's military drills constitute "targeted deterrence", which runs counter to Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibiting the threat or use of force. This is a total abuse and misinterpretation of international law. Article 2(4) prohibits the threat or use of force in international relations between states. The proscription does not include the domestic use of force to safeguard their sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, the state is entitled to resort to force in suppressing the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces. Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory. The Chinese military drills in the waters off the Taiwan Island are a necessary and legitimate measure to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity and a necessary and legitimate countermeasure against the Taiwan independence separatist forces and foreign interference. Currently effective laws including the Constitution of the Peoples Republic of China, the Anti-Secession Law of the Peoples Republic of China and the National Security Law of the Peoples Republic of China, provide for adequate legal grounds and complete judicial procedures for punishment against Taiwan Independence separatists. Not a single Taiwan independence separatist could escape from punishment by national law. On issues concerning Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity and other core interests, China has no room for compromise or concession. No one should underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The trend of the world, vast and mighty, prospers those who follow it and perishes those who go against it. China must be and will surely be reunited. This is an unstoppable trend of history. The provocative visit of Pelosi and her likes goes against the historical trend and undermines Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. They will boomerang in the end. Politics AP 'We're back, baby': New bill boosts US climate credibility The U.S. has renewed credibility on global climate issues and will be able to inspire other nations in their own efforts, experts say, after the Democrats pushed their big economic bill through the Senate on Sunday WASHINGTON After a moment when hopes dimmed that the United States could become an international leader on climate change, legislation that Congress is poised to approve could rejuvenate the countrys reputation and bolster its efforts to push other nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more quickly. The head-snapping turn of events, which has generated a joyful case of whiplash among Democrats and environmentalists, is a reminder of how domestic politics is intertwined with worldwide diplomacy. Advocates feared that last months breakdown in negotiations in Congress had undermined efforts to limit the catastrophic effects of global warming. Now theyre energized by the opportunity to tout an unprecedented U.S. success. This says, Were back, baby, said Jennifer Turner, who works on international climate issues as director of the Woodrow Wilson Centers China Environment Forum in Washington. The legislation, which also has provisions on taxes and prescription drugs, includes about $375 billion over the next decade for clean energy development and financial incentives for buying electric cars, installing solar panels and weaning the power grid off fossil fuels. Although the proposals were downsized during difficult negotiations, its the single biggest investment in climate change in U.S. history, and a significant shift from years of inaction that limited Washingtons clout overseas. The Senate passed the legislation on Sunday, and the House is expected to approve it on Friday. Then it goes to President Joe Biden for his signature. Poor nations remain concerned that rich countries like the United States have not fulfilled financial commitments to help them cope with global warming and transition to clean energy, something the legislation does not address. But Biden can still point to it as evidence that the U.S. political system can address the worlds most pressing problems. Our ability to have credibility on the global stage depends on our ability to deliver at home, said Ali Zaidi, the White House deputy national climate adviser. We are the pace car. That helps other people go faster and faster. After President Donald Trump withdrew from the Paris climate accord, Biden entered office pledging to rejoin the fight against global warming. He set an ambitious new target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and began proposing policies to put the country on track. The legislation that Biden is expected to sign is estimated to reduce emissions between 31 percent to 44 percent, according to an analysis by the Rhodium Group, an independent research firm. Further regulatory steps by the administration could close the rest of the gap. Its good that finally the United States is trying to catch up after years of dragging its feet on climate change and this investment will go a long way to undoing some of the harm caused by the administration of President Trump, said Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa, a think tank based in Nairobi, Kenya. The movement on the bill comes just three months before the next U.N. conference on climate change, which is known as COP27 and will take place in Egypt. Lets hope this legislation is the start of more international cooperation in the lead up to the COP27 summit, where the most vulnerable get the support they need, Adow said. Although the United States will still face entrenched skepticism, the progress in Washington may also give John Kerry, the White Houses special envoy on climate, more momentum going into the conference in November. It puts wind in his sail, it gives him a real credibility boost, Turner said. This will change the whole dynamic. Several experts said the United States will be empowered to put more pressure on China, India and other nations that have high emissions but have been unwilling to cut back for economic reasons. This restores some diplomatic legitimacy to the United States as an influential player in international climate negotiations, said Scott Moore, director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. Shayak Sengupta, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation America, a Washington-based affiliate of a think tank in India, was less enthusiastic. Considering that this bill is long over due after years of U.S. climate inaction, many countries may view this as the bare minimum of the U.S.s historical and moral responsibility for climate, he said. Sengupta emphasized that poor nations are still looking for rich countries to fulfill their $100 billion commitment for financial assistance to address global warming, an issue thats been a sore spot during international negotiations. There will be no shortage of other challenges, too. If Republicans retake Congress or the White House, they could unravel Bidens progress. Supply chains could struggle to accommodate increased demand for equipment like solar panels and batteries. Chinas foreign ministry on Friday announced the country is cutting off direct climate talks with the U.S. in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosis trip to Taiwan, severing a rare point of longstanding, if sometimes tumultuous, cooperation between the two countries. However, experts said China will still take notice if the U.S. succeeds in becoming a clean energy powerhouse. For a while now, China has been leading in clean energy investment globally, said Xizhou Zhou, an expert in climate and sustainability at S&P Global, a global research firm. They will probably see this legislation as a competitive move. Deborah Seligsohn, an expert on Chinas politics and energy at Villanova University and a former U.S. diplomat in Beijing, said the result could be lower prices globally. To the extent the U.S. starts really investing in things that compete with key Chinese businesses in solar, wind, electric vehicles, batteries I think youre going to see Chinese businesses interested in ramping up their competitiveness in these industries, by making better products and bringing prices down, she said. That could have a ripple effect around the world. Developing countries may see prices for renewable energy going down, and adoption going up, Seligsohn said. Vibhuti Garg, an energy economist focused on India, said U.S. investment in clean energy research could pay dividends in poorer nations that dont have the same resources to develop new technologies. The U.S. can share the technology know-how with other countries, especially the Global South, she said. Aditya Ramji, from the Institute of Transportation Studies at University of California, Davis, said that cooperation along with financial help will be critical. At some point there will have to be discussions on how they can provide intellectual property access or lower costs to countries like India and others to leverage electric vehicle technology, he said. Climate activists said the U.S. legislation is just one step on a larger path towards climate action. More progress is needed to put the world on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), a target that some scientists believe is slipping out of reach. We need to fight for political commitments in other countries, said climate activist Luisa Neubauer, a leading figure in the Fridays for Future activist movement. Thats the only way we will manage to turn this from a year of fossil fuel backlash to a year of climate justice, she said. Associated Press writers Frank Jordans in Berlin and Sibi Arasu in Bangalore, India, contributed to this report. Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. The body of a 27-year-old woman from Washington County has been discovered at Coffin Butte landfill north of Corvallis. The family of Kaylee Birdzell reported her missing on Friday, Aug. 5, according to a statement from the Washington County Sheriff's Office. Two days later, deputies learned that Birdzell had been murdered, with her body disposed in an apartment complex trash bin. Washington County law enforcement worked with waste management officials to track down the trash. According to the news release, on Tuesday, Aug. 9, searchers found Birdzell at the Benton County landfill. The remains then were taken to the Oregon State Medical Examiner's office in Clackamas for an autopsy, which on Wednesday, Aug. 10, confirmed the body was Birdzell, according to officials. Washington County deputies have identified Birdzell's boyfriend, Fabian Alberto Hernandez, 31, as the suspect. He was initially arrested on Sunday under the suspicion of unrelated charges: identity theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. On Wednesday, he was arrested on suspicion of murder, according to the news release. He may face charges of second degree murder and abuse of a corpse. Law enforcement officials said that further charges may be added as the investigation is ongoing. A state agency has dismissed two appeals spurred by a Corvallis city staff decision, part of a local glass fiber factory's quest for a new air pollution permit. The states Land Use Board of Appeals rejected both appeals Aug. 2 in two separate, 13-page opinions. The appeals were reportedly filed with the board in April. One appeal, filed by Milo Phillips, focused on a staff decision that found Hollingsworth & Voses land use as a manufacturer compatible with the general vicinity. Another, filed by a group of four that includes two former city officials, targeted a Corvallis City Council vote upholding the staff decision. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is the agency responsible for issuing the permit that would raise the permissible levels of air pollution over H&V's previous permit. But DEQ required assurances from the city that the factory is an area properly zoned for its kind of activity. In a statement, H&V Plant Manager Cindy Frost said company officials are pleased with the outcome. "H&V has operated the facility in Corvallis since 1996. We are committed to being a good neighbor in Corvallis, and to working closely with neighbors, the city and state regulators for years to come," she said. The group of appellants, through member Jeremy Monroe, issued a statement reacting to their lost appeal, saying there is a glaring due-process issue with LUBAs decision and pledging theyll take their case to the Oregon Court of Appeals to fix that problem. LUBA spends its entire 13-page decision discussing an issue that no party raised, that no party knew LUBA was considering, and that no party was given the chance to address, the group states. That is practically the definition of a due-process violation. The group's members believe they face not just a pollution issue but also a land use issue. Their statement says there are specific codes for the type of industrial intensification being considered, adding they require a public process for citizen input. We are still puzzled as to why H&V and the city misrepresented H&Vs compatibility to DEQ on the agencys form, why they chose to evade the required public process when they knew many of us were watching closely, the group said. The Phillips appeal was dismissed because the appellant failed to exhaust all available local remedies, according to the LUBA documents. The group appeal was dismissed because LUBA determined that the act of verifying land use compatibility with the current zoning isn't a land use decision. Background In March, Corvallis leaders backed a City Hall administrative-level decision that could lead to the new, different air emissions discharge permit for Hollingsworth & Vose. To get the higher-level permit, the company first needed a statement from the city that its use of the land is compatible. After city staff and then Corvallis City Manager Mark Shepard in 2021 determined that it was, the decision was appealed to the City Council, asking members to overrule Shepard's decision upholding the staff decision. The council chose to support the city manager in a 7-1 vote, opposed by Council President Hyatt Lytle. The group of appellants believes Hollingsworth & Vose betrayed the public trust when it was discovered in 2015 the plant had been operating under the wrong air type of emissions permit for nearly 20 years and had been emitting much higher levels of carbon monoxide and fluorides than allowed. The group, which includes former Councilor and Planning Commissioner Tony Howell, former Councilor Barbara Bull, Patricia Benner and Monroe, alleges the plant has remained out of compliance with state permits and local zoning since 2015, calling the permit application an attempt to legalize increased pollution after the fact. Monroe previously said the City Council wasnt able to discuss the issue substantively and their deliberations didnt address whether Shepard's decision was right or wrong. Despite losing the LUBA appeal, it illustrated how critical errors were made in issuing the compatibility statement for Hollingsworth & Vose, he added. Past noncompliance not considered In a city document responding to the underlying appeal to the City Council, Shepard states when a landowner seeks a compatibility statement, local laws dont require the city to consider past noncompliance. Staffs role boils down to reviewing development code language, the zoning map and prior land use approvals to determine if the use is compatible with regulations, he states. Public input, he added, would only be required under limited circumstances. He said staff had properly determined the correct course of action. Under the previous permit, the Department of Environmental Quality required Hollingsworth & Vose to pay $240,000 in fines and fees for over-emitting but allowed the company to keep operating its riverside facility, 1115 Crystal Lake Drive in south Corvallis, while applying for a higher-level permit. Company representatives have said the permit they seek is the most stringent air permit DEQ can issue for the plant, as noted in a prior statement from Frost. She said the company has made significant investments in the community and its operations. In March, a company spokesperson cited the installation of a state-of-the-art emissions control system, said to be highly effective at reducing particulate and fluoride emissions as well as wastewater discharge. The company representative also said ambient air monitoring near the facility indicated extremely low CO levels less than a tenth of the Environmental Protection Agency air quality standard threshold. E-commerce to play bigger role in driving consumption 14:37, August 11, 2022 By Hong Yong, Wang Ke ( People's Daily "The air fryer is so nice. Little did I think that I could be so with-it," said Hu Yuxia, a woman from Tanjia village, Zhenjiang, east China's Jiangsu province, while cooking with the electric pot she just bought from the Shushuang appliance store in the township. Cargos are being transported in an unattended smart warehouse of an e-commerce enterprise in Huai'an, east China's Jiangsu province, July 1, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Ji Xingming) "Indeed, I bought it from the online shop of the Shushuang appliance store," she told People's Daily. Hu is a frequent customer of the Shushuang appliance store, which has been doing business in the township for more than 10 years, and she's quite familiar with the owner of the store, Rong Xiaoqiang. "As an appliance store facing the rural market, we have a large number of frequent customers and enjoy a high degree of customer loyalty, but we were limited by small inventory and a lack of sales channels," said Rong. A few years ago, Rong's store joined an e-commerce platform run by Huitongda, a company backed by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, and its annual sales surged by about 30 percent year on year after that. The store's sales in the first half of 2022 reached 2.15 million yuan ($318,198), increasing 10 percent from a year ago. According to an employee of Huitongda, the platform connects 169,000 rural stores in 21 provinces with more than 10,000 appliance manufacturers and distributors. Owners of the stores can put on the shelves anything in the platform's product base, and then the platform will purchase these products from the manufacturers, the employee introduced. The platform enables stores to combine online shopping with in-person services, and the prices online change according to the market. Besides, coupons are issued to consumers via both online and offline channels to further contribute to the upgrading of rural consumption. A cadre (first from the left) from Malu village, Supu township, Qianxi, southwest China's Guizhou province helps a villager sell oranges on a livestream platform. (People's Daily Online/Zhou Xunchao) The statistics released by the platform indicated that the per capita consumption of home appliances in rural areas stood at 4,100 yuan in 2021, and the number has kept rising at an average of 7.7 percent in the past three years. E-commerce transactions are expanding in China. Online retail sales of physical goods increased 5.6 percent year on year in the first half of this year, reaching nearly 5.45 trillion yuan. The stable growth in the online retail market sent a positive signal of economic recovery. E-commerce has played an increasingly important role in driving consumption, making positive contributions to China's stable economic growth. China has a super large market, and the constant development of rural e-commerce is leading to a boost in rural consumption. As of December 2021, there were 284 million internet users in rural China, which would release huge potential for consumption. The accelerated development of e-commerce infrastructure has also assisted the progress of the industry. By the end of June this year, China has set up 1.85 million 5G base stations and the number of 5G mobile subscribers has hit 455 million. Besides, the development of overseas warehouses and other new types of infrastructure also contributed to the growth of e-commerce. An intelligent cold-chain logistics center is under construction in Fujia township, Renshou county, Meishan, southwest China's Sichuan province, April 12, 2022. (People's Daily Online/Pan Shuai) It is believed that the future application of big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, block chain and other technologies will further drive the development of the e-commerce sector. Big data will help e-commerce platforms learn the demands of consumers in a more targeted manner so that they can offer consumers individualized products. Besides, virtual reality and augmented reality technologies are expected to provide consumers with immersive shopping experiences. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Shenzhen, China, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The book Bank 4.0 written by famous banker Brett King had foreseen far back in 2018 that it had been the time for scenarized finance to come. Printed on the cover was the catchphrase: Banking Everywhere, Never at a Bank. During the past three years coping with COVID-19 pandemic, banks all over the world had been driven by the idea of non-contact into exploring the new possibilities brought by scenarized finance. This change had been more significant in developing markets such as China. Commercial Banks and Fintech Companies are actively exploring new chances to merge financial services into consumption scenarios. CMB YUNCHUANG Information Technology Co., Ltd. from China (also referred to as CMBYC) bridges up enterprises and financial institutions by means of scenarized finance through providing full digital solutions for capital and cash flow management. Its innovative Industry-Finance Scenarized Connection model redefines the relationship between financial institutions and companies, providing a new Chinese solution for global bankers. It is reported that CMBYC, located in Shenzhen, China, is a fintech subsidiary of the world-famous commercial bank, China Merchants Bank Ltd. (also referred to as CMB). On July 4, 2022, the authoritative financial media The Banker released its Top 1000 World Banks by Tier 1 2022, in which China Merchants Bank Ltd. ranked 11. This is the 5th year in a row that CMB had been listed in this ranking. The concept of scenarized finance is actually referring to a favorably interactive ecology which incorporates financial services into consumption or industrial scenarios, providing the former to the latter and creating an efficient long-term connection. Such an ecology would include a large number of participators such as financers, operators, service providers and consumers. CMBYC, as the founder and operator of this scenarized ecology, exerts capabilities in both capital management and professional operation, the former succeeded from CMB while the latter nurtured by the company itself. Starting with cash inflow into corporate bank accounts and ending with its outflow to downstream business partners, a whole picture of cash flow management of a firm can be drawn. CMB YUNCHUANG: Industry-finance Scenarized Connection Model Opens up a New Path for Scenarized Financial Services On the cash inflow side, the digital product Group Enterprise Treasury (referred to as GET) covers multiple functions for group enterprise users such as Unified Account Access Management, Central Billing Management and Financing Activity Management. On the cash outflow side, the product Scenarized Cost Control System (referred to as SCO) intergrates not only high-quality service providers in different fields such as air tickets, hotels and taxis, but also nets over 100 banks into the product by means of ERP Integration, which creates a one-stop scenarized ecological platform providing consumption service, expense management and financial services all at the same time. And then, after generating and accumulating data on cash inflow and outflow of a firm, Multiple Analysis Platform (referred to as MAP) product could perform multi-dimensional analysis on such data, in order to dig and reveal its hidden value in financing context. In this ecological model, to provide financial services, banks only need to perform risk management based on the real transaction data generated by the enterprise customers, but no need to spend too much effort on excessive marketing or building up a transaction scenario from nothing. Transaction scale and cash flow generation are the main indicators that banks would use to evaluate a business scenario. This Industry-Finance Scenarized Connection model designed by CMBYC covers solid high-frequency demands like corporate procurement, travel and car renting. It is stated in research reports by iResearch, a professional market research and consulting institution in China, that spending of enterprises on procurement, travel, car renting, group dining and employee benefits in total would reach a scale of several thousand billions CNY in 2022. There is full potential of generating transation and cash flow as well as banking values. At the same time, transaction data generated from comsumption scenarios could also be used in customer portrait and demand forecast, which is additional value-adding services by CMBYC to banks assisting more accurate financial service. The closed cycle of data from cash inflow to outflow could enable banks to track the actual usage of their credit given to enterprise customers, which would further enhance risk management and credit rating capabilities. As a fintech subsidiary in the banking circle, CMBYCs new business model actually not only serves its parent bank CMB, but also welcomes other banks to jointly build up a broader open business ecology. This new open model will provide banks all over the world with a new path in exploring scenarized finance. Company: CMB YUNCHUANG Information Technology Co., Ltd. Contact Person: Mr. He Email: hejian@cmbyc.com Website: https://www.cmbyc.com Telephone: 0086+400-806-7955 Disclosure: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.Newsroom: etkaan.submitmypressrelease.com BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allkem Limited (ASX|TSX: AKE) (Allkem or the Company) will release its Full Year Results on Thursday, 25 August 2022. Managing Director and CEO, Mr. Martin Perez de Solay and CFO, Neil Kaplan will conduct a live webcast briefing at 09:00 am AEST (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne) on the same day. To pre-register your details and join the webcast briefing, please follow the link on the homepage of Allkems website, www.allkem.co. Written questions may be submitted via the webcast and playback of the briefing and Q&A session will also be available on the companys website. This release was authorised by Mr Martin Perez de Solay, CEO and Managing Director of Allkem Limited. Sydney, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proactive, provider of real-time news and video interviews on growth companies listed in Australia, has covered the following companies: West Wits Mining Ltd (ASX:WWI) has raised $2.5 million in a share placement to bolster the development of the Witwatersrand Basin Gold Project (WBP) in South Africa, which already holds a 4.28-million-ounce JORC mineral resource at 4.58 g/t gold. Click here Valor Resources Ltd (ASX:VAL) shares have climbed 12.5% higher intra-day to 0.9 cents after identifying uranium and copper mineralisation from its reconnaissance field program at the Surprise Creek Project in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Click here Cauldron Energy Ltd (ASX:CXU) has intersected another high-grade gold zone in the Annie Laurie Lode at the Blackwood Goldfield Project in the Golden Triangle of Victoria. Click here Compumedics Ltd (ASX:CMP) will undertake an on-market buy-back of up to 4 milllion fully-paid ordinary shares. Click here Horizon Minerals Ltd (ASX:HRZ) has struck a deal with fellow ASX-lister Greenstone Resources Ltd to divest its Phoenix and Kangaroo Hill gold projects. Click here Strickland Metals Ltd (ASX:STK) is raising $7 million through a placement and share purchase plan (SPP) to support exploration at its flagship Millrose Gold Project on the northeast flank of the Yandal Belt. Click here Gascoyne Resources Ltd (ASX:GCY) is encouraged by a series of shallow, high-grade gold intersections across two key prospects near the wholly-owned Dalgaranga Gold Operations in Western Australia. Click here Red River Resources Ltd (ASX:RVR) has fielded another set of solid gold grades from drilling at the Eleanora-Garibaldi prospect of the Hillgrove Gold Project in New South Wales, underscoring the growth potential of the asset. Click here Volt Resources Ltd (ASX:VRC) is well positioned to benefit from Energy Supply Developers (ESD) super site development activities in the US, highlighting surging demand and a strong outlook in the North American battery market. Click here Aurumin Ltd (ASX:AUN) has recorded a whopping 224-metre gold intersection, grading at 1.5 g/t gold, during assay work at the Two Mile Hill deposit, part of the Central Sandstone gold property in WA. Click here Ironbark Zinc Ltd (ASX:IBG) has hosted US EXIM Bank representatives and principals from its prospective equity and operating partner LNS A/S at the Citronen Zinc-Lead Project in Greenland for due diligence and value-adding purposes, a major step in reaching a final investment decision (FID) for the asset. Click here Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX:LOT) says the results from its definitive feasibility study (DFS) are in and the numbers stack up to restart the Kayelekera Uranium Project in Malawi. Click here About Proactive Proactive is a unique tech-enabled platform providing companies globally with a comprehensive investor engagement solution across their business lifecycle. With six offices on three continents, Proactive works with innovative growth companies quoted on the worlds major stock exchanges, helping executives to engage intelligently with investors. In 2020, Proactive featured in 809 million search results, our content was viewed over 165 million times and our readers spent over 10 million hours on our websites. Proactive has produced over 300,000 articles and 20,000 executive interviews since it was established in 2006. For more information on how Proactive can help you make a difference, email us at action@proactiveinvestors.com Dublin, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Smart Weapons - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Global Smart Weapons Market to Reach $22.1 Billion by 2026 The global market for Smart Weapons estimated at US$17.6 Billion in the year 2022, is projected to reach a revised size of US$22.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% over the analysis period. Missiles, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 5.1% CAGR, while growth in the Munitions segment is readjusted to a revised 5.5% CAGR. Gone are the days when battles were fought in battlefields with the country having the biggest infantry coming out as the winner. Front line soldiers have since time immemorial formed the backbone of military strength. Development of early gunpowder technology and gun/arms technologies played important roles in strengthening the infantry. However, since the development of electronics weapons, the role of the infantry has been gradually declining as technology and machines gradually replaced the need for soldiers. Today the global infantry community is facing a huge problem - the danger of obsolesce. For the first time in over 50 years, the infantry and its artillery are being outgunned by electronic warfare technologies and autonomous and remote land-air-naval defense capabilities. As digitalization of military technologies moves ahead at a rapid pace, even manned reconnaissance assets are being superseded in importance by intelligent unmanned assets. The last decade witnessed a slew of decisions across militaries across the world to downsize the infantry. Current infantry brigades remains poorly reoriented to maintain relevance in a future combat environment. Even with the best of training infantry brigade will remain too slow, too dependent on external support, and unable to control large swaths of land compared to machines armed with bleeding-edge technologies like AI, lasers, sensors, radars, among others. Information technology (IT) has revolutionized military operations making it smarter and more efficient and effective. Information in modern warfare is assuming a critical role. Battlespace awareness; location certainty of enemy vessels, vehicles, and artillery; real-time information acquisition and dissemination are all vitally important for seamless operations, for making precision strike decisions, and optimum engagement of battle equipment. Modern warfare is all about tactical combats based on strategic battle information. All tactical battle units need timely and relevant battlefield information such as place, position, angle and approaching velocity and speed of enemy vehicles and ships. Real-time targeting and strike requires the use of radars which provide visual intelligence. For instance, precision-guided munitions require radar guidance to launch more accurate, lethal and more dispersed attacks. Growing volume of electronic warfare equipment and the resulting decline in the number of critical nodes manned by humans bode well for the growing importance of smart weapons. Smart weapons therefore make perfect sense amid rapid transition towards digital battlefield and ongoing efforts across countries to shift the attention from expansion of the military towards modernization and quality improvements. The rise of digital battlefield is making it imperative for the military to embrace digital platforms and smart weapons to ensure operational readiness while achieving a new level of combat efficiency. Digitized battlefield remains centric to the idea of Network Centric Warfare (NCW) that represents the modern warfare and entails full integration of various stakeholders, from armed forces and intelligence agencies through to transport and disaster management. The digital battlefield relies heavily on communication and other sophisticated technologies for ensuring real-time availability of data and high situational awareness. The rapidly evolving strategic environment along with operational challenges is creating a pressing need for countries to develop mobile, modern and more responsive forces to maintain national security. Countries need to ensure high lethality required to deal with the enemy and win the war. The modern warfare and increasing use of digital technologies are prompting the military to shift the attention from analog or conventional forces towards a more modern and ready military. The scenario is driving countries to embrace sophisticated options to maintain the capability for dealing with operational and strategic challenges. The continuing shift towards digital battlefield is prompting armed forces to rely heavily on seamless flow of real-time information and smart hardware for desired combat and efficiency. Defense forces across countries are increasingly implementing digital communications and technologies to support their units and help soldiers in conducting decisive, rapid operations at different tactical and operational levels. The use of digital technologies for acquiring, exchanging and employing information in a timely manner is poised to go a long way in deciding outcome on the digital battlefield. Militaries are anticipated to bet more on situational awareness for the modern warfare. The information is required to be shared across diverse combat teams on ground, in air, in barracks and at sea for faster and informed decisions. The digital battlefield is poised to be influenced by increasing uptake of AI that is extending the military might and superiority beyond the clutches of few countries such as the US, Russia and China. These emerging technologies are anticipated to influence distribution of the military power and allow deployment of smart weapons known for high accuracy. The modern warfare and rise of digital battlefield is indicating the need for countries to shift focus beyond military expansion and embrace modern weapons and technologies. These developments are anticipated to set a perfect stage for broader adoption of smart weapons for modernization of the armed forces. What`s New for 2022? Global competitiveness and key competitor percentage market shares Market presence across multiple geographies - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial Online interactive peer-to-peer collaborative bespoke updates Access to the digital archives Complimentary updates for one year Key Topics Covered: I. METHODOLOGY II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW From an Army of Thousands to an Army of None, the Rise of the Digital Battlefield Provides the Foundation for the Growth of Smart Weapons Death by Algorithm! Rapid Digitalization is Bringing Us Closer to that Reality Worries Over Geopolitical Conflicts & Galloping Inflation Overtakes Concerns About the Now Receding COVID-19 Pandemic Competition Competitive Market Presence - Strong/Active/Niche/Trivial for 80 Players Worldwide in 2022 (E) Pandemic Fails to Deter Global Military Spending, Which Spirals to All Time High in 2021 Robust Defense Spending Opens Opportunities for Increased Investments in Smart Weapons Smart Weapons: What Are They & What's the Outlook for These Evolving New Generation Weapon Technologies? World Brands Recent Market Activity Innovations 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS (Total 80 Featured) Axon Enterprise, Inc. BAE Systems plc Denel SOC Ltd. General Dynamics Corporation Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. Kongsberg Gruppen ASA Leonardo S.p.A. Lockheed Martin Corporation MBDA France SAS Nexter Group NORINCO Group Northrop Grumman Corporation QinetiQ Group plc Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. Raytheon Technologies Corporation Rheinmetall AG Roketsan A.S. Safran Electronics & Defense Textron Inc. Thales Group The Boeing Company 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS As the World Steps Up Military Spending in the Wake of the Russia Ukraine War, Smart Weapons Are Poised to Benefit from the Unfortunate State of Global Geo-Political Affairs Germany's Historic Military Investments in 2022 Exemplifies the Prevailing Global Sentiment that the World is a Dangerous Place Where the Threat of Authoritarian States Can be Resisted Only With Big-Ticket Military Capabilities The Nuclear Arms Race Begins as Countries Scramble to Deal With Nuclear Risks in an Increasingly Multipolar World Made Nervous by Putin's Nuclear Sabre Rattling Rising Conflicts in the South China Sea to Spur Growth in the Asian Market AI Weapons Emerge as the 3rd Generation in Smart Weapons Amid Growing Ethical Concerns Over the Weaponization of AI Semi-Autonomous Weapon Systems to Witness Increased Adoption before Complete Migration to Fully Autonomous Systems Surface-to-Air Missile Accidents Increase the Need to Make Smart Weapons Smarter Shift Towards Electronic/Digital Warfare & Technical Superiority Over Conventional Weapons Strengthens The Business Case for Smart Weapons Successful Deployments of Smart Bombs to Drive Robust Demand Precision Guided Munitions Offer Lucrative Growth Opportunities Demand for Airborne and Surface-to-Air Missile Systems Gain Momentum Sensor Fuzed Weapons to Substitute Unguided Cluster Bombs, a Win for the Smart Weapons Market Smart Gun & Personalized Gun Technologies Offering Higher Accuracy and Safety Become Mainstream Review of Radar, a Key Technology Enabling the Development of Smart Weapons Guided by its Numerous Benefits, Military Departments Worldwide Step up Spending on Energy Directed Energy Weapons Sonic & Ultrasonic Weapons Grows in Popularity for Their Ability to Manipulate Sound Waves to Incapacitate Enemy Focus on Disabling Enemy with Minimal Collateral Damage Drives Interest in Electromagnetic Weapons Despite the Intriguing Potential, Particle Beam Weapons Remain a Distant Dream Plasma Weapons Display Exciting Potential Demand Grows Stronger for EO/IR (Electro-Optical/Infra-Red) Systems Importance of Continued Innovation Cannot be Undermined A Review of the Ethical Issues Surrounding Autonomous Weapons Resolving Challenges Will Remain Critical for Future Success 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE III. REGIONAL MARKET ANALYSIS IV. COMPETITION For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3oe17q Attachment PUNE, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SAP Application Services Market 2022 provides detailed analysis of Market Overview, Drivers, Prospects, Potential Application. Also SAP Application Services Industry research report includes the future impact of major drivers and challenges and, support decision makers in manufacture cost-effective professional decisions. SAP Application Services Market Report Contains: - Complete overview of the global SAP Application Services Market Top Country data and analysis for United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia, etc. It also throws light on the progress of key regional SAP Application Services markets such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East and Africa Description and analysis of SAP Application Services market potential by type, Deep Dive, disruption, application capacity, end use industry impact evaluation of most important drivers and restraints, and dynamics of the global SAP Application Services market and current trends in the enterprise Detailed profiles of the Top major players in the industry, including. SAP, NTT Data, Infosys, Atos, Deloitte, Accenture, Capgemini, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services(TCS), IBM, Fujitsu, PwC, Cognizant, CGI, DXC Technology, EPAM Get a Sample Copy of the Report at - https://proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample/21015434?utm_source=ng SAP Application Services Market Segmentation: - "SAP Application Services Market Size 2022" research report focus on overall information that can help to take decisions on current market situation. This report provides information about Size, Types, Application, Production, Revenue, Growth Rate, Gross margin, opportunities with future risk analysis. The report also describes top company profiles that present in market with trends worldwide. This article contains financial changes during years with Impact of COVID-19 on SAP Application Services market. SAP Application Services Market segments help decision-makers direct the product, sales, and marketing strategies, and can power your product development cycles by informing how you make product offerings for different segments. Segment by Type Management Services Implementation and Upgrades Post-Implementation Services SAP Hosting Segment by Application BFSI Manufacturing Retail & CPG Telecom & IT Life Sciences & Healthcare Others Market segment by Region/Country including: - North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain, etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, etc.) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia, etc.) Inquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before the Purchasing This Report https://proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/21015434?utm_source=ng Key Players in the SAP Application Services Market: - SAP NTT Data Infosys Atos Deloitte Accenture Capgemini Wipro Tata Consultancy Services(TCS) IBM Fujitsu PwC Cognizant CGI DXC Technology EPAM Key Benefits of SAP Application Services Market Research Report: Types, applications, regions, and key players covered in the study Industry drivers, restraints, and opportunities covered in the study Recent industry trends and developments Competitive landscape & strategies of key players Historical, current, and projected market size, in terms of value In-depth analysis of the Artificial Intelligence AI Chips Market Sales, price, revenue, market share, and growth rate are covered in the report sales channels, distributors, traders, dealers, etc. are covered in the report Detailed TOC of Global SAP Application Services Sales Market Report 2022 1 Report Overview 1.1 Study Scope 1.2 Market Analysis by Type 1.2.1 Global SAP Application Services Market Size by Type (2017 VS 2021VS 2028) 1.2.2 Management Services 1.2.3 Implementation and Upgrades 1.2.4 Post-Implementation Services 1.2.5 SAP Hosting 1.3 Market by Application 1.3.1 Global SAP Application Services Market Share by Application (2017 VS 2021 VS 2028) 1.3.2 BFSI 1.3.3 Manufacturing 1.3.4 Retail & CPG 1.3.5 Telecom & IT 1.3.6 Life Sciences & Healthcare 1.3.7 Others 1.4 Study Objectives 1.5 Years Considered 2 Global Growth Trends 2.1 Global SAP Application Services Market Perspective (2017-2028) 2.2 Global SAP Application Services Market Size by Region: 2017 VS 2021 VS 2028 2.3 Global SAP Application Services Revenue Market Share by Region (2017-2022) 2.4 Global SAP Application Services Revenue Forecast by Region (2023-2028) 2.5 Geographic Market Analysis: Market Facts & Figures 2.5.1 United States SAP Application Services Estimates and Projections (2017-2028) 2.5.2 Europe SAP Application Services Estimates and Projections (2017-2028) 2.5.3 China SAP Application Services Estimates and Projections (2017-2028) 2.5.4 Japan SAP Application Services Estimates and Projections (2017-2028) 2.5.5 Southeast Asia SAP Application Services Estimates and Projections (2017-2028) 2.5.6 India SAP Application Services Estimates and Projections (2017-2028) 3 Global SAP Application Services Competition Landscape by Players 3.1 Global Top SAP Application Services Players by Revenue (2017-2022) 3.1.1 Global Top SAP Application Services Players by Revenue (2017-2022) 3.1.2 Global SAP Application Services Revenue Market Share by Players (2017-2022) 3.2 Global SAP Application Services Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) 3.3 Players Covered: Ranking by SAP Application Services Revenue 3.4 Global SAP Application Services Market Concentration Ratio 3.4.1 Global SAP Application Services Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) 3.4.2 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by SAP Application Services Revenue in 2021 3.5 SAP Application Services Key Players Head office and Area Served 3.6 Key Players SAP Application Services Product Solution and Service 3.7 Date of Enter into SAP Application Services Market 3.8 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans And More Purchase this Report (Price 4000 USD for a Single-User License) https://proficientmarketinsights.com/purchase/21015434?utm_source=ng About Proficient market insights: Proficient market insights is an upscale platform to help key personnel in the business world in strategizing and taking visionary decisions based on facts and figures derived from in-depth market research. We are one of the top report resellers in the market, dedicated to bringing you an ingenious concoction of data parameters. New York, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Permanent Magnet Motor Market Research Report by Type, Motor Type, Magnet Type, Power Rating, End-User, Applications, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301229/?utm_source=GNW The Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market size was estimated at USD 34.98 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 38.01 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 8.93% to reach USD 58.45 billion by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Permanent Magnet Motor to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Type, the market was studied across AC motor, Brushless DC, and DC motor. Based on Motor Type, the market was studied across Alternating Current Motor, Direct Current Motor, and Hermetic Motor. Based on Magnet Type, the market was studied across Ferrite, Neodymium, and Samarium Cobalt. Based on Power Rating, the market was studied across 100300 kW, 25100 kW, 300 kW & Above, and Up to 25 kW. Based on End-User, the market was studied across Commercial, Industrial, and Residential. Based on Applications, the market was studied across Factory Automation, Lab Equipment, Military/Aerospace, and Office Automation. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Permanent Magnet Motor market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Permanent Magnet Motor Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market, including Abb Limited, Allied Motion Technologies Inc., Ametek, Inc., Carter Motor Company, Danaher Corporation, Dumore Corporation, Electrocraft, Inc., Faulhaber Micromo, Llc., Franklin Electric Company Inc., Johnson Electric Holdings Ltd., Kollmorgen, Liebherr, Mark Elektriks, Nidec Corporation, Regal Beloit Corporation, Rockwell Automation, Siemens Ag, Teco Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Weg Industries, Wolong Electric, and Yaskawa Electric Corporation. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Permanent Magnet Motor Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301229/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Dublin, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Research Report on the Automobile Industry in Southeast Asia, 2022-2031" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The development of the automobile industry differs greatly among the Southeast Asian countries. According to the analysis, Thailand is the most developed country in terms of automobile manufacturing. Some world's leading automobile manufacturers, such as Ford, Honda, Toyota and BMW have built factories in Thailand. In 2021, the production volume of automobiles was 1.72 million. The export volume of automobiles in Thailand was about 960 thousand units. There are a lot of whole vehicle manufacturers in the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Myanmar has a small-scale automobile assembly industry. Singapore, Brunei, Laos and Cambodia do not have the automobile manufacturing industry. Generally speaking, automobile markets in most Southeast Asian countries are highly dependent on import. The imported products include whole vehicles and auto parts. In general, the sales volume of automobiles in Southeast Asia presents an upward trend in recent years. Especially, the constant economic development in the Philippines and Vietnam stimulates the sales growth of automobiles. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, many auto parts or complete vehicle factories in Southeast Asian countries had to reduce or stop production, making the global supply chain suffer a new blow. It is expected that in 2022, COVID-19 is expected to be effectively controlled, and the Southeast Asian auto manufacturing industry will show restored growth. According to the analyst's forecast, the Southeast Asian automobile industry will grow rapidly in 2022-2031. On the one hand, the lower labor costs in Southeast Asian countries will prompt global automobile vehicle and component manufacturers to transfer production capacity to these regions. On the other hand, the rising demand of Southeast Asian automobile market will prompt global automobile vehicle and parts manufacturers to increase exports to these countries. Key Topics Covered: 1 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Singapore 1.1 Development Environment of Singapore Automobile Industry 1.1.1 Geography 1.1.2 Population 1.1.3 Economy 1.1.4 Minimum Wage in Manufacturing in Singapore 1.2 Operation Status of Singapore Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 1.2.1 Production Status of Automobile Industry in Singapore 1.2.2 Sales Status of Automobile Industry in Singapore 1.2.3 Import and Export Status of Automobile Industry in Singapore 2 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Thailand 2.1 Development Environment of Thailand Automobile Industry 2.2 Operation Status of Thailand Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 2.3 Major Automobile Manufacturers in Thailand 2.3.1 Ford 2.3.2 Mazda 2.3.3 Mitsubishi 2.3.4 BMW 2.3.5 Honda 2.3.6 Nissan 2.3.7 Toyota 3 Analysis of Automobile Industry in the Philippines 3.1 Development Environment of Philippines Automobile Industry 3.2 Operation Status of Philippines Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 3.3 Major Automobile Manufacturers in Philippines 3.3.1 Toyota 3.3.2 Honda 3.3.3 Nissan 3.3.4 Mitsubishi 3.3.5 Daewoo 3.3.6 KIA 4 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Malaysia 4.1 Development Environment of Automobile Industry in Malaysia 4.2 Operation Status of Malaysia Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 4.3 Enterprise Profile of Major Automobile Manufacturers in Malaysia 4.3.1 Proton Auto 4.3.2 Perodua 4.3.3 Toyota 4.3.4 Honda 4.3.5 Nissan 4.3.6 KIA 4.3.8 Benz 4.3.9 BMW 4.3.10 Volvo 5 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Indonesia 5.1 Development Environment of Indonesia Automobile Industry 5.2 Operation Status of Indonesia Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 5.3 Major Automobile Manufacturers in Indonesia 5.3.1 Toyota 5.3.2 Mitsubishi 5.3.3 Suzuki 5.3.4 Honda 5.3.5 Nissan 5.3.6 BMW 5.3.7 Benz 5.3.8 Audi 6 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Vietnam 6.1 Development Environment of Vietnam Automobile Industry 6.2 Operation Status of Vietnam Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 6.3 Major Automobile Manufacturers in Vietnam 6.3.1 VMC 6.3.2 MEKONG 6.3.3 VINASTAR 6.3.4 Ford Vietnam 6.3.5 Mercedes Benz Vietnam 6.3.6 TMV 6.3.7 VIETINDO 6.3.8 DAEWOO 6.3.9 VISUCO 6.3.10 HINO Vietnam 6.3.11 VinFast 7 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Myanmar 7.1 Development Environment of Myanmar Automobile Industry 7.2 Operation Status of Myanmar Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 8 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Brunei 8.1 Development Environment of Brunei Automobile Industry 8.2 Operation Status of Brunei Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 9 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Laos 9.1 Development Environment of Laos Automobile Industry 9.2 Operation Status of Laos Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 10 Analysis of Automobile Industry in Cambodia 10.1 Development Environment of Automobile Industry in Cambodia 10.2 Operation Status of Cambodia Automobile Industry, 2017-2022 For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/e6ff7e Attachment New York, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Phablets & Superphones Market Research Report by Operating System, Types, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301165/?utm_source=GNW The Global Phablets & Superphones Market size was estimated at USD 29.18 billion in 2021 and expected to reach USD 31.53 billion in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 8.32% to reach USD 47.14 billion by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Phablets & Superphones to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Operating System, the market was studied across Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Mozilla firefox, Ubuntu, and Windows. Based on Types, the market was studied across Phablets and Superphones. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Phablets & Superphones market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Phablets & Superphones Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Phablets & Superphones Market, including Asus Inc., AsusTek Computer Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., Google LLC, Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., HTC Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Lenovo (Beijing) Limited, LG Display Co., Ltd., Micromax Informatics Limited, Motorola, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc., Xiaomi Corporation, and ZTE Corporation. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Phablets & Superphones Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Phablets & Superphones Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Phablets & Superphones Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Phablets & Superphones Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Phablets & Superphones Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Phablets & Superphones Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Phablets & Superphones Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301165/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ Greenville, S.C., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) today announced the expansion of its Integrated Products Division to Greenville, South Carolina. ARAs Integrated Products Division has a 40-year history in Vermont and will open a second office in the Sterling neighborhood of Greenville. The office will be home to several systems, software, electrical, and mechanical engineers, as well as program managers and buyers. "As part of our strategic growth initiative we took a hard look at many cities across the country to expand our operations, said Matthew Fordham, ARA division manager and vice president. Greenville rose to the top thanks to its robust STEM workforce, quality of life, community, and proximity to many of our customers in the Southeast. We look forward to a bright future in Greenville. ARAs Integrated Products Divisions primary focus is robotics and autonomy, security sensors, and geotechnical equipment represented by its brands: Otonos, Pathfinder, and Vertek, respectively. The division also has an advanced technology team dedicated to developing innovative solutions to complex problems. With a 63,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility in Vermont, the division serves as a contract manufacturer for internal and external partners. Customers include the Department of Defense, NATO defense allies, state and local government agencies, research institutions, and public and private companies. About ARA Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) was founded in 1979, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to offer science and engineering research to solve problems of national importance. ARA delivers leading-edge products and solutions for national defense, energy, homeland security, aerospace, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing. With over 1,500 employee-owners at locations in the U.S. and Canada, ARA offers a broad range of technical expertise in defense technologies, civil engineering, computer software and simulation, systems analysis, biomedical engineering, environmental technologies, and blast testing and measurement. Attachment Dublin, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Diesel Common Rail Injection System Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global diesel common rail injection system market reached a value of US$ 3.36 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 4.17 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 3.67% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Common rail refers to a direct fuel injection system used in modern diesel engines. It relies on a fuel pump to maintain pressure and fuel injectors to control the timing and amount of fuel injected. It ensures that the fuel injection atomization or fuel spray is regulated electronically using a programmable control module, which allows multiple injections at any pressure while providing a level of flexibility for better power, fuel consumption, and emission control. Diesel Common Rail Injection System Market Trends: There is currently a rise in the demand for diesel engines across the globe due to their better fuel economy and longer shelf life. This, along with the growing utilization of commercial vehicles to transport goods and passengers for increasing profit of an individual or business, represents one of the key factors driving the market. Moreover, key market players are extensively investing in research and development (R&D) activities to introduce enhanced injection technologies. This, coupled with the rising demand for diesel vehicles compared to petrol vehicles due to the lower prices of diesel, is propelling the growth of the market. Besides this, governments of several countries are implementing stringent regulations to prevent greenhouse gas emissions. In line with this, the increasing employment of diesel common rail injection systems to reduce the emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NO?) is offering lucrative growth opportunities to industry investors. Apart from this, the growing applications of diesel engines in the heavy construction equipment to achieve a higher torque even at lower speeds and greater revolutions per minute (RPM) is projected to catalyze the employment of diesel common rail injection systems in the construction industry. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being BorgWarner Inc., Continental AG, Cummins Inc., Dell'Orto S.p.A., DENSO Corporation, Eaton Corporation PLC, Ganser CRS AG, HYUNDAI KEFICO Corporation (Hyundai Motor Company), Magneti Marelli S.p.A. and Robert Bosch GmbH. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global diesel common rail injection system market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global diesel common rail injection system market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the vehicle type? What is the breakup of the market based on the fuel injector type? What is the breakup of the market based on the engine? What is the breakup of the market based on the sales channel? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global diesel common rail injection system market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Diesel Common Rail Injection System Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Vehicle Type 6.1 Passenger Cars 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 Light Commercial Vehicles 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Heavy Commercial Vehicles 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Fuel Injector Type 7.1 Solenoid Injector 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Piezoelectric Injector 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Engine 8.1 Old Diesel Engine 8.1.1 Market Trends 8.1.2 Market Forecast 8.2 CRDI Engine 8.2.1 Market Trends 8.2.2 Market Forecast 9 Market Breakup by Sales Channel 9.1 OEMs 9.1.1 Market Trends 9.1.2 Market Forecast 9.2 Aftermarket 9.2.1 Market Trends 9.2.2 Market Forecast 10 Market Breakup by Region 11 SWOT Analysis 12 Value Chain Analysis 13 Porters Five Forces Analysis 14 Price Analysis 15 Competitive Landscape 15.1 Market Structure 15.2 Key Players 15.3 Profiles of Key Players 15.3.1 BorgWarner Inc. 15.3.1.1 Company Overview 15.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.1.3 Financials 15.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.2 Continental AG 15.3.2.1 Company Overview 15.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.2.3 Financials 15.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.3 Cummins Inc. 15.3.3.1 Company Overview 15.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.3.3 Financials 15.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.4 Dell'Orto S.p.A. 15.3.4.1 Company Overview 15.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5 DENSO Corporation 15.3.5.1 Company Overview 15.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.5.3 Financials 15.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.6 Eaton Corporation PLC 15.3.6.1 Company Overview 15.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.6.3 Financials 15.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis 15.3.7 Ganser CRS AG 15.3.7.1 Company Overview 15.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.8 HYUNDAI KEFICO Corporation (Hyundai Motor Company) 15.3.8.1 Company Overview 15.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.9 Magneti Marelli S.p.A. 15.3.9.1 Company Overview 15.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.10 Robert Bosch GmbH 15.3.10.1 Company Overview 15.3.10.2 Product Portfolio 15.3.10.3 SWOT Analysis For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ylaoh4 Attachment New York, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Plant-based Meat Market Research Report by Source, Type, Product, End-user, Storage, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301025/?utm_source=GNW The Global Plant-based Meat Market size was estimated at USD 6,291.34 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 6,799.05 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 8.32% to reach USD 10,165.15 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Plant-based Meat to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Source, the market was studied across Beans, Nuts, Oats, Pea, Quinoa, Seeds, Soy, and Wheat. Based on Type, the market was studied across Beef, Chicken, Fish, Lamb, Pork, and Turkey. Based on Product, the market was studied across Burger patties, Crumbles, Cutlets, Fillets, Fingers, Meatballs, Sausages, Slices, Slides, and Strips & nuggets. Based on End-user, the market was studied across HORECA and Retail. Based on Storage, the market was studied across Frozen, Refrigerated, and Shelf-stable. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Plant-based Meat market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Plant-based Meat Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Plant-based Meat Market, including Alpha Foods, Inc., Amys Kitchen, Inc., Before The Butcher, Beyond Meat, Inc., Conagra, Inc., Gold & Green Foods Ltd., Hooray Foods, Impossible Food Inc., Kellogg NA Co., Livekindly Germany GmbH, Maple Leaf Foods Inc., No Evil Foods, Planterra Foods, Quorn Foods Group, Sunfed Limited, The Meatless Farm Co., The Vegetarian Butcher, Tofurky Company, Inc., Vbites Foods Limited, and Yves Fine Foods Inc.. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Plant-based Meat Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Plant-based Meat Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Plant-based Meat Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Plant-based Meat Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Plant-based Meat Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Plant-based Meat Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Plant-based Meat Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06301025/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ New York, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market Research Report by Technology, Application, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06300985/?utm_source=GNW The Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market size was estimated at USD 481.35 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 510.56 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 6.32% to reach USD 695.45 million by 2027. Market Statistics: The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2019 and 2020 are considered historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered the forecast period. Market Segmentation & Coverage: This research report categorizes the Photomedicine Devices & Technologies to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets: Based on Technology, the market was studied across Dichroic Lamps, Full Spectrum Light, Laser, Light Emitting Diodes, and Polychromatic Polarized Light. Based on Application, the market was studied across Dental Procedures, Dermatology, Hair Removal, Neonatal Jaundice, Oncology, Optical Diagnostics, Pain Management, Seasonal Affective Disorder, Skin Resurfacing, Tattoo Removal, and Wound Healing. Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom. Cumulative Impact of COVID-19: COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market. Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict: We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Photomedicine Devices & Technologies market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response. Competitive Strategic Window: The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period. FPNV Positioning Matrix: The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape. Market Share Analysis: The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits. Competitive Scenario: The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service. Company Usability Profiles: The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market, including Abbvie Inc., Aerolase Corporation, Alma Lasers Ltd, AngioDynamics, Colorado Skin & Vein, Cutera Inc, Cynosure LLC, Deleo Medical, Fotona D.O.O, Galderma Laboratories, Indus Health Care, Iridex, Lumenis Ltd., MENTOR, Merz Aesthetics, Photomedex, qbmi Photomedicine, R2 Technologies Inc, Recrose Medica, Sentient Lasers, Spectranetics Syneron Medical, Syneron Medical, and THOR Photomedicine Ltd. The report provides insights on the following pointers: 1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players 2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets 3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments 4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players 5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments The report answers questions such as: 1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market? 2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market during the forecast period? 3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market? 4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market? 5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market? 6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market? 7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Photomedicine Devices & Technologies Market? Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06300985/?utm_source=GNW About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place. __________________________ NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. COLLINGWOOD, Ontario, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Limestone Boat Company Limited (the "Company") (TSXV: BOAT |OTCQB: LMSBF) is pleased to announce that it has executed a term sheet (the "Term Sheet") with a strategic lender (the "Lender") to provide for up to $6M USD in secured credit financing (the "Credit Financing"). The Credit Financing is expected to be advanced to the Company in a series of tranches between August and October of 2022. The proceeds from the Credit Financing are expected to be used for: (i) improvements to the Company's manufacturing facility in White Bluff, Tennessee; (ii) the acquisition of additional manufacturing equipment; and (iii) for working capital and general corporate purposes. Roar Capital Corporation acted as a strategic consultant to the Company in connection with the Credit Financing. The Credit Financing will allow the Company to bolster its inventory levels, reduce supply chain disruptions on manufacturing, and commence the phased transformation of its manufacturing capabilities through the expansion and reconfiguration of select production spaces, integration of additional technology, expansion of its large boat production capacity, and enhanced manufacturing process flow. The Term Sheet is non-binding and any formal transaction between the Limestone Boat Company and the Lender is subject to the parties executing a definitive loan agreement and other security documentation. The transactions set out in the Term Sheet are subject to a number of terms and conditions including the completion of the necessary definitive documentation, due diligence, regulatory approvals as well as other requirements that are customary when entering into transactions of this nature. We are delighted to welcome aboard a new stakeholder who shares in our vision for the next phase of our companys growth strategy, stated Scott Hanson, Chief Executive Officer of the Limestone Boat Company. This capital injection will strengthen our balance sheet and further reinforces the foundation weve built since acquiring the Company just 14 months ago. Investing in procurement, the facilities, technologies, and processes required to expand our throughput capacity and increase production scale will enable us to meet our existing order backlog and the growing demand for our boats. About The Limestone Boat Company Limited The Limestone Boat Company - owner and builder of Aquasport Boats, Limestone Boats and Boca Bay Boats - is publicly traded on the Toronto Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol BOAT. They are headquartered in Collingwood, Ontario with a 145,000 square foot manufacturing facility in White Bluff, Tennessee. The company is backed by a large, skilled labor force and dealer partners throughout the United States and the Canadian Great Lakes Region. For more information, contact: Investor Relations: Bill Mitoulas 800-720-2395 bill@limestoneboats.com www.limestoneboatcompany.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking information"). These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words anticipate, believe, could should, would, estimate, expect, forecast, indicate, intend, likely, may, plan, potential, project, outlook, seek, target, trend or will and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward-looking information in this press release include statements regarding the ability of the Company to negotiate mutually acceptable definitive documents with the Lender, the use of proceeds from the Credit Facility, and the aggregate amount of advances under the Credit Facility. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the Companys proposed business, such as failure of the business strategy; risks related to the Companys operations, such as additional financing requirements and access to capital; reliance on key and qualified personnel, insurance, competition, intellectual property and reliable supply chains; risks related to the Company and its business generally as well as with respect to the proposed Credit Financing. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Companys forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THE ACTUAL RESULTS OR DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE REALIZED OR, EVEN IF SUBSTANTIALLY REALIZED, WILL HAVE THE EXPECTED CONSEQUENCES TO, OR EFFECTS ON, THE COMPANY. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. Dallas, TX, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Priority Aviation, Inc. (OTC Pink: PJET) (PJET) today announced engaging in discussions with a potential new strategic investor. The investor responded to a recent message from Steven Rash, the PJET CEO. The CEOs message is included below: In my opinion, while the market is far from bullish, the prevailing market is now the new normal. When the market is bullish, conditions are favorable for most innovative high growth ventures to take advantage of trends. Bullish conditions can even make it difficult for any one innovative company to standout in the crowd of companies trying to take advantage of the bullish market. When markets are relatively stable, even if that stability is less than favorable, than conditions, in my opinion, are at least acceptable and maybe even ideal for launching innovative new strategies. I tend to believe the market is even hungry for a one-off bullish exception to otherwise bearish conditions creating a potentially ideal situation for launching a new innovation. So, were ready and will be announcing a launch schedule soon. The launch refers to PJETs Student Housing By Owner Application (SHBO APP). PJET is a technology company developing applications designed to enhance university student life. The central application (SHBO APP) connects the local university community with students by facilitating the advertisement by property owners of real estate available for student rental. The company plans to expand the APPs reach into additional aspects of student life and build a lifelong relationship with students even after their college experience. Company Website www.pjet-info.com Atlanta, Georgia, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Raphael Bostic, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will meet with students and faculty for a conversation on financial inclusion August 31 during a visit to Georgia State University arranged by the Georgia Fintech Academy of the University System of Georgia. Were honored to host President Bostic for a forum that not only discusses one of the most pressing topics in the fintech industry, but also the important role of the Federal Reserve, said Tommy Marshall, executive director of the Georgia Fintech Academy. The event is open to the public and will include remarks by Bostic as well as a moderated discussion on the role of fintech in helping create racial equity and financial inclusion. Attendees will include in-person and virtual members of the Georgia Fintech Academy and Georgia States fintech communities, including researchers, students, and leaders from the university and the J. Mack Robinson College of Business. Im excited to participate in this program as it fits nicely with the Federal Reserves responsibility to ensure that the nation has an accessible, secure and efficient payments system, said Bostic. Payments innovation has profound implications for financial inclusion, and the Georgia Fintech Academy helps to ensure that the next generation of fintech leaders are ready to meet the challenge of building a diverse and inclusive industry. Bostic took office as president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta in 2017 and he serves on the Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policymaking body of the Federal Reserve System. Prior to these roles, Bostic spent 16 years at the University of Southern California (USC) as a faculty member in fields such as real estate, public policy, planning, and development. He previously served in the Obama Administration as assistant secretary for policy development and research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He previously worked at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Bostic is an alumnus of Harvard University and Stanford University. The Georgia Fintech Academy is a University System of Georgia (USG) collaboration between the State of Georgias fintech industry, the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University, and the colleges and universities of the USG. Since it was established in 2018, the academy has educated more than 4,300 students from more than 20 different institutions across the state, enabling them to obtain specialized educational experiences needed to enter the fintech sector regardless of where they live in the state or their institution of enrollment. The student population of the academy is 71 percent historically excluded populations and 31 percent women. More than 50 fintech employers in Georgia engage with the academy and corporate sponsors have included FIS Global, Visa, Inc., US Bank-Elavon, Incomm, Truist, ICE, Deluxe, Invesco, Fleetcor, Fiserv, and CUNA Mutual. Georgia State is addressing the growing need for a highly skilled fintech workforce through degree programs and certificates in areas such as fintech innovation, cybersecurity for fintech, actuarial science, quantitative risk analysis and management, and more. The J. Mack Robinson College of Business is co-sponsoring this event. To register for the event, A Conversation with President Raphael Bostic, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta on Fintech and the Path to a More Inclusive Economy, please visit the Georgia Fintech Academy website events page. # # # Attachment GOVERNMENT has approved a new teachers union with the moniker Teachers for ED (Economic Development), NewsDay has learnt. A circular dated June 22, 2022 written by the secretary of Primary and Secondary Education Tumisang Thabela to all provincial education directors, states: It is noted that Teachers for Economic Development has completed setting up structures in the 10 provinces of the country and requested authority to launch the provincial chapters and the national chapter. In view of the above, authority is hereby granted to conduct the provincial and national launches of the Teachers for Economic Development. Kindly liaise with provincial education directors in the respective provinces on the suitable dates and venues. But other teachers unions, which have been demanding that government should pay them in United States dollars, said this was a ploy to frustrate their fight for a living wage. Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe national secretary-general Robson Nikita Chere said they were concerned that politicians are working in cahoots with ministry officials to introduce a political creature disguised as Teachers for Economic Development. We urge the teachers to disregard, disapprove and dismiss the abuse of the teaching profession through commissariat schemes played by the regime under the guise of such unions. Like any other worker or profession, teachers should be left free and distant from partisan politics except if it is voluntary. The Constitution of Zimbabwe under sections 64 and 65 clearly makes a demand for good administrative conduct, and that means administrative conduct that is free from political intrusion, Chere said. He said President Emmerson Mnangagwas regime had been abusing schoolchildren by force-marching them to rallies and using school buses to ferry Zanu PF supporters to such events. To come in dark garments of Teachers for ED and pretending to have solutions to our suffering is only aimed at harvesting votes from the education sector, he added. Educators Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Tapedza Zhou said: If teachers publicly align themselves to a certain political party, it will not only be prejudicial to their service, but is a serious act of misconduct. We condemn all moves that are divisive and discriminatory to teachers. Government officials and party officials have an obligation to assist in ensuring that all teachers remain non-partisan as it is a precondition for the smooth delivery of service to the State. Progressive Teachers Union president Takavafira Zhou described the new group as a masquerade with the intention to divert teachers from crucial labour issues. Worse still this masquerade has solicited Ministry of Primary and Secondary Educations assistance in order to launch its provincial and national structures and was granted permission on 25 July 2022. Teachers must smell a rat, Zhou said. Primary and Secondary Education ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro said the second republic was very democratic and had no ulterior motives in authorising the formation of the Teachers for Economic Development union. As an inclusive government that leaves no one behind, we have no objection to the formation of the new teachers union as its formation will greatly assist in the sustainability of teachers upper middle-income class status. I can tell you for certain that with such kind of teachers unions that are focused on economic development, issues of teachers industrial action will soon be a thing of the past as these teachers utilise their skills for the economic emancipation and welfare of the nation, Ndoro said. Newsday IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via InvestorWire Sustain Southern California (Sustain SoCal) today announces that it will host the Water Solutions 7 (WS7) Conference on Thursday, August 25, 2022. The event will be held in person at UCI Beall Applied Innovation, 5270 California Avenue, Irvine, CA. WS7 is the premier event focusing on real-life strategies and cutting-edge innovation to ensure sufficient and affordable water supplies in Southern California and the surrounding regions. The event will primarily involve live presentations on opportunities, challenges, and technologies for reuse, desal, stormwater, energy nexus, contamination, evolving trends in investments, policy frameworks, and big data from decision makers at both revolutionary companies and municipal authorities. In insightful sessions, speakers will present their views on timely topics in their respective areas of expertise, focusing on pragmatic solutions. Liz Crosson, Chief Sustainability, Resilience, and Innovation Officer, Metropolitan Water District, will deliver the keynote address. Other distinguished speakers will include Todd Corbin, General Manager, Riverside Public Utilities; Dennis Calvert, CEO, BioLargo; and Duane Cave, Board Member, Moulton Niguel Water District. Post the speakers sessions, an Innovators Showcase will be held where C-suite leaders and senior executives will offer attendees a glimpse into the latest technological developments tailored to solve specific pain points. The event shall culminate in a two-hour live expo and reception, where attendees will interact with thought leaders, discuss best practices and operational insights, engage with the senior management of participating companies, and network with fellow professionals from within California and nationally. The Water Solutions event series is now in its 7th iteration. It has consistently offered an exciting platform for students, professionals and the general public, whose support we appreciate very much, says Scott Kitcher, President and CEO of Sustain SoCal. At Sustain SoCal, we are dedicated to contributing to the sustainability and economic discourse in the Southern California region and beyond. By being strategically located at UCI Beall Applied Innovation, we have been privileged to enable collaboration between world-class university resources and industry professionals in the water supply and allied sectors for more than a decade. For more information and registration details, visit: https://sustainsocal.org/event/water-solutions-7/ Participating Organizations Include: Organization Website URL BioLargo https://www.biolargo.com/ Gate 5 https://gate-5.com/ Irvine Ranch Water District https://www.irwd.com/ LA Cleantech Incubator https://laincubator.org/ Metropolitan Water District https://www.mwdh2o.com/ Moulton Niguel Water District https://mnwd.communitybydiligent.com/Portal/ Riverside Public Utilities https://riversideca.gov/ San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District https://www.sbvmwd.com/ Santa Margarita Water District https://www.smwd.com/ The County of Orange https://www.ocgov.com/ UC Irvine https://uci.edu/ UC Riverside https://www.ucr.edu/ About Sustain SoCal: Sustain SoCal, a non-profit organization, accelerates sustainability and economic growth through innovation, collaboration, and education in Southern California. The organization has a ten-year history in exploring and implementing pragmatic, real-world solutions to the challenges created by growth, change, and inefficiency. It conducts conferences, workshops, and networking events that lead to initiatives that positively impact our regions economic progress and sustainability. For more information, please visit www.sustainsocal.org. Media Contact: IBN (InvestorBrandNetwork) Los Angeles, California www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com 310.299.1717 Office Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A Qualitative Research Study accomplished by Data Bridge Market research's database of 350 pages, titled Global Marine Communication Systems Market with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Charts, Graphs & Figures spread through Pages and easy-to-understand detailed analysis. The rapidly revolutionizing marketplace demands the best market and business solutions to thrive in the market. This Marine Communication Systems report contains comprehensive data on market definition, classifications, applications, engagements, market drivers, and market restraints of this industry all of which are derived from Portes Five Forces analysis. The market definition covered in this Marine Communication Systems report gives the scope of a particular product with respect to the driving factors and restraints in the market. The sources of data and information mentioned in the Marine Communication Systems report are very reliable and include websites, annual reports of the companies, journals, and mergers which are checked and validated by the market experts. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the marine communication systems market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.3% during the forecast period. "Ship-To-Shore Marine Communication Systems" accounts for the most significant system segment in the marine communication systems market. The marine communication systems market report also comprehensively covers pricing, patent, and technological advancements. Get Access to Sample Report (Including Graphs, Charts & Figures) @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-marine-communication-systems-market&GNW/11Aug2022 Industry Outline:- Marine communication systems are a set of communication systems between ships or ships to shore. There are various components of the COMMs systems, for instance, radio communication systems, VHF radio telephone, MF/HF radiotelephone, dual-channel Navtex receiver, Inmarsat, marine radar, VHF data exchange system (VDES), maritime SAT phone & internet devices and other navigation-related systems. The growing demand for secure communication for maritime IoT applications is making the rise in the demand for marine communication systems solutions in the market. The global marine communication systems market is growing rapidly due to advent of two-way communication using VDES. The companies are even launching new products to gain a larger market share. REPORT METRIC Forecast Period - 2022 to 2029 Base Year 2021 Historic Years - 2020 (Customizable to 2014 - 2019) Opportunities:- INCREASING CONSTRUCTION OF MILITARY/COMMERCIAL VESSELS Growing geopolitical pressure is forcing countries to strengthen their defense sector, including land, air, and marine. Recently, the funding for constructing a strong naval fleethas been a top priority for countries. Naval fleet construction includes a wide range of vessels such as aircraft carriers, destroyers, amphibious ships, replenishment ships, multirole and research ships, and submarines, which are prominently used in marine applications. Some of the major players operating in the Marine Communication Systems market are Orbit Communications Leonardo Telemar Inmarsat Rohde & Schwarz SAAB Zenitel Iridium FURUNO ELECTRIC Teledyne FLIR LLC Icom Jotron Garmin BOCHI Avatec Marine NAVICO HOLDING AS Cobham Satcom Intellian Technologies Hughes Network Access Full 350 Pages PDF Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/checkout/buy/enterprise/global-marine-communication-systems-market?GNW/11Aug2022 Restraint/Challenge OUTDATED MARINE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS POSE THE THREAT OF HACKING Cybercrime/hacking and cybersecurity issues have increased by 600% during the pandemic across all sectors. Flaws in network or software security is a weaknesses which hackers exploit to perform unauthorized actions within a system. Key Drivers GROWING DEMAND FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION FOR MARITIME IOT APPLICATIONS There has been a progressive shift in the maritime IoT ecosphere recently. This ecosphere is served by various standard electronic parts that are the hardware integrated with multiple software. , The importance of utilizing such maritime application technologies in the IoT era is an absolute necessity that is driving the global marine communication systems market. ADVENT OF TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION USING VDES VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) is a two-way, very high frequency (VHF) ship communications system that is widely used in maritime communications in recent times. It is considered a standard automatic identification system (AIS) extension. Next-generation marine communications systems use AIS and VDES in the same box used in most commercial ships. EMERGENCE OF 5G AND LTE NETWORKS 5G is the next generation of wireless cellular technology. It will provide high-speed data up to 3000 Mbps (3 Gbps) in the real world. Smartphones and other intelligent devices will hugely benefit from 5G. The internet of things (IoT), will also tremendously benefit from the speed and bandwidth of 5G. Moreover, 5G network can also enhance the maritime industry, as LTE/5G can offer much higher communications speeds at a significantly lower cost to satellites enabling the next wave of marine communications. SURGE IN DEMAND FOR SATELLITE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Satellite communication is a type of modern telecommunications where artificial satellites provide communication links between various points on earth. It plays a vital role in multiple industries for business continuity, and emergency management in different business sectors such as marine communication, terrain communication, telecommunication, oil and gas, IoT, healthcare, government, maritime, mining and more. Moreover, satellite communications are used for various other commercials, and governmental and military applications. The investment made in the study would provide you access to information such as: Marine Communication Systems Market [Global Broken-down into regions] [Global Broken-down into regions] Regional level split [North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa] Country-wise Market Size Split [of important countries with major market share] Market Share and Revenue/Sales by leading players Market Trends Emerging Technologies/products/start-ups, PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Porters Five Forces, etc. Market Size Market Size by application/industry verticals Market Projections/Forecast Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-marine-communication-systems-market?GNW/11Aug2022 Industry Segmentation:- By Type Ship-To-Shore Marine Communication Systems Ship-To-Ship Marine Communication Systems By Product Maritime Sat Phone & Internet Devices Marine Radio Devices Marine Multifunction Displays (MFDS) VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Terminals Marine Radar Automatic Identification System (AIS) Others By Component Solution Services By Application Commercial Government/Military Recreational By Communication Technology Satellite WIMAX WLAN LTE IR Wi-Fi Others Marine Communication Systems Market Regional Analysis/Insights The marine communication systems market is analyzed and market size insights and trends are provided by country, type, product, component, application, and communication technology as referenced above. The countries covered in the marine communication systems market report are the U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of the Middle East and Africa (MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America. North America dominates the marine communication systems market. North America is likely the fastest-growing global marine communication systems market. North America is in the forefront of communication technology activities, with the U.S. dominating the region with a share of 77.70%. North America, the hub for major players and manufacturing companies, requires the region's marine communication systems market. TABLE OF CONTENTS Part 01: Executive Summary Part 02: Scope Of The Report Part 03: Research Methodology Part 04: Market Landscape Part 05: Pipeline Analysis Part 06: Market Sizing Part 07: Five Forces Analysis Part 08: Market Segmentation Part 09: Customer Landscape Part 10: Regional Landscape Part 11: Decision Framework Part 12: Drivers And Challenges Part 13: Market Trends Part 14: Vendor Landscape Part 15: Vendor Analysis Part 16: Appendix To Get a Detailed Table of Contents (TOC), please Click Here @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-marine-communication-systems-market&GNW/11Aug2022 Key Questions Answered In The Report: What is the growth potential of the global Marine Communication Systems market? Which regional market will emerge as a frontrunner in the coming years? Which application segment will grow at a robust rate? What are the growth opportunities that may emerge in the global Marine Communication Systems industry in the years to come? What are the key challenges that the market may face in the future? Which are the leading companies in the global Marine Communication Systems market? Which are the key trends positively impacting the market growth? Browse Related Reports: North America Marine Communication Systems Market , By Type (Ship-To-Shore Marine Communication Systems and Ship-To-Ship Marine Communication Systems), By Product (Maritime Sat Phone & Internet Devices, Marine Radio Devices, Marine Multifunction Displays (MFDS), VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Terminals, Marine Radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Others), By Component (Solution and Services), By Application (Commercial, Government/Military and Recreational), By Communication Technology (Satellite, WIMAX, WLAN, LTE, IR Wi-Fi and Others) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/north-america-marine-communication-systems-market Middle East and Africa Marine Communication Systems Market , By Type (Ship-To-Shore Marine Communication Systems and Ship-To-Ship Marine Communication Systems), By Product (Maritime Sat Phone & Internet Devices, Marine Radio Devices, Marine Multifunction Displays (MFDS), VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Terminals, Marine Radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Others), By Component (Solution and Services), By Application (Commercial, Government/Military and Recreational), By Communication Technology (Satellite, WIMAX, WLAN, LTE, IR Wi-Fi and Others) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/middle-east-and-africa-marine-communication-systems-market Asia-Pacific Marine Communication Systems Market , By Type (Ship-To-Shore Marine Communication Systems and Ship-To-Ship Marine Communication Systems), By Product (Maritime Sat Phone & Internet Devices, Marine Radio Devices, Marine Multifunction Displays (MFDS), VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Terminals, Marine Radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Others), By Component (Solution and Services), By Application (Commercial, Government/Military and Recreational), By Communication Technology (Satellite, WIMAX, WLAN, LTE, IR Wi-Fi and Others) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/asia-pacific-marine-communication-systems-market Europe Marine Communication Systems Market , By Type (Ship-To-Shore Marine Communication Systems and Ship-To-Ship Marine Communication Systems), By Product (Maritime Sat Phone & Internet Devices, Marine Radio Devices, Marine Multifunction Displays (MFDS), VHF Data Exchange System (VDES), Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) Terminals, Marine Radar, Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Others), By Component (Solution and Services), By Application (Commercial, Government/Military and Recreational), By Communication Technology (Satellite, WIMAX, WLAN, LTE, IR Wi-Fi and Others) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/europe-marine-communication-systems-market Submarine Cable System Market , By Component (Dry Plant Products, Wet Plant Products), Type (Single Core, Multicore), Voltage (Medium Voltage, High Voltage), Offering (Installation and Commissioning, Maintenance, Upgrades), Application (Communication Cables, Power Cables), End Users (Offshore Wind Power Generation, Inter-Country and Island Connection, Offshore Oil and Gas), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Germany, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of the Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-submarine-cable-system-market About Data Bridge Market Research: An absolute way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today! Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavours to provide appropriate solutions to complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data Bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune. Data Bridge Market Research has over 500 analysts working in different industries. We have catered more than 40% of the fortune 500 companies globally and have a network of more than 5000+ clientele around the globe. Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfaction rate. Contact Us:- Data Bridge Market Research US: +1 888 387 2818 UK: +44 208 089 1725 Hong Kong: +852 8192 7475 MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HIIs (NYSE: HII) Mission Technologies division has been awarded a Mobility Air Force Distributed Mission Operations (MAF DMO) task order under the U.S. Air Forces Training Systems Acquisition III contract. The $79 million task order includes a base period and five one-year options. HII will support Air Mobility Commands MAF DMO operations and integration to enable persistent, distributed training of aircrews worldwide. HIIs live, virtual and constructive (LVC) capabilities including network engineering, cybersecurity, standards development and logistics will support a wide range of joint and combined exercises. Realistic training environments are critical to preparing warfighters for mission success, said Andy Green, president of Mission Technologies. Our dedicated team is thrilled to extend our more than 20 years of expertise delivering LVC solutions and network operations across defense and coalition forces. HII will operate and maintain the Distributed Training Center and the Distributed Training Center Network to support global Aircrew Training Systems. The work will serve vital network connectivity and interoperability between Air Force major commands. A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-air-force-mobility-distributed-mission-operations. Optimal network performance to support warfighter training is vital to ensure the accuracy and safety of the mission, said Glenn Goodman, president of Mission Technologies LVC Solutions business group. Our engineers are industry experts in the design, development and operations of cyber-secure, large-scale distributed training architectures, and we look forward to supporting successful training operations worldwide. About HII HII is an all-domain defense and technologies partner, recognized worldwide as Americas largest shipbuilder. With a 135-year history of trusted partnerships in advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities ranging from the most powerful and survivable naval ships ever built, to unmanned systems, ISR and AI/ML analytics. HII leads the industry in mission-driven solutions that support and enable an all-domain force. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs skilled workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information please visit: HII on the web: https://www.hii.com/ HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII HII on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wearehii HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehii Contact: Greg McCarthy (202) 302-1202 greg.j.mccarthy@hii-co.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ec47bba4-25f9-4b58-b3f1-8e73ac622dc0 THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pavenham Development Corp. (Pavenham), with an address at 2321 Bolding Road, Mill Bay, British Columbia, V0R 2P4, has acquired ownership of 1,600,000 units (Units) issued by Affinor Growers Inc. (the Company), a corporation with a head office at 595 Howe Street, 4th Floor, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2T5 (the Acquisition). Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a Share) and one Share purchase warrant (a Warrant). Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one additional Share at a price of $0.15 for a period of 12 months from the date of issuance. Pavenham acquired the Units pursuant to a debt settlement agreement (the Debt Settlement Agreement) dated August 2, 2022 (the Debt Settlement Agreement) between the Company and Pavenham. The Debt Settlement Agreement provided for the issuance of 1,600,000 Units to Pavenham at a deemed price of $0.10 per Unit to settle $160,000 in debt owing to Pavenham. Prior to the Acquisition, Pavenham held 3,149,728 Shares, which was equal to 14.22% of the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company. Following the Acquisition, Pavenham holds 4,749,728 Shares, which is equal to 19.43% of the issued and outstanding Shares of the Company. Pavenham acquired 1,600,000 Units of the Company for investment purposes. In pursuing such purposes, Pavenham takes a long-term view of its investment. It reserves the right to formulate other plans or make other proposals, and take such actions with respect to its investment in the Company. Depending on market conditions and other factors, Pavenham may acquire additional securities of the Company as Pavenham may deem appropriate, whether in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Pavenham may dispose of some or all of such securities. Pavenham may also reconsider and change its plans or proposals relating to the foregoing. This press release is issued pursuant to early warning requirements of National Instrument 62-104 and National Instrument 62-103, which also requires a report to be filed with regulatory authorities in each of the jurisdictions containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters (the Early Warning Report). A copy of the Early Warning Report will be available under the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com and may be obtained by contacting: Nick Brusatore, Chief Executive Officer, Affinor Growers Inc. at nick@affinorgrowers.com or 604-356-0411. Valhalla, N.Y., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FUJIFILM North America Corporation announces the North American debut of Fujikina New York, a must-attend interactive festival for anyone interested in photography, cinematography, the arts, and the latest FUJIFILM digital camera gear. This curated, dynamic public event will showcase the power of image making through a special exhibit of select works from an emerging generation of image makers. Previously and exclusively held at FUJIFILM Corporations global headquarters in Tokyo, Fujikina will be held in North America for the first time on Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 10 A.M. - 7 P.M. at the iconic Glass House, located at 660 12th Avenue in New York City (please note: this address has been updated from a previous version). We are excited and honored to host Fujikina in New York City, which has such a rich history of showing Fujifilms support and celebration of the arts. Were excited to make the city a big part of the experience for our guests, said Victor Ha, vice president, Electronic Imaging and Optical Devices, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. Demonstrating Fujifilms ongoing commitment to storytelling, Fujikina New York will be part touch-and-try, part education, and part exhibition truly a festival for the image-making community and anyone interested the art of visual storytelling. The event will be comprised of a mix of hands-on seminars and workshops with celebrated creators who will be sharing experiences, techniques, and views on various image making styles, like portraiture, photojournalism, landscape, and much more. In addition, there will be ample opportunities to learn about and test various FUJIFILM digital cameras and lenses and attend a keynote presentation by world-renowned photographer, Greg Gorman. Known for his stark, honest portraits of the most famous and infamous faces, Gorman travels the world for specialized photographic projects while continuing to work on compilations of his imagery. Gormans work is exhibited at galleries and museums around the globe. Fujikina New York will also celebrate the 10-year anniversary of FUJIFILM X-MountFujifilms pioneering photographic technology that has empowered image makers and opened countless doors for creative possibilities. In honor of this milestone, and in demonstrating Fujifilms commitment to storytelling, Fujikina will celebrate with a special project showcasing imagery and stories from 10 remarkable women image-makers all with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. These artists were hand-picked to each envision a project and received funding, technical support, and guidance from Fujifilm along the way to bring those projects to life. Subjects range from a post-climate-apocalypse tale of seeking beauty amidst hardship, to an exploration of rites of passage and coming-of-age stories, to an adventure-driven piece on women rock climbers over 40, and more. Throughout the Fujikina New York venue, photo and video work from Fujifilm creators will be displayed in a variety of formats. Multiple sessions of seminars under the themes Life in Motion (Filmmaking), Life in Detail (Resolution), and Life in Color (Color and Resolution) will also be offered. Finally, guests will be able to reserve a spot in a variety of photo walks hosted by Fujifilms photography experts, where theyll learn techniques for creating various types of imagery and immediately get to practice using loaned FUJIFILM digital camera and lens gear. Fujikina New York will be free and open to the public. Guests are required to register and book a time slot to attend the event, as well as reserve space in any seminars, workshops, speaker presentations, and photo walks they wish to attend. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3zLY5pF To register for free, please visit: https://bit.ly/3PeMuW3 More about Seminars, workshops, and speakers: https://bit.ly/3zLY5pF More about our Featured Creators: https://bit.ly/3SFD1d5 About Fujifilm FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division provides consumer and commercial photographic products and services, including: photographic paper; digital printing equipment, along with service and support; personalized photo products; film; one-time-use cameras; and the popular INSTAX line of instant cameras and accessories. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras, lenses, and content creation solutions, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the graphic printing industry. The Optical Devices Division provides optical lenses for the broadcast, cinematography, closed circuit television, videography and industrial markets, and also markets binoculars and other optical imaging solutions. The Industrial and Corporate New Business Development Division delivers new products derived from Fujifilm technologies. FUJIFILM Canada Inc. sells and markets a range of FUJIFILM products and services in Canada. For more information, please visit https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en/about/region, go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter, or go to www.facebook.com/FujifilmNorthAmerica to Like Fujifilm on Facebook. FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, leverages its depth of knowledge and proprietary core technologies to deliver Value from Innovation in our products and services in the business segments of healthcare, materials, business innovation, and imaging. Our relentless pursuit of innovation is focused on providing social value and enhancing the lives of people worldwide. Fujifilm is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information about Fujifilms Sustainable Value Plan 2030, click here. For the year ended March 31, 2022, the company had global revenues of approximately 2.5 trillion yen (21 billion $USD at an exchange rate of 122 yen/dollar). For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com. NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Breef , the worlds first online agency marketplace, has announced a strategic partnership with Ramp , the finance automation platform designed to help businesses spend less. The two companies share a dedication to helping businesses grow through savings and efficiencies, and through this partnership, change marketing spend dynamics by allowing brands to optimize costs and streamline one of their most significant expenses marketing and advertising spend. With marketing budgets and company spend under scrutiny in a rapidly evolving economic climate, both companies have experienced a market shift to their service offerings, focused on savings for the next generation of work. Similar to how Ramp simplifies and automates finance, Breef simplifies and automates marketing outsourcing saving brands on average 35% per project compared with traditional agency spend. By offering access to over 7,000 vetted, boutique agencies, Breefs technology helps brands find marketing partners in under seven days for more than 50 project types, from branding and web design to social and paid media support. In addition, the Breef platform integrates new technology to budget, plan, and scope projects for improved outcomes. We seek out partners that share our commitment to rethinking how businesses of the future can continue to grow,'' said George Raptis, Co-Founder of Breef. Ramp is an ideal partner as we both seek to drive innovation that reimagines once offline processes, creating cost effective outcomes that our customers can benefit from. With this partnership, the Breef community, composed of tens of thousands of world class marketers, agencies, and founders, will receive exclusive benefits when they sign up for Ramps finance automation platform. Ramp customers will gain access to Breefs innovative outsourcing platform, project discounts, and dedicated marketing strategists to help guide their growth needs. In this environment, companies are particularly concerned about protecting their bottom line, said Emily Jorgens, Head of Business Development, Ramp. By partnering with technology integrators like Breef, Ramp can offer our customers a path to saving money on core spend categories like advertising. Ramp continues to help businesses scale faster with access to 30 times higher limits than traditional offerings. The company has delivered more than $200 million in savings and saves $1 million per day for its customers. Both companies continue to experience exponential growth, driven by their unique savings proposition to small businesses with a changing workforce dynamic. To learn more about this strategic partnership and begin accessing its benefits, visit breef.com/ramp . ABOUT BREEF Breef is redefining the future of work by taking the agency online. The companys technology is the first of its kind to streamline the agency outsourcing process and facilitate high-value, high-consideration projects. Breefs proprietary platform allows brands to manage and service all agency projects, pitches, and payments, facilitating efficiencies within todays distributed workforce. The platform hosts more than 7,000 vetted agencies and is used by thousands of world-leading brands, transacting millions of dollars in projects each month. Breef operates from its headquarters in New York City. FULLERTON, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intend, a patient-centric healthcare management software provider, today announced support for Monkeypox Vaccinations on the Intend platform. "I think we and all our providers were a bit surprised about how quickly this virus has spread. The CDC reported last week that there are over 7,500 confirmed cases in the U.S.," said Intend President, Eric Kupferberg. "Our partners, like Pucci's Pharmacy in Sacramento, were quick to respond by providing us the required forms and criteria for the Monkeypox Vaccination, and we were able to get their requests implemented in a matter of hours. They have a large-scale event scheduled for the weekend of August 13 at Sacramento LGBT Center from 3-6 p.m. and we are honored to be able to support Pucci's for this event servicing the LGBTQ+ community," said Kupferberg. Since implementing Intend in 2020, Pucci's has provided the Sacramento community with more than 26,000 Covid-19 vaccinations, 1,800 Jynneos Monkeypox Vaccinations, and over 11,000 Covid-19 diagnostic tests. "The Intend Platform is easy to use and saves our staff time when servicing the community. It's also easy for our patients to register and receive alerts for pending appointments and follow-up communications via text and email. Intend integrates seamlessly with our state immunization database so their records are updated within minutes of vaccinations being administered to patients," said Clint Hopkins, Pucci's CEO and Pharmacist. About Pucci's Pharmacy: Pucci's Pharmacy has been serving the Sacramento area for over 90 years. Since owning Pucci's in 2016, Clint Hopkins and husband Joel Hockman have built personal relationships within the community to demonstrate the wide service offerings that an independent pharmacy offers. Pucci's Pharmacy / Pucci's LTC Pharmacy 3257 Folsom Blvd / 1428 33rd St Sacramento, CA 95816 (916) 442.5891 www.puccirx.com About Intend: Intend delivers frictionless scheduling, billing, reporting and patient communication to healthcare providers nationwide. Since 2020, the Intend software platform has processed over 5 million medical procedures at over 5,000 client accounts for millions of patients. The company's customizable SaaS solutions provide ease of use for both patient and provider, with a focus on: Access anywhere, mobile-friendly interface Online appointment scheduling with patient and client account portals Flexible integrations to LIS, billing, state and federal government agencies Automated reporting and patient follow-up Intend partners with pharmacies, urgent care providers, labs, and physician offices to enhance business function while delivering superior patient care. https://intend.io info@intend.io (844) 468-3631 Related Images Image 1: Intend, Inc. https://intend.io This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Markham, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 1,200 youth ages 13 to 17 in Burkina Faso, Ghana and India will engage in intercultural dialogue and explore contemporary global issues, including climate change, the rights of women and girls, and action against hate speech as part of a newly expanded joint program announced today (International Youth Day) by the Canadian charity, Children Believe, and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI). Youth are vital for building a better future, and key to this is the need for young people today to be global citizens who can nimbly navigate critical issues in our complex interconnected world, says Fred Witteveen, CEO of Children Believe. Those who face barriers to education especially need to be equipped with these skills if they are to thrive in rapidly changing societies, and if we are to overcome issues like poverty. Children Believe and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change have joined forces in Burkina Faso, Ghana and India to help make sure they arent left behind. Generation Global is TBIs education program for young people ages 13 to 17 that enables them to embrace the future, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to become active and open-minded global citizens. The program offers free, flexible teaching resources on a range of global issues, and high-quality training for educators to support young people's global citizenship development. Facilitated video conferences and an online global community create a safe space for intercultural dialogue between young people. Generation Global was first launched in 2009 and has since extended to over 30 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. It has supported over 570,000 young people and trained over 15,000 teachers in the skills of intercultural dialogue. Generation Global is delighted to be in partnership with Children Believe through a program that will introduce global citizenship skills and facilitate global connections for young people in some of the more remote and underserved areas of the world, says Lucy Hayter, Director of Generation Global at TBI. Children Believes operations in six countries, its trusted engagement with rural schools and communities, and importantly, a vision we also share to unlock young peoples full potential, makes for an enriching and impactful collaboration. Children Believe and TBI piloted Generation Global in schools and youth clubs supported by Children Believe in India last year. The popular program is now being scaled up there, and expanded to students in Burkina Faso and Ghana. I was reluctant to speak in public. Never once have I done any public speaking, says Ezhilarasi, 17, a participant from Tamil Nadu, India. But participating in video conferences organized by Generation Global made me realize that it is important as a girl to raise our voices about issues that affect us. The skills I learned have helped me organize and present my thoughts, and I have begun to speak up now. Teachers in West Africa are enthusiastic about offering the Generation Global program to students. This will be very good for our students, says Brenda Amadu Amoah, a junior high school teacher in Tamale, Ghana who took part in a recent educator training session. Theyll be exposed to other ideas and ways of being, and theyll gain confidence and be able to better express themselves through the dialogue practice. Saidou Dialla, an education specialist with Children Believe Burkina Faso, emphasized the relevance of Generation Global. In a world that has become a global village, young people have the same concerns regardless of their race, geographic location, social status, gender or religion, says Mr. Dialla. They will only be responsible citizens tomorrowwith the ability to act in an informed mannerif they learn to play this role today. --30-- About Children Believe Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe inand be heard. For 60+ years, weve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, were driven by a common belief: creating access to educationinside and outside of classroomsis the most powerful tool children can use to change their world. About the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change supports political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies in a globalized world. We do this through developing policy and advising governments. Generation Global is the Tony Blair Institutes global citizenship education program for young people. --30-- For more information or to arrange an interview with Fred Witteveen, please contact: Crystal Lee, Editorial Manager, Children Believe, 647-467-0409 Email: clee@childrenbelieve.ca To arrange an interview with Lucy Hayter, please contact: Shruti Sharma, Partnership and Communications Lead, Generation Global, +91 9971790836 Email: s.sharma@institute.global Attachment Naples, FL, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pro Music Rights, Inc., one of the world's largest music licensing companies, announces that it intends to Release its Financials by August 19, 2022, as well as other detailed information pertaining to the closed reverse merger with Nuvus Gro Corp (OTC: NUVG) via EDGAR. About Pro Music Rights, Inc. ( ProMusicRights.com ) Pro Music Rights the 5th public performance rights organization (PRO) ever formed in the United States. Its licensees include notable companies like TikTok, iHeart Media, Triller, Napster, 7Digital, Vevo, and hundreds of others. Pro Music Rights controls an estimated market share of 7.4% in the United States, representing over 2,500,000 works that feature notable artists such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, MoneyBaggYo, Larry June, Trae Pound, Sause Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Young Dolph, Trinidad James, Fall Out Boy, and countless others. For more information, please visit promusicrights.com . This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Pro Music Rights, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Pro Music Rights, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Pro Music Rights, Inc. or any other person. OTTAWA, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadas unions welcome todays announcement by the federal government that they will finally live up to their commitment to ratify the International Labour Organization Convention no. 190 (C-190) on Violence and Harassment. We are happy to see Labour Minister Seamus ORegans long-awaited announcement that the federal government and all provinces are now on board with ratification of this vital international agreement to better protect workers from violence and harassment. Work shouldnt hurt, said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. Canadas unions have been fighting to ratify this for years. Now we must build on this momentum and swiftly implement this agreement. C-190 is a ground-breaking international agreement that acknowledges the universal right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, makes governments accountable for preventing and addressing this violence and harassment, and establishes a clear framework for achieving this. We saw frontline health workers subject to harassment and violence as they cared for us. We saw increased domestic violence with more people working at home. We saw growing incidents of violent discrimination, continued Bruske. The fact is, women workers are disproportionately hurt by harassment and violence at work, while women, gender-diverse people, and other workers facing harassment and discrimination face additional barriers to reporting incidents. We must do better. Bruske pointed to a survey the Canadian Labour Congress released earlier this year that revealed widespread evidence of harassment and violence at work in Canada. Some sectors and jobs expose workers to an even higher risk of violence, including from third parties, as we saw against health workers during the pandemic. Too often, workers in Canada today are not protected by existing legislation, leaving them vulnerable and threatening their safety at work. C-190 is a comprehensive and inclusive agreement that, once implemented, will help make all workers safer, concluded Bruske. Canadas unions are ready to get to work with governments and employers on a plan to swiftly implement these new protections. Together, we can build a world of work free of violence and harassment, in all its forms. To arrange an interview, please contact: CLC Media Relations media@clcctc.ca 613-526-7426 Harare regional magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye is today expected to deliver a judgment in the matter in which Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president, Henrietta Rushwaya, is being charged for offering a bribe to an airport official on the day she allegedly attempted to smuggle 6kg of gold out of the country in October 2020. Through her lawyer Mr Peter Patisani, Rushwaya denied the charges saying she never offered anyone a bribe on the day in question as she had no intentions to smuggle the gold. Rushwaya told the court that she only carried a wrong bag to the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. A fortnight ago, Mrs Mapiye rejected her application for discharge at the close of the State case and ordered her to explain what she did soon after the airport officials discovered she was in possession of gold. In her defence case, Rushwaya insisted that she never offered a bribe to smuggle the said gold, as she was a gold buying agent for Fidelity Printers and Refiners with a gold buying licence. Rushwaya told the court that if she had intentions to smuggle gold, she would have not volunteered to go through the security scanning point after being ushered by the airport officials to use the VIP section. She said she advised airport officials, including Owen Sibanda whom she allegedly offered the bribe, that she had picked a wrong bag from home. Rushwaya said upon her arrest, she cooperated with law enforcement agents at all material times. She told the court that the police went to take the other bag, which she claims is similar to the one she was found with at the airport, during the time she was in remand prison. Rushwaya said the police were still in custody of the two similar bags since 2020. Herald Wilmington, Delaware, United States, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - TMR study for pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market statistics, estimates a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2031. Increasing prevalence of pseudomonas aeruginosa, rising awareness about the disease, and robust pipeline of new therapeutics are fuelling the growth of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market. According to the WHO, pseudomonas aeruginosa infections are listed under high risk category, and thus the need for treatment to steer future market demand for pseudomonas aeruginosa infections treatment. Rise in prevalence of nosocomial pseudomonas aeruginosa infections associated with urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and blood stream infections is likely to influence the pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market size. Hospital acquired pseudomonas aeruginosa infection for some patients of COVID-19 led to the demand for pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment drugs such as oral ciprofloxacin, to treat both primary and secondary infections. Increasing incidence of pseudomonas aeruginosa from the use of ventilators and other medical devices, with no effective treatment expands the scope of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market for novel antibiotics and antibacterial drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 51,000 healthcare-related pseudomonas aeruginosa infections occur each year in the U.S. More than 6,000 cases of pseudomonas aeruginosa are multidrug-resistant that is driving leading players in the pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market to develop antibiotics and newer antibacterial drugs. Get Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection Treatment Market Report https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=17156 Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection Treatment Market Key Findings of the Report Combination therapy medication type segment held nearly 74% share of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market in 2021. Increasing drug resistance of monotherapy, resulting in demand for combination therapy for the treatment of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is driving growth of the segment. Advantages of combination therapy to help increase compliance, efficacy, synergy, and reduced side-effects and cost is leading to increasing uptick in demand. Fast action, cost saving, and high efficiency are some other factors for the rising demand or combination therapy for pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Cephalosporin drug type segment held a key share of approximately 40% of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market in 2021. Focus of key pharmaceutical companies on the development of new class of cephalosporin for the treatment of pseudomonas aeruginosa boosts the cephalosporin segment. The development of fifth-generation cephalosporin drug for the treatment of gram negative bacteria such as pseudomonas aeruginosa is an example. The intravenous segment based on route of administration held key share of nearly 40% of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection market in 2021. Availability of drugs for administering intravenously, high accuracy in dosing, and fast action as compared to other routes of administration stokes demand for intravenous route o administration segment. Europe held a key nearly 31% of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market in 2021. High prevalence of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market accounts for growth North America held nearly 30% of pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market in 2021 Ask for References https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=ARF&rep_id=17156 Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection Treatment Market Growth Drivers Need for treatment of pseudomonas aeruginosa listed under the category of high risk diseases boosts the pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market Robust clinical trials for new therapeutics for the rapid rise in antibacterial drug resistance underscores growth Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection Treatment Market Key Players Some of the key players operating in the pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market are; ALLERGAN Pfizer Inc. AstraZeneca Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. Merck & Co. Inc. Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. Make an Enquiry Before Buying https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=EB&rep_id=17156 The pseudomonas aeruginosa infection treatment market is segmented as follows; Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Treatment Infection Market, by Medication Type Monotherapy Combination Therapy Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Treatment Infection Market, by Drug Type Aminoglycoside Cephalosporin Carbapenem Monobactam Others Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Treatment Infection Market, by Route of Administration Nasal Oral Intravenous Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Treatment Infection Market, by Distribution Channel Hospital Pharmacies Retail Pharmacies Online Pharmacies Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Treatment Infection Market, by Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Modernization of healthcare in terms of both infrastructure and services have pushed the healthcare industry to new heights, Stay Updated with Latest Healthcare Research Reports by Transparency Market Research: Pulmonary Drug Delivery Devices Market: The global pulmonary drug delivery devices market is expected to exceed the value of US$ 49.5 Bn by the end of 2031. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2022 to 2031. Lactate Meter Market: The global lactate meter market is anticipated to reach more than US$ 299 Mn by the end of 2031. The global market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.7% from 2022 to 2031. Defibrillators Market: The global defibrillator market is expected to cross value of US$ 16.3 Bn by the end of 2031. It is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 8.9% from 2022 to 2031. Bruise Treatment Market: The global bruise treatment market is anticipated to reach more than US$ 444 Mn by the end of 2031. The global market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 3.5% from 2022 to 2031. Venous Diseases Treatment Market: Rise in awareness about deep vein thrombosis treatment, chronic venous occlusions treatment, venous insufficiency treatment, and leg ulcer treatment; and growth in number of product approvals are driving the market. Pressure Ulcers Treatment Market: Rise in prevalence of pressure ulcers, increase in prevalence of chronic diseases, and technological advancements in wound care are anticipated to propel the global pressure ulcers treatment market during the forecast period. Substance Abuse Treatment Market: Rise in awareness about the negative effects of substance abuse, introduction of new programs, and increase in number of rehabilitation centers globally are expected to contribute to the growth of the global market. Pericardial Patches Market: The global pericardial patches market is anticipated to reach more than US$ 604 Mn by the end of 2031. The global market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2022 to 2031. About Transparency Market Research Transparency Market Research, a global market research company registered at Wilmington, Delaware, United States, provides custom research and business consulting services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insights for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools & techniques to gather and analyze information. Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports. For More Research Insights on Leading Industries, Visit Our YouTube Channel and hit subscribe for Future Update - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8e-z-g23-TdDMuODiL8BKQ Contact Rohit Bhisey Transparency Market Research Inc. CORPORATE HEADQUARTER DOWNTOWN, 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 USA Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Blog: https://tmrblog.com Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com Boston, MA, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beacon Hill Life Sciences has expanded to have 24 offices across the United States, recently opening an office in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Beacon Hill Life Sciences provides award-winning integrated staffing solutions within the sectors of Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Medical Device, Scientific, Gene Therapy, Diagnostics, Clinical Research Outsourcing, Food, Beverage, Consumer Products, Healthcare, and Health and Insurance. We solve talent challenges using professional staffing and recruitment, consulting and solutions, and Statement of Work services. Leading Beacon Hill Life Sciences Mid-Atlantic is Division Director Daniel Hendrickson. Mr. Hendrickson brings 10 years of leadership experience in the staffing industry with a focus in life sciences and technology. Prior to joining Beacon Hill Life Sciences, Mr. Hendrickson developed and expanded a national sales team specializing in a portfolio of pharmaceutical clientele. In joining Beacon Hill, I feel like Im coming to a place thats already familiar. Ive been fortunate to have already attended multiple holiday parties and Presidents Club trips as a guest to Recruiting Manager Ashley Knouse Hendrickson, and I am exhilarated to now do so as a Beacon Hiller myself, stated Mr. Hendrickson. Joining Beacon Hill to help expand Life Sciences into new markets, under the direction of two exceptional leaders in Managing Director, Ryan Pirnat, and Regional Director, Liz Davies, while bringing a decade of staffing and leadership experience is the opportunity of a lifetime. With a focus on the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia areas, we will be offering our world-class recruiting expertise to clients along the Eastern Seaboard. Im looking forward to expanding our business, as well as leading our efforts to deliver Beacon Hills top-notch, quality service to our client base. We are thrilled to have Dan join our team and strengthen our presence down the East Coast, remarked Liz Davies, Regional Director of Beacon Hill Life Sciences Boston. His drive is unmatched, and I am certain that he will hold true to our values of trust, honesty, and respect as he grows our business. With Dan and his Lead Staffing Consultant, Scott Dailey, we now have the bandwidth to expand our service offerings to support new clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech, device and scientific space as his team grows over the coming year. About Beacon Hill Staffing Group Beacon Hill is a leading nationwide provider of staffing and consulting solutions delivered by our collective of nearly 1,300 of the industrys foremost specialty practitioners. Job seekers and companies seeking to augment their staff receive white-glove service from our industry-focused divisions: Beacon Hill Associates, Beacon Hill Digital & Creative, Beacon Hill Financial, Beacon Hill Government Services, Beacon Hill HR, Beacon Hill Legal, Beacon Hill Life Sciences, Beacon Hill Solutions and Beacon Hill Technologies. Beacon Hill Staffing Groups niche brands provide direct hire, executive search, temporary staffing, contract consulting, temp/contract-to-hire, and MSP/VMS and RPO solutions to emerging growth companies and the Fortune 500 across multiple market sectors and all industries. In 2021, Beacon Hill Staffing Group outpaced the markets growth with revenues over $900 million. Fitch affirms stable outlook, reflecting Ohio Nationals strong risk-adjusted capitalization Fitch views Ohio National as well positioned in its primary markets CINCINNATI, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ohio National Financial Services announced today that Fitch Ratings has affirmed ratings for the financial strength of The Ohio National Life Insurance Company and Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation at A- with stable outlook. The A- rating is Fitchs seventh-highest rating on a 21-part scale. According to Fitch, insurers rated with a category have high credit quality and are subject to low credit default risk. In its statement, Fitch acknowledges the affirmation of the rating reflects in part the companys strong risk-adjusted capitalization, moderate business profile, muted but stable financial performance and conservative investment portfolio. The rating also considers the company's recently completed demutualization and acquisition by Constellation Insurance, LP (Constellation). In its release, Fitch notes the following: Ohio Nationals risk-adjusted capitalization as strong: Based on YE 2021 data, [Ohio National] is expected to score in the 'Very Strong' category of Fitch's Prism capital model. Over the near term, Fitch expects that the companys capital position will improve following the reinsurance of [Ohio Nationals] whole life business to Hannover Re and the injection of $500 million of capital from Constellation beginning in 2023. Fitch ranks [Ohio Nationals] business profile in the moderate category and in line with that of the broader U.S. life insurance industry. We are pleased in todays action by Fitch to affirm our ratings, stated Barbara A. Turner, CRCP, Ohio National president and chief executive officer. Fitch acknowledges our strong capitalization and business profile and recognizes the anticipated long-term positive impact from the Constellation transaction we completed in March 2022. Turner also said, We remain focused on our long-term financial strength and executing our strategy to grow our business, support our policyholders and deliver on our mission. About Ohio National Since 1909, Ohio National has been committed to helping individuals, families and businesses protect what matters most. Through our network of financial professionals across 49 states (all except New York), the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and through affiliated operations in South America, we provide the insurance products that help our policyholders achieve financial security and independence. As of December 31, 2021, its affiliated companies have $40.8 billion total assets under management. Products are issued by The Ohio National Life Insurance Company and Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation. The O.N. Equity Sales Company (ONESCO) is a full-service broker dealer and Ohio National Financial Services affiliate. Ohio National is recognized as a Leader in Workplace Equity by Ellequate. Please explore ohionational.com for more information and for the latest company updates, connect with Ohio National on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Contact: Lisa Doxsee, APR 513.794.6418 (o) 513.218.5519 (m) Lisa_doxsee@ohionational.com QUINCY, Mass., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Retail Business Services, the services company of leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, today announced that Marty Wolfe has joined the company as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), joining the information technology (IT) leadership team led by Rom Kosla, EVP, IT and Chief Information Officer. Marty joins Retail Business Services from IBM, where he most recently served as Global CTO and VP of IBM's Retail, CPG, Logistics, and Travel industries. Were pleased to welcome Marty to the team, said Kosla. His deep experience in retail and related industries, where he was responsible for driving digital transformation, will be valuable as we continue to transform IT for Ahold Delhaize USA companies. As each of our companies continue to serve connected customers and drive aggressive omnichannel growth, the role of IT has never been more important. We look forward to Martys contributions as we continue our work to Evolve IT and enable Ahold Delhaize USA companies to thrive in an omnichannel world. Marty brings a unique combination of business acumen, technical depth and industry expertise to the role, with a deep background in both digital transformation and hybrid cloud journeys. Im excited to join the organization at this pivotal time for Ahold Delhaize USA companies, said Wolfe. Retail is rapidly changing and technology is a differentiator that enables retailers abilities to compete. I look forward to supporting Retail Business Services in its Evolve IT journey, which is key in enabling Ahold Delhaize USA brands to win now and into the future. Retail Business Services continues to welcome new IT talent. Interested candidates can search open roles at retailbusinessservices.careerswithus.com. About Retail Business Services Retail Business Services, ranked No. 25 on Fast Companys 2022 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators, is the services company of leading grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA, currently providing services to five omnichannel grocery brands, including Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Retail Business Services leverages the scale of the local brands to drive synergies and provides industry-leading expertise, insights and analytics to local brands to support their strategies with services including Business Integrity Services (Legal, Risk Management, Quality Assurance), Business Services (HR Technology Systems and Process Management), Communications & Omnichannel Service, Finance Business Services, Financial Planning & Analysis, Human Resources, Indirect Sourcing, Information Technology, Pharmacy Services, Retail Innovation, Store Development, Leasing and Facilities Support, and Strategy & Business Development. We are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we foster a community of belonging where everyone is valued. For more information, visit www.retailbusinessservices.com. MEDIA CONTACTS: Christy Phillips-Brown 704-310-2221 Erin DeWaters 704-310-3884 Montgomery, Alabama, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Animal Wellness Action (AWA) and the Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) urged the federal court considering the United States criminal case against Brent Easterling, William Easterling, and five other family members based in Verbena, Ala. to mete out prison time and six-figure fines on the perpetrators. Last year the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama and prosecutors from the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice charged the Easterlings with conspiracy to violate federal anti-animal fighting laws, including operating fighting pits on their properties, possessing thousands of fighting animals, transporting those animals across the globe for fighting, and trafficking in cockfighting implements (Federal Case 2:21-cr-00455-MHT-SMD). The United States filed additional papers that included plea agreements from the Easterlings, admitting their involvement in a range of illegal animal fighting activities. Now the federal judge presiding in the case will render a sentence in the proceedings. USDAs Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations conducted extensive investigations on the Easterlings prior to the filing of federal charges against them. A sentencing hearing for these three defendants will occur on September 29th, and for the remaining four defendants, including Brent Easterling, on November 8th. In early June 2020, Animal Wellness Action and AWF released a detailed report identifying Brent Easterling as a major trafficker in fighting animals and implements. The groups presented extensive evidence to the United States about his involvement and shared a dossier on him with the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama and with other federal law enforcement officials. Animal Wellness Action noted that the Easterlings made hundreds of thousands of dollars, perhaps millions, on the illicit sale of fighting birds. Brent Easterling frequently transported his birds to Mexico, which is a major destination for U.S.-reared fighting animals and participated in fighting derbies all over the world, as a means of then marketing the birds he raised and trained to be cut up in fights. It is critical that the federal court impose substantial prison time and fines on the Easterlings for their central role in a complex, demonstrably illegal, multimillion-dollar animal fighting syndicate that stretched across the globe, said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. The other big cockfighting networks in the U.S. are watching and hoping that they wont be next if the federal government punishes them in a way that is aligned with the strict penalties provided for in the law. The rule of law matters, including when it applies to animal cruelty, said Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action and a native Alabamian from Mobile. Given the Yellowhammer State's anti-cockfighting law warrants less in the way of penalties than a parking ticket, its vital that the federal government step in and deliver justice. The action of the U.S. Dept. of Justice in saying that it will not tolerate animal fighting operations will reverberate from the shores of Orange Beach to Lookout Mountain and everywhere in between." Indeed, while the Easterlings were one of Americas biggest cockfighting syndicates, they are part of a far larger network of animal fighters in Alabama and throughout the United States that have made America the breeding ground for the global cockfighting industry. While some are destined for fighting pits in the U.S., hundreds of thousands of birds move from cockfighting farms here to dozens of nations throughout the world. AWAs June 2020 reported on several Alabamians, including Jerry Adkins of Slick Lizard Farms, who told a Filipino television broadcaster that he sells 6,000 birds a year to Mexico alone. With some birds fetching as much as $2000 each, those illegal transactions could generate millions in gross sales. AWA obtained a video of Brent Easterling interviewing with a Philippines-based cockfighting channel BNTV talking about his fighting birds and marketing them to worldwide audiences. AWA also obtained BNTV videos where 10 other cockfighters in Alabama extolling the prowess of their fighting birds. BNTV made 50 videos with U.S.-based cockfighters in recent years, and 11 of them came from Alabama-based cockfighters. Under current federal law, it is a crime to: Knowingly sponsor or exhibit an animal in a fighting venture; Knowingly attend an animal fighting venture, or knowingly cause an individual who has not attained the age of 16 to attend an animal fighting venture; Knowingly buy, sell, possess, train, transport, deliver, or receive any animal for purposes of having the animal participate in an animal fighting venture; Knowingly use the mail service of the U.S. Postal Service, or any written, wire, radio televisions or other form of communications in, or using a facility of, interstate commerce, to advertise an animal for use in an animal fighting venture, or to advertise a knife, gaff, or other sharp instrument designed to be attached to the leg of a bird for us in an animal fighting venture, or to promote or in any other manner further an animal fighting venture except as performed outside the U.S.; Knowingly sell, buy, transport, or deliver in interstate or foreign commerce a knife, gaff, or any other sharp instrument designed or intended to be attached to the leg of a bird for us in an animal fighting venture. Penalties for each violation of any one of these provisions allows for a maximum of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for perpetrators, except for an adult attending an animal fighting venture. Penalties for an adult in attendance are 1 year in prison and a $5,000 fine. Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies, and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and thats why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones dont. We believe helping animals helps us all. Attachments CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canacol Energy Ltd. (Canacol or the Corporation) (TSX:CNE; OTCQX:CNNEF; BVC:CNEC) is pleased to report its financial and operating results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022. Dollar amounts are expressed in United States dollars, with the exception of Canadian dollar unit prices (C$) where indicated and otherwise noted. Highlights for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 Realized contractual natural gas sales volumes increased 10% and 6% to 188 MMscfpd and 184.9 MMscfpd for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to 171.5 MMscfpd and 174.5 MMscfpd for the same periods in 2021, respectively. Average natural gas production volumes increased 10% and 6% to 190.6 MMscfpd and 186.9 MMscfpd for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to 173.1 MMscfpd and 176.3 MMscfpd for the same periods in 2021, respectively. The increase is mainly due to an increase of natural gas sales volumes contracted under firm contracts in 2022. Total natural gas revenues, net of royalties and transportation expenses increased 29% and 19% to $67.9 million and $132.2 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $52.6 million and $110.9 million for the same periods in 2021, respectively, mainly attributable to higher sales volumes and higher natural gas realized sales prices, net of transportation expense. Adjusted EBITDAX increased 24% and 15% to $55.2 million and $104.8 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $44.6 million and $91.4 million for the same periods in 2021, respectively. Adjusted funds from operations increased 16% and 1% to $39.1 million and $72.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $33.6 million and $71.9 million for the same periods in 2021, respectively. The Corporation realized a net income of $18 million for the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to a net loss of $0.6 million for the same period in 2021. The Corporation recognized a deferred tax recovery of $0.2 million during the six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to a deferred tax expense of $9.7 million. The fluctuation of deferred taxes was primarily due to the effect of the Colombian Peso (COP) foreign exchange rate on the value of unused tax losses and cost pools. The Corporation realized a net loss of $6.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2022, compared to a net income of $2.4 million for the same period in 2021. The non-cash deferred tax expense recognized of $12 million mainly contributed to the net loss during the three months ended June 30, 2022, compared to a deferred tax recovery of $1.6 million for the same period in 2021 due to the fluctuation of the COP foreign exchange rate, as described above. The Corporations natural gas operating netback increased 17% and 12% to $3.66 per Mcf and $3.63 per Mcf for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $3.14 per Mcf and $3.25 per Mcf for the same periods in 2021, respectively. The increase is mainly due to a 16% and 11% increase in average sales prices, net of transportation expenses to $4.73 per Mcf and $4.70 per Mcf during the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, compared to $4.09 per Mcf and $4.22 per Mcf in the same periods in 2021, respectively. The increase in operating netback was offset by higher operating expenses per Mcf mainly due to higher maintenance costs. Net capital expenditures for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 were $46.5 million and $73.1 million, respectively. Net capital expenditures included non-cash adjustments related mainly to decommissioning obligations and right-of-use leased assets of $3.9 million and $4.5 million, respectively for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022. As at June 30, 2022, the Corporation had $90.8 million in cash and cash equivalents and $100.8 million in working capital surplus. Sustainability As indicated in the Corporations 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Integrated Report released on June 28, 2022, Canacol currently leads the industry as one of the cleanest oil and gas producers in both Colombia and North America with Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are 80% lower than our oil focused peers and 50% lower than our gas focused peers, on average. Canacols ambition is to continue to lead the oil and gas industry in Colombia in terms of supplying the increasing energy demands of Colombians while reducing carbon emissions, exploring avenues for renewable energy generation, fostering national energy self-sufficiency, and catalyzing the growth and development of Colombias economy and its people. Canacol enthusiastically supports global goals to meet the Paris Agreement targets as well as Colombias commitment to a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030, of which natural gas will play a crucial role in a fair and equitable energy transition. The Corporations objective on ESG matters is to improve the quality of life of millions of people through the exploration, production and supply of conventional natural gas in Colombia. Alongside this, the Corporation is focused on generating value for its stakeholders in a sustainable, collaborative, co-responsible, respectful and transparent way. With the Corporations transition to natural gas, it now has an environmentally friendly value proposition that contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions in Colombia and provides for a more efficient use of resources. The Corporation continues to support its communities in essential social projects such as access to water and utilities, local economic projects, construction and improvement of public and community infrastructure, technical and university scholarships amongst others. The Corporation has strong corporate governance standards and procedures, which are aligned with best global practices and trends, and uses control mechanisms that protect shareholders interests, respect and promote human rights, guarantee ethical behavior, integrity and transparency, ensure regulatory compliance and minimize risk. For 2022 and beyond, the Corporation is committed to continue developing and maintaining a robust ESG strategy and, as such, is implementing a six-year plan with the following four priorities: A cleaner energy future - deliver natural gas under the highest environmental and operational efficiency standards. A safe and committed team - maintain best-in-class health and safety practices and promote a diverse and inclusive culture. Transparent and ethical business - adopt best practices, incorporate governance, encourage respect for human rights and ensure ethics and integrity in everything Canacol does. Sustainable development - promote and maintain close and transparent relationships that guarantee communities growth and quality of life. Outlook For the remainder of 2022, the Corporation is focused on the following objectives: 1) drilling of up to a total of twelve exploration and development wells in a continuous program, of which six wells were drilled in the first half of 2022, with two exploration wells and two development wells planned for Q3 2022; 2) the acquisition of 470 square kilometers of 3D seismic on the Corporations VIM-5 block to expand its exploration prospect inventory; 3) the purchase of rental facilities equipment and the installation of gas compression to lower operating expenses and increase recovery factors, respectively; 4) the selection of a contractor for the new gas pipeline from Jobo to Medellin, which will add 100 MMscfpd (with expansion potential up to 200 MMscfpd) of new gas sales to the interior in late 2024, resulting in Canacol being responsible for 30% (up to 40%) of Colombias domestic gas supply; 5) continuing the return of capital to shareholders in the form of dividends and common share buybacks; and 6) continuing with the Corporations commitment to its ESG strategy and its achievement of scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensities that are at least 50% lower on average than its gas focused peers (and 80% lower on average than oil focused peers) in North and South America. FINANCIAL & OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS (in United States dollars (tabular amounts in thousands) except as otherwise noted) Financial Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2022 2021 Change 2022 2021 Change Total natural gas, LNG and crude oil revenues, net of royalties and transportation expense 78,022 59,969 30 % 151,689 125,787 21 % Adjusted EBITDAX(1) 55,208 44,638 24 % 104,832 91,354 15 % Adjusted Funds from operations(1) 39,086 33,643 16 % 72,902 71,929 1 % Per share basic ($)(1) 0.23 0.19 21 % 0.42 0.40 5 % Per share diluted ($)(1) 0.23 0.19 21 % 0.42 0.40 5 % Cash flow provided (used) by operating activities 35,338 (13 ) n/a 73,401 37,887 94 % Per share basic ($) 0.21 n/a 0.43 0.21 105 % Per share diluted ($) 0.21 n/a 0.43 0.21 105 % Net income (loss) and comprehensive income (loss) (6,404 ) 2,424 n/a 18,011 (638 ) n/a Per share basic ($) (0.04 ) 0.01 n/a 0.10 n/a Per share diluted ($) (0.04 ) 0.01 n/a 0.10 n/a Weighted average shares outstanding basic 170,589 179,289 (5 %) 171,651 179,401 (4 %) Capital expenditures, net of dispositions 46,475 26,363 76 % 73,118 54,207 35 % Jun 30, 2022 Dec 31, 2021 Change Cash and cash equivalents 90,808 138,523 (34 %) Working capital surplus 100,828 148,124 (32 %) Total debt 554,298 557,709 (1 %) Total assets 846,621 843,760 Common shares, end of period (000s) 170,859 176,167 (3 %) Operating Three months ended June 30, Six months ended June 30, 2022 2021 Change 2022 2021 Change Production(1) Natural gas and LNG (MMscfpd) 190,559 173,117 10 % 186,865 176,278 6 % Colombia oil (bopd) 571 262 118 % 500 259 93 % Total (boepd) 34,002 30,633 11 % 33,283 31,185 7 % Realized contractual sales(1) Natural gas and LNG (MMscfpd) 187,963 171,463 10 % 184,905 174,532 6 % Colombia oil (bopd) 565 209 170 % 489 258 90 % Total (boepd) 33,541 30,290 11 % 32,929 30,878 7 % Operating netbacks(1) Natural gas and LNG ($/Mcf) 3.66 3.14 17 % 3.63 3.25 12 % Colombia oil ($/bopd) 27.49 33.54 (18 %) 21.92 33.80 (35 %) Corporate ($/boe) 21.02 17.98 17 % 20.69 18.67 11 % (1) Non-IFRS measures see Non-IFRS Measures section within the MD&A. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Corporations interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A). The Corporations has filed its interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related MD&A as at and for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. These filings are available for review on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Canacol is a natural gas exploration and production company with operations focused in Colombia. The Corporations shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CNE, the OTCQX in the United States of America under the symbol CNNEF and the Bolsa de Valores de Colombia under the symbol CNEC. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as plan, expect, project, target, intend, believe, anticipate, estimate and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions may or will occur, including without limitation statements relating to estimated production rates from the Corporations properties and intended work programs and associated timelines. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation cannot assure that actual results will be consistent with these forward looking statements. They are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change and the Corporation assumes no obligation to revise or update them to reflect new circumstances, except as required by law. Information and guidance provided herein supersedes and replaces any forward looking information provided in prior disclosures. Prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. These factors include the inherent risks involved in the exploration for and development of crude oil and natural gas properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological and geophysical data, fluctuating energy prices, the possibility of cost overruns or unanticipated costs or delays and other uncertainties associated with the oil and gas industry. Other risk factors could include risks associated with negotiating with foreign governments as well as country risk associated with conducting international activities, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Corporation. Other risks are more fully described in the Corporations most recent Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) and Annual Information Form, which are incorporated herein by reference and are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Average production figures for a given period are derived using arithmetic averaging of fluctuating historical production data for the entire period indicated and, accordingly, do not represent a constant rate of production for such period and are not an indicator of future production performance. Detailed information in respect of monthly production in the fields operated by the Corporation in Colombia is provided by the Corporation to the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia and is published by the Ministry on its website; a direct link to this information is provided on the Corporations website. References to net production refer to the Corporations working-interest production before royalties. Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures - Such supplemental measures should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, the measures as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Corporations performance, and such measures may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. This press release also provides information on adjusted funds from operations. Adjusted funds from operations is a measure not defined in IFRS. It represents cash provided (used) by operating activities before changes in non-cash working capital, settlement of a litigation settlement liability and decommissioning obligation expenditures. The Corporation considers funds from operations a key measure as it demonstrates the ability of the business to generate the cash flow necessary to fund future growth through capital investment and to repay debt. Adjusted funds from operations should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, cash provided by operating activities as determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of the Corporations performance. The Corporations determination of adjusted funds from operations may not be comparable to that reported by other companies. For more details on how the Corporation reconciles its cash provided by operating activities to adjusted funds from operations, please refer to the Non-IFRS Measures section of the Corporations MD&A. Additionally, this press release references Adjusted EBITDAX and operating netback measures. Adjusted EBITDAX is defined as consolidated net income adjusted for interest, income taxes, depreciation, depletion, amortization, exploration expenses and other similar non-recurring or non-cash charges. Operating netback is a benchmark common in the oil and gas industry and is calculated as total natural gas, LNG and petroleum sales, net transportation expenses, less royalties and operating expenses, calculated on a per barrel of oil equivalent basis of sales volumes using a conversion. Operating netback is an important measure in evaluating operational performance as it demonstrates field level profitability relative to current commodity prices. Adjusted EBITDAX and operating netback as presented do not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and therefore may not be comparable with the calculation of similar measures for other entities. Operating netback is defined as revenues, net transportation expenses less royalties and operating expenses. Realized contractual sales is defined as natural gas and LNG produced and sold plus income received from nominated take-or-pay contracts without the actual delivery of natural gas or LNG and the expiry of the customers rights to take the deliveries. The Corporations LNG sales account for less than one percent of the Corporations total realized contractual natural gas and LNG sales. Boe Conversion - The term boe is used in this news release. Boe may be misleading, particularly if used in isolation. A boe conversion ratio of cubic feet of natural gas to barrels oil equivalent is based on an energy equivalency conversion method primarily applicable at the burner tip and does not represent a value equivalency at the wellhead. In this news release, we have expressed boe using the Colombian conversion standard of 5.7 Mcf: 1 bbl required by the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Colombia. As the value ratio between natural gas and crude oil based on the current prices of natural gas and crude oil is significantly different from the energy equivalency of 5.7 Mcf:1, utilizing a conversion on a 5.7 Mcf:1 basis may be misleading as an indication of value. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This year, the Writers Grotto in San Francisco, California, will host Rooted & Written, the first fully-funded, tuition-free professional writing conference for writers of color in the country. Forty-eight Rooted & Written Fellows have been selected to attend the hybrid conference from August 14-20, 2022. All Fellows are awarded full scholarships to the entire week-long conference and workshops. "This is an unprecedented opportunity for talented, emerging writers of color in the San Francisco Bay Area to access invaluable mentoring and professional development, and to begin building their body of work in a supportive literary community," said Rooted & Written co-founder Susan Ito. "The conference not only includes workshops for the Fellows in the craft of writing, but also discussion panels of seasoned editors and agents in the literary industry to assist these emerging writers in advancing their careers." "Our mantra is 'Your Words Matter,'" added Rooted & Written Director JD Beltran. "The literary landscape is a blanket of white. The New York Times' 2020 study of the literary industry discovered that 95% of the most read English-language fiction books were written by white authors and not only are the heads of the 'big five' publishing houses white, so are 85% of the people who acquire and edit books! Yet approximately 40% of Americans are people of color. How and when do our stories get told?" The Rooted & Written 2022 Keynotes will take place virtually during the lunch hour (12 noon-1 p.m. PDT) from Monday-Thursday and will be open to the public. Keynotes will feature literary luminaries Hector Tobar, winner of the Pulitzer Prize; Victoria Chang, award-winning poet, writer, editor, and critic, and author of OBIT; Natalie Baszile, award-winning author and filmmaker, and the creator of the novel Queen Sugar, which inspired the TV drama of the same name; and Ingrid Rojas Contreras, author of the just-released 2022 memoir The Man Who Could Move Clouds, named a "Most Anticipated Book of the Year" by Time, Today, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Ms. Magazine, the Seattle Times, Electric Literature, and more. All are invited to join the Keynotes at https://zoom.us/my/rooted.written. In addition, from Monday-Friday, Fellows will attend craft classes in Fiction, Poetry, Memoir/Essay/Creative Nonfiction, and Screenwriting, along with invaluable panels presented by agents and editors of color for professional development. The week will conclude on Saturday, August 20, with the "Words of Color" literary reading featuring all 48 Rooted & Written Fellows. The "Words of Color" event will be open to the public via Zoom https://zoom.us/my/rooted.written. Beltran adds, "The top priority of Rooted & Written is affording access to emerging writers of color access to strong mentoring, to professional networks, and to the tools for building a critical community of support in the creative process. We want to equip these writers with the means to get their voices out into the world and to provide this means at no cost. One of our past Fellows participated in our mentorship program and wrote, edited, and completed his first book with the help of our writing community, secured his first agent, and then secured not one, but two book contracts. These kinds of thrilling successes are what Rooted & Written hopes to cultivate." Rooted & Written was first conceptualized and founded in 2019 by Salvadoran writer Roberto Lovato as a free conference by the Writers Grotto for Bay Area-based brown and black voices, and has since evolved into a full-blown writing conference and curriculum featuring internationally renowned speakers, faculty, and seasoned professionals in the literary industry. MEDIA KIT: https://bit.ly/rootedwritten_mediakit CONTACT: JD Beltran Director & Producer, Rooted & Written 2022 director@rooted-written.org Related Files Rooted_Written-2.jpeg Rooted_Written-1.jpeg Related Images Image 1: Rooted & Written 2022 Online Conference for Writers of Color Website home page screenshot of the 2022 Rooted & Written Conference for Writers of Color in San Francisco, California This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GCM Mining Corp. (TSX: GCM; OTCQX: TPRFF) announced today the release of its unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements (Financial Statements) and accompanying managements discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022. All financial figures contained herein are expressed in U.S. dollars (USD) unless otherwise noted. Non-GAAP financial performance measures in this press release are identified with NG. For a detailed description of each of the non-GAAP measures used in this press release and a detailed reconciliation to the most directly comparable measure under IFRS, please refer to the Companys MD&A. Second Quarter and First Half 2022 Highlights GCM announced on July 25, 2022 that it will merge with Aris Gold Corporation (Aris) through a plan of arrangement to create a leading Americas gold producer (the Aris Merger ). Under the terms of the Aris Merger, all the outstanding Aris shares not held by GCM will be exchanged at a ratio of 0.5 of a common share of GCM for each common share of Aris. Based on respective share values as of the date of execution of the Arrangement Agreement, on closing, GCM shareholders and Aris shareholders (taking into consideration the 44.3% of Aris currently held by GCM) are expected to own, on a diluted in-the-money basis, approximately 74% and 26% of the combined group, respectively. The no premium transaction will create the top-of-the-class company among junior producers and the largest gold company in Colombia, with diversification in Guyana and Canada. The Aris Merger also brings together teams with unmatched experience in Colombia and extensive project development and mine building expertise. The Aris Merger is subject to GCM and Aris shareholder approval, receipt of all required governmental and regulatory approvals including Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and Colombian anti-trust approvals, and other customary conditions. The shareholder meetings have been set for September 19, 2022 and closing is expected a short time thereafter. ). Under the terms of the Aris Merger, all the outstanding Aris shares not held by GCM will be exchanged at a ratio of 0.5 of a common share of GCM for each common share of Aris. Based on respective share values as of the date of execution of the Arrangement Agreement, on closing, GCM shareholders and Aris shareholders (taking into consideration the 44.3% of Aris currently held by GCM) are expected to own, on a diluted in-the-money basis, approximately 74% and 26% of the combined group, respectively. The no premium transaction will create the top-of-the-class company among junior producers and the largest gold company in Colombia, with diversification in Guyana and Canada. The Aris Merger also brings together teams with unmatched experience in Colombia and extensive project development and mine building expertise. The Aris Merger is subject to GCM and Aris shareholder approval, receipt of all required governmental and regulatory approvals including Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and Colombian anti-trust approvals, and other customary conditions. The shareholder meetings have been set for September 19, 2022 and closing is expected a short time thereafter. Subsequent to the announcement of the proposed Aris Merger, Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings have both affirmed B+ ratings for the Companys Senior Notes due 2026. Fitch Ratings maintained its outlook at Stable while S&P Global Ratings revised its outlook to Positive from Stable. The ratings reflect the view that GCM will have an immediately increased productive asset base with the addition of the Marmato Project, which is currently in production and undergoing an expansion, which will accelerate deleveraging and result in larger scale and cash flow generation without requiring additional funding or compromising its liquidity. With both the Toroparu Project and the expansion of the Marmato Project funded and the combined group generating Free Cash Flow from its producing assets, the combined group following the proposed Aris Merger is expected to maintain a low leverage profile. and have both affirmed B+ ratings for the Companys Senior Notes due 2026. Fitch Ratings maintained its outlook at Stable while S&P Global Ratings revised its outlook to Positive from Stable. The ratings reflect the view that GCM will have an immediately increased productive asset base with the addition of the Marmato Project, which is currently in production and undergoing an expansion, which will accelerate deleveraging and result in larger scale and cash flow generation without requiring additional funding or compromising its liquidity. With both the Toroparu Project and the expansion of the Marmato Project funded and the combined group generating Free Cash Flow from its producing assets, the combined group following the proposed Aris Merger is expected to maintain a low leverage profile. GCMs gold production from its Segovia Operations totaled 53,198 ounces in the second quarter of 2022, up 2% over the second quarter last year. For the first half of 2022, gold production was 103,149 ounces compared with 103,684 ounces in the first half last year. In July 2022, Segovia produced 17,951 ounces of gold bringing Segovias trailing 12 months total gold production as of the end of July 2022 to 210,975 ounces, up 2% over 2021. With completion of the expansion of the Companys processing plant at Segovia to 2,000 tpd in August 2022, GCM is on track to meet its annual production guidance for 2022 of between 210,000 and 225,000 ounces of gold. from its Segovia Operations totaled 53,198 ounces in the second quarter of 2022, up 2% over the second quarter last year. For the first half of 2022, gold production was 103,149 ounces compared with 103,684 ounces in the first half last year. In July 2022, Segovia produced 17,951 ounces of gold bringing Segovias trailing 12 months total gold production as of the end of July 2022 to 210,975 ounces, up 2% over 2021. With completion of the expansion of the Companys processing plant at Segovia to 2,000 tpd in August 2022, GCM is on track to meet its annual production guidance for 2022 of between 210,000 and 225,000 ounces of gold. The new polymetallic recovery plant constructed in 2021 at Segovia has been in steady operation through the first half of 2022 and is expected to commence sales of stockpiled zinc and lead concentrates under an offtake contract with an international customer commencing in the third quarter of 2022. constructed in 2021 at Segovia has been in steady operation through the first half of 2022 and is expected to commence sales of stockpiled zinc and lead concentrates under an offtake contract with an international customer commencing in the third quarter of 2022. Consolidated revenue amounted to $101.4 million in the second quarter of 2022, up 5% over the second quarter last year on the strength of the production increase and a 3% increase in realized gold prices, bringing revenue for the first half of 2022 to $202.7 million, up from $198.3 million in the first half of 2021 (which included $5.1 million from Aris prior to the loss of control of Aris on February 4, 2021). amounted to $101.4 million in the second quarter of 2022, up 5% over the second quarter last year on the strength of the production increase and a 3% increase in realized gold prices, bringing revenue for the first half of 2022 to $202.7 million, up from $198.3 million in the first half of 2021 (which included $5.1 million from Aris prior to the loss of control of Aris on February 4, 2021). At the Segovia Operations, total cash costs NG averaged $877 per ounce in the second quarter of 2022, reflecting an increase in the proportion of its quarterly gold production sourced from higher-cost, high-grade small-scale miners, the implementation of annual labor rate increases, an increase in local electricity rates and a temporary shift toward a higher cost electricity source while a transformer at the lower cost electricity source was repaired, and an increase in various activity-based costs such as maintenance programs associated with older underground mine equipment, the semi-annual replacement of the mill liners in June, the delivery of mechanized equipment into the Carla mine and additional headcount required to support these activities. The Company expects that its total cash costs per ounce will decrease in the third quarter of 2022 with electricity sourcing back to normal, the maintenance activities noted above having been completed and the impact of the plant capacity expansion that will reduce fixed costs on a per ounce basis. This brings Segovias total cash cost for the first half of 2022 to $847 per ounce compared with $796 per ounce in the first half last year. Including Marmato, consolidated total cash costs in the first half last year was $816 per ounce. averaged $877 per ounce in the second quarter of 2022, reflecting an increase in the proportion of its quarterly gold production sourced from higher-cost, high-grade small-scale miners, the implementation of annual labor rate increases, an increase in local electricity rates and a temporary shift toward a higher cost electricity source while a transformer at the lower cost electricity source was repaired, and an increase in various activity-based costs such as maintenance programs associated with older underground mine equipment, the semi-annual replacement of the mill liners in June, the delivery of mechanized equipment into the Carla mine and additional headcount required to support these activities. The Company expects that its total cash costs per ounce will decrease in the third quarter of 2022 with electricity sourcing back to normal, the maintenance activities noted above having been completed and the impact of the plant capacity expansion that will reduce fixed costs on a per ounce basis. This brings Segovias total cash cost for the first half of 2022 to $847 per ounce compared with $796 per ounce in the first half last year. Including Marmato, consolidated total cash costs in the first half last year was $816 per ounce. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) NG per ounce sold for the Segovia Operations increased to $1,228 in the second quarter of 2022, largely reflecting the increase in total cash costs per ounce. This brings Segovias AISC to $1,207 per ounce in the first half of 2022 compared with $1,110 per ounce in the first half last year. Segovias AISC for the first half of 2022 reflects the increase in total cash costs per ounce and the $4.0 million of fees, equivalent to about $37 per ounce sold, included in G&A expenses in the first half of 2022 related to the Companys ongoing arbitration proceedings with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in respect of its claim against the Republic of Colombia (the FTA Claim). Including Marmato, consolidated AISC in the first half last year was $1,133 per ounce. for the Segovia Operations increased to $1,228 in the second quarter of 2022, largely reflecting the increase in total cash costs per ounce. This brings Segovias AISC to $1,207 per ounce in the first half of 2022 compared with $1,110 per ounce in the first half last year. Segovias AISC for the first half of 2022 reflects the increase in total cash costs per ounce and the $4.0 million of fees, equivalent to about $37 per ounce sold, included in G&A expenses in the first half of 2022 related to the Companys ongoing arbitration proceedings with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in respect of its claim against the Republic of Colombia (the FTA Claim). Including Marmato, consolidated AISC in the first half last year was $1,133 per ounce. GCM maintained its commitment to its exploration drilling campaigns in the first half of 2022, completing a total of approximately 38,000 meters of drilling through its in-mine/near-mine and mine geology programs at its producing mines and another approximately 15,000 meters through its brownfield drilling program at Cristales, Marmajito, Manzanillo and Vera. GCMs press release dated June 27, 2022 reported the continuation of significant high-grade intercepts at its producing Sandra K and El Silencio mines and success in its brownfield drilling campaign on the La Guarida-Cristales Vein System including 48.45 g/t Au and 34.2 g/t Ag over 0.47 meters. in the first half of 2022, completing a total of approximately 38,000 meters of drilling through its in-mine/near-mine and mine geology programs at its producing mines and another approximately 15,000 meters through its brownfield drilling program at Cristales, Marmajito, Manzanillo and Vera. GCMs press release dated June 27, 2022 reported the continuation of significant high-grade intercepts at its producing Sandra K and El Silencio mines and success in its brownfield drilling campaign on the La Guarida-Cristales Vein System including 48.45 g/t Au and 34.2 g/t Ag over 0.47 meters. Adjusted EBITDA NG amounted to $45.9 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared with $48.0 million in the second quarter last year. For the first half of 2022, adjusted EBITDA amounted to $91.1 million compared with $94.3 million in the first half last year. This brings the trailing 12 months total adjusted EBITDA at the end of June 2022 to $168.4 million compared with $171.6 million in 2021. amounted to $45.9 million for the second quarter of 2022 compared with $48.0 million in the second quarter last year. For the first half of 2022, adjusted EBITDA amounted to $91.1 million compared with $94.3 million in the first half last year. This brings the trailing 12 months total adjusted EBITDA at the end of June 2022 to $168.4 million compared with $171.6 million in 2021. Net cash provided by operating activities in the second quarter of 2022 increased to $31.5 million from $12.8 million in the second quarter last year, benefitting from the receipt of pending VAT refunds from 2021 and lower income tax payments this year. For the first half of 2022, net cash provided by operating activities was $55.7 million compared with $26.4 million in the first half last year (which was net of $10.1 million used by Aris prior to the loss of control in early 2021). This brings the trailing 12 months net cash provided by operating activities at the end of June 2022 to $109.9 million, up from $80.6 million in 2021. in the second quarter of 2022 increased to $31.5 million from $12.8 million in the second quarter last year, benefitting from the receipt of pending VAT refunds from 2021 and lower income tax payments this year. For the first half of 2022, net cash provided by operating activities was $55.7 million compared with $26.4 million in the first half last year (which was net of $10.1 million used by Aris prior to the loss of control in early 2021). This brings the trailing 12 months net cash provided by operating activities at the end of June 2022 to $109.9 million, up from $80.6 million in 2021. Free Cash Flow NG in the second quarter of 2022 was $20.5 million compared with negative $2.8 million in the second quarter last year, benefitting from the improvement in operating cash flow. Similarly, for the first half of 2022, Free Cash Flow improved to $31.2 million compared with negative $0.3 million in the first half last year. This brings the trailing 12 months Free Cash Flow at the end of June 2022 to $57.7 million, up from $26.2 million in 2021. in the second quarter of 2022 was $20.5 million compared with negative $2.8 million in the second quarter last year, benefitting from the improvement in operating cash flow. Similarly, for the first half of 2022, Free Cash Flow improved to $31.2 million compared with negative $0.3 million in the first half last year. This brings the trailing 12 months Free Cash Flow at the end of June 2022 to $57.7 million, up from $26.2 million in 2021. The Companys balance sheet remained strong with a cash position of $265.5 million at June 30, 2022. GCM used a portion of its cash position in the second quarter of 2022 to fund the acquisition of the $35.0 million Aris Convertible Debenture due October 12, 2023. The Company also has $138.0 million of funding available for construction of its Toroparu Project in Guyana through a precious metals stream facility with Wheaton Precious Metals (Caymans) Ltd. (Wheaton). Other than scheduled interest payments, the Company has no maturities of its long-term debt in the next 12 months. remained strong with a cash position of $265.5 million at June 30, 2022. GCM used a portion of its cash position in the second quarter of 2022 to fund the acquisition of the $35.0 million Aris Convertible Debenture due October 12, 2023. The Company also has $138.0 million of funding available for construction of its Toroparu Project in Guyana through a precious metals stream facility with Wheaton Precious Metals (Caymans) Ltd. (Wheaton). Other than scheduled interest payments, the Company has no maturities of its long-term debt in the next 12 months. GCM has been making considerable progress at the Toroparu Project in Guyana in the first half of 2022 focused on pre-construction activities, preparation of the PFS, finalization of the mining license and selection and engagement of key contractors to be involved in the construction and eventual operation of the project. The Company incurred a total of $31.0 million of non-sustaining capital expenditures NG in the first half of 2022 at the Toroparu Project. In light of the proposed Aris Merger, it is now expected that the PFS will not be finalized until after the closing of the transaction. The updated application for the mining license was submitted in early 2022 and the Company is continuing to support the approval process for the mining license which it expects to finalize by the fourth quarter of 2022. in Guyana in the first half of 2022 focused on pre-construction activities, preparation of the PFS, finalization of the mining license and selection and engagement of key contractors to be involved in the construction and eventual operation of the project. The Company incurred a total of $31.0 million of non-sustaining capital expenditures in the first half of 2022 at the Toroparu Project. In light of the proposed Aris Merger, it is now expected that the PFS will not be finalized until after the closing of the transaction. The updated application for the mining license was submitted in early 2022 and the Company is continuing to support the approval process for the mining license which it expects to finalize by the fourth quarter of 2022. The Company returned a total of $10.1 million to shareholders in the first half of 2022 with payment of its monthly dividends totaling $7.0 million and the repurchase of approximately 0.8 million shares for cancellation under its Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) at a cost of $3.1 million. totaling $7.0 million and the repurchase of approximately 0.8 million shares for cancellation under its Normal Course Issuer Bid (NCIB) at a cost of $3.1 million. Income from operations in the second quarter of 2022 was $37.8 million, down from $39.6 million in the second quarter last year largely due to the impact of the increase in Segovias total cash cost NG per ounce sold on cost of sales, offset partially by a reduction in share-based compensation. For the first half of 2022, the increased level of legal costs associated with the FTA Claim, most of which impacted the first quarter of 2022, and the increased total cash costs per ounce sold in the second quarter of 2022 contributed to a decrease in income from operations to $73.5 million compared with $78.7 million in the first half last year. in the second quarter of 2022 was $37.8 million, down from $39.6 million in the second quarter last year largely due to the impact of the increase in Segovias total cash cost per ounce sold on cost of sales, offset partially by a reduction in share-based compensation. For the first half of 2022, the increased level of legal costs associated with the FTA Claim, most of which impacted the first quarter of 2022, and the increased total cash costs per ounce sold in the second quarter of 2022 contributed to a decrease in income from operations to $73.5 million compared with $78.7 million in the first half last year. The Company reported net income of $39.0 million ($0.40 per share) in the second quarter of 2022 compared with $29.8 million ($0.41 per share) in the second quarter last year. The gain on financial instruments recorded in the second quarter of 2022 more than compensated for the decrease in income from operations, higher finance costs and income taxes, and an increase in the loss from equity accounting in associates, all compared with the second quarter last year. For the first half of 2022, the Company reported net income of $44.2 million ($0.45 per share) compared with $148.1 million ($2.31 per share) in the first half last year, reflecting the decrease in income from operations, higher finance costs and income taxes, and an increase in the loss from equity accounting in associates compared with the first half last year. Net earnings in the first half of 2021 also included the benefit of a $56.9 million gain on loss of control of Aris and an $8.9 million gain on sale of the Zancudo Project, offset partially by $9.8 million of transaction costs incurred by Aris in connection with the loss of control in early 2021. of $39.0 million ($0.40 per share) in the second quarter of 2022 compared with $29.8 million ($0.41 per share) in the second quarter last year. The gain on financial instruments recorded in the second quarter of 2022 more than compensated for the decrease in income from operations, higher finance costs and income taxes, and an increase in the loss from equity accounting in associates, all compared with the second quarter last year. For the first half of 2022, the Company reported net income of $44.2 million ($0.45 per share) compared with $148.1 million ($2.31 per share) in the first half last year, reflecting the decrease in income from operations, higher finance costs and income taxes, and an increase in the loss from equity accounting in associates compared with the first half last year. Net earnings in the first half of 2021 also included the benefit of a $56.9 million gain on loss of control of Aris and an $8.9 million gain on sale of the Zancudo Project, offset partially by $9.8 million of transaction costs incurred by Aris in connection with the loss of control in early 2021. The Company reported adjusted net income NG for the second quarter and first half of 2022 of $14.2 million ($0.15 per share) and $29.0 million ($0.30 per share), respectively, compared with $23.6 million ($0.33 per share) and $45.5 million ($0.69 per share), respectively, in the second quarter and first half last year. The decrease in adjusted net income in the second quarter and first half of 2022 compared with the corresponding periods last year largely reflects the decrease in income from operations as noted above together with increase in finance costs and an increase in income tax expense due to the tax rate increase in Colombia effective in 2022. for the second quarter and first half of 2022 of $14.2 million ($0.15 per share) and $29.0 million ($0.30 per share), respectively, compared with $23.6 million ($0.33 per share) and $45.5 million ($0.69 per share), respectively, in the second quarter and first half last year. The decrease in adjusted net income in the second quarter and first half of 2022 compared with the corresponding periods last year largely reflects the decrease in income from operations as noted above together with increase in finance costs and an increase in income tax expense due to the tax rate increase in Colombia effective in 2022. GCM published its second annual sustainability report in June 2022. The report reflects a focused effort on measuring and disclosing the Companys Environmental, Social and Governance priorities and performance and highlights GCMs initiatives and progress in line with international reporting standards. Selected Financial Information Second Quarter First Half 2022 2021 2022 2021 Operating data Gold produced (ounces) (1) 53,198 52,198 103,149 103,684 Gold sold (ounces) 53,884 52,838 107,529 108,155 Average realized gold price ($/oz sold) (2) $ 1,859 $ 1,797 $ 1,859 $ 1,805 Total cash costs ($/oz sold) (2) 877 767 847 816 AISC ($/oz sold) (2) 1,228 1,101 1,207 1,133 Financial data ($000s, except per share amounts) Revenue $ 101,371 $ 96,353 $ 202,693 $ 198,272 Adjusted EBITDA (2) 45,863 47,995 91,081 94,318 Net income 38,965 29,799 44,203 148,104 Per share - basic 0.40 0.41 0.45 2.31 Per share - diluted 0.15 0.28 0.24 1.47 Adjusted net income (2) 14,224 23,556 29,005 45,504 Per share basic (2) 0.15 0.33 0.30 0.69 Per share - diluted (2) 0.13 0.28 0.27 0.58 Net cash provided by operating activities 31,525 12,786 55,734 26,403 Free cash flow (2) 20,483 (2,834 ) 31,171 (337 ) June 30, 2022 December 31, 2021 Balance sheet ($000s): Cash and cash equivalents $ 265,501 $ 323,565 Gold Bullion (3) 2,688 4,479 Senior Notes due 2026 principal amount outstanding (4) 300,000 300,000 Convertible Debentures due 2024 principal amount outstanding (5) CA18,000 CA18,000 (1) First half 2021 includes production from the Marmato Project up to February 4, 2021, the date of loss of control of Aris. (2) Refer to Non-IFRS Measures in the Companys MD&A. (3) The Company is maintaining a portion of its liquidity in gold bullion. As at June 30, 2022, the Company had 1,500 ounces in its gold bullion account (December 31, 2021 2,500 ounces). (4) The Senior Notes were issued in August 2021 and are recorded in the Financial Statements at amortized cost. At June 30, 2022, the carrying amount of the Senior Notes outstanding, including accrued interest of $8.1 million, was $296.9 million (December 31, 2021 - $294.8 million, including $8.1 million of accrued interest). (5) The Convertible Debentures are recorded in the Financial Statements at fair value. At June 30, 2022, the carrying amount of the Convertible Debentures outstanding was $14.0 million (December 31, 2021 - $19.5 million). Second Quarter and First Half 2022 Results Webcast As a reminder, GCM Mining will host a conference call and webcast on Friday, August 12, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results. Webcast and call-in details are as follows: Live Event link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/yswncieo Canada/ International Toll: 1 (647) 484-8332 PIN: 19483475# Canada Toll Free: 1 (866) 455-3403 PIN: 19483475# United States Toll: 1 (404) 400-0571 PIN: 19483475# United States Toll Free: 1 (866) 374-5140 PIN: 19483475# Colombia Toll: +57 601 485-0348 PIN: 19483475# Colombia Toll Free: +57 800 519-0788 PIN: 19483475# Conference ID: EV00136622 Participants should note that for the Q&A portion of the webcast, questions must be submitted through the live event webcast portal noted above. A replay of the webcast will be available at www.gcm-mining.com from Friday, August 12, 2022 until Friday, September 9, 2022. About GCM Mining Corp. GCM Mining is a mid-tier gold producer with a proven track record of mine building and operating in Latin America. In Colombia, the Company is the leading high-grade underground gold and silver producer with several mines in operation at its Segovia Operations. Segovia produced 206,389 ounces of gold in 2021. In Guyana, the Company is advancing its fully funded Toroparu Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold/copper projects in the Americas, which is expected to commence production of more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually in 2024. GCM Mining has equity interests in Aris Gold Corporation (~44%; TSX: ARIS; Colombia Marmato, Soto Norte; Canada - Juby), Denarius Metals Corp. (~32%; TSX-V: DSLV; Spain Lomero-Poyatos and Colombia Guia Antigua, Zancudo) and Western Atlas Resources Inc. (~26%; TSX-V: WA: Nunavut Meadowbank). Additional information on GCM Mining can be found on its website at www.gcm-mining.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the proposed Aris Merger, production guidance, the Toroparu Project construction, mining license and technical studies, and other anticipated business plans or strategies. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of GCM Mining to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated as of March 31, 2022 which is available for view on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and GCM Mining disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For Further Information, Contact: Mike Davies Chief Financial Officer (416) 360-4653 investorrelations@gcm-mining.com Frederic Vasseur has explained why he is hesitant to support Andretti Racing's Formula 1 participation. The Alfa Romeo team boss does not think the team will add value to the sport. Article continues under ad Michael Andretti has the ambition to enter the sport in 2024 with his Andretti Racing team. However, the American is facing opposition from the other F1 teams and Liberty Media. According to Vasseur, this opposition is not specifically aimed at Andretti, but instead relates to how much value a new team would bring. The Alfa Romeo team boss believes the sport should only accept newcomers if they add value, for example as an engine supplier. Vasseur does not think it makes sense to add an eleventh team that does the same things as the existing F1 teams. The entry of Porsche would add value, he believes, as the brand would become engine supplier to an existing F1 team. It seems that Porsche will cooperate with Red Bull Racing. The Netherlands does not have its own team either The Frenchman also doubts whether the attraction of adding an American-based team is a strong argument. An American driver can also make the sport more popular in the country, not necessarily with an American team. "I dont think added value can come from the nationality of a team. One of the biggest markets of F1 today is the Netherlands, and we dont have a Dutch team, we have a Dutch driver", the Alfa Romeo team boss tells RACER. Read more Understand more and more why Alonso goes to Aston Martin'. Chinas Wuhan to host 14th COP meeting on wetland conservation in November 14:42, August 11, 2022 By Ye Zi, Zhan Tian'ai ( People's Daily The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) is expected to be held in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province from Nov. 5 to 13 this year. Photo taken on June 3, 2022 shows the East Lake in Wuhan, central China's Hubei province. (People's Daily Online/Zhao Guangliang) As Wuhan was awarded Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention in June this year, it will mark the first time for a Chinese city to host the meeting, and also the first time for the event to be held in an international wetland city. Wuhan, known as the "city of river and lakes" and "city of wetlands" in China, is home to 166 lakes, 165 rivers and 1,624 square kilometers of wetlands. Wetlands cover 18.9 percent of the city's total area. Besides, the city also has 63,500 hectares of small and micro wetlands, accounting for 7.41 percent of the city's total area. In recent years, Wuhan has taken great efforts to promote the ecological restoration of wetlands with a series of major projects. So far, the city has built 10 wetland parks and five nature reserves. It has seen a stable coverage of wetlands, the improvement of water quality, the restoration of wetland ecology and a prominent rise in the types and number of bird species. The rich wetland resources are contributing to the sustainable development of the city with over 10 million people. To highlight Wuhan's wetland resources, the city will set the main venue of the COP14 near the Wuhan East Lake National Wetland Park. Situated in the East Lake, the largest urban lake in China, the wetland park spans a total area of 10.2 square kilometers, with 63.7 percent covered by wetlands. Recently, a breeding place of Baer's pochard ducks, a critically endangered bird species under first-class national protection in China, was discovered in Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone. It indicated the improving wetland environment in the city. Migratory birds are observed in a wetland in the Fuhe River, Wuhan, central China's Hubei province, Feb. 16, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Huang Min) The COP14 will be held at a time of bird migration, which will present participants with the charm of the wetlands and a beautiful view of harmonious human-nature coexistence, said Zhu Gongwei, an official with the Wuhan municipal government. Under the theme of "Wetlands Action for People and Nature," the COP14 is an important international event hosted by China. According to Yang Fengwei, an official with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the COP14 will be held in Wuhan in physical and virtual formats, and a parallel session is also expected to take place in Geneva, Switzerland. The event aims to share Chinese stories of human-nature harmony with the world. The event will deliberate on a post-2025 strategic framework for global wetland protection and development, which is expected to lead to the future development of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. A declaration will be released at the event, and an awarding ceremony will be held for the second batch of cities approved by the Wetland City Accreditation. The COP14 will promote the establishment of an international mangrove center endorsed by the Ramsar Convention. The center will be an important base and platform for international cooperation on mangrove protection. Besides, the meeting will also announce three important outcomes achieved by China in wetland protection, including the promotion of the Yellow River Estuary National Park aiming at wetland conservation, and the designation of a new batch of important international wetlands. Tourists take photos in a wetland in the Zhangdu Lake, Wuhan, Central China's Hubei province, Dec. 11, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Ji Pengfei) Wuhan is employing a series of modern technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and cloud computing for digital, standardized and regular management of wetlands. Under a smart wetland program, the city has installed 162 IoT sensing devices to monitor microclimate, water quality, soil, and wildlife. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Chinas accession to the Ramsar Convention. To demonstrate China's ecological progress, Wuhan has transformed a once-abandoned water plant in the East Lake scenic area into an exhibition center to showcase China's wetland conservation achievements in the past decades. The main part of the center has been completed and the center will be open to the public for free following the COP14 conclusion. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) The California Energy Commission (CEC) adopted a report establishing offshore wind goals and moving the state one step closer to development of the clean energy resource off Californias coast. Preliminary findings in the report set planning goals of 2,000-5,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 25,000 MW (25 GW) by 2045, enough electricity to power 3.75 million initially and 25 million homes by mid-century. There are currently two federally-designated wind energy areas (WEAs) off the cost of California: Humboldt off the North Coast and Morro Bay off the Central Coast. The California North Coast wind resource is one of the best in the world with high renewable energy potential and wind speeds consistent and favorable for commercial development, the report notes. However, the electric system in Californias North Coast region is relatively isolated from the California grid and serves primarily local community need. Additional transmission infrastructure will be needed to deliver offshore wind energy from this region to the grid. Existing transmission on the Central Coast is robust and near large load centers. Near-term electric generator retirements, such as 2,225 MW from the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, provides an opportunity to repurpose existing infrastructure to integrate wind energy developed offshore the Central Coast, the report says. However, there is still a need to do long-term planning for the subsea infrastructure and the ability to use existing onshore infrastructure. To date, most offshore wind energy projects have used fixed-bottom foundations, which are more suitable for shallow waters of 60 meters (about 200 feet) or less. The deep waters of the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf off Californias coast have steep drop-offs and will require offshore wind turbines installed on floating platforms to be anchored to the seabed. Diagram of Mooring, Anchoring, and Floating Foundations Source: CEC, Maxwell et al. 2022 The CEC developed the report in coordination with federal, state, and local agencies and stakeholders including Tribal governments, fisheries and other ocean users. It is the first of several products the CEC must prepare to create a strategic plan for offshore wind energy development as required by Assembly Bill 525. It reflects the latest available research on technical potential. CEC staff will next study the economic benefits of offshore wind in relation to seaport investments and workforce development needs. Staff will also create a roadmap to develop a permitting process for offshore wind energy facilities and associated electricity and transmission infrastructure. The entire plan must be submitted to the Legislature by June 2023. Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom signed an agreement opening the West Coast for development for the first time. As a result of the partnership, in May, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released a proposed sale notice for offshore wind leases off the northern and central coasts in areas designated as most suitable for commercial wind energy activities near Humboldt and Morro Bay. Plans for renovations to prepare for offshore wind activities are already underway at the Port of Humboldt Bay with $10.5 million in funding approved by the CEC earlier this year. Governor Newsoms 202223 budget proposal builds on this effort and proposes an additional $45 million for other needed upgrades at waterfront facilities. Resources Kaumo faces misdemeanor charges for misconduct and conflict of interest Rock Springs Mayor Tim Kaumo was charged with six misdemeanors last week related to alleged actions he took to win a municipal contract for JFC Engineers and Surveyors, a company he serves as the president of and holds a majority stake in. The charges, which consist of five counts of official misconduct and one count of conflict of interest, carry with them fines of up to $5,000 each. Kaumo has denied the allegations against him. In an email he sent to Rock Springs City Council representatives and city department heads Aug. 3, Kaumo admitted he had been served charging documents. In that email, he wrote he had called for the investigation and the documents claim he violated his duties as the city's mayor. Court documents state Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle had requested an outside investigation from the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation Aug. 19, 2020 and does not cite Kaumo calling for an investigation. Both the FBI and DCI investigated the situation for nearly two years. "Obviously I will fight these claims but there is a good chance many of you will be interviewed by my legal team as well and called in as witnesses," Kaumo wrote in the email. "My apologies but I have never in my 12 yrs used my power as Mayor to secure work for anyone and I do intend to clear my name." Kaumo has already announced he will not seek another term as the city's mayor, which has sparked a five-way race in the upcoming primary election. Prior to his current term as mayor, Kaumo was the city's mayor for two consecutive terms from 2003 to 2010. The charges relate to actions Kaumo had allegedly undertaken to secure JFC a contract for work on the Bitter Creek Reconstruction Project, a capital project to improve the area surrounding the Bitter Creek within the city. According to court documents, the project was funded through $3.8 million in federal grant money provided by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality's Abandoned Mine Lands division. Between July 17, 2020 and Oct. 6, 2020, Kaumo is alleged to have sent emails to Council representatives in an attempt to sway their votes to favor JFC's bid to perform professional engineering services while criticizing the competing firms' ability to properly complete the job. Court documents further allege Kaumo had used his position to obtain bid documents and information submitted by competitors, as well as documents related to the city's internal evaluation process and consultant documents. He is also alleged to have sent the competitor bid documents to his JFC email account from his city email account, as well as sending them to engineering employees and executive leaders at JFC prior to the Rock Springs City Council's vote July 21, 2020. He allegedly admitted the documents were not public information in emails to Council representatives. During the July 21, 2020 meeting, JFC was recommended to be awarded the contract, but Council representatives received questions about why the JFC proposal cost twice as much as the other firms' proposals. The Council opted to restart the process to allow the firms involved a chance to compete for the contract from a more even playing field. Kaumo abstained from that vote. Following the second round of bids, the city's internal request for proposal committee recommended the contract be awarded to William H. Smith and Associates. During the Oct. 6, 2020 Council meeting, Kaumo allegedly disparaged the competing firms' proposals publicly and failed to abstain from voting by issuing a "no" vote on the bid award. Sweetwater County Circuit Court Judges John Prokos and Craig Jones have recused themselves from presiding over court hearings regarding the charges. Circuit Court Judge Michael Greer of Uinta County was called to preside over the hearing set at 9 a.m. Aug. 31. CASPER Plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging Wyomings abortion ban filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on Wednesday. If granted, the preliminary injunction would block the bans enforcement for the duration of the lawsuit. The plaintiffs Wyoming providers and residents and a Wyoming abortion fund filed the lawsuit on July 25 following Gov. Gordons certification of the states abortion ban. The defendants are the State of Wyoming, Gordon, Attorney General Bridget Hill, Teton County Sheriff Matthew Carr and Town of Jackson Chief of Police Michelle Weber. Teton County Judge Melissa Owens granted the plaintiffs a temporary restraining order, which blocks the bans enforcement, hours after the ban went into effect. That temporary restraining order is in place until Wednesday. The hearing for a preliminary injunction, which would block the bans enforcement for the duration of the lawsuit, is scheduled for Tuesday morning. A memorandum filed in support of the motion expands on the plaintiffs argument that the ban is unconstitutional. Another plaintiff in the lawsuit, University of Wyoming law student Kathleen Dow, is a practicing Jew. She argued in her affidavit that abortion access is an essential part of her faith which, she said, believes that abortions are permissible, and in some cases required. Former Mills Town Councilman and anti-abortion advocate Mike Pyatt doesnt hold much sympathy for that argument. Her religious views or mine dont override the right of the unborn, he said. The memorandum points to articles in Wyomings constitution that guarantee religious tolerance and freedom. It also argues that the ban could impose certain religious beliefs on people who dont hold those same beliefs, pointing to the lawsuit against Kentuckys abortion ban, in which defendants argued that life begins at conception and that it then falls under constitutional protection. The court hearing the case said that the defendants argument is a distinctly Christian and Catholic belief. Other faiths hold a wide variety of views on when life begins and at what point a fetus should be recognized as an independent human being. Among its arguments, the memorandum asserts that the ban would only impact health care provided to women. It therefore discriminates on the basis of sex and violates the equal protection guarantees in Wyomings constitution. Men and women participate equally in the creation of a fetus, yet there is no resulting penalty under the Ban for a man and he bears no consequences for his contribution, the memorandum says. All of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are women, one of whom, Danielle Johnson, is 22 weeks pregnant. I think its invalid, co-sponsor of the bill that became Wyomings trigger abortion law, Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, said of the equal protection argument. He declined to explain why, saying he would leave that up to the defendants lawyer to argue. Pyatt said he considers abortion to be discriminatory toward the unborn. He added that he thinks the inequality between men and women will not change. Well, the fact is, women have always carried the babies, thats not going to change, he said. Look, thats part of creation, the argument that the man doesnt bear as much of a burden, thats biologically true. The lawyers representing the plaintiffs also draw on a 2012 constitutional amendment that was meant to protect Wyomingites from being forced to enroll in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. The amendment allows each competent adult to make his or her own health care decisions. Proponents of the amendment did not intend for it to be used to argue against an abortion ban, the Star-Tribune previously reported. When I read it, I dont see the argument there of what theyre thinking, said former lawmaker Bob Brechtel, an anti-abortion advocate who co-sponsored the resolution that sent the constitutional amendment to public vote. I just hope they dont turn it into something that it was not at all intended to be. And anti-abortion advocates dont agree that abortion should be considered a form of health care. The whole issue is confusing between abortion and actual health care, were talking about health care, Brechtel said. The concern that we have obviously is that every abortion really is the killing of human life. But some of the plaintiffs with experience as physicians and nurses Dr. Giovannina Anthony of the Jackson Womens Health Center and Family Care Clinic, Dr. Rene Hinkle of the Cheyenne Womens Health Clinic and Johnson argue that its not always so simple. There can be situations when its best to end a pregnancy because the baby wont survive once its born. There can be emergency situations in which they need to make quick decisions to preserve the life and health of a woman, even if that could harm a fetus. And the providers argue that the law is unclear about when a womans health or life is at risk enough for an abortion under the ban to be legal. Dear Editor, Charlie Manson and Donald Trump have several things in common. Both have initiated violent crimes that neither man was directly involved in, yet these crimes would not have happened except for their planning, brainwashing, and encouragement. This is known as vicarious conspiracy, while they share vicarious liability, or responsibility. Part of Mansons brainwashing efforts involved the name of a Beatles song, Helter Skelter. Manson envisioned a coming race war that he called The Helter Skelter. Black people were going to rise up and kill most of the white people. Manson and his Family, however, were going to find a hole in the Mojave Desert that leads to an underground city. They were going to hide there for two-hundred years. Their bodies would not age. After the blacks killed most of the whites, they would not know how to run the world, so they would call on Charlie and his Family to reemerge and run things. Charlies policy would be Love, love, love, perhaps forgetting the seven Tate and LaBianca murders, plus other murders, rapes, stealing, lying, manipulation and intimidation, fraud, and so forth. The idea was to commit some horrendous and extremely well publicized, gory and bloody murders, and have white people believe that black people had done it, thus initiating The Helter Skelter. The Helter Skelter was crazy and bizarre, but not so different than Trumps conspiracies about evil minded voting machines manipulated by liberals and Chinese spies, and bus loads of liberal dead people voting multiple times. Related to this, Covid is a hoax involving the nanotechnology of magnetized bamboo strips in vaccines that can control the way people think, and this is being aided by CRT, Joseph McCarthy was right, and climate change aint happening. Sixty-five courts have thrown out Trumps suits over the 2020 elections, and over a million fatalities from Covid would seem to prove that the virus really is dangerous. Though Manson operated on the small scale of a few dozen followers to terrify Los Angeles, and Trump operates in a considerably larger sphere, its hard to tell which man is crazier. Now to Wyoming. August 16, Primary Day, will essentially be, by proxies, a referendum for or against Donald Trump, and all the conspiracies related to him. Liz Cheney will face off against Trump acolyte Harriet Hagman. This is an existential tug of war for the state, and the whole world is watching. As the Congressional hearings have plainly shown, the Insurrection of January 6, 2021, was coordinated with continuous right-wing radio, television, and internet lies and brainwashing, and hate-in rallies. Trump encouraged his followers to come to Washington; It will be wild! Trump was not actually at the Capitol on January 6, deciding instead to watch the insurrection on television; he preferred not to be there. Manson had scouted out the murder sites on Cielo and Waverly Drives, but he was smart enough not to be at either address during the gory killings; he preferred not to be there. A cult consists of a charismatic leader, some assistants, and a psychologically controlled mass of followers. There must be goals, enemies and fear. There are means of coercion, like knives and guns, starvation, humiliation and torture. There is control, like isolation from opposing points of view, some rewards, constant engagement, and a feeling of togetherness. There must be a collection of powerful myths, more or less provable, but these are ultimately dependent upon faith, creative twists, lies, and ignorance. Remarkably, in the early part of Mansons life sentence, he sometimes received two-hundred letters per day, mostly asking advice or praising him and even paying him! As the years passed, however, the number of letters greatly decreased. The Art of the Deal, published in 1987, was ghost written for Trump. About 1995 I read it, and re-read it one or two times. Trump seemed to be so practical. He sounded as though he had been everywhere, he knew everyone and had important meetings all the time. He related effortlessly with people high and low. He especially praised workers and small business people, while disparaging many people in government (poor Ed Koch) and big entrepreneurs. He was smarter than everyone, yet so relatable to struggling individuals, like me. Eventually I noticed some of the things he was leaving out, like his bankruptcies and divorces, his dodging the draft, not paying contractors and screwing people continually, but it took time. Tom Gagnon Rock Springs This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BAGHDAD (AP) An influential Shiite cleric in Iraq whose supporters earlier this month stormed the parliament in Baghdad and have since held a sit-in outside the building, stepped up his demands Wednesday and issued a veiled threat of renewed violence. The cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, said on Twitter that the judiciary has one week to dissolve the legislature. Al-Sadr has previously demanded that the parliament be dissolved and that early elections are held but this time, he set a deadline. Experts are divided on whether al-Sadr has any legal basis for his demands. He won the largest share of seats in the election last October, but failed to form a majority government that excluded his Iran-aligned rivals. Al-Sadr called his followers revolutionaries and said they will take another position if his demands were not met, hinting at possibly escalating the protest. The judiciary stated previously it does not have the constitutional right to dissolve parliament and that only lawmakers can vote to dissolve the legislature. Because the parliament has exceeded the constitutional timeline for forming a government following the October elections, what happens next is not clear. Al-Sadr's political rivals in the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Iran-backed parties, said earlier that the parliament would have to convene to dissolve itself. Last week, thousands of al-Sadr's followers stormed the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses Iraq's parliament, government buildings and foreign embassies. They overran and occupied the parliament, after which all sessions of the assembly were cancelled until further notice. The takeover also effectively halted efforts by the Coordination Framework to try and form the next government after al-Sadr failed to do so. Iraq's political impasse, now in its tenth month, is the longest in the country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion reset the political order. In their takeover of parliament, al-Sadr's followers stopped short of overrunning the Judicial Council building next door an act that many consider a coup as the judiciary is the highest legal authority in the country. FILE - In this photo provided by China's Xinhua News Agency, a People's Liberation Army member looks through binoculars during military exercises as Taiwan's frigate Lan Yang is seen at the rear on Aug. 5, 2022. China on Wednesday, Aug. 10, reaffirmed its threat to use military force to bring self-governing Taiwan under its control, amid threatening Chinese military exercises that have raised tensions between the sides to their highest level in years. Veterans who served on Guam and suffer from diseases associated with Agent Orange will be eligible for care under legislation signed by President Biden on Thursday. The military has denied the use of Agent Orange on Guam, but veterans have argued for years that they applied the herbicide to control vegetation at various locations around the island. Del. Michael San Nicolas, who pushed for the legislation in the House of Representatives, has previously said that federal recognition of Agent Orange use here will allow Guam to explore exposure consequences throughout the island, opening the door for us to make our case that community impacts need consideration. The Veterans Agent Orange Exposure Equity Act of 2022, a section of the legislation signed by Biden, expands the presumption of service-connection for diseases associated with exposure to certain herbicide agents for veterans who served in Vietnam. Specifically, the bill expands the presumption to cover veterans who served during specified time frames in Thailand at any U.S. or Royal Thai bases, Laos, Cambodia, Guam or American Samoa or the waters thereof, or on Johnson Atoll. Under the bill, such veterans are eligible for VA hospital care, medical services and nursing home care. For Guam, the specified time frame of service is 1962 to July 31, 1980. The legislation signed by Biden was a comprehensive veterans benefits package dealing with toxic exposure through military service. In addition to expanding coverage for Agent Orange exposure, the Honoring our PACT Act opened federal health care services for millions of veterans who served at military bases where waste was disposed of in burn pits. We owe you, Biden said. Youre the backbone. Youre the steel. Youre the sinew. Youre the very fiber that makes this country what it is, the Associated Press reported. The law caps a lengthy battle to ensure treatment for chronic illnesses that veterans have blamed on burn pits, which were used to dispose of chemicals, tires, plastics, medical equipment and human waste on military bases. Estimates of affected troops run to 3.5 million. The legislation is considered to be the largest expansion of veterans health care in more than three decades, the Associated Press reported. The proposed fiscal 2023 budget for the government of Guam cuts $2.8 million from the Mayors Council of Guam, which means lawmakers would not fund the salaries of about 100 village community service workers. The plan is for the governor to instead use her budget transfer authority taking unused appropriations from elsewhere in the GovGuam budget to pay the 100 village workers, said Steve Guerrero, director of the Legislatures Office of Finance and Budget. The governor has made the commitment that she would go ahead and fund these positions, Guerrero said. He said the budget bills administrative provisions authorize the governor to spend as much as $2.8 million to pay those workers. Strange setup Thats a strange setup, according to Republican Sen. Joanne Brown, who said the Legislatures job is to provide funding for government operations and not leave mayors, at the mercy of the governor. The governor could change, for all we know, and then those assurances go out the window, Brown said during the session Thursday morning. Lawmakers this week started debating GovGuams fiscal 2023 budget during legislative session. Guerrero said the $2.8 million to pay village community service workers currently comes from the Guam Highway Fund, which is one of the governments special funds. The highway fund, which is separate from the General Fund, gets its money from the liquid fuel tax. The highway fund is supposed to be used for road construction, road maintenance and safety. It pays for village road projects that are ineligible for federal highway funding. Guerrero said OFB last year told mayors they would lose the $2.8 million in highway funding as part of an overall strategy to wean agencies from the governments special funds. Lawmakers over the years have used special funds to pay for government operations that are outside the specific purpose of those funds, Guerrero said. OPA According to the Office of Public Accountability, about 43% of the money spent from the highway fund during fiscal 2021 was unrelated to road projects. Our intent is to right-size all these special funds and fund the agencies that the funds were created for, Guerrero said. That means village mayors need to be funded by the governments General Fund, and not the highway fund, according to Guerrero. I think Ive done my part to make sure these (village) positions are funded to a certain extent, Guerrero said. If the governor chooses to do otherwise, other than what she has agreed.. thats a little bit out of my control. Session is scheduled to resume 10 a.m. Friday. One man was charged with murder Thursday and four others were charged with aggravated assault after a riot that left a 24-year-old man dead in a parking lot, according to police and court records. At 1:30 a.m. Monday, police and medical personnel were called to a disturbance in the parking lot of Dededo Center, by the former Crown Bakery, where they found Kifirstson Kam Aiken unconscious, unresponsive and with multiple stab wounds throughout his body, Guam Police Department spokeswoman Officer Berlyn Savella said. He was taken to Guam Regional Medical City, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. According to a magistrates complaint filed in Superior Court, his injuries looked like knife wounds. Incident Earlier that night, L Son Joe, 21, Dero Isty, 19, Alison Joe, 30, and Cyrus Joanes Mathias, 51, were at the nearby T-All Friends B-Lounge when someone assaulted Mathias. Alison Joe went to the back of the truck they rode in to get a Hawaiian sling and a three-foot spear with a three-prong tip. Samson Ismael Shapucy, 31, who was in the parking lot, grabbed the spear, according to the complaint. Shapucy saw Aiken, who had not been at the bar, in the parking lot and asked him, What are you looking at? When Aiken tried to get in his vehicle, Shapucy punched him and speared him. He pulled the spear out and attempted to spear Aiken several times, according to the complaint. Witnesses told investigators all five of the men beat the victim while he was on the ground, the complaint stated. Shapucy was charged with murder as a first-degree felony and aggravated assault as a second-degree felony, both with the special allegation of possessing or using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. L Son Joe, Alison Joe, Isty and Mathias were charged with aggravated assault as a third-degree felony. Page Content NAALEHU Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) officials and policymakers celebrated the rollout of a pilot program that subsidizes the cost of school supplies at Naalehu Elementary, one of the Title I schools participating in the program. I not only see smiling faces, but I see the next round of leaders for Naalehu and Hawaii, Board of Education Member Kaimana Barcarse told Naalehu Elementary students gathered for an outdoor assembly on Monday. Take these supplies that were provided for you and do the best you can for your education and become the leaders that will take care of our community in the future. Naalehu Elementary is one of 20 public schools included in a newly enacted pilot program (Act 142, Session Laws Hawaii 2022) that provides families of schools composed entirely of students eligible for Title I funding with free school supplies to help ensure educational success. Title I is the federal education program that provides financial assistance to schools with high percentages of children from low-income families. Title I schools have a minimum poverty threshold of 47.2%, meaning roughly half the student population comes from low-income families. The 20 HIDOE schools enroll a total of 8,000 students who benefit from the school supply subsidy pilot. State Sen. Dru Kanuha, who represents Kona and Kau and introduced the bill, and Board of Education Member Kaimana Barcarse, the Hawaii Island representative on the Board, joined Superintendent Keith Hayashi at Naalehu to recognize the benefits of the program and the positive impact to families and the school. I was so happy that not only did this pilot program start here in Naalehu, the bill originally was for Naalehu Elementary and because of the work of my colleagues Senator Kidani and House members, they changed it to make it a statewide program, Sen. Kanuha said. Its because of you kids, you teachers, and this community that this will have a statewide impact. Superintendent Keith Hayashi said that the reaction from families has been overwhemingly positive and he hopes the pilot can be sustained. As we rolled out this program, Ive been hearing some of the stories from other schools, and its definitely having a very positive impact. Families have been overcome with emotion when receiving the school supplies for their children, and theyre so appreciative, Hayashi said. Im confident this pilot program will generate additional advantages beyond just the financial benefit. I look forward to collaborating with school leaders, like Principal Roddy, the Board of Education and legislators to best serve our students and schools. Kau-Keaau-Pahoa Complex Area Superintendent Stacey Bello added: "The Kau-Keaau-Pahoa complex area is extremely grateful to our legislators, Board of Education members and the Department for this support. Naalehu is one of six schools in our complex area who received school supplies funding to help our students and families start the year successfully." Naalehu Elementary Principal Wilma Roddy said the program enabled all of Naalehu's 430 students to start the new school year off confidently with all of the needed tools in place. Many of our keiki that attend Naalehu live in rural and remote areas across Kau. it takes our ohana over an hour to drive to a Walmart, Target or Costco to buy school supplies or whatever we need, even groceries. The benefit of this program helps ease the financial burden of our ohana and allow keiki to focus on learning because they have the necessary supplies to get going from the get-go, Roddy said. Participating schools: Aiea Elementary Hilo Union Elementary Honaunau Elementary Kaewai Elementary Kamaile Academy Public Charter Kapiolani Elementary Kau High and Pahala Elementary Kauluwela Elementary Keaukaha Elementary Keonepoko Elementary Linapuni Elementary Maunaloa Elementary Mountain View Elementary Naalehu Elementary Nanaikapono Elementary Pahoa Elementary Pahoa High & Intermediate Palolo Elementary Pope Elementary Waianae Elementary Editorial Mission: As the Departments primary publication, we aim to live up to the meaning of haaheo to cherish with pride by bolstering and sustaining pride in public education and touting the successes happening across our system. I had the privilege of visiting Naalehu Elementary on Hawaii Island this week to celebrate the rollout of a newly enacted pilot program that subsidizes the cost of school supplies at schools made up entirely of students eligible for participation in Title I. Students received everything from composition notebooks and colored pencils to scissors and backpacks. State Sen. Dru Kanuha initially introduced legislation to benefit Naalehu Elementary but thanks to the work of Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Michelle Kidani and House members, the bill was expanded into a statewide program to benefit 20 schools and 8,000 students. I truly believe this pilot program will generate advantages beyond just the financial benefit and I look forward to collaborating with school leaders, the Board of Education and legislators on positive initiatives like this. The Department also recently named 15 complex area teachers of the year and one charter school teacher of the year as finalists for the 2023 Hawaii State Teacher of the Year recognition. These teachers demonstrated some of the highest levels of dedication and passion for their students, and Im very proud to help recognize their efforts and leadership. Ill be rooting for them all in October when one teacher will go on to represent Hawaii in the National Teacher of the Year program. Stay tuned! #PublicSchoolProud We asked some special guests to complete the sentence below. Great things are happening in Hawaii public schools. My top priority this school year is to ______. " ...build and strengthen community partnerships for our schools so that we can bring industry to our classroom as well as give students opportunities to experience industry. By doing this we build relationships with our community and relevance to our students' future. Desiree Sides' 30-year career with the Department includes roles as a teacher, vice principal, principal and complex area school renewal specialist. She is currently interim complex area superintendent overseeing the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Complex Area. She grew up in Haiku and attended Haiku School, where her children also attended and she later taught and served as principal. It's been a full HA experience! ...build and strengthen community partnerships for our schools so that we can bring industry to our classroom as well as give students opportunities to experience industry. By doing this we build relationships with our community and relevance to our students' future.Desiree Sides' 30-year career with the Department includes roles as a teacher, vice principal, principal and complex area school renewal specialist. She is currently interim complex area superintendent overseeing the Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui Complex Area. She grew up in Haiku and attended Haiku School, where her children also attended and she later taught and served as principal. It's been a full HA experience! " ...empower our complex areas and schools with tools and resources to support the social, emotional, and academic needs of our most vulnerable keiki. Annie Kalama is the interim assistant superintendent overseeing the Office of Student Support Services. She previously served as director of the Exceptional Support Branch, supporting schools and complex areas with policies, procedures, guidelines, tools and professional development to ensure students with disabilities have the access and opportunity to succeed in engaging learning environments. She has 38 years of special education experience spanning the school, complex area and state office levels. ...empower our complex areas and schools with tools and resources to support the social, emotional, and academic needs of our most vulnerable keiki.Annie Kalama is the interim assistant superintendent overseeing the Office of Student Support Services. She previously served as director of the Exceptional Support Branch, supporting schools and complex areas with policies, procedures, guidelines, tools and professional development to ensure students with disabilities have the access and opportunity to succeed in engaging learning environments. She has 38 years of special education experience spanning the school, complex area and state office levels. Family Focus Through the use of ESSER funds, many HIDOE elementary schools across the state were able to offer kindergarten transition summer programs to students with little or no prior classroom experience. Hear what some of the families at Mililani Mauka Elementary had to say about the program! Thank you for offering kindercamp to my child, because it eases her into a routine and she has an understanding on what to expect come the first week of school. We would like to sincerely thank the entire Kinder Camp staff for providing a wonderful first school experience... She was super excited each day to tell us all about how kind and fun her teachers and classmates were. My child loved the teachers and all the creative activitiesHe said he, 'cant wait for more fun experiences at school,' thanks to you folks. It amazes me that Mililani Mauka is a public school and not private, because of how organized and special the staff is. We are so fortunate to send our daughter here knowing she is in good hands. Community Query We asked on Twitter and Instagram... Q: What is the best part of being back in school? CDC COVID-19 Community Levels CDCs COVID-19 Community Levels is a tool to help guide decision making on mitigation strategies based on community classification levels of low, medium or high. When the level is at medium or high, additional layered strategies such as masking are recommended. HIDOE Headlines A roundup of announcements, resources and shoutouts. UH Community College has made going to school even more affordable for students through the Hawaii Promise Scholarship program. It provides free in-state tuition, fees and an allowance for books and supplies. HIDOE Student Transportation Services Branch has a hotline for parents and schools with queries related to bus applications, routes and contractor/school information: (808) 784-6870 during normal work hours through Sept. 6. Register for a free evening event for Hawaii public school educators hosted by the Hawaii Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Moanalua High School Performing Arts Center. HAWAII STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Keith Hayashi Superintendent Heidi Armstrong Deputy Superintendent ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS Sean Bacon Interim Talent Management Brian Hallett Fiscal Services Annie Kalama Interim Student Support Services Randall Tanaka Facilities and Operations Christine Shaw Interim Information Technology Services Cara Tanimura Interim Strategy, Innovation and Performance Teri Ushijima Interim Curriculum and Instructional Design Hoohaaheo PUBLIC SCHOOL PROUD Nanea Kalani Executive Editor Chanel Honda Managing Editor Sara Miyazono Creative Director Derek Inoshita Contributing Writer Krislyn Yano Contributing Writer CONNECT WITH US HawaiiPublicSchools.org 1390 Miller St. Honolulu, HI 96813 | Phone: (808) 784-6200 | Fax: (808) 586-3234 Email: newsletter@k12.hi.us North Carolina a rare safe haven in the South for abortion for now Its been six weeks since the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade eliminated the constitutional right to abortion. Abortion regulation is now in the hands of states, and at least for now, no new restrictions on abortion have been imposed in North Carolina. Nothing changed in our laws when the Dobbs decision came down, Tara Romano, executive director of Pro-Choice North Carolina, said Thursday during a virtual reproductive rights issue forum hosted by Peoples Alliance. We didnt have a trigger ban in place. We did not have an old law on the books. And now, in North Carolina, that means were currently a state where people come to access care. Its a different situation than much of the South. Surrounded by states that have mostly taken action to either ban or severely restrict abortion, North Carolina still legally allows the procedure until fetal viability, which typically falls between 24 and 26 weeks of pregnancy. This has made the state and its 14 abortion clinics located in nine different counties an important abortion access point in the Southeast. In 2020, 31,850 abortions were obtained in North Carolina, according to Guttmacher Institute, a national organization that tracks reproductive rights issues and legislation. A majority of these abortions were for people living in North Carolina, amounting to a state rate of 15.3 abortions per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44. Meanwhile, people are already crossing state lines seeking abortions in North Carolina. Molly Rivera, Planned Parenthood South Atlantics communications director, said in an email that in the first two weeks of July, more than a third of the organizations appointments for abortion care in North Carolina were for out-of-state patients a rate that is expected to continue to skyrocket. The states other abortion providers are experiencing a similar influx of out-of-state patients. While North Carolina is currently an abortion safe haven for many, it may not stay that way. Continued abortion access in North Carolina hinges on the outcomes of this years fall elections. An abortion ban bill is coming if we do not hold the House and the state Senate to fight off a supermajority, state Sen. Natalie Murdock, a Democrat from Durham, said last week at the Peoples Alliance forum. Abortion rights will come down to five seats: three seats in the House and two seats in the state Senate. That is our path to protecting abortion care here in North Carolina this fall. Republicans eye greater restrictions Republicans, which hold majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, have expressed a desire to pass more abortion restrictions but they have yet to do so because Democratic Governor Roy Cooper would use his veto power to block such restrictions. What forms future abortion bills may take will likely depend on whether Republicans gain a supermajority, which they lost in 2018, this November. A supermajority would allow Republicans to override vetoes from Cooper without any votes from Democrats, paving the way for further state restrictions on abortion. North Carolinians can expect pro-life protections to be a top priority when legislators return to their normal session in January, House Speaker Tim Moore said in a statement on June 24, the day of the Supreme Court ruling. State Senate leader Phil Berger similarly told reporters on June 30 that there will be time in January for the General Assembly to make a decision about what state law ought to be going forward or whether or not there should be some changes to it. In July, Berger told WRAL his views fall somewhere between the extremes and that he supports exceptions for rape and incest. There should be a period post-conception where the mother should have some autonomy in terms of what takes place but I also believe that, at some point, society and the law should have a role in protecting the life of the fetus, Berger said on WRALs July 9 NC Capitol Wrap podcast. Now, where that point is, thats something were going to have to have some conversation about." Berger and Moore have both said more discussions need to occur in the Republican caucuses and with constituents to determine what a bill may look like. While new legislation wont be considered until next year, for now Moore and Berger are working to get the states 20-week abortion ban, originally written in 1973, reinstated. In late June, the two first called on Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat and abortion rights supporter, to take all necessary legal action to lift the injunction currently barring full enforcement of the state law. In 2019, U.S. District Judge William Osteen Jr. blocked enforcement of North Carolinas 20-week abortion ban because he said it violated precedents set by Roe v. Wade and an associated 1992 ruling. Now, with those cases overturned by the Supreme Court, Osteen is reconsidering his ruling. Stein released a statement on July 21 stating that his office would not ask the federal judge to reinstate the states 20-week ban on abortion. Stein said he refused to take action that would restrict womens ability to make their own reproductive health care decisions. Stein has also recused himself from the case. Outside attorneys for Moore and Berger have asked Osteen to vacate his 2019 ruling, contending there is no legal basis for the injunction that halted enforcement of the law. North Carolinas abortion statutes are undeniably lawful under Dobbs, and there is no longer any basis for an injunction to shackle the state from pursuing its legitimate interests, Berger and Moore wrote in their brief filed July 27. Osteen could reinstate the 20-week ban in North Carolina without lawmaker involvement. However, few abortions in the state occur after 20 weeks. In 2020, there were 30 abortions at 21 weeks or later performed in the state, comprising 0.1 percent of total abortions in the state. Democratic support for abortion rights Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein, the states leading Democrats, have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to protecting abortion rights in North Carolina. Three days after the Dobbs decision, Stein along with a national coalition of 22 attorneys general asserted that abortion remains safe and legal in places across the country and that they will work to keep it that way. Abortion care is healthcare. Period. We stand together, as our states chief law officers, to proudly say that we will not back down in the fight to protect the rights of pregnant people in our states and across the country, read the coalitions joint statement. Stein has continued to hold this position. As Attorney General, I will do everything in my power to protect womens right to reproductive care because it's the right thing to do, he said during a press conference last week on abortion access. On July 6, Cooper signed an executive order to help protect womens access to reproductive health care in North Carolina. The order includes provisions shielding out-of-state abortion patients from extradition and prohibiting state agencies under his control from cooperating in other states prosecutions of anyone who travels to obtain or provide reproductive health care that is legal in North Carolina. Democratic governors in other states such as Colorado, Maine and Rhode Island signed similar executive orders to protect abortion rights in their states. Abortion on the ballot this fall With abortion rights now in the hands of states, legislators will determine access to care. This is playing out across the country. On Friday, Indiana became the first state post-Roe to pass a law banning most abortions. This will dramatically shift the states current rules, which allow abortions up to 20 weeks after fertilization. Sen. Murdock called abortion the issue of our time during the Peoples Alliance forum held last week and acknowledged it would be a key issue for voters this fall, as seen in Kansas. Last week, Kansas voters decisively rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have said there was no right to an abortion in the state. The vote marked the first time Americans weighed in on abortion rights after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. We know that the right to abortion care in North Carolina is on the ballot this November and every election to come thereafter, Stein said during a press conference last week. TRACKING ARP: Mills River Families in need will benefit from Mills Rivers American Rescue Plan cash. The town plans to give $70,000 of the $2.36 million it received from the ARP to fund the double SNAP program at the Mills River Farm Market, Mills River Town Manager Daniel Cobb said. The money, which amounts to $17,500 per year over four years, will allow the farmers market to continue helping families that rely on government assistance to put food on the table, organizers of the farmers market said. Were hoping the $17,500 the town has earmarked for us will be sufficient, said Linda Brittain, who coordinates the farmers market with her husband, Joe. The tailgate market operates 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays May through October at Mills River Elementary School on School House Road. The market features local produce, meat, eggs, cheese and crafts. Several years ago, the market began doubling the amount for customers who pay with funds from the governments Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Customers receive tokens to use at the farmers market for every dollar they spend at the market on their SNAP cards. The non-profit market decided to begin the double snap program because it wanted to encourage people to shop local and eat healthy, Brittain said. Health and nutrition are important. That was one way we felt we could contribute to that, she said. When the farmers market began offering double SNAP five or six years ago, organizers went door to door seeking donations to fund the program. The market eventually received grants, including a federal grant to cover the cost of double SNAP. This year, a lot of these grants are drying up, Brittain said. In addition to helping people in need eat healthy, the farmers market also benefits local agriculture, the Brittains said. Vendors at the market are required to be local farmers who grow their own produce. Seafood sold at the market is also required to come from the coast of North Carolina, Joe Brittain said. Our goal is to support the local farmers, he said. We want to give them a place to sell their local produce. In addition to the double snap program, Mills River also used some of the ARP funds to support the towns fire department, Cobb said. The town council gave $75,000 to Mills River Fire and Rescue to provide premium pay for first responders, Cobb said. Mills River has not yet decided how to spend the remainder of its ARP funds but has considered providing assistance to not-for-profit organizations and investing to preserve open space, Cobb said. I anticipate by the fall we will have decisions made, he said. TRACKING ARP: Hendersonville Using ARP money to pay firefighter salaries helped the city of Hendersonville avoid a property tax increase. Taxpayers in the city of Hendersonville can thank the American Rescue Plan in part for avoiding a tax increase this year. Last year the city administration had forecast a property tax increase of 3 cents for the 2022-23 fiscal year. In part because the city spent conservatively during the pandemic and in part because it is using $2.5 million in ARP money to help pay firefighters salaries, the city council was able to adopt a fiscal 2022-23 budget with no tax increase. Thats significant because it bridges the city into 2023, when the countywide real property valuation takes place, Assistant City Manager Brian Pahle said. The new assessment is expected to significantly increase the overall value of the tax base. The city has $2 million to spend on what the City Council has described as transformative projects. Weve left that for council to decide how much they want to put into nonprofits, Pahle said. Weve received all of our applications for that money and the direction was to fund two to four transformative projects for the community through the nonprofits. Council will be reviewing those in September or October. Transformative projects are those that will make a significant difference in the community or a problem or situation that if we didnt have this money, we wouldnt be able to address it, City Manager John Connet said. Its something thats long term, that we can look down the road 10 years or so and show that weve made a difference. Elected leaders countywide viewed the federal regulations with dread until the Treasury Department loosened the strings substantially when it issued the final rule this past spring. Anybody that got the money you can spend up to $10 million as it relates to revenue replacement, Connet said. And what that means is you can take that money and put it into the general fund and the reporting requirements and everything are less strenuous. Using revenue replacement for firefighter salaries an ARP-eligible category freed up money elsewhere in the city budget for other expenditures. The $10 million free spend, for lack of a better term, just gave local governments more flexibility on how to use the money, to get it on the street to have these transformative projects, Connet said. AN artist and entrepreneur who put lights on Henley Bridge is leaving the town after more than 40 years. Clive Hemsley has sold Longlands House in Hart Street and will move to Lyme Regis with his wife Ines next month. He is a member of the Make Henley Shine group, which was formed to obtain planning permission to put LED lights on the Grade I listed bridge. This came after Mr Hemsley was forced to remove the two strings of lights he put up without permission in 2018. His initiative caused controversy with some residents liking the night-time display while others disapproved of interfering with an historic monument. In a letter to this weeks Henley Standard, Mr Hemsley says: I am not leaving the town completely. I want to see Make Henley Shine team complete the task of putting LEDs on the bridge and, rest assured, now the big boys and clubs are involved, that will happen. You will have the first bridge outside London to be lit up an amazing sight to look forward to. This was not the only time Mr Hemsley has crossed the planning authorities. In 2017 he installed a 26ft living wall of plants to help tackle air pollution on the eastern wall of his home without permission. Earlier this year, he was ordered to demolish the art studio that he built unlawfully on his land at Greys Meadow in Rotherfield Greys. A planning inspector, who heard an appeal, ruled that South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, was right to take enforcement action. Mr Hemsley had argued that the three-storey building was not much bigger than the one he had previously proposed, which was approved by the council in 2017. Inspector Justina Moss ruled the building caused harm with regard to its effect on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area. Eichmann claimed he was bureaucrat following orders. Recently released transcripts of conversations he had with a Nazi journalist show Eichmann boasting of his significant role in executing the Final Solution. These are the bone chilling words of Adolf Eichmann, the driving force behind the Nazis' "Final Solution to the Jewish Question," and architect of the murder of millions of Jews: "Every fiber in me resists that we did something wrong. I must tell you honestly, had we killed 10.3 million Jews, then I would be satisfied and say, 'Good, we exterminated an enemy.' Then we would have fulf... (JNS) - British Jewish actor David Warner died on Sunday at the age of 80 from "a cancer-related illness," his family confirmed to the BBC. During his long-spanning acting career, Warner-whose father was Russian and Jewish-often took on villainous roles, including in the 1978 film "The Thirty-Nine Steps" and "Time Bandits" in 1981. He played the villainous Spicer Lovejoy in James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster "Titanic" and starred in several "Star Trek" movies, "The Omen" and "Tron." He most recently starred in "Mary Poppins Returns." "Over the past 18 months, he approached his diagnosis with... (JNS) Despite repeated refrains by Biden administration officials that negotiations to revive the Iran nuclear deal cannot go on indefinitely, which the U.S. president himself reiterated during the Israel leg of his Middle East trip in mid-July, Washington has refused to set a deadline for ending talks even though they appear to be on life support and are possibly unsalvagable given Tehrans recent claims that it could easily build a bomb. Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Washington, D.C.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JNS that the fact the Biden administra... On Aug. 3 Jewish Funeral Group launched OrlandoJewishFunerals.com in partnership with Allen J. Harden Funeral Home, a StoneMor, Inc. property. The interactive resource provides comprehensive support, education, and information for those planning or searching for funeral services to understand and choose traditions and rituals appropriate for them. With a Jewish population of more than 50,000 in the Greater Orlando area, OrlandoJewishFunerals.com is the go-to resource for families in need of funeral and burial planning services and information. Dedicated to ensuring a comprehensive offer... Terrorists in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night fired heavy barrages of rockets at southern and central Israel, including at Tel Aviv, ahead of an Egypt-mediated ceasefire between the sides that was slated to come into effect at 11:30 p.m. local time. Just eight minutes after the ceasefire took effect, Islamic Jihad terrorists fired more rockets at southern Israeli communities. Since then, the ceasefire seems to be holding as Israelis are experiencing much needed quiet. According to several media reports, the Israeli government had agreed to an earlier Cairo-brokered truce at 8 p.m., but PIJ... Congregation Ohev Shalom is extremely excited to announce the arrival of its new spiritual leader, Rabbi Geoffrey Spector. Rabbi Geoffrey Spector from Livingston, N.J., where he was the senior rabbi of Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston for 17 years. Prior to that, he served as the spiritual leader of Shir Chadash Conservative Congregation in Metairie, Louisiana. Rabbi Spector is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he majored in Jewish Studies. He received his rabbinical ordination and MA from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He holds a Master of Theology degree in... A long exposure picture shows iron dome anti-missle systerm as it fires interception missile at rockets fired from the Gaza Strip to Israel, as is seen from the southern Israeli city of Ashdod. The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday was preparing for a "week of fighting" against Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, as terrorists in the enclave fired over 1000 rockets at the Jewish state within 48 hours. The IDF said that the Iron Dome missile defense system had successfully intercepted 95 percent of the projectiles fired by PIJ that were headed for populated regions. One projectile struck a family home in Sderot, whose inhabitants had secured themselves in a shelter and were uninjured. The IDF launched Operation Breaking Dawn on Friday afternoon, following days of tension... Jewish Ukrainians who fled war zones in Ukraine, seen leaving for the airport to board a Jewish Agency plane to Israel, March 6, 2022, in Warsaw, Poland. (JNS) - The Jewish Agency, which helps Jews immigrate to Israel, stands on shaky ground in Russia, as a Moscow court is set to hold a trial on its dissolution August 19. Even though it's operating under a cloud of uncertainty, and immigration to Israel has skyrocketed, the Agency continues to operate business as usual, JNS has learned from a government source familiar with the matter. Since the outbreak of the war on Ukraine in February, 19,100 Russians have immigrated to Israel, a leap from the 7,733 immigrants that came in 2021, according to Jewish Agency numbers. It's not a stretch to s... PONTIAC, Michigan (JTA) A Jewish political dynastys four-decade run in Congress has come to an end after Rep. Andy Levin conceded to Rep. Haley Stevens in Michigans 11th congressional district Tuesday. Stevens decisive win concluded a bank-busting primary that attracted more than $4 million in pro-Israel outside spending to a face-off between two incumbents in the Detroit suburbs. She ran a strong campaign, Levin told his supporters. My hats off to her. He pledged to support Stevens in the general election. In his concession speech, Levin did not mention the rol... (JTA) The chair of a county Democratic Party in Michigan apologized after the group made a social media post reading Zionists have no place in office, apparently meant to support a member of Congress, Rep. Andy Levin, who identifies as a Zionist. Washtenaw County Democratic Party chair Chris Savage issued an apology Saturday for the TikTok post, which was sent Friday by the @WashtenawDems account and referenced the millions of dollars worth of pro-Israel money that has flowed into Michigans 11th District primary. The race, a redistricting battle between progressive Jewish me... (JTA) When Benjamin Netanyahu, then Israels prime minister, failed to meet his own deadline to announce a plan to annex portions of the West Bank during the summer of 2020, it wasnt just his usual critics and advocates for the prompt creation of a Palestinian state who breathed a sigh of relief. The missed deadline was also a relief to insiders at the Trump White House, who knew that annexation would derail their ambitious effort to make peace between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. In fact, the very afternoon of the annexation deadline, a leading member of the Emirati negoti... Feature: Chinese-aided teaching building to bolster education in Afghanistan Xinhua) 17:04, August 11, 2022 KABUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- At the center of Kabul University in Afghanistan sits a newly-built teaching building and auditorium, constructed with the help of China. With a spectacular glass wall, the four-story and modern-style complex, inaugurated last week, is expected to bolster the development of the war-torn country's tottering education sector. Hailing the construction as an architectural success, Hamid Gholami, a professor with the university's Department of Foreign Language and Literature, said, "this building is unique in comparison with other educational buildings in Afghanistan as it is new and well-equipped." It can help students to study more energetically, he said. "The auditorium is unique not only in Kabul but also in the country," said Osama Aziz, the rector of Kabul University, expressing gratitude to China for the construction of the modern facility. The teaching building has an academic lecture hall and 30 classrooms equipped with projectors, audio and other multimedia teaching equipment. The auditorium can hold more than a thousand people. "This is the first time I have worked in such a modern building, or even seen such a modern building," said Amanullah, who has participated in the project's construction. "Thanks to the Chinese friends for coming here and donating an expensive building for us." China also helped build a three-story teaching building in a uniquely Chinese style for the university's Department of Chinese Language and a guesthouse for foreign teachers. In addition, China has built teaching and administration facilities for Afghanistan's national vocational and technical institute. Abdul Baqi Haqqani, acting minister of higher education of Afghanistan's Taliban-led caretaker government, said he hopes for more educational cooperation with the Asian country. "We are thankful to China," Haqqani said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) (JTA) AIPAC marked its second major defeat of the Democratic primary cycle this week, as one of the two Democratic House candidates in the Detroit area that it backed failed to win his Tuesday primary. Michigan state Sen. Adam Hollier had more than $4 million spent on his behalf by AIPACs super PAC, United Democracy Project, before narrowly losing his primary battle for Michigans 13th district to state Rep. Shri Thanedar. With about 68 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday, Thanedar was leading Hollier by five percentage points in the solid-blue district. Hollier conceded... Andrew Warren, the former state attorney for Hillsborough County, Florida, was suspended from his position on Thursday morning by Gov. Ron DeSantis, due to his refusal to criminally prosecute abortions. (JTA) - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ratcheted up the fight over the state's new 15-week abortion ban Thursday when he suspended a Tampa-area state attorney who had vowed not to prosecute violations. The move also vaulted yet another Jewish figure into the fight's foreground. Andrew Warren, the state attorney for Hillsborough County, had joined more than 90 other attorneys nationwide in pledging not to prosecute individuals who seek or provide abortions in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that had guaranteed abortion rights. "Crimin... (JNS) As Irans nuclear program continues apace, the debate in Israel and abroad has focused almost exclusively on the likelihood of an Israeli strike on Irans nuclear facilities. Little if anything has been said, at least in public, regarding the possibility that Iran might preempt a potential Israeli offensive. The absence of this scenario in the public discourse is apparently related to a tacit assumption that Iran has no incentive to launch such an attack as long as its nuclear progress remains on track and uninterrupted. Moreover, a preemptive attack would trigger an all-out w... (JNS) The free world is at risk from the unsanctioned development of nuclear weapons by a rogue state. Nuclear missiles in the hands of an unstable regime with deep ties to terrorist groups present a supreme danger to the civilian public back home, so there is no choice but to respond. One of the worlds most legendary air forces must turn to its experienced flyers to train its rising generation of top pilots and personnel for a high-risk mission, requiring all of their skill and from which they might not return: a bombing run on the rogue nations development of enriched uranium as... After too much time reading the news, I recently felt the need for a pick-me-up. But little did I dream that it would come in the form of an extensively researched 10,000-word article in the very left-wing outlet The Intercept. After Democrats won the trifecta the presidency, House, and Senate reports Ryan Grim, the advocacy organizations that form the partys ideological infrastructure ceased to function. Thats the good news. The reason for that paralysis is enough to make one fall on the floor laughing: No one can work with the young woke employees of these organizatio... (JNS) Its summertime! For most children, that means campfires, nature hikes and outdoor games like Capture the Flag. For kids in the regions governed by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, it means weapons training, skits in which the children pretend to kidnap and murder Jews, and lectures on the importance of destroying Israel. Hillary Clinton once called it Palestinian child abuse. One glance at the campers daily schedule explains why. The Central Hebron branch of Fatah, the major faction of the P.A., has posted on its website dozens of photos and descriptions of t... Inspired by the Spirit of the Colombian Caribbean, the 191-Room Hotel Invites Guests to Immerse Themselves in Local Culture When Visiting Barranquilla. Marriott Hotels, the signature flag of Marriott Bonvoy's 30 extraordinary hotel brands, today announced the opening of the highly-anticipated Barranquilla Marriott Hotel, a tribute to the vibrant city of Barranquilla known as the "Golden Gate of Colombia," surrounded by lush tropical landscapes and the colors of the Colombian Caribbean. Featuring modern, thoughtful design, several food and beverage outlets, a serene outdoor pool, as well as ample meeting space, the new hotel is set to become an ideal destination for global travelers who appreciate the blend of business and leisure travel, while learning and experiencing new cultures. Exemplifying Marriott Hotels' continued evolution, guests are drawn in by contemporary, comfortable spaces, inviting them to relax as soon as they arrive beginning with the Greatroom lobby - a stylish hub of the hotel that allows guests to combine work with pleasure. The 191 spacious guest rooms and nine suites feature a modern, thoughtful design characterized by warm wood tones reflecting the tropical dry forest vegetation typical for the area, bright and cheerful colors, flooded with natural light and weaving in uniquely Colombian character. Each room features technology-enabled work surfaces, open closets to alleviate fears of leaving clothes behind, relaxing bathrooms, and LED TVs. Additionally, through the first-of-its-kind, longstanding partnership with Marriott Hotels and TED, guests will have access to specially curated in-room TED content to enjoy during their stay. Barranquilla Marriott Hotel features two restaurants and one bar, inviting guests to experience local culture through food, music, and the Colombian hospitality. Amira Restaurant, whose name pays homage to the women who have enriched the culinary culture of the city, delights diners with elevated local cuisine, featuring dishes made from local products, adding creative twists. Meira Cafe showcases a coffee ritual, a wide array of Colombian coffee flavors, and local breads and pastries. The Rum Room offers guests unique tastings and pairings in a space dedicated to liquors produced in destinations that grow sugar cane. Available to Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite, and Ambassador Elite members as well as paying guests, M Club - a brand signature across Marriott Hotels globally - is an exclusive space to rest, recharge, and refocus, every day at any time. A range of complimentary food and beverage options featuring hot breakfast, evening drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and premium beverages are offered throughout the day. Additional amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, laundry service, outdoor swimming pool, and special accommodations for four-legged guests. Designed to foster collaboration, the hotel's Next Gen Meeting Spaces can adapt to a variety of formats and group sizes. With over 19,000 square feet of meeting space including a ballroom for 750 people, the hotel is the perfect destination for business or social gatherings. Nestled in the Caribbean Coast, Barranquilla, also known as "The Golden Gate of Colombia", is one of the five most important cities in Colombia and a major tourist destination for both locals and travelers. The city is recognized for being the birthplace of renowned musicians, writers, athletes, and fashion designers, as well as being the venue for the main cultural event in Colombia - Carnival of Barranquilla - for five days full of magic, music, color, and joy that is celebrated every year. Barranquilla is the largest city on the Caribbean coast, located next to the delta of the Magdalena River and close to the Caribbean Sea, serving as a port for river and maritime transportation. To the north of Barranquilla, there are some of the best Colombian beaches, with soft sand and crystal-clear waters. Barranquilla Marriott Hotel will participate in Marriott Bonvoy - the award-winning travel program from Marriott International - allowing members to earn and redeem points for their stay at the new hotel, and at other hotels and resorts across Marriott Bonvoy's extraordinary portfolio of brands. With the Marriott Bonvoy app, members enjoy a level of personalization and a contactless experience that allows them to travel with peace of mind. Hotel website The Ultra-Luxury, Historic Lakeside Resort In Austria Continues The Strategic Growth Of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts Across Europe. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has been appointed by Arabella Hospitality, a subsidiary of Schorghuber Corporate Group to manage the legendary Hotel Schloss Fuschl in Austria, with a reopening scheduled in late 2023. Idyllically situated on the banks of Lake Fuschl, the graceful, historic property is reminiscent of a fairytale castle and has been welcoming illustrious guests for centuries. The new resort will mark Rosewood's second property in Austria following Rosewood Vienna's recent opening and adds to the brand's robust development pipeline of properties across Europe and the German-speaking market. The reimagining of this 15th century landmark not only adds to Rosewood's unique collection of ultra-luxury hotels and resorts, but cements the brand's status as a meticulous and caring guardian of some of the world's most iconic heritage buildings. Landmark structures from Paris to Madrid, New York to London and beyond, have been sensitively restored to former brilliance and positioned to create new and distinguished chapters in their stories. Located on the shores of turquoise-blue Lake Fuschl, surrounded by mountains and forests, Rosewood Schloss Fuschl is only a short distance away from picturesque Salzburg, a city famous for its history, culture, music and more. The full renovation, beginning in 2022, will update the structure and grounds to feature 98 well-appointed guestrooms, including 46 suites and six chalets. In addition, Rosewood Schloss Fuschl will be home to world-class restaurants and lounges and will also feature Asaya, Rosewood's integrative well-being concept, with eight treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a fitness center. First used as a hotel space in 1954, Hotel Schloss Fuschl was initially constructed as a castle to serve as a country escape for Austrian royalty, with its original structure dating back to 1450. Across its fabled history the resort has been acclaimed as an exquisite, tranquil retreat for discerning travelers from film stars to foreign dignitaries. Its silhouette has been synonymous with the grandeur and glory of elegance through time. This is the second partnership between Arabella Hospitality and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, with the brands currently working together to debut Rosewood Munich. The two groups are committed to protecting Rosewood Schloss Fuschl's deep heritage while modernizing the resort experience, celebrating the intersection of both old and new, in keeping with Rosewood's A Sense of Place guiding concept. Hotel website Kung Teong Wah has been appointed as the new General Manager of PARKROYAL on Beach Road. Bringing over 30 years of experience in Asia and Singapore's hospitality scene, Teong Wah will oversee the running of the newly revitalised upscale hotel in the culturally rich precinct of Kampong Glam. On top of the General Manager duties entailing managing the overall strategic business operations of the Hotel, Prior to joining PARKROYAL on Beach Road, Teong Wah was a Cluster General Manager with Millennium Hotels and Resorts. His extensive experience in the hospitality industry also encompasses several roles within the IHG Hotels & Resorts Group in multiple geographies - China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia - across 23 years, where he eventually led Holiday Inn Resort Batam as its General Manager. A highly respected hotelier, Teong Wah has received many accolades throughout the course of his career - most recently, the Singapore Tourism Award for Outstanding Business Innovation (2022) for Copthorne King's Hotel and a Medal of Commendation in the 2022 May Day Awards for his work to enhance employability. Having nurtured a passion for creating exceptional guest experiences from an early age, Teong Wah started his career as a Chef; one of his first jobs was as a Junior Sous Chef at Raffles Hotel Singapore. Since then, he has paved a successful career in the hospitality industry and is well-versed in realities of daily operational requirements, as well as sales and marketing strategies. Teong Wah also extends his passion for contributing to the workforce through his involvement as a Board Member of the e2i Employment & Employability Institute and Chairman of the Institute for Technical Education (ITE) Hospitality Advisory Board Committee. Teong Wah looks forward to leading the team in achieving optimal commercial performance and maximising operational efficiencies through his vast experience in digital transformation. Melia Desert Palm in Dubai has brought in a new executive chef. Hailing from Argentina, chef Franco Canzano boasts expertise in both Mediterranean cuisine and Italian. While handling day-to-day operations for all outlets, his principle focus will be on the elevation of the resort's RARE restaurant. Taking over at the resort means Canzano will oversee all culinary operations, including the private catering for the huge weddings hosted there. For Canzano, it is his first role outside of Hyatt Hotels in 19 years. He began working in hotel kitchens in 2003 with Park Hyatt Paris Vendome as commis de cuisine, commencing a long career with the group. He later became chef de partie of Park Hyatt Milano, followed by chef de partie of Hyatt Regency La Manga in Spain. Returning to his home country in 2008, he became sous chef de cuisine and later chef de cuisine with Park Hyatt Buenos Aires. Stepping into the Middle East, he worked with Grand Hyatt Doha for four and half years, working as executive sous chef. From 2016 to 2018, he worked at Park Hyatt Goa Resort and Spa in his first executive chef post, followed by the same role at Grand Hyatt Amman for four years. Wind Creek Hospitality has announced the appointment of Janien Huistra as Director of Sales & Marketing of their Caribbean resort portfolio. The expanded leadership position adds Renaissance Wind Creek Curacao Resort to her current and long standing role as the Director of Sales & Marketing at Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort. Ms. Huistra will lead both teams to drive revenue while preparing and executing innovative sales and marketing strategies. This position will also be a return to Willemstad where she helped open their sister property in 2008. Ms. Huistra brings over twenty-five years of hospitality industry experience back to Renaissance Curacao. Beginning her career in the Netherlands, Janien spent 10 years focused on trade show organization and concept development before joining the team at Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort as their Director of Events in 2003 where Marriott International quickly recognized her with the Event Management Leader of the Year Award in 2004. Promoted to Director of Sales & Marketing in 2006, Huistra's responsibilities were extended to assist with the launch of Renaissance Wind Creek Curacao Resort 2008. After successfully transitioning responsibilities to a new on-site sales and marketing team in 2012, Janien has continued as Director of Sales & Marketing in Aruba. Based in Aruba, Huistra received her bachelor's degree in leisure management from the Stenden Hogeschool in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Janien is involved in many industry and government organizations including her seat on Aruba Tourism Authority's Supervisory Board where she is currently serving her second 4-year term. Los Angeles, CA - INTELITY, provider of hospitalitys leading guest experience and staff management platform, announced today a deal with SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel to implement the INTELITY platform and mobile app with mobile check-in and mobile key for a fully digital guest experience. From tropical beaches to lush forests and ancient temples, Cambodia is a favored tourist destination filled with history, culture, and adventure. Located in the growing capital city of Phnom Penh, the new SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel is a 23-story high-rise urban resort located on the Bassac River waterfront near the Monivong Bridge and surrounded by eclectic markets, cuisine, arts, and cultural activities. Determined to provide guests with premier hospitality technology, SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel is focused on servicing guests with a contactless and convenient approach to best fulfill guests' wants and needs, and ensure guests have a superior experience during their stay. We are fortunate that SUN & MOON Groups founder and owner, Okhna Dr. Chear Ratana, truly understands the importance of supporting technology in the hospitality industry and desires to build hotels integrated with technology during their foundational stages, said Noel Furrer, SUN & MOON Hotel Groups General Manager. The travel market is changing, and we must also change the way we think about technology. We have so many more ways to service our guests and we plan to follow the future by investing in technology leaders, like INTELITY. Here at SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel, our mission is to pioneer the hospitality industry here in Cambodia as a national brand, and we want our uniqueness to be enhanced with advancements in technology, specifically mobile check-in and mobile key. Using the INTELITY mobile app, guests will be able to check-in to their reservation and access their rooms with a mobile key, all on their personal mobile device. Throughout their stay, guests can order in-room dining, request services, view hotel amenities, and even connect with hotel staff with guest messaging all via the mobile app. The seamless INTELITY platform will allow staff to track and fulfill guest requests easily and efficiently via INTELITYs GEMS interface. From the business aspect, the INTELITY mobile app will help the hotel to save printing costs, to push promotions to guests at the right time, and to get instant guest feedback with a click. We wish to give our guests the experience of using technology and their own devices, which supports natural human behavior. Guests will be able to download and interact with the app, or still choose the conventional approach; the choice is theirs, continued Furrer. SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel also selected the INTELITY platform for its robust suite of mobile capabilities and integrations with the hotels existing PMS, POS, and Spa systems. The 200-room hotel will include a gourmet restaurant with private dining rooms, a pool club, fitness center, spa, lounge bar cafe, VIP executive lounge, cinema and KTV, terrace and cabanas, five meeting rooms, and a large ballroom. We are proud to work with such a unique property, said Robert Stevenson, INTELITY CEO. The INTELITY platform will empower SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel guests to manage check-in and mobile key on their personal device, providing an advanced, unique, and personalized experience along with exceptional guest service. For more information about the INTELITY platform or to request a demo, please visit intelity.com/demo. For more information on SUN & MOON Riverside Hotel, please vist www.sunandmoonhotelgroup.com/hotels/riverside-hotel/ About SUN & MOON Hotel Group Welcome to SUN & MOON GROUP. By our vision and mission, we actively consider the sustainability of our businesses and the benefits for all our stakeholders. Within our companys philosophy, we believe that everyone can contribute and ultimately benefit from what we do, and we are committed to achieving some very important goals together. Our prime objective is to serve our clients, and in return, our wish is to see the same people reciprocate by accepting and recognizing what we do - to go beyond the expectations. In this complicated global environment, we believe that various forms of collaboration will both help us to grow and to overcome the obstacles that may often be presented before us. With two hotel properties in the heart of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, wellness, sustainability, and community stewardship are core to the SUN & MOON hospitality philosophy. For more information on SUN & MOON, visit www.sunandmoonhotelgroup.com/. Follow us: Instagram Telegram Facebook About INTELITY INTELITY is the global leader in contactless guest experience technology, uniting mobile, in-room, and operational tools into one fully-integrated hospitality platform. Built for the hotel, casino, and luxury residential markets, INTELITY has been named the "Official Mobile and In-Room Technology Provider" by the distinguished Forbes Travel Guide for five consecutive years and is in use at boutique properties, casino-resorts, and global hotel brands, including Marriott, Fairmont, Hard Rock, and more. View source IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the worlds leading hospitality companies, today announces a new sponsorship and partnership with UK Black Pride, Europes largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern-descent. Led by IHGs employee network for ethnic diversity, EMbrace, IHG Hotels & Resorts is proud to sponsor the return of UK Black Prides annual in-person protest and celebration on Sunday 14 August 2022 at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, which is this year themed Power. It will also partner with the organisation to promote and educate on the safe expression and celebration of identities and cultures. Yasmin Diamond and Karin Sheppard, Co-Executive Sponsors, EMbrace employee network, IHG Hotels & Resorts, commented: "At IHG Hotels & Resorts were proud that our commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) is at the beating heart of our purpose to deliver True Hospitality for Good. For this partnership with UK Black Pride to be driven by our employee networks speaks to the passion and drive of our people to not only create a meaningful impact on the world around us, but to also encourage a culture at work where everyone of all cultures, religions, races, sexualities, abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and intersects is welcome." This fully supports the actions we take as a business to champion a diverse culture where everyone can thrive. A few key, recent milestones include the launch of our inclusion index in our employee engagement survey, embedding inclusive hiring practices among our hotel and corporate teams, enhanced mental health guidelines, and new programmes to support the development of our ethnic minority talent in the UK and US. We have also introduced myWellbeing our commitment to support our people in a range of important areas, including their health, lifestyle and workplace. The EMbrace network for ethnic diversity, along with Out & Open for LGBTQI+ colleagues, are two of nearly 30 employee network chapters at IHG, which are voluntary groups that provide platforms for its colleagues and promote workplace diversity across areas including sexuality, ethnicity, gender, disability, wellbeing, family and early careers. Lady Phyll, Executive Director and Co-Founder, UK Black Pride, said: "As the visibility and reach of UK Black Pride increases every year, we strive to include a broad range of individuals, organisations and groups who aim to support our diverse communities. We are delighted to be partnering with IHG Hotels & Resorts to not only help bring to life our first annual event since the pandemic, which is volunteer-led, but to also be building longer-term education, outreach, advocacy and networking through our work together. UK Black Pride supports and celebrates all sections of the UKs culturally diverse Black LGBTQI+ community. The organisation advocates a safe space to celebrate diverse sexualities, gender identities, cultures, gender expressions and backgrounds as they foster, represent and celebrate Black LGBTQI+ and QTIPOC culture through education, the arts, cultural events and advocacy. One of IHGs four strategic priorities as a company is to care for its people, communities and planet, supported by its 2030 responsible business plan, Journey to Tomorrow. This plan includes specific diversity, equity, and inclusion ambitions and targets, which IHG will work to achieve over the next decade, supported by its people, programmes and policies. Read more about diversity, equity & inclusion at IHG here. About IHG IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good. With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally. Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG Rewards. For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Tieran Bhuhi +44 (0) 7976 178 485 IHG U.S. trade officials were in Houston on Wednesday as part of an initiative to bolster exports for area businesses, particularly small businesses and those owned by minorities that have historically struggled to compete on the global scale. Such businesses, trade officials said, will be integral to the broader U.S. economy, which took a severe hit during the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing supply chain issues and inflation. But hurdles lie ahead, trade officials said. Though the pandemic spurred a wave of new businesses many of them online some business owners have been intimidated from expanding internationally because of language barriers and fears that they could be scammed or cheated when dealing with far-off vendors and customers, said Arun Venkataraman, assistant secretary of Commerce for global markets and director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. Others want to increase exports, but said it has been difficult to find capital. The Wednesday event gave local business owners the opportunity to meet with officials from local banks and various chambers of commerce, as well as learn about resources offered through the International Trade Administration. Among them: The ITAs risk management and insurance programs, which businesses can use to resolve nonpayment from foreign businesses, protect intellectual property and increase cash flow all backed by the U.S. government. Nisha Tashaye, CEO of Royalty Reigns Inc., a Houston clothing company that focuses on sustainability, said it has been difficult to make forays into the global market because of language barriers and difficulty finding capital. She said she hopes she found the answer to those problems on Wednesday, via the International Trade Administrations Gold Key service that connects U.S. companies with up to five interested partners in foreign markets. The trade event comes as business leaders both nationally and in Houston aim to increase exports from the region, which is still dealing with the impact of the pandemic and supply chain hiccups. Houston, which accounts for more than 40 percent of the states exports, was hit particularly hard by the slowdown in global trade. But regional trade has since bounced back, topping $140 billion last year and eclipsing the then-record $129 billion set in 2019, according to a May report from the Greater Houston Partnership. Trade officials said Wednesday they were confident that the region would continue that trend, and framed the pandemic as a potential boon because it forced many businesses to reassess their presence on online marketplaces that can increase exports and overall e-commerce. Venkataraman, a Houston native, said small businesses have been and will remain crucial to that broader recovery. Small businesses are the ones that are rebounding and hiring back much faster than large businesses, he told the Chronicle. They are the ones where those jobs have been brought back. robert.downen@chron.com Researchers at the University of Houston have developed a first of its kind technology that can repair and regenerate heart cells after a heart attack. The technology, if developed into a treatment, could mean an alternative to costly and often inaccessible heart transplants when treating patients with heart failure. UH scientists have been working to develop the technology since 2019. Heart attacks and disease destroy heart cells as blood and oxygen is cut off, leaving survivors with weakened hearts that can limit activities, make them dependent on drugs and medical devices, and deteriorate their quality of life. In the worst case, they suffer heart failure. Patients with heart failure have their life supported on a left-ventricle assist device (LVAD) while waiting for a heart transplant, said Robert Schwartz, a professor of biology and biochemistry at the University of Houston. Our approach is to use the cells that are in the heart and tweak them to replicate. The technology uses synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA) which acts as a blueprint to generate new heart muscle cells to replace dead cells, similar to the biotechnology used in mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston could be a biotech hub, but its missing a key ingredient Less than 1 percent of adult cardiac cells are able to regenerate after birth, meaning heart muscles are often irreparably damaged after heart attacks or heart disease. The damage makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood. Treatments today are limited to prescription drugs, which can improve cardiac function, but dont repair the damage to the heart, and heart transplants. The UH scientists studied mRNA as a way to regenerate heart cells for about three years before conducting a study in live mice with damaged hearts in 2022. In a paper published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Aging, the researchers reported that the mices heart muscle cells replicated at least 15 times within the first 24-hours of mRNA injections. Over the next month, the hearts were returned to nearly normal function with little scarring present. No one has been able to do this to this extent, said Schwartz, a co-author of the paper. We think it could become a possible treatment for humans. The treatment still has a long way to go before it would become available to patients. It faces a long regulatory process that includes large mammal trials, human trials and reviews by the Food and Drug Administration before it can win approval. The UH researchers envision their technology as a one-time mRNA injection during the standard heart treatment catheterization process, where a thin, flexible tube is inserted into the heart to obtain initial diagnostic information. On HoustonChronicle.com: MD Anderson launches joint venture with biopharma manufacturer, creating a potential launching pad for Houstons biotech ambitions Eventually, this might be a way to treat humans post-heart attack. On the way to the emergency room, a heart attack patient would undergo catheterization, said Robert Schwartz, a co-author of the study and professor at the University of Houston. That may be a perfect time to use catheters to inject the RNA around the dead cells. Schwartz also is a co-founder of Animatus Biosciences, a Houston biotechnology company that raised around $800,000 in early investment capital to fund initial research. The company is seeking another $5 millon to $8 million in venture capital funding to commercialize the technology. The research team hopes to partner with a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company to fund further clinical trials. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, estimated to be the cause of 1 in 4 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If the treatment is able to progress past clinical trials and win regulatory approval, Schwartz believes it would eliminate a major health issue. This piece originally appeared in the Tomlinson's Take newsletter. Sign up and get exclusive takes on money, politics and life in Texas from Chris Tomlinson delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning. Ill admit this up front: My grandparents lived in rural East Texas, and when my parents banished my sister and me to the hinterlands for the summer, the local kids ridiculed us as city slickers. People who live in rural areas often brag about their self-sufficiency, describing how their water comes from a well or touting their skills with tools. But in truth, rural Texans rely on metropolitans who provide subsidies. For example, country folk could not afford their cellphones if it werent for a big hike in fees that city slickers started paying this month. My colleague Erica Grieder explained this week how the Public Utilities Commission was forced to raise fees on everyones mobile phone bills to finance rural network operators. Without supplemental revenue from the Universal Service Fund, executives say theres no way a company like BBT could afford to serve 7,000 customers scattered across 18,000 square miles of rugged terrain. So Texas' conservative government is making us pay a dollar or two every month to ensure folks get service during the Bloys Campmeeting in Skillman Grove. Thats not the only way we help out rural areas. State tax dollars finance roads in sparsely populated areas and all kinds of money goes to rural hospitals. Truth be told, cities subsidize and support rural areas in dozens of ways. For the most part, Texas is better for it. Urban dwellers have helped out our country cousins since House Speaker Sam Rayburn, one of Texass greatest politicians, sponsored the Rural Electrification Act. These days, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is rolling out a similar program to bring broadband internet access to rural areas. SIGN UP: Get exclusive takes on money, politics and life in Texas in the Tomlinson's Take newsletter Generally, I support the state building infrastructure for the public good. How else will I watch TikTok videos while my wife drives us across the Llano Estacado? I draw the line, though, at creating what economists call moral hazard, such as living along the coast in a structure that will blow away in a hurricane. Our state leaders do exactly that through a parastatal called the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. TWIA provides insurance to home and business owners whom commercial insurers wont touch. Policyholders are supposed to pay premiums that reflect their risk, but thanks to politicians like State Rep. Todd Hunter from Corpus Christi, they dont. Actuaries recently determined that TWIA rates are inadequate by 15 percent for residential and 11 percent for commercial coverage. Nevertheless, the TWIA board is not recommending an increase in premiums. Ive complained in the past about making it cheaper for retirees to live on the beach, and the blowback was intense. The last person rural folks want to hear from about their government bennies is a city slicker. A few days after he closed his restaurant for good, Kyle Pierson said he was standing in the front of his living room. Surrounding him were bourbon bottles, TV remotes and personnel files. "It's a bit of a whirlwind," Pierson said. "Theres a lot to do to close down a business even if its not your decision." The Branch, a brewpub on Long Point Road, ended its run after five years - or to be precise, 1,904 days. Sunday was the restaurant's final day of operations. According to Pierson, it was a matter of simple economics. They needed X number of customers but could only bring Y. "We needed a certain amount of money to pay of our employees and taxes and I only made half. I made the decision to pay my employees, and I had no money to take care of the government stuff, and that was that." Those five years brought plenty of obstacles: Hurricane Harvey, a tornado that blew open one wall, the pandemic, the great resignation and finally the economic downturn. Pierson expressed pride at being able to navigate it all, but the typical summer slowdown that affects most restaurants proved insurmountable. Also insurmountable was Pierson's Crohn's Disease. "Ive been hospitalized three times over the past year, and one of the things that inflames it is stress," he said. "My healthcare is a full-time gig. That was part of the decision. If in five years, I couldnt generate enough business so that I could step away from the company, it wasnt going to happen in year 6." Pierson was previously the head bartender at Hay Merchant, the popular Montrose beer bar that closed last year. Houston Food Finder reported Pierson's previous boss, Kevin Floyd, had opened a place close by Shoot the Moon. That one closed in April. If it seems Spring Branch might not want what Pierson and others are selling, that theory isn't lost on him, either. The neighborhood is still transitioning, and Pierson said some "Memorial-ites" viewed Long Point Road as a scary place. "One of the weird things about The Branch is we were infinitely more popular online than in real life," he said. "If only 10 percent of the people who liked our posts would come in, we wouldnt be having this conversation right now. We were never able to translate asses to seats." MORE FROM JOHN-HENRY PERERA: 8 restaurant trends we wish would go away in 2023 At the moment, Pierson and his staff have begun divesting themselves of some of the restaurant's equipment and other items. They had just recently donated their food stuffs to the Spring Branch American Legion Post 654. Soon enough, Pierson will sit down with an attorney to discuss next steps and declare corporate and personal bankruptcy. His staff recently got together to set up a GoFundMe for Pierson to help him out with his legal and medical expenses, "Im surprisingly upbeat about everything," he said. "It was a dream come true for me. It just ended up being a 'careful of what you wish for' kind of thing. Its pretty cool to look back at what we did." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Gulf Coast has a long tradition of creatively naming dishes when it comes to using the term barbecue, especially when it comes to seafood. If we are sticklers for nomenclature (and Texans definitely are), barbecue is defined as cooking and flavoring meat with heat and smoke, using an appliance (smoker) in which the fire is on the side (offset) of the cooking chamber. To be sure, other countries and cultures are not so exacting when it comes to this term. Barbecues around the world think Australia refer to direct-heat cooking, where the meat is placed directly above the heat source. Even in the U.S., a backyard barbecue traditionally refers to cooking meat on a kettle-style grill over direct heat. As Texans, we have all visited family in other parts of the country where they host a barbecue that is technically grilling meat over direct heat. Depending on the status of our relationship with these family members, we may launch into a soliloquy of the crucial difference between grilling and barbecuing. Though it may result in the weary eye-rolls of family members, we as Texans have an obligation to educate the rest of the country about the correct usage of one of the most honored words in the Lone Star State lexicon. Not so fast, my fellow Texans. We, too, are guilty of incorrectly applying the term barbecue to other dishes. Gatlins Fins & Feathers 302 W Crosstimbers, 346-800-4668 Open 4-9 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sun. Reservations recommended. See More Collapse The most famous example is BBQ crabs. This is a dish native to southeast Texas and features whole blue crabs dredged in a spicy seasoning and then deep fried. Invented at the legendary Grangers restaurant in Sabine Pass in the 1940s, it is still a standard menu item in places like Beaumont and Port Arthur. However, the only tenuous connection to barbecue is the flavor profile that includes lots of salt, paprika and cayenne pepper all ingredients you can find in a brisket dry rub or barbecue sauce. Another seafood dish adopting the barbecue nomenclature is BBQ shrimp. Though originating in New Orleans, you can find it on menus in southeast Texas. Again, there is no connection here to the technical definition of barbecue. Sure, we see grilled shrimp on plenty of menus in Houston, but that is not the same as the Creole-flavored BBQ shrimp from our Louisiana cousins. BBQ shrimp is all about the sauce, which may explain the name. Made famous and still featured on the menu at Mr. Bs Bistro in New Orleans, the dish features unpeeled, head-and-tail-on shrimp sauteed in a spicy, savory liquid redolent of butter, garlic and Worcestershire sauce. It is, indeed, reminiscent of a vinegar-based barbecue sauce. Strips of toasted French bread are provided for sopping up any remaining sauce. In Houston, the newly-opened Gatlins Fins & Feathers restaurant (from the same family as Gatlins BBQ) makes an excellent southeast Texas-inspired version. Chef Michelle Wallace previously worked with chef Mark Holley at the seafood-focused Pesce restaurant in River Oaks (now closed), where BBQ shrimp was on the menu. Her sauce features big-and-small bits of fresh garlic marinating in all the traditional ingredients of the dish, with an extra dash of lemon juice to add some bright acidity to the richness of the butter and the super-savory Worcestershire sauce. Instead of traditional whole shrimp, she uses tail-on, peeled and de-veined Gulf shrimp. Though purists may insist that head-on and unpeeled shrimp must be used, Im a big fan of the more user-friendly, already-peeled shrimp. In addition to the shrimp, long strips of crispy, pillowy garlic toast are included to soak up the last of the dont-call-it-barbecue sauce. jcreid@jcreidtx.com twitter.com/jcreidtx California lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne has opened a new store in the River Oaks District, where shoppers can find indulgent Oak Essentials skin care products, California-cool home goods and the kind of comfy clothes that make you never want to get off the sofa. Jenni Kayne founded her namesake brand in California nearly 20 years ago and has since opened stores around the country, selling stylish staples for both wardrobe and home. Houstons store opened earlier this month, and other recent openings included Atlanta, Bethesda, Md., and Montecito, Calif. SHEIN, the women's clothing retailer popular among Instagram and Tiktok influencers, is making its Houston debut with a three-day #SHEINTexas Pop-Up store this weekend, but to find it you'll need to travel to the heart of the Clear Lake area. "Houston has been a city we've been looking forward to doing a pop-up in for a while now," said Maxine Silva, senior director of SHEIN Brand PR. "We have a large online customer base, so we want to make sure we show them as much as they've shown us." Aggression toward teachers and school districts is taking a toll on educators, Lamar CISD Superintendent Roosevelt Nivens said, adding that many are choosing to leave the profession instead of having to deal with the bullying. Society is very unforgiving," Nivens said at a recent Katy Area Chamber of Commerce meeting. "I'm talking to teachers, and they are just tired. People have become comfortable being mean and nasty." The superintendent said the rhetoric from some adults and portions of society is partially to blame for the severe teacher shortage that many districts are facing, including his. The meeting on Wednesday was organized by Raise Your Hand Texas, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting public schools. Nivens and two other superintendents from local schools presented their districts plans, but he focused on the bullying. Standing in front of a projector screen with those messages that he said lambaste educators and the school system, he shared some of the email he's received or social media posts he's seen. KATY INSIDER: Stay updated on important stories and news to know around Katy "I'm a concerned citizen on what these kids are being taught," one email read. "Can you tell me what is taught in school because people are being brainwashed." Nivens noted the emails shared Wednesday were among the more tame he's received. Teachers vs. parents Robert Long, advocacy director for Raise Your Hand Texas, and Nicole Hill, communications director for teachers union Texas AFT, said their organizations have recently seen an increase in bullying against teachers. "Legislative issues and social issues have a lot of people upset," Long said, "and people are turning on the teachers because of it." Both Long and Hill said they believe teachers are being scapegoated over political issues like banned books, LGBTQ+ students and racial inequality. "A large part of the hatred towards teachers is the politicization of their classrooms over the past couple of years in Texas," Hill said. "We've seen that in this very politically-motivated surge of book banning, and people combing through library lists. Politicians, not parents, have made it seem like this is a teacher vs. parent issue." A recent Chronicle analysis found that the wave of book reviews and removals that swept across Texas in the last year was driven more by politicians than parents. CHRONICLE DATABASE: See every book Texas schools banned and challenged in our interactive database Long also noted that the frustration by parents is misguided, since the curriculum is determined by the state, not teachers or school districts. "This idea that teachers are indoctrinating their students is completely off-base," Long said. "No teacher wakes up and says, 'How can I ruin a kid's life today?' These men and women are devoted to educating successful children who are prepared for the future. They don't have political agendas." That rhetoric from adults is filtering down to the students, Nivens said, making it harder for teachers to do their jobs effectively. "We teach our young people that you go on social media, you drop F-bombs, and you say how terrible everything is, and you tell people how bad they are so you can bully them to do it the way you want them to," Nivens said. "We've raised up a generation that believes this is the right kind of behavior." Less money, more problems Teacher pay is also too low, Nivens says, which is compounding this issue. In Texas, teachers earn $7,000 less than the national average. "You have Amazon down the street, who says, 'I will pay you just as much to work from home,'" Nivens added. The average teacher salary in Texas is $53,622. Nivens believes the combination of paltry pay and bullying has caused a mass exodus from the field. "I've had teachers in my office, and I said, 'Listen, if you leave in the middle of the year, your certificate will be flagged, and you won't be able to teach.' And their response to me is, 'I don't care. I'm not using it anymore. I'm done.'" TEACHER PAY: How starting teacher salaries stack up in Houston-area districts after a summer of pay raises The bullying is pushing teachers to a breaking point, Hill agreed. "Would you want to show up to work every day and feel like you are under attack and that every move you make being monitored and judged?" Hill said. "Teacher workloads have increased, they're under constant scrutiny and their salaries haven't gone up. It's not rocket science why they wouldn't stay." Shari Camhi, president of the national School Superintendent's Association, said she believes that superintendents should speak out against the bullying of teachers. Superintendents have a responsibility to address their local communities to the benefit of teachers, she said. "As the district leader, you set the tone for the community," Camhi said. "It's the job of superintendents to support one another, meaning a district's administration, staff, faculty, students, parents and community," added James Minichello, communications director for the School Superintendent's Association. With external forces driving down morale, Nivens has called on his teachers to form support groups inside the schools. "I tell my staff, 'You're going find somebody every single day, and you're going to speak life into them. Because if you pay attention to (negative comments), and this is what you hear again and again, it will kill your spirit.'" He also called upon the public to support teachers and school districts and to encourage children to do the same. Failure to do so, he says, will render teachers unable to teach effectively and create an uneducated generation of children. "We need you to be a part of Serotonin Squad," he concluded, "so we can make sure every student has an opportunity to be successful." ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) Members of New Mexico's Muslim community pushed Thursday for the Afghan refugee suspected of killing four Muslim men to remain behind bars pending trial citing previous accusations of domestic violence and video surveillance that appeared to show him slashing the tires of a vehicle parked outside the local mosque. The video from early 2020 had prompted leaders of the Islamic Center of New Mexico at the time to admonish Muhammad Syed and tell him not to return to the mosque. The woman whose tires were slashed never went to the police and charges were never filed, said Ahmad Assed, the Islamic center's president. But nearly two years later, her brother-in-law became one of the victims. Muhammad Zahir Ahmadi was fatally shot last November behind the market he owned with his brother. Police have named Syed, 51, as the primary suspect in Ahmadi's death and in the fatal shooting of another man in early August. Authorities already have charged him with two counts of murder in the deaths of two other Muslim men in recent weeks. Syed was arrested late Monday more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) from his Albuquerque home. He told authorities he was on his way to Texas, citing the ambush-style killings as his concern. Albuquerque police on Thursday released two brief videos showing part of Syeds arrest. The footage from body-worn cameras includes an 18-second clip of Syed face-down on the ground as officers tell him to put his hands behind his back. He appears to tell them he does not speak English as they put him in handcuffs. In the other clip, he is shown walking from the back of a police cruiser into the department's headquarters. He wore a striped long-sleeved shirt, dark pants and sandals. Syed is scheduled to appear in court Monday, when a state judge will consider a motion by prosecutors seeking to detain Syed without bond pending trial. Prosecutors have argued that Syed is dangerous and that no conditions of release will ensure the community's safety. Syed denied any connection to the crimes that shook the city and its small Muslim community after he was arrested during a traffic stop, saying he was heading to Houston to find a new home for his family over fear about the killings. His public defenders declined comment on the case Thursday except to say that they were reviewing evidence and preparing for Monday's hearing. Given the level of media attention, we need to be very careful to not let this case be tried in the public forum and not a court of law, said Tom Clark, one of Syed's state appointed attorneys. Assed and other members of the city's Muslim community said they were working with law enforcement to try to keep Syed in custody. Despite police saying personal conflicts might be part of the motive for the killings, Assed said in an interview that Muslims are struggling to understand why the men who were killed were targeted and that the killings raised questions and concerns about whether more attacks had been planned. Its certainly our concern for this community as we move forward and its a concern because not knowing more about the motive, we are at a disadvantage in understanding whether that was what was planned, that was it, or whether more victims were on the radar, Assed said. The first killing in November was followed by three between July 26 and Aug. 5. According to a criminal complaint, police determined that bullet casings found in Syeds vehicle matched the caliber of the weapons believed to have been used in two of the killings and that casings found at the crime scenes were linked to guns found at Syeds home and in his vehicle. Police said they received more than 200 tips and one from the Muslim community that led them to the Syed family. Syed knew the victims, authorities have said. Syed has lived in the United States for about five years. When interviewed by detectives, Syed said he had fought against the Taliban, according to a criminal complaint filed in court Tuesday. He lived in an apartment in Albuquerque with family members who told reporters that he was a truck driver but hadn't worked for a company in a long time. Court documents show the domestic violence allegations Syed was accused of involved separate altercations with his wife, a son and his future son-in-law. The cases were dismissed because the victims declined to press charges. Police have arrested two men in the June death of another at a Greenspoint apartment complex, police said. Quantavious Duncan, 22, and Jkhory Hall, 24, are charged with murder in the death of Zytarian Franklin, 23, who was shot to death June 14 at 400 Greens Road. Hall is also charged with assault of a peace officer and disarming a police officer. Court records show Hall is accused of biting an officer and trying to grab the firearm off of another. Both men were arrested this month. A third suspect, Anthony Bevel, 18, has not been apprehended. CRIME IN GREENSPOINT: 5-year-old fatally shot and 8-year-old injured in a drive-by Greenspoint shooting. Authorities have charged Bevel with murder in the case. At the time of the killing, he was wanted on bond forfeiture for a prior aggravated assault with deadly weapon charge, for which he was ordered held on a $40,000 surety bond, records show. The bondsman in Bevel's case, Wisam Muharib, wrote that he "cut off his (ankle) monitor" and that attempts to reach him on the phone were unsuccessful. The premium fee paid on Bevel's prior charge was $2,200 about 5 percent, according to an affidavit of surety to surrender principal document. The lower fee was made before the Harris County Bail Bond Board required in April that bail bondsmen accept a minimum 10 percent premium. The warrant for Bevel's arrest was issued June 8, about a week before the killing he is now charged in connection with. After Hall and Duncan's arrests, a judge ordered that the two be kept separate from each other in the Harris County Jail, records show. Duncan has threatened to kill Hall and another inmate "if they speak to law enforcement about this offense," prosecutors wrote in court documents. nicole.hensley@chron.com For the second year in a row, Houston ISD plans to use administrative employees who hold teaching certifications to help fill any vacancies that remain when classes resume in less than two weeks, district officials said Wednesday. HISD Chief Talent Officer Jeremy Grant-Skinner said principals are expected to send certified staff typically performing other duties to classrooms with teacher vacancies. The district expects to start the school year with at least 95 percent of the roles filled, he said. The district, which raised teacher salaries to be among the highest in the region, also will use long-term substitute teachers who hold certification to work as dedicated fill-ins at the beginning of the year. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston districts trying to fill thousands of teacher vacancies just 2 weeks before school starts HISD, with its first day of school scheduled for Aug. 22, had 779 openings for certified teachers listed on its career portal Wednesday afternoon. Unlike last year, central administration staffers will not be deployed to fill the gaps, although Superintendent Millard House II said the district will take volunteers from central administration. After all of these things, in any year, in any district, schools open with some number of teacher vacancies and we know on the 22nd that well have some vacancies, Grant-Skinner said. Meanwhile, well continue hiring. Were taking a long-term approach to staffing our classes with excellent teachers and our efforts will not stop when school begins. Additionally, the district is offering $2,000 signing incentives through August, hosting job fairs and paying stipends to teachers filling critical roles in high-need areas, such as math, science, special education, bilingual education, as well as counselors, nurses and transportation staff. Grant-Skinner said the district also will welcome nearly 100 international candidates who hold certifications in their home countries to teach some of those high-need subjects. The district also will offer alternative certification program for teachers for free. On HoustonChronicle.com: HISD board unanimously passes teacher raises in approving roughly $2.2 billion budget Everyone wants a certified teacher in front of their child or in front of a classroom on the first day of school, House said. Well continue to work. The data is changing every day as we continue to process hiring individuals. The 779 openings represent roughly 7 percent of the 11,000 teaching positions budgeted for the year. Other districts are struggling as well. Across the region, schools needed to fill more than 3,400 teaching roles as of last week. Area schools began reopening this week. It was not clear whether the Texas Education Agency had offered districts any guidance. Spokespersons for the agency did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. TEA officials last week said factors contributing to the statewide educator shortage appeared to be difficulty retaining teachers, as the state is producing an increasing number of teachers but not enough to keep up with those leaving the profession or districts adding positions to be filled. On HoustonChronicle.com: More Texas teachers on verge of quitting than at any time in the last 40 years, survey finds Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, the states third-largest school district, had 482 vacancies out of 7,670 teaching positions, a spokesperson said Wednesday. Meanwhile, Pearland ISD had 29 teaching vacancies. Both districts said they would rely on substitute teachers until enough certified educators are hired. "Most of our ability to address shortages is with long-term substitutes who are seeking teacher certifications, Pearland ISD Director of Communications Cissa Madero said. At this time, we have not combined classes, raised ratios or placed other personnel into classrooms for coverage." Pearland opens its doors next Wednesday. Cy-Fair ISD spokeswoman Leslie Francis said that district, which begins classes Aug. 22, has more than 1,350 substitute teachers who have committed to filling vacancies this fall. "CFISD will continue to actively recruit teachers through job fairs, partnerships with universities, and a variety of advertising, she said. Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers, HISDs largest teachers union, said the staffing situation is concerning. I know that HISD has done a lot to increase teacher pay. However, its like how we have always said it is not just about pay, Anderson said. We have got to figure out a way to make teaching the way it was used to be, where there was joy. We have to find a way to improve the culture, support teachers. A Texas State Teachers Association survey released earlier this week found 70 percent of teachers in the state seriously were considering quitting this year, the highest number in four decades. Teachers attributed those feelings to pandemic-related stress, political pressure from state lawmakers, less support from parents and stretched finances. alejandro.serrano@chron.com Members of Texas A&Ms faculty this week furthered claims that the university president has failed to properly consult direct stakeholders as she makes sweeping changes to the university. The A&M Faculty Senate on Monday put its stamp on a conflict that has festered all year between the administration and its constituents, passing a resolution that calls on President M. Katherine Banks to engage with faculty earlier in her decision-making process. They said her actions have worked against the widely accepted concept of shared governance, which holds that the best and most lasting transformations in higher education come with collective buy-in from faculty. Its important to involve faculty early on, and then to listen to their concerns, Faculty Senate Speaker Dale Rice said. And if you disagree with the concerns, to tell us very explicitly why you are rejecting our recommendations or are not adhering to the concerns that weve raised. We felt that now was the time to make a serious statement in the hopes that we could hit a reset button and begin working more closely with President Banks in meaningful shared governance, Rice said. Faculty woes: Some Texas A&M librarians lose tenure status in academic reorganization Banks has faced several accusations of top-down decision-making since taking her office in March 2021, especially from scholars who said they remained powerless when sudden directives came down on their student-run organizations or programs. The faculty senates vote expands on those concerns and revolves around the academic restructuring of the College Station campus and its international outpost in Qatar. President Banks apparent lack of commitment to meaningful shared governance is promulgating a mistrust of future administrative decisions, the resolution states. The College Station campus restructuring stems from a wide-reaching analysis of A&Ms organizational efficiencies, dubbed the MGT Report for a consulting group behind the study. Following a period of online input, Banks accepted 41 recommendations from the report and created working groups for each - including faculty and students among their members. Still, some contend they were either not given enough time and space for participation. If they were, they said, their concerns went unaddressed. The faculty senate passed the resolution by an 80 percent vote at a regular meeting. Its disappointing that this resolution doesnt recognize the extensive faculty input that has been listened to on every major issue and change that has occurred in the last year, N.K. Anand, vice president of faculty affairs, said in a statement. There have been multiple opportunities for faculty opinion to influence decisions. There simply is not a single example given of when both the spirit and the letter of the policy was not followed. Student journalism: Texas A&M students to weigh in on newspapers future as some raise censorship concerns John N. Stallone, the most immediate past speaker of the Faculty Senate, said that many of the changes are happening too quickly. You cant steer the university on a dime, he said. One of the main recommendations the university accepted from the MGT Report is the merging of three colleges - liberal arts, science and geosciences - into one, new College of Arts and Science. Among other changes, the university is reorganizing the provosts office over concerns that it might impact facultys freedom to teach on topics they choose. And University Libraries will no longer serve as a tenure home for faculty, leading some tenured and tenure-track faculty to move to other departments and some to lose tenure altogether. Another controversial decision came when the university in February gave editors of The Battalion, the student newspaper, an ultimatum to stop printing immediately. The directive raised censorship concerns, and after news of killing The Battalions print edition went viral, A&M walked back its ultimatum and formed a working group to help decide the publications future. Other decisions are not directly linked to the MGT report, or remain outside it entirely. The university last year pulled official sponsorship and funding from an on-campus drag show, called Draggieland, leading some students and faculty to worry about conservative backers influence on administrative decisions. A new organization formed and raised money to host the show in April. And in a July 14 memo, Banks said she planned on making three changes to the Qatar campus in the Middle East, which offers engineering degrees. Those changes affect research and faculty employment terms -- including that faculty in departments outside engineering can no longer conduct research; that engineering faculty will now be placed on fixed-term contracts instead of rolling contracts; and that other faculty will be on annual contracts. Anand said that the facts show that Banks had extensive conversations with a list of stakeholders. Rice acknowledged that A&M administrators did seek faculty concerns in the case of Qatar but most of those concerns went unaddressed in the July memo, he said. We view that as not meaningful shared governance, Rice said. samantha.ketterer@houstonchronicle.com At Coppertree Village Apartments in Acres Homes, a HUD-subsidized property, many tenants living with mold, plumbing and electricity issues and broken appliances say they have no choice but to stay and fight for better conditions. The subsidies that keep rents affordable are tied to the complex. Rising costs of living have brought attention to the need for affordable housing. But the Department of Housing and Urban Development solution of project-based vouchers has many families feeling trapped in unhealthy living conditions. Now, after a failed appeals to HUD, which chose not to give residents a different type of rental subsidy that would allow them to affordably move elsewhere, and the city, which sent out inspectors who found code violations but has not managed to address all of residents concerns, tenants and Texas Housers are calling on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to take action. COPPERTREE VILLAGE: Code violations found at low-income apartment complex in Acres Homes thats being sued by tenants TDHCA oversees the states Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which are used by developers to repair and operate low-income housing. The agency has the ability both to determine whether Coppertree Village Apartments should receive further tax credits and to force the complex to keep units maintained because of an agreement that was signed when the state previously gave the property $2.3 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits. It has already fined Coppertree at least three times, once in 2019 for failing to address serious property condition violations dating back to 2017 and twice in 2020 for violations the year before. The three fines totaled $27,000. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Weve contacted and stood before the TDHCA board and requested an expedited inspection, said Ericka Bowman, an organizer with the tenant advocacy group Texas Housers. Our hopes are that they will end any and all (tax credit) contracts with this owner after seeing the horrible conditions. Texas Housers also called for TDHCA to use its enforcement powers to make sure units were habitable. Fairstead Management, which said through a spokesperson that it had taken over ownership of Coppertree Village in October of 2021, was not at the helm of the property for TDHCAs previous fines. Since taking over the property, it has invested $1.25 million in maintenance needs and capital improvements, renovated at least 50 apartments, made repairs related to unaddressed fire damage and added additional security. Our full vision for Coppertree is a $25 million major renovation project, which would include improvement to every apartment, every building, and throughout the entire site, the spokesperson said in an email. Low Income Housing Tax Credits are essential to financing this comprehensive and high-quality rehabilitation. Tilia Stewart, who has lived in Coppertree for seven years, says she has seen little change in the past year. On Tuesday, a repairman fixed her air conditioning, which she said had not functioned for the four years prior. LIVING HELL: A failure of government oversight produced a housing system across the U.S. that hurts the people who need it the most. But in her kitchen, three of the four burners on her stove were still inoperable. Her dishwasher remained broken and kitchen faucet did not run instead, shes been forced to wash her dishes in her bathtub for a year and a half. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer And the majority of her light fixtures and many of her outlets did not work. Extension chords ran from the outlets that did work to lamps and clamp lights to provide illumination throughout the apartment. Stewart did not let her children into one side of the apartment where water sometimes poured out of the vents for fear that the floor would flood and the water would become electrified. Stewart said that when TDHCA recently inspected Coppertree, they did not stop by her unit. But when she did finally get someone from management to come by to see the condition of her apartment, she said she had been blamed. How am I disrupting the power (and water) on the inside of the walls? she asked. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Wednesday morning, her two youngest, both elementary school students, were looking forward to the start of the school year. One played with a pet chameleon. Behind the terrarium hung a student certificate recognizing his sisters achievements in mathematics. Their 10-year-old sister was staying with their grandmother an hour away, because conditions in the apartment were affecting her health. INVESTIGATIONS: How to fix the US public housing problem? Ask the tenants. A 2018 tenant suit to force HUD to grant tenants vouchers to move elsewhere, alleging that HUD had failed to maintain the dwelling unit in decent, safe and sanitary condition, came to an end in May when a Fifth Circuit judge upheld a lower court decision not to hear the case. Stewart said that if she had gotten such a voucher, she would immediately make preparations to move. Just look for a better spot for me and my kids. rebecca.schuetz@chron.com; twitter.com/raschuetz This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UVALDE The Uvalde City Council got through routine city business and authorized a committee to work toward a monument to the 21 victims of the May 24 massacre at Robb Elementary School but only after a line of speakers stood in line to vent. Thats been the norm for weeks shouting matches, warnings and threats but on Tuesday the speakers included a fair number from out of town, including a New Yorker convicted of a misdemeanor charge in the Jan. 6, 2021, ransacking of the U.S. Capitol. Jack Miller, a self-described investigative journalist and civil rights activist from the San Antonio area, made a podium-pounding demand that all Uvalde police officers who were at Robb Elementary on the day of the shooting be fired. Miller, whose business card says, I expose bad cops, predicted that police who were on the scene that day would fail to act again. They were trained to run in and stop the shooter, and they didnt, Miller said. Im not anti-cop, Im just telling you thats the facts, right? They didnt, so what do you do? You disband. You get rid of every single one that was there, that did not run in there when that guy was shooting. On HoustonChronicle.com: How the tragedy at Uvalde unfolded Is it going to cost you money? Absolutely! And I dont think theres one citizen in here that will not sign that check. Let them sue! Let them sue! Some in the crowd applauded. A few cried out, Yeah! as he continued to speak. Held in the small confines of the council chamber, meetings have required an overflow room and Tuesdays was perhaps the most heated since the shooting. Many of those who spoke were regulars locals who made the same points at the school board meeting the night before. But a handful were argumentative men toting video cameras, interrupting other speakers at times and getting repeatedly warned by Mayor Don McLaughlin Jr. to be quiet. The mayor banged his gavel in anger at one point. One of the men was escorted out. Miller, 50, of Kirby warned council members who defied him that they would face a recall election. If you guys dont get rid of your police department nothing against you, I commend you for everything youre doing for these residents and children but Im going to teach your residents how to recall you, he said. Youve got a smirk, Miller then told Councilman Earnest Chip King. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer I already know who you are and I know why youve got a smirk, and thats OK, Miller continued. Call Leon Valley and ask them what happened the last time I told a city that I was going to have you recalled. We had two council people recalled, police chief fired True story. Sir, Im going to tell you right now, you want to start a recall on me, start the damned thing, McLaughlin said at the council session. That sounds good, Miller replied. The one thing that Im tired of, people like you come from outside I dont care what youre tired of, Miller shouted. King later said he didnt remember smirking. I typically dont smirk. That is not my MO, to smirk at people, he said. Sitting in the audience was Daniel Warmus of Alden, N.Y. He was 38 when he pleaded guilty May 23 in federal court for unlawful parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, during which he observed rioters using Mace on police, the Buffalo News reported. Warmus told the council that he drove from western New York to address the session. So what I want is accountability for these officers who put all the other officers in danger, he said. You guys want to talk about officer safety, we ought to talk about heroism because officer safety is nothing more than cowardism, all right? Warmus identified himself on the councils sign-in sheet as Dan, Erie County, but gave his full name to a San Antonio Express-News photographer. Unlike most recent council meetings, few in the audience mentioned the now-suspended Uvalde school police chief, Pedro Pete Arredondo, who was forced off the council last month. His critics have said he failed kids at Robb Elementary and their parents, who continue to grieve. The Uvalde school district superintendent has recommended the school board fire him but has twice canceled a hearing to determine his fate. On HoustonChronicle.com: Remembering the Uvalde victims Despite the apparent support of the out-of-town activists, some of the locals didnt fully embrace their message or methods. One woman said McLaughlin is the only person who listens to us. I know yall dont know that because youre not from here We have to live it, we have to live it, we have to live it. Were here every day. As she talked, one of the men sitting nearby constantly interrupted her. We have to send out kids back to school, she continued. I wake up he retorted, but was drowned out by the woman before telling her, I love you. Beyond the memorial to the 19 children and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary, the councils regular meeting Tuesday was preoccupied with the mundane business of running a city, with the biggest item a resolution setting a hearing for a proposed property tax rate on which the budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year is based. The council also reviewed a request from the school district and Gabriel Salazar, principal of Flores Elementary School, to change the direction of traffic on Schwartz Street. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer One longtime Uvalde resident who has strenuously advocated for families and friends of the school victims, Jesse Rizo, 51, said most of the locals at the meeting were put off by the out-of-towners. We welcome the support, but were uncomfortable with the tactic, he said, describing it as confrontational and borderline disrespectful to the families. Thats the feedback. Theyve lived it already. Theyve screamed and yelled, Rizo said. McLaughlin dismissed the visitors as combative and disconnected from Uvaldes citizenry. In my opinion they claimed that theyre here to take care of our citizens and our community folks, he said after the meeting. One of them was sitting right by one of the family groups that lost a family member and wanted to argue with her and so forth. They have an agenda of their own, and I dont believe its to take care of these families. sigc@express-news.net It used to be that Becky Calzada, the district library coordinator at Leander ISD, would receive a call from a parent concerned about a book their child was reading or curious about a specific title. Sometimes that meant explaining to the parent how to formally challenge the book or more often adding a note to the childs file about the parents desires. The good old days of 2019. CHRONICLE INVESTIGATION: Most efforts to ban books in Texas schools came from 1 politician and GOP pressure, not parents Right now, theres a concerted effort to restrict certain topics, restrict certain lived experiences, Calzada said. And that is a problem because were an educational institution. Public schools across Texas and the country have been under fire the last two years from conservative politicians, activists and parents, accused of teaching critical race theory that divides communities and indoctrinating students with anti-American ideologies. Footage of heated school board meetings in which parents demand more say in their childrens education and publicly challenge books dealing with race and LGTBQ+ subjects and characters circulate on social media. Librarians have borne the brunt of those battles at a time when their numbers continue to dwindle. The number of librarians in Texas schools has decreased by about 361 full-time employees over the last decade while the number of children enrolled in public schools has increased by almost half a million. The decrease mirroring a nationwide trend, according to research and federal statistics that show Texas fares better than other states in raw numbers concerns education and literacy advocates who say school librarians perform crucial roles by supplementing classroom curriculum with interactive programs and nurturing spaces that let kids develop a passion for learning. The prevailing trend is, once librarians are gone, they are gone for good, said Keith Curry Lance, who is among a group of researchers looking at the national decline of school libraries and how districts set staffing levels for them. NEW POLICY: Cy-Fair ISD students must now get parents' permission to borrow books at school library School systems in Texas reported 4,743 full-time library jobs for the 2011-12 school year. By the 2021-22 school year, that number had shrunk to 4,382. The result is one librarian per 1,239 students last year, compared to 1,054 a decade ago. The problem in Texas, some advocates say, is the state does not require librarians on school campuses. Lance and his colleagues found 10 states and Washington, D.C. in the country mandate school librarians and enforce the rule, while 16 have a legal requirement but do not enforce it. Texas, among 24 states with no mandate, has standards that suggest staffing levels but the administrative code stops short of requiring them, saying systems shall consider those recommendations. The American Association of School Librarians recommends at least one librarian at all school campuses. The impact that it has on students is phenomenal, said Jennisen Lucas, the groups former president. The library provides a place where they can do true independent choice reading, which there are several studies that show student choice has a big impact on the kind of reading students do and how well they do at reading. SHORT-STAFFED: Houston ISD has 276 schools, nearly 200,000 students and only 58 librarians At Channelview ISD, there are almost 10,000 students and one full-time librarian recorded in TEA data, with assistance from aides. New Superintendent Dr. Tory C. Hill plans to change that. Hill said the district is implementing a plan that calls for hiring certified librarians at all campuses over the next couple of years, as well as other initiatives, such as hiring a literacy coordinator, with a goal of improving students reading abilities. Adding that certified individual has allowed us to be more scientific and focused on the actual science of teaching reading versus just having an individual who can check out books and check in books in the library, Hill said. That same expertise, he added, also lets librarians get books in kids hands that are tuned to their interests and at their reading level. Literacy is the absolute most important component of work that we do as educators. Houston ISD, with 195,000 students spread across 276 campuses, had only 58 librarians on staff last December. That was down from nearly 250 about 25 years ago when the district had four fewer schools. Superintendent Millard House II has made the position of librarian, or at least a media specialist, mandatory for every school. Hiring may be a challenge, however, as districts across the region, state and country grapple with a shortage of educators. As of this week, HISD alone had 758 openings for certified teachers listed on its career portal, 20 for counselors another required position and five for librarians. Class begins in less than two weeks. I have seen lots of districts posting that there are positions open that they are trying to hire for and typically, by now, everybodys got their positions filled, said Mary Woodard, president of the Texas Library Association and former director of library services at Mesquite ISD. Its very unusual to still be seeing postings from districts across the state, We have openings, please apply. I know there are a lot. BOOK BATTLES: Texas has seen a surge in requests to pull books from schools. Here are Houston's numbers so far Of particular concern, some current and former librarians say, are attempts to impose a specific set of views on all school children. No one objects to a parents right to choose what is right or wrong to read for their child, even if we prefer that at some point in the child's development that the child become the decision-maker as to what they need or want to read, said Debbie Hall, a library advocate who spent nearly 40 years in HISDs library services. What makes this a big issue is that some people are trying to deny all children access to what they need (or) want to read. Much of that is being driven by politics rather than parents. Last fall, state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, put out a list of nearly 850 books and asked every district in the state to check their shelves for those titles. Most of the books on the list were about race and LGBTQ+ matters and characters. Gov. Greg Abbott inflamed the rhetoric around schools and libraries further by publicly directing the Texas Education Agency to investigate any criminal activity in public schools involving the availability of pornographic material that serves no educational purpose. The messaging is political, not educational, library advocates say. Students that are marginalized already are getting the message from districts and from the governor that they dont belong, said Carolyn Foote, who worked in public schools as a librarian for 29 years and co-founded an anti-censorship group called FReadom Fighters. This effort really is politicized and it really isnt about supporting our students education because what kids need right now is adults getting along and adults having a clear eye toward mission number one, which is helping kids get back on track after the pandemic. It also is having an effect on librarians, some of whom could only recall a handful of book challenges over their entire careers. Likewise, what used to entail civil conversations about the appropriateness of certain books has become a combative and confrontational exchange, sometimes with people who do not even have children. 'CONFUSING AND INFURIATING': Two Texas parents challenged 282 books, including one on teen suicide. Here's how the author responded. A north Texas school librarian, who asked to remain anonymous, said they and their colleagues had to beef up security at their homes this last year and lock down their social media accounts due to worries about being targeted, harassed or assaulted. The librarian described a jarring juxtaposition from immediately preceding years when people across the country hailed educators for their efforts to teach throughout the pandemic and spending countless hours since instruction resumed in-person trying to catch students up. We went from being the heroes last year, the librarian said, to being the villains this year. To retired librarian Dorcas Hand, the resources allocated to vilify educators through politics and ban books is energy that could have been better used. I just wish we could turn this around, Hand said. Its so discouraging that were spending so much time and energy on the negative side of things and we could be putting the money, the time and the energy into bringing up enthusiastic readers who think about what theyre reading and consequently think about the world they live in and how to make it better. Thats what we need: Kids growing up who are thinkers and want a better world. alejandro.serrano@chron.com The Texas Supreme Court is reconsidering rules that allow Texans under 18 to obtain abortions without parental consent in light of the states soon-to-take-effect abortion ban. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht asked an advisory committee to make a recommendation on the matter in an Aug. 1 letter obtained by Hearst Newspapers, asking the committee to conclude its work at a meeting next week on Aug. 19. IMPACT: Risk of serious pregnancy complications has doubled since Texas abortion bans, study finds A spokeswoman for the high court explained that the justices believe the new law, and a landmark June ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court overturning federal protections on abortion, have raised questions about whether the parental-notification rules are still consistent with Texas law. The court asked the advisory committee to study the issues raised in the referral letter and make recommendations, which it does almost any time rule changes are contemplated, said the spokeswoman, Amy Starnes. RELATED: Texas health programs report 21% drop in long-term birth control in runup to abortion ban Current Texas rules require abortion patients under 18 to notify their parents when they are seeking an abortion and receive their permission. But the rules also allow the teen to seek permission from a judge instead. The number of minors who have been able to access that legal process ground to a near-halt after Texas imposed its six-week abortion ban in September 2021 in August, 20 minors were able to get their cases before judges, state data shows. By October, once the ban was in place, that number dwindled to just two. Still, attorneys who represent the young Jane Does, named as such in court filings for confidentiality purposes, say there will still be a need for the process, known as judicial bypass, even once the trigger ban takes effect on Aug. 25. Though the trigger ban includes no exception for rape or incest, it does include an exception for pregnancies that risk death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function. The exception has spurred debate statewide, especially among doctors and hospital groups concerned that it is too vague and creates legal liability for them. Last month, the Texas Medical Association asked regulators to intervene after several cases were reported of hospitals blocking doctors from giving abortions to patients with serious pregnancy complications out of fear of legal repercussions, the Dallas Morning News reported. Blake Rocap, legal director at Janes Due Process, a nonprofit that helps represent pregnant minors in Texas, said there will still be a need for the bypass process for children whose physicians determine their pregnancies qualify for that health exception. You can see a possibility where a minor patient may have a pregnancy that is causing their health to deteriorate, causing a lot of risk or is dangerous for them in the future, Rocap said. Lets say theyre a really young victim of sexual assault or incest and their body is not able to handle a full-term pregnancy just because theyre not physically big enough ... They would need a bypass. Rocap added that would be especially important in the case of minors in CPS or foster care who will always need bypass because under Texas law, the state is not allowed to consent to abortion. Less than 1 percent of abortions, or 31, were performed in 2021 on patients 13 years old or younger, according to data collected by the state health department. A little over 2 percent involved patients under 18, including 226 patients between 14 and 15 years old and 807 between 16 and 17. Amy ODonnell, spokeswoman for the Texas Alliance for Life, said judicial bypass is no longer necessary. Texas law already allows doctors to perform abortions during medical emergencies when there is insufficient time to provide parental notice. But in general, she said, abortion isnt legal in our state, so theres no need to seek a judicial bypass for a procedure thats not legal in Texas. She added: When a minor is facing unplanned pregnancy, its our hope that any adult they reach out to will assist them in giving birth to their baby and point them to organizations or resources that will support them in either raising the child or towards placing the child in a loving home for adoption. Stakes high for teens in distress The Supreme Court advisory committee is made up of about 50 people, mainly lawyers and judges, who are appointed by the court and charged with helping to develop rules and procedures. The committees meetings are open to the public. Committee chair Charles Babcock said a subcommittee is in the process of reviewing the issue. The court is not bound by the committees recommendations, though it often does enact its suggestions. Rocap said he worries about the committee overstepping its authority, and he pointed to a 2015 rules change that resulted from a state law that reformed the bypass process. Though lawmakers had considered but ultimately removed a provision that would have required bypass cases to be deemed denied when a court fails to rule on them, the Supreme Court still included that in its published rules. Previously, such cases had been considered granted. I dont trust the Supreme Court to be good faith actors because theyve already inserted their own policy preference into these rules after the Legislature rejected them, Rocap said. Babcock, who was also chair of the committee at that time, said he did not recall the committees discussion on that issue but rebuffed the idea that the court would take political liberties. Ive worked with our Supreme Court for many, many years, he said. I have never ever seen them act in bad faith on this or any other issue. They are incredibly conscientious. Another possible rule change that the committee may consider is requiring evidence that there was a medical emergency, such as a certificate from a physician saying as much, which Rocap says would go beyond the statutory requirements and is not necessary. Without judicial bypass, options for minors who want an abortion will be extremely limited. They will have to either travel to a state without parental notification requirements, seek judicial bypass in a state that still uses the legal process or otherwise self-manage their abortion. For the most part, young people involve parents and adults in their lives in their pregnancy decisions, Rocap said, adding that young people who dont do that have good reasons not to: Theyve had the most difficult time in their life so far, and theyre sometimes the victim of sexual assault or incest or other forms of abuse where its just incredibly unsafe for them to reveal a pregnancy or sexual activity to a parent. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 405 PM PDT Wed Aug 10 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A FLASH FLOOD WARNING... The threat of flooding continues and a Flash Flood Warning is now in effect. Please refer to that bulletin for more information. The National Weather Service in Las Vegas has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... Western Mohave County in northwestern Arizona... San Bernardino County in southern California... Southwestern Clark County in southern Nevada... * Until 630 PM MST /630 PM PDT/. * At 405 PM MST /405 PM PDT/, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Flooding has been reported along US 95 near Mile Marker 35. HAZARD...Life-threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing flash flooding. SOURCE...Law enforcement reported. IMPACT...Life-threatening flash flooding of low-water crossings, creeks, normally dry washes and roads. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Laughlin, Searchlight, Primm, Nipton Road Mile Marker 3, Nipton, Cal-Nev-Ari, Nipton And Ivanpah Roads, Cottonwood Cove Campground, Cottonwood Cove and Mountain Pass. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Wait! Before you go Please sign up for our Evening Digest and Breaking Newsletters Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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. Music event startup Pollen enters administration after raising $150M just 3 months ago Just three months after raising $150 million, music travel and event company Pollen has been forced into the UK equivalent of bankruptcy. by Stacy Simons Santos of Celebrity Access The music-related event experience and UK-born travel company Pollen faces mounting pressure from creditors. According to HM Tribunals website, the order was issued by creditors 101 Ways Limited. Pollen says the debt has been settled, and the petition has been withdrawn. Streetteam Software Limited, Pollens UK-based parent company, has called in New York-headquartered restructuring and insolvency specialists Kroll to administer its restructuring. In an official statement issued by Streetteam Software Limited, the company says its management team have been in ongoing negotiations with a potential buyer for the parent company but have been unable to agree to terms in an appropriate time frame, leaving the board and shareholders agreeing the best option is to restructure the business. The statement added that bids have already been received for the customer-facing subsidiary companies of Streetteam Software Limited, adding that customer experiences and refunds will not be affected. The statement claimed further that Streetteam Software Ltds subsidiary businesses will continue to trade as normal. In May, the company, founded in 2014 by brothers Callum and Liam Negus-Fancey, laid off over 150 members of its staff, just one month after raising $150 million in a Series C round. The companys investors included Kindred, Northzone, Sienna Capital, Backed, and Draper Spirit. The UK government is an investor in Pollen through the Future Fund, which is not thought to be a preferred creditor in bankruptcy proceedings. The Telegraph reports today (August 10) that investors are not expecting any return, and early investor Sienna has already written off its own $93 million stake in the company. Pollens 500 staff members face further uncertainty, with many of them not being paid for more than a month. Digital Music News reached out to some impacted staff who have shared their frustrations with the lack of communication. Many share they havent quit because that would lose their employee protections under US law. The company was reported earlier this month to have delayed its payroll in July. Additionally, widely respected British music executive Zeon Richards had resigned from his position as Head of Partnerships at the company, citing practices within the company which do not align with my ethics. Pollens parent company reported a loss of $62m for the year ending December 31, 2021, according to company accounts filed with the UKs Companies House and reported by MBW. Share on: A report on the implementation of the North Street bike lanes finds that accidents have decreased and that a majority of users find the street safer overall. Data Shows North Street Bike Lanes Improve Safety PITTSFIELD, Mass. Members of the City Council aired their grievances on the North Street bike lanes on Tuesday night but data is showing that the lanes have improved safety. Commissioner of Public Services and Utilities Ricardo Morales presented a road report for the corridor which showed a 77 percent crash decrease after the lanes were implemented. This was in response to at-Large Councilor Karen Kalinowsky's request to investigate safety issues with the new bike lanes and the change in traffic pattern on North Street. "One of the most important things, if not the most important thing for this project on North Street is the safety considerations and the impact safety had on North Street, on the users of all modes of transportation," Morales said. In a 7-4 vote, the council sent a petition from Kalinowsky requesting to change the street back to its original design to Mayor Linda Tyer. At-Large Councilors Earl Persip III and Peter White, Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey, and Ward 6 Councilor Dina Lampiasi voted in opposition. In September 2020, the city received around $239,000 in a state Shared Streets and Spaces grant to support new bike lanes, curb extensions, vehicle lane reductions, and outdoor seating areas, and enhanced intersections for better pedestrian safety and comfort. The first pilot program was implemented the following November and in February 2021 the Public Works Committee voted to keep the bike lanes and changes made to North Street. Another grant of around $163,000 was received in April 2021 to create two parklets and double buffered bike lanes on both sides of the street and in the following June, the current iteration of the pilot project was done. The report prepared by Kittelson & Associates Inc. of Boston provides background and context for pilot program that was designed to enhance shared spaces for motorists, bikers and pedestrians, and responses from businesses, first-responders and the general public. The report concluded that the lanes changes on North Street have and continue to calm traffic and provide safer access to bicyclists and pedestrians. "No change comes without growing pains, and community input will continue to play a vital role in shaping ideal user experience along the North Street corridor," the report states. The city's worst crash count for all types of collisions was between October 2020 and March 2021 when there were 22 crashes. In the same period after implementation, there were only five crashes, which represents a 77 percent decrease. From January to June of this year, there were eight crashes, as opposed to 16 in the same period last year. From 2020 to 2021, crashes in the pilot corridor were down 53 percent. On the other hand, crashes throughout the whole city were up 19 percent and 23 percent in the state. Morales displayed quotes from local first responders in support of the bike lanes and traffic pattern. "These changes have had a positive impact regarding traffic incidents," Police Chief Michael Wynn said. "The new pattern has also caused a decrease in speeding. Vehicles are no longer given the opportunity to change lanes and pass slower vehicles due to the elimination of the second lane of traffic." Fire Chief Thomas Sammons said the bike lane gives vehicles a place to move during a code 3 response because before, if both lanes were occupied at a stoplight, there would be a delay until the cars found a safe place to move. County Ambulance President Brian Andrews said the configuration has had no negative impact on its responses and has had some positive benefits. The first responders also see it as a safer option for bikes and e-scooters. A user survey also resulted in 50 percent or more of respondents favoring the new configuration and bike activity is 4.5 times higher than last year. Kalinowsky said cars can drive down the bike lane and that people ride on the sidewalk because they believe the lanes are unsafe. She has taken a stance against the bike lanes since they were implemented. Pittsfield Bike Lane Report 2022 by iBerkshires.com on Scribd ici Haiti - Camp-Perrin : Strengthening of the technical capacities of the Plant Propagation Center James Cadet the Minister of the Environment carried out an evaluation visit of the 5th Germplasm Center (**) in Levy, first communal section of Camp-Perrin (South), launched in December 2017 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-22875-icihaiti-environment-inauguration-of-the-plant-propagation-center-south.html with the Ambassador of Mexico in Haiti Daniel Camara, Jose Luis Fernandez, Representative of the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO - Haiti) and various executives. On the sidelines of this visit, Minister Cadet met with the Ambassador of Mexico and the FAO Representative to discuss the Support Project at the Camp-Perrin Germplasm Center, part of the cooperation program for the adaptation and resilience to climate change in the Caribbean driven by Mexico, CARICOM and FAO. This project, which will be financed by the Government of Mexico, aims to strengthen the technical capacities of the Camp-Perrin Forest and Fruit Germplasm Center and will also contribute to the development of satellite nurseries in remote and difficult-to-access environments, with a view to the production of fruit and forest species for the benefit of the local population. Cadet requested that the project be carried out in synergy with the environmental projects in progress, in order to have coherent and coordinated actions. (**) Germplasm: Qualifies any element from the plant capable of giving a new individual (DNA, seeds, cuttings etc.) See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-24034-icihaiti-environment-towards-the-construction-of-the-7th-plant-propagation-center.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-22875-icihaiti-environment-inauguration-of-the-plant-propagation-center-south.html IH/ iciHaiti Afghanistan: "We have already spent more than we raised and the need is still immense", says IFJ Deputy General Secretary Jeremy Dear Ahead of the anniversary of Taliban's takeover of Kabul, Afghanistan's capital on August 15, IFJ Deputy General Secretary Jeremy Dear, who has been co-ordinating the federation's emergency response to the situation in Afghanistan, tells us about a year of relentless work to support and evacuate journalists and their families, the ongoing media repression on the ground, the amazing solidarity among world journalists and the urgent need to raise more funds. 1. Can you describe the work that the IFJ and its local affiliates have been doing to help Afghan journalists and media workers since the Taliban took over the country one year ago? Since the day that Kabul fell to the Taliban, IFJ affiliates across the world have worked tirelessly to support our Afghan sisters and brothers. From raising funds to providing humanitarian assistance, from lobbying governments for emergency visas and resettlement to providing safe shelter and food, to supporting evacuations and providing solidarity and assistance when those seeking refuge reach other countries, unions and journalists around the world have responded amazingly. We can be very proud of the journalist to journalist, union to union solidarity that has been seen over the past year - it is not just words but essential, practical and life-saving help. Alongside that we have worked to support our affiliates inside Afghanistan - helping them to monitor rights violations, provide humanitarian support to their members and to advocate for journalists and media rights. 2. Can you tell us in detail how the IFJ Afghanistan Solidarity Fund has been spent and why is it necessary to continue raising funds? The emergency appeal we launched to support Afghan journalists raised the most money we had ever done up to that point in any special appeal - and it has helped save lives, either by supporting those fleeing the country or by providing essential basic food and medicines for those who remain in Afghanistan. We have spent at least 123,000 in emergency support. Those funds have been mostly used to provide small emergency grants of 200, 300 and 400 to help dozens of individuals buy food, pay rent, be able to leave their home region to a safer location, to provide medical assistance and purchase medicines, to be able to secure a passport or travel to an embassy for a visa interview. In a few cases it has helped those with visas to leave the country. For those in exile it has helped to provide safe shelter or to buy food and essentials - many people fled with nothing and needed warm clothes or items for young children. In all, we have provided more than 63,000 in humanitarian support to journalists inside Afghanistan, both through our affiliates Afghanistans National Journalists Union (ANJU) and Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) and in direct small grants paid through Western Union or Moneygram, to at least 172 journalists and their families. The average grant has been just under 350. In six cases, where a journalist has already secured a visa and needs urgent evacuation, we have been able to pay flight costs of up to 2000. We have provided more than 34,000 in assistance to journalists in Pakistan, both through our affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) , which has organized a guest house in Islamabad to provide respite and safe shelter and in small cash grants to enable those who have fled to find somewhere to live and feed themselves and their families. A further 26,000-plus has been distributed to help support the needs of Afghan journalists in exile in other countries - in Turkey, Greece, North Macedonia, France and other countries. On top of the direct assistance provided by the IFJ Safety Fund many affiliates themselves have provided further support. The Journalists Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN) , one of our Greek affiliates, provided a monthly allowance and medical insurance cover to women journalists who were in Greece while they applied for asylum in Canada. More than that they also bought presents for the womens children and clothes for the family who had fled with virtually nothing. In Canada and in France and other countries similar stories, not just of giving cash, but of giving time, solidarity and hope have been repeated time and time again. The effort by all our affiliates has been amazing. But we have already spent more than we raised and the need is still immense. There are people forced to live on the street because they cannot afford rent, there are those still in hiding, families who eat just one meal a day, people who cannot afford operations or medicines they need. We still receive appeals every single day. It is heartbreaking to have to say no. As Afghanistan vanished from the front pages or nightly news bulletins it became harder to raise funds. It is vital we make another big effort to enable us to help more people and save more lives. 3. Could you share some story on how the IFJ Afghanistan Solidarity Fund has been beneficial to Afghan journalists? There are many stories - but to give just a few examples. One person who was in hiding needed a travel document to be able to leave Afghanistan - the IFJ Safety Fund helped him and his wife to get that and escape. One family who had to flee to Pakistan were living on the street, effectively begging - thanks to the Fund they were able to get a room and some security and respite to be able to apply for resettlement. In Afghanistan, through ANJU, we were able to distribute emergency food packages containing rice, oil, to provide baby food where necessary - literally saving lives at a time when so many journalists had lost their jobs, had sold their possessions and were destitute. But perhaps it is best just to let Afghan journalists speak for themselves. These are from emails we received from some of those we assisted After ten months of living in despair and after six months of living full of problems in Pakistan, these details of yours have brought happiness to me and my family. My children will never forget your kindness, said H.J., male TV journalist from Kabul now resettled in Europe. Once again, I want to profess my warmest gratitude regarding your endeavor and your endless time that you spent from the start of this journey (evacuation) till this moment, I feel so honored and so thrilledand I will never forget your sacrifice that you donated in the mentioned journey, said S.T., female journalist from Ghazni, a city in southeastern Afghanistan, who worked in Kabul and is now living in Canada. Thank you very much for your constant help. I really do not have the option to repay all your love and help, saidA.S., male journalist from Ghor, a province in central Afghanistan. 4. What are the most pressing needs for Afghan journalists right now? There are many. As a result of the economic crisis and Taliban regulations regarding content and preventing women from working there is huge unemployment among journalists - and so many are struggling to pay rent and provide for their families. They need humanitarian assistance - funds and food! There are those who are still in hiding and need support to leave Afghanistan - from logistical support to visas for onward travel. Those who remain and are in work need international support to help sustain media, to pay journalists and to help lobby for greater access to information and the safety and protection of journalists. They need the international community to use their collective voice to enhance the space for journalism. There are hundreds of journalists who fled and are trapped now in third countries - especially Pakistan. They need governments around the world to provide more humanitarian emergency visas, to ease visa requirements, to put more resources into handling asylum applications and to provide more support and resources to resettlement schemes. It is shameful the way in which governments have promised loads but delivered little in terms of visas and resettlement. 5. How can journalists around the world help them? By raising funds - send our special anniversary appeal to all union members, to branches to friendly civil society and philanthropic or professional organisations, to editors and media. More funds means we can provide more vital assistance. Alongside that it is vital that unions lobby their governments to provide more emergency visas for Afghan journalists and that they make the process simpler. The threat facing many of them is real and there is a danger that those who have remained in exile in Pakistan, Iran, Turkey or other countries for many months are returned to Afghanistan when their temporary visas run out. Use our model letter and ask to meet the government, make the case for them to offer journalists a route out of the nightmare they face. 6. What is the situation of Afghan journalists and media workers one year after the fall of Kabul? Barely a day goes by now without there being another report of a journalist being detained, being beaten, being prevented from covering a story or denied access. Self-censorship is widespread because of fear of the consequences of really holding the Taliban to account. Recent reports by our affiliate ANJU showed that in the first six months after the Taliban took over 318 media closed, including 94 out of 114 newspapers, 132 radio stations, 51 TV stations. Around 60% of journalists lost their jobs. Women were effectively barred from most media jobs - just over 200 remained employed - but away from the screens. 87% of women journalists reported having suffered discrimination. In just the last couple of weeks we have reported on cases of women journalists being assaulted and detained. The UN agency in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirms that there has been an exodus of journalists, the mass closure of media and rising threats, violence and restrictions. In the year to April 2022 there were 12 journalists killed and 30 arrested, according to the IFJ South Asia Press Freedom Report. Even where media still operate, they are subject to draconian restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime. These are dark days for journalism in Afghanistan. 7. How are IFJ affiliates, AIJA and ANJU coping with the developments on the ground? They are continuing to do their best to represent journalists despite the immense difficulties and personal danger. They have continued to speak out about threats and violence against journalists and call for accountability for those who violate rights of media and journalists. They have helped to secure the release of some of those detained. They are also instrumental in helping to distribute emergency aid to journalists in need and to provide detailed information about the state of the media and journalists rights. It is very hard for them to operate - at times they have been threatened with closure or have had their press conferences physically shut down but they continue to speak up for media freedom. 8. Female journalists in Afghanistan are a target of Taliban violence for being women and working as journalists. What are the threats that they are facing on a daily basis? When Dost Radio presenter Selagi Ehsaas was attacked last month by unidentified gunmen and they stole her phone and beat her with a gun, leaving her unconscious it barely made headlines. It is alleged that the assailants were Taliban fighters who told her she must quit her job. Such attacks against women journalists have become all too common. A report by ANJU covering 34 provinces found that 87% of women journalists have experienced gender discrimination and 79% said they have been insulted and threatened under the Taliban regime, including physical threats, abuse by Taliban officials, written and verbal threats. Among the threats are those of a sexual nature or forced marriage with local Taliban commanders. Because of the economic crisis and harsh Taliban restrictions many women journalists have lost their jobs. In May, the Taliban sent an order to the media that any female journalists appearing on screen without a face-covering would be forcibly removed from work. Any media manager or guardian of a female presenter who fails to obey the order will also be liable under the new laws. Women and some media have bravely protested - but the threats have forced many women journalists to seek to flee the country. For those women who live alone, they are often vulnerable, living in poverty and isolation in another country. Afghan women journalists face a double threat for being journalists and being women. That is why it is so important we can raise more funds to support safe shelter and rights for women journalists. 9. How do you see the future of press freedom in Afghanistan? It is hard to be optimistic in the immediate future - but one thing we have seen time and time again during this crisis is the power of solidarity - to not only help Afghan journalists to survive but to be supported to raise their voices, to speak out for media freedom. What we need is a more coordinated effort from the international community to support and sustain media and journalists rights, both for those in Afghanistan and those in exile. Not just words of condemnation but practical support to enable journalists to do what they do best - seek the truth, expose abuses and inform the public. By shining that light into the dark corners of the Taliban regime, journalists can help bring about change, and can look forward to a future of greater media freedom and rights. The IFJ and its affiliates have worked with our colleagues in Afghanistan for more than 20 years - we will be there to stand with them until they can secure such a future. Help IFJ continue its solidarity work in Afghanistan by donating to the IFJ Safety fund Despite closure of the countrys independent media, arrest warrants, torture, jail and being driven underground or into exile, Myanmars journalists continue to defy the military junta to find ways to report, writes Phil Thornton. Journalists Phyo and her husband Ko Soe Ya are determined to keep publishing, despite Myanmars military forcing the closure of their office, revoking their licence, issuing warrants for their arrest and an underground trek to what they thought was to be a safe border location. Monsoon rains ease as Phyo takes time to reflect on the life-changing events, she and her husband, Soe Ya, endured since the military coup leaders dismantled Myanmars fledgling parliamentary infrastructure and arrested its elected lawmakers on February 1, 2021. We were married just one month before the coup. Our honeymoon has been the frontlines of the revolution. Delta News Agency (DNA) were based in Pathein City, the capital of the Ayeyarwady Delta Region, until the military-appointed State Administration Council cancelled its licence to publish in November 2021 and issued arrest warrants for Phyo and Soe Ya under the amended Penal Code article 505A. Soe Ya lists the diverse spectrum of news events DNA reporters covered before the military forced them to shut down and flee. The Delta is the countrys rice bowl corn, sesame seeds, peanuts. Fishing and farming products are important exports for the region and people living in the Delta want and need information [on local issues]. Soe Ya used stories DNA reported on to show the IFJ how important it was for the community to have access to independent information. Our region is where the rare, wild, white elephants are found. Poachers want the skin and tusks. Elephant numbers were decreasing. Farmers dont like wild elephants - they destroy and eat crops. International gangs hire local poachers to kill the elephants. Poachers get information from farmers to help locate the elephants. Soe Ya explains the significance of the mighty Ayeyarwady River, Myanmars largest at 2,107kms, runs north to south, neatly dividing the country in two and is the countrys most important commercial waterway. The river is estimated to have as many as 200 different fish species, saltwater crocodiles and the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin. Phyo said environmental, agricultural and commercial issues related to the Ayeyarwady River were important stories Delta News Agency covered. The dredging of the river for sand was local and of great concern to local people. It was a big story. The riverbanks were being destroyed. Entire villages were being lost to erosion and crops were destroyed by flooding. Farming is changing in the Delta... machinery replacing buffalos, pesticides used instead of traditional non-chemical methods and mono-crop plantations instead of growing a diversity of food. Soe Ya said the Delta region was a massive source of labour migrating to neighbouring countries like Thailand. During covid restrictions many of these workers were forced to return, this was a big story for us, as many families in the region relied on migrant workers wages. Phyo nods in agreement and adds. We had built an extensive network of sources. The issues we reported were critical to our community. Since the military coup and crackdown on journalists, we cant cover the stories that are now important to our country. Silencing Dissent On day two of its coup detat, the commander-in-chief of the military, General Min Aung Hlaing, formed and installed a puppet governing body called the State Administration Council. With Min Aung Hlaing as its leader and eight of the initial 11 members high-ranking serving military officers, it began targeting independent media and opponents of the coup health workers, railway and transport workers, students, civil servants, factory workers and journalists. In response to the military coup, nationwide protests intensified and increased as civilians took to the streets in their tens of thousands. Images of the militarys violent response to the peaceful demonstrations, captured by journalists and protesters, were tweeted, posted on social media, and shown on international television networks. By February 28, the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), had documented at least 30 people had been killed by the military and another 1,132 arrested protesting the coup. Zay Yar Myint, a journalist reporting for the independent media outlet, Myaelatt Athan, explained to the IFJ how the protests began to turn sinister on February 9, when soldiers and police started to fire live ammunition at civilians, including stun grenades and rubber bullets. Images taken of army snipers positioned on pylons, rooftops and other vantage points added a disturbing explanation why many of the dead protesters had head wounds. Zay Yar Myint said he attended a student-organised protest on February 28 at Pyay University to live stream a report. I was close to the speakers and the police. I was wearing my safety helmet and vest. The black helmet had, in large white letters, PRESS clearly marked on it. Sound grenades were fired to scare everyone. I was live streaming on Facebook. Now in exile and speaking to the IFJ at a location on the Myanmar border, Zay Yar Myint described how the protest turned deadly. The police were about five metres from where I was reporting. I was close to the armed police, I stopped my live broadcast to take photos... I then felt a smack in the side of my face and neck. I was hit with rubber bullets. Zay Yar Myint is above average height and, with his press helmet, stood out from the crowd. If his live streaming was monitored by the military, it adds motive to why he was targeted. Zay Yar Myint opens his phone to show the IFJ photos of photographs of his bloodied face and another of the grape-size rubber bullets that put him in hospital. Rubber bullets, or kinetic impact projectiles, regarded as less lethal than other bullets, can cause serious permanent damage if people are hit in the neck (airways) or eyes. The civilian protester standing next to Zay Yar Myint was hit in the eye but avoided arrest as police closed in. Zay Yar Myint said his girlfriend, who worked at the hospital where he went for treatment, was shocked by his injuries. When she saw me, she cried. She was worried. We knew the military were searching for me. I dare not go home. I left and hid in the jungle. Zay Yar Myint, like many journalists, was now on the run. A pro-army site, Real News operating from the Telegram app, published his and his girlfriends photographs. They took our photos from Facebook. They also published my family and my inlaws' addresses. They called me a liar, said I made fake news and said I was not a real journalist. Zay Yar Myint said as many as 30 soldiers and police went to his family's home to arrest them. My father-in-law was arrested and charged under 505(A) for sharing news articles. The military actively hunted my family. I worry about my friends and relatives, but reporting is what I do...people need to know whats happening in our country... we need to continue to report the ongoing injustices. Breaking Laws Just two weeks into the coup on 14 February 2021, the military-appointed State Administration Council, in a deliberate deceit, amended the countrys Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Code to give legality to its killing, arresting, jailing and torturing people opposed to its rule. With the amended laws in place the military waged a campaign of terror against most of the countrys civilian population members of the Civil Disobedience Movement, artists, poets, actors, politicians, health workers, journalists, student leaders, civil servants, workers, truck drivers and railway staff. The military criminalised what are accepted international standards of freedoms - speech, expression, assembly and association - to suit its warped agenda. The Centre for Law and Democracy posted on its website that the military is now using section 505(A) [amended Penal Code] essentially as its default for bringing criminal charges against a wide range of persons deemed to pose a challenge to their authority. Anyone with a phone could be detained and held indefinitely at an interrogation centre if they had shared a photo, article, cartoon, poem, song or had visited an internet site deemed as critical of the military. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) reports that as of August 8, 2022, the military killed 2,167 people, arrested another 15,064, 1,355 are serving sentences, s119 people have been sentenced to death and four executed since the militarys coup on February 1, 2021. The IFJs affiliate, the Myanmar Journalists Network, documented in the 18 months since the coup, 159 journalists were arrested, three killed - 59 are still in jail, 47 men and 12 women. Among those killed was Sai Win Aung, better known as A Sai K, the poet and editor of Federal News Journal and close friend of Delta News Agency, editors, Phyo and Soe Ya. Poet and editior Sai Win Aung, also known as A Sai K, was killed by Myanmar's military junta. Journalists on the run Like many people escaping military persecution and threats of arrest, the three friends had made the move to areas under the protection of an ethnic armed organisation the Karen National Union (KNU). A Sai K, Phyo and Soe Ya were three of the many thousands who took refuge at Lay Kay Kaw, a new town set up in 2014 and heralded as a symbol of peace, after a ceasefire agreement was reached in January 2012 between the KNU and the Myanmar military. Angered by the KNUs acceptance, protection and defence of displaced Karen villagers, city based anti-coup protesters, politicians, journalists and students the Junta retaliated by turning the region into a battle ground. In an interview with IFJ, the KNUs head of foreign affairs, Padoh Saw Taw Nee, explained the difficulties of looking after the growing number of people fleeing military violence in Myanmar. There are now many new arrivals to our area representing all walks of life doctors, strike leaders, students, activists, police and army and journalists. They left because they fear for their lives. It was difficult for them getting to the border. There are many Burma Army checkpoints to get through. The UN agency responsible for refugees, UNHCR, reported that since the February 1 2021 coup, 897,000 people have been displaced bringing the total to 1,244,000 now internally displaced within Myanmar. Padoh Taw Nee said attacks on Karen villagers has been a long-term strategy of the Myanmar Army to displace civilians, but the use of drones, helicopters and fighter jets has added a new level of brutality. Its terrifying for villagers...theres no bunkers...theres no protection. The Junta is killing their own people. Despite the air strikes and artillery bombardments, Padoh Taw Nee said the Karen National Union will continue to offer assistance, despite being low on resources. This is an international humanitarian crisis caused by the Juntas coup. Well continue to feed, shelter and look after these people targeted by the Junta, as best we can. Padoh Taw Nee, explained the Juntas strategy against civilians in ethnic areas is to first use ground troops to bomb villages to displace the people. Then, when KNU defends its villagers, drones and or spy planes are used to locate the displaced villagers hiding sites and then come the airstrikes. From our experience in our [KNU] Brigade 5, when theres fighting between our soldiers and the Burma Army, the military junta retaliates with airstrikes targeting civilians. These people are not military targets. It forces tens of thousands of our people to be displaced in jungles and at risk when crossing the border to safety. The aerial onslaught against the Karen villagers in the Lay Kay Kaw and surrounding areas began again on 23 December. While jets bombed the area, the Myanmar Army attacked, firing more than 50 heavy artillery shells. On December 23, Delta News Agency journalists, Phyo and Soe Ya made the decision, for safety reasons, to split up. Phyo went to a Thai border town with other women worried for their security. Soe Ya stayed behind in the Lay Kay Kaw area with his friend, A Sai K, to work on stories of the fighting and displacement. Christmas Day 2021, arrived with heavy artillery barrages fired by the Myanmar Army into Lay Kay Kaw and surrounding villages. Soe Ya, along with his good friend A Sai K, were sheltering at Htee Mae Wah Khee village school. The Burma Army attacked Mae Taw Talay, Hpalu Gyi, Htee Mae Wah Khee and Yathit Gu villages with its artillery using 60-mm, 81-mm, and 120-mm with deadly results. Soe Ya told the IFJ when the big, heavy weapons began to shell the village, we decided to run to the nearest village, Hpalu. On the way, A Sai K was killed by shrapnel and Soe Ya received injuries to his face. The killing of A Sai K was condemned in a statement released at the time by UNESCO director-general, Audrey Azoulay. Media workers like Sai Win Aung (aka A Sai K) risk their lives to keep the public informed. Their work deserves to be recognized and their safety protected in line with international humanitarian law, which forbids attacks on civilians. Despite leaving the Lay Kay Kaw conflict zone, after surviving air and ground bombardments to try to find a safer refuge on the Thai Burma border, Phyo and Soe Ya were to experience further heartbreak. In June 2022, Phyo had a miscarriage, she believes was caused by the stress of living on the frontline of a war zone, the death of their friend, A Sai K, avoiding arrest under section 505(A), being displaced, and living underground and undocumented in Thailand. Every day we had to worry about our security. There was no normal in our lives. We couldnt even go to the shops. The pressure was huge. Phyo realised she was in trouble when she experienced excruciating abdominal pain and bleeding. I knew I needed treatment but was afraid to go hospital without papers and it was during covid restrictions. They hospital refused to treat me without a [covid] test, they told me to get tested and come back tomorrow with the results if negative. Desperate and in pain Phyo tried another clinic. Im screaming...in agony...bleeding and they thought Id self-aborted. I tried to explain, but the pain and not being able to speak the language made it difficult. Phyo said it was at this point that she thought she would die and realised making decisions about the future was impossible. I knew I had to just concentrate and taking care of my health was now my priority. Eventually Phyo received the treatment she needed to get her back to health and to work and looking for funding to keep Delta News Agency functioning. Phyo explains DNA have 11 staff reporters, video makers, editors, and administrators who need to keep working. Its hard to make decisions about the future...weve applied for legal documents. But we have to keep working...keep reporting...its what we do. Zay Yar Myint, Phyo and Soe Ya, like most of the Myanmar journalists interviewed by the IFJ, acknowledged many important stories are now not getting the extensive scrutiny and coverage citizens expect from an independent and free press. Journalists spoken to for this article listed the dire state of the economy, the crash of the local currency, cost of living, disruption to the education system, the failing healthcare sector, the covid situation, the selling of the countrys infrastructure to military cronies, lack of access to telecommunications, jailing of political prisoners and the destruction and future division caused by an ongoing nationwide civil war. Zay Yar Myint, like Phyo and Soe Ya, decided to stay in the region, rather than apply for resettlement to a third country. Zay Yar Myint explains why. At my age we never experienced this...we never expected this violent response... what the military has done is unthinkable. The whole country now hates them they have been exposed by their brutality towards the people. The fight for democracy is important. Ive rejected an opportunity to go to another country. My qualifications are my writing...Ill keep using it to keep the revolution in our country strong... we cant stop now... we have to keep struggling to win back our stolen freedoms. Phil Thornton is a journalist and senior adviser to the International Federation of Journalists in South East Asia. Taiwanese pro-independence news outlet, Formosa Television (FTV) News, has been subject to cyber-attacks and disruptions from suspected Chinese hackers from August 6. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns these attacks and calls for press freedom to be respected in Taiwan. Visiting US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi waves to journalists during her arrival at the Parliament in Taipei on August 3, 2022. Credit: Sam Yeh / AFP In the first incident on August 6, Chinese activist hackers displayed a series of messages expressing support for the unification of Taiwan with the Peoples Republic of China. They replaced screens with a map of mainland China and Taiwan accompanied by the words, China, not one bit less. Shortly after the attack, which lasted three minutes, FTV News confirmed that its YouTube broadcast had been hacked, although the television channel had not been affected. From August 6 to August 10, FTV News was also subject to intermittent Direct Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks. A network spokesperson stated that FTV have been handling cyberattacks that have happened recently to ensure the safety of our broadcast. The week prior, Taiwans 7/11 convenience stores were the subject of a cyber-attack, with in-store screens displaying the words "Warmonger Pelosi, get out of Taiwan!". Taiwanese authorities are also reporting an unprecedented attack on government websites and infrastructure in the wake of United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan on August 4. In the past week, there has also been a growing number of Chinese disinformation campaigns targeting Taiwan, which depict the US as an unreliable international partner, in an attempt to undermine relations between the US and Taiwan. Nancy Pelosi was the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in the last 25 years. On this visit, she expressed continuing political and security support for Taiwan, presented a message of cooperation and met with pro-democracy and human rights activists. This diplomatic visit to Taiwan has triggered a significant backlash from Chinas PRC government, with the Australian Broadcasting Company reporting the US ambassador in Beijing had been summoned in protest. Beijing has cut collaboration with Washington on several fronts, including combatting the ongoing climate crisis and has been performing significant military and naval drills around Taiwan. The IFJ said: Media organisations must be able to carry out their work without censorship or interference. The IFJ calls on the authorities in China to respect the right to a free press and to hold those responsible for the cyber-attacks on FTV News to account. The IFJ also urges the Taiwan government to further enhance its transparency to assist both citizens and news media in securing timely and accurate information and combatting misinformation. "The amount of attention on me has gone supernova, which super sucks. Unfortunately, even trivial articles about me generate a lot of clicks :( Will try my best to be heads down focused on doing useful things for civilization," Elon Musk tweeted a few weeks back. It's hard to take the Tesla and SpaceX boss seriously about this commitment to being less controversial. Musk is a champion of attention-grabbing Twitter antics. His missives have spurred SEC investigations, resulted in defamation suits, unleashed troll mobs, dragged the world along on an acquisition soap opera, and even offered TMI on his sex life (or lack thereof). I think I speak for most of the world when I say it seems like the guy would really benefit from chilling out on Twitter for a while. But maybe Musk isn't entirely insane in his prolific use of Twitter (the contents of his tweets is another discussion). Enraging regulators (and litigious cave divers) clearly isn't a good idea. But new research out of University of Texas at Austin suggests that frequent tweeting actually is good for executive careers. If you're an executive, tweeting pays, literally. To figure out the effect of tweeting on executives' careers, the research team examined the Twitter accounts of CEOs, chief marketing officers, chief information officers, and chief product and innovation officers at large public companies, and compared the frequency and content of their posts with their career progression and compensation. All this data crunching yielded clear conclusions. The more often executives tweeted about their work and skills, the higher the likelihood they would be offered a step-up position at a higher salary. "Executive candidates such as CEOs and CIOs who modestly -- but frequently -- tout their knowledge, expertise, and skills on Twitter were 32% more likely to attract higher-paying job offers after interviews," reports the UT release highlighting the findings. "Self-promotion worked in this class of people," UT's Andrew Whinston bluntly commented. The researchers also weren't shy about recommending frequent, credential-burnishing tweets to those looking to rise to the top in business. "People who are actively self-promoting on Twitter will benefit from doing that," Whinston added. "It's worth some time and effort to promote yourself on Twitter." The key word here is "modestly." That suggests Musk's Twitter addiction might not be entirely crazy, at least in principle. As annoying (soul-crushing?) as the constant noise generated by a handful of Twitter power users might be to the rest of us, this research shows social media remains an effective way to brand yourself and get your message out to a wider audience. But the key word in the findings is "modestly." Musk's personal brand is of an iconoclast with dreams so big that neither rules nor social conventions can contain him. Twitter has definitely helped him project this image, but it isn't at all clear he's coming out ahead with this "real-life Iron Man with nine kids and no filter" shtick. He's wildly successful, yes, but maybe he would have been even more successful without all the drama. His approach may not even be working for him. It definitely won't work for anyone else. When the World Health Organization announced in May 2021 that it would start using letters of the Greek alphabet to designate Covid-19 variants of interest and concern, it hoped that the new labeling system would be "simple, easy to say, and remember." Over a year later, WHO's Covid-19 naming has a lot of people asking: "What?" The designation of Omicron variants as BA.4 and BA.5, which is now dominant (and deadly), has confused many people and hindered health officials in "selling" the idea that the public needs to remain vigilant. "It should have been a lot simpler, and a lot plainer," says Laurel Sutton, linguist and co-founder of Catchword, the 24-year-old San Francisco-based naming agency behind company names such as Asana and Upwork. Greek letters, she points out, don't mirror the phonetic order of the Latin alphabet--"gamma," for instance, comes before "delta." Many Greek letters already have established meanings: Lambda is associated with the LGBTQIA community, and delta connotes change in mathematical equations. And that's not even getting into the current communicative shift with BA.5. Because BA.5 is a subvariant of the original Omicron strain that started its rapid spread in late 2021, by WHO's naming conventions BA.5 doesn't rate its own brand. Basically, Sutton says, WHO has broken a lot of the best practices she follows when naming businesses and products. The United Nations-run agency could have benefited from hiring a professional marketer. "There is a better way to communicate," she says. "And if they hire people to help them do it correctly, we can save lives." While naming decisions aren't necessarily life or death in business, there are lessons you can take away from the WHO's Covid-19 communications strategy. Here, the experts share their take. Why Covid-19's naming process was so complicated In the pandemic's early days, you might remember reading about the "Wuhan strain"--the original version of Covid-19 that was detected first in Wuhan, China. Shortly after, the "U.K. variant" and the "South African variant"--eventually named Alpha and Beta--were first detected in the countries that their initial names reflect. Associating a virus with its place of discovery (key word discovery--not necessarily origin)--has long been standard, says South Africa-based epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim, Caprisa Professor for Global Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. Zika virus, he says, was named for the Ziika Forest in Uganda, where the virus was first isolated, and Ebola virus was similarly named for the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Even the 1918 influenza pandemic earned its colloquial name "Spanish flu" because of a breakout reported in Spain during World War I, in spite of the fact that the country was neither the origin, nor the epicenter, of that virus. But as researchers continued to detect early Covid variants, Karim quickly recognized how this geo-naming tradition contributed to politicization and xenophobia surrounding the virus; with two other scientists he authored a paper, published in the journal Science in March 2021, recommending against a geographic naming convention for this very reason. "I'll put it bluntly: It was racial," he says. "I don't think we're ever going to go back to naming viruses that way." So, WHO had to figure out an alternative. It landed on Greek letters, though that system has been imperfect. The organization even skipped some letters, it told Reuters: "Nu" was too phonetically similar to the word new. And "xi" is a common last name, notably, shared by Chinese president Xi Jinping, which risked fanning the flames of Sinophobia that had ignited at the advent of the pandemic. The reason BA.5 can't simply be referred to as "Omicron," Karim says, is because the Greek letters are intended to capture unique variants--not their subvariants: "The best explanation I can give you is that when we say 'Omicron,' we mean the Johnsons--mom, dad, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins--it's a whole family, not one individual." Mom and dad might act differently--one might be more contagious than the other--but they still exist on the same family tree. That has not made public communication easy. Karim isn't sure what alternatives might have prompted better public health precautions, and notes that the current challenge is getting the public to remain cautious amid pandemic burnout. "I'm not sure what you can do--call it 'devil one' and 'devil two'?" he says. "The public's perception is also about what they want to hear. They don't want to hear that people are still dying." The next Covid variant to arise will be named Pi--already famous as a mathematical constant. To become the dominant strain, Pi has to be more transmissible than Omicron. If it's also more severe than Omicron, public messaging will be a challenge, Karim says. What the experts might have done instead Sutton, however, has a suggestion: Just call it Covid, plain and simple. It comes down to knowing your audience, she says. "On the scientific side, you obviously need to designate these different variants. But to be really honest, the public doesn't need to know about that stuff," she says. "It detracts from the overall messaging, which should be, 'Hey, let's keep wearing masks. Let's keep getting vaccinated. Boosters are also a really, really good idea.'" J. David Placek, president and founder of the 38-year-old Sausalito, California-based marketing agency Lexicon Branding (known for naming BlackBerry phones, Subaru's Outback and Forester autos, and the audio company Sonos), agrees. He points to the annual flu vaccine, which every year is formulated for a different variant. The public generally remains unaware of which precise variant the vaccine is tackling. If WHO wants to simplify variant names for public understanding, he suggests a simpler alternative: just use numbers, as in iPhone 13. "It's meaningful, it's understandable, and it's memorable," he says. Not to mention that there are a limited number of Greek letters. Don't be like WHO The key to Sutton's and Placek's strategies is that they focus on the public--the customers--not the scientific or medical communities. This was, after all, WHO's target when it unveiled its Greek letter naming system: "to simplify public communications." It was not designed to replace existing scientific names assigned by the database Gisaid, open-source tracking system Nextstrain, and the nomenclature system Pango. When naming anything--a virus or a software update--knowing your audience is key. Sutton has frequently worked with companies on naming smaller components of larger projects. For example, her team branded Photoshop Elements, a "lighter" version of Photoshop that the company didn't want to simply call "Photoshop Lite." "When we take on these projects, we sit down and try to figure out, 'What's the most intuitive way for people to understand that? Where might we use numbers and letters? Where might we use actual names of things?" she says. "And it's very dependent on who the target audience is." What's intuitive for an audience? Placek looks at the existing marketplace to see what the competition is doing. Then, you have an option: roll with the tide or try something distinct if you're trying to break out of your category. Consider cereal: "If you walk down the cereal aisle, you'll quickly realize that most of that is fairly descriptive--even Cheerios is suggestive of its shape," he says. But if your company countered with "Blue Sky Cereal," people might simply walk past that because the name doesn't fit in the set. "But if it's some really interesting new cereal with lots of believable health benefits," he says, "then maybe you do have to break set with the category." (Ahem, Magic Spoon.) Here's yet another reason why you may be having a hard time filling your retail positions: Grocery and retail businesses are seeing an uptick in violence. Between 2018 to 2020, assaults in grocery stores rose by 63 percent and those in convenience stores by 75 percent--that's compared with an overall 42 percent rise in assaults over that same period, according to FBI data reported by the New York Times. Although workplace violence dipped in 2020--the result of Covid workplace closures--it has steadily risen since, with a particular increase in the retail space, says Kenna Carlsen, a research associate at the National Safety Council, an Itasca, Illinois-headquartered nonprofit that advocates for public safety. The reasons for the increase in violence are manifold. Mask enforcement, for one, has resulted in customer disagreements that can turn violent, Carlsen says. Matthew Stanton, an Islandia, New York-based general manager at the global security firm GardaWorld, adds that increased mask usage has also emboldened some more brazen behavior, as the face coverings help obscure people's identities. In a recent roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce also noted an uptick in organized retail crime, which impacts both online and physical retail businesses. Businesses may not have the power to totally prevent violence, but there are actionable ways they can better prepare their employees to recognize, deescalate, and manage potentially violent interactions on the job. Here's how. Formalize a plan and response "The most essential step you can take to protect your employees is having a really strong workplace violence policy in place," Carlsen says. "That should tell employees what is considered violence, what their rights are, and what resources are available to them if they are a victim." States may have different laws that require employers to provide training materials, in addition to rules and regulations about how frequently workers need to be retrained in workplace safety and violence prevention, Stanton adds. Carlsen recommends that leaders refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's workplace violence resources--like its Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments guide--to create an effective and thorough workplace safety handbook. Retail business owners can also learn from safety guides geared toward other industries; Carlsen recommends following the workplace violence prevention standards developed for health care businesses by the health care nonprofit the Joint Commission. "There is a lot of workplace violence prevention research coming out of the health care space, because that industry sees a high prevalence of violence," she says. "A lot of those recommendations can easily be adapted for a retail setting." Improve employee communication and training "Employees are the eyes and ears of your organization," Carlsen says. That's why it's important for leaders to involve them in the development of your workplace violence prevention program. Speak with your employees about potential risks they've noticed on the job, regular customers who might be a threat, and any measures they would find helpful with regards to maintaining a safe workplace. "The more frequent communication between employees as a group, and between individual employees and their managers, the better," Stanton adds. "If an incident breaks out, employees have to be able to communicate and coordinate." One way you can foster this kind of communication is through training; walk employees through different potential situations together, and have them act out how they would respond. Should a similar situation arise, they'll have a strong understanding of who they can turn to and what they should do. "It can just be a five minute conversation," Stanton says. Managers should undergo additional, more advanced violence prevention training, both Stanton and Carlsen note, which can help them to tackle conflicts that their direct reports may not be able to completely resolve or de-escalate. "The best way to look at it is, if a brother and sister are fighting, you need someone who can go over an offer a sense of resolution," Stanton says. Invest in new tech With an uptick in store violence, some businesses are investing in additional surveillance and violence prevention technology, Carlsen says. In addition to the fairly universal CCTV, some business owners are turning to video analytics software, which can use artificial intelligence to note "red flag behaviors"--like a person with a weapon, or a sudden rush of people toward an exit. Depending on the service you select, this software can trigger an automatic notification to a manager or security personnel, Carlsen adds. Other businesses are increasingly investing in access control systems, which restrict access into certain locations. Business owners are also looking into social media listening technology, which helps them spot events that might impact their store's location, so they can make decisions on staffing or store hours based on that information, Calsen says. But not every business has the financial ability to make significant technical upgrades. In those cases, it's wise not to forget what resources your employees already have, Stanton says. "Your cell phone is probably one of your biggest supporters," he says. "Even if you just use it to take a photo of a person or license plate and use it to call 911." Create an environment of awareness South Kingstown officials said this week that they want more information from a group that has proposed opening a Spanish language immersion charter school in leased space in the district's vacant South Road school. Valerie Maier-Speredelozzi said a group of parents and educators are planning an application next month to the Rhode Island Department of Education to establish the school following a decision earlier this year by district to cut its Dual Language Immersion program and would further heighten the growing disparity between what public, private and charter schools in the area are able to offer students. Do you believe students enrolled in education today are better served by public, private or charter schools? Let us know in this week's poll question below. You voted: Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. 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The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others. Coal India: Tata Consumer Products: Eicher Motors: Oil India: Mazagon Docks Shipbuilders: ISGEC Heavy Engineering: IRCTC: Ashoka Buildcon: Mahindra & Mahindra: PB Fintech: The Singapore Exchange's Nifty futures traded 211 points, or 1.2%, higher at 17,757.5, indicating that the stock market would have a positive start to the expiry. The following 10 stocks may be the most popular ones in today's market:On a low basis, the state-owned company's Q1 consolidated profits after increased by 178% year over year to Rs8,834.22 crore for the quarter ended in June FY23. The second Covid wave impacted the earnings for the June quarter of FY22. When compared to the same time last year, revenue jumped by 39% to Rs35,092 crore. For the quarter that ended in June FY23, the largest coal mining company in the nation produced 159.75 million tonnes of raw coal, a rise of 29% YoY, and its offtake of raw coal climbed by 10.6% YoY to 177.49 million tonnes.The Tata Group company saw its profit increase by 38% year over year to Rs277 crore for the quarter that ended in June FY23, while revenue increased by 11% to Rs3,327 crore and EBITDA increased by 14% to Rs460 crore. Revenue rose 10% year over year in constant currency terms.The two-wheeler and commercial vehicle manufacturer recorded a consolidated profit increase of 157.5% year over year to Rs610.66 crore for the quarter ended June FY23, helped by a low base. The second Covid wave had an impact on the earnings in Q1FY22. In comparison to the same time in the previous year, revenue increased by 72% to Rs3,397.5 crore.In the quarter ended June FY23, the company's consolidated profits after tax increased by 166% year over year to Rs3,230 crore. In Q1FY23, revenue increased by 86.5% to Rs11,567 crore from Rs6,202 crore during the same period the previous year.In spite of a low base, the company's consolidated earnings for the June FY23 quarter increased by 121% year over year to Rs224.8 crore. Numbers were impacted by the second Covid wave in Q1FY22. Compared to the same period last year, revenue increased by 84% to Rs2,230 crore, but input costs more than doubled.For the quarter ended June FY23, the company recorded a 120% year-over-year improvement in profit at Rs30.09 crore, underpinned by improved top line and operating performance. Compared to the same period the previous year, revenue increased by 22% to Rs993 crore.With business returning to normal, the company saw a 198% year-over-year increase in profit for the quarter ended June FY23, coming in at Rs245.52 crore. The second Covid wave had an impact on the previous quarter. When compared to the same time in the prior fiscal year, revenue increased by 250% to Rs852.60 crore.Driven by top line and operating performance, the road developer recorded a 69.4% year-over-year increase in consolidated profit at Rs134.66 crore in the quarter ended June FY23. Earnings were further supported by the low base because the second Covid wave had an impact on Q1FY22. In comparison to the same quarter the previous year, revenue increased by 46% to Rs1,878.56 crore.Through open market transactions, the Life Insurance Corporation of India sold 2.49 crore equity shares or 2% of the company's stock. As a result, LIC's ownership of the business dropped from 8.43% to 6.42%.Due to subpar operating results, the Policybazaar operator reported a combined loss of Rs204.33 crore for the quarter ended June FY23, an increase from Rs110.84 crore in the same period last fiscal. For the quarter, the company reported a considerable increase in staff costs as well as advertising and promotion costs. EBITDA loss nearly doubled to Rs234.3 crore for the June FY23 quarter, compared to Rs118.35 crore for the same quarter last fiscal year. Revenue from operations totaled Rs505.2 crore, up 112.5% from Rs238 crore reported in the same quarter last year. Taiwan cancels pre-flight COVID-19 testing requirement for inbound travelers Xinhua) 17:06, August 11, 2022 TAIPEI, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Starting from Monday, all travelers coming to Taiwan will no longer be required to present a negative nucleic acid test result effective within two days ahead of the flight, according to the island's disease monitoring agency. The inbound travelers will subsequently have three days of isolation and four days of self-prevention after landing in Taiwan, said the agency in a statement. Taiwan has gradually loosened COVID-19 response measures as the epidemic in the island is on the decline. It has shortened the duration of isolation for inbound trips from seven days to three days since June. Statistics from the agency on Thursday showed that the region reported 22,650 new locally transmitted cases and 44 deaths over the past 24 hours, with the accumulated number of local cases recorded in Taiwan reaching 4.8 million. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Advertisements SINGAPORE, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration is now open for SIEW 2022. Organised by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), the 15th SIEW will feature global energy government leaders and industry captains who will share their perspectives on this year's theme, "A Resilient and Sustainable Energy Future". Global Energy Thought Leaders 2. The global energy thought leaders include: Governments and International Organisations * YB Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Bin Hassan, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Malaysia * Shane Rattenbury MLA, Attorney-General, Minister for Consumer Affairs, and Minister for Water, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Australia * H.E. Dr Ith Praing, Secretary of State, Ministry of Mines and Energy, Kingdom of Cambodia * Dr Fatih Birol, Executive Director, IEA * Francesco La Camera, Director General, IRENA * Joseph McMonigle, Secretary General, IEF * Tatsuya Terazawa, Chairman & CEO, IEEJ * Dr Angela Wilkinson, Secretary General and CEO, WEC * Eng. Fahad Alajlan, President, KAPSARC * Dr Jean-Christophe Niel, Director General, IRSN Industry * Matthieu Giard, Vice President, Member of the Executive Committee, Air Liquide * Audra Low, CEO & Executive Director, Clifford Capital Pte Ltd * Beatrice Buffon, Group Senior Executive Vice-President, EDF International Division * Toshiro Kudama, CEO, JERA Asia Pte Ltd * Mark Gainsborough, Chairman & Co-Founder, Low Carbon Advisors * Kazuhisa Yano, Chief Asia Representative, Osaka Gas * Alan Heng, Group CEO, Pavilion Energy * Ahmad Yuniarto, President Director, PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy * Dr Ing Christian Bruch, President and CEO, Siemens Energy AG * Zhang Zhigang, President, State Grid Corporation of China * David Griffin, CEO, Sun Cable * Luca Tonello, Managing Director - Structured Finance, SMBC * Martin Houston, Vice-Chairman, Tellurian * Julien Pouget, President & CEO, TotalEnergies EP & Renewables Asia Pacific * David Gray, Non-Executive Director, Tokamak Energy Anchor Events 3. SIEW's anchor events organised by EMA will include: I. SIEW Summit: The Summit will bring together energy leaders to address topics that set the scene for discussions across the week. These include: * Securing a Sustainable and Resilient Energy Future * Accelerating Low-Carbon Solutions * Mobilising Greener Financing for Energy Infrastructure II. Singapore-IEA Ministerial Roundtable: The roundtable will focus on the theme "Energy Security in a Low Carbon World". III. 2nd Singapore-IRENA High-level Forum: The Forum will address topics on green energy financing and decarbonisation technologies and feature the launch of a report by IRENA on green hydrogen. IV. SIEW ThinkTank Roundtables: Hosts include ASEAN Centre for Energy, Energy Studies Institute and Energy Research Institute @ NTU. V. SIEW TechTables: New this year, SIEW TechTables will centre discussions around the latest energy innovations and technologies. Industry Events 4. SIEW 2022 welcomes the return of key industry events onsite: I. ACES: Examines Solar Energy and Storage, Green Hydrogen and Electric Mobility. II. ADS & ARTC: Explores the various pathways for refiners to integrate sustainability into their operations. III. Asia LNG & Hydrogen Gas Markets: Covers the region's continuous drive for energy transition and achieving its net zero goals. IV. Future of the Grid: Topics include driving regional interconnectivity, financing grid modernisation and digitalisation. 5. Register at https://www.siew.gov.sg/register and enjoy early bird rates as well as bundled discounts for partner events. About SIEW SIEW is an annual platform for energy professionals, policymakers and commentators to discuss and share best practices and solutions within the global energy space. About the EMA A statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, EMA ensures a reliable and secure energy supply, promotes effective competition in the energy market and develops a dynamic energy sector in Singapore. 1. Delhi Women Panel Seeks FIR Against Mukesh Khanna For 'Derogatory Remarks Against Women' After taking suo moto cognizance of the video, Malliwal wrote to the Delhi Police's Cyber Crime Unit, stating that Khanna "can be seen uttering derogatory comments against women." Khanna, who headlines a YouTube channel called Bheeshm International, and earlier this week, he uploaded a video titled Kya aapko bhi "aisi ladkiyan" lubhati hai??? (Do such women attract you?) web screen grab 2. Comedian Raju Srivastava On Ventilator As His Condition Remains Critical After Angioplasty "Comedian Raju Srivastava is on ventilator at AIIMS Delhi, he is responding to clinical treatment," news agency ANI quoted its sources saying. Reports suggest that Raju was in the coronary care unit (CCU) at AIIMS. "Srivastava had to be resuscitated thrice. He was rushed to catheterisation lab and underwent angioplasty. He has been admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU)," a source was quoted as saying by PTI. web screen grab 3. Sima Taparia Says Priyanka Chopra-Nick Jonas Aren't Good Match, 'He Looks Small & Petite' In one of the episodes of the popular Netflix series Indian Matchmaking Season 2, well-known matchmaker Sima Taparia can be seen expressing that she doesn't approve of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas' match due to their huge age gap. The latest episodes of Indian Matchmaking 2 has started streaming on Netflix from Wednesday and Sima Taparia is once again back to advise her clients to adjust and compromise. The new season shows Sima advising her client Nadia Jagessar not to choose a man 2-3 years younger than her. web screen grab 4. Salman Khan Makes Chapatis, Plays Tug Of War With Navy Officers Ahead Of Independence Day Interestingly, Salman Khan also made chapatis on a big tawa (pan) and played tug of war apart from dancing with the sailors. In one of the pictures, Salman can be seen waving the Indian flag while people cheered him on. The Dabangg actor also did some workout like pushups and lifting weights. The actor was also seen shaking a leg with the crew on the ship as they grooved to some music. He also signed a cap and shared conversations with the officers and posed for snaps while cheering with them. web screen grab 5. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu's 'Boycott Dobaaraa' Wish Granted By Twitter Users Actress Taapsee Pannu even joked that she wants her film to be in the same league as Akshay Kumar and Aamir Khan's films and would feel rather left out if their film Dobaaraa isnt boycotted as well. Speaking of how she looks at Bollywood's new boycott trend, Taapsee Pannu said, Please everyone boycott our film, Dobaaraa. I want to be in the same league as Aamir Khans Laal Singh Chaddha and Akshay Kumars Rakshabandhan. I feel left out. web screen grab (For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment, and let us know your thoughts on this story in the comments below.) India Meteorological Department (IMD), Government of Japan, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have announced a new initiative to accelerate climate action in ten states and union territories across the country. BCCL A statement issued from UNDP said that in partnership with the IMD at the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the initiative will support Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) to achieve net-zero emissions and ensure climate-resilient development. The launch comes within a week of the cabinet approval of India's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) to be communicated to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change. UNDP to promote climate Under the initiative, UNDP will work with IMD to promote climate resilience. The issues they will be working on include deploying clean energy infrastructure and low-emission technologies in key sectors including Transport, Health, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and Agriculture, the statement said. Unsplash This includes solarizing 150 healthcare facilities, 20 micro-enterprises, and installing 85 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations and 30 solar cold storage systems across the 10 states. It further said, Demonstrating resilient climate planning at the grassroots through climate information flow systems for 30 Gram Panchayats. Promote green jobs and green entrepreneurship in sectors like Renewable Energy by providing skilling and training to 2000+ people, it added. Unsplash The project will be rolled out in the states and Union Territories of Bihar, Delhi-NCR, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh between 2022-23. Japan has extended USD 5.16 million in climate grant to UNDP India for the project. This is part of Japans global support to 23 countries through UNDPs Climate Promise - From Pledge to Impact programme for scaling up its support to turn NDCs into concrete action. Officials say Ms. Hokugo Kyoko, Minister (Economic and Development), Embassy of Japan in India said, Our common goal of decarbonisation and sustainable development will require deeper climate partnerships in near future, and we are convinced that sectors which fall under the ambit of this UNDP project, such as transport, health, industries, and agriculture, are indispensable components that require interventions. Ms. Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India said that they need to accelerate the adoption of clean energy for effective climate action. Unsplash This process should be inclusive and secure just transition by ensuring sustainable livelihoods and energy access to leave no one behind. We are thankful to the Government of Japan for its partnership. UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of India in achieving its climate targets and promoting climate-resilient growth, she said. Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Government of India said that IMD has consistently led the charge on climate action. In this project, we aim to demonstrate how IMDs climate forecasts can be utilized to guide development planning, he said. For more on the news, sports, and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Scientists have found that by microwaving fish waste, they can create carbon nano-onions -- a nanoform of carbon that has applications in energy storage and medicine -- quickly and efficiently. Unsplash Reported first by Smithsonian Magazine, the method can be applied to make cheaper, more sustainable LEDs in the future. Developed by researchers from Nagoya Institute of Technology, they published their findings in Green Chemistry. What are CNOs? To the unaware, carbon nano-onions or CNOs are nanostructures possessing circular carbon shells similar to the skin of the onions (hence the name). According to the researchers, they have drawn extensive attention worldwide in terms of energy storage and conversion because of their exceptionally high electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as large external surface area. CNOs have been used in electronics and for biomedical applications like bioimaging and sensing and even drug delivery. CNOs were first reported in the 1980s however, conventional methods of manufacturing them have required high temperatures, a vacuum as well as a ton of time and energy. Other techniques exist too, but they're expensive and they call for complex catalysts or dangerous acidic or basic conditions. This cripples the true potential of CNOs. However, the novel method discovered by researchers requires only one step - microwave pyrolysis of fish scales pulled from fish waste. Whats more is that the process can be done in a matter of seconds -- ten to be precise, say researchers. How do fish scales turn into CNOs? Researchers dont really have clarity on how fish scales turn into CNOs. They think it could be due to collagen in the fish scales that are able to absorb enough microwave radiation to quickly increase in temperature, leading to pyrolysis or decomposition that causes the collagen to disintegrate into gasses which eventually aid in the formation of CNOs. NITech According to researchers, this method is an easy and effective way to convert fish waste into infinitely more useful materials and the resulting CNOs have a high crystallinity that allows exceptional optical properties. Takashi Shirai, a coauthor and professor in the Nagoya Institute of Technologys Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, said in a statement, The CNOs exhibit ultra-bright visible-light emission with an efficiency (or quantum yield) of 40 percent. This value, which has never been achieved before, is about 10 times higher than that of previously reported CNOs synthesized via conventional methods. These exceptional properties mean CNOs could be used to form large-area emissive flexible films and LED devices. The findings open up new possibilities for the development of next-gen displays and solid-state lighting. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com (Trigger Warning: This story contains graphic details of domestic violence. If you feel suicidal or know someone in distress, please reach out to them with kindness or reach out to local emergency services, helplines, and mental health NGOs) 30-year-old Mandeep Kaur chose to end her life because she couldn't bear the torture by her husband anymore. The mother of two girls was forced to end her life because of constant beatings and abuse by her husband. It's been almost a week since Mandeep Kaur tragically died in Queens, New York, purportedly due to torture by her husband, Ranjotveer Singh Sandhu, and her in-laws for dowry and failing to bear a son. Twitter Devasted by the loss of their beloved daughter, the distressed family in India is now seeking assistance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in bringing the 30-year-old body back to India or arranging visas for the parents to visit the US to perform her last rites. Twitter However, the family claims they have not heard or received any answer from the authorities. This #RakshaBandhan, a brother appeals to authorities to help him bring back her sisters body for her last rites. Sign @yogitabhayanas petition and help #MandeepKaurs family raise their voice.@AnupamPKher @prakashraaj @boxervijender 1 Click Sign https://t.co/RXuok6kN6H pic.twitter.com/iZLjZqJuvJ Change.org India (@ChangeOrg_India) August 11, 2022 Sandeep Singh, Mandeep's brother, alleged that despite running and trying to complete the work, he received no help or response from any official. Change.org They have also started an online petition urging External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take action. So far, the petition on Change.org has garnered 1,122 online signatures out of the required 1,500. Instagram Mandeep's family is desperate to travel to the US to perform her funeral rites. They also want to request custody of her daughters, who reportedly are with Mandeep's husband, in South Richmond Hill, New York. In an interview with ABP live, Sandeep's brother Mandeep said that despite applying for visas for his mother, father, and sister, they hadn't heard anything back. Bijnor, UP | My sister was married in February 2015. Soon, they went to New York & he started torturing her. He wanted a son & wanted Rs 50 lakh in dowry: Kuldeep Kaur, sister of deceased Mandeep Kaur who died by suicide in New York following years of domestic abuse. pic.twitter.com/9RpuItInKz ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2022 "Authorities are not cooperating with us; that is why we had to start the online petition," Sandeep said, referring to the Change.org petition. "We don't know about our visa status or what will happen to the kids. There's no official from the government of India whom we can talk to and get the details. We are trying to contact everyone. It's been one week since her death, and we still do not know what will happen with the body," he added. In a heartbreaking appeal, he added, "If bringing back the body is impossible, then at least let us go; giving a visa is not difficult. Our entire family is dying for the kids every minute; we only see our sister in those girls." PRESS RELEASE REGARDING THE DEATH BY SUICIDE OF DOMESTIC ABUSE VICTIM MANDEEP KAUR. Our hearts are so heavy tonight #JusticeforMandeep #JusticeforMandeep#JusticeforMandeep pic.twitter.com/3SDsxkZiNT Sikh Womens Aid (@SikhWomensAid) August 4, 2022 Rajya Sabha MP and AAP leader Raghav Chaddha also wrote a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar regarding this. Still, Sandeep said there had been no response to that letter either. He added that no one from the Uttar Pradesh government had contacted them. "We voted for them in the election, but now no one has come yet to visit us," he said. Mandeep's tragic death: Representational Image After getting married in 2015, Mandeep Kaur, 30, originally from Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, relocated to New York. She allegedly committed suicide due to harassment from her husband and in-laws for failing to bring dowry and give birth to a son. Before she seemed to hang herself, she posted a horrifying video outlining her alleged ordeal with her husband and his family's torment. The video prompted debate on social media. "My sister was married in February 2015. Soon, they went to New York, and he started torturing her. He wanted a son and Rs 50 lakh in dowry," news agency ANI quoted Mandeep's sister Kuldeep Kaur as saying. Meanwhile, on August 5, an FIR was registered at the Najibabad Police Station of Bijnor in UP against Kaur's husband and in-laws under Sections 306 (Abetment of suicide), 498-A (Domestic violence), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (Punishment for wrongful confinement) and Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961, a police official said. The FIR was filed by Jaspal Singh, father of Mandeep Kaur, wherein he accused Mukhtar Singh, father of Ranjotveer Singh Sandhu, Kuldeep Raj Kaur, mother of Ranjotveer Singh Sandhu, and Jasveer Singh, brother of Ranjotveer Singh Sandhu. Kaur leaves behind two young daughters, aged 4 and 6 years. In the online video, Kaur can be seen crying and distressed while she talks about ending her life since she can no longer tolerate the abuse. Follow us on telegram. A thief in the UK found a creative way of hiding from the police. However, his plan failed, and he was busted. Police in the United Kingdom found a man hidden inside a teddy bear on Friday and detained him for car theft. Unplash Greater Manchester Police said in a social media post that 18-year-old Joshua Dobson had been wanted since May for stealing a vehicle and refueling it without paying. When police arrived at his home to arrest him last month, they found a giant teddy bear that didn't appear wholly inanimate. Facebook "When we went to arrest him, our officers noticed a large bear breathing in the address before finding Dobson hidden inside!" the Greater Manchester Police said on Facebook. Facebook "He's now stuffed behind bars after being sentenced last week for theft of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, and making off from a petrol station without payment," the officials added. The Internet is in splits after reading Joshua's creative way of hiding! Among several reactions, one netizen wrote: "He will only have the bear necessities while in jail." Another one pitched in and wrote: "Omg, I had to check the date. I should have saved this for 1st April. I bearlieve he will be enjoying his marmalade sandwiches for the next nine months. " Another wrote: "Apprehended by officers on paw patrol," while a fourth commented, "You have to give him 10 out of 10 for ingenuity". Follow us on telegram. American pizza restaurant and delivery chain Dominos has decided to remove its footprint in pizzas origin country Italy. As Italians have been favouring local restaurants over the American version of pizza of Domino's, the company has decided to quit business and shut down the last remaining stores in Italy after seven years of operation, The last of Dominos 29 branches have closed after the company started operations in the country seven years ago. It borrowed heavily for plans to open 880 stores, but faced tough competition from local restaurants expanding delivery services during the pandemic and sought protection from creditors after running out of cash and falling behind on its debt obligations, as per Bloomberg. shutterstock The American multinational pizza chain had entered Italy in 2015 through a franchising agreement with ePizza SpA and planned to distinguish itself by providing a structured national delivery service along with American-style toppings including pineapple. Its ambitious expansion in Italy ran into trouble as traditional pizza makers scaled up deliveries or signed deals with third-party services such as Deliveroo Plc, Just Eat Takeaway.com NV or Glovo to bring their products to customers homes while restrictions prevented dining out. We attribute the issue to the significantly increased level of competition in the food delivery market with both organized chains and mom & pop restaurants delivering food, to service and restaurants reopening post pandemic and consumers out and about with revenge spending, ePizza said in a report to investors accompanying its fourth-quarter 2021 results. The company had already reduced operations in the country from its peak in 2020 and stopped offering delivery from its website on July 29, the report mentioned. Still, the closures came as a surprise to some of its customers, who turned to the chains Italian social-media channels questioning why their calls and orders werent going through or why their local store had shut. shutterstock The report mentioned that Domino's followed an April tribunal in Milan that granted the company court protection against creditors for 90 days, according to an ePizza filing. The measures, which prevented lenders from demanding debt repayment or seizing company assets, expired on July 1. There have been no further updates on the court process, according to tribunal e-filings or the Italian Chamber of Commerce. Domino's had 10.6 million euros ($10.8 million) of debt at the end of 2020, according to the latest audited annual reports. For more of such interesting and latest financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. Stooke is a specialist broker who finds investors, provides risk advice and insurance offerings for start-ups and also new and scalable projects. His clients are often in health-related technology firms or consumer related tech enterprises. He said Australian technology businesses are starting to think more globally with a view to finding investors and capturing larger markets. Weve done a lot of work for our clients who are expanding into North America and Europe and Im starting to see Australian technology businesses think more globally because they have to get to scale and profitability quicker and theres obviously larger markets out there than Australia, he said. In these cases, his insurance work becomes trickier. So jurisdiction becomes an insurance issue because if youve got a company operating in different countries the insurance requirements can be a little bit more complex, said Stooke. Read next: The growing broker opportunities in life sciences and biotech In Australia, the current situation for many start-ups is challenging. Theres a fair bit of distress and certainly a flattening and lowering of valuations, he said. Tech start-ups are particularly impacted by this lowering of valuations. Weve seen that tech valuations have come off significantly and I know thats having a significant impact on our clients ability to raise capital at a valuation that they think is fair and reasonable, said Stooke. In the current economically difficult environment, he described the expectations of investors and the founders of tech start-ups as being in a little bit of misalignment. Were certainly seeing start-ups within our jurisdiction having to work a lot harder to get to profitability, said Stooke. Stooke gave the example of Tokyo headquartered SoftBank Groups substantial loss this week which he said was due to write downs in the valuations of some tech companies. The Modern Risk broker said this is connected to growing gloom around economy. I think theres recession concerns, he said. When you get to two quarters of negative growth, naturally, those recession fears flow through the whole economy and that includes obviously technology and new enterprise capital that might go to safe havens, as opposed to higher risk adventures. Stooke said currently theres not the pipeline of opportunities there was for their clients in the consumer-related tech space in Australia. I think theyre obviously super conscious of the economic realities of whats going on because if they cant get capital, they cant scale so that makes it quite difficult, he said. However, one significant area of Australias start-up sector is bucking this trend: digital health. This space includes telehealth and health related tools that improve diagnostic or clinical services. Digital health has proven to be COVID-19 and recession proof. Were starting to see a lot of opportunity in that space in terms of where capital is going to because medical and health is kind of recession proof, said Stooke. So regardless of whats happening with consumer sentiment and growth in the economy we generally find anything health-related is fairly stable. Stooke also said a digital transformation across every industry in his sector is creating huge opportunities. Many of Modern Risks technology clients are firms looking for what he described as a repeatable and scalable model. So usually, the type of companies we help have found their market and achieved whats called a product market fit which means theyve got a product or service that actually is viable and being used, he said. They generally have some revenue behind them and theyre usually in a technology sphere and their market valuations can increase quite substantially because they can grow quite substantially with capital, theyre not constrained by expenses or architecture. Read more: Howden Group to launch platform for insurance start-ups In October last year, the Australia-based international brokerage Honan Insurance Group announced its acquisition of Stookes Melbourne based firm. Stooke described the last ten months in very positive terms. Having different departments and different support wrapped around what were doing so we can focus on the client stuff has been a significant change for our team, which is good, he said. The Honan network also allows Modern Risk to pursue clients across a wider geographic footprint, in New Zealand and across Asia. Id say the advancement in resources has been amazing, said Stooke. In a release, CyberCatch said that CAN/CIOSC 104, also known as the National Standard for Baseline Cyber Security Controls for SMOs, prescribes that organizations should implement up to 55 cyber security controls. The standards were published by Canadas CIO Strategy Council, which had also selected CyberCatchs SaaS solution the Compliance Manager Solution for Canadian SMOs to use in order to quickly comply with the standards. The partnership with RCCS will allow the MGAs SMO clients to receive a discount to sign up for CyberCatchs Compliance Manager Solution and easily implement all prescribed cyber security controls. According to CyberCatch, its solution will automatically and continuously test cybersecurity controls to ensure that the user is complying with the standards. "SMOs in Canada are definitely vulnerable and the level of cyber risk faced is increasing, said CyberCatch founder, chairman, and CEO Sai Huda. Huda cited a report produced by CyberCatch, which found that nearly eight in 10 SMOs in Canada have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cyber attackers. Read more: How do Canadian websites compare to their US counterparts for cyber risk? - Report SMOs have limited resources and generally don't know what cyber security controls to implement or how to implement in order to be secure from cyber threats, the Compliance Manager Solution is a one-stop-shop for SMOs, said Huda. We are delighted to partner with RCCS to provide an easy but smart way to mitigate cyber risk for both the SMO but also the insurer. "This partnership allows us to help our broker partners with clients who are still in the assessment and control phases of the enterprise risk management process," said Ridge Canada CEO Greg Markell. Recognizing that many underwriting requirements harmonize with CAN/CIOSC 104, it will give many organizations guidance on where they can start, and our broker partners a solution when market feedback is that their client is not ready for cyber risk transfer as well as for existing clients looking for assistance on staying secure. Read more: Ridge Canada associate underwriter granted underwriting authority Earlier this month, Ridge Canada announced that its associate underwriter, Vanessa Abraham, has been granted underwriting authority. According to the lawsuit, the number of miles driven by motorists sharply dropped during the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. In the same year, CSAA only paid about 48.2 cents in claims for every dollar in premiums it collected from its auto policyholders. The complaint claims that the insurer excessively charged customers by at least $250 million between March 2020 and June 2021, and that CSAA repaid only about $96 million of that total. Because of the overcharging, CSAAs profits on its auto insurance business jumped 665% in 2020, the complaint said. Consumer Watchdog gathered statements from legal professionals involved in the lawsuit. "The California Insurance Commissioner singled out CSAA as one of three companies that most flagrantly violated its orders to refund excessive premiums. Our pre-filing investigation shows that his identification of CSAA was fully justified," said Jay Angoff, a partner at Mehri and Skalet, one of the three law firms representing CSAA policyholders in the lawsuit. Read more: Allstate, Mercury, CSAA ordered to reimburse excess auto premiums "So many Californians suffered enormously from COVID and its economic fallout, and big insurance companies like CSAA should not be allowed to profiteer during this historic pandemic," added David Borgen, an attorney with Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho. "California law requires insurance companies to maintain fair rates at all times," commented Harvey Rosenfield, a lawyer with Consumer Watchdog and the author of Proposition 103. "As a result of its pandemic profiteering, CSAA reaped an astounding financial windfallmoney that belongs to its customers." Results H1 2022 H1 2021 Gross written premium $11.6 billion $10.2 billion Gross earned premium $9 billion $8 billion Underwriting result $1.2 billion $642 million Net investment income/(loss) $(840 million) $58 million Net profit after income tax $151 million $441 million According to the insurer, the 66% decline in net profit attributable to ordinary equity holders of QBE was due to adverse mark-to-market impacts on the companys investment portfolio, the transaction to reinsure North America excess & surplus lines prior accident year liabilities, the Australian pricing promise review, as well as an adverse risk-free rate mismatch. Of QBEs net investment loss in the first six months, $547 million was on policyholders funds; $293 million on shareholders funds. Lifting the lid on its investment portfolio performance, QBE noted: The result was materially impacted by unrealised losses associated with the significant increase in bond yields during the period. Adjusting for the impact of changes in risk-free rates on fixed income securities, the total investment return was $14 million or 0.1% for the half, a decrease from 0.7% in the prior period. In fixed income, the core yield from the portfolio was almost fully offset by adverse credit spread marks, and within risk assets, the returns from infrastructure and unlisted property were largely offset by unrealised losses on equities and enhanced fixed income. The losses, meanwhile, didnt stop the board from declaring an interim dividend of AU9 per share. In H1 2021, the corresponding amount was AU11. Commenting on the interim figures, Horton stated: Despite the challenging operating backdrop, QBE demonstrated resilience in the period, with ongoing positive momentum across the business. We have made good early progress against our new strategic priorities, and our outlook for the remainder of the year remains positive. Mario Greco, Zurich Group chief executive officer, praised the results, saying they show the solidity of our business and the value of our mid-term transformation. The P&C business reported today its best-ever combined ratio, with continued robust top-line growth. Our life business also continued to produce excellent results with one of the strongest ever performances for operating profit despite the adverse impact of capital markets and headwinds from currency movements, Greco added. Net income after tax attributable to shareholders was $2.2 billion, up 1% over the prior-year period, despite adverse effects from financial markets. The increase in BOP was largely offset by negative mark-to-market effects, Zurich said. Zurich noted the impact of COVID-19 continues to decline, with pandemic-related losses in its life business falling to $26 million from $137 million, and in Farmers life to $32 million from $42 million. Meanwhile, benefits due to reduced claims frequency in the P&C business were immaterial compared with $109 million in the prior-year period. The group continues to focus on optimizing its capital allocation. In the first half, Zurich announced agreements to sell two legacy traditional life insurance back books in Italy and Germany. We are on track to beat all our targets for the second successive three-year cycle, said Greco. This is particularly remarkable because the last three years have brought unprecedented and unexpected challenges. These results show our agility and our commitment to deliver results, no matter what happens in the markets. When you think about how thefts of vehicles happened traditionally, somebody needed to hotwire or manually break into a vehicle, said Sandee Perfetto (pictured), senior director of personal lines core products for underwriting solutions at Verisk. Now you have more connectivity that potentially leads to more access points in the vehicle, as well as through the fobs that are used to access and remotely start them. Read more: Is it time for autonomous vehicles to take the wheel? Data or privacy breaches are the most common cyber incidents in vehicles, followed by thefts or break-ins using a wireless key fob. Malicious parties could also use spoofing or other forms of cyberattacks to remotely gain access to a vehicle. For instance, a team of security researchers found a flaw in several Honda car models that allowed hackers to intercept codes from the key fob to unlock or remotely start a vehicle, VICE reported last month. Perfetto also cited a common key fob feature as a potential risk: In some car models, the mirrors stay out when the fob is left in a vehicle. This can trigger thieves because it signals that the fob is inside and could easily be stolen. More worryingly, potential hacking incidents could pose safety risks for drivers and passengers. In January, a 19-year-old hacker made headlines after claiming to have remotely accessed more than 25 Tesla vehicles in over a dozen countries. In a series of tweets, David Colombo said he hacked into a third-party app installed in the vehicles to play music, unlock doors, flash headlights, and even start keyless driving. But the German teen admitted he could not intervene with steering nor access the brakes or acceleration. Perfetto told Insurance Business that similar exploits, though not widespread, should concern car owners and insurers. Electric vehicles (EVs) with sophisticated software for advanced driver safety features, such as emergency braking and collision avoidance, may be particularly vulnerable to hacking. Where you add more software and more technology to a vehicle, it creates the potential for more cyberattacks. While there are benefits to these safety features, they can also come with increased [cyber] risk, Perfetto said. Then theres the potential for data breaches when owners connect their EVs to public charging stations. Owners may not realize that data could potentially be transferred to and from the charging station, which may lead to malicious software infecting their car, Perfetto added. Challenges for auto insurers Cyber exposures are a relatively new frontier for auto insurance. Traditional risk considerations have revolved around liability or theft, but those have evolved amid the increasingly connected landscape for vehicles. We must evaluate the types of losses happening and whats causing those losses. Are they related to malfunctions in a vehicle? Are they related to hacking? Its a challenge for insurers even to determine the ultimate cause of a loss, said Perfetto. If there was an accident, and it wasnt the drivers fault per se but more of a vehicle malfunction, that may not be easily attributed. If there was a hacking incident, that might not be easy to discover. For underwriters, understanding the potential frequency and severity of accidents for EVs also poses a problem. Manufacturers use different battery packs, which makes insuring for fires challenging. Costs for replacing high-tech fittings are also significantly higher for EVs. We have seen data that supports reduction in accident frequency related to certain technology added to a vehicle. But we have also seen the cost of replacing some more advanced technologies increase. Something as simple as a rear end or a minor dent in your bumper that used to be an easy and relatively inexpensive item to fix has become much more costly, Perfetto noted. But perhaps the biggest lingering question around connected cars and EVs revolves around liability. Though laws vary across states, liability for road accidents typically falls on the driver. But as technology picks up more driving functions, the answer to whos responsible? wont be as clear. Insurers are watching keenly to see if liability laws evolve, particularly in the advent of autonomous driving. Read more: Autonomous vehicles to shift liability, says tech executive If those [technologies] are the cause of a loss, or if there was a hacking incident that isnt discoverable right away, that raises questions of who should have the legal responsibility. Should it now shift to the manufacturers or vehicle technology suppliers? Perfetto asked. Kellington has served for 12 years now as CIO for Cincinnati Insurance, a carrier that produced $6.8 billion in net written premium in 2021. The company employs close to 5,200 people and is active in 46 states. It offers business, home, auto and life insurance coverage, as well as reinsurance and its Lloyds operations. Kellingtons job as head of technology involves anything related to information systems and technology platforms the company uses with its agents. Internally, he also oversees the departments infrastructure security and functioning. Over 12 years, he said, the job has changed considerably as technology has become increasingly important for keeping the insurer growing and thriving. Technology in general is the factory of the insurance company, he said. Its the environment that creates the things we sell the policies that are written, the claims that we service its technology that is the underpinning of that. Kellingtons perspective was shaped, in part by his previous job. He was senior vice president of ACORD, responsible for developing industry standards in areas including information technology. A wide portfolio of applications Kellington explained that Cincinnati Insurance uses major core systems to address separate functions such as policies, billing, claims and data warehousing. Beyond that, Kellington and his team make technology choices, in part, based on the needs of the companys independent agent base roughly 1,848 throughout the United States. We look for a lot of ways to service our agencies and one of the ways that weve been doing it is through some artificial intelligence and machine learning, Kellington said. Those technologies kick in, for example, when an agent sends an email requests a change to an auto policy. We have software that can read email and gather the intent of that email, pull data of the email and then launch robotic steps to process the transaction for them, Kellington said. Its probably one of the simplest things an agent can do. Using machine learning and AI-based natural language processing for agent transactions made sense, Kellington said, because the technology was already available in multiple cloud platforms. We thought this might be a unique way of implementing it. We piloted it and we have [had it in] production now for a while, he added. Cincinnati Insurance started using the technologies for both drivers and vehicles. You can move on to more common requests, to add or change a vehicle or change drivers on a commercial [policy], he said. We have a lot of these transactions automatically. Long term use of the technology could reach far wider in Cincinnati Insurances operations. Right now, were doing changes to policies, but theres no reason why you couldnt quote with it or [apply it] to issuing, Kellington said. Accomplishments The technology advancements under Kellingtons tenure run the gamut. Kellington said he and his team have more than 60 projects on their enterprise dashboard, the top of which is the companys small business platform now being rolled out across the country. Theres also the launch of a person lines excess and surplus lines product, and the implementation of a new claims system. In addition, Kellington and the tech team continue to focus on simplifying enterprise systems. Also, Cincinnati Insurance now has an operational data store, now the underpinning of its CRM product, that is used to drive agency downloads and easy portals. The companys technologists broader focus remains on leveraging the companys respective tech advances in multiple ways. I dont know of many organizations that have a more talented technical team than we have. Its unbelievably impressive, Kellington said. You just kind of take the shackles off them and let them build things where they should build them. Its proven so effective. Fun and likeable? Insurance systems are often quite complex, but, Kellington said, the challenge of improving technology that propels the industry is worth the effort. It can be a challenging but fun puzzle to solve, he said. We have the ability to invest in it and make it effective and right, so it is an opportunity for the software engineers or anybody who is in the technology field that wants to join an insurance company, he said. Its a pretty fabulous environment to work in. Of course, information technology engineers must consider customer use of technology, and Kellington said there is an important nuance involved. Customers and technology users may not like technology per se, but they like what it produces, and its up to insurance technology experts to make their experience as trouble-free and pleasant as possible. We serve independent agents, right? Theyre not technology experts and they have no interest in being technology experts. They want to service policyholders, so they want an environment thats as frictionless as possible in how to get the correct, accurate data in the most seamless and effective way, Kellington said. Thats why were trying to build solutions to have that. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, the industrys net written premium increased about 1% to $43 billion in 2021, with private carrier premium accounting for $38 billion of that figure. Private carriers posted a combined ratio of 87% for the year, making 2021 the fifth straight year with a combined ratio below 90% for the workers compensation segment and the eighth consecutive year of underwriting profitability. IBA recently chatted with leaders in the workers compensation space on the current state of the industry. They warned that while the sector has been booming for the past several years, change could be on the horizon. Julie Richt, executive vice president of revenue at Method Insurance, said the workers compensation system was very resilient coming out of the pandemic and is now in a strong and stable position. However, Richt warned that workers comp insurers needed to adapt to the changing ways in which people do their jobs. This is a very profitable space overall, but there have been some challenges over the last couple of years around the workforce, Richt said. The workforce has changed a lot people have gone remote, jobs have changed, workers have shuffled, and theyve looked at the pandemic as an opportunity to reevaluate their jobs/careers. Read next: Tracking the post-pandemic workers compensation market Richt said the risks tied to labor vary by industry. In sectors that saw exponential growth and rapid hiring during the pandemic for example, the wholesale and inland marine/commercial auto segments a lack of adequate employee training and onboarding led to a spike in the frequency and severity of workers compensation claims. Similarly, service industries trying to bounce back after COVID have had to hire inexperienced workers from a shrinking labor pool a recipe for possible accidents. A short-tenured worker would be defined as less than one year with an employer and the effect that has on claims frequency really does vary by segment, said Matt Zender, senior vice president of workers compensation strategy at AmTrust Financial Services. In the leisure, hospitality and restaurant space, workers are 50% more likely to experience a claim if theyve been in the job for less than one year. That sounds bad, but if you take that same tenure and apply it to the wholesale space, theyre 200% more likely to have a claim. Its due to the lack of familiarity, the lack of training, and the changing landscape theyre dealing with. Read next: Whats happening in the workers compensation space? New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! RiverStone, the U.S. insurance runoff specialist of the Fairfax insurance group, announced a tentative agreement to acquire Western Property & Casualty Insurance Co. to be effective this month. The shareholders of Western P&C will enter into a stock purchase agreement with Fairfax. The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation has approved the acquisition. Western P&C was formed in Vermont to support a group of companies including companies engaged in energy production to handle their automobile liability, general liability and workers compensation exposures, on a deductible reimbursement basis. Matt Kunish, chief business development officer, noted this is RiverStones first venture into the Vermont captive community. The RiverStone Group is a group of insurance, reinsurance, and service companies specializing in the acquisition and management of legacy business and captive insurance liabilities. Western P&C was incorporated in Vermont in 2002 as a captive insurance company. Western P&C wrote deductible reimbursement coverage on policies issued for automobile liability, general liability and workers compensation exposures. Topics Carriers Property Casualty Vermont New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A jury on Tuesday acquitted a commercial truck driver of causing the deaths of seven motorcyclists in a horrific head-on collision in northern New Hampshire that exposed fatal flaws in the processing of license revocations across states. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 26, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, was found innocent on seven counts of manslaughter, seven counts of negligent homicide and one count of reckless conduct in connection with the June 21, 2019, crash in Randolph. Jailed since the crash, he appeared to wipe away tears as the verdict was read and briefly raised his index finger skyward before leaving the courtroom. Jurors deliberated for less than three hours after a two-week trial during which prosecutors argued that Zhukovskyy, who had taken heroin, fentanyl and cocaine that day, repeatedly swerved back and forth before the head-on crash and told police he caused it. But a judge dismissed eight charges related to whether he was impaired, and his attorneys blamed the lead biker, Albert Woody Mazza Jr., saying he was drunk and not looking where he was going when he lost control of his motorcycle and slid in front of Zhukovskyys truck. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Our trial team did an excellent job and we firmly believe that the State proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a statement. Zhukovskyys family, some of whom attended the trial, said in a statement they were grateful to God, the court and the defense attorneys for an honest and fair trial. Our family expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends affected by this tragedy, the family said. Our son and brother are very honest and kind man. He would never have done anything to hurt anyone. Zhukovskyy, who was born in Ukraine, remained jailed as of late Tuesday afternoon. It is unclear when he might be released. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued an immigration detainer on him after the crash and that was served on him following the verdict, said Ben Champagne, the superintendent at the Coos County Department of Corrections. He said ICE now has 48 hours to detain Zhukovskyy. A spokesman for ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. All seven motorcyclists killed were members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club. After the verdict, a member of the Marine group reached through Facebook declined to comment. Mazzas father, also named Albert, said he was stunned. Killing seven people and he gets off. That is unbelievable, said Mazza. He described his son as a good man who devoted much of his time to charity, and said it was wrong to pin blame on him. It doesnt make much sense, he said. There are seven people dead. There are seven families affected. Its strange that he didnt get something. The motorcyclists who died were from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and ranged in age from 42 to 62. They were part of a larger group that had just left a motel along U.S. Route 2 in Randolph. Killed were Mazza, of Lee, New Hampshire; Edward and Jo-Ann Corr, a couple from Lakeville, Massachusetts; Michael Ferazzi, of Contoocook, New Hampshire; Desma Oakes, of Concord, New Hampshire; Daniel Pereira, of Riverside, Rhode Island; and Aaron Perry, of Farmington, New Hampshire. In closing statements Tuesday morning, the two sides raised questions about who was more all over the place: the trucker accused of swerving back and forth across the road or the eyewitnesses accused of contradicting each other. Those witnesses were all over the place about what they recalled and what they claimed to have seen, said defense attorney Jay Duguay. Duguay also accused prosecutors of ignoring that their own accident reconstruction unit contradicted their theory that Zhukovskyy crossed into the oncoming lane. An expert hired by the defense, meanwhile, testified that the crash happened on the center line of the road and would have occurred even if the truck was in the middle of its lane because Mazzas motorcycle was heading in that direction. From the beginning of this investigation, the state had made up their mind about what had happened, evidence be damned, said Duguay, who also highlighted inconsistencies between witness accounts or when witnesses contradicted themselves. In particular, Duguay suggested that the bikers shaded their accounts to protect Mazza and the club. Prosecutor Scott Chase acknowledged some inconsistencies, but asked jurors to remember the circumstances. People were covering the dead, trying to save the barely living, comforting the dying. This wasnt story time, he said. They were up here talking about some of the most unimaginable chaos, trauma, death and carnage that we can even imagine three years later. They were talking about hell broke open. Witnesses were consistent, he argued, in describing the truck as weaving back and forth before the crash. That behavior continued until he killed people, Chase said. Thats what stopped him. Its not that he made some responsible decision to start paying attention or do the right thing, he said. The only thing that stopped him was an embankment after he tore through a group of motorcycles. Chase called the attempt to blame Mazza a fanciful story and frivolous distraction, while reminding jurors that Zhukovskyy, who didnt testify at trial, told investigators Obviously, I caused the crash. He was crystal clear from the very beginning that he caused this crash, Chase said. That is what he said, because that is what happened. Zhukovskyys commercial driving license should have been revoked in Massachusetts at the time of the crash because of a drunken driving arrest in Connecticut about two months earlier. Connecticut officials alerted the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, but Zhukovkskyys license wasnt suspended due to a backlog of out-of-state notifications about driving offenses. In a review, federal investigators found similar backlog problems in Rhode Island, New Hampshire and at least six other jurisdictions. Associated Press Writers Michael Casey and Kathy McCormack contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Personal Auto New Hampshire New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! A Rhode Island police department is seeking to fire an officer after video showed him smashing a handcuffed mans face into the pavement during a fireworks celebration on Fourth of July weekend. The Providence Police Department said Friday that Capt. Stephen Gencarella has been accused of violating several department rules governing conduct, lawfulness and truthfulness. Based on the facts and circumstances presented, Providence Police administration has recommended that Capt. Gencarella be terminated from his employment, the department said in a statement announcing its decision. Gencarella and another officer arrested Armando Rivas, 21, for leaving his parked vehicle unattended in a roadway at the citys India Point Park on July 3, The Boston Globe reported. A video shared on YouTube, which has since been taken down, shows Gencarella grabbing Rivas head and slamming his face into the pavement as Rivas was handcuffed and lying face down, the Globe reported. Gencarella is currently employed but went on injured-on-duty leave on July 6, a department spokesperson confirmed to the newspaper. Under labor rules, he may choose to resign or seek a hearing on the departments recommendation to fire him. The Globe reported that on July 5, Rivas pleaded no contest to obstructing police, resisting arrest, and two counts of simple assault on the officers; he was placed on probation for a year. The Providence police union didnt respond to a call seeking comment, and efforts to contact Gencarella were unsuccessful Friday. A separate investigation into the incident by the state attorney generals office is ongoing. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Law Enforcement This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, Apollo Syndicate Management, and specialist MGA Aqueous Underwriting. A summary of these new hires follows here. BHSI Launches Exec & Professional Lines in Switzerland, Led by Kammermann Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) announced it is introducing executive & professional (E&P) Lines coverages and named Christoph Kammermann as head of Executive & Professional Lines in Switzerland. Kammermann has more than 25 years of industry experience and was most recently head of Financial Lines and Professional Liability at Liberty Specialty Markets in Zurich. He is a graduate of the University of Bern in Switzerland and holds a masters in Business Administration. Our momentum in Switzerland continues to build quickly with these latest additions to our leadership team and our product line, said Leander Metzger, country manager, Switzerland, BHSI. BHSI is introducing numerous E&P policies in Switzerland, including D&O Liability and Professional Liability Insurance. Kammermann will be based in Zurich and can be reached at Christoph.Kammermann@bhspecialty.com *** Apollo Appoints Beazleys Foster as Head of Property Apollo Syndicate Management, the independent specialist insurer and reinsurer, announced the appointment of Kate Foster as its new head of property for Syndicate 1969. Foster joins Apollo with a wealth of property underwriting experience. She most recently held the role of property underwriter at Beazley, where she has been since 2017. Prior to this, she has held various senior underwriting roles in the property sphere at companies including Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance and Vero. She began her career in 2000 at Hiscox. Property is a key part of Apollos offering. Kate brings extensive knowledge to the role, as we continue to generate creative and innovative solutions whilst growing our property book, working toward a resilient and sustainable future, commented James Slaughter, Apollo group chief underwriting officer. We continue to focus on developing our D&F and binders portfolios, both of which remain fundamental to Apollos offering. *** MGA Aqueous Hires Hall as Senior Development U/W Specialist MGA Aqueous Underwriting has hired William Hall as senior development underwriter from professional indemnity and liability broker Brunel Professions. Hall has over 35 years experience in the PI and financial lines sector, starting his career at Royal Sun Alliance before launching a start-up MGA PI Protect, which was later acquired by Barbican Insurance. Most recently, Hall worked as an associate director at Brunel. Aqueous writes PI for a wide range of trades and professions. The appointment of Hall is aimed at building on new business opportunities in the regional market. Earlier this year, the MGA announced it had secured an increase in its PI capacity with cover available for limits up to 15 million. Aqueous Underwriting is a trading name of Aqueous Management Ltd., an appointed representative of Davies MGA Services Ltd. Topics Insurance Wholesale Property An explosion at an Evansville, Indiana house killed three people and damaged 39 houses, officials said Wednesday afternoon. Evansville Fire Department Chief Mike Connelly said two of the people killed were in the house of the explosion, while the third victim was in a neighboring house. Connelly said the affected area of the blast was approximately 1,000 feet. Connelly said 39 houses suffered severe to minor damage. The explosion occurred just before 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Willemette Village/Wesselman Park neighborhoods, about two miles north of the University of Evansville. Security camera video shared with local news outlet WRTV Indianapolis shows the moment of the explosion. DEVELOPING | At least three people are injured after a house explosion in Evansville, according to the fire department. Several homes were damaged. : Danny Koester pic.twitter.com/WAz8UhG313 WRTV Indianapolis (@wrtv) August 10, 2022 Connelly said an arson investigation is underway. A structural collapse team was on site to stabilize structures fear of collapse. Topics Indiana A southwest Iowa company that makes metal castings used by military contractors in helicopters and other equipment has reached a settlement in a lawsuit alleging the company failed to test the castings and falsely certified test results over seven years. Wellman Dynamics, a Creston company that manufactures large metal castings used by military contractors including Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky Aircraft and Boeing Co. will pay $500,000 in restitution to the U.S. government to settle the allegations, court documents indicate. The lawsuit was filed in federal court against Wellman after employee Bradley Keller filed a complaint under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Keller had worked in areas of the factory responsible conducting various tests on the metal to ensure it met quality standards. He said after he reported the improper testing and falsification of records between 2014 and 2021 he was laid off, but documents indicated he was later rehired. Keller will receive $90,000 out of the settlement amount under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claim act. The company also must pay him $15,000 to settle a retaliation claim and his attorneys more than $63,000. A U.S. Department of Justice official said in a statement that proper testing is critical for ensuring the proper performance of the equipment that is provided to the military. We will hold accountable those who knowingly falsify or fail to conduct required tests and put our military at risk. said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the departments civil division. In the settlement agreement the company denies the allegations but indicated the case was settled to avoid the delay, uncertainty, inconvenience and expense of protracted litigation of the claims. The company and its attorney did not immediately reply to a message. The agreement does not prevent the government from investigating further and pursuing criminal charges against some individuals if warranted. The company must cooperative with any such investigation. Topics Lawsuits Claims Iowa Manufacturing Inszone Insurance Services announced the acquisition of First Bosnian Insurance, providing the second acquisition in the state of Missouri. First Bosnian Insurance opened in 2005 with the goal of helping the growing community of Balkan and Eastern European people coming to America. Ibrahim Vajzovic and his wife Fazira were able to provide information and coverage to a vastly underserved community that wanted assistance from a native Bosnian speaker. As the community grew, many businesses and commercial truckers were emerging, and First Bosnian Insurance was able to be at the forefront of supporting their insurance needs. First Bosnian was the first independent insurance agency in the St. Louis area and just a few short years after opening was named the Fastest Growing Agency by Safeco. Source: Inszone Insurance Services Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Missouri New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! District Court Judge Martha M. Pacold has denied Arthur J. Gallaghers request for a temporary restraining order against rival Alliant Insurance Services as part of a lawsuit Gallagher filed against Alliant alleging employee and client stealing. According to a docket entry filed by a court clerk in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois, Gallaghers motion for a temporary restraining order was denied following a call-in hearing. The short docket entry did not outline the reasons for the denial. Late last month, Gallagher filed a lawsuit against Alliant for allegedly plotting to steal steal employees and clients. Eight female employees suddenly resigned over several days earlier in July in a move Gallagher called a corporate raid by Alliant. As part of the lawsuit, Gallagher sought a temporary restraining order against Alliant. The brokers subsequently traded court filings. Alliant accused Gallagher of rampant sexism, discrimination, and unfair treatment of women, which led to the most recent resignations. The only thing Gallagher can prove Alliant did is hire Gallaghers employees and offer them better opportunities, Alliant said in its filing. In response, Gallagher denied the accusations and said Alliant was putting on a masterclass in deflection. Gallagher said it needed the court to intervene before it suffered irreparable harm. The case is Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. v. Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., 1:22-cv-03931, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Topics A.J. Gallagher Alliant An oil spill cleanup is underway at a site where an oil tank platform collapsed in a Louisiana bay, the Coast Guard said. The spill of crude oil occurred at Hilcorps Caillou Island facility in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana, according to a news release emailed late Monday. Hilcorp estimates that less than 14,000 gallons (53,000 liters) spilled, and no wildlife had been affected as of late Monday, the statement said. The cause of the collapse is being investigated. The Coast Guard said 4,500 feet (1,370 meters) of containment boom have been deployed and three skimming vessels and five response vessels were on scene. Environmental Safety & Health Consulting Services has been hired to clean up the spill. Hilcorp said people affected by the spill may call a claims line at 281-486-5511, according to the news release. The Houston-based company did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent through its website. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Energy Oil Gas New You can now listen to Insurance Journal articles! An Alabama deputy shot and killed a man who pointed a modified flare gun at him after fleeing a traffic stop, law enforcement officials said. The Lawrence County Sheriffs office said Marty Hutto, 50, was shot and killed Saturday after he pointed a gun at the deputy. Investigators said they later discovered it was a flare gun loaded with a modified 12-guage shotgun shell, according to a press release from the sheriffs office. The sheriffs department said the deputy was trying to stop Hutto who was driving a truck down the center of the road. They said Hutto first threw bottles and nails at the deputys car. After his truck became disabled, Hutto got out of the truck and pointed the flare gun at the deputy, the sheriffs office said. The sheriffs office said Hutto had outstanding warrants for domestic violence. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said Monday that it is reviewing the incident at the request of the sheriff. The deputy is on paid leave during the investigation. Lawrence County Sheriff Max Sanders said he supported the deputy. We have an incredible group of men and women that serve Lawrence County and put themselves in harms way. I stand by my deputies. Any threat to their safety will be met in kind. Please keep my deputy, the deputys family, and the families affected by this in your thoughts and prayers, Sanders said in a statement posted on Facebook. Huttos family told WAAY that theyre frustrated with a lack of information from the sheriffs office. Family members told the news station that they learned of Huttos death on Facebook. He didnt deserve this, not the way he got shot down. We just want justice for our brother, because this aint right, Huttos sister, Cathy Hill, told the station. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alabama Gun Liability Theres a new option to escape a tsunami for people on the southwest coast of Washington. The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe dedicated a 50-foot tall evacuation tower in Tokeland, Washington, the Northwest News Network reported. When the next magnitude 9.0 rip of the offshore Cascadia fault zone happens, people on the Pacific Northwest coast will have some 15 to 35 minutes to get to high ground to escape a possible tsunami. Tokeland is on a long, flat peninsula with no high ground within walking or running distance for many there. Shoalwater tribal council member Lynn Clark said at the dedication ceremony that the tower will save lives. Tribal leaders and the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it should be an example and inspiration for other vulnerable coastal communities. The tribes emergency management director, Ken Ufkin, said he can sleep better now that the sturdy, double-decker tsunami refuge tower exists. The tower stands close to the midpoint of the nearly 3-mile-long Tokeland Peninsula. This allows folks even if its 2:30 in the morning in your pajamas to scoop up your family and make it here in a very short amount of time in under a 15-minute window for nearly everyone from Tokeland Point to the heart of the reservation, Ufkin said. The tower will be open to all in a disaster. The tower platforms have a capacity of more than 400 people, which is considerably more than the tribal population of the small Shoalwater Bay reservation. The Tokeland evacuation tower resembles free-standing tsunami towers built in Japan, but officials said its the first of its type in North America. Two other tsunami refuges on the Northwest coast in Newport, Oregon, and Westport, Washington are reinforced platforms on the roofs of a school or university building. Design engineer Cale Ash, who worked on the Tokeland tower for Degenkolb Engineers, said tsunami experts modeled the maximum wave height near the mouth of Willapa Bay as 16.3 feet and said the design team rounded up to 20.2 feet to be safe. He said the floor of the lower platform is 33 feet above the ground and the floor of the upper platform is 43 feet high. Ash also said at the dedication that the tower rests on concrete pilings that go 55 feet deep to withstand violent shaking of the soft, sandy soils of the peninsula. The Federal Emergency Management Agency provided $3.8 million toward the design and construction of the Tokeland tower. The Shoalwater Bay tribe contributed an additional $1.2 million to complete the budget. The most likely next place in the Northwest to build a tsunami evacuation tower is the town of Ocean Shores, Washington, which is working with Degenkolb on a design. Some emergency planners have qualms about relying on vertical evacuation structures because it leaves a potentially large number of people in a disaster zone who will need to be rescued later. Ufkin and others say, however, that reaching safety quickly by driving away is unlikely to be an option if a major earthquake buckles roads and topples power poles in low-lying places such as Tokeland or in Ocean Shores and Long Beach, Washington, and parts of Seaside and Warrenton, Oregon, for example too. Geologists and emergency planners consider the Cascadia Subduction Zone fault among the most significant disaster threats in the U.S. The offshore fault last ruptured in January 1700, spawning a tsunami that reached all the way across the Pacific to Japan. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Washington Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.s Risk Placement Services Inc. acquired Hillsboro, Oregon-based Evergreen Insurance Managers Inc. Dyan Bates, Nancy Schultz and their associates will remain in their current location. Evergreen Insurance Managers is a wholesale insurance broker and managing general agency offering commercial insurance services for a variety of industries. The team serves clients throughout the Pacific Northwest. RPS is Arthur J. Gallaghers U.S. wholesale brokerage, binding authority and programs division. Arthur J. Gallagher is an insurance brokerage, risk management and consulting services firm headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions A.J. Gallagher Oregon The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reopening the comment period for an additional 60 days on the proposal to reconsider and revoke the final approval of Arizonas State Plan for Occupational Safety and Health. The agency is also postponing the public hearing tentatively scheduled for Aug. 16, 2022. The U.S. Department of Labor announced a proposal in May to reconsider and revoke final approval of Arizonas State OSHA plan, which the department says is in response to nearly a long pattern of failures to adopt and enforce standards and enforcement policies that are at least as effective as those used by the departments Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Further notice of the actions are expected to be published in the Federal Register within the next few days. OSHA plans to review all comments on the proposal, including any submitted during the reopening of the comment period. Further decisions about scheduling a hearing are suspended until then. State plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health programs operated by states. The OSH Act encourages states to develop and operate their programs. OSHA approves and monitors all state plans, and provides up to 50% of each programs funding. According to the department, OSHA has grown increasingly concerned that actions by the Arizona State OSHA Plan suggest the state is either unable or unwilling to maintain its commitment to provide a program for worker safety and health protection as the OSH Act requires. An example the department gave was that Arizona has failed to adopt adequate maximum penalty levels, occupational safety and health standards, National Emphasis Programs and most recently the COVID-19 Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard. Topics Workers' Compensation Arizona Developers have long had a rough reputation in Ireland. From historical zoning scandals through the debacle of the Celtic Tiger and its ghost estates, the building industry here has, rightly or wrongly, gained a reputation for sharp practice. But it seems unfair to blame the failure of the much-maligned strategic housing development (SHD) system solely on the developers. Thats something for which Government has to carry the can. And despite the best efforts of the current coalition to distance themselves from the projects failure by quietly doing away with it in the Programme for Government, theyve managed to make a hames of even that. Because, as the Irish Examiner reported this week, SHD applications are still flying in. An Bord Pleanala will still be deciding upon them well into 2023. Conceivably, they may still be being built in five years time. It is all far removed from how things were initially envisaged when the system was introduced as part of Rebuilding Ireland, then housing minister Simon Coveneys attempt to bring some sanity to the Irish housing market, in 2016. The idea for SHDs developments of a size of more than 100 homes was simple enough. Certain marquee planning projects in Ireland Apples 2015 plan for a data centre at Athenry in Co Galway, being possibly the most egregious example had long become embroiled in the various appeals processes available to the public, from the local authority through ABP and into the courts. Frivolous appeals Such allegedly frivolous appeals, often taken by people with no direct residential connection to the project in question, were slowing progress or so the argument went. SHDs would see one whole segment of the planning swamp the local authority application, which when objections were taken into account could slow a permission by up to a year taken out of the equation, with decisions instead being taken directly by An Bord Pleanala. What could possibly go wrong? Quite a bit as it happens. The real problem has been successive Irish governments' inability to learn a simple lesson if youre going to do something ambitious in a world where legal recourse is easily sought, you'd best do it right from the beginning. Of the applications approved to date (which havent been quashed by the courts) only 36% have broken ground in the five years the system has been live, leading to suggestions of permission-hoarding and land speculation on the part of the developers Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire As we now know. the legislation underpinning SHDs was fatally flawed. Roughly a third of the 300-or-so applications approved to date have been judicially reviewed. At least 35 have been decided in the High Court, and An Bord Pleanala has lost 86% of them. Of the applications approved to date (which havent been quashed by the courts) only 36% have broken ground in the five years the system has been live, leading to suggestions of permission-hoarding and land speculation on the part of the developers. But really, what are they supposed to do? Whether you think the developers are in the business of building homes or in looking out for number one, the fact is they can only deal with the system that the State gives them to interact with. Likewise with An Bord Pleanala a body that has no shortage of problems of its own. True, it provided the flawed decisions which have foundered repeatedly in the courts. But it didnt design the system. Buck stops with housing minister An Bord Pleanala is beholden to the minister for housing. The buck stops with that department. The current crisis, however, shows that rather than fixing the problem, the State has elected to double down and dig deeper into the hole it has found itself in. Firstly, the phasing-out of SHDs has been utterly inadequate. The Programme for Government announced in June of 2020 that the process would end at its legislative cutoff point in December of last year. Yet applications will still be received up until at least the end of October, and they have been coming in their droves all told, An Bord Pleanala has received a staggering 125 SHD applications since the beginning of last December, more than a quarter of the total bids lodged since the system began in 2017. It is hardly a sign of a system in its dying throes. It should not have been possible to lodge a new application for an SHD in 2022. Unfortunately the minister [Housing Minister Darragh OBrien] chose to allow it, and the board is under-resourced, which means well be seeing these applications for some time to come, Eoin O Broin, Sinn Fein spokesperson on housing, said. Second, the State last month having threatened to do so for months was as good as its word, ramming through amendments to planning legislation in the Dail, with only token debate, which will make it far more difficult for people to object to planning decisions in the courts. That is a decision on which there is consensus among planning and legal experts the rushed amended legislation itself will end up being challenged in the courts. And so the cycle continues. Thirdly, and finally, the States review of certain of former An Bord Pleanala SHD chief Paul Hydes decisions delivered to Mr OBrien on July 29 was laughably narrow-focused given the barrage of negative revelations about the planning authority since that reports commissioning in April. And thats before we even know what the reviews conclusions are. So we can lambast developers and An Bord Pleanala all we want, but ultimately, SHDs are a failure of Government. And one the current administration shows little sign of learning from. All too often news reports on corncrakes contain grim facts about a drastic drop in numbers. Irelands corncrake population has declined by more than 96% since the 1970s. In 2019, surveys carried out by the National Parks & Wildlife Service estimated 150 remaining pairs in Ireland (Donegal, Mayo and Connemara). These eggs survived a remarkably close pass of a mower in a field in Fanad, Donegal But thanks to an eagle-eyed corncrake field worker, a farmer, a team of dedicated conservation experts and Cork's Fota Wildlife Park, here are nine of the luckiest corncrakes in the country. Corncrake LIFE is a project working with farmers and landowners to improve the habitat for corncrakes. They have six project staff, 50 farmers in a pilot scheme to create habitats to attract the birds and there are also 20-30 landowners involved. The corncrake emergency kit to save recovered eggs As part of their work they developed a licenced protocol in case they recover corncrake eggs, chicks or nests. They literally have 'break open in case of emergency kits'. On June 13, some Corkcrake LIFE fieldworkers were monitoring the mowing of a meadow in Fanad, County Donegal when they found something remarkable. Dr John Carey, Corncrake LIFE project manager, said: "On the last pass of the mower they spotted a nest. It survived by a hair's breadth. So close that 2 eggs were knocked from the nest..." Dr John Carey of Corncrake LIFE very carefully transports the rescued eggs The eggs were recovered and within hours, were moved from the site in Fanad Head to Cork's Fota Wildlife to be incubated in their special facility. "Fota Wildlife are our project partners and they are absolute experts in corncrake husbandry. Fota Wildlife Park director, Sean McKeown drove up to meet me as I drove down from Donegal and we handed over the eggs to his car at a petrol station along the way." "I did play have Radio na Gaeltachta on in the car in the way to let them hear a bit of Irish and the Donegal accent they might be 'born' in Cork but they are Donegal birds," he laughed. Freshly hatched corncrake chicks From 11 eggs, the experts managed to hatch nine in Cork. Dr John Carey, project manager: "Within two hours they were bouncing around the place. Remarkable little things! They grew and grew. Velociraptors. They stayed for 20 days in the care of Fota Wildlife and what care they got." Thriving: the corncrake chicks matured at Fota Wildlife Park The lucky nine were then returned to a soft release site close to where the nest was found. A safe spot to acclimatise to being 'back home' Local staff member, David Ferguson, carefully constructed 'the Fort Knox of enclosures'. And for a further 3 weeks, they cared for the birds and gave them a decent chance to acclimatise to their home area. Dr Kendrew Colhoun and David Ferguson: checks and monitoring take place before the nine corncrakes are released "Then the day of release came....and nerves were high! All nine birds were in great shape, healthy and strong. They were amazing to see up close exquisite." Finally, the gate was opened. And one by one... the birds went back to the wild. Corncrakes are summer visitors, breeding in Ireland from April to September and migrating to Africa for the winter "Since release, the birds have dispersed. We can now only wish them well and hope that they make their way safely to Africa and back again to us next Spring." The corncrakes' summer home in Ireland before they head to Africa for the winter "It really was a community and team effort from start to finish as the landowner had informed us in advance that he was cutting the silage and had committed to cutting from the middle of the field out towards the edges. And he knew to do that because he has a relative who is a teacher in a local school who had heard about efforts to save the corncrake as part of our schools programme," explains Dr Carey. You may not ever see a corncrake in person as they are a 'secretive' species as well as being rare, they are a bit bigger than a blackbird and are dark yellow-brown, with dark barring on the back, reddish flanks and a grey belly. But if they are in the area then you'll hear them: males have a loud distinctive, crex crex call, which carries up to a kilometre away. Corncrakes in Ireland "Corncrakes really only nest in the best of areas. You can have biodiversity and a range of wildlife in an area but you have to look at what species you are getting there too," explains Dr Carey. And while these birds are all from the same family, there are hopes that the males in the group may attract new females to the area. The males call the females with their loud cry. The incredible journey: from Fanad to Fota and back again In this instance, the mother wouldn't return to the nest after being disturbed by the cutting so the crew had to balance monitoring the site for as long as possible to give her a chance with not letting the eggs get too cold. Dr Carey noted: "So while it is sad that the birds didn't get to be hatched in their own nest this was the next best possible outcome. And we have had our emergency rescue pack ready for some time. In a way, it's like having a black belt in martial arts you hope you never need to use it but when the time comes, it's great to have it." People across the country are bracing themselves for a weekend of high heat, with temperatures set to reach up to 30C in the coming days. According to Met Eireann's provisional data, the highest temperature today was recorded at Oak Park in Carlow where the mercury hit 30.4C. The highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland was 33.3C taken in Kilkenny Castle in 1887. A status yellow high-temperature warning has been issued for the whole country, with Met Eireann saying it will be "very warm or hot on Friday and Saturday". The warning is in place from midday on Friday until 6am on Sunday. The forecaster said: "Very warm or hot on Friday and Saturday with maximum temperatures generally of 27C to 29C and locally higher. "Warm overnight with minimum temperatures generally around 15C. Temperatures may not be as high in coastal areas due to sea breezes, particularly in the northwest." A status yellow high-temperature warning is currently in place for Munster and Leinster and will remain in place until midday on Friday. The highest temperature at our synoptic stations today was at Oak Park, Co Carlow with 29.2C, which is 9.3C above its 1981-2010 long term average and the highest August temperature in Ireland since 2003 pic.twitter.com/F4hdFpd60G Met Eireann (@MetEireann) August 10, 2022 A weather advisory for hot weather is currently in place for the entire country and will remain in effect until midnight on Monday. UV levels are forecast to be high for much of the country on Thursday, due to widespread sunny spells with little cloud, the meteorological service said. A wild mountain goat is crowned 'King Puck' by Alesha Williams, Queen of Puck Fair looks out over the crowd in the square following his coronation at the annual crowning ceremony in the town square, Killorglin on Wednesday evening. Picture: Don MacMonagle High demand with thousands of visitors flocking for Puck Fair and low levels in reservoirs in the vicinity has led to overnight water restrictions in the Killorglin region. The restrictions are likely to continue until Friday. However, the Killorglin town centre where this years King Puck has been installed is not affected, Irish Water has confirmed. Water was restricted in several outlying areas between Killarney and Killorglin and including nearby Milltown between 11 pm and 7 am, to allow reservoirs to replenish themselves. Oliver Harney of Irish Water said there was high demand in the vicinity of Killorglin where the Puck Fair was taking place. Thousands of visitors have arrived for the ancient annual fair and the event drew record crowds on Wednesday, coronation day. Meanwhile, Mr Harney has urged the public to do what they can to conserve water. Small changes can make a big difference, he said. These included taking a shower rather than a bath and spending less time in the shower. Lifeguards on duty at Inchydoney Beach, West Cork. Picture Dan Linehan Irish Water has also warned that it is watching closely to see if further water restrictions will be needed as the hot spell continues. Interventions are already underway at over 13 water supplies, and many more are on a watchlist due to worries that they may run dry. A status orange forest fire risk is in place until next Tuesday. It has been issued by the Department of Agriculture due to the current weather conditions and expected level of risk over the coming days. On Thursday afternoon, there were reports of a large fire in the Mossgrove area of Cork near Beal na Blath. Huge plumes of smoke were seen rising from the area as emergency services attempted to get the blaze under control. Just flew over it there, impressive looking! pic.twitter.com/zHa45PRGSM Diarmuid McCarthy (@DiarmMcC) August 11, 2022 Advice to prevent wildfires is to not use barbeques in woodland, and if you see a fire report it to the emergency services. Another large blaze was spotted in Ferns, Co Wexford near the GAA grounds. A bad fire in Ferns, near the @FernsGAA grounds. The whole country is an absolute tinderbox at the mpment, could everyone please exercise the utmost caution. pic.twitter.com/lsXE2ZzC0N Pat O Toole (@potooleifj) August 11, 2022 Tonight will be mild with temperatures unlikely to fall below 10C to 15C, however they will stay above 17C in some areas. There will be a light breeze but otherwise it will be a dry and clear night. Tomorrow is to be even hotter as temperatures will be between 25C and 30C across the country, but they could rise into the low 30s in some inland parts of Munster and Leinster. There will be no let-up in terms of the heat on Saturday, but thundery downpours will bring the temperature down to the mid-twenties on Sunday, and Monday will see a return to regular temperatures for this time of year. Meanwhile, Ireland's electricity system is experiencing "tight margins", according to EirGrid, due to low wind, limited electricity imports, and forced outages at a number of generators. EirGrid issued a system alert (previously known as an amber alert) warning for the potential for temporary electricity supply issues. 'Extra caution' Joanna Donnelly, a meteorologist with Met Eireann, said it was particularly important that the vulnerable take precautions during the hot weather. Were just not acclimatised to those sorts of temperatures here in Ireland. There are vulnerable people in society that need that extra caution overnight especially, she said. Ms Donnelly advised people to stay hydrated, close curtains and windows throughout the day and try to keep the temperature in the bedroom as low as possible. An anticyclone just moved up over the country and its warm air circulating around, just getting warmer and warmer each day because it hasnt changed, it hasnt moved off yet, Ms Donnelly told Newstalk Breakfast. We are actually getting some warmer air moving up over the country from later on today adding to the heat that weve been building over the last few days. Cattle resting in the afternoon sunshine at Cahir overlooking the village of Ballingeary, West Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan Heatwaves are sweeping the rest of Europe as well, as climatologist John Sweeney has warned the world was effectively reaping the rewards of inaction on climate change. Cork City Council and the Cork Simon Community have measures in place to protect the city's homeless population from the heat. On receipt of the warning for high temperatures all service providers have been asked by Cork City Council to alert all clients in their facilities to the risks involved. "Cork Simon, who run the Outreach Service, are providing sun-cream and bottled water to all service users. They will conduct extensive outreach checks and engage with anyone rough sleeping to try and encourage them to present to the Day Services and the Accommodation Placement Service," a Cork City Council spokesperson said. "The Accommodation Placement Service Office run by Cork City Council will also be providing bottled water to any client in need of support who present to us during this time." They are also asking the public to contact Cork Simon at 021 4278728 or email them at outreach@corksimon.ie if they have concerns about anyone who is sleeping rough. The long-awaited decision on a 650m liquefied natural gas (LNG) project for the Shannon Estuary, this countrys first, on the southern side of the Shannon estuary between Tarbert and Ballylongford in Co Kerry, is due on September 9. Few expect the deadline to be met for the giant project covering under a third of the 600-acre landbank once owned by the State . Further information from the applicants, now New Fortress Energy, has been sought by An Bord Pleanala. The war in Ukraine has brought the issue of Irelands energy supply to the fore but a war is also looming politically with climate change activists squaring up to politicians. The plan to build a major gas terminal, importing frozen gas and liquefying it then feeding it onto the Shannon Foynes gas pipeline is almost 20 years old. It was formally launched in 2006 by then minister for enterprise Micheal Martin at the Lanterns Hotel in Tarbert. Original proposers, the giant oil company Hess Corporation granted permission by An Bord Pleanala in 2008 pulled out after a long delay over regulatory issues and being asked by the energy regulator to stump up for UK interconnector pipes for the transport of gas. Hess sold in 2016 after spending 67m on the project, which never got to construction. Its planning had also expired. Political support has waned as the focus on climate change has increased, while the plan has been mired in technical and often legalistic quagmire by opponents. A sign supporting the LNG terminal in a window in Ballylongford, Co Kerry. Picture: Domnick Walsh But energy security concerns and the war means the issue is once again to the fore. A day after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Killarney native Sean Kelly MEP, a long-time proponent of the project, said: The war has changed the landscape. Ireland would be absolutely off the wall, mad altogether if it did not avail of the opportunity for energy security, a project that would not cost the State one penny, he said. Now Taoiseach, 16 years after he launched it, Micheal Martin, on an extended visit to Kerry, said LNG generally was one of a number of options that have to be considered. Stopping short of endorsing the specific location, Mr Martin said the energy situation meant things had "changed dramatically. We have to give consideration to LNG, given the energy security situation that has arisen because of the war. All of Europe was now looking at LNG, he said. Speaking as a climate camp made up of protesters against the plan was setting up near the site on the Shannon, Mr Martin also underlined how LNG that is not derived from fracking was consistent with the Programme for Government. The energy crisis brought about by the war has changed dramatically in the short-term the energy security question, he said. Graffiti painted on a roof of an old house in Ballylongford, Co Kerry. Picture: Domnick Walsh And it was one of number of options that simply have to be considered in the light of the energy security situation". Politicians from both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have been lining up in support. The Green Party has no elected representative in Kerry, although local members have voiced strong opposition and visited last week's climate camp. Mr Martin stressed the Programme for Government allowed for LNG, but without fracking, clearly offering a way out for his Government partners. A long wait There have been so many proposals for this valuable deep water site one of the deepest and most accessible in Europe and so many sods turned by TDs "theyd have a field ploughed, local man Teddy Griffin remarked last week. Ballylongford village, Co Kerry. Picture: Domnick Walsh A member of the Tarbert-Ballylongford LNG liaison group which strongly supports the project, Mr Griffin and others have watched as employment opportunities on their doorstep have vanished and with it a generation. Shops have closed pubs, have gone, houses are being abandoned, they say. What are the grandchildren, those that are left, to do? he asked. Teddy Griffin has oil lamps ready for a winter of power cuts, he said. This is despite living at the confluence of modern energy Tarberts ESB oil-fired station; the huge Moneypoint coal burner just 3km across the Shannon, huge bogs for turf and a plethora of wind turbines. In Ballylongford on Monday, Tarbert man John Fox, PRO of the group, is quite clear: The vast majority of the community, 95 per cent of the people in North Kerry and west Limerick want this project. We welcome any positive statement by the Taoiseach. But we have to be a small bit cautious. In 2006 he announced it," he pointed out, and it then had the backing of the political parties in Kerry, Clare, and Limerick. The protestors dont want it. And they want everything in the countryside closed, he said of the latest protest the six-day climate camp. Their methods all along were obstruction using technicalities, he said of the history of opposition. We want proper planning. We too are very concerned about the environment, he said. The current application is capable of conversion to hydrogen, he also noted. Activists at the climate camp near the site of the proposed LNG terminal. Picture: Domnick Walsh Dismantling their camp on Monday, the Climate Camp Ireland group said 400 people came to their field over the course of the six days, including local interest. Shell to Sea campaigner Maura Harrington was among those to visit, they confirmed, along with Love Leitrim group, set up to ban fracking in Ireland, as well as the People Before Profit TD Brid Smith. Local Green Party members and former party members including Cork city councillor Lorna Bogue also turned out, but no Green TD. William Hederman, spokesman for the Climate Camp Ireland Group, said originally safety was the big issue. In 2007, the primary concern is the lack of safety for nearby residents, Safety before Shannon LNG wrote. However, the goalposts have changed and the battle is very much global now with fracking and climate the core issues, Mr Hederman said, and the battle was bigger than the local. There are still huge concerns about safety. But even bigger than safety is fracking and bigger again by far and away is climate, Mr Hederman said. Environmental scientist Dr Laura Kehoe of Nature Conservancy gave a workshop at the climate camp. We are in a climate crisis. The science is very clear, we can not construct any new fossil fuel infrastructure," she said, adding people had to come together to create a solution. The Government is not leading on this issue, Dr Kehoe said. Climate Camp Ireland does not accept assurances by New Fortress Energy that the hundreds of tankers envisaged for the plant will not be bringing fracked gas. All of their operation involves fracked gas in North America, Mr Hederman said. Dr Laura Kehoe: 'We are in a climate crisis. The science is very clear, we can not construct any new fossil fuel infrastructure.' Picture: Domnick Walsh About 150 people from around Ireland took part in a two-hour trespass occupation of the site on Sunday, which they described as a show of strength and a warning to project developer, US corporation New Fortress Energy and the Irish Government. Meanwhile, the deadline is September 6 for the LNG regasification terminal jetty to facilitate the berthing of a floating storage unit, onshore vaporisation process equipment and administrative and associated buildings looms. Should the applicants not provide the information, the project could be refused. However sources say extra time will probably be requested and granted to collate the information. Then there will be public consultation and comment sought and more than likely an oral hearing for the second time. Burma Almost 30 Civilians and Resistance Fighters Killed by Myanmar Junta in Sagaing 145 houses, rice, crops and other belongings were razed in Kaing Kan Village, Tabayin Township. / Tabayin Brothers At least 29 civilians and resistance fighters were killed in Myanmar junta raids from August 1 to 8 in Tabayin, Myinmu and Monywa townships in Sagaing Region, according to local sources. Eight die in Tabayin raid A Myanmar military Mi-35 helicopter gunship fired on Kaing Kan Village, Tabayin Township around 10am on August 4, while two other helicopters airlifted junta troops to raid the village. Ko Hla Myo, a pseudonym for a Kaing Kan villager, and other residents were working on farms when the military regime helicopter suddenly appeared and opened fire. They fled for their lives, bolting and ducking in turn until they were three miles away from the village. I could only relax after they stopped firing at 1pm. We ran through fields, and I didnt even have time to put on my shoes. They [regime helicopter] fired continuously, said Ko Hla Myo. Around 80 junta troops were airlifted in to raid the village and stayed there until August 8. Locals said they were from Light Infantry Battalion 376, who are based in Kyauktaw in Rakhine State. On August 5, a corpse with a bruised face and puncture wounds in their ears was found floating in a ditch and buried by residents. A 60-year-old was also killed in nearby Shaw Phyu Village. When villagers returned to Kaing Kan after regime troops left they found four bodies inside a torched house. Their charred remains were beyond recognition. The bodies of two resistance fighters were also found near Kaing Kan, added locals. Of more than 300 houses in Kaing Kan, 147 were razed and the homeless need food supplies, said villagers. One Kaing Kan resident said: We have barely enough food to feed ourselves. Many of us have lost everything we have, even our shoes. After leaving Kaing Kan, regime forces abducted around 40 villagers from Shaw Phyu, In Pin, Yadin and Nagar Bo villages as potential human shields. Eighteen killed in Myinmu raids Eight civilians and 10 resistance fighters were killed in Myinmu Township when some 60 junta soldiers raided villages. Using five helicopters, regime forces raided Letpan Kyin Village on August 1, taking nearly 200 residents hostage, including elderly people, women and children. A 25-year-old woman was killed in an air raid, while U Kyaw Than, 60, was shot dead by junta soldiers after they landed in helicopters near his farm. U Kyaw Hlwan, 30, was killed after being questioned by junta troops at the village school. He was tied up and taken behind the school where soldiers slit his throat. A hostage was asked if there are Peoples Defense Forces (PDF) in the village. The hostage said he didnt know. The soldiers were angry with his answer and killed him at the back of the school, recounted a Letpan Kyin villager. Another man, U Hla Aye, 60, was spotted by junta soldiers as he watched hostages being interrogated from his house behind the school. He was shot dead and his body burned along with his house, said villagers. Regime forces also shot dead a paralyzed 70-year-old man and a 60-year-old man for no reason. They abducted two men, 40 and 43 respectively, as potential human shields. The two were later killed. Clashes broke out between junta troops and PDFs on August 2. Resistance fighters struggled to attack the regime troops because they were holding civilians as human shields, said Ko Lu Lin from the Myinmu Lightning Guerilla Group. We dare not attack them during their raids on villages as there are children, women and elderly people in the villages. And we cant attack with drones because of the hostages, he said. Two resistance fighters were killed on August 2 when they attacked junta troops leaving Letpan Kyin Village. On August 4, eight resistance fighters from People Guerilla Commando-Myinmu came to assist their fellow fighters in rural Myinmu. Unfortunately, they encountered junta troops and all eight were shot dead. Villagers dare not return to Letpan Kyin as junta soldiers told their hostages that they would return to the village on August 9 or 10. Two Myanmar military divisions, 33 and 77, are active in Myinmu, which is some 40 miles from Monywa, the Sagaing Region capital and home to the militarys Northwestern Command. The troops that carried out the Myinmu raids were from Division 77, said resistance fighters. Junta administration has halted in Myinmu, Ayadaw, Sagaing and Myaing [in Magwe Region] townships. The regime only has control over towns now, with PDFs having a strong presence elsewhere. Junta troops suffer heavy casualties when they travel on foot. So now they are airlifted into areas to gain control, said Ko Lu Lin of Myinmu Lightning Guerilla Group. In Monywa, three fighters from the God of Snakes resistance group died when junta troops raided their base on August 8. Burma Malaysian FM Calls on ASEAN to Engage With Myanmars National Unity Govt Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah (left) and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer attend a press conference at the Parliament House in Kuala Lumpur in July. / AFP Malaysias foreign minister on Wednesday urged member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to engage directly with the Myanmar juntas opponents, and to bring other countries into efforts to bring peace to the military-ruled country. During a visit to Thailand, Saifuddin Abdullah said it was of the utmost importance that ASEAN members morally support Myanmars people and engage with opposition groups formed after the coup, including the National Unity Government (NUG), a shadow government that has been designated as a terrorist group by the regime. Since the military coup last year, Myanmar has been in social and political turmoil due to the regimes brutal crackdowns on the opposition and popular armed resistance against military rule. ASEAN has been trying to mediate peace in the country since then by engaging only with the junta. The blocs efforts, however, have been criticized for making little progress. The regime has killed more than 2,000 people so far. Now it is one-sided, we are only engaging the junta, said the Malaysian foreign minister. Saifuddin said ASEAN foreign ministers discussed last week the possibility of seeking support from third-party states to help with the the bloc-led peace process. Some of us brought it to the table that if ASEAN cannot do it alone then we will probably have to engage some of our ASEAN dialogue partners, he said, without naming any countries. Among the 10 ASEAN states, Malaysia is one of the few that has been critical of the regime. In May, Saifuddin proposed that the regional grouping, which admitted Myanmar as a member under a previous military regime in 1997, consider informal engagement with the NUG, especially in the area of humanitarian relief. The juntas Foreign Ministry condemned Saifuddins suggestion, calling it irresponsible and reckless. He met his NUG counterpart Daw Zin Mar Aung on the sidelines of the US-ASEAN special summit, becoming the first minister from the bloc to meet an official from Myanmars shadow government publicly. The Myanmar issue also dominated last weeks ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting. In a statement following the meeting, the ministers showed their disappointment at the military juntas lack of commitment to implementing the blocs peace plan, known as the Five-Point Consensus. Adopted last year, the plan calls on the regime to halt all violence in the country immediately and meet with all stakeholders to discuss ways of finding peace. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said there is a real danger that the political crisis in Myanmar could turn into a civil war, given the lack of progress on peace plans that the country has agreed with ASEAN. I have to be very frank. Its very dire. I think there is a real danger that the coup is sliding into a civil war. Theres been no progress on the Asean Five-Point Consensus, Dr. Balakrishnan said. Burma Myanmar Battalion Commanders, Other Officers Killed in Clashes With Resistance Forces PDF snipers of the Central Region Special Operations group during a clash with regime forces in Mobye, southern Shan State in July. / CRSOG At least 80 Myanmar regime forces including three battalion commanders and some army captains were killed in recent firefights with Peoples Defense Force groups and ethnic armed organizations in Chin, Kachin and Karen states and Sagaing and Magwe regions. At 2 a.m. on Wednesday morning, a combined force of four ethnic Chin Defense Force groups raided a military camp in Rikhawdar town, Falam District in Chin State, according to the resistance groups. During five hours of fighting, resistance forces managed to drop more than 25 bombs on the military camp using drones, said the Mountain Eagle Defense Force (MEDF), a resistance group that coordinated the attacks. A video shows an intense clash on a mountain in the town. In the raid, eight regime soldiers including Lieutenant Colonel Wai Myo Paing, a battalion commander, were killed and many others injured, according to the resistance groups. Four resistance fighters also suffered injuries. A civilian was killed in shelling by the regime forces. The militarys lieutenant colonel was confirmed killed. We also detained four regime soldiers who fled the firefight. The aim of our attack was to make them feel insecure, an official of Civic Defense Militia-Siyin, which joined the resistance attack, told The Irrawaddy. After the clash, two regime jet fighters circled above the area. In the evening, the rest of the regime forces abandoned their camp, the MEDF said. The Myohla-Peoples Defense Force also claimed to have killed 15 military soldiers including an army major during their ambush of a military detachment in Shwgu Township, Kachin State on Wednesday. At 4:30 a.m. on that morning, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and Myohla-PDF used mines to attack 75 regime soldiers patrolling along the Irrawaddy River. After the attack, regime forces cremated the bodies of three army captains while forcing detained villagers to sit near them as human shields, Myohla-PDF said. Another army major, deputy battalion commander Wai Myo Aung, was reportedly killed along with more than two dozen soldiers after being ambushed by the Karen National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), in Kyaukgyi Township, Karen State on Sunday. At 4 p.m. on Sunday, KNLA troops attacked a military detachment between two villages in the township, the KNU said. On Monday morning, a regime helicopter reportedly retrieved the body of the army major after conducting airstrikes and bombing the area. A photo showing the obituary notice of the army major printed on a fan went viral on social media. During the airstrike, one of the military helicopters conducted an emergency landing in a school compound of a nearby village after being attacked by KNLA troops, said the KNU. Due to the conflict, residents from six nearby villages have fled their homes. Central Region Special Operations Group, a PDF group, claimed that their snipers managed to kill 11 regime troops during a firefight with a military detachment near Solarlu Village in Hpruso Township, Kayah State on Tuesday. Early on Wednesday, Chaung-U PDF ambushed 45 regime forces who were operating a vehicle-loaded jammer in an effort to prevent PDF mine attacks. The resistance forces used landmines at two locations while the troops were searching for mines along the Chaung-U-Monywa highway in Chaung-U Township, Sagaing Region. After being attacked by the mines, a group of bloodstained soldiers were seen on the highway between the two villages, but military casualties were unknown, the PDF group said. However, 14 regime forces were killed during a second mine attack on the same highway. An aerial video shot by the PDF shows the motionless bodies of several soldiers lying on the highway. Also, around 20 regime soldiers were reportedly killed after being ambushed with mines by joint resistance forces in Sagaing Region while they were raiding villages in Ye-U Township. After the PDFs ambush, military regime forces used helicopter gunships to attack the resistance forces, a resident told The Irrawaddy. We have learned many soldiers died in the resistance ambush. That is why the regime conducted airstrikes, the resident said. During the PDFs attack, 25 military weapons were reportedly seized by the PDF groups, according to residents and media reports. Six resistance fighters of the Beikthano Peoples Defense Army (BPDA) and three regime forces including an army captain were killed during a regime raid on PDF members in Kani Village, Myothit Town, Magwe Region on Tuesday, said the resistance group. A shootout between 30 regime troops and the resistance forces broke out while the soldiers raided a house in Kani Village where six PDF members had been staying. After the raid, regime forces also killed a villager, said the BPDF. The Myanmar junta is facing intense attacks from PDFs and ethnic armed organizations across the country nearly every day. Burma Singapore Told to Clampdown on Companies Supplying Myanmar Military At least 38 Singapore-based companies are brokering the sale of weapons and military equipment to the junta. Justice for Myanmar (JFM), a group of activists monitoring the business interests of the Myanmar military, has called on Singapore to take immediate action against companies that broker the supply of arms and equipment to the junta. Some 116 companies based in Singapore and Myanmar have brokered the supply of weapons and other equipment worth many millions of US dollars to the Myanmar military. Linked to the total of 78 Myanmar-based companies supplying the military are at least 38 subsidiary or associated companies in Singapore, JFM said in a report released on Thursday. JFM called on Singapore to impose immediate sanctions to ban the use of its territory, including its banks and ports, for the supply of arms and equipment to the Myanmar military. So far only a few of the companies supplying arms and equipment to the junta have been sanctioned. The vast majority are continuing to operate freely. This is unacceptable, said JFM spokesperson Ma Yadanar Maung. Singapore has significant power to end the military regimes war crimes and crimes against humanity, but it will remain complicit in the juntas atrocities if it fails to take meaningful action, she added. Singapore and other governments imposed swift and coordinated sanctions on the Russian government and its arms businesses in response to its aggression against Ukraine. The time is well overdue for governments to take a decisive and coordinated response to the Myanmar militarys international crimes, said Ma Yadanar Maung. Currently, some western countries including the US and European Union member states have imposed sanctions against a few notorious arms dealers and companies including U Tay Za and his Htoo Group of Companies, U Aung Hlaing Oos Myanmar Chemical and Machinery Co, Dr. Aung Moe Myint, who runs Dynasty Excellency, Dr. Naing Htut Aungs International Gateways Group, U Sitt Taing Aungs Yatanarpon Aviation Support and U Jonnathan Kyaw Thaungs KT Group. Many other companies supplying military equipment to the Myanmar air force and navy are still operating freely, including LT Resources Co, which is owned by family members of former Myanmar air force chief Major General Maung Maung Kyaw, Mega Hill General Trading and Star Sapphire Trading. The JLM report also named the Singapore-based companies Asia Trading Group Private Ltd, Shwe Htee San Trading Co, Mega Dynamic Co. Ltd and Achiever Marine Service, Myan Shwe Pyi Tractors Ltd, Sun & Moon 777, Moezac Co, Singa International Enterprise, Pyae Naing Thu Co. Ltd and Xinde Marine Engineering Pte Ltd as supplying equipment to the Myanmar air force and navy. Arms and equipment supplied by those companies are being employed by the military against the resistance movement, as well as being used to target civilians. At least 2,158 civilians have died at the hands of the junta since last years coup, while over 15,000 people have been detained. Approximately 860,000 people have been displaced by junta raids and arson attacks, said JFM, citing the records of other independent civil society organizations. Burma Two Myanmar Rohingya Leaders Shot Dead in Bangladesh Camps Rohingya refugees wade across a canal during rainfall in Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia on Aug. 9, 2022. / AFP KUTUPALONG, BangladeshTwo Rohingya community leaders were shot dead in one of Bangladeshs refugee camps, police said Wednesday, the latest in a string of killings in the settlements. The sprawling camps house nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees that fled to Bangladesh after a military offensive in neighboring Myanmar five years ago. Police spokesman Kamran Hossain said at least eight suspected Rohingya assailants shot Syed Hossain, 40, and Abu Taleb, 35, at around midnight. Both were rushed to hospitals where they were declared dead, he said, adding that a manhunt was launched and security stepped up in the camps. Police have not named any suspects. Rohingya sources told AFP that the insurgent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which operates both in Myanmars western Rakhine State and in the Bangladesh camps, was behind the shootings. In the last three months, ARSA has been blamed for at least five killings including three senior Rohingya leaders, two Rohingya sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fears for their security. Bangladesh has launched a crackdown on ARSA, led by its elusive leader Ataullah, after prominent Rohingya community leader Mohib Ullahwho had been received at the White Housewas shot dead in September last year. Police charged 29 Rohingya, including several ARSA cadres, for that murder. The group was also blamed for killing six students and teachers at an Islamic seminary controlled by a rival group. Police last month said they had arrested more than 800 Rohingya with suspected links to ARSA. Community leaders said they were being urged by police to tip off officers if ARSA cadres were found in the camps. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fled Myanmars Rakhine State in August 2017 after the countrys military crackdown, which the United Nations is investigating as a genocide. Global networking giant Cisco has revealed that its systems have been breached, with the break-in becoming apparent on 24 May and effected through stolen employee credentials obtained from a personal Google account. The company's Talos Intelligence security unit issued a long blog post on Wednesday, providing details of the incident, but not specifying when the actual break-in occurred. The website Bleeping Computer, which reports on numerous ransomware incidents, said it had been emailed a list of files last week, which were claimed to have been stolen during the attack. Coincidentally, Cisco's mea culpa came on the same day 10 August when the attackers, the Yanluowang ransomware gang, published a list of documents on the dark web which were claimed to belong to Cisco. The Talos post was not attributed to any Cisco staffer as is normal for such posts. The attackers posted lists of files to some Cisco bigwigs, one of which contained a list from a Box folder. A screenshot of an email is below. "After obtaining initial access, the threat actor conducted a variety of activities to maintain access, minimise forensic artifacts, and increase their level of access to systems within the environment," the post said. "The threat actor was successfully removed from the environment and displayed persistence, repeatedly attempting to regain access in the weeks following the attack; however, these attempts were unsuccessful. "We assess with moderate to high confidence that this attack was conducted by an adversary that has been previously identified as an initial access broker (IAB) with ties to the UNC2447 cyber crime gang, Lapsus$ threat actor group, and Yanluowang ransomware operators." No ransomware was deployed on Cisco's servers during the attack. Commenting on the incident, Lior Yaari, chief executive and co-founder of Grip Security, an Israeli cyber security start-up that provides SaaS visibility, governance and data security, said: "This is a great example of attackers stealing a personal credential and using it to penetrate the enterprise. This is probably occurring far more frequently than reported in the news. "The use of SaaS services is exacerbating this problem and expanding a companys attack surface because employees do tend to use personal passwords for SaaS used at work. GUEST OPINION: In the past decade, we've seen the volume of cyber attacks on health institutions grow immensely. Such attacks now occur more frequently and with greater magnitude globally. A medical institution data breach may expose sensitive information, such as names, addresses, and patients' social security numbers. Additionally, attackers can get a hold of Medicaid ID numbers, health insurance info, patients' medical history, and other data to compromise both patients and staff members. Here are some statistics from the past few years to give you an idea of the cyber vulnerabilities in the medical sector. Since 2009, over 2100 healthcare data breaches have occurred in the US. And those are just the reported numbers. 34% of all cyber attacks in the sector came from unauthorized access and disclosure. Hospitals account for the highest volume of medical-related data breaches 30%. Calculations show a 75.6% chance of a breach of at least 5 million records in 2021. Further data shows that bigger hospitals carry a greater data leak exposure. Hospital cybersecurity teams understand the need for improved protection against cyber threats. And undoubtedly, cybersecurity has improved over the past five years. Still, that time frame shouldn't come as a surprise as 2015 "hosted" 4 of the 5 most significant cyber attacks on medical institutions to date. Since then, we haven't seen an attack as big as the one on Anthem. However, the healthcare industry's cybersecurity spending between 2017-2021 is expected to go over $65 billion. Anthem Blue Cross 2015, 78.8 million patient records exposed Probably the most prominent healthcare data breach, hackers managed to steal nearly 80 million patient records from Anthem. The stolen data included social security numbers, patient addresses, and dates of birth. Most of the victims were Anthem plan members, with a small portion of them being clients of independent insurance companies. Premera Blue Cross 2015, 11+ million people affected Six weeks following the Anthem breach, Premera Blue Cross announced that hackers exposed the medical information of around 11 million patients. The breached data comprised social security numbers, bank account numbers, dates of birth, and claims information. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield 2015, 10 million people affected Although Excellus reported the cyber attack on their network in 2015, the hacking project was already going on for two years. Potentially, the hackers gained access to all patient records, including social security numbers, full names, addresses, financial payment data, claims details, and credit card numbers. TRICARE 2011, 4.9 million patients affected Back in 2011, TRICARE reported a massive data breach of medical and personal data. The information belonged to both families and military patients. However, this data breach wasn't the result of a cyber attack all of the records were stolen during a physical data transfer between two data contractor facilities. The thieves stole the documents from a parked vehicle. The records included personal details, prescriptions, lab test data, and clinical notes but no sensitive financial data. University of California, Los Angeles Health 2015, 4.5 million patients affected Although some cyber threats compromise a lesser data volume, they can still be devastating for medical institutions and their patients. The UCLA Health System reported a hack on their network, compromising 4.5 million patient records. In addition to expected personal information (social security numbers, DoBs, names), the records included highly confidential data such as health plan identification numbers, patient diagnoses, and patient procedures How to Protect Against Cyber Attacks on Health Institutions? Designated cyber attacks on medical networks use malware, ransomware, cloud threats, misleading websites, phishing attacks, encryption blind spots, and employee errors to gain access to sensitive data. To minimize cyber vulnerabilities in the medical sector, institutions should adopt a highly educated approach to cybersecurity as a whole. Establish a stellar security culture Modern cybersecurity training emphasizes that every medical organization's staff treats patient data with a great sense of responsibility and protection. Mobile device protection Most modern health institutions use mobile devices at work. To ensure data on those devices is secure, encryption is critical. Firewall implementation Any device connected to the internet should act behind a firewall. Excellent computer usage habits New employee onboarding should educate on best computer use practices, software, and OS maintenance. Installation and maintenance of reliable antivirus software A simple free antivirus isn't enough. To ensure data protection, you should rely on stable antivirus software, frequently updated to counter any possible threats. Control over access to sensitive health information Only those who need to access patient data should have clearance for it. Future planning and frequent backups All medical files should be backed up regularly for quick restoration in case of a hacker attack. Ideally, backups should be uploaded outside the main system network so we are enforcing usage of appropriate backup programs. Strong password usage and updates Default or weak passwords are a cornerstone for infiltrators. To deny an exploitable entry point, passwords should be both strong and frequently changed. Control over network and physical access Any software and apps should be installed and monitored by the proper authorities. Network devices and physical records should be contained in secure, locked areas. The Australian Centre for the Moving Image has promoted Seb Chan to the role of director and CEO. "The ACMI board has enormous confidence and enthusiasm in appointing Seb Chan to the role of director and CEO of ACMI," said ACMI board president Janet Matton. "Despite healthy competition for this pivotal leadership position, Seb impressed us with his vision for the museum's ongoing sustainability and his track record in delivering outstanding creative direction and partnerships during his seven years as ACMI's chief experience officer and trailblazing work for international museums." Chan is also an adjunct professor at the School of Media and Communications in the College of Design and Social Context at RMIT; an international advisory board member of Art Science Museum (Singapore); a board member of the National Communications Museum (Melbourne); and national president of the Australian Museums and Galleries Association. Before joining ACMI in 2015 he worked as director of digital and emerging media at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. Chan previously spent 12 years with Sydney's Powerhouse Museum, moving from IT roles to that of head of digital, social and emerging technologies. He also founded the Cyclic Defrost music magazine, the Frigid music events, and the Sound Summit festival. Chan holds a first in social work from the University of New South Wales. "It's a huge honour to be appointed to ACMI's top job to build upon the incredible work of former director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick AM. Working with the Victorian Government, our state's broader cultural ecosystem and the museum's remarkable team, I look forward to consolidating ACMI," said Chan. "Victoria has always been a global leader in screen innovation, from producing the early 20th century's first feature film to interactive art of the early 21st century and our burgeoning local videogame scene. ACMI is a place where we gather to watch, play and understand how screen content is made and affects us. More than ever, ACMI provides a vital hub to come together and imagine alternative futures." Victorian Minister for Creative Industries Steve Dimopoulos said "ACMI is one of our most innovative, forward-thinking cultural institutions, and Seb is a groundbreaker and leader who brings great vision, imagination, and a deep commitment to making cultural experiences accessible and inclusive for all." Following Chan's appointment, acting director and CEO Graham Jephcott resumes his role as deputy CEO and executive director commercial and operations. The Board is so grateful to Graham Jephcott and the wider leadership team for maintaining ACMI's momentum during this time," said Matton. "Graham and the team didn't miss a beat and will ensure that Seb's transition into his new role will be as seamless as possible." Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. China continues crackdown on irregularities of off-campus training institutions Xinhua) 17:08, August 11, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A three-month follow-up check for irregularities on 172,000 off-campus training institutions for students undergoing compulsory education across China was completed, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said Thursday. Targeting violations in seven aspects including reducing burdens on students and management of training materials and personnel, the inspection found 4,614 problematic institutions, which have all since completed rectification. A total of 206 institutions were found to have not adopted the government-guided price, while 3,598 institutions were found to have carried out irregular academic tutoring, said the ministry. The MOE pledged efforts to further improve the long-term supervision mechanisms for off-campus training. In 2021, Chinese authorities introduced a set of guidelines to ease the burdens of excessive homework and off-campus tutoring for students in compulsory education. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) 08/11/2022 Artwork from the cover of the playbill, designed by McKenna Padgett. by Buffy Lockette Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" is coming to a stage near you, courtesy of The Shakespeare Project in JSU's College of Arts and Humanities. The famous tale of star-crossed lovers has been abridged, with a run time of 60 to 90 minutes, and simplified to a "trunk tour," without stage lighting and with only a few actors playing multiple parts. This format not only allows the production to travel to multiple venues with ease, but is similar to how The Lord Chamberlain's Men originally staged the plays of William Shakespeare. The plot and setting of the classic play have also been reworked. The parents of today's high school and college students likely remember the 1996 blockbuster "Romeo + Juliet," featuring a young Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in a modernized retelling directed by Baz Luhrmann. Along the same vein, this new production adapted by New York theater professional Karl Hawkins and retired JSU English Professor Carmine DiBiase is set in 1960s Anniston, Ala., in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement, and features an interracial Romeo and Juliet fighting to be together in the face of prejudice and suppression. "'Romeo and Juliet' is required reading for high schoolers in Alabama, so the intent of these performances is to enhance existing studies and make elevated art easy to comprehend," said the show's executive director, Emily Duncan. Hawkins said, Merging the history of the American South with Shakespeares beautiful language will help us see this story that we know and love in a fresh, new way. JSU faculty, staff, students and the news media are invited to the show's dress rehearsal on campus Aug. 13, 2 p.m., at Stone Center. Local schools and organizations can schedule a free performance Aug. 15-27, or attend the following community showings: Aug. 18 , 7 p.m., Pell Citys Center for Education and Performing Arts , 7 p.m., Pell Citys Center for Education and Performing Arts Aug. 20 , 6 p.m., Elwell Park in Weaver , 6 p.m., Elwell Park in Weaver Aug. 22 , 6 p.m., Oxford Civic Center , 6 p.m., Oxford Civic Center Aug. 25 , 6 p.m., Piedmont High School , 6 p.m., Piedmont High School Aug. 26 , 6 p.m., The Bridge at First United Methodist Church of Anniston , 6 p.m., The Bridge at First United Methodist Church of Anniston Aug. 27, 10 a.m., JSU's Stone Center All performances are free, thanks to the generous support of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Alabama Humanities Alliance, Knox Concert Series, Josephine E. and H. Brandt Ayers Foundation, Hillcrest Foundation, Americas First Federal Credit Union and the JSU College of Arts and Humanities. To schedule a performance for your school or organization, contact Emily Duncan at 256-454-2961 or elduncan@jsu.edu. For additional information, including new community performance dates as they are added and behind-the-scenes photos, follow @TheShakespeareProjectAL on Facebook or Instagram. Founded in 2017, The Shakespeare Projects mission is to provide free, accessible professional programs and performances of literature, under the belief that art is a human right. This program is a part of the JSU College of Arts and Humanities, which strives for academic excellence by providing a learning-centered environment where students cultivate critical thought, intellectual curiosity and an expansive worldview, and the JSU Foundation, which aids the universitys mission of excellence in education, research and service. Cast and Crew: Latvian MPs on Thursday declared Russia a "state sponsor of terrorism" whose actions in Ukraine constitute "targeted genocide against the Ukrainian people". The statement MPs adopted said the parliament "recognises Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view". Voting by 67 in favour and none against or abstaining in Latvia's unicameral legislature, MPs said they considered "Russia's violence against civilians committed in pursuit of political aims as terrorism". Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba hailed the vote as a "timely move". "Ukraine encourages other states and organisations to follow suit," he said on Twitter. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman condemned the vote as "primal xenophobia", adding, "It is necessary to call the ideologues nothing but neo-Nazis." The Latvian parliament statement also condemned the use of cluster munitions by Russian forces, saying they were intended "to sow fear and indiscriminately kill civilians". Russia "uses suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralise the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyse the functioning of the state in order to occupy Ukraine," it said. The parliament also urged the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas for Russian and Belarusian citizens and to cut down on entry visas in general. It said Russia's invasion was carried out "with the support and involvement of the Belarusian regime" and called on the international community to impose on Belarus the same sanctions adopted against Russia. Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday left Singapore where he had taken refuge following his escape from protesters at home, after he was given a visa only for about a month in the city-state. Rajapaksa flew into Singapore from the Maldives on July 14 after fleeing a deepening economic crisis and widespread protests in Sri Lanka. He tendered his resignation shortly after his arrival. Sri Lankans arriving in Singapore normally receive a 30-day visa, but authorities said they had initially given Rajapaksa only two weeks and later extended the visa by another two weeks. "The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirms that Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Singapore on 11 August," Singapore's immigration office said in reply to an AFP query. It did not say where the former leader was headed but the Thai foreign ministry, as well as a source in Colombo, said Wednesday he was seeking a new safe haven in Thailand. Rajapaksa fled his nation after tens of thousands of protesters overran his official residence last month angry about acute shortages of food, fuel and medicine endured by Sri Lanka's 22 million people since late last year. An international human rights group last month formally asked Singapore to indict Rajapaksa for crimes against humanity during his country's decades-long civil war that ended in 2009. The South Africa-based International Truth and Justice Project said it had urged Singapore to exercise universal jurisdiction to arrest the former president for grave breaches of international humanitarian law. Rajapaksa helmed Sri Lanka's defence ministry while his brother Mahinda was president when the country's brutal Tamil separatist conflict came to a bloody end. Singapore's Attorney-General's Chambers confirmed it had received a complaint from the rights group without giving details. "His Singapore visa runs out on Thursday," a close associate of Rajapaksa told AFP in Colombo on Wednesday. "He had applied for an extension, but it had not come through as of Wednesday morning." The source said Rajapaksa now planned to go to Thailand for a short stay but return to Singapore. The Thai foreign ministry confirmed it had received a request from Colombo for the 73-year-old deposed leader to visit and an assurance that he would not seek political asylum. "The Thai side received a request for the former president to enter Thailand from the current government of Sri Lanka," ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said in a statement. "The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought." The Rajapaksa confidant told AFP that the former leader was keen to return home as protests against his administration had fizzled out, but his successor Ranil Wickremesinghe had advised him against an early return. Singapore officials had said he was on a private visit to the city-state and the foreign minister stressed that he was not given any special privileges. "In general, the Singapore government does not accord privileges, immunity and hospitality to former heads of state or heads of government," Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said in a written reply to a question in parliament last week. "Consequently, former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was not accorded any privileges, immunity or hospitality." Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday arrived in Bangkok after his visa ran out following a month-long stint in Singapore where he had taken refuge from protesters at home. The deposed leader landed on a private jet at Don Mueang International Airport around 8pm local time (1200 GMT), a senior Thai official said. He left the airport's VIP section around 40 minutes later with his wife and got into a black sedan, local media reported. Rajapaksa flew into Singapore from the Maldives on July 14 after fleeing a deepening economic crisis and widespread protests in Sri Lanka. He tendered his resignation shortly after his arrival. Sri Lankans arriving in Singapore normally receive a 30-day visa, but authorities said they had initially given Rajapaksa only two weeks and later extended the visa by another two weeks. "The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirms that Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Singapore on 11 August," Singapore's immigration office said in reply to an AFP query. The Thai foreign ministry, as well as a source in Colombo, had said Wednesday that he was seeking a new safe haven in Thailand. Rajapaksa fled his nation after tens of thousands of protesters overran his official residence last month angry about acute shortages of food, fuel and medicine endured by Sri Lanka's 22 million people since late last year. An international human rights group last month formally asked Singapore to indict Rajapaksa for crimes against humanity during his country's decades-long civil war that ended in 2009. The South Africa-based International Truth and Justice Project said it had urged Singapore to exercise universal jurisdiction to arrest the former president for grave breaches of international humanitarian law. Rajapaksa helmed Sri Lanka's defence ministry while his brother Mahinda was president when the country's brutal Tamil separatist conflict came to a bloody end. Singapore's Attorney-General's Chambers confirmed it had received a complaint from the rights group without giving details. "His Singapore visa runs out on Thursday," a close associate of Rajapaksa told AFP in Colombo on Wednesday. "He had applied for an extension, but it had not come through as of Wednesday morning." - 'No political asylum' - The source said Rajapaksa planned a short stay in Thailand and would return to Singapore. The Thai foreign ministry confirmed it had received a request from Colombo for the 73-year-old deposed leader to visit and an assurance that he would not seek political asylum. "The Thai side received a request for the former president to enter Thailand from the current government of Sri Lanka," ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said in a statement. "The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought." The Rajapaksa confidant told AFP that the former leader was keen to go home as protests against his administration had fizzled out, but his successor Ranil Wickremesinghe had advised him against an early return. Singapore officials had said he was on a private visit to the city-state and the foreign minister stressed that he was not given any special privileges. "In general, the Singapore government does not accord privileges, immunity and hospitality to former heads of state or heads of government," Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said in a written reply to a question in parliament last week. "Consequently, former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was not accorded any privileges, immunity or hospitality." Jun Ji Hyun, Seo Ji Hye, and more celebrities have officially signed under the agency, Yieum Hashtag. It can be recalled that these artists are under Culture Deport, alongside Kim So Hyun and Yoon Ji On. Culture Depots key Artist Signs Under Yieum Hashtag In a report cited by a local media outlet, Yieum Hashtag will be bringing major artists like Jun Ji Hyun, Seo Ji Hye, Kim So Hyun, and Yoon Ji On. The new agency set up by Culture Depot's CEO Kim Seon Jung. In the same report, Yieum Hashtag representative shared an official statement regarding the agency's new artist. "CEO Kim Seon Jung, who has been with us for a long time, and his actors have continued to accompany them based on trust. As a strong colleague and supporter of Jun Ji Hyun, Seo Ji Hye, Kim So Hyun, and Yoon Ji On, CEO Kim Seon Jeong will do her best so that they can communicate more widely with the public." Jun Ji Hyun Leaves Culture Depot It can be recalled that Jun Ji Hyun officially left Culture Depot, also known as Culture Warehouse, her agency for 10 years last June after deciding not to renew her contract. In a report obtained by a news portal, a representative from the management announced, "The contract with Jun Ji Hyun is until the end of June, and CEO Kim Seon Jung is in the process of arranging with Studio Dragon, the parent company of Culture Warehouse." Despite leaving the company, she remained loyal to CEO Kim Seon Jeong and joined him in Yieum Hashtag. Jun Ji Hyun as K-drama Queen Best known for her role in "My Sassy Girl" Jun Ji Hyun solidified her name as one of the in-demand lead actresses in K-dramaland. She had her first small screen appearance in the 1998 series "Steal My Heart" followed by her first K-drama lead role in "Happy Together" opposite Lee Byung Hun, Song Seung Heon and Kim ha Neul. However, it was the K-drama "My Love from the Star" that gained Jun Ji Hyun massive praise as she plays Cheon Song Yi alongside heartthrob Kim Soo Hyun. In addition to her remarkable K-dramas, Jun Ji Hyun also headlined blockbuster series like "The Legend of the Blue Sea" with Lee Min Ho, "Kingdom 2" and "Jirisan." As for the big screen, the Hallyu queen also starred in hit movies such as "Windstruck," "The Thieves," "Berlin File," and "Assassination." As for her labelmate, Seo Ji Hye, she skyrocketed to fame after joining the cast of "Crash Landing on You" and currently starring in Ji Sung's drama "Adamas." Yun Ji On, on the other hand, recently starred in the action fantasy series "Tomorrow" while child star turned in-demand actress Kim So Hyun will headline an upcoming K-drama "Is it Fate?" IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Kim So Hyun Returns With Webtoon-Based K-drama Helmed by 'The Beauty Inside' Director KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Netflix drops the first trailer and poster of the star-studded K-drama "Narco-Saints." Led by Park Hae Soo, Ha Jung Woo, Hwang Jung Min, and more, the streaming giant teases viewers with intriguing plot and characters. 'Narco-Saints': Netflix Introduces Cast Through an Exciting First Trailer In a 1-minute and 43-second trailer, Hwang Jung Min, who played the role of Jeon Yo Hwan was introduced as a pastor turned into the man behind Suriname's biggest drug cartel. Meanwhile, Ha Jung Woo took the role of a hot-shot businessman, Kang In Gu, who got imprisoned after being framed for a drug crime. Through National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent Choi Chang Ho, played by Park Hae Soo, he is set to complete a secret mission and returns to Suriname to bust the drug cartel led by Jeon Yo Hwan. In the "Narco-Saints" trailer, an intense confrontation between Hwang Jung Min and Ha Jung Woo was depicted, stimulating a thrilling moment on how the undercover fulfilled his mission. In addition, the tease also featured Yoo Yeon Seok as Attorney David Park. he is the person protecting Jeon Yo Hwan's organization while Jo Woo Jin portrays the boss' right-hand man named Byun Ki Tae. Furthermore, viewers will get to see special participation of Taiwanese actor Chang Chen but his role is yet to be confirmed. With a total of 6 episodes, "Narco-Saints" is slated to be released on September 9 exclusively on Netflix. 'Narco-Saints' Cast Talks About Reason for Joining the Netflix Series In a report cited by Dispatch, "Narco-Saints" cast spoke about why they chose the Netflix series as their next project. Ha Jung Woo shared that he was captivated by the overall story and development of the scenes adding that "the characters were very attractive." Interestingly, this is the actor's comeback to the small screen 15 years after headlining the mystery romance K-drama "H.I.T" with Go Hyun Jung. Meanwhile, Hwang Jung Min expressed the same stance, hinting that viewers will look forward to watching the next episode. Lastly, Park Hae Soo, who recently had numerous projects with Netflix such as the blockbuster dystopian K-drama "Squid Game" and the hit remake "Money Heist Korea," the actor pointed out that the audience will be entertained with the "psychological warfare in which all the characters are deceived." On the other hand, a movie representative gave viewers key points on what to expect in Netflix's "Narco-Saints." "Please look forward to how the story of Kang In Gu and Jeon Yo Hwan's tight battle and the characters with strong personalities surrounding them will unfold." Interestingly, the upcoming 6-episode series is just among Hwang Jung Min's projects. He is set to back to -back films like "Veteran 2," "Cross," "Kill Bok Soon" and "The Point Men" with Hyun Bin and Kang Ki Young. KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Mali has strongly condemned Sunday's "complex and coordinated" attack of armed terrorist groups in Tessit, in the northern region of Gao, which claimed the lives of 42 soldiers and injured 22 others The University of Wisconsin-Parkside has announced that high school students will be able to take college courses at their schools for free, starting this fall as part of the Parkside Access to College Credit Program. The program, which began in 2016 with 29 students, is a dual-credit program known as concurrent enrollment at UW-Parkside. It allows eligible high school students to earn college and high school credit by taking designated college courses at their high school during the regular school day, taught by qualified high school teachers. Previously, students paid a reduced tuition cost for the courses. Since the programs inception, 1,400 high school students have earned over 4,000 credits, saving over $850,000 in future tuition costs, according to data from PACC. Expanding dual-credit programs creates new opportunities for students and helps keep the cost of college affordable, said former UW System President Tommy Thompson. UW-Parkside is a leader in aggressively pursuing new approaches to help underserved students. Its another innovative effort to increase educational attainment that will improve lives and build a better Wisconsin. UW-Parkside Chancellor Debbie Ford agreed. UW-Parksides mission is to transform lives through higher education, she said. Dual-credit programs help us to advance this mission by expanding access to higher education for all students in our region. Our regions future depends on an educated and skilled workforce, and its vitally important that we provide students with the education and experience they need to thrive in our economy. Research has shown students who participate in concurrent enrollment courses are more likely to go to college, and to complete their bachelors degree. Students also are more likely to do better academically while in high school and in college. PACC courses also help students become better able to manage their time, grow in their academic skills, and believe that they can be successful with college-level classes, said Dwight Trieber, a PACC chemistry teacher who has taught UW-Parksides General Chemistry course at Park High School in Racine since 2017. These benefits have allowed my students to be more successful in college. Students must be in good academic standing, with a high school GPA of 2.0 or higher to participate in the program. Unlike other college credit in high school programs in Wisconsin, PACC does not require an ACT score to participate. That approach, accompanied by free tuition, is designed to increase opportunities for all students participation, reducing the equity gap among students taking these courses. Nationally, African American and Latino students enroll in dual-enrollment courses at a significantly smaller rate than white students. Data from University of Wisconsin campuses show that 83% of students who took college coursework while in high school were white. However, the PACC program closely parallels the diversity of the schools it serves, with 47% minority and 53% white students, research also shows. PACC courses are currently offered in Kenosha and Racine Unified high schools, Burlington High School, and Wilmot Union High School, where, depending on the school, students can earn from 3-to-33 college credits before graduating high school. The PACC program expands the opportunity for high school students to experience college courses, said Julie Housaman, Chief Academic Officer for Kenosha Unified School District. PACC courses are offered in KUSD high schools and are taught by KUSD teachers. Transportation to the university is not a barrier and high school teachers can adjust the student learning experience from high school expectations to college expectations. Students achieve success in PACC courses, which builds their confidence and reduces their anxiety, regardless of whether they choose to continue their education or pursue a career after graduation, Housaman said. Denise Olstinske, director of the PACC program, is committed to only offering credits with a purpose, meaning that all credits earned are directly related to bachelors degree graduation requirements and are guaranteed to transfer to all University of Wisconsin institutions. It is important for students and their families to understand the utility of the college courses and credits beyond just accumulating credits, and to ensure students are not earning empty credits, Olstinske said. Alumni of the program have reported 100% transfer-ability of their PACC courses to other colleges and universities in Wisconsin and across the country. PACC offers support activities for participating students including, but not limited to: class visits to the UW-Parkside campus to experience twin classes on campus, tutoring, library services, writing assistance and more. This year, PACC will be adding student support services directly related to college preparation and admission. For more information, go to www.uwp.edu/pacc or call Denise Olstinske at 262-595-2162. Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - Amnesty International has slammed Guinea's military junta for dissolving the umbrella pro-democracy National Front for the Defence of the Constitution (FNDC) and the summoning of a journalist to a military camp Conakry, Guinea (PANA) - The National Transitional Council (CNT), which has been acting as the National Assembly since the September 5 coup d'etat in Guinea, approved on Wednesday the loan agreement signed on 4 September, 2021, between the Republic of Guinea and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Manfi, has hailed the efforts of the United Nations to advance the political process and seek a solution to the crisis rocking the country Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) is delighted to announce glass artist, Laura Quinn, as the recipient of this years RDS Irish Craft Bursary 2022. The 10,000 bursary, managed by DCCI and open to makers in its PORTFOLIO programme, was presented to Laura at the opening of the Conjuring Form exhibition at the National Design & Craft Gallery last Friday by Niamh De Loughry, Deputy Chief Executive RDS Foundation. The RDS Irish Craft Bursary may be used for a wide range of career and professional development activities such as further education and training; research; development of new work; mentoring; purchase of equipment; studio improvements; technology; websites and residencies. Each year the judges look for proposals demonstrating how the award could help develop a makers practice and career, as well as being of benefit to Irish craft. Glass artist, Laura Quinn, originally from Co. Mayo, intends to use the funding to undertake a year long, ambitious project to develop and publicly document a new series of work. Commencing in late Autumn 2022, this project will involve the development of a new series of blown and lampworked sculptural glass pieces that further explore her research into audience interactive glass art. Laura, who works as the Glass Technical Tutor at the University for the Creative Arts in the UK, creates interactive sculptural glass forms which encourage close human engagement to challenge the perceived restraints of glass. The forms she creates are modular, often composed of hundreds of meticulously handmade glass components combined with alternative materials and processes to create moveable, durable frameworks. Speaking about the bursary, recipient Laura Quinn said: I couldnt believe when I was told I was this years recipient of the RDS Bursary. The bursary will help me considerably at a pivotal point in my career. Juggling a full-time job as an educator and my glass career means that time is the biggest challenge I face. The RDS Bursary will allow me to take time out from my role as an educator to focus on the creation of a new body of work, including attending a glass masterclass in America to continue to hone my skills. Receiving the bursary is recognition of the years I have dedicated to my craft, but it is also a huge boost of confidence that tells me I am going in the right direction. CEO of DCCI, Rosemary Steen added: Congratulations to Laura Quinn, a very worthy winner of the RDS Craft Bursary as her work so eloquently embodies modern craft and design innovation, beauty, craftsmanship and sustainability. Design & Crafts Council Ireland is delighted to collaborate with the RDS on the Irish Craft Bursary again this year. We are very proud to support Irish craft and design and continue to champion makers by encouraging new work and growth. The level of excellence and originality demonstrated by Irelands makers testifies to their passion and commitment to their disciplines. It is in our interest as national bodies and as individuals to increasingly nourish their commitment and creativity as it has proven to so significantly benefit our economy, society and culture.. RDS CEO Geraldine Ruane said: Our relationship with Design & Crafts Council Ireland is important to us in the RDS. While our programmes may have changed and developed over the years, both organisations share core ideals and the ambition to celebrate and support Irelands outstanding craft makers. The RDS current craft programme includes three different components: the RDS Craft Awards, RDS Branchardiere Lace Bursary and the RDS Irish Craft Bursary all of which involve partnerships with Design & Crafts Council of Ireland. Sincere congratulations to Laura Quinn the 2022 winner of the RDS Irish Craft Bursary, who will use the money to make a new body of work and attend a master class in the USA. Previous winners of RDS Irish Craft Bursary include Cara Murphy (silver) Edmond Byrne (glass) and Seliena Coyle (jewellery). They have used the bursary to fund projects which have enabled them to push boundaries and make innovative strides in their disciplines. T If anyone knows the patience that is required to succeed at the highest level, then it is OLoughlin Gaels wing back Laura Murphy. The talented defender was named to start in the 2020 All-Ireland final but she was replaced by the returning from injury Kellyann Doyle. Fast forward the clock two years and its Murphy who has replaced Doyle after the Piltown star picked up another cruciate ligament injury. So even when losing late on, Murphy knew they had to remain patient. It was just like Brian said, Keep the faith, she said. We have been saying it all year, just keep the faith and if you go down two points, three points, whatever it is, we know that we have the capabilities to pull it back. We always said were not a panel of 15 players, were a panel of all the players that come on and all the girls that are on the bench. And look at Sophie ODwyer there against Cork, coming on and getting that goal just when we needed it. Murphy has quickly became one of Brian Dowlings go-to players. When he needed to mix things up on final day, he handed her the No 7 shirt again but slotted her in at midfield for different stages and like she did when scoring a critical goal against Galway in the semi-final, she stood up to the mark. Murphy is part of a squad thats had its fair share of despair against Cork so to come out on the right side was satisfying. Murphy added: Weve had a few tough defeats to Cork in particular. Its heartbreaking when you put in all that work. I dont think anyone outside of the group realises the work that goes into getting this far and actually getting over the line. To win by a single point . . . weve had a few close defeats by a point so it is that little bit sweeter when the margin is so tight because it could go either way. Were just so grateful that we got that bit of luck. Murphy also paid tribute to the match winner Denise Gaule and the leadership she displayed in helping the Cats find a way to win. Gaule has been on the end of her fair share of defeats so it was appropriate that she was celebrating on this occasion. Murphy said of her team-mate: All I can think of with her is hard work and oh my God, did she put that in? She was unbelievable. She might have missed a free or two but I think there was one stage over on the right-hand side when she got two or three blocks in a row. She just epitomises everything we believe in hard work and that its never over until the final whistle goes. She was up and down the pitch all afternoon, she was brilliant really. A railway chief has said he hopes an hourly train between Belfast and Dublin can be in operation by as early as next spring, as the Enterprise service celebrates its 75th anniversary. Some of the staff who worked on the service in its first years were among those who gathered at Lanyon Station in Belfast on Thursday to mark the date in 1947 when a seven-carriage steam train headed to Dublin, bringing about a new era in cross-border travel. Ninety-four-year-old Annie Chambers, nee Connolly, from Belfast, worked in silver service on the dining car in the late 1940s and recalled some of the best years of her life. She was the first woman to work on the Enterprise. I was the first and the only girl that worked on it for two years until I had to go to Yorkshire to help my family, she said. It was wonderful, the best experience of my life. I think I was 18 or 19 and I loved it. I was over the moon when I got the job because I would be travelling. They were the very best days of my life. I loved every minute of it and Id never have dreamed of taking a day off. It was very grand, we used to get quite a lot of Americans travelling on it. After the war they were able to travel a lot more. The cross-border railway service would feature in the islands history: including being the subject of bomb threats during the Troubles, leading to the establishment of the Peace Train Organisation in 1989; and the Contraceptive Train event organised by the Irish Womens Liberation Movement in May 1971. The 1947 inaugural train was operated by the Great Northern Railway company. It is now jointly operated by Translink NI Railways and Iarnrod Eireann. In its first year in service, one train travelled in each direction. Seventy-five years later, the Enterprise service has eight daily departures in each direction. Chris Conway, chief executive of Translink, said they hoped to move towards an hourly Enterprise service at peak times as early as next spring. Were really proud to be here celebrating the 75th anniversary, I think everyone has used the Enterprise over the years at some point, connecting Belfast and Dublin, and the stations in between, he said. We want to bring an hourly service in as soon as possible, were already working with the SEUPB for funding, which they have committed a certain amount of funding for that, and also with the department for infrastructure and department for transport. We have already initiated a project team, and we hope to go into procurement for a new fleet next year which will allow us to get an hourly service within the next five years. Were also working with Irish Rail, just using our existing fleet, to see if there is a way we can bring an hourly service in sooner, even at peak times, so maybe to do that by spring of next year. In the longer term, were working with the Irish government, with the Northern Ireland Executive, with the department of transport on the all-island rail review, and that will look at the feasibility of bringing high speed rail and extensions to the network right across the island of Ireland. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. 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 The first customer of the day, Rittipomng Bachkul, celebrates after buying legal marijuana at Highland Cafe in Bangkok, Thailand, June 9. Measures to legalize the possession, cultivation, distribution, consumption and sales of cannabis became effective in Thailand, paving the way for the medical and personal use of all parts of the cannabis plant, including its flowers and seeds. AP-Yonhap Customs agency runs anti-drug campaign through Aug. 31 By Yi Whan-woo Eating "samgyeopsal" with a glass of soju in while traveling Thailand can bring the peculiar joy of having popular Korean barbeque in an exotic environment. Still, Korean tourists are advised to be cautious, as the aforementioned Korean meal may be served with marijuana, which is forbidden in Korea, according to the nation's customs agency. In an anti-drug campaign launched on Thursday, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said that summer vacationers are being increasingly exposed to marijuana and other drugs abroad, as many of them opt for overseas destinations after many COVID-19 travel restrictions have been eased. It is legal to consume marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in some popular destinations. These places include Thailand, which decriminalized cultivating, possessing and distributing marijuana, as well as consuming it in food and drinks in June, as a part of efforts to boost tourism, which was a major source of revenue and was hobbled by the pandemic. Since then, several cases of marijuana being sold in "samgyeopsal," grilled strips of pork belly, soju and cookies have been reported, according to the KCS. "Traveling to countries where marijuana is legal certainly raises the danger of it being used by Korean citizens," KCS Commissioner Yoon Tae-sik said. Yoon expressed hope that the campaign "hopefully can raise awareness of all sorts of drugs during the vacation season." The campaign runs until Aug. 31 at four international airports in Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae and Cheongju. The campaign addresses four common cases of Korean citizens being involved in drug-related crimes intentionally or unintentionally. They are: tourists buying and attempting to bring in goods containing marijuana, and accepting offers from strangers for fully-sponsored tours in return for carrying packages with them when returning home. Shopping malls abroad as well as Telegram and other encrypted messaging apps have also been reported as potential channels for drug-related crimes. The average daily number of overseas travelers is increasing, up from 11,405 in January to 54,456 in July, both this year. Those caught for drug-related crimes are mainly in their 20s and 30s. They accounted for 40.6 percent of all drug criminals in 2018, 47.6 percent in 2019, 49.9 percent in 2020 and 56.8 percent in 2021. It took guts, perhaps along with a careful look at polling results, for 47 House Republicans to join their Democratic colleagues in approving a bill late last month to codify interstate recognition of same-sex marriages. Rep. Ann Wagner was the sole Missouri Republican to support it. In these hyperpartisan times, any such vote risks putting Republicans on a target list for removal for veering even slightly from strict conservative orthodoxy. The Respect for Marriage Act, which faces a difficult but not insurmountable climb in the Senate, was necessary only because of the Supreme Court's reversal of abortion rights and a hint by conservative justices that same-sex marital rights could be next. The only way to stave off such a reversal is for Congress to codify it in law as Democrats should have done long ago for abortion rights when they controlled both houses. For Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, voting for same-sex marital rights probably wasn't a heavy lift, given projections of her reelection defeat. Her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, already has publicly supported same-sex marital rights, and Liz Cheney's sister is a married lesbian. For other Republicans, the risks were more substantial. The woman who ousted Cheney from the No. 3 GOP leadership post, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, also supported the bill, as did the National Republican Campaign Committee chairman, Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and House Freedom Caucus chairman Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania. The rest of the arch-conservative Freedom Caucus had urged members to vote against the bill, denouncing it as part of "an all-out campaign" by the "radical Left" to attack "America's traditional values and sacred institutions. This bill is both unnecessary and undermines the recognition of 'marriage' between only one man and one woman." Perry countered that "my vote affirmed my long-held belief that Americans who enter into legal agreements deserve to live their lives without the threat that our federal government will dissolve what they've built," he told the York, Pennsylvania, Daily Record. This marks one of those rare moments when some brave Republicans are choosing to stand on principle instead of blindly following the GOP pack. A Gallup poll in June found that a record 70 percent of respondents support same-sex marriage, including 55 percent of Republicans. In the Senate so far, only a few Republicans have signaled a willingness to support the bill, and skeptics are lashing out. Despite the enormous weight the gay community carries in urban parts of Florida, Sen. Marco Rubio denounced it as "a stupid waste of time." Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley plans to vote no. But outgoing Sen. Roy Blunt remains undecided, telling CNN: "I don't have any problem with same-sex marriage, but I'm not sure. I want to look at the legislation." He's had more than enough time. And given that he's leaving after this term, what does Blunt have to lose? This article was published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and distributed by Tribune Content Agency. By Donald Kirk China's claims to Taiwan bear a disturbing resemblance to Russia's war with Ukraine. You just cannot ignore the similarities and parallels despite the geographic differences. Sure, Ukraine is right next to Russia, and Taiwan is about 100 miles from the Chinese mainland. Still, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping are soulmates in their drive to recover territory that they're convinced, historically, is theirs. In each case, chances for their success depend partly on the willingness of the United States and some of its allies to rush to the defense of the beleaguered land. In Ukraine, the U.S. and its NATO allies have pumped in billions of dollars' worth of weaponry but are not willing to risk their own war with Russia by imposing a "no fly zone" where they would inevitably clash with Russian planes. From there, the war could escalate into the bombing of Russian air fields and Russian attacks on NATO bases, some of them American. Taiwan is a little different. The Chinese have yet to attack the independent island state. So far, they've just shown what they might do by staging exercises around the island, at sea and in the air, and also on the mainland, from which they would launch an attack. Life in Taiwan goes on free from war, just the fear that someday China may decide to recover the island by force. It's tempting to hold the American congresswoman, Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives and second in line for the presidency, responsible for exacerbating tensions by insisting on going there. All her trip really did, however, was expose China's seriousness about taking over the island. In turn, China's dramatic response should impel Taiwan to vastly improve its defenses. The United States, adhering to its "one China" policy, has no troops or even advisers on the island, but the Americans are pumping in hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of arms. Japan is also all for defending Taiwan, but the Japanese are inhibited by Article 9 of their postwar "Peace Constitution" that bars Japan from waging war for any purpose other than self-defense of its own homeland hence the euphemistic name "Self-Defense Forces" for Japan's army, navy and air force. The Chinese, calculating the possible response to an invasion of Taiwan, would have to consider the chances of Japan's highly conservative leadership ramming through a constitutional revision that would enable Japan to support Taiwan militarily. It was not until Pelosi got to South Korea that South Korea's view of the defense of Taiwan became quite plain. She must have gotten a sense of the South Korean mood when she and her entourage, five other members of Congress, etc., landed at Osan Air Base after their long day in Taipei. It was night, and she might say, politely, that she didn't want to keep any South Koreans up so late just to greet her, but she was said later to be quite offended that no South Korean officials were on hand. And then, what was she to make of the refusal of the conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol, alone among the leaders of the five capitals she visited, to make time to see her. Nobody believed the excuse that Yoon was on vacation. Finally, avoiding a total snub, the president talked to her and her congressional colleagues for 40 minutes on the phone after she and they had had a long conversation and then luncheon with the speaker of South Korea's National Assembly, Kim Jin-pyo. Interestingly, he's a member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which has the majority in the Assembly. Pelosi, as a dynamic force in America's Democratic Party, no doubt enjoyed exchanging views with him. One topic they did not discuss, at least to judge from their brief statements, was Taiwan. Nor did they talk much, if at all, about China. Pelosi had to have been advised, indeed told, not to mention Taiwan, and the less said about China, the better. The reason obviously is that South Korea has to remain on good terms with both China, its biggest trading partner, and the U.S., bound to the South in a long-standing alliance. Pelosi no doubt found common ground with Yoon on "deterrence" against North Korea. On a quick trip to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas, she stared across the line at North Korea and met the American commander in South Korea, General Paul LaCamera. There was no media coverage while she was up there. She resumed talking about Taiwan in Japan. If her stopover in South Korea revealed anything, it was that the U.S. and South Korea don't see eye to eye on Taiwan. Donald Kirk (www.donaldkirk.com) has been covering the confrontation of forces in Asia for decades. By Yun Byung-se Three months into the presidency, the Yoon Suk-yeol government is in full swing with its foreign and security policy agendas, in contrast to the turbulent domestic political situation. His team set the right tone and direction for a new course, including on the ROK-U.S. alliance, as well as on policies toward North Korea, Japan and China, and on other regional and global agendas, such as economic security, human rights and democracy. The restoration and upgrading of weakening alliance is indeed conspicuous. The Biden administration lost no time in recognizing President Yoon's efforts with unusual speed and with high priority. U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to Korea in May served as a sort of ribbon-cutting ceremony. It happened to coincide with the 140th anniversary of the two countries' Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation of 1882, equivalent to the establishment of formal diplomatic relations in today's terms. This visit has been followed by a continuous series of mutual visits and meetings between top-ranking officials and politicians over the past two months, ranging from: cabinet ministers and secretaries on both sides, Korea's intelligence chief and even U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week, who unfortunately did not get a face-to-face meeting with President Yoon. Such unusually frequent high-level engagements at the beginning of a new administration are a strong indication of confidence and mutual trust and tend to trigger a virtuous cycle. During my recent visit to Washington, I felt that the American policy community from top to bottom was very pleased and relieved to see high caliber professionals in senior positions in the Korean government and to have heart-to-heart communication and coordination on many sensitive issues. Another moment for the deepening alliance was witnessed during the unveiling ceremony for the Wall of Remembrance, which was held in the Korean War Veterans Memorial on July 27, the day of the conclusion of the Korean Armistice Agreement. This wall records the names of around 44,000 American and Korean soldiers who laid down their lives during the war. President Biden sent the 2nd gentleman as well as his national security adviser to the ceremony. President Biden's friendly gesture is a reflection of the U.S.' unshakable commitment to the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, which will turn 70 years old next year. Setting aside atmospherics, it is noteworthy that the Biden-Yoon agreement on a "Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance" in May is now being translated into specific actions in various areas. First, the Yoon administration has brought back the concept of complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement (CVID) by North Korea of all its nuclear weapons and programs. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also issued a four-nation ministerial statement ahead of the Tenth NPT Review Conference now being held in New York, recommitting to this principle which had been dormant and shelved for the last five years due to North Korea's allergic response. Second, ROK-U.S. foreign and defense ministers agreed to revitalize the Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG) a "2+2" vice-ministerial meeting, which remained suspended since 2018. This move will upgrade America's extended deterrence against fast-growing North Korean nuclear and missile threats. Full-fledged joint military exercises another suspension during former President Trump's time will not only be resumed but will be expanded in scale and scope. Third, the U.S., Korea and Japan reportedly decided to conduct trilateral missile warning and tracking exercises on a regular basis to bolster their readiness against North Korea's threats. ROK-Japan foreign ministers met again in Cambodia two weeks after their meeting in Tokyo. Well-functioning bilateral ties are indispensable for trilateral security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. Fourth, on economic security, following its membership in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in May, Seoul proposed to establish a bilateral "2+2" ministerial meeting. Washington is working to form the "Fab 4" (or "Chip 4") semiconductor alliance comprising the U.S., Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and the first preliminary meeting is now expected to be held early next month. Some of these recent developments represent a return to the policy direction before the Moon Jae-in administration while others are in response to the fast changing geopolitical and geo-economic landscape. What matters is that mutual trust is replacing trust deficit during the last five years between Seoul and Washington, as well as between Seoul and Tokyo. For one thing, General Robert Abrams, former commander of U.S. Forces in Korea, spoke candidly before a Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation seminar two weeks ago, about his frustrations with the alliance during his service between 2018 and 2021. They ranged from an inter-Korean military memorandum to the suspension of all publicized joint military exercises and of strategic assets deployment to the Korean peninsula. He implied that Pyongyang's unbridled missile tests and potential seventh nuclear test are the price for such choices. I used to liken such abnormal situations to ostriches burying their heads in the sand. A return to normalcy in the alliance relationship is a welcome development, but it is not a sufficient condition for a safe and comfortable journey to the next destination. In the coming weeks, we will be able to see some early litmus tests on the strength of the comprehensive strategic alliance. First, how will it deal with China's challenge, in combination with Russia and North Korea, to the rules-based order and with its efforts to decouple the U.S.-ROK alliance? Foreign Minister Park Jin, during his visit to China this week, made efforts to advance the positive aspects of the Sino-Korean strategic partnership, which will mark the 30th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations in two weeks' time. He also made clear our principled stance on several sensitive issues. Nevertheless, China's strong stance on them and wolf warrior diplomacy has not relented. Bilateral relations could turn into another phase of tension particularly on the "Three Nos" issues (no additional deployment of THAAD batteries, no Korean integration into a U.S. led regional missile defense system, and no trilateral alliance with the U.S. and Japan), the scope of strategic flexibility for the U.S. Forces Korea with regards to Taiwan and Korea's stance on the U.S.-proposed Fab 4 or Chip 4 semiconductor alliance. Second, how will it enhance the credibility and assurances of extended deterrence in the face of North Korea's nuclear preemptive strike strategy. The reformulated ROK-U.S. joint military exercises in August and the revitalized EDSCG should serve to send a timely and powerful message to North Korea, benchmarking the NATO model or other formulas among allies. Third, the door for diplomacy with North Korea remains open, but the prospect of its denuclearization is far from bright. Under these circumstances, the forthcoming "Audacious Plan" floated by the South Korean government should be thoroughly prepared, coordinated and in lockstep with the Biden administration. Fourth, South Korean government should have an integrated strategy on economic security to take a comprehensive look at inter-linked issues such as the IPEF, the Fab 4 alliance, the Quad and the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 as well as Korean semiconductor industry strategy. South Korea's decision to attend the Fab 4 or Chip 4 prep meeting early next month should be part of this overall strategy. The road ahead will be very long and bumpy. Formidable obstacles and risks are already palpable and will continue to unfold. Seoul and Washington need to continue with a sophisticated strategy and roadmap to implement the latest agreement between the two leaders a new guiding post in upgrading our alliance in the coming years. Yun Byung-se, former foreign minister of South Korea under former President Park Geun-hye (2013-2017), is now a board member of the Korea Peace Foundation and is a member of several ex-global leaders' forums and task forces, including the Astana Forum and its Consultative Council as well as the Task Force on U.S. Allies and Nuclear Weapons Proliferation sponsored by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. By Yi Woo-won On that sweltering afternoon of July 13, 1994, I was in Daegu, rushing down the sizzlingly hot asphalt streets to attend a very special gathering. The temperature reached 39.4 degrees Celsius a record high of the last 52 years. But the heat didn't bother me much, because my mind was fully occupied thinking of those childhood friends I was going to meet shortly. We hadn't seen each other for 49 years after finishing elementary school. We had lost contact with each other because of the unhappy turbulent years that followed school. With the surrender of Japan at the mercy of atomic bombs in World War II, our country was finally liberated from Japanese occupation in 1945. But all too soon, the country was occupied again by the Allied Powers and divided into two Koreas, separating compatriots and bringing about eventually the deadly Korean War (1950-1953). Laconically, our generation was utterly ill-fated, as it was in the worst periods of contemporary Korean history experiencing humiliation, loss of identity, oppression, confusion, destitution and the fratricidal war. I had no difficulty in locating the shop in the alley off a main street, where I had been notified to come for the meeting. A woman who looked like an assistant led me into a dimly-lit room in the back of the shop. There were already three people in the room but I didn't recognize anyone of them. They also stared at me as if I was a total stranger. Standing in the doorway, wondering if I was at a wrong place, suddenly it dawned on me that perhaps my old Japanese name might ring a bell to them. So, when I said my previous name at the primary school was Mitzui Kensuke, they all sprang up from their seats and came up to me, hugging me and holding my hands. I was really thrilled when they still remembered my old Japanese name after half a century. Minutes later, more people showed up to join us. But as I did before, they all stood at the door, scrutinizing us incredulously, and hesitated to come in. They also had to give us their Japanese names or a nicknames or anything else that could conjure up memories about them from our schooldays. As we sat around talking about our old school building and former teachers, we remembered our classroom on the second floor of an old two-story wooden building. We also recalled vividly that the main entrance of the building was always hung with posters and banners, bearing radical wartime slogans such as "naisen ittai" (the United Body of Japan and Korea) and "beiei gekimetzu" (Exterminate the American and British Devils). We used to recite the slogans when we walked by. Though we were in our mid-60s with gray hair and wrinkles, we were childlike at that emotional reunion of childhood friends. We felt a strong attachment to those days at school. Of a total of 15 alumni that had been traced, 11 turned up. Among them was one whose name sounded particularly familiar to me. His name was Shimamoto. He told me later that we used to practice calligraphy together in class and at my house after school. I learned later that evening he was an economics professor with a doctorate. I felt flattered when he remembered that one of my calligraphic works had won an award from the Japanese provincial governor. While reflecting on our teachers, we talked about our sixth grade teacher, a Korean with the Japanese surname, Yagi. He was very tall, the tallest among all the Japanese and Korean teachers. We nicknamed him "girin" or giraffe because of his remarkably long neck. After listening to what he had to say each morning before class, we realized he was a very nationalistic Korean with strong anti-Japanese sentiment. He often admonished us sternly, saying, "Don't let the Japanese look down on you and call you filthy pigs. We should let them know we are smarter than they are." He was a truly extraordinary teacher. Although my artist dream has never been materialized, I am eternally grateful to him because he gave me an ambition in life and always spoke highly of my talent and encouraged me to go to the prestigious Ueno (now Tokyo) Art University. Yi Woo-won (yiwoowon1988@gmail.com) lives in Waegwan, North Gyeongsang Province, and has been writing since 1986. By Joseph S. Nye, Jr. ASPEN, Colorado At this year's Aspen Security Forum (which I co-chair) in July, China's ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang, appealed for better understanding of his country. But there was considerable debate among the assembled experts about China's objectives. President Xi Jinping has announced China's intention to outpace America in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence and synthetic biology by 2030, and many analysts predict that China's GDP (measured at market exchange rates) will surpass that of the U.S. early in the next decade. Is China seeking to displace the U.S. as the world's leading power by the centenary of communist rule in 2049? Some alarmists figuratively describe the Chinese as "ten feet tall," but one experienced Aspen participant joked that China is more like 5'10" compared to America's 6'2". In any event, China has made impressive progress over the past few decades, and U.S. strategists describe it as the "pacing challenge" in a great-power competition. What happens over the next three decades will depend on many unknowns. Some analysts see China declining after failing to escape the "middle-income trap." Others envisage it hitting a plateau because of demographic constraints, low factor productivity, and Xi's policy of favoring state-owned firms over private companies. In addition, China faces serious problems of rising inequality and environmental degradation. Xi's "China dream" and any other linear projection could be derailed by unexpected events such as a war over Taiwan or a financial crisis. Here again, some experts at Aspen were more pessimistic than others. There is never a single future, only many possible scenarios, and which one becomes more likely will depend in part on what China does and how the U.S. chooses to respond. Just as there are many possible futures, America risks many possible failures as it responds to the China challenge, so a prudent strategy must consider more than one. The most dramatic failure would be a major war. Even if the U.S. were to prevail, a military conflict between the world's two largest economies would make the global economic effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine look modest by comparison. Security analysts at Aspen focused on Taiwan, which China regards as a renegade province, as a potential trigger for a Sino-American war. The U.S. has long tried to dissuade Taiwan from declaring de jure independence and to deter China from using force against the island. But Chinese military capabilities have been increasing, and while U.S. President Joe Biden has denied that American policy has changed, Chinese officials claim that high-level U.S. visits to Taiwan most recently by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi are hollowing out the policy. One could imagine the two sides stumbling into war as Europe's major powers did in 1914. A second type of disaster would be a prolonged cold war fueled by growing demonization of China in U.S. domestic politics. Such an outcome would preclude Sino-American cooperation in governing the world economy or coping with ecological interdependence, most crucially in responding to pandemics and climate change. Similarly, U.S.-China competition that prevented cooperation in slowing the proliferation of nuclear and biological weapons would be costly for all. The U.S. would also suffer if it were unable to manage domestic political polarization and address its social and economic problems, resulting in a loss of focus and a severe weakening of the technological dynamism that enables it to compete successfully with a rising China. Similarly, the growth of a populist nativism that curtails immigration or weakens U.S. support for international institutions and alliances could lead to a competitive failure. Finally, there can be a failure of U.S. vision and values. To be sure, realism and prudence are necessary conditions for a successful strategy toward China. The U.S. does not have the capacity to make China democratic; only the Chinese can do that. But a sense of vision about democratic values and human rights also is important to generate the soft power that benefits America by attracting rather than coercing allies. That is why a successful U.S. response to the China challenge starts at home and must be based on preserving America's own democratic institutions. The U.S. should also invest in research and development, including through the $280 billion "Chips and Science Act" recently passed by Congress, to maintain its technological advantage in critical industries. And America should remain open to the world (including to Chinese students), rather than retreating behind a curtain of fear and declinism. In terms of foreign and security policy, the U.S. needs to restructure its legacy military forces to adapt to technological change, and strengthen its alliance structures, including NATO and partnerships with Japan, Australia, and South Korea. After all, the share of the world economy accounted for by America and its allies is double that of China and Russia combined. The U.S. needs to enhance relations with India, including through the diplomatic framework of the Quad, an informal four-country security grouping that also includes Japan and Australia. America should also strengthen its participation in and supplement the existing international institutions that it created to set standards and manage interdependence. Lastly, it is important to cooperate with China where possible on issues of transnational interdependence. In his important recent book, "The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the U.S. and Xi Jinping's China, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd advocates setting a goal of "managed strategic competition." In the short term, rising nationalism in China and the assertive policies of Xi's government mean that the U.S. will probably have to spend more time on the rivalry side of the equation. But if America avoids ideological demonization, shuns misleading Cold War analogies, and maintains its alliances, it can successfully manage the China challenge. Joseph S. Nye, Jr., a professor at Harvard University and a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, is the author, most recently, of "Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump" (Oxford University Press, 2020). His article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). By Tom Plate Can our world develop a collective mindset that allows it to stay calm even under extreme pressure? Anyone who tracked with growing alarm U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip through East Asia last week might well have asked themselves: but at what cost? The entourage of the U.S.' most accomplished domestic politician left behind few patches of peace and security and instead scattered seeds of disarray and doubt. Even the good people of Taiwan, the putative beneficiaries of Pelosi's march to Taipei, with their ears ringing from missiles overhead, had to wonder what, if anything, had been gained. In South Korea, the new government pointedly ducked Pelosi's arrival as best it could: the country's president was "on vacation" and its foreign minister was "travelling," excuses which left many Koreans relieved. Why annoy China? Why hand North Korea yet another reason to go on a missile bender? There are enough problems in East Asia. In fairness, Beijing managed to mostly keep its cool without disappointing its fiery nationalists or appearing resigned to yet more American interference in its internal affairs. It moved some troops around and fired off this or that projectile precisely calibrated not to hit anyone or anything, but to remind all in the neighborhood who was boss. As if no one knew. What the Xi Jinping government did was sulk, quite openly. This is what Beijing, not lusting to launch World War III, tends to do when there is little else that can be done. Its neighbors' job is to wait for the sulk to play out, while saying as little as possible. The sulk now in effect looks to be a big one, though. Measures so far include not answering the phone when foreign counterparts call, especially if from the United States; playing hooky from scheduled bilateral meetings; and backing out of cooperation on climate change, anti-drug trafficking and illegal immigration. In other words, for the time being Beijing will behave a bit more like parochial Pyongyang than globalist China. The U.S. is taking a dangerous step toward strategic clarity over Taiwan. But is another big sulk in China's genuine interests? Its leaders are smart enough to know the answer, but domestic pressures cannot be ignored and tend to dumb-down foreign policies. Just as Pelosi would never have been elected to represent the Taiwan-diaspora-dense San Francisco if her platform endorsed unification, Chinese President Xi Jinping must watch his step too. As the late former U.S. House speaker Tip O'Neill was known to emphasize, "all politics is local." Later this year, more than 2,000 delegates representing over 90 million Communist Party members from all over China's vast terrain are to convene in Beijing to lend their yeas and very rare nays to presumably predetermined policies. At about the same time, the U.S. will face its semi-annual legislative national elections, along with many important local ones. So November should prove a most interesting, and possibly tense, time for Xi and U.S. President Joe Biden. What Pelosi's Taiwan caper nails down is that the China-U.S. contest involves more than a wrestle over a tiny island officially recognized by a mere handful of countries. What we have is less a clash of civilizations than a disconnect in comprehension. Recent work from the China Centre in Beijing of the Los Angeles-headquartered Berggruen Institute suggests something is grinding away at the two giants besides the classic rising-power conflict of national interests, Peloponnesian-style or not. A weekly curated round-up of social, political and economic stories from China and how they impact the world. Translated from the original 2021 Chinese language edition, the institute's book Intelligence and Wisdom brings together 10 experts on technology, artificial intelligence, Confucianism and Daoism in essays that go beyond the usual Sino-U.S. commentary. The notable lead essay, "How Chinese philosophers think about artificial intelligence," makes the case for questioning conventional dialogues and approaches that don't seem to get us anywhere. World harmony is achievable only through an understanding that opposites must act in concert. Music composition, for example, requires harmony that superficially seems impossible to achieve, yet can be done by blending independent musical lines rather than viewing them as inherently disruptive. To mend Sino-U.S. relations, nothing can beat face-to-face interaction. As Bing Song, director of the Berggruen China Centre, argues, "without addressing the root cause of the world's problems ignorance and indulgence in egoist pursuits by human beings all other efforts would be like "drawing water with a bamboo basket" in vain." Giving global thinking a thorough reset before it is lost in new world conflagrations will require listening more to philosophers of harmony and compassion, rather than buying the sales pitches of the gunrunners of August. Each wanting to have our own way is no way forward. We must create a saner global mind through collective self-control. We do get that by now, don't we? Tom Plate (platecolumn@gmail.com), a distinguished scholar of Asian and Pacific affairs at Loyola Marymount University, is vice president of the nonprofit Pacific Century Institute. His article was distributed by the South China Morning Post. The views expressed in the above article are those of the author's and do not reflect the editorial direction of The Korea Times. The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) recently shared a new batch of albums that achieved gold certifications. Included in the list are boy groups SEVENTEEN and ENHYPEN, and K-pop girl group TWICE. ENHYPEN Gets All-Kill RIAJ Certifications ENHYPEN is the only K-pop group that has all of its albums certified by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. It is definitely something amazing because even their senior boy groups BTS, EXO, and BIGBANG did not achieve this. For the 4th generation boy group, all of ENHYPEN's albums (Korean and Japanese) have been certified by RIAJ. "BORDER: DAY ONE," "BORDER: CARNIVAL," "DIMENSION: DILEMMA," "DIMENSION: ANSWER," and recently, their "MANIFESTO: DAY 1" album all have surpassed the 100,000 album copies sold to be certified gold in Japan. Meanwhile, their Japanese album "BORDER: Senkou" has a Platinum certification with more than 250,000 copies, while their second Japanese album, "DIMENSION: Senkou," has a Double Platinum certification with more than 500,000 album copies sold. SEVENTEEN Achieves Double Platinum As for SEVENTEEN, it was reported that their latest Korean album, "Face The Sun," earned a double platinum certification, selling over 500,000 album copies in Japan. This is their very first double platinum achievement in the country. Their Korean mini albums "Your Choice," "Attaca," and "Power Of Love" all got single platinum certifications, meaning they sold over 250,000 copies nationwide. Their Japanese single albums "Fallin' Flower" and "Not Alone" also earned the same certification, double platinum. The achievement of "Be The Sun" continues to prove how influential SEVENTEEN is. TWICE Tops K-pop Girl Groups With Most RIAJ Certifications TWICE has achieved no other Korean girl group has ever achieved in Japan. They have now more than 15 albums certified by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Their "Wake Me Up" album has been certified double platinum. Their "#TWICE," "One More Time," "Candy Pop," "BDZ," "#TWICE2," "HAPPY HAPPY," "Breakthrough," "&TWICE," and "Fanfare" all have single platinum certifications. Meanwhile, their "BETTER," "#TWICE3," "Kura Kura," "Perfect World," "Doughnut," and "#TWICE4" all have gold certifications by RIAJ. And now, their album "Celebrate" joins the group of gold-certified albums. With all of TWICE's albums, it is evident that they are the biggest Korean girl group in Japan. Having three Japanese members definitely helped with it as Japanese fans adore seeing them interact with the Korean members. On the other hand, those album numbers will definitely increase as TWICE is gearing up for another comeback. "BETWEEN 1&2" will be the girl group's 11th mini album since its debut in 2015. With the title track "TalkThatTalk," TWICE is coming back on August 26 of this year. Pre-orders are ongoing and ONCEs are expecting it to get gold certification by RIAJ in no time after its release. Are you excited about their comeback? KpopStarz owns this article Written by Jaswin Singh Anhui Cuisine is regarded as one of "Eight Categories of Chines Cuisine" and it has a rich cultural background. It is represented by the cuisine in the south of Anhui Province, and is the general name of Wanjiang cuisine, Hefei cuisine, Huainan cuisine and the cuisine in the north of Anhui Province. Hui Cuisine mainly takes local speciality as food materials with a salty and umami flavor. It is based on the traditional folk cooking techniques and has absorbed skills from the other style of cooking. Anhui Cuisine originated in ancient Huizhou area in Southern Song Dynasty. It was initially the local flavor of Huizhous mountainous area. Through the tireless efforts of chefs, Hui Cuisine has gradually stood out from the local flavor, and now it has became the famous cuisine which has integrated dishes from all parts of Anhui. The characteristics of Anhui cuisine are mainly including four parts. The first is using local raw materials in order to make fresh dishes. Secondly, the chefs in Anhui are good at controlling the heat. Thirdly, chiefs are adept in braising and stewing. The last is focusing on natural food materials. Anhui is rich in tea, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, agaric, chestnuts and other natural food resources, so chiefs choose natural ingredients for cooking. That is why Anhui cuisine can form a unique style with crispy, tender, aroma and fresh flavor. The famous Anhui cuisines include Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch, Wuwei Smoked Duck, Sliced Slated Pork, Stinky Mandarin Fish and stir-fired preserved meat with bamboo. Entries: 1.Anhui Cuisine 2.Eight Categories of Chines Cuisine 3.cuisine in the south of Anhui Province 4.Wanjiang Cuisine 5.Hefei Cuisine 6.Huainan Cuisine 7.cuisine in the north of Anhui Province 8.a salty and umami flavor 9.Anhui local speciality 10.the Southern Song Dynasty 11.use local raw materials 12.good at controlling the heat 13.heat control technique 14.adept in braise and stew 15.focus on natural food materials 16.crispy, tender, aroma and fresh 17.Li Hongzhang Hotchpotch 18.Wuwei Somked Duck 19.Sliced Slated Pork 20.Stinky Mandarin Fish 21.Stir-fired preserved meat with bamboo Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Raceland, LA (70394) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 86F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 74F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI/ATK): Pune-based boutique software consulting firm Alphalogic Techsys Limited's board of directors has approved and recommended that bonus shares be awarded to the company's existing shareholders. The bonus shares will be distributed in 1:2 ratio, which means one bonus share for every two shares of the company held by the shareholder. In its communication to BSE, the small-cap IT company announced the issuance of bonus shares. The firm is yet to announce the record date for issuing the bonus shares. Alphalogic Techsys Ltd was incorporated as a Technology Service Company under the Companies Act 2013 on December 13, 2018. The company works in the areas of Software as a Service (SAAS) and Healthcare providing services like Product Engineering, Data Analysis, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence to its global clientele. The current market cap of the company is Rs 119.64 crores on the stock exchange. The company's board has recommended a bonus issue to reward its shareholders. Check out the following crucial information about bonus share issuance: Also Read | Microsoft Open Sources Its 1,500 3D Emojis for Creators. "Recommendation of issuance of fully paid-up Bonus Share in the ratio of 1:2, i.e. 1 (One) Equity Share for every 2 (Two) fully paid up Equity Shares of Rs 05/- each, subject to the approval of the Company's shareholders," the board of directors said in a BSE filing. In due course, the Company will announce the 'Record Date' for identifying stockholders eligible to receive Bonus Shares." The shares of the company were trading higher by 12.17 per cent to close at Rs 53 on BSE in Thursday's trading session. The 52-week high for the stock is Rs 56.70, and the 52-week low is Rs 24.95. The stock returned 34 per cent over a year and 63 per cent over three months. It has climbed by 32 per cent in one month. Also Read | Manchester United Transfer News: Adrien Rabiot To Snub Premier League Giants. Alphalogic Techsys had earlier announced that it plans to set up a grain-based ethanol manufacturing plant in Maharashtra, for which the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change has granted Environment Clearance (MOEFCC) supporting the effort. This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK) (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 8 (PTI) The CBI has booked a sub-postmaster posted at a Telangana village who allegedly swindled Rs 1.72 crore in one year by hoodwinking the accounting system of the postal department, officials said. K Sathish posted at Kodakandla sub-post office in Medak district of Telangana allegedly made deceptive entries in the accounting software under the head of "Deduction amount refund passenger cancellation of railway tickets" in 18 transactions during 2021-22, the CBI has alleged. Also Read | 'Victim's Dead Body Not Recognisable', Supreme Court Acquits Murder Accused. The agency also found that he temporarily misappropriated Rs 1.14 crore from postal accounts, they said. Sathish allegedly falsified entries in the SAP software system of post office on holidays and Sundays when daily report of funds with a post office is not sent to head office, they said. Also Read | Centre Says Lay Guidelines on Freebies; Supreme Court Favours Balance Between Economy & Welfare. He allegedly entered cash transactions by using code in SAP with back dates in sub-office daily accounts without the knowledge of postmaster. On the same day the amounts were posted under social security pension payments with back dates, in order to tally the closing balance of the respective dates, the postal department audit found. PTI ABS (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Firozabad, August 11: A video of a constable bursting into tears and sitting on a dharna over the "poor" quality food provided by the mess at the police lines here has prompted the department to order an inquiry. In the clip that surfaced on social media on Wednesday, Constable Manoj Kumar was seen staging a protest with a plate of food from the mess. Kumar was also heard referring to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's promise to give Rs 1,875 separately for provisions of nutritious food for police constables. UP Police Constable Caught Red-Handed Taking Rs 20,000 As Bribe From Rape Survivor. Watch: UP Police Constable Stages Protest Over Quality of Food Served by Mess A UP police constable posted in Firozabad district protests against the quality of food served at the mess in police lines. He was later whisked away. A probe has been ordered. pic.twitter.com/nxspEONdNN Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 10, 2022 Taking note of the issue, Senior Superintendent of Police Ashish Tiwari has ordered an inquiry. The SSP said the matter has been noted and Circle Officer (City) Abhishek Srivastava has been asked to probe the quality of food provided by the mess. The official added that 15 cases were pending against the constable, including indiscipline and remaining absent from duty, and Circle Officer, Police Lines, Hira Lal Kanaujia has been asked to probe them. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, Aug 11 (PTI) Highlighting that the COVID-19 positivity is on the rise, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Thursday said only 17 per cent of people have taken booster doses, and urged them to get booster shots of the vaccine. Also Read | Cattle Smuggling Case: Anubrata Mandal Remanded to CBI Custody Till August 20. The Minister noted that experts across the world have said that the immunity decreases or wanes after 6-7 months of taking the vaccine and the booster dose would be required to boost immunity again, also it helps reduce hospitalisations and deaths. Also Read | Assam: Seven College Students Suspended After Their Hugging Video In Classroom Goes Viral. "Not taking the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine even when it has been made available free for everyone amounts to negligence and we as responsible citizens must avail it to enhance immunity," Sudhakar said. Speaking to reporters after meeting with the COVID-19 technical advisory committee (TAC), he said the entire nation is seeing an uptick in the COVID-19 positivity rate and Delhi currently has a positivity rate of over 18 per cent. "The average positivity rate of Karnataka is 7.2 per cent at the moment. However, the positivity rate is higher than the State average of 7.2 per cent in cities like Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Bagalkot, Bellary. Dharwad currently has the highest positivity rate," he added. Karnataka is currently conducting 30,000 COVID-19 tests each day and as per the guidelines of the Union government, only those who are symptomatic are being tested. Even in case of primary contacts, only those who are symptomatic are being tested. Pointing to 100 per cent completion of the initial two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Minister expressed disappointment, saying only 17 per cent of people have taken the booster dose. "Some initially blamed the government for making the booster dose paid, as the reason for the low coverage..... (but) many had become complacent and overconfident that nothing would happen to them as they had survived the previous COVID-19 waves," he said. Stressing on the need for those above the age of 60 and those with comorbidities to take the booster dose, he said most COVID-19 deaths in recent days have been in those who had other comorbidities that worsened the effects of coronavirus. Corbevax has been given approval by the central government for use as the booster dose and it would be inaugurated on Friday, Sudhakar said. He said Corbevax could be taken as the booster dose irrespective of whether an individual had taken Covaxin or Covishield for their first and second doses. Noting that no hospital can deny treatment for a COVID patient with an excuse that they don't treat the infection, he said, "every hospital must treat COVID patients in isolation wards. I have received complaints that many hospitals denied treatment like this. This is not just inhumane but also illegal. If any such complaints are received, strict action will be taken under the KPME and Epidemic act." Sudhakar said that the TAC took a comprehensive view of the Monkeypox situation in the State. "Till now, a total of 9 cases in the country- 5 in Kerala and 4 in Delhi have been detected. As of now, we haven't seen even a single case in Karnataka, however, surveillance and necessary precautions are being undertaken at the border districts. Hospitals have been prepped with all the necessities," he said. The Minister said TAC also discussed other vector borne diseases such as Dengue, Malaria, H1N1 and Chikungunya and noted that there is an uptick in the number of such cases except malaria, due to heavy rains and floods that Karnataka recently witnessed. He said that the increase in dengue could probably be also because of increased testing which was just 9,000 in 2021 and 36,000 in 2022. Sudhakar also said that the COVID-19 TAC would be further expanded in the future to look at Malaria, Dengue and public health as a whole in Karnataka. He said that entomologists and microbiologists will also be included in the TAC for this. (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 11 (ANI): The BJP on Thursday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claiming that the culture of 'revdis' being promoted by the outfit was more focussed on advertising but weak on governance. "I am here to expose the free education model of Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal's mantra is Vigyapan par zor, Vyavastha me kamjor (Focus on advertisements, weak on governance). Kejriwal's revdi model means that of the 500 schools and 20 colleges promised, none have been delivered. This is the revdi culture we caution against," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla addressing a press conference. Also Read | Coal Scam: After IPS, Now ED Summons Five IAS Officers From West Bengal to Delhi. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken about the perils of populism and its pitfalls. "As we can observe the trend in various countries, those who practised the policy of providing freebies were embroiled in several corrupt practices. Kejriwal chose to take this comment personally. Is this the case of Chor ki darhi me tinka?" he asked. Poonawalla said there is a between welfare policy and revdi politics. Welfare policies empower a targeted section who have been deprived of necessities. These add to the productivity of the population. "Whereas, revdi culture is a lollipop dished out for political gains and makes no transformation to people's lives. They misuse the taxpayer's money," he added. Also Read | Giant Python on Truck! 15 Feet-Long Python Travels From Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh, Watch Viral Snake Video. The BJP leader spoke of how Kejriwal instead of providing free education, free water, free electricity, free health had opted for "free corruption, free pollution, free advertisements, free appeasements, free drugs and liquor". Poonawalla then gave an example of, what he termed as, a "complete failure" of the Kejriwal government in the education sector. He claimed that Kejriwal promised 500 new schools and 20 new colleges but instead licensed upto 850 liquor vends. He said that of the 1027 Delhi government schools, many did not have the science stream in 11th and 12th while over 745 were functioning without a principal. As many as 418 schools have no vice principal and 40,000 seats meant for EWS had not been filled as per the RTE act, he claimed. Poonawalla further said that Kejriwal had planned to increase the fees of private institutions and diploma level institutions by almost 7 percent and caused hardship to poor students but the Delhi Lieutenant Governor stopped this proposal. He further claimed that 22,000 guest teachers lost jobs and were not made permanent teachers. "Almost 45,000 teacher positions were lying vacant in schools," he added. Poonawalla slammed the Kejriwal government for indulging in "corruption even in the education sector" and referred to a letter written by the education ministry to the PWD about various "shortcomings and illegalities in the construction of classrooms". In a reference to arrested TMC minister Partha Chatterjee, the BJP leader said "Kejriwal was only protecting his 'Parthas' and said AAP ministers like Satyendra Jain and Manish Sisodia faced serious allegations. The AAP has refuted charges against its leaders. The BJP and AAP had engaged in a war of words on the freebie culture. While the BJP has emphasised that such politics is not in the people's interest, AAP has claimed that it politics was in favour of the poor. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Prayagraj, August 11: A proposal to open Uttar Pradesh's first government naturopathy centre at Chaubepur area of Varanasi has been prepared by the state AYUSH department and the draft has been sent to the Centre for approval. Land for the naturopathy centre has been identified in Chaubepur, Minister of State for AYUSH (independent charge) Daya Shankar Mishra (Dayalu) told PTI on Thursday. Apart from this, the state government has set a target of opening 12,500 AYUSH wellness centres and is preparing to open 1600 AYUSH wellness centres by 2025. Out of this 500 centres have already been established, he said. The minister said his department has started nine hospitals with 50 beds in different districts including Varanasi, Amethi, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar etc. These are integrated hospitals where treatment is given by methods of Ayurveda, Homeopathy and Unani, he said. He said government wants people to come forward to help open AYUSH hospitals and those who have one acre or less land should donate it to build the hospitals. The government will open such hospitals in the name of the parents or grandparents of the land owners, he said. Till now two dozen land proposals for this have been received from different districts of the state, which are being considered for opening AYUSH hospitals. With this initiative, land will be available for hospitals and the names of the ancestors of the land givers will also become immortal, he said. The minister noted that during the pandemic people understood the importance of Ayurveda and now people are taking refuge in it for the treatment of lifestyle diseases. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Karnal (Haryana) [India], August 11 (ANI): Authorities in Haryana's Karnal district suspended the licence of a ration depot holder for allegedly forcing people to buy the national flag with the ration under the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign and telling them to purchase tricolour as a precondition to the ration otherwise, senior officials said on Wednesday. People at a PDS shop in Hemda village in Karnal district were allegedly forced to buy Rs 20 tri-colour flags otherwise they won't get a ration. Also Read | Afghanistan: 1,500 Kids in Northern Takhar Province Infected With Diarrhoea. Anish Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Karnal said that as soon as the matter came to the knowledge of the district administration, his licence was suspended with immediate effect. "We are giving Tiranga to people who are willing to buy it, at Rs 20 through PDS shops. We came to know a depot holder made ration beneficiaries forcefully purchase flags. Admin initiated stringent action against him and his license was suspended," said Yadav. Also Read | Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign: Shourya Chakra Awardee Sepoy Aurangzeb's Mother Hoists Tricolour in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch District (Watch Video). He further said that for the convenience of the public, the district administration has provided flags to ration depot holders and those who are willing can buy at Rs 20. "Under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, we are celebrating the Har Ghar Tiranga programme in Karnal district. Under this, the district administration has provided flags to over 600 ration depot holders. As per willingness, anyone can take the flag at the rate of Rs 20," he said. On Wednesday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi also tweeted the video and wrote, "It would be unfortunate if the celebration of the 75th anniversary of independence becomes a burden on the poor. Ration card holders are being forced to buy the Tricolour or their share of ration is being deducted instead." "It is shameful to collect the price of the Tricolour that resides in the heart of every Indian by snatching the morsel of the poor," he added. '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 its people, culture and achievements. The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' 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. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Siddharth Sharma New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI): Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the eighth time after forming a new "Grand Alliance" which includes Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other Opposition parties. Also Read | Afghanistan: 1,500 Kids in Northern Takhar Province Infected With Diarrhoea. Kumar ended his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance and rejoined hands with RJD. According to the top source of the Congress from Bihar, the screenplay for the political change in the State was written by a courtesy call. This call was made from Nitish Kumar to Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi when she was battling COVID-19. Also Read | Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign: Shourya Chakra Awardee Sepoy Aurangzeb's Mother Hoists Tricolour in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch District (Watch Video). During this call of Nitish Kumar to Sonia Gandhi to inquire about her health, the Bihar Chief Minister referred to the pressure being put on him by the BJP, during his political conversation with Sonia Gandhi and he said that the BJP is trying to break his party. He sought cooperation from Sonia Gandhi for change in Bihar. Sonia Gandhi asked him to contact Rahul Gandhi as well. However, Kumar gave the responsibility to contact Congress leader Rahul Congress to Tejashwi Yadav. Tejashwi immediately contacted Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Rahul Gandhi agreed to be in touch with the party in-charge of the state Bhakta Charan Das. After this talks took place and the script for the change was ready. Nitish wanted such a majority so that the BJP could not topple the government by making a dent in it, so remained silent till the figure reached 164 through the Left and Congress and the bet was played as soon as he got the chance. Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi suggested that the fallout between his party and Nitish Kumar could be linked to the Bihar chief minister's desire to become the country's vice president. Kumar parted ways with the BJP alleging that the party was trying to break the JD(U), and joined hands with the political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. Speculation was rife regarding his future with suggestions of his 'national ambitions' doing rounds in the political sphere. Kumar was a long-time BJP ally before snapping ties in 2013. He later joined hands in 2017. Kumar said that there was a unanimous decision in the party meeting in the morning "to break off ties". JD-U and BJP had fought the 2020 assembly polls together and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of the alliance though the BJP had won more seats. Nitish Kumar's ties with BJP stretched to over two decades and he was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996. JD-U leaders indicated that factors including the developments related to the exit of RCP Singh from the party had soured the ties with BJP. JD-U leaders have also been chaffing at the role of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan during the 2020 assembly polls and have indicated that his putting up candidates from seats contested by the party had damaged it. JD-U and RJD had fought the 2015 Bihar polls together. JD-U has 45 and the RJD has 79 MLAs in the 243-member Bihar assembly. JD-U is the third major ally to leave the BJP in the past over three years after Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Srinagar, Aug 11 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday approved a proposal to exclude various level-6 posts from the requirement of an interview or oral test, officials said. The decision is aimed at increasing efficiency, transparency and timely conclusion of recruitment process for government jobs, they said. Also Read | Giant Python on Truck! 15 feet-Long Python Travels From Madhya Pradesh to Uttar Pradesh, Watch Viral Snake Video. "The recruitment against these Level-6 posts shall now be made on the basis of written test only," an official spokesman said He said the decision will ensure that selections are objective, fair and merit-based. Also Read | Vivo V25 Series India Launch Set for August 17, 2022. It paves the way for advertisement of more than 1,000 posts, including 855 posts of junior engineer (civil), which will be filled up on a fast-track basis through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board, the spokesman said. The Lt Governor has also directed the identification of posts of similar nature which can be considered for exclusion from the requirement of oral test or Interview, for which the process has been initiated by the General Administration Department, 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) New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI): Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday ordered the registration of an First Information Report (FIR) against 11 former Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials over alleged financial misappropriation and violation of norms. Saxena also ordered the withdrawal of pension benefits to nine retired officials. Also Read | Coal Smuggling Case: ED Summons Eight IPS Officers From West Bengal to Delhi. "Lt Governor, VK Saxena, in his capacity as Chairman DDA, has ordered that an FIR be registered against the then Member (Finance) and Member (Engineering) of DDA, apart from 9 other officials of DDA in a 9-year-old case of blatant financial misappropriation and violation of Codal Formalities, CPWD Works Manual and General Financial Rules (GFR), that was reported in 2013," said an official statement from the LG office. These nine DDA officials are all retired and include a Chief Engineer, Superintendent Engineer and Executive Engineer and others from the finance and accounts departments. Also Read | Moto G62 With 5,000mAh Battery Debuts in India; Check Price & Other Details Here. The said action will be taken against Abhay Kumar Sinha, then Member (Engineering), Venkatesh Mohan, the then Member (Finance), Om Prakash, CE (Retd) Nahar Singh SE (Retd) JP Sharma, EE (Retd), PK Chawla, Dy. CAO (Retd), Jasvir Singh, AAO (Retd), SC Mongia, AAD (Retd), SC Mittal, AE (Retd), RC Jain, AE (Retd) and Dilbagh Singh Bains, AE (Retd). Considering the grave misconduct and loss to the exchequer, the LG has also ordered to ''permanently withdraw the full pension benefits'' of these retired officials, against the department's recommendation of withdrawing only 25 percent of their pension, the statement said. The case pertains to the up-gradation and beautification of the Coronation Park at Kingsway Camp that was awarded to M/s Ajab Singh and Co. in 2013. The tender cost of the work was Rs 14.24 crore but additional work amounting to Rs 114.83 crore was also carried out at Narela and Dhirpur, without any sanctions. "The original project cost of Rs 14.24 crore was escalated to Rs. 28.36 crores and the same was further deviated with additional work, at a different location altogether, amounting for Rs 114.83 Crore was executed without any sanctioned estimate. This resulted in the overall payment of Rs 142.08 Crore to the agency," it said. According to the statement, this gross irregularity was pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report in 2016, which concluded an overall deviation of 897.67 per cent (almost nine times) from the original work. This additional work should have been done through fresh tenders that would have not only saved crores in terms of competitive biddings but also ensured better quality, it said. "However, in what appears to be a case of convenient collusion between the contractor and officials, all laid down norms were violated to benefit the contractor in lieu of probable commissions," it said further. The execution of the additional work, here, was approved by the then Chief Engineer (North Zone) on the day of his retirement on 31 October 2014. The then Member (Engineering) DDA had granted in-principle approval for carrying out additional work amounting to Rs 114. 83 Crore, even as awarding any additional work required calling fresh tender. Further, the DDA officials, from the Accounts and Finance department released payments by diverting funds from other heads, and thus violated the laid procedures. The LG expressed serious displeasure and took strict note of the manner in which the supervisory officers - Member (Engineering) and Member (Finance) failed in their responsibility to effectively supervise their subordinate officers, which resulted in the charged officers blatantly violating the provisions of Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Works Manual and GFR and causing avoidable loss to DDA. ''From the foregoing, I am of the considered view that the entire sequence of events amounts to criminal breach of trust and the angle of corruption cannot be ruled out. Hence, it is directed to register FIR in this case against all concerned, including incumbent Supervisory Officers, viz. Abhai Kumar Sinha EM, DDA and Venkatesh Mohan, EM, DDA within 15 days,'' the LG said in his order. ''In addition, a foolproof system should be put in place for effective supervision and internal Audit mechanism, to ensure that such incidents do not reoccur in the future. A report to be submitted for my perusal within 15 days,'' the order further read. Notably, when the file first came to LG, about a month ago, it proposed action against the engineers concerned. However, the LG asked for the procedures and levels of clearances required to be put on record and accordingly pointed out as to who all were involved in the execution of this entire project. As it turned out, the strings went right up to the heads of Engineering and Finance departments of the DDA. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 11 (ANI): Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar on Thursday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar might "reconsider" his decision to part ways with the BJP if he felt he had picked a "wrong party". "It's just a phase. I don't mean to criticise him (CM Nitish Kumar). He is a senior politician who has served the state well as the CM. But he may reconsider his decision if he feels that he has picked the wrong party. That's not unprecedented," Deepak Kesarkar said while commenting on the recent political developments in Bihar. Also Read | Watch | Union MoS for Defence @AjaybhattBJP4UK Today Presents Souvenirs to Outstanding NCC Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. There has been speculation that Nitish Kumar is gearing up for a larger role at the national level. However, the Bihar Chief Minister rejected any such speculation after being sworn in. "Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (PM post)," he said. Also Read | Coal Scam: After IPS, Now ED Summons Five IAS Officers From West Bengal to Delhi. Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister again yesterday after parting ways with the BJP and joining the RJD-led Grand Alliance to form a new government in the state. Kumar ditched the BJP alleging that it was trying to break his JD(U), and joined hands with former political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. The BJP alleged that by joining with the RJD, Nitish Kumar had disrespected the mandate given by the people. Meanwhile, soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Kumar said that his party made the decision to leave the BJP through internal consensus. He sought cooperation from interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for change in Bihar. Sonia Gandhi asked him to contact Rahul Gandhi as well. However, Kumar gave the responsibility to contact Congress leader Rahul Congress to Tejashwi Yadav. Tejashwi immediately contacted Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Rahul Gandhi agreed to be in touch with the party in-charge of the state Bhakta Charan Das. After this talks took place and the script for the change was ready. Nitish wanted such a majority so that the BJP could not topple the government by making a dent in it, so remained silent till the figure reached 164 through the Left and Congress and the bet was played as soon as he got the chance. Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi suggested that the fallout between his party and Nitish Kumar could be linked to the Bihar chief minister's desire to become the country's vice president. Kumar was a long-time BJP ally before snapping ties in 2013. He later again joined hands in 2017. Kumar said that there was a unanimous decision in the party meeting in the morning "to break off ties". JD-U and BJP had fought the 2020 assembly polls together and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of the alliance though the BJP had won more seats. Nitish Kumar's ties with BJP stretched to over two decades and he was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996. JD-U leaders indicated that factors including the developments related to the exit of RCP Singh from the party had soured ties with BJP. JD-U leaders have also been chafing at the role of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan during the 2020 assembly polls and have indicated that his putting up candidates from seats contested by the party had damaged it. JD-U and RJD had fought the 2015 Bihar polls together. JD-U has 45 and the RJD has 79 MLAs in the 243-member Bihar assembly. JD-U is the third major ally to leave the BJP in the past three years after Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 11 (AN): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday said that the Rakhi is a symbol of the sacred relationship of brother and sister while adding that Raksha Bandhan communicates zeal and enthusiasm in life along with mutual brotherhood. On the eve of Raksha Bandhan, a large number of women of the state tied rakhi to the Chief Minister at his residence and Chief Sevak Sadan auditorium and wished him a long life. Also Read | Afghanistan: 1,500 Kids in Northern Takhar Province Infected With Diarrhoea. "The festival of Rakhi is a symbol of the sacred relationship of brother and sister. The festival communicates zeal and enthusiasm in life along with mutual brotherhood. Festivals are our identity. Festivals play an important role in maintaining the ancient culture," he said. The Chief Minister said that our mother power has a big role in the development of the state. Also Read | Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign: Shourya Chakra Awardee Sepoy Aurangzeb's Mother Hoists Tricolour in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch District (Watch Video). "Our mothers and sisters have also contributed a lot in breaking the myth of the same party not forming the government for the second time in the state," he said. Dhami said that the standard of living of the women of the state should be high and we are constantly striving to bring revolutionary changes in their lives. He said that a committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai, the symbol of mother power, to implement the Uniform Civil Code in the state. With the arrangement to provide three gas cylinders to poor women in the state, the old age pension to both the old husband and wife has been increased from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 per month. "It is our endeavour to make Uttarakhand a drug-free and corruption-free state. For this, the formation of Anti-Narcotics Cell and restructuring of the structure of Vigilance, 1064 No. has been issued for complaints," he said. Raksha Bandhan is that time of the year when brothers and sisters come together to celebrate their special bond. As per rituals, sisters tie a sacred thread on brothers' wrists and in return brothers shower them with presents. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 11 (ANI): Six people were arrested on Thursday for gang-raping a woman in a car near the Porur region of Tamil Nadu's Chennai, police said. The accused also snatched the victim's jewellery. Also Read | Praveen Nettare Murder Case: Karnataka Police Nab BJP Activist's Killers, Probe Shows PFI Link. "Six persons were arrested for allegedly raping a woman at knifepoint in a car near Porur, Chennai. They took away 15 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the woman. Based on the woman's complaint, a case has been registered," the Tamil Nadu police informed. The incident took place when the woman from Porur, aged 40 years, was travelling with a driver in her own car at night. Also Read | Microsoft Open Sources Its 1,500 3D Emojis for Creators. Quoting the victim, the police claimed that the woman was travelling in the car from Porur near Kolathuvancheri, when some men, intoxicated with ganja blocked their vehicle and threatened the driver with a knife. They attacked the driver and took her the woman to a deserted place surrounded by brambles. The police arrested Suriya Prakash (21), Dinesh (28) Ganesh (19), Karuppaiah (27), Santosh (21), and Subash (19). The accused were taken into custody and produced before a court. It is further revealed that the sale of ganja is increasing in the Kolathuvancheri area of the state. There have been reports that intoxicated addicts often indulge in incidences of robbery and other crimes. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Thane, Aug 11 (PTI) As many as 212 new COVID-19 cases have been detected in Maharashtra's Thane district, raising its infection tally to 7,35,817, a health official said on Thursday. Also Read | Take That, Elon Musk: Ford CEO Jim Farley Takes a Dig at Tesla CEO While Announcing Major Investment in Solar Energy. With the addition of the latest cases on Wednesday, the district currently has 1,150 active COVID-19 cases, he said. Also Read | Jammu and Kashmir: 2 Terrorists Killed, 5 Soldiers Injured After Attack on Army Camp in Rajouri. The death toll in the district stood at 11,936, while the recovery count has reached 7,23,270 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) Mangaluru (KTK), Aug 11 (PTI) Three key accused in the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettar murder case have been arrested, a senior police officer said. Also Read | What a Joke! Nitish Kumar on Sushil Modis totally Bogus VP Claims Read @ANI Story | Latest Tweet by ANI Digital. "Yes they have been arrested. We will share details later...," Rishikesh Bhagwan Sonwane, the superintendent of police of Dakshina Kannada rural district told PTI. Also Read | CBI Arrests TMCs Anubrata Mondal in Cattle Smuggling Case. Police sources said the trio, who had allegedly hacked Nettar to death three weeks ago in Nettaru village near Bellare in Dakshina Kannada district were arrested from neighbouring Kerala. Those arrested persons hail from Sullya and Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district, they added. The assailants had allegedly used a motorbike which had a Kerala registration. The murder three weeks ago had led to communal tension in this communally sensitive district. The Hindu right wing members had alleged that Muslim fundamentalists were behind the murder. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai, Aug 11 (PTI) The interim wage hike in West Bengal is likely to adversely impact the margins of tea estates in the state that contributes 37 per cent to north India's production, a report said on Thursday. However, the impact would be lower for producers of quality tea, given the price premium they enjoy over the average market realisations, Icra said in a report. Also Read | Vivo V25 Series India Launch Set for August 17, 2022. The total wage rate per man day (including bonus, other cash components and benefits) for tea estate workers in West Bengal is estimated to increase by 12 per cent with effect from January 1, 2022. The hike follows an announcement by the state's labour department to increase the basic wages on an interim basis by 15 per cent to Rs 232 per day from Rs 202 per day, the report said. As per Icra estimates, the wage hike would lead to an increase in the cost of production by Rs 16 per kg and would have a substantial adverse impact on the margins of tea estates in West Bengal which contributes around 37 per cent to north India's production. Also Read | Microsoft Open Sources Its 1,500 3D Emojis for Creators. Meanwhile, any revision in wage rates in Assam, where it moves in tandem with West Bengal, would materially impact profitability of the entire north India bulk tea industry, unless there is a commensurate increase in tea prices, it stated. The current basic wage rate in West Bengal stood at Rs 232 per day compared to Rs 205 per day in Assam and the gap indicated the likelihood of Assam revising rates shortly. Assam is the major producer of bulk tea, accounting for 60 per cent of north India's production and 50 per cent of all-India tea output, it added. "This interim wage hike is likely to result in a margin contraction of around 700 basis points on a year-on-year basis for bulk tea players based out of West Bengal at a steady state level of realisations. However, the impact is likely to be lower for bulk tea players focused on producing quality teas, given the high premium their produce fetches over the market prices," said Kaushik Das, Icra Vice President and Co-Group Head, Corporate Sector Ratings. An analysis of the auction prices during the first half of 2022 calendar indicates that the price of north India CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) teas produced by the top 50 estates, at Rs 319 per kg, was 79 per cent higher than the overall auction average, he said. The premium has increased this year compared to 65 per cent in CY2021, Das 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, August 11: India and the United Kingdom concluded the fifth round of talks for an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) last month, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Thursday. The ministry said that negotiation officials undertook these technical talks in a hybrid fashion - with some of the teams meeting in New Delhi, India, and the majority of officials joining virtually. India and UK Conclude Second Round of Talks For India-UK Free Trade Agreement. "On 29 July 2022, the Republic of India and the United Kingdom concluded the fifth round of talks for an India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA)," the Commerce Ministry said in a press release. For this round of negotiations, technical experts from both sides came together for detailed draft treaty text discussions in 85 separate sessions covering 15 policy areas, the release said. Indian and UK officials will continue to work intensively throughout the summer towards our target to conclude the majority of talks on a comprehensive and balanced Free Trade Agreement by the end of October 2022. India and UK launched Free Trade Agreement negotiations in January this year. The two countries are exploring the possibility of an interim agreement to provide quick gains for benefitting businesses on both sides. Last month, Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talk between India and the United Kingdom is on track and the negotiations are likely to be completed by end of August. Speaking to the media after signing two MoUs and a framework agreement with the UK, Subrahmanyam said that the India-UK FTA negotiations would be concluded by August 31 and after internal approvals on both sides, the agreement would be ready to be signed as per the convenience of leaders of the two countries. On the impact of the change in government in the UK on the proposed FTA, Subrahmanyam said, "Irrespective of the party in power in the UK, the logic of FTA with India is irreversible." (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bamako, Aug 11 (AP) Malian authorities declared three days of national mourning to begin Thursday after a pair of weekend attacks by Islamic extremist groups killed dozens of soldiers and police officers across the volatile West African country. In the deadliest violence, the Malian army said an attack Sunday in the northern region of Gao killed 42 soldiers. Also Read | Russian Authorities Raid Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova's Home for Discrediting Army. A statement said the assault was carried out by Islamic militants who used drones, artillery and booby-trapped vehicles. Also Sunday, five police officers were killed in the country's south, when extremists attacked a police station near the border with Burkina Faso. Also Read | China Again Threatens To Take Taiwan by Force if Necessary. Three other officers remained missing after the assault on the Sona border police station, said Soulaimane Traore, director-general of the national police. The following day, militants belonging to an al-Qaida-linked group known as JNIM claimed responsibility. Mali and its international partners have been fighting off extremists for nearly a decade, and the situation has showed signs of deteriorating after France began withdrawing its troops following a series of disputes with the Malian government. In 2013, France led a military operation to expel Islamic militants from power in the major towns across Mali's north. But those elements eventually regrouped and began carrying out attacks ever southward against the military and U.N. peacekeepers. France's withdrawal plan came after a junta led by Col. Assimi Goita carried out two coups within a nine-month period in 2020 and 2021. Observers fear the chaos has created yet another power vacuum for extremists to carry out more attacks. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kathmandu [Nepal], August 11 (ANI): Nepal's Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Khadka held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in China's Qingdao on Wednesday and reiterated Kathmandu's unwavering commitment to the 'One China Policy', according to the statement released by the Nepalese Foreign Affairs Ministry. Khadka also assured Wang that the Nepali territory will not be allowed to be used for any activity against China. Also Read | Russian Authorities Raid Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova's Home for Discrediting Army. During the meeting, Wang reiterated China's continued and unconditional support for Nepal's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured support for the country's development endeavours as per the priority of the Kathmandu government. Wang also announced that they will provide 800 million RMB to Nepal for the year 2022. "The two Foreign Ministers took stock of overall aspects of Nepal-China relations and cooperation and agreed to promote further cooperation in various sectors including trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster management, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, among others. Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress made in a range of matters of bilateral cooperation since the official visit of the State Councilor to Nepal in March 2022," the statement reads. Also Read | China Again Threatens To Take Taiwan by Force if Necessary. Both the ministers expressed their commitment to the timely implementation of the agreements signed and understandings reached during high-level visits in the past. They agreed to expedite the implementation of China-assisted projects in Nepal. During the meeting, the Chinese side assured the Nepali delegation that China will soon start the construction works of the second phase of the Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project. Wang also announced that China will carry out the feasibility study of the Keyrung-Kathmandu Railway under the grant assistance. He also assured support for the pre-feasibility study of the Nepal-China cross-border transmission line as agreed during his official visit to Nepal in March 2022. Upon the request of the Nepali side, the Chinese side assured that it will positively consider providing chemical fertilizer to Nepal and study the feasibility of establishing a chemical fertilizer factory in Nepal. "The State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China agreed to assist Nepal's agricultural sector. He also agreed to encourage Chinese investment in developing the manufacturing capacity of Nepal and enhance cooperation in the export of Nepali tea and traditional medicinal herbs," the statement noted. Chinese Foreign Minister also announced to provide Nepal with 3 million RMB worth of disaster relief materials as per the Kathmandu request. China will also provide Nepal with an additional 2 million RMB worth of medical items and logistics. Apart from these, China will provide additional COVID-19 vaccines and COVID-19-related medical assistance as much as Nepal may require. "The two Foreign Ministers also exchanged views on continuing cooperation in various regional and multilateral forums on matters of mutual interests," the statement added. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], August 11 (ANI): US Charge d'Affaires Patricia Lacina has met with business leaders and entrepreneurs in Bengaluru and acknowledged the immense contributions of over 650 US companies in the city. At a reception for commercial and business leaders on Wednesday, Lacina acknowledged the immense contributions of over 650 US companies in Bengaluru that employ tens of thousands of Indian citizens in high-standard work environments in the formal sector. Also Read | Legoland Park Tragedy: Roller Coaster Crash at German Amusement Park Injures 34. She applauded their contribution to the US-India bilateral relationship - not only through their economic ties and investments but also through corporate social responsibility initiatives and a commitment to the development of employee skills. "This year, as our two countries commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations and trusted partnership, we celebrate a US-India partnership defined by President Biden recently as 'a deep connection between our people - ties of family, of friendship, and of shared values.' It is because of these shared values that U.S. and Indian firms work so well together, forging a path for innovation and prosperity" US Charge d'Affaires said in the statement. Also Read | French Air Force Contingent Stops Over in India for Technical Stopover During Indo-Pacific Deployment. Earlier in July, India and the United States signed an Amended Letter of Agreement (ALOA) in the field of narcotics control and law enforcement cooperation, as per the US State Department. The agreement was signed during the third meeting of the India-US Counternarcotics Working Group (CNWG) held in New Delhi on July 7-8. "Mr Satya Narayan Pradhan, Director General, NCB led the Indian delegation and Mr Kemp Chester, Senior Advisor to the Director of National Drug Control Policy at the White House led the U.S. delegation," said the joint statement released by US State Department on Friday. Recognizing that drug trafficking and related crimes emanating from the region can present a major threat, the two sides decided to increase coordination and information-sharing on the matter. Both countries also agreed to include drug demand reduction topics under the umbrella of the CNWG and cooperate to fight the exploitation of unregulated chemicals and pharmaceuticals diverted by drug trafficking networks "India and the United States agreed to include drug demand reduction topics under the umbrella of the CNWG. Both sides also agreed to cooperate to fight the exploitation of unregulated chemicals and pharmaceuticals diverted by drug trafficking networks and to share best practices for monitoring the use of unregulated chemicals in drug manufacturing," the joint statement said. The two sides discussed closer cooperation on information-sharing and capacity-building in combatting drug trafficking and related crimes. "Acknowledging the importance of bilateral capacity-building in fighting cross-border drug trafficking, the United States will organize training programs for Indian drug enforcement agencies on trafficking in fentanyl and related synthetic opioids," the State Department said. The United States will host the next CNWG in 2023. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Amaravati, Aug 11: In a shocking incident, a woman in Andhra Pradesh killed her sister's daughter-in-law and reached the police station with her severed head to surrender. The incident occured in Rayachoti, the district headquarters of Annamayya district. Bengaluru Shocker: 34-Year-Old Man Arrested for Unnatural Sex With Cows in Mandya Subbamma along with her relatives brutally murdered Vasundhara (35) after inviting her for lunch. She then cut the head of the victim and went to the Rayachoti police station, about six kilometres away, with the severed head to surrender. The police were shocked to see the woman reaching the police station with the severed head in a polythene bag. The heinous crime sent shock waves across the town. The police rushed to the scene of the crime and shifted the torso along with the severed head to the government hospital for autopsy. The police suspect that domestic problems and property dispute led to the ghastly murder. A police officer said they have registered a case and are trying to identify and nab the others involved in the crime. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2022 05:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, Aug 11: The Centre on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to lay down guidelines to regulate the freebies announced by political parties to induce voters, till the legislature devises a mechanism. The issues associated with freebies were also acknowledged by the apex court, which observed that the economy losing money and the welfare of the people, both have to be balanced. Supreme Court Says, 'Promise of Freebies by Political Parties a Serious Issue'; Asks Centre for Way To Curb It A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justice Krishna Murari noted that irrational freebies are definitely an issue of concern and there should be financial discipline. They however pointed out that in a country like India, where poverty is an issue, how could poverty be ignored. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, said: "We are proposing a committee, comprising secretary, central government, secretary of each state government, representative of each political party, representative of Niti Aayog, RBI, Finance Commission, National Taxpayers Association and others." He added that till the legislature steps in, the court may lay down something. The top court declined to consider a plea for de-recognising parties for making promises to give freebies and noted that idea to de-recognise political parties for making promises to give irrational freebies during the polls was 'undemocratic'. "I do not want to enter the area of de-registering a political party etc. as it is an undemocratic idea...We are a democracy after all," the Chief Justice said. A counsel argued that most of the freebies are not part of the manifesto but are declared during rallies and speeches. The bench said it is a serious issue and added that people who are opposing freebies have a right to say, since they are paying tax and expect that amount should be spent on building infrastructure etc and not in distributing money. The Chief Justice said the expert panel can look into it, and it cannot get into making legislation. The Chief Justice said the question is to what extent the court can interfere or go into the issue? He reiterated that it is a serious issue and pointed out various schemes introduced by the Centre and state governments for the welfare of the people. Mehta said freebies cannot be welfare, and there are other scientific ways to provide welfare to the people. He added that now elections are only fought on the ground of freebies. "If freebie is considered to be for the welfare of the people, it'll lead to a disaster," said Mehta. The petitioner claimed RBI data shows that the total outstanding liabilities of the states as on March 31, 2021 are a staggering Rs 59,89,360 crore. Senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing the petitioner Ashwini Upadhyay, emphasised on financial discipline, and said "Where would this money come from? We're tax payers?". Citing the distribution of gold chains and TVs by political parties, senior advocate Arvind Datar said there was a decision by this court which states that giving freebies is adhering to the Directive Principles of State Policy under the Constitution, which needs to be looked into. The bench noted that financial discipline has to be there and the economy losing money and welfare of the people, both have to be balanced. The Chief Justice said he does not want to encroach on areas meant for legislation. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Aam Aadmi Party, said there is confusion between freebies and welfare, the word freebies is used in a very wrong manner. After hearing the arguments, the top court scheduled the matter for further hearing on August 17. The court had sought suggestions from stakeholders and recommended setting up an expert panel to scrutinise the issues associated with irrational freebies. On Wednesday, the Election Commission (EC) told the Supreme Court that being a constitutional body, it should be kept away from the panel of experts -representing a wide spectrum of governmental and non-governmental bodies - proposed to deliberate on the issue of validity of freebies announced by the political parties to induce voters during polls. In the previous hearing in the matter, the top court had orally expressed its discontent with the EC for not taking a stand on the menace of freebies offered by political parties. The top court was hearing a PIL by Upadhyay seeking directions to the Centre and the Election Commission to take steps to regulate poll manifestos of political parties and to hold parties accountable for promises made in such manifestos. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2022 07:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Raksha Bandhan is the annual Hindu festival that celebrates the beautiful bond between brothers and sisters. Raksha Bandhan 2022 will be celebrated on August 11 across the country and is sure to be an important and festive affair. From showering each other with gifts and chocolates to making emotional confessions and promises of always being there for each other, Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi signifies various things. Most people bring in this festival by often sharing Happy Rakhi wishes, Raksha Bandhan 2022 greetings and messages, Rakhi 2022 Special WhatsApp Stickers and Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 Facebook Status Pictures with family and friends. Raksha Bandhan 2022 Funny Memes: Share Comical Jokes, Images, Relatable Puns, GIFs and Videos With Your Siblings To Have a Laughter Session Together! Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Shravan. For many people in North India, this marks the last day of Shravan month. The celebration revolves around the pure and unique relationship between siblings. Traditionally, on this day, sisters often tied a sacred thread called rakhi and thanked the brothers for always protecting them. In recent years, Raksha Bandhan has become more of a celebration of the strong bond between siblings and gives them an opportunity to express their love for each other. Siblings often thank each other for having their backs and being, thereby tying Rakhis and also giving gifts and exchanging sweets. The celebration of Raksha Bandhan is considered to be extremely important for people in North India and is filled with various religious as well as community celebrations. As we prepare to celebrate Raksha Bandhan 2022, here are some Happy Rakhi wishes, Raksha Bandhan 2022 greetings and messages, Rakhi 2022 Special WhatsApp Stickers and Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 Facebook Status Pictures that you can post online. Happy Rakhi 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Our Bond of Love Is Forever. No One Can Listen and Understand Me As You Do, Dear Brother. Thanks for Being the Most Awesome Friend, Secret Keeper and an Inspiration. Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Only a Big Brother Like You Can Adore Like a Father, Care Like a Mother, Trouble Like a Sister and Support Like a True Friend. Happy Raksha Bandhan Bhaiya. Happy Rakhi 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Its Hard to Be a Responsible Adult and Sensible Person All the Time. How Good It Is to Have a Brother Who Has Never Failed to Give His Best. Happy Raksha Bandhan! Happy Rakhi 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Bachpan Ki Wo Bheeni Smritiyan, Lekar Aaya Rakhi Ka Tyohaar, Baat-Baat Par Wo Roothna Mera, Sneh Tumhara Jyun Babul Ka Pyaar. Mubarak Ho Bhaiya Tumhein, Raksha Bandhan Ka Ye Tyohaar! Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: No Matter the Distances Between Us, My Rakhi Will Always Reach on Time, to Be Tied on the Wrist of My Sweetest Brother With the Heartwarming Wishes of Joy and Happiness to Illuminate Your Life. Raksha Bandhan 2022 Messages and HD Images: Send Brother-Sister Quotes & Wishes on Rakhi Festival It is interesting to note that Raksha Bandhan is just one of the few celebrations that revolve around the bond shared between siblings. Other Hindu festivals like Bhai Dhuj or Bhau Beej, as well as Kartikeya in South India, are also focused on celebrating this unique bond. We hope this Rakhi fills your life with all the love and light. Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022! (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2022 12:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Raksha Bandhan is a popular Hindu festival celebrated to mark the bond between brothers and sisters. This year, it will be celebrated on Thursday, August 11. On Raksha Bandhan, the sister ties a thread on her brothers wrist and in return, the brother promises her lifelong protection. The festival is celebrated with full excitement and enthusiasm amongst all age groups. As you celebrate Raksha Bandhan 2022, we at LatestLY have curated Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 messages, Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 greetings, Happy Rakhi 2022 images, Happy Raksha Bandhan HD wallpapers and more that you can download and send to all your siblings to wish them on this day with WhatsApp stickers, GIF Images and HD wallpapers. Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 Images, Happy Rakhi DP & HD Wallpapers for Free Download Online: Wish Brothers and Sisters With Wonderful Greetings and Messages. According to Sanskrit terminology, Raksha means protection and Bandhan means bond. Therefore, Raksha Bandhan literally means the bond of protection, obligation and care. The day celebrates the beautiful relationship shared between every brother and sister. Nowadays, the bond is not just celebrated between immediate brothers and sisters, but also among all the siblings. Here are messages that you can download and send to all your siblings to wish them Raksha Bandhan 2022 with WhatsApp stickers, GIF Images, HD wallpapers and SMS. Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Thank You for Being My Partner in Crime and My Loudest Cheerleader. I Love You Today and Always. Happy Raksha Bandhan, Bhaiya! Raksha Bandhan 2022 Greetings (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: Dear Bhai, I Know I Fight With You a Lot, but Today, on the Auspicious Occasion of Raksha Bandhan, I Just Want to Tell You That You Are My World and Being Your Sister is an Honour to Me. Raksha Bandhan 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: On This Rakhi, Lets Bring Back the Joyful Spirit of Childhood, Play Pranks With Each Other and Become That Zany Sibling We Were Always. Happy Raksha Bandhan Brother. Raksha Bandhan 2022 Wishes (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: I Have Always Confided in You and You Have Always Given Me the Privilege to Do So Many Incredible Things in My Life. Happy Rakhi Bhaiya! Raksha Bandhan 2022 (File Image) WhatsApp Message Reads: May the Colours of Rakhi Bring Lots of Contentment and Fortune in Your Life. Lots of Wishes for Rakshabandhan to The Person Who Has Time and Again Proved to be a Great Brother. Raksha Bandhan 2022 Messages and HD Images: Send Brother-Sister Quotes & Wishes on Rakhi Festival Raksha Bandhan is observed on the last day of the Shravana month of the Hindu calendar. This day also marks the end of the auspicious Sawan month of the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated in different ways in different parts of South Asia. In West Bengal, it is also known as Jhulan Purnima, in Maharashtra, it is known as Rakhi Purnima or Narali Pournima, in Haryana, along with Raksha Bandhan, people observe the festival of Salono, and in Nepal it is known as Janai Purnima or Rishitarpani and so on. Here are messages that you can download and send to one and all. Wishing everyone Happy Raksha Bandhan 2022! (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2022 05:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Hours after their arrest, two Pakistani nationals were sent back to their country by the Border Security Force (BSF). In a humanitarian gesture, Rabeez Mashih and Kishan Masih, both residents of Narowal district of Pakistan, were handed over to Pak Rangers by the BSF officials late Wednesday night. After a nine-day fight for life in a Gujarat hospital, a newborn, who was buried alive by her parents and rescued by a farmer, breathed her last at the Himatnagar government hospital on Thursday morning. #Taiwan's main opposition party has sent a delegation to #China despite ongoing tensions prompted by military drills by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the region. pic.twitter.com/qe5UhHZQsV IANS (@ians_india) August 11, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Pope Francis on Thursday called for immediate changes in human behavior to fight global warming and save the environment, saying damage caused by contemporary lifestyles could leave future generations in a world of filth. In a powerfully worded encyclical, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church chastised those who would deny a human connection to climate change. Francis declared that the planet was indeed growing warmer and that the dangerous trend was due largely to a culture of instant gratification. Tragically, he said, people have grown increasingly self-obsessed, ever more distant from nature and alarmingly preoccupied with technological novelty. Doomsday predictions can no longer be met with irony or disdain, Francis wrote in the highly anticipated encyclical, or teaching document, released Thursday. We may well be leaving to coming generations debris, desolation and filth. The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planets capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophes. At a Vatican news conference, Cardinal Peter Turkson, who wrote a draft of the document, said humanity is facing a crucial challenge that needs to be addressed through dialogue. Advertisement For Pope Francis it is imperative that practical proposals not be developed in an ideological, superficial or reductionist way, he said. Metropolitan of Pergamon John Zizioulas, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church, said the environmental crisis was also a spiritual problem caused by the rise of individualism and a greed for personal happiness. He warned that it could leave future generations to inherit a damaged world if not addressed. The pursuit of individual happiness has been made into an ideal in our time, he said. Ecological sin is due to human greed, which blinds men and women to the point of ignoring and disregarding the basic truth that the happiness of the individual depends on its relationship with the rest of human beings. He said the ecological crisis was growing in conjunction with the spread of social injustice. We cannot face successfully the one without dealing with the other. A draft of the more than 180-page document titled Laudato Si (Be Praised), had been leaked to the Italian press this week, but even long before that, parties on both sides of the highly politicized global warming debate had been preparing for its release. President Obama said he looked forward to discussing the issues with the pope. I welcome His Holiness Pope Francis encyclical, and deeply admire the popes decision to make the case clearly, powerfully, and with the full moral authority of his position for action on global climate change, Obama said in a statement released by the White House. Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said the popes message applied to everyone regardless of their faith. We all have a responsibility, as the pontiff reminds us, to do better by the planet and by our fellow human beings, Suh said. We all are paying a high price for rising seas, expanding deserts, blistering heat, withering drought, raging wildfires, floods, storms and other hallmarks of climate change, Suh said. But some are bearing a greater burden. Craig Groves, executive director of the Science for Nature and People partnership, said the group applauded the pope for standing up for the fundamental values of nature. We also welcome the grounding of the churchs views in science, which transcends national and religious boundaries, Groves said. Those who dispute the cause and pace of global warming roundly criticized the religious leader for weighing in on the topic. Some said they hoped the pope would not take the next step and lobby for a new climate treaty at the United Nations climate change conference in Paris this year. Despite the medias portrayal, this is ultimately not a climate change encyclical, as only 2% of the encyclical deals with climate at all, conservative publisher Marc Morano wrote in a statement released by the Heartland Institute. The irony is that the people who are lauding the popes position on climate disagree with just about everything else he stands for. At the Vatican news conference, Turkson addressed critics who say that Francis should not weigh in on matters of science. That the pope should not deal with science sounds a bit strange, since science is in the public domain, Turkson said. Its a subject area that anyone can get into. Asked how he would respond to conservatives who say they will listen to Pope Francis on matters of spirituality but not about politics or economics, he said that they had freedom of choice to make the distinction, but that he did not agree there should be an artificial split between religion and public life. In a final comment directed at political figures who might criticize Francis intervention in the climate change debate, Turkson said, I would imagine that when they themselves become politicians ... without being scientists, they will not say or utter a word about science. His comments were met with loud applause. In the encyclical, Francis said that this postindustrial period may well be remembered as one of the most irresponsible in history, and that the cause of degradation was profoundly human. A disordered desire to consume more than what is really necessary as well as a use and throw away culture were at the root of the problem. He likened this self-obsession and unconcern for nature to abortion. How can we genuinely teach the importance of concern for other vulnerable beings, however troublesome or inconvenient they may be, if we fail to protect a human embryo, even when its presence is uncomfortable and creates difficulties? A Pew Research Center survey published Tuesday found that U.S. Catholics were as divided over the topic of global warming as were Americans generally, and that these differences fell heavily along political party lines. Although about 7 in 10 U.S. Catholics said they believe the planet is getting warmer, this view was much more prevalent among Catholic Democrats, 85% of whom said we live in a warming world. Among Republicans, however, slightly more than half of Catholics were inclined to agree, researchers said. The trend was similar when it came to the question of whether Catholics believe humans are causing global warming. Although slightly fewer than half of all U.S. Catholics said they believe this is the case, 62% of Catholic Democrats and 24% of Republicans agreed. The response was nearly identical when U.S. Catholics were asked whether they believe global warming is a very serious problem. Among the U.S. public as a whole, belief that global warming is occurring is nearly twice as common among Democrats as Republicans (86% to 45%), according to Pew researchers. The view that global warming is caused by human activity is roughly three times as common among Democrats as among members of the GOP (64% vs. 22%), as is the view that it represents a very serious problem (67% vs. 31%), they wrote. In addressing a solution to human-caused climate change, Francis wrote that technology based on the use of highly polluting fossil fuels especially coal, but also oil and, to a lesser degree, gas needs to be progressively replaced without delay. The same ingenuity that provided humanity with extraordinary technological progress has so far proved incapable of dealing with grave environmental and social problems worldwide, Francis said. This failure pointed to a deep need for humanity to change its relationship to nature, but also to one another. Free-market policies that ignored damage to people or the environment must be changed, while income and resource inequalities also need to be addressed. What was needed, Francis wrote, was a global consensus that could lead to the planning of sustainable and diversified agriculture; better forest and marine management; development of renewable and less polluting forms of energy; and universal access to drinking water. Ultimately, however, people must aim for a new lifestyle, the pontiff wrote. Humanity has changed profoundly, and the accumulation of constant novelties exalts a superficiality which pulls us in one direction. It becomes difficult to pause and recover depth in life. If architecture reflects the spirit of an age, our megastructures and drab apartment blocks express the spirit of globalized technology, where a constant flood of new products coexists with tedious monotony. Nobody is suggesting a return to the Stone Age, he wrote. But we do need to slow down and look at reality in a different way, to appropriate the positive and sustainable progress which has been made, but also to recover the values and the great goals swept away by our unrestrained delusions of grandeur. Times staff writer Morin reported from Los Angeles and special correspondent Boyle from Dublin, Ireland. Follow @montemorin on Twitter and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. The police from Brazil retrieved an art piece from a famed Brazilian painter that is estimated to cost around $59 million, during a bust in Rio, Wednesday. According to ARTNews, the art piece made by Tarsila do Amaral was retrieved during the operation that totaled to a discovery of a group of stolen artworks that were estimated to cost around $139 million in total. The artwork entitled "Sol Poente" or "Setting Sun" was found on Wednesday morning, stashed under the bed of an alleged trickster that was part of a multi-million-dollar art heist. The area where the famed artwork was found was at a beach house in Ipanema. A video of the operation surfaced on social media, showing two officers carefully retrieving several paintings under the frame of a bed. When "Sol Poente" was found with bubble wraps, a woman cheered and gasped at their discovery. "Well, well, well - look what we have here," one female officer said in the video. Another male officer also reacted to their discovery saying: "F***ing hell." "Sol Poente" is an oil painting from 1929 that is historically important in the world of art as it features a succession of blob-shaped animals and greenery beneath a radiating sun. The painting is a combination of European modernism with styles from Brazilian vernacular art. READ NEXT: Olivia Newton-John's Niece Shares More Details About the 'Grease' Star's Final Days Other Painting Recovered During Bust in Brazil Tarsila do Amaral's "Sol Poente" was not the only painting that was recovered by Brazil's police during their bust in the Ipanema beach house. Reports noted that some of the artworks stolen were already sold by an unnamed Brazilian art gallery. These include artworks from Emiliano di Cavalcanti, Cicero Dias, and Alberto Guignard. Rubens Grechman and Antonio Dias' paintings were also stolen, each reportedly valued at $300,000. Two other paintings from doing Amaral, the "Pont-Neuf" and "O Sono," was also included. Some of the 16 stolen paintings were already sold to overseas collectors. Two will find their way to the Latin American Art Museum of Buenos Aires in Argentina, and three were traced to an art gallery in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Aside from paintings, around 1 million pounds or $1.2 million worth of jewelry were also seized by the authorities during their bust. Four Arrested by Brazil Police in Connection to Stealing Tarsila do Amaral Authorities say the theft was a result of an extended con, with the daughter of an 82-year-old woman who was married to late Brazilian art dealer Jean Boghici. The daughter, who was not named, allegedly made her mother, Genevieve Boghici, believe that she was sick urging her to make a series of payments during a "spiritual work" treatment from an Afro-Brazilian priestess. The scam reportedly began in January of 2020, when a clairvoyant approached the 82-year-old Brazilian priestess who falsely confirmed the condition of her daughter. Four people, including Boghici's daughter, were arrested by the police, accused stealing of 16 paintings. READ NEXT: Texas vs New York City: Eric Adams Suggests Busing New Yorkers to Lone Star State to Unseat Greg Abbott This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Brazilian Police Find Stolen Painting Worth Almost 50m - From Guardian News It had already been over two years since the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna in a helicopter crash. Now, his widow, Vanessa Bryant, is seeking legal action against the Los Angeles County sheriff's and fire departments. She has sued the two departments for invasion of privacy after one of the deputies showed off pictures of Kobe Bryant's decapitated body to several bar patrons in a bar in Norwalk. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, the one sharing the photos was Deputy Joey Cruz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office. According to Vanessa Bryant's lawyer, Luis Li, a whistleblower who was at the Baja California Bar & Grill at that time said that the deputy was showing off pictures from the crash site and it disturbed him so much that he filed a formal complaint with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office. Los Angeles County Deputies and First Responders Took Pictures of the Crash for Themselves Li told the jury that Deputy Cruz also tried showing off the disturbing images to a bartender, who according to Li, was seen visibly recoiling at what he saw and walked away. The lawyer then added that January 26, 2020 will always be the worst day of his client's life, and the county employees exploited the accident by taking and sharing photos of her late husband and daughter as souvenirs. In his opening statement, Li told the 10 jury members that first responders, including officials from the Sheriff's Office and Fire Department, "walked around the wreckage and took pictures of broken bodies from the helicopter crash." This included taking close-up photos of limbs and burnt flesh. Li then proceeded to play audio of one of the detectives who admitted he tried to show off the photos to his wife, but she declined to see those photos. He described the scene of the crash site as "piles of meat" in the audio. These claims led Vanessa Bryant to file the lawsuit, claiming that she suffered severe emotional distress over the thought of strangers "gawking" at the images of her late husband and 13-year-old daughter. In her court filings, she claimed that the first responders took those photos "for their own personal gratification." According to ESPN, the crash prompted a law that makes it a crime for first responders to take photos of the deceased at the scene of a crime or accident without authorization. READ NEXT: Pennsylvania Mom of 6 Stabbed to Death by Fiance Inside Minivan in Broad Daylight Los Angeles County Officials Claim Case is Just a 'Money Grab' Sheriff Alex Villanueva ordered to have the photos from the site deleted, and the county has argued that Vanessa Bryant was distressed with the deaths and not the photos. The county claimed that the photos were never released in the media or on the internet, otherwise, they would have been disseminated already. They also argued that the harm she may have suffered was speculative. NPR noted that the county already agreed to pay $2.5 million to settle a similar case, but it was brought by two families whose relatives died in the same crash. The litigation for this case has also gone ugly, with the Los Angeles County seeking a psychiatric evaluation of Bryant to determine if she suffered emotional distress. However, her lawyers criticized the action as "scorched-earth discovery tactics" and claimed that the defense is trying to cully the grieving mother. The county responded to this statement by saying that while they were sympathetic to her loss, they dismissed her case as a "money grab." READ NEXT: Brazil: Monkeys Getting Attacked in Brazil Due to Monkeypox Fears This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Vanessa Bryant trial against Los Angeles County begins Wednesday - CBS Philly Paraguay's former president, Fernando Lugo, was reportedly in an induced coma on Wednesday after suffering from a stroke. Party officials confirmed the news on Wednesday, claiming that Lugo is in "stable condition" following his recent health scare, according to Reuters. "He is stable now and the primary lesion we see is a lesion that allows us to be a little bit optimistic," Dr. Jorge Querey underscored. Doctors emphasized that there was no evidence of significant lesions in the aftermath of Lugo's stroke. However, the medical experts warned that it was too early to tell the extent of damage, given his previous health condition. Query said that Lugo suffered a "relatively small" injury after the stroke. However, the doctor noted that the injury can shrink or grow larger, admitting that they still do not know what will play out. The former president of Paraguay was transferred to a different hospital for further tests. He will remain in a medically induced coma for at least 12 to 24 hours. Query also noted that Lugo will undergo an MRI exam to see the extent of damage from the stroke. READ NEXT: Brazil: Police Finds $59 Million Tarsila do Amaral Painting Under Bed of Suspected Trickster Paraguay's Ex-Pres. Fernando Lugo Suffers Stroke According to a Guasu Front Senator, Lugo presented health symptoms over the weekend when he attended President Gustavo Petro's inauguration in Colombia, per teleSUR English. Reports then noted that earlier in the day, the former president ignored minor symptoms possibly related to stroke. Query then mentioned that Paraguay's former president had convulsions while he was inside his Senate Office. The doctor underscored that what Lugo experienced was called an "epileptic attack." Reports note that Lugo was brought to a hospital in Asuncion, and he suffered from a cerebrovascular accident. Paraguay's Ex-Pres. Fernando Lugo Other Health Scare It was not the first time that Lugo experienced an issue with his health. In 2010, Lugo, who was still Paraguay's president during that time, was diagnosed with a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer. The said disease was discovered in Lugo's body in its early stages. He received treatment for his lymphoma in Brazil. Doctors confirmed that Lugo recovered from the disease, as they noted that the ex-president's lymphoma was in complete remission. Lugo is also known to take drugs for his hypertension and to improve his blood circulation. Fernando Lugo, who is now a Senator of Paraguay, is one of the country's historical leaders of the left-wing Gusau Front coalition. Before becoming Paraguay's president, Lugo was a Roman Catholic priest who serves as a bishop from the Diocese of San Pedro from 1994 to 2005. Lugo stepped down from serving the Roman Catholic church when he became active in politics and was eventually sworn in as president in 2008. Lugo was removed as president of Paraguay through an impeachment process in 2012, but he was elected as a senator a year after. READ NEXT: California Missing Teen: Search Escalates for Kiely Rodni; Police Upgrade Probe to Possible Abduction This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Fernando Lugo: Paraguay's Democracy Has Been Wounded - From The Telegraph A Texas judge has ruled in favor of the State's Department of Public Safety (DPS) in withholding the highly-sought after documents and records on the Uvalde Shooting Massacre. According to the judge ruling, the petitioner, Senator Roland Gutierrez, failed to properly file his request under the Texas Public Records law, which prompted the unfavorable ruling. Aside from Senator Gutierrez, various national and local media outlets have also launched a massive lawsuit against the DPS for the same reason of withholding public records. Judge Rules in Favor of Texas Department of Public Safety on Withholding Uvalde Shooting Documents The Texas Tribune reported that Travis County 419th Civil District Court Judge Catherine A. Mauzy ruled that the DPS is not obligated to turn over the Uvalde School Shooting documents that Senator Roland Gutierrez has requested. Mauzy's ruling was described to be "narrow" since the judgment was based entirely on technicality. She noted that since Gutierrez did not file the complaint under Texas Public Information Act, the DPS is not obligated to do it. Last June, District 19 Senator Roland Gutierrez filed the said lawsuit alleging that the DPS has violated public records law by ignoring his request for the necessary reports. "It is most absurd that Department of Public Safety continues to fight even the most benign distribution of documents, like a training manual. And they refuse to do it because they're culpable of their negligence and malfeasance on that day," Gutierrez said in a statement. Because of Mauzy's ruling, this still grants the DPS "reprieve" for withholding relevant information to the public about how and why the law enforcement agency acted the way they did on the tragic Uvalde school shooting massacre. In last week's hearing, Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Busbee urged Mauzy to side with the DPS, saying that she has asked all state government agencies not to release any information about the Uvalde school shooting, to not compromise the integrity of the ongoing investigations conducted by the FBI and DPS' separate unit. READ NEXT: Ex-Robb Elementary Principal Takes New Position on Uvalde District School Board | Who's Replacing Her? Local, National Media Outlets File Lawsuit Against DPS for Withholding Uvalde Shooting Docs Earlier this month, a coalition of local and national news organizations launched a full-blown attack against the Texas Department of Public Safety for the same reason of withholding public documents of the Uvalde shooting massacre. Filed under the Texas Public Information Act, they have particularly noted that DA Busbee said initially that she is not conducting a criminal investigation about the incident, therefore the documents could be accessible to the public, and by extension, the media. "The Texas Department of Public Safety has offered inconsistent accounts of how law enforcement responded to the Uvalde tragedy, and its lack of transparency has stirred suspicion and frustration in a community that is still struggling with grief and shock," the news coalition lawyer said. As of this writing, the case filed by the various media outlets is still ongoing and has not reached a verdict yet. READ MORE: Texas Department of Public Safety Facing Legal Heat Over Alleged WithHolding of Uvalde Shooting Docs This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Ivan Korrs WATCH: Roland Gutierrez discusses his lawsuit against DPS over Uvalde records - From KXAN The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is considered one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels. After one of its most notorious plaza bosses, Ricardo Ruiz Velasco, was arrested, the cartel showed how violent they really are. According to Mexican news publication Publimetro, Ruiz, also known as "El Doble R," is one of the central characters within CJNG. His arrest prompted cartel members in Jalisco and Guanajuato to act out. Over a dozen businesses and vehicles were burned around the cities of Zapopan, Irapuato, and Celaya. Cartel members also blocked streets and had shootouts with Mexican authorities. Vehicles and Convenience Stores Torched as Cartel Members Set Up Burning Narco Blockades The violence began when a group of armed men seized three public transit buses and two private vehicles in Zapopan, near Guadalajara. The gang members then set the vehicles on fire to create fiery "narco-blockades." Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro said gang members also clashed with members of the military between the municipalities of Ixtlahuacan del Rio and Cuquio. They attempted to block security forces with more of these burning narco-blockades made up of wrecked cars. However, the governor noted that nobody was injured and the situation is now under control. Similar incidents happened in Celaya, Irapuato, Salamanca, Silao, and Apaseo el Grande. Meanwhile, gang members also torched vehicles and convenience stores around Leon and Guanajuato. According to Mexico News Daily, Irapuato bore the brunt of the attacks as at least a dozen stores and a gas station were set ablaze. Guanajuato Governance Minster Libia Garcia said the attacks have already been contained and that the situation is now under control. She added that there were no injuries reported so far. The Associated Press reported that most of the stores chosen for the attacks belonged to convenience store chain Oxxo. Twenty-five of its stores in Guanajuato state were either totally or partially burned. These were chosen because of their ubiquity and light security, and not because of any dispute with its parent company, Femsa. READ MORE: Mexico: Jalisco Becomes 2nd State To Export Avocados to U.S. Who Is Ricardo 'El Doble R' Ruiz? The CJNG is headed by one of the most notorious drug lords, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes. He is currently one of the FBI's most wanted men and has caused a bloody swathe of destruction around Mexico. However, El Mencho is rumored to have some kidney problems, and several of his key cartel lieutenants have been vying to challenge him. "El Doble R" is among these cartel lieutenants who may be challenging for CJNG's top spot. Ruiz was also implicated in various crimes around Mexico. These include the murder of Venezuelan model Daisy Ferrer and his participation in the murder of the former Secretary of Tourism of Jalisco, Jose de Jesus Gallegos Alvarez. He is also very social media-savvy, making military-type propaganda videos for the cartel. READ MORE: Jalisco Cartel Leader 'El Senoron' Who Receives Orders From Boss 'El Mencho' Arrested in Mexico This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Conclave de jefes del CJNG descubierto provoco quemas y narcobloqueos en Jalisco y Guanajuato - MILENIO The Justice Department has been ordered to respond to motions to unseal the warrant issued on the FBI raid conducted in former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. The magistrate judge, Bruce Reinhart, ordered the Justice Department to file a response to motions to unseal from Albany Times Union and conservative group Judicial Watch, according to a Daily Mail report. Reinhart noted that the Justice Department's response may be redacted to "avoid disclosing matters under seal." The DOJ was given until Monday to respond. The Federal Bureau of Investigation agents had conducted an unannounced visit to Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago as part of a probe into whether he took classified White House documents upon the end of his presidency. Trump's son, Eric Trump, claimed that FBI agents would not hand over a copy of a search warrant. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Says FBI Agents Raided Mar-A-Lago Home; Agency's Visit Unannounced FBI Raid Search Warrant Eric Trump noted that 30 FBI agents arrived at the property and asked staff to turn security cameras off. However, they refused. The former president's son also said that an attorney was forced to stand at the end of the Mar-a-Lago driveway while an FBI raid was happening inside. Agents were also accused of using safe crackers to break into Trump's safe. He further claimed that a copy of the search warrant was shown to his father's lawyer, Christina Bobb, from about 10 feet away. Judicial Watch wrote in its motion that is probing the "potential politicization" of the FBI and Justice Department and whether they are "abusing their law enforcement powers" to harass a possible political opponent. The Gazette noted that the judge involved in the case, Reinhart, left his job as an assistant U.S. attorney in 2008. The following day, he started representing some of Jeffrey Epstein's employees. He was accused by two of Epstein's victims of leaving the DOJ to provide inside information to the sexual offender. Reinhart denied the allegations. Mar-a-Lago FBI Raid A number of Trump supporters had gathered across the street from his private residence in Palm Beach, Florida by Monday night. Some Republican governors have also condemned the FBI raid of Trump's home, even supporting the former president's message that the Justice Department was being used against him, as reported by The New York Times. The search seems to be mainly focused on possibly classified material he took from the White House to his Palm Beach Home. Trump said in a statement that it was a "weaponization of the justice system" as part of an effort to prevent him from running for president again in 2024. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, said in a statement he posted online that he has seen enough, adding that the DOJ has "reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization." Meanwhile, Justice Department officials have refused to comment on any aspect of the search warrant issued at Mar-a-Lago. The department has also declined to say if Attorney General Merrick B. Garland approved the warrant or was even briefed about the incident. READ MORE: Donald Trump Admits He Didn't Win Presidential Election 2020 During Interview With Presidential Historians This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: FBI raids Trump's Mar-a-Lago property amid DOJ probe - from USA TODAY Former President Donald Trump is currently under civil investigation by the New York attorney general over the Trump Organization misleading lenders, insurers, and tax authorities with misleading financial statements. Trump sat down with attorneys from the New York Attorney General's Office for a deposition on Wednesday. However, he declined to answer every question and invoked his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. In a statement, the former president said he invoked the Fifth Amendment under the advice of his legal counsel. Trump called the investigation by New York Attorney General Leticia James into the Trump Organization the "greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history." CNN reported that the deposition came during a very challenging week for Donald Trump. It included the FBI search in Trump's Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, and a federal appeals court denying his efforts to block a House committee from obtaining his tax returns. Donald Trump Took the Fifth in All Questions Except One According to the BBC, the office of the New York Attorney General confirmed that the former president invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. However, New York Attorney General Leticia James, the first black woman to ever hold the office, vowed to"pursue the facts and the law wherever they may lead." One of Donald Trump's attorneys, Ronald Fischetti, said his client had the "same answer" to every question he was asked, and that was pleading with the Fifth Amendment. He did answer one question, and that was when he was asked for his name. Trump then read a statement into the record, questioning James' motives, before taking the Fifth in all other questions. Legal experts noted that it was risky for Trump to answer questions, as his statements could be used against him in another criminal investigation. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is running a parallel criminal investigation against the former president and the Trump Organization. In previous statements, like the one he made during a campaign stop in Iowa in 2016, Trump famously said, "If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" However, in his statement on Wednesday, Donald Trump admitted that he now knows the answer to that question. Trump also called James an "out-of-control prosecutor" and a racist. Her investigation has reportedly uncovered "significant" evidence against the Trump organization. Court filings by her office alleged that Trump's company misled lenders and tax authorities about the value of his assets. That included the company exaggerating the size of Trump's Manhattan penthouse. They claimed it was nearly three times its actual size, adding around $200 million in value. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Finally Turns on Fox & Friends, Says They Turned to the 'Dark Side' Donald Trump Deposition Was Among 'Few Missing Pieces' for Leticia James' Investigation Last May, Leticia James' office said it was nearing the end of its investigation into the Trump Organization. Her office claimed that the former president's deposition was one of the "few remaining missing pieces." Donald Trump's two adult children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, also gave depositions recently, according to the Associated Press. It is still unclear whether they also pleaded the Fifth. However, their younger brother, Eric Trump, did invoke his Fifth Amendment rights over 500 times during a deposition in 2020. Donald Trump's legal team tried to block James' attempt to question the former president for months. However, Manhattan Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that her office had the "clear right" to question him. READ MORE: January 6: Dominican Rebublic-born Immigrant Capitol Police Officer Dealing With Pain After Capitol Insurrection This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Donald Trump Pleads the Fifth & Conservatives Claim the FBI Planted Evidence - From The Daily Show Texas Governor Greg Abbott has responded to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who warned him to send busloads of New Yorkers to the Lone Star State to campaign against Abbott's reelection bid. According to New York Post, the Republican governor publicly dared Adams on Wednesday to "make my day" following his threat to send busloads of New Yorkers. Abbott's comments came a few hours after three charter buses from Texas dropped off almost 100 migrants outside the Port Authority terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Abbott has an ongoing feud with Adams over migrant relocations. The Texas governor already sent nearly 70 migrants to New York City on Friday and Sunday. On Tuesday, Adams noted he was thinking about delivering a busload of New Yorkers "to go to Texas and do some good, old-fashioned door-knocking" against Abbott. In response, Abbott told Fox News: "You know, I kind of feel like Clint Eastwood... Go ahead, mayor. Make my day." Abbott said Adams is now "getting a taste" of what border towns go through in Texas since President Joe Biden took office. The Texas governor accused Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul of "rank hypocrisy" for attacking his actions, which were in response to Biden's "open border policies." Abbott noted that New York "is a sanctuary city," adding that Adams said they welcome illegal immigrants. "And now once they have to deal with the reality of it, they're suddenly flummoxed and they cannot handle it," the Texas governor added. In a news conference in Queens on Wednesday afternoon, Adams responded, saying that Abbott "thinks he's Clint Eastwood, but he's not." "He is a anti-American governor that is really going against everything we stand for. And I am going to do everything feasible to make sure... the people of Texas realize how harmful he is to us globally," Adams said in reply to a question from The Post. READ NEXT: Elon Musk Is Eyeing to Build His Own Private Airport Outside Austin in Texas Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Against New York City Mayor Eric Adams Greg Abbott's campaign spokesperson Mark Miner told Fox News on Tuesday that people in New York City are volunteering to leave the city due to "high taxes, out of control crime, and poor leadership by the Mayor." Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey earlier noted that the mayors of Washington, D.C., and New York cities were experiencing "a small slice" of the impact of the Biden administration's migrant policies. In a statement, Abbott's office said Washington, D.C. finally knows what Texas has been dealing with every day, adding that their communities were overrun and overwhelmed by thousands of illegal immigrants due to Biden's open border policies. On Friday, Abbott noted that New York City was the "ideal destination" for the migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Adams "boasted about within the sanctuary city." Abbott also invited Adams and D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser to Texas to see what the border crisis looks like firsthand. The Texas governor added that he was still looking at other cities where he can send the migrants. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Busing Migrants to Cities Greg Abbott first announced his plan to send migrants to the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. last April. He said the Biden administration will be able to "immediately address" the needs of the people coming through the border, according to Texas Tribune. The governor's office noted that the program will be completely voluntary for migrants and will only happen after they have been processed and released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Abbott's initial announcement drew criticism from immigration groups, while conservatives described it as "empty posturing." Kate Huddleston, a staff attorney at ACLU of Texas, said in a statement that forcing to bus migrants across the country would be "outrageous" and "blatantly unconstitutional." READ MORE: Texas Police Shoot, Kill Gunman at Youth Summer Camp After He Opened Fire This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Battle Over Busing Migrants to NYC Heats up Between Texas Gov. Abbott, NYC Mayor Adams - From CBS New York Barack Obama may have already left the White House, but the former president has stayed busy with book and Netflix deals, speaking engagements, and various charity work. Barack and his wife, Michelle Obama, have managed to stay relevant in his post-presidency. While he had largely stayed out of the political spotlight in his post-presidency, unlike his successor, Donald Trump, his endorsement can still sway many to vote. Like all former presidents, Barack Obama still has huge political influence. However, he spends much of his time on other issues, even as the United States approaches the midterm elections. Barack Obama Net Worth in 2022 According to Celebrity Net Worth, Barack Obama is worth approximately $70 million. The outlet used an estimate by Analytics@American, American University's business analytics program. However, GOBanking Rates reported that Barack and his wife could make as much as $242.5 million post-presidency. The outlet noted that even out of office, the former president still rakes in a lot of money. That includes his pension as a former president and various deals such as his and Michelle Obama's deals with Netflix. Barack also earns from the first volume of his memoir, "A Promised Land," which was released in November 2020. It had managed to sell over 3.3 million copies in just one month. The book is now one of the top-selling political memoirs in history. READ NEXT January 6 Hearing Day 8 Highlights: From Donald Trump's Inaction to Josh Hawley Running Away From Same Mob He Helped Incite Barack Obama's Presidential Pension, Netflix, and Speaking Engagements Barack Obama started his political career as a community activist. According to GOBanking Rates, Obama has gone back to those roots and has been working on several big issues such as gun control, race relations, and criminal justice reform. He continued to raise awareness on key issues, even though he is no longer in office. Obama still receives a pension as a former president. Thanks to the 1958 Former Presidents Act. The law states that former presidents must receive a salary equal to that of a cabinet secretary for the rest of his life. That means his annual pension is worth $205,700. It includes other perks such as health insurance and Secret Service protection until his death. Obama also receives funds for an office, staff, and related expenses. However, the former president's biggest source of income may be his deals with Netflix. While Netflix did not disclose any of the deal's financial details, experts reported that there had been similar deals valued at tens of millions over several years. Obama also has his own production company called Higher Ground Productions. One of the company's documentaries, "American Factory, "even won an Academy Award. They are working on various documentaries and series such as "Firekeeper's Daughter." Finally, there are his speaking engagements. Together, the Obamas could make an estimated 50 speeches a year. They could earn "a conservative $200,000" per speech. It was reported that Barack Obama was paid $400,000 when he spoke at a healthcare conference in September 2017. READ MORE: January 6: Dominican Rebublic-born Immigrant Capitol Police Officer Dealing With Pain After Capitol Insurrection This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: President Barack Obama Narrates Our Great National Parks - From Netflix A Florida man invaded a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Florida and shot his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend before he turned the gun on himself to commit suicide. The Edgewater Police Department in Florida identified the 49-year-old shooter as Quinton Hunter. According to People, Hunter walked into a building in Edgewater where faith-based non-profit organization Bridging the Gap was conducting a Narcotics Anonymous meeting at around 7 p.m. on Monday. Police said around 20 people were inside the building to attend the meeting. Authorities noted that Hunter first shot Ian Greenfield, 59, "at close proximity, mortally wounding him." The Florida man then prevented his former girlfriend, Erica Hoffman, 33, from leaving, and the incident escalated into a hostage situation. However, Hunter still shot Hoffman before shooting and killing himself. Florida Man Still Killed Ex-Girlfriend, Other Man Despite Arrival of SWAT Team Following the incident, the Edgewater Police Department held a press conference. There, authorities revealed that no other people in the meeting were injured as they managed to flee to safety. Police said Quinton Hunter seemed to be only targeting Ian Greenfield and Erica Hoffman. When the incident escalated to become a hostage situation, the Southeast Volusia Regional SWAT Team and Negotiations Team were reportedly mobilized to diffuse the situation. Edgewater police said both units tried to reach the suspect, but there was no response inside the building, CBS 12 reported. According to local NBC affiliate WESH, authorities spent hours trying to reach Hunter but failed. When the SWAT team finally broke through the door to get in and find the victims, they found Greenfield, Hoffman, and Hunter all dead inside the meeting room. Police said the Florida man even went on Facebook live while inside the building. It happened after he shot Greenfield and before he shot Hoffman. In the video, police said Hunter was just staring at the camera and breathing strangely. Police noted that Greenfield and Hoffman died from multiple gunshot wounds and lacerations, while the Florida man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. READ NEXT: Pennsylvania Mom of 6 Stabbed to Death by Fiance Inside Minivan in Broad Daylight Motive for the Attack of Florida Man Was Jealousy, Police Say Police confirmed that Quinton Hunter was the ex-boyfriend of Erica Hoffman, who was already in a new relationship with Ian Greenfield at the time of the shooting. Police said the motive was jealousy, as the attack stemmed from a love triangle between the three individuals. Edgewater Police Chief Joe Mahoney said Hunter had clear intent to shoot Greenfield and harm Hoffman. Police noted that the Florida man has an extensive criminal history. However, they did not specify his other crimes. In a statement on its Facebook page, Bridging the Gap said the group was "deeply saddened" by the double murder-suicide. The organization further noted that they will be closed for a few days but hoped to begin serving the community again "later this week." READ MORE: Louisiana Mom Stabs Her 2 Kids, Kills 4-Year-Old Daughter Before She Does Instagram Live Covered in Blood This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Police: Double Murder-Suicide at Edgewater Narcotics Anonymous Meeting Stemmed From Love Triangle - From WESH 2 California park rangers found a burning body hanging from a tree near the Griffith Park merry-go-round in Los Angeles on Tuesday. According to Los Angeles Times, police arrived at the Los Angeles park around 1 p.m. after a passerby saw a fire burning in a tree and a human body at the center of the blaze. The person who saw the burning body alerted the park rangers, who then called the police. The fire department had put out the flames and found the human remains. Police then determined that the person had died of self-immolation. The officers waited until the coroner arrived to bring down the body, which was still reportedly hanging from the tree, obscured by leaves, until around 2 p.m. A film crew was shooting near the Los Angeles park. However, it was not clear if one of the crew members alerted park rangers to the fire. READ NEXT: California Wildfire 2022: McKinney Fire Burns 51,000 Acres, Thunderstorm Could Make Matters Worse Burning Body in Los Angeles Park in California A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department, Margaret Steward, told Los Angeles Daily News that the body belonged to a woman, New York Post reported. Authorities noted that they believe the victim was a person who visited the park regularly and was possibly a transient person. Police said there were no signs of foul play, and they were looking at the incident as a suicide. Los Angeles Police Department detective Michael Ventura noted that the incident appeared to be self-immolation, adding that it was somebody who brought some gasoline and lighters. Ventura added that self-immolation cases are rare but have faced instances similar to those found in the Los Angeles park. Police said a coroner is now conducting a probe to determine the exact cause and manner of death. Reports said it was not the first body found in the park this year. A body of a hiker who went missing was found in a remote area of Griffith Park in April. The hiker's body was discovered with his pet dog still sitting loyally by his side. The victim was identified as Oscar Alejandro Hernandez, 29. Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California Griffith Park in Los Angeles is one of the country's largest urban parks. However, it was said to have been cursed since it was first established. The park was owned by a wealthy bachelor, Don Antonio Feliz, in the mid-19th century, with the land being a ranch. Feliz reportedly lived there with his housekeeper and his niece Petranilla. When Feliz lay dying of smallpox in 1863, a local politician named Antonio Coronel came to draw up Feliz's will. Coronel and his lawyer then claimed that Feliz left the ranch to him and nothing for Petranilla. Petranilla was then infuriated by the outcome and swore that "the substance of the Feliz family shall be your curse," and the "wrath of heaven and the vengeance of hell shall fall upon this place," The Washington Post reported. The curse might be a myth. However, it was reported that the many owners of Griffith Park had met unpleasant fates. Coronel's lawyer was shot and killed while celebrating the sale of land's water rights. The next owner tried to turn the land into a dairy business. However, the cattle sickened and died. Grasshoppers and fires had also ruined the crops. Its last owner, Griffith J. Griffith, donated it to Los Angeles as a Christmas present after he realized the land was more trouble than it was worth. Once in the public hands, 29 Civilian Conservation Corps workers died in a 1933 wildfire. In 1976, a young couple making love on a picnic table died after being crushed by a falling tree. However, the park rangers said visitors had nothing to fear in the park. READ MORE: Texas Police Shoot, Kill Gunman at Youth Summer Camp After He Opened Fire This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Burning Body Found Hanging From Griffith Park Tree In Los Angeles - From NBC News Irish Water will start replacing three quarters of a kilometre of old water mains in Portlaoise next week with work continuing to mid October. Working in partnership with Laois County Council, Irish Water is replacing over 750 metres of old and damaged water mains at Marian Avenue, Portlaoise with new modern pipes. The section of works will take place at Marian Avenue Estate, just off the Old Knockmay Road. Irish Water says replacing these old, damaged pipes with new, modern pipework will greatly improve water quality and reduce the instances of bursts, outages, and low-pressure affecting customers in the area. The project, is due to begin next week. Regional Delivery Lead at Irish Water Joe Carroll said: We are delighted to announce this major investment for Laois. Replacing these old and damaged pipes is a first step in tackling water quality, pressure and leakage issues which have been affecting homes and businesses. According to Mr Carroll: The works will not only reduce the amount of drinking water lost to leakage but will also significantly improve water quality for the local community as well as delivering a much more reliable supply for generations to come. He said:On behalf of Irish Water, I would like to thank the local community in Portlaoise in advance for their patience and cooperation as traffic management will be necessary as the project progresses, however, based on previous experiences, we know that the short-term inconvenience will be overshadowed by the long-term benefits. "> Irish Water stated that: The works also involve laying new water service connections from the public water main in the road to customers property boundaries and connecting it to the customers water supply. The project may involve some short-term supply interruptions which we understand may cause inconvenience, however, the project team will ensure that customers are given a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to any planned water interruptions. They said: To minimise the impact on the local community, we are delivering these works on a phased basis with areas of work limited to short sections. Traffic management will be in place during this time in the form of a stop/go traffic management system. Local and emergency traffic will be maintained at all times. Irish Water said the project is being carried out by Ward & Burke Construction Ltd on behalf of Irish Water and is expected to be completed by mid-October 2022. It says the company is on track to reduce the rate of leakage nationally from 46% in 2018 to 25% by the end of 2030. The Irish Water customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact Irish Water on Twitter @IWCare with any queries. For updates please visit the Water Supply Updates section of the Irish Water website. 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. 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. The finalists for Blas na hEireann, The Irish Food Awards, 2022 have been announced and the countdown is now on for the big return of the awards weekend to the pretty seaside town of Dingle. The three-day event will take place from Thursday September 29th to Saturday 1st October with new and exciting additions for visitors and finalists to enjoy. The team at Blas na hEireann have been hard at work to make sure an in-person event can go ahead, which will be the first time in two years that the great and good of the Irish food and drink industry can gather and enjoy the very best of Irish, and it promises to be bigger and better than ever before. Now in its 15th year, Blas na hEireann saw a huge increase in entries across all categories along with many new producers entering the awards for the first time this year. During the judging, which took place over June and July, almost 3000 entries were judged, the highest on record. The finalists shortlisted from Co. Kildare across a range of different categories are Beara Bitters, Coghlans Bakery Products Ltd, Couverture Desserts Ltd, Eastcoast Seafood, KPG Catering Ltd, O'Brien Fine Foods and Rye River Brewing Company. Speaking as the finalists were announced, Blas na hEireann Chairperson, Artie Clifford said, I cant tell you how thrilled we are to welcome everyone back to Dingle this year. We are in awe of the resilience of the people in our industry, and to see so many new producers and products come through again this year just makes the excitement for Blas 2022 even more palpable. We have big plans for the return of Blas to Dingle and to our new location in the heart of the town. Whether youre a food lover in search of new tastes, a buyer looking for a trailblazing new product or a writer looking for a great story Blas 2022 has it all, were ready to see our plans come to reality very soon and to be able to celebrate our amazing finalists and uncover the best of Irish food and drink for 2022. This years Blas na hEireann awards in Dingle will see several new additions including the Eat Ireland in a Day tent and the Blas Village where the 2022 finalists will get the opportunity to showcase their products, engage with customers and meet key industry buyers. With almost 3000 products entered in this years Blas na hEireann, making it as a finalist is a huge achievement and one to be very proud of. The competition ramps up year on year, meaning those producers who are short listed as finalists really are the creme de la creme of Irish food and drink. For finalist producers it is not just their exceptional food & drink which will be celebrated in Dingle but the people themselves, the passionate producers who make the very best of Irish will be recognised and rewarded making this autumns Blas na hEireann a food event not to be missed! A small tin building on a hillside in rural Lurganboy has become the focal point of the community and has caught national attention in the effort to preserve its unique history. The Chapel of Ease - the name itself has a beautiful ring to it; was built in 1862 to ease the pressure of the Church of Ireland congregation in Manorhamilton and Glencar. New vicar for the area Rev Albert Dawson told the Leitrim Observer, the Lurganboy area had a large number of Church of Ireland members at the time and the church was built to accommodate them. The building was constructed with modular pieces the IKEA of the 1860s and arrived on horse drawn trailers and constructed on the site, explained Rev'd Dawson. The foundation stone was laid in 1862 on the site of an old military barracks and local lady Grace Wynne laid two coins, one silver and one copper. When the church was moved by storms in the 1980s, these two coins were uncovered and are now on display in the church. The church continues to hold service every second and fourth Sunday, but Rev Dawson said the building is not just important to Church of Ireland families - it is the last public building in the village. The community has lost the pub, shop and creamery over the years and this building has become a meeting places for locals. It is the last tin building in Leitrim and one of very few across the island. The tin building along with all the fixtures and fittings of pews, organ, and pulpit cost 350 in 1862 and remarkably despite 160 years standing all the original fittings remain in place. A conservation plan has been drawn up which includes the installation of heating as well as restoring the windows, toilets and other elements of the corrugated iron building, it is estimated to cost 120 -150,000 to complete. Rev Dawson said they are hoping to receive heritage grants as well as finance from the Church of Ireland, but much more will be needed to hit the target. The church attracted a huge crowd to it's Flower Festival on the bank holiday weekend. The church was like a pretty picture with elaborate flower displays exploding around every corner. Buses from Northern Ireland carried flower enthusiasts and even tourists from Cork found their way to attend. A series of events, including an evening with local poet Stephen Murphy in September and a scarecrow festival, are planned. A 'go-fund me' page has been set up in the hope of gathering 50,000. Rev'd Dawson said he understands times are tough for people and he does not want to push fundraising events onto families, but added every euro or five counts! www.gofundme.com/lurganboy-chapel-of-ease Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said he wants to bring in budget measures that would see workers keep as much of the money that they are earning, but said government is still discussing the best approach. Mr Donohoe also said the Government will consider introducing a third income tax band, but that it will be based on its policy merits. On Wednesday, the Governments tax advisory group published papers that indicate a third income tax band could see up to a million taxpayers take home an extra 500 or 1,000 euro a year. Mr Donohoe said the third tax band of 30% is technically possible to bring in. The Department of Finance has today published the #Budget2023 Tax Strategy Group papers. Read the papers in full here: https://t.co/o871byp6rI pic.twitter.com/JvS6NrHS6q Department of Finance (@IRLDeptFinance) August 10, 2022 Introducing a third middle rate tax band and indexing the tax bands to earnings are among some of the options being considered by the Government ahead of Septembers budget. Mr Donohoe said that at a time when wages are going up, the Government should bring in measures that would help workers keep as much of the money that they are earning. What were now discussing are the different ways in which we can deal with it, he added. It can either be done through, for example, a 30% tax rate, an alternative way in which it can be done is to move the existing tax rates, the existing credits and bands that are there at the moment. What Ill be able to do later on in September is confirm, once weve engaged with government, what will be the way in which well do this. Mr Donohoe told RTE Morning Ireland that the Government will consider the merits of a third tax rate. But what the Government will have to do is consider, not just what is technically possible or not, its what are the policy merits of it and how we can help at a time of rising cost of living and rising prices, he said. The critical point in this, overall, is that earlier on in the year, the Government confirmed and announced that we would have tax changes of just over a billion euro as part of budget 2023, and thats what we will be doing. In the coming weeks ahead, myself, Minister (Michael) McGrath and the Government will identify how that money can be used in the most effective way. We know many are feeling the squeeze. We know that the money thats in your purse isnt getting you what it used to be able to get you. We want to see how we can help with that. Mr Donohoe also said he has no plans to adjust the budget package of 6.7 billion euro. It is going to be the case, and Ive also made this clear, that there will be one-off measures in 2022 that will help with the rising cost of living in what could be a difficult winter, he added. But they will be in 2022 as opposed to additional measures and 2023. Meanwhile, Mr Donohoe acknowledged there is a risk that new laws banning the sale of cheap alcohol could reduce tax returns as more people travel to Northern Ireland to buy alcohol. However, he said he does not see the risk developing in a significant way. Minimum unit alcohol pricing was introduced in Ireland earlier this year. Ireland is one of only a small number of countries worldwide to introduce a legal floor price for the cost of alcoholic drinks. Mr Donohoe said the papers published on Wednesday shows there is a risk of a lower tax return. Ive acknowledged in recent years that any significant change in the price of alcohol within our own country could indeed potentially be a cause of consumption on purchases happening elsewhere, he added. At the moment, I do not see that risk developing in a significant way. Its not happening at the moment within our economy. But we did acknowledge yesterday that if you get to a point that there is a very very big gap between the North and here in relation to the price of alcohol, that could be a trigger for cross-border shopping. Thats always been the case but dont see it happening at the moment. Nickel smelting at mining company PT Vale's plant in Soroako, Indonesia, March 30, 2019. BANNU MAZANDRA / AFP Indonesia, the country with the world's largest nickel reserves, is set to take advantage of the expected takeoff of the electric car and related industries, particularly the battery industry. The American manufacturer Tesla has signed supply contracts for nickel-containing products with two companies based in the country. One of these contracts is worth 5 billion dollars, for five years, announced Luhut Pandjaitan, the Indonesian minister in charge of investment, in Jakarta on Monday, August 8, at a forum to promote the country as a destination for foreign investment. Negotiations are in progress, said the minister. Mr. Pandjaitan traveled to the United States in April with a delegation of business leaders to meet with Elon Musk, the boss of Tesla and SpaceX. The following month, Indonesian President Joko Widodo himself was invited to Boca Chica, Texas, to the future SpaceX launch site, for discussions with the American billionaire on their future collaborations. Indonesia is Southeast Asia's largest economy, with a population of 273 million, and it aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 41% by 2030. The country intends to present itself as the future haven for green industries at the G20 summit it will host in November. The two smelters that will supply Tesla produce the hydroxides used to make batteries from the processing of nickel ores. They are located in the Morowali industrial complex in the central part of Sulawesi Island, where the country's largest integrated nickel production site is located. One of the main local hydroxide production units, a joint venture between the Chinese groups Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Tsingshan Holding Group, has been operating there since the beginning of the year. Doors wide open for foreign investment We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback Mr. Musk has also been approached by the Indonesian government to invest in a factory with an annual capacity of 500,000 electric vehicles (EV), either in Batang, on the island of Java, or on the island of Borneo, in the planned North Kalimantan Green Industrial Park. But the minister did not say whether this project had progressed. Indonesia is looking to move up the nickel chain. Already possessing a flourishing stainless steel manufacturing industry, the country now aims to develop on-site ore processing industries for battery components, as well as electric vehicles. Developing an electric car industry has even been declared a "national priority" for 2019. To do this, Jakarta is opening its doors wide to foreign investors the Chinese, who have invested the equivalent of billions of euros in nickel processing for stainless steel, and also major Asian or western carmakers while sometimes resorting to more coercive measures. For example, Jakarta imposed temporary embargoes on the export of unprocessed nickel in 2014 and 2020 to increase the number of smelters. Similar measures have been put in place for other natural resources. While stainless steel accounts for about 70% of global nickel demand, compared to 6% for the battery sector, the latter's share is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. You have 46.4% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. LIMERICK has enjoyed a huge profile on national television over the past month between our hurlers winning the All-Ireland, RTEs Nationwide dedicating an entire show to the Lough Gur, and then, last week, the popular show again concentrating an entire episode on Limerick. This time the show featured the Limerick Bastille Day Wild Geese Festival with shoots done at the Hunt Museum and King Johns Castle. A large section of the programme was dedicated to the inaugural Honora French & Irish Sustainable Couture Show which took place in St Marys Cathedral last month. I'm pictured here with Patrick Hogan, Deputy Mayor of the City and County of Limerick, Kieran O'Hanlon; Vincent Guerend, the French Ambassador to Ireland, Michelle Daly and Asta Lee There are so many people that need to be thanked because without them this fashion show could not have happened. These people include Dr Loic Guyon, Honorary Consul of France; Fionan Coughlan, Michelle Daly Hayes, of course our own Patrick Hogan, and sponsors including The Wild Geese Festival, Limerick City and County Council, and Legato. When it came to hair and makeup for the models, a huge thank you must go to the Hugh Campbell Hair Group and Beauty Atelier for doing such an amazing job. As the show was about diversity we invited back two of our great models from the past, Liz Mangan and Jean Lennon, to walk the catwalk. They went down a treat with the audience and also featured on the Nationwide programme. It was such a historic occasion for the fashion industry in Ireland to have French and Irish designers showcasing their designs in the magnificent St Marys Cathedral. There was some amazing footage taken from the sky of our models on top of King Johns Castle. I never saw the city looking so well. A big well done to all! IN A CRIME that has shocked Limerick, a pensioner was awoken in the dead of night and attacked with a slash hook. And it was all over a jar of change totaling a couple of euros, the Limerick Leader can reveal. It is also understood he was told by the assailants that he would be shot. The man, aged in his 70s, was disturbed by a noise coming from the downstairs of his Kilmallock home at around 5am last Saturday morning. Garda John Finnerty said the elderly man went downstairs and discovered a burglar wearing a balaclava. The owner confronted the burglar and chased the burglar out of his house and out onto the driveway. Waiting outside was another burglar who was armed with a slash hook. The owner of the house got into a physical altercation with this burglar, said Garda Finnerty, who added the owner of the house was injured multiple times on both arms and had to be hospitalised. A jar of small change was dropped during the altercation by the perpetrators one is described as tall and slim, the other short and overweight. Acting Bruff Superintendent, Inspector Pat Brennan said all resources available will be utilised to apprehend the culprits. He confirmed they are following some definite lines of enquiries. Cllr PJ Carey said this was the culmination of a major spate of burglaries in the wider Kilmallock area. He is a lovely man that has been plagued like many others. Locals are disgusted. He has been robbed a few times. There has been a big escalation in burglaries. In a separate incident in Kilmallock last month the Leader reported about the theft of shot gun cartridges. Two weeks earlier they robbed the shot gun and then came back for the cartridges. That will tell you how brazen they are, said Cllr Carey. Three years earlier Kilmallock farmer Tom ODonnell was left for dead after he was punched and knocked unconscious as he moved his cows across the road. He said at the time: The minority are intimidating the majority. Cllr Carey has spoken to a number of victims of crime who want a meeting with gardai and TDs. He also called for increased garda patrols to help prevent people living in fear THERE has been another twist in the saga involving an unfinished apartment block in Kilmallock, Limerick which the council plan to demolish, with it appearing for sale on Daft. It was due to go to auction later this month with a guide of 140,000. The sale was being handled by an estate agent not based in Limerick. The Leader discovered this on Wednesday, August 3, and contacted the auctioneers. They said there was moderate to good interest in the development in Wolfe Tone Street. When told that the building they were selling was due to be demolished by the council, the estate agent said it is the first we have heard of it to be honest with you. Nothing official has come across our desk. We are selling it on behalf of a receiver, said the auctioneer. The Leader also sent a query to Limerick City and County Council on Wednesday, August 3. This all dates back to September 2021 when Cllr Mike Donegan got unanimous support for a motion to knock the apartments saying they were an eyesore, a spot for anti-social behaviour and flooding came up close to the building. In 2021, the councils reply said the Cappamore Kilmallock Municipal District office is currently assessing the site with a view to advertising a demolition tender shortly. The buildings were still standing when Cllr PJ Carey put down a motion this May that they be sold to an interested property developer and brought back into viable housing provision. The councils reply was that they made a decision to demolish the apartments. Then at the July meeting, Cllrs Carey, Ger Mitchell and Eddie Ryan put down a motion that the seven apartments be put on the market with a view to be sold to any interested developers and brought back into viable housing provision. Cllr Carey left the meeting, In protest at not being allowed to speak on this. The councils reply to that motion was that the property is on the Derelict Sites Register and has been acquired compulsorily. A structural assessment has deemed that the unfinished and derelict structure is not suited to repair and completion. In addition there are planning / flood risk constraints. In view of the above, it would not be appropriate to put the property for sale and a decision has been made to demolish, read the reply. It was assumed everything was done and dusted but then they appeared for sale on Daft. Cllr Carey said: You couldnt make this up. What is going on? Both he and Cllr Eddie Ryan welcomed the news. They both hoped that the interested developer, who has a track record in restoring unfinished buildings, would purchase the apartments at auction and complete the works. They say it is going to cost 31,000 to demolish the apartments. The structure is not that bad. They got full planning permission; this isnt an unauthorised development. We have a housing crisis and this will help in a small way in Kilmallock. Its a win-win for the taxpayer, said Cllr Ryan. The council then replied this Tuesday afternoon to the Leaders query about the apartments being for sale. This site is registered in the ownership of Limerick City and County Council having been acquired compulsorily through legislation of the Derelict Sites Act, 1990 in September 2020. It is planned that the structure on site is to be demolished. It appears that the site had been marketed for sale in error by a third party. The estate agents facilitating this have been made aware of this error and the councils ownership of the site, said the spokesperson. Cllr Carey called it a debacle and amateur hour. If the council put more effort into answering my questions instead of trying to silence me they would not be in this mess. I asked repeatedly for the structural report to be circulated to the councillors. It was paid for by taxpayers money, we as public representatives should have that information circulated before any vote. There are still a lot of questions - do they have to reimburse the receiver the 140,000? Would they have known about this if the Leader hadnt sent in a query? What if someone had bought the apartments? What then legal challenges? This is all very, very strange, said Cllr Carey, who called for a special meeting on the unfinished apartments in Kilmallock to get to the bottom of everything. LIMERICK gardai needed their swimming gear instead of their riot gear when they were called to an incident at a pool. A garda spokesperson confirmed officers were called to the scene of a "public order incident involving two males at a leisure centre in Limerick". Following the incident, one of the men, aged in his 30s, was conveyed to University Hospital Limerick for treatment of non-serious injuries. "There have been no arrests made at this time. Investigations are ongoing, said the garda spokesperson. The incident occurred at approximately 2.20pm on Saturday, August 6. Limerick Live understands a number of members of an extended family were in the pool at the time, as well as two or three other people who were enjoying the facilities. "An argument broke out between two of them. The staff, who were exemplary, were over straight away and it was all calmed down. It seems the female members of the entourage got involved, started ranting and raving, and it all kicked off again. It ended up with fisticuffs between two of the men. "The staff did their best. It wasnt a nice experience for them or the poor other people in the pool just enjoying a relaxing afternoon swim. Its a pity to see something like this happen as it is a great amenity for the local community," said the source. The garda response was quick and calmed the troubled waters. It is understood that all of the parties involved have had their memberships revoked. Limerick Live has reached out to the leisure centre in question but there has been no response to date. Kathmandu [Nepal], August 10 (ANI): Amid soaring COVID-19 infections in Nepal, numerous cases of H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu virus infection, have been reported from many places as health experts call for strict surveillance measures across the country. At least 57 cases of H1N1 known as swine flu have been reported in the last two months and especially at a time health authorities throughout the country have been dealing with the fourth wave of Covid, the Kathmandu Post reported. The chances of misdiagnosis and negligence could be high during this time, which could lead to delayed treatment and even deaths, the health experts said. Several Public health experts have warned that the H1N1 virus along with COVID-19 could cause a "twindemic" in the Himalayan country. According to the World Health Organisation's Global Influenza Surveillance, at least 57 cases of H1N1 infection have been reported since June 6 and the infection of 55 cases of AH3 virus also known as Hong Kong flu have been also reported in the same period. "Many people including some senior bureaucrats and leaders died of H1N1 virus infection in the past in our country," said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, Chief of Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. "What concerns me is influenza cases have not been reported so much after the start of the coronavirus pandemic and this time cases are surging along with Covid-19 cases," he added. The symptoms of the H1N1 virus and Omicron variant of coronavirus overlap with each other, which can lead to misdiagnosis and cause confusions. However, in both the infections, the patients suffer from fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, and others. "Both viruses cause respiratory disease and if not treated on time, both cause severity and deaths," said another health expert, adding that an infectious disease and critical care expert. On Tuesday, two people died and 1,090 people tested positive for Covid in 2,958 polymerase chain reaction tests and 530 in 3,342 antigen tests whereas the cause of infection in over 5,000 people is unknown. Notably, the hospitals in Nepal in the past have reported that people have been infected with both Covid-19 and influenza at the same time. (ANI) This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. The beginning of pregnancy can be daunting enough without the myths around miscarriage adding to feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. If youve suffered a miscarriage, you are not alone. Between 10-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage (or around 1 million a year in the U.S.). But that doesnt make it any less devastating, especially if it happens more than once. Common advice is that women should wait until the end of the first trimester before announcing a pregnancy so this can add to the stigma, says Dr. Zev Williams, an obstetrician at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Montefiore Health System in New York. And because it is medically common, the impact of miscarriage is often underestimated. Miscarriage is a traditionally taboo subject that is rarely discussed publicly, he says. The good news is that most women (approximately 85%) who miscarry will go on to have a healthy pregnancy later, according to the American Pregnancy Association (opens in new tab). In this article, we talk to the experts about the myths about miscarriage. Here are some of the most pervasive misconceptions and the truth about early pregnancy loss. 1. Miscarriage is rare Miscarriages are a lot more common than youd think, says midwife Kate Taylor, from The Pep Midwives (opens in new tab), The more we talk about it, the more we can normalize it and reduce the stigma, which can reduce feelings of shame and blame. Because early miscarriage is so common, many people choose to wait until after the 12 week mark to tell friends and family about their pregnancy, adds Dr. Evangelia Elenis, chief physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and chief medical advisor AI-led fertility app Tilly (opens in new tab). Dr Evangelia Elenis, MD, PhD (opens in new tab) Dr Elenis is a chief physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and a subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine. She is a PhD and affiliated researcher at Uppsala University with postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School. There are also late miscarriages that happen from weeks 12-24, but these are are significantly less frequent, occuring in about 1-2% of pregnancies, as well as recurrent miscarriages, which is when a person has more than three consecutive miscarriages although this diagnosis varies by country. The diagnosis of recurrent miscarriages is uncommon and given to a very small percentage of women, around 1%. Dr. Elenis adds: Of those that experience early miscarriage, it is absolutely possible to have a healthy pregnancy in the following months, and there is no physiological evidence (opens in new tab) supporting a delay in pregnancy after miscarriage. In fact, studies (opens in new tab) have found that couples who tried in the three months after early miscarriage, compared with those who waited longer than three months to try again, were more likely to achieve a healthy birth and have a shorter time to pregnancy. This is not, however, the case for recurrent miscarriages, and its very important to consult your doctor if you have experienced two or three miscarriages in a row, but be aware guidelines differ between countries. 2. Miscarriage is the mothers fault The phrase miscarriage might imply something went wrong in the carrying of the baby, and often women blame themselves but they shouldnt. Dr. Elenis says: Its very rare for it to be the womans fault with miscarriage, as most early miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities (when the fetus is essentially not healthy), so this is completely out of our control. While this might sound serious, its important to know that no one has only eggs and sperm with normal chromosomes. In fact, this is also one of the reasons why people dont become pregnant every time they have sex, especially during ovulation: unhealthy eggs and sperm often dont fertilize or implant at all. It is when they do, that a miscarriage happens. The average share of eggs with abnormal chromosomes increase with female age, and this is the reason miscarriage risk increases with age. (Image credit: Getty Images) Late miscarriages can also be caused by chromosomal and genetic factors, says Dr. Elenis, however they also tend to involve wider factors such as infections like bacterial vaginosis (BV), anatomical issues like the shape of the womb, placental problems, long term leath issues like severe high blood pressure, and invasive prenatal tests (which have a very small risk of causing miscarriage). An infection in the womb, known as an intrauterine infection, during pregnancy is the most common cause of late miscarriage with 15-66% being attributed to this type of infection. According to Elenis, recurrent miscarriages are a little trickier, as we dont know the cause of all cases yet and more research is needed in this area. The good news is that in 25-50% of cases, doctors are able to find the source of recurrent miscarriages, which can help with treatment. Factors that can play a role involve issues with the thyroid, blood clots, genetics and the immune system, so its very important to get to the root of the issue with a medical expert quickly. Despite what we know about causes, the most recent National Survey of Public Perceptions of Miscarriage (opens in new tab) found that nearly half (47%) of respondents (both women and men who had a direct or observed experience of a miscarriage) said they felt guilty, while 41% felt they had done something wrong. Taylor says: There should be no shame attached to miscarriage, but for some reason it has sometimes been treated as a taboo subject. The majority of the time there is no clear cause for a pregnancy loss, which makes the whole situation so much harder to deal with. Anyone who has lost a baby should be offered counseling by a trained grief or pregnancy loss health professional. Kate Taylor (opens in new tab) Registered Midwife Kate Taylor is a midwife with over 17 years experience working for the National Health Service in the U.K. She is the co-founder of The PEP Midwives, a holistic platform that offers prenatal and postnatal courses and services for mums-to-be. 3. Multiple miscarriages mean youre infertile Just because you have had one or more miscarriages, it doesnt mean you are infertile, says Taylor. You can still get pregnant, but after two or more miscarriages you should be referred to a fetal medicine expert who will provide care for you throughout the whole pregnancy. While recurrent miscarriages are difficult to experience, the clear majority go on to successfully carry at least one pregnancy to term, agrees Dr. Elenis. With each consecutive miscarriage the risk of chromosomal issues causing them decreases, which in turn means that the risk of a maternal underlying health condition being the cause goes up. After two or three, you should always consult a doctor and have a miscarriage investigation conducted before trying again. A standard miscarriage investigation includes testing for thyroid and hormonal issues, blood clot issues, chromosomal issues, anatomical factors and infections. There are also some clinics that look into immunological factors, too, so dont hesitate to bring up testing for these issues with your doctor if you feel it could be the cause of your miscarriage. 4. Miscarriage is caused by physical or emotional stress A 2015 survey of Americans (opens in new tab) revealed that 64% of respondents thought that lifting a heavy object could cause miscarriage. The same research found that 76 of people said a stressful event could cause a miscarriage, and 74 percent said chronic stress might cause pregnancy loss. None of this is true, Williams says. Although Dr. Hana Patel (opens in new tab), who specializes in womens health, disagrees, warning that in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, it is advisable to avoid heavy lifting, as there is a small risk of miscarriage, thought to be related to the pregnancy hormones causing the pelvis and ligaments to relax. Stress or emotional stress will make you upset, but is not associated with miscarriage. Taylor says: If emotional stress is affecting your physical health and making your blood pressure go up this may possibly affect the pregnancy, but it wouldn't be the direct cause of miscarriage. It could possibly be due to underlying raised blood pressure issues anyway. 5. You should wait months before trying again In the U.S., the recommended time to wait before trying again after miscarriage is three months, while guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) is six months, to give the womb time to heal. But a major scientific review (opens in new tab) by Dr. Sohinee Bhattacharya challenged the WHO recommendation. The meta-analysis found that women who tried again within six months cut their risk of a further miscarriage by a fifth. The research, published in the journal Human Reproduction Update, examined 16 studies taking in 1.04 million women to discover the impact of falling pregnant within six months. A separate study published in the journal BMJ (opens in new tab) backed this up out of more than 30,000 respondents who had a miscarriage and then a healthy pregnancy, those who conceived within six months of the loss were less likely to miscarry again than those who waited longer. (Image credit: Getty Images) Women who got pregnant sooner also had a reduced risk of ectopic pregnancy, which happens when a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube or elsewhere within the abdominal cavity, rather than the uterine lining. The study involved Scottish women, who, like many women in other developed countries, tend to have babies later in their reproductive years. So the results might not be relevant to countries where women tend to get pregnant younger, warned researchers. Dr. Elenis says if youre thinking about trying again after miscarrying, talk to your doctor first. Every persons situation is different, and its important that you pursue the option thats best for your situation. In general, you can typically start trying again once your bleeding has stopped, but this advice can differ, as some doctors recommend waiting until youve had your first period to try again. This can help to set the time of conception, as it can take some time to actually realize youre pregnant again. After you talk with your doctor about whats best for your physical health, its up to you to decide what works best for your mental health. Take the time you need to heal, and remember its okay to feel like you need a break losing a baby is never easy, no matter how far into the pregnancy you were, so dont feel pressured to bounce back before youre ready. 6. You shouldnt tell people about your miscarriage Coping with miscarriage can be challenging enough without having to grieve in secret. Pregnancy loss is still a taboo subject worldwide and, whatever your experience, its normal to feel a mixture of overwhelming emotions including shock, numbness, guilt, shame, anger, numbness, failure and vulnerability, says Taylor. Its your personal choice as to who you tell and when, she says. Definitely seek advice from a grief or pregnancy loss expert if you're struggling after having had a miscarriage. This is not a shame issue, its a very common occurrence and women should not be shy or embarrassed to mention a miscarriage. It's sad, but we shouldn't feel ashamed to talk about it. In fact, talking about pregnancy loss could speed up mental recovery, according to research. A survey about miscarriage found that 46% of participants said they had found comfort from a friend who revealed a miscarriage of her own. And just over a quarter of respondents (28%) said they felt less isolated after hearing famous people talk about their experiences of miscarriage. Dr. Elenis says: Miscarriage can take its toll whether youre the person who experienced the miscarriage, or their partner. Many people experience both short term and long term emotional distress, and many studies (opens in new tab) have found links between miscarriage and depression, anxiety and PTSD, as well as grief and sadness, and all of these feelings can be exacerbated by doctors and environments that dont offer proper support. More research is needed to establish how healthcare providers can emotionally support people who have experienced miscarriage, however it does appear that talking about miscarriage can help reduce feelings of isolation and lonliness. Everyone is different, but go with your instincts and remember there are a lot of options for those wanting to look after their mental health post-miscarriage. This article was updated on August 11, 2022 by Live Science contributor Alice Ball following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022. This decision eliminated the constitutional right to abortion that was established by the 1973 court case and later affirmed by a 1992 case called Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey. The Central government has decided to give 'Z category' security to the country's top industrialist Gautam Adani. This decision has been taken on the basis of a report sent by the Intelligence Bureau (IB). According to sources in the Home Ministry, on the basis of the threat perception report received from the IB, Adani has been provided high-level security by the government for which he will himself bear its expenses. According to sources, more than 30 army personnel will be deployed in the security given to India's top industrialist. The shares of the Adani Group have risen sharply in the past few days and Adani has been ranked among the world's richest industrialist. Earlier, industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani have also been given 'Z' security by the Ministry of Home Affairs for which they are paying for its cost themselves. It was a classic case of he-said, he said. Blake Masters, Donald Trumps pick for Senate in Arizona, swore last week that he doesnt know Gab CEO Andrew Torba, calling him a nobody that nobody cares about. Torba who has endorsed Masters Senate run and once said hed vote for Masters over Trump for president in a heartbeat insisted Masters was flat out lying. Thanks to leaked audio obtained by Jewish Insider, its now clear that Masters was lying about his association with the far-fight social media entrepreneur, whose platform is a playground for those whose extremist views have gotten them booted from mainstream platforms like Twitter and Facebook. The pair had an extended exchange earlier this year on Twitter Spaces, in which Torba explained in detail how Gab had been booted from mainstream app stores, and Masters expressed sympathy for the right-wing entrepreneur, railing against the power of Big Tech, and telling Torba: Thats obviously super messed up. Torba is the founder of the far-right social network, and openly anti-Semitic. He recently made headlines by insisting that Christians are done being controlled in our own country by the 2 percent minority by which he meant Jewish people adding: Were not bending the knee to the 2 percent anymore. An unabashed Christian nationalist, Torba positions Gab as a social network for free speech. The Anti-Defamation League decries Gab, accurately, as a haven for extremists, conspiracy theorists and misinformation. Torba is a darling in MAGA circles, but he has become a headache for Republicans running for statewide office in purple states who need to reach beyond the base. Doug Mastriano Trumps pick for governor in Pennsylvania has come under fire recently for his financial relationship with Gab and past praise of Torba. He ultimately deleted his account on the site, while denouncing anti-Semitism, and insiting that Torba doesnt speak for me. The seeds for the present controversy with Masters were sown in late July. Torba took note of a wave of hardcore MAGA candidates in Arizona, and endorsed a Gab Caucus that included Oath Keeper state Sen. Wendy Rogers; 2020 election conspiracy theorist and secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem; Rep. Paul Gosar, who sought a pardon from Trump for his work in the runup to Jan. 6; and Kari Lake, the rabidly anti-immigrant former newscaster running for governor. Torba also endorsed Masters for a second time. He had fully endorsed Masters in June, sharing, with seeming approval, a hit ad from one of Masters opponents that painted Masters as having troublingly anti-Semitic tendencies. Several members of the Arizona Gab Caucus were delighted to have Torbas endorsement. Finchem wrote on Gab: Thank you, Andrew Torba for fighting for freedom of speech. Honored to have your endorsement. Rogers, similarly, wrote: Honored to be endorsed by Freedom of Speech pioneer Andrew Torba. But Masters was quick to distance himself from the Gab CEO. In a statement to the Arizona Mirror, Masters said: Ive never heard of this guy and I reject his support. Then Masters laid it on thick: The reason Ive never heard of him is because hes a nobody, and nobody cares about him except the media. Torba told a very different story. In a series of Telegram posts, he wrote: LOL, I literally had a conversation with Blake Masters a few months ago on Twitter Spaces. He knows exactly who I am. Torba did not withdraw his endorsement, insisting I want him to win anyway. But he accused Masters of bending the knee to media pressure and acting like a typical politician before he is even elected. Its concerning, Torba added, that Blake can flat out lie like this. Rolling Stone reached out to Torba on Gab. He did not respond. (Torba does not speak to non-Christian media outlets.) He did, however, post the Jewish Insider piece on Telegram with the message: Daily reminder: dont tell lies. Reached earlier this week by Rolling Stone, the Masters campaign had doubled down, insisting falsely, as it turns out that the candidate doesnt know Torba in the slightest. Katie Miller, a former Mike Pence staffer who is now a senior adviser to the Masters campaign, provided a statement via email: Blake interacts with tens of thousands of people on Twitter Spaces, Miller wrote. The sentiment remains that he doesnt know Torba and rejects his support. Why does Rolling Stone want to amplify White Nationalists? added Miller. (Miller is married to the former Trump White House anti-immigrant crusader Stephen Miller.) After publication of this story, Miller responded to a new round of questions from Rolling Stone. Miller now insists that she had provided the original quote attributed to Masters, and bore responsibility for its inaccuracy. In the speed of moving too fast to dispense with the notion that Blake would welcome support from Torba, she wrote, I, Katie Miller, inserted the line [that] he had never heard of [him]. Miller angrily accused Rolling Stone of giving a platform to someone who is undeserving. This is ironic given that Masters can be heard on the new audio objecting to Torbas de-platforming. Its not difficult to understand Torbas ideological attraction to Masters, a venture capitalist who is bankrolled by his longtime boss, the Trumpy big-tech billionaire Peter Thiel. Masters has blamed gun violence on, Black people, frankly . He has parroted the tenets of the racist great replacement theory, suggesting that Democrats are trying to change the demographics of our country and import an entirely new electorate . He has spoken conspiratorially of the insurrection in Washington, suggesting that one-third of the people outside of the Capitol complex on January 6 were actual FBI agents . In past writings on the far-right newssite LewRockwell.com, he blamed the U.S. entry into World War I on the Houses of Morgan and Rothschild, called World War II an unjust war, and closed an essay with a poignant quote from the Nazi Hermann Goring. In 2008, he filmed himself freestyle rapping while wearing war paint, rhyming: OK, I dress up as an Indian / If you dont like it Im going to take you in / to the politically correct police, throw you in jail. Torbas is not the only politically toxic backer the GOP candidate has attracted. Masters has also drawn backing from noxious white supremacists, including the Hitler-praising Groyper leader Nick Fuentes, who recently gave Masters my complete and full endorsement, praising in particular the candidates remarks on race and gun violence. Masters has also won the heart of Andrew Anglin, publisher of The Daily Stormer: I cannot give a more forceful endorsement, the publisher of the Neo-Nazi site wrote in June. This is exactly the kind of man this country needs. Click here to read the full article. Award-winning Doctor Who doc Doctor Who Am I has been snapped up by Kaleidoscope Film Distribution, Variety can exclusively reveal. Kaleidoscope are set to release Doctor Who Am I theatrically in the U.K. in October and are also repping international sales. Materials will be available to view at TIFF next month. Marking Vanessa Yuille directorial debut, the documentary feature tells the story of the infamous 1996 Doctor Who TV film, which was produced during a gap in the TV series. It featured Paul McGann as the Time Lord but received disapprobation from fans, who were apparently unhappy at the suggestion the Doctor was half human, especially when he kissed his assistant Grace Holloway. Matthew Jacobs wrote the standalone Doctor Who film and, in Doctor Who Am I, he reluctantly allows himself to be drawn back into the time period to examine the making of the production as well the reaction it inspired. Jacobs co-directs the doc with Yuille while McGann also features in the doc alongside other members of the original cast including Eric Roberts and Daphne Ashbrook. In exploring this pivotal moment in the franchises history, Matthew unexpectedly finds himself a kindred part of this close-knit, yet vast, family of fans, reads the logline. This is a funny and emotionally perilous documentary, packed full of Doctor Who whimsy and celebrating a passionate, united fanbase. American Anorak produce with Jacobs and Yuille. We at Kaleidoscope are delighted to be working with Matthew and Vanessa on this fabulous film, said Kaleidoscope CEO Spencer Pollard. Its a real fan piece. Festivals and distributors around the world hopefully will enjoy it as much as we did. Yuille said: Were a small movie with a big heart, and Kaleidoscope saw that right away. Teaming up with Kaleidoscope is a perfect match for us because even though were an American movie, they understand the Doctor Who franchise and the global reach of the fandom. They can bring our documentary from the Whoniverse to the universe. Jacobs added: Now, more than ever, we need a positive movie about Doctor Who fandom as we move towards the shows 60th anniversary. Were so excited Kaleidoscope, like audiences have, recognize that our documentary is essential viewing for all lovers of storytelling. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Harvey Weinstein will face one fewer witness at his Los Angeles trial in October, a judge ruled on Wednesday. Prosecutors had previously been granted the right to call five prior bad acts witnesses to testify against the disgraced producer, in support of five other women whose claims form the basis of the charges in the case. But one of those witnesses known in court only as Miss I. has since decided she does not want to testify. On Wednesday, prosecutors asked the courts permission to replace her with another witness. But Judge Lisa Lench denied that request, saying the womans testimony would be too similar to the accounts of the other witnesses. Weinstein, 70, is facing 11 counts of rape and sexual assault pertaining to the five alleged victims. He is already serving a 23-year sentence after being convicted in New York of rape and sexual assault in February 2020. One of the four supporting witnesses is Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, the Italian model and actress who first reported Weinstein to the New York Police Department in 2015. She alleged that Weinstein groped her and tried to stick his hand up her skirt. The Manhattan District Attorneys Office chose not to prosecute Weinstein for that incident, leading to widespread criticism after the Weinstein scandal finally broke two years later. The Los Angeles trial will be her first opportunity to testify about the incident. Prosecutors had also hoped to call Lauren S. a reference to Lauren Sivan who has alleged that Weinstein masturbated in front of her in a New York restaurant. But Lench ruled on Wednesday that her testimony would closely parallel the allegations of three other accusers, and would therefore be superfluous. The judge denied a request from Weinsteins lawyers to hold a pre-trial evidentiary hearing with testimony from each of the prior bad acts witnesses none of whom testified before the grand jury. The judge also rejected a defense request for communications between the witnesses and law enforcement, saying the prosecution was not legally obligated to turn over that material. Weinstein is due back in court on Aug. 29. The trial is set to begin on Oct. 10. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The 2021 United States dramatic airlift out of Afghanistan is the subject of Escape From Kabul, an HBO Original documentary being released on Sept. 21. Directed by Jamie Roberts (Four Hours at the Capitol) and executive produced by Dan Reed (Leaving Neverland), the docu was filmed over 18 days during the United States militarys withdrawal from Afghanistans Kabul International Airport last year. The chaotic airlift ended a two-decade war with the Taliban that began shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. U.S. Marines were deployed to Kabul on August 13, 2021, with orders to evacuate American citizens and at risk Afghans who had cooperated with the Americans and Allied Forces during the 20 -year conflict. The orderly evacuation was meant to be implemented by the agreed-upon deadline of August 31, but the Taliban unexpectedly took control of the city two days after the Marines arrived. Fearing the Taliban takeover and the subsequent crackdowns on human rights, thousands of Afghan men, women, and children rushed to the Kabul Airport, seeking an escape route. Taliban fighters, including suicide troops, encircled the airport perimeter in an uneasy truce with U.S. and Allied forces. In the final week of the withdrawal, a suicide bomb attack that ISIS claimed killed 13 U.S. military personnel and more than 170 Afghan civilians. In Escape From Kabul, Roberts captures the intense, dangerous evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghan citizens. To tell the story, Roberts uses never-before-seen archival footage taken on the ground at the airport along and exclusive interviews with people who were in Afghanistan during the time, including Afghan citizens attempting to flee, U.S. Marines tasked with managing the evacuation, and Taliban commanders and fighters who had recently taken the city. Whats so special about Escape From Kabul is how it drops you right in the midst of this action-filled, catastrophic event the dying moments of Americas longest war and uses unseen footage and startling testimony to create a gripping blow-by-blow narrative of US Marines, Taliban, ordinary Afghans trying to escape, says Reed. This is history happening right there in front of you, it feels so close and personal that the audience knows But for an accident of birth that could be me, right there. Its a very particular sub-genre of documentary that weve pioneered over the years with a lot of support from HBO. In all, 124,000 people were evacuated during the Kabul airlift, the largest in modern U.S. history. A final coda, filmed in the spring of 2022, confirms the Taliban governments restrictions on women and girls and violent reprisals, leaving an uncertain future for many Afghan citizens who were not able to evacuate in August 2021. Roberts and Reed recently collaborated on HBOs Four Hours at the Capitol, a documentary about the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The film debuted last fall. The docu was executive produced by HBO Original Documentary co-heads Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller. HBOs Anna Klein served as a coordinating producer. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Charter is phasing out Spectrum Originals as the cable provider moves out of the original scripted series space, Variety has confirmed. The move comes after it was reported that Spectrum Originals head Katherine Pope would be leaving the company to take over Sony Pictures Television from Jeff Frost. Pope is due to begin her new role in the coming weeks, at which time Charter will begin to phase out the Originals division. Spectrum Originals first launched in 2018 with the acquisition of the Bad Boys spinoff LAs Finest starring Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union after the show was not picked up to series at NBC. Since then, Spectrum Originals has aired shows like the revival of Mad About You, Joe Pickett, The Bite, and Paradise Lost. The shutdown will be a gradual process, sources say, as there are still several shows in the pipeline at the platform. Those include the Lena Headey-Stephan James sci-fi thriller series Beacon 23, which Spectrum renewed for a second season before the first season has aired. It was announced in March that Spectrum had ordered the dramedy Panhandle starring Marvelous Mrs. Maisels Luke Kirby and Tiana Okoye. Spectrum was also due to air the miniseries George & Tammy starring Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon as Tammy Wynette and George Jones respectively. That show is also to run on both Paramount Network and Paramount+. What will happen to those and the other shows still on Spectrums books is yet to be completely decided. Some may still air on Spectrum while others may revert back to the producers, who will then be free to shop them to other outlets. Deadline first reported the Spectrum Originals shutdown. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A man pocketed $2,400 for a job he never did, according to Laredo police. Rolando Garcia, 51, was served with an arrest warrant on Aug. 3 charging him with deceptive trade. The case dates back to July 18, when a man stated to police that he had paid Garcia $2,400 to transport two tractor-trailers from Chicago to Laredo. He added he provided Garcia a check for $2,400 but had not received the tractors. The following day, the complainant provided audio recordings, text messages, copies of bank statements and other documentation showing that Garcia had deposited the $2,400 check and never did the job. Authorities contacted Garcia on July 19. Asked if he would meet with police to speak about the case, Garcia stated he was out of town and set an appointment with an investigation for July 25. The investigator texted Garcia asking if he was able to resolve the issue with the complainant. But Garcia never replied, according to court documents. Furthermore, Garcia did not show up for his July 25 appointment. In a phone conversation, Garcia claimed that he was out of town. He added he would try to make some sort of agreement with the complainant. But as of July 26, Garcia never returned the money to the complainant, according to police. Courtesy/U.S. Attorney's Office A U.S. citizen residing in Mexico has been indicted under the Stop Illegal Trafficking in Firearms Act for trafficking handguns into Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Authorities said on Tuesday that Said Isaac Hernandez, 25, is the first person believed to be indicted under the new law. He faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted. Some of the first funds put into place to begin the construction of the Binational River Park project that will be constructed on both sides of the Rio Grande in the sister cities of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo were announced on Wednesday. Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced at a press conference on the banks of the Rio Grande in the Tres Laredos Park that a $2 million federal earmark was officially secured for the Rio Grande International Study Center to restore a segment of the river and address key challenges that threaten water security such as issues with invasive species management and native species reforestation. The community project funding was secured through the FY23 appropriations legislation. This is part of one of the bills that we passed from the House and sits on the Senate side, as it is an appropriations bill, Cuellar said. This is how the earmarks work, as we put our earmarks -- the Senate doesnt mess around with our earmarks and we dont mess around with their earmarks -- and it is courtesy that we handle. The moment it went on it was pretty much a done deal, we just had to pass the appropriations bill, which will be done sometime in December like it is always done. We are hoping that by the end of the year, this money will be finalized. Cuellar calls the $2 million a start for the construction of the Binational River Park project. It will focus on the key areas of beginning the construction and beautifying the area for the park, homeland security and water security. The project's overall price tag has still never been clearly nailed down. An early estimate when the project first was discussed pegged it to be over $100 million with the United Nations potentially funding it. Inspiration has been driven to the project by San Antonio's River Walk. The RGISC will work with the city to work on the project. RGISC Watershed Science Director Martin Castro said that since the establishment of their organization approximately two decades ago, this was a major step to finally providing some conservation and safety precautions to make sure that the Rio Grande remains safe. Castro also stated that the creation of a united community between Laredo and Nuevo Laredo is closer than ever with the beginning of the project. This vision is one step more closer to reality, Castro said. This represents a significant turning point in the development of the binational river conservation project, a transformational community initiative that places ecological restoration of our Rio Grande at the forefront to restore it. Castro said that with the funds RGISC will be able to help restore a river that has been neglected significantly for years. In terms of removing invasive species of vegetation in the area, this is both good for homeland security and to conserve water, Cuellar said. As carrizo canes, cedar plants and mature saltcedar trees in the area that are invasive are taken down, this would provide Border Patrol more availability to patrol the area and make sure they can see more without the vegetation blocking their view while the park is erected. Improving line-of-sight for U.S. Customs & Border Protection, protecting riverbank integrity through erosion control and strengthening natural habitat for critical wildlife species are some of the benefits, Cuellar said. He also felt this helps conserve water, as some of the mature trees found alongside the Rio Grande can consume hundreds of gallons of water. One of those mature saltcedars alone would drink about 200 gallons of river water a day, the congressman added. This restoration is important for the beautification of the park and security. This restoration part of it will help improve the water supply, and if you do a bunch of these activities, this is going to save thousands and thousands of gallons of water. Other elected officials were excited by the announcement of the funds for the area, such as Texas State Representative for District 42 Richard Raymond. I applaud Congressman Cuellar for securing $2 million, which is an important step toward helping Laredo have a secure and clean source of water, as well as helping preserve the environment, Raymond said. Cuellar also stated that he is excited for the beginning of the Binational River Park project, and that also more funds would be coming soon to the district as he earmarks more funds for the area. Most members got seven or eight earmarks, and I got 15 earmarks throughout my congressional district, Cuellar said. We got a second health clinic, some monies for the plaza and some other monies for Laredo that we will be announcing later on, but this one is really important for the community. Additional 2,367 more Covid-19 infections reported on Thursday The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on Thursday reported an additional 2,367 Covid-19 infections, raising the country's total tally to over 11 million. Illustrative photo According to the ministry's report, the central province of Nghe An added 4,408 more cases to the national tally after verifying information, raising the national caseload to 11,360,348. On August 11, an additional 6,418 more patients recovered from the disease, raising the number of recoveries in the country to over 10.00 million. On Thursday evening, no deaths from Covid-19 were recorded, the country's total fatalities remained at 43,095, accounting for 0.4 per cent of total infections. By August 11, the country had injected more than 249 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. * Provided that China's sovereignty, security and development interests are guaranteed, after reunification Taiwan will enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region: white paper * After reunification, foreign countries can continue to develop economic and cultural relations with Taiwan: white paper * All Taiwan compatriots who support reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation will be the masters of the region: white paper BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday released a white paper to expound on the position and policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to achieve national reunification in the new era, including the envisioning of a new special administrative region (SAR) for Taiwan. The white paper, titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," is the third one on the Taiwan question in the history of the People's Republic of China. The first two were issued in August 1993 and February 2000. Provided that China's sovereignty, security and development interests are guaranteed, after reunification Taiwan will enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region, according to the white paper released by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office. The release of the white paper is a powerful countermeasure against "Taiwan independence" separatists and external interference, said Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies. "It helps debunk the smears of 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and the United States and other Western countries, and fully demonstrates our strong will and determination to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation," Lau said. Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence, says the white paper, adding that the one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community. "We are one China, and Taiwan is part of China. This is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law. Taiwan has never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable," says the white paper. "Never before have we been so close to, confident in, and capable of achieving the goal of national rejuvenation. The same is true when it comes to our goal of complete national reunification," says the white paper. A spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee said the white paper demonstrated "our strong confidence toward complete national reunification, our resolute determination in fighting against separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external interference, as well as our original aspiration in safeguarding the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits." OBSTACLES THAT MUST BE REMOVED Blasting the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the white paper says that the actions of the DPP authorities have resulted in tension in cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and undermining the prospects and restricting the space for peaceful reunification. "These are obstacles that must be removed in advancing the process of peaceful reunification," it says. External forces have encouraged and instigated provocative actions by the separatist forces; these have intensified cross-Straits tension and confrontation, and undermined peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, says the white paper. Relying on external forces will achieve nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail. The wheel of history rolls on toward national reunification, and it will not be stopped by any individual or any force, it says. Under the current complex international and cross-Straits situation, the release of the white paper is conducive to exposing the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' collusion with external forces in making provocations, as well as their vicious words and deeds that attempt to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity or stand in the way of its reunification, said the spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee. The release of the white paper is timely and targeted at "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and the interference of external forces, said Zou Zhenqiu, a national lawmaker and head of the Jiangsu provincial federation of Taiwan compatriots. "No matter what the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and external anti-China forces may do, the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China will never change," he said. PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION Peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to realizing national reunification, says the white paper. "We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification, but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form," it says. "We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. In no way does it target our fellow Chinese in Taiwan. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances," it adds. "The future of Taiwan lies in China's reunification, and the well-being of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This is becoming a consensus of Taiwan compatriots," said Cheng Kuang Yi, a young entrepreneur from Taiwan. Cheng, who has been living on the mainland for 15 years, said more and more young people from Taiwan are coming to the mainland for study and work as the motherland provides great opportunities for their personal development. In the meantime, these Taiwan compatriots have also taken an active part in the economic and social development of the mainland. "We hope Taiwan compatriots will stand on the right side of history, be proud of their Chinese identity, and fully consider the position and role of Taiwan in China's rejuvenation," said the spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee. TAIWAN AS SAR ENVISIONED "To realize peaceful reunification, we must acknowledge that the mainland and Taiwan have their own distinct social systems and ideologies," the white paper says. "The 'one country, two systems' principle is the most inclusive solution to this problem." The white paper says that after peaceful reunification, Taiwan may continue its current social system and enjoy a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the law. Taiwan's social system and its way of life will be fully respected, and the private property, religious beliefs, and lawful rights and interests of the people in Taiwan will be fully protected. All Taiwan compatriots who support reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation will be the masters of the region, the white paper says. With a powerful motherland in support, the people of Taiwan will enjoy greater security and dignity and stand upright and rock-solid in the international community, the white paper adds. After reunification, foreign countries can continue to develop economic and cultural relations with Taiwan. With the approval of the central government of China, they may set up consulates or other official and quasi-official institutions in Taiwan, international organizations and agencies may establish offices, relevant international conventions can be applied, and relevant international conferences can be held there, according to the white paper. Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international community as a whole, the white paper says. The Annual Meeting of Rakon Limited will be held today 11 August 2022 at Guineas 1 Room, Ellerslie Event Centre, 80 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand and online via www.meetnow.global/nz at 11.00 am. Attached is a copy of: Chairs Address Rakon 2022 Annual Meeting Presentation This material will also be available on Rakons website www.rakon.com -ends- Contact: Maureen Shaddick Company Secretary +64 9 571 9238 Media Enquiries: Richard Inder The Project +64 21 645 643 www.rakon.com About Rakon Rakon is a global high technology company and a world leader in its field. The company designs and manufactures advanced frequency control and timing solutions. Its three core markets are Telecommunications, Positioning and Space and Defence. Rakons products are found at the forefront of communications where speed and reliability are paramount. Its products create extremely accurate electric signals which are used to generate radio waves and synchronise time in the most demanding communication applications. Rakon has three manufacturing plants, six research and development centres, and sixteen customer support offices worldwide. Founded in Auckland in 1967, Rakon is proud of its New Zealand heritage. It is a public company listed on the New Zealand stock exchange, NZX, ticker code RAK. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: GWC - Update on acquisition of WasteCo Holdings NZ Chatham applies for Korella North Exploration Permit Australian First: Ebonex, cryptocurrency platform, partners with Mastercard - NASDAQ ANNOUNCEMENT PCT - Strong leasing performance supports FY22 result AIA - FY22 Annual Results Skellerup reports another record result Seeka Announces Result for the Six Months to 30 June 2022 CMO - Preliminary result and dividend August 18th Morning Report FPH - Notification of Issue of Securities People who are hoping to get some shopping in to begin their weekend might be in for more than what they bargained for as they may find themselves receiving free gas for their expenses as well. The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo is hosting its Fuel Your Shopping Event from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday It was created to help alleviate some of the increased costs that citizens of Laredo might have to deal with during this back-to-school season. We are one of the favorite shopping destinations in Laredo, said Horizon Group Properties Director of Marketing Gina Slechta, CMD/SCMP. Its back-to-school time and the holidays will be upon us very soon. This is our effort to remind shoppers that outlet shopping is about saving money. We love our Laredo shoppers. We know that they are suffering from the high cost of gas, food and everything they buy. We hope this promotion helps more people realize they can get the nation's best brands while saving lots of money, Slechta said. The promotion will be available to anybody who purchases over $100 at any of the retailers in Outlet Shoppes. According to the event rules, shoppers who spend $100 dollars at the Outlet Shoppes of Laredo can receive one $50 dollar gas card. To redeem their gift cards, shoppers will have to present their receipt, or combination of receipts, to Lunas Imports store, located in space B 560. Purchases must total $100 or more after coupons, discounts, promotions and before taxes. The gas cards will be valid toward gas at any of the five Conoco locations in Laredo. The marketing director stated that the event does offer a small help to people continuing to suffer from high gas prices while they attend the shopping center and buy things for themselves. It is a form of stimulus that helps people to spend on themselves while getting a little bit back for their vehicles. We can't help all in need, but we can do our part, Slechta said. We know that the best savings to be found in Laredo are at the Outlets. Now as they save, they will also be able to save on gas. For the event, tourists or shoppers who are not from the Laredo area but have come to shop from Mexico or another part of the country can do so and participate in the gas giveaway event as well. The marketing director states that tourists that visit the center and shop at the Outlets are crucial to making the shopping center a success. Tourists can participate, Slechta said. We consider tourists a vital part of Laredos economy. We are excited to see our Mexican customers return and the many tourists that visit the center. We are very supportive of many of the tourism initiatives that take place throughout the city and work for hand in hand with the Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau and other tourist and lodging partners. Slechta said in fact that it is thanks to tourists that the Laredo shopping center has been doing very well. Amid the economic-related effects felt right now throughout the country, outlets typically do better than other retailers during challenging economic times as their prices are lower and of still good quality from renowned brands. People still have needs and love brand names, Slechta said. They choose Outlet Shoppes for the fashion and the savings. Compared to outlet centers in other markets, Laredo is fortunate that the border is open and the Mexican peso is staying strong. As people continue to fear the fact that COVID-19 cases are increasing and the pandemic remains an issue impacting the community, Slechta states that the Outlet Shoppes allows for a good space for people to shop and feel safe, as it is an open environment. Our open-air setting gave us an advantage during the pandemic, Slechta said. Customers felt safer in our environment. Events and other activities had to shut down. People had no place to go, so they went shopping. The Outlet Shoppes at Laredo was able to continue operations. We were also able to host many vaccination clinics. Thousands of people have visited the center for vaccinations since they began. On Monday, real estate and finance website Clever released its roundup of the best BBQ cities in the United States and San Antonio claimed the top spot. The South Texas city was one of two Lone State areas to crack the top 10 and one of four Texas cities to make the top 20. To determine the rankings, the report takes into account a number of metrics, including the number of BBQ restaurants per capita, average BBQ joint Yelp rating, "Google Trends score" for several BBQ-related terms, total number of Kansas City Barbeque Society Master Series BBQ competitions hosted in the last decade, major BBQ events, American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame inductees in the state and more. Overall, San Antonio claimed the No. 1 spot with 4.2 BBQ restaurants per 100,000 residents and an average Yelp rating of 4. Additionally, San Antonians spend 0.36% of their income on BBQ. Although the area has not hosted a KCBS competition in the last decade, San Antonio has residents in the BBQ Hall of Fame, according to the report. Additionally, the Alamo City, described as one of the "most memorable cities for BBQ enthusiasts," is set to host four major BBQ competitions in the next year, the report states, explaining that no other city in the study was set to host more than a pair of such events. "San Antonio matches that quantity of BBQ shops with excellent quality, evidenced by the chopped brisket from 2M Smokehouse," reads a portion of the report. According to the report's BBQ Cities Key Takeaways, San Antonio residents registered the "highest search activity" for "brisket." Austin claimed the runner-up spot on the list with a higher number of BBQ restaurants per capita (4.7) and a higher average Yelp rating (4.2), although Austinites spent a smaller percentage of their income on BBQ (0.28%). San Jose, Calif. and Nashville, Tenn. round out the top five with Las Vegas, Nev., Birmingham, Ala., Tampa, Fla., Oklahoma City, Okla., Jacksonville, Fla. and Kansas City, Mo. filling out the top 10. Further down the list, two more Texas cities made the top 20, with Dallas coming in at No. 12 and Houston at No. 18. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Scott Peterson's trial attorney missed an opportunity to grill a California juror about bias who eventually helped send him to death row for murdering his pregnant wife and unborn child, his appellate lawyer conceded Thursday while arguing the former fertilizer salesman deserves a new trial because of juror misconduct. Attorney Cliff Gardner, who alleges juror Richelle Nice was biased and lied to get on the jury that convicted Peterson in 2004, said it was a mistake not to question Nice after she indicated on a jury questionnaire that she couldn't stick solely to evidence at trial and avoid preexisting opinions from influencing her verdict. She checked she couldnt be fair," San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo said. He never even followed up." Gardner said he thought defense lawyers believed Nice's answer was an error on the questionnaire but agreed it was a mistake not to ask about it. But he said her response reinforced his argument that she was gunning for Peterson. It seems astonishing to me, Gardner said. It seems absolutely consistent with the idea that she had some kind of predetermined bias in the case and she was talking about it there. The defense is seeking a new trial for Peterson, 49, who was convicted of first-degree murder of Laci Peterson, 27, and second-degree murder of the unborn son they were going to name Conner. The California Supreme Court upheld Peterson's conviction but overturned his death sentence in 2020 because some jurors were improperly dismissed over their disagreement with the death penalty despite saying they could follow the law and impose it. Massullo was assigned to decide if juror misconduct prevented Peterson from getting a fair trial. Peterson's lawyers contend, among other things, that Nice sought to be on the jury because she wanted notoriety and for financial reasons. Nice, who was dubbed Strawberry Shortcake for her bright red hair, later co-authored a book about the case with six other jurors. The defense said she lied on the lengthy questionnaire given to prospective jurors that asked among other things whether she was a crime victim or had ever filed a lawsuit. Nice failed to disclose during jury selection that she filed a lawsuit and had sought a restraining order while pregnant in 2000, saying she really fears for her unborn child because of threats from her boyfriends ex-girlfriend. She also failed to disclose that a boyfriend beat her in 2001 while she was pregnant with another child. Nice testified that she may have improperly answered questions, but did so truthfully. I didnt write it on the questionnaire because it never crossed my mind, ever," she said about the restraining order. "It wasnt done intentionally it didnt cross my mind. Gardner said there was a chasm between what Nice had written in legal papers and what she testified to during the hearing held over several days in February and March. Nice testified in March that she didn't recall a fellow jurors account that when she joined the jury in deliberations she declared, We should get Scott for what he did to Laci and little man. It doesnt sound like something I would say, but I have no idea, she said. I dont remember this. Nice testified earlier that she held no bias against Peterson until after she heard the evidence that he dumped his wifes body in San Francisco Bay on Christmas Eve 2002. Stanislaus County prosecutors contend there was no juror misconduct and that Nice either misunderstood or misinterpreted the questionnaire. Special Assistant District Attorney David Harris said there was no evidence Nice had a secret motive to get on the Peterson jury. Harris said defense attorney Mark Geragos actually tried to keep Nice in the selection process after the judge dismissed her because her employer would only pay two weeks for jury service. After Geragos interjected to say she could serve if she was willing, the judge said Nice could stay if she wanted, Harris said. She then sat back down and eventually became an alternate juror who joined the deliberations after two original jurors were removed. Shes trying to leave, Harris said. This is not ... I really want to be here because Im gonna secretly get this guy. ... If thats the case, shes the worlds worst spy because shes already been excused. Geragos relied on her false answers and never would have allowed Nice to stay on the jury had he known about the restraining order, Gardner said. Harris said Nice truthfully answered questions about her ability to be fair and said she had no opinion based on pretrial publicity. The judge has 90 days to issue a ruling. During the Commissioners Court meeting on Aug. 8, a 10-year-old Laredoan received recognition for his major achievements in martial arts. Jesus Cervantes was presented a plaque for obtaining 200 medals and many belts in both taekwondo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Jesus competes on weekends and has participated in tournaments. He competes out of the city in places such as Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, McAllen, Tucson and Phoenix, as well as internationally like in Brazil and different places in Mexico. Jesus has been practicing jiu jitsu and other disciplines for about five years. Edgardo Venegas, professor at Deo Jiu Jitsu Laredo, expressed to be very proud of his trainee success. I am very proud of him because he represents me and my school, he represents me as a teacher, Venegas said. He helps other kids in the academy, and he is very dedicated and willing in helping everybody else too. Venegas expresses that what he teaches are different values that will help them address his students obstacles of life. It helps you a lot with discipline and dedication, and your confidence goes through the roof. We teach them that life is going to be hard, and they are trained to tackle every task. However, he highlighted the importance on keeping an eye on what children pass in order to prevent bullying and with this be able to avoid fatal misfortunes. Invest a little time with their kids, weve seen all these tragedies on TV where the suspect that did something was bullied and something couldve been done, somebody couldve help him, Venegas said. We are opening our academy for anyone whos having issues or that needs an outlet without charge. We do this as community service. On the other hand, he also explained that for Jesus to be able to reach this accomplishment, it takes a lot of dedication and training. Cervantes training usually consists of two classes a day: the kids class and the adults class, which together total a sum of two hours of training from Monday to Friday, where he practices different disciplines. Even though it requires a lot of commitment and dedication, Jesus said he enjoys doing this and encourages other boys and girls to do what they like. I feel great to receive this recognition, and I would tell other kids to try anything you like. It can be karate, jiu jitsu or sports, he said. Jesus also expressed that he doesnt have only wins. Bud despite any losses, he has always a good time wherever he travels to compete. Traveling is a great experience. Sometimes I lose and sometimes I win, but I like every place I go to, he said. Jesus father, also named Jesus, said that he is very honored and privilege to have his son receive the countys honor. He said that it is the parents responsibility to keep an eye on their children, but it is of vital importance to dedicate some time to see whats going on with their lives. Bullying has been the reason why they decided to have Jesus trying martial arts. As parents, they wanted him to be able to defend himself. We decided to put Jesus in martial arts mainly to prevent bullying to raise his self-esteem, his father said. To show him that he can do it, that he can actually defend himself, and if anything happens where he needs to protect himself, he can do it and get away from the threat. Another reason for this was to get him away from electronics, and Jesus father never would have guessed his son would be so passionate with this discipline. Kids usually want to be on their phones and on their tablets, so I pushed Jesus toward the discipline, and look what he did! he said. Spend time and effort with you kids. Our kids are our future. They are the ones who are going to carry on our names. karol.garcia@lmtonline.com Laredo College is two weeks away from its 2022 fall semester, yet it is not too late to enroll. The institution will be hosting an Open House at both campuses on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join to enjoy fun activities organized by the LC Office of Student Life. Light refreshments and Chick-fil-A meals will be provided to students on a first-come first-served basis. LC Office of the Registrar & Admission, Financial Aid & Veterans Affairs Center, Assessment Center, Advising, Career and Transfer Center, Special Services & Counseling Center, Recruitment, and the Bursars Office are excited to serve current and prospective students interested in enrolling. The Assessment Center and Special Services Center will be available at Ft. McIntosh Campus. TSI testing for Math and ELAR will be administered until 11 a.m. this Saturday. Students are encouraged to enroll for the 2022 fall semester online via www.goapplytexas.org. All students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid to be considered for financial aid, on-campus jobs (work-study) and scholarships. In order to apply for financial assistance, students need the following information: Student and parent FSA ID usernames and passwords. Student and parents full name as it appears on the social security number. Current permanent address. Student and parent(s) email address. Student and parent(s) date of birth. Student and parent(s) social security numbers. Drivers license number, if available. Date parents were married/remarried, separated, divorced, or widowed Student Alien Registration Number/USCIS. 2020 federal income tax returns such as IRS 1040, W2s, and/or 1099 forms are needed for the applicant and spouse, if married, or for the applicants parent(s) if a dependent student. Student and Parent DACA number, if applicable, or social security number if parents are eligible citizens. Visit www.laredo.edu/advising to inquire advising services. Advisers will assist students by providing academic advising, career planning services, program-of-study selection and preparing university transfer plans for students. Once students are advised, student workers are available to assist with class scheduling and registration. For your convenience payment deadline is scheduled for Aug. 18. Payment plans are available and can be setup in person at the Bursars Office or online. Start a career at a recognized institution with the most updated technology and modernized facilities. For more information, contact us at 956-721-5361 and be part of the 75 years of history and legacy this 2022 at Laredo College. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, WAGA-TV. AP75PAK celebrates 75th anniversary of Pakistan The Pakistan Amateur Radio Society (PARS) is operating under the special callsign AP75PAK and Pakistani operators are using the special AP75 prefix during August This is to celebrate 75 years of Pakistan Independence. Please look out for AP75... callsigns On satellites, HF and also on 6 meter. An award will be given for any combination of 5 QSO's with AP75 stations. Repetitions with same stations on same mode or same band will not be counted. Full details at http://pakhams.com/ If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Two men at the centre of the largest drugs seizure in county Longford were denied bail when they came before Judge Patricia Cronin at a special sitting of Mullingar District Court on Sunday. The two men face charges in connection with the seizure of 8.4 million worth of cocaine at Abbeyshrule aerodrome were remanded in custody. Tim Gilchrist Jr (54), of Mavis Bank, Newrath Waterford, and Michal Luczak (41) of Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas, Kildare were before Judge Cronin charged with possession of cocaine and possession with intent to supply. Garda Liam Mangan gave evidence of the arrest, charge and caution of Tim Gilchrist Jr. The defendant was brought to Ashbourn Garda station in Meath after his arrest and made no reply when cautioned. Garda Mangan said the Director of Public Prosecution Direction's (DPP) directions were not yet available. Solicitor Maurice Regan acting for Mr Gilchrist Jr said his client was not making an application for bail. Judge Cronin remanded the defendant in custody to appear before Mullingar District Court on August 11 by video link. Mr Regan said no bail application would be made on that date. The solicitor asked the court to consider his client has a number of health conditions, saying they should be addressed and the appropriate medical attention be made available to Mr Gilchrist Jr by the prison service. Noting the defendant was in receipt of illness benefit Judge Cronin granted legal aid, requesting the presentation of a statement of means. Detective Garda Ivor Scully gave details of the arrest of Michal Luczak. The officer said he also executed a bench warrant on the defendant on the morning of Sunday's court sitting. Detective Garda Scully said the State was objecting to any bail application by the defendant under O'Callaghan rules. The grounds for this were the seriousness of the charge, the weight of evidence and the fact he believed Mr Luczak was a flight risk. Detective Garda Scully outlined details of the evidence. On Thursday, August 4, 2022 an investigation by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) into activity by an organised crime group to import a controlled drug brought them to Abbeyshrule aerodrome. A Cessna 182 light aircraft had flown from France without giving any information on the flight plan to the relevant authorities. When the plane landed at Abbeyshrule the investigators observed as six heavy duty black bags were removed from the aircraft into the vehicle of Mr Gilchrist Jr. The two men drove off in separate vehicles and when Mr Gilchrist Jr's vehicle was stopped at Lough Owell it contained the six bags, three in the boot and three in the rear of the car. The bags held 20 green wrapped blocks, containing 120 kilograms of cocaine valued at 8.4m. Mr Luczak was stopped and arrested for his involvement. Detective Garda Scully said the State had concerns the defendant's access to resources made him a flight risk. The officer pointed out Mr Luczak paid a significant sum, estimated by Garda to be 25,000, for a one sixth share in the light aircraft. Solicitor Paddy McGarry acting for Mr Luczak said his client paid 20,000 for his share in the plane and his mother, who resides in Poland, assisted him in making the payment. Detective Garda Scully gave evidence the defendant was wearing a watch valued at 5,000 when arrested, however Mr McGarry said the defendant was of the opinion that the watch was only worth 2,000. Other factors highlighted by the officer included the defendant's four previous bench warrants over two years and that further charges may come before the court. Sergeant Kevin O'Brien put it to Judge Cronin the defendant was caught red handed and stated the Garda seizure was a massive loss to the organised crime group. Sgt O'Brien suggested to the judge that the accused could commit further crime to recoup those losses. In his application Mr McGarry asked the judge to consider the length of time it would take to bring the prosecution before the court. He said if Mr Luczak was denied bail he could be in custody for years before the matter was heard. The solicitor pointed out his client was interviewed five times between his arrest on Thursday and being brought before the court on Sunday and protested his innocence at all times. He said Mr Luczak had no knowledge of the drugs. Mr McGarry told the court the defendant is living in Ireland for the past 17 years. His wife was present in court to support him. The couple are still married, but separated, and have two children in school. The solicitor stated there were no drugs in Mr Luczak's car, there was no DNA evidence linking him to the drugs, and his client was checking the aircraft when the bags were removed from the plane. Addressing flight risk concerns Mr McGarry noted Gardai have his client's passports and pilots licence. Sgt O'Brien said possession of the pilot's licence did not prevent Mr Luczak from flying, adding: There are no traffic cops checking licences in the air. Mr McGarry told the judge his client's house was raided by officers after his arrest and there was no significant signs of wealth. He said the accused studied law in Poland for four years before he came to Ireland. Though previously employed the defendant is now on social welfare. Having heard the details Judge Cronin denied the bail application saying: I accept Mr Luczak enjoys the presumption of innocence, however the threshold of the Garda objections under O'Callaghan rules has been met. The fact that he has four bench warrants is also something the court has to consider. There are no conditions I can attach to counteract the State's concerns. The defendant was remanded in custody to appear before Mullingar District Court on August 11 next for DPP directions. Ham radio operators reunite families Ommcom News in the Indian state of Odisha reports on the public service activities of the West Bengal Radio Club The news outlet says: On the eve of Raksha Bandhan, two families one from West Bengal and the other from Uttar Pradesh were reunited with missing family members, thanks to the efforts of the West Bengal Radio Club (WBRC), an organisation of ham radio enthusiasts, who have been carrying out this mission of reuniting people roaming on the streets as vagabonds with their families. Over the last several years, hundreds of people including those left behind at the Gangasagar Mela have been reunited with their families, thanks to the vast network of WBRC. Even government departments now seek help from these ham radio operators to locate families of people languishing in hospitals and shelter homes for years. Amateur radio is a hobby (requiring licence) and hams normally operate within their own network. However, it was slightly different in the case of WBRC. This organisation has been assigned by both the Central and state governments to provide connectivity during natural disasters or large events like the Gangasagar Mela. The hams from WBRC also operated during the devastating Nepal earthquake and were among the first to create communication links from the disaster sites. While working at such sites, WBRC members realised that there are thousands of people who are lost and are in need to be reunited with their families. Their service is voluntary. Read the full story at https://ommcomnews.com/india-news/families-reunited-on-the-eve-of-rakhi-courtesy-ham-radio-operators West Bengal Radio Club http://www.wbrc.in/ https://twitter.com/wbradioclub https://www.facebook.com/Wbradioclub/ Use the Arrows < > above to go through the gallery Devine Equestrian hosted an open day at the Traditional Irish Cob Centre of Excellence, Lisanurlan, Longford on Friday, July 29. This open day recognised a unique native Irish horse breed; The Irish Cob. We hope you enjoy this selection of photographs captured by Shelley Corcoran and don't forget to tag and share with your friends! READ MORE BELOW PHOTO Use the Arrows < > above to go through the gallery Visitors enjoyed the good weather, beautiful animals and warm hospitality. The Traditional Irish Cob Centre of Excellence is the brainchild of Brigid Devine whose passion for animals is well renowned. Devine Equestrian is one of Ireland's largest Irish Cob stud farms specialising solely in Traditional Irish Cobs. This Irish Cob project was set up in 2006 and consists of six of the old traditional type 15/15.3hh Irish Cob Piebald Stallions. All these stallions are of the same bloodlines (bred by the famous Ballydangan Irish Cobs, Co Galway) and are all related. Local Experts, Religion, Politics By Long Island Published: August 10 2022 Bill to Ensure New York Schools are Meeting Holocaust Education Standards Signed into Law by Governor Today, August 10, 2022, New York State Senator Sean Ryan commended Governor Kathy Hochul for signing into law a bill to improve Holocaust education in New York schools. Senator Ryan co-sponsored the bill, which was introduced by Senator Anna Kaplan and Assemblymember Nily Rozic. The new law requires the Commissioner of Education to create a survey to assess the state of Holocaust education in New York in order to ensure that students are being taught about the Holocaust as required by existing State law. Any school district whose Holocaust education curriculum does not meet the states standards will be required to provide a corrective action plan. Last June, Senator Ryan and Assemblymember Rozic visited the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo in Amherst to highlight the importance of passing this legislation. A 2020 study by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany documented a concerning lack of knowledge about the Holocaust among New Yorkers ages 18-39. The study found that 28% of New Yorkers in that age group believed the Holocaust is a myth or has been exaggerated and that 60% did not know that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Even more concerning, New York led all states with 19% of respondents who believed Jews caused the Holocaust. Senator Sean Ryan said, In recent years, New York has seen an increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes while young people in our state have demonstrated an unacceptably poor understanding of what happened during the Holocaust. Ignorance is the root of bigotry, and these facts are no doubt connected. Ensuring that schools are following the Holocaust education standards we already have in place in New York is an important first step to begin addressing these troubling trends. I thank Senator Kaplan and Assemblymember Rozic for their work introducing and advocating for this important bill, and I thank Governor Hochul for signing it into law. (Alliance News) - Hill & Smith Holdings PLC on Thursday said it has agreed to sell its French galvanizing and steel lighting column operations, following the completion of French Works Council consultations. In July, the Solihull, England-based infrastructure company said France Galva SA will be sold to a consortium consisting of Zinq France SAS and Sofigalva SAS for EUR72.6 million. On Thursday, it noted that completion of the sale is subject to shareholder approval and notice for a general meeting to vote on the disposal will be announced in due course. "The disposal is unanimously recommended by the board of directors of Hill & Smith to be in the best interests of shareholders," the company added. Hill & Smith bought France Galva in 2008, operating ten sites across France. For 2021, Hill & Smith reported an annual underlying operating profit of GBP86.0 million. France Galva reported underlying operating profit of GBP8.7 million, representing about 10% of the group's underlying operating profit. Shares in Hill & Smith were down 0.2% to 1,242.00 pence each in London early Thursday. By Sophie Rose; sophierose@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. MP Evans Group PLC - producer of Indonesian palm oil - Notes Indonesian government lowers palm oil export tax threshold to USD680 per tonne, down from USD750 previously, and notes tax bands being increased to USD74 per tonne from USD50. "Management will continue to monitor the situation closely as the new arrangements come into force," it says. Previously notes average mill-gate price in first five months of 2022 on sales of crude palm oil was USD1,079 per tonne, compared with USD715 for the same period in 2021. Following the government's revisions to the export duty and levy, coupled with a softening in the Cif Rotterdam price, recent mill-gate prices achieved have been around USD750 per tonne. In mid-July, says crude palm oil production in six months to June 30 falls to 160,800 tonnes from 161,400 the year before and palm kernels production rises to 35,100 tonnes from 34,700 tonnes. Current stock price: 828.00 pence 12-month change: up 18% By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - Videndum PLC on Thursday reported improved interim profit and a surge in revenue on the back of strong market demand despite component shortages and lockdowns in China. Shares in Videndum - formerly known as Vitec - were up 8.7% at 1,459.00 pence on Thursday morning in London. The content creation-focused hardware and software firm reported a pretax profit of GBP16.4 million in the six months ended June 30, up 8.6% from GBP15.1 million the previous year. Revenue jumped 23% to a record GBP223.6 million from GBP181.4 million a year prior. The figure was up 11% on an organic and constant currency basis. Videndum said it has a record order book heading into the second half of 2022. It expects adjusted pretax profit to be at the current end of market expectations for the full-year. "We are seeing revenue growth from three routes: from our core business; from new areas of content creation, including vloggers/influencers and audio; and from new verticals enabled by video transmission and live streaming, particularly in the medical segment and, going forward, with ART," said Chief Executive Stephen Bird. The market currently anticipates an adjusted pretax profit between GBP51.0 million and GBP54.6 million, according to a company-complied consensus. Videndum also announced on Thursday that Senior Independent Director Christopher Humphrey will step down from his role on December 14. Richard Tyson, a non-executive director, will succeed Humphrey in the role on the same date. By Heather Rydings; heatherrydings@alliancenews.com Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. She runs into the room saying Hurry, hurry, hurry up, put your shoes on, immediately getting away with more than I could ever say to my parents. This girl is pulling up to fight me and shes bringing her Dad, she tells him, to which he replies: Are you serious? She tells her pops she is proper serious and lets him know again that a Dad is coming. This is when he gets fuming. He stomps his feet, Nike trainers on ready for a scrap, and says with a raised voice Are you f*cking serious?!. It looks like the British and Spanish governments have finally reached a deal over British driving licences in Spain. Since May 1, 2022, British citizens residing in Spain are no longer permitted to drive with their UK driving licenses due to Brexit. While the UK was part of the European Union, British drivers could drive throughout the whole bloc, as all Member States recognized their driving licenses. However, due to Brexit, several other EU countries, including here Spain, no longer recognise the British licenses. Minister Karl McCartney, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, claims that the UK has reached arrangements for the recognition of British licenses with 24 other EU Member States already, but negotiations with Spain have been a bit more complicated. Minister McCartney claims that Spain has been requiring additional elements which no one else has asked for in relation to driving license exchange arrangements. However, during the last week of July, British and Spanish officials continued intensive talks which resulted in a productive meeting held on July 29. While there remains some outstanding work to be done to agree on the annexes of the agreement between both countries, the UK authorities explain that once the agreement is finalised, the same will be published in the Spanish gazette. From that day on, British citizens living in Spain will have a period of six months to exchange their British driving license with one issued by the authorities of Spain without having to take a test. Those whose driving licenses have recently expired will also be eligible to exchange them for a Spanish one. BRATTLEBORO When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, one of the first things they did was whitewash the powerful murals that had been painted on bomb blast walls in the capital city of Kabul. Soon after, the artists who had created those murals were targeted for arrest, or worse. Those artists were members of a 50-person Afghan-led artist collective called ArtLords. Fearing for their lives under the Taliban, the ArtLords and thousands of other Afghans fled their country, became refugees, and ended up scattered around the world. Recently, about 100 of those refugees arrived in Brattleboro. Among those who found refuge in Brattleboro were five members of the ArtLords Marwa, Negina, Meetra, Zuhra and Abdul. After a period of settling into their new home, those five ArtLords, with support from the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center and in collaboration with a Boston public-art group called Tape Art, are now embarking on a project that will adorn Brattleboros historic downtown with temporary murals paying homage to the ArtLords murals destroyed by the Taliban. The ArtLords have chosen to call the project Honoring Honar honar being the Dari word for art. According to Negina, the first mural the Taliban destroyed was the first one she had helped to create. The suppression of women was one of the many challenges we were addressing in our art, said Negina. We showed our support by painting pictures of prominent Afghan women, including the members of Zohra, Afghanistans first womens orchestra. It was my first mural project and the biggest achievement of my life. I remember that day very well. It was our new year (Nowroz), and that mural made my whole year. Later, when I found out that the mural had been whitewashed, I was very sad, but it also confirmed what we already knewthat our art was very powerful and represented a real threat to the Taliban and their noxious ideas. PHOTOS: Taping up murals A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur A group from Tape Art partnered up with members of a local ArtLords group that is made up of refugees from Afghanistan to create temporary mur Honoring Honar is now unfolding. The ArtLords are working at the museum with Tape Art founders Michael Townshend and Leah Smith to create 20 large adhesive-backed murals containing recreated fragments of ArtLords murals destroyed by the Taliban, including the Zohra mural. The public are invited to view artists progress at the museum through Friday, and the murals will be displayed throughout downtown Brattleboro from Saturday through Aug. 28. A map of all 20 murals will be available at the museum and elsewhere around town, with QR codes linked to images of the original murals in Afghanistan. The collaboration between ArtLords and Tape Art was the brainchild of the museums manager of education and community engagement programs Kirsten Martsi. I was having conversations with each of these groups about how BMAC could support their work, said Martsi, and then it dawned on me that a collaboration might be possible. Everyone liked the idea of working together, and we were off and running. More information about Honoring Honar is available at brattleboromuseum.org. Indonesian Beaches On The Air (iBOTA) ORARI members who are members of amateur radio portable Bali, held activities Indonesian Beaches On The Air (iBOTA) and Indonesian Temple On The Air (iTOTA) at Goa Lawah Beach and Temple, Klungkung Regency, Bali, Sunday, July 31 A translation of a post by the Indonesian national amateur radio society ORARI reads: Goa Lawah Beach tourist destination which is located in the Klungkung Area, is also close to other tourist attractions, namely Goa Lawah Temple, so that these 2 activities can be carried out properly in one day. The chair of ORDA Bali, I Gusti Ngurah Agung (YB9AG), expressed his joy on completion of this activity. "We always coordinate with the local Tourism and Culture Office, in every similar activity. ORARI has been working with the government for a long time to stimulate tourism." In addition to thanking the organizing committee and Amateur Radio who have participated, Agung also appealed, "So that amateur radio colleagues who like DX-Pedition, continue to explore, and broadcast interesting places in their territory through radio waves". he added. The head of the event organizer, Suhariyanto (YC9BQM), from the other end of the phone said, "There were 1,043 participants (chasers) who took part in the activity starting from 08.30 21.30 WITA. The number of activators who activate this activity is 8 people (iBOTA: 6, and iTOTA: 2 people). In this activity we use a Wire Dipole Antenna to transmit at a frequency of 40m. The place for this activity is also quite comfortable and strategic, we can hold two activities at once. Suhariyanto added, "This activity gives many benefits to our colleagues who have just joined ORARI. In addition to learning to operate HF radio, they also learn to be operators, especially how to deal with pile ups when calling to enter a frequency. We are also planning a similar activity in the near future." he concluded. YD1RDH/MU Source ORARI https://tinyurl.com/IARU-Indonesia Indonesian Beaches On The Air https://www.ibota.id/ 2022 Korean Film Festival (KFF) invites everyone to create wonderful bonds and beautiful memories as it comes back with live screenings after 2 years! Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) - Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) lets you experience the hidden Korean films which were released in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. These special set of films are here to start your journey of building new experiences, creating bonds, and discovering new goals. 2022 KFF presents Deliver Us From Evil (Director Hong Wonchan, 2020), Escape from Mogadishu (Director Ryu Seung-wan, 2021), The Novelists Film (Director Hong Sangsoo, 2021), Miracle: Letters to the President (Director Lee Janghoon, 2021), Snowball (Lee Woojung, 2021), The Day I Died (Director Park Jiwan, 2020), and Perhaps Love (Jo Eunji, 2021). For the first time in two years, these carefully selected films will be shown in selected 5 SM Cinemas around Metro Manila. Director Hong Wonchan is prominent among the so-called post-Korean film directors, and he has directed several hit films. Especially the 2022 KFF opening film Deliver Us From Evil attracted almost 4.36 million of Korean moviegoers in the midst of the pandemic in 2020. His debut film Office has also been invited to 68th Cannes Film Festivals midnight screening in 2015. He also wrote a few of his films and is dedicated to his own craft. An assasin (HWANG Jungmin) goes to Thailand in order to solve a kidnapping case linked to him, and finds himself chased by a man (LEE Jungjae) whose sibling he killed. Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM Mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 11 and August 13, 2022 at 6:10PM. Caught in the 1991 civil war in Somalia, Posted diplomats from North and South Korea turn to one another for a common goal: To escape from Mogadishu. Title: Escape From Mogadishu Director: RYU Seungwan Producer: KANG Hyejeong & LEE Gicheol Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM Mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 11 and August 13, 2022 at 12:00nn. Follows a best-selling writer stuck in a slump, he encounters an aspiring young writer who confesses his love for him. Title: Perhaps Love Director: JO Eunji Producer: BAEK Gyeongsuk Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM Mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 12 and August 14, 2022 at 4:10PM. To 18-year old Kang-yi, her friends So-young and Ah-ram are everything. Wanting to go somewhere foreign, she runs away from home with them, only to find a strange side of themselves and the balance of their friendship also tips in a weird way. Although they left home as one, but they eventually return home as three. Kang-yi wants nothing more than going back to how they were but thats easier said than done. Director Lee Woojung is a promising Female independent film director who continues to contribute to the Korean independent film industry. She started her career as an actress after studying theater and film in the university. She directed her first independent short film Neither to die nor to leave in 2012 and began to get more attention through her recent film Snowball. Title: Snowball Director: LEE Woojung Producer: KIM Hyungdae and BAEK Jaeho Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 12 and August 14, 2022 at 2:15PM. On a dark stormy night, a young girl disappears on an island, leaving her shoes on the cliff and her last will in her house. Due to the bad weather, a body has yet to be found. In the absence of the body, the case cannot be closed, but is simply dismissed as suicide. Detective Hyun-soo heads to the island to investigate the mysterious death of the girl. Title: The Day I Died : Unclosed Case Director: PARK Jiwan Producer: JANG Jinseung, GWON Namjin & KIM Hangil Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 11 and August 13, 2022 at 4:05PM. "The Miracle" is a fictional movie based on a true story. Based in the 1980's, the film tells the story of Jun Kyung, the math prodigy high school student. He and his older sister live in the roadless countryside North Gyeongsang Province. With the help of his girlfriend Ra Hee, Jun Kyung works together with Bo Kyung and the village people to create a train station. Title: Miracle : Letters to the President Director: LEE Janghoon Producer: YOOK Kyungsam Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM Mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 12 and August 14, 2022 at 12:00nn. A female novelist takes a long trip to visit a bookstore run by a younger colleague who has fallen out of touch. Then she goes up a tower on her own and runs into a film director and his wife. They take a walk in a park and meet an actress, after which the novelist tries to convince the actress to make a film with her. She and the actress get something to eat, and then revisit the bookstore where a group of people are drinking. The actress gets drunk and falls asleep. Title: The Novelist's Film Director: HONG Sangsoo Production Company: Jeonwonsa Film Co. Watch the 2022 Korean Film Festival feature, , FOR FREE at SM Megamall Cinema #2, SM Grand Central Cinema #3, SM Mall of Asia Cinema #5, SM North EDSA Cinema #6, SM Southmall Cinema #3 on August 11 and August 13, 2022 at 2:15PM. For more info, please visit phil.korean-culture.org Whilst reports have emerged that Gerard Pique has actually moved on from life with Shakira and already has a new partner, the custody battle involving the former high-profile couple is set to continue. The two parents have looked to put their children first as their split has played out in the public eye, however it is not yet clear just who will gain custody of the two youngsters. Pique and Shakira have two children together, and it is thought that the ongoing criminal investigation into the Colombian musician's tax affairs will damage her case. With this likely in mind, Argentine journalist, Javier Ceriani, has reported that the Colombian is seeking a possible truce with the Barcelona defender. "Shakira did not stop moving, she went to San Diego, Miami, Mexico and the children arrived in Barcelona exhausted," Ceriani told the Chisme No Like show via Caras. "The children went to their father's apartment, where he cheated on Shakira, and will spend 15 days there. "This is an agreement that she established with Pique, there is a supposed truce that is in negotiations." The U.S. blockade of Cuba fuels the fire that rages on in the country, despite denials by authorities in the United States. by Vijay Prashad and Manolo De Los Santos On August 5, a major oil storage facility in Matanzas, Cuba, 65 miles east of Havana, was hit by lightning. A tank that contained 25,000 cubic meters of crude oil caught fire after being struck. Since then, an enormous fire has been raging in Matanzas. Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Avalos Jorge, deputy head of Cubas fire department, said that it was impossible to estimate when the fire would be completely extinguished. This tremendous explosion and hard-to-control fire has led to several people being reported missing (including firefighters), many others injured with severe burns, and hundreds more evacuated from their homes. Cubas president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, rushed to Matanzas on August 6, interacted with the local officials who were trying to get the fire under control, met residents of the town, and the next day, interacted with the press and spoke about the heroic work done by the firefighters and the solidarity of the Cuban people. We are going to overcome this adversity, he said. Four of the eight tanks at the storage facility have been impacted by these fires. By August 8, Matanzas Governor Mario Sabines Lorenzo also confirmed that three tanks had been compromised. Clouds of dust now hover over the island. Elba Rosa Perez Montoya, Cubas minister of Science, Technology, and Environment (CITMA), said that scientists from various backgrounds were monitoring the situation to see if the smoke resulting from the fire will lead to any negative health effects for the residents of the surrounding areas. As of that point, she said, We have no evidence that there are effects on human health. Nonetheless, strange substances have been detected in the water supplies in Yumuri Valley, Matanzas. Diosdado Vera, an 89-year-old farmer, showed journalist Arnaldo Mirabal Hernandez the unusual color and odor of the water in an old bathtub that serves as the water source for her cows. There are approximately 3,200 particles in the air right now, said CITMA Minister Perez Montoya. The clouds have sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, among other substances that are falling on Matanzas, Mayabeque, and Havana. Meanwhile, Perez Montoya said that a team of scientists is investigating the strange substances found in the Yumuri Valley. This tragedy has also had immediate repercussions for the entire population in the province of Matanzas and the whole island of Cuba since it affects their electricity supply and access to health care, which already are strained under the weight of the U.S. blockade, due to lack of availability of spare parts and scarcity of medicines in Cuba, respectively. The fire has already led to the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant in Matanzas being out of service due to a shortage of water and the contamination of the water cycle. This will likely lead to severe electricity outages amid record heat waves this summer. Ricardo Ronquillo Bello, president of the Union of Cuban Journalists (UPEC), tweeted that this tragedy will be another test for Cuban journalism that will know how to honor with its humanism and social responsibility. Ronquillo was referring to the onslaught of fake news that swept through social media, leading to a sense of alarm during an already difficult period. In this dire crisis, the people of Cuba and their government have responded immediately, and this has resulted in on-site efforts to contain the fire, prevent a major environmental disaster, and keep the population safe. It has also led to a call for international aid and solidarity. The governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Chile and several others have promptly offered material aid, and some countries like Mexico and Venezuela have also sent experts and firefighters to confront this complex situation. Cubas Credit and Commerce Bank (Bandec) has set up an account so that people in the country can donate money to the people of Matanzas. Cuba is Matanzas, said President Diaz-Canel, in the context of both the impact of the fire on the entire island and the solidarity that is visible across Cuba. Sanctions The U.S. blockade of Cuba fuels the fire that rages on in the country, despite denials by authorities in the United States. The U.S. government has both been stiffening up the blockade of Cuba and denying that sanctions have any impact on the functioning of the country (in fact, in 2021, then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki had said that the problems in Cuba are not due to the U.S. sanctions but rather are due to the Cuban governments economic mismanagement). The U.S. Embassy in Havana has made assurances that the blockade authorizes U.S. entities and organizations to provide disaster relief and response. But organizations tell us that this is not the case, with the 243 sanctions imposed on Cuba working as a stranglehold against pursuing any activity in the country. Many of these organizations say that the process to send aid to Cuba is lengthy, with a licensing regime in place that requires expensive lawyers. Cubas inclusion in the state sponsors of terrorism list means that banks in both the United States and abroad are reluctant to process humanitarian donations. While Washington says one thing and does another, the firefighters in Matanzasaided by the reinforcements from Mexico and Venezuelahave been spraying foam on the fire to prevent it from spreading further, and helicopters have been pouring water on the other oil tanks to stop them from combusting. Even after the fire settles and the ashes remain, Cuba will struggle to rebuild these tanks and to solve its energy crisis. These are not merely domestic problems but rather are problems created and exaggerated by the harmful U.S.-imposed blockade that has been in existence for the past six decades. Not long after the lightning strike, users on social media shared the hashtag #FuerzaMatanzas (be strong, Matanzas) on various platforms. Within 24 hours, the hashtag was shared by nearly a billion users, according to Dayron Avello, social media manager at Clinica Internacional Camilo Cienfuegos. A billion people have signaled their support for Cuba, a solidarity the U.S. blockade is unable to prevent. This article was produced by Globetrotter. Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is an editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest books are Struggle Makes Us Human: Learning from Movements for Socialism and (with Noam Chomsky) The Withdrawal: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Fragility of U.S. Power. Manolo De Los Santos is the co-executive director of the Peoples Forum and is a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He co-edited, most recently, Viviremos: Venezuela vs. Hybrid War (LeftWord Books/1804 Books, 2020) and Comrade of the Revolution: Selected Speeches of Fidel Castro (LeftWord Books/1804 Books, 2021). He is a co-coordinator of the Peoples Summit for Democracy. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Thailand today evening from Singapore marking his third stop since he left the country a month back. He was granted entry following a request from the Sri Lankan government. Local media in Bangkok reported that he is believed to have arrived at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport around 8 pm Bangkok time, via a charter plane from Singapores Seletar airport. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said in a statement on Wednesday that temporary entry was granted on the grounds that he does not intend to seek political asylum. According to Tanee since the former president holds a diplomatic passport he is allowed to enter Thailand without a visa for 90 days. "The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought," Tanee was quoted as saying. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the media yesterday that permission was granted on humanitarian reasons. Mr Rajapaksa who left Sri Lanka on July 13 to the Maldives on an Air Force flight flew to Singapore on the following day. TDB VOLUNTEER PROGRAM VACANCY Established in 1985, the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank Group (TDB Group) is a multilateral, treaty-based, investment-grade development finance institution, with 41 sovereign and institutional shareholders and assets of approximately USD 8 billion. TDB Group is an autonomous COMESA-based institution and currently serves 22 economies in eastern and southern Africa region, with the mandate to foster trade, regional economic integration, and sustainable development. The TDB Volunteer Program is an initiative of TDB Group whose aim is to promote volunteerism as a mean for expanding and diversifying the talent pool available for the advancement of sustainable development in TDB Groups Member States. The TDB Volunteer Program seeks to attract qualified and highly motivated volunteers, with outstanding technical, professional and leadership qualities, to support the work of TDB Group through its various constituent business units and affiliated institutions. The TDB Volunteer Program is administered by the Trade and Development Fund (TDF), a subsidiary of TDB Group. TDB Volunteers are not TDB Group staff members. They are neither subject to the TDB Group Staff Manual (The Staff Rules, Regulations and Conditions of Services) nor to the pay, benefits, or other conditions contained therein. They are nevertheless TDB personnel and are governed by the terms of the Conditions of Service for TDB Volunteers (CSTV), including any amendments that may result from future revisions of the CSTV. Interested and qualified candidates who are nationals of TDB Member States are, therefore, invited to apply for the subject position, under the TDB Group Volunteer Program: JUNIOR LEGAL OFFICERS (NATIONAL TDB VOLUNTEERS) Job Summary The Junior Legal Officer (National TDB Volunteers) provides legal, administrative, and technical support to more senior lawyers in the Legal Department to advance TDB Groups operations, protect its interests, and mitigate legal risks. Job Specifications The key roles and responsibilities of the Junior Legal Officer include but are not limited to: Supporting senior lawyers in the Department with all aspects of legal due diligence, to identify and mitigate potential legal risks, and adhere to the Banks policies. Supporting all aspects of the Banks legal dispute resolution processes (litigation, mediation, arbitration, settlement negotiations, facility restructuring), to manage the Banks risks, minimize losses and enhance recoveries. Supporting with the taking, perfection and enforcement of collateral (administration, receiverships), to manage the Banks risks, minimize losses and enhance recoveries. Supporting various technical and clerical tasks in connection with the management and the closing of transactions handled by the Department (e.g., producing documents, making, and receiving phone calls, and preparing and sharing correspondence, routing of documents, processing instructions and invoices from external counsel, etc.). Preparing and processing legal documents for review and finalization by senior lawyers in the Department, to enhance the efficiency of the Departments operations. Drafting routine documents under supervision of more senior lawyers (e.g., non-disclosure agreements). Maintaining up-to-date monitoring checklists for transactions being handled. Monitoring pre-disbursement checklists and ensuring proactive engagements between various departments to ensure timely issuance of certificate of effectiveness. Maintaining legal files (both hard copy and electronic format) in accordance with the applicable Bank policies. Conducting legal research to assist with the preparation of reports, case files, or legal advice. Supports arranging meetings, preparation for meetings, and follow up tasks after meetings, to support the day-to-day activities of the Department. Supporting activities of the Departments Collateral Management unit. Supporting various operation-related projects and initiatives in the Department. Qualifications and Competencies A minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Law (LLB) from a recognized institution.Possession of Juris Doctors degree or a Masters degree in Law (LLM) as added advantage. Qualification to practice law in any jurisdiction relevant to the Banks business or in any of the Banks member countries with membership of relevant professional body such as bar association or law society. A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, including international work experience in a commercial, financial, or legal advisory institution and/or public sector financial body (e.g., international law firm, multi-national corporate, bank, insurance company, investment advisory firm, DFI, Ministry of Finance, National Treasury, Sovereign Wealth Fund). Proven track record and experience as a banking, finance, and corporate lawyer. Strong legal drafting, problem solving, negotiation, organizational and planning skills with the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment, manage dynamic priorities, and work under pressure to deliver on strict deadlines. A results-oriented individual with excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills. Fluency in English is a requirement for all Junior Legal Officers. Additionally, the Junior Legal Officers to be posted in Bujumbura and Kinshasa are also required to be fluent in French. Duty Station The duty station will be Kinshasa (DR Congo). Nationality The Junior Legal Officer must be a citizen of the duty station country. Application Procedure Application package should include a cover letter, resume, academic and professional certificates, full contact address, and three reference names and addresses. Every applicant must indicate in their cover letter the duty station for which they are applying. Interested and qualified candidates should express their interest by submitting their applications by 13th September 2022 (deadline extended) through TDB Career Website Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted further. TDB Group is an equal opportunities employer. Page Content Changing Places to be built at popular recreational venues in Perth and regional WA thanks to McGowan Government election commitment funding These specialist bathrooms provide suitable toilet and changing facilities for people with complex needs who cannot use standard accessible toilets New additions to the Changing Places network will open up travel options for people with disability wanting to visit new parts of the State Travelling around Western Australia is set to become easier for people with disability with a boost in the availability of accessible specialist toilet and changing facilities in metropolitan and regional areas. An additional 11 Changing Places will be built across WA thanks to an investment of $1.7 million, delivering on part of the $2 million McGowan Government election commitment to support the construction of additional Changing Places over the next two years. Changing Places are trademarked, specialist bathroom facilities for people who cannot use a standard or accessible toilet. They are dedicated, room-sized facilities that include a ceiling hoist, height-adjustable adult-sized change table and room for two carers to assist. Changing Places may also include a combined accessible shower facility and privacy screen to uphold the user's dignity. There are now 34 Changing Places across WA, with 22 in metropolitan Perth and 12 in regional centres. The successful funding recipients include: Ability Centre Australasia Ltd, for the construction of a Changing Places facility as part of the Murdoch Health and Knowledge precinct; City of Fremantle, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at South Beach; City of Mandurah, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at the Eastern Foreshore; City of Rockingham, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at Churchill Park; City of South Perth, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at Sir James Mitchell Park; Shire of Augusta-Margaret River, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at the Margaret River Recreation and Aquatic Centre; Shire of Broome, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at the Cable Beach Foreshore; Shire of Harvey, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at the Leschenault Leisure Centre; Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley, for the construction of a Changing Places facility at the Kununurra Leisure Centre; and City of Wanneroo, to purchase two pre-fabricated, portable 'Marveloos', to be situated at Quinns Beach and Kingsway while permanent Changing Places are built at these two locations and then used for festivals and events. Expanding the network of Changing Places across WA will encourage people with disability, their families and carers to enjoy their local community and visit other parts of the State. Comments attributed to Disability Services Minister Don Punch: "Expanding Western Australia's network of Changing Places has been one of my priorities in the Disability Services portfolio, and it is great to see so many popular locations across the State will now have Changing Places thanks to this election commitment. "An additional eleven Changing Places have been commissioned just this year, and they are fast becoming a more familiar part of the built environment across Western Australia. "Accessible tourism is an integral part of economic development in regional WA, and it is great to see new travel opportunities for people with disability opening up with so many of the Changing Places funded in this round in key tourist destinations." Minister's office - 6552 6900 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Sixteen male beagles that would have been test subjects are now waiting to find their forever homes after a short stay at the Humane Society of Midland County. The dogs are just a fraction of the 4,000 beagles that were rescued from an Envigo breeding and research facility in Virginia last month. On Monday, Humane Society director Beth Wellman drove to Virginia to bring 50 of them home to Midland. They had never spent any time outside of a cage, she said. For more information about humane society adoptions: https://hsomc.org/adopt See More Collapse All of the beagles are male and between seven-months to 1 year old. Wellman said the beagles they took in are of a healthy weight and in good condition, despite their unfortunate past. The dogs are fearful, but super happy, affectionate, playful, nice little dogs, she said. On Tuesday, people from all over Michigan lined up at the door of the Humane Society waiting to meet and play with the beagles. Jillian Cundiff, 12, took home a beagle she named, Bagel. When I saw him in his cage at first, he really liked to lick my hand, she said. He was mellow enough, but at the same time energetic enough, which I like. Cundiff's dad told her about the 4,000 beagles that needed homes. She convinced her mom to consider adopting one of them. After some research, they packed up the car with puppy supplies and drove from Ann Arbor to Midland to get their new furry friend. Melissa Tousley, from Fenton, drove 90 minutes to see the dogs. When I heard that a batch of puppies was coming here I was just so excited, Tousley said. I hope he adjusts well, but we're going to do everything we can to make sure that he does. These good boys have never been on walks, played with toys, or felt a loving human touch. Wellman said they will likely require extra patience and care. Whatever your expectations are, just reduce those even more, Wellman said to potential adopters. Be extremely patient with giving them all that time to learn, they didn't get any of that starting as puppies. The Humane Society of Midland County is one of many groups nationwide that have collaborated to absorb the beagles from the breeding facility, which was nowhere close to meeting the bare minimum of legal requirements for canine care. The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a federal investigation into the lab. Wellman said the Humane Society knew what to expect after doing a similar rescue of 40 dogs six weeks prior, which is also under investigation. They were terrified, Wellman said. And the second we put them down, they looked around and they sniffed, they all just took off running, so happy and so excited. She said many animal lovers in Michigan are trying to pass Teddys Law, which wouldnt vilify animal testing, but would allow lab animals at the end of their testing to be released to humane societies for a chance at life. Right now, all of those hundreds of animals used at laboratories in Michigan are euthanized, Wellman said. Giving them that chance at a life is the bare minimum that we can do for these animals. Thirty four of the beagles at the Humane Society were adopted within two days. People are going to think that that's really fast, but the dogs have spent enough time in a cage, Wellman said. Our facility is light years beyond what they've been living in so far, but nothing beats a home. About 35 people lined a sidewalk Tuesday at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce in Lansing to protest against Michigan's 2021 auto insurance reform. Passing cars and trucks honked horns and called out support to protesters with an advocacy group, We Can't Wait. "The Chamber, which should be supporting businesses, pours fuel on this fire to not allow a fix," reads a statement from the group that was created on behalf of auto crash survivors. We Can't Wait believes it should be in the interest of the Michigan Chamber to advocate for companies that have shut down or downsized due to the auto insurance reform, which took effect in July 2021. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce, which is at 600 South Walnut St., backed the reform. It's estimated about 100 agencies have closed or no longer accept no-fault clients. Photo Provided Related content Impacted crash survivors continue fight for Michigan auto reform The advocacy group for auto crash survivors, which connects people across Michigan online through Facebook, has launched a summer series in an effort to call attention to the negative impacts of the auto no-fault reform that passed in May 2019, because "survivors are degrading and eight have died." "Lives are being destroyed and the reform is not working," wrote the group in a press release, which was provided by Organizer Peggy Campbell. "Most lawmakers realize this and support change. Yet, 23 bills to remedy the devastation sit and are dying in the insurance committees because the Chamber funnels funds to top lawmakers to put up roadblocks for any changes." The Chamber provided the following statement on the Tuesday protest: Prior to the reforms, Michigans auto insurance system was broken and costly," it reads from Wednesday afternoon. "Those outcomes were clear: five decades of paying the highest rates in the nation and coverage was untenable and unaffordable for Michiganders and businesses. While no policy is ever perfect, the bipartisan reforms have largely worked $400 rebates for motorists, less expensive premium rates, more insured drivers, more competition and companies offering coverage, and less fraud and overcharging. At the same time, its essential that individuals needing care and coverage get it. Thats why the Michigan Chamber strongly supported the creation of a $25-million appropriation for long-term care providers struggling to transition or provide care under the reforms. According to We Can't Wait, two political action committees "connected to the influential business lobbying group Michigan Chamber of Commerce" were among the largest donors to lawmakers. A nonprofit watchdog group Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN) reported that groups entrenched in the fight over Michigans auto insurance laws combined to spend at least $4.5 million in support of current state officeholders over the last five years alone. The reform reduced reimbursements to the fee schedule by 45% and put a 56-hour limit on paid in-home care hours. This has affected the agencies, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, families that provide care. The 18,000 catastrophically injured survivors are greatly impacted, of those, 6,500 have spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries requiring 24/7 care. Thousands are left without adequate care. "The reform claimed it would lower insurance rates but Michigan still remains No. 1 in the country," reads a statement issued by We Can't Wait. "And Michigan, once a mecca for those with head and spinal cord injuries, watches its award-winning rehabilitation industry being destroyed for all Michiganders." One protester, Nick Long whose the Owner at NeuroCare Home Health, said he was told by a Chamber representative that employees were sent "home for the afternoon because of the protest." Sara Wurfel with the Michigan Chamber said the office was open. Like many employers, she said, the office is working a hybrid model with a combination of team members working in person and remotely. The Coleman Superintendent is anticipating a return this year with guaranteed operating funds and continued security measures. A majority of voters recently supported the operating fund and school resource officer renewal proposals on the primary ballot. Following primary election day, Coleman Community Schools Superintendent Jennifer McCormack hit the books to prepare for the upcoming school year with a feeling of security in terms of both finances and safety measures. "We were excited about the new year anyway. We've just got some really fantastic staff and just excited to see the kids again," she said, adding that she was prepping for the year as she spoke with the Daily News. "This certainly helps." The rural school district sought the funding for a period of 10 years, which was required by the state. The resource officer proposal comes from the County of Midland, which aims to ensure security measures at countywide public schools. Students will return to classes on Aug. 29, with an increased effort to support social emotional learning in light of the pandemic impacts on youth. McCormack said the general fund was healthy going into the academic year, but the proposal success helps ensure the "essentials" are provided. She said a few staff members have been added across the district to support both faculty and students. "(We are) really just pushing that money back towards staffing (and) anything that's going to support student achievement," said McCormack. Some of the highlights, mentioned by McCormack, include the following: Social work support time for students in need New psychologist added as a "tier one" measure to staff on site social emotional learning and other wellness support Added a dean of students to support both students and staff of K-12 buildings Additional electives and courses at the junior senior high Computer technology will have coding format capabilities Psychology and sociology will be available as electives, in addition to seventh graders having the option to take social emotional learning as an elective Strength training course added to high school District is working to refining art second level courses and Spanish 2 American Sign Language is returning The operating millage proposal was set to expire in 2022. The last time the district sought these funds was in 2012. "There's something about this year that is just exciting to me," she said. "We've had some time to regroup." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greek authorities say a search and rescue operation is ongoing for a second day for dozens of migrants missing after the boat they were on sank in rough seas off a southeastern Greek island. A Greek navy vessel and three nearby merchant ships were still searching Thursday for between around 25 to 45 people believed missing after the boat that had been carrying them from the Turkish coast of Antalya to Italy capsized in the early hours of Wednesday. Greece's coast guard said it had not located any further survivors since 29 men from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq were rescued shortly after the boat sank about 33 nautical miles (38 miles; 61 kilometers) southeast of the island of Karpathos and about 38 nautical miles south of Rhodes. The survivors told authorities there had been a total of between 60 and 80 people on board the boat. Two of the survivors were plucked from the sea by an air force helicopter and flown to Karpathos, while the remaining 27 were picked up by a merchant vessel and transported to the island of Kos, where they arrived Wednesday afternoon., the coast guard said. Separately, the Turkish coast guard said Wednesday it had rescued five people after a boat carrying migrants sank 40 nautical miles (46 miles, 74 kilometers) south of the Greek island of Rhodes. It said Turkish authorities directed a merchant vessel to the area, which picked up 27 survivors. Neither countrys coast guard mentioned rescue efforts by the other, and the Turkish coast guard wouldn't specify where the merchant ship sailed to after it had picked up the 27 people, but they were likely those mentioned by the Greek coast guard on board the ship that sailed to Kos. Greek authorities said the capsizing in international waters was within Greeces search and rescue responsibility area. Turkey's coast guard said it was conducting its own search in the Turkish search and rescue region. Video released by the Greek coast guard showed the 27 survivors being transferred from the merchant ship to a coast guard boat which then transported them to Kos. There, dressed in white coveralls and wearing masks, they disembarked, many of them limping but all walking unassisted, and headed to a waiting bus. Another video released by the Greek coat guard on Wednesday showed two men being winched from the sea into a helicopter, and later walking to an ambulance after arriving on land. It wasn't immediately clear why the boat sank, but weather conditions in the area were rough, with strong winds and choppy seas, authorities said. The most common sea route for asylum-seekers from the Middle East, Asia and Africa has been from Turkey to the nearby Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. But with Greek authorities increasing patrols in the area and facing persistent reports of summarily deporting new arrivals to Turkey without allowing them to apply for asylum, many are now attempting the much longer, and more dangerous, route directly to Italy. Greek authorities deny they carry out illegal summary deportations of asylum-seekers. In a separate case in northern Greece, police said three men were killed after being hit by a passenger train near the northern town of Drama. The three, believed to be migrants, had reportedly been sleeping on the train tracks when they were hit at 6:20 a.m. by a train heading from Drama to Thessaloniki. The train driver was arrested and released while an investigation is conducted. The driver told police he didn't have time to react after suddenly seeing the three men sleeping on the tracks. Authorities were working to establish the identities and nationalities of the three men. People hoping to claim asylum or make their way further into Europe often use train tracks to walk between cities or towards borders. ____ Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul, and Costas Kantouris in Thessaloniki, Greece, contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MIDDLETOWN School officials gathered outside the new Beman Middle School Thursday morning to laud the facility as one of the epicenters of innovation, creativity and equity. The world-class facility, which leaders said rivals other top schools across the state, serves sixth- through eighth-graders. It opened Sept. 9, 2021, replacing the aging former Woodrow Wilson Middle School next door. It is one of several epicenters of innovation, creativity and equity in our remarkable district and city, Superintendent of Schools Alberto Vazquez Matos said to those outside the 1 Wildermans Way building. The public schools are working to reverse the education slide that were realized during the challenges faced during the pandemic, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said. State grants supported the districts summer enrichment program, social and emotional development, and set them up for success, Bysiewicz explained. State Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, called Beman a world-class facility where he intends to send his young son in the future. What middle school student does not want to participate in an aerospace program or some of our labs? Board of Education Chairwoman Deborah Cain asked. We want to give our students a fun and innovative place to learn. Middle school is some of the toughest times in anybodys life: A lot of things happening, a lot of changes, Lesser, who has asked students how they are doing. Ill be honest with you, he explained. A lot of the students were scared. They had physical concerns looking at whats happening in other parts of the country but there were also clearly social-emotional pressures on those young people as they were growing up as well as precipitated by the pandemic. Middletown, one of the states 36 Alliance Districts, has so far been granted $6.2 million in funding. These funds go to school districts with the lowest Accountability Index measures in the state. The public schools combined funding it received for the summer enrichment program with federal COVID education funding, Commissioner of Education Charlene Russell-Tucker said. So, when you stop and think about it, Thats exactly what we talk about, she added. Learning innovation is that school ends, but it really is not done. Learning isnt finished. Brown and Black students comprise half of the citys middle school population,Vazquez Matos said. Its important to us that, when we plan, we plan with no assumptions, because Middletown is a diverse community, he said. We cannot assume that they have access to many of the materials or resources that are required for much of the content here, he added. Toward that effort, Vazquez Matos said, the schools recently shifted to trimester grading instead of a semester system. The new scheduling will allow students to select more courses, he added. The district also now has a social worker based in all the citys 10 schools. Thats part of the states youth mental health initiative, Bysiewicz said. Beman has received $45.8 million of state bond money, about half of the facilitys cost. The citys portion is $41.5 million. Officials toured the building and met a Geneva robot, 3-D printers and other incredible technology, said Bysiewicz, a resident who attended city schools along with her children. They also visited the innovation center, digital and printer labs and media center, These allow youth to get a head start on what the world of work looks like, she said. Bysiewicz, chairwoman of the Governors Council on Women and Girls, said only 25 percent of STEAM jobs are held by women. We want to make sure that our girls and young women are learning these subjects so they can get some of the best-paying jobs. This is a way to achieve pay equity, she added. The commissioner also spoke about the state Department of Educations newly launched PK-12 special school staff appreciation opportunity in collaboration with local businesses and state agencies. The promotion runs through Sept. 1. School faculty and staff can access a digital backpack to take advantage of discounts offered by local businesses, such as Perkatory Coffee Roasters and Story & Soil, as well as others statewide. WASHINGTON An off-duty Virginia police officer who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan, 6, 2021, with a fellow officer was sentenced Thursday to more than seven years in prison, matching the longest prison sentence so far among hundreds of Capitol riot cases. Former Rocky Mount Police Sgt. Thomas Robertson declined to address the court before U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper sentenced him to seven years and three months in prison. Cooper also sentenced Robertson to three years of supervised release after his prison term. Federal prosecutors had recommended an eight-year prison sentence for Robertson. His sentence equals that of Guy Reffitt, a Texas man who attacked the Capitol while armed with a holstered handgun. Robertson gets credit for the 13 months he has already spent in custody. Robertson has been jailed since Cooper ruled last year that he violated the terms of his pretrial release by possessing firearms. The judge said he was troubled by Robertson's conduct since his arrest not only his stockpiling of guns but also his words advocating for violence. After Jan. 6, Robertson told a friend that he was prepared to fight and die in a civil war and he clung to baseless conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen from then-President Donald Trump, the judge noted. Sentencing guidelines calculated by Cooper recommended a prison term ranging from seven years and three months to nine years. It's a long time because it reflects the seriousness of the offenses that you were convicted of, the judge said. In April, a jury convicted Robertson of attacking the Capitol to obstruct Congress from certifying Joe Bidens 2020 presidential victory. Jurors found Robertson guilty of all six counts in his indictment, including charges that he interfered with police officers at the Capitol and that he entered a restricted area with a dangerous weapon, a large wooden stick. Robertsons lawyers said the Army veteran was using the stick to help him walk because he has a limp from getting shot in the right thigh while working as a private contractor for the Defense Department in Afghanistan in 2011. The judge said he agreed with jurors that Robertson went to the Capitol to interfere with the joint session of Congress on Jan. 6. Robertson was an active and willing participant, not some bystander who got swept up in the crowd, Cooper said. Robertson traveled to Washington on that morning with another off-duty Rocky Mount police officer, Jacob Fracker, and a third man, a neighbor who wasn't charged in the case. Fracker was scheduled to be tried alongside Robertson before he pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in March and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities. Cooper is scheduled to sentence Fracker next Tuesday. Prosecutors have asked Cooper to spare Fracker from a prison term and sentence him to six months of probation along with a period of home detention or community confinement. They said Fracker's fulsome cooperation and trial testimony was crucial in securing convictions against Robertson. Robertson's lawyer, Mark Rollins, sought a prison sentence below two years and three months. He questioned the fairness of the wide gap in sentences that prosecutors recommended for Robertson and Fracker given their similar conduct. Robertson served his country and community with distinction, his lawyer told the judge. His life already is in shambles, Rollins said. Robertson and Fracker were among several current or former law enforcement officers who joined in the riot. Prosecutors say Robertson used his law enforcement and military training to block police officers who were trying to hold off the advancing mob. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Aloi said Robertson was prepared for violence when he went to the Capitol and did a victory lap inside the building, where he posed for a selfie with Fracker. The defendant is, by all accounts, proud of his conduct on Jan. 6, she said. Jurors saw some of Robertsons posts on social media before and after the riot. In a Facebook post on Nov. 7, 2020, Robertson said being disenfranchised by fraud is my hard line. Ive spent most of my adult life fighting a counter insurgency. (Im) about to become part of one, and a very effective one, he wrote. In a letter addressed to the judge, Robertson said he took full responsibility for his actions on Jan. 6 and any poor decisions I made. He blamed the vitriolic content of his social media posts on a mix of stress, alcohol abuse and submersion in deep rabbit holes of election conspiracy theory. I sat around at night drinking too much and reacting to articles and sites given to me by Facebook algorithms, he wrote. The town fired Robertson and Fracker after the riot. Rocky Mount is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Roanoke, Virginia, and has about 5,000 residents. Roughly 850 people have been charged with federal crimes for their conduct on Jan. 6. More than 350 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanor offenses, and more than 230 have been sentenced so far. Robertsons jury trial was the second for a Capitol riot case; Reffitts was the first. Jurors have unanimously convicted seven Capitol rioters of all charges in their respective indictments. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they're published. This article is co-published with The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan local newsroom that informs and engages with Texans. Sign up for The Brief weekly to get up to speed on their essential coverage of Texas issues. U.S. Army soldiers accused of sexual assault are less than half as likely to be detained ahead of trial than those accused of offenses like drug use and distribution, disobeying an officer or burglary, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune. The news organizations obtained data from the Army on nearly 8,400 courts-martial cases over the past decade under the Freedom of Information Act and analyzed a process known as pretrial confinement. The resulting investigation of the nation's largest military branch revealed a system that treats soldiers unevenly and draws little outside scrutiny. What Is Pretrial Confinement? When service members are accused of crimes, their commanders, who aren't required to be trained lawyers, get to decide whether they are detained before they go to trial. Here are the main findings from the investigation: 1. Soldiers Accused of Sexual Assault Are Placed in Pretrial Confinement at Lower Rates than Those Charged with Some More Minor Offenses. On average, soldiers had to face at least eight counts of sexual offenses before they were placed in pretrial confinement as often as those who were charged with drug or burglary crimes, the news organizations found. That disparity has grown in the past five years. The rate of pretrial confinement more than doubled in cases involving drug offenses, larceny and disobeying a superior commissioned officer, but it remained roughly the same for sexual assault, according to the analysis. "Justice that's arbitrary is not justice," said Col. Don Christensen, a former chief prosecutor for the Air Force. "It shouldn't come down to the whims of a particular commander." 2. Use of Pretrial Confinement Varies from One Army Post to Another. As a whole, the Army has used pretrial confinement in about 1 in every 10 cases handled by the branch's highest trial courts over the last decade, but some posts employ it at a significantly lower rate than others, the news organizations found. For example, at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, defendants were confined ahead of trial 5% of the time in cases involving sexual assaults, while soldiers at another large Texas installation, Fort Hood, were confined almost 12% of the time in the same type of cases. 3. Across the Army, Soldiers Charged with Drug Crimes Are Confined at an Especially High Rate. More than 1 in 6 Army drug cases that went to courts-martial in the past decade involved a defendant who was put in pretrial confinement, twice the rate of sexual offense cases. Aniela Szymanski, a private attorney and U.S. Marine Corps Reserve judge advocate, said commanders often interpret drug use as jeopardizing the morale or safety of the unit, whereas they tend to view sexual assaults as a conflict between two people. "I think that's going to take some time for commanders to grow into having the same knee-jerk reaction to sexual assault offenses as they do to drug offenses," she said. 4. The Army's Justice Process Is Different from the Civilian One. Take the case of Christian Alvarado, an Army private first class at Fort Bliss who admitted in a sworn statement to sexually assaulting a fellow soldier in December 2019. "She was drunk and so was I," Alvarado wrote in July 2020. "We had sex, but she passed out." On the same day, Alvarado acknowledged that he had sex with another woman while she was intoxicated, which he said was wrong. He would not agree to a sworn statement about the second allegation because he said he believed it would just be "icing on the cake." At the end of the interrogation, Alvarado's commanders didn't place him in detention or under any restrictions beyond the orders he had already received to stay at least 100 feet away from the two women who had accused him of assault, according to records. A month later, Alvarado assaulted another woman. Had Alvarado's case been handled by civilians and not the military, his written admission could have been enough evidence to quickly issue an arrest warrant and bring a criminal charge, according to two lawyers who previously worked for the El Paso County district attorney's office. "I would have felt comfortable charging at that point," said Penny Hamilton, who led the Rape and Child Abuse Unit at the district attorney's office and later served as an El Paso County magistrate judge. In Texas' civilian system, Alvarado would have then gone before a magistrate judge, who could set a bail amount in the tens of thousands of dollars. He'd only be released if he could pay the bond. The military justice system has no bail. Many decisions about who should be detained for serious crimes before trial are made not by judges but by commanders, who are not required to be trained lawyers. The Army eventually charged Alvarado with the three sexual assaults in late October 2020 and ordered him to stay 100 feet away from the third woman to accuse him. Still, he was not detained. Lt. Col. Allie Scott, a former Fort Bliss spokesperson, said that the conditions to justify placing Alvarado in pretrial confinement were not met after the three assault accusations. She declined to answer additional questions seeking clarification, saying Fort Bliss would not comment on internal deliberations. In June 2021, a military judge found Alvarado guilty of sexually assaulting two women, strangling one of them and lying to investigators. He was sentenced to 18 years and 3 months in a military prison and a dishonorable discharge. His case is under appeal. Alvarado told the newsrooms he was innocent but declined to answer specific questions. 5. Despite Calls for Reforms, Commanders Still Control Many Parts of the Military Justice System. Congress passed reforms last year that stripped commanders of some of their powers related to certain serious crimes. The law created a new office of military attorneys, giving them, and not commanders, the power to prosecute cases such as sexual assault, domestic violence, murder and kidnapping. But commanders retained prosecutorial control over other offenses. They also still control who is placed in pretrial confinement in all cases, serious and minor. Army officials defended the system. They said that soldiers accused of violent offenses aren't necessarily more likely to get pretrial confinement. "The nature of the offense is one factor to consider in a decision to put someone in pretrial confinement, but it is not the sole factor," said Lt. Col. Brian K. Carr, chief of the operations branch at the Office of the Judge Advocate General's Criminal Law Division, in an email. Characteristics of individual soldiers and their willingness to follow orders are also important factors, Carr said. He said that, under military regulations, commanders must first decide whether there's good reason to believe that a soldier committed a crime and is either likely to flee before trial or engage in serious criminal misconduct. Commanders have to consider if other restrictions, such as directing soldiers to remain in military housing or requiring regular check-ins with superiors, are sufficient to keep them out of trouble. They should also weigh a soldier's military service record, character, mental condition and any previous misconduct. William Dorsey was just a baby when his uncle, U.S. Army Pvt. Carl G. Dorsey, was declared missing in action in World War II in December 1944. Now, nearly 80 years later, Carl Dorsey is coming home. He will be buried Sept. 3 in Grenola, Kansas. Dorsey's remains were identified in June after they were unearthed in July 2021 from a cemetery in Belgium, according to a news release from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The agency's website says it is tasked with "recovering American military personnel listed as prisoners of war or missing in action from designated past conflicts, from countries around the world." Dorsey was 19 and assigned to company I, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, his army personnel record shows. He and his unit saw combat in the Hurtgen Forest near Grosshau, Germany in December 1944, the month he was declared missing in action. He was declared killed in action Dec. 5, 1945, according to the release. After the war in 1946, unidentified remains were found near Grosshau. An agency historian studying American losses in the Hurtgen area between 1946 and 1950 indicated that a set of unidentified remains could be from Dorsey, who was declared non-recoverable in December 1950. Those remains had been buried at an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Belgium in 1950, the release said. The remains were identified by scientists using "dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence," the release said. Ian Spurgeon is an agency historian who worked to identify and account for Dorsey's remains. He, along with a dozen other historians and analysts, have been working on about 20,000 thousand cases of Americans missing in Europe and the Mediterranean. "Our agency's role is to identify as many as 200 soldiers worldwide every year. Dorsey was a case that I originally looked into. It took me about four years from when I finished my initial research into the identification," said Spurgeon, a Kansas native. "There is always that sense of connection when I see that one of us researchers has been working on data and finally getting to see photographs and realizing that these are cases close to where my family started," Spurgeon said. Spurgeon, 45, of Wichita, graduated from Augusta High School and then went on to attend Kansas State University. Spurgeon and his family left Kansas in 1999 and eventually settled in Washington D.C. "It's exciting to see that a couple hundred Kansans have been identified and brought back to Kansas. That's where it really hits home," Spurgeon said. William Dorsey said he is proud of his uncle. "It is so good to know what happened. ... That he died in battle and that he sacrificed his life to keep our country free." Dorsey grew up a farm boy, said his nephew, who is now 80 and lives in Frisco, Texas. "As far as I know he helped out on the farm in Moline, Kansas with his dad, James Bennett. My grandpa James was a farmer. He grew watermelons and would take them to various cities where they had auctions and trade and sell goods," he said. Dorsey's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margarten, Netherlands. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for, the release said. A funeral service will be held for Dorsey at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 3 at the Hillside Funeral Home West, 2929 W. 13th N. in Wichita. A graveside service with full military honors will be held at 2 p.m. at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Grenola, Kansas that same afternoon. (c) 2022 The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A federal appeals court has ruled that a civil sexual assault case filed by former Army Col. Kathryn Spletstoser against retired Air Force Gen. John Hyten can proceed, rejecting the government's arguments about immunity from lawsuits. The ruling not only allows a lawsuit that seeks thousands of dollars in damages from a man who was once one of the highest-ranking officers in the military, it could also smooth the way for future, similar lawsuits. The core of the argument put forward by Department of Justice lawyers was that Spletstoser was unable to sue Hyten -- the former vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- because he was protected by a long-standing legal principle known as the Feres Doctrine. Read Next: In the Army, Youre More Likely to Be Detained for Drugs Than Sexual Assault The Feres Doctrine prevents service members from suing the government over injuries suffered as a result of their military service. It has most often been used to limit medical malpractice suits. Applied in this case, it meant that the government was effectively arguing that Spletstoser's sexual assault was an inherent part of military service and, as a result, civilian courts were not empowered to intervene. Lawyers for the government told the judges at the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that "Feres required the district court to decline [Spletstoser's] invitation to second-guess the military's disciplinary investigation and conclusion." The appeals court, however, sided with original district court ruling and remarked that they "'cannot fathom' how the alleged sexual assault in this case could ever be considered an activity 'incident to [military] service.'" Don Christensen, a former Air Force chief prosecutor and current president of advocacy group Protect Our Defenders, which filed a brief in support of Spletstoser's case, called the 9th Circuit's ruling "huge." "It is just common sense, and it's good to see a court use common sense to say sexual assault is not incident to service," Christensen said in a phone interview with Military.com. "It's a huge day for survivors." While he did not have a total number of cases off the top of his head, Christensen said the Feres Doctrine has "definitely" been used in other sexual assault cases before. The ruling should now be precedent for other cases within the 9th Circuit's jurisdiction and is "so solid," it could be "persuasive" in other circuits too, he said. But to become the law of the land, the Supreme Court would have to rule on the case. Christensen said he expects that the Justice Department will appeal to the Supreme Court, but that he could also see the government being worried about setting precedent for the entire country. Military.com contacted the Department of Justice but did not receive a comment in time for publication. Spletstoser first went public with allegations against Hyten after he was nominated to be vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs in 2019. Spletstoser, first to Air Force and congressional investigators and then in a lawsuit filed in November 2019, alleged there were multiple instances of unwanted kissing, hugging and rubbing up against her while she served under Hyten at U.S. Strategic Command in 2017. In one incident described by Spletstoser, Hyten allegedly visited Spletstoser in her hotel room while they were at a conference in California and pressed up against her while kissing her, then ejaculated on her. Hyten has flatly denied the allegations, telling lawmakers during his confirmation hearing that "these allegations are false" and "nothing happened, ever." An Air Force investigation did not find corroborating evidence to charge Hyten. Following the investigation, the Senate ultimately confirmed him as vice chairman. But Spletstoser has maintained the veracity of her allegations, saying along with her supporters that the investigation did not clear Hyten because it is not the Air Force Office of Special Investigations' job to make a determination of guilt and that the investigation was not fully independent because it was overseen by another general in a small community of Air Force four-stars. A couple of months after Hyten's confirmation, Spletstoser filed the civil lawsuit, which has been working its way through the legal system ever since. In fall 2020, Hyten and the government tried to get the case dismissed for lack of jurisdiction or have it transferred to Nebraska -- the state where both were stationed at the time of the alleged assault. Neither move was successful, leading to the appeal. Christensen said the 9th Circuit was "particularly well suited" to accepting Spletstoser's legal team's arguments. "Some courts are way too quick to punt on critical rulings by saying, 'Well, you know, this is a military issue. We're not qualified to address it,'" he said. "Which is great if you're talking about plans to invade a country or training, but it's nonsensical when it comes to issues like sexual assault." In its opinion, released Thursday, the appeals court noted that the Feres Doctrine was far from absolute and, in fact, required that several details of Spletstoser's allegations be factored into their decision to rule in her favor. The court noted that "the off-base location weighs against application of the Feres doctrine" and that "Spletstoser, preparing for bed in her private hotel room, 'was in the same position as any civilian would have been at the time.'" Both reference the 2017 incident in the California hotel room while both officers were attending a conference. "One would be hard pressed to conclude that a tortious sexual assault is in any way incident to 'a decision requiring military expertise or judgment,'" the court noted. "Frankly, it would be a highly unusual circumstance when a sexual assault consisting of the facts alleged by Spletstoser would further any conceivable military purpose, and thus be considered incident to military service." Both Spletstoser and Hyten have since retired from the military. Hyten declined to pursue a second term as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs just weeks after the district court declined to drop the lawsuit. -- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: What a General's Court-Martial Means for the Military's 'Old Boys' Club' Read the original article on Business Insider. The past year has been hard on the carrier aviation community. Since November, three fighter jets two of them highly advanced stealth aircraft worth some $300 million have gone overboard due to accidents aboard aircraft carriers. The string of mishaps shows how tricky it can be to operate an aircraft aboard an aircraft carrier. Costly oversights The incidents began in the Mediterranean Sea in mid-November. The Royal Navy flagship, the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, was returning to the UK after its maiden operational deployment, during which it sailed to the Pacific and back. During what was supposed to be a routine training flight under sunny Mediterranean skies, an F-35B Lighting II stealth fighter jet crashed, going into the water after it left the carrier's deck. The HMS Queen Elizabeth is a short takeoff, barrier arrested recovery carrier that has a ramp to help aircraft take off. A leaked video of the mishap shows the jet decelerating as it approaches the ramp the worst possible time for that to happen. Thankfully, the pilot managed to eject seconds before the F-35B hit the water. An investigation found that the crew had forgotten to remove an engine blank essentially a cover which is meant to protect the engine from weather and debris when it isn't operating. With an estimated cost of roughly $100 million for each F-35B, this turned out to be an expensive engine blank. "There are multiple people that are supposed to look the jet over before takeoff. To not catch the engine blank in the intake is just purely an oversight that shouldn't ever happen," said Tony Rich, a former US Marine sergeant who served as a mechanic on the AV-8B Harrier II, the predecessor to the F-35B. "Like so many things, 999 times out of 1,000, you get away with it because someone had your back or someone saw it in time, but the 1,000th time" it will get you, Rich, now a news editor at Sandboxx News, told Insider. Multiple screwups An F-35C Lightning II, assigned to the Argonauts of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, launches off the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Jan. 9, 2021. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Larissa T. Dougherty) The next mishap took place in the South China Sea in January. The pilot of a US Navy F-35C Lighting II stealth fighter jet appeared to misjudge his approach and hit the edge of the flight deck on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. The F-35C was recovered after a deep-salvage operation right under the nose of the Chinese Navy but using a Chinese-built ship to lift the jet from 12,400 feet below the surface. The deployment aboard the Vinson was a first for the F-35C, which costs roughly $100 million each, making it an expensive loss for the Pentagon. As if in a good novel, the last in this string of mishaps took place back in the Mediterranean. On July 8, an F/A-18E Super Hornet aboard USS Harry S. Truman was blown off the ship after an unexpected storm caused heavy, rolling seas. According to the Navy, one sailor was injured but is expected to recover fully. The jet was recovered this month, but the incident is still under investigation. At the time of the mishap, the carrier was conducting an underway replenishment, a tricky operation in which a supply ship sails alongside a warship and pallets of supplies are sent across on cables. "I'm sure things weren't done perfectly," Rich said of the F/A-18 mishap, noting that it was always possible that the jet had just returned to the deck or was being towed into position. Some of the chains used to tie down jets on carrier decks "are ancient," Rich added. "They break. It happens. Plus if it was blown but rolled on its wheels overboard (as opposed to rolled wing over wing), that would mean someone screwed up in terms of not building the brake pressure, which, honestly, happens all the time." Rich said that the mishap is similar to the British F-35B accident in the sense that it probably took "multiple people screwing up." 'If it doesn't grow, it goes' Sailors man a phone-and-distance line on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) during a replenishment-at-sea with USNS Robert E. Peary, June 10, 2022. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Charles Blaine) Like on any runway, debris of any kind is a big no-go on an aircraft carrier's flight deck. "A pebble or a tiny washer or nut is enough to bring down an entire aircraft," Rich said, adding that the crew does a foreign object discovery walk, or FOD Walk, at the beginning and end of every shift. Crews also monitor their work areas for any foreign objects and have to account for all tools, regardless of size, before and after each task and at the beginning and end of each shift. A missing wrench can ground an entire squadron for safety reasons. Foreign objects don't appear to have been involved in the recent mishaps, but there are other complicating factors that make life for naval aviators and crews that much harder. One of the most prominent in recent years has been heightened operational tempos. "Operations and maintenance control are always battling to keep jets up so pilots can get the training they need. Quality assurance is always battling to make sure everything is done deliberately and by the book. Sometimes the pressure to maintain the flight schedule causes corners to get cut," Rich said. Combat operations like those conducted by Navy and Marine pilots in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria can lead to higher operational tempos, as can strict training regimes. Whatever the cause, higher tempos can lead to fatigue and complacency. Fatigue has been cited as a cause for fatal incidents involving US Navy ships. The maintainers and pilots chosen for deployments are generally more experienced, Rich said, "so a lot of time I'd say it's just fatigue and complacence that can get the best of a crew, just like any other job." Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. COPENHAGEN, Denmark Western countries agreed Thursday to continue long-term funding to help Ukraines military keep fighting nearly 5 months after Russia invaded its neighbor, saying 1.5 billion euros ($1.5 billion) has been pledged so far and more is coming. The money is for enhancing armaments production, including artillery and ammunition; developing and strengthening the training of Ukrainian soldiers and assisting Ukraines efforts to demine areas. All the countries that came to Copenhagen came with the intention of supporting Ukraine, Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov said at the end of the one-day meeting of 26 nations and the European Union. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the meeting proved that Russian President Vladimir Putins ambition (of the West losing its willingness to support Ukraine) has failed. We are still determined, Wallace said. The 1.5 billion euros included donations by the U.K., Denmark and Norway but it will grow, Bdskov said, adding "some of the countries need to go back home and get the support of their parliaments." Bdskov said that money alone will not do the trick, as you say, we need increased productions. He thanksed Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic for signaling a willingness to expand production of artillery systems, ammunitions and other equipment. At the conference, Norway said it would help train Ukrainian troops in Britain. Sweden and Finland earlier said they would do the same. Iceland will assist demining efforts in Ukraine by training trainers, its foreign minister said. In a live feed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations to provide more money, saying the sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe. We need armaments, munitions for our defense, he said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference, declined to give details on what weapons his country will get. The conference, co-hosted by Denmark, Britain and Ukraine, followed an April meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany that established the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which coordinates international military support for Ukraine. Britain on Thursday announced that it will send more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine to help it resist Russias invasion. The new weapons, whose number wasn't specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems it gave Ukraine earlier this year. Ukrainian troops have been trained in Britain to use them. Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putins invasion, Wallace, the defense chief, said. Before the conference, Denmark said it would give Ukraine an extra 820 million kroner ($113 million), which would bring Denmarks total contribution to more than 3 billion kroner ($413 million). Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it a huge donation. Part of the money will pay for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram said there was still unwavering Western support for Ukraine. It is decisive for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian attack," Arild Gram said. The Kyiv School of Economics released a report Wednesday assessing the cost of war damage to Ukraines infrastructure at more than $110 billion. The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities were either destroyed or damaged. Jill Lawless in London and James Brooks in Copenhagen contributed to this report. For decades, the Tailhook Association was the top professional association for naval and Marine Corps aviators. Its annual Naval Aviation Symposium became one of the biggest and most important gatherings for Navy officers. What began as a way for current and former military pilots to get together, share stories and reconnect in the mid-1950s grew to a semi-official event within five years. But it was not long after that, the unofficial after-hours events became the real draw for the Navy's brass. And it all came crashing down in 1991. Related: 'Top Gun' Boosted Recruiting and Brought the Tailhook Scandal. So What Happens After the Blockbuster Sequel? That's when allegations emerged that the drunken activities of Tailhook attendees crossed a line, with Navy and Marine Corps officers accused of sexually assaulting 83 women and seven men, according to an official investigation of what happened. Investigators later said the out-of-control revelry had Hollywood inspiration: "Top Gun." Released five years prior, it had already become a cult classic within the Navy. The free-wielding "Maverick," played by Tom Cruise, gave the impression that this kind of thing was totally fine. "Some senior officers blamed the younger officers for rowdy behavior and cited a 'Top Gun' Mentality," according to the investigators' report. "The movie fueled misconceptions on the part of junior officers as to what was expected of them and also served to increase the general awareness of naval aviation and glorify naval pilots in the eyes of many young women." So what happened? The Tailhook Association held its 1991 symposium at the Las Vegas Hilton from Sept. 5-7. Still riding high from victory in the recent Gulf War, its 4,000 attendees were understandably jubilant. A full third of the United States' naval aviators were among those attending presentations from defense contractors, panel forums and banquets. Among the visitors expected to speak were three former Gulf War prisoners of war; the Navy's top officer, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Frank Kelso; and Secretary of the Navy Henry L. Garrett III. "Tailhook," as it was informally called, was kind of a big deal. The real draw for some of the Navy's aviators was the Hilton's third-floor hospitality suites, after the official functions of the symposium had concluded for the day. It was well-known among attendees that the third floor could get rowdy, out of control and crowded with drunken pilots. The hotel's third-floor hallway was even dubbed "the Gauntlet." The Gauntlet may have been the primary problem for Tailhook '91, but it was by no means the only problem area. It first appeared at the 1986 Tailhook Symposium, and by 1991, it was packed with hundreds of young, mostly male Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force pilots, drinking and singing songs. Navy squadrons footed the booze bill, which could run upward of $7,000 per suite per day. Officers were drinking from dispensers shaped like a rhino penis while intoxicated attendees were known for stripping down and streaking through the parties. Inside the suites were strippers and scantily clad bartenders, and even porn films were being screened. Just another night in Las Vegas turned into three nights of booze-fueled revelry that plotted a course south when a woman had to walk down the hallway. Female Hilton employees were advised to avoid the area at all costs during the Tailhook Convention, but female conference attendees weren't always so lucky. The morning after Tailhook's first night was when the accusations began. Several dozen women reported being fondled, groped or assaulted after being forced to "run the Gauntlet" during the conference. The first to blow the whistle on the affair was then- Lt. Paula Coughlin. Coughlin later reported that her clothes were ripped off, and she feared being gang-raped before she managed to escape to an empty suite. The next morning, she had breakfast with her direct superior, Rear Adm. Jack Snyder. She told the admiral what happened to her on the third floor the previous night. His response: "Well, that's what you get for going down a hallway of a bunch of drunken aviators." That response wasn't acceptable to Coughlin. When she returned to her home duty station of Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center, Maryland, she brought it to Snyder again. The admiral promised to send it up the chain of command through letters, but at the end of September 1991, they had still not been delivered. Coughlin sent the letters herself. It took just more than a month to get someone to pay attention. By Oct. 11, 1991, the Naval Investigative Service (NIS) opened an investigation into her allegations. By the end of the month, senators like John McCain, a former naval aviator, were discussing the allegations on the Senate floor. Rear Adm. Snyder would become the first to face the fallout of what would be known as the "Tailhook Scandal." He was relieved of his command of Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center. There was more to come. The Navy soon cut its connection with the Tailhook Association. The NIS investigation found 25 victims of sexual assault and mentioned four suspects by name. The House and Senate Armed Services Committees weren't satisfied with the result of that investigation and charged the Department of Defense inspector general with conducting one of its own. On April 23, 1993, the DoD inspector general released its report, finding 83 women and seven men who were assaulted during the Tailhook Symposium. The bulk of the victims were civilians who were unconnected to the military, along with female government employees and military spouses. Three hundred officers were identified as having committed some sort of offense over the weekend, but only 140 were referred for disciplinary action. None of them went to trial, and most were given non-judicial punishments, fines, official reprimands and, at worst, demotions. None were charged with sexual assault, instead facing charges of indecent exposure, conduct unbecoming an officer and making false official statements. Coughlin resigned from the Navy in May 1994, amid claims she was being harassed and abused for blowing the whistle on the partiers. She sued both the Tailhook Association and the Las Vegas Hilton. The Tailhook Association would settle out of court for $400,000, while the Hilton would be found negligent of providing adequate security for attendees. The hotel was forced to pay Coughlin more than $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. -- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook. Want to Learn More About Military Life? Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, Military.com has you covered. Subscribe to Military.com to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox.. The Marlins signed pitcher Josh Rogers to a minor league contract this afternoon, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. The southpaw wasted no time getting into action with his new club, as he took the ball this evening for Triple-A Jacksonville. Rogers has appeared in the majors in four of the past five seasons. The Louisville product debuted with the Orioles in 2018 and ultimately made eight appearances with Baltimore between 2018-19. After not appearing in the majors in 2020, he resurfaced late last season with the Nationals. Rogers pitched to a 3.28 ERA in six starts down the stretch, earning himself a 40-man roster spot throughout the winter. The 28-year-old didnt replicate last years strong work, however. He allowed a 5.13 ERA over 26 1/3 innings, striking out only 10.6% of batters faced. He surrendered six home runs in his big league stint and gave up seven longballs in just 12 1/3 frames at Triple-A Rochester. The Nats designated Rogers for assignment amidst their roster shuffle at the trade deadline, and he elected minor league free agency after going unclaimed on waivers. Theres no sugarcoating how rough Rogers numbers this year have been, but hes only a year removed from a solid season. In addition to his quality work with the Nats last September, he posted a 3.70 ERA across 73 innings in Rochester in 2021. Rogers sits in the 89-90 MPH range with his fastball and doesnt miss many bats, but hes a quality strike-thrower whos gotten a decent number of pop-ups. He adds an experienced depth option to the upper levels of the Miami farm system, one capable of working either out of the rotation or multi-inning relief. The effect of colonisation, self hate and us despising our art and indirectly ourselves. The white man is better is a phrase we often tell ourselves. I love European castles and European architecture, modern and new. Though some buildings aren't the best, especially those built for those of the lower classes called ghettos, projects and the ends. However they still tell a story, one were society hasn't thought those inhabits worthy to be part of stable structures. One where the inhibants have to live in broken structures. The ancient buildings tell the story of Europe's past of love for art, royalty, religion, domination and map Western countries history. New upmarket buildings tell the story of wealth and a new age. Architecture and Art tell stories of a people, a society, mindsets, ideology, history and time. The physical is an exploration of the mental and spiritual. Just like buildings and landscapes are an exploration of the mental and spiritual, clothes are too. High fashion is either purchased by those who are wealthy and use luxury items to display their wealth, or those who aspire to that status however don't have the financial means, who feel close enough by buying those clothes Fast fashion ( even though many luxury and high fashion clothes are produced in the same way) is purchased by those on a lower budget usually. Independent or eco friendly clothes are usually purchased by those who want to stand out from the crowd or are environmentally conscious, regardless in the West they are proud of clothing which represents their identity, as well as art, culture and architecture which represent them. In Ghana and many African countries it is not so. We would rather copy Western styles at the expense of our own, we would rather by second hand (obroni wawu) or European clothes at the expense of our own, we would rather showcase a history and legacy of colonisation subconsciously at the expense of our own culture, history, architecture and art. Ghana ye wo ade oye. We have good things. We could use them to attract tourism and other things to boost the economy. For example, The Accra Mall and New Airport could have been designed with something like Kente or Adrinka symbols, or in a hut like fashion to show the world this is Ghana. However all we have to show is escalators and something mediocre compared to an European Airport, the malls are also mediocre compared to what they are copying. An imitation will never beat the original. In England there is a place called Norwich and in that city there is a mural declaring it to be the city of stories. Let us make Ghana and the different regions feel like home to the people who live there and that will attract tourists. Our markets could be built in a way that reflect our ancient wonderful markets and also showcase market women had a great part to play in Ghana's independence. The Kayeyei's and men who help out with goods could have their own section built for them where visitors could go and consult their services for a fee( built with our ancient structures in mind, for example a modern stable hut) They could even wear traditional attire in unison to attract tourists even more. The hawkers who sell on the street could have shelters they sleep in the night, and in the morning have their lwn sections to sell to people and tourists would find it interesting. Our slave castle, ancient sites etc can have something showing them with Ghanaian flavour. To make landmarks only for the rich and powerful is not right. Instead of wasting money on an unnecessary National Cathedral and ridiculous buildings why don't we invest in making modern huts or buildings with an African twist for those living in shanty towns and slums, in our roads, our government offices, schools, in important projects. In rebranding churches and other religious organisations that already exist, as that's the soul of many people. Let us promote kente and national cloth, let us promote the adrinka symbols on our national buildings, artefacts, art etc, let us show our ancestors creativity. Let's allow the brilliant artists in Ghana to shine, even in the villages and shanti towns we have incredible artists, architects and crafts men but because our country has become a space only unaffordable education is appreciated we have let our talented people down. I mean our ancestors didn't go to university or school. Nevertheless look at all the incredible things they did, how smart they were, how intelligent they were. The ashanti's had colours to say they were the rich, black man in the forest, out of looking at spiders weaving kente was born, the adinkra symbols were born from our ancestors, all tribes have incredible art and architecture. Let's stop this nkrasesem and nkrasefour because to be honest most of us are not seeing any results from the ladies and gentlemen and well educated people of our lands. Except copy copy the West and show off wealth by building mansions, buying cars and big dressing. Let's stop the galamsey and preserve our rivers. The love of money to build houses and cars and to spend on lavish weddings and events is enough. Our country has talent,. I'm not saying education is bad, in fact is a wonderful tool for knowledge but what are we teaching people. Most people in Ghana go to school to make money and get prestige and wear their wealth not to contribute to society. The average Ghanaian is a slave to people's opinion and money. We could make things like statues of Adowa, Bamaya, abadgza, and traditional dancers all over the country. There is so much we can do. The ministry of education and arts and culture need to step up. All ministers in Ghana need to step up. The gentrification of our local food eateries, chop bars, farms and national landmarks, for KFC's, overpriced restaurants and other things to look like the West is killing our local farmers, local cooks and traditional sites. Our land is being destroyed for people to build more mansions, next to our bad roads and for galamsey. I don't agree with it, KFC and the Western businesses will make their money and go but what about our local people who are being bought out of business. If we were sustaining ourselves then yes it wouldn't be bad for us to negotiate with foreign businesses but we are not. Ghana is a dump and no amount of the year of return is going to change that, neither will the fancy weddings and big hotels. Something must change. The beautyful ones are not yet born. 'You self will think say you dey fine, who say you fine Na lie you no fine at at all, at all Na lie' Fela Kuti. Ghana is not fine at all, at all Na lie. 11.08.2022 LISTEN Organizers of the Ghana National Gospel Music Awards have announced a date for the most anticipated event. The announcement comes a few weeks after the nominees for the 5th edition of the awards scheme were announced. Slated for Saturday, August 27 the event which will take place at the Accra International Conference Center will see a list of the most sought-after gospel musicians including Diana Hamilton, Piesie Esther, Celestine Donkor and KobbySalm perform on the night. Organizers reveal other performers will be announced in the coming days. Tickets are currently selling at various outlets and can also be reserved by calling 026 679 97 96. Musicians Diana Hamilton, M.O.G. Music and Akesse Brempong lead the 2022 Ghana National Gospel Music Awards (NGMA). The musicians grabbed 8 nods each in different categories for their works released in the year under review. They however battle it out for the prestigious Gospel Artiste of the Year category. Empress Gifty and Celestine Donkor also grabbed seven nominations each. Powered by Global Expert Recovery Limited, the 2022 Ghana National Gospel Music Awards (NGMA) is sponsored by Pedlo Energy with support from Africa World Airlines. A controversial self-styled prophet, Prophet Ajagurajah, known in real life as Abed Kwabena Boakye Asiamah, the leader of the Ajagurajah Movement, has set the internet on fire with his recent comment. He says the ladies who go to church every Sunday with their bibles in their armpits are not being loved by God, but rather the prostitutes who don't even go to church. Modernghana News listened to the controversial man of God's interview on the Accra-based Hitz FMs Daybreak Hitz show, in which he explained that most Christian ladies are even more dangerous than the prostitutes on the streets. Prophet Ajagurajah referred to most Ghanaian ladies as hypocrites who use the church as a cover-up. God loves a prostitute more than a woman who goes to church with a Bible in her armpit. God does not love hypocrites, Prophet Ajagurajah stated. As Paris marks the 40th anniversary of the infamous Rue des Rosiers terrorist attack in which six people lost their lives, the only suspect charged with the killings still claims he is not guilty. Was he a "militant Palestinian" or an "executor" of the Abu Nidal group? Forty years after the attack in the Marais Jewish quarter of Paris, the only suspect in the hands of the French justice system still proclaims his innocence. Lawyers for Walid Abdulrahman Abu Zayed have denounced the police investigation into the attack, saying they were searching for "a guilty party at any price". Extradited from Norway in December 2020, 63-year-old Abu Zayed a naturalised Norwegian Palestinian has since been indicted for murder and attempted murder and imprisoned in France. French anti-terrorist judges suspect him of being one of the gunmen who carried out the attack on 9 August 1982 . A total of six people were killed and 22 injured following a grenade explosion in the Jo Goldenberg restaurant and a subsequent shoot-out in the Marais. The attack was attributed to Abu Nidal's Fatah Revolutionary Council (Fatah-RC) a splinter group of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. 'Limbo of history' Abu Zayed disputes even his presence in France at the time of the events. According to lawyers Bruno Gendrin and Romain Ruiz: "The commemoration of this attack should not make us forget that there is a man in custody who claims his innocence. "The response to terrorism is to oppose the rule of law, not the state that takes revenge, nor the state that seeks a guilty party at all costs," the added. The lawyers argue that the prosecution of Abu Zayed is nothing short of "pure judicial fantasy". The search for the truth, they say "has been lost in the limbo of history." The eldest of eight children, Abu Zayed was born in Palestine in 1958, near Jenin, to peasant parents. He reportedly worked in construction, joined Fatah in 1981, and left for a militant training camp in Syria. From 1982 to 1983, he maintains he was living in Lebanon. Regarding Fatah-RC, he insists that he has nothing to do with the organisation. In 1985 he married, had two children and in 1991, he emigrated with false documents to Norway, which he never left. Three 'concordant' testimonies According to lawyer Ruiz, Abu Zayed learned to handle weapons like "all militant Palestinians" but never went to France. However, since the beginning of 2010, French investigating judges have suspected him of having belonged to the commando unit that carried out the attack. They point to omissions, inaccuracies and contradictions about his background during interrogations in the early 1980s. The judges have also relied on intelligence notes and three witnesses, claiming to be former members of Abu Nidal, heard by investigators between 2011 and 2015. The judges believe they have identified three other suspects, two located in Jordan including the alleged mastermind of the attack and a third in the West Bank, but Jordan has repeatedly refused their extradition. On the eve of Tuesday's commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the attack in the presence of the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupont-Moretti the lawyers representing the civil parties seeking justice called on French and international authorities to take concrete action to ensure that the arrest warrants are acted upon. Mali has received five military jets and a combat helicopter from Russia, which has become a close ally in its fight against a long-running jihadist insurgency. The move underscores the widening rift between Bamako and Paris. The head of Mali's military junta, Assimi Goita, joined Russian diplomats at a ceremony in Bamako on Tuesday for the handover of five L-39 and Sukhoi-25 jets and an Mi-24P helicopter. The Soviet-era warplanes are the latest batch of deliveries under close ties that have been forged since the Sahel state underwent a coup in August 2020. In a speech, Defence Minister Sadio Camara paid tribute to what he called Mali's "win-win partnership with the Russian Federation". He said the new deliveries "strengthen our reconnaissance and attack capabilities." France set to complete military withdrawal Mali's military regime has brought in Russian paramilitaries described by Bamako as military instructors but by Western nations as mercenaries to support the country's armed forces. Their deployment was a key factor in prompting France, Mali's former colonial power and traditional ally, to pull its military forces out of the country. The full withdrawal is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Previous Russian arms deliveries disclosed this year have been two Mi-24P helicopters and surveillance radars, which was announced in April, and two helicopters and mobile radar systems in March. However, there have been no details about the terms under which Mali has acquired the weapons. One of the poorest countries in the world, Mali has been battling against a jihadist campaign that began in the north of the country in 2012. The attacks have spread to the centre and south of Mali and into Niger and Burkina Faso. Across the Sahel region, thousands of people have died and more than two million have fled their homes. In the midst of increased calls for a ministerial reshuffle, the Roads and Highways Minister Kwasi Amoako Atta has been commended in a way that will make him escape any casualty should there be a cabinet shake-up. Bernard Allotey Jacobs, former central regional chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), has heaped praises on the Minister. The social commentator described Kwasi Amoako Atta as the "best Roads Minister since independence." He said during a discussion on Accra-based Peace FM's Kokrokoo Morning show today, Wednesday, August 10 monitored by Modernghana News. The minister is currently inspecting roads as part of President Akufo-Addos year of road projects. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has given an assurance to African countries that his country will continue to help with the supply of food to the continent. Addressing a virtual press conference with journalists drawn from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa on August 4 available to ModernGhana News, President Zelenskyy said his country is ready to guarantee food security for the African continent. He explained that despite the war with Russia, it has never opted to cease the supply of food from his country to countries in Africa, unlike Russia. The second thing I'd like to point out is that Russia invests in total less than 1% of all investments in the African continent. Russia does not invest in you as in countries, nations or societies. This means that Russia does not believe in you. All Russian investments are just political. Russia comes to you, tells you that they are a great state, the heir of the Soviet Union, tells: "we need to expand our ties." But what is all this about? Please look at agriculture and food products. Did Ukraine block the supply of food products to the African continent from the Russian Federation? Did we raise the issue of preventing bread and wheat from reaching Africa from Russia? Never, President Zelenskyy shared. Ukraine President added, We fight them with other sanctions. And what did they do? On the contrary, they did block. Both Russia and Ukraine sell grain products to African countries. We do not block agricultural exports from Russia, but they have blocked our ports with force and weapons. They support famine. Then what did they contribute besides their arrivals to the African continent all these years? One cannot say that Russia has paid much attention to the African continent since the Soviet Union. This is not true. There were many states in the Soviet Union, which today, like the countries of Africa, see their independence and conduct their relations with various independent states of the African continent. If all Russian investments in African countries are only 1%, then this is their price, this is their faith in the future of the African continent. Therefore, we want African countries to support not just Ukraine but the truth. And we are ready to guarantee food security for the African continent, while we do not ask to exclude supplies from Russia. It's your choice. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy has implored the rest of the world to unite around Ukraine to help end the war. According to the Ukraine President, his country will not give up on freedom at any cost, emphasising that Ukraine will stand to the end. How many times could they step into the same rake again and again? Freedom, you know, freedom has no price. Russia should not even expect that they can buy freedom with their oil-dollars. This will never work for our country. We will stand till the end, President Zelenskyy stressed. Pioneer of Mobile Money in Ghana, MTN Ghana on Wednesday, August 10, held a Mobile Money (MoMo) Stakeholder Forum in Accra. The forum was held on the theme; "Assessing the Impact of the Central Bank's Digital Currency on the Future of Digital Payments." The event is part of activities lined up for the 2022 Mobile Money month which was launched in the capital last week on the theme Accelerating Growth in Digital Payments The Role of Partnerships is part of efforts to ensure digital inclusion. After years of success with mobile money and other digital financial payment systems, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has come up with eCedi to provide additional solutions in the sector. Already, the Central Bank is piloting the Electronic Cedi as part of its move to address its bottlenecks before the rollout. Speaking at the MoMo Stakeholder Forum, Mr. Clarence Blay, Assistant Director of BoG explained that in a world where digitalisation has become the order of the day, it was important to come up with the eCedi in order not to be isolated. Mr. Clarence Blay He said eCedi is coming to build on the gains in the sector by promoting inclusiveness, positive disruption to the financial service landscape, leveraging the capabilities of FSPs, user-centric design, complementarity, and interoperability. We have reloaded that the entities we are regulating are doing a wonderful job and we believe it is import we push them. We cannot just leave them to do everything. We have to be actively involved to deal with the inefficiencies. We are going to work with our partners to make the eCedi available on various platforms to make it available to everyone. No one will be left out, Mr. Clarence Blay assured. According to him, the eCedi is not coming to take over from Mobile Money but will be improved to make digital financial payment systems better. I encourage all stakeholders to give this the maximum support and commitment to promoting the development of this wonderful project, the BoG Assistant Director added. On her part, the Head of Digital Banking at CalBank, Mrs. Martha Acquaye whose outfit has been involved in the piloting of eCedi stressed that it is important for stakeholders to collaborate to make digital currency work. She noted that it will create big convenience for customers and reduce the risk of carrying bulk cash around. We believe strongly that we were the right party for the pilot. We have deployed the eCedi on our App. The central bank has done a good job. The pilot has been a success. We from the commercial banks believe it should be interest-free. We encourage the central bank to consider interest-free digital currency, Mrs. Martha Acquaye shared. Mrs. Martha Acquaye She further implored the central bank and all stakeholders to help with education and engagement on the eCedi to ensure its accepted by all. Lets push towards using the digital currency for payments. It should not just be for cash in and cash out. As banks, we are very well prepared to contribute our portion in this innovation to make it work, the CalBank Head of Digital Banking added. In his address, the CEO of Mobile Money Limited, Mr. Eli Hini admonished all stakeholders to critically discuss eCedi to ensure its successful merger with already existing digital payment systems in the country. Its a new area and its important we all talk about it most importantly because we will be able to merge and take advantage of the opportunities of this form of currencies, he noted. According to him, after transitioning through various forms of transactions in digital payments, it is important that other opportunities that are yet to be explored are tapped for their full benefits. He said Central Bank Digital Currencies have become an important tool all over the world due to the opportunities they offer for clearing and settlements, domestic transfer, as well as demand for efficient cross-border value transfer. Mr. Eli Hini He further noted that with the eCedi, there will be an improvement in the speed of liquidation of money while promoting security. "In all these engagements there are always potential risks. We need to recognize them and ensure there are mitigations to support the implementation, Mr. Eli Hini stressed. During the discussions, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IT Consortium, Mr. Romeo Bugyei urged the central bank to make protecting customer data a priority during the implementation of the eCedi. He said the rollout of the electronic cedi is exciting news for players in the fintech space despite the challenges it may come with. For us in the fintech sector, this is an exciting time for usWe should not be worried about challenges but focus on the opportunities to build businesses around them. We need to plan ahead and come up with solutions, Mr. Romeo Bugyei remarked. Among the benefits of the eCedi, it is expected to improve access to liquidity, enhance the efficiency of interoperability, boost payment efficiency, Reduce transaction costs, promote trust in digital payments, lead to improvement in fraud management, and help scale up innovations in the digital financial sector. Mr. Alex Segbefia, former Deputy Chief of Staff in Prof. Mills' administration has highlighted the importance of heeding calls for a ministerial reshuffle. "If the president agrees to a ministerial reshuffle", he claims, will help salvage the country's battered economy and restore credibility to the government. Commenting on the IMF bailout on Joy News' PM Express on Wednesday, August 10, he expressed concern about the implications of allowing the same officials who caused the problem to participate in the IMF negotiations. Reshuffling brings on new faces and adds credibility, especially looking at the current economic crisis. Taking the same people who caused the problem to the negotiating table is worrying, Mr. Segbefia said. Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo on North Star Radio in Tamale on Monday, August 8 rejected calls to reshuffle his cabinet ministers. There have been increasing calls for the President to reshuffle and fire underperforming ministers. President Akufo-Addo dismissed such calls claiming his ministers have performed well. He said those making the calls are attempts by the opposition NDC to destabilize his government. Many of them for me have done outstanding work. Their output has been considerable, and that is what I look at. If the output measures expectations, then I dont have any strong reasons to heed the call. The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilise the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs, the President stated. 11.08.2022 LISTEN Prof. Joseph Atsu Ayee, Governance and Political Expert at the University of Ghana, has examined the implications of President Akufo-Addos 'NO' stance on reshuffling his ministers may bring to the ruling NPP in the upcoming elections. As the party prepares to set a new record to 'break the 8' under the 4th Republic, he suggests the NPP engage in deeper discussion with the President about his decision. On 'Upfront' aired on Accra-based Joy News TV on Wednesday, August 10, the governance expert stated that such a decision by the President is bad governance. The President is not a fan of reshuffling, and I think it is time for the leadership of the party to have a chat with him, he said. He adds there is a national call for reshuffling and the President is saying no. This posture is not good for governance. Prof. Aryee pointed out the positive implications reshuffle will bring to the current administration should the president decide to heed the calls. Reshuffling will assist the government to strengthen some policies and at the same time mean the current crop is not doing well. His remarks follow President Akufo-Addos recent interview on North Star Radio in Tamale on Monday, August 8, in which he rejected calls to reshuffle his cabinet ministers. There have been increasing calls for the President to reshuffle and fire underperforming ministers. President Akufo-Addo has dismissed such calls claiming his ministers have performed well. He said those making the calls are attempts by the opposition NDC to destabilize his government. Many of them for me have done outstanding work. Their output has been considerable, and that is what I look at. If the output measures expectations, then I dont have any strong reasons to heed the call. The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilise the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs, the President stated. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds talks with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Thursday, facing calls from campaigners to pressure Kigali over its human rights record and alleged support of rebels in the neighbouring Democratic of Congo. Blinken arrived late Wednesday in Rwanda, the final stop of a three-nation trip to Africa, hot on the heels of a visit to the continent by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The US diplomat has sought to woo African nations, which have largely steered clear of backing Washington against Moscow in the Ukraine war, by calling for an "equal" partnership with the continent. His visit comes after an unpublished independent investigation for the UN, seen by AFP last week, said Rwandan troops had attacked soldiers inside the DRC and aided M23 rebels, a primarily Tutsi rebel group. The M23 has captured swathes of territory in eastern DRC in recent months, causing tensions to spike between Kigali and Kinshasa, which has repeatedly accused Kagame's government of backing the notorious militia. During his visit to the DRC, Blinken said Tuesday the United States was "very concerned by credible reports that Rwanda has supported the M23," adding that he would discuss the issue with Kagame, whose government has consistently denied the claims. Ties between the DRC and Rwanda have been strained since the mass arrival in the eastern DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of slaughtering Tutsis during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, although there was a thaw after DRC President Felix Tshisekedi took office in 2019. 'Abysmal record' Blinken is also expected to press for the release of Paul Rusesabagina, the "Hotel Rwanda" hero who is credited with saving hundreds of lives during the 1994 genocide. A US permanent resident, Rusesabagina is a fierce critic of Kagame and was sentenced to a 25-year prison term last year on terrorism charges after a plane he believed was bound for Burundi landed in Kigali in August 2020. In May, the US State Department said Rusesabagina had been "wrongfully detained" by Kigali. In a statement released Monday, Human Rights Watch called on Blinken to "urgently signal that there will be consequences for the government's repression and abuse in Rwanda and beyond its borders". "Failing to address Rwanda's abysmal human rights record has emboldened its officials to continue to commit abuse, even beyond its borders," said Lewis Mudge, HRW's Central Africa director. The rights watchdog urged Blinken "to highlight systematic human rights violations, including crackdowns on opponents and civil society, both within and across Rwanda's borders." Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire echoed HRW's calls, telling AFP that Blinken should raise the issue of journalists and politicians she said were in prison for challenging Kagame's government. "Hotel Rwanda" hero Paul Rusesabagina was arrested in August 2020. By Simon Wohlfahrt (AFP/File) "Blinken has to ask our government to open up political space to everyone who wants to be active in politics," said Ingabire, who spent six years in jail on terrorism charges. Meanwhile, Rusesabagina's family said in a statement issued to coincide with Blinken's visit that it hoped his "direct engagement" on the case would help bring their "nightmare" to an end. It said the 68-year-old's health was deteriorating after more than 700 days behind bars, with a weak left arm and facial paralysis indicating that he may have had one or more strokes. "His symptoms remain untreated," the family said. The Importers and Exporters Association has jumped to the defence of Labianca Company Limited after it was implicated in corruption-related activities by the Office of the Special Prosecutor. In a statement, it called for the criticism of Labianca to be measured because of its contribution to the economy. Even though we do not condone any act of unhealthy business transactions by any of our members, we believe the vilification of the company by the public, should be measured since that can negatively affect the fortunes of a company that has contributed immensely to the countrys revenue, it said. Labianca Company Limited, has for the past years been one of the major importers of frozen products and its direct and indirect contribution to that job creation and revenue generation can not be overlooked in our quest as a country to criticize them over the OSP findings. The Importers and Exporters Association expects the company to learn from this episode. We implore Ghanaians to temper justice with mercy, since the company has learned from its mistakes and will strive hard to rewrite its wrongs moving forward so as to safeguard their international reputation which is being threatened, the statement added. The Council of State member, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, who owns Labianca Company, was accused of allegedly using her position to get a favourable decision from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, leading to a reduction in her company's tax liabilities. The Special Prosecutor has since recovered GH 1 million from Labianca. The money was recovered as a shortfall of revenue arising from the issuance of the unlawful customs advance, meant to be duties paid to the state following the importation of the frozen foods. citinewsroom The Chamber of Freight and Trade has criticised the Office of the Special Prosecutors (OSP) investigative report that cited the Chief Executive Officer of Labianca Group of Companies for corruption-related offences. The Chamber says, both the owner of the company, who is also a Council of State member and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have done no wrong as claimed by the report findings. Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), has been accused of allegedly using her position to get a favourable decision from the Customs Division of the GRA leading to a reduction in her company's tax liabilities . But these are accusations the Chamber of Freight and Trade is dissatisfied with. In a statement, the group simply described the turn of events as a clear case of giving a dog a bad name and hanging it. The Office of the Special Prosecutor got it all wrong, This is a clear case of giving a dog a bad name and hanging it. The chamber strongly believes that both Labianca and the Customs division of GRA acted in accordance with the Laws of Ghana, specifically the Customs Act 2015 (Act 891). It is never out of place or illegal for any importer for this matter Labianca company limited to engage Customs after the first three years of operations for customs advance ruling under section 12 of the customs Act(Act 891), The company or their Agents may not have known that there is a provision in the customs Act that allow for an engagement with Customs for value acceptance within their first three years of operations, the statement further added. The Special Prosecutor has since recovered GH1 million from Labianca. citinewsroom US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to hold talks with Rwandan President Paul Kagame amid calls from campaigners to pressure Kigali over its human rights record and alleged support of M23 rebels in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. Blinken arrived in Rwanda late Wednesday the final stop of a three-nation trip to Africa hot on the heels of a visit to the continent by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The US diplomat has sought to woo African nations, which have largely steered clear of backing Washington against Moscow in the Ukraine war, by calling for an "equal" partnership with the continent. His visit comes after an unpublished independent investigation for the UN has reported that Rwandan troops had attacked soldiers inside the DRC and aided M23 rebels, a primarily Tutsi rebel group. The M23 has captured swathes of territory in eastern DRC in recent months, causing a spike in tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa, which has repeatedly accused Kagame's government of backing the notorious militia. In the DRC on Tuesday, Blinken said the United States was "very concerned by credible reports that Rwanda has supported the M23," adding that he would discuss the issue with Kagame, whose government has consistently denied the claims. Pressure for release of 'Hotel Rwanda' hero In a statement released Monday, Human Rights Watch called on Blinken to "urgently signal that there will be consequences for the government's repression and abuse in Rwanda and beyond its borders". Blinken is also facing calls to press for the release of Paul Rusesabagina, the "Hotel Rwanda" hero who is credited with saving hundreds of lives during the 1994 genocide. A US permanent resident, Rusesabagina is a fierce critic of Kagame and was sentenced to a 25-year prison term last year on terrorism charges after a plane he believed was bound for Burundi landed in Kigali in August 2020. The Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has said the damaged electric poles in Yilo Krobo in the Eastern Region have been fixed. He assured that conversations are ongoing between ECG and the people of the rea to bring calm. Some unidentified persons cut down Electricity Power pole at Okwenya in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern region. The Assembly Man for the Okwenya electoral area Seth Tetteh, confirmed the incident. Our community was not affected by the cut off by the ECG in the two Krobo Municipalities; Lower Manya and Yilo Krobo Municipalities, even though we are part of Yilo Krobo. We experienced light out around 11:30pm Thursday night ,we felt it was a usual light off. Only to wake up to find one electric power pole cut down, with a chain saw guess, he said. Mr Tetteh further explained that officials from the ECG and the Military were at the Okwenya community to asses the Power pole. The ECG manager and some Military personnel came to check the Power pole, they promised us that the Police will be in our community. We pray they come to fix the pole for us, he said. Speaking in an interview with TV3s Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show Wednesday August 10, the ECG boss Mr Mahama said Electric pole was cut down. The truth of the matter is that electricity is a grid, it is a loop, so you dont think that because you have seen a straight line, that is the line that goes to other side and it doesnt go to the other side. The line was cut down and group of military men and my staff went there and they have replaced that line. Conversations are still ongoing for us all to do the right thing and to restore power to the area. 3news.com Troops in Cameroon's Northwest Region have "summarily killed" at least 10 people in a crackdown against anglophone separatists, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday. Its report is the latest in a string of allegations by rights monitors in the battle between security forces and English-speaking militants demanding home rule in francophone-majority Cameroon. "Cameroonian soldiers summarily killed at least 10 people and carried out a series of other abuses between April 24 and June 12, during counter-insurgency operations in the Northwest Region," HRW said. "The troops also burned 12 homes, destroyed, and looted health facilities, arbitrarily detained at least 26 people, and are presumed to have forcibly disappeared up to 17 others." The Northwest and neighbouring Southwest Region are home to most of Cameroon's anglophones, who account for roughly a fifth of the country's population. In 2017, resentment at perceived discrimination snowballed into the declaration of an independent state -- the "Federal Republic of Ambazonia," an entity that is not recognised internationally. The country's veteran president Paul Biya, 89, who has ruled with an iron fist for nearly 40 years, responded with a crackdown. The violence has claimed more than 6,000 lives and displaced around a million people, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank. International monitors and the UN say that both sides have committed abuses, including crimes against civilians. "Instead of protecting the population from threats posed by armed groups, the Cameroonian security forces have committed serious violations against civilians, causing many to flee their homes," said Ilaria Allegrozzi, HRW's specialist on Cameroon. "Cameroonian authorities should conduct credible and impartial investigations into these serious abuses and hold the abusers accountable." The Cameroonian defence ministry did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment on the report. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in June placed the anglophone conflict in Cameroon as third highest on its list of the world's 10 "most neglected" displacement crises. It cited lack of international will to find solutions, a paucity of media coverage and insufficient funding of humanitarian needs. The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of lands and forestry, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio, has disclosed that all new regional offices of the Lands Commission will operate digitally to reduce delays associated with the manual processing of documents. The Deputy Minister said this at the inauguration of the North East Lands Commission Regional office on Tuesday. He noted that "The era when applicants have to travel for hours from Walewale, Bunkpurugu, Chereponi, Yagaba etc to access land administration services in Tamale has become a thing of the past thus the unofficial cost associated with land administration services will now reduce drastically." Mr Owusu-Bio added that land administration services such as survey and mapping, property valuation and grading state land purchases were crucial for the nation's socioeconomic growth. The provision of formal land administration services, he added, was foundational for every sector of the economy. He, thus, hinted that the decentralization agenda of the Lands Commission would ensure efficient land administration service delivery was brought to the doorstep of every Ghanaian. The Deputy Minister cautioned employees of the regional office not to repeat the errors made by their forebears in the management of Lands, which gave rise to several problems for the Commission. The National Chairman of the Lands Commission, Mr Alex Quaynor, said the New Land Act, Act 1036, required that all land owners register their Lands through the proper process and therefore hoped that the residents of Nalerigu and North East Region would take advantage of the opportunity and follow due process in the registration of lands. He said most lands in the country were owned by skins, stools and families, therefore, the administration of lands needed to be properly and efficiently carried out at that level, adding that the New Land Act made it compulsory for the Palaces to have customary lands secretariat to ensure proper records keeping. The establishment of regional offices for the Lands Commission in the six newly created regions is in accordance with Article 260(1) of the 1992 constitution which states that the "Lands Commission shall have a branch in each region to be known as Regional Lands Commission for the performance of functions specified in article 258 of this constitution." The Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursusla Owusu-Ekuful, has been honoured for her contribution to driving digitalisation at the 7th Annual Ghana Women of the Year Awards event. The Excellence in Governance" award, which was conferred on the Minister by Glitz Africa, is also in recognition of her contribution to several technological initiatives and innovations in Ghana. Speaking after receiving the award, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful highlighted the government's determination to provide the necessary basic infrastructure to engender digital innovations in the country albeit with the challenges in the sector. "To whom much is given, much is expected. I stood on the shoulders of many women to get to where I am and it is incumbent on us also to provide shoulders for others to lean on. It hasn't been easy; we have suffered but it's all part of the cost we have to pay and it is worth it to find young girls whose lives have been transformed under the various initiatives," she said. The Glitz Award, The Ghana Women of the Year platform, unveils and celebrates the Ghanaian indigenous and diaspora women who are making a great impact in society. Other Honourees for the 7th annual Ghana Women of the Year Honours were Corporate Personality; Abena Amoah, Excellence in Business; Esther Cobbah, Humanitarian of the Year; Otiko Afisah Djaba, Excellence in Public Service; Alice A. Ofori-Atta, Excellence in Health; Prof Dr Lorna Renner, Excellence in Education; Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Excellence in Media; Oheneyere Gifty Anti, Lifetime Achievement; Gifty Affenyi Dadzi, Excellence in Music; Ohemaa Mercy, Fashion Force; Aisha Ayensu and Excellence Co-Chair of the Citizens Movement Against Corruption, Edem Senanu has asked the Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Col. Kwadwo Damoah, (RTD) to withdraw his comments against the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng following the corruption report on Labianca Foods Company. Senanau said available facts indicate that there was something wrong with the transaction that involved the company hence the investigations by the Special Prosecutor. Speaking in an interview with Alfred Ocansey on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 Wednesday August 10, he said The language of the Special Prosecutor does not warrant the reaction from Col Damoah. I hear he even described the Special Prosecutor as a small boy, it is out of order to be talking like that, he has no basis for that. The fact shows something has gone dramatically wrong, nobody applied for something and you have given them tax exemption to the tune of one million cedis, there is every reason to investigate and I think he should withdraw his statement. Col. Kwadwo Damoah, (RTD) has accused the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) of attempting to bring him down. This was after the OSP recovered over GHC1 million GHC1,074, 627.15) from Labianca Foods in unpaid import duties, a scandal involving a company belong to a Council of State member. In his view, the report is 'hollow and actuated by malice'. The OSP also called for wider investigations into Customs Division of the GRA and demanded for a copy of Integrity plans to prevent corruption. The OSP investigated alleged corruption and corruption related offences in the context of evasion and valuation of duties on frozen and processed food products imported into Ghana between 2017-2021. The case, according to the OSP involved some high-ranking officials of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). In its report on the investigations, the OSP said Labianca Company Limited commenced operations in 2014 and it is wholly owned and controlled by Ms. Asomah-Hinneh on all practical and legal considerations. The company, it appears, imports about two hundred (200) forty (40) footer shipping containers of frozen chicken parts, fish, pork and fries monthly primarily from Europe and the United States of America . It enjoys a substantial market share in the imported frozen foods industry. There was not much engagement with the Customs Division in the first three (3) years of the company's operations beyond the settlement of standard customs duty and other tax obligations until 2017 when the company actively commenced applications to the Customs Division for the acceptance by the latter of the values of frozen foods it intended to import. By the time the company commenced the applications, Ms. Asomah-Hinneh had been elected a member of the Council of State representing the Western Region and appointed a member of the governing board of Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority positions she held at all material times. On this reckoning, Ms. Asomah-Hinneh is a politically exposed person as defined under section 79 of Act 959. But the Customs boss Col Damoah said while addressing some Senior Customs officers at a retreat in Kumasi on Wednesday August 10, that he was ready for prosecution and believed he would come out of it. He said I am ready for any prosecution and I know I will come out of it. Three days ago a report purported to be coming from the Office of the Special Prosecutor trying to indict the Deputy Commissioner of Operations and myself [but] anybody who has read that report very well will know the basis of that. And luckily for Me, God is always on my side, before that report came that person had made a comment to some people who had come to tell me [that] he [Special Prosecutor] was going to publish that will discredit meand I sent people to go and tell him that he is a small boy and I am older than him, I have lived a meaningful life and if he attempts to destroy me it won't be easy for him. People have tried and I have survived and this one too I will survive it, Col Damoah said. 3news.com The government has donated GH2 million to support the Legal Aid Fund and the Law Reform Fund. Each of the Funds will receive GH1 million to promote the rule of law in the country. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also made a personal donation of GH100,000 to each of the Funds bringing the total donation to GH2.2 million. Speaking at the launch of the Law Reform Commission Fund and the Legal Aid Commission Fund on Wednesday at the Law Court Complex in Accra, President Akufo-Addo said the Law Reform Commission, a subvented agency under the Ministry of Justice, advocated for the establishment of the Law Reform Fund. The Law Reform Commission, according to President Akufo-Addo, had only one vehicle, which it acquired in 1996, but through the intervention of the Attorney-General in February this year, the Commission was supplied with two new vehicles, bringing its current fleet to three. Being fully aware of the significance of reform and development of the laws of any country, not only will I launch this crucial Fund, but I will also throw my full weight behind all activities which will result in the mobilisation of additional resources for the work of the Law Reform Commission, he said. Touching on the Legal Aid Scheme, which is obligated by the Constitution and the Legal Aid Commission Act, 2018 (Act 977) to offer legal aid to the poor and vulnerable through legal education, President Akufo-Addo noted that the Commission operates in 11 regional capitals and 46 districts nationwide to administer the services of the Commission. The President stated that, despite its staff strength handicap, the Commission, for example, in the first half of 2022, received a total number of 7,558 court cases, and resolved 3,163 of them. Out of the 4,414 ADR cases received 2,233 were resolved. The current office accommodating the Commission has become too small, and unfit for the attainment of the objects of the Office. The Greater Accra Regional Office and the Head office, for instance, are crammed together on the ground floor of the Council for Law Reporting building. Until this year, the Legal Aid Commission had only six vehicles, the last of which it acquired in 2007, the President said. He added that through the intervention of the Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, 13 vehicles have been delivered to the Legal Aid office, increasing its number of vehicles from six to 19. Describing the proper functioning of the law as a vital tool for the development of any country, President Akufo-Addo assured that even though the challenges facing the country are many, the promotion of the rule of law is of the utmost importance, and cannot take a back seat, no matter the circumstances. The President was hopeful that the launch of the Funds would usher in a new, progressive chapter in the lives of the two Commissions and urged Ghanaians to contribute generously to the Funds. He assured the Attorney General that the Minister for Finance, through Parliament, would provide more adequate resources for the sustenance of these Funds. He also urged the Boards of the Legal Aid Commission and the Law Reform Commission, chaired by a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Nene Amegatcher, and a private legal practitioner, Anthony Akoto Ampaw, to discharge dutifully their mandates of managing the Funds, in accordance with section 34 of Act 977 and section 13 of Act 822 respectively. The Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development, Mr Collins Augustine Ntim, has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to support economic activities in the districts. Mr Ntim said District Assemblies must strive to improve the local economy by promoting and supporting productive ventures and activities. That, he said, would create jobs and increase the income levels of the people and, thereby improving the living standards of the people. Mr Ntim made the call when he paid a one-day working visit to the Mampong Municipality on Monday, where he interacted with the chiefs, Heads of Departments of the Assembly and Assembly Members of the area. The Minister observed that the success or otherwise of government programmes at the grassroots level largely depends on the effectiveness of the key actors at the local government level. He stressed that the government was committed to improving the welfare of the people in the country, he, therefore, charged the MMDAs to rise and do their part to ensure that the ultimate goal of the government is achieved. We must all do our best towards the countrys development, he said. The Minister urged the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Thomas Appiah-Kubi, to give attention and support to productive ventures like Agriculture and businesses. He also asked the MCE to ensure that more people get on board to benefit from Agric policies and the opportunities the Business Advisory Centre (BAC) has been offering. A 46-year-old medical practitioner, Dr Francis Ibrahim-Betonsi, who was wrongfully dismissed in December 2012 and reinstated in 2019 has appealed to the National Labour Commission (NLC) to prevail upon the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to pay him his six years compensation package including Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). Speaking to the media in Bolga on Tuesday, Dr Ibrahim -Betonsi said his wrongful dismissal also affected his promotion placing his colleagues ahead of him. He also the NLC to help address that problem. Dr Ibrahim -Betonsi who is currently working with the Bolgatanga Regional hospital said although he was working hard to address the health needs of the patients, he could have done far better if his concerns are addressed. He lamented that the problem if not addressed would have a dire consequence on his life when he goes on retirement. Apart from that I owe a lot of people due to my wrongful dismissal and went into borrowing to survive with my family and as now I am still paying debts, he lamented. About his dismissal Dr Ibrahim -Betonsi alleged that his dismissal was orchestrated by some top management at Efia Nkwanta hospital in the Western Region where he demonstrated his hard work and made greater impact. He stated that he was compelled by the GHS authority to undergo series of psychiatry assessments which vindicated him. He added that in spite of the vindication, they still insisted that more psychiatry assessments be conducted on him which he declined leading to his dismissal. He indicated that he petitioned the NLC. He noted that the NLC wrote to the GHS to respond to certain queries concerning his dismissal but they declined and proceeded to dismiss him. Dr. Francis Ibrahim alleged that his superior and immediate boss who was the brain behind the false and malicious accusations of a mental illness that informed his dismissal has never been able to give any tangible reason or justification for his actions. Dr Ibrahim -Betonsi continued that apart from the torture and the manner in which he was dehumanized by the GHS, he also went through trial and tribulation when he was dismissed for six years without pay and his SSNIT contributions. He stressed that upon realizing that they had been misled, the GHS reinstated him in 2019 but had not paid his six years compensation and SSNIT contributions. He noted that apart from that, the GHS did not credit him with his right promotion as he had three promotions withheld in an attempt to punish him prior to his dismissal, stressing in fact I should have been a medical doctor as 2012 but was credited with that position in 2019. He stated the action of his employer was not only against his human rights but was also contrary to the Labour law and stressed the need for the NLC to intervene on his behalf to help him get his compensation, SNNIT contribution and his promotions. Good health is essential to sustainable development; thus, it is not surprising that universal health coverage is very integral to achieving SDG3 of the UN by 2030. In line with this, Team of Hope (ToP), a non-governmental organization based in the Upper East Region has successfully organized its annual surgical mission for the people of Buluk and its environs in the Region. The exercise, which commenced on the 6th of June and ended on the 11th of June, 2022 was led by the executive director and founder of Team of Hope, Dr. Benjamin Akingkang and supported by other medical professionals. The Team of Hope (ToH), founded in October 2016, is a non-profit organization incorporated in Ghana to, among others, mobilize collective action toward responding to the health needs of people in impoverished parts of northern Ghana. Since its inception, the organization has provided varied free health services, including free medical screening and operations to hundreds of patients in the northern part of Ghana. The organizations June 2022 report indicated that 89 people ranging between ages 1 to 90 years old, were operated on with 57 being males and 32 females. In terms of case definition, the report indicated that 27 people came in with hernias, 16 with hydroceles, lipomas, ganglions, lumps, and other body masses, making 31. Others include 1 with breast tumours, 1 with abdominal trauma, 3 with uterine complications including cervical cancers, 7 with haemorrhoids, 3 with fibroids, and 1 case of congenital malformation. The Medical Director of the Builsa North district Hospital and his team supported the Team of Hope in carrying out their program. According to the report, no casualty of any form was recorded preoperatively, intraoperatively or postoperatively. The team expressed gratitude to the Medical Director and Management of the Builsa North Municipal Hospital and individuals who have contributed to the success of the teams mission. ToH called on all well-meaning citizens of the Builsa land and beyond to support the organization to enable them to continue their yearly outreach program. 11.08.2022 LISTEN The press release issued by the Communications Directorate of the Jubilee House, Accra on 5 August 2022 announcing the appointment of new leadership for the National Security apparatus was the eventual actualization of an intentional and purposeful strategic decision by President Akufo-Addo since he lost the second round of the 2008 Presidential Election to ensure that if he ever ascended the Presidency he would not behave like former President John Kufuor to allow an election under his watch to be won by any other political party. Consequently, upon his assumption of office as the President of Ghana on 7 January 2017 Nana Akufo-Addo activated his long game to break the 8 at the 2024 Presidential Election. He determined to ensure that by the middle of his second term in office all the instruments of law enforcement, state security and intelligence power of the Republic of Ghana should be led by persons with proven political dedication and loyalty to his person, and his family and friends. The appointment by the President of Mr. Edward Asomani, Deputy National Security Co-ordinator, to act as National Security Co-ordinator, with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022 subject to the confirmation of his appointment to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission gives finality to Nana Akufo-Addos long game to capture the National Security Secretariat apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. The President by the same press release also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Deputy Director-General of the NIB, to act with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022, as the Director-General of National Intelligence Bureau, with his confirmation also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission as part of Nana Akufo-Addos long game to capture the National Intelligence Bureau apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. A casual reading of the press release signed by the Communications Director of the Jubilee House does not disclose that it was purposefully written to hide a covert sequence of events in which the Presidents Family and Friends Non-Governmental Organization, the Danquah Institute, was positioned since the 2008 elections as the strategic family instrument for producing Nana Attobrah Quaicoe and Edward Kwaku Asomani for the leadership of the two critical National Security apparatus in anticipation of the 2024 Elections. The antecedents and true sequences of events in the rise of the new leadership of the National Security apparatus shows that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe had sharpened his teeth as the Executive Director of the Presidents Family and Friends Danquah Institute before his purposeful appointment as the Deputy Director of the then Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) in May 2019. Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani also sharpened his teeth at the same Family and Friends Danquah Institute before his appointment in February 2021 by the President as the Deputy National Security Coordinator, in fulfilment of the pursuance of the important research work, which will lead to another assignment. See Citi Newsroom online publication of 21 October 2019: also, the Daily Guide Network online publication of 23 October 2019 on the research work that was to lead to another assignment. It is important for the reader to keep at the back of his mind the unspoken facts and evidence that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, and Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani were recruited into Nana Akufo-Addos Danquah Institute under the Chairmanship of his maternal cousin, Mr. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, an indispensable member of the familys planning and strategies cohort. In a statement issued by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and reported on 3news.com/Ghana on 9 September 2015 the Danquah Institute named Nana Attorbrah Quaicoes who had worked with the Danquah Institute since its inception and rose to the position of Head of Research as its new Executive Director with effective from 1 September 2015. Nana Attobrah Quaicoe was taking over from Mustapha Abdul Hamid to enable him to fulfill other commitments. The strategic location and positions occupied by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid within the Nana Akufo-Addo government of Family and Friends are now matters of notorious public knowledge. These are factors to consider in Nana Akufo-Addos electoral long game. Mr. Edward Asomani was appointed the Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 2 November 2018 to lead the Institute by promoting the Danquah-Dombo tradition and providing its effective leadership. A statement signed by the acting Chairman of the Governing Board of the Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, stated, inter alia, that: He will also be expected to undertake important research, policy advocacy, training and most importantly actively seek and mentor the next generation of leaders. His research interests were also stated to include the political economy of Africa, US foreign policy towards Africa, political leadership, elections and electoral democracy . (Emphasis supplied) However, under a year Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni strategically exited the office of Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to enable him pursue important research work, which will lead to another assignment. Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, now a Deputy Director of Research in the Office of the President at Jubilee House, who was appointed to succeed Mr. Asomani as the acting Executive Director of the Institute: comes in with a strong public policy background. Also significant is his experience in electoral research and campaign strategy. Mr. Ahiagbah is reputed to have been a field organizer for President Obamas re-election campaign in 2012: a role he is said to have performed on other senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the United States . (Emphasis supplied). The strategic subtility and craftiness of placing dedicated and loyal members of Nana Akufo-Addos Family and Friends of the Danquah Institute in critical positions within the constitutional apparatus of the Republic towards the actualization of turning Ghana into a private family estate can be discerned by any reasonable and critical thinking citizens who have followed appointments into the Republic of Ghanas state institutions since the Presidents assumption of office in January 2017. Suffice it to reiterate that in the case of Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, and Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni, Nana Akufo-Addo had appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, a former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute as the new Deputy Director in Charge of Operations, and One Timothy Coleman, a career BNI officer as the Deputy Director in charge of Administration at the Bureau of National Investigations in May 2019 on the opportunity of the removal of Ambassador Rasheed Seidu Inusah as the Director of the BNI and the elevation of his then Deputy Director, Mr. Kwaku Domfeh as the substantive Director of BNI. Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni who strategically exited the office of Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to enable him pursue important research work, which will lead to another assignment was appointed in February 2021 by the President as the Deputy National Security Coordinator, in fulfilment of the pursuance of the important research work, which will lead to another assignment. As a result of this appointment of Mr. Asomani in February 2021 intelligence began circulating in September 2021 of the intended appointment of Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani as the substantive National Security Coordinator to replace Major General Francis Adu Amanfo (Rtd) who had been appointed to replace Joshua Kyeremeh who died in January 2021. The intended appointment of Mr. Asomani to the substantive position in September 2021 was reported to have been creating internal friction within the National Security Secretariat staff. By way of an aside which reinforces Nana Akufo-Addo long game to break the 8 at the 2024 Elections, it ought to be said that Nana Akufo-Addos Family and Friends radio station, Asaase Radio on 17 November 2021 announced the appointment of Mr. Richard Ahiagbah (who was appointed to succeed Mr. Asomani as the acting Executive Director of the Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to replace Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani) as the Deputy Director of Research in the Office of the President with retrospective effect from October 2021 to assist Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah the Director of Research in the Office of the President to monitor and evaluate the work and output of all presidential appointees, providing continuous feedback for the president and ultimately contributing to the development and execution of strategic decisions of the second term of Akufo-Addo government. His profile as published by Asaase Radio stated that: Profile of Ahiagbah Richard Ahiagbah was a field organiser for the former US president Barack Obamas re-election campaign in 2012. He has also undertaken similar roles in senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the United States. (Emphasis supplied). Many a citizen who do not have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the working of the Republics law enforcement, security and intelligence apparatus designed under the 1992 Constitution to be applied with utmost integrity, transparency and accountability for the protection of the constitutional and democratic regime for the good governance of citizens may not appreciate the abuse of constitutional power involved when a disingenuous president subtlety uses the power and instruments of state in capturing the essential institutions designed to ensure a free and fair elections. The events and circumstances of the 2008 Presidential Elections instead of enhancing Ghanas democratic credentials created in the loser of that election, Nana Akufo-Addo, a fixation and paranoia that former President John Agyekum Kufuor could have rigged the elections for him but failed or refused to do so out of personal spite. Nana Akufo-Addo appears to have carried the post-traumatic stress disorder generated by losing the results of the 2008 elections and determined that never under his watch as a President of Ghana will he supervise the smooth changing of government from one political party to another in Ghana. No matter what happens, his political party must win the exiting election under his watch. Those with eyes, minds, and ears to see, think and listen discerned Nana Akufo-Addos long game since 2017 to ensure that he left the Presidency on 7 January 2025 handing over power to his own political party, no matter what happens. His actions and pronouncement upon becoming president with our support vindicates the perception of his fixation and paranoia of supervising the winning of the 2024 elections by his chosen presidential candidate and successor at whatever cost to the preservation and defence of the 1992 Constitution. An interview former President John Kufuor gave to the Financial Times on or about 25 October 2010 alluded to the dissatisfaction of Nana Akufo-Addo and his supporters with the alleged manner he supervised the second round of the 2008 Presidential Election. Mr. Kufuor was accused of not doing enough to support his partys candidate even though he had no option than to obey the final declaration of the results by the Electoral Commission. Mr. Kufuor said: When my term ended, and the votes were declared by the electorate, I obeyed. Even with some of my people questioning. But I said that was the constitution. If anyone felt aggrieved let them go to court. After the Electoral Commission had given notice of a re-run of the presidential election for the outstanding Tain Constituency, a faction within the NPP supporting its candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, with his tacit blessings sought an injunction in the High Court to restrain the Electoral Commission from holding that election and frustrating the handing over of power on 7th January 2009. President Kufuor summed up the implication of the restraining order sought by the supporters of his partys candidate against the electoral commission when he said in an interview with the Financial Times that: Suppose I had sided with my side going to court to restrain the electoral commission it would have meant frustrating the electoral commission from holding the election and then we couldnt have met the constitutional deadline of 7th January. So the only way for me to stay on would have been to declare a state of emergency. And on what basis? So I had to consider the whole thing. Then I said 7th of January I will hand over power to whoever the electoral commission announced. Anyone who felt aggrieved could go to court. So I drove back to Accra a distance of some 100 miles. Thats what happened. The implication was that I would be staging a coup. Nana Akufo-Addo has used every major political conference and event of the New Patriotic Party during his second term as President to underscore his long game of playing his part to ensure that the constitutional institutions of the Republic are positioned in such a way with politically loyal leadership appointees as to deliver his fixation to winning the 2024 elections for his chosen successor. He has consistently underscored the fact that despite his determination, without the variable condition of a united NPP behind the chosen presidential candidate his determination to break the 8 will come to naught. As the Daily Graphic of 19 December 2021 reported, Nana Akufo-Addo told the partys delegates in Kumasi on Sunday that: "Every step taken now leading to 2024 is going to be decisive either to give us victory or not." He is reported to have reckoned that it would require discipline and a united front; promising a level playing field for all presidential aspirants to produce an acceptable leader to be backed by all. Nana Akufo-Addo is also reported by the Daily Guide Network on 14 April 2022 to have shared his dream when he met the National Executive Committee (NEC) members of the New Patriotic Party in Accra on Tuesday by reiterating his strong desire to hand over power to another New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2025 to ensure continuity of the good work done by his administration. Mr. John Boadu, the then General Secretary was reported to have quoted to journalist at a press conference in Kumasi the words of the President at the NEC Accra meeting as follows: The NPP members should remain steadfast and united around the sterling leadership of the government which is steering through these difficult times. The party can only realise its ambition of retaining political power in 2024 when the party members eschew all forms of bickering, antagonism and all other things that tend to divide us.If we adhere to my wise counsel and remain united as one elephant family with a common destiny, definitely we shall win the elections and I, Nana Akufo-Addo, will hand over political power to another competent NPP person in 2024 (sic), the President purportedly stated. On 30 July 2022, at the occasion of the New Patriotic Partys 30th Anniversary and National Thanksgiving Service held at the Kofi Ohene-Konadu auditorium of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, under the theme; '[email protected]: Our Shared Traditional, Holding and Working Together a Stable and Prosperous Nation', the President, Nana Akufo-Addo concluded his speech to the party gathering as follows: I want to end by making one appeal, I want you to help me to achieve the last great political feat of my career in Ghanaian politics, that on the 7th of January 2025, I will go to Black Star Square and hand over the baton to our next NPP President of the Republic who we would have chosen, supported and brought to victory . (Emphasis supplied). Akufo-Addo said further that: Victory in 2024, that is our goal, that is our task and that by the Grace of God, we will achieve . (Emphasis supplied). And as if to thump a finger in the eyes of the electorate and people of Ghana on 5 August 2022, the Communications Directorate of the Jubilee House, Accra then issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani, and Nana Attobrah Quaicoe as the new leadership for the National Security apparatus. Then on 8 August 2022 in an interview with the North Star radio in Tamale Nana Akufo-Addo relived his post-traumatic stress disorder of losing the 2008 presidential elections. He is reported on Ghana Web of 9th August 2022 to have said, inter alia that: A lot of people are forgetting that in 2008, we almost broke the 8 then. The elections of 2008 which is the first one with me as a candidate of the NPP, I won the first round and in fact, I was short of outright victory by 23,000 votes. Very narrow. 23,000 votes should have gone the other way round wherever and I would have been president in the first round in 2008. It didnt happen. We went into a second round and in that second round, the NPP lost by 40,000 votes. President Mills was elected with 50.01% of the overall votes. It is the narrowest margin of victory in any presidential contest of the 4th Republic. That tells you the NPP was extremely close to making that statement [of breaking the 8] as far back as that (time) We have all learnt our lessons from what happened. Those that came from our own side, the problems that we had ourselves and those that were external to our party. We are determined this time round that not only will it be a victory, it will be a decisive victory because this National Democratic Congress, they should spend more time in opposition so they can organize themselves better for the future of Ghana than what they are today. (Emphasis supplied) The groundwork to facilitate the accomplishment of the dreams of Nana Akufo-Addo to abuse the constitutional process through the appointing powers vested in him to load the institutions of state power responsible for impartial law enforcement, security and intelligence of the electoral process with the new leadership of the National Security apparatus appointed by Nana Akufo-Addo had already been laid during his first term in office as President when he captured the commanding heights of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization and its associate regulatory authorities and agencies responsible for information technology, and communications. The biometric data of all citizens of voting age who use SIM cards as instruments of ICT are to be captured and stored in a database at the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) pursuant the authority of the Minister and the National Communications Authority (NCA). It is imperative for citizens to remember that the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Mr. Joseph Anokye, was purposefully brought or encouraged to returned home to facilitate the winning of the 2016 elections by Nana Akufo-Addo and was duly rewarded with that appointment in January 2017. For those who do not know or remember: the Director-General of the National Information Technology Authority (NITA), Mr. Richard Okyere-Fosu, was a former group head of information technology at cousin Ken Ofori-Attas Data Bank Financial Services Limited who went along to the Ministry of Finance with Ken Ofori Atta as the Minister of Finance and was later transitioned to NITA first as Director of Finance and Administration and subsequently elevated to lead the agency. And for those who understand the power of controlling voters and citizens biometric data and means of information technology communications during the 2024 elections the possibility of surveillance of political opponents could not have been far from the main reason for the insistence and railroading of Ghanaian on the Ghana Card registration, and the SIM Cards re-registration exercise using the unconstitutional and infamous process of the Establishment of Emergency Communications Instrument, 202 (E. I. 63). Nana Akufo-Addos long game to use the instruments of state power disingenuous and opaquely to prepare an uneven electoral playing field in such a manner as to realize his fixation and paranoid of winning the 2024 elections, no matter what happens, is being gradually achieved. Interested readers of further details may wish to re-visit my article: Nana Akufos Dictatorship Illegal Sim Card Re-Registration and Solidarity for Boycotting the Use of Mobile Phone of 10 February 2022 which is available online. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana demands a fair and transparent governance process based on merit and participation by every qualified citizen and enjoins each of us who are citizens to ensure that the Presidential oath to uphold and defend the Constitution and do justice to all citizens without fear or favour, affection or ill will is respected by the President Nana Akufo-Addo. Former President Rawling did not use the instruments of state power to prevent former President Kufuor from winning the 2000 elections against the late Vice President Mills as the governing partys candidate and I as his Vice-Presidential candidate during the second round of that election. Former President Kufuor also underscored the importance of not interfering with the electoral process when he stated in 2008 that: When my term ended, and the votes were declared by the electorate, I obeyed. Even with some of my people questioning. But I said that was the constitution. If anyone felt aggrieved let them go to court. The 1992 Constitution has endured the longest in the democratic history of our dear nation and enjoins all citizens to defend it against any attempts to undermine its spirit or to establish by any subterfuges a one-party state by an elected President entrusted with the levers of state power of the Republic of Ghana. President Nana Akufo-Addos long electoral game while appearing to follow the letter of the law in making appointments to public office substantively breaches the fundamental spirit of the Constitution of integrity, transparency, accountability, and merit and is leading to the actualization of a calculated and deliberate intention to undermine the 2024 electoral process. It is in consideration of the foregoing that I hereby break my silence from public political discourse which I imposed upon myself to call on all patriotic citizens to come together in defence of the 1992 Constitution to ensure that the processes leading to the 2024 elections are not undermined by Nana Akufo-Addos penchant for impunity and abuse of constitutional power that may lead to the jeopardy of the Constitution that we as citizens are enjoined to protect and defend. Ghana must always be put first. Martin A. B. K. Amidu One armed robber, believed to be in his 20s has been shot dead in a gun battle with the police in the Ashanti Region. The incident happened at Yabi in the Atwima Kwanwoma District today, August 11, 2022 at dawn around 2am. The Assembly member of the area, Hon. Joseph Osei Tutu told this portal that on Thursday August11, 2022, the robbers, three in numbers blocked the road in between Yabi and Dida in the District to carry out their operation. As soon as the robbers sensed the presence of the police, they started firing at the police. "The police also retaliated leading to the death of one of the robbers, he stated. According to him, the police he shot his lower abdomen killing him on the spot. He noted that two of the robbery managed to flee. A former District Chief Executive for the Techiman North District in the Bono East Region, Hon Peter Mensah has jumped to the defence of the Commissioner of Customs, Col. Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd). According to him, Col. Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd) is a great asset and a strong pillar to the nations revenue generation for the developmental agenda of Ghana through the many visionary initiatives he has embarked on during his tenure. Hon Peter Mensah describes him as a generational thinker who has brought more innovations to Ghanas revenue collections. He stressed that, under his leadership as Commissioner of Customs, the revenue targets for the fiscal years were exceeded. "Customs have collected revenues under his watch amidst the dreaded Covid-19 as well Russia invasion on Ukraine. Col. Damoah, as the Commissioner of Customs, took it upon himself to educate and remind stakeholders, (importers, agents, exporters and etc) via radio about their duties and customs responsibilities," Hon Peter Mensah stated. The former DCE noted that not only has Col Damoah performed beyond expectations, his remarkable leadership and goodwill can also be felt at the party grassroots level. "Col. Damoah as the Commissioner for Customs was able to use his managerial skills to win the hearts and support of the officers. Again, his interpersonal relationship with customs officials and NPP grassroots supporters is second to none. He has got a track record as a private individual and have Ghana at heart in the discharge of his duties, therefore, those attaching him must do in very circumspection so that it will demotivate one of the great tax commissioners," he intimated. Labianca Company criticisms The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has rubbished the corruption report by the Office of the Special Prosecutor implicating some customs officials in the case of Labianca Company. The Special Prosecutor recovered an amount of 1.074 million in unpaid taxes from the company owned by a member of the Council of State, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh. The OSP contended that Ms Asomah-Hinneh used her position as a member of the Council and member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to evade the actual taxes on imported frozen foods with the help of the Customs Division of GRA. A Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Operations, Joseph Adu Kyei was also cited by the OSP for issuing what it described as an unlawful customs advance ruling. This, according to the report, reduced the benchmark values of the goods imported by Labianca Limited translating to reduced tax obligations of the company to the state. Speaking at the Customs Division Management Retreat at Kumasi, the Commissioner of Customs, Col. Kwadwo Damoah (Rtd) insists the report of the Special Prosecutor was hollow. Col Damoah believes it was a deliberate attempt by the OSP to destroy him. The President of an Obuasi based Non-Governmental Organisation, Mama Love Foundation, Rev. Dr. Love Konadu has expressed her disgust at the way school children at Wrowroso, a farming community in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region had gotten themselves involved in galamsey activities at the expense of their education. She said it was a worrying situation to have children risk their lives and education in their quest to get money from illegal mining activities. She cautioned parents that, her NGO has partnered with the school authorities to arrest parents whose children engage in illegal mining. Rev Dr. Love Konadu was speaking at a fundraising event held by teachers and the community at Wrowroso to raise funds to support the kindergarten section of the Wrowroso D/A Basic school. It would recall that last year, two second year JHS pupils of Wrowroso DA Basic school reportedly died in a galamsey pit while working. School children skipping school to work at galamsey sites has become a common sight at mining communities in the country. A phenomenon which the Wrowroso community has struggled to deal with. The President of the NGO which has over the years supported the vulnerable and less privileged in the society said the responsibility lies with parents to ensure that their children are always in school. She said " I plead with parents here to prioritize the education of their children. We can't allow our children to risk their lives and future by going to galamsey sites ". She pledged to support the school through her NGO by visiting the school regularly and making sure the children are always in school. Again, she mentioned that, she is in the process of procuring teaching and learning materials for the kindergarten and encouraged all stakeholders to assist the school. Together with Raymond Kabutey Kanor, a Businessman, Rev. Dr Konadu presented assorted drinks, pens and erasers to the school to boost their morale. HOW SCHOOL AUTHORITIES HAVE TEAMED UP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE EDUCATION AT WROWROSO The Headmaster of the Wrowroso DA School Prince Aboagye in an interview with the media explained that Hither to, the school children used to travel several kilometres to nearby villages like Fenaso and Adinkra to assess Junior High School education since the only school in the community was up to class 6. He said, this affected the children who felt tired and exhausted after making that long journey to school hence could not frequently avail themselves in school. It took the ingenuity of the Headmaster of the school who fought tooth and nail to look for a makeshift structure to house pupils who had graduated from class six to prevent them going through the ordeal of travelling to the nearby communities to attend school. The Headmaster, Aboagye Prince said he started the Junior High school with 16 students with the first batch completing in 2020 with aggregate 14 as the highest mark and aggregate 22 being the lowest mark attained that year. Subsequently, he said, the performance has been improving. COMMUNITY INITIATED SCHOOL BLOCK The Headmaster also revealed that, one of the ways the community has devised to keep the school children in school is to build a 3- unit JHS block . He said the community initiated the project but at a point needed the intervention of an Obuasi based businessman popularly known as Agya Asamoah and Mama Love Foundation to continue. He was optimistic the project when completed will lessen the burden of pupils studying in the makeshift facilty provided by the school. A renovated CHPS Compound and an expanded facility has been handed over to the people of Tindonsobliga through the Municipal Health Director of Health in Bolgatanga the Upper East Region. The renovated CHPS compound, the expanded facility and a borehole incurred a total cost of One Hundred and Eighty-Six thousand, Three hundred and eighty Ghana Cedis (GHc 186.380), funded by the District performance Assessment Tool (DPAT). The comes with a delivery room, laying room, records and minor repairs room with a borehole. Speaking to ModernGhana News, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive Rex Asanga said health is one of the Assemblys priorities and will not renege even in the midst of scarcity. A representative of the Tindonsoligo Tindana commended the Municipal Assembly for choosing their community for the facility. He noted that health is key in the lives of the people in every community indicating that the Tindana and the Tindonsobligo people were grateful. He therefore appealed for completion of nurses residence which is about 90 percent complete. The Municipal Health Director, Stephen Bodortsiah who received the keys to the facility on the behalf of the community urged community members to own it and support the health personnel there to provide quality healthcare services to the people. Some residents in Ajumako in the Central Region have raised concerns over the alarming levels of minors in the commercial tricycle transport business in the area. According to the concerned residents, minors between the ages of 12 and 17 among others have taken over the commercial tricycle transport business known in Ghanaian parlance as Pragyia. They argue that the spate of minors in the tricycle business is a major source of safety on the Ajumako- Swedru road. One of the residents, Ama Essien told Accra 100.5FMs Central Regional correspondent on Wednesdays evening news that the situation of the minors in the tricycle driving business is worrying. She called on the police in the area to take steps to bring the situation under control. The residents concern came to the fore when a Toyota Hiace urban bus belonging to the Ajumako campus of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, crashed into a Pragyia, instantly killing an elder of the SDA church who was also riding in the tricycle. Others who were injured are receiving treatment at the Winneba Trauma and Treatment Centre and the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. Source: Classfmonline.com 11.08.2022 LISTEN An electrician Hack Abubakari, age 27, and a radio presenter Mohammed Abu Firdaus have been arrested for stealing prepaid meters belonging to the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) in Tamale. The accused persons were arraigned before the Tamale Circuit Court presided over by his Honour Alexander Oworae and remanded into police custody for further investigation to reappear in court on August 18, 2022. The two accused persons have been charged with stealing and dishonesty by the court. However, the two accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Information gathered by DGN Online indicates that about 400 meters have been reported by customers as being stolen from their residences in the Tamale metropolis. Meanwhile, Corporate Communications Director, VRA / NEDCo, Maxwell Kotoka, told journalists that the accused person Abdul-Hack Abubakri is on the wanted list of the company as part of a syndicate involved in several illegal connections and meter theft in the Tamale metropolis. He lamented the continuous complaints by customers about their meters being stolen from their residences adding that it is only VRA / NEDCo that has the power to distribute electricity within the operational area. VRA / NEDCo is the only company that has the power to distribute electricity within the operational area and so what that means is that when meters are stolen it means that intruders are invading the systems who have to turn themselves into sub-distributors illegally and that is one of our biggest source of losses. He appealed to the court to ensure that the accused persons are punished severely to serve as a deterrent to others in the Tamale metropolis. We appeal to the honorable judge to consider the fact that it is in the interest of the public that such persons are dealt with properly, he said. DGN online Time and again, I, Rockson Adofo, the proud and fearless son of Kumawu/Asiampa who self-styles himself as the voice for the voiceless, had said that his choices of persons for the presidency come election 2024 are: 1) Kennedy Ohene Agyapong (Hon) 2) Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumua 3) Dr Kwabena Duffour 4) Dr George Akuffo Dampare (IGP) I have not reneged on my gospel-truthful belief, conviction and assertion. And, I have not rescinded my decision to campaign for any of them were they to put themselves forward for the presidential-candidacy for election 2024. Having given thoughtful consideration to the genesis and chronology of the problems that have brought Ghana thus far, and onto her knees, I have settled on Kennedy Agyapong (Hon), as the first-choice person who can honestly capably and ably apply the needed life-saving bitter concoction to the nation-threatening ailments come to torment and engulf Ghana, my country of birth. Yes, Ghana's economic situation has currently worsened owing to the affliction of the fatally excruciating Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing devastating Russia/Ukraine war that many a president or government has no absolute control over their adverse effects on their countries but only to try to mitigate them. For this fact, I am aware! However, the other problems that have become chronic and are known to rob and shame Ghana as a country and Ghanaians as a people, are those that I am talking about as informing my decision to go for Kennedy Agyapong, the man I perceive, if not convinced, to have the clout to sincerely liberate the nation from their clutches. Endemic official corruption, embezzlement of funds and state assets, non-enforcement of the laws of the land, ramifications and applications of foreign religions in the country to the detriment of our collective interests and well-being, intensification of criminal activities in the country committed with impunity, wanton destruction of the lands, water bodies, air and forests (ecology), murders and arson, only but to mention a few, could better and effectively be addressed by Kennedy. For that I am certain! He can better apply Meritocracy, Pragmatism and Honesty, when forming his future government because he has proven time and again, that positions and offers are given to he who merits it but not awarded on the basis of whom you know, the opposite to what is known to apply in Ghana until today. When the son of an NDC executive member in Central region had 8 As in his final West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) last year, Kennedy offered him a US$84,000 per year scholarship for three or four years to attend Harvard University in the United States of America to study medicine. He said, "I don't care about the father of the boy belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), my rival political party. All that I care about is the fact the boy is a Ghanaian. He has done well and has the potential to be a great person if he was assisted. The political party himself, or his father belongs to is irrelevant to me". Again, when his son was once arrested for motoring offences and the arresting police officer phoned him up saying, "Honourable, we have arrested a young man who claims to be your son for motoring offences ...", Kennedy simply said, "If you have arrested my son for breaking road and safety offences, please LOCK HIM UP"! I don't care whether he is my son or not. He can't be breaking the laws. Lock him up! Yes, this is the man Ghana needs but not those who will either break the laws themselves or help others to break them. In the case of his son, if he had told the police officer yes, he is my son, your guess is as good as mine, the police officer would have let his son off the hook. That is Ghana for you hence people committing crimes with impunity. The above two cited examples have something in common with demonstrable actions of meritocracy and honesty. Many a time, Kennedy has demonstrated pragmatism in his dealings. The religious knowledge of Ghanaians is destroying not only the country but the people themselves, yet all presidents and governments so far feel so impotent to address the canker, all for shabby reasons only best known to them only. Barring all tribalism and its associated political nonsense, if Ghanaians do seek better Ghana with its concomitant benefits for all, I call on you to seriously consider any future candidacy of Kennedy Agyapong (Hon) for the presidency. If he is chosen as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer and presidential-candidate, he will surely break the 8-year cyclical rotation of political power between the NDC and the NPP. I will suggest to him strategies that will win him the presidency provided he will be ready to drink from my overflowing fountain of wisdom and abundance of political strategies. I shall be penning down about three strategies to pass on to Kennedy in total confidence and in secret. I shall tell him why, how and when to carry that message to the Ghanaian public. He will be the one able to implement those strategies to win him power and again, translate them into practical policies to solving Ghana's chronic problems to move Ghana forward. Any known negative things people intend to use against Kennedy, such as he waist-deep into insulting people, will not wash and I shall come out fully to defend him, assigning persuasive reasons. How I wish all the above mentioned people could form a perfect team and government to run Ghana. Each of them has the good intention of Ghana at heart but Kennedy is the one seen to be able to take the bull by the horn, regardless. From the video below on how Singapore developed, ask yourself if Kennedy has not already proven right the three methods, the economic pillars on which Singapore revolved and continues to revolve, in his private life, to capably put Ghana on the right economic footing? Rockson Adofo Thursday, 11 August 2022 The Ghana Optometric Association (GOA) has warned that tabletop spectacles are hazardous to the eyes, and cautioned the public to refrain from purchasing eyeglasses from roadside vendors. Buying eyeglasses from the wayside vendor could end up destroying your eyes, Dr. Kwame Oben-Nyarko, stated at the sixth series of Ghana News Agency-Tema Regional Office and the Ghana Optometric Association fortnightly public sensitization initiative GNA-GOA: My Eye! My Vision! The fortnight initiative is a collaborative public education advocacy campaign to promote the need for people to access eye care and also to draw attention to vision health, which was monitored by the Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) in Tema. The GNA-GOA: My Eyes! My Vision! The initiative also seeks to challenge the public and policymakers to focus on vision as a health issue, which forms a critical component of mankinds wellbeing but is often neglected. Speaking on: Acquiring a pair of spectacles: What you need to know, Dr. Oben-Nyarko urged the public to acquire spectacles from either an eye clinic or an optical shop, stressing that the eye clinic usually has departments that test for the spectacle prescription, display the spectacle frames and fit the lenses into frames. Dr. Oben-Nyarko who is the Chief Executive Officer of Third Eye Care and Vision Center stated that eyeglasses are used for the correction of several conditions including doubling of vision and latent and manifest deviations of the eyes, therefore, acquiring it from the wayside could rather endanger your eyes. Spectacles are visual aids usually used to enhance the quality of vision and protect the eyes from exposure to direct contact to several environmental factors which could be detrimental to the eyes of the individual. You will find street vendors and pharmacies vending spectacles. However, these outfits do not have the required professionals and training necessary for dispensing spectacles so it is improper to select such places as the place of choice for acquiring spectacles, he warned. Dr. Oben-Nyarko explained that to acquire a spectacle, one must go through several tests performed by the optometrist for a prescription to be arrived at. A proper eye examination will not only give the spectacle prescription but can also expose other conditions that could be present but showing no symptoms like glaucoma, hypertension, and diabetes, he said. Dr. Oben-Nyarko advised the general public that even though these processes may sound cumbersome, it is good to know the needs of a person before prescribing a spectacle yet, it was not ethical to get glasses from street vendors or pharmacies which have unaccredited eye clinics. Mr. Francis Ameyibor GNA Tema Regional Manager explained that as part of GNA-GOA: My Eyes! My Vision! We are combining the forces of our professional calling as Optometric Physicians and Communication Experts to reach out to the public with a well-coordinated message. Mr. Ameyibor said the collaboration would serve as a major platform to educate the public on vision health and also serves as a critical stage for the association to reach out to the world. Former Special Prosecutor, Martin B.K Amidu has admonished Ghanaians to rise up and defend the 1992 Constitution during the 2024 general elections. In his latest epistle, Mr. Amidu who is popularly known as citizen vigilante claims President Akufo-Addo is planning to undermine the 2024 general elections to ensure the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) remains in power. According to him, the recent shake-up at the National Security and the National Investigations Bureau is part of a grand plan to secure victory for the NPP in the next election. Upon his assumption of office as the President of Ghana on 7 January 2017 Nana Akufo-Addo activated his long game to 'break the 8' at the 2024 Presidential Election. He determined to ensure that by the middle of his second term in office all the instruments of law enforcement, state security and intelligence power of the Republic of Ghana should be led by persons with proven political dedication and loyalty to his person, and his family and friends. The appointment by the President of Mr. Edward Asomani, Deputy National Security Co-ordinator, to act as National Security Co-ordinator, with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022 subject to the confirmation of his appointment to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission gives finality to Nana Akufo-Addos long game to capture the National Security Secretariat apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections, Martin Amidu alleges in his statement. The former Special Prosecutor as part of his duty as a citizen is calling on the Ghanaian people to rise to defend the 1992 Constituency to destroy the plans of President Akufo-Addo. It is in consideration of the foregoing that I hereby break my silence from public political discourse which I imposed upon myself to call on all patriotic citizens to come together in defence of the 1992 Constitution to ensure that the processes leading to the 2024 elections are not undermined by Nana Akufo-Addos penchant for impunity and abuse of constitutional power that may lead to the jeopardy of the Constitution that we as citizens are enjoined to protect and defend. Ghana must always be put first, Martin Amidu emphasised. Below is a copy of the statement: Below is the full statement by Martin Amidu NEW LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY APPARATUS AND AKUFO-ADDOS LONG GAME OF BREAKING THE EIGHT: BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU The press release issued by the Communications Directorate of the Jubilee House, Accra on 5 August 2022 announcing the appointment of new leadership for the National Security apparatus was the eventual actualization of an intentional and purposeful strategic decision by President Akufo-Addo since he lost the second round of the 2008 Presidential Election to ensure that if he ever ascended the Presidency he would not behave like former President John Kufuor to allow an election under his watch to be won by any other political party. Consequently, upon his assumption of office as the President of Ghana on 7 January 2017 Nana Akufo-Addo activated his long game to break the 8 at the 2024 Presidential Election. He determined to ensure that by the middle of his second term in office all the instruments of law enforcement, state security and intelligence power of the Republic of Ghana should be led by persons with proven political dedication and loyalty to his person, and his family and friends. The appointment by the President of Mr. Edward Asomani, Deputy National Security Co-ordinator, to act as National Security Co-ordinator, with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022 subject to the confirmation of his appointment to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission gives finality to Nana Akufo-Addos long game to capture the National Security Secretariat apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. The President by the same press release also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Deputy Director-General of the NIB, to act with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022, as the Director-General of National Intelligence Bureau, with his confirmation also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission as part of Nana Akufo-Addos long game to capture the National Intelligence Bureau apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. A casual reading of the press release signed by the Communications Director of the Jubilee House does not disclose that it was purposefully written to hide a covert sequence of events in which the Presidents Family and Friends Non-Governmental Organization, the Danquah Institute, was positioned since the 2008 elections as the strategic family instrument for producing Nana Attobrah Quaicoe and Edward Kwaku Asomani for the leadership of the two critical National Security apparatus in anticipation of the 2024 Elections. The antecedents and true sequences of events in the rise of the new leadership of the National Security apparatus shows that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe had sharpened his teeth as the Executive Director of the Presidents Family and Friends Danquah Institute before his purposeful appointment as the Deputy Director of the then Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) in May 2019. Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani also sharpened his teeth at the same Family and Friends Danquah Institute before his appointment in February 2021 by the President as the Deputy National Security Coordinator, in fulfilment of the pursuance of the important research work, which will lead to another assignment. See Citi Newsroom online publication of 21 October 2019: also, the Daily Guide Network online publication of 23 October 2019 on the research work that was to lead to another assignment. It is important for the reader to keep at the back of his mind the unspoken facts and evidence that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, and Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani were recruited into Nana Akufo-Addos Danquah Institute under the Chairmanship of his maternal cousin, Mr. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, an indispensable member of the familys planning and strategies cohort. In a statement issued by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and reported on 3news.com/Ghana on 9 September 2015 the Danquah Institute named Nana Attorbrah Quaicoes who had worked with the Danquah Institute since its inception and rose to the position of Head of Research as its new Executive Director with effective from 1 September 2015. Nana Attobrah Quaicoe was taking over from Mustapha Abdul Hamid to enable him to fulfill other commitments. The strategic location and positions occupied by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, and Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid within the Nana Akufo-Addo government of Family and Friends are now matters of notorious public knowledge. These are factors to consider in Nana Akufo-Addos electoral long game. Mr. Edward Asomani was appointed the Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 2 November 2018 to lead the Institute by promoting the Danquah-Dombo tradition and providing its effective leadership. A statement signed by the acting Chairman of the Governing Board of the Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, stated, inter alia, that: He will also be expected to undertake important research, policy advocacy, training and most importantly actively seek and mentor the next generation of leaders. His research interests were also stated to include the political economy of Africa, US foreign policy towards Africa, political leadership, elections and electoral democracy. (Emphasis supplied) However, under a year Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni strategically exited the office of Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to enable him pursue important research work, which will lead to another assignment. Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, now a Deputy Director of Research in the Office of the President at Jubilee House, who was appointed to succeed Mr. Asomani as the acting Executive Director of the Institute: comes in with a strong public policy background. Also significant is his experience in electoral research and campaign strategy. Mr. Ahiagbah is reputed to have been a field organizer for President Obamas re-election campaign in 2012: a role he is said to have performed on other senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the United States. (Emphasis supplied). The strategic subtility and craftiness of placing dedicated and loyal members of Nana Akufo-Addos Family and Friends of the Danquah Institute in critical positions within the constitutional apparatus of the Republic towards the actualization of turning Ghana into a private family estate can be discerned by any reasonable and critical thinking citizens who have followed appointments into the Republic of Ghanas state institutions since the Presidents assumption of office in January 2017. Suffice it to reiterate that in the case of Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, and Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni, Nana Akufo-Addo had appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, a former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute as the new Deputy Director in Charge of Operations, and One Timothy Coleman, a career BNI officer as the Deputy Director in charge of Administration at the Bureau of National Investigations in May 2019 on the opportunity of the removal of Ambassador Rasheed Seidu Inusah as the Director of the BNI and the elevation of his then Deputy Director, Mr. Kwaku Domfeh as the substantive Director of BNI. Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni who strategically exited the office of Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to enable him pursue important research work, which will lead to another assignment was appointed in February 2021 by the President as the Deputy National Security Coordinator, in fulfilment of the pursuance of the important research work, which will lead to another assignment. As a result of this appointment of Mr. Asomani in February 2021 intelligence began circulating in September 2021 of the intended appointment of Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani as the substantive National Security Coordinator to replace Major General Francis Adu Amanfo (Rtd) who had been appointed to replace Joshua Kyeremeh who died in January 2021. The intended appointment of Mr. Asomani to the substantive position in September 2021 was reported to have been creating internal friction within the National Security Secretariat staff. By way of an aside which reinforces Nana Akufo-Addo long game to break the 8 at the 2024 Elections, it ought to be said that Nana Akufo-Addos Family and Friends radio station, Asaase Radio on 17 November 2021 announced the appointment of Mr. Richard Ahiagbah (who was appointed to succeed Mr. Asomani as the acting Executive Director of the Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to replace Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani) as the Deputy Director of Research in the Office of the President with retrospective effect from October 2021 to assist Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah the Director of Research in the Office of the President to monitor and evaluate the work and output of all presidential appointees, providing continuous feedback for the president and ultimately contributing to the development and execution of strategic decisions of the second term of Akufo-Addo government. His profile as published by Asaase Radio stated that: Profile of Ahiagbah Richard Ahiagbah was a field organiser for the former US president Barack Obamas re-election campaign in 2012. He has also undertaken similar roles in senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the United States. (Emphasis supplied). Many a citizen who do not have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the working of the Republics law enforcement, security and intelligence apparatus designed under the 1992 Constitution to be applied with utmost integrity, transparency and accountability for the protection of the constitutional and democratic regime for the good governance of citizens may not appreciate the abuse of constitutional power involved when a disingenuous president subtlety uses the power and instruments of state in capturing the essential institutions designed to ensure free and fair elections. The events and circumstances of the 2008 Presidential Elections instead of enhancing Ghanas democratic credentials created in the loser of that election, Nana Akufo-Addo, a fixation and paranoia that former President John Agyekum Kufuor could have rigged the elections for him but failed or refused to do so out of personal spite. Nana Akufo-Addo appears to have carried the post-traumatic stress disorder generated by losing the results of the 2008 elections and determined that never under his watch as a President of Ghana will he supervise the smooth changing of government from one political party to another in Ghana. No matter what happens, his political party must win the exiting election under his watch. Those with eyes, minds, and ears to see, think and listen discerned Nana Akufo-Addos long game since 2017 to ensure that he left the Presidency on 7 January 2025 handing over power to his own political party, no matter what happens. His actions and pronouncement upon becoming president with our support vindicate the perception of his fixation and paranoia of supervising the winning of the 2024 elections by his chosen presidential candidate and successor at whatever cost to the preservation and defence of the 1992 Constitution. An interview former President John Kufuor gave to the Financial Times on or about 25 October 2010 alluded to the dissatisfaction of Nana Akufo-Addo and his supporters with the alleged manner he supervised the second round of the 2008 Presidential Election. Mr. Kufuor was accused of not doing enough to support his partys candidate even though he had no option than to obey the final declaration of the results by the Electoral Commission. Mr. Kufuor said: When my term ended, and the votes were declared by the electorate, I obeyed. Even with some of my people questioning. But I said that was the constitution. If anyone felt aggrieved let them go to court. After the Electoral Commission had given notice of a re-run of the presidential election for the outstanding Tain Constituency, a faction within the NPP supporting its candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, with his tacit blessings sought an injunction in the High Court to restrain the Electoral Commission from holding that election and frustrating the handing over of power on 7th January 2009. President Kufuor summed up the implication of the restraining order sought by the supporters of his partys candidate against the electoral commission when he said in an interview with the Financial Times that: Suppose I had sided with my side going to court to restrain the electoral commission it would have meant frustrating the electoral commission from holding the election and then we couldnt have met the constitutional deadline of 7th January. So the only way for me to stay on would have been to declare a state of emergency. And on what basis? So I had to consider the whole thing. Then I said 7th of January I will hand over power to whoever the electoral commission announced. Anyone who felt aggrieved could go to court. So I drove back to Accra a distance of some 100 miles. Thats what happened. The implication was that I would be staging a coup. Nana Akufo-Addo has used every major political conference and event of the New Patriotic Party during his second term as President to underscore his long game of playing his part to ensure that the constitutional institutions of the Republic are positioned in such a way with politically loyal leadership appointees as to deliver his fixation to winning the 2024 elections for his chosen successor. He has consistently underscored the fact that despite his determination, without the variable condition of a united NPP behind the chosen presidential candidate his determination to break the 8 will come to naught. As the Daily Graphic of 19 December 2021 reported, Nana Akufo-Addo told the partys delegates in Kumasi on Sunday that: Every step taken now leading to 2024 is going to be decisive either to give us victory or not. He is reported to have reckoned that it would require discipline and a united front; promising a level playing field for all presidential aspirants to produce an acceptable leader to be backed by all. Nana Akufo-Addo is also reported by the Daily Guide Network on 14 April 2022 to have shared his dream when he met the National Executive Committee (NEC) members of the New Patriotic Party in Accra on Tuesday by reiterating his strong desire to hand over power to another New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2025 to ensure continuity of the good work done by his administration. Mr. John Boadu, the then General Secretary was reported to have quoted to journalist at a press conference in Kumasi the words of the President at the NEC Accra meeting as follows: The NPP members should remain steadfast and united around the sterling leadership of the government which is steering through these difficult times. The party can only realise its ambition of retaining political power in 2024 when the party members eschew all forms of bickering, antagonism and all other things that tend to divide us.If we adhere to my wise counsel and remain united as one elephant family with a common destiny, definitely we shall win the elections and I, Nana Akufo-Addo, will hand over political power to another competent NPP person in 2024 (sic), the President purportedly stated. On 30 July 2022, at the occasion of the New Patriotic Partys 30th Anniversary and National Thanksgiving Service held at the Kofi Ohene-Konadu auditorium of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, under the theme; [email protected]: Our Shared Traditional, Holding and Working Together a Stable and Prosperous Nation, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo concluded his speech to the party gathering as follows: I want to end by making one appeal, I want you to help me to achieve the last great political feat of my career in Ghanaian politics, that on the 7th of January 2025, I will go to Black Star Square and hand over the baton to our next NPP President of the Republic who we would have chosen, supported and brought to victory. (Emphasis supplied). Akufo-Addo said further that: Victory in 2024, that is our goal, that is our task and that by the Grace of God, we will achieve. (Emphasis supplied). And as if to thump a finger in the eyes of the electorate and people of Ghana on 5 August 2022, the Communications Directorate of the Jubilee House, Accra then issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani, and Nana Attobrah Quaicoe as the new leadership for the National Security apparatus. Then on 8 August 2022 in an interview with the North Star radio in Tamale Nana Akufo-Addo relived his post-traumatic stress disorder of losing the 2008 presidential elections. He is reported on Ghana Web of 9th August 2022 to have said, inter alia that: A lot of people are forgetting that in 2008, we almost broke the 8 then. The elections of 2008 which is the first one with me as a candidate of the NPP, I won the first round and in fact, I was short of outright victory by 23,000 votes. Very narrow. 23,000 votes should have gone the other way round wherever and I would have been president in the first round in 2008. It didnt happen. We went into a second round and in that second round, the NPP lost by 40,000 votes. President Mills was elected with 50.01% of the overall votes. It is the narrowest margin of victory in any presidential contest of the 4th Republic. That tells you the NPP was extremely close to making that statement [of breaking the 8] as far back as that (time) We have all learnt our lessons from what happened. Those that came from our own side, the problems that we had ourselves and those that were external to our party. We are determined this time round that not only will it be a victory, it will be a decisive victory because this National Democratic Congress, they should spend more time in opposition so they can organize themselves better for the future of Ghana than what they are today. (Emphasis supplied) The groundwork to facilitate the accomplishment of the dreams of Nana Akufo-Addo to abuse the constitutional process through the appointing powers vested in him to load the institutions of state power responsible for impartial law enforcement, security and intelligence of the electoral process with the new leadership of the National Security apparatus appointed by Nana Akufo-Addo had already been laid during his first term in office as President when he captured the commanding heights of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization and its associate regulatory authorities and agencies responsible for information technology, and communications. The biometric data of all citizens of voting age who use SIM cards as instruments of ICT are to be captured and stored in a database at the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) pursuant the authority of the Minister and the National Communications Authority (NCA). It is imperative for citizens to remember that the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Mr. Joseph Anokye, was purposefully brought or encouraged to returned home to facilitate the winning of the 2016 elections by Nana Akufo-Addo and was duly rewarded with that appointment in January 2017. For those who do not know or remember: the Director-General of the National Information Technology Authority (NITA), Mr. Richard Okyere-Fosu, was a former group head of information technology at cousin Ken Ofori-Attas Data Bank Financial Services Limited who went along to the Ministry of Finance with Ken Ofori Atta as the Minister of Finance and was later transitioned to NITA first as Director of Finance and Administration and subsequently elevated to lead the agency. And for those who understand the power of controlling voters and citizens biometric data and means of information technology communications during the 2024 elections the possibility of surveillance of political opponents could not have been far from the main reason for the insistence and railroading of Ghanaian on the Ghana Card registration, and the SIM Cards re-registration exercise using the unconstitutional and infamous process of the Establishment of Emergency Communications Instrument, 202 (E. I. 63). Nana Akufo-Addos long game to use the instruments of state power disingenuous and opaquely to prepare an uneven electoral playing field in such a manner as to realize his fixation and paranoid of winning the 2024 elections, no matter what happens, is being gradually achieved. Interested readers of further details may wish to re-visit my article: Nana Akufos Dictatorship Illegal Sim Card Re-Registration and Solidarity for Boycotting the Use of Mobile Phone of 10 February 2022 which is available online. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana demands a fair and transparent governance process based on merit and participation by every qualified citizen and enjoins each of us who are citizens to ensure that the Presidential oath to uphold and defend the Constitution and do justice to all citizens without fear or favour, affection or ill will is respected by the President Nana Akufo-Addo. Former President Rawling did not use the instruments of state power to prevent former President Kufuor from winning the 2000 elections against the late Vice President Mills as the governing partys candidate and I as his Vice-Presidential candidate during the second round of that election. Former President Kufuor also underscored the importance of not interfering with the electoral process when he stated in 2008 that: When my term ended, and the votes were declared by the electorate, I obeyed. Even with some of my people questioning. But I said that was the constitution. If anyone felt aggrieved let them go to court. The 1992 Constitution has endured the longest in the democratic history of our dear nation and enjoins all citizens to defend it against any attempts to undermine its spirit or to establish by any subterfuges a one-party state by an elected President entrusted with the levers of state power of the Republic of Ghana. President Nana Akufo-Addos long electoral game while appearing to follow the letter of the law in making appointments to public office substantively breaches the fundamental spirit of the Constitution of integrity, transparency, accountability, and merit and is leading to the actualization of a calculated and deliberate intention to undermine the 2024 electoral process. It is in consideration of the foregoing that I hereby break my silence from public political discourse which I imposed upon myself to call on all patriotic citizens to come together in defence of the 1992 Constitution to ensure that the processes leading to the 2024 elections are not undermined by Nana Akufo-Addos penchant for impunity and abuse of constitutional power that may lead to the jeopardy of the Constitution that we as citizens are enjoined to protect and defend. Ghana must always be put first. Martin A. B. K. Amidu The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto is confident he has done a very good job since taking over the sector. According to him, he is not paying attention to critics who want to see him fired by H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He says he is in the good books of the President. Speaking to TV3 on the New Day programme on Thursday, August 11, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto stressed that he is not perturbed by backlash from his critics but rather focused on executing the job at hand. If your boss thinks you are doing a good job, why not. The person who appointed me is the one who can sack me. If somebody asks for me to be sacked, he is not the appointing authority, the Minister of Agric indicated. He further opined that since becoming Agric Minister, the sector has enjoyed a lot of success, especially in the area of Planting for Foods and Agriculture. In his view, the achievement of the Ministry are unprecedented when compared to the gains of the Ministry in the last three decades. From what I have given you this morning, the work at the Ministry of Agriculture is strong and unprecedented. If you go back 30 years, look at the rate of growth of agriculture and you will see exactly the objective assessment of what I am saying. We are very proud of what we are doing for mother Ghana in these crisis, yes global crisis where everybody is suffering food shortage, people are coming into our country to raise surpluses, that should be a big achievement, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto argued. The Minister is one of the leading members of the ruling NPP seeking to become a flagbearer to lead the party in the 2024 presidential elections. The new appointment made by President Nana Akufo-Addo at the National Security is meant to help the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to capture the national security towards the agenda of breaking the 8-year electoral cycle in the 2024 general elections, former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has said. Mr Akufo-Addo has appointed Mr Edward Asomani as the new National Security Coordinator. Until his appointment, Mr Asomani, was the Deputy National Security Coordinator. This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency Mr Eugene Arhin on Friday August 5. The confirmation of his appointment is subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission, the statement said. The National Security Coordinator Amb. Maj Gen (Rtd) Francis Adu-Amanfoh, according to the statement, was reassigned with effect from last Monday August 8th, 2022 to act as Special Advisor to the President for the Accra Initiative. The Accra Initiative was launched in September 2017 by Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo in response to growing insecurity linked to violent extremism in the region. The President also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe to act, with effect from last Monday 8th August 2022 as Director-General of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB). Confirmation of his appointment also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission, the statement stressed. This comes after Mr Akufo-Addo appointed Mr Kwaku Domfeh as Ambassador-designate to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Reacting to these appointments in a statement on Thursday August 11, Mr Martin Amidu said The appointment by the President of Mr. Edward Asomani, Deputy National Security Co-ordinator, to act as National Security Co-ordinator, with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022 subject to the confirmation of his appointment to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission gives finality to Nana Akufo-Addo's long game to capture the National Security Secretariat apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. The President by the same press release also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Deputy Director-General of the NIB, to act with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022, as the Director-General of National Intelligence Bureau, with his confirmation also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission as part of Nana Akufo-Addo's long game to capture the National Intelligence Bureau apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. Below is his full statement NEW LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY APPARATUS AND AKUFO-ADDO'S LONG GAME OF BREAKING THE EIGHT: BY MARTIN A. B. K. AMIDU The press release issued by the Communications Directorate of the Jubilee House, Accra on 5 August 2022 announcing the appointment of new leadership for the National Security apparatus was the eventual actualization of an intentional and purposeful strategic decision by President Akufo-Addo since he lost the second round of the 2008 Presidential Election to ensure that if he ever ascended the Presidency he would not behave like former President John Kufuor to allow an election under his watch to be won by any other political party. Consequently, upon his assumption of office as the President of Ghana on 7 January 2017 Nana Akufo-Addo activated his long game to break the 8 at the 2024 Presidential Election. He determined to ensure that by the middle of his second term in office all the instruments of law enforcement, state security and intelligence power of the Republic of Ghana should be led by persons with proven political dedication and loyalty to his person, and his family and friends. The appointment by the President of Mr. Edward Asomani, Deputy National Security Co-ordinator, to act as National Security Co-ordinator, with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022 subject to the confirmation of his appointment to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission gives finality to Nana Akufo-Addo's long game to capture the National Security Secretariat apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. The President by the same press release also appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Deputy Director-General of the NIB, to act with effect from Monday, 8th August 2022, as the Director-General of National Intelligence Bureau, with his confirmation also being subject to the receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the National Security Council, given in consultation with the Public Service Commission as part of Nana Akufo-Addo's long game to capture the National Intelligence Bureau apparatus towards his electoral agenda for the 2024 parliamentary and presidential elections. A casual reading of the press release signed by the Communications Director of the Jubilee House does not disclose that it was purposefully written to hide a covert sequence of events in which the President's Family and Friends' Non-Governmental Organization, the Danquah Institute, was positioned since the 2008 elections as the strategic family instrument for producing Nana Attobrah Quaicoe and Edward Kwaku Asomani for the leadership of the two critical National Security apparatus in anticipation of the 2024 Elections. The antecedents and true sequences of events in the rise of the new leadership of the National Security apparatus shows that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe had sharpened his teeth as the Executive Director of the President's Family and Friends Danquah Institute before his purposeful appointment as the Deputy Director of the then Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) in May 2019. Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani also sharpened his teeth at the same Family and Friends Danquah Institute before his appointment in February 2021 by the President as the Deputy National Security Coordinator , in fulfilment of the pursuance of the important research work, which will lead to another assignment. See Citi Newsroom online publication of 21 October 2019: also, the Daily Guide Network online publication of 23 October 2019 on the research work that was to lead to another assignment. It is important for the reader to keep at the back of his mind the unspoken facts and evidence that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, and Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani were recruited into Nana Akufo-Addo's Danquah Institute under the Chairmanship of his maternal cousin, Mr. Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko , an indispensable member of the family's planning and strategies cohort. In a statement issued by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and reported on 3news.com/Ghana on 9 September 2015 the Danquah Institute named Nana Attorbrah Quaicoe's who had worked with the Danquah Institute since its inception and rose to the position of Head of Research as its new Executive Director with effective from 1 September 2015. Nana Attobrah Quaicoe was taking over from Mustapha Abdul Hamid to enable him to fulfill other commitments. The strategic location and positions occupied by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh , and Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid within the Nana Akufo-Addo government of Family and Friends are now matters of notorious public knowledge. These are factors to consider in Nana Akufo-Addo's electoral long game. Mr. Edward Asomani was appointed the Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 2 November 2018 to lead the Institute by promoting the Danquah-Dombo tradition and providing its effective leadership. A statement signed by the acting Chairman of the Governing Board of the Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko , stated, inter alia, that: He will also be expected to undertake important research, policy advocacy, training and most importantly actively seek and mentor the next generation of leaders. His research interests were also stated to include the political economy of Africa, US foreign policy towards Africa, political leadership, elections and electoral democracy. (Emphasis supplied) However, under a year Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni strategically exited the office of Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to enable him pursue important research work, which will lead to another assignment. Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, now a Deputy Director of Research in the Office of the President at Jubilee House, who was appointed to succeed Mr. Asomani as the acting Executive Director of the Institute: comes in with a strong public policy background. Also significant is his experience in electoral research and campaign strategy. Mr. Ahiagbah is reputed to have been a field organizer for President Obama's re-election campaign in 2012: a role he is said to have performed on other senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the United States. (Emphasis supplied). The strategic subtility and craftiness of placing dedicated and loyal members of Nana Akufo-Addo's Family and Friends of the Danquah Institute in critical positions within the constitutional apparatus of the Republic towards the actualization of turning Ghana into a private family estate can be discerned by any reasonable and critical thinking citizens who have followed appointments into the Republic of Ghana's state institutions since the President's assumption of office in January 2017. Suffice it to reiterate that in the case of Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, and Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni, Nana Akufo-Addo had appointed Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, a former Executive Director of the Danquah Institute as the new Deputy Director in Charge of Operations, and One Timothy Coleman, a career BNI officer as the Deputy Director in charge of Administration at the Bureau of National Investigations in May 2019 on the opportunity of the removal of Ambassador Rasheed Seidu Inusah as the Director of the BNI and the elevation of his then Deputy Director, Mr. Kwaku Domfeh as the substantive Director of BNI. Mr. Edward Kwaku Asamoni who strategically exited the office of Executive Director of the Danquah Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to enable him pursue important research work, which will lead to another assignment was appointed in February 2021 by the President as the Deputy National Security Coordinator, in fulfilment of the pursuance of the important research work, which will lead to another assignment. As a result of this appointment of Mr. Asomani in February 2021 intelligence began circulating in September 2021 of the intended appointment of Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani as the substantive National Security Coordinator to replace Major General Francis Adu Amanfo (Rtd) who had been appointed to replace Joshua Kyeremeh who died in January 2021. The intended appointment of Mr. Asomani to the substantive position in September 2021 was reported to have been creating internal friction within the National Security Secretariat staff. By way of an aside which reinforces Nana Akufo-Addo's long game to break the 8 at the 2024 Elections, it ought to be said that Nana Akufo-Addo's Family and Friends radio station, Asaase Radio on 17 November 2021 announced the appointment of Mr. Richard Ahiagbah (who was appointed to succeed Mr. Asomani as the acting Executive Director of the Institute with effect from 21 October 2019 to replace Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani) as the Deputy Director of Research in the Office of the President with retrospective effect from October 2021 to assist Dr. Isaac Owusu-Mensah the Director of Research in the Office of the President to monitor and evaluate the work and output of all presidential appointees, providing continuous feedback for the president and ultimately contributing to the development and execution of strategic decisions of the second term of Akufo-Addo government. His profile as published by Asaase Radio stated that: Profile of Ahiagbah Richard Ahiagbah was a field organiser for former US president Barack Obama's re-election campaign in 2012. He has also undertaken similar roles in senatorial and gubernatorial elections in the United States. (Emphasis supplied). Many a citizen who do not have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the working of the Republic's law enforcement, security and intelligence apparatus designed under the 1992 Constitution to be applied with utmost integrity, transparency and accountability for the protection of the constitutional and democratic regime for the good governance of citizens may not appreciate the abuse of constitutional power involved when a disingenuous president subtlety uses the power and instruments of state in capturing the essential institutions designed to ensure a free and fair elections. The events and circumstances of the 2008 Presidential Elections instead of enhancing Ghana's democratic credentials created in the loser of that election, Nana Akufo-Addo, a fixation and paranoia that former President John Agyekum Kufuor could have rigged the elections for him but failed or refused to do so out of personal spite. Nana Akufo-Addo appears to have carried the post-traumatic stress disorder generated by losing the results of the 2008 elections and determined that never under his watch as a President of Ghana will he supervise the smooth changing of government from one political party to another in Ghana. No matter what happens, his political party must win the exiting election under his watch. Those with eyes, minds, and ears to see, think and listen discerned Nana Akufo-Addo's long game since 2017 to ensure that he left the Presidency on 7 January 2025 handing over power to his own political party, no matter what happens. His actions and pronouncement upon becoming president with our support vindicates the perception of his fixation and paranoia of supervising the winning of the 2024 elections by his chosen presidential candidate and successor at whatever cost to the preservation and defence of the 1992 Constitution. An interview former President John Kufuor gave to the Financial Times on or about 25 October 2010 alluded to the dissatisfaction of Nana Akufo-Addo and his supporters with the alleged manner he supervised the second round of the 2008 Presidential Election. Mr. Kufuor was accused of not doing enough to support his party's candidate even though he had no option than to obey the final declaration of the results by the Electoral Commission. Mr. Kufuor said: When my term ended, and the votes were declared by the electorate, I obeyed. Even with some of my people questioning. But I said that was the constitution. If anyone felt aggrieved let them go to court. After the Electoral Commission had given notice of a re-run of the presidential election for the outstanding Tain Constituency, a faction within the NPP supporting its candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, with his tacit blessings sought an injunction in the High Court to restrain the Electoral Commission from holding that election and frustrating the handing over of power on 7th January 2009. President Kufuor summed up the implication of the restraining order sought by the supporters of his party's candidate against the electoral commission when he said in an interview with the Financial Times that: Suppose I had sided with my side going to court to restrain the electoral commission it would have meant frustrating the electoral commission from holding the election and then we couldn't have met the constitutional deadline of 7th January. So the only way for me to stay on would have been to declare a state of emergency. And on what basis? So I had to consider the whole thing. Then I said 7th of January I will hand over power to whoever the electoral commission announced. Anyone who felt aggrieved could go to court. So I drove back to Accra a distance of some 100 miles. That's what happened. The implication was that I would be staging a coup. Nana Akufo-Addo has used every major political conference and event of the New Patriotic Party during his second term as President to underscore his long game of playing his part to ensure that the constitutional institutions of the Republic are positioned in such a way with politically loyal leadership appointees as to deliver his fixation to winning the 2024 elections for his chosen successor. He has consistently underscored the fact that despite his determination, without the variable condition of a united NPP behind the chosen presidential candidate his determination to break the 8 will come to naught. As the Daily Graphic of 19 December 2021 reported, Nana Akufo-Addo told the party's delegates in Kumasi on Sunday that: Every step taken now leading to 2024 is going to be decisive either to give us victory or not. He is reported to have reckoned that it would require discipline and a united front; promising a level playing field for all presidential aspirants to produce an acceptable leader to be backed by all. Nana Akufo-Addo is also reported by the Daily Guide Network on 14 April 2022 to have shared his dream when he met the National Executive Committee (NEC) members of the New Patriotic Party in Accra on Tuesday by reiterating his strong desire to hand over power to another New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in 2025 to ensure continuity of the good work done by his administration. Mr. John Boadu, the then General Secretary was reported to have quoted to journalist at a press conference in Kumasi the words of the President at the NEC Accra meeting as follows: The NPP members should remain steadfast and united around the sterling leadership of the government which is steering through these difficult times. The party can only realise its ambition of retaining political power in 2024 when the party members eschew all forms of bickering, antagonism and all other things that tend to divide us.If we adhere to my wise counsel and remain united as one elephant family with a common destiny, definitely we shall win the elections and I, Nana Akufo-Addo, will hand over political power to another competent NPP person in 2024 (sic), the President purportedly stated. On 30 July 2022, at the occasion of the New Patriotic Party's 30th Anniversary and National Thanksgiving Service held at the Kofi Ohene-Konadu auditorium of the University of Professional Studies , Accra, under the theme; [email protected] : Our Shared Traditional, Holding and Working Together a Stable and Prosperous Nation, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo concluded his speech to the party gathering as follows: I want to end by making one appeal, I want you to help me to achieve the last great political feat of my career in Ghanaian politics, that on the 7th of January 2025, I will go to Black Star Square and hand over the baton to our next NPP President of the Republic who we would have chosen, supported and brought to victory. (Emphasis supplied). Akufo-Addo said further that: Victory in 2024, that is our goal, that is our task and that by the Grace of God, we will achieve. (Emphasis supplied). And as if to thump a finger in the eyes of the electorate and people of Ghana on 5 August 2022, the Communications Directorate of the Jubilee House, Accra then issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Edward Kwaku Asomani, and Nana Attobrah Quaicoe as the new leadership for the National Security apparatus. Then on 8 August 2022 in an interview with the North Star radio in Tamale Nana Akufo-Addo relived his post-traumatic stress disorder of losing the 2008 presidential elections. He is reported on Ghana Web of 9th August 2022 to have said, inter alia that: A lot of people are forgetting that in 2008, we almost broke the 8 then. The elections of 2008 which is the first one with me as a candidate of the NPP, I won the first round and in fact, I was short of outright victory by 23,000 votes. Very narrow. 23,000 votes should have gone the other way round wherever and I would have been president in the first round in 2008. It didn't happen. We went into a second round and in that second round, the NPP lost by 40,000 votes. President Mills was elected with 50.01% of the overall votes. It is the narrowest margin of victory in any presidential contest of the 4th Republic. That tells you the NPP was extremely close to making that statement [of breaking the 8] as far back as that (time) We have all learnt our lessons from what happened. Those that came from our own side, the problems that we had ourselves and those that were external to our party. We are determined this time round that not only will it be a victory, it will be a decisive victory because this National Democratic Congress , they should spend more time in opposition so they can organize themselves better for the future of Ghana than what they are today. (Emphasis supplied) The groundwork to facilitate the accomplishment of the dreams of Nana Akufo-Addo to abuse the constitutional process through the appointing powers vested in him to load the institutions of state power responsible for impartial law enforcement, security and intelligence of the electoral process with the new leadership of the National Security apparatus appointed by Nana Akufo-Addo had already been laid during his first term in office as President when he captured the commanding heights of the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization and its associate regulatory authorities and agencies responsible for information technology, and communications. The biometric data of all citizens of voting age who use SIM cards as instruments of ICT are to be captured and stored in a database at the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) pursuant the authority of the Minister and the National Communications Authority (NCA) . It is imperative for citizens to remember that the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA) , Mr. Joseph Anokye, was purposefully brought or encouraged to return home to facilitate the winning of the 2016 elections by Nana Akufo-Addo and was duly rewarded with that appointment in January 2017. For those who do not know or remember: the Director-General of the National Information Technology Authority (NITA), Mr. Richard Okyere-Fosu, was a former group head of information technology at cousin Ken Ofori-Atta's Data Bank Financial Services Limited who went along to the Ministry of Finance with Ken Ofori Atta as the Minister of Finance and was later transitioned to NITA first as Director of Finance and Administration and subsequently elevated to lead the agency. And for those who understand the power of controlling voter's and citizens' biometric data and means of information technology communications during the 2024 elections the possibility of surveillance of political opponents could not have been far from the main reason for the insistence and railroading of Ghanaian on the Ghana Card registration, and the SIM Cards re-registration exercise using the unconstitutional and infamous process of the Establishment of Emergency Communications Instrument, 202 (E. I. 63). Nana Akufo-Addo's long game to use the instruments of state power disingenuous and opaquely to prepare an uneven electoral playing field in such a manner as to realize his fixation and paranoid of winning the 2024 elections, no matter what happens, is being gradually achieved. Interested readers of further details may wish to re-visit my article: Nana Akufo's Dictatorship Illegal Sim Card Re-Registration and Solidarity for Boycotting the Use of Mobile Phone of 10 February 2022 which is available online. The 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana demands a fair and transparent governance process based on merit and participation by every qualified citizen and enjoins each of us who are citizens to ensure that the Presidential oath to uphold and defend the Constitution and do justice to all citizens without fear or favour, affection or ill will is respected by the President Nana Akufo-Addo. Former President Rawling did not use the instruments of state power to prevent former President Kufuor from winning the 2000 elections against the late Vice President Mills as the governing party's candidate and I as his Vice-Presidential candidate during the second round of that election. Former President Kufuor also underscored the importance of not interfering with the electoral process when he stated in 2008 that: When my term ended, and the votes were declared by the electorate, I obeyed. Even with some of my people questioning. But I said that was the constitution. If anyone felt aggrieved let them go to court. The 1992 Constitution has endured the longest in the democratic history of our dear nation and enjoins all citizens to defend it against any attempts to undermine its spirit or to establish by any subterfuges a one-party state by an elected President entrusted with the levers of state power of the Republic of Ghana. President Nana Akufo-Addo 's long electoral game while appearing to follow the letter of the law in making appointments to public office substantively breaches the fundamental spirit of the Constitution of integrity, transparency, accountability, and merit and is leading to the actualization of a calculated and deliberate intention to undermine the 2024 electoral process. It is in consideration of the foregoing that I hereby break my silence from public political discourse which I imposed upon myself to call on all patriotic citizens to come together in defence of the 1992 Constitution to ensure that the processes leading to the 2024 elections are not undermined by Nana Akufo-Addo's penchant for impunity and abuse of constitutional power that may lead to the jeopardy of the Constitution that we as citizens are enjoined to protect and defend. Ghana must always be put first. Martin A. B. K. Amidu ---3news.com Corruption Watch Ghana has applauded the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) for recovering an amount of GHC1,074,627.15 through the issuance of an interim directive to Labianca Company Limited, owned by Ms. Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, a member of the Council of State and a member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA). According to the OSP, Labianca Company Limited had evaded the payment of the said amount as a result of the issuance of an unlawful customs advance ruling by Mr. Joseph Adu Kyei, the Deputy Commissioner for Customs in charge of operations. Corruption Watch Ghana in a statement noted that the OSPs action fulfils one of its core functions, which is the recovery and management of the proceeds of corruption and corruption-related offences. Corruption Watch Ghana says it welcomes the directive for the opening of a wider investigation in respect of the issuance of customs advance rulings and markdown of benchmark values between July 2017 and December 2021. The anti-graft group further welcomed the directive to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to submit an Integrity Plan designed with the aim of preventing the corruption of the exercise of discretion by officials of the Customs Division by December 31, 2022. We believe that these directives are forward looking. Given the circumstances of this case, particularly, the OSPs determination of influence peddling, we draw attention to Section 179C of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), which makes it an offence for a person to use public office for profit. We note that the offence is committed by both the person who holds public office who dishonestly abuses the office for private gain or benefit and other persons who collaborate with the public officer to so abuse the office, the statement said. Corruption Watch Ghana is calling for the following to give effect and impetus to the course that the OSP has taken: 1. Ms. Buah Asomah-Hinneh must be asked to resign or be removed from her membership of the Council of State and the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. 2. Mr. Joseph Adu Kyei, the Deputy Commissioner for Customs in charge of operations, must be sanctioned regardless of the OSPs directive for the opening of a wider investigation in the respect of the issuance of customs advance rulings and markdown of benchmark values. 3. In addition, the fact that Ms. Buah Asomah-Hinneh is a politically exposed person (PEP) underlines the importance that the country must attach to developing a full-fledged, efficient and functioning beneficial ownership disclosure mechanism to assist in tackling corruption and its related state capture by influential persons in society. The statement said it is clear that the OSP can become an effective institutional tool for fighting corruption if Government were to release to the Office all funds allocated to it. It, therefore, called on the government to as a matter of urgency, cause the release of funds to the OSP to enable it to undertake its mandate. Source: Classfmonline.com The Ghana Journalism Association (GJA), has condemned the ban imposed on Radio Ada by the Ada traditional Council ahead of this year's Asafotufiami celebration. The Ada Traditional Council describing as "insulting" and "disrespectful" language used by the programme hosts of Radio Ada against Neneme, the head of the Traditional Council and the entire council barred them from covering the festival. The blacklisting started when they were denied their 24-year-old protocol for the official launch of the Asafotufiami festival on July 30. The stations management made a follow-up inquiry into why they were left out, which turned positive at the initial conversation, only for them to receive a notice indicating: 1. Radio Ada will not be allowed to mount a stage at Ada Asafotufiami Park 2. Neneme ( the Head of the Traditional Council) will not grant interviews to journalists from Radio Ada. 3. Noah Dameh, Serwah Warri and AmanorDzeagu who happen to be hosts of programmes with an unrefined language towards Neneme are not to be seen at the park in Radio Ada paraphernalia. This action, metered on the journalists and the entire Radio Ada, according to the GJAs President, Albert Kwabena Dwomfuor, at a press conference today, August 11 is unjustifiable and an affront to their freedom as journalists. While appreciating the concerns of Neneme as indicated above, especially what they described as "unrefined language" used to address them by programme hosts of the radio station, the GJA believes the imposition of restrictions on the radio station and its reporters is unjustifiable. In fact, it is an affront to press freedom as guaranteed in Article 21(1)(a) and (f) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, Mr. Dwumfuor said. He continued that However, the Ada Traditional Council violated the rules on complaint settlement of the NMC per the imposition of restrictions on the radio station and its reporters. Section 13(2) of the National Media Commission Act, 1993 (Act 449) provides: 'A person who has lodged a complaint with the Commission shall unless he withdraws the complaint, exhaust all avenues available for settling the issue by the Commission before a recourse to the courts'." Mr Dwunfour stressed, Since the complaint by the Ada Traditional Council is still pending, and has not been withdrawn, the Council violated the NMC rules of engagement for complaint settlement by constituting itself into a traditional court to punish the radio station and its staff." He calls on the Ada Traditional Council not to take the law into its own hands, urging it to endeavour to use the due process of law to address its concerns. The GJA President urged the Council to refrain from actions that have the tendency to endanger the lives of the radio station and its staff. To the staff of Radio Ada, the GJA said, We also advise Radio Ada and its staff to refrain from using insulting or unacceptable language in the discharge of their duties. They should endeavour to exhibit high professional standards at all times. We, however, encourage them to continue to discharge their constitutional mandate as provided in Article 162(5) of the 1992 Constitution to hold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people of Ghana. They must continue to play the watchdog role of the media in the interest of the people. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that support for armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo must cease, as he held talks with Rwanda over accusations it is backing rebels in the troubled country. Blinken also said he had voiced "serious concerns" about human rights during a meeting with President Paul Kagame, and raised the high-profile case of imprisoned "Hotel Rwanda" hero Paul Rusesabagina. The top US diplomat was in Kigali on the final stop of a three-nation African tour that follows a swing through the continent by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Blinken arrived from the DRC, where a resurgence of fighting in the long-volatile east has destabilised relations with neighouring countries. Rwanda is accused of supporting the M23, a mainly Tutsi Congolese militia which resumed fighting last year after laying mostly dormant for years. Kigali has repeatedly denied the allegations, which have soured relations with President Felix Tshisekedi's government in Kinshasa. Kagame's government in turn has accused Kinshasa of supporting Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) -- a Rwandan Hutu rebel group in the DRC that Kigali views as a threat. "Hotel Rwanda" hero Paul Rusesabagina was arrested in August 2020. By Simon Wohlfahrt (AFP/File) "Our position is clear: support for any armed group needs to cease. It is not a question of one group against another," Blinken said at a press conference with Rwandan counterpart Vincent Biruta. "My message to President Tshisekedi and President Kagame is the same: any support or cooperation with any armed group in eastern DRC endangers local communities and regional stability and every country in the region must respect the territorial integrity of the others." An unpublished independent investigation for the UN, seen by AFP last week, said Rwandan troops had attacked soldiers inside the DRC and aided the M23, which has captured swathes of territory in eastern DRC in recent months. Biruta declined to respond directly to Blinken's comments that the reports were "credible", saying the "root problem" of the FDLR needed to be tackled to reach a lasting solution in eastern DRC. Ahead of his Rwanda trip, Blinken faced calls from campaigners and the opposition to confront the government over its poor human rights record. Kagame has effectively ruled with an iron fist for nearly three decades, ever since his rebel army stopped the 1994 genocide which left some 800,000 mainly ethnic Tutsis dead. "As I told President Kagame, we believe people in every country should be able to express their views without fear of intimidation, imprisonment, violence or any other forms of repression," Blinken said. "I underscored our concerns about the lack of fair trial guarantees provided to (Rusesabagina)," a fierce Kagame critic who was sentenced to a 25-year prison term last year on terrorism charges. 'Wrongfully detained' In May, the US State Department said Rusesabagina -- a US permanent resident -- had been "wrongfully detained". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial during his visit to Rwanda. By Andrew Harnik (POOL/AFP) Then a Kigali hotel manager, Rusesabagina is credited with saving hundreds of lives during the genocide. His actions inspired the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda." The 68-year-old has been behind bars since his arrest in August 2020 when a plane he believed was bound for Burundi landed instead in Kigali. Biruta was defiant when asked if Rwanda would free Rusesabagina, saying he will "complete his punishment". "Those thinking that Rwandans will one day wake up to hear that he has been released because of external pressure from other countries; that will not happen." In a statement issued to coincide with Blinken's visit, Rusesabagina's family called again for his release on humanitarian grounds, saying his health was deteriorating after more than 700 days behind bars. Human Rights Watch on Monday had called on Blinken to take Rwanda to task over rights abuses including crackdowns on opponents and civil society. "Failing to address Rwanda's abysmal human rights record has emboldened its officials to continue to commit abuse, even beyond its borders," said Lewis Mudge, HRW's Central Africa director. Opposition leader Victoire Ingabire echoed the call. "Blinken has to ask our government to open up political space to everyone who wants to be active in politics," said Ingabire, who spent six years in jail on terrorism charges. In the heat of the ongoing impasse between a community radio station, Radio Ada located in Ada in the Greater Accra Region and the Traditional Council of the area, the Ghana Journalism Association (GJA) has called for cool heads. The Ada Traditional Council, describing as "insulting" and "disrespectful" language used by the programme hosts of Radio Ada against Neneme, the head of the Traditional Council and the entire council, barred them from covering this year's Asafotufiami festival. The blacklisting started when they were denied protocol for the official launch of the Asafotufiami festival on July 30. The stations made a follow-up inquiry into why they were left out, which turned positive at the initial conversation, only for them to receive a notice indicating: 1. Radio Ada will not be allowed to mount a stage at Ada Asafotufiami Park 2. Neneme ( the Head of the Traditional Council) will not grant interviews to journalists from Radio Ada. 3. Noah Dameh, Serwah Warri and AmanorDzeagu who happen to be hosts of programmes with an unrefined language towards Neneme are not to be seen at the park in Radio Ada paraphernalia. Even though the Association condemned the Ada Traditional Council's decision to ban Radio Ada from covering this year's Asafotufiami celebrations in the town, Mr. Albert Dwumfour, President of the GJA, encouraged both parties to settle their differences amicably. Speaking at a press conference held today, Thursday, August 11 at the International Press Centre, he stated, We wish to encourage both the Ada Traditional Council and the management of Radio Ada to find amicable ways of resolving their differences. We urge them to consider each other as partners in development and work together to promote development in the area. He reiterated The GJA is interested in seeing peace restored between the Ada Traditional Council and Radio Ada. The GJA also revealed that while the issue is yet to be resolved, it has made arrangements for the Ghana Police Service to offer protection to the workers of the radio station in the exercise of their duties. Delegates at the African Union Summit held in Malabo, Capital of Equatorial Guinea, on 27 May 2022 to address worsening humanitarian crises in Africa. - Source: AFP via Getty Images 11.08.2022 LISTEN The African Union (AU) was born in the South African port city of Durban in 2002 . Under its first chair, Thabo Mbeki , African leaders seemed determined to abandon the grandiose plans of its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The OAU had been established in 1963 to promote African unity and liberation. Other aims included: to protect the territorial integrity of its member states, promote non-alignment, and advance the peaceful settlement of disputes . The African Union, for its part, was established to achieve an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa which would be led by its own citizens and play a dynamic role in global politics. Unlike the OAU Charter , the AU's Constitutive Act of 2000 allowed for interference in the internal affairs of its members to stem instability, halt egregious human rights abuses and sanction military coups d'etat. Military regimes in Togo , Mauritania , Madagascar , Niger , Egypt , Sudan , Guinea , Guinea-Bissau , Mali and Burkina Faso were thus suspended from the AU. The continental body launched praiseworthy military stabilisation missions into Burundi (2003), Darfur (2007) and Somalia (2007). However despite this progress, autocrats continued to rig electoral outcomes. As the AU turned 20 in July 2022 , it had achieved a few successes. But it remains a weak organisation embarking on sporadic bouts of illusory reforms. This is due to financial and capacity constraints. And too much decision-making power resides with its omnipotent heads of state which has denied the organisation the ability to take decisions, and act more effectively on behalf of its members. Read more: The African Union's conflict early warning system is no more. What now? Institutional sclerosis The Addis Ababa-based AU Commission its implementing arm is led by an Assembly of Heads of State , with an Executive Council of foreign ministers and a Permanent Representatives Committee of ambassadors. The ambassadors work with specialised development, governance, parliamentary and judicial organs. The AU Commission has, however, struggled to establish its independence to take initiatives on behalf of its 55 member states in fulfilment of its mandate. A 2007 audit report led by the Nigerian scholar-technocrat Adebayo Adedeji revealed how the AU Commission headed by Malian Alpha Konare (2003-2008) misunderstood its mandates and authority levels, and failed to coordinate overlapping tasks. Some of these problems still persist. Under the French-influenced Gabonese Jean Ping (2008-2012), the commission's annual budget had reached $260 million by 2011 . Only 40% of this sum was actually paid by members. The European Union, China and the United States mostly funded the rest. This posed the risk that AU institutional priorities could be set by its donors. The AU Assembly of heads of state has often failed to adhere to the principle of subsidiarity: taking decisions at the lowest practical level, as the European Union the world's only genuinely supranational regional organisation does. The AU also conducts most of its business through unanimity, making it difficult to reach quick decisions. While the AU Commission has some impressive staff, it also has much dead wood inherited from the OAU era. Read more: African Union needs a more robust response to conflict in Cameroon The AU's 2003 plan to set up an African Standby Force by 2010 was postponed until 2015 . In December 2020, the organisation simply declared the force to be fully operational, despite the fantasy involved in such a statement. The deadline for Silencing the Guns (ending armed conflicts) by 2020 was casually pushed back a decade. Illusory reforms As chair of the AU Commission (2012-2016), former South African foreign minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma complained that over 97% of the continental body's programmes were funded by external donors . In 2013, $155 million of the $278 million annual budget (56%) was still provided by foreign partners . But Dlamini-Zuma failed to reduce this dependence during her four-year tenure. AU leaders refused to back efforts to find alternative sources of funding, such as customs duties and taxes on flights and hotel stays . Among the more quixotic ideas of the Dlamini-Zuma-driven 50-year development vision, "Agenda 2063 includes increasing intra-African trade from 12% to 50% by 2045, ending armed conflicts by 2020 ](https://au.int/en/flagships/silencing-guns-2020) and eradicating poverty in two decades. Under the Francophile Chadian chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat , since 2017, the report chaired by Rwandan president Paul Kagame on reforming the AU seemed rushed and lacked substance, and its laundry list of recommendations on institutional reforms were on a level of vacuity as to be of no real utility. These were physicians proposing half-baked cures to ills that had not been properly diagnosed. All the 2017 report's key findings had been more coherently outlined in Adedeji's report a decade earlier, the recommendations of which still have not been implemented. Another disappointment has been the 2018 African Continental Free Trade Area which seeks to facilitate trade, build infrastructure, establish a common market and ensure the free movement of people. But outside West and Eastern Africa, the free movement of people remains a pipe dream . Read more: Successes of African Human Rights Court undermined by resistance from states Most African governments are security-obsessed and hostile to intra-African migration. There is also a lack of convergence of African economies. Many compete to export raw materials rather than exchange diverse goods. Road, rail, and port infrastructure remains poor. Rules of origin which define where goods are made are often restrictive, and non-tariff barriers are widespread. If integration has not worked at the national and sub-regional levels, transferring all these problems to the continental level will certainly not integrate Africa. Need for realism The 15-member AU Peace and Security Council has contributed substantively to peacemaking efforts across Africa, and coordinated closely with the United Nations. But other AU organs have performed less well. The New Partnership for Africa's Development clearly lacks the resources and capacity as a development agency to uplift the continent. The African Peer Review Mechanism , which identifies governance challenges in 41 countries, is toothless. The Pan-African Parliament remains a talking shop . The Economic, Social and Cultural Council has failed to provide genuine civil society participation in the AU's institutions. The idea of the African Diaspora in the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe as a sixth African sub-region , along with the five continental ones, is largely devoid of substance. Read more: Toothless Pan-African Parliament could have meaningful powers. Here's how The AU must thus adopt more realistic and less illusory mandates. Its approach should be based on an accurate assessment of financial and logistical realities. More positively, AU members had contributed $295 million to their revised Peace Fund by June 2022, complementing a $650 million 2022 budget . African leaders must now strengthen the institutions they have created. They must also establish one effective economic body in each sub-region that can promote socio-economic development and provide jobs for the continent's youthful population. The AU's first two decades have largely represented a magical, mystical world of unfulfilled expectations. This is not yet uhuru (freedom). Adekeye Adebajo does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. By Adekeye Adebajo, Professor and Senior research fellow, Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria 11.08.2022 LISTEN An electrician, Henry Teye Adijrackor, age 48, has been sentenced for tampering with electricity meters. He was slapped with four charges but only pleaded guilty to the 4th one which is intentionally and knowingly interfering with the distribution system of the Electricity Company of Ghana by installing electrical meters in Chorkor at a cost of GH650.00 without authorization from ECG. The said illegal meter installation was done in homes at Chorkor in the year 2021. The court convicted the electrician on his own plea, and he was charged with 450 penalty units which attracted a GH5,400 fine or in default serve a year in prison. On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd counts, he pleaded not guilty and has since been granted a GH20,000 bail with one surety who must be a resident in Accra and earn at least GH1000. According to the charge sheet, the electrician and his accomplice admitted to the illegality but added that, the meters were disposed of by the ECG Tema region and were later sold to them around the Agbogbloshie scrapyard. But, investigations established that, the meters were stolen, and the original meter numbers covered with another one. Another accused person, an electrical engineer, Daniel Abban was absent from court with no reason. The court granted the prosecution a warrant of arrest. The complainant in the case according to the fact sheet is a staff of ECG who took notice of the illegalities during his routine meter reading duties in the Korle Bu district of ECG. The defence lawyer for the accused, Lambert Keriba, wanted the 4th count retaken for the accused to respond to because he was jittery but the judge, His Honour Bright Samuel Acquah declined the request. The defence lawyer asked for bail on the basis that, the second accused was a law-abiding person with a fixed place of abode in Accra. He willingly and gladly appeared before investigators when he was invited and not a flight risk person too. Prosecution Paul Abariga said the plea for bail was moot in the sense that, the accused person cant be granted bail in the face of a guilty plea on count 4 and that, the plea makes him a subject of court and must be sentenced or taken into custody to reappear for judgment. Speaking to the media, the general manager in charge of investigations and prosecutions of ECG who doubles as the prosecutor, Paul Abariga, said we would trace all illegal meters in the system to unscrupulous staff of ECG who are paid yet decide to engage in illegalities to deny the company of the needed revenue. He, however, cautioned the public to apply directly to the ECG for meter installations and not rely on people who present themselves as staff of ECG but are not. Lawyer for the accused prayed the court to grant bail on the first three counts and, in the case of the fourth charge, be fair since the offence was a misdemeanour which should not attract more than 500 penalty units. ---citinewsroom Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu 11.08.2022 LISTEN Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader in Parliament (MP) has commented on calls for President Akufo-Addo to reshuffle his cabinet. Some Ghanaians, particularly the opposition NDC have been piling pressure on President Akufo-Addo to reshuffle his entire cabinet following the country's current economic crisis. Commenting on the matter, the Majority Leader said the President needs to fire ministers who he believes are underperforming and bring in new people than simply reshuffling his entire cabinet. If you are not able to perform, it is not a matter of reshuffle, you should be fired by the President and a new person brought in, he said When asked on Accra-based TV3's New Day show on Wednesday, August 10, whether he could name some ministers who deserved to be fired, he said it was up to the President to do so. You must do a critical analysis about the performance, the person who conducts the test is the person who nominates, he noted. In a recent interview on North Star Radio in Tamale on Monday, August 8 President Akufo-Addo dismissed calls for a reshuffle. He claims his ministers have performed well. The President noted that those making the calls are attempts by the opposition NDC to destabilize his government. Many of them for me have done outstanding work. Their output has been considerable, and that is what I look at. If the output measures expectations, then I dont have any strong reasons to heed the call. The calls come for all kinds of reasons; NDC wanting to destabilise the government is one. There are people who are also looking for jobs, the President stated. Geneva-based BlueBox Asset Management has partnered with Bahrains Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) to oversee the structuring and sharia complaint investments of its newly launched Islamic Global Technology Fund. The BlueBox Global Technology Fund was launched in 2018, as Portfolio Manager William de Gales strategy of focusing principally on companies that are enabling the direct connection of computer systems to the real world. On the launch of a Shariah compliant Islamic global technology fund, William De Gale said: "The BlueBox Islamic Global Technology Fund is a Shariah-compliant version of the successful BlueBox Global Technology Fund, bringing one of the longest and strongest track records in Global Technology to the world of Islamic investing. We are investing not in technology, but in technology businesses, and these businesses must create value for their outside investors." Speaking on the newly assigned Shariah Advisor, William De Gale said: Ive wanted to create an Islamic global technology fund for 10 years! Shariah constraints favour the Technology sector and bringing Shariyah Review Bureau on board to supervise our Shariah compliance affairs will further strengthen trust in our stakeholders and also give us significant scale with low input costs for certifying and auditing Shariah compliant fund and investments. Shariyah Review Bureau is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain and has hundreds of clients covering multiple industries around the world. Its services have grown in demand as financial institutions continue looking for ways to speed-up the Sharia compliance management process and to reduce costs on Sharia Boards overheads. Over the years, Shariyah Review Bureau has strongly established itself as one of the leading Sharia Advisory companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Central Bank of Bahrain licensed firm leads with a dedicated team of Sharia Consultants and Sharia auditors based out of Bahrain and also has 31 scholars covering 19 countries. It currently oversees the Sharia compliance management of 30% of the cooperative Insurance firms listed on Tadawul. We strive to provide a holistic Shariah advisory service for asset managers of all sizes, providing them with the full spectrum of Shariah certification, audit and Shariah equity screening services they need to help meet their goals, said Yasser S Dahlawi, Founder and CEO of Shariyah Review Bureau. We are pleased to work with the BlueBox team and stand ready to help them navigate through Shariah compliance and wish the team long-term success as it enters the investment market with a technological shariah compliant fund." TradeArabia News Service The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has jumped to the defense of the staff of Radio Ada amid the ongoing impasse with the Ada Traditional Council. At a press conference in Accra held at the Ghana International Press Conference on Thursday, August 11, GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour urged the Ada Traditional Council to desist from actions that will endanger staff of the radio station. Although Radio Ada has always been given space to mount equipments to cover the Asafotufiami, the station was blacklisted for this years festival over the alleged lack of show of respect to traditional leaders by some presenters. On the same matter, the Ada Traditional Council has filed a complaint at the National Media Commission (NMC) against Radio Ada for professional misconduct in a bid to have the station sanctioned. As the mother body of journalists in the country, the GJA has called on the management of Radio Ada and the Traditional leaders to use dialogue to solve all the issues. On the way forward, the GJA calls on the Ada Traditional Council not to take the law into their own hands and that it should endeavor to use the due process of law to address its concerns. The Council must also refrain from actions that have the tendency to endanger the lives of the radio station and its staff, GJA President Albert Kwabena Dwumfour told the media at todays press conference. He added, We also advise Radio Ada and its staff to refrain from using insulting or unacceptable language in the discharge of their duties. They should endeavor to exhibit high professional standards at all times. We, however, encourage them to continue to discharge their constitutional mandate as provided in Article 162(5) of the 1992 Constitution to hold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people of Ghana. They must continue to play the watchdog role of the media in the interest of the people. We wish to encourage both the Ada Traditional Council and the management of Radio Ada to find amicable ways of resolving their differences. We urge them to consider each other as partners in development and work together to promote development in the area. The GJA is interested in seeing peace restored between the Ada Traditional Council and Radio Ada. The Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebels have had "direct engagements", the African Union said in a statement made public on Thursday, in the first official confirmation of such contacts between the two warring sides. The government has been locked in a grinding conflict with the rebels, but in recent weeks both sides have mooted the possibility of talks to end the 21-month war, with Ethiopia pushing for the AU to lead any negotiations. The rebels on the other hand want Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has been actively involved in peace efforts, to mediate between the two parties. The AU's Horn of Africa envoy Olusegun Obasanjo has been leading a diplomatic push to end the conflict, briefing the bloc's Peace and Security Council on his progress. In a statement dated August 4 but posted on its website on Thursday, the Peace and Security Council said it "commends the AU High Representative for the direct engagements between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF)". The statement is the first public confirmation of direct contact between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and the TPLF, whose leader Debretsion Gebremichael has insisted that key services would have to be reinstated in Tigray before dialogue could begin. The AU council called on the warring sides "to place the supreme interests of Ethiopia and its people above all else and embrace inclusive political dialogue as the only viable approach towards finding a consensual solution to the current situation". It also urged international partners to "scale up their support for the AU-led mediation process, under the leadership of... Obasanjo, as the only viable and effective approach towards finding a negotiated lasting solution to the situation in Ethiopia". Fighting has eased in northern Ethiopia since a humanitarian truce was declared at the end of March, allowing the resumption of desperately needed international aid convoys to Tigray's six million people. Since the war broke out, Ethiopia's northernmost region has suffered food shortages and access to basic services such as electricity, communications and banking has been severely limited. In November 2020 Abiy ordered troops into Tigray to topple the TPLF, accusing the rebels of attacking federal army camps. The TPLF mounted a shock comeback in June last year, retaking Tigray and expanding into neighbouring Afar and Amhara, before the war reached a stalemate. In April this year, during a lecture on the economy in Kasoa, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia spoke extensively on how Ghana's newly-built identity system, the Ghanacard, is impacting positively on revenue mobilisation, as well as helping, significantly, in the fight against corruption. On how Ghana's improved identity is helping the implementation of digitization to positively impact the economy, Dr. Bawumia showed, with figures, revenue generation has increased considerably since these sectors were turned digital. And in the fight against corruption, he spoke so passionately about how the digital initiatives were ridding many government sectors of corrupt practices and saving the state significant amount of money. I followed his lecture with rapt attention, and noticed the significant jump in revenue and output in many government services, following the implementation of digitization. At the passport office, for instance, the office processed a total of 16,232 applications with revenue of GHC1.1m to the state in 2017. But the same office, following its digitization, received and processed 498,963 passports online in 2021, with a total revenue of GHC56.7m. That's remarkable, compared to the meagre output and revenue recorded prior to the passport application process being digitised. Again, the significant impact of digitization in revenue mobilization is evident at the DVLA, motor insurance and mobile money interoperability service. At the DVLA, the digitalization of the drivers licensing service in 2019, resulted in an increase in both revenue and output by over 100% in 2020, while the digitization of the motor insurance database, ensured that the insurance industry increased from 19% in 2019 to 37% in 2020 and 26% in 2021. This also resulted in increase in the value of business undertaken and revenue to the state, from GHC 566 million in 2017 to GHC2.3 billion in 2021. And since moving from the normal mobile money service to mobile money interoperability (ability to transact between from one mobile account to mobile accounts and banks, and vice versa) the sector has seen phenomenal expansion in terms of value. At the end of 2016 for instance, the cumulative value of mobile money transactions in Ghana, as Dr. Bawumia revealed at his lecture, was GHC 78.5 billion. However, following the introduction of mobile money interoperability a few years ago, the total cumulative value of mobile money transactions has now increased to almost 1 trillion Cedis. These are incontrovertible data which support Dr. Bawumia's claims on how digitization and the country's new identity system (Ghanacard) is impacting positively on the economy through increased revenue mobilization. While I was convinced by Dr Bawumias presentation on the positive impact digitization is having on the economy, especially revenue mobilization, I was not sure, how digitization, and the Ghanacard as the base of our identification system, would help in the fight against corruption and wattages. However, I have had a change of mind in recent weeks, especially following the startling revelations from SSNIT on how the Ghanacard is helping them to fight corruption and wastages. News that the Ghanacard has helped SSNIT to expung thousands of ghost names from the trust, and the staggering figure of $126m, which the trust will save because it won't be printing SSNIT cards again since the Ghanacard also serves as a SSNIT card, are welcoming. Surely, but for the Ghanacard, SSNIT would have committed a whopping $126m just for the printing of cards for members. This would have been disturbing, for a country striving to revive its economic fortunes from global recession. Again, I have been asking myself how, without the Ghanacard, SSNIT would have been able to rid its books of the thousands of ghost names in there, which was costing the state millions. In the past weeks, I have learnt, with shock, how the Ghanacard and the robust biometric national identity system the country is building, is helping the country to fight corruption and save a lot of money. For instance, how could the National Service Scheme discover the thousands of ghost names on its payroll without the Ghanacard and a biometric National identification system? Initially, I did not understand Dr. Bawumia when he said the Ghanacard and the identity system being built would be one of the nation's biggest interventions in the fight against corruption. The Vice President is right, especially when he said he would prefer a Ghanacard to thousands of interchanges. It is a card and a robust system which fight corruption, check wastages and a card which will save and fetch the country more money to undertake more infrastructure development. It was a sort of a philosophical saying, backed by facts, which we all misunderstood, but events are proving Dr. Bawumia right. I associate with the words of Dr. Tenkorang, who is also of the view that the Vice President ought to be appreciated for the robust identity system he is championing with the Ghanacard. I think this is the point that the Vice President was trying to make, so it should not be taken out of context. If you think progressively about the benefits of the GhanaCard to SSNIT in the long term, you would appreciate that what the Vice President said was apt," said Dr. Tenkorang. In the United States today, a bill is already on the table to introduce a national biometric identity card, just like the Ghanacard due to identity fraud, which is costing the US Federal Governemnt billions of dollars. Ghana has already taken the lead thanks to the vision of an illustrious son, who is determined to see it through inspite of all the challenges. Surely if SSNIT alone can save $126m from the Ghanacard, and the US Government is set to roll out its own Ghanacard-like national identity system, then our Vice President cannot be wrong. He is absolutely right with his belief in the Ghanacard/national identity system being built, and its strong potential as the catalyst for our national economic transformation. By Margaret Coomson 11.08.2022 LISTEN President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has received a personal message from his United Arab Emirates counterpart, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE. President Akufo-Addo received the message when he welcomed the Charge d'Affaires of the UAE Embassy in Accra, Mr. Amer Al-Alawi, to the seat of government, Jubilee House in Accra on Wednesday, 10th August, 2022. During the meeting, Mr. Amer Al-Alawi conveyed to President Akufo-Addo the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his best wishes for good health and success for President Akufo-Addo and further progress and prosperity for Ghanas friendly people. On his part, President Akufo-Addo wished His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan good health and further progress, success and prosperity for the good people of the Emirates. President Akufo-Addo while receiving the enclosed message from Mr. Amer Al-Alawi also expressed his hope that bilateral relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Ghana will continue to grow from strength to strength. During the meeting, the Charge d'Affaires briefly reviewed the development of bilateral relations between the UAE and Ghana in various fields, such as joint cooperation at the bilateral and multilateral levels in international forums and the pursuit of unique opportunities available to both nations. Mr. Amer Al-Alawi finally delivered a sealed message from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE to President Akufo-Addo. UAE and Ghana strong allies Ghana and UAE have over the years evolved into allies with fully matured relations at all levels. Both countries are currently serving as Non-Permanent members of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term that started on Jan. 1, 2022 as part of a 15-member UN body, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security. President Akufo-Addo visited the UAE in November 2019 where five (5) agreements in different fields were signed and are at various stages of implementation including a Visa-waiver deal between Accra and Abu-Dhabi. In recent times, President Akufo-Addo visited the UAE in March this year as part of the Expo 2020 Dubai, where 'Ghana Day' was commemorated and various trade and investment agreements were signed including a Memorandum establishing the Emirati-Ghanaian Business Council. As part of that visit, President Akufo-Addo was received at Al Shati Royal Residence in the UAE Capital city of Abu Dhabi where he met now UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss issues of interest to both nations. Also, earlier this year, the government of Ghana joined global voices to strongly condemn a Houthi militia attack on civilian areas in the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including the Abu Dhabi International Airport. Ghanas Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey placed a phone call to her UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed AL Nayhyan and expressed Ghana's strong condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attacks. The Ministry later issued an official statement to condemn same. Connectivity and accessibility of the Internet is an important ingredient in our digital revolution on the continent. Year to year technical communities, civil societies, and other stakeholder groups within the internet ecosystem have advanced the arguments, advocated strongly, and provided nuance on the digital gender gap at the national, regional, and global levels. Yet the digital gender gap has not seen any considerable growth, particularly in the least developed countries since 2011. The statistics leave much to be desired, as it is estimated in the latest research by Web Foundation there has been a drop by half a percentage point from 30.9% to 30.4%. Evidence suggests globally, men are 21% more likely to be online than women, rising to 52% in the least developed countries. This dispiriting report estimates further widening of the digital gender gap could mean an additional loss of $500bn by 2025 if governments do not take the steps. The more these facts are probed and ventilated, the more we see a gloomy, unsettling picture. A report by the United Nations suggests there are over four billion estimated people without the Internet worldwide. Most are African women, and one out of every seven African women is likely to use the internet in contrast with one out of five African men. What do you mean by the digital divide? The digital divide has been much more pronounced, and it has become commonplace, particularly in Africa, as women cannot significantly contribute to the digital economy. It primarily refers to the gap or gulf between those who have ready access to digital and information technologies and the internet and those who do not have little to no access. Situating it in this article, the gender digital divide refers to the measurable gap or gulf between women and men in their access to, and use of, the internet. Womens exclusion and not having equal access to the Internet have exacerbated gender inequality and largely hamper developing economies. Barriers, limitations, and impacts of these limitations, against internet access A plethora of reasons can be attributed to the digital gap in terms of access and imbalance in Africa, factors ranging from the high cost of internet access, low smartphone adoption rates, social norms that hinder women from participating online, privacy and trust issues, gender-based online violence and low financesglobally, women earn around 77 cents for each dollar a man earns. Women and girls are often marginalized in the full participation of the internet. Affordability of Internet broadband; The cost of internet access on the internet has been a big challenge largely because of cost as a disproportionate number of women are affected due to income disparities. A report by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSMA) suggests Mobile Network operators (MNOs) in Ghana pay close to US$650 million in taxes each year, representing about 40% of total revenues in the sector. Ghanaian internet users are subject to taxes on internet usage, which increases the total cost of being online and creates barriers to affordability. Gender stereotypes have added a different dimension that persists in Africa, as statistically women earn less on the continent. Data from Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4A1) presents interesting facts which put forward for internet accessibility to be reasonable and affordable; 1GB of data must not be over 2% of the average monthly income, juxtaposing this with what is seen in most African countries; at least 8.76% of average monthly income is required to buy 1GB of internet data. Salient to this conversation is how bridging the gender digital divide suffers stifle growth. It manifests as both a gender and a rural-urban split. Regarding gender imbalance, another startling and worrying statistic reveals how in a survey of Fifteen nations from the global south, six African countries access in rural regions was reported to be 14 percent, compared to 42 percent in urban areas. The rural-urban digital divide has become more pronounced because urban centers are mostly prioritized in terms of telecommunications infrastructure development to the neglect of rural areas. This strategy often neglects the realities of rural regions and how their need for connectivity is pivotal since they are remote; adding to the already gendered dimensions of this conversation, which reinforces and widens the gender gap, women and other vulnerable groups are further disadvantaged. Another critical factor affecting internet accessibility is the broadband infrastructure. Evidence from the Africa Unions Action Document for Policy and Regulation Initiative for Digital Africa (PRIDA) conveyed how lack of investment has resulted in poor broadband penetration and, as a result, high cost of internet access on the continent. Other factors such as policies and legislation, such as those governing the licensing of ICTs subscription services and discriminatory policies affecting women. Subsequently, the moving swathe of life online has led to an array of online harassment and violence against women. Why is the need for Human Rights and why having access is deemed such? Human rights are unchangeable and must be at the core of inclusive communities and economies as regulatory policies must be conceived and used with a human rights-based approach with stakeholders prioritizing the protection of civil and political rights, as well as economic, social, and cultural rights in the digital domain. African governments have pledged and resolved to address the gender digital divide under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Target 9c of SDG 9 specifically and explicitly states that by 2020, there should be accessible and affordable Internet connectivity in the least developed countries. This commitment was reaffirmed at the regional level, with the African Union proclaiming 20102020 as the African Womens Decade, to achieve gender equality. In 2019, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights endorsed a Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa. The case of Amnesty International and others vs the Republic of Togo in June 2020 further echoes the need for this action. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court ruled that is an integral part of exercising and enjoyment of human rights, chiefly, the Right to freedom of expression and the Right to access information. This ruling is a landmark case because it underscores and reaffirms how internet cuts are illegal and the internet should be open, and inclusive. Some approaches for increasing internet accessibility and connectivity in Africa. A concerted effort involving all stakeholders is key in shaping the internet and bridging the digital divide. Stakeholder groups like governments, civil societies, the private sector, and others should not be working in silos but in synergy. First, it is noteworthy to look at the regional and national policy framework; these regulatory measures should foster increased competition in the broadband sector. This will result in more investment, market-driven prices, and as a result, more affordable internet access on the continent. With support from the Africa Union, African governments have developed a continental broadband policy under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in gauging and measuring the growth of internet infrastructure on the continent; this policy document will serve as a tool. Subsequently, the various governments on the continent must recognize and acknowledge their role in protecting human rights and how they are the duty bearers of public service delivery. While rising income levels will enhance Internet penetration, the use of smartphones, and other digital tools in Africa, inventive ways to drive down the cost of mobile phones in the area are required. This can be done with support from the private sector stakeholder group; more mobile phone manufacturing factories, such as those in Egypt, Algeria, South Africa, and Rwanda, should be supported and promoted to compete in the global smartphone industry. Closely related to this point is how governments need to work with private sector groups and technical communities with support from the World Trade Organization to offer tax holidays to local start-ups, build solutions and address challenges facing communities in Africa. In addition, in framing and developing public policies to increase internet access, greater emphasis must be placed on women and girls. If internet access has not exacerbated existing disparities, it must act to narrow the gender digital divide and barriers that already exist. The civil society stakeholder group, which has been a vocal promoter of good internet governance, offers vital expertise and ensures accountability and transparency, and must be engaged in all policy formulation. It has been observed that through community networks, the gender digital divide can be holistically attained. Community networks basically seek to bridge the connectivity gap by using networking technology. Community networks, without doubt, aid in stimulating the growth, advancement, and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world. This technology is in line with the core mission of Internet Society. To advance the course of this, more civil society groups must roll in, collaborate, and embark on this amazing innovation. It can be concluded that catchy phrases Step it up, Break the Bias, Balance for Better, etc., should not be empty rhetoric or mere alliterative. There must be real work and not lip service. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how existing barriers to internet access have been exacerbated, as well as how key stakeholders such as government, the private sector, and the technical community must work collaboratively and concertedly to establish a human right-centred approach with emphasis given to digital inclusion that seeks to protect the rights of women. Removing opacity and serving as a catalyst for development on the continent. Author: Osei M. KagyahTechnology Policy & Internet Governance Consultant | Member, Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana For comments, contact [email protected] or Mobile: +233 247103939 Several people were killed and dozens wounded on Thursday after police opened fire on anti-government demonstrators in several towns in the breakaway Somali region of Somaliland, opposition party members and witnesses said. Hundreds of people took to the streets in the capital Hargeisa and the cities of Burao and Erigavo after negotiations between the government and opposition parties broke down, with the latter accusing the authorities of seeking to delay a presidential election due in November. Protesters carried placards saying "Hold the election on 13th November 2022" and chanting anti-government slogans. "Peace can only prevail in Somaliland with the provision of fair and free elections, let those who defend democracy prevail," Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, the leader of the main opposition Waddani party, told a crowd in Hargeisa. One protest organiser, Ahmed Ismail, told AFP that three people including a woman were killed in Hargeisa, and 34 others admitted to hospital. "Several people including one of the security guards of our party leader were killed, we are still investigating the overall fatalities which can be higher," a Waddani member told AFP, requesting anonymity. One person died in Erigavo during clashes between the protesters and police, eyewitness Abdullahi Mohamud said. "The police tried to stop the demonstrators from reaching the main intersection of Erigavo town but the determined protesters overran their blockades," he said. "We will not stop these demonstrations... until the president (Muse Bihi Abdi) announces he is ready for the election," said Heybe Adan, one of the protesters. 'Atrocities' In a press conference late Thursday, Waddani leader Abdullahi accused the government of committing "atrocities" against the protesters. "This was a peaceful demonstration and we have led people who carried only placards and whistles, but the government has committed violations by using excessive power, live bullets, tear gas," he said. The unrest has sparked worry among some Western nations, with the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Denmark and others releasing a joint statement expressing concern about "reports of public disorder and the excessive use of force" during Thursday's protests. "We call upon all sides to ensure that both the demonstrations and police response are peaceful and follow the rule of law," the statement said, urging all parties to hold talks and "reach consensus on a roadmap for elections." The poll is scheduled for November 13, but the opposition has voiced concern that the government is dragging its feet over preparations. The government's decision to register new political parties ahead of the election also angered Waddani and the opposition Justice and Welfare party (UCID) over fears it will dilute support for them. The former British protectorate declared independence from Somalia in 1991 but the move has not been recognised by the international community, leaving the Horn of Africa region of about four million people poor and isolated. Somaliland has however remained relatively stable while Somalia has been wracked by decades of civil war, political violence and an Islamist insurgency. nur/amu/kjm The student wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) known as Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of Tamale Technical University (TaTU) branch has suspended all its activities related to the party on campus. This was disclosed at a press conference held by the group on the TaTU campus today Thursday, August 11. They are demanding an unqualified apology from the Northern Regional Minister Alhaji Alhassan Saani and the entire NPP executives over the arrest of the TESCON president yesterday. Speaking to journalists on behalf of the group, Agoni Elijah described the arrest of the president as "unlawful", saying it could be likened to a kidnap. "We as TESCON members TaTU chapter, wish to express our displeasure and disgust of unlawful arrest of our industrious president on Wednesdays, 10th August, 2022. We wish to state categorically that, the arrest was despicable, unconstitutional, illegal and could be likened to a kidnap," Master Agoni said. The group said the allegations that the TESCON president led his colleagues to attack a UDS female student identified as Alia Mohammed was a calculated attempt to tarnish his reputation. "This unlawful arrest was orchestrated by the regional minister, Alhaji Saani Alhassan since his car was used to perpetrate the illegality. We want to bring to the notice of the party that if TESCON members continue to be subjected to this inhumane treatment, we will be forced to suspend party activities on TaTU campus. We however call on members to stand down on party activities", the group noted. They indicated that for the intervention of the Assin Central MP, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, National Chairman Stephen Ntim and the party's National Organiser, their colleague would have stayed in the police cells. The Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons has made an allegation against Ghanas leading waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited. According to him, the company has cut a deal to impose towing insurance on all private commercial vehicles in the country. The allegation is contained in a post on the Twitter page of the IMANI Africa Vice President. After attempts to impose towing insurance on all Ghanaian motorists failed, Ghana's largest waste company, Zoomlion, has cut a deal with the private commercial vehicles union to impose the service on all their members. No membership ballot was necessary, Bright Simons posted on his Twitter page on Wednesday, August 11, 2022. As part of efforts by the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to reduce accidents on road, it is set to implement a towing service for members that will ensure that broken down vehicles are towed faster. The service will see members paying a one-time fee every year and benefit the entire 12 months. It is this towing insurance service that Bright Simons has accused Zoomlion. Saudi Industrial Services Company (SISCO), Saudi Arabias leading strategic investor in ports and terminals, logistics parks and services, and water solutions, has reported its revenues for the second quarter of 2022, excluding accounting construction revenue, reached SAR 213.2 million ($56.85 million) compared to SAR 196.2 million for the first quarter, increasing by 8.7%. Ports segment performance gained momentum after being impacted by ongoing global supply chain disruptions in Q1, which had negatively affected gateway and transshipment volumes, the company said in a statement. SISCOs Water segment also showed improvement during the quarter as production and volumes improved following a decrease in production during Q1 2022. Logistics segment performance was broadly stable compared to the previous quarter. First-half revenues for 2022, excluding accounting construction revenues, were 17.8% behind 1H 2021 on the back of weaker first-quarter results, due to global supply chain disruptions and the temporary disruption of operations at the Kindasa water facility in February-March 2022. Gross profit of SAR 99.7 million for Q2 increased by 10.5% compared to the previous quarter. The gross aprofit margin for the quarter was 46.8%, compared to 46.0% in Q1 2022. For the first-half, gross profit was SAR 189.9 million, 26.5% lower than 1H 2021, mainly due to market challenges on Ports segment revenue in Q1, coupled with a decline in Water segment revenue during the first quarter. Net income for the second quarter was SAR 3.1 million compared to SAR 0.8 million during the first quarter, due to increased profitability from Kindasa company coupled with performance improvement from associate companies. Adjusted net income for 1H 2022 declined by 92.2% year-on-year, despite improvement in the result from associate companies, is mainly due to the decline in Ports segment revenue and margins as a result of continued pressure on gateway volumes. Mohammed Al-Mudarres, Chief Executive Officer at SISCO, commented: Q2 2022 revenues showed promising signs of recovery compared to the previous quarter, which bodes well for the second half of the year. With the Kindasa plant back to normal operations after disruption in Q1, revenues for the Water segment improved by 50.3% from the previous quarter, returning to a normalized contribution. Revenues for the Ports segment improved by 6.0% from the previous quarter on improved gateway and transshipment volumes, showing clear signs of recovery in the local gateway market supported by an increase in shipping line capacity and reduction in container rates. Pleasingly, gross profit has improved along with the recovery of our revenues. Looking ahead, we anticipate strong local consumption in 2H 2022 due to the forecast increase in Umrah activities in the Kingdom. Meanwhile, estimated growth of 4.0% for Saudi Arabias non-oil sector in 2022 will provide further support to increased business activity across our portfolio. Total shareholders equity decreased to SAR 1,459.4 million as at 30 June 2022, from SAR 1,486.0 million as at 31 December 2021. Basic and diluted earnings per share stood at SAR 0.05 as compared to SAR 0.67 for the same period in the prior year. Outlook and strategy In its outlook, the company said: SISCO remains committed to the delivery of its five-year strategy to drive long-term value creation, aiming to double revenues to SAR 2 billion by 2025. SISCOs investment approach focuses on value accretive investments that are in line with its strategic focus areas of Ports, Logistics and Water. The company will announce updates to the market as other opportunities materialize. Management believes that improved gateway and transshipment volumes are showing promising signs of recovery, which will be supportive to the local gateway market, benefitting from the expected increase in shipping line capacity. Management is also of the opinion that Saudi domestic consumption will be stronger in 2H 2022, on the back of forecast growth in Umrah activities.--TradeArabia News Service Freelancer [ASX:FLN] announced a merger of its freight divisions to form what it called Australias largest freight marketplace. FLN shares were down 3% on the news in late Thursday trade. Over the past 12 months, FLN shares are down 60%. Source: www.marketindex.com Freelancers freight merger Freelancing and crowd-sourcing marketplace Freelancer will merge its freight divisions Freightlancer and Loadshift to form what it calls Australias largest freight marketplace. FLN said the two divisions have delivered 125 million kilometres of freight across the country in the last 12 months. Freelancer CEO Matt Barrie commented: Merging our freight division into one platform is a significant milestone for the business. Combining the two platforms will give our carriers more opportunities to find loads, while offering shippers access to more carriers across Australia. Today, we are moving everything from grain to machinery across the country. Freightlancer and Loadshift will merge under the Loadshift banner, with the latter becoming a full marketplace platform for freight. Loadshift will introduce a 3% fee for shippers and a 10% fee for carriers. In the last 12 months, FLN said Loadshift processed a notional gross load value of $350 million of freight posted. Freelancer said that using the new commission-based model will help Loadshift to transform Gross Load Value to actualised revenue at a 13% commission rate. Whats happening in the freelance world? Todays announcement did little to excite investors, with FLN shares down 3%. It may be unclear to the market whether the merger will materially increase the gross load value or positively affect revenue growth. In its most recent half-yearly, FLN reported a 5% increase in revenues to $29.2 million but on widening losses of $3.1 million, up 87%. A lower carbon emissions world Lets move aside from the jobs and freight market for a moment and think about the future of our energy consumption. The lithium-ion battery market is reaching full throttle, EV production is set to expand, especially on the back of government initiatives and funding programs designed to support the production of battery metals. For instance, US President Joe Biden has publicly campaigned the need to boost production, offering loans to assist companies. And the EU is set on scrapping higher-emission vehicle sales entirely by 2035. But our energy expert Selva Freigedo says that despite global efforts to transition to EVs, the industry faces a supply crunch, and the EV battery tech materials race may be entering a new type of frenzy. Selva has recently released a report on the EV battery tech sector. You can access it for free, right here. Regards, Kiryll Prakapenka His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain has issued Royal Decree (42) of 2022, amending some provisions of Royal Decree (83) of 2020 on restructuring the Board of Directors of the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). According to the decree, the phrase 'Labour Minister' shall replace the phrase 'Labour and Social Development Minister' whenever it appears in Royal Decree (83) of 2020 on restructuring the Board of Directors of the LMRA, a Bahrain News Agency report said. Under the decree, Fatima Abdulghani Ismail shall be appointed as member of the Board of Directors of LMRA, instead of Maha Abdulhameed Mufeez, until the end of the term of the current board. The Prime Minister and the Labour Minister- each in their capacity- shall implement the provisions of this decree, which takes immediate effect, and will be published in the Official Gazette, it said. August 11, 2022 Ukraine Open Thread 2022-127 Only for news & views related to the Ukraine conflict. The current open thread for other issues is here. Posted by b on August 11, 2022 at 12:54 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page New Delhi, August 10 (UNI) The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved continuation of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) - 'Housing for All' Mission up to December 31, 2024. Housing for All is one of the major flagship programmes being implemented by government to provide all weather pucca houses to all eligible beneficiaries in the urban areas of the country. During the period of 2004-2014, 8.04 lakh houses were completed under Urban Housing Scheme. Central assistance approved since 2015 is Rs. 2.03 lakh crore against Rs. 20,000 crore in 2004-2014, a government release said. Upto 31st March 2022, Central Assistance/subsidy of 1,18,020.46 crore has already been released and 85,406 crore will be released as central assistance till 31st December 2024, the release said further. In 2017, the original projected demand was 100 lakh houses. Against this demand, 102 lakh houses have been grounded/under construction, a Cabinet release said. Out of these, 62 lakh houses have been completed. Out of the total sanctioned 123 lakh houses, the proposals of 40 lakh houses were received late (during last 2 years of scheme) from the States which require another two years to complete them. Therefore, based on the requests from the States/UTs, Union Cabinet decided to extend the implementation period of PMAY-U till 31.12.2024, the Cabinet release added. UNI ASU RKM This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) The Palestinian death toll from last weekend's fighting between Israel and Gaza militants rose to 48 Thursday after an 11-year-old girl and a man died from wounds they suffered during the worst cross-border violence in over a year. Meanwhile, two wounded Gaza children, ages 8 and 14, were fighting for their lives in a Jerusalem hospital. In all, more than 300 Palestinians were wounded over the weekend when Israel struck Islamic Jihad targets across Gaza and the militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. The death of 11-year-old Layan al-Shaer at Mukassed Hospital in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem brought to 17 the number of children killed in the fighting. Hani al-Shaer, a relative, said she was wounded in a drone attack during a surprise opening salvo launched by Israel, hours before any rockets were fired. Israel said it launched the initial wave of airstrikes, which killed an Islamic Jihad commander, in response to an imminent threat from the militant group, days after Israeli troops arrested one of its leaders in the occupied West Bank. Two other Gaza children, 14-year-old Nayef al-Awdat and 8-year-old Mohammed Abu Ktaifa were being treated in the intensive care unit at Mukassed. Nayef, who is blind, was wounded in an Israeli airstrike, while Mohammed was hurt in an explosion that went off near a wedding party and killed an elderly woman, with the circumstances still unclear. Israel has said as many as 16 people might have been killed by rockets misfired by Palestinian militants. Israeli strikes appear to have killed more than 30 Palestinians, including civilians and several militants, among them two senior Islamic Jihad commanders. It wasn't immediately clear how the man whose death was announced Thursday was wounded. The Israeli military says it makes every effort to avoid civilian casualties. A cease-fire took hold Sunday night, bringing an end to the fighting that started Friday. No Israelis were killed or seriously wounded. Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers have fought four wars and several smaller battles over the last 15 years at a staggering cost to the territorys 2 million Palestinian residents. Hamas sat out the latest fighting, possibly because of understandings with Israel that have eased a 15-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on Gaza when Hamas took power. In other developments, a Palestinian prisoner on a protracted hunger strike was moved Thursday from an Israeli jail to a hospital because of his worsening condition, the prisoners wife said. An Israeli prison service official confirmed the development, speaking on condition of anonymity under regulations. Khalil Awawdeh has refused food for just over 160 days, according to his family, in a bid to draw attention to his detention by Israel without trial or charge. His case was thrust into the spotlight during the latest Gaza fighting. Gaza militants have demanded his release as part of the cease-fire that ended the fighting. Awawdeh, a 40-year-old father of four, was arrested by Israel in December, accused of being a member of a militant group, a charge his lawyer said he denies. Recently, he has been using a wheelchair and was showing memory loss and speech difficulties, according to his lawyer, Ahlam Haddad. Dalal Awawdeh, Khalils wife, said his condition had deteriorated, prompting Israeli authorities to move him to a hospital. Dr. Lina Qasem from the Physicians for Human Rights Israel organization said Thursday after meeting Awawdeh that his condition was extremely bad and that he only drinks water and is refusing additional vitamins, salts and sugar. He suffers from a very extreme weakness," she said. Awawdeh said he will continue his hunger strike until his release from detention, she said, but he "requests that the medical team do what is necessary to save his life because he does not wish to die. Prospects for Awawdehs release under the cease-fire are uncertain. But his case highlights the plight of hundreds of Palestinians who are being held by Israel under a system that critics say denies them the right to due process, known as administrative detention. The worsening conditions of hunger striking prisoners has in the past whipped up tensions with the Palestinians, and in some cases prompted Israel to accede to hunger strikers demands. Israel is currently holding some 4,400 Palestinians, including militants who have carried out deadly attacks, as well as people arrested at protests or for throwing stones. Around 670 Palestinians are now being held in administrative detention, a number that jumped in March as Israel began near-nightly arrest raids in the West Bank following a spate of deadly attacks against Israelis. Israel says administrative detention is needed to prevent attacks or to keep dangerous suspects locked up without sharing evidence that could endanger valuable intelligence sources. Israel says it provides due process and largely imprisons those who threaten its security, though a small number are held for petty crimes. Palestinians and human rights groups say the system is designed to quash opposition and maintain permanent control over millions of Palestinians while denying them basic rights. ___ Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Missouris health department on Thursday announced findings of a lengthy examination of the troubled Bridgeton Landfill in suburban St. Louis, determining that the foul odor emitting from the landfill created health problems but did not increase the risk of cancer. The finding of the yearslong investigation by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was validation for people who live near the landfill in northwestern St. Louis County, said Dawn Chapman, co-founder of the activist group Just Moms STL. We knew we were facing physical symptoms on a day-to-day basis from exposure to the odors, Chapman said. We knew it could exacerbate illnesses because that's what we were seeing. The landfill has been a source of concern for well over a decade for multiple reasons. Uranium refined in St. Louis as part of the Manhattan Project, the World War II-era program that produced the first nuclear weapons, was illegally dumped at the adjacent West Lake Landfill in 1973. Meanwhile, a smolder was discovered underground in 2010 at Bridgeton Landfill, just a few hundred yards away, creating worry about what could happen if the smoldering reaches the nuclear waste. The cause of the smolder remains unknown, but the resulting odor was so pungent that many nearby residents complained of illness and were often forced to stay inside. Bridgeton Landfill has spent millions of dollars to mitigate the odor, which has decreased significantly in recent years. The state health department, in its final health consultation document, determined that before the odor-reducing actions, breathing sulfur-based compounds may have aggravated existing respiratory and cardiopulmonary conditions, and caused headaches, nausea and fatigue. Children, the elderly and those with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma faced the greatest risk. Estimated cancer risks from living and breathing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) near the landfill are similar to the risks from living in other urban environments in the United States, the report stated. Chapman recalled a day in the summer of 2013 when she took her kids to a nearby Target store. The odor was so strong it came inside the building, she said. As we were checking out everybody was gagging. People were puking in the parking lot and moms were trying to put their groceries away with their noses bleeding. The odor was so bad that then-Attorney General Chris Koster filed a lawsuit in 2013. The suit was settled in 2018 when the current and former landfill owners agreed to pay $16 million. A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency declined comment on the Missouri report. The EPAs Superfund project to address the nuclear waste was announced in 2018, but has been delayed while the agency refines its cleanup plan, initially estimated to cost $205 million. The agency has not issued a new timeline. The landfills owner will shoulder the cost along with other responsible parties, which include the U.S. Department of Energy and Exelon Corp. of Chicago, whose subsidiary once owned uranium processor Cotter Corp. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BANGKOK (AP) Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who last month fled anti-government protests in his country, arrived in Thailand on Thursday night on a flight from Singapore, where he had been staying since mid-July. Thai television stations showed Rajapaksa and a woman believed to be his wife outside the VIP hall at Bangkoks Don Mueang airport being led to a limousine, which then drove off to an undisclosed destination. Officials in Thailand on Wednesday said they had been asked by the Sri Lankan government to allow him entry, and that he would be permitted to stay temporarily. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he was aware of Rajapaksas intended visit and that it was allowed for humanitarian reasons because the former president was seeking asylum in a third country. He did not elaborate but said Rajapaksa would not engage in political activity while in Thailand. Rajapaksa has made no public comments about his travel plans. After fleeing Sri Lanka last month, he first went to neighboring Maldives in a Sri Lankan military plane and then to Singapore, where his visa expired Thursday. He submitted his resignation only after he left Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans have staged massive street protests for months demanding democratic reforms and solutions to the countrys economic collapse. Protesters who had occupied official offices and residences in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, blame mismanagement and corruption by the Rajapaksa family for the economic crisis that has led to serious shortages of essentials such as medicines, food and fuel. The island nation is negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout program. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat said Wednesday that Rajapaksa's "stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought. He said that because the former president held a diplomatic passport, he would be allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa. In addition to being criticized for mismanaging his country's economy, Rajapaksa has been accused by human rights groups of involvement with war crimes when he was defense secretary during Sri Lanka's civil war, which ended in 2009. Reporter-Telegram An FBI official said the bureau is aware of the Abolish the FBI Protest Friday and that the FBI respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. The response came from the El Paso regional office. Earlier in the week, Midlands Jenny Cudd reported on Twitter that there will be an Abolish the FBI Protest at noon Friday outside its Midland office, which is located at 1004 N. Big Spring St. New Delhi, Aug 11 (UNI) In a decision likely to cause further strain in Sino-Indian ties, China on Thursday came in defence of Jaish e Mohammed (JeM) Deputy Chief Abdul Rauf Asghar and thwarted New Delhi's bid to list him as the UN Security Council designated terrorist. China placed a technical hold on the proposal, informed sources said. All other 14 members of the UN Security Council agreed to impose sanctions on Asghar but China, a permanent veto wielding member of the UN, stood out against the listing of the dreaded terrorist and decided to hold the proposal saying it required more time to study. It will now have six months to make a decision. The proposal was moved by India and co-sponsored by the US to list Asghar in the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee. India and the US wanted Asghar to be designated as an international terrorist and be subjected to a global travel ban and freezing of his assets. But such a proposal would require to be agreed by all members of the 15 member-Security Council. Asghar is younger brother of Masood Azhar. He has been involved in the planning and execution of numerous terror attacks including the hijacking of Indian Airlines aircraft IC814 in 1999, the attack on Indian Parliament in 2001 and the attack on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot in 2016. In June 2022, China placed on hold a joint proposal by India and the US to list the Deputy Chief of the Lashkar e Toiba (LeT), Abdul Rehman Makki, in the sanctions list. Makki has been involved in raising funds, recruiting and radicalising youths to resort to violence and planning attacks in India, including the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008. Both individuals have been sanctioned by the US under its domestic legislation. Chinas actions expose its double speak and double standards when it comes to the international communitys shared battle against terrorism, informed sources said. Such politically motivated actions by China, in nearly every listing case of a Pakistan-based terrorist, undermine the entire sanctity of the working methods of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, the sources said. UNI ASU MR For her efforts leading the COVID-19 testing lab on campus, Caryn Heldt has been selected to receive Michigan Technological Universitys 2022 Faculty Distinguished Service Award. Solutions always start small. Thats the advice Caryn Heldt offers anyone feeling daunted by all the big problems facing the world right now, and she is well-qualified to offer it. Heldt a professor and the James and Lorna Mack Endowed Chair of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering in Michigan Techs Department of Chemical Engineering, and also the director of Techs Health Research Institute helped solve one of the largest problems the University has ever faced. In early 2020, Heldt led the collaborative effort to stand up a COVID-19 diagnostic testing lab at Michigan Tech the first and only such lab in the Upper Peninsula at the time, and one of the few campus-based testing labs in the nation without prior certification to handle human samples. For Heldts tremendous accomplishments during this time, she has been awarded MTUs 2022 Faculty Distinguished Service Award. Distinguished Faculty Service Award The Michigan Tech Faculty Distinguished Service Award recognizes faculty whose service to the University community has significantly improved the quality of some aspect of campus or community life. The award is intended to recognize exceptional rather than integrated service. The work could have resulted, in part, from compensated efforts, but it must have been of a level that distinguishes itself above and beyond the normal execution of those tasks. Nominations are solicited from University members and reviewed by the award committee. Winners receive $2,500 and a plaque at an awards dinner sponsored by the Office of the President in the fall. In his letter of nomination, Vice President for Research Dave Reed notes the seemingly millions of details Heldt navigated in setting up the lab, most of which occurred during the chaotic early days of the pandemic. We had daily and often twice daily calls with the team because things were advancing so fast, says Reed. Caryn had to hire and train staff, coordinate with medical care providers, manage the internal dynamics of using rooms assigned to different academic units, and acquire and move equipment from several other labs on campus. Heldts natural leadership abilities were immediately apparent to the interdisciplinary laboratory group. Her organizational ability was outstanding and her people skills were truly amazing to watch, Reed says. From the first moment, others looked to her for that leadership. Heldt and her teams work soon proved invaluable to the community. The lab analyzed samples from both surveillance testing and from symptomatic individuals, making it possible for the University to bring students back on campus for in-person instruction in fall 2020. By the time the lab stopped accepting patient samples in December 2021, it had provided almost 40,000 diagnostic tests for the people of the western U.P. While all this was going on, Caryn went through what most every other faculty member went through, from having children in school to switching to online instruction and meetings, maintaining research projects, advising graduate students and keeping up her departmental service, says Reed. She graduated one M.S. and three Ph.D. students while working with the testing lab, published eight papers that year twice as many as normal and was awarded two grants of over a million dollars each. Where others might have been overwhelmed by so many responsibilities or by decision fatigue, Heldt thrived. Part of being a good problem solver is learning how to break the problem down into small pieces, she says. Thats the best way to solve these big problems. Sometimes the solution isnt to impact the world. But if you can make your community better, then thats how you start. "All faculty went above and beyond during COVID. In fact, everyone on campus did things they had never done before as we adapted to the rapidly changing situation. Many people worked as a team to stand up and operate the Universitys COVID-19 medical diagnostic laboratory, but Caryn was far above and beyond anyone else in her leadership during the testing lab establishment and operation. She went so far above and beyond her normal responsibilities that it is difficult to comprehend how she did it. But she did, and she is truly deserving of the Faculty Distinguished Service Award." Dave Reed, Vice President for Research Service as Second Nature None of this registers as exceptional to Heldt, whose aptitude may be rivaled only by her humility. At the time, it didnt feel like service, she says. It needed to be done, and I happened to be there and had the knowledge to help. Nobody said, Caryn, youre doing this. I just knew the answer to a lot of their safety questions. Thats the expertise I had. I work safely with infectious virus particles on a daily basis in the lab. Her laboratory expertise and the service-oriented approach she takes in her work began long before the COVID-19 pandemic. She credits her parents for serving as early role models and supporters of her dreams. My dad had grown up helping on the family farm, so service was second nature for him, says Heldt, a native of Pinconning, Michigan. And my mom was always volunteering at church, and always volunteering us me and my sister. Theres no telling how many cinnamon rolls I made and dinners I helped serve when I was young. Heldts sister and mother would both eventually become nurses, and although she had a similar desire to work in the medical sciences, she knew by age 11 she wanted to be an engineer. I remember watching NASA Mission Control, she recalls. Thats what inspired me to become an engineer. Those people were so awesome. I never even realized when I was a kid that they were all men. I think back now and am like, I wasnt supposed to do that. But thats what I wanted to do, and my parents said, Sure! You want to do that, you should do it. Dr. Caryn L. Heldt is the Director of the Health Research Institute , the James and Lorna Mack Chair in Bioengineering, Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and an Affiliate Professor in Biological Sciences at Michigan Technological University. Her lab is focused on the purification, removal, inactivation and stabilization of viruses and gene therapy vectors. By understanding the underlying scientific principles of how compounds and surfaces interact with viruses, processes can be improved to be more energy efficient, cost less, and be more productive. So she did. Heldt first came to Michigan Tech in the late 1990s as an undergrad. She got involved in a number of extracurricular organizations, including the chemical engineering honor society Omega Chi Epsilon, for which she served as founding member, vice president and president. She was also a Blue Key honor society member and treasurer of Alpha Kappa Psi. A few years after earning her B.S. in chemistry and chemical engineering in 2001, Heldt applied to engineering graduate schools with strong medical science, biology and biochemistry programs. She ended up at North Carolina State, where she earned her Ph.D. in 2008. Thats where Heldt first learned about the surface properties of viruses, how to work with viruses safely and how to remove them from solutions. During her postdoctoral research, she shifted her focus from viruses to amyloid fibers, the protein aggregates that are proposed to cause Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease and other neurological disorders. When she returned to Michigan Tech as an assistant professor in 2010, she combined her interest in protein biophysics with her engineering expertise in the chemical properties of viruses. Thats when I really started focusing on the vaccine industry, she says. In my research I ask questions like, how can we make vaccines better, faster, cheaper, and get them to more people? And more recently, how can we reduce the cold chain? Heldt works safely with viruses and vaccines on a daily basis in her research lab. In February 2020, Heldt was awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to answer precisely that question. Over the next two years, as the pandemic upended daily life around the world, Heldts knowledge of viruses and her expertise in vaccine manufacturing made her an important source of information for local media and the MTU campus community. Colleagues came looking for her expertise and guidance when the need for COVID testing on campus arose. It just kind of organically happened, she says. No one ever told me to lead the COVID lab. I dont remember ever feeling like, Im leading this. But lead she did first as the labs technical lead in 2020 and as its primary technical advisor in 2021. When asked to describe her style of leadership, Heldts answer is characteristically humble. I just try to lead by understanding other people, she says. And by understanding people and their motivations, it helps to grow community. "I just really believe in the philosophy that my life isnt about me. My life is about us, and the planet and the future generations. If I can help the next generation to have a better life, thats what I want to do." Caryn Heldt, 2022 Faculty Distinguished Service Award recipient Not that any of the COVID labs successes came easy. Oh, there were a lot of hard moments, Heldt admits. A lot of decision fatigue, because everything was new. Everything. But the amazing thing was that we had almost all the expertise we needed for the COVID lab either on campus or in our network. The knowledge was just in dispersed areas that you probably wouldnt have thought to look for help with medical testing. I mean, the lab was being run by a chemical engineer. I didnt know much about PCRs. PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction, the test used to detect viral genetic material in patient samples. The expertise in PCR came from ecology, forestry, biology, genetics. MLS (medical laboratory science) was amazing. The IT we needed was all here on campus. Facilities, everything. Everybody worked together and realized how important the COVID lab was. We all had the same type of attitude, which was, Well figure it out. This is important, we need to do this and well figure it out. Heldt's expertise and leadership helped an interdisciplinary team to stand up and run the COVID-19 testing lab on campus. Serving Future Huskies Back in late spring 2020, the view from Heldts third-floor office in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Building was all snow and sidewalks, no students. Today, two and a half years since the pandemic moved people indoors and classes online, the same view is of rubble, dirt, pickup trucks and excavators. Construction crews are hard at work standing up another kind of innovative campus lab: the H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex, or H-STEM Complex, a state-of-the-art teaching and research space that Heldt says will be a hub for health research on campus. Like the COVID lab, the H-STEM Complex will be a place where multidisciplinary teams will work together in shared, flexible, collaborative lab spaces to advance learning and research in health-related STEM fields. I just see health research on campus growing very quickly over the next five to 10 years through the Health Research Institute and in the H-STEM building, says Heldt. There were so many people involved in the COVID lab that I had never met before. And even today, my main collaborators are in biomedical engineering, but theyre all the way across campus. I dont see them very often. I have to seek them out. The H-STEM building will be a place where I can bump into them in the hallway. The H-STEM Complex, along with the Great Lakes Research Center, will be one of the first physical structures on campus to support Techs innovative, multidisciplinary research and learning initiatives. Such research will include work like the genomic surveillance of emerging infectious disease threats, an $18.5 million federally funded project Heldt and others from the COVID lab team are currently working on. I really like the Michigan Tech model of having themed buildings by research type and not by department, Heldt says. Im so excited to have a bunch of interdisciplinary graduate students working together in the H-STEM building. Theyre going to come up with brilliant ideas because theyre all together in the same space. And as the students get more ideas, theyll write more papers, and theyll be principal investigators for more grants because their ideas will be ones that funders get excited about. If all this sounds like too much for Heldt and her colleagues to take on, well, the recipient of the 2022 Faculty Distinguished Service Award might respectfully disagree. Thats because Heldt sees solutions where others see problems. And she knows from experience that to make a big difference, the best approach is to start small. Play H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex video H-STEM Engineering and Health Technologies Complex Expand Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, the University offers more than 125 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure. This image released by Sony Pictures shows Brad Pitt, left, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson in a scene from "Bullet Train." 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. OPINION | No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it. By Fan Bin and Chen Li BEIJING, Aug.11 -- The PLA Eastern Theater Command continued the joint combat exercises and training in waters and airspace around Taiwan Island on August 9. The naval and air forces under the theater command dispatched multi-type warplanes in batches, including early warning aircraft, fighter jet, tanker aircraft and jamming aircraft. While focusing on drills of airspace control operations, aerial refueling, maritime support, etc., the troops tested and improved the ability to jointly blockade and control the sea and the airspace. A new-type tanker attached to an air force aviation regiment established a refueling position in the predetermined airspace, where several fighter jets got refueled in the air, and then returned to the operation area to continue the joint blockade mission. In certain waters around the northern Taiwan Island, a frigate performing security patrol mission found that an "enemy" warship was heading towards the Eastern Theater Command troops' exercise waters at high speed. The frigate sounded the siren for combat preparedness, occupied favorable positions and warned off the "enemy" ship. On the same day, other task forces of the theater command conducted simultaneously training on the joint air-sea search and rescue, ammunition and materials replenishment, rush repair of equipment, as well as first-aid treatment and evacuation of the wounded. Pakin Songmor/Getty Images Jacksonville Christian Women Connection will have a lunch meeting from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Hamiltons, 110 N. East St. The group will collect for its annual school supplies drive, musician Rod Nicholson of Jacksonville will perform and Tamera Perry of Indianapolis will speak on Fighting Fear the Courageous Way. Farmers Market: 7 a.m.-noon, Pathway Plaza, 1905 W. Morton Ave. Prices vary. | Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through Oct. 31. Link cards accepted. Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents. Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door. Walking for Wellness: 12:30-3 p.m., First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. Free | Indoor walking program offered year-round Monday-Thursday. For more information, call 217-243-6445. African American History Museum Tours: 1-4 p.m., African American History Museum, 859 Grove St. Suggested donation $5 for adults, $3 for students, free for children ages 5 and under. | Open Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday through September, or by appointment. Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen: 3:30-4 p.m., Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen, 105 E. Dunlap St. Free | Serving meals to go for anyone in need. Gallery Opening Reception Making Our History: Artists Render Lincolns Legacies: 4:30-7 p.m., Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, 112 N. Sixth St., Springfield. | Runs through Sept. 18. For more information, go to uis.edu/visual-arts or call 217-206-6506. Other times and locations include: 5-7:30 p.m., Springfield Art Association M.G. Nelson Family Gallery, 700 N. Fourth St., Springfield; 5:30-8 p.m., UIS Visual Arts Gallery, UIS HSB 201, Springfield. Friday Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 9 a.m.-noon, Jacksonville Food Center, 316 E. State St. Free | For Morgan County residents. Free Noon Meal: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. | Meals in to-go containers can be picked up at side door. Produce and Bakery Giveaway: 12:30-1 p.m., The Salvation Army, 331 W. Douglas Ave. Free. Town Criers: 2-6 p.m., Grafton Pub, 225 W. Main St. | Live music. Lego Club: 2:30-5 p.m., Jacksonville Public Library, 201 W. College Ave. | Drop in any time to build a vehicle. Dave Caputo Band: 5-9 p.m., The Loading Dock, 401 E. Front St., Grafton. | Live music. Back to School Bash: 5-7 p.m., Scott County Fairgrounds, Winchester. | Event hosted by the Outreach Community Center. School supply giveaway includes a backpack along with essential items required for each grade. Hot dogs, refreshments, games and activities. Beer and BBQ Full Moon Sunset Cruise: 6-8 p.m., Grafton Harbor, 215 W. Water St. $47 | For more information, go to graftonharbor.com or call 618-786-7678. Chillin with the Police: 6-8 p.m., Carrollton City Pool. Free | Join Carrollton Police Department for pool party. Ice cream truck on site. Free ice cream for children age 16 and under. Trivia Night: 6:30-9 p.m., East Side Inc. Bar, 104 S. Main St., Virginia. $10 per person. | Teams up to 10 people. Reserve a table on Facebook or text 217-248-1917. Proceeds benefit the Beautification Committee of Virginia. Karen Peck and New River: 7 p.m., Historic Golden Windmill, 902 Prairie Mills Road, Golden. Donations accepted. | Southern gospel music concert. Sandwiches and other concessions available starting at 4:30 p.m. For more information contact Mike Martin at 217-593-7455 or cfriend11@frontier.com. Race Night: 7 p.m., Jacksonville Speedway, 110 S. Westgate Ave. | 410 Sprints, Modifieds, Midgets, Street Stock, and Micros. Pit gates 4 p.m. Grandstands open 5 p.m. Hot Laps 6:15 p.m. Racing starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call 217-371-3653. Dual Piano: Best of '60s, '70s and '80s: 7:30 p.m., Hoogland Center for the Arts-LRS Theatre, 420 S. Sixth St., Springfield. $20 | For tickets and more information, go to hcfta.org. Jim Bergman: 8 p.m., The Blood Bucket, 201 E. Main St., Grafton. | Live music. To submit items to the calendar, go to myjournalcourier.com and select calendar, or email jjcsocial@myjournalcourier.com. Items must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance. Costco As one of the largest warehouse wholesale retailers in the country, finding a good deal at Costco isnt uncommon. But when those deals mean pretty much free money for Costco members, then its really worth taking a look at. And if you like to travel and have plans to fly anytime soon, then this is the deal for you. Right now through Costcos website, members can buy a $500 Southwest Airlines eGift card for just $449.99. Thats essentially getting $50 in free travel to use with Southwest! As an eGift card, it will be delivered via email soon after purchase, so make sure your account email address is valid! North Korea claims disputed victory over virus, blames Seoul View Photo SEOUL, South Korea (AP) In a striking speech before thousands of North Koreans, leader Kim Jong Uns sister said he suffered a fever while guiding the country to victory over the coronavirus. She blamed rival South Korea for the outbreak and vowed deadly retaliation. Kim Yo Jong, a powerful official in charge of inter-Korean relations, glorified her brothers leadership during the outbreak in her speech Wednesday at a national meeting where he jubilantly described the countrys widely disputed success over the virus as an amazing miracle in global public health. North Koreas statements about its outbreak are widely believed to be manipulated to help Kim Jong Un maintain absolute authority. But experts believe the victory announcement signals his intention to move to other priorities and are concerned his sisters remarks portend a provocation, which might include nuclear or missile tests or even border skirmishes. The Norths official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday that Kim Jong Un declared victory over COVID-19 and ordered an easing of preventive measures just three months after the country first acknowledged an outbreak. In her first known televised speech, his sister said he suffered a fever and glorified his epoch-making leadership. In a dubious claim, she accused South Korea of spreading COVID-19 to North Koreas largely unvaccinated populace, saying the initial infections were caused by leaflets, banknotes, awful booklets and other items flown across the border by anti-North Korean activists in the South. North Korea first suggested in July that its COVID-19 outbreak began in people who had contact with objects carried by balloons launched from South Korea a questionable claim that appeared to be an attempt to blame its rival. South Koreas Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, expressed strong regret over North Koreas extremely disrespectful and threatening comments based on ridiculous claims. A senior South Korean presidential office official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in a background briefing, said Seoul is preparing for various possible North Korean provocations, including a test detonation of a nuclear device. Since North Korea acknowledged its coronavirus outbreak in May, it has reported about 4.8 million fever cases in its population of 26 million but only identified a fraction of those as COVID-19. The country, which likely lacks test kits and other public health tools, has claimed the outbreak has been slowing for weeks and that just 74 people have died. Since we began operating the maximum emergency anti-epidemic campaign (in May), daily fever cases that reached hundreds of thousands during the early days of the outbreak were reduced to below 90,000 a month later and continuously decreased, and not a single case of fever suspected to be linked to the evil virus has been reported since July 29, Kim said in his speech Wednesday during a national meeting at which he announced a revised pandemic response. For a country that has yet to administer a single vaccine shot, our success in overcoming the spread of the illness in such a short period of time and recovering safety in public health and making our nation a clean virus-free zone again is an amazing miracle that would be recorded in the worlds history of public health, KCNA quoted him as saying. For Kim to declare victory against the coronavirus suggests he wants to move on to other priorities, such as boosting the countrys broken and heavily sanctioned economy, which has been further damaged by pandemic border closures, or conducting a nuclear test, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. South Korean and U.S. officials have said North Korea could be gearing up for its first nuclear test in five years amid a torrid series of weapons tests this year that included its first launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. The provocative tests underscore Kims intent to advance his arsenal while also pressuring the Biden administration over long-stalled negotiations in which he hopes to use his nuclear weapons as leverage for badly needed sanctions relief and security concessions, experts say. Kim Yo Jongs bellicose rhetoric indicates she will try to blame any COVID-19 resurgence on South Korea and is also looking to justify North Koreas next military provocation, Easley said. Activists in South Korea for years have flown balloons across the border to distribute hundreds of thousands of propaganda leaflets critical of Kims regime. North Korea has often expressed fury at the activists and at South Koreas government for not stopping them. During Wednesdays meeting, Kim Yo Jong called the countrys virus outbreak a hysteric farce kicked off by South Korea to escalate confrontation. (South Korean) puppets are still thrusting leaflets and dirty objects into our territory. We must counter it toughly, she said. We have already considered various counteraction plans, but our countermeasure must be a deadly retaliatory one. North Korean state TV showed some people in the audience of thousands crying as she spoke about her brothers fever a reference that wasnt further explained. The crowd applauded and cheered as she vowed North Korea will eradicate not only the virus but also (South Korean) government authorities if the enemies continue dangerous acts that could introduce the virus into our republic. While Kim Yo Jong has made many speeches and statements in recent years as one of the most powerful members of her brothers leadership circle, Thursday was the first time North Korean media have broadcast the complete video and audio of one of her speeches, South Koreas Unification Ministry said. The highlighting of her speech by state media reflects her rising status and could be aimed at emphasizing the threat directed at South Korea. In 2020, Kim Yo Jong drove a pressure campaign in which North Korea blew up an empty South Korean-built liaison office in its territory and threatened to end a 2018 military agreement on reducing border tensions, in a furious response to South Korean leafletting campaigns. In 2014, North Korea fired at propaganda balloons flying toward its territory and South Korea returned fire, though there were no casualties. North Koreas claim about the origin of the outbreak contradicts outside experts, who believe the omicron variant spread when the country briefly reopened its border with China to freight traffic in January, and surged further following a military parade and other large-scale events in Pyongyang, its capital, in April. In May, Kim Jong Un prohibited travel between cities and counties to slow the spread of the virus. But he also stressed that his economic goals should be met, which meant huge groups continued to gather at agricultural, industrial and construction sites. At the virus meeting, Kim called for the easing of preventive measures and for the nation to maintain vigilance and effective border controls, citing the global spread of new coronavirus variants and monkeypox. By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press Congressman Tom McClintock View Photo Congressman Tom McClintock serves as the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration. The Congressman recently delivered remarks in opposition to H.R. 2920 (the American Families United Act) at a hearing held by the full House Judiciary Committee. McClintock was Thursdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: Eighteen months ago, we had achieved operational control of our Southern Border. The border wall was nearing completion. The remain in Mexico policy and enforcement of court-ordered deportations had slowed illegal immigration to a trickle. American workers were finally seeing major wage gains and the gap between rich and poor in this country was finally narrowing. All that ended on January 20, 2021, when Joe Biden cancelled the Remain in Mexico policy, ordered ICE to stop enforcing court-ordered deportations and cancelled the border wall, leaving construction gaps through which thousands of illegal immigrants pass every day. Since this administration took office, more than three million foreign nationals have illegally entered the country, with roughly half being trafficked across the country by this administration. While the Border Patrol has been overwhelmed, an additional 900,000 illegal entries evaded authorities that we know of and are now in the United States. In other words, in 18 months, this administration has allowed into our country an illegal population larger than the size of Alaska, Vermont and Wyoming combined. Fentanyl crossing the southern border has exploded. The death rate from fentanyl overdoses more than doubled in a single year. The effect on school and hospital overcrowding, homelessness, depressed wages and opportunities for working families and crime will mean a much more dangerous and impoverished country as a direct result of these policies. Deaths at the border have skyrocketed as more and more illegal migrants are encouraged to make the dangerous journey. On every trip Ive made to the Southern Border, Border agents have told me to warn my constituents that the tragedies encountered every day in border communities are being exported across the country and that every town will soon become a border town. And now, Im hearing this from my constituents. This committee has blocked every Republican effort to address this national crisis. Every hearing the Democrats have had about this crisis is how to increase it. The bill now before this committee, H.R. 2920 gives the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security discretion not to enforce U.S. immigration law regarding removal, inadmissibility, or provision of an immigration benefit, if enforcing such law would be a hardship for the aliens U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. Why not just repeal the law in its entirety? That would have the same effect as this bill. The Democrats have already applied existing grants of discretion that are explicitly limited to review on a case-by-case basis to afford sweeping waivers for entire classes of people. Under this bill, separation of a family member is presumptively considered to constitute hardship and therefore grounds not to enforce the law. Relatives already deported under our loose immigration laws would be admitted under this bill. Who needs immigration courts if their orders are to be invalidated? So why not just repeal our immigration law and require the admission of all family members regardless of previous deportation orders or determinations of inadmissibility. With very few exceptions, thats what this bill does anyway. Why not just admit it? The unprecedented illegal mass migration that is aided, abetted, encouraged and applauded by congressional Democrats and their President has reached historic proportions, and its impact is now being felt by every American. Democratic mayors of Northern cities are even sounding the alarm. But congressional Democrats are deaf to their pleas. Americans are increasingly aware of the staggering cost of these policies to their safety, their prosperity, and their futures. But beware: these policies will not change until the people responsible for them are turned out of office. The only question is, is there still time? The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Jessie White - Booking Photo View Photo Calaveras County, CA A Jackson man has been sentenced to 325 years to life in prison for crimes that were committed in Calaveras County in 2021. Judge Linda Clark oversaw the two-week trial in which 26-year-old Jessie Taylor White was found guilty by a jury of 16 felonies, including four counts of rape, two counts of sodomy, criminal threats, witness intimidation and mayhem with a knife. District Attorney Barbara Yook said in a statement that she is grateful to the survivor for bravely standing up and for the jury who held White accountable for his crimes. The assault survivor, a minor, had been contacted by White online through Facebook and was manipulated to share illicit photos and meet for the purposes of sexual abuse. Many witnesses spoke at the trial. It was learned that White had beaten and threatened to kill the survivor and the survivors family members. Other agencies involved in the investigation were the Calaveras Sheriffs Office, Amador County District Attorneys Office and California State Parole. Death toll from weekend Israel-Gaza fighting rises to 48 View Photo GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) The Palestinian death toll from last weekends fighting between Israel and Gaza militants rose to 48 Thursday after an 11-year-old girl and a man died from wounds they suffered during the worst cross-border violence in over a year. Meanwhile, two wounded Gaza children, ages 8 and 14, were fighting for their lives in a Jerusalem hospital. In all, more than 300 Palestinians were wounded over the weekend when Israel struck Islamic Jihad targets across Gaza and the militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. The death of 11-year-old Layan al-Shaer at Mukassed Hospital in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem brought to 17 the number of children killed in the fighting. Hani al-Shaer, a relative, said she was wounded in a drone attack during a surprise opening salvo launched by Israel, hours before any rockets were fired. Israel said it launched the initial wave of airstrikes, which killed an Islamic Jihad commander, in response to an imminent threat from the militant group, days after Israeli troops arrested one of its leaders in the occupied West Bank. Two other Gaza children, 14-year-old Nayef al-Awdat and 8-year-old Mohammed Abu Ktaifa were being treated in the intensive care unit at Mukassed. Nayef, who is blind, was wounded in an Israeli airstrike, while Mohammed was hurt in an explosion that went off near a wedding party and killed an elderly woman, with the circumstances still unclear. Israel has said as many as 16 people might have been killed by rockets misfired by Palestinian militants. Israeli strikes appear to have killed more than 30 Palestinians, including civilians and several militants, among them two senior Islamic Jihad commanders. It wasnt immediately clear how the man whose death was announced Thursday was wounded. The Israeli military says it makes every effort to avoid civilian casualties. A cease-fire took hold Sunday night, bringing an end to the fighting that started Friday. No Israelis were killed or seriously wounded. Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers have fought four wars and several smaller battles over the last 15 years at a staggering cost to the territorys 2 million Palestinian residents. Hamas sat out the latest fighting, possibly because of understandings with Israel that have eased a 15-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on Gaza when Hamas took power. In other developments, a Palestinian prisoner on a protracted hunger strike was moved Thursday from an Israeli jail to a hospital because of his worsening condition, the prisoners wife said. An Israeli prison service official confirmed the development, speaking on condition of anonymity under regulations. Khalil Awawdeh has refused food for just over 160 days, according to his family, in a bid to draw attention to his detention by Israel without trial or charge. His case was thrust into the spotlight during the latest Gaza fighting. Gaza militants have demanded his release as part of the cease-fire that ended the fighting. Awawdeh, a 40-year-old father of four, was arrested by Israel in December, accused of being a member of a militant group, a charge his lawyer said he denies. Recently, he has been using a wheelchair and was showing memory loss and speech difficulties, according to his lawyer, Ahlam Haddad. Dalal Awawdeh, Khalils wife, said his condition had deteriorated, prompting Israeli authorities to move him to a hospital. Dr. Lina Qasem from the Physicians for Human Rights Israel organization said Thursday after meeting Awawdeh that his condition was extremely bad and that he only drinks water and is refusing additional vitamins, salts and sugar. He suffers from a very extreme weakness, she said. Awawdeh said he will continue his hunger strike until his release from detention, she said, but he requests that the medical team do what is necessary to save his life because he does not wish to die. Prospects for Awawdehs release under the cease-fire are uncertain. But his case highlights the plight of hundreds of Palestinians who are being held by Israel under a system that critics say denies them the right to due process, known as administrative detention. The worsening conditions of hunger striking prisoners has in the past whipped up tensions with the Palestinians, and in some cases prompted Israel to accede to hunger strikers demands. Israel is currently holding some 4,400 Palestinians, including militants who have carried out deadly attacks, as well as people arrested at protests or for throwing stones. Around 670 Palestinians are now being held in administrative detention, a number that jumped in March as Israel began near-nightly arrest raids in the West Bank following a spate of deadly attacks against Israelis. Israel says administrative detention is needed to prevent attacks or to keep dangerous suspects locked up without sharing evidence that could endanger valuable intelligence sources. Israel says it provides due process and largely imprisons those who threaten its security, though a small number are held for petty crimes. Palestinians and human rights groups say the system is designed to quash opposition and maintain permanent control over millions of Palestinians while denying them basic rights. ___ Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem contributed to this report. By FARES AKRAM Associated Press Monday hearing set for 2 ex-cops in George Floyds killing View Photo MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A judge scheduled a hearing for Monday on the status of plea negotiations for the two remaining officers awaiting trial on state charges in the killing of George Floyd, with the hearing coming after the judges window for accepting any deal appears to have closed. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in previous orders that he would not accept plea agreements unless they came within a 15-day window after former Officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng were sentenced in federal court on separate civil rights charges. Those sentences came down July 27. His orders did not specify business days or calendar days. Court spokesman Matt Lehman said only that Mondays scheduled 9 a.m. hearing was to discuss the status of plea negotiations. The Minnesota attorney generals office had no comment on the nature of the hearing. Thaos attorney, Bob Paule, and Kuengs attorney, Thomas Plunkett, did not immediately return phone messages. Local defense attorney Mike Brandt, whos been following the case, said deadlines like the one Cahill set are more the exception than the rule, but theyre not unusual either. Some judges dont want to go to the effort and expense of gearing up for a big trial, including summoning potential jurors, if a case is going to settle anyway, he said. The trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 24, with opening statements Nov. 7. Thao and Lane are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyds death. Former Officer Thomas Lane pleaded guilty in May to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in a deal that calls for a three-year sentence. His sentencing is Sept. 21. Thao, Kueng and Lane were working with then-Officer Derek Chauvin when he pinned Floyds neck with his knee for more than nine minutes as the 46-year-old Black man said he couldnt breathe and eventually grew still. The killing, captured in bystander video, sparked protests worldwide and a reckoning on racial injustice. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder last year and sentenced to 22 1/2 years on the state charge. The four have already been sentenced on the separate federal civil rights charges, ranging from 21 years for Chauvin to 3 1/2 years for Thao, 3 years for Kueng and 2 1/2 years for Lane. Chauvin remains in the states maximum security prison at Oak Park Heights pending his transfer to federal prison. The other three remain free on bail. ___ Associated Press writer Amy Forliti contributed to this story. ___ Find APs full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd By STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) A gunman shot and wounded a police officer and two other people Wednesday at a suburban Los Angeles home and then remained inside for five hours before police took him into custody, authorities said. All three victims suffered non-life threatening injuries in the shooting, which occurred in Arcadia, a foothill community northeast of Los Angeles. Nurhan Venk, 47, surrendered and was treated for what appeared to be an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg before he was booked on suspicion of attempted murder and attempted murder of a peace officer, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Venk was arrested late Wednesday night and remained jailed Thursday on $1 million bail, according to a Sheriffs Department website. It wasnt immediately clear if he had an attorney to speak on his behalf. Arcadia police officers went to the home shortly after 5:30 p.m. after receiving reports of a family disturbance and a man with a gun, according to a Sheriffs Department statement. Venk was estranged from his family and was told to move out of the home within the last year, , who is estranged from his family, used to live at the home but had been made to move out within the last year, sheriffs Lt. Derrick Alfred said, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. He had been living in his car but had returned home several times, Alfred said. Officers learned that Venk had gone to the home that afternoon, had several handguns and was threatening his mother, 73-year-old Ankine Venk, authorities said. As the officers were outside the house, they heard at least two gunshots, followed by more shots as they approached and an officer was shot in jaw, authorities said. The officers didnt fire back but retreated as more shots were fired from inside the home. Ankine Venk and her 12-year-old grandson ran out of the home, according to the Sheriffs Department. Venk had been shot in the chest but the boy wasnt hurt, authorities said. A neighbor who lives across the street, 83-year-old Zoo Ching Yang, was at home when a stray bullet went through a bedroom window frame and struck him in the eye, according to the Sheriffs Department. All three victims were treated at a hospital for critical but non-life threatening injuries. SWAT team members were called in and some neighbors were evacuated or told to shelter in place. Venk remained barricaded in the house and finally surrendered after hours of negotiations with the Sheriffs Department Crisis Negotiation Team, the department said. The wounded officer wasnt immediately named but authorities said he 26, has been with the Arcadia Police Department for about six months and had about three years of law enforcement experience. He was expected to make a full recovery, Police Chief Roy Nakamura said in a statement. Life gradually returns a year after fire chars Sierra Nevada View Photo LONE PINE, Calif. (AP) The flames fade away. Firefighters extinguish the last embers. A final curl of smoke uncoils in the wind. A wildfire in the California wilderness has come to an end, and whats left behind is a blackened landscape of skeletal pines and leafless oaks, scorched meadows and ashen stumps where saplings once stood. Then, slowly, life returns. One year after a wind-whipped wildfire charged across a craggy mountainside above Lone Pine, California, flashes of new growth are emerging in this still-charred corner of the Inyo National Forest, a hiking, camping and fishing playground about 350 miles (563 km) southeast of San Francisco. Tiny clusters of white and purple wildflowers stand out against denuded pines, many stripped of bark in the fire. Green shoots of horsetail as thin as yarn strands break from the ground below a trees barren branches. A fistful of new leaves emerges like a fresh bouquet from within an incinerated stump. Its the start of a long recovery, and a cycle thats being repeated more often across the West as climate change brings drier, hotter seasons and more wildland fires. As it roars across the landscape, a fire burns at different intensities. Some of the towering trees on the hillside are dead, others only singed and can recover. The first plants to reappear after a burn typically have grown more resistant over time to the flames. Some of the shrub species and other grass species are more fire-adapted, and they can come back quicker, said Todd Ellsworth, a post-fire restoration program manager with the U.S. Forest Service. But it can be five years before the ground cover returns to what it was before the blaze. One stand of pinyon pines was heavily damaged needles burned off the branches, their trunks torched black and will not come back. The conifer trees dont come back very quickly, Ellsworth said, referring to certain pines and other trees that bear cones. Sometimes, its up to foresters to go in and replant them. The tiny, fragile flowers and patches of fresh growth against a stark mountainside and slabs of gray rock were a reminder that wildfire is part of the ecosystem in California, including the eastern Sierra Nevada where the fire took place. Firefighters said they used minimum-impact techniques to fight the blaze because natural fire plays an important role in maintaining the landscape within these areas. Some species only flower after a wildfire. The area of the blaze not far from the trailhead to Mt. Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 meters) the highest mountain the contiguous United States is home to Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, an endangered species, and to the whitebark pine, an endangered species candidate. News reports and press releases from June and July 2021 attributed the wildfire to a lightning strike and said the nearly 600-acre (243-hectare) blaze fanned by winds forced evacuations and cut off access to nearby roads, hiking trails and campgrounds. Firefighters used helicopters to dump water on the fire, which burned across rugged terrain. The effects of climate change can be significant on forest regeneration. One 2018 study in the journal Ecology Letters that looked at nearly 1,500 wildfire sites found that because of hotter and drier climates, fewer forests are returning to their pre-burn tree mix, and in some cases trees did not return at all. Camille Stevens-Rumann, an assistant professor at Colorado State University and co-author of the study, said wildfires have become larger and more intense, killing more trees, while also happening more frequently. We have a lot of places that are probably climatically different than when those (conifer) species were established, she said, which means they can struggle when trying to recover after a burn. If a hotter, drier climate is unsuitable for those trees to come back, they wont recover, she added. By MICHAEL R. BLOOD Associated Press Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low near 75F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. BANGKOK (AP) Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who last month fled anti-government protests in his country, arrived in Thailand on Thursday night on a flight from Singapore, where he had been staying since mid-July. Thai television stations showed Rajapaksa and a woman believed to be his wife outside the VIP hall at Bangkoks Don Mueang airport being led to a limousine, which then drove off to an undisclosed destination. Officials in Thailand on Wednesday said they had been asked by the Sri Lankan government to allow him entry, and that he would be permitted to stay temporarily. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said he was aware of Rajapaksas intended visit and that it was allowed for humanitarian reasons because the former president was seeking asylum in a third country. He did not elaborate but said Rajapaksa would not engage in political activity while in Thailand. Rajapaksa has made no public comments about his travel plans. After fleeing Sri Lanka last month, he first went to neighboring Maldives in a Sri Lankan military plane and then to Singapore, where his visa expired Thursday. He submitted his resignation only after he left Sri Lanka. Sri Lankans have staged massive street protests for months demanding democratic reforms and solutions to the countrys economic collapse. Protesters who had occupied official offices and residences in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, blame mismanagement and corruption by the Rajapaksa family for the economic crisis that has led to serious shortages of essentials such as medicines, food and fuel. The island nation is negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout program. Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat said Wednesday that Rajapaksa's "stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought. He said that because the former president held a diplomatic passport, he would be allowed to stay for 90 days without a visa. In addition to being criticized for mismanaging his country's economy, Rajapaksa has been accused by human rights groups of involvement with war crimes when he was defense secretary during Sri Lanka's civil war, which ended in 2009. LauriPatterson/Getty Images A Louisiana-based supermarket is pushing into Texas with three new locations, one of those stores will be in the Texas Hill Country. The Best Stop Super Market out of Scott, Louisiana is coming to New Braunfels, the store announced via social media on Tuesday, August 9. The post said it will be coming to Katy and The Woodlands along with the New Braunfels location. The Best Stop Super Market began in 1986. It sells more than 2,500 pounds of its "award-winning" boudin to hungry customers everyday, according to The Best Stop Super Market website. It also sells cracklins, homemade gumbo, stuffed quail, smoked sausage, and Turducken, which is a chicken stuffed with a duck, stuffed inside a turkey. A boozy night is sometimes amid busy schedules or simply celebrated without going out. Thats why San Antonio has a number of spots where you can pick up drinks, individual or even by the gallon, from a drive-thru or available ready to be served by the amateur bartender in your family or friend group. Happy drinking, San Antonio. SipIt Daiquiris To-Go Across San Antonios four locations, SipIt gives you the frozen beverage of your dreams and then some! There are 14 daiquiri flavors, which you can even mix. If you want some extra goodness, SipIt also serves Jell-O shots, infused gummy treats, and sipsicles (yes, boozy popsicles). Find it: Multiple locations, drinksipit.com Courtesy Smashin Crab Smashin Crab Come for the food or the drinks, its all good here! At Smashin Crab, youll get both a seafood-filled meal and a mix of drinks. Whether you want more drinks after dinner or take your meal to-go, you can have a gallon (yes, a GALLON!) of the restaurants margarita, sangria, hurricane, or Bayou Tea. Find it: Multiple locations, smashincrab.com Yelp / Kirsten W. Daiquiri King Over on the Far Westside, folks can get their buzz on at Daiquiri King. The small spot allows you to stop in or take your drink to go. The specialty drinks here are grouped by flavor profiles and can be topped with Jell-O shots and buzz bears. Theres always beer for the less adventurous drinkers. Find it: 9819 Marbach Road #105, San Antonio, TX 78245; 210-549-4311 Yelp / Mariana G. Express Super Gs If youre looking for something a bit different, you can stop by Express Super Gs for your choice of micheladas, rusas, and charolazos. For the uninformed, it allows you to enjoy the goodness of shrimp thats been soaking in lime, salt, and chile. Now that sounds like a lovely combination to enjoy on a fun night! Find it: 227 Enrique M. Barrera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78237; 210-267-9789 Yelp / Demi B. Beer N All No matter how you feel about them, theres no denying that Beer N All comes through when you need some booze and dont feel like getting out of your car. The local drive-thru, which has three locations in San Antonio, has lots of options between frozen margaritas, frozen daiquiris, shots, micheladas, and other mixed drinks and cocktails. Be sure to check out the monthly specials! Find it: Multiple locations, mybeernall.com Madalyn Mendoza for MySA Taco Cabana What is San Antonio without its late-night Mexican restaurants? No matter if its a drinking night or not, treat yourself to a quick and cheap buzz at Taco Cabana. The all-day, every-day margaritas come in a dozen flavors and are only $3. Drink responsibly, San Antonio. Find it: Multiple locations, tacocabana.com Yelp / Casey B. Roc N Ritas Whether youre in San Antonio, Boerne, or New Braunfels, youll have a spot for margaritas on the go. A visit to any of Roc N Ritas three locations will give you more than a dozen options to choose from the 50s themed spot. Margaritas arent your go-to? No problem. There are also pina coladas, beers, wine, and extras like Jell-O shots and boozie bears to take in. Find it: Multiple locations, rocnritas.com Yelp / Conniefe C. Southern Freeze Daiquiri Grab a drink just for you or get a to-go bag for your drinking crew, just be ready to enjoy the cool booze that Southern Freeze is serving up. Choose from the OG flavors like strawberry and pina colada or you can try the flavor combos like Dirty Water (hypnotic and peach). You can even add extra goodness like Tajin or chamoy if youd like! Find it: 13762 Potranco Road, Suite 110, San Antonio, TX 78245; 210-236-7107 Courtesy of Thirsty Aztec Thirsty Aztec Sometimes its nice to play tourist, or at least spend more time at the River Walk than you usually would. Order by how colorful the drink is or pick your favorite flavor down at Thirsty Aztec, which also has beer options. Just dont forget the shooters and candy sticks! Find it: 200 River Walk St., San Antonio, TX 78205; 210-580-4844 Mike Sutter /Staff It turns out that San Antonio knows best when it comes to some good ol fashioned barbecue. The Alamo City was recently highlighted for its dominance among the food genre, settling a debate among cities known for their meats and sides within barbecue. San Antonio even topped another Texas city that loves claiming its stake in the barbecue world. A listicle site named Clever used 2022 data to rank San Antonio No. 1 among the best barbecue cities across the country. Yes, San Antonio beat out all the self-claimed barbecue capitals of Texas and even the world. HUIZENG HU/Getty Images San Antonio's Northwest Side is on the brink of welcoming KPOT. The hands-on Asian hot pot and Korean barbecue concept with nine locations in places like Brooklyn and Jersey City is preparing a restaurant off Interstate 10 in the Fiesta Trails shopping center, according to public filings and the company's website. KPOT lists the San Antonio location as "coming soon" to the address along with expansion plans in 21 U.S. states from the Southwest to the Northeast. Filings submitted to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation show plans for a 6,500-square-foot restaurant at 12485 I-10 W, San Antonio, TX 78230. Kimco Realty, which oversees leasing of Fiesta Trails spaces, also lists KPOT as a tenant online and shows the restaurant will neighbor Crawfish Cafe. Nestled on the west bank of the San Pedro Creek, neighboring the Alameda Theater which will shine again after its rehabilitation, is new cocktail bar Sojourn. Derik Cortez and Andrew Carrillo, two known names in the local food and beverage industry, combined to bring a refreshing escape to the middle of downtown San Antonio. Cortez is the mixology mind behind the drink menus at Box Street Social and Mixtli. Carillo is the owner of longtime local burger joint Armadillos Texas Style Burgers. The business partners and friends grew a vacation vibes sort of spot out of what was once the moody, low-lit Juniper Tar before it closed in 2018. If the name of the bar, meaning a temporary stay, didn't drive home a getaway-like atmosphere. The interior will do the trick. Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com The opulent decor of Juniper Tar (taxidermy and all) is out and now chairs with rattan backs and bright blue banquet seating welcome guests. Chandeliers and stained glass windows give the space its elegant edge. A mural of palm leaves and tropical flowers bring the outdoors in without having to bear the heat and humidity. If Ernest Hemingway was looking for a San Antonio version of his beloved Havana bar El Floridita, Sojourn might be it. As I battled post-vacation blues following my own sojourn to the cobblestone, sea-breezed streets of Mexico, I made plans to catch up with some close friends to extend my trip just for a night and hopefully ease the pain of the 800 unread work emails (of which only about five needed my direct attention) in my inbox. Here are a few things to know about Sojourn. There's a little something for everyone at Sojourn Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com The new bar offers a cold kitchen food menu. Items are not cooked with any form of heat. The small food menu includes oysters (dressed or on the half shell), beef tartare, hummus, crispy tuna bites, charcuterie, a Cubano sandwich, and summer watermelon salad with mango vinaigrette and marinated feta. We picked the charcuterie and hummus to share. Sojourn charges $24 for charcuterie with four choices of proteins and cheese and two choices of extras like mixed nuts, pickles or olives. The board served as a nice centerpiece for our hour-long gabbing. The portions were generous even between three snackish women and there were a few pieces left behind. Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com The hummus, served with pita chips, tomatoes, and cucumber, was also a hit at our table, with each of us excitedly taking turns dipping away. The Sojourn staff is approachable and was happy to refill our pita chips so that we could finish sopping up the last bits of hummus. Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com Of course, Sojourn also pours out a list of beer, wine, and specialty cocktails. With ingredients like chocolate liqueur, tea-infused sake, Spanish bubbles and more, it was hard to decide on just one cocktail but this was a work night. My decision making might have resorted to closing my eyes and picking one, I was so torn, but I ultimately decided on something that felt familiar: a raspa. Sojourn's adult take on the summer time favorite uses Apple Jack 86, Tiger's Blood cordial, rum, lime, and coconut. The raspa is presented much more elegantly than what the ice cream man would whip up. At Sojourn, it's served in the kind of upscale ribbed glassware that's been sitting in my online cart for months. The extra boozy, pinkish rum elixir sits at the bottom of a sphere of ice wrapped in a leafy garnish. Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com Just before my friends and I looked over the menu, someone made a mention of wishing more places offered a dedicated mocktail menu with refreshing drinks sans alcohol. Moments later, almost like magic, we found the zero-proof section of the drink menu which includes the Summer Julep and Tahitian Pineapple. My friend, who is expecting her first baby in a few months, sipped on the julep. She says she was initially apprehensive about the soy sauce, but as her cup dried up she was happy with how it was layered with the mint and the "crunchy" ice was a plus. More to know Sojourn is a diamond in the rough, with the rough being downtown road work. Navigating the road closures to end up at Sojourn is worth it, though. The bar does not have a dedicated parking area, so add about 10 minutes to your commute to find a street parking or garage. Madalyn Mendoza, MySA.com The bar is in a soft opening phase but recently launched a 4 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday Happy Hour. Find it: 244 W. Houston St., San Antonio, TX 78205 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) A drug policy reform group has sued the state panel that will decide how Ohio distributes more than half of the money it will receive from a nationwide settlement regarding the opioid addiction crisis. Harm Reduction Ohio filed two lawsuits Monday against the OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board, claiming the panel isnt following public records and meeting laws. The panel dismissed the suits as obstructive to its goal of tackling the opioid crisis. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DALLAS (AP) The nearly $50 million defamation verdict against Alex Jones for his years of lies about the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre is far from a final reckoning. Jones' attorneys plan to appeal and try to lower the price tag a Texas jury put on his false claim that the nations deadliest school shooting which killed 20 students and six teachers was a hoax. The conspiracy theorist faces bankruptcy and other defamation lawsuits. And the courtroom conduct of Jones and his lawyers has exposed the Infowars host to new legal perils, including possible sanctions, allegations of perjury and renewed scrutiny in the investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Here's a look at the fallout from the successful suit against Jones by the parents of one of the child victims in the Dec. 14, 2012, shooting at the school in Newtown, Connecticut. WILL JONES PAY AND HOW MUCH? A Travis County jury last week ordered Jones to pay Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis $4.1 million in compensatory damages for the suffering he put them through by saying the shooting that killed their 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis, was staged to increase gun controls. The jurors also leveled $45.2 million in punitive damages against Jones, bringing the total fine to roughly a third of the $150 million the couple had sought. It's the first time Jones has been held financially liable for repeatedly claiming the Sandy Hook shooting was faked. Lewis said after the trial that Jones had been held accountable. His lawyers plan to appeal and to seek to reduce the damages. Legal experts say Jones probably won't pay the full amount. In most civil cases, Texas law limits how much defendants have to pay in exemplary, or punitive, damages to twice the economic damages plus up to $750,000. But jurors are not told about this cap, and eye-popping verdicts are often hacked down by judges. Russ Horton, an Austin attorney, said it's almost a surety that the damages against Jones will be cut to conform with the law, either by an appeals court or the trial judge. A Virginia judge did just that in Johnny Depp's defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Under a cap similar to Texas' law, the judge in July cut the $10 million in compensatory damages that a jury awarded Depp to $350,000. What Jones can afford is also disputed. He testified that any award over $2 million would sink us, and Free Speech Systems which is Infowars Austin-based parent company filed for bankruptcy protection during the first week of the trial. But economist Bernard Pettingill testified that Jones and his company are worth up to $270 million. He said Jones withdrew $62 million from the firm in 2021, when default judgments were issued in that case and two other Sandy Hook defamation suits. Since the verdict, Jones has urged Infowars' supporters to buy the nutritional supplements, survival gear and other products he sells, saying he needs funds to continue the show and his legal fights. "If we dont get solvent and get enough money to come out of this bankruptcy, theyll appoint a receiver and start selling off the equipment," he said Monday. PERJURY? There would be extensive court wrangling before the Infowars studio could be sold for parts. But Jones has more immediate risks and may see his legal bills mount. Jones appeared to be caught in at least one lie while on the witness stand, when a lawyer for the parents suing him revealed he had digital copies of texts and other content from Jones' cellphone. The messages, including communications about Sandy Hook, were accidentally emailed to the plaintiffs' attorneys by one of Jones lawyers. Jones sought to shrug the revelation off in cross-examination, ridiculing an opposing lawyer and denying that he lied. But legal experts say the episode could open Jones up to a possible perjury charge. Criminal charges of perjury are rare and difficult to prove, but Jones' prominence may make him an attractive target, especially in liberal Austin. It would be very hard to imagine a state prosecutor going after someone in a civil case for perjury, said Benson Varghese, an attorney in Fort Worth, Texas. The chance are slightly higher for Jones, given the high-profile case. Aggravated perjury, the charge frequently brought in Texas for lies on the witness stand, is punishable with up to 10 years in prison. A spokesman for the Travis County District Attorneys Office, which would handle a potential criminal case against Jones, declined to comment. SANCTIONS? Even if prosecutors never pursue a case, Jones could face further consequences from Judge Maya Guerra Gamble. Before the trial, lawyers for the parents suing Jones filed a motion asking the judge to sanction him for failing to produce evidence. Gamble is set to take up that motion. And in court, Gamble repeatedly admonished Jones to tell the truth. At one point, she sent the jury out of the room and scolded him for telling jurors he complied with pretrial evidence gathering when he hadn't. And the judge scolded him further for testifying that he's bankrupt, which has not been determined by a court and prompted fury from the lawyers opposing Jones. This is not your show, Gamble told Jones. Your beliefs do not make something true. You are under oath. Judges have wide discretion to set sanctions including fines, imprisonment and other punishments but its rare to see them imposed. Avi Moshenberg, a lawyer for the parents, declined to say whether they would seek other sanctions but said "there were certainly some troubling things that happened during trial. Jones attorney, Andino Reynal, did not respond to a request for comment. JONES AND THE JAN. 6 INVESTIGATION Jones' lawyers accidentally handing over his text messages in the case also exposes him to further scrutiny from the U.S. House committee examining the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot that sought to overturn Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election. The committee, which has spent months showing how former President Donald Trump relentlessly pushed his false claims of a rigged election, subpoenaed Jones to testify. And the panels chairman accused him of helping to organize a rally near the Capitol that preceded the insurrection. Now, the lawmakers reportedly have Jones' texts. An attorney for the parents suing Jones, Mark Bankston, gave the committee two years worth of Jones' messages, CNN reported Monday, citing an unnamed person familiar with the matter. Bankston told The Associated Press that he was cooperating with the committee" but did not comment further. On his Tuesday show, Jones downplayed the significance of the messages. He showed a photo of his wife in a swimsuit that he had sent to Roger Stone, a Trump confidant who was also subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee, and said the messages didn't include anything past April 2020. Its six months of limited texts, Jones said. Its a fraction of my phone." OTHER CASES Before the trial in Austin, Jones had already been found liable in a separate defamation lawsuit in Texas and another in Connecticut by relatives of some of the Sandy Hook victims. The other Texas case was filed by Leonard Pozner and Veronique De La Rosa, whose son Noah was killed in the shooting. The Connecticut case has the potential for a larger award because it consolidates three lawsuits filed by 15 plaintiffs, a former FBI agent who responded to the school and the relatives of nine Sandy Hook victims. It will be up to a Connecticut jury to decide what, if any, damages Jones owes in that case, although law there could also limit what he would have to pay. Trials for damages were scheduled to begin in both cases next month, but their progress has been complicated by Free Speech Systems' July filing for bankruptcy protection, a process that freezes pending litigation. Horton, the Austin lawyer, said the cases could potentially proceed against Jones personally while Free Speech Systems is in bankruptcy court, and he warned that filing for Chapter 11 gives the bankruptcy court tremendous power to examine Jones finances. Bankruptcy is not a place to hide out if you have anything to hide, Horton said. ___ Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut, and Tarm reported from Chicago. Associated Press writer Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. ___ Find APs full coverage of the Alex Jones trial at: https://apnews.com/hub/alex-jones In a recent Links reader Michaelmas highlighted a fresh report on Chinas space warfare capabilities, which we have embedded at the end of this post. Yours truly is not a war nerd, much the less a weapons geek. However, it does not take much in the way of powers of observation to notice that the US very much underestimated Russias military, despite presumably having it as an object of study. We were confident the Ukraine army, trained and kitted out to NATO standards, and supersized by mercenaries,1 would make quick work of Russia. One of the striking features of early and still continuing commentary on the war was insisting that if Russia was not prosecuting the war using US doctrine, it must be losing. US doctrine would be the methods we used during counterinsurgency wars: pound infrastructure with air strikes, cut off electricity and communications, and then when youd flattened an area, move in troops and equipment for what amounted to clearing operations. Russia instead makes much less use of air forces and fancy high tech weapons than we do (why deploy planes and pilots to blow things up? Just use missiles to fly in the bombs) and vastly greater use of artillery. Its taken the much-discussed-only-in-alternative-media report from the Royal United Services Institute, The Return of Industrial Warfare, to lay out how overwhelming an advantage Russia has in firepower, and how it will take the West at least a decade of capacity-building to catch up. The Western press and pundit response (to the extent theyve noticed that Russia is grinding down the Ukraine military, and so in control of the battlefield that it can rotate its troops when it sees fit) has been to complain that Russia is using primitive weapons, as if wars were fought in accordance with the Marquess of Queensberry rules. But those whinges overlooked that Russia is second to none in missiles and missile defense. The S-400 system is better than anything has. Russias S-500 system is starting to be deployed. This is a long-winded way of saying the US defense-intel complex has come to believe its own PR about the supposed superiority of US equipment and methods. After all, we must be getting a lot for the vast sums we spend on our armed forces. So what might our blind spots be regarding China? Former Colonel Douglas MacGregor at 16:50 points out that the Chinese are worried about Americas nuclear subs, since they could park themselves off Chinas coast and stop all inbound and outbound ships (the neighbors in the region wouldnt like that). But MacGregor points out the US would be nuts to fight a war on Chinas doorstep given the distance. And could China significantly blind the US navy via counterspace operations? As Michaelmas argued: The US had a plan in the Ukraine, too, and for most of the last decade prepared the Ukrainian forces to be the largest NATO-supplied army in Europe. Hows that working out? In a direct military conflict with Taiwan, the US navy and USAFs plans still depend on the connectivity and battlespace oversight supplied by its satellites remaining operational. In the real world, China can knock all those satellites down in 30-40 minutes. Sure, the US developed counter-measures during the last fifteen years of low-grade war thats been secretly ongoing in orbit, and has impressive kit nobody else has, like the Boeing X-37*robot shuttles that have spent years up there https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-37 No. None of that ultimately can prevent China from knocking out US satellites by brute force with ASAT missiles, if thats what China determines to do. The Space Review article discusses how China has systematically, since 2010, been seeking space dominance. China has presented many of its tests and maneuvers as having peaceful application, when they could also be used offensively. China has been practicing proximity operations as in moving devices close in and then away from satellites and also grappling and moving them, to the degree that it changed a satellites altitude by over 100 kilometers. China has also used robotic arms on space vehicles to pick up debris. The Space Review article points out it could also be used to cripple a satellite. China could also simply use a so-called rendezvous and proximity operations to crash one of its satellites into one of ours. Other space tricks: A further potential offensive use of RPO would be to install a radiofrequency jammer onboard the chaser satellite, increasing its ability to interfere with the satellites communications. Chinese academic papers recognized that reducing the distance with a small satellite platform would decrease the power requirements exponentially, identifying susceptible US assets such as the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites. This, coupled with the Chinese doctrine that China can defeat the United States network centric warfare with energy-centric warfare, indicates that China has a significant interest in developing high-frequency and directed energy weapons in space. China also has anti-satellite missiles and has been practicing by shooting down dead weather satellites. It has also been successful at GPS jamming and includes that capability in military drills: According to open source data in April 2018, China installed equipment capable of jamming communications and radar systems on two of its fortified outposts on the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The PLA during exercises routinely incorporates jamming and anti-jamming techniques against multiple communication, radar systems, and GPS satellite systems in exercises. A Defense Intelligence Agency report assessed that China is developing jammers to target SATCOM over a range of frequency bands including military protected extremely high frequency communications. Signal jamming and satellite blinding are likely to be preferred strategies since they dont destroy equipment and so are less likely to provoke escalation. Some toys China might have: China is actively pursuing the development of directed energy weapon (DEW) for counterspace use. There is a significant amount of evidence of research and development, and testing but limited details on operational status of any deployed capabilities.[38] The use of lasers as a weapon is characterized in three effects: Dazzling a satellites imaging sensor Damage to a satellites imaging sensor Damage to the satellite bus or subsystems The effect of dazzling is temporary, and is considered a countermeasure rather than a weapon. Relative low power levels are required to dazzle. A 10-watt laser could be sufficient to create a dazzling effect and obscure an area from being imaged.[39] The threshold between dazzling and damage is almost impossible to predict, as it would depend on knowledge of a target satellites internal design and protective mechanisms. For use as a weapon to cause significant damage to the sensor, a power level in the kilowatt range would be required. A very-high-power laser would be required to cause damage to the satellite bus. The damage would be due to the heating effects of the energy causing the essential components such as the thermal regulation system, the batteries, or attitude control system.[20] It was reported in 2006 that China used a ground-based laser to dazzle or blind a US optical surveillance satellite on at least one occasion. If China was playing with this capability in 2006, imagine where it might be now. Contrast this depiction (and more below) with the anodyne overview in the latest Defense Intelligence Agency Worldwide Threat Assessment Chinas rapidly growing space program is second only to the United States in numbers of operational satellites, both civilian and militaryChina publicly advocates for the peaceful use of space and for agreements at the United Nations on the nonweaponization of space while it continues to improve its counterspace weapons. In addition to improvements in counterspace technology, Beijing has enacted military reforms to integrate cyberspace, space, and EW into joint military operations. Chinas 2007 antisatellite (ASAT) missile test destroyed a defunct weather satellite, indicating the PLAs ability to target low Earth orbit (LEO) and potentially even geosynchronous Earth orbit satellites. China is developing other sophisticated space-based capabilities like the Shijian- 17a satellite with robotic arm technology that is potentially capable of grappling other satellitesand multiple ground-based laser systems that are capable of blinding or damaging satellites. China very likely is also developing a variety of satellite jammers to disrupt targeted satellites. Since at least 2006, Chinas government-affiliated academic community began investigating aspects associated with space-based kinetic weaponsa class of weapon used to attack ground, sea, or air targets from orbit. Even though this section covers largely similar ground to the Space Review report, it misleads the reader by depicting China as number 2 to the US in number of civilian and military satellites. It is silent on qualitative, let alone quantitative, comparative military assessments. One assumes the US would not admit to Congress that the US is behind in some critical military area unless it was undeniable. But the bland language of that document suggests the military brass wont even hint at that in private briefings. In any event, I would very much welcome any reader intel on how the US might stack up in this very real space race. _____ 1 Former Swiss Strategic Intelligence Service member Jacques Baud, who also worked for NATO on small arms control in Ukraine, reported that Ukraine was having difficulty enlisting/conscripting enough men to serve, so it resorted to hiring mercenaries, which constituted 40% of its forces. KateLynn White graduated from Tennessee State University, where she was an editor of the student newspaper. She interned for The Tennessean and The Tennessee Tribune before joining the Nashville Post in 2022. She also contributes to the Nashville Scene. Follow KateLynn White Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today (Natural News) Judge Bruce E. Reinhart from the Southern District of Florida reportedly signed off on the warrant to raid President Trumps home at Mar-a-Lago on Monday night. (Article by Jim Hoft republished from TheGatewayPundit.com) Joe Biden sent the FBI to raid President Trumps home in a fishing exhibition. A source familiar tells @BrookeSingman that FBI agents went to Mar-a-Lago and looked in every single office, safe, and grabbed documents and boxes without going through them on the property. The source said they took boxes and documents to go through later, once they left MAL Sean Langille (@SeanLangille) August 9, 2022 Via Midnight Rider and Karli Q: Judge Bruce E Reinhart, magistrate judge for the Southern District of Florida, used to work for Jeffrey Epstein and signed the warrant to green light FBI raid on Trump. The New York Post reported: Sources tell The Post that Judge Bruce Reinhart approved the warrant that enabled FBI agents to converge on the palatial South Florida estate on Monday in what Trump called an unannounced raid on my home. Reinhart was elevated to magistrate judge in 2018 after 10 years in private practice. Months after his appointment, the Miami Herald reported that he had represented several of Epsteins employees in connection with the sex trafficking investigation against the financier. According to the paper, Reinhart resigned from the South Florida US Attorneys Office effective on New Years Day 2008 and went to work for Epsteins workers the following day. In 12 years as a federal prosecutor, according to his official biography, Reinhart managed a docket that covered the full spectrum of federal crimes, including narcotics, violent crimes, public corruption, financial frauds, child pornography and immigration. Here is a copy of the signed warrant. Sealed search warrant here signed by Bruce E Reinhart, magistrate judge for the Southern District of Florida https://t.co/Vl1FkjjMt8 Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) August 9, 2022 To our readers In July The Gateway Pundit filed legal action to unseal and identify the global elite on the Jeffrey Epstein Client list. Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com (Natural News) A Canadian doctor sounded the alarm over the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine after 13 physicians died following the shots rollout. Alberta-based physician and cancer researcher Dr. William Makis made this warning as he predicted many more deaths to come because of the COVID-19 vaccines. Ive now tracked 13 Canadian doctors sudden deaths. This is the most complete data set Ive seen anywhere by far, he said. According to Makis, three doctors died while exercising two while swimming and one while running. Two of the three doctors who passed away during physical activity were very high-level athletes. Dr. Candace Nayman, 27, was a triathlete while Dr. Paul Hannam, 50, was an Olympic sailor. Three of the 13 doctors, meanwhile, died unexpectedly in their sleep. Two doctors died from aggressive cancers that had arisen within the past year. Dr. Jakub Sawicki developed stage four gastric cancer 11 months after vaccination, while Dr. Lorne Segall developed stage four lung cancer a year after being injected. Despite the varied circumstances of their deaths, Makis pointed out that all 13 doctors were injected with at least three COVID-19 vaccine doses due to illegal vaccine mandates. Remember: These are young, healthy individuals who are always first in line to get jabbed. [The] vast majority of doctors will get their fourth and fifth jabs this summer and fall. Sadly, I expect many more deaths to come. According to LifeSiteNews, the 13 doctors who died due to the COVID-19 vaccines were between the ages of 27 and 62. Middle-aged men comprised the largest demographic, the outlet added. (Related: Eighty percent of those DYING from covid in Canada are fully jabbed.) While the vaccine deaths began in November 2021, seven of the fatalities occurred in July 2022 shortly after the fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose became widely available across Canada. Many more doctors died of the COVID shots, but did not receive coverage Entrepreneur Steve Kirsch touched on the issue of the 13 Canadian physicians who died due to the vaccines in an Aug. 7 Substack post. He referenced the earlier group of doctors Makis cited in his Gettr post, but added two additional fatalities who died in March and August, respectively. Dr. Bradley James Harris died on March 14, with Kirsch saying the physicians passing went unnoticed. An obituary for Harris described him as having an incredible zest for life, meeting new people and sharing stories. Outside of medical practice, the late doctor had a deep interest in craft beer and the science of brewing. Dr. Vincent Chi Wai Mak, meanwhile, died on Aug. 3. Mak, who has his roots in Hong Kong, emigrated to Canada in 1988. An obituary for the late doctor described him as a man of many passions and talents including singing and playing the keyboard and guitar. Kirsch lamented that despite these vaccine deaths, Canadian doctors will keep believing the safe and effective narrative because thats what they are trained to do trust the authorities. My doctor friends in Canada simply cannot believe how brainwashed [their] colleagues are. Zero deaths in 30 years, now all of a sudden [several] deaths in nine months, each happening shortly after their shots, he said. The Canadian [doctors] will continue to ignore the [statistics], believe the fact checkers and line up for the shots. It will get worse in the next round. According to the entrepreneur, the sheer number of vaccine deaths among physicians is simply too high in that category alone. The doctors all dying shortly after their vaccination meant it was most likely that the COVID-19 shot itself killed them by either accelerating their existing medical condition, creating a new medical condition or [triggering a] mysterious sudden death. While it could be that one or maybe two of the deaths were just coincidences, odds are that the rest were not. This sort of pattern has not happened before. VaccineDeaths.com has more stories about fatalities connected to the COVID-19 vaccines. Watch this video of a vaccinated individual in China suddenly collapsing and dying at a train station. This video is from the Puretrauma357 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Vaccinated population accounts for 92% of COVID-19 deaths in Canada. CDC data reveal 84% increase in death of millennials after vaccine mandate. The Vaccine Death Report reveals that MILLIONS of people have died from covid vaccines. DEATH SHOTS: Canadian data show that COVID vaccines INCREASE the risk of death from covid. Stunning German analysis finds that COVID-19 vaccine death rates are FAR higher than previously reported. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com Gettr.com SteveKirsch.Substack.com ComoxValleyRecord.com MountPleasantGroup.Permavita.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) denounced the weaponized Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Biden administration, saying that the agencys persecution of political opponents weakens peoples faith in government institutions. Back in July, the Louisiana congressman said the American justice system is a bulwark against tyranny during an interview at an America First Policy Institute (AFPI) event. But if the DOJ, for example, is weaponized for political purposes which is what were seeing right now in the Biden administration that jeopardizes that foundational pillar [of the American republic] itself. Later, Johnson reiterated this idea during an interview with the Epoch Times. He told the outlet that the DOJs weaponization is attacking the foundational pillars upon which America was built. The departments actions also undermine American citizens faith in the nations institutions, added the lawmaker. Whats happened is the legislative branch has had its constitutional authority usurped by the other branches. Youve had activist judges for decades that had been advancing public policy from the bench. Youve had an executive branch that is willingly taking the power away from Congress, because some members, I suppose, didnt want to take tough votes on tough issues. Johnson, who is a member of the House Judiciary Committee that oversees the DOJ, condemned several instances of the Biden administration weaponizing federal institutions and procedures. He cited the Justice Departments targeting of parents opposing critical race theory at school board meetings, the attempted impeachment of former President Donald Trump and the House Jan. 6 Select Committee hearings as examples of this weaponization. The Louisiana congressman added that the Federal Bureau of Investigation raiding Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8 evoked memories of what he saw during the former presidents 2019 impeachment. Trump was cleared of the charges against him in February 2020. (Related: The FBI now functions entirely as a weapon against Republicans while protecting the high crimes of Democrats.) Johnson: Dems seek to erode the American republic and replace it with socialism During the July AFPI event, Johnson remarked that the DOJs weaponization is overshadowed by two different philosophies [in a] battle of worldviews. While the Republican Party believes in Americas founding principles, the Democratic Party has a very different vision for the country. [Democrats] have disdain for the founding principles that we all believe in, he told attendees of the event. Theyre trying to trade it for something else: A European-style socialist [and] utopian dream which is folly, of course. Heritage Foundation conservative scholar Richard Reinsch echoed the Louisiana representatives observation in a May 11 commentary. According to Reinsch, rulemaking in the current time takes place in the regulatory or administrative state. Magistrates who preside over litigation between the government and private entities are themselves part of the establishment agency whose rules are in dispute, he added. Legislation, enforcement and adjudication are exercised by the same set of hands. Publius called this tyranny, and one of the objectives of the 1787 Constitution was to eliminate it, wrote Reinsch. Publius was the pen name of New York Post founder and Founding Father Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist Papers. Still, theres hope. Johnson said the Supreme Court is starting to recognize the importance of limiting the power of government agencies. This, he added, was a very important trend that is moving the U.S. closer to the original design of the Republic the Founding Fathers envisioned. For his part as a lawmaker, Johnson emphasized the importance of his role in the House committee he is in. One of the responsibilities we have in Congress is oversight, [and also] in the next Congress as well. We have to work on first, de-politicizing the DOJ. Its been completely weaponized under this administration. Watch Rep. Mike Johnson talk about the federal government targeting Trump supporters in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol siege. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: National School Boards Association CONSPIRED with Bidens White House to craft domestic terrorism letter that resulted in FBI, DOJ targeting parents. Weaponized DOJ fabricated claims of terrorism against Jan. 6th protesters, and is now being forced to back off its initial exaggerations. FISA warrant revelations reveal how Obamas deep state weaponized government to illegally spy on political opponents. Disgraced FBI no. 2 Andrew McCabe tells UChicago students the feds should be weaponized against conservatives. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) finally confirmed the regions first death from the COVID vaccine. The agency has investigated hundreds of medical reports of vaccine-induced deaths, but they refuse to acknowledge that the vaccine had any involvement in the deaths. Right now, the agency concedes that only one of the deaths is causally linked to Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) from the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Hundreds of covid-19 vaccine death reports written off as coincidental Between May 2021 and July 2022, the SAHPRA received 217 death reports following the administration of a COVID vaccine. A total of 150 death reports were written off as coincidental and thirty deaths were not investigated at all because the medical report allegedly did not provide enough information to make an official determination of death. Thirty-three of the deaths are still under investigation, and two of the deaths were the result of breakthrough COVID cases. The very disease that the vaccine was supposed to prevent is labeled as the cause of death, obfuscating the truth that the vaccine failed and caused death. One of the very few medical issues that government regulatory agencies recognize as being caused by vaccines is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). Even though GBS occurs after vaccination, it is extremely difficult to prove that the vaccine caused the GBS. This is why public health officials routinely repeat the mantra that GBS is a very rare side effect of the vaccine. GBS is a neurological disorder where the immune system attacks its own nerves. GBS causes numbness, weakness, pain in the limbs, and sometimes even paralysis of breathing. When determining whether GBS is the cause of death in a recently vaccinated person, investigators must first rule out that any other infection caused the GBS. At the time of illness, no other cause for the Guillain-Barre syndrome could be identified, said Hannelie Meyer, a professor of the national immunization safety committee. In a statement with the Daily Maverick, Meyer made it a point to remind the public that GBS is a very rare event. The South African patient who died after the J&J vaccine presented with GBS symptoms shortly after being vaccinated. The patient was hospitalized, referred to mechanical ventilation, and suffered further infections during their prolonged stay in the hospital. The person did not survive. Even though unvaccinated people have been pressured to give up their private medical information throughout the covid-19 scandal; the personal details, age, and medical records of the deceased vaccinated patient are not being made public due to confidentiality reasons. The control group in the COVID vaccine experiment are discriminated and segregated from society, while the vaccinated are killed off, one by one, in silence. The cattle cars continue to carry away the bodies, while the facilitators at these death camps continue to do as they are told. They are afraid to speak up and they do nothing but lie about the volume of deaths coming from these death shots. The FDAs illusion of vaccine safety and utter refusal to provide informed consent In the US, the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine was eventually required to put a new warning label on their fact sheet, informing the public about an observed increased risk of GBS following the jab. At the time, VAERS had exploded with thousands of cases of GBS, anaphylaxis, and other life-threatening adverse events. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did the cowards minimum, requiring J&J to add a little warning label about GBS to their fact sheets, feigning that the agency cares about vaccine safety. The agency completely dismissed a flood of life-threatening adverse events from all the emergency use authorization vaccines. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines boasted an even higher rate of life-threatening adverse events and deaths than J&J, yet these FDA favorites dont even have to put the warning labels on. Worse yet, warning labels are not being made for any of the other medical issues being reported to VAERS. Pharmacists refuse to provide adequate informed consent about these life-threatening risks because they are instructed that doing so will lead to vaccine hesitancy and scare parents from putting the product in their kids. The conceding of one GBS vaccine-induced death in South Africa is similar to the FDA putting a little warning label about GBS on just the J&J vaccine. Its a facade of vaccine safety, a cowardly move to obfuscate the truth of vaccine genocide and the flood of children who are now suffering with myocarditis following covid-19 vaccination. Source include: TheEpochTimes.com TheEpochTimes.com OpenVaers.com Brighteon.com " " Isleta Maigo Fahang (Bird Island) is just one of the many stunning vistas off Saipan Island in the Northern Mariana Islands. Yuri Smityuk/TASS/via Getty Images Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Saipan. It's part of the Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth of the United States, in the western Pacific Ocean. That puts it at least 5,900 miles (9,495 kilometers) away from the continental U.S. Truthfully, almost no one in the world had heard of Saipan until World War II though its history goes back more than 3,500 years. A 2013 study published in American Journal of Human Biology suggests that Saipan and the Mariana Islands were inhabited well before most other Pacific Ocean islands. That means humans were already building a society on Saipan more than 1,000 years before ancient Egypt's Cleopatra was born. Advertisement So what else don't we know about Saipan, one of the most remote places on the planet you can visit without needing a passport (if you're a U.S. citizen, of course)? (Natural News) North Americas leading provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services says business is booming ever since Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines were introduced under Operation Warp Speed. Between 2020 and 2021 when Donald father of the vaccine Trump paved the way for a quick and highly profitable launch of the injections, Service Corporation International (SCI), which handles some 450,000 corpses per year, saw a massive increase in earnings. Funerals are a solid but slow-growth business, and the trend toward cremations hasnt helped, writes Alex Berenson on his Substack. But between 2019 and 2021, SCIs earnings per share more than doubled, from $1.90 to $4.57. At first, SCI blamed a covid pull-forward event for the death surge it started seeing. What this means, in essence, is that because people who were already close to death anyway died in large numbers supposedly due to covid, the death count in future years would be less, balancing things out. When this did not happen as expected, outsiders like Berenson came to the conclusion that the increased death tolls are not because of covid, but rather because of the shots that were introduced as the cure. Lucky for Service Corporation and its investors, pull-forward isnt turning out to be a problem, Berenson writes. Americans are still dying at rates well above normal, even as Covid becomes a minimal part of business this year. (Related: If you or someone you know already took covid vaccines, you might be able to find relief using these remedies.) SCI saw $1 billion in sales this past spring For those profiting from the plandemic, all of these deaths are resulting in massive returns on investment. SCIs spring earnings saw nearly $1 billion in sales and $135 million in profits. In a statement to investors and Wall Street analysts, company CEO Tom Ryan beat around the bush in blaming covid for the surge in corpses that have come through the company. I think that covid cases on a national basis its just not material to our numbers, he said. So, like, we tried to point out at investor day, I think were experiencing were servicing elevated numbers of consumers. The phrase elevated numbers of consumers is a very bizarre way of saying more dead bodies needing funerals, burials and cremations are flooding SCI with lots and lots of cash. And youd say, okay, what is that, Tom? Well, weve mentioned a little bit, we think theres still excess deaths, Ryan went on to say. We think we can correlate it with lack of healthcare, people probably drinking too much, smoking too much, driving too fast, depression and access to mental health. Amazingly, Ryan avoided even hinting at the jabs as a possible contributor and factor in SCIs amazing new stream of profits. Barely anyone in America smokes these days, by the way, and drinking has been a problem for much longer than the plandemic. While it is true that some people were forced to delay treatments during the plandemic because health facilities were locked down, the number of folks who died as a result is minimal and does not fully capture the massive increase in bodies that SCI is seeing. I think we will see a huge uptick in opportunistic diseases because of VAIDS, wrote one of Berensons readers about vaccine-induced AIDS, which is really starting to pick up. I believe monkeypox is just the tip. They wanted to reduce the world population, and what better way than to create a situation where deaths could be attributed to things other than covid and the jab. They thought they were hiding their tracks, thus diminishing the possibility of being charged with crimes against humanity. We see them! Chinese Virus injections kill. To learn more, visit ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: AlexBerenson.substack.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Update (2053ET): Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) came out with a blistering response to the Monday FBI raid on former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence, reportedly in connection with materials Trump brought with him after leaving office. (Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com) The raid of MAL is another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regimes political opponents, while people like Hunter Biden get treated with kid gloves, said DeSantis. Now the Regime is getting another 87k IRS agents to wield against its adversaries? Banana Republic. Trump supporters have begun gathering outside Mar-a-Lago. * * * Moments ago, Donald Trump who is still banned by Twitter published a statement on Truth Social in which he said that his Florida home, Mar A Lago is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents, an assault which according to Trump could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. He is probably right. He also claims the Feds presence was unannounced and the reason was politically motivated. His full statement posted on his Truth Social account is below: Statement by Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States of America These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before. After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate. It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately dont want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections. Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before. They even broke into my safe! What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee? Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States. The political persecution of President Donald J. Trump has been going on for years, with the now fully debunked Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, Impeachment Hoax #1, Impeachment Hoax #2, and so much more, it just never ends. It is political targeting at the highest level! Hillary Clinton was allowed to delete and acid wash 33,000 E-mails AFTER they were subpoenaed by Congress. Absolutely nothing has happened to hold her accountable. She even took antique furniture, and other items from the White House. I stood up to Americas bureaucratic corruption, I restored power to the people, and truly delivered for our Country, like we have never seen before. The establishment hated it. Now, as they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories, and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop me, and the Republican Party, once more. The lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt must be exposed and stopped. I will continue to fight for the Great American People! Local reporters confirmed the raid, saying the FBI executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. They just left, although it isnt clear what the search was about. Social media was predictably full of kneejerk reactions. According to the New York Times: The search, according to two people familiar with the investigation, appeared to be focused on material that Mr. Trump had brought with him to Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence, after he left the White House. Those boxes contained many pages of classified documents, according to a person familiar with their contents. Mr. Trump delayed returning 15 boxes of material requested by officials with the National Archives for many months, only doing so when there became a threat of action being taken to retrieve them. As Techno Fog notes, the politics of the search cant be ignored. If the New York Times is to be believed, Trumps purported crime the delay of returning materials could have been resolved in another manner not involving raiding his home and breaking open a personal safe. No doubt the search is an escalation by a desperate Regime confronted by their own failures at home and abroad. This doesnt necessarily mean there wasnt another reason for the search. Could it have to do with the DOJs ongoing January 6 probe (although, given the politicization of Bidens DOJ, that is no guarantee)? Maybe not, but it might be too soon to tell. Last week there was reporting that a federal grand jury investigating January 6 had issued subpoenas to the Trump White House Counsel, Pat Cipollone, and his top deputy, Patrick Philbin. According to the author, it is possible that the roadmap for the DOJ comes from the January 6 Committee, which has poured out the thin gruel of purported criminal charges against Trump, alleging he and others, including attorney John Eastman, could be charged with: Obstruction of an Official Proceeding (18 USC 1512(c)(2)); and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States (18 USC 371). Each of these counts, as well as the DOJs pursuit of Trump and his attorneys and advisors, amounts to the criminalization of politics, or as Technofog puts it, arguments of law that might fail in the courts are now prosecutable offenses. Attempts to delay a vote count based on novel, and not corrupt, interpretations of the law can put you in prison. Issues surrounding the counting of state results or whether the Vice President can refuse to count electoral votes is a matter to be decided through the civil or political process, not through charges brought by vindictive opponents. Meanwhile, we are still waiting for an official comment: Read more at: ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) House GOP leaders have pledged to take action on the weaponized politicization of the Department of Justice (DOJ) when Republicans take back the House in the midterm elections, after federal agents raided former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago property on Monday. (Article by Gary Bai republished from TheEpochTimes.com) Ive seen enough, House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in a statement late Monday. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned, McCarthy added. Attorney General Garland: preserve your documents and clear your calendar, McCarthy said. McCarthys comment came after the FBI raided Trumps Mar-a-Lago property on Monday. Trump has characterized the raid as prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical left Democrats who desperately dont want [him] to run for President in 2024. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Ranking Member on the House Judiciary Committee, which provides oversight over the DOJ, called on House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) to bring FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland onto the House floor for questioning on Friday. What was on the warrant? What were you really doing? What were you looking for? Why not talk to President Trump and have him give the information youre after? Jordan asked in an interview with Fox on Monday night. We deserve answers now, and this Friday would be a good time. Jerry Nadler: call up Christopher Wray, call up Merrick Garland, bring them in front of the House Judiciary Committee, so we ask them the questions that the American people deserve the answers to. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Minority Whip, called the raid the weaponization of the FBI by Bidens DOJ against his political opponent. Lets be clear: This is a brazen weaponization of the FBI by Bidens DOJ against his political opponentwhile giving their political allies free passes, Scalise said in a statement published late Monday. Its exactly why the IRS shouldnt get an army of 87,000 more agents. House Republicans will hold them accountable next year, the lawmaker added. Rep. Stefanik, chair of the House Republican Conference, called Monday a dark day in American history and said that the political weaponization of the FBI and Department of Justice is an actual threat to democracy. There is a reason that Americans no longer trust these agencies, Stefanik said in a Monday statement. This is the same corrupt agency that illegally fabricated FISA warrants, knowingly deceived Americans about Russian collusion for years, and weaponized itself to perpetuate this hoax with their all-too-eager mainstream media accomplices. There must be an immediate investigation and accountability into Joe Biden and his Administrations weaponizing this department against their political opponentsthe likely 2024 Republican candidate for President of the United States, the congresswoman added. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), vice chair of the House Republican Conference and a part of Trumps legal defense team during the Democrats 2019 attempted impeachment of Trump, said Biden and Garland completely weaponized the DOJ and eroded the peoples faith in our system of justice. Todays raid on the former Presidents home in the middle of an election season looks like another egregious & unprecedented abuse of power, Johnson said in a statement on Monday. We will restore order & accountability as soon as we regain the gavels for a Republican majority in November. It cant happen soon enough! he added. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com (Natural News) As of August 6, 2022, the Department of Defense (DOD) has foolishly discharged at least 7,059 healthy, active-duty service members across all branches of the military, with thousands more service members enduring social ostracizing in the ranks, including bodily discrimination, segregation and further coercive deadlines demanding that they comply with the Biden regimes unlawful covid-19 vaccine mandates. Among those unlawfully discharged over the insidious covid-19 vaccine mandates were Jordan Karr, United States Air Force Intelligence Officer. Former US Air Force Intelligence Officer now fighting for freedom against her own tyrannical government Jordan Karr has since initiated two lawsuits against the Biden DOD to nullify unlawful vaccine mandates in the military. She was deployed twice during her nine-year tenure with the US Air Force, and yet her greatest stand for freedom is ahead of her. Karr is currently a candidate for the Florida House of Representatives, District 2. She is pro-medical privacy and pro-medical freedom. She believes in limited government and promises to hold accountable those who are giving unlawful orders and perpetuating unlawful vaccine mandates. There are now twenty-eight lawsuits against the DOD over unlawful orders and harmful vaccine mandates. These vaccine mandates have punished healthy service members for crimes they did not commit. Thousands have remained mentally strong in the face of discrimination. These mandates have divided the military, destroyed morale, caused unprecedented health problems in the ranks and harmed combat readiness. Karr is prepared to secure individual liberties for Floridians by taking on these crimes against humanity at the legislative level. Karr said service members have been coerced into getting the vaccine, over and over again. Once the mandates were implemented across the DOD, we started to see the coercion, the abuse happening across services, she said. Karr said that military members who have been illegitimately discharged should be reinstated and given back pay, but this is not enough. The individuals in the government who perpetrated this attack against the US military must be investigated and held to account. This is a human rights issue. Karr said she took an oath to the Constitution and that includes denouncing unlawful orders. She says the DOD should be fully audited, the source of this corruption exposed. Ideological purge taking place in the military, as the strongest men and women of faith are removed with no due process There was no scientific rationale to mandate a covid-19 vaccine for young, healthy men and women who could readily achieve natural immunity, should they face some variant of the original infection. There was no scientific rationale for a mandate at all, because the so-called vaccine did not even stop infection, did not reduce viral load or block transmission. Furthermore, service members who already had the infection were forced to take vaccines for an infection they already had natural immunity to. To make matters worse, the DOD forced an EUA vaccine onto the military population, against the law. The most concerning aspect is the ideological purge taking place in the military. In the US Navy, more than 4,000 religious exemption requests had been submitted by February 15, 2022, but not a single one had been approved. Many were told that pressing for a religious exemption would end their career in the military. A US District Court ruled that the religious exemption provided by the Navy was largely theater, designed to deny almost all requests an ideological purge of the military. Indeed, the DODs denial of religious exemptions violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA), 107 Stat. 1488, 42 U. S. C. 2000bb et seq. The DOD argues that the vaccine mandates are in the best interest of the military as a whole. The government believes they have unlimited power to deny individuals the right to govern their own bodies, and the right to think and have their own beliefs. Something very concerning to me is if you are a believeryou need to understand that God-fearing service members are being intentionally purged from the services, Karr said. The people who are being discriminated against hold religious convictions, and are people of faith. Many service members have been forced to choose whether to lose their paycheck and their livelihood, or comply with something deceptive and diabolical that goes against their basic common sense, their personal health and/or their religious beliefs. Floridians in District 2 should strongly consider voting for Jordan Karr in the August 23, 2022 Primary to fight back against illegitimate government and unlawful vaccine mandates. Her campaign, which can be supported here, is entirely grassroots, and is NOT funded by corporations or super PACS. Sources include: JordanLKarr.com Brighteon.com StandforHealthFreedom.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org SupremeCourt.gov [PDF] (Natural News) It took just one FBI raid on President Trumps private residence to spark an historic backlash against the corrupt, lawless FBI, DOJ and Biden regime. Until today, any talk of abolishing the IRS, dismantling the FBI or nullifying the ATF was just fringe talk. But thanks to the FBI, its now mainstream conservative talk. The FBI raid on Mar-A-Lago during which the FBI obviously planted evidence to try to frame Trump just as they did with RussiaGate has galvanized conservative America while sparking widespread outrage at the lawlessness and criminality of the illegitimate Biden regime, an enemy occupying force that claims to rule of America but is actually run by criminal tyrants and fraudsters who rigged the 2020 to steal political power from the people. The FBI Americas largest domestic terrorism cartel is now running an armed war against the American people and conservative political leaders, and this startling reality has become apparent even to members of Congress and Republican candidates for office. AZ governor candidate Kari Lake tweeted a strong statement about all this, essentially calling for outlawing federal agents from the entire state of Arizona. We must fire the Federal Government, she demanded, adding, [we] will save our Republic and the road to stripping the Feds of power travels right through Arizona. FULL STATEMENT: ?? pic.twitter.com/5yFEdelAW0 Kari Lake for AZ Governor (@KariLake) August 9, 2022 Similarly, Rep. Anthony Sabatini issued a tweet calling for nullification of the DOJ and the mass arrest of rogue FBI agents: Its time for us in the Florida Legislature to call an emergency legislative session & amend our laws regarding federal agencies Sever all ties with DOJ immediately Any FBI agent conducting law enforcement functions outside the purview of our State should be arrested upon sight Its time for us in the Florida Legislature to call an emergency legislative session & amend our laws regarding federal agencies Sever all ties with DOJ immediately Any FBI agent conducting law enforcement functions outside the purview of our State should be arrested upon sight Rep. Anthony Sabatini (@AnthonySabatini) August 9, 2022 Rep. Paul Gosar went even further, stating, We must destroy the FBI and We must save America. This sentiment is exactly what the American people feel: The FBI raid on Trumps home tells us one thing. Failure is not an option. We must destroy the FBI. We must save America. I stand with Donald J. Trump. Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) August 9, 2022 Rep. Mike Johnson, meanwhile, warns that the FBIs outrageous actions as part of the weaponized DOJ are undermining Americans faith in government institutions. (What faith in government institutions? Thats already been obliterated) Via The Epoch Times: A weaponized Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Biden administration today, Johnson said in an interview with The Epoch Times, is attacking the foundational pillars upon which the greatest Constitutional Republic was built and undermining American citizens faith in the nations institutions. Federal agencies have dropped the pretense of being good guys and now act like the lawless tyrants theyve always truly been Its rather clear that the FBI, DOJ, ATF, DEA, EPA, IRS and all the other tyrannical government departments dont care one bit about public faith in institutions of government. All they care about is their own power and money. Since they think theyve rigged the entire system against We the People, they no longer act as if they will ever have to answer to voters ever again. Gone is any pretense of serving the public. Thats been replaced with the tyranny of lording over the public, threatening them, coercing them or just shoving guns in their faces to loot their belongings like what happened at Mar-A-Lago. The IRS, for example, is running help wanted ads for tax enforcement agents who are willing to use deadly force against the American people. This is openly touted by the IRS in multiple job openings that also declare applicants must be willing to participate in arrests, execution of search warrants, and other dangerous assignments. Heres a link to one of these job openings at USAjobs.gov, where the phrase, deadly force has now been removed after news of this job opening went viral. Note that all such job applicants must take all required COVID-19 vaccines, which means they have to submit to a suicide cult death shot in order to work for the larger suicide cult which is the globalist government regime. Some people will do anything to wield power over their fellow citizens, even if it means killing themselves with a clot shot in the process. The weaponization of federal agencies is causing informed Americans to withdraw their consent When government ceases to serve the people and becomes the enemy of liberty and constitutional liberties, the people withdraw their consent. And thats happening everywhere now. More and more people realize the FBI is an armed terrorism cartel with no constitutional authority whatsoever. This video is an excellent demonstration of what can happen when you call the police on ATF agents who are harassing you with unconstitutional powers and threats. The best part is when the tyrannical, arrogant ATF agent claims, I have a medical condition followed by, essentially, Dont tase me bro! Most of America cant wait for local cops to start mass arresting rogue FBI agents, ATF agents, IRS agents, armed EPA enforcers and the whole lot of lawless, tyrannical, criminal bureaucrats and terrorists who are at war with the American people. Soon, in the free states run by Republican governors where nullification action is taken, local police are likely to start arresting FBI agents on sight. That should be the goal of every red state: to nullify federal powers within the state, and issue arrest warrants for all federal agents that wield unconstitutional powers over the American people. This would include the IRS, ATF, DEA, EPA, FBI, DOJ, FCC and many more. America is no longer a nation of laws. The Constitution has been utterly abandoned by the lawless Biden regime. The illegitimate occupying government is at war with the American people, and finally mainstream conservatives are sounding the alarm that those of us in independent media have been sounding for years. The American people will no longer provide consent to the tyrants and terrorists of the federal bureaucracy which has become heavily armed and weaponized against the American people (why do IRS agents need $700,000 in ammo all of a sudden?). When we take back the House, the Senate and the White House, we must gut the entire federal bureaucracy and decrease the size of the federal government by 90 percent. Send them all packing and prosecute those who violated their oaths of office. They do not deserve our consent, our tax dollars or our cooperation. Most of them deserve to spend life in prison. NULLIFY NOW. Learn more in todays Situation Update podcast via Brighteon.com: Brighteon.com/114f126b-30d3-4a70-8566-4687d2881dbd Discover more information-packaged podcasts, raw intel reports and interviews each day: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/HRreport Follow me on: Brighteon.social: Brighteon.social/@HealthRanger (my breaking news gets posted here first) Telegram: t.me/RealHealthRanger (breaking news is posted here second) Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@healthranger Gettr: GETTR.com/user/healthranger Parler: Parler.com/user/HealthRanger Rumble: Rumble.com/c/HealthRangerReport BitChute: Bitchute.com/channel/9EB8glubb0Ns/ Clouthub: app.clouthub.com/#/users/u/naturalnews/posts Join the free NaturalNews.com email newsletter to stay alerted about breaking news each day. Download my current audio books including Ghost World, Survival Nutrition, The Global Reset Survival Guide and The Contagious Mind at: https://Audiobooks.NaturalNews.com/ Download my new audio book, Resilient Prepping at ResilientPrepping.com it teaches you how to survive the total collapse of civilization and the loss of both the power grid and combustion engines. (Natural News) Fox News host Mark Levin went nuclear on Monday night in response to the FBI raid on Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday, reportedly in connection with documents that the former president took home after leaving office in 2021. (Article by Tyler Durden republished from ZeroHedge.com) This was well orchestrated, so this has been going on for weeks, Levin told host Sean Hannity. Now, you keep asking your guests, whats the justification? There is no justification. Whats he going to say tomorrow, the attorney general? Heres my guess: Weve been negotiating with Trump and his lawyers since February when we found out they had this information. We were getting nowhere, and then we know or we heard that some documents were being destroyed. Levin also noted that photos shared by New York Times columnist Maggie Haberman purporting to show official documents with Trumps handwriting on them in White House toilets. (Except it isnt Trumps handwriting) Is there a Toiletgate stenographer out there whod like to explain this? h/t @Titania977pic.twitter.com/EjJwgz2Gho Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) August 8, 2022 There is no justification for sending 30 friggin FBI agents to the former presidents compound in Mar-a-Lago in early morning and conducting themselves this way or in any other cases in which theyve done exactly the same thing, Levin continued, adding The FBI is corrupt. Levin called it the worst attack on this republic in modern history, before slamming GOP leadership. (h/t Mediaite) This is the worst attack on this republic in modern history. Period, he said. And its not just an attack on Donald Trump. Its an attack on everybody who supports him. Its an attack on anybody who dares to raise serious questions about Washington, D.C., and the establishment in both parties. I havent heard a damn thing from the Republican leadership in the Senate! Have you? Not one of those guys has put out a statement. Because theyre weak. Thats why. The Great One Mark Levin goes SCORCHED EARTH over FBI Raid of Trump: This is the worst attack on this Republic in Modern History ? pic.twitter.com/aR0bd2UfGg Benny Johnson ? (@bennyjohnson) August 9, 2022 Read more at: ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) A brief clip from China in Focus news suggests more people have died in Taiwan from Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines than from the alleged virus itself. We had to use an archived version of the clip since the original post on Twitter was either removed by the Big Tech platform or deleted by the original poster, but the 32-second snapshot featured a reporter stating: In Taiwan, the number of people dying after the [vaccine] is exceeding the number of deaths from the virus itself. This is a pretty clear-cut admission that something is very not right about the mass injection campaign. If more people are dying from the cure than they are from the disease, it is probably time to stop and take an inventory of the situation. Ever since Fauci Flu shots were first introduced under Operation Warp Speed, birth rates in Taiwan and many other places has plummeted. This is another major red flag that deserves attention. Unless Taiwan wants to continue losing its population and perhaps that is the actual goal then it should probably put a halt on all further administration of the shots. Seeing as how the Chinese Virus is long gone except among the fully vaccinated, it could not be clearer that the cure actually is the disease. That was the plan all along, wrote someone on Twitter in response to the now-archived video about how depopulation is the true agenda behind the injections. Why arent these jabs taken off the market? asked another. How is it possible that anyone is still falling for the covid jab scam? Many others mocked the notion that the jabs are 97 percent effective, or whatever the latest figure from Big Pharma might be. They say the benefits of the shots outweigh the risks, but where is the proof? If Taiwan is a test case, then everything we have been told about the shots is false. That country is one of the hardest-hit when it comes to jab-related adverse events, and yet the jabs continue to be administered to the public. This can be described as unimaginable in terms of the likelihood of happening due to random chance, reported Great Game India about how Taiwan is on track to see a 26-sigma event this year for birth rates check out our earlier coverage to learn more about sigma events. The Wolfram-Alpha illustration of likelihood by sigma only goes to ten-sigma. They thought that it would be pointless to show more sigmas. Except a 26-sigma drop in birth rate just happened in Taiwan. Unfortunately for the Taiwanese people, they really do not have much of a choice in the matter of vaccination unless they were to all band together and just say no to their governments mandates. At this point, though, it does not matter much as the vast majority of the country more than 91 percent is already considered to be fully jabbed, minus any boosters that might still be unleashed. It is already too late, in other words, for the people who have taken the shots and are now sterile, or who are now in the process of developing vaccine-induced AIDS (VAIDS). It sounds like Bill Gates 15 percent reduction in global population through vaccines was a success, wrote a commenter at Natural News, referencing a TED talk that featured Gates bragging about how if he and his cronies do a really good job with vaccines, then global population levels would eventually decline. If you would like to read more stories like this one about Fauci Flu shots, you can do so at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: Twitter.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Before COVID-19, Canada, our northern neighbor, was a fairly placid country replete with liberals who enjoyed democratic principles. But as in the U.S., the pandemic brought out the worst tyrannical instincts in the ruling class left, and now that they have had a taste of authoritarianism, they have decided they like it a lot more than messy democracy, where the citizens have rights. Case in point: Prime Minster Justin Trudeaus use of emergency powers to clamp down citizens basic civil rights while forcing them to take an experimental vaccine that had been shown to have a broad spectrum of negative effects. That behavior then led to a tyrannical crackdown on truckers who protested the vaccine mandate, and now, a government-aligned college is targeting a physician of three decades over her decision to exempt several of her patients from having to take the jab, according to the RAIR Foundation: Patients of an Ottawa doctor have had their medical privacy threatened by the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, which is demanding that Dr. Mary OConnor release their records and charts for inspection. In an interview with the organization, OConnor a general practitioner who began specializing recently in mental health addition disorders explained why she wont comply with the College nor with a court order demanding she release confidential patient files. In October last year, the College became aware that I had been writing exemptions for patients, and they contacted me and said that they wanted the names and charts of these patients. This is completely going against all the legal rights of my patients, both the right to choose their medical treatment and also their privacy rights, OConnor said. The college tasked four investigators to look into OConnor, who was taking calls from hundreds of patients who were looking for exemptions from PCR tests, and vaccines. These people knew the truth. The majority of them were being coerced at work and didnt want to take it, she explained to the organization. As such, she began issuing exemptions based entirely on medical histories for patients with preexisting conditions like blood clots. Nevertheless, the college then changed the exemption criteria, stating that they were only to be given to anyone who had already had an adverse reaction to a vaccine (and were lucky enough to have survived it). The group noted further: Once she learned of the investigative team, Dr. OConnor asked a friend to stand guard in her office, locking the door between patients. But one day, when Dr. OConnor was not there, in a dystopian scene reminiscent of Nazi Germany, her friend forgot to lock the office door. The investigating team came in, entrapped him in the board room, she recalls, while others looked for patient charts in her office. They failed to find any. Following the failed raid, it appears that a trap was laid. On November 5th, the College issued an order forbidding her from issuing exemptions. In addition, the RAIR Foundation reported, the order also stipulated that the physician post a sign in her office or on virtual calls denoting that she was forbidden from writing exemptions; that the college be given authority to make inquiries of OHIP for her billing submissions so officials could monitor compliance; that she keep a log of all patient encounters and submit it for review every two weeks; and she agree to and not interfere with unannounced inspections of her offices and charges; and any other activity the college deemed necessary. But Dr. OConnor never received this letter sent to her lawyer. On November 22nd, she took a call from a female private investigator, to whom she issued an exemption. On November 24th, Dr. OConnor finally did receive the communication from the College of Physicians and Surgeons through her lawyer. Still, by then, she was on record having issued an exemption after being banned from doing so, the organization reported. I think its totally illegal to do this to my patients, says Dr. OConnor. And for the College, I just hope and pray that they come out of this darkness and back to the truth because at the moment, they are now complicit with injuries and death. This is tyranny, straight up. And whats more, Canadians, by and large, dont seem to have a problem with it. WATCH: Sources include: RAIRFoundation.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The Center for Security Policy (CSP) has published a new report claiming that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) is a murderous weapon by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to take down its enemies. Entitled The CCP is at War with America, the report declares that there is no evidence the Fauci Flu is a natural virus or that it is even a virus at all since it has never been isolated. The Chinese Virus was created either in a lab or by governments and the media, and it continues to be used as a weapon against the economy and our constitutional rights. Former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Pete Hoekstra and former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Lieutenant General William Jerry Boykin both contributed to the book, which the CSP describes as an exercise in competitive analysis that strongly challenges the Director of National Intelligences September 2021 conclusion. That DNI report concluded that the world may never know where the Wuhan Flu actually came from, while CSP says it is clear that the Chinese communist regime is to blame. The preponderance of evidence indicates that SARS-CoV-2 was lab-manufactured, the report reads. In any event, Beijing acted with murderous intent in spreading the disease beyond Chinas borders. Communist China intentionally spread covid to rest of world, report claims When the Fauci Flu first appeared in Wuhan in the latter half of 2019, the CCP could have done more to keep it contained there or at least contained within China. Instead, the communist regime intentionally let it loose to contaminate the world, the report claims. The CCP had been running various biological warfare programs and still is that the report claims are linked to the release of the Chinese Flu. This suggests that the plan all along was to disrupt the global economy with a bioweapon such as covid. Once the communist regime knew about the release of covid, it could have restricted travel to keep it from spreading, the report further adds. Rather than do this, the CCP kept the borders open while siphoning up the global supply of personal protective equipment (PPE). Xis regime clearly saw the imperative need to ensure that it would not suffer economic privation alone, to the advantage of its enemies, especially the United States, the report reads. Actively spreading the virus was, thus, a means of waging economic warfare, and the Chinese Communists applied themselves to doing so with a vengeance. Lockdowns, business closures and mask mandates are a CCP creation, report alleges Recognizing that lockdowns and other restrictive measures posed a threat to its own economy, communist China actively pushed these restrictions on other countries, the report goes on to suggest. Rather than weather the storm by itself, the CCP made sure to rope in the rest of the world, much of which complied by enforcing business closures, social distancing measures, mask mandates and other lockdown-related tyranny. A principal beneficiary of such economic trauma would be the Chinese Communist Party, the report explains. Since at least the early 1990s, China has supposedly been feverishly building bioweapons in the hopes that it can one day depopulate and take over the United States. Perhaps this was the intent with covid? Up until recently, these plans were mostly a secret. Now, however, we are learning that the CCP has wanted to expand its borders using biological weapons. Right now, it is not the time to openly break with [America], said Chinese general Chi Haotian about his countrys eventual plans for America. Our reform and opening to the outside world still rely on their capital and technology. If all goes as planned, biological weapons will become the vehicle through which the CCP achieves global domination, the report claims. A careful evaluation of the propaganda that China has released publicly over the years strongly suggests that bioweapons are a major component in Chinese global dominance. If Chinese scientists succeed in designing pathogens targeting only foreigners, the next germ, virus, or microbe from China could end non-Chinese societies, the report further reads. Xi will be the first supremo to possess a weapon making worldwide Chinese rule possible. Every person outside of China who died from covid should be considered a murder victim, the report adds. And the CCP must be held accountable, it says, otherwise the regime will only continue to unleash bioweapons until its goals are accomplished. We must never again allow our constitutional freedoms to be denied on the pretext of a public health emergency, especially at the insistence of foreign powers, let alone our mortal enemy, the report concludes. A commenter at The Epoch Times chimed in that had China stopped international travel at the beginning of the plandemic, there never would have been the global consequences we all witnessed and suffered through. The latest news coverage about the Chinese Virus can be found at Pandemic.news. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The Virginia Department of Education (DOE) is now finalizing policies to ensure transparency regarding sexual content in all materials used for all public schools a platform that propelled Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin to office. According to the law signed by Youngkin in April, the model policies laid out clear procedures for public schools to identify materials that contain sexually explicit content and inform parents of the existence of such materials. It also permitted parents to review all instructional materials for sexual themes and mandated that alternative materials without any sexually explicit content be made available in a non-punitive manner to parents who request them. Under the DOE policy, schools must post all sexually-explicit content, including all materials used for the lessons and curriculum, on the schools website. They must also alert parents of sexual content in learning materials at least 30 days before the lessons take place. Local school boards should develop policies that provide parents the opportunity to change their decision by providing notice to the school, the policy also stated. The DOE said the policy is designed to help parents make decisions for their children in accordance with their customs, faith and values. However, the policy did not sit well with the Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The far-left group claimed that mandating transparency for the content of government-funded instruction would lead to what it called 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 ACLU said in an Aug. 2 letter to DOE Superintendent Jillian Balow. Youngkin pushing back against LGBT grooming in Virginia classrooms The GOP governor rode a wave of discontent with leftist radicalism in public schools, which he subsequently leveraged against Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe in November 2021. In contrast, McAuliffe sought to maintain the status quo in schools during his campaign, declaring that parents should not be telling schools what to teach students. Writing for the Federalist, former Trump administration official Nick Bell pointed out that McAuliffe fully supports model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools. The erstwhile deputy director at the Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives at the Trump-era U.S. Department of Education described these model policies which include co-ed bathrooms for all, mandatory adoption of new names and pronouns for teachers and students and the participation of boys in girls sporting events as frightening. Apparently, McAuliffe has no objection to schools giving teachers the green light to deceive parents about their childrens adoption of a false identity, wrote Bell. One hardly needs to be a Christian or a conservative to find the prospect horrifying. As early as his first day in office, Youngkin issued a series of executive actions that pushed back against leftism in the Old Dominions education system. These included a ban on the promotion of critical race theory in public schools and a request to investigate the Loudoun County School District for allegedly covering up student rapes. (Related: Parents outraged after Loudoun County school covers up girls sexual assault in gender neutral bathroom.) Visit EducationSystem.news for more information about sex education in American schools. Watch the video below to know more about the dangers of failing to monitor childrens classes for sexual content. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com More related stories: Poll: Vast majority of voters support Floridas anti-grooming bill. Disney doubles down on promoting pedophilia, wants all children GROOMED in public schools. Derek Paul: Floridas Dont Say Gay bill benefits PARENTS Brighteon.TV. New Va. Gov. Glenn Youngkin cleans house, asks all diversity office staffers (liberal fascists) to resign, appoints anti-CRT official. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com DailyCaller.com TheFederalist.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Amnesty International has sparked anger from the usual left-wing globalist crowd in the West for daring to point out the fact that Ukraine is just as guilty as Russia of committing human rights abuses. According to a report by the organization, investigators have 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 three war-torn regions of the country from April through July. The report also noted that the Ukrainian military utilized hospitals, schools and private residences in order to escape Russian forces though what the human shield tactic really did was invite more casualties as Russian troops continued to attack Ukrainian forces wherever they could be found. Such tactics violate international humanitarian law and endanger civilians, as they turn civilian objects into military targets. The ensuing Russian strikes in populated areas have killed civilians and destroyed civilian infrastructure, Amnesty Internations report said, adding that the results of this were Russian attacks on said civilian infrastructure, Zero Hedge reported, adding: The report detailed further that in 22 of 29 schools visited by an Amnesty team between April and July, investigators found evidence of prior military activity. Additionally, five instances of Ukrainian troops using hospitals as bases were documented. The report went so far as to stress Amnesty was not aware of instances where Ukrainian troops first tried to evacuate civilians from these locations. Not every Russian attack documented by Amnesty has followed this pattern. In certain locations in which Amnesty concluded that Russia had committed war crimes including in some areas of the city of Kharkiv Amnesty did not find evidence of Ukrainian forces located in civilian areas unlawfully targeted by the Russian military, the report noted. The report explained: Between April and July, Amnesty researchers spent several weeks investigating Russian strikes in the Kharkiv, Donbas and Mykolaiv regions. Amnesty inspected strike sites, interviewed survivors, witnesses and relatives of victims of attacks, and carried out remote-sensing and weapons analysis. Throughout these investigations, Amnesty found evidence of Ukrainian forces launching strikes from within residential areas as well as basing themselves in civilian buildings in 19 towns and villages in the regions. Amnestys Crisis Evidence Lab analysed satellite imagery to further corroborate some of these incidents. Investigators noted that in most cases, Ukrainian forces located themselves in proximity with residential areas when the front lines were often miles away, endangering civilians. Secretary General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard said that her organization was under extreme pressure not to point any fingers at Kyiv, but she noted nevertheless: Being in a defensive position does not exempt the Ukrainian military from respecting international humanitarian law. Needless to say, Western globalists were shocked that their preferred country in this fight would be so thoroughly called out by the Wests own premier human rights organization. This report by @amnesty International is such a disgrace. It only amplifies the narratives of the Russian #propaganda targeted against #Ukraine. With this one, AI has hit the bottom, tweeted the spokesman for the Polish Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, Stanis?aw ?aryn. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba was also very quick to rip the AI report: I understand that Amnesty will respond to criticism by saying that they criticize both sides of the conflict. But such behavior on Amnestys part is not about looking for the truth and presenting it to the world, but about creating a false balance between the criminal and his victim. Other commentators claimed that the organization was engaged in victim-blaming which is true, to an extent, but also very accurate, given AIs findings. Amnesty International blames Ukrainian defenders for protecting civilians from attacks by Russian invaders. Blame the victim false equivalency reflects the moral void at the heart of @amnesty. Its a disgrace to people of conscience who value the protection of human rights, one of them noted on Twitter. Sources include: Amnesty.org.uk ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) After the federal government declared monkeypox a national public health emergency, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) activated their Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and deployed 300 pandemic firefighters who will activate resources nationwide which includes local, national and international response partners. The CDC is urging health care providers to take every rash seriously, as if it might be monkeypox. It doesnt matter if the rash is from more common infections (varicella zoster, herpes zoster, syphilis), the CDC is urging healthcare providers to evaluate homosexual men for monkeypox and test them for it. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra held a press conference confirming that 99% of cases have occurred in men who have recently engaged in sexual activities with other men. The CDC is now urging homosexual men to stop having anal intercourse with multiple partners, unless they get vaccinated first. CDC calls on homosexual men to stop having anal intercourse until they are vaccinated for monkeypox At first, the CDC hesitated to report the truth about whom these outbreaks were affecting. Individuals most at risk are men who have sex with other men, who have also been fully vaccinated and boosted for covid-19. On August 5, the CDC finally updated their monkeypox guidelines to warn homosexual men to stop having anal intercourse with multiple partners. On the CDCs new webpage, Safer Sex, Social Gatherings, and Monkeypox, the CDC warned homosexual men to take a temporary break from anal intercourse until they get vaccinated first. This is the only way to help containthe outbreak, the CDC assures. The CDC also instructed homosexuals to avoid spaces for anonymous sex with multiple partners and to wear gloves during specific sexual activities. The CDC warns the gay community: The best way to protect yourself and others is to avoid sex of any kind while you are sick. The CDC warns the LGBTQ community to also avoid touching any rash and not to attend festivals or raves. Monkeypox is not considered a sexually transmitted disease, but it is often transmitted through close, sustained physical contact, which can include sexual contact, the CDC warns. A rave, party, or club where there is minimal clothing and where there is direct, personal, often skin-to-skin contact has some risk. Avoid any rash you see on others and consider minimizing skin-to-skin contact, the CDC webpage reads. Rise of rare monkeypox in homosexual community proves they are now immunocompromised with VAIDS from covid-19 vaccines Theres more to the story than just transmission. The covid-19 vaccines have caused widespread immune-deficiencies that make people more susceptible to other infections (as known as vaccine acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). One study showed that the vaccinated are witnessing profound impairments in type I interferon signaling, which has diverse adverse consequences to human health. Monkeypox was always an infection that rarely, if ever, occurred in developed nations. Monkeypox is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus that causes smallpox-like illness in humans. According to the CDC, early symptoms include high fever, head and body aches and sometimes vomiting. During the second phase of the infection, sores begin to appear over the body during a ten-day period. These sores become pustules. These round pustules are sharply raised and feel like peas under the skin. After five days, the pustules crust over and turn into scabs. For decades, cases of monkeypox were isolated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and sometimes occurred in Sudan. There has only been one reported case in the United States before 2022, and that case showed up about twenty years ago. In 2003, rodents from Ghana had reportedly infected American prairie dogs, before spreading to a human vector. The outbreak was stopped in its tracks. Now, monkeypox is taking advantage of individuals who have had their immune system wiped out by multiple influenza and covid-19 vaccines. As of August 4, 2022, there are a reported 6,000 cases of monkeypox , in the US, with an unknown case count that has gone unreported. Men who routinely have anal sex with other men are at greater risk, because they engage in activities that readily transmit infectious microorganisms, now including monkeypox. The US is making available 1.1 million doses of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine. The CDC notes that vaccine will be an important tool in preventing the spread of monkeypox, but its hard to know whether or not these over-vaccinated homosexual populations even have a functioning immune system left. Their immune systems have been depleted by multiple vaccines that damage innate immune function, and they may not even be capable of responding effectively to the antigens in the monkeypox vaccines. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com CDC.gov HHS.gov PNAS.org CDC.gov PubMed.gov BMJ.com (Natural News) For businesswoman and syndicated show host Sarah Westall, censorship is the key to control public opinion and ultimately the people. I dont think people realize that censorship is the backbone of the first thing a country does when it takes over another country. They shut down the media and take over the media. Its very important that they control the media space. They have to be able to control those messages and a totalitarian tyrant controls them absolutely, Westall told host Dr. Peter Breggin during the August 3 episode of ReFounding America on Brighteon.TV. The entrepreneur and business executive related that her personal channel was shut down by YouTube, which was a shock to her and other content creators who had been censored without a single warning or complaint. Westalls videos taken down by YouTube include interviews regarding Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) with medical doctors, scientists and people with high levels of training in different fields. Breggin noted that the censorship of former President Donald Trump and his supporters proved that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. And thats just a part of the control of covering up the media, covering up Hunter Biden in all the breaking news about him before the election and so on. It does begin with censoring. It doesnt begin with shooting people in the streets; it begins with censoring the information, Breggin explained. Government and Big Tech are trying to control peoples mind Westall agreed with Breggin. She said the government and Big Tech are trying to control the peoples mind their thinking and everything that they do. The host of the nationally syndicated show Business Game Changers said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the government are arranging meetings and conferences with media companies to tell them what to censor and not to censor. (Related: CDC sent Big Tech platforms instructions on who to censor.) The government is also using social media companies to censor. The government is coercing and motivating these social media platforms to censor and that is a violation of the constitutional rights of Americans, Westall said. She pointed out that the government cannot censor free speech because it is part of the Constitutions First Amendment. Censoring scientific debates is also unconstitutional, she added. Westall also talked about how Nazi Germany used propaganda as one of its main tools to lie to the German people. She pointed out that people will believe a lie when it is said over and over because they cannot fathom that someone would possibly lie about something like the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Westall, the fascist technocracy has been embedded in corporations. Now, these corporations are starting to take control of everything including the educational system. And they were getting the young ones, the children to rant on their parents. They were teaching the children a different sense of history and obligations than what was part of their history. And thats whats going on now in our public school systems, Westall said. Follow Censorship.news for more news about censorship in different platforms. Watch the August 3 episode of ReFounding America below. ReFounding America with Dr. Peter Breggin airs every Wednesday at 6-7 p.m. and every Saturday at 1-2 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. More related stories: Censorship: Google to start flagging offensive content as another form of censorship. Biden silent on Big Techs abuses because he benefits from the censorship, says deplatformed journalist. China Is The Blueprint For The Censorship Tyranny Rollout In America. Defending freedom and democracy sure requires an awful lot of censorship. Ukrainian censorship of war and peace is the modern equivalent of Nazi book burning. Sources include: Brighteon.com SarahWestall.com (Natural News) China declared new military exercises around Taiwan on Aug. 8, putting more pressure on the self-governing island nation and its allies in Washington. Beijing stated that its forces would perform live-fire anti-submarine and sea raid drills starting Monday without giving an exact end date. It followed four days of live-fire exercises, which saw China launch ballistic missiles over the island for the first time. (Related: Chinas military begins surrounding Taiwan as it conducts largest live-fire drills in over two decades) The central government in Beijing defended the exercises by saying that they are in response to a visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island nation on Aug. 2. John Kirby, coordinator for strategic communications at the U.S. National Security Council, denounced the war games as an irresponsible and provocative move intended to weaken peace in the region. Dozens of Chinese aircraft and ships have passed the meridian line that separates Taiwan from China down the center of the Taiwan Strait as part of the war games. The Chinese state media called the military exercises a rehearsal for an invasion. The eastern theater of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army [PLA] continued to carry out practical joint exercises and training in the sea and airspace around Taiwan island, the Chinese military said in a statement. The drills, the PLAs Eastern Command stated, were focusing on organizing joint anti-submarine and sea assault operations. China was also scheduled to conduct live-fire drills in parts of the South China Sea and the Yellow Sea. Taiwan to perform anti-landing exercises Taipei, meanwhile, denounced Beijing for extending the military exercises. Chinas provocation and aggression have harmed the status quo of the Taiwan Strait and raised tensions in the region, Taiwans foreign ministry said in a statement. Taiwans military stated that it would perform anti-landing exercises on Tuesday, August 9, and Thursday, August 11. We will practice counter moves against simulated enemy attacks on Taiwan, Lou Woei-jye, spokesman for the Taiwanese Armys Eighth Army Corps, told AFP in an interview. The Taiwanese military also announced they will involve the deployment of hundreds of troops and around 40 howitzer guns. Taiwan said no Chinese planes or ships have entered Taiwans territorial waters or airspace during the exercises. However, the Chinese military released a video of an air force pilot filming the islands coastline and mountains from his cockpit to display how close it came to Taiwans shores. Chinas Eastern Command also shared a photo of a warship on patrol with Taiwans shoreline visible in the background. Chinese state media has also reported that ballistic missiles were launched over Taiwans capital during the drills last week. The extent and force of Chinas exercises, including its withdrawal from crucial talks on climate and defense, have sparked anger in the U.S. and other democratic countries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is determined to act responsibly to prevent a serious worldwide crisis. Still, China justified its behavior as firm, forceful and appropriate to American incitement. We are only issuing a warning to the perpetrators. We urge the U.S. to do some earnest reflection and immediately correct its mistakes, Chinas foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in a press briefing, reassuring that China would firmly smash the Taiwan authorities illusion of gaining independence through the United States. Meanwhile, relations between Washington and Beijing have worsened in the wake of Pelosis visit to Taiwan prompting calls from the United Nations for de-escalation of tensions. Follow CommunistChina.news for more news about Chinas military exercises near Taiwan. Watch the video below to know more about Chinas new military drills around Taiwan. This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: China surges forces toward Taiwan, conducts live-fire drills as Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits. China says it will attack any American forces that come to the defense of Taiwan. China now making retaliatory moves against Taiwan, fears grow that communists could invade soon. ANALYSIS: Why China LOSES any escalation involving Taiwan and the United States Navy. Taiwan says it is preparing for war as China continues to provoke conflict with massive incursions of fighters, bombers. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk TRTWorld.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The Chinese government appears to have stepped up its timetable for retaking the island democracy of Taiwan, which is wrongly considered little more than a renegade province by Beijing. Following House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taipei last week, China deployed dozens of Peoples Liberation Army naval warships, including carrier battle groups, around Taiwan, effectively forming a blockade if Beijing seeks to enforce it. In response, the U.S. has ordered at least two of its own carrier battle groups to remain in waters near Taiwan since Beijing has refused to withdraw its warship following live-fire show of force drills following the California Democrats departure. Weve been watching this very, very closely. Its concerning. Its not just concerning to us, but its concerning, of course, to the people of Taiwan. Its concerning to our allies in the region, especially Japan, National Security Council (NSC) spokesman John Kirby said in statements to MSNBC Thursday. The provocateur here is Beijing. They didnt have to react this way to what is completely normal travel by congressional members to TaiwanThe Chinese are the ones who are escalating this, Kirby added. One of the things thats troublesome about exercises like this or missile launches like this is the risk of calculation, the risk of a mistake that could actually lead to some sort of conflict, he warned. Location (as of yesterday) of 3 US Navy carrier/expeditionary strike groupsUSS Ronald Reagan, USS Tripoli & USS America currently operating in Asian waters around ??. Map also shows the locations of the 2 Chinese PLA Navy carriers: Liaoning & Shandong. (via @IndoPac_Info) pic.twitter.com/2YoHZS4R41 Franz-Stefan Gady (@HoansSolo) August 4, 2022 Kirby said earlier this week that the Chinese Communist government has chosen to overreact to Pelosis trip. We condemn these actions, which are irresponsible and at odds with our long-standing goal of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the region, Kirby told reporters at the White House. China has chosen to overreact and use the Speakers visit as a pretext to increase provocative military activity in and around the Taiwan Strait, he said. Taiwanese and Chinese officials have both announced that for all intents and purposes, China is engaging in a blockade of Taiwan which, if fully enforced and made permanent, will quickly cripple the island and its ability to defend itself, according to private intelligence firm Forward Observer. These exercises could easily segue into a complete blockade of Taiwan, including a seizure of Japans Senkakus and Nansei islands. At a minimum, this week likely marks the point when China commences its forced reunification of Taiwan, a process that will likely occur over many months of information operations, military provocations and operations, as well as political warfare within the borders of Taiwan, the firm said in an analysis earlier this week. On Friday, the intelligence firm noted in an additional analysis after Bejing sortied an additional second aircraft carrier battle group: China is either conducting an extremely detailed rehearsal of an air and sea blockade of Taiwan, or it is in the early process of setting one in place. The size of these snap military exercises is unprecedented. Generally, it is not a smart strategy to demonstrate such detailed plans and intentions for future military action, so it is possible that these exercises will morph into an actual long-term blockade of Taiwan, the analysis continued. On Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a retired four-star Army general, ordered the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and its battle group to loiter in waters near Taiwan for a longer, unspecified period of time. Theyll be there for a little bit longer than they were originally planned, Kirby, himself a retired Navy admiral, told reporters. I wont get ahead of the ships schedule, but the president believed it was a prudent thing to do, to leave her and her escort ships there just a little bit longer. China is pressing World War III at a time when Americas weakest and most Beijing-compromised president is in the White House. Sources include: ForwardObserver.com ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) The Chinese government is likely preparing for major military operations against rival island democracy Taiwan and perhaps even some Japanese-held islands Beijing claims for itself, according to a newly published analysis, and is using its insane lockdowns as cover. According to the Quoth The Raven substack, China has just locked down much of Wuhan (the epicenter of the COVID-19 accidental outbreak), which amounts to around 1 million people, over four test-positive cases of the virus. Worse, the positive tests involved Chinese citizens who are asymptomatic, meaning they are not a threat to anyone. The analysis continues: China has been continuing its Covid Zero response strategy, which makes so little sense and is so inefficient, vain, costly and fruitless that I cant believe its not a product of Democrats here in the U.S. The gist of the policy has been described as a control and maximum suppression strategy that uses contact tracing, mass testing, border quarantine, lockdowns, and mitigation software also known as the George Orwell Special to try and track and prevent cases. Such a strict policy might work for some small island nations or villages that consist of anywhere from a few hundred to a couple of thousand people. But expecting a country of 1.4 billion people to be on lockdown indefinitely is just ridiculous on its face. And yet, the Chinese government seems intent on implementing the policy, even at risk to its own economy. Consider that while the U.S. is second in global manufacturing output, China is first overall and by a decent amount. But, the analysis notes, by locking down major shipping and manufacturing hubs, Chinas Communist government robs itself of major income, meaning such lockdowns outwardly appear very counterproductive. Unless, of course, they are being done for another, more sinister reason. We know that the virus is going to eventually become endemic and we know that Chinas lockdowns are extremely costly for the global economy, the analysis points out. We also know that China is currently in a position where putting pressure on the global economy may not be the worst idea in the world for them after all, they are trying to institute their own reserve currency with other BRIC nations, and one way to force pain onto the West is to disrupt the supply of everyday goods. The analysis referenced an earlier post in April when the writer opined that Chinas insane lockdowns could be occurring for one of two fringe reasons: 1) The ChiCom government knows something about the virus that no one else knows; and/or 2) The ChiComs were intentionally trying to cauterize their supply chain for a reason or reasons that did not have any relation at all to COVID-19. The analysis adds: While the question of on-purpose lockdowns for supply chain reasons sounds like a conspiracy theory by itself, perhaps not so much when taken in context with the facts that: China is creating its own global reserve currency China has spent a decade de-dollarizing with Russia China appears ready to re-take Taiwan China may be stockpiling far more gold than people think China continues spying on the U.S. Could it be, the writer asks, that China is moving to quickly usurp the United States as the globes preeminent power? China has long stated that is a future objective, and frankly, that process began in earnest more than a decade ago. But Chinas leader, President Xi Jinping, as well as the Communist leadership in general, appear to sense an opportunity given that the U.S. is currently being run by a deep state cabal loyal to Barack Obama (who hates our country) using a dementia patient as the titular head of state. As for the lockdowns, only the U.S. and the Western world are being harmed by them. Chinas manufacturing lead time for its own people is nil; its months and even years for us, for several products. China is making a move to become dominant, and soon. The world will convulse. Sources include: QuothTheRaven.Substack.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Yannick Fialip, president of the economic commission of FNSEA and a breeder, has warned that a shortage of feedstock caused by severe drought may lead to a milk shortage. FNSEA is by far the largest union of farmers in France. I think that in the coming months, we will have a shortage of milk in France. To make milk, you need fodder, mainly alfalfa and corn, which have grown little this year, said Fialip, adding that France risks running out of milk in the fall and winter. During the normal seasons, animals typically graze in the meadows this time of the year, but the severe drought made things difficult. Stored fodder, which was supposed to be used to feed the animals in the winter, was already used up in July and August. This severe drought brings together two conditions: a significant lack of rain and very high temperatures, which had a hair-drying effect on the plants which dried out many plants, especially all that is fodder. We had to harvest very early, especially corn, Fialip said. While the state does provide a calamity fund to help breeders buy fodder by splitting the costs, the price of milk paid to breeders in France is 20 percent lower compared to that of other European countries. Thats why Fialip is calling for a measure to better remunerate the breeders to allow them better cash flow and to ensure the sustainability of the sector. (Related: Heatwaves, forest fires in Europe devastate crops and livestock.) He also said there is a big risk that some breeders will decide to decapitalize their livestock. Meaning, they will depopulate their herd. Record-breaking temperatures in France France had been hit with record-breaking temperatures this summer, as well as periods of no rain, leading to a drought crisis that is drying out the plants commonly grown to feed the animals. Meteorological agency La Chaine Meteo reported that France saw 9.7 millimeters of rain or a rainfall deficit of around 84 percent, well below the average of 70 millimeters in other years, making July 2022 the second driest month to ever be recorded in France after March 1961. This drought is the most serious ever recorded in our country, Elisabeth Borne, Frances Prime Minister said. To tackle the drought, she set up an inter-ministerial crisis unit, and the minister for ecological transition, Christophe Bechu, already announced that 100 communes no longer have drinkable tap water because sources such as reservoirs have become depleted. Bechu said the situation is historic, adding that the challenge is to tighten several restrictions to avoid this happening elsewhere. In Var, nine communes have already taken the step of limiting their residents daily water consumption to 150 or 200 liters per day per person. French cheese prices also expected to rise French cheese is also set to rise with the milk shortage, as will other dairy products. With cows producing less meat and farmers complaining about the absence of green grass that forced them to buy expensive fodder, many are now selling their dairy cattle abattoirs to raise money, which could lead to a further drop in cheese output. Marjolaine Guige, a serac maker, reported difficulties. Production of the milk she uses fell by 20 percent since the beginning of the heatwave last month. Automatically, if there is less water, there is less grass and so the cows are going to produce less milk, she said. A pair of brothers supplying milk for Tome des Bauges, which is a pressed cheese made from raw cows milk in the French Alps, said there was no water for their cows to drink in the high mountain pastures. They had to drive water up to their cows every day in their truck, costing them 300 ($308.80) a week. We could take them down, but the higher pastures bring a quality of the cheese in terms of its aromas that you dont get at a lower level, they said. (Related: More calf-producing cattle are being sold for slaughter, decimating cattle herds and making beef prices surge.) According to analysts, the cost of keeping cows in their pastures will likely lead to French cheese price increases in the future. Visit FoodSupply.news for more updates about how the drought is affecting food security. Watch this video about farmers standing on the frontline, amid looming food shortages, to ensure the world does not go hungry. This video is from The HighWire with Del Bigtree channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: 97% of tested mac and cheese products found to contain chemicals used in plastics, rubber, coatings, adhesives, sealants and printing inks. Drought in France forces authorities to place new restrictions on water usage. Cost of water in California hits all-time high amid enduring drought that threatens cities, massive agriculture industry. Wheat prices soar in countries dependent on Eastern Europe for grain. Drought threatens US wheat harvest, deepening global supply challenge. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com ConnexionFrance.com TheTimes.co.uk Brighteon.com (Natural News) Ireland is joining The Netherlands with new plans to kill off food-producing cattle. In order to stop global warming and climate change, the Irish government wants as many cattle as possible to be culled. According to the countrys Department of Agriculture, every 10,000 cows that are killed means a reduction of 45,000 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. CO2 is a necessary component of plant and other life, of course. But to globalists, it is an evil toxin much like nitrogen fertilizer, which the Dutch government has classified as a pollutant. The Irish dairy Food Vision Dairy Group is calling on the government of that country to compensate farmers for every cow they kill. They want 5000 (about $5,107) per head, reports indicate. In exchange for directly reduc[ing] agricultural activity, Food Vision Dairy Group wants large cash infusions because apparently we are all going to be eating money once the food supply is banished in the name of saving the planet, since money will be the only thing left to consume. According to The Scottish Farmer, other proposed measures include a trading mechanism for emissions on farms, much like corporate carbon credits that can be bought and sold on their own marketplace, of sorts. There is also a push to reduce nitrogen inputs by up to 20 percent on dairy farms, which would reduce profits while squeezing the food supply even more than current levels. Further methane inhibiters for dairy cows are planned by 2030 with an estimated cost of between 75 to 100 per dairy cow, the news outlet added, suggesting that the future will involve muzzling cattle and putting capture devices around their anuses to stop methane (flatulence) from entering the atmosphere. The globalists wants you DEAD, which is why theyre killing off your animals Last fall, The Guardian reported that in order to reach its government-imposed climate targets, Ireland will need to cull upwards of 1.3 million head of cattle. That is a lot of beef and dairy that will essentially be flushed down the toilet, leaving less food for people to consume and much higher prices for what remains. You will eat nothing and be happy, are probably the sentiments of World Economic Forum (WEF) psychopath Klaus Schwab. Truth be told, cows and other animals are good for the planet, especially when they are allowed to roam freely on pastures, of which there are many throughout Ireland. Removing them from the food chain as the government is demanding will destroy not only the countrys economy and food supply but many of its natural ecosystems as well. The manure that cows drop fertilizes soil, helping plants to grow and thrive. Without cattle, pastures will become overgrown, not to mention the fact that they will become wild and unusable for agricultural purposes. I knew someone would make air illegal, wrote a commenter at Natural News on another article about how the green agenda involves eliminating natural gases in the air that keep us all alive, including nitrogen and CO2. Breathing it without a face diaper is illegal already. Nitrogen is an element, wrote another. It comprises 79% of the atmosphere. It is not a pollutant. NH3, urea, is basically urine, which I guess the dummies are saying is a pollutant. It is, but it is controllable. Believe nothing coming out of the left. They are brain dead. Another pointed out that these ridiculous charades will continue for as long as We the People allow them to continue. Is there anyone left with the guts to fight back against this communist onslaught? The latest news about leftist climate lunacy can be found at ClimateScienceNews.com. Sources for this article include: TheScottishFarmer.co.uk NaturalNews.com TheGuardian.com (Natural News) The federal magistrate judge who signed off on FBIs raid of Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago mansion just so happens to be the same guy who represented several employees of pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, as well as a Yugoslavian sex slave. Bruce Reinhart reportedly worked to protect Epsteins Lolita Express pilots, his scheduler and others while pretending to prosecute Epstein. Reinhart played a critical role in securing immunity for Epsteins entourage, in essence. (Related: Remember when it was revealed that MIT and The New York Times were involved in Epsteins pedophilic activities?) Now, Reinhart is going after Trump, whose resort was ransacked in an unannounced search earlier this week. Reinhart used to work at a local U.S. Attorneys office in Florida, but now runs a private practice that a lawsuit alleges is breaking various Department of Justice (DOJ) policies. For one, Reinhart appears to be using information from his previous job to enrich himself in the private sector. He is also a longtime contributor to establishment political campaigns, including Barack Hussein Obamas 2008 run against John McCain, and Jeb Bushs 2015 campaign against Trump. The Epstein pilots that Reinhart helped throughout his tenure include Larry Visoski, David Rodgers, Larry Morrison and Bill Hammond. He also helped scheduler Sarah Kellen and Yugoslavian sex slave Nadia Marcinkova. Reinhart started working with Epsteins entourage just one day after launching his private sector endeavors In 2019, the Miami Herald basically blew the lid on Reinharts questionable-at-best integrity when he went from working at the South Florida U.S. Attorneys Office to going private. The switch happened on New Years Day in 2008. And just one day later, Reinhart was already busy defending Epsteins associates, helping them to receive federal immunity for allegedly trafficking underage girls. Did Jeffrey Epstein offer prosecutors anything in return for his sweetheart deal? asked writer Polly Sigh on Twitter, linking to the Herald report. Bruce Reinhart went from prosecuting Epstein to representing Epsteins accomplices who then also received immunity for trafficking underage girls. The Herald report explained in detail how Reinhart switched sides or so it seemed at the time from going after Epstein to trying to protect his legacy. Reinhart opened a limited liability company (LLC) in Florida to make it all happen, and his endeavor was a success. Several of Epsteins victims sued Reinhart after learning about his betrayal, to which Reinhart responded that he never did anything unethical or improper. Under penalty of perjury, Reinhart swore that he had no involvement with the team investigating Epstein, and thus knew nothing of the confidential information concerning the case. Former supervisors at the U.S. Attorneys Office where Reinhart previously worked, however, filed a court paper contradicting Reinharts claim. That paper explains that while Bruce E. Reinhart was an assistant U.S. attorney, he learned confidential, non-public information about the Epstein matter. Reinhart responded to this by stating that he is not representing Epstein, but rather the people who allowed and helped Epstein to traffic children and commit other atrocities. This is apparently an important distinction for him to make. Numerous other complaints were filed against Reinhart in the years that followed, alleging that the Epstein case may have gone off the rails because of Reinharts influence on federal prosecutors. The Miami Herald submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for the investigation, but the Justice Department denied the request, so its not clear what the investigation entailed, the Herald report further explains. Information Liberations Chris Menahan puts it like this and he is probably not wrong: Were living under the most corrupt regime in U.S. history. The latest news about the establishments attack on Trump can be found at Corruption.news. Sources for this article include: InformationLiberation.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) warned that Americans will soon find grocery store shelves empty if the Biden administration will do nothing to bring down the cost of fuel and fertilizer. John Boyd Jr., the NBFA president, told Fox & Friends First last week that the government administration isnt talking enough about the plight of whats going on with Americans. You have the high cost of fuel, fertilizer and all of these upfront costs for Americas farmers, and we havent done anything in place to fix that, he said, adding he is yet to hear back from the White House in a meeting that was promised. Boyd said if key officials will not intervene, the citizens could soon see evidence of a commodity shortage at their local grocery stores as empty shelves become increasingly common. According to him, the government would need to find a way to invest in infrastructure for farmers and put more small-scale farmers back into the business. We are losing farmers every year that we dont take action, and thats going to help, but it is going to hurt us here at home, Boyd pointed out. Some farmers are forced to abandon crops as the cost of goods to produce food has surged. Fertilizer cost has increased this year by 30 percent as of May, coming off an already steep 80 percent increase in 2021. Analysts expect that the figures will continue to climb due to international sanctions and exports. Personal finance resource GOBankingRates previously reported that Family Farm Action Alliance urged the Department of Justice to look into the fertilizer price hikes to see if they were caused by market manipulation. Citing his own experience, Boyd said he paid $1,100 per ton of fertilizer in 2022, which is significantly higher than $400 a ton in 2021. Moreover, he denounced President Joe Biden for prioritizing military and financial assistance to Ukraine over the needs of American farmers and consumers. Biden even vowed to send $1.2 billion in aid to combat famine in Northern Africa. Im sure those African countries definitely need the support, but we also have to take care of those at home, he said. And the Biden administration isnt moving and acting swiftly enough to address the farm crisis. Geopolitical events greatly impact fertilizer prices Gary Schnitkey, University of Illinois Extension agricultural economist, said the outlook for fertilizer prices is going to be dependent on geopolitical events. The economist said: Western Europe is trying to reduce its flow of natural gas from Russia and Russia is threatening to cut off supplies to Germany and western Europe. If that happens, we will at the very least see ammonia prices and nitrogen fertilizer prices from Europe are much higher than those produced in North and South America. Fertilizer prices decreased a little during the start of the third quarter, but they are still at historic levels. (Related: Fertilizer price hikes prompt soaring food prices and global shortages.) The average price of anhydrous ammonia in August last year was $749. It jumped to $1,274 just three months later. The last time we saw anhydrous ammonia prices above $1,000 was back in 2008 in the financial crisis, Schnitkey said. Schnitkey also noted that China could impose restrictions on fertilizer exports due to recent political and territorial issues. Visit Famine.news for more news related to food shortages. Watch the below video saying the food shortage has already started. This video is from the Winston Churchill ? Vitamin D channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: FERTILIZER COLLAPSE: Chemical giant BASF to slash ammonia production in Germany amid natural gas crisis, reducing nitrogen-based fertilizer supply. Farmers dismayed by PM Justin Trudeaus push to implement regulated fertilizer reduction policies that would crush food production. Biden quietly begs U.S. companies to buy Russian fertilizer to solve problem he helped create. Op-ed suggests removing tariffs on fertilizer imports to alleviate high fertilizer prices. Sources include: News.yahoo.com GoBankingRates.com FoxNews.com AGWeb.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) If you have followed my reporting you probably know about the protests happening in the Netherlands. Tens of thousands of farmers have taken to the streets to protest against new climate goals which will force farmers to shut down their farms. (Article by Peter Imanuelsen republished from PeterSweden.Substack.com) They have set hay bales on fire on motorways and dumped manure and even blocked supermarket distribution centers. ?? Ondertussen bij het gemeentehuis in Lochem: boeren verspreiden mest voor de deur van het gemeentehuis! pic.twitter.com/ECovC8TID3 Kees (@Kees71234) June 27, 2022 According to calculations done by the Finance ministry, a whopping 11 200 livestock farmers will be forced to shut down by the government to reduce nitrogen emissions in order to meet European environmental rules. Another 17 600 farmers would need to reduce the amount of animals they keep to meet these climate goals. And this is bad. Because there are about 54 000 farms in the Netherlands, meaning that around 1/5 of all farms will be forced to shut down and almost 1/3 of farms forced to scale down and reduce livestock. Meaning that thousands and thousands of farmers will be loosing their livelihoods in order to meet government climate goals. They are literally going to make people loose their livelihoods in order to meet climate goals. That is crazy. Not only that, think about all the food that will be lost as a result of this. We are already facing a food crisis due to sky high fertilizer prices and grain shortages due to the war in Ukraine. We need more food now, not less! The climate change fanatics are trying to bring us back to the middle ages. The state is planning on forcing farmers to sell their farms to the state (buying them out). State sanctioned appropriation of farms and land. Now where have I heard about that kind of thing before? Oh yes, under Communism. I told you that this is Climate Communism and that The Great Reset is just another word for Global Communism. And it seems like people in the Netherlands are not happy with these government plans, as the political party of the Prime Minister in the Netherlands, VVD, has reached a new all-time low in the polls. If there was an election now, they would lose 13 of their 34 seats in parliament. A whopping 7 out of 10 voters say that they are dissatisfied with the Cabinet of the Prime Minister. Meanwhile the new party called Farmer-Citizen Movement is now polling in second place. Farmers held a meeting with the government on Friday, however some farmers are not satisfied with the results and are talking about more protests, with a farmers group that claims to represent 95% of agriculture pledging the toughest demonstrations ever. So the state is planning on forcing farmers to shut down under the excuse of climate change. Forcing them to sell their farms. Essentially this is a form of seizing the means of production. It is basically Communism. Climate Communism. And we all know how that has gone when the state has seized farms before. Look no further than what happened under Stalin in Ukraine or under Mao in China. It is not all bad news however. I guess we will be getting brand new factories producing bug snacks. Or we might get more of sustainable supermarkets like the one named Picnic in the Netherlands which got 600 million in investments, the majority coming from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation! This supermarket focusing on things like vegan food and delivering food in electric vehicles. And guess what! A millionaire investor at Picnic who has also been the director there, is family with a Dutch Minister who has been involved with these new nitrogen laws. Read more at: PeterSweden.Substack.com (Natural News) Most weapons shipped to Ukraine have not made it to the front lines. This is something Republican lawmakers have warned about when they opposed a $40 billion aid package. CBS quoted an NGO worker who said that only 30 percent of the Western weapons flooding into Ukraine are actually making it to the front lines of the countrys war against Russia. It later updated the report, saying that the NGO worker gave the assessment in late April and that the delivery has since improved. However, the damage has been done. This is one of the reasons I voted no,' said Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Twitter, quoting the CBS News post. She was one of 57 House Republicans who voted against the massive aid bill that was passed overwhelmingly in May with the support of all Democrats and most GOP lawmakers. The bill passed in Senate with a large 86-11 margin. CBS noted that getting weapons to the troops involved navigating a complex network of power lords, oligarchs and political players. Amnesty International senior crisis adviser Donatella Rovera also told CBS that there is really no information on where the weapons are going. There has been a growing number of reports about Ukrainian corruption during the war. (Related: US weapons package for Ukraine includes 100 KILLER DRONES.) German newspaper Die Welt published extracts from Zelenskys biography, detailing corruption on an industrial scale over offshore deals. The New York Times also reported about the deep mistrust between the White House and Zelensky. Boebert: Majority of Ukraine aid is a scam Meanwhile, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert said that scrutiny regarding the aid had been dismissed before the CBS report was released. How many people were called Russian bots for saying this exact same thing since March? Now, when CBS says it, its perfectly fine. Whatever the case, glad the facts are out now. The majority of the Ukraine aid is a scam, she tweeted. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul delayed the Senates vote on the bill by insisting on adding a provision appointing an inspector general to monitor how the money was being spent, but colleagues refused to include the oversight requirement and passed the massive package just days later. A U.S. intelligence official told CNN back in April that the arms shipments were dropping into a big black hole upon reaching Ukraine. The 57 House Republicans who voted against the bill had been called out by critics for not supporting Ukraine. Greene pointed out that the U.S. government had been sending billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine at a time when American mothers couldnt even buy formula milk for their babies. But Democrat lawmakers accused her of standing with President Putin in the face of Russian aggression. Visit WWIII.news for more news about corruption involving assistance for Ukraine. Watch the video below about the CBS article and the corruption involving Ukraine aid funds. This video is from the Global Agenda channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Ukraine unveils new mini Terminator machine gun robot to help in the fight against Russia. Russia has already begun destroying advanced US weapons systems sent to Ukraine. Corruption in the midst of war: Ukraine unlikely to receive the promised $65 billion in Western aid. Biden approves billions for defending Ukraines borders but refuses to finish building border wall for America. Assessment forecasts nightmare scenario of nuclear World War III over rising potential for operational miscalculation regarding Ukraine. Sources include: RT.com Unherd.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) The worlds largest communist dictatorship, China, has invested some $168 million into efforts to control the weather, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF). The globalist Great Reset organization run by Klaus Schwab put together a video watch below that reveals Chinas plans to create artificial rain through cloud seeding, which many refer to as chemtrails. The technology works by sprinkling clouds with dry ice and silver iodide, the WEF explains in the video about the aerosols and other particulates that are injected into the skies via airplanes. This helps increase rain or snow. China is investing $168 million to control the weather Source: World Economic Forum pic.twitter.com/ZSlWPG6L8l Wittgenstein (@backtolife_2023) August 8, 2022 China produces 55 billion tons of fake rain every year, says WEF The technology is not some futuristic pipe dream that is still a long way off, by the way. It is already happening, according to the WEF, which says China is currently generating around 55 billion tons of artificial rain annually. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) currently employs somewhere in the vicinity of 35,000 people within in its Weather Modification Department, which has offices all across China. This is a major operation, in other words. And it lends credence to what was long mocked as being just some wild conspiracy theory. And China may not be the only country doing this, just to be clear. Fake president Joe Biden, rambling during a recent appearance in Kentucky following the historic flooding event that occurred there, basically admitted watch below that globalist powers are, in fact, tampering with the weather. Its not like its beyond our control, Biden blabbed in front of an overturned single-wide trailer surrounded with victims. The weather may be beyond our control for now, but its not beyond our control. Biden: Its not like its beyond our control. The weather may be beyond our control for now, but its not beyond our control.pic.twitter.com/zungEqCYDz Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) August 8, 2022 What did Biden mean by this word salad doublespeak? Like everything else he says, that is up for interpretation because it is difficult to figure out anything the guy says. We do know that billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates is involved with weather modification. And chances are that his work in this sector involves Western nations like the United States, which many believe has been tampering with the weather for decades. Chemtrails are everywhere across America, and they have been since at least the early 1990s. The establishment denied their existence before later admitting that geoengineering is a real thing. Gates says he wants to block out the sun to cool the planet, while China is suggesting that it steers the weather and creates rain in order to provide moisture for crops. The reality of what is really going on is more than likely much more sinister than all that, though. The sun is Planet Earths source of heat, light, and life. Without it, plants, animals, and humans would all be dead. Theres a small article in the front of the August 2009 issue of National Geographic that talks about releasing thousands of mirrors into orbit around Earth in order to cool the planet, and was praised by its ingenuity as genius in the article, wrote a commenter at Natural News about how this stuff goes way back. I see when I read that article more space junk for the astronauts to deal with, massive crop failures, migratory animals that use the intensity of the sun getting lost, and an explosion of seasonal affective disorder and other winter-related ailments that are already exploding due to this forced geoengineering. That hair brained idea would be disastrous for the planet and space travel. The latest news about chemtrails and the globalist effort to control all weather can be found at WeatherTerrorism.news. Sources for this article include: ClimateDepot.com NaturalNews.com Darth Vader from the "Star Wars" franchise will probably meet his look-alike after a study led by scientists from Taiwan found a new species that resembles the image of the Sith, an ancient order and the main antagonists in the franchise. The species has been nicknamed "vanilla Vader" by Live Science and scientists call it Bathynomus yucatanensis. The creamy yellow colossal marine animal hails from the Genus Bathynomus, Order crustaceans, and Phylum Anthropoda, which includes other species like woodlouse and other isopod crustaceans. The identification of the new species was not easy. In fact, it took another five years for researchers to realize that the specimen caught in Mexico back in 2017 was nothing ever seen before. The B. yucatanensis was thought to be the giant isopod (Bathynomus giganteus) due to their physiological and morphological similarities. However, the Taiwan-based researchers engaged in DNA and genetic method to find out the disparity. With this, the new species' name was updated and the update was published in a new study this month. Bathynomus species are rare seen by people, at least by those on the surface since the giant crustaceans are known to dwell and scavenge in the deep ocean. Sometimes called the "Darth Vader of the Seas," the heads of the weird-looking creatures resemble the helmet of the Star Wars villain. Bathynomus Yucatanensis In the new paper published online in the Journal of Natural History on Wednesday, August 10, researchers from the University of Tainan confirmed the vanilla Vader as a new addition to the list of members in the Bathynomus species The acquisition of B. yucatanensis came from a baited cage trap placed around 2,000 feet to 2,600 feet (600 to 800 meters) below sea level. The specimen was then kept at the Enoshima Aquarium in Japan under the assumption it was the giant isopod. The research team arrived at their conclusion that the Darth Vader-like animal had different genes with B. giganteus Also Read: Giant Isopod in Japan has Stopped Eating for over Four Years Darth Vader of the Seas The paper's lead author, Huang Ming-Chih, an associate professor at the Taiwanese university, told Live Science that the Gulf of Mexico's ecological diversity or biodiversity turned out to be more complex than previously thought. While B. yucatanensis species is not the first members of the 'Darth Vader of the Seas,' it is the largest amongst all of them since it is over 10 inches (26 centimeters) long. The creature is also 2,500% larger than common roly polies or woodlice (Oninscus asellus), as summarized by the science news website. Giant Isopods In reference to vanilla Vader and its similarity to the giant isopod, the team believes they share a common ancestor, which likely dates back to dozens or hundreds of millions of years ago. B. giganteus also lives in the ocean's darkest depths, where it scavenges on fish carcasses and other debris that fall from the ocean surface, according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. A cousin of crabs and shrimps, giant isopods have no spine but can grow up to 16 inches. Related Article: Trilobites Possessed Clasper-like Limbs for Mating, According To Fossil Discoveries A French woman was hurt by a polar bear at a campsite in the Svalbard Archipelago, north of Norway, and the bear was killed. The victim's arm was injured before the bear entered the tent. A polar bear may need to be put down because of a human-polar bear encounter, which could result in someone getting hurt or killed. Polar bear attacked French woman The regional governor of Norway's remote Arctic Svalbard Islands reported that a polar bear injured a French tourist on Monday after attacking a woman at a campsite, as per DW. Authorities added that the incident's injuries were not life-threatening. Later, the bear was slain. The 25-person tour group included the woman, and they were camped out at Sveasletta in the heart of the Svalbard archipelago. The distance between it and the Norwegian mainland is more than 800 kilometers (500 miles). Authorities flew to the scene by helicopter as soon as they learned about the attack, according to chief superintendent Stein Olav Bredli. The arm of the French woman was hurt. The polar bear was frightened away from the scene after a shot was fired at it, he claimed. The woman was then helicoptered to Longyearbyen's hospital, the biggest town on the Svalbard archipelago. The victim was described as a woman in her 40s by Svalbardposten, the primary newspaper on the Arctic archipelago. According to the newspaper's report, the woman suffered only minor injuries as a result of the incident. The animal, meanwhile, came out severely hurt, and after a professional evaluation, it was put to death. It was unclear precisely how the bear was put to death. Even though they are uncommon, bear encounters do occasionally happen in the area. As aggressive animals, polar bears have indeed been known to be aggressive and even kill humans. Polar bears have been seen hunting for humans as prey when food is in short supply. Read More: Polar Bear Secrets: Starvation is Inevitable, Say Experts Conflict between Polar bears and Humans Since 2005, polar bears have been listed on the Red List as being vulnerable. A rapid decline in sea ice is anticipated to result in a significant decrease in the number of polar bears over the following decades, as per Norwegian Polar Detective. Polar bears spend the majority of their lives hunting seals on sea ice, so their survival will also be impacted by sea ice loss. Polar bear experts are uneasy and concerned about human-polar bear conflicts because there is little evidence to date that the issue will go away. The tourism industry is expanding north, and predictions for warming in the Arctic point to a drastic loss of polar bear habitat. Since the 1960s, the Norwegian Polar Institute has been studying and keeping track of polar bears in the Norwegian Arctic. Over the years, the institute has learned a lot about the species. Study on diseases, pollutants, demographics and the effects of climate change is now given priority in Svalbard. Each year, 50-100 polar bears are tagged or recaptured. Some of them are fitted with satellite transmitters that provide information on their annual migration patterns, and samples were obtained from them for various analyses. The impact of ice conditions on the number of fertile females and also the survival of polar bears of various ages will receive special attention in the upcoming years. Related Article: Polar Bear Population Plummets 40 Percent in 10 Years People walk on a pier with views of the midtown Manhattan skyline on August 9, 2022 in New York City. - A heat advisory remains in effect for New York City and the Northeast as the region continues to experience high heat and humidity with temperatures expected to reach 96 degrees. (Photo : Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) As shown in an assessment report, global warming could induce communicable diseases and epidemics in people in over a hundred distinct manners. Scientists from the State of Hawaii at Manoa and the College of Wisconsin in the United States examined the material on 375 human illnesses. They discovered that half of these infections were exacerbated by climatic risks at a certain period in ancient times. That's 277 recognized illnesses to observe for health emergencies, and the potential are endless when one contemplates all the methods those germs might propagate as a result of environmental disruption. Widespread of Pathogenic Diseases Due to Climate Change There are just way various illnesses and ways of dissemination for civilization to acclimatize to all of these risks in one go. Rather, the experts argue that the optimal way to combat environmental degradation is to dramatically reduce global carbon dioxide production, as per Science Alert. Human-caused global warming has been boosting the intensity and regularity of climatic risks such as extreme weather events, bushfires, and excessive rainfall in several parts of the world, forcing a wide range of creatures into direct proximity with people. To get a clearer idea of the scope of the issue, the investigators searched Google Scholar for hundreds of publications on environmental issues and contagious illnesses that have an influence on human civilization, such as Zika, malaria, dengue fever, influenza, even Ebola. In factuality, the researchers discovered 3,213 actual occasions in recorded existence when climatic risks were linked to communicable diseases epidemics, which was posted under the Environmental Journal. Each of these instances were linked to 286 distinct infections, with 277 of them exacerbated by at minimum one climatic concern. The experts additionally found 1,006 potential pathways for deadly diseases caused by weather shift. According to Nature Climate Change, typhoons as well as flooding, for example, can induce deformations that expose populations to water-borne infections such as cholera. Wildfire and dry spells can often drive feral creatures inside human homes in search of refuge, hydration, or sustenance, bringing their illnesses with them. Heatwaves and rainfall can broaden the area of a bacterium, increasing the danger of insect-borne illnesses such as Lyme infection, dengue fever, even malaria. Also read: August Full Moon to Rise This Week Will Be the Final Supermoon of the Year Risk for Pathogenic Diseases Comparable activities take place in the ocean. As the water warms, hazardous growth of algae and illnesses become increasingly prevalent. There's a great deal to think about. And these are only the diseases we are aware of. The COVID-19 outbreak has rendered it brutally evident that the more we connect with other animals, the further likely it is that new illnesses will infiltrate humankind, The Atlantic covered. As glaciers thaw, old viruses trapped in the freezing Northern may make their route through immunocompromised victims. Consider the presumably massive array of infections gathered through history and the degree to which these viruses could be novel to human. As posted by the Yahoo News Singapore, it is even plausible that anthropogenic global warming will boost some infections. In a warmer climate, the lifetime of an active infection may speed, enabling more generation in less time. If that disease spreads more easily in the summertime, the chance of illness will increase as the series continues. Global warming has been causing people to get sick, according to experts. Environmental dangers such as weather extremes, thunderstorms, and shortages are linked to sensitivities, dermatological illness, thirst, and childbearing difficulties. It's uncertain how the human psyche would fare in the event that contagious illness epidemics grow increasingly widespread in the long term. The attackers appear to be intensifying as human immunological state's protections deteriorate, and humans do not have any opportunity to combat them all. Related article: Earth's Daytime is Suddenly Getting Longer and Scientists Don't Know Why A photograph shows lightning discharges from a thundercloud over trees in Montlouis-sur-Loire, Central France, on May 22, 2022. - Meteo France has placed 21 departments on orange alert for storms due to the heavy temperatures observed since a few days. (Photo : Photo by GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP via Getty Images) Blizzards produce one amongst earth's finest intense and interesting influences: gigantic streaks of illumination that divide the heavens, shooting enormous quantities of charge into the external environment and shattering down the earth once it hits it, or, at least, that's how people usually conceive about thunder. However, the phenomena now have an incarnation that has just lately been discovered: it occasionally explodes from the skies, blasting into the stratospheric in a massive azure 'jet' of power. Less is documented regarding this phenomenon; it is unexpected and happens over a stratum of thunderclouds, out of reach with most humans. Upside-Down Lightning According to what Universities Space Research Association physicist and engineer Doug Mach (USRA) told the reporters from Science Alert, that the truth of the matter that the ginormous jet has been spotted by plenty of devices, such as the Lightning Mapping Array as well as two space-based photonic storm percussion, was a one-of-a-kind occurrence that appears to offer viewers a significant amount of data on massive jets. While Duke University engineer Steve Cummer made a point of saying in his interview that the VHF as well as spectroscopy transmissions conclusively revealed what investigators had presumed yet must have not so far substantiated: that the VHF airwaves from static electricity is generated by simple devices named streamers at the extremely apex of the emerging static electricity, whereas the single most powerful powered waveform circulates markedly next to this edge in a micropolar network named a commander. It transferred over 300 coulombs of applied voltage into the planet's troposphere, whereas a normal cloud-to-cloud or cloud-to-ground beam of light usually moves approximately 5 coulombs, as per Science Advances. The photonic element of the stream stayed rather near to the cloud crest, at a height of 15 to 20 kilometers, according to the various measurements. The crew were therefore enabled to determine that the conductors - the ionized atmospheric pathways visible across whereby the electrical outburst can be observed - were incredibly intense, measuring over 4,700 C. The jet was within coverage of and had previously been detected by the Lightning Monitoring Array, a neighboring VHF thunderstorm monitoring equipment, as per National Centers for Environmental Information. Furthermore, Georgia Tech Investigative Laboratory scientist together with industrial designer Levi Boggs stated that researchers were fortunate to trace this massive jet in three degrees with incredibly high-quality imagery. Also read: Earth's Daytime is Suddenly Getting Longer and Scientists Don't Know Why Layers of Storm Clouds The electrical jet was immense, a tremendous release that was plainly apparent in the film acquired on a low-light Watec sensor on the night of 14 May 2018. Beyond notable is this is most likely the inaugural instance a massive jet has only been three-dimensionally projected over cloud computing using the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) sensor suite. However, as shown in the Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, one huge jet was captured atop the skies throughout a rainstorm in Oklahoma in 2018 due to a community researcher, and experts have mostly been allowed to analyze it in depth in three dimensions using information acquired by additional devices. In the presence of the usual geomagnetic storms, the massive jet could alleviate the atmosphere of surplus opposite electrode. The scientists discovered that these streamers began spreading shortly over the sky peak, going to the lower magnetosphere at a height of roughly 80 kilometers. Researchers have been fortunate to discern very high frequency (VHF) emitters beyond the cloud top for the first time with this degree of clarity. Related article: Extreme Drought in Italy's Po River Reveals Unexploded World War II Bomb Two U.S. Army soldiers were reportedly killed, while three others were injured in Georgia on Tuesday, August 9, due to an apparent "weather-related incident," according to local authorities. It occurred during a military training at Yonah Mountain, which is situated around 70 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of the city of Atlanta. The area is also located 170 miles (275 kilometers) northeast of Fort Benning. Details of the incident went viral not only to media networks across the United States but also on social media, where various speculations of "other-worldly" causes could be responsible for the deaths of the US military members. However, previous weather reports by US weather authorities revealed that a thunderstorm was brewing in some parts of Georgia at that time. The so-called weather incident comes several weeks after a similar phenomenon transpired in Georgia, where a lightning strike resulted in multiple casualties targeting members of the U.S. Army Reserve on a range at Fort Gordon. The event also occurred several months after a severe weather reportedly killed four American soldiers when their aircraft crashed in Norway back in March. In the past, there have been several occurrences where the US military had been subjected to multiple weather hazards aside from thunderstorms. Over the past decade, a number of US service members have died due to heat exposure amid rising temperatures. These phenomena have reportedly shown that unprecedented extreme weather can be also fatal even for the military. Weather-Related Incident Information regarding the incident was released by the U.S. Army's Maneuver Center of Excellence and the Fort Benning Public Affairs Office in a statement, as cited by AccuWeather. The announcement mentioned of the unspecified incident on Tuesday, where the injured military personnel were treated on site before being sent to local hospitals. The weather forecasting company said details about what transpired have not been released as of the time of the latest reporting on Wednesday, August 10. However, officials said the casualties were struck by a falling tree amid the rough weather, ABC News reported. 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon and Staff Sgt. George Taber reportedly died after succumbing to their injuries. Also Read: Rising Temperatures Put U.S. Troops at Higher Risk, Report Finds Severe Thunderstorm Warning The National Weather Service (NWS) in Atlanta previously issued via Twitter a severe thunderstorm warning, affecting areas such as Yonah, Georgia, and Helen, Georgia, which expired on Tuesday afternoon. Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Helen GA and Yonah GA until 3:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/kiLLLUo7Ax NWS Atlanta (@NWSAtlanta) August 9, 2022 The storm warning includes the threat of strong winds and quarter-sized hail. In relation to the said event, there were no immediate reports that suggested that the service members were hit by a lightning bolt or a tornado, which are both associated with the severe weather. Georgia Lightning Strike The Yonah Mountain weather-related event is the second instance involving weather to be the culprit behind Army casualties within a month. The said lightning bolt at Fort Gordon in July killed one soldier and injured nine others. The previous weather-related event happened in a site known as Training Area 26, which also received a "bad weather" during that time, according to ABC7 New York. Related Article: Four American Soldiers Killed in an Aircraft Crash in Norway Because of Severe Weather An experimental study discovered that without bumble bees, a flowering plant that can self-pollinate lost a significant amount of genetic diversity in just nine generations. When compared to another set of monkeyflower plants that were propagated by bumble bees, a group of plants that were "selfed" lost 13% to 24% of their genetic diversity. According to the study, this loss could deprive the plants of their capacity to respond to environmental conditions. The findings indicated major problems for wild plants and agriculture that depend on bees as pollinators since bee numbers are declining in nature. Rapid loss of genetic variation due to bee population decline Experts discovered that when plants had to adopt selfing, there were significant effects on their genomes in a relatively short period, according to the study's lead author, evolutionary scientist Jeremiah Busch of Washington State University, as per ScienceDaily. Busch noted that while pollinators like bees are crucial to biodiversity in and of themselves, the study showed that their rapid decrease would also have potentially disastrous effects on plants. According to Busch, losing pollinators won't simply affect the pollinators; plant populations would lose genetic diversity in tens of years, not thousands. Although scientists were aware that adopting self-pollination may harm a plant species' long-term existence, they were unsure of the genetics of how it operated. A controlled greenhouse experiment was set up by Busch's colleagues using yellow monkeyflower plants, a widespread wildflower in the Western United States, in which a group of plants was separated from their bumble bee pollinators. The non-bee plants first produced few seeds, but when they learned to self-pollinate, they began to produce a lot. The stamens and pistils, which are the flowers' male and female reproductive organs, shifted as well, shifting closer to one another to facilitate pollen transport. Even while the selfing plants multiplied, they lost genetic diversity in comparison to a control group that received bumble bee visits. According to Busch, adaptation is the key to explaining these unexpected decreases. A favored genotype will spread in selfing populations if it has an advantage, but any other mutations it contains will also do so if they are fortunate enough to be present in that plant's genome. When bees visit plants, the phenomenon of "genetic hitch-hiking" is considerably less evident since the genetic diversity of the parents' progeny is mixed in. Strong inbreeding substantially changed the effects of adaptation. According to Busch, future studies should track plants over a longer period to determine whether and when the loss of genetic diversity causes population collapse. Also Read: Bees Observed 'Ejaculating' Themselves to Death Due to Severe Heat The bee population decline According to preliminary findings of the 15th annual national survey performed by the nonprofit Bee Informed Partnership, or BIP, beekeepers across the United States lost 45.5% of their managed honey bee colonies from April 2020 to April 2021, as per the Auburn University. Since the survey's inception in 2006, these losses represent the second-highest loss rate (6.1% greater than the average yearly loss rate of 39.4%). The survey's findings draw attention to the persistently high rates of honey bee colony turnover. This year's heightened summer and winter losses contributed to the high loss rate, and there was no discernible improvement for beekeepers and their colonies. The poll findings will be used by BIP to learn more about beekeepers' experiences with colony losses and what may be done to lessen them in the next seasons. Agricultural organizations, researchers, and the beekeeping industry have been collaborating to investigate why beekeepers are experiencing increased losses in their colonies since the early 2000s and to establish best management practices to lower such losses. This procedure has been greatly aided by the BIP yearly colony loss study, which has been carried out since 2006. Related article: Microplastics Traces are Found in Honeybees, What Does this Do to the Bees? South Korea has been partially submerged by flooding due to heavy rain earlier this week, causing multiple casualties, widespread damage, and large-scale evacuation. The country's capital city, Seoul, and its surrounding were hit hard, as floodwaters inundated residences, commercial establishments, and subway stations. At least nine people were killed, with some drowning in their homes. Local authorities confirmed the moderate rainfall on Monday morning, August 8, intensified during the evening, resulting in overnight flooding that transitioned until Tuesday, August 9. The torrential rain also led to floodwaters swallowing deserted cars and buses, which were only observed after water levels receded on Tuesday. Multiple weather alerts, including landslide warnings, have been issued in almost 50 cities and towns. Hiking paths were also closed in Seoul and in the mountainous Gangwon province. Despite the improving weather, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and its meteorologists warned of the potential continuance of heavy rain in the coming days starting Thursday, August 11. The recent natural disaster has been one of the heaviest rains seen in Seoul in decades, with North Korea also reportedly battered by the inclement weather in recent days. This year, South Korean weather authorities announced the start of its rainy season, which normally lasts until August. Seoul Flooding On Monday night, rainfall accumulation in the Dongjak district of Seoul reached over 45 centimeters (18 inches). Precipitation in the area exceeded by 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) per hour at a certain point, making it the highest hourly downpour recorded in Seoul since 1942, according to the Associated Press. The wet weather also saw the temporary disruption of routes linking towns north of Seoul. Dozens of roadways, including main expressways, near the overflowed Han River, were closed either due to rising water levels or partial flooding, the US media outlet reports. Also Read: South Korea Flooding: Three Killed, 195 Displaced, More Rains and Floods in the Coming Days Flood Damage and Evacuation Over 500 people have been evacuated and transferred to makeshift tents provided by the Interior and Safety Ministry, which also gave beds, blankets, and other aid items, according to CNN. Approximately 2,800 structures, including houses, shops, and retaining walls were damaged, which the safety ministry adds that majority have been repaired as of Wednesday morning, August 10. Seoul's business and leisure area Gangnam district, as well as several regions south of the Han River, were affected by raging floods. The so-called upscale, modern district witness its buildings and stores being submerged and losing electricity. South Korea Rainy Season The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) previously announced that this year's rainy season has officially started on June 23, according to The Korea Times. During the said period the KMA highlighted amount of precipitation will be high as strong atmospheric pressure in the southern part of the North Pacific Ocean will produce a substantial amount of water vapor. A heat wave in June, which the weather agency forecasted, could have also influenced the heavy downpours in the weeks and months to come. The latest Seoul flooding came after four years when severe flooding killed 76 people in North and South Hwanghae provinces in August 2018, according to ReliefWeb, a humanitarian information portal under the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Related Article: South Korea Is Sinking Due To Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Nearly a quarter of the nations examined are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and global warming, according to research that examined their influence on GDP. A wide range of economic sectors is impacted by climate change, from crop loss to cooling issues at cloud-based data centers. It's not apparent if a nation's economy can recover annually from these effects or if rising global temperatures have long-term, cumulative effects on the market economy. Effects of Climate change economy This basic issue, which underlying the costs and advantages of climate change policy, is addressed in research from the University of California, Davis, which was published today by IOP Publishing in the journal Environmental Research Letters, as per ScienceDaily. The study revisited the impact of climate change and rising global temperatures on GDP using an empirical methodology. In around 22% of the nations examined, it was shown that economies are vulnerable to long-lasting temperature shocks that last at least ten years. According to lead author Bernardo Bastien-Olvera, a Ph.D. candidate at UC Davis, the findings point to the likelihood that many nations are dealing with chronic temperature consequences. The research added to the data demonstrating that repercussions are significantly more unpredictable and potentially higher than previously anticipated, in contrast to models that calculate metrics like the social cost of carbon, which most assume transient temperature impacts on GDP. With this study, UC Davis scientists and co-authors from the European Institute on Economics and the Environment in Italy used a new mechanism to separate the continual temperature effects on the economy by examining lower modes of oscillation of the climate system. Earlier studies examined the question by assessing the delayed impact of temperatures on GDP in subsequent years, but the findings were inconclusive. For instance, the El Nino Southern Oscillation, a three to seven year temperature variation in the Pacific Ocean, influences global temperature and precipitation patterns. Experts can tell if a country is suffering transient or cumulative impacts by examining the GDP consequences of these kinds of lower-frequency oscillations, according to Bastien-Olvera. To eliminate more frequent annual variations in temperature, the researchers utilized a mathematical technique called filtering. Also Read: How Previous El Ninos Revealed Crucial Information About Climate Change Climate and economy The significant economic loss might potentially result from climate change, which also carries unsettling concerns, as per IMF. It is an externality that affects all countries since it increases the number of gases that cause warming in the atmosphere of the world. Many nations are expected to have major economic effects as a result of climate change, with many low-income nations being particularly vulnerable. These nations' macroeconomic policies will need to be adjusted to account for increasingly frequent weather shocks, particularly by creating flexibility for policy responses to shocks. Upgrades to the infrastructure are required to increase economic resilience. In other places, macro-financial stability may be significantly threatened by climate change. The disruption might have an impact on the health of business balance sheets. Nonfinancial corporate sectors face risks from climate-related damages and stranded assets, such as coal reserves that become unprofitable with carbon pricing. Climate disasters every year result in human misery as well as significant economic and ecological harm. Direct losses from such catastrophes are projected to total about US$ 1.3 trillion over the previous ten years (or around 0.2% of global GDP annually). Related article: North American Birds Still Not Fully Adjusted Due to Climate Change, New Study Finds Countless asteroids have struck Earth, leaving behind enormous craters that have scarred the blue planet's surface. One prevalent theory is that the continents of Earth were formed by massive meteorite impacts, which occurred frequently over the course of our planet's four and a half billion-year history and were especially common during the first billion years. A new study has provided the strongest evidence available for this theory. Giant meteorites create continents The theory that the continents were first created at the sites of massive meteorite impacts has existed for a while, but up until now, there hasn't been much evidence to back it up, according to Dr. Tim Johnson of Curtin's School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, as per ScienceDaily. Their work offered the first convincing proof that massive meteorite impacts, comparable to those that wiped out the dinosaurs but billions of years earlier, were the starting point of the processes that eventually formed the continents. Zircon crystals' oxygen isotope composition analysis revealed a top-down process that involved the melting of rocks close to the surface before moving deeper. This process is consistent with the geological impact caused by massive meteorites. Given that all these landmasses are home to the vast majority of the planet's biomass, all humans, and nearly all of the planet's significant mineral deposits, Dr. Johnson said it is crucial to comprehend how the continents formed and are still evolving. The formation of the earliest landmasses, of which the Pilbara Craton is only one, and the subsequent crustal differentiation process are what lead to mineral deposits. The information pertaining to other regions of the Earth's ancient continental crust appears to reveal patterns resembling those found in Western Australia. To see if, as they suspect, their model is much more broadly applicable, the experts would like to test their findings upon old rocks. Also Read: Astonishing Discovery Buried in Meteorites From 500 Million Years Ago Destructive asteroids recorded in the history According to experts and scientific researchers, 60 asteroids or comparable objects that were at least three miles in diameter struck the earth in the last 600 million years, as per World Atlas. The extinction event of life on Earth has been attributed to three terrestrial ground impact events. Additionally, there is evidence of oceanic effects. There has frequently been discussion about whether or not ocean impact events could result in a mega-tsunami instead of just a mantle plume (volcanism). The following asteroid impacts left behind enormous craters and could have an impact on earthly life. The vast 118.061-mile-radius Vredefort Crater in the South African province of Free State is first on the list; it was formed 2 billion years ago. The Sudbury Basin in Ontario, Canada, with a radius of 80.7783 miles, which was struck 1.8 billion years ago, comes in second. The 55.9234-mile-radius Acraman Crater in South Australia, Australia, which was created by an impact with Earth 580 million years ago, comes in third. The fourth is the 360 million years old Woodleigh Crater in Western Australia, Australia, with a 25-74,5645-mile radius. Fifth is the Manicouagan Crater, which has a radius of 62.1371 miles and was created in Quebec, Canada, 215 million years ago. The Morokweng Crater, which has a radius of 43.496 miles and was created in North West, South Africa, is ranked sixth. The Kara Crater in Nenetsia, Russia, with a 40.3891-mile radius, came in seventh 70.3 million years ago. The Chicxulub Crater, located in Yucatan, Mexico, has a radius of 106-186.411 miles and was formed 65 million years ago. It is known that the mass extinction that occurred on earth at the time was brought on by this specific impact event. The Popigai Crater in Siberia, Russia, with a 62.1371-mile radius, which was struck 35.7 million years ago, comes in ninth. The 52.8166-mile-radius Chesapeake Bay Crater in Virginia, United States, which struck 35 million years ago, the tenth is mostly on the list but equally destructive. Related Article: NASA to Search Again for Antarctic Meteorites An intruder who stole coins from a moat at a monkey enclosure in the city of Launceston in Tasmania, Australia, on Tuesday night, August 9, is being sought by local authorities. The search for the suspect is more than just a criminal matter for damaging the electric fence and stealing money. It is also a health security issue since the authorities believed that the perpetrator could have acquired a "potentially fatal" herpes virus. As a result, the Launceston council, along with health authorities law enforcement, are urging the said individual not only to surrender but also to seek medical attention. This is because the local officials feared that the intruder's close encounter with one or some of the monkeys could be a risk contracting the infamous "herpes b virus" carried by the primates at the enclosure, which houses macaque monkeys. Also called the monkey B virus or herpesvirus simiae, the Simplex virus is known for infecting macaque monkeys, which it carries at ease in most cases. This is due to the fact the virus can be asymptomatic and has not been considered by local authorities to be a risk to the monkeys. However, limited data on the viral infectious disease could be potentially deadly to humans. The enclosure where the macaque monkeys in Launceston are situated was built as part of a sister-city relationship between the Australian city and the Japanese city of Ikeda, where the simians came from. The macaques are part of the so-called "Old World monkeys" which are widely distributed in Asia, Southern Europe, North Africa, and Gibraltar. Monkey Enclosure Break-In Launceston Mayor, Albert Van Zetten, stated the intruder evidently intended to steal the coins, adding that if the disease is in the water, it could be transferred to humans, as cited by The Guardian. With this the council said the Tasmanian Department of Health and Tasmania police had been informed about the incident. Mayor Van Zetten also added that it is a matter of urgency and the intruder needs to monitor symptoms like blistering, numbness, pain, and flu-like symptoms. The Launceston official said that the monkeys exhibit ailments similar to the cold sores in humans. This is the first time the enclosure encountered a break-in. Also Read: Australia Plans to Release Herpes Virus in River to Eliminate European Carp Plague Herpes B Virus The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states B virus infection is "extremely rare" but it can yield to severe brain damage or even death unless the affect person gets treatment immediately. The US health body noted that people can normally get infected with the pathogen if an infected macaque monkey bites or scratches them, as well as having a contact with the primate's eyes, nose, or mouth. Despite being a zoonotic disease, there is only one case of human-to-human transmission of the herpes virus B, which was responsible for over 30 deaths worldwide. Commonly referred to as Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta), the brown primates with red faces and rears can live up to four years while in the wild, according to the National Geographic. Related Article: Ancient Herpes Virus Millions of Years Ago Found to be an Ancestor of the Current Cold Sore Virus: New Study The Chief of Staff of the French Navy, Pierre Vandier, was heard by the French Parliament at the end of July. He spoke about the war in Ukraine, the Chinese ambitions, the use of UAVs, the confrontation with Turkey, and the future of the French Navy. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link French Navy Chief of Staff and the Indian ambassador in Paris. (Picture source: Indian MFA) Pierre Vandier returned to the deterrence theory. Indeed, the French Navy has a permanent nuclear attack submarine at sea, replaced every sixty days by another one. War in Ukraine He spoke of the Russian presence in the Mediterranean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Russian naval potential, apart from the cruiser Moskva, has not been affected. The submarine force has hardly been used since the beginning of the conflict. Indeed, the conflict in Ukraine is primarily land-based. "In Ukraine, the naval part of the conflict was little mentioned, although it covered more or less all the fields of employment of a modern navy. On the fifth day of the war, Putin threatened dire consequences for anyone who interfered with his special operation and, to make his point, sent six ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), two in the Pacific and four from Murmansk, which made people realize the value of having an independent nuclear force." "Then Russia set up a blockade in the Black Sea, sinking two Ukrainian ships and no less than eleven merchant ships. It used naval platforms to fire cruise missiles. Faced with difficulties in ammunition stocks, it makes extensive use of ship and submarine stocks, as evidenced by the current strikes on Odessa." "Another example of anti-ship warfare was the missile strikes that caused the loss of the Moskva, the showcase of the Russian Navy. It sank in a few hours, proof of the lethality and violence of naval combat. In this regard, we can recall that the Royal Navy lost 14 ships in 72 days of conflict during the Falklands War in 1982. We prepared for this type of conflict during Exercise Polaris 21 and we continue to prepare for it." According to him, the Chinese are currently building a fleet of five icebreakers to give themselves the opportunity to shift their forces from the Pacific to the Atlantic, with the friendship of the Russians. Soon it will no longer be necessary to go to the China Sea to find Chinese military forces. He recalled that by 2030, the tonnage of the Chinese navy will be 2.5 times that of the U.S. navy, which, despite its efforts, will remain stable or even continue to shrink, while the Chinese fleet grows geometrically. In the Mediterranean, too, some navies are showing triple-digit growth in tonnage from 2008 to 2030. "Against the Chinese navy, we will win if we fight together, in a coalition." Nevertheless, he cautioned that due to various economic regulations, the French Navy has never been as small as it is today and will continue to shrink over the next two years. News of the French Navy He returned to the commissioning of the Suffren submarine and the sixth multi-mission frigate (FREMM), the Normandie. In November 2021, the Offshore Patrol Vessel Auguste Benebig was launched and will arrive in New Caledonia in early 2023. Finally, the Jacques Chevallier, the first Logistic Support Ship (BRF in French), was launched on 29 April 2022 and will begin trials in November. He stated that the future new-generation aircraft carrier will succeed the Charles de Gaulle in 2037 and that work on the SNLE 3G will begin in the fall. Pierre Vandier also said that the first anti-drug operation was conducted in the Atlantic Ocean, with the Mistral and a Schiebel drone, which remained in flight for four hours, alternating with the helicopter. The French Navy will have six Schiebel UAVs, which are currently being certified. As for large underwater drones, Naval Group has launched studies to develop a prototype. He also spoke of an incident with the Turks when the French Navy escorted a specialized vessel, which had obtained an agreement to explore oil drilling in southwest Cyprus. The Turks considered that these sectors fall under their sovereignty, the French frigate was surrounded by five Turkish frigates, which in the end dissuaded the operator from pursuing its activities in this sector. As large enterprises spread by deploying distributed data centers and on-prem or public-cloud services, their ability to control and manage applications and workloads utilizing that infrastructure is becoming more difficult. An emerging technology called multi-cloud networking software (MCNS) is coming together from a variety of vendorsCisco, Arista, VMware, and F5 among themto address many of these challenges. [ Get regularly scheduled insights by signing up for Network World newsletters. ] In a recent report Gartner said MCNS technology enables consistent networking policy, network security, governance, and network visibility across multiple cloud environments via a single point of management. MCNS products address traffic routing, secure ingress/egress and integrate with available public cloud services," Gartner wrote. "These products are delivered as software, which can be self-managed and/or delivered as a service, and are accessible via application programming interfaces (APIs) and user interfaces (UIs). MCNS products can use overlays and agents and/or orchestrate native cloud provider capabilities and can be deployed in one, or multiple, public cloud environments, and can extend the software to support edge locations and private data centers." The need arises because enterprises are becoming more distributed, said Ish Limkakeng senior vice president and general manager of Cloud Networking for Cisco. What used to be contained within the four walls of a customers data center has exploded across the internet, whether it is in multiple public cloud instances, whether its in colocation facilities, whether its making use of SaaS, or users working from anywhere as a result of the pandemic, the workloads and applications that what used to be your data center, or your corporate LAN are now spread across the internet, he said. One of the chief challenges that MCNS addresses is how to connect all of an enterprise's assets, applications, users, and data across all the logical connections, and still manage it in an efficient, effective and secure way, Limkakeng said. MCNS can automate connectivity so IT staff isnt manually nailing up connections for multiple different operating models for the same fundamental cloud networking infrastructure, Limkakeng said. You dont want to train people on multiple different constructs; you want to simplify operations to get consistent visibility, get the insight about whats happening in your infrastructure. Simplifying network operations is also at the heart of MCNS. Cisco stated earlier that it promises to simplify cloud environments by bridging the gap between NetOps, DevOps, and SecOps teams by providing a common controller and management framework. It can discover cloud-application intent and implement it across the cloud and non-cloud infrastructure securely and seamlessly. MCNS should enable organizations to cultivate collaboration between DevOps and NetOps teams for operational efficiency and also drive faster application deployment, Cisco stated. MCNS also promises to simplify enterprise environments by providing a single point of control for network security, access, and policy setting. Cisco recently made a significant addition to its MCNS portfolio with the introduction of Nexus Cloud, which lets data-centers manage core Nexus switches in the cloud. The package, expected this fall, is based on the companys Intersight infrastructure-management and -monitoring platform and will be delivered as a service. It will manage networked resources across public cloud, private cloud and edge-computing environments. Nexus Clouds API lets customers manage different Cisco on-premises infrastructures, Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) architecture, and NXOS Nexus switches from a single location. This allows for extension to various clouds, so customers can analyze and retrieve key information about global fabric performance, ultimately allowing organizations to operate it from the cloud, Cisco said. The Nexus Cloud platform approach to MCNS is what Limkakeng said will separate Cisco from its competitors. With Nexus Cloud and our other components we have a wide variety of assets in our cloud networking portfolio that most of our competitors dont have, Limkakeng said. Film Critic Chuck Koplinski is The News-Gazette's film critic. His email is chuckkoplinski@gmail.com and you can follow him on Twitter (@ckoplinski). 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). Multimedia Specialist Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis). Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). Japanese illustrator Uyama Tsumugi: introducing modern China to Japanese people is perhaps my mission in Shanghai From:english.eastday.com | 2022-08-09 20:31 It seems to be uncommon in Shanghai nowadays to find someone living in an old house, wearing a big flowered cotton jacket, using hot water bottles and enamel washbasins, etc. However, there is a Japanese girl named Uyama Tsumugi in Shanghai, using a variety of such items with typical Chinese elements in her daily life. Her illustrations, exemplifying those Chinese style elements, have attracted wide attention recently. Since she looks somewhat similar to a well-known Chinese comedian Jia Ling, some people jokingly call her "the Japanese Jia Ling", which was the first impression people knew about her. A reporter from Eastday.com interviewed her recently and thus got a further understanding of her life and her dreams to give a better and more vivid picture of modern China to the Japanese people. The biggest personal improvement under lockdown: cooking creativity The reporter learned the name Uyama Tsumugi from a news article during the lockdown period in Shanghai and was fascinated by her illustrations. Ms Uyama said that she drew more than 10 illustrations during the closed-loop management, recording her life during this special period."Before the lockdown, I mostly fed on take-outs, but take-outs were almost all stopped during the lockdown. Therefore, I started cooking by myself, and the biggest harvest was that I had made great progress in cooking and had created many new dishes. When I first made shredded pork with green pepper, the green pepper was so spicy that my eyes became watery," Ms Uyama said. When she was short of food, she also received help from a delivery boy and felt the warmth of neighbors helping each other."I knew a delivery boy surnamed Wang. At the beginning of the lockdown, my supplies at home gradually decreased. After learning that I was running low on food, the delivery boy went home and brought me eggs and vegetables, etc. Mr Wang said that it wasdestinythat we had met each other, and he couldnt just sit by while I was going hungry". I am particularly grateful to him, Ms Uyama said. Ms Uyama lives in an old house in Xuhui District. Her neighbors are elderly aunts and uncles, who also tried their best to help Ms Uyama."During the lockdown, when for the first time I needed to perform an at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen test, it was already 8 p.m. I didn't understand how to deal with it, so I knocked on the door of my next-door neighbor. He showed me the procedure of an at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen test. Luckily, there were such kind neighbors around," she said. My mission to stay in Shanghai: to tell the Japanese about modern China Ms Uyama never tires of talking about food. When she first came to Shanghai, she liked spicy hot pot, Lanzhou Lamian, Wuxi Baozi (filled steamed buns), and Kaisilings chestnut cake. She seemed to be interested in the traditional Shanghai old brands and decided to do some research before putting them into her own paintings. She is so deeply seduced by so many things in the life of Chinese people that she loves almost everything related to modern China even some things that dont seem to be popular any more among native people. For example, the spittoon, the big red cotton jacket, and the old bed she sleeps in."When I was looking for a house to move in last year, I found a flat with a bed boasting a history of nearly 100 years, and I immediately decided to rent it though the kitchen and bathroom of it are shared by many tenants. Sleeping in a bed with history is also a unique experience, right," she said. She embodies her love for Chinese culture in her paintings. On her Weibo page, the reporter found her anthropomorphic paintings of Chinese festivals. She said that her original intention is to introduce these festivals to the Japanese in a down-to-earth way of expression. In one of her illustrations showing the National Day of China, a girl is hurrying on with her journey dragging her luggage, showing the annual National Day holiday trips that many Chinese people take. In addition, Ms Uyama also painted a series of works such as Shanghai Painting Diary,Japanese Living In An Old House, and Japanese Under Lockdown, recording the details of her life. In addition, she also takes Japanese people in Shanghai to participate in an activity called "Shanghai Citywalk" when conditions permit."It's a joint effort between me and Geli Dong, a Shanghai-based historical researcher, who is in charge of the presentation and I am in charge of the operation. There are now nearly 20 routes and more than 400 members, some of whom are Japanese people in Shanghai and some are Chinese people who want to learn Japanese. We want to take people to wander about every street and corner of the city so that they can learn about a different Shanghai. This is another way for me to introduce Shanghai to Japanese people," Ms Uyama said. "I love Shanghai. I feel a special connection with Shanghai. Although some people left Shanghai when the lockdown ended, I choose to stay here. I like the way of life here, feeling free here. I hope to introduce the modern Shanghai, China, and the daily supplies that Chinese people use to Japanese people. Perhaps this is my mission in Shanghai," she said. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties. She showed the logo she is designing for this purpose, hoping that it could be used in some Sino-Japanese products in the future, so as to make a small contribution to the friendship between China and Japan. Resume: Uyama Tsumugi is a Japanese illustrator. She graduated from Musashino Art University in Japan and now lives in Shanghai. She has been here for seven years. In firefighting, the worst flames are the ones you don't see coming. Amid the chaos of a burning building, it is difficult to notice the signs of impending flashover -; a deadly fire phenomenon wherein nearly all combustible items in a room ignite suddenly. Flashover is one of the leading causes of firefighter deaths, but new research suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) could provide first responders with a much-needed heads-up. Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and other institutions have developed a Flashover Prediction Neural Network (FlashNet) model to forecast the lethal events precious seconds before they erupt. In a new study published in Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, FlashNet boasted an accuracy of up to 92.1% across more than a dozen common residential floorplans in the U.S. and came out on top when going head-to-head with other AI-based flashover predicting programs. Flashovers tend to suddenly flare up at approximately 600 degrees Celsius (1,100 degrees Fahrenheit) and can then cause temperatures to shoot up further. To anticipate these events, existing research tools either rely on constant streams of temperature data from burning buildings or use machine learning to fill in the missing data in the likely event that heat detectors succumb to high temperatures. Until now, most machine learning-based prediction tools, including one the authors previously developed, have been trained to operate in a single, familiar environment. In reality, firefighters are not afforded such luxury. As they charge into hostile territory, they may know little to nothing about the floorplan, the location of fire or whether doors are open or closed. Our previous model only had to consider four or five rooms in one layout, but when the layout switches and you have 13 or 14 rooms, it can be a nightmare for the model. For real-world application, we believe the key is to move to a generalized model that works for many different buildings." Wai Cheong Tam, NIST mechanical engineer, co-first author of the new study To cope with the variability of real fires, the researchers beefed up their approach with graph neural networks (GNN), a kind of machine learning algorithm good at making judgments based on graphs of nodes and lines, representing different data points and their relationships with one another. "GNNs are frequently used for estimated time of arrival, or ETA, in traffic where you can be analyzing 10 to 50 different roads. It's very complicated to properly make use of that kind of information simultaneously, so that's where we got the idea to use GNNs," said Eugene Yujun Fu, a research assistant professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and study co-first author. "Except for our application, we're looking at rooms instead of roads and are predicting flashover events instead of ETA in traffic." The researchers digitally simulated more than 41,000 fires in 17 kinds of buildings, representing a majority of the U.S. residential building stock. In addition to layout, factors such as the origin of the fire, types of furniture and whether doors and windows were open or closed varied throughout. They provided the GNN model with a set of nearly 25,000 fire cases to use as study material and then 16,000 for fine tuning and final testing. Across the 17 kinds of homes, the new model's accuracy depended on the amount of data it had to chew on and the lead time it sought to provide firefighters. However, the model's accuracy -; at best, 92.1% with 30 seconds of lead time -; outperformed five other machine-learning-based tools, including the authors' previous model. Critically, the tool produced the least false negatives, dangerous cases where the models fail to predict an imminent flashover. The authors threw FlashNet into scenarios where it had no prior information about the specifics of a building and the fire burning inside it, similar to the situation firefighters often find themselves in. Given those constraints, the tool's performance was quite promising, Tam said. However, the authors still have a ways to go before they can take FlashNet across the finish line. As a next step, they plan to battle-test the model with real-world, rather than simulated, data. "In order to fully test our model's performance, we actually need to build and burn our own structures and include some real sensors in them," Tam said. "At the end of the day, that's a must if we want to deploy this model in real fire scenarios." Older adults with atrial cardiopathy (a major, often undetected cardiac cause of stroke) may be at increased risk of developing dementia, according to new research led by Johns Hopkins Medicine. The findings were published Aug. 10 in the Journal of the American Heart Association. More than 55 million people live with dementia worldwide, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year, according to the World Health Organization. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning thinking, remembering and reasoning to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities. Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers studied 5,078 older adults living in four U.S. communities: Washington County, Maryland; Forsyth County, North Carolina; northwestern suburbs of Minneapolis; and Jackson, Mississippi. The participants did not have dementia when the study began. The researchers sought to determine if there was a difference in the number of people who developed dementia by comparing a group that had markers of left atrial (one chamber of the heart) dysfunction versus those who did not. Stroke and atrial fibrillation are two medical conditions tied to atrial cardiopathy [dysfunction of the atrium, or left upper cavity of the heart]. We looked to see if we could find any association between the left atrium and dementia that was mediated by, or as a result of, the development of either one of these conditions.". Michelle Johansen, M.D., Ph.D., study author, assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and attending physician in The Johns Hopkins Hospital's cerebrovascular division In the study, Johansen and her colleagues found that the prevalence of atrial cardiopathy among participants was 34%. The mean age of the participants was 75, and 59% were female adults and 21% were Black adults. Johansen says the team looked at three markers that could be obtained from routine medical tests to measure the function of the left atrium. These include an echocardiogram (a test of the heart action using ultrasound waves to produce a visual display), an electrocardiogram (a record or display of a person's heartbeat) and a blood marker that determines how the heart functions. Using these three tests, the team established a definition of atrial cardiopathy and then grouped participants into whether they met this definition. "We found that patients who had atrial cardiopathy as we defined in our study had a higher hazard, or rate, of dementia over time versus those who did not have atrial cardiopathy," Johansen says. She also says this is believed to be the first time this has been shown to be the case. Additionally, the team found that the effect was not mediated through either atrial fibrillation or stroke despite that these medical conditions are known to be associated with dementia. Johansen says the study is important for people without symptomatic cardiac disease. Those with rather subtle changes in the left atrium are at an increased risk of dementia even after controlling for other vascular risk factors. In future research, the team hopes to understand the mechanism behind this association better. This study was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The research team also includes Wendy Wang, M.P.H., Michael Zhang, M.D., Ph.D., David Knopman, M.D., Chiadi Ndumele, M.D., Ph.D., Thomas Mosley, Ph.D., Elizabeth Selvin, M.P.H., Ph.D., Amil Shah, M.D., M.P.H., Scott Solomon, M.D., Rebecca Gottesman, M.D., Ph.D., and Lin Yee Chen, M.D., M.S. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/">Johns Hopkins Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that the number and severity of pressure ulcers suffered by Medicare residents in U.S. nursing homes is substantially underreported, leading to unreliable data that many consumers use to determine where to receive long- or short-term care. These findings are detailed in a study published August 9 in the journal Medical Care. The study is the latest from University of Chicago researchers investigating the accuracy of data reported by nursing homes to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Their previous study examined the accuracy of self-reported figures detailing the number and severity of falls by residents in U.S. nursing homes. Both studies focused on the reliability of the CMS Nursing Home Care Compare system, launched in the 1990s as a consumer-friendly way to research nursing homes based on a Five-Star Quality Rating System. For a second time, researchers found the self-reported data to be highly inaccurate. Given how inaccurate the falls data turned out to be, we wanted to look at other Nursing Home Care Compare patient safety indicators. So, we next considered pressure ulcers. There's a lot you can do to prevent them, but they can have very bad outcomes if they're not managed." Prachi Sanghavi, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago Researchers compared the resident-level data behind the ratings to patient-level hospital admission data and skilled nursing facility claims for Medicare beneficiaries. They found that between 2011 and 2017, nursing homes self-reported only 59.7% of hospitalized pressure ulcers between stages 2-4 among long-stay residents. Pressure ulcer severity is assessed on a six-stage scale, based on skin color and tissue loss, with stage 6 being most severe. Long-stay residents typically live in nursing homes long-term and receive care there, often paid for by Medicaid. Short-stay residents usually stay in these facilities while recovering from a surgery or procedure that needs additional care outside of the immediate hospital stay, and are often covered by Medicare. In addition, researchers found that Black nursing home residents suffered from more severe pressure ulcers than white residents. The research showed that among short-stay residents, 40.8% of white residents, 50.4% of Black residents and 46.1% of Hispanic residents suffered stage 4 ulcers. Among long-stay residents, 45.6% of white residents, 54.2% of Black residents and 48.9% of Hispanic residents suffered stage 4 ulcers. However, this was offset by higher reporting rates for more severe pressure ulcers, so differences in reporting by race were small. "I don't quite understand the logic of relying on data that nursing homes may find both administratively challenging to report and have a strong disincentive to report as opposed to using data sets that CMS already has that are far more objective and cover a large part of the nursing home population, either alternatively or additionally," Sanghavi said. "I'm hoping that CMS will recognize that their measures are inaccurate and misleading, and I hope that they shift to using more objective data sources for measuring quality of care in nursing homes," she said. Sanghavi and her team now are researching the accuracy of self-reported data on urinary tract infections and pneumonia cases, the two most common infections among nursing home residents prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. That paper is expected to be published next year. Sometimes too much of a good thing is not good at all. Inhibiting the function of the PD-1 protein, which blocks immune function, has shown high therapeutic efficacy in cancer immunotherapy. However, when this function is inhibited for an extended period of time, autoimmune diseases may develop. Now, researchers at Kyoto University have developed a cancer therapy model in which existing medication can be used to transiently degrade and reduce the protein responsible for programmed cell death. We constructed a cancer therapy model in which endogenous PD-1 on immune cells in mice can be degraded for only a necessary period of time." Chie Naruse, lead author Her team utilizes the small-molecule-assisted shutoff -- or SMASh -- degron system in both cultured cells and mice in vivo after introducing the medically-approved protease inhibitors asunaprevir and grazoprevir. SMASh tags are used as markers for proteolysis in the degron system, where they are fused to the PD-1 protein. This approach is effective in demonstrating the reduction of PD-1 in specific T cells after drug administration. "Cancer cell growth was also suppressed in wild-type mice in which immune cells were replaced with those from knock-in mice," the author adds. The method, however, may require some tweaking. Some older knock-in mice were observed to develop mild autoimmune diseases without the introduction of either inhibitor. Naruse concludes, "We are now working on an improved system in which PD-1 degradation does not occur without drug administration, possibly leading the way to a simpler treatment for cancer." A new study offers the possibility of unmasking genetic mutations in an organ well before commonly-used screening techniques detect signs of cancer. The secret lies in hunting through seemingly healthy tissue for the genetic coding behind tumors, using methods developed at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. KTH Professor Joakim Lundeberg says the screening of organs was done with spatial transcriptomics, which maps tissue without breaking it up, while diving deep into cells to expose genetic activity within an organ's wider cell environment. Publishing today in Nature, Lundeberg and collaborators at the University of Oxford, Karolinska Institutet and Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab) joint research center in Stockholm reported an unprecedented find. Within cross-sections of prostate organs, the genetic alterations in seemingly healthy, unaffected cells surprisingly matched those of the tumor cells. "This was such a surprise," Lundeberg says. "You wouldn't capture this in routine microscopic examinations. We're seeing things outside of the tumor, and what's so exciting is that we could get an understanding of the evolution from healthy tissue to tumor establishment. "It's possible now that we could actually be able to identify the earliest events in cancer progression. Imagine if we could define these molecular signatures to develop biomarkers to screen and identify patients before a tumor develops." Spatial transcriptomics differs sharply from histological sampling, in which a layer of tissue is visually examined under the microscope and scored by a pathologist. "That's like looking under a lamppost only focusing on the tumor, but not in the surrounding areas, and it is a very subjective type of science," Lundeberg says. By contrast, spatial transcriptomics is unbiased, and much more extensive than microscopy, although for widespread use in clinical practice, measurements of genetic alterations need to be crunched down in cost. Lundeberg says that Moore's Law could begin to take hold as a wider community of oncologists become familiar with the methodology. One early champion is the study's own co-author, Alastair Lamb, a urologist who focuses on surgical treatment of prostate cancer patients with the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences. "We have never had this level of resolution available before," Lamb said in a press statement from Oxford. "For example, we have found that many of the copy number events we previously thought to be linked specifically to cancer are actually already present in benign tissue. This has big implications for diagnosis and also potentially for deciding which bits of a cancer need treating." A recent article posted to the Research Square* preprint server illustrated that early intervention with azelastine nasal spray therapy might lower the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) load among virus-infected patients. Background Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) strongly impacts the daily lives of people, medications for treating early infections are urgently needed to stop their progression. The nose and nasopharynx typically have the highest viral titers during early SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, a nasal spray containing an active ingredient that prevents viral entry and replication might delay or stop the disease's progression to the lower respiratory tract and lessen transmission to non-infected people. An approved medicinal product, azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray, is presently used for allergic rhinitis treatment at 0.1% w/v concentration. Azelastine hydrochloride, the active ingredient, is a histamine-1 receptor antagonist that exhibits anti-inflammatory actions by stabilizing mast cells and preventing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and leukotrienes. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, numerous independent research organizations demonstrated azelastine as a viable option for drug repurposing to lower SARS-CoV-2 viral load and infection frequencies. About the study In the present parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 2 study named CARVIN, the researchers aimed to verify the preclinical data demonstrating the antiviral efficacy of azelastine among SARS-CoV-2-positive patients. The trial was performed at the Otorhinolaryngology Department of the University of Cologne in Germany. Outpatients who visited COVID-19 test centers were informed of the opportunity to participate in the study. Patients between 18 and 60 years were eligible for participation if they tested SARS-CoV-2-positive within 48 hours before enrollment and had to home quarantine under local health authority guidelines. The investigators, who were doctors with specialties in otorhinolaryngology, general medicine, or medical hygiene, regularly visited patients at home. The team randomized 90 COVID-19-positive patients into one of three treatment groups, receiving placebo and azelastine nasal spray in varying concentrations, i.e., 002% or 01%, for 11 days (the treatment phase), during which time virus loads were measured using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Scientists monitored the patients' conditions throughout the research, including during safety check-ups on days 16 and 60. Moreover, the symptoms were recorded in patient diaries. Results The study results indicated that the initial SARS-CoV-2 loads were log 10 685 131 copies/mL of open reading frame 1a/b (ORF 1a/b) gene. Based on a literature assessment conducted during research preparation in the 2020 autumn, this result was higher versus the predicted mean viral load of log 10 5.5 3.00 copies/mL. Additionally, the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant was present in most study participants. From day 1 of the treatment (baseline) to day 11, the viral load decreased gradually in all three groups, resembling the two-week natural SARS-CoV-2 clearance period. Notably, the area under the curve (AUC) analysis illustrating the decline in viral load based on the ORF 1a/b gene detection throughout the 11-day treatment period revealed a considerably higher drop in viral load in the 0.1% azelastine cohort relative to the placebo. Compared to the placebo arm, the viral load in the 0.1% group was significantly lower on day 4 in a subgroup of patients with an initial cycle threshold (Ct) value of less than 25. Negative PCR results came earlier and more often in the azelastine-treated cohorts: 2143% and 1852% in the 002% and 01% groups, respectively, relative to 0% for the placebo group on day 8. Besides, the frequency of adverse events was similar across all treatment cohorts, with no safety issues. Of note, just one patient complained about the well-known bitter taste of azelastine, and compliance across treatment groups was identical, suggesting that the taste had no negative impact on treatment adherence. Overall, the authors noted that the study results indicate the antiviral potential of azelastine. Conclusions Overall, the present proof-of-concept research sought to determine whether nasally administered azelastine might have the ability to decrease the viral load by preventing viral entrance and replication in COVID-19-positive patients and could have a significant effect on subsequent viral spread across the community. The trial revealed the first human evidence demonstrating that azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray could be beneficial in speeding the decrease of viral load inside the nasal cavity and alleviating symptoms experienced by COVID-19 patients. Although the current findings are promising, additional investigations are required to support them. Indeed, the authors also mentioned that future studies should include people in various risk and age groups and those with varying degrees of symptom intensity. Despite the small sample size of the present trial, the researchers noted that the findings nonetheless provide a solid platform for a currently planned phase 3 investigation. Besides, how azelastine nasal spray impacts symptom severity and advancement to severe COVID-19 will be examined in a larger patient group during this phase 3 study. *Important notice Preprints with Research Square publish preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. Existing health disparities amongst ethnic minorities with diabetes have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study published in the journal Diabetes Care has reported. Academics from the University of Leicester are urging care services to address the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on people from ethnic minority backgrounds after highlighting an increase in health inequalities. In this review, the team of researchers from the UK and US examined the larger structural barriers in society that put ethnic minorities with diabetes at greater risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes. These barriers include structural inequities in adequate housing, food, education, employment opportunities, and neighborhood resources. According to this extensive review, these barriers are important determinants of health for people with diabetes or COVID-19, particularly those in high-risk populations such as ethnic minorities. The academics found that people from ethnic minority backgrounds can experience severe coronavirus outcomes because of their differences in comorbid conditions (the presence of one or more additional conditions often co-occurring with a primary condition), exposure risk and access to treatment. Previous academic studies have failed to address wider structural issues that can trigger health inequalities amongst people from ethnic minority backgrounds. The research was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East Midlands and NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre. Diabetes is a risk factor for severe COVID-19, and the combination of these ethnic disparities may have contributed to the inequality of coronavirus outcomes for those living with the condition. As we now plan for recovery, improved surveillance, and risk factor management, it will be imperative that primary and specialist care services urgently focus on the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on ethnic minority populations." Only by taking a long-term, holistic view of health care will we, and particularly our most vulnerable populations, be able to cope better with future pandemics." Professor Kamlesh Khunti CBE, Director of NIHR ARC East Midlands and the Real World Evidence Unit and Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine at the University of Leicester, lead author of the review NIHR ARC East Midlands funds vital work to tackle the region's health and care priorities by speeding up the adoption of research onto the frontline of health and social care. The organisation puts in place evidence-based innovations which seek to drive up standards of care and save time and money. NIHR ARC East Midlands is hosted by Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and works in collaboration with the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network. It has bases at the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham. The diagnostics company SphingoTec GmbH (SphingoTec), announces that, during the 4th Scientific Symposium held near Potsdam, Germany, international medical experts discussed the latest developments in diagnostic and therapeutic innovations for advancing precision medicine in critically ill patients. The approach encompasses organ-specific biomarkers working hand in hand with drug candidates and existing therapies to improve the management of diseases such as sepsis and septic shock, acute kidney injury, COVID-19, and cardiogenic shock. The successful transition of the biomarkers from research to clinical routine is an important step that was addressed by current routine users. Biomarkers from research to clinical practice Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects 1 in 3 ICU patients. Since the therapeutical options are limited, the focus lies in managing the symptoms and avoiding the progression of AKI. However, current diagnostics are too late and insensitive, thus resulting in a limited intervention window. In AKI we need to bring the diagnostic clock before the current clinical clock to avoid further organ dysfunction. Proenkephalin A 119 - 159 (penKid) is a kidney function biomarker with more swift kinetics that strongly correlates with the actual glomerular filtration rate (GFR). It allows to detect a change in kidney function more than 24 hours earlier compared to the current diagnostic standard creatinine. We have confirmed these findings by developing a formula for estimating the GFR using penKid. After measuring penKid against complex and invasive reference diagnostics and comparing it to existing formulas for kidney function, we have seen a superior performance of the new penKid model. Prof. Peter Pickkers, Head of Research in Intensive Care Medicine, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre. Notably, the biomarker penKid shows good kinetics in both adults and children. It is earlier than the current standard of care, and its property of not being influenced by muscle mass, inflammation and common comorbidities allows for monitoring the patients condition, especially in critical care. Scientists and routine users of penKid highlighted the potential to predict AKI development and recovery, as well as the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), which are unique features for a kidney biomarker. Prof. Gernot Marx, Clinic Director of the University Hospital RWTH Aachen, comments: We have made the first steps in translating scientific research into clinical practice. Measuring penKid in the morning routine required a change of our procedure and the alignment of all teams. Once established, we have seen immediate benefits in our daily practice that range from better risk stratification to early identification of worsening and improvement of renal function. The potential of this biomarker has not yet been fully exploited, therefore we are currently focused on better understanding the benefits for patients under RRT. Precision medicine relies on biomarkers for a targeted approach Not only diagnosing but also treating patients correctly can be a major challenge, especially if the underlying mechanisms of a disease vary and require different therapies. This is the case, for example, with sepsis, a disease that encompasses a very heterogeneous group of patients, making the discovery of new therapies very challenging. The biomarkers bioactive adrenomedullin (bio-ADM) and dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (DPP3) distinguish between two independent etiologies of septic shock. This facilitates the identification of separate homogenous groups of shock patients with the respective pathological mechanisms. The biomarkers bio-ADM and DPP3 are biologically active. This means they can be both, biomarkers that point at different pathophysiologies of sepsis, but also biotargets for new drug candidates that modulate their activity, allowing specific treatment of respective disease mechanisms. Prof. Alexandre Mebazaa, Head of the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Lariboisiere, Paris. Bio-ADM identifies patients with endothelial dysfunction causing vascular leakage, which escalates into shock and organ dysfunction. The medical experts discussed the latest findings on Adrecizumab, a new promising clinical late-stage drug candidate developed by Adrenomed AG, that targets endothelial barrier dysfunction. A separate disease mechanism, leading to hemodynamic instability and shock in sepsis, is the depletion of angiotensin II. DPP3, a biomarker that causes this depletion has been proposed to identify patients who may not be able to develop a positive treatment effect due to the different pathophysiology, thus excluding them from the respective clinical trials. Apart from the use of DPP3 as an enrichment tool for clinical trials, the modulation of DPP3 activity by the antibody Procizumab, a new drug candidate developed by 4TEEN4 Pharmaceuticals, has been discussed. Beyond sepsis and septic shock, the identified pathophysiologies could be of relevance in other distinct major mortality drivers such as COVID-19 and cardiogenic shock. Dr. Andreas Bergmann, the founder of the three companies SphingoTec, Adrenomed, and 4TEEN4, summarizes: During the symposium, we have shared the same vision with prestigious representatives of the critical care community: bringing personalized medicine in critical care to the same level the colleagues in oncology have succeeded. At the core of this endeavor are biomarkers that guide clinical decision making and support the development of new therapies. Now SphingoTecs biomarkers are well positioned for the adoption in clinical routine, laying a strong basis for "precision medicine". Five Ontario-based research projects will take the next step toward advancing cancer care in the province thanks to funding from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR). OICR is announcing the first round of recipients of its new Innovation to Implementation Supplement (I2IS), which aims to help discoveries in cancer overcome barriers to health system implementation. All five projects advance research programs that were previously funded by OICR within the past five years. The supplemental funding announced today completes the continuum for these projects, helping them build on their previous success and translate what they have already learned into real-world impact. With Ontario's population aging and the number of cancer diagnoses on the rise, translational cancer research that makes a difference in people's lives is more important than ever. OICR is proud to have supported these innovative projects over the past few years and we hope this new funding will give them an extra push to take the next step now and shape cancer care and policy in Ontario." Dr. Laszlo Radvanyi, OICR President and Scientific Director Each of the five supported projects is led by experts in their field taking a unique approach to addressing cancer: Dr. Geoffrey Fong of the University of Waterloo is studying the positive impact of government policies aimed at reducing the negative effects of tobacco smoking, the world's largest cause of preventable cancer. With this funding, he will work with Ontario and international experts to model the impact of 'endgame' tobacco control policies, like New Zealand's Smokefree 2025 plan, if they were to be implemented in Canada. "Stopping people from smoking is one of most effective ways to prevent cancer, and tobacco control policy is one of the most effective ways to stop people from smoking. The knowledge we gain from this research could provide evidence to guide smoke-free policies in Ontario, Canada and around the world." Dr. Geoffrey Fong Dr. Harriet Feilotter of Queen's University and colleagues have created the Implementation Laboratory (IL), a central lab that can advise Ontario hospitals on the best way to test tumours for cancer biomarkers. I2IS funding will help them generate more evidence for the use of the lab and design educational and clinical tools to help Ontario hospitals access it. "Testing tumors for genetic mutations can lead to personalized cancer treatment, but hospitals are largely on their own to figure out how to do it. A centralized, standardized lab will improve how the province makes genetic research available to cancer patients." Dr. Harriet Feilotter Dr. Monika Krzyzanowska of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre at the University Health Network is exploring remote interventions to help cancer patients to manage the side effects of chemotherapy between visits to the clinic. Support from OICR will help Krzyzanowska and her team capitalize on the recent growth of virtual healthcare by implementing and evaluating a telephone-based symptom management program at a large Ontario cancer centre focusing on high-risk patients undergoing chemotherapy. "Supporting cancer patients to manage chemotherapy side effects in their homes instead of having to come to the Cancer Centre or the emergency department is good for patients, their caregivers and good for the health system. We are excited to learn more about the potential of expanding this telephone-based approach to our most at-risk patients." Dr. Monika Krzyzanowska Dr. Alexander Louie and Dr. Ambika Parmar of Sunnybrook Research Institute are investigating how to best determine the cost-effectiveness of publicly funding new cancer drugs for metastatic lung cancer. With OICR's support, they and their colleagues will develop a framework to assess cost-effectiveness that considers the many sub-types of lung cancer and use the results to engage with Canadian drug-funding agencies. "There are exciting new drugs that can improve outcomes for people with lung cancer, but they are expensive. A comprehensive framework for assessing the costs and benefits of these drugs could help drug-funding agencies make informed decisions about whether to fund them." Dr. Alexander Louie Dr. William Wai Lun Wong of the University of Waterloo is studying real-world evidence data generated outside of clinical trials about the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy, a promising but expensive immunotherapy. With I2IS funding, he will engage patients, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to understand how this evidence can be harnessed to guide healthcare decision-making about the future of CAR T-cell therapy. "Though CAR T-cell therapy has shown a lot of promise in managing cancer, plenty of questions remain. Real-world evidence can give the agencies that assess healthcare technologies new insights about CAR T-cell therapy's efficacy and cost-effectiveness, and potentially help them assess whether it should be publicly funded." Dr. William Wai Lun Wong I2IS is part of OICR's Clinical Translation initiative, a program that advances Ontario cancer discoveries to support earlier and more effective detection and treatment of hard-to-treat cancers and foster precision medicine for cancer patients. The funding supports OICR's strategy to further ensure its research is having direct impact on cancer patients. "Our government is proud to support the work of OICR, which has an impressive track record of helping to move oncology discoveries to real world application," said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. "These five research projects could lead to important advances in the early detection and intervention of cancer, as well as improved patient outcomes." Findings Stimulator of interferon genes, or STING, helps regulate immune activation. Thus, drugs that activate STING are being tested as a form of cancer immunotherapy and for treating certain infections. Findings from this study reveal previously unknown functional links between STING signaling and immunometabolism. They also suggest that positron emission tomography (PET) imaging could provide a widely accessible approach to measure the pharmacodynamic effects of using STING-activating drugs. Background Oral and IV administration of STING-activating drugs stimulate potent anti-tumor responses in mouse models of cancer, suggesting this as a possible strategy for human therapy. Until now, however, researchers have not had a way to determine the magnitude, duration and location of immune activation. This research, led by UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center investigators, investigated whether systemic STING activation induces metabolic alterations in immune cells that can be visualized by PET imaging. Methods Lab mice were treated with systemic STING agonists and later imaged with PET scans using standard fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) radiotracing. Immune cells from the spleen were analyzed by RNA sequencing and flow cytometry. The amount of tracer in B and T lymphocytes was measured. In mice bearing prostate or pancreas cancer tumors, the effects of STING agonist treatment on tracer uptake, T-lymphocyte activation marker levels, and tumor growth were evaluated. Impact Systemic delivery of STING-activating drugs in mice significantly increased PET tracer uptake in the spleen. Analyses of immune cells indicated an increase of tracer in both T and B lymphocytes correlated with the induction of immune cell activation markers. In tumor-bearing mice, STING agonist administration significantly delayed tumor growth and increased radiotracer uptake in secondary lymphoid glands. In addition to identifying previously unknown functional links between STING signaling and immunometabolism, the study suggests that readily available PET scanning could enable a whole-body analysis of the effects of systemic STING-activating therapy in humans. This could potentially provide a diagnostic tool guiding clinical development of this treatment approach. Expert comments "A new generation of STING agonists have broadened the available routes of administration to include systemic immune activation and are thus moving quickly in the clinical setting of cancer immunotherapy," said co-first co-author Hailey Lee, a graduate student in the laboratory of Dr. Caius Radu, a professor in the Molecular and Medical Pharmacology and Surgery Departments at UCLA and a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Radu, the article's senior author, said, "Given that overstimulation of the immune system could lead to potential toxic side effects for STING agonists, significant questions remain in regard to optimizing the correct dose and treatment schedule for individual patients. Our recent investigation into the identification of a clinically applicable biomarker highlights PET as a readout for measuring STING agonist-induced immune activation in both the preclinical and clinical settings." Co-first author Thuc Le, an adjunct professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at UCLA, added, "Such imaging tools can guide the dosing and scheduling of STING agonists to minimize the risk of immune overstimulation while still retaining therapeutic efficacy. We hope our findings will impact the clinical application of STING agonists." Authors Co-first authors Thuc Le and Hailey Lee are UCLA researchers, as are Evan Abt, Khalid Rashid, Amanda Creech, Liu Wei, Amanda Labora, Charlotte Chan, Eric Sanchez, Daniel Karin, Luyi Li, Nanping Wu, Christine Mona, Giuseppe Carlucci, Willy Hugo, Ting-Ting Wu, Timothy Donahue, Johannes Czernin, and corresponding author Caius Radu. Keke Liang is with China Medical University in Shenyang, China. Jing Cui is with Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Hubei, China. Arthur Cho is with Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. Kriti Kriti is with Elucidata Corp. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this interview, News-Medical Life Sciences talks to Angela Visgandis, Product Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific about how quality control in the food and beverage industry has changed over the years. insights from industry Angela Visgandis Product Specialist Thermo Fisher Scienitific In this interview, News-Medical Life Sciences talks to Angela Visgandis, Product Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific about how quality control in the food and beverage industry has changed over the years. Discover how the Thermo Scientific Heratherm Microbiological Incubators can help aid manufacturers with the common challenges faced in the industry. Can you explain how quality control in food and beverage production has changed over recent years? In recent years, Quality Control teams operating within food and beverage production have seen improvements in data accuracy, reliability, speed and efficiency of analysis in order to keep pace with changing production demands and market conditions. This has driven improvements to the equipment and workflows used for many ISO standard methods and has led to digitalisation of data management. Why is the need for quality control at an all-time high? In recent years, the food and beverage industry has seen an explosion in the diversity of products, ingredients, processing techniques and packaging formats. In addition, the regulatory landscape has become more stringent with ever-increasing operational standards expected by both consumers and retailers. Why is quality control so important for producers? Quality Control teams are in place to ensure that the products leaving the facility are within specification both in terms of safety and quality, which help ensure that they are safe and will deliver consumer satisfaction. Without quality control the food producer will run the risk of making people ill (or worse) or through loss of revenue as consumers transition to competing brands in. What are the key elements of quality control? Successful quality control often relies upon the ability to obtain the right information to enable the correct process decisions to uphold product quality, including whether to release finished batches for retail. As key production decisions are based on the information, it is imperative that the data obtained is accurate, reliable and delivered in a timely fashion so as not to disrupt production schedules. Typically this would involve assessing key quality parameters of ingredients and product samples taken at the critical stages of production linked to the HACCP plan, and also of finished packaged goods. The key quality parameters are determined by the nature of the product, the surrounding legislation, and the expectations of the consumer. The analytical methods and necessary products required to measure the quality parameters will be carefully chosen to help ensure that the data is trustworthy, reliable and can be efficiently used by the QC team. In most cases with food and beverage products, some degree of microbiological analysis will be helpful in order to ensure that the products are safe and will achieve the desired shelf-life once packaged. Can you explain what some of your products are and how they help address these key elements? At Thermo Fisher Scientific, we help Quality Control teams to protect against customer complaints and operate more efficiently, by providing a range of laboratory products for fast, accurate and reliable data collection across chemical and microbiological analysis workflows. Microbiological analysis is perhaps the most important element of quality control as the risks associated with contamination are so great both in terms of the potential and of the impact of a contamination. As such, most food and beverage products have stringent microbiological specifications to safeguard against the threat of spoilage, or of pathogenic organisms. At the heart of the microbiological analysis workflow is the incubator an important piece of equipment for any microbiology laboratory. Incubators have been designed to provide a safe and controlled environment for microbes to grow quickly and efficiently. Of particular significance is the requirement for incubators to have reliable temperature control and to ensure temperature uniformity which in-turn will promote consistent microbial growth. The Thermo Scientific Heratherm range of Microbiological and Refrigerated Incubators have key features to accurately hold the correct temperatures for specific microbial growth. For example, both ranges are equipped with alarm systems to warn of temperature variations and a sample protection feature that safeguards the samples against destruction through overheating in case of contoller failure. What is microbiological contamination? This is where the levels of micro-organisms, or the presence of certain species are found to be outside the specified limits for the sample. Typically, producers will be concerned with two types of micro-organisms, those which can spoil the product, or those which are capable of causing illness. Microbial contamination can also affect the sample analysis if poor technique or the incorrect equipment is used, which can invalidate the data and may lead to incorrect decisions being made. So when culturing various organisms (bacteria, yeast, or fungi), it is vital that potentially contaminating microorganisms are removed from the incubation environment. Why is it so important to control this, and for what manufacturers is this a priority? It is important to control microbiological contamination in both the product and the sample being analysed due to the risks associated with inaccurate data. Inaccurate results will likely lead to incorrect processing decisions and repeat analysis, which will impact manufacturing efficiency. Sample contamination is important to those food and beverage manufacturers which are producing products which are sensitive to microbiological contamination so products which do not contain high levels of preservatives or which are not fully pasteurised when packaged. Typical food groups include dairy products, meat and poultry, and some beverages such as soft-drinks, wine and beer. How do your microbiological incubators help tackle this issue? When conducting microbial analysis as part of a food and beverage quality control sampling programme, it is vital that the samples do not become cross-contaminated as this will invalidate the results, and potentially lead to poor processing decisions. Decontamination is an important part of any microbial analysis protocol to eliminate contamination from various micro-organisms. By incorporating an effective decontamination cycle into a microbiological incubator, such as the 140 C decontamination cycle of Thermo Scientific Heratherm Incubators, users can be confident that potentially contaminating micro organisms are effectively inactivated. Certified by an accredited microbiological institute (IBFE Institut fr Biotechnische Forschung und Entwicklung, Germany), this routine eliminates the need for separate autoclaving of interior fittings, freeing up valuable time for other experimental protocols. Users can therefore be confident in the knowledge that their resulting data is reliable and reproducible. What other industries could benefit from this technology? Any microbiology laboratory can benefit from the advanced featured of Thermo Scientific Heratherm Incubators. For example, microbial analysis is also frequently carried out in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries to help ensure that the products are safe and within specification. What are the temperature ranges of these products, and why is this important for manufacturers? The Thermo Scientific Heratherm Microbiological Incubators range from ambient plus 5 C to 105 C and the Thermo Scientific Heratherm Refrigerated Incubators are from plus 5 C to 70 C. The temperature ranges of most microorganisms sit comfortably in the middle of these temperature ranges. Why is attaining a precise temperature so important? Temperature that is lower or higher will slow the growth or potentially kill the microbes and will result in inconsistencies and inaccurate data being obtained. Heratherm incubators have outstanding temperature uniformity and stability to protect against this, and help keep the samples in a safe environment. Can you explain what the technology is behind your refrigerated incubators? Thermo Scientific Heratherm Refrigerated Incubators use a Peltier system which, in addition to saving energy, also allows precise temperature set pointsall without harmful chlorofluorocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants. The Peltier module cools and heats thermoelectrically via an automatic control, which facilitates optimal adaptations based on set temperatures. How does this differ from other devices on the market? Most other incubators on the market are based on compressor systems. Unlike in compressor based incubators, the Peltier module always stays above 0 C in cooling mode, preventing ice accumulation and the necessity to defrost regularly. Finally, the reduction of significant vibrations in the units, compared to previous models, helps to maintain sample integrity. With these efficient features, the Heratherm refrigerated incubators use up to 84% less energy than traditional compressor-based models. Why is doing away with refrigerants an important step for this technology? Most refrigerants in compressor systems are hazardous and bad for the environment. Repairs and disposal of equipment often require regulated actions and documentation. Even shipment of incubators with refrigerant can create challenges and additional measures. For the user the Peltier technology eliminates all the additional work related to this. Production and disposal of these refrigerants is energy consuming and often linked to pollution. The Peltier technology is providing a great and energy-effective alternative. In the end the use of this technology is helping to save the environment and reduce CO 2 footprint. What benefits do these products have in terms of energy consumption? Heratherm refrigerated incubators use 7084% less energy to operate (at 20 C and 37 C). Choosing a Heratherm incubator over a traditional compressor model could save over 2,800 kWh of energy over the course of a year, and an annual reduction of 2 tons of CO 2 equivalents of energy. What are the key steps of microbial analysis? Samples are taken from a food product or equipment involved in food production, the sample is then plated out onto a Petri dish with agar and then incubated in the incubator at defined temperatures per each protocol specification. The results are then realised 1 to 3 days later and then the product batches are released for consumption or held back for further testing and possibly even destroyed. How do you see this industry changing over the coming years? The requirements of the industry will remain the same with the demand for accurate, reliable data delivered with maximum efficiency. In terms of maximising workflow efficiency, energy consumption will become a more widely scrutinised factor especially for equipment such as incubators which are on 24/7. As food quality standards increase, we can also expect to see greater demand for connectivity and data security across key pieces of laboratory equipment. This will help with audit purposes, where users can access electronically backed up records to ensure and demonstrate control over incubator time and temperature settings. Currently, Thermo Scientific offer the Smart Vue Pro which is a wireless monitoring system to connect several pieces of equipment to a secure data cloud server. How does the company intend to stay ahead of these changes, and what major developments are planned for the near future? Thermo Fisher Scientific has a pipeline of innovations to support each product category with further enhancements in energy efficiency and sustainability and developments in a more user-friendly interface to look forward to. About Angela Visgandis Angela is a Product Specialist at Thermo Fisher Scientific responsible for supporting customers with Microbiological Incubators across Northern Europe for over 3 years. Previously Angela worked in laboratories and in various scientific sales roles involving a varied range of customers. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Laboratory Products Division Food & Beverage Quality Control As the world leader in serving science, here at Thermo Fisher Scientific we understand that you need complete confidence in the data you obtain to protect your consumer's health and ensure loyalty with your brand. Thats why we support Quality Control teams to provide the highest quality output, protect against customer complaints and operate more efficiently by providing a range of laboratory products for fast, accurate and reliable data collection. This includes: A comprehensive portfolio for sample collection and preparation Chemical analysis and microbiological analysis Expertise in product applications Sales, delivery, service and support across many geographies. To find out more, please visit: thermofisher.com/foodandbeverageqc Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $40 billion. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, increasing productivity in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics or the development and manufacture of life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an unrivalled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon and PPD. For more information, please visit: wwwthermofisher.com. Family caregivers in the UK were marginalised during the pandemic, and vulnerable older people were let down by the health system, a new study has found. Dr Carolyn Wilson-Nash. Image credit: University of Stirling Caregivers felt powerless, voiceless and choiceless during the first six months of the pandemic, as chaos reigned in some parts of the health system, elderly relatives were prematurely discharged and health records sometimes changed without due process, the University of Stirling Management School research found. Dr Carolyn Wilson-Nash analysed 2607 posts on forums for UK-based family caregivers between March 15 and September 15, 2020. She said: When the pandemic hit, the NHS responded by postponing non-emergency procedures, closing non-emergency services and redeploying specialists, which released necessary hospital beds. Unfortunately, these actions had negative consequences for older people and their carers. Early on, the UK government prioritised the fittest, which marginalised the vulnerable. And NHS frontline services were rapidly overwhelmed. Just before the pandemic, the UK was spending just 9.8% of GDP on healthcare, one of the lowest in the developed world, and had a bed capacity of 2.5 per 1000 people. Dr Wilson-Nash cites examples on the forums where the medical records of vulnerable older people were changed to do not resuscitate without the familys consent, when GPs phoned the older person and pressurised them to change their record. In other examples, older people were prematurely discharged into the community without care. One 90 year-old was in hospital with Covid and her son was stuck abroad. The hospital sent her home in an ambulance to the care of a relative, who had just had an operation herself. The discharged patient was left downstairs with no food or heating. A caregiver came but said they couldnt help because of Covid regulations. When an ambulance came back in the morning, and she was moved upstairs to her bed, she had soiled herself and her ankles had turned black. Dr Carolyn Wilson-Nash. In other cases, relatives who were offering to take patients home were ignored or refused due to Covid regulations. They felt voiceless because panicking managers didnt listen to them, and routes to complain had been shut down, said Dr Wilson-Nash. They felt powerless because they had no control of their relatives care, and choiceless because they had no options. Ultimately, this has left them feeling resentful and mistrustful of the health service. Her report makes a number of recommendations, including improving communication between the NHS and family caregivers, not closing complaints procedures and reducing the stress of frontline NHS employees through reduced workloads, emotional support services and better provision of PPE. It also recommends policy changes such as addressing the scarcity of in-home care services, both NHS and private, by offering business loans, for example; increasing regulations on service providers so that patients cannot be discharged if they have nowhere to go; standardising the quality of care expectations through clear guidelines, for instance around PPE; and creating more cohesion between those who care for vulnerable elderly people, across primary, secondary and health-based social services. Family caregivers need more support, more funding and opportunities for training, Dr Wilson-Nash added. They also need clear communications and to be involved in care planning, especially if they have power of attorney. At the moment, the system is too fragmented - the IT system for GPs is not connected to that of the hospitals, for example. This all needs to improve, before the next crisis hits. Children and adolescents living with glaucoma develop a high level of emotional and social resilience to cope with this rare, chronic eye condition, a new Flinders University study reveals. However, more can be done with researchers examining feedback from 18 young people about the challenges, both visual and non-visual, caused by childhood glaucoma. Giving their side of the story can help shape methods of support and strategies to improve their life inside and outside a clinical setting, Flinders ophthalmology experts say in a new article in BMJ Open. The study raises important implications for how we engage and empower children in their eye care so that they are ready and confident to manage their condition on their own. Navigating childhood and adolescence with a rare eye condition, attending multiple appointments, and missing school can be tough for children because their peers may not understand what they are going through. Children, and most often teenagers, do worry about their glaucoma and how it will impact on their future, in particular career choices, getting a drivers license and navigating adult eye care without their parent or guardian. Lachlan Knight, Lead Researcher, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute Eye and Vision, Flinders University. Glaucoma is often associated with the ageing population, resulting in little attention to the childhood form. Childhood glaucoma can be diagnosed at any age from birth through to 18 years. Although rare, affecting approximately 1 in 30,000 children in Australia, it contributes to about 7% of childhood vision impairment worldwide. Participants were quoted as saying: When I try to explain [that I have glaucoma] - no one understands and I have to keep explaining, explaining, and explaining, and I cant actually join the Army, because of my lack of vision It sucks, because now I dont actually have a plan for my life. While the study found a high level of resilience among children with glaucoma, including adapting to their visual limitations and using technology in the classroom to keep up with schoolwork, it recommends: The need to develop interventions that improve a childs ability to manage their condition so that they develop the necessary skills to overcome any challenge that comes their way now and in the future. Clinicians are encouraged to provide children with an active voice in their care and direct questions towards them instead of their parent or guardian. The South Australian researchers have interviewed 100 impacted by childhood glaucoma over the past two years and are close to validating the worlds first quality of life measure for individuals with childhood glaucoma. The tool will be used to in the clinical and research setting to support a multidisciplinary model of care which involves ophthalmology, genetics, social work and psychology. Approaching a van that distributes supplies for safer drug use in Greenfield, Massachusetts, a man named Kyle noticed an alert about xylazine. "Xylazine?" he asked, sounding out the unfamiliar word. "Tell me more." A street-outreach team from Tapestry Health Systems delivered what's becoming a routine warning. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer. It's not approved for humans but is showing up in about half the drug samples that Tapestry Health tests in the rolling hills of western Massachusetts. It's appearing mostly in the illegal fentanyl supply but also in cocaine. "The past week, we've all been just racking our brains like, What is going on?'" Kyle said. "Because if we cook it up and we smoke it, we're falling asleep after." (NPR and KHN are using only first names in this article for people who use illegal drugs.) Kyles deep sleep could also have been triggered by fentanyl, but Kyle said one of his buddies used a test strip to check for the opioid and none was detected. Xylazine, which is also known as "tranq" or "tranq dope," surged first in some areas of Puerto Rico and then in Philadelphia, where it was found in 91% of opioid samples in the most recent reporting period. Data from January to mid-June shows that xylazine was in 28% of drug samples tested by the Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream, a state-funded network of community drug-checking and advisory groups that uses mass spectrometers to let people know whats in bags or pills purchased on the street. Whatever its path into the drug supply, the presence of xylazine is triggering warnings in Massachusetts and beyond for many reasons. As xylazine use rises, so so overdoses Perhaps the biggest question is whether xylazine has played a role in the recent increase in overdose deaths in the U.S. In a study of 10 cities and states, xylazine was detected in fewer than 1% of overdose deaths in 2015 but in 6.7% in 2020, a year the U.S. set a record for overdose deaths. The record was broken again in 2021, which had more than 107,000 deaths. The study does not claim xylazine is behind the increase in fatalities, but study co-author Chelsea Shover said it may have contributed. Xylazine, a sedative, slows people's breathing and heart rate and lowers their blood pressure, which can compound some effects of an opioid like fentanyl or heroin. If you have an opioid and a sedative, those two things are going to have stronger effects together, said Shover, an epidemiologist at UCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine. In Greenfield, Tapestry Health is responding to more overdoses as more tests show the presence of xylazine. It correlates with the rise, and it correlates with Narcan not being effective to reverse xylazine, said Amy Davis, assistant director for rural harm-reduction operations at Tapestry. Narcan is a brand name of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication. Its scary to hear that theres something new going around that could be stronger maybe than what Ive had, said May, a woman who stopped by Tapestry Healths van. May said that she has a strong tolerance for fentanyl but that a few months ago, she started getting something that didnt feel like fentanyl, something that knocked me out before I could even put my stuff away. A shifting overdose response Davis and her colleagues are ramping up the safety messages: Never use alone, always start with a small dose, and always carry Narcan. Davis is also changing the way they talk about drug overdoses. They begin by explaining that xylazine is not an opioid. Squirting naloxone into someones nose wont reverse a deep xylazine sedation the rescuer wont see the dramatic awakening that is common when naloxone is administered to someone who has overdosed after using an opioid. If someone has taken xylazine, the immediate goal is to make sure the person's brain is getting oxygen. So Davis and others advise people to start rescue breathing after the first dose of Narcan. It may help restart the lungs even if the person doesnt wake up. We dont want to be focused on consciousness we want to be focused on breathing, Davis said. Giving Narcan is still critical because xylazine is often mixed with fentanyl, and fentanyl is killing people. If you see anyone who you suspect has an overdose, please give Narcan, said Dr. Bill Soares, an emergency room physician and the director of harm reduction services at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Soares said calling 911 is also critical, especially when someone has taken xylazine, because if the person does not wake up as expected, theyre going to need more advanced care. 'Profound sedation' worries health providers Some people who use drugs say xylazine knocks them out for six to eight hours, raising concerns about the potential for serious injury during this profound sedation, said Dr. Laura Kehoe, medical director at Massachusetts General Hospitals Substance Use Disorders Bridge Clinic. Kehoe and other clinicians worry about patients who have been sedated by xylazine and are lying in the sun or snow, perhaps in an isolated area. In addition to exposure to the elements, they could be vulnerable to compartment syndrome from lying in one position for too long, or they could be attacked. Were seeing people whove been sexually assaulted, Kehoe said. Theyll wake up and find that their pants are down or their clothes are missing, and they are completely unaware of what happened. In Greenfield, nurse Katy Robbins pulled up a photo from a patient seen in April as xylazine contamination soared. We did sort of go, Whoa, what is that?' Robbins recalled, studying her phone. The image showed a wound like deep road rash, with an exposed tendon and a spreading infection. Robbins and Tapestry Health, which runs behavioral and public health services in Western Massachusetts, have created networks so clients can get same-day appointments with a local doctor or hospital to treat this type of injury. But getting people to go get their wounds seen is hard. Theres so much stigma and shame around injection drug use, Robbins said. Often, people wait until they have a life-threatening infection. That may be one reason amputations are increasing for people who use drugs in Philadelphia. One theory is that decreased blood flow from xylazine keeps wounds from healing. Were certainly seeing a lot more wounds, and were seeing some severe wounds, said Dr. Joe DOrazio, director of medical toxicology and addiction medicine at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. Almost everybody is linking this to xylazine. This article is part of a partnership that includes WBUR, NPR, and KHN. An ongoing program that monitors wastewater for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and which has effectively predicted subsequent surges in COVID-19 cases in San Diego has been expanded to detect the presence of monkeypox. Since the first confirmed case of monkeypox in California in late-May, reported cases have steadily risen in the state and across the country, now up to almost 100 in San Diego County and more than 1,300 in California. On August 1, 2022, the state declared a public health emergency; San Diego County followed suit the next day. On August 4, 2022, a federal public health emergency was declared with more than 7,000 cases reported nationwide. It is just the fifth such national emergency since 2001. The nation remains in a state of emergency over the coronavirus pandemic. Monitoring and testing for the monkeypox virus is a relatively simple add-on to the current wastewater surveillance program for SARS-CoV-2, said Rob Knight, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at University of California San Diego. But with a twist. It's the same process as SARS-CoV-2 qPCR monitoring, except that we have been testing for a different virus. Monkeypox is a DNA virus, so it is a bit of a surprise that our process optimized for SARS-CoV-2, which is an RNA virus, works so well." Rob Knight, Professor and Director, Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego Researchers began experimenting with the possibility their test might work with both virus types in May and began monitoring wastewater from the Point Loma treatment plant, which serves 2.2 million San Diegans, for the presence of monkeypox virus in early June. The first positive indicator occurred July 10, 2022 at levels near the limit of detection: 10,565.54 viral copies per liter of wastewater. Levels have dramatically increased since then, rising and falling slightly, but trending upward with a current high of 189,309.81 viral copies per liter of wastewater on August 2, 2022. Knight said it remains to be seen whether monitoring monkeypox virus load levels in wastewater can predict future infection or case rates. "We don't yet know if the data will anticipate case surges like with COVID," he said. "It depends on when the virus is shed from the body relative to how bad the symptoms are that cause people to seek care. This is, in principle, different for each virus, although in practice wastewater seems to be predictive for multiple viruses." And the system is not yet set up to sequence monkeypox genomes, a necessity to detect emerging variants. But, in general, said Knight: "DNA viruses evolve a lot slower than RNA viruses, so we would not expect variants to emerge and spread as quickly." Christopher Longhurst, MD, chief medical officer at UC San Diego Health, said monkeypox monitoring was an important innovation in what he called "anticipatory surveillance." "Rising levels of monkeypox in wastewater clearly correlate with the increasing spread of this virus. Detection and monitoring will help alert us to situations before they become crises, providing time for health systems and public agencies to respond, prepare and act." Wilma Wooten, MD, MPH, San Diego County public health officer, agreed: "As we saw with COVID-19, it can serve as an additional window into how a virus is moving through and impacting our community. The county appreciates the work of all the partners, and looks forward to our continued working relationship to address threats to the public's health." Evidence and experience Persons infected by SARS-CoV-2 shed the virus in their waste, even before they exhibit symptoms of COVID-19. That fact spurred development of the first wastewater screening program in late-2020, when researchers at UC San Diego and UC San Diego Health began an ambitious collaboration to collect wastewater samples across campus using auto-sampling robots for subsequent analysis. The program was designed to help safely return students to campus. Wastewater monitoring and sequencing was eventually expanded to the region. Central to these efforts has been SEARCH (San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health), a consortium of scientists from UC San Diego, Scripps Research and Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, working with San Diego County public health officials and others. Also involved: The Expedited COVID IdenTification Environment (EXCITE) lab, a collaboration of Knight; Louise Laurent, MD, PhD, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences; and Gene Yeo, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular medicine, both at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "Building on the success of SEARCH over the last few years, it is fantastic to see the wastewater surveillance here in San Diego expanded to also include monkeypox, while also creating a flexible system for future human pathogens," said Kristian Andersen, PhD, professor at Scripps Research. "This work is only possible thanks to the close collaboration between UC San Diego, Scripps Research and the County of San Diego. It truly sets a standard for effective public health-academic partnerships for the country." In July, SEARCH collaborators published a report in the journal Nature describing the success of wastewater sequencing and virus detection, reporting that program effectively identified new viral "variants of concern" up to 14 days before traditional clinical testing, and could be reliably used to anticipate upcoming surges in local infection and case rates. An earlier published study estimated wastewater surveillance provided early detection of 85 percent of COVIID-19 cases on the UC San Diego campus, allowing for more effective mitigation and prevention efforts. Researchers said they are exploring the possibility of adding other pathogens to the wastewater surveillance program, including the poliovirus, which has reappeared in parts of the United States. "It's fairly easy to add new pathogens to the process," said Smruthi Karthikeyan, PhD, an environmental engineer and postdoctoral researcher in Knight's lab who has overseen wastewater monitoring at UC San Diego. "It's doable on short notice. We can get more information in the same turnaround time." Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Mostly cloudy with some showers after midnight. Low 52F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy with some showers after midnight. Low 52F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has highlighted the role of Bahrains judiciary in further strengthening fairness as a major pillar for safeguarding rights and achieving the Kingdoms comprehensive development, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He affirmed the importance of continuing to advance the judiciary by adopting wide-ranging initiatives that improve the efficiency of procedures, in line with the Kingdoms development goals. HRH Prince Salman was speaking as he received yesterday the Vice President of the Supreme Judicial Council and President of the Court of Cassation, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, at Riffa Palace. His Royal Highness congratulated Shaikh Khalid on his appointment to his post, wishing him every success in his role. HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister noted the important role of the Supreme Judicial Council in strengthening the rule of law and protecting rights and freedoms, which are fundamental commitments to upholding judicial integrity. He commended the constructive cooperation between the executive, legislative and judicial authorities, and noted the importance of building on their ongoing successes, which serve as the bedrock of the Kingdoms advancement and development, in line with the visions of HM the King. Shaikh Khalid expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet with His Royal Highness and noted his continued support of the Kingdoms judiciary, which is central to Bahrains ongoing development. Finance and National Economy Minister Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Hamad bin Faisal Al Malki, also attended the meeting. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) received a prestigious international award in recognition of its entrepreneurial initiative of conducting a comprehensive transformation plan that focuses on driving greater economic impact for Bahrain. Tamkeen was named Entrepreneur of the Year in the category of non-profit or government organizations in the 14th Annual 2022 Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Awards. The Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Awards are the worlds leading business awards programme honoring achievements in various sectors around the world. Maha Mofeez, Acting Chief Executive of the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) expressed deep pride in this achievement and highlighted the active role of Tamkeens employees in receiving this international recognition. She stated: This achievement was made possible by the unwavering support from our leadership and the great efforts of Tamkeens dedicated employees. This recognition motivates us to continue driving change in Bahrain by being entrepreneurial in everything we do. We look forward to further success as we continue this journey of transformation to drive greater economic impact for Bahrain. Tamkeens transformation resulted in 16 specialized programmes offering individuals and enterprises tailored support designed to help them reach their highest potential. As well as a new assessment framework to ensure transparency and fairness in evaluation, and a framework for data analytics to streamline performance reporting. Tamkeen also launched an updated online portal, and unveiled a new brand identity that communicates and emphasizes this new approach. Tamkeen said it will continue to work to provide the high quality and impactful support to enterprises and individuals in Bahrain to enhance productivity and achieve sustainable economic growth for the Kingdom. Unification Church followers in Japan and their families have faced harassment and death threats since the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the organization's Japanese branch said Wednesday. The man accused of shooting Abe a month ago bore a grudge against a "certain group" he believed the politician was linked to, police said after his arrest. Local media quickly identified the organization as the South Korea-based Unification Church, saying the suspect's mother donated 100 million yen (then around $1 million) to the group before declaring bankruptcy. "Unverified information that (the suspect's) motive was linked to donations made by his mother, our member, as well as excessive media coverage of our organization have prompted members to come forward with numerous reports of harm," said Tomihiro Tanaka, head of the church in Japan. Some followers faced pressure to resign from jobs, or have seen their children unable to attend school because of bullying, he told reporters in Tokyo. "Our churches in Japan have been subject to death threats, receiving threatening phone calls saying 'we will kill you'," Tanaka said. ... continue reading WINDSOR LOCKS A plane made an emergency landing at Bradley International Airport Thursday morning, an official said. The iAero Airways plane was diverted to Bradley after reporting a problem during its flight, said Ryan Tenny, of the Connecticut Airport Authority. He didnt elaborate. The flight landed safely at approximately 9:25 a.m. and there is no impact to airport operations, he said in an email. IAero Airways staff did not return requests for information Thursday morning, and the waylaid passengers were not available. Jesse Leavenworth contributed to this report. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) Three people were killed Wednesday when a house exploded in the southern Indiana city of Evansville, authorities said. David Anson, chief deputy coroner for Vanderburgh County, told The Associated Press that the identities of the people who died would not be released until the next of kin has been notified. Evansville Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Gray said at least one other injury was reported and that victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Evansville Fire Department Chief Mike Connelly said a total of 39 houses were damaged by the explosion at around 1 p.m. He said the department has not confirmed how many of the houses were occupied when the explosion happened because some were too unstable to enter. At least 11 of the 39 homes damaged are uninhabitable, Connelly told the Evansville Courier & Press. The cause of the explosion has not been determined, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was investigating. A phone message seeking comment was left at the Evansville field office of the ATF. Debris is strewn over a 100-foot (30-meter) radius," including typical construction materials such as wooden boards, window glass and insulation, Connelly said. Aerial video posted on social media shows damage in a residential neighborhood with police and fire vehicles on the scene in Evansville, on the Kentucky border. CenterPoint Energy, the local gas utility, was last called to the home in January 2018, Connelly said. CenterPoint issued a statement saying it worked with first responders to secure the area. CenterPoint Energy is working closely with the Evansville Fire Department, State Fire Marshal and other agencies as the investigation of this incident continues, the utility said. Jacki Baumgart, an office manager at Award World Trophies about two and a half blocks from the site of the explosion, said she and other employees in their building panicked when they heard the loud blast and saw smoke. We thought a tree fell on the building or a car ran into the place, Baumgart said. Debris from the ceiling came down. She continued: Everybody here immediately ran out of the building. We thought the building was going to come down. It was the second house explosion in the area in just over five years. A house explosion on June 27, 2017, killed two people and injured three others. Wednesday's explosion also brought to mind a massive blast in 2012 that destroyed or damaged more than 80 homes on Indianapolis south side and killed two people. A man was convicted of tampering with a natural gas line at his then-girlfriends home in an attempt to commit insurance fraud, with the explosion killing two next-door neighbors. That man, his half-brother and girlfriend all received long prison sentences. ___ This story has been corrected to show the first name of the chief deputy coroner in Vanderburgh County is David. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Authorities have captured a Wisconsin fugitive in Ohio after a nine-month search. The U.S. Marshals Service said a task force of marshals and police found Robert Johnson Jr. at a residence in Toledo on Wednesday. Johnson fled in a vehicle but crashed it as police gave chase and was apprehended. The marshals service said Johnson escaped from custody in November 2021 while a private company was transporting him from Laredo, Texas, to jail in Janesville, Wisconsin. He asked to have his handcuffs removed so he could use the bathroom at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, according to the marshals service. Once he was uncuffed, he punched his transporter and escaped. Johnson is wanted on charges of escape, drug possession, a sex offender registration violation and a parole violation. He was on parole for an armed robbery conviction. Frustrations continue to mount for local officials and state legislators dismayed with a decision from state regulators to deny approval for the construction of an $80 million cancer treatment center on the west side of the city. The city has already approved plans submitted by Danbury Proton to build the facility but the states Office of Health Strategy, OHS, has twice denied the application despite its support from a bipartisan group of state legislators who held a press conference with Mayor Dean Esposito on Wednesday and called on state officials and Gov. Ned Lamont to see the project through. It just drives me crazy, said an admittedly befuddled state Rep. Bob Godfrey, D-Danbury. Godfrey spoke from a podium flanked by state Sen. Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, state Rep. Kenneth Gucker, D-Danbury, state Rep. Pat Callahan, R-Danbury, and the former mayor of Bridgeport, Bill Finch. I thought the wind was in our sails, I really did, I thought this was a done deal and then I was shocked when they came out with a denial, Godfrey added. The cancer treatment center would offer proton therapy to patients, a noninvasive radiation technique that protects healthy tissue and sensitive organs with fewer side effects compared to radiation or chemo therapy. Danbury Proton filed with OHS in spring 2020 to obtain the required certificate of need, but after delays, some prompted by the pandemic, was rejected in February. The state regulators then quashed an appeal on July 14, leading the company to file a petition for reconsideration 15 days later, with a response due this month. Representatives from OHS did not return a request for comment by deadline. The state approved a similar facility in April run by Yale New Haven Health and Hartford HealthCare in Wallingford. The $72 million facility is slated to open in 2025 and would mean residents in the Danbury area would have to travel about 51 miles on I-84, a notorious highway bisecting the state that officials described as a nightmare for those who rely on the connection for their daily commute, let alone those who might travel it to receive life-saving treatment. Who wants to get on 84 and sit in traffic when you are not well? It makes no sense at all, Kushner said in her remarks. I think sometimes we out in western Connecticut feel like people dont get us they dont get what it is to live here and need all of your services, particularly this kind of extremely high-tech treatment at such a distance from where we live, and it just doesnt make sense, she added. In its rejection of the application, OHS officials ruled the application did not identify a clear public need for the proposal, and could not demonstrate the treatment center would satisfy the improvement of quality, accessibility, and cost effectiveness... for the plans. Additionally, the regulators deemed the project to be not financially feasible and did not meet the states overall health care facilities and services plans, with a suggestion Danbury Proton might partner with a larger medical network in the state. I really take issue with that, Kushner said of the partnering-point of denial. Most people would agree that it is good to have different sources of medical care in our community. she added. So that is one of the examples of something that we can communicate with OHS, to say it may be better to consider an independent medical treatment like this. For Gucker, the consistent denial is personal. He recalled how his mother was unable to see him sworn in for his first term as a state lawmaker in 2019 because she was recovering from the effects of radiology and chemotherapy treatment. Had (proton therapy) been available she might have been able to attend to see her only son get sworn in. This is such a positive thing for Danbury and such a positive thing for health care, I do not understand to this day why we are still fighting for this, the lawmaker said. Beyond the close-to-home availability of the treatment center, Gucker also noted the project would create construction jobs and long-term employment for medical staff operating the facility, which he said is planned for a perfect location, just north of the Danbury Municipal Airport. In fact, the applicant has modified all of their designs so they can fit it into this property because it is the runway of the airport, so not much can really be built there this is taking empty space and turning it into something good and positive. Why arent we there yet? I dont understand, he added. Michael Rell, a lobbyist representing Danbury Proton in Hartford, noted Connecticut is one of only a handful of states that has a certification process for a project like the one proposed in the city. The treatment is available in about 40 facilities in the country, according to David Hardy, an attorney representing Danbury Proton. About 500 Connecticut residents left the state in 2019 to receive the therapy. Its just one hurdle that is difficult to overcome, especially for a company like Danbury Proton, who isnt from Connecticut and does not have the horse power behind it as other medical institutions do, Rell said, adding the company worked hard to work with city and state officials, the community, and medical professionals just to get to the point of applying for the Certificate of Need. Unfortunately that has not happened and today we are here to have a push, almost a grassroots push from the Danbury region, and patients, as well as elected officials to get this over the hurdle, remarked Rell. Hopefully we will get a message to not only Gov. Lamonts office but to the Office of Health Strategy that there is a place in the state of Connecticut for two proton facilities Danbury is definitely ripe for this. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Raphael E. Rogers, Clark University (THE CONVERSATION) Of all the subjects taught in the nations public schools, few have generated as much controversy of late as the subjects of racism and slavery in the United States. The attention has come largely through a flood of legislative bills put forth primarily by Republicans over the past year and a half. Commonly referred to as anti-critical race theory legislation, these bills are meant to restrict how teachers discuss race and racism in their classrooms. One of the more peculiar byproducts of this legislation came out of Texas, where, in June 2022, an advisory panel made up of nine educators recommended that slavery be referred to as involuntary relocation. The measure ultimately failed. As an educator who trains teachers on how to educate young students about the history of slavery in the United States, I see the Texas proposal as part of a disturbing trend of politicians seeking to hide the horrific and brutal nature of slavery and to keep it divorced from the nations birth and development. The Texas proposal, for instance, grew out of work done under a Texas law that says slavery and racism cant be taught as part of the true founding of the United States. Rather, the law states, they must be taught as a failure to live up to the authentic founding principles of the United States, which include liberty and equality. To better understand the nature of slavery and the role it played in Americas development, it helps to have some basic facts about how long slavery lasted in the territory now known as the United States and how many enslaved people it involved. I also believe in using authentic records to show students the reality of slavery. Before the Mayflower Slavery in what is now known as the United States is often traced back to the year 1619. That is when as documented by Colonist John Rolfe a ship named the White Lion delivered 20 or so enslaved Africans to Virginia. As for the notion that slavery was not part of the founding of the United States, that is easily refuted by the U.S. Constitution itself. Specifically, Article 1, Section 9, Clause 1 prevented Congress from prohibiting the importation of slaves until 1808 nearly 20 years after the Constitution was ratified although it didnt use the word slaves. Instead, the Constitution used the phrase such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit. Congress ultimately passed the Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves, which took effect in 1808. Although the act imposed heavy penalties on international traders, it did not end slavery itself nor the domestic sale of slaves. Not only did it drive trade underground, but many ships caught illegally trading were also brought into the United States and their passengers sold into slavery. The last known slave ship the Clotilda arrived in Mobile, Alabama, in 1860, more than half a century after Congress outlawed the importation of enslaved individuals. According to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade database, which derives it numbers from shipping records from 1525 to 1866, approximately 12.5 million enslaved Africans were transported to the Americas. About 10.7 million survived the Middle Passage and arrived in North America, the Caribbean and South America. Of these, only a small portion 388,000 arrived in North America. Most enslaved people in the United States, then, entered slavery not through importation or involuntary relocation, but by birth. From the arrival of those first 20 so enslaved Africans in 1619 until slavery was abolished in 1865, approximately 10 million slaves lived in the United States and contributed 410 billion hours of labor. This is why slavery is a crucial building block to understanding the U.S. economy from the nations founding up until the Civil War. The value of historical records As an educator who trains teachers on how to deal with the subject of slavery, I dont see any value in politicians restricting what teachers can and cant say about the role that slaveholders at least 1,800 of whom were congressmen, not to mention the 12 who were U.S. presidents played in the upholding of slavery in American society. What I see value in is the use of historical records to educate schoolchildren about the harsh realities of slavery. There are three types of records that I recommend in particular. 1. Census records Since enslaved people were counted in each census that took place from 1790 to 1860, census records enable students to learn a lot about who specifically owned slaves. Census records also enable students to see differences in slave ownership within states and throughout the nation. The censuses also show the growth of the slave population over time from 697,624 during the first census in 1790, shortly after the nations founding, to 3.95 million during the 1860 census, as the nation stood at the verge of civil war. 2. Ads for runaway slaves Few things speak to the horrors and harms of slavery like ads that slave owners took out for runaway slaves. Its not hard to find ads that describe fugitive slaves whose bodies were covered with various scars from beatings and marks from branding irons. For instance, consider an ad taken out on July 3, 1823, in the Star, and North-Carolina State Gazette by Alford Green, who offers $25 for a fugitive slave named Ned, whom he described as follows: about 21 years old, his weight about 150, well made, spry and active tolorably fierce look, a little inclined to be yellow, his upper fore teeth a little defective, and, I expect, has some signs of the whip on his hips and thighs, as he was whipped in that way the day before he went off. Advertisements for runaway slaves can be accessed via digital databases, such as Freedom on the Move, which contains more than 32,000 ads. Another database the North Carolina Runaway Slave Notices project contains 5,000 ads published in North Carolina newspapers from 1751 to 1865. The sheer number of these advertisements sheds light on how many enslaved Black people attempted to escape bondage. 3. Personal narratives from the enslaved Though they are few in number, recordings of interviews with formerly enslaved people exist. Some of the interviews are problematic for various reasons. For instance, some of the interviews were heavily edited by interviewers or did not include complete, word-for-word transcripts of the interviews. Yet the interviews still provide a glimpse at the harshness of life in bondage. They also expose the fallacy of the argument that slaves as one slave owner claimed in his memoir loved old Marster better than anybody in the world, and would not have freedom if he offered it to them. For instance, when Fountain Hughes a descendant of a slave owned by Thomas Jefferson who spent his boyhood in slavery in Charlottesville, Virginia was asked if he would rather be free or enslaved, he told his interviewer: You know what Id rather do? If I thought, had any idea, that Id ever be a slave again, Id take a gun and just end it all right away, because youre nothing but a dog. Youre not a thing but a dog. A night never come that you had nothing to do. Time to cut tobacco? If they want you to cut all night long out in the field, you cut. And if they want you to hang all night long, you hang tobacco. It didnt matter about youre tired, being tired. Youre afraid to say youre tired. Its ironic, then, that when it comes to teaching Americas schoolchildren about the horrors of American slavery and how entrenched it was in Americas political establishment, some politicians would prefer to shackle educators with restrictive laws. What they could do is grant educators the ability to teach freely about the role the slavery played in the forming of a nation that was founded as the Texas law states - on principles of liberty and equality. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/politicians-seek-to-control-classroom-discussions-about-slavery-in-the-us-187057. Through its seed fund, SDTC invested $100,000 into the Vancouver-based zero-waste platform to enhance its tracking technology VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 10, 2022 /CNW/ - Reusables.com, a leading zero-waste packaging platform, secured a $100,000 seed investment from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), an independent federal foundation that funds Canadian companies developing new climate technologies. This investment from SDTC will enable Reusables to scale its IoT-enabled technology platform and help more food business transition towards a circular economy for packaging. Reusables' tech-enabled platform for zero-waste packaging has emerged as an innovative solution to single-use plastic waste since its 2021 launch and has built a large pipeline of opportunities with food retailers and packaging distributors throughout North America. Reusables is backed by Ryan Holmes and Manny Padda through LOI Venture and is currently raising a seed round to expand its network in the U.S. and Canada. Governments around the world are demanding food businesses shift away from single-use plastics towards a more circular economy for packaging. In the U.S., the Wall Street Journal reports that only 5% of plastic actually gets recycled, and alternatives like biodegradeable or compostable plastics are also coming under scrutiny. Large food businesses like Starbucks, Loblaw and Walmart have made ambitious sustainability commitments and Reusables has created a turn-key solution to help them achieve these goals. "SDTC invests in clean technology trailblazers with the potential to transform the environmental and economic prosperity of Canada," said Jason Hawkins, the CEO and Co-Founder of Reusables. "We are honoured to receive their backing and look forward to a long-term partnership focused on impact." "To seize the opportunities of the Net Zero economy in Canada, we need to be supporting all stages of innovation. Seed companies like Reusables represent the next generation of sustainable solutions paving the way to a greener future. SDTC is proud to support innovative young companies get their ideas off the ground." Leah Lawrence, President, and CEO of SDTC Reusables was also recently accepted into the Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) for climate-tech companies looking to expand into the U.S. and raise capital. About Reusables.com: Reusables.com, a leading zero-waste packaging platform, is the technology solution to the problem of single-use plastic waste. Reusables helps food businesses and their customers transition to a circular economy by providing the tracking technology and digital experience that makes reusable packaging a no-brainer. Becoming a Reuser lets people enjoy takeout from participating stores as much as they like, without contributing to packaging waste. Returns are managed through a user-friendly app and Reusables partners with industry leading providers of distribution and cleaning. About Sustainable Development Technology Canada At SDTC, we support companies attempting to do extraordinary things. From initial funding to educational support and peer learning to market integration, we are invested in helping our small and medium-sized businesses grow into successful companies that employ Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We are relentlessly focused on supporting our companies to grow and scale in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The innovations we fund help solve some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges: climate change, regeneration through the circular economy, and the well-being of humans in the communities they live in and the natural environment they interact with. SOURCE Reusables.com For further information: Jason Hawkins, CEO, +1 (604) 376-3791, [email protected] Anubrata Mondal, president of TMC Birbhum district and a well-known ally of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was detained by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday in connection with the cattle smuggling case. Now a medical checkup is being performed on the TMC leader. A CBI team visited Mondals home in Bolpur, Birbhum, earlier today. According to reports, Mondal received a summons from Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 5 to appear for questioning in relation to a livestock smuggling case. Earlier on Monday, August 8, Mondal was requested to appear before the CBI headquarters at Nizams Palace in Kolkata. A former Border Security Force (BSF) Commandant was detained by the CBI on September 21, 2020, in connection with transporting livestock illegally across the Indo-Bangladesh border. According to the sources, Anubrata Mondals name was scrutinised throughout the course of the cases inquiry. The Chinese military declared on Wednesday that it has finished different missions in the area near Taiwan but will still perform routine patrols. This might indicate that days of war simulations are coming to an end, but Beijing will continue to exert pressure on the island. The drills last week featured ballistic missile launches, some of which passed over Taipei, the islands capital, as well as simulated naval and air strikes in the nearby skies and oceans. The Peoples Liberation Armys Eastern Theatre Command stated in a brief statement that its combined military operations in the area of Taiwan had effectively tested the integrated fighting capabilities of the forces and successfully achieved different duties. The statement said, Theatre troops will steadfastly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity while keeping a close eye on developments in the situation in the Taiwan Strait. They will also keep up their combat training and preparedness drills. Responding to Chinas assertion that combat preparedness would not be relaxed, Sun Li-fang, a spokesperson for the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, said Taipei will completely adapt the allocation of forces based on circumstances such as the enemy threat. A person informed of the situation earlier on Wednesday told a news agency that Chinese naval ships were present both off Taiwans east and west shores. According to the source, Chinese fighter planes and the Chinese navy were still operating close to the median line, which serves as an informal delineation in the Taiwan Strait. According to the source, Taiwan has sent ships and aircraft to the region to monitor the situation. China maintains that its ties with Taiwan are an internal concern and that it reserves the right, if necessary, to use force to annex the island. Taiwan disputes Chinas assertions and maintains that only the inhabitants of the island have the power to choose its destiny. According to a Pentagon spokesman on Monday, Washington was standing by its prediction that China will not attempt to invade Taiwan in the next two years. When China continued its incursions close, Taiwans defence ministry said its military was at the ready, keeping our nation secure and published a video of military drills on Wednesday. According to the ministry, Taiwanese troops are maintaining 24-hour guard duty at their positions and have raised their awareness level following the directives of protecting the median line, defending territorial seas, and defending the sovereignty to preserve the status quo. Also Read: China refuses to allow India and the US to censure the leader of the JeM at the UNSC At the UN Security Council, China rejected an effort by India and the US to designate Abdul Rauf Azhar, the leader of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), as a global terrorist. This is the second time Beijing has taken such action in less than two months. Azhar, who serves as the deputy commander of the terrorist organisation with its primary stronghold in Bahawalpur in Pakistans Punjab state, is the younger brother of JeM founder Masood Azhar. In December 2010, the US Treasury department labeled Azhar a terrorist. China put a technical hold on the request, claiming that more time is needed to conduct research, and therefore prevented India and the US from designating Azhar before the UN Security Council on Wednesday. According to those who are aware of the situation, China has previously adopted a similar stance to thwart plans to blacklist further terrorists located in Pakistan, a country that it has historically allied with. We put the matter on hold because we need more time to research it. The committees criteria allow for placing holds, and several comparable holds have been made by committee members on listing requests, according to a representative for Chinas mission to the UN, who was referring to the Security Councils sanctions committee. Similar to this, China put a technical hold on an effort by India and the US to name Abdul Rehman Makki, the brother-in-law of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed who is residing in Pakistan, at the Security Council in June. Because of Chinas restriction, the listing of Makki is still waiting. Abdul Rauf Azhar, also known as Abdul Rauf Asghar, was identified by the US Treasury Department in 2010 and was regarded as a top commander of the JeM who urged Pakistanis to join in terrorist actions. In addition to being one of the JeMs most senior commanders in India and its intelligence coordinator, he served as the groups acting head in 2007. Azhar participated in JeMs training camps and was assigned to organise suicide operations in India in 2008. Azhar was allegedly involved in the planning and execution of numerous terrorist attacks, including the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC814 from Kathmandu to Kandahar, the 2001 attack on Indias Parliament, and the 206 attacks on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, according to Indian officials. Also Read: Report: Mexicos President wants PM Modi, the Pope, and the UN chief to lead this panel On Tuesday, representatives from Mizoram and Assam will meet to discuss finding a peaceful resolution to the long-running border conflict, a state home department official announced today. The Mizoram delegation will be led by the home minister Lalchamliana for the meeting with the Assam minister Atul Boras team. Lalruatkima, a cabinet colleague of Lalchamliana, and Ashok Singhal, a minister for Assam, will also take part in the discussions. Following the negotiations, a news conference will be held between the two parties. After a bloody border conflict in July, they last met in person in August 2021. When the parties decided to forward the discussions, two rounds of virtual sessions were held in April. Modalities for the new negotiations were set out by Assam. Two colonial demarcations made in 1875 and 1933 are largely to blame for the long-running border dispute between Mizoram and Assam. While Assam claimed that the demarcations established under the 1933 notice were its constitutional border, Mizoram acknowledged the demarcation made by the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BERF) announced in 1875, which encompasses sizable expanses of land that are now part of Assam. In the conflict in July of last year when police forces from the states traded fire near the contentious border, at least six officers and one civilian were killed and about 60 people were injured. In New Delhi in November of last year, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart, Himanta Biswa Sarma, reviewed the border problem and decided to establish committees to settle the conflict. The two decided to speak at the chief ministers level. In November of last year, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma met in Delhi to discuss the border problem. They decided to create their panels with participation from all relevant parties to negotiate a peaceful resolution. Both leaders had also agreed to occasionally hold discussions at the chief minister level to achieve this. Also Read: Maharashtra Cabinet expansion: 18 MLAs take oath as ministers Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (United), or NDA alliance, have been the subject of ongoing rumours about a split in Bihar. However, Janata Dal (United) leader and former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha said on Monday that there is no tension between the allies and that everything is fine. Absolutely, everything in the NDA alliance is OK. Although we are not claiming Nitish Kumar has the necessary qualities to be prime minister today, Kushwaha remarked. His comments were in response to JD-U leader RCP Singhs resignation and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar boycotting the NITI Aayog meeting. RCP Singhs comment is really unpleasant and demonstrates his mental bankruptcy, Kushwaha stated in a jab at Singh. Earlier Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, leader of the JD-U party, stated on Monday that Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar has requested a meeting of JD-U MLAs and MPs on Tuesday at 11 am amid rumours of a rupture with the partys ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has also scheduled a meeting on Tuesday at 11 a.m. to talk about political events in Bihar. Congress party also called a meeting of its legislative party in Bihar earlier on Monday to discuss the changing political landscape in the state. After Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar chose not to attend the NITI Aayog conference, the rumours of a potential split between the JD-U and BJP gained momentum. JD-U National President Lalan Singh told reporters in Patna, I read in the press that RCP Singh has indicated that he has said that he was told by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that his name has been accepted for ministership. He further claimed to have informed the CM after taking the oath. However, this simply serves to reinforce our allegations against RCP Singh. Our accusation is that RCP Singh voluntarily chose to become a minister. Shah is no longer mentioned by him. Shah, is he a member of our group? Which JD-U leader will be appointed as a minister? Lalan inquired. Nitish Kumar missed the NITI Aayog meeting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called earlier on Sunday, while RCP Singh announced his resignation from the party after JD-U requested a response to charges of corruption against him on Saturday. As India, transitions into its 75th year of Independence on 15 August 2022. The diamond jubilee of the nation is celebrated not just by the citizens of the country but also by tech giants like Google. Google is curating a series of special initiatives to give its users an experience of marking the occasion prive to hundreds of thousands of Indians. The focal point of Googles celebrations is a new collection named India ki Udaan available on Google Arts and Culture. India ki Udaan is a way to pay tribute to the countrys rich heritage and encompasses key milestones from the past 75 years for the citizens to revisit, experience, and be inspired by. As the nation dives deep into the celebration, the tech giant also announced its collaboration with the Ministry of Culture which seeks to showcase the sacrifices, and contributions made by Indians since 1947 to support the central governments year-long Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav program. The tech giant also announced that its renowned Doodle for Google contest for this year is themed on In the next 25 years, my India will and invites students of grades 1-10. Googles India ki Udaan (Flight of India) is themed on the unwavering and resilient spirit of India over these past 75 years. Updated both in English and Hindi it allows the users to explore at least 120 illustrations and 21 stories created by 10 talented artists from various parts and institutions of the country encompassing the Ministry of Tourism, Museum of Art & Photography, Heritage Directorate of the Indian Railways, the Indian Academy of Sciences and Dastkari Haat Samiti. Indias journey of the last 75 years is truly inspirational, made up of historic events and unforgettable individuals across all aspects of nation-building. In our journey of 15-plus years, we have had the privilege of solving Indias unique needs, developing innovations for millions of people here but also those all around the world. On this momentous occasion, were enchanted to join the Independence Day celebrations through specially curated online experiences and to deepen our partnership with the Ministry of Culture to share Indias accomplishments and additional inspire its proud peoples, said Sanjay Gupta, VP & Country Head, Google India. Mr. G Kishan Reddy, Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Development of the North Eastern Region of India, said, 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 its people, culture, and achievements. This Mahotsav is dedicated to the citizens of India who have not just been pivotal in bringing India thus far in its evolutionary journey but also hold within them the power and potential to enable Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of activating India 2.0, fuelled by the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. I'm hopeful that the partnership with @googlearts will strengthen the Ministrys goal of preserving, promoting & disseminating all forms of Indian art & culture Shri G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of Tourism, Culture & Development of North Eastern Region of India, GoI#IndiaKiUdaan pic.twitter.com/BFymns88jT Google India (@GoogleIndia) August 5, 2022 Google Arts & Culture has featured Indias rich culture in a variety of ways over its 10 years in the country. It has exposed people all over the world to Indias cultural legacy by collaborating with more than 100 partners across India. Also Read: Har Ghar Tiranga: Vice President flags off bike rally At 11:45 a.m. today at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office to elected Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar. On August 6, Dhankhar was chosen to serve as vice president. He triumphed by defeating Margaret Alva of the opposition. The Certification of the Election of Jagdeep Dhankar as the Next Vice President of India was jointly signed on August 7 by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey. With 528 votes to Alvas 182, the BJP-led NDA candidate easily won the poll. The Vice President also serves as the Rajya Sabhas official chairman. Dhankhar received 74.36% of the vote. In the previous six vice presidential elections held since 1997, he had the largest margin of victory. The vice presidential elections returning officer reported that 725 of the 780 electors cast ballots, however 15 of them were later determined to be illegitimate. He stated that 92.94% of voters participated in the election and that 356 votes were required to win the election. Trinamool Congress, which has 36 MPs overall, including 23 in the Lok Sabha, had not voted. Two of its MPs had, however, already cast their votes. Up to 55 MPs chose not to cast a ballot in the vice presidential election. Dhankhar was born on May 18, 1951, into an agricultural family in a hamlet in the Jhunjhunu region of Rajasthan. He attended Sainik School in Chittorgarh for his last years of schooling. He continued his education at the University of Rajasthan for his LLB after earning his physics degree. He was a first-generation professional who rose to become one of the states top attorneys. Dhankhar, 71, has experience practising law before both the Supreme Court of India and the Rajasthan High Court. After being chosen as a Member of Parliament for Jhunjhunu in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections on a Janata Dal ticket, he joined public life. In 1990, he also held the position of Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs. Initially, Devi Lal, a former deputy prime minister, had an impact on his political views. Dhankhar, a member of the Jat clan, eventually changed his attention to state politics and was chosen in 1993 from the Kishangarh constituency in the Ajmer district to serve in the Rajasthan Assembly. In 2019, Dhankhar was chosen to serve as the governor of West Bengal. On July 17, upon the announcement of his selection as the NDAs vice presidential candidate, he tendered his resignation as governor of West Bengal. Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members make up the electoral college that chooses the vice president of India, the second-highest constitutional position in the nation. Vice President also serves as the chairman of Rajya Sabha. At a time when there appear to be differences between the government benches and the opposition, Dhankar will preside over the proceedings of the Upper House of Parliament. The presiding officers of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be from Rajasthan as a result of Dhankhars election as vice president. The West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee is on her four-day visit to the national capital. On her four-day visit to New Delhi, Mamta is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday to discuss several issues which involve GST dues for her state and MGNREGA. Later in the day, she is slated to meet Droupadi Murmu, the newly elected President of India. The Trinamool Congress Chief visit comes amid the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the SSC scam which involves Partha Chatterjee who has stripped from all party posts last week following the recovery of 50 crores of cash and jewelry from Arpita Mukherjees two flats, over the teachers recruitment scam. Also Read: Rahul Gandhi: Democracy is dead, India under dictatorship Share on NewsX Youtube Six nightclub bouncers were detained by the Haryana Police on Wednesday for assaulting a guy in Gurugram, Haryana. The event happened on the night between August 7 and 8, when a man went to a club in Udyog Vihar with his companions. After one of them reportedly abused a female acquaintance in their group, he was assaulted by bouncers. The club manager was detained after the guy made a police report stating that bouncers attacked him and his pals after confronting them for acting inappropriately with a member of their group. On social media, the incidents video has become quite popular. A guy is seen being beaten up by the bouncers in a video. According to the FIR, after his companion was molested, the bodyguards and the group of friends initially got into a fight, and soon after that, the guy was reportedly assaulted by numerous bodyguards at the behest of the clubs managers. In the meantime, a case has been opened at the Udyog Vihar Police Station under Sections 147, 149, 324, 354A, 379A, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in response to a complaint from a complainant who claims that bouncers physically assaulted him, touched his female companion improperly, and stole some money. According to commissioner of police in Gurugram, Kala Ramachandran, Sonu, Mandeep, Sumit, Nitin, Ram Singh, and Rakesh, who have been accused of being bouncers, have all been detained. Ramachandran added that the club manager at Udyog Vihar had also been detained. Lokesh, the manager of the club in Udyog Vihar, was also detained in connection with a case involving physical abuse and molestation, the speaker said. At the Uttam Nagar Police Station in Delhi on Sunday, a squad from the Delhi Crime Branch made an arrest in relation to a robbery case. He had been evading capture for the last five years. DCP Crime Vichitra Veer claims that A tip regarding a wanted criminal named Mukesh Sharma, a resident of Uttam Nagar, Delhi, was sent to the Northern Range-II of Crime Branch unit at Rohini Sector-18, Delhi. Cases were filed against him under sections 392, 411, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the crime that occurred on December 27, 2017. In his complaint, the complainant claimed to be a cab driver who had come to drop off customers near Uttam Nagar in Delhi. Four people had abruptly stopped in front of his automobile and entered the road in front of him. They allegedly forced the complainant out of his car, stole his money and phone, and fled. Sunil and Mukesh were two of the people who were immediately arrested; the other two people managed to flee. Mukesh jumped bail and failed to show up in court for the trial, but Sunil and Mukesh eventually received bail from the court. Later, the court issued a non-bailable warrant for his arrest as well as an order for the accuseds property to be attached. Later, after receiving information, Crime Branch discovered Mukeshs hiding place in Dwarka, Delhi, and the culprit was arrested. The election for vice president of India will take place today since M. Venkaiah Naidus term ends on August 10. Jagdeep Dhankhar, a vice-presidential candidate for National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and Margaret Alva, a nominee for opposition, are the two contenders for the vice-presidential seat. Dhankhar submitted his nomination paperwork on July 18 at the Parliament House to the Returning Officer and Secretary General of the Lok Sabha. When Dhankar submitted his candidacy, BJP president JP Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Nitin Gadkari were all there. Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha members of Indias Electoral College pick the vice president, the second-highest constitutional position in the nation. Dhankhar, an attorney by training, entered politics in 1989. In July 2019, he was appointed governor of West Bengal, and ever then, his contentious interactions with the Mamata Banerjee administration have garnered media attention. He submitted his letter of resignation as West Bengals governor. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) declared on Wednesday that it will endorse Jagdeep Dhankhar of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming vice presidential elections. Mayawati, the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), had already declared her partys support for Dhankhar. Earlier on July 19, Alva submitted her nomination for the vice presidential race. On July 17, opposition groups resolved to run the former governor of Rajasthan for vice president as a joint candidate. At a gathering of 17 opposition party leaders at the home of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, the decision was made to field Alva. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) stated on Friday that it will endorse opposition vice presidential candidate Margaret Alva. Venkaiah Naidu was put forth by the NDA in 2017 as its vice presidential candidate. His tenure ends on August 10, 2022. On Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party met in Patna at the house of Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishore Prasad to discuss the schism in the National Democratic Alliance. Party leaders Bhikhubhai Dalsaniya, Renu Devi, Mangal Pandey, Nitin Navin, Amrendra Pratap Singh, and Samrat Chaudhary departed Prasads residence after the meeting. The BJPs Core Committee meeting has been rescheduled for today at the party headquarters in Patna. The action occurred after the Bihar chief minister met with all JD(U) MPs and MLAs at his official house here today, amid rumours of a schism with ally BJP. A Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) meeting was also conducted today at Rabri Devis house in Patna. Leaders of the CPI-ML and the Congress, both members of the states Opposition Mahagathbandhan, attended the meeting. Rumours of a developing schism between the BJP-JDU coalition in Bihar grew when Kumar skipped a major meeting of the NITI Aayog, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday and JD(U) leader RCP Singh resigned from the party. Singh, a close assistant to Nitish Kumar, announced his resignation from the party after being presented with a letter requesting an explanation on corruption accusations. The RJD-led Opposition in the state has said that it will welcome any re-alignment in Bihars ruling coalition without the BJP. Ahead of the RJD convened meeting today, Congress Bihar legislature party leader Ajit Sharma said: If Nitish Kumar comes, well welcome him. If he comes we will support him. A meeting of Mahagathbandhan is being held. We should take a decision to support (him) by considering Nitish Kumar as the CM but well be able to tell you only after the meeting. Meanwhile, a mahagathbandhan meeting was convened at the house of state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, during which party leaders, MLAs, MLCs, and the Rajya Sabha MP authorised Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav to make a choice and stated their support for him, according to reports. Yadav has already received the endorsement of the Congress and Left parties. In todays JD(U) meeting, all MLAs and MPs endorsed CM Nitish Kumars decision and stated their support for him. They also stated that they will continue to back Kumars choice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday pointed to Congress for wearing black cloth while protesting against price rise, saying Black Magic cannot end the opposition partys bad days. In response, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted a picture of PM Modi. , pic.twitter.com/YZNN8TCrCs Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 10, 2022 While addressing a function in Panipat, PM Modi lashed out at Congress for wearing black clothes in the August 5 protest. While addressing a function in Panipat, PM Modi lashed out at Congress for wearing black clothes in the August 5 protest. The PM further added that people who avoid problems by turning to shortcuts for political agenda can never solve the problems permanently. As the military announced it would resume manoeuvres around Taiwan on Monday, Chinas defence ministry defended its decision to halt military discussions with the United States in protest against Nancy Pelosis visit to Taipei last week. Following four days of unprecedented drills surrounding the self-governing island, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) announced online that it will practise anti-submarine strikes and sea raids on Monday. In an online statement on Monday, Wu Qian, a spokesman for the defence ministry, defended the decision to shut off military lines by asserting that the US side was solely to blame for the difficult situation in the Taiwan Strait, for which it must take full responsibility and face severe repercussions. Wu declared that communication must be sincere in order to succeed. China, which claims Taiwan as its own, was incensed by Pelosis visit last week and replied by conducting its first-ever test launch of a ballistic missile over Taipei as well as cutting off some communication channels with Washington. ATLANTA (AP) Atlanta rapper Young Thug, whos accused of conspiracy to violate Georgias RICO Act and participation in a criminal street gang, is facing six new felony charges along with four others linked to the case. A new indictment was filed in Fulton County Superior Court last week against the artist, whose real name is Jeffery Williams. He now faces additional charges of participation in criminal street gang activity, violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a machine gun and drug charges, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The new charges stem from what investigators found during Williams arrest on the original May 9 indictment at his home in Atlanta's upscale Buckhead neighborhood, authorities said. The initial indictment contained 56 counts against 28 people for alleged involvement in crimes committed on behalf of the Young Slime Life street gang. The updated indictment now contains 65 counts, six of which apply to Williams. At the time of Williams' arrest, there was a question of whether the new charges would be folded into the RICO case. Court records now indicate that is what has been done. Williams' attorney, Brian Steel, said his client is innocent and looks forward to fighting the charges in court. Mr. Williams has committed absolutely no crimes, Steel told the newspaper on Wednesday. We cannot wait for a trial date. Williams, along with rapper Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, remain in jail after bond was denied for both earlier this year. Steel said a new bond hearing for Williams has been scheduled for next week. A tentative trial date has been set for Jan. 9, 2023. Martinez Arnold, also known as Duke, and Deamonte Kendrick, also known as Yak Gotti, face additional charges including participation in criminal street gang activity, violation of the Georgia controlled substances act, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a machine gun. Kendrick also has been indicted on a charge of possession of a firearm by convicted felon. Shannon Stillwell and Quamarvious Nichols were charged with one additional count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon related to the death of Shymel Drinks on March 18. Arnold's attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, told WSB-TV that she is confident her client won't be convicted. She said he will plead not guilty to the new charges as he already has to the original charges. The indictments center around Young Slime Life, an alleged gang prosecutors say was founded by Williams and two others in Atlanta with ties to the national Bloods gang. Young Thug co-wrote the hit This is America with Childish Gambino, making history when it became the first hip-hop track to win the song of the year Grammy in 2019. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Federal officials allege that a New York man defrauded an organization that provides foster and adoption services to Kansas out of about $10.7 million. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Kansas filed a civil asset forfeiture case Aug. 1 alleging that William Whymark and his company WMK Research, which is based in Mount Kisco, N.Y., defrauded Saint Francis Ministries, based in Salina, Kansas. A Maryland man described by the FBI as a self-professed white supremacist was sentenced on Wednesday to four months of incarceration for storming the U.S. Capitol while wearing a court-mandated device that tracked his movements, court records show. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly also sentenced Bryan Betancur to one year of supervised release after his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $500 in restitution. Betancur, 22, was on probation for a 2019 burglary conviction when he traveled from the Washington suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland, and joined the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. A GPS-enabled monitoring device that he was wearing under the terms of his probation showed that he spent roughly three hours in or around the Capitol that afternoon. Betancur climbed scaffolding outside the Capitol before helping other rioters remove furniture from a conference room, prosecutors said. They added the rioters likely used pieces of the furniture as weapons and projectiles during a clash with police officers in a tunnel on the Lower West Terrace. Betancur pleaded guilty in May to one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of one year behind bars. Prosecutors recommended sentencing Betancur to six months of incarceration, 12 months of supervised release, 60 hours of community service and $500 in restitution. Approximately 850 people have been charged with federal crimes for their conduct on Jan. 6. Over 350 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors, and over 230 have been sentenced. Dozens of Capitol riot defendants who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor offenses have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to five months. Betancur lied to the FBI during an interview after his guilty plea, falsely stating that he only entered the Capitol for his safety, according to prosecutors. He told the FBI agent who interviewed him that he heard law enforcement planned the Capitol riot and that it was an inside job, a prosecutor said. Then-President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of his supporters at the Stop the Steal rally before many of them walked over to the Capitol, where Congress was preparing to certify President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. "Betancur also emphatically claimed that the 2020 election was stolen, Justice Department prosecutor Maria Fedor wrote in a court filing. Betancur flashed an OK hand sign a gesture that many far-right extremists have adopted as a trolling tactic or a genuine hate symbol as he left his interview with an FBI agent in July 2022. The FBI believes Betancur aspired to join the far-right Proud Boys extremist group but wasn't an official member. He wore a Proud Boys shirt under his jacket on Jan. 6 and met with members of the group before he walked over to the Capitol. Images recovered from his cellphone showed him in Washington with Proud Boys members on Dec. 12, 2020. Probation officers gave Betancur permission to visit the city that day and on Jan. 6, both times under the pretense that he was traveling with Gideon International to distribute Bibles. Betancur told law enforcement officers that he was a member of several white supremacy groups and said he wanted to run people over with a vehicle and kill people in a church, an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit. Betancur has voiced homicidal ideations, made comments about conducting a school shooting, and has researched mass shootings, the affidavit said. During the riot, he posed for a photograph with a Confederate battle flag while standing on the scaffolding outside the Capitol. In June 2022, a rider on a Metro train in the Washington area reported that Betancur harassed other passengers, yelling racial slurs and making racist statements about Black people, according to prosecutors. They said the rider also reported that Betancur held a folding knife as he left a Metro station. Police officers stopped Betancur but didn't arrest him, prosecutors said. "Betancur has clearly demonstrated his inability to refrain from harassing, hostile, threatening, and uncooperative behavior both with law enforcement and the public at large," Fedor wrote. Defense attorney Ubong Akpan said Betancur no longer belongs to any extremist group and shouldn't be punished for his political beliefs. He should only be judged for his conduct in this case. He accepted responsibility and is remorseful for his conduct, Akpan wrote, requesting a sentence of one month in jail for Betancur. Earlier Wednesday, a man who pleaded guilty to the same riot-related offense as Betancur was sentenced to two months of imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan also sentenced Benjamin Larocca, 28, of Seabrook, Texas, to one year of supervised release and ordered him to perform 60 hours of community service and to pay a $2,000 fine. Prosecutors recommended three months of imprisonment for Larocca. They said he took videos and photographs that showed his extreme indifference to the chaos and violence around him on Jan. 6. It has to be made clear that there are consequences for taking part in that violent riot on Jan. 6, Chutkan said. WEST HAVEN City officials believe a state grant can save taxpayers money on waste manegement in the long run, but plans to accept that grant were derailed Wednesday over concerns of transparency and communication. The City Council canceled a special meeting during which it was to consider accepting a $1.3 million grant from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to initiate a one-year pilot program for waste disposal. According to city Grants Manager Doug Colter, the cost of sending trash to an incinerator is increasing creating a looming issue for taxpayers once the citys current waste disposal contract expires. However, DEEP officials are presenting the city with an alternative: making it easier for residents to separate food waste. Colter said the city is projected to pay a lower rate on food waste per ton if it were to send it to a biogenerator in Southington, which also would decrease the amount of waste that then is sent to an incinerator. Kristen Brown, vice president of waste reduction strategy for WasteZero and a consultant for DEEP, said the plan for food waste would create a dry cake of digestate and create a byproduct that could easily be composted into fertilizer. Why would you want to drive all this good food waste to Pennsylvania to bury it in a landfill? she said. The pilot program would provide three garbage bags to households per week two 15-gallon orange bags and one eight-gallon green bag. Households participating in the program would sort their food waste into the green bag, which would be collected alongside the orange bags. The green bags would be sorted out and sent to the biogenerator, with the expected effect of reducing the citys costs for waste disposal as well as improving environmental outcomes by reducing methane emissions. Brown said additional bags eligible under the program could be purchased locally. Brown said a portion of the $1.3 million grant would go toward efforts to inform residents of how the program works and its benefits. She said that, although more bags would be available for purchase, offering two bags for non-food waste disposal is intended to affect behavior. We want people to think about their trash, to fit it in two orange bags, she said. At the conclusion of the pilot program, Brown said the city would have valuable data and resident feedback in order to make a decision about continuing the program. Using store-bought bags that are not compliant with the program would not incur any penalties during the pilot, Brown said, and residents can opt out of participation. Pam Roach, a South Central Regional Council of Governments consultant, said the savings to the city over four years would prevent an increase in taxes. Colter said the projected $3.3 million in savings likely would not lead to a reduction in the citys tax rate, but it could stave off requiring residents to pay an additional mill. Avoided cost is cost savings nonetheless, he said. The planned special meeting did not incorporate public comment in its agenda. Although the meeting was publicly noticed, word spread quickly online that the City Council was preparing to approve a program without receiving public feedback. Former Mayor Ed OBrien wrote a letter to council members Wednesday opining that to accept the pilot program would be in violation of a city ordinance. Please know that voting at a Special Meeting to accept a grant that will eventually change the way West Haven handles refuse will be in direct violation of the Code of West Haven and The Charter of West Haven, he wrote in his letter. I would recommend that if the intent is to enter a Pilot Program to change the way West Haven disposes of refuse that an Ordinance is introduced at a regular City Council Meeting and that the change is vetted by you with the input of the residents prior to any vote. Policies, procedures, and codes of the city should not be violated because of a deadline imposed by others. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Pat Utomi, professor of political economy, has unveiled the plans Labour Party (LP) has for Nigerians as the party prepares to officially be... Pat Utomi, professor of political economy, has unveiled the plans Labour Party (LP) has for Nigerians as the party prepares to officially begin its campaign for the 2023 elections. Speaking on Tuesday at the unveiling of the partys programmes in Lagos, he encouraged youths to rise up to environmental challenges, adding that the month of August is significant because Africa is observing its climate month and the world is celebrating youths. The scope of our announcement today will include programmes of the youth and the useful clean-up to take back their country in this Africa climate month, he said. As we all know, August is Africas climate month. We also know that the real scourge that is throwing the world into a huge panic right now is the environment. And so, August has been set aside as climate change month for Africa to use to activate a response to the challenge of the environment. Interestingly enough, International Youth Day also happens to be in August. In this year that Africa is hosting COP27 in Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, we want to urge the youths of our country, through a systematic programme that the #Obidient movement is developing to begin to take over their country by taking over the environmental challenge. We want the youths to clean up and take back their country in this Africa climate month in which we mark the International Youth Day. He also said the party hopes to set up entrepreneurial programmes as well as listening clinics across Nigeria to listen to citizens problems and offer suggestions on how to solve them. He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have failed in these areas, but that the LP hopes to make 2023 a peoples government, in which people can be heard in the drive to build a new Nigeria. Entrepreneurship training programmes will be offered free to young people across Nigeria, from Jigawa to Jos and Jakande estates in Lagos, and capital support prepared in the associations that we have, with your soro soke third force, he said. In addition, we will talk about the listening clinics that we plan during the course of this month and going further from this month, these listening clinics will be opportunities for people across the country in different economic sectors and communities to express themselves about what their real problems are and tell us where the pain is, and suggest to us how they think the healing can come. At the germination of the third force is that the government of 2023 will be the peoples government, which inclines us to begin the necessary corrections of the biggest area of mistake of the APC and the PDP. In our view, the biggest failure of both the APC and the PDP is that they forgot about how to listen and to listen to the people. So, they cut the people off without probably recognising it. And the saying is that the voice of the people is the voice of God and you truly lose it once you stop listening to the voice of the people and acting according to that voice. We want to begin the change to build a new Nigeria through these listening clinics. We want to listen to Nigerians of every shape, colour, interest and level. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, says African countries should be unanimous in their support for his country in the ongoing war ... Volodymyr Zelenskyy, president of Ukraine, says African countries should be unanimous in their support for his country in the ongoing war against Russia. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and the war has resulted in killings, displacement of millions of people, food insecurity, and energy crisis. In April, the United Nations general assembly adopted a resolution to suspend Russia from the human rights council. However, during the voting process, 58 countries including African countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, and Niger Republic abstained from participating in the exercise. Speaking at a recent interview with journalists from Africa on how countries can support Ukraine, Zelenskyy said the situation doesnt call for nations to take neutral positions, considering the far-reaching consequences of the war. First, you should understand and the world should know the truth that Russia is waging a colonial war against Ukraine. This war is going on in our territory, absolutely and only in Ukraine. What Russia is doing here is the same as racism, the same as Nazism, and a new word has been coined for its practices ruscism. Thats what it is, he said. Nazis believed that there was only one great nation Aryan and this wrong belief led to a great tragedy. The same thing happens with ruscism. They believe that there is a Russian world. They do not respect us, and they do not respect our territories, our people, or our language. They believe that we do not exist that 40 million Ukrainian people do not exist. They believe we are wrong Russians. A great tragedy of capturing other territories, people, torture, and deportation of children is happening. We are similar in many ways what happened on the African continent is still happening elsewhere. For a long time, the world did not care, and this is wrong. Weve been saying this all the time; we, the people who have been going through war for eight years. Its not a faraway war. What is happening in Ukraine has been happening for many years in many places on the African continent. This injustice is absolute, and the security infrastructure of the whole world needs to be changed. These international institutions need to be changed for them to work. And we stand for it. Today we are a tragic living example of the world security system being broken. And we invite everyone to repair it, to guarantee security for Ukraine. This experience can then spread to other continents and states that lack security and peace. But I should admit that some countries on the African continent lacked attention. We in Ukraine had begun changing this policy before the start of a full-scale invasion on February 24. And in spite of the lingering war, I appointed my representative on the African continent we want to expand our ties. It is very, very important for us. We also want to find various areas to invest in. Despite the ongoing war, our foreign affairs minister is planning a big trip to the countries of the African continent in the autumn. I cannot do it now, as I had planned before the war, but I am sure I will do it when it ends. It is important, and I will gladly do it. He also said Africans may wonder why Ukraine deserves their support, adding that with the input from African leaders, issues such as food crisis which has had significant effect on African countries can be addressed. People in some countries of the African continent may wonder: If the world did not help us, then why should we help Ukrainians now? They should support us because they know how it hurts when the world does not pay attention to your problem, war, or poverty, he said. Thats what is happening here. Those who are going through, or have gone through this pain, know what its like to be ignored. Therefore, on the contrary, they should speak out and support. I will give you an example of blocking our ports and food supplies by the Russian Federation to countries, including the African continent. We do not divide the countries of the African continent into those who advocate neutrality in the war against us and those who support us. We know and are ready to supply all countries with grain and wheat, because hunger is not neutral. Hunger comes to the country, no matter what stance the state had had before the war. It is about famine, and it is about the fact that people will die. I know that we can help the countries of the African continent without dividing them, just as they should unite to support Ukraine, because we have the truth on our side; because we are a peace-loving country; because the war is on our territory, not on the territory of Russia. Authorities in the United States have accused Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of plotting to assassinate former US Nationa... Authorities in the United States have accused Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of plotting to assassinate former US National Security Advisor, John Bolton, in retaliation for the killing of Irans General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. Al-Jazeera reported that the US Department of Justice is accusing Tehran of offering an unidentified US-based individual $300,000 to carry out the alleged killing in Washington DC or neighbouring Maryland. US attorney for Washington, Matthew Graves, said in a statement that, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, through the Defendant, tried to hatch a brazen plot: assassinate a former US official on US soil in retaliation for US actions. Tehran on Wednesday dismissed the US allegations as ridiculous and baseless. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, as reported by the Reuters news agency, Iran strongly warns against any action against Iranian citizens under the pretext of these ridiculous and baseless accusations. In the meantime, the White House warned Tehran of severe consequences if it targets Americans. Jake Sullivan, the National Security Adviser said in a statement, We have said this before and we will say it again: the Biden Administration will not waiver in protecting and defending all Americans against threats of violence and terrorism. Maverick Entertainer and activist, Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy has described what will be the fate of Nigeria if President... Maverick Entertainer and activist, Charles Oputa popularly known as Charly Boy has described what will be the fate of Nigeria if President Muhammadu Buharis government fails to fix the nation. CharlyBoy warned that Nigeria may become a combination of Venezuela, Somalia, Afghanistan and Lebanon if the Buhari government fails to resolve issues affecting Nigerians. He gave the warning in a tweet on his Twitter page. The tweet read: A stormy Hell Fire is gathering in Nigeria. I can almost smell it and e dey choke. If the Vagabonds in power remain indifferent or fail to fix this Bullshit they started. Nigeria will certainly become a combination of Afghanistan Venezuela, Somalia and Lebanon. Charly Boy went ahead advising Nigerians to defend themselves at all times. The Fulani Freedom Fighters (FFFs) have been let loose from Hell by their masters. Nigerians be ready to defend yourselves. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers this afternoon. Thunder possible. High near 80F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Deep summertime in New Orleans does bring some seasonal consolations, at least at the restaurant table. Its a time for special dinners, collaborations and other events to spark up the slow-season doldrums, in addition to the ongoing Coolinary dining deals this month. This month sees the return of some annual happenings after a pandemic hiatus and some new events at different restaurants across town. Heres a look at a few on the books for August: An air-conditioned beef picnic For one night each August, Dickie Brennans Steakhouse (716 Iberville St., 504-522-2467) transforms its subterranean dining room into something like a fully air-conditioned indoor festival of beef for its Louisiana Beef Picnic. The tables are cleared out, and the serving stations are set up across the restaurant, each featuring beef dishes using cuts from Louisiana producers Gonsoulin Cattle Ranch and Coastal Plains Meat Co. The dishes range from sliders and steak tartare to beef Wellington, whole leg of beef and beef shank pot pies. Theres a dessert bar, sides and free flowing drinks. The picnic is Aug. 17, from 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $125. Get them via eventbrite.com or at dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com. Toasting Julia Child at Bayona Chef Susan Spicer once had the opportunity to serve Julia Child at Bayona (430 Dauphine St., 504-525-4455) and she calls the iconic American ambassador of French cuisine a personal hero. Spicer has made a Julia Child menu a summer tradition at Bayona since 2009 to mark Childs birthday. The Bayona dinners this year are held Aug. 19 and 20 with a special three-course menu for $65 (with optional wine pairings available). For sticklers, Childs actual birthday is Aug. 15, though no matter. Bayona is serving other Child-inspired French dishes on its regular menu all month including steak tartare, Provencal bouillabaisse and prime filet au poivre. This being New Orleans, dont be surprised if some of the people partaking in the Julia Child menu arrive in costume. There are often a few look-alikes in the dining room during the week-long event. Street food with Adolfo Garcia The Guest Chef Night has been a popular draw for Libertys Kitchen, a nonprofit that uses the structure of a commercial kitchen to build life skills and tap the potential of young people. Now the series returns after a pandemic hiatus with chef Adolfo Garcia leading dinner of Latin American street food, including ceviche, arepas and grilled beef or shrimp skewers. Garcia has been an influential chef through the last two decades of New Orleans dining, and today hes a partner in La Boca, Ancora Pizzeria and High Hat Cafe (and other memorable predecessors Rio Mar, a Mano and Primitivo). The dinner is Aug. 24 at 6 p.m. at the Libertys Kitchen home base (300 N. Broad St.). Tickets are $65, and the dinner is BYOB. Get tickets at libertyskitchen.org/guest-chef-night. The Guest Chef Night is also a warm-up of sorts for the biggest annual event from Libertys Kitchen, Come Grow With Us, a fundraiser and major culinary throwdown, held Sept. 30 this year at the Ace Hotel. See details at libertyskitchen.org/come-grow-with-us-2022. Guest chefs, global flavors at Mister Mao Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The always flavorfully feisty Uptown restaurant Mister Mao (4500 Tchoupitoulas St., 504- 345-2056) hosts a guest chef collaborative dinner Aug. 21 to benefit the Made in New Orleans Foundation (MiNO), a nonprofit which address racial equity in the hospitality sector. Joining Mister Mao co-founder Sophina Uong in the dinner are Martha Wiggins of Cafe Reconcile, Brock Seabrook of Daddy Hot Bird, Austin Lane of El Cucuy, and Kaitlin Geurin of Lagniappe Baking. Each takes a dish in the five-course meal, with flavors running from the South to South Asia. The dinner is $75 (drinks are extra), with seatings at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Get tickets via resy.com or through mistermaonola.com. Ethiopian feast at Addis NOLA The Ethiopian restaurant Addis NOLA has thrived through collaboration and is preparing for a big move to a larger location in the months ahead. But first, it will host a festive, multi-course dinner showcasing its specialties in conjunction with the local chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International, a womens culinary group. The dinner on Aug. 17, beginning at 6 p.m. at Addis NOLA (422 N. Broad St.) will have dishes like lamb tibs, whole fried fish, the raw beef preparation kifto and more traditional flavors. The cost is $75, including tax, tip and two drinks (yes, you can order more). Get tickets at lesdamesnola.org/tickets/gci-addis. Commander's Palace has company Last year, Commanders Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221) introduced a new dinner series pairing executive chef Meg Bickford with other culinary talent from around the community. That series, called Chef Meg & Company, is back again, starting this month. The first on Aug. 23 brings Serigne Mbaye, a Commanders Palace alum whose pop-up Dakar Nola showcases the flavors and culinary energy of his Senegalese heritage. Earlier in his career, he worked with Bickford at Cafe Adelaide, when she was executive chef there. The next edition is Sept. 13 with Michael Gulotta, chef and co-owner of Maypop, MoPho and the forthcoming TANA, who is known for both Asian fusion and deep dives into regional Italian. Each one is a five-course dinner with wine pairings and cocktails from Christa Cotton, of the local El Gaupo Bitters brand. These events are also fundraisers for Cafe Reconcile, with a portion of proceeds going to the nonprofit youth development program based in Central City. Both dinners start at 6:30 p.m. at Commanders Palace and tickets are $165 each. Get them at exploretock.com/commanderspalace. Gianna goes to Sardinia Gianna (700 Magazine St., 504-399-0816), the Italian restaurant from chef Donald Links group, has been hosting a series of dinners focused on different regions of Italy. The next is fixed on Sardinia with a five-course dinner of specialty seafood dishes, each with wine pairings, including octopus salad, spaghetti with sea urchin, Manila clams, snails in spicy tomato sauce and the Sardinian cheesecake seada. The Aug. 17 dinner starts at 7 p.m. and is $120. Reservations via resy.com or at giannarestaurant.com. +13 Ian McNulty: For Carmos next phase, deep flavors and an urgent message from the Amazon The soup is everyday comfort food, at least back in the Amazon rainforest regions where it originates. But chef Dana Honn knows tacaca is an e +21 As Bacchanal turns 20, the Bywater wine hang brings back part of its past Bacchanal started with wine, and added cheese plates and some live music. Then they lit the backyard grills and the evolution really started. The Southern Decadence festival is a big deal for New Orleans. The LGBTQ-oriented event that takes place on Labor Day weekend draws hundreds of thousands of participants to the French Quarter, providing a big boost to the hospitality industry during the least hospitable part of the year. This year is Decadences 50th anniversary. It's also a comeback after a two-year interruption caused by the COVID pandemic in 2020 and Hurricane Ida in 2021. The parade was cancelled in 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina and 2008 because of Hurricane Gustav. The mega-party thats sometimes called the Gay Mardi Gras, originated in 1972, when a handful of Tennessee Williams-loving roommates threw a decadence-themed going away party for one of their flock. The next year the gang conducted an impromptu parade. The year after that, the paraders elected a grand marshal, and as so often happens in New Orleans what had been a barely-organized rabble became a beloved, half-century-spanning tradition. The centerpiece of the festival remains the Grand Marshals' Walking Parade, a large, costumed promenade through the French Quarter, scheduled to take place on Sunday (Sept. 4) starting at 2 p.m. at the Golden Lantern Bar at 1239 Royal Street. The glittery procession will then hop from gay bar to gay bar through the Vieux Carre. The year of burlesque Parade captain Antoinette Reynolds said that the exact 2022 parade route has not been verified yet, but she predicts it will follow a similar route as past years, though it may be shorter because of the citys deficit of police officers. The 2022 parade theme is Jazz Burlesque and Decadence New Orleans. The colors are red and gold and the Grand Marshals are Rikki Red and Danny Girl. Reynolds said that despite the burlesque theme, full nudity is not permitted in the parade. So far, she said, 40 marching and dancing groups have signed up to participate in the parade, including regulars such as the Merry Antoinettes, Pussyfooters, Rolling Elvi and Goddesses. Reynolds said that, at this writing, its not too late to sign up to participate. Decadence weekend parties pop up at clubs and bars across the French Quarter, including the 16-year-old Bourbon Street Extravaganza, a free outdoor concert that typically takes place at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann Streets on Saturday afternoon. Details of the 2022 event are not yet available. Organizers believe that this years Southern Decadence gathering may be especially popular because of the two-year hiatus. But the 2022 event has been complicated by the advent of the monkeypox virus. Health concerns Anyone is susceptible to monkeypox, which is spread through close contact. Though currently infections are concentrated among men who have sex with men, according to public health officials. As of Aug. 9, Louisiana had 88 reported monkeypox infections, 64 of which were diagnosed in the New Orleans area. In view of the impending Southern Decadence Festival, in late July, health officials began calling for enhanced vaccine supplies. Were concerned about the potential implications of Decadence, just over a month away, said Dr. Joseph Kanter, the top medical official at the Louisiana Department of Health, in late July. Weve made those concerns very clear to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and very sharply advocated for more supply for that reason. On Tuesday, health officials conducted the first mass monkeypox vaccination at the Phoenix Bar on Elysian Fields Avenue, where 500 people received the first of two shots. Monkeypox is rarely fatal. Symptoms include a rash that looks like pimples or blisters and flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and sometimes respiratory symptoms. Were aware of this new health and safety concern to our community and are keeping a close watch on the guidelines coming from the CDC, wrote parade Grand Marshal Danny Girl in a prepared press release. Southern Decadence 2022 What: Annual, large-scale LGBTQ-oriented gathering in the French Quarter Where: Scattered locations in the French Quarter When: Thurs. Sept. 1- Monday, Sept. 5 Parade: The Grand Marshals' Walking Parade, Sunday, Sept. 4, starting at 2 p.m. at the Golden Lantern Bar at 1239 Royal Street. +14 50 essential New Orleans experiences: How many have you checked off your list? The essence of New Orleans is a yin and yang thing. Its not all killer hurricanes, but its not all rainbow snowballs either. Its a balance +13 Dirty Linen Night, the stained and wrinkled downtown art stroll, takes place Saturday Dirty Linen Night, the French Quarters annual art block party, returns on Saturday (Aug. 13) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., after a two-year COVID hi FILE - In this July 8, 2019, file photo, national security adviser John Bolton speaks at the Christians United for Israel's annual summit, in Washington. A single paper copy in a nondescript envelope arrived at the White House on Dec. 30. Four weeks later, news of John Boltons book manuscript about his time as President Donald Trumps national security adviser has exploded into public view, sending a jolt through the presidents impeachment trial. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) Faimon Roberts III covers rural communities in Louisiana. His work is supported by a reporting grant from the Microsoft Journalism Initiative and is administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation. He can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com. A deputy at Second City Court in Algiers who failed to respond to a French Quarter rape has been suspended indefinitely without pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation, according to Constable Edwin Shorty. That investigation could take several weeks, Shorty said. The deputy, who has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and no history of infractions, allegedly did not respond when a witness approached him to report a rape in progress in the 600 block of Royal Street around midnight on July 26. "This is not in character with the majority of people in law enforcement, and that includes the NOPD," said Shorty, who did not release the deputy's name. "We are all shocked that anybody could get that kind of complaint and not respond timely." The deputy was working an approved detail for the film industry when a witness flagged him down at the behest of a 911 operator, to whom she reported the rape as she and her spouse watched it unfold from a block away. "He looked at me like I was crazy," said the witness, who asked not to be identified because she fears retribution. The viral audio of the 911 call, obtained via a public records request from The Lens, reveals a bystander who becomes increasingly frenetic as minutes pass, the victim remains unresponsive and the rapist flees before police respond. "There was no urgency whatsoever," the caller's spouse said. "A woman is being raped in public in front of other people that is unacceptable." At a news conference Thursday, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said an investigation by the Public Integrity Bureau showed the witness did not speak with NOPD officers until after 911 had dispatched officers to the scene. "At no time did an NOPD officer fail to respond," Ferguson said, though he acknowledged two marked NOPD vehicles passed the scene of the ongoing rape. Ferguson said he could not prove or disprove that officers saw the crime unfolding on the sidewalk. The first responding NOPD officer arrived at 11:24 p.m., according to Gary Scheets, a department spokesperson, and a patrol unit arrived at 11:25 p.m. The witness administered CPR to the victim and encouraged police to administer Narcan, because she believed the woman was overdosing on opioids. At the press conference Thursday, Ferguson said responding officers did not administer Narcan because the victim was regaining consciousness. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Police are investigating the aggravated rape by reviewing video evidence and contacting witnesses. The accusations of indifference come at a time when the NOPD's beleaguered sex crimes unit is struggling with high caseloads and low clearance rates, undermining public confidence. A 2014 probe by the city's Office of Inspector General found officers in the unit ignored hundreds of allegations of rape and child abuse. "I think they are severely understaffed, afraid to respond in certain situations," the witness said. "It starts at the top and trickles down. New Orleans is known for being a lawless city, but to have officers at a scene refusing to respond is outrageous to me." At a fiery news conference last Thursday announcing her intent to terminate the NOPD's 2012 consent decree, Mayor LaToya Cantrell blamed media, elected officials and the general public for criticizing police and contributing to their high attrition rates. "It feels like service is under attack," she said. "Law enforcement is under attack nationally." The witness, in an open letter to the mayor published by The Lens, said she took those statements personally. "I feel like you were essentially calling me a liar. Wouldnt it be in the best interest of New Orleans to correct the polices actions to protect your citizens?" she wrote. Shorty acknowledged the deputy's actions breached the public trust. "We all have a duty to instill confidence in law enforcement, given the state of crime in the New Orleans metro area," Shorty said. "That is why he was suspended immediately." For the witness, that suspension, and the fact that NOPD publicly addressed the situation, is a start. "While I do not agree that responding officers acted appropriately, I hope this incident incentivizes NOPD to reconsider their Narcan training program and to focus on appropriate victim-sensitive responses," she said in a statement after watching the NOPD's media briefing. Anyone with information regarding this crime may contact the Special Victims Section at (504) 658-5525 or call Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at (504) 822-1111, and anyone with information about the police response may contact the Public Integrity Bureau at (504) 658-6800. Criminal charges against an 18-year-old New Orleans man who struck a Plaquemines Parish deputy sheriff while fleeing on an all-terrain vehicle have been downgraded from attempted murder to aggravated second-degree battery, as dash camera video of the collision and other evidence do not support the higher charge in the eyes of prosecutors and a grand jury. Plaquemines District Attorney Charles Ballay said bail for Reginald Hamilton has been lowered from more than $500,000 to $152,000, although Hamilton has remained in jail since he was released from the hospital after the May 31 crash. Hamiltons family, who obtained a copy of the video from their defense attorney and shared it with WWL-TV, think the recording shows that the sheriff's deputies were the aggressors. They say the video doesnt support any charges greater than traffic violations against two teenagers who were riding the ATVs. The video includes radio chatter between deputies. The chase begins at a relatively slow speed, but the deputies language turns inflammatory as the chase picks up speed. Hamilton's family says the deputies comments show they had no intention of making a peaceful traffic stop. There was no attempt to engage him in a peaceful manner. Everything from the perspective of the police officer was aggressive. It was uncalled for, said Ashonta Wyatt, a family friend. At one point, a deputy can be heard as he pulls directly behind the two teens on the ATVs and says, I'll f---ing bump you, brah. It is unclear if the deputys car actually bumps the ATV. A short time later, as the chase picks up urgency, a deputy is heard saying, Smoke 'em. Smoke 'em. The next thing seen on the video is Hamiltons ATV hitting Lt. Edmund Fisher in the middle of the Woodland Bridge, which crosses the Intercoastal Canal into the Cut-Off neighborhood of Algiers where Hamilton lives. 18-year-old ATV driver accused of intentionally striking, injuring Plaquemines Parish deputy An 18-year-old from New Orleans is accused of intentionally driving into a Plaquemines Parish sheriff's deputy with an all-terrain vehicle whi Both Hamilton and Fisher suffered life-threatening injuries from the crash. Fishers leg and hip were badly injured, and doctors amputated his right leg above the knee. He was released from the hospital Tuesday as a large contingent of deputies and officers gathered in Belle Chasse to welcome him home. Hamilton was initially in a coma with a head injury. He was released from the hospital and booked into jail about a week after the crash. His mother, Schnell Clark, said the video shows there was no intent to commit any crime. NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up He needs help. Somebody was in a coma; they need medical treatment. Right now as we're speaking, he needs medical treatment, Clark said Wednesday. I just want justice. Basically, I want him home, Clark said. He's been gone from me for ... lies, untruths. You know, just take his freedom from him. Take my rights from me. After Plaquemines Parish deputy injured in ATV chase, authorities arrest second driver The Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office has arrested a second driver involved in a wild all-terrain-vehicle chase early Tuesday morning that e Defense attorney Ryan Thompson of Baton Rouge says the video evidence does not appear to support the original characterization by Sheriff Jerry Turlich that Hamilton intentionally rammed the deputy. The day after the crash, Turlich said, The bike would have missed him. At the last second, it veered right at the officer. In that characterization of the crash, Turlich said deputies began to chase the two men after they failed to stop on the officers orders - something Hamiltons family disputes. Fisher had driven ahead of Hamilton and got out of his marked car to lay a spike strip across the road, Turlich said at the time. The video shows Fisher was about six feet away from his car when he was hit. Deputy injured in ATV chase recovering from multiple surgeries, suspect held A Plaquemines Parish Sheriff's Office deputy injured during a wild ATV chase in which he was allegedly struck intentionally is now recovering From the first days after the crash, Hamiltons family insisted that he never would intentionally cause a wreck. Wyatt said Hamilton and his friend had been setting out some fishing lines on the other side of the bridge earlier that night. She said Hamilton had never been in trouble with the law. I'm going to stand on what I said months ago, Wyatt said. He did not have any intent to harm anybody. His only intent was to safely get on the other side of the Woodland Bridge. The Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Flanked by deputies in a courtroom bustling with 20-25 family members, Jenee Pedesclaux -- the mother accused of stabbing her two young children then broadcasting herself on social media streaked in blood -- appeared in court early Thursday where New Orleans Magistrate Judge Juana Marine-Lombard ordered her held without bond pending a competency hearing. State doctors will evaluate Pedesclaux on Friday and present their findings at a hearing next Wednesday. "We believe it is very important for her to get medical attention," said Pedesclaux's attorney William Boggs. "That is the wishes of her family and community." Pedesclaux faces one charge of second degree murder and one charge of attempted second degree murder. Prosecutors allege the 31-year-old mother stabbed her children, Paris Ann Roberts, 4, and Jay'Ceon Roberts, 2, at around 11:30 a.m. Sunday in a residence in the 3100 block of Law Street. She FaceTimed their father, Jermaine Roberts, during the bloodshed, cutting her own neck after he broke into the residence and took the children to a hospital, where Paris Ann died and Jay'Ceon remained in critical condition earlier this week. Finally, Pedesclaux broadcast herself live, smeared with blood and weeping. Family members cite her ongoing struggle with mental health, documented in petitions for custody filed by Pedesclaux's mother in 2011 and Roberts in 2022. Due to her struggles with bipolar disorder, the documents say, Pedesclaux was unable to provide safe conditions for her children, and Judge Regina Bartholomew in 2013 stripped her of custody of her oldest child, ruling that "an award of custody to Pedesclaux would result in substantial harm to the minor child." NOLA Business Insider The biggest stories in business, delivered to you every day. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Family members turned out in a show of support for the woman they believe was failed by multiple systems. "Somebody has to take a stand from the community," said a relative who declined to be identified. "The community as a whole is failing so many people with issues." Marie Fazio writes for The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate as a Report For America corps member. Email her at MFazio@theadvocate.com or follow her on Twitter @mariecfazio. To learn more about Report for America and to support our journalism, please click here. BEIJINGBurmas ambassador to China died suddenly on Sunday in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, according to an obituary in Burma state media and diplomatic sources in Beijing. The obituary for Ambassador U Myo Thant Pe by Burmas foreign ministry in a state newspaper on Monday did not specify his cause of death. Diplomats in Beijing and a Chinese language Burmese media report said the cause was likely to be a heart attack. U Myo Thant Pe was last seen on Saturday meeting a local official in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan which borders Burma (also known as Myanmar), according to a local news report. The Burmese embassy in China did not immediately respond to a query for comment. U Myo Thant Pe was appointed ambassador to China in 2019 and stayed in his post after Burmas military took power in a coup in February 2021. He was the fourth ambassador to die in China in the past year. German ambassador Jan Hecker, 54, died in September, less than two weeks into his Beijing posting. Ukrainian ambassador Serhiy Kamyshev, 65, died in February during or shortly after a visit to a Beijing Winter Olympics venue. Philippine ambassador Jose Santiago Chito Sta. Romana, 74, died in quarantine in the eastern Chinese province of Anhui in April. By Yew Lun Tian We are showcasing the best available heavy-haul electrification technology from the industrys leading manufacturers, said Pip Decker, Current Trucking founder and project team member. We hope to demonstrate to operators how emobility adoption reduces total operating costs. Any interested port tenants and trucking companies can try out the electric vehicles, which account for fewer carbon emissions. Connecting best available technology with port users is key to gaining their confidence in implementing electric-power into their trucking operations, said Hermer. Having port businesses participate in the program, including Bulk Equipment Corp., is essential for a successful program and ultimate adoption at the port. For more information or to sign up a company to demo a heavy-duty electric vehicle, contact port director Ryan McCoy at rmccoy@portsofindiana.com. Tavern on Main on the historic Old Lake County Courthouse in downtown Crown Point raised $700 to help survivors of violence, trauma and sexual abuse. The craft bar and restaurant at 136 S. Main St. recently hosted a Give Back Tuesday event. Owners John and Miranda O'Block donated 10% of all dine-in and carryout sales for the Franciscan Health Crown Point Center of Hope program. It provides a safe environment for survivors of violence and sexual abuse in Indiana, which has the second highest child abuse rate in the nation. The Franciscan Health Foundation is truly thankful for John and Miranda and their generous support of our Center of Hope, said Rick Peltier, executive director of the Franciscan Health Foundation. This program holds a special place in my heart, and we are grateful for community partners like the OBlocks for their compassionate care and dedication to making a difference for those most in need. The money will go to provision of care to aid in the emotional, physical and spiritual healing of sexual and physical assault victims. The Center of Hope employs sexual assault nurse examiners who are on call 24/7 to care for patients on site so they don't need to be more for more examination. They receive special training, including in cultural sensitivity, injury identification, evidence preservation, forensic photography, forensic documentation, courtroom testimony and the long-term effects of sexual violence. Were very fortunate to be able to make this donation, Miranda OBlock said. Giving back to the community is what I like to do most and we wouldnt be able to do it without everyones support. Pete Monger of Rothschild Agency, Inc. in Merrillville, who serves on the Franciscan Health Foundations board, linked the O'Blocks to the fundraising opportunity. Franciscan has so many opportunities to give to the community, Monger said. Im glad to be part of the team and to share those opportunities with others to help these programs grow. The donation will help provide pediatric abuse training and treasure chest items for children, Center of Hope Coordinator Michelle Resendez said. It takes a community to protect our children, Resendez said. Knowing business owners and community members care about the crimes that are happening is a start to helping to end the violence. For more information, visit www.franciscanhealthfoundation.org or call 219-661-3401. CROWN POINT A judge said Wednesday he believed a woman who testified she was forced to lure a man to his execution in Gary in 2020 and found a defendant guilty of murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Jason D. "Lafa" Hinton 26, of Chicago Heights, also was found guilty of a firearm enhancement, which could add another five to 20 years to his sentence. Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel Cappas said Jazmin J. Garcia, 21, initially lied to police about her involvement in the homicide of Jacquice Baylock, 18, of Lynwood, on July 1, 2020. However, her motivation to lie at that time was reasonable because she was afraid of her children's father, Devin S. "Devo" Barron, Cappas said. During a two-day bench trial, Lake County Deputy Prosecutors Christopher Bruno and Infiniti Westberg laid out evidence to prove Barron and Hinton shot Baylock to death in the 1900 block of Taney Place in Gary after Garcia lured him there under the pretense of going to a hotel party. Garcia testified Barron broke her jaw in May 2020 when he caught her with Baylock at a hotel in Illinois. Barron also beat up Baylock, who ran from the hotel partially clothed, according to trial testimony. Garcia testified Barron was arrested and charged in Illinois in a separate incident after he broke into her relatives' home, dragged her out by her hair and forced her into a vehicle. Garcia said Barron had a gun in his hand and threatened to kill her and her children when he ordered her to contact Baylock, setting into motion a series of events that ended in Baylock's murder. Defense attorney Patrick Young said Garcia had every reason to lie because she wanted to get home to her children. She pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, a level 3 felony, which carries a significantly shorter possible sentence than murder. Cappas said he agreed with Bruno's argument that Garcia's story was so elaborate it could not have been fabricated. Evidence and testimony during the bench trial corroborated Garcia's story, the deputy prosecutor said. Garcia testified she picked Baylock up in a silver Chevrolet Impala and later returned so he could get money. A doorbell video from his Lynwood neighborhood showed a gray or silver car in the street after he initially left his home. Later, he was seen leaving again with money in his hand. Garcia testified Barron and his friends directed her to a location in Gary as they drove behind her and Baylock in a black car, but they directed her to the 1900 block of Taney Place when they saw police cars near the first location. Detective Sgt. Antwan Jakes testified he was at the scene of a separate homicide, which occurred a few hours before Baylock's, in the area of 15th Avenue and Cleveland Street. Bruno said a 911 caller, who did not want to give police her name, described seeing multiple men get out of a car parked on Taney Place. The caller said the men walked down an alley and shot Baylock. Garcia testified Barron ordered her to get out of the Impala after she pulled up. As she walked to an alley off Taney Place, she saw Barron and Hinton standing there holding guns, she said. Garcia said she got into the black car, which was driven by Dwain E. "Gllizo" Cunigan, and watched as Hinton shot Baylock several times, including once in the shoulder. A forensic pathologist for the Lake County coroner's office testified one of Baylock's eight gunshot wounds was to the shoulder. In all, he was shot once in the head, twice in the back, twice in the arm and shoulder, once in the upper chest and neck, and twice in the chest. Garcia testified Baylock began to run away, but he fell to the ground and Barron stood over him and fired several more shots. Bruno said the pathologist's findings supported Garcia's account. Capt. Henry Hatch, of the Lake County Sheriff's Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit, testified he examined 21 casings collected from the scene and concluded they were fired from two guns: a 9mm and a .45-caliber. Young argued Hatch testified he could not rule out a third gun because he could not determine if bullets recovered from Baylock's body were fired from one of the guns used to fire the spent casings. Bruno said Hatch was able to determine the bullets were fired from a .35-caliber family gun, which includes 9mm firearms. Garcia didn't know about the 911 call when she finally began to tell detectives the truth about what happened, yet it supported her story, Bruno said. Cappas said Facebook photos showed Barron holding money that appeared to be stained with blood, similar to what was found at the crime scene and Garcia's testimony. The evidence also showed Garcia and Barron were in possession of a cash app card that was found at the crime scene, the judge said. "We know she was there," Cappas said. "It is believable." He set Hinton's sentencing for Sept. 23. Barron and Cunigan each were being held at the Cook County Jail, prosecutors said at a previous hearing. The men's cases were expected to remain sealed until they're extradited to Lake County. Another co-defendant, Laquan M. Tolliver, 20, of Chicago Heights, has pleaded not guilty to murder and robbery and does not yet have a trial date. CROWN POINT A judge gave a defendant a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison last week for his role in the murder of a Gary man inside a Glen Park gas station two years ago. Myles Thomas, 28, of Gary, pleaded guilty in June to one count of aggravated battery in the homicide of 29-year-old Rayvon Harris on Aug. 22, 2020, inside the Save gas station in the 4500 block of Broadway. Lake Criminal Court Judge Salvador Vasquez accepted Thomas' plea agreement, which called for a sentence of three to 10 years. Thomas was represented by attorney James Thiros. The judge gave Thomas credit for nearly two years served in jail while awaiting a resolution in his case. Thomas' co-defendant, Courtney M. Moss, 32, of Gary, was convicted of murder in May and subsequently sentenced to 65 years in prison. Moss testified he acted in self-defense, but a jury rejected his claim after watching surveillance videos of the confrontation between Harris and Moss and his three co-defendants. Moss; Thomas; Willie A. Jones Jr., 22, of Gary; and Roy C. Akins Jr. were among a group of people gathered outside a bar across the street from the gas station, according to trial testimony. When Harris arrived at the gas station, Thomas followed him inside and confronted him. Moss testified he had his 9mm handgun in his waistband as he watched Thomas and Jones each strike Harris. Videos showed Harris had his hands up as if he were signaling he was prepared for a fist fight. As the men fought, Thomas dropped a gun, Jones was shot and Moss moved in to fire several shots at Harris. Before walking away, Moss turned back and shot Harris one last time. Harris, a father of one son, died at the crime scene. Jones, who lost a limb as a result of his gunshot wound, pleaded guilty in October to battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a level 5 felony. He testified against Moss and could face a sentence of one to six years. Akin is accused of running into the gas station as the fight ended and firing an assault-style rifle at Harris. He has never been arrested in the case. The U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to his arrest. Tips can be submitted by phone at 877-926-8332 or online at USMS Tips. Two frequent critics of the property assessments in Lake County, and especially Calumet Township, got an unusual opportunity Wednesday night to take their complaints straight to the top. For the first time in state history, the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) convened a public hearing following receipt of a taxpayer petition for state review of all the land values in Lake County. Taxpayers Andy Young and Jim Nowacki, two land speculators who each own dozens of Lake County properties, including many empty or abandoned Gary parcels, urged the DLGF to use its statutory authority to modify or disapprove of the property assessments calculated by the Calumet Township and Lake County assessors. Young claimed the land order setting out the assessments failed to follow state law and must be set aside. He also said many of the assessments are too high, inconsistent or based on antiquated neighborhood divisions and should be revised on that basis by DLGF. "The assessed values far exceed any market value in almost all possible cases," said Young, a resident of Wadsworth, Illinois. "One neighborhood with bombed out buildings and burned out hulks has a base rate twice that where people are living and have utilities." Nowacki, meanwhile, suggested a conspiracy is afoot between the mayor of Gary, the Lake County assessor and the Calumet Township assessor, all of whom are Black, to misuse property assessments and the tax sale system to "steal" property from Black Gary residents and transfer it to their "rich white friends." "That's not only illegal, that's immoral too," said Nowacki, who is white. Lake County Assessor LaTonya Spearman and Edward Gholson Sr., of the Calumet Township assessor's office, both rejected the allegations put forth by Young and Nowacki. They said their assessments of properties in Lake County and Calumet Township followed the proper procedures and there's no need for the DLGF to intervene. Gholson also noted Young and Nowacki have no evidence of valuation errors, only their opinions. "We are following procedure," Gholson said. "We have complied with the standards associated with the land values." More than 100 Lake County property owners signed the petition required for DLGF to hold a public hearing. But besides Young and Nowacki just one other taxpayer spoke during the 75-minute online forum. Joslyn Kelly, a residential and business property owner in Gary and Merrillville, said she has no problem with the property assessment process and believes all the rules and regulations have been followed. However, she alleged Young and Nowacki are contributing to blight in north Lake County by not paying their property taxes, failing to maintain their properties and seeking to undermine funding for local governments as part of an effort to "create and sustain havoc." Jennifer Thuma, DLGF deputy general counsel, said that officials already have begun evaluating the Lake County land order and that the agency plans to issue comprehensive findings and conclusions in coming months. The Crown Point Republican seeking to represent Northwest Indiana in Congress would vote in favor of a nationwide policy similar to Indiana's new, near-total abortion ban if she's elected Nov. 8 to the U.S. House. Jennifer-Ruth Green describes herself on her campaign website as "unashamedly and unapologetically pro-life" and a person who believes "life begins at conception" and "a child in the womb is a distinct, developing, whole human being." When asked by The Times for her reaction to the new abortion restrictions approved last week by Indiana's Republican-controlled General Assembly, which prohibit all abortions from the moment of conception with limited exceptions for pregnancies caused by rape or incest, or to prevent permanent physical impairment or the death of a pregnant woman, Green's campaign expressed support for the statute. "Jennifer-Ruth is pro-life and believes there is an acceptable middle ground, compassionate toward both women and unborn children. In order to save as many lives as possible, she will always support exceptions to save the mothers life, and would support exceptions for rape and incest to advance federal legislation to stop brutal late-term abortions when babies can feel pain, prohibit taxpayer-funding for abortions, and stop abortions for underage daughters without parental consent," said Ashleigh Presnar, Green's campaign manager. Green personally said, "Good people can disagree on this issue, but most Americans recognize that abortion isnt a good thing. It's a symptom of bigger problems in our society, and its a tragedy." "The vast majority of women who have abortions especially black and Hispanic women do so for economic reasons. They feel like they have no other choice. Women deserve better. As a country, we need to provide a stronger safety net for moms so they can choose life, and if they cant raise a child, make it easier to put their child up for adoption by a loving family," Green said. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, said if he wins a second two-year term representing Lake, Porter and northwest LaPorte counties in Congress, he's committed to legislatively restoring the abortion rights of American women as they were before June 24 when a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court repealed the high court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. "I support the precedent of Roe v. Wade and have voted for legislation that protects the right to abortion services. I also have voted for legislation that establishes a statutory right for individuals to obtain contraceptives," Mrvan said. "Make no mistake, in the upcoming election, the Republican nominee will advocate to implement a federal ban on womens freedom to access safe reproductive care, while I will advocate to codify Roe v. Wade for all women of this nation, including my two daughters," he added. Mrvan said the Supreme Court's decision to roll back nearly 50 years of abortion rights precedents "reflects the very real consequences of our elections," since the justices who overturned Roe all were appointed by Republican presidents and all but one confirmed by a Republican-controlled Senate. "There is an obvious choice in this election on this important women's rights issue I have a record of supporting a womans freedom to access safe reproductive care, and the Republican nominee who states on her website that she supports federal legislation to ban abortions from conception with no exceptions, which would supersede any state law," Mrvan said. Presnar countered that Green's position on abortion is a "reasonable middle ground," and she claimed Mrvan favors "extreme, barbaric policies that would coerce every state into legalizing abortion on demand up to the day of birth at taxpayer expense." According to the Indiana Department of Health, "abortion on demand" is not available because the state requires pregnant women considering abortion, even under the new law, receive extensive informed consent advisories, including multiple ultrasounds at multiple hospitals or surgical center visits. Records show that of the 8,414 Indiana abortions completed in 2021, all but 105 terminations (98.8%) occurred prior to 14 weeks gestation. Approximately 68% of Indiana abortions were completed within the first eight weeks of pregnancy. Just one abortion occurred after 21 weeks. Pregnancy typically lasts about 40 weeks. A fetus generally is not considered viable, or capable of surviving outside the womb, until 23 or 24 weeks. Mrvan said he's also concerned extreme anti-abortion policies will negatively impact the economy since several large Hoosier employers already have said they'll focus their expansion plans elsewhere because of Indiana's new abortion law. He said the same thing could happen with international businesses eyeing expansion to America if Congress enacts a similar, near-total abortion ban. "Businesses are taking note of our nations abortion policies when they decide where to invest in new jobs, technology and innovation. Legislative policies that take away womens rights will have a negative and lasting impact on our economy," Mrvan said. MERRILLVILLE After two years of homeschooling, Mason Cuevas, 4, and Bella Cuevas, 7, will head to the classroom Sept. 6. "I am really nervous about sending them to school, but I've heard nothing but great things about Aquinas," their mom, Lina Cuevas said. "I really honestly do feel like my kids will be safe here." The Cuevas family, like many others, is new to Aquinas Catholic Community School. Since 2017, the Merrillville school has grown by 37%. However with only eight classrooms, 10 grades and over 200 students, "we literally cannot fit the kids in the building," Principal Lisa Gutierrez said. Soon, the school will be able to accept some 50 to 100 more students thanks to a $3 million expansion. Children in dark green uniforms greeted friends after a summer apart, and parents chatted with teachers before the Wednesday morning groundbreaking. Aquinas worked with the Big Shoulders Fund, the Catholic Diocese of Gary and the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation to make the expansion a reality. The Dean and Barbara White Foundation donated $1.95 million to the project, which is slated to be completed in the first few months of 2023. The project will add 5,500 square feet to the current 20,000 square-foot school building and another 1,700 square feet will be renovated. Two classrooms, a teacher's lounge, a nurse's office and a secure triple door entryway will be added. "Our Catholic schools provide an exceptional opportunity for our young people to grow in faith and knowledge and virtue ... in a compassionate, loving, caring, safe and holy environment," said Bishop Robert McClory of the Catholic Diocese of Gary. Gutierrez recalled talking about expansion plans back in 2016 when she first started. Even then, when the school only had 136 students, space was tight. Over the years, parts of the rectory and the back of the church have even served as classrooms. Even with the space constraints, Marisa Hurst said the staff has created a positive atmosphere at the school for her 10-year-old son, Nicholas. Hurst said all the Aquinas families are very involved, regularly volunteering at the school and attending meetings with teachers and staff. Though not quite old enough to be a student, Hurst's 8-month-old son Ezra already had an Aquinas onesie. "I love seeing all the new families," Hurst said. "That is always a good sign." The Big Shoulders Fund has worked with low-income Catholic schools in Chicago for 36 years. However, in 2019, a donation from the Dean and Barbara White Foundation helped the organization spread to Northwest Indiana. Aquinas was one of the first schools Big Shoulders visited when the organization expanded to Northwest Indiana. Going forward, Big Shoulders plans on working with more schools in Hammond, Gary and East Chicago. Dan Kozlowski, managing director for Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana, said Aquinas' "growth is thanks in large part to the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program." Under the controversial school choices scholarship program, also known as the school voucher program, private school tuition costs are offset for eligible families. Public schools across Northwest Indiana have opposed the program in the past as it diverts state funding away from public schools. "(This expansion) tells children, 'We believe in you, you matter, your right to a high-quality Catholic education matters,'" Gutierrez said. MICHIGAN CITY NIPSCO held a virtual information session discussing the closure of the Michigan City generating station Tuesday, a little over a week after a crowd of about 40 people rallied outside the city hall demanding NIPSCO complete a "clean closure" at the site. The generating station has operated along the Lake Michigan shoreline since 1931, burning coal to produce electricity and creating coal ash as a byproduct. For decades, utilities disposed of coal ash by dumping it in large ponds. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, coal ash contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium and arsenic. In 2015 the EPA ruled that all unlined coal ash impoundments that have detected groundwater contamination above regularity levels must stop receiving ash and begin the closure process. In 2020 the EPA expanded the requirement, mandating that all unlined ponds begin to close. All five of the coal ash ponds at the Michigan City generating station are unlined. In 2018, NIPSCO announced all of the utilities' five remaining coal-fired generating stations would be retired within the next decade. The Michigan City generating station will be closed between 2026 and 2028. NIPSCO Director of Environmental Policy and Sustainability Maureen Turman explained that the Michigan City closure would be completed in three phases. The first phase, separating the coal ash ponds from the boilers, has been completed. Turman said no ash has been placed in the ponds since early 2019. NIPSCO is currently in the midst of the second phase: cleaning up the coal ash ponds. The cleanup process involves removing 171,000 cubic yards of coal ash and replacing it with clean fill. The coal ash will be transported to a lined landfill at the R.M. Schahfer Generating Station located in Wheatfield. Project Engineer Rob Ridge said the cleanup is about 40% complete and will likely be done sometime this December. The third and final phase will be the ongoing monitoring of the surrounding groundwater. NIPSCO has a network of groundwater wells. Turman said data collected by the wells showed that coal ash contaminants were present in the groundwater; however the levels were below state and federal standards. "(The data) indicates there is no threat to human health or the environment and no impacts to drinking water in neighboring communities, Turman said. According to residents and local environmentalists, NIPSCO's three-phase plan leaves out one key step the legacy coal ash beneath the ponds. Shortly after the station was opened in the 1930s, NIPSCO began creating "made land" by mixing coal ash with sand. The made land sits behind the seawall along Lake Michigan. The nonprofit Just Transition Northwest Indiana fears the seawall will give way, contaminating the lake and nearby Turkey Creek. Earthjustice recently commissioned Burgess Environmental to review past inspection reports detailing the integrity of the wall. The report said the sheet wall has corroded and moved over the years. Just Transition NWI has also estimated as much as 2 million tons of coal ash exists within the made land; however NIPSCO says the actual number is far lower. NIPSCO Director of Environmental Remediation Marc Okin said the legacy coal ash is "interspersed in thin layers throughout" the 42 acres of made land. Okin said the five coal ash ponds are "presumed to be the main source" of any groundwater contamination, which is why removing ash from the five ponds is a top priority. Once the pond cleanup is complete, NIPSCO will continue to study the groundwater. NIPSCO will work with the EPA, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and residents before selecting a final "groundwater remedy" to address contamination. During the hour-long information session, NIPSCO also responded to concerns about the wall. Turman said that NIPSCO inspects the wall weekly and that third-party engineers evaluate it annually. "The conditions assessment rating continues to be fair with some level of deterioration, but nothing to significantly reduce the walls' ability to do what it was designed to do, which is protect the shoreline, Turman said. The wall was never designed to provide an impermeable barrier between the station and the surrounding groundwater." While NIPSCO does not know what the site will be used for once the generating station is retired, Turman said whatever the utility ultimately does to address groundwater contamination would "attempt to adapt to any future use that property will have." In an email statement to the Times, Just Transition NWI Director of Legislation Susan Thomas said it is difficult to have faith in the NIPSCO, as the utility has faced issues with contamination in the past. "We need to watch their actions, not their words," Thomas wrote. CHICAGO - A man was stabbed on a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train Tuesday night, just a day after Chicago police pledged to increase CTA security in an effort to make public transportation safer. The 37-year-old man had been riding an L train when he became involved in an argument with a woman around 10:30 p.m., police said. The pair exited the train at the Fullerton station, where the woman struck the man twice in the neck with a sharp object before running away, police said. Paramedics took the man to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, officials said. Much earlier in the day during an unrelated incident, Chicago police arrested a 22-year-old man who was charged in connection with carrying a gun at the Roosevelt CTA station, 1167 S. State St., police said. According to a news release, around 1:10 a.m. officers saw the man on a CTA platform, clutching onto his waistband area where (he) appeared to be concealing a firearm. The man started to run but he was stopped by members of the public transportation tactical team, police said. A weapon was recovered, and Erion Harrington, 22, was arrested on suspicion of unlawful use of a weapon, police said. A few hours later, around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, a man riding a Red Line train had his bag stolen in another unrelated incident, police said. Officers responded, located and arrested the thief, police said. Violence at CTA platforms and trains has spurred alarm in recent weeks. On Friday, a man shoved someone off a Near West Side train platform onto the tracks. A week earlier, four people were stabbed when a group of six tried to rob a man at a Near North Side Red Line station. Then, early Saturday, a 29-year-old was shot and killed while riding a Red Line train. CTA workers are doing everything they can to stem these egregious acts of violence, CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. said at the time. The Police Department is dedicated to ensuring that the people who ride the CTA are safe, Superintendent David Brown said Monday. CPD plans to add more officers and police dogs to the transit system in response to the recent violence, he said. Officers are being pulled from desk duties to help meet demand, he added. Brown said crime on CTA property is down 43%, when compared with pre-pandemic numbers from 2019. CTA authorities and police planned to increase security in March to combat a spike in transit crime. They said they would double the number of unarmed security guards and add more police officers and supervisors to patrol the transit system. Chicago Tribunes Paige Fry, Adriana Perez and Shanzeh Ahmad contributed. At Hearst, less than 5 percent of the New York tower staff has come back, a spokesman said. About 20 percent of the employees at JPMorgans New York offices have returned on a rotating basis, including senior managers in sales, trading and other departments, according to a spokesman. LOreal had a rocky start to its office return over the summer and has since settled on a system in which employees come to the office two weeks each month, but with additional days to work from home. About 15 percent of the staff is in the office at any time, a spokesman said. The hard thing about it is when I do go into the office, most of my team is at home, so I still have to do all of my meetings virtually, said one 29-year-old employee at Hudson Yards, who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to the media. Gradually every week, there are one or two more people in the office. While most office workers who can stay home are remaining there, employees at the citys large real estate firms the Related Companies, the Durst Organization and others have mostly been brought back to the office. SL Green is one of the most prominent examples of what some companies will do to bring people back. The entire office staff has returned to its headquarters, with a few exceptions. On a Friday last month, employees were served individually boxed pizza and plastic bowls of salad from a local restaurant for lunch. The company offers in-home child care for families and helps pay for employees to park near the office, subsidizing half of the monthly garage rate. About a fifth of the workers are using the garage perk. Ukraine has long relied on drones in its underdog fight against Russia-backed separatists in the east. Before the war, the military had bought Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, which have helped shore up Ukrainian defense. After Russia invaded, donations poured in. The U.S. and European allies provided strike and observation drones. And people all over the world sent hobby drones. Workshops then set about converting them for military use. One of the larger such outfits in Kyiv, called Dronarnia, takes orders online from military officers seeking customized units, some large enough to drop 18-pound bombs. The group is financed by crowdsourced donations. Mr. Pearson is also responsible for coming up with and executing a plan to keep city schools open and interfacing with the business community, Mr. Levy said. Ethical Issues Surrounding Mayor Adams Card 1 of 4 Ethical Issues Surrounding Mayor Adams A polarizing figure. The New York City mayor, Eric Adams, has faced recurring ethical and accountability issues over his hiring practices, finances, residency, and even his eating habits as a self-proclaimed vegan. (He eats fish, too.) Here are some of the behaviors that have drawn recent criticism: Ethical Issues Surrounding Mayor Adams He keeps his allies close. Mr. Adams hired his brother to run his security team and appointed a former police official who was an unindicted co-conspirator in a public corruption case to become deputy mayor. Mr. Adams also gave a former police colleague a position as senior adviser and allowed him to keep his six-figure job at a casino company, though he later left that post. Ethical Issues Surrounding Mayor Adams His personal financial history is murky. Earlier this year, he declined to commit to releasing his tax returns, as is customary for New York City mayors. He has since relented, and plans to release them in October. He has also faced questions about his residency. In one instance, he said that he no longer owns a Brooklyn co-op, despite public records to the contrary. Then, in recent public filings, he acknowledged ownership. Ethical Issues Surrounding Mayor Adams His loyalists are rewarded. As a state senator, Mr. Adams was faulted for using exceedingly poor judgment in awarding a video-lottery contract at Aqueduct Racetrack. For years before becoming mayor he also praised a police tool, BolaWrap, made by a company whose investors included his current chief of staff, Frank Carone. A representative of Resorts World, which is owned by Genting, a Malaysian gambling conglomerate, declined to comment. Mr. Pearson, 62, has known the mayor for decades, having served as his police supervisor when Mr. Adams, himself a retired Police Department captain, was on the force. The two men are so close that Mr. Pearson stood behind the mayor and among a handful of friends and family on the small Times Square stage where he was sworn in on New Years Day. Mr. Pearson retired from the Police Department in 2011. Today, when he is not working at Resorts World, he can be found sporadically in attendance at public safety meetings, often with instructions that he says come directly from the mayor, according to a City Hall official. To other staff, it has not been immediately clear what his brief is, several officials have said. Mr. Pearson has an office in a downtown building at 375 Pearl Street, as does the mayor, according to Politico, and the deputy mayor for public safety. Mr. Pearson played a significant role in the mayors selection of his police commissioner, interviewing candidates, according to several senior city officials. The Fifth Amendment established a bedrock protection against self-incrimination in criminal cases. It says that no person shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. The protection, Justice Arthur J. Goldberg wrote for the Supreme Court in 1964, reflects many of our fundamental values and most noble aspirations. Among them, he wrote, were our unwillingness to subject those suspected of crime to the cruel trilemma of self-accusation, perjury or contempt and our fear that self-incriminating statements will be elicited by inhumane treatment and abuses. In invoking his Fifth Amendment rights on Wednesday, former President Donald J. Trump gave a different reason: When your family, your company and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated witch hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors and the fake news media, you have no choice. Some lawyers have also suggested to me in recent days that the public will get greater insight into the departments work investigating Mr. Trump if (or perhaps when) prosecutors start filing charges that more directly implicate him. But it is possible that in some areas, the federal government will never charge anyone, perhaps because it considers the matter closed or because it opted to cede the investigation to a local prosecutor. If that is what happened, the public deserves to know in order to assess both the performance of the Justice Department and the extent to which federal law enforcement officials have reviewed Mr. Trumps conduct. Furthermore, the departments fully ceding ground here could create a void easily filled with inaccurate information and politically motivated speculation. About the Mueller investigation and impeachment proceedings, Mr. Trump made deeply misleading public comments on social media, in public appearances and in interviews, and allies and surrogates echoed his dubious claims and cast him as a political martyr suffering at the hands of crazed opponents. The claims were often tenuous or transparently false, but they were effective in persuading a significant bloc of Americans to discount the findings of the investigations. On Monday, Mr. Trumps statement about the search at Mar-a-Lago, which fueled much of the political firestorm, was at best extremely tendentious. He claimed, for instance, that his home was currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of F.B.I. agents, when in fact, the agents were conducting an orderly, court-authorized search of his home. Mr. Trump also complained about prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the justice system and an attack by radical left Democrats who desperately dont want me to run for president in 2024, but he did not explain that the federal officials had apparently been dealing for months with his representatives about whether classified information was being stored at Mar-a-Lago, including through an in-person meeting there that Mr. Trump himself dropped in on. Since Mr. Trump is not publicly disclosing information that is unhelpful to him and with the media breathlessly hyping the implications of the Mar-a-Lago search, the public may struggle to separate fact from fiction or know what information it can trust. Mr. Trumps supporters have decried the supposedly unwarranted, heavy-handed tactics of the department, portraying him as the victim of a political witch hunt at the hands of the opposing party. And much of the liberal legal commentary on Mr. Trump that youll find on the cable news networks turned out to be wrong before. Nothing the attorney general can say will placate Mr. Trump or his most ardent supporters, who will likely criticize Mr. Garland for saying too little or too much, regardless of what he does. But Mr. Garlands proper audience is not Mr. Trump or the Republicans on Capitol Hill but the American people, particularly those who remain legitimately concerned about Mr. Trumps conduct. If Mr. Garland speaks out, he might be able, first, to provide the public with long overdue insight into the topical scope and nature of the departments work as it relates to Mr. Trump and his administration (not simply to inform the public that his conduct may be under investigation in some vague sense) and, second, to allow the public to gauge whether the current administration is fulfilling its duty to ensure that serious misconduct at any level is investigated thoroughly and fairly. Mr. Garland is fond of talking about the rule of law, a vital principle that, as he described it when accepting President Bidens nomination for attorney general, ensures that there not be one rule for Democrats and another for Republicans, one rule for friends, another for foes, one rule for the powerful and another for the powerless. The principle is virtually meaningless, however, unless the public has the information to judge for itself whether the department is satisfying its obligations to the American people to responsibly evaluate and, if appropriate, prosecute possible misconduct at the highest level of our political system up to and including someone who was once the president and who could, someday soon, be the president again. After the Federal Bureau of Investigation searched Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday an extraordinary event in the history of the United States the former president and his allies immediately began to howl that Trump was being persecuted. Trump issued a statement that said his beautiful home was currently under siege, raided and occupied and nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States before. Left out of this victimhood framing was that this wasnt so much an action but a reaction a reaction to a president corrupt on a level this country has never seen before. Trump wrote in his statement, of course referring to himself in the third person, that the political persecution of President Donald J. Trump has been going on for years and it just never ends. FRONT PAGE An article on Wednesday about the search at former President Donald J. Trumps home in Florida described incorrectly how the National Archives retrieved 15 boxes of material that Mr. Trump had improperly taken with him when he left the White House. The agency said it arranged to have the boxes picked up from Mr. Trumps home at Mar-a-Lago. It did not fly an official to Florida to collect them. OBITUARIES An obituary on Aug. 2 about the actress Pat Carroll referred incompletely to her education. In addition to attending Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, she later studied drama at the Catholic University of America in Washington. Errors are corrected during the press run whenever possible, so some errors noted here may not have appeared in all editions. Donni Davy, the Euphoria makeup artist, doesnt use foundation or powder on the cast. And when she introduced her own beauty line earlier this year, Half Magic, she chose to focus on eye shadows, lip liners and lipsticks, hybrid blush-highlighters and adhesive crystals but no concealer or foundation. For the lines ad campaign, she used minimal watered-down foundation for spot treatments, and she insisted that images show skins pores, texture and bumps. Its been my personal preference for a long time, Ms. Davy said. Also, a lot of these directors nowadays, at least the ones Ive worked with, want the real skin texture. They actually hate foundation. Instead, Ms. Davy opted for light tints or foundation mixed with moisturizer or highlighter, except for Maddy, because her character has a more done-up look. It was kind of shocking at first, she said. When I was looking at the monitors on set, it was a little uncomfortable, even though Im really into that look. But I actually think it adds to the glam makeup and makes it feel more accessible and unapologetic. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Four months after one of the most closely watched domestic terrorism trials in recent history ended with zero convictions, federal prosecutors are trying again to convince Michigan jurors that there was a plot in 2020 to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, set off explosives and foment a civil war. But to prove their case against the two defendants, Barry Croft and Adam Fox, prosecutors will have to persuade jurors to trust a sprawling F.B.I. investigation that embedded several federal operatives in the group, including an informant who was named second-in-command of a militia and an undercover agent who offered to provide explosives. Building that trust was already hard, as jurors showed in April when they acquitted two men and failed to reach verdicts for Mr. Croft and Mr. Fox. But it may be more difficult at a time of even higher political tension, with Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, campaigning for re-election and F.B.I. agents searching former President Donald J. Trumps Florida home this week, a move that many Republicans have decried as a weaponization of the Justice Department. His efforts to politicize the law enforcement system have now become his shield to try to deflect accusations of wrongdoing. Just as he asserted on Monday that the F.B.I. search was political persecution, he made the same claim on Wednesday about the New York attorney generals unrelated investigation of his business practices as he invoked his Fifth Amendment right to avoid testifying because his answers could incriminate him. Now to flip the script and falsely claim that hes the victim of the exact same tactics that he once deployed is just the rankest hypocrisy, said Norman L. Eisen, who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during the first Trump impeachment. But consistency, logic, evidence, truth those are always the first to go by the board when a democracy comes under assault from within. Mr. Trumps Republican allies argue that he was not the one who undercut the apolitical tradition of the F.B.I. and law enforcement, or at least he was not the first to do so. Instead, they maintain, the system was corrupted by the bureaus leadership and even members of the Obama administration when Mr. Trump and his campaign were investigated for possible collusion with Russia during the 2016 campaign, an inquiry that ended with no charges of conspiracy with Moscow. The former presidents camp has long pointed to text messages between a pair of F.B.I. officials that sharply criticized Mr. Trump during that campaign and to surveillance warrants obtained against an adviser to Mr. Trump that were later deemed unjustified. The Justice Department acknowledged the warrants were flawed, and an inspector general faulted the F.B.I. officials for their texts. But the inspector general found nothing to conclude that anyone had tried to harm Mr. Trump out of political bias. Dmitri Zakhvatov, Ms. Ovsyannikovas lawyer, said in a post on the Telegram messaging app that his client faced up to 10 years in prison for her protest in July, when she stood on a Moscow embankment opposite the Kremlin with a poster that read: Putin is a killer. His soldiers are fascists. The court has not decided whether to arrest Ms. Ovsyannikova, he said, but she was ordered to spend the night at Moscow police headquarters. Ms. Ovsyannikova worked as a producer at the flagship news program on Channel One, one of Russias most popular television networks, when she appeared behind an anchor during an evening newscast with a poster that said: Stop the war. Dont believe the propaganda. They are lying to you here. She was charged with staging an illegal protest and fined. She later quit her job and continued to openly criticize the war. On Monday, a court in Moscow fined Ms. Ovsyannikova $650 for discrediting Russian armed forces, her second fine related to that charge. POKROVSKE, Ukraine A private in the Ukrainian army unfolded the rotors of a common hobby drone and, with practiced calm, attached a grenade to a device that can drop objects and was designed for commercial drone deliveries. After takeoff, the private, Bohdan Mazhulenko, who goes by the nickname Raccoon, sits casually on the rim of a trench, as green fields pocked with artillery craters scroll by on his tablet. Now we will try to find them, he said of the Russians. For years, the United States has deployed drones in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Turkish drones played a decisive role in fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2020. At the very start of The Double: Identity and Difference in Art Since 1900, a brilliant new show at the National Gallery, stands an 8-foot-tall plywood column, painted plain gray without ornament. Standing by itself, it would come across as simply architectonic. But it isnt alone: An identical column lies on the ground alongside, and the pairing now inevitably understood as one standing figure and another, recumbent comes to represent the basic sociability of all humans. The twinned figures in this 1961 piece by Robert Morris, Two Columns, can stand for all of humanity. The 101 modern and contemporary artists in The Double prove the vital social impact of twoness. Or how about another way into this show? Six of the 21 people in the current class of Army Monuments Officers, including Captain Ruehrwein and Captain Wagner, are new directly appointed officers. Nine other participants were already in the Army Reserve when they enrolled in the training, and have either transferred to command or are in the process; the final six are international cultural property protection officers within their national militaries. Captain Wagner has worked in education and public outreach for the several cultural institutions, including most recently the U.S. Naval War College Museum. Years ago, in graduate school, she said she spent time researching those in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Unit from World War II for her dissertation. Would I be willing to do that? she recalled asking herself. In an email this week, after a day of training, she acknowledged that being in uniform still feels a little out-of-body for me. Building military habits like saluting, using courtesy titles and taking off hats indoors has sometimes felt foreign. And Captain Wagner and her peers will also eventually need to pass one of the Armys physical diagnostic tests. But in this group, Captain Wagner said, she has found her people. If you would have asked me five years ago if I would ever be in the U.S. Army, wearing a uniform, sitting in the Smithsonian Castle, surrounded by military soldiers from around the world, discussing how to best protect cultural heritage in conflict, I wouldnt have believed it, she said. But here we are. Graham Bowley contributed reporting. Paul Coker, a cartoonist who was best known for using monsters to parody cliches in Mad magazine over many decades and for creating the look of animated television characters, like Frosty the Snowman, died on July 23 at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 93. The death was confirmed by his stepdaughter Lee Smithson Burd. Mr. Coker was part of an elite group of artists at Mad including Mort Drucker, Al Jaffee and Jack Davis who brought a vibrant and varied look to the magazines silly and satirical view of politics, war, movies, television and pop culture. Paul was capable of whimsical but beautiful artwork that always had a bit of subversion to it, John Ficarra, a former Mad editor, said in a phone interview. He did phenomenal pen-and-ink work, and as he grew older he learned to simplify his work without losing its sparkle and charm. It was tense and sweaty on the set of Five Days at Memorial, the new Apple TV+ limited series about systemic and personal failure at a New Orleans hospital in the days after Hurricane Katrina. The cast, emotionally invested and physically drained, was wiped out. It was time to play some Mafia. The freewheeling, ice-breaking role-playing game, which also goes by the name Werewolf, is a favorite of Cornelius Smith Jr., who plays the distraught Dr. Bryant King in Memorial. He brings it out whenever bonding is in order, and to hear the Memorial cast tell it, they would have wilted if they hadnt come together when the cameras stopped rolling. It was really extraordinary because here we were telling this story that is not all smiles its a very deep story, a very troubling story, a very heavy story, Smith said in a video interview from Washington, D.C., where he was playing Frederick Douglass in the musical American Prophet. So it was nice to be able to counter that with a very joyous relationship and spending quality time with castmates and really developing a bond off-camera. My only other job was borrowing from people, he said. What mattered was survival. Image Beagle has been married three times, but he has had the same best friend since he was five years old, a painter named Phil Sigunick. One of his first books, I See By My Outfit, was about a cross country motor scooter trip the two friends took in the 1960s. Beagle recalled that over the years, Sigunick liked to say, the things youll do for a buck and a half always amazes me. (But with a salty curse word thrown in.) When Beagle met Cochran in 2001, he was in the middle of a divorce and mired in debt. The two men began working together, and eventually, Cochran started managing Beagles finances, paying Beagles bills and rationing money to him as though it were a parent administering an allowance for a child, court documents say. Cochran, who is also a writer, created a company called Avicenna Development Corporation to house both his intellectual property and Beagles. The two men would split ownership 50-50, but, according to court documents, it was structured in such a way that Cochran controlled the business. Beagle said in court that he never even knew about some of the money that was earned on the basis of his creations, including a $100,000 payment over a rights dispute involving The Last Unicorn. I trusted Connor, Beagle said. Which was a mistake. In 2015, Beagle sued Cochran in California Superior a difficult trial during which two of Beagles children testified against him, he said. At the end of his daughters testimony, Beagle said, he looked down and realized that his lawyer, Kathleen Hunt, had been holding his hand. Cochran was found liable for financial elder abuse, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. He was also found liable of defamation for telling Beagles friends, family members and business associates that the writer had dementia. Satellite images show damage from Crimea blast Satellite photos taken after a series of explosions on Tuesday at a Russian air base in Crimea appear to show at least three blast craters and at least eight wrecked warplanes, indicating a serious blow to the Russian military contradicting the Kremlins account. Russian authorities had previously denied that any aircraft had been destroyed. A senior Ukrainian official has said the blasts were an attack carried out with the help of partisans but was not more specific. Military analysts have said that Ukraine does not have missiles that can reach the base from territory it controls, well over 100 miles away, and that Ukrainian jets would have been unlikely to penetrate that far into Russian-controlled airspace. Witnesses reported multiple explosions at the Saki base. Officials said at least one person was killed and more than a dozen wounded. Sergei Aksyonov, the Kremlin-installed leader of Crimea, said that at least 62 apartment buildings and 20 commercial structures had been damaged. He declared a state of emergency and raised the terrorism threat level on the peninsula. GISBORNE, New Zealand Horehore Station, a sheep and cattle ranch, sprawls across 4,000 acres on New Zealands North Island, its jagged expanse of uneven hills and steep gullies blanketed in lush green grass. It is good, productive farmland, despite the rugged landscape. But it soon wont be a farm anymore. The lands owner, John Hindrup, who bought it in 2013 for 1.8 million New Zealand dollars, sold it this year for 13 million, or $8.2 million. His windfall came courtesy of a newly lucrative industry in New Zealand: Forestry investors will cover the property in trees, making money not from their timber, but from the carbon the trees will suck from the atmosphere. If you told me this two years ago, I wouldnt have believed you, Mr. Hindrup, 67, said of the lands skyrocketing value. The rapid warming of the Arctic, a definitive sign of climate change, is occurring even faster than previously described, researchers in Finland said Thursday. Over the past four decades the region has been heating up four times faster than the global average, not the two to three times that has commonly been reported. And some parts of the region, notably the Barents Sea north of Norway and Russia, are warming up to seven times faster, they said. One result of rapid Arctic warming is faster melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which adds to sea-level rise. But the impacts extend far beyond the Arctic, reaching down to influence weather like extreme rainfall and heat waves in North America and elsewhere. By altering the temperature difference between the North Pole and the Equator, the warming Arctic appears to have affected storm tracks and wind speed in North America. Monkeys are not to blame for the monkeypox outbreak that has triggered health alerts, including a national health emergency in the United States, as the viral disease has continued to spread, the World Health Organization said this week after reports of attacks against the animals in Brazil. At least 10 monkeys were rescued last week in Sao Jose do Rio Preto in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo after the authorities found signs they had been attacked or poisoned, out of fear of monkeypox transmission, according to the G1 news site in that country. Seven of the monkeys later died. The police in Sao Paulo are investigating those cases and said the mistreatment of animals could be punishable by three months to one year in jail. Its not enough for a disaster movie to rely on spectacle and peril; the crisis must allow characters to transcend their baser instincts so they might inspire hope. Emergency Declaration, a piercing thriller from the South Korean writer-director Han Jae-rim, manages to deliver excitement and melodrama out of a ludicrous story line. The premise for Hans script borrows heavily from the Airport film series and Air Force One. In the movie, a troubled passenger (Yim Si-wan) releases a deadly virus aboard a plane heading from South Korea to Honolulu. The infected first develop a rash and then their blood vessels start bursting. The ensuing panic among the passengers spreads faster than the pathogen and demonstrates how greed and fear can lead to selfish survival tactics. Want to make $200 in an hour? reads the anonymous text, and Emily (Aubrey Plaza) absolutely does. On her own, in her thirties and out of options, Emily is struggling to repay $70,000 in student loans by working a punishing food-delivery job with no protections or a reliable schedule. A talented artist, she longs to land a graphic-design position like her best friend, Liz (Megalyn Echikunwoke), but an old assault conviction makes for awkward interviews. Humility, however, doesnt come easily to Emily, whose instinct is always to snap back as Lizs smug boss (Gina Gershon) learns when she suggests Emily ought to be grateful for an unpaid internship. Scenes like this spike the film with millennial fury, their realism grounding this chilly, assured thriller (the feature debut of John Patton Ford) in recognizable situations. Emilys belligerence seems an appropriate response to the economic trap sprung on a generation of graduates exploited by gig work and corporate internships alike. So when that initial text leads to a lucrative, seemingly simple job as a dummy shopper purchasing expensive electronics with stolen credit cards we feel as much relief for her as apprehension. Free Chol Soo Lee tells the story of a wrongfully convicted man who, after spending nearly a decade in prison, was ultimately vindicated in court. But it isnt an uplifting movie. As much as it celebrates the exoneration of its subject, a Korean immigrant in California named Chol Soo Lee, this documentary, directed by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi, is concerned with how the consequences of the failure of justice rippled through the rest of his life. It also considers whether the expectations of those who helped him, and his brief moment of celebrity, may have weighed him down. Just because Lee was innocent doesnt mean he was perfect. Animal lovers will find a bittersweet watch in Free Puppies!, a documentary on volunteer rescue groups working to adopt dogs in areas of the United States that are high in strays and, subsequently, high in euthanasia rates. The directors Samantha Wishman and Christina Thomas narrow their scope to Dade County, a rural area in northwest Georgia, where locals like the small-business owner Monda Wooten have stepped up to rescue stray animals and push for spay-and-neuter services in the absence of an operating animal shelter. Despite being on the local board of commissioners, Wooten has been unable to secure funding for a shelter or a comprehensive animal control unit for the county since she first started rescuing animals more than a decade ago. As Wishman and Thomas explain, the issue of shelter funding is a pervasive one across the Southeast that, coupled with the year-round warm climate and high rates of poverty, has created an environment with too many stray dogs and not enough kennels or homes to keep them in. Forget the Tinder swindler how about the MI5 mountebank? Sounds chilling. Yet Rogue Agent, a stale thriller loosely based on actual events, suggests a different nightmare scenario: that on the heels of every true-crime documentary is a narrative adaptation zapping the story of substance. The movie which centers on the impostor Robert Freegard, who was also the subject of the Netflix documentary series The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman begins with Robert (James Norton) persuading a trio of college students to assist him in a covert government assignment. The film then flashes forward nine years to track the British charmer as he courts Alice (Gemma Arterton), a headstrong lawyer who falls for Robert once he tells her hes an MI5 agent working undercover. Mr. Langworthy, 41, discounts that argument Its absolute nonsense, he said saying he and the state party can multitask. To be sure, Mr. Langworthy has been running a more traditional campaign, pressing the flesh at various events in western New York and the Southern Tier, racking up a roster of local endorsements, including from a variety of county-level officials who know him as a state leader. Nick Langworthy is my friend and was there for me when I first ran for office, said Frank Todaro, an Erie County legislator. His support and guidance meant a lot, and I am proud to support him for Congress. The race has had little solid polling, though Mr. Paladino has consistently cast himself as the front-runner, saying he has no serious challenger. But at least in some places, voters are intrigued by the idea of Mr. Langworthys candidacy. During a discussion in July that he attended in the Cattaraugus County town of Olean, Cathy Kelley, 69, said she liked the state party chairs support of the Second Amendment, saying she felt he was someone who would go to bat for us. As for Mr. Paladino, Ms. Kelley a homemaker from Belfast, N.Y. said she didnt dislike him, but she seemed concerned about his capacity for inflammatory remarks. Carl Paladino has a very long political history, Ms. Kelley said. And I guess, you know, if you want to go with somebody who goes totally rogue, maybe Carl would be the guy. But Im not in favor. Now it was time to see how the youngsters were coming along. That meant it was time to lift minnow traps also lying in the gooey mud at the bottom of the river the black mayonnaise, Thomas Grothues, a research associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, called it. He was steering the skiff. Rutgers is helping the River Project monitor fish that also benefit from the new habitat. Whatever was caught in the traps was quickly released, but not before Miranda Rosen and Kiernan Bates of the Rutgers Marine Field Station took measurements as the skiff idled near a buoy. The sun glinted off the new buildings beyond the piers of Lower Manhattan as Grothues talked about the Hudson in the old days the forests and salt marsh that used to line the shore and the fish that are slowly making a comeback. There are lots of people in New York who dont know there are fish in the water here, he said. I am continually surprised that when I tell them Im studying fish, they say, Theres fish there? All these people are living here who are completely disconnected from the river. How different New York used to be. It was one of the worlds oyster capitals before it was a capital of much else. Henry Hudson said the natives brought great store of very good oysters aboard his little ship. The oyster was so closely identified with the city that, as the author Mark Kurlansky noted in his book, The Big Oyster, New York had a different nickname before it became known as the Big Apple. The American Booksellers Association wrote a letter under my signature, as I was board chair at the time to Attorney General Janet Reno and Robert Pitofsky, who was then the Federal Trade Commission chair, stating our opinion that the proposed merger of Barnes & Noble and Ingram was a devastating development that threatens the viability of competition in the book industry and limits the diversity and availability of books to consumers and calling for investigative action. After a June 1, 1999, report in The Times indicating that the Federal Trade Commission staff would recommend to the commission that it challenge the proposed $600 million purchase, Barnes & Noble terminated its deal, presumably, in part, to avoid the embarrassment of being denied. Interestingly, it wasnt just associations of authors and booksellers who opposed the Barnes & Noble and Ingram consolidation but also a company that then had nearly 60 percent of its order fulfillment provided through Ingram: Amazon, which would continue to grow and flex its own ability to negotiate. Fifteen years later, in 2014, over 900 authors, including Stephen King, Anna Quindlen and John Grisham, signed a full-page ad in The Times asking Amazon to stop its selective retaliation against authors whose publishers had not capitulated to Amazons demands. Today the American Booksellers Association, on behalf of indie stores, continues to challenge Amazons anticompetitive behavior, lobbying for antitrust legislation like the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. This bipartisan bill, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 16-to-6 vote in early 2022, creates rules for fair competition online by banning monopolistic behavior by large online platforms. According to the Justice Department, Penguin Random House argued that the potential acquisition of Simon & Schuster will provide a counterweight to Amazons alleged buying power, but the Justice Department countered that internal documents tell a different story: Penguin Random House plans to embrace Amazon even more closely after the merger. Publishers are by necessity gatekeepers. They can accept only as many manuscripts or writers as they can afford to publish and sell. They are limited by their competition, however, because only so many books may be published and purchased. Today there are roughly 2.5 books sold per person in the United States every year. In the world of book selling today, a customer may be left with a book less well made, less appealing, less diverse, more expensive, and whose author makes less money. No two books are the same, you say? Yes, and every day I see buyers choosing one book rather than another. While Amazon has siphoned off an enormous share of the physical book market and almost the entire e-book market, our customers at Square Books constantly express thanks for our actual presence and what they tell us is a better, more pleasurable way to shop. The language they use to express their preferences is money. I hesitate to speak critically of Penguin Random House. After all, William Faulkner, published almost entirely by Random House, was a longtime resident of Oxford, Miss. where I live and Penguin Random House published my wifes novel, Summerlings, for heavens sake, so of course our store does business with it. And a whole lot of business it is. Penguin Random House, even without including Simon & Schuster, has a larger share of our business than all of Square Books other accounts combined. In some sense, Albertas words are obviously true; Trumpists are already issuing death threats against the judge who signed off on the warrant, and a Shabbat service at his synagogue was reportedly canceled because of the security risk. On Thursday, an armed man tried to breach an F.B.I. field office in Ohio, and The New York Times reported that he appears to have attended a pro-Trump rally in Washington the night before the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The former president relishes his ability to stir up a mob; its part of what makes him so dangerous. We already know, however, that the failure to bring Trump to justice for his companys alleged financial chicanery and his alleged sexual assault, for obstructing Robert Muellers special counsel investigation and turning the presidency into a squalid influence-peddling operation, for trying to steal an election and encouraging an insurrection has been disastrous. What has strengthened Trump has not been prosecution but impunity, an impunity that some of those who stormed the Capitol thought, erroneously, applied to them as well. Trumps mystique is built on his defiance of rules that bind everyone else. He is reportedly motivated to run for president again in part because the office will protect him from prosecution. If we dont want the presidency to license crime sprees, we should allow presidents to be indicted, not accept some dubious norm that ex-presidents shouldnt be. We do not know the scope of the investigation that led a judge to authorize the search of Mar-a-Lago, though it reportedly involves classified documents that Trump failed to turn over to the government even after being subpoenaed. More could be revealed soon: Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Thursday that the Justice Department had filed a motion in court to unseal the search warrant. It should go without saying that Trump and his followers, who howled Lock her up! about Clinton, do not believe that it is wrong for the Justice Department to pursue a probe against a presidential contender over the improper handling of classified material. What they believe is that it is wrong to pursue a case against Trump, who bonds with his acolytes through a shared sense of aggrieved victimization. The question is how much deference the rest of us should give to this belief. No doubt, Trumps most inflamed fans might act out in horrifying ways; many are heavily armed and speak lustily about civil war. To let this dictate the workings of justice is to accept an insurrectionists veto. The far right is constantly threatening violence if it doesnt get its way. Does anyone truly believe that giving in to its blackmail will make it less aggressive? As dusk deepens the shadow at the forests edge, a tiny beacon lights up the gloom. Soon, the twilight is full of drifting lights, each winking a message in peculiar semaphore: Male seeks female for brief union. This courtship plays out on summer nights the world over among beetles of the Lampyridae family, commonly known as fireflies. The darkness in which fireflies have always pursued their liaisons, however, has been breached by the glare of artificial lights. Humans love affair with illumination has led to much of the Earths habitable surfaces suffering light pollution at night. In recent years, scientists who study fireflies have heard from people who are worried that the insects may be in decline, said Avalon Owens, an entomologist at Tufts University. Theres this sense of doom. They seem to not be in places where they used to be, she said. So little is known about how fireflies live that it is hard to assess whether they are in danger and if so, why, said Dr. Owens. But in a study published Wednesday in the journal Royal Society Open Science, she and Sara Lewis, a professor of biology at Tufts University, shone some light on how fireflies respond to artificial illumination. Experiments in forests and fields as well as the lab showed that while some North American fireflies would mate with wild abandon, regardless of illumination, others did not complete a single successful mating under the glare of the lights. Digging human bones was associated with witchcraft, he told The Christian Science Monitor in 2009. It was a taboo in African custom. But I was just a young adventurous man, eager to travel and discover things. The Leakeys, and especially Mary Leakey, Louiss wife, soon recognized Mr. Kamoyas aptitude, not just at finding fossils but identifying them; they began to offer him lessons in paleontology, evolutionary theory and excavating techniques. At the end of each day looking for fossil bones, I sat down with Louis Leakey, and he taught me to tell which bones belonged to which animal and how to tell if they were hominid, and people that led to us, Mr. Kamoya told New African Magazine in 2000. I asked: How do you find them?' He said, Its just luck. We can find them. Then I tried very hard. I was very keen. Then I started to find them. By the mid-1960s he was working mostly with Louis and Marys son, Richard, around Lake Turkana, in northwestern Kenya. Almost immediately, he became Richards most trusted adviser, enough so that Richard often left him in charge for long stretches of time when he had work in Nairobi. He would spend many, many hours sitting under trees, making sure that people in the community understood what was going on, Louise Leakey, Richards daughter and herself a noted paleontologist, said in a phone interview. He was well known and liked by the international scientists, all the way through to the chief and the local elders on the ground. (Richard Leakey died in January at 77.) Unable to go to work for nearly a month, Ms. Seaton set up a GoFundMe account, which has raised more than $17,000 and enabled her to pay her rent and medical bills, although much of those will be reimbursed by her insurance. The support Ive gotten overrides the bad stuff thats been happening, she said. Still, some of her viewers have speculated, without proof, that monkeypox is a hoax or that she contracted the disease because she is transgender. (Ms. Seaton is not transgender; she merely has short hair.) In response, she posted a video from 2019 showing her in a hospital after giving birth. Be for real, she said, as the video cut back to her in the present day, standing in her living room. That is my daughter. She continues to post videos warning that the virus will spread without more testing, vaccination and education. There is evidence she may be right. Nancy Nydam, the communications director of the Georgia public health department, said that although 98 percent of the 544 cases last week in the state are among men, the six women who have tested positive all did so in the last couple of weeks. Its coming at a much more regular cadence, Ms. Nydam said. Second, the race narrative feels like a cudgel to persuade the public or elected officials to move faster with rules and regulations, justify loose ones or expose people to unnecessary risks to win. The Wall Street Journal reported last week about concerns that the autonomous trucking company TuSimple was taking safety risks with peoples lives in a rush to deliver driverless trucks to market. The Journal reported that a truck fitted with TuSimple technology veered suddenly on an Arizona interstate last spring and careered into a concrete barricade. TuSimple told The Journal that no one was hurt and that safety was its top priority. Apples autonomous test cars have smacked into curbs near the companys Bay Area headquarters, and earlier this year one nearly crashed into a jogger who had the right of way crossing the street, The Information reported last month. Cars without drivers could eventually make our roads safer, but each of those incidents was a reminder of the threats that these companies pose as they work out the kinks in self-driving vehicles. Developing a streaming video app doesnt kill people. We are letting these companies set the rules, Cade Metz, a New York Times reporter who writes about autonomous vehicle technology, told me. Cade suggested a redefinition of the race narrative. Instead of trying to win at making driverless cars widespread, there could be a race to steer this technology in the public interest, he said. Its a mind trip, you know? said Drae Campbell, who has worked with Ogawa for 20 years, considers her like family and plays the character Aya 4. Ogawas unsentimental play eschews bitterness in favor of kindness, humor and emotional complexity. It invites but does not compel audience participation, primarily by asking for a show of hands at questions like Who here has a father who has died?, Who here hates their father? and more lightheartedly Who here has watched the reality shows The Bachelor or The Bachelorette? There is also a Japanese Buddhist funeral ritual for Ogawas father, in which some spectators may choose to take part, using chopsticks to pick ersatz bone fragments out of his imaginary ashes. The playwright, who watches that scene in character as her father, said it has become for her, unexpectedly, this incredible, profound, spiritual practice. I am seeing the remains of my body come out before me, she said, and Im seeing strangers come up and help me put that body to rest. To Evan Cabnet, LCT3s artistic director, Ogawas compassion and vulnerability are part of what marks her as a real outlier among experimental theater makers. There are a lot of artists who work in formally experimental modes, and the end result of that work is very often cerebral or intellectual or clever, he said. Ayas work is all of those things, but primarily it leads from the heart. And, I think, from a sense of opening, and from a sense of softness and care. Its good nature proves entirely infectious as Calvin learns to motor his way, literally and metaphorically, through the pain of separation, en route to a possible new start with any of the various men he encounters along the way. Neil John Gibson gives vivid life to a broad array of romantic prospects, and a third performer, Irene Allan, is a hoot as a polyamorous onetime therapist. The plays sexual candor was something of a surprise at 11 a.m. performance times vary throughout the run but Wilf is highly engaging whatever the time of day, and very touching, too. The sexual peccadilloes in Boris the Third, at the Pleasance Courtyard, belong to Britains prime minister. The writer-director Adam Meggidos overextended comedy puts center stage a teenage Boris Johnson in a production of Richard III at Eton, one of Britains most elite boarding schools. The troubled show took place or maybe not, given that Johnsons father remembers that the actual Shakespeare play was Richard II with a leading man who, in this account anyway, was more intent on bedding two sisters at once than on learning his lines. Meggidos play tries to connect the conniving if doomed charmer Johnson may once have acted onstage to the modern-day leader who has been repeatedly called out for deceit. While it is worth seeing principally for Harry Kershaws pitch-perfect performance in the title role, it still feels like a shaky first draft. For everyone else, stretches in solitary would be limited to 15 consecutive days and 45 days in any 180-day period. Staff workers would also have to periodically check on the confined person and offer out-of-cell programming for at least four hours a day. In California, roughly 4,000 people are in solitary confinement at any given time, and the proposed changes would lead to a 70 percent reduction in that number, said Yazdan Panah. Were housing individuals in a cell the size of a parking stall, with no real outlet, with no interaction with other people for extended periods of time, Assemblyman Chris Holden, who introduced the bill, said. Its just unacceptable. Holdens bill is modeled after one in New York that went into effect this year after a nearly decade-long legislative battle. Colorado, New Jersey, New Mexico and at least 10 other states have also limited or banned punitive segregation, despite objections from corrections officials who argue that such rollbacks will make prisons and jails less safe. How were service members exposed to this toxic smoke? The smell of burning trash was inescapable on many bases. But some service members had up-close exposure, such as those assigned with dumping refuse into the fires. Others were ordered to stand guard within feet of the blazes to ensure that none of the discarded items were stolen before they were burned. From July 2009 to July 2010, Lee Cosens was a junior enlisted soldier serving as a military police officer in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He spent four to six hours at a time every week keeping watch in case Afghan police officers or contractors on his base tried to steal uniforms or other discarded articles. What did burn pits smell like? Mr. Cosens said it always smelled like burning plastic a low-level annoyance that often turned particularly acrid depending on what was being destroyed. If it was just smoldering like on a normal day, it smelled like if you threw a plastic bag on a fire, he said. But if you burned things like unused meal packs, then it got really strong. You could tell those days like a super strong, melting plastic smell. What kinds of medical problems did they cause? A long list of medical ailments have been linked to toxic exposure from burn pits. For Mr. Cosens, it manifested with a diagnosis of stage four kidney cancer in March 2021. He had suspected that he might have a kidney stone, but a CT scan revealed a large mass on his left kidney cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes and a lung. The messaging project is a sprawling effort from progressive groups, activists and strategists aimed at getting Democrats on the same page, as they seek to crystallize the choice between the two parties and emphasize the consequential nature of the midterm elections. Freedom is a powerful frame for this election, to make clear what the stakes are, said Jenifer Fernandez Ancona, an architect of the messaging project as well as a co-founder and vice president of Way to Win, a collective of left-leaning Democratic donors and political strategists. What is most striking about the initiative is not the initial size of the investment there is a $5 million national paid-media component associated with the campaign, a relatively modest sum but the fact that left-wing organizations are now embracing language that has been more closely associated with small-government-minded conservatives. For far too long, weve witnessed how the right wing has masterfully sort of owned and captured the language of freedom, said Maurice Mitchell, the national director of the Working Families Party, one of the organizations involved in the Protect Our Freedoms effort. Ukraine has also sustained heavy casualties, the officials say. The Ukrainian government has been reluctant to disclose figures but has said 100 to 200 of its troops were being killed a day. Because Ukraine has been at war with Russian separatists for almost a decade, it has a large pool of seasoned veterans available to the fight. Still, American officials say the conflict has become the bloodiest land war in Europe since World War II. But for Russia, the high casualty number has meant slower progress. The result, Mr. Kahl said, is that conditions in the east have essentially stabilized and Russia has been forced to redeploy its forces to the south, as Ukraine intensifies a campaign to retake territory there. Mr. Putin has also augmented his ranks with former soldiers. But the battlefield effectiveness of the arrivals is quite poor, a senior defense official told reporters last month. What we consider before using anonymous sources. How do the sources know the information? Whats their motivation for telling us? Have they proved reliable in the past? Can we corroborate the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. Learn more about our process. The Russian Army is seriously depleted, said Seth G. Jones, the director of the international security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. That has implications on their ability to fight an effective ground campaign in Ukraine. As the Russian military suffers steep casualties, American and European officials said, it has struggled to bring reservists and new recruits into the fight. Mr. Findling also drew upon the kinds of First Amendment issues that often arise in criminal cases at the nexus of hip-hop and crime and maintained that Mr. Trump had done nothing improper in Georgia. He mentioned Mr. Trumps infamous taped phone call on Jan. 2, 2021, with Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia secretary of state, and specifically addressed the moment when Mr. Trump pressed Mr. Raffensperger to find 11,780 votes that could overturn Mr. Bidens victory in Georgia, which some legal experts say may amount to solicitation to commit election fraud under Georgia law. Somebody listens to a rap song that lasts for four minutes and 11 seconds and pulls one verse out and tries to conjure up some type of criminal case out of it, said Mr. Findling, who said that in both the phone call and a rap song, context was crucial. The conversation with Mr. Raffensperger, he added, amounted to an effort to negotiate a resolution to a civil legal matter. Mr. Findling said he was part of a Georgia-based legal team now working for Mr. Trump that includes Jennifer Little, a former DeKalb County prosecutor, and Dwight L. Thomas, a veteran defense lawyer who previously worked with the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Education Department. The presence of this high-priced and high-powered legal talent signifies the exceptional national importance of the fast-moving investigation and the likely imminent charges against the former president and possibly others in his circle, said Norman Eisen, who served as special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee during the first Trump impeachment. Mr. Eisen was a co-author of a 114-page Brookings Institution analysis of the Georgia case last year that found Mr. Trump at substantial risk of possible state charges predicated on multiple crimes. That Mr. Trump would choose a lawyer well known in the hip-hop world is not out of character for the former president, who has a long and complicated history of interacting with famous rap figures. Mr. Trump earned the support of Kanye West and pardoned or commuted sentences for a number of influential rap figures, including Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. KIGALI, Rwanda Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said on Thursday that he had urged the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to end their support for militias in eastern Congo, warning that continuing to back the groups threatened stability across the Great Lakes region of Africa. Whoever its by, whoever its to, that support has to cease, Mr. Blinken said at a news conference in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Its a matter of principle that applies equally. Its not a matter of weighing one group against another. American and Rwandan officials estimate that more than 130 armed groups are operating in eastern Congo, which has become a battleground for militias who have maimed and murdered while profiting from the billions of dollars of minerals smuggled out of the resource-rich region. Many of the groups get weapons and financial support from the Congolese government or from other African nations. The arms sales process is one where Taiwan has to justify the need to the Americans on why we want those weapons, said Kitsch Liao, a military and cyber affairs consultant at Doublethink Lab, a Taiwanese research group. And theres nothing more powerful than empirical evidence of whats happening on the ground, so the drills would provide the hard proof to back up future requests. The drills may also have helped improve coordination between the militaries of Taiwan and the United States, as the two worked to ensure the security of Ms. Pelosis landing in Taiwan. And the military exercises, which China has said it will continue to carry out in the Taiwan Strait, offer valuable experience for Taiwan and the U.S. to share observations and intelligence. Su Tzu-yun, a security analyst with the National Policy Foundation in Taipei, said the exercises offered a rare chance to assess Chinas military capabilities, which he judged were not developed enough to attack Taiwan in an all-around way, he said. Serving as a sort of wake up call, the Chinese actions have bolstered support for the military within Taiwan, which has struggled with accidents and morale in the face of such a would-be foe as China. By many accounts, Taiwans forces are poorly equipped and understaffed. The wine-growing region of Gironde is a case in point. There, a wildfire that had gutted 54 square miles of woodland near the town of Landiras in mid-July reignited on Tuesday, consuming an additional 26 square miles of bushes and forest. Martin Guespereau, an official for the Gironde region, said the presence of peat deep in the earth had allowed the fire to continue smoldering underground and to go undetected until the flames flared up again because of the heat and the dry air. The fire of July had in fact not stopped, Mr. Guespereau told reporters on Wednesday. It had gone underground. Gregory Allione, the president of Frances National Federation of Firefighters, said the fire was as intense and rapid as last month. But, he added, we are even worse off now than we were in mid-July because a month of drought and heat has contributed to making the flora even more vulnerable to fire. He said the risk of fires would continue through the fall. In addition to the exceptional climate conditions, Ms. Borne said on Thursday that the resurgence of some fires in the south was also possibly the result of arson. ROME Many of the mourners at the wake and funeral of Mario Fiorentini Italys most decorated resistance fighter, who died on Tuesday at age 103 had stories to tell. They included the gracefully aging 102-year-old partisan, as World War II freedom fighters are known in Italy, who met Mario in 1944, when they helped liberate Rome from the Nazi occupiers and never lost touch. And the math teacher in awe of Mr. Fiorentini, who became a math whiz and a professor after the war, for being able to make mathematics fun even for the youngest minds. And the postal worker who casually befriended Mr. Fiorentini and ended up writing a biography that coincided with his 100th birthday. He was a teacher of life who changed mine, said the author, Mirko Bettozzi, who still marveled that they had become friends. I was no one, he said they had nothing in common, but that was Mario. Open to meeting all people, and an inspiration to many. With satellite images showing at least eight wrecked warplanes after explosions at a Russian air base in Crimea, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said late Wednesday that Moscows mounting losses should persuade its leadership to find a way out of the war. Pictures released by Planet Labs, a satellite imaging company, on Wednesday appeared to show at least three blast craters in areas where planes were parked near the runways at the Saki Air Base, on the western Black Sea coast of Russia-occupied Crimea, leaving blackened debris. Russia has played down damage from the explosions on Tuesday, which a senior Ukrainian military official has said were the result of an attack by Ukrainian forces and partisan fighters. But with the images indicating an expensive and serious blow to the Russian military, Mr. Zelensky alluded to the episode for the first time in his nightly address, and he put the number of lost Russian warplanes at nine. BAKHMUT, Ukraine Ukrainian soldiers scurried around the howitzer in a field one recent morning. In a flurry of activity, one man lugged a 106-pound explosive shell from a truck to the gun. Another, using a wooden pole, shoved it into the breach. Loaded! the soldier shouted, then knelt on the ground and covered his ears with his hands. The gun fired with a thunderous boom. A cloud of smoke wafted up. Leaves fluttered down from nearby trees. The shell sailed off toward the Russians with a metallic shriek. It is a scene repeated thousands of times daily along the frontline in Ukraine: artillery duels and long-range strikes from both sides on targets ranging from infantry to fuel depots to tanks. Palestinians living under Israeli occupation and military rule have had few means to combat what is a major power imbalance between the two sides. Since the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza, Israel has incarcerated thousands of Palestinians, many of them political prisoners held under what is called administrative detention, without charges or trial based on secret evidence. To fight back, many of those detainees have turned to hunger strikes a tactic long adopted by desperate prisoners around the world, in places like Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or Northern Ireland. The hunger strikes have left the Israeli authorities in a bind, largely unable to act against the prisoners or stop the images of emaciated strikers from publicly circulating. This has rallied support among Palestinians and drawn criticism of Israel from around the world, including the United Nations. The fate of one hunger striker was discussed as part of a deal to end a brief conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group in Gaza over the weekend. Nothing can prepare someone for the level of exhaustion and elation that accompanies the early days of parenthood. But helping stock a friends freezer with delicious, nourishing dishes that need just a few minutes in the oven or microwave can certainly help. A few tips: Before whipping up a freezer feast for friends, make sure theres room in their freezer to accommodate it. For recipes that serve more than two, consider preparing half to eat soon and packaging the other half to be frozen and eaten at a later date, or divide a six-serving recipe into three meals by packing them in three two-serving containers. Use containers you dont need returned, and label them with the dishs name, instructions and maybe a little note something like Youre doing great, Dad! or What a lucky kid to have you as a mom. Becoming a parent is a wild, and at times, lonely road. A little Post-it pep talk can go a long way. A graphic showing the legal status of abortion in six states that have sought to ban the procedure after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24: Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Louisiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. Each state is shaded according to the legal status (full ban, restricted, legal) of the procedure as of a different date: June 23, June 24, June 27, July 11 and Aug. 10. In many of these states, the legality has changed several times. A graphic showing the legal status of abortion in six states that have sought to ban the procedure after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24: Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, Louisiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. Each state is shaded according to the legal status (full ban, restricted, legal) of the procedure as of a different date: June 23, June 24, June 27, July 11 and Aug. 10. In many of these states, the legality has changed several times. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, the law on abortion in Utah changed three times in five days. On Friday, the day of the courts decision, a so-called trigger law banning the procedure took effect. The following Monday, a judge blocked the ban and abortions resumed. The next day, state legislators revived an old law limiting abortions to 18 weeks of pregnancy. It changed day by day and hour by hour, said Dr. David Turok, an OB-GYN and the director of surgical services at the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. There were days where we had people show up and wait in the waiting room, and we werent sure if we were going to be able to see them. The legal back and forth on abortion since the courts decision in Dobbs has not been confined to Utah. More than a dozen states moved quickly to ban the procedure, enforcing trigger laws designed to take effect in the event Roe was overturned or reinstating old laws that were previously unenforceable. But lawsuits against the abortion bans just as quickly followed. Plaintiffs have argued that the bans run afoul of state constitutions, or are too vague or out of date to enforce. And judges in several states have agreed: Bans have been temporarily blocked, reinstated, and in some cases blocked again, as the cases have wound their way through the courts. Where abortion laws remain in flux Timeline chart showing the legal status of abortion in Kentucky, Louisiana, Utah, North Dakota, Wyoming and West Virginia from June 24 to Aug. 5. In some of these states, whether abortion is legal has changed from week to week. Full ban Partial ban Temporarily legal Ky. La. Utah N.D. Wyo. W. Va. June 24 Supreme Court decision July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 Supreme Court decision June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 Kentucky Louisiana Utah North Dakota Wyoming West Virginia Supreme Court decision June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 Kentucky Louisiana Utah North Dakota Wyoming West Virginia Note: The partial ban in Utah limits abortion to 18 weeks of pregnancy; the partial ban in Kentucky is to 15 weeks of pregnancy. For abortion providers and patients, this has meant navigating a situation in which abortion may be allowed one day and banned the next. Providers have canceled procedures midday or told patients to wait on standby in the event that abortion becomes temporarily legal again. The legal back and forth has also frustrated opponents of abortion who saw the Dobbs decision as having settled the question of whether states can prohibit the procedure. In Kentucky, the trigger ban took effect but was blocked by a circuit court judge less than a week later, angering Daniel Cameron, the states attorney general, a Republican. In the wake of an historic victory for life at the nations highest court, today, one judge in Kentucky has, without basis in the Kentucky Constitution, allowed two clinics to resume abortions, Mr. Cameron said in a statement after the ruling. A ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy was also blocked by the judges order. Two weeks later, a federal judge allowed a separate ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy to take effect, though the trigger ban, which would have stopped all abortions, remained blocked. EMW Womens Surgical Center, one of two abortion providers in Kentucky, saw 232 patients during this time, according to Brigitte Amiri, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who is representing the clinic. Then, last week, a Kentucky court of appeals judge allowed the trigger ban to take effect while the case against it proceeds. All of this has been so chaotic and so confusing for patients and providers, said Ms. Amiri. Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, La., began referring patients to clinics in New Mexico and southern Illinois in the days after the Dobbs decision. Emily Kask for The New York Times The situation in Louisiana has been even more in flux. The states trigger ban has been blocked and reinstated three times in the course of six weeks. I think a lot of people were very discouraged, said Sarah Zagorski, a spokeswoman for Louisiana Right to Life, an anti-abortion group that worked with legislators in writing the states trigger law, known as the Human Life Protection Act. We went through a great deal of work to ensure that the Human Life Protection Act wasnt confusing or vague and that any issues of concern would be addressed. Kathaleen Pittman, the director of Hope Medical Group for Women, one of three abortion providers in Louisiana and a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the trigger ban, said that when the ban first took effect she began referring patients to clinics in New Mexico and southern Illinois. Before Dobbs, the clinic typically saw 15 to 45 patients a day. But many people who called could not travel or preferred to wait to see what happened in Louisiana. Ms. Pittman said the clinic continued to schedule patients for an initial consultation, so that in the event the ban were blocked, they could schedule their procedures. A few days later, on June 27, a judge blocked enforcement of the ban. We immediately started calling people and saying, Were back on can you come right now? Ms. Pittman said. Timeline chart showing the legal status of abortion in Kentucky and Louisiana from June 24 to Aug. 5. Full ban Partial ban Temporarily legal Ky. La. June 24 Supreme Court decision On June 30, a judge in Kentucky issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the trigger ban. July 1 July 8 On July 14, a federal judge lifted an injunction on Kentuckys 15-week abortion ban, allowing it to take effect. July 15 July 22 July 29 On Aug. 1, the trigger ban in Louisiana took effect for the third time. Aug. 5 Supreme Court decision June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 Kentucky Louisiana On June 30, a judge in Kentucky issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the trigger ban. On July 14, a federal judge lifted an injunction on Kentuckys 15-week abortion ban, allowing it to take effect. On Aug. 1, the trigger ban in Louisiana took effect for the third time. Supreme Court decision June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 Kentucky Louisiana On June 30, a judge in Kentucky issued a temporary restraining order, blocking the trigger ban. On July 14, a federal judge lifted an injunction on Kentuckys 15-week abortion ban, allowing it to take effect. On Aug. 1, the trigger ban in Louisiana took effect for the third time. Note: The partial ban in Kentucky is to 15 weeks of pregnancy. The trigger bans in North Dakota and Wyoming were blocked before they could take effect. But even though abortion remained legal in those states, providers said that patients and medical professionals did not always know what was going on. People have called to ask me if the IUD is legal, if Plan B is legal, said Dr. Giovannina Anthony, an OB-GYN at Womens Health and Family Care, a family practice that is also Wyomings only abortion provider. Ive had patients referred to me by other doctors who dont even know if abortion is still legal in Wyoming. It illustrates what a lot of these laws are doing, which is just causing chaos and confusion. Protesters and clinic escorts outside of Red River Womens Clinic in Fargo, N.D., the only abortion provider in the state. Hilary Swift for The New York Times The Dobbs decision prompted the Red River Womens Clinic in Fargo, N.D., to prepare to move its facility across the river to Moorhead, Minn., where abortion remains legal. When news that a judge had blocked North Dakotas ban came late in the day on July 27, temporarily allowing abortions to continue, staffers began scheduling patients for the following week in Fargo instead, said Tammi Kromenaker, the clinics director. Weve started telling patients, We can provide an abortion to you, but it might be in North Dakota, or it might be in Minnesota, and we will let you know, she said. Timeline chart showing the legal status of abortion in North Dakota and Wyoming from June 24 to Aug. 5. Full ban Temporarily legal N.D. Wyo. June 24 Supreme Court decision July 1 July 8 July 15 North Dakotas trigger ban was blocked the day before it was set to take effect. July 22 On July 27, Wyomings trigger ban went into effect in the morning. By midday, a judge had issued a temporary restraining order, halting its enforcement. July 29 Aug. 5 North Dakotas trigger ban was blocked the day before it was set to take effect. Supreme Court decision June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 North Dakota Wyoming On July 27, Wyomings trigger ban went into effect in the morning. By midday, a judge had issued a temporary restraining order, halting its enforcement. North Dakotas trigger ban was blocked the day before it was set to take effect. Supreme Court decision June 24 July 1 July 8 July 15 July 22 July 29 Aug. 5 North Dakota Wyoming On July 27, Wyomings trigger ban went into effect in the morning. By midday, a judge had issued a temporary restraining order, halting its enforcement. In some states, the enforcers of the abortion bans have asked for clarity in the laws. In West Virginia, the states attorney general said in a memo on June 29 that an 1849 law banning abortion was on the books and enforceable after Dobbs, but he also asked state legislators to reconcile many of the conflicting abortion statues that had been written in the decades since. A few weeks later, on July 18, a West Virginia judge blocked the ban, and the states only abortion provider began seeing patients again. The clinic, the Womens Health Center of West Virginia, has seen 65 abortion patients since the preliminary injunction was issued. West Virginia legislators scrambled to pass a new ban on abortion, but the bill has not been finalized. Katie Quinonez, the executive director of the Womens Health Center of West Virginia, in Charleston in the facilitys recovery room in February. Chris Jackson/Associated Press And in Arizona, there is still no consensus on whether abortion is legal. The states attorney general said abortion was banned, pointing to a 1901 law criminalizing the procedure. But abortion rights advocates say the old law cannot take effect until an injunction from 1973 is lifted. The uncertainty surrounding the possibility of criminal prosecution has meant that nearly all providers in the state have stopped offering abortions. You have actual abortion bans and then you have confusion that causes a ban, said Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, the medical director and owner of Camelback Family Planning in Phoenix, which continues to provide abortions. Which is essentially a ban. Peter Kadushin Peter Kadushin, who handled global PR and issues management at Amazon, has joined Trident DMG as VP. At Amazon, Kadushin focused on areas including product liability, intellectual property, counterfeit products and fake reviews. Kadushin has political experience gained from serving as communications director for Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who currently is a senior advisor to President Biden and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. He also did a deputy communications director stint for New York Mayor Bill DeBlasio, where he coordinated public messaging on high-profile issues (e.g., police-involved shootings, terrorist threats and power outages). Kadushin also handled PR for the United Federation of Teachers and reported for the New York Post and Daily News. Based in DC, Trident DMG is a strategic communications, crisis management and legal PR shop co-founded by Lanny Davis, Eleanor McManus, Adam Goldberg and Joshua Galper. Doug Thornell SKDK has named partner Doug Thornell successor to CEO Josh Isay, who will take on the senior counsel role at the end of the year. The 46-year-old will become highest ranking Black executive at top PA/political consulting firm. SKDK has more than 200 staffers. As CEO of the Stagwell unit, Thornell will handle day-to-day activities with partners Bill Knapp, Jill Zuckman, Mike Morey and Kerri Lyon. Thornell joined SKDK a dozen years ago as senior VP in its PA practice. Most recently, he led its paid media and political practice. Isay called Thornell a brilliant communications professional who combines a deep understanding of our business with exceptional motivational and leadership skills. He said Thornell has been an insightful and thoughtful adviser and confidante to me for over a decade. During his 20-year career, Thornell was lead media strategist to the Democratic National Committee, spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, adviser to both Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen and the Congressional Black Caucus and traveling spokesman for Governor Howard Deans 2004 presidential campaign. AN unusual breed of sheep, Bluefaced Leicester will make its debut at this year's Tullamore Show on Sunday next. The formation of the South of Ireland Bluefaced Leicester Club in 2012, now in its 10th year, saw an increased focus on the breed in the Republic. The club has established four pedigree sales within the Southern Ireland region these being located at; Aurivo Mart, Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Ballybofey & Stranorlar Mart, Co. Donegal. Cahir Mart, (Cork Marts) Co. Tipperary. Midlands & Western Livestock Improvement Society Limited, The Showgrounds, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Roscommon. The Association welcome everyone to their stand at Tullamore as well as to their 60th celebration. The journey of the Bluefaced Leicester has its origin in a breeding programme introduced by Robert Bakewell, an English agriculturalist, in the development of longwool sheep in the 1700s. From these early roots and over the many intervening years, the Bluefaced Leicester has evolved through selective breeding of those involved in the breed to its current breed standards which sees 2 individual types within the breed, one the Traditional Bluefaced Leicester, the other now dubbed the Crossing Leicester. The Bluefaced Leicester should have a broad muzzle, good mouth and a characteristic Roman nose, bright alert eyes and long erect ears. There should be a good length of neck laid into broad shoulders and a good spring of rib together with a long strong back with no weakness behind the shoulder. The wool should be tightly purled, fine and open cleanly to the skin. The hindquarters should be broad and deep, the legs well positioned and strong boned. In the case of the traditional Bluefaced Leicester the colour of the head skin should be dark blue showing through white hair whereas the Crossing Bluefaced Leicester can display brown or black hair on the face and legs and does not display the dark blue head skin. Bluefaced Leicesters are crossed with many breeds to produce the Mule. Genetically the Bluefaced Leicester is different to all other breeds, this Genetic pool was established at the genesis of the breed by Bakewell, something he did not envisage at the time, however it is this vast genetic difference that produces unrivalled hybrid vigour in the cross bred progeny of the Bluefaced Leicester and sets their mule offspring apart from other crossbred breed types. The hybrid vigour associated with the mule equates to a 5% increase in growth but more significantly the maternal traits of the mule, those of longevity, milkiness, prolificacy and mothering ability ensures a 20% increase in performance. A control study conducted in the UK in the 2022 lambing saw blood samples taken from an array of breeds, in lambs 8 hours after birth, which identified a significant increase in the number of antibodies from lambs born to Mule Ewes, thereby enhancing their lambs natural ability to combat watery mouth and joint ill. Mule sheep are increasing in popularity in Southern Ireland with many farmers producing their own as well as an increasing number of dedicated Mule Groups producing sheep for sale nationally. The Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders Association was established in 1962 to encourage the breeding and maintain the purity of the breed. The Association office is currently located in Carlisle in England. The Association celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. There are 6 distinctive regions affiliated to the Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders Association of which Southern Ireland is one such region. Bluefaced Leicester sheep made their way to Southern Ireland in or about 1980, with sheep being sourced from the UK by the pioneers of the breed here. In early years the breed gained popularity amongst the mule producers, particularly hill farmers, although they also found favour amongst lowland flocks. celebration of the breed to be held at the show which involves Progeny Classes of Bluefaced Leicesters with their purebred and crossbred offspring. A mother has vowed never to leave Tunisia until she is reunited with her four young children, who she claims were taken from her by their father. Elaine Ryan, who comes from Portroe in North Tipperary and has family connections in Roscrea and Nenagh said her heart is broken over the loss of her children - but that she will never give up the fight to find them and bring them home. Elaine Ryan has not seen her four youngest children since 2019 when a summer holiday to see her husbands family turned into a what can only be described as every parent's worst nightmare. Before their departure everything had seemed normal. The children were registered to go back to school and their uniforms had been bought. Elaine and her husband had even been to the local social welfare office to sign documents for the Back To School Allowance. It was August when they arrived in Tunisia and it was then that Elaines husband posed an unsettling question to her: A few days into the holiday I started to notice that my husband kept asking about leaving the children here with his family and wed go back to Ireland the two of us, she told the Newstalk Lunchtime Live programme. Hed go back to university and wed come to Tunisia every three months to spend a month with the kids. I said, No. Were returning to Ireland, we came here on a holiday and the kids have school. I have my other daughter back home in Ireland, shes starting her Leaving Cert year. That was fine, he kind of stopped then. But one afternoon there was a knock on the apartment door when her husband arrived with a baliff. My husband arrived with what they call a bailiff in Tunisia, serving me papers. He had gone to court for temporary custody of the kids. He had lied to the courts, he had told the courts that we had moved to Tunisia and that when we got here I had decided to leave, which was not true we had only come here on a holiday." Her in-laws also arrived at the apartment. The mother and the father said they were taking the three oldest kids out for ice cream because I was still upset and they wanted to take the kids away from that. What I didnt realise was they were taking the kids to a different apartment and they never brought them back. About 9 oclock at night he eventually allowed me to answer the call from my mother. So obviously it was an emotional phone call because they didnt know what was going on. While I was on the phone to them his mother came in and took [the youngest] from the bed and had taken him to the apartment as well. So he kept me locked in the apartment for that night but he let me know where the kids were and that theyd gone with his mother to another apartment. On September 3, she was allowed to see her children. Since then Elaines life has been a mixture of heartbreak and legal battles. Her husbands repeated failures to turn up at court and the COVID-19 pandemic means that the case is still not resolved. In March 2021 she returned to Ireland to see her family and while she was home her father died. She decided to stay on for a few months to support her daughter through the Leaving Cert but other than that she has remained in Tunisia. Her family are helping her with her legal fees and she is determined to pursue every avenue to get her children back: Im not leaving without them, she told Newstalk radio from Tunisia. The United Kingdom has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 64 times. It first took part in the second contest in 1957 and has entered every year since 1959. Along with Sweden and the Netherlands, the UK is one of only three countries with Eurovision victories in four different decades. It is one of the "Big Five" countries, along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain, that are automatically prequalified for the final each year as they are the biggest financial contributors to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The British national broadcaster, the BBC, broadcasts the event and has, on multiple occasions, organised different national selection processes to choose the British entry. The United Kingdom has won the Eurovision Song Contest five times, and has finished as runner-up on a record sixteen occasions. The UK has hosted the contest a record eight times, four times in London and once each in Edinburgh (1972), Brighton (1974), Harrogate (1982) and Birmingham (1998), and will host the contest for a ninth time in 2023. The tech giant is aiming to take the carbon footprint of its entire operations - including the use of its products - to zero by 2030. Queensland gas is a natural ally of renewables and will support the addition of more intermittent energy, the minister told a business audience in Brisbane on Thursday. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Australian energy giant Santos has bought a company planning to build a new pipeline to send gas from Queensland to the nations southern states. A man aged in his 30s died at Port Phillip Prison hours after returning from St Vincents Hospital, where he was being treated following an incident in his cell. Rumble 10 Aug 2022 The FBI raided the home of President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. We won't know how fully insane the FBI raid on Trump is.. The Saki base went up in flames, with Russia claiming an ammunition depot exploded, a story ridiculed by Kyiv. Russia says Switzerland is no longer neutral and cannot represent Kyiv in Moscow. Follow DW for the latest. Pyongyang is lifting its strictest anti-viral measures after declaring victory over the coronavirus. Kim Yo Yong, the sister of North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Un, blamed the COVID outbreak on leaflets from the South. Newsy 15 Aug 2022 Watch VideoAn Iranian government official denied on Monday that Tehran was involved in the assault on author Salman Rushdie, though.. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told reporters Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the biggest current crisis. The now traditional summer press conference comes as Germany confronts several problems at home and abroad. They have also called on other European countries to "express the same opinion". The Belarus military says the incident at the Gomel base, where Russian jets are stationed, was caused when a vehicle engine caught fire. McDonald's will reopen some branches in Ukraine, in a show of support after the US fast-food chain pulled out of Russia. Newsy 18 Aug 2022 Watch VideoAfter decades of shutting down nuclear plants across the country, there is now a sudden growing political movement to.. The Wyoming Republican tweeted that she was 'ashamed' to hear GOP members panning FBI agents who searched Trump's Mar-a-Lago Florida home on Monday. Former president Donald Trump invokes his Fifth Amendment rights and declines to speak with New York prosecutors, including State Attorney General Letitia James, over his hotel and real estate ventures. Police will be monitoring a protest led by Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki that intends marching through central Wellington before staging a mock trial at Parliament.New details have emerged of the rally set to take place on August... Hunter Biden, who is under federal investigation, joined his father on a vacation to South Carolina Wednesday just two days after the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. By Giles Dexter of RNZ A petition has been delivered to Parliament, calling for the Russian ambassador to be expelled, and for New Zealand to sever diplomatic relations.Ambassador Georgii Zuev retains his diplomatic posting,... Former White House National Security Advisor Amb. John Bolton said the assassination plot against him by an Iranian operative is an act of war." The confrontation at the FBI's Ohio field office comes as officials warn of an increase in threats against federal agents following a search of Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Authorities say a man is in a standoff with law enforcement after he tried to breach the FBI's Cincinnati office, fled and exchanged gunfire with law enforcement. (Aug. 11) In case you hadnt noticed, things arent fine with our planet. But as Greta Thunberg would say, some of us still arent.. Mashable 10 Aug 2022 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared victory over Covid-19 and ordered preventive measures eased just three months after acknowledging an outbreak, claiming the country's widely disputed success would be recognised as a global... The Ukrainian air force says nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in massive explosions Tuesday at an air base in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow seized in 2014. And shelling around a Ukrainian nuclear power plant has prompted an emergency meeting Thursday of the U.N. Security Council. The Security Council is to address the... USATODAY.com 11 Aug 2022 The images appeared to show at least seven fighter planes blown up at a Russian base in Crimea, despite Russian claims that none.. Celebrate Playsons 10th Anniversary with the Charity Slots Tournament Published August 10, 2022 by Florin P Playson invites everyone to sign up for the charity slot tournament on August 10 and celebrate the companys 10-year anniversary while doing the right thing. Playson is celebrating a decade of existence, which represents a very important milestone for the casino game development company. The 10th anniversary is a special moment that they want to celebrate in the most appropriate manner possible. Given the hardships suffered by the population of Ukraine, the charity tournament hosted on this occasion is dedicated to residents of this country. Have Fun and do the Right Thing Playsons most recent promotion is perfect for those who appreciate slots and enjoy shopping online. On August 10, you can hit two birds with one stone and take part in the special charity tournament that celebrates the 10-year anniversary. In an attempt to unify the iGaming industry and raise more money for Ukrainian charities, the company is running a special competition. Those who participate and spin their wheels on selected slots will have the chance to win an Amazon gift voucher. Anyone can participate and with a massive prize pool of 10,000, there are strong arguments in favor of tagging along. In addition to competing for a share of the prize pool, players will also have the immense satisfaction of doing the right thing. That's because the moment you sign up for the tournament, you will be supporting one of the select charities. Prytula Foundation, Come Back Alive, Tabletochki, Be Kind, Dobro, and Enjoying Life are the beneficiaries of this generous promotion. How does the Charity Tournament Work? Playson has high expectations from this event and wanted to be as inclusive as possible, so anyone can take part and do the right thing. The goal is to bring together as many people as possible and the company will boost the price bold by 5000 if at least 500 players sign up. The top ten most successful players will receive an equal share of the guaranteed price pool, equal to 1000 each. They get to choose what charity benefits from this amount, which will be donated in their name. On top of the generous donation that will change things for the better, winners will also be awarded an Amazon gift card. This is worth the equivalent of $100, so the top ten players will feel like winners and shop for free at the biggest online retailer. The tournament starts at noon and concludes 10 hours later, so you should participate between 12:00 AM and 10:00 PM. To qualify, you need to record at least one win and claim 10,000 virtual coins, so you move up the leaderboard. (Australia 11-Aug-2022): The professional body, Engineering New Zealand requires you to submit a KA02 report to assess your knowledge and skills. The candidates who desire to migrate to New Zealand have to display the required skills according to Engineering New Zealand. The assessor Engineering New Zealand evaluates the reports of the aspirants who are from Non-ICT or have insufficient ICT. KA02 Knowledge Assessment Engineering New Zealand is an opportunity for MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) The remains of Native American people who once lived in Alabama were dug up a century ago often by amateur archaeologists and given to the state along with the jewelry, urns and other objects buried with them. The Alabama Department of Archives and History announced this week that it is beginning the process of returning the remains and funerary objects held in its collections to tribes as required by federal law. The department also announced it had removed the funerary objects from displays where the artifacts had sat for years, viewed by school groups and other visitors. The origins of those materials and the way they came into our possession is really quite problematic from todays perspective. and we very much honor and agreed with Native perspectives on what is and isnt a proper type of material to show in a museum exhibition," Steve Murray, the director of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, said Thursday. The funerary objects were,the personal property of someone who was buried and then that burial was later disturbed without permission," Murray said. The 1990 federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act requires federally funded institutions, such as universities, to return Native American remains and cultural items to lineal descendants, Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations. However, the return has been slow to happen. The Associated Press reported last month that 870,000 Native American artifacts including nearly 110,000 human remains are still in the possession of colleges, museums and other institutions across the country, according to data maintained by the National Park Service. The first materials to be returned from the Alabama archives will be 37 sets of human remains and 349 associated funerary objects that were excavated from burials at two sites in Montgomery and Lowndes counties in the early 1900s. The graves were of people who lived in Alabama in the 18th century although some dated back to the 1600s, Murray said. State archives have a total of 114 sets of remains taken from 22 sites across the state plus the objects that were buried with those people, Murray said. University of Alabama museums are the largest holder of Native American remains and artifacts in Alabama. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIRUT (AP) A gunman demanding a Beirut bank let him withdraw his trapped savings to pay his fathers medical bills took up to 10 people hostage in a seven-hour standoff Thursday before surrendering in exchange for what a family lawyer said was $35,000 of his money. Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, a 42-year-old food-delivery driver, was promptly arrested and taken away by police as he walked out of the bank. No one was injured. Husseins wife, Mariam Chehadi, who was standing outside, told reporters that her husband did what he had to do. The hostage drama in the citys bustling Hamra district was the latest painful episode in Lebanons economic free-fall, now in its third year. The countrys cash-strapped banks since 2019 have slapped strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency assets, tying up the savings of millions of people. Dozens of protesters gathered outside during the standoff, chanting slogans against the Lebanese government and banks and hoping that the gunman would get his money. Some bystanders hailed him as a hero. Authorities said Hussein entered the bank with a shotgun and a canister of gasoline, fired three warning shots and locked himself in with his hostages, threatening to set himself on fire unless he was allowed to take out his money. Hussein had $210,000 trapped in Federal Bank and had been struggling to withdraw his money to pay his fathers medical bills and other expenses, according to the family and others involved in the negotiations. My brother is not a scoundrel. He is a decent man. He takes what he has from his own pocket to give to others, Husseins brother Atef, standing outside the bank, said during the standoff. After hours of negotiations, Hussein accepted an offer for part of his savings, and the bank handed over $35,000 to his brother, according to Dina Abou Zour, a lawyer and activist representing the Hussein family. Federal Bank attorney Roy Madkour refused to discuss the terms of the negotiations and added: The matter now rests with the judiciary, and they will decide. Lebanese soldiers, officers from the countrys Internal Security Forces and intelligence agents converged on the area during the standoff. Seven or eight bank employees were taken hostage along with two customers, George al-Haj, head of the Bank Employees Syndicate, told local media. Lebanon is suffering from the worst economic crisis in its modern history. Three-quarters of the population has plunged into poverty, and the Lebanese pound has declined in value by more than 90% against the U.S. dollar. What led us to this situation is the state's failure to resolve this economic crisis and the banks' and Central Bank's actions, where people can only retrieve some of their own money as if it's a weekly allowance, said Abou Zour, who is with the legal advocacy group the Depositors' Union and was among the protesters. And this has led to people taking matters into their own hands. In January, a coffee shop owner withdrew $50,000 trapped in a bank in Lebanon after taking employees hostage and threatening to kill them. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Bay City fire museum, site of the largest and most powerful fire truck the world has ever seen, will soon have a new place to call home. Bay Citys Antique Toy & Fire Museum has announced plans to renovate and relocate to a 1890s-era fire station it purchased in downtown Bay City. Moving from its current pole-barn-like structure in Bangor Township to a newly modernized facility makes sense for a number of reasons, officials said, noting that the museums collection has grown to include thousands of curated items, including more than 60 vintage fire engines. The chief attraction is clearly the New York City Fire Departments Super Pumper, the most powerful land-based fire engine ever. Designed by a naval engineer, it roamed the streets of New York City from 1965 through 1982. Today, people come from all over the world to see the Super Pumper, said Mike Snyder, a Dow Chemical Co, retiree who sits on the fire museums board and is part of a group of dedicated volunteers that have been working on restoring some of the museums fire trucks for the past couple of years. The group envisions a revived Bay City Fire Station No. 3, one of the citys original firehouses, becoming a regional attraction when its projected to open sometime next year. The location of the current facility on Patterson Road in Bangor Township limits our visibility and prevents us from providing year-round museum tours to the public, Snyder said. Were upgrading the station to meet modern safety and accessibility standards so we can share it with our community and beyond. The museum volunteers have successfully restored several fire trucks to operable condition and have been providing public demonstrations at festivals and car shows throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region. These demonstrations are a means to preserve the history of Mid-Michigan fire service and create awareness of the museum and what it represents. Once opened, the new museum, a 7,000 sq. ft. building, will be an ideal venue to provide fire education programs and for people to see the more than 12,000 antique and collectible toys (many of them fire, police and rescue vehicles) that are part of its collection, officials said. Drawing more tourists to downtown Bay City, an emphasis on STEM education and the ability to provide more fire service demonstrations are other activities the Antique Toy and Fire Museum plans to do out of a much-improved facility. It intends to maintain its Patterson Road facility for archival storage and maintenance activities. Other plans include hosting an annual service day for local first responders to honor the memory of fellow comrades and the lives lost on 9-11; displaying items from the 1990 MV Jupiter Fire Explosion; and upgrading the Fire Department New York (FDNY) Super Pumper. Community partners for the initiative include the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society, Great Lakes International Antique Fire Apparatus Association, Saginaw Castle Museum, and the Bay County Historical Society. The communitys reaction has been supportive, particularly of getting the old fire station location back into a usable building that will host visitors, Snyder said. We are also getting many inquiries from tour operators that want to make the new location a stop on future itineraries. Cost to refurbish the Bay City Fire Station is an estimated $2.5 million. The museum has launched a capital campaign seeking support from foundations, local corporations and private citizens. Interestingly, the old fire station never had fire trucks housed in it. The fire station was used in the horse and buggy era, from about the late 1800s to about 1915, Snyder said. The original Pratt & Koppe-designed structure is in remarkably good shape and has a colorful history in both fire service and post fire-service uses. There are three ways the public can help: Donate to the museums capital campaign. Become an annual member of the museum which includes unlimited free visits. Share any relics you may have of Great Lakes Fire History for possible inclusion in future displays. The museum, Snyder said, is particularly interested in any objects related to Fire Station No. 3 and the Bay City Fire Alarm Telegraph (Gamewell) System. The Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum was founded by Bay Citys Jimmie Dobson, who shared a love of fire trucks for over five decades with his late son, Jeffrey. Visit them online at toyandfirehousemuseum.org After many failed attempts by filmmakers and screenwriters at bringing Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman" to the screen, with Gaiman even preventing some himself, the story earned the title "unfilmable." More than 30 years since the comic was published, "The Sandman" fans finally got the adaptation they deserved on Friday, Aug. 5, when Netflix dropped its version, according to a Neil Gaiman expert and professor of English at Central Michigan University, Joe Sommers. Photo provided/Joe Sommers "I've waited forever for this and it's a fascinating translation," Sommers said. "I really think he (Gaiman) hit the sweet spot." In its first three days of availability on Netflix, "The Sandman" was watched for 69.5 million hours, landing it the number one position on the streamers Top 10 rankings during the Aug. 1-7 viewing window. It is one of the comics that helped bring a more mature tone to comic books, according to Sommers, a movement started by Alan Moore and Frank Miller. But the streaming giant could not have made one of the "most successful comic book adaptations of all time" without help from Gaiman, according to Sommers. Gaiman was heavily involved with the creation of Netflixs "The Sandman." As he tweeted, more involved than he was with Starzs "American Gods," but less so than with Amazons "Good Omens." His involvement was necessary to produce the series since it's a "story about stories that young Neil Gaiman absorbed," according to Sommers. "You'll find Shakespeare at least twice and referenced more times than you'd imagine in there," he said. "You'll find the Arabian Nights and Ramadan, you'll find The Fates who are the graces or the three in one. It's amazing the amount of material." "In many ways, 'The Sandman' is this beautiful new fabric that Gaiman is weaving from borrowed cloth. It's just gorgeous," Sommers continued. "It's a work of a great erudition of him just knowing all of these stories and wanting to write them up again." Some Netflix users are wondering if they have to know about "The Sandman" to enjoy the show. "No. Not at all," Sommers said. "It feels like somebody who's been watching/reading these things for 30 years and someone brand new can both enjoy." "What I would honestly say is that the first episode goes out of its way to be very faithful to the original issue," he continued. "The changes, though, were made to give 'The Sandman' the show a cohesion that somebody that doesn't know what the fuss is all about might be able to grasp on to." "Episode two might be a little jarring at first because it's trying to set up this crazy concept. But once you get the premise established this thing kicks into high gear." Who influenced Neil Gaiman's writing? "If you want to know the people that young Neil Gaiman read, just look at the people that are literally popping up in 'The Sandman,'" Sommers said. "So you've got Gilbert, who happens to read a lot of Chesterton. And if you ever want to go and take a picture of what G. K. Chesterton looks like. Well, he looks like Gilbert, because Gilbert is what the G in G.K. Chesterton stands for." "He (Gaimon) grew up in a household that was originally a Jewish household that became a Scientologist household," Sommers continued. "He read mythology ad nauseam. And you find mythologies scattered all throughout 'The Sandman.'" "He breathes his influences back to life in his show," Sommers said. "It's a lovesong to reading and a lovesong to literature. He's singing the things he loves for others to love and enjoy. And as a literature professor, I mean, all I can say is thank you." If Netflix's "The Sandman" gets greenlighted for a second season, which seems likely considering its acclaim from critics out of the gate, Sommers said producers have ample material to work with. "I'm begging with them (Netflix) throw more money at 'The Sandman' and give them you know, seasons two, three as many as they need," Sommers said. "In what comes next you'll see Loki, Thor and Odin. You'll see Lucifer again. You'll see Oberon and Titania, whether you know them from Shakespeare or British Fairy Story. You'll see all these characters as they were, doing their thing. They're just living about as stories in the Dreaming." More from Joe Sommers A biography of Neil Gaiman and "The Sandman" written by Sommers is set to be out later this year or early next year. The title has not been decided, according to Sommers. The book looks at Gaiman's life through the publication of "The Sandman" and how his life experiences show through his work. Check out Sommers' books available in all formats here. His titles include "The Artistry of Neil Gaiman: Finding Light in the Shadows" and "Critical Insights: Neil Gaiman," in addition to books about comics and video games. See More Collapse Gaiman's creations will continue to be brought to the screen. Three weeks ago, his best-selling novel titled "The Graveyard Book" was picked up by Walt Disney Studios. It is the "first childrens book to win the Newbery and the Whitbread Awards at the same time," according to Sommers. "Its kinda a privilege to work with and on him," Sommers said. "The man just makes joy and its cool to see him finally get the success he deserves." "Just as a person who has interviewed him and as a person who has written about him. He is an incredibly kind, good-hearted and genuinely humane person," Sommers said. "It's so wonderful to see this man who has been waiting most of his life to get this thing done ideally the way he'd like to see it done. And Netflix made that happen. It better keep making it happen." "I've never seen him so happy as he was at 'The Sandman' panel talk at San Diego Comic-Con," Sommers continued. "And I've read almost all of the interviews he's ever done and there are thousands. It makes my heart smile to see him so happy to see his work translated." "As a thing that should, rightfully, be unfilmable, it did a pretty damn good job being filmed." ABOARD THE ASTRAL (AP) A Spanish maritime rescue group and the Italian coast guard helped pull some 40 people from the Mediterranean Sea to safety after their overcrowded wooden boat capsized during a rescue operation Thursday. An Associated Press photographer who was aboard the ship operated by Spanish group Open Arms documented the harrowing rescue, capturing images of people desperately clinging to their overturned boat as it sank. Alejandro Martinez Velez/AP MADRID (AP) A plane provided by the Spanish government has brought 294 more Afghan refugees via Pakistan to Spain, authorities said Thursday, bringing to 3,900 the number evacuated by Madrid since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan last year. Spain said the latest group of Afghan workers and their families flew into an air base near Madrid late Wednesday and were met by government officials, including Spanish Foreign Affairs Minister Jose Albares. UNITED NATIONS (AP) U.N. experts report that North Korea is testing nuclear triggering devices and that its preparations for another nuclear test were at a final stage in June, quoting information from unnamed countries. The panel of experts said in new excerpts from their latest report obtained Friday by The Associated Press that they have been unable to identify the test locations and dates for the tests of nuclear triggering devices reported by one U.N. member state. In excerpts obtained Thursday, the experts said North Korea is paving the way for additional nuclear tests with new preparations at its northeastern test site and continues to develop its capability to produce a key ingredient for nuclear weapons. In the new excerpt, the panel said: As of early June, two member states assessed that the preparation for nuclear tests was at a final stage. On other issues, the panel said in Thursday's excerpts that North Korea conducted two major hacks this year, resulting in the theft of cryptocurrency assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Pyongyang also continues illicitly importing oil and exporting coal in violation of U.N. sanctions, using the same companies, networks and vessels, it said. South Korean and U.S. intelligence officials have said they detected North Korean efforts to prepare its northeastern Punggye-ri testing ground for another nuclear test. It would be the Norths seventh since 2006 and the first since September 2017, when it claimed to have detonated a thermonuclear bomb to fit on its intercontinental ballistic missiles. The panel of experts report to the U.N. Security Council provides some details of the work being carried out at the site by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, the countrys official name. The experts said they observed that the DPRK started re-excavation work in March at the entrance to Tunnel 3 at Punggye-ri and reconstructed support buildings originally dismantled in May 2018. Satellite imagery showed increased numbers of vehicle tracks around this secondary entrance from mid-February 2022, followed by construction of a new building adjacent to the entrance at the beginning of March, the panel said. A pile of lumber, for possible use in the construction of the tunnel structure, was also detected around the same time. It added that, Piles of soil from the tunnel excavation around the entrance were observed during this period. Work at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site paves the way for additional nuclear tests for the development of nuclear weapons, the experts said, adding that this is an objective stated at the Eighth Congress of the countrys ruling Workers Party of Korea in January 2021. Robert Floyd, head of the U.N. nuclear test ban treaty organization, told a U.N. press conference Friday that its monitoring facilities detected the six previous DPRK nuclear tests. If there is a seventh time, Im very confident our system will pick it up, well characterize it, and that information then gets shared with the states of the world, he said. Floyd is attending the high-level conference reviewing the landmark Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty which began Monday and ends on Aug. 26. Under the NPT's provisions, the five original nuclear powers -- the United States, China, Russia (then the Soviet Union), Britain and France -- agreed to negotiate toward eliminating their arsenals someday and nations without nuclear weapons promised not to acquire them in exchange for a guarantee to be able to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Floyd raised the question of whether the possibility of a seventh DPRK nuclear test will strengthen or weaken nonproliferation and disarmament arrangements, and the appetite of states to see these things come into place. I wonder as to how much that is actually feeding into the tone that weve heard this week during the review conference, where there was quite a deal of accommodation of various positions, he said. I wonder whether the states are recognizing at a time such as this it is really important to be able to strengthen the NPT and to come together around some of these very important issues, rather than, `Oh, this is a reason we should abandon such an important thing as the cornerstone of nuclear architecture,' Floyd said. In another aspect of the DPRKs nuclear program, analysts said satellite images last September showed that North Korea was expanding a uranium enrichment plant at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex, a sign that it wanted to boost production of the key bomb material. The U.N. experts said in the new report: DPRK continued to develop its capability for the production of nuclear fissile materials at the Yongbyon site. Nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea have stalled since 2019 over disagreements over the DPRK demand to lift crippling U.S.-led sanctions and Washingtons demand for significant steps by Pyongyang toward nuclear disarmament. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expanded his ballistic missile program amid the diplomatic pause, and analysts say another nuclear test would escalate his brinkmanship aimed at cementing the Norths status as a nuclear power, and negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength. The panel of experts said the DPRK continued to accelerate its missile programs, launching 31 missiles combining ballistic and guidance technologies, including six ICBMs and two explicitly described as ballistic weapons. It said the DPRK also claimed to have advanced its development of tactical nuclear weapons. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Tereasa Nims. Wednesday, Aug. 10 10:37 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to Lincoln Township regarding two men walking in people's yards. Deputies searched the area and were unable to locate the men. 10:18 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Hope Township residence for a civil stand by. While on scene the 54-year-old Hope Township man and his 47-year-old wife reported a domestic assault that occurred earlier in the week. A report was sent to the prosecutor for review. 9:12 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a car vs bear accident that occurred on a Mills Township roadway. An accident report was completed. 8:43 p.m. - Deputies responded to a Homer Township residence to check the wellbeing of a 23-year-old woman. Deputies located the woman in the City of Midland and the woman did not need law enforcement assistance. 8:25 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to a Jerome Township residence for a juvenile pick up order that was requested by Juvenile Probation. A 13-year-old Jerome Township male and a 14-year-old Jerome Township male were arrested and lodged at the juvenile care center for probation violations. 7:52 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to Ingersoll Township regarding a report of two children found wandering. Deputies identified the children and their parental guardians. The children were returned home without incident. 4:55 p.m. - Deputies spoke to a 79-year-old man who was having car battery issues. Deputies drove the man and his battery to his Edenville Township residence. 2:19 p.m. - A deputy was sent to check westbound US-10 for debris in the roadway in Lincoln Township. The area was checked and found to be clear. 2:46 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Lee Township residence regarding a general assist. A 74-year-old woman had some questions about an altercation she had with a 33-year-old woman. The 74-year-old woman didn't want to pursue criminal charges and might choose to seek a personal protection order on the 33-year-old woman. 11:38 a.m. - Police responded to Eastman Avenue and West Wackerly Street for a crash. 10:39 a.m. - Police were called to the 1100 block of East Sugnet for a malicious destruction of property complaint. 10:01 a.m. - Deputies spoke to a 59-year-old woman regarding concerns for her 28-year-old daughter's mental health. The 28-year-old made no suicidal comments. Deputies provided the mother with further mental health resources she can reach out to. 10 a.m. - Police were called to East Buttles and George streets for an injury crash. 7:20 a.m. - Police responded to the 4200 block of Washington for a larceny complaint. 4:34 a.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Warren Township location to look for a black sedan that was observed driving at a high rate of speed. The deputy checked the area unable to locate the vehicle. 3:36 a.m. - Deputies assisted a 46-year-old Mount Pleasant woman who lost her wallet. The woman stated she would follow-up with Deputies later if the wallet is not located. Tuesday, Aug. 9 9:59 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to an Edenville Township residence regarding a dispute between neighbors over personal property. All parties were cooperative, and they agreed to handle the matter civilly. 10:13 p.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Larkin Township for a mobile home that fell off a trailer and was in the roadway. The deputy located the trailer in a parking lot, and it was no longer in the roadway. 4:06 p.m. - An animal control deputy received a call concerning the welfare of a dog at a home in Edenville Township. Deputy checked on the dog and found it to be old and blind, but otherwise adequately cared for. 1:36 p.m. - A deputy responded to Ingersoll Township for a report of cows in the roadway. The deputy located the cows and was able to contain them to a field until the owner arrived. 10:33 a.m. - A 69-year-old Greendale Township man reported he had a catalytic converter stolen from his motorhome. The replacement cost is approximately $1,200. There are no current suspects. 8:19 a.m. - Deputies responded to a Jerome Township business regarding a woman that failed to pay for gas. Prior to Deputies arrival, they contacted the woman that left without paying and determined it to be a mistake. The 68-year-old Jerome Township woman returned to the store and paid the balance. 4:03 a.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Homer Township residence for a verbal dispute between a 66-year-old Homer Township man and his 61-year-old Homer Township wife. There was no assault, and the subjects were separated for the night. 1:11 p.m. - Deputies were dispatched to a Mount Haley Township residence regarding an argument between a 37-year-old man and his 43-year-old girlfriend. Both parties were intoxicated and advised the altercation was verbal only. The couple agreed to remain separated for the night. 1:21 a.m. - A deputy was dispatched to the Midland County Jail to investigate a violation of controlled substance complaint. The investigation is ongoing. 12:01 a.m. - A deputy was dispatched to a Homer Township residence for a 66-year-old Homer Township man who reported that he was arguing with his 61-year-old Homer Township wife because he believed she moved some of his personal property. There was no assault, and the subjects were separated for the night. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Five Libyan regional hospital directors, seven officials of the Ministry of Health and two company directors have been detained on the orders of the Prosecutor General, Seddik al-Sour, in connection with a corruption and embezzlement case that has been under investigation for months Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) A Texas courtroom ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay $4 million to Sandy Hook parents for spreading lies about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Jones had repeatedly claimed that the mass shooting was a "hoax" involving the victims' families. The ruling is the first time the Infowars founder was held financially liable for his false claims about the December 2012 massacre, according to The Sun. The parents of slain first-grader Jesse Lewis, Neil Heslin, and Scarlett Lewis asked the court for $150million from Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems LLC, for what their lawyers call a "vile campaign" against defamation. The family secured $5.6 million Attorney Mark Bankston, the legal representative of Heslin and Lewis, stated that the verdict was announced. Bankston said they had secured $4.1million on behalf of Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis. They had earlier secured $1.5million in fines from Jones. Hence the plaintiff is expected to receive $5.6million from Jones and his company. The amount does not include the punitive damages and additional sanctions that the court will decide soon. Bankston added that the couple is thrilled with the result and looks forward to putting Jones' money to good use. Meanwhile, Jones will not sleep easy tonight as punitive damages still need to be decided, and multiple defamation suits are pending. Bankston added that the Infowar founder's time in the American state is about to end. Read Also: Kentucky Flooding: 17-Year-Old Girl Swims Out of Flooded Home with Dog and Waited for Hours on the Roof for Rescue. The Sandy Hook shooting is 100% real The Heslin couple testified in court, sharing that Jones' lies had made their lives a living hell as followers of Jones harassed and made death threats for allegedly lying about their son's death. According to BBC, Jones had consistently claimed over the years that the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting was a "giant hoax," and it was made by actors who opposed the Second Amendment right to bear firearms. He also claimed that crisis actors staged the massacre. However, Jones acknowledged the shooting, telling the jury that the tragic incident in 2012 was "100 percent real." Jones also admitted that he "unintentionally took part" in things that hurt people's feelings and said he was sorry for doing so. On Wednesday, Bankston told the court that Jones' lawyers mistakenly sent him a digital copy of Jones' entire cellphone content with every text message the conspiracy theorist sent over the past two years. Jones's lawyers were shocked. Jones' camp filed a motion for mistrial after he was aware of the leaked messages, but the presiding judge, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, denied the request. The lawyer for Jones has not commented on the decision. However, Jones posted on his Infowars video that they celebrated the decision, saying it was a "major victory for the truth." A different group of Sandy Hook family sued Jones in Connecticut. CNN reports that the family has won a default judgment against Jones, and the trial is expected in September. Related Article: Study: Babies Breastfed for at Least a Year Less Likely to Suffer Adult Obesity Photo: (Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) To prevent a potential active shooter from doing harm to the students and staff, a North Carolina school district has stocked up on AR-15 rifles as part of its back-to-school preparations with the help of the Madison County Sheriff's Office. In a Facebook Live video streamed in June, Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood confirmed that they will be placing semiautomatic rifles in locked cases in six schools within the county. Only the School Resource Officers will have access to the gun and the gun's safety container. These containers will also have the ammunition and the tools for breaching barricaded doors. Hardwood said that the decision was a difficult but necessary one following the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, where 19 kids and two teachers died at the hands of a school shooter. The sheriff said that he was "very distraught" by what happened and wanted to keep the schools safe. "We've sometimes seen that having an armed deputy with a handgun isn't enough to stop these animals," the sheriff said, per KFOX. "That's why I've decided to arm all my school resource officers with an AR-15 rifle." Read Also: Parents React as Biden Signs First Gun Law Reforms Following 30-Year Gridlock "Prepared as prepared can be" Madison County Schools Superintendent Will Hoffman said that several meetings were undertaken between the law enforcement agency, the school officials, and the school lawyers to plan out updated measures to keep the school communities safer. The School Resource Officers have also been undergoing training with some of the instructors at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. The sheriff insisted that the officers should be "prepared as prepared can be" given that the Uvalda massacre turned for the worse because the police and the safety officers were not prepared. He said that the community cannot pretend the same tragedy will not happen in Madison County. Aside from the guns, CBS News reported that the schools will have a panic system button connected to a central monitoring center. A week before classes begin, the Sheriff's Office will also conduct a live scenario training with the safety officers, the teachers as well as the emergency response group. Madison County Schools are set to open classes on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022. Arming schools, a controversial decision The choice to have AR-15s on the school premises has been thumbed down by Dorothy Espelage, a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has conducted studies on school safety for decades. Speaking with WLOS-TV, Espelage said that having rifles and ammunition in schools raises the risk of gun accidents. On the other hand, a parent said that she has mixed opinions. While she wants the kids safe, it could be easy to break the lock of the safe for the AR-15. There have been previous cases of kids attempting to steal the school's rifles. However, the sheriff said that the gun's container is secured and hidden in an undisclosed location, which means the children will not have any idea where it is. Related Article: Oregon Father, Who Grows Up with Guns, Surrenders AR-15 Rifle for Cops to Destroy Photo: (Photo : David Odisho/Getty Images) Lindsey Rodni-Nieman got a text from her teenage daughter Kiely Rodni late Friday night, saying she was planning to leave a party in about 45 minutes and would be coming straight home. Rodni-Nieman recalled in an interview with ABC News on Monday that she told her to be safe and that she loved her. Rodni-Nieman replied "OK, mom, I love you, too" but she never came home. The 16-year-old was last seen early Saturday around 12:30 a.m. local time near the Prosser Family Campground in the small, Northern California town of Truckee, which is located some 20 miles north of Lake Tahoe. The Placer County Sheriff's Office said that she was at a party with upwards of 300 people when she disappeared along with her vehicle, a silver 2013 Honda CRV with California license plates. Panic started to set in when Rodni did not return home the following morning According to the Placer County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the ongoing investigation and search for the missing teen, Rodni's phone has been out of service since then. Angela Musallam, public information officer for the Placer County Sheriff's Office, said in an interview on Monday that Rodni's cellphone went dead and became virtually untraceable shortly after. When Rodni's mom awoke that morning to find her teen daughter still not home and her vehicle missing from their driveway, panic started to set in, according to KCRA. Rodni-Nieman said that she called her daughter and sent her texts, too, and she did not answer. That was when she knew something was wrong. The worried mom said she does not believe her daughter ran away because all her clothes and belongings are still at home, and it was already so out of character for Rodni to not call or text back. Read Also: T.J. Maxx Ordered to Pay $13 Million in Fines After Selling Recalled Infant Sleepers Linked to Baby Deaths Authorities not ruling out possible abduction Rodni's friend, Sami Smith, said she was the last person to talk with her at the party early Saturday. Smith said she was having a fun time at a party, just being a teenager. She added that everything Rodni drank, she drank out of, and there was nothing that seemed off about her that night. Smith said that she never expected this to happen ever and nobody in this town did. Musallam had said that detectives are not ruling out a possible abduction given that there is no trace of Rodni or her car, according to NBC News. Placer County Sgt. Scott Alford made it clear, however, to reporters during a briefing on Tuesday that they don't have any evidence right now that supports an abduction. Alford said that they are considering everything at this stage. He added that this is a missing person's case and this is a search-and-rescue effort. The Placer County Sheriff's Office has urged anyone who saw Rodni that night to come forward, and investigators have received over 200 tips so far. Related Article: Banana Boat Recalls Sunscreen Products After Benzene Detected in Several Batches Apple announced this morning that to mark Apples 40 years in Australia, the company is introducing new initiatives that will help protect the environment and create opportunity in communities across the country. Projects include developing new sources of renewable energy, expanding coding education programs, and forging partnerships with Indigenous-led nonprofits advancing equity and opportunity. Tim Cook, Apples CEO: "Were proud to celebrate Apples long history in Australia, and to deepen our shared commitment to protecting the planet and creating opportunity in peoples lives. Were fortunate to have so many great partners, colleagues, and customers across this country, and well continue working together to make the world a more equitable and just place for all." New Renewable Energy Project Accelerates Apples Progress to Its 2030 Climate Goal With the purchase of clean energy from a new wind farm in Queensland, Apple will help address the energy customers use to power and enjoy their Apple products. Already carbon neutral across all of the companys global facilities and operations, this innovative project is part of Apples ambitious goal to become carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain, and product life cycle by 2030. Lisa Jackson, Apples vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives: "At Apple, we recognize the urgent need to address the climate crisis, and were accelerating our global work to ensure our products have a net-zero climate footprint across their entire life cycle. We are proud to play a part in Australias transition to a cleaner energy grid, and thrilled that Apple will soon support Australian customers use of their favorite products with clean energy." The Upper Burdekin Wind Farm is located on pastoral land in Gugu Badhun country and will begin operations in 2026. Apples investment in clean energy from this site will support the countrys transition to renewables, and provide the equivalent energy to power 80,000 homes. The Queensland wind farm is Apples second project designed specifically to address the electricity customers use to charge their Apple devices. In April, Apple announced a 2,300-acre solar project in Brown County, Texas, which will generate 300 megawatts of electricity once completed later this year. These projects are in addition to the more than 10 gigawatts of clean energy currently operational throughout Apples supply chain, part of the companys work with suppliers to achieve its 2030 climate goal. New Coding Opportunities for the Growing iOS App Economy Today, Apple also announced an expanded partnership with leading Australian universities RMIT University in Melbourne and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) that will bring coding education to even more students across the country. Apples coding resources and training programs help to bring coding skills to learners throughout Australia, preparing students for careers in the app economy. In 2017, Apple teamed up with RMIT Online to launch courses using Apples Develop in Swift curriculum, which teaches students to use Apples powerful and intuitive Swift coding language to design and build their own apps. Since then, universities, schools, and colleges including Curtin University and TAFE Queensland have expanded their offerings in app development and coding with Swift. (Click on image to Enlarge) Apples coding resources and training programs help to bring coding skills to learners throughout Australia. Expanded partnerships with RMIT University and the University of Technology Sydney will bring coding education to even more students across the country. To expand coding opportunities to even more learners, Apple, in collaboration with RMIT and UTS, is launching two new Apple Foundation Programs that will provide four-week courses on the fundamentals of app development with Swift. In the period of one month, students will gain the skills to design and prototype their own apps and learn introductory coding skills. Both programs will open for enrolment later this year, with courses beginning in early 2023. UTS is excited to work with Apple to deliver engaging learning experiences that build skills to empower and enable future digital professionals, said Andrew Parfitt, UTSs vice-chancellor and president. Its imperative that learners of all ages and backgrounds are equipped with coding skills as part of their broader education at school and later in life. Coding is as crucial a tool as literacy and maths; it encourages critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. We know that these are skills valued by employers and are in high demand in todays workforce, no matter the job or career. RMIT is proud to launch the Apple Foundation program in 2023. We believe this program will have a significant impact in supporting Australias innovation economy and its fast-growing technology sector by encouraging more learners to acquire in-demand coding and iOS app development skills and knowledge, said Calum Drummond AO, RMITs professor, deputy vice-chancellor Research and Innovation and vice-president, interim deputy vice-chancellor STEM College. Around the world, the iOS app economy supports millions of jobs for coders, creators, engineers, designers, and more. In Australia, the App Store supports nearly 160,000 app economy jobs across the country, a figure that continues to grow. Innovation and creativity define the Australian developer community, and were incredibly proud to expand the pathways into the thriving iOS app economy through our App Developer Foundation programs with RMIT and UTS, said Susan Prescott, Apples vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations and Enterprise and Education Marketing. At Apple, we view coding as a universal language that empowers people with the tools to create, communicate, and problem-solve in entirely new ways, and were excited to see what the next generation of developers deliver. Supporting Australias Indigenous Community Apples new commitments will also expand the companys Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) to Australia, funding initiatives and community nonprofits serving Indigenous communities. REJI is Apples companywide effort to address systemic racism and expand opportunities for communities of colour, focused on advancing racial equity in education, the economy, and the criminal justice system. As part of this work, Apple has launched an Impact Accelerator to support equity and opportunity in the environmental sector, provided venture capital funding for entrepreneurs of color, supported nonprofits advocating for criminal and environmental justice, and more. (Click on image to Enlarge) Apple is expanding its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative to Australia, funding Indigenous-led organizations including ID. Know Yourself. The nonprofit mentoring organization supports the most vulnerable Aboriginal young people in foster care and those who have contact with the juvenile justice system. We all have a part to play when it comes to creating a more equitable world, said Alisha Johnson, Apples director of REJI. Extending the companys Racial Equity and Justice Initiative to Australia is part of a long-term commitment from Apple to help support Australias Indigenous community by collaborating with organisations driving meaningful change. For more on this including more photos, review Apple's full press release. The United Nations Mission in South Sudan said on Wednesday it was gravely concerned about the reported execution of four rebels in the north of the country on Aug. 7. South Sudan erupted into civil war shortly after declaring independence from Sudan in 2011, which pitted rival communities against each other and plunged the country into violence and lawlessness. A peace agreement signed three years ago is largely holding but the transitional government has been slow to unify the various factions of the military into a single unit, write a new constitution and pave the way to elections. read more The executions were allegedly in response to a July 22 attack by the South Sudan People's Movement / Army (SSPM/A) on the Mayom county commissioner, the United Nations said. "Anyone who is suspected of a crime must be subject to a proper trial as part of a fair judicial process," the head of the U.N. mission said in a statement. Lul Ruai, a spokesperson for the South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), said the army had started an investigation into the killings, which it said were captured on a video. One video shared on social media showed five men in combat fatigues shooting three hooded figures sitting on the ground. Three men were killed by firing squad while a fourth was tied up and burned alive in a grass-thatched hut, Ruai said in a statement. "The men were allegedly killed by elements from the SSPDF," he added. The men were arrested across the border in Sudan on Aug. 6 and handed over to South Sudan authorities, SSPM/A spokesperson Luke Gattiek said in a statement. Source: Reuters Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nigeria has arrested five suspects in an Islamist militant attack in a Catholic church that killed 40 people in early June, Chief of Defence Staff General Leo Irabor said on Tuesday. Nigerian authorities have said they suspect insurgent group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) carried out the massacre of members of a congregation inside the St Francis Catholic Church in Ondo state on June 5. read more ISWAP is waging an insurgency in the northeast but claims that it carried out the attack far away from its enclave have raised concern that the group is expanding its footprint in Nigeria. Irabor said in a statement in Abuja that the attackers were arrested during joint operations involving the armed forces, the Department of Security Services and police. He did not say where and when the arrests were made. He said he could not parade the suspects due to ongoing investigations. "I will like to say that in due course, the world will see them and others who are behind other daring attacks in the country," Irabor said. Arakunrin Akeredolu, the governor for Ondo state, said a person who had provided accommodation to the suspects before the attack was also arrested. ISWAP has claimed responsibility for a string of low level attacks as well as daring jail break in Abuja in early July that freed more than 400 inmates. Source: Reuters Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the Director of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development at the Presidency, has fired shots at the General Legal Council on their order to persons who want admission into the Ghana School of Law not to request remarking or review of their entrance exam papers. An undertaking by the General Legal Council, a body responsible for admissions into the Ghana School of Law, read; The General Legal Council (GLC) has over the years established credible, rigorous and well-benchmarked systems and procedures for assessing answer booklets and re-checking of same for all candidates before examination results are released." It continued that "the decision of the General Legal Council in respect of the published results of the Entrance Examination shall be final. No request for re-marking of scripts, re-tallying of scores or review or marks shall be accepted. Candidates cannot also request to see their marked answer scripts or the marking schemes used for marking the questions". In view of the above, I undertake to accept without question, the decision of the General Legal Council in respect of the published results of the Entrance Examination as final, the Council added. Discussing the matter on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, Dennis Miracles condemned the deliberate decision by the Legal Council to control the numbers that become lawyers in the country. He argued that Ghana lacks lawyers due to this deliberate decision. "Do you know that we lack lawyers?...Look at our district assemblies, 261, ideally every district assembly must have a lawyer so that we don't have all these procurement contracting infractions. Every institution in Ghana must have a lawyer. Every department agency must have a lawyer but where are they?" Citing his life experience, he narrated how he was also refused admission into KNUST law faculty stating the only reason for his disqualification was that there are no lawyer in his family. According to him, he deduced this based on the question that his interviewer asked before he would be allowed to write the entrance exams. The Director of Local Government at the Presidency stressed he can't fathom why the General Legal Council doesn't want many qualified Ghanaians to enter the law school. "We should be guided by some of the comments that some of the senior lawyers have made. They have had a deliberate strategy and mindset that they need to guard the profession and not too many people to be part of it because, in their minds, they feel it is some prestigious privilege," he said but asked the Council to "allow every person interested in writing the exams to write it. Those who will pass will pass and those who will fail will fail". Dennis Miracles also snapped at comments that some senior lawyers make in support of the General Legal Council that tend to say the law profession must not have all qualified persons. "I have heard senior lawyers talk about how they cannot allow the law profession to be saturated and to be mass production and what have you. As for me, I won't do the law but will work hard to be rich and hire the lawyers...Even Kim Kardashian has studied law," he ridiculed. Reality star, 41, passed California's First-Year Law Students' Exam, known as the "baby bar" Reality TV star Kim Kardashian, 41, is studying law without attending a traditional, state-accredited law school, which means she had to pass the baby bar, which is the equivalent of completing one year of law school, per the State Bar of California. She'll continue to study before going on to take the California Bar Exam, which, if she passes, would make her an official lawyer. "I was told by top lawyers that this was a close to impossible journey and harder than the traditional law school route but it was my only option and it feels so so sooooo good to be here and on my way to achieving my goals," she said, expressing gratitude to those who helped her along the way, including CNN host Van Jones. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The COVID-19 National Trust Fund Tuesday donated GH2. 2 million to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana, to conduct research into the effect of COVID-19 vaccines on Ghanaians. The reserach, which is to be carried out in 18 months, would measure, compare and establish the durability of immune responses elicited by the three different vaccines- AstraZeneca, Pfizer and BioNTech- administered within the Ghanaian population. At a donation signing agreement at the COVID-19 National Trust Fund Secretariat at the Jubilee House, Accra, Dr William Collins Asare, Administrator of the Fund, said the Trust Fund identified the NMIMR as an important stakeholder in the search for domestic solutions to the pandemic. He said the partnership between the two institutions would contribute to the generation of data to inform the effectiveness of the vaccines that have been administered within the Ghanaian population. Dr Asare who noted that with the current possibility that COVID-19 vaccines may be required periodically to remain immune to the virus, was optimistic that the outcome of the research would lead to the development of home-grown solutions in the fight against the pandemic. It would also generate vital information to support the countrys health system and inform policy on which vaccine should be given priority in procurement and utilization. He urged the NMIMR to adhere to the provisions in the donation agreement and complete the research at the stipulated time. Professor Dorothy Yeboah Manu, Director, NMIMR, who initialed the agreement for the Institute, expressed appreciation for the donation. She said the timely gesture was crucial to the work being undertaken by the Institute to determine the frequency of vaccine shots necessary to maintain immunity against COVID-19 over time and inform policy at the national level. Prof. Yeboah Manu gave the assurance that the research findings would be delivered by the deadline given the Institute to lend boost to the national effort to curb the COVID-19 disease. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Colonel Kwadwo Damoah, (retired) has accused the Office of the Special Prosecutor of an attempt to discredit him. Addressing senior Customs officers at a retreat in Kumasi Wednesday, Colonel Damoah said the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) had attempted to indict himself and the Deputy Commissioner of Operations of the GRA in an investigative report released this week. He said the report about the Labianca Company Limited was a calculated attempt to dent his reputation and will fail. Colonel Damoah also asserted that the Special Prosecutor's investigation was "hollow and actuated by malice". "Anybody who has read that report very well would know that basis of that and luckily for me, God is always on my side. Before that report came, that person had made statement to some people who had come (to tell me that), he was going to publish something that will discredit me and he will do that and I even sent people to go and tell him that he's a small boy and I am older than him. I have lived a meaningful life and if he attempts to destroy me, it won't be easy for him". "People have tried it, I have survived and this one too I will survive," Colonel Damoah said to a rapturous applause by the Senior Customs Officers who had gathered at the function in Kumasi. According to him, the claims are being made by a disgruntled former staff of the GRA. Col. Kwadwo Damoah alleged that the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng had targeted him because he blocked one Mr Akurugu from being seconded to the OSP. He added that he was ready for prosecution and as long as he remained Commissioner, he will ensure his officers are protected against intimidation. "He (Special Prosecutor) calls me to his office in relation to LaBianca and at the end of it he talks to me about this same matter and I say yes it is not the Commissioner General (of GRA), I wrote it, go and check and I have my reasons, he will not be released to you, he will be in customs and then behind me he goes to resign, he is given the position of Commissioner of Police and he is now with your office and he goes to make allegations that Mr Adu Kyei and myself we hate him and they will deal with us, so that is it, that is the basis of that publication..." OSP report In its investigative report, the OSP cited one Joseph Adu Kyei, a Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Operations, for issuing unlawful customs advance ruling. Mr. Kyeis action is said to have led to the reduction of the benchmark values of the frozen foods imported by Labianca Limited, thereby reducing the companys tax obligations to the state. The Special Prosecutor issued an interim directive to Labianca Company Limited to pay an amount of GH1,074,627.15, representing the short collection or shortfall of revenue arising from the issuance of the unlawful customs advance ruling by the Deputy Commissioner for Customs in charge of operations, Mr. Joseph Adu Kyei into the Asset Recovery Account of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Labianca Company Limited has complied with the directive. 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 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Wednesday launched two statutory funds aimed at enhancing access to justice delivery and modernizing the laws of Ghana. They are the Legal Aid Commission Fund and the Law Reform Commission Fund. Both statutory Funds were unveiled with seed money of One million Cedis each. The Legal Aid Fund is intended to provide a sturdy mechanism for the provision of comprehensive legal assistance to the poor in Ghanaian society in all cases, whilst the Law Reform Fund would be leveraged to undertake projects for the development and reform of the laws of Ghana in tune with modern trends and develop human resources in law reform. Speaking at the event, held at the Law Court Complex in Accra, President Akufo-Addo who made a personal donation of GHc100,000 each to both funds, said the development was a catalyst for equality, justice and fairness in society. He noted that the Legal Aid Fund would enable the Commission to support the vulnerable in society to have access to legal services, such as advice, representation and education on legal matters, and thus ensure justice delivery for all irrespective of ones status. The President commended the Legal Aid Commission for its sterling achievements even in the face of logistical and human resource challenges. He pledged the governments commitment to addressing the resource needs of the commission to ensure that the institution delivered on its mandate as enshrined in the Legal Aid Commission Act 2008, (Act 977) On the Law Reform Fund, President Akufo-Addo remarked that the statutory arrangement would support research to refine Ghanas laws and strengthen the Law Reform Commission to identify particular areas of law for reform. He said the Fund would enable the Commission to make practical recommendations for the development, simplification, and modernisation of the law. The President was hopeful that the launch of these funds would usher in a progressive chapter in the lives of the two Commissions. I urge all gathered here to contribute generously to the fund and I assure the Attorney General that the Minister for Finance through Parliament will provide more adequate resources for the sustenance of these funds, he said. President Akufo-Addo also charged the management and boards of the two Commissions to ensure that they employ prudent measures in the management and disbursement of resources that would flow into their respective funds. I also urge the board of the Legal Aid Commission which is chaired by the respected Justice of the Supreme Court, Mr Justice Nene Amegatcher, and the board of the Law Reform Commission, which is chaired by the prominent legal practitioner, Mr Anthony Akoto Ampaw, to discharge faithfully, dutifully, the mandates of managing the funds in accordance with section 34 of Act 977 and section 13 of Act 822 respectfully, he said. The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame stressed that the establishment of the two funds will lay the building blocks for the transformation of two very important institutions whose mandate is crucial for enhancing access to justice delivery in the country. He urged institutions of the state, the diplomatic community, civil society organizations, development partners and stakeholders to make generous contributions to both funds to enable the two commissions to attain their objectives. Supreme Court Judge, Justice Jones Dotse, who represented the Chief Justice, commended the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice for their role in the establishment of the two funds and emphasized that Ghanas laws needed reforms to address the challenges to justice delivery. Whilst commending the establishment of the Legal Aid Fund, he stressed the need for the General Legal Council to make it mandatory for lawyers to do a number of pro-bono cases before the renewal of their licenses. That, he said, would also ensure that the poor and vulnerable in society got access to legal services to reduce the burden on the Legal Aid Fund. 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 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has commended Kenyans for observing peace during the elections. In a statement, he commended the electoral commission and Kenyan authorities for ensuring that voters were able to exercise freely their right to vote. He has urged politicians and voters to be calm and restrained as they wait for results. More than 65% of the countrys 22.1 million voters turned up to vote on Tuesday. The polls body is yet to provide the final turnout figures but the initial estimates suggest a decline from the 2017 election - when 80% of the registered 19 million voters turned out to vote. Provisional results show a tight race for the presidency between the two frontrunners - veteran politician Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto. The electoral body has so far received roughly 99% of the results. The commission is constrained to make the final announcement until all physical forms tabulating the presidential results are received and ratified at the national tallying centre. The commission has seven days to announce the results. Meanwhile, it is an anxious wait for Kenyans eagerly waiting for the outcome of the presidential race. Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President Akufo-Addo yesterday announced the allocation of GH2 million as seed capital for the newly launched Law Reform Commission Fund and the Legal Aid Commission Fund to augment what he described as the depressing and deplorable condition of the two commissions. The President, on his own, also contributed GH100,000 to each of the funds when he launched the two funds through the instrumentality of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame. The Law Reform Commission is vested with the primary function of making practical proposals for the development, simplification and modernisation of the law while the Legal Aid Commission is obligated by the 1992 Constitution and the Legal Aid Commission Act 2018 (Act 977) to offer legal aid through the provision of free legal service to the poor and vulnerable. Speaking at the launch of the two funds, the President indicated that being fully aware of the significance of reform in the development of laws in any country, he will throw his weight behind all activities which will result in the mobilisation of additional resource for the work of the Law Reform Commission. President Akufo-Addo highlighted the obligation of the Legal Aid Commission to establish offices in all districts in the country, but that has not been done as there are currently only 46 district offices across the country owing to the weak financial situation of the commission, a situation which severely hampers access to justice. He said in spite of the commission boasting an inadequate workforce of 212 lawyers, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and administrative staff, the commission in the first half of 2022, received a total of 7,558 court cases and resolved 3,163 of them, and out of the 4,414 ADR cases received, 2,233 were resolved, indicating that you can then imagine what can be done with a well-resourced and well-staffed outfit. One of the key priorities for government is to build a modern legal and justice system in Ghana. Even though the challenges we face are many, the promotion of rule of law is of the utmost importance and cannot take a back seat no matter the current circumstance. It is necessary for government to lend its support to institutions whose object promotes the cause of the people institution such as the Law Reform Commission and the Legal Aid Commission, the President added. He was hopeful that the launch of the two funds will usher in a new progressive chapter in the lives of the two commissions, and assured the Attorney General that the Minister for Finance through Parliament will provide more adequate resource for the sustenance of the two funds. The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, was of the firm conviction that, if effectively harnessed, the Legal Aid Scheme will be a solid platform for the achievement of equity, justice and fairness in Ghanaian society. He said his vision for the Legal Aid Commission, which is under his Office, is to assist in the development of a modern legal aid service, sufficiently resourced and armed with the requisite personnel to fully execute all of its constitutional and statutory functions. He said the commission labours under dreadful infrastructural and logistical hardships for many decades, and pledged to ensure that land is acquired for the construction of a permanent office for the Legal Aid Commission once work is completed on the ongoing new office premises for the Attorney General. I committed myself to address the problems of all the agencies of the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, including the Legal Aid Commission, and I am happy to note that, we are making headway, Mr. Dame added. He urged the Board Chairmen of the two commissions to come up with innovative ways of generating funds for the two commissions. Board Chairman of the Law Reform Commission, Anthony Akoto Ampaw, as well as the Board Chairman of the Legal Aid Commission, Justice Nene Amegatcher, commended the Attorney General for his effort leading to the launch of the two funds, and urged Ghanaians to contribute substantially to the two funds. Source: dailyguidenetwork.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 Our attention has been drawn to a tweet by IMANI AFRICAs Vice President, Mr Bright Simons, which has also been published by www.ghanaweb.com on August 10, 2022, alleging that our company (Zoomlion Ghana Limited) has cut a deal with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to impose a towing insurance service on all their members without a membership ballot which he further alleges will take off in October 2022. We wish to first of all state that, Zoomlion has no deal and or connection with any road towing programme with the GPRTU. We find the tweet firstly by Bright Simons and by Ghana Web unfortunate and repulsively regrettable especially where there was no fact-checking from Zoomlion Ghana Limited before the publications. We, therefore, wish to demand a retraction and an apology from Bright Simons and Ghanaweb on the said publication as quickly as possible otherwise, we shall take legal action to address the matter. Zoomlion is concentrating on transforming the waste management sector of Ghana and will not be distracted by any person or group of persons in any way. COMMUNICATIONS AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE 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 Divine Presbyterian Church located at Anyaa in the Ga Central Municipality has inducted 9 newly elected executives of the Young Adults Fellowship (YAF). The induction ceremony held on Sunday 7th August 2022 during a forenoon service of the church was to officially initiate the new executives into office. The inductees who are expected to govern the YAF group in the church for the next 3 years included: Daniel Asare as President, Eric Tei-Mensah as Vice President, Joyce Asamoah as Secretary, and Deborah Quarcoo as Assistance Secretary. The rest are Grace Ampong as Organizer, Laura Awuah as Treasurer, and Charity Owusu as Womens Commissioner. Nicholas Dugbaza as Financial Secretary and Enoch Acquah as Evangelism Coordinator. Preaching on the theme: The Lord our God is our Fortress, the Minister in Charge of Divine Presbyterian Church, Reverend Patrick Acheampong, admonished the new executives to put their trust in God and rely on His guidance in the discharge of their duties. He also counseled them to learn to seek assistance from their predecessors in order to continue their good works. Psalm 46 reminds us of what is real and true. There are trials in our journeys, but never forget that God is our strength, and therefore, He is always available to assist in times of trouble. I encourage you to call on Him all the time when the going gets tough. Rely solely on God for guidance in your work, and dont forget to walk closely with your predecessors to learn from their rich experiences. On behalf of the inductees the President, Mr. Asare, expressed appreciation to the Almighty God for His grace that had enabled a successful leadership transition process. He also appealed to the YAF group and the church to support his team to serve the youth and the church. The service also witnessed an appreciation ceremony for outgoing executives of the YAF group. In attendance were the Kwashieman District Executives of the YAF group and family and friends of both outgoing and incoming executives. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Evans Kyekyeku Oppong, the man who allegedly planned to use his daughter for money ritual, has filed an application at the High Court urging it to grant him bail pending his possible trial if he should be committed by the District Court. The motion for bail is expected to be heard today, August 10, 2022, at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra. The accused, who has been provisionally charged with preparation to commit murder, has since June 20, 2022 been in custody after the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Centre Court in Accra denied him bail. The prosecution is still awaiting the advice of the Attorney-General after it forwarded a duplicate of the docket to his Office. He has, through his lawyer, filed an application at the High Court seeking to be granted bail pending the trial depending on the outcome of the Attorney-Generals advice. Detective Inspector Adisa Walamani, who held brief for Chief Inspector Amoah Richard, told the court last Monday that they were still waiting for the Attorney-Generals advice, and subsequently pleaded with the court to grant them an adjournment. Counsel for the accused person, Ralph Agyepong, indicated that he has had a lengthy conversation with the Deputy Attorney-General in charge of Criminal Prosecution and will oblige with the prosecutions request for more time. The presiding judge, Ama Adomako Kwakye, further remanded the accused person and adjourned the case to August 15 for continuation. Brief facts The facts as presented by Chief Inspector Richard Amoah were that the suspect, Evans Kyekyeku Oppong, is the father of victim (name withheld) aged 11. He said the suspect had been living in Holland for many years but relocated to Ghana a year ago. The prosecutor told the court that in May, 2022, the suspect discussed with a friend, known as Kwame, that he was facing financial difficulties. Chief Inspector Amoah told the court that the friend suggested that the suspect would need some spiritual cleansing to turn things around for him, and the friend later introduced the suspect to one Nana Fosu, aka Nana K.K, to assist him see a spiritualist for help. Rituals The prosecutor said on May 29, Nana Fosu took the suspect to Nana Adu-Boafo Jnr, who is a spiritualist and a herbalist at Oyibi Kon for money rituals. He said Nana Adu-Boafo Jnr agreed to do the money rituals for the suspect and directed him to buy a live python from someone in Kasoa to be used for the rituals. However, the prosecutor said the suspect later informed the spiritualist that he was afraid of snakes, as such he would come to him for further discussions on what to do. The suspect later had discussions with the spiritualist during which the suspect suggested human sacrifice for the money rituals. The spiritualist feigned interest and told the suspect to furnish him with the dates of birth of his last two children to enable him to determine which of them would be suitable for the sacrifice, the prosecutor said. Call The prosecutor said on May 31, the suspect rang the victims mother to confirm the day the victim was born and told her that he would pick up the victim to be taken to a friend who had returned from abroad for her measurement so that a dress would be sewn for her. The suspect furnished the spiritualist with the dates of birth as requested and the spiritualist then alerted the Oyibi Police about the intended human sacrifice by the suspect. The police urged him to play along with the suspect so he could be arrested when he produced the child at the herbal centre for the said sacrifice, Chief Inspector Amoah further said. He added that the spiritualist later informed the suspect that he had spiritually checked on the dates of birth of the two children and that the victim would be more suitable for the sacrifice. Subsequently, the spiritualist instructed the suspect to bring the victim to his herbal centre on June 3, 2022. Ritual, arrest At a spot at Oyibi, suspect asked the driver to wait for him and he took over the car and the suspect later stopped and bought three Ghana must go bags and two bottles of Schnapps. The suspect arrived at the herbal centre with the victim and she was instructed by the spiritualist to wait in the hall while the suspect was also instructed to change his clothing on the compound and was later given a white calico to tie around his waist. He was then given a concoction to bathe with and in the course of that the spiritualist called in the Oyibi Police who came and arrested him and rescued the victim. Investigation is ongoing, the prosecutor told the court. 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 "This is a clear indication that they don't have the men and any further approach to reshuffle will cause his government to spiral down further. Ghanaians should rather brace for the worst." That is the assessment of the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, on the Akufo-Addo led administration. To him, the only hope for disillusioned Ghanaians is for them to take advantage of the 2024 polls and vote the incompetent NPP out of power. Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that President Akufo-Addo's posture clearly shows that he has lost it and has nothing left in him again to take the country out of the dungeons of a failed economy and provide a permanent solution to the hardships Ghanaians suffer daily. "You claim to have the men yet these men have proven to be as incompetent as your government. Ghanaians are clamouring for a reshuffle which they believe can inject some fire into the system to turn the economy around but you are saying otherwise. "This clearly shows that the Nana Addo government does not have the men as they claim because he (Akufo-Addo) fears if he changes the already underperforming team, the next appointees will even make matters worse. And like the adage 'Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad'," he said. The NDC scribe however could not fathom why the President would also want to blame the NDC for his inability to reshuffle his non performing Ministers. "What about your own party members and Ghanaians who are appealing to you for a change which they believe can some how turn things around?" he rhetorically asked. Watch video below President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reacted to a public call for him to reshuffle his appointees, especially ministers of state and says, he has no immediate plans of heeding to those calls.To him, the output of the Ministers were consistent with the expectations and therefore there is no need to reshuffle them.For all you know, it is people who want to destabilise my government or people who are looking for jobs, who are behind those calls, he said.President Akufo-Addo made the reaction in a radio interview with the Tamale based Radio North Star on Monday [August 8, 2022], as part of his tour of the Northern Region this week."The issue of reshuffling or performance of my ministers is a daily pre-occupation, I'm required on a daily basis to ask myself whether a particular minister is up to the mark."I am the final authority and if they are not up to the mark, I'm required to act. So if they are up to expectations then I don't have any reason to heed to the calls for reshuffling," President Akufo-Addo said. 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 A former right-hand man of Democratic Republic of Congo's president and now opposition leader, Jean-Marc Kabund, was arrested on Tuesday, his lawyer said, during controversy over a remark about his onetime boss. The former vice president of parliament and current lawmaker had a falling out with President Felix Tshisekedi earlier this year, after which he launched his own political party. He has been under investigation in recent weeks on charges that authorities have not specified. His lawyers say he is accused of contempt of the head of state after a speech calling him "a danger". Kabund's lawyer Henriette Bongwalanga said he was arrested on Tuesday after a hearing at the attorney general's office. "They did not respect the procedure. Today they came after the hearing and (arrested) him despite his (parliamentary) immunity," she said. The justice ministry could not be reached for comment and a spokesperson for the government declined to comment. A police source said Kabund had been taken to Makala Central Prison in Congo's capital Kinshasa. Kabund was a leading figure behind Tshisekedi's rise to power and their fallout has highlighted emerging fault-lines in the country's leadership. This could spell uncertainty for the future of the ruling Sacred Union coalition as the 2023 presidential election nears, political analysts have said. read more In a statement about the proceedings last week, Kabund said the investigation against him was proof that Congolese institutions were being exploited to serve political interests. "Fighting the Tshisekedi regime is an absolute necessity for me, no matter the price to be paid," he wrote on Twitter. Source: Reuters Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has said the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) which started last week with the practicals is progressing smoothly. It has, therefore, assured the general public that the examination has not yet entered the written phase, and therefore, what had happened at the Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH) and the Bawku Technical Institute (BAWTI) had nothing to do with the WASSCE. Those students were writing the Pre-Tertiary Technical and Vocational Core and Elective Subject Examination and not WASSCE as was reported by a section of the media, the Head of the Public Affairs of the WAEC, Agnes Teye-Cudjoe, explained. The assurance followed concerns that the final year candidates that rioted at the BOTECH and BAWTI were writing the WASSCE, which incidentally started last Monday at almost the same time as the CTVET examination. Mrs Teye-Cudjoe, therefore, urged the general public to remain calm, assuring that the WAEC was liaising with the national security and other security bodies to ensure that the examination was conducted free of malpractice. She used the opportunity to remind the candidates that they could pass their examinations without engaging in examination malpractice. Mrs Teye-Cudjoe cautioned the general public, especially candidates, to be wary of the activities of rogue website operators who lured candidates to part with money for "apo". WASSCE 2022 She added that Ghanaian candidates were writing the ongoing WASSCE scheduled from August 1 to September 27, 2022 alone. This is because the other four-member countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia have returned to the May/June calendar and had administered the WASSCE for their school candidates from May 9 to June 24, this year. The four countries have had their academic calendars streamlined to enable them to write the examination in May/June, as Ghana sticks to the new normal calendar occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She added that notwithstanding the fact that Ghana was taking the examination alone, Ghanaian candidates would still compete for the National Distinction Award and the WAEC Excellence Award with candidates from those countries. Rioting BOTECH was last week Tuesday shut down by the Upper East Regional Security Council following violent protests by some students of the school as a result of managements decision to clamp down on examination malpractice. The students, mostly males, had gone on the rampage, pelting the teachers with stones, resulting in some of the teachers taking cover in the library and the staff common room. The angry students blocked the main entrance to the school as well as the main Bolgatanga-Navrongo road, which prevented motorists and other road users from using that stretch of the road during the demonstration. Personnel of the police service was subsequently called in to disperse them and control the situation but they turned their anger on the police and pelted them with stones, leading to damage to the riot control van. Warning shots were fired by the police to disperse the students but they ran into the school and destroyed seven vehicles and a number of motorbikes belonging to some teachers. 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 Revolutionary Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake has died aged 84, his company has announced. Known for his innovative styles and perfume, Miyake built a global fashion brand, which included designing Steve Jobs' famous black turtle neck jumpers. Miyake was known to work with traditional and modern fashion techniques during his long career. He died of liver cancer on Friday, and a private funeral has already taken place, Japanese media is reporting. Born in Hiroshima in 1938, Miyake was just seven years old when the city was devastated by an atomic bomb dropped by the United States. His mother died of radiation exposure three years later. "When I close my eyes, I still see things no one should ever experience," he wrote in a New York Times opinion piece in 2009 - adding that he prefers to think of things "that can be created, not destroyed, and that bring beauty and joy". Miyake reportedly wanted to be a dancer or athlete when he was young - but that changed after he read his sister's fashion magazines. He studied graphic design at a Tokyo art university and then moved to Paris in the 1960s, where he worked with lauded fashion designers Guy Laroche and Hubert de Givenchy. He moved to New York for a short time, before heading back to Tokyo in 1970 to open the Miyake Design Studio. By the 1980s he was celebrated as one of the world's most pioneering designers as he worked with materials from plastic to metal - and also traditional Japanese materials, and paper. Read Full Story .... HERE >>> : Source: BBC Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Press Release August 11, 2022 Hontiveros wants probe on P7B 'questionable releases' under CHED scholarship agency Senator Risa Hontiveros is seeking a Senate probe on the implementation of the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged almost P7 billion worth of 'questionable releases' under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) scholarship agency. "UniFAST is supposed to be the answer to the gap in education for millions of underprivileged youth. And yet the program is stained with suspicious overpayments and double reimbursements. Dapat todo-bantay tayo sa budget natin dito lalo na sa panahon na maraming nahihirapan magbayad ng tuition. This could be just the tip of the iceberg of dubious practices in CHED-UniFAST," Hontiveros said. UniFAST is an attached agency under CHED meant to implement Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act. In filed Senate Resolution No. 128, Hontiveros cited COA's report that UniFAST had P3.4 billion worth of delayed and non-submissions of billings and documents to state and universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs). Some submissions were delayed up to 3 years while others had no record of billing. The resolution also revealed that UniFAST made P824 million worth of payments to SUCs and LUCs without official receipts. "Nakaka-alarma na naglabas sila ng ganyang kalaking pera na walang tamang dokumento. Walang kahit anong ebidensya na kailangan ng agency magbayad, at walang ebidensya na binayaran nila. Nakakapagtaka. Surely recklessness at this level of billions of pesos is not acceptable for a government agency," the senator said. "Lilinawin natin kung saan at sino ang nagkulang. It is our responsibility in Congress to guard against leakages that waste important resources needed by our schools and students," she added. Hontiveros' resolution also revealed UniFAST's overpayment of P131 million to certain SUCs, and P251 million to already fully subsidized LUCs in direct violation of the RA10931. She said that the COA report is "enough to show that the agency's lapses need to be explained." Also included in the almost P7 billion flagged by COA are P26.6 million of reimbursements of doubtful validity of tuition and school fees to the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines; duplicate entries of beneficiaries in billings of P141,550.00; P1 billion unimplemented and unreverted funds for the student loan program; P1.003 billion delayed release of financial benefits; P4.43 million double scholarship grants; and P200 million worth of unutilized allotments for tertiary education subsidy. "For a country experiencing an education crisis, I am shocked by the billions we have been careless with. RA10931 is a leap towards our dreams of education for all. But it does nothing if the money doesn't reach our students and schools. In the midst of these harsh circumstances that have affected the education of a whole generation, our agencies must shine light on these plausibly shady practices," Hontiveros concluded. Look, known mainly for its roots in road biking, has developed a new flat pedal range with both entry-level and top-end options. The entry-level version has fewer pins and a thicker body, but weighs less than the fancy ones thanks to the composite material. Knolly has a few new things to show off this week... including a straight top tube. The updated Endorphin will be one of multiple bikes released by the Vancouver brand next summer. There's also a new version of the Knolly Cache, which has a slacker head angle and more tire clearance than the previous one, and it has bags from Vancouver brand EsotericFabworks hanging off it. Francisco Benitez Secures Second 2022 EPT Barcelona Title; Wins 25,000 No Limit Hold'em I (341,565) August 11, 2022 Brandon Bloom Francisco Benitez has taken the 2022 PokerStars and BarcelonaCasino European Poker Tour by storm. The Uruguayan poker player has gone back-to-back in high roller events by winning the 25,000 No-Limit Hold'em I for 341,565 following a heads-up ICM deal. His heads-up opponent was Argentinas Ramiro Petrone, and the two players agreed to an ICM deal, which awarded Petrone 306,705 for his second-place finish. Benitez just recorded a victory in the 10,200 Mystery Bounty event, which concluded on August 9, and the very next day, he entered the 25,000 No-Limit Hold'em which ran from August 10-11, and emerged as the winner to claim another spadie trophy. This high roller event attracted 50 entries to create a 1,200,500 prize pool, with the top seven finishers making the money. Best Free to Play Slots 25,000 No-Limit Hold'em Final Table Results PLACE PLAYER COUNTRY PRIZE 1 Francisco Benitez Uruguay 341,565* 2 Ramiro Petrone Argentina 306,705* 3 Paul Phua Malaysia 174,070 4 Artur Martirosian Russia 132,060 5 Pedro Garagnani Brazil 102,040 6 Erik Seidel United States 81,030 7 Timothy Adams Canada 63,030 *Denotes Heads-Up ICM Deal An Awesome Start I feel very good. Its an awesome, awesome start, Benitez exclaimed following his second victory in back-to-back events. He found himself making it all the way to the end of the tournament with fellow South American Petrone, and the two players agreed to an ICM deal which gave Petrone 306,705 for the runner-up finish. Hes my friend, and we talked about getting heads up together, blah, blah, blah', and (then we actually) did it. Although Benitez has some bigger online results, his victory the other day was his biggest live cash at the time, and now, he has already topped that with an even bigger cash. Its amazing results its not different to me from online. I have my biggest cash online, but of course, I feel very good. After his triumph the other day, Benitez said: "[It was a] good start and [gives me] more confidence for the rest of the tournaments. Now, he may have all of the confidence in the world as he continues to play a full schedule of events in Barcelona. Ramiro Petrone - Francisco Benitez EPT London Returns After Eight Years Final Table Recap Nine players returned to the felt for the second and final day, yet only seven players would claim a piece of the prize pool. Frances Jean-Noel Thorel came into the day as the short stack, and was the first casualty as he was eliminated by Benitez. Spanish pro Adrian Mateos was looking to make an early run in Barcelona, but he ran kings into aces and was eliminated on the money bubble in the massive cooler. The seven remaining players were now in the money and action started to pick up. Petrone found a double-up with a superior kicker to stay alive, and soon after, he eliminated Timothy Adams in seventh place when Adams couldnt win a flip. Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel came into the day as the chip leader, but he was left short after being on the losing side of Petrones recent double. He found himself at risk against Petrone with ace-queen against ace-three, but a trey on the flop sent the legendary player to the rail in sixth place. Brazils Pedro Garagnani had only a few big blinds on the money bubble but was able to chip up and make it into the money. However, his run came to an end in fifth place when his ace-king found no improvement against pocket nines. Artur Martirosian took the lead in four-handed play, but quickly found himself without any chips. He lost a huge pot with pocket jacks against pocket kings in a hand which gave Benitez all of the momentum, and soon after, Martirosian lost the rest of his chips against the Uruguayan eventual victor and was eliminated in fourth place. Artur Martirosian Not long after three-handed play began, Petrone secured a double with ace-queen against Benitezs ace-ten, leaving Paul Phua as the clear short stack. A bit later, Phua ended up getting his chips in with the best hand against Benitez, but the board ran out to give Benitez the winner, and Phua was sent to the rail in third place. After the third-place elimination, Benitez held more than sixty percent of the chips in play, and the two remaining players discussed and agreed to the aforementioned ICM deal. As a result, the two South American players each scored their biggest-ever live cash, according to The Hendon Mob. EPT Live Reporting Hub Keep up with all the action by going to our European Poker Tour Hub Click Here Sharelines Benitez agreed to ICM heads-up deal with Ramiro Petrone before the pair flipped for the trophy. Students at Mead Hall Episcopal School were welcomed back Thursday with the first opening ceremonies since 2019. Dr. Frank Sawyer, the head of school, said it was exciting to get back into a somewhat normal rhythm of the school year, which included the opening ceremonies. We were able to start with our traditional celebration of opening of the school with the church where all the students come in, are blessed, and then go forth to their classes, Sawyer said. We haven't had it since 2019; so that's a joy for us to gather in community again. As the students returned to school, Joanne Morton, the head of lower school, said there are 197 students on the St. Thaddeus campus, which is the largest number they've had at that location. The students range from age 3 to fourth grade. We're just excited to have so many new families joining us, Morton said. I have a great team of teachers that are veteran teachers who are ready to roll with their new students, and we're just looking forward to a super year. Morton added that there are several exciting things for the students to look forward to this year, including a newly renovated courtyard. We have a new second-grade class that we've opened this year, Morton said. We have a new science curriculum for our first through fourth grades. We have a lot going on. +3 Mead Hall School announces two new leadership appointments Mead Hall Episcopal School has announced two new leadership appointments. For Lindsay Tucker, who is in her first year as the academic dean and registrar, she is looking forward to starting a new chapter and being at the same school as her children. I think everybody is going to have a great year, Tucker said. I think everybody is excited to be back together, moving forward, lots of energy. Dr. Felicia Pontoo, the director of admissions and college guidance, said she was looking forward to an exciting new year, for students to be able to make new relationships and for them to have fun. +5 Mead Hall celebrates nine graduates Columbia, Atlanta, Clemson and Tampa are among the cities on the near horizon for this year's Mead Hall Episcopal School graduates a college Aiken, SC (29801) Today Cloudy with occasional rain showers. High 82F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Showers early, becoming a steady rain late. Low 69F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. A North Augusta woman faces up to four years in prison after allegedly creating a fake court order. Patricia Haley Eubanks, 26, was arrested Wednesday morning by agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and charged with forgery without a dollar amount and impersonating a court official. Forgery without a dollar amount is a misdemeanor and if a person is convicted, that person would face up to three years in prison, a fine to be determined by the court or both. Impersonating a court official is a misdemeanor and a person convicted of the crime faces up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $2,500 or both. Eubanks is accused of producing a fictitious court order with a forged judge's signature and obtaining $16,000. She was booked into the Aiken County detention center and later released on bond. The case will be prosecuted by the office of Second Judicial Circuit Solicitor Bill Weeks. Rural Health Services name will change somewhat in the near future, CEO Carolyn Emanuel McClain announced Thursday during a breakfast for local elected officials at the Clyburn Center for Primary Care in Aiken. We are going to do some rebranding, she said. Weve got a consultant that has come in and is looking at names that may be more representative of what we do. We are looking forward to seeing what comes out of that. McClain described Rural Health Services name as kind of a misnomer because of the area it serves. Aiken is not rural, she said. Because of the population density and proximity to Augusta (of the city and much of the area nearby) there are lots of programs that come out for the rural communities and the rural facilities that we cant get anything from (in terms of funding) because they say we are urban. Its good that we can get into rural areas and serve the population, but we serve more than just rural. Rural Health Services is conducting a series of special events during National Health Center Week (Aug. 6-13). Thursdays breakfast at the Clyburn Center, which is Rural Health Services headquarters, was part of Stakeholder Appreciation Day. McClain also talked about the Family Medicine Residency Program that Rural Health Services has teamed up with Aiken Regional Medical Centers to offer. The first six residents arrived in July. When they finish here (after three years), theyll be ready to go into practice someplace, McClain said. Were hoping we can retain some of them in this community, not just here in our organization, but anywhere in the community. McClain added that a similar program for internal medicine residents is scheduled to begin here in July 2023. Among the other plans mentioned by the Rural Health Services CEO was the establishment of a medical center for women and children next to the Clyburn Center. Dirt is being moved now on the site in preparation for the start of construction. In addition, the dean of the nursing school here at USC Aiken will be meeting with us next week to work out the details for her nurses to come in and rotate through with us to get some of that community flavor (as part of their training), McClain said. The nursing school dean, Dr. Thayer McGahee, is the vice chair of Rural Health Services board of directors. Other speakers during the breakfast included S.C Sen. Tom Young, R-Aiken, and S.C. Rep. Bill Clyburn, D-Aiken, for whom the Clyburn Center is named. McClain thanked the elected officials who attended for their help to get us to where we are year after year. She said she was especially grateful to the Aiken County Legislative Delegation for its efforts that led to the finalization of a deal in June for how plutonium settlement funds would be spent in South Carolina. Rural Health Services will receive $6 million from Aiken Countys nearly $170 million share of the money. The Clyburn Center is at 1000 Clyburn Place. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Cloudy skies with periods of rain later in the day. High 82F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Showers early, becoming a steady rain late. Low 69F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch. A blue-and-yellow striped flag waves in the Charleston sea breeze. The pineapple fountain splashes in the background while a crowd of locals and tourists alike gathers to listen to a troupe of musicians play bluegrass. Seven-year friends and fellow musicians Jeff Goller and Nicole McLoud harmonize to classic standards like "Keep it on the Sunny Side" and "Where the Wildflowers Grow," while Goller slides down his steel guitar and McLoud plucks her clawhammer banjo. At Waterfront Park, hands clap together, boots stomp on the sandy pathways and fingers drop change into a tip jar with a note on it. "Tipping is appreciated," the scrap of paper reads. "Have a blessed day." But the money isn't going to the Palmetto Rose Band, the bluegrass, country, folk and Americana group consisting of Goller and McLoud along with good friends Rick Hamrick, Fred Schroeder and Ken Coker. It's going to a cause that ties back to the flag flapping beside an acoustic guitar and stand-up bass. It's going to help the efforts overseas in Ukraine after Russia's military forces invaded the country in February of this year. "I couldn't listen to the news without crying," recalls McLoud when the headlines flooded in announcing the war abroad. "I felt helpless." That's when she decided she had to do something to make a difference. She gathered the band together and set up a gig for the cause. In late March, the group played their first show to raise money for Ukrainian relief efforts at Waterfront Park. That first Sunday in the park, they raised $600 in about three hours. They went back next Sunday, and the next, and raised another $1,000. After some research, McLoud decided to send the cash to a nonprofit humanitarian aid fund called Baranova 27, based in New Jersey and founded by Ukrainian immigrants, the Chmerkovskiy family. The organization takes donations of money in addition to items like first-aid and medical supplies, tactical gear for soldiers, child care and baby items, and nonperishable food and sends them over to Ukraine. In its first three weeks of operation, Baranova 27 collected more than 100 tons of essential goods and had to secure a warehouse for storage and distribution. Patrons can buy items right on the organization's Amazon wish list if they so desire, or donate to the GoFundMe page. I cant go and defend the country, but in my heart, I felt this is the only way for me to be helpful," Sasha Chmerkovskiy said. McLoud felt similarly; she wanted to help any way she could, no matter how small it seemed. Sending over that gig money was her way of contributing to the cause, and she made a summer out of it. They couldn't play every weekend, but at least one or two Sundays a month the band made it out to Waterfront Park with tip jar in hand. To date, after nine gigs for the cause, the band has sent around $4,000 to Baranova 27. "It just breaks my heart what's happening, but knowing I'm doing something makes me feel better," McLoud said. She said the same can be said for the donors who have thrown anything from loose change to a $50 bill into the tip jar. "I think it's really been this unmet need," she said. "People, like me, want to help and don't know how so it's been a way for them to do that." The bluegrass coterie, local and beyond, has long been about fellowship and community, rallying around each other when it's needed and for a cause when warranted. McLoud met some of her closest friends at a house jam on James Island more than a decade ago; others at Fox Music House and Hungry Monk Music as instrument browsers and shopkeepers bonded over a shared passion for Appalachian tunes. Goller came into the mix a little later with his guitar, an instrument he usually used for solitary playing. It was fun and different to join in with up to 20 folks or more for an improvisational session at someone's house. "It's about the social aspect as much as the music aspect of it," said Goller. "You have instant friends anywhere in world." He's been to weeklong camps in Myrtle Beach and towns across North Carolina; he even has played with some folks in Seattle. When he got together with the Palmetto Rose Band, they began playing at barbecue joints, Shem Creek bars and on Folly Beach porches. It's just as much about the audience as the camaraderie between the band members, McLoud offered. When people are singing and dancing along, it becomes an uplifting experience. "It makes you feel like you just left church," she said. Now with summer wrapping up, the Palmetto Rose Band isn't sure how many consistent Waterfront Park Sundays they'll be playing past tourist season, but they're staying committed to the cause. "It may be a couple of weeks before we can all get together again," McLoud said in early August, "But we have committed to doing this until there is no longer a need. I love my band family." For those who happen to be strolling through Waterfront Park on an early Sunday afternoon, look for the Ukrainian flag and listen for some bluegrass tunes. COLUMBIA A nonprofit organization for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals will permanently close its northeast Columbia call center, displacing 95 workers. Austin, Texas, headquartered Communication Service for the Deaf Inc. informed the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce it would be shuttering its location in the Spring Valley Commons strip mall, 9005 Two Notch Road, on Sept. 30. The company did not respond to calls or emails from The Post and Courier. Workers at the call center were employed to transcribe phone calls, providing captions for those who could not hear full conversations. When a call is placed using a captioned telephone, the device has typically worked by connecting to a captioned telephone service provider where the call center operator repeated what the caller said using speech recognition technology to transcribe, according to the National Association of the Deaf. The closure of the Columbia facility follows closures of similar centers across the country as many have turned to more automated transcription technology that does not require call-center operators. July news reports show nearly 350 workers were permanently laid off from similar service companies in Florida and more than 600 workers at Wisconsin call centers lost their jobs. SWANSEA The Swansea council does not have set plans to pass a budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which started on July 1, and has cancelled several council meetings amid controversy surrounding an audit of the town's 2021 budget that identified $3.3 million in missing assets. On Aug. 10, Swansea Mayor Viola McDaniel released a letter announcing that she had cancelled the town council meeting scheduled for Aug. 15. In an interview, McDaniel would not comment on why the meeting had been cancelled, and said she did not know when the council meeting would be rescheduled. Swansea council has yet to schedule a meeting for the second reading of the town's 2023 budget, she said. "I don't know," McDaniel said repeatedly. The uncertainty surrounding the budget for the current fiscal year comes after West Columbia accountant John Brown, who contracted with Swansea from 2017 until he resigned in spring 2022, conducted an audit of Swansea's 2021 budget, which showed $3.3 million of assets missing from the town. An up-to-date budget is valuable because it is a financial reflection of a town's plan and priorities for the year, said Todd Glover, the executive director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina. Without a current budget, towns will not know how much to spend and on what, nor how much revenue is needed to fund the town's spending, he said. "It's just like how ... I could look at your checkbook and tell what your priorities are," Glover said. Legally, the Home Rule Act of 1975 requires South Carolina municipalities to pass a budget each year but does not require budgets to be passed before the start of the fiscal year. However, an out-of-date budget is not new to Swansea, a town 20 miles south of Columbia with a population under 800. After Swansea's then-Mayor Jerald Sanders was indicted in July 2021 on charges of embezzlement and misconduct in office, the council did not pass its budget for the last fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, until May 2022. Last summer's indictments allege that Sanders had around $10,000 worth of checks written to him personally without authorization and that he cashed those checks, while also accepting town money in a bank account under his own control, according to a statement from the Attorney General's office. Brown's audit of Swansea's 2021 budget, which was sent to the town council in March, found an additional $3.3 million of assets missing from the town. After a special called council meeting with Brown last month was cancelled and not rescheduled, the council is still in the dark about how the assets disappeared, Councilwoman Doris Simmons said. The Attorney General's Office, which is handling prosecution of Sanders, declined to comment on whether the missing assets found in Brown's audit involved Sanders' case. The State Law Enforcement Division, which has worked with the Attorney General's office to investigate Sanders, also decline to comment, as the investigation is ongoing. After increased press coverage of the audit in early August, Simmons criticized McDaniel for cancelling a budget hearing scheduled for Aug. 8 "out of the blue." Days later, McDaniel cancelled Swansea's regularly scheduled council meeting set for Aug. 15. Simmons, as well as Councilman Mike Luongo and Councilwoman Linda Butler, said they hoped the council could gain some clarity on the missing $3.3 million before passing the 2023 budget, however, the council has no set plans to meet with Brown. LEXINGTON Lake Murray boaters are being asked to steer clear of the Lake Murray Dam, where Dominion Energy has begun preliminary work on a project to improve the dam's intake towers. The intake towers, which supply water to the Lower Saluda River, rely on a set of steel gates inside the towers to start and stop the flow of water downstream. After almost 100 years of use, Dominion, which owns the dam, is replacing the gates. Crews began inspecting the five 223-foot-high intake towers on Aug. 3, and will continue through September. Construction on the project is scheduled from early 2024 to late 2025, according to a statement from Dominion. While the intake towers are working well, it is time for them to be updated, said Matt Long, a spokesman for Dominion Energy South Carolina. "While we have carefully maintained these headgates since since the dam's construction, they are 95 years old and original to the facility," Long said. "Investing in their replacement will ensure continued safe and reliable operation." To complete inspection and reconstruction of the towers, Dominion will have boats in the area and divers in the water, so the energy company is asking that boats stay outside of the markers in the water, about 300 feet from the towers, Long said. The company does not expect the project to affect water levels, he said. Improvements to the intake towers are intended to ensure that the Saluda Hydroelectric Project continues to work properly, a statement from Dominion said. The Saluda Hydroelectric project installed a massive rock-and-concrete wall to serve as a fail-safe to contain the lake if Lake Murray Dam broke. The project was completed in the early 2000s after a study by South Carolina Electric & Gas found that in the case of an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 or higher, similar to an event which devastated South Carolina in 1886, the Lake Murray dam would fail and put hundreds of thousands of Lexington and Richland residents at risk. Dominion Energy took control of the dam, the intake towers and Saluda Hydroelectric project wall after the company bought SCE&G in 2019. Investing in (the intake tower gates) replacement will enhance the safety and reliability of the Saluda Hydro facilitys operations for many years to come, said Iris Griffin, Dominion Energy South Carolina vice president of generation. The Lake Murray Dam and the dam's intake towers were built in the 1920s, forming Lake Murray, at the time the largest reservoir in the world. At 48,000 acres, Lake Murray spans three counties in the Midlands and is known as the "Jewel of South Carolina." The Lake Murray Dam is one of the largest and most profitable hydropower facilities in South Carolina, according to the Hydropower Reform Coalition. COLUMBIA A Richland County deputy has been hospitalized with serious injuries after a teenager in a stolen car attempted to drive off during a stop, striking the deputy and pinning her against her patrol vehicle, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said. The driver, Jamon Cheatham, 17, was charged as an adult with attempted murder. He also faces attempted murder charges in unrelated cases and was wanted by the Department of Juvenile Justice," Lott said. That car was no different than a gun it couldve taken her life, Lott said. At around 10 a.m. on Aug. 9, deputies attempted to approach the driver in the stolen 2014 Ford Focus parked out front of the First Cash Pawn off Two Notch Road, according to the incident report. With the patrol lights flashing, deputies drove up to the vehicle and Deputy Sarah Merriman got out of her vehicle to approach the driver. The teenager quickly reversed the car, striking Merriman and pinning her against her patrol vehicle. He continued to drive. Merriman fell to the ground and he struck another patrol SUV, according to the report. The teenager stopped the car, but refused to get out. Deputies broke the drivers side window to unlock the car and detain Cheatham, Lott said. Merriman was taken to the trauma center at a local hospital, according to the incident report. Lott said Merriman is still in the hospital with serious injuries to her head and body. Shes going to survive, but shes got a long way to recovery, Lott said. Merriman, a K9 handler and member of the departments Special Response Team, received the U.S. Attorney Generals award for distinguished policing earlier this year. She was praised for de-escalating a situation without drawing her gun. She had been dispatched to a domestic dispute and saw a man holding a shotgun, who appeared to be agitated, and one of the women at the scene bleeding profusely from her head, according to the Department of Justice. Instead of drawing her weapon, she talked to him until he lowered his gun. Her ability to recognize the individuals state of mind and her realization that drawing her weapon would escalate the situation prevented a tragic outcome and saved at least one life that day, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. Cheatham is now being held in the juvenile wing of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. He was charged as an adult with attempted murder, failure to stop for blue lights and siren resulting in great bodily injury, hit and run resulting in great bodily injury, and possession of a stolen vehicle. At Cheathams bond hearing on Aug. 10, the department requested that no bond be set, saying Cheatham was a danger to the community. Lott said his bond was set to $150,000. That may sound like a lot of money, but is that the life of a deputy? Lott said, adding that through a bond company, he would only need to pay 10 percent. Lott said Cheatham, at just 17, had a long criminal record with past attempted murder charges. He called the court decision to set bond, allowing him the opportunity to get out of jail, a crack in the system. We are not holding people accountable, Lott said. Were letting them run out into the community. Rush's, a local chain known for its burgers and hot dogs, will temporarily close a Lexington location, the restaurant group announced on social media Tuesday. The Lexington location (at 5101 Sunset Blvd.), which is one of nine locations in the Columbia and Lexington area, will shut its doors starting August 14, citing the national labor shortage. "We, like every other business in the world, actually is having to deal with staffing issues," said Rush's President Don Alcorn. "We've been dealing with this since COVID ... and we had hoped by now that we'd be pretty much back to normal, but it's not happening." Employees from the restaurant, which is known for slinging casual fast food fare like burgers and fries, will be relocated to other locations across the area. The spot isn't the only local chain to temporarily close a location as a result of the ongoing labor shortage. In August of last year, a Lizard's Thicket location on Beltline Blvd. closed its doors citing lack of staff. In February, they closed the spot for good. Historically, South Carolina has a lower labor force participation rate (proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active) than the rest of the country. That number reached an all-time low in January 2022 at 57.1% and has slowly crept up in recent months to 57.5% in June, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "You can ride down the street or highway and everybody's, all industries not only the hospitality (industry), but everybody's looking for employees and I think it's just the nature of the beast, people are not coming back to work or either they they're going in different streams of work," Alcorn said. Rush's, which has operated in the area since the 1940s, pays $10 an hour for workers with no previous experience in the restaurant industry and matches pay for workers coming from other restaurant jobs. Over the course of the pandemic, Alcorn said the number of people who have applied for jobs has decreased, but wasn't able to specify how many fewer applications they were receiving. Alcorn believes the issue is a culmination of things, like people leaving jobs during COVID and not returning as well as losing seasonal workers like high school and college students who are about to start their school years. In an attempt to incentivize people to apply, the restaurant chain has posted about hirings on their social media and posted signs in the restaurants, Alcorn said. He also said the company plans to launch a hiring campaign to push the initiative. The Lexington location will remain closed until further notice, Alcorn said, but he's hopeful that the spot will be up and running again by Christmas of this year. "It's gonna affect revenue, you know the income stream, but considering that we didn't have any options, it was the better, it was our decision. We had to do it at this time and we'll just have to deal with it until we can get it back up and running again," Alcorn said. GEORGETOWN Three 14-year-old boys who fled the Associated Marine Institutes facility (AMIKids) in Georgetown were taken into custody early Aug. 11, according to a report from the Georgetown County Sheriff's Office. The three juveniles who ran away from the facility on Aug. 10 were in custody at 12:30 a.m. on Whitehall Avenue, Jason Lesley, Georgetown County Sheriff's Office public information officer, stated in an Aug. 11 email. AMIkids Georgetown, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is a staff-secure residential facility that was founded in 1989, according to the website, amikids.org. The program operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving boys who have committed a variety of non-violent offenses and are involved with the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. Students live in dormitories on campus in a remote location ideally structured to help them work through their issues and gain the skills needed to return to their families and communities. The sheriff's office sent out an email at 10:50 p.m. on Aug. 10 urging members of the public to exercise caution and call 911 if the three runaways from the AMIKids were seen. The three boys left the facility at 1590 CCC Road around 6 p.m. and were wearing AMI-issued khaki pants, white T-shirts and black slide-on sandals. Two of the boys are from Greenville County, and the third is from Laurens County. Georgetown County Sheriffs Office deputies set up a perimeter and searched the surrounding area with the sheriffs office bloodhounds. SLED assisted with a helicopter equipped with Forward Looking Infrared sensors. All of the searches met with negative results. A reverse 911 call went out to residents within a 10-mile radius of the AMI facility warning them about the runaways and giving them their description. Because the runaways are juveniles, photos and identities were not released to the public. The three 14-year-olds will be transported to the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia. GEORGETOWN The Georgetown County Department of Elections and Voter Registration is examining its role in November's general election and a pending special City Council election. The department cites as its function "to successfully administer all federal, state and local elections held within Georgetown County and provide all residents a chance to register and vote" on its website. But during discussion about the council special election at the board's Aug. 10 meeting, the conversation quickly turned to the next item on the agenda discussion of increasing voter turnout. Board Chairman James Sanderson said the board should think "outside the box" to find ways to get county residents engaged in local elections. "As a board, I think we should try to work together to try to see what we can to bring more people out to the vote," Sanderson said. Board member Billy Altman countered that any measures the board takes needs to be "bulletproof" against potential criticism that efforts to turn out the vote are slanted in favor or against particular areas of the county. "The fundamental question is, is this board in the business of improving turnout?" Altman said. Altman went on to say that while he is not opposed to higher turnout, he is opposed to having the board under scrutiny. In an interview with Georgetown Times, county Elections Director Aphra McCrea said that the board's role in increasing turnout should be "to ensure that every citizen has the opportunity to register to vote, participate in fair and impartial elections and have the assurance that their vote will count." McCrea, who has been with the department since 2020 and was named its director in September, cited fairness, impartiality and accurate reporting as the marks of a good election. "Across the board, the turnout is about the same depending on the type of election it is," McCrea said. "You're going to see a higher turnout during your even years, especially where the president is going to be on the ballot." The City Council special election will determine the replacement for Councilman Al Joseph, whose resignation takes effect Aug. 12. On Aug. 15, Joseph will take on the role of Main Street coordinator with the city of Georgetown's Department of Planning & Community Development. Registration for candidates for the special election is noon Sept. 2 through noon Sept. 10. If necessary, a primary will be held Oct. 25, with the special election held on Dec. 27. GREENVILLE When Rick Kolb started his car-detailing business five years ago, he couldnt have dreamed it would take him to Seattle as part of a team working to preserve a former presidential airplane that once served as Air Force One. The Greenville resident was burned out after 15 years in the restaurant industry. He had detailed vehicles as a side job ever since he was a teenager and he decided to give it a go as a new career. It started a bit rough. He carried his gear for a mobile detailing business in the back of his wifes Kia Soul. He experienced frustration with equipment malfunctions and with learning how to run a business. So he turned to a group of professional car detailers known as the Detail Mafia, which provided professional training and camaraderie to mentor him in his new career. Five years on, Kolbs business, Spot Free Detail, has a second full-time employee and hes looking to expand further. He credits the Detail Mafia for giving his business the shot in the arm it needed to succeed. Then his participation in the development group provided him the chance to fly to Seattle to help detail a retired presidential airplane. The Detail Mafias leader, Renny Doyle, offered Kolb one of 30 spots on a team of professional detailers who volunteered their time and paid their own way to work on the former presidential aircraft and a number of other historically-significant planes in late July at the Boeing Museum of Flight in Seattle. Kolb and the volunteer crew worked to completely detail the exterior of a Boeing 707-153 known as SAM (Special Air Mission) 970 that was built and delivered for use in 1959. It carried presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon and remained part of the presidential fleet until 1996, ferrying dignitaries and vice presidents on national and international flights. Before working on the iconic airplane, the team of detailers learned the craft of detailing large airplanes, which can have a variety of metals and finishes that vary greatly from plane to plane and from vehicles most detailers are familiar with. Kolb called it an awe-inspiring opportunity he wont soon forget. Its absolutely breathtaking up close, Kolb said. Words dont come close to being able to explain the feeling and emotion that run through you when you reach this type of milestone. Air Force One is part of history, and to be able to help preserve these for our future generations to enjoy is incredible. Kolb and The Detail Mafia worked on a B-29 Superfortress and a number of other airplanes in the museum hangar before graduating to work on the Boeing 707-153 that bears the famous blue-and-white paint scheme and the words, United States of America on its side. Kolb said the plane has a finicky aluminum finish that can be tricky to clean correctly in a way that preserves the planes finish. I got to polish the leading wing on the pilots side of Air Force One, Kolb said. Kolb said he was most touched to be able to work on the B-17 Flying Fortress, an iconic bomber used throughout World War II. Kolbs grandfather served as a belly gunner on a B-17 crew and was shot down over Germany. His grandfather was a prisoner of war before he returned home. Not many car detailers can claim that feat and Kolb said he hopes it will provide a lift to his business. He no longer works out of his wifes Kia, and bought a van years ago. Hes looking to hire at least one more employee this year and said his model as a mobile detailer is paying off. Now he has some new pictures and stories to share with prospective customers. A terrible feeling brought Mollie Gadsden from Walterboro to Charleston for treatment. Now she is hoping an appreciation luncheon for her caregivers in Charleston will help spread goodwill about her hometown. Gadsden, 59, was the force behind a luncheon Aug. 5 for nurses and staff at Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. She was able to recruit friends, family and restaurants in Walterboro to contribute to the effort. For a city that has been dogged by the unwanted notoriety of the Alex Murdaugh scandal, attracting international press, it was their way of showing the world who they really are, Gadsden said. Were a family here in Walterboro, she said. We need some good publicity right now coming from our area. A number of businesses in the city, from grocery stores and hardware stores to hair salons and a barbecue restaurant, pitched in to help with food or money for gas cards or donated door prizes, Gadsden said. Gas is a special concern right now. "We've had people put off treatment because they can't afford the gas right now," Gadsden said. "And that's not right." For Gadsden, it all began last December, when she was watching an ROTC ceremony in Walterboro, a group she has always supported even after her children and grandchildren graduated from it. All of a sudden, I just felt terrible, she said. After a trip to the Emergency Department at Colleton Medical Center, she was soon in an ambulance on her way to MUSC and to Hollings. She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer where plasma cells begin producing an abnormal protein that can crowd out cells needed to make red blood cells, fight infection and maintain bone, and that can lead to organ damage, according to the American Cancer Society. It has an overall five-year survival rate of 55 percent, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Gadsden's journey with Hollings began almost immediately. She said she was a little lost the first time she stepped off the elevator looking for her appointment. "The first day I was there I was scared to death," she said. But then Patient Access Specialist Dawn Morgan spotted her and began leading her around to the various places she needed to go. "The whole day," Morgan remembered before the luncheon on Aug. 5, standing with Gadsden as people began to line up at tables filled with food. "She made me feel so at ease," Gadsden says. "That's what we're supposed to do," Morgan agreed, and they take pride in that. new section The day of the luncheon, the volunteers have a system going Along a line of tables set up on one end of a long hallway at Hollings, Traci Anastasis uncovers a big platter of shredded Boston butt pork barbecue prepared by her husband, Dennis, who is battling acute lymphocytic leukemia and is too ill that day to come serve. At the other end of the table, Holly Pearce, 18, Gadsden's granddaughter, arranges doughnuts donated by a local affiliate of Krispy Kreme. Edward Gadsden, Mollie's husband, is directing traffic and Susan Hughes, a friend and former classmate of Mollie's from Walterboro High School, slides behind the tables to help serve. Debbie Bordeau, director of development at Hollings, and Lauralee McHugh, development coordinator at the cancer center, grab ladles and spoons to begin dishing up the food. Gadsden gets a lot of hugs, starting with Morgan and Dana Gastaldi, an administrative assistant in the infusion suite that greets Gadsden every time she comes for chemotherapy. They chat a lot and it is sometimes more about their lives than medical care. "They care more about what is going on with you than what is going on with them," Gastaldi says. Still, the luncheon is a nice surprise, she feels. "Doing something like this is really sweet and it's not expected because we do what we do on a daily basis," Gastaldi says. Gadsden says the feeling is mutual when she goes to the infusion suite. "It's like coming home each time we come there because you all make us feel like we are a big part of your families," she tells the Hollings staff. It is an odd juxtaposition but often in a place like the infusion suite where patients are receiving chemotherapy, people talk about food. Oncology nurse Amy Madden is picking up an extra plate to bring back to the unit for a colleague who couldn't get away. She laughs and says it is true that the talk there often centers around food. "For nurses, it's because we don't get a lot of time to eat," Madden says. That's why the luncheon was so appreciated. "We are so grateful and so happy about this," she says. "We're all so burnt out from the pandemic, so this is nice." Summerville, SC (29483) Today Rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 82F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Rain showers in the evening with thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Mount Pleasant, SC (29464) Today Partly cloudy in the morning followed by scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 82F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 74F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. A downtown Charleston park project inspired by New York City's High Line got a $7 million boost from the federal government Aug. 11. The park, which would cover 1.7 miles as it cuts under the overpasses for Interstate 26, has been a priority in Charleston for years. Once complete, the Lowcountry Lowline will follow an old railroad bed that runs through the middle of the peninsula. The project draws inspiration from the High Line park, which developed from one of Manhattans elevated railroad tracks. The city was awarded $7 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the planning stage of the project. The grant will fund a public outreach process and design services. Using funds from President Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, this year we are supporting more projects than ever before," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a news release. Charleston officials submitted a $25 million application to the DOT last year but it was rejected. That grant would have been used toward the construction of the project. Federal officials denied the request because the city had a concept plan but not a detailed design of the project. The new $7 million grant allocation will fund public outreach, design, permitting, environmental review and removal of toxic soils on the construction site. The grant supports projects across the U.S. that improve roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or other forms of transportation. Over $2 billion was awarded to projects throughout the country. One other South Carolina project was awarded funding from the federal grant program, as well. The Greenville Transit Authority received $5.8 million for upgrades and safety improvements across 336 bus stops. The Lowline was one of the two chosen because it "aims to reconnect neighborhoods divided by the original construction of the interstate and improve connections to transit and other transportation options," the press release states. The project is also supported by the nonprofit Friends of the Lowcountry Lowline. The group seeks private donations to supplement the costs of the project, while the city plans to use grant funding, general fund money and revenue from the areas tax increment financing district, commonly referred to as a TIF. The city and nonprofit partnered in 2017 to buy the unused railroad track and adjacent land from Virginia-based transportation company Norfolk Southern Corp. for $4.84 million. SPARTANBURG A civil trial in the wrongful death suit against disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh will be delayed again until at least the new year, which will mark the fourth year since 19-year-old Mallory Beach was killed in a boat crash in Beaufort County. The February 2019 boat crash case was coming to a head in June 2021 when Murdaugh's wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, were found shot to death on the grounds of the powerful family's Colleton County hunting lodge. Murdaugh has been charged with two counts of murder. On Aug. 10, Circuit Judge Daniel Hall ruled in Spartanburg County court to continue the boat case beyond a planned trial date in October. Lawyers representing Murdaugh in his criminal case stood before Hall to argue that the civil trial shouldn't take place before Murdaugh is tried on the murder charges. Attorney Dick Harpootlian argued that any statements Murdaugh might make in the civil case could give prosecutors in the criminal trial an edge they wouldn't otherwise have and could potentially taint a jury with pretrial publicity. "There are competing interests in this criminal matter, but the defendant has the right to a fair trial," Harpootlian said. However, in his ruling Hall stopped short of addressing the civil case's relation to the criminal case. The issue, the judge said, is that the attorney who had been representing Murdaugh in the civil case, John Tiller, has since died of pancreatic cancer. An October trial wouldn't give the new attorney a chance to prepare, Hall said. Hall indicated the trial won't happen before the end of the year. He ordered a status hearing in October to determine when the trial might be rescheduled. The attorney for the Beach family, Mark Tinsley, argued that the civil proceedings would not prejudice Murdaugh in his murder case and that it's inappropriate to connect the two. The case has lingered since it was filed in March 2019. In a hearing earlier this week, Tinsley said Murdaugh's lawyers are gaming the system and he fears the case could extend indefinitely as Murdaugh's charges continue through to appeals. "We're going to drag this out for another year, year and a half, and it's going to go on and on," Tinsley told the judge Aug. 10. "And it's time for some closure. We've been waiting for one because of the murders. And we've simply waited long enough, your honor. The Beaches need some closure and they need to begin to heal." The boat crash case was coming to a head when Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were discovered dead. At the time of his death, Paul Murdaugh was facing felony charges of driving under the influence. As described in depositions and by authorities, Paul Murdaugh was erratic and crashed into a bridge near the Parris Island Marine boot camp. Beach was thrown from the boat and her body discovered days later. Alex Murdaugh, part of a powerful family with deep legal ties in the Lowcountry, has been accused of trying to use his influence to get his son out of legal trouble, in part by trying to implicate another passenger as the driver of the boat. The civil case takes particular aim at Parkers, a company that owns a convenience store where Paul Murdaugh, who at the time was underage, bought alcohol before the crash. The case is about money, Harpootlian said, and currently Alex Murdaugh has none. MOUNT PLEASANT After months of debate and a 90-day trial run, strict new rules aimed at keeping town residents from being bothered by noise have received initial approval. Some Town Council members and residents remain unsatisfied, however, and the proposed rules are expected to change before they are finally adopted. At issue is whether they are too tough, or not enough. Under the tentatively approved ordinance, the town would prohibit most types of daytime noise louder than 60 decibels as measured from the property line of someone who files a complaint or 55 decibels after 10:30 p.m. Old Village resident Mike Tinkey urged Town Council to switch to an even stricter noise limit in the evening, 50 decibels, and to have the evening regulations start at 9 p.m. Jacob Robertson, bar manager at Vickery's on Shem Creek, said 10:30 doesn't seem too late on a Friday or Saturday night, and suggested the decibel limits proposed are already very strict. He said his neighbor was having a birthday party for a child and it registered 64 decibels. I dont expect to sit in my house in silence and not hear anything from anyone at any time," Robertson said. "I dont expect to never hear my neighbors kids playing." According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 60 decibels is about the noise level of a normal conversation, or an air conditioner. The hum of a refrigerator is about 40 decibels, according to the federal agency. Once adopted, the noise rules would apply throughout South Carolina's fourth-largest municipality, but resident complaints at Town Council meetings this year have focused on a few particular places. Old Village residents have complained about noise from Shem Creek bars, and also about the Post House restaurant. Carolina Park residents have complained about the nearby high school stadium. And residents of the Hidden Cove subdivision off Long Point Road have complained about live music from nearby microbreweries. "If you really want to know what the experience is like, come sit on my porch on an evening," Bennett Street resident Caroline Lesesne told council members at an Aug. 9 meeting. She said she's been bothered by crowd noise from the Post House ever since they started offering outdoor dining during the pandemic. Shannon Carter was among several residents of Hook Lane in Hidden Cove who called for rules more strict than the town is considering, and higher fines. Hook Lane sits not far from Hobcaw Brewing Co., a business that was the source of multiple noise complaints in June. During the 90-day test period, when town police took noise readings with decibel meters, there were a total of 28 citizen complaints. Weve been noodling over this (ordinance) for nine months," Councilwoman G.M. Whitley said at the recent council meeting. "As a percentage of the calls the Police Department receives, this is miniscule. Amendments are anticipated, but under the version of the ordinance that received preliminary approval on Aug. 9 the regulations would include: It would be unlawful to create noise that, when measured at the property line of someone who files a complaint, exceeds 60 decibels between 8 a.m. and 10:30 p.m., or 55 decibels at other times. Intentionally producing "excessive noise" in the town limits would also be a violation. Using a vehicle's horn "except as a danger warning" would specifically be prohibited. Amplified music, radios, televisions and musical instruments that are "plainly audible from inside any residence or place of business other than the sound source" would be prohibited. Several types of noise would be exempt from the rules, including lawn-care equipment and garage machinery during daytime hours, and permitted construction work and special events such as parades. Violations could result in a fine of up to $500, plus court costs, or up to 30 days in jail. Excessively noisy auto mufflers would continue to be covered by an existing state law. The decibel limits are similar to ones adopted recently in Summerville, but unlike Summerville's rules, Mount Pleasant's ordinance does not allow for higher levels of noise in business areas. Councilman Jake Rambo, an owner of the restaurant Grace & Grit, said he doesn't think 60 decibels is reasonable. "It's very much targeted at the hospitality industry and our local musicians," he said. Rambo said many of the noisy things that bother people, such as lawn equipment and construction noise, wouldn't be subject to the decibel limits. Town Council voted 6-2 to give the rules initial approval, with Mayor Will Haynie absent. Next, the proposed ordinance will go back to the council's Police, Legal and Judicial Committee for possible amendments before returning for a final council vote in the coming months. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High 82F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms in the evening, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Isolated thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. High 83F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 73F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. COLUMBIA South Carolinas top prosecutor is calling for an investigation of alleged misspending by employees of Richland One School District and hinted his own office could pursue legal action against the states ninth-largest school system. In an Aug. 9 letter to the governor, Attorney General Alan Wilson said he now shares concerns raised months ago by Columbia-area parents and Richland Ones own internal auditor about the school systems procurement card program. The Lexington Republican asked Gov. Henry McMaster to make use of his new power to authorize an investigation by the state Inspector Generals Office. Wilsons letter comes after The Post and Courier reported in March that Richland One employees had swiped their government credit cards for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses that were supposed to be banned, including at grocery stores, fast-food restaurants, florists and dry cleaners. The districts internal auditor also found Richland Ones oversight of the P-card program lacking, noting supervisors regularly OKd expenses that appeared to be personal in nature and came with no written justification. These alleged failures should sound the alarm with every Richland One parent and all taxpayers in the District, Wilson wrote this week. Richland One has repeatedly pushed back on those concerns, insisting a district review of the transactions found only a handful that were inappropriate. Still, the district implemented a series of recommendations its internal auditor suggested to improve the P-card program, including updating its list of banned vendors, Richland One spokeswoman Karen York said Aug. 10. Wilson said his office is continuing to actively review this matter but asked the governor to initiate a separate investigation by the state Inspector Generals Office for further accountability. That office, created in 2012, is an independent state agency tasked with investigating waste, fraud and other types of misconduct by state agencies. The state Legislature passed a new law this year empowering the Inspector General to also investigate wrongdoing by school districts at the request of the governor or local legislators. One such investigation is already underway within Richland Two School District. In a statement, McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said the governor has received "numerous requests from parents, concerned citizens, and other elected officials around the state about several school districts" since the new law went into effect. Symmes said the Inspector General's Office is currently focused on the Richland Two investigation, but he pledged McMaster would consider Wilson's request. A spokesman for Wilson declined to say whether the Attorney Generals Office has launched a criminal investigation of Richland Ones P-card program. But in his letter, Wilson said abusing P-cards could amount to criminal wrongdoing and warrants vigorous prosecution. The three-term attorney general called for Richland One to be held fully accountable for any potential wrongdoing. State investigators are already looking into another Richland One matter. The State Law Enforcement Division launched a probe earlier this year into allegations a top Richland One purchasing official swindled more than $41,000 from the district before resigning in May 2021. A district investigation accused Travis Braddy of booking improper hotel stays, renting a 2020 SUV without permission and going behind his supervisor's back to purchase nearly $10,000 in COVID-19 supplies from a suspicious vendor. Efforts to reach Richland One Chairwoman Cheryl Harris for comment Aug. 10 were unsuccessful. What do the Danes know that we dont? Denmark bans COVID vaccine for youth under 18 Children and adolescents only very rarely become seriously ill from COVID-19 with the omicron variant. Therefore, from July 1, 2022, it will no longer be possible for children and adolescents under the age of 18 to get the 1st [shot], and from September 1, 2022, it will no longer be possible to get the 2nd [shot], reads a government statement. [translated from Danish] I havent been properly keeping up with our friends at Kite and Key Media (though not to worryI am planning to have Troy Senik, the voiceover man for KKM, on the Power Line podcast soon to talk about his forthcoming biography of the last sensible Democratic president, Grover Cleveland), and as long-time readers know, for many years I produced an annual report on environmental trends in the United States, most of which are positive. This good news, naturally, infuriates environmentalists, who arent happy unless the world is coming to an end, and cant take Yes for an answer. In any case, the latest KKM video out yesterday tells this story with their usual succinct skill: Ive long understood that the Letters to the Editor of the Wall Street Journal are one of the most read items in the paper every day (partly because the WSJ doesnt have an obituary section I suppose). Anyway, theres one really great one today: Mr. Soros advocates deploying mental-health professionals instead of police in crisis situations. Mr. Soros should lead by example and replace his private security personnel with social workers. If someone attempts to attack him, the social workers could sit with the assailant and discuss the root causes. David Westrich, Teaneck, N.J. In re: Scotts post yesterday about Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey going off on Ilhan Omar, her worship issued this reply: To paraphrase the great Ron Burgundy, you stay classy Ilhan. Meanwhile, pass the popcorn. Finally, if you are an NY Times reader (I do it so you dont have to), the Times Magazine ran a long feature article last Sunday about our friends at the Claremont Institute. Or should I say the embattled Claremont Institute, since thats what it seems like these days whenever they come up in the media, which is often. It was a surprisingly even-handed article. You might even say it was fair. Sample for non-Times subscribers: The Claremont Institute is not a conventional think tank comparatively small, its main outlets consist of two politics-and-ideas publications and several fellowship programs, including Publius and Lincoln, that have attracted rising stars on the right. Yet Claremonts reach is extensive: Claremont scholars have collaborated with Ron DeSantis and helped shape the views of Clarence Thomas, Tom Cotton and the conservative activist Christopher Rufo, and the institute received the National Humanities Medal from President Trump in 2019. . . Convinced by Lincolns argument that public sentiment is everything, Claremont was devoted primarily to shaping opinions. The most successful thing that the Claremont Institute has done is this educational effort, [Matt] Continetti told me. Trump did fill his administration, maybe not with Claremont personnel, but with Claremont alumni. . . . When I asked [Claremont president Ryan] Williams what Claremonts ideal future would look like, he cited the deconstruction of the administrative state. He told me recently that the June Supreme Court ruling constraining the E.P.A. is a step in the right direction, and he would like to see Congress get back into the act of legislating instead of delegating rule making to bureaucracy, a long-term and complicated process involving legislators learning rules that they havent used in 30 years. Prudence, he added, dictated that change should be incremental. Though I can anticipate your next question, which is, You guys talk like counterrevolutionaries, Williams said. One of the goals of the more polemical stuff is to wake up our fellow conservatives. Exit question: what does it say about the current state of things that the Claremont Institute gets better treatment from the New York Times than from The Bulwark? The Nigerian military says it has arrested two more assailants that carried out the attack on St Francis Xavier Church, Owo, Ondo State, on 5 June. The attack left over 40 worshippers dead while scores of others sustained different injuries. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor, on Tuesday during an interaction with some media executives disclosed that four of the attackers had been arrested. Mr Irabor, a general, who said the arrest was made possible through a combined operation with the SSS personnel, named those arrested as Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi. The defence chief said the attackers, who have links with ISWAP terrorist group, were arrested on 1 August at Eika, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State. More arrest Barely a few hours after the announcement of the arrest of four of the attackers by the CDS, two more arrests have also been made. A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Jimmy Akpor, Thursday, said the arrest was carried out at Omialafara (Omulafa), Ose LGA, Ondo State 9 August. According to the statement, those arrested were Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris. It is instructive to note that Abdulhaleem, alongside other high profile ISWAP commanders, had also previously coordinated attacks on military targets in Okene, Okene LGA, Kogi State resulting in casualties, a part of the statement noted. Mr Akpor, a major general, noted the arrests were made through a collaborative effort by military and SSS personnel. Read the full statement below: Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, during his parley with media executives and editors yesterday, Tuesday 9 August 2022, informed of the arrest of 4 terrorists among those who carried out the attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo on 5 June 2022. They were arrested through a combined operation by military and DSS personnel at Eika, Okehi LGA, Kogi State on 1 August 2022. Those arrested include Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi. Barely few hours after the disclosure by the CDS of the arrest of 4 of the Owo Catholic Church attackers, 2 additional ISWAP terrorists, who were also connected to the attack on the church were apprehended at Omialafara (Omulafa), Ose LGA, Ondo State yesterday, 9 August 2022. The arrests were made through the collaborative effort by military and DSS personnel. The suspects are Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris. It is instructive to note that Abdulhaleem, alongside other high profile ISWAP commanders, had also previously coordinated attacks on military targets in Okene, Okene LGA, Kogi State resulting in casualties. It is the avowed commitment of the leadership of the military, Nigeria Police, DSS and other security agencies to work in synergy to enthrone peace and security all over the country. This is due to the need for collaboration as an essential requirement to successfully deal with the existential asymmetric threats currently bedeviling our dear nation, Nigeria. JIMMY AKPOR Major General Director Defence Information 10 August 2022 Terrorists are consolidating their grip on communities in Kaduna with a parallel government and permanent operational base in the North-western state near Nigerias capital Abuja, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has told President Muhammadu Buhari, PREMIUM TIMES can exclusively report. Mr El-Rufai warned the president of the terrorists consolidation in a late July memo, sighted by PREMIUM TIMES. The terrorists belonging to Ansaru al-Musulmina fi Bilad al-Sudan, or Ansaru for short, are believed to have moved to Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State in 2012 when they broke away from Boko Haram. According to intelligence reports and human sources consulted in further reporting for this story, the terrorists that formed Ansaru were responsible for some of the high-profile attacks claimed by Boko Haram before the split. Such attacks included the UN building bombing of August 2011 and the kidnap of some foreigners. According to the sources, Ansaru pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, in 2020, and is responsible for many of the high-profile abductions as well as armed attacks on the police in Kaduna State. But researchers and negotiators with an understanding of the working of the terrorists told PREMIUM TIMES that a collaboration of the terror groups, including the original Boko Haram also called JAS -, ISWAP, Ansaru, and bandits, is evolving. In 2021, 1,192 people lost their lives in Kaduna State due to banditry, terrorism, communal clashes, violent attacks, and reprisals. In the first six months of 2022, 645 people lost their lives in such circumstances across the state, the government said. In Mr El-Rufais late July memo, he lay bare how the terrorists have infiltrated and dominated communities and formed a parallel governing authority, exercising control over social and economic activities and dispensation of justice in the area. He said the terrorists have advanced in their plans to make Kaduna forest areas their permanent operational base for the North-west region, citing a series of intelligence reports. Observed movement patterns and intercepted communications of migrating terrorists have shown a clear interest in setting up a base, with the stretches of forest area between Kaduna and Niger states strongly considered, he wrote. Law banning 2023 political activities As the political activities towards the 2023 general elections pick up steam, the terrorists, Mr El-Rufai told Mr Buhari, have promulgated a law to ban residents from participating. The insurgents enacted a law in the District, banning all forms of political activity or campaign ahead of the 2023 elections, especially in Madobiya and Kazage villages, the governor wrote. The Ansaru terrorists are known to have an extremist ideological posture against democracy and secular authorities. In 2021, the census enumeration exercise could only hold in two of the 11 wards that form Birnin Gwari due to the threat of armed banditry and terrorism, officials in both the Kaduna State Government and the population commission told PREMIUM TIMES. The ban on political activities, the governor said, followed a recent wedding ceremony involving the terrorists. According to actionable intelligence, members of the Jamaatu Ansarul Musulmina Fibiladis Sudan (aka Ansaru) hibernating in Kuyello district of Birnin Gwari LGA recently conducted a nuptial ceremony during which they married two yet-to-be-identified female residents of Kuyello village, Mr El-Rufai wrote. The ceremony was attended by various Ansaru members and witnessed by residents of the area. After the marital rites, insurgents in attendance reportedly conveyed the brides to the dreaded Kuduru forest, in the same District. Extracting revenues In the area of adjudicating disputes, Mr El-Rufai said the terrorists fined one Muazu Ibrahim, a resident of Kuyello community, the sum of One Million Naira for selling plots of land without the consent of the owners. In addition, with the government becoming removed from rural communities, leaving them at the mercy of violent criminals, terrorists, Mr El-Rufai suggested, are manning the ungoverned space and extracting revenues from the people. READ ALSO: Terrorists engage troops in shootout in Abuja border town Multiple reports also exist of bandits and terrorists exacting protection levies and similar taxes from farmers and communities, in return for permission to cultivate their fields, the governor said. Terrorism researchers say that revenues from taxes and levies forced on ungoverned spaces created by the failure or limited capacity of the government are a major source of financing and sustenance for terrorists. Like the Kaduna situation described by Mr El-Rufai, ISWAP terrorists based on the Lake Chad islands are also extracting huge revenues from the fishing activities and pastoralists operating in the area. Mr El-Rufai, when contacted, said he would not comment on this story because his correspondence was supposed to be confidential communication to the president. In 2016, he wrote a similar confidential letter to the president, warning that the Buhari administration was losing momentum just about a year after coming to power. More stories based on Mr El-Rufais memo will follow. Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who is incarcerated in Akwa Ibom State, has been moved from Ikot Ekpene prison to Uyo prison. A lawyer, Augustine Asuquo, who is the head of Inibehe Effiong Chambers in Uyo, said Mr Effiong was hurriedly taken on Wednesday morning in a prison van from Ikot Ekpene prison to Uyo prison. He told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Effiong was handcuffed and assaulted by prison officials who bundled him and threw him into a van as if he were a common criminal. He narrated this morning (Wednesday) to me how he was handcuffed, harassed, and assaulted while they were taking him from Ikot Ekpene prison to Uyo prison, Mr Asuquo said Wednesday afternoon. This is something nobody would want to hear. It is a terrible experience. They didnt even give him time to take his bath. The officers went there in their numbers, entered his cell. They were harassing him, even when he pleaded they should let him take his bath. And he is on medication, he needed to eat so he could take his drugs. The last time I visited him, he wasnt feeling too well. He is taking anti-malaria tabs. The lawyer was reportedly driven in a van conveying Nollywood actor, Moses Armstrong, who is standing trial for rape and supplying abortion drugs. He was handcuffed and bundled inside the van as if he were a common criminal, Mr Asuquo said. PREMIUM TIMES asked Mr Asuquo why he thinks Mr Effiong was being treated that way. This is beyond what we thought was contempt of court, he responded. The situation is now open for everybody to see. Heres a lawyer who was sent to prison for no just cause being treated as if he were a murderer. The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Ekaette Obot, about two weeks ago, committed Mr Effiong to prison for alleged contempt of court after the lawyer raised objection to the presence of armed police officers in court during proceedings in a defamation suit. Mr Effiong was meant for Uyo prison, but was taken to Ikot Ekpene because of Covid-19. He has served 16 days so far, out of the 30 days imprisonment. Mr Asuquo said prison officials in Uyo said the prison was no longer observing Covid-19 protocols. Even there, the prison officers are no longer using face masks. So, whats the Covid-19 protocol there? the lawyer said. Mr Asuquo said Mr Effiong told him he did not feel safe in Uyo prison. PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach the authorities of the Uyo prison for their comment. Several groups, including the Nigerian Bar Association, have condemned the lawyers incarceration. Thieves allegedly broke into the Katsina State government house and stole N31 million. This was the second instance of such theft at the government house, which is supposed to be the most secured building in the state. In 2020, N16m was reported stolen from the office of the Secretary of Government of the State (SGS). Two government officials at the SGS office and a security guard were arrested in connection with the theft. Recent theft PREMIUM TIMES gathered from reliable sources at the government house that the theft occurred on Sunday, 31 July. A top source, who did not want to be identified, said unknown persons broke into the office of the Financial Controller of the Government House and took the money kept in a sack. The theft occurred at night when the Financial Controller, Salisu Batsari, was at the office. I didnt see the CCTV footage but you know itll be part of what the police will request. But I heard that the footage revealed a man wearing a face mask getting into the office through a half-shut window, he said. A media aide to the governor, Al Amin Isa, confirmed the theft to journalists including the PREMIUM TIMES but refused to give details of the money taken. The matter had been reported to the police and an investigation is being conducted. Mr Isa said the state government and the police are investigating the theft and the culprits would be punished accordingly. He said when the first theft occurred, the government took measures to avert a reoccurrence but you know how cunning these people could be. Officials arrested, released Though the spokesperson of the police in the state, Gambo Isa, did not immediately respond to an SMS asking for a comment about the theft, the government source said some officials were arrested in connection with the development but were subsequently released. When on Monday the State government found out about the theft, it quickly involved the police and an investigation was launched. The FC (financial controller) and some of his staff as well some security officers that were on duty on the fateful day were invited by the police for questioning, he said. When asked why the suspects were released, he said he was not aware since he was not part of the police investigations. Nigerias Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Thursday said that the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) had no basis to reject the proposed deductions of $418 million from the Paris Club refund. Mr Malami told journalists at the State House Ministerial Briefing that the governors originally created the liability whose payment they had also indemnified, therefore all the noise making that is now being generated arising from the Governors forum is unjustified. PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported earlier in the week that President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, to suspend plans to begin the deduction of the $418 million Paris Club refund allegedly owed the consultants from the federation account. Sources privy to details of the Executive Council of the Federations deliberations told this newspaper that the president gave the directive at the FEC meeting of August 3, where the matter was extensively discussed. Governors of Nigerian states under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) had last week resisted attempts to commence the deduction plan. The governors, in a letter to the federal government, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, argued that an attempt to restart the deduction process, which is being challenged in the courts and for which the Supreme Court has made a pronouncement, would be unconstitutional. The letter, signed by the Chairman of the NGF and outgoing governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, described the new move as an attempt by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, and the Minister of Finance (HMF) to circumvent the law and the recent judgement of the Supreme Court by surreptitiously securing the approval of the FEC to effect payment of the sum of $418 million to four contractors who allegedly executed contracts in respect of the Paris Club refunds to the states and local governments. Malami Speaks On Thursday, Mr Malami argued that his office had not incurred any major judgement since he assumed office, adding that the Paris club deduction controversy precedes his appointment as minister. He said: I think you need to be informed first, as to the antecedents, prevailing circumstances and how the liability arose but one thing Im happy to state, which I want to reiterate having stated same earlier, is the fact that the Office of the Attorney General and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has not indeed incurred any major judgment debt for the period of seven years it has been on. READ ALSO: Now, coming to the antecedent background of the Paris Club. The liability or judgement debts related to Paris Club was indeed a liability created by the governors forum in their own right. How do I mean? The Governors forum comprising of all the governors sat down (and) commonly agreed on the engagement of consultant to provide certain services for them relating to the recovery of the Paris Club. So, it was the governors forum under the federal government in the first place that engaged the consultant. Speaking further, the minister said that when successes were recorded in the refund process, the governors collectively and individually presented a request to the federal government for the fund and among the components of the claim presented for the consideration of the federal government was the payment of these consultants that are now constituting the subject of contention. So the implication of that is that the governors in their own right recognized the consultant(s), recognized their claim and presented such claim to the federal government, he said. Three, when the claims were eventually processed and paid to the governors forum. They indeed on their own, without the intervention of the federal government took steps to make part payments to the consultants, acknowledging their liability over same. And then four, when eventually they made such payments at a point, they took a decision to stop the payment. The consultants instituted an action in court against the Governors Forum. And what happened in court? They submitted to consent judgment. They asked and urged the court to allow them settle out of court. The court granted them an opportunity to settle. They commit(ed) terms of settlement in writing, they signed the terms of settlement, agreeing and conceding that such payments be made to the consultant. And then five, thereafter, the federal government under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was requested to comply with the judgment and effect payment. The President passed all the requests to the Office of the Attorney General for consideration. I suggested to the President on the face value of the judgment and the undertones associated with the consultancy services. It was my opinion, the same treatment we meted to P&ID, that let us subject this claim, the consent judgment, to investigation by the agencies of the government. Mr Malami claimed that the president approved and he directed the EFCC and DSS to look into the claims and report back to his office, adding that the agencies reported and concluded that there are no problem undertone associated with it. Mr Malami said that along the line, there was a change of leadership of the governors forum, and that was the genesis of the furore over the planned deductions. And all the noise making that is now being generated arising from the Governors forum is not only unjustified, but indeed, a clear case of absence of defense, he said. Controversies President Buhari had initially approved the payment of the money to the contractors through the issuance of promissory notes, based on proposals by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Malami, and the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed. The plan was, however, fiercely resisted by the 36 state governors who approached the court for redress through their attorneys-general. The governors argued that the matter was on appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, adding that the Nigerian government should exercise restraint in its handling of the matter. Significantly, while that appeal is pending, one of the contractors, who is a beneficiary of the Promissory Notes in the sum of $USD 142,028,941.95, Riok Nigeria Limited and who had lost at the Court of Appeal, further appealed to the SC in SUIT NO: SC 337/2018 BETWEEN: RIOK NIGERIA LIMITED V INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF NIGERIA GOVERNORS FORUM &7 ORS. The Supreme Court on 3rd June 2022 also dismissed Rioks appeal as lacking in merit, the NGF said. The governors argued that the Supreme Court had, on the occasion, made clear that neither the NGF nor ALGON had the power to award contracts and charge the same directly to the Federation Account as done in the case. The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has said the charge for waste evacuation would increase by 50 per cent from 1 October. The Managing Director, LAWMA, Ibrahim Odumboni, spoke on Wednesday in Lagos during a news conference on the activities of the agency from January till date. He spoke about the recent challenges, solutions, as well as sustainability measures that had been put in place. Mr Odumboni said the rising cost of operation, the cost of overheads, majorly diesel and spare parts for the trucks that waste managers used for evacuation of wastes, had warranted the increment. He said that with these realities, a tariff review was under consideration and the upward price review of about 50 per cent would begin October 1. The LAWMA boss said that from 1 September, there would be an extensive and consultative review of the tariffs, to meet the rising cost of operations. He said though Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olus administration planned to support the Private Sector Participants (PSP) in the waste disposal system in the state with fuel subsidy, the review of waste disposal tariff had become imperative. Mr Odumboni said that poor attitude to waste management, heavy rains and particularly the recent cost of diesel posed huge challenges to the cost of operation. According to him, the PSP operators and residents associations will be allowed to fix increase in tariff for domestic waste, which LAWMA has pegged at 50 per cent maximum. PSP, CDA/CDC and LAWMA will take part in the review process, we want to appeal to tenements, the quicker we resolve this the better it will be for us in terms of the percentage increase. In some cases, it might be lesser than that because waste is dependent on your individual lifestyles. We are in the process of extensive and consultative pricing review for PSP services that we offer in household, knowing full well that we are trying to recognise the economic trend in Nigeria. We are trying to ensure that we are not introducing any change that will automatically disenfranchise people and cause the menace of waste in our immediate society, he said. On efforts to meet up with changing demands such as rising cost of diesel and the demands of clean energy, Mr Odumboni said the agency had begun processes of dual fuel system for trucks. According to him, two trucks have already been converted to dual fuel system 50 per cent diesel and 50 per cent gas for efficiency. He said that on 1 October, abatement notices would be issued to houses without waste disposal bins. Mr Odumboni said that in the nearest future, the agency intended to operate a two-bin system, whereas one bin would be for recyclables and the other for organic waste. In his remarks, the Chairman, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), David Oriyomi, assured residents that with the support of the state government, efforts would be harmonised to address the prevailing challenges. Mr Oriyomi said that the prevailing challenges were those relating to exchange rate and rising diesel price, which had informed high cost of operation. (NAN) Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Wednesday said the state government is constructing a new 1.2 kilometre drainage diversion at Ilubirin area of the state. Mr Sanwo-Olu made this known while addressing journalists after the inspection of some projects on the Island, which included Tapa/Oke-popo Adeniji-Adele Road construction, the new Massey Children Hospital, renovation of General Hospital, Odan and laying of three high capacity pumps at Ilubirin drainage site. He said with the 1.2 kilometre drainage diversion, the issue of flooding at the Lagos Island would soon be permanently resolved. The governor who was accompanied by some executive members on a four-hour inspection around the facilities, said that with the level of works done so far, the contractors were working as scheduled. We are constructing a new one kilometre or 1.2 kilometre diversion in front of the Ilubirin Housing Estate that will take a big body of water onto the Lagos lagoon and we are expecting three high capacity pumps that I am told will be arriving next month. So the bed for the drainage is what we saw and the construction is ongoing, to be able to receive the main pumps when they do arrive. What that means is that issues around flooding and drainage issues can be completely resolved in Lagos Island, he said. At the General Hospital, Odan, which is the oldest in the state, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the renovations were being done in phases, adding that when completed the hospital would allow more patients. He also said the other general hospitals would henceforth be infused with doctors quarters, as the one available at the General Hospital, Odan. Just to also mention that for the new hospitals we are building, we are trying to also infuse them with doctors quarters. We are building one in General Hospital, Gbagada, we are also building another one in General Hospital, Isolo, to be able to accommodate, give residence to doctors and some of our other health practitioners. So we are building brand new hospital in Ojo that will also have doctors quarters , the governor said. He said that in the last three years, the government had been creative in carrying out extensive renovations in phases in the general hospital, Idan. Mr Sanwo-Olu said the first phase of renovation was the the Accident & Emergency ward, the Surgical & Emergency, the training room, including the one that a Foundation built for the hospital, which would be for medical tourism. The second phase is the pharmacy, the catering and some other parts. I think what we are seeing now is the third phase, which has a high clinic, the admin building, the ambulance bay, the patients waiting area and some of the wards, childrens ward, surgical male and female. We are going to another phase which will be the fourth phase, even in this last phase, the pathology department is there, and so there are still going to be a few demolitions that will happen in here, to be able to receive additional patients, he said. According to him, the assessment of the reconstruction of Tapa/Oke-popo and Adeniji-Adele Road in Lagos Island shows about 60 to 65 per cent work done, as the contractor has assured completion by end of 2022. On the construction of the New Messey Children Hospital, he said the building of the nine-storey car park had started, and was on the third floor. However, the main hospital construction for the Massey Children Hospital, all the 547 piling caps have been completed and the contractor has moved to site, and they have assured us that they will work even doubly hard to keep up with the terms of the projects, Mr Sanwo-Olu said. (NAN) The Federal Government has called on interested investors in the private sector to invest about $400 million required to complete the Millennium Tower and Cultural Centre in Abuja. The tower is a multifunctional edifice with facilities for cultural exposition, tourism, socialisation, recreation, hospitality and commercial activities. Conceived in 2005, the project which has reached 40 per cent completion, is expected to upon completion, self-finance itself through the revenues generated from the running of all the commercial activities in the complex. The Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, inspected the project located in the heart of Abuja on Thursday. Speaking after a tour of the complex and the tower the tallest artificial structure in Abuja Mr Mohammed said they were there to showcase the project for private sector collaboration and investment. He said all that was needed to complete the project was $400 million and it would be sourced from the private sector. This is the only part of the world where every infrastructure is built by government. In other parts of the world where you have this kind of project, it is done in collaboration with the government and the private sector. As a matter of fact, government is just to be an enabler My appeal, therefore, is to the private sector , particularly lovers of arts and recreation to join hands with the Federal Government to complete the project. All the facilities have to do with contents, cultural centre, five star hotel, museums, arcades and others, it will generate a lot of revenue for whoever has the courage to partner with us, he said. The minister, who commended the vision of the past leaders who initiated the project, said when completed, it would rival the most audacious national monuments across the globe. For its part, the FCT minister whose office is supervising the project said there were no sufficient resources from budgetary allocation to complete it. He said over the past years, the FCT Administration identified a number of capital projects within the city and has spent a lot of resources to complete them in phases. We started by tackling the road networks, the rail system and now water. As you can see, this is a massive project that will require a lot of funding. We are here to see how we can identify other sources of funding apart from budgetary allocation or Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), he said. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the scope of the project comprises cultural centre with four museums, expansive arcade consisting of 40,000m2 platform for hosting national and other events and a five-star hotel with 55 luxury rooms and nine suites for about 130 persons. Others are, offices, passive and active recreational facilities, 1200 capacity auditorium, conference rooms, exhibitions halls, shops, a sport centre with an indoor pool, gyms, fitness, squash courts and a two-level 1,200 capacity basement car parks. The millennium tower itself is a 170 meter tall structure accommodating a revolving panoramic restaurant for more than 130 diners. (NAN) Human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has said that all public office holders with health challenges should be treated in government-owned hospitals. Mr Falana made the call at the first anniversary of the late Mohammed Fawehinmi Lecture and Book Presentation in Lagos on Thursday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Mohammed Fawehinmi, eldest son of the legal icon and human rights activist, Gani Fawehinmi, died on 11th August 2021, at age 52. He advocated a law barring all public office holders from travelling out of the country on health grounds. Enough of health tourism. Anybody who holds public office must be treated in Nigeria for any health challenge. Public office holders must die here, he said. READ ALSO: Mr Falana commended Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for undergoing knee surgery in one of the hospitals in the country and called on the government to pay more attention to developing the health sector. Speaking on the theme: Nigerian Masses And The Election, Mr Falana said the business of the 2023 general election should not be taken as a joke. He advised the people to challenge their various candidates on salient issues, noting that the 2023 general election was beyond religion and ethnicity. The business of next year is not a joke. The people must challenge their parties to address the various issues the country is facing. Questions should be asked on health issues, Academic Staff Union of University strike, insecurity, economy and their position on all these issues and how they plan to end them for good. I dont care which party you belong to; what is important is that people should ask questions and reject the high living conditions in the country, he said The human rights activist also urged the Federal Government to address the issue of the exchange rate which had become worrisome. He described the late Mohammed Fawehinmi as a defender of the masses, who despite his physical challenge, contributed his quota to the development of the country. Mohammed lived a life worthy of commendation and impacted so many lives positively. He kept the flag flying doing justice just like his father, a great Nigerian and a passionate human rights activist, Mr Falana said. (NAN) The Federal Government on Thursday put the economic cost of post-harvest losses at N3.5 trillion annually in the Agricultural sector. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, made this known at the presentation of the International Standard Organisation (ISO) Certification for Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute in Abuja. Mr Shehuri, who was represented by Shehu Bello, the Director, Lands and Climate Change Management Services in the ministry, said that post harvest losses had a negative effect on Agricultural component Domestic Product (GDP). Post-harvest losses is a worrisome situation that threatens the Food Security. In fruits and vegetables, it could be as high as 50 60 per cent if poorly managed, unfortunately not much attention is paid to address this problem as much as it is done for production. The economic cost of post-harvest losses as reported by our partner, Action Aid indicated that N3.5 trillion is lost annually due to Post harvest losses. This has a negative effect on Agricultural component Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) is set to address the challenge through acquisition of enabling infrastructure, tools, equipment and commitment of the Research staff. Mr Shehuri said the Laboratory of NSPRI accredited was a testimony to hard work and the determination of the Institute to be among the best Research Institutes in the Sub-Saharan Africa. ISO/IEC 17025 that is being receive today will be useful for various testing procedures, sampling, and calibration to instIll confidence in the Research output. It is a rare feat that is achieved through the commitment of all staff under the leadership of the current Executive Director, of NSPRI, Dr Patricia Pessu. This ISO 1705 accreditation is a proof that the Ministry now has a Laboratory that is acceptable for quality management system in place with the ability and competence to provide testing and calibration results. Let me also remind you that this accreditation is not life and could be withdrawn for any stretch of sub-standard practice, hence the Institute must sustain, maintain, and improve on the service delivery. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture will continue to support and ensure that this Institute and indeed other Research Institutes are regularly funded to execute their mandates. He appreciated the Nigeria Standards Organisation (NSO) and International Standards Organisation (ISO), for deeming it fit to accredit the laboratory. Earlier, Patricia Pessu, the Executive Director, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), while presenting the ISO Certificate to the minister, said the approval of the certificate would boost food export from Nigeria to other parts of the world. With improved funding over the last four years, the institute embarked on the rehabilitation of laboratories and started the International Standard Organization (ISO) accreditation process about three years ago. The process involved upgrade of laboratory facilities, procurement of equipment standard grade chemicals, training of personnel in the various scopes and assessment by the Nigerian National Accreditation System (NiNAS). Today we are here to share the joy of the accreditation of our laboratory at the headquarters, Ilorin as an ISO certified laboratory (ISO 17025:2017). This is a great feat for NSPRI because we can now boast of a laboratory where analysis can be done with quality assurance (credible, reproducible, robust, and globally accepted results). The immediate gain of this certification is that NSPRI can now be reckoned with as an institution contributing to food quality and safety in Nigeria, she said.(NAN) The Akwa Ibom State Government on Wednesday charged Nollywood actor, Moses Armstrong with rape, intimidation, conspiracy and supplying of drugs or instruments to procure abortion. The four charges were read to Mr Armstrong in a State High Court in Uyo for the first time since he was first arrested on June 13, defense counsel, Emmanuel Pantaleon, told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday. Mr Armstrong, a former aide to Governor Udom Emmanuel, reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges. Mr Pantaleon drew the courts attention to his bail application filed on behalf of his client July 25 and sought the leave of the court to proceed to entertain it. The prosecution, I.U. Robert, an assistant state counsel, while opposing bail application, cited relevant judicial authorities and urged the court to dismiss the application which he described as an abuse of court process. The Judge, Ntong Ntong, after hearing submissions from both counsels upheld the defense counsel application and granted bail to Mr Armstrong in the sum of N5 million. A Magistrate Court Judge, Moreen Udoka had last month struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction after she was briefed by the prosecution that the case has been entered at a High Court in the state. Mr Armstrong is being prosecuted for allegedly raping a minor a teenage girl he adopted and has been living with his (Mr Armstrongs) family. The movie actor was first arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Uyo on June 17 but the case was struck out after the Magistrate, Samuel Ukoima, ruled that the matter was not properly filed. The Magistrate had advised the prosecution to rearrest the suspect, take him to cell and re-arraigned him properly. Mr Armstrong was suspended by the Actors Guild of Nigeria following the rape allegation. The Akwa Ibom State-born actor, who started his career 23 years ago, lost his wife, Rita, in 2018. The mother-of-two was returning to her husbands residence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State from Lagos when the bus she was traveling in had an accident at the Ugbogui axis of Benin Ore Lagos Expressway. Rita, a Nollywood actress, died from spinal injuries sustained during the accident. Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have neutralised no fewer than 29 Boko Haram/Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, arrested 55 and rescued 52 kidnapped victims in two weeks. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Bernard Onyeuko, a major general, made this known at a bi-weekly news briefing of the Defence Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja. Mr Onyeuko said the troops had continued to dominate the North-east theatre of operation across villages, mountains, towns and cities. He said that a total of 1,755 Boko Haram terrorists and their families comprising 280 adult males, 523 adult females and 952 children surrendered to troops during the period. According to him, all surrendered terrorists and their families were profiled and handed over to the relevant authorities Mr Onyeuko said the troops also ambushed terrorists on Uzoro-Gadamayo Road in Adamawa, killing one, while others fled and equipment recovered. He said the troops in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) on 6 August also arrested three terrorists logistics suppliers-Hussain Dungus, Ali Bulama Jidda and Malam Ali Abuna in Buni Yadi, Yobe. Similarly, the air component conducted air interdiction on Aug. 3 at Degbawa, near the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno. The airstrike led to the neutralisation of a key ISWAP Commander, Alhaji Modu (aka Bem Bem) and his fighters. Information gathered from the locals, revealed that 20 terrorists were confirmed dead in the strike at the location where the terrorists converged for a meeting before the strike. Accordingly, within the weeks in focus troops neutralised 29 terrorists, arrested 55 and rescued 52 civilians. Also, troops recovered 128 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 5 bicycles, 12 AK47 rifles, 4 motorcycles and five mobile phones, he said. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja said the deployment of digital technology in the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will ensure effectiveness and more accuracy in the figures, while noting that Nigeria could rank third largest in the world by 2050, after China and India. Speaking at the national stakeholders summit on the 2023 Population and Housing Census held at the State House, President Buhari said a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census will help the government in planning purposes for development, especially in bolstering the social security programme that targets more vulnerable Nigerians. The countrys inability to conduct a population census in the last 16 years has created an information vacuum as the data from the last census conducted in 2006 has been rendered out of date for planning purposes. It has therefore become imperative for the nation to conduct another national census to produce a new set of demographic and socio-economic data that will provide the basis for national planning and sustainable development. Population is a critical factor in a nations efforts toward achieving sustainable development. People are both the agents and beneficiaries of the development process. Knowledge of the national population in terms of size, distribution and socio-economic characteristics is required for planning purposes. This, therefore, makes the conduct of census an essential governance activity. With a projected population of 216,783,381, Nigeria is the sixth most populous country in the world and the most populous country on the African continent. Due to the rapidly growing nature of the population and large proportion of the youthful population, Nigeria is also projected to be the third most populous country in the World by the year 2050 after India and China, he said. Despite Nigerias high-ranking position on the global demographic map, the President said its population censuses had been conducted irregularly and at intervals, longer than the United Nations recommended 10 years. This irregular and long interval of census taking in Nigeria, has denied the nation the huge benefits of comprehensive baseline data for evidence-based decision-making. Since our assumption of office in 2015, our administration has introduced several poverty-reduction and youth empowerment programmes, which are making concrete improvements in the living standards of our people. There is a need to ensure that further implementation of these programmes will be driven by the 2023 Census data that will improve the implementation of programmes targeting vulnerable populations and ensure as widespread coverage as possible. The nation requires a new data set to drive the implementation of the recently launched revised National Policy on Population for Sustainable Development and other government policies. The 2023 Census data is also needed to tackle the security challenges bedevilling the country as it will give an overview of the population, where we are and who we are, he added. President Buhari called for the support of stakeholders, which include State Governments, Local Government Councils, Traditional and Religious Institutions, Civil Society Organizations, Private Sectors, media, Development Partners, Donor Agencies and the general populace for the successful conduct of the 2023 Census. Ordinarily, conducting a population census is a routine national event that is the ultimate responsibility of every national government. Census taking cannot be left to the National Population Commission alone, he said. President Buhari noted that the government would appreciate all support from donors, development partners and the international community in order to ensure that the commission conducts a census that would be transparent, credible and meet national and international standards. Our administration is convinced that the National Population Commission has the commitment and capacity to deliver to the nation a reliable, credible, acceptable and successful census. We are also satisfied with the deployment of technology by the Commission to ensure the conduct of the first fully digital census in Nigeria as the census methodology will enhance the data quality, inspire the confidence of the Nigerian people and acceptability of the census results. President Buhari said the summit will further strengthen collaboration and solicit the cooperation and support of key stakeholders for the successful conduct of the 2023 Census while appreciating the National Population Commission for organizing the summit and wishing all Nigerians peaceful and successful conduct of the census. The just concluded Trial Census, in which my household was enumerated in my hometown, Daura, Katsina State has renewed our hope and confidence in the capacity of the Commission to deliver the 2023 Census. The outcome of the preparatory activities for the main census is reassuring that the Commission is progressing in the right direction, the president noted. He added that knowing Nigerias population and using the data to plan for the people and future generations remains a collective duty owed to the nation. We must all resolve that this duty is satisfactorily carried out in the firm belief that what has joined us together as a nation and our common destiny are far stronger than the negative forces that tend to drive us apart, he submitted. In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President, Habiba Lawal, said the country had a population growth rate of 2.3 per cent, and would likely be the third most populated country in the world by 2050. She said the 2023 Census would be the first fully digital population and housing documentation and the outcome would be useful for planning and budgetary allocations. The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, represented by Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, praised the President for taking the bold step, adding that the figures would help in national and sub-national planning, particularly for education and health care. Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, said President Buhari had once again proven that he would leave a formidable legacy for the nation. This administration has proven that things can work in this country. We have seen it in the elections, that polls can be held without rigging. And we are happy to see NPC and INEC working together for a better Nigeria. We might not see the impact of some of the decisions taken, but certainly in the future we will see it, at least for the first time our homes will now be coded, he said. Chairman of the NPC, Nasir Kwarra, thanked the President for the approval for the 2023 Census in April, after the general elections, assuring that the commission will work hard to make it credible and acceptable. Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) A suspected lesbian has stabbed her partners husband to death in Onitsha, a community in the Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The incident happened at about 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday. The victim, Ikechukwu Onuma, a staffer of the College of Health, Onitsha, was said to have caught his wife in bed with her lesbian partner when he returned home unannounced. The wife, identified simply as Nkemdili, is said to be on the run. Sources said the victim did not know that his wife was a lesbian and had been keeping a female sex partner until he caught them. The suspect, Ebele Onochie, allegedly stabbed the victim with a kitchen knife during a heated altercation. But he did not die immediately. When contacted, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident. He said the police have arrested the suspect. The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Echeng Echeng, has ordered the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department. Preliminary information showed that the suspect stabbed the victim in the chest. He was rushed to the hospital before he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty, Mr Ikenga said. He said the police have begun an investigation into the incident. Prohibited in Nigeria Nigeria in 2014 enacted a law against gay relationships and same-sex marriage. The law also criminalises meeting of homosexuals or operating or attending a gay club, society or organisation. Offenders face a maximum of 14-year jail term. But in northern states of Nigeria, where Sharia laws are enforced, persons convicted of homosexual offences are to be stoned to death. A Sharia court in Bauchi State, North-east Nigeria, in July, sentenced three men to death by stoning, for engaging in homosexuality. Troops of Nigerian Armed Forces operating in North-west and North-central theatres of operations have eliminated over 45 terrorists/bandits in both land and air operations in the last two weeks. The Director, Defence Media Operations, Bernard Onyeuko, a major general, made this known at a bi-weekly news briefing of the Defence Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja. In North-central, Mr Onyeuko said the air component of Operation Whirl Punch carried out air strikes on terrorists loyal to a notorious terrorist, Alhaji Shanono, at Ukambo village in Kaduna State. He said the air strike was carried out during the terrorists meeting on 8 August based on credible intelligence. He said the airstrike led to the killing of Shanono with 18 other terrorists, adding that 30 AK47 rifles and 20 motorcycles were destroyed in the attack. Mr Onyeuko said that as a result of the operations, 45 kidnapped civilians were released. He further said that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke arrested some notorious criminals who had been on the wanted list of the theatre command. He said Nathaniel Azege, who had been terrorising Makurdi town, was apprehended as well as Moses Aindigh (27) and Mr Iluyasu Mohammed (37) during the period. In North-west, Mr Onyeuko said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji on 25 July, arrested five suspected foreign bandits named, Muritala Wada, Saminu Sani, Shamisu Adamu, Salisu Saadu and Usman Ibrahim at Jibia in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State. He said the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji had on 6 August, carried out successful strikes on a key terrorists enclave and hideout located at Rudu forest in Katsina State. According to him, the air interdiction led to the neutralisation of a high-profiled terrorist leader who has been on the wanted list of the military named Alhaji Abdulkareem Lawal (a.k.a Abdulkareem Boss) and his foot soldiers. Credible intelligence report revealed that he was responsible for several terrorists attacks, animal rustling and kidnapping and was also known to regularly invite a terrorist group from other areas and regions to join in the attack on his targets. Report gathered from the locals revealed that the terrorist leaders were neutralised alongside 27-foot soldiers, he said. Mr Onyeuko further revealed that troops had between 31 July and 2 August, arrested one Malam Yahaya a notorious bandit informant who had been on the tracking list of the State Security Services for collaborating with bandits on the numerous attacks in Sabon Brini general area of Sokoto State. According to him, the troops also recovered 161 cattle, eight camels, and a large consignment of clothing from terrorists after an encounter in Zango in Shinkafi Local Government Area. (NAN) Another group of activists on Thursday held a protest in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, demanding the release of the rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, from prison. Leaders of the group, a coalition of civil society organisations, came in from the neighbouring Cross River and Rivers States to take part in the protest, which is the second in less than a week. Some other groups comprising the Citizen Liberation Movement, the National Association of University Students, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, and the youth representatives from Itu Local Government Area, held a #FreeInibeheEffiong protest march in Uyo last week. Mr Effiong, was committed to prison over two weeks ago by the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Ekaette Obot, for alleged contempt of court. Mr Effiong served the first two weeks of his one month jail term at the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre before he was relocated to Uyo Custodial Centre on Wednesday. The protesters, who carried a banner with an inscription, Justice for Inibehe, marched along Wellington Bassey Way towards the state judiciary headquarters but were prevented from entering the complex by the police. The judiciary headquarters is a few metres away from the Government House, Uyo. Police officers from the Government House barricaded the judiciary headquarters and denied the protesters entrance to the facility which also houses the office of the chief judge. The group later held a press briefing at a nearby location where they called on Justice Obot to release Mr Effiong before the High Court embarked on a monthly break on Friday. Enefaa Georgewill, the spokesperson of the group, said from their investigation of the incident, Mr Effiongs committal to prison was premeditated. He urged Mrs Obot to reverse the unlawful incarceration of Mr Effiong which he described as a ploy to intimidate lawyers. This is not only a fight for Inibehe, (and) civil society; this is a fight for democracy and our dear country. We are saying that injury to one is an injury to all, Mr Georgewill said. The group urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to go beyond talking and take action by petitioning Justice Obot to the National Judicial Council Mr Effiongs incarceration on the order of Mrs Obot has attracted condemnations across Nigeria. Several groups, including the NBA, said Mr Effiong was not given a fair hearing by Mrs Obot. Mrs Obot had on 27 July sent Mr Effiong to prison while the lawyer was appearing before her to defend his client in a defamation case. His client, Leo Ekpenyong, is the defendant in the suit filed by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel. The Indian police have arrested and detained two Nigerians over their alleged involvement in supplying large amounts of marijuana and methamphetamine in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). According to a report published by the India Today newspaper on Thursday, the duo identified as Herry, alias Ifeanyi, 26, and, Obiora, 50, were arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch at Vasant Kunj. The suspects were accused of delivering about 355 grams of methaqualone and 5 kg of ganja to an unknown dealer, the report says. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Raj Kumar, according to the report, had received confidential information that the two accused Nigerian drug suppliers would supply cocaine to an unknown person between 10 and 11 p.m. The police boss said the seized drugs found on the accused are worth millions in the international market. The police also disclosed that they discovered that the two Nigerians entered India from Nigeria on three-month visas and continued residing in the country illegally after their visas expired. Officials stopped both the accused when they arrived to make the sale. When stopped by the team, the foreigners panicked and escaped into the lanes. Thereafter, both of them were apprehended. Upon checking them, a white narcotic substance was found inside a polythene bag. When tested with the field kit, the substance was found to be methaqualone. A total of 355 grams of methaqualone and 5 kg of ganja were recovered from them. It was found that both the accused came to India from Nigeria on a three-month visa. After the visa expired, they continued to live illegally in the country. According to the report, the duo have been arraigned before the Tis Hazari court on Thursday and have also been remanded to five days in police custody for further investigation. A former Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Mohammed Babandede, has said there is nothing wrong with Nigeria making donations to other African countries. Such gestures, he said, are important especially because it is part of ECOWAS protocol for countries in the subregion to assist one another. He made the comments during a PREMIUM TIMES Twitter Space conversation on Wednesday. He was commenting on a recent report that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the purchase and donation of vehicles, worth N1.4 billion, to neighbouring Niger Republic. Last week, the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, confirmed the report to journalists. She said the donation was to help Niger Republic address its security concerns and that such donations by Nigeria to its neighbours were common. She also said it is the presidents prerogative to take such decisions after a careful assessment of the situation. The news triggered outrage among many Nigerians who called out the federal government for playing the big brother role to African countries amid dwindling revenue and with university lecturers on strike for months. Mr Babandede, who agreed with the ministers explanation, said Niger Republic is part of the free movement zone of Nigeria and so, any strategy to enhance security in that neighbouring country is important for Nigeria. The former NIS boss said the noise surrounding the revelation is unnecessary because Nigerias border starts where Niger Republics ends and is also part of the Multinational Joint Task Force. When asked what is in it for Nigeria, he said the country stands to gain a lot but that the country has to be more strategic in her donations. We have helped Namibia and others but we did not follow up the strategic investment and for that, Nigerians can complain about lack of capacity. On his part, Seun Kolade, a professor, queried the federal government for failing to clarify the purpose of the donations other than just stating security as the reason for the giving. He said it is necessary for the president and the government to state what kind(s) of security interventions he wanted to make and why cars had to be purchased. This, he said, will create room for transparency and trust between the government and the people. There is also the failure of political communication. It would have been great if the government came up and explained or stated its intentions rather than keep mute, he said. Part of these government interventions is that it has also raised questions about priorities and ethnic sentiments. It will be nice to see a breakdown of the governments commitment to all these countries. While Umar Yakubu, the executive director of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch, noted that every serious country must have security, defence, and foreign and political policies. He also urged Nigerians to discard the argument that the country is giving out aid to other countries amid economic problems because the president has the power to do so and that doing so is beneficial to Nigeria. Guards Brigade Nigerian Army buries Capt. Samuel Attah and 4 others killed during Bwari attack in Abuja on Thursday (11/8/22) The remains of late Samuel Attah, a captain, and four other soldiers who died during a clearance operation in Bwari in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were laid to rest in Abuja on Thursday. The Assistant Director Army Public Relations, Guards Brigade, Godfrey Abakpa, a captain, said in a statement that the burial took place at the Guards Brigade cemetery in Abuja. Mr Abakpa said the late officer and soldiers were serving with 7 Guards Battalion, Lungi Barracks Maitama and 176 Guards Battalion Gwagwalada in FCT. He said the funeral oration was read by the Commanding Officer of 7 Guards Battalion, Salim Hassan, a lieutenant colonel, and Commanding Officer 176 Guards Battalion, Joshua Adisa, also a lieutenant colonel. According to him, they described the late captain and soldiers as thoroughbred Infantrymen who were genuinely committed to their duties in the defence of Nigeria. READ ALSO: The commanding officers said the army would greatly miss the contributions and services of the deceased. They asked God to console the families left behind and urged them to take solace in the fact that they have fought a just fight and their souls shall continue to rest with the Lord till the resurrection morning. Highpoint of the event was the presentation of accoutrements by the representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen James Ataguba, to the next of kins of the deceased personnel and lowering of the remains of the fallen heroes. There was also the blowing of the last post and gun salute to bid the departed heroes farewell, he added. The burial process started with a Christian wake keep and funeral service held in honour of the fallen heroes at St Johns Military Church (Protestant) before the final Internment at the Guards Brigade Cemetery. The solemn ceremony was witnessed by senior officers of the Nigerian Army, Commanding Officers, Staff Officers of the Brigade, Bwari Area Council Chairman, John Gabaya, as well as family members and the barracks community. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that two officers and four soldiers paid the supreme price during a clearance operation at Bwari on 24 July. One of the officers, Ibrahim Suleiman, a lieutenant, has since been buried according to Islamic rite. (NAN) Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said his appointment as the Director General of All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council is not against his Christian faith despite being a Muslim/Muslim ticket. He said the Pope, who is the head of the Roman Catholic Church to which he belongs, has not faulted his decision to accept the job of ensuring the victory of Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, in the 2023 election. Mr Lalong stated this during an interview with the State House correspondents on Wednesday after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. His appointment as the the DG of the APC Presidential Campaign Council last week had generated some controversy with many believing that it was made to assuage the feelings of northern Christians. Both Messrs Tinubu and Shettima are Muslims. The decision of the ruling party to field a Muslim/Muslim ticket has generated uproar in some quarters in the country, most notably the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Northern APC Christian Leader led by Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Mr Lalong said he had the support of the Plateau State Chapter of CAN. He added that as a Catholic, he has one of the highest awards from the Pope; the Knight of Saint Gregory the Great. Everything we do, we send the advice to the Pope. The Pope has not told me that what I am doing is bad to accept Director General. As a Catholic, we take that direction. As a Governor of a state, I am not responsible for only my faith. As a governor, I am responsible for those who are not even Muslim or Christian. So that is what I do. When it comes to politics, it is a matter of interest. It is a matter of choice. In every political party, there is opportunity for you to vote for a Muslim or Christian, he said. Mr Lalong added that the Pope had not told him that accepting to lead the Muslim-Muslim APC presidential ticket was against the tenets of Christianity. The governor stressed that he would not reject the position just to satisfy the wishes of certain individuals or groups. So, if you see people talking about me rejecting the position, I have accepted it already is not an issue. Some of them have already keyed into it. Im a Christian. If you watch my TVC interview I said, I was born a Catholic, baptized a catholic, confirmed a Catholic, he said. The statement by Mr Lalong has generated blowback from some quarters. Reacting swiftly, some aggrieved members of the Catholic Church, at a press conference in Abuja, asked Mr Lalong to tender an unreserved apology for dragging the Pope into local politics. President of the Concerned Catholics in Nigeria, Ben Amodu, said the governor caused the head of the Catholic Church global embarrassment with his unguarded remarks. But in a statement on Thursday by Makut Macham, his media aide, Mr Lalong said his comment was not meant to ridicule Christians. My reference to the Holy Father the Pope was to emphasise that as a Christian born and raised in the Catholic faith, accepting the assignment given to me by my party the APC of which I am a founding member does not in any way remove my faith in Jesus Christ or my commitment to the Church in Nigeria and universally. Those who know me can attest to my respect for the Church, Christianity and Spiritual Fathers of all denominations. They know my modest contribution to the growth of the Church in Plateau State, Northern Nigerian and Nigeria at large and can testify to it, the statement said. A human resource and business consulting firm has launched a recruitment application, 56 Bridge, to ease recruitment processes and assist organisations to hire top talents from any part of the world. The firm, BridgeGap Consults Limited, explained that the innovation is in line with its vision of streamlining human resource functions and processes in the workplace, adding that it will revolutionise job applications, improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks in the recruitment process for organisations. Launched during the week in Lagos, the application will enable job seekers to apply for jobs, write tests and attend interviews from the comfort of their homes. Speaking during the launch ceremony, Director of Operations for BridgeGap Consults Limited, Mosunmola Obembe, said: The application is an end-to-end recruitment platform that is cost and time effective, where candidates shortlisting and interview processes is redefined for a better talent addition to organisations. With 56 Bridge, employers of labour can easily shortlist candidates, schedule interviews, review and rate candidates interview responses as well as conduct employment tests while generating a comprehensive recruitment report. On the other hand, candidates can also create profiles, download resumes and take interviews. More features The Director, Marketing and Business Development at BridgeGap, Chiedozie Egbe, also highlighted the unique features of the 56 Bridge to organisations and job seekers. He noted that the features include job postings that allow organisations to post jobs for potential applicants; employment tests where recruiters set tests for job seekers and Video Interviews, where interview questions are set and candidates can take such interviews from any location. READ ALSO: Other features of the application include candidate ratings, which allow scoring of candidates on the go; a video library, analytics reports and SMS/email interview invites. Mr Egbe also explained that applicants using the application also stand to enjoy a number of benefits including profile and automatic curriculum vitae creation, job applications, video interviews and recording of such interviews and interview notifications. He added that the application, which will be available to users from 5 September to be downloaded on Apple Store and Android Play store, allows applicants to save jobs which they are interested in and apply later. About BridgeGap Consults BridgeGap Consults Limited has been providing multidisciplinary professional services to both local and international organisations since 2008. The firm has worked with clients in various industries and of various sizes, finding solutions thus adding value to the business world. Driven by the culture of excellence and strict adherence to global best practices, BridgeGap has combined its vision with the delivery of services that exceed customers expectations. The company believes that people are the best asset of any company, regardless of the business size, industry and market share. The Osun government has advised tourists, devotees and visitors to the grand finale of the annual Osun Osogbo Festival on Friday not to drink water from the Osun River because of contamination. The Commissioner for Health, Rafiu Isamotu, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Osogbo. He said the government embarked on the sensitisation to discourage people from drinking the water during the festival as it had been contaminated by the activities of artisanal miners and not good for human consumption. There are radio jingles on the health hazard of drinking water from the Osun River due to contamination. However, this is a cultural thing and no matter how hard you try, some people will not oblige, but we will continue to sensitise them. There may not be a quick fix to this pollution, but as a government, we will continue to do the needful. Government has taken cognizance of this pollution and working really hard to prevent the activities of artisanal miners. READ ALSO: It is a menace; it very difficult, but we cannot fold our arms, he stressed. Mr Isamotu said public health officials would be at the grove during the festival to further sensitise people on the dangers of drinking the water. The Osun Osogbo Festival is an annual event usually celebrated in August at the Osun sacred grove, in the worship of the goddess of fertility. The festival is usually attended by tourists from all over the world, as well as Osun devotees. During the festival, tourists, visitors, and devotees drink from the Osun River for its perceived divination, while some take the water home to bathe with. According to the Curator and Site Manager of Osun Osogbo Grove, Adekunle Fatai, no fewer than 60,000 devotees and tourists are expected at the grand finale on Friday. The river is said to have been heavily contaminated with mercury, lead, cyanide, and other injurious elements that are poisonous to human health. A Geographical Information Analysis and Laboratory Tests carried out by a Non-governmental Organisation, Urban Alert also affirmed the presence of heavy elements in the water. (NAN) A World Bank-assisted project Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), says it will rehabilitate 614 public secondary schools at N1.8 billion in Kano State. The Deputy Project Coordinator, Nasiru Abdullahi, made the disclosure when he led other staff on a courtesy visit to the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado-Bayero, on Thursday in Bichi. He said that the funds had already been credited into the bank accounts of the Schools-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) of the benefiting schools. Mr Abdullahi stateed that the SBMCs members were trained on the importance of prioritising their schools needs for the attainment of the desired objective. The SBMC committee has community and religious leaders, representation from self-help organisation, and students, among others. The Principal is the secretary of the committee who knows the problems of the school better, he said. According to Abdullahi, each school received an amount of money based on the nature of project it wanted to undertake. Close to N1.8 billion has been granted to the schools, which is half of what the schools will get, in order to ensure effective utilisation of the funds. Any school that finished its project will get the balance for the remaining project. The money is in the account of each of the benefiting schools. A school will come to AGILE to get clearance, which it will take to bank and withdraw the money, he said. Mr Abdullahi also said that other components of the project include schools construction where a number of secondary schools would be constructed in the state. The deputy coordinator added that the project is targeting about 38,000 girls from poor families at initial stage for Conditional Cash Transfer and they would be trained on digital skills. Other components, he said, include awareness campaign and advocacy and life skills. He said that the girls would be trained on skills that would assist them to become self reliant in their matrimonial homes. READ ALSO: He, therefore, solicited for the support of the traditional ruler on the project. In his remarks, Mr Ado-Bayero pledged his support as well as urged education stakeholders to intensify efforts in improving the capacity of teachers. We are not saying construction is not good, but the teachers who will impart the knowledge to the students need to be improved. More teachers should also be recruited, and trained regularly to acquaint them with modern teaching techniques, he advised. The emir also urged people to desist from withdrawing girls from schools for marriage, appealing that the girls should not stop education at secondary schools level. (NAN) Rise in R&D activities for advancements in hip replacement surgeries and increase in product launches & product approvals drive the growth of the global hip replacement market. PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Hip Replacement Market by Procedure (Total Hip Replacement, Partial Hip Replacement, Revision Hip Replacement, Hip Resurfacing), by Material (Metal-on-Metal, Metal-on-Polyethylene, Ceramic-on-Polyethylene, Ceramic-on-Metal, Ceramic-on-Ceramic), by End User (Hospitals, Orthopedic Clinics, Ambulatory Surgery Centers): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031." According to the report, the global hip replacement industry was estimated at $5.9 billion in 2021, and is anticipated to hit $8.6 billion by 2031, registering a CAGR of 4.0% from 2022 to 2031. The report offers an explicit analysis of the changing market trends, top segments, key investment pockets, value chain, competitive scenario, and regional landscape. The market study is exclusively meant to help the readers with a complete valuation of industry analysis and trends. Most importantly, the study offers qualitative data about how the market is developing and moving forward. Download Sample Report- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/17472 Determinants of growth- Rise in R&D activities for advancements in hip replacement surgeries and increase in product launches & product approvals drive the growth of the global hip replacement market. Moreover, integration of advanced navigation system and robotics with surgical operations has supplemented the growth even more. Simultaneously, surge in number of surgical procedures and spike in access to health care facilities have created lucrative opportunities in the industry. Covid-19 scenario- The outbreak of the pandemic made the entire healthcare industry focus on only life-saving and Covid-19-related procedures during the period, which impacted the global hip replacement market negatively. Most of the elective surgical procedures were either postponed or canceled, which had an adverse impact on the market. Nevertheless, the healthcare sector has now been restructured to offer safer healthcare facilities. Get detailed COVID-19 impact analysis on the Hip Replacement Market- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/17472?reqfor=covid The total hip replacement segment to dominate by 2031- By procedure, the total hip replacement segment contributed to nearly one-third of the global hip replacement market share in 2021, and is expected to lead the trail by 2031. Rise in the prevalence of osteoarthritis and increase in number of the geriatric population drive the segment growth. The revision hip replacement segment, on the other hand, is expected to exhibit the fastest CAGR of 4.7% from 2022 to 2031, owing to rise in adoption of hip implants and product launches in the market. The metal-on-polyethylene segment to maintain the lion's share- Based on material, the metal-on-polyethylene segment generated around one-third of the global hip replacement market revenue in 2021, and is expected to lead the trail by 2031. Increasing prevalence of bone disorders and surge in incidence of road accidents fuel the segment growth. The ceramic-on-polyethylene segment, however, would manifest the fastest CAGR of 4.5% from 2022 to 2031, due to advantage of ceramic & plastic over metals and advancements in hip implants. The hospitals segment to lead the trail- Based on end-user, the hospitals segment held more than half of the global hip replacement market revenue in 2021. The same segment would also garner the fastest CAGR of 4.3% during the forecast period. Increase in healthcare expenditure and rise in number of hospitals across the world fuel the segment growth. For Purchase Inquiry- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/17472 North America garnered the major share in 2021- Based on region, North America held the major share in 2021, generating nearly half of the global hip replacement market. Surge in product launches across the region, well-established healthcare infrastructure, and presence of key players propel the market growth. The Asia-Pacific region, on the other hand, would garner the fastest CAGR of 5.8% by 2031. This is attributed to rise in healthcare expenditure, development in healthcare infrastructure, and high population base across the province. Key players in the industry- Colfax Inc Conformis Inc B. Braun Melsungen AG Gruppo Bioimpianti s.r.l. Stryker Corporation Johnson & Johnson Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc Kyocera Corporation Corin Group PLC Exactech Inc Globus Medical Inc Integra LifeSciences Medacta International Merete MicroPort Scientific Corporation Smith & Nephew PLC The report analyzes these key players in the global hip replacement market. These players have incorporated various strategies such as expansion, new product launches, partnerships, and others to increase their market penetration and strengthen their position in the industry. The report is helpful in assessing the operating segments, their business performance & product portfolio, and so on. Official Press Release- https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/hip-replacement-market.html Similar Research Reports for Information, Communication and Technology: Syphilis Testing Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 mHealth Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 3D Cell Culture Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Neurovascular Devices Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Neuroprosthetics Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 AVENUE- A Subscription-Based Library (Premium on-demand, subscription-based pricing model): AMR introduces its online premium subscription-based library Avenue, designed specifically to offer cost-effective, one-stop solution for enterprises, investors, and universities. With Avenue, subscribers can avail an entire repository of reports on more than 2,000 niche industries and more than 12,000 company profiles. Moreover, users can get an online access to quantitative and qualitative data in PDF and Excel formats along with analyst support, customization, and updated versions of reports. Get an access to the library of reports at any time from any device and anywhere. For more details, follow the link: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access About Allied Market Research: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domains. AMR offers its services across 11 industry verticals including Life Sciences, Consumer Goods, Materials & Chemicals, Construction & Manufacturing, Food & Beverages, Energy & Power, Semiconductor & Electronics, Automotive & Transportation, ICT & Media, Aerospace & Defense, and BFSI. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Allied Market Research CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allspring Global Investments (Allspring), a leading independent asset manager with more than $476 billion in assets under management*, today announced new senior hires on its Human Resources (HR) and Product teams. Katie Parenti joins Allspring as Global Chief Human Resources Officer, reporting to Sallie Squire, Chief Operating Officer. In this role, she leads a team across all HR disciplines, including talent acquisition, HR operations, data, analytics, compensation, and benefits. Katie brings more than 20 years of HR experience in the U.S., Europe, and Asia across leading financial institutions. She joins from BlackRock, where she served in many HR leadership roles, including senior HR business partner and interim head of employee relations. Prior to BlackRock, Katie spent 15 years with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in a variety of HR and business leadership roles. Rick Genoni joins Allspring as Global Head of Product Development and Innovation, reporting to John Kenney, Head of Strategic Initiatives. In this role, Rick leads the efforts to further differentiate Allspring's global product strategy and development, responding to evolving client needs. He joins with more than 30 years of industry experience, most recently with Franklin Templeton, where he served as head of global ETF strategy and strategic partnerships. Prior to that, Rick worked for Legg Mason and Vanguard. "I am delighted to welcome Katie to lead Allspring's HR team as we establish our HR platform and focus on adding talent globally. Her industry experience and expertise are an excellent match for our dynamic startup-at-scale culture," said Sallie Squire. "Rick brings robust strategic experience within the asset management industry and will work closely with our Investment Management and Distribution teams to execute a global product development strategy that optimally leverages our capabilities. It is a pleasure to welcome him to the team," stated John Kenney. To learn more about Allspring and our mission to elevate investing, please visit www.allspringglobal.com. About Allspring Global Investments Allspring Global Investments is an independent asset management company with more than US$476 billion in assets under management*, offices around the world and investment teams supported by 450 investment professionals. Allspring is committed to thoughtful investing, purposeful planning and inspiring a new era of investing that pursues both financial returns and positive outcomes. *As of 30 June 2022, AUM includes US$93 billion from Galliard Capital Management, an investment advisor that is not part of the Allspring trade name/GIPS company. This material is provided for informational purposes only and is for professional, institutional or qualified clients/investors. Not for retail use outside the U.S. THIS MATERIAL DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION AND IN ANY CASE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED IN ANY JURISDICTION OR TO ANY PERSON WHERE IT WOULD BE UNAUTHORISED OR UNLAWFUL TO DO SO. Allspring Global InvestmentsTM (Allspring) is the trade name for the asset management companies of Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC, a holding company indirectly owned by certain private funds of GTCR LLC and Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. Unless otherwise stated, Allspring is the source of all data (which is current or as of the date stated); past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future results; all investments contain risk; content is provided for informational purposes only with no representation regarding its adequacy, accuracy or completeness and should not be relied upon; views, opinions, assumptions or estimates are not necessarily that of Allspring and are subject to change without notice; and this communication does not contain investment advice, an investment recommendation or investment research, as defined under local regulation of the respective jurisdiction. PAR-0822-00684 2022 Allspring Global Investments Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved. SOURCE Allspring Global Investments NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the New York Amsterdam News, one of America's most influential and oldest continuously published Black newspapers, serving the nation's largest Black and brown community, is excited to announce the launch of Beyond the Barrel of the Gun ( www.amsterdamnews.com/beyond ), a new three year initiative focused on journalism-driven solutions to gun violence in Black and brown communities in New York City and nationwide. From exploring the root causes of gun violence to documenting the multi-generational impact of this plague on Black and brown communities, Beyond the Barrel of the Gun centers around solutions to a problem falsely portrayed as intractable. For more than a decade the New York Amsterdam News has called gun violence in our communities by its rightful name: a public health crisis. The Amsterdam News announces Beyond the Barrel of the Gun, an initiative focused on solutions to gun violence. Tweet this "We know that gun violence impacts more than just the victims and perpetrators. Each shot fired ripples out, harming families and schools, disrupting businesses and the ability of our communities to function. Each child killed, each mother murdered, every neighborhood shaken tears at our civic fabric, leaving us unable to fight the poverty and racism which keeps our communities down," wrote Publisher Elinor Tatum in a front page letter in the New York Amsterdam News. "With our visionary approach we will embed journalists in change making, frontline organizations and produce thought provoking national research and reporting as well as bring together researchers, community leaders, victims, lawmakers, media and the general public to facilitate further change and growth in the hopes of healing the wounds of decades of violence," she added. Founded in 1909, the New York Amsterdam News has for more than a century served as a vital voice for New York's, and America's, Black and brown communities. The Beyond the Barrel of the Gun initiative continues this tradition and will dedicate itself to investigative and long form journalism which seeks to find solutions to one of our community's most pressing problems. "Having represented Harlem for more than 40 years in Congress, I've seen firsthand how this longstanding public health crisis has hurt our Black and brown communities. The Amsterdam News, the first to call this ongoing disaster by its name, is the very best media organization to lead this initiative," legendary retired Congressman Charles B. Rangel said in support of the initiative. "This project taken on by the Amsterdam News, in my political lifelong opinion, is one of the most exciting projects taken on by the private sector.... the problem has been the absence of leadership in our political and spiritual community, thank God for the Amsterdam News' initiative," he added. With generous support from Columbia University's Lipman Center For Journalism and Civil and Human Rights , our first series will explore the impact of New York's bail reform law on Black and brown communities. As part of this project, the New York Amsterdam News will be partnering with a growing list of other publications of color including the AFRO-American, the Houston Defender and the Sacramento Observer in addition to national powerhouses The Trace, the Local Media Association and Report for America. "The AFRO-American is pleased to collaborate with the New York Amsterdam News on the Beyond the Barrel of the Gun initiative. Gun violence is a serious public health issue that disproportionately impacts Black communities throughout the United States. This innovative approach will do more than just highlight the obvious problem, it will offer holistic solutions," said Frances Murphy Draper (Toni), CEO and publisher of The Baltimore and Washington AFRO-American Newspapers. "Report for America is incredibly proud of its partnership with the Amsterdam News, one of the most important and historic community papers in the country. The Beyond the Barrel of the Gun initiative is an important and exciting effort," said Steve Waldman, the president and co-founder of Report for America. "The Local Media Association is proud to support the New York Amsterdam News and this initiative. They are a team with deep roots in the Black community and have been shining the light on injustices in Black and brown communities for generations. The LMA team believes that gun violence is one of the defining stories of journalism and more resources and funding need to be devoted to this topic," said Nancy Lane, CEO of the Local Media Association. The Beyond the Barrel of the Gun initiative is also gathering support from the labor community. "Gun violence has taken the lives of countless Black and brown Americans, torn up families and stolen the future from young people. The solutions offered by those in power too often neglect the needs of our neighborhoods and the root causes of violence, focusing instead on growing incarceration and criminalizing our communities. We need a holistic, people-centered approach to address gun violence, and strong investigative reporting to uncover real solutions," said George Gresham, president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East which represents over 400,000 healthcare workers. "As the largest union of healthcare workers in the United States, we see this initiative as an important step towards reducing the deadly consequences of gun violence that our members witness every day in emergency rooms across New York," he added Beyond the Barrel of the Gun is just the latest manifestation of the New York Amsterdam News' revival that includes its powerfully reimagined website www.amsterdamnews.com ; its acclaimed weekday newsletter Editorially Black; a dramatically expanded Internship program aimed at growing the future diversity of America's newsrooms; and, the launch of The Blacklight the newspaper's new investigative unit, the first such unit in a legacy Black newspaper nationwide. Beyond the Barrel of the Gun will feature multi-platform journalism and community events that will reach new audiences with the essential information they need to stay safe and protected. Community members interested in supporting this initiative can do so by making a tax deductible donation at amsterdamnews.com/donate . SOURCE New York Amsterdam News LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquadrill LLC ("Aquadrill" or the "Company") has extended the charter hire agreement for the Auriga rig with a subsidiary of Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc. (the "Manager") after reaching an agreement on the one year mutually agreed option in the current underlying drilling contract. Under the terms of the extension, the Auriga will be provided for a one year drilling contract plus a one year mutually agreed option for operations in the US Gulf of Mexico. The charter hire agreement will be extended if the parties mutually agree to exercise the optional term. The terms of the charter hire agreement are consistent with the current management services agreements in place between the Company and the Manager. Further, the resulting financial benefits for the Company are as if the Company had entered into the drilling contract directly. The total contract value for the firm portion of the drilling contract is expected to be $150 million and commencement is expected in March 2023 in direct continuation with the current drilling contract. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes forward looking statements. Such statements are generally not historical in nature, and specifically include statements about the Company's plans, strategies, business prospects, contracts, agreements, changes and trends in its business and the markets in which it operates. The duration, timing (including both starting and ending dates) and total contract value of customer contracts and any related agreements are estimates only. The actual total contract value over the course of any given contract or agreement may be lower and could be substantially lower, depending on a number of factors (cancellation, suspension, delays, rig downtime, etc.). These statements are made based upon management's current plans, expectations, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events impacting the Company and therefore involve a number of risks (some beyond the control of the Company), uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. When considering these forward looking statements, you should keep in mind the risks described from time to time in the Company's regulatory filings and periodic reporting. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of these factors. Further, the Company cannot assess the impact of each such factor on its business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to be materially different from those contained in any forward looking statement. CONTACT: [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com SOURCE Aquadrill LLC ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second quarter in a row, Baby Boomers have out-traveled every other generation, according to travel insurtech company Squaremouth.com , after a nearly 90% drop in travelers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. For over two years, COVID changed everything about how Americans traveled, to include who traveled. As travel returns to "normal", Squaremouth analyzed data from travel insurance consumers to reveal three new traveler trends. Strong Return of Baby Boomer Travelers Post- COVID Baby Boomers saw the highest increase in both total number of travelers, and overall travel insurance market share, for Q1 and Q2 of 2022 compared to the previous year. Baby Boomers were also the only generation to see a positive increase to their market share in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021. While almost all demographics (except the Silent Generation ) have continued to experience an increase in number of travelers, the recent drastic spike in Boomer travelers caused the deficit of other generational market share. The return of Baby Boomer travelers comes after an almost 90% decrease at the onset of the pandemic. Seniors Still Not Traveling The Silent Generation is the only generation Squaremouth reports having less travelers in 2022 compared to 2019. This may confirm seniors are still not as comfortable traveling today as they were pre-COVID, despite widespread vaccination efforts . The decrease in older travelers, and increase in younger travelers insuring their trips, has kept Squaremouth's average down. Currently they report an average traveler age of 44, compared to 50+ pre-COVID. At the height of the pandemic this average age dropped to 38. Millennials Become Leading Insurance Purchaser Baby Boomers were the only generation to experience a decrease in their overall travel insurance market share this year compared to pre-COVID years. Squaremouth attributes their drop to an increase in younger demographics , rather than a decrease in Boomer-aged travelers. Throughout the pandemic, younger generations out-traveled their seniors, and subsequently out-purchased travel insurance, whether by choice or due to COVID-related requirements . The Millennial generation had the biggest increase in insured travelers in Q2 2022 compared to pandemic years. Likewise, Gen Alpha experienced the largest increase in travelers this year compared to pre-COVID years. The youngest generation also accounts for the largest increase in market share compared to 2019. Squaremouth says the increase in younger travelers aligns with the rise of their Millennial-aged parents insuring their trips. Methodology: Squaremouth.com hosts the largest number of travel insurance providers and policies on the market. Squaremouth Analytics compared thousands of travel insurance policies purchased from 2019 to 2022 to establish traveler demographic trends. Additional Resources: Live data room COVID-19 and Travel Insurance Hub About Squaremouth Squaremouth is a travel insurance comparison company that helps customers instantly search, compare, and buy travel insurance policies online. Squaremouth.com hosts the most intuitive travel insurance quoting and comparison engine on the market today. Coupled with over 100,000 verified customer reviews and the largest portfolio of products, Squaremouth allows customers to purchase a travel insurance policy from every major provider in the US. As a company, we prioritize reputation over profits, with a core goal of helping every customer find the coverage they need for the lowest possible price. Founded in 2003, Squaremouth.com - and our multi-award-winning customer service team - has helped more than 2 million travelers find the best travel insurance policy for their trip. SOURCE Squaremouth LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a case of first impression, with no prior on-point decision anywhere in the country, BG persuaded the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to rule that the obligation to not disclose information, pursuant to the terms of a nondisclosure agreement ("NDA") entered into before bankruptcy, are not discharged in bankruptcy. Despite the prevalence of NDAs in a wide range of business and personal transactions, and recent high profile disputes involving their enforcement, before now there was no bankruptcy court decision squarely addressing the question of whether NDA obligations survive bankruptcy. In this case, the Firm's client entered into an NDA with the Debtor before bankruptcy. The Debtor contended the NDA could be ignored, and the Debtor could even publish facts and circumstances the disclosure of which was prohibited by the NDA, because, the Debtor argued, the "fresh start" of bankruptcy rendered the NDA obligations unenforceable. The Bankruptcy Court agreed with BG's analogy to cases addressing non-compete clauses, and accepted the premise of our argument, namely, that obligations to not disclose are not "claims" within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Code because they do not require the Debtor to pay money. The Court's decision quoted BG's legal brief for the proposition that the NDA obligations "would not require Debtor to expend any funds, or take any action, or do anything at all whatsoever; it merely permits Creditor to enforce the [NDA], which prohibits Debtor from affirmatively breaching [Debtor's] undertaking ." (Decision at p. 14.) The Court thus agreed the NDA obligations were not "claims," and because only "claims" are subject to being discharged in bankruptcy, the NDA obligations are not discharged in bankruptcy. Accordingly, while the Firm's client is not permitted to seek monetary damages for violation of the NDA, the client is free to obtain injunctive relief to enforce the NDA. The Firm's client was represented in this matter by Steve Gubner and Jerry Bregman. "This is a great result and important decision for adding clarity to the law," Bregman said. The decision was issued in In re Uchitel, Bankr. SDNY, Case No. 10-11585 (JLG) (Aug. 4, 2022) [DOC # 70] SOURCE BG Law BMO Newcomer Talent Program to help displaced persons, immigrants and refugees find financial stability through employment opportunities CHICAGO, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Financial Group today announced the launch of its BMO Newcomer Talent Program providing support and creating employment opportunities for newcomers to Canada and the United States. The new program launch comes amidst a series of global crises driving a record number of people to resettle in North America.1 The BMO Newcomer Talent Program includes a personalized recruitment page that makes it easy for jobseekers to introduce themselves to BMO and explore job opportunities in both Canada and the United States. To help match prospective candidates with open roles, BMO has partnered with two specialized employment organizations: ACCES Employment is a longstanding partner of BMO, ACCES Employment is a leader in helping newcomers navigate the Canadian job market and has helped the bank place over 350 newcomers into roles in Canada . . Upwardly Global is the first and longest-serving national organization dedicated to helping immigrant and refugee professionals restart their careers in the U.S. "This program is designed to make joining the BMO team seamless and attractive for qualified newcomers, helping them build financial independence and social connections as they resettle in North America," said Karen Collins, Chief Talent Officer, BMO Financial Group. "Supporting an inclusive society by eliminating systemic barriers is fundamental to our Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. We look forward to working with our partner agencies and prospective new members of Team BMO to help them find new careers with us." "The United States has set a goal of resettling 125,000 refugees this year2, with Canada aiming for 76,0003" continued Ms. Collins. "These numbers represent only a fraction of the total number of all newcomers to North America in 2022. Businesses need to step up and make a positive impact, and by helping newcomers access jobs, BMO is helping to lead the way." The BMO Newcomer Talent Program builds on BMO's track record of support for humanitarian relief and resettlement programs. Over the past years, and more so during recent crises, BMO has made donations totaling more than $1 million to the American Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross, and the Canada-Ukraine Foundation. As well, to assist displaced people resettling in Canada, BMO has expanded and enhanced the NewStart banking program, which provides qualified newcomers to Canada with no-fee banking, unlimited free BMO Global Money Transfers and discounts on Lending and Home Financing programs. In 2021, BMO joined the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a global business network which mobilizes leading companies to improve the lives of 30 million refugees who have been forcibly displaced from their home countries. As part of this membership, BMO and the BMO Pride Enterprise Resource Group have committed to mentoring LGBTQ2+ newcomers to Canada and the U.S. To learn more, please visit the recruitment pages here: About BMO Financial Group Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $1.04 trillion as of April 30, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets. ___________________________________ 1 UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, Figures at a Glance, June 16, 2022: https://www.unhcr.org/figures-at-a-glance.html 2 U.S. Department of State, Report to Congress on Proposed Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2022, September 20, 2021: https://www.state.gov/report-to-congress-on-proposed-refugee-admissions-for-fiscal-year-2022/ 3 Government of Canada, Notice Supplementary Information for the 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan, February 14, 2022: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-2022-2024.html SOURCE BMO Harris Bank Alan N. MacGibbon succeeds the Honourable John Manley as Chair of the Board Elise Eberwein and Ayman Antoun elected to the Board as independent directors MONTREAL, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (NYSE: CAE) (TSX: CAE) CAE announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Alan N. MacGibbon as Chair of the Board following CAE's 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders held earlier today. He succeeds the Honourable John Manley who served as a director since 2008 and as Chair of the Board since 2018. In line with CAE's term limits policy, Mr. Manley is not standing for re-election as a director. Mr. MacGibbon has been an independent director of CAE since 2015. He was Managing Partner and Chief Executive of Deloitte LLP Canada from 2004 to 2012 and served on the Executive and Global Board of Directors of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited during this term. He served as Global Managing Director, Quality, Strategy and Communications of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and as Senior Counsel of Deloitte LLP Canada from June 2012 to December 2013. "I am honoured to succeed John as Chair, and grateful for the Board's confidence," said Mr. MacGibbon. "I look forward to working with my fellow directors and our management team to pursue our strategic focus on delivering innovative end-to-end training solutions on a global scale." CAE is also pleased to announce that Ms. Elise Eberwein and Mr. Ayman Antoun were elected to its Board as independent directors, effective today. Ms. Eberwein has over 35 years of commercial aviation experience, most recently serving as Executive Vice President, People, Communications and Public Affairs for American Airlines, Inc. Mr. Antoun has been General Manager, IBM Americas, which includes Canada, the United States and Latin America, since 2020. He also is a member of IBM's Performance Team, consisting of IBM's top 50 executives globally. CAE also announced the final director election results from its 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The following 13 nominees were elected as Directors of CAE: Nominee Votes for For (%) Votes Withheld Withheld (%) Ayman Antoun 254,232,815 99.87 % 323,802 0.13 % Margaret S. (Peg) Billson 242,527,719 95.27 % 12,028,898 4.73 % Elise Eberwein 254,228,700 99.87 % 327,917 0.13 % Hon. Michael M. Fortier 210,614,097 82.74 % 43,942,520 17.26 % Marianne Harrison 251,048,760 98.62 % 3,507,857 1.38 % Alan N. MacGibbon 244,446,475 96.03 % 10,110,142 3.97 % Mary Lou Maher 247,367,289 97.18 % 7,189,328 2.82 % Francois Olivier 251,664,205 98.86 % 2,892,412 1.14 % Marc Parent 254,247,882 99.88 % 309,416 0.12 % Gen. David G. Perkins, USA (Ret.) 245,614,203 96.49 % 8,942,414 3.51 % Michael E. Roach 251,653,182 98.86 % 2,903,435 1.14 % Patrick M. Shanahan 254,217,248 99.87 % 339,369 0.13 % Andrew J. Stevens 244,222,498 95.94 % 10,334,119 4.06 % Final results on all matters voted on at the Annual Meeting are filed concurrently with the securities regulators. About CAE At CAE, we equip people in critical roles with the expertise and solutions to create a safer world. As a technology company, we digitalize the physical world, deploying simulation training and critical operations support solutions. Above all else, we empower pilots, airlines, defence and security forces, and healthcare practitioners to perform at their best every day and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we're everywhere customers need us to be with more than 13,000 employees in more than 200 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. CAE represents 75 years of industry firststhe highest-fidelity flight and mission simulators, surgical manikins, and personalized training programs powered by artificial intelligence. We're investing our time and resources into building the next generation of cutting-edge, digitally immersive training and critical operations solutions while keeping positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) impact at the core of our mission. Today and tomorrow, we'll make sure our customers are ready for the moments that matter. Follow us on Twitter: @CAE_Inc Facebook: www.facebook.com/cae.inc LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/cae Hashtags: #CAE; #CAEpilot Read our FY22 Annual Activity and Corporate Social Responsibility Report SOURCE CAE INC. WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cargill has made a $10 million grant to World Food Program USA in support of the United Nations World Food Programme's response to the global hunger crisis, escalated by the collateral impact of the Ukrainian war. This generous grant, the largest donation ever made by Cargill to World Food Program USA, comes at a moment of unprecedented need as 345 million people face severe hunger and 50 million teeter on the brink of famine around the world. The grant will support the U.N. World Food Programme's emergency food assistance and resilience building initiatives, reaching millions of people in Ukraine and in hunger hot spots around the world. "We thank Cargill for their transformational grant, which will help provide people in communities across the globe with lifesaving food and greater stability for the future," said Barron Segar, World Food Program USA President and CEO. "For more than 20 years, Cargill has been a steadfast partner that we can always count on, supporting school meals, small-scale farmers and disaster relief operations. Their support is a testament to the power of the private sector working together with us to address the root causes of hunger, while building resiliency." Cargill has made a $10 million grant to World Food Program USA in support of the United Nations World Food Programme Tweet this Disbursed in phases, the first half of Cargill's grant will focus on emergency operations, providing food and cash-based assistance to conflict-affected people in Ukraine as well as other countries facing escalating hunger due to the impact of the war in Ukraine. The second half of the grant will focus on bolstering food systems and targeting the root causes of hunger in global hotspots impacted by the disruption of Ukraine's exports. "Cargill has a crucial role to play, addressing emergency hunger issues as well as long-term food security through our work across supply chains and through our corporate giving efforts. We know we can have more impact when we partner with organizations, like WFP, who are working to feed people around the globe every single day. This $10 million contribution reinforces Cargill's commitment to continuing our 20-year partnership with WFP," said Pilar Cruz, Chief Sustainability Officer at Cargill and World Food Program USA Board of Directors member. "Together, we will continue to work toward ending systemic hunger and ensure a safe, sustainable and affordable food system for all." The Ukraine crisis has triggered global price spikes in food, fuel and fertilizers that threaten to push countries around the world into famine. The result will be global destabilization, starvation and mass migration on an unprecedented scale. Together with World Food Program USA, the U.N. World Food Programme is sounding the alarm, engaging private sector partners, and working to ensure action is taken to avert this looming catastrophe. A Longstanding Partnership This is just one of numerous examples of Cargill supporting the U.N. World Food Programme's tireless work to alleviate global hunger. Since 2001, Cargill has supported a range of the U.N. World Food Programme's programmatic priorities, including school meals, programs for smallholder farmers and disaster relief operations in Africa, Central America and Asia. Recent impact snapshot: 2021: Cargill China launched a partnership with the U.N. World Food Programme to support the livelihoods of over 5,000 corn farmers in northeastern China by 2023. launched a partnership with the U.N. World Food Programme to support the livelihoods of over 5,000 corn farmers in northeastern China by 2023. 2020: While the world navigated the impacts of COVID-19, Cargill provided a grant to support school meal programs during the pandemic in Guatemala , Honduras and Nicaragua as well as disaster relief efforts in these countries after the devastating hurricanes, Eta and Iota. Over 250,000 meals were served to over 29,000 people. Additionally, in honor of WFP's 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, Cargill made a match grant that has been supporting school meals and smallholder farmer programs in Central America planned to reach more 28,000 people. While the world navigated the impacts of COVID-19, Cargill provided a grant to support school meal programs during the pandemic in , and as well as disaster relief efforts in these countries after the devastating hurricanes, Eta and Iota. Over 250,000 meals were served to over 29,000 people. Additionally, in honor of WFP's 2020 Nobel Peace Prize, Cargill made a match grant that has been supporting school meals and smallholder farmer programs in planned to reach more 28,000 people. 2019: Cargill supported the scale-up of the national school feeding program (Pro-GAS) in Indonesia . To date this program has fed over 100,000 students. Cargill supported the scale-up of the national school feeding program (Pro-GAS) in . To date this program has fed over 100,000 students. 2011: Cargill donated 10,000 metric tons of rice to help respond to famine in the Horn of Africa . Cargill's work with the U.N. World Food Programme embodies its purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. About World Food Program USA World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, DC, proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. Learn more about World Food Program USA's mission. About Cargill Cargill helps the world's food system work for you. We connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients and families with daily essentialsfrom the foods they eat to the floors they walk on. Our 155,000 team members around the world innovate with purpose, empowering our partners and communities as we work to nourish the world in a safe, responsible, sustainable way. From feed that reduces methane emissions to waste-based renewable fuels, the possibilities are boundless. But our values remain the same. We put people first. We reach higher. We do the right thing. It's how we've met the needs of the people we call neighbors and the planet we call home for 157 yearsand how we'll do so for generations to come. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center . SOURCE World Food Program USA HOUSTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CITGO Holding, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), today announced its offer to purchase (the "Offer") for cash an aggregate principal amount of up to $286.231 million (the "Excess Cash Flow Offer Amount") of its 9.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2024 (the "Notes") at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the settlement date, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated August 11, 2022 (the "Offer to Purchase"). The Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 9, 2022, unless extended or earlier terminated by the Company (the "Expiration Time"). Subject to the Excess Cash Flow Offer Amount of $286.231 million, for each $1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) prior to the Expiration Time and accepted by the Company, holders of Notes will receive $1,000 in cash (the "Offer Price"), plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the settlement date. Tendered Notes may be validly withdrawn at any time prior to the Expiration Time, unless extended or earlier terminated by the Company. The settlement date is currently expected to be the fifth business day following the Expiration Time. If the aggregate principal amount of the Notes tendered in the Offer exceeds the Excess Cash Flow Offer Amount of $286.231 million, the Company will purchase Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the Excess Cash Flow Offer Amount on a pro rata basis (subject to the applicable procedures of The Depository Trust Company), with adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Trustee (as defined below). The Notes are governed by an indenture, dated as of August 1, 2019 (as amended to the date hereof, the "Indenture"), by and among the Company, the Guarantors party thereto and TMI Trust Company, as trustee (the "Trustee"). Under the terms of the Indenture, the Company is obligated to offer to purchase for cash an aggregate principal amount of up to the Excess Cash Flow Offer Amount of its outstanding Notes at the Offer Price. The Offer is being made to satisfy this requirement. The Excess Cash Flow Offer Amount is equal to 50% of the Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the Indenture) of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries for the Excess Cash Flow Period (as defined in the Indenture), minus the mandatory prepayment offer amount under the excess cash flow offer provisions of the Term Loan Facility (as defined in the Indenture). In this regard, the Company has commenced a concurrent offer of prepayment equal to approximately $482.673 million in aggregate principal amount of outstanding indebtedness under the Term Loan Facility. The Offer and the concurrent offer under the Term Loan Facility are not conditioned on one another. None of the Company, its board of directors (or any committee thereof), TMI Trust Company, the depositary for the Offer, or the Trustee or their respective affiliates is making any recommendation as to whether or not holders should tender all or any portion of their Notes in the Offer. This announcement is not an offer to purchase or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell any securities. The Offer is being made solely by the Offer to Purchase. The Offer is not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. About CITGO Holding, Inc. CITGO Holding, Inc. ("CITGO Holding" or the "Company") is the direct parent of CITGO Petroleum Corporation ("CITGO"). CITGO Holding is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PDV Holding, Inc. ("PDV Holding"), a Delaware corporation and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. ("PDVSA" or "ultimate parent"), which is a Venezuelan corporation 100% owned and controlled by the Government of Venezuela. CITGO manufactures or refines and markets transportation fuels as well as petrochemicals, other industrial products and lubricants. We own and operate three large-scale, highly complex petroleum refineries with a total rated crude oil refining capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels per day, located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Corpus Christi, Texas and Lemont, Illinois. Our refining operations are supported by an extensive distribution network, which provides reliable access to our refined product end-markets. We own 35 active refined product terminals with a total storage capacity of 18.3 million barrels and have equity ownership of an additional 3.5 million barrels of refined product storage capacity through our joint ownership of an additional eight terminals, spread across 22 states. We own or have an equity interest in four additional terminals, consisting of approximately 1 million barrels of refined storage capacity, which are currently inactive or only utilized to store feedstocks used in refining operations. We also have access to more than 140 third-party terminals through exchange, terminaling and similar arrangements. Our retail network consists of approximately 4,300 independently owned and operated CITGO-branded retail outlets located east of the Rocky Mountains. We and our predecessors have had a recognized brand presence in the U.S. for over 100 years. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "will," "would," "should," the negative of these terms and similar terms and phrases. These statements relate to, among other things, expectations regarding revenues, costs and expenses, refining and other margins, profitability, cash flows, capital expenditures, liquidity and capital resources, our working capital requirements and other financial and operating items. These statements also relate to our industry, business strategy, goals and expectations concerning our market position and future operations. Any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of our future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Although we believe the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate, and the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions could be incorrect. In addition, our business and operations involve numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could result in our expectations not being realized or could otherwise materially affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We caution to readers that these forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the results that are projected, expressed or implied. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or development, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. SOURCE CITGO Corporation By Integrating Care with Several Middle and High School Health Centers, This Program Works to Address the State's Pediatric Mental Health Crisis DENVER, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With the toll the pandemic has taken on youth in terms of isolation, missed experiences and fragmented learning, children and youth are struggling to access resources to address their increased mental health needs. A recent survey by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) showed that 40% of Colorado youth experienced feelings of depression in the past year. In May 2022, Children's Hospital Colorado said the state of emergency for pediatric mental health (which it declared in May 2021) had worsened in the past year. Colorado Access, the largest public sector health plan in the state, has partnered with local nonprofit organization Kids First Health Care (Kids First) to address behavioral health care for this group, integrating it with primary care at schools and ultimately making it more accessible and effective. AccessCare, the telehealth subsidiary of Colorado Access, utilized its Virtual Care Collaboration and Integration (VCCI) program to partner with Kids First to offer virtual therapy initially in five local school-based health centers, but has since expanded to all eight clinics (six school-based health centers and two community clinics). From August 2020 to May 2022, this program had a total of 304 visits with 67 unique patients. According to Kids First, this is an increase in need and delivery of services compared to what they have seen in the past. There are many reasons for this, but one is clear; services are accessed in a familiar setting through school-based health centers. "Having a program like Kids First counseling at school has really helped me take control of my own mental health," wrote a participating student. "Prior, it was very difficult for someone my age to find some place that would help put me on the right path for counseling and psychiatry. Kids First has opened so many doors for me to finally understand what I need and finally start to feel better. Since having the telehealth program at school, it has become way more accessible and way more simple to get help when I need it, and for that I am forever grateful." This partnership also allows the school-based health centers to coordinate physical health care with behavioral health care. Through the program, a student first meets with a physical health provider (often after being referred by an academic counselor or teacher) to identify any physical health needs and also discuss needs and options for mental health services. From there, physical and behavioral health care are integrated to provide a more holistic model of care. Specific conditions that require both physical and mental health treatment, like in the case of an eating disorder, especially benefit from this approach. Given the high caseloads of school therapists and challenges connecting with community providers, Kids First staff states that access to care can take weeks or months and even then may be irregular. With AccessCare, patients can be seen within a week, which can make a big impact. "This type of support is lifesaving," said Emily Human, clinical initiatives manager for Kids First Health Care. "The program helps patients recognize the importance of mental health care and aids in reducing the stigma around seeking mental health services." Since its inception in July 2017, more than 5,100 encounters have been completed through the VCCI program at Colorado Access, with more than 1,300 of those encounters being in 2021 alone. An encounter includes an e-consult or use of telehealth services and is defined as a visit where the patient meets with the provider. Currently the VCCI program is fully integrated into 27 primary practice sites throughout metro Denver, now including eight sites in partnership with Kids First. As the program continues to see success, Colorado Access and AccessCare intend to collaboratively expand these efforts to meet the growing need and increase access to care. "The success of this partnership with Kids First shows that innovative solutions can make a direct impact in the lives of those who need it most," said Annie Lee, president and CEO of Colorado Access. "We look forward to building capacity and offering solutions to meet our partners' needs through continued investment in our AccessCare subsidiary." About Colorado Access As the largest and most experienced public sector health plan in the state, Colorado Access is a nonprofit organization that works beyond just navigating health services. The company focuses on meeting members' unique needs by partnering with providers and community organizations to provide better personalized care through measurable results. Their broad and deep view of regional and local systems allows them to stay focused on members' care while collaborating on measurable and economically sustainable systems that serve them better. Learn more at coaccess.com . SOURCE Colorado Access Funds will be used to expand the customer base, further develop the Dropbase Data Platform, and build a world-class engineering and growth team. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dropbase , the collaborative data import and data management platform, raised a $1.75M round led by Gradient Ventures (Google's AI-focused venture fund), with participation from Y Combinator, Liquid 2 Ventures, Bragiel Brothers, Unpopular Ventures, and angel investors. Founded by Jimmy Chan (CEO) and Ayazhan Zhakhan (CTO), Dropbase's mission is to unleash data trapped in files or incompatible systems and automate data sharing. Dropbase helps companies import, validate, manage, and query all their data from CSV/Excel files inside fully-featured SQL databases optimized for handling large amounts of data, with no technical help required. "Oftentimes, critical business software systems don't have API's to access the data, yet this data is required to better understand the business and run operations", said Chan. "To complicate matters, external data is usually messy, with a mix of data types, encodings, data placement, and a mismatch with how the destination system expects the data to be structured and formatted." "Integrating external data means that the data sender manually extracts data from a source system and exports it as a CSV file, uploads it to a cloud drive, SFTP, or as an email attachment, and sends it over to the data receiver," said Zhakhan. "The receiver then has to download, map, clean, and re-upload the data, usually to a database with its own constraints. This happens each time data is shared between companies with incompatible systems. This process is quite inefficient." Dropbase's goal is to significantly improve this process, automate it, and make it easier for companies to import external data and combine it with internal data. More comprehensive data helps companies make better decisions, deliver a delightful customer experience, and improve business operations for customers such as the baby stroller brand, Mockingbird. Dropbase believes that data analysts and operation managers should be able just open up their favorite data tools, and all the data they've imported or received from external partners should already be there, cleaned up, and ready to use. Data teams should never have to clean the same CSV file or data extract twice. "Today, troves of data are trapped in incompatible systems that make it useless to everyone except the engineering team. We believe that Dropbase is the key to unlocking this data, and its technology will help shape how companies share data in the future," said Zachary Bratun-Glennon, Partner at Gradient Ventures. Dropbase is building a new operating system for enterprise data an end-to-end platform for data import, data management, and data exchange for both internal and external use cases. About Dropbase Dropbase is a collaborative data platform. It helps teams import, clean, and manage data from customers and partners within highly scalable databases that integrate with their favorite analytics tools and data apps. For more information, visit www.dropbase.io. About Gradient Ventures Gradient Ventures, Google's AI-focused venture fund, helps founders build transformational companies. The fund focuses on helping founders navigate the challenges in developing new technology products, using the latest best practices in recruiting, marketing, design, and engineering so that great ideas can come to life. Gradient was founded in 2017 and is based in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit www.gradient.com. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Dropbase LAKELAND, Fla., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the second graduating class of the Florida Southern College Doctor of Nursing Practice program presented their capstone project posters in the Joe K. and Alberta Blanton Nursing Building, on August 4th, 2022. The seven-member cohort completed community- and practice- based health care improvement projects. The second class of Florida Southern Colleges DNP program took their final steps before receiving their degrees on August 4, presenting their capstone projects. The seven-member class gave their project poster presentations, showcasing their research. As a part of the curriculum, DNP students are required to choose a real-world problem, examine the literature and show evidence-based interventions to assist population health and provide health care delivery. Under the guidance of Dr. Melanie Michael, DNP, MS, APRN, FNP-C, CPHQ, FNAP, Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Nursing Program; Dr. Tracy Magee, PH.D., RN, CPNP, Assistant Professor of Pediatric Nursing and Education Coordinator; and Dr. Imke Casey, DNP, CRNA, RN-BC, RHIT, Assistant Professor, these posters represent the peak of the six-semester program. "I am delighted with the results of the DNP projects completed by students in the summer 2022 graduating DNP cohort," Dr. Michael said. "The presentations represent the culmination of a year-long learning journey that provides a solid foundation for continued scholarly work into the future." These seven DNP candidates will be hooded and officially earn their DNP degrees, in a ceremony on August 17 at 5:00 p.m., in the Branscomb Auditorium. Project Poster Presentations included: Conversations to Improve Advance Care Planning for Older Adults in Primary Care: A Pilot Project, presented by Amy Davis , MSN, APRN, FNP-C, supervised by Dr. Melanie Michael presented by , MSN, APRN, FNP-C, supervised by Dr. Implementation of a Strength Training Intervention for Treating Sarcopenia Among Older Residents in a Skilled Nursing Facility , presented by Donna-Marie Lanton , MSN, APRN, ANP-C, supervised by Dr. Imke Casey , presented by , MSN, APRN, ANP-C, supervised by Dr. Reducing Falls in a Memory Care Unit Through Implementation of the STEADI Program , presented by Cory B. Lord , MSN, APRN, NP-C, supervised by Dr. Imke Casey , presented by , MSN, APRN, NP-C, supervised by Dr. Improving Transitional Care Outcomes in Primary Care: A Pilot Study, presented by Satoria Reid-Rowe , MSN, APRN, FNP-C, supervised by Dr. Melanie Michael presented by , MSN, APRN, FNP-C, supervised by Dr. Orientation Recommendations for Travel Nurses Based on Nurse Identified Learning Needs , presented by Olga C. Rodriguez , MSN, COL (ret), MSN, RN, CPHQ , supervised by Dr. Tracy Magee , presented by , MSN, COL (ret), MSN, RN, CPHQ supervised by Dr. Suwannee River Area Health Education Center and Florida Southern College : Meeting the Need for Interprofessional Practice to Improve Health , presented by Tila Skipper-Resendiz , MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-C, supervised by Dr. Melanie Michael , presented by , MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-C, supervised by Dr. Seeing Is Believing: Continuous Glucose Monitoring Versus Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes, presented by Dorothea Thompson , MSN, APRN, FNP-C, supervised by Dr. Imke Casey About Florida Southern College Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked at #8 among the "Best Regional Universities in the South" by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022 "Best Colleges" guide and is included in The Princeton Review's 2022 Best 387 Colleges guide and the "Fiske Guide to Colleges 2022." The 2021-2022 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern's AACSB accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College's School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets&Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC has appeared on The Princeton Review's top 20 "Most Beautiful Campus" national listing for 12 consecutive years. Connect with Florida Southern College. SOURCE Florida Southern College DUBLIN, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Railway Traction Motor Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global railway traction motor market reached a value of US$ 6.53 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 8.49 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.47% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor. Railway traction motors are electric motors generating power for rotating wheels of the train. They have a sealed structure, which prevents dust intrusion and requires less maintenance, and improved accessory devices like cooling fans that help keep noise levels low. They are highly reliable due to the integration of the stator using high-frequency heating. As a result, railway traction motors find extensive applications in electric multiple units (EMU) and diesel, electric, and diesel-electric locomotives across the globe. At present, there is a rise in the expansion of the railway network around the world, which assists in transporting goods and products across longer distances compared to roadways. This represents one of the key factors driving the market. Moreover, there are various benefits of traction motors, which include compact design, power efficiency, and durability. This, coupled with different initiatives undertaken by governments of numerous countries to promote the usage of electric motors, is stimulating the growth of the market. In addition, there is an increase in the electrification of railway networks and the conversion of conventional diesel locomotives into electric locomotives. In line with this, the rising installation of high-capacity lithium-ion batteries in rolling stock and using them in traction power is offering lucrative growth opportunities to industry investors and key market players. These players are extensively investing in research and development (R&D) activities for enhancing railway systems, which is enabling them to bolster their overall sales and increase profitability. Besides this, rising investments in electric vehicles (EVs) and the growing need to reduce carbon emissions worldwide are other factors catalyzing the demand for railway traction motors. Competitive Landscape: The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being ABB Ltd, Alstom SA, CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited (Murugappa Group), Hitachi Ltd., Hyundai Motor Company, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Saini Group, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Sulzer Ltd. and VEM Group. Key Questions Answered in This Report: How has the global railway traction motor market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years? What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global railway traction motor market? What are the key regional markets? What is the breakup of the market based on the type? What is the breakup of the market based on the application? What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry? What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry? What is the structure of the global railway traction motor market and who are the key players? What is the degree of competition in the industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Preface 2 Scope and Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Introduction 4.1 Overview 4.2 Key Industry Trends 5 Global Railway Traction Motor Market 5.1 Market Overview 5.2 Market Performance 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 5.4 Market Forecast 6 Market Breakup by Type 6.1 DC Traction Motor 6.1.1 Market Trends 6.1.2 Market Forecast 6.2 AC Traction Motor 6.2.1 Market Trends 6.2.2 Market Forecast 6.3 Synchronous AC Traction Motor 6.3.1 Market Trends 6.3.2 Market Forecast 7 Market Breakup by Application 7.1 Diesel Locomotive 7.1.1 Market Trends 7.1.2 Market Forecast 7.2 Electric Multiple Units 7.2.1 Market Trends 7.2.2 Market Forecast 7.3 Electric Locomotives 7.3.1 Market Trends 7.3.2 Market Forecast 7.4 Diesel-Electric Locomotives 7.4.1 Market Trends 7.4.2 Market Forecast 8 Market Breakup by Region 9 SWOT Analysis 10 Value Chain Analysis 11 Porters Five Forces Analysis 12 Price Analysis 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Market Structure 13.2 Key Players 13.3 Profiles of Key Players 13.3.1 ABB Ltd 13.3.1.1 Company Overview 13.3.1.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.1.3 Financials 13.3.1.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.2 Alstom SA 13.3.2.1 Company Overview 13.3.2.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.2.3 Financials 13.3.2.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.3 CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited (Murugappa Group) 13.3.3.1 Company Overview 13.3.3.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.3.3 Financials 13.3.3.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.4 Hitachi Ltd. 13.3.4.1 Company Overview 13.3.4.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.4.3 Financials 13.3.4.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.5 Hyundai Motor Company 13.3.5.1 Company Overview 13.3.5.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.5.3 Financials 13.3.5.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.6 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation 13.3.6.1 Company Overview 13.3.6.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.6.3 Financials 13.3.6.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.7 Saini Group 13.3.7.1 Company Overview 13.3.7.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.8 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft 13.3.8.1 Company Overview 13.3.8.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.8.3 Financials 13.3.8.4 SWOT Analysis 13.3.9 Sulzer Ltd. 13.3.9.1 Company Overview 13.3.9.2 Product Portfolio 13.3.9.3 Financials 13.3.10 VEM Group 13.3.10.1 Company Overview 13.3.10.2 Product Portfolio For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ap4w27 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets Travel retail market is expected to prosper by 2031 due to rising number of international travelers. Airports sub-segment is predicted to be highly dominant. Market in Asia-Pacific region is projected to witness more growth opportunities by 2031. NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Research Dive has added a new report to its offering titled, "Travel Retail Market by Product Type (Perfume & Cosmetics, Electronics, Wine & Spirits, Food, Confectionery & Catering, Tobacco, Luxury Goods, and Others), Sales Channel (Airports, Cruise Liners, Railway Stations, Border, and Down-Town & Hotel Shop), and Regional Analysis (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2031". According to the report, the global travel retail market is anticipated to gather a revenue of $225,663.8 million and grow at 16.0% CAGR during the 2022-2031 forecast timeframe. Dynamics of the Travel Retail Market Drivers: Rapidly increasing travel and tourism across the globe along with the growing demand for cosmetics, garments, food, and electronics in the travel retail sector are some factors estimated to drive the growth of the global travel retail market during the forecast period. Moreover, rise in urbanization and changes in lifestyle are also expected to boost the market growth during the 2022-2031 analysis timeframe. Click Here! To Download an All-Inclusive PDF Sample of Travel Retail Market Opportunities: The increasing use of mobiles and laptops to book airplane tickets and other travel itineraries as well as the adoption of digitalization by travel retailers as an evolved mode for their product sales are some factors to create abundant growth opportunities for the global travel retail market by 2031. Restraints: Shifting socio-economic conditions brought by different events like riots, terrorist attacks, etc. is the major hampering factor for the market growth. Covid-19 Impact on the Travel Retail Market The onset of the devastating covid-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on the global travel retail market mainly due to travel restrictions and social distancing norms imposed by governments. Economic slowdown across several countries forced people to cancel their travel plans that created a negative impact on the industry. Moreover, retail stores present in the airports were prone to face several financial issues because of no travelers that led to no source of income. These factors are predicted to decline the market growth amid the catastrophic stress. Specific Requirement on Post COVID-19 Impact on Travel Retail market? Speak to Analyst or Schedule a Call Segments of the Travel Retail Market As per the report, the global ravel retail market has been divided into multiple segments based on product type, sales channel, and regional analysis. By product type, the perfume and cosmetics sub-segment is projected to hold a dominant market share and garner a revenue of $81,414.5 million during the analysis years . Cosmetics like skin cream, nail polish, perfumes, makeup products, soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, essential oils, etc. are easily available at various travel terminals. Moreover, retailers also provide discounts, cashbacks, and sale offers on particular goods. These factors are estimated to bolster the sub-segment's growth by 2031. . Cosmetics like skin cream, nail polish, perfumes, makeup products, soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, essential oils, etc. are easily available at various travel terminals. Moreover, retailers also provide discounts, cashbacks, and sale offers on particular goods. These factors are estimated to bolster the sub-segment's growth by 2031. By sales channel, the airports sub-segment of the global travel retail market is anticipated to have the highest growth rate and register a revenue of $137,236.9 million during the analysis timeframe because air travel is becoming more affordable and convenient for people. In addition, high availability of customer-focused cosmetics and beverage products by airport retailers is also expected to propel the sub-segment's growth during the 2022-2031 analysis period. because air travel is becoming more affordable and convenient for people. In addition, high availability of customer-focused cosmetics and beverage products by airport retailers is also expected to propel the sub-segment's growth during the 2022-2031 analysis period. By regional analysis, the travel retail market in the Asia-Pacific region is predicted to have a noteworthy growth rate of 16.6% CAGR during the forecast period since many foreign investors prefer travelling to Malaysia , Hong Kong , and other Asian countries to shop tax-free. Moreover, the airports in the region have advanced in terms of infrastructure, technology, and also offer various customer-focused goods which is further projected to uplift the market growth in the Asia-Pacific region by 2031. Granular Research Specific on regions or Segments of Travel Retail Market & Avail 10%OFF Key Travel Retail Market Players Some key travel retail market players are 1. Aer Rianta International 2. China Tourism Group Duty Free Corporation Limited 3. DUFRY GROUP 4. Duty Free Americas, Inc 5. Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG 6. King Power International. 7. Lotte hotel 8. Lagardere sca (lagardere travel retail) 9. LVMH Group 10. THE SHILLA DUTY FREE, among others. These key players are undertaking various strategies such as product development and enhancement, merger and acquisition, partnerships and collaborations to sustain the market growth. Inquire here before buying the full report For example, in August 2021, Diageo Global Travel, a multinational beverage alcohol company, announced its partnership with Delhi Duty Free, an alcohol retail outlet where some products are exempted from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, to launch its exclusive digital whisky store and address the surging demand for e-commerce solutions in the travel retail sector. The report also summarizes many important facets including financial performance of the key market players, SWOT analysis, product portfolio, and the latest strategic developments. More about Travel Retail Market: Some Trending Article Links: The global capsule hotel market size is predicted to garner $211.7 million in the 20212028 timeframe, growing from $135.2 million in 2020, at a healthy CAGR of 6.0%. The global urban air mobility market is expected to garner $45,86,312.6 thousand in the 20202027 period, growing from $17,600.0 thousand in 2019 at a noteworthy CAGR of 89.8%. The global adventure tourism market size is predicted to reach $1,796,243.8 million by 2027, at a 15.0% CAGR, growing from $609,000.0 million in 2019. About Research Dive Research Dive is a market research firm based in Pune, India. Maintaining the integrity and authenticity of the services, the firm provides the services that are solely based on its exclusive data model, compelled by the 360-degree research methodology, which guarantees comprehensive and accurate analysis. With an unprecedented access to several paid data resources, team of expert researchers, and strict work ethic, the firm offers insights that are extremely precise and reliable. Scrutinizing relevant news releases, government publications, decades of trade data, and technical & white papers, Research dive deliver the required services to its clients well within the required timeframe. Its expertise is focused on examining niche markets, targeting its major driving factors, and spotting threatening hindrances. Complementarily, it also has a seamless collaboration with the major industry aficionado that further offers its research an edge. Contact: Mr. Abhishek Paliwal Research Dive 30 Wall St. 8th Floor, New York NY 10005 (P) +91-(788)-802-9103 (India) +1-(917)-444-1262 (US) Toll Free: 1-888-961-4454 E-mail: [email protected] Website: https://www.researchdive.com Blog: https://www.researchdive.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/research-dive/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ResearchDive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Research-Dive-1385542314927521 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/997523/Research_Dive_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research Dive New tech helps leading addiction and mental healthcare provider get patients the resources they need throughout the healing and recovery process KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is simplifying the distribution of addiction treatment and recovery support content with the Oracle Cerner electronic health record (EHR) and Xealth's digital therapeutic distribution platform. The new system makes it easier for Hazelden Betty Ford clinicians to personalize care for their patients by assigning them digital content, including therapeutic education, exercises, and workshops, accessible via the EHR's patient portal. The new central repository for patients will be accessible during in-person or online treatment and at later touchpoints throughout their long-term recovery process. Hazelden Betty Ford, a longtime Oracle Cerner client, is the nation's largest nonprofit system of addiction treatment, mental health care, recovery resources and related prevention and education services. "We are committed to personalized care and empowering our patients with accessible, relevant resources at every stage of recovery," said Deb Bauman, chief information officer and vice president of technology services at Hazelden Betty Ford, "Digital health content is a critical component of our care and support, and our collaboration with Oracle Cerner and Xealth is helping us get the right content to the right patients at the right time." In December 2020, Oracle Cerner and Xealth began working together to help health care providers better leverage online content to serve their patients. Caregivers at Hazelden Betty Ford will now have the ability to assign therapeutic content from within their EHR workflow in response to individual patient situations and in anticipation of individual patient needs. In addition, care teams will gain insights into how patients are engaging with the content and how well each is performing via analytics organized in an intuitive dashboard and custom reporting. They can also edit existing content and launch new content as needed. "Digital health is proving to reshape patient care and helps enable caregivers to create more engaging and effective patient experiences," said Bob Kopanic, Oracle Cerner senior vice president of North American client relationships. "This integration makes it easier for clinical staff to do their most important work - caring for their patients. We're pleased to help make it easier for Hazelden Betty Ford caregivers to meet patients where they are with digital health content that is easy to access and consume when and where they'd like to." "Hazelden Betty Ford is a world-renowned force of healing and hope for individuals and families affected by the complex challenges of addiction and mental health concerns," said Mike McSherry, CEO and co-founder of Xealth. "We welcome the opportunity to help deepen the connection between patients and care teams by simplifying the process of bringing digital resources to people when and how they need them, getting more patients engaged and enabling more personalized, meaningful care." A client since 2015, Hazelden Betty Ford uses a variety of Oracle Cerner technology to enhance the clinician and patient experience. About the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is a force of healing and hope for individuals, families and communities affected by addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As the nation's leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive inpatient and outpatient addiction and mental health care for adults and youth, the Foundation has treatment centers and telehealth services nationwide as well as a network of collaborators throughout health care. Through charitable support and a commitment to innovation, the Foundation is able to continually enhance care, research, programs and services, and help more people. With a legacy that began in 1949 and includes the 1982 founding of the Betty Ford Center, the Foundation today is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in its services and throughout the organization, which also encompasses a graduate school of addiction studies, a publishing division, an addiction research center, recovery advocacy and thought leadership, professional and medical education programs, school-based prevention resources and a specialized program for children who grow up in families with addiction. Learn more at HazeldenBettyFord.org and on Twitter. About Oracle Cerner Oracle Cerner's health technologies connect people and information systems at thousands of contracted provider facilities worldwide dedicated to creating smarter and better care for individuals and communities. Recognized globally for innovation, Oracle Cerner assists clinicians in making care decisions and assists organizations in managing the health of their populations. The company also offers a connected clinical and financial ecosystem to help manage day-to-day revenue functions, as well as a wide range of services to support clinical, financial, and operational needs, focused on people. For more information, visit Cerner.com, Oracle Cerner Perspectives, connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or join the discussion on Oracle Cerner's podcast Perspectives on Health & Tech. About Xealth Xealth scales digital health programs, enabling clinicians to integrate, prescribe and monitor digital health tools for patients to drive engagement and utilization. Through the secure Xealth platform, clinicians can find and order the right digital health tools and programs for patients direct from the EHR workflow, send these digital health orders to the patient's email or patient portal, and then monitor activity. Xealth spun out of Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH) in 2017, and investors include Atrium Health, Cleveland Clinic, MemorialCare Innovation Fund, Cerner, McKesson Ventures, Novartis, Philips, and ResMed as well as Providence Ventures, UPMC and the Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network. For more information, visit www.xealth.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. SOURCE Oracle Cerner Ismail Sirdah launched his career in 1998, as the owner of several popular Mexican restaurants. However, after a decade in the culinary landscape, Ismail discovered a passion for marketing and branding. After running several highly successful promotional campaigns for other local businesses, Ismail launched Lulu Promotions, which is now the number one promotions company in Georgia, within the Hispanic and Latino markets. DULUTH, Ga., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As a social entrepreneur, Ismail Sirdah is currently dealing with many businesses and takes the time to discuss the challenges of handling with event promotion. Sirdah expresses that one of the biggest opportunities is to re-evaluate the business, by considering digital strategies, and reconnecting with the purpose behind his mission. It makes you realize how fast-paced life is when things are in full swing. As a busy event marketing company, it moves from one client to the next. It is always time and important to give a moment to appreciate what has been built and the incredible vendors, partners, and clients Lulu Promotions and Music has had the pleasure of working with. A good advice from Ismail Sirdah is to feel lucky, to be so secure in such uncertain times. According to the entrepreneur Ismail Sirdah, the most important step anyone can do right now is to create a schedule. If you do not, you might start to feel the days all melting into one another. Sirdah said that achieving a goal is not about focusing on the outcome, but rather the systems you put in place. When implemented daily systems in the company, it is more likely to move towards the goal to achieve. Being motivated by all of the new things you can learn about digital event marketing. Many event promotors have stepped up to offer alternative methods for launching and promoting their events online or in a downsized fashion after the pandemic. Still, the entire industry looks forward to the day when professionals do business in person again. CONTACT: Ismail Sirdah ***@gmail.com Photos: https://www.prlog.org/12928717 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Ismail Sirdah Marketing & Events CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ironbeam Inc., an industry-leading futures brokerage firm, is pleased to announce growth in customer segregated assets of approximately 20% during the three months since Ironbeam became a CME Group clearing member firm. Ironbeam is one of the only direct clearing members that offers a proprietary modern cloud-based trading and clearing experience. The company's free Ironbeam App trading platform provides direct access to over 700,000 trading instruments with low-latency market data and order routing. Omid Farr, Founder and CTO of Ironbeam Inc. said: "It has been exciting seeing the growth in all business segments in the last few months as a CME Group clearing member. The direct clearing aspect along with our low-latency proprietary trading tools and technology solutions make Ironbeam the ideal trading destination." Robert Terrell, CEO of Ironbeam said: "We have delivered on our expectations and our roadmap will continue to enhance the modern trading experience." About Ironbeam Operating out of the Chicago Board of Trade, Ironbeam launched in 2010 as a technology-centric futures brokerage firm dedicated to providing technology solutions that cater to the needs of futures participants and the modern futures trader. Ironbeam is a CME Group member clearing firm, and stands as one of the only clearing firms offering trading solutions powered by its own proprietary technology. For media inquiries, please contact: Michael Murphy [email protected] 312-765-7228 www.ironbeam.com SOURCE Ironbeam, Inc. Company Strengthens International Expansion and Broadens the Availability of Continuous IV Monitoring Solutions to Strategic Markets NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, ivWatch, LLC, an innovative IV safety company working to eliminate harm caused by infiltration and extravasation events, announced three new strategic distribution partnerships internationally. Bameco in Austria, Warba Medical Supplies in Kuwait, and Mustafa Sultan Science & Industry Co, LLC in Oman have each signed exclusive agreements to promote, sell, and support ivWatch's continuous monitoring products in their markets. ivWatch's novel technologies will complement and bolster their existing portfolios of intravenous products provided to hospitals and other health care facilities. ivWatch sensors use visible and near-infrared light to measure changes in the optical properties of the tissue near a peripheral IV insertion site. Audible and visual notifications are provided through a patient monitor when changes consistent with IV fluid leaking and pooling in the tissue adjacent to the IV site are detected. ivWatch solutions continue to be available in more countries throughout the globe and with the addition of Austria, Kuwait, and Oman, clinicians will now be able to improve their bedside decision-making with real-time IV infiltration data. Continuous IV site monitoring provides accurate and precise insights to detect infiltrations and extravasations at their earliest stages. ivWatch's proprietary algorithm detects infiltrations promptly and notifies clinicians of adverse IV therapy events often hours before they are detectable by visual or tactile examination.1 "At ivWatch, we are on a steadfast mission to improve IV safety globally and we are extremely passionate about partnering with likeminded innovators who share that same relentless pursuit to advance patient safety," said Chuck Egress, Vice President of Business Development and Emerging Markets at ivWatch. "IV infiltrations and extravasations are a major global patient safety concern, and these new partnerships provide increased access to advanced safety solutions to help end complications and improve patient outcomes in IV therapy." ivWatch has over 60 patents worldwide and received its first FDA clearance in 2015 for its IV site monitoring system that consists of an ivWatch Patient Monitor and a reusable optical biosensor that uses visible and near-infrared light to continuously measure changes in the optical properties of the tissue near an IV insertion site. In 2020, the company expanded its portfolio of sensor solutions and received FDA clearance for a single-use, miniaturized biosensor that is cleared for all patient age groups, sizes, and skin tones. Both sensors work seamlessly with the intuitive user interface on the Patient Monitor, which issues audible and visual "Check IV" alerts for the clinician to assess the IV site. ivWatch technology performs with high accuracy, intelligence, and low false alarm rates, which is critical to improving patient outcomes. To learn more about ivWatch, visit www.ivWatch.com or follow the Company's social media platforms for the latest updates on new continuous monitoring innovations in IV safety. 1 Doellman, D. and Rineair, S. (2019) The use of optical detection for continuous monitoring of pediatric IV sites. Journal of the Association for Vascular Access: Summer 2019, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 44-47. About ivWatch, LLC ivWatch, LLC is a biosensor technology company focused on improving patient safety and the effectiveness of intravenous therapy. Our dedicated and passionate team is pioneering the use of optical sensors to detect adverse IV events early to minimize the risk of injury caused by infiltrations and extravasations. Our innovative continuous monitoring IV solutions are backed by decades of clinical research and device development. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @ivWatch , Facebook @ivWatchLLC , LinkedIn @ivWatch or visit www.ivWatch.com . SOURCE ivWatch, LLC Announces New Digital Engagement Opportunities Ahead of 3rd Annual Giving Day on August 25 ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to raise greater awareness and drive action in the maternal and infant health crisis, March of Dimes is now making it easier for digital communities to support its mission by facilitating peer-to-peer fundraising through Powered On Dimes and by accepting digital currency. Tragically, the U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth, especially for women and babies of color. To change the course of this crisis, March of Dimes is stepping up its efforts to cultivate digital audiences ahead of its third annual Giving Day on August 25, with a goal of raising $500,000. "As our organization heads into its 85th year, we're continually leveraging technology to improve the lives of mom, babies and families across our country," said March of Dimes President and CEO Stacey D. Stewart. "Just as we leveraged cutting-edge solutions to eliminate polio and develop genetic testing for newborns, we're embracing emerging technologies to reach new and existing supporters who can help fund our research, programs, education and advocacy on behalf of moms and babies." Powered on Dimes March of Dimes is collaborating with content creators many of whom have been impacted by preterm birth, birth defects and issues of health equity to raise awareness of maternal and infant health topics and support the organization. Through Powered by Dimes, any content creators seeking to make a positive impact can sign up to create a charity stream to elevate awareness among younger audiences and raise money to support families. March of Dimes launched in 1938 with an appeal to Americans to send dimes to fund research for a vaccine to eradicate polio, which it accomplished in 1955. Through platforms likes Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Gaming, content creators who raise 5,000 dimes can fund over six hours of prematurity research, for example. For information on how to register and create a stream, click here. "As a mother of a child born preterm and another that was stillborn, March of Dimes' mission to improve the health of moms and babies means so much to me," said Katie Kitchener, a streamer on Twitch. "My streaming community knows my story and has been tremendously supportive in raising funds to help other families like mine." Cryptocurrency To support the addition of cryptocurrency and non fungible tokens (NFTs) as a fundraising revenue stream, March of Dimes is partnering with The Giving Block to engage digital communities and facilitate donations of these assets. More than 80 types of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, will be accepted and donations can be made via the March of Dimes website. Last year, Syeda Shaukat and Yat Seeva welcomed their son, Yat Jr, who spent 1,056 hours in the NICU at the Swedish Issaquah Hospital in Seattle. March of Dimes supported the family through their NICU journey and the couple learned about the organization's effort to address disparities in maternal and infant health care and wanted to get involved. Shaukat and Seeva created an NFT project, Go Milky, which features artwork that promotes breastfeeding. The project will mint in September and proceeds from the sales will benefit the March of Dimes. "Creating this project is how I overcame the most painful experience of my life," said Shaukat. "I hope that the contribution made by Go Milky can make a difference in widening access to healthy pregnancies and babies." Giving Day March of Dimes Giving Day, on August 25, aims to support every family throughout their pregnancy journey and raise critical funds to help the organization ensure moms and babies get the best possible start. This year March of Dimes is highlighting Lauren LaRosa's story, who was born preterm at 26 weeks and spent 89 days in the NICU. LaRosa's life has now come full circle and she's back where she started: the NICU at Prisma Health Children's Hospital in Greenville, South Carolina. Except this time she's studying to become a NICU nurse and receiving support and guidance from the same March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program Coordinator who helped her family get through her preterm birth. LaRosa and her parents share their journey in March of Dimes newest PSA entitled, "Full Circle." To make a donation in support of Giving Day, visit marchofdimes.org. About March of Dimes March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 84-year legacy of impact and innovation, we support every mom and every family. Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter . SOURCE March of Dimes Inc. WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Englanders can breathe a sigh of relief after a United States federal court judge for the District of Massachusetts today signed a court order approving an agreement to delay enforcement of a state law that would have banned the sale of pork that comes from animals not housed according to the state's prescriptive housing standards. A coalition led by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), with the National Restaurant Association, and several New England restaurant and hospitality associations filed suit seeking to stop the law's impeding implementation. The suit also asks the court to find the law unconstitutional. "This is a significant outcome as NPPC continues to push to preserve the rights of America's pig farmers to raise hogs in the way that is best for their animals and maintains a reliable supply of pork for consumers," said Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minnesota. "The impact of Question 3 would have been particularly harmful to those in surrounding New England states who did not have a vote in the 2016 Massachusetts referendum, nor any notice of the dramatic steps that activists had taken trying to force these harmful initiatives on voters in other states." The state law, known as Question 3 (Q3), was a 2016 Massachusetts ballot initiative set to go into effect on Aug. 15, 2022. Q3 is similar to California's Proposition 12, which is currently being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, and would ban any uncooked whole pork meat sold in the state that does not meet specific sow housing requirements, regardless of where it was produced. Going further than Prop 12, the Massachusetts law would not allow the transshipment of whole pork through the state jeopardizing an estimated $2 billion worth of pork that moves into neighboring New England states. Earlier this week, the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy and the coalition came to a commonsense agreement that the Q3 rule prohibiting sales of non-compliant pork should be put on hold at least until 30 days after the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling in the lawsuit brought by NPPC and American Farm Bureau Federation to Proposition 12. This agreement is limited to only the pork sales provision of Q3, and producers located in Massachusetts are still required to comply with the in-state housing standards. "Working cooperatively with the court and AG Healy's office to ensure already-constrained supply chains continue to work despite this unconstitutional law is a win for American families and local economies in New England and around the country," Wolters said. "Thanks to this agreement, and court order, New Englanders can still enjoy their favorite pork products from bacon to ribs and BBQ this Labor Day weekend and throughout the rest of the year." Pig farmers and swine veterinarians are in the best position to make decisions about how to care for their animals. Activist-led ballot initiatives like those in California and Massachusetts risk reversing decades of progress on both animal health and on-farm sustainability, which could undermine the global competitiveness of the U.S. pork industry. NPPC is the global voice for the U.S. pork industry, protecting the livelihoods of America's 66,000 pork producers who abide by ethical principles in caring for their animals; in protecting the environment and public health; and in providing safe, wholesome, nutritious pork products to consumers worldwide. For more information, visit www.nppc.org. SOURCE National Pork Producers Council Adopt a Cow program brings dairy education to 1,700 classrooms; Wisconsin enrollment is open MADISON, Wis., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Register now for the "Adopt a Cow" 2022-23 program by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Discover Dairy. Via this free program, classrooms follow the life of a calf through its first year on a Wisconsin dairy farm. "It's fantastic to see educators and students in classrooms across all 50 states and 38 countries experience how dairy farms work, engage with the industry, and learn how dairy products reach their tables," said Karen Doster, the Director of Youth and School Programs at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Adopt a Cow for your classroom! Its a free program sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Discover Dairy that helps classrooms pair up with a Wisconsin dairy farm to learn all about their adopted animal and the states signature dairy industry. Visit www.DiscoverDairy.com/adopt before the September 15, 2022 deadline to enroll in this years program. Each Wisconsin classroom that enrolls in the Adopt a Cow program is paired with a calf from a Wisconsin dairy farm. Students discover photos, stories, and additional educational information about the calf's life on her farm, her food, living area, how the farmer cares for her, and more. Supplemental lessons and hands-on activities keep the students engaged all school-year-long to explore where their favorite foods come from and gain a deeper understanding of Wisconsin's $45.6 billion dairy industry. Several lessons follow common CORE standards in Math, Reading, and Science. See what previous educator participants are saying about the hands-on dairy lessons: "I had no idea how 'adopting' a cow this year would be a highlight of our school year! Our class adopted the calf, Reese's, from the Brey Cycle Farm in Sturgeon Bay ." 5 th -grade teacher ." "My students look forward to learning about our adopted calf, Dulce, and getting updates on her growth and progress. They wrote letters to the farmer, and they have participated in several other activities that the Discover Dairy program has sent." 4th-grade teacher "We chose to be part of the Adopt a Cow program because we want to connect with students so they can ask questions about dairy farming and its importance to their community," said dairy farmer Janet Clark of Vision Aire Farms, LLC in Eldorado, Wis. "We believe it is important to share how dairy farmers take care of their animals." Wisconsin family farms involved in this year's program include Vision Aire Farms LLC in Eldorado, Synergy Family Dairy in Pulaski, and Orthridge Jerseys in Lancaster. Each farm has committed two or three calves to the program and Discover Dairy will assign calves to each participating classroom in fall. K-12 educators are invited to register. The program also is ideal for homeschool classrooms, after-school and library programs, scout troops, 4-H groups, and more. To enroll in the 2022-23 Adopt a Cow program, educators should visit www.DiscoverDairy.com/adopt before the September 15, 2022 deadline. About Discover Dairy: Discover Dairy is an educational series managed by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania in partnership with American Dairy Association Northeast, American Dairy Association Indiana, Midwest Dairy, The Dairy Alliance, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Dairy Council of Arizona and Nevada, Dairy West, New England Dairy, Dairy Farmers of Washington, American Dairy Association Mideast, Dairy Council of Florida, United Dairy Industry of Michigan, and Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council. About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin: Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin's world-class dairy products. For more information, visit our website at wisconsindairy.org. SOURCE Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin The Business Research Company's motor vehicle parts market research report expands on key drivers, trends, and growth opportunities in the market. LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Advances in technology are expected to be a continued driver of motor vehicle parts manufacturing market growth in the forecast period. The global transport manufacturing industry has experienced many technological advances in the last decade, and this trend is expected to intensify. According to Forbes, the ten new motor vehicle parts industry trends to expect by 2020 include autonomous driving, driver override systems, biometric vehicle access, comprehensive vehicle tracking, active window displays, remote vehicle shutdown, active health monitoring, four-cylinder supercars, smart and personalized in-car marketing, and reconfigurable body panels. These innovations are expected to drive the motor vehicle parts manufacturing market during the forecast period. The global motor vehicle parts market size is expected to grow from $2.33 trillion in 2021 to $2.57 trillion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.1%. The global motor vehicle parts market growth is expected to reach $3.63 trillion in 2026 at a CAGR of 9.1%. Request a free sample of the Motor Vehicle Parts Market Report An Overview Of The Motor Vehicle Parts Market In North America The motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry in North America is supported by the large consumer population, high demand for motor vehicles, the presence of large motor vehicle companies, and investments in the electric vehicle industry. For instance, in 2021, General Motors announced an investment of over $1 billion in a plant in Mexico to provide electric vehicles. The facility will begin producing EVs beginning in 2023. The investment includes new capacity for battery packs and electronic components like electric motors and other vehicle parts. COVID-19 Continues To Be A Major Restraint The outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has acted as a massive restraint on the motor vehicle parts manufacturing market in 2020 as supply chains were disrupted due to trade restrictions and consumption declined due to lockdowns imposed by governments globally. Transportation manufacturers depend heavily on the supply of parts and components from different countries across the globe. As many governments restricted the movement of goods across countries, manufacturers had to halt production due to a lack of parts and components. Also, sales of new automobiles decreased significantly due to a decline in consumer demand as many countries imposed lockdowns. Key Players In The Market Major companies in the motor vehicle parts market include EXOR Group, Denso Corp, General Motors Co, Robert Bosch GmbH, Aisin Seiki Co Ltd, Continental AG, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Magna International Inc, Toyota Motor Corp, and SAIC Motor Co Ltd. See more on the Motor Vehicle Parts Market Report Check out similar market reports: Motor Vehicle Body, Stamped Metal & Other Parts Global Market Report 2022 By Type (Motor Vehicle Body, Stamped Metal, Other Parts), By Application (Passenger Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle), By End Use (OEM, Aftermarket) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Motor Vehicle Body Global Market Report 2022 By Type Of Vehicle (Passenger Vehicle, Light Commercial Vehicle, Heavy Trucks, Buses, Coaches), By End Use (OEM, Aftermarket) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Motor Vehicle Seating And Interior Trim Global Market Report 2022 By Type (Motor Vehicle Seating, Motor Vehicle Interior Trim), By Vehicle (Passenger Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle) Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2022-2026 Interested to know more about The Business Research Company? The Business Research Company is a market intelligence firm that excels in company, market, and consumer research. Located globally, it has strategy enablement specialists in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, chemicals, and technology. The World's Most Comprehensive Database The Business Research Company's flagship product, Global Market Model, is a market intelligence platform covering various macroeconomic indicators and metrics across 60 geographies and 27 industries. The Global Market Model covers multi-layered datasets which help its users assess supply-demand gaps. Contact Information The Business Research Company Europe: +44 207 1930 708 Asia: +91 8897263534 Americas: +1 315 623 0293 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/company/the-business-research-company Twitter: https://twitter.com/tbrc_info YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC24_fI0rV8cR5DxlCpgmyFQ Blog: http://blog.tbrc.info/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1751581/tbrc_logo.jpg SOURCE The Business Research Company Local small businesses will have access to retail space at Bridgeport's premier tourist destination BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- M&T Bank is bringing its innovative Spotlight Shop concept to Connecticut, providing local small businesses with an opportunity to market their unique products from a pop-up space in Bridgeport's popular Captain's Cove Seaport. M&T Bank Spotlights Connecticut Small Businesses in Innovative Pop-Up Shop Concept at Captain's Cove Seaport The M&T Spotlight Shop is a modern, 240-square-foot modular retail space with folding walls that provides a welcoming, engaging space for businesses to connect with customers. Starting today in Bridgeport and continuing in different locations across the state, businesses from across Connecticut will rotate through in two-week segments. The first businesses to be featured, all of which are M&T customers, include: Leisha's Bakeria , a small-batch bakery owned by Leisha Young and located in the Bijou Square neighborhood of downtown Bridgeport . Leisha's Bakeria offers freshly baked cookies, cakes, and other baked goods. , a small-batch bakery owned by and located in the Bijou Square neighborhood of downtown . Leisha's Bakeria offers freshly baked cookies, cakes, and other baked goods. El Coquito, a family-owned Puerto Rican restaurant located in Bridgeport that has served the community for over 30 years. M&T's Spotlight Shop first launched in Baltimore's Inner Harbor in 2019, and in 2020 went virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic-inspired adaptation of the physical retail space was so popular that the company will run a Virtual Spotlight Shop simultaneously alongside the physical location at Captain's Cove in Bridgeport. Additional local small businesses will be added to both Spotlight Shops throughout the month-long stay at Captain's Cove. The following month, the physical Spotlight Shop will move to new, high-traffic locations across Connecticut. "The Spotlight Shop is a symbol of our unwavering support of small business owners," said Frank Micalizzi, M&T's Bridgeport regional president. "Bridgeport is home to many exciting and creative businesses. As one of the leading SBA lenders in Connecticut, we are committed to helping small businesses grow, create jobs and uplift our community." "My business depends heavily on word-of-mouth and foot traffic, so to be featured in M&T's Spotlight Shop, with the new location and all the exposure that comes with it, makes me feel so fortunate," said Leisha Young, owner of Leisha's Bakeria. "We are proud and happy to welcome M&T Bank's Spotlight Shop here to Captain's Cove Seaport," said Bruce Williams, vice president of Captain's Cove. "As the supporter of a number of small maritime businesses here at the Seaport, we appreciate M&T's commitment to the small business community in the Bridgeport area." "As Vice Chair of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding committee, I am always concerned as to what is available to the small, diverse businesses that call Bridgeport home," said State Senator Marilyn Moore. "The M&T Spotlight Shop at Captain's Cove is a great way to bring exposure to such businesses, and I hope this is just the beginning of giving exposure to small businesses who are the backbone of our communities." "Bridgeport is a great place to live, work, and of course, start and grow a business. As a part of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee in the State Legislature, it is my job to ensure Connecticut attracts and keeps businesses," said State Representative Steve Stafstrom. When companies like M&T step up and help local businesses, it goes a long way to sustaining our vibrant small business community" "Bridgeport is home to many small businesses that are deeply enshrined in the city's culture and community," said Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves. "I'm glad to see M&T Bank highlighting these local businesses in their Spotlight Shop, which will bring in new customers and show visitors the best of what Bridgeport has to offer." "The Spotlight Shop is a unique way to showcase small businesses in Connecticut and help them grow," said CBIA President and CEO, Chris DiPentima. "CBIA is pleased to see M&T Bank facilitating this program to give local businesses more exposure." As part of its commitment to supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs, M&T recently launched a Multicultural Small Business Innovation Lab in Bridgeport, Conn. The seven-week program, which was announced in June and will kick off on Sept. 21, is designed to help local multicultural business owners thrive, grow and pursue new ideas by providing guidance and skills to expand and operate their businesses. M&T consistently ranks in the top 10 in the nation for U.S. Small Business Administration lending and is currently the second leading small business lender in the SBA District of Connecticut. The Bridgeport M&T Spotlight Shop will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 11am-3pm, and Friday through Sunday 12pm-5pm, weather permitting. For more information and to visit the M&T Virtual Spotlight Shop, please visit www.mtb.com/spotlightshop. To keep up with all the Spotlight Shop action, follow us on Instagram - @mandt_spotlightshop. About M&T M&T Bank Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. M&T's principal banking subsidiary, M&T Bank, provides banking products and services in 12 states across the eastern U.S. from Maine to Virginia and Washington, D.C. Trust-related services are provided in select markets in the U.S. and abroad by M&T's Wilmington Trust-affiliated companies and by M&T Bank. Media Contact: David Samberg (201) 368-4515 [email protected] Equal Housing Lender. 2022 M&T Bank. Member FDIC. SOURCE M&T Bank Dedicated team brings together origination, underwriting, portfolio management, borrower relationship management, and syndication to provide financing for middle-market sponsor transactions NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) announced today the formation of a Direct Lending group that will focus on providing loans to the bank's private equity sponsor clients to support their portfolio company LBO and recapitalization transactions. The team will be led by Matt Maley, who joined MUFG in 2018 to run sponsor coverage. In his new role as Head of Direct Lending, Maley will report to Jon Lindenberg, Head of Global Corporate and Investment Banking (GCIB) in the Americas. "We started a direct lending initiative in 2019 when our sponsor clients approached us to finance their middle market LBOs outside of the broadly syndicated institutional market," said Maley. "Having completed more than 50 direct loan transactions to date, this offering has become an important tool in our toolbox, helping us grow our U.S. sponsor business to $300 million in revenue." "Setting up a dedicated group to target the direct lending market with an end-to-end solution will enable us to meet the needs of our clients and take advantage of MUFG's $3 trillion balance sheet, one of the largest in the world," Lindenberg said. MUFG approaches the direct lending market as a solutions provider to private equity sponsor clients and their portfolio companies, tapping into the broad MUFG platform and set of capabilities. Recent examples include: MUFG provided a 100% underwritten direct loan commitment to support Brightstar's acquisition of WindsorOne, the industry leader in wood trim boards. MUFG provided a direct loan to Authority Brands, an Apax portfolio company, and within 18 months helped to refinance that loan with a whole business securitization. MUFG provided a direct loan to support One Equity Partner's acquisition of Pittsburgh Glass Works, the leading distributor of automotive glass to the North American aftermarket. MUFG was part of a direct lending syndicate which helped Warburg Pincus acquire Sweeping Corporation of America, and subsequently advised on the sale of CleanStreet to Sweeping Corporation of America through the bank's M&A division, Intrepid. MUFG provided a direct loan to Offen Petroleum, a Court Square portfolio company, and within 12 months significantly increased its commitment to support organic growth. The new unit will be responsible for all aspects of direct lending, including sponsor coverage and origination, underwriting and portfolio management, borrower relationship management, and loan syndication. Press contact: Oksana Poltavets (646) 767-1326 [email protected] About Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.'s U.S. Operations including MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation The U.S. operations of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG), one of the world's leading financial groups, has total assets of $332.4 billion at March 31, 2022. As part of that total, MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation (MUAH), a financial holding company, bank holding company, and intermediate holding company, has total assets of $159.2 billion at March 31, 2022. MUAH's main subsidiaries are MUFG Union Bank, N.A. and MUFG Securities Americas Inc. MUFG Union Bank, N.A. provides a wide range of financial services to consumers, small businesses, middle-market companies, and major corporations. As of March 31, 2022, MUFG Union Bank, N.A. operated 297 branches, consisting primarily of retail banking branches in the West Coast states. MUFG Securities Americas Inc. is a registered securities broker-dealer which engages in capital markets origination transactions, domestic and foreign debt and equities securities transactions, private placements, collateralized financings, and securities borrowing and lending transactions. MUAH is owned by MUFG Bank, Ltd. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. MUFG Bank, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc., has offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, and Canada. Visit www.unionbank.com or www.mufgamericas.com for more information. About MUFG Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG) is one of the world's leading financial groups. Headquartered in Tokyo and with over 360 years of history, MUFG has a global network with approximately 2,500 locations in more than 50 countries. The Group has about 170,000 employees and offers services including commercial banking, trust banking, securities, credit cards, consumer finance, asset management, and leasing. The Group aims to "be the world's most trusted financial group" through close collaboration among our operating companies and flexibly respond to all of the financial needs of our customers, serving society, and fostering shared and sustainable growth for a better world. MUFG's shares trade on the Tokyo, Nagoya, and New York stock exchanges. For more information, visit https://www.mufg.jp/english. SOURCE MUFG WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA and Boeing will host a media teleconference at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 25, to provide an update on the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) to the International Space Station the first flight with astronauts on the company's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. Leadership on the call also will discuss data reviews from Boeing's uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 to the space station, which successfully completed in May 2022. The briefing participants are: Kathryn Lueders , associate administrator, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters , associate administrator, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Steve Stich , manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program, NASA's Kennedy Space Center , manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program, NASA's Kennedy Space Center Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, CST-100 Starliner, Boeing To participate in the call, media must RSVP to: [email protected] no later than one hour prior to the start of the event. Audio of the teleconference will livestream on NASA's website. CFT will demonstrate the ability of Starliner and the United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket to safely carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station. NASA will fly two astronaut test pilots, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Suni Williams, on the flight test to the space station, where they will live and work off the Earth for about two weeks. Following a successful test flight with astronauts, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for regular crew rotation flights to the space station. Find out more about NASA's Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew SOURCE NASA Research paper published in Science Translational Medicine by Nouscom and the Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Immunoregulation at IIGM led by Luigia Pace describes how Nouscom's adenoviral based vaccine platform enhances anti-tumor immunity by promoting the expansion and diversification of neoantigen-specific memory CD8+ T cells BASEL, Switzerland, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nouscom, a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing off-the-shelf and personalized viral vectored immunotherapies, today announces the publication in Science Translational Medicine of preclinical and clinical research describing a novel mechanism of action driven by its viral vector-based vaccine platform encoding tumor neoantigens. The publication, entitled 'Adenoviral based-vaccine promotes neoantigen specific CD8+ T cell stemness and tumor rejection' demonstrates how Nouscom's platform when given in combination with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy promotes the expansion and diversification of CD8+ T cells that are specific for the neoantigens encoded by its vaccine. These T cells were shown to exhibit a stem-like phenotype capable of infiltrating the tumor microenvironment and evolving into effector-memory CD8+ T cells. This mechanism was characterized in a preclinical model of colorectal cancer and confirmed in a Phase 1b trial in metastatic gastrointestinal patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors who saw durable clinical responses when treated with NOUS-209 in combination with anti-PD1. Encouraging safety, immunogenicity, clinical efficacy and translational data from a fully enrolled Phase 1b trial were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and American Society Clinical Oncology (ASCO) congresses earlier this year. Dr. Elisa Scarselli, Chief Scientific Officer of Nouscom, said: "This study published in Science Translational Medicine provides new insights into how our adenoviral vector-based cancer vaccine platform can drive clinical efficacy beyond that seen with checkpoint inhibition alone. Our platform allows us to encode for an unprecedented number of neoantigens and is capable of eliciting both a high quality and quantity T cell response for effective anti-tumor control. This mechanism has been validated in both preclinical studies and observed in patients and furthers our understanding of the clinical potential of adenoviral based cancer vaccines. We remain excited for the start of multiple Phase 2 clinical trials of NOUS-209 in the second half of 2022." Dr Luigia Pace, Head of the Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Immunoregulation at the Italian Institute for Genomic Research (IIGM), c/o Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy said: "Adenovirus vectored vaccines, expressing tumor-associated neoantigens is one of the most promising approaches to boost CD8+ T cell dependent anti-tumor immunity. In collaboration with Nouscom, we have uncovered the mechanistic details on how such vaccines may work by expansion and diversification of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells with a stem-like phenotype, leading to improved therapeutic responses". References A.M. D'Alise et al. Adenoviral Based-Vaccine Promotes Neoantigen Specific CD8+ T Cell Stemness And Tumor Rejection, Science Translational Medicine. Online publication: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abo7604 About Nouscom Nouscom is a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing next-generation, off-the-shelf and personalized cancer vaccines. Nouscom's proprietary platform harnesses the full power of the immune response by designing viral vectored vaccines based on multiple neoantigens and other immunomodulators. Nouscom is currently advancing the clinical development of its wholly owned programs: NOUS-209 (lead), an off-the-shelf cancer immunotherapy for the treatment of MSI-H solid tumors, and NOUS-PEV, a personalized vaccine for the treatment of advanced melanoma or lung cancer Nouscom has also exclusively out-licensed VAC85135, an off-the-shelf cancer vaccine which has received US FDA IND clearance, developed under a partnered multi-project agreement. Nouscom is led by an experienced management team with deep roots in the pharma and biotech industry and are veterans in the field of viral vectored vaccines. Nouscom, which was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland with operations in Rome, Italy, is backed by international life sciences investors. For more information on Nouscom, please visit the company's website at www.nouscom.com or follow us on LinkedIn Contacts: Nouscom Rick Davis, COO E : [email protected] T : +41 61 201 1835 MEDiSTRAVA Consulting Sylvie Berrebi,Eleanor Perkin E : [email protected] T : +44 (0)203 928 6900 SOURCE Nouscom 18 public and private universities and colleges commit to building more predictability and transparency into the transfer student experience NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Outlier.org , an online education platform dedicated to reducing student debt and increasing access to quality higher education, is launching a network of schools committed to improving the transfer student experience. The Outlier.org Credit Transfer Network includes 18 universities and colleges with more joining every month. "Outlier.org is working with leading institutions across the country to build a new kind of on-ramp to higher education," said Aaron Rasmussen, CEO and Founder of Outlier.org. "By partnering with schools to build bridges from our courses into their degree programs, we can help students reduce the cost of their education and graduate faster." The Outlier.org Credit Transfer Network makes public and accessible the course equivalencies involved in transferring credit from Outlier.org courses into the institutions that are part of the network. This gives students greater certainty and ability to plan their journey towards earning a degree at the institution of their choice. "The higher education community must do more to prioritize the experience of transfer students if we are to improve graduation rates in this country," said Gregory Fowler, President of University of Maryland Global Campus. "We've worked closely with Outlier.org to create 11 custom pathways that clearly outline how a student can transfer their course credit into our associate and bachelor's degree programs." Drop off rates among degree-seeking community college students are consistently high . Only 30 percent end up transferring to a four-year institution while only 14.6 percent complete a bachelor's degree within six years. "The path to improving graduation rates for non-traditional, first-time college students must include greater credit transfer transparency," said Jorge Silva-Puras, Dean of CUNY School of Professional Studies. "By joining this network, we hope to bring an education at CUNY within reach of more students. At launch, the Outlier.org Credit Transfer Network includes the following institutions: Alverno College American College of Education Bellevue University CUNY School of Professional Studies Excelsior University Golden Gate University Illinois Institute of Technology Manipal International University National University Southern New Hampshire University University Commonwealth of the Caribbean University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus University of Massachusetts Amherst University of Massachusetts Global Global University of Massachusetts Lowell University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Virginia Commonwealth University Western Governors University In addition to schools in the Credit Transfer Network, any institution can accept credit from Outlier.org courses which are transcripted and overseen by the University of Pittsburgh. Students have requested their Outlier.org transcripts be sent to over 500 home institutions and report transferring credit to top schools like Harvard University, Georgetown University, Princeton University, New York University, UC Berkeley, Pennsylvania State University, University of Denver, University of WisconsinMadison, and many more. "We are failing students when the idea of having to retake and pay for courses they've already taken is the difference between successfully transferring or giving up on earning a degree," added Rasmussen. "Outlier.org offers a unique opportunity for students to earn the credit they need, when they need it, with world-class instructors." If your institution is interested in joining the Outlier.org Credit Transfer Network, visit www.outlier.org/pages/university-partnerships . About Outlier.org Created by the Co-founder of MasterClass, Outlier.org offers beautiful, effective online courses that earn students transferable college credit for a fraction of the cost. In addition to featuring cinema-quality lectures, Outlier.org courses are taught by some of the most charismatic figures in academia, including instructors from Yale, MIT, and Columbia, and are transcripted by the University of Pittsburgh, a top 60 school. Students enjoy a top-quality learning experience that includes access to 1-on-1 tutoring for math courses, AI-proctored assessments, dynamically-generated problem sets, and cutting-edge active learning materials. In keeping with the company's mission to increase access to top-quality higher education and reduce student debt, each course is priced at just $400. Media Contact: Charlotte Ward, [email protected] SOURCE Outlier.org WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jen Judson, President of the National Press Club today announced the winners of the prestigious National Press Club Journalism Awards. The investigative powerhouse ProPublica won one award for consumer journalism and helped two other organizations win prizes in the National Press Club journalism contest. PBS/Frontline won two awards - including an Arthur Rowse award for coverage of Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and her staff in the run-up to an election in the Philippines. PBS/Frontline won an Edwin M. Hood award in a joint effort with ProPublica called 'Massacre in El Salvador.' National Public Radio's All Things Considered won breaking news for its coverage of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The Miami Herald won consumer journalism-newspapers in a partnership with ProPublica. ProPublica won for its investigation of the nation's food safety system. Several of the winners focused on issues related to the 2020 elections. J. Scott Applewhite of The Associated Press won for his dramatic photography from the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Jen Wieczner of Fortune Media won the Lee Walczak award for 'Dominion Voting: Big Lies vs. Big Lawsuits.' A new category this year is the Nell Minow Award for Cultural Criticism, won by the Los Angeles Times for it's close look at the Latino 'cultural zeitgeist.' The awards dinner will be held at the National Press Club on Wednesday, August 31. The event will start at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 31 starting with a reception in the Holeman Lounge followed at 7 p.m. with dinner and program in the ballroom. The event will also honor the late Al Jazeera Correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh with the 2022 President's Award. The President's award is given at the discretion of the President of the National Press Club. Tickets to the awards dinner are $75 for the general public, $65 for members of the National Press Club and can be purchased online. Winners: Consumer Journalism-Newspapers Carol Marbin Miller and Daniel Chang from the Miami Herald and ProPublica for 'Birth & Betrayal' Consumer Journalism-Periodicals A team of reporters from ProPublica for 'Unchecked: America's Broken Food Safety System' Consumer Journalism-Broadcast Julie Watts of CBS Sacramento for 'The COVID Lab: State Secrets Exposed' Breaking News A team from National Public Radio's All Things Considered for Jan. 6 coverage. Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence-Print A team from Reuters for 'the Afghan Air Force' Edwin M. Hood Award for Diplomatic Correspondence-Broadcast A team from PBS' Frontline/ProPublica for 'Massacre in El Salvador' Washington Regional Reporting Nick Grube of Honolulu Civil Beat for a close look at the abuse of COVID funds by a Hawaii promotions company National Press Club's Arthur Rowse Award for Excellence in Examining the News Media-Print A team from the Marshall Project for 'The Language Project' a close look at the importance of language use in covering topics like those incarcerated. National Press Club's Arthur Rowse Award for Excellence in Examining the News Media-Broadcast A team from PBS' Frontline for 'A Thousand Cuts,' a documentary that looked at journalist Maria Ressa and her staff at the Rappler covering the run-up to an election in the Philippines. Newsletter Journalism Valerie Bauman and Rob Strom of Bloomberg Industry Group for 'U.S. Probes Whether Teen Migrants Sent to Labor Traffickers' Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Print Rob O'Dell of the Arizona Republic for 'Mesa Monkey Farm' Joan M. Friedenberg Online Journalism Award Hannah Dreier and Andrew Ba Tran of The Washington Post for 'FEMA's Disasters' Angele Gingras Humor Award Scott Vogel of Newsday for 'Pandemic Eating' a clever look at what and how people were eating during the pandemic Sandy Hume Memorial Award for Excellence in Political Journalism Hugo Lowell of Guardian US for 'Inside How Trump and Aides Sought to Stop Biden Certification on January 6' Joseph D. Ryle Award for Excellence in Writing on the Problems of Geriatrics Suzie Khimm and Laura Strickler of NBC News Digital for 'Nursing Homes in Crisis' Michael A. Dornheim Award Christopher Freeze of Air Line Pilot Magazine for 'ALPA at 90' Lee Walczak Award for Political Analysis Jen Wieczner of Fortune Media for 'Dominion Voting: Big Lies vs. Big Lawsuits' Nell Minow Award for Cultural Criticism Daniel Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times for 'A Critical Eye on the Latino Cultural Zeitgeist.' News Photo Award J. Scott Applewhite of The Associated Press, 'Chaos in the House Chamber' Honorable Mentions: Consumer Journalism-Newspapers Erin Einhorn and Aaron Mondry of NBC News Digital and Outlier Media for 'The 'fake landlord' scam destroys lives in Detroit' Consumer Journalism-Broadcast A team from CBS News for 'Robinhood Steals a Life.' This story focused on the stock market trading app, which promised customers to make stock trading easy, but whose poor to non-existent customer service created problems. Edwin Hood Award-Print Molly O'Toole of the Los Angeles Times for ''Sitting ducks': Biden's Pandemic Border Closure Fuels Violence Against Migrants.' Washington Regional Reporting Orion Donovan-Smith of the Spokane Spokesman-Review for his investigation of a VA medical center. National Press Club's Arthur Rowse Award for Excellence in Examining the News Media-Broadcast NPR's Invisibilia for its coverage of publications like 209 Times that thrive in communities where reporters have more territory to cover than they have time or resources. And in news deserts. Newsletter Journalism Bloomberg Law piece by Paige Smith thoroughly demonstrated the dilemma facing lawmakers trying to decide whether or not to eliminate the exemption from the federal minimum wage allowed for nearly 44,000 disabled workers. Ann Cottrell Free Award Print Rachel Fobar of National Geographic for 'USDA Accused of Ignoring Animal Welfare Violations in Favor of Business Interests' Joan M. Friedenberg Award A team from The Palm Beach Post and ProPublica for 'Snow: Big Sugar's Burning Problem' Joseph D. Ryle Award for Excellence in Writing on the Problems of Geriatrics Eleanor Laise of MarketWatch for her reporting on a Medicare provider for low-income patients. Michael A. Dornheim Award Tom Risen, North America air transport reporter at Cirium Dashboard for his solid beat coverage of the aviation industry. Lee Walczak Award for Political Analysis Cameron Joseph of Vice News for 'After Jan. 6: Where Democracy Goes From Here' Nell Minow Award for Cultural Criticism 'McFamily Feud' by Beth Kowitt of Fortune Media. This piece offers an inside look at an institution that borders on universal culture McDonalds. News Photo Award Marcus Yam of the Los Angeles Times for his photography of the evacuation from Afghanistan. Contact: William McCarren, [email protected], (202) 662-7534 SOURCE National Press Club SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Glaucoma Research Foundation hosted a "think tank" style catalyst meeting in April 2021 in partnership with BrightFocus Foundation and the Melza M. and Frank Theodore Barr Foundation. The virtual meeting brought together thought leaders from across the scientific community including experts in glaucoma and Alzheimer's disease. The findings from the meeting were recently published in Molecular Neurodegeneration and raise opportunities for new treatments and cures for neurodegenerative diseases like glaucoma and Alzheimer's. Currently, no therapies exist that can prevent or halt neurodegeneration or regrow healthy neurons. The comprehensive report, Solving Neurodegeneration: Common Mechanisms and Strategies for New Treatments, which includes an extensive bibliography will serve as an important reference for researchers working on neurodegeneration. Publication authors included meeting participants Shane A. Liddelow, PhD, Sally Temple, PhD, Larry I. Benowitz, PhD, Adriana Di Polo, PhD, Cheryl Wellington, PhD, Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, Zhigang He, PhD, Xin Duan, PhD, Guojun Bu, PhD, Albert A. Davis, MD, PhD, Karthik Shekhar, PhD, Anna La Torre, PhD, David C. Chan, MD, PhD, M. Valeria Canto-Soler, PhD, John G. Flanagan, PhD, FCOoptom, Preeti Subramanian, PhD, Sharyn Rossi, PhD, Thomas M. Brunner, Diane E. Bovenkamp, PhD, David J. Calkins, PhD, and white-paper author Lauren K. Wareham, PhD. The objective of the Solving Neurodegeneration Catalyst Meeting was to spark new ideas and challenge the conventional wisdom by building on the leading research of each of the participating laboratories. Meeting sponsors and participants aim to identify major barriers to solving neurodegeneration and regeneration, as well as key opportunities and potential breakthrough ideas. By learning from one another, and through publication of this significant white paper, scientists across different domains of neuroscience are helping to accelerate the search for the next generation of innovative treatments and cures. The publication's authors summarized: "Providing patients with effective strategies to treat or prevent neurodegenerative disease is a monumental challenge that scientists and clinicians alike will increasingly face as the population ages and incidence of disease increases. Reaching these goals will rely on a greater understanding of the common pathological mechanisms across the entire spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases, which include diseases of the brain and by extension, the visual system." Glaucoma Research Foundation is a national non-profit dedicated to finding a cure for glaucoma. BrightFocus Foundation is a nonprofit supporting research on diseases including Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma. SOURCE Glaucoma Research Foundation LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tenderize is proud to announce a $3M seed round led by Eden Block with other investors including TRGC , Encode Club , Figment , Daedalus Angels , and other angels from Messari , Livepeer , and Steakwallet . Tenderize raises $3 million to build the future of liquid staking. Tenderize adds utility to staked assets of web 3 protocols through its staking derivatives protocol. Through Tenderize, users can unlock liquidity, collateralize loans and trade tokens, all while maintaining a staked position represented by an ERC20 token. This flexibility unlocks the full utility potential of staked assets for all participants in web3 protocols while minimizing any obstructions to their current workflows and interfaces. The Tenderize team has a passion for staking, and includes web 3 veterans that have contributed to several long-standing projects such as Livepeer, Pocket Network, Yearn and Realms of Ether, as well as established and proven talent from web2. By reducing the friction of operating a node or delegating tokens, Tenderize's vision is to empower users to unlock new use cases and improve capital efficiency of their staked assets through various fully-composable building blocks. Tenderize is hard at work on both the front-end integrations (wallets, analytics platforms, etc.) and back-end integrations (tokens, custodial staking partners, exchanges) to show the growing user base a better way to stake. "The team's previous experience at projects like Livepeer, Pocket Network and Yearn gave us the insight into the growing need for a better staking experience for web3 protocols. For the longest time users had to choose between liquidity and staking rewards/securing their network. With Tenderize's liquid staking, users have both," - Nico Vergauwen, Co-Founder at Tenderize With a Mainnet launch in mid-May, users can already experience liquid staking for LPT, GRT, AUDIO, and MATIC . In the future, Tenderize's end goal is to enable permissionless liquid staking, which they believe to be the silver bullet to many existing problems facing liquid staking protocols (unpegging, centralization, cartelization, etc.). Any node operator and its delegators would be able to integrate with Tenderize without gatekeeping; the neutral stance ensures they add as much value as possible to every project that wants to empower their users - without sacrificing on decentralization. Get Started To unlock the full potential of the assets, head on over to the Tenderize website here , and follow the several quick guides . Tenderize currently supports The Graph , Polygon , Livepeer , and Audius with support for the user's favorite protocol coming soon - let Tenderize know which ones to prioritize in the Discord ! About Tenderize Tenderize is on a mission to unlock the full utility potential of assets locked in web3 protocols. Tenderize maintains a neutral and permissionless protocol, allowing any project to integrate and provide flexible yield to users. Through Tenderize, users can reclaim previously untouched capital via Tender Tokens, giving users access to their cash flow while maintaining staking rewards. Node operators benefit from access to instant liquidity and collateralization when they need it, while never having to unstake and lose out on rewards. Website | Twitter | Discord Media Contact: Nigel Dollentas [email protected] +1 (941) 777-4219 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876466/Tenderize_seed_round.jpg SOURCE Tenderize A Premier International Preschool to Grade 12 School Founded on 150 Years of Excellence in Education NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dwight Schools , a leading global network of International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools, proposes to open Dwight School Hanoi in August 2023. Dwight School Hanoi will synergize Dwight's 150-year legacy of academic excellence, pioneering firsts in the International Baccalaureate, and outstanding college acceptances to the world's best universities. "We are delighted to embark on the hard work and dedication needed to bring a truly global education model to Hanoi." Tweet this Introducing Dwight School Hanoi, a premier international Preschool to Grade 12 school founded on 150 years of excellence in education Dwight School Hanoi campus in The Manor Central Park (rendering) Dwight School Hanoi , a coeducational school for students in Preschool to Grade 12, will be situated on a state-of-the-art 35,000 m campus in The Manor Central Park, an exciting new residential development and destination in central Hanoi, conveniently located off the 3rd ring road, alongside the 100-hectare Chu Van An park. The School campus is designed by the world-renowned architect Carlos Zapata and encompasses the most advanced campus and classroom technologies to promote inspiration, collaboration, and innovation for both students and faculty. The School features open architecture and stunning facilities, including collaborative spaces such as: the Spark of Genius Hall, the Tech and Design Center, makerspaces for all grades, a black box theater, 800-seat performing arts center, 2,000 m of library space, a ceramics studio, a music conservatory and music technology rooms, two large indoor multi-sports halls, an advanced aquatics center and outdoor play spaces, areas for nature exploration, fields and courts, and an organic greenhouse. Students will make full use of these facilities daily, and will take great leaps forward in literacy, public speaking, critical thinking, complex problem-solving, mind-body understanding, digital citizenship, and the ability to work individually and in groups, truly equipping them for their future success. The School is the newest addition to the Dwight family of schools, joining campuses in New York, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, and Dwight Global Online School. All students will benefit from ongoing exchange opportunities with other Dwight campuses, in addition to seamless study abroad. For all Vietnamese students, Dwight School Hanoi will offer Vietnamese Language Arts as a daily subject to support mother tongue language acquisition. The School's carefully selected and well-supported expert faculty will customize an educational path for every student based on individual interests and talents all dedicated to Dwight's mission of igniting the spark of genius in every child. With Vietnam's proud history and dynamic culture, combined with the Hanoian passion for bringing all that Vietnam has to offer to the global stage, Dwight's leadership sees it as a great honor to have the opportunity to serve the future generations of Vietnam. "We are delighted to embark on the hard work and dedication needed to bring a truly global education model to Hanoi that will serve the sustainable development of the economy and culture of Vietnam," said Stephen Spahn, Chancellor of The Dwight Schools and the longest-serving head of an independent school in the U.S. "Dwight is committed to educating the next generation of global leaders and to forging collaborative relationships with those who want to bring shared value to students through innovative education." Chairman Vu Quang Hoi of the Bitexco Group , the developer of The Manor Central Park and a leader in sustainable energy in Vietnam, welcomes Dwight to Hanoi: "For a long time now, I have been working to identify the right education partner to deliver the best experience for the children of Hanoi. After a search of several years, I am thrilled to welcome Dwight Schools to our site at The Manor Central Park, where I know they will create a magical school grounded in all the best elements of Vietnamese culture. The Dwight Schools, like Bitexco, are family owned, and we share a commitment to community, sustainability, innovation, and a global perspective. Together, we will be making a concrete contribution to the development of Vietnam." Dwight School Hanoi plans to open its Lower School (Grades 1-5) in August 2023, followed by the Early Childhood Division (Preschool and Kindergarten), and Middle and Upper Schools (Grades 6-12) in August 2024. Faculty will tap into Dwight's deep well of expertise as a leader in the IB and innovative practices. Advisory will play an important role at the School; students will receive personalized academic and college guidance, alongside strong social-emotional support. Dwight's renowned excellent college guidance counselors will assist students in course selection and the college admissions process. As a member of The Dwight Schools global network, students in Hanoi will enjoy numerous cross-campus curricular and creative collaborations with their peers around the world, have the opportunity to spend a trimester or year on any Dwight campus, and the ability to transfer seamlessly to any Dwight School should their family relocate. What Dwight School Hanoi will also deliver to each and every one of its students is a happy, fulfilling, and empowering school experience. For all inquiries, including admissions, email: [email protected] About The Dwight Schools: Founded in New York in 1872, Dwight was the first school in the Americas to offer the comprehensive IB continuum curriculum from preschool to grade 12. All Dwight Schools are dedicated to igniting the spark of genius in every child. This mission rests on three pillars: personalized learning, community, and global vision. Dwight's global network of IB Schools has campuses in New York, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, and in the cloud Dwight Global Online School which extends a Dwight education to students everywhere. Graduates attend leading colleges and universities in the U.S., including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, Dartmouth, NYU, Columbia, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, among many others; as well as leading institutions of higher learning worldwide. Founded by members of the Sachs family (of Goldman Sachs), Dwight has an extensive historical list of notable global alumni, which includes a U.S. Senator, Governor, and White House advisors, as well as the influential New York Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia and the British diplomat Sir Leonard Allinson. Noteworthy creative forces Truman Capote (author), Roy Lichtenstein (artist), Hal Prince (Tony Award-winning Broadway theater director and producer), and John Williams (Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist) contributed to the legacy of the arts at Dwight. Prominent vanguards Serge Kovaleski (Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist) and Hans Zinsser (world-renowned immunologist), along with members of the Guggenheim, Sulzberger, Lehman, and Loeb families have all left their mark on the institution throughout the School's history. Media contact for Dwight School Hanoi: Laura Mitchelson [email protected] SOURCE Dwight Schools Partnership with Scanslated aims to improve patients' comprehension of medical imaging results and empower them to be more active participants in their care. DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Scanslated, Inc. , a radiologist-led healthcare technology company, today announced that it has partnered with Duke Health to deliver its patient-centered, interactive radiology reporting service to patients at Duke's three hospitals and 14 outpatient imaging locations servicing nearly two million patients per year. This represents the first-ever enterprise-wide deployment of patient-centered reporting by a major health system. This partnership represents the first enterprise-wide deployment of patient-centered reporting by a major health system Tweet this Patient-friendly radiology reports are now available to all Duke Health patients after the Scanslated service was launched enterprise-wide in early July. Scanslated's software automatically transforms complex radiology reports into a patient-friendly, interactive format, with plain-language explanations and diagrams intended to help patients understand the report as they read it. By empowering patients with a better understanding of their medical results, Scanslated helps hospitals and outpatient imaging centers increase patient engagement while enhancing relationships between patients and their providers. "Patients and their families can feel overwhelmed and disempowered by the complexity of medical care today," said Dr. Christopher J. Roth, vice chair in the Department of Radiology at Duke University School of Medicine. "Educating patients about their conditions and the imaging they receive is an important step toward Duke Health's mission of Advancing Health Together." "Patient engagement is about more than access to results, it's about giving patients the tools and confidence to fully participate in their care alongside providers," said Scanslated's co-founder and CEO, Dr. Nicholas T. Befera. "We are proud to partner with Duke Health to educate and empower patients with easy-to-understand radiology reports." Duke Health launched the Scanslated software enterprise-wide in early July through an integration with the Duke MyChart patient portal. Patient-friendly reports are now available to all Duke Health patients, and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. In a survey of 1,774 patients using the service, 97% reported that the definitions and diagrams helped them understand their results. Additional research is planned to quantify the impact of patient-centered reports on patient satisfaction, follow-up adherence, and imaging-related calls and messages to providers. About Scanslated: Scanslated, Inc., a radiologist-led healthcare technology company, develops software to transform medical reports into a patient-centered format. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, Scanslated empowers patients by improving accessibility and comprehension of medical results, helping health systems deliver improved patient experiences and outcomes. For more information, visit scanslated.com and follow Scanslated on LinkedIn and Twitter . SOURCE Scanslated, Inc. LEGARDA BATS FOR THE PROMOTION OF PH HANDLOOM WEAVING INDUSTRY Four-term Senator Loren Legarda eyes the promotion of the country's weaving industry. Legarda recently filed SB 241, or the Philippine Handloom Weaving Industry Development Act of 2022, which seeks to empower weavers and mainstream government programs to develop the local textile industry. Under the proposed measure, a National Handloom Weaving Department Council will be established composed of representatives from the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Garments and Textile Industry Development Office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The Council will generate the National Handloom Weaving Industry Development Policy to generate a roadmap for the industry, intellectual property framework for textiles, innovation, and promotion of textile-related Technical Skills and Vocational Education and Training. "It is high time we provide the much-needed assistance to our local textile industry, our weavers, and our artisans who continuously safeguard our country's rich heritage. With the increasing price of raw materials and marketing concerns, we must give our weaving industry a fighting chance. Our handwoven fabrics deserve recognition," Legarda noted. The four-term Senator noted that handloom weaving is one of the country's most time-honored industries and generates income in rural areas. Legarda, also the author of RA 9242 or the Philippine Tropical Fabrics Law, has previously provided support through the Philippine Fiber Development Authority (PHILFIDA) for the establishment of weaving centers and cotton processing facilities nationwide. She is also the patron of the country's first permanent textile gallery, Hibla ng Lahing Filipino. Nearly 40% of Washington's incarcerated youth have experienced foster care. SEATTLE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Treehouse announced a bold initiative to disrupt the foster care-to-prison pipeline with new investments in policy and systems reform and direct services to incarcerated youth, in partnership with the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) and the Raikes Foundation. Treehouse announced a bold initiative to disrupt the foster care-to-prison pipeline with new investments in policy and systems reform and direct services to incarcerated youth, in partnership with the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) and the Raikes Foundation. According to DCYF, in Washington nearly one in four young adults are arrested within one year of aging out of foster care and approximately 40% of Washington's incarcerated youth have experienced foster care. One Juvenile Law Center study showed that more than 90% of youth in foster care with five or more placements will become involved in the juvenile legal system. Dual system-involved youth graduate from high school at just 14%, the state's lowest rate. "State data shows that many young people go from foster care to incarceration, and when they leave incarceration, they become homeless, with the cycle repeating again and again," said Treehouse CEO Lisa Chin. "We can and we must end this cycle now." "We have a lot of work to do for these youth and a long way to go, but through this partnership with Treehouse and the Raikes Foundation, we can work together to find ways to get better outcomes," said DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter. "The first and most important step we take is to listen to those with lived experience." To that end, Treehouse has hired Arthur Longworth and Ari McLaren-Simpson to intensify its efforts to reform the foster care, education, and juvenile legal systems and to better serve youth in and after juvenile incarceration. "We know from our work and from studies that not graduating, spending time in foster care and getting caught up in the legal system are closely connected to homelessness as a young person," said Paula Carvalho of the Raikes Foundation. "Breaking these connections is very important to us, and that's why we are excited to continue to support Treehouse and their efforts to dismantle the foster care to prison pipeline." Visit Treehouse Takes Bold Step to End Foster Care-to-Prison Pipeline (treehouseforkids.org to learn more about how these new positions add capacity and expertise to advance efforts to transform systems and better serve youth. Contact: Suzanne Lavender [email protected] KD Hall [email protected] 206.966.2198 SOURCE Treehouse Key Highlights Offered in the Report: Information on how to identify strategic and tactical negotiation levels that will help achieve the best prices. Gain information on relevant pricing levels, detailed explanation on pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Insights Into Supplier Selection and Evaluation: Profile and service capabilities of the service provider, industry specialization of the service providers, reputation of service providers, and assessment of value-added services are some of the most critical parameters that buyers use to shortlist the suppliers in Triclosan. This report evaluates suppliers based on quality and purity test of product samples, production capacity, certifications and accreditations, and geographical presence. In addition, suppliers are also shortlisted based on business needs, technical specifications, operational requirements, security compliance, regulatory mandates, working environment, quality control, sla nuances, acceptance criteria, legal requirements, change management procedures, pricing models, and penalty clauses. For More Insights on Buyer Strategies and Tactical Negotiation Levers: www.spendedge.com/report/triclosan-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Key Drivers and Trends Fueling Market Growth: The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers. Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by the constant monitoring of price influencing factors. During the forecast period, the market expects a change of 3%-6%. Identify favorable opportunities in Triclosan TCO (total cost of ownership). Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes. Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities. Some of the Top Triclosan Market Suppliers Listed in This Report: This Triclosan procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. BASF SE Cayman Chemical Co Vivimed Labs Ltd Smart Procurement Starts Here: SpendEdge's procurement intelligence platform is the go-to tool for companies looking to access latest procurement research insights and supplier data on an easy to use platform: Subscribe Now for FREE, to get instant access to over 1000 market-ready procurement intelligence reports without any additional costs or commitment. Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. Contacts SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge VERO BEACH, Fla., Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Watercrest Sarasota Senior Living Community is solidifying their reputation of excellence and distinction amongst senior living communities in Sarasota, Florida and Executive Director, Jennifer Butler is championing that movement. Watercrest Sarasota Senior Living Community is an esteemed new luxury senior living campus thriving under the leadership of Executive Director, Jennifer Butler. Butler leads a dedicated team of Watercrest associates implementing signature Watercrest offerings including Live Exhilarated programming, Artful Expressions, Aprons & Appetizers, Personal Life Silhouettes and a host of wellness amenities from the therapeutic Spa W to the lush yoga yard. Watercrest Sarasota is a newly-constructed senior living campus appealing to individuals seeking ingenuity in senior living with plentiful opportunities for socialization, engagement, recreation and new experiences in an innovative and resort-style environment. Butler not only brings industry knowledge and widespread achievements to her role as Executive Director, but also personal experience which drives her on a daily basis. Jennifer began her senior living career in 2003 as a senior living advisor igniting her passion for the industry, but when her beloved Nana was diagnosed with dementia, Jennifer experienced the disease process firsthand. In a determined effort to expand her industry knowledge, she became a licensed administrator and went on to operate home-health agencies, in-home care agencies, and lead independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing communities as an executive director. "Jennifer brings a zest for life and a compassion for seniors which she pours into her associates, residents, and family members to create a culture where service is top notch and our seniors' needs are met on an individualized basis," says Marc Vorkapich, Principal and CEO of Watercrest Senior Living Group. "She has made a significant impact at Watercrest Sarasota and we look forward to her future growth with Watercrest." Watercrest Sarasota is a luxury senior living campus comprised of 72 independent, 94 assisted living and 32 memory care residences with world-class amenities and exceptional care. The community offers upscale living accommodations, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, grand balconies, multiple dining venues and signature culinary offerings. Watercrest Sarasota is a signature Watercrest product partnered by Watercrest Senior Living Group and United Properties. The community is ideally located at 4100 University Parkway in Sarasota, Florida. For information, call 941-541-3561. About Watercrest Senior Living Group Watercrest Senior Living Group was founded to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities, world-class care, and innovative memory care programming offering unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia. A 5-time certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. For information, visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com. SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group William J. Amelio, Executive Chairman and Co-CEO of DoubleCheck Solutions, will join Grand Marshal Tom Golisano in Columbus Citizens Foundation's 2022 Columbus Weekend Celebration NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbus Citizens Foundation today announced William (Bill) Amelio as an Honoree of the 2022 Columbus Celebration. Amelio, Executive Chairman & Co-CEO of financial start-up DoubleCheck Solutions, will join Tom Golisano, who was previously announced as the 2022 Grand Marshal. The annual Columbus Day Parade, the largest celebration of Italian American heritage and culture in the United States, will take place on Monday, October 10, 2022, beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT. As an Honoree, Amelio will join Grand Marshal Golisano at the front of the parade and will lead dozens of marching bands and floats and over 100 marching groups up the Fifth Avenue parade route, from 44th Street to 72nd Street. Chris Loiacono, President of Columbus Citizens Foundation, said of the announcement: "Bill is a global leader and a perfect choice to accompany our Grand Marshal Tom Golisano at our 2022 Columbus Day Parade and Gala. Leaders of industry are vital to a robust and thriving marketplace. Bill is worthy of celebration both as a visionary businessperson and as a proud Italian American. We cannot wait to share the stories behind his many achievements." Amelio is the Executive Chairman & Co-CEO of DoubleCheck Solutions, a financial technology company with an innovative solution that delivers new revenue for Financial Institutions while giving customers and small businesses more transparency and control in the event of Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF). He formerly served as the CEO of Avnet, Inc., a global leader of electronic components and services and had served on Avnet's board of directors since 2014. Prior to joining Avnet, Amelio served as the Chief Executive Officer of CHC Group, a global helicopter services provider. He also served as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Lenovo Group Limited. Mr. Amelio commented; "As an Italian American, I could not be happier to be named as an Honoree for the 2022 Columbus Celebration. I'm so proud to be a part of this celebration which showcases New York City's resiliency as we all continue to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, and I cannot wait for this fantastic weekend that honors and supports those of Italian heritage." The annual Columbus Day Parade, organized by Columbus Citizens Foundation, is the world's largest celebration of Italian American heritage and culture in the United States. In addition to planning the Columbus Day Parade, Columbus Citizens Foundation provides annual scholarships at high school, college, and graduate levels to Italian American students who have academic ability but lack financial means. Since 1984, the Foundation has offered more than $30 million in scholarship support. The Columbus Day Parade begins at 11:30 a.m. EDT on Monday, October 10 and will air live on WABC-7 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT. For more information on the parade, please visit columbuscitizens.org. ABOUT COLUMBUS CITIZENS FOUNDATION Columbus Citizens Foundation is a non-profit organization in New York City committed to fostering an appreciation of Italian American heritage and achievement. The Foundation, through a broad range of philanthropic and cultural activities, provides opportunities for advancement to deserving Italian-American students through various scholarship and grant programs. The Foundation organizes New York City's annual Columbus Celebration and Columbus Day Parade, which has celebrated Italian-American heritage on New York's Fifth Avenue since 1929. For more information, contact [email protected]. ABOUT WILLIAM J. AMELIO William (Bill) J. Amelio is the Executive Chairman & Co-Chief Executive Officer of DoubleCheck Solutions, a financial technology company with an innovative solution that delivers new revenue for Financial Institutions while giving customers and small businesses more transparency and control in the event of Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF). Bill was the former Chief Executive Officer of Avnet, Inc., a global leader of electronic components and services and had served on Avnet's board of directors since 2014. Prior to joining Avnet, he served as Chief Executive Officer of CHC Group, a global helicopter services provider. He also served as the President & Chief Executive Officer of Lenovo Group Limited. In addition, his experience includes several leadership roles in the global technology sector, including serving as Senior Vice President and President of Dell in Asia Pacific and Japan, as well as roles at NCR Corporation, Honeywell International and IBM. In 2019, Bill was elected to the S&P Global Board of Directors where he served until 2022. He previously served on the board of directors of National Semiconductor. Bill is a co-founder and Chairman of Caring for Cambodia, a nonprofit organization that works to educate the children of Cambodia through building schools, training teachers and providing for basic human needs. He holds a master's degree in management and is a Sloan Fellow of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh University CONTACT: Columbus Citizens Foundation Phone: (212) 249-9923 [email protected] www.columbuscitizens.org SOURCE Columbus Citizens Foundation The new partnership will enhance Aktiv's innovative active learning platform for chemistry with a deep integration of John McMurry's well-known and widely used teaching text. NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aktiv Learning , maker of the leading active learning platform for STEM disciplines, today announced an agreement with Open Educational Resource provider OpenStax to make the company a supporting technology partner of the forthcoming new edition of Organic Chemistry by renowned educator John McMurry. With this partnership, we are able to combine the best learning content with the best learning technology for chemistry Tweet this Aktiv Learning Chosen as a Supporting Partner of New OpenStax Organic Chemistry Textbook from John McMurry Used by more than 1 million students over its first nine editions, McMurry's Organic Chemistry is widely recognized for its scholarship, precise explanations, innovative illustrations and applications suitable for pre-med, allied health, bioengineering, biology, chemistry and related majors. OpenStax and the original publisher, Cengage, have agreed that after OpenStax's robust review and revision process, OpenStax will publish the 10th edition of the popular and influential text as an open educational resource (OER). As part of that arrangement, Aktiv Learning has been chosen as a supporting technology partner where it will provide directly connected learning and engagement support for the new book helping chemistry students practice and experience the material in new and productive ways. The new integration will be a part of the company's Aktiv Chemistry product (f.k.a. Chem101), which is now adopted by educators at more than 600 colleges and universities in North America including Florida State University, the California State University system, and the University of Connecticut. The mobile-first platform is utilized by instructors for in-class active learning, online homework, and assessments that help students to visualize, experience, and interact with difficult STEM concepts. In 2021, Aktiv Chemistry expanded support for Organic Chemistry courses with the introduction of its groundbreaking AktivGrid drawing system. The patent-pending technology lowers barriers to student success in the notoriously difficult course by making molecule drawing intuitive and supporting students with instant, intelligent feedback on their mistakes as they practice. A recent survey of 6,000+ Aktiv Chemistry students demonstrated that 86% of users attributed the platform to making them more engaged or interested in chemistry. "We are honored to be working with OpenStax and John McMurry on this historic project," said Dr. Justin Weinberg, Co-founder & CEO of Aktiv Learning. "With this partnership, we are able to combine the best learning content with the best learning technology for Organic Chemistry all while significantly lowering costs and increasing equity across higher education. This is a huge win for chemistry students and educators alike." "The Aktiv Chemistry platform is transformative due to its groundbreaking and intuitive AktivGrid drawing system for Organic Chemistry courses," said David Harris, Editor-in-Chief of OpenStax. "The integration between Aktiv and the OpenStax edition of McMurry's Organic Chemistry text will provide a richer and more effective teaching and learning package." The new book will be available for adoption and use with students in the Fall 2023 academic term. It will be available online, in web and PDF formats, along with an openly licensed, free student solution manual and other ancillaries. Chemistry instructors and faculty can sign up to be the first to receive information about Aktiv's integration with the OpenStax Organic Chemistry textbook. About Aktiv Learning Aktiv Learning (f.k.a. 101edu) is transforming STEM education with a next-generation learning platform that fosters student engagement and improves student outcomes. The company's first product for chemistry courses, Aktiv Chemistry (f.k.a. Chem101), has quickly acquired adoptions at 1 out of 10 colleges and universities across North America. Recent surveys of 6,000+ Aktiv Chemistry students demonstrated that 86% of users become more engaged or interested in chemistry after using the platform. The company's newest product, Aktiv Mathematics , is now revolutionizing how students learn in Developmental Math and other lower-division college math courses. Aktiv Learning was founded by Dr. Justin Weinberg and Igor Belyayev in 2016. The company is backed by leading venture capital firms and angel investors from the edtech industry including Birchmere Ventures, University Ventures, Recurring Capital Partners, James Caras, Mark Miller, and Vineet Madan. Aktiv Learning is based in New York City and is growing its team of educators, engineers, and entrepreneurs both locally and remotely. For more information regarding this announcement, please contact: [email protected] SOURCE Aktiv Learning SEATTLE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Alaska Airlines and Deloitte announced an agreement to advance purchase and use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through Alaska's new corporate SAF program, part of the company's Ever Green program to advance environmental sustainability. As a participant in the program, Deloitte will reduce the emissions of their business travel with Alaska by approximately 1,050 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Alaska Airlines corporate sustainable aviation fuels program adds Deloitte as participant with business travel emissions-reduction agreement "Forward-thinking companies like Deloitte are leaders in the critical journey to bring sustainable aviation fuels to scale," said Diana Birkett Rakow, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Sustainability with Alaska Airlines. "Alaska Airlines is committed to a goal of net zero by 2040 and SAF is the major lever to decarbonize over the near- and medium-term, but this is a new market, and we can't get there on our own. The visionary and proactive engagement of partners like Deloitte to engage in using SAF certificates, or credits, to reduce their scope 3 emissions helps to establish the framework and economics for this market." Alaska and Deloitte will collaborate on the purchase of SAF certificates which provide an accounting framework to expand the market for SAF and capture the emissions reduction value for corporate purchasers. "Deloitte is proud to work with Alaska Airlines to help increase the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel," said Kwasi Mitchell, Chief Purpose Officer at Deloitte. "Reducing aviation emissions is integral to protecting our climate and creating a more sustainable future." SAF is currently available in volumes amounting to less than one percent of total fuel use but is a safe, certified fuel that meets all jet fuel standards and can reduce carbon emissions by as much as 80% on a lifecycle basis. Through their corporate SAF program, Alaska intends to address some of the key barriers to scaling SAF production such as feedstock accessibility, facilities, transportation and storage, pricing, engine infrastructure and demand from operations and customers. Last year, Alaska announced its commitment and five-part path to reduce the company's carbon emissions to net-zero by 2040, including SAF as the most significant opportunity to reduce carbon emissions over the next few decades. Additionally, Alaska set 2025 goals to improve its impact relative to carbon, waste, and water. About Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines takes pride in being a socially responsible company that values not just performance, but also people, community and the environment. Alaska's Ever Green program is dedicated to furthering their commitment to corporate responsibility. Alaska Airlines and its regional partners serve more than 120 destinations across the United States and to Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica. The airline emphasizes Next-Level Care for its guests, along with providing low fares, award-winning customer service and sustainability efforts. On March 31, 2021, Alaska became the 14th member of oneworld. With the global alliance and Alaska Airlines' additional partners, guests can travel to more than 1,000 destinations on more than 20 airlines while earning and redeeming miles on flights to locations around the world. Learn more about Alaska at newsroom.alaskaair.com and blog.alaskaair.com. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group (NYSE: ALK). About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500 and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today's marketplace delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's more than 345,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com . Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL"), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as "Deloitte Global") does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the "Deloitte" name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. SOURCE Alaska Airlines RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil , Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aliansce Sonae Shopping Centers S.A. (B3: ALSO3), one of the largest shopping mall owners and operators in Brazil, announces its results for the second quarter of 2022 (2Q22). 2Q22 Highlights Aliansce Sonae and brMalls business combination approved. Shareholders of both companies approved the business combination by a vast majority. The transaction is under analysis by CADE, and Bain & Co. has already been hired to work on the integration process. Uberlandia Shopping's divestment. Contract for the sale of Uberlandia Shopping was signed with an accretive valuation for the Company. The mall was already part of Aliansce Sonae's divestment pipeline. Shopping Eldorado's management. Contract was signed for the management of Shopping Eldorado, which has a relevant presence in the capital of Sao Paulo. This transaction ratifies Aliansce Sonae's thesis on synergies and commercial levers as one of the rationale pillars for the merger with brMalls. Sales advance 21% vs. 2Q19. Sales reached R$2.9 billion in 2Q22, growing 46% and 21% versus 2Q21 and 2Q19, respectively. SSR reaches 38%. The indicator's performance in 2Q22 follows the consistent recovery of activities in the Company's malls and consequent reduction in discounts. The level of discounts over rents reached its lowest point since 4Q19. SSR net of discounts was 31% in 2Q22. High occupancy rate of 96.7%. Commercial demand for spaces in Aliansce Sonae's malls remains heated, with 173 new contracts in 2Q22. Leasing activity was even stronger than in 4Q21. EBTIDA and AFFO growth. EBTIDA and AFFO grew 12% and 3%, respectively in 2Q22 vs. 2Q19. Under the proforma concept, EBITDA posted an expansion of 16%. Considering the investment in brMalls shares as cash, AFFO would report a 16% increase versus 2Q19. Aliansce Sonae joins the UN Global Compact. Aliansce Sonae achieved another important milestone in its sustainability journey and made a public commitment by joining the UN Global Compact. For a full version of 2Q22 Earnings Release, please, refer to https://ri.alianscesonae.com.br/en Aliansce Sonae will hold its conference call and webcast on August 11th, at 02:00 p.m. BRT (in english). To access the call, dial +1 (412) 717-9627 / +55 11 3181-8565 / +55 11 4090-1621, code "Aliansce Sonae". Webcast is available at https://ri.alianscesonae.com.br/en For more information, please, contact Daniella Guanabara, IRO, at + 55 21 2176-7272 or [email protected] SOURCE Aliansce Sonae Shopping Centers DENVER, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Antero Resources Corporation (NYSE: AR) ("Antero Resources", "Antero" or the "Company") announced today that the Company's previously announced cash tender offer (the "Any and All Offer") for any and all of the Company's outstanding 8.375% Senior Notes due 2026 (the "Any and All Notes") expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 10, 2022. According to information provided by IPREO LLC, the Tender Agent and Information Agent for the Any and All Offer, $181,656,000 aggregate principal amount of the Any and All Notes were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn prior to or at the expiration of the Any and All Offer. This amount excludes $2,803,000 aggregate principal amount of the Any and All Notes tendered pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the Offer to Purchase, dated August 4, 2022 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and the related notice of guaranteed delivery provided in connection with the Any and All Offer, which remain subject to the Holders' (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) performance of the delivery requirements under such procedures. The obligation of the Company to accept any Any and All Notes tendered and to pay the consideration for the Any and All Notes is subject to satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions and other terms set forth solely in the Offer to Purchase. If the conditions are satisfied or waived, the Company expects to pay for such Any and All Notes on August 11, 2022 (the "Any and All Settlement Date"), or, for Any and All Notes validly tendered pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in the Offer to Purchase, August 15, 2022 (the "Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date"). Holders of Any and All Notes that validly tendered (including pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in the Offer to Purchase) and did not validly withdraw their Any and All Notes prior to the expiration of the Any and All Offer will receive total consideration of $1,090 for each $1,000 principal amount of Any and All Notes tendered and accepted for payment, plus accrued but unpaid interest up to but not including the Any and All Settlement Date. The Company intends to fund the purchase of the Any and All Notes with cash on hand and/or borrowings under its revolving credit facility. Wells Fargo Securities, LLC is acting as Lead Dealer Manager, Truist Securities, Inc. and CIBC World Markets Corp. are acting as Co-Dealer Managers and IPREO LLC is acting as the Tender Agent and Information Agent for the Any and All Offer. Requests for documents may be directed to IPREO LLC at (888) 593-9546 (toll-free), (212) 849-3880 (all others) or by email at [email protected]. Copies of such documents are also available at the following web address: https://www.debtdomain.com/public/antero/index.html. Questions regarding the Any and All Offer may be directed to Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (toll-free) (866) 309-6316 or (collect) (704) 410-4756. The Company previously announced the commencement of a cash tender offer (the "Maximum Tender Offer") for an amount of the Company's outstanding 7.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the "Maximum Tender Notes") equal to the difference between $300,000,000 and the aggregate principal amount of Any and All Notes accepted for purchase (as such amount may be increased or eliminated by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Maximum Tender Offer, the "Aggregate Maximum Principal Amount"). Assuming all of the Any and All Notes tendered are accepted for purchase, the Aggregate Maximum Principal Amount of Maximum Tender Notes is expected to be $115,541,000. This announcement is for informational purposes only and is not an offer to purchase or sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell, with respect to any securities. The Any and All Offer is being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase and only in such jurisdictions as permitted by applicable law. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are not under Antero's control. All statements, except for statements of historical fact, made in this release regarding activities, events or developments Antero expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, such as Antero's ability to successfully consummate the Any and All Offer or the Maximum Tender Offer and the terms thereof, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "may," "assume," "forecast," "position," "predict," "strategy," "expect," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "project," "budget," "potential," or "continue," and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. Although Antero believes that the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there is no assurance that these plans, intentions or expectations will be achieved. Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecast in such statements. Except as required by law, Antero expressly disclaims any obligation to and does not intend to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Antero cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties incident to the exploration for and development, production, gathering and sale of natural gas, NGLs and oil, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Antero's control. These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility, inflation, availability of drilling, completion and production equipment and services, environmental risks, drilling and completion and other operating risks, marketing and transportation risks, regulatory changes or changes in law, the uncertainty inherent in estimating natural gas, NGLs and oil reserves and in projecting future rates of production, cash flows and access to capital, the timing of development expenditures, conflicts of interest among our stockholders, impacts of world health events (including the COVID-19 pandemic), cybersecurity risks, the state of markets for, and availability of, verified quality carbon offsets, and the other risks described under the heading "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Antero's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. SOURCE Antero Resources Corporation Doug Schantz joins as Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and Phil McNamara to serve as Vice President of Communications RESEARCH TRIANGLE, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), an independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is adding two industry veterans to advance clinical operations and lead corporate communications. Doug Schantz will serve as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and will ensure that all clinical trials are executed expeditiously, in full regulatory compliance and to the highest quality standard. Phil McNamara, serving as Vice President of Communications, will be responsible for all internal and external communications and media relations. Doug Schantz, Sr. Vice President of Clinical Operations Phillip McNamara, Vice President of Communications "Doug and Phil bring a wealth of experience to the AskBio team and are reflective of the quality of individual talent we have at the company," said Phil Dana, Chief Human Resources Officer. "Both represent key hires for AskBio as we continue to advance our pipeline and establish our position as a global leader in genetic medicine." Doug Schantz is a seasoned clinical operations expert in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. He comes to AskBio from Alexion Pharmaceuticals where he most recently served as Vice President and Head of Clinical Operations. At Alexion, he was responsible for program leadership across all phases of clinical development in several therapeutic areas, including hematology, metabolic diseases, neuroscience, and nephrology. Prior experience was with AstraZeneca as the Executive Director of Development Operations, as well as successfully serving a 17-year stint at Pfizer and eight years with Eli Lilly. Phil McNamara joins AskBio from Novartis where he led Global Communications for its Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Franchise. He successfully built and led a team that supported various facets of the business and helped to enable a favorable market standing with patient and professional communities. Prior to Novartis, Mr. McNamara held global and US communication roles at Sanofi and Bristol Myers Squibb, respectively, and collectively brings over 20 years of diverse strategic communications experience to AskBio. Canwen Jiang, MD, PhD, AskBio's Chief Development Officer and Chief Medical Officer adds, "Both Doug and Phil are vital members of our senior management team who will equally strengthen our presence within the industry and contribute to our success in all our clinical endeavors." About AskBio Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG acquired in 2020, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines that cure genetic diseases. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic disease indications with a clinical-stage pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson's disease, and congestive heart failure. AskBio's gene therapy platform includes Pro10, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive capsid and promoter library. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered clinical testing. Founded in 2001 and an early innovator in the gene therapy field, the company holds more than 750 patents in areas such as AAV production and chimeric and self-complementary capsids. Learn more at www.askbio.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About Bayer Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses, before special items, amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, visit www.bayer.com. AskBio Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends," "potential," "possible" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding AskBio's pipeline of development candidates, manufacturing technology and process. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond AskBio's control. Known risks include, among others: AskBio may not be able to execute on its business plans and goals, including meeting its expected or planned regulatory milestones and timelines, its reliance on third-parties, clinical development plans, manufacturing processes and plans, and bringing its product candidates to market, due to a variety of reasons, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, possible limitations of company financial and other resources, manufacturing limitations that may not be anticipated or resolved in a timely manner, potential disagreements or other issues with our third-party collaborators and partners, and regulatory, court or agency feedback or decisions, such as feedback and decisions from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Any of the foregoing risks could materially and adversely affect AskBio's business and results of operations. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. AskBio does not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof. SOURCE AskBio LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AstroPay, the payment solution of choice for millions of users globally, has appointed Sofia Lanza as Chief Banking Officer, as the company moves forward with its expansion plans into new markets and verticals. Sofia, who previously served as Chief Corporate Development at AstroPay, will be responsible for developing and managing AstroPay's relationships with global banking and payment service providers, working closely with them in partnership to ensure better engagement and innovative solutions that meet their needs and business goals. AstroPay appoints Sofia Lanza as Chief Banking Officer (PRNewsfoto/AstroPay) Sofia has a strong legal background, having graduated from law school at Universidad de Montevideo and worked as Legal Advisor at AstroPay in 2018. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Camara Uruguaya de Fintechs. Mikael Lijtenstein, AstroPay CEO, commented: "Sofia is the perfect professional to assume this new position as she has a deep knowledge of the company's expansion strategy to become the number one payments provider globally. She brings tremendous experience to a dynamic company like AstroPay and her leadership and expertise continue to be an asset to the business. Her passion for innovation and growth is closely aligned to our mission and I am excited to be working with her in driving the adoption of our solutions to financial institutions around the world." Sofia Lanza, CBO of AstroPay, said: "I have been impressed with AstroPay's strong growth and exceptional journey so far and I am making the most of this new opportunity the company has offered me. Working with a multi-cultural team that is extremely driven and passionate about innovation is both inspiring and rewarding. AstroPay is in the path of growing its operation, reaching users all over the world and making payments accessible to every person regardless of their location, language or financial situation." About AstroPay Founded in 2009, AstroPay is a pioneer in global payment solutions. It is the digital wallet of choice for millions of customers in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe who want to make online purchases on international sites, and it also aims to help merchants access markets more easily and securely. AstroPay has offices in the UK and Latin America, with millions of users, hundreds of merchants, and more than 200 payment methods available globally. It has extensive experience in handling the specificities of different markets, offering an efficient solution to all its customers: merchants, end users, and business partners. Visit www.astropay.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1876099/AstroPay.jpg SOURCE AstroPay "It's really rough," Fletcher told News 6 at her home in Apopka. "I actually do not celebrate birthdays since this happened because I actually celebrate my daughter's life." Attorney Dan Newlin said he was sitting in his office when he received a phone call 10 years ago from then Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. "Sheriff Demings asked me if my law firm would offer a monetary reward for information leading to the arrest of Danielle Sampson's shooter," Newlin said. "I didn't blink, we went live on all the news stations with a large monetary reward for information leading to the shooter and sure enough, the breaking tip came in." Since that day Newlin says that he has been actively involved in helping Danielle and her family, raising enough money to build a brand new handicapped accessible home, and continuing to lead the legal fight for social security and Medicare benefits which are often delayed and denied. Now, at 25, Danielle Sampson is sleeping on a bed that does not function properly and Danielle's Medicaid insurance has denied a new handicapped bed, which her doctor states is medically necessary for her survival. The physician's prescription, signed by Dr. Hufusat Oni, calls for a "medically necessary," fully electric bed with rails. Despite her history with Newlin's law firm, Fletcher told Orlando's News 6 she was reluctant to ask for more help, so News 6 did it for her. News 6 met with Newlin at Atlantic Aviation located at the Orlando International Airport where he was returning from Shand's Hospital where he was being recognized for his assistance in Ukrainian emergency medical efforts. When News 6 explained to Newlin what was happening, he stated, "Why should Danielle suffer to get the things that she needs? When I see these denials, especially with Danielle, it makes me so angry." "Here is a young woman that is bedridden, cannot eat, must be tube fed, and she is laying in a broken bed. We will fight this insurance denial and win, but in the meantime, I will not just stand back and watch Danielle suffer in a broken bed. Our law firm will step up and buy a new bed for Danielle and it will be done this week and it will be the best of the best." When told of Newlin's generosity, Fletcher put her face into her hands, looked up, smiled, and said, "Oh my goodness, thank you. God, thank you." SOURCE Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys First ampm convenience store opens in the Bronx convenience store opens in the New store will be bp-owned & operated Supports bp's strategy of growing its convenience and mobility business The Bronx location is one of four scheduled store openings on the East Coast HOUSTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- bp opened its first ampm convenience store in New York City, expanding the seventh largest c-store chain from its West Coast roots. The store, located at 824 Allerton Avenue in the Bronx, is the first opening for the convenience brand on the East Coast. ampm The store will feature bp branding throughout the fuel experience and ampm's food menu, including a hot deli and grocery with fresh fruit and extensive dry goods. The entire customer-centric experience is modeled after Thorntons, the renowned Kentucky-based fuel and convenience retailer that bp took full ownership of in 2021. "As bp transitions toward becoming a net zero company, convenience will play a huge role in delivering our integrated strategy. The experience customers feel at our retail sites will be key to attracting them in and ensuring they return. Because New Yorkers are always on the go, the Empire State is a perfect fit for this expansion," said Dave Lawler, chairman and president bp America. "This store sets the stage for us to maximize the large bp footprint along the East Coast," said Greg Franks, senior vice president mobility and convenience, Americas. "We know that residents of The Big Apple will love the craveable food, snacks and drinks that make ampm the destination of Too Much Good Stuff. We also know our dealers will be excited to share the ampm brand with their consumers in the future." The expansion advances bp's convenience and mobility strategy, which aims to nearly double global earnings from about $5 billion in 2019 to $9-10 billion by 2030 and deliver 15-20% returns. This strategy is supported by a commitment to putting the customer at the heart of what we do. bp aims to increase the number of strategic convenience sites in its global network from around 2,000 today to more than 3,000 by 2030. The first ampm store opened in Southern California in 1978. Today, there are over 1,000 stores throughout the West Coast, serving more than 3,500 different products. Notes to editors bp's portfolio of brands in the US services more than three million consumers daily across 35 states. bp's mobility and convenience brands in the US currently include bp, Amoco, ampm and Thorntons. and Thorntons. bp marked its re-entry into company-owned, company operated retail story when it took full ownership of Thorntons in 2021. Thorntons includes more than 200 owned and operated locations across six states: Kentucky , Illinois , Indiana , Ohio , Tennessee and Florida . , , , , and . bp has different retail models across the US, ranging from company-owned retail stores, strategic partnerships, brand licensing, wholesale, business-to-business, dealer-owned, and franchise-owned. For more information about bp's customers & products business visit bp.com. Contact: [email protected] About bp: bp's ambition is to become a net zero company by 2050 or sooner, and to help the world get to net zero. bp is America's largest energy investor since 2005, investing more than $130 billion in the economy and supporting about 230,000 jobs. For more information on bp in the US, visit www.bp.com/us. SOURCE bp America SACREMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Senator Anthony Portantino's Senate Appropriations Committee killed good government legislation today using one of the Legislature's most undemocratic tactics, the "suspense file," which legislative leadership uses to bury bills without public debate or a vote, said Consumer Watchdog today. AB 2370 (Levine) would have required all state agencies to retain public records for a minimum of two years. The bill had previously passed through the Assembly and through Senate Judicary with overwhelming bipartisan support, and without a single No vote. State agencies currently have no minimum time requirement to keep records, placing the public's right to access those records at risk, said Consumer Watchdog. "Shame on Senator Portantino for using the secretive 'suspense' process to quietly kill a good government bill that had nearly unanimous legislative support. AB 2370 would have ensured Californians have access to information about the workings of their government. The irony is, Senator Portantino used the most un-democratic tactic to do so, shelving the bill without explanation or a vote," said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog. AB 2370 was supported by California News Publishers Association, Californians Aware, Consumer Watchdog, First Amendment Coalition, and Oakland Privacy. The bill arose from the government corruption scandal involving the Department of Insurance and the workers' compensation insurer Applied Underwriters. A second bill prompted by the scandal, AB 1783 (Levine) to require "consultants" influencing administrative actions of state agencies to register as lobbyists, was passed by the committee and now moves to the Senate Floor. California's landmark Public Records Act reflects the principle that government transparency is essential in a democracy. Yet, there is no minimum retention period for such records that applies to state agencies. As a result, records may be deleted or destroyed before the public or journalists are able to access them. AB 2370 would have applied to state agencies the same minimum two-year retention period for public records that is already in place for California counties and cities. Just this year the Department of Insurance adopted a record deletion policy that would have automatically deleted agency email after 180 days unless individual staff manually archived each email. The email deletion policy, which was pulled back in the wake of media attention, was developed following statewide news coverage of the pay-to-play scandal involving Applied Underwriters and cloaked campaign donations to Insurance Commissioner Lara's 2022 re-election campaign. Failure to retain public records is a problem that reaches beyond the Department of Insurance. For example, As recently reported, the chief administrative officer of a state agency testified that she routinely shredded scoring worksheets that she no longer considered "relevant," even though they were central to a contract bidding dispute. CalPERS began automatically deleting email older that 60 days in 2011 after a different government scandal. In 2016, CalTRANS's 120-day auto delete email policy was determined to constitute spoilation of evidence. The California Environmental Protection Agency currently considers emails transmitting "informal information" to be "transitory," and are deleted after 90 days. The Medical Board destroys "physician licensing files . . . . not necessary to establish qualifications for licensure" upon the time the physician's license is issued. The DMV destroys records regarding a driver's failure to establish insurance coverage following an accident after just 30 days. The Department of Forestry destroys records regarding hazardous material (Hazmat) property upon expiration of the relevant contract regardless of the time period, and records of fire safety inspections after one year. SOURCE Consumer Watchdog SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This morning, California Governor Gavin Newsom named former City of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to the role of Infrastructure Advisor to the State of California. The California Transit Association issued the following statement: "Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is an inspired choice for the role of Infrastructure Advisor to the State of California," said California Transit Association Executive Director Michael Pimentel. "By selecting Villaraigosa, Governor Newsom has once again broadcast to the nation his intent to transform California's infrastructure, with a heightened focus on sustainability, equity, and economic progress for all Californians. When Mayor of Los Angeles (2005 2013), Villaraigosa took on the herculean task of transforming California's largest and famously car-centric city's transportation network by championing investment in public transportation and bicycle and pedestrian projects. His leadership in support of Measure R, Los Angeles' landmark transportation funding measure, delivered billions of dollars for transit and rail capital projects and operational upgrades that increased the frequency and reliability of public transportation, forever improving Los Angeles County. Now, thanks to his appointment by Governor Newsom, Villaraigosa is poised to share his knowledge, expertise, and political acumen with the State of California to ensure that the availability of new federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is effectively leveraged to deliver on California's goals." California Transit Association Applauds Appointment of Former LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as Infrastructure Advisor to the State of California Tweet this The California Transit Association is comprised of more than 220 member organizations, including all the state's largest urban transit operators, as well as dozens of transit agencies in suburban and rural areas. Its membership also extends to include commuter rail agencies, transit support groups, national and international transit suppliers, and government agencies. The Association is the leading advocate on behalf of public transit in California, representing transit's interests before the California State Legislature, the Governor and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels. CONTACT Virginia Drake Public Affairs and Communications Director California Transit Association M: 916-446-4656 x1135 Email: [email protected] SOURCE California Transit Association The non-medical home care franchise's CEO, Jeff Salter, will discuss how innovation can improve the way home care workers care for seniors and the disabled SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Caring Senior Service, a non-medical home care franchise, announced today that CEO and founder Jeff Salter is scheduled to discuss how innovation can improve the home care industry at the Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice's (TAHCH) 53rd Annual Meeting later this month and at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice's (NAHC) Annual Conference and Expo in October. Caring Senior Service CEO Jeff Salter will discuss how innovation can improve the home care service industry in two speaking engagements. "While it seems that non-medical home care has changed very little over the past few years, the fact is that innovation in the industry is coming and should be met with open arms," Salter said. "Technical advances in how we communicate with family members, how we physically care for clients, and how we interact with a client's own medical devices are something our workforce and our care management teams need to be trained to manage." Salter is slated to share key methods on how Caring Senior Service has evolved to meet today's challenges and what the industry will need to be competitive in the future. In his address titled, "The Home Care Industry Needs a Revolution," Salter will discuss some of the technologies and advancements home care companies should expect to see in the coming years. Caring Senior Service already uses a proprietary tablet-based software called Tendio to assist franchisees in operating their locations. This software offers a family/caregiver portal, real-time video conferencing, caregiver tracking, electronic timesheets and a messaging center. The home care company credits Tendio with improving workflows and enhancing service delivery. Salter is scheduled to speak at 11:15 a.m. on Aug. 31 at the three-day TAHCH conference in Round Rock, Texas. For more information, visit https://www.tahchannualmeeting.com/. The NAHC Annual Conference and Expo, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, will feature Salter's session on Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit https://www.nahc.org/. About Caring Senior Service Caring Senior Service is a non-medical home care services company based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by CEO Jeff Salter in 1991, the company provides assistance to seniors, the disabled population and any adult who may need help with the tasks of everyday living such as bathing, running errands and preparing food. After adding locations throughout Texas in the 1990s, the company extended its reach through franchising in 2002. It now boasts more than 50 locations throughout the U.S. Its non-profit "Close the Gap in Senior Care" began in 2021 to raise awareness of the overlooked and underserved aspects of senior care. This program was launched when Salter rode an electric bike more than 9,000 miles to each Caring Senior Service location nationwide to raise awareness of home modifications needed to avoid fall risks among the senior population. For more information on Caring Senior Service, please visit their website at https://www.caringseniorservice.com/. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR (865) 977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE Caring Senior Service Fifty-two students to pursue hospitality studies at 10 California colleges SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Hotel & Lodging Association Hospitality Foundation announced today it has awarded $165,000 in scholarships to 52 students to pursue hospitality, tourism, and culinary arts degrees at 10 California colleges. Winners of the coveted scholarships will be celebrated at the Hospitality Foundation's annual gala on Nov. 3, 2022 at Disney's Grand California Hotel and Spa. "It has been invigorating to engage with the students this year during the scholarship interview process and to learn about their visions for our industry," said Michael Pace, the Foundation President, and General Manager at the InterContinental Mark Hopkins hotel in San Francisco. "These students have the potential to redefine the lodging industry in exciting new ways. As a hospitality professional, this scholarship program excites me because it provides our industry with the opportunity to encourage an enthusiastic and talented pool of future leaders to continue pursuing careers in hotels and restaurants." This year's award recipients include students from San Diego State University, University of San Francisco, San Jose State, Cal Poly Pomona, California State University, Monterey Bay, City College of San Francisco, Chico State University, California State University Long Beach, Orange Coast and California State University East Bay. CHLAHF's scholarship committee, comprised of hospitality professionals, reviewed each application, selecting the honorees based on their grade point average, declaration to pursue a hospitality degree and dedicated hospitality work experience. About the California Hotel & Lodging Association Hospitality Foundation CHLAHF is a non-profit organization that provides scholarships and research in support of excellence among industry employees and hospitality students. Our aim is to raise the profile and promote excellence in the California hospitality industry. CHLAHF was formed in April 2019 when two large supporters of hospitality education The Hotel & Restaurant Foundation and The CHLA Education Foundation combined to support the future of hospitality in California. For more information, please go to https://chlafoundation.org. Media Inquiries: Jennifer Flohr 916-554-2667 [email protected] SOURCE California Hotel & Lodging Association Hospitality Foundation The Fall '22 Campaign Explores the Dedication, Passion, and Commitment of Featured Extraordinary Talent Who Epitomize the Cole Haan Ethos NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cole Haan , the iconic American performance lifestyle brand and retailer, is launching a new brand campaign and product collection for Fall 2022. The Work For What You Believe In campaign stars an array of inspirational, real-life changemakers who serve as the inspiration behind the Fall assortment made to support work, play, and the everyday moments that matter. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9021355-cole-haan-work-for-what-you-believe-in-fall-2022-campaign/ Cole Haan Debuts Work For What You Believe In Campaign Cole Haan Debuts Work For What You Believe In Campaign The campaign marks the emergence of a new era where what we do is an expression of who we are and what we believe. It features inspirational individuals who embody the collective and individual passions that drive each and every one of us. The campaign incorporates twelve rule-breaking entrepreneurs, creatives, and personalities including Interior Designer Nora O'Neil, Style Editor Yang-Yi Goh, Poet, Writer and Creative Director Joekenneth Museau and Founder of Nuna Awaq, Juana Burga to name a few. The full cast of Fall 2022 campaign talent will be released in three parts on a monthly basis starting today and continuing through October. "The world jumped the track during the post-Covid lockdown period. Young workers worldwide began questioningperhaps more than any other generation todayhow work fits within their lifestyle choices and reflects their personal values. Cole Haan, a brand that the past five generations of workers have donned as they embarked on their careers, recognizes this cultural moment," says David Maddocks, Brand President, Cole Haan. "We saw the casualization of the workplace before others, and we are recognizing this generation's needs in product creation and environmental stewardship, at the intersection of social and brand values." The campaign underscores Cole Haan's rich heritage as the go-to brand for those entering the workforce, reimagined for a new generation. In addition to serving as the stars of the campaign, the talent provided an intimate look into their own personal work lives, sharing their stories for Cole Haan's website. Each individual highlights what they work for and how it is rooted in what they believe in. In conjunction with the campaign, Cole Haan will debut two product collections perfectly suited for Fall, including the evolution of the women's Grand Ambition footwear and bag assortment featuring the new York Bootie, in addition to the introduction of a new men's line coined American Classics. Both represent Cole Haan's signature combination of craft, style and versatility innovation rooted in the brand's heritage. "Our Women's Grand Ambition collection and Men's American Classics collection are the perfect accompaniment for those who are working for what they believe in," adds Scott Patt, Chief Creative Officer, Cole Haan. "Built for today, both collections are uniquely stylish, beautifully crafted and engineered for comfort whether you're in the office or redefining what the future of work looks like in your life." The first chapter of Cole Haan's Fall 2022 collection and Work for What You Believe In campaign is available now at ColeHaan.com, as well as in US retail locations and select International Cole Haan stores starting today, August 11, 2022. The women's Grand Ambition collection is priced starting at $180 USD and the men's American Classics collection starts at $150 USD. About Cole Haan Cole Haan is a global performance lifestyle brand serving always-connected, active professionals with innovative footwear and lifestyle accessories. With a 90-year heritage, Cole Haan infuses its products with time-honored craftsmanship and modern innovation, making footwear and lifestyle accessories that customers wear from work, to workout, to weekend. Cole Haan's mission is to inspire customers to live extraordinary lives. For more information, contact: Autumn Communications [email protected] SOURCE Cole Haan JACKSON, Mich., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy and the State of Michigan today announced a pledge to power 1,274 publicly owned government buildings exclusively with clean energy, a visible commitment by the state's government and its largest energy provider to protect the planet. "Consumers Energy and the State of Michigan are working together to power Michigan's clean energy transformation," said Garrick Rochow, Consumers Energy's president and CEO. "This commitment will accelerate our already industry-leading Clean Energy Plan to develop carbon-free energy sources here in Michigan." "As governor, I am proud that the State of Michigan is leading by example to reduce greenhouse gases, protect the planet, and lower energy costs," said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. "Today, we are proud to announce that Consumers Energy is joining BWL and DTE in an agreement with the State of Michigan to power state buildings with clean energy. This is a critical step that will help us reach the goal I proposed in 2020 to have all state buildings run on 100% clean, renewable energy by 2025. Let's keep working together to fight climate change with common-sense steps that will lower taxpayer energy costs and ensure that state operations have the energy they need to succeed." The State of Michigan has made a 20-year agreement with Consumers Energy to use clean energy at state government buildings for all departments throughout the Lower Peninsula. This commitment supports roughly 68 megawatts of emission-free renewable energy in Michigan, which is equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions produced by over 20,000 cars, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calculations. Consumers Energy is working to protect the planet, with a Clean Energy Plan to close all of its coal-fired plants by 2025 and become carbon neutral by 2040. The state government's new commitment builds on the energy provider's plans, and Consumers Energy will meet the state's pledge by adding new solar power plants in Michigan over the next three to four years. Earlier this year, General Motors agreed to power three Michigan plants with 100% green energy supplied by Consumers Energy. "Consumers Energy is able to deliver reliable and affordable energy while protecting the planet. This partnership will further support Michigan being a leader in clean energy," Rochow said. Consumers Energy's Renewable Energy Program provides businesses a flexible, turnkey solution to use solar and wind energy to achieve their sustainability goals and protect the planet for future generations. Their enrollment not only advances greening Michigan's grid, but also supports Michigan jobs created through building and operating renewable energy projects. Join the movement by contacting us at [email protected]. Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. For more information about Consumers Energy, go to ConsumersEnergy.com. Check out Consumers Energy on Social Media Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consumersenergymichigan Twitter: https://twitter.com/consumersenergy LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/consumersenergy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consumersenergy SOURCE Consumers Energy Paxson's 1998 paper "Bro: A System for Detecting Network Intruders in Real-Time" honored for its profound impact on the field of security and privacy SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Corelight , the leader in open network detection and response (NDR), today announced company co-founder, and creator of Zeek , Dr. Vern Paxson has received the distinguished USENIX "Test of Time" award for his work entitled " Bro: A System for Detecting Network Intruders in Real-Time " published in 1998. The paper marked the official launch of open source technology Bro (now known as Zeek), which has since become the de-facto standard for network security monitoring and network visibility. "Dr. Paxson's work in creating Bro marked a turning point in how organizations could get a handle on, and gain better access to, the traffic that was coming into their networks at a time when the Internet was still in its infancy," said Dr. Kevin Fu, associate professor of EECS at the University of Michigan and USENIX steering committee member. "The committee felt strongly that this paper should stand as a 'must read' classic paper for any graduate computer security course." The USENIX "Test of Time" award is intended to recognize papers that have had a lasting impact on their respective fields and that were presented at its respective conference at least 10 years ago. "In the late 1990s, effective ways to monitor and analyze traffic over the Internet were virtually nonexistent. That left sites unable to distinguish malicious traffic from harmless traffic," said Paxson. "Bro/Zeek was designed as a means of identifying possible intrusions on a network right as they were happening, by analyzing in detail the traffic flying by on high-speed network links. By open sourcing the code, the hope was that it would both benefit the community and in turn benefit from community efforts to enhance it. "More than 20 years later it is a thrill to see how not only how expansive the Bro/ Zeek, community has grown, but also to see how the thousands of contributions to it over the years have made it one of the most powerful and reliable network security offerings today," he continued. "I have long had roots in the USENIX community, so I'm particularly honored to receive this recognition." USENIX "Test of Time" award recipients received recognition at the 31st USENIX Security Symposium . The USENIX Security Symposium brings together researchers, practitioners, system administrators, system programmers, and others interested in the latest advances in the security and privacy of computer systems and networks. About USENIX Since 1975, USENIX has brought together the community of engineers, system administrators, SREs, researchers, and technicians working on the cutting edge of the computing world. USENIX conferences have become the essential meeting grounds for the presentation and discussion of the most advanced information on the development of all aspects of computing systems. For more information, visit https://usenix.org . About Corelight Corelight provides security teams with network evidence so they can protect the world's most critical organizations and companies. Corelight's global customers include Fortune 500 companies, major government agencies, and large research universities. Based in San Francisco, Corelight is an open-core security company founded by the creators of Zeek, the widely-used network security technology. For more information, visit https://corelight.com or follow @corelight_inc. SOURCE Corelight, Inc. David Clarke brings over 30 years of Data Strategy experience from Dun & Bradstreet, Avention and clients like Mastercard, John Wiley and TiVo AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- David Clarke, a seasoned executive with an international track record of building data organizations, has joined Markaaz as Chief Data Officer in Residence. This most recent addition to the team underpins the company's accelerated growth plans and the increasing demand for its data-driven solution in the US, Asia and beyond. David Clarke, Chief Data Officer in Residence, Markaaz Markaaz, a fast-growing Fintech, applies data triangulation as it builds the definitive environment for small and big businesses to connect. Its two-sided Dashboard provides small business owners with a digital interface to better manage their data and business insights, while enabling consent-based data sharing with enterprise partners that accelerates their onboarding, approving, and monitoring for better servicing, lower acquisition costs, increased sales, and higher retention. With its pre-populated and pre-verified directory of over 115 million businesses (and soon growing to 300 million), Markaaz is uniquely positioned to engage business owners to 'claim their data' and ensure its quality. This approach has been validated in market, in 2018, when Hany Fam, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Markaaz, built the world's first trading platform connecting 286 million buyers and sellers, called Mastercard Track. Clarke, who was part of the Mastercard Track team, is joining the cloud-based platform to drive its Data Strategy and Sourcing, alongside the experienced team members including Tom Reed, Markaaz's Senior Vice President of Data, who is also a Track veteran. "With David, we have the crew back together. His depth of experiences in large-scale data organizations and networks is a great addition to the team," said Fam. "We're excited to be on this journey together." Prior to joining Markaaz, Clarke spent 30 years at Dun & Bradstreet in various executive positions including President, Sales & Marketing Solutions, US CIO, and Chief Data Officer. He was also the Chief Data Officer of Avention, that was subsequently acquired by Dun & Bradstreet. Since then, he has been an Advisor/Consultant, specializing in Data Strategy and the business information industry, advising clients including Mastercard, John Wiley and TiVo. "I am excited to be working together with the Markaaz team. What brought me here is the strength of the team, and people who have built businesses at scale. We are doing it again'' said Clarke. Markaaz has previously announced OpenLending-Founder Sandy Watkins as investor and board member, and its partnerships with Mastercard and Equifax. Visit markaaz.com to learn more. Media contact: [email protected] (323) 638-9797 SOURCE Markaaz SHANGHAI, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dingdong (Cayman) Limited ("Dingdong" or the "Company") (NYSE: DDL), a leading fresh grocery e-commerce company in China, with advanced supply chain capabilities, today announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. Second Quarter 2022 Highlights: GMV for the second quarter of 2022 increased by 32.3% year over year to RMB7,115.2 million ( US$1,062.3 million ) from RMB5,378.1 million in the same quarter of 2021. for the second quarter of 2022 increased by 32.3% year over year to ( ) from in the same quarter of 2021. Total revenue for the second quarter of 2022 increased by 42.8% year over year to RMB6,634.4 million ( US$990.5 million ) from RMB4,646.0 million in the same quarter of 2021. for the second quarter of 2022 increased by 42.8% year over year to ( ) from in the same quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP net income for the second quarter of 2022 was RMB20.6 million ( US$3.1 million ), compared with non-GAAP net loss of RMB1,728.5 million in the same quarter of 2021. Mr. Changlin Liang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dingdong, stated, "Fresh food is not ordinary consumer goods. Therefore, we aim to ensure not only food availability but also food quality. We bring happiness and passion for life to the public through food, and infuse inspiration and soulfulness into food. Only a team with unswerving, whole-hearted commitment and dedication can achieve this goal." Ms. Le Yu, Chief Strategy Officer of Dingdong, stated, "As we established word-of-mouth on our product development capabilities among consumers, comparing our pre-lockdown and post-lockdown performances this year, we also saw a significant increase in the AOV post-lockdown and an improvement in our operational efficiency, which validated our "efficiency first, with due consideration to scale" strategy. Looking ahead to Q3, we expect quality revenue growth with narrowing losses compared to the pre-lockdown Q1 this year. We also expect to achieve a single-month, non-GAAP break-even in December this year." Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results Total revenues were RMB6,634.4 million (US$990.5 million), representing an increase of 42.8% from the same period of 2021, primarily driven by the robust growth in the Company's GMV, with a higher conversion ratio from GMV to revenue. Product Revenues were RMB6,554.0 million ( US$978.5 million ), an increase of 42.4% from RMB4,603.3 million in the same quarter of 2021, primarily driven by the increase in average order value. were ( ), an increase of 42.4% from in the same quarter of 2021, primarily driven by the increase in average order value. Service Revenues were RMB80.4 million ( US$12.0 million ), an increase of 88.1% from RMB42.7 million in the same quarter of 2021, primarily driven by the increase in the number of customers subscribing to Dingdong's membership program. Total operating costs and expenses were RMB6,634.6 million (US$990.5 million), an increase of 0.8% from RMB6,583.6 million in the same quarter of 2021, with a detailed breakdown as below. Cost of Goods Sold was RMB4,537.3 million ( US$677.4 million ), an increase of 14.4% from RMB3,967.4 million in the same quarter of 2021, primarily driven by the increase in total revenue. Gross margin was 31.6%, which significantly improved from 14.6% in the same quarter of 2021. was ( ), an increase of 14.4% from in the same quarter of 2021, primarily driven by the increase in total revenue. Gross margin was 31.6%, which significantly improved from 14.6% in the same quarter of 2021. Fulfillment expenses were RMB1,541.8 million ( US$230.2 million ) a decrease of 9.0% from RMB1,693.5 million in the same quarter of 2021. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of total revenue decreased from 36.5% to 23.2%, mainly driven by the increase of average order value and improved frontline labor efficiency. were ( ) a decrease of 9.0% from in the same quarter of 2021. Fulfillment expenses as a percentage of total revenue decreased from 36.5% to 23.2%, mainly driven by the increase of average order value and improved frontline labor efficiency. Sales and marketing expenses were RMB146.7 million ( US$21.9 million ), a decrease of 64.2% from RMB410.0 million in the same quarter of 2021, as product development capabilities became our primary growth driver and we attracted customers more efficiently. were ( ), a decrease of 64.2% from in the same quarter of 2021, as product development capabilities became our primary growth driver and we attracted customers more efficiently. General and administrative expenses were RMB153.5 million ( US$22.9 million ), a decrease of 49.9% from RMB306.3 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to decreased share-based compensation expenses. were ( ), a decrease of 49.9% from in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to decreased share-based compensation expenses. Product development expenses were RMB255.3 million ( US$38.1 million ), an increase of 23.7% from RMB206.5 million in the same quarter of 2021, mainly due to the increased investments in product development capability, agricultural technology, technical data algorithms, and other infrastructure. Loss from operations was RMB0.2 million (US$0.04 million), compared with operating loss of RMB1,937.6 million in the same quarter of 2021. Net loss was RMB34.5 million (US$5.2 million), compared with net loss of RMB1,937.4 million in the same quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP net income / (loss), which is a non-GAAP measure that excludes share-based compensation expenses, was RMB20.6 million (US$3.1 million), a significant improvement from RMB(1,728.5) million in the same quarter of 2021. In addition, our non-GAAP net margin, which is our non-GAAP net income / (loss) as a percentage of revenues, improved to 0.3% from (37.2%) in the same quarter of 2021. Basic and diluted net loss per share were RMB0.11 (US$0.02), compared with RMB33.27 in the same quarter of 2021. Non-GAAP net income / (loss) per share, basic and diluted, was RMB0.06 (US$0.01), compared with RMB (30.05) in the same quarter of 2021. The weighted average number of ordinary shares used to compute the basic and diluted net loss per share and non-GAAP net income / (loss) per share were 64,908,700 and 324,345,013 in the second quarter of 2021 and 2022, respectively. All outstanding redeemable convertible preferred shares were not included in the computation until July 2021, when they were converted into ordinary shares upon the completion of the Company's initial public offering. Cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments were RMB6,063.8 million (US$905.3 million) as of June 30, 2022, compared with RMB5,231.1 million as of December 31, 2021. Conference Call The Company's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:00 A.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, August 11, 2022 (8:00 P.M. Beijing Time on the same day) to discuss the financial results. The presentation and question and answer session will be presented in both Mandarin and English. Listeners may access the call by dialing the following numbers: International: 1-412-317-6061 United States Toll Free: 1-888-317-6003 Mainland China Toll Free: 4001-206115 Hong Kong Toll Free: 800-963976 Conference ID: 0227192 The replay will be accessible through August 18, 2022 by dialing the following numbers: International: 1-412-317-0088 United States: 1-877-344-7529 Access Code: 1497622 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at https://ir.100.me. About Dingdong (Cayman) Limited We are a leading fresh grocery e-commerce company in China, with sustainable long-term growth. We directly provide users and households with fresh produce, prepared food, and other food products through a convenient and excellent shopping experience supported by an extensive self-operated frontline fulfillment grid. Leveraging our deep insights into consumers' evolving needs and our strong food innovation capabilities, we have successfully launched a series of private label products spanning a variety of food categories. Many of our private label products are produced at our own production plants, allowing us to more efficiently produce and offer safe and high-quality food products. We aim to be Chinese families' first choice for food shopping. For more information, please visit: https://ir.100.me Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses non-GAAP measures, such as non-GAAP net income / (loss), non-GAAP net margin and non-GAAP net income / (loss) per share, basic and diluted, in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures help identify underlying trends in its business by excluding the impact of share-based compensation expenses, which are non-cash charges and do not correlate to any operating activity trends. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about the Company's results of operations, enhance the overall understanding of the Company's past performance and future prospects and allow for greater visibility with respect to key metrics used by the Company's management in its financial and operational decision-making. The non-GAAP financial measures are not defined under U.S. GAAP and are not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and when assessing the Company's operating performance, cash flows or liquidity, investors should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for net loss, cash flows provided by operating activities or other consolidated statements of operations and cash flows data prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company's definition of non-GAAP financial measures may differ from those of industry peers and may not be comparable with their non-GAAP financial measures. The Company mitigates these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable U.S. GAAP performance measures, all of which should be considered when evaluating the Company's performance. For more information on the non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Unaudited Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Results" set forth at the end of this announcement. Exchange Rate Information This announcement contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("US$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from RMB to US$ were made at the rate of RMB6.6981 to US$1.00, the exchange rate on June 30, 2022 set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the RMB or US$ amounts referred could be converted into US$ or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident," "potential," "continue," or other similar expressions. Among other things, business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Dingdong's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. Dingdong may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in its interim and annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about Dingdong's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: Dingdong's goals and strategies; Dingdong's future business development, financial conditions, and results of operations; the expected outlook of the fresh grocery e-commerce market in China; Dingdong's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products and services; Dingdong's expectations regarding its relationships with its users, clients, business partners, and other stakeholders; competition in Dingdong's industry; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to Dingdong's industry, and general economic and business conditions globally and in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this announcement and in the attachments is as of the date of the announcement, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. For investor inquiries, please contact: Dingdong Fresh [email protected] DINGDONG (CAYMAN) LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Amounts in thousands of RMB and US$) As of December 31, 2021 June 30, 2022 June 30, 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents 662,768 2,011,719 300,342 Restricted cash 7,664 1,100 164 Short-term investments 4,568,346 4,052,094 604,962 Accounts receivable, net 191,519 158,232 23,623 Inventories 537,472 578,396 86,352 Advance to suppliers 86,711 107,264 16,014 Prepayments and other current assets 461,843 213,989 31,948 Total current assets 6,516,323 7,122,794 1,063,405 Non-current assets: Property and equipment, net 472,371 401,170 59,893 Operating lease right-of-use assets 2,245,571 1,751,432 261,482 Other non-current assets 185,793 155,970 23,286 Total non-current assets 2,903,735 2,308,572 344,661 TOTAL ASSETS 9,420,058 9,431,366 1,408,066 LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable 2,058,624 1,876,611 280,171 Customer advances and deferred revenue 243,480 249,628 37,268 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 653,261 699,749 104,470 Salary and welfare payable 244,740 188,721 28,175 Operating lease liabilities 969,494 835,511 124,739 Short-term borrowings 3,121,046 4,075,411 608,443 Current portion of long-term borrowings 57,875 15,625 2,333 Total current liabilities 7,348,520 7,941,256 1,185,599 Non-current liabilities: Operating lease liabilities 1,244,096 899,617 134,309 Other non-current liabilities 69,373 75,000 11,197 Total non-current liabilities 1,313,469 974,617 145,506 TOTAL LIABILITIES 8,661,989 8,915,873 1,331,105 DINGDONG (CAYMAN) LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (CONTINUED) (Amounts in thousands of RMB and US$) As of December 31, 2021 June 30, 2022 June 30, 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (CONTINUED) Mezzanine Equity: Redeemable noncontrolling interests 30,000 103,400 15,437 TOTAL MEZZANINE EQUITY 30,000 103,400 15,437 Shareholders' equity Ordinary shares 4 4 1 Additional paid-in capital 13,685,062 13,795,348 2,059,591 Treasury stock (7,042) (20,666) (3,085) Accumulated deficit (12,765,713) (13,281,019) (1,982,804) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (184,242) (81,574) (12,179) TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 728,069 412,093 61,524 TOTAL LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 9,420,058 9,431,366 1,408,066 DINGDONG (CAYMAN) LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (Amounts in thousands of RMB and US$, except for number of shares and per share data) For the three months ended June 30, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) Revenues: Product revenues 4,603,265 6,553,999 978,486 Service revenues 42,741 80,390 12,002 Total revenues 4,646,006 6,634,389 990,488 Operating costs and expenses: Cost of goods sold (3,967,378) (4,537,312) (677,403) Fulfillment expenses (1,693,470) (1,541,814) (230,187) Sales and marketing expenses (409,991) (146,699) (21,902) Product development expenses (206,479) (255,314) (38,117) General and administrative expenses (306,261) (153,489) (22,915) Total operating costs and expenses (6,583,579) (6,634,628) (990,524) Loss from operations (1,937,573) (239) (36) Interest income 15,187 17,416 2,600 Interest expenses (19,982) (32,844) (4,904) Other income 5,704 14,545 2,172 Other expenses (733) (26,742) (3,992) Loss before income tax (1,937,397) (27,864) (4,160) Income tax expenses - (6,659) (994) Net loss (1,937,397) (34,523) (5,154) Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred shares (221,948) - - Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interests - (1,965) (293) Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (2,159,345) (36,488) (5,447) DINGDONG (CAYMAN) LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (CONTINUED) (Amounts in thousands of RMB and US$, except for number of shares and per share data) For the three months ended June 30, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) Net loss per ordinary share: Basic and diluted (33.27) Shares used in net loss per ordinary share computation: Basic and diluted 64,908,700 Net loss per Class A and Class B ordinary share: Basic and diluted (0.11) (0.02) Shares used in net loss per Class A and Class B ordinary share computation: Basic and diluted 324,345,013 324,345,013 Other comprehensive (loss)/income, net of tax of nil: Foreign currency translation adjustments (85,974) 127,627 19,054 Comprehensive (loss)/income (2,023,371) 93,104 13,900 Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred shares (221,948) - - Accretion of redeemable noncontrolling interests - (1,965) (293) Comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to ordinary shareholders (2,245,319) 91,139 13,607 DINGDONG (CAYMAN) LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Amounts in thousands of RMB and US$) For the three months ended June 30, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) Net cash (used in)/generated from operating activities (1,622,248) 217,725 32,505 Net cash used in investing activities (5,114,051) (359,578) (53,684) Net cash generated from financing activities 3,435,843 865,473 129,212 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash (61,779) 22,632 3,380 Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash (3,362,235) 746,252 111,413 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the period 4,414,207 1,266,567 189,093 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the period 1,051,972 2,012,819 300,506 DINGDONG (CAYMAN) LIMITED UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP RESULTS (Amounts in thousands of RMB and US$, except for number of shares and per share data) For the three months ended June 30, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) Net loss (1,937,397) (34,523) (5,154) Add: share-based compensation expenses (1) 208,943 55,111 8,228 Non-GAAP net (loss) / income (1,728,454) 20,588 3,074 Net loss margin (41.7 %) (0.5 %) Add: share-based compensation expenses 4.5 % 0.8 % Non-GAAP net (loss) / profit margin (37.2 %) 0.3 % Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders (2,159,345) (36,488) (5,447) Add: share-based compensation expenses (1) 208,943 55,111 8,228 Non-GAAP net (loss)/income attributable to ordinary shareholders (1,950,402) 18,623 2,781 Net loss per ordinary share: Basic and diluted (33.27) Add: share-based compensation expenses 3.22 Non-GAAP net loss per ordinary share: Basic and diluted (30.05) Net loss per Class A and Class B ordinary share: Basic and diluted (0.11) (0.02) Add: share-based compensation expenses 0.17 0.03 Non-GAAP net income per Class A and Class B ordinary share: Basic and diluted 0.06 0.01 (1) Share-based compensation expenses are recognized as follows: For the three months ended June 30, 2021 2022 2022 RMB RMB US$ (Unaudited) Fulfillment expenses 2,536 11,139 1,663 Sales and marketing expenses 89 2,778 415 Product development expenses 5,635 24,880 3,714 General and administrative expenses 200,683 16,314 2,436 Total 208,943 55,111 8,228 SOURCE Dingdong (Cayman) Limited "Stunning film I just wanted to stand up and cheer," said audience member of short film MILWAUKEE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Full-service advertising agency Bader Rutter's short film Direct Positive has been awarded "Best Documentary 2022" by audiences of the FEEDBACK Female Film Festival. Direct Positive, which premiered at the Milwaukee Film Festival in late April, is the result of a partnership between Milwaukee-based agency Bader Rutter and TEMPO, a membership organization dedicated to furthering the impact of women leaders in the Milwaukee area. In August, audiences of the Los Angeles-based FEEDBACK Female Film Festival screened Direct Positive, leaving rave reviews: "Direct Positive was so beautiful and inspiring. I absolutely loved getting to hear the stories of all these empowered women in leadership," one viewer said. "I think the filmmakers were really smart in the way that they shot [Direct Positive], in the way that they edited this. It all had this lovely flow to it," another said. Direct Positive has been awarded "Best Documentary 2022" by audiences of the LA-based FEEDBACK Female Film Festival. Tweet this "I continue to be humbled by the way this film is resonating with audiences," said Sarah Kmet-Hunt, executive creative director at Bader Rutter and co-director of Direct Positive. "This latest honor from the FEEDBACK Female Film Festival shows how important it is to ensure a diverse group of women have a seat at the table wherever important decisions are being made." The project began with TEMPO members sitting for portraits with Milwaukee-based tintype photographer Margaret Muza. But what the 120-year-old camera revealed was far deeper than anyone expected. Over two days of portraits and intense interviews, the women of TEMPO shared their challenges, inspirations, stumbles and victories. Muza's images show the beauty and power of each woman without filters, Photoshop or assumptions. At the same time, the women reveal the beauty and power of their own unfiltered stories. A team of women from Bader Rutter wove those stories together to create Direct Positive. The result is an honest and raw look at how female leadership has changed the workplace and the world for the better and how much progress still needs to be made. "At TEMPO, we like to say that 'the world moves when women rise.' Direct Positive features a chorus of strong women's voices sharing how they've risen above all obstacles to move the world toward a better future for all," said Jen Dirks, president and CEO, TEMPO. "We're thrilled that audiences are connecting with their stories and giving them a larger platform." Since its premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival, Direct Positive has screened at both the San Francisco Documentary Festival and FEEDBACK Female Film Festival. "My hope is that viewers take these stories to heart. Let's all embrace the fact that our world still has work to do to support women and to empower the women to stop trying to fit other's molds and to own their truths," Kmet-Hunt said. "That, to me, is the kind of world all women deserve and the kind of world we should create for the women after us." Arrange a screening of Direct Positive here and learn why audiences say more people need to see this award-winning film. Media: Click here for downloadable video and images. About Bader Rutter Bader Rutter is a full-service advertising and marketing agency with offices in Milwaukee and Chicago. It is both the largest agricultural marketing agency and the leading B2B marcom agency in the country. With close to 245 full-time employees in 13 states, Bader Rutter offers a full array of advertising, digital and social media, public relations, business consulting, and branding and design capabilities. The employee-owned agency's expertise includes core work in agriculture, the food production system, pet care and animal health, manufacturing, insurance and financial services. About TEMPO TEMPO is the largest professional women's group in Wisconsin, composed of nearly 800 members representing diverse industries, functions and companies from throughout the Milwaukee area and Southeastern Wisconsin. TEMPO serves its membership of executive, senior and C-level and Emerging Women Leaders through educational programming and professional development, networking opportunities, relationship building and mentoring, with the goal of empowering women to achieve and sustain leadership roles. Learn more at https://www.tempomilwaukee.org/. SOURCE Bader Rutter & Associates Workwear retailer to open new fulfillment facility in 2023 MOUNT HOREB, Wis., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Duluth Trading Company, a casualwear, workwear and accessory retailer for men and women, will build a new distribution and fulfillment facility in Adairsville. The new facility will create over 300 new jobs and represents an investment of $53 million in Bartow County. Building Rendering of Duluth Trading and Bastian Solutions Georgia Fulfillment Center "We are excited to welcome an iconic brand in Duluth Trading Company to the Peach State," said Governor Brian Kemp. "We are confident this new facility will begin a prosperous relationship with the people of Bartow County as Duluth expands to meet the distribution needs of our modern economy. Georgia's prime location and robust infrastructure allow companies to distribute products to 80 percent of the U.S. market in less than two days of drive time or two hours by plane." Duluth Trading, home of best-selling Fire Hose Pants, No-Yank Tanks and Buck Naked Underwear, is based in Wisconsin and prides itself as a problem-solution workwear destination. Known for its humorous marketing and best-in-class customer service, Duluth Trading offers its products to brand fans and new customers alike exclusively on their website or in their 65 retail stores, including one in Kennesaw, GA. "We are thrilled to open Duluth Trading's first-ever automated fulfillment center in Adairsville, Georgia," said Sam Sato, President and CEO, Duluth Trading. "With an expanded fulfillment network and state-of-the-art robotics, this new facility positions us to better serve our customers nationwide while adding hundreds of new jobs to the Bartow County community." The new facility will be located at the Ashley Capital building at 400 International Parkway in Adairsville. In partnership with Bastian Solutions, Duluth Trading's premiere integration partner, the facility will be a first-of-its-kind automated distribution and fulfillment center for the retailer. It serves as a major investment against Duluth Trading's Big Dam Blueprint, the retailer's plan focused on digital growth and expansion, to better serve customers and its nationwide footprint of brick-and-mortar stores. "Bastian Solutions was thrilled to partner with Duluth Trading to design and bring to life their newest distribution and fulfillment facility. Flexible enough to support their strategic business and growth plans for the next decade, the facility design maintains Duluth Trading's famous customer service. This omnichannel facility supports a seamless experience across Duluth Trading's retail, wholesale and ecommerce channels in the region. Leveraging the AutoStore Red Line, the facility is capable of processing and shipping an impressive 160,000 units per day," said Marvin Logan, Senior Vice President of Solutions Delivery at Bastian Solutions. Duluth Trading will be hiring for a variety of positions, including full-time, part-time and seasonal fulfillment center warehouse associates. Interested individuals should apply www.duluthtrading.com/careers. About Duluth Trading Company Based in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, Duluth Trading Co. and its growing portfolio of brands Duluth, AKHG and Best Made cater to the lifestyle of the modern, self-reliant American. Duluth Trading's family of brands offer high-quality, solution-based apparel, accessories and gear for men and women to help them take on life with their own two hands. Duluth Trading honors its roots by creating the hardest-working products, backed by the "Superior Standard," and commits to providing outstanding customer service under the "No Bull Guarantee." To learn more, visit www.duluthtrading.com or one of the 65 Duluth Trading store locations nationwide. About Bastian Solutions Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Advanced Logistics company, is a trusted supply chain integration partner committed to providing clients a competitive advantage by designing and delivering world-class distribution and production solutions. By combining data-driven designs, scalable material handling systems, and innovative software, the company helps clients across a broad spectrum of markets become leaders in their industries. For more information, visit bastiansolutions.com. TURNER PR (212) 889-1700 [email protected] SOURCE Duluth Trading DUBLIN, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Earth Observation Drones Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Application, End User, Drone Type, Sensor Type, and Country - Analysis and Forecast, 2022-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global Earth observation drones market was valued at $9,014.6 million in 2021, and it is estimated to reach $18,214.9 million by 2032 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.88% during the forecast period 2022-2032. The major factor driving the market growth is expected to be the growing adoption of drones for industrial and commercial applications. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, the adoption of drones for commercial applications such as solar panel inspections, pipeline inspections, oil and gas field monitoring, and agriculture monitoring witnessed a significant rise. Civil-government agencies have also started adopting drones for applications such as border surveillance, civilian monitoring, disaster management, etc. Market Lifecycle Stage Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, have been used by the military for defense applications such as surveillance, reconnaissance, and situational awareness. The earliest traces of drones date back to 1917, the World War I period when radio control techniques were used to develop the unnamed aerial system. From 1995 onwards, drones for military applications started gaining traction as the U.S. Air Force developed and used the MQ-1 Predator drone, which cost approximately $40 million apiece for surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat applications in conflict zones. Over 90 years of research and development on drones by military agencies steered the path for the development of the first drone for non-military applications by 2006. In the same year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued its first commercial drone permit. Following this, government agencies began testing drone technologies for public safety applications, such as disaster relief, environmental monitoring, and border surveillance. At the same time, the commercial market started adopting drones for industrial applications such as pipeline inspections, site monitoring, and agriculture evaluation. At present, utilizing drones for various Earth observation applications such as surveying, mapping, inspections, and surveillance, as well as collecting analytical geospatial data, is advancing at a substantial pace. The related drone services and manufacturing businesses are mushrooming as well. This is owing to the capabilities of drones to collect large volumes of geospatial data more efficiently, quickly, and cost-effectively as compared to satellite imagery. Market Segmentation by Application Environmental Monitoring Disaster Management Surveying and Mapping Search and Rescue Surveillance and Reconnaissance Industrial Inspection and Monitoring Agriculture and Forestry Cinematography For the 2021-2032 period, the global Earth observation drones market is expected to be dominated by the surveillance and reconnaissance application segment. by End-User Military Civil Government Commercial Based on end-user, the Earth observation drones market is expected to be dominated by commercial end-users. Commercial end-users are expected to garner significant share and growth as government regulations have become more relaxed and drones continue to be cheaper. Moreover, the need for technologically advanced tools in the farming, agricultural, and energy sectors will further generate demand for drones from the commercial end. by Region North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest-of-the-World Demand - Drivers and Limitations Following are the drivers for the Earth Observation Drones market: Increase in Demand for Drones Post COVID-19 Entry of Multiple Downstream Geospatial Service Providers Increasing Utilization of Drone Imagery Along with Satellite Imagery for Enhanced Geospatial Intelligence Increasing Need for On-Demand Aerial Survey Requirements Following are the challenges for the Earth Observation Drones market: Government Regulations for Drone Manufacturing and Sales Need for Qualified Operators to Conduct Drone Imaging Missions Impact of Russia-Ukraine Conflict on Commercial Industry Drone Batteries Supply Chain Shortage Following are the opportunities for the Earth Observation Drones market: Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Drones and Imagery Analytics Growing Adoption of Earth Observation Drones by Civil Government Key Market Players Company Type 1: Key Earth Observation Drones Manufacturers DJI Parrot Drone SAS Lockheed Martin Corporation AeroVironment, Inc. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Northrop Grumman Corporation Embention Hubsan INSITU AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. Autel Robotics Ehang Raytheon Technologies Corporation Drone Volt S.A. Plymouth Rock Technologies Company Type 2: Emerging Market Participants Wingtra AG Eagletronics Aviation Private Limited Skydio Anduril Industries Azur Drones Key Topics Covered: 1 Markets 2 Application 3 Products 4 Region 5 Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles 6 Growth Opportunities and Recommendations 7 Research Methodology Companies Mentioned DJI Parrot Drone SAS Lockheed Martin Corporation AeroVironment, Inc. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Northrop Grumman Corporation Embention Hubsan INSITU AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. Autel Robotics Ehang Raytheon Technologies Corporation Drone Volt S.A. Plymouth Rock Technologies For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zh3yjj Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets SEATTLE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, Bob Fletcher, a retired educator and avid adventure cyclist from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, will be ringing in his 80th birthday and 25th year of retirement with the journey of a lifetime. On July 4th, Bob embarked on an "Octogenarian Odyssey" riding an EVELO electric bicycle approximately 8,300 miles over 155 days with the goal of breaking the existing Guinness World Record for the longest journey made by a motorized bicycle. 80 yr old Robert Fletcher is currently riding an EVELO electric bicycle approximately 8,300 miles from Alaska to Panama. Tweet this This summer, Bob Fletcher, a retired educator and avid adventure cyclist from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, will be ringing in his 80th birthday and 25th year of retirement by riding an EVELO electric bicycle approximately 8,300 miles over 155 days with the goal of breaking the existing Guinness World Record for the longest journey made by a motorized bicycle. (Photo Credit: Kim Voogsgeerd) From villages nestled in the wilderness to globally renowned beachside resort towns, Bob's journey will see him pass through an array of diverse locales including Whitehorse (Canada), Malibu (USA), Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) and Granada (Nicaragua). "Life doesn't have to stop just because you're retired. Through my Octogenarian Odyssey, I want to show people of all ages how important it is to stay active, keep traveling, and live anywhere the world takes you." - Bob Fletcher Bob began his ride just south of the Arctic Circle in Fairbanks, Alaska, and traveled through the Yukon and British Columbia. Now, he prepares to enter the United States, traveling down the Pacific Coast Highway through Washington, Oregon and California before heading on to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica finally arriving in his destination of Panama City, Panama. Throughout his journey, Bob will be accompanied by long-standing friend and fellow Edmontonian, Wayne Grover, an accomplished cyclist who has previously completed rides from Anchorage, Alaska to Mexico City, Mexico and Paris, France to Istanbul, Turkey. Together, they will be supported by a truly international team with members hailing from Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Greece and the US. To ensure a safe and reliable experience, Bob and Wayne will complete their journey riding industry-leading bicycles manufactured to the highest quality standards from Evelo Electric Bicycles. Bob and Wayne will never have to worry about hills with the EVELO Atlas, an easy to ride and practically maintenance-free electric bike. With a fully integrated battery, as well as the optional secondary battery, Enviolo CVT gearing, Gates CDX Belt Drive, and Bafang M600 motor, the EVELO Atlas is the perfect choice for this record breaking bike ride. For more on Bob's Octogenarian Odyssey, you can visit ebikeodyssey.com . About EVELO Electric Bicycles: EVELO Electric Bicycles was founded with a simple mission of getting more people on bicycles more often: creating stylish, powerful and efficient electric bicycles for commuting and recreation for more than 10 years. Focusing on providing the best product with the best customer service, EVELO's eBikes are designed in the United States and sold directly to customers online. For more, visit www.evelo.com or email [email protected] SOURCE EVELO Electric Bicycles Taiwan FDA accepts New Drug Application for Xerava for treatment of cIAI Everest enters into strategic partnership with TTY Biopharm for the commercialization of Xerava in Taiwan SHANGHAI, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Everest Medicines (HKEX 1952.HK, "Everest", or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing transformative pharmaceutical products to address critical unmet needs in Asia Pacific markets, announced today that the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has accepted the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) for Xerava (eravacycline) for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI). In addition, the Company has entered into an exclusive partnership agreement with TTY Biopharm (TTY) for commercialization of Xerava in Taiwan. TTY is one of the largest local pharmaceutical companies in Taiwan and has led the successful commercialization of other novel anti-infective products in the region, such as Brosym (cefoperazone+sulbactam), Colistin (colimycin) and Cubicin (daptomycin). "The acceptance of our New Drug Application for Xerava and our agreement with TTY are key steps towards bringing this important and novel therapy to Taiwan," said Kerry Blanchard, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Everest Medicines. "With a robust organization that includes expert functions in regulatory, medical, marketing and sales, and a successful record of commercializing other important anti-infective products in the region, TTY was a clear partner of choice as we continue our work to expand the regional reach and access of this critical therapy for patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections and other potentially life-threatening infections." "TTY Biopharm has been dedicated in the fields of cancer and critical care for many years. It is not only being one of the top pharmaceutical companies in Taiwan, but also focuses on international marketing. Through this partnership, TTY may provide more options and better solutions to both patients and medical professionals in the near future," said Sara Hou, Chief Executive Officer of TTY Biopharm. Under the partnership, which includes a 10-year term upon the launch of Xerava in Taiwan with possibility of extension, TTY will be responsible for all commercialization of the product in Taiwan. Everest Medicines has exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Xerava in Greater China, South Korea, and the key markets of South East Asia, under a licensing agreement with Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals (a wholly owned subsidiary of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company). Xerava was approved for the treatment of cIAI in adults in Singapore in April 2020 and is currently under regulatory review for cIAI in mainland China and the Hong Kong region. About Xerava (eravacycline) Xerava (eravacycline) is a novel, fully synthetic, broad-spectrum, fluorocycline, parenteral antibiotic of the tetracycline class that has shown broad in vitro activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens that have acquired multidrug resistance (MDR) and are prevalent in China. Xerava is currently approved for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) in the US, EU, UK and Singapore and the medicine is currently under review for cIAI in Greater China. Everest is also developing Xerava for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP). Xerava was licensed from Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company. For more information, please visit https://www.xerava.com/. About Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infections Complicated intra-abdominal infections (cIAI) is a type of major hospital- or community-acquired infection which extend beyond the source organ into the peritoneal space and can result from perforation of or damage to the gastrointestinal tract. cIAI diagnoses include intra-abdominal abscess, stomach or intestinal perforation, peritonitis, appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis. cIAI is caused by different bacterial pathogens, including Gram-negative aerobic bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and anaerobic bacteria. In 2018, there were 2.9 million cIAI patients in China alone, with increasing rates of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria, which limits the effectiveness of currently available antibiotics. About Everest Medicines Everest Medicines is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing transformative pharmaceutical products that address critical unmet medical needs for patients in Asian markets. The management team of Everest Medicines has deep expertise and an extensive track record of high-quality clinical development, regulatory affairs, CMC, business development and operations both in China and with leading global pharmaceutical companies. Everest Medicines has built a portfolio of eleven potentially global first-in-class or best-in-class molecules, many of which are in late stage clinical development. The Company's therapeutic areas of interest include oncology, autoimmune disorders, cardio-renal diseases and infectious diseases. For more information, please visit its website at www.everestmedicines.com. About TTY Biopharm Established in 1960, TTY Biopharm Company Limited, a publicly listed pharmaceutical company, has transformed in the last sixty years from a production- and sales-oriented generic manufacturing factory into a development- and marketing-focused company of branded generics. With unending self-renovation and transformation, TTY is utilizing the experience, technology, and relationship network accumulated over the decades to redefine itself as a biotech company focusing on developing special formulations and novel drugs. Its mission is to improve the quality of human life with scientific innovation. Additional information can be found at http://eng.tty.com.tw/. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may make statements that constitute forward-looking statements, including descriptions regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company or its officers with respect to the business operations and financial condition of the Company, which can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, or other factors, some of which are beyond the control of the Company and are unforeseeable. Therefore, the actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and assumptions, such as future changes and developments in our business, competitive environment, political, economic, legal and social conditions. The Company or any of its affiliates, directors, officers, advisors or representatives has no obligation and does not undertake to revise forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or circumstances after the date of this news release, except as required by law. SOURCE Everest Medicines WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac;NYSE: AGM and AGM.A), a stockholder-owned, federally chartered corporation that provides a secondary market for a variety of loans made to borrowers in rural America with the intent of increasing the availability and affordability of credit for the benefit of rural America, announced today that it has completed a $301.1 million securitization of agricultural mortgage loans. "We are proud to announce the closing of the second transaction in the FARM Series, FARM 2022-1 agricultural mortgage-backed securitization (AMBS)," said President & Chief Executive Officer, Brad Nordholm. "The success of this transaction further demonstrates our capability to diversify long-term funding sources and use this conduit to generate additional revenue streams. Securitization is a tremendous opportunity for Farmer Mac, as developing this capital flow to agricultural producers exemplifies Farmer Mac's core mission to lower costs for borrowers and improve credit availability in rural America, while creating a new investment opportunity for institutional investors. We remain confident in our ability to navigate the current environment and to continue to pursue growth opportunities, including our focus on developing a vibrant and liquid AMBS market going forward." The mortgage pool for FARM Series 2022-1 consists of 450 agricultural mortgage loans with an aggregate outstanding principal balance of approximately $301.1 million. The loans in the pool were underwritten to Farmer Mac's standards and acquired by Farmer Mac between January 2021 and November 2021. This deal included a $278.5 million senior tranche guaranteed by Farmer Mac and a $22.6 million unguaranteed subordinate tranche. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC acted as the structuring agent and sole bookrunner along with CastleOak Securities, L.P., as a selling group member. Dechert LLP served as legal advisor to Farmer Mac. Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP served as legal advisor to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and CastleOak Securities, L.P. About Farmer Mac Farmer Mac is a vital part of the agricultural credit markets and was created to increase access to and reduce the cost of credit for the benefit of American agricultural and rural communities. As the nation's secondary market for agricultural credit, Farmer Mac provides financial solutions to a broad spectrum of the agricultural community, including agricultural lenders, agribusinesses, and other institutions that can benefit from access to flexible, low-cost financing and risk management tools. Farmer Mac's customers benefit from its low cost of funds, low overhead costs, and high operational efficiency. More information about Farmer Mac (including the Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q) is available on Farmer Mac's website at www.farmermac.com. SOURCE Farmer Mac SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an update on additional steps it has taken that will lead to more infant formula available in the U.S. under the agency's recent increased flexibilities. Company: Reckitt Nutrition/Mead Johnson Nutrition (Mexico) Product(s): Base Powder for PurAmino Hypoallergenic Infant Formula (amino acid-based infant formula with iron) Type of Formula: Base powder for Specialty Formula (amino acid-based formula) Estimated Quantity: An initial shipment of 331K pounds of base powder which will be used to produce (about 469,000 cans or about 6 million full-size, 8-ounce bottles) Availability: The PurAmino base will be produced in August, to then be blended and packaged in the U.S. and is expected to be distributed immediately following. More Information and Where to Find the Products: PurAmino is a hypoallergenic, iron fortified, amino acid-based infant formula used for infants and toddlers with severe cow's milk protein allergy and other food allergies. The product will be distributed primarily through hospitals and other healthcare settings and select retail stores. The FDA is exercising enforcement discretion for the importation of the infant formula products listed above following the review of information provided pertaining to nutritional adequacy and safety, including microbiological testing, labeling and additional information about facility production and inspection history. The agency is leveraging a number of flexibilities to bolster the supply of products that serve as the sole source of nutrition for many infants while ensuring the infant formula can be used safely and provides adequate nutrition. The FDA remains in further discussions with manufacturers and suppliers regarding additional supply to ensure there's adequate infant formula available wherever and whenever parents and caregivers need it. The FDA issued guidance on May 16 that outlined a process by which the agency would not object to the importation of certain infant formula products intended for a foreign market or distribution in the U.S. of products manufactured here for export to foreign countries. This guidance also may provide flexibilities to those who manufacture infant formula products domestically and may be able to further increase the quantity of domestically produced product for the U.S. market. The agency has posted a webpage that will be updated with information about additional products headed to the U.S. Ongoing FDA Steps to Increase Availability of Safe, Nutritious Infant Formula The agency's around-the-clock work as part of the all-of-government efforts has already begun to improve supply and availability. The agency expects that the measures and steps it is taking, and the resumption of production at the Abbott Nutrition's Sturgis, Mich., facility, will mean more and more supply is on the way or on store shelves moving forward. The FDA continues to advise against making infant formulas at home or diluting formula. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to work with their child's health care provider for recommendations on changing feeding practices, if needed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has additional information available at HHS.gov/formula, including information to help families find infant formula. The agency also monitors online marketplaces for fraudulent products and works with major online retailers to remove violative and harmful products offered for sale on their sites. Additionally, since many of these fraudulent products originate overseas, the agency targets and examines these products at ports of entry. The FDA also monitors and follows up on various external signals such as consumer complaints about potential counterfeit and fraudulent products. The FDA will continue to dedicate all available resources to help ensure that safe and nutritious infant formula products remain available for use in the U.S. and will keep the public informed of progress updates. Additional Information: Media Contact: FDA Office of Media Affairs, 301-796-4540 Consumer Inquiries: 888-723-3366 The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products. SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration CALGARY, AB, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") announces that the Company has taken up and paid for 5,416,666 of its outstanding common shares (the "Shares") at a price of $12.00 per Share (the "Purchase Price") under its substantial issuer bid pursuant to which the Company offered to purchase from shareholders for cancellation up to $65 million (equivalent to US$50 million) of Shares (the "Offer"). All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified. The Shares taken up and paid for by the Company represent approximately 5.84% of the total number of Frontera's issued and outstanding Shares as of August 8, 2022. The aggregate Purchase Price is equal to approximately $65 million. After the cancellation of the Shares taken up and paid for by the Company, Frontera anticipates that 87,408,875 Shares will be issued and outstanding. 6,498,558 Shares were validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to auction tenders at or below the Purchase Price and pursuant to purchase price tenders. Since the Offer was oversubscribed, shareholders who made auction tenders at or below the Purchase Price and shareholders who made, or were deemed to have made, purchase price tenders will have the number of Shares purchased prorated (other than "odd lot" tenders, which are not subject to proration). Shareholders who made auction tenders at or below the Purchase Price and shareholders who made, or were deemed to have made, purchase price tenders will have approximately 83.3% of their tendered Shares purchased by the Company. Shareholders who made auction tenders at a price in excess of the Purchase Price should not expect to have any of their Shares purchased by the Company. 609 Shares were taken up and purchased pursuant to proportionate tenders. Payment for Shares taken up by the Company under the Offer will be effected by Computershare Investor Services Inc., the depositary for the Offer, on or about August 15, 2022, in accordance with the Offer and applicable law. Any Shares not taken up, including such Shares not taken up as a result of proration or Shares tendered pursuant to auction tenders at prices higher than the Purchase Price or invalidly tendered, will be returned to shareholders as soon as practicable. To assist shareholders in determining the tax consequences of the Offer, Frontera estimates that a deemed dividend in the amount of $2.04 per Share was triggered on the repurchase of each Share, based on the estimated paid-up capital of $9.96 per Share at August 8, 2022. The dividend deemed to have been paid by Frontera to Canadian resident persons is designated as an "eligible dividend" for purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any corresponding provincial and territorial tax legislation. For the purposes of subsection 191(4) of the Income Tax Act (Canada), the "specified amount" in respect of each Share is $11.41. Shareholders should consult with their own tax advisors with respect to the income tax consequences of the disposition of their Shares under the Offer. The terms and conditions of the Offer are described in the offer to purchase and issuer bid circular dated June 24, 2022, letter of transmittal, notice of guaranteed delivery, and notice of variation dated July 25, 2022, copies of which were filed and are available without charge on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Shares. About Frontera Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 33 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner. If you would like to receive news releases via email as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements as to the timing of payment for the Shares taken up under the Offer, the number Shares issued and outstanding after the cancellation of the Shares taken up and paid for by the Company, the estimated deemed dividend triggered on the repurchase of each Share, the estimated "specified amount" in respect of each Share and the return of Shares not purchased under the Offer. Any such forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us and are based on assumptions and analyses made by us in light of our experience and our perception of historical trends and current market and other conditions. Readers should also refer to the risk factors set forth in the Company's annual information form and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021, each dated March 2, 2022, and the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. There can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which forward-looking statements are based will be realized. Actual results may differ, and the difference may be material and adverse to the Company and its shareholders. Social Media Follow Frontera's social media channels at the following links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/ LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp . SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation CTEK's advice for motorcyclists enjoying the summer sun CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- With seven weeks of summer left to enjoy, motorcyclists across America still have plenty of time to take in the sunshine and the thrill of the open road, and enjoy the ultimate feeling of freedom that comes with life on two wheels! And, says CTEK, the leading global brand in vehicle charging solutions, to make sure you're all set for your adventure, it's always worth checking your battery and getting it fully charged up before you go. Get fully charged for life on two wheels "What you may not realize is that, for every month your motorcycle isn't being used, your battery loses 0.1V of energy," says Bobbie DuMelle, Executive Vice President of CTEK North America. "And not only that, riding around on your motorcycle will only ever charge your battery to 80% capacity, so to top it up to 100% for maximum performance, you'll always need a battery charger." CTEK's CT5 POWERSPORT battery charger has been custom designed for motorcycles and other high performance powersport vehicles, offering easy-to-use, fully automatic charging. "Your motorcycle needs to be in top condition to give the best possible performance, and the CTEK CT5 POWERSPORT makes sure batteries are charged to capacity, so your motorcycle is ready for action when you are ready to take you on your adventures, to ride the wind, and give you the freedom to explore inaccessible and remote places," says Bobbie. The CT5 POWERSPORT works on 12V lead-acid and lithium (LiFePO4, Li-Fe, Li-iron, LFP) batteries so, even if you have a lead acid battery right now, you can be confident that, if you do decide to switch to lithium at any point in the future, your charger will still work and there's no need to buy a new charger. And, when the sun does start to set on the last day of summer, the CT5 POWERSPORT is also the perfect product to keep your battery fully charged and maintained while your motorcycle is stored away for the winter. You can connect the CT5 POWERSPORT to your battery indefinitely and it won't over or under charge, so you really can just set it, and forget it! You can find out more about the CTEK CT5 POWERSPORT battery charger here . About CTEK Established in Dalarna, Sweden, CTEK is the leading global brand in battery charging solutions, most specifically vehicle charging. CTEK offers products ranging from 12V and 24V battery chargers to charging solutions for electrical vehicles. CTEK's E-mobility solutions range from individual EV chargers to larger corporate and commercial installations with multiple charging stations that require load balancing and integrate seamlessly with monitoring and payment equipment. CTEK's products are sold via a carefully selected network of global distributors and retailers: as original equipment; supplied to more than 50 of the world's leading vehicle manufacturers; and through charge point operators, property owners and other organizations/individuals providing EV charging infrastructure. CTEK takes pride in its unique culture based on a passion for innovation and a deep commitment to supporting the transition to a greener mobility, by adhering to industry leading ESG standards. PRESS CONTACT Michelle Suzuki 310-444-7115 https://www.smartercharger.com SOURCE CTEK METALLICA, CHARLIE PUTH, JONAS BROTHERS, MANESKIN, MARIAH CAREY, MICKEY GUYTON AND ROSALIA SET TO PERFORM AT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK'S CENTRAL PARK PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS TO HOST GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: NYC USHER, SZA, STORMZY, GYAKIE, H.E.R., SARKODIE, STONEBWOY AND TEMS TO PERFORM AT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL IN BLACK STAR SQUARE IN ACCRA, GHANA GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL CALLS FOR WORLD LEADERS TO EMPOWER GIRLS, CLOSE THE CLIMATE FINANCE GAP, ALLEVIATE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS, AND RELIEVE CRUSHING DEBTS NOW Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to take action on the campaign's issues. Proudly supported by Global Partners: Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube, and NYC Campaign Partner World Wide Technology World Leaders supporting the campaign include Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Hakainde Hilchilema, President of Zambia; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA; Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Frank Bainimara, Prime Minister of Fiji; Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zambia; Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation; Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy of Belgium; Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Peter Sands, Executive Director, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and more Broadcasting and streaming from Accra and New York City on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube and more Press Kit: Click here for artwork, press assets, quotes and social assets NEW YORK and ACCRA, Ghana, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International advocacy organization Global Citizen today announced the lineups for the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival, taking place in New York City's Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco, and Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Global Citizen Festival 2022 Since it began lighting up Central Park's Great Lawn in 2012, the Global Citizen Festival has become the world's longest-running global campaign calling for an end to extreme poverty that unites millions of voices, amplified by the world's biggest artists, demanding world leaders take action NOW. Globally, the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed nearly 100 million more people into extreme poverty and is reversing recent trends of shrinking inequality, leading to the loss of at least three years of progress. Without urgent action NOW this backsliding will only worsen. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has aggravated the situation further, with as many as 323 million people now facing acute hunger, and 1.2 billion people now live in nations experiencing a perfect storm of food, energy, and financial crises. If we don't take action NOW, as many as 200 million more people may be plunged into extreme poverty by November. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November to step up and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls, close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall, deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis, and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to End Extreme Poverty NOW. With two stages in international cultural capitals, New York City and Accra, Ghana, the 2022 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube, and more. ABC News Live's broadcast will air on Saturday, September 24, and a primetime special, Global Citizen Festival: Take Action NOW, will air on ABC on Sunday, September 25 at 7:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm CT. Additional tune in details to follow in the coming weeks. Performers on the Central Park stage will include Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MANESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton and Rosalia with more to be announced. Global Citizen Festival: NYC will be hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Marking the 65th anniversary of Ghana's independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union, Accra's iconic Black Star Square will see live performances from Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, H.E.R., Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and TEMS with more to be announced. "Decades of systemic and political failures have led humanity into the midst of converging and rapidly deteriorating crises climate, hunger, health, war and conflict. The most marginalized populations are paying the price of the stagnant inaction of our leaders, and now millions of lives, and the future of our planet, are at stake. We refuse to just stand by and watch! We refuse to accept the starvation of multitudes when solutions are readily at hand. We demand a secure future for girls everywhere. We demand governments keep their promises on climate funding. We demand relief from debts unjustly crushing economies. And we demand action NOW, while there's still time to change our collective trajectory." Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen Global Citizen is calling for world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to take to the Global Citizen Festival stages and announce new commitments to End Extreme Poverty NOW, including: Deploy Financing NOW and immediately meet the total goal of reallocating $100 billion in IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), by making up the $40B shortfall. SDRs are a type of reserve asset mostly sitting unused by the world's wealthiest countries. These rights can immediately provide new and affordable financing relief for countries at high risk of financial and debt distress. There are 69 eligible low-income countries who stand to benefit from the reallocation of SDRs, many of which are in Africa. During the pandemic, many of these governments spent more on debt repayments than on education, health and social protection benefits combined. This funding is needed NOW to ensure governments have what they need to invest in strengthening health systems and pandemic preparedness, and the nutrition, welfare, and education of their citizens. Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal, Korea, and Sweden can transfer their Special Drawing Rights to the developing countries that desperately need them right now. Take Climate Action NOW and fulfill the $100 billion per year promises made in the Paris Agreement. Africa accounts for just 3-4 percent of global emissions, yet finds itself on the frontlines of the effects of climate change. Extreme temperatures and droughts, such as those in Somalia, threaten to make a mockery of our attempts to end extreme poverty and protect the planet. African countries and businesses stand ready to invest in green jobs and infrastructure, but they need genuine partnership to deliver. Having not contributed to the problem, it is unjust to expect that Africa shifts to renewable and clean energy without support from the wealthiest countries, who have indeed industrialized using fossil fuels over the past 150 years. Rich countries like Germany, Italy, the US, Canada and Australia must fulfill the promise that was meant to be delivered by 2020 and close the annual $10 billion shortfall. Empower Girls NOW and provide critical investments into girls' education, sexual and reproductive health and economic empowerment. In the last two years, more than 47 million women and girls have been pushed back into extreme poverty, and the pandemic has forced millions of girls out of the classroom and into unpaid care work. The US, UK, the European Commission, France, Germany and Italy can change this by pledging $600 million in financial support towards UNFPA, Education Cannot Wait and the Child Care Incentive Fund, launched this year by the White House. This will support new policies addressing the expansion of paid parental leave, including obligatory paternity leave, access to contraception and education. Mitigate a Global Food System Meltdown NOW by providing $500 million for Africa's farmers to make the most of the current planting season and fund the local production of fertilizers, tools, and equipment they need to produce more food. Africa is currently experiencing horrific food shortages as a result of Russia's unjust invasion of Ukraine. Yet the continent has enough arable land to feed the world, let alone its own citizens. Germany, the UK, the European Commission, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Belgium need to band together and provide funding to agencies like the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program and CGIAR to urgently equip farmers with the resources they need. Failure to do so NOW will make the present hunger crisis far worse over the coming year, as food supplies diminish and prices soar even higher. Throughout the campaign, Global Citizen will continue to defend and promote advocacy, ensuring marginalized voices are heard and leaders are held accountable to deliver on their promises. Global Citizen will elevate citizens' voices, especially from the Global South; defend the right of anyone to speak freely, dissent, and organize without fear of reprisals or violence; and call on corporations to refrain from using litigation to silence activists on the frontline. Without such efforts to champion the causes of those in peril, the achievement of our campaign goals will continue to be deprioritized by those in power. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign is supported by governments and world leaders including: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA; Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Frank Bainimara, Prime Minister of Fiji; Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zambia; Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy, Belgium; Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Anne Tvinnereim, Minister for International Development, Norway; Government of Luxembourg; Kingdom of the Netherlands; Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait; Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the UN; Ertharin Cousin, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Food Systems for the Future. "Ghana is honoured to host this year's edition of the Global Citizens Festival. I look forward to welcoming each and everyone of you to Accra, capital of the country at the centre of the world. Together, let us join hands and help accelerate progress towards the realization of the SDGs. We owe to the next generation to live in a world free from poverty, disease and the degradation of the environment. The time to help make a change is now. We must align forces to make an impact in Africa, and help end extreme poverty. I have called colleague African leaders to join me in September, and help break these systemic barriers that have been affecting our people. Let us build a strong foundation for future generations." H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana "While communities face injustices, crises and inequalities in the world, we simply cannot give up the fight and solidarity to end poverty. We need all voices in calling for a better future for everyone, everywhere. Now is the time for ambitious action. Together, with Global Citizen, we can keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals." Amina Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary General "This year we have strongly felt the impacts of climate change across international conflicts, global health, and economic crisis, raising the level of inequality higher than before. However, together our mission is possible. It is more important than ever that the world comes together to demand action from global leaders with a unified voice, NOW. Global Citizens must champion political and financial solutions, like climate and agricultural adaptation, that center the most vulnerable members of our global community and plant the seeds for dignified and prosperous futures." Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations & Ban Ki-moon Center for Global Citizens Co-chair "All over the world we are seeing the ravaging effects of the climate crisis, and the disastrous results of political inaction of not hearing or empowering the victims of poverty and disenfranchisement, of not allowing countries to work in collaboration to protect the global public good. NOW is the time for ordinary people to take action and fight, and for world leaders to listen and act, because their lives and livelihoods are at stake." Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados "An urgent, collective, and concerted effort is required to make progress toward ending extreme poverty. I am encouraged by the call to action issued by Global Citizen and I call upon leaders from around the world to add their voices, as we cannot afford to sit back and watch the status quo continue. It is time to break down the systemic barriers that have kept people in poverty and indeed, time to act to protect future generations from climate change." Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia "We live in perilously difficult times and it is our duty to fight hunger, poverty, discrimination, illness and effects of climate change. We need to pull together all our resources to ensure that the most vulnerable citizens can live in dignity and safety. I thus fully support the tireless efforts by Global Citizen to continue uniting us in this vital joint action." Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia "The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that all countries must have equitable access to the tools and technologies needed to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks and other health emergencies. This is why the World Health Organization brought public and private partners together to launch the innovative mRNA Technology Transfer Hub based in South Africa, with more than a dozen low- and middle-income countries joining so far. I welcome Global Citizen's support for this crucial initiative to diversify and expand manufacturing of life-saving vaccines, so that the world is better prepared to prevent and respond more equitably to infectious diseases and the next pandemic threat." Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization The 2022 Global Citizen Festival and the End Extreme Poverty NOW campaign are supported by a coalition of the world's leading brands and companies including Global Partners Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube. Global Citizen Festival: NYC Campaign Partner, World Wide Technology, has deepened their commitment to sustainability by signing the UN's Race to Zero in line with the Science Based Targets initiative, answering Global Citizen's call on corporations to make science-based targets. As Patron of Global Citizen's work in Africa, Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Executive, of Harith General Partners, supports Global Citizen's growth across Africa to reach more audiences and help achieve equity in places with high rates of extreme poverty. Global Citizen Festival: NYC is also honored to have the support of Mayor Adams, 110th Mayor of New York City. Co-chairs of Global Citizen and of this campaign include: Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture; Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi; Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines; Lorraine Twohill, CMO of Google; Marc Pritchard, CBO of P&G; and Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. Global Citizen's co-chairs are private sector leaders making commitments in support of the UN's Global Goals. They support Global Citizen's campaigns while helping to drive deeper engagement within the private sector. Policy partners supporting the campaign include: Action Against Hunger, ALLIED, BRAC, Ban Ki Moon Center for Global Citizens, Center for Environmental Peacebuilding, CGIAR, CIVICUS, charity: water, Conservation International, EarthRights, Education Cannot Wait, Focus 2030, Ford Foundation, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, Freedom House, Front Line Defenders, Fund for Global Human Rights, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, Gerando Falcoes, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Global Health Advocates France, Legal Empowerment Fund, International Disability Alliance, IFAD, International Organization for Migration, International Rescue Committee, International Service for Human Rights, LISC, Namati, NPX, One Acre Fund, OutRight Action International, Pandemic Action Network, People's Vaccine Alliance, Peace Boat, Re:wild, Rotary International, Science Based Target initiative, Social Gastronomy Movement, UN Foundation, UNFPA, UN Joint SDG Fund, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Benchmarking Alliance, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, World Health Organization, and WHO Foundation. Global Citizen Festival has gratefully received in-kind support from leading media companies, including: AIM GROUP, Bandsintown, BellaNaija, Billboard, Boo! Media, Branded Cities, Captivate, Clear Channel Outdoor, DDP Outdoor, Global OOH, GSTV, The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartRadio, Intersection, Interstate Outdoor, JC Decaux, MX, New Tradition, OAAA, Orange Barrel Media, Penske Media, Rolling Stone, Seen Media, Six Flags Theme Parks, Spotify, Variety, VIBE, Volta, The Wall Street Journal and YFM. Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to take action on the campaign's issues. For each action taken, users earn points that can be redeemed for tickets to the festivals. For more information about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival, visit www.globalcitizen.org , and follow @glblctzn on Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, and YouTube. Press Kit: Click here for artwork, press assets, quotes and social assets Contact: Global Citizen Inquiries: [email protected] Media and Credential Inquiries: Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis for Global Citizen [email protected] SOURCE Global Citizen DUBLIN, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Mini Bioreactors and Micro Bioreactors Market, Distribution by Type of Cell Culture, Mode of Operation, End User and Key Geographical Regions: Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2022-2035" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The 'Mini Bioreactors and Micro Bioreactors Market, 2022-2035' report features an extensive study of the current landscape and the likely future potential of minibioreactors and microbioreactors, over the next decade. The study also features an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various industry stakeholders engaged in this field. One of the key objectives of the report was to understand the primary growth drivers and estimate the future size of minibioreactors and microbioreactors market. Based on multiple parameters, such as overall biopharmaceutical manufacturing market, overall single-use bioreactors market, share of minibioreactors and microbioreactors technologies, and likely adoption trends, we have provided an informed estimate of the evolution of the market for the period 2022-2035. With several blockbuster therapies (such as Humira, Rituxan, Lantus, Avastin, Herceptin and Remicade) and a robust pipeline of product/therapy candidates, the biopharmaceutical market is anticipated to witness significant growth in the next few years. Presently, more than 55 minibioreactors, developed by around 30 companies, are available for high-throughput media cultivation, process development and optimization. The stakeholders are taking several initiatives to incorporate a variety of features for monitoring of different control parameters, such as CO2 levels, dissolved oxygen, pH and temperature ranges, thereby allowing the users to analyze and determine essential conditions of the culture environment and optimize the overall performance. Further, the growing interest in precision medicine has also brought up the demand for small-scale production and fast turn-around time of such products. Driven by the growing biopharmaceutical pipeline, the need for efficient and faster process development and manufacturing solutions, the overall minibioreactors market and microbioreactors market is anticipated to witness steady growth in the coming years. Scope of the Report A detailed assessment of the overall market landscape of minibioreactors and microbioreactors based on a number of relevant parameters, such as status of development, type of cell culture (mammalian, microbial, viral, insect and others), mode of operation (batch/fed-batch reactor and continuous reactor), typical working volume, weight of the bioreactor, stirrer speed, and other parameters controlled (dissolved oxygen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, and temperature). In addition, it presents details of the companies manufacturing minibioreactors and microbioreactors, highlighting their year of establishment, size of employee base, and geographical presence. Elaborate profiles of prominent players (shortlisted based on number of products being offered) engaged in the development of minibioreactors and microbioreactors. Each company profile features a brief overview of the company, along with information on year of establishment, number of employees, location of headquarters and key members of the executive team. It also includes details of their respective product portfolio, and recent developments and an informed future outlook. A detailed competitiveness analysis of minibioreactors and microbioreactors, taking into consideration several relevant parameters, such as the working volume, stirrer speed, and mode of operation. An in-depth analysis of over 250 patents that have been filed/granted for minibioreactors and microbioreactors, between 2016 and 2022 (till March), highlighting key trends associated with these patents, across type of patents, publication year, issuing authorities involved, emerging focus area, patent age, CPC symbols, leading patent assignees (in terms of number of patents granted/filed), patent characteristics and geography. It also includes a detailed patent benchmarking and an insightful valuation analysis. Key Questions Answered Who are the leading manufacturers engaged in the development of minibioreactors and microbioreactors? What are the different applications for which minibioreactors and microbioreactors are currently being used? What are the challenges currently faced by stakeholders in minibioreactors and microbioreactors market? What are the key factors that are likely to influence the evolution of minibioreactors and microbioreactors market? How is the current and future opportunity likely to be distributed across key market segments? What are the anticipated future trends related to minibioreactors and microbioreactors market? Key Topics Covered: 1. PREFACE 1.1. Scope of the Report 1.2. Research Methodology 1.3. Key Questions Answered 1.4. Chapter Outlines 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3. INTRODUCTION 3.1. Chapter Overview 3.2. Overview of Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors 3.3. Advantages of Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors 3.4. Fabrication Materials for Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors 3.5. Future Perspectives 4. MARKET LANDSCAPE 4.1. Chapter Overview 4.2. Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors: Overall Market Landscape 4.2.1. Analysis by Minimum Working Volume 4.2.2. Analysis by Maximum Working Volume 4.2.3. Analysis by Stirrer Speed 4.2.4. Analysis by Mode of Operations 4.2.5. Analysis by Usability 4.2.6. Analysis by Parameters Controlled 4.3. Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors Manufacturers: List of Industry Players 4.3.1. Analysis by Year of Establishment 4.3.2. Analysis by Company Size 4.3.3. Analysis by Location of Headquarters 4.3.4. Analysis by Year of Establishment and Company Sie 4.3.5. Leading Manufacturers: Analysis by Number of Products 5. COMPANY PROFILES 5.1. Chapter Overview 5.2. Eppendorf 5.2.1. Company Overview 5.2.2. Product Portfolio 5.2.3. Recent Developments and Future Outlook 5.3. Biosan 5.4. Bionet 5.5. Pall Corporation 5.6. Merck Millipore 5.7. Sartorius 5.8. Cytiva 5.9. Distek 6. PRODUCT COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS 6.1. Chapter Overview 6.2. Assumptions/Key Parameters 6.3. Methodology 6.4. Product Competitiveness Analysis: Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors 7. PATENT ANALYSIS 7.1. Chapter Overview 7.2. Scope and Methodology 7.3. Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors: Patent Analysis 8. MARKET FORECAST 8.1. Chapter Overview 8.2. Forecast Methodology and Key Assumptions 8.3. Global Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors Market, 2022-2035 8.4. Global Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors Market: Distribution by Type of Cell Culture 8.5. Global Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors Market: Distribution by Mode of Operation 8.6. Global Minibioreactors and Microbioreactors Market: Distribution by Key Geographical Regions 8.7. Concluding Remarks 9. CASE STUDY: SINGLE-USE BIOREACTORS 9.1. Chapter Overview 9.2. Single-use Bioreactors: List of Products 9.2.1. Analysis by Type of Bioreactor 9.2.2. Analysis by Scale of Operation 9.2.3. Analysis by Type of Cell Culture System 9.2.4. Analysis by Type of Cell Culture 9.2.5. Analysis by Type of Molecule Processed 9.2.6. Analysis by Key Features 9.2.7. Analysis by Application Area 9.2.8. Analysis by End Users 9.2.9. Analysis by Working Volume 9.3. Single-use Bioreactors: Developer Landscape 9.3.1. Analysis by Year of Establishment 9.3.2. Analysis by Company Size 9.3.3. Leading Developers: Analysis by Number of Single-use Bioreactors 9.3.4. Analysis by Location of Headquarters 10. CONCLUSION 11. APPENDIX I: TABULATED DATA 12. APPENDIX II: LIST OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS ABLE Corporation & Biott Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) Alector BASF bbi-biotech BioGaia BIONET Biosan Boehringer Ingelheim Borg Scientific Cellexus CESCO Bioengineering Conagen Cytiva Distek Donaldson Duke University Eppendorf Esco VacciXcell (a subsidiary of Esco LifeSciences) Getinge H.E.L Group Harvard College Infors HT Johns Hopkins University Lambda Leland Stanford Junior University Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) ( ) Merck Millipore Novozymes Pall Corporation PBS Biotech PlateletBio Premas Biotech Roch Mechatronics Refine Technology Roche Sanofi Sartorius Solida Biotech Stamm Biotech Technical University of Denmark The Automation Partnership ( Cambridge ) ) The University of British Columbia The University of Queensland University of California University of Maryland Vanderbilt University For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3rkx6y Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets The study projects the market to grow at a CAGR of 7.0% between 2022 and 2031 FREMONT, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BIS Research, the global leader in providing market intelligence on deep technologies, has released its latest study titled Precious Metals Market for Automotive Applications A Global and Regional Analysis. According to this study, the market size (in terms of revenue) of the global precious metals market for automotive applications was $40.85 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $79.82 billion by 2031. The following factors are responsible for the increase in demand for precious metals for automotive applications: Growing demand for precious metals in catalytic converters Increasing utilization of platinum group metals (PGMs) in the manufacturing of electric vehicles Rising environmental regulations to reduce toxic vehicle emissions The detailed study is a compilation of 135 market data tables and 15 figures spread through 234 pages. Check out the detailed table of content here https://bisresearch.com/requestsample?id=1345&type=toc Existing Competitive Landscape The companies that are profiled have been selected based on primary research inputs gathered from a network of industry experts and analyzing company coverage, product portfolio, and market penetration. Companies using silver metals led the market with 81% of the market volume in 2021. Players utilizing other metals, including platinum, accounted for around 3.4%, palladium and rhodium accounted for around 13%, gold accounted for approximately 2%, and other precious metals accounted for less than 1% of the total demand in 2021 in terms of volume. This trend of companies using silver metals leading the market is expected to continue during the forecast period 2022-2031. Company Type 1 (by Metal Type): Palladium Metal Johnson Matthey Plc Umicore Impala Platinum Holdings Limited Sibnaye-Stillwater Northam Platinum Limited Royal Bafokeng Platinum Ltd. Norilsk Nickel Company Type 2 (by Metal Type): Rhodium Metal Impala Platinum Holdings Limited Johnson Matthey Plc Umicore Sibnaye-Stillwater Northam Platinum Limited Royal Bafokeng Platinum Ltd. Norilsk Nickel Company Type 3 (by Metal Type): Platinum Metal TANAKA HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. Johnson Matthey Plc Heraeus Group Umicore Anglo American Platinum Limited Impala Platinum Holdings Limited Sibnaye-Stillwater Northam Platinum Limited Norilsk Nickel Company Type 4 (by Metal Type): Gold and Silver Metals Sibnaye-Stillwater First Majestic Silver Corp. Sino-Platinum Hecla Mining Company Newmont Corporation Fresnillo Plc Company Type 5 (by Metal Type): Other Metals (Iridium and Ruthenium) TANAKA HOLDINGS Co., Ltd. Heraeus Group Impala Platinum Holdings Limited Sibnaye-Stillwater Norilsk Nickel Companies that are not a part of the aforementioned pool have been well represented across different sections of the report (wherever applicable). Analyst's Take on the Market According to Prasad Gade, Research Analyst, BIS Research, "Precious metals play a significant role in the production of three-way catalytic converters, which purify the exhaust gas. Precious metals are widely used in numerous automotive applications such as engine units, switches, reflective films and mirrors, fuel cells, batteries, and other electrical components of vehicles. Also, a rise in automotive manufacturing is anticipated to drive the market growth over the forecast period." Make an inquiry before buying https://bisresearch.com/contact-us Global Developments in the Precious Metals Market for Automotive Applications In September 2018 , in Nanjing , China , Heraeus Precious Metals inaugurated the world's most comprehensive precious metals facility. The new plant aims to significantly boost the company's ability to refine and recycle precious metals and chemical products, particularly platinum group metals (PGMs). , in , , Heraeus Precious Metals inaugurated the world's most comprehensive precious metals facility. The new plant aims to significantly boost the company's ability to refine and recycle precious metals and chemical products, particularly platinum group metals (PGMs). In 2019, Tanaka Holdings Co. Ltd. announced the establishment of a new subsidiary, Tanaka Kikinzoku ( India ), in Mumbai . The new division intends to enhance precious metals product distribution networks in India and the Middle East and Africa . By 2024, the company expects to achieve annual sales of around $26 million . Why Should You Buy the Report? Following are some key reasons to buy the report on the precious metals market for automotive applications: Extensive competitive benchmarking of 20 key players to offer a holistic view of the precious metals market for the automotive applications landscape Market segregation based on metal type, component, and end use Investment landscape, including product adoption scenario, funding, and patent analysis Request a FREE sample of this report here https://bisresearch.com/requestsample?id=1345&type=download BIS Research Related Market Studies: Global Lithium-Ion Battery Metals Market About BIS Research: BIS Research is a global B2B market intelligence and advisory firm focusing on deep technology and related emerging trends which can disrupt the market dynamics in the near future. We publish more than 200 market intelligence studies annually that focus on several deep technology verticals. Our strategic market analysis emphasizes on market estimations, technology analysis, emerging high-growth applications, deeply segmented granular country-level market data, and other important market parameters useful in the strategic decision-making for senior management. BIS Research offers syndicate as well as custom studies and expert consultations to firms, providing them specific and actionable insights on novel technology markets, business models, and competitive landscape. Contact: Bhavya Banga Email: me[email protected] +1-510-404-8135 BIS Research Inc. 39111 PASEO PADRE PKWY STE 313, FREMONT CA 94538-1686 Visit our Blog @ https://bisresearch.com/news Get Expert Insights @ https://community.insightmonk.com Connect with us on LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/company/bis-research Connect with us on [email protected] https://twitter.com/BISResearch Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/495163/BIS_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE BIS Research LUXEMBOURG, Aug.11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native technology services company, today announced it will release results for the second quarter ended June 30th, 2022 on Thursday August 18th, 2022 after the close of regular market hours. Following the release, Martin Migoya, Globant's CEO & co-founder, and Juan Urthiague, Globant's CFO, will discuss the results in a video conference call beginning at 4:30pm ET. Video conference call access information is: https://more.globant.com/F2Q22EarningsCall About Globant (NYSE:GLOB) We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves to create a way forward and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design and engineering meet scale. We have more than 24,500 employees and we are present in 19 countries working for companies like Google, Rockwell Automation, Electronic Arts and Santander, among others. We were named a Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services by IDC MarketScape report. We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. We are a member of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord. For more information, please visit www.globant.com Investor Relations Contact: Arturo Langa, Globant [email protected] +1 (877) 215-5230 Media Contact: Wanda Weigert, Globant [email protected] +1 (877) 215-5230 SOURCE Globant Seymour-based martial arts school showcases Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu discipline to the public with competitive grappling event in Maryville on Aug. 20 SEYMOUR, Tenn., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills, one of the area's only Gracie affiliated martial arts schools, is set to host Mat Monster Grappling Series 5 at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. The tournament will take place at Porter Elementary's Galen Johnson Gymnasium, located at 4520 Wildwood Springs Road in Maryville, and will pit some of East Tennessee's top grapplers against each other. Mat Monster Grappling Series 5, hosted by Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills and head instructor Jerry Burns (right), will be open to public attendance in Maryville, Tennessee. Mat Monster is a grappling series event with competitors separated into different brackets based on age and skill level. Winners of each match will be determined by submission only. Mat Monster 5 will feature white, blue and purple belt competitors, plus 10 brown and black belt competitors from schools throughout East Tennessee. While competitors will be battling for prestige and the chance to win medals, Jerry Burns, head instructor of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills and founder of Mat Monster, says that the event is a great chance for people to compete on a local stage. The event will also be open to the public for the first time, giving those interested in the sport an opportunity to see live competition and learn more. "While jiu-jitsu has increased in popularity thanks to MMA promotions like the UFC and Bellator, it's beneficial for more than just competitive fighting," Burns said. "For some people, practicing martial arts is a great way to relieve stress. For others, it empowers them with self-defense strategies. If you have ever considered jiu-jitsu or mixed martial arts, the Mat Monster event is a great opportunity to see what jiu-jitsu is all about without any pressure." Just as Jiu-Jitsu itself draws students with diverse backgrounds and individual reasons for studying the art, the Mat Monster event attracts competitors from many walks of life. Participants include both military and law enforcement personnel as well as professional mixed martial arts athletes. Mat Monster will be $20 cash at the door for spectators. Children 12 and under can accompany their parents free. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/matmonstergs. About Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills is a martial arts training center is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Instructor Jerry Burns, a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, teaches realistic and practical self-defense skills in a friendly environment. Jiu-Jitsu will increase focus, concentration, patience, mood, and confidence. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills' classes remain authentic to the original program developed by Master Luiz Palhares, who teaches at his own prestigious Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Jacksonville, Florida. Palhares was trained directly by the Gracie family, first under Rolls Gracie, then later under Rickson Gracie. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills welcomes beginners and all skill level adults from Seymour, Sevierville, Maryville, Knoxville and the surrounding areas. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Foothills Harness taps the region's deep technology talent pool to create 80 new jobs, with support from Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for the Economic Recovery Action Plan SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harness , the Modern Software Delivery Platform company, today announced it is expanding its European operations for software engineering in Northern Ireland to create 80 new jobs. Harness's mission is to enable every one of the 27 million software developers in the world to deliver code to their end users quickly, securely, reliably and efficiently while dramatically improving the developer experience. Left to right: Mel Chittock, Invest NI interim CEO; Jyoti Bansal, Harness CEO and cofounder; Gordon Lyons, Northern Ireland Economy Minister; Nick Smyth, Harness VP of Engineering "Our Northern Ireland team plays an important role in expanding the Harness platform, so our customers can continue to rely on Harness while they build and deploy their most important software," said Jyoti Bansal, Harness co-founder & CEO. "With many of our customers already located in Belfast, investing in our presence in the city puts Harness in the center of one of Europe's strongest technology hubs. Belfast's incredible talent pool of software developers supports our rapid product and customer growth. We look forward to seeing all the ways our new employees will contribute to the future of Harness." Harness's new roles will be a hybrid of in-person and remote work based out of Urban HQ, Belfast . Northern Ireland's economic development agency, Invest Northern Ireland , has offered Harness support towards the creation of the 80 jobs. Recruitment is underway, with 30 new jobs already in place. Harness plans on hiring roles ranging from graduate to senior experience levels, across engineering, UX, management and customer success. "Harness is a fast-growing, innovative Silicon Valley start-up and a valuable addition to Northern Ireland's technology sector. It is cuttingedge, entrepreneurial companies like Harness that will help to shape Northern Ireland's economic future and support my Department's 10X vision where innovation will be the engine for growth in this decade," said Northern Ireland Economy Minister Gordon Lyons. "By establishing its European engineering office here, Harness will create 80 high-quality jobs over three years. With hybrid working, people from all over Northern Ireland will be able to apply for these excellent opportunities. The positions on offer will attract interest across the experience spectrum from graduates through to those considering returning and relocating to Northern Ireland to further their career. I am pleased that we have been able to secure this investment based on the quality of our talent at every level." With $425 million in financing at a valuation of $3.7 billion announced earlier this year, Harness has developed a world-class end-to-end platform for complete software delivery that provides a simple, safe and secure way for engineering and DevOps teams to release applications into production. Established in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, Harness uses machine learning to detect the quality of deployments and automatically roll back failed ones, saving time and reducing the need for custom scripting and manual oversight, ultimately giving engineers more freedom to innovate and less disruption from software that breaks on nights and weekends. Also welcoming the company to Northern Ireland, Mel Chittock, Invest NI interim CEO, said, "Our West Coast and Northern Ireland teams have been working closely with Harness since 2019 to showcase all that our technology sector has to offer global businesses, and secure this investment. By investing here, Harness will create new entrant positions, career progression opportunities and attract new talent to the region, to fuel its continued innovation and international growth." To learn more about Harness and its plans for global expansion, please visit: https://harness.io About Harness Harness, the Modern Software Delivery Platform, provides a simple, safe and secure way for engineering and DevOps teams to rapidly release applications into production. Harness uses machine learning to detect the quality of deployments and automatically roll back failed ones, saving time and reducing the need for custom scripting and manual oversight, giving engineers their weekends back. Harness Inc. is based in San Francisco. More on Twitter @harnessio and at harness.io. SOURCE Harness BEAVERTON, Ore., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Omics Data Automation (ODA), a leading provider of technology for healthcare data management and analysis, announced today the opening of its newest office in Bangalore, Karnataka, India in response to growing global demand for its software and services. India is a priority market for ODA as well as a source of key commercial and development partnerships for the company. The new office will be the company's second formal location and will enable ODA to scale its market leading Framework technology globally accelerating the launch of its solutions for federated learning and causal inference. "The Bangalore Office is ODA's first service point outside the US and represents the strategic expansion of our brand in India and around the world. ODA recognizes the massive opportunities arising from rapidly expanding economic development in India. We will rely on the Bangalore office to accelerate our contributions to the region and offer professional services support to local partners. Together with our employees working remotely across the globe as well as those in our Beaverton, OR office, the new facility will enable us to accelerate product development and deliver services throughout the region," said Noah Nasser, ODA Chief Executive Officer. "The Bangalore region represents one of the most important sources for engineering talent in India and throughout the world. This office will allow ODA to scale quickly, bringing new platforms and services to market. As the largest city in the region, Bangalore enjoys significant geographical and demographic advantages. By the end of 2022, we anticipate substantial team growth creating additional technical and commercial opportunities for our businesses," said ODA Founder Ganapati Srinivasa, who will help lead this initiative. About Omics Data Automation: Founded in 2016 by Ganapati Srinivasa, Chris Corless MD, PhD and Kemal Sonmez, PhD, Omics Data Automation (ODA) is dedicated to the belief that there is tremendous, latent power in multimodal healthcare data. Developer of the ODA Framework platform for harnessing healthcare data at scale, ODA's technology breaks data silos and integrates patient clinical histories, genomic data, and imaging, with unlimited types of research and clinical data enabling better clinical care and empowering discovery. Scaling across dimensions of storage, compute, interface and collaboration, the ODA ecosystem supports precision medicine at all levels. Learn more at www.omicsautomation.com Omics Data Automation, Inc. Innovate. Accelerate. Cure. 3800 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Suite 224, Beaverton, OR 97005 www.omicsautomation.com Media contact: Jennifer Powell [email protected] SOURCE Omics Data Automation, Inc Plans Community Back-to-School Event on Aug. 17 MOBILE, Ala., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Heart of Mary School (HOM), one of the country's oldest Historically Black Catholic schools today announced a new branding and advertising campaign to tout the school's rich educational culture and legacy to parents and students in the Mobile, Alabama region. In addition, all are encouraged to come and join the community of elders on August 17th at 12:15pm in the school cafeteria as HOM supports its students with a "laying of the hands" ceremony to begin the school year prayerfully. Heart of Mary "Heart" campaign television commercial Heary of Mary "Heart" Campaign Graphic The new campaign, focused on the "The Heart" of the school's educational offerings and rich history, will reinforce the school's core messages and include powerful billboards, digital and television ads with a focus on its unique "Learning Community" curriculum, small, intimate class sizes, and track record of developing tomorrow's leaders. "HOMe is where the heart is," says HOM Principal Jekirra Johnson. "The Heart" campaign is our way of making a statement to parents in the Mobile community that if you're looking for a school with passionate, caring teachers providing hands-on attention to each child, with a commitment to faith-based learning, HOM is your choice." Notable HOM alums include former U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and retired Maj. Gen Gary Cooper, the first African American officer to lead a United States Marine Corp infantry battalion into battle in the history of this country. "HOM has always invested in the "heart of the matter;" the right values, the best teachers, and alumni like me who are blessed beneficiaries of its rich history and guidance," says Herman. Classes will resume on Aug. 17, 2022. There is still time to enroll your student by calling (251) 432-5270 or by visiting the school located at 310 Sengstak Street, Mobile, AL. "We have what you need for your student's unique learning needs, and scholarships are available," said Johnson. Located in Mobile, Ala., Heart of Mary School is a PreK-8, private faith-based school that strives to nurture students who are faithful to Jesus Christ, committed to their studies, and proud of their culture, all within the context of a safe and joyful environment. Heart of Mary is a qualified non-public Alabama school under the Alabama Accountability Act (AAA) to enroll students from failing public schools. For more information, go to www.heartofmaryschoolmobile.org. CONTACT: Shaun Wilson Cadence [email protected] (313) 530-7860 SOURCE Heart of Mary Agency to Support Hyundai's Multicultural Marketing Group in Reaching U.S. Hispanic Audiences FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai Motor America has selected independent, Hispanic-owned and operated Lopez Negrete Communications as its U.S. Hispanic marketing agency of record. Lopez Negrete will provide strategic marketing solutions to reach and engage with diverse Latino audiences nationwide. The agency will begin general brand work immediately, followed by vehicle specific launches, beginning with the compact SUV Tucson. Hyundai has entered a multi-year agreement with Lopez Negrete following a competitive request for proposal (RFP) process. "At Hyundai, our vision is progress for humanity, and that includes relating to multicultural communities in culture and in language," said Angela Zepeda, CMO, Hyundai Motor America. "We selected Lopez Negrete for its expertise in reaching today's multifaceted Hispanic segments in ways that truly connect with the vibrant and diverse cultures. We are excited to communicate with Latino audiences nationwide with a more strategic approach that makes us even more relatable." "This is another important milestone in the history of our agency. To be selected as Hyundai Motor America's Hispanic Agency of Record at this time in their evolution as a brand and premier global automaker is a terrific honor. It will also be a joy to work with CMO Angela Zepeda and her truly diverse team, who are unquestionably committed to the segment, very much value and understand the power of multicultural insights and have a real grasp of the opportunity that exists within our market. There are very high standards and expectations, both creatively and strategically, and we're very excited that with the team we have in place, we are poised to overdeliver," stated Alex Lopez Negrete, president and CEO of Lopez Negrete Communications. Lopez Negrete applies cultural intelligence to inspire work that matters and engages today's Latino consumer. The nation's largest independent, Hispanic-owned and operated, full-service agency is known for breakthrough creative marketing campaigns that deliver maximum return. Lopez Negrete is a founding agency member of the ANA's Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM). Lopez Negrete will collaborate with Hyundai to develop U.S. Hispanic marketing strategies, create new vehicle campaigns, provide experiential and social media strategy, and consult on media buying decisions. In addition to branding and product campaigns, Lopez Negrete will support future models and Hyundai Hope On Wheels activities. Lopez Negrete Communications Lopez Negrete Communications stands as the largest independent, Hispanic-owned-and-operated, full-service agency in the United States, specializing in providing marketing services to corporations wishing to reach and engage with America's large and influential Hispanic consumer segment. Founded in 1985 by Alex and Cathy Lopez Negrete, the agency offers thought leadership and a full range of marketing, advertising, and communications services, including strategic planning, brand strategy, creative and production, research and consumer insights, media planning and buying, digital/social/mobile marketing services, public relations, and promotions. Award-winning throughout a rich, 37-year history, Lopez Negrete counts as clients some of the nation's largest corporations and their prestigious brands, such as Bank of America, Walmart, McDonald's, Hyundai Motor America, Sam's Club, Mattress Firm, Phillips 66 Company, Motiva Enterprises LLC, and United Airlines. With headquarters in Houston, Texas, Lopez Negrete employs over 100 professionals who are dedicated to delivering the promise of Maximum Return On Cultural Intelligence and is a founding agency member of both the Hispanic Marketing Council and the ANA's Alliance for Inclusive and Multicultural Marketing (AIMM). Hyundai Motor America Hyundai Motor America focuses on 'Progress for Humanity' and smart mobility solutions. Hyundai offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles. Our 820 dealers sold more than 738,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2021, and nearly half were built at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. For more information, visit www.HyundaiNews.com. Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn SOURCE Hyundai Motor America CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicago area businessman Bryan Real recently launched an Illinois online raffle called the Komoniwana Raffle . The raffle is an effort to raise as much money as possible for the nonprofit Tunnel to Towers Foundation , which builds mortgage-free homes for the nation's military veterans, first responders and their families in the newly created "Let Us Do Good Village" in Land O' Lakes, Fla. "The purpose is to give back to those who have served in any way we can," Real said. "This is for those who came back, for those who didn't and for those who did but now need our help for themselves and their families. It's our time to serve them." Real owns Elgin-based United Food Group, and Komoniwana is one of the company's holdings. Komoniwana makes high-quality powdered drink mixes for shakes, smoothies, frappes and granitas. Proceeds from the Illinois Komoniwana Raffle will be split, with 50% going to one lucky winner and the other 50% benefitting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation . Raffle tickets are $5, $10 and $20 each. The prize pot amount increases per entry. The online raffle starts August 11 and ends on September 11, 2022. The raffle winner will be announced the week of September 11, 2022. More information can be found at www.komoniwana.com . While Real has not served in the military, he knows many people who have, and he is excited to support them with this initiative. "Of those who have served, all have had their lives changed forever, most for the better," he said. "But some of our warriors have returned home physically or psychologically wounded, and some have paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. We're hoping our Komoniwana Raffle can raise more money than we can on our own." Now, said Real, it's time to serve those who have served our nation. "And for those who have never served, find a way," he said. "I found mine." For more information on the Komoniwana Raffle, or United Food Group, visit www.unitedfoodgroup.net or www.komoniwana.com . SOURCE United Food Group INEO's sales activities are accelerating with the Company's sales pipeline climbing to over $40 million in annual recurring revenue. SURREY, BC, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - INEO Tech Corp. (TSX-V: INEO) (OTCQB: INEOF) (the "Company" or "INEO"), the innovative developer and operator of the INEO Media Network, a digital advertising and analytics solution for retailers, is notifying investors that the recording of the INEO Corporate Update Webinar from July 27, 2022 has been posted to the Company website at www.ineosolutionsinc.com. INEO Tech Corps Latest Corporate Update Webinar is Now Live INEOs sales activities are accelerating with the Companys sales pipeline climbing to over $40 million in annual recurring revenue. (CNW Group/INEO Tech Corp.) INEO previously announced the Company is expecting to deliver another quarter of record revenue in Q4-2022, with growth approaching 90% over Q4-2021. In addition, the size of the INEO sales pipeline has grown to over $40 million in annual recurring revenue, based on the potential full contract value with retail chains who have currently installed, or committed pilot installations. In the webinar video, INEO's CEO Kyle Hall states, "INEO will typically receive anywhere from $500 to $1,000 per month per store. The range in revenue depends on the number of INEO Welcoming Systems, INEO Welcoming Duo's, INEO Media Players or INEO GATE systems installed at the store. Our (sales) pipeline represents over 7,000 locations through direct and Prosegur partner channels..we have only included chains in our pipeline where we have either a contract, a pilot or a committed pilot. The gross pipeline is much, much bigger than $40 million annual revenue if we included retail chains that are interested but have not yet committed to a pilot." Also in the webinar video, Mr. Hall and Chairman and President Greg Watkin discuss how INEO's business is accelerating with active pilots and commitments with large retail chains representing a broad spectrum of industries including grocery, apparel, wholesale club, hardware, department store and pharmacy chains. Additionally, INEO's advertising fill rates have increased tremendously on the INEO Media Network. INEO has had over 30 major brands or advertisers, and many more smaller ones, who have utilized the power of the INEO Media Network. Webinar Video Details: To view the video of the INEO Corporate Update Webinar, please visit the INEO website at: https://www.ineosolutionsinc.com/news-and-events/ineo-corporate-update-webinar-july-27-2022 INEO Tech Corp. Per: "Kyle Hall" Kyle Hall, Chief Executive Officer and Director About INEO Tech Corp. INEO Tech Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary, INEO Solutions Inc., operates the INEO Media Network, a digital advertising and analytics solution for retailers. INEO's patented technology integrates and monetizes digital screens with theft detection sensor gates at the entrance of retail stores. The Company's cloud-based platform uses IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to deliver customized digital advertising to each retail location based on the demographic mix, such as age and gender, of customer traffic at each location. The Company also deploys the INEO Welcoming Network technology through a SaaS-based solution to larger retail chains. INEO is headquartered in Surrey, Canada and publicly traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange under the symbol "INEO" and on the OTCQB-Venture Market under the symbol "INEOF". For more information please visit: Website: www.ineosolutionsinc.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ineosolutions Facebook: www.facebook.com/ineosolutionsinc Instagram: www.instagram.com/ineosolutionsinc Twitter: www.twitter.com/INEOsolutions Future-Oriented Financial Information To the extent any forward-looking statements in this press release may constitute future-oriented financial information or financial outlooks within the meaning of securities laws, such information is being provided to demonstrate the potential financial performance of INEO and readers are cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for and should not be used for any other purpose and that they should not place undue reliance on such future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks. Future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks, as with forward-looking information generally, are, without limitation, based on the assumptions and subject to the risks set out below under "Forward-Looking Statements". Forward-Looking Statements Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the disclosure document, any information released or received with respect to the Company may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. This news release contains statements and information that, to the extent that they are not historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information may include financial and other projections, as well as statements regarding future plans, objectives or economic performance, or the assumption underlying any of the foregoing. This news release uses words such as "may", "would", "could", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "outlook", and other similar expressions to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual future results or anticipated events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements and accordingly, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR, including the Company's most recent annual and interim Management Discussion and Analysis and Financial Statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE INEO Tech Corp. IEA Welcomes Debbie Wilson as Director of Sales EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Insurance Education Association (IEA), a leading provider in professional training programs in workers' compensation, disability management, human resources, and risk management, announces that Debbie Wilson has been named as Director of Sales. Ms. Wilson's career in sales spans more than a decade, beginning with her role at Competent Care Home Health where she secured multiple contracts in worker's compensation and led the marketing initiatives. Debbie was a Southern California Account Manager for ISO Claims Partners (formerly Crowe Paradis) where she was the recipient of multiple sales awards. In her most recent role as National Account Executive for Ametros, a professional administrator of post-settlement medical funds, she was focused on expanding the utilization of professional administration for injured workers with employers, carriers, TPAs, self-insureds, and attorneys. "I am excited to join IEA as Director of Sales to help expand our outreach, and build upon the brand awareness, reputation, and history of the organization. I'm proud to be part of a team that is wholly dedicated to meeting the needs of its customers with career building professional development opportunities." In welcoming Ms. Wilson to IEA, Brian Allain, Chief Executive Officer states that, "as IEA expands its market presence, and underscores its absolute commitment to serving our customers, we're delighted to welcome Debbie's expertise and enthusiasm to our team. " ABOUT IEA IEA creates and delivers professional development and continuing education programs in workers' compensation, disability management and risk management. With more than 150 years in service, it provides a range of courses, webinars, and on-demand training to help insurance professionals meet their career development goals. Learn more at www.ieatraining.org. Media Contact: Martina Quinn, 1-714-689-0169, or email [email protected] SOURCE Insurance Education Association DUBLIN, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "International Securities Settlement & Global Custody" training has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This training program is designed to provide delegates with practical knowledge about the key concepts, systems, processes and procedures in international securities settlement and global custody services as well as operational risks involved. You will have a chance to gain skills necessary to facilitate day-to-day transactions and communication processes between all parties involved as well as all stages about clearing and settlement process, the role of exchanges and clearing houses, functioning of the settlements department, role of payments in the settlements. Day two focuses on the role and functioning of global custody, services provided, derivatives settlements, corporate actions and risk management. You will also learn about the latest sector's trends and changes. You will also learn about the impact of the MiFID and T2S - Target 2 Securities initiatives on the market. The course is conducted by senior experts with many years of international experience and includes many international case studies and exercises. What will you learn By attending this program you will gain: Practical understanding of international securities settlement processes and custodial services, key players and concepts and relationships between them A clear understanding of the operational risks involved in these two services An update on recent developments of international securities settlement and custodial services including Target 2 Settlements and MiFID An understanding and appreciation of the communication processes between all the parties involved in a given transaction Main topics covered during this training Securities settlement - exploring key concepts and market context The relationship between exchanges and clearing houses Trade cycle stages Understanding the role of a settlement department The role of payment systems in securities settlements Settlement process including pre-settlement, settlement and reconciliation processes European switch to T2S (TARGET 2 Securities) settlement system Timing in cash management and Forex exchange The role and operations of CLS - Continuous Linked Settlement Global custody and derivatives clearing Core and value added services in global custody Identifying and managing risks in clearing, global custody and settlement The impact of 'Corporate actions' in custody services Key legal issues MiFID Directive Exploring industry trends Who Should Attend: Professionals from Custodial and Investment Banks, Exchanges, Hedge Funds, Pension Funds and Endowments and other institutional investors from the following departments: Custody Services Settlements Transactions & Processing Compliance Risk Management Credit Risk Operations Reporting IT Customer Relationship Key Topics Covered: Introduction to the clearing and settlement process Wall Street 101 - an introduction to the securities trade life cycle Underlying principles of securities and derivatives settlement The structure and operations of a typical securities trading organisation/firm Cashiering Firms, Custodians, Commercial & Other Banks, Prime Brokerage Clearing - what it is and how it works - basic structures for clearance Key Concepts - Beneficial ownership, Collateral, Counterparty credit limits, Daylight overdraft, Default, Dematerialization, Failed transaction, Free riding, Fungible, Internal settlement, Lamfalussy Standards, Loss-sharing agreement and pools, Netting, Settlement date, Standard settlement instruction, Unwind, Zero hour rule Capital requirements Chain of entitlements Immobilisation and dematerialisation Processing book entry (electronic) and certificated (paper based) securities Exchanges and clearing houses The role of the exchanges The role and function of the clearing house The interaction between exchanges and clearing houses Derivatives - what they are and how they work Derivatives clearing - why the process differs from regular securities; actions to make the process safer. Recent changes in the Derivatives clearing process Bilateral clearing. Central Counterparties Nominee Services Vault Management (immobilised securities) Settlements - The role of the settlements department Importance of settlement Relationships and responsibilities Management information The relationships with the counterparties dealt with in the settlement of a typical trade Rules and conventions for settlement Differing conventions for different security classes (equities, bonds, derivatives) CPSS-IOSCO Technical Committee Recommendations for Securities Settlement Systems Delivery versus Payment Interaction between payments and securities settlement systems Nominee Services What is a 'nominee' Key nominee activities Announcements & communications Voting Entitlement actions The role of payment systems in securities settlements Large Value Transfer systems (LVTS) including Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) systems International payments - concepts, procedures and settlements CLS (Continuous Linked Settlement) Settlement processes Pre-settlement (including; input of settlement instructions, input scenarios, matching, monitoring transactions, changing transaction input, shaping deliveries, splits). Settlement (priorities and queues, circle processing, monitoring transaction, settlement, electronic transfer of title (ETT), bad deliveries) The importance of securities timing Overcoming problem areas Cash management and Foreign Exchange - timing and importance Settlement for residual securities Derivatives settlement The reconciliation process and its importance Group Discussion Using their own experience delegates will examine preconceptions that they may have held regarding the securities settlement process against the previous sessions' material. DAYTWO CLS - Continuous Linked Settlement - Its purpose, role and operation Herstatt risk - a brief introduction into foreign exchange risks Differing settlement methods for foreign exchange settlements. Continuous Linked Settlement. Why CLS is relevant for securities settlements. PvP Requirements of overlapping national RTGS systems. CLS & correspondent banking. Current CLS statistics Case Study: South Africa - STRATE Interbank money markets and payment systems: A Two Way Relationship Global custody Who are the users and the providers? Basic structure for custody services The role of the derivatives clearing broker Sub Custodian Life cycle of a trade - the linked phases of processing Trade settlement Market practice: cut-off and value dates Safekeeping Discussion Using own experience delegates will examine preconceptions against the previous sessions' material Global custody - core services The services a global custodian and derivative clearer offer its clients - settlement, safekeeping of securities, income collection, corporate actions management, cash management, funding, tax management, reporting - the information chain e.g. SWIFT, banking facilities How custody services work Central Securities Depositories (CSDs) International Central Securities Depositories (ICSDs) Paper trail from actual transactions to actual deposit of securities with custodians Differences between Domestic & International CSDs Global custody - value added services Investment accounting Master custody/master recordkeeping Securities lending, equity repos and collaterals Trustee services Portfolio valuation Collateral management Describing how securities lending operates in simple terms. Country-specific depositories in Hong Kong , India , Indonesia , the Philippines and elsewhere Target T2 Securities What has driven the need for T+2? What are the T+2 benefits? The Target T2S migration How T+2 impacts clients transactions The scope of T+2 in T2S What is not in scope The impacts of Target 2 Securities Derivatives and T+2 Custody services "corporate actions" What are "corporate actions" and why do they occur? Common types of corporate actions and examples The growing importance of proxy voting Importance of timing Communicating Corporate Actions Managing Corporate Actions Risk Identifying and managing risks Credit, Replacement cost, Principal, Delivery versus Payment, Liquidity, Settlement, Custody, Operational, Legal and Systemic risks In securities clearing, settlement & custody:Settlement, Operational, Financial, Market, Loss of title,Insolvency,Payment, Failed Trades, Cross border operations In payment systems:Settlement, Operating, Payment Finality, Liquidity, Systemic, Zero hour bankruptcy rule Specific risks relating to custodians - examples of what can go wrong IOSCO and technology risk concerns Lack of appropriate market surveillance tools Risk created by automation Identified industry issues IOSCO April 2013 Report Report Legal environment Key legal issues Exercise Playing the role of Risk Manager: Establishing where we are in relation to risk mitigation, the industry recommendations and how far must we go to reach them. An attempt to establish if full compliance of the recommendations is beneficial or harmful to risk management? Market in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) MiFID Explained How Trading Split Across Exchanges Unintended Consequences of MiFID Emergence of MiFID 2 Dark Pools Dark Pools Under MiFID 2 Automated Trading For more information about this training visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/shalee Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets ITM Now Open to All Commercial Real Estate Brokers and Landlords in the United States NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InTheMarket (ITM), a new interactive deal platform for the CRE leasing industry, has soft launched its beta platform today, the company announced. ITM streamlines the LOI and transaction process for the commercial real estate leasing industry, delivering speed and data-capture to an analog and antiquated process. Cofounders and CRE Industry Veterans Steven Renbaum and Michelle Berliner ITM is revolutionizing how deals are initiated, negotiated, and closed, accelerating the administrative tasks around drafting LOIs, proposals, and responses. The ITM platform captures negotiated deal terms and tracks every change in real-time, facilitating on-demand cashflows, NER calculations, comparison matrices, and deal activity reports. "The platform is going to materially improve the way brokers and landlords negotiate lease terms, from initial proposal to the final term sheet, making the process easier and faster," said Steven Renbaum, InTheMarket's co-founder and longtime CRE veteran. "Every piece of real estate deal data we consume today is manually entered, leaving wide-open the opportunity for data manipulation, or just plain user error," Renbaum continued. "ITM makes data entry obsolete and delivers a new layer of transparency and integrity to the deal data originated on the platform." The development of the platform was the culmination of hands-on broker and landlord input over the past 24 months and was aided by a veteran team of advisors, including senior executives in the CRE, PropTech, and other tech industries. Cofounder Michelle Berliner predicts, "ITM's modern and real-time deal experience will have an immediate impact on an industry that's ripe for innovation. With a focus on speed, transparency, and data, this platform is the future of commercial leasing." InTheMarket is now available in all markets across the US. To learn more about InTheMarket and start a free trial, please visit https://www.inthemarket.com/ About InTheMarket: Based in New York City, InTheMarket was founded by Steven Renbaum and Michelle Berliner, both veterans of the New York commercial real estate industry. Renbaum is a former office broker who spent the past 17 years representing tenants and landlords in New York City. Renbaum also previously launched the PR SaaS platform Critical Mention (acquired by Onclusive) and alternative lending platform Loanzy. Berliner spent the past 25 years in CRE having run asset management within Brookfield Asset Management and other leading industry brands, managing assets from acquisition to exit and specializing in leasing and turnarounds. She was named one of Bisnow's 50 Most Powerful Women in NYC Commercial Real Estate. Michelle is a graduate of NJIT and Columbia Business School. Contact: Merrie Pedersen, 8455367842, [email protected] SOURCE InTheMarket (ITM) MIAMI, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For decades, managers of professional kitchens have relied on old-fashioned knife sharpening services to keep these important tools in peak condition, wasting both time and money. "Now, Mundial SmartKnives apply the power of technology to modernize this process," said Michael Ceitlin, Chairman & CEO of Mundial (www.mundialsmartknives.com). "Our company has completely rethought this important kitchen expense, converting it from a product to a service and applying advanced technology to provide kitchen managers with greater cost controls." Advanced technology to provide kitchen managers with greater cost controls. Michael Ceitlin, Chairman & CEO of Mundial Here's How It Works: Mundial SmartKnives is a service that provides food industry professionals with a set of six or more high-quality knives made of German steel, along with an easy-to-use automated knife sharpener. Through advanced technology the machine recognizes each individual knife and, in less than a minute, precisely sharpens it according to proper specifications. The technology tracks knife consumption and provides members with a full report for each individual knife. When the knife reaches the end of its life cycle, it is automatically replenished, at no cost. Members pay a small monthly fee to lease the sharpener and $0.50 per-inch each time the knife is sharpened. Watch Mundial SmartKnives in action at our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3QdDthi Benefits of the SmartKnives Program Include: Convenience/Productivity: It's a fact: kitchen workers are always busy. These days, with many restaurants short-staffed, the problem has gotten worse and dull knives slow down the line. Sending knives out to a service means you're relying on that company's time frames and urgency. When the sharpener is in house, it takes just seconds to ensure these tools are working at their best and keeping your staff on schedule with their prep work. Cost Control: The costs associated with purchasing and sharpening knives often go unnoticed. but add up quickly. Like it or not, having perfectly sharp knives is reflected in the kitchen's bottom line. Sharp knives not only increase the speed of work, but they also decrease food waste and improve presentation. Safety: A dull blade can result in injuries, as excessive pressure increases the possibility of a blade slip. It is well known by kitchen professionals everywhere that sharp knives more readily dig in and easily complete the job at hand. Tracking: Our sophisticated tracking system not only assists your business by providing a complete report detailing knife-related costs and replenishing knives when needed, but it also allows you to track usage. This means you have full control over your knife inventory, zero downtime, and increased efficiency and productivity throughout the line. About Mundial, Inc. The Mundial brand was created in 1931 when a team of German designers and engineers established the sophisticated manufacturing process that today maintains the quality of Mundial knives. The company has since relocated to Brazil, maintaining their allegiance to quality. Mundial Inc. is currently among the leading North American brands of cutlery and kitchen accessories sold to the restaurant and institutional markets. Mundial combines Old World craftsmanship with modern technology to produce a broad selection of products unmatched in the world for strength, durability, beauty, comfort, and value. Media Contact: Mundial Inc. Stephen Jordan [email protected] | (801) 557-2864 Preview Media Group Lineu Vitale [email protected] | (305) 799-1222 SOURCE Mundial The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin Is Taking Cases and Working Closely With Bell Legal Group on a Case That Could Total More Than a Million Plaintiffs Against the Government. DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly a million service members, families, workers, and trainees at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987 were exposed to highly-contaminated drinking water and may have suffered massive health problems as a result. Their opportunity to seek justice has finally come. The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in North Carolina, has joined forces with South Carolina's Bell Legal Group on behalf of Camp Lejeune water contamination victims. Bell Legal Group was instrumental in the passage of the law that granted victims the opportunity to seek compensation and chose to partner with James Scott Farrin to help victims. "These people, many of them in our armed forces, were simply denied any chance to seek justice. Ed Bell courageously championed the passage of the new law, and the door is finally open to these victims. We can finally help them," said James S. Farrin, President and CEO of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. "We want to try to make sure no one harmed by this contamination is left behind." Camp Lejeune's water contamination cases could potentially be a massive action against the government, something with which James Scott Farrin is familiar. Farrin's firm previously led one of the largest civil rights cases in history against the U.S. government, representing thousands of Black farmers who suffered discrimination by the Department of Agriculture. In the Black farmers case, Farrin's firm worked out a way to process nearly 100,000 potential claimants across several states within a 180-day timeframe. Each claimant had the opportunity to discuss their discrimination claim one-on-one with an attorney. The result was a $1.25 billion government settlement on behalf of Black farmers.* "The Camp Lejeune cases may represent massive legal and logistical challenges, but nothing we have not overcome in the past," said Farrin. "The challenges are similar to the ones we overcame with the Black farmers case, and this gives us added confidence that we will be able to help the Camp Lejeune victims, as well." The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is currently seeking possible victims and accepting clients for Camp Lejeune contamination lawsuits. ABOUT THE LAW OFFICES OF JAMES SCOTT FARRIN The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is one of the largest personal injury firms in North Carolina and has helped over 55,000 injured people since 1997. Operating from 16 offices in NC and one in SC, many of the firm's 60+ accomplished attorneys are recognized professionals in their fields. The firm focuses on providing quality legal services to as many people as possible in the following practice areas: personal injury, car accidents, workers' compensation, nursing home abuse, whistleblowing, defective products, eminent domain, mass torts, class actions, and Social Security Disability. Contact Information: David Chamberlin 280 South Mangum Street Suite 400 Durham, NC 27701 866-900-7078 https://www.farrin.com Offices in Durham (main), Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, NC and Greenville, SC. Attorney J. Gabe Talton: 280 South Mangum St., Suite 400, Durham, NC *Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Re Black Farmers Discrimination Litigation, the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin led a team of firms to recover $1.25 billion for Black farmers from the U. S. government for discrimination. SOURCE Law Offices of James Scott Farrin SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Jerome Segal, the Middle East expert, who, following his recent loss in the Maryland Gubernatorial primary, announced that he would challenge President Biden for the Democratic nomination for President in 2024, has called on the President to recognize the State of Palestine. https://www.newsweek.com/jerome-segal-announces-2024-presidential-run-democratic-nomination-1727751 Dr. Jerome M. Segal Segal issued a statement saying: "Joe Biden is the first American President in almost half a century to turn his back on the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace. On his recent visit to the Middle East, Biden said to the Palestinians, 'I know that the goal of the two-state [solution] seems far away... So even if the ground is not ripe at this moment to restart negotiations, the United States and my administration will not give up on trying to bring the Palestinians and the Israelis closer together.' This is truly pathetic, and to say it publicly to a moderate Palestinian President with the most tenuous hold on power, was simply, empty-headed." Segal further stated: "Biden said 'I know that the goal of the two-state [solution] seems far away' --- actually it need not be. The Palestinians issued a Declaration of Independence and proclaimed the State of Palestine in 1988. The State of Palestine is recognized today by 162 countries and is an Observer State at the U.N., not a full member only because of U.S. opposition. Biden, with an executive order, could tomorrow recognize Palestine and bring the two-state solution a giant step towards fruition." "With US recognition, all of Western Europe would also follow. The Palestinian Authority would be dissolved, and the PLO would drop out of the picture. Very likely the State of Palestine would come to exercise sovereignty over Gaza, and Hamas, which is not part of the PLO, would recognize the legitimacy of the new State and compete for power within Palestinian democracy." "Biden will no doubt object and say, 'Palestinian statehood is something that should emerge from negotiations. The United States can't grant the Palestinians something that they need to work out with the Israelis.' To which I say, 'What about Jerusalem? Donald Trump, outside of any negotiations recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. And you, Mr. President, have reaffirmed Trump's position. Why not balance it, with recognition of Palestine, an act that will give new life to the prospects for ending the conflict.'" "Moreover, Mr. President, when the Palestinians declared independence in 1988 they based the State of Palestine on the United Nations Partition Resolution of 1947, the very document cited in Israel's declaration of independence, and the Palestinians explicitly noted that the UN Resolution called for two states, one Arab and one Jewish." Segal is arguably the world's foremost expert on such matters. His new book, "The Olive Branch From Palestine: The Palestinian Declaration of Independence and the Path Out of the Current Impasse" (foreword by Noam Chomsky) was published two months ago by U of Ca. Press. Segal came to international attention in 1988 when his writings were the catalyst for the PLO's decision to unilaterally proclaim a Palestinian state. (Robert Pear, "Jewish Father for Palestinian State?, New York Times, August 24, 1988) https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/24/us/washington-talk-foreign-affairs-jewish-father-for-palestinian-state.html For interviews with Dr. Segal, contact him at 445-216-3846 or at [email protected] SOURCE Jerome Segal For President Newly appointed leaders bring decades of expertise in scaling high-growth technology companies, promoting brand awareness and driving sales AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kazoo + WorkTango , the only Employee Experience Platform that enables meaningful recognition and rewards, supports alignment through goal setting and feedback, and offers actionable insights through employee surveys, today announced the appointment of three key executive hires to support the rapidly growing business and lead the company in its next evolution of its growth journey. Lindsey Fine joins as Senior Vice President of Sales, Merrily McGugan as Vice President of Brand & Communications, and David Sin as Vice President of Demand Generation & Growth. Fine, McGugan, and Sin bring decades of experience driving business strategy and growth, converting leads into sales, and creating a robust employee experience for some of the world's largest brands. Kazoo + WorkTango Hire Former Amazon, Dell and LogicMonitor Leaders to Support Expansion and Accelerated Growth Tweet this Fine has spent more than 15 years in the B2B SaaS space. Prior to joining Kazoo + WorkTango, she worked in both inside and outside sales, business development, and team development for companies including Salesforce, Meta, Dropbox, and Amazon. Lindsey will lead Kazoo + WorkTango's sales team to bring the combined platform to the market. "My expertise lies in increasing sales and improving revenue performance while simultaneously building strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders," said Fine. "Kazoo + WorkTango is the clear leader in employee experience technology that is making work better for both employees and their managers and people leaders. I'm looking forward to further growing Kazoo + WorkTango's customer base so more companies can engage and inspire top talent with our platform." McGugan joins Kazoo + WorkTango from LogicMonitor, where she built the global brand and communications team from the ground up, led the communications strategy and execution for three corporate acquisitions, and co-led two brand refreshes. She has extensive experience working with high-growth companies and award-winning software platforms. In her new role, Merrily will focus on building out the joint Kazoo + WorkTango brand to create connections with prospects and customers. "As a previous customer of Kazoo + WorkTango, I know firsthand the value an employee experience platform brings to companies and the impact it has on employee engagement at a time when we need it the most," said McGugan. "I've lived the company's vision to make work a place where all employees can thrive and grow, and I'm thrilled to be here to help the market understand that our platform truly makes (work) lives better." Sin joins Kazoo + WorkTango from Orchatect, where he oversaw demand generation and operations. Previously, Sin spent over 2 decades strategizing and executing integrated marketing and demand generation plans for mid-size and enterprise organizations, including 13 years at Dell. As Vice President of Demand Generation & Growth at Kazoo + WorkTango, David will be responsible for driving growth using his analytical and results-oriented mindset to develop and cultivate long-term customer relationships. "With our fast-growing team and enhancements to the platform on the horizon, Kazoo + WorkTango continues to solve some of the most pressing challenges facing HR teams and business leaders by providing technology that positively impacts employees everywhere," said Sin. "I'm excited to join the team and help take this company to the next level." Fine, McGugan, and Sin's appointments demonstrate the company's rapid growth since the two platforms joined forces in April . Kazoo + WorkTango is committed to delivering a reinvigorated platform on their mission to help customers put their people first, and these new leaders will help deliver on that promise. To learn more about Kazoo + WorkTango, please visit: www.kazoohr.com. About Kazoo + WorkTango Kazoo + WorkTango revolutionizes how the world's most forward-thinking companies engage and inspire their people. Kazoo + WorkTango offers the only Employee Experience Platform that enables meaningful recognition and rewards, supports alignment through goal setting and feedback, and offers actionable insights through employee surveys. Kazoo + WorkTango is built for the workplace we all want to be a part of where priorities become clear, achievements are celebrated, and employees have a voice. Learn more at kazoohr.com. SOURCE WorkTango LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Larry Elder joins John Gardner on The Voice of Hope for a sweeping interview to discuss the 2024 Presidential campaign, his California gubernatorial campaign, policy solutions, and his love for America. Click here to watch the full interview: https://rumble.com/v1fj0jr-larry-elder-an-exclusive-interview.html Larry Elder: An Exclusive Interview to discuss the 2024 Presidential campaign and his love for America. Tweet this Larry Elder and John Gardner on The Voice of Hope show. John Gardner is an entrepreneur and advocate for the manufacturing industry. Larry Elder is a New York Times best-selling author of four books, a nationally syndicated TV and radio host, film producer, attorney and politician. Elder was the subject of profiles by both "60 Minutes" and "20/20". John Gardner is a business owner, patent holder and advocate for the manufacturing industry. His patented cutting tool has been used by the US Navy, Siemens Energy, Lockheed Martin, the Department of Energy, Kawasaki and thousands of other manufacturing companies. His experience and passion for how the manufacturing industry can economically benefit the American people by rebuilding the middle-class was the catalyst for Gardner to trademark the term Manufacture Local and to start "The Voice of Hope" platform. He states: "My mission is to make America the manufacturing superpower of the world and to bring positivity to the idea that we are all privileged to be American." LINK: https://thevoiceofhope.com SOURCE CNC Broach Tools Related Links http://https://rumble.com/v1fj0jr-larry-elder-an-exclusive-interview.html http://https://rumble.com/v1fj0jr-larry-elder-an-exclusive-interview.html The outdoor event connected families and children with organizations that provide employment assistance, food supplies, and afterschool programs. Additional photos available upon request. ARLINGTON, Texas, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Avenue Capital (LAC), a mission-driven affordable housing company, hosted a Family Resource Day community event for residents at its Paddock on Park Row Apartments, which serve lower-income families in the Arlington area. LAC regularly hosts Family Resource Days at its properties across the country for residents to connect with service organizations, participate in engaging activities, and enjoy food options from local partners. Photo courtesy of Lincoln Avenue Capital. Residents had the opportunity to meet representatives from local service providers including the Arlington Housing Authority Envision Center, Mission Arlington, Wright Care Benefits, Workforce Solutions, and Arlington Charities. These providers shared information on employment assistance, food supplies, free cell phones, banking opportunities, afterschool programs for children and other key resources. Children received complimentary haircuts from the A&M Barber Academy and free school supplies from LAC. Residents were also provided free meals from a local food truck. Additionally, members of the Arlington Police Department and Arlington Fire Department attended the event to meet with residents. "LAC is proud to offer social and professional services to our residents through community events such as Family Resource Day," said LAC CEO Jeremy Bronfman. "We are grateful to partner with local nonprofit organizations in Arlington to provide free and low-cost programs for families and children at Paddock on Park Row." "Lincoln Avenue Capital is proud to invest not only in quality affordable homes, but also in the overall health of our residents at Paddock on Park Row and across our nationwide portfolio," said Nina-Lee Jewell Alhambra, LAC Vice President of Asset Services. "Our Family Resource Days connect residents to opportunities and local community organizations that can directly impact their lives." About LAC: Lincoln Avenue Capital is one of the nation's fastest-growing developers, investors, and operators of affordable and workforce housing, providing high-quality, sustainable homes for low- and moderate-income individuals, seniors, and families nationwide. LAC is a mission-driven organization that serves residents across 22 states, with a portfolio of 109 properties comprising 20,000+ units. SOURCE Lincoln Avenue Capital HOUSTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE: MAIN) ("Main Street") is pleased to announce that it has priced a public underwritten offering of 1,170,000 shares of its common stock. Pricing was set at $42.85 per share, and net proceeds from the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by Main Street, are expected to be approximately $47.9 million. Main Street has also granted the underwriters an option, exercisable for 30 days, to purchase up to 175,500 additional shares of its common stock at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. Main Street intends to initially use the net proceeds from this offering, including the net proceeds from any exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares, to repay outstanding debt borrowed under its credit facility and then, through re-borrowing under the credit facility, to make investments in accordance with its investment objective and strategies, to make investments in marketable securities and idle funds investments, to pay operating expenses and other cash obligations, and for general corporate purposes. The underwriters of this offering are RBC Capital Markets, UBS Investment Bank and Wells Fargo Securities (as joint bookrunners) and Hovde Group, LLC and Oppenheimer & Co. (as co-managers). The shares will be sold pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form N-2 that has been filed with, and has been declared effective by, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The offering is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close on August 15, 2022. Investors should carefully consider, among other things, Main Street's investment objective and strategies and the risks related to Main Street and the offering before investing. The final prospectus supplement dated August 11, 2022, the accompanying prospectus dated March 3, 2022, any related free writing prospectus, and any information incorporated by reference in each, contain this and other information about Main Street. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus, copies of which may be obtained from RBC Capital Markets, LLC, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY, 10281, Attn: Prospectus Department, or by telephone at (877) 822-4089, UBS Securities LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, telephone: (888) 827-7275 or email: [email protected] and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Department, 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, by telephone: (800) 326-5897 or by email at [email protected]. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of the shares referred to in this press release, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. ABOUT MAIN STREET CAPITAL CORPORATION Main Street (www.mainstcapital.com) is a principal investment firm that primarily provides long-term debt and equity capital to lower middle market companies and debt capital to middle market companies. Main Street's portfolio investments are typically made to support management buyouts, recapitalizations, growth financings, refinancings and acquisitions of companies that operate in diverse industry sectors. Main Street seeks to partner with entrepreneurs, business owners and management teams and generally provides "one stop" financing alternatives within its lower middle market investment strategy. Main Street's lower middle market companies generally have annual revenues between $10 million and $150 million. Main Street's private loan and middle market debt investments are made in businesses that are generally larger in size than its lower middle market portfolio companies. Main Street, through its wholly owned portfolio company MSC Adviser I, LLC ("MSC Adviser"), also maintains an asset management business through which it manages investments for external parties. MSC Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains certain forward-looking statements which are based upon Main Street management's current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Any such statements other than statements of historical fact are likely to be affected by other unknowable future events and conditions, including elements of the future that are or are not under Main Street's control, and that Main Street may or may not have considered; accordingly, such statements cannot be guarantees or assurances of any aspect of future performance. Actual performance and results could vary materially from these estimates and projections of the future as a result of a number of factors, including those described from time to time in Main Street's filings with the SEC. Such statements speak only as of the time when made and are based on information available to Main Street as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Main Street assumes no obligation to revise or update any such statement now or in the future. Contacts: Main Street Capital Corporation Dwayne L. Hyzak, CEO, [email protected] Jesse E. Morris, CFO and COO, [email protected] 713-350-6000 Dennard Lascar Investor Relations Ken Dennard | [email protected] Zach Vaughan | [email protected] 713-529-6600 SOURCE Main Street Capital Corporation Focused on Advancing Branded Pipeline with Anticipated Launches and Bringing Existing Products to New Markets and Geographies Committed to Strengthening Balance Sheet, with a Disciplined Capital Allocation Focus; Benefiting from Cash Generation and Significant Liquidity Appointed New President & CEO and New Board of Directors with Deep Expertise and Decades of Leadership Experience in Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Finance Conference Call and Webcast Today at 8:30 a.m. ET DUBLIN, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt plc (OTCMKTS: MNKPF) ("Mallinckrodt" or the "Company"), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, today reported results for the second quarter ended July 1, 2022,1 and provided guidance for full year 2022. "This quarter represented an important moment for Mallinckrodt as we began the work of turning the business around and moving forward with renewed focus on our patients, products, pipeline and people following the completion of our financial reorganization," said Siggi Olafsson, President and Chief Executive Officer. "While the Company has faced many challenges, we have a strong foundation and significant potential, which is why I am excited to lead Mallinckrodt alongside the new Board of Directors. Together, we are focused on Mallinckrodt's future and re-energizing the organization around our shared passion for making an impact on patients' lives by addressing unmet medical needs. Mallinckrodt today benefits from significant liquidity, meaningful cash flows from operations, a solid U.S. commercial platform and competitive positioning in Critical Care and Immunology. While we have work to do, the foundational pieces are in place to stabilize the core brands and return the business to sustainable growth and profitability over time." Mr. Olafsson continued, "Our results for the quarter and our outlook for the year reflect the challenges we continue to face across the business. As we work to chart Mallinckrodt's path forward, our near-term priorities include strengthening the Company's balance sheet and continuing to generate strong cash flow; stabilizing our portfolio and maximizing opportunities for our in-market products; and investing strategically in our pipeline with a focus on potential cash contribution and return on investment. We're confident that by executing on our plans, we can create long-term value for our stakeholders while improving outcomes for patients with severe and critical conditions." Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results1 Mallinckrodt's net sales in the second quarter included $383.7 million in the predecessor period and $85.0 million in the successor period for total net sales in the quarter of $468.7 million, as compared to $546.4 million. This reflects a decrease of 14.2% on a reported basis and 13.8% on a constant currency basis. The Company's Specialty Brands segment reported net sales of $247.7 million in the predecessor period and $58.2 million in the successor period for a total of $305.9 million, as compared to $381.5 million. This reflects a decrease of 19.8% on a reported basis and 19.2% on a constant currency basis, primarily due to the impacts of competition on certain products including Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection), INOmax (nitric oxide) gas and Therakos immunology platform, the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to product utilization and continued payer scrutiny on overall specialty pharmaceutical spending. Mallinckrodt's Specialty Generics segment reported net sales of $136.0 million in the predecessor period and $26.8 million in the successor period for a total of $162.8 million, as compared to $164.9 million. This reflects a decrease of 1.3% on a reported basis and 1.2% on a constant currency basis, primarily due to a reduction of dosage opioids and controlled substances active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) net sales, offset partially by net sales growth in acetaminophen (APAP). The Company's net loss for the second quarter of 2022 included $193.5 million in the predecessor period and $63.7 million in the successor period for an aggregate net loss of $257.2 million, as compared to a net loss of $105.8 million. Mallinckrodt's Adjusted EBITDA was $126.0 million in the predecessor period and $30.3 million in the successor period for total Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of $156.3 million, as compared to $199.5 million. This reflects a decrease of 21.7%, primarily due to lower net sales, negative impact from foreign currency, investments associated with the launch of StrataGraft (allogeneic cultured keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts in murine collagen - dsat) and launch preparedness for terlipressin, partially offset by other reductions in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and research and development (R&D) expenses as the Company has undertaken specific actions over the past year to reduce the overall cost structure. The Company's cash balance at the end of the second quarter was $354.7 million. In addition, Mallinckrodt maintains a new undrawn $200 million accounts receivable financing facility closed in conjunction with emergence and ended the quarter with greater than $550 million in liquidity. Total principal debt outstanding at the end of the second quarter was $3.604 billion, with net debt of $3.249 billion, which differs from the balance sheet due to fresh-start accounting and excludes ongoing annual settlement payments. Bryan Reasons, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, said, "Having eliminated more than $1.3 billion in debt principal and closed a new $200 million accounts receivable financing facility with the overhang and expense of the opioid litigation now behind us, we have a clear path forward to continue operating the business in a responsible manner and delivering benefits to patients. Looking ahead, we are focused on further reducing debt as we continue enhancing operating efficiencies and generating additional cash through the successful execution of our strategic priorities." 2022 Financial Guidance For the full-year 2022, Mallinckrodt expects: 2022 Guidance Total net sales $1,875 million to $1,925 million Total net sales for Specialty Brands segment $1,250 million to $1,280 million Total net sales for Specialty Generics segment $625 million to $645 million Adjusted EBITDA $630 million to $660 million The Company does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP guidance to the comparable GAAP measures as these items are inherently uncertain and difficult to estimate and cannot be predicted without unreasonable effort. Please see the "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Guidance" included in this release for a reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures for the second quarter and year to date. Conference Call and Webcast Mallinckrodt will hold a conference call today, August 11, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results of its financial performance for the second quarter 2022. The live call and subsequent replay can be accessed as follows: Directly via the webcast link (live and replay): https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/jzbp7d5r At the Company's website: http://www.mallinckrodt.com/investors About Mallinckrodt Mallinckrodt is a global business consisting of multiple wholly owned subsidiaries that develop, manufacture, market and distribute specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. The Company's Specialty Brands reportable segment's areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology, ophthalmology and oncology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics; cultured skin substitutes and gastrointestinal products. Its Specialty Generics reportable segment includes specialty generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the Company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES This press release contains financial measures, including adjusted EBITDA, adjusted gross profit, adjusted SG&A, adjusted R&D, net sales growth on a constant-currency basis, and net debt, which are considered "non-GAAP" financial measures under applicable SEC rules and regulations. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income or loss prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP") and adjusted for certain items that management believes are not reflective of the operational performance of the business. Adjustments to GAAP amounts include, as applicable to each measure, interest expense, net; income taxes; depreciation; amortization; restructuring charges, net; non-restructuring impairment charges; discontinued operations; changes in fair value of contingent consideration obligations; significant legal and environmental charges; separation costs; unrealized gain or loss on equity investment; reorganization items, net; share-based compensation; fresh-start inventory-related expenses; and other items identified by the company. Segment net sales growth on a constant-currency basis measures the change in segment net sales between current- and prior-year periods using a constant currency, the exchange rate in effect during the applicable prior-year period. Net debt as of July 1, 2022 represents the total principal debt outstanding of $3.604 billion, less cash of $354.7 million, each as prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company has provided these adjusted financial measures because they are used by management, along with financial measures in accordance with GAAP, to evaluate the company's operating performance. In addition, the company believes that they will be used by certain investors to measure Mallinckrodt's operating results. Management believes that presenting these adjusted measures provides useful information about the company's performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that the company does not believe are indicative of its core operating performance. These adjusted measures should be considered supplemental to and not a substitute for financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company's definition of these adjusted measures may differ from similarly titled measures used by others. Because adjusted financial measures exclude the effect of items that will increase or decrease the company's reported results of operations, management strongly encourages investors to review the company's consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety. A reconciliation of certain of these historical adjusted financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included in the tables accompanying this release. Further information regarding non-GAAP financial measures can be found on the Investor Relations page of the company's website. Predecessor Successor Presentation Our financial results for the period June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 reflects the Successor period, while the period April 2, 2022 through, and including, June 16, 2022 and the period January 1, 2022 through, and including, June 16, 2022 reflects the Predecessor periods. As a result of the application of fresh-start accounting, our financial statements for periods prior to the Effective Date are not comparable to those for periods subsequent to the Effective Date. Operating results for the Successor and Predecessor periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full fiscal year. Our results of operations as reported in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the Successor and Predecessor periods are in accordance with GAAP. The presentation of the combined financial information of the Predecessor and Successor for the three and six months ended July 1, 2022 is not in accordance with GAAP. However, we believe that for purposes of discussion and analysis, the combined financial information is useful for management and investors to assess our ongoing financial and operational performance and trends. Accordingly, in addition to presenting our results of operations as reported in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, certain tables and discussion included within this release also present the combined results for the three and six months ended July 1, 2022. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELATED TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements in this document that are not strictly historical, including statements regarding future financial condition and operating results, legal, economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Mallinckrodt's businesses, and any other statements regarding events or developments Mallinckrodt believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, may be "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks and uncertainties related to, among other things: the effects of the Chapter 11 cases on the liquidity, results of operations and businesses of Mallinckrodt and its subsidiaries; governmental investigations and inquiries, regulatory actions and lawsuits brought against Mallinckrodt by government agencies and private parties with respect to its historical commercialization of opioids, including the agreement set forth in the Plan regarding a global settlement to resolve all opioid-related claims; the settlement set forth in the Plan with governmental parties to resolve certain disputes relating to Acthar Gel; the ability to maintain relationships with Mallinckrodt's suppliers, customers, employees and other third parties as a result of, and following, the Chapter 11 cases; the possibility that Mallinckrodt may be unable to achieve its business and strategic goals even now that the Plan is successfully consummated; the non-dischargeability of certain claims against Mallinckrodt as part of the bankruptcy process; developing, funding and executing Mallinckrodt's business plan and continuing as a going concern; Mallinckrodt's post-bankruptcy capital structure; scrutiny from governments, legislative bodies and enforcement agencies related to sales, marketing and pricing practices; pricing pressure on certain of Mallinckrodt's products due to legal changes or changes in insurers' reimbursement practices resulting from recent increased public scrutiny of healthcare and pharmaceutical costs; the impact of the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus; the reimbursement practices of governmental health administration authorities, private health coverage insurers and other third-party payers; complex reporting and payment obligations under the Medicare and Medicaid rebate programs and other governmental purchasing and rebate programs; cost containment efforts of customers, purchasing groups, third-party payers and governmental organizations; changes in or failure to comply with relevant laws and regulations; Mallinckrodt's and its partners' ability to successfully develop or commercialize new products or expand commercial opportunities; Mallinckrodt's ability to navigate price fluctuations; competition; Mallinckrodt's and its partners' ability to protect intellectual property rights; limited clinical trial data for Acthar Gel; clinical studies and related regulatory processes; product liability losses and other litigation liability; material health, safety and environmental liabilities; potential indemnification liabilities to Covidien pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement; business development activities; retention of key personnel; the effectiveness of information technology infrastructure including cybersecurity and data leakage risks; customer concentration; Mallinckrodt's reliance on certain individual products that are material to its financial performance; Mallinckrodt's ability to receive procurement and production quotas granted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; complex manufacturing processes; conducting business internationally; Mallinckrodt's ability to achieve expected benefits from restructuring activities; Mallinckrodt's significant levels of intangible assets and related impairment testing; labor and employment laws and regulations; natural disasters or other catastrophic events; Mallinckrodt's substantial indebtedness, its ability to generate sufficient cash to reduce its indebtedness and its potential need and ability to incur further indebtedness; Mallinckrodt's ability to generate sufficient cash to service indebtedness even now that the prepetition indebtedness has been restructured; restrictions on Mallinckrodt's operations contained in the agreements governing Mallinckrodt's indebtedness; Mallinckrodt's variable rate indebtedness; future changes to U.S. and foreign tax laws or the impact of disputes with governmental tax authorities; and the impact of Irish laws. The "Risk Factors" section of Mallinckrodt's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC identify and describe in more detail the risks and uncertainties to which Mallinckrodt's businesses are subject. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date hereof and Mallinckrodt does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law. CONTACTS Investor Relations Daniel J. Speciale Global Corporate Controller and Chief Investor Relations Officer 314-302-6567 [email protected] Derek Belz Vice President, Investor Relations 314-654-3950 [email protected] Media Michael Freitag / Aaron Palash / Aura Reinhard Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher (212) 355-4449 Mallinckrodt, the "M" brand mark and the Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals logo are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company. Other brands are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company or their respective owners. 2022 08/22. Exhibit 99.1 MALLINCKRODT PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited, in millions, except per share data) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent of Net sales Percent of Net sales Percent of Net sales Net sales $ 85.0 100.0 % $ 383.7 100.0 % $ 546.4 100.0 % Cost of sales 102.2 120.2 266.8 69.5 331.6 60.7 Gross (loss) profit (17.2) (20.2) 116.9 32.0 214.8 39.3 Selling, general and administrative expenses 30.3 35.6 122.8 7.4 145.0 26.5 Research and development expenses 6.2 7.3 28.3 0.7 52.8 9.7 Restructuring charges, net 1.1 1.3 2.8 0.7 6.1 1.1 Operating (loss) income (54.8) (64.5) (37.0) (9.6) 10.9 2.0 Interest expense (21.1) (24.8) (50.4) (13.1) (52.4) (9.6) Interest income 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 Other income (expense), net 5.9 6.9 (10.5) (2.7) 11.3 2.1 Reorganization items, net (3.5) (4.1) (587.5) (153.1) (109.5) (20.0) Loss from continuing operations before income taxes (73.4) (86.4) (685.2) (178.6) (139.7) (25.6) Income tax benefit (9.7) (11.4) (491.4) (128.1) (33.5) (6.1) Loss from continuing operations (63.7) (74.9) (193.8) (50.5) (106.2) (19.4) Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.1 Net loss $ (63.7) (74.9) % $ (193.5) (50.4) % $ (105.8) (19.4) % Basic and diluted loss per share: Loss from continuing operations $ (4.83) $ (2.29) $ (1.25) Income from discontinued operations Net loss $ (4.83) $ (2.28) $ (1.25) Weighted-average number of shares outstanding Basic and diluted 13.2 84.8 84.7 MALLINCKRODT PLC CONSOLIDATED ADJUSTED EBITDA (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Gross (Loss) Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Net loss $ (17.2) $ 30.3 $ 6.2 $ (63.7) $ 116.9 $ 122.8 $ 28.3 $ (193.5) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 21.0 50.2 Income taxes (9.7) (491.4) Depreciation 2.2 (0.5) (0.2) 2.9 14.6 (2.6) (0.7) 17.9 Amortization 45.5 45.5 126.0 (0.7) 126.7 Restructuring charges, net 1.1 2.8 Income from discontinued operations (0.3) Change in contingent consideration fair value (0.1) 0.1 Separation costs (1) (9.2) 9.2 (7.0) 7.0 Unrealized (gain) loss on equity investment (6.0) 18.5 Reorganization items, net 3.5 587.5 Share-based compensation (0.3) (0.2) 0.5 Fresh-start inventory-related expense (2) 26.5 26.5 As adjusted: $ 57.0 $ 20.6 $ 6.0 $ 30.3 $ 257.5 $ 112.1 $ 27.4 $ 126.0 Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Three Months Ended July 1, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Net loss $ 99.7 $ 153.1 $ 34.5 $ (257.2) $ 214.8 $ 145.0 $ 52.8 $ (105.8) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 71.2 52.4 Income taxes (501.1) (33.5) Depreciation 16.8 (3.1) (0.9) 20.8 17.0 (4.3) (1.5) 22.8 Amortization 171.5 (0.7) 172.2 144.4 (0.8) 145.2 Restructuring charges, net 3.9 6.1 Income from discontinued operations (0.3) (0.4) Change in contingent consideration fair value (0.1) 0.1 (5.3) 5.3 Separation costs (1) (16.2) 16.2 (0.3) 0.3 Unrealized loss (gain) on equity investment 12.5 (4.8) Reorganization items, net 591.0 109.5 Share-based compensation (0.3) (0.2) 0.5 0.1 (1.9) (0.4) 2.4 Fresh-start inventory-related expense (2) 26.5 26.5 As adjusted: $ 314.5 $ 132.7 $ 33.4 $ 156.3 $ 376.3 $ 132.4 $ 50.9 $ 199.5 (1) Represents costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily related to expenses incurred related to the Predecessor directors and officers' policy and severance for the former CEO of the Predecessor, in addition to professional fees and costs incurred as the Company explores potential sales of non-core assets to enable further deleveraging post-emergence. (2) Includes $24.1 million and $2.4 million of inventory fair-value step up expense and fresh-start inventory-related expense related to a change in accounting estimate, respectively, during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. MALLINCKRODT PLC SEGMENT OPERATING INCOME (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Specialty Brands (1) $ 4.5 $ 102.4 $ 186.6 Specialty Generics (2) 0.3 30.9 26.9 Segment operating income 4.8 133.3 213.5 Unallocated amounts: Corporate and unallocated expenses (3) (0.9) (15.4) (25.7) Depreciation and amortization (48.4) (144.6) (168.1) Share-based compensation (0.5) (2.4) Restructuring charges, net (1.1) (2.8) (6.1) Separation costs (4) (9.2) (7.0) (0.3) Operating (loss) income $ (54.8) $ (37.0) $ 10.9 (1) Includes $21.3 million of inventory fair-value step up expense during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. (2) Includes $2.8 million and $2.4 million of inventory fair-value step up expense and fresh-start inventory-related expense related to a change in accounting estimate, respectively, during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. (3) Includes administration expenses and certain compensation, legal, environmental and other costs not charged to the Company's reportable segments. (4) Represents costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily related to expenses incurred related to the Predecessor directors and officers' policy and severance for the former CEO of the Predecessor, in addition to professional fees and costs incurred as the Company explores potential sales of non-core assets to enable further deleveraging post-emergence. MALLINCKRODT PLC SEGMENT NET SALES (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Specialty Brands $ 58.2 $ 247.7 $ 381.5 Specialty Generics 26.8 136.0 164.9 Net sales $ 85.0 $ 383.7 $ 546.4 MALLINCKRODT PLC SEGMENT NET SALES AND CONSTANT-CURRENCY GROWTH (unaudited, in millions) Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Three Months Ended July 1, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent change Currency impact Constant- currency growth Specialty Brands $ 305.9 $ 381.5 (19.8) % (0.6) % (19.2) % Specialty Generics 162.8 164.9 (1.3) (0.1) (1.2) Net sales $ 468.7 $ 546.4 (14.2) % (0.4) % (13.8) % MALLINCKRODT PLC SELECT PRODUCT LINE NET SALES (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Specialty Brands Acthar Gel $ 27.5 $ 94.2 $ 151.5 INOmax 13.5 66.8 105.9 Ofirmev (0.2) (0.1) 6.5 Therakos 10.2 49.7 68.5 Amitiza 5.8 33.8 44.8 Other 1.4 3.3 4.3 Specialty Brands Total 58.2 247.7 381.5 Specialty Generics Opioids 8.7 38.8 53.8 ADHD 1.8 6.8 7.8 Addiction treatment 2.5 14.1 16.0 Other 0.1 2.0 3.6 Generics 13.1 61.7 81.2 Controlled substances 1.7 17.2 25.6 APAP 11.3 50.2 51.7 Other 0.7 6.9 6.4 API 13.7 74.3 83.7 Specialty Generics 26.8 136.0 164.9 Net sales $ 85.0 $ 383.7 $ 546.4 MALLINCKRODT PLC SELECT PRODUCT LINE NET SALES AND CONSTANT-CURRENCY GROWTH (unaudited, in millions) Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Three Months Ended July 1, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent change Currency impact Constant- currency growth Specialty Brands Acthar Gel $ 121.7 $ 151.5 (19.7) % % (19.7) % INOmax 80.3 105.9 (24.2) (0.1) (24.1) Ofirmev (0.3) 6.5 (104.6) (104.6) Therakos 59.9 68.5 (12.6) (2.9) (9.7) Amitiza 39.6 44.8 (11.6) (11.6) Other 4.7 4.3 9.3 9.3 Specialty Brands Total 305.9 381.5 (19.8) (0.6) (19.2) Specialty Generics Opioids 47.5 53.8 (11.7) (11.7) ADHD 8.6 7.8 10.3 10.3 Addiction treatment 16.6 15.9 4.4 (0.8) 5.2 Other 2.1 3.6 (41.7) (41.7) Generics 74.8 81.1 (7.8) (0.1) (7.7) Controlled substances 18.9 25.6 (26.2) (26.2) APAP 61.5 51.7 19.0 19.0 Other 7.6 6.5 16.9 16.9 API 88.0 83.8 5.0 5.0 Specialty Generics 162.8 164.9 (1.3) (0.1) (1.2) Net sales $ 468.7 $ 546.4 (14.2) (0.4) (13.8) MALLINCKRODT PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited, in millions, except per share data) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from January 1, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent of Net sales Percent of Net sales Percent of Net sales Net sales $ 85.0 100.0 % $ 874.6 100.0 % $ 1,104.4 100.0 % Cost of sales 102.2 120.2 582.0 66.5 639.2 57.9 Gross (loss) profit (17.2) (20.2) 292.6 33.5 465.2 42.1 Selling, general and administrative expenses 30.3 35.6 275.3 31.5 281.0 25.4 Research and development expenses 6.2 7.3 65.5 7.5 119.0 10.8 Restructuring charges, net 1.1 1.3 9.6 1.1 6.5 0.6 Non-restructuring impairment charges 64.5 5.8 Losses on divestiture 0.8 0.1 Operating loss (54.8) (64.5) (57.8) (6.6) (6.6) (0.6) Interest expense (21.1) (24.8) (108.6) (12.4) (112.0) (10.1) Interest income 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.1 1.9 0.2 Other income (expense), net 5.9 6.9 (14.6) (1.7) 19.4 1.8 Reorganization items, net (3.5) (4.1) (630.9) (72.1) (203.0) (18.4) Loss from continuing operations before income taxes (73.4) (86.4) (811.3) (92.8) (300.3) (27.2) Income tax benefit (9.7) (11.4) (497.3) (56.9) (49.9) (4.5) Loss from continuing operations (63.7) (74.9) (314.0) (35.9) (250.4) (22.7) Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes 0.9 0.1 0.7 0.1 Net loss $ (63.7) (74.9) % $ (313.1) (35.8) % $ (249.7) (22.6) % Basic and diluted loss per share: Loss from continuing operations $ (4.83) $ (3.70) $ (2.96) Income from discontinued operations 0.01 0.01 Net loss $ (4.83) $ (3.69) $ (2.95) Weighted-average number of shares outstanding: Basic and diluted 13.2 84.8 84.7 MALLINCKRODT PLC CONSOLIDATED ADJUSTED EBITDA (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from January 1, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Net loss $ (17.2) $ 30.3 $ 6.2 $ (63.7) $ 292.6 $ 275.3 $ 65.5 $ (313.1) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 21.0 108.0 Income tax benefit (9.7) (497.3) Depreciation 2.2 (0.5) (0.2) 2.9 32.7 (5.7) (1.6) 40.0 Amortization 45.5 45.5 280.2 (1.6) 281.8 Restructuring charges, net 1.1 9.6 Income from discontinued operations (0.9) Significant legal and environmental charges (11.1) 11.1 Separation costs (1) (9.2) 9.2 (9.0) 9.0 Unrealized (gain) loss on equity investment (6.0) 22.2 Reorganization items, net 3.5 630.9 Share-based compensation 0.1 (1.3) (0.3) 1.7 Fresh-start inventory-related expense (2) 26.5 26.5 As adjusted: $ 57.0 $ 20.6 $ 6.0 $ 30.3 $ 605.6 $ 246.6 $ 63.6 $ 303.0 Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Six Months Ended July 1, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Net loss $ 275.4 $ 305.6 $ 71.7 $ (376.8) $ 465.2 $ 281.0 $ 119.0 $ (249.7) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 129.0 110.1 Income tax benefit (507.0) (49.9) Depreciation 34.9 (6.2) (1.8) 42.9 34.9 (9.1) (3.1) 47.1 Amortization 325.7 (1.6) 327.3 288.8 (1.7) 290.5 Restructuring charges, net 10.7 6.5 Non-restructuring impairment charges 64.5 Income from discontinued operations (0.9) (0.7) Change in contingent consideration fair value 5.5 (5.5) Significant legal and environmental charges (11.1) 11.1 Losses on divestiture 0.8 Separation costs (1) (18.2) 18.2 (0.9) 0.9 Unrealized loss (gain) on equity investment 16.2 (11.7) Reorganization items, net 634.4 203.0 Share-based compensation 0.1 (1.3) (0.3) 1.7 0.3 (4.7) (1.0) 6.0 Fresh-start inventory-related expense (2) 26.5 26.5 As adjusted: $ 662.6 $ 267.2 $ 69.6 $ 333.3 $ 789.2 $ 270.1 $ 114.9 $ 411.9 (1) Represents costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily related to expenses incurred related to the Predecessor directors and officers' policy and severance for the former CEO of the Predecessor, in addition to professional fees and costs incurred as the Company explores potential sales of non-core assets to enable further deleveraging post-emergence. (2) Includes $24.1 million and $2.4 million of inventory fair-value step up expense and fresh-start inventory-related expense related to a change in accounting estimate, respectively, during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. MALLINCKRODT PLC SEGMENT OPERATING INCOME (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from January 1, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Specialty Brands (1) $ 4.5 $ 267.2 $ 398.7 Specialty Generics (2) 0.3 65.3 58.6 Segment operating income 4.8 332.5 457.3 Unallocated amounts: Corporate and unallocated expenses (3) (0.9) (48.2) (48.3) Depreciation and amortization (48.4) (321.8) (337.7) Share-based compensation (1.7) (6.0) Restructuring charges, net (1.1) (9.6) (6.5) Non-restructuring impairment charges (64.5) Separation costs (4) (9.2) (9.0) (0.9) Operating loss $ (54.8) $ (57.8) $ (6.6) (1) Includes $21.3 million of inventory fair-value step up expense during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. (2) Includes $2.8 million and $2.4 million of inventory fair-value step up expense and fresh-start inventory-related expense related to a change in accounting estimate, respectively, during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. (3) Includes administration expenses and certain compensation, legal, environmental and other costs not charged to the Company's reportable segments. (4) Represents costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily related to expenses incurred related to the Predecessor directors and officers' policy and severance for the former CEO of the Predecessor, in addition to professional fees and costs incurred as the Company explores potential sales of non-core assets to enable further deleveraging post-emergence. MALLINCKRODT PLC SEGMENT NET SALES (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from January 1, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Specialty Brands $ 58.2 $ 587.1 $ 789.9 Specialty Generics 26.8 287.5 314.5 Net sales $ 85.0 $ 874.6 $ 1,104.4 MALLINCKRODT PLC SEGMENT NET SALES AND CONSTANT-CURRENCY GROWTH (unaudited, in millions) Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Six Months Ended July 1, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent change Currency impact Constant- currency growth Specialty Brands $ 645.3 $ 789.9 (18.3) % (0.4) % (17.9) % Specialty Generics 314.3 314.5 (0.1) % (0.1) Net sales $ 959.6 $ 1,104.4 (13.1) % (0.3) % (12.8) % MALLINCKRODT PLC SELECT PRODUCT LINE NET SALES (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from January 1, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Specialty Brands Acthar Gel $ 27.5 $ 221.9 $ 280.5 INOmax 13.5 165.8 239.9 Ofirmev (0.2) 2.5 19.3 Therakos 10.2 109.6 135.3 Amitiza 5.8 81.5 106.2 Other 1.4 5.8 8.7 Specialty Brands Total 58.2 587.1 789.9 Specialty Generics Opioids 8.7 88.8 108.5 ADHD 1.8 17.5 16.1 Addiction treatment 2.5 30.0 32.4 Other 0.1 4.9 5.5 Generics 13.1 141.2 162.5 Controlled substances 1.7 37.6 43.0 APAP 11.3 96.5 97.2 Other 0.7 12.2 11.8 API 13.7 146.3 152.0 Specialty Generics 26.8 287.5 314.5 Net sales $ 85.0 $ 874.6 $ 1,104.4 MALLINCKRODT PLC SELECT PRODUCT LINE NET SALES AND CONSTANT-CURRENCY GROWTH (unaudited, in millions) Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Six Months Ended July 1, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent change Currency impact Constant- currency growth Specialty Brands Acthar Gel $ 249.4 $ 280.5 (11.1) % % (11.1) % INOmax 179.3 239.9 (25.3) (0.1) (25.2) Ofirmev 2.3 19.3 (88.1) (88.1) Therakos 119.8 135.3 (11.5) (2.3) (9.2) Amitiza 87.3 106.2 (17.8) (17.8) Other 7.2 8.7 (17.2) (17.2) Specialty Brands Total 645.3 789.9 (18.3) (0.4) (17.9) Specialty Generics Opioids 97.5 108.5 (10.1) (10.1) ADHD 19.3 16.1 19.9 19.9 Addiction treatment 32.5 32.4 0.3 (0.4) 0.7 Other 5.0 5.5 (9.1) (9.1) Generics 154.3 162.5 (5.0) (0.1) (4.9) Controlled substances 39.3 43.0 (8.6) (8.6) APAP 107.8 97.2 10.9 10.9 Other 12.9 11.8 9.3 9.3 API 160.0 152.0 5.3 5.3 Specialty Generics 314.3 314.5 (0.1) (0.1) Net sales $ 959.6 $ 1,104.4 (13.1) % (0.3) % (12.8) % MALLINCKRODT PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor July 1, 2022 December 31, 2021 Assets Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 354.7 $ 1,345.0 Accounts receivable, net 370.4 439.1 Inventories 1,201.2 347.2 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 344.2 178.3 Total current assets 2,270.5 2,309.6 Property, plant and equipment, net 448.2 776.0 Intangible assets, net 3,106.7 5,448.4 Deferred income taxes 459.8 Other assets 200.7 382.3 Total Assets $ 6,485.9 $ 8,916.3 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Current maturities of long-term debt $ 44.1 $ 1,388.9 Accounts payable 89.4 123.0 Accrued payroll and payroll-related costs 63.9 84.6 Accrued interest 21.2 17.0 Acthar Gel-Related Settlement 16.5 Opioid-Related Litigation Settlement liability 200.0 Accrued and other current liabilities 326.5 328.7 Total current liabilities 761.6 1,942.2 Long-term debt 3,025.5 Acthar Gel-Related Settlement 67.2 Opioid-Related Litigation Settlement liability 307.6 Pension and postretirement benefits 54.8 30.1 Environmental liabilities 37.2 43.0 Deferred income taxes 1.4 20.9 Other income tax liabilities 14.0 83.2 Other liabilities 78.4 85.8 Liabilities subject to compromise 6,397.7 Total Liabilities 4,347.7 8,602.9 Shareholders' Equity: Preferred shares Ordinary shares 0.1 18.9 Ordinary shares held in treasury at cost (1,616.1) Additional paid-in capital 2,203.5 5,597.8 Retained deficit (63.7) (3,678.9) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1.7) (8.3) Total Shareholders' Equity 2,138.2 313.4 Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity $ 6,485.9 $ 8,916.3 MALLINCKRODT PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from January 1, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Six Months Ended June 25, 2021 Cash Flows From Operating Activities: Net loss $ (63.7) $ (313.1) $ (249.7) Adjustments to reconcile net cash from operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 48.4 321.8 337.6 Share-based compensation 1.7 6.0 Deferred income taxes (6.4) (473.0) (13.2) Non-cash impairment charges 64.5 Reorganization items, net 425.4 15.7 Other non-cash items 1.6 35.3 (15.5) Changes in assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 17.0 49.8 89.0 Inventories 24.6 (33.2) (14.3) Accounts payable (11.7) (3.6) (2.3) Income taxes (4.1) (26.9) 22.8 Acthar-Gel-Related Settlement (3.2) Payments of claims (629.0) Other (21.2) 2.5 86.6 Net cash from operating activities (15.5) (642.3) 324.0 Cash Flows From Investing Activities: Capital expenditures (3.7) (33.4) (29.2) Proceeds from divestitures, net of cash 65.0 15.7 Other 0.4 0.3 Net cash from investing activities 61.3 (33.0) (13.2) Cash Flows From Financing Activities: Issuance of external debt 650.0 Repayment of external debt (1.7) (904.6) (123.5) Debt financing costs (24.1) Net cash from financing activities (1.7) (278.7) (123.5) Effect of currency rate changes on cash (0.2) (3.9) 0.3 Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 43.9 (957.9) 187.6 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 447.3 1,405.2 1,127.0 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 491.2 $ 447.3 $ 1,314.6 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 354.7 $ 297.9 $ 1,254.9 Restricted cash included in prepaid expenses and other current assets at end of period 100.1 113.0 23.4 Restricted cash included in other long-term assets at end of period 36.4 36.4 36.3 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 491.2 $ 447.3 $ 1,314.6 ____________________ 1 As a result of emerging from Chapter 11, the Company's second quarter ended July 1, 2022, includes a predecessor period from April 2, 2022, to June 16, 2022, and a successor period from June 17, 2022 to July 1, 2022. Unless otherwise noted, the quarterly comparisons are the predecessor and successor periods combined as compared to the second quarter ended June 25, 2021. SOURCE Mallinckrodt plc Boersen to Be Youngest Chair in History of CFP Board WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced today that it has elected Matthew Boersen, CFP as its 2023 Board chair-elect. Matthew Boersen, CFP Boersen is the Managing Partner at Straight Path Wealth Management, a registered investment advisory firm based just outside of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He leads a team of advisors who provide financial planning, investment advisory services and integrated tax advice to individuals. He also heads Straight Path Tax and Accounting Solutions, an accounting and tax practice that also provides small-business consulting services. "Matt is an outstanding leader who represents the next generation of financial planners," said Board of Directors Chair Kamila Elliott, CFP. "As one of the youngest directors in the history of CFP Board, Matt is focused on creating an attractive career path for future financial planning professionals." Boersen, 34, began his career in financial planning early, interning at an independent firm during his sophomore year in college and then getting licensed his senior year of college. In 2011, he founded Straight Path Wealth Management from the home he and his wife had just purchased, converting the business to an RIA in 2013. In 2014, he started an accounting and tax practice, further expanding his business. Today, his firm has a team of 11 based outside of Grand Rapids. Boersen joined CFP Board as a Board Director in 2020 and currently serves as a Chair of the Finance and Investments Committee as well as a member of the CEO Oversight and Compensation Committee. He was recognized by InvestmentNews as a member of the 2020 class of 40 Under 40. "I am incredibly honored to be elected 2023 Board chair-elect by my colleagues on the Board of Directors," said Boersen. "There has never been a better or more exciting time to be in this profession, and I'm excited to work with my fellow Board members and the staff at CFP Board to expand access to competent and ethical financial planners by increasing the number and diversity of CFP professionals." Over the years, Boersen has served on several nonprofit boards, including that of a private school. He currently serves on the Board of Directors and is Treasurer for Christian Mission Aid, an NGO that provides health care, community development services and ministry training in Kenya and South Sudan. Boersen earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Grand Valley State University. He earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification in 2014 and holds the CFA designation as well. Active in pro bono financial planning through his church, Boersen, lives in Jenison, Michigan, with his wife and three children. The Board of Directors elected Boersen as chair-elect at its July 2022 meeting. Current chair-elect Daniel Moisand, CFP will serve as chair of the Board of Directors in 2023, and Boersen will become chair of the Board in 2024. ABOUT CFP BOARD Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is a professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board sets standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CFP certification one of the most respected certifications in financial services so that the public has access to and benefits from competent and ethical financial planning. CFP Board, along with its Center for Financial Planning, is committed to increasing the public's awareness of CFP certification and access to a diverse, ethical and competent financial planning workforce. Widely recognized by firms as the standard for financial planning, CFP certification is held by more than 93,000 people in the United States. SOURCE Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. McGruff and Scruff recruit a new generation to Take A Bite Out of Crime WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- McGruff the Crime Dog and his nephew, Scruff, make their 3D debut in a new public service announcement aimed at taking a bite out of the sale of dangerous fake products. The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have joined forces on the Go For Real campaign, including the release of a new public service announcement (PSA). This new PSA will be seen by millions in both English and Spanish on television, social media, and other creative ways. USPTO (PRNewsfoto/National Crime Prevention Counc) "Parents across the U.S. grew up with the iconic Crime Dog and they want McGruff to help keep their kids safe," said Paul DelPonte, Executive Director of NCPC. "This new public service announcement delivers an important message alerting people of all ages about the hazards caused by the widespread prevalence of fake products." A dupe "McGruff" makes an appearance in the PSA and attempts to encourage a group of teens and tweens to buy cheap counterfeit goods. Scruff spots and exposes the imposter crime dog while the genuine McGruff outlines the dangers inherent in fake products. "The sale of fake products is a vast global criminal enterprise," said Kathi Vidal, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. "The USPTO is excited to team with this modernized McGruff to take a bite out this 21st century crime that puts the health and safety of millions at risks, jeopardizes American businesses and the millions of workers they employ, and threatens American competitiveness worldwide. Protecting legitimate brands is vital to ensuring a safe and stable economy and we encourage all consumers to Go For Real." According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), more than $9 million worth of IP-infringing products are seized daily. While estimates vary on how much of the global trade is in counterfeits and the number of dupes available in both physical and online markets, most experts agree that: Counterfeits account for 3.3% to as much as 7.5% of global trade. Sales of counterfeits account for hundreds of billions of dollars annually, and will soon, if not already, cross the $1 trillion mark a year. Those numbers just keep mounting as a result of the exponential growth of global e-commerce. The FY 2021 CBP Trade and Travel Report emphasized the need for an e-commerce strategy, to protect Americans from counterfeits and unsafe imports. The Go For Real campaign and the accompanying PSA are intended to reach a new generation of Americans and educate them on how to become dupe detectives. The PSA was filmed at the Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles, Calif. This effort accompanies a higher profile for McGruff, who recently was featured in cameo performances in Disney's feature film "Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers", and the television show "Family Guy.". About the National Crime Prevention Council The nonprofit National Crime Prevention Council is home to McGruff the Crime Dog and has helped generations of Americans Take A Bite Out Of Crime through public education campaigns and advocating for public policies to make the U.S. safer. Follow NCPC on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. About the USPTO The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. In doing this, the USPTO fulfills the mandate of Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, of the Constitution that the legislative branch "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." The USPTO registers trademarks based on the commerce clause of the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3). Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is at the cutting edge of the nation's technological progress and achievement. Contact: Tatiana Peralta [email protected] 202-919-5544 SOURCE National Crime Prevention Council Contribution supports SIU's health equity initiatives, providing Springfield area residents with access to healthcare, disease awareness, and education CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meridian Health Plan of Illinois, Inc., a leading provider of government-sponsored managed care services in Illinois, and SIU Medicine, a publicly assisted medical school and clinical practice of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, announced today the impact of the Provider Quality Improvement Initiative grant of $500,000 awarded by Meridian to the institution last September. SIU School of Medicine has partnered with various churches and community organizations to launch Health DEPOTS, a program bringing health screening teams to underserved communities. The grant is the largest in SIU School of Medicine's Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion's (OEDI) history. It supports OEDI's innovative quality improvement programs, which aim to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes. The funds also support the promotion and development of an effective, efficient, diverse, and inclusive workforce and medical student body to enhance the delivery of culturally competent, person-centered healthcare services. Since the allocation of funds in September of 2021, SIU School of Medicine launched a new program called Health D.E.P.O.T.S., which stands for Delivering Equity Places Outside Traditional Settings, and in part of the overall health quality initiative, the program has given community members better access to health screenings, services, and information by placing healthcare professionals in popular locations around Springfield. The OEDI aims to educate, grow, connect, and advance its vast ecosystem, including several affinity groups, research and innovation, and an academic enhancement and medical pipeline, to name a few. "The Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is committed to the implementation of strategies for the School of Medicine that will enhance the diversity of our organization and advance our initiatives for inclusivity and equity. We will focus on equitable access and delivery of healthcare and on the promotion of equitable professional development," said Dr. Jerry Kruse, SIU Medicine CEO and SIU School of Medicine Dean and Provost. "The grant has given us the means to hire strategists to manage this change and drive this transformation. With our partners, we will strive to develop the workforce needed for widespread application of these plans." "Meridian is committed to supporting SIU's health equity programs to provide access and advocacy for better health for individuals throughout Illinois. Our grant directly supports SIU and its strategic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives," said Sherry Husa, Meridian CEO and Plan President. "We look forward to their continued success and the ongoing impact the funds will have on programs in support of students, faculty, clinical staff, and the diverse communities we collectively serve." Learn more about the SIU Medicine Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion programs at siumed.edu/diversity. About Meridian Health Plan of Illinois Meridian offers three managed care plans: the Meridian Medicaid Plan, the Meridian Medicare-Medicaid Plan, and the Meridian Managed Long-Term Services & Supports Plan. We connect members to care and offer comprehensive services to support lifelong health and wellness. Learn more at ILMeridian.com. About SIU Medicine SIU Medicine is committed to meeting the medical needs and optimizing health for individuals and the community. Based in Springfield and reaching across 66 Illinois counties, SIU Medicine is comprised of more than 500 healthcare providers who are dedicated to providing excellent medical care, advancing treatments through research, and training the next generation of doctors. As the region's premier healthcare provider, SIU Medicine offers both primary and specialized care and a full range of preventive and diagnostic services. SOURCE Meridian of Illinois One such OMK scholarship covers flight lessons for 12-year-old Ethan F. during his father's recovery. "This grant allows my son to explore his passion and possibly his future career as a pilot," said his father, a combat-injured U.S. Air Force Veteran. "It meant so much during my recovery to know that Ethan and his sister, Ryleigh, were meaningfully engaged in their activities thanks to OMK grants. It was the morale boost I didn't even know I needed." OMK's 2022 Annual Survey indicated that 97% of Combat Injured Program families and 84% of Deployed Program families would not have been able to afford their child's extracurricular activity without an OMK scholarship. "Lockheed Martin's sustained support has benefited thousands of military kids and teens that may not otherwise have these opportunities," said Kara Dallman, OMK Executive Director and retired Navy Veteran. "Our research shows that these activities positively impact kids' mental health, success in school, sense of community, and overall self-confidence. We thank Lockheed Martin for their investment that is shaping our future fighting force." For more information, please contact [email protected]. About Our Military Kids Our Military Kids recognizes the sacrifice of children of deployed National Guard, deployed Reserve, or post-9/11, combat-injured service members or Veterans by offering extracurricular activity grants that build children's self-confidence, enhance family wellness, and strengthen a shared sense of community. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. Please follow @LMNews on Twitter for the latest announcements and news across the corporation. SOURCE Our Military Kids WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Park Foundation is excited to announce a lead grant for the collective effort to improve the visitor experience at Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, thanks to the generous support of The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The more than $4.4 million grant will support renovation of the existing visitor center and outdoor area to create a welcoming and inclusive space to share culturally relevant content through exhibits and digital media in collaboration with Sitnasuak Native Corporation and affiliated tribes. This project will also create new and enhanced in-person and distance learning opportunities and strengthen relationships and engagement with Tribal communities. "The National Park Foundation is grateful to the Helmsley Charitable Trust for its ongoing commitment to expanding the visitor experience," said National Park Foundation President and CEO Will Shafroth. "The improved visitor center will share stories of the history and culture of Tribal communities of the Bering Straits Region whose knowledge of the land is as profound as the natural forces that shaped it." The grant builds on the support that the National Park Foundation and the Helmsley Charitable Trust have provided to enhance the visitor experience and expand educational opportunities through visitor center improvements at Badlands National Park and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, representing a philanthropic investment of more than $12 million in all. "Our national parks provide opportunities for people from around the world as well as right here in Alaska to engage with nature and understand important history, both natural and human," said Walter Panzirer, a Helmsley Trustee. "Helmsley is proud to again support the National Park Foundation to help enhance the visitor experience at what is more than a national park, but a national treasure." Specific to Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, located on the Seward Peninsula in the Bering Straits Region of northwest Alaska, the grant will fund new exhibits and a park film, enhance tribal engagement, and greatly increase in-person and distance education opportunities. "Quyanaq, thank you, to the Helmsley Charitable Trust for the generous support for Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Sitnasuak Native Corporation," said Jeanette Koelsch, Superintendent of Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. "This is a wonderful opportunity for tribes and the National Park Service to co-create the visitor experience." Bering Land Bridge National Preserve protects a small remnant of the land bridge that connected Asia and North America more than 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. The preserve offers unparalleled opportunities to experience vast arctic and coastal ecosystems, that are the homeland of the Inupiat. ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION The National Park Foundation works to protect wildlife and park lands, preserve history and culture, educate, and engage youth, and connect people everywhere to the wonder of parks. We do it in collaboration with the National Park Service, the park partner community, and with the generous support of donors, without whom our work would not be possible. Learn more at nationalparks.org. ABOUT THE HELMSLEY CHARITABLE TRUST The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $3 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. Learn more at helmsleytrust.org. SOURCE National Park Foundation Unfortunately, Property Management Firm May Not Be Able To Come Up With All of The Funds; Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LLP Is Looking Into Claims of Losses Involving Nelson Partners' Skyloft Austin Investors HOUSTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to attorneys for Greg Milligan, the Plan Administrator for liquidation proceedings involving luxury high rise student building Skyloft Austin, a court has approved on a final basis the liquidation plan that would require Nelson Partners Student Housing to pay investors $50M. Under the Stipulation and Plan of Liquidation, the real estate management firm will likely have to sell the majority of its almost 20 student housing real estate properties to come up with this money. The property management company's website notes that Nelson Partners owns off-campus student housing properties in multiple US States, including buildings close to Utah State University, Dixie State University, Washington State University, Colorado University, University of Oregon, Purdue University, Western Washington University, Arizona State University, West Virginia University, Montana State University, University of Northern Colorado, and Utah Valley University. Now, the property management company has 18 months to come up with the funds. $50M will be placed in a Trust and distributed to investors on a pro rata basis. While this liquidation deal will hopefully hold Nelson Partners accountable to investors, it is highly likely they will only be able to raise half of the money. Not only that but the property management firm has been having financial problems for some time now. Its CEO Patrick Nelson has been accused of running a Ponzi-like scam. This is why it is important that you consider filing your own Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitration claim against the broker-dealer that marketed and sold you this private placement real estate deal. Representing Skyloft Austin Investors Against Broker-Dealers Who Unsuitably Marketed Real Estate Private Placement Deal Our skilled real estate private placement attorneys have helped thousands of investors in Texas and around the US to recoup their losses caused by brokerage firm negligence or misconduct. If you are a Skyloft Austin investor and you would like to explore your legal options for pursuing a FINRA arbitration claim against your broker-dealer, contact SSEK Law Firm (inveastorlawyers.com) at (866) 901-3784. You can also speak with one of our Texas investor lawyers in Houston at (866) 901-4162 or Dallas at (214) 613-5306. SOURCE Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas LLP FAU Wins Major NSF Center with Columbia University, Rutgers University, University of Central Florida and Lehman College BOCA RATON, Fla., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Atlantic University's Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering ( I-SENSE ) and College of Engineering and Computer Science have landed a major National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) with Columbia University, Rutgers University, the University of Central Florida, and Lehman College. The new Engineering Research Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) will be supported for five years with $26 million; renewable for an additional five years, for a total of up to $52 million. The ERC program is NSF's flagship engineering program to catalyze convergent research to address large-scale societal challenges. As one of the most competitive research programs in the country, CS3 was selected from among hundreds of candidate centers. The nation's streetscapes - neighborhood streets, sidewalks and public spaces - define the character of American communities, linking people with social and commercial institutions, and bonding people across demographic identities. Streetscapes are prime sites for deploying engineering research to fortify society. A "smart streetscape" could instantly sense human behavior and guide disabled pedestrians, collect refuse, control pests, amplify emergency services, and protect people against environmental and health threats. "We are thrilled to receive this ERC award with our partners," said FAU President John Kelly . "CS3 will provide important pathways for universities, government, industry and community stakeholders to collaboratively improve quality of life, enhance social equity, and stimulate economic development through innovative and cutting-edge smart city technologies." CS3's mission is to advance livable, safe and inclusive communities through new streetscape applications built upon real-time and hyper-local streetscape intelligence. This will require fundamental engineering advancements in wireless/optical communications, edge/cloud computing, situational awareness, and privacy and security, while balancing public sphere data collection requirements with community-defined benefits. CS3 will apply these advancements across five application themes: Road Safety & Traffic Efficiency; Public Safety; Assistive Technologies; Future of Outdoor Work; and Hyper-Local Environments. The applications will be realized within three distinct urban environments, leveraging strong partnerships with community organizations and municipal agencies in Harlem, New York City; West Palm Beach, Florida; and New Brunswick, New Jersey. At FAU, CS3 builds upon a longstanding partnership with the City of West Palm Beach, developed through the West Palm Beach Mobility Intelligence Project, led by FAU's I-SENSE. Launched in 2019, and supported through the City of West Palm Beach, the Knight Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, the pedestrian mobility sensing project plays a central role in CS3. "Over the next decade, CS3 will bring a range of smart streetscape technologies to the City of West Palm Beach and position the city as a national leader in smart cities," said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. "These technologies will enable new streetscape applications designed to enhance livability, safety, and inclusivity across the West Palm Beach community - from enabling safer crosswalks, to improving transportation and parking, to assisting pedestrians with disabilities. The specific applications to be developed will be selected and guided through continuous public engagement." Christopher Roog, executive director of the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency, says that the City of West Palm Beach is excited to further strengthen its partnership with the CS3 team and to collaboratively chart the future of the nation's streetscapes. "Our team could not be more excited to embark on this path with our partners to advance the future of the nation's streetscapes, and to deliver fundamental improvements in the livability, safety, and inclusivity of American communities through engineering research and education," said Jason Hallstrom, Ph.D., executive director of I-SENSE, who serves as deputy director and chief research officer for CS3. The FAU team led by I-SENSE and the College Engineering and Computer Science comprises researchers, staff and students across the FAU community, including FAU's Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters , Charles E. Schmidt College of Science , the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry , and the Office of Equity and Inclusion . "This prestigious award is Florida Atlantic University's first designation as a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. It marks a significant milestone for I-SENSE, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and our entire university," said Daniel C. Flynn , Ph.D., FAU vice president for research . "The interdisciplinary nature of the project will serve as a catalyst for important scientific and technological advancements that will transform cities throughout our nation." Team-leads include Dimitris Pados , Ph.D., Schmidt Eminent Scholar Professor, FAU Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science , a fellow of FAU I-SENSE and director of the Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence; Jinwoo Jang , Ph.D., assistant professor, FAU Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and an I-SENSE fellow; Jiannan Zhai , Ph.D., research assistant professor, FAU I-SENSE; John Renne , Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science; Valentine Aalo , Ph.D., professor, FAU Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; and Donna Chamely-Wiik , Ph.D., associate dean for undergraduate research and prestigious fellowships, FAU Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry. Additional partners include 25 industry members, 13 community groups, 13 municipal agencies, 11 educational institutions, and two federal labs. "Together with Columbia University and our other core partners, FAU will co-lead smart city research and innovation, capitalizing on and growing our collective experience in sensing technologies, artificial intelligence, high-speed wireless communication, simulation and forecasting, among other areas of expertise," said Stella Batalama , Ph.D., dean, FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science. "Joining forces with our academic, government and industry partners will help to ensure the rapid translation of these technologies for wide-use applications and fruitful economic impact." The ERC for Smart Streetscapes positions academic and non-academic stakeholders - urban residents, institutional leaders, students, teachers and municipal resource managers - as co-producers of knowledge and auditors of technology research and development, forming a broad innovation ecosystem that explores the science, utility and humanity of engineering research. - FAU - About FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science: The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science is internationally recognized for cutting edge research and education in the areas of computer science and artificial intelligence (AI), computer engineering, electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, civil, environmental and geomatics engineering, mechanical engineering, and ocean engineering. Research conducted by the faculty and their teams expose students to technology innovations that push the current state-of-the art of the disciplines. The College research efforts are supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Education (DOEd), the State of Florida, and industry. The FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science offers degrees with a modern twist that bear specializations in areas of national priority such as AI, cybersecurity, internet-of-things, transportation and supply chain management, and data science. New degree programs include Master of Science in AI (first in Florida), Master of Science and Bachelor in Data Science and Analytics, and the new Professional Master of Science and Ph.D. in computer science for working professionals. For more information about the College, please visit eng.fau.edu . About FAU's Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering: The Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE) leads university-wide activities in Sensing and Smart Systems, one of Florida Atlantic University's four research pillars. The I-SENSE mission is to catalyze a culture of research excellence in Sensing and Smart Systems; to develop, demonstrate, and operate technological solutions with high societal impact; and to attract and support future generations of interdisciplinary researchers and practitioners. The mission is led by a robust interdisciplinary team comprising four staff members, nine faculty fellows, three postdoctoral researchers, more than 60 affiliated faculty, and more than two dozen supported students. About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu . ____________ Media Contacts: Gisele Galoustian Senior Media Relations Director, Research and Health [email protected] Mobile: 561-985-4615 SOURCE Florida Atlantic University Published in JAMDA, research is the first-ever study to evaluate a tunable solid-state (LED) lighting system as an intervention to reduce falls COTTAGE GROVE, Wis., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A first-of-its-kind, two-year study conducted by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Midwest Lighting Institute (MLI), showed a significant 43 percent reduction in the rate of falls in residents at long-term care facilities that utilized a tunable LED lighting system compared to control facilities that maintained standard lighting. The lighting was operated on a schedule developed by Midwest Light Institute that implements specific spectrum and intensity levels timed to regularize sleep-wake cycles and boost the daytime alerting effects of light. The results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA). "Falls among care home residents have major health and economic implications, and this study is the first of its kind to translate the known beneficial effects of tunable lighting on neurocognitive responses into a real-world setting and examine if changes in lighting spectrum and intensity throughout the day can reduce the risk of falls in the elderly," said Shadab Rahman, Ph.D. MPH, Investigator in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "We found that upgrading ambient lighting is a safe, effective, low-cost, low-burden preventative strategy to reduce fall risk in long-term care settings, one that has tremendous potential to save lives and improve patients' health and well-being." New Study Shows Innovative LED Lighting System Cuts Risk of Seniors Falling in Long-term Care Facilities by 43 Percent Tweet this Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in U.S. adults aged 65 and olderi , and the economic impact of falls is immense, with fatal falls estimated to cost $754 million, and non-fatal falls $50 billion annuallyii. Research has shown that blue-enriched, higher intensity light exposure during the day can improve alertness, cognition, and subsequent nighttime sleep, while blue-depleted lower intensity light exposure at night can help facilitate sleep. Implementing new lighting systems to determine if these improvements could impact patient outcomes had not previously been evaluated in a head-to-head study. "Fall prevention is a major public health priority given our aging population, and we know that the right lighting at the right time of day can improve alertness, cognition, and sleep, leading to fewer falls," said Rodney Heller, President of MLI and partner at Energy Performance Lighting. "We believe that utilizing modern lighting technology to regularize circadian rhythm could have an enormous impact on a range of health-related outcomes, and we plan to continue our research across other healthcare settings and into specific therapeutic areas." Study Design and Results The study, initiated by MLI and supported by the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services, was designed to assess the impact of a tunable lighting schedule on the rate of falls in long-term care home residents. The observational study examined two pairs of care homes (four sites total) with 758 residents. One site from each pair was selected for a solid-state tunable lighting system upgrade throughout the facility, while the other site served as a control. Energy Performance Lighting completed the installation at each of the experimental study sites. At the experimental sites, the intensity and spectrum were changed throughout the day to increase exposure to short-wavelength (blue light) during the day (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and decrease it overnight (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.). Intensity and spectrum did not change throughout the day at the control sites with standard lighting. The number of falls was aggregated from medical records covering approximately 126,000 resident days to compare the rate of falls per 1,000 resident days between the experimental and control conditions. Results indicated a similar rate of falls between experimental and control sites before the lighting upgrade (6.94 vs. 6.62 per 1,000 resident days; p=0.82), whereas following the upgrade, the rate of falls was significantly reduced by 43 percent at the experimental sites compared to the control sites (4.82 vs. 8.44 per 1,000 resident days; p=0.004). Midwest Lighting Institute's lighting system and its application is patented (US 11,109,467) by the United States Patent and Trademark office. About Midwest Lighting Institute Midwest Lighting Institute (MLI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to transferring laboratory research on light and human physiological response into real-world environments with the goal of speeding up the adoption of lighting methods that deliver healthier environments and lower operating costs. Through investments in research, studies, and patents, MLI believes that proper lighting can improve human health, productivity, and safety while creating an immediate positive impact on the adopting company's bottom line. MLI's mission is to take existing scientific findings about light and well-being and put those into practice in real buildings to benefit people's lives. i. Burns E, Kakara R. Deaths from falls among persons aged 65 years - United States, 2007- 2016. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(18):509-514. Florence CS, Bergen G, Atherly A, Burns E, Stevens J, Drake C. Medical costs of fatal and nonfatal falls in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018;66(4):693-698. ii. Florence CS, Bergen G, Atherly A, Burns E, Stevens J, Drake C. Medical costs of fatal and 269 nonfatal falls in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2018;66(4):693-698. SOURCE Midwest Lighting Institute New Zealand headquartered EdTech company WuKong Education has recently announced a full upgrade on its technological interactive exercise product which was integrating the company's "7-step Learning Method". Through the application of digital technology and the coverage of intelligent scenes, the same frequency of teaching and learning pace between teachers and students can be realized in and out of the classroom, which symbolizes the improvement of WuKong Education's technology and education ecosystem. AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, WuKong Education, a New Zealand based EdTech company, announced a new round of upgrades for its technological teaching assistant product "WuKong Interactive Exercise". Fully embodying WuKong's "7-step Learning Method", namely the seven key steps of "Previewing - Learning - Reviewing - Consolidating - Reflecting - Examing - Applying", the upgraded product effectively combines the process of "learning" and "practising" to strengthen students' learning effects with diversified, interesting and scientific learning forms, so that learners can firmly grasp what has been learnt and really enjoy the learning process. WuKong has initiated the research and development of its interactive exercise product in July 2021. In September 2021, the product was put into use in the graded reading courses of WuKong Chinese, a famous Chinese curriculum product under WuKong Education. In October 2021, it was applied to WuKong Math as well. Since the launch of the product, its functions experienced several rounds of upgrades and have been continuously optimized according to various learning and teaching needs. This round of upgrades further enriched the contents in the question bank. Furthermore, based on AI interaction, voice recognition and other technologies, in-class knowledge can be integrated into the lively and interesting interactive homework display page, so as to effectively satisfy students' personalised learning needs and after-class reviewing needs. The product can also meet the demands of 1-on-1 class, small class, large class and other classroom types, as well as students at different learning levels. On the other hand, the upgrade of interactive exercise product also provides convenience for teachers. Teachers from WuKong can leave feedback on the homework submitted by students in real time through the product's voice interaction function, which improves the efficiency of online teaching, shortens the process of homework feedback, and enables teachers and students to communicate more effectively after class. Mrs. Zhang, a Tsinghua University graduate who is currently teaching in WuKong Education, expressed her reflections on the upgraded product: "the WuKong Interactive Exercise can customize the exercise layout, automatically distribute homework in the system. Once the students submitted their exercises, I can also receive instant notifications and provide them with real time voice with feedback, which is really convenient and makes me feel like I'm getting closer to my students!" Practical cases of the integration of technology and education are not rare in recent years, and technological innovations have brought more possibilities to the online education industry. Under this background, more and more EdTech enterprises are injecting investments in their scientific and technological research and development, hoping to bring more intelligent education products and services to learners. WuKong Education is among this marching army as well. "Since 2019, our IT team has invested millions of funds in the research and development of technological platforms and data platforms. We have built the industry's leading teaching quality management system and intelligent learning situation tracking and analysing system. Based on the continuous expansion of the market and the increasing needs of our learners, we have developed a set of relatively mature teaching content systems and technology platforms to meet users' personalised learning needs." Cicy, Chief Education Officer of WuKong, said during the London EdTech Week. "We believe that for the majority of parents today, the most precious thing is to nurture their children's interest in learning. WuKong hopes to fully stimulate their children's interest and thinking in learning by means of technological empowerment. As one of the world's most popular education technology companies, our expectation is to help children grow happily and wisely, and to be a trusted companion in the learning process for families around the world." Cicy continues. SOURCE WuKong Education Manages thousands of agents in one control panel, with enhanced filters to reduce data for greater control, lower costs GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Open source telemetry innovator observIQ announces the general availability of BindPlane OP (observability pipeline), the first open source observability pipeline built specifically for OpenTelemetry . Enterprise-ready BindPlane OP provides the ability to control observability costs and simplify the management of telemetry agents at scale while avoiding vendor lock-in. observIQ BindPlane OP BindPlane OP addresses the growing challenge of increased data overwhelming the ability to meaningfully monitor the pipeline. It filters data, reducing the volume, for greater manageability and lowering the cost of unused data analytics. It also provides a single control plane for managing thousands of agents, with the ability to quickly deploy new agents, manage their configurations, and monitor their health in real-time. A critical piece of an observability pipeline is the ability to augment telemetry by filtering, sampling, and enriching data easily. BindPlane OP supports OpenTelemetry processors and metric toggling, unlocking full control of telemetry data. BindPlane OP removes the need for proprietary agents with native support for OpenTelemetry. It offers over 50 total integrations - including: Windows; Linux; VMware vCenter and ESXI; MongoDB, Kafka; SQL Server; Microsoft IIS; Apache HTTP; and Zookeeper and supports sending data to the most popular observability platforms. The OpenTelemetry collector can be deployed to all hosts and start gathering metrics, logs, and traces immediately. BindPlane OP can also be deployed behind a firewall, without a connection to observIQ. It works with OpenTelemetry using the new OpAMP protocol for agent management, with continued expanded support to other OSS agents. Quote from Mike Kelly, CEO of observIQ "One of our guiding principles with BindPlane OP is to make it simple for users to instrument once and send anywhere. Enterprises are looking for a way to manage the flood of observability data available and need a vendor-neutral solution supporting a multitude of observability tools. BindPlane OP solves these challenges." To learn more Download the GA and Join our Slack community. About observIQ observIQ develops fast, powerful and intuitive next-generation observability technologies for DevOps and ITOps built by engineers for engineers. Learn more at www.observiq.com . Contact: Ann O'Leary [email protected].com P: +1 650 996 0778 SOURCE observIQ BANGALORE, India, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Photomask Market is segmented By Type (Quartz Mask, Soda Mask, Toppan, Film), By Application (Semiconductor, Flat Panel Display, Touch Industry, Circuit Board) : Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Computers & Electronics Category. Photomask Market size was USD 4171 Million and it is expected to reach USD 5457.2 Million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 3.8% during 2021-2027. Major Factors Driving the Growth of Photomask Market The growing penetration of consumer electronics and the continuous development of semiconductors will drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. The advent of flat panel displays, miniaturization of chips, and circuit boards, along with the emergence of IoT will fuel the market growth in the coming years. Get Your Sample Today: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-19H687/Global_Photomask_Market TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE PHOTOMASK MARKET Digitization is accelerating rapidly through the continuous evolution of technologies such as artificial intelligence, automotive, power, and 5G networks. Semiconductors are at the heart of it playing a key role in the expansion of these industries. This fuels the need for photomasks for semiconductor fabrication in turn driving the growth of the photomask market. Additionally, the proliferation of IoT sensors has given rise to smart connected devices like TVs, laptops, and cars which require multiple masks during production. The arrangement of circuits and chips is transmitted accurately. The short lifespan of electronic devices and high memory requirements is bolstering the need for miniaturization and shorter chip sizes. Many companies are investing in photomasks due to improvements in operational efficiency, high accuracy, and timely order fulfillment. This will drive the growth of the photomask market during the forecast period. The shift in the display from LCD to LED, AMOLED, and demand for flat panel displays is driving the need for a newer set of photomasks. This will boost the growth of the photomask market in the coming years. Photomasks help in the miniaturization of smart device chips and computers. Creating precise images and specific general arrangements without a lithographic process is impossible. Hence newer systems are being introduced to handle the manufacturing of wireless computing devices. This will aid in the expansion of the global photomask market. 193nm extensions are being extended and ultraviolet lithography with multiple patterning/exposure technologies is being bought in the industry. Photomasks are extremely useful. However, there are certain issues. The equipment is expensive and is limited by the wavelength of light as it can be done only on flat substrates. This will hamper the growth of the photomask market. The process needs to be undertaken in a clean room that is free from airborne particulate and chemical contaminants. Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures At: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-19H687/global-photomask PHOTOMASK MARKET SHARE ANALYSIS: Based on type, the soda mask segment is expected to dominate in the photomask market share with 40%. Based on application, the semiconductor segment will witness considerable growth due to the rising adoption of these tools by semiconductor manufacturing companies. Based on region, Asia-Pacific will grow the highest during the forecast period due to high production and consumption in the semiconductor industry. China is the largest with a market share of 25% followed by Japan and the US both having a total share of 45%. Get Regional Data: https://reports.valuates.com/request/regional/QYRE-Auto-19H687/Global_Photomask_Market Key Companies: Hoya DNP SK-Electronics Toppan Photronics LG Innotek Compugraphics Photomask Solutions Taiwan Mask IGI Nippon Filcon HTA ShenZheng QingVi Plasma Therm Inquire for Chapter Cost: https://reports.valuates.com/request/chaptercost/QYRE-Auto-19H687/Global_Photomask_Market Buy Now for Single User + Covid-19 Impact : https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-19H687&lic=single-user SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. SIMILAR REPORTS: - The global Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Semiconductors market size is projected to reach USD 6290.7 million by 2027, from USD 750.4 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 35.5% during 2021-2027. - Fine Pixel Pitch LED Displays market size is estimated to be worth USD 2928.1 million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 4106.7 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.8% during the review period. - RF Power Semiconductor market size is estimated to be worth USD 21010 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 34660 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 8.7% during the review period. - Power Semiconductor market size was USD 43750 million and it is expected to reach USD 62800 million by the end of 2027, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.3% during the forecast period 2021-2027. - The global Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment market size is projected to reach USD 53200 million by 2027, from USD 39510 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 3.9% during 2021-2027. - Outdoor LED Displays market size is estimated to be worth USD 12290 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 19290 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 7.8% during the review period. - Flexible Printed Circuit Board market size is estimated to be worth USD 13130 million in 2022 and is forecast to be a readjusted size of USD 15760 million by 2028 with a CAGR of 3.1% during the review period. - Semiconductor Photomask market size was USD 4352 million and it is expected to reach USD 6203.3 million by the end of 2027, with a CAGR of 4.5% during 2021-2027. - Automotive Semiconductor market size is projected to reach USD 42140 million by 2028, from USD 31430 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 3.8% during 2022-2028. - IoT in Manufacturing market size is projected to reach USD 1148.9 million by 2028, from USD 550.2 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 10.6% during 2022-2028. - Global Quartz Photomask Sales Market Report 2021 - Global Soda Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Circuit Board Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Flat Panel Display Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global IC Photomask Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Photomask Equipment Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global Semiconductor Chemical Vapor Deposition Equipment Market Insights, Forecast to 2028 - Global and Japan LCP Flexible Printed Circuit Market Insights, Forecast to 2027 - Global 5G Printed Circuit Board Sales Market Report 2021 - Global Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Semiconductor Sales Market Report 2021 - Global Automotive Power Semiconductor Sales Market Report 2021 Click here to see related reports on Photomask Market ABOUT US: Valuates offers in-depth market insights into various industries. Our extensive report repository is constantly updated to meet your changing industry analysis needs. Our team of market analysts can help you select the best report covering your industry. We understand your niche region-specific requirements and that's why we offer customization of reports. With our customization in place, you can request for any particular information from a report that meets your market analysis needs. To achieve a consistent view of the market, data is gathered from various primary and secondary sources, at each step, data triangulation methodologies are applied to reduce deviance and find a consistent view of the market. Each sample we share contains a detailed research methodology employed to generate the report. Please also reach our sales team to get the complete list of our data sources. CONTACT US: Valuates Reports [email protected] For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 For IST Call +91-8040957137 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Twitter - https://twitter.com/valuatesreports LinkedIn - https://in.linkedin.com/company/valuatesreports Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg SOURCE Valuates Reports NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Worthy Books is to publish, A GIFT OF JOY AND HOPE by Pope Francis, in September 2022. In response to "the devastating loss the world faced during the pandemic", Pope Francis wants to the world to know that, even though the past few years have been extremely challenging, God is still joyful, and He wants us to be full of joy, and even in the dark times, the light of joy can shine bright. Worthy Books Beth Adams, editorial director at Worthy Books and Daisy Hutton, publisher at Worthy Books a division of Hachette Book Group in the US, in a joint deal with Katherine Venn, editorial director at Hodder Faith, pre-empted world English language rights from Luigi Bonomi at LBA Books, working on behalf of the Julianne Roderer Literary agency, Piengiorno Italy and the Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Already published in Italy at the end of 2020, it is Pope Francis' bestselling book to date there, Hodder says. Adams said: "We are so proud to be publishing this new book by Pope Francis, abounding with hope and inspiration." The Pope was inspired to write a book to help people find hope and meaning during the pandemic. A Gift of Joy and Hoperetitled from The Gift of a Smile in Italianis filled with thoughts and reflections on how to cope with the world we're currently in. From the anxieties of the age to the importance of nature, the publisher says it is an invitation to embrace authentic beauty and a reminder to be open to encountering God, even in the midst of challenges. Pope Francis encourages readers to change attitudes that exclude others; to reveal the deep dissatisfaction we all hide; and to overcome life's challenges with courage and faith. He also challenges us to hope without pessimism or doubt, to hope even in the midst of anxiety, to recognize the beauty all around them, and to let God show you how to deal with your doubts and fears. A Gift of Joy and Hope publishes in hardback on September 27th, 2022 in the US and Canada and two later in the UK. SOURCE Worthy Books The Port Authority and Clear Channel signed a 12-year contract in November 2020 for the advertising franchise at all Port Authority airports. Under the contract, Clear Channel committed to upgrade the airports' digital displays. Clear Channel is now in the process of completing that contract and modernizing the entire advertising program across Newark Liberty International, John F. Kennedy International, New York Stewart International and LaGuardia airports, with over 95 percent of the overall investment going into highly impactful digital displays. An award-winning digital media program was completed at LaGuardia Airport's Terminal B earlier this year, with cutting-edge digital displays now coming to EWR and JFK later this year. Specifically, the new all-digital displays in Terminal C feature: Two unique 50+ foot-wide head-on, 90-degree corner LED soffits, a first and the largest digital asset CCA has ever installed in an airport; An iconic 43-foot-wide video wall at eye-level, one of the largest of its kind; Six large LED displays positioned within key gate-hold areas; A network of 98-inch ultra-high-definition displays on the way to and from piers; Two head-on large format video walls as you descend into baggage claim; and A network of 75-inch portrait ultra-high-definition displays across the arrivals floor. The recovery in air travel this spring and summer -- with some days exceeding pre-COVID 19 levels -- signals that business and leisure travelers are once again headed to conferences, meetings and tourist destinations. The growing number of travelers is creating an advertising environment for brands to reconnect with this valuable audience at LGA, JFK and EWR. Importantly, air travel returning to pre-pandemic levels is now driving a resurgence in airport advertising that opens the door for marketers to help shape the consumer experience and journey in major airports. "It takes state-of-the-art technology to create a world-class airport, and that's exactly what Clear Channel has provided with its investment in cutting edge digital technology throughout our facilities," said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. "Spacious interiors, floor-to-ceiling windows, inspiring public art, iconic restaurants and shops and Clear Channel's extraordinary digital displays all combine to meet the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's new standard in airports: award-winning, best-in-class facilities worthy of the region." "The new digital media infrastructure being rolled out at our facilities matches the agency's transformative redevelopment efforts across the region," said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole. "Modernizing our advertising platforms is just another step in the Port Authority's broader efforts to provide a world-class, 21st century travel experience for our customers." "The quality of the media Clear Channel is designing and integrating into Port Authority airports is more than world-class and will play a vital role in transforming the passenger and advertiser experience as well as redefining airport media," said John Moyer, SVP, Development, CCA. "The new state of the art LaGuardia Terminal C digital media network is elegantly incorporated into the spectacular terminal design and positioned and sized for maximum impact. Unique new 90-degree digital corner locations are also perfect to showcase anamorphic content as well as being among the best media in the region." Overall, the new media network in LaGuardia Terminal C alone amounts to nearly 2,000 square feet of digital signage, most of it head-on or in high dwell areas with more to come as other concourses are opened. As LaGuardia is a point of welcome and farewell for passengers in the NY/NJ region, Clear Channel is uniquely poised to help brands connect with these key airport arrival and departure audiences throughout the area in a 360-degree experience by reaching them on its myriad displays at the airport and throughout the city and region wherever they drive, walk or fly. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state agency that builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. For over a century , the agency's network of major airports; critical bridges, tunnels and bus terminals; a commuter rail line; and the busiest seaport on the East Coast has been among the most vital in the country transporting hundreds of millions of people and moving essential goods into and out of the region. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center campus, which today welcomes tens of thousands of office workers and millions of annual visitors. The agency's historic $37 billion 10-year capital plan includes unprecedented transformation of the region's three major airports LaGuardia, Newark Liberty and JFK as well as an array of other new and upgraded assets, including the $2 billion renovation of the 90-year-old George Washington Bridge. The Port Authority's annual budget of $8 billion includes no tax revenue from either the states of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information, visit www.panynj.gov or check out the Now Arriving blog. About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. ("CCOH") (NYSE: CCO) is at the forefront of driving innovation in the out-of-home advertising industry. Our dynamic advertising platform is broadening the pool of advertisers using our medium through the expansion of digital billboards and displays and the integration of data analytics and programmatic capabilities that deliver measurable campaigns that are simpler to buy. By leveraging the scale, reach and flexibility of our diverse portfolio of assets, we connect advertisers with millions of consumers every month across more than 500,000 print and digital displays in 26 countries. SOURCE Clear Channel Airports WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Bridge Market research has recently issued comprehensive industry research on 'Global Prescription Drugs Market' which includes growth analysis, regional marketing, challenges, opportunities, and drivers analyzed in the report. The persuasive Prescription Drugs Market report helps to better situate the company within the market by applying the knowledge gained from marketing research to build competitive intelligence, and formulate & maintain revenue-generating business strategies. It has carefully compiled information pertinent to the company so that business can focus on the correct market segments, and prepare for further market developments and fluctuations. With this marketing report, receive elucidation regarding business initiatives that include proprietary company research, consumer data, and superior data-driven strategies. The most engaging Prescription Drugs market analysis report helps to avoid market and investment risks that can comprehensively map and profile competitors as well as the macroeconomic environment. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the prescription drugs market was valued at USD 1,015.63 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 1,482.35 billion by 2029, registering a CAGR of 4.84% during the forecast period of 2022 to 2029. Download Sample Copy of Prescription Drugs Market Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-prescription-drugs-market&PNW/11Aug2022 Prescription Drugs Market Scenario Prescription pharmaceuticals are more potent than over-the-counter (OTC) medications. As a result, their misuse may result in serious negative effects. Customers are only given these medications if they have a doctor's prescription. The symbol Rx, which may be found on doctor's prescription notepads and signs in most pharmacies, stands for medical prescription Prescription medications include a wide range of vaccinations and therapies used to treat and manage chronic and acute diseases. Cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and orphan diseases are among these disorders. In current therapeutic situation, proper prescription drug administration is crucial for improving clinical outcomes for practically every patient suffering from significant diseases. Many market companies are conducting clinical studies to develop novel treatments for various disorders; nevertheless, the prescription drug landscape has changed dramatically due to the rising availability of generic equivalents. The Key Companies Profiled in the Prescription Drugs Market are: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. ( Switzerland ) ) Mylan N.V. (U.S.) Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. ( Ireland ) ) Sanofi ( France ) ) Pfizer Inc. (U.S.) GlaxoSmithKline plc (U.K.) Novartis AG ( Switzerland ) ) Merck & Co., Inc. (U.S.) Allergan ( Ireland ) ) AstraZeneca (U.K.) Johnson & Johnson Private Limited (U.S.) Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (U.K.) Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (U.S.) Bayer AG ( Germany ) ) Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH. ( Germany ) ) Dr. 'Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. ( India ) ) Gilead Sciences, Inc. (U.S.) Amgen Inc. (U.S.) Eli Lilly and Company (U.S.) AbbVie Inc. (U.S.) Lupin ( India ) ) Allergan ( Ireland ) Browse 350 Pages PDF Research Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/checkout/buy/enterprise/global-prescription-drugs-market?PNW/11Aug2022 Opportunities for Players Increasing launch of generic equivalents The increased number of generic versions of several key medications being launched in strong areas such as the United States is driving the global prescription drugs market. The rise in generic equivalent acceptance is partly attributed to the fact that generics are frequently as effective as their original counterparts and may often be accepted by patients for a fraction of the cost. Patients who cannot afford pricey prescription drugs due to financial constraints can often benefit from these drugs and achieve improved clinical outcomes. Important Facts about This Market Report:- This research report reveals this business overview, product overview, market share, demand and supply ratio, supply chain analysis, and import/export details The Industry report captivates different approaches and procedures endorsed by the market key players to make crucial business decisions This research presents some parameters such as production value, marketing strategy analysis, Distributors/Traders and effect factors are also mentioned The historical and current data is provided in the report based on which the future projections are made and the industry analysis is performed The import and export details along with consumption value and production capability of every region is mentioned in the report Porter's five forces analysis, value chain analysis, SWOT analysis are some additional important parameters used for the analysis of market growth The report provides the clients with the facts and figures about the market on the basis of evaluation of the industry through primary and secondary research methodologies Prescription Drugs Market Scope and Market Size: The prescription drugs market is segmented on the basis of type, therapy area, route of administration, end-users and distribution channel. Type Branded Generic Therapy Area Oncology Immunology Ophthalmology Respiratory Dermatology Gastroenterology Urology Gynaecology Endocrinology Others Route of Administration Oral Topical Parenteral Others End-Users Hospitals Specialty Clinics Homecare Others Distribution Channel Hospital Pharmacy Retail Pharmacy Online Pharmacy Others The first class Prescription Drugs market research report has the best research offerings and the required critical information whether businesses are looking for latest product trends or competitive analysis of an existing or emerging market. With this industry report, companies can sharpen their competitive edge again and again. The industry report has expert insights on global industries, products, company profiles, and market trends. Users can gain unlimited, company-wide access to a comprehensive catalog of industry-specific market research from this industry analysis report. The wide-ranging Prescription Drugs business report examines industries at a much higher level than an industry study. Explore Latest Findings of Prescription Drugs Market Study @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-prescription-drugs-market?PNW/11Aug2022 Regional Outlook of Prescription Drugs Market: North America (U.S., Canada and Mexico ) (U.S., and ) Rest of Europe in Europe ( Germany , France , U.K., Netherlands , Switzerland , Belgium , Russia , Italy , Spain and Turkey ) in ( , , U.K., , , , , , and ) Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) ( China , Japan , India , South Korea , Singapore , Malaysia , Australia , Thailand , Indonesia , Philippines ) (APAC) in the (APAC) ( , , , , , , , , , ) Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of MEA ( Saudi Arabia , U.A.E., South Africa , Egypt and Israel ) and (MEA) as a part of MEA ( , U.A.E., , and ) Rest of South America as part of South America ( Brazil and Argentina ) The latest industry analysis and survey on Prescription Drugs provides sales outlook in 20+ countries, across key categories. Insights and outlook on Prescription Drugs market drivers, trends, and influencing factors are also included in the study. Recent Development In April 2020, Pharma major Lupin Limited had announced the launch of Mycophenolic Acid Delayed-Release Tablets USP, 180 mg and 360 mg. These tablets are prescribed for the prevention of organ rejection in adult kidney transplant recipients and pediatric patients aged 5 and above who have been on dialysis for at least 6 months. Industry Drivers:- Increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases The increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases will fuel the 'market's growth. According to the CDC, cardiovascular diseases, which include heart and blood vessel abnormalities, are the leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide. High blood pressure, often known as hypertension, is a key risk factor for this disease, which is responsible for an estimated 10 million deaths annually. Several projects, such as the global hearts initiative, are being implemented around the world to improve cardiovascular disease prevention and control. This is to reduce the number of people who die prematurely as a result of heart disease. Increasing investment for healthcare infrastructure Another significant factor influencing the growth rate of prescription drugs market is the rising healthcare expenditure which helps in improving its infrastructure. Also, various government organizations aims to improve the healthcare infrastructure by increasing funding and this will further influence the market dynamics. Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases The increased prevalence of chronic diseases will fuel industry growth. The rise in cardiovascular disorders is propelling the industry forward. Growing urbanization and the adoption of hazardous living circumstances are two important factors. Chronic diseases include Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, to name a few. Rising cancer occurrences are also boosting market expansion throughout the forecast period. According to World Health Organization data from 2018, cancer is the world's second-largest cause of death. In 2018, it was responsible for 9.6 million fatalities. Cancer is also responsible for one out of every six fatalities worldwide. Lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, and stomach cancer are the most frequent cancers. In 2018, the overall number of new cases reached 18.1 million. Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Prescription Drugs Market: Chapter 1: Report Overview Chapter 2: Global Market Growth Trends Chapter 3: Value Chain of Prescription Drugs Market Chapter 4: Players Profiles Chapter 5: Global Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Regions Chapter 6: North America Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Countries Chapter 7: Europe Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Countries Chapter 8: Asia-Pacific Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Countries Chapter 9: Middle East and Africa Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Countries and Africa Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Countries Chapter 10: South America Prescription Drugs Market Analysis by Countries Chapter 11: Global Prescription Drugs Market Segment by Types Chapter 12: Global Prescription Drugs Market Segment by Applications To Check the Complete Table of Contents, Click here @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-prescription-drugs-market&PNW/11Aug2022 Browse More Reports by DBMR: Dermatology Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-dermatology-drugs-market Immunotherapy Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-immunotherapy-drugs-market Orphan Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-orphan-drugs-market Performance Enhancing Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-performance-enhancing-drugs-market Migraine Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-migraine-drugs-market Genitourinary Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-genitourinary-drugs-market Urothelial Cancer Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-urothelial-cancer-drugs-market Liver Cirrhosis Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029 https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-liver-cirrhosis-drugs-market Drugs of Abuse (DOA) Testing Market Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-drugs-of-abuse-doa-testing-market Sustained Release Drugs Market Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-sustained-release-drugs-market About Data Bridge Market Research: An absolute way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today! Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavours to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data Bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune. Data Bridge Market Research has over 500 analysts working in different industries. We have catered more than 40% of the fortune 500 companies globally and have a network of more than 5000+ clientele around the globe. Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate. Contact Us:- Data Bridge Market Research US: +1 888 387 2818 UK: +44 208 089 1725 Hong Kong: +852 8192 7475 Email:- [email protected] Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1011053/Data_Bridge_Market_Research_Logo.jpg SOURCE Data Bridge Market Research TEL AVIV, Israel, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In early June 2022, the IMCAS Wor l d Congress opened its doors to over 14 000 attendees worldwide for the first time in three years. The event was held at the Palais des Congres, Paris, and "live" on a virtual platform, allowing greater access to this monumental event. It brought together some of the latest technologies in dermatology, plastic surgery, and anti-aging science. IMCAS 2022 boasted 760 expert speakers with 320 companies in the exhibition. It was possibly the most successful IMCAS of all time, and definitely the most successful congress for Lightfective. This event was the ideal opportunity for companies to showcase the most innovative technologies in the industry. Lightfective was one of the innovators, having presented ReBorn, its cutting edge non-invasive fat reduction system. ReBorn uses patented power-LED technology to reduce circumferential fat, and is among the most advanced and effective fat reduction device s in the world. In-person visitors to the event were able to meet and interact with the experts from Lightfective and consult with key opinion leaders from France, Italy, Spain, and Israel. The Lightfective booth enjoyed strong attendance and the team held back-to-back meetings with a host of global partners. The opportunity to meet new potential distributors enabled the Lightfective team to demonstrate the ReBorn system and its unique features and benefits firsthand. Dr. Jean Michel Mazer, one of Lightfective 's Key Opinion Leaders, lectured before an audience of dozens of attendees. He discussed his practical experience , in addition to the clinical results of the ReBorn device. He also presented how he incorporated ReBorn into his portfolio of technologies within his clinic and how he uses ReBorn in his medical practice. The presentation was highly interactive, with vigorous and insightful conversations. The workshop and demonstrations were highly successful in onboarding new distributors and channels to bring ReBorn to many more locations worldwide.Following these agreements, ReBorn is now looking forward to immense growth and potential for new activities in France, Japan, Italy, Belgium, and Ireland , as well as new prospects for Latin America. This highlights the strong global interest in the innovative ReBorn technology. Deemed the best prospect for future growth and success, ReBorn will rapidly be brought to worldwide markets. "Lightfective has the dream team of founders with more than a century of accumulated experience and knowledge in the industry. This force will lead the vision of Lightfective to become a global leading brand and the ReBorn power LED technology to a gold standard treatment for fat reduction. We are looking towards a very bright future." -said Tsvi Bahat, Lightfective's CEO. For further information, contact: [email protected] Or visit the website: https://www.lightfective.com/ SOURCE Lightfective PUNE, India, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Refrigeration Lubricants Market Refrigeration Oil is a lubricant, derived from either mineral oil or synthetic oil which is a blend of a special high-temperature formulation of oils and additives in order to provide lubrication to compressors. The Refrigeration lubricants flows under pressure where it changes its state from liquid to vapors for generation of the cooling effect. Consumption of electricity power more than 70% by the refrigeration equipment and the depletion of ozone layer due to increasing emission of Green House Gases (GHG) from refrigeration systems has led to the production and adoption of low GWP refrigerants which will boost demand for more energy efficient Refrigeration lubricants. Get Sample Pages PDF (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/3959/refrigeration-lubricants-market/#request-a-sample The Refrigeration lubricants business has increased in recent years, owing to increasing market development and increased demand for food and pharmaceutical industries, home appliances, and low GWP refrigerants. The Refrigeration lubricants market dynamics have shifted due to the rising demand for Synthetic Lubricants. Furthermore, a shift toward green products has led to the manufacture of air conditioners using greener alternatives such as natural refrigerants such as hydrocarbons, CO2, and ammonia, which are some of the essential drivers accelerating the Refrigeration lubricants market's growth. The Refrigeration lubricants Market is anticipated to grow by USD 1.29 billion by 2029 from USD 0.9 billion in 2020. In addition, the growth momentum of the market will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period. North America dominates the refrigeration lubricants market owing to the presence of major players in the region The market in North America is expected to account for the largest share of the global refrigeration lubricants market during the forecast period and also has been witnessing steady growth. Refrigeration lubricants are used in various applications such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and the production of soft drinks. The mineral oil lubricant segment dominates the global refrigeration lubricants market with a share of more than 60%. Stringent regulations to limit the use of fluorocarbon refrigerants may hinder the growth of the market at Global Level Governments of various countries are imposing regulations to limit the use of refrigerants, as fluorocarbon has an adverse effect on the atmosphere's ozone layer. Currently, over 147 countries hold Article 5 Parties. These include developing countries such as China, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey. As per the Montreal Protocol, HCFC must be phased out by 97.5% by 20292040 and completely by 2040 for the Article 5 Parties. Recent Developments: October 2021 : Daikin Industries stated to be interested in a breakthrough green technology to remain the world's top air conditioner producer by sales, as well as a new refrigerant to allow the Japanese business to join the electric car industry, as global warming pushes demand for energy efficiency. Elon Musk , the CEO of Tesla, who has businesses ranging from space travel to brain chips, hinted to shareholders earlier this month that he would start a home heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system company. : Daikin Industries stated to be interested in a breakthrough green technology to remain the world's top air conditioner producer by sales, as well as a new refrigerant to allow the Japanese business to join the electric car industry, as global warming pushes demand for energy efficiency. , the CEO of Tesla, who has businesses ranging from space travel to brain chips, hinted to shareholders earlier this month that he would start a home heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system company. In 2020, BASF SE is collaborating with FUCHS for more sustainable refrigerant lubricants and oil products, also to produce more ester based and mineral oil-based fluids. Opportunities: increased demand for high-quality refrigeration lubricants due to stringent emission regulations Governments across the globe have been creating awareness about the negative impacts of greenhouse gas emissions; because of that, various environmental agencies are working closely with governments of multiple countries. As a result, various governments worldwide have laid down stringent emission regulations for vehicles to reduce their environmental impact. Refrigeration Lubricants Market Report Scope: Report Attribute/Metric Details Market Size USD 1731 million CAGR USD 4.1% Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022-2029 Historical Data 2020 Forecast Units Value (USD Million) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Type, Application and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) Key Vendors Eneos Holdings Inc. (Japan), BASF SE (Germany), Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd (Japan), ExxonMobil Corporation (U.S.), Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (Netherlands), Total Energies SE(France), China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp), Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), FUCHS Petrolub SE (Germany), Johnson Controls (Ireland). Key Market Opportunities The major challenge faced by the Refrigeration lubricants industry is the discontinuation of the HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) and HFCS. Key Market Drivers The increasing demand for synthetic oil has changed the market dynamic for the Refrigeration lubricants industry. Increase in demand for food & pharmaceutical industries Refrigeration Lubricants Market Key Vendor insights The report contains qualitative and quantitative research on the Refrigeration Lubricants market, as well as detailed insights and development strategies employed by the leading competitors include Eneos Holdings Inc. (Japan), BASF SE (Germany), Idemitsu Kosan Co. Ltd (Japan), ExxonMobil Corporation (U.S.), Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (Netherlands), Total Energies SE(France), China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp), Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas), FUCHS Petrolub SE (Germany), Johnson Controls (Ireland). Browse Full [email protected]: https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/3959/refrigeration-lubricants-market/ Refrigeration Lubricants Market Segmentation: Refrigeration Lubricants Market by Oil Type, 2020-2029, (USD Million) Synthetic Oil (Poe, PAG) Mineral Oil Refrigeration Lubricants Market by Application, 2020-2029, (USD Million) Refrigerators & Freezers Refrigeration Compressors Production Of Soft Drinks Air Conditionings Transportation Automotive Refrigeration lubricants Market Dynamics: Drivers: Refrigeration systems increased demand in the industrial and commercial sectors have led the Refrigeration lubricants market to new heights. As per the on-growing market trend with an increase in demand for food & pharmaceutical industries, consumer appliances, low GWP refrigerants, the Refrigeration lubricants market has shown an upward trend in recent years. The increasing demand for synthetic oil has changed the market dynamic for the Refrigeration lubricants industry. The new automotive A.C. systems are also uplifted by Refrigeration lubricantss to increase their performance. The increasing rate of the economy of countries like India and China have marketed the growth of Refrigeration lubricants industry shares in respective regions. and have marketed the growth of Refrigeration lubricants industry shares in respective regions. The Refrigeration lubricants has tolerance towards high temperature, which makes it the best lubricant in the metal industry. Challenges: The major challenge faced by the Refrigeration lubricants industry is the discontinuation of the HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) and HFCS. If the oil level is low in lubricating the metal, it could lead to mechanical damage due to overheating. Browse More Chemicals & Materials Market Reports by Exactitude Consultancy https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/4233/synthetic-lubricants-market/ The worldwide synthetic lubricants market is being driven by the rising automotive sector and industrialization. https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/3205/refrigerator-market/ Refrigerators are commonly utilized in both homes and businesses to provide a handy and safe way of preserving food. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, as well as features and uses. https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/7088/industrial-refrigeration-market/ The industrial refrigeration business is always evolving and innovating. Compressor, evaporator, condenser, controls and other components make up the majority of industrial refrigeration. https://exactitudeconsultancy.com/reports/5889/refrigeration-monitoring-market/ Refrigeration monitoring is used to provide real-time visibility of the health and performance of refrigeration systems, as well as to track the temperature of fresh and frozen produce in order to improve quality, increase energy efficiency, and reduce food waste and cost. Contact: Irfan Tamboli [email protected] +91-7507-07-8687 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1871697/Exactitude_Consultancy_Logo.jpg SOURCE Exactitude Consultancy The focused program will be exclusively available to venture fund managers, family office executives, and UHNW individuals, featuring top thought leaders in the cannabis industry LAS VEGAS, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently dubbed the cannabis industry's most inventive conference, MJ Unpacked announced the launch of the MJU Venture Summit to be held on Wednesday, September 28, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with the larger exclusive cannabis trade event. Attendance at the MJU Venture Summit is exclusive to venture fund managers, family office executives and UHNW individuals actively investing in the cannabis space and requires registration for MJ Unpacked. MJ Unpacked MJ Unpacked The half-day program will kick off at noon on Wednesday with a hosted lunch and networking, followed by high-level relevant discussions for the investor set in the cannabis space. The program will close with a champagne networking session before feeding into the Brand Experience Hall opening reception at MJ Unpacked, featuring some of the most innovative and successful brands from every adult-use market in the United States. Speakers from Verano, Terrapin Care Station, Cowan & Co, the Canadian Stock Exchange, American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH), the US Cannabis Council, Poseidon Investment Management, Merida Capital Holdings, and BDSA will headline sessions at the MJU Venture Summit. Sessions will focus on investor-relevant topics, including utilizing public market capital, the latest updates for federal reform, global markets reports, and an exits panel. "There has been strong interest by the investment community to have a private gathering of fund managers to connect," stated George Jage, co-founder of MJ Unpacked. "Most deals today are being syndicated, and new funds and sources of capital are emerging in the space that will greatly benefit from the networking and learning opportunity. And as we grow, the opportunity for private equity and institutional investors to have a home to glean the insights they need will be essential." MJ Unpacked is the only national cannabis event exclusively for cannabis brands, retail executives, and accredited investors actively investing in cannabis. The event will be held September 28-30 at the MGM Grand Convention Center in Las Vegas. Registration is available through www.mjunpacked.com . Investors are required to register for MJ Unpacked and meet the event's registration requirements to access the MJU Venture Summit. About MJ Unpacked All it takes is a spark. MJ Unpacked is the first cannabis event of its kind that places passionate cannabis retailers and THC CPG brands at the center of it all, with unique opportunities to connect, collaborate and access capital. In a newly imagined format, executives are free to learn from fellow professionals, explore expansion opportunities and prepare to be competitive in a national market. The event is held annually in Las Vegas and New York City and features over 100 nationally-recognized cannabis brands alongside impressive speaker panels and an invite-only Venture Summit. MJ Unpacked was founded by George Jage, former president of MJBizDaily/MJBizCon and CEO of Dope Media, and Kim Jage, former EVP & CMO of World Tea Media, with the goal of filling the gap where brands and retailers convene to drive the future of the industry, capturing the next stage of market growth and delivering a true return on investment and objectives. For more information, please visit: https://mjunpacked.com and https://jagemedia.com or follow on Instagram and Twitter . Contact: MATTIO Communications [email protected] 848.333.4442 SOURCE MJ Unpacked MISSION, Texas, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rio South Texas, located at the heart of the North American supply chain, is an intermodal and international trade hub that greatly impacts our regional, state, and national economy. Strategically placed where Texas, Mexico, and the Gulf of Mexico all meet, Rio South Texas provides connectivity to major border crossings, international airports, major deep-water ports, and a highway transportation network that runs more than 300,000 miles just in Texas. Let's break down the multimodal advantages found in Rio South Texas, because it truly is remarkable how the US supply chain makes its way through this region: The Rio South Texas region strengthens the resilience of the US supply chain, supporting jobs and prosperity Tweet this The region's international bridges carry the highest concentration of commercial international truck crossings in the entire nation, a total of 3,739,519 inbound trucks in 2021. Rio South Texas offers a robust international Class 1 railway infrastructure with US services through Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway Co., Mexico service via Kansas City Southern de Mexico , and local short line services via Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, Border Pacific Railroad, as well as Rio Valley Switching. offers a robust international Class 1 railway infrastructure with US services through Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway Co., service via Kansas City Southern de , and local short line services via Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railroad, Border Pacific Railroad, as well as Rio Valley Switching. Texas seaports and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway handle more than 500 million tons of cargo roughly about 20% of the national total according to the Texas Comptroller's website seaports and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway handle more than 500 million tons of cargo roughly about 20% of the national total according to the Texas Comptroller's website Air freight supports producers requiring a fast turnaround and is critical for the shipment of high value products. The region is home to seven airports with freight capability, with four in the US and three immediately across the border in Mexico . . Looking into the future, SpaceX operation at Starbase in Brownsville may one day expand the region's logistics options beyond our planet. The various modes of transport offered in Rio South Texas are of economic importance regionally, statewide, nationally, and internationally. The Rio South Texas region not only strengthens the resilience of the US supply chain, but also supports jobs and prosperity throughout the US and our trading partners beyond our borders. If you are shipping into the United States or out of it, or if you are looking to manufacture products in North America for North America, take a look at what Rio South Texas has to offer. Our team at COSTEP would be glad to assist you, so please visit us at www.costep.org or connect with us at @COSTEP to learn more. Contact: Matt Ruszczak, +1.956.682.6371, [email protected] SOURCE Council for South Texas Economic Progress NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of Weber Inc. (NYSE: WEBR) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus (collectively, the "Registration Statement") issued in connection with Weber's August 2021 initial public offering (the "IPO") of the important September 27, 2022. SO WHAT: If you purchased Weber securities 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 Weber class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7923 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 September 27, 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: According to the lawsuit, the IPO Registration Statement featured false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Weber was reasonably likely to implement price increases; (2) as a result, consumer demand for Weber's products was reasonably likely to decrease; (3) due to the resulting inventory buildup, Weber was reasonably likely to run promotions to "enhance retail sell through"; (4) the foregoing would adversely impact Weber's financial results; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects, were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Weber class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=7923 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. TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - The Royal Canadian Mint is honouring one of the greatest musicians the world has ever seen by issuing a new $1 commemorative circulation celebrating the life and artistic legacy of Canada's own Oscar Peterson. Called "the man with four hands" by jazz great and admirer Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson rose to the top of the music world through more than six decades of electrifying piano performances and unforgettable compositions such as Hymn to Freedom, Blues Etude and The Canadiana Suite. The coin was unveiled today before family and friends gathered in Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall, a stage well known to Mr. Peterson. It will begin circulating on August 15, to coincide with his birthday. From left to right: Phyllis Clark, Chair of the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) Board of Directors, Marie Lemay, RCM President and CEO, The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Kelly Peterson, Celine Peterson and Norman Peterson unveil a commemorative $1 circulation coin honoring Oscar Peterson at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, ON (August 11, 2022). "The Mint is passionate about celebrating stories of exceptional Canadians on its coins and I am delighted that Oscar Peterson, the first Canadian musician to appear on a circulation coin, is being celebrated as one of the world's most respected and influential jazz artists of all time," said Marie Lemay, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Mint. "Mr. Peterson's music and legendary performances have brought joy to millions of music lovers in Canada and around the world and we are proud to honour him, through this coin, for his exceptional contributions to Canadian music and culture." The Oscar Peterson commemorative circulation coin was designed by artist Valentine De Landro, an accomplished comic book artist, illustrator, and designer from Ajax, Ontario. His design features Oscar Peterson at the piano, with his hands in full motion, from which emerges a flowing musical scale showing two closing bars of his famous Hymn to Freedom. Mr. Peterson's name completes the design. "Throughout Oscar's career he received many awards and honours, each of which meant a great deal to him. During the nearly fifteen years since his passing, there have been more. All of them humbling. All of them a source of pride. The addition of this commemorative circulation coin bearing his likeness is something neither he nor I could ever have imagined," said Kelly Peterson. "Knowing that Canadians now, and for generations to come, will hold this coin and be reminded of Oscar Peterson or be inspired to learn about him for the first time evokes emotions challenging to describe. I am deeply, profoundly honoured. Oscar was a great pianist and composer. He was a staunch advocate for human rights. Above all, he was always a proud Canadian. As his music is timeless, so too now will he be a part of the Canadian consciousness forever." Growing up in Little Burgundy, the neighbourhood that was the hub of Montreal's black community, Oscar Peterson was taught, by his father and his older sister Daisy, the value of a music education from a very early age. Raised on the classics, he quickly mastered the piano and honed his craft through popular music to become one of the most acclaimed jazz musicians of all time. Over a more than 60-year career, he made over 400 recordings and his famous Oscar Peterson Trio performed around the world. He won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted in Canada's Music Hall of Fame in 1978. A first-time Juno Awards nominee in 1977, he won Best Jazz Album, as The Oscar Peterson Four, in 1987. He was also made a Companion of the Order of Canada by the late Ramon Hnatyshyn, Governor General of Canada. In 1962, he composed Hymn to Freedom, which became an anthem of the 1960s civil rights movement whose musical and social influence continues to resonate today. His Canadiana Suite was an epic and moving tribute to the country he loved and always called home. The impact of Oscar Peterson's work and life story transcends generations: inspiring countless artists who themselves became music icons, and still attracting new generations to his music and to his craft. Numerous music schools and scholarships have been founded in his honour. Mr. Peterson died in 2007 at the age of 82. "When I was a child traveling the world with my dad, I remember being curious about the figures on each country's currency. It was an opportunity to learn about the history of where I was visiting. One thing that has always been important to me is that as Canadians, we take the time to explore our history - all aspects of it," said Celine Peterson. "Knowing that Canadians at home and anyone who visits from abroad will hold the opportunity to learn about a formidable figure in our nation's history in the palm of their hand, brings me an immense amount of joy. My dad being given this recognition by the Royal Canadian Mint is something I never would have even thought to imagine because to me, he is and always will be, dad." The Oscar Peterson circulation coin is limited to a mintage of three million coins, of which two million feature a purple accent, Oscar Peterson's favourite colour. It will reach Canadians through their change as bank branches and businesses replenish their inventories of $1 circulation coins. The coloured and uncoloured circulation coin can be purchased together as part of a six-piece Collector Keepsake coin set. They are packaged in a richly illustrated collector card that contains one of each currently circulating coin, from five cents to two dollars. Other collector products adding to the celebration of Oscar Peterson's legacy include special wrap rolls of 25 one-dollar circulation coins, in coloured and uncoloured versions, as well as 1 oz. fine silver and pure gold versions of the circulation coin design. These collectibles can be ordered as of today by contacting the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or online at www.mint.ca/oscarpeterson. They are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's Ottawa and Winnipeg boutiques, as well as through the Mint's global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets. About the Royal Canadian Mint The Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. The Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca. Follow the Mint on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Images of the circulation coin and related collector products are available here. SOURCE Royal Canadian Mint Prestigious International Annual Awards Program Recognizes Standout Marketing, Advertising and Sales Technology Around the World TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabio Holdings Inc. (TSXV: SBIO;OTCQX: SABOF) (the "Company" or "Sabio"), a leading provider of connected TV ("CTV") and over-the-top ("OTT") advertising platforms validated by performance, today announced that its Sabio solution has been selected as winner of the "Best Behavioral Targeting Platform" award in the fifth annual MarTech Breakthrough Awards program conducted by MarTech Breakthrough , a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global marketing, sales and advertising technology industry today. Sabio Holdings, Inc., is comprised of the demand side platform, Sabio; real-time measurement and attribution platform, App Science; and streaming TV technology pioneer, Vidillion. These companies combine to provide brands and agencies with end-to-end advertising suites, powered by its proprietary household graph of more than 300 million mobile devices and 55 million validated Connected TV (CTV) households. The Company guides brands to reach their consumers where they are and when they are most likely to act with greater prediction accuracy. Sabio is the leading Behavioral Targeting Platform driven by results. Clients gain a greater understanding of performance at a household level using Sabio's platform. The Company uses predictive consumer app behavior and location-specific information while incorporating direct client feedback to develop top-of-the-line systems. "We are honored to be chosen as the "Best Behavioral Targeting Platform" in the 2022 MarTech Breakthrough Awards," said Aziz Rahimtoola, CEO of Sabio. "Sabio's platform provides clients with a greater understanding of performance at a household level in a privacy compliant way. During the global pandemic, we continued to innovate and found unique solutions when working with clients and partners to provide products that manage their CTV campaigns. We will continue addressing client needs in understanding the marketplace." The mission of the MarTech Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work and success in a range of marketing, sales and advertising technology related categories, including marketing automation, market research and customer experience, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, content and social marketing, mobile marketing and many more. This year's program attracted more than 2,950 nominations from over 18 different countries throughout the world. "Sabio's breakthrough innovation is their in-house proprietary machine learning platform that pulls both first- and third-party data to best inform consumer marketing decisions," said James Johnson, Managing Director at MarTech Breakthrough. "By allowing brands to easily target consumers within privacy compliant signals, Sabio is revolutionizing the advertising industry. We are thrilled to announce Sabio as a winners in the 2022 MarTech Breakthrough Awards program." About Sabio Holdings, Inc. Sabio Holdings Inc. (TSXV: SBIO; OTCX: SABOF) is a technology provider in the high-growth advertising-supported video on demand and streaming space. Its cloud-based CTV/OTT technologies enable content creators' distribution, monetization, and analytics while providing ROI validation for brands and agencies that sponsor them. The Sabio Holdings portfolio is comprised of the trusted and transparent content monetization platform Sabio DSP, its cutting edge, non-panel based, real-time measurement and attribution SAAS platform App Science along with Vidillion, a pioneer in ad insertion cloud technologies. For more information, visit: sabioholding.com About MarTech Breakthrough Part of Tech Breakthrough , a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the MarTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in marketing, ad and sales technology companies, products and people. The MarTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough marketing technology companies and products in categories including marketing automation, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, CRM, content and social marketing, website, SEM, mobile marketing and more. For more information, visit MarTechBreakthrough.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking information and statements ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including but not limited to the continuing momentum of demand and industry trends, that are not based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "seeing", "anticipates", "plans", "intends", "will", "should", "expects", "continue", "estimate", "forecasts" and other similar expressions. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of the Company, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking information in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking information has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, including the effect of the macro-economic environment adversely impacting the Company's business more than anticipated, and the other risk factors disclosed in the Company's filing statement and management's discussion and analysis (MD&A), which are publicly available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to herein will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE Sabio Holdings Inc. MSD Partners to Make Strategic Investments in Both Safehold and Caret NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Safehold Inc. (NYSE: SAFE) and iStar Inc. (NYSE: STAR) jointly announced today that the two companies have entered into a definitive agreement for a tax-free, strategic combination that will accelerate Safehold's market leadership in the ground lease industry and make Safehold the only internally-managed, pure-play ground lease company in the public markets. Transaction Overview Internalization of manager : Under the terms of the transaction Safehold will internalize iStar's management team / intellectual property, replacing Safehold's external management structure. As part of the combination, Safehold will effectively assume iStar's $100 million in L+150 trust preferred securities due 2035 and Safehold will effectively issue 1.2 million new SAFE shares to iStar. The combined company ("New Safehold") will not be taking on other indebtedness or preferred equity from iStar. : Under the terms of the transaction Safehold will internalize iStar's management team / intellectual property, replacing Safehold's external management structure. As part of the combination, Safehold will effectively assume iStar's in L+150 trust preferred securities due 2035 and Safehold will effectively issue 1.2 million new SAFE shares to iStar. The combined company ("New Safehold") will not be taking on other indebtedness or preferred equity from iStar. Ownership of New Safehold : Ownership of New Safehold will remain largely proportionate to the ownership of Safehold immediately prior to consummating this transaction and New Safehold will continue to operate under the name Safehold Inc. Safehold shareholders (other than iStar) are expected to own approximately 34% of New Safehold. iStar shareholders are expected to own approximately 37% of New Safehold directly and 14% indirectly as a result of the spin-off transaction discussed below. In conjunction with the transaction, iStar has agreed to sell SAFE shares representing 9% of SAFE shares outstanding to MSD Partners, L.P. and, separately, to settle its long-term management incentive plan obligations using its SAFE shares representing 6% of SAFE shares outstanding. : Ownership of New Safehold will remain largely proportionate to the ownership of Safehold immediately prior to consummating this transaction and New Safehold will continue to operate under the name Safehold Inc. Safehold shareholders (other than iStar) are expected to own approximately 34% of New Safehold. iStar shareholders are expected to own approximately 37% of New Safehold directly and 14% indirectly as a result of the spin-off transaction discussed below. In conjunction with the transaction, iStar has agreed to sell SAFE shares representing 9% of SAFE shares outstanding to MSD Partners, L.P. and, separately, to settle its long-term management incentive plan obligations using its SAFE shares representing 6% of SAFE shares outstanding. Spin-off transaction: Prior to the merger, iStar will spin off to iStar shareholders a new publicly traded entity ("SpinCo") that will own all of its remaining non-ground lease assets and $400 million of its SAFE shares, enabling iStar shareholders to participate in the orderly monetization of these assets over time. SpinCo will be managed by New Safehold in exchange for a management fee. Strategic Benefits for Go-Forward Ground Lease Business The transaction will enhance Safehold's ability to grow the modern ground lease industry and unlock significant value creation for all stakeholders. Specifically, Safehold will be strengthened by: Better Structure: Enables Safehold to internalize with the same management team who built the modern ground lease industry over the past five years. It also enhances governance, widely distributes voting power, and expands the number of independent directors on the Board. Enables Safehold to internalize with the same management team who built the modern ground lease industry over the past five years. It also enhances governance, widely distributes voting power, and expands the number of independent directors on the Board. Better Cost & Economics: Reduces Safehold go-forward operating costs by an estimated $25 million annually by 2026 versus projected increasing management fees and reimbursable costs in an externally managed structure. It also enables Safehold to acquire iStar's interest in the Ground Lease Plus and Leasehold Loan funds and provides for transitional management fee revenue from SpinCo. Reduces Safehold go-forward operating costs by an estimated annually by 2026 versus projected increasing management fees and reimbursable costs in an externally managed structure. It also enables Safehold to acquire iStar's interest in the Ground Lease Plus and Leasehold Loan funds and provides for transitional management fee revenue from SpinCo. Better Debt & Equity Profile: Expands SAFE's universe of potential equity investors, given its new internalized management structure and enhanced free float and liquidity profile. It further enhances credit ratings momentum by directly addressing key rating agency concerns related to governance. "This transaction is an important step forward in our strategy to significantly expand the use of modern ground leases in commercial real estate and further extend Safehold's position as the pre-eminent ground lease company," said Jay Sugarman, Chairman and CEO of iStar and Safehold. "By unifying all parts of our ground lease business, we will create an even stronger company, providing building owners and developers with additional modern ground lease options to meet their capital needs, generating sizable cost savings over time, expanding our shareholder base to a much wider audience, and enabling shareholders of both Safehold and iStar to participate in the future growth of the modern ground lease sector they have created." "Since IPO, we have grown Safehold almost twenty-fold in size and now have the opportunity to make the company even stronger and expand our reach with customers, investors and credit providers," said Stefan Selig, member of Safehold's Special Committee. "iStar has been instrumental in supporting the growth of Safehold and the modern ground lease business since Safehold's IPO and we believe this strategic transaction is the best way for iStar shareholders to capture the growing value of the business as it scales in the future," stated Barry Ridings, member of iStar's Special Committee. "iStar shareholders will continue to be the beneficiaries of Safehold's future success." Strategic Investment Concurrent with the closing of the transaction, MSD Partners will make strategic investments in both Safehold and Caret, establishing it as one of the largest shareholders of Safehold and the largest third-party investor in Caret: iStar will sell 5.4 million shares of its SAFE holdings to MSD Partners for $200 million , representing a price of $37 per share, and will use the proceeds to repay debt. , representing a price of per share, and will use the proceeds to repay debt. Safehold will sell 100,000 units of Caret to MSD Partners for $20 million , or $200 per unit, implying a total Caret valuation of $2 billion . The Caret units have no redemption options. "We are delighted to support Safehold in executing this strategic transaction and are very pleased to become major shareholders of Safehold and Caret," said Coburn Packard, Partner at MSD Partners. "This investment is perfectly aligned with MSD's strategy of backing innovative, founder-led businesses in building long-term value. We have deep respect for what the Safehold management team has built and are excited about the potential to continue growing the platform and unlocking its full value." "Adding MSD Partners, a large, sophisticated and well-respected investor, in both Safehold and Caret further demonstrates the attractiveness of Safehold's business and the unique value proposition of Safehold and Caret to Safehold shareholders," added Marcos Alvarado, President and CIO of iStar and Safehold. SpinCo iStar will contribute its remaining non-ground lease related legacy assets, the largest of which are Asbury Park and Magnolia Green, and approximately $400 million of its SAFE stock to SpinCo. By retaining certain assets and pursuing their orderly monetization, SpinCo will enable iStar shareholders to capture their potential upside value. Additionally, SpinCo will be seeded with $50 million of cash and capitalized with a $100 million 8.0%, four-year term loan from New Safehold and up to $140 million of bank debt from Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. which will be secured by $400 million shares of SAFE. iStar will distribute the equity interests in SpinCo to iStar shareholders on a one-for-one basis. New Safehold will enter into a management agreement with SpinCo, under which it will continue to operate and pursue the orderly monetization of SpinCo's assets. SpinCo will pay to New Safehold an annual management fee of $25 million in year one, $15 million in year two, $10 million in year three and $5 million in year four. This agreement will provide New Safehold time to transition its overhead and infrastructure costs. Additional Information Related to the Transaction Prior to the closing of the transaction, iStar will undergo a reverse stock split to reduce the number of iStar shares outstanding to be equal to the number of SAFE shares owned by iStar immediately prior to the merger. At closing, the shares of SAFE owned by iStar will be retired and each share of SAFE not owned by iStar will be exchanged for one share of common stock of New Safehold. In connection with the transaction, iStar intends to retire its senior unsecured notes and cash out its preferred equity in the combination transaction using cash on hand and proceeds from asset sales and loan repayments. iStar will settle iPIP, its long-term incentive plan, using a portion of its shares of SAFE. In addition, Safehold will acquire iStar's interest in the Ground Lease Plus and Leasehold Loan funds in cash for $79 million plus any future fundings prior to closing. Based on recent stock prices, book values and estimates on the pace of asset monetizations, each share of STAR would receive a combined implied value of approximately $18.39, comprised of interests in SpinCo with a book value of $6.48 per share and an estimated 0.27 shares of SAFE, which had a closing price of $43.45 on August 10, 2022. The transaction is expected to close in late Q4 2022 or in Q1 2023, subject to satisfaction of closing conditions, including the approval of both iStar and Safehold shareholders and completion of the spin-off. The transaction was unanimously approved by the independent directors of iStar and Safehold based on the unanimous recommendations of special committees of the respective boards comprised solely of independent directors. Advisors Lazard is serving as lead financial advisor and Clifford Chance US LLP is serving as legal advisor to iStar Inc. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is also serving as a financial advisor to iStar Inc. J.P. Morgan is serving as exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal advisor to the Safehold special committee. Presentation and Conference Calls Each company has published a presentation that provides additional details of the transaction on the Investor sections of their respective websites, www.safeholdinc.com and www.istar.com. The Companies will each host separate conference calls this morning, August 11, 2022, to discuss the transaction. Safehold will host its call beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET. This conference call will be broadcast live and can be accessed by all interested parties in the Investor section of its website, or by dialing (844) 867-6163 with the access code of 1619818. The replay will be archived on the website or can be accessed by dialing (866) 207-1041 with the access code of 3609137. iStar will host its call beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET. This conference call will be broadcast live and can be accessed by all interested parties in the Investor section of its website, or by dialing (844) 867-6163 with the access code of 4335538. The replay will be archived on the website or can be accessed by dialing (866) 207-1041 with the access code of 7964771. About Safehold Safehold Inc. (NYSE: SAFE) is revolutionizing real estate ownership by providing a new and better way for owners to unlock the value of the land beneath their buildings. Having created the modern ground lease industry in 2017, Safehold continues to help owners of high quality multifamily, office, industrial, hospitality, student housing, life science and mixed-use properties generate higher returns with less risk. The Company, which is taxed as a real estate investment trust (REIT) and is managed by its largest shareholder, iStar Inc., seeks to deliver safe, growing income and long-term capital appreciation to its shareholders. Additional information on Safehold is available on its website at www.safeholdinc.com. About iStar iStar Inc. (NYSE: STAR) is focused on reinventing the ground lease sector, unlocking value for real estate owners throughout the country by providing modern, more efficient ground leases on institutional quality properties. As the founder, investment manager and largest shareholder of Safehold Inc., the creator of the modern ground lease industry, iStar is using its national investment platform and its historic strengths in finance and net lease to expand the use of modern ground leases within the $7 trillion institutional commercial real estate market. Recognized as a consistent innovator in the real estate markets, iStar specializes in identifying and scaling newly discovered opportunities and has completed more than $40 billion of transactions over the past two decades. Additional information on iStar is available on its website at www.istar.com. About MSD Partners MSD Partners, L.P. is a leading investment firm focused on maximizing long-term capital appreciation across its core areas of investing expertise Credit, Growth, Private Capital and Real Estate. The Firm deploys capital on behalf of Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell and his family, as well as other like-minded, long-term-oriented investors. In its real estate investments, MSD Partners maintains a fundamental, value-oriented approach, seeking high-quality assets and businesses with significant barriers to entry and strong long-term growth characteristics. The Firm operates from offices in New York, Santa Monica and West Palm Beach. For further information about MSD Partners, please see www.msdpartners.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this document may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We have tried, whenever possible, to identify these statements by using words like "future," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "believe," "expect," "project," "forecast," "could," "would," "should," "will," "may," and similar expressions of future intent or the negative of such terms. These statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Actual results may differ materially as a result of (1) the ability to consummate the announced transactions on the expected terms and within the anticipated time periods, or at all, which is dependent on the parties' ability to satisfy certain closing conditions, including the approval of SAFE's and STAR's stockholders, completion of the Spin-Off, sales of assets and other factors; (2) any delay or inability of New Safehold and/or SpinCo to realize the expected benefits of the transactions; (3) changes in tax laws, regulations, rates, policies or interpretations; (4) the value of New Safehold shares to be issued in the transaction; (5) the value of SpinCo's shares and liquidity in SpinCo's shares; (6) the risk of unexpected significant transaction costs and/or unknown liabilities; (7) potential litigation relating to the proposed transactions; (8) the impact of actions taken by significant stockholders; (9) the potential disruption to STAR's or SAFE's respective businesses of diverted management attention, and the unanticipated loss of key members of senior management or other employees, in each case as a result of the announced transactions; and (10) general economic and business conditions that could affect New Safehold and SpinCo following the transactions. Risks that could cause actual risks to differ from those anticipated as of the date hereof include those discussed herein, those set forth in the securities filings of STAR, including its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, and those set forth in the securities filings of SAFE, including its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K. Each of STAR and SAFE also cautions the reader that undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Neither STAR nor SAFE undertakes any duty or responsibility to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report or to reflect actual outcomes. Additional Information and Where You Can Find It In connection with the proposed transactions, STAR will file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a joint proxy statement of STAR and SAFE and that also will constitute a prospectus for the shares of STAR Common Stock being issued to SAFE's stockholders in the proposed Merger. In addition, SpinCo will file with the SEC a Form 10 registration statement that will register its common shares. STAR, SAFE and SpinCo also may file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transactions. This document is not a substitute for the joint proxy statement/prospectus or Form 10 registration statement or any other document which STAR, SAFE and SpinCo may file with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF STAR AND SAFE, AS APPLICABLE, ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, THE FORM 10 REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the Form 10 registration statement (when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by STAR, SAFE and SpinCo through the web site maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov or by contacting the investor relations departments of STAR or SAFE at the following: iStar Inc. 1114 Avenue of the Americas 39th Floor New York, NY 10036 Attention: Investor Relations Safehold Inc. 1114 Avenue of the Americas 39th Floor New York, NY 10036 Attention: Investor Relations This document is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This document is not a substitute for the prospectus or any other document that STAR, SAFE or SpinCo may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transactions. No offering of securities shall be made, except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Participants in the Solicitation STAR, SAFE and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transactions. Information regarding STAR's directors and executive officers, including a description of their direct interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in STAR's definitive proxy statement for its 2022 annual meeting, which is on file with the SEC. Information regarding SAFE's directors and executive officers, including a description of their direct interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in SAFE's definitive proxy statement for its 2022 annual meeting, which is filed with the SEC. A more complete description will be included in the registration statement on Form S-4, the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the Form 10 registration statement. Company Contact: Jason Fooks Senior Vice President Investor Relations & Marketing T 212.930.9400 E [email protected] or [email protected] SOURCE Safehold; iStar Inc. NIST Issues 4 CVE's Resulting From SCADAfence's Findings RAMAT GAN, Israel, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SCADAfence, the global technology leader in OT & IoT cyber security, today announced that their cyber security research team has discovered major vulnerabilities on multiple industrial devices that have no previous CVEs. In response, NIST has issued the first-ever CVEs for Alerton, a subsidiary of Honeywell. The most serious of the vulnerabilities received a base score of 8.8, indicating that NIST believes it to be a very high-impact exposure in Alerton's product. The new CVEs affect the Ascent suite of products commonly used in industrial Building Management System (BMS). Left unhandled, these vulnerabilities could allow users with malicious intent to access Alerton's controllers and make unauthorized configuration changes to BMS devices. The changes would not be reflected in the user interface, making them likely to go undetected. "The vulnerabilities discovered by the SCADAfence research team could lead to a major cyber event if not patched," said SCADAfence CEO Elad Ben-Meir. "SCADAfence reiterates its commitment to increasing the security posture of the world's critical infrastructure and OT networks. These findings are only the latest contributions of our team of OT research experts, who continuously pentest the most commonly deployed devices and work with tier-one organizations to maintain OT network security." The Alerton Ascent BMS system dates back to 2014, and comprises several hardware components including the Ascent Control Module,and the Ascent Compass software which is used as the Human/Machine Interface (HMI). Alerton has been a subsidiary of The Honeywell Corporation since 2005. Any facility that has deployed the Ascent BMS system could be vulnerable to attack by threat actors exploiting these weaknesses. There are an unlimited number of potentially dangerous scenarios that could be caused by threat actors exploiting these vulnerabilities. Some possibilities include - 9/11 style hijackers attack a building's BMS systems and cause catastrophic damage. No airplane needed. An IVF clinic that stores human embryos at sub-zero temperatures could experience an undetected rise in temperatures that would result in the destruction of the embryos. Pharmaceutical production facilities that require specific temperatures for manufacturing life-saving medications or vaccinations could have to throw out millions of doses. Server farms that house critical hardware could be caused to overheat, leading to the destruction of vital data. Any manufacturing facility that employs chemicals could have their ventilation system remotely shut down, leading to physical injury to workers. Food production facilities that require consistent temperatures for food safety, could unknowingly ship tainted products. There were two groups of major vulnerabilities discovered by SCADAfence's protocol research team that led NIST to issue the new CVEs. The first allows unauthenticated configuration changes to be made by a remote user. This enables configuration data to be stored on the controller and then implemented. A user with malicious intent can send a crafted packet to change the controller configuration without the knowledge of the other users, altering the controller's function capabilities. The second allows unauthenticated programming writes to be made by remote users. This enables code to be stored on the controller and then run without verification. A user with malicious intent can send a crafted packet to change and/or stop the program without the knowledge of other users, altering the controller's function. After the programming change, the program needs to be overwritten in order for the controller to restore its original operational function. Full details on the newly issued CVEs can be found on the official NIST website. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-30242 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-30243 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-30244 https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-30245 To address these weaknesses and keep their organization safe, SCADAfence advises anyone who has deployed Alerton's Ascent BMS to make sure their OT network is isolated, BAS firewalls are configured properly, ACM baseline configurations are created and maintained, BAS protocols are disabled on external network segments and that Ethernet is disabled on all ports that do not require BACnet/Ethernet. Additionally, it is important to implement a network monitoring tool to observe any access via the BACnet protocol or attempts to access devices and change any configurations. About SCADAfence SCADAfence is the global technology leader in OT & IoT cyber security. The SCADAfence platform enables organizations with complex OT networks to embrace the benefits of industrial IoT by reducing cyber risks and mitigating operational threats. The non-intrusive platform provides full coverage of large-scale networks, offering best-in-class detection accuracy, asset discovery and governance with minimal false-positives. SCADAfence delivers proactive security and visibility to some of the world's most complex OT networks, including the largest manufacturing facility in Europe. SCADAfence enables organizations in manufacturing, building management and critical infrastructure industries to operate securely, reliably and efficiently. To learn more, visit our website, check out our blog, or follow us on LinkedIn. Contact: Joan Weiner-Levin [email protected] SOURCE SCADAfence OTCQX: SHWZ NEO: SHWZ Record Quarterly Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Revenue Increases 44% to $44.3 Million Compared to $30.7 Million in Q2 2021 Adjusted EBITDA of $15 Million, 33.9% of Revenue Revised Guidance Driven by Short-Term, Challenging Colorado Market Conditions Q4 2022 Projected Revenue Annualized Run Rate: $175 Million - $200 Million Q4 2022 Projected Adjusted EBITDA Annualized Run Rate: $60 Million - $72 Million Conference Call & Webcast Scheduled for Today 5:00 pm EDT DENVER, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (NEO: SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022 ("Q2 2022"). Q2 2022 Financial Summary: Revenues of $44.3 million increased 44% compared to $30.7 million in second quarter ended June 30, 2021 ("Q2 2021") increased 44% compared to in second quarter ended ("Q2 2021") Retail sales were $38.1 million up 77% when compared to Q2 2021 up 77% when compared to Q2 2021 Gross Margin of $25.2 million was up 69% compared to $14.9 million in Q2 2021, this quarter was affected by $0.2M in purchase accounting was up 69% compared to in Q2 2021, this quarter was affected by in purchase accounting Net Income was $33.8 million compared to a Net Income of $4.4 million for the same period last year compared to a Net Income of for the same period last year Adjusted EBITDA of $15 million was 33.9% of revenue, compared to $10 million for the same period last year was 33.9% of revenue, compared to for the same period last year Colorado two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales (1) were 1.8% and one year IDs (1) were (12.7%) comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales were 1.8% and one year IDs were (12.7%) comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 Average basket size (1) for Q2 2022 was $59.98 down 4.1% compared to Q2 2021 Recorded customer visits (1) for Q2 2022 totaled 444,771 down 8.9%, compared to Q2 2021 New Mexico two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales (1) were 41.0% and one year IDs (1) were 30.4% comparing Q2 2022 to Q2 2021 two year stacked IDs for Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021 and Q2 2020 for same store sales Average basket size (1) for Q2 2022 was $54.56 down 12.7% compared to Q2 2021 Recorded customer visits (1) for Q2 2022 totaled 209,591 up 49.4%, compared to Q2 2021 Accomplishments Since December 2021, Schwazze has closed acquisitions adding 15 cannabis dispensaries, 10 in New Mexico and five in Colorado as well as four cultivation facilities in New Mexico and one in Colorado and one manufacturing asset in New Mexico. Closed Acquisition of Urban Health & Wellness Assets Listed Common Stock on the NEO Exchange Closed Acquisition of Brow 2 LLC Assets Closed Acquisition of Emerald Fields Added President of New Mexico Division Closed New Mexico Acquisition, Becoming a Regionally Focused MSO Added to Key Senior Leadership Team Closed Acquisition of Drift Assets Justin Dye, Chairman and CEO of Schwazze stated, "Similar to the rest of the country, the cannabis industry in Colorado is also experiencing a slowdown in growth compared to the last couple of years. Schwazze, however, is demonstrating that our regional strategy, built on a customer first approach, developing significant scale, building brands and leveraging data analytics and technology is not only sound but gaining momentum as demonstrated by revenue and unit sales growth, customer loyalty and by once again outpacing the legacy market growth by approximately 12%. We believe this model will travel well to other states as we find attractive opportunities. Despite share price weakness driven by broader market influences, we remain bullish on our business and have conviction that as Schwazze continues to deliver superior operating results that our shareholders will be rewarded." Justin continued, "As we look to the future, we expect continued growth in Colorado and New Mexico through both organic and inorganic means. Our operations continue to mature and gain momentum, and we firmly believe that we are winning in our markets. Our team will continue to focus on growing profitably and generating cash flow from operations. When positive federal legislation is passed, Schwazze will be well-positioned as a market leader to take advantage of banking services and institutional investment." Q2 2022 Revenue Revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $44.3 million, including (i) retail sales of $38.1 million (ii) wholesale sales of $6.1 million and (iii) other operating revenues of $43,750, compared to revenues of $30.7 million, including (i) retail sales of $21.5 million, (ii) wholesale of $9.2 million, and (iii) other operating revenues of $16,844 during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of $13.5 million or 44%. This increase was due to increased sale of our products as well as execution of our growth through acquisition initiatives. In the second quarter of 2022, the Company acquired one additional retail dispensary, which generated additional retail revenue. Additionally, recreational marijuana sales became legal in New Mexico in April 2022, which increased sales volume and revenues in New Mexico. Wholesale revenues in Colorado decreased due to increased cultivation capacity in the state resulting in an over-supply of wholesale cannabis materials. Cost of goods and services for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $19.1 million compared to cost of services of $15.8 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of $3.3 million or 21%. The increase in cost of goods is driven by the increase in revenue, however not at the same rate. In the quarter, the Company experienced a reduction in costs driven by vertical integration and third-party price negotiations. Gross profit increased to $25.2 million for Q2 2022 compared to $14.9 million during the same period in 2021. Gross profit margin increased as a percentage of revenue from 48.5% to 56.8%, and net of purchase accounting, the gross margin increased to 57.4%. This positive result, net of purchase accounting continues to reflect our consolidated purchasing approach, the implementation of our retail playbook, and vertical product sales in New Mexico. Operating expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $16.1 million, compared to operating expenses of $10.5 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase of $5.6 million or 54%. This increase is due to increased selling, general and administrative expenses, professional service fees, salaries, benefits, and related employment costs driven by growth from acquisitions. Other income for the three months ended June 30, 2022, totaled $29.2 million compared to $0.2 million during the three months ended June 30, 2021, representing an increase in income of $29 million or 18,435%. The increase in other income is due to the revaluation of the derivative liability related to the Investor Notes, offset by higher interest payments. The Company generated net income for the three months ended June 30, 2022, of $33.8 million, compared to net income of $4.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021. Adjusted EBITDA for Q2 2022 was $15 million representing 33.9% of revenue, compared to $10 million and 32.6% of revenue for the same period last year. This is derived from Operating Income and adjusting one-time expenses, merger and acquisition and capital raising costs, non-cash related compensation costs, and depreciation and amortization. See the financial table for Adjusted EBITDA below adjustment for details. For six months ending June 30, 2022, the Company used cash for operations of ($8.0) million compared to generating cash of $1.4 million for the same period in 2021. The Company has cash and cash equivalents of $33.9 million at the end of Q2 2022. Nancy Huber, CFO for Schwazze commented, "During Q2 we focused on completing integration of our acquisitions and made sure that we used our resources effectively. We are focused on reducing operating and SG&A expenses and judiciously investing growth capital to ensure adequate liquidity and profitability despite difficult market conditions in Colorado, which we believe to be transitory and temporary. Our balance sheet remains strong, and we have ample liquidity. We are focused on delivering positive cash flow net of acquisition costs for the year while driving organic growth and making smart acquisitions." 2022 Guidance The Company has revised its guidance for a fourth-quarter 2022 (Q4 2022) annualized run rate, which excludes transactions that are announced but not closed. Q4 2022 revenue annualized run rate is projected to be $175 million to $200 million, and the Q4 2022 adjusted EBITDA annualized run rate is projected to be from $60 million to $72 million. NOTES: (1) Schwazze did not own all the assets and entities in part of 2021, 2020 and 2019 and is using unaudited numbers for this comparison. Adjusted EBITDA represents income (loss) from operations, as reported, before tax, adjusted to exclude non-recurring items, other non-cash items, including stock-based compensation expense, depreciation, and amortization, and further adjusted to remove acquisition and capital raise related costs, and other one-time expenses, such as severance, retention, and employee relocation. The Company uses adjusted EBITDA as it believes it better explains the results of its core business. The Company has not reconciled guidance for adjusted EBITDA to the corresponding GAAP financial measure because it cannot provide guidance for the various reconciling items. The Company is unable to provide guidance for these reconciling items because it cannot determine their probable significance, as certain items are outside of its control and cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, a reconciliation to the corresponding GAAP financial measure is not available without unreasonable effort. Webcast August 11, 2022 5:00 PM EDT Investors and stakeholders may participate in the conference call by dialing 416 764 8650 or by dialing North American toll free 1-888-664-6383 or listen to the webcast from the Company's website at https://ir.schwazze.com The webcast will be available on the Company's website and on replay until August 18, 2022, and may be accessed by dialing 1-888-390-0541 / # 575833 Following their prepared remarks, Chief Executive Officer, Justin Dye and Chief Financial Officer, Nancy Huber will answer investor questions. Investors may submit questions in advance or during the conference call itself through the weblink: https://app.webinar.net/lwXbZbBZmKN This weblink has been posted to the Company's website and will be archived on the website. All Company SEC filings can also be accessed on the Company website at https://ir.schwazze.com/sec-filings About Schwazze Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ, NEO: SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale. The Company is committed to unlocking the full potential of the cannabis plant to improve the human condition. Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector. Schwazze is passionate about making a difference in our communities, promoting diversity and inclusion, and doing our part to incorporate climate-conscious practices. Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. Forward-Looking Statements Such forward-looking statements may be preceded by the words "plan," "will," "may," "continue," "anticipate," "become," "build," "develop," "expect," "believe," "poised," "project," "approximate," "could," "potential," or similar expressions as they relate to Schwazze. Forward-looking statements include the guidance provided regarding the Company's Q4 2022 performance and annual capital spending. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events or performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control and cannot be predicted or quantified. Consequently, actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) our inability to manufacture our products and product candidates on a commercial scale on our own or in collaboration with third parties; (ii) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (iii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iv) loss of one or more key executives or scientists; (v) difficulties in securing regulatory approval to market our products and product candidates; (vi) our ability to successfully execute our growth strategy in Colorado and New Mexico and outside the states, (vii) our ability to identify and consummate future acquisitions that meet our criteria, (viii) our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize synergies therefrom, (ix) the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, (x) the timing and extent of governmental stimulus programs, (xi) the uncertainty in the application of federal, state and local laws to our business, and any changes in such laws, and (xii) our ability to achieve the target metrics, including our annualized revenue and EBIDTA run rates set out in our Q4 2022 guidance. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law. MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 Expressed in U.S. Dollars June 30, December 31, 2022 2021 (Unaudited) (Audited) ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 33,862,423 $ 106,400,216 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 5,753,621 3,866,828 Inventory 19,375,341 11,121,997 Note receivable - current, net 71,667 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 7,743,112 2,523,214 Total current assets 66,806,164 123,912,255 Non-current assets Fixed assets, net accumulated depreciation of $3,212,679 and $1,988,973, respectively 20,955,604 10,253,226 Goodwill 107,969,018 43,316,267 Intangible assets, net accumulated amortization of $11,930,443 and $7,652,750, respectively 105,427,462 97,582,330 Marketable securities, net of unrealized loss of $13,813 and gain of $216,771, respectively 479,741 493,553 Note receivable noncurrent, net 143,333 Accounts receivable litigation 290,648 303,086 Other noncurrent assets 1,464,163 514,962 Operating lease right of use assets 14,755,181 8,511,780 Total non-current assets 251,341,817 161,118,537 Total assets $ 318,147,981 $ 285,030,792 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' DEFICIT Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 3,222,956 $ 2,548,885 Accounts payable - related party 73,387 36,820 Accrued expenses 8,966,821 5,592,222 Derivative liabilities 11,634,721 34,923,013 Notes payable - related party 134,498 Lease liabilities current 3,795,776 Income taxes payable 863,971 2,027,741 Total current liabilities 28,557,632 45,263,179 Long term debt 121,080,876 97,482,468 Lease liabilities 11,532,286 8,715,480 Total long-term liabilities 132,613,162 106,197,948 Total liabilities 161,170,794 151,461,127 Stockholders' equity Common stock, $0.001 par value. 250,000,000 shares authorized; 55,995,681 shares issued and 54,446,575 shares outstanding at June 30, 2022 and 45,484,314 shares issued and 44,745,870 shares outstanding as of December 31, 2021. 55,996 45,485 Preferred stock, $0.001 par value. 10,000,000 shares authorized; 86,994 shares issued and 82,594 outstanding at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021. 87 87 Additional paid-in capital 179,623,469 162,815,097 Accumulated deficit (20,711,687) (27,773,968) Common stock held in treasury, at cost, 886,459 shares held as of June 30, 2022 and 517,044 shares held as of December 31, 2021 (1,990,678) (1,517,036) Total stockholders' equity 156,977,187 133,569,665 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 318,147,981 $ 285,030,792 See accompanying notes to the financial statements MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. CONSOLDIATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (UNAUDITED) For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022 and 2021 Expressed in U.S. Dollars For the Three Months Ended For the Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Operating revenues Retail $ 38,138,799 $ 21,525,816 $ 64,664,515 $ 33,342,016 Wholesale 6,080,843 9,186,181 11,288,231 16,632,445 Other 43,750 16,844 88,200 94,494 Total revenue 44,263,392 30,728,841 76,040,946 50,068,955 Cost of goods and services Total cost of goods and services 19,106,944 15,826,341 39,946,995 27,913,451 Gross profit 25,156,448 14,902,500 36,093,951 22,155,504 Operating expenses Selling, general and administrative expenses 6,666,044 4,797,495 13,521,755 7,987,134 Professional services 1,516,544 1,519,016 4,101,016 3,714,124 Salaries 7,240,368 2,992,055 12,537,145 4,861,413 Stock based compensation 697,842 1,153,018 1,688,925 2,636,824 Total operating expenses 16,120,798 10,461,584 31,848,841 19,199,495 Income (loss) from operations 9,035,650 4,440,916 4,245,110 2,956,009 Other income (expense) Interest income (expense), net (7,489,205) (1,713,770) (14,791,459) (2,675,053) Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative liabilities 36,705,764 1,864,741 23,288,292 610,927 Other income (expense) 7 Gain (loss) on sale of assets 292,479 Unrealized gain (loss) on investments (5,264) 6,627 (13,813) 221,257 Total other income (expense) 29,211,295 157,598 8,483,027 (1,550,390) Provision for income taxes (benefit) 4,405,962 228,474 5,665,856 685,088 Net income (loss) $ 33,840,983 $ 4,370,040 $ 7,062,281 $ 720,531 Less: Accumulated preferred stock dividends for the period (1,766,575) (3,510,019) Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders $ 32,074,408 $ 4,370,040 $ 3,552,262 $ 720,531 Earnings (loss) per share attributable to common shareholders Basic earnings (loss) per share $ 0.65 $ 0.10 $ 0.07 $ 0.02 Diluted earnings (loss) per share $ 0.24 $ 0.08 $ 0.03 $ 0.01 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic 49,178,494 42,332,144 49,178,494 42,286,168 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted 133,481,667 53,975,521 133,481,667 53,886,727 Comprehensive income (loss) $ 33,840,983 $ 4,370,040 $ 7,062,281 $ 720,531 See accompanying notes to the financial statements MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) For the Three Months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021 Expressed in U.S. Dollars For the Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 Cash flows from operating activities Net income (loss) for the period 7,062,281 720,531 Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash used in operating activities Depreciation and amortization 5,501,399 4,807,147 Gain on change in derivative liabilities (23,288,292) (610,927) Loss (gain) on investment, net 13,813 (221,257) Loss (gain) on sale of asset (292,479) Stock based compensation 1,474,380 2,636,824 Changes in operating assets and liabilities (net of acquired amounts): Accounts receivable (1,677,476) (1,854,067) Inventory 3,903,984 (3,368,807) Prepaid expenses and other current assets (1,458,786) (1,250,938) Other assets (946,701) (367,593) Operating leases right of use assets and liabilities 369,181 77,444 Accounts payable and other liabilities 2,248,013 1,169,537 Deferred Revenue (50,000) Income taxes payable (1,163,770) Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities (7,961,974) 1,395,416 Cash flows from investing activities: Cash consideration for acquisition of business (95,903,316) (66,082,072) Purchase of fixed assets (7,004,445) (1,203,180) Issuance of notes receivable 181,911 Purchase of intangible assets (2,825) (29,580) Net cash used in investing activities (102,910,586) (67,132,921) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of debt 19,165,362 40,348,241 Debt issuance and discount costs 4,433,042 Repayment of notes payable (5,000,000) Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs 14,736,363 50,282,798 Net cash provided by financing activities 38,334,767 85,631,039 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (72,537,793) 19,893,534 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 106,400,216 1,237,235 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 33,862,423 $ 21,130,769 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid for interest $ 9,004,575 $ 2,131,495 Cash paid for income taxes 6,840,000 Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: Common stock issued in connection with acquisitions 9,900,506 Issuance of common stock 379,146 Return of common stock 551,875 See accompanying notes to the financial statements MEDICINE MAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation Non-GAAP measurement (UNAUDITED) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended June 30, June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 Net income (loss) $ 33,840,983 $ 4,370,040 $ 7,062,281 $ 720,531 Interest expense, net 7,489,205 1,713,770 14,791,459 2,675,053 Provision for income taxes 4,405,962 228,474 5,665,856 685,088 Other (income) expense (36,700,500) (1,871,368) (23,274,486) (1,124,663) Depreciation and amortization 2,960,603 3,016,579 5,501,399 4,807,147 EBITDA (non-GAAP measure) $ 11,996,253 $ 7,457,495 $ 9,746,509 $ 7,763,156 Non-cash stock compensation 697,842 1,153,018 1,688,925 2,636,824 Deal related expenses 1,656,529 916,471 3,913,463 1,662,415 Capital raise related expenses 41,312 230,970 605,632 1,182,089 Inventory adjustment to fair market value for purchase accounting 246,613 - 6,507,047 2,164,686 One-time cultivation asset impairment 329,210 - 329,210 - Severance 44,537 125,826 49,102 142,092 Retention program expenses - 29,687 - 59,375 Employee relocation expenses 332 18,391 19,110 38,391 Other non-recurring items 8,840 90,011 10,650 217,179 Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP measure) $ 15,021,468 $ 10,021,869 $ 22,869,648 $ 15,866,207 Revenue 44,263,392 30,728,841 76,040,946 50,068,955 aEBITDA Percent 33.9 % 32.6 % 30.1 % 31.7 % SOURCE Schwazze LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's first traditional padlock with fingerprint technology is headed to Invention-Con 2022. Having obtained investment on the hit-show Shark Tank, BenjiLock founder Robbie Cabral is now incredibly excited to be bringing his creation to one of the go-to invention trade shows in the world. Robbie Cabral inventor, founder and CEO of BenjiLock, is a speaker at the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) conference, Invention-Con 2022: Inspiring and Redefining the Innovative Mindset. This back-to-school season - the versatile BenjiLock TSA Fingerprint Travel Lock is available at Walmart nationwide. This year's theme and motto for Invention-Con is inspiring and redefining the innovative mindset, and Cabral believes there's nothing he and his company represent more. He said, "My motto has always been, never be afraid to dream big. I had an idea that fuses the latest technology with an everyday item most people use. From here, the BenjiLock journey began." What's great about these TSA-approved locks is their versatility. Originally designed for suitcases and luggage, Cabral and his team have extended the range to include locks for garages, doors, storage units, and extra-large carrying cases. BenjiLock fuses the security of a traditional padlock or locking mechanism with the added layer of fingerprint recognition and a keypad entry system. This allows users the flexibility to choose their preferred locking and unlocking method while creating a confusing and unwanted deterrent for opportunists and thieves. Invention-Con is hosted by the United States Patents and Trademarks Office and will take place on August 10th - 12th. It's a totally free event, taking place virtually. Robbie Cabral told us, "As an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, it's a huge honor to be taking part in a prestigious event hosted by the USPTO. Having been able to take BenjiLock to Shark Tank and now to showcase our progress and discuss my journey at this conference is a dream come true. I'm incredibly excited!" Having landed a 15% investment from Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, BenjiLock's potential and brand awareness skyrocketed. Since then, the team has secured a licensing partnership with leading security and hardware innovations provider, Hampton Products International. This has empowered BenjiLock to become a household name in security for everything from rucksacks to buildings. Currently, BenjiLock products are available nationwide at Walmart, Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Best Buy, Amazon, Kohl's, Lowe's, and many more. When looking at invention trade shows for 2022, Cabral and O'Leary picked out Invention-Con as a must-visit. An event focused on redefining the innovative mindset is the perfect stage for a ground-breaking idea that solves an everyday problem. Cabral says, "BenjiLock and the USPTO's Invention-Con are made for each other. It's going to be an eventful few days, and we're looking forward to meeting like-minded inventors and inspiring others to think differently." You can hear from Robbie on his journey from Eureka to Enterprise on Day 1 at 3 pm. Don't forget to register for Invention-Con 2022 , so you don't miss out. About BenjiLock Based in Los Angeles, California, and founded in 2014 by inventor and entrepreneur Robbie Cabral, BenjiLock has redefined the personal security experience through hybrid technology with the consumer in mind. Featured on ABC's hit show Shark Tank, Robbie Cabral landed Kevin O'Leary as an investor with a 15% equity stake in the company, catapulting BenjiLock's potential and success by securing a licensing partnership with Hampton Products International, the leader in security and hardware innovations and makers of BRINKS locks. Through this strategic partnership, BenjiLock was able to utilize the 30+ years of experience of Hampton Products International to further its production and manufacturing, escalating the brand to unprecedented levels. Today, BenjiLock's fingerprint technology is expanding into a portfolio of products, including an upcoming line of bike locks, next-generation of padlocks, drawer closets, and cabinet locks, as well as a brand-new line of smart home door locks. For more information, visit BenjiLock.com and follow BenjiLock on Instagram , Twitter , YouTube , Facebook , and LinkedIn . SOURCE BenjiLock - Second Quarter Financial Report and Corporate Development Update to be Focus of Presentation PHOENIX, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SinglePoint, Inc. (OTCQB: SING) ("SinglePoint'' or "the Company''), a solar energy and sustainable solutions provider, announced today that Wil Ralston, CEO of SinglePoint, will conduct a 30 minute virtual presentation at the Sidoti & Company LLC Microcap Virtual Investor Conference on August 18th at 1:00 PM. The SinglePoint presentation can be accessed live at: https://sidoti.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xWnkkIRRQJ6qR4H5u-qUmg . The presentation will be available for viewing 90 days following the event. Free registration for investors is available at https://www.meetmax.com/sched/event_85147/conference_register.html?attendee_role_id=SIDOTI_INVESTOR SinglePoint management will also host virtual one-on-one meetings with investors throughout the conference. To register for the presentation of a one-on-one meeting, visit https://www.sidoti.com/events/august-micro-cap-virtual-conference . About SinglePoint Inc (OTCQB: SING) SinglePoint is a solar energy ad sustainable lifestyle company currently in the solar energy and air purification markets. The Company's goal is to build the largest network of renewable energy solutions and modernizing the traditional solar energy and energy storage business model.The Company's continues to execute on it acquisition strategy and is currently exploring future growth opportunities in air purification, electric vehicle charging, solar as a subscription service, and additional energy efficiencies and appliances that enhance sustainability and healthier life. For more information, visit the Company's websites-- www.singlepoint.com, www.bostonsolar.us and www.boxpureair.com About Sidoti and Company Sidoti's mission is to provide a nexus between issuer and investor Sidoti's institutional investor clients enjoy a combination of quality equity research, a small and micro-cap focused nationwide sales effort and broad access to corporate management teams. At the same time, Sidoti provides its covered companies insightful research and the opportunity (along with other publicly traded issuers) to interact with many of Sidoti's ~500 North American institutional clients by appearing at the Company's small and micro-cap conferences. Most of Sidoti's investors and clients manage portfolios with $200 million to $2 billion of assets and have a specific interest in the small and micro-cap arena, creating a mutually beneficial forum for information exchange. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within tRule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, besides statements of fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding revenue projections, financing opportunities, potential plans and objectives of the Company, anticipated growth, and future expansion, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical and other complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. Investor Contact: Tra-Digital IR [email protected] (212) 389 - 9782 ext. 107 SOURCE SinglePoint Inc. Latest acquisition expands Spectrum's global capabilities; provides enhanced resources, expertise and experience to award-winning Aurora team WASHINGTON and LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectrum Science, an independent, integrated marketing, communications and media agency hyper-focused on health and science, today announced the acquisition of UK-based strategic communications consultancy, Aurora Healthcare Communications and other group agencies under This is Avalon Group (Aurora). Spectrum and Aurora have worked together for more than a decade as part of Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC). The two companies will now formally join forces under the GHMC brand, each as a GHMC Company. GHMC remains the largest network of fully independent healthcare communications agencies; Spectrum serves as founder and chair of GHMC. Spectrum Science Acquires Aurora "After 14 years of close, trusted and successful collaboration, we are thrilled to formalize our partnership with Aurora, building upon our existing global business and expanding capabilities to best meet client needs," says Jonathan Wilson, owner and CEO of Spectrum and chairman and CEO of GHMC. "The past several years have been a period of great growth for Spectrum as we've transformed to a fully integrated marketing and communications agency with 250 employees spread all over the country. As the logical next step in this exciting journey, we're looking forward to bringing our model to even more clients across Europe, further expanding our global work while supporting Aurora's evolution along a similar path." As leading independent healthcare communications agencies in two of the most important global markets, this mutually beneficial partnership allows both organizations to further strengthen their transatlantic offerings and create new, exciting opportunities and career pathways for staff. Aurora will continue to operate under the Aurora brand with ongoing leadership from co-founders Claire Eldridge and Neil Crump, with no change in day-to-day operations. Neil will assume the role of Chief Growth Officer for GHMC, working closely with the network's President, Tim Goddard, to drive an expansion of capabilities, geographic presence and new business. Claire will continue in her role as Chief Executive Officer of Aurora and will focus on leading the integration with Spectrum in addition to setting the strategic direction for the agency to unlock its growth potential. "We are delighted to build on the strong foundation we've established through our long-standing collaboration with Spectrum," says Claire Eldridge, Chief Executive Officer of Aurora. "For nearly 20 years, we have focused on expanding our capabilities across communications, patient engagement and social impact to best serve our clients and tell meaningful stories to improve lives and prove it. Now in partnership with Spectrum, we can continue to grow our offerings with an eye towards today's rapidly evolving industry, and a diversified set of clients who want to have the same impact we do for patients." Additionally, Chris Bath will continue in his role of Managing Director of Aurora, working closely with the existing Aurora leadership team to oversee the agency's strategic direction, daily operations and existing client business, with the potential for more shared opportunities and global work. Aurora's 34 permanent employees bring further expertise in patient engagement, medical communications, social impact and brand and corporate communications. The Aurora acquisition closely follows two previously announced acquisitions for Spectrum: The Seismic Collaborative and SONIC Health. Financing for all three deals was provided by Monroe Capital. About Aurora Aurora is a strategic communications consultancy helping the world's leading healthcare organizations improve lives and prove it. Since 2005, Aurora has run campaigns that reach, inspire and activate audiences including patients, families and caregivers, healthcare professionals and beyond. We do this for top global pharmaceutical companies, charities, MedTech firms and device manufacturers. Our approach works, and we evidence our impact using our comprehensive Acumen framework. Our work is multinational. As the UK partner and EU hub of GHMC, we match international best practice with on-the-ground local knowledge. Through insights, co-design, audience activation and communication management, we help businesses deliver healthcare for good. Visit www.auroracomms.com to find out more. About Spectrum Science Spectrum Science is an integrated marketing, communications and media agency like no other. An independent, full-service agency with end-to-end capabilities, Spectrum's team are experts in sciencefocused on strategic engagements with our audiences. We leverage human-centered insights, motivating creative, innovative storytelling and technology to reach audiences where they are with the content they need and want. Spectrum offers global reach as the US partner and chair of Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC). For more information on how Spectrum goes Beyond the Science Quo, visit www.spectrumscience.com or follow @SpectrumScience on Twitter. About Global Health Marketing & Communications (GHMC) GHMC is the largest and most robust network of independent healthcare agencies worldwide, dedicated to improving outcomes through the delivery of dynamic, health-lingual experiences that drive meaningful global change. With more than 700 health-specialist communications professionals spanning more than a dozen disciplines, from patient engagement to clinical trial recruitment to advertising, the agencies that make up the partnership share a belief in insights-driven strategies and a commitment to collaboration. Today, GHMC has capabilities and reach into more than 60 countries. For more information, visit www.GHMCNetwork.com or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. SOURCE Spectrum Science Breaking the big gender gaps with STEM, the Miss Taiwanese American winner would like to redefine what an engineer looks like and encourage more young women and girls to consider STEM careers SAN GABRIEL, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Miss Taiwanese American pageant crowned its newest winner, Miss Tiffany Chang, who impressed the crowd with an unbelievable show, making a robot that features artificial intelligence in heels. Miss Taiwanese American 2022 Talent Show. Miss Taiwanese American 2022. Redefining STEM with spectacular homemade robot for her talent show. Tiffany Chang, creatively featured the first ever beauty pageant robot in history which indirectly highlights the hope of Taiwan's Silicon Shield attaching the robot's identity with Taiwan's national flag and a "I love Taiwan" LED panel shining in the robot's heart. Carrying a humorous dialogue with her robot, she invites the robot to perform a catwalk with her on stage and earns the audience's robust applaud. Tiffany who not only won the crown to the Miss Taiwanese American, also won the Best Talent Award and the Best Popularity Award. As a third-generation Taiwanese American, Tiffany will attend Stanford University this fall majoring in Management Science and Engineering. Despite her young age, she firmly identifies with her Taiwanese cultural background and female identity. Tiffany Chang, said "I am honored to represent the Taiwanese tradition of my origin, emphasizing that if we don't have the determination to identify with ourselves, then others will impose it on us." Chang has been passionate about science and engineering since she was a child, and hopes that through this occasion, women can also achieve success in STEM. Taiwan, a revered leader in technological innovation and home to the world's largest chipmaker recognizes parity in tech is essential to economic growth presents a different kind of breakthrough celebrating women in STEM with their winner. In an era when women in STEM are still sadly underrepresented, we rarely see examples of female scientists and engineers in popular culture. Innovation requires diversity of talents to bring different perspectives and women are an important force that cannot be neglected in the innovation process. Chang addressed there are specific ways to promote it starting with bringing in more female representation and role models promoting positive attitudes for young women and girls deciding on the subjects and careers that they find stimulating, Chang offers another public figure in a previously rather academically streamlined role that can inspire a new generation of women. Chang says "we must continue to spotlight the inspiring women who are making strides in technology and redefining STEM because the more the louder we celebrate, more young girls will hear us, and the more they'll realize there's a whole world out there they might just perfect fit into." Contact: Name of Media Contact: Lauren Chen Title of Media Contact: Manager Company Name: I-Matter Contact Phone Number: (626) 379-9178 Contact E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Tiffany Chang WESTPORT, Conn., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sterling Investment Partners ("Sterling"), a Westport, Connecticut-based leading middle market private equity firm investing in distribution and business services companies, is pleased to announce that Dan Yu has been promoted to Principal on the investment team. Dan originally joined Sterling in 2013 as an Associate and returned in 2017 after receiving an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. He is involved in all aspects of the firm's investment activities, including analyzing and executing transactions and working with management teams to enhance each portfolio company's franchise value. Dan serves on the Board of Directors of AIMS Companies, Belnick, Camp, Kendall, and formerly on the board of All My Sons. All of the Partners at Sterling are pleased to recognize Dan's accomplishments and contributions to the firm and enthusiastically support Dan's promotion. Prior to joining Sterling, Dan held positions at Corinthian Capital and the M&A Investment Banking Group at Wells Fargo Securities. About Sterling Investment Partners Sterling Investment Partners is a private equity firm that has been investing in and building middle-market companies for over 30 years with a highly-experienced, cohesive team of senior investment professionals. Sterling focuses on value-added distribution and business services, acquiring businesses that the firm believes have strong, sustainable competitive advantages and significant opportunities for value creation. Over its history, Sterling has completed more than 200 transactions, representing approximately $25 billion in aggregate value. www.sterlinglp.com. SOURCE Sterling Investment Partners ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MegaTel is pleased to announce that their Merchant Services Edge helps small businesses keep their business running smoothly. When businesses sign up for Merchant Services Edge, they will receive a free credit card processor and free processing. When signing up with MegaTel's Merchant Services Edge, business owners will receive a free state-of-the-art credit card processor and free processing! The free terminals MegaTel offers have low processing fees on devices from credit card machines to point-of-sale terminals. MegaTel Merchant Services MegaTel Merchant Services MegaTel's mission is to provide payment processing options that are fast, easy, and secure. With an understanding of the importance of local businesses having an efficient merchant services system, MegaTel's setup process is guaranteed to be quick and to the point, so that business owners can focus on growing their business, while MegaTel maintains the system and answers questions. MegaTel believes in a comprehensive merchant services system that will benefit local businesses with the latest payment solutions. Included in the Merchant Services Edge solution are payment processing services, merchant services, and other payment services. Business owners can accept a variety of payment types through credit card processing terminals. The benefits of well-functioning merchant services will reflect in small business owners' margins. Business owners who have the ability to help more customers with a quality payment system can expand their customer base! Payment terminals also open the possibility of creating loyalty programs for customers that will help increase the amount of local support for a small business. Efficient credit card processing and streamlined payment options will supplement the growth of local businesses the goal that MegaTel is most passionate about. When business owners use MegaTel's Merchant Services Edge, they gain additional advantages beyond an efficient payment terminal and credit card processing. MegaTel offers regular service and support from trained professionals, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that businesses can avoid any issues and continue running smoothly. MegaTel Merchant Services Edge is available to business owners located in Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Maryland, Texas, and Illinois. When business owners sign on with MegaTel's services, they will receive fast shipping of their new payment terminal. To start seeing noticeable differences in how their business runs, local business owners can take advantage of MegaTel's competitive pricing and sign on with MegaTel Merchant Services at https://www.megatelms.com . About MegaTel Merchant Services MegaTel Merchant Services has 15 years of industry experience, making them qualified to help your small business meet its goals with merchant services and payment processing products. MegaTel's goal is to help businesses succeed, by providing them with all of the tools that they need to meet their goals. Learn more at https://www.megatelms.com/solutions/ . Contact Information Name: Al Alahmadi Email: [email protected] Phone Number: (877) 350-5999 SOURCE MegaTel Merchant Services TAIPEI, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wavenet, which specializes in marketing technology, recently raised nearly USD$3 million in the series B round. "Our future goal is clear: We'll have our IPO within 2 years and Taiwan will be our first choice for IPO venue," said Tim Hsu, the founder and CEO of Wavenet. Wavenet's biggest investor in this round is Cornerstone Asset Holdings, a Silicon Valley fund focusing on SaaS and education. The Founder and CEO of Wavenet Technology, Tim Hsu. (PRNewsfoto/Wavenet Technology) The amount of the funding is not large, but Tim Hsu mentioned that the investor's assistance in exploring the North American market is what matters. With the funding and investors' help, Wavenet will expand its operations to Japan and North America, and is planning to hire more international talents to join the team. They expect to double the data analysis team. Silicon valley's investor Cornerstone Asset Holdings said that in the post-pandemic era, both B2B marketing and B2C or C2C e-commerce will become more dependent on traffic platforms. Wavenet's growth from an Adtech (advertising technology) company to a Martech company as well as its comprehensive deployment of becoming an agency for tech giants could enable it to enter the North America market or any other market seamlessly. With two marketing product, Wavenet help customers expand to the global market Wavenet provides two major services. One is the advertising traffic service, which helps customers to buy ads on Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc. The other is SaaS service. Wavenet developed its own Orca system, which, in combination with the technologies from other MarTech companies, allows for remarketing, audience analysis, and public opinion monitoring by customers' members. Besides, it also provides OrcaPro system to allow for B2B clients to target global marketing activities. In the field of advertising traffic, Wavenet has worked with domestic clients such as LG Household & Health Care and Yannick. And overseas, it has cooperated with companies like Hong Kong Gifts & premium Fair, and Au Huat Coffee (Malaysia). In terms of SaaS system, Wavenet's clients include Chunghwa Telecom. "Wavenet aims to become the MediaTek in the field of MarTech, and an indispensable key component for our customers." Tim said, "Scalability and concatenation capabilities are Wavenet's keys to creating MarTech products, and there are many players in the market possessing in-depth and delicate technologies, so our products have to be concatenated with theirs to allow our clients to choose the services they want. After all, customers want a hole in the wall instead of a drill in their hands." It is learned that Wavenet's annual revenue is around USD$20 million, in which the revenue ratio of SaaS to advertisement is about 1:2. But in the future, Wavenet will strive to increase the percentage of SaaS to close to that of advertisement. Regarding overseas deployment, Wavenet is one of the few companies that stand steadily in China market and has acquired the 22-year-old advertising company Singnan Communications in Malaysia. In addition, Wavenet is expanding its services to other countries, and is expected to establish a branch in Japan. SOURCE Wavenet Technology OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Aug. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tesseract Ventures announced today that the company has been awarded a direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation (SBIR) grant by the United States Air Force through AFWERX. Tesseract Ventures enables businesses to defy the boundaries of space and time through next-generation technologies. Robots, smart spaces, wearables and radically connected platforms are just some of the tools created by Tesseract in its mission to make industries smarter, better connected and more efficient. The research proposal,submitted under the 21.1 SBIR cycle, has been approved for a $1,250,000 contract for research and development (R&D) at Whiteman Air Force Base, MO, home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber. Under this grant, Tesseract Ventures will continue to develop open / proprietary tools and technologies including the Tesseract Smart Space, Prism connected wearables and hardware, Node security hubs and more. These radically connected technologies are being developed to aid the Air Force in advanced data visualization, enhanced situational awareness, location tracking of supplies and resources. Maj Ben Fogarty is the Director of Innovation at Whiteman AFB and the lead Technical POC for the SBIR project. "Tesseract's technologies represent an opportunity for Whiteman to move into the future of flightline operations at an accelerated pace," said Maj Fogarty. "We are committed to exploring implementing Tesseract's capabilities in a way that will balance safety and security with new operational capability for our airmen." "The Air Force has always been a center of innovation and a launch pad for world-changing new technologies. We are honored to work alongside some of the military's most visionary minds, as we develop technologies that can make our Air Force more efficient and better connected, while keeping our service people safer both on the base and in the field." said John Boucard, founder and CEO, Tesseract Ventures. The Tesseract Technologies developed under this grant can be applied to a multitude of Air Force and military applications. The Smart Space is a physical collaboration and data visualization hub that brings together information from every part of a mission or base for improved situational awareness and better operational control. It can reveal critical insights at a time when the military is challenged to analyze and visualize massive and ever increasing amounts of data. Node is a highly portable, self-contained access control and credentialing hub that acts as a central brain for IoT devices, integrating data from various sources while also providing security at installation sites. Node can be deployed in minutes on all types of bases, at field hospitals and beyond, with little to no infrastructure needed. Prism is a suite of advanced wearables and hardware that allows users to track the locations of personnel and equipment, create virtual zones, send out real-time alerts, receive SOS calls and more. Prism's real-time data capabilities can enhance safety and efficiency both on the base and in the battlefield. Tesseract's advanced asset tracking sensors give commanding leadership a clear view of where material is at all times. This enhanced awareness can cut costs, aid in inventory and even give insights into maintenance needs. Each of these components is designed to work together, or individually, giving users incredible flexibility in scaling up or down their application as required by a project or mission. About Tesseract Ventures Tesseract Ventures was founded in 2018 by John Boucard, a veteran inventor, engineer and technologist. The company enables businesses to defy the boundaries of space and time through next-generation technologies. Robots, smart spaces, wearables and radically connected platforms are just some of the tools created by Tesseract in its mission to make industries smarter, better connected and more efficient. The company is based in Kansas City, MO and Tampa, FL. For more information, visit www.tesseractventures.io . About AFWERX and SBIR: A Technology Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the innovation arm of the Department Air Force, AFWERX accelerates agile and affordable capability transitions by teaming innovative technology developers with Airman and Guardian talent. AFWERX is the Air Force's team of innovators who encourage and facilitate connections across industry, academia, and military to create transformative opportunities and foster a culture of innovation. AFWERX, in partnership with Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), and the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), developed the SBIR open Topics to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and transition rate of the SBIR program. Through competitive awards-based program, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialization. SOURCE Tesseract Ventures 2014'S FULLY COMPLETELY BOX SET AVAILABLE FOR FIRST TIME ON VINYL TO BE RELEASED ON OCTOBER 7, 2022 NEXT YEAR FANS CAN EXPECT VINYL VERSIONS OF YER FAVOURITES, PREVIOUSLY ONLY AVAILABLE ON CD, PLUS A BRAND-NEW BOX SET OF PHANTOM POWER THE TRAGICALLY HIP HONOURED WITH HUMANITARIANISM AWARD INDUCTEES IN 2022 CANADA'S WALK OF FAME FOR AWARD 'Fully Completely' is one of the best albums of the 90's that is not only an excellent representative of the band but an essential album within the genre. Mixing different styles like the sleek, driving rock sound to acoustic to alt rock and pop, The Hip really reached their peak with this record Sputnik Music TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of The Tragically Hip's iconic album, Fully Completely, the band announce that the deluxe boxset, which was previously released in 2014 only on CD, to be reimagined as a vinyl package. This is the first time the box set will be available on vinyl and will be released on October 7, 2022. This 3 LP vinyl set includes all the elements from the 2014 boxset including, the Fully Completely original album, the Live at the Horseshoe September 13, 1992 recording, with bonus studio session tracks Radio Show & So Hard Done By. As well as a Blu-ray of brand-new Dolby Atmos and surround sound mixes of the record. Atmos mixes will also be available digitally on Apple Music and Amazon Music. As well as, newly remastered from the original tapes, 'Heksenketel'1993 tour documentary, plus a 56-page book and five exclusive lithographs by cover artist Lieve Prins. Pre-order the Fully Completely deluxe vinyl box set HERE. To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of The Tragically Hips iconic album, Fully Completely, the band announce that the deluxe boxset, which was previously released in 2014 only on CD, to be reimagined as a vinyl package. This is the first time the box set will be available on vinyl and will be released on October 7, 2022. The Fully Completely deluxe vinyl edition, is the first in a series of vinyl album rereleases for The Tragically Hip, the band heeding the call to experience the music in this analogue quality format. Fans can watch out for reissues of Yer Favourites which had previously been available only on CD as well as a brand-new boxset for Phantom Power (CD, vinyl, Atmos), leading into the bands' 40th anniversary celebration in 2024. Fully Completely is where The Tragically Hip reach the apex of their talent. Originally released on October 6th, 1992, the album went on to sell more than a million copies in Canada and is quickly approaching double Diamond status. Spawning multiple hit singles "Locked in the Trunk of a Car", "Courage" (For Hugh McLennan), "At the Hundredth Meridian" "Fifty Mission Cap" and "Wheat Kings." At the 2017 Polaris Music Prize the album won the public vote for the Heritage Prize in the 1986-1995 category. Originally released on October 6th, 1992, the album was produced by Chris Tsangarides (Depeche Mode, Killing Joke, Concrete Blonde) and recorded at Battery Studios in London the summer of 1992. Earlier this week, The Tragically Hip were announced as the Inductee to Canada's Walk Of Fame for Humanitarianism in pursuit of social and environmental justice. They had previously received a star on the Walk Of Fame in 2002. For more than three decades, The Tragically Hip's tireless activism and philanthropic pursuits have raised millions of dollars for multiple social and environmental causes, such as Camp Trillium, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Sunnybrook Foundation, WAR Child, the Special Olympics and the Unison Benevolent Fund. A quintessential band whose music captures the essence of being Canadian, they used their enormous megaphone in 2016 to shine a spotlight on the country's systemic mistreatment of indigenous peoples. The legacy of the band's frontman, the late Gord Downie, continues with The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, which aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Fully Completely Deluxe Vinyl Track Listing: LP1- Side A 1. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan) 2. Looking for a Place to Happen 3. At the Hundredth Meridian 4. Pigeon Camera 5. Lionized 6. Eldorado LP1 Side B 1. We'll Go, Too 2. Fully Completely 3. Fifty Mission Cap 4. Wheat Kings 5. The Wherewithal 6. Locked in the Trunk of a Car Live at the Horseshoe, September 13, 1992 Recording: LP 2 Side C 1. At The Hundredth Meridian 2. Fifty Mission Cap 3. We'll Go Too 4. Fully Completely 5. Pigeon Camera LP2 Side D 1. Twist My Arm 2. Lionized 3. Wheat Kings 4. Eldorado LP3 Side E 1. Looking For A Place To Happen 2. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan) 3. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car 4. The Wherewithal LP 3 Side F Bonus Studio Session Tracks 1. Radio Show 2. So Hard Done By Fully Completely Atmos Mix on Blu-ray and available on digital platforms: 1. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan) 2. Looking for a Place to Happen 3. At the Hundredth Meridian 4. Pigeon Camera 5. Lionized 6. Eldorado 7. We'll Go, Too 8. Fully Completely 9. Fifty Mission Cap 10. Wheat Kings 11. The Wherewithal 12. Locked in the Trunk of a Car Heksenketel documentary: Featuring concert footage and other clips of the band and crew as they travel across Canada from coast to coast during their 1993 'Another Roadside Attraction' tour. About The Tragically Hip Critically acclaimed for more than three decades, The Tragically Hip has been at the heart of the Canadian musical zeitgeist, evoking a strong emotional connection between their music and their fans that remains unrivalled. A five-piece group of friends including Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Downie (vocals, guitar), Johnny Fay (drums), Paul Langlois (guitar) and Gord Sinclair (bass), who grew up in Kingston, Ontario, The Tragically Hip have achieved both mass popularity with more than 10 million albums in Canada and over 1.5 million sold in the U.S, as well as peer recognition through 15 Juno Awards picking up the distinguished Humanitarian Award in 2021 which recognizes Canadian artists or industry leaders whose humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada and beyond. Their studio catalogue includes their self-titled debut album The Tragically Hip (1987), Up To Here (1989), Road Apples (1991), Fully Completely (1992), Day For Night (1994), Trouble At The Henhouse (1996), Phantom Power (1998), Music @ Work (2000), In Violet Light (2002), In Between Evolution (2004), World Container (2006), We Are The Same (2009), Now For Plan A (2012), Man Machine Poem (2016) and Saskadelphia (2021). A National Celebration was the final show of The Tragically Hip's Man Machine Poem Tour recorded on August 20th, 2016, at the K-Rock Centre in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, and is their last performance as a five-piece band. Through their career the band became a cultural touchstone in Canada, who despite their accolades and numerous recognitions, will always be proudest of the humanitarian work they have done over the years through numerous charitable organizations and causes. Follow The Tragically Hip: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tik Tok SOURCE UMe 17 Awards are set to be presented at Frost & Sullivan's 10th Virtual Awards Ceremony, which will be broadcasted live on YouTube at 1730 hours (GMT +8), 17 August 2022. SINGAPORE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards in Asia-Pacific celebrates a giant milestone with the highly anticipated 10th virtual awards ceremony. The one-hour extravaganza will be livestreamed on YouTube. Tune in to the celebration here https://youtu.be/2mXWPJI34Kw For over 20 years, the Best Practices Awards have honored leading companies that have accomplished innovative or disruptive breakthroughs while continually demonstrating tremendous industry achievements. Since transitioning from in-person banquets in 2020, the virtual award ceremonies have played host to award recipients and presenters from across the globe an opportunity otherwise non-viable under normal circumstances. Congratulating the awardees, Darrell Huntsman, Chief Executive Officer at Frost & Sullivan, noted that the award recipients are companies that inspire growth in their industries. "I am excited to be a part of this momentous occasion where we acknowledge and reward organizations for their elevated performance, share their outstanding achievements, celebrate their ongoing success, and join in on the excitement of their future plans." The following award recipients were identified using Frost & Sullivan's proprietary, measurement-based methodology derived from extensive primary and secondary research, in-depth interviews, analyses, and industry benchmarking. Numerous award categories were carefully reviewed and evaluated to reflect the current market landscape and highlight emerging trends. A detailed study was conducted on each of the nominated companies focusing on real-time performance indicators, such as market share, revenue growth, customer acquisition, product/service value, and technology innovation. Baraja - 2022 Global Automotive LiDAR New Product Innovation Award Bushu Pharmaceuticals - 2022 Japan Pharmaceuticals Supply Chain Contract Services Customer Value Leadership Award Chunghwa Telecom - 2022 Taiwan 5G Services Customer Value Leadership Award Chunghwa Telecom - 2022 Taiwan Telecommunications Services Company of the Year Award Equinix - 2022 Japan Data Center Services Company of the Year Award Equinix - 2022 Singapore Data Center Services Company of the Year Award HIMA Asia Pacific - 2022 Asia-Pacific Industrial Process Safety Systems Customer Value Leadership Award Labcorp Drug Development - 2022 Global Decentralized Clinical Trial Company of the Year Award MR D.I.Y. Group Berhad - 2022 Malaysia Home Improvement Retail Company of the Year Award NEXTDC - 2022 Australia Data Center Services Company of the Year Award ParkCity Medical Centre - 2022 Malaysia Emerging Hospital Company of the Year Award Pelatro - 2022 Asia-Pacific Contextual Marketing Solutions for Telecommunications Company of the Year Award PowerArena - 2022 Taiwan Computer Vision in Manufacturing Competitive Strategy Leadership Award PT DCI Indonesia Tbk - 2022 Indonesia Data Center Services Company of the Year Award ST Pharm - 2022 Asia-Pacific Oligonucleotide CDMO Company of the Year Award ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (Thailand) - 2022 Thailand Data Center Colocation Services Competitive Strategy Leadership Award Subang Jaya Medical Centre - 2022 Malaysia Hospital Company of the Year Award TMEIC - 2022 Global Power Electronics for Carbon Neutrality Company of the Year Award True Corporation - 2022 Asia-Pacific Telecommunications Customer Value Leadership Award True Internet Data Center Co., Ltd. - 2022 Thailand Data Center Services Company of the Year Award Viettel Cyber Security - 2022 Vietnam Cybersecurity Services Company of the Year Award Among the 21 awards listed above, 17 will be presented at Frost & Sullivan's 10th virtual awards ceremony. The one-hour extravaganza will be livestreamed on 17 August 2022 on YouTube. To learn more about the awards and partnership opportunities for the 2022 awards, please visit https://best-practices.frost.com/. To schedule an interaction with a Frost & Sullivan spokesperson, please email Kala Mani.S. at [email protected]. About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Media Contact: Kala Mani. S. Email: [email protected] SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan California Lightworks Says Cultivators Can Play Pivotal Role In Combatting Climate Crisis While Improving Operations CANOGA PARK, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, the planet is experiencing record-breaking, hellish heatwaves that are endangering agriculture, economic activity, livelihoods, and even national security and the country's energy portfolio. California Lightworks CEO George Mekhtarian, a former Silicon Valley engineer who started his company to develop LED lighting systems for cultivators, says that LEDs can play a pivotal role in combatting the climate crisis. George Mekhtarian "Upgrading old HID lighting systems to high efficiency LEDs is a simple way to combat climate change and ease the strain of sweltering summer heatwaves across the country," said Mekhtarian. The Washington Post revealed more than 100 million people in the United States were subjected to record-high heat alerts as heat has soared as high as 115 degrees. Cities have declared states of emergency, pollution advisories due to dangerous levels of ozone have piled up, and wildfires have raged as a result of blistering heat. In California, to ease the strain on California's energy grid, the state authorized the Market Access Program as a strategy to reduce peak demand and mitigate rolling blackouts. The program authorized $150 million to incentivize projects that contribute to energy savings. There are no cost caps and no product restrictions. "Growers in California have no time to waste, once the incentives dry up, that's it," said Mekhtarian. "We want to make sure that businesses understand that these funds can be used to upgrade outdated lighting systems, like HPS or Metal Halide, to advanced LED lighting systems like our MegaDrive for little or no cost." "By upgrading to LEDs, growers in California are not only helping prevent rolling blackouts, they are also improving their bottom line by reducing utility costs, increasing yields and margins. All this while reducing their carbon footprint and minimizing climate impact, it's a triple win," added Mekhtarian. Compared to the grow operations outfitted with traditional high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights California Lightworks' MegaDrive increases the yield (both in terms of pounds per square foot and pounds per watt) and quality of the crop. MegaDrive LED technology reduces fixture costs by up to 30% and installation by up to 80%. In addition, these benefits come at a 50% lower operating cost compared to traditional HPS lighting systems. The spectrum and dimming controls can be integrated with third-party greenhouse environmental systems or independently using unique touch screen and wireless solutions. "MegaDrive installations are great because you have no power electronics in fixtures. Power units that drive and control the lights are installed away from the grow area, even up to 300 feet from the fixtures," added Mekhtarian. "The system also simplifies tuning light spectrum and intensity, saving energy and increasing yields. The lighting simulates sunrise and sunset, and allows for daylight balancing automatically via photosensors. With no power electronics in the fixtures, the lights become robust and ideal for humid environments." Contact: Jonathan Lockwood 971-645-2099 [email protected] SOURCE California Lightworks Zero Day Initiative pushes vendors to do better by changing its disclosure policy DALLAS, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, today warned that a growing number of incomplete or faulty patches could be costing organizations upwards of $400,000 per update. Speaking at Black Hat USA 2022, representatives from Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI)* revealed policy changes designed to address a significant decline in both the quality of patches and vendor communication with customers. ZDI revealed policy changes to address declines in both the quality of patches and vendor communication with customers. Tweet this Click here to read more on the ZDI policy changes: https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2022/8/11/new-disclosure-timelines-for-bugs-from-faulty-patches Brian Gorenc, senior director of vulnerability research and head of the ZDI, shared his perspective: "The ZDI has disclosed over 10,000 vulnerabilities to vendors since 2005, but we've never been more concerned about the state of security patches across the industry. Vendors that release inadequate patches with confusing advisories are costing their customers significant time and money and adding unnecessary business risk." The ZDI has identified three primary issues resulting from vendors releasing faulty or otherwise incomplete patches: Due to flawed vendor practices, enterprises no longer have a clear view of the true risk to their networks. Due to incomplete and faulty updates, enterprises spend additional time and money patching what they've already patched. Due to falsely believing remediation has occurred, a failed patch results in more risk than no patch at all. These scenarios effectively multiply the cost of patching because additional, corrective updates will be required to remediate a single vulnerability wasting business resources and adding risk. In addition, a growing reluctance among vendors to deliver authoritative information on patches in plain language leaves network defenders unable to accurately gauge their risk exposure. The ZDI is therefore changing its disclosure policy for ineffective patches in a bid to drive industry-wide improvements. Moving forward, the standard 120-day timeline will be reduced for bugs believed to be the result of a bypassed security patch, as follows: 30 days for the most Critical-rated cases where exploitation is expected 60 days for Critical- and High-severity bugs where the Patch offers some protections 90 days for other severities where no imminent exploitation is expected Even when patches are properly engineered, they can unintentionally increase risk by alerting threat actors to the underlying vulnerability. Few organizations' time-to-patch is quicker than the time-to-exploit. When patches are incomplete or faulty, the risk of compromise is multiplied. Although patch costs differ between enterprises, Trend Micro calculated the cost of faulty patches with the following formula: Total costs = f (T, HR, S, PF) where T is Time spent on patch management, HR is Human Resources costs needed for patch management specialists, S is scope defining the number of applications to be patched, and PF is patch frequency, which can be every 2-3 week for some applications. It is not uncommon for patch costs within medium-to-large enterprises to exceed six figures every month. Regardless of the formula used to calculate patch expenditures, applying multiple updates for the same vulnerability costs enterprises real time and money while exposing them to unneeded risk. To better understand and mitigate these risks, Trend Micro recommends that organizations: Develop rigorous asset discovery and management programs Wherever possible, vote with their wallets for the most trustworthy vendors Conduct risk assessments that go beyond Patch Tuesdayfor example, by monitoring for patch revisions and closely observing for changes to the threat landscape *The ZDI is the world's largest vendor-agnostic bug bounty program, responsible for nearly 64% of all vulnerabilities disclosed in 2021. About Trend Micro Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro's cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.TrendMicro.com. SOURCE Trend Micro Incorporated Impact Index to Drive Socially Responsible Brand Content and Media Investments SPRINGDALE, Ark., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) is demonstrating its commitment to credible and socially responsible journalism in its advertising on websites and media by conducting a social context Impact Index in partnership with Mindshare, the global media services company, and socialcontext.ai, a contextual intelligence startup supported by the University of Colorado Boulder. The Impact Index is an analytics tool that looks at the social impact of editorial content on minority communities. The custom algorithms powering the Index are trained, validated, and regularly audited by experts to identify detrimental or hateful content towards minority groups and communities. Media planners can then leverage this page-level data to quantify the impact their investments have on different communities and inform and optimize a brand's paid media spend accordingly. "Tyson Foods has one of the most diverse workforces, and we're proud to advance diversity, equity and inclusion by committing to actions like the Impact Index," said Paul Davis, vice president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for Tyson Foods. "The Impact Index will ensure our actions in brand responsibility ladder up to our core values as a company and individuals." As a first mover for the Impact Index, Tyson Foods is working with Mindshare and socialcontext.ai to analyze content around minority communities and drive more inclusive content. The company will continue to advance diversity, equity and inclusion by committing to work towards increasing diverse supplier spending, conducting education, training, and developing innovative programs through strategic partnerships to increase consumer awareness. "Brands and ad placements have an impact on consumers, be it consciously or subconsciously," says Jared Greene, director of Invention+ at Mindshare, who co-led the launch of the Impact Index. "A tool like the Impact Index is a positive step in addressing the role human well-being plays in creating our media plans, and our ambition to make media more intentional and equitable for all consumers." The Impact Index is the most recent example of Mindshare's parent company, GroupM, and Tyson Foods' collaborative efforts to advance diversity in paid media. In 2021, GroupM launched the "Responsible Investment" framework which includes the Media Inclusion Initiative to support and grow diverse media companies and creators. Tyson Foods has pledged to increase their investment in minority-owned media and minority voices. As part of that, several Tyson Foods brands have run campaigns through Mindshare's Black Community private marketplace, which drives media dollars to Black journalists and content creators across the U.S. The agency's private marketplace series is part of Mindshare's larger "Good Growth" vision and strategybusiness growth that is enduring and sustainable, while also helping to shape society and the world for the better. "The Media Inclusion Initiative strongly aligns with our efforts to invest and support supplier diversity. It establishes an actionable pathway to reach more underrepresented communities, and drive positive cultural change," said Davis. The Impact Index begins with a design brief development process, and then media planners input all the elements of a brand's current media plan including creative examples. Next, the Index monitors, analyzes, and annotates publishers' content on a four-stage scale of impact from positive to toxic. Once the analysis is completed, Mindshare works with its clients to make strategic decisions on their media investments. Using its proprietary tool, Synapse, the agency can also forecast potential media spending and allocations' impact on projected business objectives. These inputs enable marketers to create inclusive, intentional media plans supporting their businesses and communities. "Some of the most positive, constructive journalism today uses words and phrases that have been defined as sensitive by brand suitability solutions," says Chris Vargo, co-founder and CEO of socialcontext.ai. "We've built a system that understands the true social context of news content. This allows Mindshare and their clients to quantify the human impact of their investments, fund quality news and mitigate the unintended consequences of well-intentioned but overbroad brand suitability tools." About Tyson Foods Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) is one of the world's largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under four generations of family leadership, the Company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp and State Fair. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it's available and raise the world's expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the Company had approximately 137,000 team members at October 2, 2021. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit www.tysonfoods.com. About Mindshare Mindshare is a media services company that accelerates Good Growth for its clients in the age of transformation. Good Growth is business growth that is enduring and sustainable whilst also helping to shape society and the world for the better. We accelerate it for our clients by using media as a multiplier to drive sales and maximize marketing investments. We use Precisely Human Intelligence that combines data science and behavioral science to understand consumers and their motivations better and we act on that intelligence by planning media with intention to connect brands with consumers around their shared values. We were the first purpose-built company created by WPP and today our 10,000 people operate in 116 offices in 86 countries, helping to drive Good Growth for our clients, our people, the industry and the world. www.mindshareworld.com Instagram and Twitter: @mindshare_usa Facebook: facebook.com/mindshareusa LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/company/mindshare About socialcontext.ai Socialcontext.ai detects diversity, equity and inclusion ad opportunities on news content. Our patent-pending deep learning approach is built by journalism, advertising and data science professors at the University of Colorado Boulder. We positively target news articles with unrivaled precision and safety. Socialcontext.ai allows advertisers to meet their DEI goals by enabling them to invest in ads on news content that matches their core values. Each algorithm socialcontext.ai builds is designed to identify only quality, credible journalism that brings awareness to positive social change. Socialcontext.ai expands the programmatic reach of advertisers and recovers ~20% of impressions blocked due to overbroad brand safety. Using deep learning, each algorithm is built on data analyzed by our experts. Each socialcontext.ai segment is the product of tens of thousands of human annotations and is only released when its classification performance metrics reach academic peer-review standards. The result is article-level news intelligence with accuracy, precision and recall unmatched by current sentiment and entity recognition approaches. Our AI is ethically reviewed by outside academics. We take transparency seriously and allow advertisers to see "under the hood" to understand exactly what is inside each segment we build https://socialcontext.ai/ Instagram and Twitter: @socialcontextai LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/socialcontext SOURCE Mindshare Tamla Oates-Forney joins USAA after a nationwide search SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- USAA has appointed a top human resources leader as the new executive vice president. Tamla Oates-Forney has joined the company as chief human resources officer (CHRO). She will be a member of USAA's executive council, reporting to the CEO Wayne Peacock, and lead teams spanning talent development, talent acquisition, pay and benefits, culture and employee services. Tamla Oates-Forney Tamla is a purpose driven, people first leader with deep and diverse HR experience and a strong track record of leading organizations through transformational periods, said President and CEO Wayne Peacock. Her leadership and expertise in developing people and teams who can deliver excellent business results are a great match as we envision and execute on strategy for our second century. We are excited for Tamla to join Team USAA! Tamla joins USAA after nearly four years as senior vice president and chief people officer at Waste Management, Inc. (WM). Prior to WM, she worked at General Electric for 20 years, progressing in her career through the leadership and executive ranks. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. A renowned expert in her field, Tamla sits on several (public and advisory) boards and has received multiple honors including: board and committee member for University North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School, World 50 and Black Women on Boards, recognition through front page coverage for NY Times and featured in Fast Company, The Network Journal's 25 Influential Black Women in Business, Savoy's 2020 Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America. "Joining USAA is an opportunity for me to align my purpose, passion and profession, all while serving the military community," said Tamla. "I am excited to honor this organization's proud history and help create a bright future for USAA's employees and our members." USAA Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and investment and retirement solutions to more than 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 37,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com. Contact: USAA Media Relations [email protected] 210-498-0940 SOURCE USAA Protect your peanuts against crop-robbing diseases like Aspergillus crown rot GREENSBORO, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Growers can significantly improve their plant stand by using a peanut seed treatment that consistently provides thorough coverage, according to data gathered by Syngenta. A 2020 study in Georgia showed that stressed plants treated with Trebuset Peanuts had nearly 3,250 more plants per acre than untreated peanuts, demonstrating the value of seed treatments in fighting off difficult disease like Aspergillus crown rot and post-emergence damping off. Trebuset Peanuts fungicide seed treatment helps crops emerge strong, despite the pervasiveness of key diseases. Tweet this With more than two-thirds of the United States peanuts grown in the Southeast, the pressure for growers in the region to produce healthy, high-yielding peanut crops is weighty. Early-season suppression of peanut diseases is key to safeguarding roots, establishing strong seedling vigor, and optimizing early-season stands. With more than two-thirds of the United States peanuts grown in the Southeast, the pressure for growers in the region to produce healthy, high-yielding peanut crops is weighty. While diseases like Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Aspergillus can increase this pressure, Trebuset Peanuts fungicide seed treatment helps crops emerge strong, despite the pervasiveness of these primary diseases. "Trebuset Peanuts is a broad-spectrum liquid fungicide premix powered by the novel molecule Adepidyn technology," says Steven Patton, Syngenta seedcare product lead. "It actually combines active ingredients from five high-performing fungicides Apron XL, Dynasty, Miravis, Maxim 4FS and Vibrance. As a result, Trebuset Peanuts consistently protects developing roots, promotes strong early-season plant establishment and enhances yield potential." Most growers agree that seed treatments like Trebuset Peanuts are more than an early-season decision. They're a season-long investment. Early-season suppression of peanut diseases is key to safeguarding roots, establishing strong seedling vigor, and optimizing early-season stands. Trebuset Peanuts protects developing roots by remaining in the root zone as the plant grows, giving it the strongest start and protection from infection as its journey from seed to fully formed plant begins. "Trebuset Peanuts is delivered in a liquid formulation, and our particular formulation delivers value to the grower in two key ways," Patton says. "Active ingredients can be applied more accurately, and the seed treatment coating itself holds much tighter to the seed, fostering better disease control and better stands in the field. Another huge asset for growers is its Adepidyn technology, which provides rapid, effective absorption into the plant for longer-lasting suppression of early-season, economically damaging diseases, including Aspergillus crown rot. The net result of using Trebuset Peanuts is an increase in yield and profit potential." With the 2022 season fresh in growers' minds, proactive planning and strategic decision-making for 2023 now can help set them up for success later. For more information about Trebuset Peanuts, visit www.SyngentaUS.com/Seed-Treatment/Trebuset-Peanuts. Join the conversation online connect with Syngenta at Syngenta-us.com/social. About Syngenta Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds are part of Syngenta Group, one of the world's leading agriculture companies. Our ambition is to help safely feed the world while taking care of the planet. We aim to improve the sustainability, quality and safety of agriculture with world-class science and innovative crop solutions. Our technologies enable millions of farmers around the world to make better use of limited agricultural resources. The content of this release is for information purposes only. This release is not, and should not be construed as, an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or other property interests. To learn more. visit www.syngenta.com and www.goodgrowthplan.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Syngenta and www.twitter.com/SyngentaUS and on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/syngenta. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This document may contain forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. For Syngenta, such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to legal proceedings, regulatory approvals, new product development, increasing competition, customer credit risk, general economic and market conditions, compliance and remediation, intellectual property rights, implementation of organizational changes, impairment of intangible assets, consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops and organisms or crop protection chemicals, climatic variations, fluctuations in exchange rates and/or commodity prices, single source supply arrangements, political uncertainty, natural disasters, and breaches of data security or other disruptions of information technology. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors. 2022 Syngenta. 410 Swing Road, Greensboro, NC 27409. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Adepidyn, Apron XL, Dynasty, Miravis, Maxim, Trebuset, Vibrance and the Syngenta logo are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective third-party owners. SOURCE Syngenta Kelly Ballard, blogger behind City Girl Meets Farm Boy, will receive the $5,000 cash grand prize in the home DIY contest AVON, Ohio, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The votes have been tallied and the winner of the FrogTape Paintover Challenge is in! Kelly Ballard of Draper, Utah, and DIYer behind City Girl Meets Farm Boy, will receive the $5,000 cash grand prize. During the contest, participating influencers were challenged to create five unique projects, one for each of the five 2022 FrogTape Design Trends which were identified in partnership with professional designer Taniya Nayak. Nayak then selected the top five projects one for each trend and the public voted to determine the winner. All of the finalists impressed with a variety of projects, but the public selected Ballard as the winner for her outstanding and easy-to-execute patio furniture upcycle. Utah DIYer Declared Winner of Seventh Annual FrogTape Paintover Challenge In addition to the grand prize, FrogTape will donate $10,000 to Ballard's charity of choice, Kenya Keys, an organization committed to providing students in rural Kenya with educational opportunities and life experiences. Ballard also will receive funds and supplies to design and execute an interior project for the nonprofit, valued at $2,500. "Participating in the Paintover Challenge was a fun and rewarding way for me to put my design skills to work," said Ballard. "However, I am most excited that my project has resulted in a donation to Kenya Keys and that I will be able complete a project that will benefit the organization." The 'Gather' trend, one of the five 2022 FrogTape Design Trends, is all about post-pandemic get togethers with loved ones. Inspired by the trend, Ballard created an outdoor space for welcoming and entertaining guests. Perfectly encapsulating 'Gather's' palette of dark and rich colors, Ballard added deep pops of black to the wood tone top of the fire pit. She created perfect stripes with crisp edges using FrogTape Delicate Surface Painter's Tape, a low adhesion, premium painter's tape that can be applied to fresh paint. When the paint dried, she completed the space with comfortable seating and decorative pillows. "This year's finalists demonstrated that adding paint to one element can completely elevate the overall look and feel of an entire space," said Allison Shagovac, influencer marketing manager, Shurtape Technologies, LLC, which markets FrogTape brand products. "They've also shown how just a few simple tools like a great painter's tape and some paint can make a huge impact on a space, at any skill level or budget range." During this year's challenge, Nayak judged the projects on criteria including workmanship, originality, use of paint, use of FrogTape brand painter's tape and use of design trends to determine the top five. The finalists of the 2022 FrogTape Paintover Challenge in each trend category were: For more information about the FrogTape Paintover Challenge and project inspiration, visit FrogTape.com/PaintoverChallenge. FROGTAPE BRAND PRODUCTS FrogTape brand painter's tapes are high-quality products that provide professional-looking results, streamlining the painting process for both DIYers and pros alike. FrogTape products include tapes designed for an array of purposes, from Multi-Surface for super sharp paint lines, to Delicate Surface for faux finishing projects, to other professional-grade tapes for both interior and exterior applications. All FrogTape products offer clean removal. Whether you're taping off baseboards, trim and walls for basic painting applications or creating decorative patterns, FrogTape makes it easy to achieve your desired results. For more information on FrogTape brand, visit FrogTape.com; like us on Facebook (facebook.com/FrogTape); follow us on Twitter (@FrogTape); follow us on Instagram (@FrogTape); follow our boards on Pinterest (pinterest.com/FrogTape) or watch us on YouTube (youtube.com/FrogTapeTube). Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. Twitter is a registered trademark of Twitter, Inc. Instagram is a registered trademark of Instagram, LLC. Pinterest is a registered trademark of Pinterest, Inc. YouTube is a registered trademark of Google, Inc. SOURCE Shurtape Technologies, LLC Sustainability, Regenerative Agriculture, and Bird Migration Beating the drought through innovation in Utah's Great Salt Lake region in this episode of Made In America: Farms Across America CORINNE, Utah, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Consensus Digital Media presents episode #8 of Made In America: Farms Across America, featuring a family of long-time Utah farmers and ranchers taking a hard look at water, drought, and crops to meet today's needs, and change the likelihood of future water crises. Utah is the second driest state in the nation. Compounded by what scientists are calling a generational drought, the runoff effects on the agricultural and state economies are potentially even more disastrous. The Great Salt Lake is at a record low level, and the snowpack is at least 25% below normal. In this episode, we meet the Ferry family of Corinne, Utah, which is using regenerative agriculture and strategic partnerships to create efficiencies for their crops and the surrounding valley and wildlife. JY Ferry and Son have a century-long history of water conservation in the Great Salt Lake Valley, and continue to find ways to improve upon that legacy. The ranchers are using laser leveling, flood irrigation, planned grazing, no-till farming, and crop rotation to build healthy soil that retains water even in a drought. Notably, the Ferrys don't go at it alone they are collaborating with the government agencies overseeing neighboring wetlands to make sure millions of birds make their critical migratory paths through the Great Salt Lake region. "Consensus is excited to share the Ferry family's story of harnessing sustainability initiatives and innovation to overcome water shortages and prepare for the future," said Conor Gaughan, CEO and Publisher of Consensus Digital Media. "By working with government agencies, community groups, and neighboring ranchers, the Ferry family is creating a legacy of improving the local environment and economy." View this episode of Made In America: Farms Across America at https://youtu.be/rKwCRTeiA5Q About Consensus Digital Media Consensus Digital Media highlights and produces uplifting and relevant stories that spotlight the communities, leaders, and businesses achieving a sustainable future through innovative and pragmatic solutions. About Made In America Produced by Consensus Digital Media, Made In America is a documentary series that tells the stories of small towns, family farms, and local businesses doing good. These are uplifting stories of American innovation and strength. CONTACT: [email protected] SOURCE Consensus Digital Media BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In a constantly shifting and uncertain economic environment, Walker & Dunlop's growing New York Capital Markets team continues to build momentum as it guides its clients in securing various types of financings for all asset classes. In the past 30 days, the team closed more than $1 billion in capital markets activity across the country. Led by Aaron Appel , Keith Kurland, Jonathan Schwartz , Adam Schwartz, and Mo Beler , the group provides the expertise and relationships within the market to assist clients with their financing needs. Their success in this volatile capital markets landscape reflects their multi-faceted ability to source aggressive capital from virtually every type of lender and equity provider in today's marketplace. "We live in times of uncertainty, but it doesn't mean we need to sit on the sidelines. Despite continued market volatility and a more conservative financing landscape, our team's expertise up and down the capital stack has allowed us to continue closing complex transactions for our clients across the country," said Aaron Appel. "Our expertise and deep relationships with the market's most active lenders and equity providers has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve and tailor financing solutions specific to our clients' unique business plans and needs." Select recent transactions include: The Brook - $388 million : Walker & Dunlop structured financing from Bank of America for The Brook located at 565 and 547-557 Fulton Street , a development consisting of 448,000 rentable square feet of luxury, mixed-use multifamily and retail space located at the cross-section of Fulton Street, Flatbush Avenue Extension, and DeKalb Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn . The unique bookending development is located next to some of Brooklyn's most popular thoroughfares, just steps from the Fulton Mall, and a 5-minute walk from the Barclays Center. : Walker & Dunlop structured financing from Bank of America for located at 565 and 547-557 Fulton Street a development consisting of 448,000 rentable square feet of luxury, mixed-use multifamily and retail space located at the cross-section of Fulton Street, Flatbush Avenue Extension, and DeKalb Avenue in . The unique bookending development is located next to some of most popular thoroughfares, just steps from the Fulton Mall, and a 5-minute walk from the Barclays Center. 452 Fifth Avenue - $385 million : Walker & Dunlop stepped in after a proposed sale fell through in May to arrange a refinance on behalf of the property's owner, PBC. The team quickly identified JP Morgan Chase as the optimal lender to secure a floating rate refinance of the 885,000-square-foot office property. The financing will enable PBC to retire existing debt and fund future capital expenditure and leasing costs as they reposition the asset. - : Walker & Dunlop stepped in after a proposed sale fell through in May to arrange a refinance on behalf of the property's owner, PBC. The team quickly identified JP Morgan Chase as the optimal lender to secure a floating rate refinance of the 885,000-square-foot office property. The financing will enable PBC to retire existing debt and fund future capital expenditure and leasing costs as they reposition the asset. 100 Church Street - $370 million : The team arranged a floating rate refinancing for SL Green Realty Corp, selecting Aareal Capital as the lender after an extensive marketing process. With the City of New York as its anchor tenant, the Lower Manhattan property offers over one million square feet of office space at the intersection of TriBeCa and the Financial District. The team arranged a floating rate refinancing for SL Green Realty Corp, selecting Aareal Capital as the lender after an extensive marketing process. With the as its anchor tenant, the Lower Manhattan property offers over one million square feet of office space at the intersection of TriBeCa and the Financial District. 95 Morton Street - $155 million : Walker & Dunlop arranged financing for Meadow Partners' acquisition of the property with Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG as the lender. Built in 1911, the West Village property is home to tenants such as Venmo, Paypal, Integral Ad Science, and Fanatics, a rapidly growing e-sports company that plans to occupy 75,000 square feet of the 220,000-square-foot building. : Walker & Dunlop arranged financing for Meadow Partners' acquisition of the property with Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG as the lender. Built in 1911, the West Village property is home to tenants such as Venmo, Paypal, Integral Ad Science, and Fanatics, a rapidly growing e-sports company that plans to occupy 75,000 square feet of the 220,000-square-foot building. 130 Fifth Avenue - $77 million : As the exclusive advisor to Olnick Organization, Walker & Dunlop arranged loan proceeds from New York Community Bank to refinance 130 Fifth Avenue, a well-located boutique office building in the center of Flatiron District. Standing 11 stories tall, the property is just a few blocks from Union Square Park, Gramercy Park, and Madison Square Park and has benefitted from the limited supply of Class-A office space in the immediate submarket, resulting in a tenancy base with long-term leases and strong economics. The seven-year loan originated includes four years of interest-only payments. "I want to congratulate the New York team on their recent success and know that the momentum will continue, considering their robust pipeline. As we continue to expand our capital markets team and capabilities, we offer our clients deep relationships with more than 350 capital sources across the country including banks, insurance companies, alternative lending sources and commercial mortgage-backed securities conduits," said Susan Mello, Executive Vice President & Group Head, Capital Markets Walker & Dunlop. In 2021, the Walker & Dunlop Capital Markets segment sourced over 1,300 loans and equity investments totaling nearly $30 billion from non-GSE capital providers. This vast experience has made them a top adviser on all asset classes for many of the industry's top developers, owners, and operators. To learn more about Walker & Dunlop's diverse financing options, visit our website. About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is one of the largest providers of capital to the commercial real estate industry in the United States, enabling real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities where Americans live, work, shop and play to life. Our people, brand and technology make W&D one of the most insightful and customer-focused firms in our industry. With more than 1,400 employees across every major U.S. market, Walker & Dunlop has consistently been named one of Fortune's Great Places to Work and is committed to making the commercial real estate industry more inclusive and diverse while creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities. SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Z Natural Foods announced today the release of IMMU-C, a delicious, natural beverage designed to support a healthy immune system. Featuring Organic Orange Juice, IMMU-C contains a well-balanced formula of potent nutritional superstars to support your mind and body during stressful times. Loaded with antioxidants and powerful natural healers, this tasty blend is rich in immune boostersand mixes easily with water or your favorite juice. Z Natural Foods new Organic IMMU-C nutritional drink is designed to support a healthy immune system. IMMU-C is a great-tasting, organic, vegan, 100% natural and minimally processed whole food nutritional drink. Within each serving is a potent dose of citrus flavor and phytonutrient compounds to help nourish the immune and organ systems. IMMU-C contains Organic Turmeric Root, Organic Ginger Root, Organic Chaga Mushroom Extract, and Organic Red Reishi Mushroom, an important blend of ancient healers that have traditionally been used to support healthy aging, circulation, digestion, and further supporting healthy immunity. "IMMU-C is an incredible, organic, superfood product that is full of flavor and immune-boosting nutrition," says Jonathan Parker, Director of Nutrition and Research at Z Natural Foods. "Our customers tell us they love that it is loaded with more unique, time-tested natural healers than almost any nutritional drink on the market." IMMU-C also contains Organic Mangosteen Fruit and Organic Sea Buckthorn, which includes more than 120 active phyto-compounds and is the only plant known to include a full spectrum of fatty acids 3, 6, 7, and 9. Also in IMMU-C is Organic Astragalus Root, which has been a staple of TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) for over 2000 years. "Our customers like that IMMU-C gives them additional nutrients to support their overall health," Parker says. "And since IMMU-C is a whole food that supports a healthy immune system, many tell us they feel like they can reduce some of their other less important supplements," Parker finished. IMMU-C is 100% natural and minimally processed. It is an organic, vegan, great-tasting whole food supplement. IMMU-C is available in 1 lb for $29.99 (16 servings), 5 lb bag for $114.99 (80 servings), and a 55 lb for $1,099.99 (890 servings). The 1 lb and 5 lb sizes come in air-locked, freezer, tight, resealable, stand-up foil pouch and can be safely stored for 2 years. For more information about IMMU-C, you are invited to visit www.ZNaturalFoods.com . About Z Natural Foods Z Natural Foods is a leading provider of high-quality, organic superfoods and concentrated fruit powders. With over 400 specialty products, Z Natural Foods provides a wide range of natural foods to the biggest wholesalers and retailers in the industry. Z Natural Foods provides a unique niche to the food industry by offering a wide range of services such as bulk purchasing, blending, packaging, wholesale delivery, and retail. For more information about Z Natural Foods, visit www.ZNaturalFoods.com or call 888-963-6637. For members of the press and social media, please visit the: Z Natural Foods Press Kit. Media Contact: Sam Hirschberg 888-963-6637 [email protected] SOURCE Z Natural Foods Drug developer C4X Discovery Holdings PLC (AIM:C4XD) confirmed that it raised 5.7mln via a share placing with institutional investors, led by the Polar Capital Biotechnology Fund, which is expected to stump up 3mln. The proceeds from the sale of shares at 25p each will be used to strengthen the balance sheet as partnering discussions progress. It will also be deployed to develop the drug pipeline and fund the next generation of early-stage assets. Earlier this month, C4XD confirmed it is in "advanced partnering discussions" for a third asset discovered and developed by its research team. It already has tie-ups with Sanofi, the French group, and Indivior, the FTSE 250 specialty pharma firm. With a strong balance sheet, state-of-the-art proprietary technologies, highly experienced scientific team, and industry experience, we believe C4XD is in a strong position to deliver shareholder value, said chief executive Clive Dix. He said: This funding round, led by long-term investor, Polar Capital, further strengthens C4XD's balance sheet and is an endorsement of the great work we are doing across our pipeline of early-stage, high value small molecules intended for out-licensing to the pharmaceutical industry." Cookie Policy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping us understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. See our Cookie Policy for more information. Valor Resources Ltd (ASX:VAL) shares have climbed 12.5% higher intra-day to 0.9 cents after identifying uranium and copper mineralisation from its reconnaissance field program at the Surprise Creek Project in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The work has confirmed several historical uranium and copper targets and identified some new, previously unrecorded uranium and copper occurrences. A total of 36 samples were collected from the uranium and copper occurrences which have been submitted for assay. Assay results are expected in around four weeks. There is significant potential in this area Valor executive chairman George Bauk said: The historical data review highlighted some exciting uranium and copper targets with the high-grade uranium drill results of 2.1m @ 4.37% U3O8 at Surprise Creek Fault being most noteworthy. The historical results, and the fact there has been no modern exploration in this area for uranium for over 40 years and for copper over 20 years, suggests there is significant potential in this area, and our first field program has already turned up some exciting new occurrences. Based on the recent field program, the company has further increased its land position at the Project by pegging another 7km2. The copper mineralisation identified on the project has resulted in us extending our landholding to the north. Uranium targets The most significant uranium target based on historical exploration results is the Surprise Creek Fault target. First-pass on-ground reconnaissance of this area has been completed with surface uranium mineralisation confirmed at several locations including in areas away from the previously recorded mineralisation. A handheld RS-121 scintillometer was used to confirm uranium mineralisation with four sample locations recording maximum readings (>65,535cps) and another seven sample locations recording >5,000cps, with multiple other occurrences of anomalous scintillometer readings present in the area. Uranium mineralisation was found within hematitic breccias and veins and was variably associated with copper +/- lead mineralisation. Copper targets Surface copper mineralisation was observed in several locations with the most significant being a previously unrecorded quartz vein with semi-massive chalcocite mineralisation, which has a current known strike length of 350m. Covellite, native copper, malachite, azurite and copper-oxides were also observed, indicating the high-grade nature of the showings. Copper mineralisation at Surprise Creek. Next steps Bauk added: We propose to follow-up the initial field program at Surprise Creek in September just before the freeze-up. Before this, the exploration team will commence on-ground work at the Hook Lake and Hidden Bay Projects next month and results of the recently completed airborne gravity surveys at the Cluff Lake, Hook Lake and Hidden Bay Projects will be finalised during the current quarter. We are also continuing to work through the historical exploration data from other projects in the Athabasca Basin and will release further results of these reviews in the coming months. Citronen Project Site Visit at the core yard. Attendees from left to right include IBG chair Dr Fred Hess, IBG managing director Michael Jardine, Richard Allan (Bacchus Capital), Terry Brown (RPM Global), Aaron Poole (RPM Global), Frank Van Der Stijl (exploration geologist, responsible for the maiden discovery at Citronen in the 1990s), Frode Nilsen (LNS) and Nigel Goldup (Tetra Tech). Ironbark Zinc Ltd (ASX:IBG) has hosted US EXIM Bank representatives and principals from its prospective equity and operating partner LNS A/S at the Citronen Zinc-Lead Project in Greenland for due diligence and value-adding purposes, a major step in reaching a final investment decision (FID) for the asset. EXIM has expressed its interest to become a cornerstone investor for Citronens development with a preliminary project letter (PPL) outlining the firms intention to extend up to A$927 million (US$657 million) for the advancement of the project. Read: Ironbark Zinc project validated by prospective cornerstone investor This site visit fulfills one of the major due diligence conditions for a final credit decision by the EXIM board the next step will be in-country meetings between EXIMs representative RPM Globals Social and Governance team and key government and community stakeholders in Greenland, expected to occur in December. Ironbark remains bullish on zincs prospects Todays reset provides, I hope, welcome clarity for Ironbark shareholders, Ironbark Zinc managing director Michael Jardine said. 2022 has been a very tough market in which to advance a major equity raise for a large frontier project like Citronen. Despite the significant progress made with, and the support of, US EXIM Bank, we have nonetheless been obliged to now adjust our expectations with respect to reaching an FID milestone in 2022. We do however remain very bullish on zincs long-term prospects as the world looks to a decarbonised future, and the role of Citronen Project to meaningfully supply into that market. There is much to be positive about with new growth markets quickly emerging in wind and solar on top of a well flagged reduction in supply from some of the worlds largest producing mines, let alone the lack of investment in new ones. This trend is extremely positive long term for Ironbark and as the necessary macro stability investors need for greenfield project developments returns, we intend on being ready. Site visit highlights project potential Ironbarks prospective equity and operating partner at the Citronen Project, LNS A/S, also participated in the site visit as part of a continuing due diligence process under the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two companies. Read: Ironbark Zinc secures MoU with Norwegian Arctic specialist to develop flagship Citronen Project in Greenland The visit from LNS provided Ironbark with an opportunity to inspect the infrastructure and asset base that LNS operates in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. The visit strengthened IBGs view that LNS would be a compelling partner for Citronens development, given the companys long, successful track record in mining operations with very similar ground conditions to Citronen. At the same time, suggestions from attending exploration geologists and other consultants underscored the opportunity to unlock more of Citronens potential before an FID is made. In the short term we will be evaluating additional strategies for bringing new investment in at a project level; the site visit highlighted that there is much that could be achieved in the field in the next year or two to further enhance the investment case, Jardine continued. Substantial infill and regional exploration potential was highlighted by our geological consultants, as were opportunities to consider a modest early works program to enable smoother and longer field seasons. Also highlighted was the opportunity to consider alternative energy solutions for the on-site power grid. Ironbark has much to be positive about. Press Release August 11, 2022 "Freelancing is not for free": Villanueva seeks to protect gig workers' rights Sen. Joel Villanueva is pushing to secure the rights and welfare of some 1.5 million freelancers or gig economy workers in the Philippines, whose numbers are expected to rise as the country recovers from the pandemic. The senator noted that the Philippines ranked sixth fastest growing markets in the world for the gig economy according to the 2018 Gig Economy Index, with forecasts that the majority of the world's workforce will be freelancers by 2027. "As the numbers of freelance workers continue to increase, it has become more apparent that this new class of workers require protection from new laws, with due regard to the special nature of their engagement which makes them more prone to abuse and exploitation," he said. "We have heard stories of freelance workers and independent contractors being abused and exploited for projects only to be underpaid, receive delayed payments after a year, or not be paid at all. Freelancing isn't for free," Villanueva added. Villanueva's Senate Bill No. 136, or the Freelancers Protection Act, defines freelancers as one who "offers or renders a task, work or service through his or her freely chosen means or methods, free from any forms of economic dependence, control or supervision by the client, regardless of whether he or she is paid by results, piece, task, hour, day, job or by the nature of the services required". The senator said that there are gaps in the country's labor laws that need to be addressed to cater to the emergence of gig workers especially during the pandemic, such as home-based creative workers, on-demand professional services, on-demand courier services, and many other types of freelance goods and services. "The rise of Filipino freelance workers signals that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is indeed upon us, something that the pandemic cannot stop. In fact, the gig economy grew stronger through the pandemic, and is here to stay," Villanueva said. SB. No. 136 seeks to lay out the minimum rights of freelancers including right to just compensation, right to safe and healthy working conditions, and the right to self-organize and collectively bargain, among others. In a message for Grab Philippines launch of its Daan ng Natigil outreach program in Marikina City today (August 11), Villanueva told the audience of Grab riders and out-of-school youths that his bill also secures freelancers' right to education and skills training. This would be done through upskilling certification and entrepreneurial enhancement programs from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority with other government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Information and Communication Technology. This bill also mandates the client and the freelance worker to enter into a written contract that specifies all the services that the freelance worker is expected to render, compensation, as well as other relevant terms and conditions of the engagement. Villanueva hopes his refiled bill passes into law this 19th Congress, as it has already reached the Senate plenary for debates during the previous Congress. "Freelancing is not for free": Villanueva, ipinaglalaban ang karapatan ng "gig workers" Isinulong ni Sen. Joel Villanueva na protektahan ang karapatan at kapakanan ang 1.5 million freelancer o gig economy workers sa Pilipinas, na inaasahang dadami pa habang bumabangon ang bansa mula sa pandemya. Binanggit ng senador na pang-anim ang Pilipinas sa fastest growing markets sa buong mundo para sa gig economy ayon sa 2018 Gig Economy index, at tinatayang freelancers na ang karamihan ng mga manggagawa sa mundo sa 2027. "Habang tumataas po ang bilang ng freelance workers, kailangang maprotektahan ang bagong klase ng mga manggagawang ito sa pamamagitan ng mga bagong batas. Mas madali po silang maabuso at mapagsamantalahan dahil sa iba po ang sitwasyon ng kanilang pagtatrabaho," aniya. "Nakarinig na po tayo ng mga kwento ng freelance workers at independent contractors na inabuso o pinagsamantalahan sa mga proyekto, tapos mababa ang bayad nila, delayed ng isang taon, o hindi man lamang nabayaran. Freelancing isn't for free," dagdag ng senador. Ayon sa panukala ni Villanueva na Senate Bill No. 136, or Freelancers Protection Act, ang freelancer ay isang manggagawa na "offers or renders a task, work or service through his or her freely chosen means or methods, free from any forms of economic dependence, control or supervision by the client, regardless of whether he or she is paid by results, piece, task, hour, day, job or by the nature of the services required". Sinabi rin ng senador na may mga puwang ang labor laws ng bansa na dapat tugunan para bigyang-daan ang pagdami ng gig workers lalo na noong pandemya. Kasama dito ang mga home-based creative workers, on-demand professional services, on-demand courier services, at iba pang uri ng freelance goods and services. "The rise of Filipino freelance workers signals that the Fourth Industrial Revolution is indeed upon us, something that the pandemic cannot stop. In fact, the gig economy grew stronger through the pandemic, and is here to stay," sabi ni Villanueva. Inilalahad ng S.B. No. 136 ang mga karapatan ng freelancers gaya ng right to just compensation, right to safe and healthy working conditions, at ang right to self-organize and collectively bargain. Sa isang mensahe sa paglunsad ng Daan ng Natigil outreach program ng Grab Philippines sa Marikina City ngayong araw (Agosto 11), sinabi ni Villanueva sa mga dumalong Grab riders at mga out-of-school youth na sinisiguro ng kanyang panukala ang karapatan ng freelancers sa edukasyon at skills training. Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng mga programang upskilling certification and entrepreneurial enhancement ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, kasama ng iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno gaya ng Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, at Department of Information and Communications Technology. Mandato rin ng panukalang batas na magkaroon ang freelancer at kliyente nito ng kasulatang naglalaman ng lahat ng serbisyong ibibigay ng freelancer, kaukulang bayad, gayundin ang iba pang terms and conditions ng kasunduan. Nais ni Villanueva na maisabatas ang panukalang ito na ni-refile niya mula noong 18th Congress, kung saan umabot na ito sa plenaryo ng Senado. Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC (AIM:CMCL, NYSE-A:CMCL) posted a 24% rise in profit for the second quarter on record gold production from its Blanket mine in Zimbabwe and said the year had been "outstanding" so far. READ: Caledonia Mining reports record gold production in second quarter Underlying earnings (EBITDA) rose to US$17.8mln from US14.0mln in the year-earlier quarter as revenue grew 24% year-on-year to US$36.99mln. "This has been a terrific quarter and, indeed, half year with second-quarter production of just over 20,000 ounces which set a record for any quarter, said chief executive Mark Learmonth. The first half of 2022 exceeded our expectations and we have now achieved our quarterly production target. Excellent production, along with a higher gold price and good cost control, has contributed to a 321% increase in IFRS earnings per share and a 31% increase in net cash from operating activities over the comparable quarter in 2021, he said. On-mine costs fell to US$692 an ounce, from US$715 an ounce in the second quarter of 2021, although all-in sustaining costs (AISC) climbed 3% to US$925 per ounce due to higher administrative costs. In July, Caledonia announced an agreement to buy Bilboes Gold Ltd, the holding company for a large, high-grade, open-pittable gold resource. READ: Caledonia Mining to buy Bilboes gold project in Zimbabwe in 'transformational' deal "The completion of the transaction is subject to several conditions, but once achieved we can prepare a feasibility study to identify the most judicious way to commercialise the project with regard to the availability of funding on acceptable terms, said Learmonth. Caledonia also intends to re-start the oxides operation at Bilboes under a tribute arrangement before completion of the transaction with a view to creating a cash-generative operation within approximately six months. The AIM-traded miner said its immediate focus remains on the Blanket mine and that it is on track to meet its target production of between 73,000-80,000 ounces of gold for this year, with first-half output of 38,605 ounces. "2022 has been an outstanding year so far, concluded Learmonth. The company said it will continue to evaluate other investment opportunities in the Zimbabwe gold sector and elsewhere. The US telecoms watchdog has rejected a bid by Elon Musks SpaceX for almost US$900mln in subsidies to support rural broadband customers. The companys Starlink satellite internet network was awarded US$885.5mln in the Federal Communications Commissions US$9.2 bn auction in December 2020. The FCC said that Starlink and LTD Broadband, which was the largest winning bidder in the auction with an award of US$1.32bln, had failed to demonstrate that they could deliver the promised service. We cannot afford to subsidize ventures that are not delivering the promised speeds or are not likely to meet program requirements, said FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. Starlinks technology has real promise. But the question before us was whether to publicly subsidize its still developing technology for consumer broadbandwhich requires that users purchase a US$600 dishwith nearly US$900mln in universal service funds until 2032. In a bizarre turn, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr responded to the timing of the announcement and the decision. I am surprised to find out via a press releasewhile I am on a work trip to remote parts of Alaskathat the FCC has made this significant decision. I will have more to say because we should be making it easier for unserved communities to get service, not rejecting a proven satellite technology that is delivering robust, high-speed service today. Carr is the senior Republican on the FCC and was nominated by President Trump. He previously served as the FCC's General Counsel. The FCC decision came as part of a busy few days for SpaceX, which took its total of Starlink internet satellites in orbit above 3,000 with 52 more launched via its latest Falcon 9 mission. SpaceX also carried out a first test firing of its Super Heavy booster on its launch pad, which was a big milestone in the development of its Starship deep-space transportation system that is expected to provide a giant leap for the whole space sector by greatly reducing the cost of getting into space. The first orbital test flight of SpaceX's Starship vehicle won't get off the ground in August. Mandalay said its realized gold price in the second quarter of 2022 increased by 6% compared with the second quarter of 2021 Mandalay Resources Corp. (TSX:MND, OTCQB:MNDJF) has reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022, showing consolidated quarterly revenue of $50.1 million and a strengthened balance sheet. "Mandalay is pleased with another steady financial quarter in which we generated $7.5 million in free cash flow allowing the company to further strengthen its balance sheet with an improved net cash position as compared to Q1 2022, Dominic Duffy, president and chief executive officer of Mandalay said in a statement. We did this in a quarter that had several operational issues resulting in lower than expected production, exhibiting the stability of our financial performance. Production is expected to improve over the rest of the year, leading to an even stronger cash position by the start of 2023, he said. Reaching a net debt-free position was one of the major goals of the company at the onset of our turnaround over three years ago and I am pleased that we have achieved and exceeded that this year," Duffy added. In Q2 2022, Mandalay generated consolidated revenue of $50.1 million, 2% lower than in the second quarter of 2021, mainly due to lower ounces sold at Bjorkdal and Cerro Bayo's production in last year's quarter, the Canada-based natural resources company said. The company's realized gold price in the second quarter of 2022 increased by 6% compared with the second quarter of 2021, and the realized price of antimony increased by 13%. In Q2 2022, Mandalay sold 1,334 fewer gold equivalent ounces than in Q2 2021. Consolidated cash cost per ounce of $1,020 was higher in the second quarter of 2022 compared with $960 in the second quarter of 2021. Cost of sales during the second quarter of 2022 versus the second quarter of 2021 were $5.7 million higher at Costerfield and $700,000 lower at Bjorkdal. Consolidated general and administrative costs were $200,000 higher compared with the prior-year quarter. The company generated adjusted EBITDA of $20.3 million in the second quarter of 2022, 12% lower compared with $23.1 million in the year-ago quarter. Adjusted net income was $5.4 million in the second quarter of 2022, excluding the $4.4 million of unrealized gain on financial instruments and $7.1 million of revision of reclamation liability, compared with an adjusted net income of $11.5 million in the second quarter of 2021. Consolidated net income was $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2022, versus $4.8 million in the second quarter of 2021. Mandalay ended the second quarter of 2022 with $47.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. "Costerfield continued its remarkable performance with $32.4 million in revenue and $19.2 million in adjusted EBITDA. This ongoing operating margin performance reflects the continuous high-grade feed and the relatively fixed cost nature of the operation. During Q2 2022, Costerfield processed grades of 11.0 g/t (grams per ton) gold and 2.6% antimony and also improved its gold recovery rate of 93.0% against the 92.6% achieved during Q1 2021, said CEO Duffy. "Bjorkdal generated stable production and sales with $17.7 million and $2.4 million in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, respectively, in Q2 2022. The underground ramp-up continued as we mined approximately 276,000 tonnes; on pace to exceed our 2021 result of 1.1 million tonnes from the underground. For Q3 2022, mining activities will focus on areas of high confidence as we look to lift the grade during the second half of the year. "The first half of year demonstrated the ongoing strength of our operations and how the company is well positioned to build upon its sound financial state. Mandalay is maintaining its 2022 production and cost guidance and looks forward to sustainably generating value for all of our stakeholders," Duffy concluded. Mandalay said its management will be hosting a conference call for investors and analysts on August 11, 2022, at 8.00am Toronto time. Analysts and interested investors are invited to participate using the following dial-in numbers: Participant number (toll-free) 877-407-8289; Conference ID 13731674 A replay of the conference call will be available until 11.59pm Toronto time, August 25, 2022, and can be accessed using the following dial-in number: Encore toll-free dial-in number 877-660-6853; Encore ID 13731674 Mandalay completes sale of Challacollo Silver-Gold Project Separately, Mandalay said it completed the agreement with Aftermath Silver Ltd on August 10, 2022, in which Aftermath will acquire Minera Mandalay Challacollo Limitada (MMC), which currently owns the Challacollo silver-gold project located in Region I (Tarapaca) of Chile. Under the terms of the agreement, signed on November 12. 2019, Aftermath will purchase 100% of MMC in exchange for total consideration consisting of C$8.0 million in non-contingent consideration plus a 3% net smelter returns royalty(NSR) on production at Challacollo, capped at US$3.0 million. The Non-Contingent Consideration is payable as follows: C$1.0 million in cash payable on or before December 30, 2019 (received in Q4 2019); C$1.0 million in cash payable on or before December 30, 2020 (received in Q4 2020); C$3.0 million in cash or shares payable on or before April 30, 2021 (received in Q2 2021); C$1.5 million in shares and $1.0 million in cash payable on closing, August 10, 2022; and C$0.5 million plus interest in cash on or before December 31, 2022. Mandalay's CEO commented: "Mandalay is pleased to have successfully closed the sale of Challacollo to Aftermath. This transaction aligns with Mandalay's objective with creating value from its non-core assets. We wish Aftermath further success on the restart of exploration in the region and look forward to a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with Aftermath." Mandalay is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia (Costerfield gold-antimony mine) and Sweden (Bjorkdal gold mine). The company is focused on growing its production and reducing costs to generate significant positive cash flow. Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com Golden Minerals Company (NYSE-A:AUMN, TSX:AUMN, ETR:7GB) said it ended the second quarter of 2022 with a cash balance of $9.5 million and anticipates receiving approximately $4.5 to $6.5 million in net operating margin from its Rodeo gold-silver mine in Mexico during the 12 months ending June 30, 2023. The projection assumes average gold and silver prices during that period of $1,800/oz and $25.00/oz, respectively. "Our production at Rodeo continues on plan and is providing good cash flow while we continue to work on the re-start of Velardena, Golden's president and chief executive officer, Warren Rehn, said in a statement. At Velardena our recent test-mining showed excellent progress on productivity; however, the dilution control was not up to expectations, mostly due to geologic factors on the San Mateo vein. "We will take the time required to resolve this through modifications in the mine plan. I expect we will be in a good position once again to propose the re-start late this year or early next year," Rehn added. The company also anticipates receiving $1.5 million of the remaining $2.0 million due from Fabled Silver Gold Corp related to the sale of the company's Santa Maria property during the 12-month period. Second quarter financials During the second quarter, the company posted revenue of $5.9 million yielding a net operating margin of $1.3 million compared with $5.9 million in revenue and a net operating margin of $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2021, both from mining operations at the Rodeo mine in Mexico. Golden Minerals had a $9.5 million cash and cash equivalents balance as of June 30, 2022, compared to $12.2 million as of December 31, 2021. Its net loss of $0.02 per share or $2.8 million in the second quarter of 2022, compared to a net loss of $0.00 per share or $0.8 million in the second quarter of 2021. The Rodeo mine produced 3,004 payable gold ounces and 12,768 payable silver ounces with total cash costs, net of silver by-product credits, per payable ounce of gold of $1,426.1. Cash costs were higher than the $1,164 reported in Q1 2022 due to lower grade than normal mined in April, in addition to increased drilling and blasting activity which will benefit third quarter production In July 2022, the company completed a third drill program of 5,693 meters in 24 drill holes at the Yoquivo gold-silver project located in Chihuahua State, Mexico. While complete assay results have not yet been received, the company anticipates this round of drilling will provide sufficient information with which to estimate an initial gold-silver resource later in 2022. In June 2022, the company completed a second drill program at the Sarita Este gold-copper project in Argentina and recently released assay results from the program point to a potentially economic shallow oxidized gold system. In June 2022, Barrick reported results of a 5-hole 1,300m initial drill program at our El Quevar property to the Company. Final assay results are pending. Looking ahead, Golden Minerals said currently forecasted expenditures during the 12 months ending June 30, 2023, apart from Rodeo costs of metals sold which are included in the net operating margin forecast, total approximately $10.4 million as follows: $5.1 million on exploration activities and property holding costs associated with the Company's portfolio of exploration properties located in Mexico, Argentina and Nevada, including project assessment and evaluation costs relating to additional exploration at Rodeo and Yoquivo, as well as costs associated with the potential restart of Velardena; $1.0 million at the Velardena Properties for care and maintenance; $0.4 million at the El Quevar project to fund care and maintenance and property holding costs, net of reimbursement from Barrick; and $3.9 million in general and administrative costs. Golden Minerals said its management will be hosting a conference call and webcast on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 11.00am EDT to discuss the second quarter 2022 financial results and recent project updates. The webcast will also be available for replay on the Golden Minerals website after August 15, 2022 Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com Playgon Games (TSX-V:DEAL, OTCQB:PLGNF) Inc said it has received Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) certification for its live dealer studio for Ontario and Isle of Man, better positioning the company for pending commercial agreements licensed in those jurisdictions. The company said it had engaged independent testing laboratory GLI to complete GLI-19 Interactive Gaming Systems testing and audit requirements for its live dealer studio based in Las Vegas, Nevada. GLI provides world-class testing, certification and professional services to the global gaming industrys suppliers, regulators, and operators across more than 480 jurisdictions, Playgon Games said. "Adding Ontario and Isle of Man certifications and continuing to work with GLI to certify other jurisdictions further strengthens our global footprint and strategy," Playgon Games CEO Darcy Krogh said in a statement. GLI will further evaluate Playgons technology with requirements from additional jurisdictions that will be driven by commercial customer agreements. Playgon said additional jurisdictions would be competed over time and in stages and as required when the company gets closer to customer launches, including Argentina, Colombia, Connecticut, Italy, Mexico, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom, and West Virginia. Playgon Games is a proprietary software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology company delivering state-of-the-art mobile live dealer technology and eTable games to online gaming operators globally. Contact the author at emily.jarvie@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter @emilyjjarvie The analysts, who have a Buy rating on Talon, described the push into Michigan as positive Analysts at Stifel GMP applauded Talon Metals Corp's move to put its proven exploration team to work in a highly prospective land package in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. Tamarack, Minnesota-based Talon has struck an option and earn-in agreement with UPX Minerals Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sweetwater Royalties, to acquire up to an 80% ownership interest in the mineral rights over a 400,000-acre land package in Michigan. The historic parcel of land was originally assembled by Henry Ford and owned for 70 years by the Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F). READ: Talon Metals acquires exploration rights from Sweetwater Royalties for historic Henry Ford land package in Michigan The analysts, who have a Buy rating on Talon, described the push into Michigan as incrementally positive. The property is 2.8 kilometres (km) from the high grade, currently operational Eagle nickel mine, but also comes with a wealth of exploration data and is on private land, highlighting the exploration potential, wrote the analysts at Stifel. Stifel noted that the deal comes with historical geophysical data and access to drill core containing multiple high-grade nickel intercepts up to 7.4%, which with Talon's experienced geological team, could lead to growth in resources. While the feasibility study, due 2023, remains the most significant near-term catalyst, we continue to look for encouraging results from both infill and expansion drilling consistent to our thesis that exploration could define a much larger resource than envisioned in the 2021 preliminary economic assessment (PEA), added the analysts. Terms can be met In exchange for the option agreement with UPX to acquire up to an 80% ownership stake in the Michigan nickel properties, Talon has agreed to a minimum spend of up to US$5 million or drilling at least 7,500 meters (m). Talon also has five years until August 2027 to complete the minimum requirements and to earn a 51% undivided interest in the properties on the completion of 25,000m of drilling. In addition, Talon can earn an additional 29% interest on delivering a feasibility study within eight years of determining a mineral resource for the property. In our view, the earn-in commitments are not onerous and can easily be met within the allotted timeframe with Talon's sizable, inhouse and experienced exploration team, wrote the analysts. Stifel said the push into Michigan underpins Talon's vision of developing a US domestic supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. With the acquisition of the Michigan property, we view Talon as a preeminent, high-grade nickel exploration and development company in North America, well positioned to benefit from nickel's status as a critical mineral, concluded the analysts. Separately, Talon owns 51% interest in the Tamarack nickel-copper-cobalt project in Minnesota. On completion of the feasibility study and a $10 million payment to Rio Tinto, Talon's stake in the project will jump to 60%. Stifel has a C$0.90 price target on Talon's shares, which are currently trading around C$0.58 in Toronto. Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com Follow her on Twitter: @UttaraProactive United Nations, Aug 11 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has congratulated the people of Kenya for the peaceful voting during the country's general elections. The UN chief "notes the important work done by the Kenyan authorities and electoral management bodies, the active engagement of numerous national stakeholders and the unwavering commitment of the voters to duly exercise their constitutional right to vote," said a statement issued by his spokesperson on Wednesday. Guterres trusts that all political stakeholders and the Kenyan people will continue to demonstrate the same level of calm, patience and respect for the electoral process as they await the announcement of the results of the polls in accordance with the legal timeframe, it added. "The Secretary-General reiterates the availability of the UN to continue to support the efforts of the Kenyan authorities and people in the advancement of the democratic process in Kenya," said the statement. Kenyan citizens cast their ballots on Tuesday to elect their fifth President as well as members of the National Assembly, Senators and county governors, Xinhua news agency reported. Head of Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission said on Tuesday evening that voting in the country's general elections had been concluded in all polling stations and counting had started. Damascus, Aug 11 : The Syrian forces repelled a rebel group attack in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, state news agency SANA reported. The army forces foiled an attempt of a "terrorist group comprising fighters from foreign nationalities" to sneak from the Nayrab area into the town of Jobas in the eastern countryside of Idlib, said the report published on Wednesday. Most of the rebels were either killed or wounded, it added. Idlib has been the final major rebel stronghold in Syria, though some rural areas are under government control, Xinhua news agency reported. Washington, Aug 11 : US President Joe Biden travelled to Kiawah Island, South Carolina, for a summer vacation with his family. Biden is expected to stay on the sea island on the Atlantic coast for reportedly at least seven days, Xinhua news agency reported. Before leaving the White House on Wednesday afternoon, the President signed a bill to expand healthcare benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. US Presidents and their families traditionally take vacations away from the White House in summer. Khartoum, Aug 11 : Deputy Chairman of Sudan's Sovereign Council, Mohamed Hamdan Daqlu has vowed to reveal the "malicious plots" against the cohesion among tribes. "There are malicious plots targeting the cohesion of the social fabric among the tribes. We are aware of these plots, and we will reveal those behind them," Daqlu said at a press conference on Wednesday at Khartoum airport. He reiterated the government's commitment to addressing tribal fighting and fostering reconciliation among the tribal components in Sudan's western Darfur region neighbouring Chad, Xinhua news agency reported. He added that it's important to maintain security on the border with Chad to prevent the recurrence of what it called "a cross-border attack by Chadian armed groups that killed at least 18 Sudanese civilians on August 4". He said that the Sudanese-Chadian joint forces must play an active role to prevent the infiltration of outlaws across the border. Sudan and Chad share a border that stretches for as long as 1,350 km. The Darfur region has been a witness to deadly violence since 2003. Efforts over the years to end tribal conflicts met failure, blamed on tribes' access to weapons and a lack of effective governance in many parts of the region. New Delhi, Aug 11 : There is a certain quiet that underlines the whole novel. A rhythm that finds itself at peace with the enigmatic green all around. Even the violence has a precise sculpted beauty around it. When she writes about her land, Wayanad, it is with awe, and then -- with gratitude. Author Sheela Tomy's delicate and ferocious glance in 'Valli' (HarperCollins India), her latest novel that recently hit the stands, comes from the fact that she grew up listening to the music of the forest and stories about the fight for the survival of her ancestors. "The story of Valli begins on a February morning in 1970, on the day Comrade Varghese was shot dead, throwing light into the socio-political situation of the time. Major incidents in Valli take place in the 1970s, during the national emergency period and after the Naxal uprisings in Wayanad," she tells IANS. The book, that received the Cherukad Award for Malayalam literature had been in her mind for more than a decade, with her father, a school teacher who used to tell her to write about the land, which has a distinct cultural history and geography, rich in myths and folklore. However, it was only after his departure that those stories took shape and became the book. She wrote the plot on three pages in her diary which was developed into 'Valli' in three years. "In the attempt to capture the pulse of the land that made me who I am, I didn't know where my characters were leading me to. The main characters are migrants from Thiruvithamkur who came to Wayanad. I wanted to show the transformation of my forest land over decades by man's greed and the encroachments of the corporates, the real threats to the environment today. I wanted to show that the people of the land who once fought for valli (wages) are still fighting for vall (earth), their piece of land, and farmers are still on the brink of suicide. Narrating the story of four generations, their love, hope and resistance, it turned out to be a requiem for the forest. The forest became a main character unknowingly," she says. Interestingly, Tomy wrote this debut novel while she was (and still is) in the Middle East. Believing that distance worked for her, she says, "While writing 'Valli', I was a migrant in a desert land. I have felt the losses of my land so intensely that I started to write about it. Had it been written sitting in my homeland, the story and content could be the same, but the soul and song of Valli may have been different." Also a short-story writer and screenwriter, Tomy is more comfortable with the novel genre as it has a broader canvas and, "Writing short stories gives me much strain as I never get satisfied and keep on editing." Stressing that working with Jayasree Kalathil, who translated it from Malayalam into English was sheer pleasure, Tomy says it was her dream that someday the world would hear the untold stories of her forest village and was delighted when Jayasree came forward to translate it. "I knew that a person who could conceive the music, rhythm and the politics of the land only could do justice to the story. I found Jayasree so involved in it and she was living with my characters the same way I did. I believe, was far beyond a literary re-creation. She was even rethinking the idea of the original text." Adding that translations pave way for the readers to new horizons, Tomy feels it is always interesting to hear stories from an unfamiliar land and by authors from different parts of the country. "It is a world of versatility. My early readings had great influence from translations from Bengali literature. All languages have gems, but translators should be brilliant and skilful to do justice to the original text." While stories keep happening to/for her, Tomy says she is mostly "shy" to send them for publishing. "The editing never ceases. I am never content. For a novel, it is a long but enjoyable process. Once I decide to write about a theme I live with it for months or years. I begin even without having all the characters or plot in mind. It develops gradually as I write." Before she started writing 'Valli', the author spoke to elders in the community and went into Adivasi settlements to understand their lives. As the story of Valli takes place in a Christian migrant village, the dialect of the Christian communities was used. "I have employed many narrative devices -- diary entries, letters, folk songs, Bible quotations, reinvented myths and popular film songs of the time -- to reproduce the period effectively and to escape linear storytelling." "In fact, her second novel -- 'Aa Nadiyodu Peru Chodikkaruthu' (Do not Ask the River Her Name) is set to be released later this month. It stands with people who are under siege and those who are forced to run away from their homeland. Background of the novel is the Middle East, particularly Jerusalem and Palestine," she concludes. (Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in) Lucknow, Aug 11 : The Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested 17 persons with 9,000 bottles of an addictive cough syrup near Khalidabad along the state's border with neighbouring Bihar. Five of the accused, who are residents of state capital Lucknow, were allegedly caught with bottles of cough syrup 'Phensedyl'. Naresh Deepak Mohan, Assistant Commissioner of Medicines in Basti division, said, "This gang is involved in the smuggling of 90 per cent of Phensedyl in India. One of the medicine mafias of Agra was earlier arrested in a case of black marketing of abortion kits." The cough syrup, which contains the chemical ingredients codeine and chlorpheniramine, is used in Bihar and Bangladesh as a substitute for liquor. The Police officials are gathering evidence against all the gang members involved in the smuggling of codeine-laced cough syrup. Meanwhile, sources said that two of the accused, Jitendra Arora and Kapil Arora, both hailing from Agra, were earlier arrested in Punjab for black marketing of medicines. The Punjab Special Task Force (STF) had also sealed three medicine godowns. Earlier, in 2020, an international gang of medicine smugglers was uncovered and its kingpin Pankaj Gupta was arrested in Agra. Medicines from government hospital stock in Madhya Pradesh were found in his possession. The Uttar Pradesh STF had arrested more than nine medicine mafias at that time. In 2019, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) arrested Pradeep Kumar and Dheeraj Kumar Rajora, both hailing from Agra, for re-packaging expired and spurious medicines. In 2020, A.K. Enterprises, a medicine supplier in Agra, was raided for black marketing and smuggling of foetal sex-determination kits and abortion kits into Haryana and Rajasthan. The FDA had also cancelled its license. A Uttar Pradesh Health department official said that Bangladesh has a high demand for Phensedyl and 80 per cent of their cough syrup supplies are to that country. Ayodhya, Aug 11 : Two Dalit sisters were allegedly gang raped by three men after being held captive in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya district. The victims, one of whom is a minor, have been sent for a medical examination, the police said. The incident took place when the sisters were reportedly returning from Sherpurpura market near their village under the Bikapur police station. The three accused held them captive and allegedly outraged their modesty after taking them to a sugarcane field. They threatened the victims of dire consequences and fled. Pramod Kumar Yadav, circle officer, Bikapur, said that an extensive search has been launched to locate the accused. The two girls informed their family members about the incident a day after their return, after which a written application was submitted to the police. Initially, some local cops tried to hush up the matter, but later registered the FIR after intervention of some senior police officials, according to the victim's father. The FIR has been lodged against one Bhai Lal Yadav, Tribhuvan Yadav and an unidentified person under Indian Penal Code sections 376-D (gang rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insulting) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The circle officer said charges under atrocities against Dalits and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences were also slapped against the accused persons. London, Aug 11 : The UK Foreign Office has summoned Chinas ambassador to Britain over Beijings "aggressive and wide-ranging escalation" against Taiwan in recent days. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she had ordered officials to call in ambassador Zheng Zeguang to explain his country's actions after Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi's visit to the self-governing island last week, reports dpa news agency. China responded to the visit, which it saw as a provocation by the US, with a series of missile launches and incursions into Taiwanese waters and air space by its military. In a statement on Wednesday, Truss said : "The UK and partners have condemned in the strongest terms China's escalation in the region around Taiwan, as seen through our recent G7 statement. "I instructed officials to summon the Chinese ambassador to explain his country's actions. "We have seen increasingly aggressive behaviour and rhetoric from Beijing in recent months, which threaten peace and stability in the region. "The UK urges China to resolve any differences by peaceful means, without the threat or use of force or coercion." Taiwan has been self-governing since nationalist forces fled there in 1949 after the communists took control of China, and is considered to be a rebel province by Beijing. China's military exercises, which began on August 4, have caused extensive disruption to flights and shipping in one of the busiest regions for world trade. A statement issued by Beijing's Taiwan affairs office said China would continue to work "with the greatest sincerity" to achieve peaceful reunification. It went on: "But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. "We will always be ready to respond with the use of force or other necessary means to interference by external forces or radical action by separatist elements. "Our ultimate goal is to ensure the prospects of China's peaceful reunification and advance this process." Chennai, Aug 11 : Dalit political party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) will on Saturday stage a protest against police targetting the community during the Kallakurichi violence in July that stemmed from the suicide of a Class XI girl student. VCK founder leader and Member of Parliament Thol Thiruvamavalan said that the party would stage a protest on August 13 and urged the law enforcement agencies, including police, to conduct an investigation into the incidents in a proper manner. In a statement on Thursday, the VCK leader said that certain policemen who are investigating the case are sidetracking the probe and leveling charges against Dalit youths. He charged that a caste outfit was working in close association with police and felicitating arrests of gullible Dalit youths. The violence has been turned into a discussion point and several youths are being taken into police custody, Thol Thiruvamavalan added. The VCK leader said that the police in the guise of the investigation was turning the probe into a farce and several Dalit youths and their families were being targetted. Policemen were arresting people after making sure of their caste and that instead of investigating the reasons behind the suicide of the girl student, the policemen were targeting Dalit youths and their families. He added that the VCK would conduct strong and peaceful protest marches across the state on August 13. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 11 : Two-time former Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Thursday refused to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) scam at their office in Kochi, saying that ED was a political tool to target political rivals. He said since he has not been told what wrong he had done, he will not appear before the ED in the case, and instead has sought a legal recourse. This was the second notice from the ED to Isaac. Speaking to the media here, Isaac said he has filed a petition before the Kerala High Court and hence won't appear. "ED has now become a tool for the BJP to target political rivals. The apex court has clearly said ED is to tackle cases under Public Money Laundering Act and not under FEMA. It is the RBI which deals with FEMA and the affairs of the KIIFB and all mandatory filings have been made to the RBI," said Isaac. "My offence has not been told to me by the ED. And if they are not informing me of that, then they should recall their notice to me. Hence I have approached the court. ED appears to have more rights than the CBI. They are using this to usurp the powers of the state governments and are trying to create a smokescreen to confuse people here that something very big has happened in KIIFB," added Isaac. Then turning his ire at the Congress here, Isaac said KIIFB was inactive during the period of the Oommen Chandy government ( 2011-16). "Five years were lost and that has caused a serious dent in the development of Kerala, as they did nothing and now they have joined hands with the ED. The CPI-M has now decided to deal with ED legally and politically. We will get support from the people here in our fight against the ED and when that happens, nothing can be done," said Isaac. In a related development five ruling legislators have also approached the High court against the ED stating that "they are out to ruin the KIIFB and the court should intervene". Hyderabad, Aug 11 : More than two years after they were sacked for going on strike, over 7,000 field assistants are set to return to work in Telangana as the state government has decided to reinstate them. The field assistants work for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS). Panchayat Raj and Rural Development secretary Sandeep Kumar Sultania issued oral instructions to all district collectors and rural development officers to reinstate the field assistants. The government in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh had appointed 7,561 field assistants to supervise works under MNREGS, prepare muster rolls of workers employed under scheme and ensure employment to all job card holders. They were initially appointed with a pay scale of Rs 1,200 a month which was subsequently increased to Rs 10,000 a month. In February 2020, the government sacked the field assistants for going on strike in support of their demands, including regularising their services and payment of salaries through treasury offices. Since then, the sacked field assistants have been staging protests demanding reinstatement. The opposition parties had also backed their agitation. The field assistants made repeated requests to the government seeking their reinstatement assuring that they would abide by the rules and would not resort to unnecessary agitations. On March 15, Chief Minister K. Chandarsekhar Rao promised to reinstate the field assistants. He had said the government would reinstate them on 'humanitarian grounds' and warned them not to resort to strikes in the future. Panchayat Raj minister E. Dayakar Rao has said that the chief minister kept his word and reinstated field assistants in services. Kingston : , Aug 11 (IANS) All-rounder Odean Smith put in his career-best performances with both bat and ball in a valiant effort to win the opening contest for the West Indies. But his efforts went in vain as New Zealand registered a 13-run win over West Indies in the first T20I to take a 1-0 series lead. Playing in front of his home crowd, Smith had impressive figures of 3-32 off his four overs and then smashed a whirlwind 27 not out off just 12 balls, but West Indies fell short of victory. It was a match where West Indies had a brilliant fielding performance. Shimron Hetmyer took a one-handed catch on the ropes at deep point to remove Martin Guptill (16). Wicketkeeper Devon Thomas took a great catch to dismiss Devon Conway, and then Hayden Walsh dived full stretch at deep square leg to account for skipper Kane Williamson. All three catches came off the bowling of Smith. Playing in his first international match since the Test series in England in June, Williamson led his side's score of 185-5 with 47 from 33 balls, laced with four fours and two sixes while left-hander Conway smashed 43 from 29 balls and also with four fours and two sixes. Post rain interruption, New Zealand were in trouble at 98-3. Daryl Mitchell made 16, Glenn Phillips couldn't do much. But James Neesham smashed an unbeaten 15-ball 33 to give the Black Caps late impetus in a 36-run, unbroken sixth wicket partnership with Mitchell Santner (four not out). In reply, Shamarh Brooks top-scored with 42, but his knock was a measured one requiring 43 deliveries. All-rounder Jason Holder got 25 from 19 balls before perishing at 114-7 at the back end of the 16th over. Left with 72 runs to get from the last four overs, Romario Shepherd lashed a 16-ball unbeaten 31 (three sixes and a four) in a 58-run, unbroken, eighth wicket stand with Smith, who blasted a 12-ball unbeaten 27 (four fours and a six). The duo got the equation down to 26 from the final over but other than for Shepherd's six over long on off the third ball from seamer Tim Southee, they were unable to perform the miracle needed for the West Indies. For New Zealand, left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner was the pick of the bowlers, taking three crucial scalps and conceding just 19 runs from his four overs on his way to claiming Player of the Match award in a match where West Indies batting didn't click in unison. Brief scores: New Zealand 185-5 in 20 overs (Kane Williamson 47, Devon Conway 43; Odean Smith 3-32, Obed McCoy 1-39) beat West Indies 172-7 in 20 overs (Shamarh Brooks 42, Romario Shepherd 31 not out; Mitchell Santner 3-19, Lockie Ferguson 1-33) by 13 runs. Chennai, Aug 11 : Security at the US Consulate in Chennai and a Jewish settlement in Dindigul has been intensified on an alert by central intelligence agencies. This follows the killing of Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri in a US drone attack in Kabul, Afghanistan on July 31. The central agencies have given inputs to the state police to enhance the security at US and Israeli missions besides consulates of other Western countries. They have also directed police to increase the patrolling in front of the foreign missions. Following the recent Israeli air strike in Gaza in Palestinian settlements which claimed 30 lives, including that of six children, the Centre has also called for tightened security at the Jewish establishments. According to state police sources, the special cyber crime wing of the state police is closely monitoring the social media posts of several individuals and organisations. Tamil Nadu police chief C. Sylendrababu has called a high-level meeting of police officers in the range of Inspector General and above on security measures against the threat and in the run-up to the 75th Independence day celebrations. New Delhi, Aug 11 : In 1992, when science fiction author Neal Stephenson predicted the metaverse in his book 'Snow Crash, little did he know that the idea would revolutionize the lives of people three decades later. From 'Zoom weddings' in the post-pandemic era, to a U.S. couple conducting the first ever metaverse wedding in 2021, to a couple in Tamil Nadu hosting a virtual reception in 2022, we are now on the cusp of a new dimension. A 2021 study by Bloomberg Intelligence in fact states that the metaverse space could be worth more than $800 billion by 2024. Luxe wedding designer and founder of The A-Cube Project, Ambika Gupta however thinks that even though the idea of a metaverse wedding is catching on, it will never replace the vibrance and energy of a real-time gathering. She says, "For wedding designers, the metaverse could be a new, exciting idea but I doubt if metaverse weddings will become normative. In today's fast and hyper-digitized world, weddings are possibly the only occasions when we pause and make time to share our happiness with the people closest to us. Metaverse ceremonies will be more like statements, or niche events that may augment an actual wedding but will never replace it." For traditionalists, as she points out, it is hard to envision a wedding that can be attended via a laptop, or a smartphone and where people can interact through lenses, and sensors, and offer NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) as gifts. Ambika adds, "However, it is impossible to foretell the future. Another wave of Covid-19 may disrupt our lives and in a world where climate change is impacting us all, some couples may opt for a zero-wastage, sustainable metaverse wedding with virtually no carbon footprint. I repeat however that it is not possible to replace traditional ceremonies as they create tangible memories and unmatched intimacy." Here are a few reasons why she thinks metaverse weddings could gain some momentum in the near future. Cost-effective celebrations Ambika points out how budget-friendly it would be to cut down on travel and hospitality expenses in a virtual wedding but of course, a metaverse wedding can be expensive too, depending on the vision of the couple, the details of the digital theme, the venue, the decor, the avatars, and their outfits. Ambika says, "Wedding designers, I am sure will adapt to this space and come up with innovative design themes to tell the stories that the couples want to share with their loved ones. It would be interesting to reimagine and design events like haldi, mehendi, sangeet, a cocktail brunch, an actual ceremony and a reception in the metaverse. For the guests too, it will be interesting to explore unusual worlds they have never had access to before but I doubt they will enjoy the experience as much as a real wedding." Sentimental reasons A wedding brings up a lot of emotions and the absence of a departed loved one can make the celebrations feel incomplete. Ambika says, "Recently, the much-talked-about metaverse wedding reception in Tamil Nadu was made extra special by the avatar of the bride's late father. This idea may not be to everyone's liking but for many, the possibility of sharing a special day with someone who is no longer present could draw them to the metaverse." Even loved ones who are located in other countries and may not be able to attend a physical wedding can be 'present' at a metaverse reception, meet family members and share the couple's joy. Limitless space, endless possibilities The metaverse is not bound by constrictions of time and space and hence offers limitless possibilities. Ambika says, "Couples can invite as many guests as they want and not worry about the size of the venue. Plus they have the freedom to envision just about any setting they want regardless of the expanse. This is a different scenario from the toughest months of the pandemic, when weddings had to be planned on a smaller scale and it was challenging to find enough helping hands, artisans, craftspeople and to source raw materials." Practicality and convenience Ambika thinks a lot of couples may use the metaverse to replicate a physical ceremony for those who could not attend. She adds, "Or they may opt for a metaverse ceremony if they are apart and cannot be together due to travel restrictions or some other reason. In such a case, a virtual ceremony could precede a physical one. The convenience of not having to wait till all practical complications have been sorted can prove to be alluring though the legality of metaverse weddings is still a grey area and needs to be examined by couples more thoroughly." More immersive excitement For technology geeks, the lure of VR is great and it can unleash a lot of creative possibilities to create an immersive, visually dynamic event unlike any other. For wedding designers too, event platforms built in the metaverse may be the next step. Ambika says, "Anyone in the business arena today has to be familiar with terms like cryptocurrency, blockchain, and NFTs and for wedding designers and event planners, to be future forward is important. It is always good to prepare for inevitable shifts in the wedding industry but as a designer, I can say that nothing beats the joy of putting a physical event together and getting every small detail right." -- Syndicated from IANS Brussels, Aug 11 : Starting from Thursday, European Union (EU) member states are no longer allowed to import coal from Russia after the transitional period for the bloc's embargo ended at midnight. The embargo was part of the fifth sanctions package agreed by the EU in April and will be in full force from Thursday onwards, reports dpa news agency. EU countries had agreed on a transitional period of 120 days to give the industry time to adapt to the import ban. The aim is to weaken the Russian economy amid its invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission said in April the coal embargo could cost Russia some 8 billion euros ($8.25 billion) annually. Germany's coal importers' association VDKi does not expect supply bottlenecks in Europe despite the ban as coal is available on the world market. The main suppliers going forward will be the US, South Africa, Australia, Indonesia and Colombia. The coal embargo marked the EU's first time sanctioning Russian energy supplies. In a later sanctions package, the bloc agreed to largely ban Russian oil deliveries in order to step up pressure on Moscow. The oil ban is due to come into effect at the end of the year, with exceptions for several countries that are particularly dependent on Russian oil including Hungary, which will be allowed to continue receiving pipeline supplies from Moscow. However, Russian pipeline operator Transneft said on Tuesday that oil transports from Russia to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia had been halted. Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War Vadodara, Aug 11 : Punjab Police has arrested a man for allegedly making extortion calls to doctors and industrialists in the name of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar gang, from this district of Gujarat. The man arrested on Wednesday night, hailed from Bihar and was camping in the Chani area of the Vadodara city for the last 15 days. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police from Punjab: "Extornist Sharif, alias Mazaralam Shaikh, had called up an Amritsar-based doctor demanding Rs 5 lakh as ransom. After introducing himself as Vicky Brar and a member of Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar, he had threatened to kill the doctor if the ransom money was not transferred into his account." The calls were being made from a foreign sim number using a banned app, but with technical surveillance, the police tracked him down to Vadodara. Simultaneously, another team had carried out a search operation in Bihar, from where the police picked up two more accused associated with Sharif. Police too were surprised to find that the gang was operating 150 bank accounts in Bihar. According to the Punjab Police records, two doctors had registered an extortion call complaint with the Sardar police station in Amritsar. In the first case, one Dr Rajnish Kumar had received an extortion call demanding Rs 6 lakh on July 29, and the caller had shared his SBI bank account number to transfer money. The other complaint was filed by Dr Manan Anand alleging that the extortionist had demanded Rs five lakh from a Canada number. Toronto, Aug 11 : Belinda Bencic defeated three-time champion Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 at the National Bank Open to advance to the Round of 16 here on Thursday. Playing her first match since her essay in Vogue detailing the decision behind her impending retirement, Williams was greeted by a rapturous ovation from the Toronto crowd as she took to the court. Williams was bidding to win her first back-to-back singles matches since 2021 Roland Garros, having won her Toronto opener in straight sets over Nuria Parrizas Diaz. But in a rematch of their memorable semifinal duel on this very court in 2015, Bencic was able to control the match from start to finish with her serve. The 25-year-old from Switzerland faced just one break point in the match, which she saved. How the match was won: Bencic also kept the return pressure on Williams from the first game. The Swiss won the toss, elected to receive, and proceeded to earn two break points in the opening game. Williams saved them with clutch serving, but Bencic would go on to break Williams twice in the opening set, sealing it after 41 minutes. The second set stayed level as Williams' found better success behind her serve, but Bencic finally got the break in the 3-3 game when Williams struck a double-fault on break point. Bencic closed out the win after 1 hour and 17 minutes. Bencic finished with 25 winners to 13 unforced errors, while Williams hit 13 winners to 18 unforced errors. After the match, Williams stayed on court and fought off tears as she bid farewell to the Toronto crowd. "It was a lot of emotions obviously," Williams told the crowd. "I love playing here, I've always loved playing here. I wish I could have played better but Belinda played so well today. It's been an interesting 24 hours." "As I said in the article, I'm terrible at goodbyes. But, goodbye Toronto." "Of course it's super nice, but today it's a little bit more sad in a way. I don't really want her to retire. I feel like I've always, in a way you know what she's achieved and everything, all her legacy and career and everything. But now that it's soon to be over I feel like people, and me included, are realizing it even more. Just standing on the court against her today was just, yeah, really overwhelming, I would say," Bencic said. It's going to be a tough task facing Williams over the next few weeks: "In a way with her it feels almost like I'm star struck every time I see her," Bencic said. "So it's difficult to play her. It's difficult to kind of put that aside and just like focus on the match. Because I feel like I just don't know how I then play because I feel like I'm paralyzed a little bit just like watching her." Bencic will face Garbine Muguruza next. Himatnagar : , Aug 11 (IANS) After a nine-day fight for life in a Gujarat hospital, a newborn, who was buried alive by her parents and rescued by a farmer, breathed her last at the Himatnagar government hospital on Thursday morning. Government hospital Superintendent Dr. Ashish Katarkar told the local media that Wednesday night she developed multiple problems, though doctors tried their best, but she did not survive and died around 5 a.m. Doctor said a Gombhoi police officer was informed about the death and after the police procedure is completed, post-mortem will be conducted and later as per the police instructions final rituals will be conducted since her parents are in judicial custody. On August 4, farmer Hitendrasinh had found the infant buried in his farm. With the help of some neighbours, the baby girl was rescued and rushed to the Himatnagar government hospital with the help of emergency medical services. In less than 24 hours, police found the baby girl's parents, who were identified as Manjula and Sailesh Bajania. They admitted before the police that they buried the baby as it was premature birth, and since they were financially weak and feared medical expenses, they decided to bury her. Police have arrested the parents for attempt to murder. Now after the infant's death murder section will be invoked against the couple. New Delhi, Aug 11 : The BJP on Thursday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of patronising criminals like Anubrata Mandal. West Bengal BJP co-incharge Amit Malviya said that she gives state protection to those who operate crime and extortion syndicates under her watch. "Mamata Banerjee patronises criminals like Anubroto Mondal. As Chief Minister and Home Minister of West Bengal, she gives state protection to those who operate crime and extortion syndicates under her watch. Partha Chaterjee or Anubroto Mondal, the buck stops at Mamata Banerjee," Malviya said quoting his old tweet. On March 26, sharing a picture Malviya had said, "What message is Bengal's Home Minister giving by having Birbhum's local goonda Anubroto Mondal in her car, under whose instruction Anarul Hossain operated, now arrested for the Rampurhat massacre? This picture explains how criminalisation of WB politics starts right from the top." After Anubrata Mandal was arrested by the CBI this morning, West Bengal BJP president Dr Sukanta Majumdar tweeted: "CM @MamataOfficial has turned blind eye to cattle smuggling. Slowly slowly, culprits in such heinous crimes are being arrested. Anubrato Mondal is the same person who threatened that past incidents of murders like in 2011,14,16 and 19 will be repeated again." The CBI officials reached Mandal's Bolpur residence around 9.50 a.m. escorted by a huge contingent of central armed forces personnel. After a little over an hour of questioning, they arrested him in connection with the cattle smuggling scam. The arrest was made after the Trinamool Congress strongman ducked the central agency summons for ten consecutive times. Chennai, Aug 11 : The British investments in India that began in early 1,600 CE with the entry of East India Company have continued to grow even 75 years after India gained Independence. According to Grant Thornton Bharat's latest Britain Meets India (BMI) report 2022, the UK remained the sixth-largest investor in India, with a cumulative investment of about $31.92 billion in 2000-22. This constituted around 5.4 per cent of the total foreign direct investment (FDI) into India. Despite low-key merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, the India-UK corridor witnessed 13 deals including India's Wipro Ltd acquiring Capco, Reliance Group acquiring Faradion Ltd and Bharti Enterprises acquiring Oneweb Ltd, the report noted. The year 2022 marks 75 years of bilateral relations between the two countries post India's independence from British rule. Even before India's independence, UK companies, such as Britannia, Unilever, Oxford University Press, HSBC, Amalgamated Metal Corporation, British American Tobacco and GlaxoSmithKline, had made India their home and are household names even today. Despite global uncertainties, UK companies continue to view India as an attractive investment destination. India's trade in goods and services with the UK increased to $31.34 billion in 2022 from $19.51 billion in 2015. One of the key highlights of the India-UK economic relationship in recent times was laying the groundwork for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA). It started with the visit of the UK Secretary of State Liz Truss in early 2021, where the countries agreed on an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP), states the BMI report. This was followed by meetings between the two governments that further laid the foundation for the FTA and defining Roadmap 2030 for the economic relationship between the two countries. As an outcome of these interventions, trade between India and the UK is expected to double by 2030, said the report. According to the report, there are 618 UK companies in India, with a combined turnover of approximately Rs 3,634.9 billion, and around 4,66,640 employees. Kolkata, Aug 11 : Howrah City Police of West Bengal on Thursday morning arrested a housewife, Pallabi Ghosh, after she hacked to death four other members of the family late on Wednesday night. However, her husband and partner in the barbarous act, Debraj Ghosh is absconding. The four persons killed were Debraj's mother Minati Ghosh (55), his elder brother Debasish Ghosh (36), latter's wife and daughter, Rekha Ghosh (30) and Tiyasha Ghosh (13), respectively. Police sources said that the relationship between the two brothers were quite strained for quite a long time and on Wednesday evening they had a bitter war of words. Soon after that Debraj and his wife Pallabi Ghosh entered their room with sharp weapons and hacked Debasish Ghosh, Rekha Ghosh and their daughter Tiyasha Ghosh. On getting the screaming noise, their mother Minati Ghosh came running, following which she was also hacked. Meanwhile, a profusely bleeding Tiyasha somehow ran out of the residence. After narrating the incident to the neighbours who have already assembled outside the house, she died there. Although the neighbours caught Pallabi red-handed, Debraj somehow managed to escape. While fleeing, he took away the sharp weapons used in committing the crime. The cops of Howrah City Police immediately rushed to the spot and arrested Pallabi. The police have started a witch-hunt to trace Debraj as all the police stations have been alerted. Chennai, Aug 11 : The Global Tiger Summit scheduled to be held here from October 17 to 19 by the Tamil Nadu government in association with the Union Government is likely to be rescheduled for April. Sources in the Tamil Nadu forest department told IANS that the event is likely to be pushed to April to coincide with the golden Jubilee celebrations of Project Tiger. Project Tiger commenced in 1973 with the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi taking initiative for the conservation of tigers in the country 2023 being the 50th year of the landmark conservation movement, Union environment ministry is keen that the Global Tiger Summit and Project Tiger golden jubilee celebrations are held together. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had in July announced that the state would host the Global Tiger Summit in October 2022 and preparations were on when recently the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) requested the state to postpone the event. Sources in the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) which was another partner for conducting the Global Tiger Summit have also requested the Tamil Nadu government to conduct the international event along with the Project Tiger golden jubilee celebrations in April. The population of Tigers has increased almost three times in Tamil Nadu. While the number of Tigers in the forests of Tamil Nadu was 76 in 2006, as per the national tiger status assessment 2018-19, it was 264, an almost three-time increase. This, according to Tamil Nadu forest department officials was mainly due to the strict vigil for the conservation of Tigers as well as strong patrolling by the forest department of the state to prevent any poaching activities. The state of Tamil Nadu has ranked second in the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) score coming behind Kerala. The state at present has five Tiger reserves including the latest one in Sirivilliputhur Megamalai Tiger Reserve. The other Tiger reserves in Tamil Nadu are Annamalai Tiger Reserve, Kalakad- Mundanthurai, Sathyamangalam and Madumalai. The Western Ghats landscape comprising Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Goa has 961 Tigers of the 2967 big cats in the country. Johannesburg, Aug 11 : Though the long-standing association between Faf du Plessis and four-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings was broken in IPL 2022 mega auction as Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired his services and made him captain of the side. But the du Plessis-CSK partnership, which ran from 2011 to 2021, barring 2016 and 2017 when the franchise was suspended from IPL, may be reunited, this time in South Africa's upcoming new T20 League. A report by Cricbuzz says that the Chennai Super Kings management has roped in the former South Africa captain as their marquee signing for the Johannesburg franchise in the CSA T20 League. The inaugural edition of the league, staled to begin in January 2023, will be contested by six teams, all owned by IPL franchise owners. "Wednesday (August 10) was the last day for the direct acquisition of players for the six-team league, to be launched early next year. Bound by a confidentiality clause, the six franchises, all owned by the IPL teams, refused to disclose their star signings, but Cricbuzz can confirm that du Plessis, a former CSK regular, is back with his old team," said the report. England all-rounder Moeen Ali, currently a CSK player in the IPL, has been roped in for the Johannesburg franchise in CSA T20 League. "Moeen featured in the marquee players list of the UAE League (ILT20) too but the English all-rounder, who represents CSK in the IPL, is understood to have preferred the South Africa tournament, to be held alongside the ILT20 in January-February," added the report. The six franchises in the T20 league will have a squad of 17 players, and will be able to pre-sign up to five players made up of three international players, one Proteas player and one uncapped South African player prior to the auction. The report further said pacer Anrich Nortje and all-rounder Aiden Markram have been signed up by Pretoria and Port Elizabeth teams, owned by Delhi Capitals and SunRisers Hyderabad respectively. It added that Rajasthan Royals, with Paarl as their home base, have got Jos Buttler on board while Sanjiv Goenka-owned Lucknow Super Giants, having purchased the Durban team, has acquired services of wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock. Reliance Industries, who own IPL side Mumbai Indians and have a sister franchise in South Africa named as "MI Cape Town", are believed to have signed Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan for the CSA T20 League. South Africa's T20 League will be directly clashing with UAE's International League T20 (ILT20), to be also held in January next year, which is also in the period of operation for Australia's Big Bash League (BBL) and Bangladesh's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). San Francisco, Aug 11 : Tech giant Microsoft is open sourcing more than 1,500 of its 3D emoji, making them accessible for creators to remix and build upon. Almost all of Microsoft's 1,538 emoji library will be available on Figma and GitHub in a move that Microsoft hopes will encourage more creativity and inclusivity in the emoji space, reports The Verge. While Microsoft released its emoji in Windows 11 last year and 3D versions in Microsoft Teams in February, the company hadn't originally planned to open source its work. "Initially, we were focused on building the body of work," Jon Friedman, Microsoft's CVP of design and research, was quoted as saying in an interview. "The idea kind of just started popping around, and it aligned with our belief and perspective that the more open source we are internally and externally, the more product excellence we can build, and the more relevant we can be for all of humanity," Friedman added. As per the report, Microsoft spent a lot of time on inclusive design and the varied needs of emojis that span across different people, religions, and countries. The result was more than 1,500 emojis that include custom skin tones, with bright and saturated colours and a focus on fun in the workplace. Even Clippy was introduced as a replacement for the paper clip emoji, but that's one of a few that won't be open sourced simply because of legal requirements around Microsoft's trademarks, the report said. Creators will be able to take most of Microsoft's bright and colourful 3D emoji and remix them into stickers, use them in content, or create unique sets of emojis. New Delhi, Aug 11 : A Parliamentary standing committee, in its recent report, has recommended a system of reward and punishment for officials entrusted with resolution of public grievances. "The Committee would like to suggest that there must be a system of reward and punishment for the officials entrusted for resolution of grievances. The department should develop a mechanism to ensure accountability of the government officials dealing with the citizen's grievances," said the report recently tabled in Parliament. The Committee has also suggested that for this, the appellate authority for grievances should be empowered to impose some penalty and reward based on the assessment of officials dealing with grievances. In order to make the grievance handling mechanism more sensitive and responsible, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) has mandated a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) before a grievance is closed in the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). As per the Ministry of Public Grievances, the ATR captures with granularity the attempts made by the Grievance Officer to resolve the issues or reason for the same if not resolved. ATR would help to differentiate between the actual resolution and disposal of grievance. The ATR also provides a matrix for assessment of quality of resolution and performance of the Grievance Officers. The Committee, in its report, took note of the reply and appreciated the initiative of the Department in directing the Organisations and Ministries to prepare a detailed ATR before a grievance is closed in CPGRAMS. "Though, it is hoped that the initiative is being implemented by all the Organisations/Departments/Ministries in the intended manner, it does not remain on paper only, as just another set of guidelines issued by the Department," said the report. As per the report, DARPG is in the process of setting up a permanent feedback call centre. The call centre will seek feedback from the citizens on their satisfaction with resolution provided to them, and help citizens file/track their grievances. It will also provide requisite data on performance and will make the grievance handling mechanism more accountable and participatory for all stakeholders including citizens. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Canada's iconic coffee and baked goods brand established in 1964, Tim Hortons, opens its first outlet in India today, August 11. Known worldwide for its signature coffee, iconic beverages & delicious food, the brand has introduced a host of menu options for the Indian market, including a taste of their iconic beverages like the creamy and rich French Vanilla, the Iced Capp -- a blended frozen coffee beverage. Along with beverages prepared-to-order food and baked goods including delicious bite-sized morsels of traditional donuts called Timbits will be available. The coffee shops at Select Citywalk Mall (Saket) and DLF Cyberhub (Gurugram) will feature warm and comfortable interiors and a welcoming environment inspired by the brands Canadian origins. Tim Hortons in India, opens part of an exclusive agreement with a joint venture entity owned by Apparel Group and Gateway Partners. AG Cafe International Management LTD, the master franchisee of the brand in India, will celebrate the opening of the chain's first two locations in Delhi NCR with a launch event inaugurated by H.E. the Canadian ambassador to India, Cameron MacKay. "We are very excited to bring Tim Hortons to India." said Thiago Santelmo, President RBI EMEA, parent company of Tim Hortons. "With over 55 years of coffee heritage, Tim Hortons has captured the hearts and taste buds of Canadians, and we are confident our guests in India will love our premium quality coffee and food. Entering India shows our ongoing commitment to serving more guests around the world." H.E. Cameron MacKay, High Commissioner for Canada to India, said: "Millions of Canadians have enjoyed Tim Hortons for decades - now it's time to share with India! Tim Hortons long-awaited launch here is a sign of the close relationship between Canada and India, and between Canadians and Indians. Indians can now enjoy a taste of what is an essential part of growing up in Canada, and we are incredibly proud to support their arrival." Canada's largest restaurant chain operating in the quick service industry, feels international expansion has become an increasing priority for the brand. Over recent years the brand has introduced its well-loved offerings to guests beyond Canada and the United States. Currently Tim Hortons has more than 5,300 restaurants across 13 countries, including the Middle East, China, the UK, Mexico, Spain, Thailand and Philippines. "In March 2022, we announced our intent to open hundreds of stores in India over the next ten years. Today's news is the first step in that exciting commitment. Tim Hortons is not just a popular coffee chain, it's an experience. We are starting with Delhi NCR and will be opening outlets in the state of Punjab in the coming months. I would like to thank our employees and partners for their trust and dedication to making this happen," said Navin Gurnaney, CEO of the Tim Hortons franchise in India. Gurnaney has over 40 years of expertise in the retail, real estate, and hotel industries and has effectively increased business growth for companies in India, Europe, and the US. IANSlife spoke to Gurnaney to get more details: Read Excerpts: How important is the Indian market for Tim Hortons? Navin: With over five decades of expertise in coffee, Tim Hortons is a global brand from Canada with a presence in over 5,100 locations across 13 countries. The iconic coffee brand is well-known for its coffee, fresh food, baked goods and donuts. When we first opened our doors in 1964, our founder Tim Horton had the mission to create "a place where anyone can go at any time and feel at home". Our entry in India is very crucial and will represent the brand's 4th country in the APAC region, which already has over 350 stores. With our launch in India, we will be building on another successful international expansion after China, Saudi Arabia and the UK. The Indian coffee market is expected to reach over $4.2 billion in size by 2025, with out-of-home consumption accounting for around 20 per cent of the market. The Indian coffee retail chain market is expected to reach the $850 million mark by 2025, hence India is an important market for Tim Hortons. We are deeply committed to investing in community growth & progress in India. What are your launch and expansion plans, how many outlets across cities do you intend on rolling out by the end of this year? Navin: We are extremely excited to launch in India. We will begin operations from the Capital of the country, and move further North. After the two stores in Delhi NCR, we plan to expand further in Punjab and other parts of the country. We have already identified many locations in the northern part of India out of which 10 will open by the end of December in the NCR and Punjab region. By spring next year we are planning to expand in western parts of India. Our aim is to expand our footprint to many hundred stores over the next 10 years in India, focusing on the covering the metros, Tier 1 & Tier 2 cities alike. Are there any India specific items on the menu? Navin: Yes, our research indicates that consumers are looking for an international beverage experience but when it comes to food, they want something which has local palette. With this insight, our food menu has healthy mix of international as well Indian palatable food offerings. Our wraps have fillings of lamb seekh and paneer tikka. One of our eclectic fusion dishes is the ravioli pasta with the popular local palate of the makhni gravy. We have vegetarian & non vegetarian options alike in our food menu, to cater to most preferences. Along with these, customers can enjoy our signature cheese melts as well as a variety of customizable sandwiches. While we cater to the global aspiration of Indians, we will also differentiate ourselves by having localized variants in our food range that will appeal to the Indian palette equally well. In terms of pricing where do you see yourself and who is your target audience? Navin: We are a premium brand with a balanced pricing approach. We have a wide price point range in all categories so that everyone can enjoy Tim Hortons in their own ways and needs. While our stores are open to all, we do believe that India has a lot of passionate on-the-go Gen-Z crowd and Millennials who understand our brand and have probably experienced it during their travels to other parts of the world. Since they are thought driven and need an inspirational space to bring their dreams alive, Tim Hortons will be a perfect place for them. Your favourite product? Navin: Well, it's really hard to choose one from so many of our iconic offerings. But, my perfect combination is a five cheese melt sandwich with a hot steaming cup of creamy and rich French Vanilla. Chennai, Aug 11 : AIADMK leader and Member of Parliament CVe Shanmugham petitioned Madras High Court requesting a CBI investigation into the ransacking of party office on July 11, the day of the General council meeting of the party. Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to the Greater Chennai Police on the plea from the former law minister. Shanmugham has, in his plea, stated that the faction close to O. Panneerselvam had ransacked the party office on July 11 and that important documents were stolen from the office during the incident. Justice N. Satish Kumar of the Madras High court gave time till August 25 for Additional Public Proseuctor E. Tilakraj to obtain response from the police on the notice. Shanmugham in his plea said that AIADMK was formed in 1972 and that it was in power for 32 years out of its 50 years in existence. The petitioner said that former Chief Minister and then coordinator of AIADMK, O. Panneerselvam had moved court against the conduct of the general council meeting fearing that some of the decisions in the general council would be against him. However, a single bench dismissed his plea at 9 a.m. and shortly afterward at 9.15 a.m., the party general council meet commenced at a hall in Vangaram on the outskirts of Chennai. CVe Shanmugham in his petition said that minutes before the pronouncement of the verdict, O. Panneerselvam reached the AIADMK headquarters along with his supporters and ransacked the office. The petitioner said that the supporters of the former Chief Minister had broken open the doors to enter the office and had looted several documents, including bank passbooks and registration papers of 37 vehicles owned by the party. He said that petty cash of Rs 31,000 was also looted from the office and the mob had damaged two vehicles in the office. CVe Shanmugham in his petition said that the office was sealed by the Revenue Divisional officer in pursuant to the violence and said that he was able to gain entry into the party office only after the RDOs orders were quashed by the court. He said that he had lodged a complaint with the local police citing all the incidents but even an FIR was not lodged against the perpetrators of violence and loot. He informed the court that he had lodged the complaint on July 23 but the police had not even registered an FIR despite the fact that such a complaint could lead to action under cognizable offense. The former Tamil Nadu law minister said that the police did not even bother to visit the party office that was ransacked and said that the state police favours O. Panneerselvam, and hence he wanted a CBI investigation into the case. Lucknow, Aug 11 : The Uttar Pradesh government plans to open its first naturopathy centre in Varanasi. A proposal to this effect has been prepared by the state Ayush Department and the draft has been sent to the Centre for approval. Minister of State for Ayush Daya Shankar Mishra, 'Dayalu', told reporters that the land for the naturopathy centre has been identified in Chaubepur. Apart from this, the state government has set a target of opening 12,500 Ayush wellness centres in the state and is preparing to open 1,600 by 2025. Out of this, 500 centres have already been established, he said. The Minister said his department has started nine hospitals with 50 beds in different districts including Varanasi, Amethi, Kanpur Dehat, Kanpur Nagar, among others. These are integrated hospitals where treatment is given by methods of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, and Unani. He said the government wants people to come forward to help open Ayush hospitals and those who have one acre or less land should donate it to build the hospitals. The state government will open such hospitals in the name of the parents or grandparents of the landowners, the Minister said. It has already received about two dozen land proposals for this from different districts of the state, which are being considered for opening Ayush hospitals. With this initiative, the land will be available for hospitals and the names of the ancestors of the land givers will also become immortal, he added. The Minister also noted that during the pandemic, people have understood the importance of Ayurveda and now people are taking refuge in it for the treatment of lifestyle diseases. Mumbai, Aug 11 : Hollywood actor Vin Diesel, who lent his voice for the character of Groot in the animated series 'I Am Groot', has been praised by the film's director Kristen Lepore. Diesel joined the MCU nearly a decade ago and has recorded the voice for Groot, at all ages, in five films, including the 'Guardians of the Galaxy', 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2', 'Avengers: Infinity War', 'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Thor: Love and Thunder'. Recollecting her experience of listening to Vin during the record session, Kristen said: "I was blown away by Vin in the recording session. He just stepped up to the plate and nailed it. He would run through the whole short after seeing it only once. He's a fantastic actor and gave a subtly different performance with every 'I Am Groot' on every read. He brought so much life to Baby Groot." Executive producer Brad Winderbaum concurred with Lepore and shared that Diesel's commitment and contribution to the character have been commendable. "Vin is as invested in playing Groot as any of our actors are in playing their characters in the MCU. He's extremely passionate about it. He thinks about the intention behind every scene and how to deliver the line and create the perfect inflection for those three words to convey what the scene needs," said Winderbaum. Well if you think that voicing Baby Groot is a cakewalk, Winderbaum will tell you that it's not easy as it seems on the face value. He said: "It's easy to think to yourself, Oh, it's just three words. Anyone can do it. Well, I'll tell you, anyone can't do it. When we're animating, we'll have temp recordings plugged in there. But it's not until you get Vin's voice that the character comes to life. It's uncanny." Written and directed by Emmy Award recipient Kristen Lepore, the five shorts of 'I Am Groot' centres around Baby Groot's childhood and adventures with lots of hilarious elements. 'I Am Groot' is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar Hyderabad, Aug 11 : Thousands of people participated in the Freedom Run organised across Telangana on Thursday. Enthusiasm and patriotic fervor marked the run conducted in all districts. Ministers, MPs, state legislators and other elected representatives flagged off the run. The freedom run was conducted in different parts of Hyderabad and other districts by the police department as part of 'Swatantra Bharata Vajrotsava Dwi Saptaham' or the two-week-long celebrations being organised by the state government to mark 75 years of Independence. A 5K Freedom Run was conducted from the newly inaugurated Integrated Command and Control Centre at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. State Home minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali flagged off the run along with Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav. MLA D. Nagender, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand and other officials participated in the programme. The participants, including the guests, did some warm-up and also shook leg to the popular numbers. Holding national flags, men, women and children participated in the event. The run was conducted from Police Integrated Command & Control Centre to NTR Bhavan, and returned in the same route. Police had imposed traffic restrictions to facilitate smooth conduct of the run. In the old city of Hyderabad, a Freedom Run was organised from Falaknuma Palace to Charminar. The four-kilometer long run was flagged off by Assistant Commissioner of Police Shaik Jahangeer. Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy participated in Freedom Run in the Banswada town of Kamareddy district. Speaking on the occasion, he paid rich tributes to the freedom fighters. He said Mahatma Gandhi and many other freedom fighters participated in the movement to give freedom to India from foreign rule. "We are all breathing freedom today thanks to the sacrifices made by the great personalities," he said. Minister for agriculture Niranjan Reddy participated in the Freedom Run in Wanaparthy. District collector Shaik Yasmeen Basha and other officials also took part in the run. The minister stated on the occasion that independence does not mean celebration for one day. The minister said the efforts to free the country began by the forefathers 225 years ago and as a result of the sacrifices made by them, the country gained Independence 75 years ago on August 15, 1947. The minister said the state government was organising different programmes as part of the celebrations from August 8 to August 22. The state government is also distributing 1.20 crore national flags free of cost across the state. The distribution programme will continue till August 14. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday formally launched the two-week celebrations by hoisting the national flag at a glittering ceremony at Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC). Ahmedabad/Surat, Aug 11 : The ruling BJP in Gujarat will soon make an announcement on police pay grade, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghvi said on Thursday. However, AAP claimed that the statement follows party convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's assurance of increasing Gujarat police's pay grade if the party comes to power. Late on Wednesday evening, the state police personnel had started replacing the display pictures of their social media accounts with that of Kejriwal's. They also shared Kejriwal's photos and video clip, in which he promised to increase pay grade, if his party comes to power. This development prompted the BJP leadership and Minister Sanghvi to make a statement, party sources said. "The state government is seriously working on the police grade issue, it was to make an announcement, but some politicians are trying to play politics on the issue," he said. AAP's national joint secretary Isudan Gadhvi in reaction said, Arvind Kejriwal has helped police personnel resolve their long pending issue of pay grade. The state government got frightened after Kejriwal's promise and police personnel's warm response to his assurance. Sources from the finance department have hinted the government may not announce a rise in pay grade, but will increase allowances like employment of other departments. Last October, police personnel had launched an agitation demanding a rise in pay grade, which has been pending since long. The present pay grade structure is Rs 1800 for constables and Rs 2200 for head constables, they are demanding to increase it to Rs 2800 and 3600 respectively. Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 11 : The intolerance of the social media fans of the CPM, asking for a boycott of the new film of popular actor Kunchacko Boban - 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu', surfaced on Thursday, the day of film release. The main reason is because it targets P.A. Mohammed Riyas- the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and young State Minister for Public Works. The film opened on Thursday in the state and elsewhere. The film has reference to the bad condition of roads in the state, which has been a hugely discussed topic not just in the social circles, even the judiciary has come down heavily on the condition of road, which are full of potholes. A war of words recently broke out between Riyas and Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan. And what irked the social media fans most is a poster of the film that has become the cynosure of all eyes which says "even though there are holes enroute to the cinema halls where this film is being screened, please do come and watch," and the Left cyber fans has gone berserk over this. Satheesan reacted by saying what's to be noted is this cyber attack is being done by those who speak from the rooftops about freedom of expression and see what's the noise such people now make, as they just cannot take criticism. "Now that this controversy has surfaced, one thing is sure, more people will come and see the film," said Satheesan. Bobban, who has a huge pedigree in the industry, is the son of legendary film personality Kunchacko whose film studio 'Udaya' at Alappuzha during yesteryears gave a huge impetus to the then Malayalam film industry. Reacting to the present impasse, Bobban said the film just tells a social tale and is not against any particular party or political front. "The truth is being discussed on potholes and the film discusses a few issues which the state has been facing for long and is being said in a humorous manner and that's all," said the 45-year-old Bobban, who has been in the industry for over two decades and acted in around 90 films. When asked about it, Riyas said after all this is a film poster and things need be seen in that perspective only and nothing else needs to be read into it. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Lucknow, Aug 11 : These siblings in Uttar Pradesh are celebrating 'Raksha Bandhan' in the true sense of the term. Exactly a year ago, Sujata Deo, a senior gynaecologist at King George's Medical University (KGMU) Queen Mary hospital here, had donated her kidney to save her brother, Sandeep Kumar, a principal income tax commissioner. Last year on Raksha Bandhan, both siblings were admitted to the same hospital - Sujata being the donor and Sandeep being the recipient, at Ahmedabad's Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre (IKDRC). Sujata had tied rakhi to her brother on the hospital bed. Sandeep said: "I have four kidneys now, my sister has just one. I feel her love all the time. And, look at the timing. Her gesture came during Raksha Bandhan, and after the transplant, she tied rakhi on my wrist on the hospital bed." Two transplants mean he has four kidneys, as the two damaged and shrunken ones were not removed on medical advice, Sandeep explained. He said: "Raksha Bandhan is an unsaid promise of a brother to ensure the wellbeing of his sister. My sister reversed this saying by gifting me another life. So, this festival will be an occasion to renew the pledge of always being there for each other." Talking about the transplant, Sujata said: "Me and my husband, and now, my daughter too--all are doctors and when we take the Hippocratic Oath, we commit to help all who we can. In this case, there was this irresistible emotional and familial pull too. For my brother, time was running out and I did not want to lose him." Sandeep had his first transplant in 2013. The second one was even more important as between 2013 and 2021, the premier kidney hospital's transplant norms had been revised, further highlighting the importance of an immediate relative volunteering for a kidney donation. The provision of non-relatives volunteering for donation exists, but it is a "long drawn, taxing affair" and the siblings were well aware of it. Latest updates on Raksha Bandhan 2022 Chennai, Aug 11 : Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer against the state government over its insistence on wearing masks. Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice N. Mala passed the orders on the petition filed by Advocate S.V. Ramamurthy who claimed that wearing masks had adverse effects and that people were not able to inhale oxygen properly. The petitioner, in his Public Interest Litigation, had challenged a Tamil Nadu government order issued by the state health department on January 12 and another order issued by the Greater Chennai Corporation on July 4 for imposing a fine of Rs 500 for those who did not wear masks. The court dismissed the petition and imposed costs of Rs 10,000 on the litigant. Amaravati, Aug 11 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's mother Y S. Vijayamma escaped unhurt in an accident in Kurnool town on Thursday. The former MLA was in Kurnool to call on the family of a friend of her late husband and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. When she was returning from the town, one of the tyres of the car in which she was travelling burst. The incident took place on the Gutthi road. Vijayamma escaped unhurt to the relief of those accompanying her. She later resumed her journey in another car. Last month, she had resigned as the honorary president of YSR Congress Party. Vijayamma told the party plenary that she needed to stand with her daughter Y.S. Sharmila, who has floated a political party in neighbouring Telangana. After Rajasekhara Reddy's death in a helicopter crash in 2009, Vijayamma was elected unopposed to the Assembly of then undivided Andhra Pradesh from Pulivendula constituency in Kadapa district. In the by-elections held in 2011 following the resignation of Jagan Reddy and Vijayamma from the Congress party, they were elected from Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies, respectively, by record margins. Vijayamma had contested unsuccessfully for Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam in 2014. Chennai, Aug 11 : Several celebrities from the Tamil film industry have praised director Advait Chandan's 'Laal Singh Chaddha', a remake of the Hollywood superhit 'Forrest Gump', saying the film was nothing short of brilliant. The stars, who watched the film at a special show organised for them a couple of days ago, shared their thoughts on the film soon after watching it. National Award winning director and actor Parthiban said, "Aamir Khan is a great human in the first place. Even if we make a 100 films to spread love, we cannot produce an effect like this. Throughout the film, you are unsure if you should shed tears of joy or whether you should shed tears because of the joy you experience as a result of the excessive love you sense. "I believe at this time and juncture that such a film is necessary for life. This film is necessary not only for the film industry but for society. I haven't watched a film that can equal it in recent times. More than an actor, Aamir is just a great human who is spreading love through this film." Actress Khushbu, who is also a politician belonging to the BJP, took to social media to share her thoughts. She said, "Thank you so much for such a fab evening, Aamir Khan. Always a pleasure to meet you and share thoughts. Must say 'Laal Singh Chaddha' is such a heart-warming, soul-stirring film. And you are simply brilliant. Congratulations to the entire team." Later, in a byte, the actress said, "The film, right from its first frame till its last, brought a smile on my face without even me realising it. It gives you a sense of satisfaction." Young director R Ravikumar, who delivered the sci-fi comedy 'Indru Netru Naalai', said, "'Laal Singh Chaddha' sows such a positive thought in your heart. There are a couple of scenes in the film which actually take you on an emotional high. All of you will certainly like the film." Music director Santhosh Narayanan summed up his experience by saying he was blown away by the film. "I was totally blown away by the movie and what it spoke to me. It was so earnest and pretty amazing in every sense. It pulled me into the movie. It is a masterpiece for me and I think this is one of the movies that blew me away in the past five to 10 years." Actor Ashok Selvan too called the film brilliant. He said,"It is brilliant and of course, Aamir Khan sir has done a great job. All the actors and everything about this film is nice." Actor Vikram Prabhu, the grandson of the legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan, said, "'Forrest Gump' is a film that I like in English. 'Laal Singh Chaddha' is an Indian adaptation. The film has been made with Indian sentiments. Just like the history portions in 'Forrest Gump', they have narrated Laal Singh Chaddha using important events in our history. Hats off to Aamir sir, his director and the entire team of 'Laal Singh Chaddha'." -- Syndicated from IANS Mumbai, Aug 11 : Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan has given out some of the most unforgettable characters such as Naaz in 'Refugee', Poo in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...', Geet in 'Jab We Met' and Pia Sahastrabuddhe in '3 Idiots' in a career spanning over two decades. The actress agrees that she is in constant competition with herself as there is a pressure to deliver. Asked if she feels the pressure to up her own game with every character she plays, Kareena in a conversation with IANS said: "There is always pressure to deliver because otherwise It is not possible to last 22 years in the career. The idea is to constantly keep trying to change yourself on screen and keep it real off screen. Just doing different characters and enjoying the process of acting is what I love." The 41-year-old actress, whose latest release is 'Laal Singh Chaddha', an adaptation of the iconic film 'Forrest Gump', confessed her "love" for her profession. She added: "I just love acting. It is a part of my being but I try to make a difference to do a film which will not be similar to the rest. I am working with Aamir Khan for the third time but '3 Idiots', 'Talaash' and 'Laal Singh Chaddha' are completely different. You can't even put all the three character into one stream. They are completely different people. I think that has always been the aim to kind of making differently." Talking about the film, Kareena spoke about the fears of comparison between 'Laal Singh Chaddha' and Tom Hanks' movie. She said: "It's an official adaptation. Atul Kulkarni has written it I think that it's so beautiful. adding a lot of more layers and emotions to the film. Comparisons can't be there because it is an official adaptation. It's in a different language... We've adaptated and made it to suit the Indian audiences two different actors there and here. I have a feeling people are just going to love it." -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed Mumbai, Aug 11 : 'Love In Ukraine' filmmaker Nitin Kumar Gupta talks about his latest music video 'Rakshabandhan' which depicts the story of a brother and sister who were separated during childhood days. He has composed, directed and also acted in the music video. The song has been written by Shadab Akhtar and sung by Rani Indrani Sharma. Nitin talks about the song filmed aboard a luxury cruise ship: "It was during a recce trip for my upcoming action film 'Cruise' that the idea of this music video struck me. It is my first ever non-film music video. Lyricist Shadab Akhtar came up with some very touching lines which inspired me to compose the song in a completely traditional style and instrumentation." "Rani Indrani Sharma sang it with a beautiful understanding that made the emotions of every line stand out. French-Algerian model Abir Benchaa and the child actor Kristine were a delight to work with." On the work front, Nitin is busy with his upcoming film 'L.A.C'. Talking about the same, he says: "We have screened the film for the army panel and have our fingers crossed that they will approve of the film which shows the bravery and sacrifices of our border troops in hostile terrain and weather." Dakshina Kannada : , Aug 11 (IANS) The Karnataka Police on Thursday said the three men, who were arrested for killing BJP Yuva Morcha activist Praveen Kumar Nettare, have links with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). Additional DGP Alok Kumar said, "The accused have links with PFI and SDPI and it will be mentioned in the charge sheet." The killers, who remained elusive for 15 days, have been identified as Siyabuddin Sullia (33), Riyaz Antadaka (27) and Bashir Elimale Subramanya (29). The police have earlier arrested seven persons for aiding and giving shelter to the killers. Siyabuddin supplied cocoa, Riyaz was a chicken supplier and Basheer worked in a hotel. The police had nabbed the killers in the Talappady of Karnataka-Kerala border. The killers took shelter in the Malliluddin mosque in Kasargod district of Kerala. From there, it is being probed about where the accused were hiding. "The investigation will have to be conducted on the motive of the murder and the support system they had. The father of Shafeeq, one of the accused in the case, worked at the chicken shop run by Praveen Nettare," Alok Kumar stated. Kumar further explained that the government had handed over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). NIA has also conducted a probe along with police. After nabbing the persons, who gave shelter to the killers, tracing the weapons and vehicles used for the crime, the case would be handed over to the NIA. The police had formed six special teams to nab the killers who came on two bikes and hacked Nettare to death on July 26. The police teams raided the places where the killers had taken shelter and nabbed them. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Police have begun the process of attaching the property of the accused in the murder case. ADGP Alok Kumar had stated that the process of attaching properties of the accused persons was on. The police along with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) will attach properties of the accused persons, he said. On July 26, bike-borne miscreants attacked BJP activist Praveen Nettare in Bellare town of Dakshina Kannada district in front of his chicken shop and hacked him to death. Following the murder of Praveen, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had cancelled celebration of his one-year term in office. He visited Praveen Nettare's family and issued a cheque of Rs 25 lakh as compensation from the government. The party also gave Rs 25 lakh separately. The incident triggered a chain of protests from the BJP workers all over Karnataka. The agitators laid siege to state Home Minister Araga Jnanendra's residence causing severe embarrassment to the ruling establishment. The probe had revealed that Parveen Nettare was targeted for launching a campaign against halal meat. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Delhi Women Commission (DCW) has written to Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar seeking immediate action in the suicide case of Mandeep Kaur, who died by suicide in New York due to domestic violence. In her letter, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal demanded that the woman's mortal remains be repatriated to her family in India and a team of psychologists, social workers and police officers meet her children and ascertain their condition. A report on the same be submitted before a Judicial Magistrate, who should be requested to examine the matter and suggest steps for the welfare of the children. The same should be carried out urgently, she stated. The letter said that it appears that the accused was arrested by NYPD, but the present status of his arrest is unknown. Measures should be taken to ensure his arrest and if needed, the GOI should appoint a lawyer on behalf of the family of the victim to fight the case expeditiously. The FIRS filed against the accused and his family in India should be investigated and tried in a time-bound manner. Efforts must be made to work towards ensuring that such a case does not re-occur. "All consulates and NGOs should be asked to get in touch with NRI women and in case any of them is a victim of domestic violence, requisite help should be provided," she said. Thirty-two year-old Mandeep Kaur had died by suicide in New York on August 3. Before taking the extreme step, she had recorded a video recounting the abuses she suffered at the hands of her husband Ranjodhbeer Singh Sandhu over the past eight years. She was married to him in 2015 and moved to New York in 2018. After the marriage, she was harassed by her husband and in-laws for not giving birth to a male child and for not getting "enough" dowry. The now-deceased woman can also be heard talking about her husband's multiple extramarital affairs. She made several unsuccessful attempts to escape her abusive marriage before committing suicide. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Bollywood actor Pankaj Tripathi has recalled how he used to celebrate rakhi during childhood days in his hometown. In a conversation with IANS, he talks about his upcoming web show 'Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach' and why there is more scope for realistic subjects on OTT than big budget films. He gets nostalgic about the celebration of rakhi in his village, Belsand, Gopalganj in Bihar. "Whenever I look back there are a number of memories that come to my mind and as it is Raksha Bandhan I still remember how in our village while we kids were asleep, panditji used to come and tie a cotton rakhi of red or yellow colour on our hands. And we used to wake up with colourful rakhis. These memories are really close to my heart," he says. The 'Mirzapur' actor shares about his latest courtroom drama 'Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach' and what makes this season different from the previous two. "This time the story is based on juvenile justice unlike the last one which was women centric. It is a completely new story." While referring to his role he shares: "He is intelligent and has a great sense of humour but he is different from the lawyers we see who are very fast paced. His uses his emotional quotient before his IQ and I really like these traits in Madhav." Latest updates on Raksha Bandhan 2022 Chennai, Aug 11 : The unit of director Obeli Krishna's eagerly-awaited explosive action thriller 'Pathu Thala', featuring actor Simbu in the lead, on Thursday announced that it had completed the Bellary schedule of the film. Taking to Twitter, director Obeli Krishna said, "Power packed Bellary schedule is over." Silambarasan better known as Simbu had resumed shooting for the action thriller at the beginning of this month. Prior to that, he had been dubbing for another eagerly awaited film, director Gautham Vasudev Menon's 'Vendhu Thanindhadhu Kaadu'. 'Pathu Thala' will, apart from having Simbu in the lead, also feature actors Gautham Karthik and Priya Bhavani Shankar in pivotal roles. Scheduled to hit the screens on December 14 this year, the film will also feature actors Kalaiyarasan and Teejay of 'Asuran' fame among others. 'Pathu Thala' has triggered huge expectations as Simbu plays a don called A G R in the film. The story revolves around Simbu, who is a feared don and who has managed to establish a network that is an impregnable fortress. Cinematography for the film is by Farook J Basha and music is by A R Rahman. The film is edited by National Award winning editor Praveen K L. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Cloud virtualisation provider Nutanix has announced to lay off 270 employees, which represents 4 per cent of its global workforce. The company said the decision has been taken following a review of its business structure and after taking other cost-cutting measures to reduce expenses. "The headcount reduction is part of the company's ongoing efforts to drive towards profitable growth. The company expects to complete substantially all of the headcount reduction by the end of the fiscal quarter ending October 31, 2022," Nutanix said a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As a result of the headcount reduction, the company currently estimates that it will incur a pre-tax charge in the range of $20 million to $25 million during the fiscal quarter ending October 31, consisting of one-time severance and other termination benefit costs. Nutanix will announce its full 2022 results after US markets close on August 31. Last year, enterprise software major VMware filed a lawsuit against its former Chief Operating Officer Ramaswami after rival Nutanix appointed him as as President and CEO. VMware alleged Ramaswami breached his legal and contractual duties and obligations to the company. Nutanix had called VMware's action "nothing more than an unfounded attempt to hurt a competitor and we intend to vigorously defend this matter in court." VMware alleged that Ramaswami failed to honour his fiduciary and contractual obligations to the company. In May this year, chip and software maker Broadcom announced to acquire VMware in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $61 billion. Mumbai, Aug 11 : WhiteOak Capital Asset Management has collected nearly Rs 550 crore during the new fund offer, the WhiteOak Capital Flexicap Fund. This was even after volatile market conditions and a near 40 per cent decline in gross equity inflows as reported by AMFI. The fund aims to build an active, well-diversified portfolio, representing a cross-section of companies across major industries, economic sectors, and market cap segments. "Given this was our maiden retail mutual fund offering, all we expected was a willingness from industry participants to experience us with a wide-spread participation and a critical mass of investor base on which to deliver performance and build track record. With the participation of around 25,000 investors across 350 cities in India and beyond, we have created a strong outreach in our retail journey. Over 2,000 distributors have been prime influencers in enabling investment contributions from both Top-30 and Beyond-30 cities," said Aashish P. Somaiyaa, CEO, WhiteOak Capital Asset Management. More than 2,000 distributors were on-boarded, nearly a third of the contribution came from B30 cities in India. Around 25,000 unique investors across 350+ locations participated in this Flexicap Fund offering. Kolkata, Aug 11 : A special CBI court on Thursday remanded two former officials of West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC), who were arrested in connection with the multi-crore teacher recruitment scam, to seven-day CBI custody. On Wednesday evening, the CBI had arrested former convener of WBSSC's special screening committee, Santi Prasad Sinha, and the commission's former secretary, Ashok Saha. The two were presented before the special CBI court on Thursday, which remanded them to seven-day custody of the central probe agency. The CBI counsel informed the court that Sinha and Saha, besides being the masterminds of the recruitment scam, also destroyed crucial data from the server of the commission. According to the CBI counsel, the data will be crucial for the agency to identify the influential individuals on whose recommendations illegal recruitments were made by overlooking the merit list. Since Saha and Sinha can provide crucial information about the data they have destroyed, the CBI needed to interrogate them while in custody, the central agency's counsel argued. The CBI counsel also informed the court that both Saha and Sinha were not cooperating with the CBI sleuths during the process of interrogation. Sinha's counsel argued that his client was just an ordinary state government employee and he had been deliberately framed in the case. The counsel argued that since his client has several age-related problems, he should be granted bail. Sinha and Saha were the first persons arrested by the CBI in connection with the WBSSC scam. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the money-trail angle in the scam, had arrested former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee in connection with the case. Both Chatterjee and Mukherjee are currently in judicial custody. Bhubaneswar, Aug 11 : The Odisha police have arrested a Nigerian from New Delhi for allegedly cheating a Balasore man of Rs 30 lakh by honey-trapping him, police officials said on Thursday. The accused identified as Samson Emeke Alika has been arrested based on a case registered at cyber and economic offence police station, Balasore. Alika was staying in a rented accommodation in the national capital. A man had lodged a complaint before the cyber police on April 13, 2022 regarding honey-trapping and fraud transactions. According to the complaint, the Nigerian guy came in contact with the victim through Facebook by introducing himself as a young woman from London. Later, they exchanged texts through WhatsApp, said Meena Bindhani, the inspector-in-charge (IIC) of the police station. Then the woman told the victim that she had sent costly gift items including gold biscuits, a Rolex watch and an Iphone for him, said Meena. One day, a person who identified himself as a customs officer from New Delhi called the victim and asked him to give him custom charges to receive the gifts, she said. Accordingly, the victim kept on spending lakhs of rupees to receive the gifts. He has transferred around Rs 30 lakh but did not get the gifts. Later, he realised that he was trapped and cheated by cyber frauds, said the police inspector. The police said they have seized two mobile phones, one laptop, VISA from the arrested Nigerian man. The VISA of the accused has already been expired in 2018 while it seems that his passport is also not a real one. Further investigation into the case is on to nab other people involved in the case, she added. Bengaluru, Aug 11 : In a landmark judgment, Karnataka High Court on Thursday nullified the order of formation of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) by the then Congress government in 2016 headed by then chief minister Siddaramaiah. The division bench headed by Justice B. Veerappa and Justice K.S. Hemalekha gave the order while looking into the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) questioning the cancellation of police station status to the Lokayukta agency and questioning the formation of ACB. The division bench has also brought ACB into the jurisdiction of the Lokayukta. The bench has observed that there is need to amend the Lokayukta Act and the staff and officers have to be appointed for three years. The appointment for the post of the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta must be done on the basis of eligibility not on the basis of caste. The bench also stated that the persons alleged of corruption should not escape and Lokayukta police will have to conduct the investigation while nullifying the Congress government's order. The court has reinstated the police station status to the Lokayukta institution. It has directed that all cases of ACB should be handed over to Lokayukta. The PIL questioning the formation of ACB was filed by the advocate's association, social activist Chidananda Urs, NGO Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya and others. It is alleged that Siddaramaiah government deliberately shut down Lokayukta institution after allegations surfaced against then Lokayukta Justice Bhaskar Rao. The government later went on to form ACB, which was regarded as a toothless, puppet organisation. Reacting over the High Court verdict, Siddaramaiah said that he will respect the decision of the court. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Among the few Muslim women who had actively participated in the Indian Independence movement, Abadi Bano Begum (Bi Amma) was a prominent face. Her active participation in the struggle to liberate the country from the British Raj, even led Mahatma Gandhi to call her his mother. Bi Amma was born in 1850 in Uttar Pradesh and was married to Abdul Ali Khan, a senior official of the princely state of Rampur who later died of cholera. He had five sons and a daughter. Among all her children, Maulana Shaukat Ali and Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar became famous in Indian history as the 'Ali brothers' who started the 'Khilafat Movement' against British rule. Professor Ajay Tiwari, who retired from Delhi University, told IANS: "Bi Amma came from a conservative family. Due to her husband, she was in great debt, and it was impossible for her to raise six children after his demise. "When her brother-in-law advised her to sell-off some of their property, she refused saying that the property belonged to her children. "Seeing her passion for the country, Gandhi ji addressed her as his mother and called himself her son. Imagine how impressed he must have been, that despite being a popular leader at that time, Gandhi ji called her his mother!" Bi Amma, despite her poor financial condition, from 1917-1921, donated Rs 10 every month to protest against the British Defense Act, after Sarojini Naidu's arrest. Highlighting her contribution to the freedom struggle, Ajay Tiwari said: "Despite her poor economic condition, Bi Amma had won everyone's heart with her spirit. The Defence of India Act influenced her religious beliefs and the idea of women's independence after which, she changed herself." "When Congress leader Subramaniam Iyer was presiding over a meeting, Bi Amma wrote him a letter for the first time which later came to be known as a 'document of the freedom movement'. In the letter, she stated she is writing to him even though according to their Sharia law, talking to another man is 'kufr' (sin)." Bi Amma, despite her progressive nature, believed in the concept of 'purdah' (an Islamic custom of covering a woman's face). However, when she had come to address a gathering in Punjab and removed her burqa on stage, panic spread among the Muslim community. At the meeting, she said that she is older than most of the audience members and they all are like her sons. Therefore, she doesn't have to follow 'purdah' in front of them. And this incident made her the unanimous mother of all those who fought in the freedom movement. In 1917, she joined the movement for the release of her two sons from prison. Mahatma Gandhi encouraged her to speak up and get the support of women in the freedom movement. She travelled extensively across India to support and raise funds for the Khilafat and Indian Independence movement. Talking about honouring her, Ajay Tiwari said: "She died in 1924 and 66 years after her death, the Pakistani government recognised her contribution to the freedom struggle by issuing a postage stamp in her honour. "But in India we are not doing any remarkable work to remember her. If we try to save the memory of these extraordinary personalities like Abadi Bano Begum, then our celebration of independence will be worthwhile." San Francisco, Aug 11 : HyperSocial CEO Braden Wallake has been mocked for posting a photo of himself in tears online after laying off some of its employees. Wallake, who founded Hyper Social in 2016, posted a lengthy message to LinkedIn this week explaining his devastation at dismissing the employees, reports the DailyMail. "I know it is not professional to tell my employees that I love them. But from the bottom of my heart, I hope they know how much I do," he said. On Wednesday, he admitted that only two of his employees lost their jobs -- with his girlfriend Emily Chucta, the chief operations officer, firing the second, the report said. Meanwhile, social media users took different platforms to slam the CEO. "Maybe the crying CEO who had like 20 employees did a good thing for those still there. It is probably the most publicity his company has ever received. I had never even heard of HyperSocial before. They are not even on Twitter," a user wrote on the microblogging site Twitter. "#BradenWallake, the 'crying CEO', used #LinkedIn to consolidate his position on sacking employees. Poor guy just wanted to present his human face. Wrong decision to use Linked. He should have used TikTok or Instagram instead. LinkedIn is the new Facebook!" taking a dig at the CEO, another user wrote. Wallake told Motherboard that both of the laid-off employees were "over-the-top nice" about it and "assured" him and Chucta that they were "going to be okay". He said he decided to make the LinkedIn post several hours later. "I was just sitting here at my desk, just kind of crying, I guess, and decided to make the post because I have seen a lot on LinkedIn recently of how awful business owners and CEOs are for laying off their employees and that they are laying off employees while they are getting their third house in the Bahamas or wherever," Wallake said. Washington, Aug 11 : A "potentially hazardous" giant asteroid is likely to come within about 4.3 million km of Earth on Friday, according to NASA. The asteroid, named 2015 FF, has an estimated diameter between 13 and 28 metres, according to NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). It will zoom past the Earth at a speed of about 33,012 km/h, Live Science reported. NASA defines any space object that comes within 193 million km of Earth as a "near-Earth object" and any fast-moving object within 7.5 million km as "potentially hazardous." NASA has estimated the trajectories of all the near-Earth objects beyond the end of the century. Currently the Earth faces no known danger from an apocalyptic asteroid collision for at least the next 100 years. Several space agencies are already working on ways to possibly deflect asteroids flying straight at Earth. Last November. NASA launched a spacecraft as a part of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission, which plans to redirect a nonhazardous asteroid by ramming it off course. China is also in the early planning stages of an asteroid-redirect mission. By slamming 23 Long March 5 rockets into the asteroid Bennu, the country says it would be able to divert the space rock from a potentially catastrophic impact with Earth, the report said. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Tesla CEO Elon Musk has teased the launch of a new social media website named X.com amid the legal battle with Twitter. X.com used to be the domain name of a startup Musk founded two decades back, which he later merged with financial services company PayPal. When asked has he thought about creating his own social platform if the Twitter deal doesn't come through, Musk replied: "X.com." After selling its electric vehicle company shares worth nearly $7 billion, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO said he would repurchase Tesla stock if the Twitter deal did not close. When asked by a user on the microblogging platform if he is done selling Tesla stock, the tech billionaire replied affirmatively. "Yes. In the (hopefully unlikely) event that Twitter forces this deal to close *and* some equity partners do not come through, it is important to avoid an emergency sale of Tesla stock," Musk wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, while replying to another user who asked "If the Twitter deal does not close, will you buy Tesla stock again," Musk replied, "Yes." As per a report, Musk sold 7.92 million company shares worth around $6.88 billion. Musk's transactions occurred between August 5 and August 9, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings revealed, following Tesla's 2022 annual shareholder meeting on August 4 in Austin, Texas. Musk and Twitter are locked in an intense legal battle over cancellation of the $44 billion takeover deal, and the five-process will start in a US court from October 17. New Delhi, Aug 11: Father, Prof. Raghu Vira, studied Chinese at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, in 1928. He was impressed by the beauty and complexity of Chinese characters. He came from a background of Sanskrit philosophy and grammar. The Sanskrit grammar of Panini is very intricate. Father saw Panini in the complex visual forms of Chinese ideograms. At the same time, back home, India was seeking new dimensions to her freedom movement in terms of what would be the nature of the independent State. China, Japan and other countries of East Asia were independent. One of the attraction points for father was to understand as to how Chinese civilization had been able to sustain her independence over five thousand years, as well as maintain her cultural identity. He was fond of chinoiserie and our home was overflowing with Chinese paintings, books and other objects. I started learning Chinese characters in 1937 at the age of ten. I asked my father: where are the consonants and vowels in them? There are no letters like A, B, C, D? How do the Chinese read? Father had a book on the Chinese script by Karlgren titled Sounds and Symbols in Chinese published by the Oxford University press in 1929. It is a fascinating account of how the Chinese characters have evolved. It shows how early pictographs were sophisticated into manifold characters: sometimes on the basis of phonetics and sometimes by putting two characters together, e.g. sun and moon for bright. Chinese language is not only complex but it is a mirror of their thinking processes. The addition of elucidative classifiers was great fun for me. The syllable shan means mountain as well as shirt. To surmount the difficulty a classifier is added: tso 'site' in i tso shan 'one site mountain' means a mountain, while kien 'article of dress' in i kien shan 'one article shirt' means a shirt. The simplicity of Chinese grammar and the absence of an involved syntactic structure are characteristic. Father said it was not sufficient to study only Chinese characters to learn the language but it was important to practise Chinese calligraphy. Chinese calligraphy fascinated me. All other languages are written either with a pen or a pencil, but Chinese is calligraphed with a brush. It has its own aesthetic value. Chinese calligraphy gave me an insight into their aesthetics. When father visited China in 1955, Premier Chou Enlai gave him a brush. It was a gift from Chairman Mao Tsetung, with a poem of Chairman Mao sketched on it. Ours was the only Indian home lined with Chinese printed texts and rare woodprints. The wood-printed books were different from Indian books. Their binding style was pleasing, the print was clear and the paper was light. It had a feel different from the normal paper that we used. The texture of the paper showed that Chinese are a different people, a people who had treasured their classical identity both in the style of binding and in the manufacture of paper. They adored the perfume of their culture. Culture brings beauty to life; it is the aesthetics of life. Sacred land and Sutras Father asked me to read Chinese writings on India. The first book that I read was the travel account of Fa-hsien who came to India in 400 AD. Thereafter I read the other two Chinese pilgrims HsAan-tsang and I-tsing in English and later on in Chinese. It was interesting to feel the devotion extraordinary of Chinese pilgrims to India. Despite having a developed language and a rich culture, they sought fine arts and philosophic thought in India. They wanted a cultural enrichment of hearts, minds, and aesthesis as a euphoric evolution of their mighty state. China has been the only continuous 'nation state' in the world for the last five thousand years, both conceptually and politically. Moreover, it is a rare phenomenon that the Chinese have documented their history for these five thousand years in the Twenty-four Dynastic Annals till 1911. The contrast between India as a cultural entity with several kingdoms and China with more or less a single state conceptually is important to perceive the Chinese mindset. The Chinese historical tradition has lessons for us. About 3000 texts were translated from Sanskrit into Chinese from the 2nd to the 13th century. They are collected in the Chinese Tripitaka. Many of them have been lost in Sanskrit originals and so they are unique for Indian history. As a historian of lndia's culture, father was fascinated by what he found in Chinese, as their Sanskrit originals had been lost. For him Chinese was a rich source on Indian art and thought, literature and history. About 250 Indian teachers went to China from the 2nd to the 13th century, till Islam conquered Central Asia when Buddhist monasteries were destroyed and the pilgrim route died down. He was curious to see how Chinese had preserved all these texts for such a long period of time. India's archaeology would not be complete without HsAan-tsang. When Alexander Cunningham mapped the archaeological sites in India in the 19th century, his patron saint scholar was HsAan-tsang. Likewise Aurel Stein was also guided by HsAan-tsang in his archaeological expeditions to Central Asia. Tagore went to China in the 1920s and was welcomed enthusiastically. Father was influenced by him and knew him personally. Sporadic correspondence was exchanged between them. Poet Tagore established the Cheena Bhavan at Shantiniketan and Chinese studies were initiated in India for the first time. Father collaborated with Poet Tagore to found the India-China Friendship Association. Chinese poems and sketches of Ahimsa Monk Feng Tzukai, a friend Of Chairman Mao, wrote poems and drew pictures on Ahimsa. Father translated its first volume in English. Feng Tzukai was a Buddhist monk, calligrapher and artist. A Chinese scholar did his doctorate thesis on his art some decades ago. Ahimsa was a central concept in our freedom struggle. Gandhiji was impressed by this book and that the Chinese also believe in Ahimsa. Father wanted to strengthen Sino-Indian friendship on a cultural footing that could absorb the shocks of political misunderstandings. Gaps of communication could be tided over by such an approach and could generate an ambience that allows us to see beyond parochial politics. Multiple identities operate in different domains of life. These poems were written in the context of Buddhism. The Chinese have a Confucian identity, enriched by a Buddhist identity. Their nonviolence is kindness to animals on special days. The vast Buddhist population of China is keen for pilgrimage to the Land of Lord Buddha. China always had a special place of respect in the minds of Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru as a great country, a neighbour and a cultural comrade. Father was a rare Indian who had studied the language and culture of China. The sinological expertise of father brought him respect at the national level. Mahatma Gandhi. Pt. Nehru and other leaders were thrilled by his narration of the fine details of India's contacts with Chinese culture. Three Monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi had Japanese monks at his Ashram at Wardha. They were reciting the Chinese text of the Lotus Sutra or Saddharma-pundarika-sutra. Gandhiji wanted to know its Sanskrit original and English translation for which he invited father to Wardha. Father gave him both the Sanskrit original and its English translation. Gandhiji was happy to know that the Chinese had translated thousands of texts, and that too with devotion. Gandhiji had a long conversation with father, including the three monkeys on his table. The monkeys are sacred to Buddhism, as a monkey had made an offering to the Buddha and as a consequence he has reborn as the Great King Asoka. An offering mentioned in the Buddhist texts became so prominent in the culture of East Asia that the Three Monkeys found a place on the table of Mahatma Gandhi. Ramayana in China via Samarkand Father translated a brief version of the Ramayana from Chinese into English. It had been translated into Chinese from the Sanskrit Sat-paramita-sutra on the six perfections by monk K'ang Seng-hui of Samarkand in AD 251. Sanskrit was a language of international commerce and intellectual expression in Central Asia with which China had active Contacts. During the struggle against British imperialism. Indian scholarship thought of the global contacts of the country and father found Chinese studies a valuable tool to comprehend the international role of India in antiquity. Samarkand was an important centre for India-China exchanges. People in Samarkand knew both Sanskrit and Chinese. The Buddhist monk-scholars of Samarkand translated several texts from Sanskrit into Chinese. Central Asian monks from other kingdoms also contributed to the spread of Indic traditions to China, because of their trade relations_ The horses Of Ferghana were sent for the Chinese cavalry. Buddhist monks came on these horses. Central Asian monks were expert horsemen. They knew to train them, to treat them if injured or ill. They became crucial to the Chinese defence system. In 1983, I went to see the monastery where K'ang Seng-hui lived and wrote. The ancient monastic structure does not exist, but a new monastery has been constructed at the site to pay homage to him and to the long tradition of translating Buddhist Sutras. (Prof. Lokesh Chandra is a renowned scholar, specializing in the study of the Vedic period, Buddhism and the Indian arts. Views expressed are personal and exclusive to India Narrative) (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative Amritsar, Aug 11 : In a proud moment for the Diocese of Amritsar (DoA), the Church of North India (CNI) in particular and its Bishop in general, the Most Rev P.K. Samantaroy was among those decorated with the coveted Cross of St Augustine by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, during the 15th Lambeth Conference held at the University of Canterbury in Kent. He is one of the 13 members of the Design Group and one of the seven members of the Working Group of the 15th Lambeth Conference, comprising Anglican leaders from all over the world, who have been decorated with this honour. Giving details, Samantaroy said that the Cross of St Augustine is an award of merit (the second highest international award for service within the Anglican Church) conferred on the members of the Anglican Communion, who have made significant contributions to the global communion. Usually a decennial event, the Lambeth Conference 2022, dedicated to the theme 'God's Church for God's World', was held after 14 years. It is the only official conference of the Anglican Churches, which recognises only the Church of North India (CNI) and the Church of South India (CSI). The event witnessed the participation of more than 600 Anglican Bishops and around 450 of their spouses from around the world. Samantaroy and his wife, Rev Lily Samantaroy, were the only ones from India who addressed two separate sessions in the plenum. Chennai, Aug 11 : In a survey conducted by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF), it was shockingly found that many Dalit panchayat presidents in the state were not even allowed a chair in their offices. The survey found that in 22 out of the 386 panchayats surveyed, Dalit presidents were not provided chairs. The survey which was conducted in 24 districts of the state found that many Dalit panchayat presidents were not even allowed to hoist the national flag. In some cases, the panchayat presidents were not even allowed access to the local body office and in some cases, they were not given assess to documents. While speaking to media persons after releasing the report on Thursday, TNUEF's K. Samuel Raj who spearheaded the survey said, "The outcome of the survey is shocking and sad. Panchayat presidents are not even allowed to sit in chairs and they are not allowed to hoist the national flag when the country is all set to celebrate its 75th Independence. Such a problem prevails in 20 panchayats." He said that it was sad to see that caste discrimination is prevalent in Tamil Nadu, a state that vouches on the ideology of Periyar who fought against caste discrimination. Samuel Raj said, "We appeal to the government to create an exclusive mechanism to redress the grievances of the Dalit panchayath presidents." The TNUEF leader said that they would submit the report to the government and urge them to depute special officers to felicitate the panchayat presidents unfurl the national flag on August 15. He also demanded the government prosecute the Chinna Salem tahsildar under the provisions of the SC/ST Atrocities Act for holding an illegal peace talk and forcing the Dalit woman panchayat president of Eduthavainatham in Kallakurichi district, V. Sudha to agree to the headmaster of the local school unfurl the national flag on Independence Day instead of her. Samuel Raj said that a couple of days ago, Sudha had petitioned the Kallakurichi Superintendent of Police and requested police protection to support her in hoisting the national flag on Independence Day. He also said that the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar and ST Commission were inactive and expressed shock and disappointment over this. Ahmedabad, Aug 11 : Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's another trustworthy aide has lost his job in the party. Party sources told IANS that it is a clear indication that state BJP chief C.R. Patil and Rupani have not yet resolved their differences. Patil has appointed Suresh Godhani and Nituben Bambhaniya as Surendranagar district in-charges. In other words Patil has relieved Nitin Bhardwaj from his responsibility of Surendranagar. In the party Bhardwaj is considered the right hand man of Vijay Rupani. Bhardwaj told the local media, "I am a party worker and will continue to work for the party, in future whenever the party gives me any work, I will carry it out with commitment and determination." When IANS contacted Surendranagar BJP District Committee President Jagdish Makwana for his comments on dropping Bhardwaj, he said, "I have no idea about any such development." In the BJP and especially in Saurashtra, Nitin Bhardwaj is considered a lieutenant of Vijay Rupani. Within the party, Rupani's opponents once used to say that Bhardwaj was acting like a super CM during Rupani's tenure as chief minister. Officers in Rajkot had to report to Bhardwaj with official files. Earlier, another Rupani lieutenant Dhansukh Bhanderi was asked to resign as the chairman of the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board. Party sources said since the appointment of C R Patil as the state unit chief, Rupani and Patil have not been getting along. There are major differences between the two, which was affecting the party's performance in the state. In 2021, the party's national leadership decided to seek the resignations of the Rupani cabinet and form a fresh cabinet under Bhupendra Patel's leadership. Since then Rupani and his group have been constantly sidelined by the BJP's state leaders. Though Rupani is a member of the parliamentary board and executive committee, he has little say in party affairs, said sources. New Delhi, Aug 11 : The Supreme Court on Thursday acquitted an accused in a murder case, where the dead body of the victim was not recognisable, saying that an accused cannot be convicted on the ground of suspicion, no matter how strong it is. A bench comprising justices B.R. Gavai and P.S. Narasimha said: "It is settled law that the suspicion, however strong it may be, cannot take the place of proof beyond reasonable doubt. An accused cannot be convicted on the ground of suspicion, no matter how strong it is. An accused is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt." Ram Niwas had moved the top court challenging the March 2009 judgment by Punjab and Haryana High Court, which dismissed his appeal against the trial court judgment passed in 2005, convicting him of murder and sentencing him to life imprisonment. Advocate Rishi Malhotra, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that from the perusal of the post-mortem report, it is clear that it is not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the dead body on which the post-mortem was conducted was of deceased Dalip Singh. Malhotra argued that the doctor who carried out the post-mortem admitted that the face of the body was not recognisable, therefore in the absence of the prosecution proving that the body was of deceased Dalip Singh, the conviction was not sustainable. The top court said the doctor who conducted the post-mortem, in his evidence, admitted that it was difficult to recognise the face of the body and from the post-mortem, it is also not established that the death was homicidal. Citing a top court's judgment, the bench said this court held that there has to be a chain of evidence so complete so as not to leave any reasonable ground for a conclusion consistent with the innocence of the accused and must show that in all human probability, the act must have been committed by the accused. The bench said: "It has been held that the circumstances should be of a conclusive nature and tendency. This court has held that the circumstances should exclude every possible hypothesis except the one to be proved. It has been held that the accused 'must be' and not merely 'may be' guilty before a court can convict him." The bench said the prosecution has utterly failed to establish the chain of events which can be said to exclusively lead to the one and only conclusion, i.e., the guilt of the accused. Allowing the appeal, the top court quashed and set aside the conviction and sentence of Niwas, and acquitted him of all charges. Patna, Aug 11 : Newly appointed deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav invited ED, CBI and Income Tax to open their offices inside his residence and investigate whatever they want. "We have no objection with it," Yadav said. "We want the people of ED, CBI, Income Tax to open the offices inside my house. Still, if they would not get peace then what can I do? We have no objection with whatever they want to investigate against us," Tejashwi said. "Lalan Singh, the national president of JD-U, rightly pointed out that we have nothing to hide and we are not afraid of central agencies. They have chargesheeted me a long time ago but initiated trial in the court. They do not have proof against me. The case (IRCTC scam) happened at a time when I did not have beards and mustache," Tejashwi said. "During 18-month tenure as a deputy chief minister of Bihar, there was not a single charge of corruption on me. We have 18 ministers under the RJD quota and none of them were involved in any kind of corruption case," Tejashwi said. "BJP has only one modus operandi to create fear through CBI, ED, Income Tax and if any leader is scared of. If anyone is ready for horse-trading, fix the rate and buy it," Tejashwi said. "After the formation of a new government in Bihar, it brings a smile on the faces of common people not only in the cities but in villages, Panchayats and blocks. We are committed to form a government with the motive of 'Dawai, Sichai, Padhai, Kamai, Sunwai and Karwayi'. Once the government passes the vote of trust in the Bihar assembly, we will give jobs to every hand in Bihar," Tejashwi said. After becoming Bihar's deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav went to Delhi to take the blessings of his father Lalu Prasad. New Delhi, Aug 11 : A day after former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu demitted office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wrote a letter to him and praised him on his outstanding political journey. The Prime Minister in his letter mentioned that Naidu's energy is infectious. "It can be seen in your wit and wisdom. Your one-liners are widely admired. Articulation has always been among your greatest strengths. The writings of Vinoba Bhave Ji have always impressed me. He knew how to present things in a crisp manner, using the most suitable words. Whenever I hear you, I see shades of the same brilliance. You have the ability to mesmerise an audience and convey things in a simple manner," he said. Modi said when Naidu was a senior office-bearer in the party, top-level journalists, correspondents, thinkers and intellectuals were always eager to hear his insightful and convincing analysis of geo-political issues. The Prime Minister said that from the small lanes of Nellore to the Vice-Presidency, he has been on an outstanding and inspiring journey. "One can imagine the power of conviction and the commitment to ideology that drove you to join a political movement and a party that had little presence in your state. Not only that, the prime of your youth was spent either in the movement to protect our democracy or as an MLA or leader of a party which was largely in the Opposition. Whenever any challenge or setback came, it only strengthened your resolve to go about your work with even more courage," he said The Prime Minister also mentioned Naidu's speeches during Lal Krishna Advani's Yatra and impact of the former Vice President's speeches. Film: Raksha Bandhan (Released in theatres). Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes. Director: Aanand L. Rai. Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bhumi Pednekar and Seema Pahwa IANS Rating: **Everytime Akshay Kumar goes to Chandni Chowk on-screen, the audience repeats in their mind exactly what Paresh Rawal said in 'Phir Hera Pheri': "Mereko toh aisa dhak dhak horela hai (I can feel my heart beating in anxiety)." Thirteen years after the debacle of 'Chandni Chowk to China', Akshay is back with yet another dud, 'Raksha Bandhan', whose coordinates are in the complex and congested streets of Chandni Chowk. Akshay is reuniting with director Aanand L. Rai with this film after their last successful collaboration in 'Atrangi Re', where he was seen with Sara Ali Khan and Dhanush. 'Atrangi Re', though, was an OTT release. This time, the theatres will test the covalent bond between the actor and director as it clashes with the Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor-starrer 'Laal Singh Chaddha'. Rai moved away from his small-town settings that he is known for and has based the film in Delhi. It tells the story of a brother, who does everything in his capacity to marry off his four sisters, no matter how much the dowry amount, only to realise later that the practice has serious repercussions on the life of women. Akshay's character, who initially collects funds for the sisters' marriages, understands the problem and invests the money in their education after an untoward incident and subsequent 60s-style Bollywood melodrama strikes the family. The actor, who comes up with roughly a film in each quarter, puts little to no effort although he plays the lead. The audience has seen the same Akshay Kumar in 'Bachchhan Paandey', in 'Samrat Prithviraj', and in 'Raksha Bandhan'. There's no character when Akshay portrays one; there's just Akshay Kumar. There's a limit to what the audience can take and Akshay''s lacklustre attitude of late compels those at the receiving end to say, "Bacche ki jaan lega kya?" (Enough is enough). Bhumi Pednekar, who plays Akshay's love interest in the film, offers nothing new in terms of her performance, but to give credit where it is due, she does manage to salvage a few scenes with her work. The supporting cast, too, is mediocre with the notable exception of Seema Pahwa. The script, screenplay and direction appear to be completely out of sync with what the film was meant to be in the head of the director. What works well are the production design and art direction. The earthy colour palette lends depth to the frames and adds aesthetic value to them. Himesh Reshammiya's music is a complete letdown; instances where he goes behind the mic only add insult to the injury. The songs and the situations around them seem to be forced and added just to attract the audience. They are of no value to the film's narrative. Overall, 'Raksha Bandhan' is a downer. It will be interesting to see if the audience likes the film. Or will they give Akshay Kumar a hat-trick of flops after 'Bachchhan Paandey' and 'Samrat Prithviraj'. Bengaluru, Aug 11 : Karnataka's health minister Sudhakar has expressed concern over the lukewarm response to the Covid vaccine booster shots from the public. He pointed out that while the state has achieved 100 percent coverage of the two Covid shots, only 17 percent of the eligible population have availed booster shots so far. "Not taking the booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine even when it has been made available free for everyone amounts to negligence and we as responsible citizens must avail booster shot to enhance immunity" Sudhakar said on Thursday. He was speaking to the media, following a meeting of the Covid-19 technical advisory committee. The minister attributed the low booster coverage rate to public complacence and overconfidence that nothing would happen to them as they had survived the previous Covid-19 waves. Noting that the entire nation is seeing an increase in the Covid positivity rate, Sudhakar said that the average positivity rate of Karnataka at 7.2 percent is far lower than states like Delhi which has reported an 18 percent positivity rate. However, the positivity rate in cities like Bengaluru, Shivamogga, Bagalkot and Bellary is higher than the state average, he pointed out. Karnataka is currently conducting 30,000 Covid-19 tests each day and as per the guidelines of the Union government, only those who are symptomatic are being tested. Even in case of primary contacts, only those who are symptomatic are being tested, said Sudhakar. Responding to a reporter who questioned him about the reason for the low coverage, Sudhakar said experts across the world have said that the immunity decreases or wanes after 6-7 months of taking the vaccine and the booster dose would be required to boost immunity again. The booster dose helps reduce hospitalizations and deaths, he added. Responding to reports of some private hospitals refusing treatment to Covid patients, the minister warned, "No hospital can deny treatment to a Covid-19 patient with an excuse that they don't treat them. Every hospital must treat such patients in isolation wards. I have received many complaints that many hospitals denied treatment. This is not just inhumane but also illegal. If any such complaints are received, strict action will be taken under the KPME and Epidemic Act." Bengaluru, Aug 11 : Rani Abbakka, the great Tulu queen regarded as the first female freedom fighter of India, is not only known for her valour who repulsed the Portuguese army, but also her strength to unite people of different faiths against the armed forces of a foreign state. The queen hails from Karnataka, which is, currently, communally divided. A region witnessing revenge killings among Hindus and Muslims, this state has a great lesson to learn from the legacy of Rani Abbakka, when Muslims and Hindus unitedly fought under her leadership against the Portuguese. Rani Abbakka Chowta was the first Tuluva queen from Ullal province of the present Dakshina Kannada district. She represented the Chowta dynasty which ruled Tulu Nadu, comprising strategic regions of coastal Karnataka. The Portuguese forces, after establishing their rule in Goa, turned their focus on capturing Mangaluru, Ullal ports. The brave Rani Abbakka, who left her husband and came back to her father, repulsed the Portuguese attacks for four decades, leading the army from the front. She is regarded as one of the foremost woman warriors and bravest of the fighters. Historians say Rani Abbakka has not been given her due place in India's as well as Karnataka's history. Abbakka's uncle Tirumalaraya crowned her as the queen of Ullal. She married Lakshmappa Arasa Bangaraja II. However, the marriage did not last very long, as Rani Abbakka returned to Ullal. Ullal port was a prosperous port and hub of the spice trade to the outer world and the Portuguese, Dutch and British had clearly set their eyes on it. Knowing about the crouching foreign forces waiting for a chance to take over Ullal, the local chieftains united, forgetting their communal reservations. Rani Abbakka gave equal representation to Hindus, Jains and Muslims. During her rule in the 16th century, the coastal region was an example of unity and integrity for the entire nation, as Hindus and Muslims stood shoulder to shoulder in every aspect. When the Portuguese, unable to find traitors, came to know that Rani Abbakka's estranged husband nursed a deep grudge against her, they launched attacks on Ullal from 1555 to 1568. After Ullal was captured, Rani Abbakka took shelter in a mosque. She gathered an army and launched an attack on the Portuguese, in no time. Her army fought with valour and killed General Joao Peixoto after which the Portuguese had to retreat. She forged an alliance with the Bijapur Sultan and the Calicut (Kerala) rulers. However, she was captured by the Portuguese army and sent to jail later. Folklore has it that even in prison she revolted and died fighting. Her tale has been told through Yakshagana, the famous local art form of the region. The Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava is held every year to commemorate her bravery and awards are given in her name. In 2003, the Indian postal department issued a special cover on Rani Abbakka. The bronze statues of the late queen are installed in Ullal and Bengaluru. The Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS is named after Rani Abbakka. Karnataka, which is presently in the news for Hindu-Muslim clashes, was once united and together repulsed attacks by foreign occupying forces. The foreign enemies could not find internal enemies and destroy their local kingdoms as Hindus, Muslims and Jains were united. Patriots are still waiting for the day when people of different faiths will unite against the common enemy. New Delhi, Aug 11 : A convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case has moved the Supreme Court seeking premature release. S. Nalini, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, has moved the apex court challenging the Madras High Court order, which dismissed her plea saying that it cannot exercise powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass a similar order, which was passed by the apex court to release another accused, A.G. Perarivalan, in the case. "The directions sought by the petitioner cannot be given by the court, as it otherwise does not have power similar to what the apex court has under Article 142 of the Constitution of India. For the foregoing reasons, the writ petition is dismissed as not maintainable", said the high court in an order passed on June 17. On May 18, the Supreme Court invoked its extraordinary powers to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution, as it ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan, sentenced to life in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. A bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao (retired now), B. R. Gavai, and A. S. Bopanna said: "in the exceptional facts and circumstances of this case, in exercise of our power under Article 142 of the Constitution, we direct that the Appellant is deemed to have served the sentence in connection with crimea.. The Appellant, who is on bail, is set at liberty forthwith". Perarivalan is currently on bail. His death sentence was commuted to life sentence and terrorism charges were withdrawn. The top court took into account Perarivalan's prolonged period of incarceration, his satisfactory conduct in jail as well as during parole, chronic ailments from his medical records, his educational qualifications acquired during incarceration and the pendency of his petition under Article 161 for two and a half years after the recommendation of the state cabinet. The top court judgment came on Perarivalan's remission plea. Kolkata, Aug 11 : Following his arrest by the CBI in connection with the cattle smuggling case in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress leadership has started distancing itself from the party's strongman and Birbhum district head Anubrata Mondal. A similar approach was taken by the Trinamool leadership after former state minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged involvement in the teacher recruitment scam. The first to open his mouth with regard to Mondal's arrest was veteran Trinamool leader and state minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, who said: "If anyone commits a crime, he or she will have to face the consequences. Again, if he (Mondal) claims innocence, the onus is on him to prove that." Chattopadhyay's views were echoed by state Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, who said that the party's stand is clear on such issues and that zero tolerance is shown against anyone found involved in immoral activities. "We will follow the same policy in this case as well. At the same time, I want to ask as to whether central agencies like the ED and CBI are maintaining an unbiased approach since they are silent and inactive about erring BJP leaders, be it in West Bengal or elsewhere in the country," Bhattacharya said. When asked specifically if the party will adopt the same strategy it had adopted in the case of Partha Chatterjee by stripping the latter of all party portfolios and suspending him for an indefinite period, Bhattacharya said the decision on this count will be taken by the highest leadership in due course. Trinamool legislator Madan Mitra, meanwhile, ridiculed Mondal for ducking successive CBI summons. "The party never asked him to avoid CBI summons. He did that out of his own wish. Previously, I had been summoned several times by the central agencies in connection with the Saradha chit fund probe. I always cooperated with the agencies," Mitra said. Taking a jibe at the Trinamool for its distancing approach, CPI(M) politburo member Md Salim said, "When Partha Chatterjee and Anubrata Mondal acted as the principal fund arrangers, they were assets for the party. Now how can the party deny having ties with them after their arrest?" Gurugram, Aug 11 : A 36-year-old woman has been admitted to the hospital in a critical condition after she was attacked by a Pitbull dog here, causing serious injuries. The incident has been reported from the Civil Lines area. The woman, a domestic help, was attacked by the dog on Thursday morning when she went to a house where she works, the police said. Munni, a native of West Bengal, suffered injures mainly on neck and all over the body. She lives with her husband and three kids at a rented accommodation near a dam in the Civil Lines area here. The complainant, Beauty, sister-in-law, of the woman, alleged that the owners of the dog -- a man and a woman -- intentionally left their dog free who then attacked Munni. "The dog first grabbed Munni's neck from behind, and later, the dog bit her all across the body. I escaped unhurt as I was behind Munni. The owners were watching everything but did not offer any help. Due to the attack, Munni fell unconscious. She is now admitted at a hospital in Delhi and is in a critical condition," Beauty told IANS. During preliminary investigation, the police identified the dog owner as Nitu Chikara, a resident of the Civil Lines area of Gurugram. "Based on the complaint received in this regard, a case under sections 289, 338 of the IPC has been registered against the owner of the dog at the Civil Lines Police of Gurugram. We are yet to make any arrests in the case," Subhash Boken, spokesperson of the Gurugram police said. Jammu, Aug 11 : An army soldier who was injured while fighting the terrorists on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district succumbed to his critical injuries in the hospital. With the death of the injured soldier, the toll in Thursday's foiled 'Fidayeen' (Suicide) attack in Rajouri district has reached six. Two terrorists and 3 army soldiers were killed earlier when a suicide attack by the heavily armed terrorists was foiled in Rajouri district. A Defence statement said on Tuesday evening: "Rifleman Nishant Malik who was injured while bravely fighting and eliminating 2 terrorists in Pargal, Rajouri has succumbed to injuries. "Indian Army condoles the loss of braveheart and stands in solidarity with his family," it added. Malik was a resident of Adarsh Nagar village in Haryana's Hisar. Kochi, Aug 11 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday told the Kerala High Court that two-time state's former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac does need not to appear before it until next Wednesday (August 17). The ED said this after Isaac had approached the court seeking its intervention in the notice that ED had sent twice, asking him to appear before them with numerous documents including the personal ones, in connection with the probe into the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) scam. Isaac was supposed to appear before them on Thursday at their office here. To this, Justice V.G. Arun verbally observed that Isaac has right to privacy and it cannot be curtailed without following the proper procedures established by the law. "He has a right to privacy also that can't be breached without following the procedure established by law. Can you ask him for all these documents at the first instance as you have done here," the judge queried. The ED counsel then sought time to take instructions and the case has been posted for further consideration on August 17. Senior Counsel Siddhartha Dave, appearing for Isaac, said that the ED was acting as if Isaac has committed some crime though the probe is into KIIFB. Earlier on Thursday, Isaac told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram that he will not appear before the ED in connection with the KIIFB scam at their office in Kochi, saying that ED was a political tool to target political rivals. He said since he has not been told what wrong he had done, he will not appear before the ED in the case, and instead has sought a legal recourse. This was the second notice from the ED to Isaac. Speaking to the media here, Isaac said he has filed a petition before the Kerala High Court and hence won't appear. "ED has now become a tool for the BJP to target political rivals. The apex court has clearly said ED is to tackle cases under Public Money Laundering Act and not under FEMA. It is the RBI which deals with FEMA and the affairs of the KIIFB and all mandatory filings have been made to the RBI," said Isaac. "My offence has not been told to me by the ED. And if they are not informing me of that, then they should recall their notice to me. Hence I have approached the court. ED appears to have more rights than the CBI. They are using this to usurp the powers of the state governments and are trying to create a smokescreen to confuse people here that something very big has happened in KIIFB," added Isaac. Turning his ire at the Congress here, Isaac said KIIFB was inactive during the period of the Oommen Chandy government ( 2011-16). "Five years were lost and that has caused a serious dent in the development of Kerala, as they did nothing and now they have joined hands with the ED. The CPI-M has now decided to deal with ED legally and politically. We will get support from the people here in our fight against the ED and when that happens, nothing can be done," said Isaac. Kabul, Aug 11 : The final report on the transfer of funds by former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani while he was fleeing the country has been made public by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), media reports said. As per the report, this number did not exceed $1 million and may have been closer in value to $500,000, Tolo News reported. "Although SIGAR found that some cash was taken from the grounds of the palace and loaded onto President Ghani's evacuation helicopters, evidence indicates that this number did not exceed $1 million and may have been closer in value to $500,000. Most of this money was believed to have come from several Afghan government operating budgets normally managed at the palace," the report read, Tolo News reported. SIGAR's report said that a lot of money was left in government buildings, including those of the president and national security, and has disappeared. "SIGAR also identified suspicious circumstances in which approximately $5 million in cash was accidentally left behind at the presidential palace. Some or all of this money likely belonged to President Ghani or the government of the United Arab Emirates. Some or all of it was also supposedly divided by members of the Presidential Protective Service after the helicopters departed but before the Taliban captured the palace," the report read, Tolo News reported. SIGAR further added that former president Ashraf Ghani refused to be interviewed, and his attorney answered only six questions out of 56. "On March 14, 2022, SIGAR sent 56 written questions to President Ghani through his attorney concerning these theft allegations and other matters related to SIGAR's congressionally mandated examination of the Afghan government's collapse. On July 28, 2022, through his attorney, President Ghani provided answers to only six of those 56 questions," according to the report. SIGAR began its investigations after Ashraf Ghani was accused by the Russian Embassy of transferring millions of dollars as he fled Afghanistan. Kabul, Aug 11 : Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, a prominent Taliban figure, was killed in a suicide attack on a seminary in Kabul on Thursday when the attacker blew explosives placed in a prosthetic leg, according to Taliban authorities and sources. Taliban's deputy spokesperson, Bilal Karimi, confirmed the veracity of the incident and stated that the explosion in the Shash Darak area of Kabul's Police District 2 "martyred" Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani, Khaama Press reported. He had previously been a target of the Islamic State (IS) group, albeit it is now unclear who killed him as no group has claimed responsibility so far. Sheikh Haqqani was a steadfast opponent of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K), and a supporter of the Taliban administration, Khaama Press reported. He was among the Taliban officials who supported the education of women and girls, in a BBC interview, he stated that no rationale in Sharia law prohibits female education. Since taking control when international forces began to withdraw almost a year ago, the Taliban claim to have restored security. However, there have been frequent attacks in recent months, many of which have been claimed by Islamic State. He is one of the highest profile figures to have been killed in the country since the Taliban returned to power last year, BBC reported. Despite sharing the same name, he was not related to Afghanistan's Haqqani militant group network. Bengaluru, Aug 11 : On her first visit to Bengaluru after assuming charge in September 2021, US Mission India Charge d'Affaires, Patricia Lacina met with business leaders and entrepreneurs to underscore the strong US-India economic and commercial ties. Lacina acknowledged the immense contributions of over 650 US companies in Bengaluru that employ tens of thousands of Indian citizens in high-standard work environments in the formal sector. She applauded their immense contribution to the US-India bilateral relationship -- not only through their economic ties and investments, but also through corporate social responsibility initiatives and a commitment to the development of employee skills. "This year, as our two countries commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations and trusted partnership, we celebrate a US-India partnership defined by US President Joe Biden recently as deep connection between our people - ties of family, of friendship, and of shared values. It is because of these shared values that US and Indian firms work so well together, forging a path for innovation and prosperity." Joining her in Bengaluru were US Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin and Director of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan. The NSF Director visited Bengaluru to expand upon the strong partnership within the fields of science and technology. A Chennai native and graduate of the Indian Institute of Science, Panchanathan is in India to announce NSF funding for 35 collaborative research projects between US and Indian university laboratories. NSF, under the direction of Panchanathan, is tasked with keeping the US at the leading edge of discovery in a wide range of scientific areas. NSF has recently been the subject of major legislation which, in addition to supporting funding in all areas of basic research, establishes a new directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnership to greatly accelerate the translation of research to application. Panchanathan also gave the Dr. M.A. Govind Rau Founder Memorial Lecture at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Lacina used the occasion to mark the arrival of the new Counsellor for Commercial Affairs Carey Arun. Based in Chennai, Arun will oversee the US Commercial Service's efforts in south India, supporting opportunities for US-India trade and business. The US Commercial Service has offices in Chennai and Bengaluru. Agartala, Aug 11 : Tripura exported 9,909 tonnes of the most delicious pineapples to Dubai, Qatar, Bangladesh facilitating Rs 14 crore trade of the state's farmers during the past two years, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Pranajit Singha Roy said here on Thursday. The Agriculture Minister said that besides pineapples, Tripura also exported various other fruits and horticultural products to the UK, Germany and many other countries. Singha Roy said that to popularise the marketing of the state's pineapples, the delicious fruit was recently commercially branded with a special logo. Tripura annually produces 1.28 lakh tonnes of two major varieties -- Kew and Queen -- of pineapples in 8,800 hectares of mountainous orchards across the state and for many years, exporting the pineapples and lemons to many countries and many Indian states as well. Former President Ram Nath Kovind, at a function in Agartala in 2018, announced the "Queen" variety of pineapple as Tripura's state fruit. The Minister said that besides pineapples, Tripura also exported a large quantities of jackfruit, tamarind, stone apple, betel leaf, ginger to the UK, Germany, Dubai, Bangladesh and other countries as well as various Indian states. The minister said that the Kisan Rail and Kisan Udaan schemes, introduced by the Central government, are immensely benefiting the producers and farmers, especially of the northeastern region, by connecting them to the national as well as international markets. Hyderabad, Aug 11 : Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui's proposed show in Hyderabad has once again triggered a row with a BJP MLA from the city threatening to stop the programme and beat up the artiste. BJP MLA T. Raja Singh has warned that if the comedian goes ahead with the show, he would beat him up and burn down the venue. A video of the controversial MLA threatening the comedian has surfaced on social media, in which he alleged that Faruqui had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus by making jokes on their gods. The BJP MLA's warning came a day after Munawar took to his Instagram account to announce his show -- 'Dongri to Nowhere' -- in Hyderabad on August 20. He had earlier planned to perform in Hyderabad in January but the show had to be cancelled due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. "In the past too, our i***t minister KTR had offered police protection and invited him, saying his event will be a great success. But even then, when Hindu groups across Telangana united to threaten him, he got scared and cancelled the event," Raja Singh said. "I am seriously telling this. Everybody knows about the law and order situation in Telangana. I am telling KTR, if you don't want it to deteriorate further, don't allow the comedian in Hyderabad," the MLA from Goshamahal said. The BJP leader went on to issue an open threat, saying: "See what will happen if they invite him. Wherever the programme is, we will go and beat him up. Whoever offers him a venue, we will burn it down. If something goes wrong, KTR and the government and police officers will be responsible." The BJP leaders had issued similar threats in January when Munawar had planned to perform. However, the show had to be cancelled due to the restrictions imposed on public gatherings in view of a surge in Covid cases. Faruqui had announced his Hyderabad show on December 22, 2021, days after minister KTR had extended him an open invite. The stand-up comedian had earlier tweeted that he was receiving several calls and mails from Hyderabad to perform in the city. KTR had extended an open invitation to him to come to perform in Hyderabad, saying the city is truly cosmopolitan. KTR had taken a jibe at the BJP government in Karnataka, after shows by stand-up comedians Faruqui and Kunal Kamra were cancelled in Bengaluru over threats from some right-wing groups. New Delhi, Aug 11 : Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, on Thursday congratulated the Kangra Central Cooperative Bank (KCCB) on its phenomenal turnaround. The bank which had suffered a loss of around Rs 46 crore has earned a profit of Rs 87 crore in the financial year 2021-22. The minister expressed his happiness that this also happens to be the highest ever profit earned by the bank. Thakur reiterated the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the government is steadfast in its efforts to merge the spirit of cooperation with the spirit of 'Azadi ka Amritkaal'. "The Prime Minister has categorically stated that the government is working to ensure that cooperative societies become competitive in the market and get a level-playing field, and reduction in taxes on cooperatives is a move towards that goal," Thakur said. He stated that the remarkable achievement of the bank will further the motto of 'Sahkarita Se Samriddhi' (prosperity through co-operation). The minister acknowledged the growth of the bank in the last four years and said that the bank has seen substantial increase in enrolment of customers under various social security schemes. The KCCB was issued certificate of registration in 1920 and started operations in March of the same year. The bank currently has 26 branches with its head office at Dharamsala. During the last four years, the bank has seen tremendous growth in various indicators. Investments of the bank have increased by Rs 2,324 crore while reserve funds have grown by Rs 26 crore. Its net profit has increased to Rs 87.53 crore in the financial year ending March 31, compared to Rs 4.55 crore as on March 31, 2018. Agartala, Aug 11 : At least 11 Congress members including party's lone MLA and senior leader Sudip Roy Barman were injured in police custody as they were allegedly "attacked by the ruling BJP's workers" in Tripura on Thursday. Tripura Pradesh Congress President Birajit Sinha said that the "BJP goons" attacked the Congress leaders and workers while they were in police custody. He said "seriously injured" Roy Barman and former Youth Congress President Sushanta Chakraborty are now under medical treatment in the medical college and hospital here. Sinha said that the Congress leaders and workers had assembled at Ranir Bazar as part of their pre-scheduled nation-wide programme of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'. "But the police denied permission to hold the event. After some arguments, the Congress leaders and workers launched a road blockade to protest the police's decision and the police arrested around 250 Congress leaders and workers and took them under detention to a police complex in Arundhuti Nagar. But on the way, groups of criminals and mafia elements owing allegiance to BJP started heavy stone pelting on the running vehicles injuring the Congress leaders and workers," the state Congress chief told the media. He claimed that the police took no action to deal with the situation."This was done in a pre-planned manner and the police did nothing. The BJP miscreants now do not dare to come near to physically attack and resort to stone-pelting from afar," the Congress leader said. Around 100 Congress workers on Thursday night surrounded the residence of Chief Minister Manik Saha in protest against the BJP attack, but the police dispersed the Congressmen. Condemning the attack on the Congress leaders and workers, opposition CPI-M in a statement said that they too could not hold a pre-scheduled programme at Ramchandra Ghat in Khowai district on Thursday as the BJP workers in presence of the police prevented the Left party workers and leaders. The Left party workers led by CPI-M's state secretary and party's central committee member Jitendra Choudhury tried to hold a rally as part of their country-wide programme of "Save Constitution and Save Democracy". London, Aug 11 : Defender Millie Bright on Thursday signed a new contract with Chelsea Women for three more years, which will see her surpass over a decade with the club. Bright joined the Blues from Doncaster Rovers Belles in 2014 and is the club's longest-serving player, helping them win all of their 13 major trophies. She has become a champion of England six times, an FA Cup winner four times and also has two Continental Cup and one Community Shield under her belt. The Blues defender has also been named twice in both the PFA Team of the Year and the FIFPro Women's World 11. An experienced international with 58 senior England caps to her name, the 28-year-old also delivered a defensive masterclass at the Euro 2022 tournament this summer. Starting in all six games, Bright became a household name across the nation with the Lionesses and most notably was awarded Player of the Match in the quarter-final against Spain. "Chelsea, the fans, the club, the people. Thank you for all your support so far. You're my home and I can't wait to continue fighting for more trophies. Cheers to the future!" said Bright. Commenting on Bright's extension with the club, general manager Paul Green said: "We are absolutely delighted that Millie has signed a new contract. She remains our longest serving player and her time with us has been key to our success." "The way that she leads on and off the pitch is second to none and we are proud of how far she has come and all her achievements, including her most recent win at the Euro's which was a very proud moment for the club." Bright is currently on a break after the summer tournament and will join up with her Chelsea team-mates to head to Portland for the US tour. Jamnagar : , Aug 11 (IANS) Fire brigade teams were pressed into service after a massive fire broke out at Alento Hotel near Jamnagar in Gujarat on Thursday evening. The firemen have successfully rescued 27 guests, while three staffers are being treated at a local hospital. The fire broke out at around around 8.30 pm on Thursday, following which district collector Saurabh Pardhi and DSP Premsukh Delu rushed to the spot. A fire officer told the local media that out of the 36 rooms in the hotel, 18 were occupied by 27 guests, all of whom have been rescued safely. New Delhi, Aug 11 : A special campaign by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has led to substantial reduction in the pendency of disciplinary matters. Chief Vigilance Commissioner Suresh N. Patel on Thursday told Jitendra Singh that the pendency of 2,099 disciplinary matters for the period prior to December 2018 had been reduced to 227 by June 30, 2022 due to a special campaign initiated by the Commission in 2020. Similarly, overall outstanding disciplinary matters which on an average as on December 2019 used to be around 5,000 at a given point of time has come down drastically in the range of 1,700 now due to cooperation of the authorities at different levels. Newly appointed Chief Vigilance Commissioner Patel called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Personnel, Jitendra Singh on Thursday and briefed him about constantly declining case pendency in recent years. Singh said, by appointing CVC and two Vigilance Commissioners as mandated under law in the first week of this month itself, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sent out a message of policy of zero tolerance for corruption. He also quoted Modi's address at the CVC conference at Kevadia in Gujarat in October, 2021, wherein he said: "In the last 6-7 years, the government has succeeded in instilling the confidence that it is possible to contain corruption. Today, there is the political will to attack corruption and continuous improvement is also being carried out at the administrative level." The Commission said it started the exercise in 2020 to review pending cases of Disciplinary Matters so as to ensure that all cases reach a logical end within a reasonable period of time. The exercise was taken up in a campaign mode so that those found guilty are punished without delay so as to prevent them from further wrongdoing and those found innocent are exonerated to avoid unnecessary stress to them. The Central Vigilance Commission deals with the complaints against employees of Central government and Central government controlled organisations including PSBs, PSUs and UTs. New Delhi, Aug 12 : States including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh top the list with maximum number of houses constructed under the government's flagship urban housing scheme PMAY (U). Housing for All is one of the major flagship programmes being implemented by the government to provide all-weather pucca houses to all eligible beneficiaries in the urban areas of the country. In 2017, the original projected demand was 100 lakh houses. Against this original projected demand, 102 lakh houses have been under construction. Further, out of these nearly 62 lakh houses have been completed. As per a recent data of the Ministry of Housing, Uttar Pradesh tops the list of states with construction of over 10.5 lakh houses and Gujareat is at second position with over 6.83 lakh houses. Similarly, states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have recorded construction of 6.2 lakh and 4.8 lakh houses under the PMAY (U) scheme. The Centre on Wednesday approved the continuation of its flagship housing scheme Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) till the year 2024. According to the ministry, the proposals of 40 lakh houses were received late (during the last 2 years of scheme) from the states/UTs which require another two years to complete them. Therefore, based on the requests from the states/UTs, the Union Cabinet decided to extend the implementation period of PMAY-U till the year 2024. Moreover, states and UTs have been advised to expedite the construction of sanctioned houses. The scheme is being implemented through four verticals including Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), In-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) and Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS). While the Centre provides financial assistance, state government/UTs implement the scheme including selection of beneficiaries. Till March 31, 2022, Central assistance and subsidy of Rs 1,18,020.46 crore has already been released and Rs 85,406 crore will be released till December 21, 2024 under the scheme. New Delhi, Aug 12 : Three school girls were allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted in the national capital by a man, who had planned to sell them in Chandigarh but all the girls managed to escape, police said. The girls were kidnapped from South Delhi's Defence Colony area and were taken to Rohini on August 6 where they were allegedly raped. The police added that they have arrested four persons, including two women in connection with the case. The accused were identified as Bangali Lal Sharma (45), Sandeep alias Shanky (36), Ruksana (40) and Jyoti (19). However, the fifth accused Prakash alias Sanjay alias Minto is absconding. A senior police official said that on August 6, the father of one of the girls lodged a complaint with the Defence Colony police station that his daughter went to school in Delhi's Andrews Ganj at 7.30 a.m. by her school van. At 2 p.m., the school van driver informed the victim's father that his daughter did not go to school by the van. The police came to know that apart from this girl, two other girls were also found missing from the same school. On basis of the father of the victim's statement, a case under section 363 of the IPC was registered at Defence Colony police station and the investigation was taken up. The police formed a team of elite officials, who questioned the school staff, classmates of the missing girls and their relatives. The police team also examined the CCTV footage of the area. "Meanwhile, information about the girls was received about their movement in Karol Bagh area. After making sincere efforts, they were traced from Karol Bagh area and were medically examined. The victims told the police that they were sexually assaulted," a police official said. The victims told the police that the accused took them to a house in Rohini area and they were sexually assaulted. Immediately, a police team travelled to Rohini area and reached the house wherein the missing girls were kept after kidnapping. "One Bangali Lal Sharma was found there and on enquiry, it was learnt that he used to run a syndicate of selling the girls along with a woman named Ruksana. As per the statement given by the girls, Sharma was the person, who along with the absconding accused Prakash alias Sanjay alias Minto had taken them to Rohini. The girls were offered drinks laced with sedatives. Minto sexually assaulted the three girls," the police said. The police added that the victims managed to escape while Minto tried to take them to Chandigarh for selling them. The victims fled away from there and reached Delhi's Karol Bagh area by an autorickshaw. During the raid at the house of accused Minto, Sharma were apprehended along with the two women -- Ruksana and Jyoti. The police said that they have added sections 328/366A/370/376/506/120B/34 of the IPC and six POSCO Act in the FIR. Both the accused women were also present in the room when the alleged incident of rape took place. Both Ruksana and Jyoti have been arrested and sent to judicial custody for 14 days. The accused, Sharma and Shanky, who used to help in selling girls from one place to another were also arrested. Dhaka, Aug 12 : A fresh controversial row has erupted after a top Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader told his followers that his party was preparing for violent street protests to oust the ruling Awami League (AL) government led by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rather than fight it politically in elections. "By all means we should not face election -- we do find the latest move by the Election Commission to reach out to us satisfactory but we won't fight any election," said prominent BNP leader Mirza Abbas. However, AL Chief Sheikh Hasina has asked her party leaders and workers to fight against any such conspiracies to create unrest and trouble in the country such as BNP -Jamaat's targeted bombing on public buses and attack on law enforcers back in 2013 when the party boycotted the election and later carried out such violent attacks both to foil the war crimes' trial and bring down the Hasina-led government. These threats from prominent BNP leaders comes within a month following an earlier warning by BNP's Volunteer Wing Secretary, who threatened Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with "a repeat of 1975," referring to the massacre of her entire family in a military coup at that time. Such repeated threats by the BNP have compelled the Bangladesh Home Ministry to take a serious view because the month of August evokes grim memories of the 1975 coup that killed the whole family of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of the country and 'Father of the Nation'. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived the attack as they were protected by the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Amid the failure of killing the entire Bangabandhu's family, on August 21, 2004, a grenade attack nearly killed Hasina. However, nearly 30 AL workers, including some top leaders died. BNP leader Tarique Rahman, then in power in 2004, stands convicted by the court after a long judicial process, as the mastermind of the plot to kill Hasina in direct collaboration with radical elements. Jamaat-e-Islami, a militant outfit and a key ally of BNP, has been ramping up efforts to reach out grassroots through formation of village unit committees. Tarique and his mother Khaleda Zia have lived up to the legacy of her late husband, General Zia-ur-Rahman, Bangladesh's first military ruler, who turned the clock back on the country's "unfinished revolution" by setting in motion a process of 're-Pakistanisation', which culminated in his successor General H.M. Ershad declaring Islam as the state religion of Bangladesh, says Bangladesh watcher Sukhoranjan Dasgupta, He mentioned that Sheikh Hasina carries forward her father Bangabandhu's legacy of national liberation and the dream of 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden Bengal). This is the legacy of the fight for independence from Pakistan amid the worst genocide in South Asia, Dasgupta said. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir directed his party leaders and activists to "hit the streets to overthrow the Sheikh Hasina-led government". "Sit on the streets and oust this government." Fakhrul said that while addressing a protest rally before the National Press Club on Tuesday afternoon. In continuous threat to boycott election, the BNP Secretary General announced this. Puerto Lempira Airport, Puerto Lempira, Honduras [ PEU / MHPL ] If you are planning to travel to Puerto Lempira or any other city in Honduras, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Puerto Lempira Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Puerto Lempira Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Honduras. 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IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Honduras. Scroll down to know more about Puerto Lempira Airport or Puerto Lempira Airport, Honduras. Puerto Lempira Airport Map - Location of Puerto Lempira Airport Load Map Honduras - General Information Country Formal Name Republic of Honduras Country Code HN Capital Tegucigalpa Currency Lempira (HNL) 1 HNL = 0.041 USD 1 USD = 24.57 HNL 1 HNL = 0.04 EUR 1 EUR = 24.98 HNL More HNL convertion rates Tel Code +504 Top Level Domain .hn This page provides all the information you need to know about Puerto Lempira Airport, Honduras. This page is created with the aim of helping travelers and tourists visiting Honduras or traveling to Puerto Lempira Airport. 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PEU - Puerto Lempira Airport IATA Code and MHPL - Puerto Lempira Airport ICAO code Sayaboury Airport, Sayaboury, Laos [ ZBY / VLSB ] If you are planning to travel to Sayaboury or any other city in Laos, this airport locator will be a very useful tool. This page gives complete information about the Sayaboury Airport along with the airport location map, Time Zone, lattitude and longitude, Current time and date, hotels near the airport etc... Sayaboury Airport Map showing the location of this airport in Laos. Sayaboury Airport IATA Code, ICAO Code, exchange rate etc... is also provided. Sayaboury Airport Info: Sayaboury Airport IATA Code: ZBY Sayaboury Airport ICAO Code: VLSB Latitude : 19.25 Longitude : 101.7 City : Sayaboury Country : Laos World Area Code : 744 Airport Type : Small Sayaboury Airport Address / Contact Details : Sayaboury (ZBY), Xayaboury, Laos Timezone : Asia/Vientiane Sayaboury Airport Timezone : GMT +07:00 hours Current time and date at Sayaboury Airport is 12:46:51 PM (+07) on Thursday, Aug 18, 2022 Looking for information on Sayaboury Airport, Sayaboury, Laos? Know about Sayaboury Airport in detail. Find out the location of Sayaboury Airport on Laos map and also find out airports near to Sayaboury. This airport locator is a very useful tool for travelers to know where is Sayaboury Airport located and also provide information like hotels near Sayaboury Airport, airlines operating to Sayaboury Airport etc... IATA Code and ICAO Code of all airports in Laos. Scroll down to know more about Sayaboury Airport or Sayaboury Airport, Laos. 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General information about Laos where Sayaboury Airport is located in the city of Sayaboury. General information include capital of Laos, currency and conversion rate of Laos currency, Telephone Country code, exchange rate against US Dollar and Euro in case of major world currencies etc... ZBY - Sayaboury Airport IATA Code and VLSB - Sayaboury Airport ICAO code Trent Sorbe, Founder & President, Central Payments Since inception, we have remained steadfast in our belief that new technology and the stability of a bank charter create opportunity for banks in fintech and embedded finance when others may have perceived a threat, said Central Payments Founder & President Trent Sorbe. Central Payments, architect of the award-winning Open*CP Fintech API Marketplace and the countrys fastest growing prepaid card issuer*, announced today that it has completed a $30 million growth equity raise. Castle Creek Capital led the round with additional investment from Launchpad Capital. The transaction spins the banking-as-a-service leader out from Central Bank of Kansas City and further accelerates its rapid growth trajectory. Since inception, we have remained steadfast in our belief that new technology and the stability of a bank charter create opportunity for banks in fintech and embedded finance, while others may have perceived a threat, said Central Payments Founder & President Trent Sorbe. This raise will enable us to continue trailblazing with our Technology | Charter | Choice approach. We see the future opportunity for banks in embedded finance and fintech. Central Payments team of fintech bankers and its Open*CP API platform are lynch pins for those relationships, said Tony Scavuzzo, Managing Principal at Castle Creak Capital. Trent and his team at Central Payments saw this opportunity and executed on it before most knew what banking-as-a-service meant. The transaction also serves as the inaugural investment for Castle Creek Launchpad Fund I. Launchpad Capital, an Oakland-based venture firm, recently announced its joint venture with Castle Creek and the closing of its new $90 million fund, raised from 34 community banks. Were backing innovators and new financial technologies, said Launchpad Capitals founder Ryan Gilbert, who added: Central Payments origin inside a community bank and its positioning at the intersection of banking, payments and fintech made it an ideal first investment for our new fund. Sorbe founded Central Payments in 2014 with Central Bank of Kansas City (CBKC), one of the countrys leading Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI). Steve Giles, CEO of CBKC, recalls: Central Payments grew from a vision of expanding CBKCs reach among low and moderate income consumers through products like payroll cards, prepaid cards, and remittances. The Bank will continue as an investor, issuer, and strategic partner. Proceeds from the raise will be used to facilitate strategic growth initiatives such as additional investments in technology, product, and staffing. Giles adds: This transaction allows Central Payments to expand on the original vision, and were excited to remain a part of it. The Central Payments leadership team remains intact, and a board of directors is expected to be announced shortly. The company will also soon share exciting plans for its Falls Fintech accelerator, which focuses on fast-tracking market readiness for early-stage financial technology startups. In conjunction with the announcement, Central Payments has dropped a new episode of its Fintech Brews & News podcast. Sorbe and co-host Nikkee Rhody talk with Scavuzzo and Gilbert about what brought the teams together and the shared vision for community banking, fintech, and the embedded finance market. The company is also hosting an open webcast for all interested partners, prospects, vendors, and industry followers to discuss the transaction and Central Payments future plans. Details are available on the Central Payments LinkedIn page and at Central-Payments.com. About Central Payments Central Payments provides payments technology and issuing solutions for fintech and embedded finance businesses. The companys Open*CP API Marketplace is one of the only true banking-as-a-service payments platforms built fintech bankers with issuing capability embedded. Open*CPs vertical integration and its native-to-the-cloud technology are the drivers responsible for Central Payments rise to the fastest growing prepaid card issuer since 2015*. The company also operates Falls Fintech, its startup fintech accelerator and produces Fintech Brews & News, a podcast devoted to helping bridge the gap between banking, startups, and the entire fintech industry. Visit Central-Payments.com and FallsFintech.com for more information. *Source: The Nilson Report, 2015 to present. About Castle Creek Capital Castle Creek is a premier partner and capital provider to community banks and financial service companies. Located in San Diego, California and Dallas, Texas, the firm has been a leading investor in community banking since its inception in 1990, having raised and managed eight private equity funds and multiple special situations funds. About Launchpad Capital Launchpad Capital (http://www.launchpad.vc) is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in the future of finance. Based in Oakland, CA, the firm has invested in over 50 financial services innovators from seed through Series B. About Central Bank of Kansas City Since 1951, Central Bank of Kansas City (CBKC) has delivered affordable financial services, products and education for Kansas City and surrounding communities. CBKC is a $350 million asset community bank located in the historic Northeast KC area. Since 1998, CBKC has been certified by the U.S. Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). As a CDFI, CBKC directs capital to underserved communities through financing high-impact, mission-focused projects. Learn more at centralbankkc.com. Member FDIC. Silverchairs partnership with TSCP reflects both our success to date, and more importantly, our aspiration to meet the broader interests of our community as an independent, non-conflicted, innovative, and community-focused technology and service partner. Silverchair CEO Thane Kerner Silverchair, the leading independent content management, product enablement, and digital transformation platform for association, society, and independent publishers, has announced a significant growth investment in the company by Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP). Over the past year, Silverchair has announced ambitious new expansion programs to enable its publishers to compete, grow, and thrive in an increasingly complex commercial environment. The company aspires to promote a broad and diverse ecosystem of knowledge creators and communicators by equipping them with unconflicted, neutral technology infrastructure, tools, and services. Silverchairs partnership with TSCP will enable the company to accelerate the pace and scale at which it develops comprehensive digital transformation products, including new products for professional education and meetings content. The investment will also support the continued expansion of the core Silverchair Platform and recruiting scholarly publishers to join the Silverchair community, which has grown in recent years to represent more than 400 publishers. Silverchair will extend its capabilities to integrate and unify research, reference, education, professional training and development, decision-support, and events outputs into a universal audience experience, allowing knowledge producers to deliver far greater value to their customers and stakeholders. Silverchair selected TSCP because of their experience, philosophy, and alignment with Silverchairs vision and values. TSCP has worked closely with highly specialized and deeply connected communities akin to scholarly and professional publishing through investments in technology companies such as Palisade, Gurobi, and T-Base Communications. They also have a deep respect for research and scholarship. Silverchairs partnership with TSCP reflects both our success to date, and more importantly, our aspiration to meet the broader interests of our community as an independent, non-conflicted, innovative, and community-focused technology and service partner to leading associations, societies, and publishers, said Silverchair CEO Thane Kerner. As our community has grown, so has our investment in our people and technology, all of which has resulted in new opportunities to support our publishers missions and goals. Fulfilling the opportunities before us can best be realized with a capital partner who shares our enthusiasm for the knowledge enterprise. We are very excited to enter this partnership with TSCP. Craig Albrecht, Managing Director, TSCP said, Thompson Street seeks to partner with founders and management teams who are passionately devoted to solving difficult problems, building outstanding products, and delighting customers. Thane Kerner and the Silverchair team have built an enterprise that exemplifies an ideal TSCP investment. Joe St. Geme, Director, TSCP, added, For more than 25 years, Silverchair has invested in building the most powerful and flexible technology platform for associations, societies, and publishers. We are thrilled to partner with Silverchair to accelerate their already outstanding growth and further enable the essential missions of its customers. Thane Kerner will continue to serve as Silverchairs Chief Executive Officer. Will Schweitzer, previously Chief Product and Customer Success Officer, has been appointed President of Silverchair. Tim Barton, Silverchairs previous President, will serve Silverchair as an advisor and will continue his role as CEO at Hum, Silverchairs sister company. BrightTower, a New York City headquartered investment banking and M&A advisory services firm, served as exclusive financial advisor to Silverchair in this transaction. About Thompson Street Capital Partners: Thompson Street Capital Partners is a St. Louis-based private equity firm focused on investing in founder-led middle market businesses in the software and technology services, healthcare and life science services, and business services and engineered products sectors. Founded in 2000, the firm has acquired more than 100 companies and has managed more than $2.6 billion in equity. TSCP partners with management teams to increase value by accelerating growth, both organically and via acquisitions. http://www.tscp.com About Silverchair: Silverchair is the leading independent platform partner for scholarly and professional publishers, serving our growing community through flexible technology and unparalleled services. We build and host websites, online products, and digital libraries for our clients content, enabling researchers and professionals to maximize their contributions to our world. Our vision is to help publishers thrive, evolve, and fulfill their missions. http://www.silverchair.com Kinetic Global is already highly scalable with robust capabilities, a 12 year history of high customer retention to build off of puts me at the forefront of a great legacy. I'm here to accelerate processes our team has identified as critical for the future of Critical Event Management. Peterson, is one of the most well-respected and experienced software technologists in the Chicago land area, helping businesses to discover their full potential through easier, cost-effective and user-friendly platforms. In his previous roles, Peterson has been a standout and recognized by his superiors and peers for delivering architectures that are scalable, testable, maintainable, measurable, and most importantly stable and resistant to external factors. Appointing such revered and knowledgeable technology leader, underscores Kinetic Globals investment in leadership and continued commitment to innovation. Peter Cahill, CEO of Kinetic Global, said, Peterson is a force multiplier in both technology leadership and business processes. We have unprecedented growth, clients are aggressively adopting our platform in favor of competition Everbridge, OnSolve and Dataminr. We are operating in a favorable client environment but we don't rest on laurels, we must keep innovating and outperforming for our clients. Our clients have come to expect that from us; they have adopted our Critical Event Management Platform for various reasons but the common theme is that we anticipate, communicate and respond to their evolving security environment. To continue this trajectory, we chose a proven leader with both operational and deep history of product scalability." Mr. Peterson boasts a 28 year track record of successful innovation and leadership in the software industry with a particular passion for machine learning, microservices and service oriented architectures. An innovative leader that blends together the technical vision to meet the demands of the business requirements. Prior to joining Kinetic Global, Mr. Peterson was primary architect and co-founder of the myQ platform at Chamberlain, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Duchossois Group. Mr. Peterson led the team from inception. He helped build the technology and engineering team and led the company through launching the successful IoT platform, which included a partnership with Amazon for Key delivery to the garage. After growing for 9 straight years, the platform has 7 million users, 12 million devices, sending 10+ million notifications a day. Peterson notes, "Kinetic Global is already highly scalable with robust capabilities, a 12 year history of high customer retention to build off of puts me at the forefront of a great legacy. I'm here to accelerate processes and build out advanced features that our team has identified as critical for the future of Critical Event Management." About Kinetic Global: Kinetic Global is a global Risk Intelligence and Critical Events Management company operating in more than 175 countries. Utilizing patented technology and ground assets, Kinetic Global provides global threat intelligence, personal safety, travel security, and enhanced mass notification with comprehensive global imagery and proprietary AI algorithms. The Kinetic Global platform ensures operational safety and security oversight to businesses operating worldwide, in partnership with Constellis, the worlds leading risk management organization. A wide range of companies & organizations have implemented Kinetic Global services and products, including several Agencies, NGOs and Fortune 500 companies. Follow Us Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/clandestine-development INC 5000 Winner #179 Today, Inc. revealed that The Surefire Group is No. 179 on its annual Inc. 5000 list and #4 in Philadelphia Overall, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the economys most dynamic segmentits independent businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000. Joseph McCabe is an Entrepreneur from Philadelphia. He is the CEO and Founder of The Surefire Group, which has interests in multiple real estate brokerages, Mortgage companies, insurance companies, and over 80 real assets. The Surefire Group Made the INC 5000 List for 2022 and is considered one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States. Joseph is also a managing partner in multiple home care agencies, and assisted living facilities, spanning the nation. Joseph has many LP investments in Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Healthcare sectors. Hes a proud veteran of the US Army Military Police Corps a Philadelphia native, graduating from Father Judge High School and attending Pennsylvania State University, and graduating from Cabrini College. He is a founding member of the National Museum of the Army at Fort Belvoir, VA, a Founding Partner of R360, and the Co-Chair of R360s Rising Leaders Committee. Joe is the author of Maintain Your Gear an entrepreneurial, self-help, guide. Joseph is an IFR-rated private pilot and leases an airplane to a flight school in Philadelphia. Joe enjoys traveling with his wife, collecting historic American art, flying, and powerlifting. 'Maintain Your Gear' is available in all book stores starting January of 2023. It's a self-help bible and leadership guide focused on ownership and persistence. Do you want to learn the mentality used to grow your business with an unlimited mindset and fearless potential? This book will teach and guide you with invaluable lessons and strategies to not only achieve but exceed your goals! You will get an inside view of what has made me successful, raw and unfiltered. Success is not about winning a race, its about maintaining the stamina to continue persevering and being loyal to your partners, clients, and employees over the course of time. I openly share tips, actionable tools, and lessons on the processes and strategies Ive implemented over the years to not only grow my business but also build a team I view as family. I truly hope you not only enjoy, but also find life-changing financial and interpersonal benefits from the information contained in this book. The companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 have not only been successful, but have also demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Among the top 500, the average median three-year revenue growth rate soared to 2,144 percent. Together, those companies added more than 68,394 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine, which will be available on August 23. The accomplishment of building one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., in light of recent economic roadblocks, cannot be overstated, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Inc. is thrilled to honor the companies that have established themselves through innovation, hard work, and rising to the challenges of today. HOW CAN WE HELP EACH OTHER? "The Surefire Group (SFG) is always looking for Joint Venture Opportunities to help real estate brokers make money in title insurance or mortgage brokering. Keystone State Abstract, a division of SFG prides itself on setting up successful RESPA-compliant title joint ventures; partnering with large real estate teams, lenders, and brokerages throughout the country, with our roots starting primarily in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. We are most successful working with real estate brokerages and Teams doing at least 75 Million in Buyer Side Volume. Our Philadelphia and New Jersey-based real estate brokerages are always looking for great agents who want the most competitive splits. Our Home Health Care Division is raising a 30 million dollar fund as well as always looking for non-medical home care companies to acquire nationwide. We are always looking for opportunities and always happy to talk more and collaborate on your projects." Joseph McCabe, CEO The Surefire Group More about INC 5000 Methodology Companies on the 2022 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2018 to 2021. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2018. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2021. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2018 is $100,000; the minimum for 2021 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to four decimal places. The top 500 companies on the Inc. 5000 are featured in Inc. magazines September issue. The entire Inc. 5000 can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. For more information on the Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala, visit http://conference.inc.com/. AI Facial Recognition and Emotion Detection As a natural progression of facial recognition technology, emotion recognition is a field of computer vision that is gaining more and more attention in mass media. It involves facial emotion detection and the automatic assessment of sentiment from body language, voice patterns, gestures, facial expressions, and other non-verbal signals. The new article by Intetics uncovers what emotion recognition is, how it works, and where one can use it. In everyday communication, people use thousands of non-verbal signals: facial reactions, intonations, gestures, and posture to convey emotions and feelings. Only 7% of information about a person is expressed verbally and 93% non-verbally. That said, almost 65% of the meaning of a particular message is delivered non-verbally. This data was obtained through research by Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, and American anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell. Intetics adopted emotion recognition technology and explained how enterprises could apply it for business. Emotion recognition software powered by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning interprets human emotions from non-verbal visual data. By leveraging those unspoken reactions, businesses can better understand their customers. As a result, they can improve the customer experience and increase their profits. Emotional AI Use Cases Emotion AI products and solutions are incorporated into many industries to help deliver an emotionally rich experience. It can aid in the diagnosis of mental and neurological disorders in healthcare. Help educators engage students more in the lessons they are teaching. Assist talent acquisition specialists in locating the best prospects for hiring. Lets explore the most common industries utilizing emotion detection solutions. Healthcare Medical centers use AI facial recognition to determine patients emotions in the waiting rooms. That helps doctors prioritize those patients who are feeling worse and get them to appointments sooner. Another project is designed to help children with autism spectrum disorder understand the feelings of others. The system is installed on Google Glass. When another person is near the child, the glasses use graphics and sound to suggest that persons emotions. Tests have shown that children socialize faster with such a digital advisor. Finance & Banking The typical use case in the finance sector is banking apps with the integrated functionality of Emotion AI. It uses the already embedded sensors to detect facial expressions. One can utilize eye tracking, as front-facing cameras on recent smartphones may now be used to precisely track a users gaze position. If the customers attention is lost and they begin to roll their eyes away, then that is something to notice and make changes. Recruitment Another area in which emotion detection technology is in demand is recruiting. Large companies are implementing artificial intelligence to monitor employees behavior and psychological state. Cameras with video analytics modules installed in the office can detect signs of stress among employees and give alerts to HR departments. Current State Despite the many benefits of technology, there are some concerns too. The emotion recognition disputes growth has been influenced by privacy and transparency issues, racial bias danger, and ethical considerations. In May, Microsoft announced it would stop allowing broad access to cloud-based AI technology that infers peoples emotions. But it turns out that the corporation will keep its emotion identification capacity in an app used by persons with eyesight loss, despite their acknowledgment that technology has risks. Microsoft and Google will continue to include AI-based capabilities in their products despite rising worries over creating and applying controversial emotion recognition in software applications. Since we are aware of these issues, why is there such a massive demand for emotion detection technology? Its worth stating that only how technology is utilized determines whether it is intrinsically good or bad. And many other sectors, as mentioned above, are already gaining from the use of emotion recognition software. So, despite doubts around the overall technology concept, this does not imply that the technology isnt worth the effort. In fact, the opposite is true: as the demand for emotion recognition expands, facial recognition models and algorithms will evolve and keep getting advanced, secure, and more applicable to real-life situations. How to Build an AI Emotion Recognition Solution? Here comes the Intetics AI and ML Center of Excellence, created to help find a solution to bold technological ideas. It accumulated expertise in various technologies, unique customer project experiences, efficient methodologies, and best practices. Given that, its very easy to train a custom program to investigate, assess, foresee, identify, and communicate. Here is the tech stack used in AI/ML projects: TensorFlow StanfordCoreNLP CatBoost Scikit-Learn NLTK Keras GPT-2 Check Emotions and Get Advice with Intetics Fun Demo Just follow the link emotions detection AI demo. More tips on how to apply emotion recognition solutions for a particular industry to add extra value to customer experience are available in the full article by the link. On August 5, 2022, a federal judge ordered Shaun O. Harrison, a former English High School Dean, to pay Keches Law Group client Luis Angel Rodriguez $10 million in compensatory damages for shooting the then 17-year-old student in the back of the head at point-blank range on March 3, 2015, in Roxbury Massachusetts. US District Judge Leo. T Sorokin awarded Rodriguez $7.5 million for his physical pain and suffering and emotional distress and $2.5 million in punitive damages. The case was prosecuted by John Martin, Thomas Wood, and Michaela Weaver of Keches Law Group in the United States District Court District of Massachusetts Civil No. 19-10116-LTS. At Keches, it is our hope that in taking cases like this, the judgment will send shockwaves through public city schools around the country, says Keches Attorney John T. Martin. These schools need to protect our children from predators and must be held accountable when they fail to do so. Charges against Boston Public Schools and Harrison in his official capacity there, excepting one count, were dismissed. According to court documents, Harrison was responsible for counseling and supporting students in his position as dean. Harrison took advantage of his position and relationship with Rodriguez and offered him an illegal opportunity to make money by selling marijuana for him. Judge Sorokin wrote in his judgement that Harrison abused a position of trust, responsibility, and authority. Rodriguezs relationship with Harrison turned into a transactional one when Harrison offered to front one ounce of marijuana to Rodriguez for the price of $200. Over time, the two became frustrated with one another - Harrison accused Rodriguez of stealing from him and Rodriguez complained that the deal was unfairly lopsided. Upon learning that Harrison kept a firearm in his home and was a member of the East Coast Latin Kings gang, Rodriguez made it known that he did not want to associate with gangs or guns. All disagreements came to a head on March 3, 2015, when Harrison invited Rodriguez to hang out at his home and the two met first at a Sunoco Gas Station on Massachusetts Avenue in Boston that evening. Harrison then went to go make a phone call and while he did so, Rodriguez turned the other way. Harrison then shot Rodriguez in the back of his head at a point-blank range. Judge Sorokin wrote in his ruling that Rodriguez survived through a combination of gritty determination and good fortunethe bullet missed his brain stem and carotid artery by two centimeters. Rodriguez survived the 2015 attack by courageously plugging the hole in his head with his fingers to stop the bleeding and flagging down a passing motorist. Rodriguez has endured significant injuries and an immense amount of emotional and physical pain and suffering that still affects him today. He has post-traumatic stress disorder, had two surgeries, and suffered a shattered jaw, causing his mouth to be wired shut for nine months. He remains paralyzed on half of his face, suffers from neuropathy in his neck and face, has had hearing loss, and requires weights on his eye lids to aid in opening and shutting his eyes. The bullet remains lodged in his head, causing headaches as well as pain in cold weather. Although we are pleased with the result, the battle is far from over, says Martin. It is very disheartening that Boston Public Schools has refused to accept any responsibility for subjecting students and staff to this obviously dangerous predator. We will appeal the dismissal of the claims against BPS to the fullest extent of the law. ABOUT KECHES LAW GROUP Keches Law Group is one of the largest and most well-respected personal injury and workers comp law firms in Massachusetts. Since opening its doors in 1986, the group has recovered more than $1 billion in recoveries for their clients. The firms 40+ attorneys across its nine offices in New England possess decades of combined legal experience and have proven track record of achieving excellent results for their clients while earning the reputation for being tough litigators. For more than 30 years, Keches Law Group has supported organized labor and fights for the rights of people injured on the job throughout the Greater Boston area, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. In 2020 and 2021, Keches Law Group won the two largest jury verdicts in Massachusetts. Other practice areas include social security disability, employment law, class action, medical malpractice, and more. Keches Law Group also prioritizes community involvement and charitable causes through their non-profit organization Keches Cares and is committed to making a positive impact through leadership and volunteer roles in various local organization. For more information, visit http://www.kecheslaw.com or follow along on social at @kecheslaw. # # # We at MESH are excited about being part of IMTS 2022! And we are particularly pleased to be a part of the ABB Robotics booth where our MiniMAC grinding cell will show you how accurate, how fast, and how consistent robots can be when deburring an aluminum part! MESH Automation, Inc. will be displaying a version of its MiniMAC Grind Deburring cell at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in the ABB Robotics booth. The cell features an ABB IRB 2600 robot and a multiple-purpose end-of-arm tool mounted to the robot. The deburring and pre-machining system automatically removes excess material from die-cast aluminum parts. The parts arrive from the casting deck, are inspected, and loaded into one of the two fixtured shuttles in the MiniMAC, the robot and tool remove the unwanted materials from each part and the finished part is returned to the operator complete. Other features of the MiniMAC Grind System include choices in robot model, part presentation techniques, and tooling used to remove excess materials. Each MiniMAC cell and the larger MAC and MegaMAC cells offer an array of pre-engineered productivity-improving benefits to the high and medium volume producers of cast and machined parts. High levels of overall equipment efficiency and machine availability offered by the MAC productivity platforms provide consistent quality and cycle times in a competitive and compact package. IMTS The International Manufacturing Technology Show, the largest and longest-running industry trade show in the Western Hemisphere, is held every other year at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. IMTS 2022, which will run September 12-17, 2022. The ABB Robotics booth and the MESH MiniMAC will be located in North Building Level 3, booth number 236520. The booth will also include demonstrations of the latest robot and cobot technologies in a variety of industrial and non-industrial applications. The MESH family of MAC cells are designed and proven to lower labor costs, lower ergonomic claims and offer consistent throughput to ease production planning needs. MESH Automation is an ABB Robotics Value Provider, located in Dawsonville, Georgia that provides a standard line of pre-engineered robotic function modules and custom automation equipment for a variety of industries and applications. This is a particularly challenging time for energy and chemicals, with possible recessionary softening of demand coming on the heels of continued supply chain disruptions and rising raw materials costs Global supply chain and operations implementation consulting firm, SGS Maine Pointe, a member of the SGS Group, today announced Stephen Ottley has been appointed Senior Managing Director, Head of Chemicals and Energy. Ottleys decades of global consulting experience have long been essential in leading SGS Maine Pointes clients towards measurable improvements in the end-to-end supply chain, while improving EBITDA, releasing cash, and improving competitiveness. Having worked with over 300 clients, Ottleys expertise in procurement, logistics, and operations with a concentration in the energy and chemicals industry has specifically led to measurable improvements in business processes, more favorable supplier negotiations, and noteworthy increases in productivity and collaboration. With strategies such as supplier optionality and a streamlined pool of suppliers, Ottley and his team can implement improvements in procurement, reduce direct materials costs, and minimize costs for indirect materials and logistics. Ottley joined SGS Maine Pointe in 2008 as EVP, Analysis and Delivery. He also sits on the consultancys Executive Leadership team. His career has spanned nearly all industrial and services segments and has touched the entire plan-make-move-fulfill supply chain. I am very pleased to continue my leadership role at SGS Maine Pointe, and to continue delivering measurable value to our clients in the energy and chemicals industries, said Ottley. This is a particularly challenging time for energy and chemicals, with possible recessionary softening of demand coming on the heels of continued supply chain disruptions and rising raw materials costs. But even in these challenging times, a renewed look at procurement strategy can improve supply chain cost control, create supplier optionality, and drive positive EBITDA. Ottleys guidance and SGS Maine Pointes strategy creates a more unified procurement practice, which ensures that savings gained from a strategic supplier relationship are maintained, and that supplier optionality combines the relative benefits of onshoring, nearshoring and offshoring so as to avoid becoming overly dependent on a single source or geographic region. Transportation too, has taken the spotlight during the pandemic, and with that in mind, SGS Maine Pointe delivers effective, bottom-line strategies that examines network analytics and looks at sourcing in relation to not only cost, but also in relation to minimizing transportation issues. Steve has long been a valued SGS Maine Pointe team member, said Jeff Staub, SGS Maine Pointes CEO. His deep level of expertise, insight, and thought leadership has been essential in building our firm and helping our clients overcome todays most pressing challenges and to achieve record returns and growth in even the most challenging times. Bringing his attention and focus to this sector will position SGS Maine Pointe for a new chapter of growth and innovation in our client services Prior to joining SGS Maine Pointe, in his 30-plus year career Ottley has held several leadership roles in boutique consulting firms, helping them achieve record growth by delivering hundreds of millions of dollars in savings. He earned his HND in Mechanical Engineering and BA in Production Engineering at Oxford. About SGS Maine Pointe SGS Maine Pointe, a member of the SGS Group, is a global supply chain and operations consulting firm trusted by many chief executives and private equity firms to drive compelling economic returns for their companies. We achieve this by delivering accelerated, sustainable improvements in EBITDA, cash, growth, and resilience across planning, supply chain, manufacturing, and logistics. Our hands-on implementation experts work with executives and their teams to rapidly break through functional silos and transform the buy-make-move-fulfill supply chain to deliver the greatest value to customers and investors at the lowest cost and risk to business. We call this Total Value Optimization (TVO). SGS Maine Pointes engagements are results-driven and typically deliver between 4:1-8:1 ROI. We are so confident in our work and our processes that we provide a unique 100% guarantee of engagement fees based on annualized savings. About SGS We are SGS the worlds leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world. SGS has been delivering ESG and sustainability solutions and services to clients for the past 25 years and has been a carbon neutral company for the past seven years. Jeeng Renderer automatically renders native ads straight from your GAM account. The ads blend in with editorial and you get direct performance reports within GAM to share with advertisers. That makes it faster, easier and more effective, said Jeeng CEO Jeff Kupietzky. Jeeng, the only multi-channel messaging and monetization platform built exclusively for publishers, today announced the launch of its new Jeeng Renderer, the first automated native ad renderer that leverages Google Ad Manager (GAM) to insert flawless, on-brand native ads in emails. Jeeng Renderer lets ad ops teams run native email campaigns through their existing GAM account with a seamless workflow that saves time, improves accuracy and delivers better results. Native ads have been shown to attract more attention, drive higher engagement and create 50% higher purchase intent compared to traditional online ads, creating a powerful new revenue stream for email publishers. But inserting native ads in emails is a time-consuming process that requires hard coding of each element, and ads often dont match the style of the newsletterwhich means they stick out like a sore thumb and defeat the purpose. By trafficking native email ads through GAM, Jeeng Renderer eliminates hard coding of ad elements, coding errors and the need to QA test emails. This cuts ad trafficking and publishing time in half while delivering a truly native ad experience for advertisers and readers. The key to native ad performance is their ability to blend in with editorial content. When the font is off, the spacing is irregular and the styling is all wrong, it screams ADVERTISEMENT! and distracts the reader, said Jeeng CEO Jeff Kupietzky. Jeeng Renderer removes that friction by automatically rendering native ads straight from your GAM account. The ads blend in with editorial and you get direct performance reports within GAM to share with advertisers. That makes it faster, easier and more effective. With Jeeng Renderer, publishers can choose from three native ad templates that match the fonts, colors, spacing and calls-to-action of their email newsletter template or choose a 100% custom solution that includes Jeengs White Glove support. Through its unique GAM integration, Jeeng then auto-fills ad content directly from GAM into predefined fields in the ad template to create seamless, on-brand native ad content with almost no effort. Publishers can track ad performance within GAM to effectively measure results and share performance data with advertising partners. Native advertising is a valuable part of our revenue mix, and were meticulous about maintaining our brand identity, said Charlie Taffet, senior product manager at Observer Media, a diversified media, information and services company that publishes Observer and Commercial Observer, as well as the RealGraph information platform. With Jeeng Renderer, running on-brand native ads in all our newsletter campaigns is extremely easy, and cuts our ad configuration time in half compared to what we were doing before. Not only does Jeeng make the ads more effective from a performance standpoint, but it frees up our staff time to do more creative work. And its so much faster and simpler because theres no hand-coding required. To learn more about Jeeng Renderer, visit http://www.jeeng.com. About Jeeng Jeeng, formerly PowerInbox, provides personalized, automated and multichannel messaging solutions allowing publishers to drive new revenue with personalized audience engagement. With Jeeng, publishers can better own and optimize their audiences focusing on automated, cross-channel messaging tailored to audience interest, easily managed and supported by a dynamic messaging platform. Venture-backed, Jeeng supports 150 million unique users a month from over 650 leading publishers including VICE Media, The Atlantic, Crain's, HarperCollins and Vox Media. For more information about Jeeng, visit http://www.jeeng.com. Jiannan Huang Recently, eight works by Huang have reached a new high valuation with a market price of $20 million. Consequently, Huang has become one of the most important and influential Asian artists in the North American art world." Senior officials of the LABA International Art Festival attended the press conference, including Princess Karen Cantrell, Chairman of the Royal Society of Saint George, California, Todd Williamson, senior leader of the West Hollywood Arts Council, Lisa Schulte, a senior American artist, Neon Queen, and Mr. Joey Zhou, a senior international media correspondent. The press conference was hosted by the LABA International Art Festival Organizing Committee and was presided over by Cantrell, the rotating chairman of the festival. She introduced Mr. Jiannan Huang. "Jiannan Huang stepped into Paris in 2009, kicking off his European tour at the Grand Palais. After 13 years of countless trips to France, he was easily recognized by people in the Paris art circle at a glance. Since October 28, 2020, the influence of Huang Jiannan's art in North American mainstream media seems to be as unique as his idol Michael Jackson. The key is that his popularity and influence ranking has always occupied media headlines. His limelight over the past two years even overshadowed all the previously countless Asian artists, said Cantrell. During the launch ceremony of the LABA International Art Festival on October 28, 2020, during the global pandemic, published articles on 100 online platforms barely reached an audience potential of 4 million viewers. On May 26, 2021, Jiannan Huangs private viewing event was held at the Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, which attracted more than 12 million North American online viewers. Hundreds of North American English-language online media outlets, such as Benzinga News Platform, Fox News, and CBS News, reported an online audience potential of more than 10 million. In the past two years, Mr. Huangs North American online media attention exceeded 100 million potential audience views. This does not include English news articles on the LABA International Art Festival website. Each article earns 30,000 to 50,000 unique "likes," bringing more than 2 million fans who directly follow Mr. Huangs artwork. California State University Los Angeles College art professor Richard Wearn said, "As Jiannan Huang became famous in the United States, his popularity and influence quickly surpassed other Asian artists. His popularity and influence ranking has dominated the headlines of the mass media and has propelled him to fame. Mr. Todd Williamson, a member of the jury presidium of the LABA International Art Festival, participated in Huangs International Art Symposium on May 26, 2021. Williamson said, "Jiannan Huang is one of the most outstanding artists in the contemporary world. He is a master of Chinese ink painting, especially since he is credited with developing the pioneering method of combining ink painting techniques with oil painting. He is on the 2020 Hurun China Art List with art sales of $29 million. He is ranked 3rd and 19th on the Hurun Global List. Huang also holds several positions: Director of the Chinese Traditional Culture Promotion Association, Member of the French National Artists Committee, Art Consultant of the World Low-Carbon Cities Alliance, and Gold Medalist of Guinee, France Citizens. In addition, the Indonesian royal family conferred upon him the title of His Royal Highness "Count," and he received the title of the Royal Knight of the Order of the Sac of Constantine, Italy. In April 2021, he was awarded honorary membership of the Royal Society of St. George (RSSG), California. On October 28, 2020, Huang was invited by the organizing committee of the LABA International Art Festival to participate in the LABA International Art Festival as a blue-chip artist. In March 2022, Huang won the RSSG "Master of Arts" title. The LABA International Art Festival named March 2022 as "Jiannan Huang Month." Recently, eight works by Huang have reached a new high valuation with a market price of $20 million. Consequently, Huang has become one of the most important and influential Asian artists in the North American art world." Ms. Lisa Schulte, a Senior Consultant to the LABA International Art Festival and Member of the Jury Presidium, said, I am very grateful to Mr. Huang for selecting me as the winner of the 2nd LABA Icon Awards in March 2022. Mr. Huang has actively participated in the LABA International Art Festival since then, and it was a great pleasure to meet him through video calls in May 2022. Huang could not attend the press conference due to the pandemic and said, I am very pleased that my works are recognized and loved by North American audiences. I will persist in creating more splendid works of art. Many senior international media and local mainstream media in Los Angeles participated in the report, Jiannan Huangs North American Influence Report Press Conference, and published numerous online articles about the event. In the past two years, dozens of exposures in North American online media and hundreds of millions of viewers have continuously pushed Huangs popularity, making him one of the most influential artists in the world. With traditional art world gatekeepers removed through the utilization of online and mass media frameworks, the intrinsic humanity and empathy at the heart of Jiannan Huangs artworks stimulate genuine interest in his work. His artworks connect with his audiences beyond constraints of cultural specificity. They have given visual form to a collective understanding of the universal aspects of human experience. Similar to how Andy Warhol connected to the heart and soul of American culture and consumerist impulses, Jiannan Huang connects with a simple, empathetic power to the heart and soul of all humans. About LABA and the LABA International Art Festival The Los Angeles Beverly Arts (LABA), the LABA International Art Festival, and the Beverly Arts Online Exhibition feature artists from all over the world who have come together to display their work in a virtual gallery exhibition. Visitors can visit the exhibit at any time and enjoy the artwork of some of the world's most talented and unique artists who have been chosen to participate in this event. For more information, visit the Los Angeles Beverly Arts. TruPlace, Inc. is a national leader in premium visuals, virtual tours, and data management technology for the real estate and property management industries. They announced that they have partnered with Bright MLS to launch a game-changing integration, delivering captioned property photos, floor plans, and virtual tour links from TruPlaces Client Portal directly to Bright MLS in just seconds with a single click, saving real estate agents up to 30 minute per listing. Timing is critical in real estate and agents need to get their listings online as fast as possible. This new technology will help them do just that. The added bonus of being able to use Media Sync on their mobile device gives them flexibility to update their listing from anywhere, said Bob Cusack, CEO, TruPlace, Inc. Virtual tours and rich, compelling photos are the foundation of a great listing, said Brian Donnellan, Bright MLS President & CEO. Brights Media Sync dramatically speeds up moving these important assets through the listing management process. Our beta testing partnership with TruPlace was a resounding success. Brights subscribers who utilize the combination of TruPlace and Media Sync can look forward to a simpler, faster media upload experience. TruPlace clients are raving about the addition of Media Sync. TruPlace and the Bright MLS Media Sync is a winning combination for our team, said Melinda Estridge, The Estridge Group of Long & Foster. Thats what its all about, and we look forward to continuing to build upon this and other forward-thinking technology to enable our clients to focus on growing their business, said Bob Cusack, TruPlace, Inc. CEO. Learn more about the TruPlace and Bright MLS Media Sync Integration and in Bright MLS Launches Media Sync: Powerful tool dramatically speeds up photo listing and tour uploads. August 2, 2022, Press Release | Bright MLS. About TruPlace Founded in 2003, TruPlace is the preferred Premium Property Visualization company for the real estate and property management industries with a national network of vetted and trained professional photographers. TruPlace produces property listing websites for their clients with products and services such as Floor Plan Tours, TruFusion Photography, Videos, Next Generation 3D Tours, Drones and Virtual Staging. This suite of marketing tools creates demand by providing a prospective guest or buyer with a quick, easy and accurate visual of the property. Learn more at TruPlace.com. About Bright MLS Bright MLS was founded in 2016 as a collaboration between 43 visionary associations and two of the nations most prominent MLSs to transform what an MLS is and what it does, so real estate pros and the people they serve can thrive today and into our data-driven future through an open, clear and competitive housing market for all. Bright is proud to be the source of truth for comprehensive real estate data in the Mid-Atlantic, with market intelligence currently covering six states (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia) and the District of Columbia. Bright MLSs innovative tool libraryboth created and curatedprovides services and award-winning support to well over 100k real estate professionals, enabling their delivery on the promise of home to over half a million home buyers and sellers monthly. In 2021, Bright subscribers facilitated $141B in real estate transactions through the companys platform. Learn more at Bright MLS.com. Danielle Koontz RangeWater Danielles professional experience, long standing relationships and in-depth knowledge of regional markets will be an incredible asset, said Tracy Bowers, RangeWaters executive managing director of property management. She makes a great addition to the RangeWater team. RangeWater Real Estate welcomes Danielle Koontz to the team as senior director of business development. In addition to bringing 15 years of operational, marketing and strategic growth experience to the role, she has deep connections in the industry to benefit third-party owners looking for property management. Im a natural connector of people, said Koontz, who manages growth for RangeWaters third-party management operations in the Southwest, covering Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Montana. Koontz formerly was based in Dallas, where she oversaw similar operations for a mid-sized multifamily firm operating in eight states. RangeWaters strategic growth is focused on Sun Belt states, where residential communities are in high demand as the region attracts companies, jobs and people all of whom need housing. Danielles professional experience, long standing relationships and in-depth knowledge of regional markets will be an incredible asset as we continue our westward expansion, said Tracy Bowers, RangeWaters executive managing director of property management. Shes well-positioned to serve the region. She makes a great addition to the RangeWater team. In a highly competitive commercial real estate market, Koontz said theres a vital need for a firm like RangeWater, offering investors keen focus and attention. RangeWater is so in tune with our third-party clients. Sitting alongside our own development and acquisitions team enables us to better understand investment strategies and execute business plans, Koontz said. For some partners, cost saving is incredibly important, while for others its rent growth. Our team understands the nuance of that and how to help our clients achieve their goals. Her day-to-day duties include assisting RangeWaters clients private owners, developers and institutional clients in evaluating markets and submarkets, finding development and acquisition opportunities and honing the clients investment strategy. Build-to-rent neighborhoods and high-rise communities are on the drawing boards of many developers and investors, said Koontz, and RangeWater is positioned to help clients manage these unique assets an area of expertise not many third-party management firms have. Koontz joins three other women in leadership positions recently promoted across the company. Executive managing director of capital markets Ashley Casaday and general counsel Emily Sweitzer were recently promoted to the executive team and Bobbie Norris, a company veteran, was promoted to managing director of business development. Koontz will report to Norris. Under Norris leadership, RangeWater has more than doubled the number of communities under management, from 176 in 2020 to 375 this year, and from 44,937 apartments in 2020 to 86,304 apartments currently. In 2022, RangeWater already has been awarded 110 communities or 23,044 apartments to date. Koontz said shes excited to help continue that growth. Founded in 2006, privately-owned RangeWater acquires, develops, manages and invests in multifamily communities across the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, with a $6.3 billion track record. RangeWater has grown through diversifying its portfolio with new product types. The build-to-rent neighborhoods, a division called Storia, now makes up 15 percent of RangeWaters managed assets. RangeWater also founded Olea, age-targeted and age-restricted communities, with two currently under construction in Florida. The company also specializes in high-rise apartment management. These differentiators attracted Koontz to the company, who is active in industry associations including the National Multifamily Housing Council, Urban Land Institute, The Real Estate Council and CREW Dallas. Koontz earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn Universitys Harbert College of Business and an undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. She lives with her husband Chase and 14-month-old daughter Caroline in Palo Alto, California. About RangeWater Real Estate RangeWater is a fully integrated multifamily real estate company creating fulfilling experiences for its partners, clients, residents and employees across the Sun Belt. The Atlanta-based company has acquired and developed more than 20,000 multifamily units since its inception in 2006 representing in excess of $6.3 billion in total capitalization. RangeWater currently manages a balanced portfolio of over 86,000 multifamily units across 11 states. With offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Tampa and Salt Lake City, RangeWater targets high job growth markets with demand for new housing. For more information, visit LiveRangeWater.com. Safe-xplore by Safe-esteem Market-leading secure private travel provider Fortis announces a collaboration with Safe-esteem and the adoption of the Safe-xplore Travel Risk Rating platform to provide clients with enhanced personalized risk intelligence essential for safe global travel. Market-leading secure private travel provider Fortis announces a collaboration with Safe-esteem to provide clients with enhanced personalized risk intelligence essential for safe global travel. Safe-xplore is the worlds most advanced personal risk rating platform explicitly designed by and for travel security and executive protection professionals. Unlike competitive and legacy travel risk rating solutions, Safe-xplore actuarial rating technology relies on city-level demographic-specific probabilistic models of life and limb risks - including accidents, health, and crime. This Safe-esteem tool can generate personalized risk rates for 200 U.S. and over 190 international cities. Travel itinerary risks are rated relative to the travelers home city and other well-known global destinations, and include nine additional risk indicators that traditionally influence the planning and conduct of advanced executive protection details. Safe-explore scores, scales, and other indicators are designed and presented numerically and visually to achieve higher risk communication and decision-support quality based on behavioral science and risk communication research best practices. Fortis intends to use this tool to further enhance its market-leading services and solutions for the worlds most discerning travelers. Partnering with Safe-esteem to use the Safe-xplore product for our clients enhances our ability to provide travel security that fits globally. We have one-of-a-kind data to inform our principals travel. Were excited about what this means to the momentum we give our clients, said Nathan Foy, Fortis Founder and CEO. The Fortis-Safe-esteem collaboration means clients will benefit from highly personalized travel risk assessments and data-driven mitigation strategies and recommendations. In addition, the partnership contributes to more cost-effective safety and security solutions in that resources are better optimized through hyperlocal data and related information. Clients further benefit from the safety insights and tailored advice derived from this enhanced planning service. About Fortis: Fortis is the worlds leading secure private travel company. Operating in over 1,000 cities worldwide, Fortis provides chauffeured cars, security, and other services. Fortis principals represent over a half-trillion dollars in net worth. Fortis published, What Rich Clients Want (but wont tell you) to detail their 5-step approach to legendary service. About Safe-esteem: Safe-esteem is a Miami-based technology startup offering cutting-edge risk measurement, communication, and decision-support products and services. Founded and led by risk mitigation industry leaders, the company recently released its Safe-xplore family of products which include the worlds first Violent Crime Risk Index for Global Cities, Safe-xplore Professional, and Safe-xplore Personal Edition. I believe European customers are less aware of the potential of Nvizion Solutions expertise and capabilities and this is exactly where I look forward to helping them bridge the gap. Global eCommerce solutions company Nvizion Solutions is glad to announce the appointment of Nigel Curtis as Head of Sales in Europe. Nigel has more than 25 years of experience driving sales at SAP, Salesforce, HP and other solution providers. In his most recently served position he led the companys SAP CX sales division in Europe and APAC redefining its go-to-market strategy and, building a world-class team to scale their growth in the European market. Nigel is based in the UK and will leverage his extensive SAP business development experience to guide Nvizion Solutions through its next phase of European growth, as it continues its mission to empower small, medium and enterprise sized businesses in Europe to deliver delightful and inspiring experiences that drive business results. We have grown exponentially in US and Nigels appointment will help us grow our European customer base that has been growing steadily in the last few years. Says Manoj Bubna, CEO of Nvizion Solutions. Nigel explains, I know Nvizion Solutions has been performing exciting work especially in commerce on SAP CX, commercetools & on Informatica Product 360, I am glad to be their partner in leading and growing the team in Europe. I believe European customers are less aware of the potential of Nvizion Solutions expertise and capabilities and this is exactly where I look forward to helping them bridge the gap. About Nvizion Solutions Founded in 2005, Nvizion Solutions is an end-end digital transformation and consulting company helping organizations drive business growth and deliver exceptional digital experiences. A leading advisory and digital solutions company with end-to-end capabilities, Nvizion helps organizations deliver best digital experiences. With more than 15 years of experience in this industry, Nvizion with its team of digital experts has rolled out large scale, complex and high-performance commerce & data implementations to meet customer's growing needs. With global presence across US, UK, and India, Nvizion with its strategic planning process understands your business objectives and aligns them with a commerce platform leading on the right path for digital transformation. Nvizion has been a preferred partner of choice for many Fortune 500 customers globally that enable clients to successfully evolve and compete in the digital economy. For more information, visit our website at http://www.nviz.com Four college students have been awarded $1000 scholarships from Association Management Group (AMG), one of the Carolinas largest professional homeowner association managers, representing more than 30,000 property owners. Four college students have been awarded $1000 scholarships from Association Management Group (AMG), one of the Carolinas largest professional homeowner association managers, representing more than 30,000 property owners. Open to residents and vendors of AMG properties, as well as AMG employees and family members, the third annual AMG College Scholarship Program selected the winning students based on essays they wrote about the importance of community. The essays were evaluated anonymously by a judging panel comprised of twelve people: representatives and staff from AMG, HOA board members from Greensboro and Charlotte, NC, and Greenville, SC, as well as client community vendors. We are in the business of helping create safe, enjoyable, attractive communities with the goal of enhancing the quality of life of residents through effective homeowner association governance, said AMG Founder and CEO Paul Mengert. Its quite meaningful to hear from these students about how powerful community has been in their lives and the ways their neighborhoods are inspiring them to be our leaders of tomorrow. How these scholars value their communities is a true tribute to the dedicated volunteers who serve on their hometown association boards. This years AMG College Scholarship Program winners: Tiffany Soliben of Aiken, SC, who attends Aiken Technical College in Graniteville, SC, was awarded the Corey Flynt Scholarship. The scholarship commemorates the life of Flynt, who died in a 2017 car accident. He was the son of AMG President Dacy Cavicchia and brother to Charlotte Director of Operations Danielle Rudisill and Special Projects Coordinator Cassie Kutay. Christian Willis of Greensboro, NC, a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, received the Tommy Badgett Scholarship, named in honor of a long-term AMG employee and friend who passed away in January 2021. Hakim Thompson of Mebane, NC, matriculating at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC, won the Billie Butler Scholarship, which celebrates Butlers twenty-plus years of service to AMG clients in the Charlotte area. Khamryn Pollock of Woodruff, SC, a student at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC, was awarded the Ron Erickson Scholarship, to commemorate the life and accomplishments of the late world-class financial planning professional and role model. The AMG College Scholarship Program celebrates several inspiring people who mean so much to AMG and their communities, said May Gayle Mengert, AMG Vice President. AMG cannot think of a better way to honor their lives and legacy than by assisting future generations in their advancement, as these individuals have the same passion and commitment for higher education. About AMG: AMG is a professional community association management company dedicated to building effective community associations. AMG guides and assists executive boards to help protect the association's interests, enhance the lives of community members, and improve the property values in the community. With offices throughout the Carolinas in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, and Greenville and Aiken, SC, AMG is a knowledgeable partner in enforcing community governing documents with a proven set of processes and techniques and supporting communities with a broad range of services which can be tailored to individual community needs. Association Management Group, Inc. is a locally Accredited Business by the BBB and is a nationally Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) by the Community Associations Institute. For more about AMG, visit http://www.amgworld.com. Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists, P.A., is one of a limited group of cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scan centers worldwide. Dr. Ryan Houk, MD, provides exceptional cardiac care at Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists, P.A., where he welcomes patients at two offices in Naples, Florida. Along with his expertise in coronary artery disease, chest pain, heart failure, and heart arrhythmias, including less-common disorders such as supraventricular tachycardia, he has a special interest in echocardiography and nuclear imaging. Dr. Houk is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease. Dr. Houk received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California, then went on to complete a master's degree at Columbia University in New York City. From there, he relocated to Baltimore, where he earned his medical degree at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Houk then completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. He continued his education by receiving specialty training in cardiology at the prestigious Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists (NHRS), P.A., is a medical practice that provides the highest quality cardiac care from a team of physicians and staff who combine extensive training with compassion for each patient. They believe in connecting with each patient, learning about your concerns, and helping each patient with customized treatments that help them live a longer, healthier life. NHRS is dedicated to making exceptional cardiovascular care convenient, operating in two offices in Naples, Florida, and offers state-of-the-art diagnostic technology that sets them apart from other heart specialists. Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists, P.A., is one of a limited group of cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scan centers worldwide. They're also one of the few using advanced software that measures myocardial blood flow reserve, which allows them to detect disease in the microvessels in the heart. As specialists in cardiac arrhythmias, the team at Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists, P.A., expertly diagnose and treat heart rhythm problems. They help patients with atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and less common arrhythmias such as supraventricular tachycardia. Patients receive comprehensive care for the full scope of cardiac conditions. Medical care and essential procedures such as cardiac ablation and pacemaker implantation are provided together with personalized advice and support for the lifestyle changes needed to live with chronic conditions such as coronary disease, chest pain, and heart failure. The team also sees patients with syncope. Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists, P.A., is fully accredited with the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for PET, echocardiography, and nuclear cardiology. Patients can access diagnostic procedures such as electrophysiology studies performed in the office by a team of highly trained cardiology physicians. Learn more about Naples Heart Rhythm Specialists, by visiting: https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/mdmember/naples-heart-rhythm-specialists/ ABOUT HAUTE MD NETWORK: Haute Beauty is affiliated with the luxury lifestyle publication Haute Living. As a section of Haute Living magazine, Haute Beauty covers the latest advancements in health and wellness, providing readers with expert advice on aesthetic and medical treatments through its network of acclaimed doctors and beauty experts. For more about Haute MD, visit https://hauteliving.com/hautebeauty/mdmember/ Recognitions such as this highlight our commitment to our customers and ensuring they are able to see fast and meaningful results from their use of analytics. Dimensional Insight, an award-winning enterprise analytics provider, has once again been named an overall leader in business intelligence by Dresner Advisory Services in its annual Industry Excellence awards. This recognition signifies that Dimensional Insight received high ratings in the Customer Experience Model and the Vendor Credibility Model in the 2022 Wisdom of Crowds Business Intelligence (BI) Market Study, which are based on customer feedback. Receiving an Industry Excellence Award signifies that a vendor has achieved leadership status in the two industry-rating models included in the Wisdom of Crowds research report. As an Overall Leader, Dimensional Insight is a leader in two categories: Experience Leader in the Customer Experience Model. This considers the real-world experience of customers as they work with BI products on a daily basis, plotting the various customer touch points against sentiment surrounding product and technology. Credibility Leader in the Vendor Credibility Model. This considers the vendors relationship with customers, plotting perceived value for price paid against a calculated confidence score. Dimensional Insight is also recognized as best in class for most sales measures including professionalism, product knowledge, understanding business/needs, responsiveness, and flexibility/accommodation. It is also best in class for consulting product knowledge and experience, and overall integrity. Dimensional Insight has long track record as an overall leader in our Industry Excellence Awards, demonstrating strong leadership in business intelligence and analytics, said Howard Dresner, founder and chief research officer at Dresner Advisory Services. Our awards highlight those companies with the highest levels of satisfaction as rated by their end users. We congratulate Dimensional Insight on its 7th Industry Excellence Award. Dimensional Insights co-founder and CEO, Fred Powers, says, recognitions such as this highlight our commitment to our customers and ensuring they are able to see fast and meaningful results from their use of analytics. As always, we thank our customers for their feedback and look forward to continuing our work with them to gain the insights that propel their businesses forward. The results of this years study, along with first-hand user feedback, can be found by visiting: https://www.dimins.com/awards/dresner-report-2022/. About Dimensional Insight Dimensional Insight is a leading provider of analytics, data management, and performance management solutions, offering a complete portfolio of capabilities ranging from data integration and modeling to sophisticated reporting, analytics, and dashboards. Founded in 1989, Dimensional Insight has thousands of customer organizations worldwide. Dimensional Insight consistently ranks as a top performing analytics organization by customers and industry analysts in its core market segments including healthcare, manufacturing, and beverage alcohol. For more information, please visit http://www.dimins.com. Douglas County bid opportunities on the Georgia Purchasing Group Registered vendors can access bids, related documents, addendum and award information. Douglas County announced it has joined the Georgia Purchasing Group and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. Bidnet Directs Georgia Purchasing Group connects 24 participating agencies from across Georgia to a large vendor pool and streamlines the bid and vendor management process. Douglas County invites all vendors to register online at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/douglascounty. Douglas County joined the purchasing group in June. Douglas County will utilize the system to streamline the purchasing process including bid management, bid distribution and vendor relations. The Georgia Purchasing Group is a single, online location for managing sourcing information and activities and provides local Georgia government agencies the tools needed to minimize costs and save time throughout the purchasing process. Before joining the system, Douglas County was distributing bids and managing the procurement process manually. The traditional, paper procurement process is being replaced by local government agencies throughout Georgia. In joining the Georgia Purchasing Group, Douglas County looks to save time, reach out to more vendors automatically and achieve cost savings over the traditional paper-based bid process. The Georgia Purchasing Group expands an agencys vendor pool and enhances vendor competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the Georgia Purchasing Group, all vendors looking to do business with Douglas County can register online: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/douglascounty. Douglas County invites all interested bidders to register today. Registered vendors can access all open bids, related documents and files, additional addendum and award information. In addition, the Georgia Purchasing Group offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts. Registered vendors have access to not only Douglas County bid opportunities, but all participating agency bids. Our valued vendors can now save time and paper. Plus, they not only have direct access to our open bids, but those from other agencies throughout the state. We invite all of our current vendors to register on the Georgia Purchasing Group to start receiving business opportunities, stated LaTonya Ammons, Director of Procurement of Douglas County. Vendors may register on the Georgia Purchasing Group: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/douglascounty. Bidnet Directs vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2. Other local Georgia government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the Georgia Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution. About Douglas County: Douglas County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 132,403, having nearly doubled since 1990. The county seat is Douglasville. About Bidnet Direct: Bidnet Direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. Bidnet Direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the Georgia Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers Sean McCance, MD Dr. Sean McCance, founder and medical director of Spine Associates (https://mccancemd.com), has been recognized as a 2022 Castle Connolly Top Doctor. Castle Connolly is one of the most prestigious websites for finding the best doctors in the country. A physician must be nominated by peers and vetted by Castle Connolly in order to be named a Top Doctor. Each year, a physician-led team of researchers at Castle Connolly conducts a rigorous screening process to choose top doctors through an established nomination survey. Dr. McCance is consistently honored by New York Magazine as one of the top doctors for spinal surgery in the New York Metro Area. He was first recognized in 2003 as a Best Doctor for spine surgery and continues to receive many other awards as a top physician, not only in the New York area, but nationally as well. Each year Castle Connolly's physician-led research team rigorously evaluates the medical educations, training, hospital appointments, and disciplinary histories of these Top Doctors. Only the best in their industries are chosen for this coveted recognition. Dr. McCance has written a plethora of articles on the topic of spine surgery, including cervical and lumbar surgery, scoliosis, and sports-related spine injuries. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and the American Board of Spine Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the Scoliosis Research Society. Additionally, he is a Member of the North American Spine Society, the American Medical Association, and the Medical Society of the State of New York. Dr. McCance has been performing spine surgeries in the New York Metro Area for over 20 years and has personally completed over 6,000 surgeries. He commonly performs spinal surgeries including herniated discs in the cervical and lumbar spine, spinal stenosis, scoliosis in children and adults, spondylolisthesis, spine fractures, revisional spine surgery, cervical fractures, and cervical fusions. About Us For the past two decades Dr. Sean McCance, a board certified NYC spine surgeon, has directed one of the leading spine practices in New York, Spine Associates. He has been recognized by his peers as one of the most accomplished spine surgeons in the field. Since establishing his best in class practice on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, Dr. McCance has performed spine surgeries on patients from all over the world and from all walks of life. Spinal surgery is a sub-specialty of orthopedic surgery that involves the diagnosis and treatment of a range of conditions related to the back and neck. Dr. McCance always exhausts all conservative non-surgical options and treatments, if appropriate, before he recommends surgery of the spine. Dr. Sean McCance Spine Associates 1155 Park Ave, Suite E New York, NY 10128 (212) 360-6500 https://mccancemd.com "Data centers are the lifeblood of our digital economy and contribute significantly to the economic growth of our region, said NVTC President and CEO Jennifer Taylor. I am pleased to welcome Jonathan Tuil (IBM) and Steve Cridlin (Visa) to our esteemed Community leadership. The Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC), the trade association representing the National Capital Region's technology community, today announced that IBM and Visa executives have joined the leadership board of NVTCs Data Center and Cloud Community, one of the Councils eight Communities of Interest. Northern Virginia is the leading data center market in the world and continues to grow. Home to approximately 250 data centers, the region more than doubled its capacity to host servers between 2018 and 2021. The Northern Virginia region exceeds the next five U.S. markets combined and is twice the size of the next largest international market, London. The growth of our data center community has been remarkable. Now with IBM and Visa joining the leadership board of the NVTC Data Center and Cloud Community, our Council continues to connect, promote, and celebrate the rapid growth of this sector. Data centers are the lifeblood of our digital economy and contribute significantly to the economic growth of our region, said NVTC President and CEO Jennifer Taylor. I am pleased to welcome Jonathan Tuil (IBM) and Steve Cridlin (Visa) to our esteemed Community leadership. The NVTC Data Center and Cloud Community board consists of key leaders from the digital infrastructure sector including Vinay Nagpal, Chair (InterGlobix); Stan Blackwell, Vice Chair (Dominion Energy); James Leach (Telos); Rob Hepler (Equinix); Zach Miller (Google); John Bean (Digital Realty); Brouk Eshetu (CoreSite); Jonathan Tuil (IBM); and Steve Cridlin (Visa). On behalf of the board, I welcome Jon and Steve to the team, said Vinay Nagpal, chair of the NVTC Data Center and Cloud Community, and president of InterGlobix. With IBM and Visa serving on the Communitys board, we are now even more well-rounded, representing the full tech ecosystem, including companies in the wholesale, retail, hyperscale, enterprise, cloud, security, and data center consulting subsectors of the digital infrastructure industry. The mission of the NVTC Data Center and Cloud Community is to provide a clear, consistent, collective, and compelling voice for promoting the interests of the region's data center, cloud, and critical infrastructure community in an effort to contribute to the long-term growth and prosperity of the global tech industry. In 2022, the Community released its fourth biennial flagship report, The Impact of Data Centers on the State and Local Economies of Virginia. The next meeting of the NVTC Data Center and Cloud Community will be held on September 15, 2022 at 9:00 am ET on the topic of Convergence of Edge Data Centers, Wireline and Wireless. Keynote speakers will be Juan Font, president, CoreSite, and Jake Rasweiler, SVP of Innovation, American Tower. InterGlobix Magazine is the media partner for the meeting. For more information and to register for the September meeting, visit the NVTC website. # # # About the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) NVTC is the trade association representing the Northern Virginia technology community. As one of the nations largest technology councils, NVTC serves companies from all sectors of the industry, from small businesses and startups to Fortune 100 technology companies, government contractors, as well as service providers, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations. More than 425 members look to the organization as a resource for networking and educational opportunities, peer-to-peer communities, policy advocacy, industry promotion, fostering of strategic relationships, and branding of the region as a major global technology center. Learn more. Harnessing the power and strengths of our staff, partners and technology across the country into cohesive and efficient teams will only enhance the momentum Jencap has already generated in the marketplace, said JCIS Divisional President Bruce Peddle Jencap Group (Jencap) is pleased to announce two strategic promotions to the divisional management team of Jencap Insurance Services Inc (JCIS). Tara Gudenkauf has been promoted to Property and Casualty Binding Practice Leader and Roman Atkielski has been promoted to Transportation and Garage Practice Leader. In their new roles, Gudenkauf and Atkielski will work closely with JCIS Divisional President, Bruce Peddle, to expand their divisions, manage their team members nationwide, streamline efficiencies, operationally consolidate their practice area, and work together to drive organic growth for JCIS. Tara and Roman will be integral to Jencap taking the next logical step in the life cycle of our organization. Harnessing the power and strengths of our staff, partners and technology across the country into cohesive and efficient teams will only enhance the momentum Jencap has already generated in the marketplace, said Peddle. About Jencap Group, LLC Jencap is one of the largest wholesalers in the U.S. with notable industry-leading expertise in wholesale brokerage, binding authority, and program management. Its specialized divisions and affiliate organizations provide niche underwriting prowess, broad market access, and nationwide influence. Headquartered in New York, Jencap leverages its collective power to exceed the expectations of more than 15,000 independent agency partners. For more information, visit JencapGroup.com. The industry has rarely seen a single unified marketing OS Platform that covers all leading media channels - search, social, display, video, CTV/OTT, and more. Congratulations to Knorex on delivering that breakthrough OS and being our choice for a well-deserved 2022 MarTech Breakthrough Award. MarTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global marketing, sales and advertising technology industry, today announced that it has selected Knorex as winner of the Best Remarketing Platform award in the fifth annual MarTech Breakthrough Awards program, recognizing the breakthrough Knorex XPO platform, a next generation digital marketing operating system (OS). Knorex XPO features a complete suite of capabilities for marketers to fully self-operate, build ads, launch, optimize and measure campaigns across various marketing channels all within a single unified platform to simplify global, real-time personalized online marketing. The platform enables users to reach to the broadest advertising channels with deep integration to leading advertising platforms such as, Facebook and Google. Additionally, Knorex XPO provides extensive use of AI/ML for automation and optimization, supported by over a decade of R&D and proven delivery of digital marketing performance to leading corporations in the US and Asia-Pacific. Universal Marketing refers to our vision where marketers, becoming channel and device agnostic, can easily reach and communicate their messages to anyone in a timely and engaging way. We strive to create products and solutions for marketers to connect with the right audience in all corners of the world, said Wilson Chandra, Managing Director at Knorex. Having a unique combination of attributes allows us to achieve 50% more audience and media coverage in terms of depth and breadth for real-time, global targeting; 20% increase in results and performance based on actual success cases with customers; and 33% improved productivity and cost reduction via a single platform. The mission of the MarTech Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work and success in a range of marketing, sales and advertising technology related categories, including marketing automation, market research and customer experience, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, content and social marketing, mobile marketing and many more. This years program attracted more than 2,950 nominations from over 18 different countries throughout the world. While the advent of Programmatic Advertising has prompted marketers to shift their focus to selecting branded media that engages with the right individuals, too many options typically causes confusion, making it hard to focus on quality engagement, said James Johnson, Managing Director at MarTech Breakthrough. The industry has rarely seen a single unified marketing OS Platform that covers all leading media channels - search, social, display, video, CTV/OTT, and more. Congratulations to Knorex on delivering that breakthrough OS and being our choice for a well-deserved 2022 MarTech Breakthrough Award. The ability to deploy an AI-Powered Automation across the platform for optimization and proper recommendation is based upon live data that has been accumulated and trained for years in order to deliver optimal results. Additionally, with Knorex XPOs Unified Reporting and Feedback Loop, data is fed back to close the loop and enable cross-channel optimization and execution to reduce budget wastage, increase efficiency and return on investment. #### About MarTech Breakthrough Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the MarTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in marketing, ad and sales technology companies, products and people. The MarTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough marketing technology companies and products in categories including marketing automation, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, CRM, content and social marketing, website, SEM, mobile marketing and more. For more information, visit MarTechBreakthrough.com. About Knorex Knorex provides a universal marketing cloud platform that enables ad buyers to advertise across the social, search, OTT/CTV, video, display, native, to deliver highly personalized marketing messages to the target audience in an automated way, powered by machine learning. Underpinned by a multi-layered data-driven approach, XPO simplifies end-to-end digital marketing execution and optimization of marketing campaigns, while delivering measurable performance. Learn more at knorex.com. More durable concrete for softer water: The new 3.5 MGD Robbinsdale Water Treatment Plant provides enhanced water treatment capacity for the community of Robbinsdale, Minnesota. As a concrete waterproofing admixture, PENETRON ADMIX SB is completely non-toxic and contains no VOCs. As an NSF 61-certified admixture, it is ideal for potable water applications like Robbinsdale. Completed in August 2022, the new Robbinsdale Water Treatment Plant in Robbinsdale, Minnesota, provides the community with an increased water treatment capacity and softer water. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline concrete waterproofing admixture, was specified to increase the durability of all the plants concrete structures. An inner ring suburb of the Minneapolis metropolitan area, Robbinsdale is a city of around 14,000 inhabitants. Because of ongoing development and increased water demand, the City Council mandated a sweeping upgrade. The three regional water treatment plants from the late 1960s and the two existing wells were replaced by one central treatment plant for drinking water. The $32 million project was designed by Oertel Architects, an architectural group specialized in public works facilities, and AE2S Services, a structural engineering firm. The new 3.5 MGD, 26,000 ft2 water treatment plant also comprises a new centralized lime softening water treatment plant to improve the quality of the regions notoriously hard water. This also benefits the environment by reducing the amount of salt (from home softeners) that is typically released into the waterways. On-site Support and Competitive Pricing The plants water treatment tanks were constructed primarily of cast-in-place and precast concrete components for a 750,000-gallon clearwell, two 60,000-gallon backwash reclamation basins, a 192,000-gallon filter press permeate basin, and two 114,000-gallon lime solids holding basins. Other concrete basins include two solids contact softening basins, two 28,000-gallon recarbonation basins, two solids blowdown basins, and four gravity filter cells. While a competitive product was initially specified for the project, Penetron worked with the engineers at AE2S Services to secure approval for PENETRON ADMIX SB as the preferred concrete waterproofing admixture, explains Christopher Chen, Director of The Penetron Group. In addition, Cemstone, the ready-mix concrete supplier, opts for Penetron products as the preferred waterproofing solution thanks to easy dosage, durable packaging, our on-site support, and competitive pricing. Making Concrete Impermeable PENETRON ADMIX SB-treated concrete is impermeable, stopping water and harmful elements from entering the concrete, even under the constant hydrostatic pressure encountered with a water treatment plant. Its ability to permanently self-heal any microcracks prevents any damage from occurring for the life of the concrete. As a concrete waterproofing admixture, PENETRON ADMIX SB is completely non-toxic and contains no VOCs, adds Christopher Chen. As an NSF 61-certified admixture, it is ideal for potable water applications like Robbinsdale. The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs, and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels. For more information on Penetron waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com, or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700. National University(NU) has the distinct pleasure of recognizing the following employees of the City of San Diego; Sarema Valenzuela, Joseph Coratti, and David Martinez as recipients of the 2022 City of San Diego/ National University Professional Development Scholarship. This award celebrates the extraordinary achievements hard work and dedication of these recipients from the city of San Diego Department by assisting them in achieving success in pursuing career development through higher education. In the City of San Diegos effort to expand educational and professional opportunities to its employees, collaborated with, and named National University as its sole Preferred Employee Education Program Partner for the City of San Diego in 2014. National University is proud to be the preferred education partner of the City of San Diego, said Chris Graham, president of Workforce Education Solutions at the National University System. We are thrilled to offer dedicated City employees like Sarema, Joseph, and David access to quality education so they can meet their education and career goals to better serve the community. The scholarship recipients will receive certificates signed by the Mayor of San Diego, Todd Gloria, and the President of Workforce Education Solutions, Chris Graham. Through this partnership, City of San Diego employees are offered a 25 percent tuition scholarship to be applied toward National University courses. National University, which is the second largest private, nonprofit university in California behind USC, is committed to developing its educational partnerships with the community by providing additional education benefits and scholarships to upskill and support the citys workforce. Employees of the City of San Diego have the opportunity to apply for the competitive City of San Diego/National University Professional Development Scholarships presented jointly with California Coast Credit Union. Annually, three employees who have demonstrated exceptional public service and have given back to the City of San Diego community are awarded this scholarship. As the 2022 winner of the City of San Diego/National University Professional Development Scholarship Sarema Valenzuela will receive a full tuition scholarship to National University. The two other finalists, David Coratti and Joseph Martinez, who were partial scholarship winners in 2021 are once again among the very highest rated candidates and will each receive a $2,500 scholarship from National University. They will also receive matching scholarships of $2,500 from California Coast Credit Union for a total of $5,000 each in addition to the 25 percent tuition reduction on all their remaining classes. The candidates passed through an interview process with senior leaders from NU and senior leaders from the City of San Diego in partnership with the California Coast Credit Union Senior Vice President of Community and Public Relations, Rene McKee. At the end of the interviews, the finalist scholarship awards were determined. Ms. Valenzuela serves the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS) as an administrative aide (call center supervisor/lead) and has demonstrated excellent commitment to public service to over 20,000 members. I strive to enhance my overall skills by regularly taking LinkedIn courses, attending CALAPRS seminars, requesting internal training, and recently completing the Public Service Mgt. Certificate, said Valenzuela. She currently intends to go back to school and will be enrolling as a first-time college student at National University. I always knew I needed to get a degree, but I had kids and I just never thought it possible, said Valenzuela. I wish to continue this public service journey and utilize this degree to further enhance my knowledge and advance in my career. Joseph and David are current students at National University and are about a year away from completing their degree programs. Mr. Coratti is a water system technician supervisor who has served with the City of San Diego Public Utilities Water Delivery Branch for almost a decade and teaches multiple classes in water distribution applications for the training center. He is currently pursuing a bachelors degree in public administration at National University with a concentration in waterworks management. NU is one of the only institutions in California to offer a waterworks management concentration in its public administration program. With his degree, he aims to move into more leadership roles and offer support fellow employees to provide quality service to customers, advance water management techniques and skills within the city, and collaborate with multiple different divisions on large-scale projects. Mr. Martinez serves as an administrative aide in the City of San Diego Department of Finance and is currently pursuing his bachelors degree in accounting at National University. Hes pursuing this degree to reach his goal of becoming a finance analyst to improve, protect, and assist grow the City's budget and other financial projects. The National University workforce development partnership with the city of San Diego offered a tuition reduction scholarship of 15 percent to City employees in 2014. The scholarship increased to 20 percent in 2019 and has now been increased to 25 percent. The City of San Diego employees can choose from over 75 program offerings at National University with the chance to pursue their education and career goals. City of San Diego employees who wish to take advantage of this program can learn more here. About National University: National University, a veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults by providing accessible, affordable, achievable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diegos largest private nonprofit university, NU offers more than 75 online and on-campus programs and flexible four-week classes designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to more than 30,000 students and 190,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. National Universitys merge with Northcentral University will be complete on September 30, 2022, growing the institution by over 10,000 students and 80 graduate and doctoral programsLearn more at NU.edu. Learn more at NU.edu. About the National University System: The National University System (NUS) is a network of accredited nonprofit education institutions serving a diverse population of students including pre-K-12 students and working professionals. NUS higher-education institutions serve more than 45,000 students through National University, Northcentral University, and City University of Seattle. NUS education-focused initiatives include Workforce Education Solutions, Harmony SEL, Inspire Teaching & Learning, and Fundraising Academy Cause Selling Education. National Universitys merge with Northcentral University will be complete on September 30, 2022, growing the institution by over 10,000 students and 80 graduate and doctoral programs. Learn more at nusystem.org. Top-ranked national marketing conference series invites local marketers of all levels to explore 30+ sessions presented by professionals from Best Buy, GoDaddy, the Minnesota Wild and more. WHAT Digital Summit Minneapolis is a two-day, in-person conference that showcases marketing industry thought leaders who will present the current trends in todays marketing sector. From renowned global leaders like Best Buy and GoDaddy to local and regional experts, each 30-minute speaking session offers highly curated content formatted as an instructional how to, providing attendees with breakthrough strategies and actionable insights immediately applicable to their businesses. The conference is open to all levels of marketing personnel, from campus hires to industry professionals with 40+ years of experience. WHO For attendees seeking guidance for honing specific skills, Digital Summit also offers its signature 4-hour deep dive courses known as Masterclasses. This year, Digital Summit Minneapolis will feature several Masterclasses led by premier thought leaders, including: Become an SEO Rockstar: Actionable Strategies, Tactics & Tools,, with Mindy Weinstein, Market MindShift Advanced Digital Analytics Strategies and Tactics, with Chris Sietsema, Teach to Fish Digital Building the Brand Trifecta: Develop the Three Key Messaging Components That Wins More Work, with Kate DiLeo, Kate DiLeo Branding Digital Summit Minneapolis will feature speaker sessions from prominent brands including: From Zero to Hero: How Any Marketer Can Derive Value from Digital Data Like a Pro, presented by Allan Woodstrom, Best Buy Why Video Marketing Works, and How to Pull It Off, presented by Greta Brooks, Minnesota Wild Creating a Keyword Research Driven SEO Strategy, presented by Connor Bonam, Dealer Inspire Gain a Competitive Edge and Win Your Most Important Customer, presented by Ron Davis, GoDaddy 5 Steps to Build Data-Driven Video Strategies, presented by Robb Crippen, Effectv, A Comcast Company Other notable presentations at Digital Summit Minneapolis include: Emotion and the Customer Journey: Go Beyond the NPS to Improve Your Customer Experience, presented by Michelle Stinson Ross, Mindful Appy Marketing in The New Normal: 5 Ways to Readjust Your Content Marketing Plans for 2023, presented by Juntae DeLane, Digital DeLane How to Increase Conversion Rates By 35% in 120 Days, presented by Ayat Shukairy, Invesp How to Prepare for 7 Important Social Media Trends Heading into 2023, presented by Arik Hanson, ACH Communications Results Driven SEO Strategy & Tactics For The Busy Marketer, presented by Mindy Weinstein, Market MindShift Demystifying the Metaverse: Future-Proof Your Marketing Plans, Now DeLorean Free, presented by Joe Cox, The Pop-Marketer The headlining keynote speaker at Digital Summit Minneapolis will be David Shing, The Digital Prophet. Shing specializes in advising clients about inventive, effective and sustainable approaches to optimizing brand value within the digital landscape. To enable attendees to share ideas and insights after the sessions, Digital Summit Minneapolis will also feature several networking opportunities including coffee breaks, catered lunches and opening and closing ceremonies. Digital Summit Series features an extensive network of standout sponsors who attend each Digital Summit conference on-site, offering innovative products and services for branding, merchandising, email and SEO marketing, marketing and advertising automation, digital communications, digital experiences and measurement, among others. Digital Summit Minneapolis sponsors include Pantheon, GoDaddy Pro, Bruce Clay, Sitecore, Constant Contact, Effectv, ChannelMix, Basis Technologies, CDI2, Reveal Mobile, Investis Digital, illumin, SwagChimp and Marketers Community. To view a complete list of speakers, presentation topics and sponsors, go to: https://minneapolis.digitalsummit.com/2022/agenda/ WHEN/WHERE Digital Summit Minneapolis will take place Thur., August 18, 2022 - Fri., August 19, 2022. Minneapolis Convention Center 1301 Second Avenue S, Minneapolis, MN 55403| (612) 335-6000 To purchase passes, go to: https://minneapolis.digitalsummit.com/cart/ About Digital Summit Series The Digital Summit Series is Where Marketers Stay on Top of Their Game. Since 2008, the annual national conference series is held in 18 U.S. cities and features highly curated, engaging content about the newest and most relevant topics in marketing including email marketing, content management, digital advertising, lead generation, social media, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), analytics and more presented by speakers from many of the most creative companies and innovative brands. Each two-day Digital Summit features working sessions formatted as instructional, how to talks that cover a specific topic to provide marketers with practical, actionable tactics that can be immediately applied to their own efforts. Produced by Naylor Association Solutions, a leading provider of innovative tools and services for associations that strengthen member engagement and increase non-dues revenue, Digital Summit Series each year attracts 15,000+ marketing professionals at all experience levels who seek to further their professional development and career networking in the ever-changing and evolving digital ecosystem for marketing communications. For more information, go to https://digitalsummit.com/ and follow on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. "Consumers have responded to higher home prices and mortgage rates by slowing demand. Housing starts are tied to housing demand. 87% of the builders surveyed by Zonda anticipate slowing new construction in response to the shifting market. Ali Wolf, chief economist Today the experts at Zonda, the housing industrys foremost advisors, released the New Home Lot Supply Index (LSI) for 2Q22. The New Home LSI, backed by data from Zonda, shows lot supply tightened year-over-year across the United States. The index is a residential real estate indicator based on the number of single-family vacant developed lots and the rate at which those lots are absorbed. The New Home LSI came in at 38.0 for 2Q22, representing a 9.3% decline from 2Q21. On a quarter-over-quarter basis, supply decreased by 2.2%, down slightly from 1Q22. Nationally, the 2Q22 data reflects a significantly undersupplied market. The constrained availability of lots over the past couple of years, along with the labor and material shortages, put a lid on overall homebuilding activity, said Ali Wolf, chief economist at Zonda. While vacant developed lot inventory tightened slightly in the second quarter, the key number to track going forward is lots under development, which are up 28% compared to last year. Lot supply continued to tighten in most major metropolitan areas in 2Q22. Lot inventory in almost all top markets remains significantly undersupplied but lots going through capital improvements indicate vacant developed lots should rise over the next 6-18 months. Two out of three markets where land supply tightened the most on a year-over-year basis were in Florida. Jacksonville, Miami, and Denver led the year-over-year declines. Jacksonville, San Diego, and Miami currently have the tightest lot supply among major markets. The LSI grew quarter-over-quarter in ten of Zondas select 30 markets, a slight decline from last quarter (12 in 1Q22). On a quarter-over-quarter basis, Los Angeles/OC and Boise grew the most, up 17% and 15%, respectively. Zonda also records future lots through the stages of development. The stages range from raw land through streets in, which is the last step before the lot becomes a vacant developed lot. Zonda groups the last few stages into a classification called total upcoming lots, which indicates delivery within the next 12 months. Total upcoming lots for 2Q22 increased 28% year-over-year and grew 1.2% from last quarter. The largest annual gains among the total upcoming lots came in the excavation stage, which grew 36.5% from the same period last year. Lots in excavation represent 71% of the total upcoming lots. These lots are estimated to become vacant developed lots between 1Q23 and 2Q23. Note, not all the lots in excavation will match Zondas estimated timeline. The housing market was moving a mile a minute heading into 2022, said Wolf. What weve seen is that consumers have responded to higher home prices and mortgage rates by slowing demand. Housing starts are tied to housing demand. 87% of the builders surveyed by Zonda anticipate slowing new construction in response to the shifting market. Methodology The Zonda New Home Lot Supply Index (LSI) is built on proprietary, industry-leading data that covers the production new home market across the United States. The index values represent single-family vacant developed lot supply, lots that are ready to be built on, relative to equilibrium. Released quarterly, the New Home LSI provides an unrivaled look into the lot markets across the country, offering a current quarter snapshot as well as insight into the directional trend. The New Home LSI is calculated based on each markets specific equilibrium as determined by our team of local experts and historical activity. The comparative current value is adjusted to capture the true months of supply figure by applying a greater weight to vacant developed lots in subdivisions with more starts activity. Each index value is associated with a phrase highlighting the current lot supply dynamics. A value of 100, represents perfect equilibrium, while a value of 125 and above equals Significantly Oversupplied, 115-125 - Slightly Oversupplied, 85-115 - Appropriately Supply, 75-85 Slightly Undersupplied, and 75 and below Significantly Undersupplied. The foundation of the index is a quarterly release conducted by Zonda. It is necessary to monitor residential lot supply to understand how new home markets may be impacted by the incoming pipeline. About Zonda Zonda represents the housing industrys leading provider of rich data and the industrys top advisors for residential real estate development and new home construction. With products and services geared for homebuilders, multifamily developers, lenders, and financial institutions, we provide innovative solutions to maximize opportunities in today's real estate development landscape. To learn more, visit zondahome.com. Drivers need to start paying attention again now that we are starting the first day of school. Drivers need to note where the school zones are located within their driving route. It is easy to drive on autopilot and accidentally speed through a school zone. Central Florida Bonding announces their newest blog entitled Don't Ignore School Zones. This Orlando, Florida bail bonds agency encourages drivers to be mindful of school zones as the start of the new school year is upon us. Hadi Khouri, owner of Central Florida Bonding, states, The first several days of the new school year also mean an increase in traffic in and around your local schools. To keep everyone safe, please drive more slowly in designated school zones, and stop for school buses when they are loading and unloading. Beyond keeping kids safe, school zones are often regularly monitored by local law enforcement, Khouri stated. The fines you pay for speeding in a school zone in Florida are doubled. Central Florida Bonding offers these tips for staying safe around school zones: Be mindful of the speed limits near schools Obey all traffic laws Speeding in a school zone counts 3 points against your license Speeding 30 mph or more over the speed limit counts as 4 points against your license You will not get a warning for a school zone violation in Florida, even if you are only going 1 mph over the limit These tips and more can be accessed online at: https://cfborlando.com/school-zones/ Khouri adds, Weve all spent the summer months going the same speed around town and our routines are off. Some drivers may have started a new job since school let out in May which could mean a new driving route to and from work. Those folks may be driving through school zones and not really know it until now as school starts up. Drivers need to start paying attention again now that we are starting the first day of school. Drivers need to note where the school zones are located within their driving route. It is easy to drive on autopilot and accidentally speed through a school zone, but even a tiny bit over the speed limit can lead to speeding charges. If you or a family member does end up in jail, then please give us a call at 407-841-3646 to start the bail bond process. Central Florida Bonding has bailed clients out of jail for numerous charges such as DUI, BUI, boating while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated, road rage, identity theft, and more. To start the bail bond process, please call 407-841-3646. Central Florida Bonding is licensed to post bail throughout the state of Florida and with affiliated agencies across the United States. A bail bond agent is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days of the year. All of the bail bond agents at Central Florida Bonding are experienced, knowledgeable and licensed. They are ready to assist with paperwork, can explain the ins and outs of the bail bond process, and can answer questions regarding the criminal justice system. This Orlando bail bond agency serves all of Central Florida including Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Volusia, and Lake Counties. Defendants have benefited from the expertise of Central Florida Bonding since 1979. Khouri states, We have been helping Central Floridians for many years. We can help you too! Please rely on our experience and expertise to guide you through this stressful experience. Central Florida Bonding is located in the Cox Plaza at 2911 39th Street, Suite 300, in Orlando, Florida. To learn more about this bail bond agency, visit online at https://cfborlando.com/, or call 407-841-3646. The Suitcase: an uplifting message of Gods love. The Suitcase is the creation of published author Priscilla Tate Gilmore, a resident of Salem, Oregon, and proud mother of two adult children. Gilmore shares, Beth Paine, a high school junior, remembers the day her daddy left, but she doesnt recall her mother comforting her with hugs or explanations as to why daddy never came home. Ten years later, Beth still suffers from her loss, and her mombusy with a new husband, young kids, and a jobfails to give Beth time. Molly Dettwyler, her best friend, is more interested in boys than helping Beth heal from her pain. But Jimmy Baldwin, a track friend, listens to Beths woes. Even though he has no advice, he promises to pray for her. Not understanding prayer and wanting answers, Beth happens upon an abandoned suitcase in the park. A letter is attached. The author of the letter challenges Beth to take the traveling box home and examine the contents. Will the contents help Beth to push the hurts of the past aside, help her to love God and forgive her mother, or will they cause new problems? Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Priscilla Tate Gilmores new book will bring readers a hopeful story with important lessons layered throughout. Gilmore blends a compelling storyline with dynamic characters that will draw readers in as an impactful story unfolds. Consumers can purchase The Suitcase at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about The Suitcase, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Im looking forward to not only delivering quality service to my customers but also providing the opportunity to further enhance their environment with RapidScales comprehensive cloud portfolio. RapidScale, a Cox Business company, welcomed Samantha Wojenski to the team as senior director of client experience. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wojenski will be reporting to Vice President and General Manager Duane Barnes and is responsible for all aspects of the business, including account management and support of RapidScale customers throughout their lifecycles. By working closely across the organization and with other leaders, Wojenski will ensure the proper management, retention, and growth of RapidScales existing customer base. Prior to RapidScale, Wojenski served as senior vice president of customer success at RegEd, a Software as a Service (SaaS) provider, and has held executive leadership positions at PurePort and TierPoint. She is adept at selling cloud solutions and has extensive knowledge in cloud computing, managed services, SaaS, and enterprise management. Wojenski is reputable for being customer-oriented and delivering quality service, meeting the various needs of her customers. Her experience, skills, and ability to learn about emerging technology have supported her endeavors in account management and contributed to the ongoing success of her customers. I am beyond thrilled to have Samantha on our team and we are extremely honored to have someone of her caliber join the RapidScale family. She is known in the industry for being energetic, dedicated, well-versed in technology, and solution-focused. Our team of client experience managers and our customers will certainly benefit from her experience, skills, and dynamic leadership, said Barnes. Her acumen in sales and account management will be critical for continued growth in the future. As cloud-based solutions are solving many critical business challenges for enterprises, more organizations are turning to the cloud to meet more of their IT needs, said Wojenski. Im looking forward to not only delivering quality service to my customers but also providing the opportunity to further enhance their environment with RapidScales comprehensive cloud portfolio. About RapidScale For IT and business leaders looking to scale, secure, and simplify their IT, RapidScale, a Cox Business Company, is the next-generation managed cloud services provider that aggregates best-in-class cloud technology under a single management portal, enabling IT to accomplish more and providing an exceptional end-user experience. By delivering simple and secure access to company data and applications from anywhere, any time, on any device, RapidScale sets itself apart from other cloud providers through its team of technology experts, award-winning end-user customer support, flexible co-management options, and easy-to-use management portal. For more information on RapidScale, visit http://www.rapidscale.net. About Cox Business Cox Communications owns Cox Business and is a facilities-based provider of voice, video, and data solutions for commercial customers. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at http://www.cox.com. The commercial division of Cox Communications, Cox Business, provides voice, data, and video services for more than 355,000 small and regional businesses nationwide, including health care providers, K12 and higher education; financial institutions; and federal, state and local government organizations. The organization also serves most of the top-tier wireless and wireline telecommunications carriers in the U.S. through its wholesale division. For more information, please visit http://www.coxbusiness.com. Media Contact Nikki Salazar RapidScale, a Cox Business Company nikki.salazar@rapidscale.net Nick Hall heading to the Pacific in San Diego for the traditional end-of-ride tire dip. The global pandemic shut down polio vaccination programs allowing wild polio virus to spread. Hall believes ending polio is within reach for all humankind. Nick Hall, a 74-year-old Rotarian, retired psychoneuroimmunologist and motivational speaker, has finished his fourth cross-country bicycle trip dipping his bicycle tire in the Pacific at Oceanside, CA. The Seattle to San Diego route along the Pacific Coast Highway and US 101 "boxed in the U.S." along the West Coast. Hall rode solo without a support van and was sponsored by Air Animal Pet Movers. Halls rides have all raised funds for Rotary Internationals efforts to end polio in the world. Hes been a self-described thrill seeker since childhood. In the 1960s, Hall wrestled alligators as a summer job in Black Hills, SD before pedaling his bicycle to Massachusetts for the fall semester. Nicks 2015 Pedal Power to End Polio Now excursion began in San Diego and ended in St. Augustine, FL. In 2018 Hall rode from Temple Terrace, FL to the Rotary International Convention in Toronto, Canada. The Seattle to Tampa ride in 2020 challenged Hall with mountain ranges and COVID shutdowns. Can you imagine pedaling all day in summer heat and finding restaurants, gas stations and parks closed? Together, the trips raised $50,400 to end polio. "My goal this year is to get as many $10K donations as possible from individuals and Rotary clubs marking the fact that this trip will put me over the 10,000 mile mark since that first ride in 2015," Hall said. Air Animal Pet Movers, owned by fellow Rotarian Walter M. Woolf, VMD, is the ride's major sponsor.Nicks tenacity and physical capabilities amaze and entertain at the same time as hes helping Rotary reach our goal of a polio-free world. The world beat smallpox. We can win against polio by working togetherespecially with the worldwide COVID endemic, Woolf said. The lead $10,000 donation came from Thomas Dempsey and Alexis Dempsey Doyle. Dr. Nick Hall inspires us all to push to our greatest and furthest extent! His commitment to ending polio now inspires our donation, said Alexis. All donations to the ride through the 501(C)3 Rotary District 6890 Foundation will be sent to the Rotary International Foundation Polio Plus campaign. The global pandemic shut down polio vaccination programs allowing wild polio virus to spread. From a low of 22 cases two countries in 2017 to 140 cases in 2020. Hall believes ending polio is within reach for all humankind. He vividly remembers polio epidemics of his youth when public pools were closed to prevent spreading the virus. See our blog for links to What the Polio Case in New York Tells Us About the End of Polio by Arthur Allen, Kaiser Health News, July 29, 2022 and to donation information. Every donation will be matched by the Gates Foundation. 2022 Ballo di Savoia INVITATION Charity is rooted deeply in the values of the Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy, particularly for medical and humanitarian care for disadvantaged children" The American Foundation of Savoy Orders, Inc. (Savoy Foundation) will host its 25th annual Ballo di Savoia (Royal Savoy Ball) on Saturday, December 17, 2022 in New York City under the patronage of Their Royal Highnesses Prince Victor Emmanuel and Princess Marina of Savoy. H.R.H. Prince Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, Prince of Venice and Prince of Piedmont, will be the guest of honor. H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia will also attend the white tie, red carpet charity event, supported by members and friends of the Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy, which will bring together about 300 guests at a new venue, The University Club in New York City. The winter charity gala will celebrate two milestones: the 25th Silver Anniversary of the Royal Savoy Ball and the 450th Anniversary of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, founded in 1572. The event organizers are asking guests to help raise money for two selected charities: "Cooleys Anemia Foundation" which funds medical research and education to benefit individuals living with the genetic blood disorder, thalassemia, and "A Chance in Life -The Village of Staten Island Program," a US-based program in New York City for forgotten youth dedicated to providing shelter, education, and leadership development for at-risk youth. In a joint statement concerning the 2022 Ballo di Savoia to be held on the weekend of December 16-18, Messrs. Carl Morelli, Chairman of the American Foundation of Savoy Orders and Joseph Sciame, its President, commented: We are absolutely looking forward to yet another successful Ballo di Savoia in New York City at Fifth Avenues famous University Club on Saturday, December 17th, as we welcome hundreds of our members and guests at this annual event. This year, the two charities that provide direct support for children to which we are dedicating our efforts at fundraising and fulfill the Savoy Foundations mission of Chivalry for Children's Causes are: Cooleys Anemia Foundation and A Chance for Life in New York City, formerly known as Boys and Girls Town of Italy." The Ballo di Savoia is organized by the American Foundation of Savoy Orders, which is supported by 200 knights and dames in the United States who are members of the American Delegation of Savoy Orders. The American Delegation is part of the historic dynastic and chivalric Orders of the thousand-year Royal House of Savoy, which united Italy as a kingdom between 1860 and 1871. Prior to Saturdays evening Gala, a reception on Friday evening, December 16 at the Lotos Club will be held for guests attending the Savoy Ball. For more information on supporting the Ballo di Savoia click here and the Fund-A-Need for Chivalry For Childrens Causes click here CONTACT: Larissa Van Duser, Executive Director, American Foundation of Savoy Orders amsavoy@aol.com, +1 212 972 0495 ABOUT THE ROYAL HOUSE OF SAVOY The Dynastic Orders of the Royal House of Savoy are among the oldest orders of Knighthood and Merit in the world. The Savoy Orders are headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland and have 35 Delegations worldwide that support the Orders ongoing charitable works. Their origins and their principles, traditions and humanitarian goals date back a thousand years. H.R.H Prince Victor Emmanuel of Savoy, Prince of Naples and Duke of Savoy, is Head of the House of Savoy and Grand Master of the Savoy Orders. Prince Emanuele Filiberto is his son and the hereditary crown Prince of Italy and currently serves as President of the Council of the Savoy Orders. In 1946, when the Kingdom of Italy came to an end, the House of Savoy was the Europes oldest reigning dynasty. The heads of the House of Savoy had ruled, first as counts, then as dukes and finally as kings, for almost a thousand years. Descended in the direct male line from a tenth-century vassal of the Holy Roman Emperor, the Savoys ruled Savoy, where they established their capital at Chambery. Their dominion was eventually extended to include Piedmont, Aosta and other territories in what are now Italy, France and Switzerland. By the eighteenth century, the Savoys were kings of Sardinia, and it was under the aegis of the House of Savoy that the Italian states were united by 1871. The Royal Familys heritage can be seen in castles and palaces, and in the beauty of the northwestern Italian city of Turin, the Savoys' magnificent capital in the heart of Piedmont in the 16th into the 19th centuries. The dynastic chivalric traditions of the Royal House of Savoy continue. The Order of the Annunciation and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, two of the world's oldest knightly institutions, are still alive today, epitomizing the dynasty's medieval spirit while supporting very modern charitable works in Italy, Switzerland, France, Japan, the Americas and elsewhere. Chivalry lives. Today, the House of Savoy remains one of the oldest royal dynasties. ABOUT THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION AND DELEGATION OF SAVOY ORDERS Headquartered in New York City, the American Delegation of Savoy Orders, which includes the United States of America, is among the 35 delegations of the Savoy Orders located throughout Europe, the Americas and Japan. The American Foundation of Savoy Orders, Incorporated, http://www.savoia.org a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supports local, national, and international charities focusing on medical, educational, and humanitarian fields, including philanthropy for U.S. veterans, hospitals and relief agencies for children, the poor, sick and elderly. In 2005, the Foundation became a Non-Governmental Organization in Roster Consultative Statues with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. In 2019, the Savoy Foundation launched a new charitable initiative - Chivalry for Childrens Causes - a multi-year program assisting institutions and charitable organizations that provide aid to children and families in need, building stable, healthy families, whether enrichment spaces or basic meals for improved health and stable living conditions in poor economic environments. The program is made possible thanks to generous support from the members and friends of the American Delegation of Savoy Orders. James Hodge Hyundai offers a $500 bonus to Army personnel under their Military Program for purchasing or leasing a Hyundai vehicle from the dealership. As a mark of respect to the people who safeguard national security, the James Hodge Hyundai dealership in Muskogee, Oklahoma, has launched a military program to benefit military personnel. The program offers an additional bonus of $500 on the purchase or lease of a Hyundai vehicle from the dealership. The beneficiaries can include people (or their spouses) who are on Active Duty, Retired, or Veterans of the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, National Guard, or Reserves since the program commencement period. They will also have to provide valid proof of the status claimed to be eligible for the discount that will last through January 2, 2023. Interested customers can visit the Military Program Page to learn more about the offer eligibility. The offer is applied towards the down payment on finance contracts and towards the amount due at lease signing on lease contracts. This offer will not exempt sales tax and is limited to the pre-defined terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to a vehicle's sale. Also, the offer is not available for fleet vehicles and in places where it's prohibited by law. The Military Program cannot be combined with the Hyundai Circle Plan Sales or the First Responders Program. For more information and inquiries, visit James Hodge Hyundai located at 1330 North Main Street, Muskogee, Oklahoma 74401, or contact the Sales Representative at 833-331-0067. Dr. Cole Steber is now seeing patients at University Cancer & Blood Centers Radiation Oncology Clinic in Athens "Its an honor for me to help guide a patient through treatment, using the latest technology and instilling hope along the way," says Dr. Cole Steber, University Cancer & Blood Center. University Cancer & Blood Center (UCBC), a leading oncology and hematology practice for Northeast Georgia, welcomes Dr. Cole Steber, a board-certified clinical and radiation oncologist. This continues UCBCs tradition of enlisting best-in-class physicians to deliver the highest possible patient care. Dr. Steber is now seeing patients at the UCBC Athens-Clarke County Radiation Oncology Clinic (220 Hawthorne Park, Athens). He joins UCBCs expert team, specializing in the radiation therapy treatment of patients who have a wide variety of cancers. Like all of UCBCs radiation oncologists, Dr. Steber works closely with medical oncologists, surgeons, and other doctors to coordinate the most appropriate care for each patient. Radiation therapy uses carefully targeted and regulated doses of high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells. Dr. Steber exemplifies all of the qualities we look for in a radiation oncologist, says Dr. Petros G. Nikolinakos, Managing Partner and Director of Clinic Research. Hes caring, intuitive, and highly skilled. Were thrilled to have him on board, and hes already making a difference in the lives of our patients. After earning his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington, Ky., Dr. Steber completed his residency at the Wake Forest School of Medicine where he served as chief resident from 2020-2021. He is a member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, American Society for Clinical Oncology, and American Board of Radiology. The passion I have for my work is personal, says Dr. Steber. My mother is a cancer survivor, and I know firsthand the toll this disease can take on a patient and their family. Thats why its an honor for me to help guide a patient through treatment, using the latest technology and instilling hope along the way. Radiation oncology appointments can be made by visiting UniversityCancer.com or by calling (706) 548-0500. About UCBC University Cancer & Blood Center has been Northeast Georgias leading cancer and hematology treatment center for over 40 years. Our highly skilled medical professionals, whose backgrounds include working at the nations leading cancer centers, provide every patient with the most advanced cancer care available in an atmosphere of care and compassion. For more information, visit universitycancer.com or call (706) 353-2990. Seventy-five years ago, Partition displaced more than 15 million South Asians: Muslims to West and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and Hindus and Sikhs to India. In her picture book The Moon from Dehradun, Shirin Shamsi shares her mothers Partition storyof Azra, who accidentally leaves her doll, Gurya, in Dehradun as her family makes a harrowing overnight journey to Lahorewith the youngest readers. Partition is the largest forced migration in history, and yet so few people have heard of it, Shamsi said. Many friends have reached out to me now that theyve watched Ms. Marvel, and said, I didnt know anything about this! Im glad people are learning about it. The book is illustrated by Pixar animator Tarun Lak, who brought his own perspectives to bear on the text. I grew up in India, and the history and the effects of Partition are something that we live with, he said. Working on this book was about better understanding the place I come from. PW spoke with Shamsi and Lak about their craft, research, and representing the weight of history. Shirin Shamsi What were the challenges of getting the words on paper? The challenges were to convey the story in an authentic way, and from a childs perspective. When I decided to become a writer many decades ago, I knew I wanted to tell my mothers story, but it weighed so heavily. It overwhelmed me. Id heard my mothers story, but I knew I couldnt write all the tragedy, because that would just be too heavy for a child. At the same time, I wanted the background history, because that was very important to me. When I dug deeper, I realized that this was just one story. There are millions of stories that were never heard. So many people have passed away and carried their stories with them. The world needs to know these stories. I wanted my own children to know them, because theres a whole generation that didnt speak of this because of that intergenerational trauma. Did you always know you wanted to tell your story in picture book form? Definitely, because I knew that going into too much detail would probably take its toll on me emotionally. I dont think I have that capacity to write such a traumatic story with so much depth. With picture books, you can write important, emotional stories with pictures complementing them. I love the form. In what ways did you and Tarun collaborate? He reached out to me and asked me if I had photographs of my grandparents. He sent me a list of specific questions, like what kind of clothes they wore. When I saw his first sketches, especially of the father character, I just cried because it reminded me of my Nana. I cried many times while writing the story, and then again, seeing Taruns illustrations. They are packed with movement and emotion. What are your hopes for young people and their families as they read this book? As I was researching, I talked to friends whose families migrated to India and yet our stories were identical. In the last spread, I wanted to convey that we eat the same food, speak the same language, and wear the same clothes. And yet this hatredwhere did it come from? Its heartbreaking. In 75 years, theres still mistrust, yet we are neighbors and we are kin. I hope my stories can be a bond and bring people together. Tarun Lak Have you always wanted to illustrate a picture book? My core interest was always in film, but I drew a lot as a kid. The subject matter of this book drew me in. Its a personal story set in this very important historic time that has affected India and Pakistan in a very direct way. I had first studied Partition in school, but now as an adult, I understand the weight of it much more significantly. What was it like to think about a story in pages and spreads, instead of frames? I was skeptical at first, but I found it to be fairly similar. Film is a moving medium, but I think in images and how I use movement through those images. Even though theres no movement in picture books, Ive found my understanding of timing and movement in film helped me in pacing. I used more visual information to slow the reader down or varied the structure of the image itself so that the reader could move through it quicker. The book includes illustrations of iconic imagesof people fleeing on the tops of trains. What were your inspirations? I did research without doing too much artwork, so that I didnt get tied down to some of my own ideas before I did the homework. I watched filmslike Earth with Aamir Khan, and Sardar Udham, which was partially set in Punjab during the freedom strugglegetting inspired by how they composed images, the details on screen, the time period of architecture, and sort of the mood they were able to capture. I read a lot of articles and gathered pictures from that time. The book ends with a wordless spread. How did you come to that ending? That was the hardest spread to draw because it is wordless. I wanted to mirror the main characters experience with the girl who found her doll. I struggled with what I was really trying to say: Is it about India and Pakistans lost connection? Is it about the land thats been split? There were several iterations of the spread before I landed on the two girls on their verandas. The story starts at dusk, and then is about the roller coaster of traveling across the border into a newly formed country. Its subtle, but theres a sunrise on that last spread to signify that this is a new beginning for them, and it is also about not forgetting their past. The Moon from Dehradun: A Story of Partition by Shirin Shamsi, illus. by Tarun Lak. Atheneum, $18.99 Sept. 13 ISBN 978-1-66590-679-1 Two weeks ahead of publication, Alex Asters series opener Lightlark, which earned her a six-figure deal in 2021, has already drawn attention with more than 20 million views under the hashtag #Lightlark on TikTok, and has a film deal. After publishing two middle grade books, Curse of the Night Witch and Curse of the Forgotten City, Aster is making her YA debut with this fantasy novel. Lightlark follows the journey of Isla Crown, the ruler of Wilding, one of six cursed realms fighting to break curses placed over their lands before it is too late. The only way to do so is competing in the Centennial, a competition taking place on an island that only appears once every 100 years, where rulers of each realm come to unravel the prophecys riddles to bring peace to their lands, while putting their lives at risk. Isla arrives at the Centennial with her blades and her wits as her only weapons to save her realm, but romance with other rulers may prove to be a distraction. Aster first clued readers into the concept for this book last year on TikTok, where she has amassed over 900,000 followers. She dropped a teaser explaining the books premise and asked if people would be interested in reading it. The response was overwhelmingly supportive. Its difficult to think about What if no one wants [to read] it. Then to have those thousands of comments being so supportive and positiveit really made me keep going, Aster said. Asters teaser currently sits at 2.8 million views. Her idea was embraced by the TikTok community she has long been involved in, which she describes as the friends I never had growing up. The road to Lightlarks publication had several obstacles, Aster said, including separating with her first agent and facing several rejections from publishers, who claimed that the market was too saturated. It was definitely tumultuous right before this [TikTok success] happened for Lightlark, Aster told PW. It was like the lowest point of my career, where I thought, I have no agent. My previous book came out during the pandemic. My sales record isnt great. No ones going to want to publish me. And then that video changed everything. Support from TikTok was motivating for Aster in the face of traditional publishing obstacles, a reminder that the community she was building was her audience. I wrote this for me, Aster said. [And] I wrote this for readers like me who enjoy all these elements. I truly believed there was an audience for it, even if publishing didnt really see it. Ahead of its release, Lightlark has already become a #1 Amazon bestseller in the Teen & Young Adult Fantasy & Supernatural Mysteries & Thrillers category. The Hollywood Reporter announced last month that Universal had bought the rights to the book in a preempt, in partnership with Temple Hill, with Aster taking a role as an executive producer. Im just so lucky, Aster said, not only for Universals commitment to it, and their love for the book, but also, the producers are known for such great movies like Twilight and Maze Runner. Its really a dream come true. The producers Aster is referring to is Wyck Godfrey, producer of several book-to-film adaptations including Stephenie Meyerss Twilight franchise, Angie Thomass The Hate You Give, John Greens The Fault in Our Stars, and more. Lexi Barta and Jacqueline Garell will oversee the project on behalf of Universal, and Godfrey and Annika Patton will oversee for Temple Hill. With all the buzz surrounding the novels approaching publication, Aster is still focused on ensuring audiences get the reading experience they signed up for. Everyones been on this journey with me, and everyones support has helped me get to this place, she said. The least I can do is write a good book for them to enjoy. Two childrens publishers have joined forces to create one comprehensive brand that encompasses fiction and nonfiction titles for readers. Algonquin Young Readers, along with the Workman Childrens Publishing Group, now produces titles across all genres, enabling their books to reach a larger, more well-rounded audience. The partnership allows us to leverage each others strengths and also enables us to realize economies of scale, said AYR publisher Stacy Lellos. Were excited to make it even easier for agents to publish with us across their portfolios, and for our talent to have even more opportunities to bring their voices to different ages and categories. Helping to mark the publishing partnership is Algonquins first-ever picture book, Beatrice Likes the Dark by April Genevieve Tucholke (Sept. 13), a celebration of two sisters and the differences that comprise their relationship. As the company revs up for the year ahead, Lellos discussed the imprints direction and whats on tap for fall and winter rollouts. Leading the Charge At the helm of the AYR team are editorial director Cheryl Klein, who joined the company in June; senior editor Krestyna Lypen; editor Sarah Alpert; and art director Laura Williams. Lypen was instrumental in bringing Beatrice to light after Tucholkes manuscript crossed her desk. Krestyna loved Aprils wonderful writing; Beatrice, who will appeal to the many aspiring witches and baby goths out there; and how the storys celebration of two sisters contrasts and connections could be read both at Halloween and year-round, Lellos said. This title will be promoted with a package of Beatrices Potions, complete with hot chocolate and iced tea mixes for concocting special brews, distributed to select booksellers. In addition to Beatrice, AYR will build out its picture book and chapter book lists, while continuing to focus on contemporary realism, mystery/thriller, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ releases. Wed love to find some great new authors to sweep us away in YA romance or fantasy, Lellos added. Altogether, our goal is to do books that are honest in their storytelling, beautiful in their execution, and fresh in their visions, from beginning to end. On the docket for fall are two YA horror titlesOur Shadows Have Claws, edited by Yamile Saied Mendez and Amparo Ortiz, a Latinx horror anthology, and Dead Flip by Sara Farizan, set in a haunted arcade during the 1980s, along with the fourth installment in Elizabeth Bunces Myrtle Hardcastle middle-grade mystery series and Gillian Frenchs teen thriller Sugaring Off. AYR will promote Shadows during the Latinx Kidlit Festival in October with a digital swag bag for librarians and booksellers. In addition, a curated list of 50 booksellers will receive a Sugaring Off galley and a maple sugar sample from promotional partner Mount Cabot Maple. Meanwhile, Workman Kids is concentrating on nonfiction with its longstanding and successful Brain Quest, Big Fat Notebooks, Indestructibles, and Paint by Sticker lines. Eighteen new titles are slated for fall and winter launches, including six My First Brain Quest board books in January. Also of note are the more recent ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez, illustrated by Lauren Semmer, and the English and Spanish editions of My Voice/Escucha mi voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border by Warren Binford. An important part of our mission is to publish books to help children understand the world around them, and the Workman Kids list will continue to reflect that, Lellos said. Finally, AYRs fall and winter entries will include 10 new titlesSunny and Oswaldo by Nicole Melleby (in her picture book debut), illustrated by Alexandra Colombo, and Mermaid and Pirate by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Leisl Adams, round out the picture book offeringsalong with two paperback releases of previously published hardcovers. This expanded portfolio should help position the imprint for future growth, they hope, particularly when attracting new authors. Both Workman Kids and AYR have always been devoted to the voices and visions of its amazing authors, and we plan to keep that a priority as we welcome more, and more diverse, voices, Lellos said. The Society for Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators hosted 1,588 registered attendees for its recent Summer Conference, and nearly 1,000 of them tuned in to hear views from the other side of the query letter. Editors Tiffany Liao and Namrata Tripathi, and agents Elena Giovinazzo and James Mustilier, spoke with SCBWI advisory board member and media consultant Emma Dryden about The Current Market for Childrens Publishing and what has been crossing (or waiting to be read on) their desks in recent months. Dryden led with a question about how the global pivot during Covid has affected projects. Liao, who joined Zando last year as executive editor, believes that restructured time and supply-chain delays have helped her zero in on non-negotiable values. So much of what we were doing before felt automatic, she said. We knew if you wanted to publish a big fantasy, it had to publish on this month [with a certain imprint or editor]. Now we can no longer lock in these guarantees. Tripathi, founder/publisher of Penguins Kokila imprint, warned authors to expect hiccups: pub dates vary, printers get backlogged, and picture book creators may have to settle for a regular coated paper over their ideal toothy uncoated stock. It is not because we value your book any less; it doesnt mean any decreased enthusiasm for your book, she said. We have a plan B, and there are a lot of smart people thinking about it. Liao concurred, saying: Your readers are still going to find your book, [even though] its moved two months out from now. You have that campaign in place, we have these connections. [An] emphasis on pub dates can sometimes lead to a lot of anxiety, but it's not reflective of how readers are finding the books. At Pippin Properties, v-p and senior agent Elena Giovinazzo said the industry shake-up has helped her practice extending grace across her professional network. Debut authors and high-profile clients alike have struggled creatively during the pandemic, she said. From the outside, it may look as though industry successes breeze through anything, when actually people put on a good face. On the subject of empathy, however, manuscripts about coping may have already peaked for agents. Although Giovinazzo noted that theres always room for something new and different, she described her experience of having just gone out on submission with a book about grief. Ive never gotten so many glowing rejections for a manuscript in my life, but everyone had already acquired two or three grief books in the last year. Tripathi admitted that writing about our zeitgeist can feel gimmicky, yet she sees room to chronicle our major civil rights moment and reckoning of American history and culture. Theres so much at play that I think we are all transformed by it, and if a thoughtful writer does the work of helping us see the ways in which we change as humans, that's so satisfying. Mustelier, an agent with the Bent Agency, sees an opportunity to shine attention on overlooked regions and voices. Publishing is decentralizing from New York, he reminded listeners, and agents can pitch stories from outside the mainstream. Tripathi agreed that arbitrary borders have determined how and where to work, and whose stories mattered. Not only has a shift to remote offices enabled Kokila to hire from outside New York, but the decentralizing of publishing may be one of the most effective or meaningful changes to diversity in publishing for prospective authors too. Tripathi acknowledged the ongoing seriousness of our health crisis and political moment, and also finds that having spoken to others from marginalized backgrounds that arent as well-represented in publishing, there is a certain ease that comes from being able to have every day from home, and not necessarily put on the armor [for] spaces that are maybe not made for you. This shift could give writers the clarity to recognize stories they need to tell: Sometimes your authorial voice is also an extension of who you are as a person. What is the responsibility youre feeling in this moment? What does it mean for young people to see stories about folks who are not like them? On the subject of diversity and politics, Dryden questioned the panelists on whether book challenges give them or their authors pause in regard to subject matter. Giovinazzothe agent whose perseverance led to Jason Reynoldss publishing debutadvised authors, Continue to be fearless in your creativity. Tripathi agreed that authors and editors shouldnt shy from censors, while invoking a remark from Reynolds that a books censorship is not a badge of honor, its a tragedy. It means that someone who needs that book cant get it, right? Tripathi urged people in the industry to support teachers and librarians at the grassroots level. At the same time, she stated that we must not conflate censorship with a manuscripts failure to find a publisher. Receiving critique because maybe your book has not been fully thought through, or you dont have the expertise to speak for a certain community, is not the same thing as a book being censored in a school district or across an entire state, she cautioned listeners. Authors still must question whether [they] are the best person to tell a story, rather than rush to cry foul on publishers who reject them: I find that really disingenuous and harmful. After a conversation about BookTok (Tripathi sees it less as a marketing tool than a marketing gift we sometimes receive from enthusiastic fans), Dryden moved on to the question every SCBWI author was waiting for: Who is open to submissions, and what kind? I am currently open to submissions, but the reality is that my submission inbox is really overwhelming, Giovinazzo said. We had 250 queries come in just over the weekend. Mustelier is still getting back to baseline and not open to queries for the moment, yet he suggested an appetite for a melding and blending of genres and and literary execution, as well as stories that are willing to operate on in different emotional registers at different points, the way a horror novel can use humor, or a light romance can take a moment to engage with something heavy and emotionally weighty. Liao, who calls herself a one-woman team, is bringing on an assistant and is open to middle-grade and YA. As for Tripathi, At Kokila, we are open to unagented submissions, and Penguin Young Readers is developing a program to invite the samewhich was music to the ears of the hundreds of aspiring SCBWI authors and illustrators who had checked into the editor/agent panel. New Voices New Rooms, the joint virtual gathering of the New Atlantic and Southern Independent Booksellers Associations, convened from August 8-10. The new rooms approximated in-person experiences through an owners discussion and a childrens booksellers retreat on Zoom, and attendees could browse a galley room featuring 314 DRCs and an online grid of 40 publishers and vendors. The new voices included authors introducing their books and booksellers navigating up-to-the-minute concerns about planning pandemic-era events, setting up point-of-sale systems, and navigating political divides in their communities. Alison Reid of Diesel (Santa Monica) and Josh Christie of Print (Portland, Me.) walked booksellers through Buying Criteria, suggesting ways of filtering the vast middle ground of titles that may not align with a stores mission: I always keep in mind what I want my shop to represent, Reid said. That questionwhat does a bookstore represent?guided two powerful panels at NVNR: Responding to Hate and Banned Books. In the first, moderator E. R. Anderson of the feminist bookstore Charis Books and More talked with Nathan Bernstein of the D.C.area restaurant-and-book chain Busboys and Poets, Hannah Oliver Depp of Loyalty Bookstore, and Kirsten Hess of Lets Play Books about their interactions with detractors, troubled customers, and community members who come to argue rather than to browse. Their discussion acknowledged an ongoing need for safety plans and de-escalation training, along the lines of a popular 2021 ABA workshop. Sometimes theres this idea that bookstores can be utopian spaces, [yet] theyre part of the world, said Anderson. All of the panelists reflected on uneasy confrontations in person and online. At Lets Play Books, in Emmaus, Pa., Hesss neighbors often disagree with her anti-racist, social-justice standpoint. They will not step foot in the store, and therefore most of the hate comes on the Internet in forms of trolling or via postcards, Hess said. It feels very personal, and she fears for her teenage employees, yet she sees it as her role to speak out locally and to be a resource for small-town booksellers. Depp said that when she opened Loyalty Bookstore, which has locations in Silver Spring and in the gentrifying Petworth neighborhood of Washington, D.C., I knew I was creating a target. Loyalty is clearly Black- and queer-owned, with a mission to increase diversity of all marginalized voices in the book industry as well as creating career booksellers of color. But most people see us as their general neighborhood bookstore. She feels fiercely protective of her employees and her community members, and while she willingly engages in genuine debate, When someone has no recognition of your humanity, that's how I decide whether it's de-escalation, or starting a conversation, and when it's out of the store, shut the door, we're done. Bernstein, who said, I am very obviously and visibly queer, and Im specifically nonbinary, finds that people occasionally will engage with me around pronouns and identity. One of the incidents that firmly established Busboys as a positive working environment for me was that somebody put in a special order for Helen Joyces Trans and did not realize what the book was about, Bernstein recalled. It's an extremely transphobic book, and I turned to my supervisor [to say] this is not a book that I want to sell. My manager backed me up 100%. Bernstein, now a supervisor, strives to respect staffers decisions at such tense moments. Book Bans and the Censors Marker If the banned-books panel has become obligatory at bookseller gatherings, NVNRs trio came to the topic with productive fury and practical talking points. Author Amy Sarig King joined Sam Droke-Dickinson, co-owner of Aaron's Books in Lititz, Pa., and David Grogan, who represents the American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFE). Kings forthcoming novel, Attack of the Black Rectangles (Sept. 6), concerns censored copies of Jane Yolens The Devils Arithmetic, and is based on a real experience. Black rectangles, crossing out words deemed offensive, marked every copy of Yolens novel distributed at her son's school in 2018. I went to try and figure out who did this, and why, and the school laughed me off, said King. I wanted a better outcome, so I made a fictional one, and in that fictional outcome, the students needed to be involved. King expresses immense compassion for teenagers, and her anger stems from a lifelong critical stance: I was one of those kids in the eighties Its the same as when Tipper Gore wanted to come after my Prince album. Kings neighborhood bookstore is Aarons Books, and she has a close ally in Droke-Dickinson, who came prepared with a list of action items: get to know your school board, keep up with the ALAs challenged book lists, make displays of recently challenged books, local and nationwide, and Donate the books to parent groups, little free libraries, local non-profits if possible. In 2021, Droke-Dickinsons run for school board coincided with a notorious book-banning campaign in York County, Pa.s Central York School District. So I reached out as the bookstore to the other candidates who were running to stop this, and I worked with them to do a book drive to get these banned books into the hands of the children in the community, she explained. As citizens, but specifically booksellers, you can help your community, because I 100% guarantee, no matter where you are, there is a book currently being challenged in your school. When she helped young people get involved, their outcry helped raise awareness of censorship. But burnout took its toll: I will be blunt, said Droke-Dickinson. I do not go to school board meetings anymore, because the trauma was too much for me. So keep an eye on your mental health. Be aware that there could be retaliations against your store. In the chat, listeners suggested using a popular sideline, stickers, to promote conversation around bans. Others directed booksellers to the Violet Fox Bookshops resource page on the pending Virginia case on obscenity. Sidelines and Adding Value Lisa Swayze, of the cooperatively owned Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca, N.Y., and Valerie Koehler, of Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Tex., led an education panel on Income Beyond Selling Books. Swayzes research indicates that a successful indie bookstore needs to make 20% of their income selling something other than books. Koehler agreed that 20% is about what we do in sidelines like stationery and games. Where stores like Chicagos Seminary Co-op become nonprofits, building donations into their bottom line and claiming bookselling is a social good, said Swayze, traditional bookstores need to keep up with the rapid pace of retail profitability. She explained that Buffalo Street partners with literacy organizations and started the Ithaca Book Festival to raise their profile, and they have followed the lead of restaurants by adding a simple donation option to the checkout process: It's really small, like two, five, or 10% on a sale. We find that 99% of customers happily want to do it. An idea may seem small, but with margins as tight as they are, a small wiggle, a small amount can make a big difference when your percentages are already that tight, said Swayze. The examples poured in from listeners. Bill Reilly (Rivers End, Oswego, N.Y.) charges for home deliveries of books, and Candice Huber (Tubby & Coos, New Orleans) offers board game rentals. Julia Davis of the Book Worm in Powder Springs, Ga., brings in pop-up shops to generate traffic to your store; people want to support local. Davis also turned her store floor into an oversize, playable Candy Land board to lure visitors. Adah Fitzgerald of Main Street Books in Davidson, Ga., organized a bookstore crawl and encourages artists to do multiweek pop-up shops in her space: A felt flower artist worked really well for us in the weeks leading up to Mothers Day. Dorothy Pittman of Hortons Books and Gifts in Carrollton, Ga., has a cat treat dispenser, encouraging customers to get to know the bookstore cats, and Erin Matthews of the Last Word in Mount Airy, Md., generates donations with an Amazon swear jar, a joking reference to the A-word. As a reminder of the announcement on June 30, Purdue University President-elect Mung Chiang will be meeting with faculty, staff and students at Purdues West Lafayette campus during the 2022-23 academic year, including listening to every tenure-track/tenured, clinical and research faculty. Listening sessions with faculty will begin Aug. 16. Chiang will host up to five faculty members in each half-hour listening session, with the goal of meeting with all the faculty colleagues by April 2023. With more than 2,000 faculty members, there will be approximately 450 sessions. The dates to sign up for fall 2022 sessions are available online. Faculty can choose to sign up for the date and time they prefer. Dates for spring 2023 will be made available at a later time. Faculty in the College of Engineering are encouraged to wait for the spring time slots, as many faculty have previously met with Chiang individually during his listening tour when he arrived five years ago. Listening sessions with student, faculty, staff, and alumni organizations are being arranged. Individual students and staff are also invited to sign up during the weekly listening hours online. Throughout the 2022-23 academic year, Chiang will visit Purdue's regional campuses, statewide locations, and Extension offices in all 92 counties. Launched in 2019, Crime+Investigation is available via Amazon Prime Video Channels and Apple TV Channels in the UK , Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands and the new direct-to-consumer rollout is intended to see it become widely available to true crime fans in the UK through a Crime+Investigation Play app and across multiple platforms.Embodying what it says is the unique brand proposition of Truth is Worth Pursuing, A+E Networks believes that its Crime+Investigation segment has firmly established itself as the UK's authority on true crime, boasting the most compelling content in the true crime space. Offering over 1,000 hours of premium programming and local originals at launch, the network says that the new DTC service will be the ultimate subscription video-on-demand offer for true crime content in the UK. Crime+Investigation Play direct-to-consumer will offer true crime boxsets, a library of browsable content, curated collections and new content available weekly, including the latest UK commissions such as Rob Rinder's Interrogation Secrets and Murdertown 4; franchises such as Meet, Marry, Murder, The Jail: 60 Days In, Killer Britain with Dermot Murnaghan, Homicide Hunter and The First 48; and docu-series such as Surviving R. Kelly, Secrets of Playboy and Surviving Jeffrey Epstein.Commenting on the launch, Dean Possenniskie, managing director, A+E Networks UK & EMEA said: The popularity of true crime content has exploded in the last few years, and as a leading broadcaster in this space, Crime+Investigation has played a key role in that growth. Its clear proposition, quality content, and journalistic integrity have helped to transform the broad appeal of true crime programming. Our ambition now is to bring the most comprehensive collection of premium true crime programming to new audiences in the UK while continuing to grow the quality of this passion brand with established partners such as Sky, Virgin, and Amazon." The third season of TLC's popular reality show 90 Day: The Single Life will premiere on Sept. 12, the network said Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT The show will chronicle the lives of former reality show contestants looking to get back into the world of dating. Season 3 will feature six singles from across the various spinoffs who are all looking to get back in relationships. This includes Debbie, a 69-year-old widow, Caesar, a 49-year-old nail tech and fan favorite, and Tania, a 32-year-old who recently traveled to Aruba following her recent breakup. Also appearing are Natalie, a 37-year-old looking to start a family, Veronica, a 36-year-old who is friends with her ex, Tim, who has appeared in 90 Day Fiance, and Tiffany, a 30-year-old who recently underwent weight loss surgery. "Viewers will follow six determined singles who are diving back into the world of romance after their failed international relationships," TLC said in a press release. "Tackling relationship challenges ranging from commitment-phobia to meddling matchmakers to ever-present ex-boyfriends, these six singles are taking another chance on love." "As they re-enter the dating game, these singles will be thrown their fair share of curveballs," the network said. "Will their budding romances hit it out of the park or, will they strike out once again?" A trailer for the upcoming season, which will premiere on both TLC and the streaming service Discovery+, was also recently released. 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 show is a spinoff of TLC's other popular series, 90 Day Fiance, which follows foreign couples who have applied for a foreign citizen, or K-1 visa, and as a result, have only 90 days to marry each other. Beyond 90 Day: The Single Life, TLC has developed an entire slate of spinoff series based on 90 Day Fiance, including following couples who met online, updates from the original show, and Americans who expatriate to other nations. Another one of the popular spinoffs, 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After, is also premiering soon, with the show's seventh season returning Aug. 28. Unlike The Single Life, Happily Ever After will follow the lives of previous contestants who have stayed together, and show the next phases of their relationships. Kieran Culkin says his toddler daughter picked up a curse word from his swearing. ADVERTISEMENT The 39-year-old actor said on Wednesday's episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that he recently made the mistake of swearing in front of his 2-year-old daughter, Kinsey Sioux. Culkin shares Kinsey and son Wilder Wolf, who turns one year old next week, with his wife, Jazz Charton. On The Late Show, Culkin said Kinsey is "at an age now where she just repeats everything." "I never had a filter, since I was a kid. I had a tutor when I was nine years old who I never cursed in front of. She goes, 'Don't. It's just a word. Say whatever you want,'" he said. "So I just let loose and my daughter will repeat things sometimes." Culkin said the incident happened while he was making his kids breakfast after his wife had a bad night's sleep. "I said, 'You sleep in, I'll take the kids and give them breakfast,'" the actor recalled. "I'm making oatmeal ... and as I'm making it, I think of something I did at work that I could have done better and I just went, '[Expletive].'" "I hear my daughter, 'Daddy, what [expletive] is?' I sort of keep making the oatmeal," he said. "'Daddy? Daddy? Daddy?' 'Yeah, honey? What? I can hear you.' 'What [expletive] is?' Ignore it. 'Daddy?'" 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! Culkin then tried to distract his daughter with the peach she wanted. "I had two or three options there. Like, do what I just did -- ignore it and then give her a [expletive] peach, which is what I did," the star said. "Then there was my instinct, which was to just laugh my ass off, but then that encourages it." "Then there's the 'good parenting' thing, which would be to take a knee and explain to her that that is a bad word that daddy said and you shouldn't do it. But I know my daughter. If I did that, she would just have one in the chamber at all times," he added. Culkin plays Roman Roy on the HBO series Succession. The series is nominated for several awards at the Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Culkin. Metallica, Jonas Brothers and Rosalia will perform at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival. ADVERTISEMENT Global Citizen announced a lineup of performers for the annual event Thursday. Global Citizen is a worldwide campaign calling on world leaders to end extreme poverty. This year's festival will take place Sept. 24 and have two events -- one at Central Park in New York and one at Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana. Actress and Global Citizen ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas will host Global Citizen Festival: NYC. The event will feature performances from Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, Maneskin, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton and Rosalia. Usher , SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, H.E.R., Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and Tems will perform live at Global Citizen Festival: Accra. Both concerts will broadcast or stream on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, Twitter, YouTube and more. In addition, the events will air as the primetime special "Global Citizen Festival: Take Action Now" Sept. 25 on ABC. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 79F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 79F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Hartford Police Department /contributed photo HARTFORD A man is expected to survive being stabbed in the neck Wednesday night after a liquor store brawl, city police said. The stabbing happened about 9 p.m. in the 100-block of Barbour Street. Officers responding to a call about the stabbing found the victim walking south on Barbour, bleeding from his neck, according to Lt. Aaron Boisvert. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A Connecticut judge said on Wednesday that she was gravely concerned over the possible release of private medical records of several Sandy Hook family members by attorneys representing the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis of Waterbury ordered Norm Pattis, one of Jones many attorneys, to explain how, exactly, those medical records wound up in the hands of Jones attorney in Texas. Pattis is expected to explain what happened during a hearing that will likely take place next week, amid a series of lawsuits pitting Jones against the families he repeatedly defamed by claiming that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax. Pattis must also explain what actions he and other attorneys representing Jones in his hometown of Austin took to protect the confidentiality of the records of several of the plaintiffs who are suing Jones, Bellis said. The possibility that those records had been mishandled was revealed last week, when an attorney representing two Sandy Hook parents stunned a Texas courtroom by announcing that Jones attorneys had mistakenly sent a cache of documents to him that included medical records and the entire contents of Jones cellphone. I am clearly gravely concerned about what I have to hear in headlines on the news, Bellis said during a remote hearing to discuss the matter on Wednesday. It was never reported to me by counsel that there were any issues, but just what I read in the news. Pattis, a New Haven attorney, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday following the hearing, where he was represented by attorney Wesley Mead. Mead requested that any future hearings be held privately to protect Pattis from potential damage to his reputation and character, but Judge Bellis denied that request. The hearing nominally occurred as part of a case in which eight family members of Sandy Hook victims and an FBI agent who responded to the scene are suing Jones for defamation. Judge Bellis, however, said that potential release of the families medical records was an issue between the court and Attorney Pattis. Bellis noted that it is not the first time that Pattis and other attorneys representing Jones have been accused of misconduct, calling the number of disciplinary cases to stem from the lawsuit unprecedented. Andino Reynal, the Texas attorney who was accused of mistakenly releasing the records, may also have to appear before Bellis court in Connecticut to explain his actions, the judge said. Bellis said she was not sure that Reynal was even allowed to possess the records after being granted permission to sit in with Jones' legal team in Connecticut without actively trying the case. Mark Bankston, an attorney for the families suing Jones in Texas, told reporters last week that Reynal mistakenly shared the medical and cell phone records with him as part of what appeared to be an effort to disclose records relevant to Jones then-looming trial in Austin, where he was ultimately found liable for nearly $50 million in damages. Upon discovering the error, Bankston said he ordered his staff to immediately destroy the medical records of the Connecticut plaintiffs. He said he also notified Reynal, who he said responded by simply telling him to disregard the document dump. Instead, after waiting the requisite 10-day period to allow Reynal to file a formal request to return any records covered by attorney-client privilege, Bankston said he and his staff began combing through Jones emails and text messages, which were later presented at Jones trial to impeach his credibility. Bankston also provided a copy of Jones cell phone records to the Congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, according to the New York Times. In Connecticut, however, Judge Bellis said she was solely concerned with the documents relating to medical records of the plaintiffs in Jones case, not his personal texts and email records. Bellis ordered Pattis and his attorney to coordinate with Brian B. Staines, the chief disciplinary counsel for the Connecticut Judiciary, to schedule a date for an in-person hearing during which Pattis can explain his actions relating the the release of any private medical records. A Connecticut probate judge who was jailed this year after three DUI arrests and whose law license has been suspended is running for reelection in November despite losing the Republican primary this week. Judge Peter Mariano will face state Rep. Rosa Rebimbas for the 21st District Judge of Probate in the general election. Mariano lost to Rebimbas in Tuesdays Republican primary by a margin of 1,584 to 1,176 votes. Mariano failed to win the party endorsement earlier this year, but garnered enough votes at the Republican convention to force the primary. But Mariano, who is a registered Republican, is running as the Democratic candidate in Novembers general election. Clinching a win in the Republican primary on Tuesday would have secured the Naugatuck resident an unopposed November election. Mariano did, however, get the endorsement from the Democratic Party this past May at a convention for the 21st District, which serves Naugatuck, Middlebury, Prospect and Beacon Falls, according to Middlebury Democratic Town Chairman Curtis Bosco. Bosco also hosted the convention and served as the convention chairman. Bosco said Mariano was endorsed for the upcoming four-year election cycle just as he has for the last three terms. . Judge Mariano has enjoyed cross party support because he is recognized for his empathy, manner, competence and apolitical service to the office, Bosco said in a statement Wednesday night. The Convention delegates were fully cognizant of the events of the previous year and were desirous to continue to support him as he addressed his personal and legal issues. Bosco added that the Democratic Convention will continue to support Marianos endeavors. Nancy DiNardo, the chair of the Connecticut Democratic Party, said in a statement Wednesday that endorsements for probate judges are made by a convention of delegates from district towns. And that convention is solely responsible for any decisions about continued support, she added. Mariano, who did not respond to requests for comment, remains the probate judge of the 21st District, according to the Probate Court Administrative Office. I know I let down a lot of people, specifically my ex-wife and my mom and my daughter, Mariano said during a July 8 hearing before the Council on Probate Judicial Conduct. Im embarrassed and humbled at the same time embarrassed because of the situation I have created, because of the people Ive disappointed. The responsibility is all of my mine, no one else had any influence or been a factor in my current situation. Im humbled by the outpouring of support from my peers, my supporters and especially my family, he added. The court clerks office in Naugatuck said Mariano is still hearing cases even though a state judge ordered his law license to be deemed inactive more than a year ago. Marianos application to have his license reinstated remains pending. A finding of facts by the Council on Probate Judicial Conduct later found there was no evidence that Judge Mariano was conducting his court duties while under the influence of alcohol in 2021. Mariano returned to his court duties in November after entering an alcohol treatment facility for a third time, the court filing stated. Rebimbas, who retired from the state legislature after 13 years in the House of Representatives to run for probate judge, has argued that Mariano should be disqualified because he lacks an active license. Thats the million dollar question since the very beginning, not only from myself but from multiple other attorneys, multiple other judges, including chairs of town committees Republicans and Democrats as to whether or not he was actually eligible as a candidate, Rebimbas said in a phone interview Wednesday. When the state legislature last amended the qualifications for someone to be a probate judge, an exception was allowed for probate judges who were in office at the time and did not have a break in their service, a lawyer for Rebimbas wrote in a letter to the State Elections Enforcement Commission. Mariano, whos served as a probate judge for two decades, argued he should be afforded that grandfather clause, according to Rebimbas. This exception clearly was not intended to protect an incumbent probate judge who loses his or her law license for disciplinary action, Rebimbas attorney Vincent Marino wrote in the July 27 letter. Based on those state rules, Mariano lacks the credentials required under the law to hold the office of the Judge of Probate in the state of Connecticut, Marino argued. Probate court has jurisdiction over matters involving estates and trusts after a person dies. The courts also oversee conservators, a person appointed by a judge to manage someones financial or personal affairs if the courts deem theyre unable to care for themselves. The court also oversees matters involving the care and legal guardianship of children, and adults with intellectual disabilities who may require a guardian to manage their care. Mariano was charged by Naugatuck police with driving under the influence three times in 2021 on April 28, May 18 and June 1, police records show. He was also charged with driving on a suspended license in a May 30 incident that year, after police said they found him at a gas station following the first two driving under the influence arrests. Mariano pleaded guilty in May to driving under the influence on April 28 and May 18 of last year, court records show. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment from a third arrest that occurred on June 1, 2021, records show. In the third arrest, Mariano was originally charged with driving under the influence, records show. He was given a suspended sentence and ordered to serve four days in jail with 18 months of probation. Mariano served the four-day prison sentence starting May 9, court filings show. Mariano was first arrested on April 28, 2021 when Naugatuck police received a call from one of his friends, according to an incident report. The friend told officers Mariano had stated he was not going to make it another day and to start making his eulogy, the report stated. The investigating officer noted it was the fifth call for service involving Mariano since the start of 2021 in relation to a welfare check, and/or alcohol issue, the report stated. Police located Mariano as he drove home and parked in his driveway. According to the report, Mariano admitted to drinking that night and said he had previously been to an alcohol rehabilitation center three times. The report stated Mariano refused to complete a field sobriety test and was taken into custody. Police also found multiple empty single-serve bottles of wine in his car. At the police station, Mariano refused a breath test, telling the officer, Im scared at how high its going to be, the report stated. In the May 18, 2021 arrest, Naugatuck police were called to a liquor store on Bridge Street after a witness reported seeing Mariano fall before getting behind the wheel of a BMW and trying to drive out of the parking lot, an incident report stated. In a police officers body cam footage from that arrest, Mariano can be heard telling the officer hes going home and that hes had too much to drink, while seated behind the wheel of the car. Im friends with ... Mariano began to say before the officer cut him off, according to the video footage. I dont care who youre friends with, put the car in park, right now, the officer told him. After Mariano got out of the vehicle and is patted down by an officer, the police asked him his name. Im the probate judge, he told the officers, according to the video footage. On May 30, 2021, Naugatuck police issued Mariano a summons for driving with a suspended license, after he drove to a gas station to buy food, according to a police report. On June 1, 2021, Mariano was charged with driving under the influence again after police said they found him in his car in his driveway with four empty wine nippers in the front seat. During that incident, a sample of Marianos blood alcohol content registered 0.3095 nearly four times the legal limit, according to the police report. Marianos license to practice law was put on inactive status on April 22 last year, after the state Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel petitioned the court, stating Mariano was unable to practice law by reason of physical illness. In January, Mariano filed to have his law license reinstated after undergoing treatment for substance abuse, court filings show. According to those filings, Mariano had also attended a rehab facility between February and March 2021 prior to his arrests for driving under the influence. Elon Musk has sold nearly $7 billion worth of shares in Tesla as the billionaire gets his finances in order ahead of his court battle with Twitter. Musk disclosed in series of regulatory filings that he unloaded about 8 million shares of his company Tesla Inc. in recent days. In the (hopefully unlikely) event that Twitter forces this deal to close and some equity partners dont come through, it is important to avoid an emergency sale of Tesla stock," Musk tweeted late Tuesday. Musk is by far the largest individual shareholder in both Tesla and Twitter. Shares of Tesla rose 4% to close Wednesday at $883.07. Shares of Twitter Inc. jumped 3.7% to close at $44.43, and are up 36% since July 11, with most believing Musk faces long-shot odds of success in court. Musk countersued Twitter last week, accusing the company of fraud over his aborted $44 billion acquisition. He claimed that Twitter held back critical information and misled his team about the size of its user base. Musk alleges that Twitter committed fraud, breach of contract and violation of a securities law in Texas, where Musk lives. Musk offered to buy Twitter earlier this year, then tried to back out of the deal claiming the social platform was infested with a larger numbers of spam bots and fake accounts than Twitter had disclosed. Musk said in the spring that he planned no major sales of his stake in Tesla after lining up financing to acquire Twitter, but Dan Ives, an industry analysts with Wedbush, said Wednesday that the situation has dramatically changed. Wedbush raised it's target price for shares of Twitter, With the chances of a Twitter deal now more likely in our opinion and the Street seeing through this poker move by Musk, Ives wrote to clients. We can also see Musk trying to resolve this powder keg situation before the Twitter deal officially heads to court in October, Ives wrote. At a minimum, we see Twitter getting a massive settlement from Musk in the $5 billion to $10 billion range that is starting to be factored into the stock. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate OMAHA, Neb. (AP) The director of the FBI had strong words Wednesday for supporters of former President Donald Trump who have been using violent rhetoric in the wake of his agency's search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home. Christopher Wray, who was appointed as the agencys director in 2017 by Trump, called threats circulating online against federal agents and the Justice Department deplorable and dangerous. Im always concerned about threats to law enforcement, Wray said. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with. Wray made the remarks following a news conference during a long-planned visit to the agencys field office in Omaha, Nebraska, where he discussed the FBI's focus on cybersecurity. He declined to answer questions about the hours-long search Monday by FBI agents of Trump's Palm Beach, Florida resort. It has been easy to find the threats and a call to arms in those corners of the internet favored by right-wing extremists since Trump himself announced the search of his Florida home. Reactions included the ubiquitous Lock and load and calls for federal agents and even U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to be assassinated. On Gab a social media site popular with white supremacists and antisemites one poster going by the name of Stephen said he was awaiting the call to mount an armed revolution. All it takes is one call. And millions will arm up and take back this country. It will be over in less than 2 weeks, the post said. Another Gab poster implored others: Lets get this started! This unelected, illegitimate regime crossed the line with their GESTAPO raid! It is long past time the lib socialist filth were cleansed from American society!" The search of Trump's residence Monday is part of an investigation into whether Trump took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, according to people familiar with the matter. The Justice Department has been investigating the potential mishandling of classified information since the National Archives and Records Administration said it had received from Mar-a-Lago 15 boxes of White House records, including documents containing classified information, earlier this year. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Walgreens can be held responsible for contributing to San Francisco's opioid crisis for over-dispensing highly addictive drugs for years without proper oversight and failing to identify and report suspicious orders as required by law. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said the pharmacy chain continually violated what they were required to do under the federal Controlled Substances Act, failing to track opioid prescriptions, preventing pharmacists from vetting prescriptions and nor did they see the many red flags of physicians and others who were dramatically over-prescribing. Pharmacists were pressured to fill, fill, fill," he said, and as a result, Walgreens filled our streets with opioids. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer wrote in his decision that from 2006 to 2020, Walgreens pharmacies in San Francisco dispensed hundreds of thousands of red flag opioid prescriptions without performing adequate due diligence. Tens of thousands of these prescriptions were written by doctors with suspect prescribing patterns. The evidence showed that Walgreens did not provide its pharmacists with sufficient time, staffing, or resources to perform due diligence on these prescriptions. He said the large volume of illegitimate opioid prescriptions contributed to the citys hospitals being overwhelmed with opioid patients, libraries being forced to close because of syringe-clogged toilets, and syringes littering childrens playgrounds in San Francisco. A Walgreens spokesman said the chain is disappointed in the outcome, which he said is not supported by the facts and the law. As we have said throughout this process, we never manufactured or marketed opioids, nor did we distribute them to the pill mills and internet pharmacies that fueled this crisis, spokesman Fraser Engerman said in a statement. The plaintiffs attempt to resolve the opioid crisis with an unprecedented expansion of public nuisance law is misguided and unsustainable. We look forward to the opportunity to address these issues on appeal. San Francisco in 2018 sued Walgreens and drug manufacturers and distributors over the city's worsening opioid epidemic, saying they created a public nuisance by flooding the city with prescription opioids. All the other defendants previously settled with the city for a total of $114 million, including $54 million that opioid makers Allergan and Teva agreed to pay on the eve of closing arguments in the trial, leaving Walgreens as the sole defendant. Wednesday's ruling did not include a ruling on monetary damages, which will be determined in a future trial. The opioid epidemic has been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. over the past two decades, counting those from prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and generic oxycodone as well as illicit drugs such as heroin and illegally produced fentanyl. The surge in deaths has led to more than 3,000 lawsuits filed by state and local governments, Native American tribes, unions, hospitals and other entities in state and federal courts over the toll of opioids. In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency last year in the Tenderloin neighborhood, saying something had to be done about the high concentration of drug dealers and people consuming drugs in public. The city attorneys office says San Francisco saw a nearly 500% increase in opioid-related overdose deaths between 2015 and 2020 and that on a typical day, roughly a quarter of visits at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Emergency Department are opioid-related. In 2020, 712 people died of drug overdoses, compared with 257 people who died of COVID-19, according to the city health department. A high percentage of an estimated 7,800 homeless people in San Francisco many of whom pitch tents in the Tenderloin are struggling with chronic addiction or severe mental illness, often both. Some people rant in the streets, nude and in need of medical help. Pharmacy chains have been sued less often than opioid makers or wholesalers that distribute pharmaceuticals more broadly. In one groundbreaking case, a federal jury in Ohio last year found CVS, Walgreens and Walmart recklessly distributed massive amounts of pain pills in two Ohio counties. In May, Walgreens reached a $683 million settlement with the state of Florida in a lawsuit accusing the company of improperly dispensing millions of painkillers that contributed to the opioid crisis. Walgreens did not admit wrongdoing in its agreement with Florida and will make payments to the state over 18 years. The company also faces litigation in Alabama, Michigan and New Mexico, among other states. Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. runs a network of around 9,000 drugstores in the United States. Walgreens and other prescription drug distributors have faced a slew of lawsuits over the opioid crisis. ___ Associated Press writer Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report. NEW HAVEN Developers connected to a nearby city church broke ground Tuesday on a project to build 69 units of housing including 55 affordable units on the triangular former Joe Grates property off Dixwell Avenue and Orchard Street in the heart of the Dixwell neighborhood. When construction is complete in the Spring of 2023, the four-story building will be the first environmentally friendly mass timber affordable housing project in the nation, said Darrell Brooks, chief operating officer of Beulah Land Development Corp., a non-profit company formed years go by the nearby Beulah Heights First Pentecostal Church. Of its 55 affordable units set aside for low-to-moderate income families, 20 will be reserved for those experiencing homelessness. Beulah Land Development Corp. teamed for the project, located at 340 Dixwell Ave., 316 Dixwell Ave. and 783 Orchard St., with New York City-based non-profit developer HELP USA and Spiritos Properties, also of New York. This is a celebration that was a long time coming, said Brooks, son of former longtime Beulah Heights pastor Bishop Theodore Brooks Sr. and brother of new pastor Rev. Harold Brooks. The project was the vision of Theodore Brooks, Darrell Brooks said, speaking at a press conference held amid intermittent rains in 90-plus degree heat. Were grateful that his vision is coming to pass, said Harold Brooks, adding that he also is thankful to God for bringing the project to this point. This is a long journey that weve been on, said Bishop Brooks. He said, looking at Darrell Brooks, that the project would not be breaking ground if it wasnt for this young man. He put in a lot of time. He didnt get paid for it, yet he didnt complain. Beulah Land Development Corp. is not about putting it in your pocket, Brooks said. Its about putting something back in the community. Others attending included Mayor Justin Elicker, Newhallville Alder Steven Winter, D-2, and officials from both HELP USA and Spirito, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and the state Department of Housing. CHFA is really proud to be part of this project, said CHFA CEO Nandini Natarajan. Were it not for federal tax credits, we wouldnt have projects like this. She called it a model for the kind of housing that does have an impact. Seila Mosquera-Bruno. commissioner of the state Department of Housing, who used to live in New Haven and was married by Bishop Brooks said that over the past three years, weve completed about 7,000 units of affordable housing in the state. We have done an extreme amount of work and thats a testament to Gov. Lamont, whom she said really cares. Mayor Elicker said that one reason why the project moved forward is because Bishop Brooks raised two really persistent sons. Elicker said the forests planted specifically to grow timber for mass timber projects capture carbon from the air, working to mitigate climate change. He pointed out that the lot had been vacant for at least 25 years and has been an eyesore for much of that time. I cannot wait for the ribbon-cutting, he said. David Cleghorn, chief housing officer for HELP USA, thanked the National Equity Fund and TD Bank, the projects investors. A Freddie Mac loan also is making the project possible, he said. This project differs from the mass timber projects that are built on the West Coast and in Boston, which he said are either commercial or very high-end, market-rate housing. But in the Dixwell project, what were building is the same thing, he said. Jeff Spiritos, principal at Spiritos Properties, said afterward that mass timber uses layers of cross-laminated timber, or CLT, that are as strong as concrete. The project will use panels that are as long as 60 feet long, with pre-cut holes for plumbing, sprinkler and electrical utilities. The technology came from Austria, jumping to the U.S. in 2005-2008, Spiritos said. The wood is more durable, healthier and came build projects 20 percent faster, yet only costs 5 to 7 percent more, he said. The project will include a total of 69 units, of which 20 will be one-bedroom, 12 would be three-bedroom and the rest two-bedroom, Cleghorn has said. He also noted that rents would range from $481 a month to $1,600 a month and people wont pay more than 30 percent of their income. HELP USA builds nothing but affordable housing including homeless shelters and transitional housing in nine cities, Cleghorn told the alders in March. Its other projects are in New York City; Buffalo, N.Y.; Newark, N.J.; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Cecil County, Md., and Las Vegas, he said. In most cases, it provides services itself, but is hiring Columbus House in this case because this is its first project in Connecticut, he said at the time. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The campaign committee for North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, facing trouble for a TV ad aired against a rival in 2020, plans to ask a federal court to block enforcement of a state law making it illegal to knowingly circulate false reports to damage a candidate's election chances. The notice of appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was filed Wednesday by the campaign's attorney. It comes a day after a trial judge refused to bar Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman from potentially using the law to prosecute anyone over the disputed commercial. Lawyers for Stein have argued the law is overly broad and chills political speech. By challenging the state law, Stein may put himself in a bind between his public duties and his political future. Steins campaign committee argues that the statute is unconstitutional, noting one of the attorney generals chief jobs is to defend North Carolina laws in court. Stein, a Democrat, is a potential 2024 governors contender. The law, which dates to at least 1931, makes it illegal to knowingly circulate false derogatory reports about candidates to harm them at the ballot box. Freeman's investigation stems from a September 2020 State Board of Elections complaint about the ad, which was filed against Steins committee by his then-challenger, Republican Jim ONeill. U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles, in canceling her July 25 emergency order that had stopped the laws enforcement, wrote Tuesday that the statute was permissible under the Constitution. The ad talks about untested rape kits held by local law enforcement agencies, and a woman appearing in the commercial asserts that ONeill left 1,500 rape kits sitting on a shelf in Forsyth County, where he's been district attorney since 2009. Steins committee and two other plaintiffs sued last month to attempt to the have the law struck down as Freemans office prepared to take its investigation of the commercial to a state grand jury, according to legal briefs. No one has been charged in the case, and its unclear who specifically would have been a possible target. ONeill has said the 2020 ad was false because police agencies, not prosecutors, are responsible for testing rape kits. Stein, who defeated ONeill by fewer than 14,000 votes in November 2020, has defended the ad's accuracy. He said it countered false accusations by ONeill that he had failed to act on over 15,000 untested rape kits since becoming attorney general in 2017. The voters deserved to be informed about the differences between how my opponent and I handled this critical public safety issue, Stein said in a statement Wednesday. "I am confident that this statute will ultimately be struck down and we will move forward. After a state election board investigation, the matter was forwarded to Freemans office, after which the State Bureau of Investigation interviewed Stein, members of his campaign staff and the woman in the ad, who also worked in the attorney generals office, according to briefs. Separately on Wednesday, the state Democratic Party wrote Freeman demanding that she investigate comments O'Neill made in the 2020 campaign's final months that it alleges were also false and derogatory. Party attorney John Wallace pointed to statements O'Neill made to the media, one that he said alleged Stein had done nothing about the rape kits and another that alleged Stein had sued then-President Donald Trump over funding for a border wall with Mexico. Freeman, herself a Democrat, should apply equal protection under the law and open an investigation," party spokesperson Kate Frauenfelder said. In an emailed statement Wednesday evening, Freeman said the Democratic Party was requesting unique treatment but instead needed to follow the normal procedure in a campaign case by filing a complaint with the State Board of Elections. Freeman recused herself from investigating Stein's ad, leaving it with a senior assistant DA in her office. She said Wednesday her recusal would remain for any other 2020 attorney general campaign case. O'Neill didn't have a comment Wednesday. The law at issue is a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 60 days in jail with fines. Someone with an otherwise clean record would avoid active time if convicted. Time may be running out on any prosecution, as the statute of limitations on the count is two years. Another state law says a public official convicted of the misdemeanor at issue in the lawsuit must be removed from office by a judge. This directive appears to conflict with a provision in the North Carolina Constitution in which someone like the attorney general can only be thrown out of office through impeachment and conviction by the General Assembly. ATLANTA (AP) Prosecutors in Atlanta said they need a special grand jury to hear from U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham because he may be able to provide insight into the extent of any coordinated efforts to influence the results of the 2020 general election in Georgia. Fulton County Chief Senior Assistant District Attorney Donald Wakeford made that argument Wednesday during a federal court hearing on a request by Graham to quash his subpoena. Brian Lea, an attorney for Graham, argued that Graham's position as a senator protects him from having to appear before the special grand jury in the investigation into whether former President Donald Trump and his allies committed crimes as they sought to overturn his narrow election loss in Georgia. Grahams attorneys including Don McGahn, who served as White House counsel under Trump successfully moved the issue of whether the subpoena should be quashed from Fulton County Superior Court to federal court. U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May said she hopes to issue a ruling Friday but that it may take her until Monday to decide whether Graham should have to testify. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis opened her investigation early last year, and a special grand jury with subpoena power was seated in May at her request. The special grand jury began hearing from witnesses, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in June. Willis indicated early on that she was interested in a phone call between Graham and Raffensperger in November 2020, shortly after the election. Raffensperger said at the time that Graham asked if he had the power to reject certain absentee ballots and that he interpreted that as a suggestion to toss out legally cast votes. Willis wrote in a court filing last month that Graham made at least two telephone calls to Raffensperger and members of his staff in the weeks after the 2020 general election. During those calls, he questioned Secretary Raffensperger and his staff about reexamining certain absentee ballots cast in Georgia in order to explore the possibility of a more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump, Willis wrote. Graham also made reference to allegations of widespread voter fraud in the November 2020 election in Georgia, consistent with public statements made by known affiliates of the Trump Campaign, she wrote. Lea argued that the U.S. Constitution provides absolute protection against Graham being questioned about legislative acts. He also said sovereign immunity protects a senator from being summoned by a state prosecutor and that Willis has not demonstrated extraordinary circumstances necessary to compel testimony from a high-ranking official. Graham had to decide whether to vote to certify the votes from Georgia and also has since proposed election-related legislation, so the phone calls were part of his legislative duties, Lea argued. Wakeford said that while Willis's team is interested in the phone calls, that is just a starting point. He also disputed the idea that the phone calls were solely about legislative issues, saying Graham was seeking to make some changes to the way Georgia handled absentee ballots ahead of January 2021 runoff elections. May peppered both sides with questions during the two-hour hearing but cautioned the attorneys not to read too much into her questioning, explaining that's how she makes sure she understands the issue. If May doesnt quash the subpoena entirely, Lea asked her to at least set guidelines for what Graham can be asked before the special grand jury. Wakeford asked her not to quash the subpoena and to send the matter back to Fulton County Superior Court. He said the two sides can negotiate which topics can be covered and any disputes based on federal principles can be brought back to May. Wakeford's proposal mirrors what May ordered when U.S. Rep. Jody Hice challenged his subpoena to testify before the special grand jury. But May said she wouldn't necessarily do the same thing in this case, noting that Hice's attorneys had agreed to those terms. A group of six former federal prosecutors, including former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, on Wednesday filed a friend of the court brief in the case opposing Grahams motion to quash his subpoena. They cite their collective decades of experience and expertise on the issues the senator raises. The subpoena reflects a narrowly targeted inquiry for unique evidence that is highly relevant to an ongoing criminal investigation, rather than a fishing expedition or an intrusion on legislative conduct, their brief says. May instructed Graham's attorneys to respond to that brief by Thursday at noon and told Willis's team to respond to Graham's response by 9 a.m. Friday. STAMFORD A city woman pleaded guilty to reduced charges in the 2020 fatal stabbing of her ex-boyfriend over the Christmas holiday. Anissa Maples, 50, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide at the state Superior Court in Stamford on Wednesday. The plea was made under the Alford Doctrine, in which a defendant maintains their innocence but admits that the evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if brought to trial. Maples was facing a first-degree manslaughter charge in connection to the Dec. 26, 2020, stabbing that killed 50-year-old Walton Harris. The guilty plea came as the result of an agreement with state prosecutors that was brokered despite objections from Harriss family members. A cousin of Harris said in a statement before the court on Wednesday that the deal was a smack in her familys face and a miscarriage of justice. This is not justice, she said, addressing Judge Bruce P. Hudock as her voice cracked with emotion. Only you right now have the power to reject this offer. Im begging you, Im pleading with you to reject this offer. Maples, who was visibly shaken, had to take a seat as her ex-boyfriends cousin delivered her statement. Supervisory States Attorney Michelle Manning, while expressing sympathy for the victim and his family, said that the evidence in the case was not strong enough to warrant a trial on the original manslaughter charge. I understand very much why the victims family is not in agreement with this. But Im not here as the victims familys lawyer, Im here as the representative of the state and I have to do what I think is right, Manning said. Maples, who was 48 at the time of the incident, had made claims of self-defense in the fatal stabbing. Maples claimed that she had taken Harriss phone during an argument and when Harris came at her to get the phone back, she stabbed him in self-defense, Manning said. But Harriss family claimed he was unarmed at the time and not a threat. It was a murder that happened, his cousin said Wednesday. Despite the objections, Hudock sided with Manning and accepted the agreed-upon deal. In return for her guilty plea, Maples received a one-year jail sentence that was fully suspended and two years of probation. As a part of the deal, Hudock also mandated that Maples receive mental health evaluations and treatment. Booking.com The whole glamping trend is something both your aspirational and real-life heart can get behind, and a new glamping spot that just opened up in a beautiful national park is about to put Utah at the top of your bucket list. Head to Bryce Canyons incredible landscapes to check into Under Canvass newest outpost, Under Canvas Bryce Canyon. Its located on 750 acres and has a 100% off-the-grid approach that doesnt neglect creature comfort, either. And, of course, since youd be visiting the park for the surrounding nature, the views from the property look stunning, with both Mount Dutton and the nearby Escalante Mountains in sight. After several days of sweltering heat and humidity, Connecticut should see more average temperatures on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said. Wednesday morning will see temperatures in the 60s and 70s, rising to the mid-80s by the afternoon with partly sunny skies, the weather service said. Temperatures will be close to normal on Wednesday with a cold front just south of the area, the weather services New York office said. There will be a chance for showers by the end of the day. The chance of rain in the afternoon is slight, becoming more likely moving into the evening hours. Skies will become mostly cloudy overnight. Lower Fairfield County could see some coastal flooding Wednesday evening, depending on the rainfall. Brief minor flooding is expected in the more vulnerable locations near the waterfront and shoreline, the weather service said. Some roads and low-lying properties, including parking lots, parks, lawns, and homes and businesses with basements near the waterfront will experience minor flooding. More rain could fall early Thursday. Skies are expected to be partly sunny again, with highs in the 80s. The relatively cooler weather midway through the week comes after heat and humidity regularly combined to produce temperatures that felt like 100 degrees or more in recent days. In Goshen, state police said two adults were hospitalized Tuesday after authorities found them in medical distress inside a hot home. This a timely reminder of how vital it is to check on the wellbeing of people who work outdoors, older adults, those with underlying health conditions and small children, state police said in a statement. Youth organizers linked to the United Front Work Department offer 'mentorships' to Hong Kong students in the U.K. At left, five Hong Kong-based organizations issued a joint statement criticizing the Hong Kong Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Youth Association and its mentorship program. At right, the recruitment poster for the Program. Youth organizers linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are actively recruiting among Hongkongers in exile at British universities, according to a statement from several Hong Kong advocacy groups. The Hong Kong branch of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), part of the CCP's United Front Work Department outreach and influence program, is calling on Hong Kong students in the U.K. to sign up for a "mentorship" program at several universities. "Despite being directly connected to a government organization, [the program] promised that 'there will be no political propaganda'," a joint statement from five Hong Kong activist groups in the U.K., including Power to Hongkongers and Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong, said. "This claim is contradictory ... We strongly oppose this program due to our deep concern over its covert political objective," the statement, which was also signed by Durham Stands with Hong Kong, Newcastle Stands with Hong Kong and the Liverpool Hongkongers Alliance, said. "We urge the participating student societies to withdraw from this program and disassociate from this organization," the statement, carried on the Facebook page of Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong, said. A spokesman for Newcastle Stands with Hong Kong who gave only the nickname K said Hong Kong activists are increasingly concerned about CCP infiltration of British universities. "We also experienced a lot of infiltration of the CCP into British universities when we were studying," K said. "For example, in 2019, the Chinese Students and Scholars' Associations (CSSAs) directed Chinese students to suppress Hong Kong students' activities on campus in support of Hong Kong." "The societies participating in this mentorship program are mainly established by Hong Kong people and carry a certain influence in Hong Kong student circles," K said. "We are worried that the CCP will continue to brainwash the next generation of Hong Kong people overseas by infiltrating these societies." The official Facebook page of the Hong Kong Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Youth Federation contains pro-Beijing images and other content. Credit: Hong Kong CPPCC Youth Federation Facebook page Coopting universities K said CCP propaganda, enforced by a draconian national security law imposed on Hong Kong by the CCP from July 1, 2020, has already changed the atmosphere at Hong Kong's universities, particularly the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Polytechnic University, which resisted attacks by fully armed riot police and even an armored car on their respective campuses with Molotov cocktails and makeshift weaponry in November 2019. "The CCP has never stopped infiltrating, and has set up ... organizations overseas to try to extend their influence to students in other countries," K said. "Overseas governments should pay more attention to this attempt to coopt universities, so as to curb the expansion of CCP influence," they said. Hong Kong societies at eight British universities including Kings' College London, Leeds University and Queen Mary University, London had already signed up for the "mentorship" scheme by the time the statement appeared. Kings College London took down the poster soon after the Aug. 8 statement appeared, to be followed by other societies on Aug. 9. But the poster remains on the Instagram accounts of the Unite UK Alliance and the Swansea University's Hong Kong society. Benefits vs. dangers Chu Seoi, a doctoral student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology who is currently teaching in a German university, said the "mentorship" program offered some attractive benefits to participants, and urged Hongkongers to remember who was behind it. "This program is pretty tempting," Chu told RFA. "But the problem is that it is provided by the enemy of us Hongkongers: the United Front Work Department of the CCP." "It's being provided by the same CCP that took away our city, our home, and destroyed freedom and democracy in Hong Kong," Chu said. "It's as if someone who just killed your family comes running up and offers to introduce you to some people ... who could help your career." An employee surnamed Yue who answered the phone at the the Hong Kong CPPCC youth association on Wednesday said the mentorship program pairs young Hong Kong students with industry leaders in various sectors, and costs nothing to take part in. "Students in the U.K. can participate," she said. "We will match them up with a mentor based on their wishes, and they can communicate with others in a group." "We don't charge students money for this, but it has been postponed until October now," Yue said. The group was set up in 2014, and consists of CPPCC members under the age of 45, and the offspring of wealthy Hong Kong business owners, to "serve our nation, serve Hong Kong, and serve our members," according to a motto on its Facebook page. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Meanwhile, Beijing and Taipei argue over the contents of Chinas latest White Paper on the island Chinese and Taiwanese ships continued an apparent standoff in the waters near Taiwan despite the Chinese military saying major drills around the island were over, open source investigators said, citing satellite imagery from Sentinel Hub. As the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) wrapped up its week-long operation, held in response to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan, at least two sets of ships in typical 'shadowing' positions [were] observed East of Taiwan on Wednesday, H I Sutton, a well-known independent defense analyst wrote on Twitter. On the same day, Beijing released a White Paper on Taiwan and Chinas reunification policy, which Taiwan dismissed. Taiwan rejects the "one country, two systems" model proposed by Beijing, said Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou at a media briefing in Taipei on Thursday. Only Taiwan's people can decide its future, Ou added. Regular patrols Images from satellite data provider Sentinel Hub show two Taiwanese ships shadowing two Chinese vessels in waters off Hualian County in eastern Taiwan since early this week, several open source intelligence (OSINT) analysts said. The PLA announced a major military exercise on Aug. 4 after Pelosi made a controversial stopover in Taipei. Beijing repeatedly warned her against the visit, which it condemned as a gross violation of Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, and threatened retaliation. The military exercise was due to end on Aug. 7 but went on for two more days and only wrapped up on Wednesday. Yet the collected OSINT data indicate that China will probably continue to put pressure on the Taiwanese military in coming days. Sr. Col. Shi Yi, spokesman of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, said on Wednesday that the Commands troops will continue to organize normalized combat-readiness security patrols in the Taiwan Strait. 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, said Collin Koh, a Singapore-based regional military expert, in a recent interview with RFA. A Taiwan Air Force F-16V taking off from Hualien airbase during a recent drill. Credit: Taiwan Defense Ministry Less autonomy for Taiwan On Wednesday, the Chinese government office responsible for Taiwan-related affairs released a White Paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," to clarify Beijings policy towards the island that it considers a Chinese province. This is the third White Paper on Taiwan, the previous ones were published in 1993 and 2000. "We are one China, and Taiwan is a part of China, the paper said. Taiwan has never been a state; its status as a part of China is unalterable," it reiterated. Peaceful reunification and One Country, Two Systems are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to realizing national reunification, the White Paper said, adding that certain political forces have been misrepresenting and distorting its objectives. Lack of details on Two Systems compared with the 1993 and 2000 papers suggests an arrangement that might involve less political and legal autonomy for Taiwan, Amanda Hsiao, China Senior Analyst at the Crisis Group think-tank, wrote on Twitter. The White Paper also provided guidelines for the post-reunification governance over the island. We maintain that after peaceful reunification, Taiwan may continue its current social system and enjoy a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the law, it said. However, while both the 1993 and 2000 White Papers pledged that China would not send troops or administrative personnel to be stationed in Taiwan following unification, the 2022 version did not have that line, said Crisis Groups Hsiao. For the first time Taiwans ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was mentioned in the paper. "The actions of the DPP authorities have resulted in tension in Cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and undermining the prospects and restricting the space for peaceful reunification, it said. These are obstacles that must be removed in advancing the process of peaceful reunification," it said, delivering a clear threat to President Tsai Ing-wens party. Recently, Chinas ambassador to France provoked an outcry when he said during a TV interview that Taiwanese people will be re-educated after reunification with the mainland. We will re-educate. Im sure that the Taiwanese population will again become favorable over the reunification and will become patriots again, Ambassador Lu Shaye told BFM TV. The Taiwanese authorities have effectively indoctrinated and intoxicated the population through de-Sinicization policies, Lu said in another interview. Re-education is the indoctrination technique used by several authoritarian regimes against dissent. China has been criticized by foreign countries and human rights groups for its re-education programs for the Uyghurs in its northwestern Xinjiang province. If legislation passes, the Philippines would join other countries with their own names for the South China Sea. A man wears a headband with a slogan calling for Manila to protect the West Philippine Sea - the local name for the South China Sea - as protesters mark the sixth anniversary of an international arbitration courts ruling, in front of the Chinese Consulate in Makati city, Metro Manila, July 12, 2022. The Philippine foreign office said Thursday it was backing legislative efforts to formally rename the countrys portions of the South China Sea as the West Philippine Sea, in a move to bolster Manilas territorial claims in the contested waterway. On Wednesday, Sen. Francis Tolentino announced he had filed Senate Bill 405, a proposed piece of legislation that aims to institutionalize the use of the West Philippine Sea as the official name of territories claimed by the Philippines in waters that China and other neighbors also contest. The air space, seabed, and subsoil on the western side of the Philippine archipelago would be renamed to reinforce the Philippines claim to the disputed territories found on the western side of the archipelago, according to an excerpt from SB405. Maria Teresita Daza, spokeswoman for the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, said Tolentinos bill was consistent with a 2016 international arbitration courts ruling that sided with Manila. The West Philippine Sea was already actually defined in 2012 through Administrative Order 29, Daza told a press briefing on Thursday. Nevertheless, the department recognizes what the process of legislation can do in terms of clarity and institution building. And we look forward to supporting the process, should we be invited to do so, she said. Tolentinos bill covers waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal, as well as the Luzon Sea, or waters also known as the Luzon Strait between the northern Philippine island of Luzon and Taiwan. The Philippine senator said that the proposed legislation came about in response to the archipelagic doctrine embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Under it, the Philippines is granted a territorial sea of up to 12 nautical miles, a contiguous zone of up to 24 nautical miles, and an exclusive economic zone of up to 200 nautical miles where the West Philippine Sea is located. The bill also directs government offices to use the name in all communications, messages, and public documents, and to popularize the use of such [a] name with the general public, both domestically and internationally. Six years ago, the Philippines won an arbitral award against Beijing before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The landmark ruling nullified Chinas expansive claims to the sea region, including in waters that reach neighbors shores. Manila had filed the case in 2012, when the Chinese occupied areas near Scarborough Shoal, a triangular chain of rocks and reefs that Filipinos consider a traditional fishing ground. Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam all claim parts of the sea. China, for its part, draws a nine-dash line to delineate its claim of historical rights to almost 90 percent of the waterway. The line also overlaps with the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of another nation Indonesia. And while the name South China Sea has gained near universal acceptance in usage, countries that have claims to the disputed waters have their own different names for it. Vietnam calls the maritime region the East Sea, and, to Beijing, it is plainly known as the South Sea. In 2017, Indonesia renamed a resource-rich northern region around its Natuna Islands, which lie off the southern end of the South China Sea, as the North Natuna Sea. The waters near the Natunas have seen some tense standoffs in recent years between Indonesian ships and ships from China and other nations, including Chinese coast guard vessels. Jakartas decision to change the name of the sea region north of the islands was spurred by the arbitration courts ruling in Manilas favor the year before that nullified Chinas historical claim to the entire South China Sea through the nine-dash line, Arif Havas Oegroseno, then the deputy of maritime sovereignty at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, told reporters at the time. Since the arbitration court ruled for Manila in 2016, Beijing has refused to budge from the area around Scarborough Shoal. On Thursday, officials at the Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to BenarNews efforts seeking comment on the Philippine bill. The proposed formal name change is a far cry from the policy on the disputed waters implemented by former President Rodrigo Duterte, who did not seek to enforce the ruling when he took office in 2016, but instead pursued warmer ties with Beijing. During his six-year term, Duterte, who left office on June 30, also pulled the Philippines away from the United States, the Philippines longtime ally and Chinas main rival, until later in his term when he declared that the arbitration award was beyond compromise. The U.S. government, meanwhile, has insisted on the doctrine of freedom of navigation and has sailed its navy ships into the contested waters. Dutertes successor, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his first state of the nation address to Congress last month, declared he would not preside over any process that would give away even one square inch of territory to foreign rivals. Marcos newly appointed military chief, Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, told his generals and other military officials during his first command conference on Wednesday that the armed forces supported President Marcos pronouncement. We only do what is required of us to do and what is important is we are able to perform our mandate to protect (the state and) our people, Col. Medel Aguilar, a spokesman for the military, told reporters. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news service. The move comes amid heated criticism of a KMT politician's tour of several Chinese cities despite military threat. Taiwanese pro-democracy campaigner Yang Chih-yuan, who was taken into custody by Chinese state security police in Zhejiang's Wenzhou city on Aug. 3 on charges on charges of "separatism," in an unated photo. Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang have placed a Taiwanese activist in incommunicado detention on suspicion of "separatism" and "endangering national security," as the democratic island's president hit out at a China trip by an opposition politician. Taiwan national Yang Chih-yuan was placed in "residential surveillance at a designated location (RSDL)" from Aug. 4 -- meaning he will likely be held with no access to a lawyer or to family visits for six months -- China's Global Times newspaper reported. The paper said Yang had been "actively scheming" to work towards formal statehood for Taiwan, which has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), nor formed part of the 73-year-old People's Republic of China, since high school. It cited his campaigning for a referendum on independence for Taiwan, a sovereign state still using the name of the 1911 Republic of China founded by Sun Yat-sen, and his founding of the Taiwan National Party in 2011 as examples. The paper said state security police in Zhejiang's Wenzhou city are currently investigating Yang, who is also accused of "colluding with separatist forces to support Hong Kong secessionists" during the 2019 protest movement in the city. Rights groups say RSDL is associated with a higher risk of torture and mistreatment in detention. The news came as the vice chairman of Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT), Andrew Hsia, arrived in China on a tour of several southern and eastern cities and provinces. It is unclear whether he negotiated with the Chinese authorities on Yang's behalf. Hsia's trip came amid several days of PLA military activity around Taiwan in the wake of an Aug. 2-3 visit to the island, which Beijing claims must be 'unified' with China, by military force if necessary. When the nationalist KMT regime of Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan after losing the civil war to Mao Zedong's Soviet-backed communists, it took over what had been a dependency of Japan since 1895, when Taiwan's inhabitants proclaimed a short-lived Republic of Formosa after being ceded to Japan by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The island had just been handed back to the Republic of China as part of Japanese reparations in the wake of World War II, and KMT rule wasn't welcome in many quarters, particularly after the Feb. 28 massacre following a popular uprising in 1947. Nonetheless, Beijing forces countries to choose between diplomatic recognition of Beijing or Taipei, and has repeatedly threatened to annex the island, should it seek formal statehood as Taiwan. Andrew Hsia gestures while speaking to a lawmaker at the Interior Committee of the Taiwan Parliament on April 13, 2016. Credit: AFP Bad timing for trip Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said the time wasn't right for Hsia's trip, given the intensive military activity aimed at Taiwan, while president Tsai Ing-wen told the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Wednesday that his visit was disappointing, and could send the wrong message about the level of threat the island faces from China. The KMT has billed the visit as a "fact-finding" mission and a chance to connect with Taiwanese business owners in the Yangtze and Pearl River delta regions. "Just this morning, China released a white paper full of wishful thinking ... ignoring reality on the other side of the Taiwan Strait and not renouncing the use of force against Taiwan," Tsai told party members. "It is disappointing to the people of Taiwan that the KMT is insisting on going to China at a time like this," she said. "[It also] sends the wrong message to the international community. We want to make it clear here that what the people of Taiwan want peace, neither provoking nor escalating conflict, but also to safeguard our sovereignty and national security, and for Taiwan never to back down," Tsai said. Taiwan People's Party chairman Ko Wen-je said the trip would only be defensible if Hsia used it to protest the military blockade of air and sea around Taiwan. "If it's just for fund-raising, then what kind of a time is this?" Ko said. Hsia told journalists just before he left that he "won't be deterred by the current military exercises." "We want to listen to our friends, hear what they have to say, and help them, in the hope that some improvements can be made," he said. "Communication and contact are definitely good things ... we won't be put off by attempts to label us or attack us online or in the media." Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Chinas military exercises in the Yellow and Bohai seas following drills near the self-governing island of Taiwan are part of Beijings efforts to exert its power in the region, with an eye toward eventual domination, security analysts in South Korea and the United States say. On Aug. 5 Chinas Maritime Safety Administration announced a series of live-fire training exercises would be conducted on Aug. 6-15 in the Bohai Sea and in the southern waters of the Yellow Sea, which separates China from the Korean Peninsula. The exercises can be seen as a multipurpose strategic move to expand Chinas influence in the Yellow Sea, said Park Byung-kwang, director of the Center for International Cooperation at the Institute for National Security Strategy, a South Korean government-funded public research institute that focuses on security studies. It can be seen that it has the meaning of checking the strengthening of the South Korea-U.S. alliance and furthermore, security cooperation between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, he said. Chinas intention is to limit the access of U.S. naval forces, including aircraft carriers, to the Yellow Sea, which Koreans refer to as the West Sea, he said. Chung Jae-hung, a research fellow at the independent South Korean think tank the Sejong Institute, said the exercises show China is thinking about how to protect its forces moving through the Taiwan Strait from U.S. and South Korean forces. Chinas military fleet is conducting exercises in the Yellow Sea to respond to the U.S. forces stationed in South Korea and Japan in a situation where the Chinese fleet moves to the Taiwan Strait, he said. It means they are considering protection in the process of moving major forces, including the Chinese fleet, he said. Bruce W. Bennett, an adjunct international/defense researcher at the RAND Corporation, said Chinas moves indicate that it is playing a long game, something that theyre thinking about for 2030 or 2040. The Chinese play the long game, he said. They try to prepare themselves and position themselves so that over a period of many years, they have more capability to pose the kinds of threats that will give them an ability to influence both the United States and South Korea. So, this is a longer term effort that theyre carrying on trying to create conditions for dominance in the region, he said. Bruce Bechtol Jr., a professor in the Department of Security Studies and Criminal Justice at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, said China is trying to intimidate the South Korean government. If Chinese forces are in international waters they are certainly violating no international laws by training in these areas, he said. But given the timing, it appears that this training may be taking place in the areas that it is in order to intimidate the ROK [Republic of Korea] government because of its strong support for the ROK-U.S. alliance as well as several ROK policy moves that the Chinese government does not find to be in Beijing's best interests. As of Wednesday, neither South Korean nor U.S. military officials had replied to questions from RFA about Chinas exercises in the Yellow Sea. The exercises in the Bohai and Yellow seas follow Peoples Liberation Army anti-submarine and sea assault drills in the waters around Taiwan last week after a visit to the island by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China regards the democratically-ruled island as a renegade province and seeks to unite it with the mainland, by force if necessary. Beijing frowns on official visits to Taiwan. Translated by Leejin J. Chung for RFA Korean. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. The three-day raid followed the capture of a military camp by paramilitaries and ethnic rebels. Junta troops killed five civilians and torched as many as 400 homes over three days of air raids, heavy artillery fire and fierce clashes with a joint force of ethnic rebels and pro-democracy paramilitaries in northern Myanmars Kachin state, residents said Wednesday. Four of the victims were killed on Tuesday when military jets flew the first of eight bombing runs over Se Zin village in the jade mining township of Hpakant, killing a child, said a resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing security concerns. The last plane bombed at about 8:00 p.m. and then they fired at the village with machine guns and 60-mm heavy weapons, he told RFA Burmese. The child died on the spot when his house was hit by the shelling. One woman had to have her leg amputated. And this morning, about 6:00 a.m., a family was shot at while trying to leave on a motorcycle. The husband and wife and their son [all died]. The fifth victim, a man in his 40s, died on Monday when a shell fell on his house during heavy fighting near the village, the resident said. He told RFA that there may have been additional casualties in the village, but said they hadnt been confirmed. The raid followed a Monday attack by a combined column of ethnic Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and anti-junta Peoples Defense Force (PDF) paramilitaries that led to the capture of a military camp in Se Zin village and a pro-military Shanni National Army (SNA) camp located across the river in Shwepyi Myint village in Sagaing regions Homalin township. The joint force also attacked the Se Zin Village Police Station on Tuesday. RFA was unable to confirm the number of casualties in the clashes. Another Se Zin resident, who also did not want to be named, said hundreds of homes in the village were destroyed in a fire set by junta troops. There are about 500 houses in the whole village and 300 or 400 have been turned to ash, he said. The fires were set by the military and the Shanni forces. They did it deliberately. They even set fire to houses that were left undestroyed [in the bombing]. Se Zin is a busy village surrounded by private gold mines in Hpakants Hawng Par village tract. The fighting forced more than 3,000 residents of Se Zin to flee to the townships Tar Ma Hkan village, about an hour away by motorcycle, where they are sheltering in schools, churches and monasteries, the resident said. He said the refugees had fled with only the shirts on their backs and are in need of emergency food, clothing and medicine. Other residents of Hpakant told RFA that some of the villagers remain trapped in Se Zin, where the military has set up a camp. File photo of houses in Se Zin village, Hpakant township, Kachin State. Credit: Citizen journalist The usual response Speaking to RFA on Wednesday, Social Affairs Minister Win Ye Tun, who serves as the juntas spokesperson in Kachin state, said the details of the situation in Se Zin village are not yet known, but said the military is ready to help those who have fled their homes. We have contingency plans for people who have to leave their homes because of fighting, he said. I haven't received any news yet about the fires or the clashes. I am the minister of social affairs, so reports about the fighting dont come to me. Col. Naw Bu, the news and information officer for the ethnic Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), said it has become routine for the military to burn the homes of residents whenever there is a clash. Last night, there was an attack on the police station in Se Zin village and this is the usual response of the [junta], he said. When there is a battle with their adversaries, whether it is near a village or their camp, or in the village, they wont hesitate to kill people or torch houses. Naw Bu confirmed that there had been three consecutive days of heavy fighting in Se Zin village beginning on Monday and that the military had launched aerial attacks all day on Tuesday. The raid on Se Zin comes less than a month after about a week of clashes beginning on July 16 between the military and the armed opposition in and around the village. Hpakant is one of the most heavily militarized townships in Kachin state. The military cut off mobile internet access to the area on Aug. 20 last year. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. The men were fatally shot after assigning volunteers to night-time patrol duties at a camp. Unidentified assailants fatally shot two Rohingya leaders as they returned home after overseeing community night-watch duties at a refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, police said Wednesday. The shooting inside the Kutupalong mega-camp in the Ukiah sub-district on Tuesday evening was the latest in a string of killings, as fears grow among Rohingya refugees about crime and deteriorating public safety in crowded camps along Bangaldeshs border with Myanmar. Abu Taleb, 40, and Syed Hossain, 35, were the victims of target killings by a criminal gang in Tuesdays attack, said Kamran Hossain, an additional superintendent of the Armed Police Battalion that is responsible for security in the camps, which are home to about 1 million Rohingya refugees. Taleb was leader of a block in camp-15 while Hossain led a sub-block at the Jamtoli refugee camp in Ukhia, he said. Both camps lie within the confines of Kutupalong, the worlds largest refugee camp. At around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday, Abu Taleb and Syed Hossain went to a hill of Jamtoli camp to make cell phone calls after distributing the night surveillance duties among Rohingya volunteers. Then eight to 10 assailants shot them and fled the scene through another hill, Hossain told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated news service, on Wednesday. Both the slain Rohingya leaders had been active in curbing criminal activities at the camp. They used to cooperate with the police to arrest the camp-based criminals, so we are sure that they were the victims of target killings, he said. The killings occurred a day after assailants killed Md. Ibrahim, 30, in the Nayapara refugee camp in Teknaf, another sub-district of Coxs Bazar. Since mid-June, nine Rohingya men, including two suspected members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a militant group, were killed at the camps, according to the Bangladeshi authorities. We have information that there is tension among different groups over the selection of camp leaders. We are examining all available clues, Hossain said. Most of the killings at the refugee camps are targeted that are very hard to stop. Mohammad Ali, the officer-in-charge of the Ukhia police station, told BenarNews that the bodies were sent to a Coxs Bazar hospital for autopsies, and police were preparing to file murder charges once suspects were identified. The law enforcers said the rival groups have been attacking each other over control of the camps, where the trade in illegal weapons and drugs, along with human trafficking, are rampant. ARSA, based in Myanmars Rakhine state where Rohingya began a mass exodus to the Coxs Bazar camps in August 2017, has been killing their rivals, law enforcers said. Members of the militant group have also been blamed for the Sept. 29, 2021, killing of Muhib Ullah, who had gained international fame and visited the White House in Washington on behalf of his fellow refugees. Until that time, authorities had denied the presence of ARSA in Bangladesh, but an investigation showed that ARSA members killed Ullah because of his popularity. Refugees feel unsafe In the wake of the recent spate of killings, camp residents said they worried about their safety. We, the ordinary people, want peace at the camps. Many of the camp leaders help the police arrest the criminals and ARSA members, Md. Kamal Hossain, a leader at the Balukhali camp, told BenarNews. After coming out of the jail on bail, criminals identify informants and kill them in a premeditated way, he said. Therefore, ordinary Rohingya people do not dare to give tips about the criminals. Hossain said the night surveillance by police and volunteers had led to a drop in criminal activities in the camps. Very often the ARSA members threaten the camp leaders over phones so we immediately inform police about the threats, Hossain said. Though the police have been helping us, we are really worried. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service. Sources say Tabayin, Ye-U and Ayadaw have been pounded by air and by land. Su Tat village, Tabayan township, Sagaing region, Myanmar, is seen in this undated photo after it was set on fire by junta troops. UPDATED at 7:58 p.m. EDT on 2022-08-11 Myanmars military pounded the Sagaing townships of Tabayin, Ye-U and Ayadaw with a third day of attacks by air and land, residents and anti-junta fighters said Thursday, following a vow by the junta to restore the embattled region to its original state. Sources in Ye-U township told RFA Burmese that the military used helicopters to strike the village of Kone Thar three separate times on Wednesday after engaging with anti-junta Peoples Defense Force paramilitaries and suffering heavy losses. They were shooting from two Mi-35 combat helicopters. They mainly fired at places where people were fleeing the war, like monasteries and schools, said a resident of Kone Thar, who declined to be named for security reasons. There were many injured." Earlier, there was an armed clash between a local PDF unit and junta forces somewhere between Ywar Meik Thar village and Kone Thar village. About 30 soldiers who got separated from the column were killed in the clash, and thats when they began the attack from the air. The resident said several people were trapped in Kone Thar during the airstrikes and their status remains unclear. The air raids on Kone Thar followed military attacks from Aug. 8-10 on Su Tat village in nearby Tabayin township, where a resident told RFA his was among around 500 homes destroyed by troop arson. The adults are very much depressed. Some women were crying and laughing, going crazy. As for the men, their spirits are quite low. They have lost houses and everything, which they had built with their life savings, said the resident, speaking on condition of anonymity. Everything has turned to ashes. The feeling is indescribable. The army that is supposed to protect the country is burning villages. It is so mean and despicable. It wouldnt be so bad if they had taken away all the things in the houses. Burning the houses leaves nothing for us. The resident said this was the second time that the military had set fire to his village since a raid in June, when 165 homes were razed. Representatives of the three-township Ayadaw-Myinmu-Chaung-U Revolutionary Alliance of PDF units said eight of their men were killed in a clash when they encountered junta troops near Ayadaws Kan Yin village on their way to Myinmu. Sai Htoo of Ayadaw Township PDF said the deaths were among a number of casualties on both sides during nonstop clashes in recent days. "The other day, the military killed eight of our men who had joined a meeting with the Ayadaw-Myinmu-Chaung-U Revolutionary Alliance. They were brutally murdered put in a car and the car was blown up, he said. There's been fighting every day lately and there were casualties on both sides. They are attacking us from the ground as well as from above. Theyre increasingly relying on airpower. Sources in Sagaing told RFA that fighting in the region since Aug. 8 had forced more than 12,000 civilians from nearly two dozen villages to flee their homes. A report by the Irrawaddy online news journal said that at least 29 civilians and PDF fighters have been killed in junta raids from Aug. 1-8 on Tabayin, Myinmu, and Monywa townships. Attempts by RFA to contact junta Deputy Information Minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun and the juntas spokesman in Sagaing Aye Hlaing for comment on the situation in the region went unanswered Thursday. A van torched by junta troops remains in Su Tat village, Tabayin township, Sagaing region, Myanmar, in this undated photo. Credit: Tabayin Township Public Administration Team Region under attack Earlier this week, junta chief Snr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said in an address that Sagaing has seen the most clashes of any region in the country since the military assumed control of Myanmar in a Feb. 1, 2021, coup, with 4,026. He vowed that the military will restore the region to its original state, without providing details. Nay Zin Lat, a former Sagaing lawmaker, said he expects fighting there to intensify now that the military is focusing its efforts on the region. I heard that they are sending reinforcements to many townships in Sagaing region that are militarily important, he said, noting that there has been an uptick in troop movements in Kanbalu township. Im sure the fighting will become more intense very soon. There will be more frequent confrontations. The local civil defense forces will have to protect their families and relatives when junta troops come raiding and burning their villages. The more the troops act [this way], the more confrontations there will be. Residents of Sagaing told RFA that internet bandwidth has been reduced and, in some cases, entirely cut off in the region since March of this year. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced on Aug. 3 that 866,000 people had joined the ranks of Myanmars refugees since the coup, bringing the total number to more than 1.2 million, or more than 2% of the countrys population of 54.4 million. Of the new refugees, some 470,000 were forced to flee their homes in Sagaing, where clashes between junta troops and the armed opposition are among the deadliest and most frequent in the nation. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Updated to include local media reports on the number of dead. Correction: An earlier version of this story referred to the name of the village targeted by the military as Kaing Kan. The village is named Kone Thar. Residents fled the village and were unable to retrieve the 55-year-olds body. The remains of the house of a 55-year-old woman who died when junta forces shelled Hniarlaw village in Chin State on Aug. 10, 2022. A 55-year-old woman was killed and her son was injured when a shell hit a village during fighting between junta forces and local militia in Hakha city, the capital of Myanmars Chin State. Local residents told RFA Wednesday's battle broke out between the Hakha Chin Land Defense Force and the militarys Ka La Ya 266 battalion near the citys ministerial residences. A local, who did not want to be named for safety reasons, told RFA an artillery shell landed on a house in Hniarlawn village, 11 kilometers (7 miles) from Hakha city. She was hit by the artillery shell and died on the spot while she was cooking in the kitchen, the resident said. One of her sons was wounded in the hand. Her body has been left there for now because everyone has fled to the forest. The woman was cooking in her kitchen when the shell hit her home. CREDIT: Chin Journal Calls by RFA to Military Council Spokesman Gen. Zaw Min Tun went unanswered on Thursday. This is not the first time fighting has affected Hniarlawn village, which houses more than 600 people in over 100 homes. Last month, 22-year-old Salai Manliansan was shot dead by junta troops there, according to residents. Battles break out daily in Chin state, causing many locals to flee their homes and set up makeshift camps in the jungle. UNICEF says the state, in the west of the country, has the highest poverty rate of all Myanmars regions but aid has been slow to arrive. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said last week 866,000 people had become refugees in Myanmar in the 18 months since the Feb. 2021 coup. There are now more than 1.2 million internally displaced persons across the country, or more than 2% of the total population. In a separate hearing, the 5-year sentence of a third worker is upheld, however. Dang Din Bach, Mai Phan Loi, and Bach Hung Duong are shown left to right in undated photos. A court in Vietnams capital Hanoi on Thursday slightly reduced the jail terms of two civil society workers sentenced in January on tax evasion charges, saying one of the men had returned part of the money owed, while the other had not gained financially from the evasion. Mai Phan Loi, chairman of the Committee for Scientific Affairs of the Center for Media in Educating Community (MEC), will now serve 45 of the 48 months of his original sentence, while MEC director Bach Hung Duong will serve 27 months of a 30-month term, according to state media reports. In a story Thursday, the Ho Chi Minh City Law Newspaper said that Lois sentence was reduced because his family had returned part of the money claimed in taxes, while Loi himself had cooperated with authorities investigating the case against him. Duong will now serve a shorter term because he had received no benefit from the tax evasion and is suffering from an unspecified illness, the newspaper added. Speaking to RFA after the hearing, defense attorney Huynh Phuong Nam declined to comment on the trial, saying only that Lois family had given back VND 1.2 billion ($50,000) out of the VND 1.97 billion ($82,100) claimed by the government in taxes. The indictment filed against the men by the Hanoi Peoples Procuracy said that MEC had received nearly VND 20 billion in support from domestic and international organizations, but had failed to create financial reports or submit tax declaration forms. Though nonprofit organizations are exempt from paying corporate taxes in Vietnam, the tax laws pertaining to NGOs receiving funds from international donors are particularly vague and restrictive, sources say. Jail term upheld In a separate hearing, the Hanoi High-Level Peoples Court on Thursday upheld the 5-year prison sentence imposed in January on Dang Dinh Bach, director of the Research Center for Law and Policy for Sustainable Development (LPSD), saying Bach had refused to return VND 1.3 billion ($54,200) owed in taxes. Bach had failed to file taxes and to report sponsorship from groups overseas from 2016 to 2020, the indictment against him said. Speaking to RFA after the hearing, Bachs wife Tran Phuong Thao said that security forces had barred her from attending her husbands trial, forcing her to sit instead at the courthouse gate. Lawyers were also prevented from bringing laptop computers or mobile phones into the court, she said. I was not surprised by the outcome of the trial and was mentally prepared for whatever would happen, Thao said. My husband continues to deny all the charges made against him and still declares his innocence. Because my family has not paid the governments so-called remediation money, the court would not consider mitigating circumstances, she said. Rights groups and activists have condemned Lois, Duongs and Bachs jailing, noting their arrests followed their promotion of civil societys role in monitoring the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), which came into force in 2021. Translated by Anna Vu for RFA Vietnamese. Written in English by Richard Finney. Their concerns grew after 2 inmates died after struggling to get treatment for health problems. About 30 families of political prisoners in Vietnam are calling on the government to allow sick inmates to be hospitalized after two inmates died, they said, from lack of timely care. Do Cong Duong, an independent journalist who was jailed on charges of disturbing public order and abusing the rights to freedom and democracy, died at a hospital in Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province, on Aug. 2, while serving time in Detention Center No. 6. He was healthy prior to his arrest, but he contracted multiple diseases in prison, and his supporters say authorities did not give him timely access to appropriate medical treatment. Duongs passing was the second death among prisoners of conscience at the detention facility. Another prisoner of conscience, Dao Quang Thuc, died in the same detention facility in 2019. The retired teacher was serving a 13-year term for subversion because of Facebook postings. When he showed signs of illness in prison, authorities took him to Nghe An Friendship General Hospital for treatment but after he returned to the detention center, he died a week later of what authorities said was a stroke, RFA reported at the time. His body was held for autopsy and not returned to his family for burial, sources said. The families of prisoners of conscience sent the signed open letter on Aug. 9 to authorities stating their concerns over the health conditions of their imprisoned relatives, said Pham Thi Lan, the wife of political prisoner Nguyen Tuong Thuy, a former RFA blogger who is serving an 11-year jail term at An Phuoc Detention Center in the southern province of Binh Duong. The relatives expressed outrage at the recent deaths and demanded that the Vietnamese government ensure that their incarcerated family members have access to health care, as Vietnamese law demands. The open letter said that the U.N.s Universal Declaration of Human Rights also requires that political prisoners be given access to proper health care. The Vietnamese government must respect prisoners rights, including rights to safe water and food and timely health care, the letter said. Political prisoners health has been a long-standing concern of their families and has become a hot-button issue after the two prisoners deaths. Lan said she was gravely concerned about Thuys health because the 72-year-old suffers from high blood pressure, gout and skin diseases. The prison clinic does provide my husband with some medicines, but I am not sure whether the medicines work or their provision is just a temporary solution, she said via text message. I did request that they allow my husband to see a specialist, but the detention center refused, saying that Mr. Thuy was healthy enough to serve his prison term, she added. Thuys family has expressed concerns about his health since he was detained, she said. Many have lost their lives Nguyen Van Hai, a political prisoner who was released and sent to the U.S. in 2014, said that he and other inmates lacked proper health care. Some prisoners with heart issues who were not allowed to keep medicines in their cells died because they didnt have access to their drugs or to urgent care, said Hai, a Vietnamese blogger and co-founder of the Free Journalists Club of Vietnam. Detention centers refuse to provide treatment for prisoners who have health problems, he said. This happens especially at Xuyen Moc Detention Center [in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province], Detention Center No. 6 in Nghe An province, and Detention Center No. 5 in Thanh Hoa province. Many have lost their lives in prison. The harsh prison conditions, which may include forced labor, exacerbate a prisoners existing health problems, Hai said. Prison wardens and guards do not feel pressure to provide prisoners of conscience proper care because the authorities themselves are also empowered to investigate the deaths, so there is little accountability, he said. When prison doors shut, laws and regulations have to stay outside them, Hai told RFA. The prisoners fates are in the hands of prison wardens and guards. Therefore, these people are very aggressive. Hai said he believed that the treatment of prisoners of conscience would improve if the international community paid closer attention to the issue. Under Vietnams 2019 Law on the Execution of Criminal Judgements, prisoners have the right to receive treatment at detention centers, prisons or the nearest state-run medical center. Prisoners that have serious illnesses that cannot be treated locally should be transferred to higher-level medical establishments, and district-level police must inform their families or a representative about the transfer, according to the law. Human rights attorney Nguyen Van Dai, who has twice been imprisoned for a total of nearly seven years, said the treatment of prisoners of conscience is often based on the whims of police officials. For example, if investigators say that prison guards should treat suspects [held in detention] well, then that person will be provided with very good food and health care, he told RFA. However, the treatment towards the suspect will be reversed, including the provision of health care, if investigators say that he or she should be treated poorly. Investigators want to put pressure on the suspect through this treatment so that they can quickly get the investigation outcomes they want, he added. Dai, founder of the Brotherhood for Democracy, also said medical staff at prison clinics are usually able to only handle minor health issues. But prison authorities make it difficult for inmates with serious illnesses to move to a better-equipped and staffed medical center. Translated by Anna Vu for RFA Vietnamese. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. While the removal rate on international news sites reached 95% there has been a surge in misinformation, it claims. Vietnams Ministry of Information & Communication says it is cracking down on online fake and malicious news, spread by users in a country where tens of millions of people use global social networking sites every day despite tough censorship and media controls. The issue of distorted reports that could spread confusion and misinformation was brought up by legislators at the countrys National Assembly during the 14th session of the NAs Standing Committee. State-controlled media carried quotes by Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung on Wednesday. Hung said fake news mainly appeared on homepages of global sites such as Facebook and YouTube. He said the multinational platforms had increased their response to Vietnamese removal requests from 20% in 2018 to 90-95% today. Hung said before 2018 there were about 5,000 stories and videos that were deemed to be untrue by the government, which asked for them to be removed. He said the number has increased 20-fold to 100,000 stories and videos a day. Last year the ministry set up the Vietnam Counterfeit News Center to tackle the problem. It also ordered the National Cyber Safety Center to detect false information, as early as possible. The processing capacity of the center has increased from 100 million messages per day to 300 million. The ministry has also issued an online code of conduct to establish standards of behavior by social network users and persuade them to act responsibly in their written and video posts. Hung said since the beginning of the year hundreds of violations on spreading fake news have been recorded and handled. A number of cases identified as criminal violations have been transferred to the Ministry of Public Security. Facebook said 20 million Vietnamese use the social networking site every day, 17 million of them on mobile devices. The country is 13% above the global average in terms of daily usage, Facebook said. YouTube had 66.63 million users in Vietnam last year, according to the data website Statista.com, which estimates the number will rise to 75.44 million by 2025. Vietnam led the Asia Pacific in terms of the number of YouTube broadcasters late last year, according to local website VNExpress, with 25 million live streamers. Vietnam is ranked 174th out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index for 2022. "The political apparatus has a tailor-made legislative arsenal that allows it to imprison any news and information provider who proves troublesome," said the Paris-based RSF. "Around 40 journalists are currently held in Vietnams prisons, where mistreatment is widespread," it said. "The many topics subject to censorship include political dissidents, cases of corruption involving senior officials, the single partys legitimacy, relations with China and, of course, human rights issues," RSF said in May. TASHKENT -- Uzbekistan and Switzerland have agreed on the return by Swiss authorities of $131 million in assets seized during criminal proceedings against Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of longtime Uzbek President Islam Karimov. The Uzbek Justice Ministry said on August 16 that Minister Ruslanbek Davletov and Swiss President Ignazio Cassis signed an agreement in Bern to place the confiscated assets for a UN fund for sustainable development in Central Asia's most populous nation of 35 million. The breakthrough is one of a handful of efforts by Tashkent to agree on the return of some $1 billion in illicit funds, in some cases slowed by foreign authorities' desire to ensure transparency in the funds' return to public coffers. "The fund will allow the returned assets to be used for the benefit of the population of Uzbekistan," Cassis said at the signing ceremony. Switzerland froze around 800 million Swiss francs ($842 million) in 2012 in connection with criminal proceedings against Karimova, a pop diva and businesswoman who had a public falling-out with her late father and is currently in an Uzbek prison on embezzlement and criminal conspiracy charges. The Uzbek Justice Ministry said in February that it was working with authorities in Switzerland, the United States, France, Russia, and several other nations on the return of Karimova's assets that it said were "earned through criminal activities." The ministry said at the time that Uzbek and Swiss authorities had agreed to create a multiparty trust fund with the United Nations to work on the return of assets that were confiscated under a court decision as part of the probe against Karimova. It said that assets worth about $131 million and confiscated in 2019 were ready to be transferred to Uzbekistan. In 2020, the Swiss government said a nonbinding framework agreement signed between Switzerland and Uzbekistan meant any returned assets "shall be used for the benefit of the people of Uzbekistan." Tashkent has sought over $1 billion from foreign jurisdictions since announcing Karimova's imprisonment in 2017. Once seen as a possible successor to her father, Karimova was placed under house arrest in Tashkent in 2014 while he was still alive and running the country. Karimov died in 2016 and Shavkat Mirziyoev succeeded him soon afterward. Criminal investigators in Switzerland, the United States, Sweden, and the Netherlands have linked Karimova to a massive, years-long bribery scheme that revolved mainly around foreign telecommunications companies gaining access to the Uzbek market. In December 2017, Karimova was sentenced to a 10-year prison term but the sentence was later commuted to house arrest for five years. She was detained in March 2019 for allegedly violating the terms of her house arrest. In February 2020, Karimova sent a letter to Mirziyoev offering to return $686 million to the country's treasury in exchange for the dismissal of the court case against her at home. But a month later she received an additional 13-year sentence after being found guilty of extortion, money laundering, and other crimes. Commentary: White paper on Taiwan question to pool strength for national reunification, rejuvenation Xinhua) 08:00, August 11, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- A white paper, titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," will give a significant boost to efforts to pool strength for national reunification and rejuvenation. The white paper, published by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office on Wednesday, comprehensively elaborates on the position, principles and policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government on advancing and realizing national reunification in the new era. It bears great significance in strengthening the trend of opposing "Taiwan independence" and advancing national reunification, resolutely curbing separatist activities and interference from external forces, and firmly safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification is a shared aspiration of all the sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. The CPC, the Chinese government, and the Chinese people have striven for decades to achieve this goal. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, the CPC and the Chinese government have adopted new and innovative measures in relation to Taiwan. They have continued to chart the course of cross-Straits relations, safeguard peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, and promote progress towards national reunification. The achievements in advancing the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and peaceful national reunification in the new era have once again demonstrated that the CPC has always been the backbone of the Chinese nation, exercising strong leadership in realizing national rejuvenation and reunification. However, in recent years the Taiwan authorities, led by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), have redoubled their efforts to divide the country, and some external forces have tried to exploit Taiwan to contain China, prevent China from achieving complete reunification, and halt the process of national rejuvenation. The actions of the DPP authorities in advocating "Taiwan independence" have resulted in tensions in cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. They are obstacles that must be eliminated in the process of advancing peaceful reunification. External interference is another obstacle to China's reunification. Still lost in delusions of hegemony and trapped in a Cold War mindset, some forces in the United States insist on perceiving and portraying China as a major strategic adversary and a serious long-term threat. They do their utmost to undermine and pressurize China, exploiting Taiwan as a convenient tool. It is the sacred right of every sovereign state to safeguard national unity and territorial integrity. It goes without saying that the Chinese government is entitled to take all measures necessary to settle the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification, free of external interference. China is firmly committed to peaceful development. At the same time, it will not flinch in the face of external interference, nor will it tolerate any infringement upon its sovereignty, security and development interests. Relying on external forces will achieve nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail. "We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification," the white paper says. "But we will not renounce the use of force," it adds, stressing that the use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances. National reunification is an essential step toward national rejuvenation. The future of Taiwan lies in China's reunification, and the wellbeing of the people of Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, an endeavor that bears on the future and destiny of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Russia's invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global food chains and is contributing to a crisis exacerbated by already-rising food prices and deepening poverty across much of the Middle East and parts of Africa. Both Kyiv and Moscow are leading exporters of agricultural products to those regions, and the deepening ripple effects from the war are worrying governments and international organizations. The World Economic Forum has warned that crises in food, fuel, and finance worsened by the war could stoke unrest in poorer countries and push others into default. A July deal struck by Turkey with Russia and Ukraine broke a monthslong Russian blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports and provided some hope for relief, although United Nations officials have said the shipments are not reaching those most in need and are unlikely to stave off a growing international food crisis. To find out more about the growing fallout from the war, RFE/RL spoke with Daniel Speckhard, a former U.S. official who is currently president of Corus International, a global aid organization. Speckhard previously served as U.S. ambassador to Belarus and Greece and was NATO's deputy assistant secretary-general for political affairs, among other roles. RFE/RL: You spent a large chunk of your career dealing with Russia, either directly or tangentially. How has the war in Ukraine changed the way that policymakers in Washington are seeing Moscow now compared to previous years? The last six months have changed many assumptions about Russian power. Where are things headed for how Washington sees the Kremlin and its foreign policy? Daniel Speckhard: Because of Russia's nuclear status, the power that they still wield in the world is significant. While its conventional war capabilities have perhaps been shown to be weaker than one might have thought, I think the fundamentals are still the same: You have a nuclear power that wants to play on the global stage as an equal to the United States and China -- and they're going to act as if they are. That makes it more dangerous. So, I think the concerns in Washington and [other] Western capitals -- and even in Beijing -- is that this is actually a more dangerous situation because things can escalate more quickly. Also, Russia by no means sees their weakness in the way that we do. For how it has changed, I think relations have been going downhill for some time, especially after Russia's intervention in U.S. elections [in 2015 and 2016]. But the Ukraine situation has made it interesting in the context that the United States was very divided over Russian interference in the elections because there was a [domestic] political overlay that divided the country. The war in Ukraine has seen that mostly evaporate and, with the exception of a small group in the United States, there's overwhelming support for [Kyiv]. Anti-Russian feeling in Washington has also risen in some ways [and] that has also boxed in what's available on the foreign policy side for the foreseeable future. As a result, the part that I'm worried about is there are a lot of global issues that need to be addressed that do require Russian support and involvement, whether it's the environment, terrorism, organized crime, or cybersecurity. All of these issues require international cooperation -- and the fallout from the war could worsen many of those issues and make reaching the broad global consensus required difficult. RFE/RL: Both Ukraine and Russia provide a lot of the world's wheat, especially to countries that are on the margins with their food security. We've already seen grain shortages affect the world, but what are some of the wider knock-on effects that this war is triggering? Speckhard: It starts with the humanitarian crisis that is currently playing out. Nearly 48 million people, according to the United Nations, are facing emergency levels of hunger and that is leading to acute malnutrition, starvation, and even death. But even more importantly, there's another 70 million people that have been pushed into poverty just since March because of what's happening in Ukraine in terms of the shortages of food [and] the disruptions of supplies for these countries. In Lebanon, for instance, the price of a gallon of cooking oil can cost one month's salary. It's having an impact across many places, and what's interesting -- and concerning -- about this from the foreign policy perspective is this isn't going to stay as a humanitarian crisis. This is also going to lead to political crises and potentially security crises because when people get hungry, when economies get stressed to the brink -- especially these countries, which are already suffering from economic and environmental disruptions -- you get populations that are at the very end of survival and becoming desperate. This leads to political upheaval and insecurity. Then that insecurity creates and feeds terrorism and violence across the world and interethnic and intertribal conflicts. So, I think we have to be very aware that there's roughly 200 million people in 53 countries that are facing acute food insecurity. When we watch how this plays out across the Middle East and the Sahel in Africa, we are going to see knock-on effects that aren't just humanitarian but are also political and security related. So the challenge for the world's leaders is not to be so focused just on the Russia and Ukraine situation -- but that they also pay close attention to the very deep and desperate needs of many of these countries and help them stabilize and get through this difficult situation. RFE/RL: There have been accusations by analysts and some Ukrainian officials that some of this is a deliberate strategy on Moscow's part. How do you see it? Speckhard: What I would say is, it's a tertiary strategy, in the sense that the fundamental, central strategic objective here for Russia is Ukraine, but they are going to use all of this disruption as a target for their huge propaganda machine to blame the West for this. You can already see that happening. There is a big public relations push being prepared, and I'd expect that to be accompanied by Russia sending aid and then having its propaganda networks talking about how weak and inefficient the UN response is in comparison. Another angle is these strains that we've discussed will weaken governments and there will be lots of hungry people looking for answers -- and they may start looking to authoritarian leaders that say they can protect them. Moscow has already been deepening its links with authoritarian regimes, especially in Africa, and has been providing security and economic assistance. They've been playing this game for decades, and I'd expect it to accelerate as new opportunities open up. RFE/RL: What are some of the cards that can be played by the international community to help deal with this crisis? Apart from ending the war, what options exist? Speckhard: What I think needs to happen is enough attention needs to be drawn to this at the international level. It's not enough for the United States to say this is happening or draw attention to it, but it needs broad international recognition at the UN, World Bank, G20, and other organizations. There also needs to be a broader push to put pressure on Russia. I think there is an opportunity here for other countries to get involved, like we saw with Turkey being able to open up the Black Sea ports to allow food to flow again. So there is a chance for countries to step up and shine by focusing on the humanitarian needs of the rest of the world. Things like that might not end the war -- which would have the biggest impact -- but they can certainly make a difference. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Mostafa al-Ahmad, one of the three prominent filmmakers jailed last month in Iran as part of a broad crackdown, was released on bail on August 10. He had contracted COVID-19 in prison. Ahmad, 52, was arrested in July as Iranian authorities cracked down on dissent in response to growing antiestablishment sentiment and near-daily protests across the Islamic republic. Fellow filmmakers Mohammad Rasulof and Jafar Panahi were arrested around the same time. It had been reported recently that Ahmad and Panahi had developed COVID-19 in Tehran's Evin prison, but judicial authorities prevented them from being hospitalized outside that detention facility. Days prior to his arrest, Ahmad had joined a group of Iranian filmmakers in publishing an open letter calling on the security forces to "lay down their arms" in the face of public outrage over "corruption, theft, inefficiency, and repression" following the violent crackdown against those protesting a building collapse in the southwestern city of Abadan, which killed 41 people in May. More than 100 Iranian filmmakers backed the statement, which said that soldiers "have turned into the people's oppressors. The arrests of the three prominent directors has prompted international criticism. Three European film and arts festivals have strongly condemned the government over the detention of the filmmakers. Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda With a long list of crimes punishable by death, Iran put at least 314 prisoners to death last year, second only to China, which recorded more than 1,000 executions. The Iran Human Rights organization actually puts the figure at 333. Thats up from 267 executions in Iran in 2020. The alarming number of executions almost all believed to be by hanging has drawn the attention of much of the international community and of global rights watchdogs, who believe that capital punishment is cruel, degrading, and inhumane. But why have more Iranian prisoners been executed over the past two years? While mandatory death sentences still exist for certain offenses, observed trends raise questions about the real motive behind these sentences. When being tried for a crime, Iranian citizens are not equal before the law. Men have more rights than women, Muslims have more rights than non-Muslims, and Shia Muslims have more rights than Sunni Muslims, who are a minority in the country. Ethnic minorities are also at a disadvantage in the justice system. Although they make up only 2 to 5 percent of the population in Iran, the Baluch minority accounted for 21 percent of executions in 2021 and 26 percent in the first half of 2022. Iran is also one of the few countries in the world that executes juvenile offenders. International law forbids the death penalty for people who were under 18 years old at the time of the crime for which they have been convicted. In Iran, however, juveniles are often kept in prison and executed after they come of age. In 2021, a man who was 15 at the time of his arrest was executed in Iran after spending almost 20 years on death row. Currently, more than 85 convicted juveniles are on death row in Iran. A Flawed Judicial System Other nuances of Iranian law, like a judicial system and courts that are widely seen as discriminatory and biased, also influence the criteria used to apply death penalties. The head of the judiciary is directly appointed by Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to Iranian law, suspects are allowed access to a lawyer, but their rights to choose such lawyers are limited. In serious criminal cases and those involving security charges, suspects can only choose lawyers from a list approved by the head of the judiciary. None of the death row inmates that Iran Human Rights obtained information about had access to a lawyer in the pretrial phase following their arrest. Revolutionary Courts In Iran, different crimes are judged by different courts. Rape and murder cases are handled by the Criminal Courts, while enmity against God, armed rebellion, and drug-related cases are handled by the Revolutionary Courts, responsible for most of the death sentences issued in the last 12 years. However, these courts are not transparent, and judges are known for the extraordinary abuse of their legal powers, denying lawyers access to convicted individuals and allowing exhausting interrogations using torture to coerce suspects to confess to crimes. Revolutionary Courts are also responsible for issuing severe sentences to those found to have criticized the authorities. In June 2021, the Iranian parliament passed a draft bill targeting citizen journalists. If approved, journalists or human rights activists reporting on the death penalty could face the death penalty themselves. All of these factors facilitate the excessive imposition of death sentences in Iran. The years 2021 and 2022 saw dramatic increases in the number of executions. According to Iran Human Rights, at least 333 were executed throughout the country in 2021 the most since 2018. And the numbers so far for 2022 are on track to shatter that record, with 320 already executed in 2022, according to Iran Human Rights. An increase in drug-related executions also raises questions given the current setting in which they are happening. An amendment to the Anti-Narcotics Law, passed at the end of 2017, had previously led to a significant decrease in the number of drug-related executions in Iran, but in 2021 there was a fivefold increase in these figures, with at least 126 people being executed for drug-related charges. This is a violation of international law, which prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes not involving intentional killing. The peak of executions for drug-related crimes in Iran in 2021 was in July, which was also the month after a presidential election, when protests over economic woes and water shortages erupted. On July 26, 2021, while protests were happening in Kermanshah, RFE/RL reported that, on top of ruthless force used against peaceful protesters, there was a wave of arrests on the outskirts of the city. In an interview with RFE/RL , Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of Iran Human Rights, observed another trend: Executions decline during major election periods. He said executions are paused because the world is paying attention to what happens in the country. The number of executions also started to rise after Ebrahim Raisi took office in August 2021, and the average monthly number of executions under his presidency is already almost equal to that of former President Hassan Rohani during his seven and a half years in power. Backlog Strategy? In May and June of this year, 33 people were executed in six different prisons across Iran. Amnesty International found out that, since early 2022, authorities in Rajai Shahr prison, west of Tehran, have been executing five people each week on average, with up to 10 executions in some weeks. These grim figures were happening at the same time that the head of the judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and other top judicial officials were giving statements about the need to address prison overcrowding. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center had already identified this pattern in previous years. Between 2007 and 2008, then-judiciary chief Ayatollah Shahroudi instituted a strategy aimed at resolving a backlog of cases. This resulted in a significant number of cases being tried and closed, yet nearly 1 million cases were still unresolved in 2013. The judiciary chief then issued more guidelines to speed up these processes. In the years since Shahroudis guidelines, executions in Iran increased dramatically, reaching a peak of 1,054 in 2015. Satellite images taken shortly before and after explosions rocked a Russian air base in occupied Crimea reveal the damaged inflicted by the blasts. Unidentified Ukrainian officials have told U.S. media that their armed forces were responsible for the explosions but did not give further details. Such a move would be a significant escalation in the war. Russian officials say an accidental munitions explosion caused the blasts. Russia seized the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and has used the base for launching air attacks against Kyiv's forces. A beluga whale that got lost and became stranded in the River Seine eventually died despite rescue efforts. The marine creature, headed towards the north, veered off course and became impaled in a freshwater lock at St.-Pierre-La-Garenne, some 45 miles west of Paris, on Aug. 2, CNN reported. Experts tried to feed the missing beluga many times after finding it but failed. Rescue operations to pull the whale from the river started on Tuesday night. Eighty individuals, including more than 20 divers, arrived to save the over 1760-pound, 13-foot-long beast. The whale was removed from the sea on Wednesday morning using a net, and it was then put on a barge with vets who kept an eye on the beluga's health. Euthanized Beluga Whale in Transit From France's Seine River According to the Associated Press, the whale was transferred to a chilled truck and driven more than 90 miles to a saltwater port in Normandy. The whale experienced severe respiratory problems as it made its way to the water. "The veterinarians noted a deterioration in its condition and its respiratory activities," said Florence Ollivet-Courtois, one of the veterinarians assisting with the rescue operation, in a video shared on Twitter by the French department of Calvados. "The animal was in anoxia and was not ventilating sufficiently," added Florence Ollivet-Courtois. The vets chose to euthanize the beluga after evaluating the animal's condition owing to its low quality of life. According to Ollivet-Courtois, the animal's suffering was evident. Therefore, the vets agreed to euthanize it since it would be inappropriate to release it. Lamya Essemlali, head of Sea Shepherd France, who spoke to Reuters, mentioned that the whale would not have lasted very long in the river water. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the beluga did not survive the translocation, which was risky but essential to give an otherwise doomed animal a chance," announced the organization on Twitter. "We are devastated by this tragic outcome that we knew was very likely, but we thank all those who worked for this unprecedented mobilization," Sea Shepherd France added. Nous sommes effondres de cette issue tragique que nous savions fort probable mais nous remercions infiniment tous ceux qui ont oeuvre a cette mobilisation sans precedant : pompiers, soigneurs, benevoles, sympathisants, et @isadorliat sous-prefete de l'Eure Sea Shepherd France (@SeaShepherdFran) August 10, 2022 ALSO READ: Efforts to Save Malnourished Beluga Whale Stuck in France's Seine River Continues to Fail, Experts Fear It Will Eventually Die in the Canal The vets chose to euthanize the beluga after evaluating the animal's condition owing to its low quality of life. According to Ollivet-Courtois, the animal's suffering was evident. Therefore, the vets agreed that carrying out its euthanasia was required since it was inappropriate to release it. Lamya Essemlali, head of Sea Shepherd France, who spoke to Reuters, mentioned that the whale would not have lasted very long in the river water. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the beluga did not survive the translocation, which was risky but essential to give an otherwise doomed animal a chance," announced the organization on Twitter. "We are devastated by this tragic outcome that we knew was very likely, but we thank all those who worked for this unprecedented mobilization," Sea Shepherd France added. Nous sommes effondres de cette issue tragique que nous savions fort probable mais nous remercions infiniment tous ceux qui ont oeuvre a cette mobilisation sans precedant : pompiers, soigneurs, benevoles, sympathisants, et @isadorliat sous-prefete de l'Eure Sea Shepherd France (@SeaShepherdFran) August 10, 2022 Malnourished Beluga Whale Refused to Eat Since It Got Stuck The malnourished whale was to be moved to a saltwater basin in the hopes that it would gain some strength before being moved to the sea. But it was a dangerous endeavor. The male beluga, which stood four meters (13.1 feet) tall and weighed 800 kilograms (1,763 pounds) rather than the 1,200 kilos that an adult beluga typically weighs, had not eaten since it was first discovered in the Seine last week. Before it strayed up the river and came within 70 km (43 miles) of Paris, rescuers thought it was already unwell. When it arrived at Ouistreham, it was still alive but frail and had trouble breathing. The whale would have been doomed if left in the Seine, according to the marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd France, which assisted in the rescue. Beluga is unable to endure extended stays in warm, freshwater rivers. "[The operation] was risky, but essential to give a chance to an otherwise doomed animal," the group added in an Al Jazeera report. A very ill orca made its way up the Seine in late May and died naturally after being unsuccessfully guided back to the ocean. The most southern whale sighting on British soil occurred in September 2018 when a beluga was observed in the River Thames east of London. Beluga whales often dwell in pods in the Arctic or sub-Arctic seas. RELATED ARTICLE: 12-Meter Long Humpback Whale Rescued by Divers After Being Trapped in an Illegal Net Off the Balearic Island of Mallorca Check out more news and information on Animals in Science Times. Un maillot de Michael Jordan propose aux encheres pour 3 a 5 millions de dollars Un maillot porte par la legende de la NBA, le basketteur Michael Jordan, lors de sa derniere saison 1997-1998 avec les Chicago Bulls va etre propose aux encheres en septembre pour trois a cinq millions de dollars, a annonce mercredi Sotheby's. La maison new-yorkaise, propriete depuis 2019 du magnat franco-israelien des telecoms Patrick Drahi, a deja vendu des baskets ayant appartenu a la superstar mondiale Michael Jordan qui a aujourd'hui 59 ans, atteignant en 2021 pres de 1,5 million de dollars. La vente aura lieu a New York du 6 au 14 septembre et le fameux maillot rouge flanque du numero 23 des Chicago Bulls porte par Jordan sera presente au public a Monterey, en Californie, du 17 au 20 aout, puis a New York durant les encheres de septembre, selon un communique de Sotheby's. "La saison 1997-1998 est peut-etre l'une des preferees des fans de Jordan parce que Michael etait au sommet de ses capacites tout en sachant que c'etait sa derniere chance avec les Chicago Bulls pour le championnat de la NBA", a commente le patron des objets modernes et vetements de collection chez Sotheby's, Brahm Wachter. Ce que les experts du basket et les auteurs d'un documentaire ESPN/Netflix de dix saisons en 2020 ont appele la saison de la "derniere danse" ("The Last Dance") en 1997-1998 marque la deuxieme retraite sportive de Michael Jordan: il a joue chez les Bulls de 1984-85 a 1997-98 -- avec une interruption d'une saison en 1993-1994 -- avant de rejoindre les Wizards de la capitale federale Washington de 2001 a 2003. Estime a entre trois et cinq millions de dollars, le maillot de l'arriere des Chicago Bulls a deja atteint la mise aux encheres la plus elevee pour un maillot de Jordan et pour n'importe quel objet de collection du joueur, selon Sotheby's. En octobre 2021 a Las Vegas, la maison new-yorkaise avait vendu pour 1.472.000 dollars une paire de baskets, les Nike Air Ships, portee par Jordan au debut de sa carriere en 1984-85, etablissant un record aux encheres pour des chaussures portees en match. Un prix astronomique, pulverisant le record de Nike Air Jordans vendues 615.000 dollars en aout 2020 lors d'encheres organisees par la societe concurrente Christie's. Six fois champion NBA avec les Bulls de Chicago, inspirateur de la ligne de baskets Air Jordan de Nike, proprietaire des Charlotte Hornets, le natif de New York est considere comme l'un des plus grands sportifs de tous les temps et aujourd'hui comme l'une des personnalites les plus en vue de l'industrie du sport. A state appeals court says district attorneys who oppose Californias three strikes law, like George Gascon of Los Angeles, must still charge sentence-lengthening strikes when a defendant has serious prior convictions. But a group of current and former prosecutors, including Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton and former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, says the ruling would allow judges to usurp the will of voters and is asking the state Supreme Court to overturn it. The appellate ruling, issued June 2, threatens the very core of the prosecutors well-settled discretion and role as an elected official, the 73 prosecutors said in a brief to be filed Friday with the states high court. In addition to Boudin, who was recalled from office by San Francisco voters June 7, and Becton, who was re-elected to a four-year term the same day, the signers included District Attorneys Alvin Bragg of New York, Wesley Bell of St. Louis, Kimberly Foxx of Chicago and Lawrence Krasner of Philadelphia, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Two former Los Angeles County district attorneys, Gil Garcetti and Ira Reiner, also signed the court filing. The states high court has not decided yet whether to grant review of the ruling. Gascon has asked the court to take up the case and overrule the appellate court. Prosecutors in his office, represented by the 800-member Association of Deputy District Attorneys, filed the suit challenging his policies. The prosecutors group is also supporting an effort to recall Gascon. County election officials are currently counting signatures on recall petitions to determine if it will qualify for the ballot. Three strikes, approved by the states voters in 1994, imposes sentences of 25 years to life in prison for defendants convicted of a third serious or violent felony. Convictions for a second such felony carry twice the usual sentence. Gascon was elected in Los Angeles County in 2020 after eight years as San Francisco district attorney. He has declined to seek the death penalty and has gotten some death sentences reduced to life in prison. He also considers some sentencing laws excessively harsh and has instructed prosecutors in his office not to seek three-strikes sentences. But a Superior Court judge agreed with the prosecutors association in February 2021 that the state law requires prosecutors to file all charges based on a defendants criminal record and to argue for the increased sentences. The Second District Court of Appeal agreed in part in its June 2 ruling, saying prosecutors must charge second and third strikes. The 1994 law created a duty ... that requires prosecutors to plead prior serious or violent felony convictions to increase punishment for repeat offenders, Justice John Segal said in the 3-0 ruling. He noted that the three-strikes law said it shall be applied in every case in which a defendant has a past conviction for a serious or violent felony. But the court said the law does not require prosecutors to argue for a three-strikes sentence and would allow them instead to seek a lesser sentence. The new filing by Becton, Boudin and other self-described progressive prosecutors, however, said the appellate ruling still interferes unduly with elected officials and the voters who elected them. The ruling forces a district attorney to seek penalties that, in the elected prosecutors judgment, do not advance public safety or serve the interests of justice, the filing said. There is no research that shows sentencing (increases) improve public safety, but there is evidence that excessive sentences increase recidivism, increasing crime after a prisoner is released. 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. The Court of Appeals decision overrides the will of the voters and allows judges to substitute their judgment for that of an executive elected official, the current and former prosecutors said. Authors of the brief were Erwin Chemerinsky, the law school dean at UC Berkeley; Michael Romano, director of the Three Strikes Project at Stanford Law School; and Miriam Krinsky, a former federal prosecutor who now heads Fair and Just Prosecution, a nonprofit advocating for more liberal prosecution policies. The filing drew a response Thursday from Eric Siddall, vice president of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys: Prosecutors should be asking courts to follow the law, not ideology. Gascons position is not rooted in the law, but its grounded in an authoritarian ideology that is inconsistent with our constitutional system. But as the appellate court reminded Gascon, he is not an absolute sovereign. He must follow the law. And his decisions are reviewable. The case is Association of Deputy District Attorneys v. Gascon, No. S275478. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate One by one, Bay Area cities and counties have been moving to limit the number of short-term rentals that have stirred complaints about everything from noisy parties to housing shortages. The latest to do so was Santa Rosa, whose City Council voted 5-2 Tuesday to allow no more than 198 non-hosted vacation rentals, meaning rentals without a local host living at the property. The new limit is meant to curb the most troublesome short-term rentals properties with no one neighbors can turn to for help with problematic visitors. People who live near the rentals feel like theyre in a living hell, said Council Member Victoria Fleming, who supported the cap and wanted the city to consider an all-out ban on short-term rentals outside commercial districts. Nobody should have to live next door to a perpetual party zone. Complaints from residents living near vacation rentals in her central Santa Rosa district are nearly uniform and nonstop, she said. Communities across the country are confronting the impact of short-term rentals, generally defined as rentals leased for fewer than 30 days at a time. The problem is severe across California where housing is scarce and expensive. In Marin County, officials recently estimated that only about 43% of all residential parcels in West Marin are primary homes. In Stinson Beach, as many as 22% of all properties are short-term vacation rentals. In May, Marin County supervisors temporarily banned any new vacation rentals in coastal areas while they study a longer-term plan to balance the needs of tourists and local residents. Fairfax was the most recent town within the county to impose its own restrictions. It voted in June to tax vacation rental hosts and require they acquire business licenses, among other new rules In the Lake Tahoe area, where the housing shortage has gotten so acute that some ski resorts have erected campgrounds and tiny home villages to house their workers, the issue has been a flashpoint. This year, Placer County officials capped short-term rentals on the western rim of the lake at 3,900, representing about 25% of all housing. And South Lake Tahoe reduced its vacation rentals from 1,400 to 400, concentrated in the downtown. Sonoma County supervisors have stopped allowing new vacation rentals in unincorporated areas while officials develop a strategy to balance the needs of tourists and local residents. 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. In Santa Rosa, about 75% of complaints about vacation rentals that require city resources, from code inspectors to police response, involve those without hosts on site, according to city data. The city currently has 98 approved non-hosted vacation rentals and another 24 with hosts. Santa Rosa resident Maureen Linde and her husband, Erik, have felt under siege by the steady stream of partying visitors at a nearby house, which features a backyard pool, that they say has been used for rentals since last year. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle These people arent showing up and baking cookies or taking dogs for a walk or going to farmers markets, Linde said. The minute they show up, theyre ready to party. Julie Johnson (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: julie.johnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @juliejohnson KTVU 2006 Leslie Griffith, a longtime television journalist known for anchoring the 10 p.m. newscast on KTVU, Channel 2, died Wednesday, the station said. She was 66. Griffith, a native of Tomball, Texas, died at Lake Chapala, Mexico, according to KTVU. She had lived in Mexico since 2016, a family member told the station. Patricia Guerrero, who became the California Supreme Courts first Latina justice when Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed her in March, was nominated by Newsom on Wednesday to succeed retiring Tani Cantil-Sakauye as the court's chief justice. She would become the third woman to lead the court in its 173-year history. To fill Guerrero's seat on the court, Newsom nominated Kelli Evans, who had been an attorney in the governor's office before he appointed her to the Alameda County Superior Court last year. As his chief deputy legal affairs secretary, Newsom said, Evans helped to draft the moratorium on executions that the governor declared shortly after taking office in 2019. Evans is a lesbian, lives with her wife and their daughter, and would become the courts second openly LGBTQ justice, along with Martin Jenkins, appointed by Newsom in 2020. She would also be the current courts third Black justice, along with Jenkins and Leondra Kruger. Courtesy Governor's Press Office Cantil-Sakauye, appointed by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to lead the court in 2011, announced July 27 that she would not seek a new 12-year term in January and would retire after 32 years as a judge. A former prosecutor with a relatively moderate record as a jurist, she is one of two Republican appointees on the seven-member court, and one of four women. She has been a strong advocate of reducing or eliminating cash bail for defendants awaiting trial, and joined the courts order prohibiting judges in most cases from setting bail in amounts a defendant cannot afford. Guerrero, 50, is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico who became an advocate for immigrants as a lawyer. Born in Brawley (Imperial County), she started working at a grocery store at age 16, worked her way through UC Berkeley and Stanford Law School, then joined a law firm in 1997. She did unpaid work on immigration cases as an attorney, helping applicants for asylum, and on housing discrimination cases, and was on the advisory board of the American Bar Associations Immigration Justice Project, which provides legal services to immigrants. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her to the San Diego County Superior Court in 2013 and to the Fourth District Court of Appeal in 2017. One of her appellate rulings, in August 2020, allowed Amazon to be sued for defects in a product that was advertised on its website and stored and shipped by its warehouse, a computer laptop battery that exploded and seriously burned a woman. Although Amazon did not manufacture the battery, it was pivotal in bringing the product ... to the consumer, Guerrero wrote in a 3-0 decision. Since her confirmation to the states high court in March, Guerrero has joined majority opinions but has not issued a separate majority or dissenting opinion. If confirmed, I look forward to continuing the strides the court has made under Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye to expand equal access to justice and create a fairer justice system for all Californians, Guerrero said in a statement released by Newsoms office. Her confirmation will be considered by the Commission on Judicial Appointments, led by Cantil-Sakauye, and Guerrero would then appear on the November ballot to seek voter approval for a 12-year term. Evans, 53, also had humble beginnings, growing up in a public housing project and then in an apartment with federal funding, according to Newsoms office. While working 20 hours a week to support her family, she graduated near the top of her class in high school, then attended Stanford and UC Davis Law School, where she received an award for public service. 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. She has devoted her professional life - and her very heart and soul - to social justice for all and is ideally suited for service on the states highest court, said the UC Davis law school dean, Kevin Johnson. She was a public defender in Sacramento County from 1995 to 1998 while also serving as an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, where she returned as associate director in 2010. She also spent three years in the U.S. Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and three years in a State Bar administrative office and was a member of court-appointed monitoring teams for the Oakland and Cleveland police departments before joining Newsoms legal staff in 2019. He appointed her to the Superior Court in Oakland, her hometown, in July 2021. I have worked my entire career to promote equality and access to justice and to protect the rights of some of society's most disenfranchised members, Evans said in a statement issued by Newsoms office. The gay-rights group Equality California said Evans nomination sends an important message to the rest of the country at a time when LGBTQ+ people, women and communities of color are under attack. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko UPDATE: Brooke Jenkins defends work with nonprofit tied to campaign to recall Chesa Boudin. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins disclosure that she was paid a six-figure sum by a nonprofit linked to a billionaire who backed the recall of her predecessor, Chesa Boudin, set off a wave of criticism and raised questions about whether she should have revealed the financial connection sooner. Jenkins said in a statement of economic interest filed with the city that she received more than $100,000 for consulting work she did before taking office with a group called Neighbors for a Better San Francisco. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Neighbors for a Better San Francisco is barred by federal tax law from participating in political campaigns. But one of the groups board members is William Oberndorf, who is also on the board of a similarly named group called Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy, a 501(c)(4) that is allowed to get involved in campaigns and spent millions trying to get Boudin removed from office. Jenkins disclosure provoked controversy because she said she worked on the Boudin recall in a volunteer capacity. Heres what we know about the revelations impact and what could come next: Was Jenkins work illegal or improper? Quentin Kopp, a retired judge and former member of the San Francisco Ethics Commission who supported the recall of Boudin, said Jenkins does not appear to have broken any law. The fact that she didnt disclose she was being paid thats what voters can evaluate in November, Kopp said, referring to the special election for district attorney. She wouldnt be the first candidate for office who didnt disclose all relevant facts pertaining to any campaign issue, he said. Supervisor Dean Preston, a democratic socialist and one of Boudins staunchest defenders, said that while Jenkins work itself may not have broken the law, she should have disclosed it sooner especially given that she said she was a volunteer for the pro-recall efforts. She has the right to consult with whoever she wants. No one is saying its illegal for her to work with Bill Oberndorf, Preston said. I think theres serious questions about not disclosing it, and I think there are serious questions about why someone who is district attorney has taken money from this entity, given its politics. The Neighbors for a Better San Francisco super political action committee spent money to oppose Prestons candidacy along with those of some other progressive candidates in the 2020 election. Could Jenkins face any consequences as a result? The San Francisco Ethics Commission could initiate an investigation into whether Jenkins ran afoul of any laws. The commission could start such a probe either at the discretion of its director of enforcement or in response to a complaint filed by someone else. After a preliminary review, the director would either dismiss the matter or open an investigation. Any complaints and ongoing investigations are confidential under city law. The result of the investigation would become public if the commission found probable cause that the subject committed a violation, and the commission ordered the subject to cease and desist the violation, file any required documents and/or pay a fine. If the subject did not agree to the settlement, which is rare, the case would go to a public administrative hearing before the commission, which would decide whether to uphold the violation. How long this process takes can vary. If a complaint were filed or investigation pursued against Jenkins, its not clear whether the matter would be resolved by the November election. A commission spokesperson couldnt comment on whether it had received any complaint or was pursuing its own investigation into Jenkins, citing the confidentiality required by the City Charter. What about Neighbors for a Better San Francisco? The connections between Neighbors for a Better San Francisco and Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy go beyond their names and links to Oberndorf. They each share the same address in San Rafael, too. But thats not abnormal. Mark Gergen, a UC Berkeley professor with expertise in tax law, said its not at all unusual for the same group to be split into 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) operations. One example is the NAACP, which is set up as a 501(c)(4) that is allowed to be involved in politics. But NAACP Empowerment Programs is a 501(c)(3) that can accept tax-deductible contributions. But theres well-known potential for abuse, he said. The government the IRS can be more or less vigilant when trying to police that," Gergen said. They generally are less vigilant. Larry Bush, a member of the citys Ethics Commission, said he couldnt comment about any matter that may come before the commission. In general though, he said nonprofits like 501(c)(3)s can pay someone to do education and research and other things, including voter registration. When asked whether he saw any issues with Jenkins stating that she was a volunteer while being paid by recall-linked organizations, Bush said, Those are questions that shell have to answer to the public and to any group like the Ethics Commission, if they come before us. Money can flow between an affiliated 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4), though its not clear if that happened in this case. If the 501(c)(3) is loaning or granting funds to the 501(c)(4), there are legal restrictions on how the money can be spent, according to Bolder Advocacy, an Alliance for Justice program that works with nonprofits. 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 if the 501(c)(4) is granting or loaning money to the 501(c)(3), few restrictions apply, Bolder Advocacy says in a fact sheet. How are elected officials responding? None of Jenkins political allies said the disclosure changed their decisions to endorse her candidacy for the November election, when she will seek voters permission to stay on as district attorney. Mayor London Breed, who appointed Jenkins to the district attorney job after Boudins recall, was not available for an interview Wednesday, her staff said. Her spokesperson Parisa Safarzadeh said the mayor did not have concerns that Jenkins said she was a volunteer for the recall while getting paid by a closely affiliated group. The important thing is that the district attorney disclosed it in her form, Safarzadeh said. Safarzadeh said the mayor was aware that Jenkins was volunteering and also working on various contracts between when she left Boudins office and when the mayor named her district attorney. Safarzadeh was not fully aware of whether Breed knew about Jenkins association with Oberndorf and Neighbors for a Better San Francisco. Safarzadeh said Breed has been consistent that selecting Brooke to take this position is the right thing to do. She has faith Brooke will be an amazing district attorney and will do a great job, she said. She thought she was an ethical and honest and transparent person. Preston, who chairs the Board of Supervisors Government Audit and Oversight Committee, said hes not currently planning any hearings or legislative response to Jenkins disclosure. But he is thinking about the issue in a broader way. I am interested in knowing more about ... whether there are any more limits we could impose on funneling this kind of money to impact races without disclosing, he said. Chronicle staff writer Joshua Sharpe contributed to this report. J.D. Morris, Mallory Moench and Megan Cassidy are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris @mallorymoench @meganrcassidy Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle A person in custody at San Francisco County jails who had a suspected case of monkeypox has tested negative, the San Francisco Jail Health Services has announced. Last Friday, the Sheriffs Office reported its first suspected case, saying proper isolation protocols and other quarantine measures would be followed. As of Wednesday, authorities said there are no suspected or confirmed cases of monkeypox within the jail population. Jeremy Goldman, a lawyer in the San Francisco City Attorneys Office who fought to end cash bail in the city and earlier took part in the successful legal challenge to the states ban on same-sex marriage, has won confirmation to the state Court of Appeal, where he had been nominated by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The state Commission on Judicial Appointments on Wednesday unanimously approved Goldmans appointment to the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, He fills the vacancy created when Newsom named another justice on the court, Alison Tucher, as presiding justice of a different division of the First District. Goldman, 53, has worked for the City Attorneys Office since 2014 and most recently served as a supervisor of its appellate cases. When the city was sued in 2015 by criminal defense advocates who argued that the bail system was unfairly keeping poor people in jail before trial, City Attorney David Chiu said, it was Goldman who convinced the office that the system was not worth defending and should be overhauled, the first local government in California to make such a decision. The Legislature voted to abolish cash bail in 2018, but bail bond companies blocked and then repealed the law with a 2020 referendum, Proposition 25. Chiu said Goldman negotiated a settlement of the suit against San Francisco that effectively eliminated the citys previous bail system and allowed defendants to stay free before trial unless they posed a demonstrable danger to the public. He was also instrumental in a recent settlement that moved hundreds of homeless people out of sidewalk tents and into hotel rooms and shelters, Chiu said. Before joining the City Attorneys office, Goldman worked at a law firm that led the challenge to Proposition 8, the 2008 initiative that prohibited same-sex marriage in California. Chiu, whose office also took part in the case, said Goldman was the top lieutenant to the firms chief attorney at the trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco and played an important role in the case that led to the overturning of Prop. 8. 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. Aileen McGrath, another attorney in the Prop. 8 case, told the commission that Goldmans fierce intellect, tireless work ethic, cooperative and collaborative spirit, and devotion to an important public cause stood out on a team composed of many distinguished lawyers. The state Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation gave Goldman its highest rating, well-qualified. After his confirmation, he was sworn in by a former classmate at Yale Law School, state Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko After a tumultuous year of lawsuits and legislation over campus growth, the University of Californias flagship Berkeley campus admitted the lowest number of first-year students in recent years. Cal offered admission to 14,600 new students for the fall semester, which begins next week. That compares with 16,400 admissions issued in 2021s fall semester and is the lowest number of potential new students since 2018, when 13,559 students were offered the chance to enroll in their first year. How many students actually enroll wont be known until late fall. Despite the legal and legislative battle over Cals plans to expand its campus, university officials said the reason for the reduced number of admittance offers was a result of standard enrollment planning, designed to keep enrollment stable. Since enrollment surged unexpectedly last fall, when a higher than anticipated number of first-year and transfer students accepted admission offers, Cal officials reduced the number of students it would admit this fall. The lower numbers also anticipated a number of students returning to campus after taking a hiatus during the pandemic, university officials said. The number of admission offers would have been much lower, UC administrators said, had the state Legislature not acted to protect Cal from a court order that would have required the university to sharply reduce admissions to meet an enrollment cap. The court order would have forced Cal to reduce the number of admission offers by 5,000. But state legislators intervened, and passed a law nullifying the enrollment cap and saved Cals admissions for the fall. Berkeley remained a popular campus for applicants, and a difficult one to gain admission to. More than 128,000 students applied for admission as first-year students and just 11.4% were offered the chance to attend. That rate was down from 14% in 2021. According to Cal officials, the fall first-year class remains diverse. Throughout the challenges of this past year, our commitment to diversity and providing economic mobility did not waiver. It was fortified. said Olufemi Ogundele, UC Berkeleys associate vice chancellor of enrollment management and dean of undergraduate admissions, in a statement. 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. While the numbers of admission offers declined in all racial categories because of the reduced number of offers compared with the prior three years, the university said the percentage of Black, Latino and Native American students admitted remained comparable. Of those admitted to Cal, 39% were Asian, 24.5% Latino, 22.3% white, 5.5% Black, 3.5% Filipino and 0.8% Native American. Geographically, the incoming class comes from 53 of Californias 58 counties, 55 U.S. states and territories, and 88 countries. Roughly 60% of the admitted class identify as women, and 2% identify as nonbinary double the number last fall. About 20% of admitted students are first-generation college attendees. The nine campus UC system admitted a record number of 85,250 first-year students. Michael Cabanatuan (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan The revelation that San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins was paid six figures by a nonprofit organization founded by a top donor to the Chesa Boudin recall has put a spotlight on the man behind the nonprofit and the campaign: San Francisco billionaire Bill Oberndorf. Oberndorf made headlines as one of the big Republican donors who bucked the party in 2016 and supported Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump. He donated more than $1.5 million to boost former Florida Gov. Jeb Bushs bid for the Republican nomination that year, according to federal campaign contribution records. He was registered as a Republican as recently as 2017 but has since registered without party preference. Voter records from 2019 show he was registered with the the American Independent Party, a far-right political group that many people mistakenly select when trying to register as political independents. Representatives for Oberndorf initially declined to make him available for an interview or did not respond to calls for this story, but his assistant, Kathy Daly, contacted The Chronicle after this story was first published and provided a record showing he is now registered without party preference. She said he was never registered with the American Independent Party. Oberndorf, who co-founded the investment company SPO Partners, often donates to more moderate, right-of-center candidates. He gave $32,400 to Republican former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconers campaign during the unsuccessful election to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. He also donated to Republican-turned-independent Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schuberts unsuccessful bid for attorney general and Republican Lanhee Chens campaign for state controller. From 2016 to 2020, federal campaign contribution records show he gave $4.6 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC that works to elect Republican senators, and $1.75 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund, which works to elect Republicans to the House of Representatives. Hes among the top donors to the charter school advocacy movement and has backed candidates and political efforts that aimed to increase school choice. He spent millions backing former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, a Democrat and prominent charter school backer, in his unsuccessful run for governor in 2018. Oberndorf also gave more than $900,000 to Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy, a 501(c)(4) organization that was the top donor to the Boudin recall. That organization shares an address with the similarly named 501(c)(3) nonprofit Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, which hired Jenkins as a consultant after she resigned from the district attorneys office and backed the effort to recall Boudin. While 501(c)(4)s can make political donations, 501(c)(3)s cannot. Oberndorf is listed as a director of both entities, which filed paperwork with the state to register as nonprofits on the same day. Jenkins faces criticism for describing herself as a volunteer for the recall campaign, despite being paid by a closely affiliated organization. She disclosed that she was paid more than $100,000 by Neighbors for a Better San Francisco in her statement of economic interest filed with the city, as first reported by the San Francisco Standard. Jenkins said she worked as a consultant for multiple San Francisco nonprofits after she resigned from Boudins office. She said she did work focused on public safety. 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. I was a volunteer for the Boudin recall campaign period, she said in a statement Wednesday. I worked as a consultant for 501(c)(3) organizations only and in no way did compensation influence me. I would have much rather stayed working as a prosecutor. I was committed to volunteering on the recall because I wanted to make sure San Francisco understood what was at stake if Chesa remained in office. Boudin often described the recall effort as a conservative one. Even if Jenkins and other Democrats were the face of the campaign, behind the scenes it was bankrolled by conservatives like Oberndorf, Boudin said. Daly said Wednesday that he was traveling and directed questions to Jay Cheng, who is listed as the principal officer of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy in its statement of organization. Cheng did not return phone calls seeking comment. Oberndorf and his wife, Susan, give millions to charity through their foundation. In 2020, their foundations fiscal records show they gave more than $13 million to UCSF Foundation, where Bill Oberndorf serves as a lifetime director. They also gave $1.4 million to the Environmental Defense Fund, $1 million to Stanford University and half a million dollars each to Cathedral School for Boys in San Francisco, Williams College in Massachusetts and the Chronicle Season of Sharing, the San Francisco Chronicles charitable fund that provides housing and food aid in the Bay Area. Sophia Bollag is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophia.bollag@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophiaBollag Brooke Jenkins became something of a media celebrity last October, after quitting her job as a prosecutor to join the recall against her former boss, District Attorney Chesa Boudin. Roughly nine months later, Boudin was voted out, and Jenkins was tapped by Mayor London Breed to take over the District Attorneys Office. Jenkins political ascension benefited from two narratives that the recall was Democrat-led and that Jenkins was simply a volunteer who risked her livelihood to be a part of it. Both narratives have now had big holes poked in them. As first reported by the San Francisco Standard, Jenkins was paid more than $100,000 for consulting work by San Rafael-based Neighbors for a Better San Francisco. As the Chronicle reported, the organization shares an address with the similarly named Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy, a political nonprofit that poured millions into the Boudin recall campaign. Billionaire William Oberndorf is listed as a director for both organizations, according to The Chronicle. Jenkins has denied receiving compensation for her recall work. I was a volunteer for the Boudin recall campaign period, she said in a statement Wednesday. I worked as a consultant for 501(c)(3) organizations only and in no way did compensation influence me. I would have much rather stayed working as a prosecutor. I was committed to volunteering on the recall because I wanted to make sure San Francisco understood what was at stake if Chesa remained in office. Jenkins has yet to back up her claim with evidence, such as documentation of her work for the nonprofits. As for Oberndorf, the San Francisco-based hedge fund manager has a history of donating to conservative-leaning causes, including the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney and the Senate Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC connected to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In 2021 alone, Oberndorf was one of the largest financial supporters of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy, donating more than $600,000 to it, according to a California Secretary of State filing. Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy raised more than $4 million in its efforts to recall Boudin. Jenkins left Boudins office in October 2021. Her exit was quickly followed by a whirlwind media tour in which Jenkins amplified the narrative that Boudins reform policies were making the city less safe. The narrative was already part of the recall campaign when Jenkins joined it. Jenkins provided it a fresh face and a new sense of credibility as someone who previously worked with Boudin. In late November, Jenkins was featured on an episode All Things Considered, NPRs flagship news program. Four months later, she was a guest on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher. All the while, Jenkins was establishing herself as a Twitter personality, often going after Boudin and, in doing so, accruing more than 10,000 new followers between October 2021 and July. About 45% of San Franciscos 495,000 registered voters cast ballots in the recall, with more than half 55% supporting the removal of Boudin. Boudin said he wont run for district attorney again in November. Jenkins said she will. 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. During the same week she announced her plans, Jenkins also announced that her office revoked more than 30 plea offers she believed to be too lenient for cases where an individual was accused of selling fentanyl, cemented a sentence enhancement for people selling drugs near a school, opened a door for pretrial detention in extreme fentanyl cases where the alleged dealer awaiting trial is not jailed, and closed another for anyone caught with over 5 grams of drugs who, under Boudin, would have had access to intervention and treatment programs in exchange for a reduced sentence through the Community Justice Center. More arrests, more people in jail and longer sentences were core components of the United States war on drugs past. Jenkins pushed back against this argument in a recent podcast interview with The Chronicle. So I think its very easy for people to kind of say war on drugs because its just something that that rings a bell in peoples heads more so than them actually being able to specifically highlight any similarity between the war on drugs and what Im actually talking about doing, she said. Jenkins wants San Francisco to give her a fair shake as district attorney. She should start by telling the public the full story of how she got here. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Justin Phillips appears Sundays. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Stanford University police said they were investigating an alleged sexual assault incident that occurred on campus this week. At approximately 5 p.m. Tuesday, an adult female reported being grabbed at an unspecified parking lot near Wilbur Hall and then taken to a restroom and raped. It was unclear if the victim was a Stanford student. Two miles down a rural, two-lane road in Healdsburg, a grand chateau jumps into view. In this quiet section of California Wine Country, it looks out of place but also like it has been there for centuries. The traditional, French-inspired building is actually the new home of Verite Winery, which recently opened to visitors after nearly four years of construction. A pair of wine visionaries one from Sonoma County, one from France founded Verite in 1998, and now the chateau is a physical embodiment of the winerys blending of the Old World with the new. The limestone, red-roofed chateau also serves as a statement: Sonoma can produce premium Bordeaux-style wines. Maybe even better than Napa, depending on whom you ask. Verite was born out of a serendipitous friendship between two idealistic wine virtuosos: Kendall-Jackson founder Jess Jackson, who is often credited with popularizing Chardonnay in America, and Pierre Seillan, who has decades of experience managing chateaux in Bordeaux, France, and beyond. The two met in the mid-1990s at a wine trade show in Bordeaux and, after becoming fast friends, Jackson brought Seillan to California. Their partnership infused the storied conventions of Bordeaux into the nascent and open-minded Sonoma County, which was only beginning its rise to global notoriety. For Seillan, Sonoma was a new frontier in which he didnt have to adhere to the strict confines of the Old World, where winemaking practices were stuck in centuries-old traditions. At the chateaux he managed in France, there were rules, especially when it came to blending different grapes from multiple wine regions. Sonoma offered freedom and a license for innovation. That kind of limitation on creative liberty is stifling on people with more of a rebellious spirit, said Jess Jacksons son Chris Jackson, who is now proprietor of the winery. Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle / The Chronicle Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle / The Chronicle Top photo: Verites fancy French-inspired chateau, a physical embodiment of the winerys blending of Bordeaux and Sonoma. Above: The visitor entrance, above left, of Verites new chateau in Healdsburg, which recently opened to guests after nearly four years of construction. The view of the estate vineyards from Verite, above right, including the burn scar from the 2019 Kincaid Fire, which stopped just short of the vines. Photos by Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Top photo: Verites fancy French-inspired chateau, a physical embodiment of the winerys blending of Bordeaux and Sonoma. Above: The visitor entrance, above left, of Verites new chateau in Healdsburg, which recently opened to guests after nearly four years of construction. The view of the estate vineyards from Verite, above right, including the burn scar from the 2019 Kincaid Fire, which stopped just short of the vines. Photos by Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle In many ways, Jess Jackson, who died in 2011, took a page out of the playbook of Napas Robert Mondavi. Mondavi founded the esteemed Opus One in 1978 with one of the most famous wine growers in the world: Baron Philippe de Rothschild, the owner of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a first-growth Bordeaux estate. This was just two years after California wines bested French wines in the famous Judgment of Paris blind tasting. Napa Valley was still a few decades from being recognized as one of the premier wine regions in the world, but Rothschilds interest and investment in the region sent a clear message that potential was there. Today, the estates top wine, Opus One, sells for $365 a bottle. By the time Verite came along, Napa was well on its way. But Sonoma, which is best known for producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay like Burgundy, was not yet part of the conversation when it came to fine wines made from the five classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Many wine growers believed it was too cool there to properly ripen these grapes. Jackson and Seillan disagreed. Verite grows Bordeaux varieties in four Sonoma County sub-regions: Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Knights Valley and Bennett Valley. Alexander Valley especially has recently become synonymous with high-end Cabernet Sauvignon production. At the root of the pairs radical belief in Sonoma County was its diversity. From those sites, Seillan identified roughly 50 micro-crus, small blocks of land identified for their distinct combinations of soil type, elevation, sun exposure and more. This means that in one vineyard, the grapes harvested each year could have dozens of unique flavor and aroma profiles. To give an idea of how diverse these Sonoma County sites can be, Jackson pointed to Verites mountainous Alexander Valley vineyard, located in an area known to local growers as Pocket Peak. It has 27 soil types across 700 acres, and Jackson called it one of the most exceptional places for Bordeaux varieties on planet Earth. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Micro-crus are harvested and processed separately in the winery so that Seillian, along with his daughter and assistant winemaker Helene Seillan, can piece together Verites three blends: La Muse, La Joie and Le Desir. Sometimes this process takes years. Hes focusing on individual vineyard sites as specific in personality as a person would be, Jackson said. The wines have received 17 perfect, 100-point scores from renowned wine critic Robert Parkers Wine Advocate, a compelling argument that Sonoma County does indeed have the potential to rival Bordeaux. The wines are built to age for decades, and while the fruit is the star of Napas robust wines, Verites bring more savory and earthy notes into play with fresh acidity. This has become a signature of Sonomas Bordeaux-inspired wines. Sonoma is one of the most complex places for grape growing. It has more soil types than the entire country of France, said Helene Seillan, who will eventually take over winemaking from her father and run the estate alongside her childhood friend Jackson. Verite opened up a humongous door. All of these people are coming now and realizing theres so much diversity. Despite Verites forward-thinking, its wine production was never high-tech, and the visitor space was modest and unassuming until now. Inside the new chateau, which includes wine production, the tasting salon has classic elements like wood beam arches, a stately fireplace from France and elegant drapes from England. Its also modern, minimal and light-filled with warm, neutral colors, consistent with Wine Country design trends. A wall of soil samples from the micro-crus educates as much as it matches the color palette. Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Bottles of La Joie, clockwise from top left, one of Verites three Bordeaux-inspired blends; a portrait of Verite winemaker Pierre Seillan outside of the chateaus trio of wine libraries; a wall of soil samples from Verites dozens of micro-crus; and a private tasting space at the chateau. Photos by Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Bottles of La Joie, clockwise from top left, one of Verites three Bordeaux-inspired blends; a portrait of Verite winemaker Pierre Seillan outside of the chateaus trio of wine libraries; a wall of soil samples from Verites dozens of micro-crus; and a private tasting space at the chateau. Photos by Bronte Wittpenn / The Chronicle Visitors can book an intimate tasting ($125-$350 per person) inside the salon and admire the far-reaching estate vineyard from a large balcony. But much of Verites renaissance is still a work in progress. Soon, the salon will have a window that looks into the two-story barrel chai (pronounced shay), a French term for a barrel storage room. The 9,000-square-foot chai will be used to age the Verite wines, but it doubles as the estates statement piece. Like the massive chais of Frances most famous chateaux, hundreds of barrels will be artfully arranged inside with the goal of creating a lasting impression. Guests will be able to walk around the chai or taste in private rooms that look into it. These are much more elaborate, luxurious and French in design think rich colors, velvet pillows, opulent chandeliers and stone floors imported from France. There are also three vaults in a wine library, one for each blend, and the building will encompass a cloister or a square much like youll find all over Europe. So yes, this grand chateau looks out of place on the country backroads of Healdsburg. But its meant to draw attention. Were still underestimated by American critics, Jackson said. Its taken people a while to accept Sonoma County, but American wine criticism is starting to graduate to the point of appreciating the terroir as profound. Jess Lander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jess.lander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesslander Lets set the record straight once and for all. The color of a rose tells you nothing truly nothing! about how good the wine is. The popular myth that lighter-colored roses are superior to darker ones got a big boost this week when Real Simple magazine posted a wine tip on Instagram, declaring: Always buy the rose that is lightest in color. Wine-industry insiders went bonkers, posting angry responses to the post and new reels to counter the misinformation. As I write, the post has received 681 comments, most of which can be summarized as worst advice ever. (Its not the only rose controversy of the week, by the way. See my other story about the viral trend sweeping TikTok of infusing a glass of pink wine with jalapeno peppers.) The most astounding thing about this is that Real Simples bad tip seems to have come from an actual wine professional. The post is linked to a 2019 article by Betty Gold, This Mind-Boggling Sommelier Trick For Buying Rose Might Be Secret Genius that features an interview with Christopher Hoel, the founder of wine advisory firm Harpers Club and a curator for Martha Stewarts wine club. Hoel, the supposed expert, tells Gold what can only be described as a flat-out lie: Darker roses tend to be more mass produced and thus forth the maceration time is more difficult to control and manage yielding darker colored roses. (Im not even going to address the grammar in that one.) We shouldnt be surprised. This rose-color myth has persisted for a long time. And its proliferation is easy to trace. Craig Lee/Special to The Chronicle Many people associate dark rose with low-quality, sickly sweet wines like Sutter Home White Zinfandel, and pale rose with Provencal imports like Whispering Angel. Although the colors of those wines have nothing to do with their respective qualities, its easy to see how folks confused correlation for causation. Those barely-pink Provence wines have become so popular in the last decade, crowding wine-store shelves and Hamptons beach parties, while sweet White Zin is completely passe. No wonder people started assuming paler is better. For a refresher: To make rose, you take red grapes and let the grape juice steep with its skins. The shorter that steeping time, the less color the juice will absorb leading to a lighter-colored rose. The longer the steeping time, the darker the wine will be. (Eventually, if you keep it going for several days or weeks, youll end up with red wine.) The length of maceration, and the resulting color density, is completely unrelated to whether the wine ends up sweet, or tastes good at all. A deep-magenta rose can just as easily be dry that is, sugar-free as one thats the color of pale salmon flesh. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. In fact, some of the best roses you can buy come in shades of ruby, mauve and crimson. This is even true of wines from Provence, the pale-wine motherland. Take the rust-colored rose of Provences Chateau Simone, which some consider to be the greatest rose on the planet. The amber-colored rosato from Spains Lopez de Heredia has a cult following, and its as serious as a red wine. (As proof of its ageability, the current release from the winery is the 2010 vintage.) Pretty much all roses from the southern French region of Tavel are dark in color; look for the beautiful bottlings of Chateau Trinquevedel. Here in California, theres a plethora of deliciously dark pink wines. I recommended the zesty Zin Gris from Calistogas Storybook Mountain Vineyards in a piece last year, and stand by it. Recently I tried a terrific, nearly-orange rose of St. Laurent, an Austrian grape variety, made by winemaker Shalini Shekhar under her Ottavino label. Other excellent local examples include the Broc Love rose (made primarily from the Valdiguie grape), which comes in both bottles and cans, and the Prima Materia rose, an Italian-inspired blend of Barbera and Aglianico. Of course, many light roses are tasty too. But just remember: Never judge a wine by its color. Now go tell your friends. Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicles senior wine critic. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With sky-high demand for the nations limited supply of monkeypox vaccine, U.S. officials approved a new injection method to stretch out doses, but that does not mean the pressure for shots in places like San Francisco will ease right away. Bay Area officials say they still need the federal governments playbook on changing the way shots are given, with additional training needed for many vaccination staff. The new method will use just a fifth of the previously administered dosage, but you have to get it just right, and that means ensuring health providers are trained in the precision nuances, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert with UCSF. There is no other choice, he added. Given the anemic trickling in of vaccine doses, there are not going to be enough for many, many months. California health department officials projected it will take considerable time to implement the new emergency-use authorization, granted on Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration, to administer smaller doses of the Jynneos vaccine by using an injection between layers of skin rather than into deeper fat tissue. Studies have shown this method can trigger a stronger immune response, but it is not commonly used in the U.S., necessitating clinician training before it becomes widely available. It would allow a smaller dose be given intradermally, Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist, told health care professionals during a Tuesday briefing. Well have to work closely with all of you and health departments to implement this. That makes it difficult to know when enough providers will be trained to realize a fivefold increase in the states monkeypox vaccine supply. I hope they can do it as soon as possible, said Chin-Hong, noting the injection method has been extensively studied for polio and yellow fever. Were on the steep curve of people getting ill, infected and spreading it. On the hospital side where we see the most serious cases, the number of patients has doubled in the last week. California reported a cumulative 1,733 monkeypox cases as of Tuesday, with nearly a third of those concentrated in San Francisco and Alameda counties. Although anyone can get monkeypox, the outbreak is still largely contained within networks of men who have sex with men and is believed to be spreading primarily through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, including sexual activity. Monkeypox: Inmate is 1st in San Francisco jail with confirmed case. The San Francisco Department of Public Health said it welcomes every possible avenue that would allow us to get more people vaccinated against monkeypox as soon as possible. But as of Wednesday the department was awaiting federal and state guidance on the injection changeover, including instructions on dose extraction and administration, and stated, SFDPH needs to understand adjustments that would need to be made to operations to ensure San Franciscos vaccine providers continue to reach as many people who need the vaccine as quickly and equitably as possible. It also anticipates instructions from state health officials on how to account for and register each dose when multiple doses are taken from single vials. We are also aware that the intradermal method of administering the vaccine, in which a dose is injected between layers of skin, will require updated protocols and additional training for many vaccinator staff and may be slower to administer, the California Department of Public Health said in a statement to The Chronicle. Across California, 98% of cases where there is available demographic data have been among men, and 96% are gay or bisexual, according to state data tallied in The Chronicles monkeypox tracker. Monkeypox, which can produce painful lesions, is not a sexually transmitted infection, but sustained contact through intimate encounters can result in transmission. Only 3% of those infected have required hospitalization. Alameda Countys health department also said it is awaiting state and federal guidance before making any change in how it administers monkeypox vaccinations. Efforts to increase access to the monkeypox vaccine are appreciated and would be implemented, pending guidance, if it is determined to be in the best interest of Alameda County communities impacted by this epidemic, Neetu Balram, the countys public information manager, said. 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. White House officials said Tuesday that the new method is a game changer and would allow them to stretch the 400,000 available vials of the vaccine into about 2 million smaller doses. Its safe, its effective, and it will significantly scale the volume of vaccine doses available for communities across the country, Robert Fenton, the White Houses monkeypox response coordinator, told reporters. While it would not completely alleviate the current demand, they said, it will at least help ease some of the strain. About 1.6 million to 1.7 million Americans are considered by federal officials to be at the highest risk for the disease, primarily men with HIV or men who have a higher risk of contracting it. Vaccinating that group would require more than 3.2 million shots, with full vaccination consisting of two shots per person. Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in recent history have demonstrated significant confidence in vaccines. ... I imagine that we will likely still run out of vaccines before we run out of arms, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, the White House monkeypox response deputy coordinator, told reporters. Scarcity of vaccine supply has made the rollout to the eligible population frustratingly slow fo many. On Aug. 4, the Biden administration declared a national monkeypox health emergency. San Francisco and California issued similar proclamations days earlier. California has received only 109,000 vaccine doses to date, Pan said, although the state expects another allocation next week. Jurisdictions can order additional vaccine supply starting on Aug. 15 or when they have used 90% of their current vaccine allotment, according to the White House. One worry I have with these delays is equity, said Chin-Hong. You have to be electronically savvy and able to take time off to line up for vaccines. That doesnt work for gig workers or (those who are) closeted with their sexuality. Even if they do with the five-to-one vaccine, there are going to be holes they have to figure out. Aidin Vaziri (he/him) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com UPDATE: Here are the latest updates on COVID in the Bay Area and California. New York City and San Francisco have diverged sharply when it comes to recovering from the worst effects of the pandemic. Another recently identified omicron subvariant was shown to be more robust than other coronavirus strains, according to the results of a new study. Anxiety and depression among children rose sharply in 2020 compared to prior years in an alarming sign of the mental health toll the pandemic is taking on the youth. Latest updates: FDA recommends repeat testing following a negative test result In updated guidance issued on Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises people to perform repeat testing following a negative result on any at-home COVID-19 antigen test to reduce the risk of a false negative result and to help prevent people from unknowingly spreading the coronavirus to others. More immune-evasive subvariants of the virus, including BA.4 and BA.5, which are now dominant in the U.S., have made it more difficult to detect positive test results. This means people should use multiple tests over a certain time period, such as 2-3 days, especially when the people using the tests dont have COVID-19 symptoms, the FDA said. Mystery of COVID toe deepens While scientists have unraveled many mysteries around COVID-19 since the start of this pandemic more than two years ago, many are still stumped by the phenomenon of COVID toes, a condition marked by red, swollen toes associated with coronavirus infection in the early months of the outbreak. The symptoms are similar to that of chilblain patients, who suffer pain and itching due to sudden changes of temperature or poor circulation. According to a new National Geographic report, now scientists are not sure it had anything to do with the SARS-CoV-2. Abnormal blood vessel responses like the ones seen with COVID toe patients have only rarely been associated with viruses, said Esther Freeman, a dermatologist and epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School. Many of the affected patients, most commonly children and young adults, never developed typical COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, fever, and muscle pain. A Kaiser Northern California study found that only 17 of 456 patients diagnosed with chilblains between April and December 2020 tested positive for the coronavirus. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University, may have a theory: people who were stuck at home during shelter-in-place orders stopped wearing shoes and socks, which could have triggered chilblains, although she add this would require more analysis. CDC relaxes COVID-19 mitigation strategies The nations top public health agency on Thursday relaxed its COVID-19 guidelines, dropping the recommendation that Americans quarantine themselves if they come into close contact with an infected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said people no longer need to stay at least 6 feet away from others. The current conditions of this pandemic are very different from those of the last two years, said the CDCs Greta Massetti, an author of the guidelines. The changes could be particularly important for schools, with the CDC saying that they no longer need to do routine daily testing, nor do students exposed to COVID-19 need to quarantine. Read more about the changes here. Efficacy of Pfizer vaccine in teens wanes 27 days after second dose, study finds A new study finds that protection against symptomatic COVID-19 infection in teens starts waning about 27 days after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. In the study published in the Lancet journal, researchers analyzed 503,776 tests from 2,948,538 adolescents between the ages of 12-17 in Brazil between September and April, and 127,168 tests from 404,673 adolescents in Scotland over roughly the same period. Vaccine effectiveness peaked at 1427 days after the second dose in both countries during both the delta and omicron waves, and was significantly lower against symptomatic infection during the omicron-dominant period. Vaccine efficacy started to decline from 27 days after the second dose for both countries, but protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes remained high at 98 days or more. Hundreds of Americans dying daily due to COVID despite cooling trends The summer coronavirus surge in the U.S. may be plateauing after weeks of steadily increasing cases, but nearly 400 Americans are still dying daily due to COVID-19. The nation is reporting an average of 107,000 new cases each day, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, down from 109,000 one month ago. But the stubbornly high rate of infections means that people continue to be hospitalized at a high rate, with around 43,000 patients, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The number of daily deaths in the country has remained at about the same level since mid April. Nearly 205,000 Americans have died because of COVID-19 since the start of 2022. New York is roaring back from the worst of the pandemic. Why isnt San Francisco? There are of course inherent differences between San Francisco and New York City, like the huge population disparity. But the two coastal tourism and economic hubs have diverged in striking ways as they recover from the pandemic. Thats despite grappling with similarly high costs, rising crime and stubbornly slow returns to the office that both rank among the nations worst. A Chronicle reporter went to the East Coast to find out what San Francisco can learn from New York. BA.2.75 may rise behind BA.4, BA.5 wave, study suggests The recently identified omicron subvariant BA.2.7 displayed a local growth advantage over other strains of the virus, including the fast-moving BA.5, in India, according to a pre-print study posted online Wednesday in the journal BioRxiv. Additionally, the researchers in China found that BA.2.75 shows striking evasion of BA.5 infection plasma, meaning those infected with the current subvariant will have little immunity against it. Our results suggest BA.2.75 may prevail after the global BA.4/BA.5 wave, and its increased receptor-binding capability could allow further incorporation of immune-evasive mutations, wrote Yunlong Richard Cao, a biochemistry and immunology expert at Peking University and lead author of the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed. 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. Marin County urges parents to get kids vaccinated ahead of school Marin County public health officials are calling on parents to get their children up to date and in compliance with state vaccination requirements for a number of illnesses ahead of the start of the fall school term. Doctor visits for routine childhood vaccinations declined during the pandemic, said Dr. Matt Willis, the county public health officer. This leaves schools more vulnerable to outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles. Now is the time to close that gap. The county also encourages COVID-19 vaccination, which California does not currently require in public schools, saying it is safe to get the shot at the same time as other routine immunizations. COVID-19 proved again how vaccines can protect us from serious disease in our community, Willis said in a news release. That lesson applies to all vaccine preventable diseases. The county health department and the Office of Education will hold an online public health update for the school community at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, with live Spanish translation, about COVID-19 and other school health protocols. The webinar ID is 883 4879 8206; passcode 273959; and dial-in option at 408-638-0968. Lifting school mask mandates linked to jump in COVID infections Schools that removed mask protocols earlier this year immediately saw increase in COVID-19 cases in both students and staff, according to a preprint study of 79 districts in the greater Boston area posted online Wednesday. Over a 15-week period, the schools that dropped the mask requirements had an estimated 45 additional cases per 1,000 people above what was seen in schools that kept masking protocols, according to the research, which has not been peer reviewed. If all the students who tested positive followed Massachusetts state guidelines to isolate for a minimum of days, those cases meant 20,000 extra missed school days, said Dr. Ellie Murray, professor of epidemiology at Boston University, who conducted the observational study in partnership with researchers from Harvard and the Boston Public Health Commission. Masking is a relatively low-cost but effective intervention that can protect students and staff from substantial illness and loss of in-person days in school, the authors concluded. Sentencing set for Napa naturopath who sold fake vaccine cards A naturopathic doctor charged with selling fake COVID-19 immunization treatments and fraudulent vaccination cards will be sentenced on Nov. 29, a California judge ruled on Wednesday after denying her motion to withdraw her plea agreement. Juli A. Mazi of Napa had earlier pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco to one count of wire fraud and one count of false statements related to health care matters, according to the Associated Press. The case was the first federal criminal fraud prosecution related to fraudulent CDC vaccination cards for COVID-19, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Mazi provided fake cards to at least 200 people, federal prosecutors said. She also sold homeopathic pellets she fraudulently claimed would provide lifelong immunity to COVID-19. Anxiety, depression among California kids up 70% Reflecting the mental health toll of the COVID pandemic on youth, California saw a 70% increase among kids ages 3 to 17 with anxiety and depression in 2020 compared to 2016, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundations 2022 Kids Count Data Book published on Monday. It was the second highest increase among all states after South Dakota which saw a 103% increase, the advocacy group's analysis showed. Nationally the increase among kids was 25.5%, comparing 2016 to 2020. The data indicate children were more likely to deal with anxiety or depression during the first year of the pandemic than previously, the report said, adding that more research is required to understand the large variation across states. A survey of parents a month into the pandemic showed 33% reported their young children were acting fussier and more defiant than before and 26% said their kids appeared more anxious. WASHINGTON (AP) Former President Donald Trump called late Thursday for the immediate release of the federal warrant the FBI used to search his Florida estate, hours after the Justice Department had asked a court to unseal the warrant, with Attorney General Merrick Garland citing the substantial public interest in this matter. In messages posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, Not only will I not oppose the release of documents ... I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents. He continued to assail the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago as unAmerican, unwarranted and unnecessary. Release the documents now! he wrote. The Justice Department request earlier Thursday is striking because such documents traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation. But the department appeared to recognize that its silence since the search had created a vacuum for bitter verbal attacks by Trump and his allies, and that the public was entitled to the FBI's side about what prompted Monday's action at the former president's home. The publics clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing, said a motion filed in federal court in Florida on Thursday. Should the warrant be released the request is now with the judge it could disclose unflattering information about the former president and about FBI scrutiny of his handling of sensitive government documents right as he prepares for another run for the White House. During his successful 2016 campaign, he pointed frequently to an FBI investigation into his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, over whether she mishandled classified information. It's unclear at this point how much information would be included in the documents, if made public, or if they would encompass an FBI affidavit that would presumably lay out a detailed factual basis for the search. The department specifically requested the unsealing of the warrant as well as a property receipt listing the items that were seized, along with two unspecified attachments. To obtain a search warrant, federal authorities must prove to a judge that probable cause exists to believe that a crime was committed. Garland said he personally approved the warrant, a decision he said the department did not take lightly given that standard practice where possible is to select less intrusive tactics than a search of one's home. In this case, according to a person familiar with the matter, there was substantial engagement with Trump and his representatives prior to the search warrant, including a subpoena for records and a visit to Mar-a-Lago a couple of months ago by FBI and Justice Department officials to assess how the documents were stored. The person was not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Neither Trump nor the FBI has said anything about what documents the FBI might have recovered, or what precisely agents were looking for. But the former president complained anew Thursday about the search. Trump, who for years has lambasted the FBI and sought to sow distrust among his supporters in its decisions, said the warrant was served and the search conducted despite his cooperation with the Justice Department over the search. In a post to his Truth Social platform, Trump said that his attorneys and representatives were cooperating fully prior to the search, and that government officials could have had whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, if we had it." The Justice Department has until Friday afternoon to alert the judge about whether Trump will object to the release. FBI and Justice Department policy cautions against discussing ongoing investigations, both to protect the integrity of probes and to avoid unfairly maligning someone who is being scrutinized but winds up ultimately not being charged. Thats especially true in the case of search warrants, where supporting court papers are routinely kept secret as the investigation proceeds. In this case, though, Garland cited the fact that Trump himself had provided the first public confirmation of the FBI search, as is his right." The Justice Department, in its new filing, also said that disclosing information about it now would not harm the court's functions. Even so, Garland, in a hastily scheduled public statement delivered from the Justice Department podium, appeared to acknowledge the unusual nature of the department's request as he declined to take questions or provide any substantive details about the FBI's investigation. Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations," he said. "Federal law, longstanding department rules and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search at this time. The Justice Department under Garland has been leery of public statements about politically charged investigations, or of confirming to what extent it might be investigating Trump as part of a broader probe into the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 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. The department has tried to avoid being seen as injecting itself into presidential politics, as happened in 2016 when then-FBI Director James Comey made an unusual public statement announcing that the FBI would not be recommending criminal charges against Clinton regarding her handling of email and when he spoke up again just over a week before the election to notify Congress that the probe was being effectively reopened because of the discovery of new emails. The Mar-a-Lago search warrant served Monday was part of an ongoing Justice Department investigation into the discovery of classified White House records recovered from Trump's home in Palm Beach, Florida, earlier this year. The National Archives had asked the department to investigate after saying 15 boxes of records it retrieved from the estate included classified records. Multiple federal laws govern the handling of classified information. The attorney general also condemned verbal attacks on FBI and Justice Department personnel over the search. Some Republican allies of Trump have called for the FBI to be defunded. Large numbers of Trump supporters have called for the warrant to be released hoping they it will show that Trump was unfairly targeted. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked, Garland said of federal law enforcement agents, calling them dedicated, patriotic public servants. Earlier Thursday, an armed man wearing body armor tried to breach a security screening area at an FBI field office in Ohio, then fled and was later killed after a standoff with law enforcement. A law enforcement official briefed on the matter identified the man as Ricky Shiffer and said he is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to the attack on the Capitol and may have been there on the day it took place. _____ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Lindsay Whitehurst and Meg Kinnard contributed to this report. More on Donald Trump-related investigations: https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump If anything defines the spirit of San Francisco, its the idea of doing things our own way. Immigrants, hippies, financiers, technologists, the LGBTQ community: Generation after generation, people with a vision for doing something differently and better, or simply for being different, have alighted here. Doing things your own way can be great; our city has often been a haven for compassion and acceptance. But not always and theres nowhere we see that more profoundly than with land use. San Francisco stands alone in making every permit for a land-use change subject to discretionary review. This means that anyone who doesnt like a project can demand a hearing, and city officials may reject the project for any reason, regardless of applicable standards. And only San Francisco would be so bold as to post a self-study acknowledging its noncompliance with state permitting law and then do nothing about it for the next two decades. And what other city would respond to a state mandate to plan for 10,000 new homes a year from 2023-2030 by submitting a plan for 5,000 homes a year by 2050? The results indict the San Francisco way: Our city has the second highest rents in the nation. Housing production has nearly ground to a halt. We have been so determined to capture value from new development with impact fees, affordable housing requirements, costly building standards, labor mandates and more that virtually all potential housing projects in the city have become economically infeasible to build. An investor who buys a dilapidated single-family home or warehouse in San Francisco can make a lot more money flipping it or selling it to Amazon than redeveloping the site for apartments. The citys own studies point this out. Thus, we have homeless encampments, innovative firms disembarking for cheaper markets, rents that only the fattest-salaried professionals can afford, gentrification of working-class neighborhoods, the displacement of the citys African American population and an underclass of super-commuting service workers who make grueling daily drives from the Central Valley. But this week marks a turning point. On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsoms Department of Housing and Community Development released a devastating review of San Franciscos draft housing element a required 8-year plan through which cities show how theyll accommodate their share of regionally needed housing. As a consequence, San Francisco will be subject to the states very first housing policy review, aimed at identifying and removing barriers to approval and construction of new housing. What happens if San Francisco doesnt get its act together? For starters, the state will decertify the citys housing element, which would cut off various streams of state funding, including for affordable housing. More dramatically, it would empower a builders remedy under state law that would allow developers of affordable and moderate-income housing to bypass city zoning codes. There are unresolved questions about how this will work in practice, but a San Francisco without an approved housing plan could be San Francisco in which new apartments are allowed to pop up helter-skelter throughout the city. Ultimately, courts could rewrite the citys master plan for housing, exercising judicial authority conferred by a bill signed into law that City Attorney David Chiu authored when he served in the Legislature. If city officials want to avoid this fate, a few things are now reasonably clear. First, San Francisco has just two years to come into compliance with state permitting law. This will require serious changes to standard operating procedures at the planning and building departments. Second, any approved housing element will be an ongoing contract with the state, one with clear performance benchmarks and pre-specified consequences if the city comes up short. Heres an example: The citys draft housing element tried to minimize the need for upzoning and regulatory reform by forecasting that the pipeline of already-proposed-but-not-fully-permitted-or-built projects will gush an unprecedented fountain of new homes roughly doubling the citys annual rate of housing production. This comes at a time when developers are abandoning projects left and right. Moreover, UC Berkeley data scientist David Broockman ran the numbers and found that San Franciscos pipeline guesstimate vastly exceeds historical yields. The state housing departments review letter rightly asks what evidence supports the citys magical projection. But more importantly, it told San Francisco to put a circuit breaker in its housing element, so that if the pipelines flow falls short of projections, the city will allow (for example) larger buildings to be developed citywide. A circuit breaker wont work, however, if it merely triggers years of exhaustive environmental study followed by a vote on rezoning. San Francisco needs to decide now what the circuit breaker will do and allow it to operate on autopilot. Third, the review letter hones in on the cumulative effect of San Franciscos zoning, permitting, fees and all the other requirements the city heaps on new development. San Francisco wont be able to get its housing element approved unless it realistically commits to making 80,000 new homes economically feasible to develop over the next eight years. San Francisco can go its own way in deciding which regulatory requirements to roll back first. Should it be impact fees for public art or affordable housing mandates? But the bottom line must be a regulatory environment in which building new apartments and condos is more appealing than flipping existing single-family homes. San Francisco will remain a special place. No one wants to change that. We will continue to be inventive, wacky, dreamy, different. But many more people will be able to share in it and call our city home. Thanks in advance, governor. Chris Elmendorf is Martin Luther King Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis. John Hamasaki, a criminal defense attorney and a former San Francisco police commissioner is planning to run for district attorney in this falls special election, positioning himself as an ideological foil to newly appointed District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. Hamasakis announcement comes after Chesa Boudin said he would not enter the November race for his old post. Boudin was recalled from the district attorneys office last June following a bitter citywide debate over crime and criminal justice in San Francisco, but still commands a large contingency of loyalists who support his reform-minded policies. In an interview with The Chronicle, Hamasaki said he made the decision to run after becoming increasingly disheartened by Jenkins drug policies and what he views as a deference to Mayor London Breed, who appointed her. A lot of us in the criminal justice system had hopes that the mayor would make a responsible and even moderate choice, and I think a lot of folks would have stood down, he said. What weve seen instead is a mayors office basically running the district attorneys office. Hamasaki said his careers work as a defense and trial attorney, as well as his time on the Police Commission, has prepared him for the role of top prosecutor. My work, in addition to representing individuals charged in the criminal system, (included) representing victims of crimes when prosecutors have failed to do their jobs, he said. Ive seen a lot throughout my different career the good, the bad and the ugly of the criminal justice system. Hamasaki said he would seek to persuade voters by running on a platform that included pledges to re-establish the offices independence, to bolster services to victims of crime and to combat violence against Asian Americans. With a deadline Friday to take preliminary steps to run in the November special election, the race for district attorney came into focus as a three-way contest among Hamasaki, Jenkins and former San Francisco Fire Commissioner Joe Alioto Veronese, who also solidified his intent to run Thursday. Documents filed with the citys elections department show two other candidates, Maurice Chenier and Austin Hills, have declared their intent to run, but neither have apparently initiated a campaign. Jenkins, who quit Boudins office last year to join the recall team, has a ready-made support network in the legions of Boudin critics who saw her as a central voice in the effort to oust him. She has since secured the endorsements of several moderate city leaders and has made clamping down on the citys open-air drug markets a signature priority. Jenkins also found herself at the center of a new controversy this week, after financial disclosures revealed that she had earned more than $100,000 from a group with ties to the recall campaign. Throughout her time on the campaign, Jenkins had represented herself as a volunteer. Jenkins denied her work as a paid consultant influenced her role as a leader of the recall. All three major contenders are billing themselves as uniquely suited to harmonize tensions within the citys criminal justice system. In interviews with The Chronicle, each stated that they support unwinding tough-on-crime laws but oppose policies that outright bar prosecutors from seeking certain sentencing enhancements. Alioto Veronese, a civil rights attorney and scion of a political dynasty in San Francisco, officially made his bid for district attorney Thursday, before a modest crowd of family and supporters. Standing outside the Department of Elections in City Hall, Alioto Veronese characterized himself as a candidate who doesnt conform to the left or right political factions in San Francisco hes been featured criticizing the citys criminal justice reforms on conservative cable news shows, but also describes himself as a reformer. I represent the the 45% that voted to keep Boudin, and I also represent the 55% that voted him out of office, Alioto Veronese said, adding that hes not beholden to any particular leader or party. Alioto Veronese supported the Boudin recall. He listed his top priorities as cracking down on political corruption, holding city agencies accountable, and pushing a ballot measure that would allow the district attorney not the mayor to pick the citys police chief. Prior to stepping down from the Police Commission in April, Hamasaki was regarded as the watchdog groups most outspoken and often controversial member, known for his incendiary commentary on law enforcement and locking horns with Police Chief Bill Scott and city supervisors. Hamasaki said he decided not to seek a second term on the commission due to what he saw as the groups inaction after Scotts decision to pull out of a use-of-force reform agreement with the District Attorneys Office. It was unclear, however, if he would have been able to secure enough votes from the Board of Supervisors to be reappointed after his conflicts with board members. In addition to grilling police at commission meetings, Hamasaki has become known for his provocative and sometimes combative Twitter presence. He has been a fiery critic of recall supporters, Jenkins and law enforcment, at one point in 2020 calling to defund both police and prosecutors, saying they are one in the same. Last year, Hamasaki sparred with several supervisors over a tweet in which he suggested that some young people had good reason to carry firearms. He later apologized after Supervisor Catherine Stefani and others called for him to resign. 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. Shortly before announing his entrance into the race, Hamasaki deleted all of his tweets dating back to February, in a move that was viewed by some as an attempt to quietly conceal his more controversial posts. Hamasaki said he wanted the public to shift its focus on his campaign, rather than his previous off-the-cuff missives. I have no problem admitting that some of my tweets have been controversial and even things that perhaps werent ... fully thought out, he said. But thats the nature of Twitter. Its not writing a novel or an academic piece. Its quick and dirty and fun. In some of the now-deleted tweets, Hamasaki accused Breed of perjuring herself in her brothers criminal trial two decades ago and elevated a claim that Jenkins was targeting a lot of the Jewish people in the office for firing. As a candidate, the plan is to focus more on the issues and less on the casual tweeting, he said. But I understand; once you put yourself into the arena, scrutiny is fair, and Im happy to address anything or explain anything people find controversial. Hamasaki said he plans to appeal to would-be Boudin voters and that the comparisons between the two men will be inevitable. Boudin said hes happy to see candidates in the race who are independent of City Hall. San Franciscans deserve a district attorney accountable to the people and not the mayor, he said. I share a lot of the goals, values and visions of the progressives, and I expect to implement those values as a prosecutor, Hamasaki said. However, he said, I need to be very clear that I am not Chesa Boudin. Megan Cassidy and Rachel Swan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy @rachelswan NEW YORK CITY On a scorching summer evening, humidity choking the city, thousands of sweaty visitors lined up to ascend almost 1,400 feet. Children squealed in delight as they disembarked on the 57th floor Summit observatory at the One Vanderbilt tower, all of Manhattan unfolding in front of them through glass windows, from the delicate, silvery tip of the Chrysler Building to One World Trade Center catching the setting sun, a symbol of the citys rebirth from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. San Francisco also knows how to attract people during these bizarre times take Outside Lands, for instance but theres a difference between an annual extravaganza and, in Summits case, a typical Monday. Lethargic downtown San Francisco lacks the energy and sheer mass of daily locals and tourists who have reinvigorated Midtown Manhattan and beyond to provide a sense of how life in this metropolis used to be. Whats SFNext SFNext is a Chronicle special project to involve city residents in finding solutions to some of San Franciscos most pressing problems. Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to sfnext@SFChronicle.com Where to find more SFNext content Theres always been a disparity New York has 10 times the population of San Francisco, which is a blissful 30 degrees cooler this summer but the coastal tourism and economic hubs have diverged in striking ways as they recover from the pandemic. Thats despite grappling with similarly high costs, rising crime and stubbornly slow returns to the office that both rank among the nations worst. One Vanderbilt epitomizes the different recovery trajectories. What is now New York Citys fourth-tallest tower was completed during the height of the pandemic at the cost of $3 billion, receiving its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy on Sept. 11, 2020, 19 years after another crisis. Its enormous 1.7 million square feet of office space is about 98% leased, with some of the highest rents in the city and only two floors available. Meanwhile, a slew of planned office projects in San Francisco are stalled, and existing buildings struggle to find tenants. From its opening in October 2021 to July 2022, Summit welcomed 1 million visitors. New York officials expect overall tourist volume to reach 85% of pre-pandemic levels this year, edging out San Franciscos forecast of 83.5%. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Left: A reflection shows tourists at Summit in One Vanderbilt in New York City. Right: A skyscraper view of New York City. Tourism is recovering despite the fact that New York City is the U.S. epicenter of COVID deaths and is losing a substantial amount of its population to outmigration. Mary Inhea Kang / Special to The Chronicle Top: A reflection shows tourists at Summit in One Vanderbilt in New York City. Above: A skyscraper view of New York City. Tourism is recovering despite the fact that New York City is the epicenter of COVID deaths and is losing a substantial amount of its population to outmigration. Mary Inhea Kang / Special to The Chronicle The size of the crowds is jarring, considering New York was once the countrys coronavirus epicenter, with more than 41,000 deaths, or 0.5% of the population. It had five times the death rate of San Francisco, which had fewer than 1,000 deaths. And residents fled both cities. In the first 15 months of the pandemic, New York lost 300,000 people, mostly to out-migration. Manhattan lost 6.9% of its population, or 117,375 people, from April 2020 to June 2021, a more severe drop than San Francisco, which lost 6.7%, or 58,764 people. Despite San Franciscos relative public health success and New Yorks catastrophe, the East Coast metropolis is bouncing back stronger. In 2022, more people are moving into Manhattan than before the pandemic, a major contrast to the four other New York boroughs and San Francisco, which are still seeing net losses, according to U.S. Postal Service change of address data reviewed by The Chronicle. Manhattan median apartment rent hit a mind-boggling record of $4,150 per month in June, up around 40% from fall 2020, a sign of surging demand, according to real estate brokerage Douglas Elliman. Apartment vacancy peaked at 6.1% in October 2020 and was down to 1.3% in February of this year. The market was like a faucet that was dripping, dripping, dripping. Someone took a sledgehammer to the faucet and it exploded like a fire hydrant, said Janna Raskopf, a top Douglas Elliman broker in New York. In contrast, San Francisco is the only major U.S. city where median rent still is below pre-pandemic levels, and thats after losing its title as the countrys most expensive rental market to New York last summer. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle So, why has New York come back stronger? City veterans credit a critical mass of return-to-office mandates that have pushed, and in some cases forced, former residents to return. San Franciscos more lenient work-from-home allowances havent led to a similar rebound. New Yorks economic engine, Wall Street, has done far better than in earlier recessions and been more eager to return to the office than the tech industry. And Manhattans tech sector is no slouch either, seeing more office growth during the pandemic than San Francisco. Facebook, Google and Apple have huge expansion plans concentrated on Manhattans booming west side. Despite canceling a second headquarters in Queens, Amazon has grown to become New Yorks second-largest private employer with about 20,000 workers, mostly in warehouses, said Kathryn Wylde, CEO of the Partnership for New York City, the top business advocacy group. The city is constantly reinventing itself, Wylde said. It will flourish. Theres still a long way to go. Many Manhattan storefronts remain empty. New Yorks offices are seeing only 40% occupancy, one of the weakest rates in the country and barely better than the San Francisco metro areas 37.5% as of last week, according to Kastle, a building security firm. Transit has had an uneven rebound, with the New York regions subways, buses and rail ridership rising to 69% of pre-pandemic levels in June, compared with San Francisco Munis 64% and BARTs 42%, according to the National Transit Database. But New York has endured previous crises like 9/11, the 2007-08 recession and Superstorm Sandy, and it appears to have survived the worst of COVID. We have weathered, over hundreds of years, lots of constant struggles and setbacks, said Jessica Lappin, president of the Downtown Alliance, which advocates for Lower Manhattan. What weve learned from that is it takes a long time, sometimes, to recover. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Flight to quality One Vanderbilt owner SL Green, New Yorks biggest office landlord, has benefited from the twin revivals of tourism and the office market. Last month, 6,400 people visited Summit in one day, and its on track to generate up to $25 million in net operating income this year. And thats not even the most lucrative part of the building. The towers office space is 2% vacant, far better than Manhattans 21.5% vacancy rate, which doubled during the pandemic and is the worst on record. Manhattans rate is almost identical to San Franciscos 21.7% vacancy rate, according to real estate brokerage Cushman & Wakefield. Office experts call it a flight to quality. In the age of hybrid work, tenants want the fanciest interiors, coolest conference rooms and impressive outdoor decks. With many firms in tech and finance enjoying record profits during the pandemic, theyre willing to pay up. The biggest change is the tenant migration to better quality buildings. This is true at all levels of the market and not exclusive to new construction, said Steve Durels, SL Greens director of leasing and real property. One Vanderbilts top office floor was reportedly leased with an asking rent of $322 per square foot annually, probably a New York record and more than quadruple the market average. Across its office space, the tower is set to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in rent revenue a year. Unlike the Bay Area, New York has not seen major companies downsizing or moving their headquarters to other cities, said Lori Albert, New York director of research at Cushman & Wakefield. Attracting talent is what they need to do. Thats why theyre moving to these prime locations like One Vanderbilt, she said. Manhattan is expected to have an additional 10 million square feet of new office construction completed this year, a sign developers are still bullish, but also a trend that will increase vacancy. In contrast, San Francisco has seen almost no new office development during the pandemic, and leases have been canceled at major projects like Pinterests deal at 88 Bluxome, where construction never started. Tech firms including Square and Twitter have downsized offices. San Francisco has been outperformed by Silicon Valleys office market, and the biggest tech companies have been growing more rapidly outside of California. The real challenge is, what do we do with this office space thats really not attractive to the market anymore? said Nicole La Russo, real estate brokerage CBREs senior director of research and analysis in the region. Its a question for both New York and San Francisco. One possibility is converting them to housing, which has decades of precedence around Wall Street but has been more challenging in San Francisco. At least in Manhattan, its clear the demand is there. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle It rebounded so quickly Raskopf, the Douglas Elliman broker, remembers when the New York apartment market turned. It was April 2021, and then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced city workers were going back to the office in June. Numerous private companies followed suit. She got a call from a former New Yorker who had moved to Miami. He was being called back to work and was willing to rent an apartment without looking at it. Over the next 48 hours, she rented nine more apartments. In many cases the tenant wasnt physically present, and would send a friend to scout or use video chat to do a tour. There was this sense of urgency I hadnt seen in years: I need to be here immediately, Raskopf said. It was such a different mentality. The pace hasnt let up. Jonathan Miller, CEO of real estate appraisal firm Miller Samuel, said Manhattan rents fell as much as 30% in 2020 but have climbed about 40% from the bottom since that fall. What its suggesting is there are people living in New York who arent working in New York, Miller said. One of the byproducts of remote work is people are living in locations where they want to live, which may involve paying more rent. Raskopf is the leasing broker for 500 Manhattan apartments. During the depths of the pandemic she had around 65 open listings, and people were ditching apartments and breaking leases. Today only four are available, less than half of pre-pandemic levels. Shes received 150 prospective tenants for one listing in less than a day, about 10 times the pre-pandemic level. During 2020 she was lucky to get two inquiries in a day. Shell talk to unlucky renters who are living in hotels with their belongings in storage because they werent able to secure a new apartment before their leases expired. Theres an urgency fueling the frenzy that sounds familiar to anyone who tried to rent a San Francisco apartment during the pre-pandemic tech boom: bidding wars, lines spilling onto the street, love letters from prospective tenants to landlords with appeals to why they should be picked which happen to violate the federal Fair Housing Act. Many of Raskopfs clients are ex-New Yorkers who decamped for warmer climates in places like Miami, Phoenix or Charleston, S.C. Even if workers are required to be in a New York office only two or three days a week, they still need to live nearby. I am inundated, she said. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Left: Summit in One Vanderbilt has become a tourist magnet for New York City. Right: Children play on a carousel at Bryant Park in New York City. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Top: Summit in One Vanderbilt has become a tourist magnet for New York City. Above: Children play on a carousel at Bryant Park in New York City. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle The 15-minute city As downtown San Francisco struggles to revive and considers new urban design efforts, there are lessons in Lower Manhattan, New Yorks historic city center. Since the 1990s, as Lower Manhattan lost companies to Midtown and the suburbs, there have been efforts to turn it into a mixed-use neighborhood and convert offices into housing. Some scoffed at the idea, but now having a 15-minute city where work, housing and leisure are all within a short walk has become a global trend. After 9/11, thousands and thousands of units of housing were created in New York, said La Russo of CBRE, who helped bring down the office vacancy rate. It also helped the office market because it really revitalized the neighborhood. And it helped keep the area alive during COVID. Today around 64,000 people live in Lower Manhattan, up from 14,000 in 1995. Housing conversions are happening again. The office tower at 55 Broad St., once home to Goldman Sachs, is planned to be converted into 571 housing units. And the landmark Woolworth Building, the worlds tallest building a century ago, has seen its top office floors converted to condos. Track the Bay Area's pandemic transformation and recovery Read more stories like this, plus the latest business news, in the weekly Bay Area Disrupted newsletter. Sign Up Lower Manhattans waterfront views; easy access to transit and Brooklyn, where many workers live; and cheaper rents were all lures for a generation of residents and workers. Lappin of the Downtown Alliance hopes those advantages help the area rebound from COVID. There are positive signs. Near the middle of the week, the World Trade Center sees 70% office occupancy. Downtown hotels are seeing as much as 90% occupancy in July, better than expected. New York Mayor Eric Adams office didnt respond to requests for comment about the citys recovery, but he has exhorted residents to go back to the office and get outside. New Yorkers are only half-listening. An April survey of 160 major employers found 38% of their Manhattan workers are in the office on the average weekday, and 28% are fully remote. The average attendance is expected to rise to 49% in September, with 14% staying fully remote, according to the poll sponsored by the Partnership for New York City. Mary Inhea Kang/Special to The Chronicle Back in a big, big way Even as Wall Street and tech soared, the pandemic obliterated New York tourism, with visitor levels plunging by 67% and 89,000 jobs lost in 2020, nearly a third of the 283,200-person workforce in 2019, according to the state comptroller. Today, Broadway is back, Times Square is jam-packed, and domestic visitors to New York are expected to fully recover by next year, with international following in the next couple of years. The citys back in a big, big way, said Fred Dixon, CEO of NYC & Company, the citys tourism bureau. Visa credit card data showed that New Yorks domestic tourist spending in the second quarter was 99% of pre-pandemic levels, and international spending was 96%, he said. San Franciscos tourism collapse was more severe than New York by many measures: As the citys biggest industry, tourism supported 86,111 jobs in 2019 and lost 65,000 jobs, more than 75%, in 2020, according to San Francisco Travel. SFO lost more passengers than any other airport in the first years of the pandemic. San Franciscos forecast calls for 21.9 million visitors this year, 83.5% of pre-pandemic levels, but visitation isnt expected to fully recover until 2024. New Yorks hotel occupancy, meanwhile, is 64.3% so far this year. And in six of the last eight weeks, New York has been the top hotel market in the country, Dixon said. Meanwhile, at One Vanderbilt, the crowds keep coming. SL Green has shifted its development focus south to One Madison Avenue, another huge new office project that inked a huge lease with IBM. NYC will 100% recover, said Durels of SL Green. COVID is no longer a reason for businesses to avoid the office. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Adriana Rezal contributed to this report. Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf Tech-savvy digital natives may be more confident at the keyboard, but a broad swath of people across generations and continents around two thirds said they believe they are bombarded with false or misleading information online every week. And not all of them deal with it in the same way. That is according to a survey conducted by YouGov with support from Google that surveyed 8,585 people in the U.S., Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Nigeria, India and Japan. The report found that younger people are more confident when it comes to parsing fact from fiction online and are far more concerned about older family members believing or sharing misinformation in cyberspace than they are. Almost a third of Gen Z respondents said they felt moderately confident detecting online misinformation, compared to 29% of Millennials and 26% of Gen Xers. Those numbers fell to 23% and 19% respectively for Baby Boomers and members of the Silent Generation. Despite that, people from the Gen Z and Millennial generations were twice as likely as Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation, born just after World War II, to say they unwittingly amplify false or misleading information online because they feel pressure to share an event quickly. In the era of alternative facts and with former President Donald Trump still disputing his election loss, almost three quarters of people who responded to the survey said they still felt the most important factor in determining if something was true or not was whether a conclusion was supported by sources and facts. Only 55% of people surveyed across the respondent countries said information coming from a government source was the most important factor they weighed when deciding if it was true or not. That lines up with scholarly research showing that author credibility is a key factor in detecting fake news. But thats something of a double-edged sword, since it is increasingly easy to find sources online that twist facts to fit long-held beliefs and reinforce deeply held confirmation biases. Google has taken notice of the finding and announced a series of changes to its featured snippets, boxes at the top of a search result that highlight information in an article that the search engine thinks might be an answer to a query. Google said its algorithm can already understand consensus by looking at high-quality sources across the web that agree on a certain fact and then presenting it in a search as the correct answer in a snippet. But snippets arent always the best answer to a question, especially when the best information isnt out there yet, or the whizzing zeroes and ones of the computerized brain dont quite understand what theyre being asked. In a blog post, Google said, a recent search for when did snoopy assassinate Abraham Lincoln provided a snippet highlighting an accurate date and information about Lincolns assassination, but this clearly isnt the most helpful way to display this result. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes To get around this, the company said it has pulled back on snippets popping up with those kinds of false premise search queries in the latest update to its search engine, reducing featured snippets in those situations by 40%. Google said it is also expanding advisories that show up when the search engine cant find high-quality sources on an emerging topic and figure out a consensus on facts. Instead a notification might pop up before the search results telling the user that there arent too many good sources for that search. The company is also expanding the number of languages and depth of content available in its About this result feature, three dots next to the result that give users more of an idea of where a piece of information comes from. Of course, those features will only help if people use Googles search engine to find or verify information, which not everyone does. The survey found members of Gen Z are twice as likely as those from the Silent Generation to use a search engine to find out more about where a particular post came from, and twice as likely as Baby Boomers to use reverse image searches, or pull up multiple searches and tabs to double-check a piece of information. Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice News As e-scooter industry matures, riders move from renting to buying Craig Lee/The Examiner Jon Tong, a salesperson at Fluidfreeride electric scooter shop, rides a Wolf Warrior 11 model. Craig Lee/The Examiner E-scooters for sale at Fluidfreeride electric scooter shop in SoMa. Theres little reason to visit 11th Street between Folsom and Harrison during the day. On the block that hosts some of San Franciscos biggest nightclubs Audio, Yolo, DNA Lounge even the buildings look like they could use some sunglasses and a cup of coffee. But if youre one of the growing number of San Franciscans looking to buy their own personal electric scooter, this is the place to be. Nestled amid the nightclubs is Fluidfreeride, San Franciscos first dedicated e-scooter showroom and repair shop. Here, you can test ride and take home 22 different e-scooter varieties, ranging from $500 lightweight commuter models to $5,000 all-terrain two-wheelers. While other stores in The City, like PEV Works in the Bayview and Last Mile SF in Hayes Valley, sell e-scooters in addition to other products, no other store focuses solely on e-scooters. I find that the only people who really remain critics of scooters havent actually tried it, said Sam Mollica, head of operations at Fluidfreerides San Francisco store. It is a really powerful technology for getting around The City, especially a city like San Francisco where, by design, youre not going to go more than seven miles in any direction. The store, which opened in April, is selling about two scooters per day, Mollica said, and also does brisk business repairing and re-selling scooters that people bought online. Many of Fluidfreerides customers are delivery workers, Mollica said. Another common customer category is construction workers who need to travel quickly between sites. Office workers accustomed to biking to work are making the switch to e-scooters to avoid having to shower and change at the office. And at a time of high gas prices, lots of customers say theyre investing in a scooter to save money on transportation. Most e-scooters can be fully charged for less than $1, Mollica said. As long as gas prices stay high, more and more people are looking into alternatives. We hear that pretty much on a daily basis. Fluidfreeride, which also has showrooms in Miami and Brooklyn, could be a sign of a maturing industry. While most people got introduced to e-scooters via scooter sharing services like Bird and Lime, a growing number of consumers are opting for personally owned scooters a trend clearly visible in San Franciscos bike lanes. The greatest thing about the shared thing is it got a lot of peoples hands on scooters, said Mollica, who previously worked for the now-defunct scooter share startup Skip. They have that moment where its like, Wow, I cant believe how fun it was, how easy it was and how quick it got me to where I was going. Oliver Bruce, a tech investor and the co-host of the Micromobility Podcast, also sees the transition to personally owned e-scooters as a logical development. High per-ride prices, strict caps on the number of vehicles they can deploy and other regulations imposed by cities have hampered the growth of shared scooter companies. What you find is a lot of people will walk outside and just say, I want to have a scooter, and I want it to be reasonably priced, and I cant find that, Bruce said. So what youve seen is an explosion in the personally owned scooter market as a result. In a recent blog post, Bruce likened the emergence of shared scooters to internet cafes. When the personal computer was still fairly new, what people would do is go and rent them by the minute or by the hour. Bruce said. Over time, computers got better, and so we ended up with our own stuff. Bruce points to a trove of data indicating that the future of e-scooters is personally owned rather than shared. Segway (yes, that Segway), one of the largest scooter manufacturers in the world, reported in May that it had produced a total of 1.5 million scooters for shared companies, and an additional 8.5 million for personal use. In a 2021 McKinsey survey of people who said they would be interested in using an e-scooter to commute, 87% said they would prefer a personally owned or subscription model over scooter share. Eric Min was picking up his brand new Apollo Phantom scooter at Fluidfreeride this week. When I was living in The City, I took the scooters around a bit. And then I was looking for an easy transportation solution for getting around without having to actually drive places. And thats kind of what inspired it. Gas prices, Min said, were not a consideration. This is pretty powerful, so its just for the fun factor. Even for someone committed to buying a scooter, selecting the right kind can be daunting. I tested out a classic commuter model, the $1,000 Mosquito. This 30-pound scooter has a maximum speed of 26 mph, and a range of 15 to 20 miles, depending on hills. It feels much like a shared scooter, absorbing bumps in the road, though its acceleration is much more powerful. I also tried the $2,600 Inokim OXO, which has a maximum speed of 40 mph, and a 40-50 mile charging range. This is a 74-pound beast, with 10-inch wheels and a deck wide enough for two feet side-by-side. Breaking 30 miles per hour on the OXO in the Folsom Street bike lane felt reckless. But on Harrison Street, a wide road without a bike lane, the scooter felt safer as it kept pace with car traffic. Safety is the elephant in the room with e-scooters. Initial studies of shared scooter programs found injury rates considerably higher than bike share, but those studies didnt account for the effect of inexperienced riders and low-quality vehicles. Theres little safety data on personally owned e-scooters, and theres such a wide variety of makes that it could be difficult to draw firm conclusions for some time. Mollica believes the risks of e-scooter riding are comparable to those of cycling. In some cases, e-scooters might be safer by allowing the rider to easily jump off their vehicle and by being taller and more visible to cars. Still, its obvious that super-charged scooters traveling over 30 mph introduce additional risks to riders and other people on the road. Owning a souped up scooter entails a responsibility similar to what society vests in drivers, Mollica said. You can go to any car lot, get in a car and itll go over 100 mph. You cant legally drive 100 mph on the street. The responsibility lies on the driver. Mollica is optimistic that scooters will rapidly become safer, smoother and more accessible to different kinds of people. The designs, in my opinion, still have a long way to go. And its really early days. More details have emerged in the case of a California dermatologist who allegedly poisoned her husband by surreptitiously pouring Drano into his lemonade. Jack Chen, the husband of Irvine doctor Yue "Emily" Yu, reported to police last week that he believed he was being poisoned by his wife after he grew ill over the course of several months. He also provided authorities with video evidence allegedly taken from hidden cameras he had installed in their Irvine home. Yu was arrested on August 4. "Just after 6 p.m., Irvine Police Detectives interviewed the suspect, 45-year-old Yue Yu, and served a search warrant at the home she shares with the victim," police said in a statement. "Yu was arrested for poisoning her husband and booked at Orange County Jail." Chen's lawyers have now shared stills they say were taken from those cameras. Screen grabs of footage allegedly show Yu with a bottle of Drano in their kitchen. Another still shows Chen drinking from a cup. Yu's lawyers have denied all allegations. "She tried to kill him," Chen's lawyer Steven Hittleman told CBS News. "She takes up the bottle, she pours it in, puts the cap back on, puts it back into the sink ... very calm, very methodical." Chen claims he had been feeling ill as far back as March and April before deciding to install hidden cameras in their home. His lawyer said Chen was diagnosed with stomach ulcers, gastritis and inflammation of the esophagus. Records show that after her arrest, Yu posted $30,000 bail on Friday and was released from Orange County Jail. Yu was then reportedly served with divorce papers and a restraining order requiring her to stay 300 feet from Chen and their two children. In the restraining order petition obtained by CBS News, Chen also alleges "longtime verbal, physical and emotional abuse" that extended to their two children. That temporary restraining order was granted, though records show no charges have been brought against Yu in the alleged poisoning. Yus attorney reportedly told the New York Post his client "absolutely and unequivocally" denies poisoning her husband or abusing Chen and their children. The lawyer claimed Chen is trying to "get a leg up in the divorce" through these allegations. Yu attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, according to her offices website, and works as a specialist in dermatology in the city of Mission Viejo. The hospital affiliated with Yu, Providence Mission, issued a statement saying they were aware of the arrest and are working with authorities. This incident is a domestic matter which occurred in Irvine, and we want to reassure our community that there has been no impact on our patients, the hospital said. Records show Yu is due to appear in Orange County Superior Court for a domestic violence hearing on August 18. The San Francisco District Attorney's Office said Wednesday that the man who allegedly attacked former San Francisco commissioner Greg Chew will face felony assault and battery charges, but Chew says the man should face hate crime charges as well. Authorities say 34-year-old Derrick Yearby is the person who assaulted Chew while he was walking to his home in the city's SoMa neighborhood on the evening of Aug. 2. The attack left Chew, who is 70 years-old, with a broken clavicle and minor injuries to his face, according to the DA's Office. Yearby was charged with felony assault and battery, as well as felony elder abuse. Chew, who is Asian American, told the San Francisco Standard that he believes the attack was racially motivated and wants District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to charge Yearby with a hate crime. "Why did he come beat me, break my face, break my shoulder? Chew said, according to The Standard. Did he pick me up because I am Asian, Chinese, and old? The attack on Chew is the second time in less than two weeks that an elderly Asian has been assaulted in public in San Francisco. On July 31, a 70-year-old Asian woman was brutally beaten by multiple assailants as she entered her apartment complex in the 100 block of San Francisco Street. The two incidents prompted a rally on Sunday, where activists with the city's Asian and Pacific Islander community called for justice for elderly victims. During the Chesa Boudin recall campaign, Jenkins said Boudin was failing to hold people who assault Asian Americans accountable. In response to Chew's comments, Jenkins spokesperson Randy Quezada told SFGATE that while "the attack is reprehensible," "evidence, in this case, does not indicate a specific motive for the attack as required by the hate crime statute" at least for now. "This is an active investigation and if we discover additional evidence that supports a hate crime charge or additional charges the District Attorneys Office will file them accordingly," he said. Quezada also said the DA's office is seeking to keep Yearby in custody before his trial which, if successful, means Yearby cannot be released on bail. Yearby is expected to make another court appearance on Friday. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A Grammy-winning group of the worlds top percussionists has reunited after 15 years on a new record that aims to bring the world together in rhythm and dance. Planet Drums new record In The Groove, out now, features drummers from very different backgrounds and musical cultures collaborating using technology to adapt their acoustic instruments into new sonic forms. The collective is made up of the Grateful Deads Mickey Hart, Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain, Nigerian talking drum virtuoso Sikiru Adepoju and conga great Giovanni Hidalgo from Puerto Rico. The first thing we all know about rhythms is that they are universal, said Hussain during an interview from Mumbai. So that is what makes it possible for rhythm players all over the world to be able to interact and communicate and be able to work together to make music." Drums are a language unto themselves, said Hart. The friendship and collaboration between Hart and Hussain started decades ago when Hart was introduced to Hussain via his father, the legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha, who accompanied Ravi Shankar. Planet Drums self-titled first record in 1991 was the first album to win in the Grammy category for best world music, now called best global music album. Their second record earned them another Grammy in 2009. Hidalgo called Planet Drum an honor for me to travel the whole world with all of them, because it is amazing when you analyze and you appreciate different cultures, different styles, from different countries Africa, India, United States, Puerto Rico. Its amazing and we respect all of them. On this third album Hart and Hussain didnt want the virtuosity of the different players to overwhelm the average listener, instead focusing on creating rhythms that kept up an energy and pace that would get people moving. Each of them are masters on an instrument, or in a particular style of drumming, such as Adepoju, who was born into a family of drummers who can play specific parts of language on an assortment of drums. The talking drum, which he plays, can imitate vocal sounds and language. It was a challenge to be able to play together as a dance band as opposed to rhythm masters playing in their own styles, said Hart. Hussain said they wanted all those instruments and drumming patterns to come together crystallized in a simple way where all the organic elements and intricacies of the instruments and the tradition that it represents are projected. The music video for their song King Clave, created with the organization Playing for Change, showcases the members of Planet Drum and over 50 drummers from all over the world. Drums form an integral part of Indigenous Cultures around the world... used through the centuries, not only for festive occasions, but to communicate (sending messages from village to village... even), said Adepoju in a statement provided to the AP. They feature prominently in a broad spectrum of community events (spiritual ceremonies, births, funerals, carnivals, etc), hence their universal appeal. But Hart, who has regularly been experimenting with electronic sounds in his solo work, wanted to showcase new ways to use the traditional acoustic instruments by manipulating their sounds electronically in the studio. Hart calls it processed percussion, and hes able to morph the sound of Hussains tabla, for instance, into the sound of bass guitar or strings or even the sound of water drops. So its electronic, very much so, but most of it comes from an acoustic source that makes it rich and pure, Hart said. Hussain said that electronic filtering and manipulation of the drums can even work live. Instead of coming from a sampler, its now coming straight from the instrument, said Hussain. Hussain added that Planet Drum's music is meant to engage people in a communal way, just as the drum in its many forms has always been tied to social and community gatherings. It has been since the beginning of time when people would get around the fire and the drums would play and people would dance and chant and do all that stuff," said Hussain. And theres no reason why we cant bring that traditional element into the into the modern sonic experience. __ Online: https://www.mickeyhart.net/ __ Follow Kristin M. Hall at https://twitter.com/kmhall When a slew of weird emails about a protest in Napa hit my inbox (and my coworkers') on a Friday afternoon in early July, something smelled fishy. "SAY NO TO VOODOO RANGER BEER THEME PARK IN NAPA," screamed the all-caps, bolded red text of the same email, sent to me by three different people. Apparently, Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing Company, one of the largest craft brewers in the country, had its sights set on opening a beer-themed water park in Napa. It was to be called the Voodoo Ranger IPA Action Park (Voodoo Ranger IPA is one of the brand's most popular beers). The park proposal featured a "beer-powered flume ride, a wave pool filled with 130,000 gallons of hazy IPA, a roller coaster made from beer barrels and a concert stage with a 25,000-watt sound system. From the start, this plan sounded obviously fake. The San Francisco Chronicle later got the scoop from Napa Countys planning commissioner David Morrison that New Belgium had not filed any application with the county, nor did they hold a liquor license in Napa. (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another.) A publicity stunt, it seemed. Still, Napa residents were getting mad. In a video posted to the "Voodoo Ranger" social media accounts, footage from a "Napa Valley community meeting" showed a montage of people saying no! and stay out of Napa" in response to the beer park proposal. And then, those protest emails. A supposed group of concerned Napa residents were gathering at the Napa Farmers Market to protest the beer park. And it appears they actually did, based on photos and videos of people chanting "Voodoo? Voo-don't!" posted to the group's "Not in Napa" Facebook page. I remain skeptical that any of these "protestors" were real Napa residents, or even the people who emailed me about the protest (the Chronicle couldn't find any of their names in the California voter database). But New Belgium remained tight-lipped about the whole debacle until earlier this week. On Monday, the Voodoo Ranger account posted a video gloating about the prank. The Chronicle wasn't amused at the reveal, calling it "cruel and mean-spirited, designed to portray Napa residents as snobby NIMBYs"; Eater SF called it "not unlike spilling beer on a fellow party goer's white shirt to keep a funny story alive. At which point, its not really that funny." Courtesy of New Belgium In a statement provided to SFGATE from New Belgium's chief marketing officer Shaun Belongie, the beer company defended itself. "Napa is a beautiful area full of wonderful people," read the statement in part. "But it also happens to represent a very exclusive place in our culture one where youre likely to feel out of place if you dont wear the right things, have deep knowledge about what some consider 'gourmet' food and wine, and epitomize a certain chic ideal ... Voodoo Ranger represents a big shift from that history." The prank, apparently, was their attempt to show how "inclusive" they are. "This prank was a fun way to experiment with the cultural tension between the global symbol of exclusivity and 'taste' Napa represents, and a growing movement especially among younger people that embraces a spirit of inclusivity (and a bit of irreverence) and seeks out spaces where anyone can feel 100% comfortable being their true selves," the statement continued. Okay, sure. Courtesy of New Belgium Despite expressing the hope that "everyone, whether you were for or against the park, can have a laugh at this point and enjoy whatever beverage you like best with people you love," the length of this statement betrays some awareness that they may have overdone it. Plus, the fact that New Belgium plans to donate $10,000 to the Napa Valley Community Foundation feels a little guilty. My two cents? Yes, Napa is bougie as hell and ripe for satire. But if you're a beer company from Colorado not the Bay Area or even somewhere else in California don't pull a prank on a community you're not from. It'll just leave a bad taste in locals' mouths, which is not something you want to do when you're trying to get them to come drink at your new taproom in the area (SFGATE's request for comment from the San Francisco taproom went unanswered). As Jimmie Fails' character in "The Last Black Man in San Francisco" said, "You don't get to hate it unless you love it." From the cozy red vinyl booths and checkered black-and-white linoleum floor to the friendly server topping off your steaming mug of coffee, Berkeley's Oceanview Diner is a place that harkens back to another era. One could almost be fooled into thinking the retro-looking institution dates back to the 1950s, but it actually opened in 1982. And earlier this year, the Fourth Street neighborhood nearly lost it for good. Originally known as Bettes Oceanview Diner, the restaurants 40 long years came crashing down in January. One day, an hour before closing time, owner Manfred Kroening (the husband of co-founder Bette Kroening, who died in 2017) surprised his staff with the news that he was closing the restaurant, effective immediately. But the diners long history didnt end there. A few employees quickly banded together, and with a big loan from landlord Denny Abrams, they took over the business and Bettes lived to see another day. I didn't want something else coming here, said business manager and co-owner William Bishop. I have been used to it being Bettes for so long, since I was a kid, and I didn't want to come down the street to see a steakhouse or something else go in here. It was mainly to save the jobs of the people that were working here, but also to save something that's a staple of the community. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE In March, Bettes reopened as the newly minted Oceanview Diner, with ownership shared between seven employees. One has since departed, but six still run the restaurant: William Bishop, Darryl Kimble, Rima Ransom, Alice Worland, Kristen Luna and Camille Grogan. The name may have changed, and Bette herself may no longer be with us, but not much else has changed about the diner. We didn't really want to change anything because people are so used to coming here and getting the same food for 40-some-odd years, Bishop said. So it was best when we chose the ownership team to select the people that are already running the place. Especially Darryl [Kimble], who has been here since almost the beginning. If it wasn't for him, we couldn't have the consistency of food. The food, from huevos rancheros to fluffy apple brandy souffle pancakes, has barely changed since 1982. Kimble, a chef at Bettes since he was 19 years old, vouches for it. Just our daily specials and our weekend specials change, but everything else probably stayed the same, said Kimble of his 38 years at the restaurant. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE It helps that the food concept has aged well: traditional American diner food, but made with quality ingredients in the spirit of the slow food movement. [Its] good, simple food prepared carefully, Bette Kroening told the Oakland Tribune in a 1990 interview. We dont create things that have never been tried. When you order a BLT here, youll get a BLT that tastes better than any you have ever had because we use wonderful bread, perfect produce, bacon cooked to order and homemade mayonnaise. Slow food is also literal here. Brunch at the Oceanview Diner on a weekend morning comes with a substantial wait. On Saturdays and Sundays, determined diners often congregate outside the Fourth Street institution, waiting for a table for upwards of an hour. And if you order the popular souffle pancake, expect to wait even longer (its careful preparation includes a stint in the oven). Theres a legend at the diner that when it first opened, the words Good Food. Fast, Friendly Service were painted on the front window. Upon realizing her thoughtful cooking techniques were leading to long wait times, Bette simply had the fast scraped off the window. No shortcuts here: Youll wait, but itll be worth it. A neighborhood restaurant Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE The California Breakfast (top left) is one of the Oceanview Diner's most popular dishes. Back when Bettes first opened, the Berkeley Fourth Street shopping district was in its infancy. Denny Abrams, the developer credited with transforming the once-industrial area, built his first restaurant there in 1979. Called the Fourth Street Grill, it was a roaring success. Former Chez Panisse chef Mark Miller made a national name for the grill the New York Times gave it a shout-out, and James Beard even reviewed it. It became so popular that locals had to wait two weeks to nab a reservation. When I went to the other side of the street, and started developing that, I thought I wanted a restaurant that would always serve the neighborhood, Abrams explained. And we'd never be subject to being overcrowded and turned into a regional restaurant, but remain a neighborhood restaurant. The idea to build a diner was born, and Fourth Street Grills lunchtime kitchen manager, Bette Kroening, was the chef for the task. She and her husband, Manfred, along with Sue Conley (who left a few years later to found Cowgirl Creamery), opened Bettes Oceanview Diner in April 1982. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE While the name oceanview evokes a waterfront restaurant, Bettes was actually never on the water. Instead, its a tribute to the historic name of the West Berkeley neighborhood: the unincorporated town of Ocean View. Until the early 1900s, this area did in fact have a view of the water, before the shoreline was filled in to build the I-80 freeway. From its inception, Bettes proved it was exactly what the neighborhood needed. The day it opened, it was a smash, Abrams recalled. ... These people were all into excellence. You know, that's my generation. A thread that runs through our generation of people of the 60s is that when they did something, they did it really well. Entirely worker-owned Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Those who worked with Bette remember her fondly, a former social worker who truly cared about her employees and vocally advocated for Berkeleys $15 minimum wage. I got hired by her. And she was a really, really nice woman, recalled Ransom, a chef at the diner for 14 years who is now a co-owner. Both Bette and Manfred treated their employees really well. They made them feel like they mattered. It feels in line with Bettes spirit that the diner is now entirely worker-owned. While the original plan with the ownership change was to transform the restaurant into an official worker cooperative, that plan has stalled for now. When we tried to put together the board of directors and all the things that are necessary to have an actual co-op, we couldn't find enough people who had enough time outside of their work schedule to do that, Bishop said. Still, the diner is worker-owned, and Bishop said that employees are happy with the new model. They added new medical benefits and also took the salary the owners were making and split it evenly amongst the entire staff, leading to raises for everyone. They also instituted a few modern updates: a new POS system (no more handwritten tickets), making their food available on DoorDash (pick-up only) and adding a catering service for office parties. A lot of our regular customers have commented to me that the staff seems a lot happier, the service is a little bit better, and that's because it's not quite so hectic, Bishop said. Part of the diners DNA Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE While much has stayed the same at the Oceanview Diner, one thing besides the name has changed: no more jukebox. Previous owner Manfred took the historic artifact with him in the move. But to keep the atmosphere of the restaurant the same, the team of new owners hired the same woman who used to change out the records in the jukebox to create playlists for them. That woman is Christine Hanson, a former employee of Bettes who went on to become a record buyer at Rasputin Music. She's retired now, besides this gig. Even though we don't have a jukebox and people can't walk up and throw a quarter there, we still have the same feel, Bishop said. It's the same music because the same woman put it together for us. The essence of the Oceanview Diner is made up of characters like Hanson: all the neighbors, employees and regulars who hung around long enough to become part of the diners DNA. Everyone has a story of a favorite regular, from the Golden Gate Fields racehorse owner who came in twice a day to a customer infatuated with the diners deviled eggs. Bette herself told Eater in a 2013 interview that at least 10 couples have come out of the restaurant (and were willing to bet that number is even bigger by now). Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE A busy morning at the Oceanview Diner in Berkeley, Calif. on Aug. 9, 2022. I came in with one child at 4 years old who is now 19 and going to college, and I have twin boys who are in high school, Ransom said. We have a few families that have literally grown up in the diner. Restaurant workers staying in one place for a long time is pretty uncommon, so the league of Oceanview Diner employees with 10, 20 or even over 30 years under their belts is telling of how special it is. I gave myself only five years, but this is a good place to work, said Kimble, the restaurants longest running member. So I stayed. Because Bette was a really good person to work for. Bishop echoed that sentiment. I only ever planned on staying here for a year, he said. And then I liked it so much I wanted to stay. The people that work here are really, really awesome and nice people. Oceanview Diner, 1807 Fourth St., Berkeley. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. The allure of the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park on the island of Kauai is its striking beauty. The pali, or cliffs, rise dramatically to as much as 4,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Hidden beaches are sprinkled among its many steep, amphitheater-like cliffs rising above green isolated valleys, as waterfalls tumble down its walls from great heights. It attracts all types of people from all over the world day hikers, backpackers, trail runners, free spirits and hermits. The park, which extends from Haena to Milolii Valley, can be seen by air, land or sea each a unique adventure that Ive done, and none of which get old. The 11-mile Kalalau Trail is an arduous but incredible journey to the remote, white-sand Kalalau Beach, which takes six to 10 hours, depending on ability. (Most people know the trail for the first 2 miles to Hanakapiai Beach.) The helicopter tour takes you inside and around the valleys, allowing you to peer over the coastline in ways you otherwise wouldnt be able to see. The boat tour is the best of both in many ways, as it immerses you right into the scene with very little effort, which is what I chose to do this time. The sunny sky is clear and sea spray hits me as we ride the open ocean. Makana Charters 32-passenger catamaran zips past Polihale Beach on my right, the last accessible beach by car on the west side. I see campers lining the vast white-sand beach and dunes until the towering cliffs begin. The light begins to change, as we continue in the shadow of these rolling cliff faces and the ocean turns a vibrant turquoise blue like none Ive ever seen. Dolphins appear, jumping and spinning, ahead of our boat I count at least seven or 10 and I feel that nothing could be as idyllic as this moment. Milolii Valley is where we spot the first remote beach on the coastline. A small valley, it was once a sustainable place to live, like the other valleys, as Hawaiians cultivated taro and fished for food. Its also been said before that Milolii, which means fine twist, is known for its cordage. The valley was apparently named after an expert sennit weaver who once lived there. Its also where Bishop Museum acquired an abandoned pili (grass) house that is currently exhibited at the museum in Honolulu. Christine Hitt/SFGATE Boat landings are not allowed at any of the beaches along the Napali Coast, but in the summer months, the adventurous set can kayak and land on Miloliis beach to camp for up to three nights with a permit. I daydream about the number of stars in the sky that must be visible from this remote spot at night, but its not long until we enter the next section of the Napali Coast known as Nualolo. From Nualolo to breathtaking Honopu Turtles pop up out of the water as we slow down to marvel at Nualolos sandy shoreline and fringing reef, the largest on the Napali Coast. Isolated by cliffs on all sides, it is made up of two parts: Nualolo Kai (kai means ocean) is the coastal part we can see, and Nualolo Aina (aina means land) is the part Ive never seen. Its not visible because Nualolo Aina is a hanging valley that doesnt touch the coast. Brbnkseaj/Getty Images/iStockphoto In the past, the Native Hawaiians who lived on this coastline would climb these mountains and ridges with ease. There was no 11-mile Kalalau Trail along the coastline that was built in the late 1800s. Instead, an elaborate system of foot trails once connected the different Napali Coast valleys to each other by climbing up into the cliffs to top in an area known as Kokee (above Waimea Canyon) and back down into a different valley. None of these other Napali trails exist today. At Nualolo, Hawaiians would traverse between the fishing village of Nualolo Kai and the farming village of Nualolo Aina by climbing sheer cliffs. One such cliff, Kamaile, was famous for its oahi (projecting fire) display. Similar to fireworks, people would gather in canoes in the ocean off Nualolo Kai and watch men light pieces of wood and hurl them from 2,500 feet. Light in weight, the wood sailed into the air spectacularly until it hit the water possibly to where our boat is sitting. The cultural sensitivity of Nualolo is evident, which is why only a few motorized raft tours have a permit to land on the beach for an archaeological tour and to educate visitors of the area. Kayak landings are prohibited. Before continuing, our guide points to a large 400-feet-tall X seemingly etched on the side of the 2,000-foot cliff face. Its not a marker, he says, but a natural formation made by the crossing of lava. I would have never guessed that. MartinM303/Getty Images/iStockphoto Our next stop, an open-ceiling cave, is the spot I am most anxious to see, as only smaller boats are allowed inside, depending on conditions. Slowly, our boat propels itself through a large, natural archway. All eyes straight ahead, as we enter the large round cavernous space with an enormous ceiling open to the sky. Its so much bigger than I expected as we do a full lap around its borders. The water is crystal clear and no photo can capture its full width nevertheless, I tried. Pukalani, the guide says the Hawaiian name of the place is called, which loosely translated means hole to the heavens. It was once believed to be the home of a shark god. Makana Charters is Native Hawaiian-owned from the area, and much of the guides knowledge is not from books but passed down through stories from friends and relatives, so these details amplify my experience. The scenic beauty of the Napali Coast really doesnt end, as Honopu (meaning conch bay) is coming up next. Often considered the most photographed beach of the Napali Coast, its appeared in many films, too. King Kong, Six Days Seven Nights and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, just to name a few. rothandrus/Getty Images/iStockphoto From the ocean, I take in the view of its gorgeous white-sand beach and dunes that are bisected by a natural archway and backed by the Napalis steep sea cliffs. Incredibly picturesque, the beach is only one part of Honopu, as it also has a hanging valley where Hawaiians once lived further inland. As lovely as it is, the beach is only accessible by water, and boat or kayak landings of any kind are not allowed. Majestic Kalalau Valley Next, we arrive at the jewel of the coastline, as some would say, to Kalalau (which means the straying, used to describe someone doing something foolish). I take in the whole scene: a long white sandy beach with an incredible backdrop of those rugged cliffs with large pointed spires like that of a cathedral, and a waterfall flowing down one side. There are a couple people on the beach permitted backpackers who completed the Kalalau Trail to get there and enjoy the isolated beach. Its illegal to be dropped off by boat. noblige/Getty Images/iStockphoto Kalalau Valley is larger than any other on the coastline, with an abundant amount of natural resources. Its clear why this had such a thriving Native Hawaiian population for generations. Western society disrupted the old way of life. By the early 20th century, most of the Native Hawaiians of the Napali Coastline had left for school or employment elsewhere. The last resident of Kalalau left in 1919 its believed other Napali residents left before then. Since then, many historic sites along the Kalalau Trail from Haena to Hanakoa to Kalalau have been disturbed by cattle and horse grazing, other agricultural ventures and people. YinYang/Getty Images Though now a state park, Hawaiians help preserve and take care of their ancestral home through the nonprofit the Na Pali Coast Ohana, addressing issues of illegal campers and visitors who [leave] behind untold tons of abandoned campsites and trash in the farthest extremes of the Napali. In my many visits, Ive always felt seeing the Napali Coast as a privilege and preserving its pristine environment and cultural history are of the utmost importance, especially for those with genealogy tied to the land. Stopping for more than a few minutes to allow photos with Kalalau Beach in the background, our captain reverses direction, and I take in one final view of the famed coastline as we speed back to the boat harbor. Editors note: SFGATE recognizes the importance of diacritical marks in the Hawaiian language. We are unable to use them due to the limitations of our publishing platform. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate CHICAGO (AP) McDonald's will start reopening some of its restaurants in Ukraine in the coming months, a symbol of the war-torn country's return to some sense of normalcy and a show of support after the American fast-food chain pulled out of Russia. The burger giant closed its Ukrainian restaurants after Russia's invasion nearly six months ago but has continued to pay more than 10,000 McDonald's employees in the country. McDonald's said Thursday that it will begin gradually reopening some restaurants in the capital, Kyiv, and western Ukraine, where other companies are doing business away from the fighting. Western businesses like Nike, KFC and Spanish clothing retailer Mango are open in Kyiv. Weve spoken extensively to our employees who have expressed a strong desire to return to work and see our restaurants in Ukraine reopen," Paul Pomroy, corporate senior vice president of international operated markets, said in a message to employees. In recent months, the belief that this would support a small but important sense of normalcy has grown stronger." The Ukrainian economy has been severely damaged by the war and restarting businesses, even in a limited capacity, would help. The International Monetary Fund expects Ukraine's economy to shrink by 35% this year. McDonald's has 109 restaurants in Ukraine but didn't say how many would reopen, when that would happen or which locations would be the first to welcome back customers. Over the next few months, the company said it will start working with vendors to get supplies into restaurants, prepare those stores, bring back employees and launch safety procedures with the war still raging to the east. While it will start to reopen in Ukraine, McDonalds has sold its 850 restaurants in Russia to a franchise owner. That came three decades after McDonalds opened its first location in Moscow, becoming a powerful symbol of easing Cold War tensions. McDonald's had shuttered hundreds of Russian locations in March, costing the company about $55 million per month. Selling its Russian restaurants was the first time the company has de-arched, or exited a major market. Alexander Govor, who held a license for 25 McDonald's outposts in Siberia, has begun reopening former McDonald's locations under the name Vkusno-i Tochka, or Tasty-period. A multinational tech company is once again expanding the scope of its biometric data collection by adding a decidedly minuscule customer service improvement. Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, is installing its Amazon One palm-scanning payment devices at 65 California locations, TechCrunch reported on Wednesday. After calling around, SFGATE confirmed that at least seven Whole Foods locations among the 13 in San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley are close to rolling out Amazon One, likely around the end of August. Four Whole Foods respondents said they either haven't heard anything about Amazon One or were told they won't be part of the expansion program for now. Two locations declined comment. SFGATE is not naming the individual stores because respondents were not authorized to speak with the media. Amazon One "simplifies everyday interactions" and is a "free, contactless service that lets you use your palm to pay, enter, or identify yourself," according to Amazon. Interested first-time users swipe their credit card, enter their phone number and hover their hand over the scanning device, which then allows Jeff Bezos's company to store an image of what they say is an encrypted "unique palm signature." The next time you go to Whole Foods, you can simply hold your palm over the scanner, rather than taking two seconds to tap your credit card on a credit card reader, in order to pay for groceries. These palm-scanning devices aren't new, but their move to lots of grocery stores is a major shift in resources from their more limited applications in recent years. The devices are already present at some Amazon Go locations, including a few in the Bay Area. This reporter took a lunch break on Wednesday to check out one of the devices; a security guard noted that people frequently use Amazon Go, especially when they're in a rush or don't have their wallets on them. But privacy and security questions with Amazon One are unavoidable. As SF Standard pointed out, the Red Rocks concert venue in Colorado actually ditched Amazon One after public pushback and scrutiny earlier this year. Concerts and events are just one logical expansion of the service, especially if the grocery store experiment attracts a bunch of new palm-scanning participants. SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images Amazon has reiterated that you can delete your Amazon One data at any time, and said it's only using palm scans "to generate and update your unique palm signature, confirm whether you are an enrolled Amazon One customer, and confirm your identity." The company says it's storing your palm signature separate from other customer data, which is good news since Amazon like all multinational tech companies has been hacked and subjected to data breaches on multiple occasions. Left unacknowledged in Amazon's "data and privacy" FAQ section for Amazon One is whether law enforcement can successfully petition for your palm scan data. Last month, Amazon admitted it's turned over Ring video doorbell footage to police on at least 11 occasions so far this year. Multiple Whole Foods workers who spoke to SFGATE say Amazon One will likely be available at every single register, except perhaps self-check-out registers, at participating grocery stores. CINCINNATI (AP) Two men were indicted Thursday on numerous charges stemming from a shooting that wounded nine people outside a Cincinnati bar last weekend. Diablo McCoats, 29, faces 16 counts of felonious assault and a single weapons charge, while Jarvis Barnes, 34, faces seven counts of felonious assault and a weapons count. Both men face several decades in prison if convicted on all counts, according to Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph Deters. SYDNEY (AP) A second Australian state on Thursday banned public displays of Nazi symbols. New South Wales, the nations most populous state, followed Victoria, the second most populous, which banned the public display of Nazi swastikas in June. The law was passed with the unanimous support of the state parliaments upper chamber. The lower chamber passed the bill on Tuesday. Queensland and Tasmania states have foreshadowed similar laws, which would mean half of Australias eight states and territories and most of the Australian population were banned from displaying Nazi symbols. New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Darren Bark described the passing of the law as a historic day for the state. Nazi symbols are a gateway to violence and are used as a recruitment tool by extremists, Bark said. Banning their display is a long-overdue and much-needed law in our state. The perpetrators will finally be held to account, he added. The law allows for the swastika to be used in academic, historical or educational settings, thereby paving the way for its display by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains for whom it holds religious significance. For too long, the Hindu community has not felt comfortable to display our symbol of peace because it resembled a symbol of evil. This is no longer, Hindu Council of Australia national vice-president Surinder Jain said. Currently Reading Alert: Armed man in body armor approaches FBI office in Ohio, flees and exchanges gunfire with police, authorities say Currently Reading Alert: Department of Justice asks federal court to unseal warrant for search of former president Trump's home Currently Reading Alert: McDonald's says it will start reopening some restaurants in Ukraine in coming months after Russia's war spurred closures Currently Reading Alert: Ohio agency: Standoff with man suspected of trying to breach FBI office apparently over; suspect's status unclear Producer Owned Beef will be building a new meat processing plant in Amarillo, creating over 1,500 jobs in the area and generating $670 million in capital investments, a release from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. The company will sell beef and beef byproducts across Texas and the U.S. from 3,000 cattle harvested everyday, the release said. The meat processing plant will join a $1.5 billion rare-earth minerals refinery also coming to the Texas Panhandle city. The 540-acre facility will be home to up to 2,500 employees. "'Made in Texas' is a powerful global brand and continues to attract investment from companies serving crucial industries," Abbott said in the release. "Producer Owned Beef's selection of Amarillo for its new beef processing plant further reinforces the Panhandle as a leader in U.S. beef and beef production and will create over 1,500 new jobs and millions in investment for the region. We welcome Producer Owned Beef to Amarillo and look forward to working with the company to keep Texas the economic engine of the nation." Producer Owned Beef is the countrys only producer-owned beef processor, the companys website says. The companys majority equity owners are cattle ranchers and feeders, who will receive a percentage of the wholesale beef price for cattle they supply, as well as a share of the Amarillo plants profits, Yahoo Finance reported. "We are excited about the continued momentum of Producer Owned Beef with the Governor's support through the Texas Enterprise Fund, Producer Owned Beef CEO Casey Cameron said in the governors release. This further reinforces the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation and the City of Amarillo's commitment to building our new beef processing plant in Amarillo. Producer Owned Beef is expecting to have an annual payroll of $121 million, Yahoo Finance reported. The companys facility is expected to break ground in the first quarter of 2023 and start operating by the end of 2025. The plant will be located on more than 1,100 acres on Jack Rabbit Road (Spur 228) between I-40 and Hwy. 287. The facility will receive a $12.2 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant, as well as an $8,000 Veteran Created Job Bonus, the governor's release said. PHOENIX (AP) An Arizona county where the Aug. 2 primary election was beset with multiple issues that led to the firing of its election director will waive the costs for running municipal elections in 11 cities and towns and plans to hire an outside election expert to review what went wrong. The five-member Pinal County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to waive more than $100,000 in costs it planned to bill the cities and towns for running the local elections. Seven cities and towns had local races left off early ballots that required the county to mail about 63,000 supplemental ballots. And County Attorney Kent Volkmer told the board that four other municipalities were affected by Election Day missteps that led to ballot shortages at about 20 of the county's 95 polling places. As the county manager clearly indicated, we fell below the expectations of our customers, Volkmer told the board. So I believe if this board is so inclined, I think there is good cause to waive for all of the various entities that we serve the municipal and town elections for. I think thats a good idea due to the issues at hand, Board Chair Jeffrey McClure. Last week, McClure had called the election issues a major screwup" and Elections Director David Frisk was fired the next day. He had just been hired in March. Volkmer also said he was close to hiring an outside election expert to conduct a review. He said there was so far no sign of any criminal violations but that bringing in someone from outside would ensure that an unbiased assessment would be swiftly completed. He said if any sign of criminal activity were found, the county sheriff would be called in to investigate. What we anticipate getting out of this is what went wrong, why it went wrong and then what can we do to make sure that this does not happen again, Volkmer said. He said he wants the job completed within 60 days, before November's general election. The expert, who Volkmer did not publicly identify, has almost 30 years as an elections administrator, had done similar reviews and is known to both new Elections Director Virginia Ross and new County Recorder Dana Lewis. Ross was the elected recorder until she resigned last week to take over the elections department. Lewis was her assistant. The board appointed her on Friday to take over as recorder, which handles voter rolls and mail ballots but is not involved with voting or ballot counting. The board will certify the election canvass on Friday, although more than one board member expressed heartburn over having to do so given last week's issues. Board member Jeff Serdy said his first reaction the day after the election was that he did not want to accept the results. That's not an option, Volkmer said. Accepting and certifying the results is an act that the law requires. The municipal races will be handled by the localities, while county, state and federal races are up to the board. I will tell this board, and this is always not a comfortable conversation, but our legal analysis is you have no choice but to canvass, Volkmer said. It is whats deemed a ministerial duty, meaning you have to. It's a shall." Former HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson, iconic radio host Larry Elder, Dr. Voddie Baucham, civil rights activist Bob Woodson, documentarian Chad Jackson, Dr. Alveda King, Pastor Corey Brooks, and many others will meet in Tinley Park, Ill., Sept. 8-10 NEWS PROVIDED BY Freedom's Journal Institute Aug. 11, 2022 CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /Standard Newswire/ -- Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, iconic radio host Larry Elder, Dr. Voddie Baucham and filmmaker Chad Jackson a.k.a. "The Mount Rushmore of Black Conservatism" who are featured in the controversial film Uncle Tom II: An America Odyssey -- are scheduled speakers Sept. 8-10 at the Black Conservative Summit (www.blackconservativesummit.net). Uncle Tom II exposes what the filmmakers describe as "the Marxist strategy of creating false racial tension" between Americans -- an attempt to tear the nation apart. The fifth annual Black Conservative Summit -- one of the largest gatherings of Black conservative leaders in the U.S. -- kicks off with a star-studded film screening. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/CwgT11qOCHE Registration for the summit is open to the public and the press. The summit's theme "How to Fix Black America" will serve as "a constant reminder that America is 'one nation under God, indivisible," said Dr. Eric Wallace, a Black scholar and former Republican candidate for the Illinois State Senate who co-founded Freedom's Journal Institute (FJI), a faith-based public policy action group, with his wife Jennifer. "Right now, race, gender, and new science are being weaponized to challenge the status quo of American values," he said. "This radical liberal ideology is infiltrating our churches, our schools, and our socio-political institutions at every level." With midterm elections fast approaching, the summit -- which attracts Black lawmakers, professionals, business leaders, theologians, educators, and others -- will focus on conservative priorities, including "responsible government, individual liberty, economic empowerment, and family values." Family 'Under Attack' "The traditional, nuclear family in the U.S. whether red, yellow, black, brown or white is under attack from an extreme liberal agenda," summit organizers claim. They cite Critical Race Theory (CRT), Black Lives Matter (BLM), and the promotion of unrestricted abortion and gender fluidity as major threats to the traditional family -- and the cause of many problems facing Black communities. "Many of the problems facing the Black community in America -- including high crime and incarceration rates -- stem not from racism; but from the rise of welfare and the disintegration of the traditional 'nuclear' family," said Bob Woodson, founder of the Woodson Center. Woodson will address "The Power of the Free Market Versus the Call for Socialism Today" on Sept. 9th at the Summit. Sadly, the number of homes in America where the traditional or nuclear family consists of a married couple with children -- currently 23.1 million homes -- is the lowest since the late 1950s, according to the 2021 census. However, "our earnest conviction is that many of the Black communities' problems, as well as other communities, could be solved if we gave more attention to building strong and healthy families," said Jennifer Wallace, who serves as FJI's Senior Fellow for Marriage and Family Life and Director of Black Families Matter. As hosts for the Summit, Dr. and Mrs. Wallace will address underlying issues such as a "conflict of visions" and the need for "strong family values," respectively, among other pertinent topics addressed by confirmed speakers. Find the complete Summit agenda and list of speakers/topics here. Confirmed Summit Speakers The Summit has an unprecedented line-up of speakers who will join Dr. Eric M. and Jennifer L. Wallace of FJI. They include Dr. Ben Carson, former HUD Secretary; Larry Elder, former syndicated radio talk show host; Dr. Voddie Baucham, Jr., Founder, Voddie Baucham Ministries; Todd Ricketts, co-owner, Chicago Cubs; Bob Woodson, Founder, Woodson Center; Chad Jackson, filmmaker, "Uncle Tom II"; Dr. Shelby Steele, Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow, Hoover Institute; Charles Love, Executive Director, Seeking Educational Excellence; Rev. Dean Nelson, Chairman, Frederick Douglass Foundation; Ken Blackwell, Chairman, AFPI Center for Election Integrity; and special music by concert pianist Huntley Brown. "We believe that in order to minimize Black confrontation with police -- and reduce abortion clinic visits, school dropout rates, incarceration, and illicit drug use among Blacks -- we must focus on combatting the dysfunction and disintegration of the Black family," Jennifer Wallace said. "The family serves as the center for social, educational, economic, and spiritual life to build strong bonds among the generations; and to pass on a way of life that has transcendent meaning," she said. "Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain." MEDIA: For interviews with BCS speakers, contact Gregg Wooding, I AM PR, 972-567-7660/ gregg@iampronline.com. About Freedom's Journal Institute Dr. Eric Wallace, an African American scholar, and his wife Jennifer are the Co-Founders of Freedom's Journal Institute (FJI), an Illinois-based nonprofit organization committed to addressing contemporary social, political, and religious issues with a biblical worldview. FJI's Kingdoms in Konflict program airs on Total Living TV Network and National Religious Broadcasters TV Network. For more information, click here: www.iampronline.com/single-post/mount-rushmore-of-black-conservatism-convenes-at-5th-annual-black-conservative-summit SOURCE Freedom's Journal Institute CONTACT: Gregg Wooding, I AM PR, 972-567-7660, gregg@iampronline.com BANGKOK (AP) An Australian academic who is being tried with ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi on charges of violating the countrys official secrets law testified in court for the first time on Thursday, a legal official said. Sean Turnell, an economist at Sydneys Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was arrested when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1 last year. He was arrested five days later and is now being held in the main prison in Naypyitaw, the capital, as is Suu Kyi. Three of Suu Kyis former Cabinet members are being tried with them in a special court at the prison. A legal official familiar with Thursdays proceedings said Turnell denied the allegations against him and pleaded not guilty. Further details of his testimony were not available because his lawyers have been barred from talking about the case. All of the trials involving Suu Kyi have been held under similar restrictions, with the proceedings closed to the media and the public. The legal official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information, said Turnell and his co-defendants appeared to be in good health. The exact details of the alleged offense in the case have not been made public, though Myanmar state television, citing government statements, said last year that Turnell had access to secret state financial information and had tried to flee the country. Turnell is also being prosecuted under the immigration law, which carries a punishment of six months to five years imprisonment. Prosecutions under the immigration law are common for foreigners being held for other offenses. The judge adjourned Thursdays proceedings until next week, when Suu Kyi is to testify. The case is one of many faced by Suu Kyi and is widely seen as an effort to discredit her to prevent her return to politics. The charges against her include corruption and election fraud. She has already been convicted of several minor offenses. Last year's military takeover sparked peaceful nationwide street protests that security forces quashed with lethal force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts have characterized as civil war. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) Authorities in Northern California released a frame from surveillance video showing a missing 16-year-old at a store before she disappeared over the weekend and asked Wednesday for anyone with information to contact officials, saying they are not getting new leads. Kiely Rodni, of Truckee, was last seen Saturday near the Prosser Family Campground in Truckee at a party attended by hundreds of juveniles and young adults, police said. Rodnis phone has been out of service since the party, and her car, a 2013 silver Honda CRV, has not been found, authorities said. Anyone who was at that party that night, please come to law enforcement, please go to the tip line, it is anonymous if they want to remain anonymous, Placer County Sheriff Lt. Josh Barnhart said at a press conference. Barnhart said investigators have collected a lot of videos from gas stations, private businesses and residences and they are going through the painstaking task of reviewing all the footage for any signs of the teenager. But he said not getting any new leads from people who may have seen her the night of her disappearance is very frustrating. Someone saw her but theyre not coming forward, Barnhart added. Officials with at least 16 local, state and federal enforcement agencies are helping in the investigation and search crews have fanned across the region straddling the California-Nevada state line looking for her. Dozens of family and friends are also searching and offering a $50,000 reward. Officials said a helicopter has been searching from the air along the I-80 corridor between Donner Summit and the Nevada border and marine units from three local sheriffs offices have searched at Prosser Creek Reservoir. Officials have also deployed scent-tracking dogs. Were struggling with clues and so searches arent super successful if you don't have a direction on where to search, said Nevada County Sheriffs Office captain Sam Brown. Midland County Department of Public Health is hosting back-to-school clinics so families can complete health requirements before the upcoming academic year. Clinical Services Director Nicole Swanton said about 85 appointments have been made for a few days next week. There are about six appointments left, but hearing and vision technicians are able to schedule next Friday as needed. "It's important for kids to be ready to start the school year, so they can have a successful year," she said. The Health Department will offer a full day of "Back to School" hearing and vision screening, in addition to immunizations, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 18 at the County Services Building. The screenings are by appointment only, which should be completed first and can be scheduled by calling (989) 832-6673. The immunizations will be available by walk-ins. The first 50 participating families in the immunization process will receive a gas card. All families and children will receive a snow cone. The incentives are sponsored by Molina Healthcare. Health Officer Fred Yanoski said the department appreciates the supportive partnership. "We are trying very hard to make sure these important vaccines and screenings are made easily available to the public," he said. Michigan law requires hearing and vision screening at least once between ages 3 to 5, before children enter kindergarten. The minimum standard to help prevent disease outbreaks in school settings, includes the following vaccines: The Back to School Clinics will also offer lead screenings. According to the local health department, Midland County's vaccination rates are 91.7%, as of March based on information that includes kindergarten, seventh grade and new students. The rate of guardians who have signed a waiver citing they do not want their child(ren) vaccinated is at 4.1% in Midland County. Many children were already screened last school year at preschools, daycares or health department, said Swanton. "This is a great opportunity to get the required childhood immunizations that are required for school enrollment completed," said Michael Sharrow, Superintendent of Midland Public Schools. The health department is located on the second floor of 220 West Ellsworth St. in Midland. On Monday, real estate and finance website Clever released its roundup of the best BBQ cities in the United States and San Antonio claimed the top spot. Overall, four Texas cities made the top 20 with San Antonio taking the crown. To determine the rankings, the report takes into account a number of metrics, including the number of BBQ restaurants per capita, average BBQ joint Yelp rating, "Google Trends score" for several BBQ-related terms, total number of Kansas City Barbeque Society Master Series BBQ competitions hosted in the last decade, major BBQ events, American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame inductees in the state and more. Overall, San Antonio claimed the No. 1 spot with 4.2 BBQ restaurants per 100,000 residents and an average Yelp rating of 4. Additionally, San Antonians spend 0.36% of their income on BBQ. Although the area has not hosted a KCBS competition in the last decade, San Antonio has residents in the BBQ Hall of Fame, according to the report. Additionally, the Alamo City, described as one of the "most memorable cities for BBQ enthusiasts," is set to host four major BBQ competitions in the next year, the report states, explaining that no other city in the study was set to host more than a pair of such events. "San Antonio matches that quantity of BBQ shops with excellent quality, evidenced by the chopped brisket from 2M Smokehouse," reads a portion of the report. According to the report's BBQ Cities Key Takeaways, San Antonio residents registered the "highest search activity" for "brisket." Austin claimed the runner-up spot on the list with a higher number of BBQ restaurants per capita (4.7) and a higher average Yelp rating (4.2), although Austinites spent a smaller percentage of their income on BBQ (0.28%). San Jose, Calif. and Nashville, Tenn. round out the top five with Las Vegas, Nev., Birmingham, Ala., Tampa, Fla., Oklahoma City, Okla., Jacksonville, Fla. and Kansas City, Mo. filling out the top 10. Further down the list, two more Texas cities made the top 20, with Dallas coming in at No. 12 and Houston at No. 18. With the individual categories, Houston has 1.4 BBQ restaurants per 100,000 residents, an average Yelp rating of 4.1 and approximately 0.32% of Houstonian incomes sent on BBQ. While the Bayou City hasn't hosted a KCBS competition in the last decade, the city does have BBQ events set for the upcoming year and has residents in the BBQ Hall of Fame, the report notes. Among cities with the highest search interest for brisket, Houston claimed the No. 3 spot behind San Antonio and Dallas, in order. Summer vacation is officially over for Beaumont and Port Arthur students. Wednesday was the start of a new school year for more than 25,000 students in the region -- a chance to learn new things, meet new people and, for some, to experience school for the very first time. Between emotional early-morning arrivals and the joy of afternoon release, students spent most the day getting to know their peers, teachers and administrators. They'll be sharing the hallways for the next nine months, making a good first impression all the more important. "We want kids to enjoy coming to school," said Jerry Gloston, who's been the principal at DeQueen Elementary School in Port Arthur for more than a decade. "It's about creating an environment in which kids look forward to learning and being here." RELATED: Beaumont schools to start new year with more vacancies than 2021 More Information First day of school for districts around the region: Wednesday, Aug. 10 Bridge City ISD Buna ISD Evadale ISD Jasper ISD Orangefield ISD Silsbee ISD Vidor ISD West Orange-Cove CISD Thursday, Aug. 11 Hamshire-Fannett ISD Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD Lumberton ISD Nederland ISD Monday, Aug. 15 High Island ISD Tuesday, Aug. 16 Hardin-Jefferson ISD Kirbyville CISD Wednesday, Aug. 17 Port Neches-Groves ISD Thursday, Aug. 18 East Chambers ISD Newton ISD Monday, Aug. 22 Deweyville ISD See More Collapse At 7:30 a.m., parents and students crowded around a bulletin board outside Pietzsch-MacArthur PK-8 Center to see who would be their teacher for the next 170-plus days. Anxiously holding their parents' and guardians' hands, children were decked out in brand new uniforms with fresh haircuts with backpacks -- some almost as big as the students themselves -- stuffed to the brim with school supplies. Parents and students alike shed some tears as they said goodbye, with one parent walking away from the school saying, "I'm not ready." Raylan Maxson, parent of four Pietzsch-MacArthur students in kindergarten; first; third; and fourth grades, said she's excited for the school year to begin. RELATED: Beaumont schools discuss COVID, monkeypox precautions Her kids, however, weren't so sure. Early mornings and homework aren't exactly exciting, but Maxson's younger children were ready for a new adventure, excited to learn new things. "I wasn't expecting (school) to come back so early, but it is what it is," Maxson said. "We're getting ready for homework which, oh man, is always a hassle." The beginning of this school year was a big day for Pietzsch-MacArthur itself. RELATED: Beaumont school district to increase employee salary This year marks the end of the campus' two-year transition from an elementary school to a pre-k through eighth grade campus. "(This year) is a milestone school year for Pietzsch-MacArthur," Principal Audrey Collins said. "We have been working towards becoming a center that services grades pre-k through eighth for several years, and I am thrilled to have both buildings bustling with first day excitement and to have our family complete." She also looked forward to seeing students who have been with the school for multiple years return for another term. "I am excited to see the growth of our students who have been phased in with us from year to year and the impacts of continuing through Pietzsch-MacArthur with consistent leadership and expectations," she said. RELATED: Survey: 70% of Texas teachers are considering quitting their jobs Shelia Alfred and Brad Buckley sat at the front of the school with their student, who is entering kindergarten this year. He was nervous about the new experience but was looking forward to making new friends. "(We're excited) for him to start school," Buckley and Alfred said. "He was in daycare but now he gets to adventure." Students became more comfortable as the day moved forward. RELATED: Preliminary state ratings show Beaumont schools improved performance At DeQueen Elementary in Port Arthur, gym classes throughout the day gave students a chance to shake off any first-day jitters. After introductions, children got moving with some fun, easy exercises. "I always tell them, 'This is your time to let out any stress or anxiety that you have,'" physical education teacher Joy Guillory said. Back in the classroom, the learning curve was taking place for teachers, too. Fourth-grade instructor Quelinquia Darden was putting herself to the test, memorizing the names, likes and dislikes of all her students. After asking her students a few brief questions, Darden went around the room and showed off those memorization skills, prompting smiles from each student as they heard their favorite foods and colors listed off. RELATED: Beaumont school district plans to harden campuses, equip police "I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty good," Darden said. As the afternoon dwindled away, students began preparing to head home. They walked through the halls and were greeted by Gloston one last time before packing up for the day. She was physically and mentally tired by the final bell, yet felt fulfilled having made it through the first challenge of a new school year. "It can be a roller coaster," Gloston said. "You're going to have ups and downs, but overall, we're very happy to have our students back. The first day is always a great chance for us to learn about them, and them to learn about us." PACIFIC GROVE, Calif. (AP) A California paddleboarder and his dog were thrown into the ocean when a shark bit the board but both survived the encounter without injuries, authorities said. The Wednesday morning attack occurred about 150 yards (137 meters) off Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove at the south end of Monterey Bay, the same waters where a swimmer was seriously injured by a great white shark in June. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) A leading Cambodian opposition politician who publicly complained about alleged unfairness in June local elections has been charged with defamation, his lawyer said Thursday. Son Chhay, deputy president of the opposition Candlelight Party, said in an online interview after the polls that the state National Election Committee was biased in favor of the governing Cambodian Peoples Party. He also said there was vote-buying and intimidation of voters. His allegations were denied by the government. Both the National Election Committee and the Cambodian Peoples Party sued Son Chhay for defamation. Lawyer Choung Chou Ngy said Son Chhay was officially charged by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday. Son Chhay, who holds joint Cambodian and Australian nationality, left Cambodia before the lawsuits were filed. The election committee had demanded a published apology from Son Chhay and the Cambodian Peoples Party sought $1 million in compensation. The lawyer said the court has not set a date for the trial. Court officials could not be reached for comment. Prime Minister Hun Sens governing party won June's elections with 74.3% of the votes, with the Candlelight Party receiving about 22.3%. The Cambodian Peoples Party has held an iron grip on power for decades, and has the huge advantage of controlling almost every level of government. Hun Sen, an authoritarian ruler in a nominally democratic state, has held power for 37 years. He has said he intends to stay in office until 2028, and has endorsed one of his sons to succeed him. In recent years, Hun Sens government has aggressively pursued legal action against its opponents, hindering their ability to operate freely, and sometimes hounding them into exile or jailing them. In 2017, the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved by the Supreme Court on a charge of treason that was widely seen as politically motivated to ensure a victory for the Cambodian Peoples Party in the 2018 general election. Before its dissolution, the opposition party had been expected to mount a strong challenge, but with it off the ballot, Hun Sens party won all the seats in the National Assembly. The Candlelight Party is the unofficial successor to the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which made a much stronger second-place challenge to the governing party in the last local elections in 2017. I hear from listeners of the CarPro radio show all the time looking for specific vehicles, but are concerned about buying out of their area and rightly so. You should be concerned about buying a car a long way from home without seeing it. I've addressed this issue before and have even done it myself several times. One CarPro Show caller was interested in a very specific pre-owned car. He wanted a seven to eight-year-old Porsche 911 convertible with a manual transmission. Although the gentleman was from Chicago, and there is a chance he could find the right car in his area, there is a better chance he could find a car like this in another part of the country. Used convertibles are often found in sunny climates like Florida or California. So the question is, how difficult is it to buy a car way out of your area, and what needs to be done to ensure you make the right decision? Frankly, it's not that hard and often can pay benefits in finding the right vehicle for you. I recently assisted another listener procure a cargo van in New Mexico that was perfect for him. Do an Online Search It starts with an online search. I prefer AutoTrader.com, they have a terrific search engine that will let you narrow down the criteria, such as engine, transmission, maximum mileage, price range, and drivetrain. You can also choose how far you are willing to look from your home, or simply choose any distance. When you hit the search button, hopefully, you will have choices and you can start to narrow your search to just a few vehicles. Start Conversation with Seller Whether you select one or more vehicles for your final selection, start a conversation with the seller. Explain that you are looking long distance and that you do not want any surprises. If the listing doesn't have plenty of pictures, request more. Use good judgment and get your choice narrowed down to one vehicle, and begin the process of making sure you found the right vehicle for you. Invest in a Vehicle History Report and Inspection It is now time to invest in a vehicle history report to make sure the vehicle is clean. My personal favorite is AutoCheck. This may be the best $29 you can spend. If your dream car passes the history report step, proceed to get the price you and the seller agree on, subject to a third party inspection. At this point, see if the seller will take a refundable deposit to hold the car, pending the inspection. Remember that at any time during this process, a buyer can walk on the lot and purchase the car you are considering. There is also no way to know how many other people have seen "your car" online. If the car you find is really low mileage, you can opt to skip the inspection process. If you decide to do an inspection, Google "used car inspections" plus the city the car is located in. Call and talk to them about their process, and choose a company that will go to the car for the inspection, there are lots of them out there. If the physical inspection is good, it is time to buy. Get the figures in writing, with a signature of an authorized person either faxed or emailed to you, sign it and return. Figure Out Travel Logistics Just a few other items that are important: figure out if you want to fly to get the car and drive it back OR have it shipped. Much of this will depend on how far away the car is from you, but generally you can ship a car across country for under $1000. We recommend www.Montway.com. Remember, too, that tax and registration is handled in your home county, so call them and get that cost and the process once you have the car safely in your garage. Don't forget to get insurance in place before the car leaves the seller. Getting the Bill of Sale If you are buying from a dealer, they can arrange financing if you need it, or you can send certified funds overnight mail, or a bank can wire transfer the funds, the title should be returned ASAP via overnight mail with a bill of sale. Buying a used car a long distance from you can be done safely, but be sure to follow all the steps I have outlined. Trust your gut, if at any time during the process something doesn't seem right, STOP until you can verify and eliminate your concerns. Buying A New Vehicle Out Of State With The Current Shortages One new wrinkle I have seen for the last year is some dealerships will not sell to people out of their area, while others will. The dealers who won't sell out of the area want to take care of their own customers. They also know it is unlikely they will ever see the out-of-state customer again. Be sure you know the dealer's policy before spending too much time on it. This article was updated with new information on August 11, 2022. This article originally appeared on CarProUSA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BEIJING (AP) China on Thursday renewed its threat to attack Taiwan following almost a week of war games near the island. Taiwan has called Beijing's claim to the self-governing democracy wishful thinking" and launched its own military exercises. Taiwans collusion with external forces to seek independence and provocation will only accelerate their own demise and push Taiwan into the abyss of disaster, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing. Their pursuit of Taiwan independence will never succeed, and any attempt to sell the national interest will be met with a complete failure," Wang told reporters. Chinas attempt to intimidate the Taiwanese public and advertise its strategy for blockading and potentially invading the island was nominally prompted by a visit to Taipei last week by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The U.S., Japan and allies have denounced the exercises, with the Group of Seven industrialized nations issuing a statement at a recent meeting expressing its concern. On Wednesday, Britains government summoned Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang to the Foreign Office to demand an explanation of Beijings aggressive and wide-ranging escalation against Taiwan. Taiwan says Beijing used Pelosi's visit as a pretext to raise the stakes in its feud with Taipei, firing missiles into the Taiwan Strait and over the island into the Pacific Ocean. China also sent planes and ships across the midline in the strait that has long been a buffer between the sides, which separated amid civil war in 1949. In a lengthy policy statement on Taiwan issued Wednesday, China distorted the historical record, including the United Nations' 1972 resolution that transferred the China seat on the Security Council from Taipei to Beijing, Taiwan's Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council said. The Chinese statement also discarded a pledge not to send troops or government officials to Taiwan that was contained in previous statements. The U.N. resolution makes no mention of Taiwan's status, although China regards it as a foundational document proclaiming the Communist Party's right to control over the island. The Taiwanese council's statement said China was orchestrating its moves against Taiwan ahead of the ruling Communist Party's 20th National Congress to be held later this year. President and party leader Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year term at the conclave, after leading a relentless crackdown on political figures accused of corruption, human rights activists and civil society groups. Xi's suppression of free speech and political opposition in Hong Kong was also seen as a factor behind Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen winning a second term in 2020. China says it plans to annex Taiwan under the one country, two systems format applied in Hong Kong, which critics say has been undermined by a sweeping national security law that asserts Beijing's control over speech and political participation. The concept has been thoroughly rejected in Taiwanese public opinion polls in which respondents have overwhelmingly favored the status-quo of de-facto independence. The Chinese statement is full of wishful thinking, and ignores the facts," the Mainland Affairs Council said in its press release. The crude and clumsy political operations by the Beijing authorities further highlight its arrogant thinking pattern of attempting to use force to invade and destroy the Taiwan Strait and regional peace," the release said. The authorities in Beijing deceive themselves. We warn the Beijing authorities to immediately stop threatening Taiwan with force and spreading false information," it said. Taiwan placed its military under high alert during the Chinese drills but took no direct countermeasures. It held artillery drills off its southwestern coast facing China that ran through Thursday, illustrating the challenges the People's Liberation Army would face were it to launch an invasion across the strait. ___ This story corrects that the 1972 U.N. resolution transferred the China seat on the Security Council from Taipei to Beijing, not from Beijing to Taipei. NEW YORK (AP) Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants taxpayers to foot his legal bills as he defends himself against a workplace sexual harassment claim and he's suing the state's attorney general over it. Cuomo filed the suit against Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday. He's arguing that James violated state law by denying him public assistance for his defense. In April shortly after James held a news conference where she called Cuomo a serial sexual harasser and sick pathetic man, the suit says she denied the ex-governors request for representation. James position is in violation of laws providing protections for Cuomo when the allegations stem from a time when he was acting within the scope of his employment or duties, the suit says. The unnamed trooper filed the lawsuit earlier this year asking a federal court to find that Cuomo and others violated her civil rights. The suit seeks damages for severe mental anguish and emotional distress Cuomo, the once-powerful Democrat who earned accolades for his response to the COVID-19 outbreak, resigned last year after an investigation by James found he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women and that he and aides worked to retaliate against one of his accusers. Those accusers included the trooper on his security detail, who said he allegedly subjected her to sexual remarks and on occasion ran his hand or fingers across her stomach and her back. The Cuomo suit called James' investigation deeply flawed, misleading and one-sided. James responded to Cuomos claim that she's abusing her authority regarding his legal defense costs with a statement saying, Sexually harassing young women who work for you is not part of anyones job description. She added: Taxpayers should not have to pony up for legal bills that could reach millions of dollars so Mr. Cuomos lawyer can attack survivors of his abuse. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) The foreign ministry of Cyprus said Thursday its lodging formal protests against a meeting between the leader of the ethnically split island nation's breakaway Turkish Cypriots and the president of Azerbaijan amid concerns of a stepped-up partition campaign. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed "disappointment and regret over the Tuesday meeting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on the sidelines of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey. It asked the Azerbaijani government to take corrective steps. SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) A Spokane medical doctor accused of hiring someone on the dark web to kidnap his estranged wife pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of threats in interstate commerce as part of a plea deal. Ronald Ilg, who has been a licensed physician in Washington state since 2003, originally pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted kidnapping in May 2021, KREM-TV reported. As a result of his guilty pleas Wednesday, charges of cyberstalking, attempted kidnapping, damage to a computer and witness tampering were dismissed. Ilgs estranged wife in 2021 gave investigators text messages in which she accused him of trying to hire someone to carry out a week-long kidnapping, while he was in Mexico, court documents said. During an interview with the FBI, Ilg denied the allegations. In February 2021, court documents say Ilg used the moniker Scar215 to offer a hitman Bitcoin to assault a former employee of his by breaking his hand. In late March and early April 2021, Ilg reportedly used the same moniker to seek out a person to kidnap, assault, drug and extort his estranged wife. According to court documents, Ilg offered a bonus if the goals of getting her to halt court proceedings, getting back together with him, planting drugs in her home, giving her drugs and taking photos of her doing drugs, were met. Ilg gave the woman's schedule and where she worked in the messages and was eager to get the ball rolling in the scheme, according to court documents. Ilg also warned that kidnapping her when she had the children would be a bad idea because it would be publicized, according to court documents. He said $40,000 in Bitcoin would be available for whomever carried out the kidnapping, documents said. The FBI was able to identify Ilg by obtaining account records from Coinbase.com, which was used in the alleged transactions. The account was under Ilgs name and included his phone number, email address and social security number, according to documents. Altogether, Ilg reportedly transferred more than $56,000 for the attacks, documents said. According to documents, the FBI executed a search warrant at Ilgs home on April 11, 2021, where they found a note with the moniker Scar215 and a password. Ilg faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced in November. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Estonia decided Thursday to bar people from neigboring Russia with tourist visas from entering the northernmost Baltic country as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. Russian citizens opportunity to visit Estonia in large numbers or to visit Europe through Estonia is incompatible with the meaning of the sanctions weve established, Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu was quoted as saying by the Baltic News Service said. The European Union, of which Estonia is a member, already has banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine. But Russians can still travel by land to Estonia and apparently are then take flights to other European destinations. By imposing the sanction, Estonia wants Russia to be unable to continue its ordinary international life also at the level of its citizens, Reinsalu said according to BNS, the region's main news agency. He added that they had observed a massive growth in the number of Russian citizens transiting through or arriving in Estonia. BNS said exceptions to Thursday's sanction included Russian citizens with a long-term residence permit; those coming to visit close relatives; workers involved in the international transport of goods and passengers, as well as people entering the country for humanitarian reasons. The Estonian sanction applies beginning Aug. 18. Estonia and Russia share a nearly 300 kilometer (186-mile) long border. I call on other governments to follow such steps, Reinsalu wrote on Twitter. Earlier this week, Estonian and Finnish leaders urged fellow European countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens, saying they should not be able to take vacations in Europe while the Russian government carries out a war in Ukraine. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote Tuesday on Twitter that visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right and that it is time to end tourism from Russia now. A day earlier, her counterpart in Finland, Sanna Marin, told Finnish broadcaster YLE that it is not right that while Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists. Russian companies reportedly have started offering car trips from St. Petersburg to the airports in Helsinki and Lappeenranta in Finland, which have direct connections to several places in Europe. Russias second-largest city is 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the Finnish capital. Visas issued by Finland and Estonia are valid across most of Europes visa-free travel zone, known as the Schengen area which is made up of 26 countries: 22 EU nations plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Normally, people and goods move freely between these countries without border checks. Nineteen other countries outside this travel area allow in foreigners using a Schengen visa. Because of the war, Latvia has already decided it no longer is issuing visas to Russians. Poland said Wednesday that it was no longer issuing tourist visas to Russians. ___ Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. BRUSSELS (AP) The European Union expressed concern Thursday that a new U.S. tax credit plan aimed at encouraging Americans to buy electric vehicles would discriminate against European producers and break World Trade Organization rules. Under the Inflation Reduction Act nearing final approval in the U.S. Congress, a tax credit of up to $7,500 could be granted to lower the cost of an electric vehicle. To qualify, the bill requires that electric vehicles should contain a battery built in North America with minerals mined or recycled on the continent. The European Union is deeply concerned by this new, potential, trans-Atlantic trade barrier, European Commission spokeswoman Miriam Garcia Ferrer said. We think that its discriminatory, that its discriminating against foreign producers in relation to U.S. producers. Of course this would mean that it would be incompatible with the WTO, she said. The commission is the EUs executive branch, and part of its responsibilities is to conduct trade with the outside world on behalf of the bloc's 27 nations. The commission agrees that tax credits are an important incentive to drive the demand for electric vehicles and ultimately to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But we need to ensure that the measures introduced are fair, the spokeswoman said. The idea behind the U.S. requirement is to encourage domestic manufacturing and mining, build a robust battery supply chain in North America and lessen the industrys dependence on overseas supply chains that could be subject to disruptions. Production of lithium and other minerals that are used to produce EV batteries is now dominated by China. The worlds leading producer of cobalt, another component of the EV batteries, is the Democratic Republic of Congo. But the commission is deeply concerned about the domestic U.S. content and assembly requirements in the tax credit plan and claims this only favors certain mineral-rich countries, to the detriment of EU products exported to America. EU subsidy schemes, the commission said, are available for domestic and foreign producers alike. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment For the first time, the FBI director publicly acknowledged the federal search of former President Donald Trump's home. Christopher Wray passed the buck to the Department of Justice. "As I'm sure you can appreciate, I cannot comment on that. So, I'd refer you to the (justice) department," Wray said. He made the comments Wednesday while visiting the FBI Field House in Omaha, Nebraska. The FBI searched Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he took classified records from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said Monday, a move that represents a dramatic and unprecedented escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of the former president. Trump, disclosing the search in a lengthy statement, said agents had opened up a safe at his home and described their work as an unannounced raid that he likened to prosecutorial misconduct. Wray was appointed by Trump five years ago and served as a high-ranking official in a Republican-led Justice Department. The FBI director also called any threats against law enforcement "deplorable and dangerous" in his visit to Omaha. WASHINGTON (AP) A Florida man pleaded guilty Wednesday to attacking police officers while storming the U.S. Capitol during the January 2021 insurrection. Matthew Council, 50, of Riverview, Florida, pleaded guilty in District of Columbia federal court to one felony count of assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement officers, one felony count of interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder and four misdemeanor offenses, according to court records. BERLIN (AP) A top security official in Germany vowed Thursday to fully investigate the fatal police shooting of a 16-year-old Senegalese boy that has sparked a debate about excessive force by the country's law enforcement officers. The interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia state, Herbert Reul, said the killing of the teenager in the city of Dortmund on Monday "will be cleared up 100 percent, German news agency dpa quoted him as saying. "But it has to be done fairly, the minister added. Authorities alleged the teenager, who lived in Germany as an asylum-seeker, attacked officers with a knife at a youth support center in Dortmund. Social workers at the center had called police because they thought the boy was suicidal, dpa reported. The teenager, whose name wasnt released for privacy reasons, was shot five times with a machine pistol and died of his wounds, the news agency said. Several hundred people attended a Wednesday night protest in Dortmund, alleging police used disproportionate violence. Reul, the state interior minister, said the police officers tried various methods to deescalate the situation at the center. First, plainclothes police officers went there and tried to calm him down. When that didnt work, they tried to distract him with irritant gas, he said. The officers then twice used a Taser on the teenager, according to Reul. The stun gun hit the boy once, but also without effect, he said. As the person got more and more agitated, Ill say more tense, more aggressive, running toward the police officers ... it was a question of - does he stab or do the police shoot? Reul added. The police officer who fired his pistol is under investigation by police from neighboring Recklinghausen who were not involved in the incident, he said. The public prosecutors office in Dortmund, which is also investigating, said Wednesday that the teenager was in a psychiatric hospital shortly before the fatal shooting. He went to the hospital on his own initiative because of psychological problems, Senior Public Prosecutor Carsten Dombert said. It was not immediately clear what kind of psychological problems the teenager was experiencing and when and why he came to Germany to seek asylum. He reportedly did not speak German well, dpa said. ___ Follow AP's coverage of global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration BERLIN (AP) A German army reservist went on trial Thursday in Duesseldorf accused of providing sensitive military information tor Russia. Prosecutors alleged that the 65-year-old lieutenant colonel of the reserve, whose was only identified as Ralph G. in line with German privacy rules, was active for Russia's GRU military intelligence agency from 2014. The German news agency dpa reported that the man, who works for an American company, supplied the GRU with information from public and non-public sources, including private contact details for high-ranking members of the German military. He also provided the GRU with an overview of the security and defense policies of the United States and its western allies, according to the prosecutor. Federal prosecutors alleged the defendant knew that he was dealing with Russian spies and that he was motivated to help them seemingly for free by his sympathy for Russia, dpa reported. Germany's military counterintelligence agency became suspicious of the man's activities in 2018, although his home was only searched two years later. Dpa quoted a court spokeswoman for the Duesseldorf regional court saying that the defendant had partly admitted the allegations against him to investigators ahead of the trial. The defendant's lawyer said his client would also respond publicly to the allegations during the trial. Germany has identified several suspected Russian spies on its territory in recent times. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Gov. Andy Beshear complained Thursday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is denying too many requests for assistance in flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky, and urged those getting turned down to take their cases directly to agency representatives in the region. Offering the mantra of appeal, appeal and appeal, Beshear told people applying for disaster aid: Number one, do not give up. Number two, if youre denied, go and look these people in the eye. A FEMA spokesman later said the agency will get this right, acknowledging the bureaucracy can be frustrating. Agency personnel are meeting with residents to help with applications for aid and documentation submissions, the spokesman said. Beshear accompanied President Joe Biden during a visit to the stricken Appalachian region Monday, when the president declared the federal government would provide support until residents were back on their feet. The governor said Thursday he was grateful for the swift federal response to the catastrophic flash flooding late last month and the deployment of FEMA officials. Surging waters swept away homes, inundated communities and led to at least 38 deaths. But the Democratic governor flatly said "we need to see better outcomes for more eastern Kentuckians applying to FEMA for recovery assistance. Too many people are being denied," Beshear said at a news conference. Not enough people are being approved. And this is the time that FEMAs got to get it right. To change what has been a history of denying too many people and not providing enough dollars and to get it right here. FEMA Press Secretary Jeremy Edwards later responded that agency officials will be in the flood-stricken region as long as it takes to help Kentuckians recover. We know these are incredibly difficult times, and we want to help you," Edwards said in a statement. "We will continue to work to ensure that every eligible applicant receives every dollar of assistance legally possible. The governor, who is running for reelection next year, has experience shepherding disaster recovery. Last December, deadly tornadoes devastated several western Kentucky towns. Beshear said he didnt yet have figures reflecting the percentage of aid applications being denied by FEMA in eastern Kentucky. The agency has promised those numbers, he said, along with data showing why people were denied. The governor and a Kentucky lawmaker from the hard-hit region offered examples of people in dire straits being denied assistance or offered inadequate aid. I talked to somebody whose 82-year-old grandmother was told at a site visit that everything was OK ... only to get denied later that night through an email," Beshear said. "Its not right. Kentucky state Sen. Brandon Smith said Thursday that he's heard from constituents who said they were denied or offered a grotesquely inadequate amount to rebuild. One family reaching out to his office said they were offered $8,000 for their losses, the Republican lawmaker said. To me, that means the federal government has decided the total value of this families livelihood, literally everything they have to their name, is only worth $8,000, he said in a statement. Some families are staying in tents on their property, unable or unwilling to leave for temporary housing for fear of looting, Smith said. The governor criticized the application process, saying flood victims were being denied assistance when lacking necessary documents. Beshear said he conveyed his concerns to Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and top FEMA administrators. Im hearing from the very top levels that they fully agree, the governor said of his concerns. And from the people on the ground, I was talking to them yesterday, they want to provide help. Something in the middle is problematic. Edwards, the FEMA press secretary, said the agency's leadership is working to reduce barriers and cut red tape. If you were denied assistance, that is not necessarily the end of the road," Edwards said. Something as simple as a missing document can cause an application to be deemed ineligible. The system isnt perfect, and we know that the bureaucracy can be frustrating." FEMA is calling applicants to help them get back on the road to recovery, Edwards said. The agency is encouraging anyone initially denied assistance to contact FEMA again or visit an area Disaster Recovery Center to meet with FEMA personnel about their application, the spokesman said. During his news conference, Kentucky's governor said he's still hoping that FEMA gets this right. Beshear added he's hearing too many examples from "people that I know and trust, talking to me about too many stories that just arent right in reaching out to FEMA. Beshear's frustration boiled over as he spoke of the grandmother rescued from her vehicle as it was being swept away by floodwaters, only to face obstacles in obtaining assistance. Her house, already gone," he said. "Her vehicle now gone. All shes got is whats on her. And youre going to say she doesnt qualify, for what? If youre going to deny somebody because they dont, say, have the deed of their house on them ... We can replace it. Lets not deny them. Lets give them the opportunity to get the paperwork that they need. THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) Greece on Thursday asked neighboring Turkey to help about 40 migrants, some urgently requiring medical aid, reported by aid groups to have been stranded for days on a river islet inside a restricted military zone at their border, police said. A police statement said the request was made after it emerged that the coordinates given for the islet on the Evros River were outside Greek sovereignty. It said Turkish authorities were asked to urgently take all necessary action to quickly get the migrants off the islet and provide them with all required assistance. The Greek Council for Refugees said the migrants, who had allegedly have been batted from side to side of the border by Greek and Turkish authorities, told them a 5-year-old girl died on the islet after being stung by a scorpion. A police official told the AP that for days police have chased successive reports of migrants stranded on Evros islets, but due to different coordinates for the migrants' location, found nobody. The head of the Greek Council for Refugees, Vassilis Papadopoulos, said his group first heard about the migrants in mid-July. He said they were about 50 people who had allegedly succeeded in crossing to the Greek side but were then forced back to Turkey. Migrants also told his group that Turkish authorities allegedly returned them onto first one islet then another, until they ended stuck on a Greek islet mid-river. By then, the migrants' number had reportedly grown to about 70. Thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa try to cross illegally into Greece from Turkey every year, hoping for a better life in Europe. Greece has strongly denied persistent allegations that it commits pushbacks sending asylum-seekers who reach its territory back to the country they entered from without being allowed to request asylum. That is illegal under international law protecting the rights of asylum-seekers. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration A visit to the dentist's office could provide a glimpse into your heart and brain health. More than an estimated 100 diseases can show symptoms in the mouth. For instance, periodontal disease, which results from infections and inflammation of the gums and bone that support and surround the teeth, is more common and may be more severe in people with diabetes. Other times, prescription drugs may affect the mouth. For instance, some drugs used to treat hypertension can cause swollen, inflamed gums. "We see a lot of systemic diseases with oral signs and symptoms," said Dr. Jennifer Perkins, executive director of clinical education at the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry. Dentists might be able to pick up on red flags about a patient's overall health before they even start poking around in the mouth. Perkins teaches in several courses that focus on evaluating and following up on patients' medical health histories. "Through that process, we sometimes come across important medical findings," she said. Students who work with faculty at UCSF find symptoms or concerns in patients every day that might need a consult or referral to a health care professional. The following are some examples. Hypertension A person's blood pressure may be taken before a cleaning or a dental procedure that requires a local anesthetic, Perkins said. Most dental offices ask first-time visitors to fill out medical history forms that are updated periodically, much like at the doctor's office. "Every contact that a patient makes with the health care system is another opportunity for prevention, and hypertension is a classic example of a condition where this may make all the difference," said Dr. Dhruv Satish Kazi, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Many dental clinics will check blood pressure, he said, "and can therefore identify patients who need to be connected with care." Dentist offices, he added, can serve as a touchpoint for other services, especially for residents of lower-income or rural areas that may not have as many health care professionals. For people already diagnosed with high blood pressure, some hypertension drugs can cause dry mouth. When the salivary glands don't produce enough saliva to keep the mouth wet, tooth decay accelerates, since saliva protects against decay. In those cases, Perkins said, dentists work with the patient's health care professional to manage side effects. Diabetes Untreated diabetes can lead to serious medical problems, including cardiovascular disease. In some patients, Perkins said high average blood sugar can lead to disruptions in the oral microbiome the vast collection of friendly bacteria, viruses and other microbes that live in the mouth. That could mean gum disease, bone loss and losing teeth, she said. "We do see this phenomenon where people who perceive themselves to be healthy may not go to the doctor," Perkins said. "Because (undiagnosed) diabetes and hypertension can present without clear symptoms, we may just happen to see them first. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for us to see." HIV Perkins has treated people later diagnosed with HIV after finding lesions in their mouth that would not appear in someone with a functioning immune system. The risk of cardiovascular disease for people living with HIV is about 1.5 to two times greater than for people without the virus, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement about cardiovascular disease and HIV. COVID Perkins said the UCSF School of Dentistry has tested patients for COVID-19 before dental procedures since shortly after the pandemic began in 2020 to protect students, staff and other patients from infection. Her clinic only recently shifted to not requiring testing before procedures for people who are fully vaccinated and boosted. Research shows the coronavirus can hurt the heart and brain. And conditions such as HIV, diabetes and possibly high blood pressure are among those that can lead to severe illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although dentists can pick up on various health conditions, Kazi cautioned against thinking dentists are a one-stop shop for health. "It's magical thinking that our dental colleagues have the bandwidth to talk at length about heart disease, just like our cardiology colleagues don't have the time to talk about dental health more broadly," Kazi said. "But there are enough synergies for the two to connect and improve cardiovascular screening and care." If you have questions or comments about this American Heart Association News story, please email editor@heart.org. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt or reprint from these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to American Heart Association News. Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the American Heart Associations Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service. HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately. While other state cash assistance programs have struggled to get dollars out the door this summer, the new $1,000 pandemic bonus program for private-sector workers has sparked big interest from the start. About 30,000 applications were requested for the Premium Pay Program in its first few days after it informally launched late last week, crashing the online portal multiple times, Comptroller Natalie Braswell reported Tuesday. But the office already has begun to expand servers for the site and tentatively plans to begin a more aggressive promotion for the program as soon as Friday. I think its fantastic the amount of interest thats coming in, Braswell told the CT Mirror, adding that about 6,000 of those who registered already have completed their applications. Her office, which was tasked in May by the General Assembly with administering the $30 million program, opened the website on Friday for private-sector essential workers from categories 1A or 1B of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions vaccination priority lists. Some of the workers in these categories include health care personnel, food and agricultural workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store staff, public transit workers, teachers and child care personnel. To be eligible, an applicant must have worked between March 10, 2020 and May 7, 2022. Eligible applicants must earn less than $150,000 per year and cannot be employed by a federal, state or municipal government entity. Full-time workers who earn less than $100,000 can apply for a $1,000 grant. Those earning more than $100,000 but less than $150,000 are eligible for grants on a sliding scale, ranging as low as $200. But it does not matter whether an essential worker actually contracted COVID-19. These folks got up every day when some of us were privileged enough to work from home. They went in and did the hard job, Braswell said, quite frankly, putting themselves in harms way. Braswell on Tuesday urged interested people to wait, if possible, for a few days before visiting the Premium Pay portal on the comptrollers website. Information technology upgrades to the portal, which first locked up Saturday and stalled periodically early this week, should be completed by Friday, Braswell said, adding that her office tentatively plans to begin its formal promotion campaign for the program that day as well. Were in constant communication with our [information technology] vendor, said Braswell, who retained Public Consulting Group of Boston to help run the program. They understand the urgency of getting this up and running. The deadline for applications is Oct. 1, and completing the form online can be done in less than an hour. All applications are weighed equally, regardless of when they are submitted, the comptroller said. This isnt a first-come-first-served program, she added. Bonuses could be reduced There is a downside, however, to the initial surge in applications. It means pandemic bonuses may have to be reduced. Legislative leaders already conceded, before the program launched, that the $30 million allocated may not be enough to meet the demand. Up to 5% of the $30 million can be used for administrative costs, leaving at least $28.5 million for grants. The legislature stipulated that, in that event, all grants must be reduced proportionally. Labor advocates have said the General Assembly and Gov. Ned Lamont were too frugal with this program, especially considering what neighboring Massachusetts has done. The Bay State program, which does cover both private- and public-sector essential workers, sent payments to 480,000 people in March and another 330,000 in May, according to the commonwealths Executive Office of Administration and Finance. If Connecticut ends up awarding an average grant of $500 which would match the flat grant Massachusetts is providing essential workers it would allow Connecticut to provide roughly 57,000 grants. And if more than 28,500 people apply for $1,000 grants from the state of Connecticut, that would match the minimum amount of available funds and likely trigger prorated awards. The General Assemblys Labor and Public Employees Committee had recommended a $750 million pandemic bonus program that would cover essential workers from both the private and public sectors, but neither the full legislature nor the Lamont administration backed that idea. Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, House chairwoman of the labor committee, had called the $30 million program budget a drop in the bucket, especially considering that state government closed the 2021-22 fiscal year last June 30 with an unprecedented $4.3 billion surplus. Porter said Wednesday she will press the governor and legislature to approve supplemental funding for the Premium Pay Program as soon as the regular 2023 session begins on Jan. 4. Lets do what is justifiable right, and take care of these essential workers who took care of us, Porter said. We must respond to that and we must respond with a sense of urgency. CT has struggled with other cash assistance programs The state hasnt fared as well this year getting cash assistance from other programs out the door. The Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Program that launched last January to replace lost wages and cover medical expenses for front line workers who caught COVID has stalled due to a low profile and a complicated application process ordered by the legislature and by Lamont. Through the middle of last week, only about $560,000, or less than 2%, of the programs $34 million budget had been distributed among 138 recipients. This program will remain open through Dec. 31, and more information can be obtained at the comptrollers website. Interested people can also learn more about both the essential workers and premium pay programs by calling the comptrollers information phone line at 833-660-2503. Spanish language support is available. The legislature and Lamont did somewhat better with the one-time child tax rebate they approved this year for low- and middle-income families. A total of 238,668 households claimed the $250-per-child benefit on behalf of 369,883 children. But that means $32.5 million, or about 26% of the $125 million benefit, remained unclaimed. The application period for this program closed July 31. Advocates for the child tax rebate called it a success but also conceded it might have been better to send funds directly to households without an application process by using older state income tax data to identify eligible families. RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) An eastern Indiana police officer shot in the head during a traffic stop and search for possible narcotics remained in extremely critical condition Thursday, her police chief said. Richmond Police Department Officer Seara Burton is being treated at a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, following the shooting Wednesday evening. Surgery has been performed and she is initially showing slight signs of responsiveness. She has not regained consciousness and is still fighting for her life, Richmond Police Chief Michael Britt said in a Facebook post Thursday night. Burton responded to a call about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday from other officers to assist with the stop involving a man who was riding a moped, state police said in a release. Burton stopped the 47-year old moped rider, police said. Burton's K-9 partner, Brev, was used to check around the moped and police said the dog indicated the possible presence of narcotics. During the traffic stop, the suspect drew a weapon and fired multiple shots, state police Sgt. Scott Keegan told reporters. Other officers returned fire and the man was apprehended following a brief foot chase, police said. Burton, 28, is a four-year veteran of the Richmond department. The moped rider was treated for gunshot wounds by the officers and taken by ambulance to a hospital, police said. He was arrested and a prosecutor will review the case for likely charges. The investigation was ongoing by Indiana State Police. RENO, Nev. (AP) A judge who dismissed Republican Joey Gilberts lawsuit challenging his defeat in Nevada's gubernatorial primary says Gilbert failed to present any competent evidence that he received more votes than GOP nominee Joe Lombardo. Mr. Gilbert cannot demonstrate there is evidence sufficient to raise reasonable doubt as to the outcome of the election, Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson wrote in a formal order signed Thursday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A judge revoked house arrest Thursday for the man authorities say agreed to kill disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh so he could get a life insurance settlement for Murdaugh's son but ended up just grazing his head with a bullet. The decision by Circuit Judge Clifton Newman revoking bond and requiring Curtis Eddie" Smith to await trial in jail involves a new set of charges linked to Murdaugh allegations that Smith helped the disbarred attorney with a drug and $2.4 million money laundering ring. Before Newman even finished announcing his decision, the sound of a deputy clicking handcuffs across Smith's wrists behind his back could be heard across the courtroom. Smith had walked into the Richland County courthouse a free man through the front door. An officer escorted Smith, 62, out a protected courtroom side door. He was being taken to the Richland County jail the same where Murdaugh is awaiting trial without bail on two murder charges in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in June 2021 as well as more than 80 other counts of fraud, stealing money from clients, drug charges and other alleged misdealings. Newman said he might reconsider granting Smith bond again in the future. Smith's bond had been set at $250,000 in June and during that hearing, Smith and his lawyers failed to tell the judge about a nearly $80,000 insurance settlement he received a week earlier and that he had nearly $60,000 in the bank. He said I ain't got no money.' He said it twice," deputy state attorney general Creighton Waters said in court Thursday. Smith was supposed to be on house arrest, but Waters said GPS records from two weeks of Smith's monitor showed 26 trips he didn't have permission to make, including stops at a Walmart and several private homes. Defense lawyers said many of the trips were from a plant where Smith would collect industrial waste. They said he visited stores to get prescription medicine or supplies for his truck and private homes to work odd jobs or help the father of his girlfriend clear fallen trees. They promised they had a come to Jesus" discussion about following the judge's rules. Smith told the judge he wasn't intentionally trying to break his bond rules and said he didn't have the money because he thought he was being asked what happened to the $2.4 million authorities said Murdaugh gave him to launder the money. In no way did I ever have any intention to thumb my nose at the court," Smith said. Newman spent less than a minute explaining his reasoning to send Smith to jail to await trial. Mr. Smith has also willfully violated the house arrest condition of his bond," Newman said. His bond is revoked. He is put back in jail." A deputy was already pulling Smith's wrists behind his back. Smith met Murdaugh when he hired the lawyer to handle a lawsuit over a work injury. Prosecutors said Smith started cashing checks to hide Murdaugh's theft of money from clients at least 437 of them worth $2.4 million over eight years. Many of the checks were just under the threshold where a bank would have had to report the transaction. Prosecutors said Murdaugh reached out to Smith in September when he wanted to kill himself but make sure his surviving son got his $10 million life insurance policy. The two met on a lonely Hampton County road and investigators said Smith shot at Murdaugh's head, but the bullet only grazed him. Smith has denied all the charges against him. He said he did not try to shoot Murdaugh in the assisted suicide attempt, saying instead the gun fired as he tried to wrestle it out of Murdaugh's hands. Murdaugh first told police someone shot at him as he tried to change a flat tire before revealing the insurance plan, authorities said. Murdaugh's lawyers want him to stand trial within six months on charges he killed his wife Maggie, 52, and their younger son Paul, 22, at the family's Colleton County home. Both victims were found shot to death with different weapons. Alex Murdaugh, 54, was charged last month 13 months after the killings. The June 2021 deaths prompted authorities to look into all corners of Murdaughs life. He is charged with stealing $8.5 million from people who hired him as an attorney. Murdaughs family dominated the legal scene in tiny Hampton County in the southern part of South Carolina for nearly a century. Murdaughs father, grandfather and great-grandfather were the areas elected prosecutors for 87 years straight. Murdaugh once worked for the century-old, family-founded law firm, which said in September that he was stealing money. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. mr smith came to me from jail. FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) A Wisconsin judge committed a man accused of targeting a motorcyclist in a fatal crash because of the victim's race to life in a mental institution Thursday. Daniel Navarro, a 27-year-old Mexican American from Fond du Lac, was convicted Wednesday of first-degree intentional homicide as a hate crime in the July 3, 2020 crash that killed Phillip Thiessen, who was white, in Fond du Lac County. He was also convicted of first-degree recklessly endangering safety as a hate crime. Navarro pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. The convictions triggered a second phase of his trial in which the jury was tasked with determining his mental state at the time of the crash, a key finding that helps determine whether he should face prison time or be institutionalized. Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney said the jury heard two doctors testify Thursday that Navarro suffered from paranoid delusions and schizophrenia. Judge Andrew Christenson committed him to the state Department of Health Services' institutional care for life. Navarro's attorney, Jeffrey William Jensen, said the jury made the right call but there's no cause for celebration in what he described as an extremely sad case. An innocent man is dead, Jensen said. And if (Navarro) had gotten help maybe he wouldn't have ruined his life. Thiessen, 55, was a retired special agent with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and a former police officer. Prosecutors say Navarro struck his motorcycle head-on in the town of Taycheedah near Fond du Lac, about 67 miles (108 kilometers) north of Milwaukee. Authorities said Navarro didnt know Thiessen. Navarro told investigators he had been harassed by co-workers and neighbors, and poisoned, drugged and verbally attacked by white people because of his race, officials said. During an interview at the sheriffs office, Navarro said he wanted to go to prison for the rest of his life so he could be free from his neighbors, who he could hear making racist comments through the walls of his house, according to a criminal complaint. Andrew Brookes/Getty Images/Image Source NORTHFIELD, N.H. (AP) A juvenile has been arrested in the shooting deaths of a mother and her two sons who were found dead in their Northfield home last week, New Hampshire attorney generals office announced Thursday. The person has been charged under juvenile laws with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of falsifying physical evidence in connection with the homicides of a 25-year-old woman and her sons, ages 1 and 4, on Aug. 3. Each died of a single gunshot wound, authorities said. BATON ROUGE (AP) After much speculation, Republican Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has confirmed that he plans to join the wide-open 2023 race to succeed Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards. Nungesser, who has long been considered likely to throw his hat into the gubernatorial race, addressed the rumors during a visit to Lake Providence on Tuesday, WAFB-9 reported. I am planning on running, Nungesser said. I want to get through the midterm elections, and Ive got a lot of work to do before the end of the year. And the minute I announce, I wont be spending tax dollars advertising tourism with me. Louisiana is the rare conservative state to have a Democratic governor. The moderate Edwards won hard-fought races in 2015 and 2019, but he is unable to seek a third consecutive term due to term limits. That means 2023 is a huge opportunity for Republicans to take control of the state that voted for Donald Trump by wide margins in the past two presidential contests. Nungesser said he plans to hit the campaign trail in January 2023. He has spent more than 15 years building his political resume, serving two four-year terms as president of the Plaquemines Parish Commission before being elected to his current position in 2015. He was reelected to a second term as lieutenant governor in 2019. As lieutenant governor, which is the second-highest elected state position, Nungesser oversees the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Individuals who held the office in the past used it as a stepping stone to governor. While the gubernatorial race is still a more than a year away, a list of politicians interested in the position is slowly growing. In January, Louisiana Republican Treasurer John Schroder told supporters in January that he plans on running for governor. Attorney General Jeff Landry, U.S. Rep. Garret Graves and U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy all Republicans are also possible candidates. New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno recently emerged as a possible Democratic candidate. ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) A cleaning service employee who was working at a General Motors plant in Michigan was killed Thursday during an altercation with a co-worker, authorities said. It's not clear what led to the fight at the Orion Assembly Plant in Orion Township or how the person was killed. Authorities said they recovered an item used in the assault but did not say what it was. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) Police have arrested a driver who fled from a fatal police shooting in Sioux Falls, officials said. Police tweeted Wednesday night that the man was arrested after a brief pursuit in a stolen vehicle. He was driving a car with three other occupants when the vehicle was stopped by law enforcement in the parking lot of a Burger King restaurant in Sioux Falls Tuesday about 5:30 p.m. While the driver sped away, the three others in the car tried to flee on foot with one man firing at law enforcement officers who returned gunshots, killing the man, according to police. Family members have identified him as 21-year-old Jacob James. The other two in the vehicle, a man and woman, were arrested. The drive-thru restaurant was busy, but no bystanders or officers were injured in the exchange of gunfire, said police Chief Jon Thum said. Witnesses said they heard about 10 to 12 gunshots. Investigators cordoned off the area around the restaurant with yellow police tape. Patrons waited in their vehicles to be cleared from the scene. The police officer and Minnehaha County sheriffs deputy who fired their weapons are on administrative leave as the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation works the case. Dozens of people gathered outside the Burger King Wednesday night where relatives leaned on each other and cried as they held up pictures of James. Robert Johnson, a friend of James, asked for the youth to support each other during tough times such as the one they were experiencing, the Argus Leader reported. Trust your instincts and your hearts but use your minds to navigate through and make a positive impact, Johnson said to those in attendance. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) A prominent prison reform advocate who disguised himself as a construction worker to hide guns, handcuff keys and hacksaw blades in the walls of a Nashville jail under construction pleaded guilty to a federal firearms charge on Thursday. U.S. Attorney Attorney Mark Wildasin's office in Nashville announced Alex Friedmann' s guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Friedmann had previous felony convictions, including armed robbery; assault with intent to commit first degree murder; and attempted aggravated robbery. The plea in federal court follows a conviction last month after a jury trial in state court of felony vandalism for damage to the new jail. Much of what happened at the new $150 million Downtown Detention Center was caught on surveillance video and went undisputed at that trial. Federal authorities say Friedmann contracted someone to build a 200-square-foot, fireproof storage area determined to be a place to practice plans for the jail in a basement area of one of the buildings at a Nashville complex where he owned a condominium. Authorities say Friedmann moved locked storage crates to a friend's house in nearby Joelton that contained 21 firearms, including assault rifles, handguns, shotguns and a 37mm launcher. Nashville Sheriff Daron Hall has suggested Friedmann was planning a massive jailbreak. It remains unclear exactly what Friedmann planned to do. He did not testify at his trial in July. In my 35 years of law enforcement, rarely have I felt an individual needs to be held accountable to the greatest extent of the law as Alex Friedmann," Hall said in a statement Thursday. "He terrorized the entire Davidson County Sheriffs Office downtown campus and todays federal court action proves his evil plan was much broader than initially realized. Prosecutors said Friedmann had been going in the building for several months when a sheriffs office official first noticed in December 2019 that two keys were missing from a set of keys at the new jail. The theft of the keys was discovered just weeks before the facility was scheduled to open. Wildasin, the U.S. attorney, said sheriff's office workers helped avoid the possibility for unspeakable tragedy. Whatever sinister plan Friedmann had intended was foiled by the keen attention to detail by DCSO employees, Wildasin said. Surveillance video showed the same person who took the keys entering the jail numerous times and doing some type of work on the walls. When he entered again on Jan. 4, 2020, Friedmann was stopped in a secure area while police were called. During the wait, Friedmann took jail schematics out of his pocket, ripped them up and ate them, Nashville prosecutors have said. As an activist against prison privatization, Friedmann had worked with Hall on the future of another Nashville jail one that had been privatized but was returning to the control of the sheriffs office. That is why Hall said he knew the security breach was serious when he learned the intruder was Friedmann. His state court sentencing is set for Sept. 7, while his federal sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2023. BALDWIN Michigan Works! West Central is partnering with FiveCAP, Inc. to create a unique training opportunity for those looking for part- time or full-time work. They are recruiting eligible candidates for a bus-driver training cohort to be ready to work during the coming school year. All qualified candidates will be referred to FiveCAP, Inc. for interview and hire. Those being considered for hire, must pass background checks, undergo fingerprinting, have a valid drivers license and proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Once a candidate is hired, Michigan Works! West Central will enroll the individual in the bus-driver training program, which will be a mix of online and in-person training. The training can be completed in up to four weeks. Upon completion of training, candidates will be able to obtain their CDL-B through the Michigan Secretary of State. This partnership is an excellent example of how our two agencies can come together to help meet the needs of the community and FiveCAPs programming, said Shelly Keene, Michigan Works! West Central executive director. Online training will be conducted at our Baldwin service center, combined with an in-person drivers training module. There are 12 slots open for this unique on-the-job training opportunity. Those who are enrolled in the program will be hired as part-time bus-drivers in FiveCAPs four-county region of Lake, Manistee, Mason and Newaygo counties. Those looking for full-time work, can enroll in the bus-driver training, as well as receive Head Start Center support staff training to provide early-childhood development when not driving their bus. FiveCAP has been looking for ways to better provide this much-needed transportation service for students in our area, said Mary Trucks, FiveCAP, Inc. executive director. This partnership with Michigan Works! is a great way for us to provide reliable transportation for students in need and provide good-paying jobs in our community, all while meeting our hiring needs. We are looking for dedicated individuals, who genuinely care about the success of our local youth, to provide this much-needed transportation service," she continued. "This program is an excellent way to take your first step toward a career in early-childhood development. For more information about the bus-driver training program and to enroll, contact Michigan Works! West Centrals Baldwin service center at (231) 745-2703 or visit MWWC.org/contact-us. GULFPORT, Miss (AP) A Mississippi chiropractor accused of selling fentanyl and being in possession of drug paraphernalia was taken into custody after an undercover investigation. Joseph Joey Andrew Rogers, 53, of Long Beach, faces charges including possession of meth, tampering with evidence and sale of a controlled substance. The fentanyl charges came from "previous undercover operations," Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said in a news release. Missouri Historical Society Coloring the walls is encouraged in a new 6,000-square-foot exhibit at the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis' Forest Park. Coloring STL opens on Aug. 20 and invites visitors to explore the St. Louis regions architectural past and present by coloring in more than 50 local structures. From downtowns iconic landmarks to the very homes we live in, to buildings now erased from the landscape to neighborhood treasures there's a whole variety of visitors of all ages to color in. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) A truck carrying Syrian migrants believed to have entered from neighboring Greece overturned on a road in North Macedonia, injuring 35 people, police said Thursday. A police statement said 49 people were in the heavy vehicle during the crash late Wednesday near the southern village of Marvinci. They said one of the injured migrants was in serious condition. The cause of the crash was unclear. RENO, Nev. (AP) A Nevada judge has dismissed Republican Joey Gilberts lawsuit seeking to overturn his loss to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Gilbert, a Reno lawyer who was outside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, finished second in the June primary to Lombardo by 11 percentage points, or about 26,000 votes. He was seeking a recount of ballots by hand that he claimed without any evidence would result in him winning the GOP nomination by more than 55,000 votes. Gilbert's campaign separately had already paid for a recount that showed no change in the overall outcome. Lombardo, the sheriff in Las Vegas who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is seeking to unseat first-term Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak in Novembers general election in the swing Western state. Carson City District Court Judge James Wilson announced his decision from the bench during a status hearing Wednesday afternoon. But a formal order had not been issued by the time the clerk's office closed for the day. The Nevada Independent first reported the ruling. J. Colby Williams, Lombardo's lawyer, confirmed in an email to The Associated Press Wednesday night that Judge Wilson granted our motion for summary judgment today, effectively dismissing the case with prejudice, and directed us to submit a proposed order (to) that effect, which weve done. We cannot comment further until the court issues its written order, Williams wrote. Lombardo declined to comment on the judge's ruling in a brief campaign statement emailed to The Associated Press, saying: It's time to take our state back. Gilbert didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. A former boxer who enjoyed support from the GOP's far-right wing, he campaigned on false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, something Lombardo never claimed. Gilbert's lawsuit filed last month in state district court in Carson City was based primarily on mathematical formulas and algorithms that he said showed the results certified by every county in the state were erroneous and a geometric impossibility." Gilbert said earlier this month he would never concede the primary election to Lombardo. He maintained that his challenges to the outcome were not about his loss but election integrity overall. His lawsuit was based largely on the false assumption that a fair election would result in each candidate's vote total being divided roughly proportionally equal to the others in terms of whether the ballots were cast by mail, in-person during early voting and in-person on election day. Gilbert's refusal to concede was denounced by many high-profile Republicans. Nevada GOP chairman Michael McDonald said Gilbert had a right to file the lawsuit, but he wished he'd abandon the effort and unite with other Republicans in support of Lombardo's campaign. Former U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, who lost his seat to Democrat Jacky Rosen in 2018 and finished third in this year's primary for the GOP gubernatorial primary in June, said recently that lawsuits like the one Gilbert filed are almost always counterproductive and can do serious damage to the reputation of the Republican Party. Heller was Nevada's secretary of state when he oversaw the most famous recount in the state's election history in 1998, when Democratic Sen. Harry Reid defeated Republican John Ensign by 428 votes in a recount that lasted six weeks after Election Day results showed Reid winning by 459. ___ Gabe Stern, a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, contributed to this report. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. GREENWICH Police arrested a man accused of making threatening gestures with a knife at Greenwich Plaza Monday afternoon, and also charged him with public indecency for allegedly exposing himself to a woman. Officers were called to a disturbance at the office complex near the Greenwich train station around 2:30 p.m., according to the arrest report. Lt. Martin OReilly said building security were alerted that a man was asking for money in the parking garage. Security went to investigate, according to the lieutenant, but found no one there. Police said that later, someone was harassing people in the lobby of the office building. According to the arrest report, the person eventually approached a woman in the parking garage and allegedly demanded money, displaying a knife and making a threatening motion. He also allegedly exposed himself while she sat in her vehicle, the arrest report stated. No money was taken. Antonio McDuffie, 21, of the Bronx, N.Y., was later arrested and charged with second-degree attempt to commit robbery, a felony, as well as threatening, breach of peace and public indecency, misdemeanors. The knife, described as a steak knife by Lt. OReilly, was later recovered after McDuffie was detained. Some of his other belongings were also found at the train station, police said. Bail was set at $25,000, and unable to post it, McDuffie was still in state custody as of Wednesday. The incident Monday follows another high-profile instance of street crime in the central business district July 18, an attempted strong-arm robbery near the Apple store on lower Greenwich Avenue. COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) A north Mississippi school district will seek a replacement for a superintendent who resigned this week after four years on the job. Cherie Labat announced Tuesday that she is leaving the leadership role in Columbus Municipal School District, the Commercial Dispatch reported. She released a letter announcing her resignation less than an hour before Columbus school board members held a 90-minute closed meeting to discuss her employment. Board President Yvonne Cox had announced that members would discuss potential litigation regarding Labat. The board had also met in executive session Monday. When trustees reopened the meeting Tuesday, they voted to accept Labats resignation upon negotiated terms. Board attorney Chris Hemphill said the board had contacted the Mississippi School Boards Association to start the process of appointing an interim superintendent. Labat was hired in June 2018 on a four-year contract. In 2020, the contract was extended through June 30, 2024. Her salary was $175,000 a year. Hemphill did not comment on the terms of the negotiations between the board and Labat or whether they involved paying some or all of her remaining contract. In the letter sent to local media, Labat highlighted the districts accomplishments and expressed gratitude toward the district employees. She did not give a reason for her resignation. Serving as superintendent of the Columbus Municipal School District these past four years was extraordinary, Labat wrote. During these years, my administrative team has been laser-focused on educating and helping the children at CMSD." She said test scores had increased except for the lower 25% in reading, and the district's graduation rate last year was the highest percentage in more than 15 years. SEGUIN, Texas (AP) A small plane that crashed near San Antonio last month, killing two people and a dog, was having engine trouble before takeoff, federal investigators said Thursday. The single-engine Piper PA-28-235 crashed and burned shortly after takeoff from a private airstrip four miles (6.44 kilometers) southwest of Seguin on July 22, officials said. Killed in the crash were pilot Kenneth Francis Chenevert, 67, of Seguin; passenger Jacqueline Nicole Meziere, 45, of Natchitoches, Louisiana; and a small dog, Justice of the Peace Darrell Hunter told the Seguin Gazette. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SANAA, Yemen (AP) Torrential rains across southwestern Yemen and the country's capital of Sanaa have triggered flashfloods and collapsed homes, killing at least 38 people over the past two days, officials said Thursday. Scores of homes in Sanaa and the provinces of Dhamar and Ibb have completely collapsed or have been significantly damaged, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. The areas are controlled by Yemen's Houthi rebels, who are at war with forces loyal to the country's internationally recognized government, backed by a Saudi-led coalition. Yemens annual rainy season usually starts in May and lasts until August but this year, the Arab worlds most impoverished country has seen heavier-than-usual rains accompanied by thunderstorms. Meanwhile, UNESCO on Thursday voiced concern over the impact of the rainfall on the the Old City of Sanaa, a World Heritage site, where rebels said the previous day that 10 of the city's historic houses have fully collapsed and about 80 have been damaged by the rains. The architecture in the Old City is unique, with red brick facades adorned with white gypsum molding in ornate patterns, drawings comparisons to gingerbread houses a style that has come to symbolize Yemens capital. Many of the houses are still private homes and some are more than 500 years old. In an email sent to The Associated Press, the U.N. agency said it was monitoring closely the situation in Sanaa, as well as in the town of Zabid, a former capital of Yemen, and the old walled city of Shibam. Along with the European Union, the U.N. agency has restored more than 200 historic buildings in the heart of Sanaa over the past four years but more remains to be done, it said. In 2020, floods set off by heavy rains similarly damaged many historical houses in Sanaa's Old City and undermined conservation efforts. The preservation efforts have also been undermined in recent years by the ongoing civil war, UNESCO added. The magnitude of the needs on the ground requires further prioritization of interventions in inhabited historic houses of outstanding architectural value, which are facing substantial damages, UNESCO said. Yemens conflict erupted in 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthis descended from their northern enclave and took over Sanaa, forcing the government to flee to the south and later into exile in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in early 2015 to try to restore the government to power. Since then, the conflict has turned into a proxy war between regional foes Saudi Arabia and Iran and spawned one of the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Federal work-safety investigators are looking into the death of an Amazon worker and an injury that potentially led to the death of another employee, adding to a probe already underway following a third fatality during the company's annual Prime Day shopping event in mid-July. All three Amazon workers died within the past month and were employed at company facilities in New Jersey. The new Occupational Health and Safety Administration investigations are putting fresh scrutiny on Amazon's injury rates and workplace-safety procedures, which have long been criticized by labor and safety advocates as inadequate. Department of Labor spokesperson Denisha Braxton confirmed Thursday that the most-recent fatality took place last week at an Amazon facility in Monroe Township, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) northeast of Trenton. The second probe is looking into a July 24 accident at an Amazon facility in Robbinsville. The worker involved in that accident died three days later, according to Braxton. In a statement, Robbinsville Police Chief Michael Polaski said police responded to the warehouse, called PNE5, on July 24 after receiving a report that a worker fell from a three-foot (one-meter) ladder and struck his head. Polaski said the worker was conscious and alert when police arrived. But police were told CPR was conducted on the person by other workers prior to their arrival, he said. The person was transported to a hospital and OSHA was notified of the incident on the same day, he added. Police in Monroe Township didnt immediately reply for a request for comment on the incident there. The two most recent deaths were first reported by the USA Today Network. OSHA officials declined to provide additional information about any of the deaths, citing the open investigations. The agency has up to six month to complete each probe. Sam Stephenson, a spokesperson for Seattle-based Amazon, said in a statement the company was deeply saddened by the passing of our colleagues and offer our condolences to their family and friends. Our investigations are ongoing and were cooperating with OSHA, which is conducting its own reviews of the events, as it often does in these situations, Stephenson said. Last month, OSHA launched another investigation into a worker fatality at an Amazon warehouse in the New Jersey town of Carteret during the companys Prime Day shopping event, which turned out to be the biggest in the company's history. Federal officials haven't released additional details about the death, but news reports have identified the worker as 42-year-old Rafael Reynaldo Mota Frias. A spokesperson for Amazon said the companys internal investigation into the Carteret death shows it was not a work-related incident, and instead was related to a personal medical condition. OSHA is currently investigating the incident, and, based upon the evidence currently available to us, we fully expect that it will reach the same conclusion, the spokesperson said. News of the deaths comes amid broader scrutiny into the company's operations. In late July, OSHA officials inspected Amazon facilities in New York, Illinois and Florida after receiving referrals alleging health and safety violations from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York. The civil division of the U.S. attorney's office is also investigating safety hazards at Amazon warehouses and fraudulent conduct designed to hide injuries from OSHA and others," according to a spokesperson for the office. SRINAGAR, India (AP) Four Indian soldiers and two suspected militants were killed Thursday after rebels stormed a military camp in disputed Kashmir, officials said. At least two assailants armed with guns and grenades attacked the camp in the remote Darhal area of southern Rajouri district early Thursday, said Mukesh Singh, a senior police officer. The soldiers responded to the attack, triggering a gunbattle that lasted for at least three hours, Singh said. A reinforcement of soldiers and counterinsurgency police encircled the camp as the fighting raged inside, killing three soldiers and two attackers, officials said. Three soldiers were injured, including one who died later, according to an Indian army statement. On Wednesday, police said government forces killed three rebels in Budgam district during a counterinsurgency operation. India and Pakistan claim the divided territory of Kashmir in its entirety. Rebels in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting New Delhis rule since 1989. Most Muslim Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. India insists the Kashmir militancy is Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. Pakistan denies the charge, and most Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, rebels and government forces have been killed in the conflict. DANBURY A local woman was cited after police said she drove the wrong way and crashed on Interstate 84 early Wednesday morning. No one was injured. State police said the 46-year-old driver and her 38-year-old passenger, both from Danbury, walked away unscathed from the single-vehicle crash, which happened less than a mile east of Exit 6 on the westbound side of the highway around 2:30 a.m. The 2008 Acura MDX had been heading in the wrong direction when it collided into a cement jersey barrier separating the westbound and eastbound sides of the highway, according to authorities. The vehicle had to be towed from the scene, and the driver was issued an infraction for wrong-way driving, making an improper turn and failing to drive in the proper lane. It is unclear at which part of I-84 the car started heading in the wrong direction. Despite efforts to combat wrong-way driving with signage and deterrent technology like the motion-sensor detection system installed two years ago at Exit 8 off-ramp one of the few places where drivers have been known to access I-84 in the wrong direction incidents of wrong-way driving continue to occur in Connecticut. In fact, wrong-way crashes in Connecticut claimed more lives in the first five months of 2022 than in each of the previous three years, according to state data. As of June 1, the total number of fatal wrong-way crashes in the state was 17. State Department of Transportation spokesperson Kevin Nursick told CT Insider last year that nearly 70 percent of wrong-way crashes occur between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., and intoxication is usually involved. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ROME (AP) Pope Francis has met with a fourth group of transgender people who found shelter at a Rome church, the Vatican newspaper reported Thursday. LOsservatore Romano said the encounter took place Wednesday on the sidelines of Francis weekly general audience. The newspaper quoted Sister Genevieve Jeanningros and the Rev. Andrea Conocchia as saying the pope's welcome brought their guests hope. The Blessed Immaculate Virgin community in the Torvaianica neighborhood on Romes outskirts opened its doors to transgender people during the coronavirus pandemic. Francis previously met with some of them on April 27, June 22 and Aug. 3, the newspaper said. No one should encounter injustice or be thrown away, everyone has dignity of being a child of God, the paper quoted Sister Jeanningros as saying. Francis has earned praise from some members of the LBGTQ community for his outreach. When asked in 2013 about a purportedly gay priest, he replied, Who am I to judge? He has met individually and in groups with transgender people over the course of his pontificate. But he has strongly opposed gender theory and has not changed church teaching that holds that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. In 2021, he allowed publication of a Vatican document asserting that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions since God cannot bless sin. Recently, Francis wrote a letter praising the initiative of a Jesuit-run ministry for LGBTQ Catholics, called Outreach. The online resource is run by the Rev. James Martin, author of Building a Bridge, a book about the need for the church to better welcome and minister to LGBTQ Catholics. Francis praised a recent Outreach event at New Yorks Jesuit Fordham University, and encouraged organizers to keep working in the culture of encounter, which shortens the distances and enriches us with differences, in the same manner of Jesus, who made himself close to everyone. The first Jesuit pope of the Roman Catholic Church has spoken of his own ministry to gay and transgender people, insisting they are children of God, loved by God and deserving of accompaniment by the church. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN The colorful flag of Puerto Rico rose above the New Haven Green Thursday just as Puerto Ricos colorful culture will spread across it Saturday as the 2022 Puerto Rican Festival of New Haven returns downtown for the first time since 2019. This years Fiesta Puertorriqueno de New Haven, specifically honoring Puerto Rican women, follows a virtual festival in 2020 and a smaller community festival and vaccination clinic that took place last year at Criscuolo Field in the citys Fair Haven section. The free festival will run from 1 to 8:30 p.m. on the Green and will feature more than a half-dozen musical acts including four from Puerto Rico a career fair, 20 vendors, puppetry, food trucks and plenty of food. Its the baby of Puerto Ricans United, which was created in 2015 to promote and preserve our Puerto Rican culture, said PRU President Joseph Rodriguez. Styles of music will include salsa, merengue, bomba, bachata and reggaeton, among others. Among the acts will be Movimiento Cultural, Christian la voz de Oro, Las Nenas del Mambo, Michelle Brava, Homenaje a Tito Rojas, Moncho Rivera and Yomo. We came together because of you all, Rodriguez said, who said later that the organizers strive to make sure that we have a little bit of everything. Yo soy Boricua! declared Mayor Justin Elicker, uttering the first half of a famous line from a 1995 song by Joel Bosch, also known as Taino, which translates as I am Puerto Rican! Paque tu lo sepas! a crowd of about 50 people chanted back, completing the line with, So that you know! New Haven is a cultural center, said Elicker, who was joined by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., among others, in support of the Puerto Ricans United organizing committee. It is a center where everyone is welcome .... The Puerto Rican community is a large part of that culture. He joked that on Saturday, New Haven is all Puerto Rican, and said hed be there with his wife and two young daughters. Im really so proud and excited to be here today, said Blumenthal, who said he has been to Puerto Rico several times, including after the devastating Hurricane Irma a few years back. As much as Puerto Rico needs our help, we also need their example, Blumenthal said. ... We are so fortunate in Connecticut to have the largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the entire country. Other speakers includes state Rep. Juan Candelaria, D-New Haven, city Health Director Maritza Bond, state Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, state Rep. Alphonse Paolillo Jr., D-New Haven, and PRU board members Edwin Melendez, Tiana Ocasio and Mildred Melendez. Also attending were Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey, assistant superintendents Viviana Conner and Ivelise Velazquez, Police Chief Karl Jacobson and assistant chiefs Bertram Ettienne and David Zannelli, and Alders Jose Crespo, D-16, and Carmen Rodriguez, D-6. Its such a pleasure to be able to serve in this city, said Bond. I am a proud Puerto Rican. Looney said the festival is always a great day of celebration and said it recognizes this superb culture that has contributed so much to this community. New Haven resident Gabriela Xavier sang the national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, as well as La Borinquena, the official anthem of Puerto Rico. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN A Puerto Rico man was sentenced for trafficking cocaine across the region, according to federal prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven ordered Jose Angel Suarez, 39, of Veja Baja, Puerto Rico, to serve five years in prison followed by four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said in a news release Wednesday. During an investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administrations New Haven Task Force and the New Haven Police Department discovered a widespread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that involved the trafficking of kilogram-quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine into Connecticut, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Malbin Rubiera-Herrera, also known of Chaca, acquired the drugs from sources in Connecticut and New Jersey and then distributed the drugs through a network of associates in the New Haven area. In wiretapped calls, law enforcement heard Rubiera-Herrera, William Claudio-Suarez, Suarez and Mario Llanos Ayala arranging the delivery of what was supposed to be a multi-kilogram transaction in Connecticut, according to court documents. On March 7, 2019, law enforcement heard on the calls that Claudio-Suarez was waiting for Suarez, Llanos-Ayala and others to deliver a shipment of drugs to Connecticut. They had also discussed how Suarez and Llanos-Ayala had just sold a kilogram of cocaine and were driving in New Jersey, court documents state. Investigators alerted law enforcement in New Jersey, who stopped the vehicle. Inside, they found about one kilogram of cocaine, a loaded handgun and more than $2,500 in cash, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. On June 5, 2019, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Suarez, Rubiera-Hererera, Claudio-Suarez, Llanos-Ayala and 10 others with fentanyl, heroin and cocaine trafficking offenses, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Police apprehended Suarez almost two years later on April 20, 2021 in Puerto Rico. At the time of his arrest, he had 200 rounds of ammunition, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Suarez has been detained since his arrest and, on April 14 he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine. Suarez was separately charged in the District of Puerto Rico with unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon. AP LUCKNOW, India (AP) A large row boat taking villagers to a festival capsized in a flooded river in northern India on Thursday, leaving at least three people dead and 16 others missing, police said. A strong wind rocked the boat, which was carrying about 30 people, police officer Mohammed Nisar said. Some passengers were able to swim to safety, he said. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) The South Carolina Supreme Court said Wednesday that a sports bar chain could not recoup damages from its insurance policy over the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown. The ruling in Sullivan Management, LLC v. Firemans Fund Insurance Company is the latest victory for insurers as high courts across the country routinely side with them in such disputes. The decisions serve as a cautionary tale on the scope of all-risk policies for local business owners, who are seeing the windows for such pandemic-related lawsuits close. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in April that two restaurants could not collect damages over lost business following the governors indoor dining order. The Massachusetts high court delivered a similar ruling that same month. A Connecticut state judge in June tossed a case from the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority. And over a dozen restaurants lost a similar suit in July at the North Carolina Court of Appeals. In South Carolina, the court agreed with the insurance companys argument that there must be the physical alteration, destruction, or permanent dispossession of property to make an insurance claim. The inability to use the property is not enough to trigger coverage. Firemans Fund is pleased that the South Carolina Supreme Court concluded, like nearly every other appellate court in the country, that neither the presence of the COVID-19 virus nor related government shutdown orders cause physical loss or damage under its property insurance policy, Brett Ingerman, a lawyer for the insurance company, said in a statement. Lawyers for Sullivan Management, which owns the Carolina Ale House franchise, contested that point. They argued that the policy, which did not clearly define physical loss and physical damage, covers losses incurred when the property becomes unfit or unusable for its purpose. Because the policy covers the costs necessary to mitigate, contain, remediate, treat, (and) test for communicable diseases, the restaurant owners argued they should have been able to collect insurance payouts. Justin Lucey, who represented the restaurant chain, noted that justices punted decisions on several of the most hotly litigated policy terms to the district court. That includes the issue of communicable disease coverage. In March 2020, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster signed an executive order prohibiting indoor dining. That May, he lifted the restrictions, and in October, he allowed restaurants to open at full capacity. In many cases, the window for this litigation is closing, too. Most policies have a two-year limitation period, according to the Insurance Coverage Law Center. MICHAEL B. THOMAS/AFP via Getty Images A little girl is safe after the car she was in was stolen in the early Wednesday morning hours. According to St. Louis County Police, an Amber Alert was sent out across the St. Louis region after the Hyundai Sonata 2-year-old Amri Washington was sitting in was stolen while her mother allegedly stepped away momentarily. The vehicle was in a North St. Louis County living complex. LONDON (AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior ministers held inconclusive talks Thursday with energy companies amid mounting pressure to help residents cope with soaring gas and electricity prices. Johnson, who is in his final weeks as prime minister, joined Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng at the meeting with firms including Scottish Power, EDF and Centrica. But with Johnson insisting that significant fiscal decisions must be left to his successor, the talks produced no relief for Britons struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Johnson said the government would keep urging the electricity sector to continue working on ways we can ease the cost of living pressures and to invest further and faster in British energy security. There was a hint that the Conservative government could take action at some point. It said it continues to evaluate the extraordinary profits seen in certain parts of the electricity generation sector and the appropriate and proportionate steps to take. Energy bills around the world have soared this year as the war in Ukraine squeezes global oil and gas supplies. The problem is especially acute in Britain, where the bills that people pay are governed by a regulator-set price cap linked to wholesale prices. The average U.K. household fuel bill has risen more than 50% this year, and another increase is due in October. Consulting firm Cornwall Insight forecast this week that the average bill will top 3,500 pounds ($4,300) a year in the fall, and rise above 4,000 pounds ($4,900) in the new year. Energy suppliers say the price increases are not their fault. This is not in the hands of energy retailers, Dale Vince, founder of the energy firm Ecotricity, told Sky News. The problem is the crazy price of gas on global commodity markets. Anti-poverty campaigners say Britain is facing financial time bomb that could leave millions of people unable to heat their homes this winter. Johnson resigned as Conservative Party leader last month, and remains in office for a few more weeks as caretaker prime minister. The two candidates to replace him Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak cant act until one of them takes over as prime minister in September. Sunak who earlier this year signed off on a 400 pound ($490) payment to offset fuel bills that all households will get this fall has said he will offer more help, but has not given specifics. Truss says she prefers tax cuts to giving handouts, but also is facing intense pressure to help poor households. Opponents say by the time the new leader is announced on Sept. 5 and takes office the next day, it will be too late to avert an autumn crisis. Some want the U.K. to emulate France, where the government last month announced the nationalization of electricity giant EDF. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who led the U.K. during the global financial crisis of 2008, said Britain was now in the eye of a cost-of-living storm and action couldnt wait. Brown, a member of the opposition Labour Party, said the Conservative government should negotiate lower prices with energy firms, and suggested those that resisted could be temporarily nationalized. Writing in The Guardian, he said that crises dont take holidays, and dont politely hang fire certainly not to suit the convenience of a departing PM and the whims of two potential successors. ___ Follow all AP stories on the fallout from the war in Europe in https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. nuclear chief warned Thursday that very alarming military activity at Europes largest nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine could lead to dangerous consequences for the region and called for an end to attacks at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia facility. Rafael Grossi urged Russia and Ukraine, who blame each other for the attacks at the plant, to immediately allow nuclear experts to assess damage and evaluate safety and security at the sprawling nuclear complex where the situation has been deteriorating very rapidly. He pointed to shelling and several explosions at Zaporizhzhia last Friday that forced the shutdown of the electrical power transformer and two backup transformers, forcing the shutdown of one nuclear reactor. Last week, Grossi said in an Associated Press interview that the situation at Zaporizhzhia was completely out of control. On Thursday, he demanded a halt to military actions that have even the smallest potential to jeopardize nuclear safety at such an important installation. While a preliminary assessment by experts found no immediate threat to nuclear safety at the plant from the shelling and military actions, this could change at any moment, he warned. Grossi's appeal echoed U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres call earlier Thursday for an end to all military activity around the Zaporizhzhia plant, warning that any damage could lead to catastrophic consequences in the vicinity, the region and beyond. Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, gave a virtual briefing to the U.N. Security Council at a meeting called by Russia to discuss what Moscow claims were Ukrainian attacks on the plant. While the plant is controlled by Russia, its Ukrainian staff continues to run the nuclear operations. It is in Enerhodar, a city seized by Russian troops in early March soon after they invaded Ukraine. Grossi said statements received from Russia and Ukraine are frequently contradicted and the IAEA cant corroborate important facts unless its experts visit Zaporizhzhia. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council that Kyivs criminal attacks on nuclear infrastructure are pushing the world to the brink of nuclear catastrophe. He accused Ukrainian armed forces in recent days of repeatedly using heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems to shell the Zaporizhzhia plant, including on Thursday. The background radiation at the nuclear power plant at the moment is within limits, but if the strikes continue it is only a question of time, Nebenzia warned. We call on states that support the Kyiv regime to bring their proxies into check to compel them to immediately and once and for all stop attacks. Ukraines U.N. ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, accused Russia of using elaborate plans of deceit, sabotage and cover-ups to stage the shelling at Zaporizhzhia, including on Thursday, which poses an unprecedented threat to nuclear security for Ukraine, to Europe and the world as a whole. The Ukrainian state company operating the plant, Enerhoatom, said there was renewed Russian shelling of the Zaporizhzhia facility and nearby buildings Thursday. Five (hits) were recorded near the plant managements office right next to the welding site and the storage facility for radiation sources, Enerhoatom said in a post on its official Telegram channel. The grass caught fire over a small area, but fortunately, no one was hurt. Ukraines ambassador told the council the only way to remove the nuclear threats is by withdrawing Russian troops and returning the plant to Ukraines control. Nebenzia said Russia supported an IAEA visit in June to Zaporizhzhia, which was given a red light at the last minute by U.N. security experts. Moscow is ready to provide all possible assistance to resolve any issues for a visit even before the end of August, he said. Yevhen Balytskyy, the Kremlin-installed temporary head of the Zaporizhzhia region, said Thursday that the Russia-backed administration there stood ready to ensure the safety and security of any IAEA delegation sent to investigate conditions. He said in an interview on Russian state TV that the Kremlin-backed authorities had prepared armored vehicles for the international envoys. Kyslytsya blamed Russias unjustified conditions for the delay in getting IAEA experts to Zaporizhzhia, and said Ukraine stands ready to provide all necessary assistance to facilitate the nuclear teams travels through Ukrainian-controlled territory, which is just five miles from the plant across the Dnieper River. Bonnie Jenkins, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control, called the situation at Zaporizhzhia another tragic result of Russias invasion of Ukraine. She said the solution is straightforward: Russia should immediately withdraw its forces from Ukraine so Ukrainians can to restore the impeccable safety, security, and safeguards performance it upheld for decades at the facility. At the end of the council meeting, Grossi said there was a common denominator among the 15 members: Everybody agrees that nuclear safety and security must be preserved. And everybody believes that this mission must take place. So, its no longer a matter of if, its only a matter of when, the U.N. nuclear chief said. The when must be as soon as possible. Guterres appealed in a statement for common sense and reason to avoid any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant, and for the withdrawal of all military personnel and equipment. The Russian capture of Zaporizhzhia renewed fears that reactors at the largest of Ukraines four nuclear plants could be damaged, setting off another emergency like the 1986 Chernobyl accident, the worlds worst nuclear disaster. That happened about 110 kilometers (65 miles) north of the capital Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told defense leaders at a conference in Copenhagen on Thursday that the consequences of a radiation accident at Zaporizhzhia could be even more catastrophic than Chernobyl, and essentially the same as the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, but without a nuclear strike. If the Soviet authorities tried to hide the Chernobyl disaster and its full consequences, Russian authorities are much more cynical and dangerous, he said. They are doing everything themselves to maximize the risk of a nuclear disaster, and lie to the whole world that someone else is allegedly to blame. ___ Associated Press writer Joanna Kozlowska in London contributed to this report. OAKRIDGE, Ore. (AP) A firefighter who was hit by a falling tree while battling a wildfire near Oakridge, Oregon has died of his injuries, authorities said Thursday. Collin Hagan, who was with the Craig Interagency Hot Shots from Colorado, died Wednesday of injuries he sustained while working on the Big Swamp fire in the Willamette National Forest, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said in a statement. IN SUMMARY An emergency housing voucher program offers improvements to the decades-old federal solution to the housing affordability crisis, but landlord reluctance remains a crucial hurdle. By Manuela Tobias and Jeanne Kuang CalMatters Section 8 vouchers have been one of the federal government's landmark responses to unaffordable housing for half a century. But too often in California, families sit on a waitlist for years only to see their once-golden ticket expire before they can find a home. A fresh batch of emergency vouchers became available last year to address growing housing insecurity during the deadly COVID-19 pandemic -- and local and federal officials watching their rollout believe the new vouchers' features already offer some promising solutions to a broken system. Housing choice vouchers, added in 1974 to Section 8 of the federal Housing Act of 1937, allow low-income tenants to pay only 30% of their income toward rent and utilities while Uncle Sam shoulders the rest. These vouchers have helped pay rent for more than 300,000 households in California this year, totaling $1.9 billion in assistance. But only one in four needy households get help, and the vouchers end up passing through multiple families' hands before turning into a rent check because many landlords reject them. The new set of vouchers released in May 2021 came with looser rules and more generous incentives to help persuade landlords to take them. Instead of any low-income household, these vouchers target people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or fleeing domestic violence -- typically considered the most challenging groups to house. Sweetening the deal for landlords is critical to the strategy, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Federal and local officials told CalMatters that signing bonuses and heftier security deposits are ways to overcome property owners' wariness toward the program. Yet in some of the state's tightest rental markets, such as Los Angeles, landlord reluctance still remains a crucial hurdle, despite recent state laws intended to make finding an apartment easier for voucher recipients. "The reality is that landlords have so many choices right now on the open market," said Chris Contreras, chief program officer for Brilliant Corners, a San Francisco-based nonprofit housing services provider that helps voucher holders find apartments. "It really is the market forces in many ways diluting what we're able to do." In just more than a year, California has used about a third of the 17,000 new vouchers it received from the feds, worth more than $400 million. Smaller cities, including Redding and San Luis Obispo, turned nearly all of their vouchers into leases -- while other cities, including Los Angeles, still have more than 3,000 families waiting to find a home. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development says under the emergency voucher program, it's taking an average of 75 days to sign a lease in California and 70 days nationwide. Although HUD officials were unable to provide a comparable timeline for the traditional Section 8 program, making it difficult to evaluate the emergency voucher program more broadly, they like what they see. "I would say that the emergency housing vouchers, in some ways, came with some of the features that we would like to see reflected in all of our voucher programs," said Richard Cho, a senior adviser with HUD. Success in San Luis Obispo What sets the new vouchers apart is the additional $3,500 per voucher received by public housing authorities, which they can pool together and spend on landlord bonuses, tenant preparedness, housing search help and other services. Of the $11.6 million spent by California housing agencies on services so far, $2.7 million went to landlord bonuses, $2.5 million to housing search assistance and $3.3 million to security deposits, application fees and other costs. In data reported to HUD so far, California is spending a greater share of its extra dollars cajoling landlords than the nationwide average. The state received nearly a quarter of the country's allotment of emergency vouchers, and so far accounts for 45% of the money spent on landlord incentives. It's unclear yet whether any one form of assistance worked better than another, especially in tight rental markets. However, the additional resources were key to getting people into apartments in 12 housing authorities across the country, including San Francisco and Santa Barbara, surveyed by the Urban Institute for a forthcoming study. But discrimination and lack of available units remain key barriers, the study found. "Landlord incentives are really what's enabling access to the private market with these vouchers," said Samantha Batko, an Urban Institute researcher who led the study. That was key in San Luis Obispo, a more affluent Central Coast city of about 50,000 people with a rental vacancy rate of less than 2%, according to RentCafe, an apartment listing service. The local housing authority used all 156 vouchers it got from the feds and received 40 more vouchers this spring. The bulk of the vouchers went toward people experiencing homelessness. The housing authority offered landlords who had never before accepted a voucher a sign-on bonus of $4,000, while also offering $1,000 for a landlord already in their system, plus as much as $3,000 for new property managers. The incentive drew 41 new owners. The authority also offered as much as $7,500 for property damage, which has only been used twice so far. "We've learned landlords really want that back-end insurance, but very few people actually use it," said Elaine Archer, the authority's director of housing management. Emergency vouchers can be used for units with slightly higher rents -- with limits set by the federal government based on local rent averages. That opened up a swath of the housing market previously unavailable to voucher holders. In San Luis Obispo, a voucher could pay $1,720 a month for a one-bedroom, up from $1,575. Case management was also a federal requirement -- and key to getting especially needy tenants paired with the necessary documents and willing landlords. While Uncle Sam guarantees that voucher recipients will pay the rent, landlords are often hesitant about their lack of rental history and solid references. A recent study of the Section 8 program in Los Angeles found that traditional voucher holders who were homeless were slightly more successful in finding a unit than those who were already housed, in part because they came with case managers. "We're going to stick with this person," said Devon McQuade, associate director of 5Cities Homeless Coalition in San Luis Obispo. "It's not just, 'Go find housing and, you know, good luck from there.'" Despite state law, discrimination persists One secret ingredient to San Luis Obispo's quick lease-up? Giving out way more vouchers than it had. The housing authority offered the promise of housing to around 600 households, but officials knew that most vouchers would not actually be used. Only 40% of families who get off the Section 8 waitlist usually find a unit to rent, and these vouchers had a short expiration date, Archer said. Mitchell Friedeck, 35, got a voucher last summer while shuttling between relatives' homes, tent campsites and a homeless shelter in San Luis Obispo with his three kids, who are 3, 4 and 8. After a separation from his wife and the pandemic's heavy toll on his local publishing and ad sales business, he transitioned to being a stay-at-home dad and became homeless for more than a year. "There was a lot of dust and dirt," he recalls. "Cleaning every day the tent, the feet, cold showers... It was just a nightmare." Friedeck tried to apply to more than 100 properties over four months with his voucher, to no avail. He said no one called him back, and most landlords asked him to show a 650 credit score, which he didn't have, and earn three times the rent. (Under state law, a landlord can only require a voucher holder to make three times their portion of the rent, not the entire rent.) "They flat out would tell me, 'You're not going to qualify,'" he said. "I felt hopeless and helpless." Giving out more vouchers than the feds can fund -- knowing that many won't be used -- isn't an uncommon practice, according to experts. But it's especially disheartening to advocates who helped pass a state law in 2019 barring landlords from rejecting vouchers. Refusing tenants based on their "source of income" is now a form of housing discrimination similar to denying someone a rental based on their race or disability. "We should be doing things to change that reality, and now we have the tools," said Sasha Harnden, a public policy advocate at Inner City Law Center in Los Angeles who helped draft the law. "It may be appropriate to talk about incentives at some point," he added. "But what we've not seen is really robust enforcement of the law that prohibits refusing the vouchers in the first place, and that seems like a natural starting point." The state's Department of Fair Employment and Housing is in charge of enforcing the anti-discrimination law, but doesn't dedicate full-time staff to the effort. The agency depends largely on complaints from tenants; it received just 82 statewide in 2020, the first year the law went into effect. The state sent 20 letters to landlords in 2021 and 37 so far this year, warning them to take down apartment listings that say "No Section 8." The department also mediated at least one settlement -- between Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California and the owners of a Marin County apartment complex that had said it would not rent to voucher recipients. But proving discrimination is tough, especially when landlords are still allowed to deny a voucher recipient based on other factors, such as credit history or a criminal background, or ask for rents higher than what the voucher program pays. "We don't want to be so aggressive that we alienate every landlord, so we have to do this horrible dance," said Jack Lahey, homeless services director at Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo, which connected Friedeck with a voucher. This year, state lawmakers considered two bills that would prohibit landlords from conducting credit checks as part of the tenant screening process if an applicant is a voucher recipient -- a measure many housing authorities said could help clients avoid the onerous application costs that come with an unsuccessful housing search. Both bills faced stiff landlord opposition and were tabled this spring. 'Up against a wall' Despite the promise of signing bonuses and other incentives, many landlords remain unswayed. And some of California's largest housing authorities are taking longer than the rest of the state to house their emergency voucher recipients. Nowhere is the challenge more acute than in Los Angeles, whose city housing authority received more than 3,300 emergency vouchers, the biggest grant in the state and second only to New York City in the nation. As of this month, only 207 of those vouchers were in use -- 6% of the vouchers given to the agency, according to HUD data. Thousands of other recipients are still searching for a unit. In a late July statement, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles said updated numbers show the city has leased 325 units. Local housing authorities and advocates blame intense competition for a slim supply of low-rent units -- among tenants not receiving aid, thousands of traditional Section 8 voucher holders and now the thousands of new emergency voucher recipients receiving aid from the city housing agency, the county housing authority and smaller housing authorities across Los Angelese County. "We're coming up against a wall of available units at our price point," said Carlos VanNatter, director of Section 8 for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. Los Angeles' rental vacancy rate was just more than 4% in June, according to RentCafe. For emergency voucher holders and other local homeless placement programs, VanNatter's agency offers landlords $2,500 for each recipient that moves into a unit, plus funding to repair a unit in advance of a HUD inspection, VanNatter said. In addition, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority can provide a security deposit of as much as twice the monthly rent. Daniel Yukelson, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, said many property owners "don't want to touch" any voucher programs, particularly those run by the larger housing authorities. Landlords continue to hold suspicions about tenants who hold vouchers, driven by anecdotes from fellow property owners, he said. With plenty of potential tenants, they don't want to wade through the paperwork of the voucher program. And they're unwilling to wait, Yukelson said, for a housing authority to conduct an inspection -- sometimes losing a month or two of rent -- before a tenant moves in. "There's just not enough money put on the table for people to jump for it," Yukelson said. "If I had a vacant unit and had 20 people show up -- there's a bunch of people begging to rent my apartment -- why deal with all the administrative burdens?" VanNatter said it's difficult to tell just how effective the incentives will be, but he's wary of overusing them. "Landlords are smart, they're trying to optimize dollars," he said. "Would it help if we provide more money in these incentives? But it almost seems like we're just throwing this money out there." The San Diego Housing Commission, operating in a city with an even slimmer 3% rental vacancy rate, has used nearly 80% of its 480 emergency vouchers. It boasts similar landlord incentives and housing search services as Los Angeles, as well as an initiative using local funds to pay landlords who have vacant units as they identify tenants. That allows the housing authority to reserve units for voucher holders. There were also staffing and administrative reasons the emergency voucher program started slowly in Los Angeles, VanNatter said. Asked to explain the differing emergency voucher leasing rates across the state, HUD officials attributed the challenges to local rental markets. They also pointed out that in jurisdictions such as Los Angeles, emergency vouchers have been prioritized for those who are currently homeless, who can face greater barriers and take longer finding a unit than those deemed "at risk." But federal officials said they remain optimistic the vouchers will ultimately be used up in time. Housing authorities must finish distributing them by fall 2023. Friedeck, in San Luis Obispo, eventually found a landlord willing to rent to his family, with the help of the housing authority. He is now paying $205 a month while the feds cover the rest of the $1,800 rent for his two-bedroom apartment in Nipomo. "It's still a transition for me and I'm working my way up, but now I can reclaim my business and I can reclaim myself and my foundation for my kids," he said. Helen Miller, who manages the 18-unit apartment complex where Friedeck lives, said she and her mother used to have mostly Section 8 tenants until the housing authority stopped covering the cost of tenant damages years ago. According to Archer, from the housing authority, multiple elderly and disabled tenants fell behind on rent during the pandemic and the emergency vouchers offered a solution. Miller said five tenants now pay with the vouchers, and she and her mother receive about $400 more a month than they normally would get for the unit, which was priced below market rent. "We gave them a chance and it's been working out so far," she said. "All these people need is a leg up. And it was a good feeling knowing Mitchell's kids have a bed to sleep in." 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. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) A federal jury convicted a former Twitter manager Wednesday of selling users' private information to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ahmad Abouammo, a former media partnerships manager for Twitter's Middle East/North Africa region, was found guilty of multiple felonies, including acting as a foreign agent of Saudi Arabia without providing notice to the Attorney General, money laundering, conspiracy and falsifying records. The verdict against the 44-year-old former Walnut Creek resident follows a two-week trial, according to an announcement Wednesday from the office of U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds of the Northern District of California. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Abouammo took bribes in exchange for accessing, monitoring and conveying the private information of Twitter users to officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Royal family, according to the announcement. Hinds said the Department of Justice does not tolerate the misuse of personal information or attempts by foreign governments to recruit secret, malign agents at American technology companies. "In this case, the government demonstrated, and the jury found, that Abouammo violated a sacred trust to keep private personal information from Twitter's customers and sold private customer information to a foreign government," she said. "Abouammo's decision to accept bribes in exchange for providing to a foreign government the protected information of customers could have untold damaging consequences." Prosecutors said the recipient of the private information is known for targeting people viewed as opponents. "Abouammo acted in secret as an agent of a foreign government targeting dissenting voices," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division. "This verdict shows that the Justice Department will not tolerate any act of transnational repression and will hold accountable those who aid hostile regimes in extending their reach to our shores." The department's announcement reported that according to the evidence presented at trial, Abouammo began receiving bribes from an official of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as early as December 2014, including one in 2015 for $100,000 deposited in a bank account in his father's name in Lebanon. In October 2018, FBI agents interviewed Abouammo at his residence about his involvement in the scheme with officials of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Abouammo provided false information to the FBI investigators and falsified an invoice for one of the payments he received from the foreign official. Abouammo was arrested on Nov. 5, 2019, but did not leave his job at Twitter until May 2021. Shortly thereafter, he received another $100,000 into the bank account in Lebanon. Abouammo faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the charge of acting as an agent of a foreign government and 20 years in prison for each of the other counts. In addition, each count carries up to a $250,000 fine and additional periods of supervised release to follow the prison term. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Sampson and Eric Cheng for the Northern District of California and Trial Attorney Christine Bonomo of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Beth Margen and Alycee Lane. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. 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. Chinese rhetoric over Taiwan is getting more strident all the time. Its hard to believe the Chinese will go beyond the kind of big talk weve been hearing since Chiang Kai-shek fled there with his defeated forces before the victory of Maos Red Army on the mainland in 1949, but the shrill nature of Chinese intimidation there and elsewhere is cause for mounting concern. The implications are clear. If China were to move militarily against Taiwan, the United States and Japan would get involved. The United States has no troops, no advisers and no defense pact with Taiwan, with which it has no formal diplomatic relations. But, we may be sure Americans would enter the war initially as advisers. In a real showdown, the United States might also provide air support from bases in Okinawa and Guam, as well as aircraft carriers, while rushing in billions of dollars worth of supplies as it is doing for Ukraine. Ominously, from the viewpoint of nations worried about a resurgence of Japanese military power, the Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be just what Japanese conservatives need to nullify Article 9 of Japans no war constitution, drafted in 1947 during the American occupation, barring Japanese from waging war beyond Japans immediate borders. The Japanese could then rename their Self-Defense Forces as simply their armed forces and double the military budget from 1 percent of the countrys gross domestic product, expected to exceed $5 trillion this year, to 2%. War for Taiwan would give members of Japans long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party a boost based on which they could fantasize about Japan again becoming a military force in Asia. The prospect of Japans military revival arouses distinctly mixed feelings among other Asian countries, especially South Korea. Yes, Japan could provide much-needed support if the flames of war leaped from Taiwan to the Korean Peninsula and North Korea attacked the South. With memories of the colonial past under Japanese rule and many difficulties since then, however. Koreans would have reason to fear whatever the Japanese might do on the Korean Peninsula, North and South. As war clouds loom over Taiwan, the chances are high that the fighting would spread first to the Senkaku Islands, not far from Taiwan. The Japanese zealously hold this uninhabited island cluster, defending it with coast guard vessels capable of firing water cannons on Chinese fishing boats, laden with electronic surveillance gear when they come too close and sending planes in hot pursuit when Chinese aircraft violate the Senkaku air space. The Chinese claim the islands, which they call Diaoyu, as assiduously as they claim Taiwan. Its not difficult to imagine Japan or China setting up a military base on the largest islands. For that reason alone, the Japanese see them as worth fighting for too valuable to abandon. Chinese ambitions extend to Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and beyond. So far there appears no way to talk the Chinese into yielding to their absurd view that the entire South China Sea belongs to them. As American warships and planes regularly intrude into Chinas self-declared space, a war for Taiwan could just as easily spread southward. The Chinese are already looking for bases in the South Pacific, striking up deals with some of the small island nations occupied by Japan before the Americans drove them out in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Just as easily, the fighting could flare northward from the initial flashpoint, Taiwan. The dark forces unleashed by war across the 100-mile-wide straits between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland would quickly reach the Korean Peninsula. The atmosphere in South Korea, for now, appears tranquil and peaceful, but the rhetoric from North Korea resembles that of Chinese claims to Taiwan. Its difficult to imagine another Korean War. Kim Jong-un, however, could go on the offensive, beginning with an artillery barrage across the Demilitarized Zone or an attack on the small islands held by South Korea in the West or Yellow Sea not far from North Koreas southwestern shores. Or he could launch his dreaded missiles, pummeling American and South Korean bases. Might nuclear war be next? Anythings possible as the Chinese edge closer to war for Taiwan than theyve ever done previously. We have to hope theyre only bluffing, as theyve done so often in the past. Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont was always going to have an interesting session in January, but it just got more interesting. On Tuesday, voters in one of the most conservative states in the country Kansas voted to preserve abortion access. Even with all the logistics stacked against them an August primary election when few Democrats usually vote, a weirdly worded ballot item in which a no vote preserved abortion access the pro-choice vote still prevailed. And not just by a close margin, but by a 59%-41% blowout. And just to be clear, this is a state that hasnt gone to a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 or sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932. Kansas politics are dominated by Republicans just like our state. Still the pushback from the Roe reversal was strong. And it wont be limited to Texas. In state legislatures all over the country, you will soon see bills that would at least permit abortions in cases of rape, incest or the need to protect the health of the mother. In Texas and most other states with pro-life laws, the ban on abortion is total no exceptions for rape or incest, though perhaps when the mothers life is endangered. When Phelan bangs down the gavel in the Texas House in January, the 150 members will be faced with votes on bills to allow abortion in case of rape, incest or to protect the mothers health. Democrats will file bills to allow all abortions up to a certain time period, but those wont attract any GOP support. Yet a bill permitting some abortions will have a chance a slim chance of getting enough Republican votes in the House and maybe the Senate to pass. This will be a challenge for area pro-life Republicans like state Sen. Brandon, Creighton, state Sen. Robert Nichols and any others who may be elected, such as Jacorion Randle, whos running for state representative in District 22, Joe Deshotels old seat. In the days when Roe was still in effect, most Republicans wanted to ban all abortions, with no exceptions. But the Kansas vote was or should have been a wakeup call for the GOP. Poll after poll shows that most Americans want some flexibility on abortion. Only 15% or so want a total ban even for rape or incest. Will Phelan and other Republican leaders try to quietly build support for a rape-incest exception bill next year? Or will GOP lawmakers stick to the total ban, either because they truly support it or dont want to be labeled soft on abortion? Its an open question, and its one that just got a lot harder for Republicans to answer. I am not a fan of romance movies. Not because I dont touch grass, but because time and time again, mainstream cinema squanders their potential. "Fire of Love," however, upends the tired, trope-ridden genre by presenting a real, explosive story of true love one that will make you completely rethink the concept of devotion in the most spectacular way possible. After all, as San Francisco director Sara Dosa tells me over the phone, its a doomed love triangle between two humans and the most complex and alluring protagonist of all time: the volcano. Even though "Fire of Love," which is showing now in theaters, masquerades as a science documentary, its actually a film about love in its greatest and most powerful form. Its a sublime portrait of life and death, one that poetically interprets the decadeslong work of scientists Maurice and Katia Krafft. The eccentric French couple spent years exploring volcanoes until, one fateful misty day in 1991, it finally consumed them in a deadly pyroclastic flow one of those terrifying plumes of hot ash and volcanic gas that famously killed 2,000 Pompeii residents in 79 A.D. However, while the Kraffts fate is established early on, "Fire of Love" is no tragedy. Image'Est Expertly crafted by Dosa and edited by Erin Casper and Jocelyne Chaput, the film stitches together the massive trove of archival footage and photographs that the Kraffts left behind to create a whimsical story about devotion, existentialism and the scientists enduring love affair with our unruly Earth. Their obsession with exploring volcanoes and all their fiery mysteries is aptly captured in narrator Miranda Julys line about how, for some of us, you fall hard for what you know, harder for what you dont. The Kraffts perfectly embody this sentiment as they gaze into smoking craters, fry eggs over cooling magma, and float on rubber dinghies in skin-scorching acid lakes. They spent their lives in the belly of the beast, but the beast, for all its deadly magnificence, wasnt something to be feared. It will kill me one day, but that doesn't bother me at all, Maurice says in the film. Like maestros, Dosa, Casper and Chaput weave explosive footage with dreamlike electronic compositions from Nicolas Godin, but they also know when to quietly hold space for the audience. Following the aftermath of one gray killer volcanos eruption, we silently gaze over the ashy ruins from an aerial perspective, taking in the sheer magnitude of the blast and the ghostly landscape it left behind. This somber sequence feels eternal, surreal, even. More importantly, it allows us to see through the eyes of the Kraffts and experience that same bewildering sense of awe. But recreating this sensation was a unique challenge, mainly because none of Dosas subjects were alive. She and her team had to mine character details and take narrative cues from the material the Kraffts left behind, as well as speak to their remaining family members. In other words, in order to push the story forward, they had to work backwards. During the pandemic, Dosa and her team sifted through 200 hours of footage and photos and nearly 50 hours of the Kraffts televised appearances on French programs. Despite the extensive material they left behind, theres hardly any imagery of the couple together. But according to Dosa, a photo of them hugging or kissing wouldnt have captured the essence of their complex relationship anyway. We decided to really use volcanic imagery to tell their love story, she says. Over the past two years, Dosa became intimately familiar with Maurice and Katia and their inner worlds. And there are also plenty of other details that Dosa and her team wished they could have included. For instance, Dosa tells me that when Katia was just a teenager in France, she successfully rode a terrifying carnival ride called the wall of death. There, she shocked the entire town by riding a motorcycle horizontally on the cylinders walls, defying expectations. Given her fearlessness at a young age, its no surprise she eventually pursued a fiery career in volcanology. For her and Maurice, there was simply no other way to live. Even after sifting through the Kraffts massive archive, theres still an unrequitedness that permeates the film. There are questions Dosa can never ask them, answers shell never have. But, in turn, this mirrors Katia and Maurices own quest to understand our planets volcanic mysteries. We wanted to put that into our own storytelling by acknowledging the things that we don't know, Dosa says. But still, it tugs at my heartstrings because of that. And by the time I left the theater, it had tugged at mine, too. Part of the adventure in luring your friends out to the high desert terrain in Northern California, where a valley floor spills from the northern backside of Mount Shasta, is that precious moment when they look at you as though youve led them into danger. Having discovered Plutos Cave from a map, I was prepared for some sagebrush whacking. What I wasnt prepared for was that reaching the trailhead required navigating a maze of dusty roads. The cave is considered an easy hike no serious spelunking experience necessary and located less than 20 minutes from Interstate 5. Plutos Cave is a partially collapsed lava tube in the Klamath National Forest. The caves opening is estimated to be 10 feet high and 20 feet wide, with a depth of some 1,200 feet into the Earths abyss. Silas Valentino/SFGATE For a torrid summer day, a venture into the cool underbelly of Shasta was an ideal pursuit to beat the heat. The cave keeps a cool 50 degrees, regardless of whats happening outside. I plotted the coordinates via Google Maps and set north. This would prove to be the first mistake. Splitting from I-5 in the town of Weed is Highway 97. Part of the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, the route earns its name for how it carves along the Cascade Range, where volcanoes are numerous. Charred residue from the 2014 Boles Fire was visible during the highways initial 10 miles. We cut off from the highway and, per Google Maps insistence, I guided us through a rural residential area. It was the type of outback neighborhood that doesnt appear on Googles Street View. Front gates have convincing signs that trespassing would be a fools errand, and no one in their right mind would think to canvas this outpost to hawk some solar energy panels. Silas Valentino/SFGATE Abandoned plastic tarps caught in the brush fluttered with the valley wind as my Prius truly the worst vehicle for dodging boulders on this rugged terrain, a second mistake skidded and scraped until reaching the end of my digital directions. Using meager cell service, we called our friends in the other car, which we hoped was trailing us. However, we saw no dust getting kicked up from another vehicle as we peered over the flat, rustic residences. When we finally managed to connect with them, we learned that they were at the proper trailhead and we were at an unnecessary offshoot. Google Maps led us astray and directed us through a neighborhood that should receive the bare minimum of looky-loos. Silas Valentino/SFGATE The minor mishap inspires the first suggestion for hiking Plutos Cave: if using Google Maps, make sure you set coordinates for Pluto's Cave Parking in Montague, California. Dont rely on Google getting this exact coordination automatically correct, and double-check where its leading you. Itll save time and countless chafes underneath a low-bearing sedan. Once the gang was reunited, we passed through junipers and scorched pine trees as we meandered an unclear path toward the mouth of the cave. Silas Valentino/SFGATE A man named Nelson Cash first stumbled upon Plutos Cave while seeking his stray cattle in the spring of 1863, according to a 19th-century book on Siskiyou County by Harry Laurenz Wells. The caves vast dimensions distinguished it as a unique landmark and, as the book explains, the interior of the cave is shielded from time. The walls within are very dry, the usual dampness of a cavern being absent, thus contributing to the preservation of objects deposited there, Wells wrote in 1881. Silas Valentino/SFGATE We stepped past endless sagebrush until coming upon a large opening some 10 feet beneath the valley. There were two mouths for caves. We first went to our left and found a fire pit just 25 yards into the opening. Not a very deep cave. And the dank smell was haunting. Spray painted eyes on the cave walls followed us as we returned to the opening to try the other direction. After ducking under a low-hanging cave ceiling that led into an exposed area, we found the entrance to Plutos Cave concealed behind camouflaging green shrubbery. The rim of the cave was vast the size of an IMAX theater screen while the floor was covered in jagged boulders. There was light visible from the back, which propelled us forward as we gasped in appreciation. We hobbled over rocks and soon came upon an opening in the caves ceiling that allowed light to pour in. Dust particles floated in the sunlight. The floor was now sand, and easy to traverse as we passed by this extraordinary opening. Silas Valentino/SFGATE Sunlight soon became scant the further we pushed into the belly of Plutos Cave. We became wrapped in darkness, and as we started rock climbing, it required getting down on all fours. We soon realized our latest and third mistake: bring a headlamp. Like a pack of novice adventurers, we were spelunking using our iPhones. Switching off casting a light on one another as we burrowed deeper into the darkness, we laughed at such a rookie move. Each caver has their own capacity for adventure, and soon the numbers began to dwindle the deeper we climbed into the cave. Friends peeled off and went back to the caves lighted area as conditions became more treacherous. Eventually, only three of us remained as we tried to find the point of no return. We squeezed between rocks, ducked under fallen boulders and eventually found our limit. Before we decided to climb back out, the three of us turned off our lights and sat in the darkness for a few minutes. It was pure black. There was no difference when I opened or closed my eyes. The sound was muted, besides a careful reshuffling of feet, and the air was cool. Silas Valentino/SFGATE Not a lick of light could reach this point of Plutos Cave. Even after traveling more than 93,000,000 miles from the sun, the might of light could not reach this depth. But you know who did? A few jabronis who parked on the wrong street, traveled the backroads by Prius and failed to pack a single headlamp for spelunking. We emerged from Plutos Cave feeling victorious if not humbled by our lack of preparation. Perhaps our error will become your gain if you decide to find the cave and follow the darkness until the end. WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 11, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING The National Weather Service in Las Vegas has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... San Bernardino County in southern California... * Until 730 PM PDT. * At 422 PM PDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain over Goffs Road and Interstate 40. 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 low-water crossings, creeks, normally dry washes and roads. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Goffs Road, Interstate 40, and possibly Highway 95 near Interstate 40. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SAN DIEGO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, August 13, 2022 _____ HEAT ADVISORY URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service San Diego CA 453 AM PDT Thu Aug 11 2022 ...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 8 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...High temperatures in the upper 90s to 104 expected. * WHERE...San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire County. * WHEN...From noon today to 8 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio TX 714 PM CDT Wed Aug 10 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of south central DeWitt County through 800 PM CDT... At 714 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Ander, or 11 miles south of Cuero, moving southwest at 15 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Arneckville and Meyersville. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. LAT...LON 2887 9730 2888 9731 2887 9732 2890 9734 2889 9735 2890 9738 2892 9738 2892 9742 2881 9757 2886 9762 2905 9730 2894 9720 TIME...MOT...LOC 0014Z 061DEG 13KT 2894 9730 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH The National Weather Service in League City has issued a * Tornado Warning for... North central Fort Bend County in southeastern Texas... Southeastern Waller County in southeastern Texas... Western Harris County in southeastern Texas... * Until 730 PM CDT. * At 716 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Katy, moving south at 15 mph. HAZARD...Tornado. SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely. * This dangerous storm will be near... Fulshear and Cinco Ranch around 730 PM CDT. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO CORPUS CHRISTI Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Corpus Christi TX 719 PM CDT Wed Aug 10 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern Victoria and northeastern Goliad Counties through 800 PM CDT... At 718 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Weser, or 10 miles east of Yorktown, moving southwest at 15 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Mission Valley, Weesatche, Weser and Ander. This includes US Highway 183 between mile markers 628 and 638. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 2891 9717 2868 9742 2881 9757 2892 9742 2892 9739 2891 9738 2889 9735 2890 9734 2887 9732 2888 9731 2887 9731 2894 9720 TIME...MOT...LOC 0018Z 048DEG 12KT 2892 9734 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH The National Weather Service in Austin San Antonio has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southwestern DeWitt County in south central Texas... * Until 815 PM CDT. * At 719 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Ander, or 11 miles east of Yorktown, moving southwest at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Arneckville and Meyersville. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO CORPUS CHRISTI Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Corpus Christi has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northwestern Victoria County in south central Texas... Northeastern Goliad County in south central Texas... * Until 815 PM CDT. * At 722 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Weser, or 10 miles southeast of Yorktown, moving southwest at 15 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Weesatche, Weser and Ander. This includes the following highways... US Highway 183 between mile markers 628 and 640. US Highway 59 near mile marker 668. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL FORT BEND...SOUTHEASTERN WALLER AND WESTERN HARRIS COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 730 PM CDT... The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning will be allowed to expire. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area until 8pm! _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO DALLAS / FT. WORTH Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 709 PM CDT Wed Aug 10 2022 ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Hopkins, southern Lamar and Delta Counties through 745 PM CDT... At 709 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10 miles northeast of Cooper, or 15 miles south of Paris, moving southwest at 15 mph. HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Cooper, Deport, Cooper Lake Park Doctors Creek, Cooper Lake Park South Sulphur and Tira. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 3319 9568 3353 9580 3356 9531 3331 9531 TIME...MOT...LOC 0009Z 065DEG 14KT 3344 9557 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH The National Weather Service in League City has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southeastern Austin County in southeastern Texas... Northwestern Fort Bend County in southeastern Texas... Southern Waller County in southeastern Texas... West central Harris County in southeastern Texas... * Until 800 PM CDT. * At 711 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Willowbrook to 6 miles southwest of Cypress to near San Felipe, moving south at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Katy, Jersey Village, Sealy, Brookshire, Bunker Hill Village, Piney Point Village, Spring Branch North, Eldridge / West Oaks, Spring Branch West, Addicks Park Ten, Mission Bend, Hedwig Village, Wallis, Fulshear, Simonton, San Felipe, Pattison, Cinco Ranch, Weston Lakes and Westchase. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO MIDLAND/ODESSA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 11, 2022 _____ AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY Flood Advisory National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX 342 PM MDT Thu Aug 11 2022 ...FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM MDT/745 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is expected. * WHERE...Portions of southeast New Mexico and Texas, including the following counties, in southeast New Mexico, Eddy and Lea. In Texas, Culberson, Loving and Reeves. * WHEN...Until 645 PM MDT /745 PM CDT/. * IMPACTS...Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Rises in small streams and normally dry arroyos. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 342 PM MDT /442 PM CDT/, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain due to thunderstorms. Minor flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the advisory area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. - This includes the following streams and drainages... Salt Creek, Delaware River, Pecos River, Black River, Red Bluff Draw and Owl Draw. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Loving, Malaga, Red Bluff Reservoir, Orla and Red Bluff. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain. Arroyos, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall. The National Weather Service in El Paso Tx/Santa Teresa has issued a * Flash Flood Warning for... West Central Hudspeth County in western Texas... * Until 645 PM MDT. * At 346 PM MDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.25 and 1.75 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. SOURCE...Radar. IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. * Some locations that will experience flash flooding include... Fort Hancock, Acala and McNary, including portions of Interstate 10. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. In hilly terrain there are numerous of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded roads. Find an alternate route. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Thursday, August 11, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Spokane WA 408 PM PDT Thu Aug 11 2022 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM PDT FOR NORTHEASTERN WHITMAN COUNTY... At 408 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Colfax, or 13 miles north of Pullman, moving northeast at 40 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Locations impacted include... Colfax, Garfield, Albion, Oakesdale, Farmington and Belmont. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in Spokane. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather A wanted fugitive was shot and killed by a US Marshal in Hazleton on Wednesday. According to Pennsylvania State Police Public Information Officer from the Hazleton barracks, on Wednesday, August 10th, 2022, members of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force were searching the Hazleton area for Jordan Charles Urenovitch, 23, of Hazle Township, who had active warrants for gun and drug charges through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Around 12:40pm, the task force located Urenovitch, traveling in a car, exiting the vehicle, and walking into the 22nd Street Auto Center in Hazleton. The task force approached and attempted to take Urenovitch into custody but a struggle occurred. During the struggle, Urenovitch was able to free his arm, retrieve a firearm, and discharge a round from the weapon. A member of the task force, a Deputy US Marshal, fired his service weapon, striking Urenovitch. The task force provided medical assistance until EMS arrived and transported him to an area hospital. Urenovitch was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The Pennsylvania State Police Troop N Major Case Team is handling the investigation into the incident. Once their investigation is complete, it will be turned over to the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office for a ruling on the matter. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Billionaire Andrew Forrests mining company Fortescue has applied for exploration leases covering more than 7000 square kilometres of land in Western Australias south in the hunt for critical mineral deposits. The tenements largely cover farming areas from Gnowangerup in the Great Southern to Ravensthorpe in the Goldfields-Esperance region. Andrew Forrests mining company Fortescue wants to go looking for critical minerals in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Credit:Trevor Collens/Landtracker Fortescue is the fourth-largest iron ore producer in the world but has held ambitions in other minerals like lithium for Australian exploration for several years but without much luck in finding new deposits. The companys lithium search has previously centred around the Pilbara, but four exploration leases were applied for in March near Bridgetown and the Greenbushes mine which is the worlds largest hard rock lithium operation. As an example, Marshall pointed to a new product called Future Feed which can lessen the impact of emissions from cattle farming [Future Feed] can literally eliminate the emissions. Distributed randomly without too much control, it can easily give you between 80 and 90 per cent emissions reduction in cattle, so a seemingly impossible problem solved through science, he said. Suddenly, politics vanishes. Its no longer a fight. Its no longer whos to blame. Its no longer a wedge. Its lets get together and how do we take this innovation to the world. Products like Future Feed, and also like plant-based meat substitute V2 foods, are coming out of Australia and taking the likes of Silicon Valley by surprise, Marshall said. But they need ongoing support if the value is to stay in Australia. We can do this. Science can create the economic pillar that we need to replace the one that we are likely to lose in the fossils industry, he said. When you dig it up out of the ground, it can eventually run out. But when you create it through innovation, its a wellspring that can never run dry. Competition among states not a bad thing At a state level, governments have needed to collaborate closely throughout the pandemic, but also have a new perspective on their own sovereign capabilities and capacities. Things like the pandemic particularly, can have you suddenly realise that youre in a have not space. We dont have this vaccine, we dont have the ability to make it, said Monash Universitys Professor James Whisstock. Its all about getting the balance right. We want to make sure that we invest in the things that the most people in the country can take advantage of. Dr Amanda Caples and Professor James Whisstock at The Age Innovation Summit. Credit:Eddie Jim Gabrielle Upton, parliamentary secretary to the NSW premier, said COVID had highlighted the importance of sovereign capability, and how critical research translation and commercialisation is to the economy. NSW wont build capacity in every technology, but we will where there are competitive strengths, and the need for sovereign capacity to create new jobs and our future industries, she said. The Victorian governments lead scientist, Amanda Caples, said all states had collaborated to solve issues during COVID-19 and that spirit would continue. But competition was also an important part of driving the economy, and the two states were competing, for example, in the fields of health and medical research, and mRNA. It usually adds to the greater good because that competition, when its healthy, leads to increased awareness of the importance of investing in science, technology and innovation, she said. When you look at the way Australia has been able to come together as a consequence of the pandemic, you see everyones got different pieces of the puzzle. If we didnt have that profile, that sense of vision and passion for innovation shared across the nation, then I think we would be poorer for that. Our capacity to innovate is enormous Richard Price, CEO of Defence SA. Credit: South Australia is the home of the nations space agency, which includes securing sovereign defence capabilities for Australia in space. But Defence SA chief executive Richard Price said theres a danger in focusing too much on specific products or capabilities to develop because, to put it in defence terms, you dont want to find yourself preparing for the previous war. Its dangerous to decide the future based on where we are today. To me sovereign capabilities means the ability to do something different, and create an ecosystem of people who can quickly respond, be agile, and transform for what suddenly emerges tomorrow, he said. And that requires investment in many different broad areas of research, but also industrial capability as well. Because what I can tell you is whatever plan we have today, will not be what happens in 20 years time. Whisstock pointed to the ongoing European conflict for an example of why an Australian space industry could turn out to be so vital. One single individual, Elon Musk, switching on a bunch of his companys satellites above Ukraine, completely revolutionised the communications capacity of that nation in the context of war, he said. Having the infrastructure not only to get things up there, but also to build the stuff that goes up there it is a pretty unpleasant environment, space is really important. Because its going to become the competition area of the future. For start-ups to shine, structural change is still needed The pandemic has been particularly disruptive for start-ups, but it may have also deepened the gender gap. Loading Women who were starting companies had to take on the additional burden that the pandemic presented at home, Rachael Neumann, co-founder of Flying Fox Ventures said. And thats just an additional barrier on top of the existing structural issues that keep women from becoming investors and founders. In Australia only around 3 per cent of investments flow into companies founded by women, while in Victoria, that number is about 12 per cent, she said. To be an investor in many of these early stage start-ups, for equity investment under the Corporations Act, you have to qualify as a sophisticated investor. Women are disproportionately penalised to fulfil that obligation if they have career breaks, Neumann said. And we can look at how do we get more women through the educational pathways that are most likely to result in startups, but at a certain point we need childcare. In this country, we have a dearth of childcare at every level. We have to get better because all the data shows that with a diverse portfolio, we get better results. With a diverse investment team, we get better results. Blackbird Ventures partner Niki Scevak said it was up to every investment company to make sure the people investing the money reflect society. There are signs of optimism. If you do it on a dollar basis, you can expect a lot of later stage companies that were starting out 10 years ago, reflecting what the world was like 10 years ago, he said. If you measure the companies just getting started, at seed round funding, its a lot healthier. Learning to love failure Aconex founder Leigh Jasper said the business and financial community must grow more comfortable with failure if Australia is to produce more successful start-ups. The very best start-ups are going out to do something remarkable, and some will get it wrong. For almost 40 years Telstra has had a dream run with its sponsorship of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA). Held every August at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), the competition has become the primary focus for Indigenous communities and individual artists from all parts of Australia. At the same time, a wide range of satellite events have flourished as part of an annual Darwin Festival that has done much to bolster the citys cultural credentials. Other drawcards include the National Indigenous Fashion Awards, the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, and the National Indigenous Music Awards. Two local art dealers, Paul Johnstone and Matt Ward, produce an excellent set of smaller exhibitions under the umbrella title, Salon. Another obligatory stop is Charles Darwin University (CDU) Gallery, which invariably has something worth seeing. Margaret Rarru Garrawurra, in front of her NATSIAA main prize winner, Dhomala (pandanus sail), 2022. Credit:Charlie Bliss This year, MAGNT welcomed a new director in Adam Worrall, an experienced museum administrator who worked for many years at the National Gallery of Australia. Worrall is full of enthusiasm for the job, and begins at an ideal time, with a sympathetic government committed to building a new gallery in the CBD to display MAGNTs art holdings, allowing the existing building to be completely occupied by the museum. This is an overdue initiative, as the institutions split identity has long forced disparate displays to compete for space. The new building, which is being co-authored by Clare Design, the same architects responsible for Brisbanes highly successful Gallery of Modern Art, is due to open in late 2024. As for the NATSIAA, for 2022 Telstra has doubled the prize money for the seven separate awards, making it the richest art prize in Australia, with the winner taking home $100,000. This sounds impressive, but it has been a long time coming. Only a couple of weeks ago, Hadleys Orient Hotel in Hobart sponsored an art competition with the same first prize. If one independently owned hotel can afford it, could such a large company do less? The tools that can improve our lives can also worsen them. This maxim is true for tech in general and can also be true for fitness technology. I am never more aware of this than in the lead up to a fun run or adventure race. And this is because, for me, fitness tech can suck the fun and adventure out of the race. When fitness technology interferes with our enjoyment of exercise, it might be time to stop using it. Credit:Getty Take Strava, for instance. I love it because it makes me accountable to myself. On the days I feel lazy, recording my run will make me go the extra kilometre or push myself that bit harder. I love that it shows me my progress too. Im proud of myself for being a 41-year-old mother-of-two and running sub-50-minute 10 kilometres, something that seemed utterly unachievable only a few months ago. Seeing others on Strava serves as inspiration, too, and encouragement to keep going. Firefighters could assist with medical emergencies in Adelaide Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Christmas was looming when restaurateur Ben Kirkwood realised he had a problem. He had managed to find staff to move to Byron Bay and work in his eatery, but they had nowhere to live. Competition for housing was so fierce that young, often casual, hospitality workers had little chance of securing a lease. Kirkwood had to act fast, when the staff were told to leave their temporary accommodation to make way for peak-season holiday bookings. Beach Byron Bay owner Ben Kirkwood with his staff, Sanket Ancharya, Gabby Farnham and Abbey Brady. Credit:Danielle Smith I thought, screw that, Ill just rent you my house, and well just go and rent something. He moved his wife and children out of the family home at the end of 2020 and moved his staff in. It was either that or we wouldnt have been able to open our business every day, said Kirkwood, who owns the Beach Byron Bay restaurant. Two brothers accused of kidnapping former Australian Test cricketer Stuart MacGill have been granted strict conditional bail by the NSW Supreme Court. Brothers Frederick Schaaf, 28, and Richard Schaaf, 30, are accused of kidnapping the former spin bowler on April 14, 2021. Stuart MacGill outside court in July. Credit:Kate Geraghty The pair who face one charge of taking or detaining a person in company to get advantage and occasioning actual bodily harm were granted bail by Justice Richard Button on Thursday. According to MacGills police statement following the alleged incident, he was punched repeatedly to the front and back of his face and into his chin, causing him to become concussed. The NSW government has unveiled plans for a major redevelopment of a public housing estate in Riverwood, near Punchbowl, which would replace 1000 ageing units with close to 4000 private and social housing dwellings. But it is likely to face another round of pushback from residents over the scale of the buildings and the proportion of private housing in the redeveloped estate. The 30-hectare Riverwood Estate between the M5 and Belmore Road will be one of the states largest urban renewal projects. The 30-hectare Riverwood Estate sits just south of the M5 on Belmore Road, north of Riverwood train station, and has been earmarked for redevelopment since 2016. The government initially proposed 6000 new homes, but this was reduced to 3900 following an earlier consultation. A new masterplan, to be released publicly on Friday, proposes buildings of three to 12 storeys and a mix of about 30 per cent public housing and 70 per cent private. But the planning documents stipulate the 30 per cent is a maximum and the final amount will be determined following engagement with industry during the tender process. Police are treating a fatal Queensland house fire as a potential homicide and have launched an ethical investigation, as it was revealed the deceased woman had taken out a domestic violence order against the man living there with her. A woman has died from her injuries after a house fire in Ayr on Tuesday. Credit:Ayr Emergency services were called at 5.40am on Tuesday to an address on Home Hill Road in Ayr, where the two residents, the 47-year-old woman and the 65-year-old man, were found. Police and paramedics were called to the address about 2.15am that morning for a welfare check on the couple before leaving the premises. As emergency crews responded to the fire hours later, the pair were rushed to Ayr hospital in a critical condition and were later airlifted to Townsville University Hospital. AFL boss Gill McLachlan received a birthday cake from US entertainment giant Paramount this week. Happy birthday to outgoing AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, who celebrated his 49th birthday on Monday with a Paramount-themed cake delivered by the US entertainment giant. Paramount is one of a group of companies (including Seven West Media, Foxtel and Nine Entertainment Co, the owner of this masthead) bidding for the broadcast rights to the AFL and AFLW once the current contract expires in 2024. The cake was just a sweetener on top of a multimillion-dollar bid offered by Paramount. McLachlan is a Leo twin with the company, which also sent cupcakes, balloons and other delights to Australian media this week to celebrate its streaming services first birthday. A picture of McLachlan cutting into an oversized Paramount cake so big it fed up to 100 AFL staff surfaced on social media with a happy birthday. We wonder what he wished for. Perhaps that a reported bid of $600 million which Paramount boss Beverley McGarvey claims was plucked from thin air was actually made? More councils are planning to end in-home help for older Victorians, with concerns growing that ceasing such services could put severe strain on the states aged care system. Council staff at the City of Yarra, in Melbournes inner north, are set to recommend the council withdraw from in-home aged care, while aged care staff in Port Phillip, in the inner south, are also concerned that there are plans to make them redundant. Stonnington council says it is considering its options. Gay Ochiltree is concerned that Yarra council is considering stopping its in-home aged care services. Credit:Chris Hopkins Across the state, 23 councils no longer provide in-home aged care or are in the process of stopping their programs. In Boroondara, in Melbournes east, and in the Mornington Peninsula Shire, residents have been left without care for weeks as private providers struggle to find staff. Councils are moving away from providing aged care services because the federal government is changing its funding model from block funding, in which councils get a set amount of money to provide services based on how many elderly people need support, to a consumer-directed model. Its doing this for a reason. While this ambiguity remains official policy, the US, in particular, has had several startlingly clear moments of siding with Taiwanese sovereignty. Most spectacularly, this has involved repeated statements from President Joe Biden that the US would intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan, and even called Taiwan independent. White House officials were then forced to walk back those comments, becoming increasingly unconvincing. Particularly, once you add the fact that American marines have openly trained with Taiwans military, and that Donald Trump lifted restrictions on contacts between US and Taiwanese officials, emphasised commitments to Taiwan, and sent it advanced weapons systems. Meanwhile, Australias posture towards China has been more aggressive sometimes provoked, but sometimes not as we saw when the Morrison government called publicly for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. And while the Albanese government clearly wasnt enamoured of Pelosis visit to Taiwan, it would never publicly criticise it. All of which throws into sharp relief the Chinese ambassadors pointed remark that China and Australia should make independent judgments free from the interference of a third party. Translation: stop subcontracting out your position to the US. And dont choose the US over China in the growing conflict between the two. Here again, China is identifying a position Australia wont declare, but which everyone knows to be true. Australian politicians might repeat the mantra that we dont have to choose between China and the US, but should push come to shove, we already have. Loading That gets sharp around Taiwan because of a question no Australian politician will want to answer until they have no choice: if China invades, and the US decides to send its military, will we join them? Our approach to the US alliance says we probably would. But the real debate would be whether or not that would be in our national interest. And that would depend on what consequences were happy to wear. Are we happy for our economy to grind to a halt? Will we risk an invasion, assuming the US will defend us? Does it change things if Trump is elected in two years? Circumstances are asking us the question of a century. My reading of Chinas language is that it sees us really as US representatives in the Pacific. It would prefer this to change, and will apply pressure to that end, but otherwise is quite prepared to engage with us on those terms. Meanwhile, were acquiescing to that role. In doing this, were inevitably punting on the kind of unknowable future that foreign policy so often throws up. Were basically assuming that American power will continue to hold sway, that Chinese power will remain in check, and that in the event of open conflict, well be safest behind American shields. This is becoming a hotly contested debate in foreign policy circles, between those who insist we stick even closer to the US, and those who think that, whether we like it or not, Chinese ascendance is inevitable and we should respond pragmatically to that fact a bit like New Zealand is. Loading But whatever debates are occurring in foreign policy think tanks and universities, there is no democratic debate on the horizon. Our increasingly pronounced US tilt is bipartisan, so the pros and cons of that position never get agitated publicly. Even to do so would seem vaguely seditious at this point. I understand why. But the problem is that the Australian public has no idea what were meant to be walking into or what calculations are being made on our behalf. It may be that doubling down on the US alliance is the right path to take. But even if thats true, we are entering an era when that will come with costs. What are they? Or more precisely, what do our political leaders think they will be? What consequences are they signing up to accept? It is hard to think of a weightier political judgment being made in our lifetimes. And its extraordinary that if the public can be said to be making it at all, were doing so in the dark. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size For the senior public servants who would have their emails, decisions and text messages pored over in full public view, the parliamentary probe into John Barilaros appointment to a plum New York trade role was not ideal. But it was, to use the words of the states top bureaucrat, utterly predictable. They were right to be concerned. Over six weeks of evidence, the inquiry has prised open the internal machinations of the public service to lay bare the muddied line separating the states most highly paid public servants and the government ministers who can hire or fire them on a whim. Witnesses in their evidence have proclaimed the lofty ideals of a government sector that operates without fear or favour. But lines of questioning have more often revealed political pressure and nervous bureaucrats. Premier Dominic Perrottet was quick to distance himself from the hiring process. Credit:Kate Geraghty The relationship between politicians and the public service is a perennial challenge, says Andrew Podger, a former senior bureaucrat and public service commissioner. Problems of excessive political pressure are occurring across jurisdictions and are not confined to one side of politics or the other Clearly the head of Investment NSW felt constrained in exercising her authority, and pressure was known also to the head of the NSW Premiers department. But Investment NSW chief executive Amy Browns opening statement to the inquiry in June gave nothing away. I am committed to the public sector core values of integrity, trust, service and accountability. That includes the Westminster principle of an apolitical and impartial public service, she said. Advertisement The process that appointed Barilaro was consistent with the government sector employment act, Brown insisted, and the independent Public Service Commissioner, who was on the hiring panel, would back her in on that fact. Amy Brown giving evidence to the upper house inquiry in June. Credit:Janie Barrett Brown appeared protective of Stuart Ayres, who was the relevant minister when she was promoted to secretary of the NSW Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade without a recruitment process earlier this year. Minister Ayres is very respectful of the public service and our processes and so he was very cautious about not having those sorts of conversations [about the appointment], she said under questioning. The early days of the saga exposed Brown and set her up to take the fall if required. Premier Dominic Perrottet was quick to distance himself from the process. In question time in June, he emphasised Brown was the final decision-maker and the appropriate person to explain what went on. It would not have been lawful for me as premier to intervene in any step of the process, he told parliament. Later that day he said: If there were not good reasons behind the decision, Ill take action. Advertisement Stuart Ayres resigned as trade minister over his role in the recruitment process. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer By the time of Browns second appearance, the department secretary was taking a different tone. It was six weeks later, but just hours after Ayres had resigned amid concerns over his involvement in the recruitment process that had emerged in a separate review Perrottet had commissioned. She admitted the process that appointed Barilaro was not conducted at arms length from Ayres, who had told her within days of Barilaros application that the former deputy premier would make a good candidate. While she maintained she was responsible for the decision, Brown confessed she had some nervousness about the ramifications. That was when she sought advice from the department of premier and cabinet secretary, Michael Coutts-Trotter. Brown said she asked him in April whether there was anything that you wish to tell me that would dissuade me from making that decision. I think he shrugged and said no, she said. Department of Premier and Cabinet Secretary Michael Coutts-Trotter. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer In another exchange from May, when Brown told Coutts-Trotter by text that Barilaro would take on a plum New York trade role with the blessings of the premier and deputy premier, he responded with: Righto. Advertisement Brown said his replies did not imply that there was nothing to worry about. Rather, it was more Im not going to tell you anything to stop it going ahead. Like, a bit as though he was resigned to it, she told the inquiry. Coutts-Trotter, an experienced bureaucrat, was Perrottets choice to lead the public service when he became premier. Information in the public domain has suggested he took a neutral role in Barilaros appointment; it is unclear whether he escalated Browns concerns to the premier. Coutts-Trotters text to Brown that the Labor probe was an utterly predictable outcome was released this week as part of the inquiry, which has entered its seventh week and is ongoing. Ministers who have worked with Brown regard her as intelligent, but there is a view that she was promoted too quickly, without the requisite experience for such a senior role. Asked if Ayres interventions had put her or her agency in a difficult position, Brown said: Thats fair. Its tough being a public servant at the best of times. Advertisement Loading Much of Browns angst related to the back-and-forth surrounding the governments desire to convert the trade roles from public service decisions to ministerial appointments. The political uncertainty had a clear impact on Brown. She described it as both disheartening and disillusioning, and said it led her team to feel ministers did not have faith in their decision-making. I felt the need that I had to keep checking [with the minister] partly because of this grey area that we were in around public service or ministerial. But, broadly speaking, I wanted to make sure he was comfortable, she said. Then, last week, the states public service commissioner Kathrina Lo weighed in. She was adamant that fear of controversy should never stymie an independent, merit-based selection. Public Service Commissioner Kathrina Lo at the inquiry last week. Credit:Kate Geraghty But she, too, had lost faith in the process and even feared she was being used by Brown or the hiring firm as political cover. Advertisement Seoul: North Korea, which has one of the poorest healthcare infrastructures in the world, now claims it has done what few other countries have accomplished: eradicate COVID. For days, state propaganda outlets reported zero cases of fever, which North Korea, with its limited testing capacity, apparently uses as a euphemism for potential COVID-19 cases. On Wednesday, leader Kim Jong-un gave a speech in which he solemnly declared a victory over the virus, state media said on Thursday. But there are plenty of holes in countrys miraculous comeback story. For one, it lacks the capacity to do widespread PCR testing. North Korea and Eritrea are the only two nations without a coronavirus vaccine program. And North Korean hospitals are also so poorly equipped that there is barely reliable electricity. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shakes hands with a health official in Pyongyang, North Korea. Credit:KCNA/KNS/AP That has not stopped the regime from heralding success. Kim was credited with eradicating the virus despite falling seriously ill with high fever himself though state media did not specify whether the fever was from coronavirus infection. Beirut: A gunman demanding a Beirut bank let him withdraw his trapped savings to pay for his fathers medical bills took up to 10 people hostage in a seven-hour standoff before surrendering in exchange for what a family lawyer said was $US35,000 ($49,000) of his money. Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein, a 42-year-old food-delivery driver, was promptly arrested and taken away by police as he walked out of the bank. No one was injured. Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein was arrested as he walked out of the bank. Credit:AP Husseins wife, Mariam Chehadi, who was standing outside, told reporters that her husband did what he had to do. The hostage drama in the citys bustling Hamra district was the latest painful episode in Lebanons economic free-fall, now in its third year. Since 2019, the countrys cash-strapped banks have slapped strict limits on withdrawals of foreign currency assets, tying up the savings of millions of people. Warning: Graphic description. Miami: Prosecutors in South Florida have announced a second-degree murder charge against social media model Courtney Clenney related to the fatal stabbing of her live-in boyfriend. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announced the charge on Thursday, local time, against the 26-year-old model during a news conference. Courtney Clenney: the social media model charged with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon. Credit:AP Clenney was arrested on Wednesday in Hawaii. Fernandez Rundle said Clenney, who goes by the name Courtney Tailor on platforms like Instagram and OnlyFans, remains jailed in Hawaii while authorities work to have her extradited to Florida. By Trend Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan Taleh Kazimov approved the amendments to Laws on issuing a loan to banks by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), Trend reports citing CBA. Under the new laws, the conditions for refinancing loans issued by the CBA have been changed. According to the new law, from now on, refinancing loans issued for a period of no more than 180 days will be issued through direct or indirect auctions in order to implement the monetary policy of the Central Bank. In addition, the loan will be refused if the collateral for the loans issued is not issued within three working days from the date of the auction. Banks whose activities are not restricted or prohibited within the framework of control measures implemented in accordance with the Law on Banks of Azerbaijan and who do not have overdue credit obligations to the CBA or banks will be able to participate in the auctions. Loans issued for a period of more than 360 days will be considered refinancing loans that have already been issued outside the auction. By the decision of the Board of the Central Bank, loans can be provided for refinancing outside the auction for a period of no more than 360 days secured. Other conditions for granting these loans are determined by the decision of the CBA Board. Tin is not an insignificant raw material Since ancient times, the western coasts of Europe were known for the Mediterranean countries because of rich tin deposits and the amber coasts. Phoenicians, Greeks and Punic were interested in the metal. Later, the Greeks tried to reach the tin islands or cassiterides. According to ancient geography, these were islands off the coast of Britain. There are said to have been tin mines here. The tin is said to have been exchanged for salt, pottery and copper tableware. It was discovered that tin, when added to copper, was best suited to increase hardness and simplify casting. If you travel back to the 1980s, the tin price crashed at that time. For decades, almost no one looked for new tin deposits. Tin had gone out of fashion. And so today, the existence of tin deposits is often unknown. Yet tin is in demand in the environmental and energy sectors. The metal is used in electric cars, energy storage devices and many computers. Tin is also used in the generation of solar energy. These are all areas that are accompanied by increasing demand. Global tin production, including recycled tin, currently just about covers demand. There could be a deficit in the coming years. So tin should enjoy increasing popularity, as well as, from an investor\-s point of view, the companies that look after tin deposits. For example, First Tin https://youtu.be/H3sL_BuWsq4 -. The company owns two advanced tin projects in Australia and in Germany (Saxony), and production could start in a few years, probably by 2025. Tin One Resources is also committed to tin as a raw material. Well financed, Tin One Resources https://youtu.be/JJHDhi8677c is developing advanced projects in Tasmania and in New South Wales. The company owns 100 percent of the three tin projects. Current corporate information and press releases from First Tin (https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/unternehmen/first-tin-plc/). In accordance with A34 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), I would like to point out that partners, authors and employees may hold shares in the respective companies addressed and that there is therefore a possible conflict of interest. No guarantee for the translation into German. Only the English version of this news is valid. Disclaimer: The information provided does not constitute any form of recommendation or advice. Express reference is made to the risks involved in securities trading. No liability can be accepted for any damages arising from the use of this blog. I would like to point out that shares and especially warrant investments are fundamentally associated with risk. The total loss of the invested capital cannot be excluded. All information and sources are carefully researched. However, no guarantee is given for the correctness of all contents. Despite the greatest care, I expressly reserve the right to make a mistake, especially with regard to figures and prices. The information contained is taken from sources that are considered reliable, but in no way claim to be correct or complete. Due to judicial decisions the contents of linked external pages are to be answered for (so among other things regional court Hamburg, in the judgement of 12.05.1998 312 O 85/98), as long as no explicit dissociation from these takes place. Despite careful control of the contents, I do not assume any liability for the contents of linked external pages. The respective operators are exclusively responsible for their content. The disclaimer of Swiss Resource Capital AG applies additionally: https://www.resource-capital.ch/de/disclaimer-agb/ Vizsla Silver Intersects 1,011 G/T Ageq over 12.52 Metres, Expands High-Grade Mineralization Copala Structureto 900 Metres by 400 Metres Vizsla Silver Corp. (TSX-V: VZLA) (NYSE: VZLA) (Frankfurt: 0G3) (aVizslaa or the aCompanya https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/vizsla-silver-corp/ ) is pleased to report results from 26 new drill holes targeting the Tajitos Copala resource area at its 100%-owned, flagshipA PanucoA silver-gold project (\Panuco\ or the \Project\) located in Mexico. The results are exclusively from the Copala Vein located in the western portion of the district and expand the high-grade mineralized footprint to over 900 metres along strike by 400 metres down dip. Highlights CS-22-191 returned 1,011 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent (AgEq) over 52 metres true width (mTW) (706 g/t silver and 4.93 g/t gold) Including 5,602 g/t AgEq over 1.26 mTW (3,880 g/t silver and 27.70 g/t gold) And, 5,491 g/t AgEq over 3.28 mTW (4,804 g/t silver and 14.23 g/t gold) Including 12,690 g/t AgEq over 1.26 mTW (11,053 g/t silver and 33.50 g/t gold) CS-22-173 returned 826 g/t AgEq over 14.46 mTW (663 g/t silver and 2.90 g/t gold) Including 2,118 g/t AgEq over 0.78 mTW (1,655 g/t silver and 8.05 g/t gold) And, 1,826 g/t AgEq over 1.37 mTW (1,505 g/t silver and 5.93 g/t gold) CS-22-159 returned 418 g/t AgEq over 10.50 mTW (285 g/t silver and 2.12 g/t gold) Including 1,775 g/t AgEq over 0.56 mTW (493 g/t silver and 18.30 g/t gold) And, 2,489 g/t AgEq over 2.66 mTW (2,011 g/t silver and 8.60 g/t gold) Including 6,151 g/t AgEq over 0.89 mTW (4,950 g/t silver and 21.50 g/t gold) CS-22-181 returned 1,051 g/t AgEq over 3.44 mTW (832 g/t silver and 3.85 g/t gold) Including 2,396 g/t AgEq over 0.68 mTW (1,725 g/t silver and 11.00 g/t gold) aThe Copala Vein, located just north of Tajitos, has now become our primary focus for near-term resource expansion at Panuco,a commented Michael Konnert, President and CEO. aNowhere else in the district have we observed such high precious metals grades over such broad intervals, located just below surface. With several newly reported intercepts grading over 1,000 g/t AgEq, Copala continues to demonstrate high-grade mineral continuity both along strike and down dip, ultimately supporting the potential for a material expansion to the Copala resource base. To date, we have now reported 72 holes from Copala, effectively expanding the mineralized footprint to over 900m long by 400m down dip, with mineralization open in all directions.a The Copala Vein is a structure located at the northern extent and on the hangingwall side of the Tajitos structure. Copala is marked by high precious metals grades (up to 11,053 g/t silver and 33.50 g/t gold over 1.26 mTW) hosted within a broader envelope of vein-breccia up to 82 metres thick with local mineralized pockets up to 20.45 mTW averaging 1,030 g/t AgEq (780 g/t silver and 4.23 g/t gold). Our most recent intercepts and interpretations show that Copala dips shallowly to the east (~35A) in its northern sector and steepens to ~52A to the east in the south sector. Drilling has now traced Copala mineralization along 900 metres of strike length and approximately 400 metres down dip. Furthermore, todaya?s reported intercepts expand the zones NNW-SSE striking high-grade shoot an additional 450m to the SSE, beyond the March 2022 resource boundary. This high-grade sub-zone remains open to the north, south and down-dip to the east. Ongoing detailed structural-geologic interpretations suggest mineralization continues to the south, beyond the previously reported Cristiano Vein (see press releases dated January 19, 2022 and March 10, 2022), and is a near-term focus for expansion as Vizsla continues to explore this area. Drilling focused on expanding the Copala resource area continues to highlight well-developed, high-grade mineral continuity. The intercepts reported here, along with previously reported intercepts located to the north and the Copala 2 vein-splay intercepts situated between Tajitos and Copala (see press releases dated June 21, 2022 and May 19, 2022), support the potential to discover additional blind to surface veins in the vicinity. About the Panuco project The newly consolidated Panuco silver-gold project is an emerging high-grade discovery located in southern Sinaloa, Mexico, near the city of MazatlAn. The 6,754-hectare, past producing district benefits from over 75 kilometres of total vein extent, 35 kilometres of underground mines, roads, power, and permits. The district contains intermediate to low sulfidation epithermal silver and gold deposits related to siliceous volcanism and crustal extension in the Oligocene and Miocene. Host rocks are mainly continental volcanic rocks correlated to the Tarahumara Formation. The Panuco Project hosts an estimated in-situ indicated mineral resource of 61.1 Moz AgEq and an in-situ inferred resource of 45.6 Moz AgEq. The Technical Report, titled aNational Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Panuco Project Mineral Resource Estimate Concordia, Sinaloa, Mexicoa was filed on SEDAR on April 7, 2022, has an effective date of March 1, 2022 and was prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 a Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (aNI 43-101a) by Tim Maunula, P.Geo., Principal Geologist, T. Maunula & Associates Consulting Inc and Kevin Murray, P.Eng, Manager Process Engineering, Ausenco. About Vizsla Silver Vizsla Silver is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, BC, focused on advancing its flagship, 100%-owned Panuco silver-gold project located in Sinaloa, Mexico. To date, Vizsla has completed over 140,000 metres of drilling at Panuco leading to the discovery of several new high-grade veins. For 2022, Vizsla has budgeted +120,000 metres of resource/discovery-based drilling designed to upgrade and expand the maiden resource, as well as test other high priority targets across the district. Quality Assurance / Quality Control Drill core and rock samples were shipped to ALS Limited in Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico and in North Vancouver, Canada for sample preparation and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver.A The ALS Zacatecas and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Silver and base metals were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish and gold was assayed by 30-gram fire assay with atomic absorption (aAAa) spectroscopy finish. Over limit analyses for silver, lead and zinc were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with AA finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples, duplicates and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Companya?s quality assurance / quality control protocol. Qualified Person In accordance with NI 43-101, Martin Dupuis, P.Geo., COO , is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release. Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources The scientific and technical information in this news release was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the aSECa). The terms \measured mineral resource\, \indicated mineral resource\ and \inferred mineral resource\ used herein are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the aCIM Definition Standardsa), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained herein providing descriptions of our mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. You are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, ainferred mineral resourcesa are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an indicated mineral resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of inferred mineral resources could be upgraded to indicated mineral resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of acontained ouncesa in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute areservesa by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the aSEC Modernization Rulesa), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of ameasured mineral resourcesa, aindicated mineral resourcesa and ainferred mineral resourcesa. Information regarding mineral resources contained or referenced herein may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be asubstantially similara to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that the Company may report as ameasured mineral resourcesa, aindicated mineral resourcesa and ainferred mineral resourcesa under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. Contact Information: For more information and to sign-up to the mailing list, please contact: Michael Konnert, President and Chief Executive Officer Tel: (604) 364-2215 Email: info@vizslasilver.caA Website: www.vizslasilvercorp.caA A Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain aForward?Looking Statementsa within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and aforward?looking informationa under applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words aanticipatea, abelievea, aestimatea, aexpecta, atargeta, aplana, aforecasta, amaya, awoulda, acoulda, aschedulea and similar words or expressions, identify forward?looking statements or information. These forward?looking statements or information relate to, among other things: the exploration, development, and production at Panuco, including plans for resource/discovery-based drilling, designed to upgrade, and expand the maiden resource as well as test other high priority targets across the district. Forward?looking statements and forward?looking information relating to any future mineral production, liquidity, enhanced value and capital markets profile of Vizsla Silver, future growth potential for Vizsla Silver and its business, and future exploration plans are based on managementa?s reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on managementa?s experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of silver, gold, and other metals; no escalation in the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; Vizsla Silvera?s ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. These statements reflect Vizsla Silvera?s respective current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of other assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward?looking statements or forward-looking information and Vizsla Silver has made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation: the Company\-s dependence on one mineral project; precious metals price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Company\-s mining activities in Mexico; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company\-s management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company\-s inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; the ability of the communities in which the Company operates to manage and cope with the implications of COVID-19; the economic and financial implications of COVID-19 to the Company; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company\-s interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Company\-s ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; litigation risk; and the factors identified under the caption aRisk Factorsa in Vizsla Silvera?s management discussion and analysis. Readers are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward?looking statements or forward-looking information. Although Vizsla Silver has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Vizsla Silver does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward?looking statements or forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements or information, other than as required by applicable law. Mobile learning start-up doinstruct closes seven-figure financing from High-Tech GrAnderfonds and Born2Grow Rethinking employee training, integration, and communication: doinstruct develops a low-threshold, multilingual mobile training solution for frontline workers. The software enables companies to train their employees and service providers by smartphone, across supply chains and in any location. With its strong new partners doinstruct hopes to revolutionize in-company employee training and push ahead with product development and the expansion of the company into new sectors. adoinstruct is revolutionizing training, instruction, and certification of frontline workers with a scalable product perfectly suited to customer requirements. In addition to exciting customers, we were also convinced by the long experience of the team, which will enable them to evolve to a leading player in the market. a Christian Arndt Senior Investment Manager HTGF While employees with a fixed desktop workstation increasingly make use of e-learning tools, for 80% of workers, so-called frontline workers without a fixed desktop workstation, there are very few training solutions that really reach all users. Examples of this are employees in logistics, healthcare, food production, catering, retail or facility management.A In these sectors there are not only many unskilled international employees and high fluctuation rates but also a high demand for regular training courses and instruction. In order to onboard, train, and integrate frontline workers, doinstruct has developed a webapp which interacts with employees on their private smartphone in their respective native language and prepares them for their job. The startup relies not only on intuitive, barrier-free operation, but also provides its clients with a library of high quality, industry-specific training videos. aWe are very proud to have two great sparring partners in Born2Grow and HTGF.A Together we will be able to push the education of many people to a new level. a Charlotte Rothert, co-founder of doinstruct By using doinstruct, companies can significantly improve the training experience of their employees while saving up to 50% of the costs. In addition, managers have time again to focus on strategic tasks instead of dealing with recurring training and its preparation. aTraining and continuing education of frontline employees will be highly relevant in the future due to the shortage of skilled workers and increasing legal requirements. With its 360A training software for frontline workers, doinstruct is revolutionizing the certification and training market. Compared to existing classroom-based training courses, doinstructa?s training method is much more efficient and cost-effective. We look forward to cooperating with doinstructa?s experienced and highly-motivated team!a Manuel BAhringer a Investment Manager BORN2GROW GmbH & Co.A KG About doinstruct: doinstruct was founded in OsnabrAck in 2021 by Daniel Marinkovic and Charlotte Rothert. A few months later, experienced executive director Thorsten GroA rounded off the team. The three partners, who perfectly complement one another, got to know each other during a digital training project in the food industry. They came up with the idea to develop a low-threshold, multilingual mobile training solution for frontline workers. By focusing on its target group doinstruct succeeded, within a few months from the launch of the MVP, in convincing food production companies, medium-sized enterprises and family businesses to use their software. The startup now employs a 12-person team consisting, among others, of software developers, education experts, and designers. doinstruct set itself the task of developing highly user-centered training software which can easily be implemented in companies and reaches 100% of employees. About BORN2GROW BORN2GROW (B2G) is a Heilbronn-based and internationally active seed fund that focuses on investments in high-growth startups in future-oriented technologies such as Life Sciences, CleanTech, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, IoT, Hardware & Robotics, and Software.A B2G was founded in 2013 and supports its portfolio companies with capital, know-how and its extensive network. Since its inception, the fund has actively supported more than 25 portfolio companies. B2G works together with other VC funds and business angels.A B2G is a subsidiary of ZFHN Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn, a family office that focuses on networking activities and investments in the region of Heilbronn-Franken. In this context, the cooperation between national and international start-ups and medium-sized companies from the region is intensified. A About High-Tech GrAnderfonds High-Tech GrAnderfonds (HTGF) is a seed investor that finances high-potential, tech-driven start-ups. With around EUR 900 million in total investment volume across three funds and an international network of partners, HTGF has already helped forge more than 670 start-ups since 2005. Driven by their expertise, entrepreneurial spirit and passion, its team of experienced investment managers and startup experts help guide the development of young companies. HTGFa?s focus is on high-tech start-ups in the fields of digital tech, industrial technology, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas. To date, external investors have injected more than EUR 4 billion into the HTGF portfolio via more than 1,900 follow-on financing rounds. HTGF has also successfully sold interests in more than 150 companies. Investors in this public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, KfW Capital, and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V., as well as the companies ALTANA, BASF, BAYER, B.Braun, Boehringer Ingelheim, Robert Bosch, BAFA, CEWE, Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Post DHL, DrAger, 1+1 AG, EVONIK, EWE AG, FOND OF, Haniel, Hettich, Knauf, KArber, LANXESS, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, PHOENIX CONTACT, QIAGEN, RWE Generation SE, SAP, Schufa, Schwarz Gruppe, STIHL, ThAga, Vector Informatik, WACKER and Wilh. Werhahn KG. Chahid El-Hafed, 11, August 2022 (SPS) - The Frente POLISARIO reaffirmed today that "there will be no other solution to the Western Sahara conflict outside the framework of the 1991 UN-OAU Plan". In a statement made public at the conclusion of the National Secretariat session "renewed its full willingness to cooperate with the efforts of the Secretary General of the United Nations and his Personal Envoy for the decolonization of the last colony in Africa, emphasizing that there is no solution to the conflict outside the clear legal framework embodied in the UN-OAU Settlement Plan of 1991, the only one that has received the agreement of both parties and the support of the UN Security Council , in a way that guarantees to the Saharawi people their inalienable right to self-determination and independence, like all colonial countries and peoples. On the other hand, the POLISARIO warned that "the silence of the international community towards the conduct of the Moroccan occupation state only threatens peace and security in the region." "In this context, the Saharawi Republic expresses its sincere willingness to promote cooperation, coordination and consultations with its neighbors, Algeria and Mauritania, as well as the other countries in the region, including Libya, Tunisia, Niger and Mali to deal with the dangers and challenges that threaten our peoples and countries, the statement added. In addition, the National Secretariat "valued very positively the important visit to the Saharawi Republic carried out by the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union, Mr. Bankole Adeoye, taking into account the role of the Union as a key partner of the United Nations in the decolonization of the African continent, concludes the statement. SPS 125/090/TRA This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate On the heels of Sikorskys ballyhooed flight of an autonomous Black Hawk, Connecticuts other helicopter manufacturer is nearing flight tests for an aerial drone to tote cargo to troops, workers in remote locales, or people needing emergency supplies after disasters. Kaman plans its first flight tests later this year for Kargo UAV, an unmanned aerial vehicle designed to lift loads of up to 800 lbs. and carry them hundreds of miles. The Bloomfield manufacturer is hoping to interest the U.S. military in the rotorcraft drone, as well as select industries that rely on regular cargo shuttles or sporadic replenishment flights. The Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society credits Kaman with being the first to fly an unmanned helicopter, in 1957. The U.S. Marine Corps used a remotely piloted version of the companys K-MAX helicopter in Afghanistan, and the Marines have prototypes of Kamans newest K-MAX Titan helicopter drone that is designed to carry more than two tons of payload. While the K-MAX Titan fuselage and rotors are not dissimilar to those of a conventional helicopter, the Kargo UAV resembles a oversize version of the lightweight quadcopter drones that are in widespread use today to shoot aerial photos and videos. CEO Ian Walsh said last week that the company hopes to begin mass production of the Kargo aircraft by 2025. We are super-excited about the demand signals that were getting both on the military and on the commercial side for Kargo UAV, Walsh said on a conference call with investment analysts. On the commercial side, in terms of timing, its hard to predict; but I can tell you from recent meetings with certain customers and some of the markets that weve talked about, there is a huge requirement [and] demand for that type of application oil and gas being one in particular. Kaman hired Walsh in September 2020. Earlier in his career, Walsh worked for Bell and parent company Textron, which both have designed unmanned aerial vehicles for the U.S. military including the Shadow used by the U.S. Army and Bells proposed V-247 Vigilant. Bell is now vying with Sikorsky and Boeing to replace the Black Hawk with a new fleet of faster and more powerful utility aircraft. The Pentagon expects to issue a decision next month on its preferred design, with thousands of Connecticut jobs at stake at Sikorsky and parent company Lockheed Martin. The U.S. Department of Defense budgeted $3.1 billion for UAV aircraft in coming fiscal year. The Pentagons spend for the coming year on unmanned aerial vehicles systems dwarfs what it is earmarking for new Black Hawk helicopters, though Sikorsky is counting on decades more work updating existing aircraft to the modern demands of warfare. With surveillance and strike capability the early focus of drones, the military is adding cargo applications to its focus. The website MilitaryFactory.com lists about 100 military drones today for varying missions, some of them still in design phase. The U.S. Navy has tested quadcopter prototypes made by a Colorado company called PteroDynamics that can lift up to 50 pounds, which the Navy said could be used for 90 percent of critical repair cargo runs to ships at sea. But with Kargo, Kaman envisions an all-purpose drone wagon to drop off far heavier loads, whether at sea or in other remote locales. The U.S. Marine Corps has been weighing a cheap way to get ammunition and supplies to small teams of ground troops under an operating model it calls Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, coordinating operations across hundreds of miles. If you do want to operate in that fashion, you have to worry about isolation and things like that thats a new tactic, said Romin Dasmalchi, senior director of business development for Kamans government sales, and a former Marine colonel and aviator who led the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The idea behind Kargo was, we will provide an inexpensive, easy-to-operate, logistics-focused machine that can sustain troops. Were not talking about pizza-box deliveries were talking about supplying hundreds if not thousands of pounds of ammunition per day. The company has floated the possibility of commercial applications as well, including Kargo being used for middle-mile cargo hauls between warehouses to stage local last-mile deliveries to homes and businesses. Kargos guidance systems are designed by a Pittsburgh startup called Near Earth Autonomy, in which Kaman invested $10 million in June. Near Earth Autonomy was part of the team that won the Vertical Flight Societys Howard Hughes Award in 2018 for technical innovation, which Sikorsky won three years before with its Matrix autonomous flight system it has since adapted for the Black Hawks autonomous flight earlier this year. Kaman biggest helicopter program was the small Seasprite and its successor Super Seasprite, which the U.S. Navy uses to hunt submarines and smaller surface ships lurking over the horizon, as well as for utility roles like cargo and medical evacuation. The company derives most of its aviation revenue today from parts and systems that go into other manufacturers aircraft, including cockpits for search-and-rescue helicopters Sikorsky is making in Stratford for the U.S. Air Force. Kaman also makes fuzes for laser-guided bombs that arm and detonate the munitions; and parts for a wide range of industrial and medical systems. Sales totaled $319 million in the first six months of this year, a 10 percent drop from a year ago. Profits were down by more than half to $8.1 million. In January, the company sold off its Kaman Distribution Group subsidiary to Genuine Parts for $1.3 billion, with the division employing 1,700 people. Kaman reported a workforce of 2,850 people at the close of last year. But Kaman is adding a major new product line with the $440 million acquisition of a Parker-Hannifin division outside Cleveland that makes aircraft wheels, brakes and related hydraulics with aerial drones among the 450,000 aircraft with Parker-Hannifin systems on board. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman NEW CANAAN Although money is often allocated to take down dying trees, the Board of Selectmen discussed using $200,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds Tuesday to plant them. This is just one of the items in the $715,000 list that selectmen decided to delay until September. Selectmen also discussed $200,000 for information technology and cybersecurity, $300,000 for paving a path in Mead Memorial Park and $15,000 for the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post. The Department of Public Works would like the town to plant trees along South Avenue from Bank Street to Waveny Park. Its our largest gateway into town, DPW Head Tiger Mann said. We have virtually no tree cover from Bank Street to Waveny Park. Mann said that trees are plentiful north of Bank Street, but they are sparce south to Waveny Park. The town will need to obtain permits with the state for the plantings, since it is a state road. We spent a lot of money taking trees down. We havent spent any money putting trees up, First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said. The town has lost a number of ash and beech trees in town, Mann said. Many ash trees have been killed by the emerald ash borer. The beetle, first found in Connecticut in 2012, burrows into a tree, feeds on it and eventually kills it, according to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Beech trees have been severely impacted by beech leaf disease, first cited in Connecticut in 2019. The disease causes leaves to fall, thins canopies and makes the trees susceptible to other malicious pests, according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Mann said the town will want to plant diverse species, since sometimes diseases travel through roots, where trees meet underground. The department will be canvassing the town to see other places trees are needed. DPW is already looking to attain a bid for a tree in Waveny Park since one just came down by the pond. The VFW may receive money from ARPA as the organization regularly raises money for the flags on veterans graves by selling poppies, but COVID-19 has interfered with their fundraising. Moynihan said he had previously thought the VFW was not within the guidelines of ARPA funding, but has since learned it is. Selectman Nick Williams, admitting his bias as the son of a WWII veteran, vouched for the importance of this allocation. This is much needed and has my full support, he said. The town is also hoping to improve the Gold Star Walk at Mead Memorial Park by paving a horse-shoe shaped area with Flexi-pave around the pond, excluding the south end of the pond where the parking lot is located. Per Mann, the paving is needed because of the inability to grow grass due to the amount of foot traffic. The Beautification League has been busy rehabilitating the path already, planting trees, posting dedication signs and enhancing landscaping, Mann said. Investment in cybersecurity was also discussed, including improved education of employees and upgrades to some of the towns software. Town employees have been told that if technology is not soon improved, insurance to protect against cybersecurity increase, one town staffer told the selectmen. If all of this is approved by the selectmen, the Board of Finance and Town Council, this plan would leave nearly $1 million of $6 million the town is receiving as part of the federal $350 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments. To date, a little over $4 million of ARPA funds have been approved by the appropriate town agencies. Moynihan expects to add another line item for $400,000 in the coming weeks. Selectman Kathleen Corbet said that, while she was in favor of the current items, the board should wait for the final item before making a decision. The town is not seeking suggestions on further ways to spend the money, Moynihan said, since the Board of Finance would like to put some of the federal money in the general fund. This would be within ARPA guidelines, since the funds can be used to repay town revenue lost due to COVID-19, such as parking fees, according to the first selectman. The BOF prefers not to use ARPA for operating expense as members may then feel obligated to put it in the future budgets, Moynihan said. While Moynihan recently met with the Town Players who are seeking $400,000 to expand their theatre lobby and add add ADA compliant bathrooms, selectmen decided not to consider the option. The funds had not been approved previously because the Board of Finance wanted more information, Moynihan added. While ongoing, the selectmen expressed pride in the process of allocating the ARPA funds, in particular giving $600,000 to the Community Foundation to help 33 different organizations. STAMFORD A New York man rejected a state offer on Wednesday to plead guilty to invading a Greenwich home and assaulting two local residents twice on the same day in May 2019. Under the offer, Charles Figueroa, 48, of the Bronx, N.Y., would have pleaded guilty to two counts of home invasion. In return, Figueroa had a choice between two different dispositions: a 20-year prison sentence suspended after between 10 to 15 years and five years of probation or a flat 15-year prison sentence. Those offers are rejected, respectfully, Michael Fitzpatrick, who represents Figueroa, told Assistant States Attorney Margaret Moscati at the state Superior Court in Stamford on Wednesday. Instead, Fitzpatrick requested a supervised judicial pretrial with a judge to seek out an alternative resolution to Figueroas case. Figueroa was arrested in September 2020 and charged with two counts each of third-degree assault and home invasion for two separate incidents that happened in Greenwich on May 11, 2019. Police wrote in the warrant that Figueroa allegedly broke into a Stonehedge Drive home twice the same day. According to the court affidavit, Figueroa went to the Greenwich residence dressed in black and wearing body armor. During one of the invasions, Figueroa struck another mans face repeatedly and then pulled out a hatchet. After being driven away from the home that morning, Figueroa allegedly returned later that evening, dressed in black again and wearing a helmet, the warrant said. During another fight, he allegedly pulled a knife and more injuries followed, the warrants stated, before Figueroa left the scene. He was arrested by federal authorities not long afterward on a charge involving illegal possession of ammunition, according to federal court documents. He was arrested in a parking lot outside a fast-food restaurant in the Bronx on May 15, 2019, the documents said. Figueroa has been in police custody ever since in lieu of a $1.5 million bond. He is next scheduled to appear for a supervised judicial pretrial in September. STAMFORD A city man was granted a pretrial probation program on Wednesday that could result in a felony charge against him connected to an armed-robbery-turned-shootout in May 2021 being dropped. Judge Bruce P. Hudock granted Erik Chico, 20, entry into the accelerated rehabilitation program during a disposition hearing at the state Superior Court in Stamford on Wednesday. Hudock said that if Chico completes the two-year pretrial program without picking up any new criminal charges, then the state will drop the conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery charge that he is facing. Hudock told Chico that he is fortunate that he qualified for the program considering the Class C felony he was facing. Before granting Chico accelerated rehabilitation, he also issued a warning. If you engage in any sort of criminal behavior, this program will be terminated, Hudock said. Chico was arrested alongside two other people Saequan McCandies, 16 and Kevin Piersaint, 18 after a May 6, 2021, daylight shootout in Stamfords West Side. The then-19-year-old was originally charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, but the state has since downgraded the charges. Attorney Stephen DeLeo, who represents Chico, said his client made some bad decisions but has since owned up to them. He has spent the better part of the last year walking a very straight line, DeLeo said. According to an arrest warrant, Chico, McCandies and Piersaint allegedly conspired to rob a local marijuana dealer. The warrant states that Chico allegedly set up a drug deal in a parking lot on Liberty Street. Once set in motion, McCandies and Piersaint hid in nearby bushes and waited to ambush the alleged dealer, the warrant said. When the alleged dealer arrived, a shootout ensued, according to the warrant. Investigator Damien Rosa wrote in the warrant that Piersaint was seen on surveillance footage exchanging shots with the targeted individual. No one is believed to have been struck by the gunfire, according to police. Chicos admission in the accelerated rehabilitation program on Wednesday marks the end of the year-plus court cases. On July 6, McCandies was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of criminal attempt at first-degree robbery. A few weeks later, Piersaint was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to the same charge. McCandies and Piersaint will also be required to undergo five years of probation after serving their sentences. WFO LAS VEGAS Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ FLASH FLOOD WARNING Flash Flood Statement National Weather Service Las Vegas NV 622 PM PDT Wed Aug 10 2022 ...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 630 PM MST/630 PM PDT/ THIS EVENING FOR WESTERN MOHAVE, SAN BERNARDINO AND SOUTHWESTERN CLARK COUNTIES... Only light rain is still falling. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures. A Flood Watch remains in effect until 1200 AM MST/1200 AM PDT for portions of northwest Arizona, southeast California and Nevada. The National Weather Service in Phoenix has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Western Yuma County in southwestern Arizona... Southeastern Imperial County in southeastern California... * Until 700 PM MST/700 PM PDT/. * At 623 PM MST/623 PM PDT/, a severe thunderstorm was located over Yuma, moving south at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Yuma, Somerton, Winterhaven and Araby. This includes the following highways... AZ Interstate 8 between mile markers 1 and 9. CA Interstate 8 between mile markers 93 and 96. AZ Route 95 between mile markers 29 and 31. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather WFO NORMAN Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 10, 2022 _____ SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING The National Weather Service in Norman has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southern Cotton County in southwestern Oklahoma... Northwestern Clay County in northern Texas... * Until 700 PM CDT. * At 620 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles southwest of Temple, moving south at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. * Locations impacted include... Temple, Randlett, Taylor and Charlie. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Approximately 244,000 people, Romanian and foreign nationals, and over 57,900 means of transport underwent border checks at all of Romania's crossing points on Wednesday, on both the inbound and the outbound, the General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) reports. There were 117,370 travelers on the inbound, including 13,534 Ukrainian citizens (up by 24.24 percent compared to the day before). The number of Ukrainians who crossed into Romania since the pre-war date of February 10 until August 9 is 1,887,142, the IGPF said. Information on the situation of the border crossing points open to international traffic are available on the Trafic online app that can be accessed at http://www.politiadefrontiera.ro/traficonline/. As part of the specific activities at crossing points and the green border, the border police found 66 illegal acts (28 infractions and 38 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 8,000. Fines worth approximately RON 70,000 were also issued. 17 foreign citizens who did not meet the legal requirements were denied entry to the country, and 62 Romanian citizens were also not allowed to leave the country for various legal reasons. AGERPRES The Arad Border Police have caught 26 migrants that were trying to illegally exit the country, hidden in three trucks, while another three foreign citizens were in the trunk of an automobile. At the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point, one Turkish and one Romanian citizen showed up to carry out the border formalities, each driving one truck, transporting textile and metallic cables for companies in Germany and the United Kingdom. "Based on risk analysis, the Border Police have carried out a thorough control of the two means of transportation. Thus, in the cargo hold, there were 23 people hidden, citizens from Bangladesh, Nepal and Syria," the Arad Border Police informed on Thursday. At the same border crossing point there was an automobile, registered in Romania, driven by a Romanian citizen. Following control, three persons from Bangladesh were found hidden in the truck, with ages between 21 and 36. Furthermore, at Varsand Border Crossing Point, the Border Police have carried out a thorough control for a vehicle driven by a Bulgarian citizen, who was transporting metallic profiles to Slovakia. In the trailer there were also 3 Pakistani citizens, with ages between 23 and 37. AGERPRES The Ministry of Finance (MF) borrowed on Thursday 1.393 billion lei from banks in benchmark state bonds and discount certificates, according to data published by the National Bank of Romania (BNR) pm Thursday. The benchmark state bonds of a residual maturity of 78 months at an average coupon of 7.75% per year brought in 938.5 million lei. The nominal value of the issue was 300 million lei, and the banks bid for 1.248 billion lei. An additional auction is scheduled for Friday for 45 million lei at the yield set on Thursday for the bonds. Also, the ministry borrowed 454.8 million lei in treasury certificates with a discount of a residual maturity of 3 months, at an average yield of 7.14% per annum. The nominal value of the issue was 400 million lei, and the banks bid for 618.5 million lei. The ministry has planned to draw loans from commercial banks worth 5 billion lei in August 2022, to which 585 million lei could be added in an additional session of non-competitive bids for bond auctions, Agerpres. The total amount of 5.585 billion lei is 1.335 billion lei more than July's 4.25 billion lei, and will be intended for refinancing public debt and funding government deficit. The Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Finance will receive the largest amounts in the budget rectification in August, according to the draft published on Thursday on the website of the Ministry of Finance. On the other hand, the Ministry of Interior will see a cut in budget (-559.3 million lei, per balance), the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests (-434.4 million lei), the Ministry of Culture (-275 million lei) and the Special Telecommunications Service (-151 million lei), per balance. According to the substantiation note, the Ministry of Finance will have an increase of over 9.330 billion lei is expected, the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity will have an addition of 5.25 billion lei per balance, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects an increase of 2.719 billion lei, per balance, and, as far as the Ministry of Health is concerned, the increase is proposed to be worth 2.642 billion lei. Also, the Ministry of Energy will have an additional 2.482 billion lei, per balance. An increase of 2 billion lei was proposed for the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, per balance. The Ministry of Justice will receive for rectification 864.4 million lei per balance, Agerpres. According to the substantiation note, the proposal for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is an additional 716.3 million lei per balance, the proposal for the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration is 649.2 million lei, per balance and the additional amount proposed for the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Tourism is 648.3 million, per balance, the General Secretariat of the Government is about to get 241.5 million lei per balance, the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization +203.5 million lei, the Ministry of Public +201 million lei, per balance, and the Ministry of Economy +125.6 million lei. The Ministry of Education will receive an increase of 57 million lei, per balance, the Ministry of Sport 33.7 million lei, and the Romanian Academy an amount of 13.9 million lei, to ensure the salary rights of the staff and to finance the expenses of subordinate medical units. The newly appointed ambassador of the State of Israel to Romania, Reuven Azar, has arrived in Bucharest, a press release of the diplomatic mission reported on Thursday. A career diplomat, Reuven Azar has until recently held the position of director of the Israel-US-China working group within the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Until September 2021, Azar was deputy adviser to national security and foreign policy at the National Security Council, at the same time being a foreign policy adviser to the Prime Minister of the Government of Israel. From 2014 to 2018, Reuven Azar was a Deputy Ambassador to Washington D.C., USA. Prior to this mandate, he was head of the Middle East Research Department at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, as well as deputy ambassador to Jordan, in Amman. Throughout his activity, the diplomat has also dealt with aspects of cooperation and negotiation with the Palestinian Authority. He was also the head of the Economic Mission of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, Egypt (1996-2000), as well as an adviser for political affairs, for four years, in Washington, USA (2003-2006). Reuven Azar was born in Argentina in 1967, graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (with a master's degree in International Relations), is fluent in English, Spanish and Arabic and is currently studying Romanian.AGERPRES( OTP Bank Romania has recorded a loss of 14 million RON in H1 2022 mainly as a result of rising risk costs, the bank announced on Thursday. Operating profit in the first six months of 2022 reached 86 million RON, double the one in the same period of 2021, as the positive effect of a 22% increase in total revenues, partially diminished by an increase of +10 % of operating expenses, according to the bank's H1 2022 financial report published in Budapest, in which the bank's results are presented consolidated, adjusted for the group's standards. Net interest income increased by 35% per year, and net fees and commissions increased by 9%, while in the case of operating expenses the increase is mainly due to investment under the bank's growth strategy, which determined the advance of expenses for the IT area, a 2% increase in the average number of employees and a larger contribution paid in 2022 to the Bank Deposit Guarantee Fund and the Resolution Fund. Gyula Fater, CEO of OTP Bank Romania, says the first half of 2022 imposed once again extraordinary conditions for the entire economy, with a constantly changing macroeconomic and geopolitical context. OTP kept direct contact with the market and followed closely the developments in the banking sector in order to offer the best services and an attractive offer for customers. Thus, there were six months of development, constant investment and organisational transformation for OTP Bank, which in turn brought significant improvements in its operations and results. All planned investment is being implemented and the bank is engaged in its development projects, both for team growth and operational improvement. In the first six months, the total cost of risk amounted to -93 million RON, fueled by credit risk costs of -59 million RON, as a result of an increase in the loan portfolio, and also of declining economic prospects for certain sectors. According to the bank, the volume of performing loans increased by 23% year-on-year in the first half of 2022, supported mainly by an increase in corporate loans, while mortgage loans increased by 17%. The 111% increase in corporate loans is a result of a change in the definition of the corporate and SME segments in the Q3 2021. The volume of deposits adjusted for the exchange rate increased by 2% from Q2 2021. The 66% increase in corporate deposits is a consequence of a change in the definition of the corporate and SME segments in Q3 2021. The net loans/ deposits ratio increased by 23 percentage points y-o-y, to 137%, up 12 percentage points on a quarterly basis, Agerpres. In accordance with local reporting standards, the bank's assets reached 19.78 billion RON, a 24% increase as against June 2021. The bank's capital adequacy ratio reached the 20.02% (-2.13 pp year-on-year) amidst an increase in assets. In the H1 2022, the OTP Group recorded an adjusted consolidated profit of 251 billion Hungarian forints while the consolidated profit after taxation was 43 billion Hungarian forints. OTP Bank Romania is a subsidiary of the OTP Group. The bank ranks 9th in terms of assets in the ranking of banking players in Romania, according to the latest data released by the National Bank of Romania (BNR) . In Romania, the members of the OTP Group are: OTP Bank Romania, OTP Consulting, OTP Leasing, OTP Asset Management, OTP Factoring, OTP Advisors and the OTP Bank Romania Foundation. Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca convened, on Thursday, the National Committee for Emergency Situations with a view to granting emergency humanitarian aid to the authorities of the French Republic, following the consultation with President Klaus Iohannis on the topic, a Government briefing informs. The head of the Department for Emergency Situations, Raed Arafat, and Government spokesman Dan Carbunaru will hold a press briefing at the Victoria Palace of Government at the end of the meeting, around 16:00 hrs., says the cited source. Thousands of firefighters are currently battling forest fires in France amid heat waves and a lack of rainfall. On Wednesday evening, eight major fires were burning in France - in Gironde (southwest), Maine-et-Loire (west), Jura (east), Drome, Aveyron and Lozere (southeast). AGERPRES Romania stands in solidarity with France, a country that is currently facing extensive wildfires, thus proving its ability to be "a reliable partner to its allies," Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said on Thursday. "Romania stands in solidarity with France, our traditional partner and friend, which is challenged these days by extensive wildfires. After consulting with the President of Romania, Mr Klaus Iohannis, today I asked the National Emergency Management Committee to convene to agree on our response together with other member states under the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Two military aircraft with response capacity and 77 rescue firefighters will arrive on French soil shortly, to offer the expression of Romanian solidarity and concrete support for extinguishing the fires," Ciuca says in a Facebook post on the Romanian government page. He thanked the Emergency Management Department for the mobilisation and wished success to the Romanian firefighters. "Just like in the case of the Hellenic Republic, when Romania made an important contribution to extinguishing the fires, now we are proving our ability to be a partner that the allies can rely on." The Romanian government on Thursday decided to grant emergency external humanitarian aid to France to fight wildfires in the form of a rapid response land module. Seven firefighting officers and 70 non-commissioned firefighting officers with the General Emergency Management Inspectorate (IGSU) from several counties and 17 response vehicles have been mobilised to that end. After consulting with President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Thursday asked the National Emergency Management Committee (CNSU) to convene at the proposal of the Emergency Management Department (DSU), Agerpres. The aid will be granted based on a request for international assistance submitted by the French Government through the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Chairman of the Iasi chapter of the National Liberal Party (PNL) MP Alexandru Muraru on Thursday announced having officially notified the National Council for Combating Discrimination (CNCD) about a speech given by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at Baile Tusnad in Romania. "I have notified the CNCD about the racist speech given by Viktor Orban, the chairman of FIDESZ, at Baile Tusnad, in Romania, on July 23. Pursuant to Government Ordinance No. 137/2000 on the prevention and sanctioning of all forms of discrimination, I have sent to CNCD a referral regarding the detection and penalisation of the contravention provided for by Article 15 of OG 137/2000 committed on June 23, 2022, by Viktor Orban, president of the FIDESZ party, at Baile Tusnad during a private event, outside of his official business as prime minister of Hungary, on a visit that was not included in any official schedule of Romania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Muraru said in a press statement released on Thursday. According to Muraru, he took action because of what he called the racist statements made by Viktor Orban at Baile Tusnad. "The speech by Prime Minister Viktor Orban borrowed from the racial ideologies that made millions of victims in the 20th century. These slippages are unacceptable in a Romania and Europe of the 21st century that have gone through the tragedies of racial ideologies. CNCD is not a court; its decisions are subject to administrative litigation control. We ask that our complaint be decided by the CNCD members, in the CNCD plenary session," said Muraru. He added that the presidium of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences gave Prime Minister Viktor Orban a reply following his speech about races. "The Hungarian Academy, in a statement adopted on August 4, noted that people living today belong to a single species (Homo sapiens), whose members differ from each other in skin color, body type, facial features, etc. None of the various human races that have evolved over time is superior or inferior to the other, and their intermingling is as old as human history. Any restriction or stigmatisation of this process is incompatible with universal human culture, with humanism, with Christianity and with human rights," added Muraru. The leader of PNL Iasi also said he requested penalising Viktor Orban for statements of a racist and xenophobic nature that attacked the dignity of the person causing harm through discrimination according to the legislation in force, Agerpres. He said Romania has taken up international and European obligations to combat racism. "I want to remind you of the Joint Action of 15 July 1996 adopted by the European Council on the basis of the Treaty on European Union, concerning action to combat racism and xenophobia," said Muraru. As many as 6,469 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, down 844 from the previous day, with 23,973 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Thursday. Of the new cases, 1,273 were in re-infected patients, who tested positive more than 90 days after the first time they recovered from the disease. Most of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Romania since the previous reporting were recorded in Bucharest City - 972, and in the counties of Cluj - 476 and Timis - 394. The 14-day notification rate nationwide is 4.22 cases per 1,000 population. The highest rates are in Bucharest City - 9.28, followed by the counties of Sibiu - 7.33, Ilfov - 7.15 and Brasov - 6.57. As of Thursday, 3,144,327 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania. - Hospitalisations - As many as 3,912 people with COVID-19, down 77 from the previous reporting, including 514 minors, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities. Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 297 patients, including three minors, are in intensive care. Of the 297 patients admitted to ICU, 257 are unvaccinated against COVID-19. - Deaths - According to the ministry, 29 Romanians, 16 men and 13 women, infected with SARS-CoV-2 are reported dead in the last 24 hours. Of the 29 deaths, 1 was in the age group 40-49, 4 were in 60-69 age group, seven were in age group 70-79 and 17 in the age group over 80 years. All deaths were in patients with comorbidities, and eight were in vaccinated patients. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 66,291 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania. AGERPRES The Romanian government on Thursday decided to grant emergency external humanitarian aid to France to fight wildfires in the form of a rapid response land module. Seven firefighting officers and 70 non-commissioned firefighting officers with the General Emergency Management Inspectorate (IGSU) from several counties and 17 response vehicles have been mobilised to that end. After consulting with President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Thursday asked the National Emergency Management Committee (CNSU) to convene at the proposal of the Emergency Management Department (DSU). The aid will be granted based on a request for international assistance submitted by the French Government through the European Civil Protection Mechanism, Agerpres. "Yesterday, the French Government's request for air and ground support to fight fires, especially around the Bordeaux area, as France is facing several outbreaks of serious wildfires, was posted. (...) Air support in the form of planes was offered by other countries, including Greece, which is also facing wildfires. (...) For the land part, following the discussions, (...) we agreed that we can offer a response module. (...) IGSU has mobilised response teams consisting of seven officers and 70 non-commissioned officers, in addition to 17 response vehicles that include at least eight vehicles able to put out fires, plus two water tanks and other means of response necessary for the firefighters in such situation," head of the DSU Raed Arafat said at the Government House. He added the response teams will be flown in by two C17 planes, which will take over the components from Bucharest and Timisoara. The two aircraft are from the Papa Air Base in Hungary, a NATO body that provides strategic air transport. They will be used with the support of the Romanian Ministry of National Defence. The River Administration of the Lower Danube (AFDJ) in Galati has taken the steps to deepen the river at the Sulina bar, so that even ships with a maximum total mass of over 7,500 deadweight tonnes can reach Sulina, so that the maritime channel can take over part of the cargo flow from the port of Constanta. The general director of the Sulina Free Zone Administration (AZL), Dragos Ionita, told AGERPRES that he hopes that AFDJ Galati will soon finish the technical expertise of the shore defenses at the Sulina bar, the area where the Danube flows into Black Sea, Agerpres. "The expertise will indicate the dredge tolerance of up to 11 meters deep. This is about dredging of 1,400 meters in lengths and 100 meters in width for the access corridor of the ships. We estimate a dredging volume of about 300,000 cubic meters of alluvium, which would not be very much. It is a relatively simple work, but it is very important to know that the shore defenses support this dredging," said the general director of AZL. Ionita also said that the Ministry of Transport has made a commitment to finance both the study and the works that will be carried out at the Sulina Bar and that the elevation increase from 7.2 meters, as it is now, to 11 meters will allow access to the Danube ports of ships with a maximum total mass of up to 35,000 tonnes deadweight. Another advantage of the exploitation of the facilities in Sulina is the fact that the barges on the Danube do not need pilots, as it is well known that all maritime vessels that enter the Sulina channel need pilots, and since the beginning of the war in Ukraine there has been a shortage of pilots. According to the source, the carrying out of this project will allow a transit of goods of 500,000 tonnes per month, a quantity that would represent about 36% of the total volume of goods that transited the Port of Tulcea in 2020, according to the data made public on the website of the Maritime Danube Ports Administration S.A. Galati. Moreover, on Thursday, the Tulcea County Council (CJ) hosted a hybrid meeting on the subject of the congestion of ships at the Sulina Bar. "Manfred Seitz, Director General of the Secretariat of the Danube Commission, spoke about European support for the development of a project, which aims to optimize traffic in this area of the world, giving assurances that European structures will be open to proposals from the Romanian side. The hybrid meeting was attended online by Alain Baron (from the Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission), Denis Malone (World Food Program - UN), respectively Mark Davis (EBRD regional director for Romania and Bulgaria)," the CJ press release specifies. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, every day hundreds of ships wait up to 64 days to enter from the Black Sea through the Sulina channel and reach the Danube ports, given that all Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea are blocked. The areas of strict and integral protection in the Domogled - Valea Cernei National Park (PNDVC) will increase from 56%, as they are at present, to at least 75% of the surface of this park, in which there are located the most representative virgin beech forests in Europe, the Minister of the Environment, Tanczos Barna, said on Thursday, on the occasion of the first session of consultations that was organized on this topic at Baile Herculane. "The fact that in Domogled - Valea Cernei we have the most representative virgin beech forests in Europe, an aspect also confirmed by UNESCO, can only make us proud. And this is primarily thanks to the local communities here, as well as thanks to you, the ones who have managed these forests together for the past hundreds of years. Our objective, assumed in the governance programme, is to increase these protection areas to at least 75% of the Park's surface. In order to reach the desired 75%, we need your help, because in addition to identifying new, truly ecologically valuable areas to be brought under protection, we need to change mindsets and get all stakeholders on our side. Today we start this process, including in the PNDVC and we will replicate it in all the other national parks," minister Tanczos Barna told the foresters. The participants, i.e. the PNDVC managers and the representatives of the forestry structures that manage the forest in the park, concluded that a dedicated forestry management is needed in the national parks in Romania, different from the one applied in the production forests, Agerpres. "Also, it is mandatory that firewood for the local communities continues to be provided and, last but not least, Romsilva must invest in modern, non-invasive exploitation technologies, so that any forestry work in the Park has a minimal effect on ecosystems," said the Minister of the Environment. Renowned bands, such as Arctic Monkeys, Nothing but Thieves, Inhaler, Roosevelt, Self Esteem, Hayes & Y will perform during the XI-th edition of the Summer Well Festival, which will start on Friday in the Stirbey Domain in Buftea, 20 km northwest of Bucharest. The British rockers from Arctic Monkeys, Summer Well headliners, are coming to Romania during an European tour that includes Hungary, Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands. The show's setlist will include "Do I Wanna Know?", "Brianstorm", "Teddy Picker", "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?", "Fireside", "Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair" or "R U Mine?", according to the most recent concert held in Istanbul. The British performers will hold a concert on Saturday, on the festival's main stage. During the first day, Future Islands, Channel Tres, Sad Night Dynamite, Lea Porcelain, Dylan Fraser, will also go up on the main stage. Suie Paparude will perform on the Wiiings Stage, Flight Facilities will go up on After-party Stage, and Rares and Catalina Cara will sing on Hidden Tracks Stage. On Saturday, on the main stage, apart from the headliners Arctic Monkeys and Inhaler, will also perdorm Alice Merton, Blu Detiger and Hayes & Y. Goldlink and Amuly will go up on Wiiings Stage, Digitalism will perform on After-party Stage, and The Schnitzels and D.E.N.I.S on the Hidden Tracks Stage. On Sunday, the festival's last day, Nothing But Thieves, Jungle, Roosevelt, Zack Fox and Jadu Heart will go up on the main stage. Tkay Maidza and Killa Fonic will sing on the Wiiings Stage, Bob Moses will go up on the After-party Stage, while LVX Machina and Soundopamine will go up on the Hidden Tracks Stage. In 2021, Summer Well hosted a special edition - Limited Edition. The event took place during the period of August 12-15, the line-up including Woodkid, Balthazar, L'Iimperatrice, Modeselektor, Lola Marsh, Fatoumata Diawara, The Kryptonite Sparks, Dimitri's Bats, Hip Hop la Feminin, Rejjie Snow, Princess Nokia, Moonlight Breakfast, Hercules & Love Affairs, Valeria Stoica, Zimbru and Bruja.AGERPRES BERLIN (AP) Latvias Parliament on Thursday declared Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for attacks on civilians during the war in Ukraine and urged other countries to follow suit. Lawmakers adopted a strongly worded statement that accuses Moscow of using suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralize the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyze the functioning of the state. It declares that Latvias Parliament recognizes Russias violence against civilians in pursuit of political aims as terrorism, recognizes Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view. Sixty-seven lawmakers in the 100-seat assembly voted in favor of adopting the statement and 16 abstained, the Parliament said. The resolution says Russian forces are deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians in the war, including with attacks on a theater in Mariupol in March, a shopping mall in Kremenchuk in June and a residential area of Odesa in July. Russia rejects deliberately targeting civilians in the conflict, which it describes as a special military operation. The Latvian Parliament also called on Western countries to reinforce sanctions on Russia and urged fellow members of the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament adopted the statement last week before submitting it to the full assembly. Committee chairman Rihars Kols said the resolution was a political statement that could have practical implications by inspiring other countries to take similar measures, adding momentum to efforts to reinforce sanctions on Moscow and set up a tribunal to prosecute war crimes. Neighboring Lithuania adopted a similar resolution in May and Estonia may follow suit in coming weeks, Kols said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced the Latvian statement as a manifestation of xenophobia." Sergei Tsekov, a member of the upper house of Russia's parliament, warned that Russia would take "retaliatory measures that will show Latvia its place and will be quite painful. That could include restrictions on transit, he said in remarks carried by state news agency RIA Novosti. The Baltic countries, which spent almost five decades under Soviet occupation, are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine and the fiercest critics of the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Estonia decided Thursday to stop allowing Russian citizens entry with tourist visas starting Aug. 18. EU countries banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine, but officials in Estonia and Finland say Russian tourists have circumvented the flight bans by traveling by land to neighboring EU countries and then taking flights to other European destinations. Follow all AP stories on the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. DES PERES The unexpected aroma of freshly made doughnuts wafts tantalizingly across the mall food court. But only for one week. Yogi Donuts is currently occupying a location in the West County Center food court for a very limited time. It opened Monday. It closes Sunday. The mall is offering the previously vacant food stand as a pop-up eatery, a short-term venture similar in concept to pop-up stores or restaurants. But this one is in a thriving shopping mall, which practically guarantees high visibility, traffic and potentially sales. This is the first time West County Center is trying the idea, said Sean Phillips, the malls senior marketing director, and its the first time the idea is being used at any of the 45 malls owned by its parent company, CBL Properties. The company also owns South County Center and Mid Rivers Mall in Missouri and St. Clair Square in Illinois. Briana Betrus is the owner of the Yogi Donuts food truck. The Eureka resident said she was running errands at the mall a few weeks ago when she saw the space in the food court its between the Chick-fil-A and the Panda Express and a sign explaining the idea. She immediately recognized the potential. I thought Oh my God, this is perfect. ... I called instantly, on my way to the car, she said. Yogi Donuts is the first business to take advantage of the opportunity this is the first week that it has been available after the mall secured the necessary permits. Betrus and her crew make mini-doughnuts to order on a small machine that portions out the proper amount of dough, floats them in oil at a precisely controlled temperature and then flips them to fry the other side for the right amount of time. All the company needs at its pop-up is that machine, plus something to hold her toppings and her many flavors of lemonade. But the space also comes with a full commercial kitchen in the back, which can be used to prepare specialties to be sold at the food court or just as a commissary kitchen or for temporary food storage. Having this space for us to have this (pop-up shop) gives us exposure without much expense, Betrus said. The lease is $500 for a week for the 700-square-foot space, which includes all kitchen equipment and appliances, plus utilities, but not insurance. Phillips said the mall does not discuss how much it charges for a long-term lease. If a business leasing the space sells more than $5,000 in a week, it will have to pay an extra 15% of its sales above that $5,000 mark. And it looks like Betrus will hit that mark. Monday, she did well. Tuesday, she doubled it. And the business is heading into the weekend, when foot traffic should be much higher. Being able to use this space gives us an opportunity to look into the future, she said. She is already looking to book more weeks at the pop-up spot. If business is strong enough, there is a possibility she will open a shop in Eureka, which has no doughnut places, or maybe move into another open location in the West County Center food court full time. Thats part of the idea, said CBL Properties spokesperson Stacey Keating. Hopefully, these tenants will experience success and will want to continue a long-term partnership with the mall, she said. In addition, she said, having different tenants will draw new customers to the food court every week. This is something were piloting at West County, and if its successful I see us expanding it to other properties, she said. According to the malls Phillips, the pop-up eatery concept will continue indefinitely at West County Center, or until a full-time tenant rents the space. The idea is still new, and few other potential tenants so far have made reservations for the space. Nikki Purviance and her daughter Grace Cherry bought an order of mini-doughnuts from Yogi on Tuesday afternoon, unaware at the time that the shop is here today, gone on Sunday. They were just enjoying the doughnuts. Amazing. Theyre wonderful, Purviance said. BERKELEY The state of Missouri has allocated the St. Louis County Department of Public Health 1,900 vials of the vaccine used to prevent monkeypox, the county said Thursday. A portion of the doses will be used for close contacts of people who have had the virus, and others will be used for those who are at high risk of contracting it. The county health department said it will serve as a vaccine hub for the region, and the doses it receives may also be distributed to other parts of the state if it see increases in need. Supply of the vaccine is limited, and the demand is expected to outpace supply, at least initially. The county has requested more doses from the state. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services released a survey to identify those at high risk of contracting monkeypox who may qualify for vaccination. Vaccination includes two doses, four weeks apart, with highest effectiveness two weeks after the second dose. Monkeypox is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox. It often begins with flu-like symptoms and swollen lymph nodes, then progresses to a rash. Illness typically lasts two to four weeks. It can spread through intimate physical contact; touching personal items such as clothing or linens; skin-to-skin contact with rash, scabs or bodily fluids; or respiratory droplets spread through kissing or coughing. The disease has been endemic for decades in some countries, but since May, international health authorities have been tracking an outbreak of cases in countries where the virus has not historically been reported, including the U.S. As of Thursday morning, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 18 cases in Missouri, 717 cases in Illinois and 10,392 cases nationwide. The Madison County Health Department on Tuesday reported two probable cases. The St. Clair County Health Department reported its first probable case in mid-July and on Wednesday said that case had been confirmed as monkeypox. The department also said it had recorded another probable case in late July. More information about monkeypox is available on the CDC website. Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today It was the eighth anniversary of Michael Browns death, and St. Louis County Circuit Court Judge Brian May was about to sign a document that had nothing to do with Brown but everything to do with the aftermath of his death. Mays courtroom was packed Tuesday. Almost none of the people were there for him to sign an order agreeing to a class-action settlement. May took a break from a high-profile trial over whether Monsantos weed-killer Roundup caused cancer so he could conduct a hearing to end a different lawsuit one brought by attorney Rob Schultz in 2019. The lawsuit alleged that the St. Louis County Municipal Court for years was charging an illegal $75 fee to defendants who missed court dates. Those fees, and others like them, would often serve as the precursor in municipal courts for further arrests, and sometimes incarceration, for failure to pay court costs. Schultzs lawsuit was a cousin to the debtors prison lawsuits filed by ArchCity Defenders, the St. Louis University Law School clinics and others. They detailed practices in which mostly poor, Black people living in north St. Louis County would get charged with minor municipal offenses, miss a court date or a payment and ultimately spend time in jail because they couldnt cover the costs. The scheme of fines and fees charged to fill municipal coffers came to national attention after the protests in Ferguson and throughout St. Louis in 2014 and 2015. That history was not lost on Schultz this week, after the judge signed the settlement that gave a massive victory to his clients and the approximately 11,000 other people charged the court fees between 2012 and 2019, when the county stopped the practice. The settlement calls for the first 5,000 people who sign up to receive $100 from St. Louis County; the next 5,000 will receive $50. People who believe they were charged the fee can sign up to receive a refund at a website set up for the settlement. Details will also be published in advertisements in the Post-Dispatch and the St. Louis American to try to find people who qualify for a refund. Ten years ago, I would have lost this case, Schultz told me. The whole municipal court scandal has changed the mindset. It started with Ferguson. As protests roiled, both the Missouri Legislature and the Missouri Supreme Court stepped up to try to rein in some of the worst abuses of the municipal court system, which was being used as a fund-raising device for cash-strapped governments. Lawsuits forced municipalities to end their unconstitutional practices. The failure-to-appear fee, or warrant fee as it was sometimes called, was just one example of governments charging defendants money that wasnt authorized by law. Every year, the Missouri Supreme Court issues an order that contains all the fines and fees allowed by statute. A failure-to-appear fee has never been on the list, but that didnt stop St. Louis County and other municipalities from charging it. Schultz continues to press similar lawsuits against the cities of Overland and Maryland Heights. If the courts dont follow the law, its hard to make other people follow the law, Schultz said. The reality, though, is that courts at the municipal and county levels have long been used as back-door tax collectors in Missouri and around the country. The methods include collecting illegal fees, the expensive pay-to-stay fees some counties charge for jail time, or fees added to court cases by lawmakers as a way to fund pet projects. Eight years after Browns death first brought wide attention to these practices, progress is being made. Last year, for instance, the Missouri Supreme Court ended the unconstitutional collection of a $3 fee that lawmakers had passed to fund rural sheriffs retirements. A related lawsuit has been filed in Jackson County seeking to erase several fees that are charged in court cases to raise money for a variety of causes. The underlying issue in all of these cases is the same: Municipal courts should be places for justice, not for raising money on the backs of poor people. Schultzs case will cost taxpayers in the range of $1 million to cover the settlement and attorney fees. Its a small price to pay for accountability that holds courts to the same standards they seek to impose upon defendants. For too many years, Schultz says, the municipal courts have been money grabbers. One case at a time, those days are coming to an end. A St. Charles County man pleaded guilty Wednesday via video in federal court in Washington to a misdemeanor charge of demonstrating in the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Jonas Buxton, 25, pleaded guilty to a count of parading, demonstrating or picketing in the Capitol. He was indicted in December on four counts. Prosecutors intend to dismiss the three remaining counts as part of Buxton's plea agreement. The FBI received a tip in late January 2021 that Buxton had participated in the insurrection and might have been carrying an AR-15, according to court records. The following month, another tipster told the FBI that Buxton had been working at a store in St. Charles but quit and went into hiding after federal agents announced arrests in the insurrection. Cellphone records showed Buxton's location on Jan. 6 being "consistent with the geographic area that included the interior of the U.S. Capitol building," the FBI said in court documents. The FBI also said a person who appeared to be Buxton was inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 and recorded by several security cameras. Images seized from Buxton's cellphone showed Buxton wearing tactical gear with a patch bearing former President Donald Trump's name and holding a long gun, according to federal court documents. The FBI also found photos in Buxton's phone of a Jan. 6 "General Call to Action" letter from the Three Percenters, a loosely organized extremist organization that investigators say helped plan the attack on the Capitol. Buxton will pay $500 in restitution toward the $1.46 million in damage to the Capitol, according to his plea agreement. He could receive probation when he is sentenced Nov. 10 but faces a possible sentence of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. "He's had a history throughout his life of being a law-abiding citizen and he looks forward to putting this matter behind him," his lawyer John Schleiffarth said. UPDATED on Friday with inmate's detention ST. LOUIS Police on Thursday identified the inmate who died at a hospital after being found unresponsive in his jail cell. Dennelle Johnson, 33, was found about 3:45 p.m. Wednesday at the City Justice Center, 200 South Tucker Boulevard. Johnson was rushed to SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said St. Louis police Sgt. Charles Wall. Wall said the Force Investigation Unit was told Johnson had a "medical emergency" and was found unresponsive. No additional details were released. Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah, commissioner for the Division of Corrections for St. Louis, could not be reached for comment. Monte Chambers, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, said the city was waiting word from the St. Louis Medical Examiner's office to know why Johnson died. Wall said he didn't know why Johnson was detained at the jail. Chambers on Friday said Johnson was being detained on charges of assault, trespassing and property damage. JEFFERSON CITY Gov. Mike Parsons administration will grant tax extensions to assist Missouri individuals and businesses impacted by the recent flooding. In a move that mirrors an extension by the Internal Revenue Service, the Missouri Department of Revenue said it too was postponing certain deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. The extension applies to deadlines after July 24 but before Nov. 15. It extends those deadlines to Nov. 15. The announcement came two days after President Joe Biden approved Parsons request for a major disaster declaration after heavy rains pounded the St. Louis area and caused widespread flooding. The declaration, which addresses flooding between July 25 and 28, allows eligible residents in St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County to apply for federal aid for temporary housing, housing repairs, replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses as a result of the flooding and storms. Cities, counties and eligible nonprofits also will be able to apply for federal reimbursement for infrastructure damage and emergency response costs. The public assistance applications will be open to entities in St. Louis, as well as St. Louis, St. Charles and Montgomery counties. Revenue officials say Missouri taxpayers requesting an extension should note the following on their returns when filed: July 2022 flood extension. If an affected taxpayer receives a late filing or late payment penalty notice from DOR that has an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date that falls within the postponement period, the taxpayer should call the phone number on the notice to have DOR abate the penalty. What is likely the oldest brick home in St. Louis is for sale, and it needs a little love. Nearly 200 years ago, Capt. Lewis Bissell built the federal and Greek revival mansion atop his orchard estate, which riverboat pilots called Bissell Point. Its nearly 6,000 square feet, has four bedrooms, four baths, a central staircase, a dumbwaiter, a bar on each of its two floors and maybe a few ghosts. The building at 4424 Randall Place in the citys College Hill neighborhood, along with two adjacent lots, totals 1.3 acres and is listed at $250,000. The listing went live Wednesday. Up until a couple of years ago, it was home for about 40 years to a restaurant and murder mystery dinner theater. The managers and owners, Barb and Stan Schepker, quit running the theater at the start of the pandemic in 2020. The building needs work. Thieves stole the condensers for the copper, so now theres no air conditioning. The plumbing and electrical work needs replacing, and the hardwood floors need refinishing. You can see daylight in the attic, so critters could come in, though no one has seen evidence of that. It was tuckpointed and painted a few years ago. Hopefully somebody has a vision and theyre going to do something with it, said the real estate agent, Daniel McGrath. It would be a sin to not keep that thing going. Lewis Bissell was born in 1789 in Connecticut, joined the Army as a young man and came to the far west of St. Louis in 1808, according to the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. He served with his uncle, Gen. Daniel Bissell, at Fort Bellefontaine and served in the War of 1812. After the war, he and Col. John OFallon partnered to supply goods to troops at the fort and out west. Bissell likely built the house on his 677 acres in the late 1820s, according to the Landmarks Association. The Schepkers have stuck to circa 1823. Bissells first wife died, and he married again, and he had a total of 11 children. The census in 1830 and 1840 show six enslaved African Americans lived at the property, along with a couple of servants. Bissell died in the house in 1868 and is buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery. A daughter and her husband later bought the house, and a series of owners and renters lived there for decades, including Drs. Marie and Edward Randall, for whom Randall Place is named. In the late 1950s, preservationists saved the house from the Missouri Department of Transportation, which wanted to build the Mark Twain Expressway (Interstate 70) through the property. That group became founding members of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis. Stan Schepker grew up on Randall Place, and his parents, other family members and residents bought the home in the late 1970s. Barb and Stan Schepker, now in their 70s, had been thinking about retirement and future plans for the house when the pandemic hit. A dinner theater couldnt do carryout orders to stay afloat, Barb Schepker pointed out, so they made the difficult decision to sell. I put my life into this for 40 years, she said. It was so much fun. It was absolutely the best. We entertained, and we fed people for years. I still get messages from people: When are you going to open again? Well, were closed. Barb Schepker hasnt seen a ghost herself, but lights flicker in the house, radios turn on and off, and pictures fall off the walls for seemingly no reason. A man, perhaps Capt. Bissell, is sometimes spotted on the upper parking lot, looking at the house. A cook once told Schepker that the night before, she dreamed she saw two women in a mansion window, one blonde with a white dress, another a brunette with a pink dress and a cameo around her neck. Later that day, a luncheon guest talking to Schepker paused and told her to look in the corner. He saw two women matching the same description. Schepker couldnt see them, but she wonders: Were those Bissells wives? Several weeks ago, McGrath, the real estate agent, met a couple of estate buyers at the house. One man went upstairs, and McGrath and the other man went to the catering kitchen, which has a swinging door. A couple of minutes later, when they tried to leave through the same door, it was blocked by a vacuum cleaner, a mop and other household items. The men swore they didnt do anything. It freaked me out, said McGrath. Like, I dont believe in ghosts, but I cant explain this. The rooms are sunny and large, with unpainted woodwork throughout. There are stone and wood fireplaces in each room, intact stained glass windows and exterior doors, and walls at least a foot thick. Can you imagine the lumber cost to build a doorway like this now? wondered McGrath, running his hands along some white painted woodwork. The building has challenges, but it has a lot going for it, he said. This historical significance for sure. The history. The structure is sound. The old world craftsmanship is just spectacular. The building isnt on the National Register of Historic Places but is a city landmark, so it has some legal protections against demolition and alterations, said Richard Callow, chairman of the St. Louis Preservation Board. Andrew Weil, the director of Landmarks Association, praises the Schepkers for their dedication over the years but worries that the building will become a victim of circumstance as the neighborhood around it also needs help. The tricky thing about threatened historic buildings is that its not enough to simply buy them, he said in an email. They have to be used and occupied if they are going to survive. Barb Schepker agrees. She had to pause while talking about the home to hold back tears. I would love for somebody to save it and turn it into the gem that it once was, she said. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) On a day of give and take, Western nations made more pledges to send arms to Ukraine while the European Union's full ban on Russian coal imports kicked in Thursday, adding to the sanctions against Moscow that intelligence claims are hurting its defense exports. Germany, seen early in Russia's invasion as a lackadaisical Ukrainian ally, is making what Chancellor Olaf Scholz described as a massive break with its past by sending weapons to the war-ravaged country. Scholz said Germany "is shipping arms a great, great many, sweeping and very effective. And we will continue to do so in the coming time. His government has approved military exports of at least $710 million and plans to provide further financial aid to Ukraine, the chancellor said. At a conference in Copenhagen, Britain and Denmark also made additional commitments to help Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion, which has devastated the nation and reverberated across the world. We will not let you down, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said as she opened a daylong international donor's conference. Denmark said a new contribution of $113 million would push the total amount of funding from the small northern nation of 5.8 million to over $500 million. She called it a huge donation. In comparison, Ukraine's top donor, the United States, has committed $9.1 billion in security aid since Russian troops invaded on Feb. 24. To put more pressure on Russia, Britain announced it will send additional multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine. The missiles can hit targets up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) away with pinpoint accuracy, the U.K. government said. The new weapons, whose number wasnt specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems Britain provided earlier this year after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into Ukraine. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the bolstered military support shows the West will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putins invasion." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking by videoconference to the meeting of mostly northern European countries, pleaded for more aid. The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe, he said. Britain said Moscow was already strained by the need to produce armored fighting vehicles for its troops in Ukraine and hence is highly unlikely to be capable of fulfilling some export orders, in a sector it has long taken pride in. The British defense intelligence update, highlighting the increasing effect of Western sanctions, dovetails with Western belief that the series of measures imposed on the Kremlin since the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine are increasingly having an impact on the Russian economy. The update said that because of the war and sanctions, its military industrial capacity is now under significant strain, and the credibility of many of its weapon systems has been undermined by their association with Russian forces' poor performance. As the war nears the half-year point, Russia faces other challenges. Amid reports that hundreds of Russian soldiers were refusing to fight and trying to quit the military, covert recruitment efforts are underway that include using prisoners to make up for a shortage in trained troops. Russia's military credibility came under more pressure on Wednesday when Ukraine said nine Russian warplanes were destroyed following explosions at an air base in Russian-controlled Crimea that appeared to be the result of a Ukrainian attack. Russia denied any aircraft were damaged in the blasts or that any attack took place. But satellite photos clearly showed at least seven fighter planes at the base had been blown up and others probably damaged. The U.K.'s Wallace dismissed Russian explanations of the blasts, including a wayward cigarette butt, as excuses. "When you just look at the footage of two simultaneous explosions not quite next to each other, and some of the reported damage even by the Russian authorities, I think its clear that thats not something that happens by someone dropping a cigarette, the British minister said. Ukrainian forces mounting a broad counter-offensive in the south have recaptured 54 settlements in the Kherson region, overrun by Russia in the early days of the war, the governor said Thursday. Speaking on Ukrainian TV, Yaroslav Yanushevych also accused Moscow of shelling the areas it lost in retaliation, creating a catastrophic humanitarian situation in towns and villages along the region's northern boundary. The governor said 92% of the Kherson region remains under Russian occupation. In the east of the country, the Ukrainian military said it had repelled Russian attempts to advance on the city of Bakhmut, a key target of Moscows offensive in the Donetsk region. It also said Russian troops had tried and failed to break through Ukrainian defensive lines near the cities of Kramatorsk and Avdiivka, also in the Donetsk region. The military also reported Russian shelling of dozens of towns and villages in Ukraines north, south and east. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians not to divulge details about the country's military operations. If you want victory for Ukraine, then thats another matter, and you should feel your responsibility for every word you say about what our state is preparing in terms of defense or counter-offensives, he said. Russia, meanwhile, was taking apparent steps to strengthen its control over the eastern Luhansk region after driving out the last Ukrainian troops last month. Luhansk and Donetsk make up the Donbas, the industrial heartland. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, said he was joined on a visit to the region by Russia's top law enforcement and security officials and also the minister in charge of construction. Medvedev, in a post on a messaging app, said they met with local Kremlin-backed officials to discuss restoring infrastructure, repairing hospitals and preparing schools for the start of the school year, solving social problems and supporting civilians. In other developments Thursday: Burial services were held for 11 more unidentified bodies found in Bucha, the town outside the Ukrainian capital that saw hundreds of people slaughtered under Russian occupation early in the war. The governments of Ukraine and Russia traded more accusations over which side was responsible for shelling the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed to Moscow and Kyiv to stop military action around Europes largest nuclear plant to avoid a catastrophe. The European Union's ban on coal imports from Russia took effect following a long phase-in that started in April. The 27-nation EU said it will affect about 25% of Russian coal exports and create a loss of about $8 billion a year. The EU is also trying to wean itself off Russian gas imports, but is too dependent to impose a full ban. And in perhaps the most symbolic example of give and take on Thursday, McDonalds announced plans to start reopening some of its restaurants in Ukraine in the coming months. The fast-food giant shuttered and sold hundreds of its Russian restaurants in March. Looking beyond a hoped-for return to peace, Scholz said Germany was working with the EU to develop plans for the reconstruction of Ukraine. That is going to be a big, big task which can hardly be described as a Marshall Plan, he said, referring to the massive U.S. aid plan for Europe in the wake of World War II. Its bigger. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Western countries agreed Thursday to continue long-term funding to help Ukraines military keep fighting nearly 5 months after Russia invaded its neighbor, saying 1.5 billion euros ($1.5 billion) has been pledged so far and more is coming. The money is for enhancing armaments production, including artillery and ammunition; developing and strengthening the training of Ukrainian soldiers and assisting Ukraines efforts to demine areas. All the countries that came to Copenhagen came with the intention of supporting Ukraine, Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov said at the end of the one-day meeting of 26 nations and the European Union. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the meeting proved that Russian President Vladimir Putins ambition (of the West losing its willingness to support Ukraine) has failed. We are still determined, Wallace said. The 1.5 billion euros included donations by the U.K., Denmark and Norway but it will grow, Bdskov said, adding "some of the countries need to go back home and get the support of their parliaments." Bdskov said that money alone will not do the trick, as you say, we need increased productions. He thanksed Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic for signaling a willingness to expand production of artillery systems, ammunitions and other equipment. At the conference, Norway said it would help train Ukrainian troops in Britain. Sweden and Finland earlier said they would do the same. Iceland will assist demining efforts in Ukraine by training trainers, its foreign minister said. In a live feed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations to provide more money, saying the sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe. We need armaments, munitions for our defense, he said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference, declined to give details on what weapons his country will get. The conference, co-hosted by Denmark, Britain and Ukraine, followed an April meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany that established the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which coordinates international military support for Ukraine. Britain on Thursday announced that it will send more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine to help it resist Russias invasion. The new weapons, whose number wasn't specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems it gave Ukraine earlier this year. Ukrainian troops have been trained in Britain to use them. Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putins invasion, Wallace, the defense chief, said. Before the conference, Denmark said it would give Ukraine an extra 820 million kroner ($113 million), which would bring Denmarks total contribution to more than 3 billion kroner ($413 million). Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it a huge donation. Part of the money will pay for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram said there was still unwavering Western support for Ukraine. It is decisive for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian attack," Arild Gram said. The Kyiv School of Economics released a report Wednesday assessing the cost of war damage to Ukraines infrastructure at more than $110 billion. The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities were either destroyed or damaged. ___ Jill Lawless in London, and James Brooks in Copenhagen, contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Flying is an absolute nightmare right now. As revenge travel causes a surge in passengers post-Covid restrictions, understaffed airports and airlines across the country are struggling to keep up. The surge in demand, with inadequate resources to support it, has resulted in thousands of flights delayed or canceled this summer. By July, more flights had been canceled this year than in all of 2021. Airports across the world are also struggling. London Heathrow Airport has capped the number of departing passengers at 100,000 per day until September; Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has placed an even tighter travel cap of 67,500 travelers per day through the fall. American travelers heading abroad should prepare to face challenges with their flight itineraries, especially as intense summer storms become more frequent. If youre traveling soon, its helpful to check how your departing airport or chosen airline is stacking up in terms of delays and cancellations. Forbes Advisor compiled data from FlightAware and found that nearly 2,000 flights were canceled at the top airports for cancellations last week. U.S. Airports With the Most Cancellations Last Week Flight cancellations are the worst-case scenario for travelersand theyre happening often across the country. A FlightAware analysis for Forbes Advisor finds New York City-area airports experienced the most flight cancellations in the country. LaGuardia Airport had a whopping 11.5% of its flights canceled last week; Newark had 10% of its flights canceled. Heres a list of the U.S. airports that saw the most flight cancellations last week. U.S. Airports With the Most Delays Last Week The FlightAware analysis shows that nearly half of all flights departing from Chicago Midway International were delayed upon arrival at their destination. Baltimore/Washington International wasnt far behind, with 40% of arrivals delayed. FlightAware defines an arrival delay as an aircraft arriving at its destination 15 minutes or more past its scheduled arrival time and attributes the delay to the origin airport. Here are the U.S. airports with the most delays last week: Top 10 Airlines With the Most Cancellations and Delays Some airlines are more prone to cancellations and delays than others, which may influence which carrier you choose for your travel. In some cases, it could be worth spending a little extra money on a ticket with an airline other than your usual choice, based on its recent performance. Here are the top 10 airlines with the most cancellations and delays last week: How to Buy Travel Insurance That Helps With Flight Cancellations and Delays If youre considering purchasing a travel insurance policy for your upcoming trip, choose one that helps with flight cancellations and delays. Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse the money you lose in non-refundable trip costs for specific reasons stated in the policy, such as mechanical failures, severe weather and airport security issues. Keep in mind that not all of the chaos happening during travel lately will fall under these reasons. Travel insurance policies sometimes include travel delay insurance, which will cover costs while you wait for your rebooked flight. It can reimburse you for lodging, meals and transportation you may incur during your delay. Some travel credit cards offer the benefit of travel protection, making them a valuable tool for booking your flight ticket. These benefits usually arent as comprehensive as travel insurance policies, but they can cover trip delays, baggage delays and lost luggage delays. The amount covered varies by credit card, so check your benefits. Tips for Dealing with Flight Delays and Cancellations Flight cancellations and delays are an unpleasant experience for all parties involved. Not only are trips disrupted, but airline employees are tasked with managing heightened emotions from dissatisfied customers while they figure out the puzzle of rerouting or rebooking an itinerary. These tips can help you handle flight cancellations and make the most out of a frustrating situation: Advocate for yourself. While its always helpful to speak with an airline representative in person at the airport, try time-saving strategies like logging into the airlines app while waiting in line for help at the airport and searching for alternate flights that fit within your schedule. That way, you can come up with a plan that works for you, rather than impulsively accepting whatever the airline agent offers you. Know your rights. As a passengerand paying customeryou have rights when your trip is delayed or canceled. Some airlines are required to rebook you on the next available flight, and some may even allow you to fly on a partner airline instead, which opens up your rebooking options. If your flight is canceled due to something in the airlines control, you may be entitled to meal vouchers or overnight accommodations (keep in mind that bad weather wouldnt be included here!). If youre flying in the European Union, you have more comprehensive rights, including cash compensation up to 600 euros when flights are cancelled or significantly delayed due to reasons within the airlines control. Any airline that flies within the E.U. is bound by this lawincluding American-based airlines. Get smart with checked baggage. Checked bags are a source of pain during travel these days, with horror stories of bags showing up days after weddings, arriving destroyed or getting lost entirely. If you booked your airfare with a credit card, check your benefits guide to see if you have coverage for lost or delayed luggageit may cover the cost of essential purchases, like toiletries or a change of clothes, until your bag shows up. If you fly abroad and your luggage is lost, you may be eligible for reimbursement up to a certain amount thats determined by the Montreal Convention. File a complaint with the airline. If youre not satisfied with any of the options presented to you after a cancellation or delay, filing an official complaint with the airline doesnt guarantee action but could result in a goodwill gesture, such as vouchers or bonus miles that you can use for future bookings. Keep in mind that if you accept a replacement flight, its likely that you wont receive a total refund for your disrupted flight. Read more: 5 Top Tips For Handling Flight Cancellations Like A Pro Everyone wanted to be in Docs dory boat, but there were only four spots. For the uninitiated, dories are small, 17-foot-long rigid boats that can run a river much more quickly than an inflatable raft. We met Stephen Doc Nicholson, a retired dentist turned rafting guide, on an OARS trip through Dinosaur National Monument on the Yampa River, the last undammed tributary in the Colorado River system. One of the best parts about a rafting trip is being so far off the grid that our biggest decision was where to put our tent for the night. There are no worries about missed emails since there is no cell service deep in Dinosaur National Monument 211,000 acres of wilderness across high desert peaks and river canyons. There is the adventure, of course the rapids and sleeping under the stars. There is also the chance to get off the grid without any work someone else provisions the food, cooks and navigates the rafts, even entertains the kids. You just relax and enjoy without carrying a heavy pack into the spectacular backcountry. OARS, a leader in rafting vacations for more than 50 years, can tell you at least 20 reasons why a rafting trip is the ultimate family getaway. OARS has just announced there are still a limited number of spaces on several 2022 Grand Canyon rafting and dory trips in late summer and early fall. These trips typically book a year out. There are also late season, kid-friendly trips on The Colorado River through Cataract Canyon and the Green River through Desolation Canyon, among others. For the littlest adventurers, the rafting company ROW touts ROW Family Magic Rafting Tours. Designed by a family-owned adventure tour operator and field-tested by their children, ROWs Family Magic rafting trips arent just family-friendly but totally family-focused. Whats their secret recipe? First, you cant go on these family rafting adventures if you dont bring a kid, and they welcome kids as young as 5. Theres also a kid-focused menu and their signature River Jester, who leads nature-oriented games and activities. Intermediate rapids, warm water and idyllic camping conditions on huge white sand beaches combine to make an unforgettable family experience. If you are itching for a different late summer/fall getaway on the water or you are already thinking about a future trip, there are lots of options that wont break your budget. (Our Taking the Kids 51 Great Ideas for Your Best Family Summer can give you other ideas.) You can sail away on your own sailboat with or without a captain. Weve sailed in the British Virgin Islands, Antigua and even Tahiti. Think of it as camping at sea. But you can stop where you like and jump off the boat to swim or snorkel; have a dive boat meet you. Weve had some of our most memorable times and misadventures sailing. The cabins are small and in our case we had to run the water heater for five minutes before it got warm and then pump the water out afterward. Theres no dishwasher (except us) and no matter what we did, the food seemed to freeze in the fridge. The good news: frozen grapes are delicious! But we had to work as a team and had lots of laughs, often spending the night far from others. We rented from Moorings with charters everywhere from the Caribbean to Florida and Belize, Greece and Thailand; Click & Boat is like an Airbnb for boaters who can deal directly with owners whether you want to houseboat, sail, fish or more. Charter a boat just for your friends and family (six to 20 guests on a small yacht) from AdventureSmith Explorations. They offer dozens of trips designed for families with age-appropriate activities , whether you are dreaming of the Galapagos, a different kind of Alaska cruise (how about exploring Glacier Bay National Park aboard a restored World War II minesweeper), Belize or Costa Rica, among the options. A full yacht charter can save 10 percent to 30 percent off regular per-person cruise rates, and you can often choose the length, route and many other details to truly make the trip your own. For a more laid-back experience, try houseboating. An average houseboat is similar to a Winnebago RV mounted on twin pontoons. Rentals range in length from 44 to 75 feet and the largest can sleep 12 people comfortably. You will feel like you are at home afloat. A good place to set sail is Lake Shasta in Redding, California, where and after Aug. 19 rates drop again. Note that the very popular Lake Powell, which starts in northern Arizona and extends into southern Utah, has experienced unusually low water levels but houseboating remains popular with fall being a good bet as the lake is calmer with fewer visitors and prices drop. Booking.com, meanwhile, was touting a series of Smiley Stays across the U.S in honor of the Smiley Companys 50th anniversary, including an ocean getaway with the Smiley Stay at Sea with Lumar Yacht Experience in the Mid-Beach district of Miami Beach. After the Smiley Stays, you can still book the yacht. Rather than a river cruise, as wonderful as they can be, You could pilot your own barge past quaint villages in Wales, Scotland, England, or as we did, France where we explored small villages, wineries (they welcomed kids) and savoring local food, including just-baked croissants for breakfast and baguettes stuffed with cheese for lunch. (I once mistakenly tried to order the dogs menu for my youngest, thinking it was a childs menu.) Le Boat is the largest operator of self-drive river boating vacations in nine different countries in Europe and Canada. If you prefer having someone do all the heavy (and not so heavy lifting), you can charter a barge from Croisi Europe River Cruises or join a fall departure with up to 50 percent off. Whats your pick? In the last year there have been a lot more joint exercises involving Israeli and foreign F-35s. Details of these exercises have not been publicized but it apparently involves testing current and new F-35 capabilities and sharing that knowledge with other F-35 users. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February a lot of European nations have sought to obtain F-35s while canceling plans to buy lesser modern jets. Ukraines ability to defeat the larger Russian air force, using Ukraines own Russian-designed aircraft, made it clear that the Ukrainian tactics carried out with F-35s would provide an enormous edge over air forces equipped with older aircraft. Even China has not yet produced a stealth aircraft as capable as the F-35 and now NATO nations with F-35s realize they have a substantial edge and have shared that knowledge with other NATO countries. Israel demonstrated what the F-35 was capable of four years ago. By 2019 Israel had 14 F-35I fighters and some had been operational for over a year. These F-35Is flew training missions near the Syrian border and then operational missions over Lebanon and Syria. This comes after years of overcoming opposition from the United States to allowing Israel to modify the F-35A to use Israeli electronic warfare equipment and software, and also to handle Israeli-made missiles and smart bombs as well as a smart helmet (something Israel pioneered). This led to the Israeli aircraft being designated the F-35I, which have been in the air since 2018, often armed and within range of hostile radars and anti-aircraft missiles as well as the latest Russian electronic warfare equipment. Israeli engineers also confirmed fears that the F-35 is eminently hackable. Other foreign users who have received their first F-35s agree that the heart of the F-35's superior capabilities are its software and digital communications with other aircraft and troops on the ground. Users are pointing out all manner of potential network vulnerabilities, and all are actively seeking which of these vulnerabilities are actual (and fixable) rather than potential and unlikely. F-35 software was designed over a decade ago when much less was known about how combat aircraft software could be hacked and already some basic changes in F-35 software architecture are being planned to deal with that. This brings up another major problem. The F-35 software is more complex and omnipresent throughout the aircraft than in any previous warplane. Its a major effort to carry out and test any changes. Some major upgrades are needed in how F-35 software changes are made and how quickly. In wartime this would be essential, as otherwise vulnerable aircraft would be grounded when needed most. Foreign users have also provided useful advice on penetration (red team) testing and have become another major effort that was not anticipated. The U.S. and other foreign users of the F-35 noted Israels F-35I experience and the Israelis have increasingly been sharing it with allies. Israel got priority on deliveries because they are literally a combat zone. Initial reactions of Israeli F-35I pilots and air force commanders were positive. What the Israeli pilots and all others who have flown the F-35 agree on is that its software and degree of automation is spectacular, easy to use and very effective. The F-35 has a large number of sensors (receivers for electronic signals, six cameras and a very capable radar) and the fusion of all that data and presentation to the pilot based on the current situation is impressive and makes the F-35 much easier to fly, despite all the additional capabilities it has. Israel has become something of an unofficial member of NATO and is sharing a lot of its F-35I knowledge with NATO nations. Israel not only has to deal with Russian aircraft and electronic systems in Syria but an even more dangerous threat from Iran. Israel has finally established diplomatic and defense relationships with Arab countries who are also threatened by Iran. One aspect of the 2020 Abraham Accords that made it possible for Israel to establish diplomatic relations with Arab states was American willingness to sell F-35s to the UAE. In 2021 a new U.S. government took over and included Qatar in the F-35 deal. This alarmed Israel and many American military leaders who saw Qatari support for Islamic governments and some Islamic terror groups, as well as Iran and China, as good reasons to prevent F-35 sales to Qatar. The new American government is also inclined to make deals with Iran while also seeking help from Gulf oil states to increase oil production in order to bring oil prices down. The Arabs did not cooperate, not just because of American attitudes towards Iran but also because the new American government had sharply reduced U.S. production of oil. The UAE may eventually get its F-35s but only after the current disputes with Qatar and the Americans are settled. Shares of GSK (NYSE: GSK), formerly GlaxoSmithKline, are down over 8% in premarket Thursday amid mounting concerns about the recalled drug Zantac. The company is facing lawsuits as it allegedly failed to warn users about the over-the-counter products health risks. Zantac was a popular drug that was recalled since it allegedly causes cancer. Sanofi (OTC: SNYNF) shares are also down, as much as 9% in European trading today as investors closely watch developments surrounding Zantac litigations. GSK, Sanofi, and Haleon (OTC: HLNCF) have lost $40 billion in combined market valuation since Tuesday. Investors will be focused on an upcoming Illinois case on August 22, as well as some other key court trials that are scheduled for early 2023. Analysts note that the key trial will start in mid 2023. Deutsche Bank analyst Emmanuel Papadakis sees near-term headwinds for both Sanofi and GSK. This topic is not new: it has arrived in investor consciousness in recent days it seems, but been rumbling on in the background for a few years. What is true is that it is approaching visibility in the form of first cases. We dont think the evidence points to this as another glyphosate, but it is very possible we may see a liability of some $bn magnitude incurred which, coupled with negative headlines from the slate of imminently pending cases, Papadakis told clients in a note. By Senad Karaahmetovic SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Tokio Marine Asia Pte. Ltd. ("Tokio Marine") today announced a strategic partnership with Arbor Ventures ("Arbor"), a leading global Fintech / InsurTech-focused venture capital firm, headquartered in Singapore. This partnership, established through its Innovation Lab in Singapore, marks Tokio Marine's commitment to accelerating the digital transformation of the global insurance industry. The Tokyo-headquartered insurance group has been promoting transformational digital initiatives on a global basis, leveraging on collaborations with startups and service providers with key strategic capabilities. To accelerate the identification and development of new business models, Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. ("Tokio Marine Holdings") has announced earlier in April 2022 on the launch of its corporate venture capital ("CVC") fund partnering with World Innovation Lab, Tokio Marine Future Fund, to invest in early-stage startups. Tokio Marine will identify and invest directly in high-growth potential startups through the CVC Fund in addition to partnering with Arbor and other leading VCs for unique insights and access to promising startups leading the digital transformation in Insurance. Arbor's addition to Tokio Marine's group of collaborative VCs significantly heightens its future opportunities. Arbor is a global FinTech/InsurTech-focused VC with offices in Singapore, USA, Japan as well as a presence in EMENA. Arbor's global connectivity and portfolio as well as its engagement in local markets will further enable Tokio Marine group's innovation labs, spread across seven cities, including Singapore, to collaborate broadly with synergy beyond borders. Masashi Namatame, Group Chief Digital Officer at Tokio Marine Holdings, said: "Arbor's target to create the future of FinTech resonates with Tokio Marine's digital strategy. With Arbor's network and astute scouting of startups with strong potential in the FinTech space, it will greatly complement Tokio Marine's collaborative efforts to serve innovative products and services in insurance industry and beyond." Melissa Guzy, Managing Partner of Arbor Ventures, similarly commented: "Tokio Marine is a world-renowned leader that Arbor is proud to add as a strategic partner in building the future of FinTech / InsurTech. Arbor looks forward to building the next generation of transformational InsurTech startups together." About Tokio Marine Group Tokio Marine was established in the year 1879 as the first insurance company in Japan and has grown over the decades, now offering an extensive selection of General and Life insurance products and solutions in 46 countries and regions worldwide. About Arbor Ventures Founded in 2013, Arbor Ventures is a global investment firm focused on companies that leverage advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, composable service offerings and blockchain applications to facilitate, broaden or fundamentally change the way financial services are served, consumed, and managed. Arbor uses its global vantage point, extensive network and deep sector knowledge to identify key trends and partner closely with leading entrepreneurs to build transformational companies. Notable investments include Paidy, True Accord, Forter, Nomi Health, Tabby, Fundbox and HiBob. For more information, click here. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220810005429/en/ Stephanie Zepeda, [email protected] Loh Mei Yan, Senior Manager (Digital Strategy, Brand & Communications), Email: [email protected] Source: Arbor Ventures Free support with community grade SLA for all major switch platforms enables users to rapidly evaluate SONiC for their multi-vendor network fabric SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Aviz Networks, a leading provider of solutions for Open-, Cloud-, and AI-first networks, announced today that it has joined the Linux Foundation and its SONiC project, an open source network operating system based on Linux that runs on switches and ASICs from multiple vendors. Aviz has joined the foundation to accelerate multi-vendor SONiC adoption while continuing to contribute to the open networking stack. As a pioneer committed to continue to accelerate the adoption and growth of SONiC, Aviz announced that it is opening its support portal to the entire ecosystem. Starting today, any enterprise can freely leverage Avizs expertise and resources in addressing SONiC deployment issues across all major platforms for their evaluations. Avizs support has been the key to successful SONiC deployments at large cloud and enterprise customers. With Aviz providing their expertise, network operators can complete their POCs faster for multi-vendor environments, and leverage SONiC for their production networks. "We are excited to welcome Aviz to the Linux Foundation and the SONiC community, which is part of a strong ecosystem that supports the open networking stack, said Arpit Joshipura, General Manager, Networking, Edge, and IoT, the Linux Foundation. "As an open source NOS, SONiC was designed to bring fast innovation, collaboration, and reliability to the open networking community. Avizs support for enterprise adoption within the open-source ecosystem is a welcome addition to our continued growth. In the last couple years, the networking industry has seen a huge surge in the adoption of SONiC, with pretty much every platform vendor rallying behind SONiC to support their customers across verticals and geographies (read the SONiC Forecast and Research Report), said Alan Weckel of the 650 Group. For an open-source NOS to have widespread appeal, it needs a robust community of developers and a strong support model. Aviz is delivering that support to the SONiC ecosystem. Early users of SONiC often need access to the right tools, extra capacity, or additional expertise to troubleshoot and debug issues. When it comes to complex multi-vendor deployments, open-source software support can become a logistical nightmare, said Gautam Agrawal, CPO of Aviz Networks. Our goal is to make SONiC easily deployable on every single platform. So, we are thrilled to open our support channel to everyone in the ecosystem. Over the past 5+ years, our engineering team has amassed significant expertise in SONiC across multiple platforms. With strong partnerships and well-defined SLAs across all major Switch/ASIC vendors, we want to help the SONiC community improve user experience. Get FREE Support for SONiC Evaluations today at https://support.aviznetworks.com/ and ask our experts any questions you have about your SONiC POC and deployment. Aviz recently organized the first ever SONiC Summit in Hyderabad, India with panel participation from Microsoft, Cisco, Edgecore, Keysight, and almost a hundred attendees from the open networking community. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and to further advance the customer, community, and vendor collaboration, Aviz will be hosting a follow-up event, Open Networking Day with SONiC, in the SF Bay Area on September 16th, 2022. More details coming soon! About Aviz Networks Aviz Networks is a leading provider of solutions for Open-, Cloud-, and AI-first networks. Aviz delivers switch platform agnostic, easy-to-use applications for network observability, orchestration, and assurance. Aviz also provides disaggregated support for multi-vendor SONiC deployments in data center & edge networks. Aviz is on a mission to make SONiC a ubiquitous, accessible, and intelligent NOS for every stakeholder. More information is available at www.aviznetworks.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005009/en/ Aviz Networks Contact: Ben Bronson (602) 552-1194 [email protected] Source: Aviz Networks ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Broadstone Net Lease, Inc. (NYSE: BNL), (BNL), today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 13,000,000 shares of its Common Stock, at a price to the public of $21.35 per share, less underwriting discounts and commissions, in connection with the forward sale agreements described below. The underwriters also have been granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,950,000 shares of Common Stock at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on August 12, 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, BMO Capital Markets, J.P. Morgan, and Truist Securities are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering. BNL and its operating company (the OP) have entered into forward sale agreements with each of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Bank of Montreal, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and Truist Bank or their affiliates (the forward purchasers). In connection with the forward sale agreements, the forward purchasers or their affiliates are expected to borrow and sell to the underwriters an aggregate of 13,000,000 shares of Common Stock that will be delivered in this offering (or an aggregate of 14,950,000 shares of Common Stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Subject to its right to elect cash or net share settlement, which right is subject to certain conditions, BNL intends to deliver, upon physical settlement of such forward sale agreements on one or more dates specified by BNL occurring no later than August 10, 2023, an aggregate of 13,000,000 shares of Common Stock (or an aggregate of 14,950,000 shares of Common Stock if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) to the forward purchasers in exchange for cash proceeds per share equal to the applicable forward sale price, which will be the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, and will be subject to certain adjustments as provided in the forward sale agreements. BNL will not initially receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of Common Stock by the forward purchasers and their affiliates in the offering. BNL intends to contribute the net proceeds, if any, it receives upon the future settlement of the forward sale agreements to the OP. The OP intends to subsequently use such net proceeds to fund potential acquisition opportunities, to repay amounts outstanding from time to time under its unsecured revolving credit facility and other indebtedness, and for other general corporate and working capital purposes. A shelf registration statement (including a prospectus) relating to these securities was filed on June 23, 2021 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and automatically became effective upon filing. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus. Copies of these documents are available at no charge on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, from: Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, or by telephone at (866) 471-2526, or by email at [email protected]; BMO Capital Markets Corp., Attn: Equity Syndicate Department, 151 W 42nd Street, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036, tel: (800) 414-3627, email: [email protected]; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204 or email: [email protected]; and Truist Securities, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 3333 Peachtree Road NE, 9th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30326, email: [email protected]. The offering of these securities is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Broadstone Net Lease, Inc. BNL is a real estate investment trust that acquires, owns, and manages primarily single-tenant commercial real estate properties that are net leased on a long-term basis to a diversified group of tenants. The Company utilizes an investment strategy underpinned by strong fundamental credit analysis and prudent real estate underwriting. As of June 30, 2022, BNLs diversified portfolio consisted of 764 individual commercial properties with 757 properties located in 44 U.S. states and seven properties located in four Canadian provinces across the industrial, healthcare, restaurant, retail, and office commercial property types. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220810005846/en/ Michael Caruso SVP, Corporate Finance & Investor Relations [email protected] 585.402.7842 Source: Broadstone Net Lease, Inc. Deal with Bridger Aerospace represents third largest taxable non-rated municipal ESG bond DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- D.A. Davidson, a nationally recognized team of capital market professionals, has successfully priced and closed $160 million of industrial development revenue and revenue refunding bonds for Bridger Aerospace, a Montana-based leading aviation service provider. The deal represents one of the largest taxable non-rated municipal ESG bonds in the nation. Achieving a financing of this type and scale with a partner like Bridger Aerospace is a historic milestone for D.A. Davidson. We are proud that our unique ability to accomplish a taxable, non-rated municipal offering will contribute to the greater good of our climate and assist in Bridgers heroic efforts to combat wildfires that plague our natural spaces and communities, said Kyle Thomas, managing director at D.A. Davidson. The bond proceeds will assist Bridger Aerospace with the financing of two airplane hangars to be located at Gallatin Field in Belgrade, Montana and the acquisition of four new SuperScooper firefighting aircrafts. Bridger Aerospace operates the largest and most sophisticated fleet of firefighting aircraft, and as it redefines its technology to meet the emerging challenges of wildland aerial firefighting, we are grateful for the opportunity to provide the financial solutions needed to support continued growth strategy, continued Thomas. Founded in 2014 and led by current Chief Executive Officer and former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, Bridger is a mission-driven company focused on addressing the year-round threat of economic and environmental damage caused by wildfires. Through its effective, modern and purposefully designed fleet of aircraft and FireTRAC, its innovative, proprietary data gathering, aerial surveillance and reporting platform, Bridger provides its federal agency and state government client base with a comprehensive range of aerial firefighting solutions. Amid record-breaking, year-round wildfire seasons and a changing climate, Bridger meets an underserved and growing need for next-generation and full-service aerial firefighting platforms by leveraging sustainable and environmentally safe firefighting methods. By sourcing water near fires, the company minimizes harm to the local water system and reduces flight time between scoops and drops through its advanced capabilities and technologies. Bridger outfits aircraft for mapping, data, analytics, and connectivity capabilities to provide intelligence for confident decision-making. We are entering a new era of combating wildfire danger, and our financial needs are unique as we continue to expand our capabilities to tackle the critical needs of communities we serve. Teaming up with a like-minded partner like D.A. Davidson that not only shares our fundamental business principles of environmental and social sustainability, but provides the financing solutions we require, will position us well to effectively combat todays changing climate, said Tim Sheehy, CEO, founder and director of Bridger Aerospace. According to S&P Global Ratings baseline projections, municipal bonds holding an environmental, social or governance designation are expected to hit $62 billion in 2022, amassing a larger share of the U.S. municipal market. Based on Bridgers plans to accelerate its expansion and growth in its mission to utilize aircraft and technology to save lives, property and habitat threatened by wildfire, Bridger was an ideal partner for D.A. Davidson & Co. as the firm looks to expand its presence in the growing municipal ESG marketplace. About D.A. Davidson Companies D.A. Davidson Companies is an employee-owned financial services firm offering a range of financial services and advice to individuals, corporations, institutions and municipalities nationwide. Founded in 1935 with corporate headquarters in Great Falls, Montana, and regional headquarters in Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Omaha and Seattle, the company has approximately 1,475 employees and offices in 28 states. Subsidiaries include: D.A. Davidson & Co., a full-service investment firm providing wealth management, investment banking, equity and fixed income capital markets services and advice; Davidson Investment Advisors, a professional asset management firm; D.A. Davidson Trust Company, a trust and wealth management company; and Davidson Fixed Income Management, a registered investment adviser providing fixed income portfolio and advisory services. For more information, visit dadavidson.com. About Bridger Aerospace Based in Bozeman, Montana, Bridger Aerospace Group, LLC is one of the nations largest privately held aerial firefighting companies. Bridger is committed to utilizing its team, aircraft and technology to save lives, property and habitats threatened by wildfires. Bridger provides aerial firefighting and wildfire management services to federal and state government agencies, including the United States Forest Service, across the nation. More information about the company is available at www.bridgeraerospace.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005188/en/ Julia Bulotti dovetail solutions for D.A. Davidson [email protected] Source: D.A. Davidson New partnership includes a Work from Anywhere Contest, where Fiverr freelancers have the chance to win comped accommodations at Selina locations NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fiverr International Ltd. (NYSE: FVRR), the company that is revolutionizing how the world works together, today announced a new partnership with Selina, one of the worlds largest experiential hospitality brands built to address the needs of millennial and Gen Z travelers. The purpose of the partnership is to provide Anywhere Workers (i.e. people who work remotely while traveling from at least two locations, domestic or international, throughout the year), the opportunity to find community and connect with like-minded individuals during their travels. The partnership with Selina also includes the ability for these workers to connect through in-person events and meetups as a means to combat one of the key issues they face: loneliness. Additionally, Fiverr will be launching its Work from Anywhere contest, where ten Fiverr freelancers will be selected to stay at a Selina location of their choosing for 3 to 4 weeks. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005170/en/ Fiverr and Selina are partnering up to bring Anywhere Workers together across the globe. (Graphic: Business Wire) In a recent Fiverr survey with Lonely Planet, it was revealed that 90% of Anywhere Workers experience loneliness while living this lifestyle. This shows that while the combined work and travel trend has continued to grow, there remain challenges among this growing segment of the workforce. While being an Anywhere Worker has numerous benefits including having autonomy and flexibility over ones worklife, it still has its challenges such as lack of community and a sense of belonging, said Gali Arnon, Chief Marketing Officer at Fiverr. Building, growing and establishing a vibrant and engaging community is at the heart of everything we do at Fiverr. We are thrilled to be partnering with a company like Selina who has the physical space around the globe to help us address this issue head on. Together, through a variety of different engagement mechanisms, its our goal to bring this Anywhere Worker community together to learn, to grow and to ultimately thrive. Selina provides guests with beautiful places to stay, travel, and work abroad indefinitely. The company uses in-depth local knowledge to create thousands of authentic activities and experiences in over 163 destinations worldwide. The partnership with Fiverr will give the platform's community members special access to Selina around the world. From inception, Selina has built its mission on fostering meaningful and authentic connections, and we believe nurturing these connections helps to address the growing struggle of loneliness, said Elad Nir, Global CMO of Selina. Our active global coworking community has shown us that remote work does not have to be isolating, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Fiverr and welcoming their anywhere workers into our network of 100+ destinations worldwide. The Selina experience is carefully designed to bring a sense of community to todays digital nomad, travelers, and locals alike. Together, by leveraging our platforms and bringing together our communities, we hope to show how building connection through travel creates a sense of community and fulfillment. The Work from Anywhere contest will run for three weeks (from August 11th through September 1st), where Fiverr freelancers across the world can submit their entries for the chance to win $2,000 in cash voucher for travel expenses from Fiverr, as well as 250,000 Selina tokens (equivalent to approximately $2,000 USD worth of overnight stays and other services at Selina locations ) to redeem in Selina accommodations, wellness activities, and hot-desk access. During their stay, the winners of the contest will also be documenting and sharing their experience as an Anywhere Worker with the world. To learn more about Fiverrs partnership with Selina and the Work from Anywhere Contest click here. About Fiverr Fiverrs mission is to revolutionize how the world works together. We exist to democratize access to talent and to provide talent with access to opportunities so anyone can grow their business, brand, or dreams. From small businesses to Fortune 500, over 4 million customers worldwide worked with freelance talent on Fiverr in the past year, ensuring their workforces remain flexible, adaptive, and agile. With Fiverrs Talent Cloud, companies can easily scale their teams from a talent pool of skilled professionals from over 160 countries across more than 550 categories, ranging from programming to 3D design, digital marketing to content creation, from video animation to architecture. Dont get left behind - come be a part of the future of work by visiting fiverr.com, read our blog, and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. About Selina Selina is one of the world's largest lifestyle and experiential platform built to address the needs and desires of millennial and Gen Z travelers, blending beautifully designed accommodation with coworking, recreation, wellness, and local experiences. Custom-built for today's nomadic traveler, Selina provides guests with a global infrastructure to seamlessly travel, work and play. Founded in 2014, each Selina property is designed in partnership with local artists, creators, and tastemakers, breathing new life into existing buildings in interesting locations around the world from urban cities to remote beaches and jungles. Selina's portfolio includes over 163 open or secured properties across 25 countries and 6 continents. On December 2, 2021, Selina entered into a definitive merger agreement with BOA Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: BOAS), the closing of which, which is subject to customary conditions, will result in Selina becoming a publicly listed company. For further information on Selina, visit www.selina.com or check out @selina on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. To explore Selina real estate partnership opportunities, please contact [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005170/en/ Press Contact Holly Steffy [email protected] Source: Fiverr International LTD. SIGNY, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Global Blue Group Holding AG (Global Blue) (NYSE: GB) will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on September 1, 2022 at 11:00 CEST at Bahnhofstrasse 53, Zurich, Switzerland. The preparatory documents for the AGM are posted in the Investor Relations section of Global Blues website: https://ir.globalblue.com/. A copy of the invitation to the AGM together with the Proxy Card are filed as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 to the Companys Report on Form 6-K, dated August 11, 2022. ABOUT GLOBAL BLUE Global Blue pioneered the concept of Tax Free Shopping 40 years ago. Through continuous innovation, we have become the leading strategic technology and payments partner, empowering retailers to improve their performance and shoppers to enhance their experience. Global Blue offers innovative solutions in three different fields: Tax Free Shopping: Helping retailers at over 300,000 points of sale to efficiently manage 35 million Tax Free Shopping transactions a year, thanks to its fully integrated in-house technology platform. Meanwhile, its industry-leading digital Tax Free shopper solutions create a better, more seamless customer experience Helping retailers at over 300,000 points of sale to efficiently manage 35 million Tax Free Shopping transactions a year, thanks to its fully integrated in-house technology platform. Meanwhile, its industry-leading digital Tax Free shopper solutions create a better, more seamless customer experience Payments services: Providing a full suite of foreign exchange and Payments technology solutions that allow acquirers, hotels and retailers to offer value-added services and improve the customer experience during 31 million payment transactions a year at 130,000 points of interaction Providing a full suite of foreign exchange and Payments technology solutions that allow acquirers, hotels and retailers to offer value-added services and improve the customer experience during 31 million payment transactions a year at 130,000 points of interaction Complementary RetailTech: Offering new technology solutions to retailers, including digital receipts and eCommerce returns, that can be easily integrated with their core systems and allow them to optimise and digitalise their processes throughout the omni-channel customer journey, both in-store and online In addition, our data and advisory services offer a strategic advisory to help retailers identify opportunities for growth, while our shopper experience and engagement solutions provide data-driven solutions to increase footfall, convert footfall to revenue and enhance performance. For more information, visit http://www.globalblue.com/corporate/ Pre-pandemic figures FY 2019-20 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005039/en/ INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS Frances Gibbons Head of Investor Relations Mob: +44 (0)7815 034 212 Mail: [email protected] Source: Global Blue Stephanie Plaines joins Company to accelerate its omnichannel strategy and long-term investments LEWISVILLE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- JCPenney the shopping destination for Americas diverse, working families announced today the appointment of Stephanie Plaines as the chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005524/en/ Stephanie Plaines joins JCPenney as chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately. (Photo: Business Wire) Plaines will lead all financial activities across the enterprise. She will drive best-in-class execution across functions including financial strategy, real estate, capital deployment, credit services, sourcing and procurement, treasury, and accounting. She will also apply decades of experience working with data to improve business performance and profitability. JCPenney is investing for the long-term while executing our customer-focused strategy to enhance shopping experiences and build brand loyalty, said Marc Rosen, chief executive officer. Stephanie brings more than 20 years of high-performance strategic and financial leadership with best-in-class global retailers. Her deep strengths in data-forward financial management and track record of value creation will make her an invaluable advisor throughout the business as we develop new digital and technology capabilities to advance our transformation agenda. Plaines most recently served as CFO at Jones Lang LaSalle, a leading global commercial real estate services company. She brings experience as a senior executive at companies including Starbucks, Walmart and Ahold Delhaize. Plaines currently serves as a board director and audit committee member for Nielsen Holdings plc and The Clorox Company. Plaines earned a bachelors degree in finance from the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Texas at Austin. Im excited to join such an iconic American company during this time of pivotal transformation, said Plaines. I am looking forward to working with Marc, his leadership team and the finance organization to advance the next chapter of growth for the company, drive customer-centric, sustainable expansion and continue to position JCPenney to win in the marketplace. Related News About JCPenney JCPenney is the shopping destination for diverse, working American families. With inclusivity at its core, the Companys product assortment meets customers everyday needs and helps them commemorate every special occasion with style, quality and value. JCPenney offers a broad portfolio of fashion, apparel, home, beauty and jewelry from national and private brands and provides personal services including salon, portrait and optical. The Company and its 50,000 associates worldwide serve customers where, when and how they want to shop from jcp.com to more than 650 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In 2022, JCPenney celebrates 120 years as an iconic American brand by continuing its legacy of connecting with customers through shopping and community engagement. Please visit JCPenneys Newsroom to learn more and follow JCPenney on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005524/en/ Nina Quatrino Corporate Communications, JCPenney [email protected] Source: JCPenney New name reflects the Firms rapid growth across the region NEW YORK & BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP today announced that the firm will change its name to Marcum Asia CPAs LLP, subject to regulatory approval. The name change will reflect the rapid growth of the firm's work at the intersection of the U.S. and Asia markets. Our planned name change reflects the substantial growth of the Firms business across our service offerings, our geographic footprint, and our team, said Drew Bernstein, co-chair of Marcum Asia. Today, we employ one of the largest teams of SEC and PCAOB-knowledgeable auditors in Mainland China. We recently expanded our presence in the region. Our new office in Singapore increases support for clients across Southeast Asia. This includes middle-market industrial enterprises to multi-billion technology companies. Marcum Asias client base spans Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The firm provides audit and attest services to both public and private companies, either listed or preparing to list in the U.S. market. Additionally, Marcum Asia provides a range of consulting services to non-audit clients, which include: technical accounting policies, Sarbanes-Oxley, internal controls, corporate governance, and financial due diligence. Demand for Marcum Asias audit and consulting services in Mainland China remains robust, commented Charles Yin, managing partner and CEO of Marcum Asia. We are one of the very few firms with the scale and experience to efficiently complete large, complex assignments for U.S.-listed companies in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Continuing concerns about the potential for delisting companies whose auditors are not PCAOB-inspected has fueled a flood of U.S.-listed companies that need the skills and proficiency offered by Marcum Asia. Marcum Asia is a fully integrated audit firm providing a full range of audit services, technical review, quality control, and client relationship management, which is unlike other audit firms operating in Asia under a global network of member firms. From our very first days in China, we recognized that if we were going to deliver quality audits in Chinas complex environment, building an in-house team of trained professionals located in both U.S. and Asia markets was essential, said Neil Pinchuk, co-chair of Marcum Asia. We have continued to invest in strengthening our quality control team, recruiting top technical talent, and creating a robust learning pathway and culture. I am exceedingly proud of the maturity, drive, and outstanding integrity of our rising generation of firm leaders. About Marcum Asia CPAs LLP Marcum Asia CPAs LLP is an independent public accounting firm focused on cross-border services for public and private companies in Asia. A joint venture with Marcum LLP, the firm is one of the leading audit and assurance services providers to Asian companies listed on the U.S. stock markets. Marcum Asia is the only audit firm with a dedicated SPAC team for Asia clients, equipped to deliver the technical proficiency, efficiency, and urgency required by SPAC IPOs. The firm is headquartered in New York City and has offices in major cities in China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou, as well as in Singapore. To learn more, visit marcumasia.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220804005070/en/ Media Rachel Gerber Kule, Managing Partner, Pursuit PR [email protected] Source: Marcum Bernstein & Pinchuk LLP 12th Annual MPC: The Digital Commerce Event to run Aug. 22 to 24, 2022 in Atlanta SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MPC22, The Digital Commerce Event, today announced its all-star lineup of keynote speakers for its 12th annual conference, to be held Aug. 22-24, 2022 at the Westin Atlanta Perimeter North. The three-day event is back in-person this year for the first time since 2019 and will feature addresses from industry leaders across the fintech, banking, security and technology sectors discussing this years theme The Currency of Change. Marla Ellerman, Executive Director of the MPC Digital Commerce Event, thanked MPC keynote speakers for bringing a diversity of perspectives to MPC22. This is a transformative time for digital commerce, and were excited to share thought leadership from global innovators from across the commerce value chain, Ellerman said. EXPANSIVE AGENDA Ellerman stated the keynote addresses will further explore the conference theme. Thought leaders and decisionmakers in our space will share perspectives on everchanging trends, payment flows and the future of digital commerce, she said. Barry McCarthy, CEO of Deluxe and MPC22 keynote speaker agreed, stating, The only constant in any industry is change, but its particularly applicable to payments. Understanding how the industry is changing is vital to futureproofing your organization. MPC22 organizers indicated that additional keynote addresses are in the works, citing the following confirmed keynote topics and thought leaders in order of appearance: NLP Technologies and Applications: Fei Huang, Senior Director, Principal Researcher, Alibaba DAMO Academy Optimizing the Value of Fintech Partnerships: Allen Kent Merrill, Senior Managing Director, Ankura Consulting Group The Next Revolution in FinTech: Barry McCarthy, President and CEO, Deluxe Why ESG is Fundamental to Blockchain and the Future of Payments: Nitin Guar, Digital Assets & Technology Design, State Street Corp. Optimizing for Mobile Payments: Shane Logsdon, Director, Product Management, Heartland The Secret Weapon: Fighting Off FinTechs with Digital Bill Pay: Jed Rice, CEO, Aliaswire The Power of Embedded Real-time Payments: Peter Gordon, Head of Emerging Money Movement & Business Digital Officer, U.S. Bank What Do Consumers Hate About Payments? Nick Hughes, Head of Growth, GoCart From Share of Wallet to Share of Life: Deconstructing the Fintech Flywheel: Amy Young, Industry Digital Strategist, Microsoft Fraud Always Follows the Money: Casey Zenner, Vice President, Global Sales, Kount, an Equifax Company SAVE YOUR SEAT Event planners encourage attendees to reduce registration fees with MPC22 sponsor discounts; check with an MPC sponsor to obtain your unique promotion code. For more information about the conference and to register for the event, visit: https://mobilepaymentconference.com/register-now-2022/ ABOUT MPC: THE DIGITAL COMMERCE EVENT MPC: The Digital Commerce Event is the premier annual conference and exhibition on the future of alternative payments worldwide. MPC is known for bringing together thought leaders, innovators and decision-makers from financial, technology, government, retail, marketing, and mobile industries to discuss the evolution of the payments industry. Attendees benefit from access to the worlds foremost experts in emerging payments and commerce, blockchain and digital currencies, cybersecurity and consumer privacy, customer experience and loyalty, and customer engagement and marketing. For more information, visit: https://mobilepaymentconference.com/ and follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mpcevent and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpc-digital-commerce/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005596/en/ Media Shilo Lusson [email protected] 480-630-0294 Source: Mobile Payment Conference CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- RiverNorth/DoubleLine Strategic Opportunity Fund, Inc. (the Fund) (NYSE: OPP) announces that its Board of Directors (the Board) has authorized and set the terms of an offering to the Funds stockholders of rights to purchase additional shares of common stock of the Fund. In this offering, the Fund will issue transferable subscription rights (Rights) to its stockholders of record as of August 25, 2022 (the Record Date and such stockholders Record Date Stockholders) allowing the holder to subscribe for new shares of common stock of the Fund (the Primary Subscription). Record Date Stockholders will receive one Right for each share of common stock held on the Record Date. For every three Rights held, a holder of Rights may buy one new share of common stock of the Fund. The Rights are expected to be listed and tradable on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker: OPP.RT. Record Date Stockholders who fully exercise all Rights initially issued to them in the Primary Subscription will be entitled to buy those shares of common stock that are not purchased by other Record Date Stockholders. The shares of common stock issued as a result of the rights offering will not be record date shares for the Funds monthly distributions to be paid in August or September 2022 and therefore will not be entitled to those distributions. The subscription price per share of common stock will be determined based upon a formula that will be no less than equal to 92.5% of the reported net asset value or 95% of the market price per share of common stock, whichever is higher on the Expiration Date (as defined below). Market price per share of common stock will be determined based on the average of the last reported sales price of a share of common stock on the NYSE for the five trading days preceding (and not including) the Expiration Date. The subscription period will expire on September 23, 2022, unless extended by the Board (the Expiration Date). The rights offering will be made pursuant to the Funds currently effective shelf registration statement on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus will be filed with the SEC but has not been filed as of the date of this release. The Company expects to mail subscription certificates evidencing the subscription rights and a copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus for the rights offering shortly following the Record Date. These securities described in this release may not be sold nor may offers to purchase be accepted prior to the time the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are filed with the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy. RiverNorth/DoubleLine Strategic Opportunity Fund, Inc. The investment objective of the Fund is current income and overall total return. The Fund had approximately $340 million of total managed assets1 and 19.4 million shares of common stock outstanding as of July 31, 2022. The Fund is a closed-end fund and does not continuously issue stock for sale as open-end mutual funds do. The Fund now trades in the secondary market. Investors wishing to buy or sell stock need to place orders through an intermediary or broker. The share price of a closed-end fund is based on the market value. Risk is inherent in all investing. Investing in any investment company security involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or even that you may lose part or all of your investment. Therefore, before investing in the shares of common stock, you should consider the risks as well as the other information in the prospectus. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investors should consider the Fund's investment objective, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing. For more information, please read the prospectus, call your financial professional or call 844.569.4750. RiverNorth Capital Management, LLC RiverNorth is an investment management firm founded in 2000 that specializes in opportunistic strategies in niche markets where the potential to exploit inefficiencies is greatest. RiverNorth is the manager to multiple registered and private funds. 1Managed Assets includes assets attributable to leverage and investments in affiliated funds. Not FDIC Insured | May Lose Value | No Bank Guarantee ALPS Distributors, Inc. is the FINRA Member Firm. RiverNorth is a registered trademark of RiverNorth Capital Management, LLC. 2000-2022 RiverNorth Capital Management, LLC. All rights reserved. OPP000119 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005496/en/ Investor Contact Chris Lakumb, CFA, CAIA 312.445.2336 [email protected] Source: RiverNorth Capital Management, LLC Cybersecurity leader builds regional APAC team, bringing onboard Jacquie Young as Director of Channels HOBOKEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Semperis, the pioneer in identity-driven cyber resilience for enterprises accelerated expansion of its hybrid identity protection solutions in the Asia-Pacific region by bringing onboard Jacquie Young, a leader in the APAC channel with 26 years of technology and cybersecurity sales experience, as Director of Channels. Building on the momentum of Semperis KKR-led $200 million Series C funding roundamong the largest cybersecurity raises in 2022the companys swift expansion in APAC will extend availability of its award-winning Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) and cyber-first recovery solutions at a time when identity-related cyber threats in the regionas in the rest of the worldcontinue to rise. Youngs appointment is a key part of Semperis strategy of strengthening its 100% channel-driven sales model by building partnerships in APAC and supporting partners with tools, training, qualified leads, and joint sales support. Recognized by the Financial Times as the fastest-growing cybersecurity company in America, Semperis plans to double headcount in the APAC region in the next year to accommodate market demands and current customer needs. I have joined Semperis at an exciting point in time, said Young. Semperis continues to win recognition in the cybersecurity industry for its innovative approach to protecting organizations hybrid identity environments before, during, and after an attack. The technology is backed by an in-house team with a pedigreed AD skillset, including more than 100 years collective Microsoft MVP experience, making Semperis a trusted resource and advisor for partners that provide cybersecurity services and solutions to their customers. The APAC market is ready for the unmatched identity threat defense solutions that Semperis provides. APAC organizations already recognize the need to protect their identity infrastructures and enhance cyber resiliency. Its a critical time, and Semperis is in a strong position to make a real difference. APAC countries are 80 percent more likely to be the target of a cyberattack than countries in other parts of the world. In addition, the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (ISC) reported that there is an APAC workforce gap of approximately 1.42 million in the cybersecurity sector in 2021. Education and awareness of how to improve resiliency to identity-driven cyberattacks is a core part of Semperis offering. Last year the company launched Purple Knight, a free security assessment tool with 5,000-plus users built to combat systemic attacks exploiting AD and Azure AD vulnerabilities. Bringing in a cybersecurity industry leader with Jacquie Youngs experience underscores our commitment to rapidly expanding comprehensive hybrid identity protection in APAC through our channel network, said Dave Evans, Semperis VP of Global Channels & Alliances. We know that organizations in this regionas in other parts of the worldare struggling to defend against the current onslaught of identity-based cyberattacks. With Jacquies leadership, well accelerate our ability to support our channel partners in the fight against attacks that threaten their customers businesses. The Semperis channel program, recognized by CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, in its 2022 Partner Program Guide, is founded on a strategic commitment to a 100 percent channel-centric global sales model, delivery of qualified leads and joint sales support, and comprehensive partner enablement. Semperis AD-specific expertise has enabled the company to initiate strategic alliances such as the healthcare industry task force formed with Sirius Healthcarea CDW company and leading provider of security consulting services for more than 450 healthcare clientsto improve the cybersecurity posture and resiliency of hospitals, pharmaceuticals, insurers, and other healthcare companies. For more information about Semperis partner program, or for those interested in exploring channel partnerships, please visit: https://www.semperis.com/partners/. About Semperis For security teams charged with defending hybrid and multi-cloud environments, Semperis ensures integrity and availability of critical enterprise directory services at every step in the cyber kill chain and cuts recovery time by 90%. Purpose-built for securing hybrid Active Directory environments, Semperis patented technology protects over 50 million identities from cyberattacks, data breaches, and operational errors. The worlds leading organizations trust Semperis to spot directory vulnerabilities, intercept cyberattacks in progress, and quickly recover from ransomware and other data integrity emergencies. Semperis is headquartered in New Jersey and operates internationally, with its research and development team distributed between San Francisco and Tel Aviv. Semperis hosts the award-winning Hybrid Identity Protection conference (www.hipconf.com). The company has received the highest level of industry accolades and was recently ranked #157 in the 2021 Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. Semperis is accredited by Microsoft and recognized by Gartner. Twitter https://twitter.com/SemperisTech LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/semperis Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SemperisTech YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCycrWXhxOTaUQ0sidlyN9SA View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220810005825/en/ Heather Trevenna EMEA Marketing Director, Semperis e: [email protected] Source: Semperis PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Stoa USA Inc., the Arizona-based company that launched the FlipOS by Stoa platform for professional single-family home investors, has closed another $100 million securitization. The funding is underwritten by Cantor Fitzgerald, a leading financial services firm that specializes in real-estate investments. This marks the second time that Cantor Fitzgerald has worked with Stoa on this type of fundraising. Stoas $100 million securitization in November 2021 was also underwritten by Cantor Fitzgerald. The Stoa team looks forward to whats possible for our real estate partners with this round of funding, and were proud to have the continued support of the experienced team at Cantor Fitzgerald, says Tom Sella, co-founder of Stoa. Its been less than a year since our initial $100M securitization, and weve seen exponential growth in product adoption since then. According to Bankrate.com, housing supply is far below demand levels due to multiple factors, including younger buyers looking for first-time homeownership and under-building after the 2007 recession. FlipOS by Stoa focuses on the fix-and-flip market, where existing properties need upgrades or repairs before they become viable options for people looking for housing. With the additional securitization, FlipOS by Stoa will be able to work with more professional real estate investors to grow and scale their businesses, helping to close the housing gap in America by providing quality residential inventory to the market faster than homebuilders can. With the housing market in a state of change, FlipOS by Stoa has gained even more traction, because its unique model allows investors to purchase, renovate, and sell single-family homes faster and with less risk than traditional models. Its a big deal that we were able to close this round of funding amid a fluctuating housing market, says Or Agassi, co-founder of Stoa. It speaks volumes about the underlying strength of our business model. We continue to scale rapidly but responsibly, maintaining strong unit economics. Weve created a business that people want to invest in regardless of macroeconomic conditions. Overall, the company has raised around $300 million in equity and debt. About Stoa Stoa USA Inc. is a Phoenix, Arizona-based property technology company dedicated to closing the housing gap in America. Its iBuyer software platform, FlipOS by Stoa, enables real estate investors to purchase, renovate, and sell homes faster and more efficiently. The company supports investors with low-rate lending, detailed scopes of renovation work, and a guaranteed post-renovation purchase offer with a five-day close. Learn more at flipos.com. Media Kit Click here for a complete media kit with logos, bios and additional information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220811005703/en/ Megan Wahl LAVIDGE [email protected] 480-998-2600 Source: Stoa USA Inc. Revenue increased 13.7% to $149.6 million Active customers increased 8.7% to 2.26 million NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Warby Parker Inc. (NYSE: WRBY) (the Company), a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand focused on vision for all, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. Q2 was another quarter where Warby Parker made strong progress against our core strategic growth initiatives, gained market share, and delighted customers despite shifts in consumer spending, said Co-Founder and Co-CEO Neil Blumenthal. We offer products and services people need to see, and believe we offer unparalleled value and a superior customer experience that well position us over the long term. Our team remains focused on sustainable growth, expanding profitability, and providing vision for all, added Co-Founder and Co-CEO Dave Gilboa. Second Quarter 2022 Highlights Net revenue increased $18.1 million, or 13.7%, to $149.6 million compared to second quarter 2021 and increased 19.1% on a 3-year CAGR basis compared to the second quarter of 2019. Increased active customers 8.7% to 2.26 million year over year. Average revenue per customer increased 8.2% year over year to $254. Q2 2022 GAAP net loss of $32.2 million. Q2 2022 adjusted EBITDA(1) of $5.9 million and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 4.0%. Opened 9 new stores during the quarter, ending the quarter with 178 stores. More than doubled revenue of our contact lens offering. Maintained a Net Promoter Score of 80. Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results For the second quarter of 2022, compared to the second quarter of 2021: Net revenue increased $18.1 million, or 13.7%, to $149.6 million. Active customers increased by 180,000, or 8.7%, to 2.26 million. Gross profit dollars increased 10.6% to $86.3 million. Gross margin was 57.7% compared to 59.3% in the prior year. The decline in gross margin was primarily driven by the increased penetration of contact lenses, which carry lower gross margins than eyeglasses, reflecting Warby Parkers strategy to grow its contact lens offering, the impact of the growth in the Company's store count driving higher store occupancy and depreciation costs, and an increase in salary and benefit costs associated with optometrists as we scale our eye exam offering across our fleet. This was partially offset by the scaling of progressive lenses and leverage from the Companys in-house optical laboratory network. Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) increased $31.6 million to $118.4 million, primarily driven by an increase of $16.2 million in stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes and $3.3 million of charitable expenses for the donation of stock to the Warby Parker Impact Foundation, partially offset by $4.1 million of costs incurred in the first quarter of 2021 associated with our direct listing. Excluding these expenses in both years, SG&A increased $16.2 million to $88.5 million, on an adjusted basis(1). On this basis, SG&A as a percentage of revenue increased 420 basis points to 59.2% from 55.0%, primarily due to an increase in salary expense for our retail employees due to the growth in our store count, increased corporate overhead expenses, mostly related to costs we incurred to operate as a public company, which we did not incur in Q2 2021, and investments in our technology infrastructure. These costs were partially offset by reduced costs of the Companys Home Try-On program. Net loss increased $21.9 million to $32.2 million, primarily as a result of the increase in SG&A described above. Adjusted EBITDA(1) decreased $4.9 million to $5.9 million. Adjusted EBITDA margin(1) decreased 420 basis points to 4.0%. Balance Sheet Highlights Warby Parker ended the second quarter of 2022 with $211.6 million in cash and cash equivalents. Updated 2022 Outlook For the full year 2022, Warby Parker is revising its outlook to the following: Net revenue of $584 to $595 million, representing growth of 8% to 10% versus full year 2021. Adjusted EBITDA margin(1) of approximately 3.8% to 4.4%, or Adjusted EBITDA(1) of approximately $22 to $26 million, which includes an estimated impact of approximately $7.5 million related to the disruption caused by Omicron to the start of the year. 40 new store openings bringing total store count to 201. We are pleased that our second quarter top-line performance was in-line with our expectations and adjusted EBITDA was ahead, especially given the uncertain macroeconomic environment, said Chief Financial Officer Steve Miller. In light of these challenges, we have rationalized our expense base and adopted a new outlook on the remainder of the year. As a leadership team, we are taking a disciplined approach to managing costs to set us up for sustainable growth and profitability. The guidance and forward-looking statements made in this press release and on our conference call are based on management's expectations as of the date of this press release. (1) Please see the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measure in the section titled Non-GAAP Financial Measures below. Webcast and Conference Call A conference call to discuss Warby Parkers second quarter 2022 results as well as third quarter and full year 2022 outlook is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. ET today. To participate, please dial 844-200-6205 from the U.S. or 929-526-1599 from international locations. The conference passcode is 175643. A live webcast of the conference call will be available on the investors section of the Companys website at investors.warbyparker.com where presentation materials will also be posted prior to the conference call. A replay will be made available online approximately two hours following the live call for a period of 90 days. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and the related conference call, webcast and presentation contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements may relate to, but are not limited to, expectations of future operating results or financial performance, including expectations regarding achieving profitability and our GAAP and non-GAAP guidance for the quarter ending September 30, 2022 and the year ending December 31, 2022, and expectations regarding the number of new store openings during the year ending December 31, 2022; managements plans, priorities, initiatives and strategies; and expectations regarding growth of our business. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantied. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as anticipate, believe, contemplate, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project, should, target, toward, will, or would, or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made and are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management as of that time with respect to future events. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control, that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include our ability to manage our future growth effectively; our expectations regarding cost of goods sold, gross margin, channel mix, customer mix, and selling, general, and administrative expenses; planned new retail stores in 2022 and going forward; increases in component and shipping costs and changes in supply chain; our ability to compete successfully; our ability to manage our inventory balances and shrinkage; our ability to engage our existing customers and obtain new customers; the growth of our brand awareness; the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; the effects of seasonal trends on our results of operations; our ability to stay in compliance with extensive laws and regulations that apply to our business and operations; our ability to adequately maintain and protect our intellectual property and proprietary rights; our reliance on third parties for our products, operation and infrastructure; our duties related to being a public benefit corporation; the ability of our Co-Founders and Co-CEOs to exercise significant influence over all matters submitted to stockholders for approval; the effect of our multi-class structure on the trading price of our Class A common stock; and the increased expenses associated with being a public company. Additional information regarding these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations is included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 18, 2022. Except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise. Additional information regarding these and other factors that could affect the Companys results is included in the Companys SEC filings, which may be obtained by visiting the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Information contained on, or that is referenced or can be accessed through, our website does not constitute part of this document and inclusions of any website addresses herein are inactive textual references only. Glossary Active Customer is defined as a unique customer that has made at least one purchase of any product or service in the preceding 12-month period. Average Revenue per Customer is defined as net revenue for a given period divided by the number of Active Customers as of the end of that same period. Non-GAAP Financial Measures We use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted net income, Adjusted earnings per share, Adjusted cost of goods sold (Adjusted COGS), Adjusted gross profit, and Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses (Adjusted SG&A) as important indicators of our operating performance. Collectively, we refer to these non-GAAP financial measures as our Non-GAAP Measures. The Non-GAAP Measures, when taken collectively with our GAAP results, may be helpful to investors because they provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance and assist in comparisons with other companies, some of which use similar non-GAAP financial information to supplement their GAAP results. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income (loss) before interest and other income, taxes, and depreciation and amortization as further adjusted for stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, non-cash charitable donations, and non-recurring costs such as direct listing or other transaction costs. Adjusted EBITDA margin is defined as Adjusted EBITDA divided by net revenue. Adjusted net income is defined as net income (loss) adjusted for stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, non-cash charitable donations, and non-recurring costs such as direct listing or other transaction costs, and as further adjusted for estimated income tax on such adjusted items. Adjusted earnings per share is defined as Adjusted net income (loss) divided by weighted average shares outstanding. Adjusted COGS is defined as cost of goods sold adjusted for stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes. Adjusted gross profit is defined as net revenue minus Adjusted COGS. Adjusted SG&A is defined as SG&A adjusted for stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, non-cash charitable donations, and non-recurring costs such as direct listing or other transaction costs. The Non-GAAP Measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only. A reconciliation of historical GAAP to Non-GAAP financial information is included under Selected Financial Information below. We have not reconciled our Adjusted EBITDA margin guidance to GAAP net income (loss) margin, or Net Margin, or Adjusted EBITDA to GAAP net income (loss) because we do not provide guidance for GAAP Net Margin or GAAP net income (loss) due to the uncertainty and potential variability of stock-based compensation and taxes, which are reconciling items between GAAP Net Margin and Adjusted EBITDA margin and GAAP net income (loss) and Adjusted EBITDA, respectively. Because such items cannot be reasonably provided without unreasonable efforts, we are unable to provide a reconciliation of the Adjusted EBITDA Margin guidance to GAAP Net Margin and Adjusted EBITDA to GAAP net income (loss). However, such items could have a significant impact on GAAP Net Margin and GAAP net income (loss). About Warby Parker Warby Parker (NYSE: WRBY) was founded in 2010 with a mission to inspire and impact the world with vision, purpose, and stylewithout charging a premium for it. Headquartered in New York City, the co-founder-led lifestyle brand pioneers ideas, designs products, and develops technologies that help people see, from designer-quality prescription glasses (starting at $95) and contacts, to eye exams and vision tests available online and in more than 175 retail stores across the U.S. and Canada. Warby Parker aims to demonstrate that businesses can scale, do well, and do good in the world. Ultimately, the brand believes in vision for all, which is why for every pair of glasses or sunglasses sold, they distribute a pair to someone in need through their Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. To date, Warby Parker has worked alongside its nonprofit partners to distribute more than 10 million glasses to people in need. Selected Financial Information Warby Parker Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Amounts in thousands, except share data) June 30, 2022 December 31, 2021 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 211,603 $ 256,416 Accounts receivable, net 901 992 Inventory 70,791 57,095 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 12,513 13,477 Total current assets 295,808 327,980 Property and equipment, net 128,472 112,195 Right-of-use lease assets 115,463 Other assets 3,814 471 Total assets $ 543,557 $ 440,646 Liabilities and Stockholders Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 30,932 $ 30,890 Accrued expenses 49,838 60,840 Deferred revenue 18,306 22,073 Current lease liabilities 18,737 Other current liabilities 2,047 4,301 Total current liabilities 119,860 118,104 Deferred rent 36,544 Non-current lease liabilities 139,735 Other liabilities 1,931 Total liabilities 261,526 154,648 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders equity: Common stock, $0.0001 par value; Class A: 750,000,000 shares authorized at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 95,592,528 and 94,901,623 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively; Class B: 150,000,000 shares authorized at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, 18,978,739 and 18,719,184 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, convertible to Class A on a one-to-one basis 11 11 Additional paid-in capital 841,699 779,212 Accumulated deficit (559,540 ) (493,241 ) Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income (139 ) 16 Total stockholders equity 282,031 285,998 Total liabilities and stockholders equity $ 543,557 $ 440,646 Warby Parker Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) (Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 Net revenue $ 149,624 $ 131,560 $ 302,842 $ 270,533 Cost of goods sold 63,277 53,507 126,849 108,699 Gross profit 86,347 78,053 175,993 161,834 Selling, general, and administrative expenses 118,428 86,861 241,814 167,621 Loss from operations (32,081 ) (8,808 ) (65,821 ) (5,787 ) Interest and other income, net (38 ) (440 ) 108 (306 ) Loss before income taxes (32,119 ) (9,248 ) (65,713 ) (6,093 ) Provision for income taxes 47 1,059 586 1,202 Net loss $ (32,166 ) $ (10,307 ) $ (66,299 ) $ (7,295 ) Deemed dividend upon redemption of redeemable convertible preferred stock (8,524 ) (13,137 ) Net loss attributable to common stockholders $ (32,166 ) $ (18,831 ) $ (66,299 ) $ (20,432 ) Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted $ (0.28 ) $ (0.35 ) $ (0.58 ) $ (0.38 ) Weighted average shares used in computing net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted 114,679,892 54,019,802 114,393,420 53,986,670 Warby Parker Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (Amounts in thousands) Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 Cash flows from operating activities Net loss $ (66,299 ) $ (7,295 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 15,017 9,823 Stock-based compensation 53,908 11,670 Non-cash charitable contribution 3,270 Change in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 89 (112 ) Inventory (13,704 ) (7,759 ) Prepaid expenses and other assets (2,385 ) 126 Accounts payable 1,461 (3,118 ) Accrued expenses (8,367 ) (2,689 ) Deferred revenue (3,762 ) (8,339 ) Other current liabilities 233 1,859 Deferred rent 282 Right-of-use lease assets and current and non-current lease liabilities 3,985 Other liabilities 1,930 457 Net cash used in operating activities (14,624 ) (5,095 ) Cash flows from investing activities Purchases of property and equipment (31,869 ) (21,215 ) Net cash used in investing activities (31,869 ) (21,215 ) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from stock option exercises 228 1,369 Proceeds from shares issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan 1,754 Employee tax withholding remitted in connection with exercise or release of equity awards (2,532 ) Proceeds from repayment of related party loans 44 Stock repurchases (8,085 ) Payment for Tender Offer (18,031 ) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 1,982 (27,235 ) Effect of exchange rates on cash (302 ) 132 Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (44,813 ) (53,413 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 256,416 314,085 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 211,603 $ 260,672 Supplemental disclosures Cash paid for income taxes $ 297 $ 265 Cash paid for interest 62 68 Non-cash investing and financing activities: Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 3,579 $ 4,168 Related party loans issued in connection with stock option exercises 13,827 Warby Parker Inc. and Subsidiaries Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited) The following table reconciles adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, which is net loss: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 (in thousands) (in thousands) Net loss $ (32,166 ) $ (10,307 ) $ (66,299 ) $ (7,295 ) Adjusted to exclude the following: Interest and other income, net 38 440 (108 ) 306 Provision for income taxes 47 1,059 586 1,202 Depreciation and amortization expense 7,880 5,118 15,017 9,823 Stock-based compensation expense(1) 26,867 10,409 54,244 11,670 Non-cash charitable donation(2) 3,270 3,270 Transaction costs(3) 4,091 4,369 Adjusted EBITDA 5,936 10,810 6,710 20,075 Adjusted EBITDA margin 4.0 % 8.2 % 2.2 % 7.4 % (1) Represents expenses related to the Companys equity-based compensation programs and related employer payroll taxes, which may vary significantly from period to period depending upon various factors including the timing, number, and the valuation of awards granted, vesting of awards including the satisfaction of performance conditions, and the impact of repurchases of awards from employees. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, the amount includes $0.1 million and $0.3 million of employer payroll costs, respectively, associated with releases of RSUs and option exercises. (2) Represents charitable expense recorded in connection with the donation of 178,572 shares of Class A common stock to the Warby Parker Impact Foundation in May 2022. (3) Represents (i) costs directly attributable to the preparation for our Direct Listing and (ii) expenses incurred in connection with the cash tender offer completed in June 2021. Warby Parker Inc. and Subsidiaries Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited) The following table presents our non-GAAP, or adjusted, financial measures for the periods presented as a percentage of revenue. Each cost and operating expense is adjusted for transaction costs and stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes. Reported Adjusted Reported Adjusted Three Months Ended June 30, Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022 2021 2022 2021 (unaudited, in millions) (unaudited, in millions) (unaudited, in millions) (unaudited, in millions) Cost of goods sold $ 63.3 $ 53.5 $ 63.0 $ 53.5 $ 126.8 $ 108.7 $ 126.4 $ 108.7 % of Revenue 42.3 % 40.7 % 42.1 % 40.7 % 41.9 % 40.2 % 41.7 % 40.2 % Gross profit $ 86.3 $ 78.1 $ 86.6 $ 78.1 $ 176.0 $ 161.8 $ 176.5 $ 161.8 % of Revenue 57.7 % 59.3 % 57.9 % 59.3 % 58.1 % 59.8 % 58.3 % 59.8 % Selling, general, and administrative expenses $ 118.4 $ 86.9 $ 88.5 $ 72.4 $ 241.8 $ 167.6 $ 184.8 $ 151.6 % of Revenue 79.2 % 66.0 % 59.2 % 55.0 % 79.8 % 62.0 % 61.0 % 56.0 % Net (loss) income $ (32.2 ) $ (10.3 ) $ (1.4 ) $ 3.7 $ (66.3 ) $ (7.3 ) $ (5.7 ) $ 7.0 % of Revenue (21.5 ) % (7.8 ) % (0.9 ) % 2.8 % (21.9 ) % (2.7 ) % (1.9 ) % 2.6 % Warby Parker Inc. and Subsidiaries Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures (Unaudited) The following table reflects a reconciliation of each non-GAAP, or adjusted, financial measure to its most directly comparable financial measure prepared in accordance with GAAP: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30, 2022 2021 2022 2021 (unaudited, in thousands) (unaudited, in thousands) Cost of goods sold $ 63,277 $ 53,507 $ 126,849 $ 108,699 Adjusted to exclude the following: Stock-based compensation expense(1) 235 470 Adjusted cost of goods sold $ 63,042 $ 53,507 $ 126,379 $ 108,699 Gross profit $ 86,347 $ 78,053 $ 175,993 $ 161,834 Adjusted to exclude the following: Stock-based compensation expense(1) 235 470 Adjusted gross profit $ 86,582 $ 78,053 $ 176,463 $ 161,834 Selling, general, and administrative expenses $ 118,428 $ 86,861 $ 241,814 $ 167,621 Adjusted to exclude the following: Stock-based compensation expense(1) 26,632 10,409 53,774 11,670 Non-cash charitable donation(2) 3,270 3,270 Transaction costs(3) 4,091 4,369 Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses $ 88,526 $ 72,361 $ 184,770 $ 151,582 Net loss $ (32,166 ) $ (10,307 ) $ (66,299 ) $ (7,295 ) Provision for income taxes 47 1,059 586 1,202 Loss before income taxes (32,119 ) (9,248 ) (65,713 ) (6,093 ) Adjusted to exclude the following: Stock-based compensation expense(1) 26,867 10,409 54,244 11,670 Non-cash charitable donation(2) 3,270 3,270 Transaction costs(3) 4,091 4,369 Adjusted provision for income taxes(4) 593 (1,572 ) 2,455 (2,978 ) Adjusted net (loss) income $ (1,389 ) $ 3,680 $ (5,744 ) $ 6,968 Deemed dividend upon redemption of redeemable convertible preferred stock (8,524 ) (13,137 ) Adjusted net loss attributable to common stock $ (1,389 ) $ (4,844 ) $ (5,744 ) $ (6,169 ) Weighted average shares - diluted 114,679,892 54,019,802 114,393,420 53,986,670 Adjusted diluted loss per share $ (0.01 ) $ (0.09 ) $ (0.05 ) $ (0.11 ) (1) Represents expenses related to the Companys equity-based compensation programs and related employer payroll taxes, which may vary significantly from period to period depending upon various factors including the timing, number, and the valuation of awards granted, vesting of awards including the satisfaction of performance conditions, and the impact of repurchases of awards from employees. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, the amount includes $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, of employer payroll costs associated with releases of RSUs and option exercises, all of which is included in SG&A. (2) Represents charitable expense recorded in connection with the donation of 178,572 shares of Class A common stock to the Warby Parker Impact Foundation in May 2022. (3) Represents (i) costs directly attributable to the preparation for our Direct Listing and (ii) expenses incurred in connection with the cash tender offer completed in June 2021. (4) The adjusted provision for income taxes is based on long-term estimated annual effective tax rates of 29.94%. The Company may adjust its adjusted tax rate as additional information becomes available or events occur which may materially affect this rate, including impacts from the rapidly evolving global tax environment, significant changes in our geographic mix, merger and acquisition activity, or changes in our business outlook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220810005852/en/ Investor Relations: Brendon Frey, ICR [email protected] Media: Lena Griffin [email protected] Source: Warby Parker Inc. In response to recent speculative commentary regarding U.S. Zantac litigation, GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) today issued the following statement regarding Zantac (ranitidine) and N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). There have been no material developments to what has been previously disclosed. GSK, independent cancer researchers, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and the European Medicines Agency, have all undertaken extensive reviews of available data and conducted numerous investigations into this issue since 2019. Based on these investigations and experiments, GSK, the FDA, and the EMA have all independently concluded that there is no evidence of a causal association between ranitidine therapy and the development of cancer in patients. In November 2019, the FDA determined that levels of NDMA in ranitidine products are similar to levels in common foods like grilled and smoked meats, and that it would conduct tests to fully understand if ranitidine forms NDMA in the human body. In September 2020, the EMAs comprehensive review of epidemiological and post marketing data concluded there is no evidence of a causal association between ranitidine therapy and the development of cancer in patients. In June 2021, the FDA reported that its testing did not support that ranitidine is converted to NDMA in a general, healthy population, and after reviewing the epidemiological studies found that no consistent signals emerged across studies, and studies with comparison to active controls found no association between ranitidine and overall or specific cancer risk. These conclusions pertain to all forms of cancer, including but not limited to bladder, breast, colorectal, esophageal, kidney, liver, lung, pancreatic, prostate, and stomach. Even epidemiologic experts hired by the Multi-District Litigation (MDL) Plaintiffs Steering Committee concluded in their expert reports that the evidence was not sufficient to support an opinion that use of ranitidine can cause breast, prostate, kidney, lung, or colorectal cancer. Scientific Research Since the issue concerning the presence of NDMA in ranitidine arose in 2019, the scientific community has actively focused on understanding whether there is a link between ranitidine and cancer. There have been 11 epidemiological studies conducted in that time looking at human data regarding the use of ranitidine. The resulting scientific consensus is that the totality of the reliable evidence does not support that ranitidine increases the risk of any type of cancer: Adami et al. (2021): If a causal association existed, we would expect to observe stronger associations with a larger number of prescriptions and, most likely, with longer follow-up, yet such patterns were not evident. Our results, which do not support any carcinogenic effect on esophagus, stomach, liver or pancreas, should be reassuring for millions of concerned past users of ranitidine. Cardwell et al. (2021): [T]here was little evidence of difference in bladder cancer risk when directly comparing ranitidine users with users of non-ranitidine histamine-2 receptor agonists, but the use of ranitidine particularly long term use was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer [compared to non-use or PPIs]. Further studies are necessary to attempt to replicate this finding. Norgaard et al. (2021): Compared to H2RAs and compared to PPIs, we did not observe any consistent or substantial increase in risks of bladder cancer and we consistently across sub-analyses observed no increased risk [of] kidney cancer in ranitidine users, and we found no dose-response association [with bladder cancer] when restricting to persons who redeemed at least five and persons who redeemed at least 10 prescriptions, and starting follow-up time 10 years after the 10th prescription did not suggest any associations [with bladder cancer]. Iwagami et al. (2021): we found no evidence of an increased risk of cancer in people receiving ranitidine and nizatidine compared with people receiving other H2 blockers overall, by follow-up length, by cumulative dose, or by cancer site. These results may alleviate concerns of patients exposed to ranitidine/nizatidine, although further research with longer follow-up and including older people may be needed. Kantor et al. (2021): Ranitidine use was not associated with overall cancer risk . . . [or] with risk of common cancers (lung, breast, prostate, and colorectum). . . . Compared to non-use, ranitidine use was positively associated with liver cancer; however, this association was attenuated when directly compared to omeprazole, which may reflect residual confounding by indication (or another jointly-related factor). Kim S. et al. (2021): We found no significant difference in terms of gastric cancer development among the three study groups (control, other histamine-2 blockers, and ranitidine), suggesting that the intake of ranitidine, even if it contains NDMA, may not be associated with an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. Kumar et al. (2021): [O]ur results . . . demonstrate that the true gastric carcinogenic impact of NDMA[1] containing ranitidine in persons in the US with HP (H. pylori) is likely minimal to nonexistent, providing reassurance to those who have taken ranitidine . . . . In time-specific analyses, there was no period in which ranitidine was associated with future GC [gastric cancer], suggesting there is no discernable difference in formulation of the medication over time. There is no demonstrable association between ranitidine use and future gastric cancer among individuals with HP on long-term acid suppression. Liu et al. (2020): Our results revealed a marked increase in the prescription of acid-suppression medications immediately before gastric cancer diagnosis suggesting the role of reverse causation. Kim YD et al. (2021): Use of ranitidine was not associated with an increased odds of developing gastrointestinal malignancies compared to omeprazole or famotidine use. Yoon et al. (2021): We found no evidence that exposure to NDMA through ranitidine increases the risk of cancer. McDowell et al. (2021): Only two medicines were significantly associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer [metronidazole and ranitidine]. However, neither exhibited strong evidence of an exposure-response relationship with cancer risk. Litigation status GSK has been named as a defendant in approximately 3,000 filed personal injury cases in federal and state court and numerous unfiled claims registered in a census established by the Court presiding over the Zantac Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) proceeding. Class actions alleging economic injury and a third-party payer class action also have been filed in federal court. In the MDL, plaintiffs were required to identify the types of cancer that they wished to pursue and identified 10 different types. In November 2021, plaintiffs withdrew from consideration breast cancer and kidney cancer, reducing the number of types of cancer from 10 to 8. In January 2022, the MDL plaintiffs withdrew from consideration colorectal, prostate, and lung and will proceed only as to the following five types of cancer: bladder, esophageal, gastric, liver, and pancreatic, although plaintiffs in state courts continue to pursue these claims. On 6 February 2020, the US product liability litigation was assigned MDL status in the Southern District of Florida. The Group has filed several rounds of Motions to Dismiss in the MDL resulting in the following position: 1) the Court ruled in favour of the Groups motion on innovator liability; that issue is on appeal; 2) the Court ruled in favour of Defendants with respect to the Third Party Payor Class Action; Plaintiffs opted not to replead their action and these issues are now on appeal; 3) the Court dismissed RICO claims from the Economic Loss Class Action but allowed the class to move forward on plaintiffs misbranding theory; and 4) the Medical Monitoring and Economic Loss class actions are allowed to move forward. Generics, retailers, and packagers have been dismissed from the cases. Outside the US, there are several class actions and in excess of 100 personal injury cases pending against GSK in Canada, along with a class action in Israel. Among the state court cases naming GSK, a trial in California is currently scheduled to begin 13 February 2023 and trials in Madison County, Illinois are to proceed on 22 August 2022 and February 2023. Whilst GSK has served Haleon with notice of potential claims in relation to possible liabilities connected to OTC Zantac under the relevant indemnification provisions, contained in the documentation relating to the formation of the Consumer Healthcare JV, it is not possible, at this stage, to meaningfully assess whether the outcome will result in a probable outflow, or to quantify or reliably estimate what liability (if any) that Haleon may have to GSK under the relevant indemnities. The overwhelming weight of the scientific evidence supports the conclusion that there is no increased cancer risk associated with the use of ranitidine. Suggestions to the contrary are therefore inconsistent with the science, and GSK will vigorously defend itself against all meritless claims alleging otherwise. HIIs (NYSE: HII) Mission Technologies division has been awarded a Mobility Air Force Distributed Mission Operations (MAF DMO) task order under the U.S. Air Forces Training Systems Acquisition III contract. The $79 million task order includes a base period and five one-year options. HII will support Air Mobility Commands MAF DMO operations and integration to enable persistent, distributed training of aircrews worldwide. HIIs live, virtual and constructive (LVC) capabilities including network engineering, cybersecurity, standards development and logistics will support a wide range of joint and combined exercises. Realistic training environments are critical to preparing warfighters for mission success, said Andy Green, president of Mission Technologies. Our dedicated team is thrilled to extend our more than 20 years of expertise delivering LVC solutions and network operations across defense and coalition forces. HII will operate and maintain the Distributed Training Center and the Distributed Training Center Network to support global Aircrew Training Systems. The work will serve vital network connectivity and interoperability between Air Force major commands. Optimal network performance to support warfighter training is vital to ensure the accuracy and safety of the mission, said Glenn Goodman, president of Mission Technologies LVC Solutions business group. Our engineers are industry experts in the design, development and operations of cyber-secure, large-scale distributed training architectures, and we look forward to supporting successful training operations worldwide. Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) announced: Twitter is the place to find real-time, reliable information about the 2022 midterms whether youre looking for breaking news from reporters, information on voting, or policy positions from candidates. We aim to enable healthy civic conversation on Twitter, while ensuring people have the context they need to make informed decisions about content they encounter. Because were a global service, theres almost always an election happening on Twitter. Today, were announcing steps were taking ahead of the US midterms to protect civic conversation on Twitter. Our Civic Integrity Policy As a key part of the Twitter Rules, since 2018, our Civic Integrity Policy has helped people find credible information during elections and other civic processes including in the Philippines, Kenya, Australia, Brazil, and India just this year. Today, as we do ahead of other global elections, were activating enforcement of our Civic Integrity Policy for the 2022 US midterms. The Civic Integrity Policy covers the most common types of harmful misleading information about elections and civic events, such as: claims about how to participate in a civic process like how to vote, misleading content intended to intimidate or dissuade people from participating in the election, and misleading claims intended to undermine public confidence in an election including false information about the outcome of the election. Tweets with this content may be labeled with links to credible information or helpful context, and Twitter will not recommend or amplify this content in areas of the product where Twitter makes recommendations. People on Twitter will see a prompt prior to liking or sharing labeled tweets, and in cases where there is potential for harm associated with the false or misleading claim, the Tweet may not be liked or shared to prevent the spread of the misleading information. Fake accounts that misrepresent affiliation to a candidate or elected official are prohibited under our existing Misleading & Deceptive Identities Policy and we remain vigilant against potential coordinated manipulation efforts. And during this election period, and year-round, we continue to enforce our safety policies including for conduct targeting election workers. Redesigned labels Late last year, we tested new misleading information labels and saw promising results. The new labels increased click through rates by 17%, meaning more people were clicking labels to read debunking content. We also saw notable decreases in engagement with Tweets labeled with the new design: -13% in replies, -10% in Retweets and -15% in likes. Finding reliable information Twitter wants to empower voters to find reliable information about how to register, how to vote, and the choices on their ballot. To make it easier to find reliable news and accurate information about participating in the civic process, were launching a number of product updates. Heres what you can expect to see on Twitter as election day approaches in the US: Prebunks In the lead up to election day, well share prompts with information about how and where to vote, directly to peoples timelines. Were also bringing back prebunks in English, Spanish, and all other languages supported on Twitter to get ahead of misleading narratives on Twitter, and to proactively address topics that may be the subject of misinformation. Over the coming months, well place prompts directly on peoples timelines in the US and in Search when people type related terms, phrases, or hashtags. State-specific event hubs Weve begun rolling out state-specific event hubs as primaries take place across the country. These localized pages feature real-time election information from state election officials, plus local news outlets and journalists. Soon, well roll out an additional, nationally focused Event page, available to everyone in the US. Dedicated Explore tab As elections take place around the world, Twitter often serves as the centralized hub for real-time political conversation, resources, and breaking news. Well be launching a dedicated Explore tab that will include: National news in both English and Spanish by reputable news outlets, curated by Twitters Curation team; Localized news and resources by state; Voter education public service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish, created using information from nonpartisan government and voting advocacy organizations. Image of example Explore tab Identifying whos running for office Our candidate account labels make it easier to identify whos running for office. We began rolling out these labels in May, as primary elections kicked into full swing, and youll continue to see these labels until the end of the general election. These labels: Appear on designated candidate accounts for those running for US Senate, US House of Representatives, or Governor, whove qualified for the general election ballot; Contain critical candidate information; including the office the candidate is running for, the state the office is located in, and the district number (for US House candidates); Appear at the top of the candidates profile page and on all of their Tweets. Image of example candidate label Improving recommendations Weve also made and continue to make updates to how and what we recommend on Twitter. Earlier this year, in the US and Brazil, we tested ways to prevent misleading Tweets from being recommended through notifications. Early results show that impressions on misleading information dropped by 1.6 million per month, as a direct result of the experiment. Weve since applied this intervention to notification recommendations on Twitter and are exploring possibilities for other surfaces on Twitter. Protecting accounts Were helping to protect and secure accounts of government officials, candidates for office, journalists, and more ahead of the midterms. Accounts will be reminded to use a strong password, encouraged to enable two-factor authentication, and asked to check the third-party apps theyve connected to their accounts. We will also enable password reset protection for accounts by default to help prevent unauthorized password changes. In the coming weeks, well apply additional proactive safeguards for these accounts, including: More sophisticated detections and alerts to help us, and account holders, respond rapidly to suspicious activity; Increased login defenses to prevent malicious account takeover attempts; Expedited account recovery support to ensure account security issues are resolved quickly. We take our role seriously Twitter plays a critical role in empowering democratic conversations, facilitating meaningful political debate, and providing information on civic participation not only in the US, but around the world. People deserve to trust the election conversations and content they encounter on Twitter. Were exploring other ways to help people make sense of content they encounter during these critical times. Keep an eye on @TwitterSafety for media literacy tips and suggestions, like how to spot misinformation, which were developed in partnership with educational experts. Example of media literacy tip The features and tools outlined above, in combination with continued enforcement of the Twitter Rules, help make this possible. As election day nears, well continue to share real-time information about our approach. Keep up with the latest at @TwitterGov, @Policy, and @TwitterSafety. Or, visit the revamped elections.twitter.com youll find information about how we approach elections around the world, including how our policies, products, and partnerships work together to ensure the election information you see on Twitter is credible and relevant. FILE PHOTO: American Airlines flight 718, the first U.S. Boeing 737 MAX commercial flight since regulators lifted a 20-month grounding in November, lands at LaGuardia airport in New York, U.S. December 29, 2020. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz//File Photo By Nathan Gomes (Reuters) - Airlines canceled more than 600 flights in the United States on Thursday morning, as thunderstorms in Texas disrupted operations at one of the busiest airports in the country for a second straight day. A total of 1,213 flights were canceled across the country on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday that a mix of thunderstorms and clouds could delay flights at several hubs. More than 2,000 flights were delayed within, into, or out of the United States. (https://bit.ly/3bNQmzu) American Airlines Group Inc said "unexpected and heavy" thunderstorms had hit operations at its largest hub at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, leading to the cancellation of many flights on Wednesday and Thursday, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. The airline canceled 368 flights on Wednesday and called off more than 300 as of Thursday morning, Flightaware.com data showed. "This was the worst storm we've seen at DFW this summer," American Airlines Chief Operating Officer David Seymour said. Southwest Airlines Co also canceled nearly 250 flights on Wednesday, blaming weather and air traffic control programs. "We are working through some residual effects this morning," Southwest spokesperson Chris Perry said in an emailed statement. In June, several U.S. carriers were forced to cut thousands of flights due to adverse weather conditions and labor shortages. (Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath, Shinjini Ganguli and Anil D'Silva) FILE PHOTO: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland takes questions following the announcement of the Justice Department's first affirmative litigation to protect access to reproductive healthcare following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wa By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. federal agents were looking for documents relating to nuclear weapons when they raided former President Donald Trump's home in Florida this week, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. It was not clear if such documents were recovered at the former president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, the Post said. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The U.S. Justice Department asked a judge on Thursday to make public the warrant that authorized the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, after Trump, a Republican, portrayed it as political retribution. The request means the public could soon learn more about what investigators were looking for during the unprecedented search of a former president's home. The search was part of an investigation into whether Trump illegally removed records from the White House as he left office in January 2021, some of which the Justice Department believes are classified. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the top law enforcement officer and an appointee of Democratic President Joe Biden, told a news conference that he had personally approved the search. The Justice Department also seeks to make public a redacted receipt of the items seized. "The department does not take such a decision lightly. Where possible, it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search, and to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken," Garland said. His decision to publicly confirm the search was highly unusual. U.S. law enforcement officials typically do not discuss ongoing investigations in order to protect people's rights. In this case, Trump himself announced the search in a Monday night statement. Garland said the Justice Department made the request to make public the warrant "in light of the former president's public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances and the substantial public interest in this matter." A source familiar with the matter said the FBI retrieved about 10 boxes from Trump's property during the search. Trump was not in Florida at the time of the search. Late on Thursday, Trump called for the immediate release of documents related to the search. "Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the unAmerican, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents, even though they have been drawn up by radical left Democrats and possible future political opponents, who have a strong and powerful vested interest in attacking me, much as they have done for the last 6 years," he said on his Truth Social platform. The government has until 3 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Friday to let the court know whether Trump's attorneys will object to unsealing the warrant. The case is before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who reviewed the warrant to ensure the Justice Department had sufficient probable cause for the search. While seeking to unseal the warrant, the Justice Department has not asked the judge to unseal the sworn statement in support of the warrant, the contents of which could potentially include classified information. Two of Trump's attorneys, Evan Corcoran and John Rowley, did not respond to a request for comment. In a statement earlier on his Truth social network, Trump said: "My attorneys and representatives were cooperating fully, and very good relationships had been established. The government could have had whatever they wanted, if we had it." LOCKED STORAGE ROOM The unprecedented search marked a significant escalation in one of the many federal and state investigations Trump is facing from his time in office and in private business, including a separate one by the Justice Department into a failed bid by Trump's allies to overturn the 2020 presidential election by submitting phony slates of electors. The investigation into Trump's removal of records started this year, after the National Archives made a referral to the department. Former Archivist David Ferriero has previously said that Trump returned 15 boxes to the government in January 2022. The archives later discovered some of the items were "marked as classified national security information." A couple of months before the search, FBI agents visited Trump's property to investigate boxes in a locked storage room, according to a person familiar with the visit. The agents and Corcoran spent a day reviewing materials, the source said. A second source who had been briefed on the matter told Reuters the Justice Department also has surveillance footage from Mar-a-Lago in its possession. Garland's Justice Department has faced fierce criticism and online threats since Monday's search. Trump supporters and some of his fellow Republicans in Washington accuse Democrats of weaponizing the federal bureaucracy to target Trump. In Cincinnati, Ohio, on Thursday, an armed man suspected of trying to breach the FBI building died following an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement officers, an Ohio State Highway Patrol official said. Garland condemned the threats and attacks against the FBI and Justice Department. "I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," he said. Some Democrats have criticized Garland for being overly cautious in investigating Trump over his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Karen Freifeld; additional reporting by Andy Sullivan, David Morgan, Mike Scarcella, Kanishka Singh, Eric Beech, Steve Holland and Dan Whitcomb; Additional reporting by Shubham Kalia; Editing by Scott Malone, Daniel Wallis, Howard Goller and Leslie Adler) FILE PHOTO: Federal Trade Commissioner Noah Phillips testifies on the "Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission" before the U.S. Senate Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security Subcommittee in the Russell Senate Office Building in By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. consumer watchdog agency said on Thursday that it will consider rules to better protect Americans' privacy and crack down on businesses that collect far-reaching personal information without consumers' full understanding. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a notice that it is considering writing rules to address lax data security and commercial surveillance, which is the "business of collecting, analyzing, and profiting from information about people." The FTC said companies often seek "to collect vast troves of consumer information, only a small fraction of which consumers proactively share." "When they buy groceries, do homework, or apply for car insurance, for example, consumers today likely give a wide range of personal information about themselves to companies, including their movements, prayers, friends, menstrual cycles, web-browsing and faces, among other basic aspects of their lives," the agency said. The FTC's commissioners must approve the decision to propose new rules and then vote to finalize rules after public comments. Of the five current commissioners, three are Democrats and two are Republicans. FTC Chair Lina Khan, a Democrat, said, "Businesses now collect personal data on individuals on a massive scale and in a stunning array of contexts." The two Republicans spoke out against the plan on Thursday. Republican Commissioner Noah Phillips said the proposal was too vague and could overreach. Fellow Republican Commissioner Christine Wilson said she worried that opponents of privacy legislation under debate in Congress would use the FTC proposal as "an excuse to derail" it. The public can offer input on the FTC notice for 60 days and the commission will hold a virtual public forum on Sept. 8. White House National Economic Council director Brian Deese praised the effort, noting Democratic President Joe Biden in June 2021 asked the FTC to consider adopting privacy rules. Reaction from the Senate was also divided on party lines. Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, accused the FTC of preempting Congress' discussions while Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said the effort was vital because of "Big Techs exploitation of Americans private information, anti-competitive behavior, and data breaches." (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter, Frances Kerry and Cynthia Osterman) FILE PHOTO: The seal of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is seen at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 12, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo (Reuters) - The U.S. securities regulator is looking into Melvin Capital Management's risk controls and investor disclosures after the hedge fund was hammered by the meme-stock rally last year, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) contacted the hedge fund's investors in recent months and is probing whether the company misled them when it raised money last year, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. The SEC is also seeking information on what the firm, founded by Gabe Plotkin, disclosed about the risks of its investment strategy to clients, according to the report. An SEC spokesperson declined to comment to a request from Reuters. Melvin Capital said in May it would shut down after taking a beating during this year's market slump. The hedge fund also posted heavy losses in 2021, partly because of its bets against meme-stock GameStop Corp. (Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru and Katanga Johnson in Washington; Editing by Aditya Soni) Allied Corp is the first company to successfully ship commercial cannabis flower from Colombia to an international market. Allied Corp has now shipped the largest known quantity to date of Colombian-grown cannabis flower. 7100kgs of Colombian-grown cannabis recently approved for export. One of many orders. 1728kgs of Colombian-grown cannabis shipped today. 1500kgs of Colombian-grown cannabis scheduled to be shipped weekly. KELOWNA, British Columbia, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allied Corp. ("Allied" or the Company) (OTCQB: ALID). As a part of the previously announced export approval of 7100kgs of Colombia-grown cannabis, Allied has today shipped 1728kgs to Switzerland. This will be followed by 1500kgs weekly until the 7100kg threshold is met. On April 01, 2022 Colombia enacted the new legislation allowing for the legal export of dried cannabis produced in Colombia and immediately Allied submitted several applications for export. After many levels of regulatory inspections, analyses, discussions and questions, Allieds first export was shipped in June 2022, second shipment in July 2022 and now this large recurring shipment in August 2022. This monthly recurring pattern is now turning into a weekly cycle of 1500kgs. After a rigorous analysis, the most efficient and economical air shipment quantity was determined to be approximately 1500kgs. Allied has today sent 1728kgs and will follow with 1500kgs weekly. We are the first company ever to ship a commercial shipment of dried cannabis to an international market now we are not only duplicating our shipments but are doing so at a commercial scale. This is the largest known legal shipment that we know of out of Colombia. This accomplishment speaks to the quality of our team, and most importantly our product, said Calum Hughes, CEO and Chairman of the Board. Allieds multiple strains in the production pipeline include over 15,000 THC plants created for multiple batches to fulfill our 2022 quota. The Allied THC flower harvest will be available for sale in or around September 2022. From decades of production expertise, manufacturing and supply chain quality assurance, regulatory expertise and logistics coordination the team has performed! The three years of genotyping and phenotyping followed by the regulatory knowledge needed to execute the export have proven successful. We can now boldly claim that we are not only the first to pull it off, but we have been able to duplicate the orders at commercial scale; the largest that we know of. We have now done it for three months in a row and are tightening this cycle to now ship 1500kgs every week, continued Hughes. About Allied Corp. CLICK HERE Click here for Allied Inside business model website: CLICK HERE Allied Corp. is an international cannabis company with its main production center in Colombia and is one of the few companies that has exported from Colombia internationally and the first company to export commercial cannabis flower from Colombia. In addition to this, Allied has three CBD-brands to market with products selling in the United States. Investor Relations:[email protected]1-877-255-4337 Forward-Looking Statements:This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada or the United States (forward-looking information). Forward-looking information may relate to the Companys future outlook and anticipated events, plans or results, and may include information regarding the Companys objectives, goals, strategies, future revenue or performance and capital expenditures, and other information that is not historical information. Forward-looking information can often be identified by the use of terminology such as believe, anticipate, plan, expect, pending, in process, intend, estimate, project, may, will, should, would, could, can, the negatives thereof, variations thereon and similar expressions. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on the Companys opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of managements experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that management currently believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. Forward looking statements in this press release include the following: that Allied is leveraging the conditions in its Colombia grow operation and future Kelowna location to support its Research and Development efforts; that Allied is making important strides forward to position itself as a leader in the medical cannabis space, that Allied intends to make a series of proposed trademark and other intellectual property protection filings, as part of the Companys Intellectual Property and Pharma Development (IP&PD) Strategy, statements respecting the joint development, manufacturing, and the introduction of TACTICAL RELIEF branded products. There can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct. Risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information in this release include: the Companys exposure to legal and regulatory risk; the effect of the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Canada and Colombia on the medical cannabis industry is unknown and may significantly and negatively affect the Companys medical cannabis business; that the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of cannabis are not as currently expected; that adverse changes or developments affecting the Companys main or planned facilities may have an adverse effect on the Company; that the medical cannabis industry and market may not continue to exist or develop as anticipated or the Company may not be able to succeed in this market; risks related to completion of the greenhouse construction in Colombia, risks related to market competition; risks related to the proposed adult-use cannabis industry and market in Canada and Colombia including the Companys ability to enter into or compete in such markets; that the Company has a limited operating history and a history of net losses and that it may not achieve or maintain profitability in the future; risks related to the Companys current or proposed international operations; risks related to future third party strategic alliances or the expansion of currently existing relationships with third parties; that the Company may not be able to successfully identify and execute future acquisitions or dispositions or successfully manage the impacts of such transactions on its operations; risks inherent to the operation of an agricultural business; that the Company may be unable to attract, develop and retain key personnel; risks resulting from significant interruptions to the Companys access to certain key inputs such as raw materials, electricity, water and other utilities; that the Company may be unable to transport its cannabis products to patients in a safe and efficient manner; risks related to recalls of the Companys cannabis products or product liability or regulatory claims or actions involving the Companys cannabis products; risks related to the Companys reliance on pharmaceutical distributors; that the Company, or the cannabis industry more generally, may receive unfavorable publicity or become subject to negative consumer or investor perception; that certain events or developments in the cannabis industry more generally may impact the Companys reputation or its relationships with customers or suppliers; that the Company may not be able to obtain adequate insurance coverage in respect of the risks that it faces, that the premiums for such insurance may not continue to be commercially justifiable or that there may be coverage limitations and other exclusions which may result in such insurance not being sufficient; that the Company may become subject to liability arising from fraudulent or illegal activity by its employees, contractors, consultants and others; that the Company may experience breaches of security at its facilities or losses as a result of the theft of its products; risks related to the Companys information technology systems; that the Company may be unable to sustain its revenue growth and development; that the Company may be unable to expand its operations quickly enough to meet demand or manage its operations beyond their current scale; that the Company may be unable to secure adequate or reliable sources of necessary funding; risks related to, or associated with, the Companys exposure to reporting requirements; risks related to conflicts of interest; risks related to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; risks related to the Companys potential exposure to greater-than-anticipated tax liabilities; risks related to the protection and enforcement of the Companys intellectual property rights, or the intellectual property that it licenses from others; that the Company may become subject to allegations that it or its licensors are in violation of the intellectual property rights of third parties; that the Company may not realize the full benefit of the clinical trials or studies that it participates in; that the Company may not realize the full benefit of its licenses if the licensed material has less market appeal than expected and the licenses may not be profitable; as well as any other risks that may be further described in and the risk factors discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure including its Management's Discussion and Analysis sections in its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed under the Company's profile at www.sec.gov. Although management has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information in this presentation, there may be other risk factors not presently known to the Company or that the Company presently believes are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information in this presentation. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers and viewers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date made. The forward-looking information contained in this release represents the Companys expectations as of the date of this release or the date indicated, regardless of the time of delivery of the presentation. The Company disclaims any intention, obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. Source: Allied Corp. NEW YORK, Aug. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against NIO, Inc. (NYSE: NIO), Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE: TD), Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS), and MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO). Our investigations concern whether these companies have violated the federal securities laws and/or engaged in other unlawful business practices. Additional information about each case can be found at the link provided. NIO, Inc. (NYSE: NIO) On May 5, 2022, NIO provided an update on its status under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act ("HFCAA") amid the increased focus on Chinese companies listed on U.S exchanges. NIO stated that it is aware that the Company has been provisionally identified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the HFCAA and understands that it may be a result of the auditor used for its filing of the annual report on Form 20-F. NIO further stated that it has been actively exploring possible solutions to protect the interest of its stakeholders, including a secondary listing of its Class A ordinary shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. On this news, NIO's American depositary receipt ("ADR") price fell $2.75 per ADR, or 15.17%, to close at $15.38 per ADR on May 5, 2022. For more information on the NIO investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/NIO Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE: TD) TD, a Toronto-based bank with 1,100 branches in the U.S., is seeking regulatory approval for the acquisition of Tennessee-based First Horizon. On June 15, 2022, CNBC reported that Lawmakers led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren asked a key regulator to block Toronto-Dominion Banks $13.4 billion acquisition of a regional U.S. bank because of allegations of customer abuse. In a letter sent Tuesday to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency obtained exclusively by CNBC, Warren cited a May 4 report by Capitol Forum, a Washington-based investigative news outfit, that alleged that TD used tactics similar to those in the Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal. On this news, TD stock fell $3.12 per share, or 4.5%, to close at $66.10 per share on June 16, 2022. For more information on the TD investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/TD Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) Discover is a digital banking and payment services company offering customers credit card loans, private student loans, personal loans, home loans, and deposit products. In 2015, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a consent order against Discover based on the CFPBs finding that Discover engaged in illegal debt collection practices and that Discover misstated the minimum amounts due on billing statements as well as tax information consumers needed to get federal income tax benefits. In 2020, the CFPB issued a consent order against Discover based on its findings that Discover violated the prior CFPB order, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010. On July 20, 2022, Discover revealed that it was suspending until further notice its existing share repurchase program because of an internal investigation relating to its student loan servicing practices and related compliance matters. Discover further disclosed that [t]he investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by a board-appointed independent special committee. On this news, the price of Discover stock fell by $8.49 per share, or 7.8%%, to close at $100.00 per share on July 21, 2022. For more information on the Discover investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/DFS MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO) The investigation concerns whether MINISO and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. On or around October 15, 2020, MINISO conducted its initial public offering (IPO) of 30.4 million American Depositary Shares (ADSs), priced at $20.00 per ADS. On July 26, 2022, Blue Orca Capital (Blue Orca) published a short report concerning MINISO. Citing a seven-month investigation of Chinese corporate records and store level data, the Blue Orca report alleged, among other things, that hundreds of [MINISO] stores are secretly owned and operated by MINISO executives or individuals closely connected to the chairman and that Chinese corporate filings also indicate . . . that the chairman siphoned hundreds of millions from the public company through opaque Caribbean jurisdictions as the middleman in a crooked headquarters deal. On this news, the price of MINISOs ADS declined intraday to $6.13, $0.87 lower than the July 26, 2022 opening price and $13.87 below the IPO price. For more information on the MINISO investigation go to: https://bespc.com/cases/MNSO About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit www.bespc.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact Information: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Brandon Walker, Esq. Melissa Fortunato, Esq. (212) 355-4648 [email protected] www.bespc.com BURLINGTON, N.J., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Burlington Stores, Inc. (NYSE: BURL), a nationally recognized off-price retailer of high-quality, branded apparel at everyday low prices, will release its second quarter fiscal year 2022 results before the U.S. stock market opens on Thursday, August 25, 2022. The Company will also hold a conference call to discuss results at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) that day. The U.S. toll free dial-in for the conference call is 1-800-715-9871 (passcode: 8700337) and the international dial-in number is 1-646-307-1963. A live webcast of the conference call will also be available on the investor relations page of the company's website at www.burlingtoninvestors.com. For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available after the conclusion of the call on August 25, 2022 beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET through September 1, 2022 11:59 p.m. ET. The U.S. toll-free replay dial-in number is 1-800-770-2030 and the international replay dial-in number is 1-609-800-9909. The replay passcode is 8700337. Investors and others should note that Burlington Stores currently announces material information using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts. In the future, Burlington Stores will continue to use these channels to distribute material information about the Company, and may also utilize its website and/or various social media sites to communicate important information about the Company, key personnel, new brands and services, trends, new marketing campaigns, corporate initiatives and other matters. Information that the Company posts on its website or on social media channels could be deemed material; therefore, the Company encourages investors, the media, our customers, business partners and others interested in Burlington Stores to review the information posted on its website, as well as the following social media channels: Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BurlingtonStores/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/burlington). Any updates to the list of social media channels the Company may use to communicate material information will be posted on the investor relations page of the Company's website at www.burlingtoninvestors.com. About Burlington Stores, Inc. Burlington Stores, Inc., headquartered in New Jersey, is a nationally recognized off-price retailer with Fiscal 2021 net sales of $9.3 billion. The Company is a Fortune 500 company and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BURL. The Company operated 866 stores as of the end of the first quarter of Fiscal 2022, in 46 states and Puerto Rico, principally under the name Burlington Stores. The Companys stores offer an extensive selection of in-season, fashion-focused merchandise at up to 60% off other retailers' prices, including womens ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby, beauty, footwear, accessories, home, toys, gifts and coats. For more information about the Company, visit www.burlington.com. Investor Relations Contacts: David J. GlickDaniel Delrosario855-973-8445[email protected] Allison MalkinICR, Inc.203-682-8225 Source: Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation New York, NY, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forum12, a group of faith-based futurists has partnered with Gravity Jack, Inc. to announce the development of Carbon12, a cryptocurrency token built by Christians, for Christians. Carbon12, the new reserve currency for Christians, aims to establish a parallel economy of believers that functions independently of the traditional financial system by creating an ecosystem that circulates capital among an international faith community. The Carbon12 team is dedicated to helping believers and churches transition from TradFi to DeFi, and is hard at work developing multiple use cases that will facilitate a migration to on-chain practices: HolARgram: a faith-centric, blockchain-based social media platform that features a 3D AR recording mechanism and utilizes Carbon12 for an innovative NFT content curation mechanism. GridIron: a peer-to-peer compute resource sharing network that allows users to buy and sell dormant CPU from one another using Carbon12. Shopping Cart API: a plug-in for Christian ecommerce sites to incorporate Carbon12 as a payment method at checkout, so believers can make purchases with $C12 as easily as they pay with credit/ debit cards or PayPal. The founders of Carbon12 are not intimidated by the recent crypto and stock bear market, and remain faithful about the projects future as the new reserve currency for Christians, that will protect, unite, and expand the worldwide Church in the coming years. The Forum12 team has a strong position on the importance of the launch of Carbon12. Sonny Gonzalez, Marketing Director of Carbon12, said: With the emergence of the metaverse, there is no better time than now for Christians to continue their well-documented contributions to science and technology. And with 2.3 billion Christians worldwide, the release of Carbon12 and HolARgram provide the perfect onramp for all believers to participate in an ecosystem without the influence of banks and big tech firms. The token is set to launch on the leading crypto exchanges globally in December 2022. Meanwhile, for those interested in getting involved, the project has allocated 675,000 tokens to bounties and airdrops happening NOW! View the Carbon12 bounties for the opportunity to earn Carbon12 before the launch! Or get ready for their pre-sale, starting on September 7th. Participants in the pre-sale will receive an exclusive 20% discount on all $C12 tokens. Just head over to Carbon12.co and click buy now to get in early on this revolutionary project. More details about getting started with Carbon12 is available on their website. Users can also join the email list on the Carbon12 website to be notified of exclusive offers, events, and when $C12 token will be fully launched. Join the Carbon12 discord community here for more details. For the full press kit, including images, please click here. ##About Forum12 Forum12 is an anonymous apostolic mission that utilizes advancements in technology to expand the reach of the Gospel to all nations and peoples while positioning the Church on the forefront of innovation. https://forum12.com/ About Gravity Jack Gravity Jack is one of the United States oldest augmented reality and computer vision companies. They are the holders of a strong patent portfolio with technology licensed by major Fortune 500 companies, including Samsung, Coca-Cola, Dell, Toyota, T-Mobile, Caterpillar, Ford, Mondelez, Kraft, Heinz, and Sumitomo. https://gravityjack.com/ About Carbon12Carbon12 is a cryptocurrency token designed for Christians to transact with one another, tithe to their churches, and build the Kingdom of God. Operating in a native currency will unite the worldwide Church like never before, as we circulate Christian funds in an economy that operates independently of the traditional financial system. https://carbon12.co/ Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Instagram | Facebook Carbon12 Contact Sonny Gonzalez, Marketing Director hello -at- carbon12.co Gravity Jack Luke Richey hello -at- gravityjack.com Aditya Sharma Account Manager AlexaBlockchain aditya -at- alexablockchain.com Source: Carbon12 MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clean TeQ Water (ASX:CNQ) (OTCQX: CNQQF) has signed an agreement with Soane Labs which provides Clean TeQ Water an exclusive global license to exploit the ATA technology, with an option to purchase the technology within an 18 month period. The license agreement will provide Clean TeQ Water with an 18-month evaluation period to complete due diligence and initiate pilot-scale demonstration to validate the performance and economics of the technology. Clean TeQ Water's CEO, Willem Vriesendorp stated "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Soane Labs, for what we believe is an incredibly exciting and versatile suite of technologies that will strongly position our company to provide new solutions in mine waste management. Licensing the ATA technology complements our existing strategy of identifying technologies that apply low-cost solutions to address large-scale problems and with a minimal energy footprint." ATA was developed to provide a safe and low-cost mine tailings treatment process by rapidly separating water and solids to produce stackable tailings and recycled water. The technology uses smart chemistry to rapidly agglomerate the solids in ore slurries. The solids are screen filtered and dewatered under their own gravity, or using low pressure filters. The resulting materials can be compressed and stacked, with the extracted water being returned to recycle, dramatically reducing water usage. In underground mining operations the compact material may also be used for backfill, with or without cement. Mine waste dewatering presents an enormous market opportunity for Clean TeQ Water. Dewatering presents a significant environmental and safety challenge at many mine sites around the world, particularly those located in tropical climates where natural evaporation rates are low, or where seismic activity increases geotechnical risks. Also, as environmental bonding requirements increase in response to higher perceived risk in managing tailings storage facilities, it will be rapid and low-cost dewatering technologies, like ATA, that will become key pillars of delivering on the mining industry's ESG ambitions. The ATA technology was developed to provide a safe and low-cost mine tailings treatment process by rapidly separating water and solids to produce stackable tailings and recycled water. The technology uses smart chemistry to rapidly agglomerate the solids in ore slurries. The solids are screen filtered and dewatered under their own gravity or, alternatively, low pressure filters can be used for dewatering. The resulting materials can be compressed and stacked, with the extracted water being returned to recycle, dramatically reducing water usage. In underground mining operations the compact material may also be used for backfill, with or without cement. Clean TeQ Water believes that chemistry-based solutions to mine waste dewatering provide a far better outcome than mechanical-based processes. Current technologies employ a mix of high-pressure filtration and/or mechanical evaporation to remove water from slurry, which is both capital and energy intensive. Clean TeQ Water sees further benefits from the ATA technology where it can be used in conjunction with our proprietary ion exchange systems (CLEAN-IX) to recover valuable metals as part of a holistic mining rehabilitation program. The ATA technology is already deployed in applications in South Africa for the rapid dewatering of mine tailings. These current applications will continue to be owned by Soane Labs, but the clients will be managed by Clean TeQ Water in the future based on an agreed revenue sharing arrangement. In addition, Clean TeQ Water is currently testing the ATA technologies in base metals and precious metals applications. The intention is to deploy the technology at potential client sites in coming months for pilot-scale testing. The licensing agreement is effective immediately and will be supplemented by a consulting services agreement for Soane Labs to provide on-going support to Clean TeQ Water for the duration of the license. For more information about the technology, visit Clean TeQ Water's ATA technology page. For more information, please contact:Willem VriesendorpCEO and Investor Relations+61 3 9797 6700Email: [email protected]Website: www.cleanteqwater.com Related Images Image 1 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Featured Image for Clean TeQ Water Featured Image for Clean TeQ Water Source: Clean TeQ Water (988530) SAN DIEGO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cloudbeds, the hospitality management platform powering more reservations and happier guests for lodging businesses around the globe, revealed data on top-performing distribution channels in a free guide released today titled, The Big Book of OTAs: A Hoteliers Guide to Top Distribution Channels. Among the key findings, Cloudbeds found that lodging businesses connected to at least six distribution channels saw an average revenue increase of 27% in comparison to properties connected to only one channel. Online travel agencies exist to generate more opportunities for lodging businesses by connecting them with travelers, said Sebastien Leitner, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Cloudbeds. Our data over recent years has shown that modern lodging businesses need a comprehensive distribution strategy that includes both OTAs and solutions designed to drive direct bookings. Combined, the visibility and marketing spend behind the top OTAs position a property to win even more bookings, including direct. Cloudbeds has established relationships with the leading OTAs - large to niche - across the globe to give our customers a competitive advantage, reach target audiences and build a channel mix that boosts revenues. Cloudbeds data continues to show the importance of properties being active on as many channels as possible to increase brand awareness and drive bookings. A Cornell study found that 93% of consumers switch between different OTAs before making a final decision underscoring the importance of a broader distribution strategy. The data also revealed Booking.com performed the highest for U.S. lodging businesses followed by Expedia and Airbnb, which skyrocketed in popularity across the globe. More hotel businesses are increasingly adopting Airbnb as part of their channel mix signifying the continued convergence of the hotel and short-term rental industries. Google Hotel Search also made it into the top 10 channels, slowly climbing the ranks as one of the top-performing channels in the U.S. and Canada. Over the past year, Cloudbeds has worked to diversify its offerings to help lodging businesses build a strong channel mix by introducing new solutions designed to drive more direct bookings while simultaneously strengthening its partnerships with the leading OTAs. Cloudbeds was recognized as an Airbnb Preferred Software Partner, Booking.com Premier Partner and Expedia Group Preferred Connectivity Partner in 2022, enabling Cloudbeds properties the best possible access and connectivity to these critical distribution channels. For more information on building a strong distribution strategy and a comprehensive overview of the top distribution channels, download a free copy of The Big Book of OTAs: A Hoteliers Guide to Top Distribution Channels at cloudbeds.com/online-travel-agencies. ### About Cloudbeds Cloudbeds provides the platform that powers hospitality, driving streamlined operations, increasing reservations and revenue, and enabling memorable guest experiences for lodging businesses of all sizes and types across the globe. The award-winning Cloudbeds Hospitality Platform seamlessly combines solutions for front desk, revenue, distribution, guest acquisition and guest engagement in a single unified system, enhanced by a marketplace of third-party integrations. Cloudbeds was named No. 1 PMS and No. 1 Hotel Management System by Hotel Tech Report in 2022 and recognized by Deloittes Technology Fast 500 in 2021. For more information, visit www.cloudbeds.com. Attachment Angela Petersen Cloudbeds 631.830.3305 [email protected] Source: Cloudbeds SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CMG Financial, a well-capitalized privately held mortgage banking firm headquartered in San Ramon, CA, announced the launch of a new Retail Division name, CMG Home Loans. The new name and corresponding slogan, "Home Loans, Simplified. Trusted. Committed," allow a more dedicated approach to consumers and offer them more direct access to its resources. CMG Financial's Retail Division is the longest standing in the company's decorated history. Established in 1993, the CMG Retail Division has since grown from a small seven-person brokerage in Pleasanton, CA, to an award-winning, nationwide lender with over 240 branches and more than 700 loan officers. Since 2008, it has continued to exceed projections. Retail loan funding increased by over 700% from 2008 to 2010 and has since risen beyond $15 billion in 2020. CMG Financial has also seen tremendous growth in its Correspondent and Wholesale channels. Collectively, all three of CMG's origination channels have totaled over $50 billion in funded loans and earned the company recognition as a 2021 Verified Top Producer by Scotsman Guide Media. CMG Financial is also recognized as a Top Overall Lender by U.S. News and World and Top-Rated Lender by Business Insider. CMG Home Loans is expected to continue CMG Financial's growth while also sharpening its focus on consumers. In that pursuit, investments will be made to simplify the consumer experience, create lifetime value for our existing customers, and open more pathways to homeownership through education and affordability initiatives. In addition to a vast number of loan program options, CMG Home Loans will continue to innovate and enhance proprietary programs like the All In One Loan and HomeFundIt, which have helped them get recognized as one of the best lenders for new and seasoned home buyers. The All In One Loan provides home buyers and owners a huge opportunity to easily shrink the cost of mortgages more rapidly, without changing their budget. Unlike standard Conventional Loans, the All In One Loan merges home financing with personal banking into one financial tool, which allows customers to use idle money to reduce their mortgage balance while having access to these liquid funds for longer than a traditional home equity line of credit (HELOC). Oftentimes, the All In One Loan can help borrowers pay off their balance 2-4 times faster than traditional loans and save tens of thousands of dollars in interest costs. HomeFundIt is an easy-to-use online platform that allows home buyers to build a customized contribution campaign, raise down payment gifts online, and accept contributions from anyone with a credit or debit card - without fees or offline paperwork. CMG Home Loans is honing in on empowering home buyers with a better understanding of mortgages and homeownership. The company plans to do this through online home buyer education, home buyer events, and strategic partnerships. ### About CMG Financial CMG Financial is a well-capitalized, privately held mortgage banking firm founded in 1993. The company makes its products and services available to the market through three distinct origination channels: retail lending, wholesale lending, and correspondent lending. CMG Financial currently operates in all states, including the District of Columbia, and holds federal agency lending approvals with HUD, VA, RHS, GNMA, FNMA, and FHLMC. CMG Financial is widely known throughout the mortgage banking and housing markets for responsible lending practices, industry and consumer advocacy, product innovation, and operational efficiency. Media Contact: Annaugh Madsen Phone: (667) 260-6360 Email: [email protected] Related Images Image 1: CMG Financial Launches CMG Home Loans CMG Financial Launches CMG Home Loans This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BigPanda, Inc., the leader in AIOps Event Correlation and Automation, and online incident management academy Blackrock 3 Partners, today announced the winners of the 2022 Incident Commander Awards, a peer-voted award program honoring IT rockstars in support, ITOps, DevOps, SRE or in the NOC. Now in its third year, the Incident Commander program recognizes those who go above and beyond when it comes to IT incident response and handle high-impact global incidents with world-class professionalism and skill. This years Incident Commanders from Cardinal Health, Milestone Technologies, OneMain Financial and PlayStation have gone above and beyond to minimize the impact of outages for their organizations. We live in a time where people want to interact with digital services 24/7, explained Cari Jaquet, VP of Marketing for BigPanda. Everyones demand for uninterrupted access to banking, shopping, meetings, gaming, travel and other services puts tremendous pressure on incident commanders, critical members of IT Ops, DevOps, SRE and NOC teams, she explained. Big names including Spotify, Google Cloud, Atlassian, Coinbase and Southwest Airlines have all suffered major incidents this year, costing them revenue and hurting their reputations with customers. In fact, 91% of businesses say downtime costs can be $300,000 per hour, according to ITIC. Incident Commanders are the overworked heroes who keep these services running with minimal downtime. As organizations rely more and more on a multitude of apps and systems to power their businesses, the role of the Incident Commander has never been more important, said Rob Schnepp, founding partner of Blackrock 3 and a longtime fire department Chief Officer and Incident Commander in the San Francisco Bay Area. This year's Incident Commander winners represent the best of the best, and we're proud to recognize them for their talent and leadership. About the Incident Commander ProgramBigPanda and Blackrock 3 Partners developed the Incident Commander award program to specifically acknowledge individuals who rise above the alerts and outages to perform their jobs like true Incident Commanders. Winners were nominated by their peers, 12 finalists were identified, and more than 1,000 votes were cast by the community on the four they felt were most deserving. Winners will receive a $1,500 gift card from Global Giving to donate to the charity of their choice, a 10-hour Incident Commander Blackrock 3 Partners course for five members of their team. This years Incident Commanders are: Malcolm Lee Graves, major incident manager at Cardinal Health. For Malcolm, one of the secrets to surviving and thriving in a hectic industry is listening and using his time as if there is NO time. That attitude, along with a team that's focused on the mission of resolving incidents ASAP, has resulted in his deserving Incident Commander win. For Malcolm, one of the secrets to surviving and thriving in a hectic industry is listening and using his time as if there is NO time. That attitude, along with a team that's focused on the mission of resolving incidents ASAP, has resulted in his deserving Incident Commander win. Jack Habaibeh, senior solutions architect at Milestone Technologies. In his role, Jack demonstrates a strong ability to understand client, user and team needs, keeping them at the forefront during complex problem-solving. Jack advises aspiring incident commanders to keep learning new IT skills and knowledge, as well as to work on perfecting directive communication skills. In his role, Jack demonstrates a strong ability to understand client, user and team needs, keeping them at the forefront during complex problem-solving. Jack advises aspiring incident commanders to keep learning new IT skills and knowledge, as well as to work on perfecting directive communication skills. John McDermott, incident commander at OneMain Financial. John's Incident Commander win stems from his ability to bring a calm but commanding voice during the storms that are IT outages. Being in control and calm allows his primary support team to focus on identifying and resolving the issue, alleviating pressure across the rest of the team. In fact, John recognizes that the ability to keep calm even in the face of growing pressure is a valuable talent both at work and in everyday life. John's Incident Commander win stems from his ability to bring a calm but commanding voice during the storms that are IT outages. Being in control and calm allows his primary support team to focus on identifying and resolving the issue, alleviating pressure across the rest of the team. In fact, John recognizes that the ability to keep calm even in the face of growing pressure is a valuable talent both at work and in everyday life. Chelsea Fontana, manager of incident and problem management at PlayStation. For Chelsea, effective communication and the ability to stay calm under pressure are two of the most valuable characteristics in IT incident management. She urges aspiring Incident Commanders to never stop learning and take every opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills. Among the skills she's most proud of is her ability to keep her sense of humor even through trying times. BigPanda will host a winners circle event to honor this years Incident Commanders this fall. About BigPandaBigPanda keeps businesses running with AIOps that transforms IT data into insight and action. With BigPandas AIOps platform, businesses prevent IT outages, improve incident management and deliver extraordinary customer experiences. Without BigPanda, IT Ops, NOC, and DevOps teams struggle with a tsunami of data and highly-manual, reactive incident response processes that are poorly suited for the scale, complexity and velocity of modern IT environments. This results in painful outages, unhappy customers, growing IT headcount and the inability to focus on innovation. BigPandas AIOps Event Correlation and Automation platform helps Fortune 5000 enterprises such as Intel, Cisco, United, Abbott, Marriott and Expedia take a giant step towards Autonomous IT Operations. BigPanda is backed by Advent International, Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital, Mayfield, Battery Ventures, Glynn Capital, Mayfield, Greenfield Partners and Pelion. Visit www.bigpanda.io for more information. Media contact:Sammy TotahBOCA Communications for BigPanda[email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbda4cbe-5d01-4fca-a996-c0046b9e5e86 BigPanda and Blackrock 3 Partners Honor Incident Commanders Over 1,000 IT Ops professionals voted for this years Incident Commanders. Heres who is taking home the title. Source: BigPanda Identifying information has been shared with law enforcement, revealing the operator of the Golden Chickens malware, the weapon of choice for FIN6 and Cobalt Group WATERLOO, Ontario and LAS VEGAS, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- eSentire , the Authority in Managed Detection and Response (MDR), released a report today, unmasking the threat actor behind the Golden Chickens malware, the weapon of choice for Russias most infamous financial cybercrime families FIN6 and Cobalt Group. Joe Stewart and Keegan Keplinger, security researchers with eSentires Threat Response Unit (TRU) , authored the research. The report, unveiled today at Black Hat USA and titled Unmasking VENOM SPIDERthe Hacker Behind the Cyber Weapon of Choice for Two of Russias Most Notorious Internet Crime Gangs, reveals how eSentire identified the Golden Chickens malware operator. For more than two months, Stewart and Keplinger have been meticulously tracking the source of the very exclusive and sophisticated Golden Chickens/more eggs malware. The threat actor goes by the username badbullzvenom and has been committing online crimes since at least 2004. Yet, despite going to great lengths to hide his identity, including using at least eight different online usernames/aliases, eSentire has cracked the mystery. TRU has discovered the real name behind the badbullzvenom alias, along with his birthdate, personal pictures from social media accounts, address, details of online crimes, and names of family members and friends. All identifying information has been shared with both Canadian and United States law enforcement. eSentires Threat Response Unit has worked diligently to uncover and identify this threat actor to authorities but our work does not stop here. We will continue to track the Golden Chickens malware and any code updates being made to the software, says Rob McLeod, VP Threat Response Unit, eSentire. Because of our ongoing research, we can garner more intelligence about the malware and the Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) of the FIN6 and Cobalt Group operations. This knowledge is invaluable for eSentire and the businesses under our protection, as we continue to develop advanced detections and threat response models to detect, disrupt and contain this stealthy malware. eSentire will be showcasing this research and providing service demonstrations on the Black Hat USA show floor at booth #2823. Book a meeting onsite with an eSentire Security Specialist here: https://bit.ly/3oRwuOT . Additionally, eSentires Ryan Westman, Senior Manager, Threat Intelligence, will be speaking at the DEF CON conference, immediately following Black Hat, in a session titled History of Russian Misinformation (2007 to present). Westman will discuss how Russian disinformation has always contained an element of cyberattacks, yet the West has been slow to understand that reality. In light of the most recent invasion of the Ukraine, we are becoming more aware of the nexus between information operations and cyber operations conducted by Russia since 2007, said Westman. Westmans session is scheduled for Friday, August 12 at 4pm PDT at Misinformation (Misinfo) Village at Caesars Forum. The full Unmasking the VENOM Spider report including Stewart and Keplingers robust investigation details can be found here . About eSentire eSentire, Inc. is the Authority in Managed Detection and Response, protecting the critical data and applications of 1500+ organizations in 80+ countries, representing 35 industries from known and unknown cyber threats. Founded in 2001, the companys mission is to hunt, investigate and stop cyber threats before they become business disrupting events. Combining cutting-edge machine learning XDR technology, 24/7 Threat Hunting, and proven security operations leadership, eSentire mitigates business risk, and enables security at scale. The Team eSentire difference means enterprises are protected by the best in the business with a named Cyber Risk Advisor, 24/7 access to SOC Cyber Analysts, Elite Threat Hunters, and industry-leading threat intelligence research from eSentires Threat Response Unit (TRU). eSentire provides Managed Risk, Managed Detection and Response and Incident Response services. For more information, visit http://www.esentire.com and follow https://twitter.com/eSentire. Contact Elizabeth W. Clarke eSentire [email protected] Valhalla, N.Y., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FUJIFILM North America Corporation announces the North American debut of Fujikina New York, a must-attend interactive festival for anyone interested in photography, cinematography, the arts, and the latest FUJIFILM digital camera gear. This curated, dynamic public event will showcase the power of image making through a special exhibit of select works from an emerging generation of image makers. Previously and exclusively held at FUJIFILM Corporations global headquarters in Tokyo, Fujikina will be held in North America for the first time on Saturday, September 10, 2022, from 10 A.M. - 7 P.M. at the iconic Glass House, located at 660 12th Avenue in New York City (please note: this address has been updated from a previous version). We are excited and honored to host Fujikina in New York City, which has such a rich history of showing Fujifilms support and celebration of the arts. Were excited to make the city a big part of the experience for our guests, said Victor Ha, vice president, Electronic Imaging and Optical Devices, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. Demonstrating Fujifilms ongoing commitment to storytelling, Fujikina New York will be part touch-and-try, part education, and part exhibition truly a festival for the image-making community and anyone interested the art of visual storytelling. The event will be comprised of a mix of hands-on seminars and workshops with celebrated creators who will be sharing experiences, techniques, and views on various image making styles, like portraiture, photojournalism, landscape, and much more. In addition, there will be ample opportunities to learn about and test various FUJIFILM digital cameras and lenses and attend a keynote presentation by world-renowned photographer, Greg Gorman. Known for his stark, honest portraits of the most famous and infamous faces, Gorman travels the world for specialized photographic projects while continuing to work on compilations of his imagery. Gormans work is exhibited at galleries and museums around the globe. Fujikina New York will also celebrate the 10-year anniversary of FUJIFILM X-MountFujifilms pioneering photographic technology that has empowered image makers and opened countless doors for creative possibilities. In honor of this milestone, and in demonstrating Fujifilms commitment to storytelling, Fujikina will celebrate with a special project showcasing imagery and stories from 10 remarkable women image-makers all with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. These artists were hand-picked to each envision a project and received funding, technical support, and guidance from Fujifilm along the way to bring those projects to life. Subjects range from a post-climate-apocalypse tale of seeking beauty amidst hardship, to an exploration of rites of passage and coming-of-age stories, to an adventure-driven piece on women rock climbers over 40, and more. Throughout the Fujikina New York venue, photo and video work from Fujifilm creators will be displayed in a variety of formats. Multiple sessions of seminars under the themes Life in Motion (Filmmaking), Life in Detail (Resolution), and Life in Color (Color and Resolution) will also be offered. Finally, guests will be able to reserve a spot in a variety of photo walks hosted by Fujifilms photography experts, where theyll learn techniques for creating various types of imagery and immediately get to practice using loaned FUJIFILM digital camera and lens gear. Fujikina New York will be free and open to the public. Guests are required to register and book a time slot to attend the event, as well as reserve space in any seminars, workshops, speaker presentations, and photo walks they wish to attend. To learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3zLY5pF To register for free, please visit: https://bit.ly/3PeMuW3 More about Seminars, workshops, and speakers: https://bit.ly/3zLY5pF More about our Featured Creators: https://bit.ly/3SFD1d5 About Fujifilm FUJIFILM North America Corporation, a marketing subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, consists of five operating divisions and one subsidiary company. The Imaging Division provides consumer and commercial photographic products and services, including: photographic paper; digital printing equipment, along with service and support; personalized photo products; film; one-time-use cameras; and the popular INSTAX line of instant cameras and accessories. The Electronic Imaging Division markets consumer digital cameras, lenses, and content creation solutions, and the Graphic Systems Division supplies products and services to the graphic printing industry. The Optical Devices Division provides optical lenses for the broadcast, cinematography, closed circuit television, videography and industrial markets, and also markets binoculars and other optical imaging solutions. The Industrial and Corporate New Business Development Division delivers new products derived from Fujifilm technologies. FUJIFILM Canada Inc. sells and markets a range of FUJIFILM products and services in Canada. For more information, please visit https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en/about/region, go to www.twitter.com/fujifilmus to follow Fujifilm on Twitter, or go to www.facebook.com/FujifilmNorthAmerica to Like Fujifilm on Facebook. FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, leverages its depth of knowledge and proprietary core technologies to deliver Value from Innovation in our products and services in the business segments of healthcare, materials, business innovation, and imaging. Our relentless pursuit of innovation is focused on providing social value and enhancing the lives of people worldwide. Fujifilm is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information about Fujifilms Sustainable Value Plan 2030, click here.For the year ended March 31, 2022, the company had global revenues of approximately 2.5 trillion yen (21 billion $USD at an exchange rate of 122 yen/dollar). For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com. Daniel Carpenter FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation 9145292417 [email protected] Source: FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation TORONTO, Aug. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to announce its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The Companys condensed and consolidated interim financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, together with its Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the corresponding period, can be accessed under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at www.mandalayresources.com. All currency references in this press release are in U.S. dollars except as otherwise indicated. Second Quarter 2022 Highlights: Strengthened balance sheet an improved net cash position with $47.9 million of cash on hand and $41.5 million in total interest-bearing debt outstanding; Consolidated quarterly revenue of $50.1 million; $16.1 million in net cash flow from operating activities and $7.5 million free cash flow1; Consolidated quarterly adjusted EBITDA1 of $20.3 million; Adjusted net income1 of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share); and Consolidated net income of $2.7 million ($0.03 or C$0.04 per share). Dominic Duffy, President and CEO of Mandalay, commented: Mandalay is pleased with another steady financial quarter in which we generated $7.5 million in free cash flow allowing the Company to further strengthen its balance sheet with an improved net cash position as compared to Q1 2022. We did this in a quarter that had several operational issues resulting in lower than expected production, exhibiting the stability of our financial performance. With forecast production improvements over the remainder of the year, we expect an even stronger cash position by the start of 2023. Reaching a net debt free position was one of the major goals of the Company at the onset of our turnaround over three years ago and I am pleased that we have achieved and exceeded that this year. During the quarter the Company generated $50.1 million in revenue and $20.3 million in adjusted EBITDA a margin of 41%. Mandalay earned $16.1 million in net cash flow from operating activities leading to adjusted net income of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share) during the second quarter. Our consolidated cash and all-in sustaining costs per saleable gold equivalent ounce during Q2 2022 was $1,020 and $1,399, respectively, an increase of 6% and 4% as compared to the $960 and $1,342 during the same period last year. The main driver behind this was the decrease in production rates at Bjorkdal due to lower throughput levels, feed grades and recoveries at the processing plant. _________________________________ 1 Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and free cash flow are not standardized financial measures under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Refer to Non-IFRS Measures at the end of this press release for further information. Costerfield continued its remarkable performance with $32.4 million in revenue and $19.2 million in adjusted EBITDA. This ongoing operating margin performance reflects the continuous high-grade feed and the relatively fixed cost nature of the operation. During Q2 2022, Costerfield processed grades of 11.0 g/t gold and 2.6% antimony and also improved its gold recovery rate of 93.0% against the 92.6% achieved during Q1 2021. Bjorkdal generated stable production and sales with $17.7 million and $2.4 million in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, respectively, in Q2 2022. The underground ramp up continued as we mined approximately 276,000 tonnes; on pace to exceed our 2021 result of 1.1 million tonnes from the underground. For Q3 2022, mining activities will focus on areas of high confidence as we look to lift the grade during the second half of the year. The first half of year demonstrated the ongoing strength of our operations and how the Company is well-positioned to build upon its sound financial state. Mandalay is maintaining its 2022 production and cost guidance and looks forward to sustainably generating value for all of our stakeholders. Second Quarter 2022 Financial Summary The following table summarizes the Companys financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021: Three months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2021 Six months ended June 30, 2022 Six months ended June 30, 2021 $000 $000 $000 $000 Revenue 50,116 51,352 104,270 103,925 Cost of sales 28,526 27,135 50,242 52,549 Adjusted EBITDA (1) 20,329 23,135 51,634 49,197 Income from mine ops before depreciation, depletion 21,590 24,217 54,028 51,376 Adjusted net income (1) 5,370 11,475 19,257 17,121 Consolidated net income 2,703 4,790 13,188 30,290 Capital expenditure 10,932 13,578 20,562 25,604 Total assets 306,138 310,841 306,138 310,841 Total liabilities 131,528 151,852 131,528 151,852 Adjusted net income per share (1) 0.06 0.13 0.21 0.19 Consolidated net income per share 0.03 0.05 0.14 0.33 Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are non-IFRS measures, defined at the end of this press release Non-IFRS Measures. In Q2 2022, Mandalay generated consolidated revenue of $50.1 million, 2% lower than in the second quarter of 2021. This decrease was mainly due to lower ounces sold at Bjorkdal and Cerro Bayos production in last years quarter. The Companys realized gold price in the second quarter of 2022 increased by 6% compared to the second quarter of 2021, and the realized price of antimony increased by 13%. In Q2 2022, Mandalay sold 1,334 fewer gold equivalent ounces than in Q2 2021. Consolidated cash cost per ounce of $1,020 was higher in the second quarter of 2022 compared to $960 in the second quarter of 2021. Cost of sales during the second quarter of 2022 versus the second quarter of 2021 were $5.7 million higher at Costerfield and $0.7 million lower at Bjorkdal. Consolidated general and administrative costs were $0.2 million higher compared to the prior year quarter. Mandalay generated adjusted EBITDA of $20.3 million in the second quarter of 2022, 12% lower compared to the Companys adjusted EBITDA of $23.1 million in the year ago quarter. Adjusted net income was $5.4 million in the second quarter of 2022, which excludes the $4.4 million of unrealized gain on financial instruments and $7.1 million of revision of reclamation liability, compared to an adjusted net income of $11.5 million in the second quarter of 2021. Consolidated net income was $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2022, versus $4.8 million in the second quarter of 2021. Mandalay ended the second quarter of 2022 with $47.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. Second Quarter Operational Summary The table below summarizes the Companys operations, capital expenditures and operational unit costs for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021: Three months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2021 Six months ended June 30, 2022 Six months ended June 30, 2021 $000 $000 $000 $000 Costerfield Gold produced (oz) 11,079 9,959 23,276 21,041 Antimony produced (t) 523 858 1,206 1,690 Gold equivalent produced (oz) 14,989 14,818 32,236 30,276 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 646 652 608 646 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 916 1,009 840 972 Capital development 892 3,108 1,638 6,086 Property, plant and equipment purchases 2,216 1,029 4,028 1,930 Capitalized exploration 1,487 1,583 3,174 2,807 Bjorkdal Gold produced (oz) 8,316 10,941 20,700 22,796 Cash cost(1) per oz gold produced ($) 1,696 1,338 1,391 1,259 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold produced ($) 2,120 1,766 1,729 1,647 Capital development 2,361 2,727 4,822 5,120 Property, plant and equipment purchases 2,878 4,277 4,769 8,122 Capitalized exploration 1,066 601 1,821 1,058 Cerro Bayo Gold produced (oz) - 1,807 - 2,531 Silver produced (oz) - 87,062 - 130,761 Gold equivalent produced (oz) - 3,084 - 4,447 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) - 1,097 - 1,066 Consolidated Gold equivalent produced (oz) 23,305 28,843 52,936 57,519 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 1,020 960 914 922 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 1,399 1,342 1,232 1,284 Capital development 3,253 5,835 6,460 11,206 Property, plant and equipment purchases 5,094 5,306 8,797 10,052 Capitalized exploration(2) 2,585 2,437 5,305 4,346 Cash cost and all-in sustaining cost are non-IFRS measures. See Non-IFRS Measures at the end of this press release. Includes capitalized exploration relating to other non-core assets. Costerfield gold-antimony mine, Victoria, Australia Costerfield produced 11,079 ounces of gold and 523 tonnes of antimony for 14,989 gold equivalent ounces in the second quarter of 2022. Cash and all-in sustaining costs at Costerfield of $646/oz and $916/oz, respectively, compared to cash and all-in sustaining costs of $652/oz and $1,009/oz, respectively, in the second quarter of 2021. Bjorkdal gold mine, Skelleftea, Sweden Bjorkdal produced 8,316 ounces of gold in the second quarter of 2022 with cash and all-in sustaining costs of $1,696/oz and $2,120/oz, respectively, compared to cash and all-in sustaining costs of $1,338/oz and $1,766/oz, respectively, in the second quarter of 2021. Lupin, Nunavut, Canada Care and maintenance spending at Lupin was less than $0.1 million during the second quarter of 2022, which was similar to the second quarter of 2021. Reclamation spending was $3.3 million during the second quarter of 2022 compared to $0.8 million during the second quarter of 2021. Lupin is currently in the process of final closure and reclamation activities mainly funded by progressive security reductions held by the Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Challacollo, Chile On April 19, 2021, Aftermath Silver Ltd. (Aftermath Silver) paid C$1.5 million in cash and issued 2,054,794 common shares at fair value of C$0.73 per share to the Company on May 5, 2021, in satisfaction of a purchase price instalment. For the year ended December 31, 2021, Mandalay sold 678,794 shares of Aftermath Silver at an average price of C$0.57 per share. The Company did not sell any shares in the second quarter of 2022. Further information regarding the definitive agreement signed with Aftermath Silver for the sale of Challacollo can be found in the Companys November 12, 2019, press release. The Company completed the sale of Challacollo to Aftermath on August 10, 2022. La Quebrada, Chile No work was carried out on the La Quebrada development property during Q2 2022. Conference Call Mandalays management will be hosting a conference call for investors and analysts on August 11, 2022, at 8:00 AM (Toronto time). Analysts and interested investors are invited to participate using the following dial-in numbers: Participant Number (Toll free): 877 407 8289 Conference ID: 13731674 A replay of the conference call will be available until 11:59 PM (Toronto time), August 25, 2022, and can be accessed using the following dial-in number: Encore Toll Free Dial-in Number: 877 660 6853 Encore ID: 13731674 About Mandalay Resources Corporation: Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia (Costerfield gold-antimony mine) and Sweden (Bjorkdal gold mine). The Company is focused on growing its production and reducing costs to generate significant positive cashflow. Mandalay is committed to operating safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, while developing a high level of community and employee engagement. Mandalays mission is to create shareholder value through the profitable operation and continuing the regional exploration program, at both its Costerfield and Bjorkdal mines. Currently, the Companys main objectives are to continue mining the high-grade Youle vein at Costerfield, bring online the deeper Shepherd veins, both of which will continue to supply high-grade ore to the processing plant, and to extend Youle Mineral Reserves. At Bjorkdal, the Company will aim to increase production from the Aurora zone and other higher-grade areas in the coming years, in order to maximize profit margins from the mine. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Companys anticipated performance in 2022. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading Risk Factors in Mandalays annual information form dated March 31, 2022, a copy of which is available under Mandalays profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Non-IFRS Measures This news release may contain references to adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, free cash flow, cash cost per saleable ounce of gold equivalent produced and all-in sustaining cost all of which are non-IFRS measures and do not have standardized meanings under IFRS. Therefore, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management uses adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow as measures of operating performance to assist in assessing the Companys ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future working capital needs and to fund future capital expenditures, as well as to assist in comparing financial performance from period to period on a consistent basis. Management uses adjusted net income in order to facilitate an understanding of the Companys financial performance prior to the impact of non-recurring or special items. The Company believes that these measures are used by and are useful to investors and other users of the Companys financial statements in evaluating the Companys operating and cash performance because they allow for analysis of its financial results without regard to special, non-cash and other non-core items, which can vary substantially from company to company and over different periods. The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as income from mine operations, net of administration costs, and before interest, taxes, non-cash charges/(income), intercompany charges and finance costs. The Company defines adjusted net income as net income before special items. Special items are items of income and expense that are presented separately due to their nature and, in some cases, expected infrequency of the events giving rise to them. A reconciliation between adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, on the one hand, and consolidated net income, on the other hand, is included in the MD&A. The Company defines free cash flow as a measure of the Corporations ability to generate and manage liquidity. It is calculated starting with the net cash flows from operating activities (as per IFRS) and then subtracting capital expenditures and lease payments. Refer to Section 1.2 of MD&A for a reconciliation between free cash flow and net cash flows from operating activities. For Costerfield, saleable equivalent gold ounces produced is calculated by adding to saleable gold ounces produced, the saleable antimony tonnes produced times the average antimony price in the period divided by the average gold price in the period. The total cash operating cost associated with the production of these saleable equivalent ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in sustaining costs include total cash operating costs, sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion and depletion. Sustaining capital reflects the capital required to maintain each sites current level of operations. The sites all-in sustaining cost per ounce of saleable gold equivalent in a period equals the all-in sustaining cost divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced in the period. For Bjorkdal, the total cash operating cost associated with the production of saleable gold ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable gold ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in costs include total cash operating costs, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization. Site all-in sustaining costs include total cash operating costs, sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion and depletion. Sustaining capital reflects the capital required to maintain each sites current level of operations. The sites all-in sustaining cost per ounce of saleable gold equivalent in a period equals the all-in sustaining cost divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced in the period. For the Company as a whole, cash cost per saleable gold equivalent ounce is calculated by summing the gold equivalent ounces produced by each site and dividing the total by the sum of cash operating costs at the sites. Consolidated cash cost excludes royalty and corporate level general and administrative expenses. This definition was updated in the third quarter of 2020 to exclude corporate general and administrative expenses to better align with industry standard. All-in sustaining cost per saleable ounce gold equivalent in the period equals the sum of cash costs associated with the production of gold equivalent ounces at all operating sites in the period plus corporate overhead expense in the period plus sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization, divided by the total saleable gold equivalent ounces produced in the period. A reconciliation between cost of sales and cash costs, and also cash cost to all-in sustaining costs are included in the MD&A. For Further Information: Dominic Duffy President and Chief Executive OfficerEdison NguyenDirection, Business Valuations and Investor RelationsContact: (647) 260-1566 ext. 1 Source: Mandalay Resources Corporation TORONTO, Aug. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) is pleased to announce its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022. The Companys condensed and consolidated interim financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022, together with its Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the corresponding period, can be accessed under the Companys profile on www.sedar.com and on the Companys website at www.mandalayresources.com. All currency references in this press release are in U.S. dollars except as otherwise indicated. Second Quarter 2022 Highlights: Strengthened balance sheet an improved net cash position with $47.9 million of cash on hand and $41.5 million in total interest-bearing debt outstanding; Consolidated quarterly revenue of $50.1 million; $16.1 million in net cash flow from operating activities and $7.5 million free cash flow 1 ; ; Consolidated quarterly adjusted EBITDA 1 of $20.3 million; of $20.3 million; Adjusted net income 1 of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share); and of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share); and Consolidated net income of $2.7 million ($0.03 or C$0.04 per share). Dominic Duffy, President and CEO of Mandalay, commented: Mandalay is pleased with another steady financial quarter in which we generated $7.5 million in free cash flow allowing the Company to further strengthen its balance sheet with an improved net cash position as compared to Q1 2022. We did this in a quarter that had several operational issues resulting in lower than expected production, exhibiting the stability of our financial performance. With forecast production improvements over the remainder of the year, we expect an even stronger cash position by the start of 2023. Reaching a net debt free position was one of the major goals of the Company at the onset of our turnaround over three years ago and I am pleased that we have achieved and exceeded that this year. During the quarter the Company generated $50.1 million in revenue and $20.3 million in adjusted EBITDA a margin of 41%. Mandalay earned $16.1 million in net cash flow from operating activities leading to adjusted net income of $5.4 million ($0.06 or C$0.07 per share) during the second quarter. Our consolidated cash and all-in sustaining costs per saleable gold equivalent ounce during Q2 2022 was $1,020 and $1,399, respectively, an increase of 6% and 4% as compared to the $960 and $1,342 during the same period last year. The main driver behind this was the decrease in production rates at Bjorkdal due to lower throughput levels, feed grades and recoveries at the processing plant. _________________________________ 1 Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and free cash flow are not standardized financial measures under IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. Refer to Non-IFRS Measures at the end of this press release for further information. Costerfield continued its remarkable performance with $32.4 million in revenue and $19.2 million in adjusted EBITDA. This ongoing operating margin performance reflects the continuous high-grade feed and the relatively fixed cost nature of the operation. During Q2 2022, Costerfield processed grades of 11.0 g/t gold and 2.6% antimony and also improved its gold recovery rate of 93.0% against the 92.6% achieved during Q1 2021. Bjorkdal generated stable production and sales with $17.7 million and $2.4 million in revenue and adjusted EBITDA, respectively, in Q2 2022. The underground ramp up continued as we mined approximately 276,000 tonnes; on pace to exceed our 2021 result of 1.1 million tonnes from the underground. For Q3 2022, mining activities will focus on areas of high confidence as we look to lift the grade during the second half of the year. The first half of year demonstrated the ongoing strength of our operations and how the Company is well-positioned to build upon its sound financial state. Mandalay is maintaining its 2022 production and cost guidance and looks forward to sustainably generating value for all of our stakeholders. Second Quarter 2022 Financial Summary The following table summarizes the Companys financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021: Three months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2021 Six months ended June 30, 2022 Six months ended June 30, 2021 $000 $000 $000 $000 Revenue 50,116 51,352 104,270 103,925 Cost of sales 28,526 27,135 50,242 52,549 Adjusted EBITDA (1) 20,329 23,135 51,634 49,197 Income from mine ops before depreciation, depletion 21,590 24,217 54,028 51,376 Adjusted net income (1) 5,370 11,475 19,257 17,121 Consolidated net income 2,703 4,790 13,188 30,290 Capital expenditure 10,932 13,578 20,562 25,604 Total assets 306,138 310,841 306,138 310,841 Total liabilities 131,528 151,852 131,528 151,852 Adjusted net income per share (1) 0.06 0.13 0.21 0.19 Consolidated net income per share 0.03 0.05 0.14 0.33 Adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income and adjusted net income per share are non-IFRS measures, defined at the end of this press release Non-IFRS Measures. In Q2 2022, Mandalay generated consolidated revenue of $50.1 million, 2% lower than in the second quarter of 2021. This decrease was mainly due to lower ounces sold at Bjorkdal and Cerro Bayos production in last years quarter. The Companys realized gold price in the second quarter of 2022 increased by 6% compared to the second quarter of 2021, and the realized price of antimony increased by 13%. In Q2 2022, Mandalay sold 1,334 fewer gold equivalent ounces than in Q2 2021. Consolidated cash cost per ounce of $1,020 was higher in the second quarter of 2022 compared to $960 in the second quarter of 2021. Cost of sales during the second quarter of 2022 versus the second quarter of 2021 were $5.7 million higher at Costerfield and $0.7 million lower at Bjorkdal. Consolidated general and administrative costs were $0.2 million higher compared to the prior year quarter. Mandalay generated adjusted EBITDA of $20.3 million in the second quarter of 2022, 12% lower compared to the Companys adjusted EBITDA of $23.1 million in the year ago quarter. Adjusted net income was $5.4 million in the second quarter of 2022, which excludes the $4.4 million of unrealized gain on financial instruments and $7.1 million of revision of reclamation liability, compared to an adjusted net income of $11.5 million in the second quarter of 2021. Consolidated net income was $2.7 million for the second quarter of 2022, versus $4.8 million in the second quarter of 2021. Mandalay ended the second quarter of 2022 with $47.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. Second Quarter Operational Summary The table below summarizes the Companys operations, capital expenditures and operational unit costs for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2022, and 2021: Three months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2021 Six months ended June 30, 2022 Six months ended June 30, 2021 $000 $000 $000 $000 Costerfield Gold produced (oz) 11,079 9,959 23,276 21,041 Antimony produced (t) 523 858 1,206 1,690 Gold equivalent produced (oz) 14,989 14,818 32,236 30,276 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 646 652 608 646 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 916 1,009 840 972 Capital development 892 3,108 1,638 6,086 Property, plant and equipment purchases 2,216 1,029 4,028 1,930 Capitalized exploration 1,487 1,583 3,174 2,807 Bjorkdal Gold produced (oz) 8,316 10,941 20,700 22,796 Cash cost(1) per oz gold produced ($) 1,696 1,338 1,391 1,259 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold produced ($) 2,120 1,766 1,729 1,647 Capital development 2,361 2,727 4,822 5,120 Property, plant and equipment purchases 2,878 4,277 4,769 8,122 Capitalized exploration 1,066 601 1,821 1,058 Cerro Bayo Gold produced (oz) - 1,807 - 2,531 Silver produced (oz) - 87,062 - 130,761 Gold equivalent produced (oz) - 3,084 - 4,447 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) - 1,097 - 1,066 Consolidated Gold equivalent produced (oz) 23,305 28,843 52,936 57,519 Cash cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 1,020 960 914 922 All-in sustaining cost(1) per oz gold eq. produced ($) 1,399 1,342 1,232 1,284 Capital development 3,253 5,835 6,460 11,206 Property, plant and equipment purchases 5,094 5,306 8,797 10,052 Capitalized exploration(2) 2,585 2,437 5,305 4,346 Cash cost and all-in sustaining cost are non-IFRS measures. See Non-IFRS Measures at the end of this press release. Includes capitalized exploration relating to other non-core assets. Costerfield gold-antimony mine, Victoria, Australia Costerfield produced 11,079 ounces of gold and 523 tonnes of antimony for 14,989 gold equivalent ounces in the second quarter of 2022. Cash and all-in sustaining costs at Costerfield of $646/oz and $916/oz, respectively, compared to cash and all-in sustaining costs of $652/oz and $1,009/oz, respectively, in the second quarter of 2021. Bjorkdal gold mine, Skelleftea, Sweden Bjorkdal produced 8,316 ounces of gold in the second quarter of 2022 with cash and all-in sustaining costs of $1,696/oz and $2,120/oz, respectively, compared to cash and all-in sustaining costs of $1,338/oz and $1,766/oz, respectively, in the second quarter of 2021. Lupin, Nunavut, Canada Care and maintenance spending at Lupin was less than $0.1 million during the second quarter of 2022, which was similar to the second quarter of 2021. Reclamation spending was $3.3 million during the second quarter of 2022 compared to $0.8 million during the second quarter of 2021. Lupin is currently in the process of final closure and reclamation activities mainly funded by progressive security reductions held by the Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Challacollo, Chile On April 19, 2021, Aftermath Silver Ltd. (Aftermath Silver) paid C$1.5 million in cash and issued 2,054,794 common shares at fair value of C$0.73 per share to the Company on May 5, 2021, in satisfaction of a purchase price instalment. For the year ended December 31, 2021, Mandalay sold 678,794 shares of Aftermath Silver at an average price of C$0.57 per share. The Company did not sell any shares in the second quarter of 2022. Further information regarding the definitive agreement signed with Aftermath Silver for the sale of Challacollo can be found in the Companys November 12, 2019, press release. The Company completed the sale of Challacollo to Aftermath on August 10, 2022. La Quebrada, Chile No work was carried out on the La Quebrada development property during Q2 2022. Conference Call Mandalays management will be hosting a conference call for investors and analysts on August 11, 2022, at 8:00 AM (Toronto time). Analysts and interested investors are invited to participate using the following dial-in numbers: Participant Number (Toll free): 877 407 8289 Conference ID: 13731674 A replay of the conference call will be available until 11:59 PM (Toronto time), August 25, 2022, and can be accessed using the following dial-in number: Encore Toll Free Dial-in Number: 877 660 6853 Encore ID: 13731674 About Mandalay Resources Corporation: Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia (Costerfield gold-antimony mine) and Sweden (Bjorkdal gold mine). The Company is focused on growing its production and reducing costs to generate significant positive cashflow. Mandalay is committed to operating safely and in an environmentally responsible manner, while developing a high level of community and employee engagement. Mandalays mission is to create shareholder value through the profitable operation and continuing the regional exploration program, at both its Costerfield and Bjorkdal mines. Currently, the Companys main objectives are to continue mining the high-grade Youle vein at Costerfield, bring online the deeper Shepherd veins, both of which will continue to supply high-grade ore to the processing plant, and to extend Youle Mineral Reserves. At Bjorkdal, the Company will aim to increase production from the Aurora zone and other higher-grade areas in the coming years, in order to maximize profit margins from the mine. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Companys anticipated performance in 2022. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, changes in commodity prices and general market and economic conditions. The factors identified above are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect Mandalay. A description of additional risks that could result in actual results and developments differing from those contemplated by forward-looking statements in this news release can be found under the heading Risk Factors in Mandalays annual information form dated March 31, 2022, a copy of which is available under Mandalays profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, there can be no assurance that any inferred resources that are discovered as a result of additional drilling will ever be upgraded to proven or probable reserves. Although Mandalay has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Non-IFRS Measures This news release may contain references to adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, free cash flow, cash cost per saleable ounce of gold equivalent produced and all-in sustaining cost all of which are non-IFRS measures and do not have standardized meanings under IFRS. Therefore, these measures may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management uses adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow as measures of operating performance to assist in assessing the Companys ability to generate liquidity through operating cash flow to fund future working capital needs and to fund future capital expenditures, as well as to assist in comparing financial performance from period to period on a consistent basis. Management uses adjusted net income in order to facilitate an understanding of the Companys financial performance prior to the impact of non-recurring or special items. The Company believes that these measures are used by and are useful to investors and other users of the Companys financial statements in evaluating the Companys operating and cash performance because they allow for analysis of its financial results without regard to special, non-cash and other non-core items, which can vary substantially from company to company and over different periods. The Company defines adjusted EBITDA as income from mine operations, net of administration costs, and before interest, taxes, non-cash charges/(income), intercompany charges and finance costs. The Company defines adjusted net income as net income before special items. Special items are items of income and expense that are presented separately due to their nature and, in some cases, expected infrequency of the events giving rise to them. A reconciliation between adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income, on the one hand, and consolidated net income, on the other hand, is included in the MD&A. The Company defines free cash flow as a measure of the Corporations ability to generate and manage liquidity. It is calculated starting with the net cash flows from operating activities (as per IFRS) and then subtracting capital expenditures and lease payments. Refer to Section 1.2 of MD&A for a reconciliation between free cash flow and net cash flows from operating activities. For Costerfield, saleable equivalent gold ounces produced is calculated by adding to saleable gold ounces produced, the saleable antimony tonnes produced times the average antimony price in the period divided by the average gold price in the period. The total cash operating cost associated with the production of these saleable equivalent ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable equivalent ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in sustaining costs include total cash operating costs, sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion and depletion. Sustaining capital reflects the capital required to maintain each sites current level of operations. The sites all-in sustaining cost per ounce of saleable gold equivalent in a period equals the all-in sustaining cost divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced in the period. For Bjorkdal, the total cash operating cost associated with the production of saleable gold ounces produced in the period is then divided by the saleable gold ounces produced to yield the cash cost per saleable gold ounce produced. The cash cost excludes royalty expenses. Site all-in costs include total cash operating costs, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization. Site all-in sustaining costs include total cash operating costs, sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion and depletion. Sustaining capital reflects the capital required to maintain each sites current level of operations. The sites all-in sustaining cost per ounce of saleable gold equivalent in a period equals the all-in sustaining cost divided by the saleable equivalent gold ounces produced in the period. For the Company as a whole, cash cost per saleable gold equivalent ounce is calculated by summing the gold equivalent ounces produced by each site and dividing the total by the sum of cash operating costs at the sites. Consolidated cash cost excludes royalty and corporate level general and administrative expenses. This definition was updated in the third quarter of 2020 to exclude corporate general and administrative expenses to better align with industry standard. All-in sustaining cost per saleable ounce gold equivalent in the period equals the sum of cash costs associated with the production of gold equivalent ounces at all operating sites in the period plus corporate overhead expense in the period plus sustaining mining capital, royalty expense, accretion, depletion, depreciation and amortization, divided by the total saleable gold equivalent ounces produced in the period. A reconciliation between cost of sales and cash costs, and also cash cost to all-in sustaining costs are included in the MD&A. For Further Information: Dominic Duffy President and Chief Executive Officer Edison Nguyen Direction, Business Valuations and Investor Relations Contact: (647) 260-1566 ext. 1 CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maxim Power Corp. ("MAXIM" or the "Corporation") (TSX: MXG) announced today the release of financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2022. The unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements, accompanying notes and Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) will be available on SEDAR and on MAXIM's website on August 11, 2022. All figures reported herein are Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months EndedJune 30, ($ in thousands except per share amounts) 2022 2021 2022 2021 Revenue 48,380 44,342 84,172 74,372 Net income 8,565 29,589 25,463 56,015 Earnings per share basic 0.17 0.59 0.51 1.12 Earnings per share diluted 0.15 0.48 0.42 0.91 Adjusted EBITDA (1) 18,781 21,441 34,674 30,864 Total generation (MWh) 390,813 389,101 784,404 713,591 Total fuel consumption (GJ) 4,119,567 4,137,093 8,303,475 7,734,434 Average Alberta market power price ($ per MWh) 122.47 104.51 106.32 100.01 Average realized power price ($ per MWh) 123.79 113.96 107.31 104.22 Total net debt (1) 55,639 14,997 55,639 14,997 Total assets 365,459 295,366 365,459 295,366 (1) Select financial information was derived from the consolidated financial statements and is prepared in accordance with GAAP, except adjusted Earnings before Interest, Income Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (Adjusted EBITDA). Adjusted EBITDA is provided to assist management and investors in determining the Corporation's approximate operating cash flows before interest, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization and certain other non-recurring income and expenses. Total net debt was derived from the consolidated financial statements to include: loans and borrowings (including the convertible loan facility), current liabilities, other long-term liability, less total current assets. OPERATING RESULTS Since commissioning Milner 2 (M2) in June 2020, M2 has generated 3,029,435 MWh of electricity, earned $280 million of revenue and $114 million of Adjusted EBITDA(1). In the first six months of 2022, M2 generated 784,404 MWh of electricity, earned $84 million of revenue and $35 million of Adjusted EBITDA(1). During the second quarter of 2022, revenues increased as compared to 2021 primarily due to higher realized prices and higher generation volumes of M2. Adjusted EBITDA(1) decreased due to higher per unit natural gas costs in 2022, partially offset by net realized gains on power and natural gas commodity swaps and increased revenues. Net income decreased in 2022 as compared to 2021, primarily due to the recognition of the third (final) payment from the Line loss Proceedings in 2021 and the same factors impacting Adjusted EBITDA(1), partially offset by unrealized gains from natural gas swaps in 2022. M2 CCGT PROJECT UPDATE In 2022, MAXIM continued progress on the engineering and construction of the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) expansion of M2 and is pleased to report that the project remains on schedule to commission in December 2022. Recent milestones include greater than 80% construction complete and the commencement of cold commissioning activities. The estimated project cost, excluding borrowing costs, is currently $152 million as of the date of this MD&A. Estimated costs have increased from the $142 million previously reported due to increased expenditures related to integration of the existing steam turbine, overages for mechanical work, expanded project management and construction of the associated natural gas pipeline. As of June 30, 2022, MAXIM has incurred $128 million of capital investment in relation to the CCGT expansion of M2 and has funded this spending with existing cash on hand, cash flow from operating activities and debt. MAXIM has commenced the commissioning process in the third quarter of 2022 and anticipates that the plant will commence commercial operations in December of 2022. MAXIM believes strongly that this asset will be a top performing facility in the Alberta power market. At this time, MAXIM forecasts it has sufficient liquidity to complete the CCGT expansion of M2 and will fund the project using cash on hand, cash flow from operating revenues, grant funding and available funds through the existing senior and subordinated credit facilities, as required. $20 MILLION GRANT FUNDING On July 14, 2022, the Corporation, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into an agreement to receive grant funding in the amount of $20 million. The Corporations CCGT expansion of M2 captures waste heat that would otherwise exhaust into the atmosphere and will turn it into useful low carbon electricity for the Alberta power grid. As of this date, all of the proceeds from the grant have been received and will be used as funding for the CCGT expansion of M2, which is anticipated to be operational by December 2022. AMENDMENT TO SENIOR CREDIT FACILITY In June 2022, MAXIM amended the terms of its senior credit facility to allow for an increase to its normal course issuer bid (NCIB) limitations from $1.0 million to $2.5 million for the 2022 calendar year. Additionally, MAXIM recommenced repayments of its $28.5 million Bank Term Facility #1, under the senior credit facility, in the amount of $0.7 million quarterly. The first quarterly payment occurred on August 2, 2022, followed by regular quarterly payments commencing at the end of the third quarter 2022. NORMAL COURSE ISSUER BID MAXIM continues its NCIB program for the August 25, 2021 to August 24, 2022 period. Under this NCIB, MAXIM may purchase for cancellation up to 2,400,000 common shares of the Corporation. Collectively under this program and as of June 30, 2022, the Corporation has repurchased and cancelled 277,285 common shares for $1.1 million, of which 266,370 common shares were repurchased and cancelled in 2022 for $1.0 million. MAXIMs NCIB program is limited to $2.5 million for the 2022 calendar year under the senior credit facility. Any excess is subject to approval from the lenders under the senior credit facility. About MAXIM Based in Calgary, Alberta, MAXIM is one of Canadas largest truly independent power producers. MAXIM is now focused entirely on power projects in Alberta. Its core asset the 204 MW H.R. Milner Plant, M2, in Grande Cache, AB is a state-of-the-art natural gas-fired power plant that commissioned in Q2, 2020. MAXIM is currently increasing the capacity of M2 to approximately 300 MW and concurrently will realize an improvement in the efficiency of the plant by investing in heat recovery combined cycle technology. In addition, MAXIM continues to explore additional development options in Alberta including its currently permitted gas-fired generation projects and the permitting of its wind power generation project. MAXIM trades on the TSX under the symbol MXG. For more information about MAXIM, visit our website at www.maximpowercorp.com. For further information please contact: Bob Emmott, President and COO, (403) 263-3021 Kyle Mitton, CFO and Vice President, Corporate Development, (403) 263-3021 This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively "forward looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to MAXIM's plans and other aspects of MAXIM's anticipated future operations, management focus, objectives, strategies, financial, operating and production results. Forward-looking information typically uses words such as "anticipate", "believe", "project", "expect", "goal", "plan", "intend", "may", "would", "could" or "will" or similar words suggesting future outcomes, events or performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date thereof and are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Specifically, this press release contains forward-looking information concerning, among other things, the expected completion date of the CCGT expansion of M2, emissions intensity, the current cost estimates for the CCGT expansion of M2 and MAXIMs financing plans with respect to the CCGT expansion. Management has included the forward-looking statements above and a summary of assumptions and risks related to forward-looking statements provided in this press release in order to provide readers with a more complete perspective on MAXIM's future plans and operations and such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. MAXIM's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that MAXIM will derive there from. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing lists of factors are not exhaustive. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and MAXIM disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. Source: Maxim Power Corp Banedanmark has awarded MT Hjgaard Holdings business unit MT Hjgaard Danmark a contract for the construction of a new railway bridge across Guldborgsund. The turnkey contract has a total value of DKK 509 million. The new bridge will be erected south of the existing Kong Frederik IXs bridge across Guldborgsund as a 300-meter-long lift bridge. The bridge will consist of 13 concrete sections placed on 170-centimeter drilled piers. As part of the bridge construction works, MT Hjgaard Danmark will expand the railway dam, deepen Guldborgsund, perform earth and support construction works and complete series of trackwork, among other things. Banedanmark is erecting the new bridge to strengthen the infrastructure in connection with the Fehmarn project. The project is important for the civil works ambitions in MT Hjgaard Danmark. The new Kong Frederik IX's bridge is an important project. The relationship with developer Banedanmark and the completion of a strategic infrastructure project like this mean a lot to us. We will apply our professional competencies and resources within marine construction, concrete and foundation works, steel bridges and earthworks. The assignment is a milestone that allows us to showcase our competencies in the wider Danish civil works market, says Head of Section at MT Hjgaard Danmark, Niels Holm Mikkelsen. Until April 2023, MT Hjgaard Danmark will cooperate with advisers on project design for the bridge. The construction phase will then commence and continue until the second quarter of 2026. During the project, a work harbour and a production site for concrete elements will be established near the bridge. Contact: CEO Henrik Mielke and CFO Martin Solberg can be contacted on telephone +45 22 70 93 65. Attachment TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flow Capital Corp. (TSXV: FW) (Flow Capital and Company) today announced it will release its Q2 2022 unaudited financial results after the markets close on Tuesday August 16, 2022. Mr. Alex Baluta, Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Gaurav Singh, Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call at 9:00 a.m. EST, on Wednesday August 17, 2022, to review the results. A question and answer session will follow the corporate update. CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS DATE: Wednesday, August 17, 2022 TIME: 9:00 AM Eastern Time DIAL IN NUMBER: +1 888 396-8049 or +1 416 764-8646 TAPED REPLAY: +1 877 674-7070 or +1 416 764-8692 (PASSCODE 878213 #) CONFERENCE ID: 63878213 A recording of the call will be archived on the Companys website at www.flowcap.com/financials/. About Flow Capital Flow Capital Corp. is a diversified alternative asset investor and advisor, specializing in providing minimally dilutive capital to emerging growth businesses. To apply for financing, visit www.flowcap.com. For further information, please contact: Flow Capital Corp.Alex BalutaChief Executive Officer[email protected] 1 Adelaide Street East, Suite 3002,PO Box 171,Toronto, Ontario M5C 2V9 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Source: Flow Capital Corp. TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NowVertical Group Inc. (TSX-V: NOW) (NOW or the Company), a big data, analytics and vertical intelligence (VI) software and services company, will announce its 2022 second-quarter financial results on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, after the market close, followed by a webinar at 9:30 AM EDT (6:30 AM PDT) on Thursday, August 25, 2022 to discuss the Companys financial and business results and outlook. NOW invites shareholders, analysts, investors, media representatives, and other stakeholders to attend our upcoming webinar, where Daren Trousdell, Chief Executive Officer, will discuss Q2 2022 results, followed by a question-and-answer session. Investor Webinar RegistrationRegister here: https://bit.ly/NOW-Q2-Registration A recording of the webinar and supporting materials will be made available in the investors section of the companys website at https://ir.nowvertical.com/news-and-media Related links:https://www.nowvertical.com About NowVertical Group Inc. NOW is a big data, analytics and VI software and services company that is growing organically and through acquisition. NOW's VI solutions are organized by industry vertical and are built upon a foundational set of data technologies that fuse, secure, and mobilize data in a transformative and compliant way. The NOW product suite enables the creation of high-value VI solutions that are predictive in nature and drive automation specific to each high-value industry vertical. For more information about the Company, visit www.nowvertical.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Follow us on: Twitter and LinkedIn, For further information, please contact: Daren Trousdell, Chief Executive Officere: [email protected]t: (212) 302-0868 Glen Nelson, Investor Relationse: [email protected]t: (403) 763-9797 Source: NowVertical Group Inc SPARKS, Nev., Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) of the State of Nevada's Division of Industrial Relations recognizes the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks with the Safe Partner Award. Designed to increase safety awareness and strengthen safety culture within the workplace, this elite award is given to a maximum of four businesses annually out of the 80,000 employers in Nevada. "The Nugget has continued to grow its employee safety program since partnering with SCATS - we are committed to providing our staff of over 860 employees with a safe and healthy work environment," said Kathy Picollo, vice president of human resource and risk management, Nugget Casino Resort. "We bring SCATS consultants to our location regularly to help us identify areas for improvement, which has helped us strengthen our safety culture." Working with SCATS has enabled the Nugget's team to make measurable improvements to employee safety. In its safety culture improvement efforts, the organization has implemented employee-led safety committees and the risk and safety team leaders conduct bi-weekly safety walk-throughs around the location. The Nugget Casino Resort joins a committed group of organizations that prioritize employee health and safety. Recognition is granted for using a range of the no-cost services from SCATS such as safety consultations, training courses, enrollment in the Safety and Health Practitioner Program and more. "It's rewarding to see companies like the Nugget ensure their employees return home safe and healthy every day," said Todd Schultz, chief administrative officer for SCATS. "The Safe Partner Award recognizes the company's excellence and positions them as leaders in the hospitality and gaming industry." SCATS provides employers with confidential hazard identification, program development, implementation assistance and training. Employers who implement effective safety programs and have a days-away restricted transfer rate below the national average for their industry may be recognized by SCATS. Businesses interested in the Safe Partner Award or other safety programs can contact SCATS at 775-824-4630. For more information or to schedule free training courses, businesses can call 1-877-4SAFENV or visit 4safenv.state.nv.us About Nevada SCATSA part of Nevada's Division of Industrial Relations, SCATS provides free, confidential consultation and safety services to assist Nevada businesses in maintaining compliance with OSHA standards. Helping employers keep their employees safe through on-site consultation services, SCATS partners with businesses to recognize and control potential safety and health hazards, improve their safety and health programs, and assist in training employees. SCATS also offers Workplace Safety and Health Training classes in Northern and Southern Nevada. Bilingual services are also available. Visit 4safenv.state.nv.us. The Nevada On-Site Consultation program, at the time of initial publication of this document (4/2022), is funded by a cooperative agreement for $1,001,105 federal funds, which constitutes 34.5% percent of the program budget. 0% percent, or $0.00 of the program budget, is financed through non-governmental sources. About Nugget Casino ResortThe Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, Nevada is one of the Reno/Tahoe region's most affordable vacation and convention destinations, featuring a multitude of amenities, with nearly 1,400 guestrooms, 110,000 square feet of meeting space, several dining outlets, a year-round atrium pool and numerous other attractions. For more information, please visit www.nuggetcasinoresort.com, call 1-800-648-1177, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter. SCATS Media contact: Jena Esposito, KPS3, [email protected], 702-513-0606 Nugget Casino Resort contact: Randy Kennedy, [email protected], 775-356-3437 Related Images Image 1 The Safety Consultation and Training Section (SCATS) of the State of Nevada's Division of Industrial Relations recognizes the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks with the Safe Partner Award. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Featured Image for Nevada SCATS Featured Image for Nevada SCATS Source: Nevada SCATS Charlestoin, SC, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One could say Ryan Corrigans career in federal law enforcement was the result of unwavering determination and hard work. After receiving a rather disappointing form letter from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover at the age of 14, Corrigan was undeterred. He kept his head down in school and discovered he had a knack for bookkeeping and accounting. His newfound ability and tenacity would result in a thrilling career within the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS. Years later, after retirement, he began to reflect upon his most memorable cases and decided to try his hand at storytelling, considering it to be part of his Irish heritage. Corrigans resulting memoir is a fascinating, rare look at a day in the life of a special agent. From infiltrating Nazi strongholds during WWII to bringing down Al Capone, IRS special agents have helped to shape the narrative on criminal activity in the United States, and Corrigan is no exception. For nearly three decades, he investigated suspicious and criminal financial activity flagged by the IRS. Tasked with several high profile assignments, Corrigan recounts his dealings with mobsters, bookies, hoteliers, and even a serial killer. And his remarkable story adds real-life context to the catchphrase follow the money. Fans of true-crime stories will be captivated by Corrigans career anecdotes while investigating reports of embezzlement, racketeering, tax evasion, casino scams, and money laundering. The book is a wild ride of chaos and crime from the perspective of federal law enforcement and delivers a unique testament to the inner workings of financial crimes investigations. Special Agent is available for purchase online at Amazon.com. About the Author: Ryan Corrigan was an auditor for the Internal Revenue Service before moving into the Criminal Investigation Division, where he investigated cases on behalf of the United States Treasury Department for twenty-seven years. During that time, he completed a MBA program, and after leaving civil service, he earned his CPA. For the next thirty years, he worked as a self-employed forensic accountant frequently testifying in federal courts. Now officially retired, he spends his time writing and has two books in the works. Attachment Leah Joseph Palmetto Publishing [email protected] Source: Palmetto Publishing Malvern, Pennsylvania (USA), Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rajant Corporation, the pioneer of Kinetic Mesh wireless networks, has partnered with Accelecom, the Kentucky-statewide ISP fiber optic company connecting all 120 counties in the Commonwealth, bringing wireless WAN (Wide Area Network) and public access Wi-Fi to aid both flood victim emergency communications and last mile connectivity for rural downtowns. Health centers in hard-hit Eastern Kentucky now have outdoor Wi-Fi at each campus because of the partnership. Further, the first deployment of a Main Street Mesh solution connecting Harrison Countys courthouse to Cynthianas city hall is underway as the two entities integrate networking options to enable robust rural broadband. Playing a pivotal role is installation partner Eastern Telephone & Technology. The idea for this project was generated very quickly and required assistance beyond Rajant and Accelecom, shared Kathryn Robertson, Accelecoms Director of Business Development, about the free Wi-Fi for the flood zone. The Center for Rural Development played a key role in connecting Eastern Kentucky health departments to the Accelecom network, thus making it possible to install Wi-Fi zones at the centers. Rajant mobilized with technology, staffing, and financial support within the first 24 hours of the catastrophic flooding, stated Justin Warren, Rajant Sales Director for Rural Broadband. As a natural extension of the work we are now doing with Accelecom and Eastern Telephone & Technology, we were ready to step up to meet the emergency communication needs Kentucky is facing. Cell service is spotty due to the high demand brought on by frontline response and outdoor Wi-Fi is non-existent. To get area health centers up and running with outdoor connectivity, we rapidly put up Rajant BreadCrumb multi-frequency radio nodes with integrated Wi-Fi access point service for compatibility with millions of laptops, tablets, and smartphones. In a deal inked June 30th before Julys flooding, the companies began working together to provide wireless WAN and public Wi-Fi between government buildings. Further, the wireless rural broadband extended and enhanced the wired networking already in place with seamless integration, which required no infrastructure. This combination gave the Cynthiana and Harrison County communities a network able to support Smart City applications, such as cameras for public safety and traffic monitoring. #### About Rajant Corporation Rajant Corporation is the broadband communications technology company that invented Kinetic Mesh networking, BreadCrumb wireless nodes, and InstaMesh networking software. With Rajant, customers can rapidly deploy a highly adaptable and scalable network that leverages the power of real-time data to deliver on-demand, mission-critical business intelligence. A low-latency, high-throughput, and secure solution for a variety of data, voice, video, and autonomous applications, Rajants Kinetic Mesh networks provide industrial and service provider customers with full mobility, allowing them to take their private network applications and data anywhere. With successful deployments in more than 75 countries for customers in military, mining, ports, rail, energy, warehouse and manufacturing automation, municipalities, heavy construction, and agriculture. Rajant is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with additional facilities and offices in Arizona and Kentucky. For more information, visit Rajant.com or follow Rajant on LinkedIn and Twitter. Attachment Alice DiSanto Rajant Corporation 914-582-8464 [email protected] Source: Rajant Corporation CALGARY, Alberta, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terrestrial Energy, an industry-leading nuclear technology company, and Invest Alberta, the Government of Albertas crown corporation promoting high-value investments, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support commercialization of Terrestrial Energys Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) Generation IV small modular reactor (SMR) plant in Western Canada. Terrestrial Energys IMSR plant has unique potential to supply the heat and power (cogeneration) needs of many industrial activities, including those in the Alberta oil and gas, and petrochemical sectors. The Company looks forward to expanding its Alberta operations in partnership with industry, academic institutions, Indigenous communities, Invest Alberta and the Government of Alberta, which has been an ongoing supporter of SMR technology and development. Terrestrial Energy anticipates supporting high-quality jobs as it expands its activities in western Canada. Terrestrial Energy has previously invested over $100 million in its Ontario operation, where it employs more than 100 personnel. Under the terms of the Terrestrial Energy MOU, Invest Alberta will work with Terrestrial Energy on federal and provincial policies, and industrial incentives supporting transformative energy innovation in the province. Alberta is one of four provinces working to advance SMR technologies through an interprovincial memorandum of understanding. Terrestrial Energys IMSR plant is designed for industrial cogeneration as well as high-efficiency, grid-based power generation. The IMSR plant uses Generation IV molten salt reactor technology in an innovative plant design for cost-competitive, high-temperature thermal energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions. It is ideally suited for natural resource extraction, low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia production, as well as many other energy-intensive industrial activities. Sonya Savage, the Government of Albertas Minister of Energy, said: Im very pleased to see this agreement to move forward private industrys development of SMR technology right here in Alberta. There is great potential for SMRs to provide zero-emission energy for industrial operations in remote areas and further reduce emissions from Alberta's oil sands. Were proud of our industrys ongoing history of responsible energy development and innovation, and grateful to Terrestrial Energy for supporting job creation and economic growth in Alberta. Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy, said: Terrestrial Energys IMSR cogeneration plant with its Generation IV SMR technology provides a clear pathway for Alberta industry to achieve net zero, and develop production capabilities for industrial leadership in a net-zero energy economy of the future. We are encouraged by the Government of Albertas support for the sector and are attracted to Alberta because of the provinces continued policies supporting industrial innovation and economic growth. About Terrestrial Energy Terrestrial Energy is developing for near-term commercial operation a zero-emissions cogeneration plant for global industry using its proprietary Integral Molten Salt Reactor (IMSR) fission technology in an innovative, small and modular plant design. The IMSR is a non-Light Water Reactor of the Generation IV class that operates at the high temperature required for broad industrial relevance with transformative economic potential. The IMSR plant is capable of grid-based electric power generation and industrial cogeneration in many energy-intensive industries, including petrochemical and chemical synthesis for hydrogen and ammonia production. The IMSR plant offers a near 50 percent improvement in efficiency of electric power generation compared to Light Water Reactor nuclear plants. Its industrial cogeneration capability delivers to todays markets industrial competitiveness, security of energy, and zero-emissions industrial production. The IMSR plants use of existing industrial materials, components, and fuels supports its near-term deployment, setting the stage for a rapid global decarbonization of the primary energy system. About Invest Alberta Invest Alberta is dedicated to investment attraction, with a mandate to engage the world and provide high-end tailored support to companies, investors, and major new projects. Alberta, Canada has the lowest corporate payroll and sales taxes; the youngest and highly educated workforce in Canada, and the most livable and affordable cities. Invest Alberta works to break down barriers so investors and businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed without limits. E-mail: [email protected] Social Media Facebook: TerrestrialMSRInstagram: Terrestrial.EnergyLinkedIn: TerrestrialEnergyTwitter: TerrestrialMSRYouTube: Terrestrial Energy Media contact Jarret Adams Phone: +1 202 815 9234 Email: [email protected] Source: Terrestrial Energy Inc. Oakland Park, FL, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Now Corporation (OTC: NWPN), a biopharmaceutical research company focused on the research, education and production of Scientific-Grade Cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as All Dimensions of Human Wellness, is pleased to announce that it has acquired a 28% equity stake in MePeeps Inc., a revolutionary social media company which supports free speech by not flagging, blocking or manipulating posts. Published by Statista Research Department, as the number of social network users continues to soar and consumer shopping behavior is increasingly impacted by the likes of Instagram and TikTok, marketers vividly leverage these networks drawing power for promotion. In 2020, social media ads spent stood at approximately 132 billion U.S. dollars, with spending expected to surpass the 200-billion-dollar mark by 2024. And while the U.S. remains the largest social media ad market globally, marketers from other countries are also jumping on the social media train. MePeeps Inc. is headquartered in North Carolina with a development office in Charlotte. Its core servers are located in the United States. This company connects users with people and content centered around ones interests, with the sharing of content only with authorized viewers. It is a personal online space, with privacy, trust, control and safety. Unlike other Internet social media platforms, MePeeps has No tracking, No spam, No direct target advertisement and No Cookies stored on users devices. Furthermore, It will never interfere with ones free speech in any manner except if it contains hate, obscenity, harassment, or misinformation. The social media landscape can be a rocky slope for a company to keep up with in regard to technology advancements, social trends and monetization of subscriptions and advertising. A social media company must accomplish two things, which is the attraction of users followed by staying relevant. MePeeps clearly and demonstrably accomplishes both. Building a reliable social media brand to become the leader in todays marketplace is expensive, and it seems near impossible to compete against the major tech giants. MePeeps, however, has another competitive advantage in its arsenal in that it empowers the individual to communicate with global businesses utilizing consistent, personalized messages. "These are exciting times. With hyper digital expansion and widespread adoption of social media, technology and social trends rapidly and fundamentally change how individuals and businesses engage each other," said Fernando Londe, President of MePeeps, Inc. He continues: This is driving the urgent need of PR, marketing, customer service teams to fully be engaged to launch a pre-production-ready release of this social media platform. Together, The Now Corporation and MePeeps will help our clients grow the network, connect, and engage with the world. MePeeps is currently in Beta Release. The platform will go through upgrades and applying additional software tools for the user's optimal experience. The beta-release mobile app is ready and can be downloaded on Android or Apple IOS. Subscribe to MePeeps, using the following link: https://mepeeps.com "I believe a successful social media platform is driven by human interaction. MePeeps will allow users to post credible information, without being flagged or blocked like the Tech Giants. This feature gives them a significant advantage by having direct communications with clients, states Ken Williams, CEO of The Now Corporation. He continues: Although MePeeps allows for Free Speech, we are not allowing, hate, obscenity, harassment, or misinformation of any sort. Regulate yourself, and dont let the Government do it for you! Updates will be forthcoming AboutThe Now Corporation is a publicly traded, biopharmaceutical research company focused on the research, education and production of Scientific-Grade Cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be used for medicinal purpose, while focusing on pursuing business opportunities in the growing medical and recreational marijuana sector. Through its acquired assets, The Now Corporation is seeking to invest in our businesses associated with the growing, marketing, research and development, training, distribution and retail sale of scientific-grade medicinal cannabis, both in the United States and Canada. At The Now Corporation, we unlock and advance medicine for human life around the world, at every stage of life. For further information, please contact: Ken WilliamsChief Executive OfficerThe Now Corporationhttps://thenowcorp.net [email protected] Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of The Now Corporation to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, The Now Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Source: The Now Corporation Markham, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 1,200 youth ages 13 to 17 in Burkina Faso, Ghana and India will engage in intercultural dialogue and explore contemporary global issues, including climate change, the rights of women and girls, and action against hate speech as part of a newly expanded joint program announced today (International Youth Day) by the Canadian charity, Children Believe, and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI). Youth are vital for building a better future, and key to this is the need for young people today to be global citizens who can nimbly navigate critical issues in our complex interconnected world, says Fred Witteveen, CEO of Children Believe. Those who face barriers to education especially need to be equipped with these skills if they are to thrive in rapidly changing societies, and if we are to overcome issues like poverty. Children Believe and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change have joined forces in Burkina Faso, Ghana and India to help make sure they arent left behind. Generation Global is TBIs education program for young people ages 13 to 17 that enables them to embrace the future, equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to become active and open-minded global citizens. The program offers free, flexible teaching resources on a range of global issues, and high-quality training for educators to support young people's global citizenship development. Facilitated video conferences and an online global community create a safe space for intercultural dialogue between young people. Generation Global was first launched in 2009 and has since extended to over 30 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas. It has supported over 570,000 young people and trained over 15,000 teachers in the skills of intercultural dialogue. Generation Global is delighted to be in partnership with Children Believe through a program that will introduce global citizenship skills and facilitate global connections for young people in some of the more remote and underserved areas of the world, says Lucy Hayter, Director of Generation Global at TBI. Children Believes operations in six countries, its trusted engagement with rural schools and communities, and importantly, a vision we also share to unlock young peoples full potential, makes for an enriching and impactful collaboration. Children Believe and TBI piloted Generation Global in schools and youth clubs supported by Children Believe in India last year. The popular program is now being scaled up there, and expanded to students in Burkina Faso and Ghana. I was reluctant to speak in public. Never once have I done any public speaking, says Ezhilarasi, 17, a participant from Tamil Nadu, India. But participating in video conferences organized by Generation Global made me realize that it is important as a girl to raise our voices about issues that affect us. The skills I learned have helped me organize and present my thoughts, and I have begun to speak up now. Teachers in West Africa are enthusiastic about offering the Generation Global program to students. This will be very good for our students, says Brenda Amadu Amoah, a junior high school teacher in Tamale, Ghana who took part in a recent educator training session. Theyll be exposed to other ideas and ways of being, and theyll gain confidence and be able to better express themselves through the dialogue practice. Saidou Dialla, an education specialist with Children Believe Burkina Faso, emphasized the relevance of Generation Global. In a world that has become a global village, young people have the same concerns regardless of their race, geographic location, social status, gender or religion, says Mr. Dialla. They will only be responsible citizens tomorrowwith the ability to act in an informed mannerif they learn to play this role today. --30-- About Children Believe Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe inand be heard. For 60+ years, weve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, were driven by a common belief: creating access to educationinside and outside of classroomsis the most powerful tool children can use to change their world. About the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change supports political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies in a globalized world. We do this through developing policy and advising governments. Generation Global is the Tony Blair Institutes global citizenship education program for young people. --30-- For more information or to arrange an interview with Fred Witteveen, please contact: Crystal Lee, Editorial Manager, Children Believe, 647-467-0409 Email: [email protected] To arrange an interview with Lucy Hayter, please contact: Shruti Sharma, Partnership and Communications Lead, Generation Global, +91 9971790836 Email: [email protected] Attachment Crystal Lee Children Believe 6474670409 [email protected] Source: Children Believe By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli Iranian, Azerbaijani, and Russian officials will discuss the diversification of the routes on the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in the near future, Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Seyyed Abbas Mousavi said. The remarks were made during the ambassadors visit to Irans Astara city, where he got acquainted with the joint projects being implemented between Iran and Azerbaijan. Mousavi added that Irans Astara is one of the main and important parts of the INSTC. With the completion of work within the projects being implemented in Astara, its regional and international importance will reveal itself even further. Regarding these projects and other transit issues between the two countries, Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi and Minister of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev will soon meet, he noted. At present, a railway terminal is being built between Iran and Azerbaijan in Irans Astara city. A part of this railway terminal has already been put into use. To recap, on January 25, 2022, the foundation of a new bridge over the Astarachay River on the Azerbaijani-Iranian border was laid. The construction of the 89-meter-long and 30-meter-wide bridge is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The foundation of the International North-South Transport Corridor was laid on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000. In total, 13 countries have ratified the agreement, including Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Russia, Turkiye, etc. The purpose of creating a corridor is to reduce the delivery time of cargo from India to Russia, as well as to North and West Europe. Delivery time on the current route is more than 6 weeks, it is expected to be reduced to 3 weeks via North-South Transport Corridor. The 175 km long Qazvin-Rasht railway was officially put into operation on March 6, 2019, to connect Azerbaijani railways with the Iranian railway network within the corridor. In addition, the 167 km long Rasht-Astara railway line must be built in Iran. Carson City, NV, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The President of the $160 million P2A Hospital Project, Dr. Alioune Badara Faye, has secured the support of Senegals Ministry of Health to proceed. Under the Senegal Foreign Investment Act, Zicix Corporation (OTC Pink: ZICX) in partnership with the Polyclinique de LAmitie et de LAlliance (P2A) will receive investment incentives from the Government of Senegal to bring the healthcare facility to fruition. Located in Dakar, the Senegalese company P2A has organized more than 200 medical practitioners, mostly from France and Africa, to staff the facility once completed. In addition to P2A and Zicix, the project will include support from the Ministry of Health of Senegal as well as health insurance companies. The hospital developer will follow guidelines set forth by the US Public Health Service from inception to completion. Zicix Corporation Chairman, William Petty, has given the green light to its operating company, CTIP First Investment, Inc. (CTIP-FII), to sign a Project Development Contract with P2A President, Dr. Alioune Badara Faye, in order to begin the development of the project consisting of 300 hospital beds, 250 hotel/dormitory rooms, and a 5 MW Solar Energy Project in Dakar. About the Corporations: Zicix Corporation (OTC Pink: ZICX) Originally founded as a service provider to the Healthcare industry, the Zicix Corporation has recently been restructured with the intention of acquiring and developing technology applications designed for service companies in consumer, retail and other industries. CTIP First Investment, Inc. (CTIP-FII) is a private investment and project development company, involved in undertaking development projects for both the Government and the Private Sectors respectively. CTIP-FII designs and brings the right financial engineering to project owners and creditors to fund development undertakings and permanent mortgage. www.ctip-fii.com Polyclinique de LAmitie et de LAlliance (P2A) is a corporation engaged in the development and operation of hospitals and satellite medical offices in Africa. Safe Harbor Act: This release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report. For additional information follow us on Twitter @ZICIXCorp_New or call 830.331.0031 and visit http://www.ctip-fii.com Source: Zicix Corporation FILE PHOTO: The company logo for Haleon and the trading info is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., July 20, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid By Natalie Grover and Danilo Masoni LONDON (Reuters) -Shares in GSK, Sanofi and Haleon fell sharply on Thursday, following declines earlier this week, amid growing investor concerns about U.S. litigation focused on a heartburn drug that contained a probable carcinogen. GSK shares fell more than 10%, Sanofi's stock sagged about 3.3% and Haleon's shares slipped nearly 5% at the close of trading on Thursday. GSK, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) have all concluded after experiments that there is no evidence of a causal association between therapy with the heartburn drug ranitidine and the development of cancer in patients, GSK said in a statement in response to the litigation. GSK added that plaintiff litigation is inconsistent with the scientific consensus. GSK and Sanofi at various points sold the drug - originally branded as Zantac - which U.S. regulators ordered off the market in 2020. Haleon, spun out as an independent listed company last month, comprises consumer health assets once partly owned by GSK. The prospect of impending litigation is not new. Among other disclosures, recently listed Haleon had highlighted the risk of such lawsuits in its prospectus. The topic has arrived in investor consciousness in recent days it seems, but has been rumbling on in the background for a few years, Deutsche Bank analysts wrote in a note. The litigation has just started to be talked about more by investors and written about in the media, Barclays analyst Emily Field said in an email. "I think the panic ... really comes down to market psychology as opposed to having learned anything new." Zantac became the world's best selling medicine in 1988 and one of the first-ever drugs to top $1 billion in annual sales. However, concerns around the compound - known chemically as ranitidine - containing potential cancer-causing impurities started to emerge in 2018, well after generic versions of the medicine had been launched by a variety of manufacturers. More than 2,000 legal cases related to Zantac have now been filed in the United States, analysts say, with the first trial beginning later this month. "It is very possible we may see a liability of some $bn (billion) magnitude," the Deutsche Bank analysts wrote. Uncertainty over the issue has sparked fears of a worse-case scenario where costs run into the billions of dollars, as happened in cases involving Merck & Co's painkiller Vioxx and Bayer's glyphosate-based weedkiller. NOT PRIMARILY LIABLE A decline of as much as 12% in Haleon shares on Thursday meant some $5 billion had been knocked off its value this week. It recovered some of those losses after a spokesperson told Reuters the company was not primarily liable for any claim. "We have never marketed Zantac in any form in the U.S., as Haleon or as GSK consumer healthcare," the person said. Zantac, originally marketed by a forerunner of GSK, has been sold by several companies since the late 1990s, including Pfizer, Boehringer Ingelheim and Sanofi. That "may make third parties liable ahead of any Haleon exposure," the Haleon spokesperson added. A Pfizer spokesperson said in an email: "Pfizer, which has not sold a Zantac product in more than 15 years and did so only for a limited period of time, will continue to defend itself vigorously." Pfizer shares closed 3.3% lower at $48.29 on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. A Boehringer spokesperson said via email the company would defend itself against any allegations, while Sanofi issued a statement saying it remained confident in its legal defenses and that there had not been any material developments regarding the U.S. Zantac litigation. GSK and Pfizer have each served Haleon with notice of potential claims of indemnification - but indemnification has not yet been determined between the parties, the Haleon spokesperson said. After U.S. and European regulators said they were reviewing Zantac's safety in 2018, some manufacturers voluntarily took their version off the shelves the following year. By 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requested makers of all versions of the treatment to withdraw their products from the market. (Reporting by Natalie Grover in London and Danilo Masoni in Milan Additional reporting by Jaiveer Singh Shekhawat, Manas Mishra and Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru Editing by Matt Scuffham, Mark Potter and Matthew Lewis) Oakland Park, FL, August 11, 2022 McapMediaWire The Now Corporation (OTC Pink: NWPN), a biopharmaceutical research company focused on the research, education and production of Scientific-Grade Cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as All Dimensions of Human Wellness, is pleased to announce that it has acquired a 28% equity stake in MePeeps Inc., a revolutionary social media company which supports free speech by not flagging, blocking or manipulating posts. Published by Statista Research Department, as the number of social network users continues to soar and consumer shopping behavior is increasingly impacted by the likes of Instagram and TikTok, marketers vividly leverage these networks drawing power for promotion. In 2020, social media ads spent stood at approximately 132 billion U.S. dollars, with spending expected to surpass the 200-billion-dollar mark by 2024. And while the U.S. remains the largest social media ad market globally, marketers from other countries are also jumping on the social media train. MePeeps Inc. is headquartered in North Carolina with a development office in Charlotte. Its core servers are located in the United States. This company connects users with people and content centered around ones interests, with the sharing of content only with authorized viewers. It is a personal online space, with privacy, trust, control and safety. Unlike other Internet social media platforms, MePeeps has No tracking, No spam, No direct target advertisement and No Cookies stored on users devices. Furthermore, It will never interfere with ones free speech in any manner except if it contains hate, obscenity, harassment, or misinformation. The social media landscape can be a rocky slope for a company to keep up with in regard to technology advancements, social trends and monetization of subscriptions and advertising. A social media company must accomplish two things, which is the attraction of users followed by staying relevant. MePeeps clearly and demonstrably accomplishes both. Building a reliable social media brand to become the leader in todays marketplace is expensive, and it seems near impossible to compete against the major tech giants. MePeeps, however, has another competitive advantage in its arsenal in that it empowers the individual to communicate with global businesses utilizing consistent, personalized messages. These are exciting times. With hyper digital expansion and widespread adoption of social media, technology and social trends rapidly and fundamentally change how individuals and businesses engage each other, said Fernando Londe, President of MePeeps, Inc. He continues: This is driving the urgent need of PR, marketing, customer service teams to fully be engaged to launch a pre-production-ready release of this social media platform. Together, The Now Corporation and MePeeps will help our clients grow the network, connect, and engage with the world. MePeeps is currently in Beta Release. The platform will go through upgrades and applying additional software tools for the users optimal experience. The beta-release mobile app is ready and can be downloaded on Android or Apple IOS. Subscribe to MePeeps, using the following link: https://mepeeps.com I believe a successful social media platform is driven by human interaction. MePeeps will allow users to post credible information, without being flagged or blocked like the Tech Giants. This feature gives them a significant advantage by having direct communications with clients, states Ken Williams, CEO of The Now Corporation. He continues: Although MePeeps allows for Free Speech, we are not allowing, hate, obscenity, harassment, or misinformation of any sort. Regulate yourself, and dont let the Government do it for you! Updates will be forthcoming About The Now Corporation is a publicly traded, biopharmaceutical research company focused on the research, education and production of Scientific-Grade Cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to be used for medicinal purpose, while focusing on pursuing business opportunities in the growing medical and recreational marijuana sector. Through its acquired assets, The Now Corporation is seeking to invest in our businesses associated with the growing, marketing, research and development, training, distribution and retail sale of scientific-grade medicinal cannabis, both in the United States and Canada. At The Now Corporation, we unlock and advance medicine for human life around the world, at every stage of life. For further information, please contact: Ken Williams Chief Executive Officer The Now Corporation https://thenowcorp.net [email protected] Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of The Now Corporation to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, The Now Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. MCAP Media Wire | Home Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 10, 2022) - FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) ("FinCanna") ("the Company"), an investment company focused on the U.S. licensed cannabis industry, regrets to announce that its portfolio company, QVI Inc., a cannabis-infused product manufacturer located in Sonoma County, California, doing business as "West County Brands" intends to suspend operations indefinitely. Earlier this year, QVI initiated its "manufacturer to retail" revenue model featuring its own branded line of cannabis infused, edible products. This new model was intended to be the foundation of a profitable business based on West County Brands' streamlined manufacturing capabilities to produce its own branded products in higher volumes and with superior margins. Notwithstanding all of the efforts and substantial capital invested to produce high quality, attractively packaged and very competitively priced branded products, and months of concerted sales effort, QVI was unable to generate the critical threshold of revenue required to operate their business profitably. As a result and after due consideration, FinCanna will no longer continue to fund QVI and is in discussions with its secured debenture holders about a go-forward plan. Despite being the largest single cannabis market in the world, conditions in California have proven to be too challenging. Currently, cannabis businesses in the State are facing overproduction, falling wholesale prices, retail sales contraction, and stiff competition at the brand and dispensary levels as well as competition from a very robust black market. The combination of these tough market conditions has greatly impacted QVI's ability to build a sustainable business with no clear prospect of being able to overcome these entrenched problems. Andriyko Herchak, CEO of FinCanna Capital, said, "When launched earlier this year, we believed QVI's new manufacturer to retail revenue model would be the foundation on which a sustainable and thriving enterprise could be built. We are disappointed to announce that even with substantial capital investment from FinCanna, including significant amounts that FinCanna's executives have personally invested, and continued efforts from the QVI and FinCanna teams, the business has been unable to generate enough sales revenue to fund its ongoing operations. The cannabis market in California has been extremely challenging. With no clear path to financial sustainability in the foreseeable future, FinCanna has made the difficult decision to no longer fund QVI. We are currently in discussions with our secured debenture holders about a go-forward plan and will provide updates as additional information becomes available." FinCanna Capital Corp. Andriyko Herchak, CEO & Director [email protected] 1.833.346.2266 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133423 Sonfu Digital Solutions has updated its database reactivation campaigns to help small and medium-sized businesses in the health and wellness industry attract the interest of previous customers. Colonial Heights, Virginia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 10, 2022) - Using a combination of highly customized and strategic messages, the recently updated reactivation campaigns from Sonfu Digital Solutions to help small businesses to turn existing customers from previous years into new leads. Health/Wellness Customer Database Reactivation Update By Sonfu Digital Solutions To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/133471_d0c46a7fa491eaec_001full.jpg More information about Sonfu Digital Solutions and database reactivation can be found at https://www.sonfudigital.com/home While there are many strategies for gathering new customers, the new targeted reactivation strategy is used only on clients that are already interested in the services a business offers. This focus on dormant or unresponsive clients allows the new strategy to bypass the majority of uninterested recipients, and provide more potential customers per message sent. The updated strategy includes several channels for reaching inactive customers. Clients can choose to have their inactive customers contacted through SMS, e-mail, social media, voice drops, or direct mail. Lead generation experts at Sonfu Digital Solutions have found that clients often require several messages before returning as a new customer, so the company also provides an updated lead nurturing service. This new service can include providing several rounds of information to new or returning customers and strengthening their relationship or trust with the client. More information about combining lead nurturing with database reactivation strategies can be found at https://www.sonfudigital.com/database-reactivation. The company has also launched a new report detailing the most effective strategies when planning a reactivation campaign. The report provides a step-by-step process business owners can use to customize their campaigns to maximize the likelihood of attracting previous clients in their niche. Suggested strategies in the new report include several ways a business can personalize their messages to catch a client's attention, different methods for interacting, and how to create an interesting offer for the new campaign. While business owners are encouraged to take part in the planning process for any new campaign, Sonfu Digital Solutions also provides expert technicians for every stage of the process. A spokesperson for Sonfu Digital Solutions said, "It's not always easy to attract new customers. But reactivation campaigns can be a great way to reach out to people who haven't interacted with your brand in a while. Sonfu Digital Solutions can help you create a personalized reactivation campaign that will get results." The new report on effective reactivation campaign strategies can be found at https://www.sonfudigital.com/blog-2 Contact Info: Name: Sonnie Donaby Email: [email protected] Organization: Sonfu Digital Solutions LLC Address: 84 Southgate Square #1022, Colonial Heights, VA 23834, United States Phone: +1-804-324-3095 Website: https://www.sonfudigital.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133471 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Kraken Energy Corp. (CSE: UUSA) (OTCQB: UUSAF) (the "Company" or "Kraken") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement dated effective August 9, 2022, between the Company and Robert Weicker, pursuant to which the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary ("NevadoCo") holds an option to acquire 100% of certain mining claims, including those encompassing the Garfield Hills Uranium Property ("the Proposed Transaction"), located east of Hawthorne, Nevada. The Garfield Hills Uranium Property The Garfield Hills Uranium Property (the "Property") comprises 36 unpatented Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") mineral claims covering 720 acres (201 hectares) and is located just south of HWY 95, and 19.3 km (12 miles) east of Hawthorne, in Mineral County, Nevada and is accessible by county-maintained gravel roads that cut across the western portion of the Property. Historical reports, including from the Nevada Bureau of Mines1 and a 1977 report by M&M Porcupine Gold Mines Ltd.2 describe high grade uranium mineralization on the Property. Historical drill highlights from 1969 include two drill holes located 183 m apart that include 0.258% U3O8 over 14 m (46 ft) and 0.175% U3O8 over 14 m (46 ft). A third historical drill hole, located 213 m (700 ft) to the east of the initial two drill holes, was reportedly higher grade (no interval or values reported). The uranium mineralized trend was reported to extend east-west for 396 m (1300 feet) and remains open in most directions2. The Company does not treat these historical results as current and has not completed sufficient work to verify such historical results. The Company plans to conduct an airborne radiometric and magnetic survey followed by prospecting, geological mapping, and geochemical sampling that will lead to a maiden diamond drill program. The property comprises unpatented BLM mineral claims, which are often fully permitted for drilling in 30 to 45 days from the submission of a drill permit application. Garrett Ainsworth, Chairman of Kraken, commented: "We are very pleased with the addition of the Garfield Hills Property, which is an approximate 240 km (149 miles) drive southwest from our Flagship Apex Property in the State of Nevada. Some of the key geological criteria that led us to the Apex Property has also been used to select the Garfield Hills Property, which exhibits significant uranium mineralization in historical drilling with excellent growth potential. "We remain on track to diamond drill test the Apex Property in Q3 2022, while our Garfield Hills Property presents numerous additional high potential targets that we will be following up on imminently." The Transaction Pursuant to the Option Agreement, Kraken may acquire a 100% interest in the Garfield Hills Property upon the following principal terms: Kraken will spend at least US$50,000 in Exploration Expenditures on the Property within the first year. Kraken will make cash payments totaling US$150,000 within the third year (US$20,000 upon signing the Option Agreement, US$30,000 in the first year, US$50,000 in the second year and US$50,000 in the third year). Kraken will issue 250,000 common shares in the Company within the third year (50,000 upon signing the Option Agreement, 50,000 in the first year, 75,000 in the second year and 75,000 in the third year). Kraken will grant a production royalty equal to 2.0% of the net smelter returns (NSR) from the Property. The Company may, at any time, repurchase 50% of the NSR Royalty for a one-time payment of US$250,000 by Kraken to the optionor. References 1 Donald C. Ross, (1961). Geology and Mineral Deposits of Mineral County, Nevada; Bulletin 58, Nevada Bureau of Mines. 2 Londry, John E., 1977, Ule Ann - Little Nickie - Black Hill - Popcorn - Gary Uranium Property Report, Mineral County, Nevada, U.S.A.. M&M Porcupine Gold Mines Ltd. Technical Information All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, Chairman of the Board. Mr. Ainsworth is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The drill results reported in this news release are historical in nature. Kraken has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. The Company believes that the historical drill results at the Garfield Hills Property do not conform to the presently accepted industry standards. Kraken considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company will use this data as a guide to plan future exploration programs. The Company also considers the data to be reliable for these purposes, however, the Company's future exploration work will include verification of the data through drilling. About Kraken Energy Corp. Kraken Energy Corp. is a new energy company advancing its 100%-owned Apex Uranium Property, located 280 km (174 miles) east from Reno, Nevada. The Apex Property is recognized as Nevada's largest past-producing uranium mine. The Company has additionally entered into an option agreement to earn 100% of the Garfield Hills Uranium Property, located 19 km (12 miles) east of Hawthorne in Mineral County, Nevada. For more information about the Company, please visit www.krakenenergycorp.com. On Behalf of the Board of Kraken Energy Corp. Garrett Ainsworth, Chairman of the Board Corporate Office: 400 - 1681 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 4M6 T: 604.737.2303 For investor relations inquiries, contact: Kristina Pillon, High Tide Consulting Corp. E: [email protected] The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such statements are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties normally incident to such events. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future events and that actual events or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment based on information currently available. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133438 Manama, Bahrain--(Newsfile Corp. - August 10, 2022) - Nimbus Platform, under its umbrella company, NMB Fintech, has moved to the Kingdom of Bahrain with regulatory approvals from Bahrain's Fintech Bay, the Ministry of Finance, and the Central Bank of Bahrain. Nimbus Platform has moved its global headquarters to the Kingdom of Bahrain, partnering with Bahrain's Fintech Bay, located at the financial heart of Manama To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8939/133408_1f61e720442b0adc_001full.jpg Nimbus Platform is the first-ever DeFi entity in the world to be supervised by a central bank in terms of the regulatory framework of its products and services. This achievement and designation to be under the direct supervision of a central bank is the culmination of three years of innovation and building in DeFi and the digital asset services sector. The combination of the regulatory-first approach with its innovative products and commitment to being the market leader in setting the industry standards propelled Nimbus Platform to be approved as the first global DeFi entity with Central Bank supervision. The DeFi platform has set an example in the space for the depth of its product offerings and technical quality assurance. This includes five external audits for its dApps and products. The Kingdom of Bahrain's commitment to innovation, safety, and being a global leader in Central Bank Digital Currency reflects with Nimbus being the first DeFi platform to be granted such license and status. Nimbus Platform has moved its global headquarters to the Kingdom of Bahrain, partnering with Bahrain's Fintech Bay, located at the financial heart of Manama. This is the new chapter of growth and expansion for Nimbus Platform and its products and services. The updated roadmap included the acquisition of the National Bank Charter to allow further offerings of innovative financial tools that serve global clients and regional customers at the retail and institutional levels. About Nimbus Platform About Nimbus Platform: Nimbus Platform is the first global regulated DeFi institution under the central bank's supervision. The company offers a wide range of services and products in DeFi and digital assets; with two offices, a headquarter in Manama, Bahrain; and Miami, in the United States. The company's mission is to expand access to financial tools and literacy by leveraging innovative digital assets and cryptocurrency solutions. Nimbus platform is a well-known player in the crypto space that boasts reliability and efficiency. For more information about its innovative products and yielding options, visit the website. Media Contact: Elli Smith Company name: Nimbus Platform IO Contact name: Elli Smith Company address: C/O NMB Fintech Manama Seafront Arcapita Building #551, 3rd Floor Suite 302 Block 346, Road 4612 Website URL: www.nimbusplatform.io Email: [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133408 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Omai Gold Mines Corp. (TSXV: OMG) (OTCQB: OMGGF) ("Omai" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has been approved to commence the trading of its common shares on the OTCQB Venture Market ("OTCQB"), beginning today under the ticker symbol OMGGF. Elaine Ellingham, CEO commented, "We are pleased with this milestone that offers investors yet another avenue for trading our shares and look forward to increasing the awareness around our company for U.S. investors. We believe that trading on the OTCQB can lead to overall enhanced liquidity and visibility in global capital markets. She further commented, "Our new Director Don Dudek and I are just flying out today from our Omai property in Guyana. Mr. Dudek brings a wealth of experience in the mining industry and particularly relevant is his experience in gold deposits in West Africa that are deemed geologically related to our gold project in the Guiana Shield. Don examined a good deal of our recent core, visited all of our key exploration targets and is already proving to be a great contributor to the future strategic development of our Omai project." The OTCQB is a leading market for early-stage and developing U.S. and international companies. Recognized as an established public market by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the OTCQB has helped companies build considerable shareholder value including enhanced liquidity and valuation. Investors may benefit from efficient trading through their preferred broker or financial advisor, transparent pricing with real-time quotes, and trusted disclosure that is made broadly available to broker-dealers and market data providers. The Company's common shares will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "OMG". An application with the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) is currently pending to further enable the easier electronic clearing and settlement of the Company's common shares in the United States. ABOUT OMAI GOLD Omai Gold Mines Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., holds a 100% interest in the Omai Prospecting License that includes the past producing Omai Gold Mine, and a 100% interest in the adjoining Eastern Flats Mining Permits. Once South America's largest producing gold mine, Omai produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold between 1993 and 2005. In 2022, the Company announced an initial Mineral Resource Estimate on the new Wenot gold deposit. The Company's short-term priorities are to build on the known Mineral Resources, while advancing exploration on key targets, providing a solid opportunity to create significant value for all stakeholders. For further information, please see our website www.omaigoldmines.com or contact: Elaine Ellingham P.Geo. President & CEO [email protected] Phone: +1 416-473-5351 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the timing of completion of exploration, trenching and drill programs, and the potential for the Omai Gold Project to allow Omai to build significant gold Mineral Resources at attractive grades, and forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the price of gold and copper; and the results of current exploration. Further, the Mineral Resource data set out in the Omai Gold news release are estimates, and no assurance can be given that the anticipated tonnages and grades will be achieved or that the indicated level of recovery will be realized. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133502 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) is pleased to announce the commencement of a property-wide exploration program over several highly prospective target areas within its 100% optioned, 33,000 hectare Buck Project, central British Columbia. Highlights Prospectivity assessment has outlined several target areas: Results from the Company's recently completed property-wide heli-borne Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM) survey, together with compiled and reinterpreted historic and recently acquired exploration data, have outlined several areas considered prospective for Buck-style epithermal-related gold-silver-zinc mineralization as well as potential porphyry-related copper mineralization. Property-wide exploration program underway : Crews have mobilized to site and have started collecting soil samples along strategically placed grids across key target areas; IRK and Eagle Eye. These soil samples, along with rock samples from focused geological mapping and prospecting, will aid in defining new drill targets outside of the Buck Main system. Drill planning in progress: The Buck Main system remains open in multiple directions and drill targets within and peripheral to the mineralizing system are currently being finalized. Results of the field exploration program will also help delineate high-priority drill targets elsewhere on the property. "We are very excited to start the next phase of exploration at our Buck Project", stated Sharyn Alexander, Sun Summit's President. "The results of our high-resolution VTEM geophysical survey, as well as the assessment and reinterpretation of existing geological, geophysical, and geochemical data, have provided new insight into the unique potential in this region. In addition to expanding our Buck Main discovery, our large property has the potential to host additional Buck-style prospects and other deposit types. Our technical team has selected several high-priority areas for follow-up geochemical sampling and geological mapping which will improve our understanding of the Project's district-scale prospectivity and could lead to additional discoveries. "This property-wide exploration program at the Buck Project is expected to continue over the coming months as we advance toward a follow-up drill program at Buck Main. Any drill worthy targets delineated during the current program should augment and potentially expand future drilling programs to include testing of multiple targets." Exploration Program The exploration program will include geological mapping and geochemical sampling across key targets identified through a rigorous assessment of recently acquired high-resolution VTEM geophysical data (see news release dated July 14, 2022) together with existing geological, geochemical, and geophysical data (e.g., IP and magnetics) compiled by Sun Summit's technical team. Figure 1. Buck Project exploration target areas To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://sunsummitminerals.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Fig1_Buck_Regional_Geophys_Prelim_Aug_NR.jpg Two high-priority areas with significant multi-km2 footprints were first selected for systematic follow-up surveys based on their potential to host Buck-style epithermal-related mineralization or porphyry-related copper mineralization. The IRK target , located 11 kilometres south of Buck Main (Figure 1), comprises broad resistivity-highs and surrounding conductivity-high anomalies in VTEM geophysical data, which are coincident with known multi-element (Zn Au, Ag, As, Sb, Cu; Figure 1) geochemical anomalies. The Eagle Eye target , located near the center of the property (Figure 1), comprises coincident chargeability-high (historic IP data), resistivity-high (VTEM data), and magnetic-low (historic magnetic data) anomalies, similar to the Buck Main system. The target area lacks detailed soil geochemical data. Both target areas are interpreted to be underlain by volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of the Late Cretaceous Kasalka Group. These prospective rocks host epithermal-related mineralization at Buck Main and also epithermal-related mineralization at the Blackwater and Capoose gold-silver development projects of Artemis Gold Inc. (Angen et al., 2018) [1] . The scale and potential of the IRK and Eagle Eye targets will be investigated through detailed geological mapping and targeted geochemical surveys during the current exploration program. In total, over 1,500 soil samples and numerous rock samples will be collected across both target areas. The completion of the geochemical surveys will provide critical insight into the prospectivity of the underlying bedrock and help inform potential follow-up geophysical surveys and drilling. National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure This news release has been approved by Sun Summit's Senior Advisor, Robert D. Willis, P. Eng. a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Some data disclosed in this news release (e.g., Figure 1) relating to sampling and drilling results is historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has sufficiently verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. Mineralization hosted on adjacent, nearby or geologically similar properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property. References Angen, J.J., Hart, C.J.R., Kim, R.S., and Rahimi, M. (2018): Geology and Mineral Potential of the TREK Area, Northern Interior Plateau, Central British Columbia, Parts of 1:250,000 NTS Sheets 093B, C, F and G; Geoscience BC Report 2018-12, MDRU Publication 411.175 p. Community Engagement Sun Summit is engaging with First Nations on whose territory the Buck Project is located and is discussing their interests and identifying contract and work opportunities, as well as opportunities to support community initiatives. The Company looks forward to continuing to work with local and regional First Nations as the project continues. About Sun Summit Sun Summit Minerals is an exploration company focused on expanding its epithermal gold, silver, and zinc discovery at its flagship 100% controlled Buck Project located in north-central British Columbia near the town of Houston in central B.C. The Company is exploring multiple high priority targets through systematic exploration campaigns with excellent developed infrastructure and year-round drilling access. The Buck Project has high-grade and bulk-tonnage gold, silver, and zinc potential and is located in an established mining region that includes many former operating mines and current exploration projects. Sun Summit is committed to environmental and social responsibility with a focus on responsible development to generate positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Further details are available at www.sunsummitminerals.com. Link to Figure Figure 1: https://sunsummitminerals.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Fig1_Buck_Regional_Geophys_Prelim_Aug_NR.jpg For further information, contact: Sharyn Alexander President [email protected] Tel. 778-588-9606 Forward-Looking Information Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences, without limiting the generality of the following, include: risks inherent in exploration activities; the impact of exploration competition; unexpected geological or hydrological conditions; changes in government regulations and policies, including trade laws and policies; failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; the ability to raise funds through private or public equity financings; environmental and safety risks including increased regulatory burdens; weather and other natural phenomena; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory risks. Except as required by applicable securities laws and regulation, Sun Summit disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. [1] Mineralization at such projects is not necessarily indicative of mineralization at the Buck Project. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133431 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 11, 2022) - The Gummy Project (CSE: GUMY) (FSE: 0OS) (OTCQB: GUMYF)("GUMY"or the"Company")is pleased to announce the launch of its new investor relations website at https://shopgummies.com/pages/investors. The investor relations website features excellent functionality and streamlined access to essential investor information, including recent company press releases, sector information and more. "We are very excited to launch our investor relations website," said Charlie Lamb, President & Chief Executive Officer of GUMY. "This website goes hand-in-hand with our ongoing efforts to increase visibility and awareness of GUMY across the investor community. We believe that this website will serve as an invaluable communication tool to share not only our most recent company news, but also GUMY's ongoing strategic objectives and growth opportunities." About The Gummy Project We are a growing community of individuals and organizations who believe small contributions can add up to something big. We sell low sugar, plant based gummy products while raising money (and awareness) to support endangered keystone species. We are the only "better for you" candy company that is built to support our planet's most precious species and ecosystems, while educating our future generations on the steps we must take today, to ensure a viable tomorrow. https://shopgummies.com/ Charlie Lamb, President & CEO, Director Telephone: 1(236) 317-2812 - Toll free (877) 806-2633 E-mail: [email protected] Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates", "may" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, financial condition, and results of operations. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/133436 The 2 most important tools an entrepreneur can have at their disposal to find success are their knowledge and skill set. Every entrepreneur has their own thing that they are knowledgeable about as well as unique skills that set them apart from other entrepreneurs. The best way to find these 2 things is through attending university as education plays a central role in not only discovering them but also developing them even further. However, not every aspiring entrepreneur can afford to attend university as they arent financially well off to be able to do so. Mark Mariani Greenwich entrepreneur understands this sentiment fully and has recently launched a scholarship program whose main goal is to address this problem in his way. His scholarship program, the Mark Mariani Scholarship for Entrepreneur is a scholarship that is primarily directed toward entrepreneurs and students who want to become as the name implies. The scholarship is available and eligible for students who are currently in university and enrolled in a course to get a degree thatll help them to become an entrepreneur. However, the scholarship also extends its hands to other students who have an interest in the field even if they arent necessarily enrolled in a course strictly related to it if they have a desire to become an entrepreneur. Furthermore, high school students are also capable of applying for the scholarship if they have the intention of becoming an entrepreneur in their careers for the future. The scholarship is to select the lucky scholar through an essay competition and award them with prize money of $10,000 that will go towards financing their university studies with education and tuition fees. Mark Mariani heavily encourages everyone eligible and interested in the career path of an entrepreneur to try their hand at applying for the scholarship as it will serve as a great opportunity for them. He understands that one of the most defining traits of successful entrepreneurs like himself is being able to find opportunities and taking advantage of them despite the difficulties you might face. The scholarship will serve as Marks fair way of helping young entrepreneurs develop into the next generation of successful entrepreneurs by easing their financial burdens with their studies. As education continues to improve, so do the costs involve with it increases. Not everyone can keep up with these costs and often must sacrifice many things that might directly impact their academic performance. Mark himself, understands the struggles a student walking the path to becoming an entrepreneur has to face and the difficulties of balancing those struggles in both academic and personal life. He hopes that his scholarship will be able to bring awareness to these struggles and the challenges students have to overcome to become an entrepreneur. Any student interested in trying their fair shot at applying for this scholarship can head over to Marks scholarship website. You can learn more about the scholarship, and the man behind it as well as send over your application alongside details with the essay competition that is part of the requirements. Contact Info: Name: Mark Mariani Email: Send Email Organization: Mark Mariani Scholarship Website: https://markmarianischolarship.com Release ID: 89079961 If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours. Doug Schantz joins as Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and Phil McNamara to serve as Vice President of Communications RESEARCH TRIANGLE, N.C., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), an independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is adding two industry veterans to advance clinical operations and lead corporate communications. Doug Schantz will serve as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations and will ensure that all clinical trials are executed expeditiously, in full regulatory compliance and to the highest quality standard. Phil McNamara, serving as Vice President of Communications, will be responsible for all internal and external communications and media relations. "Doug and Phil bring a wealth of experience to the AskBio team and are reflective of the quality of individual talent we have at the company," said Phil Dana, Chief Human Resources Officer. "Both represent key hires for AskBio as we continue to advance our pipeline and establish our position as a global leader in genetic medicine." Doug Schantz is a seasoned clinical operations expert in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry. He comes to AskBio from Alexion Pharmaceuticals where he most recently served as Vice President and Head of Clinical Operations. At Alexion, he was responsible for program leadership across all phases of clinical development in several therapeutic areas, including hematology, metabolic diseases, neuroscience, and nephrology. Prior experience was with AstraZeneca as the Executive Director of Development Operations, as well as successfully serving a 17-year stint at Pfizer and eight years with Eli Lilly. Phil McNamara joins AskBio from Novartis where he led Global Communications for its Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Franchise. He successfully built and led a team that supported various facets of the business and helped to enable a favorable market standing with patient and professional communities. Prior to Novartis, Mr. McNamara held global and US communication roles at Sanofi and Bristol Myers Squibb, respectively, and collectively brings over 20 years of diverse strategic communications experience to AskBio. Canwen Jiang, MD, PhD, AskBio's Chief Development Officer and Chief Medical Officer adds, "Both Doug and Phil are vital members of our senior management team who will equally strengthen our presence within the industry and contribute to our success in all our clinical endeavors." About AskBio Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG acquired in 2020, is a fully integrated gene therapy company dedicated to developing life-saving medicines that cure genetic diseases. The company maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of neuromuscular, central nervous system, cardiovascular and metabolic disease indications with a clinical-stage pipeline that includes therapeutics for Pompe disease, Parkinson's disease, and congestive heart failure. AskBio's gene therapy platform includes Pro10, an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process, and an extensive capsid and promoter library. With global headquarters in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and European headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, the company has generated hundreds of proprietary capsids and promoters, several of which have entered clinical testing. Founded in 2001 and an early innovator in the gene therapy field, the company holds more than 750 patents in areas such as AAV production and chimeric and self-complementary capsids. Learn more at www.askbio.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About Bayer Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability, and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2021, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 44.1 billion euros. R&D expenses, before special items, amounted to 5.3 billion euros. For more information, visit www.bayer.com. AskBio Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements." Any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends," "potential," "possible" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding AskBio's pipeline of development candidates, manufacturing technology and process. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond AskBio's control. Known risks include, among others: AskBio may not be able to execute on its business plans and goals, including meeting its expected or planned regulatory milestones and timelines, its reliance on third-parties, clinical development plans, manufacturing processes and plans, and bringing its product candidates to market, due to a variety of reasons, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, possible limitations of company financial and other resources, manufacturing limitations that may not be anticipated or resolved in a timely manner, potential disagreements or other issues with our third-party collaborators and partners, and regulatory, court or agency feedback or decisions, such as feedback and decisions from the United States Food and Drug Administration or the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Any of the foregoing risks could materially and adversely affect AskBio's business and results of operations. You should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. AskBio does not undertake any obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or circumstances after the date hereof. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/askbio-bolsters-its-global-leadership-team-with-two-new-executives-301604012.html SOURCE AskBio ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second quarter in a row, Baby Boomers have out-traveled every other generation, according to travel insurtech company Squaremouth.com, after a nearly 90% drop in travelers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. For over two years, COVID changed everything about how Americans traveled, to include who traveled. As travel returns to "normal", Squaremouth analyzed data from travel insurance consumers to reveal three new traveler trends. Strong Return of Baby Boomer Travelers Post- COVID Baby Boomers saw the highest increase in both total number of travelers, and overall travel insurance market share, for Q1 and Q2 of 2022 compared to the previous year. Baby Boomers were also the only generation to see a positive increase to their market share in Q2 2022 compared to Q2 2021. While almost all demographics (except the Silent Generation) have continued to experience an increase in number of travelers, the recent drastic spike in Boomer travelers caused the deficit of other generational market share. The return of Baby Boomer travelers comes after an almost 90% decrease at the onset of the pandemic. Seniors Still Not Traveling The Silent Generation is the only generation Squaremouth reports having less travelers in 2022 compared to 2019. This may confirm seniors are still not as comfortable traveling today as they were pre-COVID, despite widespread vaccination efforts. The decrease in older travelers, and increase in younger travelers insuring their trips, has kept Squaremouth's average down. Currently they report an average traveler age of 44, compared to 50+ pre-COVID. At the height of the pandemic this average age dropped to 38. Millennials Become Leading Insurance Purchaser Baby Boomers were the only generation to experience a decrease in their overall travel insurance market share this year compared to pre-COVID years. Squaremouth attributes their drop to an increase in younger demographics, rather than a decrease in Boomer-aged travelers. Throughout the pandemic, younger generations out-traveled their seniors, and subsequently out-purchased travel insurance, whether by choice or due to COVID-related requirements. The Millennial generation had the biggest increase in insured travelers in Q2 2022 compared to pandemic years. Likewise, Gen Alpha experienced the largest increase in travelers this year compared to pre-COVID years. The youngest generation also accounts for the largest increase in market share compared to 2019. Squaremouth says the increase in younger travelers aligns with the rise of their Millennial-aged parents insuring their trips. Methodology: Squaremouth.com hosts the largest number of travel insurance providers and policies on the market. Squaremouth Analytics compared thousands of travel insurance policies purchased from 2019 to 2022 to establish traveler demographic trends. Additional Resources:Live data roomCOVID-19 and Travel Insurance Hub About Squaremouth Squaremouth is a travel insurance comparison company that helps customers instantly search, compare, and buy travel insurance policies online. Squaremouth.com hosts the most intuitive travel insurance quoting and comparison engine on the market today. Coupled with over 100,000 verified customer reviews and the largest portfolio of products, Squaremouth allows customers to purchase a travel insurance policy from every major provider in the US. As a company, we prioritize reputation over profits, with a core goal of helping every customer find the coverage they need for the lowest possible price. Founded in 2003, Squaremouth.com - and our multi-award-winning customer service team - has helped more than 2 million travelers find the best travel insurance policy for their trip. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baby-boomers-are-traveling-again-new-demographic-data-reveals-travel-trends-for-each-generation-301603833.html SOURCE Squaremouth Ritchie named new Executive Vice President, Head of National and Specialty Businesses; Davis named Michigan Market President DETROIT, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Comerica Bank announced today the promotion of two Michigan market senior leaders into expanded roles. Mike Ritchie, currently Comerica's Michigan Market President, has been named as the newly-established Executive Vice President, Head of National and Specialty Businesses. Steve Davis, who currently serves as Senior Vice President, Middle Market Banking, will succeed Ritchie as the new Michigan Market President. Together, Ritchie and Davis provide over 60 years of experience supporting Comerica's customers and impacting the communities that the bank serves. Both will continue to operate from the Comerica Bank Center in downtown Detroit. "Mike's contributions to our commercial division and success in leading our Michigan market operations since 2013 offers us a valuable resource to strengthen and grow our relationships in Michigan and in our overall footprint that includes expanding markets," said Peter Sefzik, Comerica Bank Executive Director, Commercial Bank. "His knowledge and expertise will not only support our existing customers, but he will be critical in developing new relationships across our portfolio of national and specialty industries." Davis will oversee Comerica's business and community engagement throughout Michigan in addition to his role in providing leadership for Middle Market and Business Banking teams. "From the more than 80 cities we operate in Michigan to the 4,500 colleagues who live and work throughout the state, we are proud to serve Michigan as we have for 173 years," said Sefzik. "We see significant opportunities ahead that will positively impact our customers, colleagues, and communities. Steve's experience and understanding of the market will enable us to continue improving how we build relationships and support the Michigan market." Mike RitchieRitchie joined Comerica in 1991, became a member of the Michigan Senior Leadership Team in 2008, and was named President of the Michigan Market in 2013. In addition to that role, he also directly managed Michigan's Middle Market Banking and Business Banking Divisions as well as the bank's Environmental Services and Leasing divisions nationally. During his 31-year career with Comerica, Ritchie has held a variety of roles focusing on small and mid-size companies. He has also had prior responsibilities for the Bank's Captive Insurance, Health Care, Financial Institutions, Municipalities and Corporate Finance divisions. Richie also oversaw Comerica's recent southeast expansion effort. Steve DavisDavis has 30 years of experience in the financial services industry after joining Comerica in 1992 as a credit analyst. Since that time, he has held various lending and management positions of increasing responsibility and scope. Most recently, Davis served as Director, Middle Market Banking and President of Comerica Leasing Corporation overseeing a multibillion-dollar commitment portfolio. Additionally, Davis has served on the Michigan Senior Leadership Team since 2016 and has been a member of Comerica's Sustainability Finance Council since its inception. Among Davis' many business and community affiliations, he currently serves as a board member of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the CATCH Board of Trustees. He is a member of the Detroit Economic Club. Davis has also served as a member of Loyola High School board of directors and as a board member of Cass Community Social Services. Comerica Bank, a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated, has served Michigan longer than any other bank with a continuous presence dating back 173 years to its Detroit founding in 1849. It is the largest bank employer in metro Detroit and has more than 4,500 employees (FTE) statewide. With one of the largest banking center networks in Michigan, Comerica nurtures lifelong relationships with unwavering integrity and financial prudence. Comerica positively impacts the lives of Michigan residents by helping customers be successful, providing financial support that assists hundreds of charitable organizations, and actively participating in Detroit's downtown revitalization. Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth Management. Follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Comerica, Twitter: @ComericaBank and Instagram: @comerica_bank. Download new Comerica Bank corporate logo. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comerica-bank-promotes-michigan-leaders-mike-ritchie-and-steve-davis-301604421.html SOURCE Comerica Incorporated NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Convergence Partners, Inc., Integrated Sales Inc., and Lighting Solutions of Iowa, Inc. announced today the strategic partnership between their companies to offer the electrical industry a unified resource for virtually all their products, services, and design requirements. This partnership will be marketed under the Convergence Partners brands. "Convergence Partners now represents manufacturers throughout Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas, (MINK) including Current, Lutron, and Samsung," Convergence president, Peter Kurtz said. "The availability of Lighting, Electrical Materials, Audio Visual automation, Shades, and Furnishings from one resource is unprecedented within the market niche in this 4-state region," said Kurtz. Current (formerly GE Current, a Daintree Company) is the new brand introduced at LightFair on June 20, 2022 following Current's historic acquisition of Hubbell's C&I business, announced by Jim Benson, Vice President Enterprise Marketing & Communications at Current. "Providing exceptional customer experiences by solving problems more effectively and efficiently is our top priority," said Scott Denney, executive vice president, Convergence, "and our combined number of account managers and product experts will help ensure streamlined interactions for architects, electrical engineers, lighting designers, electrical contractors, audio-visual solution providers, distributors, and end users as well," he continued. The union of our companies was primarily driven by the market due to our respective customers talking about the like-minded, customer-centric approach we shared with Convergence," said Golwitzer. "Helping our partners take projects from design, through construction, to post-occupancy as a single resource for all lighting, lighting control, Audio Visual automation, shading, and electrical applications is the synergistic vision we're perpetuating with Convergence," Golwitzer concluded. Doug Olson, President, Lighting Solutions of Iowa, Inc. stated, "From this partnership, our industry partners will benefit from the cohesiveness across the MINK territory." About Integrated Sales Inc. Integrated Sales Inc. is an independent manufacturer's representative serving clients in Iowa and Nebraska since 2008. The company provides lighting, lighting control, shading, and electrical product solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial applications through its partnerships with leading manufacturers. About Lighting Solutions of Iowa, Inc. Lighting Solutions of Iowa, Inc. has provided clients with lighting and control solutions for commercial and industrial projects throughout Iowa for over 20 years. Based in Ankeny, Iowa, the company was established with the goal to provide its customers with exceptional service and training at a competitive price. About Convergence Partners, Inc. Incorporated in 2014, Convergence represents quality manufacturers and provides service solutions within four focused divisions. Convergence has a family-first culture built on ethical business practices that foster long-term relationships. Based in North Kansas City, Missouri, Convergence covers Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas via its regional offices in St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri, Wichita; Van Meter, and Ankeny, Iowa. The luxury residential division of Convergence originally formed in 2019 was introduced as Bespoke in 2022, and services the same 4-state region. Company Website: https://ConvergeRep.com/ This release was issued through Send2Press, a unit of Neotrope. For more information, visit Send2Press Newswire at https://www.Send2Press.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/convergence-partners-integrated-sales-inc-and-lighting-solutions-of-iowa-inc-announce-the-strategic-partnership-between-their-three-companies-301604029.html SOURCE Convergence Partners, Inc. "Stunning film I just wanted to stand up and cheer," said audience member of short film MILWAUKEE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Full-service advertising agency Bader Rutter's short film Direct Positive has been awarded "Best Documentary 2022" by audiences of the FEEDBACK Female Film Festival. Direct Positive, which premiered at the Milwaukee Film Festival in late April, is the result of a partnership between Milwaukee-based agency Bader Rutter and TEMPO, a membership organization dedicated to furthering the impact of women leaders in the Milwaukee area. Direct Positive has been awarded "Best Documentary 2022" by audiences of the LA-based FEEDBACK Female Film Festival. In August, audiences of the Los Angeles-based FEEDBACK Female Film Festival screened Direct Positive, leaving rave reviews: "Direct Positive was so beautiful and inspiring. I absolutely loved getting to hear the stories of all these empowered women in leadership," one viewer said. "I think the filmmakers were really smart in the way that they shot [Direct Positive], in the way that they edited this. It all had this lovely flow to it," another said. "I continue to be humbled by the way this film is resonating with audiences," said Sarah Kmet-Hunt, executive creative director at Bader Rutter and co-director of Direct Positive. "This latest honor from the FEEDBACK Female Film Festival shows how important it is to ensure a diverse group of women have a seat at the table wherever important decisions are being made." The project began with TEMPO members sitting for portraits with Milwaukee-based tintype photographer Margaret Muza. But what the 120-year-old camera revealed was far deeper than anyone expected. Over two days of portraits and intense interviews, the women of TEMPO shared their challenges, inspirations, stumbles and victories. Muza's images show the beauty and power of each woman without filters, Photoshop or assumptions. At the same time, the women reveal the beauty and power of their own unfiltered stories. A team of women from Bader Rutter wove those stories together to create Direct Positive. The result is an honest and raw look at how female leadership has changed the workplace and the world for the better and how much progress still needs to be made. "At TEMPO, we like to say that 'the world moves when women rise.' Direct Positive features a chorus of strong women's voices sharing how they've risen above all obstacles to move the world toward a better future for all," said Jen Dirks, president and CEO, TEMPO. "We're thrilled that audiences are connecting with their stories and giving them a larger platform." Since its premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival, Direct Positive has screened at both the San Francisco Documentary Festival and FEEDBACK Female Film Festival. "My hope is that viewers take these stories to heart. Let's all embrace the fact that our world still has work to do to support women and to empower the women to stop trying to fit other's molds and to own their truths," Kmet-Hunt said. "That, to me, is the kind of world all women deserve and the kind of world we should create for the women after us." Arrange a screening of Direct Positive here and learn why audiences say more people need to see this award-winning film. Media: Click here for downloadable video and images. About Bader Rutter Bader Rutter is a full-service advertising and marketing agency with offices in Milwaukee and Chicago. It is both the largest agricultural marketing agency and the leading B2B marcom agency in the country. With close to 245 full-time employees in 13 states, Bader Rutter offers a full array of advertising, digital and social media, public relations, business consulting, and branding and design capabilities. The employee-owned agency's expertise includes core work in agriculture, the food production system, pet care and animal health, manufacturing, insurance and financial services. About TEMPO TEMPO is the largest professional women's group in Wisconsin, composed of nearly 800 members representing diverse industries, functions and companies from throughout the Milwaukee area and Southeastern Wisconsin. TEMPO serves its membership of executive, senior and C-level and Emerging Women Leaders through educational programming and professional development, networking opportunities, relationship building and mentoring, with the goal of empowering women to achieve and sustain leadership roles. Learn more at https://www.tempomilwaukee.org/. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/direct-positive-named-best-documentary-at-feedback-female-film-festival-301603836.html SOURCE Bader Rutter & Associates Funds will be used to expand the customer base, further develop the Dropbase Data Platform, and build a world-class engineering and growth team. SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dropbase, the collaborative data import and data management platform, raised a $1.75M round led by Gradient Ventures (Google's AI-focused venture fund), with participation from Y Combinator, Liquid 2 Ventures, Bragiel Brothers, Unpopular Ventures, and angel investors. Founded by Jimmy Chan (CEO) and Ayazhan Zhakhan (CTO), Dropbase's mission is to unleash data trapped in files or incompatible systems and automate data sharing. Dropbase helps companies import, validate, manage, and query all their data from CSV/Excel files inside fully-featured SQL databases optimized for handling large amounts of data, with no technical help required. "Oftentimes, critical business software systems don't have API's to access the data, yet this data is required to better understand the business and run operations", said Chan. "To complicate matters, external data is usually messy, with a mix of data types, encodings, data placement, and a mismatch with how the destination system expects the data to be structured and formatted." "Integrating external data means that the data sender manually extracts data from a source system and exports it as a CSV file, uploads it to a cloud drive, SFTP, or as an email attachment, and sends it over to the data receiver," said Zhakhan. "The receiver then has to download, map, clean, and re-upload the data, usually to a database with its own constraints. This happens each time data is shared between companies with incompatible systems. This process is quite inefficient." Dropbase's goal is to significantly improve this process, automate it, and make it easier for companies to import external data and combine it with internal data. More comprehensive data helps companies make better decisions, deliver a delightful customer experience, and improve business operations for customers such as the baby stroller brand, Mockingbird. Dropbase believes that data analysts and operation managers should be able just open up their favorite data tools, and all the data they've imported or received from external partners should already be there, cleaned up, and ready to use. Data teams should never have to clean the same CSV file or data extract twice. "Today, troves of data are trapped in incompatible systems that make it useless to everyone except the engineering team. We believe that Dropbase is the key to unlocking this data, and its technology will help shape how companies share data in the future," said Zachary Bratun-Glennon, Partner at Gradient Ventures. Dropbase is building a new operating system for enterprise data an end-to-end platform for data import, data management, and data exchange for both internal and external use cases. About Dropbase Dropbase is a collaborative data platform. It helps teams import, clean, and manage data from customers and partners within highly scalable databases that integrate with their favorite analytics tools and data apps. For more information, visit www.dropbase.io. About Gradient Ventures Gradient Ventures, Google's AI-focused venture fund, helps founders build transformational companies. The fund focuses on helping founders navigate the challenges in developing new technology products, using the latest best practices in recruiting, marketing, design, and engineering so that great ideas can come to life. Gradient was founded in 2017 and is based in Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit www.gradient.com. Media Contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dropbase-announces-a-1-75m-round-led-by-gradient-ventures-to-help-import-manage-and-query-messy-csvs-and-excel-files-in-analytical-databases-301603699.html SOURCE Dropbase Workwear retailer to open new fulfillment facility in 2023 MOUNT HOREB, Wis., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Duluth Trading Company, a casualwear, workwear and accessory retailer for men and women, will build a new distribution and fulfillment facility in Adairsville. The new facility will create over 300 new jobs and represents an investment of $53 million in Bartow County. "We are excited to welcome an iconic brand in Duluth Trading Company to the Peach State," said Governor Brian Kemp. "We are confident this new facility will begin a prosperous relationship with the people of Bartow County as Duluth expands to meet the distribution needs of our modern economy. Georgia's prime location and robust infrastructure allow companies to distribute products to 80 percent of the U.S. market in less than two days of drive time or two hours by plane." Duluth Trading, home of best-selling Fire Hose Pants, No-Yank Tanks and Buck Naked Underwear, is based in Wisconsin and prides itself as a problem-solution workwear destination. Known for its humorous marketing and best-in-class customer service, Duluth Trading offers its products to brand fans and new customers alike exclusively on their website or in their 65 retail stores, including one in Kennesaw, GA. "We are thrilled to open Duluth Trading's first-ever automated fulfillment center in Adairsville, Georgia," said Sam Sato, President and CEO, Duluth Trading. "With an expanded fulfillment network and state-of-the-art robotics, this new facility positions us to better serve our customers nationwide while adding hundreds of new jobs to the Bartow County community." The new facility will be located at the Ashley Capital building at 400 International Parkway in Adairsville. In partnership with Bastian Solutions, Duluth Trading's premiere integration partner, the facility will be a first-of-its-kind automated distribution and fulfillment center for the retailer. It serves as a major investment against Duluth Trading's Big Dam Blueprint, the retailer's plan focused on digital growth and expansion, to better serve customers and its nationwide footprint of brick-and-mortar stores. "Bastian Solutions was thrilled to partner with Duluth Trading to design and bring to life their newest distribution and fulfillment facility. Flexible enough to support their strategic business and growth plans for the next decade, the facility design maintains Duluth Trading's famous customer service. This omnichannel facility supports a seamless experience across Duluth Trading's retail, wholesale and ecommerce channels in the region. Leveraging the AutoStore Red Line, the facility is capable of processing and shipping an impressive 160,000 units per day," said Marvin Logan, Senior Vice President of Solutions Delivery at Bastian Solutions. Duluth Trading will be hiring for a variety of positions, including full-time, part-time and seasonal fulfillment center warehouse associates. Interested individuals should apply www.duluthtrading.com/careers. About Duluth Trading Company Based in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, Duluth Trading Co. and its growing portfolio of brands Duluth, AKHG and Best Made cater to the lifestyle of the modern, self-reliant American. Duluth Trading's family of brands offer high-quality, solution-based apparel, accessories and gear for men and women to help them take on life with their own two hands. Duluth Trading honors its roots by creating the hardest-working products, backed by the "Superior Standard," and commits to providing outstanding customer service under the "No Bull Guarantee." To learn more, visit www.duluthtrading.com or one of the 65 Duluth Trading store locations nationwide. About Bastian Solutions Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Advanced Logistics company, is a trusted supply chain integration partner committed to providing clients a competitive advantage by designing and delivering world-class distribution and production solutions. By combining data-driven designs, scalable material handling systems, and innovative software, the company helps clients across a broad spectrum of markets become leaders in their industries. For more information, visit bastiansolutions.com. TURNER PR(212) 889-1700[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/duluth-trading-company-to-open-new-fulfillment-center-in-georgia-301604087.html SOURCE Duluth Trading WASHINGTON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac; NYSE: AGM and AGM.A), a stockholder-owned, federally chartered corporation that provides a secondary market for a variety of loans made to borrowers in rural America with the intent of increasing the availability and affordability of credit for the benefit of rural America, announced today that it has completed a $301.1 million securitization of agricultural mortgage loans. "We are proud to announce the closing of the second transaction in the FARM Series, FARM 2022-1 agricultural mortgage-backed securitization (AMBS)," said President & Chief Executive Officer, Brad Nordholm. "The success of this transaction further demonstrates our capability to diversify long-term funding sources and use this conduit to generate additional revenue streams. Securitization is a tremendous opportunity for Farmer Mac, as developing this capital flow to agricultural producers exemplifies Farmer Mac's core mission to lower costs for borrowers and improve credit availability in rural America, while creating a new investment opportunity for institutional investors. We remain confident in our ability to navigate the current environment and to continue to pursue growth opportunities, including our focus on developing a vibrant and liquid AMBS market going forward." The mortgage pool for FARM Series 2022-1 consists of 450 agricultural mortgage loans with an aggregate outstanding principal balance of approximately $301.1 million. The loans in the pool were underwritten to Farmer Mac's standards and acquired by Farmer Mac between January 2021 and November 2021. This deal included a $278.5 million senior tranche guaranteed by Farmer Mac and a $22.6 million unguaranteed subordinate tranche. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC acted as the structuring agent and sole bookrunner along with CastleOak Securities, L.P., as a selling group member. Dechert LLP served as legal advisor to Farmer Mac. Morgan, Lewis and Bockius LLP served as legal advisor to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and CastleOak Securities, L.P. About Farmer Mac Farmer Mac is a vital part of the agricultural credit markets and was created to increase access to and reduce the cost of credit for the benefit of American agricultural and rural communities. As the nation's secondary market for agricultural credit, Farmer Mac provides financial solutions to a broad spectrum of the agricultural community, including agricultural lenders, agribusinesses, and other institutions that can benefit from access to flexible, low-cost financing and risk management tools. Farmer Mac's customers benefit from its low cost of funds, low overhead costs, and high operational efficiency. More information about Farmer Mac (including the Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q) is available on Farmer Mac's website at www.farmermac.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/farmer-mac-closes-301-1-million-securitization-of-agricultural-mortgage-backed-securities-ambs-301604549.html SOURCE Farmer Mac NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GUNNER, an industry-leading manufacturer of American-made dog products, announced today the release of a special collection inspired by Anahuac in southeast Texas and its waterfowl habitat. The collection which includes the brand's 5 Star Crash Tested dog kennel and waterproof pet food storage system pays tribute to the storied history and unique experience that the area lends to the Central Flyway. The limited-edition products are inspired by the ever-remote Texas coastal wetlands' inner marshes that cast a deep captivating blue, as well as the blue-winged teal that funnel through this habitat corridor in such large numbers that they merit a special warm-weather season. This is the third Flyway Series release from GUNNER, which features limited-edition colors that draw inspiration from iconic destinations and honey holes within the four North Americans flyways. Known as the "Land on the Edge of the Water," Anahuac's wetlands and thick fog provide an area that has a rich history and no shortage of stories from those who've pursued the blue-winged teal, mottled duck, mallards, snow geese and other migratory birds in this locale. The limited-edition collection is available for purchase on gunner.com on August 18, and select quantities are available. A portion of Anahuac-edition products proceeds will be donated to Ducks Unlimited Texas chapter. Supporting quotes, product imagery and supporting assets are available upon request. For more information go to gunner.com/pages/flyway-series. About GUNNER: Based in Nashville, Tennessee, GUNNER is an American brand that manufactures industry-leading dog products to give dogs the lives they deserve. Designed for safe travel, GUNNER's G1 Kennel is the original 5 star crash-test rated dog crate and the market's only double-wall rotomolded kennel. Whether on the hunt, on the trail, or simply at home, GUNNER believes that Man's Best Friend deserves Man's Best Kennel. For more information about GUNNER's story and products, go to www.gunner.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gunner-launches-collection-inspired-by-southeast-texas-301604561.html SOURCE GUNNER Latest expansion of capabilities to serve self-funded employers CHICAGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) has signed a definitive agreement with Trustco Holdings, Inc. (Trustmark) to purchase its wholly owned subsidiary, Trustmark Health Benefits (Health Benefits), which is a leading third-party administrator of health benefits. The acquisition will provide HCSC with additional capabilities to serve a broader set of customers seeking customizable and flexible health benefit solutions. Health Benefits designs and offers custom plans that help manage costs through innovative solutions, data transparency and member-centric support. "We are proud to add this asset to our portfolio to continue to meet the diverse and evolving needs of our self-funded customers," said Opella Ernest, M.D., executive vice president of commercial markets for HCSC. "This arrangement reflects HCSC's continuous commitment to expand access to affordable, quality health care." HCSC is the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States serving more than 17 million members. "Today's employers are facing increasing pressures and challenges," said Kevin Cassidy, president, national accounts, HCSC. "With this acquisition, we're making it easier for employers of all sizes to have access to our expansive provider networks, our data-driven insights and coordinated approach to care that focuses on quality and value. This isn't a one-size-fits all world and we recognize that Health Benefits can help give more customers access to our service strengths." Trustmark, a leading national employee benefits provider, offers voluntary benefits, fitness management solutions and small-group health plan administration. "With this transaction, I am confident that, with HCSC, Health Benefits and its associates will be well-positioned for future success," said Trustmark President and CEO, Kevin Slawin. "Trustmark will focus on markets where we can grow in the future, deliver differentiated capabilities for our clients and members and lead at a national level. In an evolving work environment, we will accelerate our efforts to become vastly more consequential in the markets we serve by helping employers offer benefits that build engaged, healthy teams." Health Benefits will continue to support its existing employers and members with the same level of service following the acquisition. "HCSC has been a highly valued customer for several years," said Nancy Eckrich, President, Trustmark Health Benefits. "We see this as a culmination of that relationship, and the entire Health Benefits team is looking forward to further expanding our reach to offer more employers flexible, customized benefit solutions, now backed by the resources and relationships of HCSC." Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to close later this year. Barclays acted as exclusive financial advisor and Foley & Lardner LLP served as legal counsel to HCSC. Houlihan Lokey acted as exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to Trustmark in connection with the transaction. About Health Care Service CorporationHealth Care Service Corporation is the country's largest customer-owned health insurer, with nearly 17.5 million members in its health plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. A Mutual Legal Reserve Company, HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. About Trustmark Mutual Holding CompanyTrustmark, through its operating divisions and subsidiaries, offers specialized expertise in voluntary benefits, self-funded health plan design and administration for smaller employers, and the delivery of wellness, fitness, recreation, and injury prevention and treatment programs. Visit us at https://trustmarkbenefits.com/ View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/health-care-service-corporation-to-acquire-trustmark-health-benefits-301604487.html SOURCE Health Care Service Corporation Tapestri Platform powers Nature Medicine publication that identified rare subclones associated with aggressive cancer progression SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mission Bio, the pioneer in high-throughput single-cell DNA and multi-omics analysis, announced new findings from the lab of Elias Campo, Director of the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS) in Barcelona, Spain, which used single-cell DNA sequencing to identify genetic drivers of Richter's syndrome, the unpredictable and often deadly progression from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) to an aggressive B cell lymphoma. The study, published today in the journal Nature Medicine, was the latest to demonstrate clinically relevant insights using Mission Bio's Tapestri Platform, highlighting rare Richter's Syndrome subclones that lie dormant for years and could be targeted therapeutically to prevent disease progression by uncovering mutations at the individual cell level. There are about 20,000 patients diagnosed with CLL in the U.S. each year. Though CLL is often treatable, Richter's syndrome can develop after treatment with targeted therapies, affecting up to 10% of patients and transforming the cancer into the more aggressive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which has a median survival of one year or less. In the new publication, the IDIBAPS-led team performed genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic characterization of CLL patients before and after treatment in an effort to understand drivers of Richter's syndrome. By using Mission Bio's highly sensitive Tapestri CLL panel, the researchers were able to resolve clonal heterogeneity and trace the cancer's evolutionary history, detecting rare pre-existing mutations associated with disease progression in samples from four patients. The results suggest that treatment was driving selection for subclones an analysis that was not possible with traditional bulk sequencing methods that are incapable of detecting mutations that co-occur in the same cells. The genomic drivers were identified in an extremely small number of subclones about five cells and detected years before final expansion. The findings could enable researchers to develop strategies targeting these dormant subclones to prevent CLL patients from developing Richter's syndrome. "Single-cell DNA sequencing, powered by Tapestri, allowed us to resolve the co-mutational relationships within cells and unambiguously detect rare subclones at early stages of evolution that bulk sequencing missed," said Ferran Nadeu, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher at IDIBAPS and the publication's primary author. "This is the latest example of how Tapestri Platform empowers scientists to find drivers of cancer progression early in the course of disease, which could enable the development of predictive biomarkers and earlier therapeutic interventions," said Todd Druley, M.D., PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Mission Bio. "This research makes a strong argument that single-cell DNA sequencing is a necessary tool to uncover mechanistic insight into cancer biology, enabling the development of diagnostics and therapeutics to fight this disease." To learn more about Mission Bio and the Tapestri Platform, please visit www.missionbio.com. About Mission BioMission Bio is a life sciences company that accelerates discoveries and cures for a wide range of diseases by equipping researchers with the tools they need to better measure and predict our resistance and response to new therapies. Mission Bio's multi-omics approach improves time-to-market for new therapeutics, including innovative cell and gene therapies that provide new pathways to health. Founded in 2014, Mission Bio has secured investment from Novo Growth, Cota Capital, Agilent Technologies, Mayfield Fund, and others. The company's Tapestri Platform gives researchers around the globe the power to interrogate every molecule in a cell together, providing a comprehensive understanding of activity from a single sample. Tapestri is the only commercialized multi-omics platform capable of analyzing DNA and protein simultaneously from the same sample at single-cell resolution. The Tapestri Platform is being utilized by customers at leading research centers, pharmaceutical, and diagnostics companies worldwide to develop treatments and eventually cures for cancer. Media ContactConsort Partners for Mission Bio[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/idibaps-researchers-discover-genetic-drivers-of-clonal-evolution-in-leukemia-using-single-cell-dna-sequencing-from-mission-bio-301604125.html SOURCE Mission Bio World-famous for its chicken, burgers and pies, the fast-growing restaurant brand opens its 84th North American location "at the crossroads of the world", marking a critical milestone in its mission to become one of the world's top-five restaurant chains. WEST COVINA, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Jollibee, the global restaurant brand that is taking America (and the world!) by storm, will open its new flagship restaurant in the heart of New York City's Times Square on Thursday, August 18, 2022. On a mission to become one of the world's top-five restaurant chains, Jollibee is the next iconic brand taking its place at "the crossroads of the world." In response to its rapidly growing popularity in both the U.S. and Canada, Jollibee is evolving its North American menu to broaden appeal with new burgers sides and salads, which will only be available at the new Times Square location ahead of their nationwide rollout later this year. Best known for its mouth-watering Chickenjoy bone-in fried chicken, signature Chicken Sandwich and iconic Peach Mango Pie, Jollibee is rounding-out its menu with several new offerings starting with a brand-new burger line-up in honor of this enduring icon of American cuisine. But that's not all. Jollibee is also introducing a host of new salads and sides giving its longtime fans something new to discover and giving those who haven't yet tried Jollibee a lot more reasons to do so. "Opening our Times Square location, an undeniable global destination and retail hot spot, is truly a dream come true for our brand," said Maribeth Dela Cruz, President, Jollibee Group North America, Philippine Brands. "It's not only our newest location, but a powerful symbol of how far we've come and the unlimited potential we see for the future. We are committed to becoming one of the top global QSR restaurants and this opening marks a key milestone in that plan. Our fans are the best in the world, and we invite those who haven't tried Jollibee yet from around the corner and around the world to discover our joyful dining experience for themselves." Primely located at 1500 Broadway (between 43rd and 44th Street) in the center of New York City's most famous landmark, Jollibee is ready to turn curious newcomers into lifelong fans with its signature brand of joy great-tasting food at a great value, paired with its always-cheerful customer service. Jollibee's marquee offering centers on its mouth-watering take on an American favorite fried chicken, which can be enjoyed through a variety of menu items including: Chickenjoy : Aptly named for the joy it brings with just one bite, this is Jollibee's best-selling bone-in chicken offering that is beloved by millions of fans worldwide; each piece is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, cooked with precision to be juicy on the inside, and marinated to the bone for next-level flavor. After its Chickenjoy bested 14 global brands in four rounds of contests, Jollibee was recently named "the best chain fried chicken in America" by Eater.com, an international food website by Vox Media. Aptly named for the joy it brings with just one bite, this is Jollibee's best-selling bone-in chicken offering that is beloved by millions of fans worldwide; each piece is delicately hand-breaded to be crispy on the outside, cooked with precision to be juicy on the inside, and marinated to the bone for next-level flavor. After its Chickenjoy bested 14 global brands in four rounds of contests, Jollibee was recently named "the best chain fried chicken in America" by Eater.com, an international food website by Vox Media. Spicy Chickenjoy : Another top-seller is this fiery version of the classic Chickenjoy, which is spicy inside and out for those who like a little heat. Another top-seller is this fiery version of the classic Chickenjoy, which is spicy inside and out for those who like a little heat. Chicken Sandwich : This sandwich features a crispy, juicy chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo, and served on a toasted brioche bun. Find out why this newly launched sandwich has been lauded for its "intense crunch" by The Takeout, and discover how the umami flavor profile and signature Jollibee seasonings meld together to create a perfect chicken sandwich offering. This sandwich features a crispy, juicy chicken breast fillet, spread with umami mayo, and served on a toasted brioche bun. Find out why this newly launched sandwich has been lauded for its "intense crunch" by The Takeout, and discover how the umami flavor profile and signature Jollibee seasonings meld together to create a perfect chicken sandwich offering. Spicy Chicken Sandwich: A spicy version of the original chicken sandwich features sriracha mayo and fresh jalapenos for added crunch and heat. For many fans, Jollibee's fried chicken will always be the star of the menu, but burger brands beware Jollibee is introducing a new line-up of all-beef burgers to the table. Making their debut exclusively at the Times Square location, these new burgers are built to satisfy those who are craving this timeless American classic; notable standouts include: Double Deluxe Burger The headliner of the all-new burgers that are cooked when you order them to deliver next-level beefy and next level cheesy burgers. The Double Deluxe features two 100% beef patties and double the melted sharp American cheese. It is topped with sliced tomato, premium lettuce and Jollibee's signature burger sauce on a butter toasted bun. The headliner of the all-new burgers that are cooked when you order them to deliver next-level beefy and next level cheesy burgers. The Double Deluxe features two 100% beef patties and double the melted sharp American cheese. It is topped with sliced tomato, premium lettuce and Jollibee's signature burger sauce on a butter toasted bun. Aloha Burger Like the Double Deluxe version, it's always cooked when you order it to maximize freshness. The one-of-a-kind Aloha Cheeseburger starts with two 100% beef patties and double the melted sharp American cheese; from there, its flavorful toppings take an exotic twist: crispy bacon, a grilled pineapple ring and a signature aloha-style dressing on a butter toasted bun. But there's more! In celebration of its momentous Times Square arrival, Jollibee is also shining the spotlight on its new line-up of delicious salads and sides, including Baked Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese a special blend of macaroni and cheese that is topped with shredded cheddar cheese and baked in-house to achieve the ultimate creamy, cheesy accompaniment; a Mandarin Orange Crispy Chicken Salad featuring Jollibee's signature sliced crispy chicken tenders and premium fresh produce; and freshly baked warm and flakey Biscuits. Lastly, whether you want to stick with your to-go Jollibee favorites or try something new, just make sure you also leave room for the brand's signature dessert: Peach Mango Pie. Made with peaches and real Philippine mangoes enveloped in a light and crispy crust, it provides a perfectly sweet ending to any Jollibee meal. Jollibee Times Square will be open seven days a week, from 9AM 12AM. Customers can dine at the restaurant beginning on opening day and also enjoy their favorite menu items to-go; the store will begin offering online ordering channels in the coming weeks. The new Times Square flagship joins Jollibee's existing Manhattan location (609 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10018), which opened back in 2018 to tremendous fanfare. Jollibee was built on the simple desire to bring families together through the shared joy of a delicious meal, and to this day, Jollibee remains steadfast in promoting the importance of strong family values in communities around the world. For its Times Square opening Jollibee is thrilled to be partnering with the All Stars Project, a national nonprofit organization that uses a performance-based approach to help tens of thousands of inner-city youth and their families create success in their lives. Founded in New York City in 1981, the All Stars Project is aptly located in the heart of Times Square's theatre district, where its 31,000 square-foot performing arts and development center features theatres, rehearsal rooms, set and costume shops, and offices of its national staff. Opening its doors in this globally recognized destination also symbolizes the "crown jewel" of Jollibee's expansion efforts to date, as it continues toward its goal of operating 500 stores across North America by 2028. Recently recognized as a "Hottest Brand" by leading industry publication, Ad Age, Jollibee will be bringing it signature brand of joy to several new U.S. markets in the coming months, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Orlando, Florida. Stay updated on Jollibee's upcoming store openings by following @jollibeeus on Facebook, @jollibeeus on Instagram and @jollibeeusa on TikTok. About Jollibee Group Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC, also known as Jollibee Group) is one of the fastest-growing restaurant companies in the world. It operates in 34 countries, with over 6,200 stores globally with branches in the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, Brunei, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Egypt, Panama, Malaysia, South Korea, India, and Australia. Jollibee Group has eight wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger); six franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, PHO24, and Yoshinoya in the Philippines; Dunkin' and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China); 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee and PHO24; and 51% ownership of Milksha, a popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand. Jollibee Group, through its subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. (JWPL) owns 90% participating interest in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund that ultimately owns the Tim Ho Wan brand. It also has a joint venture with the THW Group to open and operate THW restaurants in Mainland China. Jollibee Group also has a business venture with award-winning Chef Rick Bayless for Tortazo, a Mexican fast-casual restaurant business in the United States. Jollibee Group was named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies and among the World's Best Employers and World's Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes. In 2020, Gallup awarded the Jollibee Group with the Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the first Philippine-based company to receive the distinction. Jollibee Group has grown brands that bring delightful dining experiences to its customers worldwide, thus spreading the joy of eating to everyone. To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jollibee-takes-center-stage-as-a-global-restaurant-phenomenon-with-milestone-opening-in-the-heart-of-times-square-on-august-18-2022-301604064.html SOURCE Jollibee NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 1905, La Roche-Posay has been committed to improving the quality of life for those with skin conditions at the La Roche-Posay Thermal Center in France as well as through oncology initiatives globally. Now, La Roche-Posay US is proud to announce a new partnership with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to further the support of cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and the oncology community as well as raise awareness of cancer treatments' skin side effects. LA ROCHE-POSAY AND ONCOLOGY More than 80% of cancer patients develop skin-related side effects, and almost 50% experience skin reactions caused by radiation*. From post-cancer treatment at the Thermal Center in France to skincare formulas available here in the US, La Roche-Posay helps manage some of the skin side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP To reach more patients and caregivers while undergoing treatment, La Roche-Posay has provided a donation to support American Cancer Society Hope Lodge communities, a program that provides patients and their caregivers free lodging while undergoing treatment away from home. The donation will fund over 3,000 nights of free lodging for guests at Hope Lodge facilities. "The American Cancer Society is the only organization that integrates advocacy, discovery, and direct patient support to positively impact the lives of people with cancer and their families. La Roche-Posay's support of our Hope Lodge program helps us remove barriers to quality care by providing a free place to stay when the best hope for treatment may be away from home." Says Howard Byck, Senior Vice President of ACS Corporate Alliances & Solutions "I am so excited about our partnership and shared commitment to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their caregivers." In addition, Hope Lodge guests across all 31 locations are now receiving a premium sample set of La-Roche Posay skincare as an amenity during their stay, including products that have been tested by La Roche-Posay for safety during cancer treatments**. A simple routine of cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting the skin can help reduce and relieve some of the effects that cancer treatment has on the skin. CANCER SUPPORT BY LA ROCHE-POSAY Every year, over 7,500 patients visit the La Roche-Posay Thermal Dermatology Center to experience the healing properties of La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water for various skin conditions. Almost 50% of the patients visiting the Thermal Center have undergone cancer treatments. Providing education and support to the cancer community is at the heart of La Roche-Posay's brand mission. The new partnership with the American Cancer Society is a big step forward in continuing the commitment to assist those affected by cancer. "La Roche-Posay is committed to improving quality of life for those with skin conditions. We are proud to partner with the American Cancer Society and all 31 of their Hope Lodge communities, supporting patients & their caregivers who stay there during treatment. When undergoing cancer treatment, most patients are not counseled on how to best care for their skin to alleviate side effects. The American Cancer Society and the Hope Lodge program are an inspiration in improving quality of life, and we are excited to work towards our shared goal of providing patients and caregivers with solutions during their cancer journey," says La Roche-Posay General Manager, Penelope Giraud. To learn more about the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Program: https://www.laroche-posay.us/acs-partnership.htmlTo learn more about caring for your skin during cancer: https://www.laroche-posay.us/caring-for-skin-through-cancer/skincare-tips.html About LA ROCHE-POSAY Recommended by 90,000 dermatologists worldwide, La Roche-Posay's mission is to offer life-changing dermatological skincare. La Roche-Posay offers a unique range of daily skincare developed for every skin type to address various skin concerns and complement prescription treatments. At the center of the brand is the exclusive selenium-rich La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water, a core ingredient in its skincare formulas known for its soothing and antioxidant properties that is sourced from its Thermal Center in France, the first Dermatology Center in Europe. The products are developed using a strict safety and formulation charter with a minimal number of ingredients and are formulated at optimal concentrations. Additionally, La Roche-Posay products undergo stringent clinical testing for efficacy and safety with over 750+ studies and 25 years of extensive research, even on sensitive skin. For additional information about La Roche-Posay, visit www.laroche-posay.us and follow La Roche-Posay USA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LaRochePosayUSA *Charles C. et al. Impact of cutaneous toxicity associated with targeted therapies on quality of life. Results of a longitudinal exploratory study. Bulletin du Cancer. March 2013: 100(3): 213-22. **Safety testing: Lipikar AP+ Wash is suitable for patients undergoing chemotherapy, Lipikar AP+M Moisturizer and Cicaplast B5 Baume are suitable for patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. The American Cancer Society does not endorse or promote this product, service or claim. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/la-roche-posay-and-american-cancer-society-announce-partnership-to-improve-patient-and-caregiver-quality-of-life-301604584.html SOURCE La Roche-Posay LAGUNA BEACH, Calif., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Larry Elder joins John Gardner on The Voice of Hope for a sweeping interview to discuss the 2024 Presidential campaign, his California gubernatorial campaign, policy solutions, and his love for America. Larry Elder: An Exclusive Interview to discuss the 2024 Presidential campaign and his love for America. Click here to watch the full interview: https://rumble.com/v1fj0jr-larry-elder-an-exclusive-interview.html Larry Elder is a New York Times best-selling author of four books, a nationally syndicated TV and radio host, film producer, attorney and politician. Elder was the subject of profiles by both "60 Minutes" and "20/20". John Gardner is a business owner, patent holder and advocate for the manufacturing industry. His patented cutting tool has been used by the US Navy, Siemens Energy, Lockheed Martin, the Department of Energy, Kawasaki and thousands of other manufacturing companies. His experience and passion for how the manufacturing industry can economically benefit the American people by rebuilding the middle-class was the catalyst for Gardner to trademark the term Manufacture Local and to start "The Voice of Hope" platform. He states: "My mission is to make America the manufacturing superpower of the world and to bring positivity to the idea that we are all privileged to be American." LINK: https://thevoiceofhope.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/larry-elder-an-exclusive-interview-301604543.html SOURCE CNC Broach Tools VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - LUXXFOLIO Holdings Inc. (the "Company" or "LUXXFOLIO" which includes reference to its subsidiaries) (CSE: LUXX) (OTCQB: LUXFF) (Frankfurt/Berlin: LUH), announces that it has agreed to a debt settlement arrangement (the "Debt Settlement") with its major lender (the "Lender"). Under the Debt Settlement, the Company will reduce its debt by approximately USD$5.8mm (the "Debt") in exchange for a reduction to its current mining fleet by approximately 1900 machines (the "Miners"). The Debt represents the Company's entire obligation to the Lender and substantially all the Company's long-term debt. The Miners represent substantially all the remaining mining machines that were directly acquired by the Company via asset backed financing facilities with the Lender. To facilitate and simplify the Debt Settlement, the Company agreed, at the Lender's request, to have an event of default occur under the existing financing agreements to permit the Lender to execute its right under such agreements to take ownership of the Miners in full satisfaction of the Debt. The Debt Settlement is subject to the delivery of the Miners to the Lender and the Lender's satisfactory inspection of them. This is a strategic move to manage risk in the volatile bitcoin mining industry and the general market conditions. LUXXFOLIO gains financial flexibility and capacity in our New Mexico site to aggressively pursue our immersion mining strategy. LUXXFOLIO believes immersion is the future of mining and provides a risk-reduced business strategy for mining. With immersion mining, LUXXFOLIO collects consistent monthly hosting revenue, plus the bitcoin mined through the overclocking of hashrate as high as 50%. This strategy reduces the significant capital required to procure and maintain current generation ASIC miners. Immersion also provides benefits for a longer life cycle for mining equipment, a stable environment, and consistent temperatures year-round, even in warmer climates. The Company's initial immersion system commenced mining operations on August 8, 2022. LUXXFOLIO will continue to leverage relationships developed with the Navajo Nation, benefitting from affordable green energy in climates and locations that otherwise would not be suitable for mining. Please check out https://www.luxxfolio.com/immersion for further info. About LUXXFOLIO LUXXFOLIO Holdings Inc. is a publicly traded digital asset company based in Canada. It operates an industrial scale cryptocurrency mining facility in the United States powered predominately by renewable energy with a focus on the blockchain ecosystem and generation of digital assets. LUXXFOLIO provides a liquid alternative for exposure to digital assets for the broader capital markets. Follow us on: Twitter at LuxxfolioH The Company diligently posts updates through videos from the official company YouTube channel at: YouTube Channel Please join the conversation on our LUXXFOLIO Holdings supporter's Telegram group at: https://t.me/Luxxfolio The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipated", "will be", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events, or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the Company, its hosting operations, immersion, miners, and the Company's development of its growth strategy are based on the Company's estimates and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including capital expenditures and other costs. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/luxxfolio-launches-immersion-mining-and-substantially-reduces-debt-301603892.html SOURCE Luxxfolio Holdings Inc. SAN DIEGO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial Advisor Jim Petrizzo, founder of Petrizzo Financial in Boulder City, NV, has partnered with Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG), an independent broker-dealer based in San Diego, CA. Based in Boulder City, NV, Jim Petrizzo operates his family firm with his wife, Michelle Petrizzo, and daughter, Chelsea Petrizzo. Jim and Chelsea are registered financial advisors, and Michelle's role covers administrative support. Petrizzo Financial is located inside the Boulder Dam Credit Union. The firm's motto is "Our family helping your family build your financial future." Jim Petrizzo started his firm after witnessing his aging parents' experience with exploitation at the hands of their financial advisor. "My parents were just coming into retirement age, and I was concerned that they were being taken advantage of, financially," he recalls, adding, "I wanted to go into this business to help people and treat them the way my mom and dad should have been treated." Jim had no prior experience in finance before founding Petrizzo Financial in 1991, and recently celebrated 31 years in business. "We don't do anything short-term," he said. Petrizzo Financial joined with IFG on March 24, 2022. "We were seeking a broker-dealer that offered true independence, because we've been stuck with other firms before that tried to fit our business into a mold," said Jim. "We are thrilled to welcome Petrizzo Financial to the IFG family," said David Fischer, IFG co-founder. "We believe in helping small family firms realize their unique vision of success." About Petrizzo Financial Jim Petrizzo has been in business as a financial advisor since 1991; Petrizzo Financial, his family financial advisory firm, opened in Boulder City, NV in 2011. Petrizzo Financial is licensed to operate in 17 states, and currently serves over 1500 client accounts, most of which are families and retirees. To learn more about Petrizzo Financial, please contact Michelle Petrizzo at [email protected] About Independent Financial Group Independent Financial Group, LLC (IFG) is a privately held independent broker-dealer based in San Diego, California. Founded in 2003, IFG provides an array of business solutions supporting more than 640 independent financial professionals across 389 offices nationwide. IFG was named among the "Fastest Growing Private Companies in the US" by Inc. 5000 in 2020 for the eighth time since 2010. San Diego Business Journal ranked IFG "#12 Among the Largest Private Companies in San Diego" in 2020. To learn more about IFG, visit ifgsd.com. Media Contact: Pamela SaundersIFG (800) 269-1903 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nevada-family-firm-with-150m-aum-joins-independent-financial-group-301604582.html SOURCE Independent Financial Group HARBIN, China, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from Science and Technology Daily: 2022 is a crucial year for the large-scale development of 5G applications and the comprehensive iterative upgrading of the technology. Held both online and offline on August 9, the theme of the 2022 World 5G Convention Media Forum is "5G empowers international communication capacity". Experts and professionals from domestic and international media outlets, and 5G tech enterprises jointly discussed the in-depth integration of 5G technology and international communication from the perspective of globalization, explored the direction of international communication with 5G technology in multimedia era, and analyzed how to formulate targeted international communication strategies in accordance with the needs of international audiences on media forum of the 2022 World 5G Convention. Director of China International Communications Group (CICG), Du Zhanyuan shared four viewpoints on the future development of 5G media and the empowerment of 5G technology, saying, "we need to build the 5G ecology of the international communication." President of Science and Technology Daily, Zhang Biyong said, "Science and Technology Daily (S&T Daily) has been paying close attention to the dynamic development of the integration between 5G technology and media, guiding global media on multiple levels, dimensions and channels. S&T Daily is always upholding scientific spirit when reporting openness and innovation, digital security, ecological protection and climate change. We are trying to influence international media in an objective manner, clear up misunderstandings, making the whole world have a better knowledge of China's scientific progress and smart solutions and actively promote the building of a community with a shared future for humankind." Director of Science and Technology Department of Heilongjiang Province, Zhang Changbin and President of Heilongjiang Daily Press Group, Zhang Chunjiao attended the forum and gave viewpoints concerning local multimedia industry. The pivotal role of 5G in communication Editor-in-chief of S&T Daily, Xu Zhilong said that the construction of 5G ecology has reached a golden opportunity. With the empowerment of 5G technology, the structure and ability of media to collect and spread information have changed accordingly, thus strong international communication strength is needed to make China's voice heard. Director of China Society of Science and Technology System Reform, Zhang Jingan said, "China's development needs the world, and the world needs China. It is crucial to let the world know about China through the media. It is of great significance to build the friendship circle among Belt and Road Initiative through the media. 5G technology should be used to enable more foreign friends to understand and support China, so as to become an inevitable force for world peace and development." Deputy editor-in-chief of Guangming Daily, Zhao Jianguo said, "5G has brought new opportunities for change of the mainstream media. Artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data and other cutting-edge technologies created 'a modern communication network on a whole new level' for production and transmission of news. Ultra HD, 5G livestreaming and VR will lead to greater innovation in transmission, and constantly improve the influence of mainstream media. Empowered by technologies, the news chain will be infinitely expanded with media convergence. These are all enabling tools for international communication." Deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily, Sun Shangwu also shared his opinion, saying, "As a media person, firstly we will focus on mobile communication and enhance immediacy, enabling exchanges between China and the rest of the world to spread faster and further. Secondly, we need to make our exchanges more social and interactive to make them more approachable and accessible. Thirdly, we should focus on visualization and make it more vivid so as to make China-foreign exchanges more active." New requirements for international communication in 5G era Dean of Academy of contemporary China and World studies, Yu Yunquan said, "The 5G era has put forward new requirements for international media communication. Firstly is to deepen the thinking of Internet of Things and strengthen the exploration and application of new platforms. Secondly, further improve the "precision" of information services, especially the planning ability. Thirdly, Accelerate the depth of integration with the technology industry, better meet the needs of the audience." Targeted communication of all-media, cross culture and multiple languages will become the new trend in the information age. Vasily Pushkov, director of International Cooperation, Sputnik News Agency and Radio, said, "The COVID-19 pandemic showed the crucial role, which new technologies play in international communications and information exchange. Online formats of interaction are developing rapidly; virtual international events bring together thousands of participants from all over the world, and bilateral online meetings with partners have become something common." Zhao Sha, China Media Development Director of PR Newswire said, "People who work in the media industry are paying closer attention to data from the audience. The increase of the number of views, shares, likes and videos played directly affects the entire industry." 5G empowers the media industry of the future Emilio Saldana, head of science and technology for TV channel 22 in Mexico said, "The fast transmission and ultra-low latency of 5G technology will revolutionize the digital media industry, particularly in two aspects: how news is collected and how it is delivered. 5G technology can help our journalists improve their ability to capture breaking news and produce media products in a short period of time. With the popularization of 5G technology, we will continue to optimize the delivery and experience of news in the digital era." Forum guests from Huawei, Tencent, ZTE and Qualcomm also elaborated on the various channels and ways that technology can help improve the international communication capacity from the perspective of 5G application technology, and described the multi-sensory experience of immersive news. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/science-and-technology-daily-5g-empowers-international-communication-capacity-in-multimedia-era-301604417.html SOURCE Science and Technology Daily Prestigious International Annual Awards Program Recognizes Standout Marketing, Advertising and Sales Technology Around the World SEATTLE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiftly, an innovative technology company delivering integrated platforms, tools and solutions along with comprehensive retail media offerings, today announced that it has been selected as the winner of the "Mobile Marketing Innovation Award" in the 5th annual MarTech Breakthrough Awards program. Conducted by MarTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization, the program recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global marketing, sales and advertising technology industry today. Swiftly is shaping the future of retail technology, specifically for brick-and-mortar partners, by offering innovative, turnkey digital solutions that fuel the technology enjoyed by popular retail and e-commerce giants to the rest of the industry, empowering them to compete and succeed in the growing digital marketplace. Swiftly enables retailers to own the digital relationship with their in-store shoppers and to support them with a robust retail media platform. Swiftly's technology provides retailers the tools they need to attract customers and influence shopping behaviors, while also receiving their share of the retail-media market using real-time, first-party data. Retailers can directly connect to shoppers in an engaging, targeted way through product catalog integration, customer-specific personalization, robust loyalty programs, shopping list capabilities and Swiftly's patented "SwiftLane Checkout" cashless checkout systems. Lastly, Swiftly can also connect any existing mobile app to their retail media platform or supply a dedicated team that can custom build an app in less than 12 weeks. "We believe that today's shoppers want a truly connected and seamless experience that bridges from the app to the physical store. While customers will continue to use apps to find savings, clip coupons and check inventory, 90% of retail sales will still occur in brick-and-mortar stores. This challenges retailers to connect with their customers in a personalized and engaging way across all touchpoints," said Henry Kim, co-founder and CEO of Swiftly. "Thanks to the expertise and innovation of our team, and our plug-and-play model, we help retailers build the "mobile-first" strategy they need. This agility helps retailers catch up in a fast-moving environment and sets them up to thrive as we move into a more digital-centric world." The mission of the MarTech Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work and success in a range of marketing, sales and advertising technology related categories, including marketing automation, market research and customer experience, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, content and social marketing, mobile marketing and many more. This year's program attracted more than 2,950 nominations from over 18 different countries throughout the world. "A strong mobile presence is key to the survival of brick-and-mortar retailers, particularly those who are late to the retail technology game. The increased reliance on mobile apps is a trend retailers can't afford to ignore as it evolves into the primary lifeline connecting them to their customers," said James Johnson, Managing Director at MarTech Breakthrough. "When integrated with a loyalty program, mobile apps increase store visits, builds trust and drives shoppers back to stores. Everything Swiftly creates directly connects retailers to shoppers in an engaging, targeted way. Congratulations to the Swiftly team on winning the 'Mobile Marketing Innovation Award.'" About SwiftlySwiftly is a leading provider of technology solutions for retailers worldwide. Founded in 2018, Swiftly offers innovative solutions that drive retail engagement and enable retailers to own the digital relationship with their customer. Swiftly's Retail Tools, Mobile Platforms, Analytics Tools, and Retail Media Network are integrated into a single unified platform, which enables retailers to accelerate sales and build loyalty while enabling brands to reach more shoppers and amplify campaigns using the power of 1st party data. Trusted by hundreds of iconic brands, Swiftly is democratizing retail technology and giving retailers the tools they need to compete in today's crowded marketplace. For more information, visit www.swiftly.com. About MarTech BreakthroughPart of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the MarTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in marketing, ad and sales technology companies, products and people. The MarTech Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough marketing technology companies and products in categories including marketing automation, AdTech, SalesTech, marketing analytics, CRM, content and social marketing, website, SEM, mobile marketing and more. For more information, visit MarTechBreakthrough.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/swiftly-recognized-for-mobile-marketing-innovation-in-2022-martech-breakthrough-awards-program-301603857.html SOURCE Swiftly 2014'S FULLY COMPLETELY BOX SET AVAILABLE FOR FIRST TIME ON VINYL TO BE RELEASED ON OCTOBER 7, 2022 NEXT YEAR FANS CAN EXPECT VINYL VERSIONS OF YER FAVOURITES, PREVIOUSLY ONLY AVAILABLE ON CD, PLUS A BRAND-NEW BOX SET OF PHANTOM POWER THE TRAGICALLY HIP HONOURED WITH HUMANITARIANISM AWARD INDUCTEES IN 2022 CANADA'S WALK OF FAME FOR AWARD 'Fully Completely' is one of the best albums of the 90's that is not only an excellent representative of the band but an essential album within the genre. Mixing different styles like the sleek, driving rock sound to acoustic to alt rock and pop, The Hip really reached their peak with this record Sputnik Music TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of The Tragically Hip's iconic album, Fully Completely, the band announce that the deluxe boxset, which was previously released in 2014 only on CD, to be reimagined as a vinyl package. This is the first time the box set will be available on vinyl and will be released on October 7, 2022. This 3 LP vinyl set includes all the elements from the 2014 boxset including, the Fully Completely original album, the Live at the Horseshoe September 13, 1992 recording, with bonus studio session tracks Radio Show & So Hard Done By. As well as a Blu-ray of brand-new Dolby Atmos and surround sound mixes of the record. Atmos mixes will also be available digitally on Apple Music and Amazon Music. As well as, newly remastered from the original tapes, 'Heksenketel'1993 tour documentary, plus a 56-page book and five exclusive lithographs by cover artist Lieve Prins. Pre-order the Fully Completely deluxe vinyl box set HERE. The Fully Completely deluxe vinyl edition, is the first in a series of vinyl album rereleases for The Tragically Hip, the band heeding the call to experience the music in this analogue quality format. Fans can watch out for reissues of Yer Favourites which had previously been available only on CD as well as a brand-new boxset for Phantom Power (CD, vinyl, Atmos), leading into the bands' 40th anniversary celebration in 2024. Fully Completely is where The Tragically Hip reach the apex of their talent. Originally released on October 6th, 1992, the album went on to sell more than a million copies in Canada and is quickly approaching double Diamond status. Spawning multiple hit singles "Locked in the Trunk of a Car", "Courage" (For Hugh McLennan), "At the Hundredth Meridian" "Fifty Mission Cap" and "Wheat Kings." At the 2017 Polaris Music Prize the album won the public vote for the Heritage Prize in the 1986-1995 category. Originally released on October 6th, 1992, the album was produced by Chris Tsangarides (Depeche Mode, Killing Joke, Concrete Blonde) and recorded at Battery Studios in London the summer of 1992. Earlier this week, The Tragically Hip were announced as the Inductee to Canada's Walk Of Fame for Humanitarianism in pursuit of social and environmental justice. They had previously received a star on the Walk Of Fame in 2002. For more than three decades, The Tragically Hip's tireless activism and philanthropic pursuits have raised millions of dollars for multiple social and environmental causes, such as Camp Trillium, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Sunnybrook Foundation, WAR Child, the Special Olympics and the Unison Benevolent Fund. A quintessential band whose music captures the essence of being Canadian, they used their enormous megaphone in 2016 to shine a spotlight on the country's systemic mistreatment of indigenous peoples. The legacy of the band's frontman, the late Gord Downie, continues with The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, which aims to build cultural understanding and create a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Fully Completely Deluxe Vinyl Track Listing: LP1- Side A1. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)2. Looking for a Place to Happen3. At the Hundredth Meridian4. Pigeon Camera5. Lionized6. Eldorado LP1 Side B1. We'll Go, Too2. Fully Completely3. Fifty Mission Cap4. Wheat Kings5. The Wherewithal6. Locked in the Trunk of a Car Live at the Horseshoe, September 13, 1992 Recording: LP 2 Side C 1. At The Hundredth Meridian2. Fifty Mission Cap3. We'll Go Too4. Fully Completely5. Pigeon Camera LP2 Side D1. Twist My Arm2. Lionized3. Wheat Kings4. Eldorado LP3 Side E 1. Looking For A Place To Happen2. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)3. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car4. The Wherewithal LP 3 Side FBonus Studio Session Tracks1. Radio Show2. So Hard Done By Fully Completely Atmos Mix on Blu-ray and available on digital platforms: 1. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)2. Looking for a Place to Happen3. At the Hundredth Meridian4. Pigeon Camera5. Lionized6. Eldorado7. We'll Go, Too8. Fully Completely9. Fifty Mission Cap10. Wheat Kings11. The Wherewithal12. Locked in the Trunk of a Car Heksenketel documentary: Featuring concert footage and other clips of the band and crew as they travel across Canada from coast to coast during their 1993 'Another Roadside Attraction' tour. About The Tragically HipCritically acclaimed for more than three decades, The Tragically Hip has been at the heart of the Canadian musical zeitgeist, evoking a strong emotional connection between their music and their fans that remains unrivalled. A five-piece group of friends including Rob Baker (guitar), Gord Downie (vocals, guitar), Johnny Fay (drums), Paul Langlois (guitar) and Gord Sinclair (bass), who grew up in Kingston, Ontario, The Tragically Hip have achieved both mass popularity with more than 10 million albums in Canada and over 1.5 million sold in the U.S, as well as peer recognition through 15 Juno Awards picking up the distinguished Humanitarian Award in 2021 which recognizes Canadian artists or industry leaders whose humanitarian contributions have positively enhanced the social fabric of Canada and beyond. Their studio catalogue includes their self-titled debut album The Tragically Hip (1987), Up To Here (1989), Road Apples (1991), Fully Completely (1992), Day For Night (1994), Trouble At The Henhouse (1996), Phantom Power (1998), Music @ Work (2000), In Violet Light (2002), In Between Evolution (2004), World Container (2006), We Are The Same (2009), Now For Plan A (2012), Man Machine Poem (2016) and Saskadelphia (2021). A National Celebration was the final show of The Tragically Hip's Man Machine Poem Tour recorded on August 20th, 2016, at the K-Rock Centre in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario, and is their last performance as a five-piece band. Through their career the band became a cultural touchstone in Canada, who despite their accolades and numerous recognitions, will always be proudest of the humanitarian work they have done over the years through numerous charitable organizations and causes. Follow The Tragically Hip: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Tik Tok View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/to-commemorate-30th-anniversary-of-the-iconic-album-fully-completely-the-tragically-hip-announce-a-reissue-of-the-deluxe-box-set-as-a-vinyl-package-301604150.html SOURCE UMe TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- INVERSA Leathers, the first regenerative exotic leather is pleased to welcome designer Yotam Solomon to their Advisory Board. Yotam, previously the Creative Director and Fashion Designer behind Newlight Technologies' carbon negative fashion brand COVALENT, aims to provide strategic guidance and support to the company's continued growth. A prominent voice in sustainable fashion, his designs have been worn by celebrities including Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin, Nikki Reed, Stacy Keibler, and Christian Serratos. Yotam brings high fashion expertise to the INVERSA team and will be an integral in furthering product development and innovation within INVERSA. Yotam's work explores redefining sustainability, ethics, and regeneration by calling attention to the harmful realities of synthetics and non-recyclable materials, all key aspects of INVERSA's sustainability plan. INVERSA Leathers has created the first leather that protects biodiversity. The first product line, invasive lionfish leather, was launched with a Le Bon Marche Paris drop with Italian footwear brand P448. Believing in continuous R&D, INVERSA will expand its portfolio with additional invasive species throughout 2022 and 2023. INVERSA is currently in discussions with various design houses to explore commercialization of its leather across multiple product categories as the industry enters the next wave of regenerative sustainability. "Yotam's expertise and insight will accelerate the adoption of invasive leathers into luxury fashion. We are excited to bring Yotam onto our advisory board and work together in empowering the fashion consumer to protect our planet." Aarav Chavda, Co-Founder and CEO For more information on INVERSA please visit http://www.inversaleathers.com/. PRESS CONTACT: Adi Shoham Michele Marie PR [email protected] 646.860.5689 About INVERSA Leathers INVERSA Leathers was founded in 2020 with a mission to develop materials that solve an environmental crisis to protect biodiversity. We create authentic leather from invasive species, empowering the fashion community to heal the planet. Our goal is to create a portfolio of invasive leathers, each one addressing a unique human-induced crisis to restore habitats around the world. Our first line of leather is created from the invasive lionfish, which has ravaged Earth's coral reefs across the Atlantic, from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean Sea. As longtime divers, our founders saw firsthand the devastation caused by the invasive lionfish and embarked upon a journey to protect and restore ecosystems through the power of material innovation and environmental education. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yotam-solomon-leading-sustainability-designer-to-join-inversa-leathers-advisory-board-301604389.html SOURCE INVERSA Leathers UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 10-Q (Mark One) QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the quarterly period ended TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File No. 001-41172 Spree Acquisition Corp. 1 Limited (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Cayman Islands N/A (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 94 Yigal Alon , Building B, 31st floor , Tel Aviv , 6789139 , Israel (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including zip code) +972-50-731-0810 (Registrants telephone number, including area code) N/A (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share SHAP New York Stock Exchange Redeemable warrants, each warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 SHAPW New York Stock Exchange Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of a redeemable warrant SHAPU New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, and emerging growth company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act): Yes No As of August 10, 2022, 20,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, and 5,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, were issued and outstanding. SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q TABLE OF CONTENTS i CERTAIN TERMS Unless otherwise stated in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this Quarterly Report or Form 10-Q), references to: we, us, our, the company or our company are to Spree Acquisition Corp. 1 Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company. Class A ordinary shares are to our Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Class B ordinary shares are to our Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Companies Act are to the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands as the same may be amended from time to time. equity-linked securities are to any securities of our company that are convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, Class A ordinary shares of our company. Exchange Act are to the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Extension Period are to any of the following extension periods beyond the 15-month anniversary of the closing date of our initial public offering during which we may consummate an initial business combination: (a) an additional three month period (for a total of 18 months following the closing of the IPO) if we have filed (i) a Current Report on Form 8-K including a definitive merger or acquisition agreement or (ii) a proxy statement, registration statement or similar filing for an initial business combination but have not completed the initial business combination within the initial 15-month period, (b) up to two instances of an additional three months per instance for a total of up to 18 months or 21 months, respectively, following the IPO, if we deposit into the trust account for each three month extension an amount equal to $0.10 per unit, or (c) any additional period as a result of a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. founders shares are to our 5,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, in the aggregate, initially purchased in a private placement, and not surrendered, by our sponsor and the Class A ordinary shares that will be issued upon the automatic conversion of those Class B ordinary shares at the time of our initial business combination (for the avoidance of doubt, such Class A ordinary shares will not be public shares). initial shareholders are to our sponsors wholly-owned subsidiary, Spree Operandi U.S. LP, a Delaware limited partnership, and other holders (if any) of our founders shares prior to our IPO. IPO or initial public offering refers to the initial public offering of our Class A ordinary shares, which was consummated on December 20, 2021. management or our management team are to our officers and directors. NYSE are to the New York Stock Exchange. ordinary shares are to Class A ordinary shares and/or Class B ordinary shares. ii private shares are to the Class A ordinary shares included in the private units that were issued and sold to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering; private units are to the 945,715 units (consisting of 945,715 private shares and 472,858 private warrants) that were issued and sold to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering. private warrants are to the warrants contained within the private units that were issued and sold to our sponsor in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, as well as any warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans. public shareholders are to the holders of our public shares, including our sponsor, officers and directors to the extent our sponsor, officers or directors purchase public shares, provided their status as a public shareholder shall only exist with respect to such public shares. public shares are to our Class A ordinary shares sold as part of the public units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in our IPO or thereafter in the open market). public units are to the units (consisting of public shares and warrants) sold in our initial public offering. SEC are to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Securities Act are to the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. sponsor are to Spree Operandi, LP, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, including, where applicable, its affiliates (including our initial shareholder, Spree Operandi U.S. LP, a Delaware limited partnership, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of our sponsor). units are to the public units that we sold in our IPO and private units that we sold to our sponsor, in each case at a price of $10.00 per unit, and which consist of one Class A ordinary share and one-half (1/2) of one warrant per unit. warrants are to our redeemable warrants sold as part of the public units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in our initial public offering or thereafter in the open market) and the private warrants. $, US$ and U.S. dollar each refer to the United States dollar. 2021 Annual Report are to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. iii Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This Quarterly Report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, that are not historical facts, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Form 10-Q, including statements in Part 1- Item 2. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations regarding the Companys financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as expect, believe, anticipate, intend, estimate, seek and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect managements current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to Part I- Item 1A. Risk Factors in the 2021 Annual Report. The Companys securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SECs website at www.sec.report. Except as expressly required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. iv PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF JUNE 30, 2022, AND FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED ON THAT DATE 1 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF JUNE 30, 2022, AND FOR THE THREE AND SIX MONTHS ENDED ON THAT DATE INDEX F-1 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS June 30, December 31, 2022 2021 U.S. Dollars in thousands Assets CURRENT ASSETS: Cash and cash equivalents 442 1,011 Related party receivable 15 15 Prepaid expenses 368 368 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 825 1,394 Cash and cash equivalents held in Trust Account 204,245 204,000 Prepaid expenses 167 351 TOTAL ASSETS 205,237 205,745 Liabilities and shares subject to possible redemption net of capital deficiency CURRENT LIABILITIES: Accrued expenses 101 97 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 101 97 NON-CURRENT LIABILITY: Deferred underwriting compensation 9,000 9,000 TOTAL LIABILITIES 9,101 9,097 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Note 6) CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION: 20,000,000 shares at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, at a redemption value of $10.21 per share 204,245 204,000 CAPITAL DEFICIENCY: Class A ordinary shares, $ 0.0001 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 945,715 shares issued and outstanding (excluding 20,000,000 shares subject to possible redemption) at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively * * Class B ordinary shares, $ 0.0001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized, 5,000,000 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively * * Preference Shares, $ 0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2022 - - Additional paid-in capital - - Accumulated deficit ( 8,109 ) ( 7,352 ) TOTAL CAPITAL DEFICIENCY ( 8,109 ) ( 7,352 ) TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHARES SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION NET OF CAPITAL DEFICIENCY 205,237 205,745 (*) The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements. F-2 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS Six months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2022 U.S. Dollars in thousands Except per share data INTEREST EARNED ON MARKETABLE SECURITIES HELD IN TRUST ACCOUNT 245 232 OPERATING EXPENSES ( 757 ) ( 454 ) NET LOSS FOR THE PERIOD 512 222 WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION 20,000,000 20,000,000 BASIC AND DILUTED LOSS PER CLASS A ORDINARY SHARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE REDEMPTION, see Note 4 0.02 0.01 WEIGHTED AVERAGE OF NON-REDEEMABLE CLASS A AND CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES 5,945,715 5,945,715 BASIC AND DILUTED LOSS PER NON-REDEEMABLE CLASS A AND CLASS B ORDINARY SHARES, see Note 4 0.03 0.02 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements. F-3 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN CAPITAL DEFICIENCY Class A ordinary shares Class B ordinary shares Additional Number of shares Par value Number of shares Par value paid-in capital Accumulated deficit Total U.S. dollars in thousands (except share data) BALANCE AT DECEMBER 31, 2021 945,715 * 5,031,250 * - ( 7,352 ) ( 7,352 ) forfeiture of Class B ordinary shares (note 3) - - ( 31,250 ) * - - * Net loss for the period - - - - - ( 290 ) ( 290 ) BALANCE AT MARCH 31, 2022 945,715 * 5,000,000 * - ( 7,642 ) ( 7,642 ) Accretion of Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption to redemption amount - - - - - ( 245 ) ( 245 ) Net loss for the period - - - - - ( 222 ) ( 222 ) BALANCE AT JUNE 30, 2022 945,715 * 5,000,000 * - ( 8,109 ) ( 8,109 ) (*) The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements. F-4 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED UNAUDITED CONDENSED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS Six months ended June 30, 2022 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net loss for the period ( 512 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Decrease in prepaid expenses 184 Increase in accrued expenses 4 188 Net cash used in operating activities ( 324 ) DECREASE IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS HELD IN TRUST ACCOUNT ( 324 ) CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS HELD IN TRUST ACCOUNT AT BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD 205,011 CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS HELD IN TRUST ACCOUNT AT END OF THE PERIOD 204,687 RECONCILIATION OF CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS HELD IN TRUST ACCOUNT: Cash and cash equivalents 442 Cash and cash equivalents held in trust account 204,245 CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS HELD IN TRUST ACCOUNT AT END OF THE PERIOD 204,687 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited condensed financial statements. F-5 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 1 DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS: a. Organization and General SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED (hereafter the Company) is a blank check company, incorporated on August 6, 2021 as a Cayman Islands exempted company, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination (hereafter the Business Combination). Although the Company is not limited to a particular industry or geographic region for the purpose of consummating a Business Combination, the Company intends to focus its search on mobility-related technology businesses. The Company is an early stage and an emerging growth company, and as such, the Company is subject to all of its risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies. All activity for the period from August 6, 2021 (inception) through June 30, 2022 relates to the Companys formation and its initial public offering (the Public Offering) described below and identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition targets for an Initial Business Combination. The Company generates income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the Public Offering and the Private Placement (as defined below in Note 1(b)). The Company has selected December 31 as its fiscal year end. b. Sponsor and Financing The Companys sponsor is Spree Operandi, LP, a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership, which formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Spree Operandi U.S. LP, a Delaware limited partnership, for purposes of holding securities of the Company (collectively, the parent company and subsidiary, the Sponsor). The registration statement relating to the Companys Public Offering was declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on December 15, 2021. The initial stage of the Companys Public Offering the sale of 20,000,000 Units at a price of $ 10 per Unit or $ 200 million in the aggregate closed on December 20, 2021. In addition, the Sponsor purchased in a private placement that closed concurrently with the Public Offering (the Private Placement) an aggregate of 945,715 private Units (see also note 3) (the Private Units) at a price of $ 10 per Private Unit, or $ 9,457,150 in the aggregate. Upon those closings, $ 204 million was placed in a trust account (the Trust Account) (see also note 1(c) below). Out of the $ 204 million placed in the trust account, $ 200 million was derived from the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, inclusive of the partial exercise of the over-allotment option by the underwriter, and an additional $ 4 million was derived from the proceeds invested by the Companys Sponsor in the Private Placement, for the benefit of the public. The Company intends to finance its initial Business Combination with the net proceeds from the Public Offering and the Private Placement. c. The Trust Account The proceeds held in the Trust Account are invested only in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market funds registered under the Investment Company Act and compliant with Rule 2a-7. Unless and until the Company completes the Business Combination, it may pay its expenses only from the net proceeds of the Private Placement held outside of the Trust Account. The balance outside the Trust Account as of June 30, 2022 was approximately $ 0.4 million. F-6 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 1 DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.): d. Initial Business Combination The Companys management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Public Offering, although substantially all of the net proceeds of the Public Offering are intended to be generally applied toward consummating an initial Business Combination. The initial Business Combination must occur with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80 % of the net assets held in the Trust Account (excluding taxes payable on the income accrued in the Trust Account). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully consummate an initial Business Combination. The Company, after signing a definitive agreement for an initial Business Combination, will provide its public shareholders the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination, either (i) in connection with a shareholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. However, in no event will the Company redeem its public shares in an amount that would cause its net tangible assets to be less than $ 5 million following such redemptions. In such case, the Company would not proceed with the redemption of its public shares and the related initial Business Combination, and instead may search for an alternate initial Business Combination. If the Company holds a shareholder vote or there is a tender offer for shares in connection with an initial Business Combination, a public shareholder will have the right to redeem its shares for an amount in cash equal to its pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, calculated as of two days prior to the general meeting or commencement of the Companys tender offer, including interest but less taxes payable. As a result, the Companys Class A ordinary shares are recorded at redemption amount and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the Public Offering, in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity. Pursuant to the Companys memorandum and articles of association, if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within a 15-month period (such 15-month period extended (a) to 18 months if the Company has filed (i) a Form 8-K including a definitive merger or acquisition agreement or (ii) a proxy statement, registration statement or similar filing for an initial business combination but has not completed the initial business combination within such 15-month period or (b) two instances by an additional six months each instance for a total of up to 18 months or 21 months, respectively, by depositing into the trust account for each six month extension an amount equal to $ 0.10 per unit) or during any shareholder-approved extension period, (hereafter the Combination Period), following the closing of the Public Offering, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable, and less up to $ 100 thousand of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public shareholders rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Companys remaining shareholders and the Companys board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Companys obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. F-7 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 1 DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.): The Sponsor and the Companys officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any Class B ordinary shares (as described in note 3) held by them if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within 15 months or during any extension period following the closing of the Public Offering. However, if the Sponsor or any of the Companys directors or officers acquire any Class A ordinary shares, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete the Business Combination within the prescribed time period. In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company after an initial Business Combination, the Companys shareholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of stock, if any, having preference over the ordinary shares. The Companys shareholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the ordinary shares, except that the Company will provide its shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, under the circumstances, and, subject to the limitations, described herein. e. Substantial Doubt about the Company's Ability to continue as a Going Concern As of June 30, 2022, the Company had approximately $ 442 thousand of cash and an accumulated deficit of $ 8,109 thousand. In connection with the Companys assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Boards Accounting Standard Codification 205-40, Going Concern, the Company may need to obtain additional funds in order to satisfy its liquidity needs in its search for an Initial Business Combination. Since its inception date and through the issuance date of these financial statements, the Companys liquidity needs were satisfied through an initial capital injection from the Sponsor, followed by net Private Placement proceeds, as well as several borrowings of funds under promissory notes issued by the Company to the Sponsor (which borrowings were repaid upon the closing of the Companys Public Offering). Management has determined that it will need to rely and is significantly dependent on amounts to be made available under future promissory notes or other forms of financial support to be provided by the Sponsor (which the Sponsor is not obligated to provide). Moreover, the Company has until March 20, 2023 (unless such period is extended, as detailed under d. Initial Business Combination above) to consummate the initial Business Combination. If a business combination is not consummated by this date (unless extended), there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Management has determined that the mandatory liquidation, should a business combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution, raises substantial doubt about the Companys ability to continue as a going concern. F-8 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 1 DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS (cont.): The Company intends to complete the Initial Business Combination before the mandatory liquidation date. However, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to consummate any business combination ahead of March 20, 2023, nor that it will be able to raise sufficient funds to complete an Initial Business Combination. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company fail to obtain financial support in its search for an Initial Business Combination, nor if it is required to liquidate after March 20, 2023. f. Emerging Growth Company Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make a comparison of the Companys financial statement with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible, because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. NOTE 2 SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES: The financial statement has been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (hereafter U.S. GAAP) and the regulations of the Securities Exchange Commission (hereafter SEC). The significant accounting policies used in the preparation of the financial statement are as follows: a. Basis of Presentation The Companys unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q. Certain disclosures included in the financial statements as of, and for the period from August 6, 2021 to December 31, 2021, have been condensed or omitted from these financial statements as they are not required for interim financial statements under U.S. GAAP and the rules of the SEC. These unaudited condensed financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. These adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim period operating results may not be indicative of the operating results for a full year. F-9 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 2 SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.): The unaudited condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Companys audited financial statements. b. Use of estimates in the preparation of financial statement The preparation of the financial statement in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statement and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates and such differences may have a material impact on the Companys financial statement. c. Earnings (loss) per share The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net loss attributable to holders of ordinary shares of the Company, by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding for the reporting period. In computing the Companys diluted earnings per share, the denominator for diluted earnings per share is a computation of the weighted-average number of ordinary shares and the potential dilutive ordinary shares outstanding during the period. d. Fair value measurement Fair value is based on the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or that would be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In order to increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, the guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into six broad levels, which are described as follows: Level 1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs. Level 2: Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets, but corroborated by market data. Level 3: Unobservable inputs are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. In determining fair value, the Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible and considers counterparty credit risk in its assessment of fair value. e. Income tax The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes (hereafter ASC 740). ASC 740 prescribes the use of the liability method whereby deferred tax asset and liability account balances are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. F-10 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 2 SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (cont.): The Company provides a valuation allowance, if necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to their estimated realizable value if it is more likely than not that a portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized, based on the weight of available positive and negative evidence. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are classified as non-current in accordance with ASC 740. The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions (UTPs) in accordance with ASC 740-10. ASC 740-10 contains a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that, on an evaluation of the technical merits, the tax position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50 % (cumulative probability) likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits under taxes on income (tax benefit). f. Recent accounting pronouncements Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company's financial statement. NOTE 3 CAPITAL DEFICIENCY: a. Ordinary Shares Class A ordinary shares The Company is authorized to issue up to 500,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of $ 0.0001 par value each. As of June 30, 2022, the Company has an aggregate of 20,000,000 Class A ordinary shares issued and outstanding that were sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering. The Units (which also included Warrants) were sold at a price of $ 10 per Unit, for aggregate consideration of $ 200 million in the Public Offering. The Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 945,715 private shares as part of the Private Units (which also included private warrants) sold in the Private Placement at a price of $ 10 per Private Unit, or $ 9,457,150 in the aggregate. Class B ordinary shares The Company is authorized to issue up to 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares of $ 0.0001 par value each. On August 23, 2021 the Company issued 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares of $ 0.0001 par value each for a total consideration of $ to the Sponsor. On November 23, 2021, the Sponsor surrendered to the Company for cancellation and for nil consideration 718,750 Class B ordinary shares of par value $ 0.0001 each. On January 29, 2022, the underwriters over-allotment option to buy up to an aggregate of 125,000 additional Units expired unexercised. As a result, 31,250 of the original 5,031,250 Class B ordinary shares issued to the sponsor, which were subject to forfeiture to the extent the underwriters over-allotment option was not fully exercised, were cancelled, leaving the sponsor with 5,000,000 Class B ordinary shares. Class B ordinary shares are convertible into Class A ordinary shares, on a one-to-one basis, at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder, or automatically on the day of the Business Combination. Class B ordinary shares also possess the sole right to vote for the election or removal of directors, until the consummation of an initial Business Combination. F-11 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 3 CAPITAL DEFICIENCY (cont.): b. Preference shares The Company is authorized to issue up to 5,000,000 preference shares of $ 0.0001 par value each. As of June 30, 2022, the Company has no preference shares issued and outstanding. NOTE 4 LOSS PER SHARE: a. Basic As of June 30, 2022, the Company had two classes of ordinary shares, Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption and non-redeemable Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Earnings or losses are shared pro rata (excluding the accretion of Class A redeemable shares, derived from interest earned on marketable securities held in trust account) between the two classes of ordinary shares, based on the weighted average number of shares issued outstanding for the period ended June 30, 2022. The accretion to redemption value of the Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption is fully allocated to the Class A ordinary shares subject to redemption. The calculation is as follows: Six months ended June 30, 2022 Three months ended June 30, 2022 U.S. dollars in thousands (except share data) Loss attributable to redeemable Class A ordinary shareholders ( 583 ) ( 350 ) Accretion on Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption 245 232 ( 338 ) ( 118 ) Weighted average of Class A ordinary shares subject to possible redemption 20,000,000 20,000,000 Basic and diluted loss per Class A ordinary share subject to possible redemption ( 0.02 ) ( 0.01 ) Loss attributable to non-redeemable Class A and Class B ordinary shareholders ( 174 ) ( 104 ) Weighted average of non-redeemable Class A and Class B ordinary shares 5,945,715 5,945,715 Basic and diluted loss per non-redeemable Class A and Class B ordinary shares ( 0.03 ) ( 0.02 ) F-12 SPREE ACQUISITION CORP. 1 LIMITED NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED) NOTE 4 LOSS PER SHARE (cont.): b. Diluted The Company had outstanding warrants to purchase up to 10,472,858 class A shares. The weighted average of such shares was excluded from diluted net loss per share calculation since the exercise of the warrants is contingent on the occurrence of future events. As of June 30, 2022, the Company did not have any dilutive securities or any other contracts which could, potentially, be exercised or converted into ordinary shares and then share in the earnings of the Company. NOTE 5 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS: On August 22, 2021, the Company signed an agreement with the Sponsor, under which the Company shall pay the Sponsor a fixed $ 10 thousand per month for office space, utilities and other administrative expenses. The monthly payments under this administrative services agreement commenced on the effective date of the registration statement for the Public Offering and will continue until the earlier of (i) the consummation of the Companys Business Combination, or (ii) the Companys liquidation. NOTE 6 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: Underwriters Deferred Compensation Under the Underwriting Agreement, the Company shall pay an additional fee (the Deferred Underwriting Compensation) of 4.5 % ($ 9 million) of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, payable upon the Companys completion of the Business Combination. The Deferred Underwriting Compensation will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event the Company completes the Business Combination. The Deferred Underwriting Compensation has been recorded as a deferred liability on the balance sheet as of June 30, 2022, as management has deemed the consummation of a Business Combination to be probable. F-13 ITEM 2. MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read together with our unaudited condensed financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, and our audited financial statements and related notes thereto as of, and for the period from August 6, 2021 (inception) to, December 31, 2021, included in the 2021 Annual Report. Some of the information contained in this discussion and analysis or set forth elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, including information with respect to our plans and strategy for our initial business combination, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of many factors, including those factors set forth in the Risk Factors section of the 2021 Annual Report, as updated by the Risk Factors in Part II, Item 1A of this Quarterly Report, our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in the following discussion and analysis. Overview We are a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company and incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We completed our initial public offering in December 2021, and since that time, we have engaged in discussions with, and due diligence with respect to, potential business combination target companies; we have not, however, as of yet, reached a definitive agreement with a specific target company with respect to an initial business combination with us. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using (i) cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of the private warrants, (ii) cash from a new financing involving the sale of our shares and/or other equity, (iii) cash from one or more debt financings, and/or (iv) issuance of shares to target company shareholders. The issuance of additional ordinary shares in a business combination: may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions of the Class B ordinary shares resulted in the issuance of Class A ordinary shares on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B ordinary shares; may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares if preference shares are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A ordinary shares; could cause a change of control if a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the share ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A ordinary shares and/or warrants. Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant indebtedness, that could result in: default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is issued and outstanding; our inability to pay dividends on our Class A ordinary shares; using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our Class A ordinary shares if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; 2 limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. As indicated in the accompanying financial statements, at June 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we had approximately $442,000 and $1,011,000, respectively, of cash, and approximately $724,000 and $1,297,000, respectively, of working capital. Further, we expect to continue to incur significant costs in the pursuit of our acquisition plans. We cannot assure you that our plans to complete our initial business combination or a related capital-raise will be successful. Results of Operations and Known Trends or Future Events We have not engaged in any revenue-generating operations to date. Our only activities since inception have been organizational activities and preparations for our initial public offering and, subsequent to our initial public offering, searching for, and due diligence related to, potential target companies with which to consummate a business combination transaction. We have not and we will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We generate income in the form of interest income on funds held in our trust account after our initial public offering. There has been no significant change in our financial or trading position and no material adverse change has occurred since the June 30, 2022 date of our financial statements contained in this Quarterly Report. After our initial public offering, which was consummated in December 2021, we have been incurring increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses related to our search for a target company. Liquidity and Capital Resources We have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our financing and acquisition plans. Our management expects that the proceeds of our initial public offering, together with proceeds from additional loans from our sponsor, if necessary (as described below), will suffice to cover our working capital needs until our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that our plans to consummate, or to finance our preparations for, an initial business combination will be successful. Prior to the completion of our initial public offering, our liquidity needs were satisfied from the availability of up to $300,000 in loans from our sponsor under an unsecured promissory note under which we had initially borrowed $199,598 prior to the consummation of our initial public offering. The total balance owed under the note was repaid in full upon the consummation of our initial public offering, and as of June 30, 2022, no amounts remained outstanding under that note. Subsequent to our initial public offering, our working capital needs have been satisfied primarily by the approximately $1,100,000 available to us initially outside our trust account (from the private placement of private units consummated simultaneously with our initial public offering). 3 The net proceeds from (i) the sale of the units in our initial public offering, after deducting offering expenses of approximately $600,000, directors and officers liability insurance premiums of approximately $750,000 and underwriting commissions of $4,000,000 (but excluding a deferred underwriting fee of $9,000,000 that will be payable to the representative of the underwriters as a deferred underwriting fee at the time of (and subject to the consummation of) our initial business combination transaction), and after adding back $1,000,000 paid to us by the underwriter to reimburse certain of our expenses, and (ii) the sale of the private units for a purchase price of $9,457,150 in the aggregate, was $205,100,000. Of this amount, $204,000,000 (including $9,000,000 in potential deferred underwriting fees to be payable to the representative of the underwriters at the time of our initial business combination transaction) was deposited into a non-interest bearing trust account. The funds in the trust account are invested only in specified U.S. government treasury bills or in specified money market funds. As of June 30, 2022, we had approximately $204,245,000 of cash and marketable securities held in that trust account. We may withdraw interest from the trust to pay taxes, if any. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. The remaining amount of approximately $1,100,000 from our initial public offering and private units financing was not transferred to the trust account and was deposited in our bank account. As of June 30, 2022, we had approximately $442,000 of cash deposited in that bank account. As of June 30, 2022, we had an accumulated deficit of approximately $8,109,000. We may use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (which interest shall be net of taxes payable and excluding potential fees to be payable to the underwriters for advisory services in connection with our initial business combination transaction), minus amounts paid out to redeeming shareholders, as consideration to complete our initial business combination. To the extent that our ordinary shares or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account (less any amounts paid out to redeeming shareholders) will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies. Prior to our initial business combination, we are using the proceeds held outside of the trust account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, structure, negotiate and complete a business combination, pay for administrative and support services, and pay taxes to the extent the interest earned on the trust account is not sufficient to pay our taxes. In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete our initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that our initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside of the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. In lieu of cash repayment, upon the closing of our initial business combination, up to $1,500,000 of such loans may instead be converted into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private warrants (that are part of the private units) issued to our sponsor. The terms of such loans by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. As of June 30, 2022 and as of the date of this Quarterly Report, there are no amounts outstanding under any such loans from our sponsor or its affiliates. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, as we do not believe third parties are willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. Our estimated primary liquidity requirements during our post-initial public offering, pre-business combination period include approximately: $550,000 for legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses associated with structuring, negotiating and documenting any business combinations; $100,000 for legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements, including NYSE and other regulatory fees; $180,000 for administrative and support services; and $270,000 for working capital that is being used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves. 4 These amounts are estimates and may differ materially from our actual expenses. In addition, we could use a portion of the funds not placed in trust to pay commitment fees for financing, fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business or as a down payment or to fund a no-shop provision (a provision designed to keep target businesses from shopping around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into an agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business, the amount that would be used as a down payment or to fund a no-shop provision would be determined based on the terms of the specific business combination and the amount of our available funds at the time. Our forfeiture of such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise) could result in our not having sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conducting due diligence with respect to, prospective target businesses. Currently, we do not believe that we will need to raise additional funds following our initial public offering in order to meet the expenditures required for searching for a target company for, and consummating, our initial business combination. However, the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating and consummating an initial business combination may be greater than what we currently estimate would be needed to do so. Consequently, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Moreover, we will likely need to obtain additional financing (either by issuing additional securities or incurring debt) to operate the combined company following our initial business combination, in part because we may become obligated to redeem a significant number of our public shares upon completion of our initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our business combination. We cannot assure you that our plans for that financing or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. In the absence of a business combination, our required liquidation date (March 20, 2023) would be less than 12 months after the date of our 2021 Annual Report (subject to any Extension Period that we may obtain). In addition to that impending required liquidation date, we are dependent upon additional funding from our sponsor or its affiliates during the period prior to our initial business combination (to be evidenced by additional promissory note(s) that we may issue). Those factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. Off-Balance Sheet Financing Arrangements We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of June 30, 2022. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets. Contractual Obligations We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement to pay the sponsor a monthly fee of $10,000 for office space, and administrative and support services, provided to our company. We will continue to incur those monthly fees until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our companys liquidation. We are also obligated to pay Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, the representative of the underwriters in our IPO, a deferred underwriting fee of $9.0 million, which represents 4.5% of the gross proceeds of our IPO, which is payable upon and subject to the consummation of our initial business combination transaction. Critical Accounting Estimates None. 5 ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK The net proceeds from our initial public offering and the sale of the private units held in the trust account are invested in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Due to the short-term nature of these investments, we believe there will be no associated material exposure to interest rate risk. ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Quarterly Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SECs rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, whom we refer to as our Certifying Officers, the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of June 30, 2022, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) or Rule 15d-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of June 30, 2022 our disclosure controls and procedures were effective. We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. 6 PART II - OTHER INFORMATION ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. None. ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in this report include the risk factors described in our 2021 Annual Report, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022. As of the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in our 2021 Annual Report, except as described below: Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by unfavorable macro-economic trends or by the ongoing invasion of the Ukraine by Russia. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, together with actions taken to counter-act its impact, have, in large part, triggered certain adverse macro-economic trends that threaten the improved economic outlook achieved in its aftermath. Specifically, supply chain delays and rising shipping costs, along with significant inflationary pressures due to the infusion of money into circulation as part of a loose monetary policy designed to ease economic conditions during the pandemic, now threaten global economic prosperity. Many governments and central banks have responded by raising interest rates in order to curb inflationary pressures, which, in turn, has hurt financial markets and made it more difficult for companies to raise capital. The extent to which these trends impact our search for a business combination, or the financial condition of our post-business combination company (assuming that we successfully locate a target company and consummate a business combination), depends on present and future developments in the industry in which we are searching for target companies, which developments are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. In a similar manner, Russias invasion of the Ukraine could also have an adverse effect on our ability to consummate a business combination transaction or on the operations of the target business with which we combine. That invasion may result in increased costs of compliance, restrictions on our target business ability to sell into specific regions, higher volatility in foreign currency exchange rates, increased use of less cost-efficient resources and negative impacts to our target business. The invasion may also cause a deterioration in general economic conditions, which may adversely impact our access to financing for the combined company upon the consummation of a business combination, thereby frustrating our ability to effect that combination. If the disruptions posed by unfavorable macro-economic conditions, Russias invasion of the Ukraine, or other matters of global concern continue for a further extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected. Changes in SEC rules affecting special purpose acquisition companies may adversely affect our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination. Our consummation of a business combination may be contingent upon our ability to comply with certain laws, regulations, interpretations and applications, and any post-business combination company may be subject to additional laws, regulations, interpretations and applications. Compliance with the foregoing may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time, and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete an initial business combination. On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules relating to, among other items, disclosures in business combination transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs, and private operating companies; the financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; the use of projections in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and the extent to which SPACs could become subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including a proposed rule that would provide SPACs a safe harbor from treatment as an investment company if they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPACs duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities. These rules, if adopted, whether in the form proposed or in a revised form, may increase the costs of and the time needed to negotiate and complete an initial business combination, and may constrain the circumstances under which we could complete an initial business combination. 7 ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS. On December 15, 2021, the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-261367) relating to our IPO was declared effective by the SEC. For a description of the use of the proceeds generated in our IPO, see Part I, Item 2 Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations- Liquidity and Capital Resources of this Form 10-Q. The use of net proceeds from our IPO described herein does not reflect a material change in the expected use of such proceeds as described in our final prospectus for the IPO. ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES. None. ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES. Not applicable. ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION. None. 8 ITEM 6. EXHIBITS. The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. * Filed herewith. ** Furnished. 9 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. Spree Acquisition Corp. 1 Limited Date: August 11, 2022 /s/ Eran (Rani) Plaut Name: Eran (Rani) Plaut Title: Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) Date: August 11, 2022 /s/ Shay Kronfeld Name: Shay Kronfeld Title: Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 10 Exhibit 5.1 Divakar Gupta +1 212 479 6474 [email protected] August 10, 2022 CinCor Pharma, Inc. 230 Third Avenue 6th Floor Waltham, MA 02451 Ladies and Gentlemen: We have acted as counsel to CinCor Pharma, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), in connection with the filing by the Company of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the Initial Registration Statement) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including a related prospectus that was included in the Initial Registration Statement (the Prospectus), and a Registration Statement on Form S-1 related thereto (the 462(b) Registration Statement and, together with the Initial Registration Statement, the Registration Statements) filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), covering an underwritten public offering of (i) up to 8,625,000 shares (the Shares) of the Companys common stock, par value $0.00001 per share (Common Stock) (including up to 1,125,000 Shares that may be sold by the Company upon exercise of an option to purchase additional shares to be granted to the underwriters) and (ii) pre-funded warrants (the Warrants) to purchase up to 7,500,000 shares of Common Stock (the Warrant Shares). In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon (a) the Registration Statements and the Prospectus, (b) the form of the Warrants (c) the Companys Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws, each as currently in effect, and (d) originals or copies certified to our satisfaction of such records, documents, certificates, memoranda and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion expressed below. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the accuracy, completeness and authenticity of the certificates of public officials and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by all persons other than by the Company where due authorization, execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof. As to certain factual matters, we have relied upon a certificate of an officer of the Company and have not independently verified such matters. Our opinion is expressed only with respect to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and, as to the Warrants constituting valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, the laws of the State of New York. We express no opinion to the extent that any other laws are applicable to the subject matter hereof and express no opinion and provide no assurance as to compliance with any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation. With regard to our opinion regarding the Warrants and the Warrant Shares, (i) we have assumed that the exercise price of the Warrants at the time of exercise will be equal to or greater than the par value of the Common Stock, and (ii) we express no opinion to the extent that future issuances of securities of the Company, including the Warrant Shares, and/or antidilution adjustments to outstanding securities of the Company, cause the Warrants to be exercisable for more shares of the Common Stock than the number that remain available for issuance under the Companys then effective certificate of incorporation. Cooley LLP 55 Hudson Yards New York, NY 10001 As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 10, 2022 Registration No. 333- UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM S-1 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 Treasure global inc (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 7389 36-4965082 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) 276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 #739 New York, New York 10001 +6012 643 7688 (Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrants principal executive offices) Chong Chan Sam Teo Chief Executive Officer Treasure Global Inc 276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 #739 New York, New York 10001 +6012 643 7688 (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) Copies to : Ross D. Carmel, Esq. Jeffrey P. Wofford, Esq. Andrew M. Tucker, Esq. Carmel, Milazzo & Feil LLP N elson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP 55 West 39th Street, 18th Floor 101 Constitution Avenue, NW. Suite 900 New York, New York 10018 Washington, D.C. 20001 Telephone: (212) 658-0458 Telephone: (202) 689-2800 Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement. If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. x If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. Registration No. 333-264364 If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer x Smaller reporting company x Emerging growth company x If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON FILING WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 462(B) UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED. 1 EXPLANATORY NOTE This Registration Statement on Form S-1 is being filed by Treasure Global Inc, a Delaware corporation (the Registrant), pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.This Registration Statement relates to the offering of shares of the Registrants common stock contemplated by its Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333- 264364 ), which was initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 19, 2022, and which, as amended, was declared effective on August 10, 2022 (the Prior Registration Statement). This Registration Statement is filed for the sole purpose of increasing the amount of securities being offered and covers the registration of an additional $700,000 of common stock, $0.00001 par value per share, of the Registrant. The required opinion of counsel and related consent, accountants consent and fee calculation exhibit are attached hereto and filed herewith. Pursuant to Rule 462(b), the contents of the Prior Registration Statement, including the exhibits thereto, are incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. 2 SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York on the 10th day of August, 2022. TREASURE GLOBAL INC By: /s/ Chong Chan Sam Teo Chong Chan Sam Teo Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Name Capacity in Which Signed Date /s/ Chong Chan Sam Teo Chief Executive Officer and Chairman (Principal Executive officer) August 10, 2022 Chong Chan Sam Teo /s/ Yee Fei Jaylvin Chan Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting officer) August 10, 2022 Yee Fei Jaylvin Chan /s/ Voon Him Victor Hoo Chairman of the Board and Managing Director August 10, 2022 Voon Him Victor Hoo /s/ Joseph R. Bobby Banks Director August 10, 2022 Joseph R. Bobby Banks /s/ Marco Baccanello Director August 10, 2022 Marco Baccanello /s/ Jeremy Roberts Director August 10, 2022 Jeremy Roberts 3 EXHIBIT INDEX 4 Exhibit 5.1 August 10, 2022 Treasure Global Inc 276 5th Avenue, Suite 704 #739 New York, NY 10001 RE: Registration Statement on Form S-1MEF Gentlemen: We have acted as counsel to Treasure Global Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company ) in connection with the 462(b) Registration Statement on Form S-1MEF filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) on August 10, 2022 (as amended, the 462(b) Registration Statement ), pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ) in connection with the offering of up to 175,000 additional shares (the Shares ) of the Companys Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share (the Common Stock ), upon the closing of the public offering pursuant to which the 462(b) Registration Statement relates (together, the Shares and the shares of the Common Stock covered by the Over-allotment Option are referred to herein as the Securities ). This opinion The Securities are to be sold by the Company pursuant to definitive underwriting agreements approved by the Companys Board of Directors, or a committee thereof, by and between the Company and EF Hutton division of Benchmark Investments, LLC (the Underwriting Agreement ). This opinion is being furnished to you in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act and may be relied upon by all purchasers of the Securities in the offering described in the Prospectus (as defined below). You have requested our opinion as to the matters set forth below in connection with the 462(b) Registration Statement. For purposes of rendering that opinion, we have examined: (i) the registration statement on Form S-1 of the Company relating to the Securities filed on April 19, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission ( Commission ) under the Securities Act and Pre-Effective Amendment Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4 thereto, including the information deemed to be a part of the registration statement pursuant to Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations under the Securities Act (such registration statement, as so amended, being hereinafter referred to as the Registration Statement ); (ii) the prospectus, dated August 10, 2022 (the Prospectus ), which forms a part of and is included in the Registration Statement; (iii) the 462(b) Registration Statement; (iv) the form of Underwriting Agreement; (v) the Companys current Certificate of Incorporation (as amended, the Charter ) and Bylaws, each of which has been filed with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; (vi) the records of the corporate actions of the Company relating to the 462(b) Registration Statement and the authorization for issuance and sale of the Securities, and matters in connection therewith; and (vii) the Companys stock ledgers. We have reviewed such other matters and made such other inquiries as we have deemed necessary to render the opinions expressed herein. For the purposes of this opinion letter, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, that each document submitted to us is accurate and complete, that each such document that is an original is authentic, that each such document that is a copy conforms to an authentic original, the conformity to the original or final versions of the documents submitted to us as copies or drafts, including, without limitation, the Charter and that all signatures on each such document are genuine. As to any facts relevant to the opinions stated herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others and of public officials, including the factual representations and warranties set forth in the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, we have assumed that the issuance of the Shares will not violate or conflict with any agreement or instrument binding on the Company. In rendering our opinion below, we have also assumed that: (i) the Company will have sufficient authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock at the time of the initial closing of the public offering and at the time of the exercise of the Over-allotment Option; (ii) each Underwriting Agreement, as executed, constitutes a valid and binding agreement of each of the parties thereto (other than the Company), enforceable against the parties thereto in accordance with its terms; (iii) the issuance of the Securities will be duly noted in the Companys stock ledger upon their issuance; (iv) the Company will receive consideration for the Securities offered and sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement at least equal to the par value of such share of the Common Stock and in the amount required by the Underwriting Agreement; and (v) the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the Underwriting Agreement, the 462(b) Registration Statement and the authorization for issuance and sale of the Securities, and matters in connection therewith, have not been revoked, rescinded or amended as of the date hereof and are in full force and effect. We have not verified any of those assumptions. Our opinions set forth below are limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, the 462(b) Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto have all become effective under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the 462(b) Registration Statement that is declared effective by the Commission (the Prospectus ), required by applicable law have been delivered and filed as required by such laws, it is our opinion that: 1. The Shares are duly authorized for issuance by the Company and, when issued and paid for as described in the 462(b) Registration Statement and the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The opinions set forth above are subject to the following additional assumptions: (i) The 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendment thereto (including any post-effective amendment) has become effective under the Securities Act, and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated, suspended or rescinded; and (ii) All Securities offered pursuant to the 462(b) Registration Statement will be issued and sold (a) in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations and solely in the manner provided in the 462(b) Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and (b) only upon payment of the consideration fixed therefor in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement. We assume no obligation to update or supplement any of our opinions to reflect any changes of law or fact that may occur. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 462(b) Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm in the related Prospectus under the caption Legal Matters. In giving our consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Very truly yours, /s/ Carmel, Milazzo & Feil LLP Carmel, Milazzo & Feil LLP Exhibit 23.1 CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act of 1933 of the reference to our firm under the caption Experts and to the incorporation by reference of our report dated January 25, 2022 (except for Note 15, as to which the date is March 22, 2022) which includes an explanatory paragraph as to the Companys ability to continue as a going concern, with respect to our audits of the consolidated financial statements of Treasure Global Inc. for the years ended June 30, 2021 and 2020. included in Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement (Form S-1 No. 333-264364) and related Prospectus of Treasure Global Inc. for the registration of shares of its common stock. /s/ Friedman LLP New York, New York August 10, 2022 Exhibit 107 Calculation of Filing Fee Tables Form S-1 (Form Type) TREASURE GLOBAL INC. (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter) Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities Security Type Security Class Title Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule Amount Registered Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (1) Fee Rate Amount of Registration Fee (3)(4) Newly Registered Securities Fees Previously Paid Equity Common Stock $0.00001 par value (2)(3) 457(o) 175,000 $ 4.00 $ 700,000 $ 0.0000927 $ 64.89 Carry Forward Securities Carry Forward Securities Total Offering Amounts $ 700,000 $ 64.89 Total Fees Previously Paid $ 2,811.71 Total Fee Offsets $ 64.89 Net Fee Due $ 0 (1) The registrant previously registered securities with a proposed maximum aggregate offering price not to exceed $9,000,000 on a registration statement on Form S-1, as amended (File No. 333-264364), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 10, 2022. In accordance with Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 19533, as amended (the Securities Act), an additional amount of securities having a proposed maximum aggregate offering price of $700,000 is hereby registered, which includes shares of common stock that may be issued upon exercise of a 45-day option granted to the representative of the underwriters. (2) Pursuant to Rule 416, there are also being registered such indeterminable additional securities as may be issued to prevent dilution as a result of stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions (3) Includes shares the underwriter has the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any and shares underlying the underwriters warrants. (4) Pursuant to Rule 457(p) under the Securities Act, the registration fee for this registration statement is being offset by $58.47, representing a portion of the unused portion of the registration fee ($2,811.71) previously paid by the Registrant in connection with the registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-264347) filed with the SEC on April 19, 2022 (the Prior Registration Statement), of which $839.51 was used pursuant to the Prior Registration Statement. UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G (Amendment No. )* Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp (Name of Issuer) Class A Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share (Titles of Class of Securities) G01109100 (CUSIP Number) August 5, 2022 (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: Rule 13d-1(b) Rule 13d-1(c) Rule 13d-1(d) * The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out of a reporting persons initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 2 of 10 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Cantor Fitzgerald Securities 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION New York NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,875,000* 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,875,000* 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,875,000* 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.5% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON PN FOOTNOTE: * Consists of 1,875,000 shares of common stock. CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 3 of 10 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,875,000* 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,875,000* 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,875,000* 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.5% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON PN FOOTNOTES: * Consists of 1,875,000 shares of common stock. CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 4 of 10 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON CF Group Management, Inc. 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION New York NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,875,000* 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,875,000* 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,875,000* 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.5% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON CO FOOTNOTES: * Consists of 1,875,000 shares of common stock. CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 5 of 10 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Howard W. Lutnick 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) (b) 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION United States NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,875,000* 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,875,000* 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,875,000* 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.5% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON IN FOOTNOTE: * Consists of 1,875,000 shares of common stock. CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 6 of 10 Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp Item 1(b). Address of Issuers Principal Executive Offices: 301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 3300 FORT WORTH, TX 76102 Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing: Cantor Fitzgerald Securities, Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P., CF Group Management, Inc. and Howard W. Lutnick (collectively, the Reporting Persons). Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: 110 East 59th Street New York, New York 10022 Item 2(c). Citizenship: Cantor Fitzgerald Securities is a general partnership formed in New York. Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. is a Delaware limited partnership; CF Group Management, Inc. is a New York corporation, and Mr. Lutnick is a citizen of the United States of America. Item 2(d). Titles of Classes of Securities: Class A Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share. Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: G01109100 Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a(n): (a) Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78o). (b) Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c). (c) Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c). (d) Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8). (e) Investment adviser in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E). (f) Employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F). (g) Parent holding company or control person in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G). (h) Savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813). (i) Church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3). (j) Non-U.S. institution, in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). (k) Group in accordance with 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with 240. 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution: __________ CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 7 of 10 Item 4. Ownership The responses to Items 5-11 of the cover pages of this Schedule 13G are incorporated herein by reference. As of August 5, 2022, the Reporting Persons may be deemed to beneficially own an aggregate of 1,875,000 Class A Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share (Ordinary Shares) of AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp (the Issuer), representing 7.50% of the Issuers outstanding Common Stock. The percentage of the Common Stock held by the Reporting Persons is based on 25,000,000 Ordinary Shares outstanding as of July 29, 2022 as reported in the Issuers 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 4, 2022. Cantor Fitzgerald Securities ("CFS") is the record holder of the securities reported herein. CF Group Management, Inc. ("CFGM") is the managing general partner of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. ("Cantor") and directly or indirectly controls the managing general partner of CFS. Mr. Lutnick is Chairman and Chief Executive of CFGM and trustee of CFGM's sole stockholder. Cantor, indirectly, holds a majority of the ownership interests of CFS. As such, each of Cantor, CFGM and Mr. Lutnick may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the securities directly held by CFS. Each such entity or person disclaims any beneficial ownership of the reported shares other than to the extent of any pecuniary interest they may have therein, directly or indirectly. CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 8 of 10 Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following . Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. Not Applicable. Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company. Not Applicable. Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. Not Applicable. Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. Not Applicable. Item 10. Certification. By signing below the undersigned certifies that, to the best of his or its knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under 240.14a-11. CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 9 of 10 SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: August 11, 2022 CANTOR FITRZGERALD SECURITIES By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Name: Howard W. Lutnick Title: Chief Executive Officer CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P. By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Name: Howard W. Lutnick Title: Chief Executive Officer CF GROUP MANAGEMENT, INC. By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Name: Howard W. Lutnick Title: Chief Executive Officer HOWARD W. LUTNICK By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Howard W. Lutnick [Schedule 13G AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp August 2022] CUSIP No. G01109100 SCHEDULE 13G Page 10 of 10 Exhibit Index EXHIBIT 99.1 JOINT FILING AGREEMENT Each of the undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees, in compliance with the provisions of Rule 13d-1(k)(1) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that the Schedule 13G to which this Agreement is attached as an Exhibit, and any amendments thereto, will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission jointly on behalf of the undersigned. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts. Date: August 11, 2022 CANTOR FITZGERALD SECURITIES By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Name: Howard W. Lutnick Title: Chief Executive Officer CANTOR FITZGERALD, L.P. By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Name: Howard W. Lutnick Title: Chief Executive Officer CF GROUP MANAGEMENT, INC. By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Name: Howard W. Lutnick Title: Chief Executive Officer HOWARD W. LUTNICK By: /s/ Howard W. Lutnick Howard W. Lutnick. [Schedule 13G AfterNext HealthTech Acquisition Corp Joint Filing Agreement August 2022] (Tribune News Service) Google and SpaceX are coming to Tampa to help pick the next big military innovation for U.S. Central Command. MacDill Air Force Base on Thursday detailed plans for a competition dubbed the CENTCOM Innovation Oasis, in which service members and civilian employees can put forth ideas to improve operations at the Tampa-based command, which oversees U.S. military activity in the Middle East. Described as sort of a Shark Tank for the military, the competition is looking for ideas both high-tech and low-tech, from personal apps to battle-ready technology to procedures to smooth out human relations. The winner will get a service medal and four-day leave pass, and their idea will be considered for implementation across CENTCOM. In the U.S. military, we sometimes think of innovation as this function that we sprinkle on top of our plans once theyre developed, or this function that comes in as were developing a new idea, said CENTCOM spokesperson Joe Buccino, the competitions executive director. Well, thats not going to work. Innovation has to be part of who we are, and has to be in the air we breathe, in everything we do, across everything we do. It has to penetrate all of CENTCOM. Buccino has been part of competitions like this in other parts of the military. The 18th Airborne Corps, based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, has held several iterations of a similar competition called Dragons Lair, which has spawned ideas like a military app designed to track benefits and support for relocated military family members, and an improved investigation and justice policy for handling sexual sexual assault cases. Its intentionally ambiguous, Buccino said. Were looking for a diversity of ideas policy-based, high-tech, low-tech. We dont know what we dont know. Thats where tech giants Google and SpaceX will come in. They, along with NASA officials and military leaders, will judge the ideas, and bring a name brand and a credibility to the program, Buccino said. And if a good idea will require a lot more research and work than it seems on its face, those companies will know it. Their role is looking at the idea and looking at the innovation from the purview of a company that exists to implement new ideas, and that is constantly working in this field, he said. What theyve agreed to do is basically judge the competition, provide immediate feedback, help us select a winner, and help us identify problems that were not seeing that are going to arise down the road. Shortly after the competition launched Thursday, CENTCOM had already received a few dozen ideas, ranging from a printer designed for use onboard F-18s to an app that streamlines the passport process for employees traveling around the globe. Military members and civilian employees can email their ideas to CENTCOMInnovationOasis@mail.mil by Sept. 16. Judges will name five finalists on Sept. 26; those finalists will present their ideas to the judges in a Shark Tank-like event at MacDill Air Force Base on Oct. 12. A winner will be selected Oct. 14. 2022 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. An Air Force base west of Dallas let the robotic dogs out to patrol the installation this month, the second base in two years to give the machines a try. The security forces squadron at Dyess Air Force Base unleashed an unspecified number of robot dogs officially designated Vision 60 Quadrupedal Unmanned Ground Vehicles by their manufacturer on Aug. 5 for a trial and training phase, according to a 7th Bomb Wing news release. These quadrupeds, unlike their organic counterparts, neither bark nor bite and are limited to a watchdog role, according to the Air Force. The machines are expected to provide early warning of potential threats, said Staff Sgt. Trung Vu, noncommissioned officer in charge of sensors for the 7th Security Forces Squadron, who was quoted in the release. Dyess is home to two aircraft wings of B1-B Lancer bombers and C-130J airlifters. Each Vision 60, a product of Ghost Robotics of Philadelphia, starts at $150,000, and the price goes up as payloads are added, company spokesman Michael Subhan told Stars and Stripes by email Wednesday. The robotic dog is capable of nearly 7 mph with a range of six miles and three hours of battery life, according to the Ghost Robotics website. There are quite a few payloads that can be added to the Vision 60 robot, Subhan said. The electronic canines can carry thermal cameras; sensors for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear contamination; emergency ordnance disposal disruptors; manipulator arms; light detection and radar imagers; radios and other hardware and software, he said. Dyess is the second Air Force base to field mechanical quadrupeds. Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., set their robot dogs on the hunt two years ago. The robots will not replace real working dogs, but will be used as a force multiplier for enhanced situational awareness, Maj. Jordan Criss, commander of 325th Security Forces Squadron, said in a news release in November 2020. The robots patrol paths are set and monitored by a noncommissioned officer in charge of the security sensor system, Criss said. The machines can transmit real-time data to their operators and be controlled from a handheld remote or laptop. U.S. Customs and Border Protection also tested Ghost Robotics machines as potential patrol partners along the U.S. Southwest border, according to a Department of Homeland news release in February. The 100-pound robot dog is engineered to traverse a variety of natural terrain and human-built environments like stairs, according to Homeland Security. Robot dogs can get themselves upright again if they fall or are knocked over. Putting them to work reduces the risk to human officers from harsh environments, extreme weather and traffickers in drugs and humans, according to the department. The Border Patrol tested its autonomous quadrupeds as sentries by programming them to walk specified routes during day and night. The machines also simulated train car inspections at railyards, according to Homeland Security. The Vision 60 can run autonomously via either GPS waypoints or recording a route and playing that route back autonomously, Subhan told Stars and Stripes. VICENZA, Italy Spc. Harrison Turney was returning from a long weekend in Positano two months ago when he saw fellow paratroopers outside the barracks playing music and grilling meat. That seemed like a waste to the 22-year-old California native. Why not go somewhere? "They can grill out on a regular day," Turney said. During his nearly three-year assignment with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, hes gotten around, traveling to numerous spots in Italy as well as to Ireland, Croatia, Greece, Monaco, Paris and Amsterdam. And some of these privates, they should be aware that you can go pretty far on a four-day (weekend), he said. So Turney and his girlfriend worked up an idea to encourage young paratroopers in the unit to do just that. By completing tasks, especially with others, they would get time off. He emailed the brigade commander, Col. Michael Kloepper, who loved the idea. He and Turney jointly devised a points system consisting of 22 activities that allows soldiers to accumulate points and earn three- day and four-day passes. The incentive plan was implemented this month. Sky Soldiers like time off. We like Sky Soldiers to pursue excellence, Kloepper said in a recent statement about the program. So we mashed those two ideas together. The threshold for a three-day pass is 75 points, and a four-day pass requires 100 points. Troops are limited to one points-related pass per month. The activities include going on hikes, visiting battlefields, taking college classes, volunteering, earning awards, maxing out PT scores and taking a weekend trip by train or plane. Each activity has an assigned point value, and troops can earn extra points for most activities by taking part in them as a group of four. The scale ranges from 10-point activities, such as visiting a European battlefield or cemetery by oneself, to 100-point incentives, which include beating the brigade commanders PT challenge with three other paratroopers. Winning Soldier of the Month is worth 50 points and graduating from Ranger School is worth 100 points. Anyone in the brigade can accrue points, including senior officers, said Maj. Rob Haake, a brigade spokesman. He said Turneys brainstorming is exactly what owning the brigade should feel like by making it better no matter what rank you are. As for Turney, hes off to his next assignment in October. Its with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. FORT DRUM (Tribune News Service) On a relatively cool August afternoon, the past, present and future of the 10th Mountain Division came together on an artillery field on the training grounds north of the divisions home post. Joined by some of the most senior commanders in the 10th Mountain Division, World War II veteran of the 10th Mountain Division Hilton R. Labow visited the post on Wednesday to meet new recruits, division leadership and to witness some of the modern Armys most interesting equipment. At the newly opened 10th Mountain Division museum outside Fort Drum, Mr. Labow looked at exhibits that explained his own experiences, fighting at Mount Belvedere and Riva Ridge in the Italian campaign during World War II. Mr. Labow was 21 years old at the Riva Ridge battle that gave the original 10th Mountain Division its most well-known stories. An infantryman and rifleman in the 87th Regiment, he said he still recalls the orders that Maj. General George P. Hays gave to the men as they advanced on enemy positions. We advanced all the while, he said. General Hays didnt believe in retreat. He said Gen. Hays ordered his men to march forward with just their bayonets ready, unloaded so an errant shot wouldnt risk giving away their location as they slowly advanced. The Maj. General, the first to command the 10th Mountain Division in combat during its first years during WWII, earned a Congressional Medal of Honor for his leadership and success, with his division, in the war. The divisions main headquarters on Fort Drum today is named after Maj. General Hays. The 10th Mountain Division, in that war, was laser-focused on Alpine, wintertime combat. Trained at Camp Hale in Colorado, the division was well-suited to the Appenine Mountains where they fought and took control of German positions in the mountains and successfully destroyed five German divisions and opposed more than 100,000 German troops, sustaining 5,000 casualties and 999 deaths in action. The Division was briefly stationed in Yugoslavia following the German surrender and was deactivated at the end of November 1945. The division was briefly revived in the late 1940s for training, sent back to Germany as a full division in the 1950s, before being shut down again in 1958. It wasnt until 1985, following the publication of Col. Michael T. Plummers Light Infantry Division White Paper, that the 10th Mountain Divisions modern iteration was formed in Northern New York. Mr. Labow, who grew up in Hailesboro, St. Lawrence County, just south of Gouverneur, said he was extremely pleased to see his old division reactivated again in the 1980s. When he heard Fort Drum would be the home, he said he wanted to see it immediately. I wanted to get over here right away, he said. On Wednesday, Mr. Labow and a number of the divisions senior commanders oversaw a live artillery fire drill, part of the divisions ongoing training exercises. Howitzers, long-range artillery that is now common in Army operations, fired their massive rounds across Fort Drums training grounds at regular intervals. The guns, which now use digital targeting systems, are much larger and more advanced than the original equipment Mr. Labow would have seen during combat in Italy. As explained by Colonel Thomas A. Gottke, Commander of 10th Mountain Division Artillery, Mr. Labow would have worked alongside Pack 75 howitzers, much smaller, more portable artillery that could be easily moved with sleds and manpower as the division advanced over rough, mountainous terrain. Mr. Labow was given the chance to see the new, modern guns up close and personal. He was given the rare chance to step behind the sights and see the way the modern weaponry used by the 10th Mountain Division operates. He said these weapons are clearly strong, effective and used by well-trained soldiers. Youre only as good as your artillery, he said. Mr. Labow has been a guest at Fort Drum a few times over the years, and as a veteran of the divisions original team, hes always treated with the utmost respect and awe. Also in attendance on Wednesday was one of the Armys newest recruits, Evans Mills native Keegan J.M. Larive. The 22-year-old SUNY Oswego graduate enlisted on Tuesday, and said he was more than honored to be able to meet one of the legends of the 10th Mountain Division, the division his stepfather serves in and the division he hopes to serve in. Touring with the senior commanders of the Armys most-used division is far from a typical first day for an enlisted man, and Mr. Larive said he was honored to be present. Its a privilege to have everyone here, gathered at a day like this, he said. I didnt expect myself to be here, it was nice, like paying homage or respect to someone that served during World War II. Mr. Larive spoke with Mr. Labow, who said the Army is in need of strong, aware and honorable men. We need a good army, Mr. Labow said. Freedom isnt free. Colonel Matthew W. Braman, Deputy Commander at Fort Drum, was one of the senior division leaders in attendance for Wednesdays event. He said it was incredible to hear the history of the division from someone who saw it. Having met previous original members of the division in the past, Im reminded of how few are left, he said. The opportunity to have an original campaign man come to Fort Drum, see the divisions museum where he was part of the history, its pretty amazing. As the live artillery training wrapped up, Mr. Labow was handed a challenge coin for the 15th Field Artillery Regiment, to signify his time with the regiment on Wednesday and his incredible history with the division. Ill put it right next to my heart, Mr. Labow said as he accepted the coin. ___ (c)2022 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) Visit Watertown Daily Times at watertowndailytimes.com NAPLES, Italy The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush deployed this week for the first time in nearly five years, following intensive maintenance. Carrier Strike Group 10 left its homeport in Newport, Va. on Wednesday, the Navy said in a statement. The Navy did not say where the group was headed, but USNI News previously reported that the George H.W. Bush is expected to relieve the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which has been on duty in the Mediterranean since December. Throughout our deployment we will continue to operate with and reassure our allies, maintain open sea lanes for trade and increased prosperity and deter or, if necessary, destroy our adversaries, Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, commander of CSG 10, said in the statement. In a show of NATO strength, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered Truman to remain in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in February as tensions rose amid Russias troop buildup along the borders of Ukraine and subsequent full-scale invasion. Among other operations, the Truman has supported training and patrol flights in Eastern Europe. It also has sailed in the Mediterranean, Ionian, Adriatic and Aegean seas and participated in military exercises with NATO allies and partners. The George H.W. Bush CSG, which also includes Carrier Air Wing 7, has more than 6,000 sailors. The cruiser USS Leyte Gulf and destroyers USS Delbert D. Black, USS Farragut and USS Truxtun of Destroyer Squadron 26, which also recently departed their homeports, are part of the carrier strike group as well. This is the Delbert D. Blacks first deployment, the Navy said. The carriers last deployment in 2017 included service in the Arabian Gulf, where it supported missions targeting ISIS as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. It returned from that seven-month deployment in August 2017. It completed a 2-year dry-dock maintenance in August 2021, according to the Navy. The maintenance period was the $8.5 billion ships first time out of the water since 2006. Last week, the destroyer USS Bulkeley sailed from Norfolk as part of a scheduled homeport shift and gradual plan to rotate four destroyers based at Naval Station Rota in Spain. Bulkeley will join USS Arleigh Burke, USS Roosevelt and USS Paul Ignatius, the Navy said in an Aug. 4 statement. The White House announced in June that two additional destroyers would be based at Rota but didnt specify which ships or give a timeline for their arrival, according to a June 28 USNI News report. (Tribune News Service) William Dorsey was just a baby when his uncle, U.S. Army Pvt. Carl G. Dorsey, was declared missing in action in World War II in December 1944. Now, nearly 80 years later, Carl Dorsey is coming home. He will be buried Sept. 3 in Grenola, Kansas. Dorsey's remains were identified in June after they were unearthed in July 2021 from a cemetery in Belgium, according to a news release from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The agency's web site says it is tasked with "recovering American military personnel listed as prisoners of war or missing in action from designated past conflicts, from countries around the world." Dorsey was 19 and assigned to company I, 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, his army personnel record shows. He and his unit saw combat in the Hurtgen Forest near Grosshau, Germany in December 1944, the month he was declared missing in action. He was declared killed in action Dec. 5, 1945, according to the release. After the war in 1946, unidentified remains were found near Grosshau. An agency historian studying American losses in the Hurtgen area between 1946 and 1950 indicated that a set of unidentified remains could be from Dorsey, who was declared non-recoverable in December 1950. Those remains had been buried at an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Belgium in 1950, the release said. The remains were identified by scientists using "dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial evidence," the release said. Ian Spurgeon is an agency historian who worked to identify and account for Dorsey's remains. He, along with a dozen other historians and analysts, have been working on about 20,000 thousand cases of Americans missing in Europe and the Mediterranean. "Our agency's role is to identify as many as 200 soldiers worldwide every year. Dorsey was a case that I originally looked into. It took me about four years from when I finished my initial research into the identification," said Spurgeon, a Kansas native. "There is always that sense of connection when I see that one of us researchers has been working on data and finally getting to see photographs and realizing that these are cases close to where my family started," Spurgeon said. Spurgeon, 45, of Wichita, graduated from Augusta High School and then went on to attend Kansas State University. Spurgeon and his family left Kansas in 1999 and eventually settled in Washington D.C. "It's exciting to see that a couple hundred Kansans have been identified and brought back to Kansas. That's where it really hits home," Spurgeon said. William Dorsey said he is proud of his uncle. "It is so good to know what happened. ... That he died in battle and that he sacrificed his life to keep our country free." Dorsey grew up a farm boy, said his nephew, who is now 80 and lives in Frisco, Texas. "As far as I know he helped out on the farm in Moline, Kansas with his dad, James Bennett. My grandpa James was a farmer. He grew watermelons and would take them to various cities where they had auctions and trade and sell goods," he said. Dorsey's name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margarten, Netherlands. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for, the release said. A funeral service will be held for Dorsey at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 3 at the Hillside Funeral Home West, 2929 W. 13th N. in Wichita. A graveside service with full military honors will be held at 2 p.m. at the Greenlawn Cemetery in Grenola, Kansas that same afternoon. ___ (c)2022 The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.) Visit The Wichita Eagle at www.kansas.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Lego lovers still have time to complete a stamp-collecting challenge at Tokyo-area train stations, collect a small prize and get comfortable riding the rail system. Until Aug. 21, Lego and Japan Railways East are collaborating to mark the 90th anniversary of the Lego Group and 150th anniversary of the first rail line in Japan, which connected Shimbashi in Tokyo to Yokohama. Participants move from station to station collecting ink stamps on a large game card. Seven stamps qualify the holder for a prize. Thirty stamps bring a larger prize. Brochures with a stamp section are available at 30 stations in the Tokyo metropolitan area. Participating stations are listed in the brochure. A one-day Tokenai pass to ride the rails costs 760 yen for adults and 380 yen for children, respectively, or $5.63 and $2.73, and can save riders the toll on their e-cards. Shinjuku Station, reputedly the worlds busiest rail terminal, is where I began my hunt for seven stamps on a hot August weekday. At any moment the maze-like station teems with thousands of commuters. The stamp section is distinguishable by Lego wallpaper with Shinjuku printed on it. I found it by asking at the information desk. The ink stamps bear the station name in hiragana, a Japanese phonetic lettering system, and a special Lego minifigure. Shinjukus figure resembles a red chili pepper. The following Sunday I resumed the trail through another six stations I needed to complete the card. It took some effort because the stamp areas were not always immediately visible at the stations, but that made the hunt more challenging. Waiting on trains, reaching the next stations and navigating the crowds and summer heat to finally discover a stamp location took some commitment. Usually, I needed an assist from the information desk, security guards or by catching sight of the Lego signs set up to direct players to the stamp tables. I was not alone in my quest. Its very enjoyable, said an older Tokyo resident, Hiromitsu Hamamoto, at Nakano Station. It was definitely an adventure for me. My stamp-collecting journey took me from one side of Tokyo to the other, over miles of track and through the myriad tunnels that define Tokyos stations. With my fifth stamp, I was energized to keep moving; I was almost there. Onto the next station and the next, Meguro, my goal and the seventh station. Victorious, I returned to Shinjuku, one of 10 designated goal stations where collectors can claim their prize. On the final leg, I queried a Shinjuku Station employee for the location of a New Days convenience store where stamp collectors can claim their prize, a Lego minifigure. Several are available, but I chose one of a station employee. To claim the prize, I presented the completed card and paid a hefty ransom in the form of a 500 yen or more purchase of anything inside New Days. I knew it probably would be a bit of a challenge on my time to get to the 30-station mark, so seven is where I ended. But I did witness several others working on that milestone to beat the Aug. 21 deadline. king.juan@stripes.com Twitter: @juanking_17 On Aug. 3, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved Finland and Sweden joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The vote was 95 to 1, far more than the two-thirds required for approval. This supports expansion in the strategically vital Arctic, which will significantly extend Russias borders with NATO members. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, an occasional collaborator with Russia, initially opposed admission of Finland and Sweden. His concerns included the presence in Scandinavia of the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units. Turkeys government strongly opposes such separatist groups. At the end of June, the three nations leaders signed an accord on the matter. Turkey has a very large and effective military. Expanding NATO to the north while not losing Turkey in the south represents a major strategic victory. Russias invasion of Ukraine represents the most serious crisis and challenge in Europe since the Balkan wars of the 1990s. President Vladimir Putin no doubt anticipated a quick victory. Ukraines heroic self-defense to date has energized as well as united NATO. Russia is paying a high price for aggression. The Russia-Ukraine conflict overall is a long-term affair. In 2014, Russia seized Crimea and the eastern portion of Ukraine. Crimea had been part of Russia until Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred the peninsula to the authority of Ukraine in 1954. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, followed by the disintegration of the Soviet bloc of satellite states, and then the Soviet Union, represented historic strategic victory for the West. The end of the Cold War confirmed the policy of restraint and deterrence termed Containment, initiated by the Truman administration. Poland, a NATO member since 1999, is active in the collective effort to provide arms to Ukraine. The new coalition government in Germany led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz began with a low profile regarding Europe, in considerable contrast to the assertive long-term leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel. This changed abruptly when Russia invaded Ukraine, and Germany now provides arms and other aid. Both of the potential NATO members bring significant qualities. The Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-40, ended through negotiation, demonstrated Finlands military prowess against a far larger enemy. Cold War Sweden practiced variations of often obviously anti-American neutrality. Both nations in NATO strengthen deterrence of Russia in the North. During the early phases of the Cold War, the Arctic was the focus of intense security concern. NORAD, the North American Air Defense Command, was formed in 1958 (retitled North American Aerospace Defense Command in 1981) to coordinate Canada and U.S. military activities. The threat of Soviet long-range bombers attacking after crossing the Arctic was a prime concern. Less visibly, President Dwight Eisenhower secured demilitarization of Antarctica in 1959. In the North today, Russia has taken the lead in commerce, exploration and military bases. Moscow also pursues serious disputes with other Arctic nations. One example involves Canada and Denmark regarding control of the Lomonosov Ridge. In 2021, Russia succeeded Iceland in chairing the Arctic Council, which also includes Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the U.S. Finland and Sweden in NATO will effectively isolate Russia as the only non-member of the alliance. Agreement within an enlarged NATO will facilitate effective strategy to counter Russias potentially significant expansion in the Arctic region, a vital area largely ignored by U.S. presidents since the turn of the century. Less directly, this may encourage over the long term the trend for NATO to become engaged in other parts of the world. Last month, the alliance announced efforts to expand relations with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. Russia has reconfirmed the validity of NATO. Arthur I. Cyr is author of After the Cold War American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia. KINSHASA, Congo U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said he was "concerned" about reports of the detention of an opposition political leader in Congo. On the second day of his visit to the central African nation, Blinken said his delegation was "trying to get more facts" about the opposition figure's detention which he said had happened "in the last 24 hours." Blinken said his delegation had raised the issue with Congo's government and he called it a "possible setback" in establishing "the right environment" for elections. "We have full respect for the laws of the DRC (Congo) but we are concerned about any steps taken that could actually reduce the political space, especially as the country heads into elections," Blinken said. The secretary of state was speaking at an event promoting democracy in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, as part of his three-nation African tour. Jean-Marc Kabund, the former vice president of the National Assembly and former ally of President Felix Tshisekedi, was placed under provisional detention Tuesday following his interrogation by the prosecutor general, according to his lawyer. He is being investigated for making public insults and harmful accusations that were of offense to the president, local reports said. Kabund has was ousted as vice president of the National Assembly and head of Tshisekedi's party earlier this year for criticizing the president. Kabund then formed his own party. Also on Wednesday, Blinken met with Congo's Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde for discussions that included Congo's security, economy and environment. Blinken also hosted guests including Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege at the U.S. Embassy. Before leaving for Rwanda, his third and final stop in Africa, Blinken reiterated the United States' willingness and availability to work with Congo on the issues discussed. "The agenda that we have on various topics, whether it's food security issues, whether it's climate preservation issues, whether it's the work we do together to support democracy, to help to restore peace and security in (Congo's) East All these subjects demonstrate both the depth and the importance of our relations. We are delighted to be able to work together," Blinken said. While Blinken was in Congo, the U.S. State Department announced the allocation of up to $23.75 million to support the country's general elections scheduled for 2023. The funding is to support the electoral system, improve civic and voter education, and help marginalized communities to understand and participate in the political process, said a statement. KIGALI, Rwanda U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday rebuked Rwandan authorities over democracy and human rights concerns, saying the central African country may not reach its full potential without opening up political space and protecting freedoms. "We recognize Rwanda's incredibly difficult history of the 1994 genocide and we know the ongoing legacy of that genocide but the criminalization of some people ... in politics, harassment of those who express opposition views to the current government, we believe (that) undermines total peace and stability and success which has been extraordinary in the case of Rwanda," said Blinken at a press briefing. He was speaking in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, the last stop on his three-nation tour of Africa. Earlier Blinken toured a memorial for victims of Rwanda's 1994 genocide, saying he was "moved by this memorial and inspired by the resilience of the survivors and the remarkable progress of this country." Blinken laid a wreath at the mass graves honoring the more than 800,000 victims of the genocide perpetrated by Hutu extremists against the Tutsi ethnic group and moderate Hutus. "My family experienced the horrors of holocaust and I appreciate the importance of memorializing such tragic events," Blinken wrote in a guest book at the memorial. "The United States strongly supports Rwanda's continued efforts towards renewal and national reconciliation." One of Blinken's aims in Rwanda is to engage officials regarding the case of Paul Rusesabagina, a U.S. permanent resident whose conviction on terror charges and incarceration has drawn attention to what some say is the Rwandan government's harsh treatment of its critics at home and abroad. Rusesabagina is the hero of the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda," which dramatized his efforts as a hotel manager to shelter hundreds of Tutsis during the genocide. The U.S. asserts that Rusesabagina, a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, is wrongfully jailed in Rwanda. "We have been clear about our position with the trial of Paul Rusesabagina. We still have conviction that the trial wasn't fair," Blinken said. "I discussed this with President Paul Kagame but I won't go into specifics of our discussion, but will continue to engage and also follow up with the family." Many activists believe only diplomatic intervention from Washington can possibly help Rusesabagina, 68, who has suffered poor health in recent years, according to his family. He was sentenced to 25 years last September. His conviction came more than a year after he disappeared during a visit to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and appeared days later in Rwanda in handcuffs, accused of supporting the armed wing of his opposition group. Blinken, who visited South Africa and also went to Congo earlier in the week, comes to Rwanda at a particularly difficult time for Africa's Great Lakes region, with the small central African nation at odds with vast neighbor Congo over allegations that both governments support rebels opposed to each other. Blinken said he told Kagame that the recent U.N. report accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels is "credible." Rwandan authorities deny those charges and have rejected the report by U.N. experts as a move "to distract from real issues." Rwandan authorities in turn accuse Congo of giving refuge to ethnic Hutu fighters who played roles in Rwanda's 1994 genocide that killed ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus. There have long been tensions between the countries. In the late 1990s, Rwanda twice sent its forces deep into Congo, joining forces with rebel leader Laurent Kabila to depose the country's longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. After his meetings with the leaders of Rwanda and Congo this week, Blinken said he believes both are committed to peace talks and he said the U.S. will support African-led efforts to end the fighting. "My message to both presidents of Congo and Rwanda this week has been the same. Any support of any armed group in eastern (Congo) endangers local communities and regional stability and every country in the region must respect the territorial integrity of the others," he said. A meeting between Kagame and Tshisekedi in Angola on July 6 produced a statement calling for a return to normal diplomatic relations, a cessation of hostilities and the "immediate and unconditional withdrawal" of the M23 from its positions in eastern Congo. But M23, which comprises mostly ethnic Tutsis from Congo, continues to hold its positions near the border with Uganda, keeping the spotlight on Rwanda. The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a letter to Blinken last month called for a comprehensive review of U.S. policy toward Rwanda and noted his concern that Washington's support for Rwanda, widely described by human rights groups as authoritarian and repressive, is not in line with U.S. values. Teamwork displayed this week by the United States, Indonesia and a dozen other armed forces should instill fear in the U.S. militarys pacing threat, the general leading multinational drills in Indonesia said Thursday. Super Garuda Shield, a two-week exercise concluding Sunday, took place while China exercised its navy and air force around Taiwan for a week following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit there Aug. 3. Beijing on Wednesday concluded the drills that Taipei saw as a rehearsal for invasion. China underlined its ballistic missiles and artillery with a white paper Wednesday that justifies using force to unite Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, with the mainland. U.S. military leaders regard China as the pacing threat in the Indo-Pacific, the term Maj. Gen. Stephen Smith, commander of the Armys 7th Infantry Division, used in remarks to Stars and Stripes on Thursday at Baturaja Training Area on Sumatra. That should put fear in their hearts how we can come together as a joint, multinational force, Smith said. The main complement of Super Garuda Shield is 2,000 American and 2,000 Indonesian troops. This years installment is the largest in the 16-year history of the annual exercise. The training is a natural progression of where we need to be as we see what China is doing in the region, Smith said. Super Garuda Shield is an Indonesian initiative, said Carlyle Thayer, an emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales and lecturer at the Australian Defence Force Academy. China is applying pressure in Indonesian waters around the Natuna Islands, he said in an email Tuesday. The islands northeast of Singapore are close to a part of the South China Sea claimed by China. Chinese coast guard patrols, now routine, protect illegal Chinese fishing boats near the islands, Thayer said. Indonesia responded by beefing up the infrastructure at its nearby military airfields and naval ports, even deploying its most modern jet fighters, he said. Indonesian leaders assumed that China recognized Indonesias sovereignty over the Natunas but claimed historic rights over adjacent waters, Thayer said. Within the past year, China informed Indonesia that it had disputed sovereignty claims, he said. There were further incidents of Chinese harassment of Indonesian oil exploration efforts. Indonesia has long refused to recognize Chinas claims in the South China Sea, Thayer said. Indonesia argues that all of its maritime boundaries are legitimate and based on international law, he said. Therefore, Indonesia refuses to enter into negotiations with China or any other claimant state. Super Garuda Shield is a message Indonesia sends to China, Thayer said. Indonesia is developing its capacity to defend its sovereignty and sovereign jurisdiction over its Exclusive Economic Zone and continental shelf by exercising with advanced navies including the United States and significantly Japan for the first time, he said. In other words, Indonesia is signaling its ability to deter China. Japan sent paratroopers and Australia and Singapore both sent infantry companies to Super Garuda Shield. Canada, France, India, Malaysia, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the United Kingdom sent observers. The Australian company commander, Maj. John Moulton, 35, said at Baturaja on Wednesday that his unit routinely works with both U.S. Marines and the Indonesian army. He saved video on his phone of a Sumatran tiger crossing a road in the training area. robson.seth@stripes.com Twitter: @SethRobson1 CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa The price of a gallon of premium gasoline on U.S. bases in the Far East is set to fall below $5 for the first time since March, according to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. At Yokota Air Base, the headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo, AAFES customers will see premium at $4.94 a gallon starting Saturday, down from $5.07. The same price drop will take effect at bases on Okinawa, at Misawa Air Base in the northeast and at Camp Zama, the headquarters of U.S. Army Japan outside Tokyo, according to AAFES weekly price update. Premium will also cost $4.94 per gallon at U.S. bases in South Korea and on Guam; regular gas, which is not available at all AAFES stations in Japan, will drop to $4.12 and $4.11, respectively. I figured the gas prices would go down eventually, civilian spouse Steven Brown told Stars and Stripes on Thursday at the AAFES Express near Yokotas main gate. I only generally have to fill up every few weeks or so it was about $50 every three weeks. It is way better here than when I was in Texas. Premium is also set to sell for $4.94 at Yokosuka Naval Base south of Tokyo, according to Navy Exchange department manager Dylan Bice. An increased supply of crude coming to market coupled with weaker demand equals lower prices at the pump, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. U.S. gasoline supply in the most recent week rose to 9.1 million barrels per day, though that figure still shows demand down 6% over the past four weeks compared with the same period in 2021. Fuel prices at U.S. bases in the Pacific first reached $5 a gallon for premium in March. Prices peaked in mid-June when military motorists paid $5.83 for premium at AAFES stations in South Korea and $5.82 in Japan. Many shopped around for bargains on the Japanese economy. In May, a Shell service station just outside Yokotas main gate sold high octane for 170 yen a liter, or about $5.04 a gallon. The station also sold regular, not available at Yokota and some other bases in Japan, for about $4.71 a gallon. Were not driving around taking the family on trips, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey Hoffman at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni told Stars and Stripes while filling up his car on Thursday. I like to drive around and sightsee, and with the COVID restrictions being more relaxed it doesnt help that gas prices are so high." The gas pumps at MCAS Iwakuni are operated by the Marine Corps Exchange. A spokesman did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for gas price information. The exchange sets overseas pump prices based on the U.S. Department of Energys weekly average for each grade of gasoline in the continental U.S., plus the unique, incremental costs the exchange incurs in each overseas market, AAFES spokesman Chris Ward said in May. These bona fide incremental costs include labor costs, excess depreciation and other unique expenses associated with providing gasoline to authorized drivers overseas, he said. Crude oil futures traded Thursday at $91.88 per barrel, down from $110.85 per barrel last May, according to the Yahoo Finance. Stars and Stripes reporters Jonathan Snyder and Kelly Agee contributed to this report. CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Marines from Okinawa demonstrated another facet of their commandants new island-fighting doctrine this week by moving a tactical vehicle by helicopter from shore to ship and back again. Marines of Combat Logistics Battalion 31 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 on Monday hauled the joint light tactical vehicle, about the size of its predecessor the Humvee, from a secured military training area near Camp Hansen to the USS Miguel Keith offshore somewhere in the Philippine Sea, according to a news release emailed Wednesday to Stars and Stripes by Capt. Pawel Puczko, spokesman for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The demonstration marked the first time Marines moved a light tactical vehicle by air in that manner, according to the release. The exercise showed the Marines ability to move combat vehicles and weapons systems between expeditionary advanced bases and ships like the Miguel Keith, a seaborne expeditionary base, Super Stallion pilot Capt. Tyler Hopping said in the release. The CH-53 and Helicopter Support Team provide a pretty unique capability to get those systems to otherwise inaccessible locations, he said. The maneuver tests a concept in expeditionary advanced base operations, a main tenet of Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Bergers servicewide redesign called Force Design 2030. He unveiled the concept two years ago as the Marines counter to the threat posed by an increasingly assertive China. The plan sacrificed tanks, towed cannon artillery and some helicopter units for smaller, faster, harder-to-detect fighting formations armed with long-range precision-fire capabilities in the form of light attack munitions. Expeditionary advanced base operations call for these mobile units to disperse inside the range of enemy missiles to seize and hold islands and sink enemy vessels at sea. The Marines on Okinawa have been rehearsing the concept piece by piece since its inception. Force Design 2030 is not without its detractors. About two dozen retired generals, including former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford, have lobbied against the plan behind the scenes, Politico reported in April. CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea South Korea will have a new response the next time the North tests a nuclear weapon, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said Thursday, according to news reports. Lee ruled out direct military action against North Korea but said intensive responses will be made after consulting with the United States, according to his remarks at a Seoul news conference reported by Yonhap News Agency. If North Korea conducts a nuclear test, the level of our response would be entirely different than responses to previous tests, Lee said. Anticipation is growing for a North Korean test that South Korea and the United States have been predicting since May. Pyongyang has wrapped up its preparation for its seventh nuclear test, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense said in a news release Wednesday after a meeting of senior military leaders. The ministry said the military will be ready if North Korea conducts some type of provocation during the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise by the U.S. and South Korea. The large-scale field exercise, the first in several years by the allies, is scheduled Aug. 22 to Sept. 1. The U.N. Security Council imposed economic sanctions against North Korea in 2017 after its most recent nuclear test, the underground detonation of a hydrogen device that registered as a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. Pyongyang has conducted six nuclear tests since 2006. Commercial satellite images have suggested renewed activity around the Punggye-ri testing site, including construction at areas that were supposedly demolished in 2018. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met that year with then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in and then-President Donald Trump in face-to-face summits. A confidential U.N. report also confirmed activity in Punggye-ri and said North Korea continued to develop its capability for the production of fissile material at a nuclear facility, according to a Reuters report Aug. 4. So far this year, North Korea has conducted 17 rounds of missile tests; it last fired an unprecedented salvo of eight short-range missiles on June 5. Stars and Stripes reporter Yoo Kyong Chang contributed to this report. 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 13, Japan time: Wow. Wasnt that deluge around 6 and 7 p.m. something? What an inundation! Hoping everybody made it through safely. But the worst, for the most part, is over. Tropical Depression Meari is forecast by Joint Typhoon Warning Center to head back out over open water and away from Japan as the weekend progresses. At 9 p.m., JTWC reported that Meari was about 36 miles northeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, tracking northeast at 21 mph and holding steady at 35-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts at center. Fleet Activities Yokosuka remained in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 and Naval Air Facility Atsugi in TCCOR Storm Watch through Saturday evening; expect both commands to resume seasonal TCCORs once Meari has moved out of the area. JTWC projects Meari to pick up forward speed and regain tropical-storm strength, though that would be inconsequential for U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain as the forecast track takes it away from Japan and into the northwest Pacific Ocean. *** 5:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, Japan time: Meari has been downgraded to a tropical depression, and remains on track to pass through the Kanto Plain early this evening, not so much a wind event, but very much a rain event for the Tokyo area. At 3 p.m., Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that Meari was about 90 miles west-southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving northeast at 15 mph and had weakened to 35-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts at center. Yokosuka remained in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 and Naval Air Facility Atsugi in TCCOR Storm Watch through Saturday afternoon. All other U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain remained in season TCCORs. The Kanto Plain can expect gusty winds and rain, heavy at times, in the Yokosuka and Fussa areas next to Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Yokota Air Base. If you must go outdoors, drive very carefully and take care to avoid flooding in low-lying areas. JTWC forecasts Meari to pass 10 miles northwest of Atsugi and Camp Zama, 12 miles southeast of Yokota and 25 miles northwest of Yokosuka at about 7 p.m. *** 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, Japan time: Tropical Storm Meari has turned northeast and remains on course for the Tokyo area by Saturday evening, bringing gale-force winds and showers, heavy at times, to the Kanto Plain, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. At 9 a.m., Meari was about 176 miles southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving northeast at 10 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts. Yokosuka remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3. A thunderstorm warning is in effect until 11 p.m. and a gale warning from 5 p.m. until midnight, with peak winds forecast to be between 40 and 46 mph sustained and 58-mph gusts, according to Yokosukas weather report. Local forecasts call for rain and wind peaking at about 6 p.m. Naval Air Facility Atsugi remains in TCCOR Storm Watch. All other U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain remain in season TCCORs. If Meari remains on present heading, JTWC projects it to pick up forward speed and peak at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts as it passes the Tokyo area, make landfall over the Izu Peninsula late this afternoon, then pass 8 miles southeast of Atsugi and Camp Zama, 18 miles northwest of Yokosuka and 21 miles southeast of Yokota Air Base between 6 and 7 p.m. *** 6 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, Japan time: Tropical Storm Meari continues its struggle to strengthen as it moves closer to the Tokyo area, though gale-force winds and rain, heavy at times, remains forecast for the Kanto Plain later today. At 3 a.m., Meari was about 233 miles southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving north at 13 mph and still holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts. Fleet Activities Yokosuka remained in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 and Naval Air Facility Atsugi in TCCOR Storm Watch overnight Friday into Saturday. If Meari stays on present heading, Joint Typhoon Warning Center projects it to push northeast, peaking at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts as it reaches the Tokyo area at mid-afternoon. JTWC forecasts passage eight miles southeast of Atsugi and Camp Zama, 21 miles southeast of Yokota Air Base and 15 miles northwest of Yokosuka at about 2 p.m. *** 11:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, Japan time: Tropical Storm Meari remains on course to reach the Tokyo area late Saturday afternoon, but its still struggling to strengthen and continues to produce only mild tropical-storm force, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. At 9 p.m., Meari was about 290 miles southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, headed north at 13 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. Fleet Activities Yokosuka remained in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 and Naval Air Facility Atsugi in TCCOR Storm Watch through Friday evening. Wind shear continues to impact Meari and hinder its development as it moves north. If Meari stays on present heading, JTWC projects it to peak at 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts after it passes through the Kanto Plain. JTWC forecasts Meari to make landfall over the Izu Peninsula at about mid-day Saturday, then pass 6 miles northwest of Atsugi and Camp Zama, 18 miles southeast of Yokota Air Base and 23 miles northwest of Yokosuka between 5 and 6 p.m. Saturday, then head back out over open water late Saturday evening. *** 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 12, Japan time: Tropical Storm Meari continues on its journey toward the Tokyo area. Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 remains in effect at Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka and its satellite properties and TCCOR Storm Watch at Naval Air Facility Atsugi. At 3 p.m., Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported Meari to be about 361 miles south-southwest of Yokosuka, moving northeast at 6 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. If Meari remains on current heading, JTWC projects it to keep curving northeast, peak at 58-mph sustained winds and 75-mph gusts at mid-afternoon Saturday, then make landfall over the Chiba Peninsula, passing 10 miles southeast of Yokosuka, 31 miles southeast of Atsugi and Camp Zama and 44 miles southeast of Yokota Air Base between 4 and 5 p.m. Saturday. Be prepared for any TCCOR upgrades; give this a look just as a refresher. Make sure you have supplies, have gassed up your vehicles and acquired enough cash and yen to last a few days, just in case the power goes out for any length of time. And get your safe on. *** Noon Friday, Aug. 12, Japan time: Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 has been issued for Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka and its satellites and TCCOR Storm Watch has been set for Naval Air Facility Atsugi in advance of Tropical Storm Meari. Click here and scroll down for TCCORs and their meaning. At 9 a.m., Meari was about 394 miles south-southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving north at 18 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts. If Meari remains on present heading, Joint Typhoon Warning Center projects it to gradually arc northeast, strengthening as it goes, graze the southern coast of Honshu between Hamamatsu and Shizuoka, peak at 58-mph sustained winds and 75-mph gusts and make landfall over the Izu Peninsula at mid-afternoon Saturday. JTWC forecasts Meari to pass 10 miles northwest of Atsugi and Camp Zama, 10 southeast of Yokota Air Base and 29 miles northwest of Yokosuka at about 6 p.m. Saturday. Yokosukas weather forecast calls for showers and scattered thunderstorms with southerly winds peaking between 38 and 44 mph sustained and 58-mph gusts late Saturday afternoon. *** 7 a.m. Friday, Aug. 12, Japan time: Tropical Storm Meari continues to lurk south-southwest of the Tokyo area and remains forecast to bring severe gusts and heavy rain to the Kanto Plain Saturday afternoon into Sunday. At 3 a.m., Meari was 503 miles south-southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, crawling north at just 2 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts. U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain remained in seasonal Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness overnight; that could change at any point given the Joint Typhoon Warning Centers latest forecast track. If Meari stays on present heading, JTWC projects it to begin moving north as Friday progresses and strengthen as it heads northeast, making landfall over the Izu Peninsula late Saturday afternoon and peaking at 63-mph sustained winds and 81-mph gusts at center, just below typhoon intensity. JTWC forecasts Meari to make a near-direct pass over Yokosuka, 18 miles southeast of Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Camp Zama and 33 miles southeast of Yokota Air Base at about 8 p.m. Saturday. Yokosukas forecast calls for showers and scattered thunderstorms Saturday afternoon into Sunday, with southerly winds peaking between 38 and 44 mph sustained with 58-mph gusts at around 5 p.m. Saturday, gradually diminishing through the evening into Sunday. Still time to prepare for Mearis arrival. Give this a look to know what to do to prepare and what TCCORs mean. Get your safe on. *** Midnight Thursday, Aug. 11, Japan time: 09W has been upgraded to a tropical storm by Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Its latest forecast track continues to put it on course for Saturday evening passage over the Kanto Plain at just-below typhoon intensity. At 9 p.m. Thursday, 09W was 513 miles south-southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, crawling south-southeast at 2 mph, pretty much quasi-stationary, almost like the proverbial lion waiting to pounce. It had strengthened to 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. U.S. bases on the Kanto Plain remain in seasonal Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness, for now; that could change any time. If the current forecast holds, JTWC projects 09W to start tracking north and northeast by mid-morning Friday, intensifying as it moves, with landfall over the Izu Peninsula early Saturday evening, packing 69-mph sustained winds and 86-mph gusts. JTWC forecasts 09W to make a beeline over Camp Zama and Naval Air Facility Atsugi, pass 24 miles northwest of Yokosuka and 14 miles southeast of Yokota Air Base at about 8 p.m. Saturday at just-below typhoon intensity. Again, always best to be safe. Know your TCCORs. Gather some non-perishable foods, plenty of drinking water, flashlights, batteries, hand-cranked or battery-operated radio, diapers and wipes for the younguns and food and drink for your furry friends. Make sure to gas up at the gasoline stand and withdraw sufficient cash and local currency to last three days. Just in case. Stay tuned to your base weather channels and Web sites, AFN Eagle 810-AM radio and your commanders access TV channels for the latest storm information. Storm Tracker will keep you updated as well. Above all else, three words: Prepare. Dont panic. *** 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, Japan time: Say hello to the ninth numbered storm of the northwest Pacifics tropical cyclone season. And the outlook is anything but benign for the Tokyo area this weekend, as were looking at a possible severe tropical storm, or worse, passing through the Kanto Plain, with peak winds and rain forecast for Saturday afternoon. At 3 p.m., Tropical Depression 09W was 503 miles south-southwest of Yokosuka Naval Base, crawling west at 6 mph with 29-mph sustained winds and 40-mph gusts. All U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain remain in seasonal Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness for the moment; expect those to change as the night progresses and 09W begins its forecast trek north and northeast. If 09W stays on its Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast track, its projected to steadily intensify as it moves toward land, passing almost directly over Naval Air Facility Atsugi and Camp Zama and between Yokota Air Base, 19 miles southeast, and Yokosuka, 21 miles to its northwest, between 4 and 5 p.m. Saturday, packing 69-mph sustained winds and 86-mph gusts at center. Just below typhoon strength. Here is a typhoon primer for those new to the Pacific. Ensure that you prepare yourselves, your homes and your offices for come what may. In brief: Non-perishable foods, plenty of drinking water, flashlights, batteries, hand-cranked or battery-operated radio, diapers and wipes for the younguns and food and drink for your furry friends. Make sure to gas up at the gasoline stand and withdraw sufficient cash and local currency to last three days. Stay tuned to your base weather channels and Web sites, AFN Eagle 810-AM radio and your commanders access TV channels for the latest storm information. Storm Tracker will keep you updated as well. Above all else, three words: Prepare. Dont panic. *** 11:20 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, Japan time: A tropical cyclone formation alert has been issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on a tropical disturbance labeled 90W Invest, developing southwest of the Tokyo area. Its not projected to become a typhoon, but it could develop into a tropical depression or storm by the weekend, bringing a forecast of heavy rain and gusty winds Saturday. Yokosuka Naval Bases weather forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms Saturday, with south-southwesterly winds peaking at 25- to 30-mph sustained and 40-mph gusts between 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday. At 10:30 a.m., it was 482 miles south-southwest of Yokosuka. Model track guidance and the GFS and ECMEF forecast ensembles agree on a curve northeast toward or through the Tokyo Kanto Plain over the weekend. Latvia and Estonia joined Lithuania in abandoning the so-called 16+1 Eastern European framework with China, which once threatened to divide the European Union in its relations with the worlds most populous nation. The format between China and eastern members took shape in 2012 as a platform for Beijing to forge ties with 16 eastern European countries, cooperating on infrastructure and development projects. Greece joined in 2019, making it 17+1 for a time. Critics saw the arrangement as a way for China to exploit EU members who felt overlooked by Brussels. Latvia will continue to strive for constructive and pragmatic relations with China both bilaterally, as well as through EU-China cooperation, the Foreign Ministry in Riga said in a statement on Thursday. Estonia issued a statement with similar wording. Russias invasion triggered a broad re-think in relations with China. But even before the war, enthusiasm for the cooperation mechanism waned as some countries bristled at widening trade balances with China -- and the Asian superpowers failure to deliver on pledges of billions of dollars in investments. In an apparent snub to China, the three Baltic nations sent neither their presidents nor prime ministers to the last in-person summit last year, sending lower-level officials in their stead. Lithuania, which became embroiled in a dispute with China after allowing Taiwan to set up a representative office, pulled out of the group last year, saying the cooperation wasnt delivering on its promises. Beijing had withdrawn its ambassador to Lithuania, a nation of 2.8 million, and imposed an effective trade ban on the EU member state, reacting to the representative office under the name of Taiwan. China regarded the development as a violation of its sovereignty. The European Union took China to the World Trade Organization last year over its coercive practices against Lithuania and some exporters from other member states. Chinas measures included restrictions on exports to the Baltic nation, and Chinese companies canceled orders from Lithuanian firms. Latvia sends $167 million in exports, mainly wood and timber products to China, while Estonias sales to the Asian country account to 195 million euros. BERLIN Latvia's Parliament on Thursday declared Russia a "state sponsor of terrorism" for attacks on civilians during the war in Ukraine and urged other countries to follow suit. Lawmakers adopted a strongly worded statement that accuses Moscow of using "suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralize the Ukrainian people and armed forces and paralyze the functioning of the state." It declares that Latvia's Parliament "recognizes Russia's violence against civilians in pursuit of political aims as terrorism, recognizes Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view." Sixty-seven lawmakers in the 100-seat assembly voted in favor of adopting the statement and 16 abstained, the Parliament said. The resolution says Russian forces are deliberately targeting Ukrainian civilians in the war, including with attacks on a theater in Mariupol in March, a shopping mall in Kremenchuk in June and a residential area of Odesa in July. Russia rejects deliberately targeting civilians in the conflict, which it describes as a "special military operation." The Latvian Parliament also called on Western countries to reinforce sanctions on Russia and urged fellow members of the European Union to stop issuing tourist visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament adopted the statement last week before submitting it to the full assembly. Committee chairman Rihars Kols said the resolution was a political statement that could have practical implications by inspiring other countries to take similar measures, adding momentum to efforts to reinforce sanctions on Moscow and set up a tribunal to prosecute war crimes. Neighboring Lithuania adopted a similar resolution in May and Estonia may follow suit in coming weeks, Kols said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova denounced the Latvian statement as a manifestation of "xenophobia." Sergei Tsekov, a member of the upper house of Russia's parliament, warned that Russia would take "retaliatory measures that will show Latvia its place and will be quite painful." That could include restrictions on transit, he said in remarks carried by state news agency RIA Novosti. The Baltic countries, which spent almost five decades under Soviet occupation, are among the staunchest supporters of Ukraine and the fiercest critics of the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Estonia decided Thursday to stop allowing Russian citizens entry with tourist visas starting Aug. 18. EU countries banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine, but officials in Estonia and Finland say Russian tourists have circumvented the flight bans by traveling by land to neighboring EU countries and then taking flights to other European destinations. COPENHAGEN, Denmark Western countries agreed Thursday to continue long-term funding to help Ukraine's military keep fighting nearly 5 months after Russia invaded its neighbor, saying 1.5 billion euros ($1.5 billion) has been pledged so far and more is coming. The money is for enhancing armaments production, including artillery and ammunition; developing and strengthening the training of Ukrainian soldiers and assisting Ukraine's efforts to demine areas. "All the countries that came to Copenhagen came with the intention of supporting Ukraine," Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov said at the end of the one-day meeting of 26 nations and the European Union. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the meeting proved that Russian President Vladimir "Putin's ambition (of the West losing its willingness to support Ukraine) has failed." "We are still determined," Wallace said. The 1.5 billion euros included donations by the U.K., Denmark and Norway but "it will grow," Bdskov said, adding "some of the countries need to go back home and get the support of their parliaments." Bdskov said that "money alone will not do the trick, as you say, we need increased productions." He thanksed Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic for signaling a "willingness to expand production of artillery systems, ammunitions and other equipment." At the conference, Norway said it would help train Ukrainian troops in Britain. Sweden and Finland earlier said they would do the same. Iceland will assist demining efforts in Ukraine "by training trainers," its foreign minister said. In a live feed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations to provide more money, saying "the sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe." "We need armaments, munitions for our defense," he said. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference, declined to give details on what weapons his country will get. The conference, co-hosted by Denmark, Britain and Ukraine, followed an April meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany that established the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which coordinates international military support for Ukraine. Britain on Thursday announced that it will send more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine to help it resist Russia's invasion. The new weapons, whose number wasn't specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems it gave Ukraine earlier this year. Ukrainian troops have been trained in Britain to use them. "Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putin's invasion," Wallace, the defense chief, said. Before the conference, Denmark said it would give Ukraine an extra 820 million kroner ($113 million), which would bring Denmark's total contribution to more than 3 billion kroner ($413 million). Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it "a huge donation." Part of the money will pay for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram said there was still unwavering Western support for Ukraine. "It is decisive for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian attack," Arild Gram said. The Kyiv School of Economics released a report Wednesday assessing the cost of war damage to Ukraine's infrastructure at more than $110 billion. The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities were either destroyed or damaged Jill Lawless in London, and James Brooks in Copenhagen, contributed to this report. Someone who claimed to be a major general in the Army said they were in need of money to transition out of the military. Another person who claimed to be a lieutenant commander in the U.S. military abroad asked for help to pay for a shipment of gold and cash seized in a raid. And one individual who claimed to be in the Army stationed in Syria messaged a person they met on Facebook saying they needed money to retire early and return home to his three children. All claimed to be in relationships with the women messaged online and all were elaborate scams, according to court documents made public Wednesday revealing the alleged ruses. Prosecutors allege that a special deputy U.S. marshal from Maryland was part of a network that defrauded seniors out of almost $2 million in romance scams over several years. Isidore Iwuagwu, 35, of Upper Marlboro, Md., has been charged with conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. attorneys office for Maryland. Between October 2015 and July 2021, prosecutors allege, Iwuagwu was a part of romance scams in which individuals engaged in online relationships with more than 20 victims via social media platforms and dating websites and swindled them out of large sums of money. Victims reported a combined loss of $1.9 million, according to an affidavit, and at least $585,180 was connected to accounts belonging to Iwuagwu. In many cases, the victims reported being defrauded by individuals claiming to be deployed U.S. Armed Forces members who needed money for personal hardships, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors allege the money would then be wired to accounts controlled by Iwuagwu or mailed to him in the form of money orders, personal checks, cashiers checks or cash. In one case, an individual claimed to be a major general who needed money for help transitioning out of the military and told the victim that Iwuagwu was his attorney. The victim sent more than $300,000 to Iwuagwu, according to the affidavit. If you find yourself in an online relationship and youre asked for a bunch of money, its probably fraud not love, Erek Barron, U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland, said in a news release. Iwuagwu provides security for critical Department of Justice facilities as a special deputy U.S. marshal and Justice Department contractor, according to the affidavit. He received special deputation in 2018. The U.S. Marshals headquarters and Justice Department did not immediately respond for comment. It was not immediately clear whether Iwuagwu had an attorney. Attempts to contact him or family members were not immediately successful. According to the affidavit, another victim was scammed into wiring money to accounts belonging to Iwuagwu and sending cash after someone claimed to be a Spanish doctor living in California aboard a ship who did not have access to a bank account. The person told the victim to send money to a friend in the United States with an account that belonged to Iwuagwu, according to the affidavit. The person then sent the victim a photo of Iwuagwus government identification card when they expressed doubts about sending funds. The victim sent an estimated $51,880. Law enforcement reviewed iCloud data of Iwuagwu that revealed his alleged communications with co-conspirators discussing the money received by victims, according to the affidavit. Bro the woman said she cannot transfer without the id of the person whom they want to deposit the money to, one co-conspirator said in a conversation, according to court documents. Jus give her any idea, Iwuagwu responded, according to the affidavit alleging that he was telling his co-conspirator to offer any identification to the victim. Law enforcement also reviewed 30 accounts belonging to Iwuagwu between 2013 and 2021 that took in $1.65 million in transfers from 119 individuals and $1.138 million in deposits from money orders, checks and cash, prosecutors said. According to the affidavit, Iwuagwu used the money he received to withdraw cash or wire money to foreign banks and companies. Victims, who were targeted through various forms of social media including Google Hangouts, Instagram and Twitter, came from all over the country, according to the affidavit. William Marty Martin, a naturalist who turned a boyhood fascination with snakes into a career as a leading authority on the eastern timber rattlesnake, combing Appalachia and beyond for decades to track rattler populations and threats from climate change and human encroachment, died Aug. 3 in Shepherdstown, W.Va. He was 80. The cause was complications after being bit by a captive rattler at his home and research facility, said his daughter Claire Martin. Mr. Martin gained his expertise in the eastern timber rattlesnake in the woods and rock fields, largely alone. From springs first thaw to winters first blast, he spent most of his time trekking to known snake dens and hunting for new groups of timber rattlers - one of about 30 venomous species in the United States, with a habitat that ranges from eastern Texas to New England. Mr. Martin had a special interest in the mountains and piedmont from Pennsylvania to Virginia, even at times snake hunting around the edges of Washingtons Beltway. He was a familiar figure along the Appalachian Trail and other paths, a wiry 5-foot-7 bushwhacker wearing his trademark mesh anglers vest and toting a snake sack and pole called a snake hook. The ambassador of rattlesnakes, the nature site Terrain.org dubbed him in a 2019 profile. Merging science and education, he tried to peel away some of a cultural stigma that surrounds snakes. He also sought to stir a healthy respect for rattlers and their place in the ecosystem and even American history such as the snake depicted on the Dont Tread on Me Gadsden flag from the Revolutionary War. He was quick to point out that timber rattlers rarely strike without a provocation, such as being inadvertently stepped on. Deaths from snake bites are rare in the United States. About 3,000 snakebites are reported to U.S. poison centers every year, but fewer than 10 are fatal, according to the University of Virginia. There was a time when scientists identified animals as good or bad to man, Mr. Martin told the Baltimore Sun in 1993, noting that rattlers help control rodent populations. We dont look at things like that anymore. His research was nearly all independent, distinguishing him from colleagues affiliated with universities or institutions. Mr. Martin modeled himself more on earlier explorers of the natural world, such as renowned birder Florence Merriam Bailey, who built their credentials doing field work. Mr. Martin supported his work through temporary contracts, including projects tracking snake populations in a warming ecosystem. (He was also bitten several times along the way.) Somewhat counterintuitively, hotter seasons are not necessarily an advantage for coldblooded species such as snakes, which rely on the sun and ambient warmth for body heat. Temperatures too high can disrupt snakes feeding, reproduction and other cycles by forcing them to spend more time in rock crevasses and other places to avoid overheating. The timber rattlers, like many other species, also face dwindling habitats as exurbs and roadways press into hills and hollows. But other animals often have greater abilities to adapt. Timber rattlers mature slowly, and females dont give birth every year. The snakes typically never slither more than a few miles from their birth den. Timber rattlers are listed as endangered in several northern states and Virginia. Youll probably want to stay right behind me from here on, Mr. Martin told a Washington Post journalist in 2002 while on a snake-seeking hike in Shenandoah National Park. They approached a den. Mr. Martin counted 24 rattlers, coiled and basking in the sun. He took notes on their size and general health. Then, with a swoop of his snake pole, he snagged a 37-incher, about average size. He did it in a bit of serpent showmanship for the reporter. He was a larger-than-life character, said Joe Villari, manager at the Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, where Mr. Martin contributed research for the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. He absolutely loved to bring anyone into his world: naturalists, other herpetologists, interested hikers. He was one of a kind. --- Kid was right William Henry Martin III was born Dec. 24, 1941, in Leesburg, Va., and was exploring the nearby woods looking for snakes before he was 10 years old. When he was 13, Mr. Martin came across a previously unknown population of timber rattlers in the Bull Run Mountains. The boy contacted herpetologist Leslie Burger at the College of William & Mary, who agreed to visit the site to check. Dr. Burger was thrilled, as the kid was right, wrote Villari, who said Mr. Martins discovery began a lifelong interest in the Bull Run rattlers. At age 17 - with notebooks full of field observations - Mr. Martin became a founding member of the Virginia Herpetological Society. He served as a paratrooper in the Vietnam War with the Armys 101st Airborne Division and was a bantamweight boxer in military bouts. After his discharge, he used the GI Bill to help cover his studies at the University of South Florida, graduating in 1969 with a degree in biology. Then it was back to herpetology. He traveled across Africa, Asia and South America doing independent research on venomous species - and found himself in some hot spots such as Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) during an Ebola outbreak. As Mr. Martins reputation as a timber rattler expert grew, he was consulted by museums, universities and other groups around the world. In 1999, he assisted Steve Irwin for a Crocodile Hunter episode on timber rattlers. Irwin took note of the snakes scientific name, Crotalus horridus. Its like horrible or horrid rattlesnake, Irwin said. Theyre not horrible. Theyre not horrid. Theyre not evil. Theyre not ugly. Mr. Martin co-authored The Timber Rattlesnake: Life History, Distribution, Status, and Conservation Action Plan, a 450-page study published in 2021 on the species and challenges in its habitat. Survivors include his wife of 16 years, Gwen Renee Miller of Shepherdstown; daughter, Claire Martin of Asheville, N.C.; daughter, Amelia Martin of Winchester, Va., from an earlier marriage to Patricia Gerty; two stepdaughters, Laura Layva of Morgantown, W.Va., and Vanessa McGuigan of Shepherdstown; two sisters; and a granddaughter. Last year, Villari joined Mr. Martin in a seven-hour mountain hike to survey rattlers in a new area. They found nothing. Not even a shed skin, Villari said. He told Mr. Martin that at least it was a nice day to be outside despite, snakes or no snakes. Marty stood staring at me with a comically puzzled look, Villari recalled, and said, No its not! PAGE, Ariz. (Tribune News Service) White sandstone cliffs create a ring around Lake Powell in contrast to the honey- and red-colored desert rock nearby. Evidence that water once, not all that long ago, filled America's second-largest reservoir. Fed by the Colorado River, Lake Powell, in south-central Utah, has seen wet years and dry years over the past two decades. Mostly dry years. Buoys no longer bob, they tilt, sitting on dry sand. Beer cans, punctured pontoons and deck chairs litter miles of waterless lake bed. The last time entire sections of Lake Powell were this dry, the place was actually called Glen Canyon. That was before the completion of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, which flooded the canyon and created the reservoir. The reservoir's water is receding because the Colorado River is drying. Climatologists aren't sure when, or if, Powell will ever fill again. Rather, they expect conditions to worsen. The chalky ring around Powell is just one sign of many that the 40 million people who directly depend on the Colorado River must fundamentally change their way of life, experts agree. And it's going to hurt, experts say. "This is not a drought, this is aridification," Rhett Larson, a water law professor at Arizona State University, said. "This is not something we can wait out. This is not something we can survive. This is the new world we live in." That likely means less water for major cities like Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Diego. Higher electricity and grocery bills, too. Less swimming in reservoirs like Powell. Less boating, white water rafting, swimming. Fewer tourists. The seven states relying on water from the Colorado River Basin are drawing too much. Hydrologists warned this would happen generations ago, though politicians and government officials failed to listen or decided not to. "They knew this was a problem and they elected to kick the can down the road," Brad Udall, water and climate scientist at Colorado State University, said. "They knew better and they did it anyway." Those seven states Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming tapped into the river and unlocked the American West. But their agreement, the 1922 Colorado River Compact, eventually also steered the region toward disaster. The framers of that compact overestimated the amount of water available, most experts agree. They imposed rigid standards and deadlines on one of the world's wildest rivers. And they excluded dozens of Native American tribes from negotiating for their fair share. Within just a few generations, the West's thirst for water outpaced its supply. Then came the historic and ongoing drought that started in 2000, made even worse by a drying climate. Cities, counties and states cut their water use multiple times in the last 20 years. But they'll have to cut deeper and learn a new way to split the river, Andy Mueller, general manager of the Colorado River District, said. And soon. "There is no other answer," Mueller said. On its face, the 1922 Colorado River Compact is fairly simple. It measures water in acre-feet a volume equal to a year's worth for two families of four and splits the river in half. Upper-basin states, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, receive a total of 7.5 million acre-feet from the river. So do the lower-basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada. Some fine print and future negotiations gave the lower basin another million acre-feet (totaling 8.5 million) and set aside 1.5 million acre-feet for Mexico, the river's last stop before pouring into the Sea of Cortez. During the negotiations, representatives from each state and the federal government assumed the river would flow with an average of up to 18 million acre-feet, Jennifer Gimbel, interim director of CSU's Water Center, said. They agreed to return in 40 years and split up whatever water remained in the river. But that time would never come. A few people saw the signs and wrote about them. Like Eugene Clyde LaRue, a federal hydrologist who raised red flags in 1916, again in 1920 and then again in 1925. Or his colleague at the U.S. Geological Survey, Herman Stabler, that same decade. William L. Sibert, chairman of the Colorado River Board, understood that flow estimates used in the 1922 compact were based on exceptionally wet years, not average or typical flows. Major droughts lurked in the not-so-distant past and would inevitably return, he wrote to the Secretary of the Interior in 1928. Rather than 18 million acre-feet, the river probably flowed between 10 million and 14.5 million acre-feet a year, Sibert figured. Were these early warnings ignored? Or did the men negotiating the compact make an honest mistake with the limited data they had? Did their desire to tame and develop the American West cloud their judgment? Or did the inflated numbers ease negotiations that were already tense? Whatever the reason, the errors set out in the compact weren't immediately apparent. The West hadn't yet grown as thirsty as it is today. But development would catch up and eventually the states would see that they set concrete standards for a river that fluctuates between feast and famine. They should have instead divided percentages of whatever flows that were actually available, Mark Squillace, a water law professor at the University of Colorado, said. Now Mueller wonders when water levels will shrink so low that the states will no longer be able to meet their compact requirement. The compact negotiators also failed or refused to include the approximately 30 Native American tribes dependent on the river. Now acknowledged by the states and federal government, those tribes hold the rights to enough water to scuttle whatever balance remains, Squillace said. Despite the claims of federal officials, many tribes still feel excluded from negotiations concerning the river's future, Manuel Heart, chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, said. Regardless of those now-obvious errors and omissions, with the compact, the West exploded with growth. The agreement gave life to massive cities, picturesque towns, factories, farms and ranches. By the 1960s, Arizona and California's populations had more than quadrupled. New Mexico and Nevada's tripled. Colorado and Utah's doubled. Wyoming's population grew by nearly 70%. People kept coming. So did the warnings. In 1965 the Colorado Water Conservation Board hired civil engineer Royce J. Tipton to examine a massive canal proposal that would drain more Colorado River water for still-fledgling cities like Phoenix and Tucson. He reported back to Congress that the Central Arizona Project would be an "extremely unwise" undertaking. Barring a massive pipeline from somewhere else, the states in the Colorado River Basin wouldn't have enough water to meet their compact requirements in the decades to come. "Whatever method of analysis of the water supplies of the Colorado River is used, the results are essentially the same there is not enough water in the river," Tipton wrote. If the project came to pass, water shortages could hit the basin by the year 2000, Tipton warned. Congress still approved the project in 1968 and Colorado River water began to flow into south and central Arizona by the 1980s. "We thought we could engineer nature," Mueller said. "Huge mistake." As Arizona began to take more and more out of the Colorado River, so too did California. By the mid-1990s California was taking much more water than it was allowed, so much so that then-Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt threatened the state with the cudgel of a federal government takeover if it didn't get its water use in check. All the while, the upper-basin states used less water than they were allotted, Mueller said. Plus if the Colorado River ran short, the massive reservoirs Lake Mead and its younger sibling upriver, Lake Powell sat ready. They served as the checking and savings accounts for the Colorado River, steadying flows and humming as they generated renewable and affordable electricity. And those reservoirs had been filled to the brim as recently as 1983 and were nearly full again in 1999. Right before the crash. The lines of supply and demand crossed in the year 2000. The West's need for Colorado River water surpassed the river's supply, according to a now-infamous report from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, published in 2013. And then the drought. Less snow and rain. Higher temperatures. Less water to feed the river. Less moisture to beat back the wildfires. The drought that began at the turn of the century is still going. It's now called a megadrought. And it's expected not only to continue but to turn worse. Climate change is speeding up the damage, making it permanent, Udall said. The snow that feeds the Colorado River doesn't fall as heavily as it once did. What does fall melts too fast to make it downstream before it's soaked up by the parched soils and plants. More water still is absorbed into the hotter and drier atmosphere. For every degree of average temperatures rise, rivers and stream flows decline between 3% and 9%, Mueller testified before a Congressional committee in June. And average temperatures in most countries have risen more than four degrees since 1895 with a faster rise in the last decade. For example, Mueller cited 2021 snowpack statistics and noted that while Colorado's mountains saw about 89% of their normal amount of snow, which he called "pretty good," less than 37% of the normal runoff water made it down to Lake Powell. "The change in heat is just killing this river," he said. Udall studied the Colorado River's flows and said they dropped by 20% between 1906 and 1999. The government started catching on perhaps five years into the drought, Gimbel said. It rode out the first few years. "It was a tumbling of circumstances and toward the end of 2005 it was clear this was getting to be a serious matter," Gimbel said. And it's "been really bad since 2018," Udall said. Maybe 40% lower. Cities and states launched conservation programs, some offered money to residents willing to replace their water-dependent lawns. Farmers planted new, less-thirsty crops, invested in new and more-efficient water technologies or even let their fields lay fallow. The seven states reconvened. In 2007 the states set limits to how low they'd allow Lake Mead's water elevation to drop before cutting supply to Arizona and Nevada. California's share wouldn't change. Lake Mead dropped below one limit briefly in 2015 and then again the next year. It sunk to a record low in May. The states agreed to more cuts in 2019, including steps to cut California's supply this time. Then they cut even more in 2021. None of the agreements have yet triggered cuts for California, though, according to Tina Shields, water department manager for the state's massive Imperial Irrigation District. And the lower basin states consistently draw more water than they're allotted, according to Amy Ostdiek, section chief of interstate, federal and water information for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. They used 117% of their allotment last year and more than 113% the year before. The basin's slow leak continues. Water levels at the reservoirs are still dropping. The Colorado River Basin's savings are running out. Federal officials declared the first-ever water shortage at Lake Mead in 2021 and Lake Powell began to flirt with water levels so low that engineers fear it might no longer be able to produce electricity. If reservoirs drop even lower to a point called "deadpool" officials at the dams will no longer be able to send water downstream at all, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton said. Although that appears unlikely at this point. Reclamation officials stepped in last year, ordering upstream dams to spill their water in an emergency plan to add at least a little water to Powell and Mead. More releases are a possibility, Touton said. But upstream reservoirs don't have much more water to give, Mueller said. "The three reservoirs that sit above Powell sit at about 23%, 27% and somewhere around 50% full, respectively," Mueller testified before a Congressional committee in June. "They are stark and empty." Despite the downward trend, government officials across the West continue proposing projects that would take even more water out of the Colorado River. The Lake Powell Pipeline in southwest Utah, an expansion of Denver Water's Gross Reservoir in Boulder County and the Chimney Hollow Reservoir west of Loveland, to name a few. "I'm stunned that people haven't risen up and said, 'Why are you doing this?'" Squillace said. "We cannot continue to do business as usual. It's not working. It's getting worse. And unfortunately we still have our heads in the sand." Cities in California sank as much as a foot as people pumped more from groundwater reserves, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Forests burned through by wildfires are likely now to be replaced by grassy savannahs, the Arizona Republic reported. Colorado is expected to lose half its snow by 2080 and alongside Utah and Wyoming shift toward an ecosystem more closely resembling Arizona. And the United States lost ground on its battle against climate change during former President Donald Trump's administration, the New York Times reported. Lake Powell has a 25% annual chance over each of the next four years of dropping below the point where the Glen Canyon Dam can generate electricity, Nick Williams, power manager with the Bureau of Reclamation, said. Electric bills for some customers especially poor, rural and indigenous within the Western Area Power Administration's coverage area have already increased as much as 14%, according to Lisa Meiman, a spokeswoman for the administration, which distributes electricity generated at Mead and Powell. And further increases are likely, if not inevitable, Meiman said. It all depends on how diversified utilities that use WAPA's electricity are. "This is an extremely challenging situation," Meiman said. "There aren't simple solutions. There aren't easy solutions. We've exhausted all of those." Grocery bills have already increased as farmers face tighter water budgets, Shields said. And they'll climb higher if additional cuts plague the industry. Agriculture consumes the vast majority of Colorado River water across the basin, so policy makers see the industry as an obvious target for conservation efforts. Shields alluded to a hypothetical $14 head of lettuce and said that whatever cuts farmers face will ultimately result in more expensive or harder-to-find fruits and vegetables. Plus the Imperial Valley grows large quantities of alfalfa, which is used to feed livestock. So not only could meat become more expensive but so could dairy products like milk, cheese and ice cream. "You don't just turn things on and off in the agriculture world," Shields said. "You have to cultivate the crop, you have to cultivate the land." A cut in the Imperial Valley's water supply could lead to the "holy war of litigation," Shields said. She pointed to the West's growing cities as a focal point for conservation efforts. The Ute Mountain Utes, in southwest Colorado and the Four Corners region, can't afford any more cuts either, Chairman Manuel Heart said. They're already eking by with just 10% of the water supply to which they have the rights. With that they can only irrigate a small percentage of the 7,700 acres they normally cultivate with alfalfa to sell and corn for tribal members to eat. "We don't have very much time," Heart said. "Our snowpack is getting worse every year." Wherever the cuts come from, the economic implications expand far out of the Colorado River Basin. And then there's the damage to the natural environment. With less water to go around, plants and wild animals suffer. But also pollutants that factories and other industries pour into waterways will turn up in higher concentrations, Mueller said. There isn't enough water to dilute that pollution. The bottom line, Mueller said, is that one way or the other the American West must use less water. And the Colorado River Basin states must find a new way forward soon because the cuts they've made since 2007 expire in less than four years, Mueller said. Without a new plan in hand by the start of 2026, they risk ceding control to the federal government. That route, legal experts agree, could easily lead to lawsuits between states, which would waste not only money but also time. Time the West doesn't have. "Trying to resolve the issue in court would just be a quagmire and probably a mistake," Squillace said. While the states negotiate, the federal government can send money, Touton said. Billions unlocked with President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill effectively doubled Reclamation's budget over the next five years. The agency can use that money to help build new water storage or delivery projects, fund new technologies like more efficient farming equipment or projects to desalinate previously unusable water or to pay farmers not to plant. But while those negotiations are underway the Native American tribes must also be included, Heart said. Each tribe is a sovereign nation with its own goals, aspirations and its own water rights. To this point, Heart said the tribes haven't been fully included in ongoing negotiations and he asked for new legislation at the state and federal levels to codify their seat at the table. He also said the Ute Mountain Utes could use federal money for water projects too. All told, the 30 tribes depending on the Colorado River hold the rights to more than a quarter of the river's annual flows, Heart said. Many of those rights are as old as they come too, Squillace said, which means they take priority over younger or junior water right holders. So far the tribes haven't developed uses for most of their water so their rights haven't posed much of an issue, Mueller said. But if they ever decide to use all the water to which they're entitled, it could spell doom for many others along the Colorado River. What's next? Before even thinking about the next century, experts agree the West must make short-term water cuts just to survive until 2026. And the lower-basin states like Arizona and California should lead the charge, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser told The Denver Post. "It's no longer an option for the lower-basin states to use more (water) than we have," Weiser said. But as weather patterns continue to change, less water will likely be available for the upper-basin states to use as well, Becky Mitchell, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, said. So realistically each of the seven states in the Colorado River Basin, and the people in them, must get used to having less water, Mueller said. People a century ago assumed the river would provide up to 18 million acre-feet a year, but it could soon hold as little as half of that, Larson said. Conversations about possible solutions are already underway, Mueller said. A fresh round of cuts could be announced within the next 10 months. The states can't ditch the original compact entirely, Squillace said. Starting from scratch would require approval from seven state legislatures and then Congress. Impractical, if not impossible, in today's political climate. Better instead to tweak the existing document with better data, more flexible standards and with all parties at the table. Otherwise, Mueller said, we risk repeating the same mistakes we made a century ago. 2022 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at denverpost.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) A 27-year-old Army veteran was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison with the possibility of parole for his role in the fatal shooting and robbery of a Las Vegas-area rapper in 2019. You are robbing and killing the very citizens that you swore and fought to protect, District Judge Jacqueline Bluth said during Angell Fernandezs sentencing hearing. And that is just so hard for me to wrap my head around, with all of these good qualities that you have. In May, a jury convicted Fernandez of first-degree murder, attempted murder, battery, burglary, multiple robbery counts and a weapons charge, but it was deadlocked when trying to decide whether Fernandez should receive a life sentence. He will be eligible for parole after 31 years under the sentence imposed by Bluth on Thursday. The judge also ordered him to pay $11,164 in restitution. Fernandez was one of three men arrested in connection with the death of 40-year-old Ronnie Cravens Jr., a rapper known as Succeed Phlyguy. Prosecutors have said Fernandez planned the home invasion and robbery at the Henderson home where Cravens lived with his roommates. On Thursday, Bluth said she agreed with the argument that Fernandez was the mastermind behind the robbery. Two masked men, including Fernandez, broke into the home on Oct. 12, 2019, and Fernandez was linked to a firearm shot 12 times during the ensuing gunfight, prosecutors have said. One roommate was shot in the leg, while Cravens died of multiple gunshot wounds. Prosecutors have said Fernandez was linked to the killing through pizza deliveries sent to Cravens home in the days prior to the shooting. The deliveries were made to conduct surveillance on the house. Defense attorney Dan Winder said Thursday that Fernandezs co-defendant, 40-year-old Wahid Briley, was the robber who is accused of fatally injuring Cravens. Briley is scheduled to go to trial in January. A third suspect in the case, 30-year-old Michael Mosley, was sentenced in April to between 12 and 30 years in prison for his role in the robbery and shooting. Winder said that there was not enough evidence to prove that Fernandez planned the robbery. Following the hearing, Winder said he plans to appeal Fernandezs conviction and sentence. During the penalty phase of Fernandezs trial, defense attorneys argued that he had been abused as a child but grew up to be a straight-A student before joining the Army. Bluth acknowledged Fernandezs horrific childhood. But you are such an enigma in so many different ways, she said. You have the capacity to do such good but then you use all those good things in bad ways. Cravens daughter, Kayleigh Evans, told the judge that she longs to hear her fathers laugh and see his smile again. She said Cravens was days away from signing with a record label when he was killed. All he wanted to do was to be able to make it in this world, Evans said. He wanted to be somebody, wanted his name remembered. 2022 Las Vegas Review-Journal. Visit reviewjournal.com.. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Tribune News Service) Republicans vow they will waste no time tearing into the FBI search of Donald Trumps home and other investigations of the former president if the GOP wins control of Congress in November, signaling a protracted fight with the Biden administration. Party leaders and committee chairmen-in-waiting have already pledged to hold aggressive hearings and issue subpoenas in the wake of Mondays unprecedented search of the former presidents Florida home. The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, Mike Turner of Ohio, has already written to the National Archives and Records Administration demanding officials preserve the documents and communications tied to NARAs criminal referral to the FBI, which appears to have sparked the search. The response, Turner said, should be written in a way that is potentially responsive to a congressional inquiry, request, investigation, or subpoena that may be initiated or otherwise undertaken by a committee of Congress or any other investigative entity. Theres little Republicans can do now in the minority. But winning one or both chambers would allow them to harness subpoena and other powers to launch a widespread probe that could go as high as President Joe Biden himself. The White House has said it was in the dark on the Mar-a-Lago search. With the president still holding veto power over legislation, such congressional investigations would be one of the most visible avenues for Republicans to exert authority. Hearings the party held after the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, for example, went on for months and didnt make much of a splash but did put key Democrats, like then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in the hot seat. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who has his eyes on the speakers office, immediately promised to leave no stone unturned. In a tweet, he warned Attorney General Merrick Garland to preserve documents and clear your calendar. Representative Jim Jordan, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee and a Trump ally, has insisted that Biden has weaponized the Justice Department. Jordan demanded Garland and FBI Director and Christopher Wray, a Trump appointee, should appear for questioning this week before the Judiciary Committee, which has legislative oversight over both. Jordan, however, cant schedule hearings as the ranking GOP member. If Republicans retake the House majority in November, I promise you we will get you the answers that you deserve, Jordan later promised in an appeal to donors. Across the board, Republicans even Trumps potential 2024 rivals for the GOP nomination rallied behind the former president. In the Senate, where Republicans have a decent chance of taking the majority, some senior Republicans insisted Justice Department officials will have to answer questions about what led to the search. Senator Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, assailed the lack of a public explanation for the search and said he shared his concerns with Wray. The warrant for the search is sealed. If the FBI isnt extraordinarily transparent about its justification for yesterdays actions and committed to rooting out political bias that has infected their most sensitive investigations, they will have sealed their own fate, Grassley said in a statement. Another senior Republican on the Judiciary panel, Trump ally Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, also called for some answers. You dont do things before an election unless you have to, Graham said Tuesday at an event in his home state. I want to know what led to this. I think every Republican believes that the FBI and other organizations have lost their mind when it comes to Trump. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who has battled with the former president, insisted the country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events on Monday. Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do immediately, McConnell said. ___ 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. MIAMI (Tribune News Service) In blasting the unprecedented FBI search of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home this week, Florida Republican leaders revived a familiar theme: The targeting of a former president and political foe is something that could only happen in a "Third-World country." Gov. Ron DeSantis, a rising star in the national Republican Party, said the scene was akin to one in a "banana republic," a pejorative term that's been historically used for some politically unstable countries in the Americas. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said the raid was "3rd World country stuff." U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio made a comparison to Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega jailing political opponents. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar tweeted she was concerned about the U.S. going "down the path of countries like Cuba & Nicaragua." And Trump himself used the term in his statement confirming federal officials had been at his home, declaring the U.S. had already become "one of those Countries." "Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before," Trump said in a statement Monday. "They even broke into my safe!" The ratcheted-up rhetoric about the raid, in which the FBI seized about a dozen boxes of paperwork from Trump's South Florida mansion, have had a particular resonance in Miami-Dade County. South Florida is home to thousands of residents who hail from countries where authoritarian leaders have been known to consolidate power by weaponizing judicial institutions against political enemies. But where some saw a Third-World-like attack on a former president they support, some exiles say they saw the opposite. To some, it was proof of a functioning system as the separation of powers made it possible for the feds to raid Trump's home. Some Hispanic leaders were quick to agree with Republican officials that the Mar-a-Lago raid reminded them of power grabs in their former countries. Ariel Montoya, a columnist and exiled conservative leader from Nicaragua, said the FBI raid reminded him of home invasions conducted by the left-wing Sandinistas in the 1980s. He argued that what makes the case so "delicate" is that Trump is expected to run for the presidency again in 2024. "I think that's the gravest thing that could happen to the United States, that their own political institutions ... have an agenda that's being followed that, one way or another, charges against some candidates, who in this case may also aspire to the presidency," Montoya said. But Ade Ferro, who runs the Democratic-leaning Venezuelan-American Caucus from Miami, said the comparison to countries like hers to score political points were "offensive." "I come from a 'Third-World' country. And this is the other way around," Ferro said. "There's many, many of us who just want justice to be done .... and for our own suffering to stop being used for political gains." 'Places like Nicaragua' Likely none of the Florida Republican lawmakers who spoke about the raid were as specific as Rubio, who has long spoken against left-wing leaders in Latin America, in comparing the U.S. Department of Justice's actions to an authoritarian government's. "This is what happens in places like Nicaragua, where last year every single person that ran against Daniel Ortega for president, every single person that put their name on the ballot, was arrested and is still in jail. That's what you see in places like Nicaragua. We've never seen that before in America," Rubio said in a video he tweeted the night that news of the raid became public. Ferro, who has been a vocal critic of Rubio, said that she believes it is members of the Republican Party who have taken steps to erode the separation of powers, like replacing or suspending judicial officials or contesting the results of a fair election. "The minority leader, Rep. [Kevin] McCarthy, spoke like Diosdado Cabello in his daily show 'Con el Mazo Dando,' " Ferro said, referring to the top Venezuelan official under leader Nicolas Maduro. "He was threatening like, 'Get your papers in order because I'm going to put you in jail.' So, who are the ones acting like authoritarian regimes?" Ernesto Ackerman, a Republican and president of the Independent Venezuelan American Citizens, was not as fast to condemn the raid. Instead, he said that what sowed distrust and doubt in the legal process is the perception that federal law enforcement has not been as quick to act against high-profile Democrats. "I want there to be justice. If there was any infraction committed, I want justice to be served. But what I wonder is what happened to Hillary Clinton? What happened with Hunter Biden? ... What has happened with all the corrupt Democrats?" Ackerman said. "Why precisely when we're in the middle of an electoral cycle where Democrats will be defeated?" The FBI was investigating Clinton and said so just before the 2016 election, an announcement that was cheered by her detractors and likely dogged her presidential bid. Rubio doubled down on that during an appearance with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, where he said the raid was part of a "playbook" generally adopted by authoritarian communist regimes. "I'm here in a very unique position in South Florida surrounded by people that come from countries where this is familiar to them," Rubio said. "This is shocking to Americans, but in Latin America and many of these countries around the world, here's what happens: A group takes power, one of the first things that group does is they begin to persecute and go after their political opponents and then when the supporters of their political opponents begin to complain about it, they begin to target them and they criminalize opposition." Allusions to communism in South Florida Eduardo Gamarra, a political science professor at Florida International University, said that the rhetoric is par for the course during an election cycle in Florida, when Republican candidates have often alluded to communist regimes when attacking Democrats. The labeling of Democrats as "socialists" has been an effective messaging strategy for Republicans in South Florida for many years. And after Trump made significant gains with Hispanic communities in 2020, the label has surged nationally in more recent election cycles. "In contrast to what occurs in countries that are openly authoritarian, here what you see is an authorization from an independent judicial branch," Gamarra said. "A judicial branch that acts without consulting political actors and that acts with a base of criteria that are very clearly established." Gamarra added that the comparison was also bad faith, pointing to the Trump administration's tendency to appoint officials who had little experience in their fields but that were loyal to his political platform. "It's a bit paradoxical, particularly considering Senator Rubio's party spent four years politicizing the justice system," Gamarra said. The rhetoric also caught the attention of Florida state Sen. Annette Taddeo, who is running in the Democratic primary to challenge Salazar. Taddeo said the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol while the 2020 election results were being certified was more of a reminder of something that would happen in a communist regime than the FBI raid. "I find it just quite appalling but at the same time interesting that they would make that comparison when it's the kind of thing that we've never seen before for a reason," Taddeo said. "In this country, no one is above the law. Whether you're the former president or not." She added that the director currently at the helm of the FBI was not appointed by Biden but by Trump, a fact that on its own should convince voters of the legitimacy of the process. "I understand how they're trying to utilize this to their political gain but I don't see how that will work when the Department of Justice was politicized under Trump." Manny Diaz, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, was similarly outraged by the comparisons to Latin American countries and recalled that leaders in European countries have also had to face legal consequences for wrongdoing. "They have prosecuted former leaders in those countries because they also follow the law," Diaz said. "Nicaragua? C'mon. Is that a buzzword now?" ____ 2022 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. WASHINGTON An Army colonel can continue her civil lawsuit against the federal government and former Air Force Gen. John Hyten for an alleged sexual assault after a federal court of appeals on Thursday ruled the law that bars service members from suing the government for injuries does not apply to such a case. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its decision after lawyers for Hyten, who served as vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the federal government appealed a lower court's decision to deny their request to dismiss a suit brought by Army Col. Kathryn Spletstoser alleging Hyten sexually assaulted her, according to court documents. She filed her case against Hyten and the government after reporting her assault to the Air Force, which investigated the incident but declined to file charges or discipline the general, according to court documents. Spletstoser claims the sexual assault occurred while she and Hyten were attending a defense forum in California. Though she was on active duty, she was not working at the time because it was late in the evening. As she was preparing her hotel bed, she said the general unexpectedly knocked on her door, restrained her and sexually assaulted her. Hytens and the governments attorneys argued the Feres doctrine, which states a service member cannot sue the government for injuries received on active duty, should nullify Spletstosers case. The appeals court found the doctrine does not cancel Spletstosers right to sue because the alleged sexual assault (could) not conceivably serve any military purpose. It is unimaginable that plaintiff would have been under orders to submit to Hytens sexual advances, or that she was performing any sort of military mission in conjunction with the alleged assault, the court wrote in its opinion. The court did not rule on any allegations of the case. However, the ruling will now allow Spletstoser to move forward with her civil lawsuit. (Tribune News Service) The Virginia State Bar has stripped a longtime Newport News attorneys law license Friday after she pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion charges a week earlier. Nosuk Pak Kim who practiced law in Virginia for 31 years admitted to the federal charges in U.S. District Court in Richmond on July 28 and promised to pay the IRS $869,000 in back taxes. Though felony convictions are a bar to practicing law in Virginia, the provision doesnt typically kick in until final sentencing. But Kim signed an affidavit Friday consenting to the revocation without a hearing. Under an agreement with the State Bar, Kim must tell her clients shes lost her law license and make appropriate arrangements such as farming out her cases to other lawyers in conformity with the wishes of her clients. Kim, 61, is a founding partner at an Oyster Point law firm where she specialized in immigration law for 25 years. She also taught at William and Mary and has been a substitute judge since 2014 in Newport News General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. Federal prosecutors charged Kim on July 11 with evading taxes on some $2.2 million in income from her husbands company that provided T-shirts and trinkets to the military between 2015 and 2016. She faces up to 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines when sentenced Jan. 5. Her husband, Beyung Kim, 63, is serving a four-year federal prison sentence and has been ordered to pay $7.6 million. He was convicted of conspiracy charges last year for falsely telling the Department of Defense his company was run by a military veteran thereby qualifying for set-asides and telling them the goods were Made in the USA when they were in fact made in China. ___ 2022 Daily Press. Visit dailypress.com . The accused, of Sheephill Avenue in Blanchardstown, are charged with possession of a stolen Suzuki motorbike on September 27, 2019. A father and son have appeared in court charged with money laundering offences as well as possession of a stolen motorbike. Jason Hennessy Snr (46) and his son Jason Hennessy Jnr (25) are facing trial by judge and jury in the circuit court on the charges. Judge Gerard Jones adjourned both mens cases to a date in October for the service of the book of evidence. The accused, of Sheephill Avenue in Blanchardstown, are charged with possession of a stolen Suzuki motorbike on September 27, 2019. Jason Snr is accused of possession of 3,050 which was the proceeds of crime at Bank of Ireland, Main Street in Blanchardstown on March 13, 2019. Jason Jnr is facing similar money laundering charges, relating to 11,200 and 4,150 in cash as well as an Audi motorbike, on dates in February and April 2019. Jason Hennessy Snr Sergeant Maria Callaghan told Blanchardstown District Court the DPP had directed trial on indictment in the circuit court on the charges, and she asked for an adjournment to October for the preparation of the book of evidence. The defence applied for legal aid for Jason Snr, saying he earns 350 a week. Sgt Callaghan asked for a full statement of means, and proof of the accused mans earnings. The court heard Jason Jnr was not working, and his solicitor also applied for free legal aid. There was no objection from gardai and Judge Jones assigned a lawyer on legal aid. The men have not yet indicated a plea to the charges. Mr McCarthys remains were found at an apartment on Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 last Saturday evening. A man who was arrested in connection with the murder of Sean McCarthy (28) is due in court this morning. Mr McCarthys remains were found at an apartment on Achill Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 last Saturday evening. It is believed Mr McCarthys body may have been in the apartment for some time after he was killed. An incident room was established at Ballymun Garda Station and a murder investigation commenced under a Senior Investigating Officer. A man in his thirties was arrested as part of the investigation and was detained at a Garda Station in North Dublin under the provisions of Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007. This morning, the man is scheduled to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice. Gardai are still appealing for any persons who were travelling in the Home Farm Road area of Drumcondra and its environs between the morning of Tuesday, 2nd August, 2022, and the evening of Saturday, 6th August, 2022, who observed any activity which drew their attention, to come forward. Anyone with any information that may assist Gardai with this investigation is asked to contact Ballymun Garda Station on 01 666 4400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Pilot Michal Luczak (41) with an address in Naas, Co Kildare was arrested alongside Waterford man Tim Gilchrist (54) The Cessna single-engine plane that was seized by gardai after it landed in Abbeyshrule, Co Longford. Photo:: An Garda Siochana A Polish pilot and a Co. Waterford man charged over a seizure of 8.4m of cocaine allegedly flown into the midlands last week have been further remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). 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 6 pm on August 10. The Cessna single-engine plane that was seized by gardai after it landed in Abbeyshrule, Co Longford. Photo:: An Garda Siochana 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 Michal Luczak, 41, with an address at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown Naas, Co. Kildare. They were detained at Ashbourne Garda Station, Dublin and charged. Both faced a special sitting of Mullingar District Court on Sunday morning. Mr Gilchrist is accused of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at Lough Owel, Irishtown, Co. Westmeath. The drugs were allegedly recovered from his car. The 8.4million of cocaine seized. Photo:: An Garda Siochana Father of two, Mr Luczak, is charged with the same offences at the Abbeyshrule Aerodrome. Mr Gilchrist made no attempt for bail; however, his co-accused did make an application, which was denied following Garda objections on the grounds he was a flight risk. The duo appeared again at the same court via video link on Thursday.. Mr Luczaks barrister Niall Flynn, instructed by Keenan & Co Solicitors, told Judge Deirdre Gearty his client was now preparing to bring a High Court bail application. The court heard that the analysis of the seized substances was still awaited. Mr Gilchrist, represented by solicitor Maurice Regan, reserved his position on bail. Tim Gilchrist leaving Mullingar District Court. Photo: Mark Condren Judge Gearty remanded them in continuing custody to appear again on August 25 for the DPP's directions. At Sundays hearing, the seizure was described in court as a "massive loss" to a criminal group. Detective Garda Liam Mangan had said Mr Gilchrist made no reply to charge. Detective Ivor Scully told the court he feared Mr Luczak was a flight risk. The pilot made no reply to his charges, and his lawyer said his client had protested his innocence. During the contested bail hearing, the court heard Mr Luczak, a former law student, moved to Ireland 17 years ago to find work, and he had been doing odd jobs due to the covid pandemic. The defence had disputed garda evidence of his lack of ties to Ireland. His lawyer said Mr Luczak was married with children here, gardai had seized his passport, and he had no signs of wealth. Gda Kelly objected to Glen Ward receiving free legal aid, telling the court gardai believed "this man has wealth and can afford his own solicitor". Eric O'Driscoll of Deanstown Green in Finglas, Glen Ward (left) Eric O'Driscoll (centre back) and Darragh Collopy (right) outside the Criminals Courts of Justice in Dublin Three men have been charged with violent disorder after a large group of people allegedly holding knives and pitchforks gathered in the centre of Finglas yesterday afternoon. Glen Ward (29), his brother Eric O'Driscoll (20) and Darragh Collopy (18) were viewed on CCTV footage by gardai who arrested them late last night, a court heard. Investigating officers objected to bail, with one garda saying they had "major concerns as to what's happening" in the area. Judge Conal Gibbons granted bail, subject to conditions, and the men were remanded on bail to appear before Blanchardstown District Court in October. Mr Ward, with an address at Deanstown Way, Mr O'Driscoll, of Deanstown Green, and Mr Collopy, of Cardiffsbridge Avenue, all in Finglas, appeared before Dublin District Court this morning charged with violent disorder. Glen Ward (left) Eric O'Driscoll (centre back) and Darragh Collopy (right) outside the Criminals Courts of Justice in Dublin The incident allegedly took place shortly before 5pm on August 9. Garda Ciaran Moloney told a bail hearing for the men that gardai received numerous reports yesterday at 4.55pm of a group of men standing at the junction of Cardiffsbridge Road and Deanstown Green. Gda Moloney said there were reports the group had knives and pitchforks, and there was "even mention of a firearm". The court heard gardai went to the scene, and the large gathering began to disperse. Gda Moloney said officers viewed CCTV footage, and the three men before the court were arrested and charged. Objecting to bail for Mr Collopy, Gda Moloney said gardai had "major concerns as to what's happening" in the area. Darragh Collopy, Cardiffsbridge Avenue in Finglas, Objecting to bail for Mr Ward, Detective Garda Sean Kelly said gardai had concerns there could be interference with witnesses, as other people were potentially involved who had not yet been arrested or questioned. As part of bail objections for Mr O'Driscoll, Garda Dwayne O'Brien alleged he had viewed the CCTV and had identified Mr O'Driscoll as being in possession of a weapon at the time of the incident. Judge Gibbons said the men had "the presumption of bail", that people got bail on murder charges, and there was no way he could refuse bail. The judge remanded Mr Collopy on bail in his own bond of 200. As part of his bail conditions, he must reside at his home address and have no interaction, either directly or via social media, with his co-accused. Eric O'Driscoll of Deanstown Green in Finglas, Mr Collopy has further been ordered not to loiter around Cardiffsbridge Road in Finglas. In relation to brothers Mr Ward and Mr O'Driscoll, defence lawyer Garrett Casey BL asked that their bail conditions "not be read out for certain reasons". He told the court gardai were aware of these reasons. Gda Kelly objected to Mr Ward receiving free legal aid, telling the court gardai believed "this man has wealth and can afford his own solicitor". Judge Gibbons deferred free legal aid for Mr Ward and Mr O'Driscoll, pending a vouched statement of means as well as bank account details. The judge adjourned the case to a date in October for DPP's directions on the charges. His inability to recall where hed spent the days before his arrest simply wasnt credible Some of the drugs Mohammed Hussain was caught with A Sheffield drug smuggler who forgot where he had been staying when stopped by Border Force officers on returning to the UK was later found to have drugs worth 720,000 (850,000) in his car. Mohammed Hussain (30) Uttley Drive, Sheffield, was behind the wheel of a British-registered BMW that had arrived on a ferry in Dover on September 29, 2020, when it was pulled over. He initially told Border Force officers who had stopped the vehicle that he had been to Frankfurt, staying at a Holiday Inn, but couldnt provide any details about his supposed visit to the German city. He then changed his story to say he had been to Amsterdam during the previous four days which prompted suspicious officers to search the car. They found 16 kilos of heroin and cocaine in taped packages which had been hidden in all four door panels of the car. It was later estimated that the cocaine and heroin would have been worth around 720,000 if cut and sold on the streets of the UK. Some of the drugs Mohammed Hussain was caught with Hussain was subsequently charged with attempting to import class A drugs and convicted in June last year, following a four-day trial at Canterbury Crown Court. A second defendant, Mustafa Yusaf (28) from Feltham, who was a passenger in the car with Hussain, was cleared of importing drugs following a retrial last month. Small amounts of cannabis were found in his underpants after the car was stopped, for which he was given a six-month conditional discharge at the time of Hussains conviction. Hussain was sentenced at the same court on August 10. NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes said Hussains account of his stay immediately roused suspicion. His inability to recall where hed spent the days before his arrest simply wasnt credible, Mr Howes said. His car was carrying a dangerous cargo of class A drugs, the type county lines gangs and other exploitative criminal networks distribute across the UK. Working with our partners like Border Force, we will continue to bring drugs smugglers before the courts and disrupt the organised criminals operating behind them. Seven people arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on bail The daughters of a convicted Sligo drug dealer have appealed for witnesses to come forward after he died at a holiday park in the UK. Father-of-six Michael McDonagh (53), who lived in London with his family, was pronounced dead at the Camber Sands holiday park in Lydd Road near the East Sussex border last weekend following an altercation between a group of people. Seven people arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on bail. In a new appeal for information, daughter Stephanie McDonagh, said she wanted justice for her father and to make sure it was "an incident that will never be repeated again". Mr McDonagh's other daughter, Shannon, said: "This is just extremely shocking that in a park resort where you expect - you know there's families, there's children - you don't expect something like this to happen, you expect it to be safe." He is believed to have got into the row after watching the opening match of the Premier League between Crystal Palace and Arsenal. The incident that led to his death occurred on Friday night last. It has been reported that Michael was held down by a number of men and had stated he couldnt breathe. In 2000, the Criminal Assets Bureau successfully seized McDonaghs home near Ballintogher, Sligo after proving that it was bought from the proceeds of crime before the courts. Soon after that Mr McDonagh left Ireland, he returned and he stayed in local hotels with his family. He was also on the radar of the National Crime Agency in Britain and was arrested in Amsterdam, Holland in November 2010 and extradited back to the UK on foot of an international warrant for his arrest. He was subsequently jailed for seven years for drug trafficking. The family of the Sligo dad had earlier said they were walking away with broken hearts and unanswered questions. He was described as a man who was the centre of our world and the life and soul of every party. On Saturday morning we found out we lost our father, a family member said. Michael was a loving and supportive husband of 32 years and a father of six, taken from us whilst on a family holiday. His family meant everything to him. He came away to make memories with his wife and children and instead we are walking away with broken hearts and unanswered questions. Its impossible to put into words how we all feel. Our dad was the centre of our world and the life and soul of every party. Not only did my dad make such a huge impact on our family but also to countless people who knew him throughout his life. He will be greatly missed. Michael was a kind-hearted man who died too young, leaving behind all those that loved him. Sussex Police described the attack as an "isolated incident", saying the investigation was "complex and fast moving". A spokesperson for Camber Sands holiday park, said: "The safety and wellbeing of everybody on our park is at the heart of everything we do. "The police have issued a statement providing reassurance to the public that this was an isolated incident with no wider risk of harm. "As this is a live police investigation we cannot comment further, but our park team is actively supporting the police and is doing everything they can to assist with their enquiries." Lillian Oetting (50) who was born in Northern Ireland, was murdered along with two friends in Illinois. Lillian Oetting (50) was born in Northern Ireland. She was murdered along with two friends at Starved Rock State Park, Illinois in 1960. New evidence has suggested that a man who spent 60 years in prison for the murder of an Irish woman could be innocent. Lillian Oetting (50) who was born in Northern Ireland, was murdered along with two friends at Starved Rock State Park in Illinois. Oetting, Frances Murphy (47) and Mildred Lindquist (50) were visiting the area from Chicago in March 1960. The trio checked into their hotel, the Starved Rock Lodge, and headed for an afternoon hike but never returned. Their disappearances went unnoticed until two days later when Murphys husband called the hotel to ask after his wife after she failed to get in touch with him. After searching the park, the womens partially naked bodies were discovered bound with twine inside a cave at the canyon. Frances Murphy & Mildred Lindquist. The three women died from severe head trauma, the murder weapon - a tree trunk, lay near their bodies. An employee at the hotel, Chester Weger, was interviewed by police after the bodies were found. His colleagues noted to officers that Weger showed up to work on the day after the disappearance with scorch marks on his face. He was interviewed about the fatal beatings for weeks on end, and passed the three lie-detector tests police administered. Despite protesting his innocence officers continued their interrogation and sought to pin the crime on Weger as he fit the description of a suspect who bound a teenage girl with twine and raped her at a nearby State Park months prior. Weger was later picked out of a photo line-up by the victim. The twine used to bind the three deceased women was the same twine found in the lodge. He subsequently failed a fourth lie-detector test, police deciding at this point to covertly survaile him. After further questioning in November of 1960, Weger confessed to the crime and re-enacted the crime scene for officers. Chester Weger | Source: HBO Just days later he recanted his confession, stating that it was given under duress. Following a trial in early 1961, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life behind bars. He was imprisoned at Pinckneyville Correctional Centre, and at one point he was the longest serving inmate in prison in Illinois as well as the third longest in the states history before he was granted parole in 2020. During his time behind bars, Weger protested his innocence. Now 83-years-old Weger is set on proving that he was not the killer. A LaSalle County court heard that a hair found on the glove of one of the women does not belong to Weger. Speaking to Rolling Stone he said: Its wonderful. I knew it would be coming some day. Im innocent, he said. I was innocent. I wanna be vacated, he said pleading for his name to be cleared before he dies. The next step in overturning his conviction will involve his defense attorney pleading Wegers case to the district attorney. The Murders at Starved Rock were the subject of a 2021 HBO documentary of the same name. Jordan Croft (26) pleaded guilty to 65 charges Jordan Croft (26) from West Sussex pleaded guilty to 65 offences related to 26 victims following an investigation by the UKs National Crime Agency. Croft sought out girls aged 12-22 on online chat platforms and forced them to send him photographs and videos of themselves performing sexual and other degrading acts on themselves and others. NCA investigators found that he had been in contact with over 5,000 people on one platform alone. After getting his victims to send him a nude custom pic of his choosing, he used this to make further demands for what the NCA have described as increasingly depraved and graphic content. He set a list of rules they had to adhere to, which included moving their conversation to encrypted platform Telegram and sending any photos or videos he asked for, a spokesperson for the NCA said. Many were forced to film themselves verbally confirming that they were entering into his contract of sexual slavery. If the girls did not comply or asked to be released from the contract, he would set punishments and threaten to expose them to their family or social media followers. Officers arrested Jordan Croft in September 2019, after he was identified as the man behind various usernames featured in reports of online abuse filed at police stations across England. Numerous devices, including two mobile phones and a USB stick were seized for analysis which led to the NCA uncovering the full extent of his offending, including a further 19 victims. Both of the phones had an encrypted side to them, which was where the messaging applications he used were stored. It is also where Croft saved the abuse material his victims sent him, tagged with their names and ages, alongside a list of their social media followers. Further indecent images of children were found on the USB stick which also contained a portable operating system. When the USB was plugged into a computer, the system would ensure nothing was written to the computers hard disk and all trace of activity was deleted. Chat logs uncovered showed that Croft initially pretended to be a teenage boy in order to befriend his victims, but once content they were going to follow his rules, he revealed his true age. He also admitted to being a catfish and a pedo [sic] into girls 12-14. He also told many of his victims that he had a degree in cyber security and had masked his online identity so he could not be traced by police. Crofts charges include multiple counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, blackmail, making unwarranted demands for Indecent Images Of Children (IIOC), intentionally causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, and making over 900 IIOC in categories A-C. He pleaded guilty to all 65 counts on August 9th at Lewes Crown Court and is due to be sentenced on November 10th. Jordan Croft is a prolific offender who has caused heart-breaking suffering to many victims and their families, Martin Ludlow, senior investigating officer at the National Crime Agency said. The sexual depravity he consistently displayed during this abuse of both young female children and adults is horrific. Like many offenders, Croft thrived on the power he was able to exert over the victims. He sought the feeling of control and obtained it by deceit and abuse. He showed no compassion for the victims, pushing them to breaking point and issuing threats, even when they begged him to stop. I commend these young women who have shown such bravery in speaking out against him. Croft is an example of an adult sexual offender who deploys plausible online profiles to hide their real identity and exploit children, he continued. We know children are increasingly sharing personal material on social media sites, but I urge them be aware of the hurt and long-term damage manipulative offenders like Croft cause, and to think carefully about who they may be communicating with online. Traditionally, the Puck Fair, which takes place each year on August 10, 11 and 12, sees a wild goat spend the bulk of its time on 50ft stand overlooking the town. Controversy is raging over this year's Puck Fair which is currently taking place in Killorglin, Co Kerry as people have taken to social media in their droves to slam the event. Traditionally, the Puck Fair, which takes place each year on August 10, 11 and 12, sees a wild goat spend the bulk of its time on 50ft stand overlooking the town. The puck is looked after by a team of goat catchers, while a local vet monitors the goats health and he is given a full health check before his coronation and being hoisted on the stand. As well as being fed, the goat is inoculated. However, while the popular event, which is at least 400 years old and his returned after a three-year gap, draws in thousand visit each year, there has been an increasing level of objection to the practise, with many condemning it as cruel and barbaric. Concerns were first raised about the welfare of the puck goat in 2015 when an animal rights organisation said the goats capture and confinement was wrong under the provisions of the 2013 Animal Health and Welfare Act. Aran, the Animal Rights Action Network, said their concerns spanned the range of the festival the catching of a wild goat, parading it through the town and exposing it to noise and drunken revelry. 7-8-2022: Goat catcher Pat Cahill and his son goat warrior Matthew (10) pictured with a wild mountain goat captured near Ireland's highest mountain Carrauntoohill And more than 20,000 people have signed an online petition to stop Puck Fair, describing the tradition as unacceptable. This week, the fairs spokesman Declan Falvey was forced to defend the festival on air after animal rights activists and others expressed concern for the goat whose coronation was due to place on Wednesday in the middle of a heat wave. Callers to Joe Duffys LiveLine expressed their anger at what some called the barbaric practise of catching a goat and raising it above the town for three days. But Mr Falvey told Liveline: The water is changed on a regular basis and a local farmer sources the best of heather. We will make sure we will look after the goat. However, callers to the programme said goats were not able to cope with heat and they panted a lot and would be unable to drink. Mr Falvey insisted this is a wild mountain goat, used to living on heights. We will do everything in our power and if it means keeping him down we will keep him down, he said. The goat was a hardy animal and a balmy breeze on high would keep him cool, he added. In recent years, the cage had been made bigger and Mr Falvey said they will "uphold the tradition as best we can". However, that has not prevented a stream of messages to the fairs Facebook page in which people have expressed their disgust and anger at the ongoing practise. So let me get this right, one person has posted. A goat is taken from the wild and its herd. Put in a cage and suspended 50ft in the air for 3 days and nights. Meanwhile revellers are having a great time below and plenty of noise day and night. I hear there will be a fireworks display also. "The terrified, stressed out to the last goat has to endure all this and you feel this is ok? Is there no artist that could make a sculpture of a goat for use instead of the poor goat? It's 2022 now...we are not back in the stone age. Feel free to correct me if I am misled on the details. Goat catcher Pat Cahill and his son goat warrior Matthew (10) pictured with a wild mountain goat who will be 'King Puck' at the annual Puck Fair in Killorglin Another added: Yep, totally barbaric and something I've refused to attend for that very reason, tradition or not it's not OK to treat any animal this way more especially in this heat. One commented: What a shame that you have to spoil what appears to be a wonderful, traditional fair with an act of animal abuse. The programme for each day looks interesting but the animal cruelty cancels out the rest to me. Another person added: In in this day and age, it is absolutely barbaric to suspend an innocent animal in the air for three days and nights at any time, but especially in this heat. No tradition justifies this cruelty and it does nothing to enhance the fair or the reputation of those living in the area and organising it. In the interest of animal welfare you would have far more support if you take the goat down now. Why are the ISPCA allowing this blatant cruelty? One stormed: Shame on the lot of ye. To hang a goat up in the air in a metal cage is beyond barbaric, ye should be ashamed. Such cruelty is shocking. There were few other voices defending the festival as one retorted: Major keyboard warriors after listening to Uncle Joe yesterday, the majority of whom didn't have a clue about the fairs existence until yesterday ..welcome to 2022, an era of being offended by things you didn't realise existed until two minutes ago. The goat will be led back into the mountains after the festival which includes music, dancing and fairs ends tomorrow. Reports are made to Tusla by gardai, teachers, social workers and other experts. The reports, which are made to Tusla by gardai, teachers, social workers and other experts, totalled more than 1,800 between January and May. This compares to less than 1,300 in the same period in 2021. Meanwhile, official reports of child abuse or neglect have increased by almost one-third this year. There were almost 9,000 in the first five months of 2021 - over 2,000 more than the same period last year. Barnardos chief executive, Suzanne Connolly, told Newstalk that in many cases the abuse happens in child's home. "Children can be at-risk within their own family context, she said. "They can also be at-risk in terms of what might be a trusted adult that the family may think is safe for their children to have contact with, but turns out not to be safe. "We just need to be also aware that in some organisations which provide services to children, there may be people who have an indication... towards abusing children. She described the levels of abuse as worrying. "The increase may indicate that professionals are aware of their responsibilities under Children First to report any concerns they may have. "Hitherto they may not have been as aware. "Nevertheless what the crucial point is that the investigations are carried out in a timely manner, and that children get the support and services that they need. Yesterday it was revealed how more than 100 victims treated in the HSEs Sexual Assault Treatment Units last year were under the age of 16. The HSE said that 24 children under the age of 14 were treated in the units while 78 were aged between 14 and 16. In total, 859 individuals attended the units, an increase of 17pc since 2020. The vast majority of the victims - 92pc - treated by the units were women. The average age of the victims was 26 and 43 of the crimes involved multiple attackers. Rape Crisis Network Ireland Executive Director Cliona Sadlier told Newstalk: We know how vulnerable children are - particularly as [they] head into puberty, she told Newstalk. "11, 12 and 13-years-old." We know that this age cohort is particularly vulnerable and we know, unfortunately, that a large proportion of the people who are perpetrating these sexual offences against children are themselves children, or people the same age." Ms Sadlier warned that people must be made aware that alcohol is never an excuse for crime as 42pc of those treated by the units had drunk more than six standard alcoholic units. The opportunity for sexual violence, one of the areas is in social settings and of course in Ireland all our social settings almost invariably involve alcohol, she noted. Laid to rest there is Gavin Brett, brother of DUPs Phillip Brett, who was shot dead aged 18 as he stood with a group of Catholic friends in 2001 The flags bearing a slogan used by the Mount Vernon UVF unit in north Belfast appeared outside Carnmoney graveyard in recent days. Last night one local councillor condemned the move, saying they should be removed either by those who put them up or the Department for Infrastructure. A UVF flag outside the cemetery The flags show the eyes of a man wearing a balaclava above the words Prepared for Peace Ready for War, a line which also appears on a long-standing UVF mural in the Mount Vernon estate. Antrim and Newtownabbey Sinn Fein councillor Michael Goodman said: Quite simply, there shouldnt be flags of any kind outside the cemetery. Its totally inappropriate. There are far too many flags in Newtownabbey as it is. I would call on those who erected them to take them back down. I will be contacting the Department for Infrastructure and other authorities to take action. I would also call on local unionist representatives to speak out against it and to advise those responsible to think again about what they have done. I hope there will be a positive response from others in the area to deal with the situation. The cemetery is managed by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and is open to burials of the dead from all faiths and none. It is also the final resting place for many people murdered by loyalists during the Troubles, including victims of the Mount Vernon UVF, which was once led by the killer double agents Mark Haddock and Gary Haggarty. UVF mural at Mount Vernon Raymond McCord Jnr (22), who was beaten to death by the Mount Vernon UVF before his body was dumped at a quarry outside north Belfast in November 1997, is buried in the graveyard. Another UVF victim whose grave is in the cemetery is John Harbinson who was beaten to death by the same UVF gang in 1997, as is that of high profile UDA boss Tommy English who was killed during a feud with the UVF in 2000. Also laid to rest there is Gavin Brett, the brother of DUP MLA Phillip Brett, who was shot dead aged 18 by the UDA in Glengormley as he stood with a group of Catholic friends in August 2001. Gardai who are investigating the incident have appealed for anyone with information to contact them The teen is being treated in the Mater Hospital in Dublin A teenager has been airlifted to a hospital in Dublin after the tractor he was driving overturned in Scariff, Co Clare yesterday afternoon. The young man was taken by air ambulance to the Mater Hospital where his condition has been described as serious. Gardai who are investigating the incident have appealed for anyone with information to contact them. Gardai are investigating a road traffic collision that occurred in Scariff, Co Clare yesterday afternoon, at approximately 5.30pm, gardai said. A tractor turned on its side while travelling on the R461. The male driver of the vehicle (late teens) was taken to The Mater Hospital, Dublin by air ambulance where his condition is described as serious. Gardai in Killaloe are appealing to anyone who may have information in relation to this incident to contact them on 061 620 540. Gardai added that investigations are ongoing. The incident follows the death of John Hansberry, a single man, aged in his 60s, in Gort in Co Galway in July. The recently retired Galway county council staff membered was fatally injured when he was suddenly trapped by the tractor he had been driving while doing maintenance work on his land in the Derreen area. Gardai and emergency services were called and his body was removed to University Hospital Galway for a post mortem examination. The Health & Safety Authority (HSA) were notified, and is carrying out an investigation The local community was said to be shocked and saddened at his loss. Police have serious concerns for his welfare and are urging anyone in contact with them to reach out to the authorities. Police are appealing for urgent assistance in locating a four-year-old boy who has gone missing in Turkey. George Jack Temperley-Wells was last seen in the Marina area of Antalya, having travelled from Darlington with his mother, Brogan Elizabeth Temperley, on June 29. Police have serious concerns for his welfare and are urging anyone in contact with them to reach out to the authorities. George is described as having red hair, a pale complexion and dark eyes, while Ms Temperley is 28 years old and slim, with long, dark hair and dark eyes. They are likely to have spent time in Turkey with the four-year-olds father, 41-year-old Scott Nigel Wells. Anyone in the UK with information can call Durham Constabulary on 101, quoting incident number 325 of June 30, while those in Turkey can go to a local police station or call the emergency number on 112 / 115. A free concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of Taurangas Mighty Wurli is set to enthral those who have enjoyed this unique experience in the past as well as those who will be hearing it for the first time. Fifty years ago, a majestic Wurlitzer theatre organ was gifted to the people of Tauranga and installed in the citys Town Hall. Since that day in 1972, thousands of people have been fortunate to experience first-hand the exhilaration, passion, and joy of a live Wurlitzer concert right in their own backyard. To celebrate 50 years of the Wurlitzer wowing Tauranga audiences, Baycourt Community & Arts Centre and the Tauranga Theatre Organ Society are proudly presenting Scott Harrison in Concert on Baycourts Mighty Wurlitzer in the Addison Theatre at 10.30am on Thursday, August 18. Entry is free by registration. Starring Australian Wurli Maestro Scott Harrison, this concert will showcase the impressive range and capabilities of Baycourts Mighty Wurli, and will feature a programme of familiar tunes, classic Wurlitzer works, plus a few surprises. The Wurlitzer keys are connected to musical instruments hidden away behind screens in the Addison Theatre. Photo: Supplied. The US-built Mighty Wurli a 2/10 Wurlitzer Model H Opus 1482 thats connected to hundreds of pipes, a piano keyboard, a xylophone, castanets, bells and drums is one of the finest Wurlitzer organs in the Southern Hemisphere, and just one of three organs that can be found in New Zealand. Shipped from the United States for installation in the De Luxe Theatre in Wellington in 1926, the Mighty Wurli eventually made its way to Tauranga in 1972, following a 10+ year residency in Tokoroa. On any given day the organ lies safely nestled beneath Baycourts Addison Theatre stage, its home ever since the Tauranga Town Hall was demolished in 1987. At the press of a button, the Mighty Wurli can dramatically rise up from beneath the stage and fill the theatre with its truly remarkable and unmistakable sound. There are few people in the world who know Baycourts Mighty Wurli better than Scott. He has worked alongside the TTOS for nearly three decades to maintain and keep the Wurlitzer in such pristine and original condition. The Mighty Wurli is Baycourts pride and joy, and thanks to the support, dedication and hard work of the TTOS and Harrison, it is kept in perfect working order and ready to thrill a whole new generation of audiences. IYSFF official composer Nathan Avakian on the Wurlitzer. Photo: Brydie Photography. Baycourt manager Reena Snook describes the Mighty Wurli as a living, breathing and constantly evolving instrument, and an amazing feat of engineering thats second to none. Dont miss this unique opportunity to join with Scott and the Tauranga Theatre Organ Society in wishing the Wurlitzer a happy 50th anniversary, says Reena. If you are unable to make it along to the concert, you will have another opportunity to experience the raw power and beauty of the Mighty Wurli live when Baycourt hosts the International Youth Silent Film Festival New Zealand National Awards Final 2022 on Thursday, November 16. The IYSFF is a global competition challenging young filmmakers to create a short silent film set to one of 10 soundtracks created specifically for the festival. The Top 15 selected films will be screened at the NZ Awards Final, with their soundtracks performed live on the Mighty Wurli by the IYSFF official composer Nathan Avakian. Video: 2001 interview with Scott Harrison. History 1926 - The US-built organ was shipped from the United States for installation in the De Luxe Theatre in Wellington. 1927 - The Mighty Wurli made its debut with Sydney organist Emanual Manny Aarons it quickly became a beloved feature of the theatre. 1959 - The Wurlitzer was sold to Eddie Aikin a theatre organ enthusiast who installed the instrument in a former honey-packing shed south of Tokoroa, it was later moved to the school hall of Tokoroa High School. Ill health forced Mr Aikin and his organisation to sell the Mighty Wurli by tender. It was sold to the Tauranga Twenty Thousand Club and then gifted to the people of Tauranga. 1972 - With the support of the Tauranga City Council, the society installed the instrument in the Tauranga Town Hall. The Mighty Wurli was once again featured as a concert instrument for many local and overseas artists. 1986 - It was announced that Tauranga Town Hall was to be demolished. The Wurli needed a new home. The Tauranga City Council suggested that the organ could be relocated in the newly-constructed Baycourt Community and Arts Centre. 1987 - The arduous task of dismantling and re-installing the instrument began, and by late 1988, Opus 1482 was playing once again. 1988 - Dennis James travelled from the United States to present the premier concert of the instrument in Baycourt in December. The Theatre Organ Society The Tauranga Theatre Organ Society helps finance the maintenance and restoration of the organ. With the organ now sounding possibly its best ever it is proving a worthy asset, both to Baycourt and Tauranga. If you would like to join the Tauranga Theatre Society, please fill in the application form. Membership entitles you to reduced organ concert tickets, newsletters, and monthly meetings where you can hear the Wurlitzer. To register for the Scott Harrison in Concert on Baycourts Mighty Wurlitzer free performance on August 18, email baycourtboxoffice@tauranga.govt.nz with your name, contact details, and number of seats you require. Attendance is subject to venue capacity; seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. A Wellington cloud services provider says Google's claim it will offer New Zealanders complete control over their own data is not true. The US giant is setting up a cloud region in Aotearoa New Zealand, to extend its $10 billion global cloud business, as its huge rivals like Amazon build data centres here. Catalyst Cloud questions why the government has hurried to weigh in behind the global giant when so much more could be done by locals. Catalyst Cloud chief executive Doug Dixon was due to meet Digital Minister David Clark on 10 August to talk for the first time about domestic cloud capabilities, on the same day that Google made its announcement. "The New Zealand cloud region will give Kiwi businesses the choice to keep their data onshore and retain data sovereignty and drive their digital transformation efforts locally," Google says. A region is a geographic area that offers a bunch of really fast computing services, and avoids compliance hurdles of passing data between different jurisdictions. Google quoted a couple of local firms, including Trade Me saying its cloud services had been "pivotal in ensuring the stability and resilience of our infrastructure". Clark quickly chimed in with a statement applauding the investment: "Onshore cloud facilities give us stronger control of New Zealand's data because it is held here, where our laws and protections apply." Digital Minister David Clark. Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone. Catalyst Cloud is at the opposite end of the size spectrum from the so-called "hyper scalers" and has only just won approval to handle government data. "This shouldn't just be allowed to pass. It's such a huge claim. And it's really, really not true," he says. "Overseas technology companies are governed and influenced by the laws in their home countries." The minister in charge should be challenged too, Dixon says. "There's a total domination being attempted here. "Global hyper scalers should acknowledge the limits of what they can offer, and they can't offer sovereignty in anywhere other than their home country." They should work with local cloud providers instead, he says. Lawyers say global connectivity, which now depended on the cloud, was a big aid to business but raised problems of privacy, confidentiality and data ownership. And being onshore is no hedge. George Sadlier has worked for 15 years on cloud tech for Google and Microsoft, up until early this year. Photo: Supplied/RNZ. "As soon as you put your data into a cloud provider ... that is based offshore, even if they store the data in New Zealand, folks offshore are going to have some level of access to it," Sadlier says. That access was very tightly controlled, and security was very tight at the mega companies. Plus, it had yet to be really legally tested if they had to let US courts or law enforcement in to their servers, because they are US-owned, he says. The alternative, genuine data sovereignty, came at a price. "It involves building a self-contained environment that is operated entirely by people living in the jurisdiction," Sadlier says. The US military poured more than $15b into its Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) system - and it failed. It is having another go at full cloud control under the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability initiative, with Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Oracle in the running. Sadlier says it would depend on how New Zealanders valued their various types of data, and how much trust they had. "You can look at the disclosures from those providers and seek guarantees from them. But ... ownership changes, policies change, companies can be acquired, they can become insolvent. "Things change over time - data is forever." Dixon suggested full control should extend to the likes of health data and national identity data, under a hybrid global-and-local approach. Instead, a piecemeal government approach was undervaluing what local ingenuity could offer, he says. "We've got this digital strategy for Aotearoa, and it talks about moving pretty much everything onto the cloud. "And the cloud isn't owned by Kiwis. It's owned by United States corporations." Control is one problem: Powering up the new data centres - whoever owns them - is another. They use so much electricity that Singapore and Ireland have had or looked at moratoriums on new data centres. Photo: RNZ/Samuel Rillstone. Energy Minister Megan Woods says there was no specific strategy for data centres, though they fit under work on sustainable energy to ensure the electricity system could support high levels of renewables. "I am well aware of the energy demands of data centres," she says in a statement. "I am really excited these companies are coming here and using our renewable energy, instead of Australia's, which is coal powered." Dixon says New Zealand should ask if it wanted its power used for processing data mostly for offshore users, and those profits returned offshore. Sustainability Council executive director Simon Terry warned the country must get this right. "New Zealand has to add a lot more electricity generation in the next 20 years just to displace fossil fuels, and we need to ensure all those bases are well covered before contemplating additional loads from data centres," Terry says. In a statement to RNZ, David Clark says various foreign-owned and local cloud providers complemented each other and the government was open to working with all of them equitably and openly. Google did not respond to a request for an interview. - RNZ/Phil Pennington. With less than 24 hours left before local government election nominations close the Western Bay of Plenty community boards dont have enough people standing. The Omokoroa Community board has no nominations so far, the Waihi Beach and Maketu Community Boards have one candidate each and Katikati and Te Puke have three nominations each. There are four seats to be filled on each board. Western Bay of Plenty District Council chief executive officer John Holyoake says a community board provides the voice of the community. It is a significant opportunity to bring the voice of the community into decision making, he says. Thats why people should be involved. Holyoake is realistic about why people might not be standing for the positions. We get some pretty blunt feedback from the community and quite often it's quite inappropriate. If youre actually living within a community and having to be with those people, I think that's quite challenging. If there arent enough nominations to fill the number of vacancies for the community boards a by-lection would be trigged, says general manager strategy and community Rachael Davie. After that by-election if those seats are still not filled, then there is the option that's available to council either to go through another by-election process or to go through an appointment process, she says. If a by-election is needed it wil be in February 2023. The council has been running a Generation Change campaign to encourage greater diversity and attract more people into elected positions on the council. Holyoake says he is really pleased with the number of nominations for the councillor and mayor positions. We're definitely going to get a good democratic process. We've started to see some diversity come through, so that's really neat. There are seven people standing for mayor, three people standing in the Katikati-Waihi Beach Ward, with three seats to be filled, and five candidates in both the Kaimai Ward and Maketu-Te Puke Ward, with four seats to be filled in each of them. Holyoake is encouraging anyone that cares about whats going on in their community to stand for their community board or council. Youve never had a greater opportunity to represent your community. Nominations close at noon Friday, August 12. Nominations received for Western Bay of Plenty District Council positions: Mayor John Scrimgeour Don Thwaites James Denyer Paul Haimona Rodney Joyce Mark Boyle Hori BOP Leaming Katikati-Waihi Beach Ward (3 seats) Allan Sole James Denyer Rodney Joyce Kaimai Ward (4 seats) Murray Grainger Don Thwaites Tracey Coxhead Margaret Murray-Benge Matthew Farrell Maketu-Te Puke Ward (4 seats) John Scrimgeour Paul Haimona Attiya Andrew Richard Crawford Kassie Ellis Waihi Beach Community Board (4 seats) Ross Goudie Katikati Community Board (4 seats) John Clements Andy Earl Kamal Yadav Omokoroa Community Board (4 seats) None Te Puke Community Board (4 seats) Richard Crawford Kassie Ellis Neena Chauhan Maketu Community Board (4 seats) Laura Rae Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. A fiery Western Bay of Plenty District councillor has failed in her attempt to remove the council from Local Government New Zealand. In a meeting today councillor Margaret Murray-Benge presented a notice of motion that council resign from Local Government New Zealand - the national body that supports the countrys councils. Murray-Benge said the resignation was necessary because the association no longer represents us or speaks for the wellbeing of our ratepayers or this council. Her gripe was mainly with LGNZs support of the Three Waters reform - that will see wastewater, stormwater and drinking water, managed by four publically owned entities rather than local councils. Before any major proposal, and especially one of this magnitude, Local Government New Zealand should have consulted with all its members. They failed to do so, said Murray-Benge. She claimed LGNZ did a deal with the government that for a paltry $2m handout agreed to say nothing critical about Three Waters. For 30 pieces of silver they have betrayed us all. We should have nothing further to do with them. We councillors have never received so many emails from local ratepayers as we have on the Three Waters proposal, and those emails have been overwhelmingly opposed to the Governments proposal, said Murray-Benge. Here in the Western Bay we have left it to other councils to do the hard work of opposing the Governments scheme. The Kaimai Ward councillor was supported by around 20 people in the public gallery including former National Party leader Don Brash. Three people spoke during the public forum urging councillors to vote in support of Murray-Benges motion. Jenny Hobbs spoke in support of Margaret Murray-Benge. Photo: Alisha Evans/SunLive. Speaking in the public forum, Jenny Hobbs labelled LGNZ an expensive layer of democracy that cannot be trusted. She urged councillors to be bold and to be a strong influencer in the defunding of LGNZ. Send a message to staff in the incoming council that you do not agree with LGNZ signing us up to the three waters programme. Councillor Allan Sole supported Murray-Benges motion, but said it was a hard one for him because LGNZ had been very important to the country and its councils. It would be a big loss not to have them and at present, although I second this motion totally, what replaces it or how we work with that is another issue, but we could, said Sole. Councillor Allan Sole. Photo: Alisha Evans/SunLive. LGNZ agreed not to oppose Three Waters, but to work with government to come to some form of development of it, but there was only one real option there, and that option was a dog. All that has happened with all that has gone through so far is that we've got a dog with fleas and the fleas are just being moved around the dog. It's a dog with a bundle of fleas and nothing done to fix them. He agreed standards needed to be raised with all of the waters. It is an issue of how largely we go about funding it, and implementing it, and enforcing it. I don't believe that LGNZ continues or represents our concerns and our local constituents, finished Sole. Councillors Kevin Marsh and Anne Henry also spoke in support of the motion. Mayoral hopeful and councillor Don Thwaites said the motion was not about Three Waters but about membership of LGNZ. I as one of the prospective mayoral candidates in this district could not possibly go out to community meetings going forward saying that we don't agree with them, so we are leaving, he said. We must stay within the tent of Local Government New Zealand to drive change. Mayoral candidate and councillor Don Thwaites. Photo: Alisha Evans/SunLive. He said with local government elections coming up he could not support leaving because LGNZ provided councillors with training. Councillor Murray Grainger said: LGNZ has not served us or other councils well and they need a strong message telling them of our dissatisfaction for their performance to date. However, he did not agree with the motion as he didnt think it was right for the outgoing council to decide on the future membership of LGNZ. I think that's an issue that the new council should take up, said Grainger. Councillor Mark Dean also opposed the motion. I believe it is far better to be within an organisation and to facilitate any change than to be on the outside of it and criticise it from the outside, said Dean. Te Puke-Maketu councillor Monique Gray agreed the motion was not about Three Waters. It is about whether LGNZ represents us and speaks for our wellbeing, said Gray. And from my time sitting here, I can say that they have done their part. Mayor Garry Webber agreed: I believe withdrawing from LGNZ is not only the wrong thing to do. It is not the right time to do it because we've only got less than two months of this triennium to go, and the new council will decide whether it wants to be a member or not. This late in the day to do this, I won't say it borders on political grandstanding, but it's just in my opinion, not the right thing to do. In Murray-Benges right of reply she said: I hold firmly to the view that if you really represent the people of the Western Bay of Plenty, you will, for the first time, actually stand up for them and vote to tell the Local Government Association we have had enough of them and their poor performance. It isn't to do about Three Waters, It isn't to do about anything else, it's to do about their poor performance. She received a standing ovation from the public gallery at the conclusion of her speech. The motion was voted down with four votes in favour and eight opposed. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Azerbaijani Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev and outgoing UK ambassador James Sharp at a meeting in Baku discussed the importance of a joint investigation into the attack on the embassy in London by a group of a radical religious group, Azernews reports, citing the press release of the agency. The July 4 attack on the Azerbaijani embassy in London by a radical religious group was discussed at a meeting between Prosecutor-General Kamran Aliyev and British Ambassador James Sharp, who is completing his diplomatic mission in our country. The meeting focused on the importance of conducting a joint investigation into the criminal case initiated by the Prosecutor-General's Office of Azerbaijan with the relevant British authorities. Kamran Aliyev also thanked the diplomat for his fruitful activities, his participation in press conferences and briefings organized during the Patriotic War, and his efforts to build constructive cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries. The diplomat, in turn, said that the UK attaches great importance to relations with Azerbaijan. "The ambassador highly appreciated the fundamental reforms being carried out in the prosecutor's office from the prism of protecting human rights and ensuring the rule of law," the Prosecutor-General's Office said in the press release. Art therapy brings relief to the children of Ukrainian seafarers Mental Health Support Solutions has developed an art therapy programme with the families of seafarers caught up in the war with Ukraine. This is part of a 1.4 million package put together by Columbia Shipmanagement, Schoeller Holdings as well as employees and other clients. Olena Zelenska, Ukraines First Lady, has highlighted the plight of Ukraines children to the world at large during an interview with NBC while in the USA appealing for more weapons. Its an issue that has also been concerning Charles Watkins, CEO and Founder of Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS) which was set up to provide a range of support services specifically to the maritime sector. For parents there is nothing more critical than knowing that their families, particularly their children, are safe and happy, so supporting children is a vital way to help seafarers. Children can appear to be very resilient but the impacts of war will be affecting them in many different ways. A team of 320 MHSS psychologists has been working with the families of seafarers caught up in the war with Ukraine as part of a 1.4 million package of measures put together by Columbia Shipmanagement and shareholder Schoeller Holdings as well as employees and other clients. The fund has provided accommodation and psychological support to traumatised seafarers and their families at designated Columbia Sanctuaries in Poland and Romania. The need for the sanctuaries has proved sufficiently great that the scheme has been extended for a further period. Mr Watkins continued, Working with the families it became clear to us that the children needed more support to be able to come to terms with what had happened to them. We have developed an art therapy programme to help them express their feelings and retell their experiences without the need to verbalise them. This is a direct benefit for the children themselves but also indirectly helps their parents to know that they have an outlet for their emotions. Responsible for the art therapy programme is Romina Hammermann. She has been trained in therapeutic pedagogy, art therapy and continued her studies in trauma therapy at the University Medical Clinic in Ulm. The feedback from the parents has been very positive. They are understandably worried about the aftermath of the situation on their children and have been very grateful that the specific needs of the young have been catered to by the therapeutic assistance and care they have received, concluded Mr Watkins. Concentrated inspection campaign on STCW The member Authorities of the Memorandum of Understanding on PSC in the Black Sea Region will conduct a concentrated inspection campaign on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping. The member Authorities of the Memorandum of Understanding on PSC in the Black Sea Region (BS MoU) will conduct a concentrated inspection campaign on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW). The three-month campaign will start on September 1st, 2022 and end on November 30th, 2022 under the co-ordination of Bulgarian Maritime Administration. The campaign shall be conducted simultaneously with the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda and some other regional PSC regimes. The purpose of the CIC on STCW is to ensure that; to have a better understanding on the training and certification situation of crew members and confirm that the number of seafarers serving on board and their certificates are in conformity with the relevant provisions of STCW Convention and Code and the applicable safe manning requirements in each party to the Convention and on-board ships of various flag States; to check the arrangements made by the shipping company for the performance of new duties by the crew members and the implementation of relevant requirements on watchkeeping and rest on board and confirm that all seafarers serving on board, who are required to be certificated in accordance with STCW Convention, hold an appropriate certificate or a valid dispensation, or provide documentary proof that an application for an endorsement has been submitted to the Flag State Administration; the seafarers on board are medically fit and in possession of a valid medical certificate as required by STCW Convention; and the watch-keeping schedules and hours of rest are in compliance with the requirements of STCW Convention and Code. During the campaign period, member Authorities of the BS MoU will inspect, within the resources available, as many ships as possible in conjunction with routine port State control inspections. A ship will be subject to only one inspection under this CIC during the period of the campaign. The campaign will target compliance on all vessels, regardless of type, and will examine specific items related to the campaign in conjunction with the regular Port State Control inspection. The CIC will also assist to raise awareness of shipowners, operators and crew on STCW. Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) will use a list of 10 questions to assess the conformity of the number of specific requirements in the SWTCW Convention and Code. If deficiencies are found, actions by the Port State Control Officer may vary from recording a deficiency and instructing the master to rectify it within a certain period to detaining the ship until serious deficiencies have been rectified. All inspections will be inserted into the Black Sea Information System (BSIS) and will be published online on the MoU website. The results of the campaign shall be analysed and findings will be presented to the Black Sea MoU Committee for submission to the International Maritime Organization. DUBAI, Aug 10, 2022: Drydocks World-Dubai announced today the signing of a strategic agreement with maritime technology company, Silverstream Technologies, to promote the use of market-leading air lubrication technology, for the vessels that enter the busy shipyard each year. Drydocks World-Dubai, a subsidiary of DP World, is the largest centre in the Middle East for ship repair, conversion, new builds, rigs and MRO projects, with a particular focus on renewables and energy efficiency projects. Air lubrication is an approved technology under the IMOs Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for newbuilds, as well as the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirements, which come into effect in 2023. The agreement with Silverstream will see Drydocks World-Dubai become an approved installation provider of Silverstreams technology on a wide variety of retrofit projects which will support owners in meeting pressing efficiency regulations. The partners will work together to promote the Silverstream System, while closely sharing knowledge on both the technical and commercial aspects of its installation procedures. The partnership marks another step in Silverstreams global expansion, collaborating with the very best yards and supply chain partners around the world to utilise their local relationships and expertise. Capt. Rado Antolovic PhD, CEO of Drydocks World said: "We are pleased to sign this partnership with Silverstream, an innovative provider of clean technology, as part of our commitment to enhancing the environmental performance of shipping. Together, we intend to share technical expertise and promote a proven efficiency solution to minimise the maritime industry's carbon footprint." Noah Silberschmidt, Founder & CEO, Silverstream Technologies, said: "We are proud to announce our collaboration with Drydocks World-Dubai, a global leader in ship repair, conversion and newbuilding services. As a highly respected yard with decades of experience, it will help boost adoption of our proven Silverstream System; strengthening the reliability and integrity of our supply chain, and raising awareness of our technologys capacity to improve ship efficiency and operational flexibility." During the six months since Russia invaded Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union have announced multiple rounds of sanctions targeting the Russian government, Russian companies as well as specific individuals. Every new round of sanctions was stricter and more comprehensive than the previous one. Arguably, the most significant set of sanctions was announced on June 4th, 2022. On that date, the EU released its 6th Sanctions Package, which included the long-awaited ban on seaborne oil imports from Russia (pipeline exports are excluded). This ban is to be implemented in late 2022 for crude oil and early 2023 for petroleum products. It was accompanied by a prohibition on providing insurance for the transportation of oil and petroleum products from Russia. The addition of the insurance ban was the kicker. It has major potential implications for the oil and tanker markets. This was not virtue signaling. These sanctions were going to have a material impact on Russian oil exports. However, since the EU sanctions package was announced, other countries have pushed alternative proposals or taken a step back in their support. Even the EU itself has found it necessary to ease some of the restrictions. What is going on? StormGeo and Alfa Laval expand with bunker procurement optimization by acquisition of BunkerMetric Alfa Laval has signed an agreement to acquire BunkerMetric. The company will be merged into StormGeo, part of Alfa Laval. The acquisition will enhance the StormGeo offering in route advisory and voyage optimization services for the shipping industry. Alfa Laval has signed an agreement to acquire BunkerMetric, a Scandinavian software company that develops advanced decision support tools for the marine bunker segment. The company will be merged into StormGeo, a global leader in weather intelligence software and decision support services, now part of Alfa Laval. The acquisition will enhance the StormGeo offering in route advisory and voyage optimization services for the shipping industry. Cost-saving bunker analytics Headquartered in Denmark, BunkerMetric helps ship operators and bunker procurement departments find the best bunker procurement plan and improve voyage margins. Using sophisticated algorithms, the companys procurement optimization tool uncovers bunkering strategies and market insights that let shipping companies improve their bottom line. The acquisition of BunkerMetric will further strengthen the StormGeo suite of software products and services, says Soeren Andersen, CEO of StormGeo. BunkerMetrics advanced procurement optimization tool is a welcomed addition to our route advisory services, giving shipping customers timely data for choosing the best bunkering options. It will help optimize scheduling, fuel and voyage performance. We are excited to become part of StormGeo and the Alfa Laval family, says Christian Plum, CEO of BunkerMetric, who helped found the innovative start-up in 2018. Combining BunkerMetrics state-of-the-art optimization algorithms and data platforms with StormGeos cutting-edge data science will mean valuable synergies for existing and future customers. Enhanced route advisory services BunkerMetrics procurement optimization tool will become a subscription service within StormGeos existing s-Suite. It will support well-considered decisions when purchasing bunkers, such as the selection of ports, volumes, and fuel grades for bunkering. Global shipping companies can use it to minimize costs while taking relevant operational, commercial, and environmental factors into account. By leveraging BunkerMetrics deep expertise and proven optimization tool, StormGeo customers will be able to streamline their operations, says Andersen. As well as reducing their bunker procurement costs, they will gain significant fuel savings through optimized real-time decision-making. Plum adds, Like StormGeo, BunkerMetric is committed to digitalization and decarbonization. We look forward to joining forces in a way that shrinks both customer expenses and carbon footprint. The Prax Group announces the purchase of a new tanker Fortuna II Harvest Energy Marine, a member of the Prax Group of companies, has purchased a new tanker, Fortuna II. The ship can carry Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) and marine gas oil. Harvest Energy Marine, a member of the Prax Group of companies, has announced the purchase of a new tanker, Fortuna II. The vessel joins the companys existing fleet, expanding Harvest Energy Marines delivery infrastructure in UK and northwestern European waters. Fortuna II will benefit from the Prax Groups established supply and storage network in the UK and continental Europe, demonstrating the Groups commitment to meet the needs of customers seeking fast and efficient delivery of bunker fuels, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The 68-metre Fortuna II has a deadweight of 1,700 metric tonnes. The ship can carry Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) and marine gas oil, and is able to supply bunkering services in ports right along the UK coast, and in northwestern Europe. Geert Boden, General Manager of Harvest Energy Marine, said: I am delighted to announce the purchase of Fortuna II, to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers right across the UK and northwestern Europe. We are firmly committed to continuing to build a robust and reliable supply chain to meet those needs, in order to deliver innovative solutions to reduce refueling times at a competitive price, whilst simultaneously providing our customers with their most important resource. 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. ramnaresh_2000 BHPian Join Date: May 2017 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 736 Thanked: 2,555 Times View My Garage Re: Parking space is small, need advice on gate extension Quote: irdevanand Originally Posted by Convert 2 piece doors into 6 piece zig zag doors that solve this problem with less eye sore. The doors will be same as before without car. I will let the pictures do the talking. The gates have arrived. Initial adjustments. Parked my vehicle for testing. All good. Right side gap. Front gap. Enough space to clean vehicle inside Outside view Tyre stopper installation in progress. Tyres stopper fully installed. Got 6 inch screw style bolts with them, the installer was not confident so we got 9 inch bombay nails (yes you read it right, they are called bombay nails for some reason here). Inside view. Now the 2nd issue, the extended area is not covered. So we had to install a metal shed or awnings. Went ahead with awnings installation. Awning installation completed. Painting in progress. Front view after awning installation. Top view after awning installation. Inside view of awning. Final inside front view. Final side view. Final ouside view after painting, awning installation and car parking. The outcome I was waiting for a long time. Total cost breakdown: Gates plus installation: 45,000/- Awning plus installation: 12,500/- Painting: 4,000/- Tyre Stopper: 700/- Old gates buy back - got 5,500/- bucks (1kg was 36 bucks). Was fully satisfied with the outcome. Is my vehicle fully protected from outside elements like rain and sun? No, but 85% better than parking on road. Some people are going to hate it, but the love for my ride is above all that negativity This is really a good idea. However, after consulting the gate welder, he said the space we had was not enough to accommodate this 3 fold mechanism. Was really disappointed and went ahead with the traditional extension format.I will let the pictures do the talking.The gates have arrived.Initial adjustments.Parked my vehicle for testing. All good.Right side gap.Front gap. Enough space to clean vehicle insideOutside viewTyre stopper installation in progress.Tyres stopper fully installed. Got 6 inch screw style bolts with them, the installer was not confident so we got 9 inch bombay nails (yes you read it right, they are called bombay nails for some reason here).Inside view. Now the 2nd issue, the extended area is not covered. So we had to install a metal shed or awnings. Went ahead with awnings installation.Awning installation completed. Painting in progress.Front view after awning installation.Top view after awning installation.Inside view of awning.Final inside front view.Final side view.Final ouside view after painting, awning installation and car parking.The outcome I was waiting for a long time.Gates plus installation: 45,000/-Awning plus installation: 12,500/-Painting: 4,000/-Tyre Stopper: 700/-Old gates buy back - got 5,500/- bucks (1kg was 36 bucks).Was fully satisfied with the outcome. Is my vehicle fully protected from outside elements like rain and sun? No, but 85% better than parking on road.Some people are going to hate it, but the love for my ride is above all that negativity Last edited by ramnaresh_2000 : 7th August 2022 at 13:30 . Rda Newbie Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Pune Posts: 3 Thanked: 70 Times Jeep Meridian Limited (O) 4x2 AT | Ownership Review The Jeep Meridian Limited (O) 4X2 AT | Initial Ownership Review Bought in July 2022. Driven 1000km till now. I bought the Jeep Meridian as a replacement for my 8-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe (4x4 AWD AT) as I was looking for a comfortable & spacious SUV (with a large boot space and third-row seating) at a price around Rs. 40 lakhs on road. Sadly, both Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda CRV have been discontinued, despite being great cars. As I didn't have any other option, the Jeep Meridian was the only car that I test drove, and bought it immediately after the test drive. Big shout out to Axe77's phenomenal review that helped me take a quick decision ( Short Review: If you want a premium non-Indian comfortable-to-drive SUV with three-row seating around Rs. 40 lakhs, then the Jeep Meridian is the car for you. The detailed review will contain the reasons why I chose to buy the car from Mumbai instead of Pune (city of residence) and why my car broke down less than 24 hours from delivery and spent 12 days at the Pune Workshop. However, despite all this, I believe that the Jeep Meridian is a pretty good car overall. Here's a quick summary for those who don't want to read the long review ahead: What's Good: 1. The car is very comfortable to drive (especially when you're past the second gear). It literally glides over potholes and speed-breakers at medium speeds without discomfort. 2. The car is feature rich with a panoramic moon-roof, 10.1" screen, leather seats, ventilated seats, 360-degree cameras and several customizable electronic features for creature comforts. 3. The car feels solid & heavily built and gives a sense of safety. 4. The fuel efficiency of 15+ km/litre (Highway with average speed over 60 km/hr) is phenomenal. What's Bad: 1. The fuel efficiency of 7-9 km/litre (City Traffic with average speed less than 15 km/hr) is just terrible, as it results in refuelling the car at every 400-500km distance. 2. The car is underpowered (especially at lower speeds) and takes a while to get off the blocks. 3. The central console storage area around the gears is cramped. 4. The second row of seats is fixed, hence you cannot increase the leg space by shifting the seats backwards. 5. Unreliable quality issues (My car went to the workshop for repairs twice in less than 1 month since purchase) 6. Rear passengers complain of inadequate AC cooling Time for the detailed review, so go grab some popcorn and a box of tissues!! This is gonna be filmy! I tried to woo the car, but the dealer was reluctant! Why I bought the Jeep Meridian from Landmark Mumbai instead of Sky Moto Pune, despite staying in Pune When the Jeep Meridian was launched, I called to inquire about its physical availability at the showroom, but I received a very cold-hearted reply from a sales representative at their SB Road showroom over the phone. Maybe he was busy with the launch, so I ignored it. Next week, I walked into their Wakad showroom and inspected the Jeep Meridian. I interacted with two salesmen, even wrote my phone number in their customer book, and asked them to inform me when a car is available for a test drive. Since I didn't hear back from Sky Moto, after a few weeks, I wanted to schedule a test drive, so I tried calling on the several phone numbers I found on Google Maps, JustDial, and the SkyMoto website, but to my horror, no one was answering my calls. I must have called them over a dozen times in a week and I was annoyed that no one bothered to even call back. After reading a couple of negative reviews about Sky Moto online, I decided to drop my plans for Jeep Meridian. My father (a die-hard automobile enthusiast) had warned me against Stellantis' unreliable vehicles having previously owned Fiat Uno, Fiat Siena and Peugeot 309 in the 1990s. Love at first drive One fine day, we decided to check out the newly launched Hyundai Venue at Wakad and as the Jeep showroom was right next to it, we decided to test drive the Jeep Meridian. All it took was 1 test drive to convince us that this was a worthy successor to our Hyundai Santa Fe. We immediately initiated the booking formalities but were crestfallen to know that Sky Moto would not sell the car without insurance. We were told that the sales team would have a word with the company management and revert back after a week. (They actually reverted back after 2 weeks to offer some freebies bundled with insurance, but I had already bought the car without insurance from Landmark Mumbai by then). I was insistent on buying insurance on my own as Sky Moto was overcharging for the same insurance by more than a lakh rupees. Landmark Mumbai was willing to sell the car without insurance with instant delivery. (No matter what the showrooms say, the Jeep Meridian sales are not exactly off the charts). My final purchase price inclusive of insurance was Rs. 41 lakhs. The buying experience from Landmark Mumbai was super smooth and I must thank Mr. Liyaquat Shaikh for the excellent support all throughout. Although, I must add that I experienced a more grand delivery celebration & refined experience when we purchased the Maruti Suzuki Ignis from a Nexa Showroom in 2017. There was no customized nameplate or cake or photograph with frame when we bought the Jeep Meridian, but this is not a complaint, just my observation. Additional Accessories From Landmark Mumbai, we bought Mudflaps and Slush Mats for around Rs. 12,000, I think these are must-haves. From a local car shop, we bought 3M 70% window filming and a Roav dashcam for around Rs. 23,000 Just like in the movies, when everything seems to be going fine, the villain makes his entry. Hold on to your seats, ladies & gentlemen. The ride is about to get rough. My new Jeep Meridian breaks down in less than 24 hours from delivery My wife and I were excited to pick up the brand new Jeep Meridian from Landmark Thane. Having read online about PDI issues faced in the Jeep Meridian, I had already asked Landmark to double-check my vehicle, but little did I know that I was about to experience Murphy's Law firsthand. In just the first 15 minutes of driving, the dashboard threw up this message - "Dynamic Steering Torque Service required". It was raining heavily as IMD had issued a red alert, so we decided to drive to Pune and show the car to the Pune workshop later on. That 150km drive from the showroom to my home was just so good that I was already dreaming about all the long trips that we would do in the new car, but little did I know that the Jeep Meridian had different plans. When we reached home, the beautiful car received tremendous attention from family members and neighbours alike. Everyone was congratulating me and it was an amazing feeling. The next day, I drove the car to my office located in Pune Camp area and just as I was about to reach my office, the car started losing control and multiple malfunctions like service messages were popping up on the dashboard. I didn't know what to do and drove the car right up to my office building, where the car abruptly stopped working in the middle of the road, just as I moved the gear from Drive to Reverse. Even the gears froze and after some trial & error, we managed to get the car to Neutral Gear and with the help of 3 drivers nearby, we moved the car to the roadside. All my joy had turned into exasperation and embarrassment as all of us tried to figure out what could have gone wrong in a vehicle that was delivered less than 24 hours ago. I called up Mr. Liyaquat Shaikh (Landmark Mumbai) and asked him to provide a solution. He arranged for the RSA, which arrived almost 12 hours later and my brand new car was towed away to the Pune Workshop at 10pm that night. The entire ordeal was also covered by Motorbeam here - The next 12 days were spent in continuous follow-up with Landmark Mumbai and Sky Moto Pune Workshop to figure out what went wrong. I was provided with a loaner Jeep Compass AT Petrol (2018), which made me realize how much better the Jeep cars in 2022 have become with regard to interior specifications. Finally, the problem detected was faulty wiring and hence the entire wiring harness was replaced. This process involved the removal of the doors, dashboard, and steering, which perturbed me as I no longer had a pure factory-fitted vehicle. I'm still waiting for a revert back from Landmark Mumbai and Jeep India about what compensation they are planning to offer me for this entire episode. I have no complaints with Landmark Mumbai or Sky Moto Pune as they have done their job perfectly well, they helped me restore my defective brand new car to working condition, but I'm definitely very peeved with Jeep India on how such issues can slip through their Quality Control. Just when we got ourselves back on the road, it was clear that the Jeep Meridian had fallen in love with the Workshop Trips My Jeep Meridian heads to the Workshop for a second time, in less than 1 month since purchase I was glad to receive the repaired car after 12 days from the Pune Workshop and had a good time driving it for 2 weeks more after that. However, a new problem was about to unravel when we travelled to Mumbai during the heavy monsoons. During our drive, my wife noticed a leakage in the rear side of the vehicle with water dripping from the rearmost AC vents. Once again, Mr. Liyaquat Shaikh from Landmark Mumbai provided very quick support and had my car sent to the Thane Workshop as soon as I reached Mumbai. The car was duly repaired and returned in 24 hours. The problem blamed for this debacle was a choked drain pipe. However, Landmark Mumbai did not support me with a Loaner Car or Taxi Fare despite me being stranded in different city away from home. All is well that ends well - Detailed Review I've driven the car for around 1000km now (mostly through city traffic) and I don't regret my decision to buy the Jeep Meridian despite the frustrating quality issues (You can never really buy a perfect car within all your constraints). What I went through was really unfortunate and I hope that others do not experience this. The Jeep Meridian is a great car to drive, no doubt about that. Car Exteriors The front of the car looks very much like the Compass, it's nice but it should have been distinctly different. The side & rear profile looks really imposing and masculine. I would have preferred lighter colour options (like Blue, Silver, Beige), but settled for their Magnesio Grey variant. I also liked their Techno Metallic Green, but it looked more black than green to me. Amazing looks overall. Car Interiors The car feels premium from the inside with a clean frontal dashboard. Plush leather interior and good quality handles, switches & buttons are all lovely welcome features. The central console storage however is not well designed as it cramps everyone around it including the wireless mobile charging area, bottle holders, seat-belt buckle and the leg space for all passengers. Amazing finishes overall. Car Driving Experience I have driven this car regularly across all types of traffic (City, Highway, Hilly, Mixed) and it's a bittersweet experience with regards to power & fuel efficiency. However, when it comes to ride quality & stability, the Jeep Meridian is rock solid like a tank that glides like a hovercraft over any small pothole or speed breaker. Compared to my 8-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe, I no longer feel most of the usual road undulations during my regular drives now, which speaks volumes for the excellent suspension of the Jeep Meridian. At lower speeds (Less than 30 km/hr) - The car feels underpowered and not fun to drive. This is also where the fuel efficiency goes down the drain. At medium speeds (30-50 km/hr) - The car shows enthusiasm to glide and if you let go of the accelerator, the car will happily drift along and provide much better full efficiency. However such medium speeds are rarely sustainable for a long time during the average course of any drive as one would normally be stuck at lower speeds or higher speeds for a prolonged duration of time. Hence, most drivers will seldom get good fuel efficiency in the long run. At higher speeds (Beyond 60 km/hr) - The car drives wonderfully well. I even got a highway mileage of 20 km/litre for a 100km downhill stretch from Pune to Mumbai on the Expressway where I was on Cruise Control at 80 km/hr for most of the journey. Car Passenger's Experience from the middle row seats The passengers were happy to have high seating with good back support. Obviously, they enjoyed the excellent ride quality as well. The overall space is less than what you'd expect from a car of this size (Maybe because the heavy thicker doors result in lesser internal space). They also complained that AC cooling is less powerful than expected. As the rear AC vents are situated at the front bottom, the cooling is not very uniform. The passengers feel cold at the bottom and hot at the top. The movie is over, you can go home now unless you want to see the Director's Extended Cut below... Random Musings 1. I expected Landmark Mumbai to give a detailed document containing all the terms & conditions of the RSA, but haven't received it yet. What if we had broken down on the highway, how do I know what are my privileges under the RSA? I have asked Landmark Mumbai to compensate me for these recent defects in my new Jeep Meridian, however they are yet to revert back, which shows that Jeep India will not budge towards customers in case of defective vehicles. 2. Jeep should have practically priced the Meridian at least Rs. 5 lakhs lesser, to allow for a 10-15% premium margin over XUV700 and Tata Safari. (The sales volumes of XUV700 are just stupendous!) But given how impractically priced the Compass is, this has left Jeep in a hard spot. I do not expect the Jeep Meridian to sell over 6,000 units annually in the long run and I will not be surprised if the model itself will be discontinued after a few years. (History has been cruel to Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CRV and even the Mahindra Alturas G4 and it will not be kind to Jeep Meridian either). 3. There is a debate on how the Jeep Meridian will affect the sales of the Toyota Fortuner. I daresay that the Jeep Meridian will instead cannibalize the sales of the Jeep Compass as it is a better value offering. Even the cheaper (and maybe more reliable) Hyundai Tucson will add to their woes. The Toyota Fortuner and Innova are in a league of their own with no real sales competition. 4. The Indian automobile market has been tough for many players (who fail to understand the customer's needs). Even Honda & Toyota are on ventilator support today. Stellantis currently is in a vicious circle where poor sales volume is resulting in less dealerships & more crowded workshops. On top of that, glaring quality issues with Jeep Compass deters many customers from paying 30-40% premium for a non-Indian brand. Despite having local manufacturing, this is too high a premium for a cost-sensitive market like India. It appears that they're headed down a familiar road like Fiat & Peugeot yet again... Bought in July 2022. Driven 1000km till now.I bought the Jeep Meridian as a replacement for my 8-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe (4x4 AWD AT) as I was looking for a comfortable & spacious SUV (with a large boot space and third-row seating) at a price around Rs. 40 lakhs on road. Sadly, both Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda CRV have been discontinued, despite being great cars. As I didn't have any other option, the Jeep Meridian was the only car that I test drove, and bought it immediately after the test drive. Big shout out to Axe77's phenomenal review that helped me take a quick decision ( https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ip-review.html (My First SUV | The Jeep Meridian 4x4 Limited (O) Automatic | Initial Ownership Review) ). I hope that other cars also find awesome reviewers like him.If you want a premium non-Indian comfortable-to-drive SUV with three-row seating around Rs. 40 lakhs, then the Jeep Meridian is the car for you. The detailed review will contain the reasons why I chose to buy the car from Mumbai instead of Pune (city of residence) and why my car broke down less than 24 hours from delivery and spent 12 days at the Pune Workshop. However, despite all this, I believe that the Jeep Meridian is a pretty good car overall.Here's a quick summary for those who don't want to read the long review ahead:1. The car is very comfortable to drive (especially when you're past the second gear). It literally glides over potholes and speed-breakers at medium speeds without discomfort.2. The car is feature rich with a panoramic moon-roof, 10.1" screen, leather seats, ventilated seats, 360-degree cameras and several customizable electronic features for creature comforts.3. The car feels solid & heavily built and gives a sense of safety.4. The fuel efficiency of 15+ km/litre (Highway with average speed over 60 km/hr) is phenomenal.1. The fuel efficiency of 7-9 km/litre (City Traffic with average speed less than 15 km/hr) is just terrible, as it results in refuelling the car at every 400-500km distance.2. The car is underpowered (especially at lower speeds) and takes a while to get off the blocks.3. The central console storage area around the gears is cramped.4. The second row of seats is fixed, hence you cannot increase the leg space by shifting the seats backwards.5. Unreliable quality issues (My car went to the workshop for repairs twice in less than 1 month since purchase)6. Rear passengers complain of inadequate AC coolingTime for the detailed review, so go grab some popcorn and a box of tissues!! This is gonna be filmy!When the Jeep Meridian was launched, I called to inquire about its physical availability at the showroom, but I received a very cold-hearted reply from a sales representative at their SB Road showroom over the phone. Maybe he was busy with the launch, so I ignored it.Next week, I walked into their Wakad showroom and inspected the Jeep Meridian. I interacted with two salesmen, even wrote my phone number in their customer book, and asked them to inform me when a car is available for a test drive.Since I didn't hear back from Sky Moto, after a few weeks, I wanted to schedule a test drive, so I tried calling on the several phone numbers I found on Google Maps, JustDial, and the SkyMoto website, but to my horror, no one was answering my calls. I must have called them over a dozen times in a week and I was annoyed that no one bothered to even call back. After reading a couple of negative reviews about Sky Moto online, I decided to drop my plans for Jeep Meridian. My father (a die-hard automobile enthusiast) had warned me against Stellantis' unreliable vehicles having previously owned Fiat Uno, Fiat Siena and Peugeot 309 in the 1990s.One fine day, we decided to check out the newly launched Hyundai Venue at Wakad and as the Jeep showroom was right next to it, we decided to test drive the Jeep Meridian. All it took was 1 test drive to convince us that this was a worthy successor to our Hyundai Santa Fe. We immediately initiated the booking formalities but were crestfallen to know that Sky Moto would not sell the car without insurance. We were told that the sales team would have a word with the company management and revert back after a week. (They actually reverted back after 2 weeks to offer some freebies bundled with insurance, but I had already bought the car without insurance from Landmark Mumbai by then). I was insistent on buying insurance on my own as Sky Moto was overcharging for the same insurance by more than a lakh rupees. Landmark Mumbai was willing to sell the car without insurance with instant delivery. (No matter what the showrooms say, the Jeep Meridian sales are not exactly off the charts). My final purchase price inclusive of insurance was Rs. 41 lakhs.The buying experience from Landmark Mumbai was super smooth and I must thank Mr. Liyaquat Shaikh for the excellent support all throughout. Although, I must add that I experienced a more grand delivery celebration & refined experience when we purchased the Maruti Suzuki Ignis from a Nexa Showroom in 2017. There was no customized nameplate or cake or photograph with frame when we bought the Jeep Meridian, but this is not a complaint, just my observation.From Landmark Mumbai, we bought Mudflaps and Slush Mats for around Rs. 12,000, I think these are must-haves.From a local car shop, we bought 3M 70% window filming and a Roav dashcam for around Rs. 23,000My wife and I were excited to pick up the brand new Jeep Meridian from Landmark Thane. Having read online about PDI issues faced in the Jeep Meridian, I had already asked Landmark to double-check my vehicle, but little did I know that I was about to experience Murphy's Law firsthand. In just the first 15 minutes of driving, the dashboard threw up this message - "Dynamic Steering Torque Service required".It was raining heavily as IMD had issued a red alert, so we decided to drive to Pune and show the car to the Pune workshop later on. That 150km drive from the showroom to my home was just so good that I was already dreaming about all the long trips that we would do in the new car, but little did I know that the Jeep Meridian had different plans. When we reached home, the beautiful car received tremendous attention from family members and neighbours alike. Everyone was congratulating me and it was an amazing feeling. The next day, I drove the car to my office located in Pune Camp area and just as I was about to reach my office, the car started losing control and multiple malfunctions like service messages were popping up on the dashboard.I didn't know what to do and drove the car right up to my office building, where the car abruptly stopped working in the middle of the road, just as I moved the gear from Drive to Reverse. Even the gears froze and after some trial & error, we managed to get the car to Neutral Gear and with the help of 3 drivers nearby, we moved the car to the roadside.All my joy had turned into exasperation and embarrassment as all of us tried to figure out what could have gone wrong in a vehicle that was delivered less than 24 hours ago. I called up Mr. Liyaquat Shaikh (Landmark Mumbai) and asked him to provide a solution. He arranged for the RSA, which arrived almost 12 hours later and my brand new car was towed away to the Pune Workshop at 10pm that night. The entire ordeal was also covered by Motorbeam here - https://www.motorbeam.com/more-incid...breaking-down/ The next 12 days were spent in continuous follow-up with Landmark Mumbai and Sky Moto Pune Workshop to figure out what went wrong. I was provided with a loaner Jeep Compass AT Petrol (2018), which made me realize how much better the Jeep cars in 2022 have become with regard to interior specifications. Finally, the problem detected was faulty wiring and hence the entire wiring harness was replaced. This process involved the removal of the doors, dashboard, and steering, which perturbed me as I no longer had a pure factory-fitted vehicle. I'm still waiting for a revert back from Landmark Mumbai and Jeep India about what compensation they are planning to offer me for this entire episode.I was glad to receive the repaired car after 12 days from the Pune Workshop and had a good time driving it for 2 weeks more after that. However, a new problem was about to unravel when we travelled to Mumbai during the heavy monsoons. During our drive, my wife noticed a leakage in the rear side of the vehicle with water dripping from the rearmost AC vents. Once again, Mr. Liyaquat Shaikh from Landmark Mumbai provided very quick support and had my car sent to the Thane Workshop as soon as I reached Mumbai. The car was duly repaired and returned in 24 hours. The problem blamed for this debacle was a choked drain pipe. However, Landmark Mumbai did not support me with a Loaner Car or Taxi Fare despite me being stranded in different city away from home.I've driven the car for around 1000km now (mostly through city traffic) and I don't regret my decision to buy the Jeep Meridian despite the frustrating quality issues (You can never really buy a perfect car within all your constraints). What I went through was really unfortunate and I hope that others do not experience this. The Jeep Meridian is a great car to drive, no doubt about that.The front of the car looks very much like the Compass, it's nice but it should have been distinctly different. The side & rear profile looks really imposing and masculine. I would have preferred lighter colour options (like Blue, Silver, Beige), but settled for their Magnesio Grey variant. I also liked their Techno Metallic Green, but it looked more black than green to me. Amazing looks overall.The car feels premium from the inside with a clean frontal dashboard. Plush leather interior and good quality handles, switches & buttons are all lovely welcome features. The central console storage however is not well designed as it cramps everyone around it including the wireless mobile charging area, bottle holders, seat-belt buckle and the leg space for all passengers. Amazing finishes overall.I have driven this car regularly across all types of traffic (City, Highway, Hilly, Mixed) and it's a bittersweet experience with regards to power & fuel efficiency. However, when it comes to ride quality & stability, the Jeep Meridian is rock solid like a tank that glides like a hovercraft over any small pothole or speed breaker. Compared to my 8-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe, I no longer feel most of the usual road undulations during my regular drives now, which speaks volumes for the excellent suspension of the Jeep Meridian.At lower speeds (Less than 30 km/hr) - The car feels underpowered and not fun to drive. This is also where the fuel efficiency goes down the drain.At medium speeds (30-50 km/hr) - The car shows enthusiasm to glide and if you let go of the accelerator, the car will happily drift along and provide much better full efficiency. However such medium speeds are rarely sustainable for a long time during the average course of any drive as one would normally be stuck at lower speeds or higher speeds for a prolonged duration of time. Hence, most drivers will seldom get good fuel efficiency in the long run.At higher speeds (Beyond 60 km/hr) - The car drives wonderfully well. I even got a highway mileage of 20 km/litre for a 100km downhill stretch from Pune to Mumbai on the Expressway where I was on Cruise Control at 80 km/hr for most of the journey.The passengers were happy to have high seating with good back support. Obviously, they enjoyed the excellent ride quality as well. The overall space is less than what you'd expect from a car of this size (Maybe because the heavy thicker doors result in lesser internal space). They also complained that AC cooling is less powerful than expected. As the rear AC vents are situated at the front bottom, the cooling is not very uniform. The passengers feel cold at the bottom and hot at the top.1. I expected Landmark Mumbai to give a detailed document containing all the terms & conditions of the RSA, but haven't received it yet. What if we had broken down on the highway, how do I know what are my privileges under the RSA? I have asked Landmark Mumbai to compensate me for these recent defects in my new Jeep Meridian, however they are yet to revert back, which shows that Jeep India will not budge towards customers in case of defective vehicles.2. Jeep should have practically priced the Meridian at least Rs. 5 lakhs lesser, to allow for a 10-15% premium margin over XUV700 and Tata Safari. (The sales volumes of XUV700 are just stupendous!) But given how impractically priced the Compass is, this has left Jeep in a hard spot. I do not expect the Jeep Meridian to sell over 6,000 units annually in the long run and I will not be surprised if the model itself will be discontinued after a few years. (History has been cruel to Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda CRV and even the Mahindra Alturas G4 and it will not be kind to Jeep Meridian either).3. There is a debate on how the Jeep Meridian will affect the sales of the Toyota Fortuner. I daresay that the Jeep Meridian will instead cannibalize the sales of the Jeep Compass as it is a better value offering. Even the cheaper (and maybe more reliable) Hyundai Tucson will add to their woes. The Toyota Fortuner and Innova are in a league of their own with no real sales competition.4. The Indian automobile market has been tough for many players (who fail to understand the customer's needs). Even Honda & Toyota are on ventilator support today. Stellantis currently is in a vicious circle where poor sales volume is resulting in less dealerships & more crowded workshops. On top of that, glaring quality issues with Jeep Compass deters many customers from paying 30-40% premium for a non-Indian brand. Despite having local manufacturing, this is too high a premium for a cost-sensitive market like India. It appears that they're headed down a familiar road like Fiat & Peugeot yet again... Last edited by Rda : 10th August 2022 at 16:52 . arunrajk81 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: COK/SFO Posts: 181 Thanked: 346 Times View My Garage re: Our road-trip to Kabini, Parambikulam & Mamalakandam Parambikulam was not in my original list for this vacation. I had some pictures on my laptop from an earlier visit to Parambikulam were we stayed at the treetop hut. My daughter saw those pictures and wanted to stay in the treetop hut. We started early in the morning and took the route via Angamaly > Trichur > Nenmara > Parambikulam. We crossed the check post and reached the forest area around 11Am at Aanamalai. While driving uphill after the first check post, I felt that the engine vibration has increased especially during idling and there is a loss of power. Felt like one cylinder totally stopped functioning. So, the fuel pump may not be the culprit, instead one of the injectors may be. I called my service advisor over the phone, he suggested that it's OK to drive slowly without giving too much load to the engine. I felt dishearten, but we continued till our destination. About our reservation at Parambikulam, the treetop hut is a 2+1 accommodation, and there is only one treetop type of accommodation. I also reserved a tent for my parents. During check-in at the forest office a guide will be allotted for each reservation. We got the same guide who accompanied us on our previous Visits. I know he is good at spotting birds which helped me take pics of Malabar Pied Hornbills during my earlier visits. The day one itinerary included a Minibus Safari through the forest covering a few points of interest and a river rafting. On the second day, a drive through the forest in our own car accompanied by the Guide and a small trekking. Since entering the forest we only spotted some peacocks, Nilgiri Langurs and Chital Deers. Once we reached the treetop hut, we found its condition degraded a lot since out last visit due to lack of maintenance. Tent was clean and good. We went and had our lunch and came back to the tent. The treetop is supported by three teak trees on three corners and a manmade support on the fourth corner. It is on the bank of the lake and from the Verandah, there is a stunning view of the Lake which made us all very happy. I totally forgot about the car engine issue. Minibus picked us around 4:00Pm for our Safari. Unlike Kabini or Top slip, Parambikulam doesnt offer a Jeep safari even for guests who opted for night stay, instead what they offer is this minibus safari. For somebody who is interested in wildlife photography, this is the biggest downside because photography is almost impossible if you have a DSLR with a big lens. Visibility is also not great, and the bus goes only though some main roads, not to the interior forest. Even in case of an animal sighting, we cannot photograph it properly from the bus. The first stop was Aliyar Dam where people got down and took photographs. Next point was Kannimara Teak, the largest naturally grown Teak in the world which is estimated to be about 500 Years old. Tree shows signs of a broken main trunk from sometime during its young age and regrowth after that. On the way we came across a spot where a young tusker was killed by a tiger. It was a three-week-old kill and the entire kill was devoured and only some bones were left to rot now. Other than that, we saw some Gaurs. Our next spot was the rafting area. The raft is made of bamboo and is rowed by four people. It was a 30-minute rafting, and the purpose is just rafting and not animal sighting since we barely go very far from the starting point. The motorboats are not allowed in the lake and by rowing manually its impossible to go far with around 15-20 people onboard. There are mugger crocodiles in the lake which we saw and some bison crossing the lake. During our earlier visits, it was a 1-hour rafting which was done by tribal people, but now it looks like its done by some contractors. Attachment 2344144 After boating its time for return and the bus stopped at Parambikulam round for a tea break. It was around 6 Pm. Our guide delayed the return trip as animal sighting improves with night fall. We again came across some Gaur (Locally called as bison) and Sambar Deer. Then came the spotted terror as mentioned in Kenneth Andersons stories, the leopard. He was sitting in the middle of the road. After seeing the headlight of our bus, he just got up and climbed to the high ground on the side of the road and started walking parallelly to our bus. It was a sub adult and was very calm and stayed long enough so that everyone in the bus could watch it for a few minutes. It crossed the road and disappeared into the dark. After that we continued our return journey. The treetop hut comes first, and the tent is around 7km further. My Parents who stayed behind on the bus after we got down at the treetop hut got lucky with a few more sightings. They came across a sloth bear and herd of elephants. The elephants started trumpeting on seeing the bus which we could hear from the treetop hut. We went and had our dinner. With that, the day one program ended. I sat on the Verandah for some time watching the lake and opposite banks for any animal activity and listening for any call from the jungle. During our earlier visits, we heard a call of a tiger during the night from here. The night went without many events with occasional alarm calls of a langur. Sometime past midnight some animal jumped over the roof of our treetop hut. I am guessing it might be a palm civet or something of similar size (It couldnt be monkeys/Langurs because they rarely move during night). I woke up early to see if there was any animal activity around the treetop and saw some Chital deer on the opposite bank. Few Brahminy kites and common Kingfishers were hunting in the lake for fish. Our Guide came by 6:00 Am and he told us that a sloth bear came near our treetop hut sometime during the night. He showed us the tracks it created while walking through wet clay near the treetop. Day two started with a drive through the forest with the guide accompanying us in our own car. Chances of animal sightings are more during early mornings. We headed to the tent to pick up my parents and then we started driving towards Kannimara Teak which usually has animal sightings during early mornings. After a short drive, we came across a herd of three elephants on the road with a tiny calf. Then an orange mongoose which is a rare animal ran across the road and we also saw a tiny spotted owlet. Once we were close to the teak our guide spotted a fishing owl perched on a tree a bit far from us. This is a comparatively a big sized owl. Later we realized that he is not alone and there is a pair, the second one sitting somewhat hidden behind the branches. Then a herd of elephants, this time with more than 10 and two medium sized tuskers like bodyguards. We stopped the car and our guide recognized the tuskers and told us it's safe to drive a little closer for some pictures. After that we returned for breakfast. Next activity is a short trek through the forest, and I was expecting to do some birding. Parents and kids stayed at the tent and only me and the guide went for the trek. Since it was already 10Am, birds had already started taking rest in the foliage. For birding, it's better during early golden hours as the sun just rises. For predatory birds, its one or two hours after sun rise. Shortly after leaving the road, we came across the pugmark of a tiger, and looks like it was created during previous night. Then we reached a huge rock that showed signs of water flow during rain. Tiny pools were created here and there on the rocks which still have water with fishes, tiny crabs, and tadpoles. Bear poops were everywhere on that rock. I still remember during our last trip, me, my friend, and guide escaped an elephant chase by climbing on the same rock. We saw some Nilgiri langurs, Malabar Giant squirrels, Orioles, and peacocks during the trek. But bird activity was very less. After trekking, we were pretty much done for the day and it was time for us to head back home. My hometown is near Kochi and one of the main attractions of parambikulam trip for me is the return drive via Parambikulam > Valparai > Malakkappara > Chalakudy > Home. It is a long and time-consuming route. But the Parambikulam Valparai is a scenic route with 41 hairpins uphill with some breath-taking views of Amaravathi Dam from the top. The Malakkappara -> Chalakudy is known for thick forest with Elephant, Leopards, Tigers, and a variety of birds including gray and Malabar hornbills. The sad part is we could not take this route this time since my car was running on three cylinders instead of four and I didn't want to stress it. Hence, we took the normal route via Nenmara and reached home safely. Next day again we took the car to the service center. It was observed that an injector is dead. Luckily, they had the spare to fix it and agreed to give the car back by noon. That night we had another planned drive to Bengaluru. Car was perfectly fine after replacing the injector and our Bengaluru trip went fine without any issues. From Parambikulam:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk7IxGBdylc&t=42s From kabini:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szAYcJ3K6Ls&t=19s The Parambikulam Trip.Parambikulam was not in my original list for this vacation. I had some pictures on my laptop from an earlier visit to Parambikulam were we stayed at the treetop hut. My daughter saw those pictures and wanted to stay in the treetop hut.We started early in the morning and took the route via Angamaly > Trichur > Nenmara > Parambikulam. We crossed the check post and reached the forest area around 11Am at Aanamalai. While driving uphill after the first check post, I felt that the engine vibration has increased especially during idling and there is a loss of power. Felt like one cylinder totally stopped functioning. So, the fuel pump may not be the culprit, instead one of the injectors may be. I called my service advisor over the phone, he suggested that it's OK to drive slowly without giving too much load to the engine. I felt dishearten, but we continued till our destination.About our reservation at Parambikulam, the treetop hut is a 2+1 accommodation, and there is only one treetop type of accommodation. I also reserved a tent for my parents. During check-in at the forest office a guide will be allotted for each reservation. We got the same guide who accompanied us on our previous Visits. I know he is good at spotting birds which helped me take pics of Malabar Pied Hornbills during my earlier visits. The day one itinerary included a Minibus Safari through the forest covering a few points of interest and a river rafting. On the second day, a drive through the forest in our own car accompanied by the Guide and a small trekking. Since entering the forest we only spotted some peacocks, Nilgiri Langurs and Chital Deers.Once we reached the treetop hut, we found its condition degraded a lot since out last visit due to lack of maintenance. Tent was clean and good. We went and had our lunch and came back to the tent. The treetop is supported by three teak trees on three corners and a manmade support on the fourth corner. It is on the bank of the lake and from the Verandah, there is a stunning view of the Lake which made us all very happy. I totally forgot about the car engine issue.Minibus picked us around 4:00Pm for our Safari. Unlike Kabini or Top slip, Parambikulam doesnt offer a Jeep safari even for guests who opted for night stay, instead what they offer is this minibus safari. For somebody who is interested in wildlife photography, this is the biggest downside because photography is almost impossible if you have a DSLR with a big lens. Visibility is also not great, and the bus goes only though some main roads, not to the interior forest. Even in case of an animal sighting, we cannot photograph it properly from the bus.The first stop was Aliyar Dam where people got down and took photographs. Next point was Kannimara Teak, the largest naturally grown Teak in the world which is estimated to be about 500 Years old. Tree shows signs of a broken main trunk from sometime during its young age and regrowth after that. On the way we came across a spot where a young tusker was killed by a tiger. It was a three-week-old kill and the entire kill was devoured and only some bones were left to rot now. Other than that, we saw some Gaurs. Our next spot was the rafting area. The raft is made of bamboo and is rowed by four people. It was a 30-minute rafting, and the purpose is just rafting and not animal sighting since we barely go very far from the starting point. The motorboats are not allowed in the lake and by rowing manually its impossible to go far with around 15-20 people onboard. There are mugger crocodiles in the lake which we saw and some bison crossing the lake. During our earlier visits, it was a 1-hour rafting which was done by tribal people, but now it looks like its done by some contractors.After boating its time for return and the bus stopped at Parambikulam round for a tea break. It was around 6 Pm. Our guide delayed the return trip as animal sighting improves with night fall. We again came across some Gaur (Locally called as bison) and Sambar Deer. Then came the spotted terror as mentioned in Kenneth Andersons stories, the leopard. He was sitting in the middle of the road. After seeing the headlight of our bus, he just got up and climbed to the high ground on the side of the road and started walking parallelly to our bus. It was a sub adult and was very calm and stayed long enough so that everyone in the bus could watch it for a few minutes. It crossed the road and disappeared into the dark. After that we continued our return journey. The treetop hut comes first, and the tent is around 7km further. My Parents who stayed behind on the bus after we got down at the treetop hut got lucky with a few more sightings. They came across a sloth bear and herd of elephants. The elephants started trumpeting on seeing the bus which we could hear from the treetop hut. We went and had our dinner. With that, the day one program ended.I sat on the Verandah for some time watching the lake and opposite banks for any animal activity and listening for any call from the jungle. During our earlier visits, we heard a call of a tiger during the night from here. The night went without many events with occasional alarm calls of a langur. Sometime past midnight some animal jumped over the roof of our treetop hut. I am guessing it might be a palm civet or something of similar size (It couldnt be monkeys/Langurs because they rarely move during night). I woke up early to see if there was any animal activity around the treetop and saw some Chital deer on the opposite bank. Few Brahminy kites and common Kingfishers were hunting in the lake for fish. Our Guide came by 6:00 Am and he told us that a sloth bear came near our treetop hut sometime during the night. He showed us the tracks it created while walking through wet clay near the treetop.Day two started with a drive through the forest with the guide accompanying us in our own car. Chances of animal sightings are more during early mornings. We headed to the tent to pick up my parents and then we started driving towards Kannimara Teak which usually has animal sightings during early mornings. After a short drive, we came across a herd of three elephants on the road with a tiny calf. Then an orange mongoose which is a rare animal ran across the road and we also saw a tiny spotted owlet.Once we were close to the teak our guide spotted a fishing owl perched on a tree a bit far from us. This is a comparatively a big sized owl. Later we realized that he is not alone and there is a pair, the second one sitting somewhat hidden behind the branches. Then a herd of elephants, this time with more than 10 and two medium sized tuskers like bodyguards. We stopped the car and our guide recognized the tuskers and told us it's safe to drive a little closer for some pictures. After that we returned for breakfast.Next activity is a short trek through the forest, and I was expecting to do some birding. Parents and kids stayed at the tent and only me and the guide went for the trek. Since it was already 10Am, birds had already started taking rest in the foliage. For birding, it's better during early golden hours as the sun just rises. For predatory birds, its one or two hours after sun rise. Shortly after leaving the road, we came across the pugmark of a tiger, and looks like it was created during previous night. Then we reached a huge rock that showed signs of water flow during rain. Tiny pools were created here and there on the rocks which still have water with fishes, tiny crabs, and tadpoles. Bear poops were everywhere on that rock. I still remember during our last trip, me, my friend, and guide escaped an elephant chase by climbing on the same rock. We saw some Nilgiri langurs, Malabar Giant squirrels, Orioles, and peacocks during the trek. But bird activity was very less. After trekking, we were pretty much done for the day and it was time for us to head back home.My hometown is near Kochi and one of the main attractions of parambikulam trip for me is the return drive via Parambikulam > Valparai > Malakkappara > Chalakudy > Home. It is a long and time-consuming route. But the Parambikulam Valparai is a scenic route with 41 hairpins uphill with some breath-taking views of Amaravathi Dam from the top. The Malakkappara -> Chalakudy is known for thick forest with Elephant, Leopards, Tigers, and a variety of birds including gray and Malabar hornbills. The sad part is we could not take this route this time since my car was running on three cylinders instead of four and I didn't want to stress it. Hence, we took the normal route via Nenmara and reached home safely.Next day again we took the car to the service center. It was observed that an injector is dead. Luckily, they had the spare to fix it and agreed to give the car back by noon. That night we had another planned drive to Bengaluru. Car was perfectly fine after replacing the injector and our Bengaluru trip went fine without any issues.From Parambikulam:-From kabini:- Attached Thumbnails Last edited by arunrajk81 : 9th August 2022 at 20:27 . Reason: Edited Pics Bravo: A Michigan man has gone above and beyond the call of duty to bring broadband Internet connectivity to his rural town. What started as a personal goal for Jared Mauch soon morphed into a community-based project. To date, Mauch has around 70 customers connected to his ISP across 14 miles of fiber. He still works as a network architect with Akamai but thanks to a recent infusion of cash from the US government, his ISP will soon be reaching a lot more customers. Mauch moved into his home in Scio Township in 2002 and was able to get a T1 line, a speedy connection at the time. As broadband technology matured, his once mighty 1.5Mbps connection fell behind the competition. Surely an ISP would come along and wire up his home for cable or fiber, but unfortunately that never happened. Mauch eventually settled on a wireless ISP that offered speeds of around 50Mbps. Comcast at one point reportedly quoted him $50,000 to run its cable network to his residence. "If they had priced it at $10,000, I would have written them a check," Mauch told Ars Technica in 2021. Around 2016, AT&T started advertising DSL service to Mauch's address but the paltry 1.5Mbps service was laughable at that point. Out of options and not content with the 50Mbps wireless connection, Mauch decided to build his own ISP. He got the ball rolling about five years ago, first by starting a telephone company called Washtenaw Fiber Properties LLC. The outfit doesn't provide phone or TV service, only Internet connectivity on a case-by-case basis. Mauch's company was recently awarded $2,618,958.03 through the American Rescue Plan's Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The contract was signed back in May and requires him to extend service to an estimated 417 addresses in his township and a couple of others nearby. The contract calls for Mauch to offer 100Mbps symmetrical Internet service without a data cap for $55 a month. Another plan bumps speeds up to 1Gbps with unlimited data for $79. Mauch told Ars that his installation fee is typically $199 and that unlike most major ISPs, his bills consist of a single line item for the service with no hidden fees. Even with the government contract, it's not going to be easy going. Like others in different industries, Mauch is already facing increasing equipment costs. He told Ars that fiber conduit used to cost 32 cents a foot but it's now more than double that. Underground handholes used to run around $300 but cost Mauch closer to $700 these days. Unsurprisingly, Mauch has become quite popular in his small town. "The world around me has gotten a lot smaller, I've gotten to know a lot more people," he said, adding that he is now saved in people's cell phones as "fiber cable guy." One has to wonder - if Mauch had it all to do again today, would he go down the same route or opt for a far simpler solution like Starlink? Image credit: Leon Seibert, Lars Kienle The big picture: Foldable season is in full swing and Xiaomi doesn't want to be left out in the cold. The Chinese tech titan's latest foldable is its most advanced to date and is ready to compete against new entries from Samsung and Motorola for your hard-earned money. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 utilizes the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 mobile platform alongside 12GB of LPDDR5 (6,400Mbps) RAM and your choice of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of UFS 3.1 local storage. The outer display measures 6.56 inches diagonally with a resolution of 2,520 x 1,080 and boasts a 120Hz refresh rate with P3 color gamut coverage. It is coated in Corning Gorilla Glass Victus for enhanced durability. The inner display is an 8.02-inch Samsung Eco2 (Eco Square) OLED with a resolution of 2,160 x 1,914 and an LTPO 2.0 adaptive refresh rate from 1-120Hz. It, too, supports the P3 color gamut and its anti-AR film is said to reduce reflectivity to less than two percent. Dual ambient light sensors on the front and back enable smooth, automatic brightness adjustment, we're told. Xiaomi's latest additionally features a 50-megapixel IMX776 camera sensor from Sony mated to a seven-element f/1.8 aperture, Leica-certified lens with an ALD low-reflection coating. There's also a 13-megapixel f/2.4 ultra-wide with a 15mm focal length and an 8-megapixel f/2.6 aperture shooter with a 45mm focal length. The front-facing camera is a 20-megapixel unit. Xiaomi developed a new hinge mechanism for the foldable dubbed the Micro Waterdrop Hinge that features a smaller bending radius. This allows the device to measure just 11.2mm thick when folded flat; unfolded in tablet mode, it's just 5.4mm thick. Battery life wasn't touched on, but we do know the handset utilizes a 4,500mAh pack and can support a 67W wired charger. Symmetrical sound is supplied via dual speakers tuned by Harman Kardon, and the phone supports Dolby Atmos, Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Audio Wireless. It'll ship running Xiaomi's MIUI Fold 13 OS which is based on Android 12. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 will be available in your choice of black or gold in China from August 16. Pricing starts at 8,999 Yuan ($1,333) for a device with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and scales up to 11,699 ($1,735) for the 1TB model. Why bother paying for an installation of the internet when you can build your own? A clever man from Michigan named Jared Mauch did exactly this. He could have paid for AT&T or availed a $50,000 worth of service from Comcast to extend to his rural home. Instead, he chose to start up his own fiber internet service provider. Mauch started with about 70 customers, but it soon grew to 600 after receiving government funds to increase its access to broadband internet, according to a report by Ars Technica. Government-Funded Project Washtenaw County received $71 million from the US government for various infrastructure initiatives, with some of that money going toward internet services. Before the pandemic, the county carried out a broadband survey to find unserviced areas, according to Mauch. According to him, the county asked contractors to wire up residences known to be "unserved or underserved" based on the previous survey when federal funding became available. To finish the government-funded project, Mauch will add another 38 miles of fiber to his network, which now has 14 miles. He said in an interview with Ars Technica that he has at least two residences where he was to establish a half-mile to get to one house. He added that this would cost about $30,000 for each house that will be served. "They had this gap-filling RFP, and in my own wild stupidity or brilliance, I'm not sure which yet, I bid on the whole project [in my area] and managed to win through that competitive bidding process," Mauch said in a statement. Read also: Starlink: FCC Rejects RDOF Subsidy Request for $885M to Bring More Satellite Internet in the US $2 Million Contract Mauch is required by the May 2022 contract he signed with the county to expand his network to around 417 addresses in the townships of Freedom, Lima, Lodi, and Scio. Mauch also noted that his new fiber routes would span 596 potential clients, despite the fact that the contract only calls for service at those 417 locations. He will offer 100Mbps symmetrical Internet with unlimited data for $55 per month and 1Gbps with unlimited data for $79 per month, as stated in the conditions of the contract. His standard installation costs are $199. Mauch also pledged to take part in the Affordable Connectivity Program of the Federal Communications Commission, which offers $30 monthly subsidies to homes that meet the eligibility standards in terms of income. The contract stipulates that the project must be finished by the end of 2026 and that all project costs must be paid by the end of 2024. The actual funding amount is $2,618,958.03, but Mauch targets a significantly shorter time frame, telling Ars that his objective is to build roughly half of it by the end of this year and the other half by the end of 2023 Related Article: These Four iOS Safari Extensions Can Make Your Web Browsing Smoother Than Before | Here's How They Work This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Somewhere deep in space, a nebula explodes like a giant butterfly made up of dust and stars. While it may seem like a lovely sight, it is holding a dramatic stellar death that is ejecting an envelope of gases and a hail of ultraviolet radiation. This beautiful galactic scenery was even made more exciting to look at as NASA's Hubble Space Telescope released a video of the "Butterfly Nebula," also known as NGC 6302, on its Instagram page last Monday, Aug. 10. Fun Facts About The "Butterfly Nebula" The Dying Star in This Nebula is Five Times the Mass of the Sun! The source of this beautiful explosion is a dying star that was once about five times as massive as the Sun. After expelling the gases that made up its envelope, it is now releasing an ultraviolet radiation stream, causing its debris to shine. According to NASA, this is an example of a planetary nebula because they appear circular, just like a planet when viewed through a tiny telescope. It is Located 3,800 Light-years Away in the Constellation Scorpius Around 3,800 light-years away in the constellation of Scorpius, NGC 6302 is located in our Milky Way galaxy. The star's outer layers, which were expelled over a period of around 2,200 years, are the blazing gas illustrated in the image. This butterfly extends for more than two-light years, which is roughly half the distance between the Sun and Alpha Centauri, according to NASA. It Is One of The Hottest Stars In The Galaxy NASA claims that this nebula has one of the hottest stars in our galaxy since it has a surface temperature of around 400,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This gas is extraordinarily hot for a planetary nebula, measuring about 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit according to spectroscopic observations obtained using ground-based telescopes. Read also: NASA Hubble Space Telescope Snaps 5,000 Ancient Galaxies Glowing Like Candles in Space This Nebula Holds Complex History of Star Ejections A complex history of ejections from the star is revealed by the WFC3 (Wide Field Camera 3) image. The star initially developed into a massive red-giant star with a diameter that was roughly 1,000 times larger than the Sun. Later, it shed its thick outer coats. NASA said that the doughnut-shaped ring was formed when some of this gas was flung off from its equator at a relatively low speed, possibly as low as 20,000 miles per hour. Related Article: NASA Hubble Space Telescope Captures A Stunning 'Multi-Armed Galaxy Merger' - A Rare Gem in Cosmos! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA's Mars InSight exploration has brought some interesting discoveries about the Red Planet. According to the new seismic data that researchers gathered from the lander, the recent findings revealed the condition of the planet's crust and the possible reason for the absence of water in the region. The First Finding (Photo : Nicolas Lobos from Unsplash) The new InSight mission discovery could reveal more information about the planet's crust and the existence of water. Mirage News reported on Thursday, Aug. 11, that scientists have recently found out small information about the planet's ice, which exists within its crust. As per Vashan Wright, University of California San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography's geophysicist, the team has unveiled that the crust of the Red planet appears to be "weak and porous." This means that the foundation of structure in the land lacks support, hence not "well-cemented." To add, little to no ice was detected on the crevices of the crust. "These findings don't preclude that there could be grains of ice or small balls of ice that are not cementing other minerals together. The question is how likely is ice to be present in that form?" Wright said. The Second Finding Aside from the discovery of the Martian crust and its connection to the ice, the researchers also learned more information about the water on the planet. The scientists believed that during the early days, some water became a part of the minerals that make up the earth beneath. As per University of California Berkeley's Michael Manga, pouring the water onto the rocks will pave the way for the formation of new minerals, per Phys.org. In that way, the water becomes a composition of the said structure. Although the cement exists, not all rocks are cemented in place. This means that water could pass through minerals that are not cement. Wright also said that sediments and rockets are glued together by cement so the formation will be preserved, thus kept safe against weathering and erosion. As for this, the InSight lander has exposed a valuable finding to scientists. It's obvious that the water on Mars is scarce because the cemented sediments are lacking. The Mars equator has a very low average temperature that is below the normal freezing level. This suggests that water could freeze in this region easily. Related Article: NASA InSight Mars Lander Could Likely Terminate its Operations in Late 2022 Martian Subsurface Could Contain Not Only Sedimentary Rock Aside from sedimentary rocks, the researchers claim that lava flows also exist on the planet's landforms. However, there's a need to study this deeply since they should explore more about the mineral content and porosity of the subsurface. Over the past years, scientists have been studying the traces of life on the Red planet. If they want to learn more about the history of Mars, they should investigate the behavior of its subsurface in the past and link it with the potential existence of water. Last week, Tech Times reported that NASA's Perseverance rover had snapped a photo of a bizarre object on Mars. The mysterious string resembles a noodle-shaped pattern. Read Also: SpaceX Starship Completes Static Fire Test, Booster 7 Success-Static Fire Test Soon? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. With the looming climate crisis, several tech companies have been urged to use renewable energies to uphold eco-friendly measures. As one of the most popular tech firms in the world, Apple is planning to use renewable energy for its iPhones, Macs, and iPads by 2030. Huge Green Energy Statement As reported first by 9News, Apple's Vice President of the environment Lisa Jackson, celebrated the company's 40th anniversary in Sydney, Australia on Thursday, Aug. 11, by making a huge green energy statement. The tech giant has committed to acquiring renewable energy from a brand-new Australian wind farm in Queensland, which could supply 80,000 homes with electricity. All of this is in line with Apple's effort to meet its renewable energy goals. The company expects to meet its 2030 climate objective of becoming carbon neutral across the whole business, including supply chain and customer products. 9News noted that Apple has already achieved carbon neutrality for their corporate activities, specifically for Retail Stores, Offices, and Travel back in April of 2020. This means that your iPad, Mac, and iPhone will run entirely on renewable energy by 2030! But what if you still want to plug your Apple devices using the current energy? Well, the company will make sure to cover your real usage without relying on a not-so "clean energy." It is worth noting, though, that Apple will not be tracking your usage since it has examined usage patterns across its 1.8 billion devices and might propose more concrete measures in the future, according to 9News. 9News further reported that user accounts for 22% of the company's overall carbon footprint. Read also: How Much Will the Starting Price of Apple's iPhone14 Cost? Find Out What The Leaks and Rumors Say Addressing The Climate Crisis Apple's Executive Chief Tim Cook said that Apple is "proud" to celebrate its long history in Australia and to expand its shared commitment to safeguarding the planet and providing opportunities to "people's lives." "At Apple, we recognise the urgent need to address the climate crisis, and we're accelerating our global work to ensure our products have a net-zero climate footprint across their entire lifecycle," Jackson said during the celebration. In addition, Apple unveiled a program that will assist university students at RMIT in Melbourne and UTS in Sydney in finishing a four-week Swift Coding course as part of their studies, regardless of what they are normally studying. At the same time, Apple has announced that it sponsors programs for Indigenous peoples in Australia as part of its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI), which has now been expanded into the country. Related Article: Apple's iPhone14 Leak Rumored to Have Purple Color, 30W Charging Speed, and MORE! This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Google Meet meetings could sometimes become boring, especially when there are no activities involved in the discussion. Soon, your virtual conferences will be much more meaningful, thanks to the new live-sharing feature. Google Meet Adds Live-Sharing Option (Photo : charlesdeluvio from Unsplash) Your Google Meet meetings will be much more meaningful with the addition of the live-sharing feature. When the search engine giant combines Duo and Meet into one app, many users expect that new improvements will soon be added to it. Participating in an online meeting is not for everybody because some people are used to speaking face-to-face. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals are restricted to attending the real-time conference only. According to a report by Android Central, Google is bringing an interesting feature for participants so they won't get bored in-between the breaks. With the launch of live sharing in the videoconferencing platform, you can now do a lot of tasks starting from playing YouTube videos to streaming your favorite songs on Spotify. On top of that, you can also play a few video games, including "UNO! Mobile," "Kahoot!," and "Heads Up!." With this integration, there's no reason anymore to get repetitive in front of your friends, classmates, and colleagues on the screen. The inclusion of YouTube during live stream meetings just landed last month, per Tech Times. For this part, the users can freely choose a channel they want to access. For projects or presentations that require visuals, this integration will be of great help, especially if you are discussing it with a huge pool of participants. It should be noted that an approval process will be carried out before the participants are allowed to partake in the YouTube live stream. Related Article: Google Meet Discourages Single Person Meetings: Five-Minute Limitation How to Access Live Sharing Feature in Google Meet This feature could pave the way for more icebreakers that your team can perform at any given time. To get started, here's what you need to know. If you want to access this feature, you can view it in the new Activities tab. Once you see a three-dot menu in the same tab where Q&A options lie, just click it. For example, when you select Spotify as the associated service in the call, the group session mode will pop out. All of the participants in the meeting will be able to listen to your playlist and soundtrack that you are listening to. Some people might be familiar already with this feature since its official launch two years ago. At the peak of the COVID-19 era, users find solitude online with their virtual friends by playing songs on the platform. However, at that time, only the Premium subscribers are allowed to access it. Just two to five participants can join the music session together, per Tech Crunch. Earlier this year, Google Meet brought "live translated captions" that support Portuguese, Spanish, French, and German languages. If the speaker is speaking a foreign lingo that you haven't heard before, this could help you to understand better what he/she is saying during the conference. Read Also: Google's Duo and Meet Will Be Combined Into a Single Platform This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images) CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - APRIL 20: In this handout photo provided by NASA, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A during a brief static fire test ahead of NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission, April 20, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. At the Black Hat Security Conference this week in Las Vegas, KU Leuven researcher Lennert Wouters showed how he could hack into SpaceX's Starlink satellite dishes, as reported first by WIRED. It only required a $25 hacking tool developed by Lennert, and at the same time, he is making the tool open source for others to try themselves. Hacking SpaceX Wouters described the flaws that enabled him to break into Starlink satellite terminals and write his own unique code during his presentation on Wednesday, Aug. 10. More than 3,000 satellites have been placed in low Earth orbit by SpaceX. Customers who wish to use the satellite internet service must pay over $100 per month and more than $500 for the hardware necessary to install the 19-inch wide "Dishy" satellite dish. To access Dishy, Wouters created a specially designed modchip. WIRED reported that this special circuit board hooked to Dishy can be simply manufactured using store-bought components that cost about $25.The instructions for building the modchip are available on Github, thanks to Wouters. Users can access Dishy's software using the specially made gadget, and it is capable of launching an attack that results in a flaw providing hackers access to secured areas of the system. In the summary of his briefing, Wouters stated that "the widespread availability of Starlink User Terminals (UT) exposes them to hardware hackers and opens the door for an attacker to freely explore the network." Read also: SpaceX Starlink Launch is a Success! 50 New Satellites in Orbit-How Far is Elon Musk From His Goal? SpaceX's Software Update SpaceX has already implemented a software update to fix the problem in response to Wouters' warning about the faults in its system. However, Wouters asserts that altering Dishy's primary chip is the only way SpaceX can guarantee that others won't attack its system. Wouters didn't divulge his knowledge to aid in hacking Starlink satellite dishes. Rather, he anticipates that it will assist the private space company in enhancing cybersecurity for its clients. Related Article: SpaceX Starlink Internet Speed Surpasses 400Mbps! Expect Better Performance as More Sats Reach Earth's Orbit This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple Australia's 40th-anniversary celebration leads to some big initiatives that are expected to help Australian communities grow in the renewable energy sector. (Photo : Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal, January 29, 2019 in New York City. Apple is set to report first-quarter earnings results after U.S. markets close on Tuesday. Aside from this, the tech giant firm also announced that new iOS app courses would soon be launched to equip young Australians with the right knowledge when it comes to application development. "To mark Apple's 40 years in Australia, the company today announced new initiatives that will help protect the environment and create opportunity in communities across the country," said Apple via its official press release. Apple Australia 40th Anniversary Apple CEO Tim Cook said that they are proud to celebrate the growth of Apple in the Australian market. He added that they would further enhance their relationship with the country. (Photo : Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Apple staff wait for the offical opening of the new Sydney Apple Store on June 19, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. The new $AUD 15 million store is the 215th to open worldwide since the first opened in 2001 and is the second biggest in the world. Also Read: Apple Announces That All iPhones Will Run on Renewable Energy by 2030! By deepening its shared commitment with Australia, the giant iPhone maker is expected to create more opportunities for Australian residents. Aside from this, Apple said it would also make efforts to protect Australia's natural environment further. Cook excitingly shared that they are lucky to have great colleagues, partners, and consumers across the country. Now, here are the exact initiatives of Apple that can greatly benefit Australian communities. Apple Australia's Initiatives According to Apple Insider's latest report, among the main initiatives of Apple to benefit the Australian market is creating a new renewable energy project. This new eco-friendly program is expected to allow the tech firm to achieve its 2030 climate goal. Specifically, the iPhone maker plans to acquire a wind farm in Queensland. On the other hand, Apple also confirmed that it also partnered with the University of Technology (UTS) and RMT University in Melbourne (RMIT) to launch some of its "Develop in Swift" curriculum courses. This will allow the students of these schools to learn more about iOS app coding and other application development processes. You can visit this link to see more of Apple's plans to help Australian communities. Previously, the AppleCare+ theft and loss coverage expanded in three countries. Meanwhile, the Apple "Made in Taiwan" product labels are now being discouraged as compliance to the China law. For more news updates about Apple and other tech giant manufacturers, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Malaysian Apple Customers Can Now Use Apple Pay in Their iPhones, Apple Watches, Mac, and iPads This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. National first! There is no need to repay the loan in advance or advance, Jinan announced the "transfer of the second-hand house with mortgage", what signal does it send? The champagne glasses in the center of Baton Rouge Gallery's main space are more than a pretty pyramid of sparkle. Look closer and you'll notice that each of the glasses contains not champagne but an icy house, some immersed in water. Matt Kenyon calls this 1,570-glass pyramid, "Tide," a commentary inspired by the historic 2016 flooding in Baton Rouge. It stands as the centerpiece of "Cloudburst: The Art of Matt Kenyon," the artist's first hometown solo exhibit. Kenyon is a Baton Rouge native with an impressive resume that includes the title of TED Fellow and his work in New York's Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection. His unconventional work has been exhibited and hailed worldwide, but never in Baton Rouge. Until now. Why? "Well, really, because nobody ever asked," Kenyon said. There's no sarcasm in his statement, definitely no disappointment. He's been busy. The Baton Rouge art community has, too. Cloudburst: The Art of Matt Kenyon WHERE: Baton Rouge Gallery, 1515 Dalrymple Drive. WHEN: Through Wednesday, Aug. 31. Hours are noon-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. ADMISSION: Free. INFO: Call (225) 383-1470 or visit batonrougegallery.org. And though Baton Rouge Gallery began working on this exhibit in 2020, COVID-19 came along and stifled the process. But now the exhibit is here, filling the gallery with some 12 pieces of Kenyon's new media artwork, each offering social commentary. Now don't take that the wrong way. Kenyon's work uses intrigue to convey its message. Viewers will have fun looking through the special glasses while listening to the audio to hear the message of his piece, "Enough." This, by the way, is an installation that encodes audio of the word, "enough," in the ridges of plastic zip tie handcuffs as a commentary on police and military use of the cuffs worldwide as a mode of detention. It's a commentary on making people disposable. Heavy, right? Not so much when Kenyon conveys the zip tie recordings through headphones, along with special glasses to see the message on a screen. +2 Photos, videos: Matt Kenyon's 'Cloudburst' at Baton Rouge Gallery 'Cloudburst: The Work of Matt Kenyon," is showing through Wednesday, Aug. 31, at Baton Rouge Gallery center for contemporary art, 1515 Dalrymp "Tide" delivers its message through sparkle. Kenyon worked for months on the piece in his Buffalo, New York, basement while his wife, poet Laura Marris, found her own inspiration in the work. Much of it took place during the coronavirus lockdown. "I was thinking about the pandemic and how it changed our lives, and she was translating a Camus novel called 'The Plague,'" he said. "The novel is an allegory for a city that's quarantined because of a plague. So, we were on the same plane." The process was spurred by the 2016 flood, which affected the house owned by his dad and stepmom in Baton Rouge's Millerville Road area. Explore BR Each week we'll highlights the best eats and events in metro Baton Rouge. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Kenyon witnessed his hometown devastation at that time and noted that even in cookie-cutter neighborhoods, each house has an individual personality through its residents. "I was thinking about those things, and I was thinking about the way we've seen this during the pandemic and how the wealth has been concentrated more and more in fewer hands," Kenyon said. "I thought about how the people who really are responsible for the function of our society the people who take care of others, the people who make our food, the people who stock our shelves increasingly feel invisible, just as I know my family and my friends felt invisible after the news media moved on from the flood to the next disaster." One of those disasters, the flooding in Kentucky, was in full play when Kenyon was installing "Tide" in Baton Rouge Gallery. "That's the kind of place I was thinking about," Kenyon said. "And I wanted to build something where people who felt invisible could feel that they aren't forgotten." "Tide" tells its story through a makeshift pipeline attached to the ceiling. Water slowly drips from the pipe into the top champagne glass, which eventually overflows to fill those below it. Some glasses fill faster than others, overtaking the tiny houses inside. Kenyon molded and carved the houses from flexible mouth guard material, each resembling a miniature ice sculpture. And like ice, each seemingly disappears when immersed in water. But this is an optical illusion, as is the flow of oil in Kenyon's multimedia sculpture, 'Supermajor.' "Well, I don't use oil for this sculpture anymore, I use a dyed water," he said. And though the flow of this dyed water appears to pour upward instead of downward from a set of vintage oil cans, demonstrating the common perception that oil, along with other natural resources, are endless. "A few years ago, I had the opportunity to show this piece in the Petronus Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia," Kenyon said. "They have a gallery there. The Petronus Corp. is the national oil company of Malaysia, and without my permission the night before the opening, some of the workers in the office cut off the labels and put their own company labels on the cans." Kenyon called out the company to the media. "I said this was inappropriate, and I was pretty upset," he said. "And that same week, just by coincidence, the Petro dollar crashed and the Malaysian government was exposed in a massive corruption scandal of using the oil money to silence their political opposition." Kenyon has since restored the vintage labels on his cans, keeping the Petronus label on one. "I said, 'You wanted to be a part of this exhibit, so I made you a permanent part of it,'" he said. Kenyon now heads the graduate program for the University of Buffalo's Department of Art while continuing to create new media sculptures through his SWAMP studio Studies of Work Atmosphere and Mass Production. The sculptures in Baton Rouge Gallery are products of SWAMP, all attracting attention with their own brand of intrigue. Diversified property giant Mirvac says robust demand for its apartments and mixed-use developments should help it offset the challenges in the construction sector, as it aims to pocket up to $1.3 billion from the sale of its commercial property assets. The strong development pipeline and a rise in home settlements has helped Mirvac post a 1 per cent rise in statutory profit to $906 million for the 2022 financial year. The operating profit after tax for the period came in at $596 million, a rise of 8 per cent on the previous year. Mirvac chief executive Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said on Thursday that despite a busy 12 months, which featured COVID-19 lockdowns, bad weather along the eastern seaboard and persistent supply chain issues, the company still settled 2,523 residential lots, ahead of its 2,500-lot settlement target and made progress on its $30 billion development pipeline. Mirvac chief Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz. Credit:Janie Barrett Lloyd-Hurwitz warned that after a strong 2021 year for the housing market, price growth is starting to ease. An Aboriginal man has died in custody at a Melbourne prison. The man, aged in his 30s, died at Port Phillip Prison on Wednesday, hours after returning to the maximum security facility from St Vincents Hospital, where he was treated after an incident in his cell. Victorias Port Phillip Prison Credit:Craig Abraham Concerns have since been raised about possible delays in reaching the man to provide medical assistance before he died at the prison at Truganina. Those with knowledge of the death said the man was due to be released from custody in coming weeks. He looked for a rental property, but the homes on offer drew anywhere from 50 to 150 applications. I went through about 30 properties before it sunk in, well, this is not happening, he said. Tim Ferrari has been living in a tent after facing tough competition for rental properties. Credit:Justin McManus Trudi Ray, deputy chief executive of Haven Home Safe, a homelessness organisation that provides housing solutions in Geelong and Bendigo, said about 25 key workers were sleeping rough in a campground in Bendigos north due to lack of affordable housing. Its a Bendigo outrage how these people dont have anywhere to stay, Ray said during her presentation at the conference run by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and Homelessness Australia. Some are itinerant workers picking fruit, while others had full-time jobs in Bendigo. They did not consider themselves homeless because they either worked, or had job prospects, but were simply unable to find a house. Loading Theyre not our clients because they think theyre OK, she said. They just cant find a rental. The rental vacancy rate in central Bendigo is a wafer-thin 0.9 per cent, Domain data shows. Greater Bendigo rents rose 10.5 per cent over the past year to a median $420 per week. Tenants who try looking further afield may have no more luck, as the vacancy rate is just 0.5 per cent in the nearby region of Heathcote-Castlemaine-Kyneton, and in Loddon-Elmore it is 0.2 per cent. The issue is widespread in regional Victoria. Geelong rents are 5.9 per cent more expensive than a year ago and the vacancy rate in central Geelong is 0.7 per cent. Ballarats vacancy rate is also at 0.7 per cent and rent has increased 5.6 per cent in a year. Kevin Woodroffe is an itinerant worker who has been travelling between NSW and Victoria during the past few months. He has been sleeping in a car he inherited after his father died, and has been unable to find an affordable place to live. I dont work [at the moment] and I cant find a house, Woodroffe said. Bendigo City Council Mayor Andrea Metcalf said there had been high demand for rentals as new residents arrived from Melbourne, which was happening even before the pandemic, albeit at a slower rate. It was starting to show the cracks, but I would think that the pandemic has exacerbated it more, Metcalf said. Melbourne lost 85,000 residents in 12 months during the depths of COVID-19 restrictions, Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows. Council figures show that about 3000 people in Bendigo need housing and the area needs more affordable housing to attract skilled workers. The council introduced an Affordable Housing Action Plan in September last year, which will require developers to have inclusionary housing zones in every development. Metcalf said adding more one- to two-bedroom homes to the mix would mean older people, single people and those moving out of home for the first time would have more choice, as would those who need affordable options. We can do things like the Affordable Housing Action Plan ... but a lot of the fixes around affordable housing sit with the state and federal governments, Metcalf said. Loading The state governments Big Housing Build has promised $85 million to Bendigo.Well be really pleased to see those houses being rolled out and people moving into them, Metcalf said. Ray said the Big Housing Build would offer 12,000 new and existing properties over the next four years, and there were additional housing promises from the federal government, but there would still be a shortage even when they were all built. Ray said one in 30 young people aged 15 to 19 had experienced first-time homelessness during the pandemic. The issue hit twice as many women and girls as men last year. About 5060 young people who presented to homelessness services in Victoria were unable to be housed due to a lack of supply, she said. Meanwhile, homes across Victoria were being under-utilised, she said. Were seeing a lot of homes that are full on the weekend the weekenders for city folk but they are certainly vacant during the week, Ray said. Bendigo is not the only regional centre with a rental crisis. In Yarriambiack Shire, which includes Warracknabeal, 680 homes are unoccupied. Even someone looking for a temporary stay in a hotel may struggle. Booming tourism in the Bendigo area, while a boon for local businesses, had filled hotel rooms. The recent Elvis exhibition meant hotels were fully booked for four months, she said. Victoria will celebrate pride across the state with a new, two-month-long festival which organisers hope could rival Sydneys famed Mardi Gras. The state government will announce on Friday that it will set aside up to $6.8 million over the next four years for Victorias Pride, which will run from December to February. Thousands of Melbournes LGBTQ community marched in the 2022 Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda. Credit:Chris Hopkins Victorias Pride will be a welcoming and inclusive celebration of LGBTIQ communities across the state a chance for all Victorians to show visible love and support and for our community to celebrate who we are, Equality Minister Harriet Shing said. Shing said the government wants to expand the celebrations into regional Victoria, in a response to members of the community who felt the existing events were too centred around Melbourne. The bureaucrat in charge of Western Australias child health division when seven-year-old Aishwarya Aswath tragically died of a bacterial infection after waiting hours to see a doctor at Perth Childrens Hospital, has resigned. Dr Aresh Anwar tried to tender his resignation last year after an April report into the circumstances of Aishwaryas death found multiple staffing, equipment and policy failures could have contributed to her passing. Her parents had tried to rise the alarm in the hospital waiting room as her condition deteriorated to no avail. CAHS chief executive Aresh Anwar. Credit:Hamish Hastie Child and Adolescent Health Service chairwoman Debbie Karasinski stood down from her role in the aftermath of the incident but the director general of the Department of Health, Dr David Russell-Weisz, rejected a verbal offer of resignation from Anwar. Russell-Weisz said in May last year the health department, which was under immense strain with staff shortages, would be better served if Anwar remained. Veterans Minister Matt Keogh has apologised for the failings in Defence and the compensation system that have contributed to suicide rates and promised to respond speedily to royal commission recommendations. The interim report from the royal commission into Defence and veteran suicides, which was released on Thursday, said a slow and complex compensation claim process could harm peoples mental health and may contribute to suicidality. Royal Commission chair Nick Kaldas and fellow commissioners James Douglas and Peggy Brown deliver an interim report on Defence and veteran suicide to Governor-General David Hurley. Credit:AAP/Mick Tsikas Commissioners Nick Kaldas, James Douglas, QC, and Dr Peggy Brown also found many of the problems were well known there have been 50 inquiries making 750 recommendations since 2000 but few have been acted on. Keogh said on Thursday it was vital these now be addressed as a priority. Premier Dominic Perrottet insists he did not sack a minister over concerns about her relationship with a property developer despite a senior bureaucrat deeming the matter serious enough to be referred to the corruption watchdog. The premier told parliament on Thursday his fair trading minister Eleni Petinos was sacked over staff matters and that peripheral issues about her dealings with the property firm that hired former deputy premier John Barilaro were not relevant. From left: Eleni Petinos, David Chandler, Dominic Perrottet. Credit:Wolter Peeters, Kate Geraghty, NCA Newswire Petinos was stood down from the premiers cabinet on July 31 after serious bullying allegations were made against her by staff. She has denied all wrongdoing. However, the release of the resignation letter by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler on Thursday triggered speculation over Perrottets reasoning for dumping the junior minister. Taipei: Taiwan rejects the one country, two systems model proposed by Beijing in a white paper published this week, the self-ruled islands foreign ministry said on Thursday. Only Taiwans people can decide its future, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou told a news conference in Taipei, the capital. A Chinese military pilot taking part in combat training excercises around Taiwan on Sunday. Credit:AP China was using US House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taipei as an excuse to create a new normality to intimidate Taiwans people, Ou added. In its first white paper on Taiwan in two decades, released on Wednesday, the China state council proposed imposing Hong Kongs one country, two systems policy on Taiwan and said it would not renounce the use of force to take the island. ABC News will air Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20 on Tuesday, August 23 at 8:00pm EDT. This reunion special will feature original cast members of the 1997 television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella speaking about their experience to mark the 25th anniversary of the film, which starred Brandy as the girl who wants to attend the ball and the late Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother who makes her dream come true. The special will feature behind-the-scenes footage of Houston, who also served as executive producer of the film. It will also include interviews with cast members Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Veanne Cox. Billy Porter, Todrick Hall, and Jade Jones will speak about the impact of the film. Following 20/20, The Wonderful World of Disney will air, for the first time on broadcast television in more than two decades, a presentation of the original film at 9:00pm EDT, which is also available to stream on Disney. The Brandy Cinderella was the third time the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical was produced for television: It was originally written for Julie Andrews in the title role in 1957. It was recreated with Lesley Ann Warren in 1965. Writing about the 1997 remake, TheaterMania critic Hayley Levitt opined, "Cinderella remains the thing we got right in the '90s." THE COMING ANARCHY (page 10) 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10| 11 A New Kind of War To appreciate fully the political and cartographic implications of postmodernisman epoch of themeless juxtapositions, in which the classificatory grid of nation-states is going to be replaced by a jagged-glass pattern of city-states, shanty-states, nebulous and anarchic regionalismsit is necessary to consider, finally, the whole question of war. "Oh, what a relief to fight, to fight enemies who defend themselves, enemies who are awake!" Andre Malraux wrote in Man's Fate. I cannot think of a more suitable battle cry for many combatants in the early decades of the twenty-first century. The intense savagery of the fighting in such diverse cultural settings as Liberia, Bosnia, the Caucasus, and Sri Lankato say nothing of what obtains in American inner citiesindicates something very troubling that those of us inside the stretch limo, concerned with issues like middle-class entitlements and the future of interactive cable television, lack the stomach to contemplate. It is this: a large number of people on this planet, to whom the comfort and stability of a middle-class life is utterly unknown, find war and a barracks existence a step up rather than a step down. "Just as it makes no sense to ask 'why people eat' or 'what they sleep for,'" writes Martin van Creveld, a military historian at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, in The Transformation of War, "so fighting in many ways is not a means but an end. Throughout history, for every person who has expressed his horror of war there is another who found in it the most marvelous of all the experiences that are vouchsafed to man, even to the point that he later spent a lifetime boring his descendants by recounting his exploits." When I asked Pentagon officials about the nature of war in the twenty-first century, the answer I frequently got was "Read Van Creveld." The top brass are enamored of this historian not because his writings justify their existence but, rather, the opposite: Van Creveld warns them that huge state military machines like the Pentagon's are dinosaurs about to go extinct, and that something far more terrible awaits us. The degree to which Van Creveld's Transformation of War complements Homer-Dixon's work on the environment, Huntington's thoughts on cultural clash, my own realizations in traveling by foot, bus, and bush taxi in more than sixty countries, and America's sobering comeuppances in intractable-culture zones like Haiti and Somalia is startling. The book begins by demolishing the notion that men don't like to fight. "By compelling the senses to focus themselves on the here and now," Van Creveld writes, war "can cause a man to take his leave of them." As anybody who has had experience with Chetniks in Serbia, "technicals" in Somalia, Tontons Macoutes in Haiti, or soldiers in Sierra Leone can tell you, in places where the Western Enlightenment has not penetrated and where there has always been mass poverty, people find liberation in violence. In Afghanistan and elsewhere, I vicariously experienced this phenomenon: worrying about mines and ambushes frees you from worrying about mundane details of daily existence. If my own experience is too subjective, there is a wealth of data showing the sheer frequency of war, especially in the developing world since the Second World War. Physical aggression is a part of being human. Only when people attain a certain economic, educational, and cultural standard is this trait tranquilized. In light of the fact that 95 percent of the earth's population growth will be in the poorest areas of the globe, the question is not whether there will be war (there will be a lot of it) but what kind of war. And who will fight whom? Debunking the great military strategist Carl von Clausewitz, Van Creveld, who may be the most original thinker on war since that early-nineteenth-century Prussian, writes, "Clausewitz's ideas . . . were wholly rooted in the fact that, ever since 1648, war had been waged overwhelmingly by states." But, as Van Creveld explains, the period of nation-states and, therefore, of state conflict is now ending, and with it the clear "threefold division into government, army, and people" which state-directed wars enforce. Thus, to see the future, the first step is to look back to the past immediately prior to the birth of modernismthe wars in medieval Europe which began during the Reformation and reached their culmination in the Thirty Years' War. Van Creveld writes, "In all these struggles political, social, economic, and religious motives were hopelessly entangled. Since this was an age when armies consisted of mercenaries, all were also attended by swarms of military entrepreneurs. . . . Many of them paid little but lip service to the organizations for whom they had contracted to fight. Instead, they robbed the countryside on their own behalf. . . ." "Given such conditions, any fine distinctions . . . between armies on the one hand and peoples on the other were bound to break down. Engulfed by war, civilians suffered terrible atrocities." Back then, in other words, there was no Politics as we have come to understand the term, just as there is less and less Politics today in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, the Balkans, and the Caucasus, among other places. Because, as Van Creveld notes, the radius of trust within tribal societies is narrowed to one's immediate family and guerrilla comrades, truces arranged with one Bosnian commander, say, may be broken immediately by another Bosnian commander. The plethora of short-lived ceasefires in the Balkans and the Caucasus constitute proof that we are no longer in a world where the old rules of state warfare apply. More evidence is provided by the destruction of medieval monuments in the Croatian port of Dubrovnik: when cultures, rather than states, fight, then cultural and religious monuments are weapons of war, making them fair game. Also, war-making entities will no longer be restricted to a specific territory. Loose and shadowy organisms such as Islamic terrorist organizations suggest why borders will mean increasingly little and sedimentary layers of tribalistic identity and control will mean more. "From the vantage point of the present, there appears every prospect that religious . . . fanaticisms will play a larger role in the motivation of armed conflict" in the West than at any time "for the last 300 years," Van Creveld writes. This is why analysts like Michael Vlahos are closely monitoring religious cults. Vlahos says, "An ideology that challenges us may not take familiar form, like the old Nazis or Commies. It may not even engage us initially in ways that fit old threat markings." Van Creveld concludes, "Armed conflict will be waged by men on earth, not robots in space. It will have more in common with the struggles of primitive tribes than with large-scale conventional war." While another military historian, John Keegan, in his new book A History of Warfare, draws a more benign portrait of primitive man, it is important to point out that what Van Creveld really means is re-primitivized man: warrior societies operating at a time of unprecedented resource scarcity and planetary overcrowding. Van Creveld's pre-Westphalian vision of worldwide low-intensity conflict is not a superficial "back to the future" scenario. First of all, technology will be used toward primitive ends. In Liberia the guerrilla leader Prince Johnson didn't just cut off the ears of President Samuel Doe before Doe was tortured to death in 1990Johnson made a video of it, which has circulated throughout West Africa. In December of 1992, when plotters of a failed coup against the Strasser regime in Sierra Leone had their ears cut off at Freetown's Hamilton Beach prior to being killed, it was seen by many to be a copycat execution. Considering, as I've explained earlier, that the Strasser regime is not really a government and that Sierra Leone is not really a nation-state, listen closely to Van Creveld: "Once the legal monopoly of armed force, long claimed by the state, is wrested out of its hands, existing distinctions between war and crime will break down much as is already the case today in . . . Lebanon, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, Peru, or Colombia." If crime and war become indistinguishable, then "national defense" may in the future be viewed as a local concept. As crime continues to grow in our cities and the ability of state governments and criminal-justice systems to protect their citizens diminishes, urban crime may, according to Van Creveld, "develop into low-intensity conflict by coalescing along racial, religious, social, and political lines." As small-scale violence multiplies at home and abroad, state armies will continue to shrink, being gradually replaced by a booming private security business, as in West Africa, and by urban mafias, especially in the former communist world, who may be better equipped than municipal police forces to grant physical protection to local inhabitants. Future wars will be those of communal survival, aggravated or, in many cases, caused by environmental scarcity. These wars will be subnational, meaning that it will be hard for states and local governments to protect their own citizens physically. This is how many states will ultimately die. As state power fadesand with it the state's ability to help weaker groups within society, not to mention other statespeoples and cultures around the world will be thrown back upon their own strengths and weaknesses, with fewer equalizing mechanisms to protect them. Whereas the distant future will probably see the emergence of a racially hybrid, globalized man, the coming decades will see us more aware of our differences than of our similarities. To the average person, political values will mean less, personal security more. The belief that we are all equal is liable to be replaced by the overriding obsession of the ancient Greek travelers: Why the differences between peoples? 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10| 11 THE COMING ANARCHY (page 3) 1 | 2 |3| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 Sierra Leone is a microcosm of what is occurring, albeit in a more tempered and gradual manner, throughout West Africa and much of the underdeveloped world: the withering away of central governments, the rise of tribal and regional domains, the unchecked spread of disease, and the growing pervasiveness of war. West Africa is reverting to the Africa of the Victorian atlas. It consists now of a series of coastal trading posts, such as Freetown and Conakry, and an interior that, owing to violence, volatility, and disease, is again becoming, as Graham Greene once observed, "blank" and "unexplored." However, whereas Greene's vision implies a certain romance, as in the somnolent and charmingly seedy Freetown of his celebrated novel The Heart of the Matter, it is Thomas Malthus, the philosopher of demographic doomsday, who is now the prophet of West Africa's future. And West Africa's future, eventually, will also be that of most of the rest of the world. Consider "Chicago." I refer not to Chicago, Illinois, but to a slum district of Abidjan, which the young toughs in the area have named after the American city. ("Washington" is another poor section of Abidjan.) Although Sierra Leone is widely regarded as beyond salvage, the Ivory Coast has been considered an African success story, and Abidjan has been called "the Paris of West Africa." Success, however, was built on two artificial factors: the high price of cocoa, of which the Ivory Coast is the world's leading producer, and the talents of a French expatriate community, whose members have helped run the government and the private sector. The expanding cocoa economy made the Ivory Coast a magnet for migrant workers from all over West Africa: between a third and a half of the country's population is now non-Ivorian, and the figure could be as high as 75 percent in Abidjan. During the 1980s cocoa prices fell and the French began to leave. The skyscrapers of the Paris of West Africa are a facade. Perhaps 15 percent of Abidjan's population of three million people live in shantytowns like Chicago and Washington, and the vast majority live in places that are not much better. Not all of these places appear on any of the readily available maps. This is another indication of how political maps are the products of tired conventional wisdom and, in the Ivory Coast's case, of an elite that will ultimately be forced to relinquish power. Chicago, like more and more of Abidjan, is a slum in the bush: a checkerwork of corrugated zinc roofs and walls made of cardboard and black plastic wrap. It is located in a gully teeming with coconut palms and oil palms, and is ravaged by flooding. Few residents have easy access to electricity, a sewage system, or a clean water supply. The crumbly red laterite earth crawls with foot-long lizards both inside and outside the shacks. Children defecate in a stream filled with garbage and pigs, droning with malarial mosquitoes. In this stream women do the washing. Young unemployed men spend their time drinking beer, palm wine, and gin while gambling on pinball games constructed out of rotting wood and rusty nails. These are the same youths who rob houses in more prosperous Ivorian neighborhoods at night. One man I met, Damba Tesele, came to Chicago from Burkina Faso in 1963. A cook by profession, he has four wives and thirty-two children, not one of whom has made it to high school. He has seen his shanty community destroyed by municipal authorities seven times since coming to the area. Each time he and his neighbors rebuild. Chicago is the latest incarnation. Fifty-five percent of the Ivory Coast's population is urban, and the proportion is expected to reach 62 percent by 2000. The yearly net population growth is 3.6 percent. This means that the Ivory Coast's 13.5 million people will become 39 million by 2025, when much of the population will consist of urbanized peasants like those of Chicago. But don't count on the Ivory Coast's still existing then. Chicago, which is more indicative of Africa's and the Third World's demographic presentand even more of the futurethan any idyllic junglescape of women balancing earthen jugs on their heads, illustrates why the Ivory Coast, once a model of Third World success, is becoming a case study in Third World catastrophe. President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, who died last December at the age of about ninety, left behind a weak cluster of political parties and a leaden bureaucracy that discourages foreign investment. Because the military is small and the non-Ivorian population large, there is neither an obvious force to maintain order nor a sense of nationhood that would lessen the need for such enforcement. The economy has been shrinking since the mid-1980s. Though the French are working assiduously to preserve stability, the Ivory Coast faces a possibility worse than a coup: an anarchic implosion of criminal violencean urbanized version of what has already happened in Somalia. Or it may become an African Yugoslavia, but one without mini-states to replace the whole. Because the demographic reality of West Africa is a countryside draining into dense slums by the coast, ultimately the region's rulers will come to reflect the values of these shanty-towns. There are signs of this already in Sierra Leoneand in Togo, where the dictator Etienne Eyadema, in power since 1967, was nearly toppled in 1991, not by democrats but by thousands of youths whom the London-based magazine West Africa described as "Soweto-like stone-throwing adolescents." Their behavior may herald a regime more brutal than Eyadema's repressive one. 1 | 2 |3| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Canada is committed to bolstering ties with Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly. In a statement on the 30th anniversary of the Azerbaijani-Canadian diplomatic relations, the minister reiterated her country's commitment to further strengthening the bilateral ties. As we mark this important day, we reiterate our commitment to continue strengthening ties with Azerbaijan. We look forward to forging deeper links by building on this important friendship in the years to come, the minister stressed. According to her, the 30-year-long partnership with Azerbaijan has been based on close people-to-people ties, including a thriving Azerbaijani population that contributes significantly to Canada's diversity, wealth, and success. Joly emphasized that the nations had created a solid working partnership on the world stage over the last three decades to advance common principles. Both countries are providing Ukraine with humanitarian aid and have collaborated in Afghanistan, demonstrating their joint commitment to assisting those in need. In fora such as the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, we have collaborated in the promotion of womens empowerment and environmental stewardship globally, as well as in strengthening the rules-based international order and democracy in the Caucasus region, the minister underlined. On December 25, 1991, Canada recognized the independence of Azerbaijan and 11 other post-Soviet republics. On August 10, 1992, the two nations established diplomatic ties. The Canadian ambassador to Turkey is concurrently accredited to Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan established an embassy in Ottawa in 2004. El ministro @KurtBurneo se reunio el martes con los presidentes de los gremios empresariales, iniciando una serie de reuniones con gremios, sindicatos, el sector publico, el Poder Legislativo y la sociedad civil, a fin de tratar distintos temas de la politica economica. pic.twitter.com/r2lGa5hbHl El titular del MEF, @KurtBurneo, se reunio con el presidente del @bcrpoficial, Julio Velarde, a fin de iniciar un trabajo coordinado entre ambas instituciones que apunte al objetivo comun de mantener la estabilidad macroeconomica del pais.??Nota de prensa: https://t.co/e1eecI9AhZ pic.twitter.com/JOsnnDdoPH ??#Ahora: Fiscal de la Nacion, Patricia Benavides, brinda un pronunciamiento en el que subraya que las decisiones fiscales se cinen estrictamente a la ley y a la Constitucion, y exhorta a respetar la autonomia del #MinisterioPublico. pic.twitter.com/SKGXOepThx Flames consume trees at a forest fire in Saint Magne, south of Bordeaux, south western France, on Aug. 10, 2022. ( SDIS 33 Service Audiovisuel via AP) 10,000 People Evacuated by Fire in Southwestern France PARISFirefighters were battling a wildfire in southwestern France on Wednesday in a region known for its pine forests that was ravaged by flames last month. More than 6,200 hectares have burned in the Gironde region and the neighbouring Landes in the latest wildfire to erupt in a European nation as the continent swelters through a hot and dry summer. The blaze forced the evacuation of about 10,000 people and destroyed at least 17 houses, according to firefighters. Fire fighters near flames consuming trees at a forest fire in Saint Magne, south of Bordeaux, south western France, on Aug. 10, 2022. ( SDIS 33 Service Audiovisuel via AP) A major highway near the city of Bordeaux was closed on Wednesday afternoon due to the fire raging nearby. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced that more firefighters have been sent to the site in an effort to contain the fire. In total, more than 1,000 firefighters, nine aircraft and two helicopters have been mobilised, he said. The Gironde region was hit last month by major wildfires that forced the evacuation of more than 39,000 people, including residents and tourists. Flames consume trees at a forest fire in Saint Magne, south of Bordeaux, southwestern France, on Aug. 10, 2022. ( SDIS 33 Service Audiovisuel via AP) 2 Killed, 17 Injured When Megabus on Way to Philadelphia Crashes By Rodrigo Torrejon From The Philadelphia Inquirer Two people were killed and more than a dozen others were injured when a Megabus on its way to Philadelphia overturned on the New Jersey Turnpike Tuesday night. Shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday, the New Jersey State Police responded to a bus crash at the Thomas Edison Service Area entrance ramp, in Woodbridge, the state police said. Police on Wednesday afternoon confirmed two people died and 17 were injured, three seriously. Authorities previously said there was one fatality. New Jersey State Police said the double-decker bus was driving south in the left lane when it crashed into a Ford pick-up truck that was driving in the left-center lane. The bus driver lost control and hit the Ford, at which point the bus went off the road, hitting a guardrail and overturning. There were 22 passengers and one driver on the bus that was on its way to Philadelphia from New York City, state police said. The people who died were identified as Cheryl Johnson, 59, of Bronx, New York, and Cecilia Kiyanitza, 66, of Woodbury, New York. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene, while Kiyanitza was airlifted to a nearby hospital and later pronounced dead. The driver of the bus, a 56-year-old man from Westville, New Jersey, was one of those who suffered serious injuries. The driver of the Ford pickup truck was unharmed. New Jersey State Police continue to investigate the crash. 2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. statements "Because we're in a revolutionary cycle, or the left has now said, under the pretext that Donald Trump is so extraordinarily threatening to the Republic, that it requires any means necessary to end him." Victor Davis Hanson Classicist and Military Historian "Half the country believes that when it comes to President Trump there are no rules. They have lost faith in the system." Lindsey Graham Chairman, US. Senate Judiciary Committee "DOJ must immediately explain the reason for its raid ... or it will be viewed as a political tactic and undermine any future credible investigation." Andrew Cuomo Former New York Governor "These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents." Donald Trump Former President "[Russia hoaxers] have now been promoted into the Biden administration. ... Theyre definitely targeting [former] president Trump because they dont want him to run for president." Devin Nunes Former U.S. Representative "Theyre using the full powerillegally, I think, unconstitutionallyof the law to harass, intimidate, and try to push Trump out of the picture." Louie Gohmert U.S. Representative "[The raid] was the latest link a long series of operations starting six years ago with absurd claims that Donald Trump was the asset of a foreign country. That operation was called Russia gate." Lee Smith Author, The Plot Against the President "Beginning in 2016, Americans began to have doubts when we began to unravel the Russia collusion reporting. ... Those doubts kept growing and you started to hear people say we have a dual justice system in America." John Solomon Editor-in-Chief, Just the News "This is the modern day version of Watergate. Except the only difference is it wasn't political operatives breaking in to their opponents headquarters. It was the FBI and DOJ." Kash Patel Former Chief of Staff to the Acting Secretary of Defense "It seems like this was ... without buy-in or notification of higher levels of government. But literally no one will believe that." Andrew Yang Former Democratic presidential candidate "When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of [the DOJ]." Kevin McCarthy U.S. House Minority Leader "Lets be clear: This is a brazen weaponization of the FBI by Bidens DOJ against his political opponentwhile giving their political allies free passes." Steve Scalise U.S. House Minority Whip "Its all a coordinated attack with the FBI. Do you think that the FBI director is going to raid the former presidents house without getting the approval of President [Biden]?" Eric Trump Son of former President Donald Trump "AG must explain why 250 yrs of practice was upended with this raid." Mike Pompeo Former Secretary of State "[The raid represents] another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regimes political opponent." Ron DeSantis Florida Governor "No person is above the law. Not even the president of the United States. Not even a former president of the United States." Nancy Pelosi U.S. House Speaker "[The] raid on the home of a former U.S. president without explanation will only further erode confidence in the FBI and the Justice Department." Chuck Grassley Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee "The country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events." Mitch McConnell U.S. Senate Minority Leader "Three FBI agents visited me and seized my cell phone. Im outraged ... [that the FBI] would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress." Scott Perry U.S. Representative "I didnt actually get to oversee the search, they wouldnt let anybody see what they were doing." Christina Bobb Attorney to Trump "If theres anything negative about Trump or his allies, that gets accelerated, leaked, and used for political purposes." Matt Gaetz Member, U.S. House Judiciary Committee "They see the support that he has all over the country. His rallies terrify them." Marjorie Taylor Greene U.S. Representative "[Democrat Party attorney] Marc Elias is saying that the criminal statute could result in President Trump being barred from future office. And I think its clearly part of his plan." Jeff Clark Former lawyer, Justice Department "I think for anyone who doubted that there was a swamp when Donald Trump was saying drain the swamp now I think theres true believers." Warren Davidson U.S. Representative "The security state complex and the complexity of the security state ... is now overtaking our system of government and our rule of law." Michael Flynn Retired lieutenant general The poll, commissioned by the Modern Miracle Network, shows that roughly 60 percent of Canadians want to increase oil exports, a number that grew by seven percent over the last nine months after a similar survey was conducted last October. The majority of Canadians are supportive of increasing oil exports to countries where energy production is less reliable, a recent Leger poll shows. Support grew the most among residents in Atlantic Canada (12 percent) and Ontario (11 percent), whereas Quebec was the only jurisdiction that showed substantive opposition to oil and gas exports. We are delighted to see an overwhelming majority of Canadians agree we are the best in the world and that Canadian carbon tech is the better solution to global environmental challenges, Michael Binnion, executive director for Modern Miracle Network, told the Western Standard in a statement on Aug. 9. The poll also found that more than half of Canadians (53 percent) believe the government should support the oil and gas sector. Meanwhile, 60 percent of the respondents believe involving the indigenous community in oil and gas developments aids in reconciliation and helps to reduce poverty. That number also saw increases for some jurisdictions compared to the previous survey, growing by 17 percent in Atlantic Canada and 18 percent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Energy is not a partisan issue, but a national issue thats ultimately about Canadian society, Binnion told the Western Standard. We are particularly proud to see Canadians support for our industrys contribution to the nation, and the planet, despite the narrative used by some politicians and media. The Leger poll, conducted online between July 8 and July 10, surveyed over 1,500 Canadians. No margin of error was provided. The Epoch Times reached out to the Modern Miracle Network for comment but didnt hear back by publication time. The survey findings are resonant with another poll conducted by Research Co. that shows an increase in favourable views of the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline project among British Columbians. The Research Co. poll shows that 51 percent of British Columbians are supportive of the federal governments decision to re-approve the Trans Mountain pipeline project, up six points since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2021, according to a news release issued on Aug. 8. Residents in Southern B.C. (66 percent), Northern B.C. (61 percent), and the Fraser Valley (58 percent) are more likely to hold positive views on the pipeline project. That number is lower in Metro Vancouver (50 percent) and Vancouver Island (41 percent). Attorney General Merrick Garland on Aug. 11 addressed for the first time the FBIs raid of former President Donald Trumps home. An armed suspect who is on the run tried to enter an FBI screening facility in Cincinnati, according to law enforcement. * Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. Follow EpochTV on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramovs statement on connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhijevan through Iranian territory doesnt at all mean that Azerbaijan is abandoning its aspirations to get a corridor through Armenian territory, warns expert on Azerbaijan Taron Hovhannisyan. Azerbaijan anyhow has a road to Nakhijevan through Iranian territory, now Azerbaijan is trying to build a shortcut from the southern regions of Artsakh it occupied during the war. The Azerbaijani authorities had announced about this very early on, there is simply another issue here, that they are trying to use this to exert additional pressure on Armenia by saying that the transit road will pass through Iranian territory and Armenia will be sidelined from regional projects, and they are attempting to exert additional pressure on Armenia to agree in the issue of the so-called Zangezur Corridor, Hovhannisyan said. Hovhannisyan reminded that the Azerbaijani FM Bayramov threatened Armenia in one of his recent interviews to the Turkish Anadolu news agency, saying that the corridor will be opened whether Armenia wants it or not. The Azerbaijani side hasnt abandoned this idea, and this is first of all a political goal for them, and also for Turkey. It is another matter that they are trying to make diversification and gain a shorter road through Iranian territory and another road through Armenias territory, Hovhannisyan added. Historian and Orientalist Armen Petrosyan told ARMENPRESS that Azerbaijan had and still has the only connection with Nakhijevan through Iranian territory, while the recent agreements are simply about the construction of a new road from territories of Artsakh that are now under Azerbaijani control after the war. There is nothing new here, they are simply trying to develop more affordable and beneficial connections. And they are trying to use this to blackmail and pressure Armenia. Meaning, they say that if Armenia doesnt provide the corridor-logic road to Azerbaijan then it will be sidelined from the process of unblocking of regional connections and will remain isolated and Azerbaijan will continue its connection with the Iranian road. There is no change in Azerbaijans rhetoric and they still continue to demand from Armenia unblocking in the logic of corridor, Petrosyan said. AG Merrick Garland Says He Personally Approved FBIs Trump Raid Attorney General Merrick Garland on Aug. 11 said he personally approved the FBIs raid earlier this week of the personal Mar-a-Lago residence of former President Donald Trump. The FBI usually seeks approval from the top before conducting a raid on a political target. Garlands confirmation was the first public statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI on the unprecedented search. Garland told reporters that his agency filed a motion on Aug. 11 to unseal the court-approved search warrant that was executed at a home belonging to the former president, after Trump confirmed the raid, as is his right. I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter. The Department does not take such a decision lightly, Garland said. He said copies of the warrant were provided to Trumps lawyers on Aug. 8 by FBI agents. The attorney general claimed that FBI agents are patriotic and dedicated public servants who protect Americans against violent crime and terrorism. I am honored to work alongside them, he said. So far, the Justice Department and FBI have remained mostly quiet about the purpose and probable cause behind the raid and have repeatedly declined to publicly comment to The Epoch Times and other news outlets. Only alleged anonymous sources within the FBI and Justice Department have sporadically provided details about the incident to legacy media since Aug. 8. A day before Garlands statement, FBI Director Christopher Wray declined to speak about the FBI search, saying that it is not something I can talk about, and Id refer you to the department. The White House, meanwhile, said it wasnt aware of the FBI raid. On Aug. 9, when asked by reporters about what Garland told him, President Joe Biden didnt answer. The judge who reportedly signed off on the warrant in the case, Bruce Reinhart, ordered the Justice Department on Aug. 10 to file a response before Aug. 15 after Judicial Watch and others asked the court to unseal the warrant. Republicans in Congress have repeatedly called on the Justice Department to release documents and other information about the raid, with some arguing that it appears to be politically motivated. Even some Democrats, including former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, asserted that the agencies need to provide answers about the raid. Because of the extraordinary targeting of a former U.S. president, many have speculated that officials at the highest levels of the Biden administration, including Garland and Wray, would have signed off on it. Meanwhile, news of the incident has triggered a political firestorm with just 90 days to go before the 2022 midterms and a possible announcement that Trump might run for president in 2024. What Comes Next It was Trump on Aug. 8 who confirmed the FBI raid at his Palm Beach home. The former president reportedly wasnt there when it happened, and his lawyers said they werent able to observe the agents. Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before. They even broke into my safe! Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. Members of Trumps family and his lawyers said in multiple media interviews that agents went into several rooms in Mar-a-Lago, including Trumps bedroom and office. The agents, his son Eric Trump said, didnt provide lawyers with a copy of the warrant before the search and wouldnt answer questions. When speaking on Fox News about the search, Eric Trump said it was done because the National Archives wanted to corroborate whether or not Donald Trump had any documents in his possession. Trump was referring to the National Archives having confirmed in February that classified documents were allegedly among several boxes that Trump took to his Florida residence last year. As for Garland, some Republican lawmakers warned that he could be investigated or even impeached over the Aug. 8 raid if the GOP takes the House in 2022. The party of the president tends to lose seats in midterm elections, and Democrats currently hold slim majorities in both chambers of Congress. Ive seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said in a statement. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned. In the Senate, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) suggested that if its found that Garland engaged in anything improper, he could face impeachment. Now, this is really something thats going to require an investigation, Paul said. And I wouldnt be surprised if the investigation leads to abuse of power that this could even lead to an impeachment of the attorney general. Agriculture Groups Reflect on Ottawas Federal Emissions Targets Many farmers are bemoaning the federal governments goals for lower greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizers, while agriculture groups have differing views on how the targets are to be met. In December 2020, Agriculture and Agrifood Canada released its A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy climate plan, which called for 30 percent less greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer applications by 2030. In May, the goals were reiterated in a discussion paper that invited feedback until the end of August. Last September, an analysis commissioned by Fertilizer Canada found that farmers would lose $48 billion in profits from crop yields between 2023 and 2030 if they used 20 percent less fertilizer over that period in order to achieve the 30 percent emissions target. In July, agriculture ministers from Alberta and Saskatchewan issued a joint statement against Ottawas arbitrary goal, saying, We cannot feed the growing world population with a reduction in fertilizer. More recently, a 2021 survey by Fertilizer Canada suggested a 30 percent reduction might be possible without a reduced use of fertilizers. The organization, which represents fertilizer manufacturers and distributors, advocates use of 4R Nutrient Stewardship Practices and the 4R Climate-Smart Protocol for reducing nitrous oxide emissions on farms. 4R refers to the use of the right nutrient source for the soil applied at the right rate at the right time in the right place. Of the 17 essential nutrients, nitrogen is the one plants demand the most, says Fertilizer Canada. According to the survey, across the crops and regions surveyedsuch as canola and spring wheat in Western Canada and corn in Ontario58 percent of acres followed basic 4R principles in 2021. In addition, it said studies show that a 30 percent reduction below 2020 levels of nitrous oxide emissions could be possible in the prairies with 80 to 90 percent adoption of intermediate 4R practices under the protocol. The survey found that about one-third of Western wheat farmers do annual soil sampling to ensure they are applying the right amount of nutrients to the soil, while slightly more varied the amount of fertilizer they apply using different methods to help ensure the right amount is being used in the right places. Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) chair Andre Harpe, who farms oilseed crops and grains near Vauxhaul, Alberta, says the survey points to ways farmers can adapt to meet federal goals. Fertilizer is one of our biggest expenses, he told The Epoch Times. Obviously, it feeds the crop. It only makes sense to put in what you need to feed the crop, and farmers tend not to put too much more, but theres always different things that we can do to make it better. We should always strive to be better and thats what weve been doing over the past 30 years. Harpe says the carbon tax not only has contributed to higher fuel costs but also higher manufacturing costs for farm machinery. He says farmers need federal concessions to meet federal climate policy goals. Partially due to the carbon tax, the cost of investing in new equipment has just gone astronomical, and its very prohibitive to move towards some of these practices. Harpe has decided a cooperative approach is better. In March, the GGC announced a farmer-driven path to net zero called the Road to 2050. The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission is partnering with the initiative, but chair Brett Halstead believes Ottawa needs to understand what farmers have done already. Farmers have reduced emissions by using modern technologies. Since 1981, a lot of direct seeding has gone on, and we use GPS and sectional control and soil tests. Weve increased the amount of food weve produced since then, which means were doing it on a per bushel basis on even less of an environmental impact, Halstead said in an interview. Theres a real worry out there about food security and energy security, and Canada can lead in these areas and doesnt need to hamstring ourselves with regulations that dont seem to have a good result. In July, a wide coalition of farm groups called on Ottawa to compensate them for the 35 percent tariff on Russian fertilizer. Halstead, who farms near Nokomis, Saskatchewan, says reduced yields would be counterproductive for reduced emissions. Our crops breathe in carbon dioxide and out oxygen, so were already part of the solution. We just have to make sure the government hears that and understands that, and that seems to be part of the problem right now, he said. Were trying. Speaking to government isnt about just talking to them once. It seems like you got to get to know them, explain your story, and really get to know them again, explain the story again. And then finally, they kind of know who you are. Absolute Government Pandering Both Halstead and Harpe question whether the federal government has established a proper baseline of what emissions really are. Western Canadian Wheat Growers Alberta vice president Stephen Vandervalk agrees, but says crop farming is a carbon sink already, so suggesting a road to get there is already very dangerous. The Road to 2050 is absolute government pandering. We are way past net zero. Were net negative, but the government wont admit it or wont give us credit, Vandervalk said. These groups are saying, well, we cant go to the government and say were net negative or net zero already, because then they wont listen to us or they wont give us anything or stuff. So theyve all come up with these plans, he said. Ive had this conversation. Ive fought with Grain Growers of Canada about it. I used to be president of that organization. The Fertilizer Canada survey suggested enhanced efficiency fertilizers are underutilized. With these fertilizers, nitrogen is kept in its stable form using a urease inhibitor, nitrification inhibitor, dual inhibitor, or a polymer-coated urea product. Vandervalk, who sows malt barley, canola, and durum near Fort Macleod, Alberta, says such fertilizers cant help him, especially now that he injects fertilizer below the soil surface, as per 4R best practices. I used to use inhibitors sometimes when we spread [fertilizer] on top of the ground. It doesnt work in our industry, he said. It could work for canola a little bit, as long as youre getting it on before it starts molting. After that, youre wasting your time. The survey found that 58 percent of corn acres in Ontario use split application of fertilizer. Applying some fertilizer at the pre-planting stage and the rest during the growing season could lower emissions. However, Vandervalk says this approach has the same problem as inhibitors. Namely, the plant takes cues for its development based on the moisture and nutrients available early in its growth, so the fertilizer must be available then. Split application doesnt work because now all youre doing is affecting protein, youre not affecting the yield of the plant anymore, he said. Ninety-five percent of the time, youre just shooting yourself in the foot because its not making the nitrogen available to the plant when it needs it. Its making it available later on when you dont need it. Vandervalk says other emission-friendly options to restoring soil nutrition, such as the occasional planting of pulse crops on a given field, are already used so extensively that disease is becoming a risk. He says market realities already drive farmers to minimal fertilizer use. We run in under two percent returns on investment. If were not as sharp as sharp can be, were out of business. Its that simple. And youll never get a chance to actually sit down with the minister in front of an audience and challenge them on these things, he said. If you want to reduce fertilizer use or reduce nitrous oxide emissions, then the only way to do that is to cut fertilizer. And I actually reject this notion that we even release that much nitrous oxide. American Airlines flight 718, the first U.S. Boeing 737 MAX commercial flight since regulators lifted a 20-month grounding in November, lands at LaGuardia airport in New York on Dec. 29, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters) Airlines Cancel Over 600 Flights in US as Thunderstorms Hit Texas Airlines canceled more than 600 flights in the United States on Thursday morning, as thunderstorms in Texas disrupted operations at one of the busiest airports in the country for a second straight day. A total of 1,213 flights were canceled across the country on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightaware.com. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Thursday that a mix of thunderstorms and clouds could delay flights at several hubs. More than 2,000 flights were delayed within, into, or out of the United States. The American Airlines Group Inc. canceled 368 flights on Wednesday and called off more than 300 as of Thursday morning, Flightaware.com data showed. This was the worst storm weve seen at DFW this summer, American Airlines Chief Operating Officer David Seymour said. Southwest Airlines Co. also canceled nearly 250 flights on Wednesday, blaming weather and air traffic control programs. We are working through some residual effects this morning, Southwest spokesperson Chris Perry said in an emailed statement. In June, several U.S. carriers were forced to cut thousands of flights due to adverse weather conditions and labor shortages. By Nathan Gomes A prison guard at HMP Pentonville stands behind a locked gate in London on May 19, 2003. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images) Al-Qaeda Terrorist Denied Parole After 14 Years in UK Jail A British-born terrorist, who was jailed for life in 2008 for heading up an al-Qaeda cell that was preparing to commit a massacre in South Africa, has been denied parole. Rangzieb Ahmed, 47, was the first person in Britain to be convicted of directing terrorism. In 2008, after being deported from Pakistan, Ahmed was convicted at Manchester Crown Court and jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years for planning a terror attack with an al-Qaeda cell based in Dubai. During his trial, Ahmed claimed he had been tortured in Pakistanwith the complicity of MI6by the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, who he said beat him up and ripped out his fingernails while attempting to obtain information about al-Qaeda. Rangzieb Ahmed, 47, was the first person to be convicted in the UK of directing terrorism. (GMP) But the Court of Appeal rejected his claims and he was denied leave to appeal to the UK Supreme Court. Tried to Sue MI6 Over Pakistan Torture Claims In 2020, he sought to sue MI5, MI6, the Foreign Office, the Home Office, the attorney general, and Greater Manchester Police, claiming they had all been complicit in his torture and false imprisonment while in Pakistan. This week, Her Majestys Inspectorate of Prisons said nine convicted terrorists being held in separation centres were not engaging offender behaviour courses targeted at Islamist extremists, but the Parole Board accepted Ahmed had engaged with an accredited programme while behind bars. But the Parole Board said concerns had been raised about his attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour. The panel heard evidence from prison staff, probation officers, psychologists, a former police officer, a professor of Arabic, and also interviewed Ahmed. They said a plan for him to live in designated accommodation with strict limitations placed on his contacts, movements, and activities wasnt robust enough to manage the threat he still posed. Ahmed is one of almost 100 convicted Islamist terrorists who are eligible for parole from British prisons. In December 2021, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall QC, warned that mistakes could be made about releasing some of these inmates. Messages of condolence and floral tributes, including a photograph of victim Jack Merritt, are seen near the scene of a stabbing on London Bridge, in London on Dec. 1, 2019. (Toby Melville/Reuters) Among the convicted terrorists who have been freed in recent years were Usman Khan, who murdered two people at Fishmongers Hall in London in 2019, 11 months after being released, and Sudesh Amman, who was shot dead by police after stabbing shoppers in Streatham, south London, a month after being freed. Hall said the Parole Board would be ultra-cautious following those incidents, especially considering Khan had convinced a prison chaplain and a probation officer that he had given up the Islamist cause. PA Media contributed to this report. Highway traffic moves into Calgary in a file photo. The Alberta government is partnering with Toronto-based TransPod for a fully electric, 1,000 kilometre-per-hour rail line between Edmonton and Calgary which would reduce the trip to 45 minutes from around three hours by vehicle. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) Albertas Hyperloop Project Has Secured Funding From Chinese State-Owned Company The government of Alberta is considering a private sector rail project connecting Edmonton and Calgary that has secured investment from a Chinese state-owned company. The Alberta government is partnering with Toronto-based TransPod for a fully electric, 1,000 kilometre-per-hour rail line between Edmonton and Calgary which would reduce the trip to 45 minutes from around three hours by vehicle. Transpod signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Government of Alberta for the project in August 2020, which is a pretext to a contract, and not a binding contract. In March 2022, TransPod announced that the UK-based Broughton Capital Group, in cooperation with China-East Resources Import & Export Co. (CERIECO), agreed in principle to provide a combined US $550 million finance and Master EPC arrangement respectively, to accelerate the development of the multibillion-dollar hyperloop. CERIECO is a Chinese state-owned company with independent legal status. The Government of Alberta is not a partner in TransPods arrangement with Broughton Capital Group and CERIECO, said Hadyn Place, spokesperson for Alberta Transportation Minister Prasad Panda. TransPods proposal is a private-sector proposal and the Alberta Government has not committed any funding to TransPods project, he said in an email to The Epoch Times. When TransPod announced the investment in March, then-Transportation Minister Rajan Sawhneynow a contender in the leadership race to replace Premier Jason Kenneycongratulated the firm on securing private investment. Albertas government is always encouraged to see innovative private sector ideas that have potential to grow our economy and create jobs, Sawhney said in a statement. The investment would finance the first phase of the project, which consists of the airport connection of Edmonton, co-founder and CEO of TransPod Sebastien Gendron said in March, according to Global News. Gendron also said this initial investment is a key step in the overall project, because it proves theres a market for it. The connection of the proposed funding for the project to the Chinese state-owned company was first reported on by Rebel News. The presence of Chinas state-owned enterprises (SOE) in Canada have become a controversial issue in recent times as China has taken on an increasingly aggressive stance on the international stage, including aggressions in the South China Sea and military exercises in the vicinity of Taiwan. Beijing has also taken on a more hostile stance toward Canada in recent years, after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition request. In apparent retaliation, China detained two Canadian citizens, and blocked Canadian imports, after warning Canada of severe consequences for Mengs arrest. In a high-profile case, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper approved the takeover of the Alberta-based energy company Nexen Inc. in 2012 by a Chinese SOE , while expressing discomfort with SOEs and tightening the rules about such takeovers in the future. The Liberal government of Justin Trudeau in recent years has allowed a number of takeovers by Chinese companies in sensitive sectors, to the criticism of Conservatives, and in some cases, U.S. politicians. This includes the takeover of Norsat, a Vancouver-based satellite communications firm, by a Chinese company in 2017, as well as the takeover of the Montreal-based ITF Technologies, a laser technology company, by a Hong Kong-based company in the same year. Ottawa has also in some instances blocked takeovers by Chinese companies in recent years. This includes banning the takeover of Canadian construction giant Aecon by a Chinese SOE in 2018 on security grounds. Earlier this year, Ottawa banned Chinese telecom company Huawei from taking part in Canadas 4G and 5G networks amidst security concerns by Canadas allies. Charles Burton, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and a former counsellor at the Canadian embassy in Beijing, told a parliamentary committee in 2020 that Chinese SOEs try to invest in Canada in key sectors to advance the strategic influence of the Chinese regime. A lot of things that we think are commercial enterprises are in fact actors whose primary mandate is to further the interests of the Chinese strategic and military apparatus, Burton told MPs on June 8, 2020. An artists rendition shows Alexander Graham Bell sitting at the New York end of the first long-distance line to Chicago as he inaugurates real long-distance telephone service in 1892. (Photos.com) Alexander Graham Bell Among Historic Persons Under Federal Review for Controversial Beliefs National honours for the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, and other iconic historical figures are under review by a federal board for allegedly holding controversial beliefs. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board (HSMBC) says Bell, who lived from 1847-1922, held controversial beliefs and behaviours that are now associated with views, actions, and activities condemned by todays society, as first reported on by Blacklocks Reporter. The board also accuses other historical figures, such as European explorer Jacques Cartier, of being associated with colonial and religious leaders and contributing to settlement and nation building from an overly European perspective. HSMBC has compiled a list of over 2,200 designations of historic people, sites, and events across Canadawhich includes Bell and Cartierthat are under review for either colonial associations, use of offensive terms, exclusion of Indigenous peoples, or connections with controversial views. HSMBC designated Bell as a national historic person in 1977 for being an inventor, teacher, and scientist best known for the invention of the telephone. There is a commemorative plaque honouring his legacy at the place of his death in Nova Scotia, which says that Bell devoted his life, with unusual success, to the benefit of mankind. HSMBCs website acknowledges that Cartier, a French navigator who made three exploratory voyages to Canada in the 16th century, is considered by some to be the discoverer of Canada.' The board did not outline specifically what controversial beliefs Bell held, but in his 1883 paper, Memoir upon the Formation of a Deaf Variety of the Human Race, Bell wrote that marriage between deaf people could eventually turn humanity into a deaf race and that deaf people should learn to read lips instead of using sign language. The board also did not specify Cartiers colonial assumptions. In 2019, then-Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna issued a National Historic Sites System Plan titled Framework for History and Commemoration. The plan outlined how HSMBC would go about reviewing historic designations to determine if they reflect changing views held by different generations of Canadians. Recent events have demonstrated that views of history can be divisive and exclusionary, read the plan. Debates about removing statues and renaming bridges and buildings underscore that history can be disputed. The plan said that this new approach to history shows why the HSMBC should address conflict and controversy stemming from designations. Controversies can prompt the need to explore historical perspective, it said. Because the values of the past may not be the values of today. Among the 2,200 historic designations under review are also French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet for colonial assumptions, along with the Parliament Buildings National Historic Site in Ottawa for absence of a significant layer of history, most frequently associated with the exclusion of Indigenous peoples. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the jobs report for the month of March from the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington on April 1, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) American Journalist Austin Tice Still Missing in Syria After 10 Years, Biden Blames Assad Government President Joe Biden has said that the United States knows with certainty that an American journalist who has been missing for a decade is being held by the Syrian government and has called on leaders in Damascus to release him. Biden made the comments in a statement on Aug. 1o marking the 10-year anniversary of journalist Austin Tices captivity. Tice, who wrote for a string of news organizations including CBS News, The Washington Post, and McClatchy, and served in the Marine Corps as an infantry officer, was kidnapped near Damascus on Aug. 14, 2012, while he was reporting on the Syrian civil war. Five weeks later, a 43-second video emerged on social media with the title, Austin Tice is Alive. It showed a distressed and blindfolded Tice being held by a group of unidentified armed men. No other message accompanied the video and it was the last time he was seen. In his statement Wednesday, Biden said that Tice is a son, he is a brother, and he is an investigative journalist who put the truth above himself and traveled to Syria to show the world the real cost of war. We know with certainty that he has been held by the Government of Syria, Biden said. We have repeatedly asked the government of Syria to work with us so that we can bring Austin home. The president called on Syrias government to help bring Tice home, stating that there is no higher priority in my Administration than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad and that he has pledged to Tices parents to make his recovery and return a priority. The Tice family deserves answers, and more importantly, they deserve to be swiftly reunited with Austin. We stand with Austins many loved ones, and we will not rest until we bring Austin home. Ten years is far, far too long. So is every additional day, Biden stated. Tice is believed to be the longest-held American journalist in history. No Acknowledgment From Assad Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has not confirmed his government is detaining Tice and has denied any involvement in his disappearance, while no other group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. There is no public information regarding his whereabouts. However, Tices family, along with the U.S. government and other credible sources, believe that Austin is alive and that the Syrian government is best able to assist with his safe return. The U.S. government has offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading directly to Tices location, recovery, and safe return. Tice, who turned 41 on Aug. 11, grew up in Houston and was a law student at Georgetown University when he disappeared. He had been in Syria for 83 days when he was detained at a checkpoint in the Damascus suburb of Darayya while en route to Lebanon. During his time in office, Tices parents, Marc and Debra Tice, thanked President Donald Trump for his efforts to locate Tice after Trump took a special interest in the case. In an Aug, 10 interview with CBS News, Debra Tice called on the Biden administration to do more to bring her son home, claiming that the current administration is not doing enough to work with the Syrian government to bring him back safely. The United States government has worked very hard to convince me that theyre working on it, she said. My response is: Dont tell me. Show me. FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault, a name previously unknown to most SpyGate sleuths, was recently brought to the publics attention through some astonishing revelations from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Politically motivated activism by Thibault included the shutting down of an investigation into Hunter Biden in October 2020. Thibault did so by labeling information relating to Hunter as false informationeven though many of the details were known to be accurate at the time. Grassley said that Thibaults Democratic National Committee (DNC) partisanship had impacted his official decision-making on sensitive public corruption investigations and had likely affected investigations briefed to, and approved by, senior Justice Department and FBI officials. But there was another new piece of information within Grassleys disclosures thats been bothering us of late: Thibaults association and interaction with Bruce and Nellie Ohr in Prague. Grassley disclosed that Thibault, while overseeing and directing the FBIs most significant federal public corruption investigations, traveled to the Czech Republic to attend the same seminar with Bruce and Nellie Ohr in late February 2016. As we shall see, that trip to Prague was more integrated and potentially much more significant than Grassleys letter has indicated. Grassley rightly observed that, at the time of the trip, Nellie Ohr was employed by Fusion GPS, working to fabricate anti-Trump propaganda for use by the Hillary Clinton campaign and DNC, and she was also involved in the fake Alfa-Bank narrative. Her husband Bruce Ohr, a senior DOJ official, was instrumental in pushing the Steele dossier, along with information from Glenn Simpson, into the FBI, and he maintained close contact with Steele until November 2017. Of particular note is the fact that in the days that followed the February 2016 Czech conference, the FBIs New York field office suddenly requested permission to open an investigation into Carter Page. Welcome to Truth over News with Jeff Carlson and Hans Mahncke. * Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List. Follow EpochTV on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV A U.S. Army recruit aims his rifle during urban warfare training at Fort Benning, Ga., on Jan. 26, 2011. (Mathieu Rabechault/AFP via Getty Images) Army Identifies 2 Georgia-Based Soldiers Killed in Training Exercise The U.S. Army has identified two Georgia-based soldiers who died in a weather-related incident on Tuesday while training on Yonah Mountain in Dahlonega, northern Atlanta. In a statement released by U.S. Army Fort Benning, officials said Staff Sgt. George Taber and 2nd Lt. Evan Fitzgibbon were killed after a falling tree struck them when severe weather forced them to shelter in place. Two other service members suffered non-life threatening injuries, while a third soldier required hospitalization. The soldiers were treated at the scene before being transported to an area hospital, where the third soldier was listed as stable. Taber and Fitzgibbon were pronounced deceased at the hospital. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, and leadership of these two outstanding leaders who unexpectedly lost their lives in the pursuit of excellence, per the statement. Taber, 30, had served in the Army since his enlistment in March 2017. He was a Special Forces Medical Sergeant assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Col. Kevin Trujillo, commander of the 7th Special Forces Group, said Taber was an exemplary Green Beret and will be sorely missed. Fitzgibbon was a West Point graduate and was commissioned in May 2021. He was an infantry officer assigned to the Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course, 199th Infantry Leader Brigade at Fort Benning in Georgia. A spokesperson for the Army told FOX5 Atlanta that the soldiers were part of the training program at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, a military entity created in 2005 to consolidate a number of schools and installations to produce Centers of Excellence. Shortly after 3 p.m. on Aug. 9, the local network tracked a severe thunderstorm that prompted a warning from the National Weather Service. The storm, which was brewing over Yonah Mountain, was capable of producing quarter-size hail and 60 mph winds. Mike LeFevre, the fire chief of White County, told the network that firefighters received a report of downed trees on the mountain, but there were no immediate reports of injuries associated with it. The Army conducts training on the mountain, including the Ranger Schools Mountain Phase. Soldiers who train on the mountain typically will report out of Camp Merrill in the northern part of Georgia. Yonah Mountain is about 70 miles northeast of Atlanta and 170 miles northeast of Fort Benning. This is the second deadly incident involving soldiers stationed in Georgia in the past month. In late July, Sgt. 1st Class Michael D. Clark was killed by a lightning strike at Fort Gordon near Augusta. Nine other soldiers were also injured in the incident. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News Ukrainian refugees from the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol arrive at a registration and humanitarian aid centre for internally displaced people as police guard in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on May 8, 2022. (Gleb Garanich/Reuters) Australias Ukrainian Visa Conundrum Commentary Australia was one of the countries that welcomed Ukrainian refugees following the Russian invasion of their country on Feb. 24. According to the website of the Australian Department of Home Affairs, around 8,600 temporary protection visas were granted to Ukrainian nationals. As of June 30, over 3,800 of these visa holders have arrived in Australia. However, after the temporary protection visa scheme expired on July 14, it was extended only to the end of the month. The expiry and non-extension of the scheme is a disappointing development because the war in Ukraine is ongoing, and there is still a constant stream of people wanting to leave the country, mostly women and children because men are prevented from leaving the country to defend it. Although the temporary protection visa scheme has expired, Ukrainian refugees can avail themselves of Australias normal visa pathways. And those who are unable to access the normal visa pathways or cannot return to Ukraine may apply for a bridging visa or a permanent protection visa. The visa scheme expired just four weeks after the prime minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, visited Kyiv on July 3 and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The prime minister visited the towns of Bucha and Irpin, near Kyiv, where approximately 1,300 people, including children, were slaughtered and buried in mass graves. He also pledged ongoing financial and logistical assistance for Ukraine, including offers to send more weapons to the invaded country. Specifically, he offered $99.5 million (US$70.5 million) in military assistance, including 14 armoured personnel carriers, 20 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles and other military equipment supplied by Australias defence industry, and a contribution to NATOs Ukraine Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund. This brings Australias total aid contribution to $388 million. European Union Visas for Ukrainian Refugees Australias financial largesse, however, hides the realisation that the expiry and non-extension of its temporary visa scheme contrast unfavourably with the assistance offered by the European Union to Ukrainian refugees. On March 4, the Council of the European Union adopted an Implementing Decision which establishes the existence of a mass influx of displaced persons from Ukraine. It provides for the allocation of temporary protection visas for Ukrainian refugees and condemns Russias unprovoked and unjustified military aggression and gross violation against of international law. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (R) and Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L) give a press conference at Mariiynsky Palace in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 3, 2022. (Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images) These temporary protection visas are also extended to third-country nationals who legally resided in Ukraine before the invasion. The Decision stipulates that the duration of temporary protection should be for an initial period of one year that could, however, be extended for two further periods of six months. With regard to stateless people and nationals of third countries other than Ukraine, member states may offer adequate protection under their own national law. There is uncertainty about what adequate protection actually means, and it may differ from country to country. However, it could be expected that the Court of Justice of the European Union would embrace a liberal interpretation of this phrase. Ukrainian War News Avoidance Keen observers of the war in Ukraine have noted that there are increasing levels of news avoidance with regard to the Ukrainian war. There is also anecdotal evidence that media reporting on the war has waned during the last couple of weeks. This is unsettling, considering that the intensity and viciousness of the war have not abated, especially in the East and South of Ukraine. But Putins special military operation is increasingly treated as old news or unnewsworthy. Subject to the validity of this observation, media lethargy is a reminder that eventually, even the evillest episodes of human history will be trivialised and described as unfortunate consequences of human foibles and follies. To describe this phenomenon, political theorist Hannah Arendt has argued that, over time, even the most atrocious events tend to become banal historical occurrences. Arendt coined the phrase the banality of evil when attending the trial of former Nazi SS Officer Adolf Eichmann. The phrase captures the idea that evil acts are not necessarily perpetrated by innately evil people but by fervent bureaucrats who, in slavishly following orders, are responsible for monstrous crimes. The banality of evil phrase is pertinent to the Ukrainian conflict. As television viewers and observers have been exposed to the gory, gruesome, and dehumanising treatment of people over several months, they may now have become apathetic to the plight of Ukrainian refugees. A Ukrainian evacuee hugs a child in the train station in Przemysl, near the Polish-Ukrainian border, on March 22, 2022. (Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images) We Need Long-Term Programs The suspension of the temporary protection visa scheme in Australia and the limitation of a similar scheme in the EU to one year are indicative of an attitude that treat the Ukrainian conflict as a most unfortunate but temporary aberration happening on the eastern borders of the EU. This stands in sharp contrast with the millions of Islamic people of the Balkans who were allowed by Chancellor Angela Merkel to permanently settle in Germany, even though there were instances of severe cultural clashes and societal conflicts. Olga Oleinikova, Jaya Dantas, and Tetiana Bogachenko recently pleaded that it was crucial that support for Ukraine from Australia and other countries doesnt get phased out as the war drags on. They report that, since the invasion, about one-third of Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes equating to more than nine million people. In addition, around 1.2 million refugees have temporarily settled in Poland, while others have found refuge in Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, the United States, and Canadaall of these are non-authoritarian countries. They indicated that those who came to Australia made the choice because they have relatives here, or they wanted to be far away from the theatre of war, or because Australia offers a three-year humanitarian program, compared to one year in the EU, and access to education and employment opportunities. It is pointless to restrict the settlement options of Ukrainian refugees by curtailing Australias humanitarian visa program. In Australia, the number of Ukrainian refugees is still small, and considering the inefficient use of governments resources in various other endeavours, the money spent on the refugees will be remembered in history as a compassionate and proportionate response to the Ukrainian conflict. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. On Tuesday 9th August 2022, the convenors of the New South Wales Armenia-Australia Friendship Group appealed to Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, requesting the Federal Government publicly condemns Azerbaijans latest attacks against the indigenous Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU). Member for Davidson and Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, the Hon. Jonathan ODea and Member of the Legislative Council, the Hon. Walt Secordwho are Chair and Vice-Chair of the Armenia-Australia Friendship Groupraised concern over the latest unprovoked ceasefire violation committed by Azerbaijan. Significantly, their letter voiced the bipartisan groups objection over the targeted attacks against civilian settlements in Martuni, and attempts by Azerbaijan to cross the predetermined line of contact as determined by the November 2020 trilateral agreement, violating several fundamental human rights, resulting in the death of two Armenian servicemen and leaving 19 wounded. The letter co-signed by ODea and Secord read: The Russian Defence Ministry and its peacekeeping contingents stationed in Artsakh verified on Tuesday that the attacks were launched by Azerbaijani Armed Forces using a range of weapons. Azerbaijans Defence Ministry even boasted about their attacks on video via social media. The parliamentary group ask that your government seriously consider publicly condemning Azerbaijans recent illegal violations of the ceasefire agreement, their letter added. ANC-AU Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian said: Azerbaijans criminal behaviour and use of force is the most significant violation of the ceasefire agreement recorded since the end of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war, and through this brute force has cornered the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh into concessions that go beyond the scope of the November 9 ceasefire agreement, specifically the closure of the only land corridor between Artsakh and Armenia. This new wave of aggression has resulted in the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of thousands of Armenians from the villages of Berdzor and Aghavno, located inside the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor, which represents a clear violation of Article 7, Section 1(d) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, prohibiting the "deportation or forcible transfer of population". On behalf of the Armenian-Australian community, we thank Mr Jonathan ODea and Mr Walt Secord for joining many international political leaders, who seek to defend the human rights of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, by stopping Azerbaijans aggression against the self-determined Republic of Artsakh, added Kolokossian. The autocratic regime of Azerbaijan has consistently proven that it will terrorise the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh. It has not returned Armenian POWs, it has not withdrawn from the sovereign borders of Armenia, it exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the region by cutting off natural gas supplies between Artsakh and Armenia, and has now conducted aggressive military operations. These are actions of a criminal state, emboldened by the international community's silence and both side-ist rhetoric, which this statement exposes as false and dangerous. Kolokossian added: Australia must rightfully champion a different path, by publicly speaking out against Azerbaijans unprovoked aggressions and upholding the values of truth, justice and international law. Biden Administration Asks Court to Unseal Trump Search Warrant Materials The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Aug. 11 asked a federal court to make public materials on the search warrant FBI agents obtained and executed on former President Donald Trumps residence in Florida this week. Government lawyers asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart to unseal the warrant itself and some supporting materials, as well as a receipt listing items taken from the Mar-a-Lago resort. The department filed the motion to make public the warrant and receipt in light of the former presidents public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances and the substantial public interest in this matter, Attorney General Merrick Garland, a Biden appointee, said in prepared remarks delivered in Washington on Thursday. Christina Bobb, one of Trumps lawyers, told The Epoch Times that agents were seeking classified and presidential records. The government before the raid asked the court to shield the documents. But making them public now would not impair court functions, including the governments ability to execute the warrant, given that the warrant has already been executed, the government lawyers said in the new filing. The request asks Reinhart to unseal the warrant and Attachments A and B, in addition to the receipt. Chris Farrell, director of research and investigation at Judicial Watch, told The Epoch Times that attachment A is the affidavit, or the document from a law enforcement agent outlining to the judge why a warrant would be needed. On the other hand, Andrew Crespo, a professor of criminal law and procedure at the Harvard Law School, said on social media that he believes neither attachment is the affidavit. Farrells group asked the court on Aug. 9 to unseal the search warrant materials, including the affidavit, arguing that the public has a right to the records, particularly in light of the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the raid. Its absolutely critical to get the affidavit. The affidavit is the foundation. Its the predicate for the entire search warrant process, Farrell said. Former President Donald Trump waves while walking to a vehicle outside of Trump Tower in New York on Aug. 10, 2022. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) Circumstances Favor Unsealing The DOJ also now says that at least some of the documents should be unsealed, asserting the matter at hand plainly concerns public officials or public concerns,' since agents took action at the property of a former president, and that the publics clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing. Before Reinhart approves the unsealing, government lawyers said, Trump should have an opportunity to respond to the motion and lodge objections, perhaps over privacy concerns. Reinhart, a judge at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida who signed off on the warrant on Aug. 5, ordered the government to immediately give a copy of its motion to Trump and notify the court by 3 p.m. on Aug. 12 as to whether Trump opposed the motion. Bobb, who did not respond to a request for comment on the governments motion, has said that the former president would request that the court unseal the warrant materials. The governments motion seems to be an attempt to try to respond to the outrage from many over the raid, John Malcolm, director of the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, told The Epoch Times. I think that this is an attempt by the Department of Justicewho may have underestimated the reaction to this through this raidto try to get out a little bit ahead of it by saying, Oh, see, what we did here was perfectly on the up and up,' Malcolm said. If they really wanted to do that, in a more fulsome way, they would share that affidavit, he added. Roman Balmakov contributed to this report. The neighborhood where a shooting suspect is reportedly barricaded in a house on Aug. 11, 2022, at the 2500 block of Greenfield Ave. in Arcadia, Calif., in July 2022. (Google Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) California Officer Shot in Arcadia, Suspect Barricaded in House A California man shot a police officer and two other individuals before barricading himself inside an Arcadia house for an hours-long stand off with law enforcement before surrendering late on Wednesday night. Arcadia police Lt. Brett Bourgeous said officers were called at around 5 p.m. to a disturbance at the 2500 block of Greenfield Avenue, Acardia, allegedly between two brothers, one of whom was armed with a gun, ABC7 reported. Upon arrival, a subject from inside the residence began shooting at officers, striking an officer in the face, Bourgeous said. ABC7 reported that one of the two other individuals hit by the gunfire is a family member of the suspect and that a second officer was transported from the scene with an injured ankle. Earlier, the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department (LASD) said in a statement that homicide investigators were assisting Arcadia Police Department with a shooting investigation. City officials had warned residents via social media to stay away from the area due to emergency police activity. #LASD Homicide Investigators Assisting Arcadia PD with a Shooting Incident, 2500 block of Greenfield Avenue, #arcadia https://t.co/hrMOsQYUyH pic.twitter.com/75691NObP2 LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) August 11, 2022 Just before 7 p.m., the City of Arcadia confirmed that emergency police activity was in progress and warned residents to avoid the area. Emergency Police Activity is in progress in the 2500 Block of Greenfield Avenue, Arcadia. Shoots have been fired. Stay away, the city said on Twitter. Emergency Police Activity is in progress in the 2500 Block of Greenfield Avenue, Arcadia. Shoots have been fired. Stay away. Protect Arcadia (@ProtectArcadia) August 11, 2022 The law enforcement agency called for anyone with information about the unfolding incident to contact LASDs Homicide Bureau at the number listed in their statement. Tips can be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers or with the P3 Tips phone app. CCP Develops Torture Kit and a New Agency to Persecute Falun Gong While the brutality in the campaign to persecute Falun Gong has been gradually exposed to the outside world over many years of victim testimonies, a recent report revealed that the regime has developed a kit for trained personnel to specifically use on Falun Gong adherents. Jiang Yongqin, a female practitioner, has been imprisoned multiple times by the regime since 2009 for her belief in Falun Gong, a cultivation practice based in ancient Chinese culture. The Communist regime, under Jiang Zemin, started persecuting Falun Gong in 1999. Over the years, the campaign has caused numerous imprisonments and deaths, and resulted in systematic organ harvesting from imprisoned followers. Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website that documents the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong, provided the details of what Jiang Yongqin recently went through. According to the report, Jiang Yongqins latest abduction took place on June 12. An insider revealed that she was transferred to a secret location sometime between July 7 and 8 for interrogation. The trained expert and his assistant applied the torture kit to sexually abuse her until she totally collapsed. The expert told Jiang that they will leave the kit at the interrogation site just for her until she gives them the information they want. He said, There are certain restrictions on using the kit; but, when it comes to Falun Gong, we use it whenever we like. The Culprit: Jilin Provincial Police Jiang was a teacher at the Experimental Teaching Center for Mechanical Basis at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University when she was first abducted by the police on Sept. 26, 2009. In Feb. 2010, she was sentenced to three years in prison and sent to the Zhejiang Womens Prison, leaving her then 4-year old daughter and elderly and sickly in-laws with no one to care for them. Since the persecution started in 1999, the police have frequently harassed Jiang and her family and interrupted her employment. Plainclothes policemen watch as a Chinese police officer forcefully takes a female practitioner of the Falun Gong spiritual system to a police van, in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on May 11, 2000. (Stephen Shaver/AFP via Getty Images) On June 12, local police abducted her and her family, including her 8-year old daughter, from their current residence in Jilin. The police also ransacked her home and confiscated her computer and cell phone. The family members were later released, but Jiang remained in detention at an unknown location. An insider told the Minghui.org correspondent in Jilin that the Ministry of Public Security was involved in this abduction for unknown reasons. For the first time, the secret agency was named: Special Disciplinary Office (SDO) under the Jilin provincial public security department. A Perverted Interrogation According to the insider, the kit expert and his assistant were both from the SDO. Along with two other Jilin national security policemen surnamed Tang and Lu, the four men started to work on Jiang. Inside the kit were toothpicks, small instruments, drugs, wires, aphrodisiacs, and other items. According to the insider, the four men first sprayed mustard oil into Jiangs nostrils, added lit cigarettes, and then left the cigarette butts inside her nostrils. Jiang later coughed the butts out through her mouth. Seeing that Jiang would not give them the information they wanted, the expert instructed other men to sexually assault her using items from the kit. When they found that she was menstruating, the expert claimed that the items would work even better. The whole process took nearly two hours until she collapsed and gave in. She gave them the passcode of her computer. Illustration of a CCP Torture Interrogation: lit cigarettes placed in nostrils. (Minghui.org) A Systematic Protocol for Persecution: Analyst China analyst Heng He said that torture interrogations are common inside Chinese prisons; however, they are usually conducted by the prison staff or other prisoners. This case stands out for the fact that the so-called expert was dispatched from a higher level and used a kit with protocols that contained drugs for interrogation. He said, This type of sexual persecution is far different from the past. Heng explained that torture interrogation has been a systemic tool under the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). For example, the iron chair and electric batons are known as CCP tools of torture in the international community. The application of drugs and sexual assault in the CCPs arsenal are all too common, said Heng. He explained that CCP has always engaged in exploring methods of torture that are rare in other countries. He believes the so-called expert is actually someone specialized in finding ways to torture a detainee to the extreme, without killing them, in order to get the information the authorities desire. The Lawless Ruling Regarding the unrestricted use of the kit on Falun Gong practitioners, Heng said similar claims have been widely reported since the regime initiated the persecution in 1999. He said that the CCPs judicial system has treated Falun Gong practitioners as exceptional cases; that is, all regulations may be invalid if a case is related to Falun Gong. Because it has been a campaign of political persecution from the very beginning, its bound by no law. Heng used the 610 office as an example. It is an extra-legal body set up in June 1999 to specifically target adherents of Falun Gong. This is enough to prove that in the process of persecuting Falun Gong, the CCP speaks of no laws, Heng said. Haizhong Ning and Yi Ru contributed to this report. TikTok logos are seen on smartphones in front of a ByteDance logo in a file illustration. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) China Government Entity Tried to Set Up TikTok Account for Propaganda Targeting Western Audiences A Chinese government public relations agency asked TikTok to set up an account that would target Westerners and improve Chinas image but wasnt overtly linked to the government, according to Bloomberg and based on an internal message provided to them. In an email received in April 2020 by Elizabeth Kanter, the head of TikToks government relations department for the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Israel, a colleague remarked: Chinese government entity thats interested in joining TikTok but would not want to be openly seen as a government account as the main purpose is for promoting content that showcases the best side of China (some sort of propaganda). The source indicated that some of the highest level government relations team at TikToks parent company, Beijing-based ByteDance Inc., had discussed the matter internally, and decided to reject the request, describing it as sensitive. The incident also triggered internal discussions about other sensitive requests, the message noted, according to Bloombergs report. Data Harvesting TikTok is a short video sharing app with more than 1 billion active users worldwide, with the majority being young people. Despite its growing worldwide popularity, Tiktok constantly faces intense criticism from governments around the world. A recent report shows that TikTok is excessively collecting personal data from its users and that the server of its operating system is connected to China. Australian cyber security company Internet 2.0 released an investigation report on July 17, saying that by analyzing and testing the source code of TikToks apps on Android 25.1.3 and Apple iOS 25.1.1, it was found that TikTok not only retrieves all apps running on the phone, but all installed apps. In theory this information can provide a realistic diagram of your phone, the report said. TikTok checks the device location at least once an hour, and also gets access to the users contacts, and if the user refuses, it will keep asking until the user grants access. TikTok has code that collects detailed information on Android, including wireless network user name, SIM card serial number, device voicemail number, GPS status information, active subscription information, and full access to read the clipboard, according to the report. Also of note is that TikTok IOS 25.1.1 has a server connection to mainland China which is run by a top 100 Chinese cyber security and data company Guizhou Baishan Cloud Technology Co., Ltd, the report said. The report concludes that most of the access ability and data collection is unnecessary for the Tiktop application to function properly. This leads us to believe that the only reason this information has been gathered is for data harvesting. A Weaponized Application There are currently about 80 million TikTok users in the United States. China expert Shi Shan said on the NTDTV current affairs program Pinnacle View that TikTok is harmful to Americans in two ways. First, it is a propaganda machine that brainwashes its audiences and manipulates public opinion. Second, its data collection invades personal privacy. According to law and regulations inside China, Chinese companies must share data with the communist regime. The regime is hungry for Big Data, because in the age of artificial intelligence, whoever has the most data will be the most competitive country, Shi said. Casey Flemming, CEO of BlackOps Partners, a U.S. cybersecurity services firm, shared similar views. During the same NTD TV program, Flemming said that TikTok is a weaponized application. It is a cognitive warfare, an information warfare, psychological warfare, he said. It must not be tolerated in the international system of law. He called on parents in the United States to take action immediately to remove the TikTok app and all China-related apps from their familys phones, because Beijing seeks to weaken its enemy, the United States and its Western allies, from within, through these weaponized apps. The Epoch Times reporter called ByteDance headquarter for comments more than a dozen times, but the person answering the call hung up every time. Epoch Times reporter Kane Zhang contributed to this report. Commuters walk through a subway station during the morning rush hour in the central business district in Beijing on Aug. 9, 2022. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo) Chinas Youth Face Bleak Job Market as COVID-19 Slows Economy BEIJINGLiu Qian, job-hunting with a new masters degree, said two employers interviewed her and then said the positions had been eliminated. Others asked her to take lower pay. She is one of 11 million new graduates desperate for work in a bleak job market as anti-virus controls force factories, restaurants, and other employers to close. The survivors are cutting jobs and wages. Am I not worth it? Liu asked. From the moment I started looking for a job, I felt as if my future were smashed by a machine, and I dont know if I can piece it together. Liu, 26, said some employers balked when she asked for a monthly salary of 8,000 yuan ($1,200). The average graduate last year was paid the equivalent of 9,800 yuan ($1,500) per month, according to Liepin, a job-hunting platform. There were almost two graduates competing for every job opening in the three months ending in June, up from 1.4 the previous quarter, according to the China Institute for Employment Research and Zhaopin.com, another job-hunting website. Chinas job drought echoes the struggles of young people worldwide to find work in depressed economies but is especially sensitive politically in a year when the Chinese regimes leader Xi Jinping is expected to try to extend his time in power. Luckily, a publishing house hired Liu in late July, two months after her graduation. The official unemployment rate in June for people aged 16 to 24 was almost 20 percent, compared with 5.5 percent for all ages. That is expected to rise once the latest graduates are taken into account. Recent college graduate Liu Qian works on her laptop computer in the room she rents in an apartment in Beijing, on July 7, 2022. (Olivia Zhang/AP Photo) Premier Li Keqiang, the top economic official, said in March the authorities hoped to generate 13 million new jobs this year but did not say how many might be lost to companies closing. Li said 16 million people were expected to be looking for work. Li promised pro-job policies including tax and fee cuts totaling 2.5 trillion yuan ($400 billion) for employers. One-third of companies surveyed between last March and this April said they plan to hire fewer fresh graduates, according to Liepin. It said 27 percent, most of them state-owned, would hire more and 18 percent had no plans to change course. The Chinese regimes unusually severe approach towards COVID-19 has kept official infection numbers low, but the cost is soaring. The economy shrank in the three months ending in June from with the previous quarter as factory activity and consumer spending plunged. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has stopped talking about being able to hit this years official 5.5 percent growth target. Repeated lockdowns that shut down factories and offices in Shanghai and other industrial centers for weeks at a time have disrupted the traditional labor market, said Zhang Chenggang of the Capital University of Economics and Business. Companies are slashing hiring needs due to a life-saving mindset, Zhang said. In the future, we will face the challenges of technology, he said. Uncertainty in the labor market may even increase. So for university students, the most important thing is the ability to adapt. Uncertainties loom over various industries. Internet companies are shedding jobs after the CCP tightened control by launching data-security and anti-monopoly probes. Real estate is slumping after regulators cracked down on use of debt. Tao Yinxue, a 2021 graduate, left an internship in an educational institute before graduating, worried over a crackdown on the industry that has wiped out tens of thousands of jobs. In April, she quit a job at a financial company when she realized it was promoting virtual currencies, which is actually not legal in our country. The students tend to seek stability, said Xing Zhenkai, a Liepin researcher. Two out of five graduates surveyed want to work for state-owned enterprises that are viewed as safer and supported by the CCP, said Xing. Tao is preparing to take the civil service exam for Anhui province, west of Shanghai, while looking for other jobs. She has sent more than 120 resumes and contacted nearly 2,000 possible employers online. With less posts and more people looking for jobs, companies can be more selective, Tao said. They would prefer those with experience rather than a green hand like me. Other graduates are putting off work, opting to stay in school or take exams for government jobs that might pay less than the private sector but offer more stability and social status, Zhang said. Commuters walk through a subway station during the morning rush hour in the central business district in Beijing on Aug. 9, 2022. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo) Frustration over severe competition for state-backed jobs exploded into an online outcry when pop star Jackson Yee, also known as Yi Yangqianxi, appeared on the shortlist of candidate performers at the National Theater of China. Chinese public on social media, including Yees fans, questioned if he had abused his celebrity privilege in the recruitment process to get a position thats a bonus to him but would give other contenders a real break. Yee denied getting special treatment but announced he would give up the position. Anti-virus controls have shut down in-person job fairs and postponed civil service exams that lead to jobs for hundreds of thousands of people every year. Fang Zhiyou, an accounting graduate in the central province of Hubei, said a delay for her civil service exam from March to July disrupted her job hunt. She is waiting to find out how she did. If not for the pandemic, my exam would not have been delayed and I would not have struggled for so long, said Fang. I hate the pandemic forever. Fang would rather work for the authorities but said she would accept a job doing accounting for a manufacturer. Graduate numbers have surged since 2019. More job seekers are expected to enter the labor market in the coming years. If I dont have a job this year, for sure it will become more difficult next year, Fang said. Coca-Cola bottles are seen on sale in central St. Petersburg, Russia, on Aug. 6, 2014. (Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters) Coca-Cola HBC Flags One-Time $195 Million Hit From Russian Operations Coca-Cola HBC AG said on Thursday it took a one-time hit of 190 million euros ($195.4 million) in the first half from costs related to its Russian business after it stopped selling Coke and other Coca-Cola Co. products in the country. The soft drinks bottler also reinstated its forecast for the year, expecting annual comparable operating profit between 740 million and 820 million euros, above market expectations. Its shares rose 6 percent to 2,100 pence. HBC is one of Coca-Colas many bottlers worldwide and holds local Coca-Cola franchises to bottle and sell drinks produced by the U.S. beverage giant. Coca-Cola holds a more than 20 percent stake in HBC. Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. in March joined an exodus of companies from Russia in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, which Moscow terms a special military operation. HBC said it has depleted its stock and stopped producing and selling Coca-Cola products in Russia, once its largest market, and would now have a smaller presence there. Chief Executive Officer Zoran Bogdanovic told Reuters that local brands like Dobry, Rich, and Moya Semya remain profitable and are self-sufficient as it does not partner with Coca-Cola Co. for any of its sales in the Russian market. HBCs net sales revenue grew nearly 30 percent for the six months to July 1, beating a company-compiled consensus of analysts estimate of 3.95 billion euros, as emerging markets remained strong. Comparable operating profit also beat expectations, but net profit came in below estimates due to the charge in the first half. It expects financial charges of about 82 million euros in the second-half related to its Russian operations. Bogdanovic said the company has had to lay off employees in Russia as it downsized its business there. Switzerland-headquartered HBCs diverse portfolio ranges from alcoholic beverages such as The Macallan and Jack Daniels to carbonated drinks Sprite and Monster Energy to Bambi biscuits and wafers. ($1 = 0.9726 euros) By Amna Karimi Wyoming Republican congressional candidate Harriet Hageman during a forum at the Niobrara County Fairgrounds in Lusk, Wyoming, on Aug. 9. (John Haughey/The Epoch Times) Congressional Candidate Proposes Pilot Program to Cede Federal Land to Wyoming LUSK, Wyo.Western states have been agitating for greater control of federal public lands for decades with few tangible efforts by Congress to determine how such a management model could work. If elected as Wyomings lone congressional representative in November, Republican candidate Harriet Hageman will propose a pilot program that will allot up to 1.5 million acres of the 30-million acres now under federal control in Wyoming to the state so we could do a better job of managing without the weighty regulations imposed by a matrix of agencies in Washington. She said shed also examine land-use regulations to give states and private landowners a fairer shake in claiming mineral rights than what they now have in dealing a Biden administration that has gone to war with Wyomings mineral industry. The minerals below Wyomings prairies, deserts, and forests belong to us, she said. We should not have a government that is an enemy of the people it is supposed to be working for. Hageman, a natural resources and water rights attorney, is among nine congressional candidatesincluding five Republicanson the states Aug. 16 primary ballot. She drew a half-dozen ovations during an Aug. 9 candidates forum at the Niobrara County Fairgrounds in Lusk hosted by the Niobrara County Farm Bureau Federation (NCFBF). The forum featured mostly Republican candidates running for the congressional seat, governorincluding incumbent Republican Gov. Mark Gordonstate superintendent of public education, state secretary of state, state Senate, state house, and numerous county positions such as sheriff, and two seats on the Niobrara County Commission. More than 200 people attended the forum in the fairgrounds exhibit halla remarkable turnout for 2,628-square-mile county with a population of about 2,500. Framed by Rawhide Buttes and Thunder Basin, Niobrara County is the smallest of Wyomings 23 counties. The eastern Wyoming county, like much of the state, is blazing hot red. No Democrat has won in the county since FDR in 1936; it voted 85.5 percent for Trump in 2020. Hageman, Democrat Steven Helling, and Constitution Party candidate Marissa Selvig were the only three of nine congressional candidates to show. Notably missing was incumbent Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) who has $15 million in campaign money but faces a 22-point gap in poll projections to Hageman. Cheney has attended NCFBF forums regularly in the past. The Niobrara County Fairgrounds is where her father, former vice president Dick Cheney, made his first-ever campaign speech in October 1978 before winning the first of five elections in representing Wyoming for a decade in Congress. Liz Cheney has been censored and ousted from both for being among 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former president Donald Trump, serving as co-chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, and being among Trumps most severe, unrelenting critics. With less than a week to go before the Aug. 16 vote, Cheney has not stumped in public forums, choosing instead to campaign in small, private gatherings. Hageman, on the other hand, has traveled nearly 40,000 miles across Wyoming, hitting every county fair, candidate forum, and meet-and-greet she can accommodate since declaring her candidacy last August. Havent seen Liz, said NCFBFs Kevin Baars, the forum moderator. Anybody here from her campaign? We made sure we held this event on a Tuesday night so it didnt interfere with the mini-series, January 6. Hageman, whose law office is in Cheyenne, grew up in Fort Laramie, about 40 miles from Lusk. I cant tell you the number of meetings Ive been to here, she said, referring to the fairgrounds exhibit hall, but, more importantly, the number of dances Ive been to here. Rather than spend time introducing myself to a crowd that included people she thinks of as second mothers and who shes wrestled calves with, Hageman explained three reasons why she was seeking to unseat Cheney on Aug. 16. First, Hageman said, Wyoming has one [congressional] representative and we need to make it count but the state has been hamstrung by an absentee representative literally for over six years. Cheney has been criticized by Hageman and others for not spending much time meeting with constituents. She has been coined the Virginian by detractors. The Hageman campaign has produced a mock Liz For Virginia campaign website. Unlike the incumbent, Hageman said she would be a representative who will champion Wyoming ideals. The second reason, she said, was her disappointment in the COVID response and in how our leaders responded. Congress passed more than $5 trillion in spending in a 10-month 20202021 span, Hageman said, forcing many states to increase their spending in tandem to secure needed federal funding. As a result, the nation is $30 trillion in debt, she said. Her third reason for running is to ensure freedom, liberty every right comes from God, not the government. Because they dont come from the government, the government cant take them away. Hageman said the nation is being ruled by the most radical among us and called the Aug. 8 FBI raid on Trumps Mar-A-Lago resort home a seismic shift in perverting what our government is and what our country stands for. If elected, she vowed, I will hold the FBI, NSA, and the Biden administration responsible. I am not going to allow these people to destroy my country. I am not just going to make Liz Cheney accountable by voting against her, I am going to make her accountable by running against her. She doesnt know us. She never has. But I do. While in Congress, Hageman said, I will come home and be held accountable by you. I will visit every single county, every single year. I can tell you what is going on in Washington and you can tell me what is going on in Wyoming. While Cheneys campaign has not posted any campaign plans in the last week, Hageman said shell be touring western Wyoming with events scheduled for Rock Springs, Pinedale, and Cody. Helling, among three Democrats running for the partys nod on Novembers congressional ballot with little chance to win in a state where 70 percent of voters are registered Republicans, described himself as pro-Trump, pro-Life. He has been consistently misquoted in the media as saying the 2020 election was stolen. It was probably stolen, he clarified. Helling complimented Hageman on her exhaustive campaigning. She could sit in her basement like Joe Biden did and win hands-down but shes here with us tonight, he said. I have to hand it to her. Gov. Gordon is projected to win his Aug. 16 primary and earn a second term in November. He took heat from the audience for calling COVID lockdown violators knuckleheads and donating to Democrat Hillary Clinton campaigns way back then. Like Hageman, he vowed to rekindle [discussion of] the disposal of federal lands, defend the states legally challenged abortion laws, and to continue the fight with the Biden administration to undo the pause in issuing new oil and gas leases on federal land. Asked about Bellevue, Wash.-based TerraPowers plans to build a nuclear power plant with a Natrium reactor in Kemmerer, Gordon said the state is closely monitoring the project. A plant in Idaho has been operating more than 40 years with a Natrium reactor without incident, he said. Former US President Donald Trump's residence in Mar-A-Lago, Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) Court Removes Page for Judge Who Approved Raid of Trumps Home A federal court in Florida has removed the webpage for the judge who signed off on the FBI raid of former President Donald Trumps home. The page for U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart was taken down on Aug. 10, archived versions of it confirm. No information at this time, the computer operations manager for the court, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, told The Epoch Times. A deputy clerk for the clerk did not pick up the phone or return a voicemail. The page contained Reinharts biography, his email address, directions to the courthouse at which he works, the phone number for his chambers, the number for his deputy, and the names of the deputy and the judges law clerks. The pages for all of the other magistrate judges for the court remain online. Signed Off on Raid Reinhart, who was appointed to his position by other judges, has confirmed that he was the judge who approved the FBIs raid of Trumps Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. The resort was raided on Aug. 8 by approximately two dozen agents, one of Trumps lawyers told The Epoch Times. Christina Bobb, the lawyer, said Reinharts name was listed as the approving judge on the search warrant agents gave to Trump representatives. The warrant and the supporting materials, such as an affidavit outlining why the FBI was asking for a warrant, remain sealed. But Reinhart responded to requests to unseal the material, which identify the warrant as the one used to raid Trumps resort, by ordering the Department of Justice to respond to the requests, indirectly confirming that he approved the warrant. The governments response to the requests to unseal, filed by nonprofit Judicial Watch and the Albany Times Union, may be filed under seal to avoid disclosing matters already under seal, Reinhart said in a brief order. The response must be filed by 5 p.m. on Aug. 15. It has not yet been filed. Neither the FBI nor the Department of Justice have explained why the raid took place. Lawyers for Trump say agents were looking for classified and presidential materials. Earlier this year, U.S. archivist David Ferriero told Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee, that there were classified materials discovered in boxes of records that were transferred from Trumps residence to the National Archives in January. Judges History Reinhart was a trial attorney for the Department of Justice from 1988 to 1996, when he transitioned to being an assistant U.S. attorney based in West Palm Beach. He was involved with the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein, who ultimately avoided federal prosecution in exchange for pleading guilty to a single state charge of soliciting a minor. Shortly after the plea deal was reached, Reinhart left the government and spent ten years in private practice. Among those he represented were Epsteins housekeeper and pilots, according to court filings. Reinhart became a magistrate judge on March 14, 2018. Reinharts wife, Carolyn Bell, is also a judge. She was appointed by then-Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, to a state circuit court in 2018. Reinhart shared the announcement on Facebook. On the same page, Reinhart criticized then-President-elect Trump, taking issue with Trumps criticism of Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who has since passed away. I generally ignore the President-elects tweets, but not this one, Reinhart wrote, adding later that he agreed with the statement, Donald Trump doesnt have the moral stature to kiss John Lewiss feet. The suspended Twitter account of President Donald Trump appears on an iPhone screen in San Anselmo, Calif., on Jan. 8, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Courts Must Decide Whether Government Pressured Twitter to Ban Donald Trump: Attorney Former President Donald Trump is appealing the dismissal of his lawsuit against Twitter for violating his First Amendment rights by banning him from the platform, and one of his attorneys said the key issue is whether Twitter was acting at the behest of government officials to censor him. Alex Kozinski, who is representing the former president, said the government cant use a third party as a cats paw to get around the law. When the government forces a private individual or cajoles a private individual to do something that they otherwise wouldnt do, that is considered to be the action of the government, Kozinski said in a recent interview for EpochTVs Crossroads program. Twitter permanently suspended Trumps account on Jan. 8, 2021, two days after the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Trump sued the social media company in July 2021 to challenge the ban, but in May 2022, U.S. District Judge James Donato for the Northern District of California dismissed the suit, stating that the First Amendment doesnt apply to private companies. A month and a half later, Trump filed an appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Kozinski, himself a former judge on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, said there was a good deal of evidence presented to the district court suggesting that people in the government pressured the tech companies to censor Trump. The legal question is whether the threats used by the government to coerce the tech companies are sufficient to be considered government action, he explained. In some cases, the government coerces tech companies by threatening to pursue certain legislation, threatening to remove the protections of Section 230 in the Communications Decency Act, or threatening to hold anti-trust hearings, or even anti-trust prosecution, the attorney said. Section 230 (pdf) protects social media companies and other online platforms from liability for content posted by third parties. In other cases, a tech company may be willing to take action at the request of the government, and such cases are considered collaboration with the government, he said. Whether its the result of coercion or collaboration, this would be viewed as government action, Kozinski explained. Kozinski estimated that it would take a year or so for the appellate court to make a determination in Trumps case. Significance of Trumps Lawsuit Politically motivated viewpoint restriction is the most serious First Amendment violation if it is done by the government, Kozinski said, and the government has never been permitted by the courts to favor one viewpoint over another. If the courts agree with us, I think this will be better for everybody, including internet service companies who will no longer be buffaloed and beaten up, Kozinski said. Also, government officials will realize that if they request internet service companies to censor speech, their actions could be considered government censorship. In recent years, members of Congress have hauled the heads of tech companies into hearings and demanded that they implement more censorship of some viewpoints and users. If Trumps case goes to the Supreme Court, and the court rules in favor of the former president, government officials will take notice and will probably be more careful about how they issue these demands to private companies, Kozinski said. Lots of people have had their accounts shadow banned, suspended, or permanently deleted from social media platforms because they were expressing views that people in government did not like, Kozinski said. Shadow banning is the practice of social media platform moderators suppressing the reach of a social media post or account without telling the owner of the account. Thats just not the American way, he added. Kozinski said the censorship of speech in the United States is too widespread and affecting too much of Americas national life for the Supreme Court not to eventually get involved. When it does [get involved], I think it will see things our way, he said. Impact of Censorship Censorship impacts not only the speaker but also those who are unable to hear the speech. If you disagree with Trump or anybody else, you can disagree. You can make an argument and explain why hes wrong, and then people can make up their own minds, Kozinski said. When you censor someones speech, you not only censor the speaker, but you also censor everybody who would hear the speaker and make an intelligent judgment as to whether what hes saying is correct. Kozinski said the government and tech officials engaging in censorship are probably concerned that too many people will agree with the speakers. Theyre afraid that people will agree because if these are ideas everybody disagrees with, why bother censoring them? This is why dictatorships such as Nazi Germany and communist regimes such as the Soviet Union and the Chinese Communist Party have always been so keen on censorship, Kozinski said. Censorship Is Not the American Way Were entitled to speak without having the government leaning on people, leaning on the newspapers or service providers, saying You cant publish these views. Thats just not how we do things in America, he said. Thats how we should do things in Romania, where I was born. I actually lived under communism. I know what its like. In communist Romania, nobody believed anything printed in the newspapers because they were published by the government, Kozinski said. People got their news either from other people or from Radio Free Europe and shortwave radio, he said. When getting the news or speaking with other people, Kozinski said they had to speak with a low voice and make sure nobody else was listening, because there were informants paid by the secret police who would report on others. Thats whats happening now in the United States, he said. The mainstream press is just completely under the control of basically the Democratic Party, and they will only say things that support that point of view, Kozinski said. And people are looking for other ways of expressing themselves, and certainly Twitter, YouTube, Facebook are among them. Warning for Supporters of Communism Kozinski cautioned people who advocate for censorship in America against embracing communist policies. People who have not lived through communism just have no conception of how government can suppress ideas, can suppress speech, can punish people, and just how bad things are when everything is controlled by the government. Kozinski thinks that many supporters of communism are idealistic. He told a story of his father, who was communist and was persecuted for his beliefs. During the Second World War, he was sent to one of the worst concentration camps because of his communist beliefs and because he was a Jew, Kozinski said. His father survived, and after the war ended, when the communist party seized power in Romania, Kozinskis father actually saw communism implemented. Then he said, I had no idea thats how it would be. And thats when he and my mother decided they had to take me out of there, Kozinski said. The whole family emigrated to the United States in the early 1960s, Kozinski said. Kozinski said that people who believe in communism need to understand that its been proven again and again to be a false hope, a delusion, and a way to enslave people. Learn from history. Talk to people who have lived in the system. Dont just theorize. Kozinski said that suppressing speech on social media is a foolish strategy because its a basic human trait for someone to want to think on their own, and not to just adopt whatever someone else tells them to think. [Censorship has] made a lot of people very angry and certainly hasnt suppressed those ideas, he said. Because truth will out. Rita Li and Caden Pearson contributed to this report. Ella Kietlinska Reporter Follow Ella Kietlinska is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. and world politics. Senator Pauline Hanson speaks as Senators Malcolm Roberts (top left) and Stirling Griff (top right) look on during debate of the Fair Work Amendment Bill 2021 in the Senate at Parliament House on March 18, 2021 in Canberra, Australia. Senator Stirling Griff has issued a statement confirming that Centre Alliance only supports changes to casuals provisions and wage theft and will not support the rest of the Industrial Relations omnibus bill. (Photo by Sam Mooy/Getty Images) Creating Indigenous Body in Parliament Risks Dividing Australians on Race: One Nation Leader One Nation party will vote against entrenching the Indigenous voice in parliament in the upcoming referendum, with its leader arguing the proposal does not address real Indigenous disadvantages while risking dividing Australians on race. Queensland Senator Pauline Hanson compared the Indigenous Voice to apartheid because it gives a minority of people more political power than the majority based on race. There is nothing in this proposal that will end the violence, poverty and failure of service delivery in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders communities. There is nothing in this proposal that is remotely unifying, she said in a press release on Aug. 5. Hanson added shes confident that all of us want Indigenous people to be empowered to seize the many opportunities which come with living, learning and working in Australia. We also have no idea how much this entire exercise will cost the Australian taxpayer, but a single-question referendum alone will almost certainly cost in excess of $120 million, she noted. Calls for More Details Currently, the strategy for an Indigenous Voice will be to establish a body consisting of Indigenous people in parliament, which potentially could have the capacity to inform or make laws on matters relating to Aboriginal people in Australia. However, the formation of such a body will require the constitution to be altered through a referendum. But, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has pushed for the change to be made, has refused to reveal further details about the proposal until after the referendum, saying he doesnt want people to disagree with the clauses and then vote no. The move has sparked skepticism and calls for greater clarity from the Coalition as well as prominent Indigenous figures. Meanwhile, Indigenous leader Warren Mundine said he remains unsupportive of the proposal because a constitutional body cannot speak for the diverse communities of Aboriginal people around Australia as many of whom dont find it aligns with their identities. I predict the Voice will be just another bureaucratic structure that further entrenches government into Aboriginal lives, he argued in an op-ed on the Daily Telegraph on Aug. 1. The campaign in championed by Australias elites, including corporate Australia, media figures and Aboriginal academics. The Commonwealth has previously created Indigenous bodies, including the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee, ATSIC and the National Congress of Australias First Peoples. Parliament Divided on the Voice Nationals leader David Littleproud said his party will keep an open mind but questioned whether the proposal, like other laws relating to Indigenous issues, would necessarily lead to positive outcomes despite its good intentions. Now is the time for the government to tell us the detail of what theyre picking out of that report, how this is going to operate, whos going to be on it, how will that go to building trust, and not just across Australia but also with Indigenous communities. It would be a lost opportunity if the government doesnt get this right. Meanwhile, the Greens have pushed for stronger action, with Greens Indigenous spokeswoman Lidia Thorpe calling on the government to also implement a treaty and a truth commission. If the PM wants to heal this nation and unify people, he needs to understand that sovereignty never ceded is more than a slogan. Its a call to action. Its time to tell the truth about our country, Thorpe said on Aug. 5. In July, Albanese put forward a suggested question for the referendum: Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice? YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Works continue over launching the Armenian ferry boat service for cargo shipment from Georgias Port of Poti in the Black Sea to Russias Port Kavkaz in Kerch Strait, the Armenian Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan said. We are now finalizing the work, soon the timetables will be released, he said, adding that the option of using Port of Poti is being considered. This is not an easy matter, especially when it was being accompanied by heavy geopolitical changes and pressure, but nevertheless, we hope our work will give results soon, he said. Kerobyan earlier said that they are ready to launch the ferry service in August. Earlier in March, the government said it will subsidize Poti-Port Kavkaz regular ferry connection for imports or exports. Mexico's offshore supply ship Bourbon Artabaze throws water in an area of tanks that exploded near Cuba's supertanker port in Matanzas, Cuba, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters) Cuba Tames Its Largest Fire, Fuel Depot Locals Begin to Return MATANZAS, CubaMassive clouds of steam rose from Cubas largest fuel depot in Matanzas on Wednesday as firefighters, helicopters, and boats poured water and foam on the smoldering remains of the largest fire in the islands history. Black charcoal covered with white ash remained red hot after the flames died down. One firefighter was confirmed dead, five remain in critical condition, and 14 were unaccounted for since blast on Saturday, according to authorities. We can now say that the fire is controlled, Lt. Colonel Alexander Avalos, deputy chief of the firefighters tackling the blaze, told the media at the scene. Already today we feel calmer although we still have to (completely) extinguish it and that will not be today. The depot is part of the Matanzas Super Tanker Port, the largest for receiving crude oil and fuel imports. Cuban heavy crude, as well as fuel oil and diesel stored in Matanzas in 10 huge tanks, are mainly used to generate electricity on the island. Lightning struck one fuel storage tank on Friday evening. A fire spread to a second by Sunday and engulfed the four-tank area on Monday, sparking huge explosions, despite efforts by local firefighters supported by Mexican and Venezuelan reinforcements, equipment, and supplies. A lightning strikes through smoke from fuel storage tanks that exploded near Cubas supertanker port in Matanzas, Cuba, on Aug. 8, 2022. (Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters) Some local residents who evacuated to the homes of friends and family returned on Wednesday despite authorities warnings to stay put. Dioni Perez, 43, who lives in the small town of La Ganadera, less than a mile from the port, said unlike many neighbors he preferred not to leave in the first place for fear his livestock would be stolen. I felt very scared because there were a series of very strong explosions, he said. I had never seen fireballs like that and I felt the heat. The fire dealt a blow to Cubas ability to store and move local and imported crude around the island. The communist-run country, under heavy U.S. sanctions, is all but bankrupt. Frequent blackouts and shortages of gasoline and other commodities already had created a tense situation with scattered local protests following last summers historic unrest in July. The damage is going to be significant because it is the fuel that generates the current of the country, Daleis Macias Fuentes, who works for the authorities in Matanzas, said. This is going to cause great damage, it is going to cost work to restore service, he said. According to the National Institutes of Health, over 23 million Americans currently live with some type of autoimmune disease which can encompass such potentially debilitating conditions as rheumatic arthritis, lupus, irritable bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and Hashimotos thyroiditis. Autoimmune diseases which arise when the immune system mistakenly attacks the bodys own organs, tissues and cells are notoriously complex and difficult to treat. But encouraging research shows that a common, familiar household staple baking soda can function as a potent weapon against them. A recent study not only revealed baking sodas ability to fight autoimmune disease but showcased its ability to work at the cellular and molecular level. For a lowly cooking ingredient, baking soda seems to have some highly sophisticated and powerful effects! Can Baking Soda Help Those Suffering With Autoimmune Disease? Baking soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda, has a variety of household and medical uses. It has long been used as a natural toothpaste, a non-toxic deodorant and a cheap, quick-acting antacid to treat heartburn. In addition, some nephrologists advise small daily doses of baking soda to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. After clinical studies affirmed baking sodas beneficial effects on chronic kidney disease, researchers wondered what other conditions it could improve. And they soon had their answer. In a study conducted by scientists at Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and published in April 2018 in Journal of Immunology, the team found that drinking baking soda in water every day for two weeks helped to reduce the destructive inflammation of autoimmune disorders. The key to baking sodas action was the way it affected mesothelial cells on the exterior of the spleen. These specialized immune cells have microvilli that sense the environment and warn when an immune response is needed in order to defend against invading pathogens. But in autoimmune disorders, this response can be inappropriate, excessive and damaging. Baking soda helped the cells to convey the message that a protective immune response need not be triggered. In the words of study co-author Dr. Paul OConnor, the compound helped reassure the immune system that there was no pathogen to be fought. Its most likely a hamburger, not a bacterial infection, explained Dr. OConnor. Its Official: Baking Soda Reduces the Inflammatory Actions of Cells Bicarbonate of soda also affects the population of immune cells called macrophages, which engulf and destroy pathogens. The scientists found that it shifted the macrophage population to a higher percentage of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages, while decreasing pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages. Although the initial research was conducted on rats, the researchers studied healthy human volunteers as well. And these human participants also experienced an anti-inflammatory response from the baking soda. In addition, the group who took baking soda had more inflammation-regulating T cells, which discourage the immune system from attacking tissue. The researchers concluded that baking soda was a cheap, relatively safe, effective and noninvasive method to activate cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways, which may be of benefit to patients suffering from a multitude of inflammatory disease states. In a separate study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that baking soda could specifically benefit rheumatoid arthritis an autoimmune condition. The scientists concluded that baking soda and water helped reduce inflammation and disease severity. Baking Sodas Antiviral Effects Are Currently Being Studied Scientists have found that certain pH-dependent viruses which happen to include some influenza viruses and coronaviruses are most able to replicate and spread under acid conditions (pH6.0) and are deactivated completely at pH 8.0. Baking soda raises acidic pH to higher alkaline levels a fact with exciting implications for possibly slowing the spread of COVID-19 and other viral infections. While clinical studies have yet to be performed, cell and animal studies attest to the effects of alkalinity on viruses. In fact, baking soda has been used to fight a pandemic in the past. In 1918 and 1919, Dr. Edward R. Hays a physician with the U.S. Health Department utilized baking soda against the Spanish flu, claiming that it could lead to a resolution of symptoms within 36 hours. In addition to antiviral and inflammation-fighting effects, baking soda can improve general health in myriad other ways. According to noted doctor and author Dr. Eddy Bettermann, baking soda increases bicarbonates in the blood in turn increasing carbon dioxide and helping with oxygenation of body organs. And Dr. Lynda Frassetto of the University of California notes that baking soda can reduce acidic wastes in the body which show up as cholesterol, fatty acids, uric acid, phosphate and kidney stones. How Much Baking Soda Should I Take? While the University of Georgia scientists did not reveal the daily amount of baking soda used in the study, many natural health experts recommend half a teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in a cup or two of water a day. Of course, check with your doctor before using baking soda to treat kidney disease, autoimmune disorders or any other medical condition. It is especially important to seek your physicians guidance if you have high blood pressure, as baking soda is very high in sodium. Health warning: To avoid possible gastric rupture, dont take baking soda when your stomach is excessively full such as after a huge meal. While autoimmune disease can be a formidable foe, the simple, old-fashioned remedy of baking soda in water may emerge as a front-line defense against it. Republished from NaturalHealth365 Sources for this article include: Jagwire.Augusta.Edu DrEddyMD.com Sciencedaily.com The Rocket Force under the Eastern Theatre Command of China's People's 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) Democracies Must Align Against Authoritarian Challenge: Latvian Foreign Minister The Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics has used his first official visit to Australia to call for democracies around the world to align against authoritarian regimes. Speaking at a joint press conference on Aug. 8 with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Rinkevics said the current Latvian government believes democracies are being challenged by authoritarian regimes. We must analyse, we must work out strategies how to counter propaganda, how to counter disinformation from dictatorships, from authoritarian regions, he said. Additionally, in a joint statement, both Wong and Rinkevics also said that both countries were firmly committed to uphold human rights, the rule of law and the rules-based international order, and agreed to work together to address challenges to the shared values and interests of Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Beijing a Problem in Both Regions Underscoring the current difficulties that exist in Europe with Russia, the Latvian foreign minister drew parallels to China, saying it was very important that countries work together to provide a unified front. I think that what we see is that there is a kind of rising assertiveness of China not only in this part of the world but globally, also in our part of the region, Rinkevics said. And I think it is very important to understand that the Chinese also are very carefully watching what is happening in Europe, and what is happening in Ukraine, and I think the country adjusts its policies and also its stance in this part of the world. So, from that point of view, it is very important that we work together, and we provide the same kind of message of the need to have restraint, not to overreact in their actions and not to create another regional and global hot spot. The comment from Rinkevics comes as the tensions in the Asia-Pacific reach new highs after Beijing indicated it could try to permanently keep military forces in the Taiwan Strait, the regime made the comments after criticism from Japan, the United States and Australia for holding live-fire military drills in the surrounding area from Aug. 2 to Aug.9. Meanwhile, Taiwan has panned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for using military drillswhich have encircled Taiwan and pressured the islands air and sea pathwaysas a pretext for wartime preparations. China has used the drills in its military playbook to prepare for the invasion of Taiwan, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said on Aug. 9. It is conducting large-scale military exercises and missile launches, as well as cyberattacks, disinformation, and economic coercion, in an attempt to weaken public morale in Taiwan. Beijing has also cut military communications with the United States and fired at least 11 ballistic missiles, five of which flew directly over Taiwan and landed in the waters of Japans exclusive economic zone. Chinese and Taiwanese forces are also engaged in a standoff around the median line of the Taiwanese Strait involving about 10 warships from each side. CCP officials claim the exercises are a protest against the visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) to Taiwan. However, Washington argues that the CCP is fabricating a regional crisis to mobilise a military response around Taiwan and force change to the status quo. Devin Nunes Sees Parallels Between Russia Investigation and the Raid on Mar-a-Lago The FBIs raid on Donald Trumps residence at Mar-a-Lago represents another example of the Democratic partys objective to politically target and destroy the former president, according to former U.S. Rep. and current Trump Media and Technology Group CEO Devin Nunes. On Aug. 8, Trump released a statement saying that a large group of FBI agents raided his home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. He called it a weaponization of the justice system and an attack by the radical left Democrats who desperately dont want me to run for president in 2024. In a press release, Trump added, They even broke into my safe! The events of Aug. 8 were about people that are after power, trying to destroy their political enemies, which is what happens in Third World countries where one party works to destroy the other party, Nunes told The Epoch Times. Its been nonstop for five years against [former] president Trump because, look, he was a disrupter, Nunes said. He was not somebody from politics. He had never worked in Washington. And he came in and said, Look, were going to do things differently. And he shocked the ruling class in this country. And theyve never forgiven him. Trump is under scrutiny for a variety of issues that range from the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021, to his familys business dealings. The FBI converged on Mar-a-Lago reportedly in pursuit of evidence on whether Trump mishandled classified information when he took White House documents with him upon leaving Washington on Jan. 20, 2021. Trump, who was investigated by the FBI over now discredited allegations of colluding with Russians in the 2016 presidential campaign, has yet to announce if he will run for president in 2024, but many political pundits believe that will happen. Nunes was a U.S. Rep. for Californias 21st Congressional District and the states 22nd Congressional District from 2003 to 2022 before resigning to join the Trump group. He served as Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee from 2015 to 2019. From the executive branch to the Department of Justice and all of the intelligence agencies, Democrats and their propaganda machine in the media have normalized this type of bad behavior, Nunes said. Well, look, we know for sure back in 2016, he was definitely targeted by the Obama-Biden administration, working with the Clinton campaign and working with dirty cops at Department of Justice and the FBI, Nunes said. Its actually moved up into the judicial branch of government, Nunes said. Supreme Court justices were targeted. We had leaks of information from the Supreme Court first time in history. Now you have a raid on [former] president Trumps house, the first time thats ever happened to any president in history for what appears to be complete nonsense. I mean, its crazy. In a Truth Social post on Aug. 10, Trump wrote, In early June, the DOJ and FBI asked my legal representatives to put an extra lock on the door leading to the place where boxes were stored in Mar-a-Lagowe agreed, Trump explained. They were shown the secured area, and the boxes themselves. Then on Monday, without notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock that they had asked to be installed. A surprise attack, politics, and all the while our country is going to hell! Trump added. Trumps allegations add more questions about whether the raid was justified and appropriate. The Department of Justice and the FBI have declined to comment on the issue. The search warrant is currently sealed. Christina Bobb, who is Trumps lawyer, confirmed that federal agents were searching for presidential records at Mar-a-Lago during the raid, and she told The Epoch Times, Nothing had been hidden and nothing had been kept secret from them, which makes this all the more ridiculous. Donald Trump didnt commit a crime, she said. They would have to lay the foundation that Donald Trump actually packed up his own office, and Donald Trump was actually the custodian of these records, and that he actually moved them. Nunes was outspoken against the FBIs investigation of Trumps campaign when he was Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee. He sees parallels between that probe and the raid on Mar-a-Lago. A lot of the same people who were Russia hoaxers. These people have now been promoted into the Biden administration. So the whole idea that Biden doesnt know anything, is preposterous. Its just not true, Nunes added. They know it. Theyre definitely targeting [former] president Trump because they dont want him to run for president. Again. Its that simple. After the conduct of the DOJ and the FBI during the Russia investigation, Nunes believes it is fair to question the credibility and trustworthiness of those agencies. The agencies used made up dirt and fed it into the media, Nunes told The Epoch Times about his viewpoint of the Russia investigation. The media would write a story and theyd have operatives feed it into their buddies at the FBI. And so then, all of a sudden, they [the FBI] would go into court and say, Oh, my gosh, look at all this. Russians everywhere with Trump. Look, weve got stories about it. We have all these sources, Nunes explained. The problem is, it was all a lie. None of it was true, Nunes said. All of it was fake and look, and still, only one FBI agent has paid the price for falsifying the document. The other people have skated. Youve got this youve got kind of two-tiered justice system that if youre a Democrat, you walk, Nunes added. Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin (L) speaks with Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas during a round table meeting at an Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on Dec. 15, 2021. (Geert Vanden WijngaertI/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Estonia, Finland Want Europe to End Russian Tourist Visas COPENHAGEN, DenmarkThe leaders of Estonia and Finland want fellow European countries to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens, saying they should not be able to take vacations in Europe while the Russian government carries out a war in Ukraine. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wrote Tuesday on Twitter that visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right and that it is time to end tourism from Russia now. A day earlier, her counterpart in Finland, Sanna Marin, told Finnish broadcaster YLE that it is not right that while Russia is waging an aggressive, brutal war of aggression in Europe, Russians can live a normal life, travel in Europe, be tourists. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went further in a Washington Post interview Monday, saying all Western countries should ban Russian tourists. Estonia and Finland both border Russia and are members of the European Union, which banned air travel from Russia after it invaded Ukraine. But Russians can still travel by land to both countries and apparently are then taking flights to other European destinations. The calls for a travel ban have sparked outrage within Russia, from both the Kremlin and its critics. I think that over time, common sense will somehow manifest itself, and those who made such statements will come to their senses, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday. YLE reported last week that Russian companies have started offering car trips from St. Petersburg to the airports of Helsinki and Lappeenranta in Finland, which have direct connections to several places in Europe. Russias second-largest city is about 300 kilometers (186 miles) from the Finnish capital. Visas issued by Finland are valid across most of Europes travel zone, known as the Schengen area which is made up of 26 countries: 22 EU nations plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Normally, people and goods move freely between these countries without border checks. Nineteen other countries outside this travel area allow in foreigners using a Schengen visa. Finland just resumed accepting applications for tourist visas in Russia on July 1, lifting monthslong travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some EU countries no longer issue visas to Russians, including Latvia, which made that decision this month because of the war. The visa issue is expected be discussed at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on Aug. 31, YLE reported. I would believe that in future European Council meetings, this issue will come up even more strongly. My personal position is that tourism should be restricted, Marin told the Finnish broadcaster. Peskov on Tuesday said calls for travel bans are usually coming from countries that Moscow has already deemed hostile and many of those countries in their hostility sink into oblivion. Putins close associate and deputy head of Russias Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, dismissed the Estonian premiers statement, adding: I just want to remind her of another saying: The fact that you are free is not your merit, but our flaw. Zelenskyy told The Washington Post that the most important sanctions are to close the borders for Russian travelers, because the Russians are taking away someone elses land. Russians should live in their own world until they change their philosophy, Zelenskyy said, adding that such restrictions should apply to all Russians, even those who left the country and oppose the war. Its contrasts with what he said in March, a month after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, when he urged Russians to leave the country to avoid funding the war with their taxes. Asked about Zelenskyys remarks, Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, called them a statement that speaks for itself, which Moscow views extremely negatively. Ex-FBI Official Could Testify on Claims Agency Inflated Domestic Violent Extremism Numbers Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is calling on former FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Jill Sanborn to testify regarding whistleblower claims that agents were pressured to reclassify cases as domestic violent extremism even if they did not meet the criteria. In a letter to Sanborn on Aug. 10 the Republican lawmaker, who serves as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, wrote that the whistleblower allegations that the FBI is pushing agents to inflate the numbers of domestic violent extremism cases are among many that he and other members of the committee are investigating that concern the politicization of the FBI. Sanborn served as Counterterrorism Division assistant director at the law enforcement agency and then as executive assistant director at the National Security branch between January 2020 and April 2021, until she left the federal service. According to Jordan, the whistleblower revealed that Sanborn was among officials in the FBI who allegedly led the pressure campaign on agents to reclassify cases as domestic violent extremism, or DVE. One whistleblower explained that because agents are not finding enough DVE cases, they are encouraged and incentivized to reclassify cases as DVE cases even though there is minimal, circumstantial evidence to support the reclassification, Jordan wrote. Another whistleblower stated that a field office Counterterrorism Assistant Special Agent in Charge and the FBIs then Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division pressured agents to move cases into the DVE category to hit self-created performance metrics. This whistleblower identified you as one official who exerted pressure on agents to reclassify cases as DVE matters. Padding Domestic Terrorism Data Is Scandalous Your testimony is necessary to advance our oversight, we, therefore, ask that you contact the Committee to schedule a transcribed interview as soon as possible but no later than 5.00 p.m. on August 24, 2022, he wrote in the letter, which was also signed by Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.). An FBI spokesperson told The Epoch Times: The threat posed by domestic violence extremists is persistent, evolving, and deadly. The FBIs authority to investigate a case as domestic terrorism requires the existence of a potential criminal federal violation, the unlawful use or threat of force or violence, and ideological motivation. The motivation behind threats or acts of force or violence in violation of federal criminal law is not always readily apparent, but is often discovered during the course of an investigation. If the FBI obtains evidence that someone was motivated by violent extremist ideology of any type, a case classification may be changed. In other cases, an investigation may indicate that an ideological motivation was not involved in a criminal act. In either case, the FBI will follow the facts as they develop, and classify our investigations accordingly and appropriately. The FBIs goal is to detect and stop terrorist attacks. At the same time, we are committed to upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans and will never open an investigation based solely on First Amendment protected activity. Jordan first revealed the whistleblower allegations in a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on July 27 (pdf). Given the narrative pushed by the Biden Administration that domestic violent extremism is the greatest threat facing our country, the revelation that the FBI may be artificially padding domestic terrorism data is scandalous, the lawmaker wrote in his letter to Wray. According to the FBI, domestic violent extremist is defined as an individual based and operating primarily within the United States or its territories without direction or inspiration from a foreign terrorist group or other foreign power who seeks to further political or social goals wholly or in part through unlawful acts of force or violence. The Biden administration has said that domestic terrorism is the most urgent threat currently facing the United States. Following the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, the creation of a new unit in the Justice Department to counter domestic terrorism was announced. At the time, officials said that the number of FBI investigations of suspected violent extremists had more than doubled since the spring of 2020. However, Jordan is among a number of Republican lawmakers who have expressed concerns that both the Justice Department and FBI have become politicized. The lawmakers letter to Sanborn comes shortly after the Florida Mar-a-Lago home of former President Donald Trump was raided by FBI agents, prompting Republican leaders to condemn the move and accuse the Biden administration again of weaponizing the Justice Department for political purposes. A general view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on April 23, 2020. (Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images) EXCLUSIVE: CDC Admits It Gave False Information About COVID-19 Vaccine Surveillance The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has admitted it gave false information about COVID-19 vaccine surveillance, including inaccurately saying it had conducted a certain type of analysis more than a year before it actually did. The false information was conveyed in responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the results of surveillance, and after the CDC claimed that COVID-19 vaccines were being monitored by the most intense safety monitoring efforts in U.S. history. CDC has revisited several FOIA requests and as a result of its review CDC is issuing corrections, a CDC spokeswoman told The Epoch Times in an email. No CDC employees intentionally provided false information, and none of the false responses were given to avoid FOIA reporting requirements, the spokeswoman said. Heart Inflammation The Epoch Times in July submitted a FOIA request, or a request for nonpublic information, to the CDC for all reports from a team that was formed to study post-vaccination heart inflammation by analyzing reports submitted to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a program run by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The CDC not only said that the team didnt conduct any abstractions or reports through October 2021, but that an association between myocarditis and mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was not known at that time. That statement is false. Clinical trials of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines detected neither myocarditis nor pericarditis, two types of heart inflammation. But by April 2021, the U.S. military was raising the alarm about post-vaccination heart inflammation, and by June 2021, the CDC was publicly acknowledging a link. The CDC previously corrected the false statement but didnt say whether its teams had ever analyzed the VAERS reports. In reference to myocarditis abstraction from VAERS reportsthis process began in May 2021 and continues to this date, the CDC spokeswoman said in the email. The CDC still hasnt released the results of its analyses. Data Mining The CDC promised in January 2021 that it would perform a specific type of data mining analysis on the VAERS reports called proportional reporting ratio (PRR). But when Childrens Health Defense, a nonprofit, asked for the results, the CDC said that no PRRs were conducted by the CDC and that data mining is outside of [the] agencys purview. When asked for clarification, Dr. John Su, who heads the CDCs VAERS team, told The Epoch Times in an email that the CDC started performing PRRs in February 2021 and continues to do so to date. The CDC is now saying that both the original response and Sus statement are false. The agency didnt start performing PRRs until March 25 this year, the CDC spokeswoman said. The agency stopped performing them on July 31. The spokeswoman said it misinterpreted both Childrens Health Defense and The Epoch Times. Childrens Health Defense had asked for the PRRs the CDC had performed from Feb. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2021. The Epoch Times had asked if the response to the request was correct. The spokeswoman said the CDC thought data mining referred only to empirical Bayesian (EB) data mining, a different type of analysis that the FDA has promised to perform on the VAERS data. The notion that the CDC did not realize we were asking about PRRs but only data mining in general is simply not credible, since our FOIA request specifically mentioned PRRs and their response also mentioned that they did not do PRRs. They did not say data mining in general,' Josh Guetzkow, a senior lecturer at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem who has been working with Childrens Health Defense, told The Epoch Times via email. There is also no credible reason why they waited until March 25, 2022, to calculate PRRs, unless it was in response to our initial FOIA filed in December 2021, which was rejected on March 25, 2022shortly after they say they began their calculations. It means the CDC was not analyzing VAERS for early warning safety signals for well over a year after the vaccination campaign beganwhich still counts as a significant failure. The CDC also hasnt released the results of the PRRs. PRR results were generally consistent with EB data mining, revealing no additional unexpected safety signals, the agency spokeswoman said. Given it is a more robust data mining technique, CDC will continue relying upon EB data mining at this time. The FDA has told The Epoch Times it conducted EB data mining, but the agency has declined to share the results. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing on Capitol Hill in Wash., on May 17, 2022. (Anna Rose Layden-Pool/Getty Images) EXCLUSIVE: Senator Seeks to Expose CCPs Authoritarian Ambitions The Chinese Communist Party has for years been bent on cementing its influence over the developing world. One U.S. senator is hoping to counter this through an awareness-raising initiative. In a Twitter campaign dubbed #ExposingTheCCP, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) plans to spotlight the regimes sinister relationships with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, as well as parts of the Middle East, where Beijing has made extensive investments to expand its political and economic clout. Focusing on one country at a time, the weekly installments will feature those that have struck a bad deal with China, to expose the CCPs intentions in the Global South and ensure that Beijing no longer controls the narrative, according to Rubios office. Now is not the time to be silent, the senator told The Epoch Times in an email. We need to be vocal about what the Chinese Communist Party is doing, he said. Beijing is attempting to overpower, exploit, and hold hostage sovereign nations. The United States must stand up against Xi Jinpings authoritarian vision and hold the CCP accountable. With the CCP strategically making social media its megaphone to attack the West and spread disinformation, the campaign aims to counter such efforts, according to Rubios office. It will also fill a void in the U.S. government communications, which currently lack a coordinated way to alert countries of the many pitfalls attached to Chinese investments, a spokesperson for Rubios office said. The first #ExposingTheCCP tweet, shared with The Epoch Times ahead of its launch on Aug. 11, focuses on the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific which has recently signed a security pact with Beijing that has sparked widespread concerns that it could pave the way for the establishment of a Chinese military base. New documents recently obtained by local media show that a Chinese state firm is looking to buy a deep water port and a World War II-era airstrip in the island nation. Chinas ambassador to the Solomon Islands Li Ming (R), and Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare are cutting a ribbon during the opening ceremony of a China-funded national stadium complex in Honiara on April 22, 2022. (Mavis Podokolo/AFP via Getty Images) While the countrys Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has repeated his assurances that there would be no Chinese military base, he was recently noticeably absent from a key memorial service event organized by the United States, a move that some local media have described as a snub. The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi saw a red carpet welcome after landing in Solomon Islands capital Honiara in late May, during his tour to advance the security deal, under which the Chinese troops are now training the Pacific nations police. Rubio warned that the developments in the Solomon Islands are playing right into the regimes hands. The Solomon Islands should call off the deal & put a stop to #Beijings plan to establish dominance in the Indo-Pacific, the senator said in the Aug. 11 tweet. The campaign will also highlight the impact of Beijings trillion-dollar infrastructure investment program, the Belt and Road Initiative, which critics say saddle developing nations with unsustainable debt burdens. Other tactics that the regime employs, the senators office said, include technology transfers and media exchange programs. Adam Hardage, veteran and CEO of Remote Health Solutions, calling for a protest at the FBI headquarters in Washington on Aug. 14, 2022. (Courtesy of Adam Hardage) EXCLUSIVE: Special Ops Veteran Cancels Plans for Sunday Protest at FBI Headquarters After Trap Warnings 'I don't put it past this bureau or department of justice to come after upstanding Americans who are trying to defend the concepts of America and uphold the rule of law.' In the wake of the unexpected fallout sparked by an Aug. 8 media pitch, a military veteran has revised his plans to hold a protest at the FBI headquarters in Washington on Sunday, Aug. 14. Following the unprecedented raid on the Mar-a-Lago residence of former President Donald Trump, an Aug. 8 media pitch announced that a 20-year military and former Special Ops veteran named Adam Hardage was calling on fellow veterans and Americans of all walks to join him Sunday 8/14 at the FBI HQ in Washington DC to protest the out of control FBI and its actions against President Trump. Adam Hardage, military and Special Operations veteran, pictured here in Kandahar, Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Adam Hardage) However, the unexpected fallout that quickly ensued caused Hardage to revise his plans. It all started with an Aug. 9 report about the proposed protest mentioned in the Aug. 8 media pitch. Screenshot of the Aug. 8, 2022 media pitch sent out to numerous news outlets regarding a protest proposed at the FBI headquarters in Washington. (With permission from the media relations company) The contact information was included in the media pitch for those who wanted to interview Hardage. While Hardage did receive requests for radio and podcast spots, the media relations company that sent out the media pitch confirmed that The Epoch Times was the only print/web news outlet to actually request and receive an interview with Hardage about his proposed protest. The Best Laid Plans There has been much speculation that Jan. 6, 2021 was a setup, a coordinated campaign to use the anger of those who believe the 2020 election was stolen against them in order to take down former President Donald Trump and arrest and incarcerate his supporters, with the goal of ultimately destroying the entire MAGA movement. As The Epoch Times reported, evidence has emerged that proves protesters were peaceful until Capitol Police began lobbing tear gas and flashbangs into the crowd, shooting them with rubber bullets and spraying them in the face with pepper gel. Experts say a cadre of provocateurs then instigated fights, broke through bike rack barricades and encouraged protesters to storm the Capitol. Members of a secret, plainclothes Electronic Surveillance Unit were even embedded into the crowd, recognized to Capitol Police by a special multi-colored bracelet worn on their left wrist, for the express purpose of filming the ensuing confrontations between protesters and law enforcement for the purposes of entrapment. It wasnt long before speculation grew that the proposed protest at the FBI headquarters on Aug. 14, 2022 could be staged as a trap to ensnare protesters just like those who attended the protest at the Capitol on Jan. 6. 2021. Its a Trap In response to the Aug. 9 report, chatter on social media and right-wing blogs ranged from support to warnings the proposed protest could be a trap. Other comments on social media posts suggest everything from the inevitable win of Trump in 2024 because of the raid to suggestions that the FBI planted evidence at the former presidents Mar-a-Lago residence. An Aug. 11 report said Trumps supporters were warning people to beware of possible FBI agents urging rebellion. Another social media post warned of the FBI saying, We advise individuals taking part in protest activities to remain aware of their immediate surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement. Warnings of entrapment were followed by misinformation. The host of one social media video wrongfully attributed a quote from another concerned veteran, mentioned at the end of one report, to Hardage, inaccurately insisting Hardage said he wasnt even planning on attending his own protest. I am a 20-year retired navy commander and J6 attendee, the unnamed concerned veteran said in the Aug. 9 story. I am incensed by the FBI raid on DJTs home yesterday. I will be protesting an end to the FBI on the busiest intersection in my town of Kingwood, TX in full uniform Saturday. Hardage lives in Virginia with his wife and two children. According to Dave Scarlett, a Marine and pastor of His Glory ministries, the proposed Aug. 14 protest would most definitely wind up being another Jan. 6 trap. If youre in the Washington, D.C. area, there go your rights, Scarlett told The Epoch Times. Do not go into Washington. D.C. If you want a peaceful protest, do it outside of Washington. D.C. If you are truly representing the nation, patriots, Christians, and the military in this country, that is not the place to do it, Scarlett said. Its a trap. Stay out of it. Do not go there, Scarlett warned. I have many military intel sources who are former generals and they said exactly that. Do not go into Washington D.C., because its a trap. Overreach and Abuse Hardage believes the raid on Mar-a-Lago was a massive governmental overreach. He is not alone. Even multiple high-profile Democrat politicians and liberal media outlets are calling the raid an unprecedented overreach that will require a lot of explaining. While he also knows the Mar-a-Lago raid was intended to scare Americans and to intimidate people, Hardage believes the only thing it really accomplished was to energize Trumps base and the MAGA crowd. Former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio, on June 26, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Im excited to see MAGA 2.0, because I think its going to be absolutely epic, Hardage said. Its going to make the original Trump Train and Trump Wave look like a snooze fest. Scarlett agrees. The FBI and tyrants in Washington have overplayed their hand by desecrating the home of the Peoples President and the most influential Leader of the Free Worlda cowardly act previously only seen in Third-World countries, Scarlett said in a statement issued after the raid. They have not just attacked the rightful President, but every freedom-loving American Patriot in this country. This disgusting overreach of power and display of lawlessness will go down in history as the exact moment they sealed their fate. I foresee a fully committed and united MAGA party, the likes of which has never been seen in this great nation. Christians, Patriots, Military, and every freedom-loving citizen will now unite. They have awakened a sleeping giant. We will once again be One Nation Under God, where justice, truth, and light prevails. Its a sentiment echoed by Rick Green, Founder of Patriot Academy. The FBI raid on President Trumps home will go down in infamy as the turning point for a generation, Green told The Epoch Times, adding that the unknown is whether the turn will be towards complete tyranny or a turn back to liberty and the answer depends on whether we average Americans say enough is enough. The church-going, hard-working, family and community-focused people that make up the backbone of America are not normally the type to protest, Green said further. They vote, they donate, they might write a letter of concern. None of that is enough anymore. Saving America from these Marxists will require a civically active, vocal, consistent citizenship and were about to find out if enough Americans are up to the challenge. Recent surveys appear to show that the rise of the civically active and vocal citizenry is already happening. The Surveys In the wake of the Jan. 6 protests, the government has done much to use the event against Donald Trump and anyone who supports him. The arrest, incarceration, and abuse of the protesters; the ongoing efforts of the Select Committee to convict Trump of insurrection and render him ineligible to ever run for office again; and the raid on Mar-a-Lago, some, like Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), believe its about vengeance. Its about intimidation. Still, the silver lining behind these dark clouds is revealed through a string of recent surveys, which show a simultaneous frustration with growing government overreach, a spike in the number of Americans who believe the nation has a two-tiered justice system and an increase in the number of Americans becoming tangibly involved in civic activism. An online survey by Daily Mail shows over 70 percent of their readers disapprove of the Mar-a-Lago raid. The Nationwide Issues Survey (pdf) conducted between July 2428 by the Trafalgar Group with Convention of States Action found that 79 percent of 1,080 likely U.S. voters interviewed believe there are two tiers of justice: one set of laws for politicians and Washington D.C. insiders vs one set of laws for everyday Americans. According to a national survey of general election likely voters conducted by McLaughlin & Associated for Summit Ministries from July 2125, while 48 percent of American voters say their level of civic engagement has remained the same in recent years, nearly 30 percent said they have gotten more involved in the civic process within the last two years. Of those, 81 percent say they are civically engaged because they believe their activism is making a difference. The first national survey taken after the FBI raid on Trump at Mar-a-Lago shows 83 percent of Republicans, 72 percent of independents, and 55.2 percent of Democrats are now more likely to vote in the 2022 Midterm Elections as a result of the raid. While only 11.9 percent of Democrats believe Trumps political enemies are behind the FBI raid on the former presidents private home, 53.9 percent of Independent voters and 76.7 percent of Republican voters believe they are. More striking is that a majority of independents and Republicans believe the raid was unreasonable and that the raid is moving America closer to becoming a police state. Democrats, on the other hand, think such an invasion is completely reasonable. A Change of Plans After the politically-motivated raid on President Trumps residence at Mar-a-Lago, I initially called for a rally in the Northern Virginia/DC area, Hardage told The Epoch Times amid the fallout from the Aug. 9 report. My intent was to show solidarity and support for freedom, for the U.S. Constitution, and for President Trump. After receiving thousands of online comments and emails from across this nation from veterans on all sides of politics, I have decided to make a change to our plans to peacefully protest the FBI. While Hardage said the most common sentiment he received was in support of the protest, the warnings of Jan. 6-style entrapment raised some concerns. I dont put it past this bureau or department of justice to come after upstanding Americans who are trying to defend the concepts of America and uphold the rule of law, Hardage said. This FBI and DOJ are anything but lawful. There was also the matter of some veterans saying they couldnt make it all the way to Washington, like the concerned veteran who plans to be protesting an end to the FBI on the busiest intersection in his town of Kingwood, Texas, in full uniform on Saturday, Aug. 13. So instead of holding one rally in Washington, Hardage told The Epoch Times he is now encouraging all Americans, especially the men and women who have served this great nation, to rally in their own hometowns in protest of what happened to President Trump. One CBS report showed people were already inspired to protest at the FBI headquarters in Riverside, California. I dont care if its one veteran on a street corner holding a sign rebuking tyranny, or thousands who will be gathering with me as I speak at Clay Clarks ReAwaken America Tour in New York this Saturday, our voices will be heard, Hardage said. I am also calling on all Americans to rally in support of their local political candidates who support an America-first agenda. Get your friends involved and help us save America at the ballot box in 2022. Ultimately, Hardage believes what Americans are witnessing now is nothing less than an attempted Marxist overthrow of the west and the United States. It is coordinated. It is deliberate and its insulting to the American people, Hardage asserted, and quite frankly, the awakened patriot movement, the MAGA crowd, is not going to let this stand. FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a hearing before Senate Judiciary Committee at Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on Aug. 4, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) FBI Director Wray Denounces Threats After Raid on Trumps Home: Deplorable and Dangerous FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday condemned recent online threats against him and other federal agents in the wake of the agencys raid on former President Donald Trumps private Florida residence. Wray, who was appointed as the agencys director in 2017 by Trump, said violence against law enforcement is not the answer, calling threats circulating online deplorable and dangerous. Again, violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter what anybodys upset about or who theyre upset with, Wray told The Associated Press after a news conference at the agencys field office in Nebraska, where he discussed the FBIs focus on cybersecurity. Last year, there were 73 law enforcement officers around this country who were killed in the line of duty, as in murdered in the line of duty. Its the highest number since 9/11, he added, concluding that any threats made against law enforcement are deplorable and dangerous. Wray refused to answer questions and provide more details on the hours-long search, where dozens of FBI agents reportedly executed a search warrant approved last week by a magistrate judge in Florida. Since the Aug. 8 raid on the former presidents private residence of Mar-a-Lago, online messages have appeared calling for a response to the unannounced search. Reactions included lock and load and calls for federal agents and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to be assassinated. On the social networking service Gab, one poster going by the name of Stephen said he was awaiting the call to mount an armed revolution. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the swearing in for the new Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Director Colette Peters at BOP headquarters in Washington on Aug. 2, 2022. (Evelyn Hockstein-Pool/Getty Images) Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said the search could lead to Garlands impeachment, urging an investigation to look into whether he misused his office. In response to the messages, Wray said its important that we view the men and women of law enforcement as people, noting that they make heroic sacrifices for all Americans. It takes an incredibly special person to be willing to get up every day and give his or her life, sacrifice his or her life for a total stranger, Wray said. During Mondays search, agents reportedly ripped open an extra lock that the Justice Department (DOJ) and FBI had asked the former president to be installed in early June, Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Aug. 10. Without notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock that they had asked to be installed, Trump said. A surprise attack, POLITICS, and all the while our Country is going to HELL! The former presidents latest statements, if true, weaken the case that the FBI raided the house solely for the purpose of obtaining the records. Nothing had been hidden and nothing had been kept secret from them, which makes this all more the more ridiculous, Trumps lawyer, Christina Bobb, told The Epoch Times on Tuesday. Bobb confirmed that the federal agents were looking for presidential records at Mar-a-Lago during the raid. On Tuesday, the magistrate judge who reportedly approved the search warrant ordered the DOJ to file a response to a motion asking for the DOJ to unseal the warrant no later than Aug. 15. Neither the FBI nor DOJ has issued public comments about the raid, which was first confirmed by Trump late on Monday. The FBI declined to comment when contacted by The Epoch Times, and the DOJ has not responded to several requests for comment. Epoch Times reporter Gary Bai contributed to this report. From NTD News YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Russia is planning to organize high-level trilateral contacts over various topics of Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization by the end of August, the Russian foreign ministrys deputy director for information and publications department Ivan Nechayev said at a press briefing when asked about a possible meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders. There are plans to organize high level trilateral contacts over various topics of Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization until the end of August, he said. (RL) Barron Trump, -then-First Lady Melania Trump, then-President Donald Trump, Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump, Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Michael Boulos stand after the president delivered his acceptance speech for the Republican Party nomination for reelection during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the South Lawn of the White House on Aug. 27, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) FBI May Have Planted Listening Devices During Raid: Trump Jr.s Fiancee A person close to the Trump family suggested the FBI may have planted listening devices during a raid targeting former President Donald Trumps Florida residence earlier this week. Lawyers for the former president previously said that FBI agents would not allow Trumps team to observe or supervise their search of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. One lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, told Fox News on Thursday that agents are believed to have searched Trumps bedroom, office, and a storage room. Because the FBI allegedly didnt allow anybody to supervise what they were doing, and they specifically requested to turn off the security cameras, Kimbery Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.s fiancee and an advisor to the former presidents 2020 campaign, told Newsmax. Why? Because they didnt want to be caught with what they were doing. How do you know there werent listening devices planted or evidence planted there? Its something that has to be investigated and checked out, and we want to see the affidavit and what was their probable cause to be able to go in there and break into the presidents home, she added. For her claim, Guilfoyle did not provide evidence. Trumps son Eric Trump told the Daily Mail on Wednesday that security cameras remained on when the agents carried out their search, accusing the agents of refusing to hand over a warrant and kicking lawyers off the premises. Agents, he said, told Trumps team to turn off the cameras but they remained on, and those agents went to places they shouldnt have been. No Response The FBI and Department of Justice have not responded to requests for comment. The judge who approved the FBI warrant, Bruce Reinhart, ordered the Justice Department on Wednesday to respond to requests to unseal the warrant in the case. The White House said President Joe Biden was not aware of the FBI search before it was announced earlier this week. Top Republicans have called on the Department of Justice to release documents pertaining to the raid or to have Attorney General Merrick Garland speak about the matter. Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray have remained silent on the Mar-a-Lago search. But on Wednesday, Wray complained to reporters in a press conference about alleged violent threats levied against federal law enforcement agents in the wake of the raid. The former president on Wednesday took to his Truth Social app and speculated on whether the FBI planted evidence. Members of Trumps team said he wasnt there while the raid occurred. The FBI and others from the Federal Government would not let anyone, including my lawyers, be anywhere near the areas that were rummaged and otherwise looked at during the raid on Mar-a-Lago, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Everyone was asked to leave the premises, they wanted to be left alone, without any witnesses to see what they were doing, taking or, hopefully not, planting.' Armed Suspect at FBI Office Triggers Police Chase, Shots Reportedly Fired An armed individual allegedly tried to breach the FBIs building near Cincinnati, Ohio, on the morning of Aug. 11 before he fled the scene, the FBI said in a statement. At approximately 9 AM this morning an armed subject attempted to breach the Visitor Screening Facility at FBI Cincinnati. After an alarm and a response by FBI special agents, the subject fled north onto Interstate 71, the FBIs field office in Cincinnati wrote on Twitter. The breach is now being investigated. The identity and other details about the individual were not disclosed. The bureau and local law enforcement were on the scene in Wilmington, Ohio, in an attempt to resolve this critical incident, the FBI stated. A chase involving the individual appears to have led into Clinton County, where officials told residents to lock down at about 11 a.m. local time, according to reports. At roughly 11:40 a.m., the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency stated that an armed male in body armor and a gray shirt exchanged gunfire with police and law enforcement. The agency told locals to lock their doors and remain vigilant, according to a social media post. Further details about the incident and chase havent been released by the FBI or local agencies. Real-time data posted by an Ohio traffic website suggests that parts of Interstate 71 in Clinton County are shut down. It states that I-71 South CLOSED beyond US-68/Wilmington because of a police incident. The #FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement partners are on scene near Wilmington, OH trying to resolve this critical incident. https://t.co/SWDZTkrnhL FBI Cincinnati (@FBICincinnati) August 11, 2022 Department of Homeland Security officials were seen arriving at the FBI Cincinnati building, according to video footage posted by a local reporter. Background The incident comes just hours after FBI Director Christopher Wray decried alleged threats that were made against the bureau. Wray didnt address the recent FBI raid at former President Donald Trumps Florida residence. During an Aug. 10 press conference, Wray said that hes always concerned about threats to law enforcement. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with, he said. A member of the Secret Service in front of the home of former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) Trump said on Aug. 8 that FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago home, although the FBI and Department of Justice havent issued public comments on the matter. A judge who reportedly approved the warrant in the case ordered the Justice Department on Aug. 10 to respond to a motion that requests the warrant be unsealed. The White House stated President Joe Biden wasnt aware of the raid before it was announced by Trump earlier this week. Trump and Republicans accused the FBI and the Biden administration of weaponizing federal law enforcement to target their political opponents ahead of the midterm elections. SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks on a screen during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, on June 29, 2021. (Nacho Doce/Reuters) FCC Rejects Broadband Subsidies for SpaceXs Starlink, LTD WASHINGTONThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rejected SpaceXs Starlink and LTD Broadbands applications for more than $2 billion in internet service subsidies, the FCC said on Wednesday. In December 2020, the FCC tentatively awarded $9.2 billion to over 300 bidders to deploy high-speed broadband from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. LTD Broadband won $1.32 billion and SpaceXs Starlink satellite internet network won $885.5 million in the 2020 auction. SpaceX, which is run by billionaire Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Starlinks technology has real promise, said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel in a statement disclosing that the agency had rejected its long-form applications. But the FCC was hesitant to publicly subsidize Starlinks developing technology, especially given that users need to purchase a $600 dish. LTD, which has tower sites in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, said it is extremely disappointed in the decision. I dont believe the FCC fully appreciated the benefits LTD Broadband would bring to hundreds of thousands of rural Americans. We are continuing to review the letter and are evaluating our next steps, the companys CEO, Corey Hauer, told Reuters in an email. The FCC noted that Starlink, a fast-growing constellation of internet-beaming satellites, relies on nascent low-earth orbit satellite technology and had sought funding to provide 100/20 Mbps service to 642,925 locations in 35 states. We must put scarce universal service dollars to their best possible use as we move into a digital future that demands ever more powerful and faster networks, Rosenworcel said. We cannot afford to subsidize ventures that are not delivering the promised speeds or are not likely to meet program requirements. The FCC said the two companies both provided inadequate responses to questions and are not capable of complying with commission requirements. The FCC cited data as of July 31 indicating Starlinks speeds declined between the last quarter of 2021 and the second quarter of 2022, and its upload speeds have fallen well below 20 Mbps. SpaceX has steadily launched some 2,700 Starlink satellites since 2019 and has amassed hundreds of thousands of subscribers, including many who pay $110 a month for broadband internet using $599 self-install terminal kits. To date, the FCC rural internet subsidy program has authorized more than $5 billion in funding to bring mostly fiber gigabit broadband service to over 3 million locations in 47 states. By David Shepardson This photo shows the Challicum Hills wind farm in Ararat, Australia on Nov. 16, 2006. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) Federal Government Invests $160 Million to Connect Australias Largest Wind Farm Australias largest wind farm precinct could soon commence operation after the federal government announced more funding to speed up its connection to the national power grid. Under an agreement between the federal and Queensland governments, the former will invest $160 million (US$113 million) to build new infrastructure to connect power generated from the Southern Downs renewable energy zone to the grid. Powerlink, a Queensland government company, will be responsible for building and operating 65 kilometres of high-voltage overhead transmission lines and two new switching stations. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the agreement would provide households and businesses in southern Queensland and the east coast of Australia with more renewable energy. We are delivering on our Powering Australia plan, which includes a major boost to renewable energy supplies to help create jobs and reduce emissions across the nation, he said. The best way to put downward pressure on energy prices is to ramp up investment in renewables, transmission and storage. The $160 million investment is the first instance of cooperation between the federal Clean Energy Finance Corporation and a company owned by the Queensland government. It is expected to help establish one of the southern hemispheres most significant wind projects and provide power to 700,000 Queensland homes. Sheep graze in front of wind turbines on Lake George on the outskirts of Canberra, Australia, on Sep. 1, 2020. (David Gray/Getty Images) Speaking about the investment, Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said three east Australian states would see an improvement in power reliability. It also presents another opportunity to build onshore capability and skill Queenslanders for renewable energy jobs of the future, he said. This model also connects cheaper renewable generation in a way that minimises costs and risks for Queensland businesses and households. Another Wind Farm Project Announces Completion Time Frame The news of the $160 million funding comes as the time frame for the completion of another major offshore Australian wind farm is announced. Flotation Energy Australias managing director Tim Sawyer told the Gippsland New Energy Conference on Aug. 11 that the companys 1.5-gigawatt Seadragon Offshore Wind Project could be up and running within six years. Flotation Energy, which recently built the worlds largest floating offshore wind farm in Scotland, said the company could build the Seadragon project adjacent to oil and gas platforms in the Bass Strait. However, he said it needed state and federal approval as well as regulations that did not currently exist. Our development can be ready in six years and power up to one million homes, Sawyer said. But we need the federal and state governments to work together to deliver a streamlined regulatory framework and staff up their departments to deal with this so we can get on with the job. Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau rises during Question Period in Ottawa on June 2, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) Fertilizer Emissions Reduction Will Not Be Forced on Farmers, Say Feds The federal governments voluntary 30 percent emissions reduction target for fertilizers will not become mandatory in the future, says the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The objective of the national target for fertilizers is to reduce emissions, not to establish a mandatory reduction in fertilizer use, wrote the AAFC in an email to The Epoch Times. It is intended to be achieved while maintaining or improving yields, said the AAFC. The goal is to maximize efficiency, optimize fertilizer use, encourage innovation, and to work collaboratively with the agriculture sector. The Liberal government set a national nitrogen fertilizer emissions reduction target of 30 percent below 2020 levels in its latest climate plan, A Healthy Environment and A Healthy Economy. The government hopes to reach the fertilizer reduction targetand to have reduced total greenhouse gas emissions by 40-45 percentby 2030, and to attain net-zero emissions by 2050. Despite the net-zero goal being less than 20 years away, Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau maintains that all climate measures in the agricultural sectorparticularly fertilizer reductionwill remain optional. We have always said that this is a voluntary target, Bibeau said in an interview with the Western Standard. We want to be ambitious because we have to move the needle. If we send the message that business as usual is good enough, its not. Bibeau added that there has been misinformation spreading about fertilizer reductions being forced in the future and said that the governments goal is to reduce emissions caused by fertilizer, but not the use of fertilizer itself. Conservative MP John Barlow, the shadow minister for agriculture, agri-food, and food security, said in a July tweet that the Trudeau governments plan to reduce fertilizer emissions could lead to similar problems unfolding in countries like the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, where governments imposed mandatory fertilizer cutbacks. The Liberals are following the same farm-to-fork agenda and were seeing that with forced reductions in fertilizer use, a burdensome carbon tax, and choking red tape and regulations, which are doing the same thing to our farmers heremaking them unsustainable with decreased yields, and higher food costs, Barlow said a video posted on Twitter on July 15. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), a business advocacy organization, called upon the Canadian government in a June 2022 report to keep the fertilizer reduction plan voluntary going forward. Requiring Canadian agri-businesses to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizer would add another hurdle and have negative impacts on the industry that is already hard hit by skyrocketing input costs and supply chain delays, said CFIB Senior Vice-President of National Affairs Corinne Pohlmann in a news release. Taylor Brown, a CFIB policy analyst, told The Epoch Times in a previous interview that CFIB has been reassured by the federal government that fertilizer reductions would remain voluntary. They are focusing on emissions and not actual nitrogen fertilizer reduction, she said. However, we should be concerned that if farmers are forced to reduce their nitrogen fertilizer use, there will be a reduction in yield that will mean higher consumer costs. Florida Congressman Calls for End to Unconscionably Cruel Animal Experiments Lawmakers continue to prod the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding what has been described as unconscionably cruel animal experiments based on documents obtained by a watchdog group that monitors government spending. Legislation introduced by Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) on Aug. 10 proposes to prohibit NIHs experiments on dogs paid for by taxpayer dollars. The NIH uses over $40 billion in taxpayer dollars annually to fund its research projects, including many recent, cruel examples using dogs, Steube said in a statement on the legislation. Americans dont want to enable the heinous abuse inflicted on puppies and dogs in the name of research. My legislation will cut every dime of NIHs federal funding for these ruthless dog experiments. Since White Coat Waste Project (WCW) has brought into the public eye experiments that involved anesthetizing dogs and cutting their vocal cords so that they cant make noise when being experimented on and while in their cages, Steube has been an outspoken critic of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the chief medical advisor to President Joe Biden. In a 2021 opinion piece, Steube said, Between his mishandling of COVID-19 and the unconscionably cruel animal experiments, this man must be held accountableand he must resign immediately. It seems that Fauci has a pattern of silencing those who protest his actions since he also silenced millions of Americans who opposed his draconian COVID-19 restrictions, Steube said. At least Fauci couldnt slash our vocal cords to shut us up. A Rare Response The information found in the documents prompted lawmakers to send letters to Fauci and present legislation that until July 2022 seemed to go unnoticed by NIH. In July 2022, WCW reported Sen. Joni Ernsts (R-Iowa) confirmation that Faucis NIH division canceled plans to spend $1.8 million in taxpayer funds for a series of experiments on beagle puppies to test drugs to treat allergies. In a rare response to a lawmaker, Fauci told Ernst, Although the contract to Inimmune Corporation proposed the use of murine and canine preclinical animal models, after consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the company elected to proceed using two rodent models only. No experiments utilizing the canine model are being conducted under this contract. Also in July, a judge approved a plan to transfer 4,000 beagles out of a breeding and research facility called Envigo in Cumberland, Virginia, and into shelters. The facility had been cited for multiple animal welfare violations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. During a seven-month period, over 300 puppies died, WCW reported. Dozens of beagles were found with fight wounds; others were severely diseased. Nursing mothers were deprived of food for nearly two full days. WCW found through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that NIH had purchased over seven dozen beagles from Envigo since 2019some as young as one year oldcosting the taxpayers between $1,000 and $1,500 per dog. WCW reported on documents showing that taxpayers had paid $375,000 for experiments in which dogs were being locked in cages to be bitten by infectious sand flies and $2.3 million on experiments in which dogs were injected with an experimental compound of drugs that included cocaine. In 2020, WCW reported that the NIH spent about $140 million on animal experiments in foreign countries, with a total of 353 labs in 57 countries worldwide that are authorized to receive U.S. taxpayer funds, including countries classified as foreign adversaries like China and Russia. The watchdog groups publishing of multiple documents obtained through FOIA requests prompted 24 U.S. lawmakers to demand answers from Fauci in 2021. AFAR Act Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) introduced a proposal called the Accountability in Foreign Animal Research (AFAR) Act to prohibit lab funding in countries that have been named as adversaries, which include China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and North Korea. According to WCW, 31 labs in China and Russia currently have permission to receive tax money from the NIH for animal experiments. This includes the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where former President Donald Trump terminated funding in 2020 after an earlier WCW report showed that the NIH had awarded the lab a $3.7 million grant. PAAW Act Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) introduced legislation proposing to end NIAIDs barbaric experiments on dogs. The Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste (PAAW) Act of 2021 would prevent Fauci from conducting or supporting research that could result in death, irreversible damage, significant pain, or distress to dogs. The bill, which had bipartisan support, also required that NIAID report to Congress ongoing dog experiments, its plan to phase out dog testing, and how much money is being spent on the experiments. Institutional Inertia In a previous interview with The Epoch Times, Justin Goodman, vice president of advocacy and public policy for WCW, said the NIH is stuck in institutional inertia that is perpetuating these wasteful and cruel experiments on dogs and other animals inside the federal government. The reason that the Department of Health and Human Services gives on its website for using beagles is that they are small and docile, meaning they are easy to abuse, Goodman said. Animals are used in these experiments to test the limits of a drugs toxicity. Basically, they dose a rodent and non-rodent species with increasingly large amounts of whatever the experimental drug is to see at what point they get sick or die, Goodman said. Advocates in favor of animal research, such as the organization Speaking of Research (SR), point to medical developments and benefits to using animals in experiments, citing on its website the contributions SR said animal research has made to science while challenging those who advocate for animal rights and the cessation of animal experimentation. Though the NIH didnt respond to The Epoch Times request for comment, in past responses to previous stories on the NIHs experiments on animals, a spokesperson told The Epoch Times that reviewers examine the justification for experimenting on animals and if alternative models could be used. The animals are protected by laws, regulations, and policies, the spokesperson said. Institutions receiving funds from NIH to conduct experiments on animals must comply with the Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and Animal Welfare Act regulations, the spokesperson said. Those, like WCW, who argue against animal research point to the amount of taxpayer money flowing into experiments and what they describe as cruel methods taking place in labs. As White Coat Waste Projects #BeagleGate investigations have revealed, NIH-funded white coats are wasting millions of taxpayer dollars to inject puppies with cocaine, de-bark, and poison dogs, infest beagles with flies and ticks, and force dogs to suffer septic shock, Goodman said. A supermajority of Americans across the political spectrum want Congress to cut NIHs wasteful spending on dog experiments. The solution is clear: stop the money. Stop the madness. Cannabis product boxes are displayed at The Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition trade show in New York City on May 30, 2019. (Mike Segar/Reuters) Floridas AG Commissioner Challenges DOJ Reply in Cannabis Patients Gun Rights Suit PUNTA GORDA, Fla.Floridas Agriculture Commissioner took issue with a recent Department of Justice memo attached to a move to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges disqualifying the states medical cannabis patients from legally owning firearms. The memo characterized marijuana users as dangerous. The DOJs argument is as offensive as it is inaccurate, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat, said in an Aug. 8 written statement. We were disappointed not only with the motion but with the memo attached to the motion, calling marijuana users dangerous. DOJs argument is inaccurate, utilizing centuries-old case law and making false claims demonizing medical marijuana patientsincluding perpetuating prejudicial stereotypes that cannabis users are dangerous or mentally ill. However, the Justice Department argues in their request for dismissal that it would be dangerous to trust regular marijuana users to exercise sound judgment with firearms because marijuana causes significant mental and physical impairments that make it dangerous for a person to possess (a) firearm. On Aug. 9, Fried responded to a motion from the DOJ to dismiss her April lawsuit challenging the disqualification of the states nearly 741,000 medical cannabis patients with active identification cards from owning firearms. According to Frieds office, Florida has 2.5 million concealed weapons permit holders on record. Nikki Fried, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and a Democratic candidate for 2022 Florida gubernatorial race, at the White House in Washington, on July 20, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) In her written response to the motion to dismiss, Fried said the case goes on. Fried, who is an attorney, took to Twitter to express her disappointment in the Justice Departments decision. We were disappointed not only with the motion but with the memo attached to the motion, calling marijuana users dangerous, Fried posted in a Twitter that they would perpetuate such harmful and offensive, prejudicial stereotypes that cannabis users are dangerous or mentally ill to do so. We MUST keep fighting for equitable legalization. Fried has long championed those who want to exercise their second amendment rights and also exercise their freedom to pick a medical treatment that works for them in the form of cannabis use. The federal prohibition of a state-legal medicine continues to harm patients, imprison tens of thousands of Americans, and stifle the growth of this growing industry to the detriment of our economy. It is beyond disappointing that with this motion to dismiss, rather than taking this opportunity to address this violation of cannabis patients constitutional rights, the Department of Justice has chosen to double down on harmful prohibition policies, Fried said in her statement. Fried said she filed the lawsuit to raise awareness about cannabis reform on a national scale. I filed this lawsuit to bring attention to how the federal governments inconsistent and illogical cannabis policies are creating not only confusion but actual harm, Fried said in her Aug. 9 statement. Fried said she is determined to fight for peoples rights to obtain legal cannabis and will continue to lobby for reform. Unfortunately, the issue raised in our lawsuit is just one of the many dilemmas posed that is affecting a massive number of Floridians and even more patients nationwide, she said. Though this particular pathway intended to move much-needed cannabis reform forward might be cut off, I will never stop looking for outside-the-box ways we can further this fight until we achieve full and equitable legalization. The DOJ attorneys argued that intoxication and firearms are a dangerous mix when they asked a federal judge to dismiss Frieds lawsuit. Marijuana users pose a danger comparable to, if not greater than, other groups that have historically been disarmed, such as mentally ill people, they wrote. In court papers, the DOJ said federal firearms restrictions are legally sound and that it is dangerous to trust regular marijuana users to exercise sound judgment while intoxicated. The ATF in 2011 wrote an open letter to the DOJ warning federal firearms licensees not to sell to a known user or someone who is addicted to marijuana, as cannabis is defined as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act. The Biden Justice Department maintained in their motion that cannabis is illegal under federal law and that restrictions hindering marijuana users from purchasing firearms are justifiedeven though medical marijuana has been legalized in Florida. Fried filed the lawsuit in April, alleging the federal prohibitions forbid Floridians from possessing or purchasing a firearm on the sole basis that they are state-law-abiding medical marijuana patients and added that it puts a disproportionate burden on cannabis patients. In July, Frieds lawyers filed an amended complaint that relied partly on a ruling where the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a New York law that placed strict limits on carrying concealed weapons in public. However, the DOJ argued the recent high court decision said that the New York regulation violated the Second Amendment as it prevented law-abiding citizens from exercising their right to keep and bear arms. Frieds restrictions impose no burden on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, DOJ lawyers wrote. These laws merely prevent drug users who commit federal crimes by unlawfully possessing drugs from possessing and receiving firearms, and only for so long as they are actively engaged in that criminal activity. In addition, they noted that possession of illegal drugs, including marijuana, is a federal crime. Such restrictions on unlawful drug users are consistent with this nations historical tradition of firearm regulation, the Aug. 8 memo continued as they quoted in part from the June 23 Supreme Court ruling concerning the New York case. Fried said the Biden administration brought forth a centuries-old case law showing that, in both governments, England and the United States regularly disarmed a variety of groups deemed dangerous, including Catholics and panhandlers. Many American colonies forbade providing Indians with firearms, DOJ lawyers wrote. The federal motion points out as most relevant that a long tradition exists of viewing intoxication as a condition that renders firearms possession dangerous and accordingly restricting the firearms rights of those who become intoxicated. But Frieds amended complaint found that prohibiting those who use medical marijuana from buying or having guns is a relatively recent development in the U.S. Quite simply, there is no historical tradition of denying individuals their Second Amendment rights based solely (or even partially) on the use of marijuana, she argued in her lawsuit. In fact, historical evidence shows that marijuana was considered a legitimate and legal form of medicine in England, America, and other western countries through the mid-Nineteenth and early-Twentieth Centuries. DOJ lawyers argued that medical-marijuana patients should not be allowed to possess guns and be trusted not to use them when theyre high. To bolster their argument, they used a Florida Board of Medicine consent form, where patients must acknowledge that marijuana impairs the ability to think, judge, and reason. It is, therefore, dangerous to trust regular marijuana users to exercise sound judgment while intoxicated, a fact tragically borne out by the frequency with which marijuana users drive while impaired and suffer fatal collisions, DOJ lawyers argued. Fried, Floridas lone statewide elected Democrat, in 2018 ran on a pro-cannabis platform. In 2016, Floridians voted to legalize medical marijuana by 71 percent. In February 2022, a University of North Florida poll showed 76 percent support legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida. The 2022 gubernatorial hopeful, said in her Aug. 9 statement said using a case from 1633 where Indians were disarmed for being intoxicated was especially alarming. Calling marijuana users dangerous. Using a 1633 case about the disarming of Indians. It is very disappointing. And so, we will have a response to the motion to dismiss, Fried told reporters at a press conference on Aug. 9. Mike Balcerak a member of the International Church of Cannabis, takes part in a celebration in Denver, Colorado on April 20, 2018. (JASON CONNOLLY/AFP/Getty Images) Frieds lawsuit also accused the Biden administration of ignoring the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, a federal law that bars DOJ officials from using agency dollars to inhibit states that have medical marijuana programs from implementing state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana. The inability for medical marijuana users to possess firearms, or the possibility of prosecution if a medical marijuana user unlawfully possesses a firearm, does not prevent Floridians from using medical marijuana, DOJ lawyers argued. Nothing in the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment requires DOJ to permit medical marijuana users to possess firearms. Frieds attorneys wrote: Previous court decisions have found that the law prohibits federal officials from spending money to prosecute people who engage in conduct permitted by state medical marijuana laws. The DOJs Aug. 8 memo noted the Justice Department hasnt prosecuted any people for using medical marijuana in compliance with state law, noting that Florida has a strong and growing medical marijuana market. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman speaks during the Jeddah Security and Development Summit (GCC+3) at a hotel in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on July 16, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) Former Twitter Worker Found Guilty of Spying For Saudi Arabia A federal jury has convicted a former employee at Twitter for transmitting user information on behalf of Saudi Arabia and its royal family. Ahmad Abouammo, 44, worked for Twitter as a Media Partnerships Manager for the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region between November 2013 and May 2015. The evidence submitted during his trial showed that Abouammo took bribes from the Saudis to access, monitor, and convey private information of certain Twitter users to officials of the kingdom. When questioned about these activities, Abouammo falsified a document and lied to FBI officials. On Aug. 9, a federal jury convicted Abouammo of conspiracy, wire fraud, falsification of records in a federal investigation, international money laundering, and acting as a foreign agent without notifying the Attorney General. Abouammo acted in secret as an agent of a foreign government targeting dissenting voices, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the Justice Departments National Security Division, said in an Aug. 10 press release. This verdict shows that the Justice Department will not tolerate any act of transnational repression and will hold accountable those who aid hostile regimes in extending their reach to our shores. Abouammo began taking bribes from Saudi Arabia in December 2014. A foreign official met with him in London, offering a Hublot watch worth $42,000 during the encounter. Abouammo started accessing private information about Twitter accounts after this meeting. In February 2015, he traveled to Lebanon, opening a bank account in the name of his father who lived in the country. The account soon received $100,000 in deposit, which Abouammo laundered into the United States in small wire transfers with false descriptions. After leaving his job at Twitter in May last year, he received an additional $100,000 in the Lebanon account. The Epoch Times has reached out to Twitter for comment. Dissident Crackdown One of the Twitter accounts Abouammo accessed involved an influential critic of the Saudi kingdom and members of the royal family. He repeatedly communicated about this specific account with his contact in Saudi Arabia. In his position, Abouammo was obliged to protect the information of Twitter users. However, he violated these obligations by selling such info to a foreign government, U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds for the Northern District of California said in the press release. The charge of acting as an agent of a foreign government comes with a maximum prison term of 10 years. Other counts come with a prison term of 20 years each. In addition, Abouammo is facing fines of up to $250,000 per count. The sentencing hearing is yet to be scheduled. Abouammos conviction comes as federal prosecutors recently arrested a man for lying to FBI officials and using fake accounts to threaten and harass Saudi critics in North America. Most of the victims of the threats were women. Back in 2019, U.S. prosecutors had alleged that the kingdom recruited two Twitter employees who were tasked with spying on thousands of user accounts belonging to Saudi dissidents as well as American citizens. The Central Garden of the Getty Center is seen in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 29, 2022. (Sophie Li/The Epoch Times) Getty Museum to Return Illegally Excavated Items to Italy LOS ANGELESThe Getty Museum announced Aug. 11 that it will return several items to Italy after determining that they were illegally excavated. The items include Orpheus and the Sirens, a group of life-size terracotta figures. Four other itemsa colossal marble head of a divinity and a stone mold for casting pendants from the second century A.D., an oil painting titled Oracle at Delphi from 1881, and an Etruscan bronze thymiaterion (a type of incense burner for religious purpose) from the fourth century B.C.are also planned to be returned at a future date. Information provided by the Manhattan District Attorneys Office indicated that Orpheus and the Sirens was illegally excavated. The museums policy is to return objects to their country of origin or discovery when reliable information indicates they were stolen or illegally excavated, Getty officials said. We value our strong and fruitful relationship with the Italian Ministry of Culture and with our many archaeological, conservation, curatorial, and other scholarly colleagues throughout Italy, with whom we share a mission to advance the preservation of ancient cultural heritage, said Timothy Potts, director of the Getty Museum. The museum removed the Orpheus and the Sirens items from public view and will ship them to Rome in September. The Getty Museum conducted its own research into the four other items and determined they should also be returned. The museum is working with the Italian Ministry of Culture to arrange the returns. Oversight GOP Launches NARA Probe Over FBI Mar-a-Lago Raid Oversight GOP figures are requesting the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) provide information on the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) raid of former president Donald Trumps resort in Mar-a-Lago. NARAs singling out of President Trumps handling of official records stands starkly in contrast to the way NARA has treated far clearer violations committed by politicians and officials who are not Republicans, 20 Republicans, including numerous Committee ranking members, wrote in an Aug. 10 letter addressed to U.S. Acting Archivist Debra Wall, first published by Politico. To better understand the circumstances and NARAs role, if any, in the FBI raid, Oversight Republicans request an immediate briefing on this matter, the lawmakers wrote. The lawmakers move marks the first of the GOPs promised effort in investigating the FBIs Aug. 8 raid of Trumps Mar-a-Lago property for any underlying political motivation. It follows shortly after the GOP in unison cast doubt over the nature of the raidHouse Republicans first, and Senate ones followedwith House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) promising to leave no stone unturned in an investigation of the Department of Justice that he says has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. The Republican lawmakers who wrote the letter allege that political motivation underlies the actions of the FBI and the National Archives, as the agencies treatment of Trump was so contrary to that of other former government officialssuch as former president Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clintonwhom the Republicans say also had some Presidential Records Act violations. What Republicans Are Requesting The GOP members of Congress are requesting that the NARA provide a Member-level briefing on the following no later than Aug. 17: Any evidence of coordination between NARA and the FBI, or between NARA and the DOJ, on raiding the former presidents property Any documents NARA produced and submitted to a U.S. federal court Any documents that show NARAs process in collecting presidential records after a presidential transition In addition, the Republicans ask in their letter that NARA preserves records related to the warrant executed by the FBI at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort (which has, for now, yet to be unsealed), as well as any other NARA records related to Trumps papers following Trumps presidential term. The seeming weaponization of the federal government against President Bidens political rivals cannot go unchecked, and if NARA is working to further these efforts, it will be only the latest agency to lose its credibility in the eyes of the American people under the Biden Administration, the Republican lawmakers say in their letter. Trumps Presidential Records While the FBIs search warrant for the raid remains under seal, multiple sources close to Trump have stated that the raid was conducted, at least in name, to look for presidential records that someone is alleging Trump himself has decided to keep in Mar-a-Lago after leaving office. Trumps lawyer, Christina Bobb, told The Epoch Times on Tuesday that FBI agents were looking for what they deemed to be presidential records and seized documents from Trumps property. We had been very cooperative with them before. And its unclear to me why they went to such drastic measures to do this. But they did. And as far as the probable cause goes, they wouldnt give that to us, she added. Bobbs comments are consistent with what NARA said in statements earlier this year about how Trumps representatives have been cooperating in transferring presidential records, including handing over 15 boxes containing presidential records. On Tuesday, the magistrate judge who reportedly approved the search warrant ordered the Department of Justice to file a response to a motion asking for the DOJ to unseal the warrant no later than Aug. 15. YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. Astronomers and tourists gathered in the Zorats Karer historic-cultural reserve (Carahunge) overnight August 10-11 to celebrate Navasard and witness the birth of the Orion constellation known as the Hayk constellation in Armenian. The event organized by the Protection Service of Historic-Cultural Reserve-Museums and Historic Environment - featured discussions and screening of films, and most notably the opportunity to see a meteor shower. Foreign tourists were also among the visitors. Olga, a tourist from Russia, said she arrived in Armenia two weeks ago and decided to definitely visit the event after finding out that there will be a chance to witness the meteor shower. This isnt our first time in Armenia, we feel very relaxed here, there are many sights, the mountains are simply amazing, and participating in this event will make our trip even more memorable, she said. Merck's antiviral pill against COVID-19 is seen in an undated photograph. (Merck via AP) GPs Warn Against Pharmacists Push to Help Patients Access Antiviral COVID Treatments Over the Counter A push to allow access to COVID-19 treatments without a prescription could jeopardise patient safety, warns the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) warns. There are two oral antivirals available in Australia, and while early treatment is critical to lessen the effects of the virus, access is restricted. All Australians over 70 and people over 50 at risk of severe disease from COVID-19 are eligible to access the treatments, and patients need a prescription from a GP or a nurse practitioner. Australias pharmacy body is asking the federal government to consider allowing the medications to be supplied over the counter to allow people to have faster access to them upon infection. Pharmacy Guild president Trent Twomey told the ABC patients were frustrated with wait times for GP appointments which led to delays in being able to access the treatments. However, patient safety must always be prioritised, the RACGP has countered. While more action must be taken to ensure treatments are provided to those who need them quickly, over-the-counter dispensing is not the answer, RACGP president Karen Price said. Allowing pharmacists to prescribe and dispense antivirals will not improve access, and there are significant risks to patients, Price said. These drugs have what we call contraindications which is the term used to describe when a particular treatment should not be used, as well as interactions with other common medications. General practitioners know the health history of their patients and can assess the potential impacts of the antivirals while pharmacies cant, Price said. Pharmacies should keep their focus on the job at hand, which is availability of stock, rather than the provision of oral antivirals without a prescription, she said. There should be a website showing where stock is available, as they have previously done for rapid antigen test stocks. Price said the antiviral treatments could be the difference between a patient having mild effects from the virus or ending up in a hospital. However, we must proceed with caution because the last thing we want to do is potentially endanger patients, she said. Following antiviral treatment access being expanded in July, Health Minister Mark Butler said prescription rates almost tripled. Flowers are left for victims of the 4th of July mass shooting in downtown Highland Park, Ill., on July 5, 2022. (Max Herman/AFP via Getty Images) Highland Park Shooting Shows Why Gun Control Is Insane Commentary The Highland Park massacre near Chicago is the latest horrific chapter in a long and evil story. Some want you to believe its a story about why we need gun control. The truth is that its a story about letting the insane out of the asylumsand it suggests that gun control laws, including much-hyped red flag provisions, simply dont and will never work. Want evidence? In the past 50 years, the percentage of households in the United States owning at least one firearm has gone down. You heard right: Gun ownership dropped to 42 percent in 2021 from 43 percent in 1972. At the same time, the average number of deaths from mass shootings increased 600 percent, to 51 between 2010 to 2019 from eight per year in the 1970s. Obviously, guns arent the problem. So whats really going on? Heres the real story. From 1960 to 1964, there was not a single notable mass shooting in the United States. Then do-gooders decided on deinstitutionalizationthat is, to simply release virtually all of the mentally ill into American society. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) spearheaded the campaign, which ultimately led to a key ruling by the Supreme Court forbidding states from locking up anyone who is non-dangerous. Then, of course, the ACLU decided virtually every mentally ill person in the country was non-dangerous. Since the 1960s, more than 9 in 10 mental patients were sprung from asylums, whose capacity dropped from nearly 600,000 patients to less than a tenth of that amount. As we emptied out Americas insane asylums, mentally ill people began killing Americans en masse. The Secret Service has found that a quarter of mass murderers in 2017 had been hospitalized for psychiatric treatment or prescribed psychiatric medication before their attacks, a third were actually psychotic, and nearly two-thirds experienced mental health symptoms prior to their attack. A comprehensive study of mass killers for a century found a quarter of those studied were mentally illbut after deinstitutionalization, between 2000 and 2015, the proportion rose to 32 percent. Even the left-leaning Mother Jones found that among mass shooters, a majority were mentally illand many displayed signs of it before setting out to kill. Overall, a summary of mass murder studies reports that in the results we see the full effects of the closing of state mental hospitals and reduction of community psychiatric services. Note that while these reforms cut short ever-more Americans lives, they arguably short-changed ever-more mental patients lives as well. The closing of those state mental hospitals not only led to gravestones of murder victims, but also to mass homelessness that persists to this day. According to one peer-reviewed study, after the former all-time peak in hobos during the Great Depression, by the 1960s, homelessness had declined to the point that researchers predicted its virtual disappearance. Instead, as asylums emptied, homeless shelters filled. Not only homeless shelters, but prisons filled as well. In effect, deinstitutionalization achieved the transfer of those who should have been confined for their own safety and that of others to prisonafter having committed a crime, up to and including mass murder. Before the turn of the last century, severely mentally ill inmates constituted less than 1 in 100 of the American prison population, but that rate has increased 10-fold. In particular, 1 in 10 of all inmates imprisoned for any homicide now has severe mental illness. Which brings us to Highland Park. You decide: In Illinois, a state that already has a so-called red flag lawwhich didnt workwas there instead sufficient evidence that the alleged killer should have been confined for his safety and that of his fellow Americans? There is ample evidence that police were aware of problems in the household before the alleged shooters troubles began. Police were reportedly called to his home at least nine times between 2010 and 2014 in response to alleged domestic disputes, police records say, mostly between the suspects parents. There is even more evidence that the suspect was anything but non-dangerous, to himself or others. One of the alleged shooters friends says she reached out to his father on Facebook around 2015 after he said some concerning things about wanting to overdose. The alleged killer reportedly threatened suicide and allegedly tried to kill himself multiple times as early as 2016. In particular, in April 2019, the suspect attempted to commit suicide by machete and had a history of attempts to kill himself, according to another police report (pdf). Just five months later, in September 2019, the Highland Park Police Department determined the alleged shooter posed a clear and present danger after allegedly threatening to kill everyone in his family. Yet the police simply removed a 24-inch Samurai sword, a dagger, and 16 knives from his room, and even returned those to his father afterward. In the suspects online activity, he appeared obsessed with violent imagery, mass shootings, and high-profile murderers. His shocking music videos reportedly included an animation of a gunman being killed by police and another with him in an empty classroom dressed in tactical gear. He reportedly posted a beheading video on a message board he frequented that was devoted to death. Finally, 13 hours before the Highland Park mass shooting, the suspect brought up the 22-year-old Danish man who had shot and killed three people at a mall outside Copenhagen that day. Again, you tell me: In a home police were well aware had a history of domestic disturbances, there was an individual who police also knew had a long history of suicidal actions, and whom police also determined at one point posed a clear and present danger to himself and his familyso why, exactly, was he never committed? The answer is because virtually no one in America can be committed anymore. Police, generally speaking, dont even try. Its crazy to try to prevent mass shootings by taking away sane peoples guns. The problem is those who dismantled commitment for the mentally ill, as well as those who now refuse to consider rebuilding itand those crazy enough to believe the lefts lies about gun control. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A special unit of the Hong Kong police provides security in the city's Wanchai district, as Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrives in Hong Kong to attend celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China, on June 30, 2022. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images) Hong Kong Social Media Administrators Arrested Over Seditious Content Hong Kongs National security police arrested two administrators of a social media group on Aug. 9 for suspected acts of sedition. Shortly after the arrest, police said the two male administrators, aged 28 and 29, were suspected of publishing posts to disseminate seditious messages that promoted feelings of ill will and enmity between different classes of Hong Kongs population. Local media soon identified them as administrators of a Facebook page known as Civil Servants Secrets, which has repeatedly exposed problems within the Hong Kong government. Before the arrests, police said they had initiated investigations on seven menincluding the two administratorsaged between 28 and 43, and conducted searches at their residences and offices with a court warrant. Some communication devices were seized, the police department said. Of the remaining five, who are all ambulancemen hired by the Fire Services Department, two were eventually arrested for fraud. In the past, Civil Servants Secrets allowed people to anonymously reveal the inside stories of Hong Kong government departments and complain about injustice and dissatisfaction, prompting the relevant departments to make responses and improvements to address public concerns, including a recent controversy over the use of Chinese-made painkillers and antibiotics by the citys Health Authority. In April this year, then Secretary of the Civil Service, Mr. Nip Tak-kuen, in response to a question from a Legislative Council member, criticized civil servants that they should not have released information to the public, and said that the government would strengthen internal communication so that civil servants should know that if they release false information to the public or leak internal information to the public, the government will seriously follow up and pursue the matter. Hong Kongs China-Style COVID-19 Tracking App Found to Have Security Flaws: Auditor The Hong Kong governments COVID-19 contact-tracing app contains serious security risks that could jeopardize the privacy of users personal information, an independent audit revealed. The U.S. government-funded Open Technology Fund hired Poland-based cybersecurity firm 7ASecurity in July to conduct an audit of the Leave Home Safe mobile app, which found eight security vulnerabilities and four weaknesses in the software. Similar to mainland Chinas color-coded health app, Leave Home Safe tracks the users movements, and thereby determines peoples exposure to COVID-19 risks. The Hong Kong version uses red, amber, and blue codes, while the mainland adopts a red, yellow, green system, with blue and green respectively indicating the lowest risk. Only those with a blue or green code are allowed to use public transportation or enter public venues. Security Flaws Open Technology Fund on July 24 released a 55-page report (pdf) about the Hong Kong app, which pointed out that 12 security and privacy flaws were spotted, of which three were classified as critical or high-level vulnerabilities. One of the identified vulnerabilities was that the app failed to validate certificates correctly, which allows malicious attackers to intercept traffic between the app and its backend servers. For example, an attacker could intercept the login to the Hong Kong Health Code System and gain access to the Hong Kong Identity Card ID and password of the user, the report noted. 7ASecurity also found that the Android app stores COVID-19 vaccination and test status images in the mobile devices SD card, when the user attempts to import such QR Codes from safer locations, such as Google Drive. This finding is concerning because the Android SD Card is an inappropriate location for sensitive data. For example, an unskilled thief could extract the SD Card and plug it into a computer to read this data, without having to know the PIN or unlock pattern, the report said. Moreover, due to a logic flaw, a malicious attacker who has accessed an unlocked phone, could obtain the user COVID-19 vaccination and test status by simply tapping through screens, and bypassing PIN or fingerprint authentication requirements. Dissident Repression In mainland China, there have been a number of incidents in which citizens at odds with the authorities are punished by assigning them a red health code, so that they are unable to leave home. In central Chinas Henan Province, a group of bank customers complained that their savings at local rural banks had been frozen since April. As they travelled to the capital city of Henan to seek redress for their losses, the provincial authorities turned their health codes to red, so they were unable to continue traveling, and thus blocked from meeting with officials or staging demonstrations. In another incident, human rights lawyer Xie Yang booked a flight to Shanghai for Nov. 6, 2021, to visit the mother of Zhang Zhan, a citizen journalist who is currently in jail for reporting true incidents from Wuhan during the city-wide lockdown in early 2020. Local police tried to intercept him, but he somehow managed to get to the airport. However, while waiting to board the plane, his health code suddenly turned red and he was intercepted by the epidemic prevention officers. At the time, there were no confirmed cases in his home city of Changsha, so there was no justifiable reason for his health code to be red. I reiterate that I have never left Changsha during this period of time! All this is persecution, Xie wrote when disclosing what happened to him on Twitter. Beijings Big Data Ambitions Chinese state media have unabashedly admitted that behind the health code app is Chinas big data strategy. The rapid launch of the health code system should be attributed to the big data strategy Big data development has already become a national strategy, China News Weekly reported in January this year. The article revealed that on Dec. 29, 2021, Chinas National Development and Reform Commission and other departments issued a notice to start the deployment of big data center national hub nodes in eight key areas, such as, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong-Hong Kong, Chengdu-Chongqing, Guizhou, Gansu, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia. Our strategic competitors [the Chinese Communist Part]) see big data as a strategic asset, said U.S. National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan last summer. Former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger also wrote that big data is at the heart of the Chinese Communist Partys ambitions. Li Keshun, deputy director of East China Jiangsu Big Data Trading Center, told China News Weekly that health codes actually have four layers of personal data. The first is household registration information from the public security department; the second is health data reported by individuals, such as body temperature and current symptoms; the third is personal travel data, including location provided by the cell phone service carriers, as well as rail and air traffic travel data; and the fourth is medical history information provided by the health and disease control department. Former Trump administration officials Matt Pottinger and David Feith warned that Beijing is already winning the big data war. In a NY Times Opinion piece, Pottinger and Feith said that: For upward of a generation, Beijing has been coldly effective in designing a strategy of global data mercantilism: data hoarding for me, data relinquishing for thee. If Washington and its allies dont organize a strong response, Mr. Xi will succeed in commanding the heights of future global power. The TikTok logo is displayed outside a TikTok office in Culver City, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2020. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) House Administrators Warn Lawmakers to Not Use TikTok The House Chief Administration Officer has warned lawmakers against using TikTok, a popular video-sharing application owned by Chinese parent company ByteDance, citing security and privacy concerns. The warning came as growing numbers of congressmen are using the app to reach out to the younger constituents that are its frequent users. The cyber advisory issued on Aug. 9, said, The TikTok mobile application has been deemed by the CAO Office of CyberSecurity to be a high-risk to users due to its lack of transparency in how it protects customer data, its requirement of excessive permissions, and the potential security risks involved with its use. It warned that TikTok may collect biometric identifiers and biometric information as defined under U.S. laws, including faceprints and voiceprints, from videos uploaded to the users platform. The document pointed to the services policy that features automatic user data collections including device phone number, Wi-Fi network names, SIM card serial numbers, GPS status information, and subscription information among others. The office further listed several significant concerns about the platform identified by security researchers, including but not limited to checking device location every hour, continual requests to access the users contacts and external storage. The data can be potentially mined for commercial and private purposes and stored on servers located in China, the advisory noted. Given the threats that the platform could impose on its users, the office is advising against downloading and using this application. TikTok countered the advisory in an email to The Hill. The allegations in the House CAOs advisory about TikTok range from misleading to wrong. We have requested a meeting to discuss the multiple inaccuracies in the advisory, and we look forward to working with them so they can advise Members and staff on concrete steps they can take to keep their data secure and private when using any social platform to connect with constituents. Growing Concerns The listed concerns echo those that have been addressed by several lawmakers and security officers. A group of Republican lawmakers led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has requested TikTok appear before the Senate for a hearing over concerns that the China-based video-sharing app has access to U.S. data. The appeal followed the June BuzzFeed report based on leaked audio recordings from 80 TikTok internal meetings. According to the report, 14 statements made by 9 different TikTok employees indicated that engineers in China had access to U.S. data between September 2021 and January 2022, at the very least. Meanwhile, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), ranking member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), are probing the Chinese app over the same issue. Flocking to the Chinese App Despite repeated warnings, more Democratic lawmakers are turning to the Chinese app to reach younger voters as the midterm elections are just a few months ahead, The Hill reported. I use it because we try to communicate with constituents through every medium available. We do town halls, mailers, surveys, tele-town halls, Twitter spaces, Instagram, Facebook, door knocking, TikTok. If I thought people were going to look at smoke signals and decipher that, we would have a smoke signal program, Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) reportedly said. Auchincloss has by now over 1,600 users on the platform. Some videos featuring him talking about legislation have over 20,000 views. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, recently also urged his supporters to follow his TikTok account. In March, Thompson supported a bill (H.R.6837) to ban TikTok on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) devices, which the House Homeland Security Committee approved. The legislation was introduced a month earlier by Rep. Michael Guest (R-Miss.) with the goal of stopping the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from spying on Americans using TikTok. Frank Fang contributed to this report. Supporters await the arrival of Taiwan Vice President Lai Ching-te at the Hilton Universal Hotel, in Universal City, Calif., on Jan. 25, 2022. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) How California Can Help Taiwan Against China Commentary Great results can be achieved with small forces, said Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Although California is not a nation state, as Gov. Gavin Newsom likes to boast, it is the largest U.S. state and can do much to help Taiwan in its struggle against the Peoples Republic of (Communist) China. Foreign policy should be left to the U.S. State Department for such things as coordinating trade policy. But much else can be done. Here are some suggestions, for both government and business, that build on Californias strengths. 1. Improve the state business climate, especially for manufacturing. California should encourage bringing manufacturing back from China. The original Apple Macintoshes were made in the companys factory in Fremont. Now many of their devices are stamped with: Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China. It should read, Designed and Assembled by Apple in California. Also, manufacturing jobs usually pay a lot more than other jobs, especially for workers with only a high-school education, fortifying the middle class. To achieve this, California would have to cut taxes and start repealing many of the thousands of anti-business regulations on the books. 2. Allow complete school choice for education, as Arizona has done. According to a survey by World Population Review, California suffers the lowest literacy rate of any state. You cant compete with Beijing when your workforce cant read. The obstacle, as to all education reform, remains the teachers unions. But unless they are tamed, the economy of California, and the United States, will struggle to achieve at the highest levels. 3. Rigorously enforce Proposition 209, which banned using affirmative action by state and local agencies. In 2020, voters, by 57 percent to 43 percent, rejected Proposition 16, which would have repealed Prop. 209. Despite that, politicians and bureaucrats keep trying to get around the clear letter of the law. In March the Cal State system dropped using the SAT and ACT intelligence tests for admissions purposes. The University of California did the same thing last November. That means the quality of college students will drop, while the smartest students will be denied the opportunity of excelling. These actions supposedly are intended to get around the achievement gap of low scores for black and Hispanic students. But all it does is cover up the incompetence of the K-12 public school system in teaching blacks and Hispanics, delaying needed reforms. A couple of days ago I also wrote about the how Californias schools are failing the tech industry by teaching divisive ethnic studies programs and delaying the adoption of the California Math Framework. Along with strictly enforcing Prop. 209, such silliness needs to end. 4. Advance Mandarin language teaching in the schools. I brought this up in a previous article in The Epoch Times, pointing out, Combining English, Mandarin, and Spanish comes to 3.4 billion speakers, or nearly half the people on the planet. What a benefit knowing those languages would be in business or any field. Let me add this: Americas intelligence agencies always are short of linguists, especially now of Mandarin analysts. They were 40 years ago when I was a Russian linguist in the U.S. Army. With the Taiwan crisis heating up, it should be obvious more Mandarin speakers are needed by the National Security Agency, CIA, and the Commerce Department. California schools should take the lead in providing them. 5. Free speech on the internet. China has imposed a social credit score, which ranks citizens and punishes them with throttled internet speeds and flight bans if the Communist Party deems them untrustworthy, according to Business Insider. Unfortunately, a similar system is being imposed in America, with disfavored people, such as former President Trump, banned from social media, and some people even banned from the banking system. On July 28, Twitter censored all content from the Epoch Times. But two days later, after a public outcry, it stopped the censorship. The uncertainty is chilling to free speech. How can America stand as a bulwark of freedom if its imitating the worst features of the Chinese dictatorship? Free speech needs to be restored at all levels by all California companies. 6. Investigate corruption. California Attorney General Rob Bonta should investigate the suspicious activities surrounding Beijing and some politicians. One was a Chinese spy who was by Senator Dianne Feinsteins side for nearly 20 years, CBS News reported in 2018. Another was revealed by the Washington Post in 2020, An alleged Chinese spy cozied up to a Democratic member of Congress and other politicians for years. The most prominent we know of is Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) Axios dug up Facebook photos of the woman, Fang Fang or Christine Fang, posing with Swalwell and other area politicians, including former members of Congress, at various political functions she regularly attended. According to the Eisner Gorin law group, In California, espionage can also refer to any situation in which one entity obtains confidential information from another in an illicit manner. One law that governs some acts of corporate espionage is the Uniform Trade Secrets Act or similar legislation at Cal. Civil Code 3426-3426.11. If an individual receives a conviction for espionage, they can expect a sentence of many years in jail. 7. Advance nuclear power. Weirdly, nuclear power in California is not defined as a renewable, athough its safe and produces no greenhouse gases. And even Gov. Gavin Newsom has backed extending the closure date of the Diablo Canyon nuke plant. The Generation IV nuclear technology being developed is 100 percent safe because the reactors cannot melt down. California should get ready for it by declaring nuclear power a renewable, and promoting closed reactor locationssuch as San Onofre in Orange Countyas future locations for Gen IV reactors. In addition to bringing Californians cheap energy, advancing Gen IV nukes would have other advantages vis-a-vis China. First, it would make us less dependent on electricity from windmills. According to EV Wind, Seven of the top 10 wind turbine manufacturers are Chinese companies, with Goldwind of China in second place behind General Electric of the United States. Second, building Gen IV nuclear plants would advance that critical technology here at home against not only China, but other rivals such as Russia and France. The country of Chablis and brie actually should be our model. France gets 75 percent of its electric energy from nuclear plants. During the recent problems with Europe getting Russian oil and gas during the Ukraine War, France has come out best because it is close to independent in electricity production. In conclusion, taking the above actions would both benefit Californians and help our friends in Taiwan. As Sun Tzu also said, Opportunities multiply as they are seized. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Hotel Irvine is seen in Irvine, Calif., on Aug. 10, 2022. (Sophie Li/The Epoch Times) Hyatt Bought Hotel Irvine for $135 Million From Irvine Company IRVINE, Calif.After closing for two years, Hotel Irvine expects a reopening after the Irvine Company sold it to Hyatt Aug. 3 for $135 million. The 541-room Hotel Irvine, alongside Fashion Island Hotel, was closed in the spring of 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many hotels and tourism businesses were throttled by when travel came to a standstill. We plan to leverage our world-class commercial engine in one of the best markets in southern California to unlock additional value in the hotel, a Hyatt spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. Hyatt came to an agreement on long-term management of Hotel Irvine under the Hyatt Regency brand, while Irvine Company maintains the ownership of the land. The hotel will undergo a major renovation, but the hospitality giant has not released further details about its plan. We look forward to ushering in the hotels next chapter, with plans to operate this hotel under the Hyatt Regency brand after an extensive hotel-wide renovation, the spokesperson said. The hotels convenient locationsitting in the center of dense high-end office areas near John Wayne Airportcan boost Hyatts upcoming business plan. A Hyatt affiliate has acquired Hotel Irvine as part of Hyatts strategy to fuel our continued growth in key markets where our guests are traveling and help us care for guests in more ways and more places, according to the companys statement. Irvine Company took over managing Hotel Irvine from Hyatt in 2013, which was the last time the hotel was renovated. Prior to that, it was managed by Hilton through 1990. This aerial photo taken shows an empty road as the area is closed off and restricted due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in Sanya in southern China's Hainan Province on Aug. 7, 2022. (CNS/AFP via Getty Images) Is Time on Chinas Side? Commentary The issue of time is critical for the evolving international system, in which regional and global powers jostle for advantage and the ability to determine the future global order. Nowhere is this more true than in contemporary U.S.-China relations, through which Washington tries to dampen Beijings attempts to overturn the existing Pax Americana. If time is on Chinas side in its drive for global hegemony, then the United States, and all who support the current systems rule of law, have an incentive to militarily and economically contain or even preempt Chinas rise. On the other hand, if time is not on Chinas side, then those who oppose Beijings totalitarian vision of world politics may have the benefit of a slower and more deliberate approach to what would then be the containment of Beijings floundering attempts against America and our allies superior strategic position. I recently had the luck to consider this topic more deeply in discussion with Mr. David Stilwell over dim sum brunch. David Stilwell, U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, answers reporters questions after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Cho Sei-young at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, on Nov. 6, 2019. (Heo Ran/Reuters) Stilwells leadership experience in Asia extends back to at least 2008 when he commanded an F-16 fighter wing in northern Japan. He was then our defense attache in Beijing and held senior positions on Asia in the Joint Chiefs and at USINDOPACOM. Former President Donald Trump appointed Stilwell to assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, which he held from 2019 to 2021. Stilwell started by illustrating his point on time with the all-important case of Taiwan. The longer Taiwan remains effectively independent of the PRC [Peoples Republic of China], the harder it will become to incorporate into the Orwellian CCP [Chinese Communist Party] system, he said. While the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has consistently taken a tough stand against Beijing, her opposition in the Kuomintang (KMT) party attempted to increase engagement with the mainland for years. After 2018, however, the KMTs fortunes crashed, according to Stilwell. Kuomintang partys presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu admits defeat in the presidential election in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on Jan. 11, 2020. (Reuters/Ann Wang) That loss of soft power was a major blow to Beijings global ambitions. The CCPs decreased popularity in Taiwan was partly explained by its clumsy treatment of Hong Kong, a very foolish move on the part of Beijing, according to Stilwell. Beijing broke the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984, meant to protect the citys political autonomy until 2047. After that rupture, no sane [Taiwan] politician would ever suggest cooperating with the Mainland again, Stilwell wrote in an email after the brunch meeting. As were seeing with Beijings empty threats on the Pelosi trip, theyre reluctant to pull the trigger given how bad things are going domestically. Stilwell points out that if the Peoples Liberation Army attempted an invasion of Taiwan, it would be tough going if U.S. experiences in Somalia and Iraq are any indication. In 2003 we all but eliminated all of Iraqs offensive and defensive capabilities, but after 15 years we were unable to pacify the population (to use CCP terms). China-Russia Alliance But does Taiwan really matter that much, given Xi Jinpings improved relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia? The two recently upgraded in February to a no limits partnership. Russia is a powerful ally as it has the worlds biggest stock of nuclear weapons, more land than any other country, the sixth-largest oil reserves, and a commanding position in Eurasias natural gas extraction and pipeline network. Increased Russian export reliance on Beijing, due to Western sanctions, arguably draws the two countries closer than ever and gives Beijing leadership of this new axis of evil. Russias President Vladimir Putin (C) reviews a military honor guard with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 8, 2018. (Greg Baker/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) But Stilwell characterized the Beijing-Moscow entente as an inch deep and narrowly issue-based. One risk to the alliance is Beijings multi-directional avarice for more territory, including that to its northeast. Stilwell wrote that Chinas netizens are eager to recover territory lost to Russia in the 1860 Treaty of Peking, in which the weak Qing dynasty ceded a huge chunk of NE China to the Russians, to include the port of Vladivostok. This deprived China of access to the Sea of Japan. Russia has long been aware of its relatively unpopulated and undefended eastern flank. This should be all the more apparent to Moscow after having moved so much military strength west to fight in Ukraine. While Russia is clearly allied with China, it knows that in the long run, Beijing will be a competitor for its territory and global influence. Thus, the alliance is transactional compared to the stronger value-based bonds of democratic alliances. Chinas Economy Most analysts take Chinas self-reported economic figures at face value. These show Chinas GDP growth far outstrippingin every year but three since 1963that of the United States. In some years, the difference in growth rates, reported in World Bank data, exceeded 10 percent. Chinas GDP (when considering purchasing power) of $18.71 trillion in 2016 exceeded that of the United States and has done so every year since. However, Stilwell noted that Beijing exaggerates its economic power, pointing to the Chinese communists recent economic challenges. As the external and domestic pressures from COVID build, the incentive to create positive numbers grows, he wrote, citing the shutdown of entire cities over a handful of infections and the incredibly tone deaf response to legitimate concern of the people. Stilwell said that Beijing cannot dodge the negative impact of its bad economic policy on outputs. This year, the growth numbers the CCP produces look even better because theyre carefully curated and compared to last years when they were negative. Chinas Science and Technology Stilwell has an optimistic view of a newfound drive in the United States to restrict Chinas access to science and technology innovation. This, he argues, is impeding Chinas technological advancement. He agrees that China is catching up with the United States but notes that the rate of advance is slowing as their legitimate (and otherwise) access to our R&D [research and development] outcomes slows. More stringent screening of Chinese investment by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), for example, has increased downward pressure on Chinas ability to procure platforms in the United States for technological design, innovation, and theft. Stilwell volunteered that China could innovate on its own. But, he wrote in an email, authoritarianism is the antidote to innovation and creative thinking. Now that our Universities have been forced to stop giving away our crown jewels (trading national security for selfish economic benefit) Beijing is in a tough spot. Chinas Military Nevertheless, the continued speed of Chinas naval building, anti-ship missile development, artificial intelligence (AI) research, nuclear weapon and missile production, and supercomputingall of which strengthen Chinas militaryis alarming many analysts. General view of the launching ceremony of Chinas third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, named after Fujian Province, at Jiangnan Shipyard, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), in Shanghai, China, on June 17, 2022. (Li Tang/VCG via Getty Images) Stilwell points out that Chinas ability to take a good idea (from whatever source) and turn it into military hardware is much greater than ours. However, he believes that the U.S. system has preferable economic and managerial processes that advantage U.S. military development in the long term. Stilwell asks us to recall why our system has developed the way it hasour POM [production and operations management] and acquisition processes are as cumbersome as they are because 1) there are strong oversight and anti-corruption measures built in, and 2) funding is considered for the next 5-10 years, which keeps us from starting a project like the F-22 and then having to abandon it due to lack of funds. Stilwell argues that American industry wont invest large sums into a major weapons system, using unproven (but necessary) new technology without some guarantee of long-term funding. China does, however, absorb advantage from our superior military procurement processes. By copying what weve already done, Beijing avoids all that risk of investing in the wrong technology, Stilwell notes. The Bottom Line If time is on Chinas side, America needs to act quickly, which will entail greater risk. Every day we wait to effectively contain China, the regime in Beijing grows stronger. If time is on Americas side, as Stilwell argues so convincingly, we can be more deliberate in our strategy. Lets hope he is correct. More thought must be devoted to his arguments and the question more generally. The future of America, and democracy globally, will depend on the correct answer. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Undated photo of the Isle of Skye in Scotland, issued on May 29, 2020 (Kuoni, via PA) Isle of Skye Shocked to Its Core as Gunman Kills Man and Injures Three The leader of the Scottish National Party at Westminster says his constituency has been shocked to the core after a gunman went on a rampage on Wednesday, shooting one man dead and leaving three others seriously injured. Ian Blackford, SNP member of parliament for Ross, Skye, and Lochaber, said, Its a terrible, terrible day that these things have come to Skye and Lochalsh. Just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday a 32-year-old woman was shot in the village of Tarskavaig. Half an hour later a 47-year-old man was shot dead at a house in another tiny community, Teangue, eight miles from Tarskavaig. He has been named locally as John MacKinnon, a father of four. The gunman then crossed the bridge connecting Skye to the Scottish mainland and attacked two people in the village of Dornie. A man with serious injuries was taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and a woman with less serious injuries was taken to Broadford Hospital on Skye. The woman who was shot in Tarskavaig was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. A 39-year-old man has been arrested by Police Scotland in connection with the attacks and is in custody, where he is being questioned. The Isle of Skye is an area of the Scottish Highlands which is popular with tourists because of its spectacular scenery, but all of those who were injured are believed to be local residents. This Will Shatter Us to the Core Scotlands Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, who also represents Skye in the Scottish Parliament, said: West Highland communities are close-knit. We are warm and welcoming, and this will shatter us to the core. It feels like our very heart has been ripped apart. Highland Council has sent trained liaison staff to support the families of the victims and the councils convener, Bill Lobban, said: We will be providing support to the communities and our partners in every way possible. It is unclear yet what type of gun was used or whether the perpetrator was legally entitled to own it. Handguns were banned in the UK after the Dunblane massacre in 1996when Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 children and their teacher at a primary school in the small Scottish townbut in many rural parts of Scotland sheep farmers and others are allowed to own shotguns in order to control agricultural pests. Blackford told the BBC there was a need to assess gun regulations when all the details of the attack became clear and he said: Given what we have seen over the course of the last 24 hours, it is right and proper that we continue to look at the regulations that we have in place for the very simple reason that all of us have got a responsibility to keep people safe. PA Media contributed to this report. A teacher teaches a history lesson in Spanish in a Dual Language Academy class at Franklin High School in Los Angeles, on May 25, 2017. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images) LA Unified Accused of Unfair Labor Practice by Teachers Union for Extra Instruction Days A union representing teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) filed an unfair practice charge on Aug. 8 against the district for adding four optional days to the 20222023 school year. The districts school board approved in April the extension to help students who are still catching up on learning while emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. The four additional days, estimated to cost $122 million, will take place on four WednesdaysOct. 19, Dec. 7, March 15, 2023, and April 19, 2023according to the district. The United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) said in a statement that the LAUSD violated the Educational Employment Relations Act because the district announced the extra days without notifying the union or providing an opportunity for its members to negotiate when making significant changes to employee calendars. The district has overstepped legal boundaries by failing to include the tens of thousands of teachers, nurses, counselors, and support staff in determining the best way for the LAUSD community to manage post-COVID recovery, the statement read. Students and parents arrive masked for the first day of the school year at Grant Elementary School in Los Angeles on Aug. 16, 2021. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images) UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz called for the district to withdraw the extra days and negotiate with the union with good faith in an Aug. 10 statement. Educators are the ones in the classroom day to day, not Superintendent Carvalho, yet they are being left out of conversations on how to most effectively invest in student learning, Myart-Cruz stated. UTLA stated that the $122 million could be better spent on hiring new school counselors, social workers, and psychologists and investing in student learning programs and teacher development. According to an LAUSD statement emailed to The Epoch Times, the optional days are only for students who need more instruction, and teachers who choose to participate will receive additional pay. The district has met with the union to discuss work and academic calendars and will keep the conversation going, officials said. Adding optional instruction days was the best use of the districts additional state and federal funding this year, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said during an April 26 board meeting. He said because the funding is not permanent it cannot be used to hire additional staff as the union suggested. UTLAs complaint will be reviewed by a California Public Employment Relations Board agent to determine whether the district violated a statute. If theres a violation, the board will help the two sides reach an agreementor a settlementthrough an informal meeting. More than 34,000 LAUSD teachers are members of the union, which was founded in 1970. Last year, the union negotiated with the district to extend COVID-19 measures at schools such as continued testing and masking, as well as receiving a five percent pay raise and other benefits for its members. YEREVAN, 11 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 11 August, USD exchange rate up by 0.31 drams to 406.09 drams. EUR exchange rate up by 4.30 drams to 419.78 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.01 drams to 6.70 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 4.92 drams to 495.67 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price up by 15.28 drams to 23436.34 drams. Silver price down by 1.95 drams to 266.80 drams. Platinum price stood at 16414.1 drams. London Gender Clinic Facing Lawsuit by up to 1,000 Families, Says Lawyer The Tavistock Centre, which runs Britains only publicly-funded gender identity development service, is to be sued by up to 1,000 people in a mass class action lawsuit, according to the lawyer behind the case. Tom Goodhead, CEO of Pogust Goodhead, an international law firm hired by the families of former patients, could not put precise figures on the number of people expected to sue, but said he expected the suit to be very large. These children have suffered life-changing and, in some cases, irreversible effects of the treatment they received We anticipate that at least 1,000 clients will join this action, Goodhead told The Times of London on Thursday. Weve decades and decades of experience in the size of the size of these [class action lawsuit] groups that sign up, Goodhead told Times Radio. Its difficult because this has been a topic which has been very much a taboo in the public sphere until quite recently and there is a very poor quality of data, he added. The percent of those who have undergone these treatment pathways who subsequently detransitioned or who regret it, or long-term evidence in respect of the effect of puberty blockers and then people who almost inevitably continue on to sex hormone treatment, is still unknown, he said. But even judging from my inbox and the reaction this morning to this, I think this is going to be one of the largest medical negligence scandals of all time, Goodhead said. Tavistock Facing Closure The Tavistock Centre is already facing closure after it was heavily criticised in an official report. Now the youngsters and their families who are taking the clinic to court claim they were misled by the clinic into decisions which have permanently damaged the health and psychological well-being of themselves or their loved ones. Tavistock, which runs Englands only publicly-funded gender identity development service, is set to close next spring after an independent review, commissioned by the National Health Service, the UKs health care provider, and chaired by Dr Hillary Cass, in February 2022, found grave issues around the safety and well-being of children. The Cass report made clear that staff at Tavistock were affirming troubled teenagers into believing that they had gender dysphoria without using proper diagnostic tools. Primary and secondary care staff have told us that they feel under pressure to adopt an unquestioning affirmative approach and that this is at odds with the standard process of clinical assessment and diagnosis that they have been trained to undertake in all other clinical encounters, Cass said. In recent years, the UK has seen an explosion in the number of children claiming to have gender dysphoria. In 20212022 there were over 5,000 referrals to the clinic, which compares to fewer than 250 referrals in 201112. Kiera Bell An important case is Kiera Bell, who was given puberty blockers as a teenager after only three hours of consultation. Bell won a judgement that children under the age of 16 considering gender reassignment were unlikely to be considered mature enough to give informed consent to be prescribed puberty-blocking drugs. However, the Court of Appeal overturned the judgement and the Supreme Court denied her permission to appeal. Civil rights campaigners welcomed the lawsuit. Jo Bartosch, feminist and gender rights campaigner, wrote on Twitter, Given the gravity of whats been done to children it seems wrong to celebrate, so suffice it to say this is welcome news. Genspect, an international alliance of professional groups, parent groups, detransitioners, and others who seek a rational approach to gender suggested that Britain was leading the way on sex and gender issues. Absolute game-changer happening in the UK, Genspect wrote on Twitter. Finally the world will wake up to the terrible treatment that vulnerable kids have been subjected to. The Epoch Times has reached out to the Tavistock Centre for comment. Owen Evans contributed to this report. Police direct traffic in Downtown Toronto after a power outage affected traffic lights, on August 11, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov) Major Power Outage in Torontos Financial District Impacting Businesses, Traffic Torontos downtown core is experiencing a major power outage, impacting the financial district as well as businesses and the Toronto Metropolitan Universitys campus. Many businesses had to shut down on Aug. 11 due to the power outage, which impacted security as well as payment systems. Many shops put up closed signs due to the outage, and traffic slowed to a crawl with traffic lights out of service. Some of the major companies and organizations, including Torontos main stock exchange, were able to continue operations, thanks to backup power. Hydro One says the outage is related to the transmission system and that it is still investigating the issue. It also said the outage has impacted around 10,000 customers. The company first issued a statement on social media at around 12:50 p.m., saying that the outage is impacting Toronto Hydro and its customers in the downtown core. Were investigating reports that a barge carrying a crane came into contact with high-voltage transmission lines in the Port Lands area. We continue to try and reroute power to bring @TorontoHydro customers back as safely and quickly as possible, said the company in an update at around 2 p.m. We know this has made today exceptionally difficult for many of you, and we appreciate your patience. We will continue to share more information as it becomes available, the utility company said in another update. UPDATE: Heres a look at the transmission circuit thats been affected. We know this has made today exceptionally difficult for many of you, and we appreciate your patience. We will continue to share more information as it becomes available. #DarkTO pic.twitter.com/Bw8uqXK06K Hydro One (@HydroOne) August 11, 2022 With traffic lights impacted, the Toronto Police Operation Centre issued a statement urging residents to treat intersections as a 4-way stop at places where traffic signal lights are out. Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) also issued a statement, saying power is gradually being restored. Power is slowly being restored in many buildings on the TMU campus. TMU Community Safety and Security and Facilities Management and Development are monitoring the situation and will provide further direction based on guidance from Toronto Hydro, the university said. The university has asked all occupants of the campus, except those in the Pitman Hall and RCC buildings, to evacuate, saying that it is required because an infrastructure danger/disruption of this nature may compromise the buildings life-safety systems (i.e. fire-detection and sprinkler systems). It noted that an all-clear notification will be issued once the matter is resolved. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. A health care worker administers a vaccine dose to a student at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the University of Toronto campus in Mississauga, Ont., on May 6, 2021. (The Canadian Press Press/Tijana Martin) Michael Zwaagstra: By Keeping Draconian Pandemic Rules in Place, Universities Are Signalling Their Out-of-Touch Elitism Commentary Proof of vaccination is required for students who want to live in residence at the University of Toronto. No, this wasnt cut-and-paste from a 2021 articleits an actual requirement for the fall of 2022. Anyone who plans to live in residence at the University of Toronto must show proof of vaccination. Not only that, but students also need to show proof of three vaccine doses. Apparently, being double-vaxxed no longer meets the universitys exacting standards. Perhaps the university should change its slogan to Only the triple-vaxxed need apply. This comes at a time when public health officials across the country have dropped proof of vaccination requirements. Thats because its widely recognized that while the COVID-19 vaccines still protect people against hospitalization and death, they do little to prevent transmission. In other words, people can become infected with and transmit COVID-19, regardless of whether they are vaccinated. Even health-care facilities in Ontario no longer require proof of vaccination. Its more than a little ironic that nurses working in personal care homes dont need to get vaccinated but nursing students living on-campus at the University of Toronto do. University officials must think that students are more at risk from COVID-19 than senior citizens. Of course, we know this is patently absurd. The vast majority of university students living in dorms are under the age of 30. Few people in this demographic group are likely to experience severe outcomes from COVID-19. Sadly, the University of Toronto is far from the only post-secondary institution with antiquated pandemic rules. As a case in point, the University of Manitoba recently announced that all students and staff will be required to wear masks on campus this fall. Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Halifaxs Mount Saint Vincent University, and St. Francis-Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, soon followed suit with mask mandates of their own. This is ridiculous. Provinces long ago dropped their mask mandates. What this means is that university students can attend huge sporting events, hang out in bars, and participate in worship services without wearing masks, but will still need to put one on while on campus. In other words, university mask mandates are a prime example of pandemic theatre. University officials are fooling themselves if they think that students are dutifully wearing masks while out in public. They are even more delusional if they think that university mask mandates will prevent the spread of COVID-19. What these mandates will do is decimate the bottom line of businesses such as bars and restaurants that are unfortunate enough to be located on campus. Why would students hang out at an on-campus bar where masks are required when they can simply go to one of the mask-free bars off-campus? As for the argument that a mask mandate might help these businesses cater to students with concerns about COVID-19, these businesses are free to impose their own mask mandates if they think it makes sense. In all these cases, universities are proving themselves to be out of touch with the communities they serve. By imposing draconian vaccination requirements and sticking with unnecessary mask mandates, universities are sending the signal that they are bastions of elitism. Instead of being open and welcoming, universities are excluding everyone who doesnt share their irrational fear of COVID-19. In the end, these mandates will only undermine support for vaccines and masks. After all, if vaccines are effective at protecting people from COVID-19, vaccinated people should not be concerned about coming into contact with people who are unvaccinated. An on-campus vaccination requirement sends the message that vaccinated people have little confidence that their vaccine actually protects them. Similarly, mandating masks for everyone sends the message that masks only work if everyone wears one. If people are genuinely concerned about contracting COVID-19, they are welcome to wear a properly fitted N95 mask. But they are kidding themselves if they think that forcing others who do not want to wear masks to wear them will do anything other than breed resentment. Universities are supposed to be places of learning, debate, and scholarship. Imposing outdated pandemic rules on students doesnt promote those academic values. University students should be free to make their own decisions about vaccines and masks, just like they do everywhere else. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Former President Donald Trump walks to a vehicle outside of Trump Tower in New York on Aug. 10, 2022. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) New Poll Shows How FBI Raid on Trump Has Motivated Voters for 2022 Midterms More than 70 percent of Americans say the FBI raid on former President Donald Trumps residence in Florida increases their motivation to vote during the November midterms, according to a new poll. Some 83.3 percent of Republicans said the raid increases their motivation to vote in 2022, while 10.8 percent said it doesnt, according to a poll released by the Convention of States Action and The Trafalgar Group (pdf). Six percent say they are not sure. Among Democrats, 55.2 percent said the raid increases their motivation to vote in the fall, while 34 percent said that it doesnt. About 11 percent said they were not sure. The poll also discovered that 71.7 percent of independents say the incident increases their motivation to vote in 2022 as compared to 20.8 percent who say it doesnt. Over 7 percent said they were not sure. It also found that 47.9 percent of Americans polled said that Trumps political enemies were behind the FBI raid. About 39 percent said the impartial justice system was behind it, according to the survey, while 12 percent were not certain. Independent and Republican voters are united in their outrage about this unprecedented and tragic event in American history, Mark Meckler, president of Convention of States Actiona conservative groupsaid in a statement. Its clear to voters that the FBI raid is designed to punish the primary political enemy of the regime in power. He added that the raid has created a voting surge that is so significant, the polling doesnt even begin to reflect what is coming from grassroots voters in November. Trumps family on Tuesday said that they have broken fundraising records following the FBI raid. While details regarding how much was raised werent disclosed, Trumps team has sent out numerous emails and text messages with links to donation sites. The former president also released a campaign-style video that may serve as a preview of his 2024 campaign, which he has not definitively confirmed or announced yet. At the same time, observers say the raid will force some anti-Trump Republicans to coalesce around the former commander-in-chief. Several top Republicans who have sparred with Trump issued statements calling for more oversight of the Department of Justice and the FBI, accusing the two agencies of being politically motivated. The FBI and Justice Department have not publicly commented on the search. But FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday decried what he called threats to law enforcement after the raid was announced. Im always concerned about threats to law enforcement, Wray said at a news conference Wednesday about social media posts. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with. A New York State trooper stands in the Bronx, New York, on March 28, 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images) New York State Fair Ditches Recent Off-Duty Officer Carry Ban The agency responsible for managing the New York State Fair has made a quick U-turn to allow off-duty law enforcement members to continue to carry firearms at the upcoming state fair, according to a department spokesperson. The fairs long-standing rules of conduct state that firearms are prohibited on the Fairgrounds, with exceptions for members of law enforcement and participation in the gun show, said an Aug. 10 email from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSDAM). We have engaged with law enforcement to inform them of provisions we have in place to allow off-duty officers to carry their personal or service firearms while visiting the fair. However, just the day before, the New York State Police told the law enforcement community in an email that NYSDAM decided not to allow off-duty officers to carry firearms at the fair. This is not a State Police policy. However, we will be getting called to the gates wherever a firearm is detected, according to the email obtained by The Epoch Times. The ban was a break from tradition as off-duty officers historically had been allowed to carry guns there, according to Peter Kehoe, executive director of the New York Sheriffs Association. An officer doesnt suddenly become a menace just because he is not on the police payroll at that particular moment. The downside of the policy, of course, is that the fair-going public doesnt get the protection of trained, armed police officers who can instantly, effectively respond to any emergency, Kehoe told The Epoch Times. He said pushbacks from the law enforcement community likely caused the agency to ditch the ban. Mount Hope Police Department chief Paul Rickard told The Epoch Times, It was a poor policy, and whoever was advising them was giving them bad advice. If there is an active shooter and you have armed off-duty officers, they can immediately act. The ban just made the public less safe. I personally would not go to the fair based on that alone, Rickard added. NYSDAM had enacted the new ban without revising the state fairs rules of conduct, which allows for officer carry in general without differentiating between on-duty and off-duty officers, based on a review of the rules over the past few years. The rules ban private citizens from carrying weapons of any kind on the fairgrounds, including firearms, knives, sand bags, razors, and imitation pistols. An agency spokesperson told The Epoch Times that its a top priority to keep fairgoers, vendors, and all fair staff safe. It has put up the most enhanced security system this year, including a new high-tech weapon detection system, according to the spokesperson. Under the newly passed New York concealed carry law, private citizens with lawful carry licenses are banned from carrying firearms in sensitive areas, including government property, places of worship, educational institutions, mass transit hubs, and public spaces being used for special events. However, the law says the above restrictions do not apply to active and retired police officers, security guards, and active-duty military personnel. The Great New York state fair typically attracts more than 1 million visitors every year and is set to run from Aug. 24 to Sept. 5 in Syracuse. With a history going back to 1841, it is one of the oldest state fairs in the nation. A polar bear roaming around an Arctic outpost in northern Russia has been rescued after getting its tongue caught in a can of condensed milk. Residents of the remote settlement of Dikson sounded the alarm when the stricken 2-year-old female was seen wandering up to huts in the village on July 20. A team from Moscow Zoo flew out to tranquilize the animal with a dart, remove the sharp metal from its mouth, and treat the cuts to its tongue. A female polar bear whose tongue was stuck in a tin can near the Arctic settlement of Dikson on the Taymyr Peninsula, Russia, on July 21, 2022. (Courtesy of Nornickel via Reuters) Chief veterinarian of the Moscow Zoo Mikhail Alshinetsky tends to a sedated female polar bear whose tongue was stuck in a tin can, in the Arctic settlement of Dikson on the Taymyr Peninsula, Russia, on July 21, 2022. (Courtesy of Nornickel via Reuters) Specialists remove a tin can from the tongue of a sedated female polar bear in the Arctic settlement of Dikson on the Taymyr Peninsula, Russia, on July 21, 2022. (Courtesy of Nornickel via Reuters) Chief veterinarian of the Moscow Zoo Mikhail Alshinetsky treats a sedated female polar bear whose tongue was stuck in a tin can in Russia, on July 21, 2022. (Courtesy of Nornickel via Reuters) The next important stage is her recovery from the anesthesia. But our specialists will be nearby, watching the process, said Svetlana Akulova, director general of Moscow Zoo. We hope that everything will be fine. We left some fish near the bear because she had been without food and water for quite a long time, she said in remarks distributed by the zoo. Mikhail Alshinetsky, a vet from the zoo, said the bear was thin and a little dehydrated, but its injuries were expected to heal. This week, a team of Canadian and U.S. experts warned that hungry polar bears have been appearing more frequently at human waste dumps in search of food. The scientists said human trash poses an emerging threat to vulnerable polar bear populations as the animals become more reliant on landfills near northern communities in places such as Russia, Canada, and Alaska. (Courtesy of Nornickel via Reuters) Epoch Times staff contributed to this report. 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 Chaplins last American film, a love letter to his art and his audience UR | 2h 17min | Drama, Comedy | 1952 In City Lights (1931), Charlie Chaplins Tramp dotes on a blind flower girl. Circumstances separate them just as he secures money for an operation that restores her sight. Finally, theyre happily reunited as she recognizes her benefactor who, until then, was invisible to her. Two decades later, Chaplin improvises on this theme in his classic Limelight (1952). Here, an over-the-hill stage-comic Calvero (Chaplin), opens the eyes of a suicidal stage-dancer, Terry (a radiant Claire Bloom), and she rediscovers her rhythm on stage and in life. Limelight was a serious and autobiographical film for Chaplin. His character, Calvero, is an exmusic hall star (described in this image as a Tramp Comedian) forced to deal with his loss of popularity. (United Artists) Chaplin rescues his heroine from a different sort of blindnessself-deceit and a blindness of soul. When he realizes that its fatalism (not rheumatic fever) that paralyzes her, he inspires her to walk and then dance again. Chaplins Lifelong Love Affair At the level of plot and storyline its tempting to see Chaplins heroine superficially, as an expression of his allegedly narcissistic romanticism: to desire and be desired by pretty young things, on and off screen. But to Chaplin, she is an artistic expression of his lifelong love affair with his art and his audience. Chaplin couldnt help himself. He was so in love with the sounds, smells, sights, and sensations of showbiz that it was always going to mean life to him, and nothing less would satisfy. Chaplins film overflows with such pathos that audiences, used to his farcical films, would take years to embrace whats arguably his most profound testament. Poster for the original, limited American theatrical release of Charlie Chaplins 1952 film Limelight. United Artists. (Public Domain) In one scene, Calvero dreams hes performing his funniest acts before a roaring crowd, only to find that the applause is only in his ears; the seats are bare, the theater quite empty. The camera tears itself from his startled stare on stage to his forlorn face in bed. Claire Bloom and Charlie Chaplin in Limelight. (United Artists) In another scene, devastated by an audience walking out, hes sitting in his dressing room, wiping make-up off, gazing into a mirror in horror at his desolation. As you watch that close-up of Chaplins enviably expressive eyes, you share his horror. Like Calvero, Chaplins fame was ebbing and, like Calvero, he fancied an imminent resurrection. He seems in a hurry to say and do everything, at once. Happily for us, every line brims with his wit and insight. Charlie Chaplin and Claire Bloom in Limelight. United Artists. (Public Domain) When Terry wonders why he keeps returning to the stage when hed once told her that he loathed the theater, Calvero agrees that he does hate the theater, but he also hates the sight of blood and cant help returning to the theater for its in his veins. Chaplin seems to ask: Does an artists self-worth come from within, from confidence in his or her skill, or from without, say, from the way fans and critics receive his performances? And he seems to answer that art is unique, by its very nature demanding a submission, a vulnerability that few other professions do. For, unlike the doctor or engineer or scientist (whose formula or machine or law either works or doesnt, everywhere, every time, with almost everyone), the comic approaches his art with trepidation. He must stand expectantly each night before a new audience, to determine if his joke still tickles or falls flat. Chaplin, who produced, directed, acted, and wrote novellas, screenplays, and music scores, must have felt the anxiety of the performer acutely. Ordinarily, such investment of the soul in art leaves little time or energy for anything or anyone else. Chaplin gently resisted that one-dimensional approach in his films, arguing that artists and audiences both matter, as servants and saviors of art. Chaplins Humanity Limelight tells us that our ability to live full lives hinges on our habits of thinking. The doctor treating Terry tells her that her paralysis is a self-imposed deceit; only she can help herself get back to health and fulfilment on the dance stage. Yet, were not always able to help ourselves. We need each other. In fact, helping and being helped shows our humanity. Calvero leaps out of his drunken stupor to save Terry; he wills himself sober so that he can nurture her back to health, and himself back to life. In turn, she prods him from the despair of rejection to the hope of acceptance. For decades, Chaplins character, the Tramp, helped others to rise above the dehumanizing forces of nationalism, fascism, elitism, poverty, war, and destitution. Now, as Calvero, he helps on a more personal level. When Terry is wallowing in self-pity, Calvero goads her to fight, not against herself, but for happiness because the fight for happiness is beautiful. Charlie Chaplin and Claire Bloom in Limelight. (United Artists) Passing on the Torch Limelight made Claire Bloom famous in Hollywood, until then a 19-year-old known only in Londons narrow theater circles. In interviews, she has described what a privilege it was to be chosen by him, out of relative obscurity, I was nobody to be Chaplins leading lady. True to form, Chaplin sees in Bloom a beauty and grace that others were blind to. And his caring attention transformed her life as an actress. Fittingly, her first memoir was titled Limelight and After: The Education of an Actress. Sensing that it might be his final American film, Chaplin poured every part of himself into Limelight. He composed its haunting soundtrack. He cast as many as six of his family. He conjured a pivotal scene with the legendary Buster Keaton. Like Chaplin himself, Keaton moved reluctantly out of the old era of Hollywood, and not quite excitedly into the new. Their collective anguish literally bleeds off the screen, as the two greats share scenes in that memorable 20-min final act. Buster Keaton (L) and Charlie Chaplin in Limelight. (United Artists) Limelight Director: Charlie Chaplin Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Claire Bloom Not Rated Running Time: 2 hours, 17 minutes Release Date: Oct. 23, 1952 Rated: 5 stars out of 5 A Hydro One office is pictured in Mississauga, Ont. on Nov. 4, 2015. (The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese) Power out in Torontos Financial District, Hydro One Investigating A large swath of Torontos downtown core lost power on Thursday afternoon, leaving many office buildings, a major mall and a university campus with no electricity in the middle of the day. Hydro One said it was working to restore power as quickly as possible. A spokeswoman said the outage appeared to be related to the transmission system. Toronto Fire Services said a call came in at 12:32 p.m. related to a crane that knocked down three to four power lines, which could have caused the outage, but it was too early to attribute an exact cause. This is an all hands on deck situation and were looking to see how we can reroute power, to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible, Tiziana Baccega Rosa said in a phone interview. A Toronto Hydro outage map showed reported outages stretching south through the financial district, north to Toronto Metropolitan University and affecting the the bustling Eaton Centre mall as well. Many traffic lights were out, and police were helping to direct vehicles in the busy stretch near the Eaton Centre. In a Twitter post, police reminded people to treat intersections as four-way stops if traffic lights are out. Many workers in the downtown core headed into the sunshine as the outage disrupted their workday. We were just doing our work and it cut out, but its just forcing us out on a nice day, so its not too bad for me, software engineer Riaz Virani said. Zeus Sequeira, who works with the Royal Bank of Canada, was heading into a meeting when he learned out of the outage. He said he was hopeful workers could apply their flexible work skills learned during the pandemic to adapt to the situation. I think it will be a minor inconvenience, may affect productivity a bit, but it shouldnt really impact our ability to deliver too much, he said. Its an inconvenience, though, for sure. Toronto Fire District Chief Stephan Powell said fire services has responded to around a dozen calls related people trapped in elevators A spokesman for the Toronto Transit Commission said some downtown subway stations had lost full power briefly but it had been restored. The TTCs King Station, in the financial district, was on emergency power, said Stuart Green. A member of the Secret Service in front of the home of former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) Pro-Trump Group Demands Records From Justice, FBI on Search of Trumps Home The America First Policy Institute said it demands answers about Mondays raid of former President Donald Trumps Florida home compound at Mar-a-Lago. The AFPI, a pro-Trump policy shop, has filed requests under the Freedom of Information Act with the Department of Justice and the FBI, which conducted the raid. To drive transparency for the American people, AFPI is requesting all emails between the FBI and relevant DOJ components and between members of the January 6th committee and their senior staff, the AFPI said in a statement released Tuesday evening. It is also requesting all emails from reporters for the Washington Post, New York Times, and ABC News who appear to have received leaked information from the FBI about this raid, attorney Mark Elias and the law firm of Perkins Coie. The FBI on Monday served a search warrant on the estate, looking for classified documents possibly held by the former president. The FBI and DOJ have declined to comment on the case to The Epoch Times. Elias and his former law firm Perkins Coie both have ties to Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign and the Russia collusion allegations that led to the Mueller investigation against the Trump administration. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the America First Policy Institute Agenda Summit in Washington, on July 26, 2022. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) AFPI President and CEO Brooke Rollins amplified her groups reaction to the unprecedented search. Monday night, I joined millions of Americans in shock and outrage when the news broke that the FBI raided former President Trumps personal home at Mar-a-Lago, Rollins said in a statement This is not how politics in a constitutional republic is supposed to work. It is clear to everyone now that our intelligence agencies and federal law enforcement have strayed from their intended purpose. Transparency in finding out who authorized hat, and for what reasons, is the first step in restoring trust and a representative government that puts the American people first. The AFPI, seen as an administration-in-waiting should Trump run again and win, notes that it is led by senior leaders from the Trump administration. Two weeks ago, its conference in Washington D.C. showcased the policies its members have forged and hosted the presidents first speech in the capital since the events of January 6. BlueBarrel founder Jesse Savou explains how to set up a gravity-fed drip irrigation system for your garden using several rain barrels. (Alexander Knyazhinsky/Shutterstock) Rainwater Everywhere May Be Unsafe to Drink Due to Harmful Forever Chemicals: Study Rainwater is no longer safe to drink anywhere in the world due to the number of harmful chemicals it contains, according to a new study. The study was conducted by researchers at Stockholm University and ETH Zurich University and published last week in the journal Environmental Science and Technology. It found that per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals in rainwater have reached unsafe levels and are now ubiquitously above guideline levels. PFAS are a group of over 4,700 industrial chemicals that are widely used in everyday products such as food packaging, clothing, toiletries, cosmetics, and even cookware. The man-made hazardous chemicals are spread globally in the atmosphere and can therefore be found in rainwater and snow, even in the most remote locations across the planet. The major manufacturer of PFAS, 3M, decided to phase out PFAS in the early 2000s, and governments and other industries across the world quickly followed suit. However, the chemicals do not break down in the environment and are known to be harmful to both the environment and human health. Researchers have been conducting laboratory and fieldwork on the atmospheric presence and transport of PFAS for the past decade, sampling water supplies. The study compared the levels of four common perfluoroalkyl acids (PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFNA) in rainwater, soils, and surface waters. Chemicals Linked To Cancer Specifically, they found that levels of PFOA and PFOS in rainwater often greatly exceed the safe levels in drinking water advised by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Furthermore, researchers found that levels of the chemicals also exceed environmental protection agencies standards in different parts of the world, such as Europe, as well as remote parts of the globe like Tibet, and Antarctica, suggesting their population has crossed a planetary boundary. Due to the fact that the value guidelines for PFAS in drinking water, surface waters, and soils have changed so much over the last two decades, the current levels mean rainwater across the globe is unsafe to drink, according to the researchers. 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., Ian Cousins, a professor at Stockholm Universitys Department of Environmental Science, and the lead author of the study said in a news release. Based on the latest U.S. guidelines for PFOA in drinking water, rainwater everywhere would be judged unsafe to drink. Although in the industrial world we dont often drink rainwater, many people around the world expect it to be safe to drink and it supplies many of our drinking water sources. The study has been peer-reviewed. PFAS have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including cancer, learning and behavioral problems in children, infertility and pregnancy complications, increased cholesterol, and immune system problems. Lawmakers Call For Chemicals To Be Deemed Hazardous In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued interim updated drinking water health advisories for PFOA and PFOS, replacing the ones it previously issued in 2016. The updated advisories indicated that some negative health effects may occur with concentrations of PFOA or PFOS in water that are near zero. According to a PFAS contamination tracker by the activist group, the Environmental Working Group, over 2,800 sites have been logged across the United States. Earlier this month, House lawmakers including Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), the energy committees Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee Chairman Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency calling on them to designate two forever chemicals, PFOA, and PFOS as hazardous substances. Because of the poor reversibility of environmental exposure to PFAS and their associated effects, it is vitally important that PFAS uses and emissions are rapidly restricted, researchers wrote. Co-author of the study Martin Scheringer added that because of the global spread of PFAS, environmental media everywhere will exceed environmental quality guidelines designed to protect human health and we can do very little to reduce the PFAS contamination. In other words, it makes sense to define a planetary boundary specifically for PFAS and, as we conclude in the paper, this boundary has now been exceeded. By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urged Armenia to fulfill its obligations in accordance with the trilateral statement and withdraw the illegal armed detachments from the territory of Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing the OIC statement. The OIC stated that it condemns the intensive firing by illegal Armenian armed detachments against positions of the Azerbaijani army within the territory of Azerbaijan, on 3 August 2022, resulting in the martyrdom of military serviceman Kazimov Anar. Recalling the resolution, adopted by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers at its 48th session in Islamabad, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 22-23 March 2022, the General Secretariat further called for the normalization of relations between the two countries on the basis of mutual recognition of and respect for each others sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders. Further, the OIC General Secretariat extended deep condolences to the family and relatives of the Azerbaijani martyr. The Ministry of Defense (MOD) of Belarus has dismissed the social media reports about explosions at the Pribytki (Zyabrovka) military airbase in Homiel region, news.am informs. August 11, 2022, 12:35 Belarus dismisses reports about explosions at military airbase STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 11, ARTSAKHPRESS: In the respective statement issued by the press service of the Belarusian MOD, it is noted that a car's engine had caught fire during a test run at the airbase. "There are no victims," added the MOD. On Tuesday, an Il-76 aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, which could bring missiles for the S-300 and S-400 air defense missile systems, landed at the Homiel airport. This was reported in the Telegram channel of the (Belarusian Gayun) monitoring community. It was noted that the plane left the airport after an hour and a half. "It is not ruled that the missiles are being transported to the Zyabrovka airport where the forces of the RF [(Russian Federation)] Armed Forces are concentrated," the Telegram post also stated. The logo of Austrian supermarket chain Spar is seen behind a traffic sign at a shop in Vienna, on July 11, 2016. (Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters) European Retailers Turn Off Lights, Cut Opening Hours to Save Energy LONDONAs energy bills mount and the threat of rationing increases, some European retailers are turning off lights and considering shorter opening hours this winter. Energy bosses and government officials have urged people and businesses to reduce power use and put in place contingency plans so they are less reliant on gas imports if there are shortages linked to the war in Ukraine. SPAR Austria is reducing the hours of lighting for storefront advertising and outside its more than 1,500 stores across the country, a spokesperson said in an email. The business, which operates over 1.2 million square metres (12.92 million square feet) of store floor space, posted retail sales of 8.56 billion euros ($8.86 billion) last year. The move will reduce the retailers energy consumption by 1 million kilowatt hours annually, the spokesperson said, without saying how much money would be saved. Last month, the head of Leclerc warned that Frances largest food retailer could reduce opening hours at its stores to deal with power shortages. That came days after rival French supermarket operator Carrefour signed an EcoWatt Charter with national energy grid operator RTE, reducing electricity consumption in its stores during periods of high demand. Some retailers, including Belgiums Colruyt and Ahold, might be partly insulated from potential disruptions and the higher costs due to existing sustainable energy programs that conserve power. No concrete measures are planned in the short term, but the firm ambition is to continue the efforts as part of our overall energy policy, a Colruyt spokesperson said. Thats why we dont have any illuminated signs, we opt for closed freezers, a cold room, etc. The company has 44 zero fossil fuel stores, which do not use fuel oil or natural gas, but are instead heated entirely by waste heat and green electricity, the spokesperson said. Ahold is also looking for ways to cut its energy usage, chief executive Frans Muller said in an interview. We have not made any decisions on opening times but were looking much more at the use of energy, he said. The company already had some gas-saving programs in place, including running its Albert Heijn stores entirely on sustainable energy next year. ($1 = 0.9665 euros) By Richa Naidu R | 1h 53min | Drama, Romance, Crime, Mystery, Thriller | 28 August 1981 (USA) A late arrival to the American New Wave period, Lawrence Kasdan nonetheless cemented his stature in that era by co-scripting The Empire Strikes Back and being the solo screenwriter on Raiders of the Lost Ark, both produced by George Lucas. So impressed and confident was Lucas with Kasdans skills, he vouched for him to Warner Bros. and guaranteed any funding due to budget overages for Kasdans directorial debut Body Heat. As with fellow New Wavers Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Peter Bogdonavich and others, Kasdan was a huge fan of European film noir and set about to make a modern-day thriller with all of the earmarks and calling cards of the late 40s and early 50s. Richard Crenna as real estate investor Edmund Walker in Body Heat. (Warner Bros.) The first of Kasdans many masterstrokes was in casting William Hurt (as Ned Racine) and Kathleen Turner (as Matty Walker) as the leads. It was only Hurts third feature and Turners first, yet Kasdan immediately recognized their multi-tiered chemistry. Ned is a low-rent ambulance-chasing Florida attorney specializing in dubious personal-injury cases and Matty is the alluring femme fatale wife of the much older, semi-retired, full-of-himself lawyer and real estate investor Edmund Walker (Richard Crenna). Double Entendre Dialogue In an early scene at a free outdoor concert, Ned scopes Matty leaving, tails her, and uses a tried and tired pick-up line on her to which she half-heartedly responds. Hes fishing, she knows it, and she in turn baits him with the efficiency of a seasoned angler. They flirt, double entendre verbiage is exchanged, and she states Youre not too smart. I like that in a man. He doesnt get it, but she knows shes pegged her mark. The problem arises when Matty discovers she that actually likes Ned and no longer views him as a mere pliable accomplice. He satisfies her (in the biblical sense and otherwise) in a way Edmund never could and she begins second guessing her own plan, but not enough to consider abandoning it. Mickey Rourke as Teddy Lewis in Body Heat. (Warner Bros.) The crime at the heart of Matty and Neds big plan involves arson and, lucky for both of them, one of his former clients (Mickey Rourke as Teddy) is an expert in that particular field. Grateful for Neds past legal saves, Teddy goes as far as to offer Ned his services to do the deed, which Ned emphatically discourages. Hes No Genius While doing so, Teddy recites a quote Ned spoke to him years earlier: There are 50 ways to get caught while committing a crime and if you can think of 25 of them, youre a genius, followed by and councilor, you aint no genius. The love/lust struck Ned doesnt offer up a retort or reply, just a sheepish glance. Also in Neds corner are deputy prosecutor Peter Lowenstein (Ted Danson) and police detective Oscar Grace (J.A. Preston). While they are professional adversaries of Ned, Peter and Oscar regularly meet with him in social settings and, from everything we see, the three men are close friends who revel in shop talk, gossip, and kibitzing with the staff at the dive diner they frequent. Ted Danson as deputy prosecutor Peter Lowenstein in Body Heat. (Warner Bros.) Citing Double Indemnity (1944), Out of the Past (1947), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), and The Big Sleep (1946) as his principal influences, Kasdan thoroughly disseminated the traditional crime blueprint. The murder doesnt take place at the beginning or the end but rather in the middle and there is no doubt as to who did it or why. The motive was simple and obvious and neither the victim nor the culprit gains our full sympathy, although both receive some degree of empathy because each was duped for different reasons by the same woman. Tiny Details It is in the second half of Body Heat where Kasdan starts messing with our heads with tiny, almost toss away details: the small incidental stuff that law enforcement types glom on to which results in the closing of cases. Despite knowing who did what to whom, and even with significant legal shoe leather sacrificed along the way, the Big Picture isnt fully revealed until the last two minutes of the film. There are some viewers who might feel cheated by Kasdans pacing and irregular dispensing, or clustering, manner of dropping clues, but this is what separates the film from others of its ilk. The beats of the narrative are irregular and slightly askew. We think we know everything before the halfway point yet are simultaneously overjoyed and flummoxed when we are challenged before its all over. Small Hiccups Best known for his work on the early James Bond flicks, Academy Award-winning composer John Barry (Born Free, Out of Africa, Dances with Wolves) was one of 10 candidates Kasdan considered for the score. While Barry succeeded admirably in capturing the desired sultry mood Kasdan was looking for, he didnt provide much in the way of variety. The same mid-tempo orchestral piece and a slow, saxophone-heavy jazz passage are repeated so often, they border on the annoying. Atmosphere in any noir thriller is a key component and, like Barry, production designer Bill Kenney simply gives us too much of a good thing. Including far more fog than is ever seen in the state of Florida, Keeney also goes a tad overboard with the smoke machines. Minor technical quibbles aside, Kasdans first feature showed a veterans level of assurance and confidence. From the writing to the direction to the character arcs to the crack ensemble performances, Body Heat is one of the finest examples of film noir ever made. Body Heat Director: Lawrence Kasdan Stars: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, Mickey Rourke Running Time: 1 hour, 53 minutes MPAA Rating: R Release Date: Aug. 28, 1981 Rating: 4.5 out of 5 U.S. and Canadian fighter jets intercept two Russian long-range bombers off the coast of Alaska on Aug. 8, 2019. (NORAD) Russian Surveillance Aircraft Detected in Alaska Defense Zone: NORAD The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said it detected a Russian surveillance aircraft in the Alaskan air defense identification zone over a two-day period. On two separate occasions, over the past two days, the Alaskan NORAD Region detected, tracked and identified Russian surveillance aircraft entering and operating within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, the agency said in a statement on Aug. 9. The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. NORAD is a military command responsible for aerospace warning, aerospace control, and maritime warning, focused on protecting the national security of both the United States and Canada. The Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is a self-declared zone of airspace stretching for hundreds of miles surrounding the United States airspace. NORAD seeks to detect and track foreign military aircraft in these zones. NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based radars, airborne radar, and fighter aircraft to track and identify aircraft and inform appropriate actions, the agency said in its statement on Aug. 9 . We remain ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America and Arctic sovereignty. While aircraft from any country can legally fly through the airspace, such moves by foreign aircraft could be seen as an act of aggression as it suggests the aircraft could enter sovereign airspace. This is the first reported case in 2022 of Russian military aircraft entering the Alaskan ADIZ. But sightings of Russian aircraft in the region are not uncommon, taking place a few times each year in recent years. In 2021, NORAD reported that Russian aircraft entered the Alaskan ADIZ in January, March, and October. In October 2021, the last time NORAD announced Russian presence, five Russian aircraft had entered the Alaskan ADIZ. The latest flights by Russian aircraft announced by NORAD come amid mounting tension between Moscow and Washington. Since the start of the RussiaUkraine war in February, the United States has issued multiple sanctions against Russia and Russian officials and entities, while providing billions of dollars in security and other aid for Ukraine. Russia in July announced it had seized total control of the Luhansk region in Ukraine. Russia is now largely focused on trying to take control of Ukraines Donetsk region, the other region in Donbas, the industrialized eastern part of Ukraine. The owner of a hilarious parrot has shared footage of the intelligent bird scolding her cats with learned catchphrases and even making sure that the kids go to bed on time. The funny clips have been viewed tens of thousands of times, brightening netizens day. Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, mom of two Tammy Howlett now lives in Cambridge and is working as a quality assurance analyst in the IT industry. She has a 12-year-old son, Ty, and a 15-year-old daughter, Hailey. Howlett also has two cats and a 21-year-old Congo African grey parrot, named Cairo, who have all been with her since their birth. Tammy Howlett with Cairo. (Courtesy of Cairo the Grey) Sharing more about Cairos personality, Howlett told The Epoch Times that the parrot has always been confident and has somewhat of a bossy personality. He acts like a parent to my two children and to the two cats, Howlett said. He always makes sure the kids and cats eat their meals and go to bed on time. Although Cairo is a little afraid of the cats, he will often walk right up to them and boss them around, Howlett explained. After sharing clips of Cairo on her private social media, Howlett was encouraged by a friend to start a TikTok account. Since sharing funny antics via the account, the page has quickly gained followers. Kitty, a 3-year-old Bengal cat, and Max, a 5-year-old Balinese cat. (Courtesy of Cairo the Grey) One clip in particular, of Cairo telling his owner to Smarten up, man! after Howlett tidied his cage, has gone viral, amassing over 37,000 reactions and some 210 comments. Cairo knows approximately 900 words, said Howlett. His favorite phrases are, Smarten up, Do you wanna go in the car? Go to bed, Zip it up, and Fresh water!' The most frequent targets of Cairos snappy comebacks, however, are the family cats: Max, a 5-year-old Balinese cat, and Kitty, a 3-year-old Bengal cat. In a hilarious clip, Cairo is spotted telling the latter, Kitty, no! Bad bad bad! Kitty, be good; smarten up! (Courtesy of Cairo the Grey) I was a bit shocked that he genuinely seemed annoyed with the cats, Howlett told The Epoch Times. From living with Cairo, though, Ive learned that the only one allowed to make noise in the house is him; the rest of us are frequently told to Shh, and Zip it up!' According to Howlett, most people usually give her positive feedback about Cairos funny one-liners. She said: They look forward to new posts, and watching Cairo tell off the cats brightens their mood and makes them laugh! But Howlett also revealed that it has stirred up some controversy amongst some of her followers, who dont understand how quickly African greys can pick up a language, and assume that she must be reprimanding her cats all the time. But it seems like the parrot simply has a taste for telling people off. (Courtesy of Cairo the Grey) 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 US President Joe Biden meets vitually with the Chairman and Principal Owner of SK Group Chey Tae-won in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington on July 26, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) South Korea Faced With Picking Sides as US-China Chip War Heats Up South Korea, a leader in the global semiconductor chip industry, now faces the dilemma of choosing sides in the U.S.-China semiconductor chip war. South Korea has been invited by the United States to join the Chip 4 alliance with the United States, Japan, and Taiwan, explicitly to counter Chinas dominance in the global chip industry. Semiconductors play a critical role in many key industries including automobiles, electric appliances, healthcare, military systems, and computing. It is so importantboth economically and strategicallythat the Japanese and South Korean governments compare it to rice. The global supply shortage, initially caused by halted chips production in China due to the coronavirus pandemic, has now gotten worse. The United States appears determined to restructure the global semiconductor supply chain without China. South Korea has been highly successful in the memory semiconductor business, but it relies on the United States for design and China for export. Now, this balance can no longer be maintained as both countries try to pull South Korea to their side. SK Groups $22 Billion Investment in US Tech President Joe Biden and other key politicians have been visiting South Korea to encourage investment in the U.S. semiconductor chip business. During her visit to South Korea on July 19, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on friend-shoring with trusted U.S. allies to reduce Chinas dominance on global supply chains. On July 26, Chey Tae-won, chairman of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, announced SKs $22 billion investment in U.S. tech industries including semiconductors and pharmaceuticals at the White House. SK Group is the worlds third largest semiconductor manufacturer and ranks second in South Korea. SK plans to invest $15 billion in the semiconductor industry including building memory semiconductor chip facilities, materials, and R&D; $5 billion in green energy such as battery materials, and other industries such as bioscience and pharmaceuticals. With previous investment plans made prior to this announcement, Chey remarked that this brings the total SK Group investment going forward to almost $30 billion. This pathbreaking announcement represents clear evidence that the United States, Korea, and its allies are back and winning the technology competition of the 21st century, said Biden. Samsung to Invest $17 Billion in Texas Semiconductor Facilities Biden in May visited South Korea and spoke with the of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-Yong and the chairman of Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun. He also toured the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus and talked with Lee about potential U.S.South Korea chips alliances. Samsung Electronics is a global leader in memory semiconductors and the worlds second-largest foundry. Its also the only foreign company that has been invited to several U.S. supply chain policy meetings since October last year. In November 2021, Samsung announced a $17 billion investment in building semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Texas, its largest-ever investment in the United States. Recently, Samsung also filed 11 tax break applications for potential chip plants in Texas, accounting for approximately $192.1 billion in investment and 10,000 jobs. These applications fall within the Chapter 313 incentives program and Samsung could benefit from a $4.8 billion tax break rebate. Senate Approves $280 Billion Bill to Counter Chinas Competitive Threat On July 27, the Senate passed the $280 billion Chips and Science Act, allocating billions of dollars to scientific research and semiconductor chip manufacturing in order to boost U.S. competitiveness. This provides a $52 billion fund to statewide chip manufacturers and a 25 percent tax incentive worth $24 billion for investment in domestic chips. Companies such as Samsung, SK Group, Intel, and TSMC have already announced major investment plans in the United States and so will benefit from the legislation, with one condition: they are not allowed to expand their advanced chip production in China, or any other country of concern, for 10 years. Companies that violate the restrictions will be required to pay back the federal funding. China Threatens Korea With Commercial Suicide Claim In recent years, China has focused on expanding its semiconductor chips industry with massive spending to strengthen its dominance in the semiconductors supply chain. As the U.S.China chips war heats up further, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is trying to pull South Korea to its side with the threat of losing China as its export market. CCP mouthpiece the Global Times published an editorial titled South Korea should have the courage to say no to US coercion on July 20, criticizing the Chip 4 alliance and threatening South Korea that joining it could lead to significant losses. The Global Times article noted that 60 percent of South Koreas $128 billion in semiconductor exports last year was exported to China and Hong Kong, and that to leave such a market would be equivalent to commercial suicide. In a press conference on July 26, Chinas Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian strongly opposed South Korea joining the Chip 4 alliance and reiterated the importance of China to South Korea, especially regarding exports. On July 25, during a conversation between South Koreas Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun and Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming, Xing said that China wants to strengthen its economic and trade cooperation with South Korea, and will provide more opportunities for Korean businesses. During Xings meeting with South Korean head of the Semiconductor Industry Special Committee Yang Hyang-ja on the 26th, he said China hopes to exclude external interference with South Korea and strengthen corporations in the semiconductor industry. But Yang recently said that she recommended to President Yoon Suk-yeol that South Korea join the Chip 4 Alliance. A weakening or broken alliance with the United States is worse than one with China, she said, so South Korea should have a strategic alliance with the United States. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo: It is necessary to see the positive side of the four-country alliance During an interview with KBS radio on July 28, when asked on whether South Korea will join the Chip 4 alliance, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo responded that it is necessary to see the positive side of the alliance. The prime minister explained that as a global leader in the semiconductor industry, South Korea joining the alliance would make it easier to share information, take a leading position in setting rules, and strengthen Koreas cooperation with other member countries. Sri Lanka Introduces Reform Bill to Clip Presidential Powers COLOMBO, Sri LankaSri Lankas justice minister submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to Parliament on Wednesday that would clip the powers of the president, a key demand of protesters calling for political reforms and solutions to the countrys worst economic crisis. The action came as former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled protests last month, was reportedly seeking to enter Thailand from his temporary exile in Singapore. He fled Sri Lanka last month after thousands of angry protesters stormed his official residence, holding him responsible for the countrys economic woes. A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Rajapaksa would be allowed entry but had not asked for political asylum. However, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said Rajapaksa was seeking asylum in a third country, which he did not identify. Rajapaksa was unavailable for comment. In Sri Lankas capital, Colombo, Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakshe presented a bill that would transfer some presidential powersincluding those to appoint independent election commission members, police, and public service officials, and bribery and corruption investigatorsto a constitutional council comprising lawmakers and respected non-politicians. The council would then recommend candidates for appointments that the president could choose from. Under the proposed amendments, presidents would only be able to appoint chief justices, other senior judges, attorney generals, and central bank governors on the recommendation of the council. The prime minister would recommend appointments to the Cabinet and the president would not be allowed to hold any ministry positions except defense. The bill, which will undergo debate, must be approved by two-thirds of Sri Lankas 225-member Parliament to become law. If passed into law, the amendments would reinstate democratic reforms made in 2015. Rajapaksa reversed those reforms and concentrated power in himself after being elected in 2019. Current President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who succeeded Rajapaksa, has promised to limit the powers of the presidency and strengthen Parliament in response to the protesters demands. In Thailands capital, Bangkok, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat said the Sri Lankan government had requested that Rajapaksa be allowed to enter. After fleeing Sri Lanka last month, Rajapaksa first went to neighboring Maldives in a Sri Lankan military plane and then to Singapore. Protesters blame mismanagement and corruption by the Rajapaksa family for the economic crisis that has led to serious shortages of essentials such as medicines, food, and fuel. The island nation is negotiating with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout program. Rajapaksas older brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as prime minister in May. Three other close family members resigned from their Cabinet positions before him. Thai spokesperson Tanee said in a text message to journalists that under a 2013 bilateral agreement, Rajapaksa is able to enter Thailand without a visa for 90 days because he holds a Sri Lankan diplomatic passport. The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel, Tanee said. No political asylum has been sought. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth, speaking to reporters, said he was aware of Rajapaksas intended visit and that it was allowed for humanitarian reasons because the former president was seeking asylum in a third country. He did not elaborate. S. Khan, director general of public diplomacy at Sri Lankas Foreign Ministry, said she had no comment about the Thai statements. Sri Lankans have staged massive street protests for four months demanding democratic reforms and solutions to the countrys economic collapse. Last month, a human rights group filed a criminal complaint with Singapores attorney general seeking Rajapaksas arrest for alleged war crimes during Sri Lankas civil war. He was was defense secretary during the conflict, which ended in 2009. The International Truth and Justice Projectan evidence-gathering organization administered by a South Africa-based nonprofit foundationsaid its lawyers filed the complaint requesting Rajapaksas immediate arrest. The complaint alleges Rajapaksa committed grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions during the civil war and that they are subject to domestic prosecution in Singapore under universal jurisdiction. Sri Lankas civil war, in which Tamil Tiger rebels fought to create an independent state for ethnic minority Tamils, resulted in the deaths of 100,000 people, according to conservative United Nations estimates. The actual number is believed to be much higher. A report from a U.N. panel of experts said at least 40,000 Tamil civilians died in the final months of fighting alone. By Krishan Francis A man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. (Kacper Pempel/Reuters) Taiwan Ministry of Defense Think Tank Calls for Drills Against CCPs Escalating Cyberattacks The Chinese communist regime launched more cyberattacks against Taiwan after U.S. House speakers Nancy Pelosis visit, while doing live-fire military exercises that crossed into Taiwans side of the Taiwan Strait. Facing the threats, the National Defense Security Research Institute in Taiwan called for drills to ward off the attacks. The institute, a think tank of Taiwans Ministry of National Defense, published a report titled Revelation from the Russian-Ukrainian War to the CCPs Cyber War to Taiwan on Aug. 8. Colonel Liao Song-bai wrote that, regarding the escalated cyberattacks by the Chinese regime, the government should conduct national-level cyber warfare attack and defense drills in response. He pointed out that cyber warfare blurs the line between peacetime and wartime, because the cyber wars are fought almost every day. In the report, he listed the CCPs most recent attacks. Last week during Pelosis visit to Taiwan, TV screens on many supermarket walls across Taiwan, including 7-11 stores, and display screens in subways were hacked to show simplified Chinese characters reading messages like Old Witch Visiting Taiwan. The TV display systems were all using Chinese apps, according to the Taiwan National Communication Commission, which made them vulnerable to the hacks. On Aug. 2 when Pelosi arrived in Taiwan, there were 23 times more cyberattacks targeting Taiwan than usual, and government websites, such as the Presidential Palace, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were all hacked by IP addresses in China and Russia. Chinese hacker group APT27 claimed responsible for the attacks. People eat as a television broadcasts news about U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at a restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan, on Aug. 1, 2022. (Ann Wang/Rueters) According to a survey by Check Point Software Technologies, a security software provider based in Israel, Taiwan in 2021 was attacked by hackers an average of 2,644 times per weeka 38 percent jump from previous years. The rate is the highest in the Asia-Pacific. Col. Liao also warned about the psychological war being raged against Taiwan by the Chinese communist regime. He wrote that in recent years, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many peoples work and other activities have shifted to online while facing a significant increase in the frequency of the CCPs cyberattacks. In addition, the CCPs cyber army continues to launch disinformation campaigns to manipulate public opinion in Taiwan through social media posts and fake news, provoking antagonistic emotions among Taiwanese on social issues and causing social division. Col. Liao suggested that in addition to efforts to raising cyber security awareness and online safety, the government should lead a Cyber Warfare Offensive and Defense Drill with the private sector, to accumulate experience and countermeasures for preventing more serious problems in the future. He also advised private citizens to work together to improve Taiwans overall cyber security. He suggested that people should improve their online habits, be more vigilant when choosing IT products, avoid sharing data with unknown parties, avoid opening unfamiliar or unknown emails and attachments, avoid linking and logging into unfamiliar websites, and not downloading unauthorized software. Wu Min-chou contributed to the report. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a press conference about the mass shooting at Uvalde High School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 27, 2022. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Hires Dozens of Additional Officers for Uvalde School District The governor of Texas on Wednesday announced that hell be hiring more than 30 additional law enforcement officers to strengthen security throughout the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (UCISD) ahead of the new school year. The beginning of a new school year should be an exciting time for students and teachers, and the State of Texas is working to provide that for the Uvalde community, Greg Abbott (R-Texas) said in a press release. As a new school year begins, we must ensure students, parents, and all dedicated school personnel can look forward to new opportunities to learn and grow, he added. Texas will keep working to provide all available support and resources to the Uvalde community as they continue to heal. The governor pointed out that the additional security presencewhich will be provided by the Department of Public Safety (DPS)was requested by UCISD Superintendent Hal Harrell and will help ensure students, parents, and school faculty feel secure upon returning to the campus. The Texas [DPS] is committed to working with the [UCISD] to ensure each child, parent, and teacher feels safe and protected during this difficult time, DPS director Steven McCraw said. There is no task more important than this. Abbotts release also outlined steps that have already been taken in support of the Uvalde community and to improve intervention in potential future school shootings, including investing $5 million to establish a long-term Family Resiliency Center as a hub to provide community services for issues related to mental health. Every member of the Uvalde community will have access to the critical mental health resources they need at this center as they process and heal during this difficult time, Abbott said in a press release on June 1, about a week after an 18-year-old shot and killed 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School. Other actions that have been enforced include an additional $105.5 million to strengthen school safety and mental health initiatives, providing $1.25 million for trauma counseling and community outreach, and other measures. Systemic Law Enforcement Failures Last month, a special committee of Texas lawmakers investigated the police response to the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde and found systemic failures and egregious poor decision making on behalf of the roughly 400 law enforcement officers who responded to the mass shooting. In this crisis, no responder seized the initiative to establish an incident command post, stated a 77-page report. Despite an obvious atmosphere of chaos, the ranking officers of other responding agencies did not approach the Uvalde CISD chief of police or anyone else perceived to be in command to point out the lack of and need for a command post, or to offer that specific assistance. Meanwhile, a school board meeting that would determine whether Uvalde school district Police Chief Pete Arredondos employment will be terminated was delayed for the second time on Aug. 4 over a scheduling conflict, officials confirmed. Uvalde school district Chief of Police Pete Arredondo hugs a school student at a community prayer evening held the day after a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that killed 19 children and 2 teachers, in Uvalde, Texas, on May 25, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Arredondo, who was one of the first responders on the scene, was placed on administrative leave in June following mounting criticism over his handling of the shooting and his decision not to immediately breach the classroom where mass shooter Salvador Ramos was killing children. In addition, the special committee investigating police response also determined that Arredondo had failed to perform or to transfer to another person the role of incident commander on the day of the shooting. This was an essential duty he had assigned to himself in the plan mentioned above, yet it was not effectively performed by anyone, the report states. The void of leadership could have contributed to the loss of life as injured victims waited over an hour for help, and the attacker continued to sporadically fire his weapon. Arredondo defended his actions on the day of the shooting in an interview with The Texas Tribune, stating that a missing key to a locked classroom door was the reason why law enforcement took over an hour to take down Ramos. Epoch Times reporter Katabella Roberts contributed to this report. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink attends a session at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Jan. 23, 2020. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images) Texas Joins 18 States to Oppose Blackrocks Woke Agenda Texas joined a group of Republican-led states accusing BlackRock Inc. of putting woke investment criteria above shareholder profits in state pension funds. In a letter to BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, 19 attorneys general, mainly from conservative states, challenged his companys reliance on environmental, social, and governance criteria at the expense of investor returns. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in an Aug. 8 news release that ESG climate goals harm Texass oil and gas economy and state pension fund performance. The release said that BlackRocks actions might also violate state and federal law. BlackRock, the worlds largest asset manager, recently sent a letter to several states, claiming it has joined climate organizations merely for dialogue and is focused solely on its fiduciary duty. Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole on August 5, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times) Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich led the charge in responding to the investment firm by pointing out inconsistencies and conflicts between BlackRocks letter (pdf) and its public statements and commitments. According to a news release from Brnovichs office, BlackRocks focus goes beyond dialogue. The descriptions on the companys website include ensuring the worlds largest greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change and support the Paris Agreement. Anyone purchasing a BlackRock fund is forced to support ESG, whether they like it or not, Brnovich alleged. Brnovichs Aug. 4 letter said BlackRocks actions raise anti-trust concerns and appear to intentionally restrain and harm the energy markets competitiveness. Our states will not idly stand for our pensioners retirements to be sacrificed for BlackRocks climate agenda. The time has come for BlackRock to come clean on whether it actually values our states most valuable stakeholders, our current and future retirees, or risk losses even more significant than those caused by BlackRocks quixotic climate agenda, the letter states. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, representing the coal-producing state of West Virginia, accused the company of coercion. Again, this is an example of a company pushing their climate agenda, using investments to force companies and people to abide by their ideology, Morrisey said in a statement. BlackRock has denied wrongdoing, saying it offers a wide range of products and strategies. Across the country, conservative and fossil-fuel-producing states have taken aim at financial firms for what is perceived as an attack on U.S. energy. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar sent letters to 19 major financial companies that may be boycotting the fossil fuel industry. He is seeking to clarify their fossil fuel investment policies to satisfy a Texas law that prohibits state agencies from investing in financial companies that boycott energy companies. Likewise, West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore recently announced that BlackRock Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo & Co. are ineligible for state banking contracts. While states are starting to fight back, it may prove to be an uphill battle against some of the most influential firms in the world pushing ESG. Critics of ESG say corporations have allied with socialists to weaken capitalist countries such as the United States. The critics argue that woke corporations are attacking the Wests fossil fuel use and traditional values while ignoring pollution and human rights abuses in China and other countries. El Paso oil refinery operates near a neighborhood of homes in East-Central El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 10, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images) Some critics believe that by promoting green energy, progressive companies make the world more reliant on communist China, which dominates the production of solar panels and electric vehicle batteries. Vivek Ramaswamy, the author of Woke Inc., told an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas last week that he launched an Ohio-based financial firm called Strive as an alternative to woke investment firms. Ramaswamy told the audience that ESG is also called stakeholder capitalism, which produces less profit for its shareholders. But worse than that, the rise of ESG drains the lifeblood out of our democracy, he said. Vivek Ramaswamy, the author of Woke Inc., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole on August 5, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times) What this represents is a new vehicle for the party in power to do through the backdoor what the government couldnt get done through the front door under the Constitution, Ramaswamy said. The advent of ESG credit suggests that controversial issues such as climate change and systemic racism have moved from the political arena into the corporate boardroom. The three largest asset managers in the worldBlackRock, State Street, and Vanguardcontrol $22 trillion, which is more than the Gross Domestic Product of the United States. He said they are using investor dollars to advocate for political and social agendas in corporate America that most investors disagree with. It is the defining scam of the 21st century, Ramaswamy said, adding it represents a breach of corporate fiduciary duty. He said that stakeholder capitalism started around the 2008 financial crisis, right around the beginning of the progressive movement. While large corporations couldnt get on board with the Occupy Wall Street movement that wanted economic equality, they could get on board with social justice. Ramaswamy proposes that progressives gave corporate America a way to keep their power by taking on social causes. In exchange, progressives looked the other way and didnt press the companies to change their corporate structure. Together, they birthed woke capitalism, Ramaswamy said. The Demonization of Dissent Commentary On Aug. 1, The New York Times ran an article in which it described the apparent radicalization of a group of parents from mainstream political persuasions to a single-issue, anti-vaccine fringe. It describes how these parents seemingly came together on social media out of a concern about the damage inflicted by lengthy school closures on their children, started to share notes and articlesmany of them misleadingabout school reopenings and the efficacy of vaccines and masks, fell down an online rabbit hole, and, a year later, emerged as fully fledged members of a destabilizing new movementanti-mask and anti-vaccinenarrowing their cause to a single-minded obsession over those issues. If you read the piece at face value, you might be left with the impression that these parents are a homogenous, almost cultish, group of outcasts who, having been indoctrinated, have metamorphosed into anti-vaxxers who sought other parents online to infect with their ideology. It is, by now, a familiar narrative on both sides of the Atlantic that anyone who dares to question, let alone challenge, the wisdom of giving healthy children the COVID-19 jab is labeled as anti-vaccine and is othered. Its a slur I know all too wellhaving been vocal in the United Kingdom for the past 15 months in questioning why otherwise healthy children needed a COVID vaccine. Ive been labeled, lazily and erroneously, as anti-vaxxer and, almost comically, pro-death. I spoke to Natalya Murakhver, one of the parents named in the article, to hear her views. Im not anti-vaccinein fact, Im fully vaccinated, she told me. I opposed vaccine mandates in the U.S. simply because I thought the views of the [Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee] should be followednamely that pediatric vaccines should not be mandated, but should be individual decisions carefully made between pediatricians and parents and based on riskbenefit. These vaccines are life-saving vaccines for some peoplebut not for all people. Far from being fringe, the view that children dont need the COVID-19 jab, it turns out, represents either a significant minority (for older age cohorts) or, indeed, an overwhelming majority (for younger) of parents both within the United States, the UK, and elsewhere. Are the 95 percent of U.S. parents who have declined to get their zero to 5-year-olds vaccinated for COVID-19 anti-vax? What about the 89 percent of UK parents who, as of the end of July, had declined vaccination for their 5- to 11-year-olds? Of course, they arent. They are simply recognizing the reality that the extreme age discrimination of COVID makes vaccination unnecessary for the vast majority of otherwise healthy kids, as does infection-acquired immunity. The liberal application of the anti-vaccine label to these parents starts to feel increasingly nonsensical. Indeed, it would brand entire countries anti-vax (Denmark, say, where the director general of the Danish Health Authority has said he believes that vaccinating children was a mistake; or Sweden, Finland, and Norway, which declined to jab kids younger than age 12, in the first place), as well as vaccine advisory boards around the world. And this is where weve gotten ourselves into an almighty mess. The shaming of parents for asking questions and for making nuanced, parental decisions, which they are clearly now not willing to change, is not only divisive, but dangerous, preventing for too long now-legitimate debate among parents, professionals, and the media. By lumping together parents who are raising reasonable, rational, and, indeed, essential challenges to vaccine mandates for children, with a tiny minority who oppose all vaccines on ideological grounds, we have allowed concerns about the COVID-19 jab to bleed into other vaccination programs, where uptake rates, sadly, are tumbling fast. It shouldnt be remotely controversial to say that Im against the COVID-19 vaccine for my otherwise healthy child, but for other childhood vaccines, as is the position taken by Murakhver, routine childhood vaccinations are super important, she said. Yet this is a degree of nuance currently not permitted by our bludgeoning public health messaging, or, indeed, a swath of media outlets. Theres now a stunning disconnect between the number of parents declining the COVID-19 vaccine and the public health messaging that continues to eulogize it. That disconnect appears to be fueling a crisis of trust among parents in other undoubtedly essential vaccine programsin fact, so insidious is this myopic vax-evangelism that it risks creating a new and far more serious public health disaster for our next generation: The pandemic has driven the largest sustained decline in vaccination uptake in 30 years. In the UK, it was reported in February 2021 that 15 percent of UK 5-year-olds hadnt had two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, a decline which The BMJ attributes to falling trust in vaccination alongside health service disruption, and polio has reemerged in major cities in both the United States and the UK. Instead of shaming parents, how much better it would be to greet this undeniably growing cynicism with curiositywhy are so many parents rejecting this vaccine? What are the learnings that public health needs to take from that? Most importantly, what soul searching and messaging is needed to restore trust in public health? Its dangerously naive to dismiss this spike in vaccine hesitancy as the deluded actions of an indoctrinated minority of crackpots who must be brought to their senses. Denouncing parents who raise reasonable questions and challenges about the riskbenefit for their children as heretic anti-vaxxers, as the public health machines in the United States and the UK have done repeatedly, is proving equally self-defeating. From the Brownstone Institute Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. On Tuesday 9th August 2022, the convenors of the New South Wales Armenia-Australia Friendship Group appealed to Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, requesting the Federal Government publicly condemns Azerbaijans latest attacks against the indigenous Armenians of the Republic of Artsakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC-AU). August 11, 2022, 14:13 NSW lawmakers call on Australian Government to condemn Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 11, ARTSAKHPRESS: Member for Davidson and Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, the Hon. Jonathan ODea and Member of the Legislative Council, the Hon. Walt Secordwho are Chair and Vice-Chair of the Armenia-Australia Friendship Groupraised concern over the latest unprovoked ceasefire violation committed by Azerbaijan. Significantly, their letter voiced the bipartisan groups objection over the targeted attacks against civilian settlements in Martuni, and attempts by Azerbaijan to cross the predetermined line of contact as determined by the November 2020 trilateral agreement, violating several fundamental human rights, resulting in the death of two Armenian servicemen and leaving 19 wounded. The letter co-signed by ODea and Secord read: The Russian Defence Ministry and its peacekeeping contingents stationed in Artsakh verified on Tuesday that the attacks were launched by Azerbaijani Armed Forces using a range of weapons. Azerbaijans Defence Ministry even boasted about their attacks on video via social media. The parliamentary group ask that your government seriously consider publicly condemning Azerbaijans recent illegal violations of the ceasefire agreement, their letter added. ANC-AU Executive Director, Michael Kolokossian said: Azerbaijans criminal behaviour and use of force is the most significant violation of the ceasefire agreement recorded since the end of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war, and through this brute force has cornered the Republics of Armenia and Artsakh into concessions that go beyond the scope of the November 9 ceasefire agreement, specifically the closure of the only land corridor between Artsakh and Armenia. This new wave of aggression has resulted in the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of thousands of Armenians from the villages of Berdzor and Aghavno, located inside the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor, which represents a clear violation of Article 7, Section 1(d) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, prohibiting the "deportation or forcible transfer of population". On behalf of the Armenian-Australian community, we thank Mr Jonathan ODea and Mr Walt Secord for joining many international political leaders, who seek to defend the human rights of the people of Nagorno Karabakh, by stopping Azerbaijans aggression against the self-determined Republic of Artsakh, added Kolokossian. The autocratic regime of Azerbaijan has consistently proven that it will terrorise the indigenous Armenians of Artsakh. It has not returned Armenian POWs, it has not withdrawn from the sovereign borders of Armenia, it exacerbates the humanitarian crisis in the region by cutting off natural gas supplies between Artsakh and Armenia, and has now conducted aggressive military operations. These are actions of a criminal state, emboldened by the international community's silence and both side-ist rhetoric, which this statement exposes as false and dangerous. Kolokossian added: Australia must rightfully champion a different path, by publicly speaking out against Azerbaijans unprovoked aggressions and upholding the values of truth, justice and international law. The FBIs Trump RaidSerious Questions About the Deep State and the National Archives Commentary The imagery projected was clearly deliberate during the raid on former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago home last week. It could have all been handled discreetly, but it wasnt. Flashing police lights, sirens, blocking all the exits with armed police: It was crafted for the media and public consumption. Was it necessary to send in that number of FBI agents? Was there really a threat that Trump staffers would somehow destroy records? Of course not. This was crafted to paint Trump in the most undesirable light on national TV. The raid, weve been led to believe, was to recover records, potentially classified, that the former president allegedly had in his possession. Bear in mind that Trump had already provided 15 boxes of material to the archives upon their request. So why was there a need for a demonstrative show of such an armed force? The media, Republican, and national focus is on the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ)as it should be. This is bigger than just those agencies and departments. Lets take a look at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). While were looking at NARA, lets also carefully examine the newly named national archivist, Colleen J. Shogan. On Aug. 3, Shogan was announced as the nominee to lead the National Archives after David Ferriero stepped down from the role. The role of the archivist is to manage and administer the vast holdings of the National Archives. The logical choice would be to put someone in that role whose curriculum vitae is that of a historian. After all, its more than an administrative positionyou act as the keeper of the nations history. Thats not the case with Shogan. While she works as director of the David M. Rubenstein Center for White House History at the White House Historical Association, her educational background isnt one based in historyits political science. She teaches at Georgetown University, where shes an adjunct lecturer in political science. Yes, she worked at the Library of Congress and Congressional Research Service in a number of assistant and deputy director roles, but it seems her educational background is primarily political. Her first book, The Moral Rhetoric of American Presidents, seems far less historical than political. Her own book backmatter states: Shogan concludes with an analysis of several dilemmas of governance instigated by George W. Bushs persistent devotion to moral and religious argumentation. Hardly the work of an impartial historian. She has published articles in the journals Perspectives on Politics, Polity, Studies in American Political Development, Presidential Studies Quarterly, Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Women & Politics, and others. The key here is rhetoric and politicsnot history. She received the full endorsement of the American Political Science Association, which is a questionable group to weigh in on a role that should be focused on preserving history, rather than pushing politics. One must ask if this appointment just prior to the raid is a coincidence. Was the nomination of a political scientist to this position, right before a highly publicized event, done in order to align the National Archives to endorse this action? Whats Shogans stand on how all of this was executed? Does she endorse this kind of militant use of force to gather recordsespecially when the target had already turned over boxes of material? If the Republicans win back the House and/or Senate, the investigation should go far deeper than looking at the DOJ or the FBI. This nomination of Shogan needs to be put under a magnifying glass as well. Questions should be asked as to whether she supported the raid and if she looks to further weaponize NARA in order to fulfill political objectives. Any and all correspondence from NARA, the FBI, the DOJ, and the White House needs to be scrutinized, as well as any messages between Shogan and anyone in the Biden administration on this subject. A serious in-depth examination of NARA and this appointee needs to take place. This is bigger than just looking at law enforcement. These kinds of political appointments need to be examined and dissected carefully. The nation has long suspected the existence of a Deep State. The involvement of the National Archives has done nothing but reinforce that belief. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Local law enforcement officers are seen in front of the home of former president Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) FBI Sends Clear Message to Trump, His Supporters: The Swamp Is Real, Rep. Davidson Says The FBI raid on former President Donald Trumps home at Mar-a-Lago is an escalation of an ongoing attack on anyone who dares to upset the political status quo in Washington, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) says. I think a lot of my constituents were shocked, frankly, across the political spectrum. But obviously, the more supportive of President Trump, the more upset they were, Davidson told The Epoch Times and NTD as part of a special report on the raid airing on Aug. 11 on EpochTV at 9 p.m. I think for anyone who doubted that there was a swamp when Donald Trump was saying drain the swamp, now I think theres true believers. So its historic. In support of his statement, Davidson pointed out that the FBI still has many of the same people who spent years supporting a Russia collusion narrative that was based on a falsified warrant. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio). (Courtesy of Congressman Warren Davidsons Office) More concerning, Davidson says, is that the FBI appears to have wholly ended its pretense of objectivity. Davidson pointed out to The Epoch Times that former IRS official Lois Lerner, Bill Clintons national security adviser Sandy Berger, and even Hillary Clinton allegedly mishandled and destroyed classified information but avoided raids by the FBI. He then pointed out that the FBI has taken no action on Hunter Biden, despite a mountain of evidence of suspect business dealings. No accountability for Hunter Biden, no action on that; no action on any number of things that they could have taken action on, like for example, targeting of Supreme Court justices, Davidson said. He added it is really hard to believe that the bureau believes that its objective. Davidson says the message the FBI is sending is clear. Hey, if you support the cause, we got your back. But if youre working against us, as [current Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer promised Donald Trump, they have six ways to Sunday to wreck you. And they seem to have been very focused on doing that to Donald Trump. President Joe Biden (C) waves as he is joined by son Hunter Biden (L), grandson Beau Biden (2L), First Lady Jill Biden (3L), and daughter-in-law Melissa Cohen (R), as they stand at the top of the steps of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., on Aug. 10, 2022. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo) Davidson added the FBI isnt just targeting Trump; its also targeting his supporters. [The FBI] seized the chairman of the Freedom Caucuss phone. They didnt do it in a no-knock warrant raid in the middle of the night with CNN cameras staged in the street or anything. But they did track him down. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Scott Perrys (R-Pa.) phone was returned to him, but Davidson said that the FBI action to track Perry down was deliberately intended to paint him as a criminal. Furthermore, the message is that if the FBI can target people such as Trump and Perry, imagine what they could do to an everyday American, he said. I think theyre trying to intimidate and scare people from, you know, being supportive of Trump or being too opposed to the status quo, Davidson said. You know, stay within the mainstream, dont push back against the status quo. The response to the FBI raid has been overwhelmingly negative among Americans who support Trump, Davidson said. He said Trump supporters are rightly upset about the raid and how theyre expected to respond to it. Davidson says he hopes it doesnt go beyond anger into illegal actions and instead energizes people to vote. If this had happened to a Democrat president, you know, we might have more of the summer of 2020, where it was covered by the press [as] mostly peaceful protests, but we know that mostly peaceful means it wasnt peaceful. A member of the Secret Service in front of the home of former President Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) Trump supporters are very aware that they may be targeted if they protest against the latest treatment of the former president, Davidson says. But if [their support] was the slightest bit of anything that was run afoul, the mainstream media and, frankly, many of our federal agencies would treat it as some sort of, you know, violent uprising by the right and so, I think people on the right are cautious. Davidson said he hopes it doesnt come to violence but acknowledged a growing frustration among Republicans over an apparent two-tier system of justice. Unfortunately, this reinforces it because the people that weve suspected had no accountability, like the Clinton Foundation, as an example, [or] like Hunter Biden. But then very selective accountability for [former] President Trump. Holding the FBI Accountable Davidson stated that if Republicans retake a majority in the House in November, they need to step up and not just hold hearings about the FBIs actions. We are going to have to cut off funds and say, Hey, we dont want to shut the government down. We want to fund our government. But were unwilling to fund a government that does these things or fails to do these other things.' Davidson said the FBI isnt objective or applying justice objectively. While he said there was hope that Director Christopher Wray would return the FBI to a non-partisan agency, On the contrary, every step seems more focused on undermining the confidence of ordinary Americans. However, if youve got the far left of the Democratic Partys agenda in mind, the FBI seems to have your back, he said. The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington on July 21, 2022. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times) He notes that the FBI is incredibly powerful and Republicans cant try to hold them accountable halfway; the GOP must get after that in a very serious way. Even as he wants to be fair to the working men and women at the FBI, Davidson said Republicans need to acknowledge that top leadership at the bureau is corrupt, as is the IRS, banking regulators, all the EPA, all these agencies, Securities and Exchange Commission, and theyre abusing their power. The far left has really gotten a firm grip on the administrative state. Theyve used the influence over the administrative state to get a firm grip into much of corporate America, he said. So its almost like theres collusion between these government agencies and the top level. No one loves big government like big business, so some of our biggest businesses are also working in concert with these biggest regulatory agencies. Former President Donald Trump arrives at Trump Tower in New York on Aug. 9, 2022. (David 'Dee' Delgado/Reuters) The Weaponization of Government Power Has Become Clear: Ret. General Paul Vallely on Trump Raid Retired Major General Paul Vallely reacted to the recent FBI raid on former president Donald Trumps residence, claiming that there is a socialist-communist coalition involved with the act. He believes that there is a socialist coalition that aspires to overthrow the U.S. constitutional republic and transform it into a totalitarian communist state. The American Republic founded in 1776 is under attack by a Socialist-Communist Coalition and an out-of-control Federal Government, Vallely said in a statement he sent to The Epoch Times. The retired major general thinks the raid violates the Fourth Amendment, a right given to the U.S. citizenry granting protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. This cabal has illegitimately exercised their power in attacking the private residence of President Donald J. Trump and his personal residence in Mar a Lago, Florida, Vallely said. Secret Service personnel are seen in front of the home of former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. on Aug. 8, 2022. The FBI raided the home reportedly to retrieve classified White House documents. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images) On Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland vocalized the Department of Justices (DOJ) first public statement about the FBI raid that targeted Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence earlier this week. I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter the Department does not take such a decision lightly, Garland said. Garland further said that his agency filed a motion to unseal the court-approved search warrant. The weaponization of government power has become clear, Vallely noted. The abuse of such powers to interfere with future elections cannot be ruled out as this action suggests there are no limits to their abuse of authority to retain power. U.S. Army Major General Paul E. Vallely (Ret.) (Courtesy of Paul E. Vallely) On Wednesday, Trump suggested that the FBI could have planted evidence during the raid at his residence since members of his team were blocked from watching the agents actions. History is repeating itself as we see the tactics of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) used by a few dystopian tyrants who have methodically and comprehensively infiltrated and assumed leadership of the Democratic Party, Vallely said. In addition, Vallely, who has been calling out wokeism in the military academies, thinks that Trumps political rivals are trying to take him out with selective enforcement of provisions that are normally overseen in a civil, not criminal manner. Where have we seen that before? None of this is a coincidence, and none of it is justified. Even if Trump was in possession of some documents that needed to be archived, that is the kind of thing that has historically been dealt with in court, not with an FBI raid, and the former president was fully cooperating to this point, Vallely stated. Upon request for comment, the FBI referred to The Epoch Times to the following statement by the bureaus director Christopher Wray: Unfounded attacks on the integrity of the FBI erode respect for the rule of law and are a grave disservice to the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect others. Violence and threats against law enforcement, including the FBI, are dangerous and should be deeply concerning to all Americans. Every day I see the men and women of the FBI doing their jobs professionally and with rigor, objectivity, and a fierce commitment to our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution. I am proud to serve alongside them. The front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, on March 31, 2022. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Tibet Shuts Down Potala Palace Over First COVID Outbreak in 2 Years The Chinese regime announced on Aug. 8 the first COVID-19 outbreak in Tibet since 2020. Authorities closed off part of the Tibetan capital Lhasa and mass-tested residents in three cities on Aug. 9 to contain the spread of the virus. The virus was identified as the Omicron BA.2.76 variant. Chinese authorities claimed Mount Everest tourists brought the virus to the region. Worried that authorities might lock down more cities, residents told The Epoch Times on Aug. 9 that many people are trying to leave Lhasa, causing heavy traffic and rising airfares. It costs over 8,000 yuan [about $1,200] to buy a flight from Lhasa to Chengdu [almost a two-hour flight], A Lhasa resident said in a phone interview on Tuesday. Another round of a COVID outbreak has hit Xinjiang, a region home to Uyghur and Muslim minorities, since July 30. The outbreak has expanded to 12 cities, and authorities claimed that tourists brought over the Omicron BA.5.2 variant. First Outbreak in 920 Days The Potala Palace, Norbulingka, Tibet Museum, and other tourist attractions in Lhasa were closed on Aug. 9. Additionally, all other non-essential businesses and establishments had to stop operating that day. Local authorities ordered residents and tourists to get tested for COVID. The majority of Tibetans practice Tibetan Buddhism. The citys Buddhist Association decided to close all places of worship and suspend all religious activities on Aug. 8. Authorities implemented similar measures in Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet, located 170 miles south of Lhasa and Ngari, and where tourists can see the north face of Mount Everest. Authorities declared a connection between the COVID infections in Lhasa, Shigatse, and Ngari. The outbreak was first reported on Aug. 7 when a three-year-old girl visited a hospital in Lhasa with a fever and a sore throat. She tested positive for COVID. Then her 32-year-old mother, 53-year-old grandmother, and 15 other relatives who live in the same household were also diagnosed with COVID on the same day. According to the authorities, the girl and her mother live in Lhasa, while the grandmother lives in Shigatse. The three individuals and five family members took a train from Shigatse to Lhasa on Aug. 4. Two others in Shigatse boarded a train bound for Lhasa on Aug. 5. They all went to Lhasa for a relatives funeral. Chinese authorities claimed that some tourists who visited Mount Everest had brought the virus to Ngari, then transmitted it to neighboring Shigatse before the family spread it to Lhasa. With 3.6 million people living on over 474,000 square miles, Tibet has one of the lowest population densities in the world, comparable to Montana in the United States. There are no reports on how authorities carry out COVID tests on the Tibetan nomads. COVID in Xinjiang Xinjiang authorities announced more COVID infections on Aug. 9 and sealed off more areas in the cities of Urumqi, Turpan, Aksu, and Shihezi. The lockdown strategy left visitors stranded in Xinjiang, a popular summer tourist destination in China, straining the regions hotel industry. Between July 30when the authorities initially reported the outbreak in the regionand Aug. 7, there were 8.82 million tourists, with an average of 980,000 visitors each day, according to official data. Tourists can leave a locked-down city if they have two negative COVID tests within 48 hours and have never been to high-risk areas. The entire city of Ili is under lockdown. Nobody can enter. Businesses are closed. We are locked at home, a Xinjiang resident told The Epoch Times on Aug. 9. The environment is tense. We feel anxious. A traveler told The Epoch Times that she and several other tourists didnt leave Ili before the authorities locked down the city. We are stuck inside the bed and breakfast, she said in a phone interview. We depend on the [bed and breakfast] owner to do our shopping. Hong Ning contributed to this report. Trump Reveals More Details on Mar-a-Lago Raid Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon revealed more details on the circumstances surrounding the FBIs Aug. 8 raid of his Mar-a-Lago home. In early June, the DOJ and FBI asked my legal representatives to put an extra lock on the door leading to the place where boxes were stored in Mar-a-Lago We agreed, Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Aug. 10, in an apparent reference to boxes that may have been used to store presidential records in Mar-a-Lago. They were shown the secured area, and the boxes themselves. Then on Monday, without notification or warning, an army of agents broke into Mar-a-Lago, went to the same storage area, and ripped open the lock that they had asked to be installed. A surprise attack, POLITICS, and all the while our Country is going to HELL! Trump said. The former presidents Wednesday statements, if true, throw further questions on the justification and appropriateness of the raid which was reportedly carried out in relation to a Department of Justification (DOJ) probe into whether Trump took presidential records with him after he left office. The DOJ and FBI have declined to comment on the matter, and the search warrant is currently under seal. Nothing had been hidden and nothing had been kept secret from them, which makes this all the more ridiculous, Trumps lawyer Christina Bobb told The Epoch Times on Tuesday. Bobb confirmed that the federal agents were looking for presidential records at Mar-a-Lago during the raid. Donald Trump didnt commit a crime, she said. They would have to lay the foundation that Donald Trump actually packed up his own office, and Donald Trump was actually the custodian of these records, and that he actually moved them. Cooperating with NARA According to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Trumps representatives had been cooperating in transferring presidential records, including handing over 15 boxes containing presidential records, in the past year following the conclusion of Trumps presidency. While the Presidential Records Act of 1978 stipulates that an administration must transfer to the U.S. Archivist (head of the National Archives) certain classified records related to the presidents duties by the end of the presidents term, few former presidents have done so in a short period of time, and none have been prosecuted as a result. Republicans in Congress and allies of Trump, for this reason, have been questioning whether a political motive underlies the raid, the details of which remain under court seal leaving legal experts unable to comment on the appropriateness of the action. NARAs singling out of President Trumps handling of official records stands starkly in contrast to the way NARA has treated far clearer violations committed by politicians and officials who are not Republicans, 20 Republicans, including numerous Committee ranking members, wrote in an Aug. 10 letter addressed to U.S. Acting Archivist Debra Wall, first published by Politico. The seeming weaponization of the federal government against President Bidens political rivals cannot go unchecked, and if NARA is working to further these efforts, it will be only the latest agency to lose its credibility in the eyes of the American people under the Biden Administration, the Republican lawmakers wrote. On Tuesday, the magistrate judge who reportedly approved the search warrant ordered the Department of Justice to file a response to a motion asking for the DOJ to unseal the warrant no later than Aug. 15. Former President Donald Trump (L) and former First Lady Melania Trump (R) arrive for the funeral of Ivana Trump at St. Vincent Ferrer Roman Catholic Church in New York on July 20, 2022. (Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images) Trump: FBI Agents Rummaged Through Melanias Clothing and Personal Items Former President Donald Trump on Thursday said FBI agents raiding his Mar-a-Lago home rummaged through former first lady Melania Trumps clothing and personal items. Just learned that agents went through the First Ladys closets and rummaged through her clothing and personal items. Surprisingly, left area in a relative mess. Wow! Trump wrote on Truth Social. Its not clear if Trump was referring to reports from the New York Post and other media outlets earlier this week, which cited anonymous sources, that claimed the agents went through her personal belongings. The former first lady has not issued any public statements on the FBI raid. The Epoch Times has contacted spokespersons for the former president. Trump on Truth Social confirmed the FBIs Mar-a-Lago raid on Monday evening, accusing the Biden administration and Department of Justice of using the agency for political ends. Approval Since then, the FBI and Justice Department have remained tight-lipped, having issued no public comments on the search until Attorney General Merrick Garlands press conference on Thursday afternoon. The attorney general confirmed that he personally approved the FBI raid and said his agency is filing a motion to unseal a warrant that was used to search the former presidents property. I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter the Department does not take such a decision lightly, Garland said. Attorney General Merrick Garland delivers a statement at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC. on Aug. 11, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Since I became attorney general, I have made clear that the Department of Justice will speak through its court filings and its work just now, Garland added. The Justice Department has filed a motion in the southern district of Florida to unseal a search warrant and property receipt relating to a court-approved search that the FBI conducted earlier this week. That search was a premises located in Florida belonging to the former president. A judge in the case, Bruce Reinhart, on Wednesday ordered the Department of Justice to respond to motions to unseal the warrant. Trumps lawyers and members of his family have told news outlets that FBI agents would not give Christina Bobb, a Trump attorney, copies of the search warrant. Bobb told The New York Times on Tuesday that she received the warrant. Supporting documentation to the warrant was sealed, she said in another interview. It was very, I would say, thin, and as you can tell, it went from public records, Bobb told Real Americas Voice on Tuesday. The affidavit, the supporting documentation of what the probable cause was to obtain the warrant, has been sealed, so were not allowed to see that. We have to go to court to request the judge to release that, which may or may not happen. Trumps second-oldest son, Eric, said workers at Mar-a-Lago were told by FBI agents to turn off security cameras. The cameras werent turned off, he told the Daily Mail on Wednesday, adding that they saw agents in places that they shouldnt have been. The Epoch Times has contacted the FBI and DOJ for comment. Former President Donald Trump raises his fist while walking to a vehicle outside of Trump Tower in New York on Aug. 10, 2022. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images) Trump Lawyer: FBI Agents Searched Areas 1, 2, and 3 at Mar-a-Lago A lawyer for former President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that FBI agents refused to speak to her or allow her to view their search of several rooms on his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida. They had unfettered access to the property. They looked at god knows what in there and did god knows what in there. We have no idea, Trump lawyer Lindsey Halligan told Fox News. What the FBI did was an appalling display of abuse of power. All documents requested were previously handed over. President Trump and his team painstakingly reviewed every single document at Mar-a-Lago and gave the government what they requested. If they needed any other documents, they could have just asked. And the warrant was secured under seal, so they tried to get away with concealing this overreach by obtaining a warrant under seal. Nobody knew about it. Providing more details on where the FBI looked, Halligan recalled seeing 30 to 40 agents searching areas one, two, and three in Mar-a-Lago. She understood those areas to be Trumps bedroom, office, and a storage room. And other than that, we were not allowed to talk to them or go inside at all, the lawyer said. The agents were either wearing suits or were wearing cargo pants, masks, and gloves, she told the outlet. They refused to talk to me. They refused to let me in, she said. The FBI warrant has not yet been unsealed. The Florida judge in the case, Bruce Reinhart, on Wednesday ordered the Justice Department to file a response to two requests to a motion to unseal the warrant The response may be filed ex parte and under seal as necessary to avoid disclosing matters already under seal. In that event, the Government shall file a redacted Response in the public record. If it chooses, the Government may file a consolidated Response to all Motions to Seal, Reinhart wrote in his order, responding to court filings from Judicial Watch and the Albany Times Union to unseal the warrant. Both the FBI and the Department of Justice have declined to comment or have not responded to requests for comment. Neither agency has issued a public statement about the search, which analysts say was likely authorized by high-level law enforcement officials. Details On Monday evening, the former president confirmed on social media that his Florida residence was raided by the FBI. And another one of Trumps lawyers told news outlets this week that agents would not give her a copy of the warrant and presented it to her from more than 10 feet away. Former US President Donald Trumps residence in Mar-A-Lago, Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images) In Thursdays interview, Halligan said the agents knew Trump was at his residence in Bedminster, New Jersey, and hasnt been to Mar-a-Lago in a while. They thought they could sneak in, snoop around without attorneys present and in case they walked out with nothing, so nobody would know that they overreached this degree, she alleged. Its unprecedented in United States history. The government seems to be out of control. Its plagued with manipulation, corruption, greed, and fraud. Trump and his family as well as high-profile GOP leaders have suggested the raid is politically motivated and designed to harm Republicans chances during the forthcoming 2022 midterm elections. At the same time, however, observers say the unprecedented action may propel Trump to announce his bid for the presidency in 2024. Twilio Inc. founder and CEO Jeff Lawson (C, in glasses) reacts after ringing the opening bell to celebrate Twilio's initial public offering at the New York Stock Exchange on June 23, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Twilio Falls Prey to Hackers: Report Digital authentication solutions provider Twilio Inc. said a scheme by which outsiders duped employees into handing over their passwords hacked some of its employees and customers accounts. Twilio became aware of the incident on Aug. 4. This broad-based attack against our employee base succeeded in fooling some employees into providing their credentials, Twilio said. The attackers then used the stolen credentials to gain access to some of our internal systems, where they were able to access certain customer data. Twilio hired a computer forensics firm to identify the hackers and assist in the remediation of the breach. According to experts, in the past three days, hackers targeted companies providing two-factor authentication services to steal cryptocurrency, compromise telecommunications companies, and breach customer relationship management portals, Bloomberg reports. The social engineering method to gain access to credentials via text message to log in as the user and then steal data is becoming more common, said an expert. Earlier this year, hackers compromised the two-factor authentication provider Okta Inc., Microsoft Corp., and Nvidia Corp. By Anusuya Lahiri 2022 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. The Emirati flag sways in the wind in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on June 3, 2022, as the skyline of Dubai is seen in the background. (Karim Sahib/AFP via Getty Images) UAE Court Lifts Prison Term for American Convicted of Money Laundering DUBAIA United Arab Emirates court has lifted a prison sentence but upheld a conviction on money laundering charges for U.S. citizen and civil rights attorney Asim Ghafoor, who was detained while transiting through Dubai last month, the Judicial Department and a lawyer for Ghafoor said on Wednesday. The court ordered Ghafoor to pay a 5 million dirham ($1.36 million) fine and for 18 million dirhams in his account to be confiscated. But it removed a three-year jail term from an earlier sentence handed down in absentia in May, lawyer Habib Al Mulla told Reuters. The anti-money laundering and tax evasion court in Abu Dhabi also ordered Ghafoor to be deported, the emirates Judicial Department said in a statement posted on its Twitter account. It confirmed the jail term had been removed and that Ghafoor faced the fine and confiscation of his funds. The lawyer did not say whether Ghafoor, who is based in Virginia, had been released. The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. Ghafoor, who helped set up a human rights group with slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, had been detained at Dubai International Airport based on the absentia court conviction, following an investigation that the UAE said was launched in 2020 based on a request for assistance from U.S. authorities. The UAE Embassy in Washington said on Monday the Emirati investigation had determined Ghafoor had committed tax evasion and money laundering by moving at least $4.9 million in international transfers through the UAE banking system. The in-absentia trial and his detention on July 14 while U.S. President Joe Biden was visiting the region had drawn criticism from rights groups and some members of Congress. The United States has not confirmed it requested the Emirati probe and said Ghafoor was not detained at Washingtons request. Ghafoors supporters have said he was not aware of the charges, with some U.S. lawmakers suggesting the arrest might be political and mentioning his ties to Khashoggi, who was murdered by Saudi agents in Turkey in 2018. UAE authorities have consistently described the case as strictly one of financial crimes. They did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters on Tuesday for comment on the accusation Ghafoors links to Khashoggi may have been a factor. U.S. intelligence says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation in which Khashoggi was killed. The prince has denied involvement. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are close allies. According to Ghafoors website, Ghafoor helped Khashoggi incorporate U.S.-based rights group Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) in 2018 and is a member of its board. DAWN had called for his immediate release, saying the May conviction was obtained without due process, a criticism that has been taken up by members of the U.S. Congress. The UAE Embassy said Ghafoor has received due process since his arrest, local legal counsel, and regular contact with his family and with U.S. consular officials. ($1 = 3.6727 UAE dirham) By Alexander Cornwell A United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER lands at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco in this file photograph. (Louis Nastro/Reuters) United Airlines Puts Down $10 Million Deposit for 100 Electric Air Taxis United Airlines Inc. is looking to the future with a major investment in electric air taxis to transport consumers to and from the airport. The company paid a $10 million deposit to Archer Aviation Inc. for an order of 100 electric vertical takeoff and landing air taxis, known as eVTOLs, the company announced on Aug. 10. The payment represents a watershed moment for the eVTOL industry, validating confidence in the commercialization of eVTOL aircraft and Archers leadership, the company said in a news release (pdf). Archer Aviation recently completed its preliminary design review (PDR) for the electric air taxi, and the company said it hopes the air taxi will now advance to the next stage of its development and commercialization efforts. The PDR is a meticulous review of the aircraft design to make sure its ready for production and introduction to the market, the company said. Uniteds decision to place a deposit for 100 of Archers eVTOL aircraft signals its desire to be one of the first airline operators in the U.S. to bring eVTOL aircraft to market, Archer stated. United Airlines and its regional partner airline Mesa Airlines agreed in 2021 to purchase $1 billion of Archers flying taxis, with an option for an additional $500 million of aircraft. At the time, the airline noted that the air taxis could provide customers with a quick, economic and low-emission way to get to airports within its major hubs by 2024. A prototype of an electric air taxi that takes off and lands vertically (eVTOLs), made by German startup Volocopter, flies during a demonstration round at the Daimler museum in Stuttgart, Germany, on Sept. 14, 2019. (Michael Dalder/Reuters) Flying Taxis Will Reduce CO2 Emissions United Airlines estimates that using one of Archers eVTOL aircraft could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 50 percent per passenger on a trip between Hollywood and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Los Angeles is also one of the initial cities in which Archer plans to launch its fleet of air taxis. The aircraft being developed by Archer take off vertically like a helicopter, meaning no runway is required, and fly forward like an airplane. They can also land on traditional helicopter landing pads or other landing sites such as the top of a parking garage. The vehicles are powered entirely by electricity. According to its website, Archers mission is to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility and its vehicles are designed to safely complete a flight, even if an engine shuts down or its propulsion system stops working. Archers eVTOL aircraft is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the industry. However, the company is currently involved in a lawsuit brought by rival company Wisk Aero LLC over alleged patent infringement. Archer Aviation has denied the claims and filed a number of counterclaims. The company has also brought a lawsuit against Boeing, one of Wisk Aeros backers. The New Era of Air Travel I am incredibly proud of the entire Archer team as we reach this milestone in our partnership with United Airlines. To receive a cash deposit is validation of Archers achievements to date, not only with flight testing and product development, but also a great signal of confidence in our roadmap to commercialization, said CEO Adam Goldstein in a news release. Were thankful to United for their continued partnership as we usher in this new era in air travel. Michael Leskinen, president of United Airlines Ventures, called the down payment a new important phase in our relationship with Archer, and our commitment to eVTOL technology, and noted that consumers and businesses are now moving to prioritize technology that reduces CO2 emissions. We believe eVTOLs have the potential to both help achieve carbon-neutral travel and serve as an innovative new tool to change how United customers experience comfort, convenience, and efficiency during their commutes within cities across the globe, Leskinen added. Leskinen told The Wall Street Journal that prices for the air taxis will be comparable to Uber Black, a deluxe service that allows customers to choose a luxury vehicle and professional driver instead of the standard rideshare setup. In an Archer eVTOL, a trip from Manhattan to a New York airport would cost between $110 to $120, although that price could decline over time, Leskinen said. As of this moment there is no agreement on the next meeting between the special representatives of Armenia and Turkey, the Armenian Foreign Ministry told ARMENPRESS when asked to comment on Turkish news media reports claiming that the next meeting between envoys Ruben Rubinyan and Serdar Kilic will take place in September. August 11, 2022, 16:05 No agreement yet on next meeting between Armenian, Turkish special envoys MFA STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 11, ARTSAKHPRESS: As of this moment there is no agreement regarding the meeting. We are informing the public about the meetings of the special representatives of the Armenia-Turkey normalization process beforehand, in proper timeframes, foreign ministry spokesperson Vahan Hunanyan said. US Militarys COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Puts National Security at Risk: Florida Adjutant General The U.S. Department of Defenses COVID-19 vaccine mandate is undercutting military readiness, Floridas adjutant general said in a recent op-ed. Military members were ordered in 2021 to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Deadlines for all the branches arrived before the end of the year. National Guard personnel and reservists were allowed to wait until mid-2022, but those who arent vaccinated and havent received an exemption were cut off from their paychecks in July and threatened with possible separation if they dont get vaccinated. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other military leaders have said the mandate was imposed to ensure military readiness. The mandate is necessary to protect the Force and defend the American people, Austin said in a memorandum to senior leaders in August 2021. But Maj. Gen. James Eifert, commanding general of the Florida National Guard, said in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the requirements arent protecting the military. Sound policy must be more beneficial than detrimental; the militarys Covid mandate decidedly isnt. The benefits of vaccination are limited. Existing vaccines dont prevent transmission of the dominant variants. And the virus has become less capable of rendering severe clinical outcomes, while effective treatments are now available for those who do get sick, he wrote. Eifert said he backed mandates when U.S. authorities initially said the vaccines were highly effective against infection and severe illness, but the circumstances have once changed, with effectiveness being dramatically lower than once thought, and a number of adverse events being detected after the clinical trials. As our knowledge of risk changes, shouldnt our policy change with it? Eifert asked. Even before the vaccines were available, military readiness was only hindered by quarantine requirements and lockdowns, not COVID-19, according to Eifert. He noted that only 95 U.S. military deaths have been attributed to COVID-19, a mortality rate of 0.004 percent, based on the number of cases recorded among troops. If the current policy isnt changed, then the Florida National Guard faces the loss of about 1,000 personnel, or 8.3 percent of its force. Our world is only becoming more dangerous. Im hopeful that an open-minded self-assessment leads to a solution that addresses this most serious threat to force readinessbefore its too late, Eifert said. The Army and National Guard declined to comment on Eiferts comments. The Pentagon didnt respond to a request for comment. Eifert was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican. Latest Statistics As of July 14, some 11,056 Army National Guard personnel, or 3.3 percent, have refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine, along with 6,733 Army Reserve reservists, or 3.7 percent. None have been separated. National Guard members and reservists have already been cut off from participating in federally funded drills and training, and cut off from pay. Spokespersons for the Army and National Guard said that separations could come in the future. Were going to give every soldier every opportunity to get vaccinated and continue their military career. Were not giving up on anybody until the separation paperwork is signed and completed Army Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, director of the Army National Guard, told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. Nearly 6,000 members of the Air National Guard, or 5.6 percent, and about 3,000 Air Force reservists, or 4.4 percent, also arent fully vaccinated. Some Marine Corps and Coast Guard reserves have also refused to comply with the vaccination order. Thousands of personnel have applied for medical or religious exemptions, but a small number have been approved. None of the Army Guard personnel have been approved for a religious exemption, while six have received a medical exemption. About 840 Air Guard members have received exemptions. A worker moves garbage bins as the city works to clear tents from the sidewalk at a sprawling homeless encampment on East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, on Aug. 9, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck) Vancouver Continues Tent Encampment Removal in Downtown Eastside After Disruption The City of Vancouver continues to work with residents living in tent encampments along East Hastings Street in whats expected to be a weeks-long process to remove their tents and structures. The process came after the citys fire chief Karen Fry last month signalled the need to accelerate structure removal on East Hastings Street to improve public safety against fires or other catastrophic conditions. We acknowledge that since July 1, the situation on East Hastings Street near Main Street in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) has grown significantly more unsafe due in part to increased structures and decreased accessibility, the city said in a news release issued on July 25. However, many tent structures in the area remained in place on Aug. 10, a day after city staff began to inform residents to remove their tents and structures. City staff has informed residents of the options to store their belongings, including city-provided containers, which staff would seal with tamper-proof labels before placing them in short-term storage. A heavy police presence was deployed to the area between Main Street and East Hastings Street to assist the staff and maintain order. The Vancouver Police Department (VDP) said in a statement on Aug. 9 that several officers were assaulted in the Downtown Eastside after the police arrested a man who was causing a disturbance at the Carnegie Community Centre, located on the Main Street and East Hastings intersection. Officers were called by Carnegie Centre staff just before 3 p.m., who reported a man throwing computers and behaving erratically, the VDP said. As officers were taking him into custody, the man resisted arrest and fought with police. A large crowd gathered, and became hostile and combative with the officers. The VDP said multiple arrests were made. An update from the city on Aug. 10 said the confrontation with the police at the Main and Hastings intersection was not as a result of the Citys effort to remove structures, and instead stemmed from the incident outside the community centre. The city said staff aimed to approach encampment residents with respect and sensitivity, encouraging and supporting voluntary removal of tents and belongings through conversation. We recognize that some people believe the city should not do this work, but there are significant safety risks for everyone in the neighbourhood that the city cannot ignore, it said. The Downtown Eastside neighbourhood has long been struggling with challenges including drug use, crime, homelessness, housing issues, and unemployment. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. At its current pace, Medicares Hospital Insurance trust fund will run out of money in 2028, according to the June 2022 Medicare trustees report. Thats a two-year extension on the previous estimate, but experts say its still not good news, and the government needs to stop twiddling its thumbs. Heres what you should know. What Happens if the Trust Fund is Depleted? If the Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund is depleted, it doesnt mean Medicare Part A will implode. But the program wont have enough revenues to cover all operating costs, by a shortfall of about 10 percent starting in 2029. This part of the Medicare program wont be able to make payments to health care providers and health insurers that are due, and those payments will become increasingly delayed over time, says Matthew Fiedler, a senior fellow with the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy. This backlog could result in a big financial shock to hospitals that rely on Medicare revenues to operate. Ultimately, Fiedler says , hospitals might rethink the extent to which they want to participate in the Medicare program. Its important to understand that Medicares Hospital Insurance trust fund doesnt finance all of Medicareit funds Medicare Part A, or hospital insurance. Medicare Part B, which covers doctors appointments and outpatient care, and Medicare Part D, which covers prescription drugs, are funded mainly out of patient premiums and the governments general revenues. What Are the Most Likely Fixes? There are several ways the government could handle the situation, from tweaking service coverage to redirecting revenues. Here are a few options: Move some Medicare Part A services to Part B Some experts have suggested that the government could shift some post-acute servicessuch as physical therapy or nursing management after a hospital stayfrom Part A to Part B. That makes the Part A trust fund look better, because youve taken some of the expenses off the books, says Dr. Mark McClellan , the Robert J. Margolis professor of business, medicine and policy at Duke University, who holds a doctorate in economics. But thats not really changing the overall cost or sustainability of the program. For Medicare beneficiaries, this change could mean that some post-acute services that are covered 100 percent under Part A could be subject to the Part B deductible and 20 percent coinsurance, unless the beneficiary has a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan that covers some costs. Modernize the Medicare drug benefit When Medicare Part D was introduced in 2006, there werent as many expensive specialty drugs on the market. Today, the government foots the majority of the bill for high-cost drugs. Lowering drug costs and applying those savings to the Part A trust fund is an option. Current legislation in Congress would help Medicare beneficiaries spend less on prescription drugs and decrease costs for specific high-cost drugs over time. The Senate bill includes an important modernization of Medicares drug benefit, to provide more comprehensive coverage for Medicare beneficiaries with high drug costs and to get Medicares drug plans to negotiate more aggressively with drug manufacturers, McClellan says. Cut payments to providers In the short term, the government could reduce Medicare payments to some or all Part A providers, said Joseph Antos, senior fellow and Wilson H. Taylor scholar in health care and retirement policy with the American Enterprise Institute. Congress has done this before and can do it again, particularly if this is accompanied by some other adjustment that takes effect in year nine or 10 to give the money back, said Antos in an email. (The Congressional Budget Office does 10-year cost estimates, so a nine- or 10-year adjustment schedule maximizes scorable savings but signals to providers that the cut would be temporary, Antos said.) For beneficiaries, the impact from this approach would be minimal, although it may reduce access to some providers or lead to some providers adding services that arent covered by Medicare to increase revenues, Antos explained. Move funds from general revenues The most likely option is for the government to authorize a one-time shot of general funds to the Medicare trust fund. I could easily see how they would say, For a temporary basis, for five years, we will authorize an infusion from general revenues to top it up, Antos said. If that happens, he said, the countrys debt will continue to increase. That would not have an impact on beneficiaries, Antos said. It would have an impact on their children. By Kate Ashford from NerdWallet The Epoch Times Copyright 2022 The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided. Low water level in the Woodhead reservoir in Glossop, England, on July 21, 2022. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Wildfire Warning as Britains Heatwave Continues Britain is facing sweltering heat conditions with no rain which could lead to drought and wildfires, according to the national weather service and fire officials. The Met Office, which monitors weather conditions, issued an Amber Extreme heat warning, today Aug. 11. Meanwhile, the National Drought Group is set to meet on Aug. 12 to decide whether to issue a drought warning. The extreme heat warning is due to continue until Sunday and covers the southern half of England and parts of eastern Wales. High pressure above England will see no let-up in the heat wave until next weekend. Persistent high pressure over the UK means temperatures have been rising day-on-day through this week and it is important people plan for the heat. Temperatures are expected to peak at 35 [degrees] C on Friday and possibly 36 [degrees] C over the weekend, said Andy Page, Met Office chief meteorologist. We will also see increasingly warm nights, with temperatures expected not to drop below the low 20s [degrees] Celsius for some places in the south. Temperatures will drop early next week as the weather becomes more changeable. Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely in some areas, but there is low confidence in the details at this time and it is impossible to say yet exactly where and when they will occur, Page said. Agostinho Sousa, head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at the UK Health Security Agency, said, Temperatures will feel very warm again this week, particularly in southern and central parts of the country. We want everyone to enjoy the warm weather safely when it arrives, but remember that heat can have a fast impact on health. Its important to ensure that people who are more vulnerableelderly people who live alone and people with underlying health conditionsare prepared for coping during the hot weather. The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool, and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating, said Sousa. Mark Hardingham, chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council warned that wildfires may break out, something that is highly unusual in the UK. In July wildfires devastated suburban areas in Essex in the East of England. In this heat, please dont use barbecues when out in the countryside or at local parks, said the fire chief. The increase in temperatures has seen fire services respond to a large number of fire and water rescue incidents. Many are preventable so we are asking the public to take steps to ensure they are keeping themselves and their communities safe. Hardingham warned trying to keep cool could actually kill you. Rivers, lakes, and other water can still be very cold even in this hot weather. Jumping in for a swim can lead to cold water shock and accidental drowning, regardless of swimming ability. Unfortunately, this year we have seen a number of fatalities, Hardingham said. According to the Met Office, this heatwave could last longer than the 40 degree C record-breaking heatwave last month. Morgan Geyser is escorted out of the courtroom following her sentencing in Waukesha, Wis., on Feb. 1, 2018. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool) Wisconsin Woman in Slender Man Attack Drops Release Request WAUKESHA, Wis.One of two Wisconsin women who were sent to a state mental health facility after a 2014 stabbing attack on a sixth-grade classmate that they claimed was to appease the horror character Slender Man has withdrawn her petition for release. In June, Morgan Geyser, 20, asked Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren to order her release as he did last year for her co-defendant, Anissa Weier, who spent nearly four years at a mental health facility in Oshkosh. Bohren appointed three doctors to evaluate Geysers mental state. After receiving one doctors report, Geyser and her attorney sent a letter to the judge Tuesday. The letter said: We are requesting that the remaining examinations not be finalized and we will continue to revisit this issue as Ms. Geyser continues to make progress in treatment and advance with her recovery, according to WTMJ-TV. Her attorney, Anthony Cotton, has not returned a call for comment. According to prosecutors, Geyser and Weier lured Payton Leutner to woods in a Waukesha park following a sleepover in May 2014, and Geyser repeatedly stabbed Leutner while Weier urged her on. All three girls were 12 at the time. Geyser and Weier left Leutner for dead, but she managed to crawl out of the woods and was discovered by a passing bicyclist. She suffered 19 stab wounds and barely survived, according to medical staff who treated her. Police found Weier and Geyser later that day walking on Interstate 94 in Waukesha. They said they were traveling to Slender Mans mansion in northern Wisconsin and attacked Leutner because they thought it would make them Slender Mans servants and prevent him from killing their families. Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in a deal with prosecutors and a judge sent her to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute after determining she had a mental illness. Weier pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide and was also sent to the psychiatric facility after a jury found she was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the attack. Last September, Weier was granted a conditional release to live with her father and was ordered to wear a GPS monitor. Two reactors cooling towers are in action at the Golfech Nuclear Power Plant in southwestern France on Nov. 27, 2012. (Eric Cabanis/AFP via Getty Images) Without Nuclear Power Green Energy Costs Will Skyrocket, Experts Claim As the United States transitions to renewable energy, experts say costs could increase exponentially. Nuclear industry organization SMR Start released a 2021 report examining the costs of transitioning the electric grid to renewable energy. It found that the effective cost of covering demand using only solar power would be between $216.4 per megawatt-hour (MWh) and $274 per MWh. Wind generation-only costs would range from $87.8 per MWh to $106.4 per MWh. However, the report states that using small modular nuclear reactors decreased energy costs to between $71.57 per MWh and $79.73 per MWh. The higher costs are to cover generating for the winter peak. Evening sets on the San Onofre atomic power plant in northern San Diego County, south of San Clemente, Calif., on Dec. 6, 2004. (David McNew/Getty Images) Similarly, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) released a 2018 interdisciplinary study on transitioning the electricity sector to renewable energy. It concluded that without the contribution of nuclear energy, the cost of achieving deep decarbonization targets increases significantly and, in some instances, almost doubles. At the 2022 National Conference of State Legislatures, Marcus Nichol, the director of new reactor deployment at the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), told state legislators that if the United States doesnt include nuclear energy as part of the grid mix, energy costs could skyrocket over the coming years. Nuclear Benefits According to the NEI, there are 93 nuclear reactors around the United States, and almost 55 percent of the nations total carbon-free electricity comes from these reactors. Thats despite nuclear power only generating 19 percent of the nations total electricity. Nuclears ability to provide so much energydespite not equaling a more significant percentage of the gridis because of uraniums energy density. One uranium fuel pellet provides as much energy as one ton of coal, 149 gallons of oil, or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. In 2020, U.S. nuclear power plants had an average capacity factor of almost 93 percent. The capacity factor measures reliability and tells how often a plant can run at maximum power. If a plant is running at 100 percent capacity factor, its producing power all the time. For comparison, coal has a capacity factor of 49.3 percent, natural gas 54.4 percent, wind generation 34.6 percent, and solar 24.6 percent, according to the Department of Energy. Finally, concerning emissions, nuclear generation produces approximately 12 g CO2eq (carbon dioxide equivalent) per kilowatt hour throughout its lifecycle. Wind turbines spin behind a field of solar cell panels. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) According to the World Nuclear Association, onshore wind power generates 14.4 g CO2eq per kWh, and photovoltaic power (solar panels) generates 50.9 g CO2eq per kWh. Pointedly, once you add storing energy in utility-scale lithium-ion batteriesan essential component of transitioning to wind and solaremissions increase between 70 g CO2-eq per kWh and 300 g CO2-eq per kWh greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Simply put, nuclear energy is responsible for more than half of U.S. carbon-free electricity despite not being widely used, and its energy dense. Its also the most reliable form of energy available and produces fewer emissions over its lifecycle than wind or solar. But, despite these advantages, the United States hasnt funded advanced nuclear prototypes to the extent that it has wind and solar, according to MIT. And negative public perception is leading to the closing of nuclear power plantssince peaking in 1990 at 107, nuclear reactors have steadily declined, according to the Pew Research Center. Public Support Influenced by Fear According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January, 69 percent of adults support the United States becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Americans dont agree on how to accomplish this, however. About a third of U.S. adults think the federal government should encourage nuclear power. Two-thirds believe the government should either discourage it or feel the government should remain neutral on nuclear power development and focus on supporting wind and solar. Precisely 72 percent of people favor wind and solar, and Pew reports that the public is likely to report favoring oil and gas drilling over nuclear. Lawmakers reintroduced the Green New Deal and introduced the Civilian Climate Corps Act. Massachusetts Sen. Edward Markey (C), a Democrat, speaks during a press conference on Capitol Hill on April 20, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The survey found party affiliation impacts a persons likeliness to support nuclear power. Specifically, Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more likely to favor the federal government encouraging nuclear, while Democrats and those more likely to lean Democrat want the government to oppose it (42 percent to 32 percent). Conservative Republicans are the most likely to favor encouraging nuclear (45 percent), and liberal Democrats are the most likely to favor discouraging nuclear (31 percent). Pew reports that despite its ability to cut greenhouse gas emissions, policymakers and the public are influenced by incidents such as the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Misplaced Alarm? In March, the U.N. Scientific Committee found that, aside from 5,000 thyroid cancers (15 of which resulted in death), there is no evidence of a major public health impact attributable to radiation exposure 20 years after the [Chernobyl] accident. Since 2011, there has been one death attributed to radiation sickness from the nuclear accident at Fukushima. However, approximately 2,313 people died because of the government evacuation. Conversely, in 2018, 8 million people died from fossil fuel pollution, according to new environmental research from Harvard, meaning one in five deaths worldwide is attributed to burning fossil fuels. A view of radiation-contaminated water tanks and the damaged reactors at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Japan, on Feb. 25, 2016. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) In 2013, NASA reported that global nuclear power prevented 64 gigatonnes of CO2-equivalent (GtCO2-eq) GHG emissions from entering the atmosphere and an average of 1.84 million air pollution-related deaths. On the basis of global projection data that take into account the effects of the Fukushima accident, we find that nuclear power could additionally prevent an average of 420,0007.04 million deaths and 80240 GtCO 2 -eq emissions due to fossil fuels by midcentury, depending on which fuel it replaces, the report reads. By contrast, we assess that large-scale expansion of unconstrained natural gas use would not mitigate the climate problem and would cause far more deaths than expansion of nuclear power. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Connecticut needed a computer system for its planned health information network, it came up with a novel solution. Instead of hiring consultants, the state tapped the University of Connecticut to develop the software for the network known as Connie. In 2017, the school created a new unit called UConn Analytics and Information Management Solutions UConn AIMS for short to do the work. Providing the computer architecture for Connie, an electronic system allowing health care professionals and entities like hospitals and labs to access patient information statewide, was supposed to be just the beginning for UConn AIMS, director Alan Fontes said. The Core Analytic Data System CDAS for short created for Connie had many other uses beyond health care, Fontes said. It was bringing these resources into the state as state assets, Fontes said. They would have had it as an asset instead of going out and hiring a lot of consultants. Today, UConn AIMS is out of business, 20 people are out of jobs and the system developed for Connie at the cost of about $20 million has been discarded and dismantled. Around the time of Connies launch in May 2021, the Office of Health Strategy (OHS), which was in charge of standing up the network, ended the funding and discarded the customized system UConn AIMS had spent four years developing. In its place, the agency purchased an existing system developed for Marylands health information network, whose annual cost will approach $1 million next year, Connie spokeswoman Jami Ouellette said. Why UConn AIMS system was dumped and dismantled is unclear. Connie, an independent nonprofit, played no role in the decision, Ouellette said in an email. The UConn AIMS contract was funded by OHS directly to UConn AIMS, she said. Connie has never had a contract with UConn AIMS, and therefore, did not have any authority regarding UConn AIMS contract decisions. Former OHS Executive Director Vicki Veltri, who left the agency July 1, would only say that UConn AIMS federal funding ran out at the end of 2020. In an interview earlier this year, Veltri, who had high praise for the CDAS system in an August 2020 UConn Today article, said she consulted with UConn and the state Department of Social Services (DSS), and there was a combined decision to go in another direction. They basically threw it away But Stephanie Reitz, UConn spokeswoman and manager of media relations, said the school, which defends the system, only agreed to withdraw UConn AIMS system when it became evident that the funding would expire without other sources available to continue supporting it. UConn is disappointed that Connie does not use the innovative system its unit spent years and millions of dollars developing, Reitz said. UConn wishes the work of AIMS would have led to a different outcome, she said. The university entered into the endeavor with OHS to develop a novel data analytics solution better than products offered by private contractors and that could add value to the state and beyond. We believe that [UConn AIMS] product did exactly that. The discarding of their system left three UConn AIMS team members, all of whom lost their jobs, so angry and frustrated that they filed a complaint late last year with the State Auditors of Public Accounts asking it to investigate. The auditors, per their policy of neither confirming nor denying investigations, declined comment. They basically threw it away, former UConn AIMS Deputy Director Christopher Gracia told C-HIT. It hurts because we put a lot of time and money into it for the state. It hurts that the citizens, the residents of the state, arent going to experience what they could have had. Assessment blindsides UConn AIMS The effort to create a Connecticut health information network has a long and checkered history. Three attempts over nearly a decade ended in expensive failures. In 2017, the state decided to try again. Connie, the latest attempt, was to have two purposes: enable medical personnel statewide to access a patients full medical history regardless of where the records are kept and analysis to improve care and reduce costs. The legislature assigned the job of standing up Connie to OHS, which hired several consultants, including UConn AIMS. OHS ultimately paid the unit about $20 million, most of it federal funds, to develop Connies computer architecture and analytics. In the summer of 2020, with the system ready to go and Connies launch approaching, OHS, in agreement with the Department of Social Services, decided to conduct an assessment. It assigned the task to another consultant on the project, Michigan-based Velatura Services LLC. In October 2020, a month before Connie was scheduled to launch, Velatura issued a report concluding UConn AIMS system was flawed and recommending it be abandoned in favor of one from an outside contractor. Velatura did not recommend an outside vendor. The assessment blindsided Fontes and Gracia. Fontes contested the findings and accused Velatura of bad faith, saying the firm didnt make it clear until late in the process that it was doing an assessment instead of seeking a demonstration. Velatura also never provided the parameters on which the system would be judged, they said. Fontes said he was angry that the assessment slammed UConn AIMS for using simulated instead of real data to test its system when OHS was supposed to provide the real data but never did. In addition, Fontes and Gracia accused Velatura of reneging on a promise to allow UConn AIMS to review the assessment and respond before it was designated final. Lisa Moon, who led Velaturas assessment team, initially told Fontes in emails that the report was final and not modifiable. But under pressure from UConn AIMS, Allan Hackney, who was OHS health information technology officer at the time, returned the report to draft. Hackney, who was in charge of the Connie project starting in 2017, resigned at the end of 2020. He did not respond to voicemails left on his phone or a message sent to his LinkedIn account seeking comment. Factual errors, lack of transparency, omission of key factors UConns administration backed Fontes and his team. Radenka Maric, who at the time was UConns vice president for research, innovation and entrepreneurship, sent Veltri and DSS Commissioner Deidre Gifford a seven-page letter dated Nov. 9, 2020, detailing shortcomings in Velaturas assessment. Those shortcomings included factual errors, misrepresentation of scope and purpose, omission of key factors necessary for evaluation, and lack of transparency and engagement with key constituents during the evaluation and review process, wrote Maric, who has since become UConns interim president. "UConn feels very stringently that serious flaws in this document prevent its consideration as part of a critical assessment of [the systems] functionality at this time, Maric wrote. She went on to note that good faith and clear objectives and evaluation criteria ... are lacking in the current draft report. Reached via email, Velatura did not respond to questions about UConns criticisms of its assessment, instead sending a general four-sentence statement defending its work on the Connie project. As a consultant to the state of Connecticut as they were standing up Connie, Velatura completed our contract deliverables to the full satisfaction of both parties, company spokeswoman Emily Mata said in the statement. Fontes and Gracia said they heard nothing from OHS in the weeks following UConns letter. No one communicated with me at all, Fontes said. Then in late December, OHS sent UConn AIMS an order to stop working at the end of the year, saying its federal funding was running out. Veltri said Velaturas assessment played no role in the funding cutoff. She said OHS had to stop providing money because it was unsure whether a new request for federal funds would be approved. Meanwhile, the announced November 2020 launch of Connie was pushed forward to spring 2021. However, Fontes still had heard nothing from Connie or OHS about the assessment or whether UConn AIMS architecture would be used. Veltri acknowledges concerns about assessment, shelves it UConn AIMS managed to struggle along until its funding was restored in early 2021, Fontes said. In mid-March 2021, Veltri wrote UConn a letter formally responding to UConns criticisms of the assessment that was sent more than four months before. Vetri reiterated that her office had not reviewed the report before it was circulated but said it had now done so. As you know, we had concerns about the draft report, Veltri wrote in her March 16, 2021, letter. Because of these concerns, the report was not finalized or published, nor will it be." In a May interview with C-HIT, however, Veltri denied that her decision constituted a withdrawal of the assessment. When pressed whether she agreed with the assessments conclusions, she said, I stand by the work product. UConn, however, took Veltris letter as acknowledgment that the reports flaws were significant to the point of invalidating the draft [assessment] in its entirety, university spokeswoman Reitz said. UConn AIMS terminated, architecture discarded Even as Connie finally launched in May 2021, UConn AIMS heard little or nothing from OHS about the status of their system, Fontes said. With little to do and its staff shrinking, the office focused on fine-tuning what it had built, Fontes said. We were in limbo, Gracia said. In July 2021, OHS lowered the boom, informing Fontes that it would not use UConn AIMS system and terminating its contract. No reason was given, but Fontes said he believes it was because of Velaturas assessment. That report was what they wanted to use to shut us down, he said. He still does not fully understand why. In the meantime, OHS purchased an existing system from CRISP, Marylands health information network, Connie spokeswoman Ouellette said. The annual cost is close to $1million. UConn AIMS cost per year would have been comparable, but Fontes and Gracia say their system, which had been specifically tailored to Connecticuts needs, would have been better. UConn AIMS limped along for a few months, attempting to salvage pieces of what it had built and market them to other state agencies, but nothing came of it, Fontes said. At the end of September last year, Fontes let his last employees go. Fontes stayed at UConn until he retired from the state in April. Gracia now works in the private sector. It felt bad at first, Gracia said of UConn AIMS demise. But by the end, we were all glad to be out of the state. Its like a relief. It was just so chaotic and unorganized. They didnt have the right people managing the effort. They didnt have the right people managing the vendors. They didn't have the right people managing us. They just didnt have the right people. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team , a nonprofit news organization dedicated to health reporting. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK Broadway in the Park returns to Mathews Park this weekend with more Disney classics. The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts will hold the second annual music festival over the next three Saturdays in August. The gates open at 3:30 and the concert starts at 6:30 p.m. On Aug. 13, the performers will sing selections from Moana, Encanto and Aladdin. The next Saturday, the songs will be from The Lion King, Tangled and Frozen, and the final week, the performers will sing music from Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. All ticket proceeds will go to the conservatorys scholarship fund, according to Julia Orosz, director of operations for the conservatory. Every dollar raised will go toward students education expenses. Ticket prices range from $15 for a child under 12 (children under 2 are free) to $18 for an adult. The concerts also offer VIP seating at $25 for children under 12 and $30 for an adult. Adults can also purchase an all access pass for one or with a child for $100. All access for an adult and two children is $150, and a sponsor ticket for two adults and up to three children is $250. Tickets are available on The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts website. The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts will welcome its first class of students in fall 2023 for the two-year program. The conservatory already welcomed high school students for its first pre-college intensive last month, and applications are open for next years sessions. emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW CANAAN Moments after a weekly concert ended at Waveny Park, police say a fire was reported at an adjacent mulch pile off Lapham Road, leading to the discovering of a mans body late Wednesday night. New Canaan Police Lt. Jason Ferraro said witnesses reported the fire around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday. Ferraro said firefighters who doused the flames discovered a mans body in the mulch area. Ferraro said the death appears to be a suicide. The mans name is being withheld until family is notified, Ferraro said. He did not anticipate releasing the mans name on Thursday. New Canaan and state police as well as the states chief medical examiners office are investigating the incident. According to the towns recreation supervisor, Steve Dayton, 500 to 600 people attended the concert at the park that ended at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The investigation closed Lapham Road until around 7 a.m. Thursday and focused on an area where Jennifer Dulos SUV was found on the night of her disappearance on May 24, 2019. The New Canaan mother of five has been presumed dead, but her remains have never been found. Authorities confirmed earlier on Thursday that the investigation was not related to Dulos. State and local police searched the park extensively in the days after Jennifer Dulos was reported missing in 2019. Arrest warrants indicated that police believed her estranged husband Fotis Dulos left a truck owned by one of his employees near the park and then rode a bicycle to her New Canaan home where he was lying in wait for her to return from dropping off their children at school. Fotis Dulos died about three weeks after being charged with the murder of his estranged wife. The location of her remains is still the focus of an ongoing investigation, a prosecutor said recently. Police searched the same mulch pile located near where the man was found Wednesday night for evidence in the Dulos disappearance in December 2021. State police said at the time the search was conducted out of an abundance of caution. Police did not reveal if anything connected to the case was found. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Kate W. Isaacs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (THE CONVERSATION) The Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has split the country into joyous supporters and furious dissenters. Emotions are running high, and some protests have turned violent. Yet research shows that people on either side of the abortion rights issue can bridge their divide if they speak directly and respectfully with one another. In July 2022, former leaders of prominent abortion-rights and anti-abortion advocacy organizations in Massachusetts gathered to discuss a new documentary film seriesaboutconversations they had regularly from 1995 to 2001. The warm friendships that they developed across their deep differences on abortion persist today, decades after their first meeting. Nicki Gamble, the former president and CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said during the panel that the opportunity to engage with anti-abortion activists changed my life. Others agreed. The facilitators made us really listen, said Madeline McComish, former president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. Most of the time the pro-choice women had said something different than what we thought. My research on talks between abortion-rights and anti-abortion advocates found that respectful conversation produces numerous positive outcomes. It helps people listen more deeply and forge personal connections, which can reduce negative stereotypes and foster respect and empathy. In Boston, this translated to a lessening of inflammatory public language. It can also lead people on opposite sides of an issue to evolve their views and develop more nuanced, complex perspectives. De-escalating violence The Abortion Dialogues, as they are known, were launched in Boston in response to lethal shootings in 1994 by an anti-abortion rights gunman at two local abortion clinics. At that time, the country was deeply polarized about abortion, rocked by violent protests and murders of prominent doctors who provided abortions. Six women activists for and against abortion rights started confidential talks in Boston in 1995, hoping to de-escalate the violence. They soon discovered that their moral worldviews presented two irreconcilable philosophies about how to live in the world. The three participants on the pro-life, side, as they chose to call themselves, are all observant Catholics from Boston. They made life choices based on a worldview that there is one truth, guided by their faith, about moral rights and wrongs. In contrast, the women on the pro-choice side, as they referred to themselves, said that they recognized a diversity of personal beliefs and weighed many circumstances in making life choices. The pro-choice side does not believe there are moral absolutes, explained one pro-life leader who participated in the talks in a confidential research interview in 2008. The pro-life participants would force others to conduct their lives according to the one truth that they believe, countered a pro-choice activist who also engaged in the talks. Despite this irreconcilable difference, the participants valued their conversations. They enjoyed talking with people with whom they had formerly sparred via news interviews. Gradually, each sides negative stereotypes were replaced by greater understanding and respect for their opponents. They also discovered that they enjoyed each others company. They grew to be friends, celebrated birthdays together and shared the ups and downs of their lives. Rehumanizing the fight led to their hoped-for public outcome the participants toned down their name calling, spoke up loudly for nonviolent means of change and instructed their organizations to treat the people on the other side with respect. Truth statements and policy The Boston leaders didnt try to agree on policy, but in June 2022, a different, small group of 22 residents in Jessamine Country, Kentucky, interested in abortion rights succeeded in doing just that. They used a guide for how to structure conversations produced by the nonprofit Braver Angels, an organization I volunteer with, that sets out how to find common ground among those with opposing viewpoints. Their aim: create agreements about abortion between conservatives and liberals. One key to the groups success was a selection of background readings by abortion-rights and anti-abortion authors that established a shared set of facts about abortion. For instance, there is a strong link between abortion and poverty, in that 3 out of 4 women seeking abortions are poor or low-income. The Kentucky abortion conversation also focused on a goal everyone could support reducing unwanted pregnancies and, consequently, abortions. The result was unanimous agreement on two concrete policy recommendations: better, age-appropriate sex education in Kentucky schools, and long-acting reversible contraception that is free of charge for Kentucky residents, modeled after the Colorado contraception program, which reduced abortion rates by 60% and birth rates by 59% among teenagers aged 15-19 from 2009 to 2014. The participants are now working to communicate their recommendations to state legislators, local pastors, the local health department and the news media. Beyond these cases The empathetic dialogue strategies used in Massachusetts and Kentucky may work in the longer term to reduce polarization in other places, too, and build greater consensus on future policy. Ireland, for example, voted in 2018 to roll back the countrys restrictive abortion law, replacing it with a new constitutional amendment that permits abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, and later if a womans life or health is at risk or the fetus has an abnormality. Just as the Kentucky group did with their shared readings before they met, Ireland undertook joint fact-finding before the amendment vote, via a 100-person constitutional convention. When it came time to vote, empathetic story sharing played a key role. Nearly 40% of those who voted to remove the abortion prohibition said their vote had been influenced by hearing from a woman about her experience. These same lessons could apply to abortion in the U.S. John Wood Jr., chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, called for the same respectful type of conversation in a story he told in July 2022 about his long-ago teenage girlfriends abortion. I cannot hate my fellow Americans who have dedicated their lives to either side of this issue, he wrote. There is deep humanity on each side of this divide. The groups in Massachusetts and Kentucky show that dialogue works. They built personal connections that crossed their respective ideologies, showed respect for different opinions and pushed for change that they could all support. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/theres-reason-for-people-on-opposing-sides-of-abortion-to-talk-even-if-they-disagree-it-helps-build-respect-understanding-and-can-lead-to-policy-change-187833. The agreement signed between Baku and the European Union (EU) on the import of Azerbaijani natural gas does not run counter to the provisions of the declaration on allied cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan. Ivan Nechayev, Deputy Director of the Information and Press Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated about this at a press briefing Thursday, news.am informs. August 11, 2022, 16:52 Russia MFA: Azerbaijan-EU natural gas agreement does not contradict Baku allied cooperation with Moscow STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 11, ARTSAKHPRESS: "It is about a memorandum of mutual understanding on strategic cooperation in the field of energy, which was signed between Azerbaijan and the EU on July 18. We [i.e., Russia] do not think that such a branch document can contradict the provisions of the declaration on alliance cooperation signed between Russia and Azerbaijan on February 22," said Nechayev. According to him, each and every country has the right to independently decide how and with whom to develop its relations, including in the oil and natural gas sector. WESTPORT The Rivers Edge Portfolio, consisting of two luxury apartments and two mixed-use buildings across the street on Riverside Avenue, recently sold for $6.35 million. Each of the buildings is situated along the Saugatuck River. The transaction reflects the high demand for multi-family housing, which continues unabated in the Westport community, the press release reads. Nathan Reyna, media relations and content specialist for Avison Young, said the residential units are up for lease. All four of the units in 264 Riverside Ave. are two bedrooms with 2.5 baths. The other residential building, at 260 Riverside Ave., has two units with two-bedrooms and two bathrooms, a unit with two bedrooms and one bathroom, a one-bedroom apartment with a bathroom and a three-bedroom penthouse, which has 2.5 bathrooms and a private roof deck. The exterior of the property is light blue, embellished with a white trim and light gray roofing, as well as a roof top deck. The interior features marble bathrooms, a washer and gas dryer and an energy-efficient dishwasher and refrigerator, among other aspects. According to the release, the apartment buildings were once two boutique office buildings that were considered obsolete. After repositioning it in April 2021, Continental Finance Corp. transformed the buildings into nine luxury apartments. This transaction was a clear win-win for both parties, said Principal Will Suarez, who represented the seller, Continental Finance Corp. The buyer successfully expanded their footprint in Westport along the desirable Riverside Avenue where they purchased two properties earlier this year, while the seller exited a well-planned and timed redevelopment of the asset. The buyer has not been announced. The complex was listed within the towns draft affordable housing plan adopted in June. Rent varies within each property. In building 264, rent is $4,200 to $4,350 per month. In building 260, rent spans from $1,747 for affordable housing to $5,499 at fair market value. The mixed-use buildings span from $1,280 to $9,780 per month. According to the press release, this location can be used for residential properties, or retail facilities. Those buildings currently house Jr.s Deli and Grille, an artist space, a residential unit and Alice Black Interiors, according to the property portfolio. The mixed-use property sits on the waterfront, including a dock for small boats. It also hosts two affordable housing units, which will support the burgeoning demand for housing in the Westport market. We are pleased to exit a well-executed repositioning of office product to high-demand residential, timing the market perfectly to coincide with rising demand in Fairfield County, said Alex Gurevich, CEO of Continental Finance Corp. kayla.mutchler @hearstmediact.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HAVANA (AP) A deadly fire that consumed at least half of a large oil storage facility in western Cuba and threatened to bring more power failures to the islands already fragile electricity system was largely controlled Wednesday after nearly five days, authorities said. Flames that recently consumed the fourth tank in the eight-tank facility in Matanzas were almost quelled, although the third tank remained on fire and surrounded by smoke, officials said. Col. Daniel Chavez, second in command at Cubas firefighting department, said the fire could keep burning for the next couple of days, but he did not expect it to spread further. He said the next step is to cool the area. The blaze killed at least one person and injured 128 others, with 14 firefighters still reported missing and 20 people hospitalized. The fire also forced officials to evacuate more than 4,900 people and shut down a key thermoelectric plant after it ran out of water, raising concerns about a new round of blackouts in addition to the ones the government announced last week for Havana. Arturo Lopez-Levy, a politics and international relations professor at Holy Names University in California, said the fire will complicate an already difficult scenario in Cuba. I think any realistic forecast would point to more blackouts and more difficulty in carrying out the minimum economic activity in the country, he said. Lopez-Levy also warned that it would be difficult to lift up this country after this triple tragedy, referring to the U.S. sanctions, the pandemic and now the fire. Some Cubans worry the blaze could lead to more planned power outages as the government grapples with a fuel shortage. That gives way to more justification of blackouts that are going to occur, said Pedro Pozo, a state worker. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel praised the work by local firefighters and special teams sent byt Mexico and Venezuela that employed boats, planes and helicopters to fight the blaze whose billowing, toxic smoke could be seen from the capital of Havana. (Tuesday) was a victory day, but we cannot be overconfident, the president tweeted Wednesday as he warned about a possible switch in the wind direction. Danger is lurking. The fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base began Friday when lightning struck the key infrastructure, which operates an oil pipeline that receives Cuban crude oil that powers thermoelectric plants. It also serves as the unloading and transshipment center for imported crude oil, fuel oil and diesel. The government has not provided an estimate of damages or said how much it has lost overall in key fuel supplies. The first tank was at 50% capacity and contained nearly 883,000 cubic feet (25,000 cubic meters) of fuel. The second tank was full. ___ Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) Police in Somaliland said they fired on opposition protesters Thursday amid tensions over an upcoming election, killing three people and wounding 27. During a media briefing, police officials asserted that some demonstrators were armed with knives and refused to follow instructions, and that officers feared for their lives and opened fire. Two civilians were killed in the capital, Hargeisa, and the third in Erigavo town in the Sanaag region. The protests occurred in major towns across Somaliland, the northern region that separated from Somalia three decades ago and seeks recognition as an independent country. They were called by the two main opposition parties, UCID and Wadani, which have asked President Muse Bihi Abdi not to delay the presidential election scheduled for Nov. 13. The opposition parties are concerned about the management of the election and the registration of political organizations. The Somaliland government allowed the protests to occur in six regions but in limited areas, which the parties opposed. Witness Idris Hassan confirmed to The Associated Press one death in Hargeisa after the demonstrators clashed with security forces. The governor of the Sanaag region, Ahmed Abdi Muse, confirmed the Erigavo death to local media. Internet service was briefly cut off in Somaliland on Thursday morning. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia said it strongly urged Somalilands ruling and opposition leaders to avoid violence in demonstrations and return quickly to political dialogue. It warned that a failure to agree on the election threatens Somalilands achievements in democratic governance. The head of the British Office in Hargeisa, Lizzie Walker, also urged peace and dialogue. Local therapists and mental health professionals say they have seen an uptick in requests for their services since the COVID-19 pandemic began. (Contributed photo) The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has killed a terrorists leader, Alhaji Shanono, along with 18 members of his gang during air raid operation in Kaduna State. Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the Director, Public Relations and Information of NAF, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. He said no less than 26 kidnapped victims earlier held by the insurgents were released as a result of the air strikes. He added that the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, had commended troops for the sustained air strike against terrorists operating in the zone. One of such strikes which occurred on Aug. 9, resulted in the elimination of a well known terrorist leader operating in Kaduna State. Indeed, following receipt of intelligence on same day, that a well known insurgents kingpin, Alhaji Shanono, had scheduled a meeting with his foot soldiers at Ukambo, a village about 131 km from Kaduna. The Air Component operation `Whirl Punch` dispatched aircraft for interdiction mission at the location. Overhead the location, insurgents were sighted under clusters of trees at the foot of Ukambo high ground and after ensuring the absence of civilian settlements within the location, the crew received the authorisation to strike. Feedback from local sources disclosed that over 30 rifles and 20 motorbikes were destroyed while about 18 insurgents, including Alhaji Shanono, were neutralised while others sustained various degree of injuries. However, sources also revealed that not less than 26 kidnapped victims earlier held by the insurgents were released as a result of the airstrike, he disclosed. Gabkwet added that the CAS has reviewed the ongoing air operations against the insurgents and other criminal elements in the country. From the briefings received by the CAS, it is evident that so far, the directive given to the operational commanders are yielding the requisite outcome, he said. Similarly, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East also conducted successful air interdiction missions on insurgents targets in Borno. One of such operations was conducted on Aug. 6 at Gazuwa, about 1.2 kilometers to Gargash, after intelligences revealed that infighting for supremacy was underway between Shekau`s faction and Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) faction. The state of confusion and disorder between the two factions presented an opportunity for a surprise strike by NAF pilots which was carried out using two aircraft types. It should be noted that though the map coordinates led the pilots to the exact site of the infighting, the location also had an ISWAP flag hoisted on the structure and three solar panels on the rooftop. Intelligence received and corroborated by local sources revealed the strike was a success as the insurgents did not anticipate it with several eliminated and others injured. He added that the sustained air strikes have disorganised the insurgents who had begun to realise that they were fighting a lost cause that would lead to their death. Most are said to be contemplating surrendering just like others before them, he said. A leaked memo written by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva making the rounds has revealed how the Minister attempted to undermine the regulatory power of the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in the $1.28bn Seplat deal with ExxonMobil. The memo, dated August 9, 2022 with reference number HMS/MPR/005/Vol1/105 was titled, Re: Grant of Ministerial Consent to the acquisition of Exxonmobil Companies shares in the USA by Seplat Energy Offshore Limited. It was personally signed by the Minister and addressed to NUPRCs Chief Executive, Gbenga Komolafe. Seplat Energy Plc had in February this year announced an agreement to acquire the entire share capital of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited from Exxon Mobil Corporation, Delaware for $1.28bn. The transaction involved the acquisition of ExxonMobil Nigerias entire offshore shallow water business. According to the deal, ExxonMobil Nigerias shallow water business is an established, high-quality operation with a highly skilled local operating team and a track record of safe operations. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has a pre-emptive right over the asset and had last month won a court decision temporarily blocking Exxon Mobil Corporation from selling assets in Nigeria to Seplat Energy Plc. A Judge in Abuja had granted NNPC an order of interim injunction on July 6, 2022, barring Exxon Mobil from completing any divestment in a unit that ultimately operates four licenses in Nigeria. Despite the verdict of the Court, reports emerged on Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved that the deal be consummated by Mobil and Seplat. The Presidencys announcement of the approval of the deal took many industry players by surprise because the transaction had initially been declined on July 5 this year by the President who is himself the Minister of Petroleum Resources. As soon as the announcement for the approval of the deal was made last Monday, Komolafe had clarified that the Commission, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 is the sole regulator in dealing with such matters in the Nigerian upstream sector. In a statement personally signed by him, the NUPRC Boss stated that the issue at stake is purely a regulatory matter and the Commission had earlier communicated the decline of Ministerial assent to ExxonMobil in this regard. In line with the decline of Ministerial assent, he said the Commission is calling on all parties involved in the deal to maintain status quo which in this case referred to the decline of Ministerial Assent. In reaching the decision, NUPRC said it relied on Section 95, sub-section 10 of the PIA which states: Where the application for an assignment or a transfer of a petroleum prospecting license of petroleum mining lease is refused, the commission shall inform the applicant of the reasons for the refusal and may give reasonable time within which further representations may be made by the applicant or by third parties in respect of the application. Sub-section 14 of Section 95 also states: For the purpose of this section, change of control means any person or persons acting jointly or in concert, to acquire direct or indirect beneficial ownership of a percentage of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the holder, by contract or otherwise, that exceeds 50 per cent at any time. Similarly, sub-section 15 states: A holder of a petroleum exploration license shall not assign, novate or transfer his license or any right, power or interest without prior written consent of the Commission. Also, Section 95, sub-section 8 states, Where the consent of the minister is granted in respect of the application for a transfer, the Commission shall promptly record the transfer in the appropriate register. Sub-section 9 adds, The Commission shall communicate the refusal or approval of an application for an assignment, novation or transfer of a license or lease in writing to the applicant. But shortly after Komolafe issued the statement affirming the no-consent position of the Commission as a regulator in the deal, Sylva issued the memo faulting the move. In the letter, the Minister in a move intended to undermine the regulatory power drew the attention of Komolafe to the fact that NUPRC is still an agency under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. He claimed that the regulatory power given to the Commission under the PIA 2021 is also embedded in the Ministers role as stated in Section 3(b) of the PIA 2021. In the letter, Sylva went further to claim that contrary to what was stated by Komolafe, the Ministerial Consent was granted in exercise of the powers conferred on the Buhari who is himself the Minister of Petroleum Resources by the provisions of Paragraphs 14-16 of the First Schedule to the Petroleum Act, 1969. While we are still in the midst of summer at the shore, many of us (especially those who live locally) are looking toward Labor Day and the l Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has insisted that the Presidency of Nigeria must come to the South in 2023 not to thwart the power rotation arrangement in the country. Akeredolu said power rotation had been an unwritten agreement in the country since the return to civil rule in 1999, saying that arrangement must be changed now. He said this on Wednesday at the one-year remembrance of Prof. Bankole Oke of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, while delivering a lecture entitled, 'Nigeria: The politics of religion in a transitional society.' He advised Nigerians to make sure that power did not return to the North under what he described as the guise of a party picking a southerner as its vice presidential candidate. He said, A party that picked somebody from the North as its presidential candidate is not doing so in the country's interest. (Peter) Obi has the right to contest because he is from the South. We are ready to give it whatever it takes to make sure power returns to the South in 2023. There appears to be an understanding that power must rotate between the North and the South. This understanding witnessed the contest of two candidates from the South-West for the Presidency. It was part of the unwritten agreement that the power equation must be balanced to allay the fear of domination harboured by the people of the South. There is a conscious attempt not to disrupt the extant agreement. There has been a seamless transition from one civilian regime to another since 1999, the longest in the political history of the country. The current political permutations raise strong suspicions on an undeclared motive to thwart the arrangement that has been working for the country. The rotation of the office of the President is between the North and the South since the inception of the Fourth Republic. The governor warned Nigerians to beware of the tricks of desperate politicians using religion to divide the people. Akeredolu said politicians in the First Republic achieved so much because they were people with huge capacity, and religion was not an issue in determining those elected and appointed into offices but the capacity to deliver He said Nigerian leaders before the independence laboured hard to wrest power from the colonial masters while urging Nigerians to be optimistic that the country would be great again. However, he admitted that it was taking too long. He stressed that Nigeria must be restructured, and state police must be created to address the raging insecurity in the country. Religion is currently being deployed most shamelessly by the elites to gain unmerited advantage. The earlier we stop this dangerous and divisive campaign, the better it will be for everyone. Any war fought to establish the supremacy of a faith over others can only end in tears. The manipulative skills of politicians currently put to use will aggravate an already bad situation. The solution to the challenges faced in the country will not be found in the faiths of individuals. A person's religious persuasion is based on personal conviction. It is essentially private. The public space must remain secular. Consequently, the current agitations for a faith-based political representation are anchored on a certain misapprehension of the requirements for leadership in a multi-ethnic state such as Nigeria. It borders on plain mischief to set the people on themselves to attain political power. Any so-called religious leader, who ignores knowledge and competence as necessary criteria to measure leadership capacity, is an apostate, he added. A Professor of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Simeon Cadmus, and others described Oke as a great teacher, mentor, and outstanding academic. (The PUNCH) The remains of the five presidential gurds, responsible for protecting president Buhari have been laid to rest in a burial session held on Thursday in Abuja. Although one of them has since been buried according to Islamic tradition. The Soldiers were reported to have been killed by the attack launched by terrorists. The soldiers were under the unit led by the Guards Brigade, which is responsible for protecting the president. The burial of the five personnel Samuel Attah, an army captain, and four other soldiers was held at guards brigade cemetery in Abuja. The funeral oration was read by Salim Hassan, commanding officer of 7 guards battalion, and Joshua Adisa, commanding officer, 176 guards battalion. According to a statement by Godfrey Abakpa, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Guards Brigade, the commanding officers described the late soldiers as thoroughbred personnel who were genuinely committed to their duties in the defence of Nigeria. He also prayed that Got will grant his family and friends solace and comfort over their lost. The Army would greatly miss the contributions and services of the deceased, the statement reads. They asked God to console the families left behind and urged them to take solace in the fact that they have fought a just fight and their souls shall continue to rest with the Lord till the resurrection morning. Farouk Yahaya, chief of army staff who was represented by James Ataguba, a major general, presented accoutrements to the next of kin of the deceased personnel. The burial process started with a Christian wake-keep and funeral service held at St Johns military church (protestant), before the final internment at the guards brigade cemetery. Nominations for prestigious teachers award now open PHUKET: The process to nominate teachers deemed worthy to receive the Princess Maha Chakri Award is now underway, officials have confirmed. By The Phuket News Thursday 11 August 2022, 04:26PM A teleconference was held yesterday (Aug 10) at Phuket Provincial Hall to clarify the selection process for the 2023 award, overseen by Atsit Samphantharat, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior. Joining Mr Atsit on the call as part of the selection committee were Amnuay Phinsuwan, Deputy Governor of Phuket, Krisanapong Kiratikon, Chairman of the Prince Maha Chakri Award Foundation, and representatives from related government agencies. Mr Ansit explained that the Ministry of Interior had previously notified all provinces to appoint a committee in order to shortlist and select teachers who they deemed worthy of nomination for the award on a provincial level. The Princess Maha Chakri Award is a royal award in honour of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who is revered for her dedication to educational development and her continuous efforts to provide opportunities for disadvantaged children and youth in remote areas. The award is given to teachers who are dedicated to their work and who achieve outstanding results which produces broad benefits to education and development of citizens from ASEAN countries comprising Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Brunei in addition to Timor-Leste. Each country is ultimately permitted to select one teacher from their country which will then be assessed against their peers for the final award. The winner receives the official Princess Maha Chakri Award which comprises a Royal gold medal, a comemorative plauq and US$10,000 (B352,000). The selection criteria that the judging panel will use when selecting candidates consists of assessing the teachers general qualifications but more so their unique qualities such as being a positive influence and change maker in the lives of students. Also candidates are not permitted to be under 25 years of age. Ms Patchalee Chaopolkorn, Phuket Provincial Education Officer, said that the process of selecting candidates had begun and yesterdays meeting was focused on setting an operational agenda and public relations plan to promote the award and raise awareness among the public. She added that nominations can be made now until Sept 30 to the Princess Maha Chakri Award Selection Coordination Center, Phuket at the Phuket Provincial Education Office, 4/4 Mae Luan Road, Talat Yai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Tel: 076-390325. The nominations will be made by a combination of students, educational institutions and related organisations. The shortlist will be completed by Nov 15, Ms Patchalee confirmed, then sent to the central committee selection board for final assessment by Dec 23. This will then determine the one final national candidate who will be forwarded for consideration to receive the award. Ousted Sri Lankan leader to visit city BANGKOK: The Thai government will allow Sri Lankas ousted president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to stay temporarily in Thailand. By Bangkok Post Thursday 11 August 2022, 08:32AM Rajapaksa: Seeks temporary stay. Photo: Bangkok Post Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the media yesterday (Aug 10) that permission was granted for humanitarian reasons, reports the Bangkok Post. Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai said Mr Rajapaksa may arrive in Thailand today, after temporarily staying in Singapore. He said Mr Rajapaksa will enter the kingdom with a diplomatic passport which will allow the holder to stay in the kingdom for up to 90 days. Mr Rajapaksa will manage his own accommodation. Asked if Thailand could deny Mr Rajapaksa entry, Mr Don said Thailand was able to but the government believed his stay would not cause any trouble for the country. In addition, the Sri Lankan government did not oppose the decision, he said. Tanee Sangrat, director-general of the Department of Information and spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the Bangkok Post that Thailand received a request for the former president to enter Thailand from the current government of Sri Lanka. The consideration was based on long-standing and cordial ties between the two countries, Mr Tanee said. The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought, he said. Mr Rajapaksa fled his island nation last month amid unprecedented unrest triggered by Sri Lankas worst economic crisis in seven decades and days after thousands of protesters stormed the presidents official residence and office. The retired military officer landed in Singapore on July 14, via the Maldives. He then resigned from the presidency, becoming the first Sri Lankan president to quit mid-term. Mr Rajapaksa has not made any public appearances or comments since leaving Sri Lanka, and Singapores government said this month that the city-state had not accorded him any privileges or immunity. A member of the influential Rajapaksa family, the 73-year-old served in the Sri Lankan military and later as defence secretary. During his time as defence secretary government forces finally defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009 to end the Sri Lankan civil war. Some rights groups now want accusations that Mr Rajapaksa committed war crimes to be investigated. He denies the allegations. Some critics and protesters also accuse Mr Rajapaksa and his family of mishandling the economy during his term as president, leading to the countrys worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a former president and prime minister. Their younger sibling, Basil Rajapaksa, served as finance minister till earlier this year. Mr Rajapaksas successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has said previously the former president should refrain from returning to Sri Lanka in the near future. Phuket mangrove land corruption probe falters PHUKET: A series of high-profile inspections of land encroachment in Phuket conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has so far yielded no pro-active results, an official report noted yesterday (Aug 10). corruptionenvironmentnatural-resourcescrime By The Phuket News Thursday 11 August 2022, 10:48AM The news came at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall chaired by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew and joined by Prateep Kongsanit, Assistant Secretary-General of the NACC Region 8 Commission, and NACC Phuket Director Suksan Prasara-ae. The meeting followed site inspections of three mangrove forest areas on Tuesday specifically under investigation for involving corruption. The sites inspected were in Moo 6, Wichit; in Soi Klangthong 1, Wichit; and in Soi Na Saithong 1, Ratsada. The inspections of the three areas were part of ongoing investigations into whether the encroachment was facilitated by corrupt officials. People are still occupying the areas, the meeting was told. Waste is being dumped and a barbed wire fence has been installed to section off land in the Soi Klangthong mangrove area, and residential buildings have been built in the mangrove forest area in Soi Nah Sai Thong 1, Ratsada, the inspections had confirmed. However, the meeting yesterday was told no concrete information had been uncovered on which to proceed with corruption charges, said an official report of the meeting. At the meeting, no clear conclusions could be drawn, but the Governor of Phuket has ordered all involved agencies to find solutions to problems to maximise benefits for the government and help reduce corruption in areas prone to corruption, the report said. The investigations began after the Royal Thai Navy began its own investigation into claims of encroachment into a protected mangrove forest area near Klong Mudong in Wichit in May. The investigatiosn at that time were led by Capt Pratchai Thongrak, Director of the Investigation and News Division Administrative Office of the National Marine Interest Center at the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) Third Area Command [3AC], based at Cape Panwa. Capt Pratchai explained at the time that he had been tasked to conduct the investigation by RTN Third Area Commander Vice Admiral Sompong Nakthong, who had received a formal complaint from local villagers of the Makham Khu (Twin Tamarind) community on April 29. Phuket proving successful in combating human trafficking PHUKET: A specialist sub-committee which ensures the most robust measures to combating human trafficking in Phuket are in place and adhered to is paying dividends as no cases have so far been detected, officals say. crimeSafety By The Phuket News Thursday 11 August 2022, 02:34PM Phuket Vice Governor Anupap Rodkwan Yodrabam, who also serves as chairman of the Phuket Provincial Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Subcommittee, met with relevant government agencies at Provincial Hall yesterday (Aug 10) to conduct a review and update on the work carried out. V/Gov Anupap confirmed that the sub-committee works in tandem with the Phuket Provincial Human Trafficking Prevention and Suppression Action Center. Together they formulate policy and strategy and direct operations in line with national mandates. He further explained that a rigorous and ongoing implementation of their efforts is focused on five key areas: labour, prostitution, those who are especially poverty-stricken, migrants fleeing their homeland (in particular Rohingya migrants from Myanmar), and general care for groups vulnerable to human trafficking such as children. V/Gov Anupap detailed how thorough inspcetions of ports and boats in the fishing industry have uncovered no cases of any kind of human trafficking. While this is a positive sign, he added, there is no room for complacency and all departments are conducting continuous surveillance to prevent any offences. Ever wondered what you'd say to Ozzy Osbourne if you met him? An exclusive clip of Post Malone meeting the Prince of Darkness has been released from Malone's upcoming Amazon Freevee concert doco, Runaway. Ozzy appeared on Malone's 2019 Hollywood's Bleeding LP, with 'Take What You Want,' where his iconic vocals open the track. Having Ozzy on the song would've been sick for Malone - but meeting the rock icon in person would've been a whole different ball game. The unlisted clip, which was reported by Rolling Stone, was shot back in 2019 just minutes before Ozzy joined Posty on stage during his tour to perform the track. Malone approaches Ozzy and says, "good to see you. How are you?" before shaking his hand. "I'm alright," the Prince of Darkness responds. "You look great," says Malone. "You excited? You ready to party?" Ozzy has a wee giggle. "This is gonna be badass, man," Malone says. Cayuga County ABATE will host its fourth annual charitable ride to support the Cayuga County Veteran's Support Fund at noon Saturday, Aug. 27, at VFW Post No. 1975, 44 E. Genesee St., Auburn. Registration will begin at 11 a.m. The ride will start and stop at the post, with a barbecue in the rear parking lot to follow. There will also be door prizes, baskets, raffles and music. Tickets are $25, and include the ride and barbecue. Monetary donations will also be appreciated. Attending Cayuga County ABATE meetings at 7 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month at the post is also welcome. A chapter of ABATE of New York, the organization's mission is promoting and protecting the interest of motorcyclists (American Bikers Aimed Toward Education). For more information, call (315) 447-0182 or email cayugaabate@gmail.com. A federal judge has ruled that Walgreens can be held responsible for contributing to San Franciscos opioid crisis for over-dispensing opioids for years without proper oversight and failing to identify and report suspicious orders as required by law For many, August signals the end of summer, but the beautiful weather and the longer days are still here for a while. So lets ensure we spend time together with family, relax a bit more and enjoy the outdoors! Some of the most dazzling beauty in the Finger Lakes can be found in our New York state parks. From the five waterfalls at Fillmore Glen State Park to the scenic vistas from Long Point to Fair Haven Beach State Park, it doesnt get much better than this. Picnicking, boating, fishing, bird watching and swimming are some of the amazing, fun activities the whole family will enjoy. Long Point State Park just south of Aurora is a perfect access point to Cayuga Lake. Long Point offers a stony beach, a boat launch and a temporary docking area with two concrete ramps, a gazebo, and a picnic area with tables and grills. With approximately 4 miles of trails, you can enjoy a hike through grasslands and mature forests. Whether you bring your boat, kayak or hiking shoes, plan on hanging out until the evening to enjoy stunning sunset views over Cayuga Lake. Fair Haven Beach State Park on Lake Ontario is the perfect place to enjoy time on the water with 600 feet of guarded swimming area. It is one of the finest public lakefronts in upstate New York. Located in the beautiful village of Fair Haven, biking is a favorite mode of transportation. Enjoy a ride from the park to the town where you can enjoy Little Sodus Bay, shopping, dining and of course some ice cream! Fillmore Glenn State Park in Moravia is a hidden gem! With three well-marked trails you will enjoy an oasis of cool, dense woods leading into a long, narrow gorge, not to mention waterfalls! Hiking the trails, you will encounter five waterfalls; you can enjoy the first one from an accessible spot for all. The park is named after the 13th president of the United States, Millard Fillmore, one of five presidents born in New York state. Fillmore was born in a log cabin nearby, a replica of which can be found near the main parking area and pavilion. Spending time outside has been proven to be very healthy: mentally, emotionally and physically. Researchers have found that nature simply makes us happy. Lets be happy with our families, friends or solo. Lets pack our picnic basket, hiking shoes, swimwear, sunscreen, water bottle and a good book, then head outdoors to explore a new park. Aside from the three above-mentioned state parks, Cayuga County has many county parks that are waiting to be discovered, including Emerson Park, the Sterling Nature Center and the Owasco Flats. Check out the tourism office website or the Cayuga County Parks & Trails website for a full list. Conservation and preservation are very important, especially when considering our natural spaces. Please respect the Leave No Trace principals while you enjoy your time in the parks. You can learn more about Leave No Trace at (lnt.org). These principals include: plan ahead and prepare, travel on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife and be considerate of other visitors. My family always practices, Take nothing but memories and leave nothing but footprints, which summarizes these principals for our children in a way they understand and respect. These are our state parks, lets enjoy them and protect them. To help you explore our three state parks, the tourism office will be providing a collection of posters for those who visit all three state parks by this October. Ensure you post #TourCayuga on a social media post when you visit each of the parks, then set up a time to visit our office to pick up your collection by emailing us at info@tourcayuga.com. Greek authorities say a search and rescue operation is ongoing for a second day for dozens of migrants missing after the boat they were on sank in rough seas off a southeastern Greek island FILE - A person picks through trash for reusable items as a fire rages at the Bhalswa landfill in New Delhi, April 27, 2022. Landfills are releasing far more planet-warming methane into the atmosphere from the decomposition of waste than previously thought, a study suggests. Smoke hung over New Delhi for days after the massive landfill caught fire as the country was sweltering in an extreme heat wave. Commentary: The Mar-a-Lago search could signal the end of another 'long national nightmare' COLLINSVILLE After the holiday traffic crush ebbs in January, Route 159 drivers will need to prepare for a new road construction project next year as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will improve almost seven miles of the much-used north-south route. The $12 million project will start/terminate just south of Beltline Road in Collinsville, pass through Maryville and Glen Carbon and terminate/start in Edwardsville in front of the Mattress Firm store, just north of Center Grove/Goshen roads. In Edwardsville, the scope of work will include milling 2 inches of the asphalt from the traffic lanes and shoulders; pavement patching where specified; then crews will add 1 inches of binder, which is asphalt with slightly larger rock mixed in. It reduces future rutting in the pavements top layer. Then, a new, 1 -inch asphalt layer will be applied to the traffic lanes plus resurface the shoulders. At Center Grove/Goshen Road, the resurfacing will be to the radius return, meaning it will include brief sections of both Center Grove and Goshen roads. While this work will not include a dedicated right-hand turn lane from northbound Troy Road to eastbound Goshen Road, City Engineer Ryan Zwijack said Tuesday that IDOT crews will revamp the Home Depot entrance next to the Bank of Hillsboro and widen the entrance. Tara McLaren with IDOT said this project will go to bid on Sept. 23. In Glen Carbon, all of the above will apply except work within Edwardsville city limits. In addition, the following side roads will get resurfaced to the radius return, patching or making pedestrian access route adjustments Kingsley Way, Brenda Street, Dogwood Estates, Benes Street, Front Street, Glen Crossing Road, Green Acres Road, Oak Hill Manor, Edwards Drive, Glen Carbon/Cottonwood roads, Junction Drive and Whistle Stop Drive. Sidewalk ramps and other work needed to comply with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be done at the following intersections: Brenda Street, Dogwood Estates, Benes Street, Kingsley Way, Jean Ann Drive, Green Acres Road, Oak Hill Manor, Edwards Drive, Glen Carbon/Cottonwood roads, Junction Drive and Whistle Stop Drive. The traffic lights at the following intersections Glen Crossing Road, Glen Carbon/Cottonwood roads and Junction Drive will all be updated. Glen Carbons Public Works Director, Scott Slemer, told the villages public works committee that this work will not interfere with or delay any construction occurring at Orchard Town Center, which is next to the projects north end. However, he said IDOT informed him that it wants the village to assume more maintenance responsibilities along this stretch than in previous projects. For example, IDOT wants Slemer and the village to assume all maintenance and energy costs for the lighting within the villages section of the project, or 29 lights. He said he contacted Ameren Illinois to obtain and average monthly cost but as of Tuesday, he had not received a response. This transfer does not include snow removal, which IDOT would continue to do. IDOT would maintain the road surface, center line lanes, pavement markings and storm sewers underneath a roadway, he said. They also want us to take over maintenance responsibilities of all storm sewer cleaning all catch basins, grates and manholes there are out there, Slemer said. I think that is the way IDOT is going with all of their stuff; as these become urban, they want to force the municipality that [the project] goes through into maintaining it. The village has a street sweeper that it employs when needed, especially during the holiday shopping period. As far as the storm sewers, Slemer said cleaning the sewers is something that seldom happens here. Slemer said IDOT's request will put added but manageable stress on his six-person department; he said the bigger worry is the lights cost. If the village wants to swap any of those 29 lights out to LEDs, the onus would be on the village to pay for it, he added. Slemer hopes to get more information and bring it back to the committee between Tuesday and the next board meeting on Aug. 23. He said that he plans to sit down with IDOT in the near future along with his counterparts from Edwardsville, Maryville and Collinsville to share with IDOT each municipalitys expectations on the project. EDWARDSVILLE A judges ruling on a lawsuit by six sheriffs, including Madison County Sheriff John Lakin, over transfers of mental health patients from county jails to state health care facilities is great news, according to States Attorney Tom Haine. On Aug. 4 Sangamon County Judge Karen Tharp approved a temporary restraining order telling Illinois Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Grace Hou not to rely on Gov. J.B. Pritzkers April 10, 2020 executive order suspending transfers to DHS facilities as a basis for failing to transfer patients from county jails. Lakin and five other Illinois sheriffs sued DHS over its failure to accept transfers from county jails. Other counties participating in the suit were Sangamon, Knox, Macon, McLean and Rock Island The sheriffs say the "extensive and indeterminate delays" in transferring prisoners into court-ordered restorative treatment have caused their counties "to incur additional costs while holding these individuals awaiting admission by [the state]. On Thursday, Haine said county jails cannot provide the necessary treatment for those prisoners, creating a human rights issue. Madison County currently has about 20 inmates eligible for transfer to HHS facilities. In her ruling, Tharp noted the law requires DHS shall conduct evaluations within the 20-day timeframe. State law requires DHS to evaluate those declared unfit to stand trial within 20 days of the determination, and have 30 days to complete the process. Tharp said those deadlines were mandatory. She also ruled Pritzker overstepped his authority in the executive orders dealing with the transfers. She also noted that, in addition to the cost of keeping the prisoners, some inmates have been held for months without receiving treatment, creating danger to them, their fellow prisoners and jail staff. The ruling also noted DHS has both staff and bed shortages but cannot foist the care of those people on the local county jails, and cannot ignore its responsibilities. The issue has been one that county officials have been discussing for some time. At the July Judiciary Committee meeting Capt. Kris Tharp, then jail administrator, said mental health issues are among the biggest problems faced at the jail. Tharp, D-Bethalto, has since become a state senator completing the remaining term of state Sen. Rachelle Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, who became a U.S. attorney. Its created a tremendous hardship on us, Tharp said last month. The jail cannot force inmates to take medicine, he said, and many have to be isolated because of their conditions, meaning the prisoners take up four beds in each individual cell. Tharp said that was exacerbating overcrowding conditions. The temporary restraining order and the suit were also extensively discussed at last weeks Judiciary Committee meeting. Madison County Chief Deputy Jeff Connor said the county has 21 inmates not fit to be in jail, but theyre still in jail. It was noted some prisoners affected in Madison County have been in the jail since February. Haine called the judge's action a significant victory on behalf of all those sheriffs. Its a resounding victory, he added. He also read part of the order dealing with DHSs argument that the sheriffs are shifting responsibility, saying the Illinois General Assembly did that when it created the law. The order states DHSs staffing and bed availability issues are not the responsibility of the local sheriffs departments, and it cited the problem that those prisoners in county jails are deteriorating mentally. EDWARDSVILLE Methamphetamine- and fentanyl-related cases made up the bulk of drug felony cases filed Tuesday by the Madison County States Attorneys Office. Jessica L. Foutch, 39, and Ashley R. Handegan, 36, both of the same address in Edwardsville, were each charged Aug. 9 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, both Class 3 felonies. The cases were presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. According to court documents, on July 3 the two allegedly had less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $10,000 each. Other drug-related felony charges filed Aug. 9 include: Melanie D. Smith, 48, of Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on May 12 Smith allegedly had less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $10,000. Tracy V. Stricker, 41, of St. Louis, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On June 12 Stricker allegedly had less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $20,000. Robert S. Carter, 53, of East Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the East Alton Police Department. On May 14 Carter allegedly had less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $10,000. Amy L. Woolford, 34, of Brownstown, Illinois, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, and obstruction of identification, a Class A misdemeanor. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on May 14 Woolford allegedly had less than 15 grams of fentanyl and provided false identification to a Collinsville police officer. Bail was set at $20,000. Amy J. Mattingly, 46, of Granite City, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. On Aug. 8 Mattingly allegedly had less than 15 grams of Adderall. Bail was set at $10,000. Travis A. Stiles, 34, of Granite City, City, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. On July 3 Stiles allegedly had less than 15 grams of fentanyl. Bail was set at $10,000. Justin E. Ray, 39, of Granite City, City, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. On May 31 Ray allegedly had less than 15 grams of fentanyl. Bail was set at $10,000. Christsean R. Plair, 30, of Centerville, City, was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On June 25 Plair allegedly had less than 15 grams of cocaine. Bail was set at $20,000. ROODHOUSE Water samples were taken from Roodhouse Park Lake on Tuesday afternoon, but the results won't be back until early next week which means the lake is still largely off-limits for recreational purposes. The lake, more commonly referred to as the Roodhouse Rez, was closed to all activity over the weekend, according to a Facebook post that circulated widely throughout the Greene County community. Mayor Tom Martin said Tuesday that he contacted the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and was directed to the state Environmental Protection Agency. EPA officials told Martin the lake water would be tested later Tuesday. "They just took some samples and she said we would know what they found out the first of next week because the lab was extremely busy," Martin said. "We were notified by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources about a suspected algal bloom at Roodhouse Park Lake. Our staff was out today to collect a sample for analysis," said Kim Biggs, public information officer for the EPA. "Algae in lakes and even blooms may not be of a concern, but if rapid growth occurs, it can form a harmful algal bloom. That would be the purpose of closing the lake to recreational activity," Biggs said. Martin said Monday that the caretakers of the lake were the initial source of the information about the lake. Martin said the lake looked to be normal when he inspected it over the weekend. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources did suggest keeping people out of the lake, but Martin noted that activities such as swimming and wading are always prohibited in the lake. "I think Mother Nature is taking care of the problem herself," Martin said. The Roodhouse Rez, located a little more than a mile southeast of the city, is a small lake covering around 10 acres. There is a gravel boat ramp and only small electric motors are allowed on boats. In addition to fishing, there are areas for picnicking. Algal blooms can discolor the water or produce floating scums on the surface of the water, especially along shorelines, the EPAs website said. These blooms are primarily a concern during the summer months. Certain types of blue-green algae are capable of producing toxins that pose a health risk to people and animals when they are exposed to them in large quantities. Exposure to high levels of algae and their toxins can cause diarrhea, nausea or vomiting; skin, eye or throat irritation; and allergic reactions or breathing difficulties. Pets and livestock can become sick or die if they consume large amounts of water containing algae blooms. Anyone who is concerned about symptoms as a result of exposure to algal toxins should contact their health care provider or call the Illinois Poison Center at 800-222-1222. AUBURN A longtime educator has been hired to lead Casey Park Elementary School in Auburn following a couple of district principals moving into different buildings. The Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education approved Jenette Mistretta as Casey Park's new principal during its meeting Tuesday night. Her four-year probationary appointment began Aug. 10. After she was unanimously approved by the board, Auburn Superintendent Jeff Pirozzolo asked Mistretta to stand up from her seat in the audience during the meeting. "We're very happy to have you on board with us, you've got a great team here. Please reach out to any of us but we welcome you, thank for coming this evening," Pirozzolo said, prompting applause for Mistretta. After the meeting, Mistretta said she had worked in the Putnam Valley Central School District for 16 years, first as an elementary teacher for nine years. She then worked as an assistant principal for five years before becoming the director of curriculum and instruction for two years. Mistretta said she resigned in June 2021 to take care of personal and family matters and moved to central New York that summer. She talked about why she wanted to join the Casey Park school and the district. "I really was attracted to the community here in Auburn and just the commitment to students, which really is where my heart is. My heart lies with serving students, particularly our youngest learners," Mistretta said. "So that's what brought me here." Adding that she taught in New York City in the early 2000s, Mistretta noted that Auburn is not as big as the city but is not as small as Putnam Valley. "I'm starting (Wednesday), so I'm just really looking forward to meeting the staff, meeting the parents and the children," she said. According to the agenda for Tuesday's board meeting, Mistretta's four-year probationary appointment tentatively ends Aug. 9, 2026, with a salary of $105,000. Mistretta is coming in after a string of leadership changes at different buildings in the district. Pirozzolo said after the meeting that the retirement of Laura Evans, who started as principal of Owasco Elementary School in 2020, was approved by the board in June. The agenda for the board's June 14 meeting said Evans' retirement was effective Aug. 1. Pirozzolo said Ronald Gorney, who was principal of Herman Avenue Elementary School, is now principal at Owasco. As a result of Gorney's departure from Herman, Casey Park principal Kelly Garback went to Herman, leaving Garback's position open. Pirozzolo lauded Mistretta's "vast experience" in education. "She's got experience as a teacher, administrator, we were fortunate enough that she moved up to central New York and did not have a job when she moved up here. We were just fortunate enough with the timing to catch her, but she's got experience as a director of curriculum and instruction as well as a building leader, Pirozzolo said. "So she has served multiple roles. She's going to fit in perfectly at Casey Park." EDWARDSVILLE A Wood River man faces multiple DUI charges related to a May 29 accident in which two people were injured. William P. Griffin, 45, of Wood River, was charged Aug. 9 with two counts each of aggravated driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 resulting in great bodily harm, and aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in great bodily harm, all enhanced Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on May 29 Griffin allegedly was driving a 2013 Ford F-150 on Illinois 140 in Alton while under the influence of alcohol when he was involved in an accident that seriously injured two people. Bail was set at $75,000. Other felony charges filed Aug. 9 include: Brett T. Chastain, 36, with a last known address in Shipman, was charged with offenses relating to motor vehicles, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 8 Chastain allegedly had a reported stolen 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Bail was set at $50,000. Barcardi Z. Holmes, 49, of Alton, was charged with aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and driving while license revoked, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the South Roxana Police Department. According to court documents, on July 28 Holmes allegedly was driving a 2003 Ford F-150 in South Roxana with a revoked drivers license and attempted to flee from a South Roxana police officer, reaching speeds in excess of 21 miles above the posted speed limit. His license was revoked due to a 2002 conviction for DUI, and he has prior convictions for driving while license revoked in 2010 and 2016. Bail was set at $30,000. Gregory A. Burgess, 56, of Alton, was charged with criminal damage to government supported property, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 8 Burgess allegedly damaged a door frame in a building owned by the Alton Housing authority. Bail was set at $20,000. EDWARDSVILLE A Wood River man was charged Tuesday for failure to register as a sex offender, six days before he is set to go to trial on the same charge file in 2020. Brandon C. Edwards, 29, with a last known address in Wood River, was charged Aug. 9 with unlawful failure to register as a sex offender (second subsequent offense), a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Wood River Police Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 2 Edwards allegedly failed to register his address with the Wood River Police Department, and provided an address on Haller Avenue as his registered address when he did not reside there. He has two prior convictions for unlawful failure to register as a sex offender out of Madison County, in 2013 and 2015. According to the Illinois State Police sex offender database, he was convicted of criminal sexual abuse/victim 13-17. The database shows the victim was 14 and Edwards 18 at the time of the offense. He also has a pending case for failure to register from charges filed in 2020. According to court records a trial date has been set for Aug. 15. Bail was set at $40,000. Other felony charges filed Aug. 9 include: Douglas A. Peterson Jr., 42, of Collinsville, was charged with unlawful violation of an order of protection (second subsequent offense), a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on June 13 Peterson allegedly violated a valid order of protection by contacting a protected person via a cell phone. He has a 2011 conviction for domestic battery out of Madison County. Bail was set at $50,000. Earlonda D. Perkins, 43, listed as homeless out of Godfrey, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Aug. 8 Perkins allegedly struck a Madison County Transit employee in the face with her fist. Bail was set at $20,000. The whole gun debate can be annoyingly shrill, absolutist and self-righteous. Both sides are known to generate some eye rolls from the general public, many of whom just want the violence to stop but would rather not trample on the rights of legal, law-abiding gun owners. Maybe a way forward would be to put county sheriffs in charge of all firearms laws. Sheriffs are elected, so theyre accountable to the people. They understand guns, both their potential to protect and their capability to generate great harm. They know that training and responsibility are essential. Partisans quickly retreated to their corners late Monday when news broke that the FBI raided former President Donald Trumps Florida home. Republicans and hard-right commentators declared the U.S. a banana republic, where the ruling regime sics law enforcement on its political enemies. On the left, there was glee over Trump surely headed for prison, even though few know exactly what federal agents were after or why. Given the history of both the FBI and Trump, the smartest reaction is wait and see. Federal law enforcement hasnt covered itself in glory recently. Politics seemed to infuse the handling of accusations that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, especially the credulity (or convenience) that prompted officials to buy into the ridiculous Steele dossier. More recently, the Department of Justice swallowed specious accusations of domestic terrorism to push for investigation of parents with the temerity to address their local elected officials about school operations. Even the handling of the gymnastic doctor Larry Nassers despicable sexual abuses came with scandal. Leftists seem to have forgotten their anger at the tail end of the 2016 campaign, when FBI Director James Comey briefly reopened the investigation of Hillary Clintons classified emails. When she narrowly lost to Trump, many blamed Comey. Suddenly, the FBI is unimpeachable? So, no, dont automatically trust that the FBI told the complete truth to get a judges permission to raid Trump. Wait for the receipts. This is, however, Trump. Its preposterous to think that the only possible explanation for the raid is politics. For many Trump supporters, no amount of paperwork will penetrate their fog about the man. They see no culpability for him in the Jan. 6 riot. The evidence that he should have known that the 2020 election results were legit, that he seemed fine with the assault on the Capitol, that insurrection planners took his words as instructions its all Trump hatred. They cant acknowledge that Trumps character and narcissism have driven him to ignore rules all his life, so its not exactly implausible that he violated federal laws without breaking a sweat. Initial reports suggest that the basis for Mondays raid was classified documents that should have gone to the National Archives, not Trumps private collection. If thats the extent of it, there are serious questions about whether this is an appropriate response. But if its about proving he committed a crime in the Jan. 6 case, there better be a mountain of evidence for probable cause and the American people need to see it ASAP. Its not about the fact that hes a former president; its that hes the leading contender to oppose the current president (or his partys nominee) in the next election. The bar should be high, nearly impossibly so, for law enforcement investigating a political foe of the current administration. In 2011, federal agents raided the home of longtime Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. They extracted all sorts of evidence, including more than $200,000 in cash, an impressive figure for a career public servant to accumulate. Political observers who had raised eyebrows over Prices wealth nodded knowingly, and a bribery conviction seemed sure. Six years later, Price was acquitted (with some charges declared a mistrial when jurors couldnt agree). That case surely drew a fraction of the federal resources that any Trump case would. And yet the FBI couldnt get its man. Keep that in mind before you measure Trump for an orange jumpsuit. This page requires Javascript. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Westerly, RI (02891) Today Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Westerly, RI (02891) Today Sunshine and some clouds. High 82F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 61F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. A second arrest has been made in an ongoing investigation into the theft of snowmobiles and other property in Cayuga County. The Cayuga County Sheriffs Office on Thursday said the investigation began in December 2021 when it was reported that two snowmobile trailers and a total of six snowmobiles had been stolen from a storage lot in the town of Venice. Over the course of the investigation, members of the sheriffs office worked in conjunction with the Cortland County Sheriffs Office, the Chenango County Sheriffs Office and the New York State Police, and were ultimately able to locate and recover four of the six snowmobiles and both of the trailers, as well as identify the suspects in this larceny. On Jan. 14, Tyler Hulslander, 27, of Cortland, was arrested and charged with felony grand larceny, and a warrant was issued by the Town of Venice Court for Amy Graham, 49, of the Chenango County town of Pitcher. In a news release, the sheriff's office said that Graham was located and taken into custody by state police on Wednesday and turned over to the custody of the sheriffs office. She was charged with felony grand larceny. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Detective Michael Baim at (315) 258-3868 or leave a at tip at cayugacounty.us/452/Send-a-Tip. The New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is denouncing comments by Gov. Chris Sununu and his attorney general after a jury acquitted a truck driver in the death of seven motorcyclists, but both men are standing by their statements Of all Britain's top FTSE 100 companies, Hellmann's-to-Dove group Unilever lays claim to being the most attentive to the environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda. So it is astonishing that a company with such a 'woke' approach should have found itself caught in a year-long war with one of its best known offshoots luxury Cookie Dough and Matzah Crunch ice-cream maker Ben & Jerry's. The dispute, over the manufacture, distribution and sale of Ben & Jerry's in the Palestinian territories, and to settler communities in particular, touches a number of raw nerves. Sour taste: Tubs of ice cream are produced at Ben & Jerrys factory in Beer Tuvia, Israel Efforts by Unilever to draw a line under the dispute by selling the West Bank operations to its Israeli franchisee have ended up in the Manhattan courts after Ben & Jerry's declined a settlement offer. A very small scoop of Unilever's vast global operations is using up an ice-cream mountain of effort. In spite of Unilever's sensitivity to social and governance issues, chief executive Alan Jope bravely drew a line in the sand when it came to efforts by Ben & Jerry's to dictate to its ultimate owners. As Jope recently noted, the ice-cream firm should steer clear of 'straying into geopolitics'. The Vermont-based founders of the ice-cream maker, Bennett Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, say they do not support boycotts. Yet the intensifying battle with Unilever, economic owners of the brand, is something very close to a boycott. Unilever is playing hard ball in the dispute. As part of its efforts to bring the renegade Ben & Jerry's back into line, it has suspended pay to its independent board members. In taking a hard line against the Vermont board, Unilever has a powerful ally in the shape of activist investor Trian. Controlling shareholder Nelson Peltz, who has a seat on the main Unilever board, has lobbied against pension funds which advocate disinvestment over the West Bank dispute. Unrepentant: Unilever chief exec Alan Jope The row also exposes the rifts emerging in America's vast and increasingly less-connected to Israel Jewish community. The views of founders Bennett and Jerry might be considered outliers. Vermont is the most radical state in the union. It is the home of Left-wing presidential aspirant Bernie Sanders, a sometimes critic of Israel. In living memory, the state capital, Burlington, was the only city in the US to boast an openly communist mayor. And when Unilever bought Ben & Jerry's in 2000 making its founders very rich people it signed up to a governance structure which Bennett and Jerry describe as 'the magic' of its success. I would venture to suggest that it is not the 'woke' agenda which makes Ben & Jerry's so popular but the brilliant range of choice ingredients and flavours. Rising temperatures have made ice creams a great growth category together with the rabbinical stamp of approval to be found on every Ben & Jerry's tub. When Unilever announced last month it had sold Ben & Jerry's business in Israel to the local franchisee Avi Zinger of American Quality Products, it looked to have found a neat way of circumventing the Vermont board. Unilever did not confine itself to announcing a commercial arrangement. It stated in the strongest terms that 'anti-Semitism has no place in society' and the company would have no truck with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In deciding on its approach to the problem, Unilever consulted extensively with the Israel government. Politics: Ben & Jerrys founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in Burlington, Vermont Unilever is unapologetic about its long association with the Middle-East. Its history in the region dates back to the pre-British mandate era, which ended with Israeli independence in 1948. It employs more than 2,000 people there from all backgrounds and over the last decade has poured 211million into investment. None of this has satisfied Ben & Jerry's sanctimonious board. Instead, the Vermont legal action in the Manhattan courts seeks to block the sale to the Israel franchisee on the grounds that it is protecting the 'social integrity' of the brand. The B&J board voted 5-2 in favour of going to court with the two Unilever nominees the only dissenters. Given Unilever's robust response, one might have expected America's Jewish community to fall-in behind the company's Solomon like decision. Not a bit of it. T'ruah, an organisation describing itself as 'the rabbinical call for human rights', has aligned itself with Ben & Jerry's. Claiming to represent 2,000 rabbis and cantors across North America, it argues that although it doesn't support BDS, it claims that Israel's occupation 'thwarts' the two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Unilever's chief executive Alan Jope is unrepentant about its decision to sell Ben & Jerry's to its Israeli distributor. He notes that while Ben & Jerry's remain keepers of the ethical stance of the brand, the London-based giant retains control of distribution arrangements. Thus it had every right to sell the commercial rights to the brand to its local Israeli partner. It is standing firm in the face of the threat from Vermont. Ben & Jerry's may still be capturing the headlines but didn't get a mention in Unilever's first-half financial results released last month. What we do know is ice cream, particularly Unilever's Magnum and Cornetto, are growing at high double digits. Moreover, contrary to the speculation, Jope is as committed to ice cream as ever in spite of the Ben & Jerry's stand-off. It would, of course, be madness to dispose of ice-cream brands in the middle of a European-wide heat-wave. It is paradoxical that Unilever is enjoying super growth in ice-cream sales as the US, UK and Europe stagger through an unprecedentedly hot summer. The record-breaking temperatures are, after all, linked in many minds to the climate change Unilever seeks to challenge. Reform of the mortgage market is needed to turn 'generation rent' into 'generation buy', a leading economist says. Gerard Lyons, economic adviser to Boris Johnson during his time as London mayor, urged the next Prime Minister to tackle obstacles preventing young people buying homes. One idea is to back 100 per cent mortgages, where banks lend the entire value of the property, to first-time buyers who have been exemplary renters. More help needed? Gerard Lyon believes addressing the housing crisis should be a central feature of economic policy It comes after the Government vowed in June to examine the mortgage market in a review Lyons said could be 'transformational'. In a paper for The Policy Exchange thinktank he said: 'Addressing the housing crisis should be a central feature of economic policy over the remainder of this Parliament and into the next.' He claimed his suggestions could help up to 3million first-time buyers bag a home, as the number of households who rent has jumped from 2.8million to 4.5million over the past decade. And while mortgage owners spend around 18 per cent of their income on repaying their debt, social and private renters are paying out 27 per cent and 31 per cent of income respectively on rent. Lyons said there was room to ease restrictions brought in since the financial crisis. One was a cap on the number of high loan-to-income mortgages, handed to buyers whose wages were small compared to the value of their house, which a lender could issue. This could be toned down without a build-up of risks. Longer-term fixed-rate mortgages lasting 20 years or more should also be more prevalent. And people who have always paid rent on time, but don't have enough for a deposit, should get access to mortgages in some cases a bank lending the entire property price. Beijing (Gasgoo)- In July, Chinas passenger vehicle consumer demands continued to be stimulated by a slew of government policies and campaigns to boost vehicle consumption. Meanwhile, new energy vehicle (NEV) sales still maintained its rapid growth speed in China, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). In July, the country produced and sold 2.455 million vehicles and 2.42 million vehicles, respectively, representing a year-over-year jump of 31.5% and 29.7% each. Although the numbers came in lower than that of a month ago, but they still reached record high compared to the corresponding month in history. The CAAM is optimistic about the industrys future as the growth may carry on. In the first seven months of 2022, there were 14.571 million vehicles produced in the country, edging up 0.8% year over year, but the year-to-date vehicle sales volume notched down 2% from a year ago to 14.477 million units. In the past month, Chinas automobile export volume refreshed its record again after June. There were around 290,000 vehicles shipped overseas by automakers in China, including 242,000 passenger vehicles, which represented an increase of 22% over the previous month and 73.1% over the previous year. Of the vehicles shipped abroad in July, 54,000 units were NEVs, soaring 89.9% month on month while jumping 37.6% year over year. Chinas cumulative automobile export volume in the past seven months summed up to 1.509 million vehicles, zooming up 50.6% from a year ago. The CAAM commented that the number lined up with its expectations, which made it possible to achieve an annual export target of 2.4 million vehicles in 2022. With 2.174 million vehicles sold, Chinas passenger vehicle market saw a year-on-year sales growth of 40% in July but a 2.1% drop from a month ago. Comparing to the same month of 2021, sales of traditional oil-fueled vehicles significantly grew by over 200,000 units. The CAAM partly credited the growth to the governmental car-purchasing incentives. In the first seven months of the year, automakers in China sold a total of 12.529 million passenger vehicles, hiking up 8.3% from the year-ago period. Notably, Chinas indigenous brands sold 1.078 million passenger vehicles, accounting for 49.6% of the total monthly passenger vehicle sales in China, up 3.4 percentage points year on year. In the first seven months of 2022, cumulative sales of China-branded passenger vehicles summed up to 5.969 million units, up 21.5% from the year-ago period. On the other hand, without evident stimulus to boost consumption, Chinas commercial vehicle sales remained in a relatively low level in July. Nonetheless, with 246,000 vehicles sold, the local commercial vehicle market still saw its decline narrow month over month by 15.9 percentage points. In the past seven months, there were 1.948 million commercial vehicles sold in China, dropping 39.3% compare to 2021. As to the NEV segment, there were 593,000 NEVs sold in July domestically, soaring 120% from a year earlier. In the first seven months of 2022, NEV sales in China reached 3.194 million units, 1.2 times higher than a year ago. The association concluded that the positive impact of governmental incentives would still boost Chinas auto market for a while. The association expects to see a stably growing market performance in August. The monthly results of passenger vehicle sales, NEV sales, and export volume will maintain their robust growth, especially with September, the traditional high season for car shopping, coming next. By Azernews By News Center Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor have discussed prospects of cooperation between the two countries in Ankara, Yeni Shafak newspaper reports. "I believe that our solidarity, which has developed on the basis of friendship, alliance, and strategic partnership, will become stronger in all areas, including Turkiye's EU accession process," Erdogan stressed during a joint press conference with the Slovenian president. Erdogan said that he discussed the level of Turkish-Slovenian relations, which marks its 30th anniversary in 2022. We expressed our satisfaction about the ties in almost every field, especially in economy, trade, industry, science, technology, and transportation. The strategic partnership agreement, we signed 11 years ago, had a positive impact. We aim to increase the figure that still does not fully reflect our true potential. As two NATO allies, I believe that there are many common steps we will take, especially in the defense industry. We are proud that Turkish contracting companies are involved in the construction of the Karawanks Tunnel and the railway in Slovenia, Erdogan stressed. He added that the sides exchanged views on regional and global issues, especially the developments in Ukraine and the Balkans. Friendly relations and cooperation make great contributions to regional peace and stability. I believe that our solidarity, which has developed on the basis of friendship, alliance, and strategic partnership, will become stronger in every field, including Turkiye's EU accession process, the Turkish president emphasized. Slovenian President Pahor, who took the floor afterward, thanked Erdogan for the warm welcome and hospitality, adding that it was his 18th meeting with the Turkish president. We signed the strategic partnership agreement in 2011. We were aiming to increase trade to $1 billion. This figure has almost doubled now, exceeding our targets. Today, in the presence of the economy minister, I can say on behalf of the Slovenian government that we will continue to work on the business commission conference, Pahor said. He emphasized that Slovenia will enhance its economic and political cooperation with Turkiye, noting that Turkish firms' contracts had always been completed on time, in a timely manner, and within the framework of previously negotiated prices. In our bilateral ties with Honourable President Erdogan, there has been no issue that we have been unable to overcome. Of course, we have had disagreements, but we believe that we can overcome them via dialogue. We had fantastic connections with Turkiye. The majority of Slovenians are really pleased with our partnership with Turkiye, the Slovenian leader said. Referring to their talks on the Ukraine war and the issues in the Western Balkans, Pahor said that Slovenia highly appreciates Turkiyes mediation role in resolving the conflicts. As far as the Western Balkans is concerned, we have decided to meet again for the 19th time. At the end of September, we decided to come together at the sessions of the UN General Assembly. There will be visits to Balkan countries such as Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia, and Croatia. We can see opportunities and challenges. We can also see opportunities that could be missed because of the Ukraine war. If this war lasts longer than expected, the tension here may descend to the south, to the Balkans. I would like to say to all the countries and leaders in the region that this region deserves peace, security, and prosperity, he stressed. The Slovenian president also praised Turkiye for overcoming disagreements over Finland and Sweden's NATO membership and demonstrating NATO's usefulness during the Ukraine conflict. With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. XPeng receives over 20,000 orders for G9 within 24 hours XPeng said it received 22,819 orders for the G9 SUV in 24 hours after the model's presale kicked off yesterday. Photo credit: XPeng Dongfeng Fengxing to launch new all-electric SUV The patent images of Dongfeng Fengxing's all-new full-electric SUV were recently uncovered from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. The model may be built on the basis of the T5 EVO. FAW Bestune's all-new MPV likely to be named M9 FAW Bestune is about to launch an all-new 7-seater MPV, which is likely to be named M9. FAW Hongqi starts delivery Hongqi LS7 FAW Group's premium auto brand Hongqi has started delivery of the Hongqi LS7 full-sized SUV. Photo credit: Hongqi China's Jan.-Jul. power battery installed capacity zooms up 110.6% YoY In July 2022, China's power battery output reached 47.2GWh, soaring 172.2% year on year, while also jumping 14.4% month on month, according to the China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance (CAPBIIA). China adds about 1.362 million charging piles in Jan.-Jul. 2022, up 308.3% YoY By the end of July 2022, there had been 3.98 million charging piles deployed across China, up 97.5% from the same period of last year, according to the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance (EVCIPA). Great Wall Motor teams up with Emil Frey to distribute cars in Europe Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor (GWM) earlier this week signed an agreement with Emil Frey, a European car dealer, to distribute ORA and WEY-branded vehicles in Europe. Hesai Technology partners with autonomous driving developer Unity Drive China's LiDAR supplier Hesai Technology reached a cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Unity-Drive Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. (UDI), a low-speed autonomous vehicle developer. China's auto sales reach same-month record high in July 2022 In July, China's passenger vehicle consumer demands continued to be stimulated by a slew of government policies and campaigns to boost vehicle consumption. Meanwhile, new energy vehicle (NEV) sales still maintained its rapid growth speed in China, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). Haval Cool Dog SUV starts at 123,800 yuan The Haval Cool Dog (dubbed Kugou in Chinese), a new SUV model under Great Wall Motor ("GWM")'s Haval brand, officially hit the market on August 10. Coming with four trim levels, the model is priced between 123,800 yuan and 149,800 yuan ($18,360-$22,220). Dongfeng Motor Group sales jump 24% YoY Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. (Dongfeng Motor Group) sold 238,413 vehicles in July, jumping 24% year over year. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Chinas LiDAR supplier Hesai Technology reached a cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Unity-Drive Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. (UDI), a low-speed autonomous vehicle developer. Photo credit: Hesai Technology Per the agreement, the duo will put in joint efforts in LiDAR technology iteration and autonomous driving scenario development. They plan to build demonstration application scenarios for autonomous driving technologies in intelligent factories, smart logistics, and intelligent parks, facilitating the mass production progress of safer and more stable autonomous commercial vehicles. Photo credit: UDI UDI provides full-stack solutions for software and hardware development, vehicle design and production, and TaaS (transportation as a service) operations. Its main products include autonomous logistics vehicles, autonomous shuttles, remote driving systems, and cloud-based dispatch monitoring systems. The company is the first company in the world to achieve mass production of autonomous logistics vehicle systems. UDI has been conducting normalized operation of low-speed autonomous vehicles on over 100 park sites across consumer electronics, PCB, automotive, metal, and chemical industries, as well as on ports. The company has accumulated over 1 million kilometers of autonomous driving distance. Clients of the company include Foxconn, logistics giant SF, and the real-estate conglomerate Kaisa Group. Russia is attacking scores of civilian and military targets in its bid to establish full control over the east Ukraine regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, with 120 rockets hitting the area around the town of Nikopol overnight, Ukrainian officials said. Dnipropetrovsk governor Valentyn Reznychenko said three people were killed and seven wounded by shelling in Nikopol when 120 Grad rockets hit the area. The enemy is concentrating its efforts on establishing full control over the territories of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, Ukraines General Staff said in an early Thursday report, citing more than 60 settlements and military targets. Heavy fighting raged around the eastern Ukrainian town of Pisky on Thursday, while to the west, Ukraine accused Russian forces of using a nuclear plant to shield artillery. An official with the Russia-backed Donetsk Peoples Republic said Pisky, on the front line 10 km (6 miles) northwest of the provincial capital Donetsk, was under the control of Russian and separatist forces. Its hot in Pisky. The town is ours but there remain scattered pockets of resistance in its north and west, the official, Danil Bezsonov, said on Telegram. Ukrainian officials denied that the heavily fortified town, a key to the defence of Donetsk, had fallen. Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield accounts. The Donbas region, comprised of Luhansk and Donetsk provinces, became Russias main objective after it failed to seize the capital Kyiv at the beginning of the war in February. Luhansk is now almost completely under Russian control but Donetsk is holding out. Oleksiy Arestovych, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, said in an interview posted on YouTube that Russian movement into Pisky had been without success. Luhansk regional Governor Serhiy Gaidai, interviewed on Ukrainian television, said Russia had sent increasing numbers of mercenaries into the region, including from the Wagner private security firm. We once had peaceful Ukrainian towns. Now we have been thrust into the Middle Ages People are now leaving because they are afraid of freezing in the coming winter, he said. NUCLEAR PLANT Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of killing at least 13 people and wounding 10 with rockets fired from around a captured nuclear power plant in the centre of the country, in the knowledge it would be risky for Ukrainian forces to return fire. The cowardly Russians cant do anything more so they strike towns ignobly hiding at the Zaporizhzhia atomic power station, Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskiys chief of staff, said on social media. Ukraine says about 500 Russian troops are at the plant, where Ukrainian technicians continue to work. The town Ukraine says Russia targeted Marhanets is one Russia says its foes have used in the past to shell Russian soldiers at the Zaporizhzhia plant, which they seized in March. Ukraines military said Russia also bombarded several other areas in the Zaporizhzhia region. Russia has not commented on the Ukrainian allegations and Reuters could not independently verify Ukraines account. Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of imperilling the plant, Europes largest nuclear complex, with attacks. The Group of Seven major industrialised countries on Wednesday told Russia to hand back the plant to Ukraine, after the U.N. atomic energy watchdog sounded the alarm over the possibility of a nuclear disaster. CHINA BACKS RUSSIA Russia on Wednesday received powerful endorsement from China of its rationale for the Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine. Chinas ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, accused the United States of pushing Russia into a corner with repeated expansions of the NATO military alliance and support for Ukraines alignment with the European Union. Washingtons ultimate goal is to exhaust and crush Russia with a protracted war and the cudgel of sanctions, Zhang was quoted as saying. Ukrainian presidential adviser Arestovych said dozens of civilians had been killed by Russian shelling on Wednesday. Russia says it does not deliberately target civilians in what it calls its special military operation aimed at safeguarding its security against NATO expansion. Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of waging an unprovoked imperial-style war of aggression. The head of the Russian-backed separatist administration in the Donetsk region said on Wednesday that a trial of captured members of Ukraines Azov Regiment would take place by the end of the summer, likely in the city of Mariupol. The regiment, a unit of Ukraines national guard with far-right and ultranationalist origins, was heavily involved in the defence of Mariupols steelworks. Hundreds of its fighters surrendered in May to Russian-backed forces. The war has crushed Ukraines economy but there was some relief on Wednesday when overseas creditors backed a request for a two-year freeze on payments on almost $20 billion in international bonds. That should avert a messy default. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the deal would save almost $6 billion. SOURCE: REUTERS ALBANY Frontier Airlines will end service from Albany International Airport after Oct. 4, airport officials said Thursday. Since boosting its direct flights to locations in Florida and Denver over the past two years, Frontier Airlines has been doing well at the airport, with planes sometimes full of passengers. They were doing OK here, said airport spokesman Doug Myers. Actually, Frontier's business in Albany had risen 104 percent compared to their prr-pandemic numbers. However, following a costly but ultimately fruitless attempt to merge with Spirit Airlines, Frontier is doing cutbacks nationwide. After Oct. 4, they will pause all flights from Albany, with no indication as to when or if they may resume service. Service from Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse will be halted in November, although those are seasonal stoppages with service expected to be resumed in late April or May of 2023, according to the airline. While this means travelers will no longer be able to fly directly on Frontier from Albany to Denver, Orlando and Tampa, the airline was actually a small component of the airports menu of options. They made up just 3 percent of Albany Internationals total flights and 1 percent of its revenue, said Myers. The pullout does, however, end any direct service from Albany to Raleigh-Durham, N.C. Three other airlines still provide service to Orlando, noted Myers. Frontier over the past several months had been locked in a struggle with JetBlue to merge with Spirit Airlines. According to various written reports, Frontier had put in a $350 million break-up fee, similar to a non-refundable deposit, to try and complete the merger. But they were outbid last month by JetBlue, which upped that fee to $400 million and prompted Frontier to drop out of the bidding and regroup. JetBlue has since announced plans to move ahead with the acquisition of Spirit, which, pending government approval, would create the nations fifth-largest airline. While the chaos hasnt hit Albany, travelers at larger hub airports nationally are still reeling from flight delays, backups and cancellations as the industry struggles to re-staff after layoffs at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. An estimated 4,000 flights nationally have been canceled since last week, due to pilot and other staff shortages, as well as thunderstorm disruptions. Albany airport officials said they are confident that Frontier could eventually return to the airport, given that they are a signatory, or considered to be principal carrier at the facility. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU An earlier version of this story didn't note that service from Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse were being stopped in November for the fall/winter season with service expected to resume in April or May. Storm King Art Center is embarking on a $45 million capital project this fall to revamp and expand its grounds and hospitality offerings, transforming the artistic and environmental vision of the sculpture park. Opened in 1960, Storm King was founded in New Windsor by Ralph E. Ogden and H. Peter Stern to celebrate art in the Hudson Valley, and is now one of the most popular art sites in the region. Receiving more than 200,000 visitors yearly, the 500-acre park is best known for its large-scale sculptures and expansive landscapes. The capital project the first of its kind for Storm King seeks to enhance all aspects of the visitors experience, and will provide greater opportunities for the creation and display of new works as well as sustaining the ecological biodiversity that bonds the park to its surroundings. The redesign is an attempt to meet the demands of increased visitation in recent years and to cement Storm Kings future as a destination art-park for locals and tourists. For me, it is very much about Storm King becoming an institution that has a greater place in the art world and in the region, said Amy Weisser, Storm Kings director of strategic planning and projects. And really recognizing that with that growth and that growth is visitorship and artists with whom we work came the need to have purpose-built buildings. According to Weisser, planning for the project began nearly a decade ago, with the selection process for architects beginning in 2018. From the start, the vision was to create structures that accommodate the needs of visitors and artists while amplifying the natural elements of the environment. With the collaborative efforts of local and international architecture firms, three key project goals were identified: A Gracious Arrival, Support for Artistic Vision and A Sustainable Future. To achieve those goals, the redesign will include both landscape and architectural restructuring led by Dublins Heneghan Peng Architects, WXY Architecture + Urban Design of New York, London-based Gustafson Porter + Bowman, and New Englands Reed Hilderbrand. These firms designed a Welcome Sequence, including an S-shaped path that will escort guests from a new parking lot to ticketing facilities and a 4,700 square-foot outdoor lobby with various accommodations. This space will also provide greater access to public transport via shuttles or buses from surrounding towns and cities, which Storm King hopes will attract a wider array of visitors. Its about expanding the audience, its about thinking about financial barriers, transportation barriers, and even comfort barriers to entrance and making sure that we are really being as gracious as we can to as broad an audience as possible, Weisser said. Additional plans call for a 19,375-square-foot facility dedicated to Conservation, Fabrication, and Maintenance to provide space and support for visiting artists in the form of woodshops, painting booths and workspaces. This feature will open expanded possibilities for Storm Kings Outlooks program, which offers artists the opportunity to create large-scale works on site. Further aspects of the project have sought to enhance the surrounding natural elements of the 500-acre space. Reed Hilderbrand, a landscape architecture practice based out of Massachusetts and Connecticut, began collaborating with Storm King back in 2017, and eventually joined the capital project in June of 2020. One of the things the architects brought to the project very strongly was the blending of indoor and outdoor, said Weisser. The purpose of the buildings, the purpose of the landscape shaping and the planting is to keep you in an intuitive comfortable space that is deferential to the art overall. Beka Sturges, principal of Reed Hilderbrand, and her team plan to reinvigorate the lands water systems and forest areas by daylighting streams and removing invasive species. For the purposes of expanding the local biodiversity, Reed Hilderbrand will convert old parking lots on the property to landscape for additional art displays, and will plant over 650 trees of varying species. In its collaboration with Storm King, Reed Hilderbrand hopes to advocate for natural spaces as entities and systems that need to be supported in the same way that people need roads, people need bridges, and to park their cars this sense of the environment as something that needs care and sensitivity and design, said Sturges. To that end, the project will also attempt to align Storm King with New York states goals for carbon neutrality. All-electric systems will replace fossil-fuel sources at all site facilities, and plans to optimize access to public transport to and from the site are intended to reduce carbon emissions as well. So much of this project is really to let the landscape be more alive and let art be able to be more expressive, to be experienced and to bring more people into that duet between art and land, Sturges said. The project is currently out to bid and will be funded in part by a $2.6 million donation from New York state, $2 million from Empire State Development and $600,000 from the New York State Economic Development Council. It is slated to be completed in the spring of 2024. In the meantime, the art center will remain open to visitors throughout its renovation. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged his government won't leave citizens freezing or unable to pay their energy bills but acknowledged Thursday that his country faces considerable challenges in the coming months. Rising fuel costs sparked by Russia's war against Ukraine have put severe financial strain on many in Germany and beyond, raising concerns about a possible winter of discontent. We will do everything to help citizens get through this difficult time, Scholz told reporters during his annual summer news conference in Berlin. He cited numerous measures the government already adopted to ease financial hardships for residents and to secure alternative energy supplies to replace Russian oil, coal and gas. Asked whether he feared that frustration could boil over into violent protests, Scholz replied, "I don't believe that there will be unrest ... in this country." He cited Germany's strong tradition of social welfare. But the chancellor acknowledged there would be many demands during the winter as the country tries to reconcile energy shortages with long-standing plans to phase out nuclear power and fossil fuel use. The German government has given utility companies a green light to reactivate shuttered oil and coal power plants as part of efforts to reduce the nation's dependence on Russian natural gas. Scholz said the government is also considering extending the lifetime of the country's three remaining nuclear plants beyond the end of the year, even as it takes steps to massively ramp up the generation of renewable energy in the short- and medium term. The most important thing we can do to achieve (energy) sovereignty in the future and simultaneously do what's necessary for our economic future is to expand renewable energy and protect the climate, he said. Scholz appeared to acknowledge that Germany's past reliance on Russian energy - long criticized by allies such as the United States - had been a mistake, and that the country should have diversified its supplies sooner. He declined to say whether he personally regretted Germany's continued purchase of Russian gas and whether it gave Berlin a heightened responsibility to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia's military assault. Scholz also remained tight-lipped when asked about the role he played in a large-scale tax evasion scam when he was mayor of Hamburg. Questions about meetings he had with private bank M.M. Warburg in 2016 and 2017 have dogged Scholz. Hamburg officials later dropped demands for the bank to repay millions of euros in tax refunds it had wrongly claimed for share trades. Dozens of bankers are being investigated in connection with so-called cum-ex share transactions that are said to have cost the German state billions. Scholz has previously denied wrongdoing and claimed not to recall details of his meetings with Warburg officials. Thorsten Frei, a leading lawmaker with Germany's center-right Christian Democratic Union, said recent revelations about 200,000 euros in cash being found in a safe belonging to a close Social Democratic Party associate of Scholz raised further questions about the cum-ex affair. Olaf Scholz needs to explain himself," Frei said in an interview published Thursday by German media group RND. Asked about the issue repeatedly on Thursday, Scholz said he had not spoken to party associate Johannes Kahrs and didn't know about the provenance of the money. I'm as curious as you are, he said. ___ Kirsten Grieshaber contributed to this report. ALBANY A federal judge ordered a summary judgment in an $8 million civil rights lawsuit Thursday, dismissing the fabrication of evidence case filed by the county Democratic elections commissioner against the former special Rensselaer County prosecutor relating to a 2009 ballot fraud probe. U.S. District Court Judge Mae A. DAgostino found no evidence then-Special Prosecutor Youel C. Trey Smith III fabricated evidence in the investigation of Commissioner Edward G. McDonough, who was acquitted of the charges filed against him Although evidence in the record suggests that Investigator (John) Ogden and other individuals from the New York State Police were not thrilled with the work Defendant (Smith) was doing, the length of the investigation, and the lack of progress at certain points, nothing in the record suggests that Defendant fabricated evidence or improperly coerced individuals into perjuring themselves, DAgostino said in her decision. McDonoughs lawsuit alleged that Smith put together a case using made-up evidence against him during the investigation of Working Families Party primary absentee ballot fraud in 2009 by Troy Democratic officials and political operatives. McDonough would be tried twice, with the first trial ending in a mistrial and him being found not guilty at the second trial. While former Councilman Michael LoPorto also would be tried twice with a mistrial and an acquittal, five other Democrats would plead guilty to their roles in forging ballots. It is beyond dispute that mistakes were made and some aspects of the underlying investigation were handled in a way that would not be considered typical. Despite Plaintiff's (McDonough) perceived and the actual shortcomings of that investigation, what is lacking is any evidence that would permit a reasonable factfinder to find that Defendant fabricated evidence or coerced witnesses into providing false testimony, DAgostino wrote. During a hearing on Aug. 5 at the federal courthouse, DAgostino questioned Thomas J. OConnor, Smiths attorney, and Brian Premo, McDonoughs attorney, about the lack of evidence in the case. This was the second time that DAgostino has dealt with this nearly seven-year-old lawsuit. The judge dismissed the case, which eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 which overturned the original ruling and sent it back to the appeals court and then back to district court. McDonoughs allegations of malicious prosecution didnt survive due to the standard that prosecutors cant be sued for performing their job. The fabrication of evidence allegations were ordered reconsidered. The court concluded that there wasnt evidence that Mr.Smith fabricated any evidence, OConnor said. There wasnt any fabricated evidence. Premo said the decision would be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals Second Circuit in New York City, the second time the case will go to the appellate level. There are credibility issues with each witness. Questions of fact should be considered by a jury, Premo said. DAgostino acknowledged that McDonough believes that he was treated less favorably than others he claims were more clearly culpable in the alleged voter fraud. While this may well be true, the decision to not offer Plaintiff a favorable deal or immunity must be placed into context: he was and is the Democratic Commissioner of the Board of Elections, tasked with ensuring the integrity of the elections in his jurisdiction. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY President Joe Bidens nomination of a Clifton Park attorney to fill a federal judge vacancy has a major problem that vacancy no longer exists. In a Wednesday, Aug. 10, letter to the president obtained by the Times Union, U.S. District Judge David N. Hurd informed Biden for the second time within the space of a month that he no longer wants to become a senior judge. And this time, it does not seem to matter that Bidens nominee, Jorge Alberto Rodriguez, was willing to relocate to Utica, which had been a sticking point for Hurd. It was Hurds expected ascension to senior status, in which judges continue to sit on the bench but under a lesser caseload, that created the vacancy that led to Bidens nomination on July 13 of Rodriguez, 43, a litigator for Attorney General Letitia James based in Albany. Dear President Biden, stated Hurd, I write to reiterate that I have unconditionally withdrawn my previously expressed intention regarding senior status as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York. I intend to remain on regular active status at the U.S. Courthouse in Utica for the foreseeable future. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Hurd, 85, a Democrat, was first nominated for a federal magistrate judgeship in 1990. He was nominated for a district judgeship in 1999 by President Bill Clinton. Rodriguez, who has worked for the attorney generals office since 2014, lives in Clifton Park. Sources told the Times Union that Rodriguez was initially expected to serve in Albany. The Times Union reported Monday that after Rodriguez was nominated in July, Hurd sent the president a letter on July 14 stating: Please be advised that I immediately rescind my decision to take senior status as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York. I will take senior status if a confirmed successor lives in this area and is permanently assigned to the United States Courthouse in Utica, New York. Otherwise, I shall remain on full-time active status until I retire or die. Jess Fassler, chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who recommended Rodriguez to Biden, told the Times Union on Monday that Rodriguez was committed to serving in Utica. Fassler said it had always been the expectation that Hurds successor would sit in Utica. Sources said Rodriguez was planning to move to Utica as well. Asked about the status of the nomination on Thursday, Fassler said it would expire at the conclusion of the current Congress, which is the end of the year. Unless the judge changes his mind again, Fassler added. The Mohawk Valley city home to one of five federal courthouses in the 32-county Northern District of New York is about 95 miles west of Albany. Rodriguez has repeatedly declined comment. The Northern District has 16 judges, five of whom -- Judges Gary Sharpe, Norman Mordue, Lawrence Kahn, Frederick Scullin and Thomas McAvoy -- have senior status. Carlos M. Bollar, president of the Hispanic National Bar Association, told the Times Union that if Rodriguez took the bench, he would be the Northern District's first Latino judge. The association endorsed Rodriguez's nomination. "The HNBA cannot speak to the reasons why Judge Hurd has reversed his position to take senior status," stated Bollar, who is based in New Jersey. "However, the Hispanic National Bar association strongly believes that the federal judiciary is best when it reflects the diversity of the American population. The process for appointing judges to the federal bench is made more difficult because of a byzantine system fraught with implicit biases. The vacancy at the Northern District of New York is a fantastic opportunity to appoint a remarkable jurist. We hope that all the stakeholders involved work together to overcome the remaining administrative hurdles to finalize Mr. Rodriguez appointment to the judiciary. " This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY A man shot by an officer as he charged at Albany police while allegedly wielding a knife rejected a plea bargain from Albany County prosecutors because prison would be a death sentence, his attorney said Thursday. Jordan Young, who was wounded in the Jan. 24 incident near Madison and New Scotland avenues, faces a felony charge of menacing a police officer and misdemeanor possession of a weapon. On Wednesday, during an appearance before Albany County Judge William Little, Young rejected a plea deal that would have required him to plead guilty to menacing a police officer. In return, Little would sentence Young to no less than three years in prison and no more than five years behind bars. Assistant Public Defender Rebekah Sokol, the attorney for Young, told the Times Union her client is still recovering and has surgery scheduled for next week. After being shot twice in the torso and nearly dying, and then being chained to his hospital bed for weeks while recovering, Jordan Young has now been offered a resolution to this case that would amount to a death sentence, Sokol said. The attorney said Young has an open wound in his stomach and is continuing to use a colostomy bag. If Jordan were to go to prison in his physical condition, he could easily die, Sokol said. We absolutely understand and appreciate the seriousness of the criminal charges Jordan faces, but his physical health and safety need to be paramount. She said it was inconceivable that her clients medical issues were not being considered by District Attorney David Soares office. How would justice be served by sending him to prison for years? Sokol asked. We will continue fighting the case, and hope the prosecution reconsiders. On the night of the incident, Young, 32, a married father of two children who has mental health issues, had not taken his medication. Police were in the area of lower New Scotland Avenue looking for a person believed to be running on a rooftop in connection with a reported home invasion on the 100 block of Morris Street. Prosecutors later said Young placed a 911 call to bring police to the location. According to the testimony of officers and body camera footage played at a preliminary hearing in February, Officers Francis Fogarty and James Madsen saw Young walking toward a potentially active crime scene the would-be home invasion alongside a large dog. Young allegedly crouched and placed a large, razor-blade-like knife to the dogs neck. On the body camera footage, an officer can be heard saying: What is that? What is that? One officer yelled at Young: Sir put the knife down. The video showed Young charge at Madsen who used his service gun to shoot Young. Prosecutors have said that Youngs behavior was escalating in the days and weeks leading up to the shooting. They said that on Dec. 3, he pulled a knife on an employee at Crossgates Mall after being confronted over the alleged theft of a shirt; on Dec. 24, he showed up at his aunts home with a semi-automatic pistol and threatened to kill her; and on Jan. 14, he went to the home of his fathers girlfriend and made threats while armed with a gun. Young remains free under supervision of probation. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- By the end of July 2022, there had been 3.98 million charging piles deployed across China, up 97.5% from the same period of last year, according to the China Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Promotion Alliance (EVCIPA). For the first seven months of 2022, around 1.362 million charging piles (+308.3% YoY) were newly built in the country, including 428,000 public piles (+199.2% YoY) and 934,000 private ones (+390.1% YoY). Photo credit: Star Charge Last month, around 47,000 public charging piles were newly deployed in China, representing a 65.7% year-on-year leap. As of July 2022, the volume of public charging piles in China had added up to 1.575 million units, including 68,400 DC piles, 890,000 AC piles, and 485 DC-AC integrated charging piles, the EVCIPA reported after summarizing the data provided by members of the alliance. There were around 52,000 public charging piles built per month on average within the year ended July 2022. In terms of the charging station volume by July 2022, the top 10 provinces or direct-administered municipalities remained the same as that of the previous month. Guangdong held a significant lead by building 18,337 stations across the province, while both Jiangsu and Zhejiang have over 7,000 charging stations constructed. Regarding the amount of charging stations by July 2022, the ranking of the top ten operators was the same as that of the month-ago period. TELD ranked highest by deploying 20,163 charging stations, followed by Station Grid (16,036) and Start Charge (11,342).As of July 2022, China had owned a total of 1,625 battery swap stations, 43 of which were newly built last month. By the volume of battery swap stations as of July, the top five provinces or direct-administered municipalities in China accounted for 56% of the country's total volume. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 New York State Police Show More Show Less 2 of 5 New York State Police Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 New York State Police Show More Show Less 5 of 5 State Police hope the release of photographs of a ring, a necklace and boots helps them identify a woman whose remains were found recently in a remote part of the town of Morris, an Otsego County community west of Oneonta. The woman was wearing Adidas brand jogging pants, a pink tank top, a lightweight black jacket with a pink zipper, and Carolina brand boots. Investigators shared images of a ring, necklace and boots found with the body. Troopers said she was 4-foot-9. ALBANY Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo filed a lawsuit against state Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday accusing her office of wrongly rejecting his request to have the state pay for his legal counsel in a federal claim filed by a State Police investigator who accused him of sexually harassing and inappropriately touching her. The female trooper's lawsuit, filed under the pseudonym "Trooper 1," also was filed against the State Police and former Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, whose legal fees in the trooper's lawsuit are being paid by the state. The lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court in New York County on Wednesday alleged James' office on April 12 rejected Cuomo's request for counsel in defense of the federal lawsuit without providing a reason. Delaney Kempner, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office which had not been formally served a copy of the petition issued a statement saying Cuomo "is trying to force New Yorkers to pay his legal bills because he believes sexual harassment was within his 'scope of employment' as governor. Sexually harassing young women who work for you is not part of anyones job description. Taxpayers should not have to pony up for legal bills that could reach millions of dollars so Mr. Cuomos lawyer can attack survivors of his abuse." Rita Glavin, Cuomo's attorney, countered that the governor denies that he sexually harassed anyone and that the attorney general's conclusion in a report last year that he did engage in that misconduct does not invalidate his right to have the state cover his legal fees in the lawsuit. "Gov. Cuomo did not sexually harass anyone," Glavin said. "The (attorney general) wants to use her political hit job 'report' to continue to fuel her own ambitions, but she should instead provide Gov. Cuomo access to the evidence that she has wrongfully kept hidden from him, the press, and the public. ... The petition Gov. Cuomo filed yesterday is about enforcing the law and ensuring fairness and transparency something the (attorney general) has repeatedly denied him." Cuomo's civil complaint states the trooper's discrimination claims relate "to alleged conduct by Gov. Cuomo that occurred during his tenure as governor of New York and related to activities and events within the scope of his employment, as well as Trooper 1s employment." The lawsuit filed by Glavin includes a detailed breakdown of their allegations that James' investigation of sexual harassment claims against the former governor was "one-sided" and "shoddy and biased." Richard Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, criticized the attorney general's decision to reject Cuomo's request for legal assistance in the federal litigation as "political games." He noted that five district attorneys had reviewed the attorney general's report concluding Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women and "every single one of them has declined to move forward (with criminal cases) based on it; it was nothing more than a political document and holds no legal weight." Those prosecutors have in many cases called the women's claims credible, and a civil suit can prevail on a preponderance of the evidence rather than the criminal standard of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The trooper's lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages and was filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, lists allegations against Cuomo and his administration that largely mirror those outlined in the searing report issued by the state attorney generals office a year ago that concluded the former governor was a serial sexual harasser who cultivated a toxic work environment. The governor did not act alone. He was enabled by the machinery of the state, the federal civil complaint states. Women who had the courage to complain were attacked by a cadre of the governors closest advisors. Cuomo, who announced his resignation a week after the attorney general's office issued the report, has waged an aggressive public relations campaign challenging the accounts of his 11 accusers. Although he announced his resignation a week after the report was made public, he has since said that he should have stayed in office and cleared his name. The accusations by the trooper were among the most damaging leveled against Cuomo, who had urged a senior investigator on his protective detail to offer the now-31-year-old female investigator a job on the special unit that protects the governor, according to the attorney generals report. Paul Schectman, an attorney for DeRosa, previously characterized the claims against his client as "beyond frivolous," noting that "according to the troopers own testimony Melissas only interaction with her was to say 'hello and goodbye.'" The Times Union reported last year the female trooper had moved up in the ranks of Cuomo's protective detail quickly, securing a position as the governors driver in a much shorter timeframe than is normal, according to former senior members of the detail who are familiar with its machinations. The report issued by the attorney generals office confirmed Cuomo had asked for the female investigator then a uniformed trooper to be offered the spot on his protective detail in 2017, after he met her at an event at the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City. The trooper, who is from Long Island, did not meet the minimum qualifications to get a spot on the detail because she had been with the State Police for less than three years. The attorney generals report noted that an unnamed high-ranking member of Cuomos Executive Chamber had informed a State Police senior investigator, who was a member of the protective detail and tasked with offering the trooper a job, that the rules were going to be changed so she could qualify for the assignment. Transcripts later released by the attorney general showed that official was Letizia Tagliafierro, a former top aide who later was named state inspector general by Cuomo. The Times Union, which began investigating the troopers appointment to Cuomos detail in 2020, is not identifying her because she is an alleged victim of sexual harassment who has asked to remain anonymous. Her federal complaint, which claims she suffered harassment, retaliation and discrimination, was accompanied by a motion that requests the court allow her to remain anonymous in the case as Trooper 1, which was how she was identified in the attorney generals report. Serving as a member of Cuomos travel team, including driving him, had put her in close proximity to the governor. It was also when the governor allegedly touched her and made sexually suggestive comments to her, according to the attorney general's report. The attorney generals report said the trooper had described Cuomo as creepy and flirtatious. At his former residence in Westchester County, the female investigator said she was working in the gatehouse when Cuomo approached her and kissed her on the cheek after asking for permission to do so. As attorney general, Cuomo had once asserted following an investigation by his administration into alleged misconduct by Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the State Police that governors should have no role in the hiring or promotional decisions of the law enforcement agency. Halfmoon Sandwich Shoppe photo HALFMOON The Halfmoon Sandwich & Salad Shoppe, a perennial favorite among voters in the Times Union's annual Best of the Capital Region contest, will close after business on Saturday, Aug. 20. The farewell notice, posted on Facebook around 2 a.m. Thursday, drew nearly 1,000 appreciative yet dismayed comments, reactions and shares before noon on Thursday. The lease is ending on the property, a standalone building at 1613 Route 9 that the shop has occupied since 2007, according to the closure announcement. Authorities say a barricaded gunman has surrendered in Arcadia after shooting a police officer and two other people and barricading himself in his family's home A Spokane medical doctor accused of hiring someone on the dark web to kidnap his estranged wife has pleaded guilty to two counts of threats in interstate commerce as part of a plea deal This morning we notice another sign of local violence spreading around the metro. Mostly, Happy Rock is a place were people are only threatened by lowered expectations from life and fried foods . . . Lately, rising violence has increasingly found its way to this bedroom community . . . Officers responded just after 4 a.m. to an apartment complex at North Broadway and NW 68th Street in response to the shooting. Police have not yet released the extent of injuries or the age of the two victims, other than to say they are both under the age of 18. Both victims were taken to a local hospital, according to Gladstone police. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . 2 minors shot in Gladstone early Thursday morning GLADSTONE, Mo. (KCTV) - Two people under the age of 18 were shot and rushed to the hospital early Thursday morning in Gladstone. Officers responded just after 4 a.m. to an apartment complex at North Broadway and NW 68th Street in response to the shooting. Two teens, 15 and 16, taken to hospital after shooting in Gladstone, Missouri Gladstone, Missouri, police are investigating after two juveniles were rushed to the hospital Thursday morning with gunshot wounds. Officers were called to the scene of a shooting near 68th Street and North Broadway shortly after 4 a.m. Developing . . . A trend worth considering with the knowledge that weed is pretty much widely available EVERYWHERE and we're really just talking about archaic laws that are mostly ignored . . . Kansas isn't going to be able to enforce weed law with any semblance of effectiveness or fairness as soon as Missouri approves fun time weed. Here's a more polite way of noting this challenge . . . "And even if Kansas passes medical marijuana legislation, Missouri-sold recreational marijuana would still be illegal in Kansas. There is also still a question on how police will handle this situation when people cross the state line and how aggressively authorities may move on enforcement." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Questions arise how Kansas will handle possible Missouri marijuana legalization KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With recreational marijuana now on the ballot in Missouri come November, there is a growing question of how Kansas will respond. Currently Kansas lawmakers are working on medical cannabis legislation but, simply put, marijuana remains illegal in the state. Missourians will vote on recreational marijuana soon. Will politicians overrule them? OPINION AND COMMENTARY This week, Missourians learned a constitutional amendment that would legalize the use of recreational marijuana for anyone over 21 will appear on a statewide ballot later this fall. Almost immediately, and on cue, opponents of the proposed referendum went on the offensive, including at least one GOP lawmaker. Missouri's recreational marijuana ballot issue is about more than just legalizing pot SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - It will now be up to voters in November to decide if recreational marijuana will be legalized in Missouri. But the issue also has implications for people who have marijuana-related criminal records. Legal Missouri 2022, the campaign backing the ballot measure, collected more than 214,000 verified signatures to put recreational marijuana legalization to a vote. The Devil's Advocate: How Cannvocate is changing the cannabis industry D. Advocate and Associates has been helping to shape brands and transform ideas for much longer than legal marijuana has existed in Missouri. But for more than two years now, Douglas Hall and the cast of characters at Advocate have steadily helped to guide and produce some of the most successful events and relationships in Missouri's marijuana industry. Cannabis Laws are Uneven, and That's Hitting Supply Chains The cannabis movement has never had as much momentum as it does right now. A full 19 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use of the drug, with the majority of the new states coming online within the last five years (states like Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Alaska were earlier to the party). Developing . . . Here's more concern confronting this "green" project that has earned a great deal of hype but not many deets . . . TKC Tipsters tell us . . . Johnson County Commission against the votes of Charlotte O'Hara and Michael Ashcraft keep shoveling more subsidies to this boondoggle project. $15 million last week to build them roads in a fire station... when we don't do that for any other development. "The Panasonic project is Johnson County's Ukraine!!! We keep shoveling money their way every week with new appeals." Meanwhile . . . We in a related e-mail chain . . . We notice the conservative Kansas State Senator reaching out to constituents with some legit concerns about cleanup . . . "People are so ignorant of physics they will buy the tweets and ignore the truth. A friend of mine is intimately involved in the legal end of the cleanup at Sunflower...and he told me that currently nobody knows who is responsible to clean that mess up...the ARMY got off the hook when the county took it over according to him. DO we think Panasonic will ever spend the time or money to clean it up? No!! Ridiculous." And so . . . Despite the promise of jobs . . . Scrutiny of the deal seems to be gaining momentum. Developing . . . ISELIN, New JerseySexual wellness brand Skyn has introduced nine new personal massagersCaress, Dual Ring, Tune, Arch, Bow, Wave, Rouse, Tremble and Charm. Each personal massager is crafted with distinct features as follows: Caress: Ultra-soft tulip-shaped tip mimics the feeling of oral stimulation, enhanced by a velvety soft silicone finish. This device's 10 audibly discreet vibrating modes are designed for all sensitivities. It is made to fit in the palm of the hand with an illuminated panel for use in the dark. And it's hypoallergenic, USB rechargeable, and water resistant. (MSRP: $39.99). Dual Ring: Ideal for an enhanced experience with a partner, this device marries a finger vibrator and stimulating ring with an ultra-soft silicone finish for heightened sensation. Featuring three vibrating modes, it is compact yet powerful and has an illuminated control panel. It is hypoallergenic, USB rechargeable, and water resistant. (MSRP: $19.99). Tune: Miniature vibrating wand with a flexible head that concentrates powerful vibrations exactly where they're needed. Easy to clean with mild soap and water, this device is water-resistant and features 10 vibration patterns. Vibrations last up to 60 minutes on a full charge. (MSRP: $28.99). Arch: A uniquely shaped G-spot vibrator with a curved, flexible head. Perfect for on-the-go usage, this device slips easily into a purse or pocket for discretion. Ultra-soft silicone finish is water resistant and easy to clean. (MSRP: $24.99). Bow: A curved vibrating massager featuring contoured textures. It is water resistant, with an easy-open, twist-off design for quick battery insertion. This device offers seven different vibration modes, lasting up to 50 minutes on a full charge. Requires 2 AA batteries. (MSRP: $23.99). Wave: Suitable for solo or partner play, this tongue-shaped flickering clitoral stimulator that fits in the palm of the hand gives intense waves of vibration. It features 10 different vibration patterns and an illuminated on/off switch for use in the dark. It is hypoallergenic, USB rechargeable, and water resistant. (MSRP: $26.99). Rouse: Remote-controlled with 10 different vibration modes, this massager operates as a Kegel trainer. It features an ultra-soft silicone finish and is USB rechargeable, and water-resistant. (MSRP: $29.99). Tremble: A pocket-sized and portable massager that fits in the palm of the hand. It includes a remote control, as well as 10 different vibrating modes. It is USB rechargeable and water resistant. (MSRP: $24.99). Charm (COMING SOON): A discreet, yet powerful finger massager featuring a ribbed texture for intense stimulation. Battery-powered, vibrations last up to 50 minutes with a full battery. (MSRP: $12.99) "At Skyn, we believe that the journey to pleasure is endless and ever-evolving. We also believe that intimate experience is about more than just feeling good. It's about choice," said M'lou Walker, chief executive officer of parent company LifeStyles Healthcare. "We aim to offer our consumers as much choice as possible along their sexual journey. We see substantial opportunity to do this within the personal massage category, and we're excited to say that these nine new additions to the Skyn lineup are just the start of the expansion for us." Skyn Caress, Dual Ring, Tune, Arch, Bow, Wave, Rouse and Tremble are available for purchase on the Skyn brand website and from select retailers, and Charm will be released to market soon. Here's the surprising outcome of a recent police shooting . . . KCPD & The Jackson County Prosecutor's office seem to be mending fences following the departure of former Chief Smith. Remember that bitter debates between these two institutions raged for years and worsened during the pandemic. Amid the historic local murder count . . . It's nice to see somebody getting along. Take a peek . . . On Wednesday, she said shes getting more access from KCPD when looking into these types of cases. "I'm really encouraged that there's been sort of a shifting of trust or a shifting of how quickly my staff is allowed in, she said. On Sunday evening I was able to go to the scene. I was able to see video at the scene, so theres a much more fluid working relationship now.Peters Bakers is not sure when shell make a determination based on the evidence. She said the goal is to be transparent throughout the process. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links to KSHB dutifully pushing this narrative with all of the power that a small market TV station can muster . . . Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker details investigation process of police shootings KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Surveillance video exclusively obtained by KSHB 41 News provided better picture of what happened late Sunday night at a Kansas City, Missouri, gas station where police shot and killed a 31-year-old man . On Wednesday, KSHB 41 spoke with Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker. Going 360: Examining surveillance video after Kansas City police shoot, kill man KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police shot and killed a man at a Kansas City, Missouri, gas station Sunday night, and KSHB 41 News exclusively obtained surveillance video Wednesday showing a clearer picture of what happened. The 47 second video shows the moments leading up to and the immediate aftermath of the shooting, which happened on East 55th Street and Prospect Avenue. Mayor Lucas: Communication, transparency key to salvaging trust after police shooting KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Mayor Quinton Lucas has zeroed in on building trust between the Kansas City, Missouri, community and its police department as foundational to combating crime, especially on the city's East Side where he grew up. He's repeatedly called for transparency and accountability as central to that mission, but there's still work to do - for Lucas and the KCPD. Developing . . . "I dont want anyone to ever feel that they have to compromise on their wedding day like I did," says model Ashley Graham of the inspiration for her second dress collaboration with bridal wear brand Pronovias. The operation involving police jurisdictions from across Ontario and the United States helped dismantle a "large-scale" operation that included guns and drugs being trafficked across the border Sibbald Point Provincial Park Beach and other beaches at Ontario Parks are tested for bacteria levels. - Susie Kockerscheidt / Metroland file photo Brian Sankarsingh is a Trinidadian-born Canadian immigrant with a passion for advocacy and a penchant for poetry. - Brian Sankarsingh photo Fictional travels and new books based on true stories that delve into the histories of a trailblazing librarian and the writer George Sand C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment's Activity Index July 2022 (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - August 10th, 2022 - Travel Placements Remain At Near-Record Levels In July C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment's Activity Index July 2022 Travel job placements rise 5% Highest ever number of placements for July Candidate numbers remain steady Vacancies rise from June, but fall from 2021 Another strong month for travel recruitment The number of travel job placements increased in July and remained at near-record levels, according to the latest figures from C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment. With a rise of five per cent from June, last month's total number of travel job placements was the fifth highest since November 2017. It was also the highest figure ever recorded for the month of July since the index began in 2012, standing 149 per cent above July 2021 and up by 74 per cent from July 2019, up by 49 per cent from July 2018, up by five per cent from July 2017 and up by eight per cent from July 2016. Candidate and vacancies both rise The volume of new candidates searching for travel jobs also remained historically high in July with a two per cent rise from the previous month. Despite being down by 24 per cent from July 2021 (which was the highest number in the past four years), last month's figure was up by 45 per cent from July 2019 and up by 44 per cent from July 2018. Similarly, the number of new travel jobs being created in July 2022 increased by 14 per cent from June. The figure was down by 19 per cent from July 2021, but was up by 14 per cent from July 2019, down by two per cent from July 2018 and up by eight per cent from July 2017. Speaking about the stats, Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment, said: "With the summer holidays in full swing, July traditionally results in a dip in activity, but July 2022 actually saw vacancies, placements and new candidates all rise from the previous month! This is the first time this has happened since July 2012 and demonstrates the sheer level of demand that the travel industry has for talent at the moment. "August is usually the industry's quietest month for recruitment outside of December, so it will be interesting to see if it also defies historical trends and early indications suggest that it will be another very healthy month." All figures are drawn from the months new vacancies advertised with C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment. C&M Travel Recruitment was established in 1998 and is the largest and most successful specialist travel recruitment company in the UK. For further information please contact: Owen Mckeon (Marketing and Operations Manager - 0161 238 4497 / owen@candm.co.uk) or Barbara Kolosinska (Managing Director - 07507 602 069 / barbara@candm.co.uk). ### VEENDAM, The NetherlandsGlv is the latest addition to the house-brand selection of EDC Wholesale. The new line is a collection of eco-friendly vibrators made from recycled materials. Glv offers three designs, now available for retailers to order at EDC Wholesale. Glv has an organic look and feel, with soft beige and a matte green colors. Describe marketing materials, "The brand is about green living, caring for nature, and caring for yourself. The package is small and simple, so it uses as few resources as possible. The organically plant-like shaped logo and the recycled paper look of the package send across the message of sustainability. The green products inside embody this feeling too, with the color of nature." Glv means "believe" in Norwegian. According to the company, the name fits with the look and ideology of the brand. "Scandinavian countries are known for their sustainability initiatives," a company rep notes. "The brand believes in self-love and a green future for our beloved planet. "Glv is for women who are already on a path to living more sustainably and want to see their green lifestyle reflected in the bedroom. She is a conscious consumer." For more information about Glv or EDC Wholesale, visit one-dc.com or contact [email protected]. SEOUL, South KoreaAfter a two-year hiatus, the Seoul Queer Festival finally returned on July 16, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. Greenshelf, pjurs exclusive partner in the country, had a stand at the festival, where it presented the pjur brand and product range to visitors alongside several other brands. During the festival, 135,000 people gathered with rainbow flags and colorful outfits to celebrate all forms of sexual orientation and join the march for LGBTQ rights under the slogan "Lets live, unite and go forward." Taking place in Seoul for the 23rd time, the festival was attended by members of the LGBTQ community, as well as their allies and human rights activists. Greenshelf spoke to 2,500 visitors at its stand alone. While presenting pjur and other brands to the visitors, the company also used a "Sex Orientation" brochure to explain how to use personal lubricants and sex toys. This year pjur has again focused on love, diversity and tolerance with the "Love Is Love" campaign it ran in June and July. All its channels are oriented around this topic and the rainbow, with its many colors that stand for diversity in love. Visit pjur.com for more information. In my continuing saga retracing the history of camels on the Beale Wagon Road, pal Eric Souders and I unloaded his camels at the historic Beale monument on the northwest edge of Government Prairie and set out on a three-hour tour. In this same area, on April 17, 1859, Edward Fitzgerald Beale journaled, ... passing out into the forest in a mile and a half, we came to a beautiful prairie five miles in breadth, and three times that in length numbers of deer and antelope bounding over its green turf make it peculiarly attractive, while the magnificent San Francisco Mountain capped with its eternal snow, renders the landscape perfect ... . Forest management of this area prohibits off-road motorized travel, so intact sections of Beale's original road are still visible. The Kaibab National Forest has also regularly implemented prescribed fires to maintain the health of the prairie, so that the grasslands here have changed remarkably little since Beales day. In contrast, Beales journal upon returning eastbound on July 15, 1859, described the nearby north side of Sitgreaves Mountain as a cluster of seven or eight springs breaking out in a pine forest with luxuriant grass all through it. Today, this area is an overly dense forest with up to 600 trees per acre, just like the forest surrounding Flagstaff. Photographs from the 1870s and early timber surveyors' notes demonstrate that this once fire-adapted ecosystem generally had 10 to 20 trees per acre, just like Beale encountered. A perfect storm of historic events has shaped todays overly dense forests. First, by the early 20th century, overgrazing by sheep and cattle of native grasses stopped groundfires from spreading. At the same time, railroad logging methods removed the largest of the ponderosas that once provided cover for a diverse understory. After the infamous 1910 "Big Burn' in Idaho and Montana that destroyed towns, denuded 3 million forested acres and took 86 lives, Forest Service policy centered on suppressing all fires. The nail in the coffin was the historic 1918-19 seed crop when two very wet years caused ponderosas across the Southwest to produce a heavy seed crop that created a carpet of saplings that grew like weeds, no longer thinned out by lightning-caused fires. According to my friend and the director of Northern Arizona University's Ecological Restoration Institute, Andrew J. Sanchez-Meadow, tree ring records indicate that prior to the late 19th century, fires thinned out the forest every three to five years.Todays overloaded tree biomass lowers the groundwater levels resulting in dry springs that no longer flow as Beale recorded. Fortunately, in December 2011, Kaibab National Forest contractors mechanically harvested overly dense ponderosas in this area now known as Elk Springs. In 2017, a Hopi Ancestral Lands crew restored the springs natural flow by removing a pipe that once diverted its free-flowing water into a cement trough for cattle and wildlife. Completing our adventure, we camped at the historic Laws Spring interpretive site where, on Sept. 13, 1857, Beale journaled, At 4, we found abundant water in a canon to our right, which was bordered by fine trees. It was a succession of large pools, it was sufficient for one or two thousand head of animals ... . A little more than a decade after Beale first visited Laws Spring, the Union Pacific Railroad Western Division survey crew camped there accompanied by famed Civil War photographer Alexander Gardner. Holding an 1868 photograph that Gardner snapped at Laws Spring, Eric and I were astounded at how the junipers have encroached upon the once open grassland. To learn more details and experience the wonders of the Beale Road, visit the Kaibab National Forest webpage Beale Wagon Road Historic Trail No. 61. Finally, this column was a teaser for a Willow Bend Environmental Center fundraiser in 2023, when Eric and I plan to take Gamal and Rakuda out with visitors interested in retracing the historic Beale Wagon Road, camping out with a dutch oven dinner and evening presentation at Laws Spring, followed by a breakfast and hike around Laws Spring. Become a member of Willow Bend Environmental Center, and you will be among the first to be able to hear about and get a registration discount. The United Kingdom is doubling the number of multiple rocket launchers for Ukraine. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said this in a comment to the BBC, Ukrinform reports. Wallace said this in Copenhagen, where he is participating in an international conference with allies who promise to continue military and financial support for Ukraine. So far, the country has already given three M270 systems to Ukraine. They use the same missiles with a range of up to 80 kilometers as American HIMARS systems. Wallace confirmed that the UK would send three more such systems to Ukraine, as well as a significant number of missiles for them. He said Britain was very satisfied with how Ukraine is using multiple rocket launchers that it has already received from the West. According to him, Ukrainian forces have shown that they are much better at distinguishing which targets to hit so that they do not quickly run out of ammunition. Wallace said this was part of Ukraine's transition from using old Soviet-era weapons to more modern NATO weapons. Ukrainian defenders destroyed 41 invaders and Russian military equipment on the southern front on August 10. Ukrainian aircraft also struck Russian ammunition warehouses and a command post. Ukraine's South Operational Command said this in a Facebook post, Ukrinform reports. In the past day, Ukrainian aircraft launched six airstrikes on enemy positions in the past day. Assault aircraft twice hit a stronghold and concentrations of manpower, weapons and equipment of the Russian forces in the Beryslav district, Kherson region. In addition, Ukrainian bomber aircraft attacked two ammunition warehouses and equipment in the Bashtanka district, Mykolaiv region. Using helicopters, Ukraine's Armed Forces twice struck a stronghold and concentrations of manpower, weapons, and equipment of the Russian occupying forces. Ukrainian defenders shot down a Russian Eleron-3 drone when the occupiers tried to conduct aerial reconnaissance in the Mykolaiv district. The command confirmed that on the southern axis on August 10, the invaders lost 41 soldiers, three Msta-B howitzers, and seven armored vehicles and cars. Near the village of Novokamianka, Kherson region, Ukrainian defenders fired at a command post of the 126th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Coastal Troops of the Russian Navy. Outside the village of Chervonyi Mayak, the enemy's 49th army lost its command post. In Ishchenka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces hit a command and observation post of a battalion tactical group of the 76th Guards Air Assault Division. Near Barvinok, Ukrainian forces struck an arms depot of the enemy. Ukrainian officials are using the confusion in Russia about the theories behind explosions in Crimea to obfuscate Ukraine's long-range capabilities. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said this in its latest Russian offensive campaign assessment, Ukrinform reports. Analysts say that mixed stories in Russian media and among Russian milbloggers indicate that either officials within the Russian Ministry of Defense have competing theories regarding the attack and are sharing them with the media, or that the Kremlin has failed to coordinate its information operation to deny that Ukraine conducted a successful attack so far behind Russian lines. Instead, Ukrainian officials are playing up the evident Russian confusion surrounding the attack to obfuscate Ukraine's longer-range capabilities. An anonymous Ukrainian official told the New York Times that the attack was carried out with the help of partisans. Another anonymous Ukrainian official told the Washington Post that Ukrainian special forces caused the explosion, while other Ukrainian officials implicitly referenced the attack but did not overtly take credit for it. ISW still cannot independently assess what caused the explosions at the airfield - satellite imagery depicts multiple craters and scorch marks, but such damage could have been caused by many things - special forces, partisans, or missiles, on-site or from a distance. "Ukrainian forces have various systems that they could have used or modified to hit Russian military infrastructure in Crimea or southern Kherson region," the report said. Earlier reports said that "authorities" in Russian-occupied Crimea had confirmed explosions on August 9 outside Novofedorivka, where a Russian military airbase is located. Russia's Ministry of Defense said that "aircraft ammunition detonated" at the airfield. The head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, said that Russian citizens illegally staying in Crimea received the first "call" about the need to immediately leave the occupied territory. Since Russia's annexation of Crimea eight years ago, from 600,000 to 1.5 million Russians moved there, whereas 30,000 Crimean Tatars were forced to leave the peninsula. The civilized world must exert pressure on Russia with joint efforts to force its military to pull out of the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant. This was emphasized by Ukraines Minister of Energy German Galushchenko, who spoke on the air of the national telethon. Ukraine has already been supported in this fair aspiration by official statements about the need for immediate de-occupation of the ZNPP by Kadri Simson, the European Commissioner for Energy, and Head of Foreign Affairs of the Group of Seven (G7), he recalled. "In order to force the Russian military to withdraw from the nuclear plant and return it to the full control of Ukraine, we need maximum international support, support of our partners," German Galushchenko said. Read also: French senator says UN security mission should immediately deploy at ZNPP During the occupation of the Ukrainian NPP, the Russian Federation violated all international conventions and resolutions regarding the observance of basic nuclear safety at nuclear facilities, while its actions fully fall under the definition of nuclear terrorism, the minister stressed In particular, the attack by the Russian armed forces on the nuclear power plant creates unprecedented risks for the nuclear security of Ukraine and neighboring countries, as well as the entire international community. Any armed attack and threat to nuclear facilities intended for peaceful purposes is defined as a violation of the principles of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the IAEA Charter. Additionally, IAEA resolutions determine that an armed attack or threat of an armed attack on a nuclear facility that is being operated or under construction creates a situation where the UN Security Council shall act immediately in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter. Galushchenko noted that in order to assess the situation at the plant, including nuclear safety and that of handling nuclear materials, a joint mission of the UN and the IAEA should be deployed to the ZNPP. "Today, the NPP works in the interests of Ukraines energy system. I am convinced that this will continue to be the case," the minister concluded. Russia has failed to achieve its initial objectives in Ukraine, while the West is continuing to support Kyiv. Thats according to British Defense Minister Ben Wallace, who spoke at a press conference following an international Donors Conference in Copenhagen, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. I think its incredibly important for people to understand that the fighting is still going on, and it is still seeing the loss of life of both innocent civilians and indeed military personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. () But it is also the case that Russia are starting to fail in many areas. They have failed so far and are unlikely to ever succeed in occupying Ukraine. Their invasion has faulted and is constantly being remodified to the extent rhey are really now focusing only in parts of the South and in the East, a long-long way away from their three-day so-called special operation, which is now over 150 days, or nearly six months in, with huge significant losses of both equipment and indeed Russian personnel, Wallace said. He noted that six months into the war, the international community remains on Ukraines side in its fight to regain sovereignty. The minister said the conference was yet another major success, reaffirming readiness of the international community to further strengthen support for Ukraine. The minister stressed that Britain will double the number of high-precision M270 MLR systems and deliver a large number of munitions to them, capable of hitting targets at a range of up to 80 km, and recalled the NLAW anti-tank missile launchers, delivered earlier in the amount of 5,500 units. Wallace also spoke about the Fund, set up by Great Britain, aimed to raise money for purchasing military equipment for Ukraine, noting that Norway, Denmark, and a number of other nations have already contributed to it. The sum already raised stands at nearly EUR 500 million, of which EUR 350 million came from Britain. As Ukrinform reported earlier, the International Donors Conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Thursday, August 11. The delegations included defense chiefs, their deputies, and other top officials. Nearly EUR 1.5 billion was raised during the event. Norway will contribute to the training of Ukrainian soldiers in Great Britain. Thats according to the countrys Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram, Ukrinform reported with reference to NRK. Norway is positive about the British initiative to train Ukrainian soldiers in Great Britain. We will participate with instructors for this basic soldier training, like several other countries, the minister said. As Ukrinform reported earlier, in early July, a first group of Ukrainian recruits arrived in Britain to undergo military training. The training course includes weapons handling, battlefield first aid, field craft, patrol tactics, and the laws around armed conflict. The Russian army has resorted to the tactics of terror against Ukrainian civilians, launching missile and artillery strikes on densely populated settlements, as they cannot achieve their goals on the battlefield. The relevant statement was made by Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, at a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Kharkiv and Mykolaiv are under continuous enemy fire. Let me remind you, these cities are densely populated, and indiscriminate attacks on them result only in casualties among civilians and critical infrastructure destructions. But, it is no coincidence, as we have been observing such tactics used by the Russian army for five months, Tsymbaliuk said. In his words, Russia continues to cause terror against the border areas of Sumy Region and Chernihiv Region, opening fire with mortars and cannon artillery across the state border. Generally, over the past day, Russian troops have struck 42 settlements in different regions of Ukraine. All these attacks once again prove that terror against civilians and the willful destruction of infrastructure is an integral element of the Russian aggression. Being unable to achieve its unlawful goals on ground, Moscow is focusing on terror, Tsymbaliuk stressed. At the same time, Russia has intensified its disinformation campaign, making attempts to disrupt arms supplies to Ukraine. Thanks to such supplies, Russia loses ammunition depots, command centers, military equipment and, thus, local initiative. Because of this, the Russian army cannot unrestrictedly use artillery for indiscriminate shelling, destroying everything in front of them. Therefore, Moscow is making every effort to stop such a vital military assistance to the Ukrainian people, Tsymbaliuk noted. Tsymbaliuk also pointed out Russias cynical attempts to persuade the world that if the Ukrainian Army had stopped resistance and Ukrainian defenders had left cities, there would have been no losses and suffering in Ukraine. But, we know well what happens, when the Russian army enters Ukrainian cities and villages. Murders, rapes, abductions, filtration, deportation we have already seen all of this in Bucha, Irpin and other Ukrainian settlements after they were liberated, Tsymbaliuk added. A reminder that, on February 24, 2022, Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops are massively shelling and bombarding Ukrainian cities and villages. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are effectively countering enemy attacks and inflicting heavy losses on Russian invaders. mk A chance for negotiations with Russia is possible only if Ukraine's partners are present at the table. Thats according to Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who spoke in an interview with the Ukrainian Pravda news outlet, Ukrinform reports. "In case of referendums, we wont be talking of any negotiations. Since there are no talks in place, it makes no sense to assess any negotiating position. But Id like to tell you that the chance for negotiations with the Russians is possible only if our partners are at the table. Because there is no point in talking with the Russians and ultimately getting some Minsk-3 deal," Reznikov said. As reported, the last face-to-face round of talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations took place in Istanbul late March. The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia, Saeima, has officially recognized Russias brutal actions against civilians in Ukraine and other countries as terrorism and the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The relevant statement was made by Public Broadcasting of Latvia (LSM), an Ukrinform correspondent reports. A total of 67 members of the Saeima voted in favor of the relevant document. The members of Latvias Social Democratic Party Harmony [Saskana], which is considered to be pro-Russian, were present at the session but did not vote. Two independent members, Julija Stepanenko and Lubova Svecova, also abstained from voting. According to the Saeima, Russian troops deliberately attack civilians in Ukraine, using suffering and intimidation as an instrument in their attempts to demoralize the Ukrainian people and military, and immobilize the state in order to invade Ukraine. Latvian politicians stressed that Russia uses violence in order to achieve its political goals. The Saeima strongly condemned Russias armed aggression and full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which was committed with the support of the Belarusian ruling government. The Saeima urged the Euro-Atlantic Community and partners to promptly step up and implement comprehensive sanctions against Russia to prevent the ability of Russian forces to continue armed aggression in Ukraine. In its official statement, the Saeima also emphasized that Russia had been providing military, financial and political support to separatism and violence against civilians in Donetsk Region, Luhansk Region and the occupied Crime since 2014. The Saeima declared the Russian Federation a state sponsor of terrorism, as Russia had been providing support and financing to terrorist regimes and organizations for many years. In particular, Russia acted as the largest arms supplier for the Assad regime in Syria and is responsible for the poisoning of the Skripal family in the United Kingdom and the downing of the Malaysia Airlines aircraft in eastern Ukraine in July 2014, resulting in the death of 298 people. mk Ukraine needs to stop the Russian aggressor, stabilize the front line and prepare a counteroffensive operation to liberate the occupied areas. The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov at the Copenhagen Conference for Northern European Defense Allies in support of Ukraine, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. Ukraine continues to fight, and our goal has remained unchanged: it is to restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our state within the internationally recognized borders. For this purpose, we need to stop the enemy, stabilize the front line (its length is over 2,500 kilometers, or 1,500 miles, and active hostilities are taking place along the front line of 1,300 kilometers), and prepare a counteroffensive operation, Reznikov told. In his words, several priority groups of capabilities were determined, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine should acquire in order to achieve the goal. They include enhancing the anti-access and area denial capabilities in order to protect the north-western part of the Black Sea, ensuring air defense for large cities and critical infrastructure facilities, protecting the state border with Belarus, as well as certain capabilities required to stabilize the front line and create conditions for the counteroffensive operation, Reznikov noted. Reznikov emphasized that Russia is a dangerous enemy that does not respect rules and has huge resources. It is a terrorist state that has no respect for human rights and disregards casualties. It commits the mass killings of prisoners of war and civilians. It uses disinformation, migration, grain, energy and nuclear power as weapons. Its tactics poses a threat to all of us, Reznikov stressed. Reznikov expressed gratitude to the partner countries that had united in the Ramstein format under the leadership of the United States for the aid they had already provided to the Ukrainian Army. According to Reznikov, the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated a large number of Russias elite troops. There is one thing that unites the Russian cities of Murmansk, Kaliningrad and Pskov their cemeteries are rapidly expanding, Reznikov added. In his words, the coordinated actions of Ukraine and partner countries can make all of Europe, including the Baltic states, safe. Ukraine is ready to do its share; we need the tools. The sooner we get them and the larger their volumes are, the sooner we will achieve our common goal a peaceful Europe, Reznikov stressed. A reminder that twenty-six countries are participating in the Conference for Northern European Defense Allies in support of Ukraine, taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark. mk School started again for students across Flagstaff this week, looking a little more like pre-pandemic years. Traffic filled Fourth Street on Wednesday morning as families lined up to drop off students at Mount Elden Middle School (MEMS) and Puente de Hozho Elementary School, while others walked from nearby areas to begin the 2022-23 school year. MEMS student Everest Aslan was carrying a trombone as he walked to his first day of seventh grade. He said hed gotten school supplies for the start of the year, including a new backpack, and that band was his favorite class. Yes and no, he said when asked if he was excited for the first day. Im nervous, but Im excited to see my friends and get back in. Just up the hill at Puente de Hozho, families were gathering outside the school for their kids' first day, taking photos and making last-minute adjustments. School staff greeted them outside the entrance, while others helped escort students from the car dropoff circle. This is music teacher Joe Rauschenbachs first year at the school following a six-year stint teaching at Knoles Elementary. He said he was overjoyed for the first day of school. Its just so great to see everybody ready for a new school year, he said. ... Im looking forward to making some good music and having a fantastic year. Becky Gewald dropped her child off for the first day of fourth grade. She said they had been coming to the school since preschool and that the start of this year was going well so far. She said they hadn't needed to do much to get ready this school year: the family had just relaxed and had a good summer. Were a die-hard Puente family, so were dialed in, Gewald said. They had chosen the school because they live nearby as well as for its Spanish program. We want our children to be immersed in culture and a second language, she said. Jerrica Johnson also said she chose the school for its language program. She was waiting outside the entrance with her daughter Josephine, a kindergartner. They offer Navajo classes here and Spanish classes, so she could learn her language, she said of her reason for choosing Puente. Johnson said she was nervous for the first day and that her daughter was excited. When asked about her unicorn backpack, Josephine unzipped it to show off a hot-pink pencil box filled with school supplies. Shes excited. She woke up really early, Johnson said, laughing. Josephine attended KinderCamp earlier in the summer to get ready for the school year and loved it," she said. Puente's principal, Mark Culbertson, greeted families outside the school Wednesday morning. He said he was super excited for the first day. Were excited to start the year; hopefully [the first day] feels a little bit normal for first time in a couple years, he said. This year is the district's second year of fully in-person learning since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and Puente will be following Flagstaff Unified School Districts mitigation plan. Culbertson said COVID was still was still something the school deals with -- but hopefully less than in the past few years overall. He mentioned a family that had called earlier to say their kindergartner had COVID and wouldnt be able to be there for the first day. Im always concerned that weve had people affected by it, he said. He added: That's a bummer that he's gonna miss his first day of kindergarten for it. But I feel like we saw a decrease in our cases last year and saw that the effect of it seemed to have decreased, so were hoping that continues this year." One of Culbertsons priorities for this school year was Puentes International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It is the schools first year being accredited as an IB school after a five-year journey. FUSD has one IB school at every level: Puente for elementary students and Sinagua Middle School and Coconino High School for older learners. IB is inquiry-based learning, and very focused on incorporating our cultures and our languages focus that we already have here, so it's a natural fit for us, Culbertson said. Were just excited to finally be accredited. Rauschenbach said he was enjoying the first day at Puente. Its always nice to welcome them on the first day, everybodys excited," he said. " ...Its been a turbulent few years and its always nice to start again. Its the fresh start that makes it special. No one will be able to stop the wind carrying radiation, but all of us can stop the terrorist state of Russia. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in his speech at the Copenhagen Conference of Northern European Defense Allies in support of Ukraine. Ukrinform is citing the full text of the speech that was published by the Presidents Office. Dear Prime Minister Frederiksen! Dear Minister Bdskov! Dear attendees, dear participants of the Conference! I am grateful for the organization of such an important event, which is urgently needed now - and not only for Ukraine. To begin with, I would like to remind you of one episode of our shared history. It happened in Sweden. About 700 kilometers from Copenhagen, just over an hour by plane. One day at the Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant, radiation monitoring devices showed the presence of radiation contamination. Then everything was quickly checked and no sources of radiation were found in Forsmark. However, reports began to arrive from other sites in Sweden, as well as from Finland, that there was also an increased level of radiation. Concerns were also raised in Denmark - an increase in the level of radioactive substances was also recorded there. It became clear that an emergency had occurred, but at that time they did not know exactly where. They analyzed the nature of the pollution, the direction and velocity of the wind - and found out that somewhere in the territory from Minsk to the Black Sea, a disaster occurred. It was April 1986 - a day after the explosion of the nuclear reactor in Chornobyl. The Soviet authorities were silent about what happened at that time. And tried to downplay the scale of the disaster. However, it was impossible to hide it - there has already been publicity in Europe, there has already been evidence of pollution, and a discussion has already begun about how it threatens all people. I will not remind you now of all the details of those days. You all probably know about it. About the fire at the Chornobyl station and the efforts of those who tried to stop the unfolding of the disaster. About the diagnosis of "acute radiation syndrome" and about people who begged for salvation in terrible death agonies. Significant areas were contaminated. There is still an Exclusion Zone around Chornobyl, where people are not allowed to live. Hundreds of thousands of residents of different countries were affected by Chornobyl in one way or another. And for years after that disaster, the whole world has been thinking about how to make nuclear energy secure. For years, adherence to special standards has been monitored to ensure that such disasters do not occur. And for years absolutely no one could imagine that Europe could be threatened with a new disaster at a nuclear plant not because someone would violate some safety standards, but because some state would deliberately use a nuclear plant for terror. This is what Russia is doing now. And if the Soviet authorities tried to conceal the Chornobyl disaster and its full consequences, the Russian authorities are much more cynical and dangerous - they themselves do everything to maximize the risk of a nuclear disaster, and lie to the whole world that someone else is allegedly to blame. We must protect Europe from this threat. Protect all together. And probably not only Europe. Because the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine is the largest on our continent. It is the third largest in the world. Six power units! During the years of operation of this station, there was not a single incident that would endanger the safety of Ukrainians or all Europeans. But now the Russian occupation army is using the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for terror and armed provocations. Russia has turned the nuclear plant into a battlefield. When the occupiers came to the Zaporizhzhia NPP, their tanks fired at it. Direct fire at the plant! Placing military equipment on the territory of the plant and even disposing of ammunition there, the Russian troops surely know that they are putting the whole of Europe at risk of a nuclear disaster. And of course, the Russian authorities are aware of the possible consequences when their troops fire at a nuclear plant. In particular, from MLRS. In August, it was already now, they damaged the plant's communication lines with our power system, as well as radiation monitoring sensors, nitrogen-oxygen station, hydrogen pipelines and related infrastructure. Already then, Europe was a few steps away from a nuclear disaster. And now we are all in this difficult situation. We are convinced that it is not a coincidence that the trajectory of the cruise missiles which Russia fires at the territory of Ukraine passes over the Ukrainian nuclear power plants. All these are manifestations of Russian nuclear terrorism. Russia has become a terrorist state, and is actually holding nuclear plants hostage, and is blackmailing everyone with a probable disaster. I am sure each of you has already thought about how to act if Russia uses so-called tactical nuclear weapons. Think about this as well. Russia can cause the largest radiation accident in history at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. In terms of actual consequences, it could be even more catastrophic than Chornobyl, and in fact - the same as the use of nuclear weapons by Russia, but without a nuclear strike. None of us can stop the wind if it carries radiation. But together we are capable of stopping a terrorist state. And the sooner we stop Russia, the sooner Europe and the world will be able to feel safe again. Everything that is necessary for this is well known to you. Sanctions against Russia must be strengthened and not allowed to be circumvented. In response to nuclear blackmail, tough sanctions are needed against Rosatom, this is a specific thing, and the entire Russian nuclear industry, not an agreement with them. Constant political pressure on Russia is needed to increase the number of countries participating in the anti-war coalition, and to reduce the circle of those who are at least somehow willing to help Russia in these circumstances. And most importantly, we need even greater support for Ukraine with weapons and ammunition. To really stop Russia, the Armed Forces of Ukraine must have as many shells as necessary to make it tangible that Russia is not able to put pressure on the battlefield. And Ukraine needs weapons of such power, such a long range that Russia is forced to finally think about finding a peaceful solution. Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov who is present among you at the Conference will definitely inform you about specific defense needs. The second point is finances. Russia still receives tens of billions of dollars due to trade with other countries, and Europe in particular. And in Ukraine, the monthly deficit of the state budget alone is about five billion dollars. And the destruction caused by the war is happening on the territory of Ukraine. And we cannot wait until the war is over to restore normal life. Our children have to go to school just like yours. Our youth, just like yours, have to study at universities. Hospitals and social infrastructure have to work in Ukraine just like yours. Therefore, Ukraine needs reconstruction. Now! Just now! And even more so on the eve of the winter season. We need to carry out demining. And, of course, we need to prepare the defense for winter conditions. Therefore, sufficient and timely financial support for our state, for the budget and for the Fast Recovery is as vital as weapons and ammunition for our army, and sanctions against Russia. And the state that blocks this financing for Ukraine cannot have excuses. It should remember that it is a European country and should fix this problem immediately. And the third point is the export to Russia, the supply of components and dual-use products to the companies of the terrorist state. Russia simply would not have a combat-ready army in modern conditions if it was not for imported parts. Electronics, optics and many other parts of foreign production are used in manufacturing missiles, drones, means of communication, armored vehicles, etc. This flow of technical assistance to Russian terror must be completely stopped! There must be an effective mechanism to control any supply to Russia, so as not to miss a single detail that could go to the production of weapons for shelling peaceful cities or nuclear plants. Ladies and Gentlemen! The response now needs to be full-scale, just like the war that Russia started. No one needs new disasters. It is necessary to draw conclusions from the disaster of 1986. From the decades that Russia used to prepare for this vile war against all of free Europe. From eight years of war in Donbas. And from one hundred and seventy days of terror against Ukraine after February 24. No silence - only the truth. No delay - only decisive action. No confusion - only confident, bold unity. We need maximum weapons and ammunition for our defense. Finances are needed for Ukraine in sufficient volume and without any bureaucratic blockages. Complete isolation of the terrorist state, primarily economic, technological, and the toughest sanctions are required. It is our duty to our nations, to all future generations of free people, to do everything we can to stop Russia, to ensure that it loses this war and that no other state can repeat this terror. And I believe that we will fulfill our duty! Thank you for your attention! I am grateful to Denmark and Great Britain for jointly organizing this Conference, which could become historic. Due to our joint efforts. Thank you again! Glory to Ukraine! 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The President of Liberia signed into law an act to amend the Aliens and Nationality Law on 5 August, removing gender-discriminatory provisions which prevented children from acquiring the nationality of their mother. We applaud Liberias historic move breaking the gender barrier to conferring nationality. Gender discrimination in nationality laws remains a primary cause of statelessness among children, and this development speaks to Liberias commitment to tackle this issue, said Gillian Triggs, the UN Refugee Agencys Assistant High Commissioner for Protection. Liberia is the third country to reform legislation in granting women and men equal rights in passing on their nationality to their children since the #IBelong Campaign to end Statelessness by 2024 was launched in 2014, following Madagascar and Sierra Leone. UNHCR will continue working with governments to end statelessness and address its root causes. There remain some 24 countries in the world today that continue to have gender discriminatory provisions in their nationality laws regarding a mothers right to pass on nationality to her children. Statelessness affects millions of people worldwide. Without a nationality, they are often denied legal rights and access to documentation and critical services, including education, health care and vaccinations. Their lack of nationality can negatively impact all aspects and phases of their lives, from birth to death. In West Africa, there are at least 1.6 million stateless people or people of undetermined nationality, according to government figures. Media contacts The FBI raided the home of former U.S. President Donald Trump Monday after it was granted a search warrant by a federal judge appointed by the former president himself. The search was part of the Justice Department's investigation into Trump's removal of presidential records considered official government property from the White House at the end of his term in January 2021. The department was notified this year that Trump had taken classified material after the National Archives, the agency tasked with preserving government records, revealed it had recovered 15 boxes of records from Mar-a-Lago, some marked as classified national security information. Much is still unknown about the search warrant, which remains under seal, or the sworn statement that an FBI agent had to present to a magistrate judge to win court approval to search a former president's home. Hours after denouncing the FBI's raid on his Florida home as political persecution, former U.S. President Donald Trump released a campaign-style video that may be the strongest hint yet that he plans to run against President Joe Biden in 2024. Trump's allies in the House of Representatives and the Senate said the FBI's search for documents Trump removed from the White House was meant to sideline Trump as a possible 2024 presidential contender. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi scoffed at Republican claims that Attorney General Merrick Garland had politicized the FBI, pointing out that agency director Christopher Wray was appointed by Trump. "What would you expect them to say?" Pelosi chuckled to reporters in the U.S. Capitol. "That's typical of them to try to undermine a person." Garland has also received criticism from the left, with some Democrats calling for his department to be more aggressive in investigating Trump and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters. Still, Trump and his allies on Tuesday wasted no time trying to stir anger and passion among his supporters, while also trying to rake in dollars off the raid of his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. "There is no mountain we cannot climb, there is no summit we cannot reach, there is no challenge we cannot meet," Trump said in the new video, which included an extended critique of the Biden administration. "We will not bend, we will not break, we will not yield." The ad was followed by fundraising appeals highlighting the raid. In an email sent to supporters seen by CGTN, Trump called the raid a "lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt. "Trump's son Eric acknowledged that the search was part of an investigation into the former president's removal of official records from the White House to his Florida estate. Source: CGTN) The puzzle for the west is that India has a western democratic system but develops far behind China. If we recognized the premise that democracy is good for economic development, then we have to admit that China has a true democracy while India has one that is not working. What does democracy mean? Western democracy emphasizes universal suffrage and a multiparty system. Universal suffrage says that people should have a say on issues affecting them, while multiparty says people should vote to maximize individual interest. So it is a system competing among different groups of interest. China considers its system a democratic one too, and put democracy as one of its socialist core values. China will agree with the premise of the question that a country with democracy can develop economically better. This may not be a satisfactory answer to this question for many audients. So we have to investigate why the US promotes western democracy in developing countries. Is the US really concerned about the well beings of the people in developing countries? Why do countries that are intervened militarily by the US become failed states rampaged with terrorist militants? Why does the US sometimes support military coups of dictators some time support democratic movements? Why the US has allies of non-democratic countries? The answer is that the foreign policy of the US is aimed at the national interest. When promoting western democracy is good for its national interest, it will even against international law and use democracy as the justification. When keeping a dictator is good for its national interest, it never mentions democracy to that country. This is the open secret of US foreign policy. So what is western democracy? Western democracy is a capitalist democracy. It originated in Europe where capitalists asked the national power do not to restrain capital. Before WWII, western powers colonized area that is now developing countries. The imperialist power never wanted developing countries to become democratic before WWII as they ruled the countries as their colonies and their capital could exploit freely the people there. After the rebuilding of Europe and Japan after WWII, the capital wants to exploit the developing countries that had independence from WWII. Now they want the developing countries to implement western democracy so the governments of the developing countries cannot restrain capitals, especially the monopoly capital of Wall Street. Under the western capitalist democracy, not only a government cannot restrain capital but the government also be controlled by capital. When President Obama wants to implement Obamacare, he had to get permission from the capital that capital has to make a profit from Obamacare. Obamacare was then very costly and it has taken 8 years to be implemented. However, when the government came to bail out Wall Street in 2008, it took only a few days to make the decision. Western democracy costs a lot of money for the election campaigns. So the outcome of the election is determined by the capital. If the developing countries, such as India, implemented western democracy, the government is largely controlled by capital and the policies of the government are the results of the influence of money, the capital. As a result, the Indian government cannot develop its economy without letting Wall Street make a profit first. India and China have different democracies, capitalist democracy, and socialist democracy. The former was established by Gandhi who took the western political system for granted. The latter was established by Mao who fought the imperialist powers in the Anti-Japanese-Invasion War, the Civil war fighting Chiang who represent the interest of western powers, the Korean War which was aimed at China for the grievance of the Loss of China, and the Vietnam War. India has a democracy that represents the will of the capital. China has one that represents the will of the Chinese people. Indian people want their economy developed, yet their government cares about the will of capital more than about their will. Indian democracy promises freedom to the Indian people but that is the freedom of the capital to exercise its will. The western powers said that China has no freedom because the Chinese people do not give capital the freedom to exploit them. Both Indian and Chinese people have the will to develop. Indian democracy cant fulfill the will of the Indian people, as it has to fulfill the will of the capital. Chinese democracy does fulfill the will of the Chinese people. Chinese understand democracy better. In Chinese, democracy means literally that people are the master. Chinese people master their own fate and manage their own country through the organization of the Communist Party of China. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova A mud volcano has erupted in Baku's Garadagh District, Azernews reports. The eruption occurred on the territory of Lokbatan settlement. Speaking about the volcano eruption, a spokesperson for the Biodiversity Protection Service Arzu Babayeva said that no settlements are located near Lokbatan mud volcano. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources is currently monitoring the Lokbatan mud volcano that previously erupted in 2017. Lokbatan mud volcano is located on the oilfield site of the same name on the coast of the Caspian sea, 15 kilometers southwest of Baku. It's one of the five most active mud volcanoes in the world. Since 1810, the volcano has erupted 25 times. In 1933, geologists discovered large reserves of oil and gas in the region after drilling a well at the foot of the volcano. It was due to this fact that the theory about the direct connection of mud volcanoes with hydrocarbon deposits subsequently appeared. Azerbaijan is home to some stunning and unique natural wonders. The Land of Fire has the most significant number of mud volcanoes worldwide. At present, there are 365 mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan. Most volcanoes are active, and 43 of them are protected by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. For security reasons, the admission of people is prohibited. Until the end of 2019, Azerbaijani scientists expect several volcanic eruptions, including Bozdag-Gobu volcanoes in Absheron district, Bahar in Alat village, and Shikhzahirli volcano in Gobustan. Tourists can get a unique panoramic view of the spectacular natural wonder in the Gobustan State Historical-Artistic Reserve. The worlds largest mud volcanoes - Boyuk Khanizadagh and Turaghai - are both in Azerbaijan. Boyuk Khanizadagh erupted on October 10, 2001, shooting out flames for 300 meters in the air. It was the highest record for flames shot from a mud volcano. NASA geologists studying Mars concluded that the mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan are similar to the uplands of the planet in their structure. On September 5, 2004, the largest mud volcano in the territory of Azerbaijan was added to the Guinness World Records. Azerbaijan's rich fields of oil and gas condensate such as Lokbatan, Garadagh, Oil Rocks, and Mishovdag were also discovered near mud volcanoes. The lava, mud, and liquid spewed by mud volcanoes are used as raw materials for chemical and construction industries, as well as pharmacology. Enriched with specific components - mineral salts, organic substances, microelements, volcanic mud has medicinal properties that have a beneficial effect on the human body. Volcanic mud greatly affects the treatment of patients suffering from diseases of the peripheral and central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, etc. NorthWestern Energys plans for the battery storage facility in Billings have short circuited, at least temporarily, now that a law allowing the utility to bill customers ahead of actually building the facility has been declared unconstitutional. The Montana Public Service Commission on Tuesday formally dismissed the monopoly utilitys request for preapproval to put customers on a long-term debt schedule for the 50-megawatt facility at a price determined before all costs associated with the project are known. Battery storage is a relatively new tool for banking low-cost energy for later use or sale when prices are high. NorthWestern included batteries as part of a 2021 acquisition plan for new generation that also included a 175-megawatt natural gas plant and 100 megawatts of hydro power purchased from British Columbia. Only the battery project was before state utility regulators for preapproval. In May, state District Court Judge Jason Marks ruled that preapproval, a practice only granted to NorthWestern Energy, was unconstitutional. The utilitys application for the battery storage facility preceded the court ruling by six months but had yet to receive a commission ruling. We again find ourselves confronted by that pesky dang thing called the law here, said Commissioner Brad Johnson. It's on that basis that I move to dismiss NorthWesterns application, because the application was indeed filed under Montana Code Annotated 69-8-421, which the court in fact has found unconstitutional. Although NorthWestern indicated that it would suffer harm if its application was dismissed, the PSC staff reported it could find no evidence that was the case. NorthWestern is free to carry out its battery storage project and then reapply once all costs are realized. For years, preapproval has been a powerful tool available only to NorthWestern for managing risk. The practice assured the utility was guaranteed, in advance of buying or building generating assets, that it would recover its estimated costs, with interest. But for consumers, the practice raised the risk of being locked into paying a price that turned out to be much higher than a projects true value, which has happened. In 2014, commissioners committed NorthWestern customers to a $900 million price in advance of the utilitys purchase of a dozen hydroelectric dams. Driving up the price was the assumption that future carbon regulations would contribute to higher prices starting in 2021. Those carbon-related costs never materialized, but remain part of the debt customers pay. Arguing for plaintiffs 350 Montana in the preapproval case, attorney Monica Tranel called the special privilege a blank check for NorthWestern, one that encouraged the utility to set prices high enough to cover potential costs that may not turn up. Tranel is currently running for Western Montanas U.S. House seat as a Democrat. Before the vote, Commissioner Jim Brown asked if NorthWestern intended to appeal the Marks ruling to the Montana Supreme Court and whether NorthWestern had asked the Supreme Court to stay the ruling. NorthWestern Attorney Shannon Heim explained to Brown that on matters concerning the state constitution, the state Supreme Court wont issue stays. My understanding is because it's a constitutional issue, a stay is not strictly appropriate and so a stay has not been sought, Heim said. And I don't believe it would be granted if it was. Brown is currently a candidate for Supreme Court, challenging Justice Ingrid Gustafson. Om Maghad, Sudan, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Aug, 2022 ) :Kholoud Massaed of the Hadaria tribe in Sudan vividly recalls the day her face was scarred with a sharp blade, an ancient practice that was once common. Now in her 80s, she still carries on each cheek the three lesion lines that have since darkened over time. "They took me to a man who was known to carry out this practice. He did it with a small knife," Massaed told AFP in her village of Om Maghad, some 66 kilometres (40 miles) south of Khartoum. "I was seven years old and I cried. They told me I should have these facial marks as it's a sign of beauty." Tribal scarring, an ancient practice that used to be commonplace in Sudan, involves marking the skin, mainly to identify tribal affiliation or as a symbol of attractiveness. It was also practised in Sudan, where according to Minority Rights Group roughly 30 percent of the population is believed to belong to African minorities, while the rest are Sudanese Arabs. The practice has greatly reduced over the years, with many now viewing it as unsanitary, archaic and obsolete. "People used to sing for it," said Massaed. "It had great value in the past." For a long time, she struggled to come to terms with her scarring, and now she is grateful that the practice has been dying out. When her own children came of age, Massaed refused to let them endure the same agonies. "I didn't take any of my children to be marked," she said. "It's a different time now." "Only old people still bear these markings, not the younger generations." Like Massaed, Fatma Ahmed of the Ja'aileen tribe bears similar lines on her face. "The pain lasted for weeks," she said, adding that she used many traditional healing ointments to ease her suffering. Communities in remote rural areas of Sudan have long struggled to access proper health care because of poor facilities and infrastructure. Many men were also marked for life. For males, these marks often varied from small vertical or horizontal lines on the cheeks to shapes resembling a "T" or "H", according to Babiker Mohammed from the Mahas tribe. "It was not a choice back then. It was inevitable," said the 72-year-old. "People just took children to the person known for marking faces, and he would mark the face according to their tribe name," he said. Mohammed said that he too refused to mark his own children. "I'm probably from the last generation that had their faces marked" in Sudan, he said. Idris Moussa Abdelrahman, who is from the Ja'aileen tribe, hopes the practice never returns. "It's a distortion and harms people for no reason." Civil society and human rights activists on Thursday called for taking legal and administrative steps to protect the rights of the minorities, and prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Aug, 2022 ) :Civil society and human rights activists on Thursday called for taking legal and administrative steps to protect the rights of the minorities, and prevent the misuse of blasphemy laws. They said this in a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club here on Thursday to mark National Minorities' Day. Ms. Nuzhat Shireen, Chairperson, Sindh Commission on Status of Women, MPA Naveed Anthony, Zahid Farooq of Urban Resource Centre, Ms. Naghma Iqtidar of The knowledge forum and Zafar Iqbal, a minorities rights activist addressed the press conference. They said that the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah envisioned Pakistan to become a peaceful country, where there is no discrimination, intolerance, and violence on any ground and all citizens are able to enjoy equality of rights, opportunity, and treatment, and are free to practice their faiths. They called for taking effectively action against those who take the law into their hands and engage in targeting minorities. The fulfillment of the rights of minorities is contingent upon an open acceptance of religious diversity and equal status as citizens. The speakers called upon the concerned quarters to take measures in order to ensure equality of rights, religious freedom, and tolerance as per the constitution of Pakistan. Angola's main opposition party on Thursday denied it had received funds from the family of late president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, an allegation coinciding with the runup to crucial elections Luanda, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Aug, 2022 ) :Angola's main opposition party on Thursday denied it had received funds from the family of late president Jose Eduardo dos Santos, an allegation coinciding with the runup to crucial elections. Incumbent President Joao Lourenco, who was handpicked by dos Santos but then turned on his former patron, on Wednesday accused opponent Adalberto Costa Junior of having a financial relationship with the ex-leader's family. "It doesn't exist," said Faustino Mumbika, national secretary of the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) party, which is led by Costa Junior. The nearly four-decade tenure of dos Santos, who died last month, saw members of his family capitalise on the nation's oil riches while most Angolans remained mired in poverty. On coming to power in 2017, Lourenco launched an anti-corruption drive targeting dos Santos and his family -- a campaign that critics say has failed to live up to its promise. On Wednesday, Lourenco told a rally for his People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party that UNITA was hypocritical for accusing his government of failing to tackle graft. "They say they want to fight corruption, but they are eating from the plate of the corrupt who fled the country," Lourenco charged, alluding to some of dos Santos' children who live abroad while facing corruption and money-laundering charges at home. Costa Junior, he added, was "allied with the corrupt". Mumbika of UNITA dismissed the accusations as "a political game". "If it were true that UNITA and its candidate Adalberto Costa Junior had received the funding, we assure you that the MPLA and its candidate Joao Lourenco would already have announced the figures," he told a press conference. Despite tensions, Lourenco told thousands of supporters on Thursday that all must peacefully accept the results of the election, whichever party wins. "The current system has credible mechanisms to ensure respect for the law before, during and after elections are held," he said at a rally in the MPLA stronghold of N'dalatando, 215 kilometres (130 miles) east of the capital Luanda. Lourenco is seeking a second term in the August 24 vote, which observers predict will be the tightest since Angola emerged from a lengthy civil war two decades ago. Six EU nations are sending firefighting teams and equipment to France as it battles a spate of wildfires, including a fierce blaze in the parched southwest that has forced thousands to evacuate, officials said Thursday Hostens, France, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Aug, 2022 ) :Six EU nations are sending firefighting teams and equipment to France as it battles a spate of wildfires, including a fierce blaze in the parched southwest that has forced thousands to evacuate, officials said Thursday. Most of the country is sweltering under a summer heatwave compounded by a record drought -- conditions most experts say will occur more often as a result of rapid climate change. "We must continue, more than ever, our fight against climate disruption and... adapt to this climate disruption," Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said after arriving at a fire command post in the village of Hostens, south of Bordeaux. The European Commission said four firefighting planes would be sent to France from Greece and Sweden, while teams from Austria, Germany, Poland and Romania were on their way. "Our partners are coming to France's aid against the fires. Thank you to them. European solidarity is at work!" President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. "Across the country over 10,000 firefighters and security forces are mobilised against the flames... These soldiers of fire are our heroes," he said. Among eight major fires currently raging, the biggest is the Landiras fire in the southwest Gironde department, whose forests and beaches draw huge tourist crowds each summer. It had already burned 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) in July -- the driest month seen in France since 1961 -- before being contained, but it continued to smoulder in the region's tinder-dry pine forests and peat-rich soil. Since flaring up again Tuesday, which officials suspect may have been caused by arson, it has burned 6,800 hectares, destroyed or damaged 17 homes, and forced 10,000 people to quit their homes, said Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Mendousse of the Gironde fire and rescue service. Borne said nine firefighting planes are already dumping water on the blaze, with two more to be in service by the weekend. - 'California' - "We battled all night to stop the fire from spreading, notably to defend the village of Belin-Beliet," Mendousse told journalists in Hostens. On several houses nearby, people hung out white sheets saying: "Thank you for saving our homes" and other messages of support for the weary fire battalions. "You'd think we're in California, it's gigantic... And they're used to forest fires here but we're being overwhelmed on all sides -- nobody could have expected this," Remy Lahlay, a firefighter deployed near Hostens in the Landes de Gascogne natural park, told AFP. And with temperatures in the region forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) Thursday and stay until at least Sunday, "there is a very serious risk of new outbreaks" for the Landiras fire, the prefecture of the Gironde department said. Reinforcements are planned for the 1,100 firefighters now trying to contain the fire. Acrid smoke has spread across much of the southwestern Atlantic coast and its beaches that draw huge crowds of tourists each summer, with the regional ARS health agency "strongly" urging people to wear protective face masks. The smoke also forced the closing of the A63 motorway, a major artery toward Spain, between Bordeaux and Bayonne. The government has urged employers to allow leaves of absence for volunteer firefighters to help fight the fires. In Portugal Thursday, more than 1,500 firefighters were also battling a fire that has raged for days in the mountainous Serra da Estrela natural park in the centre of the country. It has already burned 10,000 hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). USMs McNair Scholars Program Refunded for Five Years Thu, 08/11/2022 - 10:47am | By: Van Arnold The distinguished McNair Scholars Program at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has received renewed funding for the next five years, ensuring that underserved students will be prepared to pursue doctoral degrees. The federal grants funding is $1.31 million. Dr. Karen Coats, Dean of USMs Graduate School, notes that the McNair Scholars Program funding comes from an extremely rigorous grant competition, one in which the University has repeatedly excelled. The program is coveted by universities across the country, and only those grant applications receiving near-perfect scores are selected for funding, said Coats. USM has maintained funding for the McNair Program for over two decades a testament to the quality of our program and its leadership over the years. The McNair Scholars Program is a federal TRIO program funded across the United States and Puerto Rico by the U.S. Department of Education. Through a grant competition, grant funds are awarded to institutions of higher education to prepare eligible participants for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. Participants are from disadvantaged backgrounds and have demonstrated strong academic potential. Institutions work closely with participants as they complete their undergraduate requirements. Institutions encourage participants to enroll in graduate programs and then track their progress through to the successful completion of advanced degrees with an overall goal to increase the attainment of Ph.D. degrees by students from underrepresented segments of society. USM has assisted more than 200 scholars since the programs inception in 1999. McNair Program Director Daleana Phillips and Program Coordinator Dr. Jessica Love composed the most recent grant application with assistance from other campus entities. We are extremely excited for the McNair Scholars Program to be refunded for another five years, said Phillips. We put a lot of effort into writing for this grant competition. The Graduate School, Office of Institutional Research, Financial Aid, and other departments at USM were instrumental in assisting us with the necessary data to compose this grant. The McNair Scholars Program at USM strives to create a bridge between undergraduate and graduate education. The program supports eligible undergraduates in acquiring the knowledge, skills, and capacities necessary to successfully navigate the rigors of Ph.D. studies through immersion in research and a variety of scholarly activities. We are honored to be able to provide USM McNair scholars with the guidance and support they need to achieve their dreams of conducting undergraduate research, enrolling into graduate school and completing a Ph.D., said Phillips. The McNair Program is activism in the academy. We are proud and honored to continue the legacy and tradition of the McNair Scholars Program through increasing the number of PhDs held by students from underrepresented backgrounds. Scholars are provided opportunities to work alongside graduate faculty from various disciplines to gain first-hand knowledge of the various types of research being conducted at USM. In addition, scholars participate in several PIP (Professionals in Preparation - a professional development program designed for graduate students) activities where they learn transferable skills that will set them apart from others in the increasingly competitive job market. Students who qualify are required to be enrolled in an undergraduate degree-granting program. At least two-thirds of the participants must be low-income, potential first-generation college students. The remaining participants may be from groups that are underrepresented in graduate education. The McNair Scholars Program is research-focused and therefore not intended for students who wish to pursue professional degrees like medicine, law, or business management. Coats points out that programs such as McNair are extremely valuable in helping prepare students for graduate school, ensuring the students have a mentored research experience, which is critical for those who plan to pursue a PhD. They also gain exposure to graduate schools across the state and region and learn how to prepare successful graduate applications. Perhaps most importantly, the McNair Program demystifies graduate school by exposing scholars to the expectations of graduate school, said Coats. All these experiences show students they are capable of success, increase their self-confidence, and encourage them to take the next step toward a bright future. The McNair Scholars Program is named for Dr. Ronald E. McNair, a former NASA astronaut who earned his PhD. in laser physics. In 1984, McNair became the second African American to fly in space. Two years later he was selected to serve as mission specialist aboard the ill-fated U.S. Challenger space shuttle. He was killed when the Challenger exploded one minute, thirteen seconds after it was launched. For more information about the McNair Scholars Program at USM, visit https://www.usm.edu/mcnair-scholars-program/. Jordons Dream of Working in Publishing Gets Boost Through Highly Competitive, Prestigious Internship at Penguin Random House Thu, 08/11/2022 - 14:55pm | By: David Tisdale A distinguished graduate of The University of Southern Mississippis (USM) English program is gaining invaluable experience for her chosen career through a highly competitive internship with one of the worlds most famous publishing houses. Abigail Jordon, who graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English Licensure in spring 2022, was selected for the Sigma Tau Delta-sponsored Penguin Random House (PRH) internship program, which offers candidates the opportunity to work in its Adult & Childrens divisions, attend weekly professional development programming, and learn about the world of publishing. The paid internship is a highly competitive 10-week program at Penguin Random House headquarters in New York City and provides opportunities for racially/ethnically underrepresented groups in the publishing industry. Jordon is Guyanese American and a first-generation U.S. citizen. At USM, Jordon served as vice-president of its chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society. Last summer, she participated in the Rutgers English Diversity Institute, a program selectively drawing some of the top students from across the nation to participate in a series of lectures, workshops, and cultural activities. After being accepted to several prestigious graduate programs, Jordon has chosen New York Universitys Center for Publishing graduate program, where she will enroll in fall 2022 and study media content development, which includes creating and editing engaging, immersive content across multiple media platforms. I know if I want to get into publishing, it is all about interning, making connections, and getting your foot in the door, Jordon said. Penguin Random House is one of the big five publishing houses in the country, and their internships are highly competitive and selective. I never in a million years thought that I would have the opportunity to work with a publisher of that size right out of college. Last summer, Jordon also interned at the University Press of Mississippi, the state's academic publisher, and with Pelican Publishing, an imprint of Arcadia Publishing, that focused primarily on children's books. I have been aware of this internship (Penguin Random House) since my freshman year when [USM English professor] Dr. [Luis] Iglesias, thinking I was older than a freshman, asked me to join Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, Jordon said. Asking what I intended to do with my life, I told him I wanted to get into publishing. He informed me that Sigma Tau Delta sponsored an internship with Penguin Random House, and I decided right then and there I would pursue this opportunity once reaching senior-level status to qualify. It felt full circle to have been selected. I know 19-year-old Abigail would be astounded and freaking out. The internship provides opportunities to learn about the world of book publishing, including at PRHs Adult & Childrens divisions in business areas such as contracts, editorial, finance, graphic design, managing editorial, marketing, online marketing, production, publicity, sales, subsidiary rights, and operations. Interns are also exposed to the publishing process and business through panels, networking events, and employee speaker series. Jordon is working directly with the publicity department of PRHs Young Readers Division. The publicity internship works directly with the publicity professionals to generate exposure and buzz for new books, Jordon said. Publicity professionals are the biggest advocates of the titles to the media. Publicists pitch newspapers, television, radio stations, websites and bloggers with the hope the press will review our titles and feature stories about forthcoming books and authors. They also help create social media outreach, author tours, author signings, readings, and other events. Ive enjoyed learning the ins and outs and working directly with the publicity manager to help generate buzz and attention for their titles, and diversifying my skill set while absorbing all the wonderful advice and new knowledge. At the conclusion of her internship, Jordon is required to submit an article as a member of Sigma Tau Delta for WORDYbyNature, the societys official blog, in which she will sharing how the internship contributed to her professional growth or field of study; its impact on her career plans; and the importance of the funding to the internship experience. Abigail is a stellar student who Ive mentored since she was a freshman, Dr. Iglesias said. She is one of the best and brightest students I have had the honor of teaching in my 20 years in higher education. Her commitment to her education, service, and scholarship are impressive and her many accomplishments speak to her high level of performance and dedication. It is no surprise she was accepted to several prestigious graduate programs throughout the country. According to Dr. Iglesias, the selection process for the PRH internship Jordon earned moves through several review stages: Sigma Tau Delta members, both domestic and international, submit an extensive application as well as a sponsorship letter from their chapter advisor (at USM, Dr. Iglesias serves in this role), the organization screens and selects only four students out of the hundreds of applications and then those four students are screened and interviewed by Penguin Random House for the final selection. This is among the most competitive and selective internship programs sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, Dr. Iglesias continued, and Abigail was the selectee. Thats impressive. Jordons career goal is to work with children's and young adult titles as an acquisition and content editor. I want to enter the publishing world, a predominantly white and male industry, as a young woman of color to help advocate for Black and Brown representation and help increase diversity overall, she said. I hope to someday work for a publisher whose goal is to amplify Black and Brown voices as representation is critical in children and young adult lives. I want to show that there is room for Black women in this industry and that we deserve visibility. Praising USM English faculty for her phenomenal undergraduate experience, Jordon said professors like Dr. Iglesias, Dr. Joshua Bernstein, Dr. Olivia Clare, Dr. Jameela Lares, Dr. Sherita Johnson, and Amy Carey, just to name a few were instrumental in her development as an academic and professional. When I transferred to USM during the spring semester of my freshman year, I was worried, lost, and unsure if I could even handle higher education, Jordon explained. I had no idea what my time in USM's English department would do for me and how life-changing the next four years would be. The number of opportunities I have had come from my professors diligently aiding me throughout my undergraduate years and pushing me to become my best. The USM English program is housed in the USM College of Arts and Sciences School of Humanities. Learn more about the program at https://www.usm.edu/humanities/index.php. Armstrong, a former Dickinson-area state senator who was first elected to Congress in 2018, expects Mund to secure the signatures and be a candidate. Her name recognition "doesn't change what we do," he said. "She's obviously well-known in North Dakota, a Brown undergrad, a Harvard graduate," Armstrong told the Tribune. "We'll take it seriously. We take every opponent seriously." Mund said she respects Armstrong and plans to run "a race of integrity." But she also criticized several of his recent votes, citing his opposition to the Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act and a bill capping insulin costs. Armstrong said he opposed the infrastructure package for its debt consequences, and called the infant formula bill "a money slush fund bill" to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Haugen, a University of Mary graduate adviser in Bismarck who has long worked as a paramedic, didn't respond to a Tribune phone message seeking comment on Mund's campaign. Experience Mund rejects criticism she's heard that she doesn't have experience for Congress. She cites her starting of a decadelong charity fashion show at age 14, her involvement at Brown leading groups and running a dance company, her work as the National Goodwill Ambassador for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, her work with the United Service Organizations, her time spent with soldiers and veterans, and her Harvard accolades, including securing an acquittal at trial. "I have the leadership skills. I have the background in government. I know the importance of upholding our Constitution. I recognize case law," Mund said. She said she is her own campaign manager, speech writer, treasurer and social media coordinator. "If anything I know that when I go for something, I don't do it unless I'm 100% in and I know I'm ready," Mund said. She hopes her Miss America name recognition will help her, but said it comes with a stereotype, especially in national media. "It's always 'Miss America runs for Congress.' It's not 'Harvard Law School grad runs for Congress,'" Mund said. She said she's proud of her former title, but more so for being the first North Dakotan to win. In the last few weeks of her reign as Miss America, Mund drew national attention for criticizing the Miss America Organization, claiming she had been bullied and silenced by leadership. Board Chairwoman Gretchen Carlson later resigned. Mund acknowledges her "uphill battle" as an independent, but also as a woman for a seat that has always been held by men. She cited the vast majority of men in state elected office, including "one of the most jarring things to me" being a recent press conference of state leaders who were all men. "There are no women in this sphere, and no women's voices are being heard," Mund said. North Dakota has elected one woman to federal office: former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who served from 2013-19. 'In the middle' Mund rejects being associated with a political party, saying, "If we want to get any policy done, there must be compromise, there must be middle ground." She said she has avoided even wearing blue and red clothing to not give the impression she is a Democrat or Republican, respectively. "At the end of the day, I genuinely do not think I am a one-way street. I'm very much in the middle," she said. She called U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., for whom she once interned, "an incredible boss, an incredible leader." She acknowledged North Dakota as a "very Republican state," and disagrees with the state Republican Party's new rule requiring candidates seeking the supermajority party's endorsement to pay fees, ranging from $2,500 for statewide office to $5,000 for U.S. Senate and governor. "I don't think I should have to pay my way for public office," Mund said. "I think I should have to earn it, and that's why the independent seemed so appealing to me because I'm not going to pay to be on the ballot, I'm going to put the work in." Party Chairman Perrie Schafer has said the fees are meant to help with costs and ensure candidates can raise money and support. But other Republicans have said the fees appear prohibitive of newcomers and protective of incumbents. Former GOP Gov. Ed Schafer has expressed opposition to the fees. Mund said she would have considered seeking the GOP endorsement if there were no fee. She declined to say for whom she voted in the 2020 congressional races, but said she has voted for Democrats and Republicans. Chances? Mund has "built-in" North Dakota celebrity name recognition as a former Miss America, and her run likely will bring national attention to the race, according to University of North Dakota Professor of Political Science & Public Administration Mark Jendrysik. But she is challenging a Republican incumbent who has won landslide victories in a deep-red state, he added. It's also unclear what financial resources she might have to support a campaign amid a dwindling election season with fewer than three months to go, he said. "It will be an interesting thing to see how many votes she gets, but I doubt that she will dislodge the long-serving representative in the state given the tendency of people here to vote for the Republican Party at the current time," Jendrysik said. Independents "can sometimes make a splash," especially if well-known, he said, citing former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, a former professional wrestler and actor who won election in 1998 as a Reform Party candidate. "I'm not sure that's something that really will appeal here," Jendrysik said. Armstrong has "a strong appeal to the voters" and the advantage of incumbency, he said. "I just don't see someone as a relative political novice without large-scale, personal wealth to finance a campaign at this late hour -- I just don't see that as making a major effect on the campaign," Jendrysik said. "Can she get traction on issues? I don't think so. That seems unlikely. The question becomes, then, how will she present herself? What sort of policy positions will she take? And I think it's just very late right now to make a case to the voters." Mund said her decision to run was strategic. She made a point of announcing her candidacy on the 57th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory obstacles to voting. "This was thought out. It was planned on my behalf. I've been thinking about this for a while," she said. The federal agency that stopped the sale of a controversial rifle trigger is asking a federal judge in North Dakota to dismiss a lawsuit by the manufacturer, saying the suit hinges on an interpretation of a phrase that other courts have shot down. Federal officials say Rare Breed Triggers owner and attorney Kevin Maxwell's entire argument is based on his interpretation of the phrase "single function of the trigger" -- an analysis they say courts have rejected. They also say the subject "is not constitutionally vague," as Maxwell claims. Maxwell in May named U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland; the U.S. Department of Justice; and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Acting Director Marvin Richardson as defendants in the suit filed in U.S. District Court. Maxwell claimed ATF officials at a July 2021 meeting handed him a cease-and-desist letter but had not informed him of the topic of the meeting. ATF determined that Rare Breeds FRT-15 trigger is a combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, the letter stated. The bureau after an examination of the trigger classified it as a machine gun under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act. The letter ordered Rare Breed to halt the manufacture and sale of the triggers or face criminal prosecution, according to Maxwells complaint. Maxwell claims the trigger resets -- readies for another shot -- faster than any other trigger in the world, and requires the shooter to pull the trigger a second time to fire another round. A gun equipped with an FRT-15 would malfunction if the shooter forced the trigger to stay in the fire position, Maxwell said. ATF officials contend that continued pressure on the trigger after the initial pull causes the firearm to continue to shoot. They tested a gun equipped with an FRT-15 by using a zip tie to keep continuous pressure on the trigger. The gun continued to fire, they said. Rare Breeds argument that the FRT-15 is not a machine gun is based on the erroneous premise that the phrase 'single function of the trigger' refers to the mechanical movement of the trigger, rather than the pull of the trigger by the human shooter, said Michael Clendenen, the attorney who filed the response on behalf of Garland. The companys interpretation has been rejected by numerous courts, Clendenen said. He further argues that Rare Breed could have sought a classification of the trigger from ATF but instead submitted it to four former ATF employees perhaps to avoid the classification of the device as a machine gun." If the case moves forward, Clendenden asks that it be moved to federal court in Florida. He maintains that Maxwell is the sole owner and lives in Lake Mary, Florida; that none of the events alleged in the suit occurred in North Dakota; and that the companys Fargo address is used only as a mailing address. Officials say the only events described in Maxwell's complaint are the raid of a manufacturing facility in Utah and a traffic stop in New Mexico, in which triggers were confiscated. In fact, the only mention of North Dakota in the complaint is that Rare Breed Triggers LLC has its 'current principal place of business' in Fargo, Clendenen said. As Pakistan commemorates its annual National Minorities Day on 11 August, Christian leaders draw attention to the ongoing reality of forced conversions. By Devin Watkins Let's start with the question of forced conversions, a scourge in the life of Pakistan's religious minorities. Peter Jacob, a Catholic layman, offered that consideration as the South Asian nation marks National Minorities Day on Thursday. Speaking to Fides news agency, Mr. Jacob said the issue of forced conversions continues to affect the most vulnerable and poor members of religious minorities in Pakistan. This painful mentality goes hand in hand with extremely worrying factors such as violations of fundamental human rights, discrimination, poverty and the absence of the rule of law, he said. The government's inaction on this issue encourages perpetrators to use their faith to cover up crimes against minority women. Justice for minorities Mr. Jacob heads up the Center for Social Justice, and previously served as executive secretary of the Catholic Commission on Justice and Peace. The human rights activist noted that the issue of discrimination against minorities must be brought to the attention of all Pakistanis and that the government must ensure justice. The problem of abuse of minority rights must be recognized and addressed through adequate legislation in order to take specific measures to protect women from religious minorities, said Mr. Jacob. He added that awareness and education programs are therefore urgently needed to increase protection and awareness in the Pakistani society for the vulnerable and marginalized status of minorities in the country. Uptick in forced conversions The Center for Social Justice reports that 78 young women from religious minorities were abducted and forcibly converted to Islam in 2021. These included 39 Hindu, 38 Christian, and 1 Sikh woman. This figure represented an 80 percent increase in forced conversions compared to 2020. Mr. Jacob pointed out that these cases are the only ones which were officially reported, and warned that many others go unreported. Governments resolve In a message for Pakistans Minorities Day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured the unflinching resolve of his government to protect the rights of minorities without consideration of fear or favor. He also says his government has reserved a 5 percent quota of jobs for minorities in government services. On this occasion, read the PMs message, I earnestly emphasize the distinguished role played by the minorities in all nation building efforts. I am well aware of the sacrifices rendered by them in our journey towards development and prosperity. UN investigators on Tuesday reported mounting evidence of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture and sexual violence, committed in Myanmar since last year's military coup. The United Nations' Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) said women and children were particularly being targeted. "There are ample indications that since the military takeover in February 2021, crimes have been committed in Myanmar on a scale and in a manner that constitutes a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population," the investigators said in a statement. Myanmar's military seized power on February 1 last year, ousting the civilian government and arresting de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta has waged a bloody crackdown on dissent, with the violence leaving more than 2,100 civilians dead and nearly 15,000 arrested, according to a local monitoring group. The investigation team warned in its annual report that over the 12 months to the end of June, "the scope of potential international crimes taking place in Myanmar has broadened dramatically". The IIMM was established by the UN Human Rights Council in September 2018 to collect evidence of the most serious international crimes and prepare files for criminal prosecution. It cooperates with the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court among others. Sexual crimes "Perpetrators of these crimes need to know that they cannot continue to act with impunity," said IIMM chief Nicholas Koumjian. The report said that according to the evidence collected, "Sexual and gender-based crimes, including rape and other forms of sexual violence, and crimes against children have been perpetrated by members of the security forces and armed groups." Koumjian said the investigators were focusing in particular on crimes committed against women and children, which are "amongst the gravest international crimes, but they are also historically under-reported and under-investigated." Children in Myanmar had been killed, tortured and arbitrarily detained, including as proxies for their parents, the report found. They had also been subjected to sexual violence and conscripted and trained by security forces and armed groups. The team, which has never been permitted to visit Myanmar, said it had nonetheless now collected nearly three million "information items", including interview statements, documents, photographs and geospatial imagery. The investigators said the evidence they had collected indicated that "several armed conflicts are ongoing and intensifying on the territory of Myanmar". They said they were drawing up case files on specific incidents of war crimes committed in the context of those armed conflicts, including intentional attacks directed at civilians, indiscriminate killings and the widespread burning of villages and towns. Nature of crimes 'expanding' Other UN experts and the IIMM itself had already warned that war crimes and crimes against humanity were being committed. But on Tuesday, the investigators cautioned that more and more regions were becoming engulfed in the violence, and that "the nature of the potential criminality is also expanding." They pointed to the junta's execution of four political prisoners last month, marking the first executions in the country in decades. The IIMM also highlighted the ongoing plight of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority, five years after a bloody 2017 crackdown that resulted in the displacement of nearly a million people. Most of the around 850,000 Rohingya who were driven into camps in neighbouring Bangladesh are still there, while another 600,000 are in Myanmar's Rakhine state. "While the Rohingya consistently express their desire for a safe and dignified return to Myanmar, this will be very difficult to achieve unless there is accountability for the atrocities committed against them, including through prosecutions of the individuals most responsible for those crimes," Koumjian said. Last month, the International Court of Justice in The Hague threw out objections from Myanmar's military rulers and decided to hear a landmark case accusing the country of genocide against the Rohingya. Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has requested entry into Thailand for a temporary stay in a second Southeast Asian country after fleeing his island nation last month amid mass protests, the Thai foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Rajapaksa fled to Singapore on July 14 following unprecedented unrest caused by Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis in seven decades, and days after thousands of protesters stormed the president's official residence and office. The retired military officer then resigned from the presidency, becoming the first Sri Lankan head of state to quit mid-term. Rajapaksa is expected to leave Singapore and head to Thailand's capital Bangkok on Thursday, two sources said, asking not to be named. Sri Lanka's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Tanee Sangrat, a Thai foreign ministry spokesman, said Rajapaksa holds a diplomatic passport that allows him entry into the country for 90 days. He did not say when Rajapaksa intended to visit. "The entry to Thailand by the former president of Sri Lanka is for a temporary stay," Sangrat said. "The Sri Lankan side informs us that the former president has no intention for political asylum in Thailand and will travel to another country afterwards." Rajapaksa has made no public appearances or comments since leaving Sri Lanka, and Reuters was unable to immediately contact him. Singapore's government said this month that the city state had not accorded him any privileges or immunity. A member of the influential Rajapaksa family, the 73-year-old served in the Sri Lankan military and later as defense secretary. During his time as defense secretary, government forces finally defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009 to end a bloody civil war. Some rights groups now want accusations that Rajapaksa committed war crimes to be investigated. Rajapaksa has previously strenuously denied the allegations. Some critics and protesters also accuse Rajapaksa and his family of mishandling the economy during his term as president, leading to the South Asian country's worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948. His elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is a former president and prime minister. Their younger sibling, Basil Rajapaksa, served as finance minister until earlier this year. Rajapaksa's successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has suggested that the former president should refrain from returning to Sri Lanka in the near future. "I don't believe it's the time for him to return," Wickremesinghe told the Wall Street Journal in an interview on July 31. "I have no indication of him returning soon." If Rajapaksa came back to Sri Lanka, he might not be protected under law if any charges were filed against him, legal experts have said. The International Labor Organization says the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the youth labor market. The ILOs just released Global Employment Trends for 2022 report finds job prospects for young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are lagging behind other age groups. Latest data estimate the total global number of unemployed youths will reach 73 million this year. While that is a slight improvement from 2021 levels, the ILO says the number of young people without jobs is still six million above the pre-pandemic level of 2019. ILO Deputy Director-General Martha Newton says the COVID-19 crisis has exposed shortcomings in the way the needs of young people are being addressed. She says those least able to gain a foothold in the labor market include first-time jobseekers, school dropouts, inexperienced fresh graduates, and those who remain inactive not by choice. Following the arrival of the pandemic in 2020, the share of young people who are neither in employment, education, or training-- and we refer to them as NEETSrose to 23.3 percent, reaching the highest levelWe saw the youth NEET rate jump to its highest level in 15 years, Newton said. The ILO says young people have faced multi-dimensional crises throughout the pandemic. It says interruptions in their education and training have robbed them of the skills needed to get a job. That, it says, threatens to damage their long-term employment, education and earning prospects. Newton says job opportunities are narrowing for many young people. She adds young women are worse off than young men in finding employment. She says the ILO projects 27.4 percent of young women globally are likely to be employed in 2022, compared to 40.3 percent of young men. The impact of the pandemic has a feminine face. And we also know from our data that women are not coming back into the labor force at the same rates as the men in many countries around the world, Newton said. "This is partly tied to the care responsibilities of women. The report finds recovery in youth unemployment is likely to be more successful in high-income countries than in low-and-middle-income countries. It projects the youth unemployment rate in North America to be below world average levels, at 8.3 percent compared to an unemployment rate of 20.5 percent in Latin America this year. While youth unemployment stands at 12.7 percent in Africa, the report says that figure masks the fact that many young people in Africa have chosen to withdraw from the labor market. The ILO cites the Arab states as the region with the highest and fastest growing youth unemployment rate in the world. It says the situation for women is particularly bad. The report notes the 42.5 percent unemployment rate for young women in the region is nearly three times higher than the global average for young women. Show more Show less What Taiwanese want in relations with China. Welcome to VOA Asia Weekly. I'm Chris Casquejo in Washington. That story just ahead, but first, making headlines United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with Japanese Emperor Naruhito at the imperial palace. Guterres warned that the risk of nuclear confrontation had returned after decades, calling on nuclear states to commit to no first use of the weapons. Ousted former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is expected to seek temporary shelter in Thailand, after fleeing to Singapore last month amid an economic crisis. U.S Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman visited the Solomon Islands to mark the 80th anniversary of World War IIs Battle of Guadalcanal. The Solomons signed a security pact with China in April, which many fear could result in a military buildup in the region. Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos was laid to rest in a state funeral. He was 94. Ramos was credited for bringing political stability and economic growth to the country. The foreign ministers of Thailand and Malaysia met in Bangkok to discuss a new bilateral cooperation trade target of $30 billion by 2025. Taiwan held live-fire artillery drills on its southeastern coast early on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Chinese military continued its provocative exercises near Taiwan. China says they demonstrated the ability to blockade or invade the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as a Chinese province. But Taiwanese residents are not impressed, as VOAs Bill Gallo reports from Taipei. A display of overwhelming force off the coast of Taiwan. Chinas message: you are not a sovereign country. But the drills are having another effect: driving Taiwanese public opinion even further against China. In Taipei, most residents are used to dealing with Chinas threats, though many say they dont appreciate being bullied. Its not great from China. It doesnt really help boost my feelings for China. China wants to control everything the people, the lifestyle. But in Taiwan, we have our rights, our authority to control our own life. They say they want to reeducate us after reunification, which sounds awfully familiar. Just like in Hong Kong, China proposes a one country, two systems policy for Taiwan. But Chinas crackdown on Hong Kong has erased that distinction. We can see Hong Kong is now just one China. And the Chinese swallowed their promise. So how can we trust Beijing? But those fears arent keeping Taiwanese from enjoying the present. This frontline island, not far from the Chinese drills, held a dance party over the weekend. We understand that these drills are a way of communicating Beijings anger, or Beijings dissatisfaction. And they are quite frankly a very violent form of communication it only serves to increase the antipathy that Taiwanese people hold toward the government of China. Here in Taipei, the idea of unifying with China is more unpopular than ever. Most also oppose declaring independence. Polls suggest the vast majority just want to keep things the way they are. Bill Gallo. VOA News, Taipei. Visit our website voanews.com for the most up-to-date news. Youre watching VOA Asia Weekly. Two important U.S. allies responded in different ways to Chinas military moves surrounding Taiwan. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the country will drastically strengthen its defense capability. Analysts note polls in Japan show increasing support for more defense spending and even the introduction of offensive strike capabilities. The top South Korean and Chinese diplomats met in China to mark thirty years of diplomatic relationship. In separate statements, they called for the development of relations based on successful three-decade-old commercial ties. Finally on VOA Asia Weekly, Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake, known as the prince of pleats, has died. Miyakes design office said he died of liver cancer on Friday at age 84. His origami-like pleats transformed polyester into chic and he built one of Japans biggest fashion brands. Miyakes clothing was meant to celebrate the human body, regardless of race, build, size or age. Thats all the time we have here on VOA Asia Weekly. Thank you so much for joining us. Im Chris Casquejo. Please be sure to tune in again next week. Restoration of remote access to state court documents isn't in sight despite a new rule modifying public access to such records. One watchdog welcomes the new rule but is disappointed that court records remain unavailable online. The North Dakota Supreme Court on Tuesday by a 4-1 vote adopted the rule, effective Nov. 1, which requires clerks and court officials to provide electronic copies of records to requestors. Before they had no requirement to do so, but usually emailed documents. The rule largely makes public access to court records consistent with open records laws for the rest of state government, and clarifies what records are available, according to State Court Administrator Sally Holewa. The court has authority to make its own rules for administration of court records. North Dakota Newspaper Association attorney Jack McDonald hails the new rule as one that overall creates greater access to court records and makes clear what is available. In January 2020, remote public access to more than 10 years of documents went live on the court's website, making the records obtainable with the click of a mouse. Days later the court pulled the plug following complainants' phone calls of privacy concerns regarding personal information that attorneys had not redacted from documents. Records remain publicly available but must be requested via email or viewed at a courthouse. A 2009 privacy rule sets requirements for redacting information such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, minors' names and financial accounts. It is the responsibility of filers to adhere to the privacy rule. If they don't, records obtained through email or at a courthouse would still include private personal information. A line in the new rule intends that should remote access be restored, only records from Jan. 1, 2020, onward would be remotely available -- "leaving the door open for" future remote access, Holewa said. "The court doesn't intend to make the records available remotely at this time," she said. McDonald said he'd like to see the remote access restored but doesn't expect it yet due to the redaction problems. "It's a little disturbing in that the difficulty arose in the first place because attorneys weren't redacting what they were supposed to redact in their filings," he said, noting that there also is personal information unredacted from traffic citations issued by law enforcement. The order adopted Tuesday states "the Court will continue its current policy of limiting the scope of case records published on the courts public websites so long as persons filing documents continue to demonstrate an unacceptably high rate of failure to comply with the Courts redaction requirements and other rules or laws restricting access to certain information or records." Justice Jerod Tufte, who helped write the new rule, did not respond to an email inquiry about the "unacceptably high rate of failure to comply" with redaction requirements. Holewa said the court still has a goal of providing documents online, "but the stumbling point continues to be compliance with the rules on restrictions because thats the filers responsibility." "The issue becomes how do you get people to be sufficiently compliant with those in order to be confident that when we do open up the records we're not inadvertently exposing data or things that we shouldn't," the state court administrator said. It's not up to clerks to modify people's documents -- "That's not a role we ever want to get into, and there's liability shifted onto the state in that scenario," Holewa said. The remote access came after a yearslong process to rewrite the rule. Chief Justice Jon Jensen had told the Tribune remote access aligns with national state court groups' best practices to eliminate physical barriers to public records, such as having to drive many miles to courthouses. Justice Lisa Fair McEvers voted against the order Tuesday. She declined comment to the Tribune on her reasons. Authorities in Sierra Leone say at least 13 civilians and six police officers have been killed in clashes that broke out during anti-government protests. Anti-government protests erupted in Sierra Leones capital of Freetown and two other towns on Wednesday. In Freetown, protestors barricaded the streets, expressing anger over the soaring cost of living under President Julia Maada's government. According to the protestors the cost of living has gone up more than 40 percent within a few months. The Africa News network reports that protesters threw stones at police, sparking a confrontation that led to the deaths. Sierra Leone police inspector general Willam Fayia Sellu told Reuters news agency Thursday that two police officers were killed in the capital Freetown, three in the northern town of Kamakwie and one officer in Makeni, a northern city. Sierra Leone Vice President Mohammed Juldeh Jalloh termed the protests as unauthorized. Rights groups in Africa have called for investigations into the protest. On its official Twitter page, Amnesty International urged Sierra Leone to guarantee and protect the right to peaceful assembly. An armed man who tried to break into the Federal Bureau of Investigations Cincinnati office Thursday, then fled with FBI and Ohio State Patrol officers in pursuit, was shot and killed by police after a standoff, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Thursday night. The man was identified as Ricky Shiffer, 42. Shiffer may have been at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, but was not charged with any crimes in connection with the assault on the building, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the matter. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. Federal authorities were looking into whether Shiffer had ties to the Proud Boys or other far-right extremist groups, the official said. The days events began when an armed subject attempted to breach the Visitor Screening Facility at the FBIs Cincinnati office. The attempted break-in set off an alarm, and armed FBI special agents responded, the office said in a statement on Twitter. The nearby Clinton County Emergency Management Agency, in its own statement posted to social media, said shots had been fired between agents and the subject, who fled the scene. The FBI said its officers were joined by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement in pursuit of the suspect near Wilmington, Ohio. Negotiations with Shiffer failed, and he was shot and killed by police after raising a gun toward an officer about 3 p.m., Lieutenant Nathan Dennis, a state patrol spokesperson, said at a press conference. The FBI has seen an increase in online threats since Monday, when its agents searched former President Donald Trump's Florida estate as part of an investigation into documents removed from the White House when Trump left office in January 2021. Bipartisan legislation that would allow eligible Afghans to apply for lawful permanent residence in the United States was introduced in both chambers of Congress, days before the first anniversary of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The Afghan Adjustment Act, introduced Tuesday, would establish a path to U.S. citizenship for Afghans whose immigration status will be uncertain when their temporary humanitarian parole expires. Today we can see that Congress has listened and this bill is written proof of that obligation and action. The introduction of this bill is a victory for every veteran and front-line civilian who had been affected by the Afghan withdrawal, said Chris Purdy, director of Veterans for American Ideals and Outreach at U.S.-based Human Rights First. He made his comments during a press conference where other military veterans, refugee advocates, and Afghan evacuees spoke to reporters on Wednesday. More than 76,000 Afghans were admitted to the U.S. on temporary immigration status following the military withdrawal from Afghanistan. If passed, the proposal would expand eligibility for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to include more Afghans. Women, who served in special counterterrorism teams, and others who worked with U.S. forces as commandos and air force personnel, could be eligible for the SIV program. The SIV is a decade-old immigrant visa program that helps military interpreters and others who worked for the U.S. government to move to the United States in a direct pathway to a permanent resident card, also known as green card. The newly introduced legislation would require applicants to submit to additional background checks. Susannah Cunningham, advocacy manager at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, said that a year after Afghans lost so much, this legislation represents a future in which America is their safe harbor and their home. And veterans show us yet again that they will not have their story written for them, or a promise they made to an ally or a loved one broken. The introduction of this Democrat- and Republican-sponsored bill brings the U.S. a step closer to keeping their own promises to allies and to veterans alike, Cunningham said during the press conference. Those who meet the proposed legislation requirements must show they were admitted to the United States prior to the acts possible enactment date and have been paroled into the United States between July 30, 2021 and the enactment date. Also, their travel to the U.S. needs to have been facilitated by the government. If arriving in the U.S. after the bill goes into effect, applicants need to prove they supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. Uncertain status The tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees who made it to the United States entered an extraordinary system with very different benefits. After the evacuation, the government embraced those with Special Immigrant Visa status and granted assistance with housing, food, and clothing to lining up employment and qualifying for health care. They are mostly the Afghans and their families who worked as interpreters or guides for the U.S. military or were employed by the U.S. government or on its behalf in Afghanistan during the 20-year war. The SIV program leads to permanent residence and a path to naturalization. As of July 18, Biden administration officials said there were 74,274 principal applicants in the SIV pipeline, a number that does not include spouses and children. Of those principal applicants, 10,096 have received chief of mission approval, a crucial step in the SIV application process. Including the family members of those who received that approval, a senior government official said they estimate 45,000 to 50,000 SIV recipients. Those who arrived without a visa or any proper documentation had to file for humanitarian parole, which is usually granted because of an emergency or urgent humanitarian reason. The time limit for parole status is one year. U.S. immigration officials, however, can extend it by another 12 months. Afghans under the humanitarian parole designation are temporarily protected from deportation and allowed to apply for authorization to work. Parole does not confer immigration status, or public benefits or constitute a path to U.S. citizenship. Generally, those Afghans who cant gain permanent residence can apply for asylum, but immigration courts have a backlog of 1.6 million cases of asylum and other immigration applications. The wait time for a hearing on an immigrant's asylum claim is about five years. Other temporary status Six months after the withdrawal, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which provides 18 months of protection from deportation for Afghans who have been living in the U.S. since March 15, 2022, and meet other requirements. TPS does not lead to lawful permanent residence or a pathway to U.S. citizenship. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and two Republican colleagues joined three Democrats in introducing the proposal in the Senate, which could increase the bills chance of congressional approval. On the House side, Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Earl Blumenauer, both Democrats, joined with Republicans Peter Meijer and Adam Kinzinger and another five lawmakers as sponsors of the bill. According to a report from the Reuters news agency, the measure likely will face "resistance" from anti-immigration Republicans per a congressional aide speaking on condition of anonymity. Yet, Purdy, of Human Rights First, said the bill lights the torch of welcome and gives hope to those still waiting to be evacuated from Afghanistan. I want to say that we have not forgotten you. We will not forget you. And we will spend every day to make sure that this bill becomes law and America gives you the promised welcome that you deserve, he said. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Rwanda, the last stop on his three-nation tour of Africa where he has articulated Washingtons new strategy for engaging with sub-Saharan African nations as equal partners. Blinken comes to Rwanda at a particularly difficult time for Africas Great Lakes region, with the small central African nation at odds with vast neighbor Congo over allegations that both governments support rebels opposed to each other. In a meeting Thursday with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Blinken is expected to discuss efforts to ease the tensions. Rwanda is rejecting a new report by United Nations experts saying they have solid evidence that members of Rwandas armed forces are conducting operations in eastern Congo in support of the M23 rebel group. Blinken has said reports of Rwandas support for M23 appeared credible. After meeting with authorities in Congo on Tuesday, he said the U.S. will support African-led efforts to end the fighting. Rwandan authorities in turn accuse Congo of giving refuge to ethnic Hutu fighters who played roles in Rwandas 1994 genocide that killed ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus. There have long been tensions between the countries. In the late 1990s, Rwanda twice sent its forces deep into Congo, joining forces with rebel leader Laurent Kabila to depose the countrys longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. Both Rwanda and Congo deny the charges of backing rebel groups, and Rwandan authorities have rejected the latest report by U.N. experts as a move to distract from real issues. Rwanda also asserts that its security needs cannot be met while armed fugitives from the genocide continue to operate from inside Congolese territory. A meeting between Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in Angola on July 6 produced a statement calling for a return to normal diplomatic relations, a cessation of hostilities and the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the M23 from its positions in eastern Congo. But M23, which comprises mostly ethnic Tutsis from Congo, continues to hold its positions near the border with Uganda, keeping the spotlight on Rwanda. The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a letter to Blinken last month called for a comprehensive review of U.S. policy toward Rwanda and noted his concern that Washingtons support for Rwanda, widely described by human right groups as authoritarian and repressive, is not in line with U.S. values. The State Department said Blinken in Rwanda also will raise democracy and human rights concerns, including transnational repression and the limited space for the opposition. Paul Rusesabagina, a permanent resident of the U.S. who is jailed in Rwanda after his conviction last year on terror-related charges, also is on the agenda. Rusesabagina, who achieved fame with the film Hotel Rwanda for sheltering ethnic Tutsis during the genocide, was a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a statement ahead of Blinkens visit, Rwandas government said it looks forward to a robust exchange of views on governance and human rights, as has always been the case in the Rwanda-U.S. bilateral relationship. It acknowledged the talks would include Rusesabaginas situation. Blinken on this trip also visited South Africa, where he described a strategy rooted in the recognition that sub-Saharan Africa is a major geopolitical force. Brazilians poured into the University of Sao Paulos law school to hear a manifesto denouncing the brutal military dictatorship and calling for a prompt return of the rule of law. That was 1977. Almost 45 years later to the day, thousands are expected to rally at that same stage Thursday for readings of two documents inspired by the original Letter to the Brazilians. Both new manifestos defend the nations democratic institutions and electronic voting system, which far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly attacked ahead of his reelection bid. While the incumbent isnt named in either document, analysts say it is abundantly clear to whom they are directed. They underscore widely held concern Bolsonaro may follow U.S. President Donald Trumps lead in rejecting election results and attempting to cling to power. In a country whose democracy is mere decades old, that specter has encouraged hundreds of thousands of people even those who previously refrained from sticking their necks out to sign the letters. The president has not only refused to sign on, but also belittled the initiatives. We are at risk of a coup, so civil society must stand up and fight against that to guarantee democracy, Jose Carlos Dias, a lawyer who helped write the 1977 letter and the two that will be read Thursday, told The Associated Press. The first of the new letters, composed by the law schools alumni, has received over 880,000 signatures since its online launch July 26. Among them are musicians including Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, and high-profile bankers, executives and presidential candidates. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who leads all polls ahead of the October election, is among them. The other document was published in newspapers Aug. 5 and has received less public attention, but political analysts told AP it is more important. It is endorsed by associations representing hundreds of companies in the banking, oil, construction and transportation sectors. Normally averse to taking public political stances, companies were apparently concerned a backslide on democratic norms would be bad for business, said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. The novelty is that sectors that have been remaining neutral, or were even somehow favorable to the president, also signed, because they saw themselves as being at risk, Melo added. Democracy is important for the economy. Bolsonaros commitment to democracy has been scrutinized since taking office, in large part because the former army captain has insistently glorified the three-decade dictatorship. Earlier this year he met with Hungarys autocratic leader, Viktor Orban, and Russias Vladimir Putin. For over a year, Bolsonaro has claimed the electronic voting machines are prone to fraud, though he never presented any evidence. At one point, he threatened that elections would be suspended if Congress didnt approve a bill to introduce printed receipts of votes. The bill didnt pass. He began expressing desire for greater involvement of the armed forces in election oversight and, last week, army officials visited the electoral authoritys headquarters to inspect voting machines source code. Bolsonaro has alleged that some of the authoritys top officials are working against him. When Bolsonaro launched his campaign, he called on supporters to flood the streets for Sept. 7 independence day celebrations. On that date last year, tens of thousands rallied at his behest, and Bolsonaro told them only God can remove him from power. He threatened to plunge the nation into an institutional crisis by declaring he would no longer heed rulings from a Supreme Court justice. He later backtracked, saying his comment was made in the heat of the moment. Bolsonaros rhetoric resonates with his base, but is increasingly alienating him politically, Melo said. Since last year, the electoral authority has been proactive in countering claims against the voting system. Its top officials, who are also Supreme Court justices, have made repeated statements in its defense. Behind the scenes, they have been working overtime to recruit allies in the legislature and private sector, though many had been loath to echo their public pronouncements. A turning point came last month, after Bolsonaro called foreign ambassadors to the presidential residence to lecture them on the electronic votes supposed vulnerabilities. Since then, both leaders of Congress and the prosecutor-general, all of whom are considered Bolsonaro allies, have expressed confidence in the systems reliability. The U.S. also weighed in, with its State Department issuing a statement the day after the ambassadors meeting to say the Brazilian electoral system and democratic institutions are a model for the world. In a July conference with regional defense ministers in Brazils capital, Brasilia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said militaries should carry out their missions responsibly, especially during elections. The letters to be read Thursday which at any other time might have been a dry exercise relegated to academia have struck a chord with society. Television stations in recent days have aired clips of artists reading the pro-democracy pledge. Bolsonaro, for his part, has played down concerns and repeatedly dismissed the manifestos. We dont need any little letter to say that we defend democracy, to say we will fulfill the constitution, the president told allied politicians July 27. Still, concern about Bolsonaros rhetoric has spread even among some allies, two Cabinet ministers told AP on the condition of anonymity, as they werent authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The ministers said Bolsonaro rallying supporters to the streets is justified, but worry his manner of expression may lead some to believe he is inciting violence. They said Bolsonaros impulses and fiery reactions have also undermined their efforts to keep the peace between the administration and other institutions. Bolsonaros party has distanced itself from claims the election could be compromised. The partys leader sought out the electoral courts president to assure him of his trust in the voting system, Augusto Rosa, the partys vice president, told AP. It will be an uphill battle for Bolsonaro. More than half the people surveyed by pollster Datafolha said they wouldnt vote for him under any circumstance. But support has perked up recently amid lower unemployment, reduced gasoline prices and higher welfare spending. Some polls say da Silva is down to a single-digit lead in the first-round vote. A close race would make pre-election promises to respect results all the more relevant. Independent political analyst Thomas Traumann said he views the industry-led manifesto as the most significant document in Brazil since its 1988 constitution. There are going to be people defending democracy, which we havent seen since the dictatorship, Traumann said by phone. Isolating coup mongering at this moment is very important. A British man accused of being part of an Islamic State (IS) kidnap-and-murder cell known as the "Beatles" was arrested Wednesday when he returned to the UK, media reports said. Aine Davis, 38, was arrested after landing at Luton airport on a flight from Turkey, where he had been serving a prison sentence for terrorism offenses, according to BBC News and other U.K. outlets. He is suspected to be a member of the IS cell, which held dozens of foreign hostages in Syria between 2012 and 2015 and was known to their captives as the "Beatles" because of their British accents. The Metropolitan Police, which leads anti-terror investigations in the U.K., said in a statement that officers had arrested a man at Luton airport. But the London force, which does not name suspects until they are charged with a crime, did not name the person being held. "The 38-year-old man was arrested this evening after he arrived into the UK on a flight from Turkey," the statement said. The Met said the man was arrested under several different sections of British anti-terrorism laws and taken to a south London police station "where he currently remains in police custody." The interior ministry said in a statement that a British national had been deported from Turkey to the U.K. "It would be inappropriate to comment further while police enquiries are ongoing," it added. The four members of the "Beatles" are accused of abducting at least 27 journalists and relief workers from the United States, Britain, Europe, New Zealand, Russia and Japan. They were all allegedly involved in the murder of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. The quartet allegedly tortured and killed the four American victims, including by beheading, and IS released videos of the murders for propaganda purposes. Alexanda Kotey, a 38-year-old former British national extradited from the U.K. to the U.S. in 2020 to face charges there, pleaded guilty to his role in the deaths last September and was sentenced to life in prison in April. El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, another former British national also extradited to the U.S. at the same time, was found guilty of all charges in April, and will be sentenced next week. The fourth "Beatle," Mohamed Emwazi, was killed by a U.S. drone in Syria in 2015. Elsheikh and Kotey were captured in January 2018 by a Kurdish militia in Syria and turned over to U.S. forces in Iraq before being sent to Britain. They were eventually flown to Virginia in 2020 to face charges of hostage-taking, conspiracy to murder U.S. citizens and supporting a foreign terrorist organization. Davis served a 7-year sentence in Turkey for membership in the terrorist group, according to reports. In 2014, his wife, Amal El-Wahabi, became the first person in Britain to be convicted of funding IS jihadists after trying to send 20,000 euros, worth $25,000 at the time, to him in Syria. She was jailed for 28 months following a trial in which Davis was described as a drug dealer before he went to Syria to fight with IS. Militants attacked an Indian army post in the disputed Kashmir region on Thursday, killing three soldiers, while two attackers died in the shootout that came amid heightened security ahead of Indias independence day celebrations. The attack in the Rajouri area of Indias only Muslim majority region took place in the early hours, and the area around the post was cordoned off afterwards as security forces conducted searches, an army official told Reuters. Three soldiers were killed and two were injured in the attack. However, troops fired back and killed two militants, the official said, asking not to be named as he was not authorized to speak with the media. Coming just days after the third anniversary of the revocation of Kashmirs constitutional autonomy by the Indian government, the attack was sandwiched between two significant dates, with India set to celebrate the 75th anniversary on Monday of independence from British colonial rule. Many Kashmiris saw the loss of special autonomy as another step in the erosion of the rights of Muslims by Indias Hindu-nationalist government. The government rejects that, saying it would promote the regions development by drawing it closer to the rest of the country. The Himalayan region has been disputed by India and neighboring Pakistan since the end of colonial rule in 1947, with both countries claiming it in full but ruling it in part. India holds the populous Kashmir Valley and the Hindu-dominated region around Jammu city, while Pakistan controls a wedge of territory in the west, and its ally China holds a thinly populated high-altitude area in the mostly Buddhist northern Ladakh region. Authorities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo are searching for hundreds of inmates who escaped from Kakwanguru central prison when gunmen attacked the facility Tuesday night. Five people, including two policemen, were killed during the jailbreak in the city of Butembo. Reuters reported that only 58 of 874 inmates remained at the prison when the attack was over. Colonel Polo Ngoma, the police boss in Butembo, said Thursday that police have recaptured about 50 of the escaped prisoners. Ngoma told VOA that some of those captured were hiding with their families, while others were inside the homes of friends. He said officers are searching for the hundreds of other prisoners on the run. Authorities say the escapees are dangerous criminals. Most of the inmates in the central prison were jailed for murder and aiding terror groups. Antony Mwalushayi, spokesman for the DRC army's operations against armed groups, said the Allied Democratic Forces rebel group was responsible for the jailbreak. In 2020, the ADF was linked to a prison break that freed over 1,000 inmates in Beni, in northeastern Congo. Rising violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has refocused attention on the long-running conflict in the region primarily between the Congolese army and the reconstituted rebel group M23. As part of a three-nation Africa visit, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to travel to the country Aug. 9-10 on a mission that includes advancing peace. Blinken also aims to ease smoldering tensions between the DRC and its neighbor Rwanda. If unchecked, the volatility "risks reigniting interstate conflict in the Great Lakes region," the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense, warned in a June report. More than 100 armed groups operate in eastern DRC, an unsettled region where conflict has raged for decades but has escalated in recent months. Human Rights Watch accuses M23 of "summarily" killing at least 29 civilians from mid-June through July 25. Nearly 8,000 people have died violently since 2017, according to the Kivu Security Tracker, which monitors conflict and human rights violations. More than 5.5 million people have been displaced 700,000 this year alone, according to the United Nations. The Norwegian Refugee Council identified the DRC as the world's most overlooked, under-addressed refugee crisis in 2021, a distinction it also held in 2020 and 2017. Fueling the insecurity is a complicated brew of geopolitics, ethnic and national rivalries, and competition for control of eastern DRC's abundant natural resources. The fighting has ramped up tensions between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda, some of which linger from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, during which ethnic Hutus killed roughly 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Competition for resources and influence in DRC also has sharpened long-standing rivalries between Rwanda and Uganda. How does M23 fit in? The DRC and its president, Felix Tshisekedi, accuse Rwanda of supporting M23, the main rebel group battling the Congolese army in eastern DRC. M23's leaders include some ethnic Tutsis. M23, short for the March 23 Movement, takes its name from a failed 2009 peace deal between the Congolese government and a now-defunct rebel group that had split off from the Congolese army and seized control of North Kivu's provincial capital, Goma, in 2012. The group was pushed back the next year by the Congolese army and special forces of the U.N. Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Rwanda and its president, Paul Kagame, accuse the DRC and its army of backing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Congo-based mainly Hutu rebel group that includes some fighters who were involved in the genocide. What sparked the resurgent crisis? Last November, M23 rebels struck at several Congolese army positions in North Kivu province near the Uganda and Rwanda borders. The rebels have made advances that include overrunning a Congolese military base in May and taking control of Bunagana, a trading town near the border with Uganda, in June. Bintou Keita, U.N. special representative to the country and head of MONUSCO, warned in June that M23 posed a growing threat to civilians and soon might overpower the mission's 12,500 military personnel. M23's renewed attacks aim "to pressure the Congolese government to answer their demands," said Jason Stearns, founder of the Congo Research Group at New York University, in a June briefing with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The rebels want implementation of a 2013 pact known as the Nairobi agreement, signed with the DRC government, that would grant them amnesty and reintegrate them into the Congolese army or civilian life. Are the U.N. peacekeepers free from blame? MONUSCO itself has been blamed for some of the continuing insecurity. At least 36 people, including four U.N. peacekeepers, have been killed since late July during protests in the region against the mission. On July 31, two civilians were killed and others wounded when U.N. peacekeepers began shooting at a border post in the northeastern DRC town of Kisindi, near Uganda, an incident that "outraged" U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The Congolese government is investigating. In early August, it also ordered the U.N. to withdraw the mission's spokesperson, Mathias Gillman, saying his "indelicate and inappropriate remarks" exacerbated tensions between the mission and civilians in North Kivu. How is Uganda involved? "The longstanding rivalry between Uganda and Rwanda in the DRC and the Great Lakes region is a key driver of the current crisis," the Africa Center observed in its report. It cited a "profound level of mistrust at all levels between the DRC and its neighbors, particularly Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, as well as between all of these neighbors." In late November, Uganda and the DRC began a joint military operation in North Kivu to hunt down the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group of Ugandan rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group and designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has blamed ADF for suicide attacks in Kampala in October and November. Ugandan officials have accused Rwanda of using M23 to thwart its efforts against ADF, the Africa Center report noted, adding that the U.N. also "has implicated Uganda with aiding M23." U.N. investigators a decade earlier had claimed to have credible evidence of Rwandan involvement. Stearns, of the Congo Research Group, said the joint Ugandan-DRC military operation created "geopolitical ripple effects in the region," with Rwanda essentially complaining that Uganda's intervention "encroaches" on its sphere of interest in eastern Congo. What economic factors are at play? Some of the fighting is over control of eastern DRC's vast natural resources, including diamonds, gold, copper and timber. The country has other minerals cobalt and coltan needed for batteries to power cellphones, other electronics and aircraft. "The DRC produces more than 70% of the world's cobalt" and "holds 60% of the planet's coltan reserves," the industry website Mining Technology reported in February, speculating that the DRC "could become the Saudi Arabia of the electric vehicle age." The Africa Center report noted there was "ample evidence to suggest that Ugandan- and Rwandan-backed rebel factions including M23 control strategic but informal supply chains running from mines in the Kivus into the two countries." It said the groups use the proceeds from trafficked goods "to buy weapons, recruit and control artisanal miners, and pay corrupt Congolese customs and border officials as well as soldiers and police." Access also has value. In late 2019, a three-way deal was signed to extend Tanzania's standard gauge railway through Burundi to DRC, giving the latter two countries access to Tanzania's Indian Ocean seaport at Dar es Salaam. And in June 2021, DRC's Tshisekedi and Uganda's Museveni presided over groundbreaking of the first of three roads linking the countries. The project was expected to increase the two countries' trade volume and cross-border transparency, and to strengthen relations through "infrastructure diplomacy," The East African reported. The project includes a road connecting Goma's port on Lake Kivu with the border town of Bunagana. "Rwanda, in between Uganda and Burundi, sees all this happening and feels that it's being sidelined, feels that it's being marginalized," Stearns said in the CSIS briefing. Rwanda has had its own deals with the DRC including flying RwandAir routes and processing gold mined in Congo but the Congolese government suspended all trade agreements in mid-June. What can be done to address the crisis? The DRC, accepted this spring into the East African Community regional bloc, agreed to the community's call in June for a Kenya-led regional security force to protect civilians and forcibly disarm combatants who do not willingly put down their weapons. No date has been set for the force's deployment. The 59-year-old Tshisekedi, who is up for reelection in 2023, has said Rwanda cannot be part of the security force. Rwandan President Kagame, 64, told the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency he has "no problem" with that. At a July 6 meeting in Angola's capital, the two leaders agreed to a "de-escalation process" over fighting in the DRC. The diplomatic road map called for ceasing hostilities and for M23's immediate withdrawal. But fighting broke out the next day between M23 and the Congolese army in North Kivu's Rutshuru territory. Speaking for the M23 rebels, Major Willy Ngoma told VOA's Swahili Service that his group did not recognize the pact. "We signed an agreement with President Tshisekedi and Congo government," Ngoma said, referring to the 2013 pact, "and we are ready to talk with the government. Whatever they are saying that we stop fighting and we leave eastern DRC where do you want us to go? We are Congolese. We cannot go into exile again. We are fighting for our rights as Congolese." Paul Nantulya, an Africa Center research associate who contributed to its analysis, predicted it would "take time to resolve the long-running tensions between Rwanda and the DRC." In written observations shared with VOA by email, he called for "a verifiable and enforceable conflict reduction initiative between Congo and its neighbors starting with Rwanda" and "an inclusive democratization process in Congo." Rwanda's ambassador to the DRC, Vincent Karega, warned in a June interview with the VOA's Central Africa Service that hate speech is fanning the conflict. Citing past genocides, he urged "that the whole world points a finger toward it and makes sure that it is stopped before the worst comes to the worst." Etienne Karekezi, Geoffrey Mutagoma, Venuste Nshimiyimana, Austere Malivika and Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. A year after their forces swept through Afghanistan and surged to power, the Taliban still struggle to gain international recognition, even though several countries have engaged with the group in one way or another, especially to respond to an unfolding humanitarian crisis there. Most recently, Afghanistan made headlines with the U.S. killing of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabuls residential district, complicating Taliban efforts for recognition. The Taliban said they were not aware that al-Zawahiri was in Afghanistan. They said the strike violated both international laws and last years deal with the United States on the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The Doha Agreement signed in Qatar in February 2020 also called on the Taliban, the then-insurgent group, to keep transnational terrorists from operating in Afghanistan. The U.S. blamed the Taliban for violating the agreement. By hosting and sheltering the leader of al-Qaida in Kabul, the Taliban grossly violated the Doha Agreement and repeated assurances to the world that they would not allow Afghan territory to be used by terrorists to threaten the security of other countries, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on August 1. They also betrayed the Afghan people and their own stated desire for recognition from and normalization with the international community. To date, no country has officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Nowadays, however, the Taliban can count on a warmer reception in China, Russia and other countries that are on adversarial terms with the West. Following months of overtures that included handing over the Afghan embassy in Moscow to Taliban representatives as recently as June, Russia hinted at the possibility of formal recognition. There is such a possibility, Zamir Kabulov, Russia's special envoy in Afghanistan, told Russian state television Channel One Russia. Its conditions were determined by both the Russian president and foreign minister." Kabulov further specified the formation of an inclusive ethnopolitical government as the first step required to be taken by the Taliban. Similarly, China has allowed the Taliban to assume control of the Afghan embassy in Beijing. Furthermore, the Chinese have signaled interest in numerous economic initiatives regarding Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, most notably, financial support for the construction of a transnational railway across Afghanistan that would connect Uzbekistan to seaports in Pakistan. "China has active diplomacy with the Taliban and has announced a number of initiatives and interests for a post-U.S. Afghanistan," Kabir Taneja, a fellow with the Strategic Studies program at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, told VOA. "So there is a significant amount of posturing by Beijing, but not enough movement yet. I don't think Beijing wants to be in a position where it is seen as mothering the Taliban regime both economically and politically." The overtures come as China grapples with criticism of its treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority and others in Xinjiang province. The United States, along with some other Western governments and rights groups, accuses Beijing of genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. China has repeatedly denied the accusations. Experts say Pakistan also is trying to establish a relationship with the Taliban because of cascading security challenges. Last year, the Pakistani political and security establishment appeared to openly back the Taliban as then-Prime Minister Imran Khan characterized the insurgent groups return to power as breaking the shackles of slavery. Yet the initial sense of jubilation dissipated with the recognition of the dangers posed by the Pakistani Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. It became obvious very early on that the Taliban's ideological, organizational, tribal, and personal ties with the TTP, its fellow ideological traveler, would trump any feeling of gratitude it had toward Pakistan for supporting it diplomatically, militarily, and institutionally for the last 20 years, said Claude Rakisits, a senior strategic analyst at the Australian National University. He said the security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border is worse than before. Iran, meanwhile, has kept a relative distance from its eastern neighbor, exhibiting greater ambiguity toward the Taliban. Initial concerns emanating from clashes along the border between the Taliban and Iranian border guards have given way to a modus vivendi that appears to be based on mutually recognized interests. Led by Shia clerics, Iran ascribes to a brand of Islamic ideology that differs from the one embraced by the Sunni Taliban. Meanwhile, Turkey, which has a majority Muslim population, maintains an embassy in Kabul, but the Taliban have no diplomatic presence in Turkey. Ankara, though, remains involved in economic projects in Afghanistan. Turkeys ambassador, Cihad Erginay, joined senior Taliban representatives to attend the recent completion by a Turkish construction company of the second phase of the Kajaki hydroelectric dam in Helmand province at a cost of about $160 million. In addition, Turkey is seeking stability in Afghanistan to stem the flow of Afghans entering Turkey via Iran. In recent months, Turkish officials say more than 18,000 Afghans have been deported from Turkey. The United Nations estimates that more than half of Afghanistans estimated 40 million population are suffering from acute hunger and urgently need humanitarian aid. Some 1.1 million Afghan children are suffering from malnutrition. The already bad humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan worsened following the return of the Taliban to power a year ago this month in the wake of international financial sanctions on the group, pushing the national economy to the brink of collapse. Ayaz Gul in Islamabad and Akmal Dawi contributed to this report. MOORHEAD, Minn. The operator of North Dakota's only abortion clinic said Wednesday the clinic has opened in its new location in Moorhead, just weeks before it's likely to be forced to close its Fargo location under a statewide abortion ban there. Red River Women's Clinic has a lawsuit pending seeking to block a trigger law in North Dakota that, as in many other states, was set to go into effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade precedent establishing a nationwide right to abortion. But owner Tammi Kromenaker, with the aid of some $1 million in donations, worked anyway to find a new location just a couple of miles away in Minnesota, where abortion remains legal. Volunteer escorts in rainbow vests and umbrellas stood ready to walk patients inside, while a handful of protesters demonstrated. Kromenaker, in a text message, confirmed the clinic's opening, saying she and employees mourn leaving North Dakota after 24 years there. We had worked night and day in order to be ready to see patients in the case that we did not get relief from our trigger ban challenge, Kromenaker said. We are so grateful to the many volunteers who helped make this move a seamless reality. An Aug. 19 hearing is set before a state judge in the clinic's lawsuit, which argues that North Dakota's constitution grants a right to abortion. The clinic has faced an Aug. 26 deadline to close in Fargo. Guineas military-appointed government this week announced the dissolution of the main opposition group, the National Front for the Defense of the Constitution, or FNDC. The decree Monday cited alleged violence and threats to national unity and peace. Critics and rights groups said the move threatened Guineas return to democratic rule. The decision to dissolve the FNDC came just hours after it had called for nationwide peaceful demonstrations to demand dialogue among the military, opposing parties and civil society groups. A report by Human Rights Watch called the governments allegations vague and said the FNDC was not given the opportunity to defend itself before an independent judicial body. Dissolution of the FNDC comes 11 months after it led demonstrations against then-President Alpha Conde, who was ultimately ousted in a military coup last September. Democratic values 'jeapordized' Ilaria Allegrozzi, a senior Africa researcher with Human Rights Watch, said the coup was already a major blow to democracy and human rights in Guinea. "And this recent decision to dissolve the main opposition coalition is yet another indication that democratic values in Guinea are being jeopardized," Allegrozzi said. "Human rights defenders, political activists and political opponents are at risk. The FNDC was composed of civil society groups and opposition parties that accused Guineas transitional government of authoritarian behavior. Guinea is one of several West African countries that have experienced coups over the last two years. The unrest has been driven by the growth of a jihadist insurgency and an increase in unconstitutional third-term bids. Allegrozzi said Guineas actions send a negative message to other countries in the region that are struggling to transition to democracy. Regional political volatility is becoming entrenched in West Africa and Central Africa, and that should be countered, Allegrozzi said. Allegrozzi called on the African Union and the West African economic bloc ECOWAS to increase pressure on Guinea to reestablish democratic rule. In 2010, Conde became Guinea's first democratically elected president, but accusations of corruption and authoritarian behavior mounted throughout his time in office. Last September, after winning what critics said was an illegal third term, he was overthrown. Pledge of civilian rule again Guinea's interim president, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, a former special forces commander, pledged to return the country to civilian rule within three years. However, ECOWAS and the FNDC argue three years is far too long. Amadou Barry, a Guinean Canadian professor of philosophy specializing in international relations at the Cegep de Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, Canada, told VOA from Conakry that since Condes ouster, Guineans have clung to the hope that they would see peace. Instead, they have witnessed the same conflict repeating itself. "This hope is falling down," he said, "because now we are seeing that we are not able to organize society around democratic principles and the rule of law. It is important to ask, Why arent we able to have a political regime that is democratic? Barry said constructive dialogue around the issue of collective power is the only way forward. On the main street of Honiara, capital of the Solomon Islands, the Chinese presence is noticeable some people on the street, some characters on the signs and at almost every cashiers counter. Locals say almost all of the grocery stores and convenience shops selling everything from snacks to electronics are owned by ethnic Chinese. In the citys Chinatown, where three people died during riots in November that many blamed on Chinese ties, the Chinese presence is almost inescapable. These days, some local residents are expressing dissatisfaction at what they see as Chinas takeover of the Solomon Islands construction industry. A lot of Chinese firms, construction firms, have come into the country and there's no way we can compete with them in terms of pricing, Ricky Fuoo, chairman of Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told VOA Mandarin. Just the sheer size of these companies. They are huge. So thats one of the industries that weve seen thats slowly being penetrated and taken over, Fuoo said. In October 2019, the small but strategically important South Pacific island nation cut ties with Taiwan, established diplomatic relations with China, and signed agreements with Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, a massive infrastructure project that is planned to stretch from Asia to Europe. In return, China promised $730 million for financial aid, and has taken over multiple infrastructure projects in the country. Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOE) such as China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), China Railway Construction Company (CRCC) and China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC), are building most of these projects in the Solomon Islands. The stadium project for the 2023 Pacific Games is one example. Chinas state-owned company CCECC has won five of the seven infrastructure projects for the stadium in Honiara that includes facilities to accommodate many sports. At the same time, CCECC is building half of the main road in Honiara. Theres only one road, and aJapanese company is building the other half. Bob Pollard, managing director of the local firm, Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands, which makes coconut oil-based personal care products, told VOA Mandarin he thinks it is unfair because local companies cannot compete with these Chinese state-owned enterprises. I think it's a real concern. I don't think it's a level playing field, Pollard said. Who knows how much subsidy they receive from the Chinese government. Others think China is just helping the island develop its economy. The Solomon Islands consist of six major islands and more than 900 smaller islands in Oceania, covering a land area of about 28,400 square kilometers. The country achieved independence from Britain in 1978. I think China is not taking over Solomon Islands. China is developing [the] Solomon Islands and they build public facilities and so forth, Walton Naezon, former minister for Commerce, Industries and Employment, told VOA. Naezon is now the director at Gold Ridge Mining, an open-pit mining operation about 30 kilometers outside Honiara. Thats a good thing for the country. I'm happy that most of the Chinese investments here are in terms of public property. They are not loans, they are grant money, he said. A report from the Council on Foreign Relations pointed out Chinas interest in the region. The Chinese government views the Pacific Island region as an important component of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the report said. Specifically, it sees the region as a critical air freight hub in its so-called Air Silk Road, which connects Asia with Central and South America. Although all can see Chinas influence here in Honiara, few know how these Chinese companies operate. Michelle Lam, a consultant, is an ethnic Chinese born in the Solomon Islands to Hong Kong immigrants who came to teach English in the 1960s. They (ethnic Chinese) are everywhere. They run the shops, they have businesses, they move around. But you can't call them Chinese presence. I guess this is just people doing their work, Lam told VOA. When people talk about Chinese presence, I guess they mean the (Chinese) SOEs (state-owned enterprises) who are here to do certain work, in the construction industry on infrastructure projects. Lam, who previously worked at China Harbor Engineering Company, said this has to do with how the Chinese SOEs operate. According to them, they're just here to do their construction work. They don't mingle at all, she told VOA. When I was with China Harbor, the camp was very tight. They bring people in to work. They (the workers) basically work, eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep. They (the company) have zero tolerance for socialization, she added. VOA approached staff from China Harbor and China Civil Engineering Company for interviews, but both rejected offering comments on their current projects. Liu Ze, the secretary of the Solomon Islands Chinese Business Council, told VOA Mandarin that Chinese workers arrived more than a century ago when the nation was a British protectorate. Five people arrived from Guangdong Province, brought in to work as cooks to work as carpenters, according to Liu. By 1914, one, Kwong Cheong, had a trading business at Tulagi, the colonial capital, according to the Solomon Encyclopedia, which states that between 1920 and 1933, the Chinese population increased from 55 to 193. Most of them are from Chinas Guangdong Province. They came over 100 years ago with the British and expanded their businesses here in Honiara, he said. Britain had declared a protectorate over the island mainly to forestall a threat of annexation by France. After World War II, the Chinese community increased and in the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s began to integrate into colonial society, took out British citizenship and came to control much of the Protectorate's retail trade and became dominant in Honiara and the main provincial towns, according to the Solomon Encyclopedia. A 38-year-old man who is accused of being a member of an Islamic State cell dubbed "The Beatles" and who was deported from Turkey this week appeared in a London court on Thursday after police charged him with terrorism offenses. Prosecutors said they had originally authorized the charging of Aine Davis under terrorism laws in 2014. Davis was arrested at Luton Airport on Wednesday after being deported to Britain from Turkey. The Islamic State cell assigned to guard foreign prisoners in Syria were dubbed The Beatles by hostages because they were known as English speakers. The group is alleged to have detained and some case killed Western hostages in Syria, including U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid worker Kayla Mueller. The charges of fundraising for terrorism purposes, being concerned in a terrorist funding arrangement and possession of a firearm for a purpose connected with terrorism were read to Davis during a short court hearing. He did not enter a plea at Westminster Magistrates Court and was remanded in custody. Flanked in the dock by two guards and wearing a grey top, Davis spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and to say he had no current address in Britain. There was no bail application. The case will next be heard at the Old Bailey on Sept. 2. The U.S. Justice Department asked a federal court on Thursday to unseal a warrant used to search former president Donald Trump's home in Florida in connection with an investigation into Trump's handling of White House records. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the request, saying he had personally authorized the decision to seek the search warrant in connection with an ongoing investigation into Trump's handling of White House records. In his first public comments about the controversial FBI search of Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday, Garland said the decision to unseal the search warrant as well as a property receipt given to Trumps representatives was made after Trump publicly disclosed the search. The department decided to file the motion to make public the warrant and the receipt in light of the former presidents public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances and the substantial public interest in this matter, Garland said in a brief televised statement. The search, during which FBI agents retrieved about a dozen boxes of documents related to Trump's presidency, has been condemned by Republicans as a weaponization of the Justice Department against the former president. Saying the Justice Department does not take such decisions lightly, Garland indicated that the law enforcement agency was left with no other choice. Where possible, it has standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search and to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken, Garland said. Garland pushed back against Republican criticism of the Justice Department and the FBI for allegedly singling out the former president for political purposes. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked, Garland said. The men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. While Garland did not disclose any details of the investigation, sources familiar with the probe have said it is focused on Trumps handling of White House documents. The Washington Post reported late Thursday night, citing anonymous sources, that federal agents were looking for documents related to nuclear weapons in their search of Trumps resort. It is not clear any such documents were found or if they pertained to the U.S. or another country. The investigation was reportedly opened after the National Archives said that it had belatedly retrieved 15 boxes of White House documents, including some marked as classified, that the former president should have turned over upon leaving the White House in January 2021. The probe of Trumps treatment of government records is separate from the Justice Departments examination of efforts by Trump and his associates to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. A federal magistrate signed the warrant to search Trumps home after determining that the FBI had probable cause that a crime had been committed and that evidence of the alleged crime was present on the Trump property. The Presidential Records Act requires that an outgoing president turn over all White House documents related to his presidency to the National Archives. Trump was in New York when the FBI searched his Florida residence, but he took to his Truth Social platform to announce it as it was in progress, writing Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before. Latvias parliament declared Russia a state sponsor of terror Thursday for its targeted military attacks against civilians and public places Lativias unicameral parliament, known as the Saeima, approved a resolution noting that Russia has supported and financed terrorist regimes and organizations for years. The Saeima used as examples Moscows support for the Assad government in Syria shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine in 2014 and the poisoning of British intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in 2018. The Saeima statement said Russia has now used similarly ruthless, immoral, and illegal tactics in Ukraine, as it uses imprecise and internationally banned weapons and ammunition on civilians. It also cites reports from human rights groups and international observers, which have documented atrocities committed by Russian forces against Ukrainian civilians, including torture, rape, killings, and mass detentions of civilians. Latvian lawmakers said Russia uses suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to demoralize the Ukrainian people. They recognize these acts against civilians committed in pursuit of political aims as terrorism and Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and calls on other like-minded countries to express the same view. They also called on the European Union and the West to urgently intensify and implement comprehensive sanctions against Russia, as well as call on European Union member states to immediately suspend the issuance of tourist visas and restrict the issuance of entry visas to citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus, among other measures. Latvia shares borders with both Russia and Belarus. Russia insists it does not deliberately target civilians in what it calls its "special military operation" aimed at safeguarding Russia's security and protecting Russian speakers in Ukraine. Reuters news service reports Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, expressed his gratitude for the Latvian parliament's resolution. Some information for this report was provided by the Reuters news agency. Malis military government Wednesday confirmed Islamist militants killed 42 of its troops last weekend in a sophisticated drone attack and announced three days of national mourning. The announcement came the same day Malis military leader, Colonel Assimi Goita, spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin about support from the Kremlin. Three days of mourning were declared on state TV station ORTM, in an announcement read by presenter Bemba Siby. "Three days of national mourning, starting Thursday at midnight, is declared throughout the national territory in tribute to the civilian and military victims of the terrorist attack perpetrated in Tessit," Siby says. After an initial death toll of 17 soldiers and four civilians announced on Monday, the government updated the numbers to include a total of 42 soldiers killed during the attack in the northern Mali town of Tessit in a statement Wednesday. The statement also said the Sunday attack included the use of drones and explosives, and that the perpetrators carried out clandestine overflight operations, and have benefited from major support, including external expertise. Also on Wednesday, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed possible deliveries of food and fuel to Mali and continuation of Russia-Mali cooperation in a phone call with Malian interim President Assimi Goita. Mali received several military aircraft from Russia on Tuesday in a ceremony at Bamakos airport. Mali has been fighting an Islamist insurgency for the past decade, with major support from the French army, which intervened in 2013 following the takeover of northern Mali by Islamists. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the withdrawal of French forces from Mali in February after increasing tensions between France and Malis military government, which took power in a 2020 coup, and concerns over Mali working with Russian mercenaries. Mali has continually denied working with Russian mercenaries, claiming to only work with official Russian instructors. Human Rights Watch and several international media outlets have since reported on allegations of human rights abuses carried out by the Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization with links to the Kremlin. Insecurity in Mali has risen in recent months, with several Islamist attacks carried out against civilian and military targets throughout the country and an Islamist attack on the countrys main military base in Kati, just 15 kilometers from Bamako, in July. Forty-two Malian soldiers died in a sophisticated weekend attack by suspected jihadis using drones and artillery, authorities said Wednesday, the latest violent incident to rock the troubled Sahel country. The toll is one of the bloodiest in Mali's decadelong insurgency, which has spread from the north of the country to the center and south and into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. A document naming the dead was authenticated to AFP by several senior military officials, while the government later confirmed the toll in a statement that said 22 soldiers were injured and 37 "terrorists" were neutralized. The attack occurred Sunday in the town of Tessit, in the troubled three-border region where the frontiers of the three nations converge. On Monday, the army had said 17 soldiers and four civilians died. Relatives of the victims, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some of the civilians were elected officials. Monday's statement blamed the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), saying its members had deployed "drone and artillery support and [used] explosives and an explosives-laden vehicle." Previous attacks The last time Mali's armed forces sustained such losses was in a string of attacks in the same region in late 2019 and early 2020. Hundreds of soldiers were killed in assaults on nearly a dozen bases, typically carried out by highly mobile fighters on motorbikes. The raids prompted the Malian, Nigerien and Burkinabe forces to fall back from forward bases and hunker down in better-defended locations. In January 2020, France and its Sahel allies agreed on a push against the ISGS at a summit in Pau, southwestern France. Several of its leaders were targeted and killed, including its founder, Abu Walid Al-Sahraoui, but local people say the group has continued to recruit and carry out its operations. Tessit is one of the hot spots in the three-border area. The ISGS is fighting for control of the strategic, gold-rich area against an al-Qaida-linked alliance, the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM). In March 2021, 33 soldiers were killed in an ISGS-claimed ambush as units were being rotated, and in February this year, around 40 civilians, suspected by the ISGS of being in league with al-Qaida, were massacred. Mobile phone connections to the area have been frequently cut over the last few years and physical access is hard, especially during the midyear rainy season. Thousands have fled Tessit to the nearest large town, Gao, which is about 150 kilometers (90 miles) to the north. Across the Sahel, the jihadi campaign has claimed thousands of lives and forced more than 2 million to flee their homes. Sporadic cross-border attacks have also occurred in Ivory Coast, Togo and Benin to the south, amplifying fears of a jihadist push toward the Gulf of Guinea. Vast oil and gas profits continue flowing to, and propping up, Myanmars military junta a year and a half into its bloody crackdown on nationwide resistance to the February 2021 coup, opposition and rights groups say. Joined by a growing number of U.S. lawmakers, they are ratcheting up calls on Washington to help cut those revenues off in hopes of starving the military of the U.S. dollars it is using to rearm. For the junta, that access to foreign currency is vital, said Ben Hardman, Myanmar policy and legal adviser for EarthRights International, a U.S.-based pressure group that studies the countrys energy sector. If you want to purchase weapons, aviation fuel, these essential items to continue waging war against the Myanmar people, it [the junta] needs access to U.S. dollars or international currencies, he said. Since the coup, the United States and other Western countries have imposed repeated rounds of sanctions on Myanmars top generals and arms brokers and some of the state-owned companies believed to be earning money for the military. To date, though, they have left the most lucrative of those companies, the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, largely untouched. Projections by the World Bank and Norways international aid agency Norad before the coup, using Myanmar government data, pegged annual oil and gas revenues at some $1.5 billion. Most of it goes to MOGE as royalties and fees and as profits earned from the companys own shares in a number of gas fields and pipelines that export to neighbors China and mainly Thailand. Hardman said those revenues accounted for about a tenth of the governments total income, and fully half of all foreign cash earnings. Rising global gas prices and a collapsing local economy, he added, mean they likely count for an even larger share of total and foreign earnings now. Hundreds of local groups endorsed an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden urging him to sanction MOGE in May. Myanmars so-called National Unity Government, a shadow administration that includes many of the elected lawmakers ousted by the coup, says it has put the same request to U.S. officials in several meetings. Targeting transfers NUG spokesman and minister of international cooperation, Sasa, who goes by one name, said MOGEs foreign earnings are critical to the juntas counterinsurgency. Its just unacceptable that these natural resources would be turned into weapons for the military junta who are guilty of genocide against the Rohingya, against ethnic [minority] states in Myanmar, and now after the coup. They have killed so many people by using this money, he said. The United States formally labeled the Myanmar militarys persecution of the countrys ethnic minority Rohingya as genocide in March. A report that same month by the human rights office of the United Nations said the militarys operations since the coup might also amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights group tracking the violence, says the junta has killed over 2,160 people since the putsch. The regime disputes the figure and claims to be using proportionate force against terrorists to restore peace and order. Hardman said most of Myanmars contracts with foreign energy companies specify payment in U.S. dollars, which means the payments have to clear a U.S. bank at some point. Those banks, he said, would stop clearing the transfers if MOGE were sanctioned by Washington. So, what sanctions would mean is that it would be very hard for any payments in U.S. dollars to reach the regime, said Hardman. It would effectively cut off the flow of dollars. Sasa said that in turn would paralyze the juntas ability to rearm with its main suppliers, China and Russia. When they go to Russia ... to buy more fighter jets to kill more Myanmar people, they are not carrying Myanmar kyat, they are carrying U.S. dollars, he said. So, its very, very important that we sanction them, because the payment [to] MOGE mostly comes [in] U.S. dollars. Myanmar has started losing its energy sector partners already. U.S. energy giant Chevron and TotalEnergies of France announced plans to exit Myanmar in January; Total said it finished its pullout last month. Those pushing for sanctions, though, say they are still needed to block payments from companies that stay Thailands PTT and South Koreas POSCO are the two other foreign energy majors left or any that may arrive to replace whoever leaves. 'A way will be found' Their calls have found support in Washington. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Burma Act which calls Myanmar by its other name and urges the White House to sanction MOGE in April. The Senate has yet to follow suit. Since the juntas execution of four democracy activists on July 23, though, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez and minority leader Mitch McConnell have each endorsed the idea. Publicly, the White House itself has neither backed the idea nor ruled it out. VOA asked Secretary of State Antony Blinken if the U.S. would sanction MOGE while the top diplomat was in Cambodia last week for meetings with Southeast Asias foreign ministers. Blinken said the Biden administration would look at everything, including additional forms of economic pressure and sanctions but did not mention MOGE specifically. If Washington were to sanction MOGE, it would, in theory, be the most severe financial blow the West will have dealt the junta since the coup, said Peter Kucik, a sanctions expert and managing director in the Washington office of Mercury Public Affairs, a U.S. consulting firm. He said he doubts it would have anywhere near the impact those calling for the sanctions hope, however, judging by the decades Myanmar spent under a previous military junta up to 2011. This will complicate things, yes. It will give them less access to foreign currency, yes. But does it actually make it significantly difficult enough to rearm? he asked. Keep in mind, this was true 10 years ago when sanctions were comprehensively in place against Myanmar, he added, and unless Im missing something, Myanmar was very much able to conduct arms trade with China and Russia back then as well. Kucik said other countries hit hard by Western sanctions dont offer much hope, either. Both Iran and Venezuela have found ways to receive payment for oil, he said. It certainly has not been without impact, the sanctions that have been imposed, but it also certainly has not strangled the energy sector in either country. When sanctions cut off one path to oil, gas or cash, he said another usually turns up. However difficult it is, if theres a desire and a need, a way will be found, said Kucik. Thats the way the world works. A Nebraska woman has been charged with helping her teenage daughter end her pregnancy at about 24 weeks after investigators obtained Facebook messages in which the two discussed using medication to induce an abortion and plans to burn the fetus afterward. The prosecutor handling the case said it's the first time he has charged anyone for illegally performing an abortion after 20 weeks, a restriction that was passed in 2010. Before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, states weren't allowed to enforce abortion bans until the point at which a fetus is considered viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks. In one of the Facebook messages, Jessica Burgess, 41, tells her then-17-year-old daughter that she has obtained abortion pills for her and gives her instructions on how to take them to end the pregnancy. The daughter, meanwhile, "talks about how she can't wait to get the 'thing' out of her body," a detective wrote in court documents. "I will finally be able to wear jeans," she says in one of the messages. Law enforcement authorities obtained the messages with a search warrant, and detailed some of them in court documents. In early June, the mother and daughter were only charged with a single felony for removing, concealing or abandoning a body, and two misdemeanors: concealing the death of another person and false reporting. It wasn't until about a month later, after investigators reviewed the private Facebook messages, that they added the felony abortion-related charges against the mother. The daughter, who is now 18, is being charged as an adult at prosecutors' request. Burgess' attorney didn't immediately respond to a message Tuesday, and the public defender representing the daughter declined to comment. When first interviewed, the two told investigators that the teen had unexpectedly given birth to a stillborn baby in the shower in the early morning hours of April 22. They said they put the fetus in a bag, placed it in a box in the back of their van, and later drove several miles north of town, where they buried the body with the help of a 22-year-old man. The man, whom The Associated Press is not identifying because he has only been charged with a misdemeanor, has pleaded no contest to helping bury the fetus on rural land his parents own north of Norfolk in northeast Nebraska. He's set to be sentenced later this month. In court documents, the detective said the fetus showed signs of "thermal wounds" and that the man told investigators the mother and daughter did burn it. He also wrote that the daughter confirmed in the Facebook exchange with her mother that the two would "burn the evidence afterward." Based on medical records, the fetus was more than 23 weeks old, the detective wrote. Burgess later admitted to investigators to buying the abortion pills "for the purpose of instigating a miscarriage." At first, both mother and daughter said they didn't remember the date when the stillbirth happened, but according to the detective, the daughter later confirmed the date by consulting her Facebook messages. After that he sought the warrant, he said. Madison County Attorney Joseph Smith told the Lincoln Journal Star newspaper that he's never filed charges like this related to performing an abortion illegally in his 32 years as the county prosecutor. He didn't immediately respond to a message from the AP on Tuesday. The group National Advocates for Pregnant Women, which supports abortion rights, found 1,331 arrests or detentions of women for crimes related to their pregnancy from 2006 to 2020. In addition to its current 20-week abortion ban, Nebraska tried but failed earlier this year to pass a so-called trigger law that would have banned all abortions when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone defended the way the company handled authorities' request for information in this case after a gag order about it was lifted Tuesday. "Nothing in the valid warrants we received from local law enforcement in early June, prior to the Supreme Court decision, mentioned abortion," Stone said. "The warrants concerned charges related to a criminal investigation and court documents indicate that police at the time were investigating the case of a stillborn baby who was burned and buried, not a decision to have an abortion." Facebook has said that officials at the social media giant "always scrutinize every government request we receive to make sure it is legally valid." Facebook says it will fight back against requests that it thinks are invalid or too broad, but the company said it gave investigators information in about 88% of the 59,996 times when the government requested data in the second half of last year. Nigeria's air force said airstrikes this week killed 55 members of criminal gangs who were involved in abduction-for-ransom operations. An air force spokesman said after the airstrikes, the militants released people they were holding hostage. Nigeria's government has come under heavy criticism for failing to stop mass abductions and Islamist militant attacks. The Nigerian Air Force said airstrikes in north central Kaduna state on Tuesday killed 28 members of a kidnapping-for-ransom gang, including a gang leader. It said many others were injured. Air Force Public Relations Director Gabriel Gabkwet told reporters that authorities had received intelligence that the bandits were gathering in the area. He said the success of the raid led to the release of captives they held. Gabkwet said other airstrikes in northwestern Katsina state this week killed 27 bandits. He did not take calls from VOA for further comment. The airstrikes come a week after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari presided over a national security meeting and said he had given security forces the full freedom to deal with terrorists. Darlington Abdullahi, president of the alumni association of Nigerias National Defense College, said Buhari's words were a morale booster for troops. "This kind of thing should not come as a surprise, all you need is political will to guide the action of the forces, Abdullahi said. I think they're getting probably that support that is required to deal with the situation from the utterances of Mr. President." But Gabkwet said the military has also been conducting air operations targeting insurgents in northeastern Borno state. He said that included an August 6 raid in the village of Gazuwa that followed intelligence that terrorists from Boko Haram and splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were fighting each other. Nigeria has been fighting an Islamist insurgency in the northeast for more than 12 years. Authorities have been heavily criticized for failing to address general insecurity that stems from the insurgency and rampant kidnapping. Abduallahi said the military must stay on the offensive. "As long as this continues, I think the military still has the upper hand to take on them before they organize themselves properly, he said. I think the security agencies really have to continue with the efforts to deal with the situation decisively." Earlier this week, police said they had arrested four suspects connected to a church attack in the southwest state of Ondo that killed 40 worshippers. But security analyst Senator Iroegbu said authorities have shown a lack of political will to address the problem. "The challenge we're having is that the political will is not there, especially from the presidency, Iroegbu said. There's no clear-cut directive on what to do. Any time you hear ... he's sounding frustrated. They keep on pushing the blame to others not taking responsibility." In July, Islamic State West Africa Province claimed responsibility for a jailbreak in Buja that freed over 400 inmates, including high-profile terrorism detainees. Only a few of the prisoners have since been recaptured. Like most of you, Ive long appreciated the grit of North Dakotas native species. We tend to think more about the toughness of sharp-tailed grouse, northern pike and pronghorn that, like our ancestors, have managed to survive on the prairies, compared to the more beautiful but fragile nonnative pheasant. In the same vein, lets not overlook some of the nongame species. Maybe we can appreciate those even more? Have you ever given a second thought to the long-billed curlew? Color me guilty as well until a recent column in North Dakota Outdoors magazine. Most wouldnt give a second thought, but when a species is referenced in Theodore Roosevelts journal and still found here today, its place in history is well-deserved. Its a bird he observed when he was here in North Dakota, when he spent time on the Elkhorn Ranch; he called it one of the most conspicuous birds. It was a bird he really enjoyed. And its a bird that you probably can't find in that Elkhorn Ranch area anymore, said Sandra Johnson, Game and Fish Department conservation biologist. We still have a good curlew population in North Dakota, but there are places where we're just not finding them," she said. "So, that's where a study will really help figure out what's going on with our curlews. The hope is that the study will reveal a full life cycle perspective on these interesting birds. Long-billed curlews are only in North Dakota for a couple of months during the breeding season, and then they migrate to the Texas coast or elsewhere for seven, eight, nine months, Johnson added. So, its really important to learn more about whether we are all doing our part to make sure that this bird has safe places all along the way. Game and Fish has teamed with two leading conservation organizations to study the movements of a conspicuous shorebird to better recognize the birds habitat use in southwestern North Dakota and elsewhere. In the department-funded study managed by Boise State Universitys Intermountain Bird Observatory and the Northern Great Plains Program of the American Bird Conservancy, researchers planned to fit long-billed curlews that migrated in spring to North Dakota to breed with solar-powered tracking devices. Were hoping to be able to find some curlew nests and then be able to trap adult birds and outfit them with satellite or cellular transmitters that can give us data remotely, said Jay Carlisle, research director for Intermountain Bird Observatory. Then we can just be armchair biologists and collect data on their movement throughout the year. The main goal is to get information on habitats and regions that are important to curlews -- not just while they're here in North Dakota -- but during migration, during the long nonbreeding season and then spring migration again. So, why study long-billed curlews, as many other species -- ones that researchers know by song or simply by glancing at as the birds wing speedily by -- share much of the same landscape? Long-billed curlews are a species of concern because of population declines, and theyre also seen as an indicator species for the health of grasslands, even agricultural lands, Carlisle said. Mainly it's because of this population decline that has happened disproportionately in different areas, that there's been interest in understanding more about the full annual cycle of long-billed curlews and ideally stitching together what are some limiting factors, what are some threats that affect populations, and are they affecting different populations differently? We already know this is the case, but were still learning more and more about different populations. These birds are great indicators of ecological health. Their position in food chains and their lifespan is pretty short, so they can help us see how healthy our environment is, he added. These are working lands here in North Dakota, and we're just looking at how we can have all the pieces work together. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared victory in the battle against the novel coronavirus, ordering a lifting of maximum anti-epidemic measures imposed in May, state media said on Thursday. North Korea has not revealed how many confirmed infections of the virus it has found, but since July 29, it has reported no new suspected cases with what international aid organizations say are limited testing capabilities. While lifting the maximum anti-pandemic measures, Kim said North Korea must maintain a "steel-strong anti-epidemic barrier and intensifying the anti-epidemic work until the end of the global health crisis," according to a report by state news agency KCNA. Analysts said that although the authoritarian North has used the pandemic to tighten social controls, its victory declaration could be a prelude to restoring trade hampered by border lockdowns and other restrictions. Observers have also said it may clear the way for the North to conduct a nuclear weapon test for the first time since 2017. North Korea's official death rate of 74 people is an "unprecedented miracle" compared with those of other countries, KCNA reported, citing another official. Instead of confirmed cases, North Korea reported the number of people with fever symptoms. Those daily cases peaked at more than 392,920 on May 15, prompting health experts to warn of an inevitable crisis. The World Health Organization has cast doubts on North Korea's claims, saying last month it believed the situation was getting worse, not better, amid an absence of independent data. Pyongyang's declaration of victory comes despite rolling out no known vaccine program. Instead, the country says it relied on lockdowns, homegrown medicine treatments, and what Kim called the "advantageous Korean-style socialist system." The North has said it was running intensive medical checks nationwide, with daily PCR tests on water collected in borderline areas among the measures. It also said it has been developing new methods to better detect the virus and its variants, as well as other infectious diseases, such as monkeypox. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, said the North Korean leader himself had suffered from fever symptoms, and blamed leaflets from South Korea for causing the outbreak, KCNA reported. "Even though he was seriously ill with a high fever, he could not lie down for a moment thinking about the people he had to take care of until the end in the face of the anti-epidemic war," she said in a speech praising his efforts. Police on Wednesday raided the private home of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, local media reported, in search of his corruption-accused sister-in-law, whose lawyer said she later turned herself in to authorities. Castillo himself is the subject of five criminal investigations, including for graft, and has survived two impeachment attempts since taking office in July last year. Images broadcast on several television channels showed agents entering Castillo's home in the rural, northern Cajamarca region on Wednesday. This came just hours after an unprecedented raid Tuesday at the presidential palace in Lima to execute a warrant for the detention of Castillo's sister-in-law Yenifer Paredes. But while agents left Castillo's house empty-handed, Paredes's lawyer Jose Dionisio later told RPP radio station that his client had taken investigators "by surprise" by turning up at the prosecutor's office and handing herself in. "We are inside the prosecutor's office," Dionisio said. The prosecutor's office did not confirm a raid had taken place, but Castillo had said at a public event in Lima on Wednesday that "they have just entered my home." Castillo, a 52-year-old rural schoolteacher and trade unionist, unexpectedly took power from Peru's traditional political elite in elections last year. He has come under non-stop fire from his right-wing political rivals and is also in the crosshairs of the attorney general's office investigating claims including public tender corruption and that Castillo plagiarized his university thesis. Opinion polls show that three-quarters of Peruvians disapprove of his management of the country, which has seen three prime ministers and seven interior ministers come and go in just over a year. Others in president's circle investigated Paredes, 26, lives with Castillo and his wife, who she reportedly views as "parents." She is the fourth person in the presidential entourage to be investigated for alleged corruption, and also faces money laundering charges. The others include a nephew who served as an adviser, a former transport minister both fugitives from justice and Castillo's former presidential secretary. The Court of Justice said in a statement that Tuesday's raid on the presidential palace was to execute a judicial search warrant for Paredes. Other raids took place simultaneously elsewhere in the capital, with Jose Nenil Medina a mayor from Castillo's native Chota province and businessmen brothers Hugo and Angie Espino arrested for alleged involvement in the same corruption ring. In a message broadcast on television late Tuesday, Castillo called the operation "an illegal raid" that was part of a conspiracy to remove him from office. His lawyer Benji Espinoza later announced his resignation, without divulging why, but insisted his former client was the victim of "a lynching, because there has never been a president investigated by the judiciary." Also on Tuesday, a parliamentary committee report recommended disqualifying and prosecuting Castillo over his reported consideration of a proposal to allow landlocked neighbor Bolivia access to the sea. Clashes between opposition protesters and security forces in Somalia's breakaway Somaliland region have killed three people and injured nearly 90, security and medical sources said on Thursday. Hundreds of angry supporters of the Wadani and UCID opposition parties took to the streets in at least three major cities Hargeisa, Erigavo and Burao setting up roadblocks, burning tires, and stoning cars and businesses. Security officials said the protesters defied a government order containing such opposition protests only to the opposition headquarters and specific permitted sites. The protesters were chanting slogans and holding up signs to demand that Somaliland's upcoming elections be held as scheduled. "On time election election election and no delay," read one placard. Tensions escalated as security forces tried to disperse the protesters and fired live ammunition, according to witnesses. The worst clashes occurred in Hargeisa, the region's capital, where protesters threw stones at police and burned tires in the streets, security sources said. Speaking to the media in Hargeisa on Thursday evening, Somaliland's commander of police operations, Ibrahim Abdi Haji, said three civilians died in the clashes two in Hargeisa and one in Erigavo. He said 89 people, 62 of them police officers, were injured. Haji said the security forces arrested about 100 protesters during and after the clashes, accusing the opposition leaders of being behind the deadly violence. The Associated Press reported that some demonstrators who defied police orders to disperse were armed with knives. "Leaders of the opposition parties will be accountable for what happened today and we have also arrested about hundred people for their involvement in the violence," said Haji. Addressing protesters in Hargeisa, UCID party chairman Faisal Ali Warabe said opposition supporters were practicing freedom of assembly and accused the government of being behind the violence. "We are only exercising our democratic rights and no one can silence us," said Warabe. "The government has been looking for the situation to deteriorate to this point and it's responsible for whatever happened." The leader of the Wadani opposition party, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, better known as Cirro, told VOA that President Muse Bihi Abdi is secretly planning to postpone elections. "I repeat again and again, President Bihi [Abdi] and his Kulmiye party have no intention of holding the presidential election. If election is not held on 13th November, we will no longer recognize him as a legitimate president," said Cirro. He said six civilians were killed in the protests, a number that VOA could not independently verify. Deadlocked Leaders of the two main opposition parties of Somaliland, UCID and Wadani, have been at loggerheads with Abdi over his management of the upcoming election. Somaliland opposition parties want the government to hold the presidential election as scheduled on November 13, while Abdi and his ruling Kulmiye party insist registration of new political organizations should come first. Meetings to defuse the build-up of the tension failed several times, leading to the violent protests. The U.S. Embassy in Somalia said it "strongly" urged Somaliland's ruling and opposition leaders to avoid violence in demonstrations and "return quickly to political dialogue." A brief statement tweeted by the U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu warned that failure to agree on the election threatens Somaliland's "achievements in democratic governance." The head of the British Office in Hargeisa, Lizzie Walker, also urged peace and dialogue. A breakaway republic from Somalia positioned along the Gulf of Aden and home to the deep-water strategic port of Berbera, Somaliland has maintained self-rule since 1991 but has not won international recognition. Dubai-based multinational logistics firm DP World spent nearly a half-billion on a new cargo container facility at Berbera in recent years. In March, Somaliland leaders visited Washington to lobby for recognition as an independent territory, touting its stable governance and geostrategic location. Presenting itself as a potential asset to U.S. interests in the Horn of Africa, Abdi, speaking with VOA during the visit, said his delegation secured pledges of increased U.S. support for his self-declared state. Although the Biden administration does not intend to recognize Somaliland's independence from Somalia, some U.S. lawmakers signaled a desire for closer ties with the region, which they view as a potential bulwark against China's growing influence across East Africa. Shortly after Abdi's visit to Washington, General Stephen Townsend, commander of the U.S. Africa Command, visited Hargeisa to meet with top officials. As the highest-ranking U.S. military official to visit Somaliland since 1991, Townsend was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador Larry Andre and other American officials. During their visit, the U.S. delegation toured the Berbera Port and the Berbera International Airport. Sagal Mustafe and Khadar Akulle contributed to this report. Increasing numbers of Somali immigrants living in the western U.S. city of Seattle are facing homelessness due to soaring rental prices that exacerbate other economic and refugee hardships, activists told VOA. The community activists say hundreds of Somalis have lost their places of residence over the past year, unable to pay the monthly rent. Some are lucky enough to move in with relatives or friendly families; others are forced into public shelters or are living on the streets. Hamdi Abdulle is the director of Seattles African Community Housing and Development, an organization that works to provide homes, education, jobs and food access for refugees. She says many refugees from Somalia and other African countries face tough situations from the moment they arrive in the United States. The reasons are clear. They come to this country empty-handed, the welfare they get from the government is not enough and the rental prices skyrocket. All these factors combined are the reasons they face evictions and eventually become homeless, Abdulle said. Sahra Bashir Farah better known to many as Mama Shara -- is the director of Somali Community Services of Seattle. The whole city became very expensive when it came to housing, she says. For example, the rental cost of a house for a family, which used to be $1,000 [per month] is now $3,000. Our Somali people are low-income people. They cannot afford this exorbitantly expensive rent. Farah says the situation has forced many Somali immigrants to relocate to suburban areas such as Tukwila and SeaTac, where rental prices are lower. Living in the suburbs, however, makes it hard for them to reach their places of employment, and cuts them off from the markets, mosques and community centers they know and on which they rely. Young people make up the majority of homeless Somalis seen on the streets of Seattle. A common misconception within the Somali community is that youth on the streets are rebellious, headstrong runaways or on drugs. The truth is different, according to Abdulle. The reason is when the youth are in the ages between 16-18, they leave their families thinking they can be independent, but when they leave, things become more difficult, and they face more economic challenges that finally lead them to homelessness. Other community members who risk homelessness are those who entered the U.S. on Diversity Immigrant Visas, as these visa holders are ineligible for public assistance and must wait years before they can qualify for federal benefits such as Medicaid. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program popularly known as the green card lottery is a program authorized by Congress where 55,000 green cards per year are reserved for immigrants around the world to promote diversity in the U.S. Registration starts well before any given fiscal year to allow time for processing applications. Farah says the tight-knit Somali community finds housing as quickly as possible for those who have lost their apartments or houses. We help each other, she says. We look for other houses for the homeless and if it is a family, instead of staying in public or spending [time] out in the streets, we seek help from friends and other families to provide temporary shelter. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis have relocated to the United States over the past three decades, seeking to escape chronic conflict and poverty in their homeland. Estimates of the number of Somali immigrants in Seattle vary widely, from just several thousand to more than 30,000. The Somalis share the challenges of poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, poor schooling, and language barriers that many other African immigrants and refugees face upon moving to the U.S. But when it comes to housing issues, they are the most hit because they live in Washington, one of the most expensive states in the U.S., where housing prices are continually rising due to high demand, a shortage of homes and local zoning laws that sometimes limit the number of people in a residence. Mama Sahras non-profit has received millions of dollars in grants from the government for homeless prevention and other community services. She says she wants to pull those who were forced out of the city back to Seattle. VOAs Aline Barros contributed to this report. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo have agreed to begin talks to ease the tension over fighting in eastern Congo. Blinken, speaking in Rwanda Thursday, said he also raised human rights concerns and the detention of U.S. permanent resident Paul Rusesabagina. Blinken said the presidents of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo, Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, respectively, have agreed to open direct communications aimed at ending tensions in eastern Congo. The two leaders have accused each other of supporting rebel groups in the chronically volatile region. Blinken in his address warned that supporting and cooperating with armed groups will endanger local communities and threaten central Africas stability. He urged the two countries to be respectful of each other's territory. Blinken said both Kagame and Tshisekedi welcomed the United States support and committed to begin processes toward achieving stability. Both presidents have agreed to engage in direct talks with each other, Blinken said. They are both ready to resume the talks in the context of the Nairobi process with armed groups, and both welcomed the continued U.S. engagement in support of African-led mediation efforts. The Nairobi process was an initiative by the outgoing president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, that brought the heads of states of East African countries together to find lasting solutions to the disturbances in eastern Congo. Blinken also addressed issues surrounding Rwandas detention of U.S. permanent resident Paul Rusesabagina, who is credited with saving hundreds of people during Rwandas 1994 genocide and inspired the film Hotel Rwanda. Blinken said he had expressed his candid views to Kagame and will continue to engage on the matter. We have been clear about our concerns related to Paul Rusesabaginas trial and conviction, particularly the lack of fair trial guarantees, Blinken said. We continue to urge the government to address concerns about the legal protections afforded to him in his case and establish safeguards to prevent similar outcomes in the future. Rusesabagina was taken to Rwanda under false pretenses in 2020 and sentenced to 25 years in prison on terrorism charges last year. Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta said Thursday the government has broken no laws. This was done lawfully under both Rwandan and international laws, Biruta said. Therefore, Rwanda will continue to abide by our laws and the decisions made by our judiciary, and we will request our partners to respect Rwandas sovereignty, Rwandas laws and its institutions. Blinken emphasized the U.S. commitments to be equal partners with Rwanda in advancing shared priorities, tackling global challenges and bettering the condition of the countrys citizens. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to Western allies Thursday for more money and munitions to keep fighting Russia 5 months after Moscow invaded. "The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe," Zelenskyy, via a live link from Ukraine, told Western defense leaders meeting in Copenhagen. "We need armaments, munitions for our defense." Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference in Denmark's capital, told journalists that acquiring more fighter planes is the country's priority right now. "In the first stage, we need fighters. After that, demining," Reznikov said. The Copenhagen conference followed an April meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany that established the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group to coordinate international military support for Ukraine. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the goal of the meeting was securing "concrete steps" to provide more aid to Ukraine. He said Britain will send an unspecified number of new multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine fighters to help it resist Russia's invasion. Britain sent several rocket-launch systems to Ukraine earlier this year, and Ukrainian troops have been trained in Britain about how to use them. "Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's invasion," Wallace said. The Danish government said it would give Ukraine an extra $113 million in assistance, bringing its total war support to more than $413 million. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it "a huge donation," with part of the money paying for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain over the coming months. "We will not let you down," Frederiksen declared. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram said Western resolve in assisting Ukraine is undiminished. "There still is a very strong support to help Ukraine, also on the long run. It is decisive for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian attack," Arild Gram said. The Kyiv School of Economics said in a report Wednesday that the war damage to Ukraine's infrastructure totals more than $110 billion. The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities have been destroyed or damaged. As the Western defense leaders met, new independent satellite pictures released Thursday showed wide devastation at a Russian air base in Crimea, where Ukraine says nine Russian warplanes were destroyed on Tuesday. Pictures released by the satellite firm Planet Labs showed three near-identical craters where buildings at Russia's Saki air base on the southwest coast of Crimea had been struck with apparent precision. The pictures showed there was extensive fire damage and the burned-out shells of destroyed warplanes were clearly visible. Ukraine has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack or said exactly how it was carried out. But the extent of the damage suggested Kyiv may have obtained new long-range strike capability. Russia has denied aircraft were damaged and said explosions seen at the base on Tuesday were the result of the accidental detonation of munitions stored there. Some material in this report came from Reuters and the Associated Press. The severe isolation of Afghanistan since the Taliban captured the country's capital a year ago has provided China an opportunity to become a major player in the country. Beijing has joined the international community in urging Kabul's new rulers to implement reforms, such as forming an inclusive government with representation for all Afghan ethnicities and respect for women's rights, particularly when it comes to education and work. But China has also promised the Taliban regime economic and development support in exchange for attention to Chinese security concerns especially in restraining any Uyghur militant groups in Afghanistan from targeting Chinese interests, particularly Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects, in the region. Before the collapse of the Ashraf Ghani-led government, Beijing had a close working relationship with Kabul, and Afghan security forces helped monitor and target Uyghur militant groups at China's request. But since the Taliban's takeover in August last year, Beijing has begun to engage with the new rulers because it does not want terrorism to spill over from Afghanistan into China or target its interests in the region. Beijing's ties with Taliban As no country has yet recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate rulers, the millions of dollars in aid that helped prop up the previous government have vanished, billions in state assets are frozen, and economic sanctions have led to a near-collapse of the country's economy. In this situation, the Taliban administration actively courts Chinese investment and financial support. "China has active diplomacy with the Taliban and has announced a number of initiatives and interests for a post-U.S. Afghanistan," Kabir Taneja, a fellow with the Strategic Studies program at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, told VOA. "So there is a significant amount of posturing by Beijing, but not enough movement yet. I don't think Beijing wants to be in a position where it is seen as mothering the Taliban regime both economically and politically." In April, China allowed the Taliban to reopen the Afghan embassy in Beijing, while in recent months officials from the Chinese embassy in Kabul and Chinese state-owned companies met with federal and provincial governments to discuss Chinese investment and reconstruction projects. China has provided assistance worth $8 million to the families affected by the recent earthquake in Afghanistan. Most recently, China's special representative for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, at an international conference on Afghanistan held in Tashkent on July 26, announced that Beijing will financially support the construction of a transnational railway across Afghanistan that would connect Uzbekistan to seaports in Pakistan. Experts believe that China, like Afghanistan's other neighbors, is carefully engaging the Taliban regime without offering it formal diplomatic recognition. "Chinese companies continue to explore business opportunities in Afghanistan. But the country lacks the requisite political stability and security to make large-scale extractive industry investments worth the upfront costs," said Arif Rafiq, president of Vizier Consulting, a political risk advisory company in New York. Beijing's security concerns More than seeking a role in post-U.S. Afghanistan, Beijing is worried about the possibility of attacks planned by militant groups such as the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), a Uyghur militant group that Beijing blames for unrest in its western province of Xinjiang and refers to by its former name, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). The TIP seeks to liberate Xinjiang and the Uyghur people from Chinese government control and carries out attacks on Chinese interests. The Taliban allowed Uyghur groups to operate in Afghanistan during its rule from 1996 to 2001. The TIP is part of an al-Qaida-led alliance of transnational jihadi groups that helped the Taliban capture most of Afghanistan last year after U.S. withdrawal. Experts believe that Beijing probably understands that new Kabul rulers will not be easily pressured to expel Uyghur fighters. The Taliban have also been very consistent in their messaging about not allowing Afghanistan to become a haven for international terrorist groups looking to launch attacks against regional states, particularly China. Recently, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, at the international conference in Tashkent, offered assurances that "the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow any of its own members, or any other individual or group, including al-Qaida, to pose a threat to the security of others from the soil of Afghanistan." Rafiq told VOA the Taliban's approach toward Uyghur militants is similar to how it treats some other foreign jihadists from friendly groups: it refuses to hand them over to their home country but takes quiet measures to restrict or neutralize their external activities." There seems to be some evidence of the Taliban moving Uyghur militants from Badakhshan, a province in northeast Afghanistan along the country's 76-kilometer border with China, to address Beijing's security concerns. Since the Taliban captured Kabul last year, the Uyghur militant group has been very careful to minimize media output showing its fighters in Afghanistan and is less publicly bellicose toward China than it was a few years back, experts said. "One set of markers that can be used is to compare the TIP in the runup to the 2008 Beijing Olympics to its media output during the time of the 2022 Games. In 2008, the TIP was aggressively and loudly threatening attacks on China, while, in 2022, the group has to balance its hostilities towards Beijing with practical considerations involving their Taliban hosts," said Lucas Webber, a researcher specializing in nonstate actors and militant organizations and an editor of the Militant Wire outlet. The United Nations Security Council said in a July 15 report that the TIP reportedly "rebuilt several strongholds in Badakhshan province and expanded its area of operations and covertly purchased weapons, with the aim of improving its capabilities for terrorist activities." But the U.N. body also observed that Taliban efforts to restrain the activities of TIP may be one factor in the group not having launched recent attacks. ISKP factor Another worry for Beijing has been the growing strength in Afghanistan of the Islamic State's regional affiliate, known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which is increasingly targeting China. Leveraging the U.S. withdrawal to position itself as Afghanistan's last remaining jihadi movement, the ISKP has focused on recruiting new supporters not only from the Taliban but also from other transnational and ethnic separatist movements, particularly the TIP. "The IS [central organization] declared China an enemy in the mid-2010s and has ramped up its anti-China rhetoric since the Taliban took power in August 2021 with an increasing focus on the Taliban's relations with Beijing to discredit the new government," Webber told VOA. In recent magazines and videos released by the ISKP, visuals of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi bumping elbows with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and receiving a gift of pine nuts from Muttaqi are frequently displayed. The UNSC report also observed that ISKP has managed to recruit about 50 TIP members by offering higher monthly salaries. The group has approached a TIP operational commander in Badakhshan to join its ranks, but he declined, the report said. Threats to BRI in Pakistan Ashraf Ghani's administration was long been accused of hosting members of Islamist militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch ethno-separatist groups, which target BRI-linked development projects and Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Islamabad and Beijing had hoped that threats from Baloch insurgents would subside once the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. But five days after the Taliban took over Kabul, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a major ethno-separatist group, carried out, targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals with a suicide bombing attack in the Pakistani coastal town of Gwadar where China is developing a deep-water port and a transportation network linking Gwadar to China. To the BLA and other ethno-separatist groups, the BRI-linked development projects put Beijing directly on the side of the exploiters and oppressors. In recent years, many targets of insurgent violence have been Chinese, after four ethno-separatist groups, including BLA, formed an operational alliance. In late April this year, the BLA claimed responsibility for a suicide attack that killed three Chinese teachers at a state-run university in the port city of Karachi. In the same city, the BLA militants killed four people in 2018 in an attack on the Chinese consulate, and in 2020, the group killed three people in an assault on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, which is 40% owned by Chinese investors. Following the Gwadar attack, the Taliban detained and expelled a large number of families of separatists from Nangarhar and Nimroz neighboring provinces, according to Baloch separatist groups. But, because of ideological linkage, the Taliban did not take action against the TTP, a TIP ally, which also targeted Chinese interests in the past. Instead, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's interior minister, brokered talks between the TTP and Islamabad on a condition of an indefinite cease-fire. The UNSC's recent report said that TIP recently strengthened its ties with TTP and augmented "its military training on the manufacture and use of improvised explosive devices, focusing on morale and planning to carry out terrorist attacks." This story originated in the VOA's Urdu Service. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. South Koreas space program marks a milestone with help from an American spaceflight giant. Plus, Iran and Russia join forces in space, and a practical joke that had practically no one laughing. VOAs Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa arrived in Thailand on Thursday, according to three Reuters witnesses, as he seeks temporary shelter in a second Southeast Asian country after fleeing his island nation last month amid mass protests. Rajapaksa arrived at Bangkok's Don Muang airport on a chartered flight from Singapore after the city-state's immigration authority said in a statement Thursday that he had left Singapore. Rajapaksa is expected to stay temporarily in Thailand after fleeing Sri Lanka for Singapore on July 14. He resigned from office shortly afterward following unprecedented unrest over his government's handling of the worst economic crisis in seven decades, and days after thousands of protesters stormed the president's official residence and office. Thai authorities said the former military officer, who is the first Sri Lankan head of state to quit midterm, had no intention of seeking political asylum and would only stay temporarily. "This is a humanitarian issue and there is an agreement that it's a temporary stay," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Wednesday. Rajapaksa could not participate in any political activities while in Thailand, Prayuth said. Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said the Sri Lankan government supported Rajapaksa's trip to Thailand, adding that the former president's diplomatic passport would allow him to stay for 90 days. Rajapaksa has made no public appearances or comment since leaving Sri Lanka. Reuters was not able to immediately contact him. Sri Lanka's economic crisis is a result of several factors including COVID-19, which battered its tourism-reliant economy and slashed remittances from workers overseas, rising oil prices, populist tax cuts and a seven-month ban on the import of chemical fertilizers last year that devastated agriculture. When hiring faculty, most American universities require an almost religious assent to its diversity and inclusion goals. It should come as no surprise that this is resulting in more ideological conformity and less viewpoint diversity. As American universities worked tirelessly over the past couple of centuries to purge religion from institutional education, their success left a conceptual void. Without religion, the western university was in need of some of sort of metanarrative or ontological justification for its existence. It needed a meaning systema way of providing direction in framing and understanding its goals and aspirations. Perhaps it is more accurate to say that religion per se was not removed from college campuses but that Judeo-Christian religion was replaced with a religious commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. As is often recalled, almost all the Ivy League universities were founded with explicitly Christian missions. This is very evident, for example, in Harvards original mission statement: Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well the end of his life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eternal life, and therefore to lay Christ in the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. In order for the institution to remain mission-driven during that era, it would have called for faculty members who were committed to that Christ-oriented vision. And it would have recruited students who sought to be formed by that explicitly religious mission. Harvards current mission statement, however, has no explicit religious orientation, at least as formerly understood: The mission of Harvard College is to educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society. We do this through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education. But what informs that education? What set of presuppositions about the nature and purpose of knowledge is used to determine if faculty are a mission fit? What presuppositions about the nature of the human person and destiny of human life are students expecting to receive in the classroom? Justin P. McBrayer, a professor of philosophy at Fort Lewis College, argues that, increasingly, those presuppositions require putting faith and trust in the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In fact, it is quickly becoming the case that professors cannot get a teaching job without pledging allegiance to diversity. Diversity now functions like religious faith. Writing at Inside Higher Ed, McBrayer observes that contrary to what you might think, many secular institutions now require faith statements. They go by the name diversity statements, but they function in the same ways as faith statements at religious institutions. Professors are expected to put their faith and trust in diversity as a way to improve the success of diverse student bodies and advance the cause of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Here are some examples McBrayer cites: New York Universitys Tandon School of Engineering requires that all faculty applicants include a statement of your experience with or knowledge of inclusion, diversity, equity, and belonging efforts and your plans for incorporating them into your teaching, research, mentoring, and service. California State University, Sacramento, requires applicants for a history job to submit a statement showing, among other things, how the candidate would advance the History Departments goal of promoting an anti-racist and anti-oppressive campus to recruit, retain, and mentor students. For another history job, Northern Arizona University requires a diversity statement that highlights an understanding of the role of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in a university setting. Please include examples from past experiences and reference plans to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in your teaching, research, and service. Hofstra University in New York welcomes applications for an assistant professor of sociology as long as that person can demonstrate her commitment to critical criminology, restorative justice and racial equity in the criminal justice system and show how her teaching, research and service would contribute to a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. McBrayer then argues that the diversity-statement requirements function like faith statements in the following ways: (1) both faith and diversity statements effectively screen out candidates (unbelievers in the mission) at the application stage; (2) both faith and diversity statements require people to assent to claims above their epistemic pay grade; (3) both are signals of tribal loyalties; and (4) both faith and diversity statements close questions. For example, McBrayer believes faith statements ask Christians to articulate belief in the Trinity or assent to things they cannot verify empirically. He may not be fully aware of how statements of faith work in religious traditions, but McBrayers overall point has meritthat is, Christians seeking faculty appointments at Christian institutions will not struggle to articulate or explain the basic tenets of the Nicene Creed or the confessional beliefs of their particular tradition, and so on, even if they are not working in theologian disciplines. McBrayer is correct that faith statements intend to introduce the boundaries of epistemic belief and pedagogy. He is also correct that they are meant to close some questions and screen out potential applicants. What is fascinatingly true about his comparison, however, is that diversity, anti-racism, equity, and so on are treated not only as faith propositions but that professors are expected to be evangelistic about these ideas in the classroom. Thats a religious impulse. Professors are also increasingly required to advance their ideology of power structures, which undergirds so much of the progressive understanding of what forms the human person. A central tenet of progressive ideology is that institutions are the causes of injustice and human failure, because if it were not for unjust institutions and power structures, human nature would inevitably lead to just social and economic outcomes for all people. This presupposition naturally leads to the assumption that material and social power disparities between special interest (minority) groups and the racialized norms of whiteness, are, by definition, indisputable evidence of structural injustices that require some sort of centralized coercive attempt to produce the same outcomes for all members of identity groups. Following this, it becomes clear that diversity-statement requirements are one way of screening out those who question progressivisms view of the causes of disparities and injustice. It fends off, just as in a statement of religious faith, those unwilling to evangelistically advance the ideological assumptions of progressivism. Advancing the ideological assumptions of DEI will be conscious-binding for those who have any kind of reservations. Sadly, to even question those presuppositions might automatically bring the charge of racism and bigotry, or result in being tagged as someone who does not value diversity for its own sake. Research shows that across the U.S., college faculty are generally ideologically progressive. It only stands to reason that viewpoint diversity is not included as a diversity goal, at least if that means hiring, on purpose, conservatives or classical liberals. At Harvard, only 2.9% of professors surveyed in the faculty of Arts and Sciences report being conservative or very conservativeand diversity statements are a way of keeping it that way. If McBrayer is correct that diversity statements are essentially statements of faith used to screen out unbelieving job applicants, then American universities will become increasingly less diverse, less equitable, and less inclusive, because more conformist to one perspective. McBrayer notes that religious colleges are private institutions that are typically up front about their religious orientations. I suggest that if universities want ideological homogeneity, they should be equally up front about it rather than use a thinly veiled exclusionary requirement as a signal of religious assent to the presuppositions advanced by progressive ideology. A suicide bombing Thursday at a religious seminary in Afghanistans capital, Kabul, killed a prominent Taliban cleric known for his fiery speeches against Islamic State militants. A spokesman for the ruling Taliban confirmed the assassination of Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani in what he said was a brutal enemy attack. Bilal Karimi on Twitter described the slain cleric as the country's great academic personality. Reports said the bomber, who had previously lost his leg, detonated explosives hidden in a plastic artificial limb. Taliban authorities said an investigation into the attack was underway. The self-proclaimed Islamic State took responsibly for the deadly attack on Haqqani. In his speeches, the cleric would regularly challenge Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), an Afghan affiliate of the militant group fighting Taliban rule and carrying out bombings against the countrys minority Shiite Muslims. ISIS-K emerged in Afghanistan in early 2015. It has intensified attacks across the country since the Taliban seized power almost a year ago. Haqqani had previously survived two unclaimed assassination attempts, including one in neighboring Pakistan. In media interviews, the religious leader had suspected at the time ISIS-K was behind the attacks.The religious leader, like many senior members of the Afghan Taliban, graduated from Darul UloomHaqqania, a major religious seminary near the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Chinas military exercises that recently encircled Taiwan highlight a fundamental challenge for the small self-ruled island: its forces are badly outmatched by Beijings. To overcome the imbalance, the former head of Taiwans military proposes adopting a so-called porcupine defense strategy. VOAs Bill Gallo explains from Taipei. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Thursday that a preliminary assessment from his agencys experts concluded there was no immediate threat to nuclear safety following shelling around a major nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, but he cautioned that could change at any moment. We certainly can all agree that any nuclear catastrophe would be unacceptable, and therefore, preventing it should be our overarching goal, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi told the U.N. Security Council in a video briefing. "To achieve that, I ask that both sides cooperate with the IAEA and allow for a mission to Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to proceed as soon as possible, he said. Grossi said that recently the situation at Ukraines nuclear facilities, and in particular at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear site, has been deteriorating rapidly, to the point of becoming very alarming. A team from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency has been trying since June to send a technical mission to check the Zaporizhzhia site. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. But unfortunately, due to political factors and other considerations, it was not possible, he said. We have seen what has happened over the past two months; we cannot allow such factors to delay us any longer. Russia took over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on March 4, stationing troops there and keeping the Ukrainian staff in place to run it. Ukraine and Russia blame each other for shelling around the site since August 6, including reports of new shelling earlier Thursday. IAEA chief Grossi said it was urgent for him and his experts to go to Zaporizhzhia to assess physical damage to the facilities, evaluate working conditions of the control room staff, and perform maintenance on all IAEA safeguard equipment. The mission to the site would also allow us to perform urgent safeguards activities verifying the status of the reactors and the inventories of nuclear material, including fresh and spent fuel storage, where we currently have no remote data transfer of surveillance, he said. The IAEA needs both Ukrainian and Russian authorization and assistance to reach Zaporizhzhia because it is held in territory Russian troops currently hold. We stand ready to provide the mission with all necessary assistance and facilitate its travel through Ukrainian-controlled territory, Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told the council. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said his government hoped the IAEA mission to Zaporizhzhia would happen soon. Demilitarized zone U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to the parties to use common sense and reason and to not target Zaporizhzhia. In a statement Thursday, he called on them to immediately cease military activities near the nuclear plant, as well as withdraw any military personnel and equipment from the site. The facility must not be used as part of any military operation, Guterres warned. He said the parties should urgently agree on a perimeter of demilitarization to ensure the safety of the area. Russia is not using civilian infrastructure, without mentioning nuclear facilities, for that purpose, Nebenzia told the Security Council, dismissing the U.N. chiefs proposal. This is a tactic of Ukrainian armed forces. Ukraines envoy said Moscows shelling of Zaporizhzhia served a larger purpose. Russian plans regarding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant aim at disconnecting it from the energy system of Ukraine and cutting off electricity in the south of the country, Kyslytsya said. The United States called on Russia to cease all military operations at or near Ukrainian nuclear facilities and to return full control of Zaporizhzhia to Ukraine. Bonnie Jenkins, the U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, also expressed support for Ukraines proposal to create a demilitarized zone around the plant and for the IAEA mission. This visit cannot wait any longer, she told council members. President Joe Biden said Wednesday the U.S. is certain that the Syrian government is holding American journalist Austin Tice, who went missing in the war-torn country a decade ago. He urged Damascus to help bring Tice back home. Biden's comments came in a statement released by the White House to mark the 10th anniversary of Tice's abduction, which took place when he was in Syria covering its now-lengthy conflict. They were the clearest indication so far that the U.S. is certain Tice is being held by the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Tice went missing shortly after his 31st birthday on August 14, 2012, at a checkpoint in a contested area west of the capital, Damascus. A video released a month later showed him blindfolded and held by armed men, saying "Oh, Jesus." He has not been heard from since. "We know with certainty that he has been held by the government of Syria," Biden said in the statement, adding that "we have repeatedly asked the government of Syria to work with us so that we can bring Austin home." "On the 10th anniversary of his abduction, I am calling on Syria to end this and help us bring him home," Biden said. He added there "is no higher priority in my administration than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad." Four years ago, then-U.S. envoy to Syria James Jeffrey said Tice was believed to be alive and held hostage in Syria. He didn't say why officials believed this or who might be holding him. In May, top Lebanese security official Major General Abbas Ibrahim met with U.S. officials in Washington as part of mediation efforts between the U.S. and Syria for Tice's release. Ibrahim, the chief of Lebanon's General Security Directorate, has mediated complicated hostage releases in the past. Tice is one of two Americans who went missing in Syria. The other is Majd Kamalmaz, a psychologist from Virginia, who vanished in Syria in 2017. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said in a statement that "we will continue to pursue all available avenues to bring Austin home and work tirelessly until we succeed in doing so." Blinken said Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens will continue to engage with the Syrian government in close coordination with the White House, the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and the State Department. In 2016, Syrias then-Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told The Associated Press that "Austin Tice is not in the hands of Syrian authorities, and we don't have any information about him at all." Mekdad is currently Syria's foreign minister. In May, Biden met Tice's parents and reiterated his commitment to continue to work through all available avenues to secure "Austin's long overdue return to his family." Tice is from Houston, and his work had been published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and other outlets. He went to Syria to cover the conflict that started in 2011 and has since left hundreds of thousands dead and nearly half the pre-war population of 23 million displaced. More than 5 million of the displaced are refugees outside the country. In the final months of the Trump administration, two U.S. officials including the government's top hostage negotiator, Carstens made a secret visit to Damascus to seek information on Tice and other Americans who have disappeared in Syria. It was the highest-level talk in years between the U.S. and Assad's government, though Syrian officials offered no meaningful information on Tice. "The Tice family deserves answers, and more importantly, they deserve to be swiftly reunited with Austin," Biden said. The Ukrainian air force says nine Russian warplanes were destroyed in massive explosions Tuesday at an air base in Crimea, the peninsula that Moscow seized in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed several hours after the blasts to take Crimea back. Ukraine stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the explosions at the Saki air base, even while ridiculing Russias denial of an attack. Moscow claimed that munitions caught fire and exploded, killing one person and injuring at least 13 others. Key U.S. news outlets The New York Times and The Washington Post quoted unnamed Ukrainian officials as saying that Kyivs forces were responsible for carrying out an attack on the base on the western coast of Crimea but gave no details. The Times report said its source would not disclose what type of weapon caused the explosions but added, A device exclusively of Ukrainian manufacture was used. A Ukrainian presidential adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, said Tuesday that the blasts either were caused by a Ukrainian-made long-range weapon or were the work of guerrillas operating in Crimea. The site, at least 200 kilometers from the nearest Ukrainian position, is out of range of the missiles the U.S. has supplied to Kyiv. The attack inside Crimea would mark a significant escalation of hostilities in Russias offensive against the one-time Soviet republic, now in its sixth month. Moscow has used the Saki air base as a launch site for attacks on southern Ukraine. In a Tuesday night video address, Zelenskyy pledged that Ukraine would retake Crimea, saying, "This Russian war against Ukraine and against all of free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea its liberation." Russian authorities sought Wednesday to downplay the explosions at the air base, saying they had not affected hotels and beaches on the peninsula, which is a popular summertime tourist destination for many Russians. However social media images showed people a nearby beach fleeing to safety as plumes of smoke towered overhead. If Ukrainian forces were, in fact, responsible for the blasts, it would be the first known major attack on a Russian military site in Crimea. Ukrainian saboteurs last month carried out a small drone attack on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port of Sevastopol. Meanwhile, Russia shelled Ukraines central region of Dnipropetrovsk, where 13 people were killed and 11 others wounded, according to the region's governor, Valentyn Reznichenko. Reznichenko said the Russian forces fired at the city of Marganets and a nearby village, damaging dozens of residential buildings, two schools and several administrative buildings. "It was a terrible night," Reznichenko said. "It's very hard to take bodies from under debris. We are facing a cruel enemy who engages in daily terror against our cities and villages." Some material in this report came from the Associated Press. HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) For the first time in his life, Gift Livingstone Sango, 65, saw a painting by his father depicting Jesus as a Black man. My father used to draw Jesus as Black because God is for all of us. He is not a God of color, said Sango. The painting done by his late father in the 1940s is part of a historic exhibit, The Stars are Bright, now at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe for the first time since the collection left the country more than 70 years ago. A photograph of Sangos father, Livingstone, as a young boy hangs next to the painting. We never knew our father was such a great artist but after 70 years we are seeing these pictures. We are being called," said Sango. "Some of these pictures we had never seen before. I am seeing my father as a boy. Sango's father went on to become an accomplished taxidermist working for the National Museum in Bulawayo. The compelling exhibit at the National Gallery until the end of October is of paintings done in the 1940s and 1950s by young Black students at Cyrene Mission School, the first to teach art to Black students in what was then white minority-ruled Rhodesia. Using bold strokes and bright, lush colors filling the entire canvases, the students depicted African life in dance, household chores and hunting wildlife alongside the emerging modern world of railroads and electricity lines. The paintings vividly depict tales of African folklore as well as Bible stories in an arresting intersection of African tradition, history and the Christianity introduced by western settlers. The paintings quickly won admirers, including Britain's King George VI, who visited the school in 1947. A collection of the work created at Cyrene school between 1940 and 1947 was sent overseas to be shown in London, Paris and New York. Many paintings were sold and helped to fund the school. Later the paintings were stored in the basement of St. Michaels and All Angels Church in London and over time they were forgotten. The artworks were rediscovered by a Zimbabwean who recognized the name Cyrene on the boxes when the church was being deconsecrated, according to a press release by organizers of the exhibition in Harare. He brought the paintings to the attention of others who recognized that a treasure trove lay in the basement. The Stars are Bright exhibition has returned the paintings to the country, where many Zimbabweans will see them for the first time. Photographs of many of the artists as young boys are displayed alongside the paintings. It was a very difficult time in the 1940s. It was the height of World War II and it was the height of colonialism in Zimbabwe," Lisa Masterson, curator of the exhibition, said. She said the school's founder Edward Paterson was far-sighted to make art a compulsory subject. For a white Anglican priest to empower young black students with new skills and belief in themselves was completely revolutionary in those days, she said. Paterson was a true believer that art could unite people. And that no matter what people saw in an artwork, it didnt matter what color you were, or where you came from or what tribe you were from, art was a unifying factor, said Masterson. Many students from Cyrene school went on to become artists, teachers and professionals, despite the restrictions of white-minority-ruled Rhodesia. In 2020, The Stars Are Bright exhibit showcased the works at the Theatre Courtyard Gallery in London. Now, the artworks have come back home to acclaim. Some of the paintings have already been exhibited in the scenic Honde Valley in the eastern Manicaland province in late 2021 and in the western city of Bulawayo in April this year. Now the full exhibit is on show in Harare. Today, after having spent 70 years away from their homeland, these astonishing works are finally back home to be viewed, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said this week after viewing the paintings. Coming amid growing calls for the repatriation of African art to the continent, some say the Cyrene paintings should return to Zimbabwe permanently. It is very important for this heritage to speak to its own people, Raphael Chikukwa, the executive director of the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, told The Associated Press. The families of these artists can have their children and grandchildren look at this collection, to be able to speak to this collection and to admire it. Because at the end of the day if the collection returns to the U.K., they are unlikely to have any further connection with it. The organizers say they are negotiating with the Curtain Foundation, owners of the collection, for the permanent repatriation of the works. This art being brought back home is what we want," said Sango. "The heritage must be brought back home. This will dry our tears. JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA The National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa says at least 14 men out of dozens arrested face rape charges in an attack on a group of women who were making a music video earlier this month. A court on Wednesday charged seven men in connection with the gang rape, prosecuting authority spokeswoman Phindi Louw Mjonondwane told VOA, adding that seven more would face rape charges tomorrow. They are all part of the 80 men initially arrested in a major police sweep following the incident, she confirmed. The women had been making a music video two weeks earlier in the mining area of Krugersdorp outside Johannesburg when they were attacked by a group of masked, armed men. Mjonondwane said all of those charged with rape were foreign nationals, including from Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Seven accused appeared at the Krugersdorp Magistrates Court facing charges ranging from multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, contravention of the immigration act, as well as robbery with aggravating circumstances," she said. Many of those arrested are believed to work as illegal miners, known here as zama-zamas. The incident has sparked anger in local communities, as well as xenophobia, with mobs attacking the zama-zamas. Police had said they would use DNA kits to try to identify the alleged attackers from among those rounded up, as well as a police lineup. However, Mjonondwane would not comment on how those charged had been identified. Despite having a very high rate of rape and gender-based violence, South Africa which celebrated Women's Day on Tuesday was shocked by the brutal attack. Police recorded more than 36,000 rapes in fiscal 2020-21. NAIROBI Two days after Kenya's general election, officials had yet to announce who is leading the presidential race in East Africa's regional powerhouse, as confused citizens struggled to make sense of divergent tallies from the media in a nail-bitingly close race. Kenyan election authorities have preceded with tallying cautiously, wary of the mistakes that caused the Supreme Court to nullify the results last time and order a re-run. Media houses are tallying results from images of forms that the election commission uploaded from more than 46,229 polling stations by recruiting hundreds of people to manually input results from the images of results forms into spreadsheets, a mammoth task that means their tallies lag far behind the amount of raw data available. Their tallies differ because results from polling stations were uploaded as they came in, and so each media group is counting slightly different portions of the vote. Veteran opposition leader and former political prisoner Raila Odinga, 77, is making his fifth stab at the presidency. He is neck and neck with Deputy President William Ruto, 55. By 1000 GMT on Thursday, the privately-owned Nation group had tallied results from three-quarters of polling stations and put Odinga ahead with 50.90% of the vote and Ruto at 48.42%. At the same time, privately-owned Citizen gave Ruto 49.48% of the vote and Odinga 49.12%. Some citizens worried the media's differing tallies could inflame claims of rigging, which have sparked violence in past elections. Many urged fellow citizens to wait for the official results. There is so much impatience due to media reports, because they are varying. Given the experience that we have in Kenya, we have to be patient and just wait," said Ongao Okello, as he scrutinized newspapers being sold on a street corner in the western town of Eldoret. The winning candidate must get 50% of the vote plus one to win, and at least a quarter of votes in 24 out of Kenya's 47 counties. If there is no outright winner, there will be a second round of voting without the two presidential candidates currently receiving fractions of a point. Many Kenyans, frustrated by the shifting alliances of the elites and fed up of rising prices and corruption, didn't bother to vote at all. The commission said about 65% of registered voters turned out for the legislative, local and presidential elections - a big drop from 2017 when voter participation was nearly 80%. The elections have largely been peaceful so far; major protests and clashes usually only follow result announcements. More than 1,200 people were killed after the 2007 elections, and more than 100 after the 2017 polls. Author and political commentator Nanjala Nyabola said the lack of violence should not be the standard for a success. "People are just looking for the absence or presence of violence and as a Kenyan it's a really demoralizing standard to be told we should only aspire to the bare minimum," she said. "We are trying to hold ourselves to a higher standard." Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has filed an urgent court application to challenge polices refusal to grant it permission to hold a prayer rally against human rights violations and criminalization of human rights work. In a tweet, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said, We have filed an urgent chamber application against @PoliceZimbabwes decision to block our prayer rally. The organization said the police have become judges in their own trial by banning its prayer rally. Zimbabwean police on Wednesday refused to grant Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition permission to stage the protest on Friday. In a letter signed by Harare Central Districts Chief Superintendent, G. Moyo, and addressed to Peter Mutasa, police said the demonstration will break some local laws. The letter reads in part, This office brings to your attention that your intended demonstration violates section 10(1)(a) of Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23 therefore the demonstration is not sanctioned. The same police chief on July 18, 2022, also declined to sanction the march, noting that Im not in a position to sanction the demonstration. You did not comply with section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act chapter 11:23. Crisis in Zimbabwe appealed against the first police ban, stressing that they will go ahead with the demonstration if their request for a peaceful march is turned down again by the police. 90% of people buy from the brands they follow on social media. But the role of social media in brand building is more complex than it used to be. Brand saturation, creator communities, and more have changed the way that people interact with brands on social media. You cant just build a brand with a great logo, quirky copy, and a pleasing palette. Audiences today are looking for something more. Social Media and Branding Social media offers a platform for businesses to build the voice, look and feel of their brand. It also gives brands a chance to connect and build relationships with customers, prospects, and influencers. The Role of Social Media in Brand Building To successfully build your brand on social media, you can start with creating a great visual brand. But you cant stop there. You need to dig deeper into your users and what theyre looking for online. Lets talk about the big ideas that impact branding on social media. 1. Social media is where subcultures connect. While pretty much everyone you know is online, they're not there to talk to just anyone. On social media, it's common for users to connect with small groups of people with similar interests. These small groups usually stand out for a specific interest or topic. Together they look for ways to stand out from what's typical. For example, Amino Apps is a space where members of K-Pop, Anime, and other fandoms connect. In these communities, they share original art, memes, and other content. These online spaces empower members of subcultures a place to engage and grow their interests. They are also a powerful space for businesses to engage with vocal influencers. Tactical tip: Target a specific group and have something useful to say. It's tempting to go for the largest possible audience with your advertising budget. But social media has changed the way that businesses connect to an audience. Instead of using your resources to create a big audience, seek to build an engaged one. Do your research and connect with online communities that are relevant to your business. Once you find these groups of potential buyers, don't spam them with ads. Subgroups tend to be wary of popular culture and are quick to call out the fake and superficial. Take time to learn about these communities and their likes and dislikes. This information can help you shape your product and make updates that can improve sales. While it used to be the norm for branding to shy away from politics and other divisive topics, buyers today want brands to take a stance. When you do choose to post and respond, show your awareness of the group and how they feel about current events. Use social media to prove that if you're not already part of the group, you have something useful to offer. 2. Every social media platform is unique. Businesses tend to approach social media based on ROI. But it's different for users. Many things impact which platform you spend the most time using, including: Posting format Algorithms Brand message and values Privacy Where your friends are Each user factors these ideas into their decision about which platform to use. And even if they have every app on their phone, they're bound to use some more than others. These decisions lead to the data that businesses use to choose the right platform for brand building. Because there is so much data out there, brands sometimes try shortcuts. For example, 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business. This might lead a business to build a brand only on Instagram, even if the customers they want spend more time on Pinterest. Buzz around the brand says that most of Pinterest's users are female. But a closer look at their demographics shows that 45% also have an income over $100K. It's important to trust your gut, but don't jump on the superficial differences. Instead, use the uniqueness of each platform to choose the right social media platform and hone your branding strategy. Tactical tip: Choose the right platform for your target audience. After you've built a detailed buyer persona, do a deep dive into the specifics of each platform. There is a lot to consider, including the number of users, demographics, and features. If you're not sure where to start with your review, this article can help you choose which social networks are best for your brand. Next, create test accounts and spend some time interacting in the spaces where you think your target audience will be. This research won't only help you get a sense of which social media platforms are best for your brand. It can also help you decide what kind of brand content you want to create. And dont forget about emerging platforms. These could be the best place to connect your new brand with an audience thats looking for the exciting and new. While you CAN post the same content to every platform in an attempt to save time and resources, it's not a great idea. Each social platform is distinct. You'll want to post content that reinforces your brand identity for the specific audience on each platform. 3. The average person spends 147 minutes a day on social media. That's a lot of time. These users are sharing and posting photos and videos. They're building their personal networks and discovering new skills, hobbies, and events. While some social media users are there to watch, many others want to take part and grab some attention. But brands are seeing lower engagement on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. This shift is leading many businesses to spend more on social advertising and to post more often. But are these efforts the best strategy? Tactical tip: Show up every day. Consistent authentic communication builds trust and awareness. Regular posting can help your brand build consistent imagery, colors, and voice with public feedback. But a constant flood of posts may not be the best approach for your chosen platform. In fact, algorithm-based platforms may create a frustrating experience for your followers. This guide to publishing frequency can help you create a rhythm that works. It's also important to remember that people on social media want attention just as much as you do. An effective social media strategy should be more than a posting schedule. It's about honest engagement with a community. The best place to start engaging is by posting comments on relevant threads. 4. People are always looking for something new and interesting. Its difficult to create something completely new. Being creative, fun, and business-focused is even tougher. But those aren't the only challenges of building an original brand on social media. People aren't just spending a lot of time on social media today. For many, these online communities are where people spend the majority of their time. This means that they don't just see a meme once or twice. For 55% of Gen Z and 48% of Millenials, viral social media content is more valid than the latest song, movie, or video game. This is a cultural shift to consider as you build your brand identity on social. Many people aren't passively consuming your brand content. They see social media content as a starting point. They want to add to or change the conversation. People are sharing 3.2 billion images and 720,000 hours of video every day. This means that your brand messaging can't just look great on a mobile device, it has to stand out. This volume of media consumption also creates a healthy amount of skepticism. Any brand message on social media today needs to stand up to close examination by a global audience. Tactical tip: Be yourself. Originality can seem like an impossible goal. So, if you cant be original, be honest. While it's tempting to riff off what's already out there, the best strategy for any brand is to just be you. It can be uncomfortable getting personal and showing your imperfections online. It's also a huge business risk. It's not unusual for global brands to use test audiences and surveys before any campaign launches. But with the growing awareness of social media audiences, honesty is opportunity. Influencers like Elyse Meyers and Ajani Huff are growing audiences of millions being their authentic selves. @elysemyers Battle of the heat tools - Conair vs. Dyson (spoiler, I still dont think the Dyson Airwrap is worth the price tag.) Full yt video out! original sound - Elyse Myers Instead of seeking perfection, audiences are looking for brands that are clear about what they stand for and ask them to engage. Brand building this way on social media is scary, but it also may be your best path to success. 5. 76% of U.S. consumers expect brands to respond to social media messages within 24 hours. 13% expect a response within ONE hour. While most people spend an hour and a half or more on social media every day, that time isn't consecutive. According to Accurion in 2021, Americans check their phones 96 times a day. Once they've sent a message, part of what they're checking is whether they've heard back from you. But most businesses don't check their social media accounts on their phones. They might schedule social media posts from a third-party platform but rarely log in. A customer service team might check social messages once a week or less if social isn't connected to the tool they use to respond to customer inquiries. To put it simply, there are a lot of chances for a brand to miss customer outreach. That can harm your branding efforts. Tactical tip: Talk back. To develop your brand on social media, find a way to be available to anyone who reaches out. This might mean: Shared social media schedules Clearly posted hours to set response expectations Community message boards Connecting your service portal to social media 85% of surveyed service professionals say that customers are likely to share their experiences with others. Whether it's positive or negative feedback, social media is for sharing opinions. What can your brand do to make it easy for you to give your customers the social media service they expect? 6. Social media audiences are more likely to listen to each other than a brand. Social listening can help you pay attention to what people are saying about your brand. But how can you insert yourself into the conversation? Tools like AdRoll can serve ads that build awareness of your brand through social media, but this strategy may impact trust. It can erode the brand relationship if your brand shows up too often or in a place the user isn't expecting. To find their favorite brands, most people contact someone they're comfortable with. 60% of shoppers refer to friends and family for shopping advice. So, the best way to build your brand is through networks of connections, not just specific users. Tactical tip: Leverage influencers. Social media influencers and creators are starting to impact buyer decision-making. The reach of social media makes it easy for influencers to build your brand with their reputation. And an influencer doesn't have to be one of the top influencers on Instagram to make a difference. Nano influencers can be less expensive to work with and may be more effective at targeting the right subgroup to boost your brand identity. If you haven't already started working with influencers for branding, start now. 7. Audiences want brands to keep up with whats happening. Your brand isn't just competing with friends, family, and other brands for their attention on social media. According to Pew Research in 2021, about half of the consumers in the U.S. get their news from social media. While brands that comment on current events sometimes get it wrong, users want to know where brands stand in politics and culture. And 58% of consumers feel that social media is the best place for these conversations. Social media gives you a chance to add to important conversations as they're happening. This helps you define your brand by its character, not just how it looks and sounds. Tactical tip: Use data to keep pace with your audience. Your audience also wants to know what you stand for as a company. They want to know how you are putting those sentiments into action. But if you are tight on resources, it can be tough to know what's most important. Many brands get stuck figuring out how to get their ideas in front of their audience at the right time. Social media offers extensive data for brand analysis and improvement. You can use this data, along with alerts and social listening, to guide your social content. For example, using HubSpot's social media management software you can track specific keywords. Besides tracking brand mentions, you can use this tool to follow relevant news in the areas that you and your users care about most. 6 Examples of Brands Thriving on Social Media Now that youve got an idea of what you need to do, lets take a look at some brands that rock branding on social media. 1. HubSpot There are a few key ways we encourage discussion of the HubSpot brand online. First, build an awesome product. If you create a powerful product, people will talk about it and build your brand for you. You can't pay for comments like this one: They're authentic, and the only way to cultivate them is by creating an authentically great product. Next, create a strong company culture. Share information across your company and encourage your employees to use social media. If you do this, and you hire great employees, they will help define your company's brand for you every day. 2. Seasum Also known as TikTok leggings, Seasums high waist yoga leggings took over the popular social video platform in late 2020. Hashtags like #TikTokMademeBuyIt and #tiktokleggings amplified the brand's reach. And most videos show users surprise and delight as they try on the leggings and see their lifting and shaping effect for the first time. The leggings continued to dominate in 2021. The story of their viral popularity got a boost from many media outlets including Seventeen, People, and ET Online. To succeed on social media, start with a great product. 3. Planet Money This NPR program is a favorite on social media because their social strategy matches the vibe of its programming. It uses Twitter to answer listener questions, creates offbeat low-fi educational videos for TikTok, and its Facebook posts offer a simple news feed of recent articles. 4. Louis Vuitton This luxury brand uses powerful visuals, including mesmerizing product videos, to cement brand impact on social media. Some luxury brands were slower to embrace social platforms. But Louis Vuitton engaged early and continues to shift its strategy with the times. A recent example is this celebrity collaboration with the pop group BTS. 5. Oreo This brand takes every potential opportunity to engage audiences on social media. They do this with careful planning and thoughtful promotion of user-generated content. Oreo uses current events, cultural movements, and customer suggestions in a considerate, fun, and respectful way. These are long-term strategies that come off as simple but take awareness, sensitivity, and effort. Whether theyre commenting on the Super Bowl or collaborating with Stranger Things in India, this brand has some great examples of real-time social engagement. 6. Fenty Beauty Another way to stand out is to support creators. Fenty Beauty launched its own TikTok house in 2020. Creating a space for creators to experiment and push boundaries amplified the voice of the brand while also expanding its reach. 7. Vans This brand learned about the value of collaboration early on, sponsoring members of the Zephyr skateboard team in the late 70s. Theyve succeeded by continuing to highlight the value of creator communities. One example is this 2022 project with artist communities across the country. If youre looking for more inspiration, check out these branding success stories for the most popular social media platforms: Twitter Instagram Facebook Pinterest TikTok You Are the Secret to Social Media Brand Building Branding on social media isnt the same as it was just five years ago. But any brand can still grow with a personal touch and the power of social media. Keep building your brand, following your instincts, and putting yourself out there. You never know what could happen. Editor's note: This post was originally published in October 2009 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. Dan Moyo, a Zimbabweans living in USA, has commended the Kenyan government for allowing its citizens living in Washington DC to vote in the presidential election. Moyo says Zimbabwe should seriously consider doing the same as there are millions of citizens living in the diaspora. Yes, Violent Crime Has Spiked In Sweden Since Open Immigration https://thefederalist.com/2017/03/01/yes-violent-crime-spiked-sweden-since-open-immigration/ BY: ANONYMOUS MARCH 01, 2017 The multicultural elite so dominant here and in Europe quite perplex me: what group of people has ever so prided itself on its sensitivity to cultural differences but is, nonetheless, so hopelessly blind to those differences when they (inevitably) manifest themselves? Multiculturalism, paradoxically, seems to presuppose uniculturalismthat all human beings actually share the same basic moral orientation. This is why we are to celebrate diversity, but never deplore it. (Indeed, the elite may well prosecute you, in Sweden as elsewhere in the European Union, if you dare.) Yet reality keeps intruding. Consider the recent flap over Sweden. Last Saturday, as Robert Spencer reports, President Trump unleashed an international storm of ridiculewhen he said: Heres the bottom line, we have to keep our country safe. When you look at whats happening in Germany, when you look at whats happening last night in Sweden Sweden. Who would believe this? Sweden. They took in large numbers, theyre having problems like they never thought possible. Trumps statement here is somewhat unclear. It could be taken, as it was, to mean there was a terror incident on Friday (there wasnt). Fake news! But even when Trump subsequently clarified that he was referring to a segment Fox aired Friday concerning Swedens migrant crisis, he was still denounced for spreading false information. Heres the Fox News segment Trump was referring to. Here, in turn, is CNNs Don Lemon interviewing Ami Horowitz, the filmmaker whose film the Fox segment featured. Lemon denies violent crime has increased in Sweden. He also denies there is any evidence of a correlation between these crimes and immigration. Actually, Violent Crime Has Increased in Sweden So, has Sweden experienced an increase in violent crime? Well, Swedens official statistics do show increases in lethal violence (which includes murder, manslaughter and other deadly assaults) and sexual offenses over the past ten years. Between 2006 and 2015 the incidence of lethal violence does fluctuate, but there is a sharp 65 percent spike from 2012 to 2015. In the same period, there was also an almost 49 percent increase in sexual offenses (a category including, among other offenses, rape). Looking at rape by itself, from 2006-2015 there was a 40 percent increase in the number of reported rapes. It is true that the number of rapes declined from 2014 to 2015, from a high of 6,697 to a still-high 5,918; but, even so, the overall upward trend is clear. Other Swedes, namely Ingrid Carlqvist and Lars Hedegaard, argue these trends are much sharper if one takes a longer view: In 1975, the Swedish parliament unanimously decided to change the former homogeneous Sweden into a multicultural country. Forty years later the dramatic consequences of this experiment emerge: violent crime has increased by 300%. If one looks at the number of rapes, however, the increase is even worse. In 1975, 421 rapes were reported to the police; in 2014, it was 6,620. That is an increase of 1,472%. Sweden is now number two on the global list of rape countries. According to a survey from 2010, Sweden, with 53.2 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants, is surpassed only by tiny Lesotho in Southern Africa, with 91.6 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. According to United Nations data, in 2010 Sweden had the second highest rate of rape in the world. Also, the 2010 number5,960 reported rapeswas not much higher than the 2015 number5,918. The police, by the way, only locate less than 15 percent of the perpetrators. Data Also Suggests the Uptick Is Due to Immigrants More controversial is what explains these increases. Some contend the increase in rape is simply a statistical phenomenon due to the application of an expanded definition of rape in 2005 and again in 2013. Others suggest Swedish women have simply grown bolder about reporting things that happened previously but went unreported. Maybe, but in the same period, as Carlqvist and Hedegaard point out, the number of gang rapes [in Sweden] increased spectacularly. In rapes of this kind culprits and victims are most often young and in almost every case, the perpetrators are of immigrant background, mostly from Muslim countries. So might immigration help explain the increases in violent crime and rape? It is difficult to determine this, Carlqvist and Hedegaard note, because the Swedish government is no longer interested in collecting the data necessary to examine this possible connection. Indeed, the government is not only not looking for such a connection but is also actively suppressing the release of evidence supporting one. This wasnt always the case. As Carlqvist and Hedegaard also note, the data collected before the government stopped collecting such data does show a strong correlation: As part of the evidence Michael Hess presented in court, he made use of whatever statistics existed on immigrant criminality in Sweden before the statistical authorities stopped measuring. Michael Hess tried to find answers to two questions: Is there a correspondence between the incidence of rape and the number of people with a foreign background in Sweden? Is there a correspondence between the incidence of rape and some specific group of immigrants in Sweden? The answer to both questions was an unequivocal Yes. Twenty-one research reports from the 1960s until today are unanimous in their conclusions: Whether or not they measured by the number of convicted rapists or men suspected of rape, men of foreign extraction were represented far more than Swedes. And this greater representation of persons with a foreign background keeps increasing: 1960-1970s 1.2 to 2.6 times as often as Swedes 1980s 2.1 to 4.7 times as often as Swedes 1990s 2.1 to 8.1 times as often as Swedes 2000s 2.1 to 19.5 times as often as Swedes Even when adjusted for variables such as age, sex, class and place of residence, the huge discrepancy between immigrants and Swedes remains. Research reports on crime in Sweden have become a rarity, but among the eighteen that were done during the 1990s and the 2000s, eleven dealt with rape. Two of these reports dealt with the connection between rape and immigration, and they both confirmed that there is a link. Finally, its also worth pointing out that the rise of rape isnt peculiar to Sweden either. The same problem is plaguing Germany, Austria (more information here), Britain, and other EU nations. Anyone who points any of this out will likely be labeled a Nazi. But recognizing this problem has nothing whatsoever to do with blood and soil nationalismwhich, along with its totalitarian cousin, communism, is utterly despicable. The problem here is rooted in culture, not blood. Islam is increasingly hostile to the views that define western liberal democracy. To get some sense of the cultural chasm, read Carlqvist here and watch the videos she has linked (most of which have subtitles). They are chilling. The author is a professor who teaches at an American university. This byline marks several different individuals, granted anonymity in cases where publishing an article on The Federalist would credibly threaten close personal relationships, their safety, or their jobs. We verify the identities of those who publish anonymously with The Federalist. Michael James wanted to inspire his students with images of leaders they could identify with. One day he returned to his classroom to find that a district employee had removed posters of Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Colin Powell, and other black heroes. James was told the images were age-inappropriate and had been stripped from his bulletin board. Michael James was sickened by this ridiculous claim and quit. The school district superintendent says this was an "anomaly" but somehow allowed to reach the point where a teacher quit. Pensicola News Journal: Italy's capital sees major return of foreign tourists. Rome is thronged with tourists this summer, with the capital set to return to pre-covid levels in 2023, according to Alessandro Onorato, the city's councillor for tourism, major events, fashion and sport. "Culture has always been the asset on which Rome has made its fortune" - Onorato told Italian news agency AGI - "We are enhancing the city's extraordinary archaeological and monumental heritage but we want to combine it with the potential of large-scale events in iconic places in Rome." The goal is to put forward "a more modern and attractive image of the capital", said Onorato, who underlined recent events that received international media coverage, such as the Valentino fashion show on the Spanish Steps. Onorato said that Rome's tourism is recovering rapidly despite the fallout from the covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine, however it is "not yet at the levels of 2019". The councillor stressed that the absence of tourists from Russia and Asia was offset by a "very full programme of major events" between April and July, adding that the city is "optimistic and confident" of a return to pre-covid tourism levels next year. "Rome has a wealth that is unique in the world" - Onorato said - "The time has come to make it better known and exploit it fully". Separately, the absence of "coveted" high-spending Russian tourists has resulted in losses for the capital's luxury tourism and shopping sectors, Roberto Necci, president of the Rome branch of hotel association Federalberghi, told Italian news agency ANSA. Earlier this week a new report by retailer association Comfcommercio showed that Italy is seeing a surge in foreign tourists who are set to generate 17 billion this summer, with US tourists leading the recovery. Photo credit: red-feniks / Shutterstock.com. Placeholder while article actions load The Iranian regime has a long, dishonorable history of assassination plots against dissidents and detractors abroad, but commissioning a hit against a former US national security adviser represents a raising of the bar in brazenness. The revelation that a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to have John Bolton murdered on American soil, at that should serve as a sobering reminder for President Joe Biden of Tehrans depravity as he contemplates making a deal that will both enrich and embolden those behind the plot. The US Justice Department said Shahram Poursafi, an IRGC member based in Tehran, offered $300,000 to individuals in the United States [to] carry out the murder in Washington, DC or Maryland. The hit was likely meant as retaliation for the 2020 US drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, a top IRGC commander designated by the US as a terrorist and also personally sanctioned by the European Union and the United Nations. Poursafi began casting for an assassin last fall, even as Biden was reiterating his pledge to revive the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, that Iran signed with the world powers in the summer of 2015. President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the JCPOA in 2018, arguing it didnt do enough to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, and slapped economic sanctions against Iran. Advertisement Biden has made a return to the deal one of his foreign policy priorities. After several rounds of negotiations in Vienna, the US and Iran are now examining what is being billed by European mediators as the final text of an agreement to revive the nuclear deal. If they agree, the sanctions will be lifted, giving Tehran access to hundreds of billions of dollars in frozen assets and revenue from oil exports. Like President Barack Obama, who championed the original agreement, Biden seems to believe that if Irans leaders are allowed to make money, they will tone down the aggression against their Arab neighbors as well as the US: more trade, less terrorism. The opposite is more likely. In the years that the JCPOA was in effect, Iran increased its financial and material support for a network of militias and terrorist groups it uses to menace the Middle East and international trade. Bidens repeated assurances of his sincerity to revive the deal and his administrations lax application of Trumps sanctions have been met only with bad faith from Iran. Advertisement While pocketing billions from oil exports carried out in contravention of the sanctions, the regime has grown more aggressive in its behavior. It has accelerated its uranium enrichment well past the point of any nonmilitary application. Tehran has also ratcheted up its program of hostage-taking, specifically targeting people with Western passports. And, as the plot against Bolton demonstrates, Iran has grown more ambitious in its international assassination campaign. Much of it is directed at Israeli tourists and diplomats, apparently in retaliation for Israels killing of top IRGC figures connected to the nuclear program. In June, Turkey detained eight men in an Iranian operation to kill Israeli tourists in Istanbul. Two months earlier, Israeli intelligence foiled an IRGC plot to assassinate an Israeli diplomat in Turkey, an American general in Germany and a French journalist. Advertisement Iran has also grown more brazen in planning attacks in the US. In late July, a man carrying a loaded AK-47 was arrested outside the Brooklyn home of Masih Alinejad, a prominent critic of the regime. It was almost exactly a year after four Iranian agents were charged in federal court in Manhattan with conspiring to kidnap Alinejad. By targeting Bolton, the regime is signaling that its recklessness knows no bounds. And the former NSA chief may not even have been the IRGCs top target: According to the Justice Department, Poursafi let it be known he would pay $1 million for another hit, presumably against someone of even higher profile. The State Department recently told Congress that it is paying to protect former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his point man on Iran, Brian Hook, both of whom face serious and credible threats from Tehran. It is especially ironic that one of the Iranian demands that has stalled negotiations for the resuscitation of the nuclear deal was that Biden remove the IRGC from the State Departments list of designated terrorist groups. The president has, wisely, refused to make that concession. Advertisement But Biden should now ask himself whether a regime this reckless can be trusted with any deal at all. More From Bloomberg Opinion: Biden Should Show Iran What Plan B Would Look Like: Editorial Bidens New Gang of Four Targets Iran and China: James Stavridis Iran Cant Afford to Avenge the Death of Soleimani: Bobby Ghosh This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Bobby Ghosh is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering foreign affairs. Previously, he was editor in chief at Hindustan Times, managing editor at Quartz and international editor at Time. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load As former president Donald Trump desperately clung to power last year, and his agitated supporters violently invaded the Capitol, a number of flaws in the US election system became all too clear. Thankfully, one of them may soon be fixed. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight After months of negotiations, a bipartisan group of senators has released a set of reforms to the Electoral Count Act of 1887. In conjunction with the 12th Amendment, the act establishes a framework for casting and counting electoral votes in a presidential election and provides a process for adjudicating disputes. Notoriously, the laws wording is inartful in crucial respects. It allows for just one legislator in both chambers to object to a states electors if their votes were not lawfully certified or regularly given, for instance, but it doesnt clearly define those terms. Similarly, while the text spells out the vice presidents duties in this process, and implies that this role is purely ceremonial, it fails to explicitly rule out any more substantive decision-making powers. Advertisement Trumps multi-tiered plot to stay in power hinged on exploiting precisely such ambiguities. After Joe Bidens victory in November, one of Trumps lawyers drafted a six-page memo outlining how Vice President Mike Pence might be prevailed upon to reject legitimate votes during the certification process. Trumps campaign assembled fake slates of electors from seven states Biden had won, with the hope that Pence would recognize them instead of the real electors or, alternatively, declare the votes from those states in dispute and toss them out thereby throwing the election to Trump. Pence insisted, correctly, that he had no authority to do any such thing. It bears repeating that those advancing this plot were not exactly rocket scientists and that no relevant legal authority would ever have gone along with it. Yet it was damaging all the same. It lent a veneer of plausibility to Trumps claims, emboldened his loyalists to storm the Capitol, and undermined faith in the broader electoral process. When Trump denounced Pence for refusing to go along with the scheme, the assembled mob called for his head. If passed, the bill proposed by the Senate group would go a long way toward preventing a repeat of this fiasco. (Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said the Senate will vote on the legislation after the August recess; the House still needs to take up its own version.) It clarifies that the vice presidents role in counting votes is solely ministerial. It also would require one-fifth of the members in each chamber to object to an electoral slate making it more difficult for partisans to grandstand and obstruct the process. Advertisement Prudently, the legislation also stipulates that governors (or other officials as determined by state law) have sole authority for certifying and submitting election slates to Congress. This should head off any harebrained attempts by state legislators to submit dueling electors. If legitimate controversies arise over how a state conducted its election, an aggrieved presidential candidate can petition a three-judge federal panel to hear his or her complaint, and, if necessary, escalate the dispute to the Supreme Court. For too long, the tragicomic shenanigans of the late-stage Trump administration have threatened to obscure significant defects in Americas electoral machinery. Fixing the Electoral Count Act is step one toward repairing them. More From Other Writers at Bloomberg Opinion Election Law Reform Just Took a Big Step Forward: Jonathan Bernstein The Senates Election Reform Bill Does Just Enough: Ramesh Ponnuru The Reset That Biden and His Party Need: Clive Crook The Editors are members of the Bloomberg Opinion editorial board. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load If success has many fathers, then a crypto exchange in the eye of a money-laundering storm has become an orphan. After Indian law enforcement froze $8 million in WazirX assets, Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao denied owning the countrys largest crypto exchange. Binances November 2019 blog post, which had announced the takeover, now comes with a postscript: The acquisition described in this blog was limited to an agreement to purchase certain assets and intellectual property of WazirX. Binance did not purchase any equity (and does not own any equity) in Zanmai Labs, the entity operating WazirX and established by the original founders. One of those founders, however, disputes this version of the deal. Nischal Shetty, now based in Dubai according to media reports, contends that Binance indeed controls WazirX it owns the domain name and could shut down the platform. The only thing that isnt under the thumb of the worlds largest crypto exchange is Zanmai, Shetty argues. Naturally, if Binance desires control of Zanmai, they can acquire shares, he tweeted. So why doesnt it, if as Shetty claims, it was interested in doing so as late as February? Advertisement CZ, as the Binance CEO is popularly known, wont be so foolish as to walk into the lair of Indias dreaded Enforcement Directorate to stake a claim on Zanmai. Certainly not after the EDs Aug. 5 press release that alleges Zanmai owns WazirX and that the crypto exchange was used to launder money by predatory Chinese loan apps. (In a press release, Zanmai said it co-operates the platform with Binance and is in the position of any other intermediary whose platform may have been misused.) The dodgy apps rented the balance sheets of Indian nonbank lenders and vanished with their illegal profits. The maximum amount of funds were diverted to WazirX exchange and the crypto assets so purchased have been diverted to unknown foreign wallets, the directorate said, adding that Zanmai officials are giving contradictory and ambiguous answers to evade oversight by Indian regulatory agencies. What oversight? The Reserve Bank of India, the banking regulator, hates crypto. In 2018, the RBI instructed banks not to entertain customers who dealt in virtual currencies. Exchanges like WazirX, then a fledgling startup, survived the draconian diktat by restricting themselves to facilitating person-to-person transfers. In 2020, the industry heaved a sigh of relief when Indias Supreme Court held the RBIs ban to be unconstitutional. However, all that has happened since then is that authorities have started taxing crypto trading, without bothering to regulate it. Advertisement The crypto winter brought on by the collapse of the TerraUSD stablecoin may have convinced the RBI that its dismissive stance was the right one. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das termed cryptocurrencies as a clear danger in Singapore last month. His host nation a far smaller economy has also taken a few knocks in this years turmoil, most recently with the payment freeze at crypto lender Hodlnaut, which had an in-principle nod to obtain a license under Singapores Payments Services Act. The approval has been rescinded, but limited spillover into the local financial system means that the monetary authority doesnt see crypto as a systemic risk. Its not something the city-state is going to outlaw. India could also have said that if people are going to play with hazardous tokens anyway, lets make sure they dont hurt themselves or others. By showing scant interest in regulating digital assets, the RBI has left the industry in a bad place. Thanks to a recent Indian Supreme Court ruling, the enforcement directorate has nearly unlimited powers for carrying out arrests and raids, attaching property and recording self-incriminating statements. Bail is near impossible, and the burden of proving innocence is on the accused. A couple more scandals, and the ED may achieve the shutdown the RBI has long wished for: The considerable talent India has in this area will flee to more welcoming jurisdictions like Dubai. If a comparison with a global financial center like Singapore is not very helpful, maybe India should look to Thailand for inspiration. There, the existing digital regulations are being tweaked to actively create a role for the central bank in safeguarding investors at licensed entities like Zipmex (Thailand) Ltd., a cryptocurrency exchange that briefly suspended coin withdrawals. All that the RBI wants, meanwhile, is a blanket ban on crypto because it is not possible to regulate something that one cannot define. Advertisement Lame excuses like that have led to the present bizarre situation where nobody is coming forward to claim parentage of Indias largest crypto bourse. Thats just what you get by letting jail risk do the job of adult supervision. The enforcement authority in its press release took WazirX to task for its alleged lack of due diligence: No physical address verification is done, it said. There is no check on the source of funds of their clients. If this picture of a lawless terrain is true, then a big part of blame goes to the RBIs dangerous disinterest. Letting the enforcement directorate add its own chilling effect to the crypto winter will make the industry shrivel and die. More From Bloomberg Opinion: Coinbases End of Story Is Just the Beginning: Lionel Laurent Crypto Steps Out of the Shadows in India: Andy Mukherjee Advertisement A Digital Rupee Has Benefits but Why the Rush?: Andy Mukherjee This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies and financial services in Asia. Previously, he worked for Reuters, the Straits Times and Bloomberg News. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load The Covid wave fueled by the omicron BA.5 surge is finally starting to ebb in the UK and in some of the harder-hit parts of the US. But why? Its no longer tenable to argue that disease waves peak and fall primarily because people start taking precautions. People, especially in these two countries, are taking fewer precautions all the time. Scientists are starting to get a handle on the complex factors that drive waves up and down. Behavior patterns are just one small factor. Changing seasons, new contact patterns and waning immunity can drive waves up, and growing immunity can drive them back down. For policy makers and scientists, a better understanding of the factors driving pandemic waves would take some of the guesswork out of forecasting and decision-making, such as the commitment to create a booster aimed at BA.5 this fall. Will BA.5 be replaced by then? Or will it resurge in a second wave? Being able to answer these kinds of questions might finally allow politicians and public health officials to get the pandemic under control. Advertisement University of Vermont network theorist Laurent Hebert-Dufresne compares each wave to a wildfire burning itself out when it runs out of fuel. Because most people who are infected retain immunity for a few weeks and some for a few months, the disease can temporarily run out of people to infect. And the threshold needed to curb a wave might be lower than we thought. In 2020, the conventional wisdom was that only masks, social distancing and isolation could drive cases down unless herd immunity was reached after the vast majority of people got sick. But a few disease modelers, such as Gabriela Gomes of the University of Strathclyde in Scotland and Tom Britton of the University of Stockholm, predicted that cases might collapse much sooner after less than a third of the population was infected because there was a lot of heterogeneity in susceptibility to infection. It was seen as heresy at the time, but turned out to be at least partly right. In a recent Substack post, physician Eric Topol of Scripps Research uses the term immunity wall to collectively describe the various factors that might cause pandemic waves to fall. Its more complicated than how many people have been infected, vaccinated or both. The bricks in a populations immunity wall also include which variant previously circulated, when people got vaccinated, the populations age and overall health, as well as other factors. Advertisement And thats at the national level. Due to variation in the human immune system, some people get longer-lasting protection from their vaccines or previous infections. Waning immunity is a real problem, but its far from uniform or universal. What classic disease modeling can say is that waves that rise fast tend to collapse quickly, said Vermonts Hebert-Dufresne. That happened with the first omicron wave the sharpness of the infection curve in the winter of 2021 was surprising, but typical for a very contagious virus. The original US wave in the spring of 2020 was the unusual one because it changed peoples behavior so much. Bringing back the fire analogy, restricting the amount of contact people had during the initial 2020 wave brought cases down slowly but left lots of susceptible people who were then infected during bigger fall and winter waves. Advertisement Seasonality adds another layer of complexity. Humidity might make the virus harder to spread in the summer, so winter can bring new waves with dryer air, kids going back to school, and millions of people attending parties and traveling around the winter holidays. Its clear that the emergence of a new variant such as delta or BA.5 can lead to a big summer wave, though perhaps those waves would have been even bigger had they hit during the winter. Its also vital to remember that the amount of testing we do also affects the shape of Covid waves especially the lack of available tests early in the pandemic and lack of interest in getting tested in this latest wave, said Hebert-Dufresne. Thats another layer of complexity making it hard to know whats going on now, and hard to predict what will come next. And there are also elements of chance that figure into where outbreaks occur even air currents in a room can influence who gets infected and who doesnt. This can make the rise and fall of infection waves seem kind of arbitrary, said Sam Scarpino, vice president for pathogen surveillance at the Rockefeller Institute and external professor at the Santa Fe Institute. It isnt arbitrary, but there are so many moving pieces coupled with shifts in testing and disease severity. Advertisement The BA.5 wave has been the hardest to predict because the lack of testing means we dont really know whats going on. Scarpino said wastewater studies have indicated a viral circulation as rampant as last winters enormous BA.1 omicron wave but with far fewer deaths and hospitalizations. In surveys, people say theyre going back to normal not necessarily because they think the pandemic is over, but because they value aspects of their normal lives and recognize that the virus isnt going away. Thats even more reason for science to keep gathering data through wastewater or surveillance testing at universities. Scientists need that data to get a sharper picture of why waves rise and fall and maybe, eventually, to prevent the next wave from rising at all. More From Writers at Bloomberg Opinion: Advertisement Wall Street Is Failing Women in Retirement: Alexis Leondis Police Training Is Expensive and Its Still Not Enough: Stephen L. Carter Three Major Takeaways From the FBI Search on Trumps Home: Noah Feldman (Corrects the spelling of Laurent Hebert-Dufresnes name.) This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering science. She is host of the Follow the Science podcast. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), the Emirate of Dubais exclusive electricity and water services provider, recorded a revenue of AED7.01 billion ($1.91 billion) for the second quarter (Q2). Dewa said it posted a net profit of AED2.61 billion ($710.59 million) for the period. For the first half 2022, Dewas revenue totalled AED12.08 billion and net profit AED3.30 billion. Robust financial performance Dewas first half revenue increase of 15% to AED12.08 billion was mainly driven by an increase in demand and a transition to normalised tariff structure, it said. Energy demand in Dubai during the first half of 2022 increased by 6.3% compared to the same period in 2021 (23.27 TWh compared to 21.9 TWh). Nearly 10% of this generation is from solar. Similarly, water demand in the same period grew by 6.4%. Dewas peak power demand in the first half of 2022 was 9.4 GW, which represents a 7% increase over the same period of last year. By the end of the second quarter, Dewa served 1,126,121 customers, representing a 5.12% increase from the same time last year. Dewas majority owned subsidiary, Empower, also demonstrated record growth in segmented revenue and profit. In the first half of the year, Empower's revenue was AED1,154 million net profit was AED432 million, representing a 16% and 11% increase respectively versus the same period in the last year. Dewas half year financial results demonstrate our commitment to advancing strategic priorities of sustainability focused smart growth, enhanced customer happiness, operational excellence and attractive capital returns for our shareholders. Continued focus on project delivery, innovation and accelerating our digital transformation has bolstered our results through the first six months of 2022," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa. "We maintain significant capacity to deploy capital through a disciplined investment strategy with a focus on meeting the aspirations of the Emirate of Dubai. In line with our strategy, we continue to provide a robust infrastructure to keep pace with rapid developments in Dubai and provide our services to more than a million customers according to the highest standards of availability, reliability, efficiency, and safety, he said. We continue to implement pioneering projects to diversify Dubais clean and renewable energy sources and achieve our wise leaderships vision for a bright and sustainable future for generations to come, added Al Tayer. Major achievements In the first half of 2022, Dewas installed capacity increased by 700 megawatts (MW) to 14,117 MW. This includes 600 MW from the Hassyan Power Complex, which runs on natural gas and 100 MW from the 5th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (MBR Solar Park), which runs on photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. MBR Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, built on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, with planned capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030. By June 2022, Dewas 250 MW pumped-storage hydroelectric power station, which is being constructed in Hatta, was 44% complete. It will have a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours and a life span of up to 80 years. This is the first power station of its kind in the GCC. In addition, Dewa achieved 85% completion of its 120 MIG Nakhali water reservoir, 84% completion of its 60 MIG Lusaily Reservoir, and 11% completion of its 120 MIG Hassyan Reservoir. Further, Dewa also commissioned 287 (11kV) substations in Dubai in the first half of 2022. There are now 78 (33kV) substations in service and 42,093 medium voltage (11kV) substations in the company's transmission and distribution network. The company also commissioned one (400kV) substation and 10 (132kV) substations, bringing the total to 26 (400kV) substations and 329 (132kV) substations. Dewa also completed laying 100 km of 132 kV cable and 802 km of medium voltage cable. In June 2022, Dewa launched an Automatic Smart Grid Restoration System (ASGR), the first of its kind in the Mena region, to increase the control, management, and monitoring of its power network. The system works round the clock without any human intervention. It uses a smart, innovative, and central system that locates the fault in the power network, isolates it and automatically restores the service. This improves grid automation, fault detection and retrieval of connections. In the second quarter of 2022 and as part of the Smart Living initiative, Dewa added a Self-Assessment tool for residential customers to easily understand their consumption patterns. This is part of Dewas effort to make Dubai homes more sustainable and efficient. Since inception, the Smart Living Initiative service saved up to 8 billion gallons of water. Dewa is the first utility worldwide to use nano satellites to monitor and improve the operations, maintenance and planning of its electricity and water networks. In May 2022, Dewa signed an MoU with Eutelsat, the French global satellite operator, to provide technical support for Dewas Space-D programme and DEWAs 3U nanosatellite DEWASAT1. This will help develop nanosatellite Internet of Things (IoT) terminals and enhance connectivity between Dewas assets and its nanosatellite. In addition, Dewa pro-actively harnesses the use of drone technology, using advanced drones for asset inspection purposes to support Dubais growing infrastructure. - TradeArabia News Service A 53-year-old doctor in Irvine, California suspected his wife of poisoning him when he became sick for over a month with "significant internal injuries," so he set up cameras in his house. And his suspicions proved to be at least seemingly true, as footage caught his wife an Orange County dermatologist on three separate occasions pouring Drano into his tea and lemonade (stills from footage in video below). His 45-year-old wife, Yue "Emily" Yu, was arrested last week. From NBC News: Dr. Yue Yu, 45, was arrested Thursday and booked into the Orange County Jail, the Irvine Police Department said in a news release. She was released Friday after posting $30,000 bond. Her husband of 10 years, who was not identified by police, contacted Irvine authorities Thursday, saying he suspected Yu was poisoning him. An attorney for the husband identified him as Dr. Jack Chen, 53, a radiologist. According to police, the husband fell ill "over the course of one month" and sustained "significant internal injuries." In the July 18 incident, Chen allegedly covered his cup with plastic wrap. When he was gone, Yu took the drain cleaner from under the kitchen sink, removed the cellophane covering, poured the liquid into the lemonade, then replaced the cellophane, the filing said. Chen said he started noticing a "chemical taste" in his lemonade in March and April. He went to a doctor who diagnosed him with two stomach ulcers, gastritis and inflammation of the esophagus. The health issues prompted him to set up the cameras. Placeholder while article actions load Without knowing what the Department of Justice has learned about former President Donald Trumps conduct, its impossible to say whether searching his home in Mar-a-Lago was justified. Before all the facts are in, however, its crucial to understand that the verdict on this action and what follows cant rest only on what the law says. Attorney General Merrick Garland and his officials also had to be sure that they were acting and would in due course be seen as having acted in the public interest. Assuming they had solid legal grounds for doing what they did, this second test is still extremely demanding. Im hoping it wasnt just ignored. You might well ask: How can investigation and prosecution of crimes ever fail to be in the public interest? Very easily. A conscientious effort to prosecute every crime to the fullest extent of the law might leave surprisingly few Americans at liberty. This country has built such a vast constellation of criminal offenses that prosecutorial discretion that is, choosing not to prosecute is not so much a function of limited resources as something that justice actually requires. Advertisement According to reports, the crimes Trump possibly committed might include such heinous acts as keeping a letter former President Barack Obama left for him in the Oval Office. No doubt thats multiple counts of something all by itself. In the US its easy to commit crimes without realizing it, and sometimes difficult not to. (Read Three Felonies a Day by Harvey Silverglate.) So-called reform prosecutors make a related point about the public interest in their argument for less zealous prosecution though I expect few will be rushing to Trumps defense. Regardless, the point stands: Prosecuting crimes to the fullest extent of the law is not just impracticable in the US. In many cases, its also unjust. Granted, a president who, say, conspires to commit electoral fraud is a much more serious offender than the occasional user of recreational drugs. And part of what defines a free country is that political leaders arent seen, and dont see themselves, as above the law. In some ways, the public interest demands that they be held to a higher standard than everybody else. (You might overlook a neighbor who hosts a party during a pandemic lockdown; its harder to forgive a prime minister who breaks his own law while enforcing it on others.) Advertisement At any rate, the seriousness of the alleged crime has a bearing on the public-interest calculation. The Justice Departments Principles of Federal Prosecution say as much. On whether to initiate or decline charges, they also say this: In assessing the seriousness of the offense the prosecutor may properly weigh such questions as whether the violation is technical or relatively inconsequential in nature and what the public attitude may be toward prosecution under the circumstances of the case. I hope National Reviews Andrew McCarthys speculation is right, that the search at Mar-a-Lago is about knowingly illegal efforts to overturn the election a grave crime and that the putative violation of document-retention rules is, as they say, pretextual. Recent reports suggest the focus is on the mishandling of classified documents; that could pose a threat to national security and might also satisfy the public-interest test. Serious offenses demand accountability. But former presidents can be held accountable in many ways, and its a further step to say their misconduct should trigger the automatic application of the criminal law. Advertisement In a country with a credibly nonpartisan criminal-justice system, the answer would be easy: Just prosecute. The effort might succeed or fail, depending on the strength of the evidence, but whatever the outcome, the collateral damage would be limited. In America, however, the criminal-justice system is no longer trusted to stand above politics. Actually, its no longer even asked by either side of a deeply divided country to try: More important values are deemed to be at stake. What a truly toxic combination. The system grants prosecutors enormous power and discretion, and the loudest voices insist they be applied to nakedly political goals. Set aside the difficulties of sustaining a successful prosecution of Trump. (Regardless of the charges, theyre daunting.) Instead, focus on Garlands most important task: repairing the reputation of a tainted and dangerously politicized criminal-justice system. Above all, this demands caution and restraint something that the FBIs visit to Mar-a-Lago did not convey. Perhaps, once all the facts are known, it will be clear that Garland and his officials conducted themselves judiciously. If not, theyll have moved the country another step closer to constitutional collapse. Advertisement More From Bloomberg Opinion: After Mar-a-Lago Search, the Public Deserves Some Answers: The Editors Trump Search Should Just Be Garlands Opening Act: Timothy OBrien Three Takeaways From the Search on Trumps Home: Noah Feldman This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Clive Crook is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and member of the editorial board covering economics. Previously, he was deputy editor of the Economist and chief Washington commentator for the Financial Times. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Everyones got to live a little. An effective politician who wants to change the world cant be all Main Street, no Wall Street. President Xi Jinpings corruption crackdown on Chinas sprawling financial sector seems only to be accelerating, reaching the upper levels at some of the biggest state-owned institutions. In fact, the scope has been so wide and the punishments so severe that any bureaucrat in charge of a bank, a brokerage, or an insurance unit should fear possible jail time. But the recent corruption scandal at a $20 billion venture capital fund, which served as Beijings primary vehicle to foster its domestic chip-manufacturing industry, raises questions as to whether Xis methods to rein in his financiers are too severe, and if his anti-corruption campaign is deterring officials taking bribes at all. Advertisement To encourage good governance, the Big Funds stakeholders the Ministry of Finance and China Development Bank Capital wouldnt be involved in daily operations. Professional managers would be hired to make investment decisions, with the fund serving as a passive investor in its portfolio companies. But because of inferior pay, the fund struggled to attract talent, drawing top management from the system. Ding Wenwu, former president of the fund, had worked at the state agency responsible for designing the nations industrial policies. Lu Jun, who was in charge of investment decisions, built his career at China Development Bank. As a result, the funds corporate culture resembled that of the government; entrenched interests resulted in bad investments. Both senior executives are now under investigation. In an economy where the government retains outsized influence, power can easily lead to corruption. As such, severe punishments including death sentences have been deemed as necessary to prevent officials from crossing the line. Advertisement Good pay, too, can be a useful tool to steer bureaucrats away from easy temptation. And yet contrary to well-run places such as Hong Kong and Singapore, where officials are more highly remunerated, China started a war on bankers compensation instead. State-owned investment banks including China International Capital Corp. and Citic Securities Co. have implemented pay cuts up to 60%, even though the businesses remain solid. The trend has spread to commercial banking, where remuneration is much lower. This week, Ping An Bank Co. reportedly slashed some retail bankers bonuses by 40%. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance set new pay parameters. Base salaries for senior executives at state-owned units should be capped at 35% of their total package, with over 40% of their bonus to be deferred for at least three years. It was Beijings way of spurring bureaucrats into action, while curbing excessive risk-taking. Advertisement Theres not a lot of options for cashing out in the post-government revolving door either. These days, officials who retire or resign from their posts cant work in related industries for at least three years. Getting a job in think tanks became the way for many to supplement their income upon retirement. While they are in office, titles matter, but many mid-level officials still have outsized influence. However, ranking become the criterion for retirement benefits. For instance, minister-level officials can work up to 65; after retirement, they can still fly business class, stay in hospital suites when they seek medical treatment, and retain a driver and personal secretary. Bureaucrats retiring at deputy levels and below, however, dont get these perks. As a result, officials either jostle and climb the ladder as fast as possible, or find ways to monetize their power, opening doors to bribery and corruption. Xi has preached a lot of ideology to his cadres, highlighting the importance of good governance to keep the Communist Party in power. But mere righteousness and draconian punishments are not enough. Xi has to give out some carrots too. Advertisement More From Bloomberg Opinion: Xi Jinpings $920 Billion VC Push Has a Dark Side: Shuli Ren China Painted Itself Into a Semiconductor Corner: Tim Culpan A Warning From Xi Jinping to Start the Year: Shuli Ren This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Shuli Ren is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Asian markets. A former investment banker, she was a markets reporter for Barrons. She is a CFA charterholder. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load NICOSIA, Cyprus The foreign ministry of Cyprus said Thursday its lodging formal protests against a meeting between the leader of the ethnically split island nations breakaway Turkish Cypriots and the president of Azerbaijan amid concerns of a stepped-up partition campaign. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed disappointment and regret over the Tuesday meeting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar on the sidelines of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey. It asked the Azerbaijani government to take corrective steps. The ministry said the meeting contravened U.N. Security Council resolutions condemning the unilateral, decades-old declaration of a separate Turkish state in northern Cyprus. It added that support for Turkish Cypriot demands could scupper Azerbaijans bid for a European Union partnership deal, which would need consent from EU member Cyprus. Advertisement Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence. Although Cyprus join the EU in 2004, full benefits apply only to the Mediterranean islands Greek Cypriot south, where the internationally recognized government is seated. Previous Turkish Cypriot leaders championed a peace deal that established Cyprus as a federation composed of Greek-speaking and Turkish Cypriot zones. Tatar strongly advocates - with Turkeys backing - a two-state accord based on the sovereign equality of the Turkish Cypriots with the nations majority Greek Cypriots. Tatar argues that nearly five decades of talks aimed at a federated Cyprus have failed and that a two-state deal is the only feasible route. Greek Cypriots reject any deal that would formalize the islands partition. The Cypriot government fears that meetings between Tatar and foreign heads of state are intended to secure political recognition for the breakaway north in support of a two-state deal. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The Palestinian death toll from last weekends fighting between Israel and Gaza militants rose to 48 Thursday after an 11-year-old girl and a man died from wounds they suffered during the worst cross-border violence in over a year. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russia's war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Meanwhile, two wounded Gaza children, ages 8 and 14, were fighting for their lives in a Jerusalem hospital. In all, more than 300 Palestinians were wounded over the weekend when Israel struck Islamic Jihad targets across Gaza and the militant group fired hundreds of rockets at Israel. The death of 11-year-old Layan al-Shaer at Mukassed Hospital in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem brought to 17 the number of children killed in the fighting. Hani al-Shaer, a relative, said she was wounded in a drone attack during a surprise opening salvo launched by Israel, hours before any rockets were fired. Advertisement Israel said it launched the initial wave of airstrikes, which killed an Islamic Jihad commander, in response to an imminent threat from the militant group, days after Israeli troops arrested one of its leaders in the occupied West Bank. Two other Gaza children, 14-year-old Nayef al-Awdat and 8-year-old Mohammed Abu Ktaifa were being treated in the intensive care unit at Mukassed. Nayef, who is blind, was wounded in an Israeli airstrike, while Mohammed was hurt in an explosion that went off near a wedding party and killed an elderly woman, with the circumstances still unclear. Israel has said as many as 16 people might have been killed by rockets misfired by Palestinian militants. Israeli strikes appear to have killed more than 30 Palestinians, including civilians and several militants, among them two senior Islamic Jihad commanders. It wasnt immediately clear how the man whose death was announced Thursday was wounded. The Israeli military says it makes every effort to avoid civilian casualties. Advertisement A cease-fire took hold Sunday night, bringing an end to the fighting that started Friday. No Israelis were killed or seriously wounded. Israel and Gazas militant Hamas rulers have fought four wars and several smaller battles over the last 15 years at a staggering cost to the territorys 2 million Palestinian residents. Hamas sat out the latest fighting, possibly because of understandings with Israel that have eased a 15-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on Gaza when Hamas took power. In other developments, a Palestinian prisoner on a protracted hunger strike was moved Thursday from an Israeli jail to a hospital because of his worsening condition, the prisoners wife said. An Israeli prison service official confirmed the development, speaking on condition of anonymity under regulations. Advertisement Khalil Awawdeh has refused food for just over 160 days, according to his family, in a bid to draw attention to his detention by Israel without trial or charge. His case was thrust into the spotlight during the latest Gaza fighting. Gaza militants have demanded his release as part of the cease-fire that ended the fighting. Awawdeh, a 40-year-old father of four, was arrested by Israel in December, accused of being a member of a militant group, a charge his lawyer said he denies. Recently, he has been using a wheelchair and was showing memory loss and speech difficulties, according to his lawyer, Ahlam Haddad. Dalal Awawdeh, Khalils wife, said his condition had deteriorated, prompting Israeli authorities to move him to a hospital. Dr. Lina Qasem from the Physicians for Human Rights Israel organization said Thursday after meeting Awawdeh that his condition was extremely bad and that he only drinks water and is refusing additional vitamins, salts and sugar. Advertisement He suffers from a very extreme weakness, she said. Awawdeh said he will continue his hunger strike until his release from detention, she said, but he requests that the medical team do what is necessary to save his life because he does not wish to die. Prospects for Awawdehs release under the cease-fire are uncertain. But his case highlights the plight of hundreds of Palestinians who are being held by Israel under a system that critics say denies them the right to due process, known as administrative detention. The worsening conditions of hunger striking prisoners has in the past whipped up tensions with the Palestinians, and in some cases prompted Israel to accede to hunger strikers demands. Israel is currently holding some 4,400 Palestinians, including militants who have carried out deadly attacks, as well as people arrested at protests or for throwing stones. Around 670 Palestinians are now being held in administrative detention, a number that jumped in March as Israel began near-nightly arrest raids in the West Bank following a spate of deadly attacks against Israelis. Advertisement Israel says administrative detention is needed to prevent attacks or to keep dangerous suspects locked up without sharing evidence that could endanger valuable intelligence sources. Israel says it provides due process and largely imprisons those who threaten its security, though a small number are held for petty crimes. Palestinians and human rights groups say the system is designed to quash opposition and maintain permanent control over millions of Palestinians while denying them basic rights. ___ Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem contributed to this report. GiftOutline Gift Article The head of corporate regulator ASIC has voiced concern about the rising number of cryptocurrency investors in Australia, saying many buyers of Bitcoin and other digital assets dont fully understand the risks of what theyre investing in. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) on Thursday released research conducted by the regulator in November to look into the attitudes and behaviour of retail investors during the pandemic, fielding responses from over 1000 investors aged over 18. ASIC chairman Joe Longo says he is both surprised and concerned by the number of cryptocurrency investors. Credit:Eamon Gallagher Of those investors, 44 per cent said they held cryptocurrencies, making them the second most common asset held by investors after Australian shares. One-quarter of those surveyed said that crypto was the only investment they had. Joe Longo, ASICs chairman, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald he was both surprised and very concerned by the number of crypto investors in the market, noting that just 20 per cent of crypto investors surveyed viewed their investments as risky. When 26,500 tonnes of corn sailed out of the port of Odesa this week the first agricultural export from Ukraine since Russias invasion many food security experts breathed a sigh of relief. The news, combined with the falling cost of wheat after global prices had nearly doubled, has investors and policymakers wondering whether the threat of global food shortages is abating. Not exactly. Its too soon for unreserved optimism because many of the problems that fuelled food inflation even before the Ukraine invasion persist: Energy and agrochemicals prices remain high, making it costly to operate mechanised farms and move food through the supply chain. Scorching weather and drought are decimating farm yields from Waterloo, Canada, to Bangalore and Bordeaux, and climate disruptions are expected to get more varied and extreme. When grain supplies from Russia and Ukraine which together produce a quarter of the worlds wheat were suddenly curtailed, farmers in major producing countries sprang into action. Credit:Robert Rough Its not too soon, though, to appreciate what weve learned over the past five months from one of the most significant food-supply disruptions the world has experienced in decades. Russias invasion of Ukraine forced global food producers, distributors and relief programs to quickly adapt to overcome the shortages and they did so, on the whole, with great agility. That response has provided a deeper understanding of how food growers, investors and policy makers can meet the problems ahead. Here are three key lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war about how to secure the future of a global food business: Larger turbines generate energy more cheaply too, says Andy Evans, who was the co-founder and chief executive of Star of the South and who is now leading another offshore wind farm company, OceanEx. A single 14-megawatt wind turbine of the sort now being built needs just a single connection to a substation and less maintenance than two 7-megawatt turbines that were typical just a few years ago. Maintenance at sea with crews ferried by boat or helicopter is expensive. Evans confirmed that the project OceanEx is championing for 20 kilometres off the coast in the Hunter region will be visible from shore on clear days, while the turbines proposed for the Illawarra could be slightly closer. Despite this, the industry has broadly maintained community support. Friends of the Earth spokesperson Cam Walker said, given the NSW proposals were fairly new, it was difficult to gauge opinion. We think there is wide support for the jobs that would come with the development of an offshore industry near cities like Newcastle and Wollongong, which have traditionally relied heavily on fossil fuels for employment and economic activity, he said. In Gippsland, we feel that there is solid support for the Star of the South project, which is the only one that has so far advanced in the planning process. Loading Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the community welcomed energy sources that werent driven by fossil fuels and the proposed projects would bring significant economic benefits to the community. He added there had been some opposition within the community about the visual pollution, impact on shipping lanes and whale migrations. These will be addressed as the projects develop. At the same time, I think in light of [the] climate change we are experiencing and its impact on the Illawarra and NSW coastline I think everyone is on the same page that anything that mitigates carbon emissions [is good], he said. For its part, a NSW Department of Planning and Energy spokesperson said the offshore wind industry had the potential to play a significant role in achieving net-zero by 2050. The Newcastle council has issued a mayoral minute backing the Hunter proposal. Why not just build them on land? Despite the extra cost of building and maintenance, there are key advantages to harvesting wind at sea even in countries like Australia that, unlike wind-power hotspots off the coasts of Europe, have land to spare. Giant wind turbines could be installed offshore from popular coastal spots in NSW and Victoria. Credit:Getty Images Wind over water is more consistent than that found on land, explains Associate Professor at ANUs Crawford School of Public Policy Llewelyn Hughes, who specialises in energy transition. Further, wind is stronger over water at night and over land during the day. As a result, offshore wind farms perfectly complement the spread of land-based solar and wind in Australias energy mix. But there are historical, political, geographical and even geological factors that make some sites preferable to others. Wind is stronger and more consistent in Australias south-east and, in this part of the country, rich coal seams are found along the coast. As a result, when the nation industrialised, coal and power industries coalesced where these seams and deepwater ports could be found together places like Gippsland, Newcastle and Port Kembla. Where once the steep undersea drop-off would have precluded building large wind farms at a reasonable distance from shore, new technology allows for turbines to be floated and moored to the sea floor. Loading The east coasts power system was built to suck electricity from power stations near these ports and distribute it. These regions evolved into centres of steel making and manufacturing. Today, as the transition from coal gathers pace, these same regions are starved of new industry and jobs, which offshore wind farms provide; and they offer ports and skilled workforces that the wind industry desperately needs. The Climate Council expects the industry to need 8000 workers a year from 2030. Their power stations are already connected to the grid, saving hundreds of millions that would otherwise have to be spent on new transmission infrastructure. Climate Energy Finance director Tim Buckley said the drawcard of offshore wind is that it adds greater geographical and technological diversity to the energy market. He said Australia had been slower than other countries to take up offshore wind, but its renewable energy sector had come leaps and bounds in the past 10 years. Buckley added there were a few key reasons why offshore wind projects had been delayed in Australia, including the huge capital investment needed to get the projects up often two or three times the cost of building an onshore wind farm and ensuring supply chains are prepared. Loading NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has vowed to weed out perpetrators of bullying, harassment and sexual assault in the halls of parliament after a landmark review exposed a dangerous culture, power imbalances and a failure of leadership. The long-awaited review from former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick on Friday revealed almost one-third of respondents had experienced bullying in parliament in the past five years. One in five workers said they experienced sexual harassment, representing a significant proportion of the NSW parliamentary workforce, the report found. NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet vowed to weed out sexual misconduct in parliament. Credit:Louise Kennerley Perrottet on Friday described the findings of the Broderick review as sobering, confronting and completely unacceptable. The review revealed five people had experienced attempted or actual sexual assault while working at NSW parliament and found office hotspots of bad behaviour existed in the building. There are, as it says, hotspots. There are offices that have been identified as areas where this type of behaviour is more common. Well, it has to stop. It has to stop today, Perrottet said. The Broderick report, which was commissioned by the parliamentary executive group, found harmful behaviours had a profound, devastating and long-term impact on staff and led many to leave parliamentary workplaces. Read more here. Vince Gilligan personifies the classic phrase, "an overnight success is ten years in the making." Before Breaking Bad became a phenomenon, Gilligan spent decades working in television writer's rooms. Obviously, finding consistent work as a television writer is already a solid success story, but Gilligan's attempts at creating a hit television series all fell flat. The Lone Gunmen tanked after one season, and Gilligan struggled to find a network for Breaking Bad during its days an unsold script. Now, the worm has completely turned for the writer. Every network on earth would love to produce a Vince Gilligan drama. What a difference a decade makes. With the current closing on Better Call Saul, Gilligan has already literally begun plotting his next move. Gilligan's new show won't exist in the Breaking Bad universe and will lean more heavily on his roots in science fiction. As long as Gilligan's behind the proverbial typewriter, I already know I'll be hooked. A drug rehabilitation centre billing itself as the countrys toughest is being sued by a Perth council, which alleges that it has repeatedly ignored requests to stop erecting illegal structures on the $1.9 million property it purchased in the north-eastern suburbs last year for its proposed womens rehab facility. Shalom House has several locations in Perth and recently expanded to Melbourne. Shalom House and its founder Peter Lyndon-James have also won awards for their unorthodox approach. Credit:Australian of the Year Awards Founder and chief executive Peter Lyndon-James has clashed regularly with the City of Swan over zoning and development issues on the properties rented, bought and developed to accommodate his controversial tough-love program. In response to the councils move, Lyndon-James issued a public statement via social media at the weekend acknowledging that he was not in compliance with planning rules, but that this was justified to help those in need. After two days of violent threats against law enforcement by Republicans following the FBI's search of Donald Trump's house (presumedly to look for missing classified documents that might have followed the ex-president from the White House to Mar-a-Lago), an armed gentleman attacked the FBI Cincinnati Field Office in Ohio this morning. The gunman was reportedly seen with a nail gun and an AR-15 style weapon, according to Mediate. He shot at the building, which is now on lockdown, and after a standoff with police, the suspect fled the scene. From Mediate: The FBI's Cincinnati office issued a statement confirming that an armed subject tried to "breach" the headquarters around 9 a.m. Thursday morning. "At approximately 9 AM this morning an armed subject attempted to breach the Visitor Screening Facility at #FBI Cincinnati," the agency said. "After an alarm and a response by FBI special agents, the subject fled north onto Interstate 71." Reports indicate that the suspect got out of his car after being chased by police, and has exchanged fire with law enforcement in a field off of the highway. The FBI released a statement confirming the attempted breach by an armed suspect, and now, "the FBI, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and local law enforcement partners are on scene near Wilmington, Ohio, trying to resolve this critical incident. I was in the hipster neighborhood Silver Lake (Los Angeles) recently and wandered into a shop called "Golden Age," which sells "French Workwear." The shop contained racks full of thick, cotton jackets and coveralls, all in various shades of blue. I also spotted what looked like well-worn firefighter uniforms. Everything was really expensive, too. I wondered, what's happening here? In an interview with Bidstitch, Ludvic Orlando, the owner of Golden Age, explains French Workwear: "First, French workers' uniforms were designed in the late 19th century in France and clothes were getting more resistant with the industrial revolution. The oldest work jackets we found are from the 1920s in moleskin fabric, stiffer and thicker, made for miners and heavy machinery work. Different fabrics were then used across decades: denim, linen, combed linen/cotton, herringbone, drill cotton later on French companies had to provide their workers at least one set of blue uniform for any type of jobs such as factory workers, construction workers, farmers, mechanics, etc That is why those pieces are so unique, made of different fabric and used through the years in many different works indoor or outdoor, washed and repaired for decades, showing all shades of used blue!" French Workwear is just one of many 'workwear' trends that have been popular in recent decades. Maya Ernest of Input explains: For decades, utility-focused workwear has been appreciated for fashion over function. In the '90s, overalls and coat chores were worn by hip-hop legends like The Fugees and Tupac, while queer communities embraced workwear for its baggy, androgynous look. The '00s saw skaters and cholo culture take over the trend next, often mixing boxy labor-like pieces with wifebeaters and low-top sneakers. Ernest goes on to ask about what it means when the workwear style is appropriated by folks not using the clothes for actual work: The fashion industry doesn't share the practical mindset of workwear it's about what looks good, not how something functions. Focusing solely on style, however, may be harmful to pieces created for utility. As workwear gains popularity outside of its target demographic, one has to wonder when its adoption becomes problematic. Is there an issue with the glamorization of someone's work uniform? And will that glamorization lead to increased prices for those who actually wear utility-focused styles for practicality? When asked, "Do you see any irony in hip kids working the clothing of the old working class in France?" Ludvic Orlando, owner of Golden Age, answered: "It is ironic, but I do understand the appeal, when I was a skate kid, this is what I wanted to wear. If you think about it, we saw the same trend phenomenon with vintage Carhartt, Dickies, Levi's that are icons of the American workwear, Kanye wore them for the last 5 years and make them very popular among the hype crowd, while always been used by the average worker Functional, comfortable, well-made, long-lasting apparel has definitely invaded the wardrobe from the hype to the more casual customer. I always found workers, cowboys or military uniforms very inspiring by their cut, fabrics, functionality and craftsmanship. The working class have always been the most stylish in my opinion! That is why it is a big part of our offer in our stores." Still, Maya Ernest of Input cautions that this glamorization of working-class style can cause issues for folks who actually need the clothes for work, especially as the clothes become more expensive as celebrities and hipsters buy into the style: The World Health Organization urges people to stop attacking monkeys; it won't stop the spread of monkeypox. Apparently an increase in monkeypox in Brazil has led to the poisoning or injury of monkeys at a natural reserve in Rio Preto. From The Guardian: "What people need to know is that the transmission we are seeing is happening between humans," a WHO spokesperson, Margaret Harris, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday[] But Harris underlined that despite its name, monkeys are not the main transmitters of the disease and have nothing to do with the outbreak. Monkeypox received its name because the virus was first identified in monkeys kept for research in Denmark, but the disease is found in a number of animals, and most frequently in rodents. While the virus could jump from animals to humans, the recent global explosion of cases was due to close-contact transmission between humans, Harris said. "The concern should be about where it [is circulating] in the human population and what humans can do to protect themselves from getting it and transmitting it," she said. People "should certainly not be attacking any animals". If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS Nowhere Coffee Co. to open second location at 318 Main Street in Emmaus, sharing space with South Mountain Cycle Jimmys Barbershop in Allentown has moved to 822 N. 19th Street Air Products and Chemicals Inc.'s chosen warehouse developer, Prologis Inc., will have to wait until July 13 for a final decision by Upper Macungie Township's zoning hearing board on 2.61 million square feet of warehouses. Chubby's of Southside Easton has added Krispy Krunchy Chicken to its offerings and name. Curaleaf Holdings Inc., which operates in the U.S. and Europe, will open a medical-marijuana dispensary at 1801 Airport Road, Hanover Township. Habitat for Humanity, which has "ReStores" that sell new and lightly used furniture, has leased 30,000 square feet at the South Mall. With Amazon.com's proposed new mega-warehouse project in the Town of Niagara clearing its last hurdle Wednesday with the approval of $123 million in tax breaks, attention now turns to the big questions that remain: Will it happen and when will the work begin? The Seattle-based e-commerce giant has been on a construction spree nationwide for the past few years but lately has put the brakes on its expansion after conceding that it overbuilt. 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. It's now trying to sublease more than 10 million square feet of newly built but empty space, and at least 16 projects across the country have been halted or deliberately delayed. And locally, a much smaller warehouse in Hamburg remains unoccupied by Amazon, five months after construction wrapped up. Government officials in Niagara County, however, say they aren't worried and welcomed the company and its ambitious $550 million plan with open arms after the company pulled out of a planned project in Grand Island because of vehement local opposition. The Niagara Town Board unanimously approved the development in late July after a months-long review process. On Wednesday, the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency followed suit, approving a package of sales, mortgage-recording and property tax breaks that will save Amazon and its Atlanta-based developer $123 million on the project. Amazon gets more than $123 million in tax breaks for Niagara County warehouse Amazon.com's proposed mega-warehouse project in the Town of Niagara received a lucrative package of tax breaks on Wednesday, clearing the way for the $550 million construction project to begin. Aside from building permits, that's the last major government action that was needed for the project to proceed. We are thrilled that the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency has unanimously approved our proposed project," said Amazon spokesman Marc Heintzman. "We are proud of our growing footprint in the region." Heintzman and other company officials are not saying when construction on the project dubbed Project Fifi might begin, and hinted that "additional steps remain," apparently including final internal approval by the company's top management and board. But he would not elaborate. "This new fulfillment center would improve efficiency and service for customers in the region and bring at least 1,000 new good local jobs to the area," Heintzman said, citing average wages of $18 per hour and benefits. He also noted that the company has invested more than $14 billion in the state since 2010, including for infrastructure and employee wages, while creating more than 39,000 jobs. "These are investments that can unlock opportunity, helping to revitalize cities and neighborhoods, he said. Empty Amazon warehouse in Hamburg gets scrutiny over tax breaks 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. Critics, however, have noted that a much smaller new distribution center for Amazon in the Town of Hamburg which also received tax breaks and was completed in March remains unoccupied and devoid of workers, with no indication when that might change. And they've questioned if the same would happen in Niagara. However, NCIDA Chairman Mark Onesi said Hamburg is a much different and less critical facility than the regional center planned for Niagara, which is more akin to what was recently completed outside of Syracuse and what is now under construction in a Rochester suburb. The Syracuse site that opened a few months ago now has 1,800 employees, while another one in Wilmington, Del., that opened last September has more than 3,000. "That's a totally different type of warehouse," he said of Hamburg. Amazon and its developer, JB2 Partners, plan to construct a 3.08-million-square-foot distribution facility on a portion of 217 acres of vacant land along Lockport, Packard and Tuscarora roads, adjacent to the Niagara Falls International Airport and Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. It would include 55 loading docks, along with 469 parking spaces for trailers and 1,755 spaces for cars. The five-story "e-commerce storage and distribution facility" at 8995 Lockport would employ more than 1,000 people working in two shifts 24 hours a day but no more than 1,800 at any one time. The Amazon.com Services operation would function as a first-mile fulfillment center to receive bulk shipments of products from vendors, suppliers and sellers, and then package them for the first leg of delivery. Critics say the IDA shouldn't be giving tax breaks to a prosperous company like Amazon. But Onesi said that's the agency's job to encourage development, specifically in Niagara County. "Doing business in New York is expensive, and a lot of companies wont come without those inducements," Onesi said. "We want these 1,000 jobs." He also noted that the $49 million in taxes that Amazon will pay over the next 15 years is better for local municipalities than the $24,000 per year $360,000 over 15 years that the vacant land yields now. And if Amazon doesn't create 1,000 jobs within two years, as required, the NCIDA can claw back the incentives. "We have protections against that," he said. "If they can't get enough employees, I guess they're going to have to raise" their salaries. The actions by the town board and NCIDA after multiple public hearings came despite objections from some neighbors worried about the impact of traffic, congestion and other factors on them and criticism from labor advocates and Amazon skeptics who say the company doesn't pay well, treats its workers poorly and destroys small businesses through competition. Onesi said those concerns "were all taken into consideration," but explained that the agency and municipal leaders have to look at the larger picture for the overall community, not just a narrow segment of the population or geographic area. "A lot of that was individuals making comments that are personal," Onesi said. "Whats good for the county may not be good for individuals, but its good for the town and county." READING, Pa. The Reading Zoning Hearing Board on Wednesday heard a proposal for an adaptive reuse of 601 Penn St., the former 10-story office building for Santander/Sovereign Bank, which is currently the record owner of the property. Mark Koch, a Reading attorney representing the potential developer, Dream Ventures PA II LLC, asked the zoning board for flexibility in presenting what he termed a "fluid" proposal. "This is a unique property, and as I'm sure you're aware, it has some very unique challenges," Koch said. "The existing office space, in our opinion, is simply never going to come back and be utilized or even be viable again at this particular location." "With that being said, we have proposed a mixed use," Koch added. "That mixed use, for better or for worse, is at this point fluid to some extent and remains fluid as we try to put the pieces of the puzzle together." "I respectfully apologize that the application is somewhat broad," Koch continued, "but by the nature of what we're trying to do here, that was one of the issues that we had to deal with." Peter d'Aubermont, with Heights Advisors an equity and real estate investment, development and management firm said he is representing the proposed developer. D'Aubermont said his company has identified that a hotel would be the best use for the site and is currently in conversations with IHM, a hotel management company. A hotel could accommodate 228 rooms, but the zoning application indicates those units could be split among hotel rooms, dormitories and residential apartments. The proposal calls for commercial mixed uses to remain on the first floor with two new loading docks on Penn Street. 5:50 Developer shares plan for Wells Fargo building in Reading The Wells Fargo building at Sixth and Penn streets is now under the ownership of the Shuman Development Group. The plans were revealed nine months after another developer, Alan Shuman, took ownership of the former Wells Fargo Bank office building across the street, on the southeast corner of Sixth and Penn. Shuman told 69 News in November that restaurant space will take over the building's first floor, with possible outdoor dining. Office or luxury apartment space will occupy the three floors above. Partnership with Alvernia University The second floor of the Santander Bank building includes the space of the former Outside In Restaurant and Bar, which d'Aubermont said would be returned to use as a restaurant and would be operated and managed by Alvernia University. D'Aubermont said the developer has formed a partnership with Alvernia to open a restaurant as part of its business incubator program. As part of that agreement, rooms on the second floor would be available for use by Alvernia for purposes of training and teaching. The remaining floors would be converted to hotel rooms or apartments. While d'Aubermont said the strong preference is for the project to be a hotel, apartments would be a backup plan if there is an insufficient market for the hotel. Parking requirements The zoning application submitted by the developer asks for a special exception and/or variances to allow a mixed used of residential units, as well as requesting relief from parking requirements. D'Aubermont said he has been in talks with the Reading Parking Authority, which has indicated there would be close to 280 parking spaces available in the neighboring garages. He added, though, that parking is not a concern because he does not believe there will be a need. "We anticipate that with the revitalization and everything that is going on on Penn Street and in the commercial core, that more are walking around these days or they're taking public transportation or they're using bicycles," he said, "and I think that's what we've seen that across the board." Steve Price, the zoning hearing board's solicitor, questioned what d'Aubermont meant by the statement since most people would arrive to a hotel in a car. D'Aubermont reiterated that he does not believe parking would be a problem because of the available spaces in the nearby garages and that if the project ends up as apartment units, many residents will not own cars. Nathan Matz, executive director the Reading Parking Authority, joined the Zoom meeting to clarify comments made about parking. "One of the things that initially jumped out to me is the gentleman who said that there is adequate street parking for residents," Matz said. "The city just spent $130,000 on a parking study that encompasses that specific area, and if you read that parking study, it clearly says in that area there is an absolutely inadequate amount of on-street parking." "And if you look at that building, there's no parking on the east side of Sixth Street, there's no parking on the north side of Penn Street in the 600 block that's all loading zones," Matz continued. "So to make a statement that there's adequate on-street parking is just absolutely false." Matz added that the only way the parking authority can guarantee parking for hotel guests or apartment residents is with a signed lease, which identifies terms and conditions. Matz said adding a couple hundred additional cars to the garages would have a negative effect on parking for events at Santander Arena. Defining mixed uses Several board members questioned the wisdom of submitting a zoning application without specific details of what the mixed uses will be. "Look, it's a special situation," d'Aubermont said. "This is an abandoned building that we're trying to bring back to life, and ultimately, we want to do hotel. We believe the market is there, but if for some reason the market receptivity is not there, pivoting to residential would be crucial at that point." John McCloskey Jr., senior vice president and chief of staff at Alvernia University, also joined the virtual meeting to confirm that the university supports the proposed project. "In fact, I just spent an hour this afternoon with our vice president for the O'Pake Institute talking about the restaurant and how that would work and operate," McCloskey said. "There is lots of energy and lots of excitement related to that. There are a lot of local business entrepreneurs who would be interested in being in that restaurant and having the opportunity to develop their expertise." McCloskey also confirmed that a hotel would be a positive option for students looking for extended stays. "Many of our graduate students are adults who are married and have a small family," he explained. "They're looking to come from Colorado, Minnesota, or wherever in the country, and need a place to stay, and a typical dorm situation is not what they're looking for. They're looking for something different." The zoning hearing board is scheduled to render a decision on the application at its next meeting on Sept. 14. A federal judge has declined to dismiss criminal charges against former DEA Agent Joseph S. Bongiovanni, saying there is no evidence that the U.S. Justice Department targeted him because of his Italian American heritage. Bongiovanni and his attorneys have submitted no evidence to prove that his 2019 arrest was motivated by a discriminatory purpose, U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer wrote in a ruling obtained Wednesday by The Buffalo News. Roemers ruling is only a recommendation that now must be reviewed by District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr., who will ultimately decide the issue. Bongiovanni, 57, is a retired U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent who faces felony charges that he took $250,000 in bribes to protect local drug dealers whom he believed to be involved with Italian Organized Crime from prosecution. Bongiovanni denies taking any bribes or having Mafia connections. His lead defense attorney, James P. Harrington, has repeatedly accused prosecutors of targeting Bongiovanni for selective prosecution because he is Italian American. The government has noticed that all of the participants have Italian last names, and as such, has imagined the existence of an Italian American organized crime syndicate, Harrington said in papers filed last year. Is the mob back? Feds probe Buffalo Mafia after calling it all but dead Federal prosecutors are looking for organized crime activities in a widespread investigation, just four years after the special agent in charge of the Buffalo FBI office said, Some of the individuals who were leaders of the Mafia are still around. But their organized crime activities dont exist anymore." Harrington and co-counsel Jesse C. Pyle asked that the criminal case be dismissed because of selective prosecution based on ethnicity. They also alleged that agents who investigated Bongiovanni illegally seized and took information from his cellphone. The U.S. Attorneys Office in Buffalo has denied the discrimination claims, noting that lead prosecutor Joseph M. Tripi is himself Italian American. Roemer ruled against Bongiovanni on Aug. 4, saying the standard to prove selective prosecution is a demanding one. Bongiovanni would have to show that similarly situated individuals of a different race were not prosecuted, Roemer wrote. Bongiovanni and his attorneys can continue to challenge prosecutors claims of organized crime ties when the case goes to trial, the magistrate judge added. Im disappointed with the ruling, but this battle is far from over, Harrington told The News on Wednesday. I still believe it was highly prejudicial and inappropriate for the government to make unfounded claims about Italian Organized Crime in this case in open court, in court papers and in press releases. Well continue to make our case with District Judge Sinatra. Peter Gerace Jr., owner of the Pharaoh's strip club in Cheektowaga, is accused of paying bribes to the former drug agent. A grand jury indicted the two men in February 2021. Gerace's uncle, Joseph A. Todaro, has been accused by federal agents of being the leader of Buffalos Mafia family, but that has never been proven in court. Gerace has denied the bribery charges, as well as charges of drug trafficking and sex trafficking at his strip club. Bongiovanni was arrested by federal agents in November 2019, five months after investigators used a no-knock search warrant and flash-bang devices during an early-morning raid at his Town of Tonawanda home. According to court documents, some of the evidence used to indict Bongiovanni came from his cellphone, which was temporarily seized from him at a Baltimore airport in April 2019 as he and his family returned from a Dominican Republic vacation and passed through customs. Harrington argues that the seizure of the phone was illegal, and says any evidence taken from the phone should be thrown out of the prosecutions case. Roemer said he finds that the seizure of the phone violated Bongiovannis constitutional rights but also found that federal agents acted with a good-faith belief that their conduct was lawful. Roemer concluded in a close call that prosecutors should be allowed to continue using evidence from the seized phone. Roemer also ruled against Gerace, who sought to suppress all evidence taken from his Clarence home, Pharaoh's and Geraces seized cellphone during the investigation that led to his arrest. Steven M. Cohen, Geraces attorney, also contends that prosecutors acted improperly by bringing mob allegations into their case. Allentown, PA (18103) Today A mix of clouds and sunshine and comfortably warm. Just the slight chance of a spotty afternoon shower, with the best chance from the Lehigh Valley on north. . Tonight Partly cloudy and another comfy night; just the slight chance of an evening shower. FILE - The Flint water plant tower is seen on Jan. 6, 2022, in Flint, Mich. A judge declared a mistrial Thursday, Aug. 11, after jurors said they couldn't reach a verdict in a dispute over whether two engineering firms should bear some responsibility for Flint's lead-contaminated water. Four families accused Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, known as LAN, of not doing enough to get Flint to treat the highly corrosive water or to urge a return to a regional water supplier. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation Thursday making it easier for candidates to run for seats on the Buffalo School Board. The legislation reduces the number of signatures required for nominating petitions. Instead of getting 500 signatures, candidates seeking district seats will have to turn in petitions with 200 signatures. The threshold for those running for at-large seats will be lowered from 1,000 signatures to 400. "As someone who began her career in local government, I know first-hand how important school boards and local elected offices are to communities in every corner of New York State," Hochul said in a statement. The goal of the legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes, is to expand the pool of candidates. "Its imperative that our school board has voices representing the best interests of all of our students, and this bill will create more opportunities to foster those kinds of comprehensive, inclusive bodies," Kennedy said in a statement. Rod Watson: Make it easier to run for Buffalo School Board now Cutting the number of signatures required to run for board seats is the next logical step to bring new ideas, new energy and new oversight to a school system that badly needs all three, Rod Watson says. Six district board members will be chosen for three-year terms Nov. 8. They will take office in January. The change in number of nominating signatures comes in the same year that school board elections will be held in November with the general election for the first time. Supporters of moving the election from May to November, a measure signed into law in 2019, hope it will increase voter turnout. Turnout has been as low as 5% in 2010, and as high as 14% in 2014. Voter turnout was under 7% in the last School Board election held in 2019, when all nine seats were up. It also is estimated that moving the election will save about $100,000 a year. Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has issued a statement after the staging of an unauthorised Hamilton production, featuring a homophobic sermon. The Door Church, based in Texas, staged a version of the show where lyrics were altered and a sermon at the end of the musical conflated homosexuality with illness and addiction. Taking to social media, Miranda said: "Grateful to all of you who reached out about this illegal, unauthorized production. Now lawyers do their work. And always grateful to the Dramatists Guild, who have the backs of writers everywhere, be it your first play or your fiftieth." The official Hamilton logo Examples of lyrics included "Jesus gives me the strength to pull through when I needed him most he was right on time", and "What is a legacy? It's knowing you repented and accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ that sets men free. You sent your sinless son of man on Calvary to dies for me." The sermon at the end of the production said: "Maybe you struggle with alcohol, with drugs, with homosexuality, maybe you struggle with other things in life, your finances, whatever, God can help you tonight. He wants to forgive you for your sins." The production was also broadcast for online viewers. The Broadway production has also issued a statement. Hamilton continues to play at the Victoria Palace Theatre in the West End. An Erie County judge has ruled that a Catholic priest who has been accused of sexually abusing children can spend a dead parishioner's $2 million estate as he pleases, despite the objections of her relatives. Erie County Surrogate's Court Judge Acea M. Mosey dismissed allegations by the widow's family that the Rev. David W. Bialkowski, former pastor of St. John Gualbert Catholic Church, "groomed" Ruth Peters to become the executor of her estate before her 2019 death. "I conclude that there is no proof that the will was the product of fraud perpetrated on decedent by Bialkowski or any other person," Mosey wrote in her decision. The March 31 ruling clears the way for the suspended priest, who is on the diocese's list of priests with substantiated allegations of abuse of a minor and who is accused in two Child Victims Act lawsuits of sexual abuse, to inherit $125,000 directly, in addition to controlling the remainder of the $2 million estate. Bialkowski's attorney did not respond to a message seeking comment on the ruling, but the suspended priest stated in newly obtained court testimony that he "never" discussed whether he would be named as a beneficiary of Peters' will with her before she died. But the priest and the widow did discuss her desire to name Bialkowski as the executor of her estate, Bialkowski testified in an October 2021 deposition. "She said, I had asked you to be my executor because I can trust you and because I believe youre competent to handle the things that I own," Bialkowski said. Attorney Robert M. Ciesielski said in court papers that Bialkowski intends to give half of Peters' $2 million estate to Villa Maria College and the other half to SUNY Buffalo State, where Peters, a former Cheektowaga public school principal, was "deeply involved." But a Town of Tonawanda attorney who represents two men who say they were abused by Bialkowski as children has filed a motion asking the court to freeze the funds until their Child Victims Act lawsuits which are stayed by a state judge while the Diocese of Buffalo is in bankruptcy proceedings are resolved. Mosey has not yet ruled on the motion. "If hes going to get money, wed like it put in escrow," attorney Kevin Stocker said. "Put it into escrow until its all litigated so that all that money doesnt disappear." Bialkowski has denied that he sexually abused any child. He also denied that he had tried to "groom" a child for sex. "No, no, not at all. Never," he told The News in 2020. He is one of two Buffalo priests who were accused of taking advantage of elderly female parishioners and inheriting large sums of money when they died. In 2016, Rev. Joseph Klos inherited the lions share of an estate worth at least $467,000 from a widow he befriended while he was pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Lancaster. He also made $242,500 from the sale of a Florida condominium that was once owned by the widow. Relatives of that widow criticized Klos but did not challenge the will, which the Surrogate's Court ruled was valid. Competency is questioned In January, The Buffalo News published a story about the dispute over Peters' will. Attorneys representing several cousins of Peters alleged that the she was not of sound mind when she made it. "Just as he apparently 'groomed' young boys, he has become the sole beneficiary under the will of a wealthy elderly widow," attorney Sean A. Fitzgerald, a court-appointed guardian representing relatives of Peters, said of Bialkowski in court records. The methods of grooming (a) boy or teenager are the same as the methods of exercising undue influence over a person. Bialkowski is not qualified to serve as an executor by reason of dishonesty, improvidence or is otherwise unfit, attorney Elizabeth A. Ingold said in a court document filed last year. But Mosey dismissed those claims, citing the testimony of Ciesielski, who served as Peters' attorney when she made out her will. Ciesielski said Peters appeared of sound mind when she said she wanted to leave money to the priest. "I probably met with her at least in person eight to 10 times before that will was made and she seemed to be no different than the other times I talked to her," Ciesielski testified. Mosey also cited a similar court case in Nassau County from 2008 where a priest facing an allegation of sexual abuse was named a fiduciary of someone's estate. As in that case, Mosey stated in her ruling that Peters' cousins "have not shown that Bialkowski will jeopardize the assets of the decedent's estate because of allegations of sexual abuse made against him." An administrative judge, though, repeatedly prevented an attorney representing the interests of Peters' relatives from questioning Bialkowski about whether he had discussed with Peters the alleged sexual misconduct that led to his removal from ministry by the diocese in 2011. "Judge Mosey has made very clear that this is an area not to be delved into," said Joseph A. Shifflett, a court attorney appointed by Mosey to preside over Bialkowski's October 2021 testimony. When attorneys for Peters' relatives asked Bialkowski whether he was "concerned about maintaining clear and appropriate boundaries" with Peters or whether he was "aware of a code of pastoral conduct for clergy," attorney Thomas F. Hewner, who was serving of counsel to Ciesielski, objected to the questions and Shifflett sustained both motions. Sexual abuse allegations It was allegations of sexual misconduct not financial improprieties that led to Bialkowskis removal from St. John Gualbert in 2011. A former altar server said Bialkowski inappropriately touched his thigh and made suggestive comments when he was 14 years old. After the altar servers account appeared in The News, two more people came forward to describe inappropriate contact with Bialkowski. Bialkowski was removed from ministry, but never defrocked as a priest. 'Playing to people's needs' Peters was a member of the Ladies Guild at St. John Gualbert Catholic Church in Cheektowaga, which was one of the dioceses most active Polish congregations. Ciesielski, the priests attorney, told The News in January that Peters appreciated the way Bialkowski helped her clean up her home and organize her finances after the death of her husband. Ruth had no children, no brothers or sisters, no really close relatives. When her husband died, the priest was kind and helpful to her, Ciesielski said. Two former St. John Gualbert employees and volunteers who clashed with Bialkowski while he was pastor of the church in 2006 told a different story. These old ladies used to adore Bialkowski, said Andrew Kowtalo, who served as organist at the parish for 10 years. Hes very good at playing to peoples needs and gaining peoples trust. A second cousin told The News that Peters was a deeply religious person, but the second cousin said she and other family members were shocked to hear that Peters had left $125,000 to Bialkowski and made him her executor. The second cousin, who asked that her name be withheld because she is a private person, said she does not think Peters would have left money to Bialkowski if she knew that he was accused of molesting children. Diocesan spokesman Gregory Tucker in January said Vatican officials agreed with the Dioceses recommendation that he be permanently barred from active priestly ministry. There will now be an extra-judicial process to confirm his future status, which may entail his laicization. Bialkowski is no longer receiving a salary or other benefits from the diocese, Tucker said. Baraboo City Council members reviewed the first-ever city strategic plan Tuesday, which identified five focus areas and a number of goals to meet by 2028. Redevelopment Resources CEO Kristen Fish-Peterson, the principal of the Madison-based economic development agency, presented an outline of the five-year plan. Noting council members comments about a seemingly high number of priorities, Fish-Peterson said it could always develop into a seven-year plan. This is to take an honest look at current circumstances and outline a path to achieve a visionary future, Fish-Peterson said. In the past, Baraboo has a history of not doing long-term planning. In previous years, council members would identify annual goals. Ald. John Ellington pointed to 21 high priority items highlighted by council members and expressed some concern over how to meet those needs. Wed probably better get started, Ellington said. Seems to me were going to have to prioritize the priorities we have. Ideally, it would take city officials one to two years to meet the top priorities, and some will happen naturally, like the annual budget, Fish-Peterson said. The aim is to look to the future, she said. Key components of the plan include the importance of understanding the local economy and market reality, leveraging community assets to foster growth, creating strategies that would outlast the term of an elected official, planning beyond the current budget cycle and ensuring the vision that is laid out is realized. Above all, it must be something people can use. If this plan isnt implementable, it wont do you any good at all, Fish-Peterson said. During the planning draft process, Redevelopment Resources staff members met with city officials and staff to gain feedback on what is important at every level. The plan has five focus areas, each of which has prioritized goals and preferred outcomes. One area of focus is the budget. The city has been overtaxing property owners since 2009 and now is working to address it by cutting roughly $826,000 in expenses. Part of the plan is to focus on managing that shortfall, but also embracing longer term budgeting. The ideal outcome for that work would be that city residents understand the shortfall and have the chance to speak out about the choices made during budget season and for communications about city choices to reach a high number of residents in order to avoid confusion. The internal culture of the city organization would become more open to change and move from a short term to a long-range budgeting approach. Officials would understand what type of infrastructure is needed as well as how long it will last. All of this while residents have confidence in both city leaders and its services. Baraboo has been growing economically in recent years through commercial development. One of the focus areas is to work on managing that new growth by crafting long-range plans without compromising the quality of life within the city. The aim would be to ensure green spaces and natural amenities are enhanced as the community grows, the Community Development Authority would receive adequate staffing and resources to manage the economic growth and sustainability would match development. People rarely stay in a job for decades anymore and higher turnover should be expected, Fish-Peterson said. Another area of focus would be to address succession planning as longtime employees retire and to attract high quality candidates to work for the city. An important outcome would be to retain institutional knowledge as the longtime employee leaves. There would also be more engagement in local government by young professionals. Baraboo Police Department priorities would also change. An outcome for the department as it shifts toward implementing a community focused policing model would be that the department leads in addressing the likely ever-changing mental health needs within the community as it grows. Part of that includes focusing on the city population as needs evolve and providing frequent meaningful performance metrics to the city council. As those needs shift, so will technology, Fish-Peterson said. An area of focus would be to adopt new technologies across the local government. Not just for better performance of services to save money, but permanently for staff to have adequate information technology resources and communicate effectively with members of the public on platforms already being frequently used. The city would have a system focused on monitoring existing as well as evaluating new technology. Ald. Joel Petty said it should be the responsibility of all council members to meet those goals given that they were the people who decided them. Fellow members agreed by consensus to avoid placing most of the management on City Administrator Casey Bradley through the oversight of their assorted committees. Like most strategic plans, its sort of a living, breathing document which on occasion will also require modification, Petty said. It is a fairly significant list. A lot of the work that comes through city council comes through committee work. There is no reason that certain parts of this strategic plan couldnt be divided into committee work instead of just under one person. MOUNT PLEASANT Robin Vos appears to have made a complete 180-degree turn on Michael Gableman. In July 2021, Vos called Gableman well qualified. On Tuesday, Vos called Gableman "an embarrassment" and indicated he wants to fire Gableman. Vos more or less single-handedly created the Office of the Special Counsel and picked Gableman to lead it, with a budget of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The goal of the OSC? To investigate potential irregularities and/or illegalities in the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin. Vos and Gableman agree there were problems with the operation of the 2020 election, but they disagree about what to do next. Gableman has repeatedly asserted that retroactively decertifying the election is possible and should be considered. Vos has been steadfast in saying that decertification is not possible. Vos initially expressed confidence in Gableman to uncover wrongdoing if there was any. Gableman now says Vos never wanted a real investigation into the 2020 election in Wisconsin. Less than a week before Tuesday's Election Day, Gableman endorsed Adam Steen, the Republican challenger to Vos. After declaring victory Tuesday night, Vos said the former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice he hired is an embarrassment to the state. Vos said he plans to meet with the Republican Assembly caucus Aug. 16 to discuss next steps, which may include ending Gableman's contract. Gableman asserts that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump, even though neither he nor anyone else has uncovered substantial evidence of widespread instances of votes being cast by those who legally could not vote. Even with the increased attention, the number of election fraud cases prosecuted in Wisconsin and nationwide are in line with the numbers from previous presidential elections. How Vos opinion of Gableman has shifted in 13 months, in quotes June 26, 2021: Vos announces at an annual GOP convention in Wisconsin Dells that Gableman will lead the probe. July 27: Vos says, "We have people who are very well qualified to do this work" of probing the 2020 election. "Let's give them the time to actually accomplish what we've asked for. July 30: Justice Gableman will have the resources and ability to determine the need for any future adjustments, Vos says in a statement, indicating Gableman's wide breadth of freedom to investigate as he chooses. Sept. 28: Vos says: I am supremely confident that at the end of the day, Justice Gableman will produce a report that will show that there are issues with the 2020 election, where potentially changes could be made to make it better ... The goal has nothing to do with overturning the election. Its to make sure we have every opportunity to make sure that the results that occurred in 2020 were accurate. April 7, 2022: Gableman begins to publicly display distrust in Vos. In an appearance on the War Room podcast hosted by Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to Trump, Gableman encourages Bannons listeners to contact Vos office and pressure him to keep supporting and funding the election probe. I cant think of anything more important (than) to thank Speaker Vos for starting up what became the Office for Special Counsel. And to show our appreciation to Speaker Vos for my continuation I would ask your audience to call Speaker Vos office, Gableman told Bannon's audience. There must be more investigation. We havent even had the benefit of having any of the wrongdoers comply with our subpoenas. They gave us some stuff initially, but it was pablum, virtually all stuff that they had publicly released before. May 11: The investigative side of the OSC is paused. It is to remain open likely only as long as litigation the office is involved in weaves through the courts. Late Tuesday night: Vos told WISN-TV, "I hired him (Gableman) on recommendations, thinking we were going to have someone who was a good, articulate, independent voice We asked (of Gableman) two simple things don't get involved in politics, and please try to make sure you focus on the investigation, not being on TV. He couldn't help himself but to try to inject his own opinions into this race. Also Tuesday night, an Associated Press reporter asked Vos if he regretted hiring Gableman. After a pause, Vos replied, Im going to have to think about that. The timeline itself When the OSC was launched in spring 2021, Vos expected its work to be done by October of that year. The OSC remains open today, although its investigative work is reportedly concluded. Gableman's original contract was slated to begin July 1, 2021, and end Oct. 1, 2021. Aug. 25, 2021: Vos says Gableman will conduct a swift, complete and thorough investigation. Oct. 19: Vos tells Wisconsin Public Radio that the investigation will likely be wrapped by the end of 2021. Oct. 26: A week after saying the OSC would likely be done by the end of 2021, Vos says it might have to go longer. March 8, 2022: A new contract extends the review through April. April 25: Without using Vos' name, Trump puts on pressure to keep the OSC open in a public statement. "Anyone calling themselves a Republican in Wisconsin should support the continued investigation without interference," the former president says in a statement. April 26: Vos said the OSC will continue. May 11: The investigative side of the OSC is paused, but the OSC is not closed. Gablemans pay is slashed from $11,000 per month to $5,500 per month. The OSC is to remain open, Vos says, as numerous pieces of litigation continue. At least five lawsuits related to the OSC are still active today. Costs The actual cost to taxpayers for the OSC when all is said and done will likely be at least double the original estimate. Sept. 1, 2021: A copy of the OSC contract shows a budget of $676,000. May 31, 2022: Newly released invoices show the state had already spent $896,500 on the probe. July 28 and Aug. 2: In two separate instances, two Dane County judges order the state (and thus taxpayers) to cover attorney fees to the watchdog group American Oversight, which had to fight for OSC records to be released, $98,000 and $160,000. These payments would then push the cumulative taxpayer costs over $1.15 million. On Trump Vos stepped up his efforts to have the 2020 election investigated after Trump attacked Vos and other Wisconsin Republican leaders by name. Despite aiming to curry favor with the former president last year, Vos was openly not been the biggest Trump fan before he was elected president. August 2016: Vos said it was a "sad day in America" when Trump won the GOP nomination for president, although Vos continued to support Trump over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. July 23-25, 2021: Trump said in a statement Wisconsin Republican leaders Robin Vos, (Senate President) Chris Kapenga, and (Senate Majority Leader) Devin LeMahieu, are working hard to cover up election corruption, in Wisconsin ... Dont fall for their lies! These REPUBLICAN 'leaders' need to step up and support the people who elected them by providing them a full forensic investigation. If they dont, I have little doubt that they will be primaried (sic) and quickly run out of office. Vos and LeMahieu responded soon after by saying Trump was misinformed. (All of the Republican incumbents who were challenged in Tuesday's primary won their elections, although Steen, who Trump endorsed, came within three percentage points of beating Vos.) Aug. 21: Vos travels to meet with Trump personally. They pose together for a photo on Trumps private jet. Afterward, Vos said in a statement: It was an honor to be invited to travel by private plane with President Trump and top staff to attend his rally in Alabama. I provided him details about our robust efforts in Wisconsin to restore full integrity and trust in elections. July 18, 2022: Trump begins going on the attack. The Democrats would like to sincerely thank Robin, and all his fellow RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), for letting them get away with murder. A Rigged & Stolen Election! July 19: Twenty-one days before Election Day, Vos tells WISN-TV political reporter Matt Smith, I think we all know Donald Trump is Donald Trump. There's very little we can do to try to control or predict what he will do. July 29: Vos tells The Journal Times: The single thing that Donald Trump is obsessed with is the 2020 election. I have been consistent for a year, saying we constitutionally cannot decertify the election. Now, when people are threatened by someone who has a loud microphone, a lot of times they buckle, right? I am proud that I have stood for what I believe in and what I know to be true in the face of withering criticism from President Trump. Now, he hasnt criticized me for the fact that weve cut taxes or that Im pro-life or that Ive worked harder than most people for his election in 2020. He just wants me to do something I cannot do. Tuesday: Vos told the Associated Press that his win in the primary over Steen proved that lawmakers don't have to be a lapdog to whatever Donald Trump says. Gablemans there-and-back-again on partisanship While the OSC has long been viewed as a partisan endeavor supported really only by those on the right, and not universally Gableman has abandoned all semblance of being nonpartisan. Before being hired, he gave voice to Trumps baseless claims that he actually won the 2020 election, but then Gableman claimed to be a nonpartisan actor, before giving up on trying to appear balanced. Gableman served one 10-year term on the state Supreme Court, running as a Republican-backed conservative in 2008, and did not seek reelection in 2018. Nov. 7, 2020: Months prior to the creation of the OSC and four days after the presidential election, Gableman attended a pro-Trump rally and said, "I don't think anyone here can think of anything more systematically unjust than a stolen election." That day he also said, "Our elected leaders, your elected leaders, have allowed unelected bureaucrats at the Wisconsin Elections Commission to steal our vote. He defended his comments to WISN-TV in an interview that aired Aug. 1, 2021, arguing he didnt say the election was stolen. He did, however, acknowledge that most of the attendees at the rally did believe the election was stolen and he did not refute that unfounded claim. Gableman, as recently as Monday, now says outright the election was stolen because drop boxes were used to collect absentee ballots in 2020. "I believe they facilitated fraud and a stolen election." There remains no evidence regarding how many ballots delivered via drop box were in favor of Biden vs. how many were in favor of Trump. Aug. 1, 2021: During the interview with WISN-TV, Gableman also said, I firmly believe that this is not a partisan issue, that everybody should be interested in making sure that going forward, our voting and ballot system is transparent and honest. Monday: In the latest of his appearances on Bannon's podcast, Gableman lambasted leftists and so-called Republicans for not supporting the position that the 2020 election was fraudulent. Gableman has continued saying that decertification is "lawful," but he told Bannon that moving forward on that is a "political decision." Actual election law experts and the legislature's own attorneys have repeatedly said decertification is a legal impossibility. In October 2021, Gableman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel before he blacklisted the outlet that he did "not have a comprehensive understanding or even any understanding of how elections work." A lifetime dedicated to vaccines saving lives Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits won the 2020/21 NSTF-South32 Lifetime Award. It is a cold Wednesday morning as Shabir Madhi makes his way through the boom gates of the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg. To first-time entrants, the worlds third biggest hospital presents a frustrating labyrinth of dead ends and wrong turns. Madhi, however, having made the same journey each day for more than 25 years, navigates the roads with ease. Just a short drive from the Clinic Road entrance is the home of the Wits Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research Unit (Wits-VIDA), where South Africa and Africas first Covid-19 vaccine trials (Oxford/AstraZeneca and Novavax Covid-19 vaccine) took place. On first inspection, one could be forgiven for thinking that the tall, stark building visible from any vantage point in the hospital precinct would be best suited as the backdrop for a dystopian movie. However, appearances can be deceiving, as one soon learns when engaging with Madhi. As the Director of Wits-VIDA, in addition to his role as Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Professor of Vaccinology at Wits University, Madhi wears multiple hats with a rare mix of idealism and pragmatism. A National Research Foundation A-rated scientist and a paediatrician, Madhis research has focused on the epidemiology and clinical development of vaccines against pneumonia and diarrhoeal disease, vaccines for pregnant women to protect the mother and her offspring. These studies have informed World Health Organization recommendations on the use of the lifesaving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and rotavirus vaccine in children, and flu vaccination of pregnant women. In 2020, the focus of Madhis research necessarily pivoted to Covid-19 vaccines. Never one to shy away from controversy, Madhi has been an outspoken, articulate and ardent advocate of Covid-19 vaccination, as well as for increased access to these and other vaccines in Africa. This is likely why, in quiet deference to his scientific and research prowess, colleagues and staff alike refer to him as Prof. His demeanour, although reserved, is passionate when it comes to his work. Wits-VIDA days are crammed with two-hour long clinical trial meetings, alternating between Covid-19 and maternal/paediatric studies, followed by updates from study coordinators and medical officers. Afternoons are set aside for surveillance and Covid-19 studies, in between conversations with students and management. Since taking on the role of Dean of the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences 18 months ago, Madhi has had to relinquish some of the time spent at Wits-VIDA. Although not as dynamic as the previous role, the deanship has afforded him the opportunity to influence change in a new way. Part of his strategic vision includes curriculum reform and establishing a Wits Infectious Diseases and Oncology Research Institute. On accepting his NSTF South-32Lifetime Achievement Award, Madhi said that the Covid-19 vaccines had saved an estimated 20 million lives. He dedicated his award to the 300 000 South Africans who lost their lives to Covid-19, partly due to the stymied national vaccine rollout programme, and to the estimated thirteen million people worldwide who succumbed to this now vaccine-preventable disease. In 2021, Madhi received the South African Medical Research Council Platinum Medal Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Academy of Sciences South Africa Science-for-Society Gold Medal. He serves on multiple international advisory committees, including at the World Health Organization. He was Executive Director of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases from 2011 to 2017. In another sign that Western New York is finding new ways to live with the Covid-19 virus, the Erie County Health Department announced Wednesday that it will no longer include data about Covid cases at schools on its online dashboard that tracks the spread of the virus in the community. Instead, the Health Department will display charts that track Covid-19 in area wastewater. Since the fall of 2020, the Health Department has worked with the University at Buffalo to analyze samples of wastewater from local water treatment plants to track the presence of Covid-19 virus fragments. Public health officials across the globe have increasingly turned to monitoring wastewater as a way to identify outbreaks of Covid. It's useful, according to a website that explains the project, because everyone relies on bathrooms but not everyone can or is willing to be tested. But the method isn't precise; it can't pinpoint exactly where in a community the outbreak is taking place. But the tests can show a rise in prevalence in a community and prepare health care providers for an impending spike in new patients. Also, there's no way to equate the data to the number of people who are infected and showing symptoms. Right now, the wastewater data show high levels of the virus from samples taken from facilities at Bird Island and Amherst. That data are "one measure we are looking at to monitor trends, especially since the (unknown) number of unreported at-home COVID-19 tests makes the picture of overall new COVID-19 cases incomplete," said Health Department spokeswoman Kara Kane in an emailed statement. "Wastewater data confirm that Erie County still has a high level of SARS-CoV-2 virus circulating in our community," she said. But, hospitalizations and deaths related to Covid have "remained relatively low and stead for the entire summer," she said. Separately, the Health Department released its latest Covid numbers for Erie County based on clinical tests which indicate a low number of people are getting sick. For the week ending Aug. 6, the department recorded 1,261 new Covid-19 cases a 9% decrease from the previous week's total, the Health Department reported. The weekly Covid-19 positivity rate was 11.9%, a decrease from the previous week's rate of 12.5%. The overall number of people getting diagnostic tests also decreased to 10,636 from 11,094 tests. Also the seven-day case rate per 100,000 persons was 132.1, down from 145.8 the previous week. BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China published a white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era" on Wednesday. The white paper was released to reiterate the fact that Taiwan is part of China, to demonstrate the resolve of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people and their commitment to national reunification, and to emphasize the position and policies of the CPC and the Chinese government in the new era. Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence, according to the white paper. The UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is a political document encapsulating the one-China principle whose legal authority leaves no room for doubt and has been acknowledged worldwide, says the white paper. The one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community; it is consistent with the basic norms of international relations, says the white paper. "We are one China, and Taiwan is part of China. This is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law. Taiwan has never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable," says the white paper. The CPC is committed to the historic mission of resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification. Under its resolute leadership, people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits have worked together to de-escalate tension across the Straits. They have set out on a path of peaceful development and made many breakthroughs in improving cross-Straits relations, according to the white paper. Under the guidance of the CPC, great progress has been made in cross-Straits relations over the past seven decades, especially since the estrangement between the two sides was ended. Increased exchanges, broader cooperation and closer interactions have brought tangible benefits to people across the Straits, especially of Taiwan. This fully demonstrates that cross-Straits amity and cooperation are mutually beneficial, says the white paper. "The realization of complete national reunification is driven by the history and culture of the Chinese nation and determined by the momentum towards and circumstances surrounding our national rejuvenation. Never before have we been so close to, confident in, and capable of achieving the goal of national rejuvenation. The same is true when it comes to our goal of complete national reunification," says the white paper. China's development and progress in particular, the great achievements over four decades of reform, opening up and modernization have had a profound impact on the historical process of resolving the Taiwan question and realizing complete national reunification, according to the white paper. The actions of the Democratic Progressive Party authorities have resulted in tension in cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and undermining the prospects and restricting the space for peaceful reunification. These are obstacles that must be removed in advancing the process of peaceful reunification, says the white paper. External forces have encouraged and instigated provocative actions by the separatist forces; these have intensified cross-Straits tension and confrontation, and undermined peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. This runs counter to the underlying global trends of peace, development and win-win cooperation, and goes against the wishes of the international community and the aspiration of all peoples, says the white paper. Relying on external forces will achieve nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail. The wheel of history rolls on towards national reunification, and it will not be stopped by any individual or any force, says the white paper. Peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to realizing national reunification. Embodying the Chinese wisdom we thrive by embracing each other they take full account of Taiwan's realities and are conducive to long-term stability in Taiwan after reunification, according to the white paper. "To realize peaceful reunification, we must acknowledge that the mainland and Taiwan have their own distinct social systems and ideologies. The 'one country, two systems' principle is the most inclusive solution to this problem. It is an approach that is grounded in democratic principles, demonstrates good will, seeks peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question, and delivers mutual benefit. The differences in social system are neither an obstacle to reunification nor a justification for secessionism," says the white paper. "We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification; but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form," it says. "We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. In no way does it target our fellow Chinese in Taiwan. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances," it adds. The future of Taiwan lies in China's reunification, and the wellbeing of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. "We will join hands with our fellow Chinese in Taiwan to strive for national reunification and rejuvenation," says the white paper. Once peaceful reunification is achieved under "one country, two systems," it will lay new foundations for China to make further progress and achieve national rejuvenation. At the same time, it will create huge opportunities for social and economic development in Taiwan and bring tangible benefits to the people of Taiwan, it says. Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international community as a whole, says the white paper. Full Text: The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era (Source: Xinhua) A well-known tourist destination Caliente, originally Culverwell and Calientes, is a city in Lincoln County, Nevada. The city whose name means "hot" in Spanish derives it local hot springs. Additionally, due to the profusion of wild roses in the region, Caliente is referred to as "Nevada's Rose City." Also, the absence of adequate amenities between Caliente and Las Vegas, the town acts as a welcome rest stop for travelers. The location of Caliente is excellent for outdoor pursuits. Nearby parks include Cathedral Gorge State Park, Beaver Dam State Park, and Kershaw-Ryan State Park. Geography And Climate Of Caliente View south along US Route 93 in Caliente, Nevada. Image Credit: Famartin via Wikimedia Commons Caliente covers a total area of 141.93 sq. km, all of which is occupied by land. Caliente has a high-desert climate typical of an area at an altitude of around 1,200 m. To escape the sweltering heat of southern Nevada, many people travel to Caliente because its elevation keeps summertime temperatures lower than those in Mesquite or Las Vegas, which are located further south. The winters are quite cold, snowy, and partly cloudy, while the summers are warm, dry, and primarily clear. The yearly temperature ranges from 23F to 92F. The year's hottest month is July, and the hot season lasts for 3.4 months, with an average daily high temperature exceeding 82F. December is the year's coldest month, with the cold season lasting for 3.1 months and having an average daily temperature of less than 53F. Brief History Of Caliente The historic railroad station in Caliente, Nevada. Editorial credit: Traveller70 / Shutterstock.com Ike and Dow Barton, two fugitive slaves from Arkansas, settled in the area where Clover Creek and Meadow Valley Wash converged in the 1860s. The area was eventually named Dutch Flat in the 1870s, and the Jackman Ranch was established. Charles and William Culverwell bought the property in 1874, and Caliente was established in 1901. Due to the nearby hot springs, the town was originally named Calientes. However, later that year, a post office was built, and workmen removed the "s" from the town's name. The Union Pacific Railroad was finished in 1905, which led to the building of a grand train depot designed in the manner of a Spanish mission. Built in 1923, the railroad depot now serves as a lovely museum displaying information about the local history. With 1755 residents in 1910, Caliente was the biggest town in Lincoln County. The population had risen to almost 5000 by the late 1920s, and Caliente was one of the line's most significant division sites with a spur leading to Pioche. Following the introduction of diesel locomotives, Caliente saw a significant decline in traffic, and the division point was relocated to Las Vegas in 1948. The Population And Economy Of Caliente Caliente had 962 residents as per the latest US Census. Since the most recent census, which showed a population of 990 in 2010, Caliente's population has fallen by -2.83% and is currently falling at a rate of -1.43% annually. White (Non-Hispanic) accounts for 92.9% of the population of Caliente, followed by Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.83%), White (Hispanic) (2.48%), White (Hispanic) (0.788%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (0%). The poverty rate of Caliente is 17.98%, and the average household income is $52,594. The median cost of rent during the past few years is $563 per month, while the median price of a home is $79,000. In Caliente, the median age is 44.6 years, with 35.3 years for men and 46.6 years for women. Attractions In And Around Caliente Kershaw-Ryan State Park Kershaw-Ryan State Park. Three miles from the center of Caliente, Kershaw-Ryan State Park is conveniently reachable via paved roads. Hike the park's short but breathtakingly beautiful overlook paths as your basecamp for the ultimate adventure. It will take you up and out of this oasis in the desert to a ridgeline with a breathtaking view of the Rainbow Canyon below. With plenty of places to picnic and a network of routes crisscrossing the region, this tourist destination is excellent for hiking, camping, and environmental research. Delamar Ghost Town The ruins of a three story stone building in Delamar Ghost town. Delamar, which was formerly one of Lincoln County's largest towns and was notorious for its high number of fatal mining accidents, was decimated by the boom and bust cycle in the late 1800s and has since been abandoned. Today visitors to Delamar Ghost Town can explore many stone years that have endured for more than a century in the Mojave Desert. Along with two historic cemeteries and mill sites, there are numerous foundations and entire structures that are formed of native rock, setting it apart from most other Nevada ghost towns. Oak Springs Trilobite Trilobite Fossil in Shale from Oak Springs Trilobite Site along Highway 93 outside Caliente, Nevada. This remarkable location has the fossilized remains of six different trilobite species in the shale layers close to Oak Springs Summit. The animal remains from 500524 million years ago are represented by the fossils found in Oak Springs. Beaver Dam State Park Landscape view of Beaver Dam State park in eastern Nevada. Beaver Dam State Park offers hikers, campers, and fishermen a tranquil setting with its distinctive, primitive, and rustic beauty. The Beaver Dam area is home to mule deer, bobcats, herons, coyotes, foxes, the endangered mountain lion, and a wide range of reptiles. Nestled to the east of Los Angeles near Palm Springs, California, Joshua Tree is a two-desert intersection town full of hiking trails and camping sites. It is home to a wide variety of geological features and diverse animal species. The Joshua Tree National Park is one of its most visited attractions, bringing close to three million visitors annually to experience the ecosystems of the distinct Mojave and Colorado deserts. The town also includes several museums and art galleries, making it a popular destination for getaways from the city, with plenty of activities for nature lovers and art enthusiasts alike. Behind the Name Road through the town of Joshua Tree. The Californian town takes the name of a famous local tree, the Joshua tree, a typical plant of the Mojave Desert. It is also found in the Sonoran Desert of western Arizona or the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. The tree is particularly known for its various properties identified by native people; its tough leaves are used to craft sandals and baskets, while its flower buds and seeds make up a healthy culinary ingredient. In its natural settings, it also provides sustenance and shelter for many insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals. A Single Joshua Tree in the Mojave Desert Climate And History Of Joshua Tree The Mojave and the Colorado deserts meet in the town of Joshua tree, a mere one-hour drive from Palm Springs, California. The spectacular location means visitors can enjoy the cool temperature of Colorado, the low dry desert sitting below 3,000 feet on the park's eastern side. On the other side, visitors can experience the high wet desert with more vegetation, granite monoliths, and sandy and rocky stretches making for stunning hiking trails. The remarkable flora and overall pleasant weather create the wonderful atmosphere that attracts visitors all year long, whether for clear-sky stargazing on the cool fall nights or rock-climbing around the wildflowers in the spring. The Milky Way Galaxy Visible in the Night Sky in Joshua Tree, California The inhabitants of the town date back to the last Ice Age with the arrival of the Pinto people, one of the earliest Southwestern communities who lived in the wet climate of Pinto Basin around a slow-moving river over 5,000 years ago. Then the region was inhabited by nomadic groups of Indians around the harvest seasons, especially for its cactus fruit bearings, pinyon nuts, acorns, and mesquite beans. Joshua Tree National Park Rock Formation in Joshua Tree National Park Before the establishment of the national park in 1994, the area was considered a national monument until the passing California Desert Protection Act. It stretches over an area of 794,000 acres, inviting about 2.8 million annual visitors. The park has a remarkable range of activities, projects, and programs, working in partnership with the Joshua Tree National Park Association. The association aims to support scientific and academic research activities and educational and artistic programs. The latter is an essential part of their activities as musicians and artists have been elemental to the park's history and legacy and are celebrated through their Artist-in-Residence program. Joshua Park's Desert Institute offers wide-scale services and activities, including live events, field classes, community lectures, military scholarships, and step-on bus tours, among others. The institute established the Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award, granted to individuals and organizations who significantly contribute to the deserts of California. A visit to the park allows access to diverse services and learning adventures, and any park store purchases or membership subscriptions to the Joshua Tree National Park Association feed into the institute's artistic and research programming. Camping An RV Parked in a Camp Spot in Joshua Tree National Park While the peak camping season is the springtime months of March till early June, camping is possible all year round at Joshua Tree, with numerous options depending on the group size and preferred environment. The park's per-vehicle entrance fee is 20$, while bike or motorcycle fees drop to 10$. There is an additional 15-20$ site fee per night for different campgrounds. For a more comfortable stay, visitors can choose one of the vibrant hotels of the area, like Hicksville Trailer Palace or the charming Harmony Motel. As for the campsites, the Cottonwood is a highly accessible one at the south entrance of Joshua Tree Park and is suitable for low-desert-seeking campers. More secluded is the White Tank, perfect for quiet star-gazing, while a larger busy campground for groups interested in day-time rock-climbing is the Jumbo Rocks. Museums And Art Galleries The Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Museum in Joshua Tree, California Though the area is most famous for its park and desert camping spots, Joshua Town is rich in cultural and artistic destinations. It features the exceptional Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum, a 7.5-acre outdoor museum. Created by Noah Purifoy, it comprises a number of large sculptures made of non-traditional materials like burnt wood, castoff metals, and blown-out tires. The town also contains the World Famous Crochet Museum, which unintentionally started with the vibrant Shari Elf's humble crochet collection and today has become a spectacular group of unusual items in crochet form. Aside from the museums, the Joshua Tree Art Gallery is worth the stop, featuring photography, painting, and sculptures from the Hi-Desert. Joshua tree is certainly one of the most beautiful desert towns in the United States. Its many attractions make it the perfect stop for art enthusiasts and outdoor-lovers equally. With more than 944 listed lakes and ponds in the American state of New Hampshire, it is home to a wide range of unique and enjoyable water bodies. Of this, Echo Lake is a warm water fishery located near North Cornwall within Carrol County. The lake is part of the Echo Lake State Park and houses various activities, making it an excellent spot for tourists and locals. This includes a swimming beach, fishing arrangements, boat rentals, and fantastic greenery, making it an enjoyable place for all ages. Location And Geography Of Echo Lake Echo Lake Surrounded by the White Mountains in New Hampshire Within the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Echo Lake State Park lies Echo Lake. While having a modest surface area of 15.7 acres, the lake is sat below two famous rock climbing spots, White Horse Ledge and Cathedral Ledge. Due to this, the lake is at a lower elevation of 146 meters compared to nearby mountainous regions, which reach peaks of nearly 2000 meters. Traveling to the lake is relatively simple, with the nearest village, North Conway, being a short five-minute drive away. Apart from this, Echo Lake is a part of the Saco River watershed, a large 997 sq. km. in area. Echo Lake itself is one of the smaller lakes in the state, having a maximum length and width of 0.5 km and 0.2 km, respectively. Moreover, it has an average depth of 2.1 meters and is three meters at the deepest point, which is also why it is a prominent swimming spot. Climate Of Echo Lake Echo Lake During Autumn According to the Koppen Climate Classification, Echo Lake is located in a humid continental climate zone. This means the area has warm and humid summers while winters are pretty cold. Summers temperatures at Echo Lake peak in the month of July, with average highs reaching 27 C. On average, the area receives decent amounts of sunlight with an average of 200 sunny days per year. Although, by early October, temperatures at Echo Lake begin to drop significantly until reaching lows of -14 C by January. Due to the sub-zero temperatures, the area receives approximately 77 inches of snow per year, far beyond the national average of 28 inches. Additionally, warmer months see about 50 inches of rain per year, making overall precipitation in the region relatively high. History Of Echo Lake The Frozen Echo Lake in Winter While currently part of Echo Lake State Park, Echo Lake was initially owned by a group of private individuals back in the 1900s. Purchased in 1899 by a group of residents and visitors for a sum of $1000, followed by the adjacent White Horse Ledge, the land was subsequently deeded to New Hampshire State shortly after. It wasn't until 1943 that the state of New Hampshire purchased the land to save it from commercial or industrial activities. Thus, as of 2022, the lake and surrounding areas are protected within the Echo Lake State Park. Ecology And Recreation In Echo Lake Being classified as a warm water fishery with clean water, Echo Lake is home to various species of large fish. Some of the most common in the lake are Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, and Yellow Perch. The surrounding areas are also filled with luscious greenery and a mountainous landscape where you can find an abundance of Red Spruce, Eastern Hemlock, and other trees. In terms of recreation, this lake and its lively surroundings provide visitors and locals with a wide variety of fun activities. Primarily, people mostly spend their day here swimming on the shallow beach or fishing for some of the local bass or trout. As it is located at the foot of White Horse Ledge within the Echo Lake State Park, the surrounding areas provide well-known rock climbing sites, hiking trails, and even ice climbing during the winter months. So, Echo Lake is sure to be an enjoyable visit, whether you want to spend your day taking a scenic walk or enjoying some adventurous activities. Hundreds of tips helped police identify and charge 'primary suspect' in killings of Muslim men, police say. Now they're searching for motive Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. Nearly half of all teens say they use the internet 'almost constantly,' survey finds Chinese FM slams Pelosi's visit to Taiwan Xinhua) 08:04, August 11, 2022 QINGDAO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has commented on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to China's Taiwan region, saying it will only make the international community more aware of the United States' hegemonic bullying and strengthen the consensus of adhering to the one-China policy. Wang made the comments during his recent contacts with foreign ministers of Mongolia, the Republic of Korea and Nepal. Emphasizing that Pelosi's visit to Taiwan has been proved to be a sheer political provocation, Wang said this is a serious violation of the commitments made by the U.S. side and a serious violation of China's sovereignty. "China will, of course, take necessary and resolute countermeasures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, uphold the basic norms governing international relations on non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and truly maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Wang said. Calling the visit a complete political farce, he said Pelosi's performance will only make the Chinese people more united and resolute in advancing the great cause of national reunification. Wang warned against three dangerous trends as the situation develops. He said that, firstly, it is necessary to be prepared for the United States gathering some accomplices to pour fuel on the fire, enhancing regional military deployments, further escalating the situation and attempting to create a new and bigger crisis. Secondly, said Wang, we must be wary of "Taiwan independence" forces misjudging the situation, continuing to collude with external forces, and heading further along the path of splitting the country. Thirdly, he said we must be wary of politicians in some countries ignoring right and wrong, getting caught up in the hype and following suit for political gain. This will seriously undermine the political foundation for relations between China and these countries, and will seriously undermine the UN Charter and the post-World War II international system. "We are willing to, together with friends from all countries who love peace and uphold justice, resolutely oppose all words and deeds that interfere in China's internal affairs and resist all risky moves that undermine peace across the Taiwan Strait, and jointly safeguard the one-China principle, defend the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and safeguard regional stability and world peace," Wang said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), Saudi Arabia's premier electricity service provider, today signed an agreement to obtain a USD-denominated $3 billion international syndicate facility from 15 leading regional and international lenders. Covering a five-year tenor, the unsecured facility will be used to refinance an existing syndicated facility, initially raised in 2017 and set to mature in August of 2022, as well as fund the company's capital expenditure needs, said an SEC statement. SEC also announced obtaining a $567.5 million Export Credit Agency (ECA) facility, covering a 14-year tenor, to finance its Saudi Arabia-Egypt electricity interconnection project. The ECA facility agreement was signed with Standard Chartered Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and subject to satisfaction of conditions precedent, will be guaranteed by the Swedish Export Credit Agency and funded by the Swedish Export Credit Corporation. Engineer Khaled Al-Gnoon, CEO of SEC, said: "SEC's obtainment of this International Syndicated Facility as well as the ECA facility, both achieved at favourable terms and pricing, is testament to the company's substantial asset base, high quality credit, and ties with the kingdom's sovereign credit rating. "The increased interest from the regional and international banking community is also encouraging and speaks about Saudi Arabia's strong economic fundamentals, especially amid volatile market conditions. We look forward to leveraging the International Syndicated Facility to serve our capex requirements, resulting in long-term growth for the business and our investors. Furthermore, the ECA facility will support Saudi Arabia - Egypt electricity interconnection project." SEC had raised the size and maturity of the international syndicate facility, as well as having attracted new lenders, given overwhelming interest for participation from the regional and international banking market. The 15-bank syndicate comprises Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Intesa Sanpaolo, Mizuho Bank, MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, State Bank of India, Bank of China, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, National Bank of Kuwait, KfW IPEX-Bank and Societe Generale. SEC has appointed Mizuho Bank and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank as the agents for this facility. - TradeArabia News Service GRANGER, Ind. (AP) Political leaders on Thursday honored Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski of Indiana as a determined advocate for her beliefs during a funeral after she and three other people were killed in a highway crash last week. Numerous members of Congress were among several hundred mourners for the nearly two-hour service at Granger Community Church near Walorskis northern Indiana home. Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy spoke about Walorskis work as a Christian missionary in Romania with her husband, as the director of a local humane society and as a television news reporter before entering politics. Tell you the truth, Jackie never had a job. She always had a purpose and a mission, McCarthy said. Walorski, 58, was in an SUV with two members of her congressional staff on Aug. 3 when it crossed the median of a northern Indiana highway for unknown reasons and collided with an oncoming vehicle, according to the Elkhart County Sheriffs Office. Walorski, her 27-year-old staffer Zachery Potts, of Mishawaka, who was driving, and her 28-year-old communications director, Emma Thomson, of Washington, D.C., all died, as did the woman who was driving the other vehicle. Potts was Walorskis district director and the Republican chairman for northern Indianas St. Joseph County. Walorski was first elected to Congress in 2012 after six years in the state Legislature and was seeking reelection this year in the solidly Republican district. Much of Walorskis funeral highlighted her Christian faith, with her husband, Dean Swihart, an elementary school music teacher, playing saxophone with other musicians as they performed several hymns. Republican Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri recalled becoming friends with Walorski after they first joined Congress at the same time and lived in the same Washington apartment building for many years. Wagner choked back tears as she called Walorski one of the best. Jackie was a no-nonsense, get it done and move it or lose it woman of strength and intense integrity, Wagner said. Walorski was active on agriculture and food policy in Congress, often working across the aisle on those issues. A co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, she introduced legislation with Democrats to bring back a Nixon-era White House event on food insecurity. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said Walorski loved the country and was proud of her home area. Some on the left seem nearly euphoric, while on the right, the reaction to the search of Donald Trumps home is bouncing between panic and histrionic outrage. Heres what everyone needs to do: Take a deep breath. That includes in Erie County and, in particular, among the candidates for the newly drawn 23rd Congressional District. Its true that executing a search warrant on a former presidents home is a significant even troubling occurrence, but the overreaction is both unwarranted and dangerous, encouraging threats of violence. Despite what candidates Nicholas Langworthy and Carl Paladino claim, there is nothing of a banana republic in what is known about Mondays search at Trumps Mar-a-Lago home. Lets review: Search warrants are common, legal instruments that require a high standard to secure. As far as anyone knows, this was not the government simply deciding to harass a former president and possible future candidate. Banana republics dont bother with such niceties. They just do what they want. Obtaining this warrant would have required two painstaking steps: Because of the fraught, political nature of the search, top officials of both the FBI and the Department of Justice would likely have approved. That almost certainly would have required the assent of Attorney General Merrick Garland, who is known as a cautious man and who, when proposed in 2016 for the U.S. Supreme Court, drew praise from many Republicans even though they didnt want him on the court. Even still, Garlands approval, alone, wouldnt have secured the search warrant. With that internal permission in hand, the FBI would still have to had to persuade a federal judge or magistrate to find that probable cause existed that evidence of a crime would be found in the areas to be searched. Thats a high bar. What is more, anyone who thinks that former presidents should be exempt from this system is, in fact, arguing that any president of any party can, with impunity, commit crimes for which they can never be held accountable. Given that system and Garlands reputation for cautiousness, its fair to conclude that this warrant neither sought nor issued casually. Whether it was worth obtaining is a separate question and one to which neither critics nor supporters yet know the answer. How serious is the supposed criminal violation? We dont know. Given Garlands nature, there is reason to believe that it wasnt for some minor infraction but, at this point, thats a mystery. The search was surely provocative. No former president has been subject to a similar intrusion, legal though it was. That accounts for both the fantasies of those with visions of Trump in pinstripes and those for whom the use of a legal search warrant is fomenting threats of violence. Thats the big risk right now and the reason that critics, in particular, need to tone it down. Its no secret that Trump is the target of several investigations related to the election, the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and his inappropriate removal of documents, some of them top secret, as he left office. For any other citizen, a search warrant would not be unusual. So: Everyone take a deep breath. That includes Paladino, Langworthy and everyone else with a megaphone. To paraphrase former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, we dont know what we dont know. Better to let a supervised legal system play out than to risk inciting violence, even inadvertently. We Americans like to say that our is a system of laws, not men. So let the law work. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Record wildfires have erupted this year across Alaska. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports that year-to-date, 547 wildfires have burned across Alaska encompassing more than 3 million acres, making this the worst fire season in the state since 2015. In this aerial photo provided by the BLM Alaska Fire Service, the east side of the East Fork Fire is seen near St. Mary's, Alaska, on June 9, 2022. [AP Photo/BLM Alaska Fire Service] More than 1 million acres are currently burning in the state, including three fires that have so far burned more than 100,000 acres. The largest, the Paradise Complex, has burned 275,703 acres and is only 65 percent contained, while the Poorman Complex has burned 140,356 and has no containment currently. Several other major fires have burned across the state this year, including the Clear Fire, which has burned 73,284 acres and is located 10 miles northwest of Anderson, Alaska. The 2022 fire season in the US continues to break records. More than 40,500 fires have burned nearly 5.9 million acres to date nationwide, both of which numbers are well above the 10-year average. Only the devastating fire seasons of 2015 and 2017 saw more land burned and only 2017 saw more fires ignited. A pattern of catastrophic wildfires in the Arctic region of the planet has been emerging in recent years. In July 2017, Greenland experienced unprecedented large-scale wildfires that spread rapidly and burned for weeks. In 2015, massive forest fires engulfed large parts of northern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Alaska. The impacts of climate change and wildfire activity in the upper latitudes is expected to increase in the future. Areas of the far north like Alaska have seen a sharp increase in large forest fires over the past few decades. The Arctic is already warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the planet. The fires burning this year in Alaska are another expression of this process. One of the largest wildfires this season, the Lime Complex, burned through 865,620 acres of the historically fire-resistant southwest region near Bristol Bay through June and July. Other groups of fires blazed through the boreal forests and produced smoke that drifted hundreds of miles away to the town of Nome on the Bering Sea, where smoke threatened those with respiratory conditions. Fires are also starting earlier in the year in the region. The East Fork complex, which ignited in western Alaska on May 31 just a few miles from the city of St. Marys, burned an estimated 170,000 acres in June. Both months were among the driest on record. While rain during the last half of July helped dampen the fires, longer-term forecasts are indicating a weather pattern similar to 2004, when rains in July of that year evaporated to be followed by high-pressure systems, heat, dry conditions and lightning strikes that created Alaskas most extreme year for fire. More than 6.5 million acres were burned by wildfires that year. As warming temperatures continue to transform Arctic ecosystems, increased fire activity is also releasing immense troves of carbon stored in the soil, darkening and destabilizing ice sheets, releasing global warming gases into the atmosphere, and aggravating the changes already under way. Higher temperatures for longer periods of time in turn induce more droughts and are making wildfires more frequent, more destructive, and harder to control over increasingly vast areas. The frequency of these big seasons has doubled from what it was in the second half of the 20th century, Rick Thoman, a climate specialist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy at the University of Alaskas International Arctic Research Center, told the Associated Press. And theres no reason to think thats not going to continue. A fire started by lightning on May 31 in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta was directly attributable to climate change, Thoman said. Due to warmer temperatures there is more vegetation growing on the tundra, willow and alder trees are thicker in the transition area between the tundra and forests, and spruce along river valleys are growing thicker and moving farther uphill from those valleys. Theres been a significant increase in the amount of fuel available, and thats from decades of warmer springs and summers in the region, direct result of a warming climate, Thoman said. And, of course, fires with more fuels available burn hotter. They burn longer. Theyre more resistant to changes in weather. The Yukon-Kuskokwim fire became the largest wildfire recorded in that area at 259 square miles. Communities in the area with a population of around 700 were at risk, but no evacuations were ordered, and firefighters were able to protect the area. The cool, rainy weather that set in late July over much of Alaska has dampened this years fire season, which was shaping up to be one of the worst in recorded history. State and federal agencies are sending some crews home, but officials warn that the fires could come roaring back after a day or two of dry, warm weather. In response to the change in weather, officials reduced the fire danger level in many areas and lifted the statewide emergency burn ban. Global warming is also inducing increased melting of glaciers in Greenland. For a few days in early July, temperatures hovered around 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 Celsius), more than 10 degrees warmer than the average for July. Those unusually high temperatures triggered wide-scale snow and ice melt across Greenlands ice sheet. In only three days, from July 15-17, the landmass lost about 18 billion tons of water. On Saturday and Monday, English-born musician-composer and activist Roger Waters denounced the role of the US government in the war between Russia and Ukraine and discussed other contemporary political issues in two public appearances. Waters, currently on a 38-date concert tour in North America entitled This is Not a Drill, appeared on Saturday morning in a short interview on CNN with Michael Smerconish and was featured in a 90-minute webinar on Monday hosted by World Beyond War. Roger Waters in the World Beyond War webinar The appearances are noteworthyand newsworthybecause the US media in general is as tightly censored and as submissive to the authorities as that existing under many authoritarian regimes. Opposition to the US-NATO war with Russia and/or the campaign to demonize China is simply not encountered on American television or in the pages of the daily newspapers. In the course of the CNN interview, Waters took the opportunity to explain why, during his concerts, he includes President Joe Biden as a war criminal who is just getting started on a list along with every other US president since Ronald Reagan. In reviewing the facts that prompted the characterization of Biden, Waters showed that Smerconishwho presents himself on his weekly CNN program and in other journalistic pursuits as a balanced commentatoris merely another mouthpiece for US propaganda. Waters began to explain that Biden is fueling the fire in Ukraine for a start. That is a huge crime. When the musician observed that it was a horrific and horrendous war with Russia, Smerconish interjected, But youre blaming the party that got invaded. Come on, youve got it reversed. This war, Waters responded, is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border, which they promised they wouldnt do when [Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdrawal of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe. Significantly, when a transcript of the interview was posted online, it became clear that CNN producers had deleted a portion of Waters comments. Speaking of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, Waters suggested that somebody either whispered in his [Zelenskys] ear or he completely changed his mind about making peace in the Donbas and about solidifying the Minsk agreement and making peace with their Russian neighbors and obviating the need for the war. Smerconish then asked, What about our role as liberators?, to which Waters replied, You have no role as liberators. When Smerconish pointed to the US intervention in World War II, Waters observed, Thank God, the Russians had already won the bloody war almost by then. Dont forget 23 million Russians died protecting you and me from the Nazi menace. This prompted Smerconish to assert that Russia should have learned their lesson from war and not invaded Ukraine. Waters told the CNN commentator, I would suggest to you, Michael, that you go away and read a bit more and then try and figure out what the United States would do if the Chinese were putting nuclear armed missiles into Mexico and Canada. Smerconish blurted out, The Chinese are too busy encircling Taiwan, as we speak. Waters became more animated, Theyre not encircling Taiwan. Taiwan is part of China. And that has been accepted by the whole of the international community since 1948 and, if you dont know that, youre not reading enough. When Smerconish asked him if their conversation had resolved anything, Waters spoke bluntly: No ... because youre believing your sides propaganda. You cant have a conversation about human rights, and you cant have a conversation about Taiwan without actually doing the reading. Unabashed, Smerconish doubled down and spouted further anti-Chinese propaganda: If you are having a conversation about human rights, at the top of the list of offenders are the Chinese. Waters replied, The Chinese didnt invade Iraq and kill a million people in 2003. In fact, as far as I can recallhang on a minute, who have the Chinese invaded and murdered, slaughtered? When Smerconish, answered provocatively, Their own, Waters replied bluntly, Bollocks. Thats absolute nonsense. You should go away and read. On Monday afternoon, Waters participated in an extended webinar moderated by Todd Pierce and David Swanson of World Beyond War, a global peace organization. In the online forum, the musician made introductory comments and the balance of the webinar was devoted to his answering questions from the moderators and live viewing audience. Throughout the 90-minute program, Waters demonstrated his considerable knowledge of historical and contemporary international politics. Among the issues he discussed were the recent Israeli military assault on Gaza, the ongoing US embargo of Cuba and the NATO attack on Syria in 2018, prompted by false claims that the Assad regime had carried out a chemical attack. Waters also responded to questions about Pink Floyd and his solo musical works. In his answers, he demonstrated that, despite the decades-long artistic and political friction between himself and the others in the group, he was capable of being objective about the contributions of his fellow Pink Floyd band members. Speaking of his current tour, Waters commented, Im getting this weird feeling that, unlike other gigs Ive done in the past, this gig sort of feels like it might be turning into a movement of some sort. Im not saying Im leading a movement, but what Im saying is, Im part of the movement and so many people in the audience are part of it or are capable of becoming part of it, that it feels like we are really together and that we are really talking to one another. This is a significant insight, and points to the global radicalization under way. One of the benefits of the World Beyond War webinar was that it gave Waters an opportunity to expand on some of the points he broached on CNN. Waters explained that the concept of his This is Not a Drill concert tour originated as a response to that daft announcement that they make when its a drill and when theyre saying Youre about to die in a nuclear war. This is not a drill. ... [In this way] They tell you that it IS a drill and that its not real. He went on to say that the gangster morons who run the world were doing more to bring about a nuclear war at the moment ... than at any time in my lifetime. Waters then compared the present day to the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and explained, at least JFK and Nikita Khrushchev were talking to one another about things. In the current crisis, Waters remarked, Russia has been designated the new primary enemy of the United States of America Empire. Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the rest of that sorry crew, not to mention the opposition who are even sorrier are not speaking to the Russians. Waters debunked the lie that China is trying to take over the world by asking, if the Chinese had that ambition, Why arent they spending more money on the military? They only account for 3.1 percent of military spending in the world, whereas the United States accounts for 39 percent. In an extended comment, the veteran musician pointed out that the US, in fact, is trying to rule the world, and thats why they have over a thousand military bases; thats why theyre getting China surrounded; thats why theyre brandishing the big stick every day; thats why theyre poking this dangerous bear in the eye with a stick every day; thats why they wont negotiate; thats why they didnt support the Minsk agreements; thats why theyre trying to enlarge NATO not just to the Russian border but also into the South China Sea. They want the South China Sea to become part of something that is nominally called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. What the f**k has the South China Sea got to do with the North Atlantic? Thats a question Id also like to know. If anybody out there knows the answer to that question, Id like to know it. Not surprisingly, Waters has come under attack by the corporate media in the US, Canada and the UK. The Hill published an article Monday whose headline contains an obvious falsehood, Pink Floyds Waters backs Russia, calls Biden a war criminal. Anyone who bothers to look into what Waters has been saying since the February invasion of Ukraine by the Putin regime knows that he does not support the Russian actions. Canadas Globe and Mail, published in a country whose ruling elite is closely associated with Ukrainian fascist elements, put together an article plucked from Twitter posts by disgruntled fans who do not care for Waters politics. The article tells its readers that Fans slam Roger Waters and tell him to stick to what youre good at as they threaten to sell their tickets to his This is Not a Drill Tour after he branded Joe Biden a war criminal over Ukraine. A review of the Twitter activity about Waters demonstrates that those who support his views are in a solid majority. The Globe and Mail piece is classic, anti-communist drivel. Britains The Independent online chimed in, asserting that Waters faces a backlash after calling Biden a war criminal over Ukraine and saying Taiwan is part of China. Again, the aim of this kind of disinformation is to incite the backlash it claims to be reporting. Waters is not likely to be fazed by these stupid and obvious CIA-State Department-inspired tactics. Never in the modern history of Canada have the countrys children and youth been sacrificed on such a scale as the past two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through seven waves and multiple variants of the virus, at least half of Canadas roughly 13 million young people aged 29 and under have been afflicted with COVID-19. Students walking out of Winnipeg's Kelvin High School on Monday, Jan. 17 to protest the lack of COVID-19 safety measures. (Striking Students/Reddit) The pandemics deadly trajectory has been orchestrated by the capitalist ruling class, its government representatives at the federal, provincial and territorial levels, and the leadership of the trade unions. Declaring that the population had to learn to live with the virus, capitalist governments have forced public schools to remain open with virtually no protections in place for one simple reason: to ensure parents could go to work and generate profits for the countrys banks and corporations. With schools set to return from summer break in the coming weeks, the political establishment is once again preparing to subject children and their families to a policy of mass infection and death. Ontarios Progressive Conservative government announced earlier this week that there will not even be a mask mandate in the provinces schools, let alone any more substantial measures to curb COVIDs spread. These mass infection policies were opposed by young people and workers over the past year, both in Canada and around the world. It is high time for workers and young people to draw the political lessons of these struggles in order to launch a political fight to put an end to wave after wave of infection by eliminating COVID-19 globally. Lisa Diaz, a parent in the United Kingdom, organized a school strike on October 1, 2021, urging parents to keep their children home from school to protest governments forced infection of children around the world. Many parents in Canada took up her call and the hashtag #SchoolStrike2021 became one of the highest-trending on Twitter. In Ontario, biostatistician and educator Ryan Imgrund called for a protest on October 14, 2021 against the education unions refusal to permit education workers to wear N95 respirators in COVID-infested schools. Illustrating the union leaderships hostility to the rank-and-file membership, Imgrund was publicly censured by his union, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. Other unions, like the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, warned their members that participating in the protest would be grounds for dismissal. The emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant in November and its rapid spread throughout the world prompted governments, including in Canada, to declare it mild. No additional measures were taken to protect the population and families were encouraged to gather over the holiday break. Except for brief delays, schools were reopened after the holidays in the midst of record infection rates. Across the world, both students and education workers fought back. Throughout Europe, thousands of students marched at the beginning of January in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Greece, demanding that schools remain remote and that governments do more to protect the population from the disease. Teachers in France went on a nationwide strike to protest the mass infection policies of the widely-reviled government of President Emmanuel Macron. Thousands of students and education workers protested across the United States. High school students in Chicago demanded that the Democratic Party-led city administration step down for its role in spreading the virus. Chicago teachers went on strike to resist the reopening of schools. Here too, the pro-capitalist orientation of the Chicago Teachers Union bureaucracy revealed itself, as it colluded with Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot to reopen schools in defiance of the wishes of rank-and-file teachers and students. Chicago Public Schools students protest outside of CPS headquarters [Credit: WSWS Media] Hundreds of students across Canada protested as well. At Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, dozens of students walked out in January, backed by over 4,600 who signed a petition urging the university administration to reverse its reopening plan. At McGill University in Montreal, hundreds of students went on strike to demand that the administration provide remote learning options, which the administration relented to after a public backlash. Hundreds of high school students from 90 schools in Manitoba also walked out of class to demand safer classrooms. Despite the militancy and courage of the students and education workers, government pandemic policy only worsened. The dismissal and sabotage of these protests by the union bureaucracies politically disarmed young people and the broader working class, enabling provincial governments to dismantle mass testing capacity in January. At its height, the fifth wave put almost 11,000 Canadians in hospital simultaneously, which is still the highest number on record. Between mid-December, when the fifth wave began, and its end in mid-March, over 7,600 people were killed, making it the third-deadliest wave even though the majority of the population had received at least two doses of the vaccine. The far-right Freedom Convoy, incited and built up by the official Conservative Party opposition, occupied Ottawas Parliament Hill in February and demanded the end of all COVID-19 public health measures. Provincial governments of all political stripes promptly complied, while the federal liberal government green-lighted the elimination of virtually all remaining public health measures. A sixth wave of the pandemic, driven by the BA.2 Omicron subvariant, subsequently ripped its way through completely defenceless schools. The sixth wave established a startling new baseline for infections and hospitalizations even during the warmer spring and summer months. At the low point of the sixth wave in mid-June of this year, over 3,000 Canadians were hospitalized with COVID-19, triple the number during the same periods in 2021 and 2020. Deaths, peaking at a seven-day rolling average of 82 on May 21, eclipsed the third and fourth waves. The BC Centres for Disease Control found in March that 60 percent of children had tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. Quebecs Coalition Avenir Quebec government nonchalantly announced that at least one-third of the provinces 1.5 million children contracted COVID-19 during last winters fifth wave. Childrens hospitals have been pushed to the breaking point as COVID-19 and other infectious diseases have come roaring back, courtesy of governments dismantling of public health measures that previously kept them at bay. Perhaps the most accurate and damning figures come from researcher Dr. Tara Moriarty at the University of Toronto, because she has regularly exposed vast government undercounts of COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. Dr. Moriarty estimates that 57 percent of the Canadian population had been infected with the Omicron variant by April 5, 2022. Because schools are major drivers of viral transmission, it can be reasonably inferred that at least half of all children have been infected with Omicron, in addition to those infected with earlier variants. According to official figures, 52 youth under the age of 20 have died of COVID-19 and 133 young adults between 20 and 29 have succumbed to the disease. Millions have been infected and an unknown number have been hospitalized with mild to severe symptoms. Tens of thousands of young people have lost parents, grandparents, siblings, uncles, aunts and friendsmany of whom would be alive today had they not been forced to live with COVID-19. Demonstrating the immense toll the pandemic has taken on the mental health of young people, a University of Calgary study of 80,000 youth across the globe discovered that rates of anxiety and depression among young people have doubled since the pandemic began in 2020. A growing body of evidence shows that potentially hundreds of thousands of young people across Canada are suffering from the effects of Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome, also known as Long Covid. Given that an estimated 10 to 30 percent of all those infected go on to develop this life-altering chronic illness, an entire generation of young people has been deprived of their childhood and health by capitalist government policy. These policies hearken back to an earlier historical period where childrens lives were cut short by forcing them to work in factories and mines. The great 19th century socialist Friedrich Engels coined a term for these kinds of brutal conditions: social murder. They are a part of a decades-long social counterrevolution by the capitalist ruling class against the entire working class, which includes millions of working class youth. The growing struggles of the international working class for social equality also point the way forward for young people. The youth must turn to the working class and link their struggles, because the fight for public education and a future free from disease is part of the fight for social equality. What is required is a political fight by the entire working class against a whole socioeconomic system, capitalism, that has nothing progressive to offer the worlds population. Young people must take up the struggle for socialism, which will place political decision-making power into the hands of the vast majority of society, not the wealthy few. Societal decisions will then be oriented to serving social need, not private profit. To take up the struggle for socialism, young people should establish chapters of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at their schools, colleges, and universities across Canada. To learn more about the IYSSE, email iysseincanada@gmail.com. As COVID-19 infections and hospitalisations continue to mount, the official death toll has now surpassed 12,500. Hundreds more people are dying every single week. Patient in an intensive care unit (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) Australian hospitals remain under enormous strain, with over 4,350 COVID-19 hospitalisations across the country and thousands of healthcare workers furloughed. This includes up to 2,000 hospital staff furloughed each day in Victoria, close to 1,000 WA health staff and more than 2,600 health workers in NSW. In addition, there are over 2,000 active COVID-19 cases among staff in residential aged care facilities. The spread of the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, nearly as contagious as measles and extremely immune-evasive, and the continued infection and reinfection of the population, is the direct result of official policies. Governments, state and federal, Labor and Liberal-National alike, have allowed the virus to circulate endlessly since the removal of public health measures from December last year. The rolling 7-day average for new infections continues to be above 30,000, under conditions where testing and contact tracing has been dismantled. More than 9.6 million total infections have been recorded, including tens of thousands of reinfections. Recent analysis of reinfection data from NSW Health showed that more than 20,000 people in NSW who had COVID-19 in January were reinfected within five months. Despite claims by the media and some government health officials that the Omicron winter wave is approaching its peak, in reality, every week since January 8 this year the death toll has been above the highest peaks seen throughout 2020 and 2021. A recent analysis by the Actuaries Institute has found that COVID-19 was the third-leading cause of death in Australia based on deaths from January to July, killing more than cardiovascular disease or lung cancer. Since January 1 this year, the number of patients hospitalised each day with COVID-19 has been above 1,600. Even the lowest number of hospitalisations this year, recorded in March, was still above the highest number of hospitalisations recorded over the past two years of the pandemic. The virus is being allowed to spread throughout the country at a time in which vaccination rates are falling, as a result of the persistent campaign by governments and the media to downplay the severity of COVID-19. The immunity gained from previous vaccinations is also fading. Just 71.4 percent of the population aged over 16 has received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 37.1 percent of the eligible population aged 30 and over have had a fourth booster shot. Until July, the fourth booster was limited to those over 65 years of age and those with underlying health conditions. The pandemic has hit hardest among the most disadvantaged sections of the working class. A recent Australian Bureau of Statistics report on the demographics of those who have died of COVID show the people living in the least disadvantaged areas (quintile 5) had the lowest numbers of deaths due to COVID-19. The number of people who died due to COVID was around 3 times higher among those in the most disadvantaged quintile than those in the least disadvantaged. Immigrants to Australia have died from COVID-19 at more than two times the rate of people born in the country (15.6 deaths per 100,000 people versus 7.6 deaths). Those born in the Middle East had the highest age-standardised death rate at 46.9 deaths per 100,000 people. The same report found that at least 60 deaths in Australia were due to Long COVID, raising the long-term consequences of COVID-19 infections. It is estimated that some 10-30 percent of COVID-19 infections will develop Long COVID, which can affect nearly every organ in the body. These figures are a reflection of the conscious and bipartisan policy, enforced by both Labor and Liberal-National governments, to impose the burden of the pandemic on the working class for the benefit of the financial elite. Workers have been forced back into unsafe workplaces, including schools, to be exposed to COVID without adequate PPE or other measures to prevent the transmission of the virus. In Victoria, state Labor Premier Daniel Andrews announced Tuesday that 3.5 million N95 and KN95 masks would be handed out at railway stations, and that boxes of 10 masks would be handed out over the next four to six weeks to anyone visiting a state-run COVID-19 testing site. Whilst N95 masks or better are necessary to deal with COVID, an airborne pathogen, the number of masks is barely enough for one mask each for half the states population and N95s, like surgical masks, are not normally meant to be reused. Moreover, the government has refused to reinstate mask mandates in indoor settings, despite health advice to do so. Instead it has adopted the demands of business, which oppose such mandates because of their impact on profit-making activity, including retail shopping. The mask distribution is thus a cosmetic attempt to cover-up the refusal of the government to take the scientifically-grounded measures required to end transmission. While the use of well-fitted N95 or better masks or elastomeric respirators is among the most important tools to fight the pandemic, official government websites still recommend the use of surgical masks and even cloth masks as PPE, despite the fact that they are not appropriate for preventing airborne transmission. At the same time, the few remaining measures against COVID continue to be wound back. In Western Australia, the state Labor government announced Tuesday that hospitals will scale back their COVID-19 screening protocols. Testing requirements are being removed for patients presenting at emergency departments who are asymptomatic and for most asymptomatic visitors. Healthcare workers, who had been required to wear N95-style masks across all clinical areas, now only need to do so when caring for vulnerable patients or working in high-risk areas. Inadequate surgical masks are instead going to be required, exposing health workers to infection. The rollback of these basic infection control measures is being accompanied by a barrage of propaganda, claiming that the winter surge has reached a peak. Given the dismantling of the testing system, these assertions are based on no evidence whatsoever. The abandonment of all efforts to stop the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand that society must live with the virus, has set the stage for the disastrous response to all infectious diseases. Amid the deepening COVID-19 crisis, cases of monkeypox are surging around the globe, and there are now 58 confirmed cases in Australia, including more than 30 cases in NSW, with some of these occurring through community spread. Despite global outbreaks of monkeypox detected as early as May and the now more than 26,000 cases recorded around the world, it was only last week that federal Labor Health Minister Mark Butler announced the arrival of just 22,000 doses of a third-generation monkeypox vaccine. Initial doses are being rolled out to high-risk groups, in particular men who have sex with men, however, this has been accompanied by the portrayal of monkeypox by the corporate media and government as affecting only this demographic, implying that it is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). NSW Health director of health protection, Jeremy McAnulty, said on the roll-out of the vaccines that, Most people are not at risk from monkeypox, and that to be infected you typically need close skin-to-skin contact. McAnultys false claims, which amount to medical misinformation, were refuted by Royal Australian College of General Practitioners rural chair Michael Clements. In comments to the media, he stated: Please remember that anyone can contract monkeypox and it is not a sexually transmitted disease. This is just a virus, and we need to deal with monkeypox without stigma or unhelpful commentary. As Clements indicated, monkeypox is an infectious disease which threatens all of society. The virus can spread through aerosols, droplets and fomites, with the dominant mode of transmission believed to be skin-to-skin contact and respiratory droplets. The infection period can last over a month, including before the onset of lesions, and requires isolation throughout this time period after confirmed exposure. Whilst most cases remain among men who have sex with men, there are a growing number of infections among women around the world, as well as children and young people. At least 8 infections among children have been recorded in the US. Moreover, so far testing has predominantly been among men sexually active with other men within nearly every non-endemic country, and there has not been a program of contact tracing and testing to determine the extent of the spread of the virus. It is clear that the approach by the federal Labor government to the threat posed by monkeypox and the vaccine roll-out will be no different to the slow, inadequate roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine under the Liberal-National government. The governments deliberate policy of mass infection and death from COVID-19, and the threat of other infectious diseases, underscores the global failure of capitalism, a social system that prioritises profit over human life. More than 48 hours after the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at ex-President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland have refused to give the public any serious explanation of the raid. For the last five years the Democratic Party has done everything possible to avoid taking firm action against Trump out of fear of alerting the population of the danger, but now it has taken an extraordinary step without precedent: Dozens of FBI agents raided the home of the former president to seize documents and other evidence. Such a move signifies that a substantial section of the state apparatus recognizes that the danger of a coup remains as great or greater than on January 6, 2021. And yet, the Democratic Party is incapable of stating this clearly for fear of alerting the population and triggering popular protests against the fascist threat. For this reason, the Biden administration and its Justice Department have refused to state the true reason for the raid, instead advancing the claim in the media that the raid related merely to some documents Trump was not supposed to keep from his time in the White House. This claim has no credibility. Multiple hearings by the January 6 Committee over the past two months have gathered irrefutable evidence showing Trump is at the center of an ongoing conspiracy to overthrow the government in the United States and install a fascist dictatorship. It appears overwhelmingly likely that in recent weeks investigators obtained information indicating that Trumps conspiracy is much farther along than has been publicly acknowledged. This is why the FBI took action. Instead of explaining these obvious facts to the public, Biden has refused to answer any questions about the raid, while his communications staff has presented the raid as a decision made without consulting the political leadership of the White House. On Wednesday, Biden left the White House to go on vacation. The complacent corporate media hardly shrugs at Bidens actions and is instead full of reports that he had a good week due to the passage of a couple of meaningless pieces of domestic legislation. Trump and the Republican Party have leapt in to fill this political vacuum by going on the offensive. Trump and his supporters have presented the raid as an action of the corrupt deep state and an attack on the US Constitution, to which hardly anybody in the political establishment has responded by pointing out that it was Trump himself who attempted to overthrow the Constitution and establish a presidential dictatorship less than two years ago. Every leading Republican politician, including several potential 2024 candidates, such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have issued statements since Monday backing Trump while slamming the FBI, effectively solidifying Trumps status as the partys presumptive nominee. Even Republicans whom Democrats have attempted to portray as heroes, in particular, former Vice President Mike Pence, have responded by denouncing the FBI and defending Trump. Trumps explicitly fascist backers are making clear they are standing back and standing by, prepared to answer a potential call for violent demonstrations or other extra-parliamentary acts. On his War Room program Wednesday, fascist Stephen Bannon called for Trump-loyal elements in the FBI to come forward while promising litigation and incarceration for those who signed off on the raid. Inciting violence among Trumps militia supporters, Bannon said, we are going to punch back, and we are going to punch back quite hard. The fascistic agitation on the part of Trump and his allies has already resulted in increased death threats against Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Judge Bruce Reinhart, the judge who signed the warrant that allowed the FBI to search Trumps compound. Reinhart had to have his public information scrubbed from government websites due to the deluge of death threats he and his family were receiving from Trumps fascistic supporters. In a functioning democracy, Trump and his cabal of co-conspirators would have already been arrested 19 months ago for planning and carrying out a multifaceted attempt to overthrow the government, which culminated in a violent attack on the Capitol. The coup attempt resulted in hundreds of injuries, multiple deaths and Vice President Mike Pence nearly being captured and possibly killed by Trumps armed supporters. The attack on the Capitol failed not because of any warnings or actions of the Democratic Party, which before, during and after the attack did everything it could to downplay the extent of the coup plot. In the months leading up to the attack, the Democrats systematically downplayed Trumps threats that he would not leave peacefully following the election. Even after the pre-planned attack on the under-defended Capitol failed, the Democratic Party promoted the intelligence agencies lying claim that a lack of intelligence is why Congress was under siege for hours by right-wing militia elements. During the truncated impeachment trial last year, the Democrats presented the attack as a riot that occurred because of Trumps incitement on January 6, not his and his Republican Party accomplices actions in the weeks after the election that created the circumstances for the coup to almost succeed. In that same impeachment trial the Democrats refused to call witnesses, even Republicans who offered to testify, further chloroforming the population to the severity of the coup. This continued throughout the January 6 hearings. The Democratic-led committee allowed far-right war hawk Republican Liz Cheney of Wyoming to present a false narrative that Trumps coup only had marginal support within the Republican Party and the government as a whole. This myth downplays the authoritarian danger that still exists, and is growing, while also absolving a majority of the Republican Party, elements in the police, military and intelligence apparatus and the Supreme Court, who supported Trumps efforts to stay in power on January 6, 2021 and continue to back him to this day. Instead of explaining to the working class that Trump is continuing to build a fascist movement within the Republican Party with the explicit goal of abolishing democratic rights and creating a police state, Biden seeks to forge a unity with his Republican allies, such as Cheney, to push forward with their war plans against Russia and China abroad and continued profiteering at home. The response of the Democrats is driven by their fear that exposing the implications of the Justice Departments ongoing investigation into Trumps continued coup plotting would incite a mass rebellion from below against not only the Republicans but the entire capitalist state. This is why the Democrats are seeking to reduce the FBI raid on Trumps compound to nothing more than a document question, because to expose the true reason would show that the threat to democracy has not passed with the election of Biden and the Democrats in 2020. Instead of providing space for reform, and ushering in the most progressive administration since the New Deal, democratic rights, including the right to an abortion, have been eviscerated under Biden and the Democrats, while Trump has solidified his position as the Republican kingmaker. The Democrats are incapable of defending the democratic rights of the population because their fundamental class interests, like the Republicans, are rooted in the preservation of the profit system. To counter the Republicans drive for dictatorship and the Democrats cowardice, fecklessness and complicity in this ongoing plot against the population, the working class must be mobilized independently of both political parties on the basis of a socialist program and perspective against the source of war and dictatorshipthe capitalist system. Since April, Texas governor Greg Abbott has sent busloads of migrants and asylum-seekers to locations across the East Coast, including Washington D.C. and New York City. Arizona governor Doug Ducey joined Texas and started busing migrants to the nation's capital in May. Migrants hold Red Cross blankets after arriving at Union Station near the U.S. Capitol from Texas on buses on April 27, 2022, in Washington. [AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana] As part of the states anti-immigrant Operation Lone Star, Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to transport migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border to locations outside Texas. Charter buses have since dropped off thousands of migrants who Abbott claimed had been released into small overwhelmed Texas communities. According to Abbotts office, Texas has already sent more than 6,100 migrants to the nations capital. The buses arrive six days a week, as early as 6 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m.sometimes multiple buses a day. Abbott starting busing migrants to D.C. after the Biden administration attempted to lift the Trump-era Title 42 order that allowed the US to deny asylum-seeking migrants entry on the pretext of concern for public health. Most recently, Abbott claimed a bus with 54 migrants that arrived in New York City on August 5 was the first to be sent to that city by Texas. In a statement, Abbott mocked New York Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, and said he included New York as a destination in order to increase pressure on President Joe Biden to enact stricter border security measures. New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city, Abbott said in the statement. I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief. New York City officials, however, have disputed Abbotts claims, pointing to a considerably larger number of migrants who have arrived in the city in recent months. Authorities estimate that more than 4,000 immigrants seeking asylum have arrived in the city from Texas, though not all by bus. At a press conference on Sunday, Adams criticized Abbott for using innocent people as political pawns to manufacture a crisis. Adams official Twitter account posted images of him greeting migrants and refugees arriving at the Port Authority bus terminal in midtown Manhattan. This is horrific when you think about what [Abbott] is doing, Adams said. New York is a city that has always represented democratic values. Showing our values. Thats what were doing today. However, despite the Democrats supposed love for democratic values, local authorities and the federal government have offered little assistance to the migrants shipped to the East Coast. For example, in Washington, D.C., only local volunteers and non-profit organizations have greeted migrants deposited at Union Station, just a few blocks from the US Capitol building. Abel Nunez, head of the Central American Resource Center, told NPR he stepped in to help people being bused to D.C. as long ago as last April. It was really crazy because they were just leaving them on the street, Nunez said. He showed up at Union Station on April 16 after getting a tip from the D.C. Mayors Office on Latino Affairs that a bus was on its way. We knew it was on its way so we were there since 5 a.m. just waiting for them, along with mutual aid organizations, he said, adding that the first bus didnt arrive till 8 a.m. And it was incredible how shell-shocked these people were coming out of the buses. After speaking with migrants, activists learned they had been released from immigration detention centers at the border and spent very little timesometimes less than a dayat a shelter or nonprofit before being kidnapped and put on the bus for the 36-hour journey. For them, it was just a free ride, Nunez said. They didnt really have any other options and were offered a bus to the East CoastWashington, D.C.which some of them understood was closer to their final destination... so they were happy. However, Nunez added, with only local volunteers and nonprofit staff greeting the buses of migrants, and no government support, the migrants were confused and unsure what to do next after arriving in D.C. We have to recognize that the immigrants coming in were primarily from Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba... some folks from Central Africa... so they had [final] destinations such as Miami, New Jersey, New York or Tennessee [in mind], Nunez said. Both Adams and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, also a Democrat, have asked for federal aid to help with the new flow of migrants. Abbotts political stunt is part of a campaign by Republican leaders in border states to blame the Democrats for what they call an invasion. The fascistic forces around Trump have called for governors to invoke emergency powers reserved for war to stop the supposed invasion by drug cartels and criminal gangs. During an interview with Fox News, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick likened the invasion at the southern border to the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. He said the state should put hands on people. Bidens Republican opponents have absurdly claimed that he and the Democrats are pursuing an open border policy. In truth, the Biden administration is just as hostile to the plight of immigrants, still enforcing the Title 42 policy imposed by Trump. After news spread that Abbott was using state police to deport immigrants, the White Houses only response was to release a statement claiming that Biden was focused on real policy solutions to actually secure our border. The retrial of two men accused of planning to kidnap and kill Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 began on Tuesday in a US District Court in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their first trial ended last April after a jury could not reach a verdict and also acquitted two others facing the same charges. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan Office of the Governor via AP) In their opening statement, federal prosecutors told the jury that Adam Fox, 39, and Barry Croft, 46, sought to touch off a second American revolution by kidnapping the governor prior to the 2020 presidential elections. The prosecutors said they will present evidence in the trial that the men, who were active in a right-wing militia group, were serious about their plan to kidnap Whitmer. Assistant US Attorney Christopher OConnor said that the men had trained at gun drills in a handmade shoot house, made two trips to Whitmers northern Michigan summer home to stake out the kidnapping location and went to a nearby bridge where they planned to place explosives to divert the governors security detail during the kidnapping. As they did in the first trial, the defense lawyers are trying to convince the jury that the two men are down-and-out big talkers who had no intention of ever going through with what they discussed. Meanwhile, attorneys for Fox and Croft also told the jury that their clients were being egged on by federal informants who had infiltrated their militia groupcalled the Wolverine Watchmenand were intent on entrapping them. Foxs lawyer, Christopher Gibbons, said that his client was poor, lonely, practically homeless and incapable of following through on anything. He said that it is not a crime to dislike elected officials and it is not a crime to be an empty talker, no matter how ugly or offensive the subject matter is to you personally or anyone else. Fox, who is from Grand Rapids, and Croft, who is from Bear, Delaware, came together during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic as they both opposed Governor Whitmers imposition of public health restrictions. They were arrested on October 8, 2020, along with 12 others when they attempted to purchase explosives. Six of the men, including Fox and Croft, were charged with federal crimes ranging from kidnapping to multiple weapons offenses. The other eight were charged with state offenses. If convicted, the men face possible life sentences. Top from left, Brandon Caserta and Barry Croft; bottom from left, Adam Dean Fox and Daniel Harris. All four were accused in a plot to abduct Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, right, in 2020. (Kent County Sheriff, Delaware Department of Justice, and AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Two of the six federal defendants, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, pleaded guilty and testified against the other four in the first trial and have agreed to testify against Fox and Croft in the second trial. The jury found Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta not guilty in April. The Michigan kidnapping plot developed throughout the summer and into the fall of 2020 during the campaign by then-President Donald Trump to whip up a right-wing and fascistic response to any efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the population. Trump tweeted on April 17, 2020, LIBERATE Michigan and save your great 2nd amendment. It is under siege! To these calls, right-wing individualssuch as those in and around the Wolverine Watchmenresponded and participated in protests at the state Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, in April and May 2020 and, on one occasion, armed themselves and went into the state legislature. It was within this atmosphere that the plot to kidnap the governor got started. On Wednesday, Prosecutor OConnor said that the men, wanted to violently overthrow elected government officials because they believed those officials were tyrants who were constantly violating their rights. In the first trial, defendant Ty Garbin told the jury that the goal of the group was to cause national chaos with a kidnapping close to the election that would prevent Joe Biden from being elected as president. During the start of witness testimony on Wednesday, prosecutors played a recording of Adam Fox expressing his hatred for the governor and saying, Im not building a militia, bro. Im building an army. The first witness to testify was FBI special agent Todd Reineck who discussed the recordings, voicemails and Facebook posts of the defendants. Reineck presented evidence that Croft, who was complaining about gun control, said brute force was the only way to protect rights. Croft is recorded saying in 2020, Its a new game out here. I dont think you understand the patriot movement has a role. We understand exactly the enemy that confronts us, and we aint playing with it anymore. Prosecutors displayed a photo of Croft in a tricorn hat with Expect Us tattooed on his arm. Although media coverage and Judge Robert Jonker of the US District Court for the Western District of Michigan have consistently presented the plot as that of a kidnapping, it is clear from the facts that emerged in the first trial, as well as the events in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021, that their goal was to kill Governor Whitmer. This was acknowledged by the governor herself in a July 9 interview with the Washington Post. In a lengthy profile piece, Whitmer questioned the use of the term kidnapping and said, Does anyone think these kidnappers wanted to keep me or ransom me? No. They were going to put me on a trial and then execute me. It was an assassination plot, but no one talks about it that way. Even the way people talk about it has muted the seriousness of it. Whitmer will not be called as a witness in the trial. She disclosed on Monday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time and is experiencing mild symptoms. Prosecutor OConnor and the defense attorneys expect the trial to go on for about two weeks. Worker Alistair Bidmead was killed in a tragic construction site accident on Friday morning at Fort Street High School in Sydneys inner west. The 35-year-old stonemason was crushed under several tonnes of stone and brick, after a piece of the third-storey facade he was working on broke loose. The construction site at Fort Street High School [Photo: WSWS] Bidmead was found pinned under debris on the scaffolding and could not be revived. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. New South Wales (NSW) Ambulance Inspector Michael Corlis told Nine News: His injuries were [such] he could not be resuscitated unfortunately there was nothing we could do. Bidmead, a specialist in heritage stonemasonry, was working on a project to restore the main building of the 170-year-old government high school. Originally from the Cotswolds, in southwest England, Bidmead was a highly regarded and award-winning stonemason. On Facebook, B R Masonry wrote: Alistair was a great friend and we are all deeply saddened by this. Alistair worked for us as a stone mason in 2016 at Mosman. Im thankful for this time with you mate as you taught us a lot about working and shaping stones your knowledge was endless. The Kyneton Dry Stone Walling Centre wrote: During my time with Alistair he was in constant demand from some of the most highly respected builders doing some of the most high profile work. His style and knowledge were exceptional and the way he approached problems and his application of skills and communication were the best we have seen. Having worked in the industry since becoming an apprentice at the age of 16, and studied stonemasonry at Bath College, Bidmead established his own small business in the UK at 19, before relocating to Australia in 2017. Alistair Bidmead in 2014 (Photo: Facebook/Alistair Bidmead) The recovery of Bidmeads body from the site took more than five hours, as rescue workers needed to use a crane to remove the heavy fallen stone and debris. NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Adam Dewberry described the operation as complex and protracted. Dewberry told reporters that no children witnessed the shocking accident. The students were sent home early and the school remained closed on Monday. Teachers and other school staff have been instructed not to speak to the media. While residents of the area surrounding the school told the World Socialist Web Site there was a large media presence at the site on Friday, little has been reported in the Australian press since the initial coverage. This expresses the criminal indifference to workers lives (and deaths) of the corporate media and political establishment, including the unions. The Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU), which covers workers in the construction industry, has said nothing about the death, and declined to provide a comment when approached by the WSWS. The reality is that the CFMMEU, along with all other unions in construction, is responsible for enforcing unsafe conditions in the industry. The unions, acting as an industrial police force of management and government, have suppressed any opposition by workers to the tearing down of building regulations by Labor and Liberal-National governments alike, and allow the official safety agencies to serve as a rubber stamp for developers. Although the accident occurred at a public school, on a project involving Heritage Stoneworks, a state-owned entity, the NSW Liberal-National government has remained silent on the tragedy. Beyond a few token comments, representatives of the NSW Labor Party have done little more than express crocodile tears and promote illusions in SafeWork (formerly WorkCover), the pro-business government safety body that has presided over dangerous working conditions in construction and other industries for decades. After a single tweet on Friday, Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne has said nothing, and his office did not respond to a request from the WSWS for further comment. Sophie Cotsis, Labors shadow minister for work health and safety, told the WSWS: I wrote on Friday to Minister [Victor] Dominello, who is responsible for SafeWork, seeking an urgent and thorough investigation into this tragedy. Asked whether she thought such an investigation would bring about meaningful change to safety conditions in the construction industry, Cotsis said she believed it was necessary to conduct a review into SafeWork. SafeWork, confirmed that it was conducting an investigation into the death, but declined to comment further. The modus operandi of the agency is to conduct protracted investigations over several years, before handing down a ruling that does nothing to hold those responsible for industrial deaths to account. Bidmeads horrific death underscores the dangerous conditions workers face every day on construction sites. SafeWork reports that, between 2012 and 2015, 15,553 workers in NSW were injured by falling objects, while 214 were permanently disabled and 17 died. According to WorkSafe Australia, in 2020, 36 construction workers were killed across the country, making it the third most deadly industry in the country, in terms of both total number of deaths and fatality rate. Construction ranks second for the number of serious workers compensation claims for workplace injuries, with a total of 15,567 in 2020. Across all industries, worker deaths have increased from fewer than 150 in 2018 to almost 200 in 2020. The fatality rate has also increased, from around 1.1 per 100,000 workers in 2018 to 1.5 in 2020. This carnage will continue as long as workers safety remains in the hands of government safety bodies, which serve to cover up the underlying cause of dangerous working conditions, the subordination of workers health and lives to the interests of corporate profit. The WSWS urges workers, family and friends who have any further information about Alistair Bidmeads tragic death, or other serious workplace incidents, to contact us today. In two reactionary attacks on democratic rights, the Democratic Party is seeking to eliminate political challengers to its left in this falls midterm elections. The first is the removal of COVID whistleblower Rebekah Jones from the Florida primary ballot. The second is a protracted effort to keep the Green Party candidate for the US Senate race in North Carolina off the November ballot. Although the Socialist Equality Party opposes the politics of both Jones (who is seeking a Democratic Party nomination) and the pro-capitalist Green Party, we defend the democratic right of third parties and independent candidates to appear on the ballot. The nakedly undemocratic operations against their candidacies are a testament to the reactionary character of the Democratic Party and the fear within the ruling class of the growing social discontent and opposition brewing among workers seeking to break out of the straitjacket of the capitalist two-party system. Both cases involve convoluted legal maneuvers in which there is a strong odor of criminality and dirty tricks, as the Democrats used hacked and falsified voter registration records against Rebekah Jones and impersonated Green Party petition gatherers and lied to voters in North Carolina. Florida On Friday, a Leon County Circuit Court Judge disqualified Rebekah Jones from running as a candidate in the states Democratic primary election on August 23, following a concerted intervention from Democratic Party officials. The ruling arose from a lawsuit filed by Peggy Schiller, a retired corporate lawyer and the sole rival to Jones for the partys nomination in Floridas 1st Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Republican Matt Gaetz, an arch-reactionary Trump worshiper. Schillers lawsuit alleged that Jones changed her party voter registration to unaffiliated in June 2021 while living in Marylandshe had left Florida briefly because of persecution by the administration of Governor Ron DeSantiseven though she registered to vote in the state in April 2021 as a Democrat. Rebekah Jones (YouTube/Rebekah Jones) A Florida election law passed last year requires anyone running for a partisan office to be registered as a member of the party for a full year before qualifying begins in June. The brief interruption in Jones registration would disqualify her as a candidate. Jones testified that she only registered to vote in Maryland once as a Democrat and the other changes filed with the state of Maryland were fabricated and not done by her. Schillers attorney and former Republican official Juan-Carlos Planas pointed to a number of Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings where Jones identified herself as an independent candidate for Congress. Jones initially announced she would run for Congress as an independent, but changed plans based on a new law passed by the legislature, making such campaigns more difficult, and ran as a Democrat out of necessity. Judge Cooper rejected the claim by Jones that her voter registration information had been changed without her consent. While he was explaining his ruling, Jones interrupted him saying she could provide documents proving she was hacked. The judge immediately ordered her out of the Zoom hearing, saying he didnt allow anyone to speak during a ruling. The undemocratic sabotaging of Jones campaign is not unsurprising given the brutal violence and political slander shes faced following her firing from the Department of Health at the hands of far-right Governor Ron DeSantis, who sought to censor all opposition to his homicidal policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jones was fired and subsequently persecuted for refusing to manipulate the states case and death numbers from COVID-19 so that the DeSantis administration could lift all coronavirus restrictions despite the rampant spread of the virus. Shortly after being fired, Jones created her own COVID-19 dashboards to comprehensively track COVID-19 infections and deaths in Florida and in K-12 schools across the US. Several months later Jones was the victim of a Gestapo-like raid on her home ordered by DeSantis, where Florida state police barged into Jones home with guns drawn at her and her family. The officers seized her phone, computer and several hard drives to prevent her from continuing to publish data on COVID-19 outbreaks. North Carolina On Friday, August 8, US District Judge James Dever III ordered North Carolinas Green Partys US Senate candidate Matthew Hoh be placed on the November ballot, in a ruling that rebukes the Democrats flagrantly undemocratic attempts to eliminate a challenger for the US Senate seat held by outgoing Republican Sen. Richard Burr, who has announced his retirement. In late June, the North Carolina Board of Elections voted in a 32 decision to not certify the Green Partys ballot status, thereby keeping it from the 2022 ballot. The vote was along party lines with three Democrats voting in favor against the remaining Republican board members. The Green Party alleged the decision was aimed at bolstering Democratic Senate candidate Cheri Beasley, out of fear that the Green candidate would likely take votes from her. US Rep. Ted Budd won the Republican primary in the race. The elections board decision came after the Washington-based Elias Law Group, the counsel for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC), accused the Greens of misleading voters into getting them to sign the latters petition to certify them for the ballot. Under state law, the Green Party needed at least 13,865 signatures and more than 16,000 were validated by county election officials. Although 95 percent of petition signatures were collected by Green Party volunteers, Hoh said that 5 percent were gathered by contractors, And two of those people seemed to have tried to run a scam and submit false signatures. That was around 200 signatures (in question). According to material uncovered by the Greens, Democratic operatives sought to undermine the partys campaign by calling up those who had signed the petition, disguising themselves as Green Party representatives. According to phone call recording, the caller then appeared to read from a script, saying the Green Partys presence on the ballot will take votes away from Democrats giving Republicans a huge advantage. That will help them win North Carolina in 2022 and 2024. Are you interested in having your name removed from the petition? The Green Party filed an emergency motion in federal court against the election board decision, leading the board to partially reverse course and agree, by a 40 vote, to restore the partys ballot status. But the board still sought to prevent Green candidates from appearing on the November ballot, claiming they had missed the filing deadline (because of the Boards own action in rejecting party status!) The last matter remains to be determined in advance of the ballot printing, set for August 23, but the federal court was clearly hostile to the constitutional argument advanced by the board. The Democratic-controlled panel argued on the basis of states rights that while ballot status for a party was subject to federal jurisdiction because it involved the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, filing deadlines for candidates were a state matter and subject only to state courts. Recognizing the assault on the rights of third parties to run candidates, Hoh said: We met all requirements, we met all deadlines, and we were procedurally in order to be certified, Hoh said. The process of us not being certified is unconstitutional. It takes away our ability to run candidates. The Elias Law Group filed an emergency motion Tuesday with the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that Devers lower court ruling letting the Greens on the ballot would damage the Democrats. The motion makes the revealing claim that adding the Greens to the ballot this late into the electoral process would cause Democrats harm by forcing them to compete with a party that did not comply with the statutory deadline for naming candidates and requiring the party to expend party resources they would otherwise use for other purposes. At the end of last month, amid fawning coverage throughout the corporate media, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans for a referendum to enshrine an unspecified indigenous Voice to parliament in Australias 1901 colonial-era constitution. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Garma Festival (Image: Anthony Albanese Facebook) With great fanfare, the proposal was brought forward, as one of the Labor governments first major domestic initiatives, at the Garma Festival in the Northern Territorythe venue for an annual gathering of indigenous and non-indigenous political elites. Albanese provided no detail of the proposed Voice. In fact, he rejected the need to do so before asking voters to approve it, in the name of keeping it simple. We should consider asking our fellow Australians something as simple, but something as clear, as this: Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice? This was, Albanese insisted, A straightforward proposition. The exact proposal is to add three sentences to the 1901 Constitution to create a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. This body may make representations to Parliament and the Executive Government. Parliament itself would make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the body. The Labor government is appealing to widespread sentiments among all working people of revulsion toward the more than two centuries of massacres, epidemics, removals and separation of children by British imperialism and Australian capitalism. Like many similar measures over recent decadessuch as the establishment of land rights, the creation of native title and the 2008 parliamentary apology to the Stolen Generations of children removed from their familiesLabor is cynically seeking to divert the deeply-felt hostility to that barbaric history into the cultivation of an indigenous elite as an arm of capitalist rule. The Voice was conceived by government-funded consultations with hand-picked indigenous representatives, initiated by the previous Liberal-National Coalition government in 2015. That operation led to a gathering that adopted the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart calling for the Voice, a treaty and truth-telling. In a television interview, Albanese said he was very heartened by the significant support from business leaders, the trade union movement and churches. That reflects the real base of support for the Voice. It lies in the corporate boardrooms, union apparatuses, churches and other capitalist institutions, not among indigenous workers. Even right-wing Liberal-National leaders and the Murdoch medias most frothing commentators are backing the projectanother warning of the underlying agenda. In essence, the plan is to establish an indigenous advisory body to parliament. That is, a new institution within the heart of the same capitalist state apparatus that has been directly responsible for the destruction of Aboriginal society and its incorporation into the working class as one of its most oppressed layers. More than 200 years of Australian capitalism has demonstrated the utter incapacity and opposition of the ruling class to put an end to the oppression of Aboriginal people, any more than it can end the oppression of the working class as a whole. A Voice in the capitalist state, the chief instrument of class rule, will do nothing to redress the shocking conditions of the vast majority of indigenous peoplethose living in impoverished working-class suburbs in cities and towns across the country, or in outskirt settlements or remote communities deprived of basic facilities. The Voice is brought forward now, under conditions of rapidly sharpening class tensions in Australia, to serve definite class purposes. It is a bid to erect a progressive facade on the Labor governments confronting agenda of imposing tough medicine as the cost-of-living crisis intensifies, continuing the disastrous let it rip COVID policies, and preparing for frontline involvement in a US war against China. The same government that claims to be rectifying historical injustice is insisting that, after more than a decade of falling real wages, soaring corporate profits and accelerating social inequality, the working people must pay for the worsening global crisis of capitalism that is impacting every country, including Australia. The claim that a Voice will in any way ameliorate the atrocious conditions facing Aboriginal communities is a transparent lie. These conditions will continue to deteriorate, as they have for decades, along with those of the working class as a whole. Under conditions of rising working-class struggles in Australia and globally, this is another effort to divide workers along racial lines and block a unified fight against the social disaster being created by the same private profit system that has devastated indigenous people. The latest annual Closing the Gap report further exposes the fraud of such exercises. Fourteen years on from Labor Prime Minister Rudds parliamentary Stolen Generations apology, the socioeconomic, health and education conditions of indigenous people are declining, as they are throughout the rest of the working class. Launched to supposedly address the damage done by the removal of indigenous children from their families by closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous welfare and health indicators, the results of this operation have gone into reverse. Children playing at a homeland settlement near Alice Springs [Image credit: John Hulme] In fact, the report shows that the rate of indigenous children in out-of-home care is rising, representing a new stolen generation. Imprisonment and suicide rates are increasing as well. Moreover, the very conception of the gap camouflages the reality of declining social conditions for all working people, necessarily hitting hardest the vast majority of indigenous people, who are among the most vulnerable and oppressed members of the working class. Other reports have revealed that, after years of indigenous people being used as guinea pigs to trial work for the dole, welfare quarantining and other programs to push jobless workers into low-paid insecure work, the proportion of the indigenous population classified as employed has dropped below 50 percent. Increasingly impoverished and subjected to Third World conditions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander working-class people have become, together with immigrant and refugee communities, some of the worst victims of the widespread imposition of poorly-paid and casualised employment, while corporate profits and wealth have climbed to record heights. At the same time, social polarisation is becoming even starker among indigenous people. Alongside terrible poverty, a black capitalist class has emerged. According to a 2019 trade department report, the Indigenous business sector is one of the fastest growing in Australia. Creative Spirits, a website promoting indigenous entrepreneurs, estimated that by 2016, the top 500 Aboriginal corporations employed over 15,000 full-time employees. That makes them significant exploiters of the working class. These employers are just part of the privileged layer represented by the Voice. Whether in lucrative posts in parliament, the media or academia, they employ racialist politics to claim to be the only ones who can speak on behalf of the indigenous population. In reality, they are trading on the social misery created by the capitalist profit system, into whose state apparatus they are increasingly integrated. It is not whites and white society that is responsible for the history of oppression of indigenous people, as self-appointed black spokespeople proclaim, but the capitalist profit system. This upper-middle-class layer is pushing for a Voice in parliament as a means of advancing their own privileges, influence and wealth, even as the social conditions of the vast majority of Aboriginal people continue to worsen. This divisive ideology of racial identity politics should be rejected. The true allies of indigenous people lie not in this venal milieu but throughout the working class, in a common struggle against the program of austerity, ever-widening social inequality and war being implemented by Labor and every other capitalist government. Decades of false promises and bitter experiences have demonstrated that the only means of resolving the appalling situation confronting indigenous workers and youth is through a fight by the entire working class to abolish capitalism in Australia and internationally, to end the socio-economic order that has produced it. That means overturning the capitalist profit system as a whole, and replacing it with a socialist society, based on genuine social equality and democracy. In a situation where its difficult to imagine doing too much, Gov. Kathy Hochuls new initiative for combatting domestic terrorism is both appropriate and welcome. Hochul announced in May that every county in New York State is directed, via executive order, to come up with its own domestic terrorism prevention plan. This week, she offered guidance to help develop those plans. Her announcement is doubly welcome given the fact that Erie County now has a Behavioral Threat Assessment Team, announced by Erie County Sheriff John Garcia in June. Hochuls initiative will bring more resources to this effort in the form of both additional funding and a new unit within the New York State Intelligence Center dedicated to tracking domestic violence extremism and monitoring social media. When the Erie County threat assessment team was formed, one worry was that other counties might not follow suit with their own teams. Its a legitimate concern, given that the accused gunman in the May 14 massacre drove 200 miles to Buffalo from a small town near Binghamton in Broome County. Its not surprising that smaller counties, like Broome, might not have such teams in place, but now we know that they are needed everywhere. Importantly, these teams will not just be made up of law enforcement personnel, but, according to the order, also should include mental health professionals, school officials and others who will assist in identifying potential purveyors of terroristic violence. The urgency in defeating domestic terrorism is made even more pressing when we know that extremists are lurking in racist, antisemitic and far-right corners of the dark web and here, again, we have to thank Hochul for acting when the federal government would not. In May, Congress could not pass a domestic terrorism bill that included surveillance of online extremism. Hochul had already created such a unit in New York by executive order. Domestic terrorism can thrive in any community, no matter how safe it might be in terms of other crimes, such as break-ins, armed robberies or assaults. All it needs is vile propaganda that finds fertile ground with the help of social media networks and psychologically damaged individuals. Hochuls order was announced in a virtual appearance at a two-day Threat Assessment and Management Summit at the State Emergency Preparedness Center in Oneida County. The location underscores the crucial necessity of being on the alert for the markers of domestic terror in every corner of New York State, no matter how isolated, rural or underpopulated. An earlier version of this editorial misstated the nature of Hochul's recent announcement, which offered guidance for counties on developing the anti-terror planning directive she issued in May. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Monkeypox is spreading worldwide, and Germany is becoming an international hotspot. Despite this, the government is downplaying the danger of the virus and doing nothing to curb its spread. Four-year-old girl with monkeypox (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) The first monkeypox case in Germany was reported on May 20. Since then, the number has risen steadily, from 28 cases per week in late May to 125 in early June. There are now 300 to 400 cases per week and a total of 2,916 cases have been reported to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in Germany to date, corresponding to an incidence level of 3.54 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants. This is more than ten percent of the worldwide cases outside Africa. A recent study estimated the reproductive rate (R-value) of monkeypox in Germany to be 1.21, which is higher than the COVID-19 R-value, which is currently 0.86. Due to widespread ignorance about the symptoms of monkeypox and generally limited testing facilities, it can be assumed that the actual number of infections is much higher. Worldwide, Germany is among the most affected countries. In absolute numbers, Germany has the third most infections after the United States with 9,461 cases and Spain with 5,162 cases. On a per capita basis, however, the incidence rate in Germany, at 3.54, is already much higher than in the US, with 2.15 cases per hundred thousand inhabitants. This is despite the fact that the US administration has already declared monkeypox a public health emergency. Within Germany itself, several cities are emerging as particular hotspots. Berlin, for example, has an incidence level of 41.18 with 1,443 casestwelve times the national level. Other cities are also seeing an accumulation of cases: Cologne has had 325 cases, Munich 143, Hamburg 131, Dusseldorf 83, and Frankfurt 80. So far, adults have mostly contracted the virus, but the RKI has also already confirmed three cases in minorsa 4-year-old, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old. Although monkeypox continues to spread and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international health emergency on July 23, the German government is downplaying the threat. On the official website of the German Health Ministry, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (Social Democratic Party, SPD) says: Monkeypox wont cause a pandemic, the virus does not transmit fast enough for that, and we will get it under control with containments of those who are affected before there is a really big outbreak worldwide. Since Lauterbach made this statement on June 2, infection numbers have steadily increased and are approaching 32,000 cases worldwide. The 7-day average of new daily cases is 1,267. To combat the virus, the government has so far received only 40,000 vaccine doses it ordered. Cities such as Berlin, which has received 9,500 vaccine doses, have already nearly used them up. Additional doses, however, are not expected until late September. Even then, only 200,000 doses are expected to arrive, and the government has no plans to order more for the time being. At the same time, organizations such as Deutsche Aidshilfe (DAH) recently called for one million vaccine doses to combat the virus. Axel Jeremias Schmidt, an epidemiologist and DAH medical and health policy officer, said, We dont expect the epidemic to be over when the doses available so far have been used. As long as there are monkeypox infections, he said, people who are at risk must be offered a vaccination. Ulf Kristal of the DAH board also called on the German government to work for a massive expansion of vaccine production so that all people worldwide at risk could have access to vaccination. The goal, he said, must be to reduce the number of infections and bring them under control in the long term. This is only possible if as many people at risk of infection as possible are vaccinated, in Germany and in all other affected countries. However, the German government has been doing nothing to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, setting a precedent for what will be done with monkeypox. With the recently announced Infection Protection Act, it also relaxed the last existing COVID-19 mitigation measures to a bare minimum. Contrary to the way it is commonly presented, monkeypox is not a harmless disease. Infection causes lesions on all parts of the body, which in some people can lead to blindness, suffocation and scarring of the face or other parts of the body. Infected people often describe it as the most painful experience of their lives, unable to sleep or perform basic bodily functions without excruciating pain. Hospitalization is required in about 10 percent of all cases, primarily to manage this intense suffering. To date, the mortality rate for the monkeypox strain now spreading worldwide has been estimated at about 1 percent, which is comparable to the mortality rate for COVID-19. Infection transmission can occur via aerosols, droplets, and fomites, with skin-to-skin and respiratory droplet infection considered the most important routes of transmission. Significantly, monkeypox can also spread through contaminated fabrics and surfaces and those infected with the virus can be contagious for over a month. Especially with the end of summer vacation and the beginning of classes this fall, the spread of the virus threatens to worsen in the coming weeks. Just as with the coronavirus pandemic, the spread of monkeypox is revealing the indifference of the ruling class to human health and the lives of millions. Only a working class movement can impose a scientific fight against these extremely dangerous viral diseases. Thousands of workers, youth and students demonstrated in major cities and provincial towns across Sri Lanka on Tuesday to voice their outrage over the ongoing police repression of anti-government protesters. Trade Union Coordinating Centre rally at Independence Square in Colombo on 9 August 2022 Tuesdays demonstrations were called by two union frontsthe Trade Union Coordinating Centre (TUCC) and the Trade Unions and Mass Organisations Movement (TUMO)and the United Peoples Movement, who were compelled to call the action in response to widespread anger over the arrest of dozens of protesters. In early April, tens of thousands of anti-government campaigners began occupying Galle Face Green in central Colombo to demand the ouster of President Gotabhaya Rajapakse and his government and an end to escalating prices and the scarcity of essentials. They later occupied the nearby presidential secretariat. Millions of workers struck nationwide on April 28, May 6 and on May 10 and 11. This was followed on July 9 by the largest protest in Sri Lankan history, which saw demonstrators enter and occupy the presidential palace, forcing the President Rajapakse to flee the country and relinquish the presidency. Protesters later occupied the prime ministers official residence and office. After being appointed acting president, and then officially sworn in as president, Wickremesinghe imposed draconian state of emergency measures, denounced anti-government campaigners as fascists and terrorists, and unleashed a nationwide police witch hunt. A joint police-military operation on July 22 brutally evicted protesters occupying the presidential secretariat and its vicinity, arresting nine people and injuring dozens. Part of an August 6, 2022 rally organised by Galle Face protesters in Nugegoda (Image: Facebook) The demonstrations this Tuesday were held in Colombo, Maharagama and Homagama, as well as in more distant locations, including Anuradhapura, Mahiyanganaya, Welimada, Ampara, Badulla, Galle, Balangoda, Hambantota, Hatton, Kurunegala, Kantale, Puttalam, Ambalangoda, Meerigama and Kegalle. Protesters carried banners and placards declaring, Stop the repression of Ranil-Rajapakse government, Release all arrested protesters, All-party government is a trapline up for peoples power, and Dissolve the parliament, give way to the peoples voice. TUMO supporters demonstrated outside Fort Railway Station in Colombo while around one thousand students from Kelaniya University, which is on the outskirts of Colombo, gathered outside the university in protest against the government repression. The TUCC mobilised about one thousand workers and supporters at the Viharamahadevi Park in central Colombo and then marched to Independence Square where it held a rally. Although workers and youth joined these protests, the two trade union centres organised these events to deflect the mass anger. Fearful of mobilising workers against the repression and in defence democratic rights, the union bureaucrats limited the action to a token exercise and made no calls for workers to strike and join the protests. The TUCC is dominated by the unions affiliated with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which seeks to subordinate the protest movement to its campaign for an interim government made up from the discredited parliamentary parties and for a general election. A prominent partner of the TUCC is the Federation of Health Professionals, which is led by Ravi Kumudesh. Last Saturday, he met with Wickremesinghe, pledged his support, and voiced his opposition to any continuation of the anti-government struggles. TUCC leaders, along with various civil society groups, including Buddhist monks, issued a so-called citizens decree at Independence Square. This includes appeals to the Wickremesinghe government to stop its state repression, release of detained protesters, lift all State of Emergency and Prevention of Terrorism Act measures and for the introduction of very limited welfare measures. It also demanded a new constitution, limiting powers of the executive president, and an interim government for a short period, followed by a parliamentary election. The TUCC and TUMO campaigns are both aimed at sowing illusions in the discredited parliament and the capitalist system and to tie the working class and the oppressed masses to the existing bourgeois parties. The TUMO, which is backed by the Frontline Socialist Party, demonstrated in front of the Fort Railway Station. Its leaders demagogically denounced the Wickremesinghe regime, declaring that they were ready chase it out like Rajapakse. But like the TUCC protest, they chanted slogans demanding an interim government and a general election while making a futile appeal to Wickremesinghe to stop the repression. Both union alliances are hostile to the independent mobilization of the industrial and political strength of the working class to defend its democratic and social rights. When millions of workers walked out on strike on April 8 and May 6, rallying nationwide support from the oppressed masses, the trade unions diverted this into calls for an interim government and elections. By blocking a nationwide political and industrial struggle against the government, and the capitalist profit system, the trade unions paved way for the current and ongoing police repression. Wickremesinghes denunciations of anti-government demonstrators as fascists and terrorists and the arrests of protesters, are not isolated actions but preparation for far broader attacks on democratic rights. The police-military repression and other draconian measures, such as the State of Emergency, extension of the Essential Public Services Act, and mobilisation of the military in all districts, continue across the island. The Wickremesinghe administration, which faces a grave economic crisis, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the US-NATO proxy war against Russia, is determined to implement all the International Monetary Funds demands and to suppress the inevitable working-class resistance to these attacks. On Tuesday, the government increased electricity rates by over 75 percent and plans to hike water rates by a similar amount later this week. It has also appointed a committee to restructure the Ceylon Electricity Board. Its agenda includes the privatisation of all state-owned enterprises, the destruction of hundreds of thousands of public sector jobs, the slashing of subsidies and higher taxes. Wickremesinghe is pushing for an all-party government with trade union support to unleash these savage attacks. As the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) has repeatedly explained, the ruling class and its government, cannot peacefully implement these attacks and is preparing to intensify its repressive measures. The SEP intervened in Tuesdays protests against on the basis of a socialist and internationalist perspective. SEP members and supporters distributed hundreds of copies of two key statements: Reject all-party regime! No to IMF austerity! Fight to build Democratic and Socialist Congress of Workers and Rural Masses! and For a Democratic and Socialist Congress of Workers and Rural Masses in Sri Lanka! One protester at the TUCC march said: I had to close my small business because of the crisis. The cost of living is skyrocketing and the government is escalating repression. I agree with you that an all-party government would be established to impose IMF conditions. We need an alternative. Two students watching the demonstration voiced their concerns and explained the difficulties they face due to the virtual collapse of the public education system. We are doing the Advance Level [university entrance] exam for the second time but we cant get money for home tuition classes as we previously could. All the costs have gone up exorbitantly. The power cuts are also a problem, they said. An employee from Hatton Education Zonal said: Ranil Wickremesinghe government is already implementing austerity measures. It has already started to remove our rights and allowances, and other things are being cut. It will go ahead with the IMF demands for privatisation. Primaries in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut and Vermont Tuesday further cemented ex-president Donald Trumps control over the Republican Party, as his endorsed candidates won contested nominations for governor of Wisconsin and US senator from Connecticut, as well as in several other races. Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels, left, and Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler. [AP Photo/Morry Gash, Al Drago] In addition, after protracted vote-counting in the state of Washington, Republican Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, conceded that she had lost her race for reelection. Beutler finished a close third in the states all-party primary August 2 and was eliminated, as far-right Republican Joe Kent, a former Green Beret, took second place by a margin of 928 votes and will face Democrat Marie Perez in the November general election. Beutler played a significant role in the events of January 6, besides her subsequent vote to impeach Trump. As the mob was storming the Capitol, she witnessed and partly overheard a phone conversation between House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Trump, in which McCarthy demanded Trump call off the attack, to which Trump replied that the attackers evidently cared more about the 2020 presidential election than McCarthy did. The congresswoman offered to testify during the Senate trial of Trump, but the House Democrats who were managing the case refused to call her as a witness. Indeed, they refused to call any witnesses at all, helping facilitate the cover-up of the attack. The Republican Party continues to evolve in a distinctly fascist direction, but neither the Democratic Party nor corporate America care to discuss this political reality. Instead, the Biden administration pleads for bipartisan collaboration with its Republican colleagues, while the media portrays the contests as driven largely by personalitiesTrump vs. former Vice President Mike Pence or other rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination. Primary contests in Wisconsin show the impact of Trumps endorsement. Construction boss Tim Michels defeated former Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch by a margin of 51 percent to 47 percent, although Kleefisch had the support of the entire party establishment, including former Governor Scott Walker, as well as Pence and Senator Ted Cruz. Michels will face incumbent Democrat Tony Evers, who defeated Walker in 2018. Michels is a wealthy, self-funded candidate, co-owner of the states largest construction company, which had been awarded a contract for building the Keystone XL pipeline by the Trump administration before it was halted under Biden. He had few policy differences with Kleefisch. The two candidates both traveled to Mar-a-Lago to seek Trumps endorsement, which went to Michels. According to the New York Times, their attitude to the stop the steal campaign played a role in Trumps decision. Ms. Kleefisch had been slightly less receptive to the former presidents calls to upend Wisconsins certified 2020 election results, the newspaper reported. Kleefisch denounced the 2020 election as rigged, but subscribed to the view that it was too late to do anything to rescind Wisconsins certification of Bidens narrow victory by 10,000 votes. Michels did not openly reject that possibility. In a particularly striking outcome, Wisconsin House Speaker Robin Vos, the most powerful Republican elected official in the state, only narrowly won renomination from his district after Trump endorsed his previously unknown opponent, Adam Steen. Trump fell out with Vos over the latters refusal to support further investigations into the outcome of the 2020 presidential vote in Wisconsin. In Minnesota, advocates of conspiracy theories won Republican nominations for statewide office. Scott Jensen, a physician and a former state senator, won the nomination to face incumbent Democratic Governor Tim Walz. Jensen has openly challenged coronavirus mitigation efforts and even the efficacy of vaccines. Kim Crockett, who called the 2020 election rigged and campaigned with election denialists, won the nomination for secretary of state, the top state election official. In Connecticut, in the contest for a US Senate nomination, Leora Levy, a far-right Trump fanatic, defeated Themis Klarides, a supposedly moderate Republican who had won the endorsement of the partys state convention. Trump endorsed her and hailed her upset victory, although Levy is a heavy underdog to incumbent Democrat Richard Blumenthal. Jaime Herrera Beutlers defeat in Washington makes her the seventh of the 10 Republican representatives who voted for impeachment to see their congressional careers end. Four retired rather than seek reelection, while three have so far been defeated in primaries: Tom Rice in South Carolina, Peter Meijer in Michigan, and now Beutler. Only two of the 10 representatives have made it to the general election, David Valadao in California and Dan Newhouse in Washington, and neither was the target of a significant effort by Trump to purge them from the party. The 10th Republican impeachment voter is Liz Cheney, vice chair of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack, and Trumps biggest target for revenge. She is expected to lose her race for renomination in the Wyoming primary set for next Tuesday, August 16. In the Democratic Party primaries, there were continuing contests between the party establishment and candidates backed by or allied with Senator Bernie Sanders (who is himself increasingly integrated into the party hierarchy in the Senate). In Vermont, Sanders pick to fill the states lone House seat, State Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, defeated Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray, who had the backing of Vermonts other Senate Democrat, Patrick Leahy. Incumbent Representative Peter Welch is running to fill the Senate vacancy due to the retirement of Leahy, now 82. Sanders, at 80, will finally become Vermonts senior senator, and if Democrats retain control of the Senate he will continue to head the Senate Budget Committee. In Minnesota, all incumbent Democrats who sought renomination won their primaries, but the margin for Representative Ilhan Omar was surprisingly narrow, just 50-48 over former city councilman Don Samuels. Omar has been targeted for her criticism of Israel and her role in the so-called squad of left representatives, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Cori Bush and Ayanna Pressley. There were two sets of ballots cast in Minnesotas First Congressional District, which includes a tier of counties in the southern part of the state, along the border with Iowa. The first was an all-party special election to fill the remainder of the term of Republican Representative Jim Hagedorn, who died of cancer in February. The second was the primary contest to choose Democratic and Republican nominees for the same seat for the full term that begins next January. Former state legislator and Trump administration official Brad Finstad won the special election narrowly over Democrat Jeff Ettinger, 51 to 47 percent, in a district that Trump carried by 10 points in 2020. Finstad and Ettinger each won their partys nomination for the November general election. The main significance of this contest is the identity of the Democratic nominee: Ettinger is the former CEO of Hormel Foods, the company that smashed a bitter strike by meatpacking workers at its Austin plant in the congressional district in 1985-86. The unionbusting was made possible by Democratic Governor Rudy Perpich, who called out the National Guard to escort scabs into the plant, and by the United Food and Commercial Workers international union, which deregistered the militant Local P-9, victimized the local union leadership, and chartered a new union local consisting of the scabs who crossed the picket line. Ettinger was in law school at the time of the P-9 strike, but he went to work at Hormel shortly afterwards and was promoted quickly through the ranks of management by the executives who had carried out the strikebreaking. He became general counsel and then president and CEO (2005-2016), before taking a golden parachute and entering Democratic Party politics. Ettinger self-funded his campaign, effectively buying the Democratic nomination, and given the close result in the low-turnout special election, where he outspent Finstad, could well win the seat in the fall. The Democrats seem likely to lose one House seat in Wisconsin, where 13-term incumbent Ron Kind is retiring from a rural and small-town district in the southwestern portion of the state. Republican Derrick Van Orden, a retired Navy SEAL, who lost only narrowly to Kind in 2020, was unopposed for the party nomination. The Republican-controlled state legislature redrew the districts borders to make it more favorable to their party, effectively forcing Kind to retire, and Van Orden is now favored to win that seat. The other main statewide contest in Wisconsin is for the US Senate seat held by Republican Ron Johnson, a diehard reactionary and Trump supporter, and a self-funded multi-millionaire who is one of the richest men in the Senate. The Democratic nomination went to Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who became the favorite after his major rivals withdrew one by one during July, citing his lead in the pre-primary polls. Barnes is being heavily promoted in the corporate media and by both the party establishment and the Sanders wing as a candidate in the mold of Barack Obama: African-American, relatively young, given to left rhetoric, but advocating policies that are absolutely conventional and pro-capitalist. One take away from observing the Republican candidates in the 23rd Congressional District is the realization how fortunate it is to not actually live in the 23rd Congressional District. The contest has devolved into elementary school name calling. We have been graced with the monikers, Lying Langworthy and Cowardly Carl. The result of this buffoonery makes the current seat warmer, Chris Jacobs, look like Winston Churchill. Not long ago, Jacobs dusted off his conscience and came to the conclusion that he now favored gun control legislation. He was castigated as a heretic and dropped by his party like a hot potato. He subsequently decided to retire from Congress. Its unfortunate he didnt decide to stand by his new-found convictions and run as an independent, but his road to Damascus conversion was apparently short lived. As a result, Republicans in the 23rd now have to choose from a career politician capable of absorbing the Republican hive mentality or his opponent, ready to jump into the clown car occupied by the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene and her sidekicks. Im reminded of a song lyric by Paul Simon, anyway you look at it you lose. Paul Bojanowski Cheektowaga Booking Holdings BKNG brand Agoda expanded its partnership with Ant Groups digital payment services provider, Alipay+. On the back of this collaboration, Agoda can use Alipay+ marketing solutions, including Alipay+ Rewards and in-cashier marketing services as discounts and redemption to boost transaction conversion rate on its platform. The discount and redemption services are currently available for travelers in Hong Kong SAR of China, the Philippines, and Thailand. The latest move is expected to help BKNG gain momentum among travelers visiting the abovementioned regions. This, in turn, will generate more bookings and drive the top line. This will aid BKNG in gaining investors confidence in the near and the long term. Shares of Booking Holdings have been down 15.6% in the year-to-date period against the Zacks Retail-Wholesale sectors decline of 18.6%. Booking Holdings Inc. Price and Consensus Booking Holdings Inc. Price and Consensus Booking Holdings Inc. price-consensus-chart | Booking Holdings Inc. Quote Growing Agoda Initiatives to Boost Prospects Agoda has so far incorporated several digital wallets, namely the AlipayHK, GCash and TrueMoney through Alipay+. The recent move further strengthened their partnership. Booking Holdings Agoda is consistently making global efforts to attract travelers worldwide. Apart from the recent tie-up, Agoda recently partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (Singapore). Per the terms, Agoda and its accommodation partners will offer deals to travelers interested in giving back to support marine habitat restoration efforts. This partnership is part of Agodas new Eco Deals program. In May, Booking Holdings Agoda signed a multi-year agreement with The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia. On the back of this alliance, Agoda will promote the Wonderful Indonesia brand to stimulate tourism in the country. Agoda further collaborated with Visa in May to provide credit card installments across its booking platform without any interest charges. With the help of this partnership, BKNG aims to gain momentum among eligible Visa card-holding travelers in the Asia Pacific region. Agodas growing initiatives will continue to help Booking Holdings expand its presence in the online travel booking market, thereby strengthening its position in the travel industry. Per a Technavio report, the online travel booking platform market is likely to hit $943.6 billion by 2026, seeing a CAGR of 14.6% during the 2022-2026 forecast period. Story continues Competitive Travel Market Given the solid prospects in the travel industry, Booking Holdings competitors, including TripAdvisor TRIP, Expedia EXPE and Airbnb ABNB, are also positioning themselves well to capitalize on the improving travel potential. TripAdvisor is riding on its Tripadvisor Plus subscription offerings. Additionally, its growing partnerships remain positive. In March, TRIP collaborated with Walgreens to promote the latters COVID-19 testing solutions so that travelers who are symptomatic, unvaccinated or planning to engage in a mixed group of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, can enjoy safe trips. Expedia is gaining traction among customers owing to its robust portfolio offerings. Moreover, its website provides travelers with destination and flight plan choices, details of the places to be visited, maps, local restaurants, things to do, cruises, special offers and consumer reviews, so that they can book according to their preferences. Airbnbs growing technological efforts to attract more hosts and guests to its platform remain noteworthy. This apart, Airbnb recently joined forces with Visit Bloomington to promote safe travel with a focus on local attractions, unique stays and experiences to boost travel demand in Bloomington. The partnership is also focused on supporting local shops, restaurants and workers of the city who depend on the local tourism industry. Nevertheless, the latest collaboration of Agoda with Ant Group is expected to boost BKNGs competitive prowess against the abovementioned peers. Currently, Booking Holdings carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. (We are reissuing this article to correct a mistake. The original article, issued on August 09, 2022, should no longer be relied upon.) Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Expedia Group, Inc. (EXPE) : Free Stock Analysis Report TripAdvisor, Inc. (TRIP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Booking Holdings Inc. (BKNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Airbnb, Inc. (ABNB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research FX's Justified revival can't seem to catch a break. An unidentified person threw an explosive device toward the set of Justified: City Primeval during production in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago on Monday night. The Chicago Police Department told EW the object did not explode, and no injuries were reported. While police declined to identify the production, ABC Chicago reported it was City Primeval. FX didn't immediately respond to request for comment Tuesday. The incident comes three weeks after the series halted production when two non-production drivers engaged in a gunfight and smashed through barricades set up for the show. No one was injured, but the cast and crew, including star Timothy Olyphant, hit the ground and took cover during the incident. FX chairman John Landgraf addressed the July 21 ordeal at the virtual Television Critics Association press tour earlier this month. Timothy Olyphant on 'Justified' Prashant Gupta/FX Timothy Olyphant on 'Justified' "I think it was a pretty traumatic experience for the cast and crew to be anywhere near that kind of gunfire," he said. "A lot was done to sort of take a break and make sure everyone was okay. And we were glad that no one was injured and we reconstituted ourselves with even more security We are glad that we were able to get back to production safely." Olyphant is reprising his role as Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in City Primeval, which is inspired by the events of Elmore Leonard's novel City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit. The revival will pick up eight years after Givens left Kentucky behind. He now resides in Miami, "a walking anachronism balancing his life as a U.S. Marshal and part-time father of a 14-year-old girl" (played by Olyphant's daughter, Vivian), per the official synopsis. A chance encounter will send Givens to Detroit, where he crosses paths with Clement Mansell, "a violent, sociopathic desperado who's already slipped through the fingers of Detroit's finest once and aims to do so again." Along with Mansell's lawyer, a "formidable Motor City native" named Carolyn Wilder, "these three characters set out on a collision course in classic Elmore Leonard fashion, to see who makes it out of the City Primeval alive." Story continues Aunjanue Ellis, Boyd Holbrook, Adelaide Clemens, Vondie Curtis Hall, Marin Ireland, Norbert Leo Butz, Victor Williams, and Ravi Patel will also star in the revival. Related content: kali9 / iStock.com You've just eaten a five-star meal in Taiwan, taken a taxi ride in Ireland or settled into your hotel in Iceland. Now what? Tipping in the U.S. is fairly straightforward, but the rules overseas get complicated and incredibly varied. If you aren't up on the customs, you're likely either throwing away money or overlooking the working people who rely on tips as part of their income. Find Out: How Long $250,000 Will Last in Retirement in Each State Read Next: 7 Surprisingly Easy Ways To Reach Your Retirement Goals In order to save you a little money (and a lot of embarrassment), we've rounded up the tipping etiquette for 25 of the most popular destinations overseas, from restaurants to hotels to taxi drivers. Read on to see the etiquette for tipping around the world so you can keep your travel budget in check. Visun Khankasem / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Australia Hotel staff: None expected Since the country's minimum wage is significantly higher than average, hotel workers don't expect or rely on tips to supplement their income. You can give $1 to your porter, especially in a more expensive hotel. Restaurant staff: None expected, but you can add a nominal tip Tipping in Australia at restaurants also isn't expected. If you insist on leaving a tip, 10% is common, but more for exceptional service sometimes left. Transportation services: Offer the change Like all hospitality service workers, transportation service workers in Australia also earn a high minimum wage and don't expect tips in addition to what they already charge for their services. If you really want to tip your driver, you can tell them to keep the change. Take Our Poll: Do You Tip for Service? trabantos / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Austria Hotel staff: 1 euro For a valet, one euro per bag is customary. For a housekeeper, it's one euro per day of your stay. Restaurant staff: About 10% or round up to a convenient amount It's customary to round up the total when paying by about 10% -- give or take a bit. If your check is 25 euros, rounding up to 28 euros is a bit more than 10% extra. Story continues Transportation services: About 10% A tip of 10% is the widely accepted fee in Austria if you tip your taxi driver. A tip is expected, especially in the big cities. Catarina Belova / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Brazil Hotel staff: Daily tip of 5 to 10 Brazilian reals for the housekeeper, 1 real per bag for the porter, 10 to 15 reals if a concierge offered exceptional service Workers in the hospitality industry in Brazil earn wages that are on the lower side, so tips are greatly appreciated. Restaurant staff: About 15%. If the restaurant hasn't added in a service charge, 15% is acceptable. Transportation services: 10% for longer trips, round up for shorter ones Expect to tip about 10% for an extended journey or if the driver assisted with your luggage. For shorter trips, round up the Brazilian reals. Lucky-photographer / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Canada Hotel staff: $1 to $15 Canadian Tipping in Canada is very similar to the United States, so it's customary to tip hotel staff like bellhops, concierge and valet anywhere from $1 to $15, depending on the level of service provided. Restaurant staff: At least 15% Like the United States, travelers to Canada should expect to tip at least 15% in bars and restaurants. Transportation services: Up to 10 percent It's customary to tip taxi drivers in Canada about 10 percent for their services, a little less for shorter hauls. f11photo / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Chile Hotel staff: 1 to 15 Chilean pesos There is no set rule or percentage to tipping in Chile -- most service workers generally get a small tip for good service. Interesting fact: In a hotel, you can top in the currency of any nation, but don't tip in coins from any country except Chile. They can't be exchanged. Restaurant staff: 10% to 15% A 10 percent service charge is typically included (and should be noted) in the bill. If the service was good, it's expected that you'd pay it. But you can tip less than 10 percent if the service was poor. Transportation services: 10% or round up A tip of 10% is appreciated by taxi drivers in Chile, especially if you got assistance with your luggage. For a short ride, round up your fare. Nitchygallery / Shutterstock.com Tipping in China Hotel staff: No tip It's not customary to tip in China, so resist the urge to slip the bellhop a little cash. In fact, The Washington Post reported, a tip could be construed as a bribe in China. Restaurant staff: No tip The same goes while dining out in China -- no one tips for these services. Transportation services: No tip for taxis It's actually illegal to tip taxi drivers in many areas of China. Just be sure to give a sincere "thank you." Matteo Colombo / Getty Images Tipping in Costa Rica Hotel staff: $1 per bag to porters, $2 per day for housekeeping Travelers aren't required to tip hotel staff, but gratuity is appreciated -- especially if you received excellent service. Restaurant staff: Included A 10 percent service charge is typically added to the bill. Servers, however, always appreciate it if you leave a little extra if you feel their service was exceptional. Transportation services: $1 to $5 You can round up your fare if your driver takes you a short distance, but be prepared to leave anywhere from the equivalent of $1 to $5 in American dollars if you take a longer ride. photosmatic / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Croatia Hotel staff: Up to 20 Croatian kunas A tip for a porter is on the lower end of this spectrum, with the high end going to the concierge who provided exceptional service. One kuna is a very small amount in U.S. dollars. Restaurant staff: 10% to 20% A tip of 10% to 20% is appropriate in Croatia, but here's a tip for the tipper. You can't leave a tip on your credit card, so carry some cash in local currency with you. Transportation services: Nothing, or round up Driving in Croatia is considered a professional career and tipping is not expected. However, it's perfectly acceptable to round up your fare about 5% or more if your driver provides excellent service, like carrying bags or ensuring you catch a flight if you're running late. Ditty_about_summer / Shutterstock.com Tipping in France Hotel staff: 1 to 2 euros If you receive excellent service, then it's acceptable to tip the porter 1 to 2 euros per bag and 2 euros to housekeeping. Restaurant staff: Included All meal checks in cafes and restaurants include a 15% service charge -- not paid to the waiter, but to the owner of the establishment, who pays the staff. However, leaving an extra tip on top of the service charge is appreciated by French servers. Transportation services: Round up or 5% to 10% If you need to take a taxi in France, then a tip of as much as 10% of the far is appropriate for great service. Mariia Golovianko / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Germany Hotel staff: 1 to 10 euros Travelers to Germany should tip 1 to 2 euros per bag, 2 to 3 euros per night for housekeeping and up to 10 euros for very helpful concierge services. Restaurant staff: 10% It's typical to add 10% to the total. Don't leave the money on the table, though -- ask the server to add it to your bill. If the check is 18 euros, tell your server you want to put 20 on your card. If you pay in cash, tell the server how much you want to add for a tip and how much change you expect back. Transportation services: Round up It's common to tip taxi drivers in Germany by simply rounding up the bill or asking them to keep the change. For a great ride, add a euro or two. Kite_rin / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Greece Hotel staff: 1 euro It's typical to tip bellhops 1 euro per bag and housekeeping 1 euro per day, at most. And you only need to tip concierge services if they provide extraordinary service. Restaurant staff: 10%-15% Some restaurants and bars in Greece might add a service charge to the bill. If that's the case, you don't need to tip more, but you can round up. Otherwise, leave 10% to 15% of the check total. Transportation services: Round up While tipping your taxi driver in Greece is not obligatory, it is typical to round up the amount of your total fare. Naeblys / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Iceland Hotel staff: No tip Overall, there is no tipping of any sort in Iceland hotels. Icelanders are familiar with the tradition of tipping and won't turn you down if you try, but you are definitely not expected to tip for any services. A small tip would be a nice gesture for exceptional service. Restaurant staff: Included There is usually a service charge included in restaurant bills in Iceland. If you decide to leave an additional tip, even a small amount would be appreciated. Tips generally are not added to a credit card but instead left in small notes of local currency. Transportation services: Not expected Taxi drivers in Iceland don't expect a tip. In fact, some get a little embarrassed about it. So if you want to give your driver something extra, it's nice to add a comment such as, "Afternoon coffee is my treat." Pikoso.kz / Shutterstock.com Tipping in India Hotel staff: Varies Tipping at a hotel in India depends on the hierarchy of the staff. Bellhops and housekeeping receive the least, with the concierge receiving the most. For a hotel porter, tip 20 rupees per bag. For the housekeeping staff, up to 50 rupees per day is appropriate if you'd like to tip. The Indian form of currency, the rupee, is pennies on the U.S. dollar. Restaurant staff: Included Sometimes the service charge is included in your bill. It is acceptable to leave a small cash tip on top of that. If there is no service charge, an appropriate tip is anywhere between 10% and 15%, depending on the level of services received. Transportation services: Round up If the driver gets you safely to your destination, feel free to round up to the nearest whole amount, or tell the driver to keep the change. Giancarlo Liguori / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Ireland Hotel staff: 1 to 2 euros Compared to the United States, there is not a strong culture of tipping in Ireland, including for hotel staff. However, in the rare instance a hotel porter might bring your bags to your room, consider giving a tip of 5 euros. Restaurant staff: Up to 15% It is customary to leave a top of 10% to 15% -- more for exceptional service. Before paying the bill, make sure a service fee was not included. Transportation services: Round up A tip is not mandatory, but round up your payment to the nearest 5 or 10 euros if you've received good service from your taxi driver. For example, if the fare is 13 euros, round up to 15. Umberto Di Cioccio / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Italy Hotel staff: 1 to 10 euros It's typical to give the housekeeping staff 1 euro per night, the porter 2 euros per bag and the concierge between 5 and 10 euros. Restaurant staff: Varies Italian restaurants will display service charges -- called "servizio incluso" -- on the menus and add the fees to the check, making a tip unnecessary. You might also see the word "coperto," which covers a separate cover charges for extras such as bread and olives. If no service charge is included on your bill, it's appropriate to pay 10% to 15%. Be prepared to pay that in cash; there's no way to add it to your card in Italy. Transportation services: No tip It's not necessary to tip your taxi driver in Italy, but rounding up the fare to the nearest euro is always appreciated. Nopasorn Kowathanakul / Getty Images Tipping in Japan Hotel staff: No tip Tipping in Japan is not mandatory -- and in many cases, tips might be considered offensive. A February 2022 article in The Washington Post said many Japanese consider a tip to be "intrusive and rude." Restaurant staff: No tip The From Japan website says a genuine "thank you" from guests is enough of a tip for restaurant staff. They do, however, appreciate visitors who buy the restaurant's official merchandise, such as T-shirt - and wear it in Japan to promote the establishment. Transportation services: No tip Because tipping is not part of the culture at all, the simple act of trying to tip your driver might create confusion. jannoon028 / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Maldives Hotel staff: No tip required Tipping isn't expected in Maldives, but additional tips are critical for employees who don't receive any portion of the service charges at all, which isn't uncommon. The housekeeping staff would welcome a tip equivalent to $2 in U.S. funds a day. Restaurant staff: Included A 10 percent service charge is added to everything in Maldives, but staff members earn very low salaries, so it's generous to tip more for good service. A tip of 5% to 10% would be appreciated. Transportation services: No tip Again, tipping in Maldives isn't expected, but your driver will certainly appreciate any extra money you leave. Anton_Ivanov / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Mexico Hotel staff: 10 to 100 pesos Tipping in Mexico is similar to the United States, and 20 to 100 pesos a day for housekeeping is perfectly acceptable. One peso is worth about a nickel. The porter or bellman can receive about half that. A note: When you tip in Mexico, do so in Mexican pesos and not American dollars wherever possible. Changing foreign currency into pesos can be difficult in the country, and coins are not exchangeable. Restaurant staff: 10% to 15% In Mexico, some restaurants might include the tip in the bill, which means it's not necessary to tip on top of that. If it's not included, it's standard to tip 10% to 15%. Transportation services: Round up While tipping the taxi driver isn't mandatory, drivers would appreciate it if you added a tip by rounding up to what would be equivalent to the next $5 or $10 in U.S. money. MarinaDa / Shutterstock.com Tipping in the Netherlands Hotel staff: Included Many hotel services have fixed costs, which includes any tips to the staff. If you'd like to tip for exceptional service, payment of a few euros is fine. Restaurant staff: Included, or 5 to 10 percent Service charges are either included in your restaurant bill or you can add 5 to 10 percent. If your service wasn't the best, anything from no tip to leaving change to a small round up is OK. Transportation services: Round up, or 1 to 2 euros Many taxi drivers don't expect an additional tip -- it's typically baked into the price of their services. But you can choose to round up or add a euro or two. Tappasan Phurisamrit / Shutterstock.com Tipping in the Philippines Hotel staff: Optional Tipping in the Philippines isn't required but it often is done, especially in tourist areas. If you're staying at a lower-tier hotel, a tip isn't expected. At better hotels, a top of 50 to 100 pesos would suffice for any hotel staff member who has provided good service. Restaurant staff: Included or up to 10% In the Philippines, the service charge is already included (you might see "SC" on your bill) or travelers can tip independently, usually 10%. The tips should be in cash, as they aren't processed on credit cards. Transportation services: About 50 pesos Taxi and tricycle drivers often are tipped by rounding up the fare, but they'd appreciate higher tips, too. About 50 pesos, or a bit more, is common. Tupungato / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Spain Hotel staff: Up to 10 euros a day While Spain isn't known to have a much of a tipping culture, it is customary in hotels. Housekeeping staff expects between 2 and 5 euros a day, and concierges who provide special services typically receive up to 10 euros. For porters, 1 euro per bag is fine. Restaurant staff: Included, or 10% The restaurant where you dine might assess a service charge. If that's the case, no tip is necessary. Otherwise, a tip of 10% is acceptable, and cash is always preferred. Transportation services: Optional Tipping the taxi driver in Spain is rare. Tipping a driver who provided exceptional service would be welcome. Scanrail1 / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Sweden Hotel staff: Not expected Gratuities, in general, aren't expected by hotel staff in Sweden. If someone has gone out of the way to provide exceptional service, then a small tip would be appropriate. Restaurant staff: Included, or round up the bill The meal check in Swedish restaurants will include a service charge that covers tips. But if you'd like to give your server a bit extra, no one will mind if you leave a few kronor by rounding up. Transportation services: Not expected Again, a few kronor would be a nice treat for your driver, although it isn't require. Gaspar Janos / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Switzerland Hotel staff: Small tip For tipping in Switzerland, service workers are paid decent salaries, thus a small tip of one or two Swiss francs is acceptable for the porter or housekeeping staff. Restaurant staff: Included, plus a bit extra Swiss federal law requires all service charges to be included in advertised prices. Still, many visitors add about 10% to the bill. Transportation services: Round up You can round up the taxi fare by a few francs or tell the driver to keep the change. Phiradit Worawitphinyo / Shutterstock.com Tipping in Taiwan Hotel staff: Bellhops only The only service providers who expect tips in Taiwan hotels are bellhops. Plan on tipping the equivalent of an American dollar or two per bag. Restaurant staff: Included or 10% Restaurants typically add 10% to the check to cover gratuity. But if not, feel free to add 10 percent. Transportation services: Round up A taxi driver will not expect a tip. Round up by telling the driver to keep the change. S-F / Shutterstock.com Tipping in the United Kingdom Hotel staff: 2 British pounds Travelers should offer a porter 2 pounds for helping with a bag or hailing a taxi. Housekeeping staff typically do not get a tip. Restaurant staff: Included, or 10% to 15% Your restaurant might include a service charge on the bill. If it doesn't, a tip of 10% to 15% is appropriate. Transportation services: Up to 10% Rounding up to the nearest British pound is common, but for exceptional service or help with bags, leave up to 10%. More From GOBankingRates Morgan Quinn contributed to the reporting for this article. This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much To Tip When Traveling to These 25 Countries A delegation representing the Castner Range Coalition traveled from El Paso to Washington DC last month to meet with federal officials and make the case for declaring Castner Range a national monument. Coalition members returned optimistic that the Biden administration has received the message that El Paso supports the designation of a national monument. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, has introduced legislation to protect Castner Range. But to avoid legislative gridlock the coalition is calling on President Biden to use the Antiquities Act to declare a national monument. Coalition partners including the Frontera Land Alliance and Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project say protecting Castner Range is in keeping with Biden's conservation agenda and this administration can deliver on the decades-long campaign to protect the area. "We're waiting," said Janae Reneaud, executive director of the Frontera Land Alliance. "We're being optimistic and every conversation gets us one step closer." Coalition members had meetings with the Department of Defense, Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management during the visit timed with Latino Conservation Week, which ran from July 16 to 24. They also delivered 137,000 signed letters to the president in support of the designation. We weren't told no, Reneaud said of conversations with relevant federal decision-makers. From what I can see, everybody's behind this and there is no opposition. Part of the Franklin Mountains, the Castner Range is a 7,000 acre area of federally-owned land in Northeast El Paso currently managed by the Department of Defense. Since the 1970s, El Paso community groups have advocated for Castner Range to be protected. Fort Bliss used the area for weapons training and testing through the 1960s. Because military ordnance and explosives pose a safety risk, the site is closed to public access. The Castner Range Coalition has identified a national monument as the best way to protect the land and to eventually clear the munitions and explosives. Story continues More:Escobar calls on Biden to protect Castner Range, says El Paso has been 'overlooked' in environmental matters Community groups in El Paso are advocating for Castner Range to be designated as a national monument. Delegation demonstrates local support to federal officials A trio of mariachis sung "Cielito Lindo" outside the staid Department of the Interior headquarters in Washington DC on the morning of July 19, kicking off a news conference of the Castner Range Coalition. File boxes full of signatures in support of declaring Castner Range a national monument were stacked in front of them. In El Paso, the community has seen their beautiful and beloved mountains slowly chipped away by industrial and housing development, said Gabaccia Moreno of the Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project. The people of El Paso deserve to protect the magnificent backdrop that is Castner Range. Other delegation members who spoke included Pastor Moses Borjas, El Paso Community Foundation CEO Eric Pearson and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo councilman Rafael "Shorty" Gomez. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland is photographed during her visit to El Paso, Texas where she learned about the Castner Range which conservation groups are hoping to have designated as a National Monument. Her visit took place onMarch 26, 2022. The journey is not over yet, but one day when that monument is named the journey will finally be over. And it will be because of the hard work of so many people, Gomez said. More:Organizations lead hike in El Paso's Knapp Canyon calling for protection of Castner Range Washington meetings move Castner campaign forward The delegation to Washington DC met with key stakeholders in the process to establish and manage a national monument. "These are people who are going to be involved when ideally this moves forward as a national monument," Reneaud said. "They met our local leads and were able to listen and ask questions." More:'A product of the Borderland': New Under Secretary of US Army credits life in El Paso for career Either Congress or the president can establish a national monument, which is a designation to protect federal lands for present and future generations. The National Park Service manages most of the existing national monuments but the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manage others. The delegation met with Army Undersecretary Gabe Camarillo, who is from El Paso. The group also met with Brenda Mallory, Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, who advises President Biden on environmental and natural resources policies. In the Department of Defense, they met Paul Cramer who is performing the duties of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited El Paso and Castner Range in March. During the July trip to DC, coalition representatives met with Laura Daniel-Davis, a deputy assistant secretary at the Department of the Interior. Coalition members responded to questions about the hazardous materials on the Castner Range and how cleanup could proceed if the land becomes a national monument. Ocotillos on the Knapp Canyon land in Northeast El Paso, near the Castner Range. "What we will have to do eventually, when the time comes, is to determine what should be accessible and what is not accessible," Reneaud said. "Fort Ord in California is an excellent example of that process... they have similar situation and part of it is open to the public and part of it is not." Fort Ord National Monument, near Monterey, California, was established in 2012 on 14,658 acres of public land that used to be a military base. "What we learned is it's possible and it's being done," Reneaud said. Reneaud and other coalition members are encouraged that top officials are listening to the El Paso community's call to make Castner Range a national monument. President Biden has yet to establish a national monument since he entered office in 2021 and they hope Castner Range will be the first. "We have been constantly asking for preservation of this land in some fashion for 51 years," Reneaud said. "And now we've been the through all these changes and efforts over time and the national monument is the best fit for preservation of the land." Community groups in El Paso are advocating for Castner Range to be designated as a national monument. More:Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visits El Paso to learn about Castner Range Staff writer Martha Pskowski may be reached at mpskowski@elpasotimes.com and @psskow on Twitter. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Castner Range Coalition optimistic after meeting top officials in DC A Chinese court has rejected an appeal by a young woman who alleged sexual harassment against a popular male TV host in what has been referred to as a landmark case. Foreign media outfits reporting locally have called the decision a blow to Chinas #MeToo movement. In 2018, Zhou Xiaoxuan accused CCTV host Zhu Jun of making unwanted advances, including kissing and groping her, while she was an intern at the broadcaster in 2014. Last September, a Beijing court dismissed Zhous claims saying the now-29-year-old had not presented sufficient evidence. The appeal was rejected yesterday on similar grounds. More from Deadline Zhou previously said the judge in the case had refused her requests to retrieve evidence, including security camera footage from outside the dressing room where the incident allegedly took place. Speaking to supporters after the verdict, Zhou said, Four years have passed, and the most important thing is that we have raised this question: when a woman encounters sexual harassment in a closed space, is her pain worth paying attention to? Victory is not that important to me I accept this outcome, AFP reported. Zhou originally sued for a public apology from Zhu and RMB 50,000 ($7,400) in damages. Zhu has denied the allegations and sued Zhou for defamation, although Zhou said she was not aware of further developments in that case. Per AFP, her first hearing in 2020 drew a large crowd with reporters from foreign media outlets dragged away by police while filming the scene. On Wednesday, national ID numbers of passersby were collected. According to CNN, some Weibo posts about Zhous hearing were blocked. Liang Xiaomen, a Chinese feminist and public interest lawyer in New York, told the news outlet that her WeChat account was permanently banned Tuesday after she shared information about the case and voiced support for Zhou. Story continues Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Ezra Miller as The Flash in 2017's Justice League. (Photo: Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection) The future of The Flash Warner Bros.s once highly anticipated superhero actioner is in jeopardy given star Ezra Millers troubling pattern of run-ins with the law over the past year. Or perhaps it isnt: Thus far WB has not given any official indication that it plans to delay or disrupt the June 2023 release, despite the studios recent controversial cancellation of its nearly complete Batgirl movie. Heres everything you need to know about Millers issues and how they could ultimately spell doom for The Flash (or not). Whats the scoop on The Flash? Set to be the DC Extended Universes 14th film (not counting the directors cut Zack Snyders Justice League) and ninth standalone entry (following previous adventures with the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Shazam), The Flash has had its fair share of issues prior to Millers behavioral issues. Previously attached directors Seth Grahame-Smith, Rick Famuyiwa and the tandem of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein all departed over creative differences before Andy Muschietti (whos helped make WB some pretty pennies with two chapters of Stephen Kings It adaptations) took the reins in July 2019. The films main constant, however, has been Miller, who was cast as the lightning quick superhero Barry Allen ahead of a cameo in 2016s Batman v Superman before a co-leading, scene-stealing turn as one of the six main characters in Justice League (2017). Miller became an instant favorite among fans for bringing some much-needed comic relief to DCs oftentimes grim moodiness. Written by Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey), The Flash reportedly finds Barry traveling back in time to prevent the murder of his mother (Maribel Verdu), which brings unintended consequences to his timeline. In other words, the film could crack open the DC multiverse in a similar vein to Marvels December mega-hit Spider-Man: No Way Home. Miller is said to be playing at least one other version of Barry, while Ron Livingston (replacing Billy Crudup as Barrys dad Henry) and Kiersey Clemons (Barrys love interest Iris) costar. The films also drawn plenty of buzz for including two Batmen (Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck), Supermans nemesis General Zod (Michael Shannon) and a brand-new Supergirl (Sasha Calle). Story continues The Flash was originally scheduled for release on June 3 of this year but the pandemic forced a years worth of production delays. Its currently scheduled to open in theaters June 23, 2023. Related video: Warner Bros. standing by Ezra Miller, CEO David Zaslav is 'very excited' about 'The Flash' What has Ezra Miller done wrong? Any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in the American justice system, but whats particularly egregious in the case (or cases, we should say) of Ezra Miller is the sheer number of dicey incidents and arrests the actor (who uses the pronouns they/them) has been involved in over the past two-plus years. Miller first made headlines for all the wrong reasons in April 2020 when a video surfaced showing the actor choking a woman and throwing her to the ground outside of a bar in Reykjavik, Iceland. Millers so-called crime spree dramatically accelerated in 2022. In March, Miller was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and harassment after a physical alteration with patrons at a Hawaii karaoke bar. Only three weeks later, they were arrested yet again in Hawaii for second-degree assault after allegedly throwing a chair that left a deep cut on a womans forehead. In June, the parents of 18-year-old Standing Rock Sioux activist Tokata Iron Eyes alleged that Miller used "violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions and drugs" for influence over their daughter, who they say began an inappropriate relationship with Miller when she was only 12, and the actor was 23. Also in June, a Massachusetts family claimed Miller harassed and threatened them, with allegations including the actor showing up at their house wearing a bullet proof vest, brandishing a gun and uncomfortably touching a 12-year-old child. According to the mother, Miller believed the child to be a mystical being. Miller has reportedly also been a housing a woman and her three young children whom he met in Hawaii at his Vermont farm, where the childrens father alleges the actor keeps firearms and ammunition within dangerously close reach of the kids. (The woman has claimed the father is abusive.) Vermonts child services department is now reportedly attempting to locate the mother and her three children. Related video: Vermont Police charge 'The Flash' star Ezra Miller with felony burglary And last week, Miller was charged with felony burglary, again in Vermont, for allegedly stealing bottles of alcohol from a private residence. Its all made for an alarming pattern of troubling and erratic behavior for the 29-year-old star, to say the least. Leslie Grace in Batgirl. (Photo: WB/HBO Max) What does Batgirl have to do with it? Warner Bros., which recently merged with Discovery, shocked Hollywood and much of the world when the studio announced earlier this month that it was canceling the planned HBO Max release of its $70 million DC Comics movie Batgirl, despite the fact that the project was nearly completed. The movie was directed by duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys 4 Life, Ms. Marvel), scripted by Hodson and set to star In the Heights breakout Leslie Grace in a rare Latinx-lead superhero movie. J.K. Simmons and Brendan Fraser were costarring, while Keaton also reprised his role as Bruce Wayne in this film. An initial report from Variety indicated Warner Bros. Discovery pulled the plug on Batgirl (as well as the animated Scooby-Doo sequel Scoob! Holiday Haunt) for tax purposes as the newly merged companys new leadership sought to move away from a short-lived emphasis on highly budgeted HBO Max streaming titles. In a statement, the company wrote, The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leaderships strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max. CEO David Zaslav probably didnt do Batgirls creators any favors when it came to speculation that the film mustve been truly bad for it to be so unceremoniously scrapped. Were not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it, he said on an earnings call. Related video: 'Batgirl' star Leslie Grace thanks fans for letting her 'take on the cape' after film is scrapped Regardless, Batgirls cancellation was a nearly unprecedented move, and one that drew understandable heartbreak from Adil & Bilall and Grace, and support for its creators from the likes of Marvel chief Kevin Feige and directors James Gunn and Edgar Wright. It also drew heaps of internet outrage, one of the most resounding refrains being How can WB cancel Batgirl yet still plan to release The Flash when its lead star is seemingly being arrested on a monthly basis? Cancelling Batgirl because it isnt a big event film but keeping The Flash after all the Ezra Miller news is a WILD choice Nick (@mainmarvel) August 2, 2022 having the nerve to cancel batgirl and supergirl both while planning to move forward with flash is CRAZY. ceo of kory (@korysverse) August 4, 2022 The fact that DC are willing to cancel Batgirl, a movie that's had ZERO production issues, just to supposedly save a bit of money, but haven't cancelled The Flash despite that movie's production being an utter nightmare and its main star being toxic... it's genuinely bizarre. aimee JLI's pr manager (@sapphyreblayze) August 2, 2022 Filmmaker and pundit on all things geek Kevin Smith echoed the most prevalent sentiments on social media. "It's an incredibly bad look to cancel the Latina Batgirl movie," Smith said on his YouTube series Hollywood Babble-On. "I don't give a shit if the movie was absolute f***ing dog s*** I guarantee you that it wasn't I dont give a s*** how bad the Batgirl movie is, nobody in that movie is complicated or has anything in their real life you have to market around. In the Flash movie, we all know there's a big problem! Flash is the Reverse-Flash in real life." Causing further ire was The Hollywood Reporters reveal Wednesday that while The Flash was largely filmed in 2021, the studio enlisted Miller for reshoots this summer, somewhere in between all of their trouble with the law. Ezra Miller was spotted in their mother's Vermont home for the first time since their back-to-back arrests in Hawaii. (Photo: Flightrisk / BACKGRID) So where does The Flash go from here? Now that is a $200 million question (also the tentpoles reported budget). As of Aug. 5, when reports emerged from Warner Bros. Discoverys earnings call, The Flash was still on track. "We have seen The Flash, Black Adam and Shazam 2," Zaslav said, according to Variety. "We are very excited about them. We've seen them. We think they are terrific and we think we can make them even better." (Deadline has also reported the film is drawing high marks in test screenings.) But according to The Hollywood Reporter in a piece published last week, the studio was mulling over three options in light of Millers most recent arrest: One, see to it that Miller (who THR says has been accompanied by their mother recently, and was photographed at her Vermont home, above) seeks professional help and gives an interview at some point explaining their erratic behavior. In this case the studio would move forward with The Flashs release plans, though its hard to imagine Miller doing much press for it, all things considered. Two, Warner Bros. could still release the film yet recast The Flash in future projects. Or three, should Miller continue to cause mayhem, the studio could scrap the film altogether. As THR notes, with Miller in nearly every scene, reshooting the movie with another actor (a la Ridley Scotts 2017 drama All the Money in the World, which replaced disgraced supporting actor Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer) would be impossible. Miller is aiming for option one. As announced on Monday, they are now seeking treatment for "complex mental health issues." Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis, I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment, Miller said in a statement, via Variety. I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life. Stay tuned for future updates. Related video: Parents accuse Ezra Miller of 'cult-like,' abusive behavior as they get protective order for daughter Originally published Aug. 11, 2022; updated Aug. 16, 2022. Metallica - Photo: Gary Miller/Film Magic Metallica and Jonas Brothers are among the star names confirmed to perform at Global Citizen 2022. The 10th anniversary instalment of the annual event is due to take place across two cities on September 24, bringing together artists, leaders, change makers, and Global Citizens from all around the world [] to take action and lead change. One leg will be held in Central Park in New York City, with that line-up featuring Metallica, Mariah Carey, Rosalia, Maneskin, Jonas Brothers and Charlie Puth. The second festival, meanwhile, is being staged at Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana. Performers for that event include Usher, Stormzy, H.E.R. and SZA. Global Citizen 2022 will air on ABC, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, YouTube, Twitter, TimesLive and other platforms. Fans can earn free tickets to attend in person by registering to be a Global Citizen or downloading the Global Citizen app. The event's official website encourages supporters of the cause to, take actions such as signing petitions, participating in challenges, sharing messages on social media, writing letters to politicians, taking action in your community and much more. With every action you take, youll earn points that you can redeem for Rewards, such as digital content and experiences, beauty products, merchandise, tickets, and more. Participants are able to use those points to enter one of the Global Citizen Festival prize draws. Winners will then be notified via email on 23 August and 6, 13 and 20 September. The festival has called on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly ahead of the G20 and COP27 to invest $600 million into the future of women and girls, close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall, deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis, and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to end extreme poverty now. For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music. uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG. AP Photo/Oded Balilty After mysteriously vanishing from the occupied West Bank, a painting by the secretive artist Banksy has resurfaced in an art gallery in Israel in equally mysterious circumstances. Palestinian officials say the graffiti artwork was stolen. The street artworkwhich shows a rat holding a slingshot in an apparent satire of the Israeli occupationwas created by the inscrutable British artist around 2007. It appeared on a concrete block used in an abandoned Israeli army position in the West Bank city of Bethlehem near Israels separation barrier. Banksy has also painted several works on the huge concrete wall itself, which hes previously said essentially turns Palestine into the worlds largest open prison. But now, the rat has found its way to the other side of the huge barrier and into the Urban Gallery in Tel Aviv, some 43 miles from where it first appeared. The Gallery Thief Who Slinked Off With a Banksy This is theft of the property of the Palestinian people, Jeries Qumsieh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian tourism ministry, told the Associated Press. These were paintings by an international artist for Bethlehem, for Palestine, and for visitors to Bethlehem and Palestine. So transferring them, manipulating them and stealing them is definitely an illegal act. Unsurprisingly, the Israeli art dealer who bought the 900-pound concrete slab daubed with the artwork sees the situation somewhat differently. We brought it to the main street of Tel Aviv to be shown to the audience and to show his messages, Abergel told the AP. He should be happy with it, Abergel said, referring to Banksy, who has not commented on the artworks relocation. Exactly how the extremely heavy lump made it out of Palestine is unclear. It would have had to go through at least one military checkpoint to get out of the West Bank. Abergel would not reveal how much he paid for the piece or name the person he bought it from, but he insisted the deal was completely legal. He added that Palestinian residents cut the roughly 2 square yard section out of the block and kept it in private residences until earlier this year. Story continues Careful restoration work was undertaken to remove an acrylic paint message reading RIP Banksy Rat which had been scrawled over the artwork. The giant slab was then encased in a steel frame so that it could be loaded onto a truck and brought through the checkpoint before arriving in Tel Aviv in the dead of night. Abergels account of the artworks journey has not been verified. He claims that the Israeli military was not involved in its removal and that it was his unnamed Palestinian associates who had arranged for the piece to move into Israel. He says he doesnt have plans to sell the piece, which could be worth a fortune. This isnt the first time Banksy's artworks have been removed from the West Bank. In 2008, his paintings Wet Dog and Stop and Search were cut out of the walls of a bus shelter and butcher shop in Bethlehem and eventually sold to galleries in the U.S. and Britain. A long-lost painting by the British artist Banksy has resurfaced in an art gallery in Tel Aviv. It now stands an hours drive and a world away from the occupied West Bank where it was initially sprayed, likely intended to protest the Israeli occupation. https://t.co/ceHVM89zKN AP Middle East (@APMiddleEast) August 5, 2022 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. Actor Steven Seagal visited an eastern Ukrainian prison where a deadly strike killed dozens of prisoners of war in support of the Kremlins claims that Ukraine is responsible for the attack, according to Russian state media. Zvezda, a Russian state-owned television network, published a video of Seagal at the Olenivka prison repeating Moscows narrative of the recent attack that killed 53 and wounded dozens of others on July 29, arguing Ukrainians carried out the strike using U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). The Ukrainian military has claimed the prison, which housed Ukrainian prisoners of war captured at the Azovstal steel mill during the fall of Mariupol, was blown up from the inside by Russias military. It definitely looks like a rocket, Seagal said in the video. If you look at the burning and other details, of course its not a bomb. Not to mention the fact that Russia really has a lot of artifacts from HIMARS. The Hill has not independently verified the footage. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said last week that U.S. intelligence indicates Russia is seeking to plant evidence to portray Ukrainian forces as the aggressors in the attack, potentially including ammunition from HIMARS. Moscow has denied those claims. HIMARS have been a key component of recent U.S. security assistance to Ukraine, since the GPS-guided missiles can reach targets up to 50 miles away and then the system can change position quickly to avoid counterattacks. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week announced he was appointing a fact-finding mission in response to requests from the two countries for an investigation into the attack on Olenivka prison. Denis Pushilin, the leader of pro-Russia separatists in the Donetsk region, where the prison is located, posted on Telegram that Seagal was filming a documentary about the war. At the meeting, Steven noted that 98 percent of those who talk about the conflict in the media have never been here, Pushilin wrote. Therefore, the world does not know the truth. He wants to change the way we look at this war. Story continues Seagal, who supported Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea in Ukraines south, was later granted Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin. Seagal was appointed as Russias special envoy to the U.S. in 2018. Russian politician and TV host Vladimir Solovyov wrote on Telegram that Seagal personally got acquainted with the evidence, claiming it confirmed the pro-Kremlin viewpoint. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Justice Department unsealed charges Wednesday against an Iranian national and member of Iran's Revolutionary Guard who prosecutors say tried to arrange the murder of John Bolton, Donald Trump's former national security adviser. The criminal complaint was filed against 45-year-old Shahram Poursafi. Prosecutors allege that Poursafi tried to arrange the murder of Bolton in likely retaliation for the murder of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, who was killed on January 3, 2020, during the Trump administration. PHOTO: Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani attends Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's (not seen) meeting with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Tehran, Iran, Sept. 18, 2016. (Press Office of Iranian Supreme Leader/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) Poursafi remains at large abroad. In a statement after the charges were unsealed, Bolton called Iranian rulers liars, terrorists and enemies of the United States. "Their radical, anti-American objectives are unchanged; their commitments are worthless; and their global threat is growing," Bolton said, in part. MORE: John Bolton was the target of Iranian murder plot in 'likely' retaliation for general's death: Prosecutors Nasser Kanani, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, called the charges baseless and said the United States continues to claim endless and false accusations against Iran. In a new story-telling, the American judicial authorities have raised accusations without providing valid documents and necessary documents, said Kanani, in a statement translated from Persian. ABC News Start Here spoke to Marine Col. Stephen Ganyard, a former State Department official and now ABC News contributor, on the alleged plot to kill one of the United States' most high-profile officials. START HERE: John Bolton was a United Nations ambassador for George W. Bush [and] he was the national security adviser under Donald Trumpbut hes not in office now. Why would someone want to kill John Bolton? GANYARD: Revenge Brad. It was payback. Remember that John Bolton was probably the hawk [and] probably pushed President Trump to take out Soleimani when the U.S. had the chance. When they assassinated Soleimani back in 2020, understanding who Soleimani was within the Iranian society, understanding he was nearly a demigod. Story continues PHOTO: Shahram Poursafi is wanted for his alleged involvement in criminal activities to include material support to terrorism and the attempted murder for hire of a former high-ranking United States Government (USG) official. (FBI) There was nobody more powerful in Iran other than the supreme leader. So here is a hugely powerful man that was seen as a hero in the eyes of the Iranian people who needed a hero. Who had brought together a serious military strategy in the Middle East, that pulled together Iran and Syria and Hezbollah and all of the efforts the Iranians had in the Middle East. He unified the Iranian people. He unified the Iranian military in a way that no other commander had done and no other non-secular commander had ever done. START HERE: What was the plan [to kill Bolton]? Do we know about who [the suspect] is and what he was doing? GANYARD: We have a name, [but] we don't know much more than that. Clearly some kind of plot like this would have to be approved at the highest levels in Tehran, but we don't know what this person's position is. We don't know whether they were part of the intelligence services, whether they're part of the Quds Force. We just know that the Department of Justice developed enough evidence, whether that was voice transcripts, whether it was text, whether it was emails, but they developed enough to get an indictment of this guy who isn't even in the United States. So very, very fuzzy, but he is likely within the hierarchy of the Iranian intelligence services and the Iranian government. MORE: US strike on Iran's Soleimani saved hundreds of American lives, disrupted attacks in three countries: State Dept. START HERE: Suppose these allegations are true. What would've happened if this was successful? What was Iran planning on happening in the fallout of a major attack? GANYARD: It would've put the Biden administration in a very tough place. Remember, the time that this wouldve gone down, the Biden administration was negotiating, trying to revive the nuclear deal that the Obama administration had put in place, that the Trump administration had discarded. So if something like this would happen, that whole effort by the Biden administration, which he had talked about as candidate Biden, would've gone by the wayside. There was no way that he could agree to something with the Iranians. Even worse, there may have been a requirement for retaliation, for the United States to do something militarily, to pay back the Iranians for assassinating a senior United States government official. PHOTO: Former National Security adviser John Bolton speaks on stage during a public discussion at Duke University in Durham, N.C., Feb. 17, 2020. (Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) START HERE: So we could have found ourselves at war, is what you're saying, if this was successful? GANYARD: We could have, depending on how egregious it was and how the Biden administration reacted, there could have been some sort of a military retaliation. And in that part of the world, it's really hard to know whether you are lighting a fire or you're putting one out. START HERE: Well, from the U.S. perspective, the DOJ did not have to release this information [but] they chose to What is about to happen for the U.S. and Iran going forward? GANYARD: So this seems like it's a warning. Here's why: We know that the Iranians offered this U.S. person $300,000 to kill Bolton. But they said, Once you do that, we got a million dollars for somebody else that we're already surveilling. GANYARD: So this is something where the Department of Justice and the FBI said, We know that we are not gonna get this guy that we're gonna indict, but we have to fire a warning shot across their bow. We have to make it clear. We know what's going on here and you better not do it again, or even try to do it again because there will be consequences. Listen to the interview on "Start Here": Expert weighs in on alleged Iranian plot to kill high-profile US official originally appeared on abcnews.go.com A year ago, America ended its longest war and withdrew troops from Afghanistan. After occupying the country for two decades, the withdrawal immediately led to a dangerous situation for any U.S. allies still left in the country, who risked retribution from the Taliban. During the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, the bond between two men from opposite worlds proved to be unshakeable and led to the rescue of a desperate family. They are now sharing their experiences in a dual memoir, Always Faithful. After several failed attempts to leave, interpreter Zainullah Zaki, known as Zak, who had worked for the U.S. military for several years in Afghanistan, his wife and their four small children were able to leave Afghanistan safely - with the aid of Marine Corps Maj. Thomas Schueman, who helped from the other side of the world. PHOTO: Marine Major Tom Schueman, and his friend and Afghan interpreter, Zainullah Zak Zaki co-authored the book, 'Always Faithful.' (ABC) Schueman left Afghanistan in 2013, Zak remained in Afghanistan. As the Taliban took over Afghanistan's capital, Schueman said he immediately thought of his friend and began to make calls, texts and social media posts to try to find someone who could help. MORE: Victory after Marines tireless battle to rescue translator from Kabul Meanwhile, Zak spent days in Kabul working to get the proper documents he needed for himself and his family to come to the United States, as Schueman worked from the United States to devise a strategy to get Zak out of the country, ABC News reported in August 2021. Finally, Schueman said he found someone at the Kabul International Airport to look for Zak's family and secure spots for them on a plane to Qatar. PHOTO: In this Aug. 31, 2021, file photo, Taliban forces patrol near the entrance gate of Hamid Karzai International Airport, a day after U.S troops withdrawal, in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Stringer via Reuters, FILE) Schueman and Zak first met in Helmand Province in 2010. Schueman said that Zak quickly became family. It quickly became apparent that Zak was there to do so much more than simply translate our words; that he was there to fight alongside us, said Schueman. He became one of the members of my platoon, and he was almost immediately family to us. Chaos ensued in August 2021, when the U.S. began withdrawing the troops left in Afghanistan after spending nearly two decades in the country. Story continues PHOTO: In this Aug. 30, 2021, file photo, U.S. Soldiers, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, prepare to board a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to leave Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (U.S. Army via Reuters, FILE) Zak recalled the onset of the war in 2001 and the first time he saw American soldiers arrive in his country. When the Americans came, they were working [to build] Afghanistan. They work for our bright future, said Zak. I decided to go and join the U.S. Army and work together, side by side with them. Although he was able to help Zak, Schueman said his work is far from over. He is continuing to advocate and push lawmakers to help other U.S. allies safely evacuate. MORE: Biden signs PACT Act, expanding and streamlining care for veterans exposed to burn pits I do believe that many people have very good intentions to support our allies, said Schueman. It just seems that the red tape to honor some of these promises that we made to the allies sometimes seem nearly insurmountable. Schueman said that the two hope that their story can help draw attention to people like Zak and their experiences during the war. I think it's important to have that dual narrative perspective where you don't have an American telling what Afghanistan is like, said Schueman. You have someone who was born there and raised there. Telling us about their culture, about their religion, about their history. And so I think that's imperative in this type of story. Marine major and his interpreter find brotherhood amid war in Afghanistan originally appeared on abcnews.go.com This story is provided free of charge as a public service to our communities. Please support local journalism and subscribe. Highway 96 has reopened in the McKinney Fire area for piloted traffic only, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said Thursday. The opening applies to the highway along the Klamath River from Beaver Creek to Kohl Creek. Drivers can expect delays of at least 30 minutes, the sheriff's office said. The opening helps previously-evacuated residents from along the highway who will have access to their property from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Highway 96 along the Klamath River reopened Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, in the McKinney Fire area for piloted traffic only, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office announced. The reopening covers Beaver Creek to Kohl Creek and drivers were told to expect delays of at least 30 minutes. Those residents need to meet with Siskiyou Environmental Health representatives at the Collier Rest Area off Interstate 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to be cleared before going to their homes, the sheriff's office said. "All other roadways in the area remain closed due to numerous safety hazards in the area. Roadways off Highway 96 remain under evacuation order. We will update the public as hazards are cleared," the sheriff's office said. Residents who need to contact officials on Saturday or Sunday can call Shannon Vanella at 530-598-3084, the sheriff's office said. Meanwhile, a new fire called the George Fire was reported Thursday afternoon southwest of Scott Bar on Scott River Road near the Sugarpine River Access in western Siskiyou County. The fire was burning between 5 to 10 acres. The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation warning for Zone SIS-1236, which included: North of Scott River Road South of Highway 96 East of Scott River Road, Forest Route 46n64 West of Scott River Road Here's the status of fires burning in the North State. McKinney Fire Containment remained at 75% Thursday up from 60% Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire didn't grow overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, remaining at 60,389 acres. The blaze has destroyed a total of 185 structures and injured seven firefighters. Four people have died. Story continues Yeti and Alex Fires Crews made progress on the Yeti Fire formerly called the China 2 Fire and the Alex Fire, both burning in the Klamath National Forest in western Siskiyou County. The Yeti blaze was 79% contained Thursday at 7,886 acres. The Alex Fire was 90% contained at 151 acres. More: 'We don't let anything stop us': Siskiyou fair's junior livestock auction moves to Oregon Six Rivers Lightning Complex The Six Rivers Lightning Complex is burning in the Six Rivers National Forest in Humboldt and Trinity counties. The complex of five fires grew to 12,375 acres as of Thursday and remained uncontained. Shasta County residents could see the smoke toward the west, the Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit said Thursday. The blazes continue to threaten communities along the Trinity River as they burn north and south of Highway 299. Evacuations remain around Willow Creek, Friday Ridge, Salyer and Trinity Village. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office issued additional evacuation warnings on Wednesday for people living northeast of Willow Creek, located on Highway 299 in eastern Humboldt County. For a full list of evacuation zones and centers go to bit.ly/3vUniNq. Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Hwy 96 reopens in McKinney Fire area; some evacuees get home access Update: This story was updated Aug. 11, 2022, with information about the deceased. One man is dead after a shooting outside a gas station on Indianapolis' northwest side Wednesday afternoon. The man was identified as 38-year-old Roland Thompson by the Marion County Coroner's Office Thursday. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were dispatched on report of a person shot in the 7900 block of North Michigan Road about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday. Upon arrival, police discovered Thompson on the ground with gunshot wounds. Medics took him to St. Vincent's Hospital, police say. He died shortly after. Police say they do not believe this was a random act. The investigation is ongoing. More news:Nursing home operator American Senior Communities to pay $5.5 million over Medicare fraud More:Indianapolis Airport down a runway for massive reconstruction project spanning 3 years Anyone with information about this investigation should contact IMPD Detective Stephanie Herr at 317-327-3475 or Stephanie.Herr2@indy.gov. Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous. Contact Hannah Brock at hannah.brock@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter @hannah_m_brock. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis gas station shooting victim identified by coroner The Tennessee Comptrollers Office has released new interactive online dashboards on K-12 education. The dashboards provide updated education data on schools and school districts for the 2020-21 school year. There are two dashboards: one for public schools and one for non-public schools. The dashboards include data on teacher salaries, student enrollment, school building quality, and state and local funding. Users can filter the maps by school district, school, and legislative districts. The interactive maps included within the dashboards allow users to drill down into individual school data. For example, a user can see the graduation rate and average ACT score within a particular high school. OREA updates the maps each year with the latest data from the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), and the U.S. Census Bureau. This resource provides Tennesseans easy access to a variety of helpful information, said Comptroller Jason Mumpower. Parents, in particular, can learn more about how education is working within their cities, counties, and individual school buildings. As Tennessee continues to invest in public education, its important that all citizens have easy access to this information. To access the interactive dashboards, please visit the Comptrollers website at: tncot.cc/orea. Follow us on twitter @TNCOT and Instagram @tncot Media contact: John Dunn, Director of Communications, 615.401.7755 or john.dunn@cot.tn.gov Related Links: New Mexico ranks 50th in the nation for child well-being for 2022, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundations annual KIDS COUNT Data Book. The KIDS COUNT Data Book of 2021 ranked New Mexico 49th in the nation for child well-being. But despite the drop in ranking, Amber Wallin, executive director for New Mexico Voices for Children, said the states rankings from 2021 to 2022 are not comparable. Some of the data for the 2022 data book is from 2019 and some of it is from 2020, the year COVID-19 pandemic began. What this data reflects is mostly pre-pandemic conditions, Wallin told NM Political Report. Its reflective of the times before all the big policy changes in New Mexico. This data doesnt capture all the changes weve seen in recent years. Dorothy was a typical teenager. DASO identifies Upham Girl as Wichita runaway Wallin cited the states expansion of early childcare assistance to include families who earn up to 350 percent above the federal poverty level and child tax credits passed in 2021 as two ways in which the state has implemented change that will likely be reflected back in the data when the 2023 KIDS COUNT Data book is released. The Data Book did capture some data during the pandemic and found that in 2020, New Mexico had 53,000 children 13 percent increase from 2016 suffering anxiety and depression. The data indicates that increases in that category were widespread across the U.S. and not unique to the state. Wallin said the pandemic has caused data-collection challenges. She said those challenges impacted the U.S. Census Bureau and some federal agencies. The KIDS COUNT Data Book relies on data from both the Census Bureau and federal agencies for its rankings. Wallin said its important to note that the data reflects strides New Mexico has made over the last 10 years. The KIDS COUNT Data Book of 2021 ranked New Mexico 49th in the nation for child well-being. In 2022, it slipped one notch to 50th. For instance, in 2008-2012, 28 percent of New Mexicos children lived in poverty. In 2016-2020, 26 percent did. Story continues There are additional categories in which New Mexico saw improvement over 10 years ago or stayed the same. Those categories include such policy issues as the percentage of the 25 percent of teens who did not graduate high school on time in 2016-2020 and the 76 percent of fourth graders who are not proficient in reading in 2016-2020. Those percentages are improvements. According to the data, a higher number 37 percent of New Mexicos high school students did not graduate on time in 2010-2011 and 80 percent of New Mexico fourth graders were not proficient in reading in 2009. One area where New Mexico has seen more dramatic improvement since the aughts is in teen births per 1,000. According to the data, New Mexico had 53 teen births per 1,000 in 2010. That number has dropped to 22 teen births per 1,000 in 2020. More: Las Cruces man celebrates his 104th birthday at his favorite McDonald's spot Wallin said there are were improving over time. Its a dramatic improvement, she said. Wallin pointed to the percentage of New Mexico children who now have health insurance. In 2008-2012, 11 percent of New Mexicos children were not on health insurance plans. In 2016-2020, six percent were not. Wallin called the policy changes made in the last few years an investment that the state will reap over time. She predicted that in addition to the 2023 KIDS COUNT Data Book reflecting those policy changes, that the recent policy changes will impact families in a generational way, so that 10 years from now, the data will indicate more significant gains. What were seeing, clearly we have a long way to go when it comes to creating great opportunities for kids in New Mexico to thrive. There are definitely some negative trends holding us back. But there are some real bright spots, she said. Wallin said that some categories where the states performance has worsened and are troubling are child and teen deaths and child obesity. In 2016-2017, 30 percent of New Mexico children and teens were overweight or obese. In 2019-2020, 34 percent were. There were 37 teen deaths in New Mexico per 100,000; in 2010, there were 36 per 100,000. Wallin said the number reflects both deaths by suicide as well as other mortality causes. In addition, the data indicates that the pandemic has impacted mental health, with a 13 percent increase in New Mexico children struggling with anxiety and depression in 2020, when the pandemic began. One area of policy Wallin said she hopes to see change going forward is up for voters to decide on in November: whether they want the state to change to the New Mexico Land Grant Permanent Fund. Voters will vote on a constitutional amendment in November that, if passed, will allow the state to allocate 6.25 percent of total annual allocation of the funds earnings from investments, an increase from the current rate of 5 percent. The Legislative Finance Committee has estimated that in Fiscal Year 2023, the 1.25 percent added allocation would amount to an additional $245.7 million. Of that, $126.9 million would go to early childhood education; $84.6 million would go to public education and $34.2 million would go to additional beneficiaries. Wallin said she hopes that New Mexico will continue child first policies. If youre investing in making childcare affordable, then that means parents are better able to go to work and create safe, healthy spaces. Kids are better prepared for school. The dividends pay off over generations. When it comes to expanding early childhood programs and tax policy, those kinds of major investments, those things will show some short-term and long-term improvements. We expect the data to reflect that next year and show up in many years forward, she said. Others are reading: This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: KIDS COUNT: New Mexicos ranking in child well-being worsened Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he invoked the Fifth Amendment during a deposition as part of the New York attorney general's civil investigation into the Trump Organization's finances. The attorney general's office confirmed this. "I once asked, 'If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?' Now I know the answer to that question," Trump wrote, citing a politically motivated Witch Hunt against himself and his allies. Pleading the Fifth may have gained notoriety in pop culture by way of TV crime shows and movies, but theres more to the constitutional right than meets the eye. Heres what you need to know about the Fifth Amendment. New York civil probe: Trump says he invoked 5th Amendment in deposition for New York investigation Former President Donald Trump gestures as he departs Trump Tower, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022, in New York, on his way to the New York attorney general's office for a deposition in a civil investigation. What is the Bill of Rights? The Fifth Amendment is one of 12 original proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution, put forth on Sept. 25, 1789, by the First Congress, according to the National Archives. Ten of those proposed 12 amendments, Articles 3 to 12, were ratified in December 1791 by three-fourths of the state legislatures; they became the first 10 amendments of the Constitution, otherwise known as the Bill of Rights. What does the Fifth Amendment say? The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution reads: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." What is the Fifth Amendment, in simple terms? The Fifth Amendment can be broken down into five constitutional rights, according to Cornell Universitys Legal Information Institute: Story continues The right to answer for crimes only when "on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury." The prohibition of double jeopardy, or being prosecuted twice for the same offense. The prohibition of being a witness against yourself, or being forced to self-incriminate. The right to due process, or a fair trial. The guarantee that the government cannot seize private property without compensation at market value of the property. The amendment at first applied only to federal courts but has since been partially incorporated to the states through the due process clause of the 14th Amendment, according to the Legal Information Institute. The first of the listed rights is the only one that has not been incorporated to the states. Which right did Trump invoke? When people "plead" or "take" the Fifth, it usually refers to the right not to self-incriminate. That's what Trump invoked in declining to answer the New York attorney general's office's questions. That right was broadened with the Supreme Court's landmark Miranda v. Arizona ruling that led to the famous Miranda warning about the right to remain silent and to have an attorney with you while being questioned in police custody. How do you invoke the Fifth Amendment? Invoking the Fifth Amendment looks different in different settings, according to the Legal Information Institute. If you are being questioned by government investigators, it usually means exercising the right to remain silent. In trial, "taking the Fifth" is declining to testify in your own defense. Does pleading the Fifth make you guilty? In criminal cases, the prosecution may not comment on the decision to invoke Fifth Amendment rights and the jury is prohibited from drawing an adverse inference. But in civil cases, like Trump's, that's not always the case. While his silence cant be used against him in a criminal case, it can be used against him in the AGs civil case," former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti told USA TODAY. "If he is sued, jurors may be instructed they should presume his answers would have hurt him. Why does the Fifth Amendment exist? The Supreme Court wrote in 1956 that the privilege against self-incrimination registers an important advance in the development of our liberty one of the great landmarks in man's struggle to make himself civilized." In 1964, the court wrote that it reflects many of our fundamental values and most noble aspirations. Among those ideals: preventing people from being tortured into confessing or being shoehorned into a cruel trilemma of self-accusation, perjury or contempt of court. What are the limitations of the Fifth Amendment? The witness has to be facing a genuine risk of criminal prosecution, said Paul Cassell, a criminal law professor at the University of Utah. That means prosecution on any charge in any U.S. court. Though there are sometimes disputes over whether the right is being invoked inappropriately, the courts have generally thought that they should give the benefit of the doubt to someone who might be criminally prosecuted, rather than force someone to testify and then learn: Whoops! Cassell said. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is the Fifth Amendment? What does it mean to invoke it? Investor and political activist Bill Browder (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) Getty Images Bill Browder says he gets regular calls from US and British officials since Russia's invasion. The financier was speaking in a new episode of the "One Decision" podcast. He said there is now more interest in Russia because Putin is killing civilians in Ukraine. Bill Browder, the financier who has been one of Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics, said he now gets regular calls from US and British government ministers and officials seeking his advice since Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year. Before Putin's invasion, he told the "One Decision" podcast he was not able to arrange meeting with UK politicians, but now the "doors are swinging wide open in a lot of different places with people wanting to talk to me". "All of sudden, I'm getting calls from cabinet ministers, asking for advice and not just the British government," Browder said. He was also being contacted by both the US and Canadian governments: "There's certainly a lot more interest because everyone can watch on their television as innocent people are being destroyed, and children killed." "Everyone understands that this comes from Putin's criminal activities, and a big part of his criminal activity is stealing money and a big part of that stolen money finds his way into our economies in the West," Browder added. Browder founded Hermitage Capital Management in 1996, which quickly became one of the world's best-performing funds. He has spent much of the past two decades in the crosshairs of the Russian president for his efforts to expose corruption in post-Soviet Russia among oligarchs and their companies, creating a long list of enemies, including Putin. Browder, who was declared a national security threat to Russia in 2005 and banned from entering the country, was named by Putin at a joint press conference with then president Donald Trump after their summit in Helsinki in July 2018. The Russian president claimed Browder's business associates had never paid any tax in either Russia or the US on more than $1.5 billion earned in Russia, according to the Atlantic Council. Story continues Browder's lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, died in 2009 in a Russian jail under mysterious circumstances. In the podcast episode, Browder also said he was added eight times to Interpol's list of Red Notices, which are issued for fugitives wanted either for prosecution or to serve a jail sentence. He said of the system: "I think we're coming to the point where there needs to be sort of a new Interpol set up with just rule-of-law countries." Browder said that Putin has wanted him dead for some time. "The main way he wanted to kill me was not by putting novichok on my doorknob or maybe he did want to do that, but decided not to," Browder said. "But the main way he wanted to kill me was to get me back to Russia via international legal means, and then kill me in a Russian prison." He concluded: "That's that was his objective. And the way he went about that was by issuing Interpol arrest warrants." Read the original article on Business Insider WARSAW (Reuters) -Poland could hit back at the European Union if Warsaw does not get its share of pandemic recovery funds, ruling party politicians said, after Brussels signalled it was not satisfied with the country's latest judicial reforms. More than 35 billion euros ($36 billion) of COVID-19 recovery grants and loans were put on hold due to a dispute over the reforms to the judiciary in Poland, which the EU executive says subvert democratic standards. In June, the European Commission (EC) approved funds for Poland, but its head Ursula von der Leyen said more work needed to be done on the rule of law during a visit, when she met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. The ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party said, however, that its flagship reforms aimed to make the system more efficient and denied meddling with the courts for political gain. "If there is an attempt to block the payment ... and the European Commission tries to pressure us, then we have no choice but to pull out all the cannons in our arsenal and respond with barrage fire," Krzysztof Sobolewski, PiS secretary general told Polish public radio. PiS has not said what actions it may be considering, but Cabinet Minister Michal Wojcik, a member of the conservative United Poland party - a junior partner in government - signalled Poland could veto some EU decisions. "Since we are dealing with people who do not comply with the terms of the contract... I think you have to play hard," he told private TV Polsat News. Poland adopted a law in May that replaced a controversial disciplinary chamber for judges with a new body, and on Tuesday the Supreme Court drew candidates to the new chamber from among its judges. But von der Leyen said in an interview at the end of July that the new law did not give judges the right to question judicial appointments without facing disciplinary proceedings, an issue which should be solved to obtain the EU funds. Story continues Commission spokesperson Arianna Podesta said the new law was an important step but the EU's preliminary assessment was that it did not allow judges to question the status of another judge without risking disciplinary proceedings. "This issue ... has to be addressed for the recovery and resilience plan commitments to be met ... No official assessment has been made, because there's no payment request made by Poland so far," Podesta said during a briefing. Warsaw's refusal to comply with EU demands on the rule of law has fuelled criticism among opposition politicians that PiS could eventually seek to take Poland out of the bloc, something the government denies. ($1 = 0.9770 euro) (Reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk, Anna Koper and Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by David Holmes and Mark Potter) LEXEY DANICHEV/Sputnik Host Photo Agency/AFP via Getty Images Latvias parliament has moved to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism over Russian President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraineand the Kremlin does not appear to be taking it well. Russia is committing a genocide against the Ukrainian people, Latvian MPs said in a statement Thursday, according to AFP. Russia uses suffering and intimidation as tools in its attempts to weaken the morale of the Ukrainian people and armed forces, and to paralyze the functioning of the state in order to occupy Ukraine. Over 40 countries have already committed to helping document and investigate Russias suspected war crimes and atrocities in Ukraine, from the senseless killing of civilians, to rapes, to mass graves. The International Criminal Court might be putting forward a case as soon as this winter. Already, Russian officials and lawmakers are indignant at the news that another government believes the countrys behavior on the world stage is as vile as terrorists behavior, and claiming there's no evidence behind it. Given that there are no facts behind this decision but only savage xenophobia, the authors of this idea should be called nothing but neo-Nazis, Russias Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, claimed on Telegram. Putins Twisted Mind Games Just Hit a Disturbing New Low The Chairman of the Russian Federation Councils Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Andrey Klishas suggested Russia ought to retaliate, according to TASS. "The toughest economic and political measures should be taken, Klishas said, suggesting other nations should be designated as state sponsors of terror instead. The First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, Dmitry Novikov, suggested the United States itself seemed too daunted to designate Russia in the same way. Latvia has made a decision that would please Washington, but that Washington itself has not yet dared make, Novikov told TASS, adding he thinks Russia needs to respond as well. I am confident that the Foreign Ministry has been drafting proposals on how to react to these developments, and I am sure there will be a reaction." Story continues Its not clear if hackers have taken the call to action seriously, but Latvias website for parliament, Saeima, was down Thursday in an apparent Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, leaving the site inaccessible. Latvias Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) claimed actors supporting Russias aggression were responsible for the DDoS, which consists of pummeling a site with so much traffic that it gets overwhelmed and cant function. The Saeima has adopted a statement in which Russia is recognized as a country that supports terrorism, the CERT said in a statement. There is a large-scale DDoS attack against the Saeima's resources by activists supporting RU aggression. The work of parliament hasnt been impacted, the CERT said. Latvia has begun calling on other nations to step up their scrutiny of Russia, calling on European Union governments to take action as well. Just this week, Estonia joined up with Finland and Latvia to block Russians with tourist visas from visiting their countries. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said she expects further restrictions to be discussed in the future at the European Council and European Union leaders' summits. Latvia is not the only country that has taken steps on designating Russia a state sponsor of terrorism. Some members of U.S. Congress have been working to push the United States to label Russia as a state sponsor of terror as well. Last month, the Senate passed a resolution that called on the State Department to designate Russia with the label. And Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have been urging the Biden administration to take that step in the meantime. Some have gone even further. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that if the State Department didnt step in, Congress would designate Russia first, according to Politico. And a group of bipartisan lawmakers, including Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Jared Golden (D-ME), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ), introduced a bill that would jump ahead and create a path to label Russia as a state sponsor of terror without the State Department taking action. The United States must use every tool we have to stop Russia from its violent aggression in Ukraine, Lieu said in a statement. Russia supports proxies conducting terrorism against civilians around the globe, from Syria to Ukraine. By designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, this legislation increases consequences on Putins murderous behavior. How Putin Is Pushing His Army Bosses Through a Meat Grinder of Death The designation would put Russia on the United States short list of state sponsors of terrorism: North Korea, Iran, Cuba and Syria. And its not just about Ukraine. Putin has used chemical weapons on NATO soil, aided in the downing of a civilian airliner over Ukraine, and has supported despots like Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Kinzinger said. Ukrainian officials, who have been pressing allies for months to designate Russia, welcomed Latvias news Thursday. Ukraines Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, said Latvias decision to move forward was a a timely move. Grateful to Latvian parliament Saeimas and all of its members for recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, Kuleba said. Russia has long deserved this status with its actions in Ukraine and beyond. Ukraine encourages other states and organizations to follow suit. 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. After he was pulled over by New Mexico police, the suspect in the killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque denied any connection to the crimes that shook the city and its small Muslim community and told authorities he was so unnerved by the violence that he was driving to Houston to look for a new home, court documents said. Charging documents released Wednesday revealed new details about the suspect, Muhammad Syed, 51, who has been charged in two of the slayings. Police have said they are gathering evidence in two additional cases before charges are filed. This has been a tough week for our community, but we all pitched in to solve these crimes and protect a community that felt like it was under attack," Albuquerque police Chief Harold Medina said. Police received multiple tips about the suspect and his vehicle that eventually led to his arrest, charging documents say. Syed, a native of Afghanistan who police say immigrated to the U.S. about five years ago, was taken into custody Monday after a traffic stop more than 100 miles away from his southeast Albuquerque home. Heres what we know: ALBUQUERQUE SLAYINGS: Police in New Mexico arrest suspect in string of killings of Muslim men Who is Muhammad Syed? Suspect denies involvement Syed, a Sunni Muslim, was charged in two of the killings. He was charged in the death of Aftab Hussein on July 26 and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain on Aug. 1. Albuquerque police believe the suspect killed the first victim while hiding in a bush near the victim's vehicle, an arrest affidavit says. Police say the second victim may have been killed in a drive-by shooting. Investigators linked bullet casings from both crime scenes to guns owned by the suspect, court documents say. Charges in the first killing, of Mohammad Ahmadi on Nov. 7, and Friday's fatal shooting of Naeem Hussain, haven't been filed. A handcuffed Syed, wearing a red jumpsuit and orange sandals, appeared in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court Wednesday. He was ordered to remain in jail until an upcoming detention hearing. Story continues As authorities prepared to search Syed's home Monday, they saw him driving a vehicle that was spotted fleeing one of the shootings, an arrest affidavit says. Before Syed's arrest, authorities had sought the publics help locating a Volkswagen Jetta after a witness saw the car immediately following the fatal shooting of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, court documents say. Police saw Syed leave his home Monday and followed him to Santa Rosa, about 110 miles east of Albuquerque. When they pulled him over, police found a 9mm pistol in his car the same kind of weapon police say was used in at least one of the killings, an arrest affidavit says. Bullet casings were also found lodged near the windshield and the hood of the car, the document says. Syed told police he planned to relocate to Houston because the situation in Albuquerque was bad, the arrest warrant says. Police found clothing, shoes and a "pistol or handgun" in his car, the warrant says. Syed, who claimed no one else used the gun, told police he owned an AK-47 and that he likes the weapon because he had one while living in Afghanistan. He told a detective he fought the Taliban in Afghanistan, an arrest affidavit says. Syed denied involvement in the killings, though he said knew two of the victims, Naeem Hussain, since 2016, and that he recognized Aftab Hussein from parties in the community, the charging document says. Rifles, handguns found in suspect's car, home After tips led police to Syed, investigators found that he and his sons had purchased several weapons in recent months. The suspect bought an AK-47-style rifle in July, and purchased both a scope for it and a new hammer for the weapon in May, an arrest affidavit said. He also bought a 9mm pistol in January 2021, according to an arrest warrant. Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, left, speaks at a news conference to announce the arrest of Muhammad Syed, a suspect in the recent murders of Muslim men in Albuquerque, N.M., as Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller listens, at right, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/The Albuquerque Journal via AP) ORG XMIT: NMALJ232 The search warrant shows police searched the home and found two rifles, one owned by one of his sons. When questioned, one of Syed's sons told police that no one was "allowed to touch or take his father's guns." Investigators say they were able to match bullet casings found at the shooting scenes to ones fired from the weapons. One of the weapons found during the search led authorities on Wednesday to arrest one of his sons, Shaheen Syed. He was charged by federal prosecutors with providing a false Florida address when he bought two rifles last year, federal court documents show. He has denied any role in the killings and has not been charged in connection with them. Suspect had string of previous arrests CNN interviewed Syeds daughter shortly before the announcement of his arrest. She said her husband was friends with two of the men who were killed. She also acknowledged her father initially was upset about her 2018 marriage but recently had been more accepting. My father is not a person who can kill somebody, the woman told CNN, which did not disclose her identity to protect her safety. My father has always talked about peace. Thats why we are here in the United States. We came from Afghanistan, from fighting, from shooting. In 2017, a boyfriend of Syeds daughter reported to police that Syed, his wife and one of their sons had pulled him out of a car, punching and kicking him before driving away, according to court documents. The boyfriend, who was found with a bloody nose, scratches and bruises, told police that he was attacked because they did not want her in a relationship with him. Syed was arrested in May 2018 after a fight with his wife turned violent, court documents said. Prosecutors said both cases were later dismissed after the victims declined to press charges. Syed also was arrested in 2020 after he was accused of refusing to pull over for police after running a traffic light, but that case was eventually dismissed, court documents said. 'Interpersonal conflict' and a potential motive? Police were still investigating possible motives Wednesday, including an unspecified interpersonal conflict" the suspect may have had with one or more of the victims. When asked specifically whether Syed, a Sunni Muslim, was angry that his daughter married a Shiite Muslim, Deputy Police Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock did not respond directly. He said motives are still being explored fully to understand what they are. ENGINE MALFUNCTION: California plane lands on busy freeway near Los Angeles, ignites after crashing into truck Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico, acknowledged that "there was a marriage, but he cautioned against coming to conclusions about the motivation of the suspect, who he said attended the centers mosque from time to time. People spread dirt over Aftab Hussein's grave at Fairview Memorial Park in Albuquerque, N.M., where a funeral service was held for Hussein, 41, and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, at the Islamic Center of New Mexico. Both Muslim men were shot and killed near their homes six days apart. The exact nature of the relationships between Syed and the victims and the victims to one another is still unclear, but police said they continue to investigate how they crossed paths before the shootings. Will Syed be charged with a hate crime? Officials said the victims were of the same race and religion. Police have not said whether Syed could face hate-crime charges. Prosecutors expect to file murder charges in state court and are considering adding a federal case, authorities said. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Albuquerque Muslim slayings: Suspect denied involvement, documents say Annette Taddeo is not afraid of a challenge. The 55-year-old Florida State Senator was taught from a young age to fight for her beliefs and stand up for justice, something she carries with her throughout her campaign for a congressional seat in Florida. If elected, she would become the first Colombian woman to have a seat in Congress. In an exclusive interview with People Chica, Taddeo shared how she hopes to represent Miami, her key to success and the lesson that allowed her to persevere during the most challenging periods of her life. Annette Taddeo Campaign You're running for a congressional seat in Florida at a time when many Americans have lost faith in politics. How do you hope to bring change? Our Democracy is at stake. January 6 was something many of us never thought we would see happen on U.S. soil, especially those of us like me, who fled from other countries. Politicians in Miami love to advocate for freedom and democracy in Cuba and Venezuela, but how can we do that if we won't defend Democracy right here? I'm in this race to return real representation to Florida's 27th Congressional District. We're at a pivotal moment in our country and we desperately need leadership in Washington. After a conversation with my daughter about the realities our kids today are facing, from rampant gun violence to the government making decisions about our own bodies, I knew what I needed to do. Families in Miami need a representative in Congress who will stand up for them and make sure we finally tackle issues like the cost of living that affect working people across Miami and restore the hope that has been lost in far too many Americans. Photo by Johnny Louis/WireImage You've been a fighter all your life and have endured challenging situations since childhood. What do you think has been the most important lesson you've learned and that helps you carry on when times are tough? I get my fighting spirit from my dad, a fighter pilot who fought the Nazis in World War II. I learned a lot from him over the years. Seeing my parents persevere through seemingly impossible moments, taught me to always believe and never give up. Story continues My dad always used to tell me growing up, "When the cause is just, don't stand on the sidelines, get in there and fight for what you believe." I've taken that message and their resolve with me. You should know that when you fall, what matters is not only to always get back up but to learn from the experience and persevere. There are a lot of young Latinas and women across the country who want to make a difference and don't know where to begin. What would be your best advice for them? Find your passion and go for it! Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done. The world is full of people who never get the courage to follow their dreams. Once you achieve your dream, help open the doors for others. Throughout my political career, I have professionally and personally recruited, supported and mentored many Latinas in politics throughout the state of Floridafrom school board to the Senate. My advice to anyone is to start by getting involved in your local community and surrounding yourself with other inspiring women. When we work together, we can lift each other up. How do you find a balance between your work and personal life these days? My daughter is my rock. She is my best friend and the one that keeps me grounded. We cherish every moment we're able to spend together. As a matter of fact, the most important voice in helping me make this decision to run for Congress was my daughter. She knows that serving in Congress means less family time, more time on the campaign trail, and eventually in Washington D.C. But her generation has grown up in the midst of a global pandemic, a climate crisis, the threat of gun violence in her school, and now is faced with [fewer] rights as a woman than I was afforded growing up. She told me she knew I could make a difference in these fights and that she wanted me to run. It's a sacrifice for her too, and I'm honored to have in her a fighter in the making who, along with my family, supports me every step of the way. Victoria & Alberts at Disneys Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., is the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort. Kent Phillips/Disney An upscale side of magic once again awaits guests of Walt Disney World as the fine dining restaurant Victoria & Albert's recently reopened with renovations fit for royalty. "The opulence and elegance that are in every corner of the restaurant are part of what makes it so unique," the Disney Park Blogs explained of the restaurant located at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. For its revamp, its three dining rooms now embrace modern touches influenced by Queen Victoria's Platinum Jubilee celebration, accented with elaborate crystal chandeliers and embellished wall coverings. Their pre-fix menu starts at $295 per guest with option to add wine pairings for additional $150. Wine pairings are from their collection of over 500 selections, as well as new zero-proof cocktail pairings and water pairings. "Sommeliers on staff are there to guide you through this precisely curated collection and perfectly pair the flavors of the glass and plate," the blog post reads. On-site sommelier Israel Perez who has worked with Disney for over 20 years is available to advise guests on water selections complementary to each course, with an official water pairing program anticipated to launch in the future. Chef plating food dish Steven Diaz/Disney The essence of the experience remains much the same with a series of multi-course, prix-fixe dining options showcasing "unrivaled flavors." Helmed by chef de cuisine Matthew Sowers, diners can choose from "ever-evolving menu" options, including the intimate Chef's Table. Guests can expect savory flavors from all over the world including a Glacier 54 Toothfish with charred mushroom and sambal, carrot tikka masala with cilantro and puri bread, and heirloom tomatoes with gazpacho and 100-year balsamico. Elevated dishes continue onto the dessert course with specialty sourced chocolates presented tableside with a sabayon crafted from Grand Marnier, Champagne, and Madagascar vanilla bean. Advanced dining reservations are now available for bookings to the upscale eatery. Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall have reached a divorce settlement hours after the former supermodel asked a California judge to cancel her case against the billionaire media mogul. The supermodel had cited irreconcilable differences with her 91-year-old husband when she initially filed to formally end their six-year marriage last month. Hall, whose married name is Jerry Murdoch, asked Los Angeles Superior Court to cancel the petition without prejudice on Wednesday (9 August), according to the Daily Mail. The court papers reportedly do not state why Ms Hall, 66, filed them, or if the couple has reached a private divorce settlement. Hours later, the publication reported that Hall and Murdoch have finalised their divorce agreement and remain good friends. After news that the divorce had been finalised broke, a lawyer for Murdoch released a joint statement to the Daily Mail on behalf of the former couple. It read: Jerry Hall and Rupert Murdoch have finalised their divorce. They remain good friends and wish each other the best for the future. In her initial filing, Halls lawyer, Ronald F Brot, stated that the couple got married on 4 March 2016, but that the date of their separation is listed as TBD. The couple tied the knot at St Brides Church in London in March 2016. Hall filed for divorce just hours after Murdoch emailed her to tell her the marriage was over, the Daily Mail reported in July. She reportedly told friends she was heartbroken and devastated by the dissolution of the marriage and blamed Murdochs adult children for the split, according to the news outlet. Court papers stated that Halls current home is Murdochs 13-acre vineyard in Bel Air, California, thought to be worth about $37m (30.5m) Hall was previously in a long-term relationship with Rolling Stones rocker Mick Jagger, with whom she shares four children: Elizabeth, 38, James, 36, Georgia May, 30, and Gabriel, 24. It would be the fourth divorce for the Fox News owner, who has six children with Patricia Booker, Anna Mann, and Wendi Deng. On The Riley Files, Oklahoma insider Kegan Reneau very carefully explained what motivated Lincoln Riley and shaped his thought process when he considered staying at Oklahoma and weighed the Sooner job against the USC job. I think Lincoln felt that way, that if Im not gonna get this building, Im not gonna get this amount of staff, Im not gonna get this amount of trainers or nutritional staff, if Im not gonna get all the things that Alabama has, and that Georgia has, and that A&M and Tennessee have, and Florida if I cant have that, then were behind, Reneau said. That perspective of Lincoln is going unnoticed because that, to me, tells me that Oklahoma failed in giving Lincoln the confidence that they had the resources and all the things weve talked about with Brent Venables and donors and boosters. You look at the bigger staff that Venables got. Oklahoma had these things, they were ready to do it. Were they ready to do it Lincoln Rileys way? I think thats the conversation that we end up having here: Oklahoma, for some reason, felt maybe reserved to give their golden boy everything that he wanted. Lincoln Riley needed the trust and the confidence from his bosses, more specifically (Oklahoma Athletic Director Joe Castiglione) that he had everything ready and able for him to use, to be able to take down Nick Saban in Alabama and take down Kirby Smart. I dont think Oklahoma is scared of Texas A&M, but the conversation is along the lines of this: Lincoln Riley was NOT scared to compete in the SEC. I know that about him as a person. I feel confident in saying that but I do think he was a little bit scared to fail, and those are two completely different perspectives. List The Lincoln Log: Inside Lincoln Riley's first year at USC Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency. A few of the 200 beagles who were among 4,000 dogs freed from a Virginia breeding facility, sit in cages moments after the dogs arrived in two trailers at Priceless Pets, a nonprofit rescue, in Chino Hills on Saturday afternoon, July 23, 2022. Mark Rightmire/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images More than 4,000 beagles were saved from being used in US drug trials earlier this week. The dogs were removed from a Virginia breeding facility by animal rescue organizations. The facility previously was sued by the DOJ over alleged animal rights violations. More than 4,000 beagles were saved from a breeding facility in Virginia, which would have sold the dogs to laboratories for US drug experiments, Reuters reported. Animal rescue organizations are working to remove the thousands of beagles from the facility in Cumberland County, Virginia, which was supposed to be shut down due to alleged animal rights violations. In May, the company that owned the facility, Envigo RMS, was sued by the Department of Justice, which accused the company of animal cruelty after inspectors found that some dogs were being killed instead of given veterinary care, according to a report by BBC, and at least 25 dogs died in the facility due to cold exposure. Inspectors also reported that the dogs were being fed food covered in maggots, mold, and feces, and some dogs who were nursing were denied food at all, BBC reported. Beyonce, a rescue Beagle with one ear from the Envigo breeding and research facility, sniffs a toy during while resting with volunteers at Homeward Trails Animal Rescue on August 07, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Envigo RMS denied the allegations, but its parent company Inotiv Inc ordered Envigo RMS to close the Cumberland breeding facility in June, according to Reuters. In July, Envigo RMS reached a settlement with the government without paying any fines, and the DOJ announced the transfer of the dogs to get them treatment and put them up for adoption. "It's going to take 60 days to get all of these animals out" and to work with shelters and rescue partners to find adoptive families, Kitty Block, president and chief executive of the US Humane Society, told Reuters. The beagles were sent to adoption centers across the US, from Chino Hills, California; to Elgin, Illinois; to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Beagles are one of the most common dog breeds used for pharmaceutical trials because they are small and docile, according to the American Anti-Vivisection Society, an organization that advocates against drug trials on animals. "The most common breed of dog used for experiments are beagles, but not because scientists view them as the best model for human disease," according to the organization's website. "Rather, beagles are convenient to use because they are docile and small, allowing for more animals to be housed and cared for using less space and money." Read the original article on Insider New satellite images appeared to show at least seven fighter planes at a Russian air base in Crimea had been blown up, despite Russian claims that no aircraft were damaged in a string of explosions this week. The images released Wednesday by Planet Labs PBC, a U.S. Earth imaging company, also showed charred grassland and several craters near the tarmac. The Ukrainian air force said Wednesday that nine Russian warplanes were destroyed the day before in multiple massive explosions that also killed one person and wounded 14. Russia sought to downplay the blasts and said several munitions at the base caught fire and blew up, even suggesting the culprit might have been a careless smoker at the Saki air base. The latest from Ukraine, straight to your inbox: Sign up for the Ukraine-Russia crisis email But Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said the explosions were caused either by Ukrainian-made long-range weapons or by Ukrainian guerrillas operating in Crimea. Ukraine has stopped short of publicly claiming responsibility for the blasts, which also knocked out windows, damaged nearby apartment buildings and sent tourists fleeing. A satellite image by Planet Labs PBC shows aircraft at Saki Air Base before an explosion Tuesday. A satellite image by Planet Labs PBC shows Saki Air Base in Crimea on Wednesday, the day after an explosion there. The images, though distant, show at least seven planes were destroyed. Latest developments: A Russian court placed journalist Marina Ovsyannikova under house arrest for nearly two months as she faces charges of spreading false information about the country's armed forces that could result in a 10-year prison sentence. Ovsyannikova has been critical of the war in Ukraine and was arrested Wednesday after holding up a sign in which she called Russian President Vladimir Putin "a killer.'' The European Union's ban on Russian coal imports took effect Thursday as part of the fifth package of EU sanctions against Russia. A British defense intelligence update said "the increasing effect of Western sanctions" has significantly strained Russia's military industrial complex. The Baltic country of Estonia, which was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940 before regaining independence in 1991, will bar Russians with tourist visas from entering its territory because of the war in Ukraine. Story continues Latvias Parliament on Thursday declared Russia a state sponsor of terrorism for attacking civilians in Ukraine and urged other countries to follow suit. ON TELEGRAM: Join our Russia-Ukraine war channel to receive updates GRAPHICS: Mapping and tracking Russia's invasion of Ukraine Shelling reaches nuclear power plant, news outlets say Russian forces fired at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on Thursday and hit facilities, Ukraine's Channel 5 News and at least one Russian outlet reported. "Five hits were recorded in the area of the commandant's office" of the plant, Channel 5 said, and shelling struck "right next to the welding area and the storage of radiation sources." No casualties were reported. Fighting around the plant, the largest of its kind in Europe, has stoked fears of an international nuclear disaster, and global leaders are voicing concerns. Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialized countries have demanded that Russia give control of the plant back to Ukraine, Reuters reported. Fighting near a nuclear plant is dangerous and irresponsible,'' the U.S. State Department said, "and we continue to call on Russia to cease all military operations at or near Ukrainian nuclear facilities and return full control to Ukraine, and support Ukrainian calls for a demilitarized zone around the nuclear power plant. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his alarm, saying in a statement: I am calling on the military forces of the Russian Federation and Ukraine to immediately cease all military activities in the immediate vicinity of the plant and not to target its facilities or surroundings. Russian troops took over the Zaporizhzhia plant shortly after invading Ukraine in February. Before the war, the plant accounted for about half the electricity generated by nuclear power in Ukraine. Western countries pledge continued support for Ukraine at Denmark conference Responding to a request for more military and financial support from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Western leaders meeting in Denmark pledged Thursday to continue funding Ukraine's efforts to repel Russia's invasion, saying $1.5 billion has been committed and more is coming. The money is for enhancing armaments production, including artillery and ammunition; developing and strengthening the training of Ukrainian soldiers; and assisting Ukraines efforts to remove land mines. The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe, Zelenskyy told participants at the conference in Copenhagen. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace announced Britain will send Ukraine more multiple-launch rocket systems and guided missiles. Ahead of the conference, the Danish government said it would give Ukraine an extra $113 million. All the countries that came to Copenhagen came with the intention of supporting Ukraine, Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov said at the end of the one-day meeting of 26 nations and the European Union. McDonald's reopening in Ukraine after abandoning Russia McDonald's has turned its back on Russia and is returning to Ukraine. The American fast-food chain said Thursday that it will begin reopening its outlets in Kyiv and western Ukraine locations away from the fighting in the coming months. McDonald's closed its 109 restaurants in the country after the Russian invasion, and the company has continued to pay its 10,000 employees there. Paul Pomroy, McDonald's corporate senior vice president of international operated markets, said Ukrainian employees had voiced a desire to get back to work. In recent months, the belief that this would support a small but important sense of normalcy has grown stronger, he told company workers in a message. After shuttering hundreds of Russian locations in March, the month after the war began, McDonald's sold its 850 restaurants there to a franchise owner. That came more than three decades after McDonalds opened its first location in Moscow in 1990, becoming a powerful symbol of easing Cold War tensions. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine updates: Crimea satellite images show Russian planes damaged Aug. 11An Urbana attorney is facing indefinite suspension from practicing law in Ohio after facing several felonies and misdemeanor charges related to domestic violence, burglary, violating a protection order and other offences. The Board of Professional Conduct of the Supreme Court of Ohio recently recommended that Ryan Shane Reed be indefinitely suspended following several criminal charges filed against him in 2020 and accusations of professional misconduct. However, Reed could be reinstated to practice law if he follows several conditions laid out in the board's recommendation. The most recent recommendation to indefinitely suspend Reed comes after the Supreme Court of Ohio issued him an interim remedial suspension to practice law back in 2020 following his initial criminal charges. He was issued the suspension, among other things, because he, "has engaged in conduct that violates the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct and posses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public." Substance abuse issues also played a role in why the Supreme Court of Ohio decided to suspend Reed in 2020, according to his suspension judgment from the court. "There is no question that (Reed) suffers from an uncontrolled alcohol addiction that is impacting his ability to competently and ethically practice law," the judgment made in 2020 stated. Reed was first admitted to practice law in the state in 2009 and until his initial suspension in 2020, had practiced law in Champaign County. Reed pled guilty in October of 2020 to one count of attempted burglary, a third-degree felony, a count of trespassing in a habitation, a fourth-degree felony, one count of attempted failure to comply with an order or signal of police officer, a fourth-degree felony, an OVI, a first-degree misdemeanor, and one count of domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was initially indicted on 13 criminal charges stemming from multiple incidents that took place in May and June of that year. Story continues Reed was accused of entering a woman's home while highly intoxicated on May 14, according to a police report. He is also accused of breaking a protection order and assaulting the same woman on May 6, in which he was later arrested at the Champaign County Court of Common Pleas and was allegedly intoxicated. On June 22, sheriff's deputies chased Reed after Urbana police alerted them around 1:20 p.m. to be on the lookout for him in a 2014 purple Dodge Charger on the way to Urbana to harm the same female, according to a Champaign County Sheriff's Office report. Deputies located Reed heading north on State Route 54, the police report said. Reed sped up to flee from deputies and the pursuit started. At its peak, Reed and the officers reached speeds of about 90 to 95 mph, according to the report. The car crashed just west of Cedar Bog Nature Preserve, the report said. Reed was arrested and charged with failure to comply with an order or signal of police officer, driving under suspension and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, according to the report. He was sentenced in December 2020 to 24 months in prison regarding one case and 18 months regarding another, to be served concurrently. The Board of Professional Conduct of the Supreme Court of Ohio also referenced several clients that Reed had and that he be ordered to make restitution to two of those clients in their recommendation for indefinite suspension that was filed this month. The board also recommended that Reed shall not be eligible to petition for reinstatement until he successfully completes the term of post-release control ordered by the sentencing court. The board further recommended that Reed received eighteen months credit for time served under the December 23, 2020 interim felony suspension. If the recommendation goes though, Reed's potential reinstatement would be conditioned on proof of his compliance with the May 31, 2022 Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program (OLAP) contract; proof of his continued participation with Alcoholics Anonymous; proof of his continued treatment with Journey for Self or another provider approved by OLAP; and a letter from his treatment provider stating that respondent is capable of returning to the competent, ethical, and professional practice of law. However, there is a 20 day period for any objections to the recommendation to be submitted. The High Court is also required to hear objections, or if there are none, will set a date to review the recommendation. The owner of a boba shop in Puyallup, Washington, is asking for donations to help fund her employees after a car crashed through her storefront on Monday. Two women and a toddler were sitting at a table in Melody Boba House at Puyallup on Monday when a car came crashing through the windows closest to them at 2:36 p.m. In surveillance footage, one woman can be seen jumping out of the way and grabbing the toddler while the other woman is stuck between the store counter and car. She was pinned for a couple seconds and then the car backed out a little bit, so there was a tiny little gap for her to get out, Melody Choe, the shop owner, told KIRO-TV. We had some bystanders that were around here, and they came to her rescue. More from NextShark: Teen Filipino prodigy in the race for a coveted Ferrari Driving School scholarship Police said the elderly woman driving the car accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. She was reportedly not cited. The woman who was pinned was brought to a hospital. She is now at home and in stable condition. The other individuals at the scene, including the store employees, were not injured in the incident. As the bubble tea store is currently closed for restoration, Choe started a GoFundMe page to help support her employees whose only source of income comes from working at her boba store. More from NextShark: Woman Takes Her Asian Mom to the Club and It Was Too Wholesome Our employees are the most hard working, positive and lovely people, Choe wrote in the description for the fundraiser. We would really hate to see them go through any hardship from this incident. Were not sure how long the store will have to be closed and would really appreciate any donations to help us pay our employees and pay for some of the damages and expenses until we can open back up, she added. More from NextShark: Newcomer Olivia Rodrigo Smashes Records With 3 Singles in Top 10 of Billboards Hot 100 Chart Featured Image via KIRO-TV Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Taiwans foreign ministry makes viral West Taiwan meme out of Drake meme 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. && The World Trade Organization (WTO_ will hold its annual Trade and Public Health Workshop in Geneva from November 28 to December 2, 2022, with a special focus on pandemic preparedness and response. The deadline to submit applications to participate is September 30. The 16th WTO Trade and Public Health Workshop, organized in close collaboration with the Secretariats of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), takes a holistic approach to the interlinkages between public health, trade, and intellectual property. The Workshop will focus on pandemic preparedness and response. As in past years, the Workshop will build on the 2nd Edition of the WHO-WIPO-WTO Trilateral Study Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections between Public Health, Intellectual Property and Trade, as well as the updated Covid-19 information note. In an intensive, one-week programme, delivered by expert speakers with different backgrounds and expertise, participants will examine the role that multilateral trade agreements play as part of the wider efforts to meet increasingly urgent public health needs. Participants will also engage in targeted practical case studies designed to examine key policy tools and effectively apply them to foster public health outcomes. An outline of the draft programme is enclosed. The Trade and Public Health Workshop is designed for public sector policymakers who already have an advanced understanding of issues at the intersection of trade, intellectual property (IP) and public health, and who have practical experience in policy processes in these fields. Candidates should be proficient in English, the working language of the Workshop. The WTO Secretariat has funding available for 30 participants from WTO Members and Observers eligible to benefit from technical assistance activities. Five additional places will be available for self-funded participants, including from developed Members. TradeArabia News Service Summers more than halfway over, and as thoughts turn to school year beginnings, drivers all over the Parkland have expressed curiosity as to when two major projects will be finished on US 67. Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) officials recently provided an update on the projects, and also issued news concerning the Chester, Illinois, bridge which many in Southeast Missouri use to cross the Mississippi. J-Turn at US 67, Route H Chris Crocker, area engineer with MoDOTs southeast district, said the US 67 J-turn at Highway H is expected to be completed by late summer or early fall. Contracting closed the median crossover at Route H on June 27 in order to complete the work in the median, he said. Our contractor finished placing and compacting base rock and plans to begin prepping for concrete to construct the median deceleration lanes and J-turn the week of Aug 8. In the spring, a $1,158,777 contract was awarded to Fronabarger Concreters Inc. for the intersection of Route H and 67 intersection south of Farmington. The dangerous crossover had seen multiple accidents over the last few years. US 67 bridge replacement, Desloge Crocker said the contractor has finished placing the concrete deck on the southbound lanes of the bridge and will start tying steel in preparation to pour a barrier wall soon. He said it should be finished by the end of August, which is about one week after North County R-1 School District begins. North County School District primarily serves the towns of Desloge and Bonne Terre and covers the most bus miles of any school district in the county, according to a school official. Construction on the southbound bridge began at the beginning of June, with southbound US 67 drivers detouring, nonstop, down the Desloge exit and up the US 67 on-ramp since then. Drivers who normally would travel under the bridge overpass have had to get creative in accessing the roads east of US 67, often via the Parkway exit and eastern outer road leading to Desloge. The project is part of the $ 25.5 million Bootheel Bridge Bundle awarded to Robertson Contractors Inc. to improve 17 bridges throughout the Bootheel region. Chester River Bridge Chester, Illinois, is about 47 miles southeast of the St. Francois County seat in Farmington, but its one of only a few convenient ways south of St. Louis to cross the Mississippi River and head east. The truss bridge connecting Perryville with Chester over Highway 51 was first built in 1942 and rebuilt two years later, after it was majorly damaged by a storm. MoDOT figures 7,000 vehicles including farm implements that sometimes require the bridges closure to all other traffic travel it every day. Since the bridge ends at the Missouri levee, its subject to flooding and closure. A new bridge, although it hasnt been sited yet, will definitely pass way over the levees. State Rep. Dale Wright, R-Farmington, was instrumental in fast-tracking the bridges replacement, with Illinois Department of Transportation as a partner. The Chester Bridge is in his district of representation until Jan. 1, when redistricting switches it to Rep. Rick Francis, R-Perryville. He said he was contacted quite some time ago by retired medical-supply company founder and Cape Girardeau philanthropist Earl Norman, who is not only interested in the Chester Bridge, but in the possibility of making it part of a larger TransAmerica Corridor stretching from Virginia to California. Norman, Wright said, is a visionary who has been working on major highway projects, pretty much ever since President Dwight D. Eisenhowers interstate system was created. The corridor, which Wright said is currently listed third on the U.S. Department of Transportations project list, would be a new interstate connecting west and east coasts and possibly incorporating systems to pump water to the west, create new, green energy resources, and incorporate high-speed rail. Points along the conceived routes from Virginia to California have signed on to the cause over the course of 30 years including multiple Indian reservations according to an article in the Southeast Missourian. For now, Wright said, the focus is on the Chester bridge project. He said when Illinois officials were approached by Missouri legislators and government officials, they appeared to be alarmed by Missouris intentions to fast-track the bridges replacement. Wright said a meeting was set up involving him, Norman, MoDOT officials, the state senator from Illinois, and the mayor and city administrator of Chester. So we were trying to convince them, let's build (the bridge) south or north, and rather than constructing just a bridge, how about thinking about a whole highway system so that you don't have to slow down, you can just drive right across like you do the Emerson Bridge in Cape, Wright said. They freaked out because they had plans on their side of the river already drawn in environmental studies, I guess done and so on. And course Chester didn't want to be bypassed and become a ghost town. Wright said, in the past, the two states have been variously interested in addressing the bridge, but chronologically the interests didnt align until now. Chester Bridge has long been a top priority for MoDOT, but Illinois, Wright said, had intended to focus on the two-lane bridge at Louisiana, Missouri, and start construction on Chester Bridge in 2026 with completion around 2028, in the meantime spending millions of dollars on improvements to the existing span. But because of us kind of snooping around and talking to them, it scared them on the Illinois side so they bumped theirs up to where now it's scheduled for 2023 to begin construction, Wright said. And so anyway, just by blind luck, we kind of scooted the project up two or three years. They're already doing the environmental studies. They've put out bids for contractors to come in. They're looking at a design-build project rather than the government putting the specs out there, allowing these contractors to design their own bridge and present it, and then we'll choose the best project. Crocker recently provided an update on the project, which is being spearheaded by MoDOT Project Manager Brian Okenfuss: A rehab project began July 5, so travelers are dealing with lane reductions and delays. Completion is anticipated this winter. The new bridge will be built using the design-build method. We will put out a Request for Proposal (RFP) in August and will hire a contractor early next year (2023), Crocker said. They will start construction soon after that. We anticipate the new bridge will be open to traffic in December of 2025. A MoDOT news release issued recently announced four teams had been chosen to further develop their proposals on the new bridge: Massman Traylor Chester Joint Venture: comprised of Massman Construction, Traylor Bros., Inc., and HNTB Corporation The Ames Team: comprised of Ames Construction Inc. and Parsons Transportation Group American Bridge/Burns & McDonnell Team: comprised of American Bridge Company, Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., and Modjeski and Masters, Inc. Lunda Team: comprised of Lunda Construction Company and T.Y. Lin International We are excited about the interest we received and look forward to working with the shortlisted teams to further develop their proposals, added Okenfuss. Each team has great experience in both design and construction, and the proposals will detail their plans to meet or exceed each project goal. On January 26, 2018 (on the eve of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day) the Polish Parliament (the Sejm) passed the so-called "amendment to the Law on the Institute of National Remembrance"- a legal and public relations disaster that immediately became known abroad as the "Polish Holocaust Law". The most conspicuous article in the new law provided for a punishment of up to three years in prison for people who (quoting the Polish legislators): "publicly and against the facts attribute to the Polish Nation or the Polish State responsibility or co-responsibility for Nazi crimes committed by the Third German Reich". In reality, however, the idea was to muzzle and gag researchers, educators, and all those whose views on the history of the Holocaust differed fundamentally from the interpretation espoused by the ruling party. It is worth mentioning that only 5 MPs voted against this shameful law. The remaining 409 voted in favor or abstained. Poland's Holocaust Law triggered outrage around the world. This international reaction was obvious and understandable at least for everybody outside of Poland. I cannot but mention here that already in 2016, I published an article in the Israeli Journal of Foreign Affairs ["The Holocaust and Poland's 'History Policy'"] signaling upcoming changes in Polish law and the associated threats to freedom of scientific research. My warning wasnt the only one. On February 16, 2018, at a conference in Munich, a few weeks after the infamous bill was passed, when it seemed that destroying Poland's international reputation any further was hardly possible, PM Morawiecki declared that "there were Polish perpetrators [of the Holocaust], just as there were Jewish perpetrators, Russian perpetrators, or Ukrainian perpetrators - not just German perpetrators". Equating of Jews with Holocaust perpetrators from other nations has been reported by the media all around the world. On the same day, Prime Minister Morawiecki, as if to remove any doubt about his own intentions, laid flowers on the graves of the soldiers of the Holy Cross Mountain (Swietokrzyska) Brigade, the only underground unit of the Polish National Armed Forces which retreated west with the Nazis in the winter of 1944/45, ahead of the advancing Red Army. The Polish Prime Minister could have visited the nearby Dachau concentration camp to pay tribute to the people murdered by the Nazis - but he didnt; he preferred to pay tribute to the people supported by the Nazis. If someone had the urge to initiate a competition entitled: "how to ruin Poland's image in the eyes of the world as quickly and permanently as possible", they couldn't have come up with anything better. 17.02.2018, premier Mateusz Morawiecki zozy wieniec i zapali znicz na grobach zonierzy Brygady Swietokrzyskiej Narodowych Si Zbrojnych. Waldemar Kompaa/KPRM The following months were a time of feverish search by the Polish authorities for a way out of the quagmire into which they had led themselves, and the entire country. The leaked emails are from this hectic period. The emails (as has been amply demonstrated in the past) are credible and should in the future become one of the pieces of evidence in investigations against the people who, after 2015, proceeded to destroy Polish democracy. The analysis of this correspondence allows us to trace actions aimed at cementing a nationalist vision of the past based on falsifying the history of one of the greatest tragedies in human history - the destruction of European Jewry. REKLAMA "Our people" inside Jewish history institutions The first email from Bronisaw Wildstein to Mateusz Morawiecki is dated March 5, 2018. Both men are on a first-name basis ("Bronek" and "Mateusz") which gives the exchange a more informal, even friendly, dimension. The message from "Bronek" reads: "The basic problem we have in our relations with the Jews is that our enemies have monopolized all contact with them. When I write this, I mean not only the [political enemies of the] party you represent, but to some extent the enemies of entire Polish nation. The Center for Holocaust Research presents an almost obsessive hatred of Poles. Jan Grabowski, suggesting right and left that Poles denounced or killed some 200,000 Jews, says that the issue of Poles helping Jews can be addressed only after our own [Polish] crimes have been investigated, and that Israel should suspend diplomatic relations with Poland as long as the IPN law is in effect. Barbara Engelking is no different, as are all the other members of this team. And these are the people, who have taken over relations with Yad Vashem. The Jewish Historical Institute, and the "Polin" museum are not much better .... It might be necessary to analyze their status and the possibility of gradually introducing our people into their midst". Muzeum Polin w Warszawie Fot. Dawid Zuchowicz / Agencja Wyborcza.pl Whats noteworthy here is the primitive language of exclusion and aggression used by the author of this email. The juxtaposition of "our enemies" with the will of the entire Polish nation brings to mind the rhetoric of the worst times. Equally instructive is the strategy suggested in the letter for the planned introduction of "our people" into institutions active in the field of Jewish memory of the Holocaust. The takeover of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews turned out to be more difficult than Wildstein had anticipated, since the state had only a 1/3 stake in the venture. The remaining "shareholders" (i.e., the city of Warsaw and the Jewish Historical Institute Association) refused to support government appointees. Things went more easily with the Jewish Historical Institute - where the filling of the director's position depends entirely on the Minister of Culture Piotr Glinski. Today, the Jewish Historical Institute, under the leadership of Ms. Monika Krawczyk, a person who is unqualified to head an academic institution, but ruthlessly loyal to the ruling nationalists, has become another cog in the machine that drives Polish memory politics. Quite recently, the process of "introducing our people" into the institutions of Jewish Holocaust remembrance has gained momentum. Malowanie napisu na gmachu Zydowskiego Instytutu Historycznego przy ul. Tomackie ADAM STEPIEN Among the members of the newly constituted Council of the "Polin" Museum, we find "our people" that is, nominees of the Minister of Culture. There is "Bronek" Wildstein himself, there is Artur Hofman, head of the Socio-Cultural Society of Jews (TSKZ), a faithful ally of the current government, whom "Bronek" in his letter to Prime Minister Morawiecki described as a person "representing rational opportunism", there is the vice-head of the IPN Mateusz Szpytma, there is Albert Stankowski (director of the not-yet-opened Warsaw Ghetto Museum, anointed by Minister Glinski at the time of its conception as a "museum of Polish-Jewish love"), and there is Deputy Minister of Culture Jarosaw Sellin, the man directly responsible for the state's frontal attack on independent Holocaust scholars. REKLAMA Almost simultaneously, the Auschwitz Council was constituted. There, we also find "our people". Here, too, is Mateusz Szpytma, there is Dr. Grzegorz Berendt, the IPN employee responsible for the authorities' "capture" of the World War II Museum in Gdansk, and there are Artur Hofman and Albert Stankowski, both mentioned before. Thus, the plan outlined by Wildstein in 2018 is taking concrete shape, and the institutions set up to protect Jewish memory are becoming hostage to the memory politics pursued by the Polish state. While the candidates put forward by the authorities can be assessed critically or very critically, the presence of Mateusz Szpytma, the man in charge of "Jewish Affairs" at the IPN, a person who bears direct responsibility by virtue of his position for last year's appointment of a former neo-fascist to a leading position at the IPN, is a slap in the face of all independent and highly respectable people sitting on both Councils. "We drank a sea of beer, but it was worth it" Writing to PM Morawiecki, "Bronek" is also concerned with the scarcity of pro-government forces on the memorial and political battlefield for a proper historical Holocaust-related narrative. Putting his son's initiative in the spotlight ("my son, Dawid Wildstein, has been promoting the idea of a 'Warsaw of two uprisings' [Jewish Uprising of April 1943 and the Polish Uprising of August 1944] for several years now..."), "Bronek" advises the Prime Minister to "promote Polish martyrdom using Jewish martyrdom, because it is possible". While it is not entirely clear how successful was "Bronek's suggestion to promote Polish martyrdom using Jewish martyrdom", the strategy of "mixing-in" Polish suffering together with the Jewish catastrophe has become one of the highlights of the memory politics of the Polish state. Examples abound: in the official narrative, the Treblinka II extermination camp is mixed up with the Treblinka I labor camp, the same is true of the Auschwitz II extermination camp and the Auschwitz I concentration camp, the name Treblinka has been "appropriated" for the purposes of Polish martyrology as a result of the scandalous actions of the Pilecki Institute, and the Auschwitz Museum tries, in social media, to "restore" for the Polish cause the gas chambers at Birkenau. Dawid Wildstein odznaczony przez prezydenta Dude ADAM STEPIEN Mateusz Morawiecki responded to "Bronek" the same day. The Prime Minister agreed that "we have very few allies, and it is necessary to find them and to help them organize". There are few issues as important to me as this one", he added. Finally, the Polish PM wrote "Bronek" Wildstein: "The media issue you mention is important. Not only in Israel, but all over the world. We must map out journalists sympathetic to Poland. This is a job to be done 'right now' by the Foreign Ministry and PFN [Polish National Foundation a publicly funded foundation created by the nationalist authorities to support their pet causes]". REKLAMA The Prime Minister's advisor, a certain Andrzej Pawluszek, spoke out on the "media issue" and on the issue of "mapping out favorable journalists". In a message dated March 6, 2018, Pawluszek reported to PM Morawiecki on his efforts in Tel Aviv: "Dr. Joanna Hofman (former Ambassador to Helsinki), is a very sensible person, not only is she one of us, but she really gets what we want". In another email, dated March 22, Pawluszek has again mentioned this Polish diplomat: "Joanna Hofman from the Polish Institute in TLV [Tel Aviv], is a super gal!". The purpose of Pawluszek's efforts in Israel was, on the one hand, to find journalists sympathetic to the official Polish narrative ("I made great contact with a journalist from the Jerusalem Post (Gol Kalev), we drank a sea of beer, but it was well worth it") as well as to mobilize additional funds from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs budget to pay someone to "correct Hebrew Wikipedia entries and position Israeli pages on google". I will just add that state-sponsored interference with material published on Wikipedia is a separate issue, worthy of another article. "Grabowski and Engelking are simply enemies of Poland" In another letter from Wildstein to Morawiecki (dated June 28, 2018), "Bronek" referred to a planned "joint Polish-Israeli Holocaust research project". "Ideally, it would be done by Yad Vashem together with the IPN" Wildstein writes - "This should be forced on the Israeli authorities, since now all contacts with Israeli historians are monopolized by the Holocaust Research Center, whose main figures- Grabowski and Engelking- are simply enemies of Poland. Next up would be the only slightly better Polin or the Jewish Historical Institute. If such a project were to be done, the results of research signed by the Israeli side would be beyond question. One would also discuss the darker sides [of the Polish past], but, done in a serious way, and put into proper context, they would look radically different from [Jan Tomasz] Gross's or Grabowski's 'revelations'". Prezydent Andrzej Duda z osobami odznaczonymi Orderem Ora Biaego. Od lewej: Bronisaw Wildstein, Zofia Romaszewska, Wanda Potawska, Irena Kirszensztajn-Szewinska, prof. Micha Kleiber i Micha Lorenc Fot. Sawomir Kaminski / Agencja Wyborcza.pl These few sentences are worth "unpacking". I am already leaving aside the issue of "enemies of Poland" that Wildstein raised in his previous emails. Far more significant is the attempt to "force" the Israeli authorities to coerce Yad Vashem to cooperate with the IPN in order to gain Israeli approval for Polish nationalists' attempts to falsify Holocaust history. The idea itself demonstrates the authors deep ignorance of the importance of Holocaust narrative in Israel. Furthermore, Wildstein seems to be ignorant of the total lack of IPNs international credibility. From a number of conversations I have recently had with Israeli historians, it is clear that even if the Polish authorities were to propose a cooperation with the IPN, it would not have been taken seriously by anyone in Israel. "Broneks" letter ends on a dramatic note: "If we sleep through this opportunity then we will constantly be confronted with more "revelations" produced by representatives of the pedagogy of shame, who want to compromise our history and, consequently, our identity". It is really difficult to even try to understand what the author wanted to convey. "A compromised history" because of the critical studies of independent scholars? "A compromised national identity" as a result of scientific research focusing on the most difficult aspects of national history? Searching for meaning in Wildstein's prose seems to be an impossible task. It would be half bad if these were merely the rantings of a right-wing pundit. Unfortunately, we are dealing with someone whose unsophisticated arguments seem to have a direct impact on the Prime Minister of a major European country. Morawiecki responded to "Bronek" two days later. The email reads: "I absolutely agree with you that this is a key project and we have to pursue it. The IPN or the M[agdalena] Gawin Research Center [Pilecki Institute] are the best candidates for this project, they should start working on it as soon as possible". Finally, Morawiecki asked Wildstein to develop the project together with Micha Dworczyk and Marek Magierowski [Polish ambassador to Israel]", so that "I could discuss it with Prime Minister Netanyahu". Controlling the historical narrative by use of force What conclusions can be drawn from this exchange between Morawiecki and Wildstein? First, "dignity" issues, the struggle to maintain national myths, seem to be issues of fundamental importance to the ruling nationalists. Second, in order to defend these myths, the Prime Minister and his entourage are ready to mobilize the state apparatus, state finances and exert diplomatic pressure abroad to achieve their goals. Third, seen from the perspective of militant nationalists, the world of scientific research appears to be an extension of the political struggle, and studies which stray from the official "party line" automatically condemn their authors to the ranks of "enemies of the state". Fourth, on the "front of Jewish memory", seen as a priority direction for the state, the authorities are ready to use any force to control institutions that can influence the Holocaust-related historical narrative. Not so long ago, reports concerning the meetings between Ms. Przyebska, head of the Constitutional Tribunal, and Minister Dworczyk have been circulating in the press. In the course of their meetings, it was alleged that Dworczyk and Przyebska discussed and determined the way in which one should proceed with various cases brought before the Constitutional Tribunal. These "discussions" were in clear violation of the Constitution and a variety of articles of the Criminal Code. Constitutional law experts and lawyers condemned in the strongest possible terms the destruction of democracy and the subordination of judicial power to the ruling party that was taking place before our eyes. I would like to hope that the disclosed emails of Wildstein, Dworczyk and Morawiecki will have a similar meaning for humanists, that they will alert historians, researchers, educators and teachers of Holocaust history of the impending dangers. The attempts to shape historical consciousness by using the state apparatus bring to mind practices known from the worst periods in Polish history. Professor Jan Grabowski teaches history at the University of Ottawa. He is the co-author of "Night Without End (...)", a two-volume publication tracing the fates of Jews who went into hiding in the Nazi-occupied Poland. *** Every day, 400 journalists at Gazeta Wyborcza write verified, fact-checked stories about Polish politics and society, keeping a critical eye on the ruling camps persistent assault on democratic values and the rule of law; the growing cultural tension between religious fundamentalism and human rights; and the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine. Our journalists are on the front lines in 32 Polish cities, reporting from the streets, hospitals, and courtrooms about issues that move public opinion. We decided to make our service available to everyone free of charge in order to provide access to high quality journalism for expats and English speakers interested in Polish affairs. The access to information should be equal for all. Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has succeeded in its negotiations with Ukraine and Russia to restart oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia, by paying the transit fee for the Ukrainian section of the pipeline, MOL told MTI on Wednesday. MOL said it had secured a quick solution to the problem of fees not being paid, and Ukraine had promised to resume deliveries within the next few days. In a statement later in the day, MOL said the pipeline was in operation and deliveries were expected to be again arriving in Hungary on Thursday. Deliveries of Russian crude stopped on August 4. The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. You can see the new edition of the Xpat E-Magazine here: https://xpatloop.com/newsletters/2022/11-august.html 1. In focus is Hungary's biggest festival, featuring these international acts & many more: * Justin Bieber * Arctic Monkeys * Bastille * Kings Of Leon * Lewis Capaldi * Sam Fender 2. Next, as always there's an essential selection of curated News, Information & Inspiration: E.g. Friendship Oil Flows Again / Top Alt Bars / Bike Ambulance Trial / Undercover Police at Sziget. 3. Also there are new Movies in Budapest, fresh Specials, and What's On highlights: E.g. Esoteric Experience / Outdoor Opera / Eastern European Blues / Friday Night Party. Now here's hoping you like what's in it for you. Yours with best wishes, Team XpatLoop YORK A single family still retains ownership of a 180-acre Gresham area farm that traces its roots to 1872 when it was purchased by Frederick W. Liedtke an impressive century and a half ago. The modern iteration of Fredricks clan, Gerry and Pam George, were honored at the York County Fair with the Nebraska Heritage Farm Award co-sponsored by The Aksarben Foundation and Nebraska Farm Bureau. All but five acres of the original homestead produce corn and soybeans still today. The story begins when Frederick was born in 1836 in Prussia and in 1860 migrated to this country as a stowaway on a ship. In 1863 he enlisted in the Army in Pennsylvania and eventually became a captain and served in the Civil War. After being discharged from the Army, Frederick left his family to go west and start a new life. In March of 1872 he came to York County and timber claimed the northeast quarter of section 2, township 12, range 2, five miles west and one mile north of Gresham. He stopped here because there was a hill to make a dugout for his home and a pond at the bottom to water the oxen. In the spring of 1873, his wife and two children, Otto and Clara, joined him. By this time other settlers had homesteaded in the same section. Eventually they all built sod houses in the center of the section and dug an open well in the exact center of the section for each of them to use. Frederick eventually was elected York County Clerk. In 1878 he was elected Nebraska State Auditor and this is when Otto B. Liedtke took over the homestead. For a timber claim, a specified number of trees were required to be planted on the property. When the early settlers came here, there was nothing but prairie and prairie chickens. They had to go to the river bottoms to find trees. Otto told of the times they made the 15-mile trip to York for supplies with oxen. They would leave at 4:00 in the morning and by the time they returned home, it would be close to 4:00 the next morning. Otto farmed the homestead until about 1917. His children were Frank, Fred and Vesta. Frank farmed it until 1949. He raised four children there: Howard, Lucille, Maude and Robert. Robert lived on the property his entire life, farmed until 2000 and raised two children there: Pamela and Rex. Rex Liedtke farmed the land for approximately 15 years. Today the farm is owned and operated by Gerald and Pam George. They are the fifth generation Liedtke family to own this quarter of land. York Adopt a Pet has many dedicated volunteers. Everyone who has worked with the cats will agree that Diane Wolfe is one of the best. She has been the official photographer for the hundreds and hundreds of cats and kittens that have crossed our threshold through the years. Diane started taking cat photos in 2002 while we were at the Kitten Kassel. Charlie Sanders started our website when we moved into our new building in 2010. Since that time Diane has been so faithful to see that every cat and kitten has a photo taken to be placed on Petfinder which is literally worldwide. Their pictures are on YAAPS website yorkadoptapet.com and also YAAPs FaceBook site. Diane has worked with feral and hissy cats, timid cats and those with so much energy they are in constant motion. I am amazed she has the patience to deal with every age and personality. Diane can truly catch their personalities and with her added touches of bows, jewelry and bow ties. The pictures are eye catching to those who view them on Petfinder. Approximately 60% of all adoptions are generated from Dianes pictures. When I received calls from North Platte to Omaha asking about our adoption process invariably they would comment that the reason they were interested in a particular cat or kitten was because of the photo they had seen on Petfinder. We have adopted cats and kittens across the USA, from New York City to San Diego. And from North Dakota to Texas. These adoptions were from Dianes photogenic talent. Thank you, Diane, from all of the cats and kittens you have helped place in their forever homes. They send meows, hisses and purrs. One picture is truly worth a thousand words. From September 22 onward, IndiGo will begin operating flights between Mumbai and Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. Ras Al-Khaimah will be the airline's network's 100th destination, according to a statement from IndiGo. With India projected to be the third largest international source market for the city in 2021 and traffic predicted to surpass pre-pandemic levels this year, these additional flights will meet the strong demand for travel to Ras Al-Khaimah. Sanjay Kumar, Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, IndiGo, said, "We are pleased to announce our entry into the fourth Emirate with Ras Al-Khaimah as our 26th international and 100th overall destination." The daily flight will depart from Mumbai at 11 pm (local time), and land there at 12.35 am (local time), the airline said. The return flight will depart from Ras Al-Khaimah at 2.05 am (local time) and land in Mumbai at 6.40 am (local time), it mentioned. Also read: Tata-Owned Air India to start daily flight services between Delhi and Vancouver Meanwhile, All of Indigo's domestic route customers can now take advantage of a "sweet 16" anniversary promotion. The promotion honours Indian Airlines' sixteen years of commercial aviation. It should be noted that the deals on air travel began today, August 3, and end on August 5. The starting cost of the aeroplane tickets in the promotion will be Rs 1,616. Additionally, the promotion is applicable for travel between July 16, 2023, and August 18, 2022. The latest incentives for domestic fly travelers were announced via Indigo Airlines' official Twitter account. The airline recently announced a 25% cashback offer on Ka-ching cards in exchange for up to 1000 reward points. Customers can also make reservations using their HSBC credit cards and receive a 5% cashback offer of up to Rs 800 on transactions with a minimum value of Rs 3500. Tata-owned Air India is working on improving its flight connectivity between India and Canada by increasing the flight frequency between Delhi and Vancouver. The airline announced that now they will be operating daily flight services between the two cities instead of three times a week. It is to be noted that the new services will come into effect from August 31. The step by the airline has been taken to cater to the increased number of passengers between the aforementioned cities. The increased flight frequency will be served by the Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft owned by the airline. Moreover, the increasing demand can be seen as a sign of recovery of customer demand from the pandemic. The news was shared by the official Twitter handle of the airline with the caption, "We are starting daily flights between Delhi & Vancouver from 31st August 2022. For booking visit our website, call centre or booking office." Flight schedule between Delhi- Vancouver Flight designated as AI 185 will be the one taking passengers from Delhi to Vancouver. The departs from New Delhi at 05:15hrs and arrives in Vancouver at 07:15hrs. While the flight designated as AI 186 departs Vancouver at 10:15hrs and arrives in New Delhi at 13:15hrs+1. Also read: DGCA latest guidelines: Aviation body issues new rules for transgenders applying for pilot licence Meanwhile, Air India is planning ways to reduce flight delays and increase on-time performance. As the "nerve centre" of any airline, Campbell Wilson, the recently appointed CMD of Air India, has requested a direct report from the airline's integrated operations control centre (IOCC) and suggestions for how to boost on-time performance. Wilson stated in a memo to staff members on July 28 that Air India's on-time performance (OTP) is subpar and most definitely not world-class. "IOCC is the nerve centre of an airline. It not only manages our network of flights 24X7, 365 days of the year, but it also plays a crucial role in driving our OTP," Wilson said in the communique. On this date five years ago, neo-Nazis marched violently through the grounds of the University of Virginia and the streets of downtown Charlottesville, turning our city into a national meme that signified the emergence of a racist and anti-Semitic neo-Nazi ideology into our political and cultural discourse. Here in Charlottesville, of course, those events meant something else entirely. A day after the march, a neo-Nazi drove his car into a crowd of counter protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring more than a dozen. Meanwhile, rampaging neo-Nazis and white supremacists left others in our community with lifelong scars, both physical and emotional. In the aftermath of those events, our city began a difficult reckoning with its own racist past, an effort that continues to this day. Along with racism, anti-Semitism occupies a significant place in the ideology of the neo-Nazis. The historical experience of Jewish Americans has been significantly different than that of people of color in this country because notwithstanding anti-Semitism, Jews, for the most part, have also benefitted from white privilege in America. But the events of five years ago in Charlottesville and their aftermath have also left many Jewish Americans struggling to understand our place in contemporary American society. At the time of the neo-Nazi march, I was the president of Congregation Beth Israel, the sole synagogue in the city. CBI has been in existence since the mid-1870s, and a Jewish presence in Charlottesville can be traced back to colonial times. Our synagogue building, which has stood since 1882 (it was moved to its present location in 1904), is the oldest synagogue in Virginia. And while the Jewish population in Charlottesville came dangerously close to extinction in the mid-20th century, today our community thrives with more than 400 member families at our synagogue. The morning of August 12, I was downtown at CBI for our weekly Shabbat, or Sabbath, services. The night before had seen the torch march at UVa, including the now-infamous chants of Jews will not replace us. The atmosphere downtown was tense, to say the least. As I stood on the steps of CBI that morning, I could hear the fighting from the nearby Emancipation (then Lee) Park. I saw a large group of mostly young men pass by CBI on Third Street. I heard someone shout Theres the synagogue, followed by shouts of Seig heil, a reference to Nazi Germany and Hitler, and other anti-Semitic chants. I saw hands raised in Nazi salutes. I saw a large flag bearing a swastika, the banner under which six million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, including the families of many congregants at CBI. I could barely believe my eyes. It seemed like a newsreel from the 1930s, but it was an American street in the 21st century. In the months and years following August 2017, our synagogue underwent significant change. Most visibly, and depressingly, we were forced to increase security. Doors that were once propped open for congregants to come and go were now locked. Cameras were installed, as was blast proofing on windows. An armed guard became a fixture for us at our preschool, religious school, worship services and other synagogue events. With the benefit of hindsight, we now know that the events here five years ago were not an aberration, but a harbinger of worse to come. Massacres in Pittsburgh, El Paso and Buffalo were driven by racial and religious hatred. Even more worrisome, the sick racist and anti-Semitic ideology that fueled those events has, slowly but surely, crept in the mainstream of political thought, in the Christian Nationalism espoused by Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. It reflects in the so-called Great Replacement Theory regularly discussed by Tucker Carlson on Fox News. Many of the same groups that were prominent among the rioters in Charlottesville, like the Proud Boys, were key players in the insurrection at the U.S. Capital last January. As Jewish Americans, part of a people with a long history of persecutions and expulsions, we are forced by these events to wonder whether America still holds a place for us. It does because the events of August 11 and 12, as experienced here in Charlottesville, told another story as well. Here, hundreds of local citizens and UVa students took to the streets to defend our community and its shared values, at great risk and in sacrifice of their own physical well-being. At CBI, in the weeks and months after August 11-12 we received hundreds of expressions of support from throughout Charlottesville and the nation. Local clergy and activists rallied to our defense. Numerous times in the tense weeks following the neo-Nazi riots, local activists and clergy of all denominations rushed to the synagogue to offer us their protection after being alerted to potential threats. At the one-year anniversary of August 11-12, when our downtown was occupied by an overwhelming police presence, hundreds of community members attended a Friday night Shabbat service at CBI to show their support. Five years ago, our Rabbi, Tom Gutherz, often found himself on television discussing the events here. When asked about the importance of people standing up to the hateful and destructive ideology of the neo-Nazi movement, he would quote from a classical Jewish text known as Pirkei Aviot, the Teaching of our Sages: You are not obligated to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it. Five years out, the work is obviously not completed. I know our Charlottesville Jewish community, however, is grateful for the freedom that is our American birthright. We remain secure in the knowledge that we are able to enjoy it thanks to the love and protection of our greater community here in Central Virginia. In this spirit, our Jewish community in Charlottesville is charting a path forward that has sought and will continue to seek to fulfill its obligation to fight hatred and bigotry, especially on behalf of those most vulnerable and marginalized among us. We will do so with purpose, determination and energy, fortified by the Jewish values of compassion, tolerance, loving kindness, and justice. Alan Zimmerman is a financial journalist who has lived in Charlottesville 22 years. New Delhi: Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan delivered yet another power-packed performance in his just released 'Laal Singh Chaddha', a film which remained in news for the longest time. The official Hindi remake of Academy Award-winning Forrest Gump starring Tom Hanks has received a warm reception from fans who watched the First Day First Show of Laal Singh Chaddha. LAAL SINGH CHADDHA FIRST REVIEWS: Some early reviews of the film suggest that fans have really kicked the butt of 'boycott trend' and hailed Aamir Khan's efforts with open arms. Check out what fans feel about Laal Singh Chaddha: Just Watched Laal Singh Chaddha. One Word Review Its Masterpiece, Dont Believe On Fake Review, Go & Watch With Your Family & Friends, U Laugh, U Cry, U enjoy and for some boycott gang This Movie Represent Our Nations History, #LaalSinghChaddha #BetterThanTheOriginal K U N A L (@kunee__) August 11, 2022 Looking at the positive word of mouth for #LaalSinghChaddha sangi boycott gangs are copy pasting & spreading fake negative reviews against the film . What a low life they are living Arul Kumaran (@arulkumaran180) August 11, 2022 So finally #LaalSinghChaddha is gaining word of mouth. Haven't seen it, but will love to see after such a positive reviews from the viewers. Thanks #AamirKhan and @AKPPL_Official for such a beautiful movie. August 11, 2022 AAMIR KHAN ON BOYCOTT LAAL SINGH CHADDHA The actor was in the national capital on Tuesday where he addressed the 'Boycott' trend on Twitter and responded by saying, "If I have hurt anyone by any means, I regret it. I don't want to hurt anyone. If someone doesn't want to watch the film, I'd respect their sentiment. I'd, however, love for people to go watch the movie because it's our labour of love. A lot of people have worked hard on this film, and I hope people like it," added Aamir. BOYCOTT LAAL SINGH CHADDHA CONTROVERSY: Tnternet users trended #BoycottLaalSinghChaddha on Twitter, urging everyone to not watch the movie. Reason? Aamir Khan's controversial "India's growing intolerance" statement he made in the past is being circulated while a few of Kareena's controversial statements from the past too have been dug up by haters. Aamir Khan in his 2015 interview said, "Our country is very tolerant, but there are people who spread ill-will". His wife Kiran Rao also made headlines for saying that she considered leaving the country for the safety of their children. Kareena reacted to the boycott trend and told India Today, "There are different platforms. Everyone has an opinion. So now, if that is going to be there, then you have to learn to ignore certain things. Otherwise, it will just become impossible to live your life. And that's why I don't take any of this like seriously." 'Laal Singh Chaddha' is a remake of the Hollywood classic 'Forrest Gump'. Aamir Khan is gearing up for the release of his ambitious project 'Laal Singh Chaddha' which will open in theatres on August 11, 2022. Mumbai: The sixth episode of `Koffee with Karan 7` is finally out. The brother-sister duo Arjun Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor graced the couch in the episode and openly discussed their relationships and careers. Karan Johar talked about Arjuns relationship and brought up questions regarding Arjuns romance with Malaika Arora. Karan asked Sonam about how she supported her cousin brother. She said in response, "Arjun and I are fifteen days apart. Since school, we were always together. So that love is unconditional. That said, there is stability and happiness that has come into his life recently. He was meandering quite a bit before. Of course, I`ll be supportive of what makes him happy." Arjun was then asked by Karan why he took so long to reveal his relationship with Malaika to the public. The `Gunday` actor answered, "I think I`ve lived a life being on the other side of the spectrum. I grew up in a disjointed family, and it was not easy to see what was going on, and still had to accept everything. I can't just jump on her (Malaika). The first reaction could be `What do you mean?` If you ease people in, they`ll understand." "I will always think about everyone first. It is my choice to be with her, but I cannot expect everyone to understand. It has to be allowed to grow. I cannot expect everyone to understand easily. Darja dena padta hai, and I had to ease everyone into it including the public eye. It's not that we didn't talk about it as a couple. But there are baby steps. There is a basic understanding that she has had a life, she has a son, and I`m coming from a past that is aware of that. The moral compass of the country you cannot dictate", Arjun explained. The actor added that his entire family told him it was okay and that he didn't need to overthink it, which made it "much easier" for him. When questioned about a future wedding, Arjun Kapoor responded that it is not yet planned.. "No, because it's been two years of Covid, I want to focus on my career. I want to see where I am going. I am a realistic person. I`m not hiding anything and neither am I coy. I want to be more stable, not just financially. If I am happy, only then can I make my partner happy, and a lot of happiness comes from my work." Arjun won the coffee hamper after Sonam and Arjun`s hilarious rapid-fire responses had the audience in stitches. Sonam is seen embracing her pregnancy glow in a lovely black evening gown. Arjun, on the other hand, complimented her in a brown suit. Sonam recently got back to Mumbai. She had been staying in London with her husband Anand Ahuja. Arjun, on the other hand, is still riding high on the success of his last release `Ek Villain Returns`. New Delhi: Netflix has just announced the second season release date of their hit series 'The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives'. The series, whose first season was released in November of 2020, created much buzz on social media and was able to find its audience among the Indian public. The series is set to hit the streamer on 2nd of September. The official instagram page of Netflix india shared a the poster for the second season and wrote, "Now thats what you call a FABULOUS announcement! The fabulous four are back to spice up your lives this September Watch the FabulousLivesOfBollywoodWives S2 on Sept 2nd, only on Netflix!" In The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, cameras explore the interactions and bonds between women from the Bollywood industry's as they balance work, friendship, and family.The second season will once again feature and follow celebrities such as Neelam Kothari, Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey, and Seema Khan, wives of Bollywood actors Samir Soni, Sanjay Kapoor, Chunky Pandey, and Sohail Khan, respectively. The first season even had a cameo from the Bollywood Superstar Shahrukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan but it remains to be seen what new this season will bring for its audience. New Delhi: Taking shots at the ruling BJP government, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that the BJP is appropriating the festival of independence to its purpose. The former UP CM went on to call it an insult to the martyrs. BJP is pursuing its interests in the name of nationalism, he said. "BJP only knows how to fulfil their 'swarthwaad'(selfishness) in the name of 'Rashtrawaad' (nationalism). They do not care for democracy, Akhilesh said in a statement. Instead of connecting the Amrit Mahotsav' with the enthusiasm of life, they attempt to give it a BJP colour, which is an insult to the martyrs who died for the freedom of the country," he said. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister alleged that the RSS and BJP leaders who are now preaching patriotism in the name of Amrit Mahotsav never respected the national flag. He also alleged that the BJP's flag campaign has given rise to a variety of malpractices."Somewhere the 'tiranga yatra' of BJP has turned into a danga yatra', while the wrong tricolour is being distributed at other places. Shops selling flags have opened in BJP offices. Money is being extracted from students in schools and employees in offices," said Akhilesh. Cow Smuggling Case: After Partha Chatterjee, another heavyweight leader of Trinamool (TMC) has been caught by the central agency. Anubrata Mandal. After avoiding attendance yesterday, CBI officers reached the Trinamool district president's house in Birbhum at Neechupatti in Bolpur this morning with the court's order. Central forces surrounded Anubrata's house in the morning. CBI officials entered the house and closed the door. The mobile phones of everyone in the house were taken away. After few hours Mamata Banerjee's 'BAHUBALI' leader was taken away in a car by CBI. Bengal Leader of opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari attacks Mamata Banerjee for this act. He claims, "Anubrata is a MAFIA. Mamata Banerjee created him." Locals gathered in front of Birbhum's Trinamool district president's house in Bolpur after receiving news of CBI raid on Anubrata Mandal's house in cow smuggling case. After that, as time goes by, the speculation was increasing, whether the 'BABUBALI' leader going to be arrested today? According to CBI sources, the investigators spoke to Chandranath Adhikari, the doctor of Bolpur Divisional Hospital yesterday. The doctor's statement may be recorded today. According to CBI sources, news sought to know whether he had tried to write prescriptions to the doctor under the influence. The CBI also wants to know on whose instructions the government doctor went to the Trinamool district president's house in Birbhum. Note that Anubrata is already being taken away in the car. According to sources, a medical test will be done. And then it is known that he will be interrogated. Also Read: CBI ARRESTS Mamata Banerjee's 'BAHUBALI' Leader Anubrata Mandal in connection with cow smuggling case Anubrata Mandal held several important positions in the Trinamool, from the district president to the member of the National Working Committee. And in this case, the TMC are naturally uncomfortable. What will the party do now? Will be on his side or create a distance? Anuvrata's bodyguard Saigal Hossain has already been arrested in the cow smuggling case. AP PECET 2022 Admit Card: Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education, APSCHE, has released the admit cards for Andhra Pradesh Physical Education Common Entrance Test. The AP PECET hall tickets have been released online on August 10, 2022. AP PECET Hall Tickets 2022 have been released for the physical efficiency and game skill test which will begin on August 17, 2022. Students must use their registration number and password in order to download the hall tickets. According to the media reports, the Andhra Pradesh PECET 2022 admission card will have the following information: the candidate's name, the location of the exam centre, the date and time of the exam, and the candidate's photo and signature, as well as other personal and exam-related details. Candidates can get in touch with the officials to request corrections if there are any errors. ALSO READ: JEE Advanced 2022: Registration ends TODAY; students to stage protest, demand third attempt for all AP PECET 2022 Admit Card: Heres how to download Step 1: Registered candidates must visit the official website of Andhra Pradesh Physical Education Common Entrance Test- cets.apsche.ap.gov.in. Step 2: On the homepage, they should click on the download hall ticket link. Step 3: After being redirected to another page, candidates will be required to enter their login details. Step 4: Post submitting the details, the AP PECET hall ticket will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Candidates should download and print a copy of it for future reference. Everyone must bring their AP PECET Hall Ticket 2022 to the exam location since they will not be permitted to take the test if they do not. Please also note the reporting time and exam time, and use this hall ticket to show up for the examination. Guwahati (Assam): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that Nitish Kumar is a "Margdarshak" (guide) for those who want to "change parties in every six months". Himanta Sarma, who was a member of the Congress party and switched to the BJP in 2015, said that even though he has changed his political party, but "not like him" (Nitish Kumar), adding "How can you guarantee that Nitish Kumar will not again go out of that coalition after 6-8 months? He`s unpredictable." Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister said "We`ve also changed political party, but not like him. He is `Margdarshak` for everybody who wants to change the party in every six months." Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Nitish Kumar said that the party made the decision together to leave the BJP, adding "The party made the decision together (to leave BJP). I did not want to be the Chief Minister after the previous election. But a lot of pressure was put on me to handle the post. When there were talks with them (points towards Tejashwi Yadav), the decision was made. whether I will stay or not (till 2024)...they can say what they want, but I will not live in the year 2014." Also read: Inside story: How a courtesy call from changed the political scenario of Bihar Speculations have been rife regarding his future with his `national ambitions` doing rounds in the political sphere since his move against the NDA, with whom he had reunited in 2017. However, the Chief Minister rejected any such speculations after being sworn in yesterday. The Bihar CM, however, told reporters that "Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (on PM post)." Notably, Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister for the eighth time while RJD`s Tejashwi Yadav took oath as his Deputy. Assam Police access vital info about Al-Qaeda, Ansarullah Bangla plans The Assam Police have accessed vital information and decoded the activities and plans of Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT). A senior Assam Police personnel said that AQIS/ABT has planned a big for Assam and other parts of the North Eastern region and the Assam police have decoded their plans. He further told ANI that during the investigation and interrogation of the arrested members of AQIS/ABT, the police found that, the AQIS/ABT members were using special modern mobile apps for communication, adding "Each module of AQIS/ABT had used special end-to-end encrypted chat apps for communication." On August 7, the Assam police arrested a woman identified as Jahura Khatun in connection with Al-Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) from the Bilasipara area in Dhubri district and recovered two mobile phones in her possession. Recently in a press conference, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that six Bangladeshi nationals who are members of AQIS/ABT, entered Assam in 2016-17 and Assam police had arrested one among them and five are still absconding. Assam police have so far arrested at least 31 persons including a Bangladeshi national and busted five modules of AQIS/ABT in the state since March this year. (With ANI Inputs) PATNA: Newly-appointed Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday hit out at BJP leader Sushil Modi for claiming that the Janata Dal-United leader wanted to become the country's Vice-President, calling it a joke. You heard a man (Sushil Modi) say that I wanted to be Vice President. What a joke! It is bogus. I had no such desire. Did they forget how much did our party support them in Pres & VP polls?... Let them keep talking against me so that they get a position again, the Bihar CM said while talking to reporters. #WATCH | "You heard a man (Sushil Modi) say that I wanted to be Vice President. What a joke! It's bogus. I had no such desire. Did they forget how much did our party support in Pres-VP polls?..Let them talk against me so that they get a position again," says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pic.twitter.com/sj9Q7lqvbh ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 The remarks from Kumar came a day after Sushil Modi suggested that the fallout between his party and Nitish Kumar`s JD(U) could be linked to the Bihar chief minister`s desire to become the country`s vice president. "Nitish wanted to become Vice President of India. Many JDU senior leaders sounded BJP Ministers if it is possible," Sushil Kumar Modi said in a tweet. Nitish wanted to become Vice President of India .Many JDU senior leaders sounded BJP Ministers if it is possible.@ANI @ABPNews @ZeeBiharNews @News18India Sushil Kumar Modi (@SushilModi) August 10, 2022 It may be recalled that the BJP-led NDA had chosen former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar as its vice presidential candidate. Dhankhar defeated Margarat Alva of the opposition to ascend to the top post. On Wednesday, Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister again after parting ways with the BJP and joining the RJD-led Grand Alliance to form government in the state. Kumar parted ways with the BJP alleging that the party was trying to break the JD(U) and joined hands with the political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. Speculation was rife regarding his future with suggestions of his `national ambitions` doing rounds in the political sphere. The BJP has alleged that by breaking the alliance and joining hands with the RJD, Nitish Kumar had disrespected the mandate given by the people. Former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had questioned the change of stance by the JD(U) leader while also accusing him of siding with "corruption and Congressism". Prasad also asked if Kumar`s politics which was around "non-Congressism", had finished, adding that it was the BJP that made him a big leader. The remarks of the BJP leader came hours before the swearing-in ceremony of Nitish Kumar as the Bihar Chief Minister for the 8th time. However, RJD leader Manoj Jha called the move a "ghar wapasi of 2017-2020 mandate". Patna: The Nitish Kumar-led Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar will go for a floor test on August 24 to prove its majority in the state assembly. Nitish Kumar was sworn Chief Minister for a record eighth time on Wednesday after he resigned from the post a day earlier and quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took an oath as Deputy Chief Minister. The decision to hold the floor test on August 24 and make a suitable recommendation for convening the state assembly was taken at a cabinet meeting attended by Kumar and Yadav on Wednesday. Sources said that expansion of the cabinet is likely to take place on August 16 and RJD will have more ministers than the Janata Dal-United. Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance has the support of 164 members in the assembly. Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP for the second time in eight years on Tuesday before joining hands with RJD and other parties in the Mahagathbandhan including the Congress and Left parties. The Grand Alliance also has the support of HAM, which has four MLAs in the Assembly. BJP has accused Nitish Kumar of "disrespecting" the mandate given by the people of Bihar. BJP and JD-U had fought the assembly polls together in 2020. Nitish Kumar was made Chief Minister though the BJP won more seats. Sources said that Congress is likely to have 2-3 representatives in the cabinet and HAM may get one berth. After forming the government with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and ending the alliance with BJP in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has now denied all those claims of BJP. It was constantly being said that Nitish Kumar wanted to become the Vice President, as this did not happen, he has once again switched sides. Now CM Nitish Kumar, while reacting to such claims, has said that all this rhetoric is absolutely rubbish. Let us tell that after a new government formation in Bihar, Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi spoke to the media together. CM Nitish Kumar Statement On the question of becoming the Vice President, Nitish said, 'Is it a joke? It is all bogus, they are doing it. Let them speak. I didn't even want to become CM this time. But because of the way the work continued, the political scene continued, we had to come together. We will all work together and united now. To be honest, we were waiting for the election of the President and the Vice President to be over." Nitish further said, "Now we will move forward with full strength. They speaks whatever comes to their mind. They have the right to speak and do whatever they want to say. I had no such desire. Did they forget how much did our party support in Pres-VP polls?." #WATCH | "You heard a man (Sushil Modi) say that I wanted to be Vice President. What a joke! It's bogus. I had no such desire. Did they forget how much did our party support in Pres-VP polls?..Let them talk against me so that they get a position again," says Bihar CM Nitish Kumar pic.twitter.com/sj9Q7lqvbh ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 Attacking the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, 'Whatever was in the gestures of Amit Shah or whatever was said, I do not care. Apart from these things, let me tell you that the expansion of the cabinet of the new government in Bihar will happen as soon as possible. There was a big revolution in Bihar on 11th August. Everyone knows how the country became independent. In BJP, whoever comes keeps on speaking. Now work will be done properly in Bihar." There was a time when U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia assumed that his adoptive state was destined to make slow, but steady, progress in becoming a better place. It had been that way since Kaine arrived in 1984 to marry Anne Holton, the daughter of former Republican Gov. Linwood Holton. The myth exploded on Aug. 11 and 12, 2017. A neo-Nazi torch march through the University of Virginia campus on the 11th and the racist, anti-Semitic vitriol that continued to spew at a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on the 12th revealed a brazen American underbelly of hatred. Combined with the violence that accompanied the demonstrations, Kaine, like others, experienced a rude reality check. Extremist violence seemed to come with the 2016 election of Donald Trump to the presidency. Since then, it has just kept getting worse. I dont know that we have normalized extremist violence, Kaine said in answer to a question posed by The Daily Progress at a news conference Wednesday. But it has become an everyday reality in American life. Im 64 years old. The last few years Ive had to question a lot of assumptions that I had about our country. Ive had to acknowledge that even for someone whos been around the block a lot, Ive been naive about the degree of anger, violence, hatred and bigotry that is out there. Today marks the fifth anniversary of the torch march of more than 100 neo-Nazis across the UVa Grounds chanting Jews will not replace us. The spectacle became international news and signaled something vile and repulsive about this country that few of us wanted to believe. The problem is that the proof keeps coming. After Charlottesville, the Confederate battle flags and Nazi swastikas that soiled the city showed up in a lot of places, most recently outside a Republican youth rally in Tampa. Rally organizers tried to distance themselves, but the neo-Nazis and white supremacists clearly felt comfortable being there. Worse, kindred spirits of the philosophy on display in Charlottesville in 2017 festered. On Oct. 27, 2018, a man armed with a military style assault rifle and several handguns killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue. He shouted anti-Semitic slurs during the slaughter. On Aug. 2, 2019, a right wing zealot killed 22 in an attack that targeted Latinos in an El Paso Walmart. On Feb. 23, 2020, three white men chased a 25-year-old Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, through a white neighborhood near Brunswick, Georgia and shot him to death for no reason other than that he went out for a walk. On May 14, 2022, a white teenager who studied the writings of white supremacists, including one of the Charlottesville rally organizers, went on a killing spree of Black people in a Buffalo grocery store that took 10 lives. And, according to the House Select Committee, white supremacists in the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers led the way into the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 hoping to overturn results of the 2020 presidential election and return Trump to the White House. The U.S. has suffered a five-year binge of extremist violence that ties back to Charlottesville. Some of the symbols on display in the city in 2017 notably Confederate battle flags and body armorplayed prominently in the attempted coup at the Capitol. The attack in Charlottesville which I agree with you, is connected to the same motivations [as] in the Jan. 6 attack has to make us question our assumptions, Kaine said. We will have to be more and more vigilant about speaking out against hate. On the fifth anniversary of what neo-Nazis and white supremacists hoped would be the first battle in a national race war, our community must answer Kaines call. We need to recognize and confront the epidemic of extremism and violence which infects the nation. At the same time, we must also heed the senators warning not to paint the enemy with too broad a brush. We have to separate out people who are really driven by hate or ideology and call them out, Kaine said. They differ, he added, from people who are living in an anxious and confused time and dont think anyone is listening to them. Patna: The new Bihar cabinet expansion of the Nitish Kumar-Tejashwi Yadav government is likely to take place on August 16, ANI reported quoting sources. This comes after Bihar witnessed one of the most turbulent power play between the BJP and JD(U) alliance government. Nitish Kumar, the RJD chief and Bihars Chief Minister broke off the ties with long-time ally BJP after the lingering stiff between them came to a head. Kumar on Friday took oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the 8th time with RJDs Tejashwi Yadav as his deputy, a day after he resigned from the post leading to a dissolution of the cabinet with BJP leaders. Meanwhile, the blame game between JDU and BJP is on with either side accusing the other of foul play. The BJPs stance is that Nitish Kumar is eyeing the Prime Ministers post ahead of the 2024 General Elections and that the hunger for power made him walk away from the alliance with their party. On the other hand, the JDU has accused BJP of the foul play and trying to manufacture an Eknath Shinde kind of situation in Bihar by turning their backs on the party and planning a government change. Bihars new cabinet While there is still no official word on the new JDU-RJD cabinet according to media reports, both Kumar and Yadav have worked on the outlines of their new arrangement. As per the reports, there will be 18 ministers in the cabinet with 9 from JDU and 9 from RJD. Tejashwi Yadav has demanded the Home Ministry and elucidated that the Assembly speaker is elected from his party. JD(U) and RJD alliance break up In 2017, the grand alliance of RJD, JDU and Congress won the mandate and formed an elected government with Tejashwi Yadav and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav as ministers but the partnership didnt go very well. Two years later, Nitish Kumar switched sides and joined hands with BJP again after accusing the Yadav brothers of corruption. Now, in 2022, the RJD and JDU alliance comes back together. Ahmedabad: Gujarat minister Harsh Sanghavi on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its chief Arvind Kejriwal of trying to scuttle the BJP government's efforts to give a pay hike to state police personnel, who have been demanding for a long time. Sanghavi's statement came a day after Kejriwal, during his Gujarat visit, promised to resolve this issue by implementing the "best pay scale" for Gujarat policemen if AAP is voted to power after the next Assembly polls due by the end of this year. Talking to reporters in Surat on this issue, Sanghavi gave an indication that the state government led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel would announce the grade pay or salary hike for police personnel in the next couple of days. Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal is on mission Gujarat Without naming AAP or Kejriwal, he said, "I condemn this act of misleading policemen and their families, especially when the chief minister has already chaired several meetings with various departments over this issue. And when the entire issue is going towards a pleasant end, efforts are being made (by AAP) to derail that process and stall the announcement of a pay hike which would benefit thousands of families." "Everyone knows that the issue will be resolved in the coming days. So why are some people trying to stall that announcement for their political motives? We do not want to do any politics over this issue. But some people are trying to stop us from making an important decision because of their dirty politics," he alleged. Claiming that the Rs 20,000 entry-level salary of police personnel in Gujarat was the lowest in the country, Kejriwal had on Wednesday promised to resolve the grade pay issue and implement "the best pay scale" for them if AAP comes to power after the polls. Also Read: Gujarat hooch tragedy claims 28 lives in Botad district, police register offences against 14 people AAP leader Isudan Gadhvi thanked Kejriwal for raising the issue and "forcing" the BJP government to announce despite Thursday being a public holiday (on account of Raksha Bandhan). "I am happy to know that the Gujarat government has agreed to increase the grade pay and salaries of policemen, who have been agitating for it for some time. I am thankful for Kejriwal for making a statement on this issue, which forced Sanghavi to make this announcement on a holiday," he said. The AAP believes in giving justice to those who were deprived of their rights, Gadhvi added in his statement. New Delhi: The Centre has written to the Chhattisgarh government over the "poor" implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Urban as well as Gramin, and flagged a host of issues, including pendency in the release of its share of funds by the state. Government sources said Chhattisgarh is the only state where the PMAY-Gramin scheme has been facing "persistent difficulties" over the last three to four years. As it is a time-bound scheme and part of the national campaign to eradicate poverty, this goal can't be achieved if all states don't implement such programmes together, they noted. "The letter mentions that the Chhattisgarh government cannot decide on its whim that it will not implement certain rural development schemes meant for the welfare of the people living in rural areas," an official said. Also Read: Bhupesh Baghel pays tribute to Minimata, the first woman MP of Chhattisgarh The Rural Development Ministry, the nodal agency for the PMAY-G, had written to the state government in June, September and November last year regarding the pendency in the release of its share by the state. The ministry had set the target of building 7,81,999 houses for the financial year 2021-22. However, it was compelled to withdraw the target as the state had not released its share amounting to Rs 562 core, they said. Also Read: Earthquake of magnitude 3.0 jolts Chhattisgarh, no casualty reported The PMAY-G work has come to a standstill in the state due to this, it added. The Urban Development Ministry, the nodal agency for the PMAY-Urban, has also written to the state government, urging it to immediately release its share to the single nodal account of the scheme as the Centre can deposit its share only after this. The state has released Rs 1,309.22 crore out of its share of Rs 1,509.61 crore and Rs 199.39 crore is yet to be released. The non-availability of funds from the state will halt the release of further instalments to beneficiaries from the economically weaker sections and construction of such houses would stop, officials said. The Centre has also noted that under the Affordable Housing in Partnership vertical of the PMAY-U, 59,556 houses have been sanctioned in the state and 20,379 of them completed. However, only 2,781 houses have been occupied and the unoccupied houses may become inhabitable if not allotted soon. It has urged the state to ensure allotment of all completed houses immediately so that EWS beneficiaries can enjoy the benefits of this scheme. New Delhi: China on Wednesday put a hold on the listing of Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Abdul Rauf Azhar as a United Nations designated international terrorist. India and United States had proposed the listing of Azhar, who has been involved in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999. Both the countries proposed the listing two weeks ago. Abdul Rauf Azhar is the younger brother of Masood Azhar and is one of the most wanted persons in India. It may be noted that all 14 other members agreed, while only one country, that is China stood out in placing the hold. The development comes just a day after India slammed China at the United Nations Security Council on the "practice of placing holds and blocks on listing requests without giving any justification" which the Indian Ambassador to UN Ruchira Kamboj said, "must end". Also read: India slams China, Pakistan for double standards on terrorism at UNSC meet Ruchira Kamboj pointed ,"It is most regrettable that genuine and evidence-based listing proposals pertaining to some of the most notorious terrorists in the world are being placed on hold", explaining that "double standards and continuing politicization have rendered the credibility of the Sanctions Regime at an all-time low." This is the 2nd time in this year that China has put a hold on listing of Pakistan based terrorist as an international terrorist. Also read: India's envoy calls Israel-Gaza conflict Matter of Grave concern at UNSC Earlier this year, China had put, UN listing of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba's second command Abdul Rehman Makki on hold. Makki is 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law and has been involved in raising funds, recruiting, and radicalizing youth to violence and planning attacks in India, particularly in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. After the arrest of Anubrata Mandal in the case of cow smuggling, the political circles of the Bengal state are in turmoil. Violent protests against Birbhum's Trinamool (TMC) president continued on Thursday. Protesters raised slogans of 'thief', 'cow thief' while taking him out of Bolpur and passing through Durgapur to Asansol court. However, the biggest protest was seen in Asansol court premises. With shoes in hand, the protestors rushed towards Anubrata's car, chanting 'Chor Chor'. However, the police controlled the situation with a strict hand. Anubrata Mondal was arrested from Bolpur's Nichupatti house at noon. It was initially reported that Anubrata would be taken to the CBI camp office in Durgapur for questioning. CBI officials were later seen taking Anubrata to ESI Hospital in Asansol to get his health checked there. It was then decided to produce the Trinamool leader before a special CBI court in Asansol. During this journey, Anubrata faced protests at least 2 times. Anubrata's relatives claim that the opposition political parties are behind it. Although the investigators claim, it is actually public anger. The chaos came to a peak when Anubrata was produced in the Asansol court in the afternoon. Women with shoes also came forward to see his car. An attempt was made to stop his car by raising slogans of 'thief thief'. Realizing the danger, the police removed the protesters from the court premises. Earlier, a woman was seen throwing a shoe at Partha Chatterjee, who was similarly arrested in the SSC corruption case. A week ago, he was harassed while undergoing a health check-up at ESI Hospital, Joka. The woman, identified as Shubhra Ghorui, took off her shoe and threw it at Partha Chatterjee. Although it did not affect him. But Shubra practically became a hero by making such an expression of protest. Walking on that path of protest, it is believed that everyone marched against Anubrata with shoes in hand. According to sources, after being presented to the court, the hearing ended at 6 pm. The judge has not given any order yet. CBI produced Anubrata in Asansol court and sought 14 days custody. Party supporters of CPM and BJP protested with party flags while Anubrata was produced in the Asansol court. New Delhi: More than 19,760 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Delhi from August 1-10, as per official data shared by the city health department. Besides, there has been a nearly 50 per cent rise in the number of containment zones in the city during this period. On August 1, the national capital had logged 822 cases with a positivity rate of 11.41 per cent and two deaths. The figures increased significantly in the next few days amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the city in the last several weeks. On August 2, the daily cases count breached the 1,000-mark as the city reported 1,506 cases and three deaths. The positivity rate was recorded at 10.63 per cent, as per the data. The very next day, on August 3, the count crossed the 2,000-mark and to date, barring August 8, the daily cases have been logged at over 2,000 with an escalating positivity rate that is inching closer to 20 per cent. Also Read: Wearing of masks has once again been made mandatory in the country's capital Delhi The number of fatalities in the last three days also mounted significantly compared to the figures earlier. Delhi on Wednesday reported eight fatalities due to coronavirus, the highest in nearly 180 days, and 2,146 new cases with a positivity rate of 17.83 per cent. The active cases stood at 8,205, according to data shared by the health department. The national capital on February 13 reported 12 deaths due to the viral disease. On August 9, Delhi reported 2,495 coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 15.41 per cent and seven fatalities, while the number of active cases stood at 8,506. The national capital saw 1,372 infections and six deaths on August 8 with a positivity rate of 17.85 per cent, the highest since January 21, as per the data. On January 21, the positivity rate had stood at 18.04 per cent. The number of active cases on Monday stood at 7,484 while the count was 4, 274 on August 1. Also Read: Covid-19 spike: Delhi logs 2,423 new cases, positivity rate at 14.97% The total number of cases recorded during the August 1-10 period stands at 19,769. Delhi has recorded 40 deaths due to COVID-19 in these 10 days, nearly thrice the cumulative figures registered in the last 10 days of July when 14 people had succumbed to the viral disease, according to official data. In Delhi, nearly all metrics such as home isolation cases, containment zones, positivity rate and active cases, used in monitoring the coronavirus's spread have shown a rising trend in the first 10 days of August. The number of containment zones on August 1 stood at 173, gradually increasing to 259 on August 10. As many as 5,549 patients are in home isolation as of August 10. The corresponding figure on August 1 was 3,161. Delhi's tally of COVID-19 cases on Wednesday had increased to 19,75,540, while the death toll rose to 26,351, as per the health bulletin issued on August 10. The number of daily COVID-19 cases in the city had touched the record high of 28,867 on January 13 this year during the third wave of the pandemic. It had recorded a positivity rate of 30.6 per cent on January 14, the highest during the third wave of the pandemic. Thiruvananthapuram: Two-time former Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Thursday refused to appear before the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) scam at their office in Kochi, saying that ED was a political tool to target political rivals. I am not going to comply... I have also moved the Kerala High Court to protect my rights. I have requested the HC to restrain the ED from (engaging in) arbitrary actions: Thomas Isaac, former Finance Minister, Kerala, in Thiruvananthapuram pic.twitter.com/fZU6fGg96G ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 Isaac said since he has not been told what wrong he had done, he will not appear before the ED in the case, and instead has sought legal recourse. This was the second notice from the ED to Isaac. Speaking to the media here, Isaac said he has filed a petition before the Kerala High Court and hence won`t appear. "ED has now become a tool for the BJP to target political rivals. The apex court has clearly said ED is to tackle cases under Public Money Laundering Act and not under FEMA. It is the RBI which deals with FEMA and the affairs of the KIIFB and all mandatory filings have been made to the RBI," said Isaac. "My offence has not been told to me by the ED. And if they are not informing me of that, then they should recall their notice to me. Hence I have approached the court. ED appears to have more rights than the CBI. They are using this to usurp the powers of the state governments and are trying to create a smokescreen to confuse people here that something very big has happened in KIIFB," added Isaac. I have requested the ED to apprise me of the offence that I have committed. They have been inquiring about KIIFB for the last two years. And yet, they have not been able to determine the offence committed by the KIIFB: Thomas Isaac, former Finance Minister, Kerala pic.twitter.com/8eQ7PpZIII ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 Then turning his ire at the Congress here, Isaac said KIIFB was inactive during the period of the Oommen Chandy government ( 2011-16). "Five years were lost and that has caused a serious dent in the development of Kerala, as they did nothing and now they have joined hands with the ED. The CPI-M has now decided to deal with ED legally and politically. We will get support from the people here in our fight against the ED and when that happens, nothing can be done," said Isaac. In a related development, five ruling legislators have also approached the High court against the ED stating that "they are out to ruin the KIIFB and the court should intervene". ICAI CA Inter Exam 2022: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, ICAI has started accepting applications for the November 2022 CA exam. On the official website, icaiexam.icai.org, candidates can submit applications for the CA Final November examination. The deadline to apply for the CA November exam is August 31. A late fee extension is available until September 7. Candidates can register themselves at icai.org by entering their details as their name, phone number, birthdate, and other details. Candidates have the option to change the exam's city and medium through ICAI. ALSO READ: SAMS Odisha 2022 Plus 3 forms releasing TODAY ICAI CA Exam 2022: Important Dates Commencement of application process: August 10, 2022 Conclusion of the application process: August 31, 2022 Last date to apply with application fee: September 7, 2022 ICAI CA Inter, Final November 2022 Exam: Heres how to apply Go to the ICAI official website -- icaiexam.icai.org On the homepage, click on the login button, enter details and log in Enter the required data to register, and authenticate your e-mail id and phone number Fill the online application form Upload the required documents in scanned format Pay the application fee Download the application or take printouts for future references. Group One CA Inter examinations will take place on November 2, 4, 6, and 9, and Group One final exam will take place on November 1, 3, and 5. The final exams are set for November 10, 12, 14, and 16, and the intermediate tests for group 2 are scheduled for November 11, 13, and 15. ALSO READ: Delhi University Plans THESE Unusual Courses from this academic year The International Taxation- Assessment Test and the Insurance and Risk Management Technical Examination for Modules 1 to 5 will both be administered by the ICAI on November 1 and 3, 2022, respectively. Due to Guru Nanak's Birthday, which is a required (gazetted) central government holiday, no examinations are scheduled for November 8, 2022 (Tuesday). Hyderabad: A day after the government approved Biological E's Corbevax, the only heterologous Covid-19 vaccine is likely to be available as a booster shot for adults from Friday (August 12). Corbevax will be available through the COWIN App in both public and private vaccination centres from Friday. Those adults who got vaccinated with either Covaxin or Covishield will now be allowed to take the Corbevax dose, six months or 26 weeks after administration of the second dose. The Union Health Ministry approved Corbevax for emergency use based on a recently made recommendation by the COVID-19 Working Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI). The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company (BE) has, so far, delivered 10 crore doses of Corbevax to the Centre. Pan-India roll-out of the booster shot vaccine in children aged between 12 to 14 years was initiated on March 16, 2022. Almost 7 crore doses have been administered and 2.9 crore children completed their two-dose vaccination regimen. BE`s Corbevax is the first Indian vaccine to be approved as a heterologous COVID-19 booster dose. The price of the vaccine is Rs 400, including taxes and administrative charges for the end-user, New Delhi: Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the eighth time after forming a new "Grand Alliance" which includes Tejashwi Yadav`s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other Opposition parties.Kumar ended his alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance and rejoined hands with RJD. According to the top source of the Congress from Bihar, the screenplay for the political change in the state was written by a courtesy call. This call was made from Nitish Kumar to Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi when she was battling COVID-19. During this call of Nitish Kumar to Sonia Gandhi to inquire about her health, the Bihar Chief Minister referred to the pressure being put on him by the BJP, during his political conversation with Sonia Gandhi and he said that the BJP is trying to break his party. He sought cooperation from Sonia Gandhi for change in Bihar. Sonia Gandhi asked him to contact Rahul Gandhi as well. However, Kumar gave the responsibility to contact Congress leader Rahul Congress to Tejashwi Yadav. Tejashwi immediately contacted Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Rahul Gandhi agreed to be in touch with the party in-charge of the state Bhakta Charan Das. Also read: 'Why was Sushil Kumar Modi not made the CM in 2020,' asks Nitish Kumar After this talk the script for the change was ready. Nitish wanted such a majority so that the BJP could not topple the government by making a dent in it, so remained silent till the figure reached 164 through the Left and Congress and the bet was played as soon as he got the chance. Also read: 'Nothing to worry about!' Nitish ASSURED Amit Shah two days ago, claims BJP Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi suggested that the fallout between his party and Nitish Kumar could be linked to the Bihar chief minister`s desire to become the country`s vice president. Kumar parted ways with the BJP alleging that the party was trying to break the JD(U), and joined hands with the political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. Speculation was rife regarding his future with suggestions of his `national ambitions` doing rounds in the political sphere. Kumar was a long-time BJP ally before snapping ties in 2013. He later joined hands in 2017. Kumar said that there was a unanimous decision in the party meeting in the morning "to break off ties". JD-U and BJP had fought the 2020 assembly polls together and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of the alliance though the BJP had won more seats. Nitish Kumar`s ties with BJP stretched to over two decades and he was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996. JD-U leaders indicated that factors including the developments related to the exit of RCP Singh from the party had soured the ties with BJP. JD-U leaders have also been chaffing at the role of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan during the 2020 assembly polls and have indicated that his putting up candidates from seats contested by the party had damaged it. JD-U and RJD had fought the 2015 Bihar polls together. JD-U has 45 and the RJD has 79 MLAs in the 243-member Bihar assembly.JD-U is the third major ally to leave the BJP in the past over three years after Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. In a dramatic turn of events, Albany leaders have decided to welcome psilocybin therapy within city limits next year after hearing personal stories of local residents who use the psychedelic mushrooms. Psilocybin has been a hot topic at City Council the past month or so, as members debated whether to embrace Ballot Measure 109, the 2020 statewide proposal to legalize mushrooms in therapeutic settings, or ask Albany voters to approve either a total ban or two-year moratorium the latter seen as a compromise stance. Measure 109 passed with 56% voter approval, making Oregon the first state in the nation to legalize psilocybin for supervised therapeutic use. It is set to take effect Jan. 2. In Albany, 52% of the electorate said yes: Wards 1 and 2 voted in favor while Ward 3 did not, according to Deputy City Clerk Gabe Shepard. The law allows cities to affirmatively opt out if they place either a two-year moratorium or a permanent ban on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot. Elected officials have until Aug. 19 to decide whether to go that route. Doing nothing means licensed centers can offer the treatment, which is said to address some mental health concerns, including post-traumatic stress disorder, although jurisdictions can enact time, place and manner restrictions on the use. Earlier this week, Albany councilors seemed poised to put a two-year moratorium on the ballot. After the two years, the leaders could then either allow the therapy or propose a permanent ban for the 2024 ballot. When it came time for the City Council make the call at its Wednesday, Aug. 10 meeting, members of the public came forward to say they're against a moratorium. Mushroom users come forward Patrick Winczewski, an Albany native, shared findings that show psilocybin to be an effective addiction treatment. He cited Oregon as among the worst states for addressing substance abuse and pointed to seven research articles about psilocybin. Psilocybin can mitigate addiction. Its time for Oregon to get out of last place, he said. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Corvallis Gazette-Times. Resident Janice Brown came forward with her own personal experience with the psychedelic. With a preamble that noted she paid taxes, volunteered and was an upstanding citizen, she said psilocybin was safe, effective and different from recreational drug use. Brown described her experience as blissful and introspective. She had taken the psychedelic in a therapeutic setting and was lying on the ground where she internally worked through issues for seven hours. Its the polar opposite of being dangerous or offensive, she said. After the experience she noted positive life changes, and a change in her mindset: She stopped having to take antidepressants, and she felt more forgiving and less judgmental to people, Brown said. North Albany resident Peggy Joyce also has personal experience using the psychedelic. We are wasting a precious opportunity to help people who have already tried everything else, Joyce said. Psilocybin is not a drug you could buy off the street, she said. Per the ballot measure, it will be used only under supervised conditions, and that person has to be present the entire time the drug is in the users system. The experience was a positive one for Joyce, she said, adding the person undergoing treatment has to be aware of the issues they want to work through. It's a very active process. Voters said what they want, and for the local government to second-guess the decision of voters is disrespectful, she said. How the decision was made After the public hearing, councilors had a lot to consider. Councilor Bessie Johnson was still in favor of placing a moratorium on the ballot because she believes the Oregon Health Authority hadnt decided how to regulate psilocybin. Councilor Marilyn Smith countered OHA does have rules in place and available materials detail the regulations. People seeking therapy could go to Corvallis, a city that is not putting a local ballot measure on the November ballot, Council Member Matilda Novak said. Monitoring the rollout there could inform Albany leaders if they wanted to take up the therapy in Albany after the moratorium. Novak also worried that the OHA rule requiring 160 hours of training for psilocybin supervisors was not enough. Saying he was also concerned about supervisor training, Mayor Alex Johnson II wants to ensure training includes CPR and first aid. He said the decision feels rushed. The public didnt have enough information to make an informed decision, he said about 2020's Measure 109. But Councilor Ray Kopczynski said similar comments were made when marijuana was legalized, discrediting the decisions of voters. In the end, the ordinance to adopt the moratorium was read, and no council member voted to approve it. The lack of action means that there will be no moratorium and no ban on the ballot, and therapeutic psilocybin facilities will be able to set up shop starting in 2023. The decision sparked some excitement in chambers as some of the public quietly cheered and took photos. The outcome surprised Winczewski, who attended a previous city council meeting. I knew what I was saying was going to resonate, he said in a later interview. Hearing the testimonies of the other two members of the public rounded out his research and won them over, he believes. Winczewski knows he cant undo hundreds of years of mushroom stigma but feels that the decision is a step in the right direction to getting people help. Related articles: New Delhi: Former West Bengal Governor and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar will take oath as the next Vice President of India` on Thursday. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the Oath of Office to the elected Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 11:45 am today. Dhankhar was elected as the Vice President on August 6. He defeated the Opposition`s Margaret Alva to emerge as a winner. On August 7, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey jointly signed the `Certification of the Election of Jagdeep Dhankar as the next Vice President of India`. The BJP-led NDA candidate won the election comfortably with 528 votes against Alva`s 182. The Vice President is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Dhankhar secured 74.36 per cent. He has the highest winning margin in the last six vice presidential elections held since 1997. The returning officer of the vice-presidential election said of the total 780 electors, 725 cast their ballots but 15 votes were found to be invalid. The turnout was 92.94 per cent, he said, adding that a candidate needed 356 votes to get elected. The Trinamool Congress, which has a total of 36 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, had abstained from the election. However, two of its MPs had cast their ballots. As many as 55 MPs did not vote in the vice presidential election. Born on May 18, 1951, in an agrarian household in a village in Rajasthan`s Jhunjhunu district, Dhankhar completed his school education from Sainik School, Chittorgarh. After finishing his graduation in physics, he pursued LLB from the University of Rajasthan. Despite being a first-generation professional, he became one of the leading lawyers in the state. Dhankhar, 71, has practised in both the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court of India. He 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. Dhankhar was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019. He resigned from the post of West Bengal Governor on July 17 after his name was announced as the vice Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Vice President of India, which is the second-highest constitutional post in the country, is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. The Vice President is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Dhankar will preside over the proceedings of the Upper House of Parliament at a time when there are apparent divisions between the treasury benches and the opposition. With Dhankhar`s election as Vice-President, the presiding officers of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be from Rajasthan. Jammu Kashmir: A large number of students took part in a painting competition held under the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign organized by Hamdaniya Mission High School Pampore in South Kashmir's Pulwama district. The competition was held on Tuesday by the Zonal physical education office Pulwama in collaboration with the school. '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 its people, culture and achievements. Various activities are being conducted by different departments and schools across Kashmir Valley and the painting competition was part of this initiative. While speaking to ANI, Physical education Officer Pampore, Mehraj Andrabi Zonal said, "Under the directions of district administration Pulwama, we have organized painting competition at Hamdaniya Mission High School Pampore and we are happy that students were thrilled about this event and the theme of this painting competition was Dandi March and Jallianwala Bagh." The students lauded this initiative by the school and other departments. They made sketches of the National Flag, Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters. "This is the first event after COVID in which we are participating. I hope this type of programme will be held every year because we learn a lot through these activities," said a student, Syed Imran. The Principal of the school, Nisar Ahmad said, "This completion aims to tell the students the importance of the National Flag and these types of activities are then chain through which the students connect with their nation. This will surely motivate them." The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mohatsav is a big hit in Jammu and Kashmir with a large number of people joining the celebrations to mark the 75 years of India's Independence. In Pulwama, the campaign has gained momentum as students, besides taking active part in essay, painting and singing competitions, are also participating in Tiranga rallies in all educational institutions in the district. PM Modi had earlier called upon all citizens to turn the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign into a mass movement by hoisting or displaying the national flag at their homes and using the 'Tiranga' as a display picture on their social media accounts between August 2 and August 15 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India's Independence." "Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, from the 13th to the 15th of August, a special movement - 'Har Ghar Tiranga' is being organized. Let us further this movement by hoisting the National Flag at our homes," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday while addressing the monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat'. The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' 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. Maharashtra FJYC: Maharashtra First Year Junior College Admission Result will be released on the official site, 11thadmission.org. Candidates note once the second merit list is released, you have to proceed to the next procedure that is filling out the forms. The FYJC or the Class 11 admissions will be released and candidates who want to take up the admission will have to confirm the admission by filling out the forms and uploading the documents required to. Students will have to visit the college to confirm their admission as per the schedule given if they wish to take admission in the allotted junior college. Maharashtra FYJC 2nd Merit List 2022: Here's how to download Step 1: Candidates first need to visit the official website, 11thadmission.org.in. Step 2: Then, select the regionMumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, or Amravati. Step 3: Candidates then need to log in using the ID and password Step 4: Submit and view the allotted result. Step 5: Save and take a printout of the document for future use. Students note that to check the allotted college, candidates will have to login to their respective accounts and only then will the list appear. Students who have already applied online can access the FYJC second merit list and those who haven't applied online can apply till August 17, 2022 up till 6 pm. Bengaluru: Amid the rising risk of Monkeypox infection in India, predominantly south Indian states, Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar on Thursday said that the state is being vigilant amid the growing threat and monitoring airport spaces to curb any further spread. Karnataka is catalysing security checks as 5 cases of Monkeypox infections have been found in its neighbouring state Kerala. Neighbouring state Kerala has about 5 cases and Delhi has 4. Since we share borders with Kerala we need to be vigilant. We're keeping an eye on ports and airports, we're continuously monitoring, State Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar told ANI. Talking about the safety precautions being taken by the state government to control Monkeypox and Covid-19, Sudhakar said, We're trying to ensure all infections including covid, vector-borne diseases, dengue, malaria, chikungunya, keep at a minimum. We're taking necessary measures in regional areas to prevent their spread. Karnataka | Neighbouring state Kerala has about 5 cases & Delhi has 4. Since we share borders with Kerala we need to be vigilant. We're keeping an eye on ports & airports, we're continuously monitoring: State Health Min Dr K Sudhakar on monkeypox pic.twitter.com/VGlkwgRCb9 ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 The minister made the statements after meeting with the health officials on Thursday. Karnataka Covid cases According to officials, Karnataka has recorded five deaths due to Covid-19 after 145 days in the last 24 hours. Among the deceased, the death of a 20-year-old woman without any comorbidities and the rise of the BA 5 variant have become the reason for concern. The woman was suffering from typhoid and was admitted to hospital on August 3 in Dakshina Kannada district. She contracted Covid and died. According to statistics from the health department the state recorded 1,680 Covid cases in the last 24 hours. The positivity rate has increased to 6.80 per cent and the number of active cases has risen to 10,351 in Karnataka. Health department sources explained that the cases have reached the 2,500-mark in the recent past in Karnataka. Hospitalisation is also steadily increasing. The BA 5 variant, which could affect people in spite of vaccination, is fast spreading in the state. OJEE 2022: The registration process for the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) 2022 round two or special round is underway until August 14. The Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Committee (OJEEC) is holding the Special OJEE 2022 for admissions into a variety of programs offered by private and public medical, engineering, and management schools in Odisha, including BTech, LE-Tech (Diploma), LE-Tech (BSc), MBA, MCA, B Pharm, and M Pharm. On the official website, ojee.nic.in, eligible candidates can register for OJEE round 2. "In view of requests received from various quarters, the last date for submission of online application forms for all the courses under OJEE, 2022, round two or special round which was originally notified as August 7, 2022, is hereby extended up to August 14, 2022, and the last date for fee payment upto August 16, 2022 (by 10 pm)," OJEEC said in a statement. ALSO READ: JEE Advanced 2022: Registration ends TODAY; students to stage protest, demand third attempt for all Special OJEE 2022 Application Form: Important Dates Start date to fill online application: August 1, 2022 Last date to submit the application form: August 14, 2022 Last date to make fee payment: August 16, 2022 OJEE 2022 round 2, special exam date: Last week of August or first week of September 2022 Odisha OJEE 2022 Round 2: Heres how To apply Visit the official website - ojee.nic.in On the Homepage, click on the "Registration for 2nd/ Special OJEE 2022" link Enter your login credentials Fill in the application form and cross check details Upload all the required documents The OJEE round 2 special test is expected to take place in the final or first week of August 2022. The remaining seats from the OJEE 2022 first phase counselling will be distributed based on the results of the second round of the exam. New Delhi: As India continues to celebrate the 75 glorious years of Independence from the tyrant British rule under the Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to deliver another Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of the magnificent Red Fort in New Delhi. Just like every year, the prime minister will cover topics ranging from Indias industrial development to self-reliance projects. However, as per media reports, this Independence Day, the prime focus of PM Modis speech would be on the health and pharma sector growth in India. This comes in view of the emerging global health crisis like Covid-19 and the newly reported Monkeypox infection. It has also been reported that the prime minister is likely to make some big announcements regarding the prices of medicines used in the long-ailments. Medicine costs to be reduced by 70%: Report As per reports, changes in the National List of Essential Medicines (NELM) are expected and PM Modi in his address might announce these changes. Additionally, there can also be a government-imposed CAP on the upper cost of such medicines as well as up to 70% price cuts are expected. Boost to Medical Tourism This apart, Prime Minister Modi might also make significant avowals to boost medical tourism in India. For this purpose, the Centre is likely to come up with new and attarctive schemes that the prime minister might discuss in his Independence Day address. India is one of the most popular and efficient medical tourist destinations. Prime Minister Modi, who is a vehement preacher of Ayurveda, is also expected to make some big announcements regarding dispensing Ayurveda to boost Indias economy and create policies to make the Health Sector one of the biggest contributors to Indias economy. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, east Rajasthan, Nagaland, Odisha, coastal Karnataka and ghats areas of Tamil Nadu. On August 10, Wednesday, a depression, which lay above Odisha a day ago, weakened into a well-marked low-pressure area (Lopar) over Chhattisgarh and east Madhya Pradesh at 5.30 am, the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre said. On Wednesday, heavy rains in Indore inundated low-lying areas of the Madhya Pradesh city where some cars were swept away due to the strong water current on roads, officials said. Alarmed by the situation arising due to heavy downpour since Tuesday evening, the district administration had declared a holiday for schools on Wednesday. Rains are likely to continue in the city today (August 11) and tomorrow, the official said. "We have sent civic teams to low-lying areas of the city to help the affected people. They have been directed to shift children, women and aged people to safer places first if the need arises," Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava told PTI. In western parts of the city, some cars were swept away on a flooded road leading to the Sirpur lake due to the strong water current, but there was so far no report of any casualty, he said. The rain waters inundated the main roads of the city because of which motorists faced a lot of difficulties, as per eyewitnesses. Indore Collector Manish Shingh said a pond in Nihalpur Mandi area started overflowing after heavy showers and efforts were made to drain out the water from residential areas nearby. "After heavy rains, the situation in the city is under control as of now. We are keeping a watch on the rising water level of rivers and lakes in rural parts of the district and residential colonies located nearby," he said. #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: After heavy rainfall in Indore, many areas of the city were waterlogged. (10.08) pic.twitter.com/jaGjiHW8Kl August 11, 2022 In Odisha, torrential rain battered several districts of the state, leading to the collapse of some bridges over swollen rivers and disrupting road connectivity. The Met department has warned of heavy rain in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Balasore on Thursday. Heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in many districts for the subsequent three days. Meanwhile, heavy rain seems like a distant possibility in the capital, Delhi. The weather office said the chances of good rain are bleak for the next few days which can get warmer. "There will be generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle on Thursday. The maximum and minimum temperature on Thursday is likely to hover around 35 and 28 degrees Celsius respectively," an IMD official said. For Rajasthan, the IMD said the monsoon activity in the state will continue next week with the intensity of rainfall increasing from August 12 onwards. New Delhi: Nalini Sriharan, one of the convicts who was serving life imprisonment in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Thursday, approached the Supreme Court, seeking release from the prison-like fellow convict AG Perarivalan. Nalini has cited the judgment of the top court in the case of co-convict AG Perarivalan where he was released. Earlier, Nalini had knocked the Madras High Court seeking the same relief, however, the High Court had refused to entertain the petition. The Madras High Court, while turning down the petition, had stated that it did not have special powers that the Supreme Court has under Article 142 of the Constitution and hence, it cannot order their release, as the Supreme Court did for Perarivalan in May 2022. Earlier, P Ravichandran, another co-convict also approached the top court seeking relief. Ravichandran, who has been in jail for 30 years now, sought interim bail until his case for formal release reaches a conclusion. The High Court had said they could approach the Supreme Court if their plea was based on Perarivalan`s release. On May 18, the Supreme Court evoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to release AG Perarivalan, who was one of the seven convicts in the assassination case. Following Perarivalan`s release, Ravichandran had sent a letter to Chief Minister MK Stalin seeking the release of the remaining six convicts, including him and mentioned that the Governor has kept the files of release without consideration for over three years which he condemns as an anti-constitutional approach. Deciding Perarivalan`s plea for premature release from jail based on the recommendation made by the Tamil Nadu government in September 2018, the apex court ordered his release, while the six other convicts remain in jail. Ravichandran in his appeal against the High Court order has cited Perarivalan`s order of the apex court. Gandhi was assassinated on the night of May 21, 1991, at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber, identified as Dhanu, at a poll rally. REET 2022: The Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan, BSER will soon release the REET 2022 answer key on its official website reetbser2022.in. As per the latest media reports, BSER is expected to release the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teacher, REET 2022 Answer Key tomorrow, August 13. Also according to the past trends, the provisional answer key is released within 10-15 days of the examination. Candidates must notice that the BSER has not issued official notice regarding the release date and time of the REET answer key and an official confirmation is awaited. Here's how to download REET Answer Key Visit the REET official website- reetbser2022.in On the home page click on the "REET Answer Key 2022" link (the link will be activated once the answer key is out) Entre your log-in ID and password and the REET Answer Key will appear on your screen Download the pdf and check your responses of REET 2022 referring to the answer key REET 2022 Cut off REET 2022 Exam was conducted by BSER Ajmer on July 23 and July 24, 2022 for over 16 lakh candidates. BSER Ajmer will release the final cut off scores for REET 2022 at the time of the result declaration.REET 2022 question booklet has also been released at reetbser2022.in. REET Question Paper Direct Link Shiv Sena party chief and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is currently suffering from tremors. The Election Commission of India has given them another big shock. Thackeray has been given not four weeks but only fifteen days to present his case before the Election Commission. So now they will have only time till August 23 to present their case with all the evidence. This information has been given by the Election Commission. Therefore, there is a high possibility that Uddhav Thackeray's problems will increase further. The dispute over Shiv Sena symbol as it belongs to whom has now reached the Election Commission. Also, this dispute is currently in the court ( Supreme Court). However, a decision on this is yet to be made. Who will win this epic battle? This has attracted the attention of the whole country. Election Commission Rejected Demand As this battle is currently going on in the Supreme Court, Thackeray has requested that the Election Commission should not take any decision regarding the Shiv Sena's symbol until the Supreme Court verdict. The Shiv Sena had asked the Election Commission for a period of four weeks to reconcile the documents, but the Election Commission has given only two weeks i.e. fifteen days to the Shiv Sena, rejecting this demand of the Shiv Sena. Uddhav Thackeray Must Prove This In this, Shiv Sena will have to prove who has the majority in the Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha and Shiv Sena's political party structure. After Eknath Shinde rebelled and formed a new government, a letter was sent to the Election Commission asking that the MLAs under his leadership be recognized as Shiv Sena. This letter was sent by Eknath Shinde on 19 July 2022. Shiv Sena has summoned a plea against him. Who is REAL Shiv Sena? In 2018, Uddhav Thackeray was elected as party chief of Shiv Sena. Eknath Shinde was elected as the leader. Even after the formation of the government in the Legislative Assembly, Eknath Shinde was elected as the group leader. But now that Shiv Sena is split, whose election symbol is Shiv Sena? And who exactly is the legal whip? This controversy has arisen and the Election Commission has to decide on it. Two Important Dates for Thackeray Thackeray has also approached the Supreme Court regarding this dispute. He has filed not one not two but as many as five petitions in this dispute. These hearings are going on. The next hearing in this matter will be held on August 22. Therefore, the two dates of August 22 and August 23 are going to be very important for Uddhav Thackeray TS EAMCET 2022: Telangana State Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test (TS EAMCET) 2022 result will be declared soon at the official website - eamcet.tsche.ac.in. However, there is no official confirmation regarding the declaration of the results. Candidates who took the test will be able to access their EAMCET 2022 results using their hall ticket number, date of birth, and password once they have been released. According to local media reports, these Manabadi EAMCET results should be released by August 13, 2022. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) Hyderabad will also release the rank list along with the Telangana EAMCET results. In the TS EAMCET 2022 rank list, candidates will be listed in the order of their merit. Multiple sessions of the TS EAMCET 2022 were held at JNTU Hyderabad. Each session's EAMCET 2022 question paper was unique and had varying degrees of difficulty. The institution will use the normalization technique to examine a candidate's marks in the EAMCET 2022 results in order to get rid of any such variations. ALSO READ: JEE Advanced 2022: Registration ends TODAY; students to stage protest, demand third attempt for all TS EAMCET 2022: Normalisation Method Formula: GASD + (GTA-GASD/ STA - SASD) X (Marks obtained by a candidate in the subject in a session - SASD) Abbreviations are explained below: SASD: Sum of Average (A) and Standard Deviation (SD) of the subject of a session in which the candidate appeared. GASD: Sum of Average (A) and Standard Deviation (SD) of all the candidates across all sessions of the subject put together. STA: Average mark of the top 0.1 percent of the candidates in the subject of a session in which the candidate appeared. GTA: Average mark of the top 0.1 percent of all the candidates across all the sessions of the subject put together. TS EAMCET 2022 Result: Heres how To Check Go to the official website - eamcet.tsche.ac.in. On the homepage, click on the "EAMCET 2022 score card" link. Enter the log in details and submit The Telangana EAMCET 2022 result will be displayed on the screen Download it and take a print out for future references. Candidates must have to secure a minimum of 25 percent marks, in order to qualify for the TS EAMCET 2022 entrance examination. The distribution of EAMCET 2022 ranks will be based on normalized marks. The TS EAMCET answer key and response sheet for the Engineering (E), Agriculture (E), and Medical (AM) streams have already been released by JNTU. After reviewing the complaints submitted, the topic expert committee will create the EAMCET final answer key and results. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote an emotional farewell letter to the outgoing Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. Praising Naidu for his conviction and infectious and infectious energy, PM Modi in a three-page letter compared the outgoing president with Acharya Vinoba Bhave. The prime minister also noted that Naidus extensive experience has inspired and motivated the young and first-time parliamentarians in Rajya Sabha. The senior BJP leader also expressed respect for Naidus concern for parliamentary discipline, anguish and discomfort over disruptions, zest for life and how the prime minister himself benefitted from Naidu's counsel on several matters. Heres Prime Minister Modis letter to outgoing Vice President Venkaiah Naidu! PM Modi in a 3-page letter to former Vice President MV Naidu compared him to Acharya Vinoba Bhave in crisp articulation, lauded his convictions, infectious energy, extensive travel, encouraging first-timers in Rajya Sabha, for substantially improving productivity of Rajya Sabha pic.twitter.com/FfvTBi7umq ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 Vice President's farewell message for the parliament Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said he will resume his unfinished journey in the service of the nation after he completes his tenure. He also said he will keep interacting with the people in the coming times and his focus will be on youths and farmers. In humour, he said he does not believe in the concept of either president or dissident, otherwise resident' and that he would continue to engage with people. "I will be resuming from the day after tomorrow my unfinished journey in the service of the nation," he told media at his residence. "I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart because of the support given by the media," he said. Naidu's tenure as Vice President ended on August 10 and after the swearing-in of new Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday, he will leave for Hyderabad along with his family. Naidu has been allotted the official bungalow at 1, Thyagaraja Marg, in Delhi. Earlier in the morning, he planted a sapling at the Parliament House complex marking the completion of his five years as Rajya Sabha chairman. SRINAGAR: At least two terrorists were gunned down and three soldiers were martyred in a pre-dawn attack on an Army company operating base in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Thursday. A fierce encounter broke out after terrorists attempted a suicide attack on the Army company operating base here. At least five jawans were injured in the heavy exchange of fire from both sides. An officer, who is among those injured in the attack, has been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. He is said to be critical at the moment. J&K | Two terrorists, who carried out a suicide attack on an Army company operating base 25 kms from Rajouri, killed; three soldiers lost their lives. Operations in progress. (Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/QspNSFhfX6 ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2022 The army company operating base is located in Pargal in the Darhal area of Jammu and Kashmir`s Rajouri. The gunfight began in the Pargal area early this morning, a Defence Ministry spokesman based in Jammu said. "2 ( terrorists ) trying to sneak into a post in the dark at Pargal Rajouri were detected and engaged by alert troops. The ( terrorists ) have been neutralised," he said 5 soldiers also suffered injuries among them three were critical and are being treated, he added earlier. According to reports, the terrorists were trying to sneak inside the Army camp, which was foiled by the alert security forces personnel who responded fiercely. ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh too confirmed the attack saying, "Terrorists tried to cross the fence of the Army camp at Pargal in Darhal area of Rajouri. Exchange of fire took place. Additional parties despatched for the location, 6 km from Darhal PS. Two terrorists killed, two Army personnel got injured: Mukesh Singh, ADGP, Jammu Zone." The operation is believed to have concluded now and 16 Corps Commander Lt Gen Manjinder Singh is monitoring the situation on the ground. Security officials have cordoned off the area and additional parties have been dispatched to the location. The entire area is being sanitised. The attack comes a day after three LeT terrorists were neutralised by security forces in Budgam. One of the killed terrorists was involved in the killing of civilians Rahul Bhat and Amreen Bhat. New Delhi: Standup comedian Sunil Pal took to social media on Wednesday afternoon to announce that his friend and colleague, Raju Srivastava, "is doing fine and out of danger". Raju Srivastava, a popular comedian and a regular on 'The Kapil Sharma Show', suffered a heart attack in the morning while he was working out at the gym and was then rushed to AIIMS, New Delhi. The 58-year-old actor was working out at the South Delhi gym when he complained of feeling uneasy. That was when he was moved to the hospital. Pal, who has appeared with Srivastava on the comedy show, 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge', has shared a video of him making the announcement on his social media handle with the caption: "Get well soon Raju bhai ji." He said: "It is true that comedy king Raju Srivastava suffered a heart attack and he was admitted to AIIMS. With God's grace and your best wishes he is doing fine and out of danger." Srivastava got his initial recognition from doing stage shows and doing Amitabh Bachchan acts. After doing small roles in hit Bollywood films such as 'Maine Pyar Kiya', 'Baazigar' and 'Bombay To Goa', he got his major break with 'The Great Indian Laughter Challenge'. He has also appeared on 'Bigg Boss 3'. New Delhi: Raksha Bandhan brings a season of joy and happiness. Filled with sweets, love and laughter, heres how your favourite Bollywood celebrities spent time with their siblings on this day. Kartik Aaryan In a string of photos shared on Instagram, Kartik Aaryan gave his fans a glimpse into his Rakhi celebration with sister Kritika. In the pictures, Kartik can be seen touching his sisters feet for blessing. In fact, Kartik wrote that his sister protects him. Happy Rakhi Hamesha Meri Raksha Karne Vaali, he captioned the post. Sonam Kapoor Mom-to-be Sonam Kapoor shared a heartfelt message for all her brothers on Instagram. Taking a jibe at them, she said that none of them picked up her call except Jahaan Kapoor and Siddhant Bhambhani. She also shared her excitement about the bonding their kids will have in future. Happy happy rakhee my brothers! So blessed to have you all in my life.. I know Ive taught you how to party hard and be a bunch of fun people.. now I cant wait for our kids to have the same bond! Love you all! Your big sister, who youve refused to call didi except my darling jahaankapoor26 and bhambhani siddhant. The actress even went nostalgic as she shared their childhood pictures. Ananya Panday Liger actress Ananya Panday celebrated Raksha Bandhan at her home with family. The actress shared pictures with cousin Ahaan Panday and her family. She even called Ahaan her first friend and shared a special note for him. Happy Rakhi to the light of my life For all that you are and all that you do, through every fight and every laugh - my first friend and friend till the end Love you endlessly Ahaaaniii, she captioned the photo. Varun Dhawan While actor Varun Dhawan doesnt have a real sister, the actor celebrated the festival with his cousins and even wished the same to his fans. Happy Raksha Bandhan bhai log aur behen log kush raho, he captioned the post. Parineeti Chopra Parineeti Chopra is known to have a close bond with her siblings. She also shares a good relationship with cousin Priyanka Chopra. The actress tagged her brothers Sahaj and Shivang Chopra on Instagram and shared a picture with them. She even called them the best gifts her parents have given her. The best gift my parents gave me .. My babies .., she captioned the post. We wish everyone a very Happy Raksha Bandhan. New Delhi: Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan has often donned the role where he seems to be defending his country from some threat, but recently he got the opportunity to meet and spend some quality time with people who, not in reel life but in real life, fight and stand for the nation's integrity and security. The actor was in Visakhapatnam, where he spent some quality time interacting with the soldiers and other officials, who were more than thrilled to have the superstar among them. The photos from his visit have been going viral on social media, where he can also be seen waving the Indian flag with hordes of excited fans cheering him on. The actor, who was most recently seen in "Antim: The Final Truth," has a number of movies in development, including "Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali," which is being helmed by "Housefull 4" fame director Farhad Samji. He also plans to make a comeback with his Tiger franchise and will reprise his character in the third instalment of the movie. Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi are anticipated to appear in Tiger 3, and Hashmi is anticipated to portray the antagonist. Maneesh Sharma will helm the spy thriller. New Delhi: The Central government has brought a few changes to the Atal Pension Yojana, which was started with the aim of providing pension facilities to those working in the unorganised sector in 2015. And as a result, the Ministry of Finance has now decided not to allow income taxpayers to apply for the APY scheme. The new order issued by FinMin will come into effect from October 1, 2022. According to the gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on August 10, any citizen who is or has been an income tax payer according to the Income Tax Act will not be eligible to join the Atal Pension Yojana from October 1, 2022. (ALSO READ: Big jolt to borrowers! Bank of Baroda hikes lending rates, check details) According to the new provision, if one has joined the scheme on or after October 1 and is found to be an income tax payer on or before the date of coming into force of the new rule, his/her account will be closed immediately and the pension amount deposited till that time will be refunded in go. (ALSO READ: Beware! Petrol pump dealership offers arriving on messages, calls could be scam, check details) In case a subscriber, who joined on or after 1st October 2022, is subsequently found to have been an income-tax payer on or before the date of application, the APY account shall be closed and the accumulated pension wealth till date would be given to the subscriber, the ministry said in a notification. The Central government is expected to review them from time to time. Atal Pension Yojana Entry Rules According to the current Atal Pension Yojana rules, any Indian citizen aged between 18-40 and having a savings account with any bank or post office can apply for the scheme. However, with the new rule in place, income taxpayers wont be able to participate and invest in the scheme from October 1, 2022. To guarantee seamless transit for passengers on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on Thursday, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has installed 169 additional ticket office machines at the Metro stations. On all lines except the Airport Line, there will be a backup train, 65 customer facilitation agents, and additional ticket machines. Due to the significant rush, the metro service started early on Raksha Bandhan last year; however, the DMRC has not yet made any such announcement this year. The news was shared through DMRC's official Twitter handle to inform the commuters about the update. Notably, this year, the festival has arrived just five days before Independence Day, which means the metro stations will be equally well guarded by the security personnel, and the frisking would take more time. On the occasion of Rakshabandhan tomorrow, 169 additional Ticket Office Machines, 65 Customer Facilitation Agents and a standby train will be available on all lines except Airport Line & line 9 to ensure smooth travel for passengers. DMRC wishes you a very Happy Rakshabandhan. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation I (@OfficialDMRC) August 10, 2022 "Additional time might be needed in view of enhanced security and frisking measures ahead of Independence Day. Please allow for some extra time in your commute. Your cooperation is kindly solicited," the DMRC said. Also read: Noida metro hits new record, crosses 40,000 daily ridership for first time Meanwhile, the festival of Raksha Bandhan came with multiple offers from different state governments as well. It is to be noted that various state governments like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttarakhand have announced offering free bus services to females on occasion. Meanwhile, UP CM Yogi Adityanath also announced that he might offer free bus rides for females aged 60 and above on government buses. In a tweet, Uttar Pradesh CM said, "Very soon in Uttar Pradesh, we are going to introduce free travel for and above 60 years of age in government buses." Following the suit, the state government of Rajasthan, specifically Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC), also announced that the state transportation will not charge bus fares to female passengers, according to officials on Wednesday. With inputs from IANS New Delhi: Facebook is making money via white supremacist groups, serving ads on searches for dangerous groups like "Ku Klux Klan" despite a ban on such content on the platform. A report by the Tech Transparency Project revealed that more than 80 white supremacist groups have a presence on Facebook, including some that Facebook itself has labelled as "dangerous organisations". "What`s more, when our test user searched for the names of white supremacist groups on Facebook, the search results were often monetised with ads -- meaning Facebook is profiting off them," the non-profit organisation said in a statement late on Wednesday. (ALSO READ: Sensex rallies 580 pts in early trade; Nifty tops 17,650) The study found that ads appeared on 40 per cent of the queries for the white supremacist groups. (ALSO READ: Gold Price Today, August 11: Gold gets cheaper on Raksha Bandhan, check price in Delhi, Patna, Lucknow, Kolkata, Kanpur, Kerala, other cities) "That`s a chilling result, given reports that the gunman who killed 10 people in the recent, racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, did research to pick a target neighbourhood with a high ratio of Black residents," the study noted. The investigation also found that despite years of warnings that Facebook`s algorithmic tools are pushing users toward extremism, the platform continues to auto-generate Pages for white supremacist organisations and direct users who visit white supremacist Pages to other extremist content. On top of that, Facebook is largely failing in its effort to redirect users searching for hate terms to websites promoting tolerance, the report mentioned. The analysis found that more than a third (37 per cent) of the 226 white supremacist groups had a presence on Facebook. These organisations are associated with a total of 119 Facebook Pages and 20 Facebook Groups. "Facebook often monetised searches for these groups, even when their names were clearly associated with white supremacy, like `American Defense Skinheads`," said the report. Facebook also monetised searches for groups on its own "dangerous organisations" list, it added. Searches for some white supremacist groups, including those with "Ku Klux Klan" in their names, showed advertisements for Black churches, raising concerns that Facebook is highlighting potential targets for extremists. "Facebook`s algorithmic recommendations often directed users visiting white supremacist Pages to other extremist or hateful content," the report said. A Meta spokesperson said that 270 groups designated by the company as white supremacist organisations are banned from Facebook. "We will continue to work with outside experts and organisations in an effort to stay ahead of violent, hateful, and terrorism-related content and remove such content from our platforms," the social network said. In 2020, over 1,000 advertisers boycotted Facebook over its handling of hate speech and misinformation. Mumbai: Ektaa R Kapoor's `Yeh Dil Mannge More` is all set to be broadcast on Doordarshan this Independence Day. It is a show around the `heroes behind the heroes`.The Balaji Telefilms show pays tribute to our brave warriors protecting borders and their families that make personal sacrifices all through their lives. As India celebrates its 75th year of Independence, the show promises to touch a chord with every Indian and inspire them. Always known to bring riveting and versatile content that resonates with masses across the country, Ekta Kapoor takes us through another emotionally charged and layered piece of storytelling with `Yeh Dil Mannge More` starring Akshay Mhatre and Twinkle Patel. They play a war-hardened special Major and an Army doctor respectively, who eventually fall in love with each other but the secrets of their past come to haunt them. Talking about this unique concept Ektaa R Kapoor shared, "Our independence has come through great struggle and our brave soldiers and their families continue to make sacrifices. Unlike the conventional shows made on our national heroes, Yeh Dil Mannge More gets into deeper dynamics and will not just appeal to family audiences but to the youth as well since there are so many conflicting ideologies. And airing on Doordarshan means we will reach to even the most remote interiors, with this story." Balaji Telefilms` `Yeh Dil Mannge More` will be telecast on Doordarshan from August 15 onwards. KOLKATA: In a shocking incident, four members of the family were brutally murdered in the Howrah district of West Bengal on Wednesday night over an old dispute. According to initial reports, two women, a teenager and a minor girl are among the deceased. The brutal murder of four members of the same family took place on MC Ghosh Lane in Howrah. A couple is said to be behind this gruesome killing. After the incident, the main accused fled from the spot while his wife has been arrested. According to local sources, the neighbours reported the matter to the police after they saw blood coming out of the door of the family's house at night. A police team which immediately visited the crime scene later recovered four bodies lying in a pool of blood. Further investigation is underway. New Delhi: A new report by the US Government oversight authority on Afghanistan claims that Former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and his senior advisors did not flee the nation with millions in cash. The report published by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said Ghani fled barefoot, without the millions of dollars that he was accused of carrying before the Taliban takeover in August last year. "The departure was so sudden that the president was barefoot, forcing Kochai (head of Presidential Protective Service, General Qaher Kochai) to find the president`s shoes. The president did not have time to get his passport," one of the Afghanistan officials told SIGAR. The report titled "Theft of Funds from Afghanistan: An Assessment of Allegations Concerning President Ghani and Former Senior Afghan Officials", assesses the validity of these allegations. It found that some cash was taken from the grounds of the palace and loaded onto President Ghani`s evacuation helicopters, evidence indicates that this number did not exceed USD 1 million. Most of this money was believed to have come from several Afghan government operating budgets normally managed at the palace. SIGAR also identified suspicious circumstances in which approximately USD 5 million in cash was accidentally left behind at the presidential palace. Some or all of this money likely belonged to President Ghani or the government of the United Arab Emirates. It further says that the members of Presidential Protective Service divided the money after the helicopters departed but before the Taliban captured the palace. The SIGAR report finds out that the hurries nature of their departure, the emphasis on passengers over cargo, the payload, the performace limitations of the helicopters and witnesses suggest that there was little more than USD 500,000 in cash on board the helicopters. "Millions of additional dollars nearly made it on board, though some or all of this money may have been former President Ghani's legitimately earned and declared money. That being said, it remains a strong possibility that significant amounts of U.S. currency disappeared from Afghan government property in the chaos of the Taliban takeover--including millions from the presidential palace and the NDS vault. Attempts to loot other government funds appear to have been common," the report said. Responding to the allegations of graft, Ashraf Ghani's lawyer said the former President is immensely proud of his tenure as President of Afghanistan. He said accountability and transparency significantly and systematically increased during Ghani`s Presidency. "President Ghani welcomes a full and comprehensive investigation of the Afghanistan government during his tenure, which he is confident will show that he acted with the utmost integrity during his time in office and through his departure last August," the lawyer added. (With ANI inputs) Kathmandu: China has announced 800 million yuan ($181 million) of aid to Nepal for this year. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced it after a meeting with his Nepal counterpart Narayan Khadka in Qingdao on Wednesday. Khadka is on a three-day visit to China at the invitation of Wang, who is also the State Councillor. The trip comes amid growing tensions between China and Taiwan following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi`s visit to the self-governing island last week. China also conducted its largest-ever exercises in the area in retaliation to her visit. During the meeting, Khadka reiterated Nepal`s unwavering commitment to the `One China Policy and assured that the Nepali territory will not be allowed to be used for any activity against Beijing. In his address, Wang reiterated China`s continued and unconditional support for Nepal`s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and assured support in the country`s development endeavours as per the priority of the government in Kathmandu, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry here. Besides providing a new batch of economic assistance to Nepal, both sides also reached several other agreements and understandings, the Ministry added. As Nepal is witnessing a crippling shortage of chemical fertiliser, China has agreed to provide it. Upon Nepal`s request, China has assured that it will positively consider providing chemical fertiliser and study the feasibility of establishing a chemical fertiliser plant in Nepal, said the Ministry. "The State Councillor agreed to assist Nepal`s agricultural sector. He also agreed to encourage Chinese investment in developing the manufacturing capacity of Nepal and enhance cooperation in the export of Nepali tea and traditional medicinal herbs," the statement said, adding that Khadka and Wang decided to establish a joint mechanism for Covid-19 control in border ports. They also agreed to open Rasuwa-Kyerung and Tatopani-Jangmu ports for two-way trade which was hit by the pandemic. The ports are the major trading zones between Nepal and China. The two sides also agreed to utilise the Hilsa-Pulang port for one-way trade which will take place as soon as the fresh wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Tibet is controlled. "In support of people being affected by disasters and natural calamities in different parts of Nepal, Wang announced to provide Nepal with 3 million yuan worth of disaster relief materials as per Nepal`s request. China will also provide Nepal with an additional 2 million yuan worth of medical items and logistics," the Ministry statement said The State Councillor also announced that China will provide additional Covid-19 vaccines and pandemic-related medical assistance as much as Nepal may require. Wang announced that China would provide support to the establishment of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells (CAR T cells) manufacturing laboratory in Civil Service Hospital to treat blood cancer and provide necessary training to Nepali health professionals. The Civil Hospital was built with Chinese assistance. Wang further said that all the remaining Nepali students who wish to return to China can proceed with visa procedures by following all Covid-19 SOPs to resume their studies. Both sides agreed to form a bilateral technical committee to do the necessary preparation for the functioning of the existing mechanism of the Nepal-China Joint Boundary Inspection Committee. The two countries have some issues over boundary disputes in some places. (With IANS inputs) The development of new, cleaner steelmaking technology is helping to ease concerns about a predicted bottleneck in the iron ore supply chain. A new report from the The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Solving Iron Ore Quality Issues for Low-Carbon Steel, examines a number of new innovations in the industry that could accelerate the switch from traditional blast furnace technology to lower-emissions Direct Reduced Iron (DRI)-based steelmaking. DRI does not use metallurgical coal, but currently relies on high quality DR-grade iron ore (above 67% purity), which is in short supply. However, report author Simon Nicholas points to new technology combinations that allow DRI processes to use the more plentiful, blast furnace-grade ore (typically 62-65% purity) in the production of low carbon steel, thereby removing the need for high-grade iron ore. Encouragingly, we found some steelmakers are now investigating and planning, says Nicholas. This will potentially alleviate the DR-grade iron ore scarcity problem, aiding the expansion of low-emissions steelmaking technology that does not use metallurgical coal, says Nicholas. German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp is intending to replace the first of its blast furnaces with DRI plants combined with a submerged arc furnace (SAF) in 2025 allowing it to use blast-furnace grade iron ore in the process. The second largest steel producer in the world, ArcelorMittal is also planning to implement a similar DRI-SAF combination. In Australia, BlueScope steel is working with Rio Tinto on a similar combination of DRI with a melting step that would allow the use of Rios Pilbara blast furnace-grade iron ore in DRI processes. Meanwhile Italian steel technology provider Tenova is also developing new technology combinations to produce direct reduced iron using lower-quality blast furnace-grade pellets. These developments run counter to the narrative of BHP one of the key suppliers of blast furnace-grade iron ore and metallurgical coal to the steel industry which has stated that there is simply not enough high-quality iron ore suitable for DRI-based production to meet global steel demand. BHP believes most of the worlds steel will still be produced via the traditional blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace route using coal in 2050. However, Bloomberg New Energy Finance sees DRI processes accounting for 59% of global primary steel production by 2050, on a net zero emissions pathway. Nicholas said BHPs view risks making it an industry laggard on decarbonisation. And the shift to DRI raises questions about BHPs commitment to metallurgical coal in the long term. Any significant global switch from blast furnaces to DRI processes will impact metallurgical coal demand, says report co-author Soroush Basirat. A greater use of DRI technology should be of particular concern to companies like BHP as the worlds largest producer of seaborne metallurgical coal, he adds. Major iron ore miners should start to reassess their long-term strategies and prepare to supply more of their products to DRI-based steelmaking processes. Technology pathways that can use lower-grade ore in DRI processes can allow iron ore miners to increase their Scope 3 emissions reduction ambition. Given that technology transitions have a history of surprising speed, we may well see accelerating technology developments start to threaten metallurgical coals incumbency over the coming years as the steel industry continues to innovate. DRI has the potential to significantly reduce steelmaking emissions with the use of green hydrogen produced via renewable energy-powered electrolysis. The replacement of the global blast furnace fleet with low-carbon steelmaking processes, including the use of renewable hydrogen, is an enormous challenge, yet solutions are already emerging, says Nicholas.--TradeArabia News Service The Enstroms got their Golden Ticket. Rick and Linda Enstrom were reunited with their candy delivery van Tuesday, just over a week after thieves broke into it, drove it while committing a series of crimes and then dumped it near a homeless encampment along the Platte River. The white GMC Safari decorated with huge almond toffee decals was easy to spot among the tossed beer bottles and cardboard signs. Denver police alerted the couple that the missing van had been found on Lindas birthday, Aug. 8. People need things worse than I do if they have to steal something like this, she said. On Tuesday, inside the Denver County Vehicle Impound office, the candy power couple took a number and waited in plastic chairs behind other people who were not happy to be there to collect their wayward vehicles. Some owed hefty fines because their cars had been towed over unpaid parking tickets. The Enstroms candy man is here! announced the clerk at the window. Linda Enstrom identified the bruised and battered van on a fancy live camera monitor, signed paperwork and ventured into the hot sun hoping the van robbers did not realize that the real treasure was not the vehicle itself. It was the license plates. Their toffee truck was crookedly parked near a chained barrier. Underneath its sprung front hood a dead battery hung from its cord. The sawed-off gas tank cap had been tossed on the floor, and a green garbage bag marked trash in white ink was parked on the passengers seat. I dont know if thats a body or what, said impound clerk Will Currat. Stuffed inside, he found a mound of grimy clothes. But visible on the front dash was the treasure only the Enstrom family would appreciate: a faded blue Colorado Toffee license plate. This is the only thing of value right here, said Rick Enstrom. Those old designer plates were ordered by his father, Emil, around half a century ago and attached to every Cadillac he ever drove. Emil died in 1998. Employees eventually secured the plates to the toffee van as an ode to a sweet, storied era. On the precipice of the Great Depression, Ricks grandfather, Chet, moved the family from Castle Rock to Grand Junction to start Velvet Ice Cream. Though Chet Enstrom and his partner Harry Jones were just getting their fledgling business going as the stock market crashed, they always managed to make payroll. Before long, the ice cream with groundbreaking flavors like Butter Brickle and Peppermint Stick was the regional favorite. In 1960, Velvet Ice Creams reign was nudged out by the low-fat ice cream craze. But Chet had an idea that stuck. While selling ice cream, he spent a lot of his time fiddling around with toffee, folding warm sticky slabs over almond-scattered tables and then sealing the top with melted chocolate. Friends and family loved it. Who wouldnt? By 1979, the king and queen of Sweden, Robert Redford, Art Linkletter and Raquel Welch were ordering Enstroms World Famous Almond Toffee. In 1984, Rick and Linda expanded the business from its iconic Grand Junction store to Denver where Rick said we knew 5 people. Emil Enstroms toffee license plates were on his sons mind when he heard the delivery van had been found abandoned in a gravel space at 31st and Arkins. Rick Enstrom hoped the thieves ignored what looked like a silly promotion, but he knew that the candy van that delivered toffee during the holiday season was not worth saving. For Rick Enstrom, that loss is merely an annoyance. Think of the single mom with three kids holding down a job and she needs her car. For other people, a stolen vehicle is a life-altering tragedy, he said. As if on cue, CC Cordova walked up to Will Currats window to pay the fines to collect her stolen 2020 Nissan Rogue, which had been missing since Sunday night. Her husband had left it idling as he rushed into a downtown hotel to deliver Door Dash for the desk staff. In those few minutes, thieves floored the mini-SUV and disappeared. Police found it at South Dale Court and West Virginia Avenue at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, crushed on one side. Cordovas purse and a briefcase were long gone, but it was drivable. Tears ran down CCs face. Im sad. I worked my butt off for that car. The Enstrom candy van and CCs Nissan were examples of vehicles that were stolen in one week in Colorado, which is No. 1 on the list of worst states per capita for auto theft. During a town hall hosted by The Denver Gazette, Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen addressed the spike. He reasoned that stolen cars are on the rise because theyre expendable. We talk about property theft, and context matters, said Pazen. Stolen cars do have an impact. Theyve been used in hundreds of additional violent crimes. Many of the stolen autos that end up in the Denver impound lot are trashed and out of gas. They steal a car, drive it around until they run out of gas and get another one, said Currat. The saga of the candy van is a history Rick Enstrom would rather not revisit. Im over it, he said. With that, he gave Currat some toffee for his time, and left with his dusty prize. Written with help from Denver Gazette reporter Julia Cardi MTN Group accepted a US$35 million offer for its Afghanistan operation to finalise its exit from Middle Eastern markets, as it reported revenue growth in its latest financial results. The South African group did not disclose the buyer. In a call with journalists, MTN group president and CEO Ralph Mupita disclosed the fee which would be paid over a period of time and proceeds would be US$31 million, reported Reuters. MTN has been simplifying its business to focus on core African markets. It has already shed its unit in Yemen and ditched its operations in Syria. It currently operates in 19 markets globally. In a statement, MTN Group president and CEO Ralph Mupita said: Notwithstanding the tough macro conditions, MTN remained focused on investing in our markets to increase broadband coverage and to reduce the cost to communicate. Mupita detailed the company pushed network investment during the first half of 2022 to ZAR17.1 billion and spent an additional ZAR7 billion on securing 4G and 5G spectrum in key markets South Africa and Nigeria. The investments increased broadband coverage to 85.5% and led to an average 22.5% reduction in data tariffs. Breaking down interim financial results for H1, group revenue grew to ZAR97.5 billion from ZAR86.7 billion year on year. Profit attributable to equity holders was ZAR8 billion, up from ZAR2.7 billion last year. Service revenue grew 14.8% to ZAR92.5 billion, while EBITDA also increased by 15.1% to ZAR43.9 billion. Data revenue saw strong growth of 35.9% due to increased due to units in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa. A third of Mexican households have no internet access, something the Mexican president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is keen to change with a massive proposed investment in internet connectivity. He said earlier this week that Mexico is considering investing around 30 billion pesos (about $1.5 billion) to boost internet connectivity, especially in isolated rural areas. Local news reports have suggested that the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) may play a role in the installation of antennas to support the plan some 2,500 of them by the first half of 2023. Its not just about the internet, however. As Reuters points out, millions of Mexicans still do not have access to mobile coverage to make simple voice calls. IFT, the country's telecommunications regulator, suggests that only about 66% of households in Mexico have internet access and that one in five members of the indigenous population about two million people do not have access to any mobile service. Hence the presidents call for fresh investments and possibly even subsidies to help people afford internet connectivity. At the moment detail is lacking but this plan is likely to involve building on the work of Altan Redes which, since 2016, has been tasked with building a wholesale national mobile network. The promise was 92.2% coverage by 2028 (or 2024 until the deadline was extended). However, the company had to be bailed out by the state after it filed for bankruptcy last year. The Mexican state is already the majority partner in the company. It nevertheless looks like the Mexican president is keeping faith with Altan Redes to help him deliver on his promise of secure internet access in all towns and free Wi-Fi in public spaces. Google has declined to back a proposal by the Indian government to create an entity that would allow the social media sector to self-regulate, despite support for the move from Facebook and Twitter. In June 2022 the Indian government laid out two possibilities to address the issue of content moderation on social media: a new government-appointed panel that would review user complaints, or an industry-supported self-regulatory body. According to Reuters, Facebook parent Meta which also owns WhatsApp and Instragram - and Twitter are keen for the latter option as they anticipate overreach by government-appointed regulators. While the government is open to the possibility of self-regulation, it has also noted that this would require a consensus across the sector, so Googles grave reservations make the creation of a government panel more likely. Reuters quoted anonymous sources as saying that during a private meeting this week, an Alphabet executive noted that a self-regulating body could oblige Google to have its internal decisions reviewed and even overridden by an external body. This could for example result in Google being forced to reinstate content that it had removed for violating its policies, setting a dangerous precedent. The sources opted to remain anonymous given that the meeting was private, but confirmed to Reuters that in addition to Google, representatives of Facebook and Twitter were present, along with Snap and Indian social media platform ShareChat. The latter two companies reportedly also expressed reservations about a self-regulating body, arguing that social media moderation requires greater input from civil society. In a statement, Google said that it had sent representatives to preliminary meetings and was engaging with the government and the industry on the matter, exploring all options to achieve the best possible solution. Social media moderation is a major issue in India. The government takes a fairly hard-line stance on content that it deems objectionable and issues frequent takedown orders, which has resulted in social media firms taking a somewhat self-censoring approach. During Q1 2022, Googles YouTube removed more videos in India for violating content guidelines (over 1.2 million) than in any other market globally. Exacerbating these stringent controls over social media is the fact that users are currently only able to complain via Indias courts. The government is now seeking to introduce a dedicated system for social media users to make legal complaints if their content is hit with a takedown order. The governments proposal for any self-regulating body was to appoint either a technology expert or a former judge as a chairperson, with a further six panel members among which would be some senior social media executives. The panel would be able to make binding legal decisions, reported Reuters. US tech representative groups argue that a self-regulating body whose members are appointed directly by the Indian government could not be considered truly independent. Roaming between Togo and Gabon may soon incur no additional charges after an agreement between the two states, which was made last week but only reported in recent days. The memorandum of understanding signed in Libreville, Gabon, means the abolition of roaming charges and a drastic reduction in prices for voice, data and SMS services while roaming, thus promoting the mobility of citizens of the two (non-neighbouring) countries in West Africa. The regulators of the two countries are quoted by the Togo First news service as saying: It will now be possible to use a Togolese SIM card in Gabon and vice versa without paying roaming charges. In addition the two authorities have said that receiving calls will now be free and calls made in the country visited will be billed at local rates excluding packages, ie up to 10 times cheaper than currently. This protocol is said to be part of the creation of a single African market within the Smart Africa Alliance, a partnership among 32 African countries aiming to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development on the African continent through usage of ICTs and through better access to broadband services. Efforts to ease the burden of Africas roaming charges have been ongoing for some while. It's been about nine months since we reported that the West African Telecoms Regulators Assembly (WATRA) said it hoped to address the standardisation of roaming tariffs in the sub-region. After agreeing to do so in 2020, the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), of which Gabon is a part, abolished roaming charges among its members late last year. The global food delivery industry, which has become a lucrative opportunity for major companies in the past decade, is expected to bring $323 billion in revenue in 2022, according to a report. Therefore its not surprising that major international brands such as Uber, Tencent, and Alibaba have invested in the food delivery industry in recent years, said the report from SafeBettingSites.com. To grow by 9pc In 2022 Like other-internet based industries, the food delivery industry is also expected to witness a post-pandemic lull in growth. According to the data available on Statista, the food delivery industry is expected to bring in $323 billion in 2022. This figure represents a 9% increase of $296 billion earned in 2021. Due to the pandemic, the food delivery industry witnessed incredible growth in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, the sector grew by almost half as the total revenue increased by 47.8%. The following year, the annual growth dipped to 27.6%, but nonetheless, it was an impressive figure. The annual growth rate is expected to decline further to 9% in 2022. In the coming years, the growth rate will continue to slide down. Regardless, by 2027, the food delivery industry is expected to be worth $466 billion in annual revenue. Revenue distribution When one looks at revenue distribution, one notices that the share of platform-to-consumer delivery has consistently increased. As major delivery platforms continue to exert greater control over the delivery industry, the platform-to-consumer share is only expected to grow. In 2017, platform-to-consumer delivery contributed 59% of the total revenue. In 2022, the share of platform-to-consumer revenue is expected to have increased to 64.4%. By 2027, the platform-to-consumer delivery method would account for more than 65% China to contribute 45pc by 2027 China is the most significant source of revenue in the food delivery industry. According to estimates, the Chinese food delivery industry will be worth $208 billion in 2027. This figure would account for 45% of the total revenue. Interestingly, the platform-to-consumer model dominates the Chinese food delivery industry, with Alibaba-backed Ele.me and Tencent-backed Meituan currently controlling the industry. The US is in the distant second spot. The US is expected to bring in $97 billion in annual revenue by 2027. The share of the platform-to-consumer model in the US is not as significant as in China. DoorDash and UberEats are the most prominent food delivery platforms in the US.-- TradeArabia News Service MONTGOMERY Alabama Gov. Kay Iveys office said Thursday that the 77-year-old governor remains healthy and cancer-free and dismissed rumors that she is having health issues. Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola issued the statement after a week of rumors and media inquiries about Iveys health and whereabouts. The press office issued the statement after previously deflecting inquires. While I did not want to give any credibility to these bogus rumors, I do want to be sure to clear the air and set the record straight. Governor Ivey is doing great, and she continues to thank the Good Lord for keeping her healthy and cancer-free. We look forward to her leading the state of Alabama for years to come, Maiola said. Maiola told The Associated Press that the governors last public appearance was last week at an Aug. 2 groundbreaking ceremony in Prattville for the expansion of a fiber cement siding manufacturer. Ivey spoke at the event. The governors office did not immediately respond to questions asking about Iveys upcoming schedule, whereabouts this week and whether she had been in the hospital in the past four weeks. We will continue keeping you all updated on the governors public appearances and any other pertinent information, Maiola responded in an email. The Republican governor announced in 2019 that she had been diagnosed with early stage lung cancer and would undergo radiation treatments. She announced in 2020 that the cancer appeared to be gone and that her doctor considered her cancer-free. Ivey is up for reelection in November after defeating a slate of primary challengers this spring. One of the oldest governors in state history, she faced thinly veiled accusations about her age and health during her 2018 gubernatorial race, with opponents challenging each to release health records publicly, but Ivey easily won the race. ABB buys Siemens LV Nema motors arm to boost growth ABB has agreed to buy Siemens low-voltage Nema motors operation for an undisclosed sum. The business, which has manufacturing operations in Guadalajara, Mexico, produces motors mainly for the North America market. It employs about 600 people and last year generated revenues of around $63m. ABB says that the transaction is part of its growth strategy for its Motion business. The deal will enhance the product offering of its Nema motors division, expand its supply chain relationships, and improve support for North American customers. ABB adds that the acquisition will further establish itself as a leader in the Nema motors market and deliver on its promise to expand into new markets and to grow its market share profitably. This bolt-on acquisition creates strong value for ABBs Nema motors division, says Tarak Mehta, president of ABB Motion. Investing in the business and opening up sales opportunities in North America and especially Mexico will allow this business to be margin-accretive to the ABB Motion business within 24 months. We have long appreciated the quality and design of these motors, adds Jesse Henson, president of ABBs Nema motors division. Now that we have met the leadership team behind them, I am even more confident that together we can grow our combined businesses faster than either of us could alone. We look forward to adding the Siemens low-voltage Nema motor portfolio to our existing offering of ABB and Baldor-Reliance industrial electric motors. Siemens LV Nema motors business, which ABB is buying, has manufacturing operations in Mexico The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023. ABB expects to benefit from synergies, and to use the new business r&d expertise, supply chain relationships, and market access, to bring the combined portfolio to its full potential. The global Nema motor industry, worth roughly $2.7bn, consists of industrial electric motors mainly used in North America. ABB: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook A woman looks at the screen of her mobile phone in front of an Apple logo outside its store in Shanghai, China July 30, 2017. Photo by Reuters/Aly Song Nguyen Thai Hai Van has been appointed the first Country Director of Apple Vietnam, a source has confirmed. While no official announcement has been made, Vans LinkedIn profile says without disclosing details that she has been holding the post since May, 2022; and some of Apples authorized retailers told VnExpress that they have been working with Van in the new role. Van recently resigned as managing director of Grab Vietnam. Earlier, she was marketing vice president at Unilever Vietnam. A screenshot of Van's profile on LinkedIn. Photo courtesy of LinkedIn. Insiders consider the appointment a move to expand the U.S. tech giants operations in Vietnam. Previously, its operations in the country were overseen by a regional director. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that Vietnam was one of four emerging markets contributed to the company's success in the second quarter of 2022. "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. There is no official Apple Store in Vietnam yet, and its products are distributed in the country via a network of authorized retailers. Apple is also recruiting for various positions for its Vietnam operations. Vessels are docked at a port in Hai Phong to avoid impacts of storm Mulan, which devolved into a tropical depression on August 10, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Phuong Thao Localities stand prepared to evacuate around 115,000 people as flooding and landslide risks rise due to impacts of a tropical depression that storm Mulan has turned into. At a Thursday meeting with the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said storm Mulan, which has devolved into a tropical depression, would cause rains of up to 150 mm in several provinces in the next two days. In northern Vietnam and the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An could see rainfall of up to 200 mm. Mountainous regions in northwestern and north-central areas should be wary of flash floods and landslides, local reports have cited weather experts as saying. Several localities in the northern mountainous region and Nghe An in the north central have determined areas vulnerable to floods and land erosion and found around 114,895 people living there. Plans to evacuate them are now in place to be carried out depending on the situation, according to the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control. Nguyen Dinh Hung, head of the rescue department of border guard forces in the region, said several units were cooperating with local authorities in calling for vessels at sea to get out of dangerous areas and take shelter. Border guard forces are also cooperating with local authorities to have over 7,000 vessels with over 14,000 crew members to dock safely in ports from Quang Ninh to Nam Dinh, he said. After entering the Gulf of Tonkin Wednesday night, storm Mulan weakened into a tropical depression, but it is still causing heavy rains in northern and north-central Vietnam. Several Vietnamese carriers delayed flights to and from Hai Phong Thursday morning because of the rough weather conditions. Mulan is the second storm in Vietnamese waters this year. The first, Chaba, arrived in July. Weather experts have said that Vietnam should expect 10-12 storms and low-pressure areas in the East Sea this year, with around half making landfall. Two Chinese men Zhu Lin (L) and Duan Xi Pi, who illegally broke into Vietnam on August 8, 2022, are at a police station in Lao Cai Province. Photo by the police Police in the northern Lao Cai Province have detained six Vietnamese men for illegally bringing two Chinese nationals into Vietnam from China. Officers in Lao Cai that borders China on Tuesday caught two people on a motorbike following suspicious behavior, Vietnam News Agency reported. Nguyen Hoang Minh Duc, 19, and passenger Cao Hoang Vu, 18, both locals, said they had joined four other men late Monday night to collect two Chinese men near the border in Bat Xat District. The other four were found to be Hoang Ba Duoc, 19, Tran Nguyen Hung, 22, Ly Van Mong, 35, and Do Van Tiep, 34, police announced Wednesday. Using car tires, some had swam across the Red River, transporting two Chinese individuals into Vietnam during the first hours of Tuesday. The two Chinese are Duan Xi Pi, 22, from Xiamen in Fujian Province and Zhu Lin, 33, from Jiangsu Province. The six Vietnamese had planned to drop the two Chinese with another contact en route to Hanoi when they were caught at around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. The case is under investigation. For "organizing illegal entry into Vietnam" one could face jail terms ranging from one to 15 years depending on several conditions, including the number of people smuggled and the amount of money paid. August 9, 2022 | 07:42 pm PT While readers welcomed a proposal to extend Vietnam's visa exemption as good news, many said they expect the three-month visa more. "This is going in the right direction but also the three months multi-entry needs to be reinstated." Sgutieres "That's great!! But I would rather see the return of multi entry long-term visa!!!!!" plant069 "Just return the visas from before. I'd like to visit all of Vietnam for 90 days at one time. No visa runs. No 30-day e-visa silliness." Mpmilestogo "Just drop the administrative full employment scheme and offer 30 days to all arrivals. Although I'm sure the tourism sector would be unable to adapt to the millions of tourists that would arrive and make much more revenue for the country than the current scheme." anonymousgplus85 "Just go back to pre-pandemic visa policies already." NetGhost "Just give everyone a 90 day tourist visa. This is not that hard to figure out. The longer people stay, the more they travel within the country and spend money on airfare, taxis, hotels etc and not just in HCMC or Hanoi." Tim Vietnam Aviation Business Association has suggested opening more direct routes to countries sending a large number of tourists to Vietnam to boost post-pandemic recovery. Pham Viet Dung, chairman of the association, said domestic aviation has fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels while the international market is struggling. Many countries that used to send large numbers of foreign visitors to Vietnam are still cautious in reopening their borders, resulting in the slow recovery of international routes, he said at a meeting with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Thursday. China, South Korea and Japan were the biggest tourist sources for Vietnam before the pandemic. During the first seven months this year, South Korea sent the largest number of visitors to Vietnam, 196,000, followed by the U.S. (102,900), Cambodia (60,400), China (53,000) and Singapore (50,500), according to the General Statistics Office. Vietnamese airlines have resumed flights on only 40 percent of pre-pandemic international routes since January as the country reopened international aviation, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam. In addition to the launch of new international routes, Dung petitioned the government to accelerate the development of aviation infrastructure and increase tourism campaigns to attract the return of foreign arrivals. The government has allowed quarantine-free entry and resumed its pre-pandemic visa exemption policy for 24 tourism markets from mid-March to seek tourism recovery after two years of border closures. The United States joined the host of nations and organizations expressing outrage at the executions of four political activists by Burmas military regime. The United States condemns in the strongest terms the Burma military regimes executions of pro-democracy activists and elected leaders Ko Jimmy, Phyo Zey Thaw, Hia Myo Aung, and Aung Thura Zaw for the exercise of their fundamental freedoms, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a written statement. He noted that since the February 2021 coup in Burma, the regime has perpetuated violence against its own people, killing more than 2,100, displacing more than 700,000, and detaining thousands of innocent people, including members of civil society and journalists. The executions of the four activists occurred after proceedings before a military-controlled court. At a press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price described the executions as a heinous affront to human rights and he called on all partners and allies to join us in condemning the regimes actions and stepping up pressure on the regime and its supporters. There can be no business as usual with this regime, he said. We urge all countries to ban the sale of military equipment to Burma, to refrain from lending the regime any degree of international credibility, and we call on ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] to maintain its important precedent [of] only allowing Burmese non-political representation at regional events. Spokesperson Price said all options are on the table to cut off the regimes revenue and its ability to perpetuate violence. He added the United States will work with partners to make sure additional steps are coordinated in order to put maximum pressure on the regime, and not on the Burmese people. As Secretary of State Blinken stated, The United States joins the people of Burma in their pursuit of freedom and democracy and calls on the regime to respect the democratic aspirations of the people who have shown they do not want to live one more day under the tyranny of military rule. ELKO An additional 50 years was added to Bryce Dickeys prison sentence in district court on Wednesday that eliminated his chance of the possibility of parole after 20 years. Dickey, 20, was sentenced to consecutive maximum penalties by Judge Mason Simons for a deadly weapon enhancement to first-degree murder, sexual assault, and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of the crime, in the death of 16-year-old Gabrielle Britney Ujlaky. He received 20 years for each deadly weapon enhancement and life with the possibility of parole after 10 years for sexual assault, bringing his aggregate sentence to life with the possibility of parole after serving 70 years in prison. Ujlakys parents sought no restitution after a brief consultation with Elko County District Attorney Tyler Ingram. The final sentencing came about 10 weeks after a jury found Dickey guilty of killing Ujlaky on March 15, 2020, in Burner Basin. In the penalty phase, they sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years served. The penalties for the remaining charges were left to Simons, who listened carefully to arguments given by Ingram and Public Defender Matthew Pennell, and a victim impact statement ready by Ujlakys mother. Simons rendered his verdict in his courtroom that included about two dozen people, most of whom were family and friends of Ujlaky. During the sentencing, Dickey sat next to defense counsel Pennell and Gary Woodbury. He was shackled, wearing a red jumpsuit, white t-shirt and black vest. When asked by Simons if there was anything he wished to say during the hearing he replied, No, there is not, your honor. Dickey sentenced in murder of 16-year-old girl On Monday, the family of 16-year-old Britney recalled how their lives changed after the death of their daughter and sister. In his statement to the court, Pennell asked Simons to consider Dickeys age, substance-related issues, mental health, lack of criminal history and other personal challenges and sentence him to concurrent sentences which would maintain his clients 20-year-to-life sentence. Pointing back to his closing argument to the jury in May that asked for redemption instead of revenge for Dickey, he asked Simons to honor the jurys first-degree murder sentence. I ask the court to honor that as well by extending the same sort of mercy for Mr. Dickey, Pennell said. The man sitting before me is not the same he was two years ago. Where hes going to go, hell be able to reflect on what happened and make some decisions better in his life, and in some sense, heal the community. Pennell said he asked for concurrent sentences for the deadly weapon enhancement and sexual assault to give justice fairly and satisfy the needs of society, but also to consider the possibility of redemption in not making the sentences consecutive. Alisha Ujlaky, Britneys mother, read her victim impact statement during the hearing, saying it was directed to Simons instead of Dickey. She told of feeling a kick to the chest when jurors returned a sentence that included parole after 20 years on May 23. She described the hellish nightmare she and her family endured during the trial. Seeing things no parent should ever have to see. Hearing things you should never have to hear. To avoid putting herself and her family through future parole hearings, Alisha asked Simons to impose the maximum sentence. I am pleading with you not to make me face this monster again in my lifetime for ridiculous parole hearings. Please, please allow my family a real shot at healing instead of having wounds ripped wide open again, and facing him to keep him behind bars where he belongs. Jury hears about social media's role in Elko murder investigation ELKO Jurors learned about how video surveillance and social media played a part in the search for Gabrielle Britney Ujlaky during the seco Ingram called Alishas victim impact statement a powerful argument, agreeing with her that he had the same hit to the chest when the jury returned the 20-to-life sentence. Although evil won on the day Ujlaky was killed and sexually assaulted, Ingram said, this court should fashion a sentence that tells everyone in Elko County, in the state of Nevada, that if you murder and sexually assault one of our kids youre going to have a lifetime reminder of what you did. The sentence should also give people in this community a little bit of pause when they think if they should do a crime like this. Ingram countered Pennells argument about Dickeys age and request for a concurrent sentence because at all relevant times, Bryce Dickey was not a juvenile, he was an adult. Referring to Pennells statement about revenge, Ingram said he respectfully disagreed with the idea presented to Simons. It makes a lot of sense but justice and revenge are different, Ingram said. Were asking for justice, not revenge. Simons called Ujlakys murder a heinous crime. A young woman with a bright and promising future who the defendant himself called his little sister had her life stolen from her. She was strangled, raped and stabbed in the throat. Her body discarded like trash and actions by Dickey were intended to deceive law enforcement and her family about her whereabouts. Simons acknowledged Pennells request to contemplate Dickeys problems, but while those things may explain to some degree what led him to make the decision he made, they dont explain his callous disregard for the frailty of human life. They dont explain the hate, the anger, the rage, the ferocity that motivated an 18-year-old man to murder one of his closest friends. It is my responsibility to hold him to account for that conduct, Simons continued. I hope the sentence imposed today will bring some solace to the family, while I recognize nothing will bring back your beloved daughter. Spring Creek man arrested for murder in death of teen ELKO A Spring Creek man has been arrested in the killing of a 16-year-old girl whose body was found three days after she was reported missing. Citing the manner of Ujlakys death, my opinion is that Mr. Dickey should be treated in the same fashion that he treated the victim in this case, Simons said. Essentially that there was no mercy granted to Britney and the court. In my opinion, this is a case where the penalty should be the maximum imposed given the heinous nature of this crime. It was the final court hearing scheduled in the case of Ujlaky on Aug. 10. More than two years ago, she had been picked up by Dickey near Angel Park on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15, 2020, with the intention of having Dickey take her home. Each considered the other a sibling, with Ujlaky referring to Dickey as her Big Brother and him calling Ujlaky Lil Sis to their mutual friends. A search was launched that night after phone calls and messages to Ujlaky went unanswered and she was reported as missing to law enforcement by her father. Dickey claimed he last saw her when he dropped her off at the Spring Creek High School parking lot to meet a tall man wearing a cowboy hat and driving a green F150 pickup truck. Testimony during the trial revealed he also steered friends out of the Burner Basin area after noticing their GPS location on social media. After three days of searching, her body was discovered wrapped in a tarp off a dirt road in Burner Basin near Spring Creek. She had a stab wound in her neck and had also been strangled. During the investigation, detectives examined surveillance video and found inconsistencies in Dickeys explanation of events. He was arrested on March 19, subsequently charged with open murder and sexual assault, and pleaded not guilty at his arraignment a few weeks later. Initially, prosecutors announced the intention to seek the death penalty but it was withdrawn in the weeks leading up to Dickeys trial. Court documents stated it was rescinded by Ingram after consulting with the victims family. For seven days, jurors heard testimony from witnesses, including law enforcement, family members and friends, reaching a verdict after four hours of deliberation on May 19. ELKO A Spring Creek man was arrested early Monday morning on suspicion of stealing a backpack from a vehicle in a mining company parking lot on the west side of Elko. Caleb T. Coyle, 28, was arrested around 3 a.m. at the Sinclair station on West Idaho Street. An Elko County Sheriffs deputy had responded about half an hour earlier to the nearby Nevada Gold Mines parking lot on a report of a vehicle tamper alarm. The deputy saw a car pull into the lot briefly, then pull back out. The occupants told the deputy they had dropped off Coyle. He was spotted by Elko Police Department officers running to the gas station and putting a camouflage backpack into a car parked in front of the station, according to the deputys declaration of probable cause. Coyle was later located hiding inside the gas station restroom, the deputy reported. An investigation determined that a pickup in the mine parking lot had a broken window and a camouflage backpack had been taken. Footprints matching Coyles shoe pattern were found at the crime scene, the deputy stated. While placing him under arrest the deputy said he found a straw that Coyle indicated was a tooter. He was booked into Elko County Jail on charges of attempted burglary of a motor vehicle, and drug paraphernalia. Bail was listed at $20,640. Deputies also arrested the driver of the car at the mine parking lot, Cameron Hoadley, 29, of Wells. Hoadley reportedly told a sheriffs deputy that he had dropped Coyle off to hit a couple parking lots in the area. He was booked on charges of felony possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, with bail listed at $5,640. According to court records, Coyle was previously charged in 2013 along with another man in the theft of firearms from a residence in Spring Creek. A complaint listed six counts of possessing firearms valued at $3,500 each. Coyle was additionally charged with burglary for allegedly attempting to sell the guns at an Elko pawn shop. He agreed to plead guilty to one count of attempted theft by control of stolen property and was given a suspended sentence through an order of civil commitment. The conviction was set aside a year later at the request of a Nevada Department of Public Safety official. WASHINGTON, D.C. The Bureau of Land Management is announcing new grants available to public and private partners to help support the agencys mission to manage and protect wild horses and burros. The funding opportunity is open to local and state governments, tribes, other federal agencies and non-profit organizations. The BLM is excited to continue our efforts at working collaboratively with institutions of education, nonprofit organizations and other government agencies to manage and protect wild horses and burros on public lands, said Holle Waddell, BLM Wild Horse and Burro Division Chief. Whether its to help improve habitat quality, find good homes for our living legends, or apply birth control on the range, I encourage the broader wild horse and burro community to seriously consider this opportunity to partner with the BLM on these important actions. This is the second year that the BLM has invited proposals for wild horse and burro projects through a new streamlined and centralized funding opportunity. Grant sizes will range from $1,000 to $50,000. An example of an on-going project awarded through the previous funding opportunity can be found in Oregon, where a public-private partnership helps dart difficult-to-reach wild horses with a birth-control vaccine. Thanks to the collaboration with local nonprofit partner High Desert Strategies, 150 wild horses have been treated on public lands in eastern Oregon, which is slowing herd growth and reducing the need to remove animals to address overpopulation. Partnerships formed through this funding opportunity will support critical activities important to the management of wild horses and burros. Proposed off-range projects will be accepted until October 31, 2022 and could include activities such as facilitating the placement of excess animals into private care or providing educational opportunities to the public. Projects to support on-range activities, such as building habitat improvements or applying fertility control to wild horses and burros, can be submitted November 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023. Proposals to care for excess wild horses and burros in off-range facilities and proposals to fund research are not eligible under this funding opportunity. Applicants may propose to partner with BLM field, district state and national offices. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact the relevant BLM subject matter expert identified in the funding opportunity notice to discuss the type of projects that may be possible, and whether they would meet the requirements under this funding opportunity. To learn more or for instructions on how to submit an application, visit the Notice of Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. Far-right Republican candidate for governor Joey Gilbert lost his race to Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo by more than 26,000 votes on June 14 (38% to 27%). That result was confirmed by a statewide recount that cost Gilbert $191,000, paid for by Robert Beadles, an activist cryptocurrency millionaire. Gilbert, a criminal defense/personal injury lawyer, refused to accept his primary election defeat. Instead, he filed a lawsuit claiming the race was rigged. He argues a mysterious algorithm was inserted into election machines that flipped at least 55,000 votes in Lombardos favor. The lawsuit is based on an apparent analysis done by an expert mathematician that an illegal formula was used to tabulate votes with predetermined results and Gilberts loss was a mathematical impossibility. The claims center on a 40-page analysis from election conspiracy theorist Edward Solomon who alleges since the 2020 election that algorithms have been responsible for switching votes. Solomons claims about the 2020 presidential election in Georgia were repeatedly debunked by expert fact-checkers and ultimately proven false by a hand-count of paper ballots, which confirmed the result. According to details released in the libel suit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, Solomon has no math degree and served two years in prison on a drug charge. A Carson City judge set a trial date in the case for Aug. 12. While the vote claims by Gilbert are bizarre, they bring to mind President Trump asking lawyer Sidney Powell to be his special counsel to investigate alleged election theft back in December 2020. Media liberals howled in derision at Powells wacky conspiracy theories about the election. She claimed Dominion Voting machines were rigged by Iran, China and Venezuelas Hugo Chavez (who died in 2013). Total nonsense. But Democrats have their own wackadoodles who have promoted crazy voting machine conspiracy theories. In 2004, serious, prominent, respected Democrats contended the Diebold company voting machines were rigged in Ohio, flipping votes from John Kerry to George Bush. Bush won Ohio by over 118,000 votes, but without Ohio he would have lost the election. The gist of the conspiracy theory was that the CEO of Diebold, which provided some of Ohios voting machines, was a Bush supporter. And, one of Diebolds computer software engineers had given $25,000 to the Republican National Committee in 2000. The Diebold conspiracy theory was idiotic and thoroughly refuted. Yet, during the official count of the 2004 Electoral College vote, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) objected to Ohio casting their electoral votes, requiring both houses to debate Ohios electoral votes for two hours. Thirty-one House Democrats and Senator Boxer unjustifiably voted not to count Ohios electoral votes. In early July, former U.S. Sen. John Danforth and seven other prominent Republicans released a report entitled LOST, NOT STOLEN: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election. The 72-page report studied all 64 cases containing 187 counts brought by Trump and his supporters in six battleground states including Nevada. In Nevada, Trump and supporters brought 10 cases with 28 counts challenging the results. They were unsuccessful in proving fraud or irregularities sufficient to overturn the election result in any Nevada court or investigation. No evidence established that Dominion voting machines and software were fraudulently manipulated or the Agilis Sorting Systems machine used to verify signatures was unreliable. Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske conducted numerous investigations of the election results and repeatedly confirmed the integrity of the election, finding no allegations of election misconduct that would have any impact on the election outcome. Cegavske certified the results, with Biden carrying Nevada by 33,596 votes. A critical conclusion: The Danforth report notes Trump lost the election because a small but significant subset of Republican voters supported GOP candidates down ballot but not Trump for president. We continue our overview of Tolkien's Legendarium and mythology ahead of the premiere of The Rings of Power, the new Amazon Prime Video series that will arrive on September 2 and will serve as a prequel to The Lord of the Rings. After reviewing who is Melkor / Morgoth, Sauron's mentor and first Dark Lord, today we want to focus on the world in which the adventures and misadventures of the British writer take place. And more specifically, in its origin. Because we usually refer to this world as Middle-earth, but it is a mistake because this is only an area of it, a continent. Put away your smartphones and take out a sheet of paper and a pen, please. It's time for a geography and history test. What is the name of the world of The Lord of the Rings and The Rings of Power? The world of The Lord of the Rings and The Rings of Power is called Arda and was created by the Ainur. Before going on it should be made clear that Tolkien (1892-1973) was a deeply religious man (like most people and writers of the time, as was CS Lewis of The Chronicles of Narnia), so much of his imagery was built on Christian foundations. At the beginning of time, there was a god, Iluvatar, whose spirit or soul was known as the Flame Imperishable and gave him the gift of creating new things. In the manner of Voldemort with the Horcruxes (though without murder), Iluvatar used his spirit to create the Ainur, divine and immortal beings that came in his image and likeness. They also had the ability to create, although with more style, since they did it "by means of the Great Music". It could be said that when the Ainur got tired of being in limbo with Iluvatar and wanted to become independent, they took the instruments from which Arda, the physical world, was born. Middle Earth, also known as... Europe In Arda, that physical, earthly world created by the Ainur, many continents and regions have existed over the years. Just as it happened with the Earth and Pangaea in real life, its geography has been changing with time, the different ages and their respective events. There was even a time when it was a flat world. In the article on Numenor, Tolkien's Atlantis, we commented on how its sinking turned Arda into a spherical planet. If you are interested in the subject, there are dozens of maps on its evolution that accumulate and overlap one with another. The one we should care about is Middle-earth, the main continent, also known as Endor. It is here that the events of the Lord of the Rings films and presumably those of The Rings of Power take place. Middle-earth is clearly inspired by Europe and Tolkien himself once unveiled the references for various locations, although he always encouraged not to look for exact geographical correspondences. However, it is often said that Hobbiton would be a sort of Oxford or Yorkshire; Minas Tirith, the glorious capital of Gondor, would be the city of Ravenna in Italy, or perhaps Florence; Mordor would be Turkey, and so on. But apart from Middle-earth, there are other continents in Arda, such as Valinor (also called Aman, land of Valar and elves), or the uninhabited Land of the Sun, later replaced by the Dark Lands. Who are the Valar and the Maiar? Finally, let's clarify who the Valar and the Maiar are, as you have probably heard both names (and you will hear them even more during the broadcast of the series). Do you remember the Ainur we were talking about before? Those divine beings that came from the god Iluvatar? Well, it's them again. When Arda was created, there were many Ainur who stayed with Iluvatar, but those who went to live in the physical world were given the names Valar and Maiar. The Valar were the most powerful, the nobility of the Ainur, and lacked gender and physical body, but were classified as female or male depending on their temperament. At first, there were 15 of them, including Melkor, the first Dark Lord. The Maiar were under their orders, were their entourage and had a lower rank. Some examples are Gandalf, Saruman or Sauron, and even the balrog and dragons are Maia transformed. The history of Arda is the history of the battles between the Valar and how they moved their pawns (humans, elves, dwarves and other fantastic creatures) by means of their Maiar. All while Iluvatar and the rest of Ainur just watched. * Provided that China's sovereignty, security and development interests are guaranteed, after reunification Taiwan will enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region: white paper * After reunification, foreign countries can continue to develop economic and cultural relations with Taiwan: white paper * All Taiwan compatriots who support reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation will be the masters of the region: white paper China on Wednesday released a white paper to expound on the position and policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to achieve national reunification in the new era, including the envisioning of a new special administrative region (SAR) for Taiwan. The white paper, titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," is the third one on the Taiwan question in the history of the People's Republic of China. The first two were issued in August 1993 and February 2000. Provided that China's sovereignty, security and development interests are guaranteed, after reunification Taiwan will enjoy a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region, according to the white paper released by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office. The release of the white paper is a powerful countermeasure against "Taiwan independence" separatists and external interference, said Lau Siu-kai, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies. "It helps debunk the smears of 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and the United States and other Western countries, and fully demonstrates our strong will and determination to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation," Lau said. Taiwan has belonged to China since ancient times. This statement has a sound basis in history and jurisprudence, says the white paper, adding that the one-China principle represents the universal consensus of the international community. "We are one China, and Taiwan is part of China. This is an indisputable fact supported by history and the law. Taiwan has never been a state; its status as part of China is unalterable," says the white paper. "Never before have we been so close to, confident in, and capable of achieving the goal of national rejuvenation. The same is true when it comes to our goal of complete national reunification," says the white paper. A spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee said the white paper demonstrated "our strong confidence toward complete national reunification, our resolute determination in fighting against separatist forces seeking 'Taiwan independence' and external interference, as well as our original aspiration in safeguarding the well-being of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits." OBSTACLES THAT MUST BE REMOVED Blasting the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the white paper says that the actions of the DPP authorities have resulted in tension in cross-Straits relations, endangering peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, and undermining the prospects and restricting the space for peaceful reunification. "These are obstacles that must be removed in advancing the process of peaceful reunification," it says. External forces have encouraged and instigated provocative actions by the separatist forces; these have intensified cross-Straits tension and confrontation, and undermined peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, says the white paper. Relying on external forces will achieve nothing for Taiwan's separatists, and using Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail. The wheel of history rolls on toward national reunification, and it will not be stopped by any individual or any force, it says. Under the current complex international and cross-Straits situation, the release of the white paper is conducive to exposing the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' collusion with external forces in making provocations, as well as their vicious words and deeds that attempt to undermine China's sovereignty and territorial integrity or stand in the way of its reunification, said the spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee. The release of the white paper is timely and targeted at "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and the interference of external forces, said Zou Zhenqiu, a national lawmaker and head of the Jiangsu provincial federation of Taiwan compatriots. "No matter what the 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces and external anti-China forces may do, the fact that both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to one and the same China will never change," he said. PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION Peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" are our basic principles for resolving the Taiwan question and the best approach to realizing national reunification, says the white paper. "We are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification, but we will leave no room for separatist activities in any form," it says. "We will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. In no way does it target our fellow Chinese in Taiwan. Use of force would be the last resort taken under compelling circumstances," it adds. "The future of Taiwan lies in China's reunification, and the well-being of the people in Taiwan hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This is becoming a consensus of Taiwan compatriots," said Cheng Kuang Yi, a young entrepreneur from Taiwan. Cheng, who has been living on the mainland for 15 years, said more and more young people from Taiwan are coming to the mainland for study and work as the motherland provides great opportunities for their personal development. In the meantime, these Taiwan compatriots have also taken an active part in the economic and social development of the mainland. "We hope Taiwan compatriots will stand on the right side of history, be proud of their Chinese identity, and fully consider the position and role of Taiwan in China's rejuvenation," said the spokesperson for the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee. TAIWAN AS SAR ENVISIONED "To realize peaceful reunification, we must acknowledge that the mainland and Taiwan have their own distinct social systems and ideologies," the white paper says. "The 'one country, two systems' principle is the most inclusive solution to this problem." The white paper says that after peaceful reunification, Taiwan may continue its current social system and enjoy a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the law. Taiwan's social system and its way of life will be fully respected, and the private property, religious beliefs, and lawful rights and interests of the people in Taiwan will be fully protected. All Taiwan compatriots who support reunification of the country and rejuvenation of the nation will be the masters of the region, the white paper says. With a powerful motherland in support, the people of Taiwan will enjoy greater security and dignity and stand upright and rock-solid in the international community, the white paper adds. After reunification, foreign countries can continue to develop economic and cultural relations with Taiwan. With the approval of the central government of China, they may set up consulates or other official and quasi-official institutions in Taiwan, international organizations and agencies may establish offices, relevant international conventions can be applied, and relevant international conferences can be held there, according to the white paper. Peaceful cross-Straits reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation, but to all peoples and the international community as a whole, the white paper says. The Vietnam Trade Office organises an event to introduce Vietnamese longan to local consumers (Photo: congthuong.vn) Previously, dozens of tonnes of the tropical fruit were transported to the country. VNA quoted that the office said it has coordinated with importers in the host country to organise an event to introduce Vietnamese longan to local consumers and overseas Vietnamese there. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Vietnamese longan products exported to Southern Australia and Western Australia states by Red Dragon Co., Ltd and distributed by 4Waysfresh continues to be popular among local consumers. 4Waysfresh said it is waiting for Red Dragon to transport more longan to Australia in the coming time. The office has urged Vietnamese enterprises to promote the export of longan in particular and other farm produce in general to this market, and coordinate with it in trade promotion activities. Vietnams export to American market sees sharp rebound Post-pandemic robust rebound in the American market has ushered in multiple opportunities for Vietnam to expand its export of key products, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) According to VNA, Vietnams export to the American market jumped by nearly 22% to nearly 77 billion USD in the first seven months of 2022. Of which, shipment to the US was a bright spot, reaching 66.7 billion USD, up 23.7% year-on-year. In 2021, Vietnam made a hallmark in exporting its goods to the American market in the context of the global COVID-9 crisis, earning 114 billion in total export value, representing a year-on-year increase of 27%. It enjoyed a trade surplus of 89 billion USD with the market in the year. Exports to the US surpassed 96 billion USD last year, 21 billion USD higher than that reported in 2020, placing the US in the leading position among Vietnams importers with export turnover far exceeding that to other markets like China, the EU, ASEAN, the Republic of Korea, and Japan. Many new markets that signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with Vietnam in America such as Canada and Mexico have also increased imports from the Southeast Asian nation. In January July, Vietnams export turnover to Canada and Mexico hit 3.23 billion USD and 2.4 billion USD, up 31.5% and 14.2 percent, respectively. Vo Hong Anh, Deputy Director of the MoITs European - American Market Department, said apart from the US market, Vietnams exports to other American markets recorded robust growth thanks to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Aquatic products, wooden products, textiles, footwear and farm produce and electronics were among those recording impressive export growth in the American market. Anh cited shrimp export as an example for effectively tapping CPTPP, saying Vietnam earned over 100 million USD from shipping shrimp to Canada in the first half of 2022, soaring nearly 90% as compared to the same period last year. According to the MoIT, handsets, computers, and electronic items hold the largest proportion in Vietnams export structure to the American market, reaching 43.3%; followed by textile, apparel, and footwear products with 25%; wood and wooden items with 8%; and agricultural and agro-aquatic products with 4%. However, the foreign-invested sector remains a main contributor to Vietnams total export value to this market. Storm Mulan weakens, heavy rain expected along northern coastal localities Tropical storm Mulan was downgraded into a tropical low depression in the Gulf of Tonkin and struck localities along the northern coast early on August 11, reported VOV. Tropical storm Mulan has weakened before making landfall along the northern coast on August 11. At 4am on August 11, the tropical depression was located near the coast along Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, with winds gusting 49kph. It is forecast to move further inland and weaken further in the coming hours. The northern and north-central localities will experience a large spell of heavy rain on August 11, with some areas expected to receive up to 100mm or even 150mm during the day, according to weather experts. Heavy rain in the morning of August 11 in Hanoi (Source: VNA) Mulan is the second tropical storm that has form in the East Sea and the first storm that has hit Vietnam the 2022 stormy season. Before Mulan moved close to the mainland, localities along the northern coast had banned fishing vessels setting sail and reinforced fishing cages. Some had even planned to evacuate local residents in low-lying areas and estuaries in case of emergency. Several airlines such as Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air announced early on August 9 that they would reschedule a number of flights due to the impact of the storm./. The two sides sign memorandum of understanding on cooperation in diverse areas. (Photo: TDO) Welcoming the Lao provinces delegation on the occasion that the two countries are celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Ms. Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, Secretary of the Vinh Phuc Provincial Party Committee, emphasized the friendly cooperation relationship between Vinh Phuc and Luong Nam Tha Provinces over the past time, especially the exchange of delegations, cultural exchanges and cooperation in the field of education and training. She also affirmed that these are practical activities of Vinh Phuc in order to further tighten the friendly cooperative relationship between Vinh Phuc and Luong Nam Tha provinces in particular, and between Vietnam and Laos in general. She informed the delegation some general features of socio-economic development and Party building work of Vinh Phuc. She expressed her wish that, in the coming time, the two provinces would continue to stick to the guidelines of the two Parties and two States, jointly maintain and promote friendly cooperation activities with other countries, including information exchange activities, exchange of delegations; cooperation in supporting human resource training; cooperation in support of the construction of physical and technical infrastructure and further promotion of the cooperation in the fields of investment attraction, trade promotion and tourism. Mr. Kham Lay Si Pa Sot briefly presented some overview of the Party building and socio-economic development of Luong Nam Tha Province and affirmed that in the coming time, cooperation activities between the two sides will continue to further tighten their traditional friendship and cooperation. The asserted that the delegation of Luong Nam Tha Province will absorb the lessons of experience in Party building and socio-economic development of Vinh Phuc to apply and make Luang Nam Tha more and more developed. At the same time, Vinh Phuc province will continue to help Luong Nam Tha in many fields, especially human resource training. On this occasion, representatives of the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding, agreeing on a number of contents on continuing to regularly exchange visits and exchange experiences in socio-economic fields; and strengthening cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, sports, education, training and human resource development. Accordingly, Vinh Phuc will continue to support funding for training Lao cadres and foreign students to study at universities and colleges in the area and vice versa, Luang Nam Tha Province will also support training costs for cadres and foreign students for Vinh Phuc Province to study at universities and colleges in Laos according to the actual plan and agreement of the two parties; and continuing to create favorable conditions for businesses of the two provinces to promote cooperation, investment and trade promotion in each locality./. Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Phan Van Mai presents a gift to new Consul General of Belarus Ruslan Varrankou. (Photo: hcmcpv.org.vn) During the reception, he stressed that the Consulate General of Belarus in Ho Chi Minh City plays an important role in contributing to the two countries relationship. Welcoming the Consulate General of Belarus to open an office in Ho Chi Minh City, he affirmed that Ho Chi Minh City has the responsibility to create conditions for the office to operate well. Ho Chi Minh City is very confident that when the Consulate General of Belarus opens in the city, it will focus on further promoting trade and investment relations, enhancing exchanges and promoting cooperation between the two sides. In the short term, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation in the fields of culture, education and tourism, which will serve as a long-term foundation for the relationship between the two countries. Ho Chi Minh City is very pleased to welcome the Prime Minister of Belarus to visit Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City, he emphasized. Regarding the cooperative relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Minsk City, he said that Ho Chi Minh City agrees with the content framework of cooperation between the two localities in many fields necessary for Ho Chi Minh City. In order for the cooperation to be feasible and effective in each field, the two localities need to choose specific things to implement until 2025. At the same time, Ho Chi Minh City looks forward to welcoming the Chairman of Minsk City to Ho Chi Minh City for further strengthen ties between localities. New Consul General of Belarus to Ho Chi Minh City Ruslan Varrankou affirmed that the good relations between the two countries have existed for a long time and highly appreciated the affection of the Vietnamese people for Belarus. He said that Belarus is trying to bring the relations of the two countries to a comprehensive development, and has long attached importance to Vietnam's role in cooperation. As proof of this, Belarus has decided to open an office in Ho Chi Minh City. Emphasizing the position of Ho Chi Minh City as a major economic and financial center of the country, Consul General Ruslan Varrankou added that he believed it will contribute to the development of the relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Belarus within the relationship between the two countries. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations, and he said that the establishment of the Consulate General of Belarus in Ho Chi Minh City on this occasion is very meaningful. Belarus is preparing a series of cultural events to celebrate the establishment of diplomatic relations such as exhibitions and concerts, hoping to contribute to promoting bilateral relations. Regarding the friendly cooperation relationship between Ho Chi Minh City and Minsk City, he said he hoped that the two sides would soon discuss and agree on a cooperation program in the proposed fields such as participation in projects on public transport and public passenger transport./. At the reception (Photo: VNA) NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hosted a reception for Anouphap Tounalom, Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, and Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Peoples Council of Vientiane. According to Hue, during the official visit to Laos by a delegation of the Vietnamese legislature last May, the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation between delegations of NA deputies and localities that share the border line and sister localities, including Hanoi and Vientiane. He noted that the two capital cities have set an example for cooperation at the local level, with the sharing of experience in Party building, socio-economic development and activities of Peoples Councils. Hue used the occasion to thank Vientianes authorities for creating conditions for Vietnamese firms to do business in the city, and called on Anouphap Tounalom and other leaders of Vientiane to further facilitate their operations. For his part, Anouphap Tounalom said his visit aims to contribute to tightening the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, and celebrating the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. Highlighting the close ties between Hanoi and Vientiane, the official said the Lao capital city has also forged relations with Ho Chi Minh City and other localities of Vietnam. Anouphap Tounalom also described his visit as a start of cooperation between Peoples Councils of the two cities, saying the two sides will exchange operational experience, contributing to consolidating people-elected agencies in localities./. Vietnam's pavilion at the bazaar (Photo: baoquocte.vn) The event was attended by the embassies of ASEAN member countries including Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Chief of Miguel Hidalgo District Mauricio Tabe Echartea, and the Embassies of China, the Republic of Korea and Japan were also invited to participate in the event. After the opening ceremony, the embassies of ASEAN countries put on many musical, fashion and martial arts performances. At the event, countries also introduced traditional dishes and exhibited handicrafts, garments, and products imbued with national identity. Vietnams pavilion especially attracted the attention of visitors with traditional dishes and unique handicrafts, Ao Dai costumes, conical hats and travel books. In addition, the embassy also displayed pictures about the country and people of Vietnam. Many guests and local people enjoyed and appreciated the richness of cultural and national identities of the participating countries. The bazaar contributed to enhancing cultural exchange and promoting the image of the countries and peoples of ASEAN member countries, while improving understanding and further tightening the friendship and cooperation with the host country./. Ambassador Ly Duc Trung (left) and President Isaac Herzog at the reception (Photo: CPV) At a reception for the newly-appointed ambassador after presenting the credentials, President Isaac Herzog showed his interest in boosting bilateral relations, particularly on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023. The President expected to step up people-to-people exchanges with Vietnam through tourist and business visits, and that the two sides can enhance academic exchanges to look at complex strategic competition among global powers and current insecurity. He stressed that Vietnam has a very important position in Israels foreign policy. In the coming time, he will continue to meet the new Vietnamese ambassador to discuss ways to bolster relations between the two countries, the President said. For his part, Ambassador Ly Duc Trung expressed his honour at taking the position, affirming that he will make active contributions to boost friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries. He emphasized that the two countries will mark the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023, therefore he expects the two sides will increase all-level delegation exchanges and organize celebrations on this occasion to take their bilateral ties to a new height. Mr. Trung believed that people-to-people exchanges and new opportunities for cooperation for the business communities of Vietnam and Israel will be promoted after the two countries sign bilateral free trade and labour cooperation agreements and open direct flights./. Ambassador Vu Quang Minh presents flowers to congratulate Vietnamese cultural space in Germany (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Vu Quang Minh said that Vietnamese cultural space in Germany has contributed to preserving and promoting good values as well as a unified community. He emphasized that activities within the program have attracted people of different social strata, helping to enhance solidarity within the Vietnamese community, and boosting relations between the two countries. According to Le Xuan Dinh, head of the organizing committee, there are hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese living and working in Germany, and they have preserved and promoted traditional cultural values. He said that various cultural activities are organized during holidays like the death anniversary of Hung Kings, Lunar New Year (Tet) and full-moon festival./. Da Nang welcomes famtrip delegation from India. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Binh, Deputy Director of the Danang Department of Tourism, said the Famtrip titled the Best of Vietnam gathered eight leading tour operators, including One Above, In Time, Tourister, Vinnaayak Holidays, Kesari Travels, Jain & Jain Travels, Whiteboard, and Plutus Voyages. The tour operators surveyed Vietnams popular destinations from August 2 to 9, in which hot spots in Da Nang were surveyed on August 5-6. Through famtrip activities, the Da Nang tourism industry wants to introduce to Indian tour operators the deep cultural connection between Vietnam and India, creating a highlight for the tour programs of Indian tourists to Da Nang. Aiming at high-quality guests including MICE and wedding, the famtrip program included luxury services and 5-star accommodation at Furama Resort Da Nang. Mr. Basheer Adul Rahim, Director of One Above and Head of the delegation, said that Da Nang is actively promoting its destinations to the Indian market. Along with the direct flight network from India to Da Nang, he believed that the central coastal city will soon reach the milestone of 3 million Indian visitors within the next 2 years. Within the framework of promotional activities for the Indian market, the Da Nang Department of Tourism successfully organized the Da Nang Tourism Introduction Program in New Delhi, India on August 4. Da Nang also welcomed a school tour group with 33 guests who were professors and principals from universities in the state of Assam, Northeast India, to the city./. The delegation of the Hanoi Party Committee has just visited, worked and signed many important cooperation documents with the leaders of Vientiane city (Laos). (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) The move is part of activities held to mark the Vietnam Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022 and help strengthen exchanges and further tighten the relationship between the two parties, two countries, and two peoples. Accordingly, the Investment and Trade Promotion Conference will be held August 10, at Melia Hotel, Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District. The event will be attended by leaders of Hanoi, representatives of departments, about 60 Hanoi enterprises, representatives of Vientiane and Lao enterprises. The photo exhibition space will be held from August 10 to 12 with photos about the capital Vientiane and typical products of the two capitals on display. The City Peoples Committee assigned the Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center to coordinate and work with relevant departments and agencies to implement the activities of the two events. In addition to showing the importance of the special friendship, solidarity and cooperation between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, as well as the traditional friendship between Hanoi and Vientiane, the events also aim to seek opportunities for cooperation, investment and commercial development between the two cities./. Children's representatives from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia joined activities at the festival (Source: tienphong.vn) Children's representatives from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia take part in the ceremony of dove release pigeons to show the spirit of peace and solidarity. (Photo: VNA) The event is hosted the Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMYU) celebrate the Vietnam-Laos Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022, the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Laos, 45 years of the signing of the Vietnam - Laos Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, the "Vietnam - Cambodia Friendship Year 2022" and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-Cambodia diplomatic relations. Speaking at the opening of the event, Secretary of the HCMYU Central Committee Doan Ngo Van Cuong said that this year's festival is intended to create opportunities for children of the three countries to enhance exchanges and mutual understanding, and help educate them about the special traditional friendship among the three countries, thus promoting the role of young generations in preserving and further strengthening the special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the Party, State and people of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This is the fifth time the festival has been held. The event is organised every two years since 2010. Last year, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the event, delegates will visit historical relics and museums as well as attend activities at destinations in HCM City./. The supply of Russian oil through Ukraine via the Druzhba pipeline has resumed to Slovakia, and crude will arrive in Hungary tomorrow, the Slovnaft company told Interfax-Ukraine. "Oil is already returning to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline, and supplies to Hungary are expected to be restored tomorrow. The technical problem that caused the delay were addressed via prompt actions by MOL and Slovnaft: the company transferred the transit fee to pay for the use of the Ukrainian section, and the Ukrainians, true to their promise, started transporting crude oil through the southern section of the pipeline," a spokesperson for the company said. MOL and Slovnaft immediately initiated negotiations with the Ukrainians and Russians after the oil supply cutoff and indicated that they would undertake to pay the transit fees. "A quick agreement was reached on this, so transportation through the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Hungary and Slovakia, is against ongoing without interruption," the company said. "Both Slovnaft and MOL want to continue to be an active mediator in finding a permanent solution to the changed conditions caused by EU regulation. The fees currently paid will be settled with the Russian side as part of mutual credit," the Slovnaft spokesperson said. Earlier, Transneft reported that Ukrtransnafta stopped the transit of Russian oil on August 4 due to failure to pay the transit fee. It was noted that the funds sent on July 22 for transit in August were returned to Transneft's account on July 28 in connection with the entry into force of EU Regulation 2022/1269. The southern branch of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which runs through Ukraine, delivers oil to refineries in Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic on the basis of a long-term contract between Transneft and JSC Ukrtransnafta for transportation services on a 100% prepayment basis. There have been no reports on the resolution of the transit problem to the Czech Republic so far. Last year, 12 million tonnes of Russian oil, including 3.4 million tonnes to the Czech Republic, 5.2 million tonnes to Slovakia and 3.4 million tonnes to Hungary, were transported through the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine. According to the results of January-June this year, Metinvest reduced steel production by 45% compared to the same period last year, to 2.412 million tonnes, according to a press release from the parent company Metinvest B.V. on Wednesday. According to the report, the production of pig iron decreased 49%, to 2.252 million tonnes, coke fell by 55%, to 1.075 million tonnes. At the same time, in connection with the start of a large-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, from February 24, 2022, Metinvest decided to halt the manufacturing activities of its assets in Mariupol, Avdiyivka and Zaporizhia. The group's Zaporizhia enterprises resumed their production operations later. The group's facilities in Mariupol and Avdiyivka have been affected by hostilities. In the second quarter, iron and steel production amounted to 424,000 tonnes and 450,000 tonnes, respectively, which is 77% lower than in the previous quarter. In general, in the first half of 2022, the production of iron and steel amounted to 2.252 million tonnes and 2.412 million tonnes, respectively, which is 49% and 45% lower than the same period last year. The lack of production from the Mariupol steelmakers since the end of February 2022 was partly compensated by production volumes at Kamet Steel. In addition, in the second quarter of 2022, the production of merchant semi-finished products decreased by 52% compared to the previous quarter, to 249,000 tonnes, largely due to a slump in hot metal production. In the first half of 2022, the production of merchant semi-finished products decreased by 47%, to 771,000 tonnes. This was partly compensated by the output of merchant billets at Kamet Steel, the effect of which in H1 2022 was 444,000 tonnes. In the second quarter of 2022, the production of finished products decreased by 72% compared to the previous quarter, to 414,000 tonnes. At the same time, the production of flat products decreased by 946,000 tonnes, to 167,000 tonnes, because of the lack of production from the Mariupol steelmakers since late February 2022 and the shutdown of the Italian re-rolling plants for a scheduled maintenance in May 2022 in the absence of stable slab supplies. Production of long products decreased by 81,000 tonnes to 247,000 tonnes because of a production decline at Kamet Steel, irregular deliveries of billets from Kamet Steel to Promet Steel in Q2 2022, and the lack of production at Azovstal since the end of February 2022. In the first half of 2022, the production of finished products decreased 46% compared to the same period last year, to 1.884 million tonnes. At the same time, the production of flat products decreased 1.658 million tonnes, to 1.281 million tonnes, the production of long products increased by 125,000 tonnes, to 575,000 tonnes following the acquisition of re-rolling facilities by Kamet Steel, which fully compensated the lack of Azovstal's volumes since the end of February 2022 and the lower output at Promet Steel given the aforementioned reasons. The production of rail products fell by 2,000 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes, pipe products by 62,000 tonnes to 18,000 tonnes. The output of the group's coke-making assets has been affected by the war in Ukraine. Thus, in the second quarter of 2022, coke production decreased 63% compared to the previous quarter, to 292,000 tonnes, and in the first half of 2022 it fell by 55% compared to the same period last year, to 1.075 million tonnes. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi has announced that he will brief the United Nations Security Council on August 11 about the nuclear safety and security situation at Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). "I welcome this opportunity to inform the United Nations Security Council about the extremely serious situation facing one of the worlds biggest nuclear power plants, now located in the middle of an active war zone. An accident at this plant could threaten public health and the environment both in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, as well as further away," he said. The meeting is scheduled to start at 9 pm CET. The United Nations invited Director General Grossi to address the 15-nation Security Council via video link. He said that he will also brief the Security Council on about my plans and preparations to personally lead an IAEA mission to the site in the very near future. "Now more than ever, the IAEA's presence at the plant is of paramount importance to help reduce the danger of a possible nuclear disaster there," he added. Ukraine will not leave unanswered the shelling of Dnipropetrovsk region that took place on Wednesday, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said in a traditional video message. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and our law enforcement agencies will not leave today's Russian shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region unanswered. 13 people died as a result of the occupiers' attack on Marhanets'. More than ten are wounded, five are in grave condition, he said. According to him, Russian troops were striking with Grads. This regular manifestation of Russian terror, just as the attacks on Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, once again proves that it is necessary to increase military aid to Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is working to protect the interests of Ukrainian citizens who are on the territory of the Russian Federation, in particular about citizens illegally removed from the territories temporarily occupied by the Russian army, said spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko. "As it is known, there are no Ukrainian diplomatic institutions on the territory of the Russian Federation. On behalf of the President of Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry reached an agreement in principle with Switzerland on the representation of Ukrainian interests in Russia. The choice in favor of Switzerland was made because of its extensive experience in performing such functions and we are grateful to the Swiss government for its willingness to provide its good services," Nikolenko said in a comment published by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. He noted that the modality of Switzerland's representation of Ukraine's interests in the Russian Federation will be determined by a bilateral agreement. At the same time, according to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the host party must provide consent for Switzerland to represent Ukraine's interests in Russia. Minister of Defense of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Ben Wallace has announced that he would send Ukraine three more multiple rocket launchers in addition to the three already delivered, as well as a significant number of missiles that they launch. In a BBC comment in Copenhagen on Thursday, he noted that these high-precision weapons are already helping Ukraine target Russian ammunition supplies and command centers. According to the minister, Britain is very pleased with how Ukraine uses the missile launchers already provided. He noted that the Ukrainian forces are very good at distinguishing which targets to hit so that they do not run out of ammunition quickly. Wallace noted that this is part of Ukraine's transition from using old Soviet-era weapons to modern NATO weapons. Wallace said that their continued support sends a very clear message: Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will support Ukraine by providing it with defensive military assistance to help it defend against Putin's invasion. The publication does not specify the names of the MLRS, but says that they are similar to the American HIMARS systems and use the same missiles with a strike range of up to 80 km. As earlier reported, the United Kingdom supplied Ukraine with three M270 multiple launch rocket systems. On August 9, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl announced plans for the UK to supply three more MLRS as well. Intentions to supply M270 to Ukraine were also announced in Germany. The Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine clarifies that on Tuesday, as a result of explosions at the military airfield Saky in the temporarily occupied Crimea, more than nine Russian aircraft were destroyed. "Satellite images of the Ukrainian military airfield Saky in Crimea. Before and after the emergency situation. As we can see, there are not nine, but many more demilitarized Russian aircraft," the command of the AFUs Air Force wrote on Facebook on Wednesday evening. Earlier, the Air Force Command said nine aircraft of the occupiers were destroyed at Saky airfield. Two carriers of the Russian occupiers' Kalibr cruise missiles with a combined salvo of 16 missiles are on combat duty in the Black Sea, five more are in the Mediterranean, the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Facebook on Thursday morning. In the Sea of Azov, the enemy continues to control maritime communications, keeping up to five ships and boats on alert. In addition, in the interests of the Russian Federation, 31 vessels passed through the Kerch-Yenikal Strait captured by them during the day in the direction of the Sea of Azov (of which seven vessels moved from the Bosphorus Strait), 28 vessels moved to the Black Sea (of which one vessel continued to move in the direction of the Bosphorus). "The Russian Federation continues to violate the 1974 International Convention for the Protection of Human Life at Sea (SOLAS) by turning off automatic identification systems (AIS) on civilian vessels in the waters of the Sea of Azov. Deputy Head of the Presidents Office of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko announced the launch of an online platform where the condition of war-affected facilities in Ukraine is monitored in real time. On his Telegram on Thursday morning, he also announced the finalizing of joint developments with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on the implementation of the Recovery and Modernization Plan. "The recovery plan of Ukraine Fast recovery plan is constantly in operation The daily dialogue of citizens with local authorities is already yielding a positive result. During the meetings with the ambassadors of the partner countries, we present our idea of restoring Ukraine, especially the critical infrastructure that is already needed," Tymoshenko wrote. He called this goal ambitious, but feasible. "We are taking on the implementation of all our plans so that citizens can return to their homes, get all the necessary services, and our children continue to attend their favorite kindergartens and schools," Tymoshenko summed up. As reported, the Fast Recovery plan a plan to restore Ukraine from the consequences of a full-scale war - was presented at an expanded meeting of the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine. The total amount for the implementation of the Fast Recovery plan is $17 billion. It involves the restoration of 100% of the housing stock in de-occupied territories, as well as parts of schools, kindergartens, hospitals and housing and communal services facilities, this is in total more than 38,000 objects. EU coordinates delivery of more than 60,000 tonnes of aid to Ukraine worth over EUR 425 mln The European Union has coordinated the delivery of more than 60,000 tonnes of in-kind assistance worth over EUR 425 million to Ukraine to respond to emergencies. According to the European Commission on Thursday, to date, the EU has coordinated the delivery of 66,224 tonnes of in-kind assistance to Ukraine from 30 countries, via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. "The assistance delivered includes 180 ambulances, 125 fire-fighting vehicles, 300 power generators, 35 heavy machinery vehicles, and 4 pontoon bridges. This is by far the largest, longest lasting and most complex operation via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism since it was established in 2001, with an estimated value so far of over E425 million," the European Commission said. In particular, to support this operation, logistics hubs have been set up in Poland, Romania and Slovakia where assistance is then chanelled directly to Ukraine. In this regard, Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, said: "We are all horrified by Russia's atrocities in Ukraine. By providing emergency assistance, we can at least ease the immense pressure on Ukraine's emergency response systems. Today we have reached an important milestone over 60,000 tonnes of in-kind assistance coordinated via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has arrived in Ukraine." The European Commissioner thanked every single Member State, together with Norway, Turkey and North Macedonia "for having offered help that we have then channelled most effectively through the Mechanism." "This solidarity is the proof that the EU is with Ukraine not only in words but in actions," he said. The Estonian government decided at a meeting on Thursday to restrict the issuance of visas to Russian citizens and their arrival on Schengen visas issued by Estonia. "We are observing a steep growth in the number of Russian citizens traveling through Estonia or arriving in Estonia from Russia," Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said at a government press conference. "The ability of Russian citizens to visit Estonia en masse or travel to Europe via Estonia contravenes the spirit of our sanctions," Reinsalu said. In his words, Russia should have no "possibility to keep living a normal international life at the level of its citizens." Estonia will stop issuing work, student and business visas to Russian citizens, he said. As an exception, Estonian residence permits will be extended for one year for the students finalizing their education at Estonian higher educational establishments, Reinsalu said. Russian citizens with long-term residence permits in Estonia, visiting immediate family members in Estonia, Russian diplomats stationed in Estonia and their families, employees of international cargo and passenger transport companies, and citizens traveling consistent with EU laws (including people arriving in Estonia for humanitarian reasons) will still be admitted to Estonia. The restrictions will take effect a week from now, on August 18. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba called on IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to send an international mission led by the IAEA and with the participation of UN military experts to the Zaporizhia NPP to assess the threats to nuclear safety as a result of the seizure of the nuclear power plant by Russian invaders. "Yesterday I sent an official letter to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. I informed the heads of these two organizations of the facts of violation by the Russian occupiers of all IAEA seven basic safeguards during the occupation of the Zaporizhia NPP... I called for an international mission to be sent to ZNPP under the IAEA leadership. I proposed to include UN military experts in it, since there must be specialists of appropriate expertise to assess the threats to the militarization of the facility," Kuleba said at an online briefing on Thursday. Kuleba stressed that "the Russians have actually turned Europe's largest nuclear power plant into a military base and endanger the security of the entire continent." According to the minister, Ukraine insists that the international mission be organized as soon as possible and arrive at the occupied ZNPP exclusively through the territory of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian side is ready to provide the necessary assistance for it. "If Russia has nothing to hide, it must immediately provide IAEA and UN specialists with access to the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant," the Foreign Minister said. Kuleba once again stressed that it is necessary to increase international pressure on Moscow to return the plant under the full control of Ukraine and prevent a nuclear catastrophe. The Minister also called Russia's initiative to convene a meeting of the UN Security Council on the subject of the security of the Zaporizhia NPP "impudence that knows no boundaries and has already reached global proportions." "The terrorist state that shelled the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, seized it, placed weapons on its territory and continues shelling wants to talk about security. But Russian lies will not work. We will provide the Russians with such a discussion that there will be no living place left for them. The whole world knows that Russia is engaged in nuclear terrorism and the meeting of the Security Council will once again confirm this," Kuleba assured. Israeli Embassy in Ukraine hands over 50,000 packages of ready meals to Kyiv, they to be donated to AFU Klitschko Kyiv City Mayor Vitali Klitschko has met with Israeli Ambassador to Ukraine Michael Brodsky, the press service of Kyiv City State Administration reports on Telegram. "The embassy donated 50,000 packages of ready meals to Kyiv, with heating elements. The city will donate them to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our defenders. Such assistance is the implementation of the agreement between the capital and the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine. All food sets were prepared in Poland," the statement says. . Klitschko thanks Israel for the support that has been provided to Ukraine and Kyiv since the start of the large-scale Russian invasion. "These are hundreds of tonnes of humanitarian aid, medical assistance. And also, the training of our psychologists to work with war-affected Ukrainians is carried out under the Mashav project," Klitschko stressed. Klitschko and Brodsky also discussed cooperation on the creation of rehabilitation centers in Ukraine. The ambassador noted that Israel would accept wounded Ukrainian defenders, in particular, those who need prosthetics, as well as children with oncology. About 13,000 Belarusian servicemen had signed an agreement to participate in the war against Ukraine, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksiy Hromov said. "Six battalions of the Belarusian Armed Forces are deployed along Ukraine's state border and performing tasks in the areas bordering Ukraine. According to reports, Russia continues to draw Belarus into a full-scale war against Ukraine. According to preliminary data, up to 13,000 active and former servicemen of the Belarusian special operations forces, as well as OMON [Special Purpose Mobile Unit], signed an agreement to participate in the war against Ukraine," he said at a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine - Ukrinform on Thursday. Hromov also noted that in addition to its own armed forces, Russia invites foreign representatives to the training grounds of Belarus. "So, on August 3, the first foreign teams from the Russian Federation, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Cameroon, Tajikistan, Syria, Laos and Mali arrived at the Machulishchy airfield (Minsk region). On August 8, a team of personnel from the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School was seen. All this is carried out to create a picture of the so-called international military cooperation of the aggressor," he said. At the same time, according to him, the main motive of the representatives of the occupying troops is material and financial, and there is no ideological component in their actions. "No one believes in denazification, in protecting the rights of the Russian-speaking population. Fear and money are the main factors of the Russian military presence," he stressed. On Thursday, Russian invaders again fired at the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant (NPP) and nearby facilities, Energoatom reported on its Telegram channel. "Five 'arrivals' were recorded in the area of the plant's commandant's office right next to the welding site and the storage of radiation sources. Grass caught fire in a small area, but, fortunately, no one was hurt," the report says. In addition, the invaders fired at the area of the fire station, located near the plant. "As a result of the shelling, it was not possible to carry out a shift change in time. Indeed, for the safety of the workers, the buses with the personnel of the subsequent shift were turned back to Enerhodar. Until the situation returns to normal, the workers of the preliminary shift will continue to work," the company said. The Main Intelligence Agency of Ukraine's Defense Ministry warns that the Russian Federation is preparing an action to discredit President Volodymyr Zelensky. "The Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation has agreed on the creation of a new structure affiliated with the Russian special services. Its main task will be to implement an information campaign aimed at discrediting President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in Western Europe," the agency said on Telegram on Thursday. As it reports, according to the idea of the authors of the "campaign," a fake platform (website) of the so-called "Zelensky Fund" will be created and made public, where foreign citizens and institutions will be invited to join its "activities." "It is planned to create and subsequently publish the Fund's product line and register it on the European trading floors. The work of the Fund's organizational structure in European countries is planned to be developed according to the principle of 'network marketing.' This, according to the organizers, will allow the specified information to be actively disseminated in the European media space," the agency said. As of August 10, the main preparatory activities for the launch of this project have been completed: the Fund's website has been created; fake screenshots of alleged publications of well-known media about the Fund creation have been prepared for distribution in social networks; a database of so-called "network leaders" and bloggers for further dissemination of materials has been created; and memes and comments for social networks have been prepared. "In the near future, a full-fledged 'launch' of the project is expected and the start of a wide media campaign for promotion," the agency said. The Main Intelligence Agency urged the international community not to trust Russian fakes and to get information about Ukraine from trusted sources. Grain carrier from Africa to arrive at Pivdenny port on Aug 12 for wheat loading The Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine expects on August 12 the arrival at Pivdenny maritime merchant port of a vessel for loading grain for Africa. "Tomorrow, the Brave Commander vessel (under the flag of Liberia) is expected to arrive at Pivdenny port to load more than 23,000 tonnes of wheat to fight hunger in East Africa," the ministry said on the Telegram channel on Thursday. The ship was chartered under the UN World Food Program and will be sent through the port of Djibouti to Ethiopia. As reported, on July 22, 2022, in Istanbul, at the proposal of the United Nations, Ukraine, Turkey and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres signed the Initiative on the safe transportation of grain and food from the Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdenny. As part of the implementation of the agreements, twelve ships are already heading from the Ukrainian ports with agricultural products to seven countries of the world. There are 370,000 tonnes of agricultural products on board. The first vessel with Ukrainian corn has already arrived at the Turkish port for unloading. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has met with Chef Jose Andres, founder of the international humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen. According to the President's Office, the head of state thanked Andres and his organization for their active work in Ukraine and on the state borders. "We appreciate your help to Ukrainians from the first day of full-scale Russian aggression and your presence in Ukraine at this difficult moment. Thank you for devoting a significant part of your time to our country," Zelensky stressed. During the meeting, Andres stressed that World Central Kitchen would continue to help Ukrainians, in particular, to support people in the territories that would be liberated from occupation. "We will be immediately ready to help the regions that will be de-occupied," he said. Zelensky noted that from the first day of the Russian invasion, World Central Kitchen began working on the Ukrainian-Polish border and helped internally displaced persons, and today the organization has launched an active operation in many cities of Ukraine. About 5,000 Ukrainians are involved in the work of World Central Kitchen in Ukraine, and more than 500 catering establishments operate. Since the beginning of the war, more than 130 million meals have been prepared for our citizens. On Monday, August 15, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a discussion entitled "War policy/War as Policy. Current political process in Ukraine." Participants include Director of the Institute for Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov; political expert, director of the Politics Think Tank, candidate of political sciences Mykola Davydiuk; political expert Oleksandr Kochetkov (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot. A Cairo criminal court referred on Tuesday the case of the judge accused of murdering his wife, TV presenter Shaimaa Gamal, and his alleged partner in crime to the grand mufti to inquire about the religious ruling. 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. Pan-African social agency, Crtve DEVELOPMENT (CD), launched the WE!ARE initiative to build a pan-African voice on climate justice ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) slated for November in the Egyptian Red Sea city of Sharm El-Sheikh. The WE!ARE movement aims to inspire young people across the continent to share their vision of the Africa they want to see and voice the climate justice demands of their communities through creative mediums, a statement by the CD said on Friday. The movement is championed by emerging and established creatives, policymakers, designers, visual artists, auditory artists and community leaders across Africa. Collectively, the WE!ARE champions and supporters of the movement will shape the broader narrative of climate justice and centre important policy issues for the respective communities and nations leading into COP27 and beyond, according to the statement. "With COP27 poised to take place in Egypt in November 2022, there has never been a better time for the continent to raise its voice in climate discourse. While contributing the least to climate change, the African continent is the hardest hit by the global climate crisis," the CD's statement added. It is estimated that up to 118 million impoverished people will be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa by 2030 if adequate response measures are not put in place, the statement added, citing Josefa Sacko, the AU commissioner for rural economy and agriculture. The agency warned that those with the least capacity to cope and adapt to these impacts of climate change will face the most significant threat. Okito Wedi, founder and CEO of Crtve DEVELOPMENT, said despite the profound repercussions of climate change on the African citizens, climate justice remains one of the least understood and socialised policy themes in contemporary African development. "Through the WE!ARE campaign, we want to harness the power of art and creativity to change the narrative on climate change and development in Africa and bridge the gap between communities who will most be affected and policymakers who will determine our climate future," he added. To further highlight the importance of climate justice in Africa, Crtve DEVELOPMENT, in partnership with Africa No Filter, issued a call-out for creative participation in WE!ARE showcases that will resemble climate justice under the theme of "The Africa We Want To See." Creative hubs in participating countries were invited to apply for grants to curate pop-up showcases and creative installations as well as the execution of three workshops using art and creativity as a tool for social change in local communities. Following a rigorous selection process, five hubs were selected in Egypt, South Africa, Mozambique and Nigeria, respectively, the statement added. In Egypt, Perform Arts, which provides a training and educational service for performance arts, will organise a showcase focusing on maritime pollution and the disappearance of shorelines near Alexandria consisting of a photography exhibition in the Citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria. Music and singing will be integrated with storytelling to describe the environmental impact on human life, the CD added. In preparation for the showcases, which will kick off in September 2022, all creative hubs will attend online and in-person training workshops to equip them with practical advice on climate-related policy education, community participation and media skills development. Egypt has vowed to speak for the continent's aspirations in addressing the impacts of climate change at the COP27. Egypt and the African Union are seeking to develop a unified vision for energy transformation in the continent ahead of COP27. Hopes are pinned on COP27 to turn climate-related pledges into action to help facilitate the move to green energy in order to reduce harmful gas emissions and adapt to climate change as per the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement adopted at COP21 and signed by over 190 states including Egypt came into effect in 2016 with the aim of limiting the rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climate finance has been debated at every COP meeting since as developed countries have failed to meet their promise to mobilise $100 billion annually by 2020 to help developing nations with mitigation and adaptation measures. Africa produces no more than three percent of the worlds total greenhouse-gas emissions that cause global warming, according to experts. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Foreign Minister and President-Designate of the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27) Sameh Shoukry made his first post Wednesday on the recently made official social media account for COP27, in which he called for swift action to address climate change. On Wednesday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the launch of the official COP27 Facebook page. It is incumbent upon us in these uncertain times to act swiftly to ensure that climate action remains on top of the international agenda, and that the current state of affairs is not taken as a pretext to backtrack or renege on previous commitments, especially those related to supporting developing countries, Shoukry wrote in his first post. On 8 June, Shoukry and the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Patricia Espinosa officially signed the Host Country Agreement for COP27, which will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6-18 November. The COP27 agreement was signed in the German city of Bonn during Shoukrys participation in the Bonn Climate Change Conference (56th session of the Subsidiary Bodies) at the World Convention Centre. Earlier in May, Egypt also launched the official website of COP27, and revealed its official logo that is designed to represent the unique cultural identity of Egypt and Africa, according to the Egyptian foreign ministry. Egypt has repeatedly highlighted ambitions to build on the Glasgow COP26 outcomes and support global efforts in mitigation and adapting to climate change during the conference. Egypt has reiterated the need to maintain momentum in climate action to keep the increase in global temperatures under 1.5 degrees Celsius, with COP27 set to primarily focus on urging countries to abide by the Paris Agreement. In May, Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly launched the National Strategy for Climate Change 2050, which is based on five main pillars to preserve the environment and aims to enhance Egypts climate change leadership internationally. Madbouly said that Egypt will spare no effort through its presidency of COP27 to move from the stage of commitments and pledges declared by the states to actual implementation of quick and tangible measures. Search Keywords: Short link: The UN rights chief voiced alarm Thursday at the number of Palestinian children killed and wounded this month and demanded those responsible be brought to account. Last week saw three days of intense conflict between Israel and Palestinian Jihad militants in the densely populated Palestinian enclave of Gaza. "Inflicting hurt on any child during the course of conflict is deeply disturbing," Michelle Bachelet, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said in a statement. "The killing and maiming of so many children this year is unconscionable." The Israeli air and artillery strikes targeted positions of the Iran-backed Islamic Jihad group. Her office said that 19 Palestinian children had been killed in the Palestinian territories in the recent unrest, taking the total number this year to 37. Seventeen children were killed during the Gaza hostilities from August 5 to 7, while two more were killed on Tuesday in Israeli law enforcement operations in the West Bank. The UN Human Rights Office OHCHR said that among the 48 Palestinians killed in last week's Gaza conflict, there were at least 22 civilians. They included the 17 children and four women. Of the 360 Palestinians reported injured, nearly two-thirds were civilians, including 151 children, 58 women and 19 older people, OHCHR said. "In a number of incidents, children were the majority of casualties," Bachelet's office said. "Launching an attack which may be expected to incidentally kill or injure civilians, or damage civilian objects, in disproportionate manner to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated, is prohibited," she said. 'Such attacks must stop' Bachelet's office said that, also in violation of international humanitarian law, Palestinian armed groups also launched hundreds of rockets and mortars in indiscriminate attacks, causing civilian casualties and damage to civilian objects in both Israel and Gaza. Israel insists that some of the civilian deaths including children were killed by Islamic Jihad rockets that fell short or misfired. Bachelet called for investigations into all incidents where any person was killed or injured. "An almost total lack of accountability persists in the occupied Palestinian territory," she said. "Whether for violations of international humanitarian law by all parties in hostilities in Gaza, or for recurring Israeli violations of international human rights law and the law of occupation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem." Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Public Prosecution ordered on Wednesday the four-day detention of the suspect in the murder of a female university student, Salma Bahgar, in the city of Zagazig in the Nile Delta a day earlier. Related Prosecution questioning accused in new broad daylight murder of university student colleague in Zagazig The prosecution said in a statement that it detained 22-year-old university student Islam Mohamed for four days pending investigations into charges of the premeditated murder of 20-year-old Bahgat in the lobby of a building in the city of Zagazig, the capital of Sharqiya governorate. According to the prosecution, Mohamed committed the murder after the victim and her family rejected his offer to marry her due to his bad behaviour, abnormal beliefs, and his addiction to drugs. The suspect killed the victim, who was studying mass communication at Shorouk Academy, after stalking her for some time, the prosecution said. Witness testimonies The prosecution said that the victim was in the building where the crime took place to visit a friend who worked at a local newspaper there. The victims friend revealed to the prosecution that they had spoken a day earlier and that Bahgat was in emotional distress. They then agreed they would meet at the paper. That night, the friend said that the suspect, Mohamed, called her to ask about Bahgat, to which the friend said that Bahgat would be visiting her at the newspaper the next day. Mohamed then contacted the owner of the newspaper to ask if you could work as an intern there, to which the owner agreed, the prosecution said. According to the prosecution, 11 witnesses were questioned, including five who saw the murder take place. These were the doorwoman of the building where the crime happened, her son, a grocer from a grocery next to the building, his young assistant, and one of the building residents. The grocer and his assistant revealed to the prosecution that the accused was in the area for an hour asking about the location of the newspaper prior to the murder. The five eyewitnesses said that they saw the accused stab the victim to death. A shopkeeper from a house appliance store next to the building testified that the suspect bought from him the knife that he used to commit the crime. According to the prosecution, the suspect took photos of the victims body after the attack. Last June, a similar incident stirred public anger when a 21-year-old student at the Faculty of Arts Mansoura University killed his colleague Nayera Ashraf, also in broad daylight after she rejected his advances. In July, a criminal court issued a preliminary death penalty verdict against the perpetrator in the case. Family Testimony The prosecution stated that it listened to the testimonies of the victims father and uncle who said that the accused and the victim were colleagues in the same university and the accused asked her hand in marriage, but he was rejected because her family wanted her to complete her education. Her family added that the girl then noticed his bad behaviour, how he was addicted to drugs, and decided to end her relationship with him, which led him to stalk and threaten her to harm and kill her. Her father revealed that on 29 June, during her last exam at the university located in Cairo, the victim was worried that the accused might meet her there and asked her father to accompany her. On that day, Bahgats father said that he was surprised to see the accused and his parents in front of the university waiting for them, asking his daughters hand in marriage again, but he refused, and they left. He added that he found the accused sending him threats that he would defame his daughter if he continued to reject him and when he blocked his contact on his mobile phone, he found out that the accused sent his threats to the victims brother and uncle. Bahgats uncle added that her family rejected the accuseds marriage proposal because he leaned towards atheism and had abnormal ideas, the prosecutions statement read. The prosecution stated that it checked that the victims family did not report the accuseds threats to the authorities prior to the crime. Confessions of the accused According to the prosecution, 22-year-old Mohamed confessed that he killed the victim and that after her familys rejection for his marriage proposal, he continued his relationship with the victim but then they disagreed after his attempt to prevent her from work and to meet her friends to allegedly protect her. The accused added that she ended her relationship with him after accusing him of blasphemy and atheism due to his tattoos which he claimed to have to draw her attention to him. Mohamed told the prosecution that he threatened the victim to defame and murder her after ending her relationship with him. He revealed that on 29 June he planned to kill her at the university with a pocket knife he had. When he failed he called his parents to come to ask her hand in marriage from her father after knowing that he was there on that day. Mohamed that her father refused his proposal until he removed his tattoos and continued his education at the university. Since that time, Mohamed lost contact with the victim. He tried to call her brother and uncle because he was blocked by the other members of her family. He reached her friend on Monday who informed him about her upcoming meeting with the victim the next day. Mohamed confessed that he intended to commit his crime during that time and bought a knife and waited for the victim at the buildings lobby. He attacked her, stabbing her several times. He added that the people gathered around them when she screamed and closed the gates of the building until police arrived. Mohamed told the prosecution that he took photos of the victim after he had stabbed her with his mobile phone and called his mother to tell her that he committed the crime, adding that he had been consuming hashish and alcohol for several months. Meanwhile, a man standing at the gate filmed him in a clip that went viral on social media. The prosecution added that it confiscated the accuseds mobile phone that contained several digital evidence, including the threats he sent to the family of the victim, as well as the mobile phone of the victims friend and the newspapers owner. Search Keywords: Short link: The source said these claims "contradict the reports issued by the National Council for Human Rights, the parliamentary human rights committees and several national organisations concerned with human rights." The reports are prepared on the back of visits to the prisoners' rehabilitation centres, the source added. The source stressed that these claims are part of 'desperate attempts by the Brotherhood group and those seeking political gains to affect public opinion.' Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian authorities executed two men on Thursday who were convicted of killing a 24-year-old woman in Cairos Maadi suburb in October 2020 in an incident that stirred public uproar in Egypt at the time. Walid Abdel-Rahman and Mohamed Osama were executed for killing Mariam Mohamed in October 2020. Mohamed, 24, was found dead in a Maadi Street after being killed in a robbery on 13 October 2020. According to the prosecution, Mariam died when her head hit a parked car after two men in a microbus approached her and snatched her bag. When the victim clung onto her bag, the two offenders ran her over with the intention of killing her and escaped with the bag, according to the prosecution. The perpetrators were later found in possession of a firearm. In December 2020, a criminal court sentenced the two defendants to death. A third defendant, the vehicle owner, who was charged with assisting the two men in committing the crime by providing them with his car, was exonerated by the court. The cassation court rejected the appeal of the defendants upheld the death sentence. Search Keywords: Short link: Ethiopia has started operating the second electric power turbine of its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced in a ceremony Thursday, in a step that comes despite the absence of an agreement on the operating and filling rules with downstream countries Egypt and Sudan. Ahmed congratulated the Ethiopians on the step, saying "we are proud of being able to make the history that was said to be impossible," reported Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC). "Passing through history is an opportunity and making history is a victory Our forefathers wished, thought, planned, but they couldn't see what we have seen today; they couldn't stand where we are standing," Ahmed was quoted as saying. The second turbine, called Unit 9, has the capacity to produce 375 megawatts, doubling the controversial dam's power generation capacity from 375 megawatts reached after the unilateral operation of the first turbine, Unit 10, in February 2022 to 750 megawatts. With two operational units out of 13 in total, the dam becomes the second largest power producer in Ethiopia, said the EBC. However, the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) gave a contradicting figure as it reported the second turbine to be producing 270 megawatts, raising the total capacity of the now-operational two turbines to 540 megawatts. Ethiopia eyes a total power capacity up to 5,150 megawatts from GERD after the completion of the construction and planting the remaining 11 turbines, EBC added. Today's announcement comes after Addis Ababa unilaterally completed the first and second phase filling of the dam's 74-billion-cubic-metre reservoir over the past two years, and has recently started the third filling during the current flood season -- which lasts until September. GERD project manager engineer Kifle Horo said the third filling is in progress, according to ENA. He also stated that the construction of civil works reached 95 percent, the electromechanical factory and plantation work 61 percent, and the water transmission and steel works 73 percent. The Ethiopian premier said that downstream countries "should also understand that Ethiopia has no other purpose than fulfilling its needs for power," according to the ENA. He pointed out that the third filling has been able to hold about 22 billion cubic metres of water and generate two units of turbine electricity, indicating that there is no shortage of water in downstream countries. The aim of the project is not to harm the lower stream countries but to show our interest in using and growing water, he pointed out. The multi-billion dollar GERD, being under construction on the Nile River since 2010 and Ethiopia deems essential for producing electricity and economic development, has been at the centre of a regional dispute between Cairo and Khartoum on one hand, and Addis Ababa, on the other. Egypt and Sudan have repeatedly expressed no opposition to the Ethiopian development goals, but sought a legally binding deal on the filling and operation of the dam as per the rules of international law and the principles governing transnational watercourses. Egypt, which relies mainly on the Nile for its water needs, fears that the unilateral and quick filling and operation of the GERD would have a negative impact on the country's water supply. Meanwhile, Sudan is concerned about regulating water flows to safeguard its own dams. Both downstream nations have been for over a decade now engaged in on-off negotiations with Ethiopia to no avail, blaming the failure of the talks on Ethiopia's intransigence. The latest rounds of talks sponsored by the African Union collapsed in April 2021, and all attempts to revive the negotiations have since failed. Earlier this month, Egypt resorted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the third consecutive year, sending a letter protesting against the unilateral third filling. Egypt stressed in the letter that the step is a clear violation of the Declaration of Principles signed by the three nations in 2015 and the applicable rules of international law" that both oblige Ethiopia, as an upstream country, not to harm the rights of downstream countries. Egypt, which is considered one of the most water-scarce countries in the world, receives around 60 bcm annually mainly from the Blue Nile while its needs stand at around 114 bcm, placing the over 10-million-people country well below the international threshold for water scarcity, at 560 cubic metres per person annually. In its letter to the UNSC, Egypt held Ethiopia "fully responsibility for any significant harm to Egyptian interests that may result from Addis Ababas violation of its aforementioned obligations." Egypt will not tolerate any prejudice to its rights or water security or any threat to the capabilities of the Egyptian people, for whom the Nile River represents the only lifeline, the letter added. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed in a video call with China's chief climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua on Thursday major topics to be tackled in the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP27) in Egypt, the Egyptian foreign ministry announced. Spokesman for the foreign ministry Ahmed Hafez said that this call comes as a follow-up to their May meeting that was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. The two officials lauded the level of cooperation and consultation between Egypt and China on climate-related issues at bilateral and multilateral levels, he said. Hafez added that Egypt is looking forward to high-level participation from the Chinese side at the conference, which will contribute to the desired outcome of the COP27. Zhenhua and Shoukry agreed to continue the consultation and coordination between the two countries until the launch of COP27 in November, Hafez added. Search Keywords: Short link: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds talks with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Thursday, facing calls from campaigners to pressure Kigali over its human rights record and alleged support of rebels in the neighbouring Democratic of Congo. Blinken arrived late Wednesday in Rwanda, the final stop of a three-nation trip to Africa, hot on the heels of a visit to the continent by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The US diplomat has sought to woo African nations, which have largely steered clear of backing Washington against Moscow in the Ukraine war, by calling for an "equal" partnership with the continent. His visit comes after an unpublished independent investigation for the UN, seen by AFP last week, said Rwandan troops had attacked soldiers inside the DRC and aided M23 rebels, a primarily Tutsi rebel group. The M23 has captured swathes of territory in eastern DRC in recent months, causing tensions to spike between Kigali and Kinshasa, which has repeatedly accused Kagame's government of backing the notorious militia. During his visit to the DRC, Blinken said Tuesday the United States was "very concerned by credible reports that Rwanda has supported the M23," adding that he would discuss the issue with Kagame, whose government has consistently denied the claims. Ties between the DRC and Rwanda have been strained since the mass arrival in the eastern DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of slaughtering Tutsis during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, although there was a thaw after DRC President Felix Tshisekedi took office in 2019. 'Abysmal record' Blinken is also expected to press for the release of Paul Rusesabagina, the "Hotel Rwanda" hero who is credited with saving hundreds of lives during the 1994 genocide. A US permanent resident, Rusesabagina is a fierce critic of Kagame and was sentenced to a 25-year prison term last year on terrorism charges after a plane he believed was bound for Burundi landed in Kigali in August 2020. In May, the US State Department said Rusesabagina had been "wrongfully detained" by Kigali. In a statement released Monday, Human Rights Watch called on Blinken to "urgently signal that there will be consequences for the government's repression and abuse in Rwanda and beyond its borders". "Failing to address Rwanda's abysmal human rights record has emboldened its officials to continue to commit abuse, even beyond its borders," said Lewis Mudge, HRW's Central Africa director. The rights watchdog urged Blinken "to highlight systematic human rights violations, including crackdowns on opponents and civil society, both within and across Rwanda's borders." Rwandan opposition leader Victoire Ingabire echoed HRW's calls, telling AFP that Blinken should raise the issue of journalists and politicians she said were in prison for challenging Kagame's government. "Blinken has to ask our government to open up political space to everyone who wants to be active in politics," said Ingabire, who spent six years in jail on terrorism charges. Meanwhile, Rusesabagina's family said in a statement issued to coincide with Blinken's visit that it hoped his "direct engagement" on the case would help bring their "nightmare" to an end. It said the 68-year-old's health was deteriorating after more than 700 days behind bars, with a weak left arm and facial paralysis indicating that he may have had one or more strokes. "His symptoms remain untreated," the family said. Search Keywords: Short link: The Soyuz rocket lifted off as scheduled at 8:52 a.m. Moscow time (0552 GMT) Tuesday from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan. About nine minutes after the launch, it placed the Iranian satellite called Khayyam into orbit. It's named after Omar Khayyam, a Persian scientist who lived in the 11th and 12th centuries. Iran has said the satellite fitted with high-resolution camera will be used for environmental monitoring and will remain fully under its control. Tehran said no other country will have access to information it gathers and it would be used for civilian purposes only, but there have been allegations that Russia may use it for surveillance of Ukraine amid its military action there. If it operates successfully, the satellite would give Iran the ability to monitor its archenemy Israel and other countries in the Middle East. Iranian state television aired footage of the launch live, noting that the country's telecommunications minister attended the liftoff in Kazakhstan. Citing Iran's civilian space agency, state television said the satellite would provide high-resolution surveillance images with a one-meter-per-pixel definition. Western civilian satellites offer around half-a-meter per pixel, while U.S. spy satellites are believed to have even-greater definition. Iran has both a civilian and military space program, which the U.S. fears could be used to advance its ballistic missile program. However, Iran has seen a series of mishaps and failed satellite launches over recent years. Search Keywords: Short link: Firefighting teams and equipment from six EU nations started to arrive in France on Thursday to help battle a spate of wildfires, including a fierce blaze in the parched southwest that has forced thousands to evacuate. Most of the country is sweltering under a summer heatwave compounded by a record drought, conditions most experts say will occur more often as a result of rapid climate change. "We must continue, more than ever, our fight against climate disruption and... adapt to this climate disruption," Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said after arriving at a fire command post in the village of Hostens, south of Bordeaux. The European Commission said four firefighting planes would be sent to France from Greece and Sweden, as well as teams from Austria, Germany, Poland and Romania. "Our partners are coming to France's aid against the fires. Thank you to them. European solidarity is at work!" President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. "Across the country over 10,000 firefighters and security forces are mobilised against the flames... These soldiers of fire are our heroes," he said. In total, 361 foreign firefighters were dispatched to assist their 1,100 French colleagues deployed in the worst-hit part of the French southwest. A first contingent of 65 German firefighters, followed by their 24 vehicles, arrived Thursday afternoon and were to go into action at dawn Friday, officials said. Among eight major fires currently raging, the biggest is the Landiras fire in the southwest Gironde department, whose forests and beaches draw huge tourist crowds each summer. It had already burned 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres) in July, the driest month seen in France since 1961, before being contained, but it continued to smoulder in the region's tinder-dry pine forests and peat-rich soil. Since flaring up again Tuesday, which officials suspect may have been caused by arson, it has burned 7,400 hectares, destroyed or damaged 17 homes, and forced 10,000 people to quit their homes, said Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Mendousse of the Gironde fire and rescue service. Borne said nine firefighting planes are already dumping water on the blaze, with two more to be in service by the weekend. 'California' "We battled all night to stop the fire from spreading, notably to defend the village of Belin-Beliet," Mendousse told journalists in Hostens. On several houses nearby, people hung out white sheets saying: "Thank you for saving our homes" and other messages of support for the weary fire battalions. "You'd think we're in California, it's gigantic... And they're used to forest fires here but we're being overwhelmed on all sides -- nobody could have expected this," Remy Lahlay, a firefighter deployed near Hostens in the Landes de Gascogne natural park, told AFP. With temperatures in the region hitting nearly 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) Thursday and forecast to stay high until at least Sunday, "there is a very serious risk of new outbreaks" for the Landiras fire, the prefecture of the Gironde department said. Acrid smoke has spread across much of the southwestern Atlantic coast and its beaches that draw huge crowds of tourists each summer, with the regional ARS health agency "strongly" urging people to wear protective face masks. The smoke also forced the closing of the A63 motorway, a major artery toward Spain, between Bordeaux and Bayonne. The government has urged employers to allow leaves of absence for volunteer firefighters to help fight the fires. In Portugal Thursday, more than 1,500 firefighters were also battling a fire that has raged for days in the mountainous Serra da Estrela natural park in the centre of the country. It has already burned 10,000 hectares, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced on Thursday that shipping giant A.P. Moeller-Maersk is going to pump $500 million in investments to develop and upgrade the Suez Canal container terminal in East Port Said. According to the SCA, the move aims to transform the terminal into a global hub for container handling in the eastern and southern Mediterranean. The announcement was made during a tour by SCA Chairman Osama Rabie in the Netherlands and Denmark, where he met with Chairman of Denmark-based A.P. Moeller-Maersk Keith Svendsen and a team from the Maasvlakte terminal located at the Dutch Port of Rotterdam. During a meeting with Rabie, Svendsen discussed the groups plan to upgrade the container terminal, which involves pumping $500 million in investments to operate a new 1,000-long container berth and increase the number of cranes to 30. These will be operated electrically instead of using diesel, which will reduce the terminals emissions and turn it green by the end of 2030. The SCA also announced that it signed a bilateral cooperation agreement with A.P Moeller Maersk in different fields. In early August, the SCA announced that the Suez Canal recorded its highest ever monthly revenue in July, reaching $704 million, in addition to the highest monthly transit and highest net tonnage. Search Keywords: Short link: A German man will go on trial from Thursday for allegedly passing information to Russian intelligence services while working as a reserve officer for the German army. Prosecutors say the suspect, named as Ralph G., was "in contact with a Russian intelligence service through various people" between 2014 and 2020. They accuse him of sharing information on the inner workings of Germany's military reserve and "civil defence" as well as the impact of sanctions levelled against Moscow in 2014, and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. He is also said to have shared the "personal data of high ranking members of the Bundeswehr". The trial comes at a time when ties between Moscow and Berlin are in tatters over Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to Der Spiegel magazine, Ralph G. was a lieutenant colonel in the reserve who also worked as a sales manager for an international engineering company in western Germany. Thanks to his civilian profession, he "belonged to several German business committees" and was also able to pass on personal information on figures from the business world, according to prosecutors. He is not thought to have been paid for his services, but instead received "invitations to events organised by the Russian government agencies". According to Der Spiegel, Ralph G.'s main contacts were two employees of Russia's GRU military intelligence who were accredited as military attaches in Germany. The information was reportedly passed on through personal meetings, phonecalls, email and WhatsApp. Most of it came from publicly available sources, but Ralph G. is also accused of sharing excerpts from an official government document on Germany's relationship with Russia following Russia's annexation of Crimea. String of spies After his arrest in 2020, Ralph G. admitted to having supplied information to the Russians. However, he claims not to have known that his contacts were working for the GRU, Der Spiegel reported. Even before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Berlin and Moscow had been at odds for several years over issues including cyberattacks and several other espionage cases. Last year, a German court sentenced a Russian man to life in prison for shooting dead a former Chechen commander in a Berlin park in broad daylight, a murder prosecutors say was ordered by Moscow. A Russian man also went on trial in Munich in June charged with plotting to kill a Chechen dissident living in Germany on the orders of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Ralph G. is the latest in a string of suspected Russian spies uncovered on German soil. A Munich court in April handed a one-year suspended prison sentence to a Russian scientist for passing on secrets about Europe's Ariane space rocket programme to Moscow while working at a German university. Days earlier, a security guard at the British embassy in Berlin was extradited to the UK face charges of spying for Russia. In October 2021, a German man was handed a two-year suspended sentence for passing on floor plans of parliament buildings to Russian secret services while employed by a security company. Search Keywords: Short link: Ukraine's special envoy for the Middle East on Thursday accused Moscow of preventing Ukrainian wheat deliveries to the region, addressing the Arab League just weeks after the group hosted Russia's foreign minister. "Ukraine today has 20 million tonnes of grain ready to be exported, principally to Arab and African states," Maksym Subkh told the pan-Arab bloc by video conference, saying "the siege of our ports by the Russian invaders" had blocked deliveries. The increase in global food prices is "a direct result of Russian aggression", he added. The Ukraine war has severely hampered grain supply from the country, leading to an international food crisis as it is one of the world's biggest producers. Some ships have been able to leave Ukrainian ports in recent days after a deal with Russia brokered by the United Nations and Turkey. Several members of the Arab League are heavily dependent on wheat imports from both Russia and Ukraine, and have been reeling from food insecurity since Moscow's invasion of its neighbour. But while the United States has sought to isolate Russia on the global stage over the war, it has faced less success in the Arab world, where many countries are hesitant to strain relations with Moscow. In late July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Arab countries' and the League's "balanced, fair, responsible position" on not siding with either Russia or Ukraine. Lavrov at the time said Western sanctions on Moscow had "aggravated" the global food crisis, but Subkh on Thursday called the measures "the only way of returning Russia to reason". Subkh warned Arab countries against "Russian meddling in regional affairs", accusing Moscow of sending mercenaries to the region in order to plan "coups" and "plunder these countries' wealth". He told the Arab League that his own appointment last month was "proof of Ukraine prioritising its political dialogue with Arab states". Moscow ally Damascus, which was suspended from the pan-Arab bloc after civil conflict broke out in Syria in 2011, said in July that it was severing ties with Ukraine in support of Russia, saying the move was a response to a similar move by Kyiv. Subkh said Thursday that Syria had tried to "legitimise Russia's illegal occupation" of Ukraine. Search Keywords: Short link: President Yoon Suk-yeol has pushed through the appointment of Yoon Hee-keun as his new police chief without parliamentary approval. The president presented Yoon Hee-keun, who was already deputy commissioner of the National Police Agency, with his letter of appointment on Wednesday, making him the 11th high-ranking official in this administration to be installed without parliamentary consent. The top diplomats of South Korea and China met Tuesday for the first time since President Yoon Suk-yeol was inaugurated, but China seems to have no awareness that it is dealing with a new government. In the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his counterpart Park Jin that Seoul and Beijing should not meddle in each other's affairs, must respect their interests and stabilize supply chains. But in the same breath, China was telling South Korea not to join the U.S.-led "Chip 4" alliance and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and that it should limit the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery from the U.S. as well as recognizing China's sovereignty over Taiwan. Such demands are a blatant insult to South Korea's autonomy in economic and security matters. China has shamelessly bullied Korea to abide by the three no's -- no additional deployment of THAAD batteries, no South Korean integration into a U.S. led regional missile defense system, and no trilateral military alliance with the U.S. and Japan. All those demands are none of China's business and are not pledges Seoul has any reason to adhere to. They were merely a position expressed by the previous administration and have no binding power. Of course the best way to prevent more THAAD batteries being stationed here is for China to persuade its ally North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. But instead Beijing blocked additional UN sanctions against North Korea for test-firing ballistic missiles and even a statement lambasting the North's provocations. China has no qualms about ignoring North Korea's belligerence, but is quick to interfere with South Korea's security interests. Its fighter planes routinely enter South Korea's Air Defense Identification Zone without identifying themselves, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has even claimed that the Korean Peninsula was once part of China to see if such nonsense will fly. Whether South Korea wants to participate in any alliance, be it economic or military, is entirely its own business. Seoul has repeatedly explained that the Chip 4 alliance and IPEF are not intended to isolate China. South Korea's stance on Taiwan and the South China Sea is also based on international law and the principles of peace. The government needs to cooperate with China, but it must stand its ground against attempts at bullying. It only encourages bullies when they sense weakness. KYODO NEWS - Aug 11, 2022 - 16:19 | World, All, Coronavirus Leader Kim Jong Un has declared victory in North Korea's fight against the coronavirus and ordered an easing of "maximum emergency" measures imposed in May, official media reported Thursday, with his sister suggesting he may have caught the virus himself. Kim made the announcement at a meeting with health officials and scientists on Wednesday, praising their contributions to "successfully defusing the serious epidemic spread crisis" and defending the country's "social system which is the best in the world," according to the Korean Central News Agency. The leader's sister, Kim Yo Jong, delivered a speech at the meeting and said her brother was "seriously ill with a high fever" but he "could not lie down for even a moment" as he led the country's anti-epidemic efforts, KCNA said. The sister, who is vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, blamed leaflets and other "dirty objects" sent by balloons from North Korean defectors in South Korea for causing the virus outbreak, according to the news agency. "We can no longer overlook the uninterrupted influx of rubbish from South Korea. This is just an unethical crime," she said. "We must counter it toughly." North Korea disclosed its first case of the virus on May 12 after claiming to have had no COVID-19 infections for more than two years. Its daily number of what it called "fever" cases peaked at over 390,000. The country, which is believed to lack sufficient COVID-19 testing capacity, has reported no additional suspected cases since July 29. Its authorities have reported about 4.77 million fever cases since late April, with 74 patients dying. North Korea said it "restored the complete stability in the anti-epidemic work in a short period," and touted the achievement as "a miracle unprecedented in the world's public health history," according to the news agency. Pyongyang claims people who touched "alien things" near the border with South Korea were the first to be infected with the novel coronavirus. It has long accused Seoul of failing to prevent activists from launching balloons across the border containing messages denouncing the North Korean leader. "If the enemy persists in such dangerous deeds as fomenting the inroads of virus into our republic, we will respond to it by not only exterminating the virus but also wiping out" South Korean authorities, Kim Yo Jong was quoted as saying at the meeting. Seoul has dismissed Pyongyang's claims, saying there is no possibility that a coronavirus outbreak in the North is connected with such materials sent over the border. South Korea's Unification Ministry expressed strong regret Thursday over North Korea's "insolent and threatening remarks based on repeated groundless claims" regarding the origin of the coronavirus outbreak in the North, according to Yonhap News agency. South Korea's spy agency, meanwhile, has cast doubt on whether Pyongyang's daily reports truly reflect the scale of COVID-19 infections in the neighboring country. KYODO NEWS - Aug 11, 2022 - 17:08 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japan's summer holiday season started in full swing on Thursday, with reservations for domestic trains and flights leaving Tokyo reaching a peak as travelers took advantage of a lack of coronavirus restrictions for the first time in three years. While more people headed abroad for their break, numbers are nevertheless far below the pre-COVID-19 era as new cases across the country remain elevated, hitting record highs in recent weeks. Families flooded JR Tokyo Station, where Natsuki Kato, who was heading to the western prefecture of Hiroshima, said, "I want to avoid crowds for my three kids, and let them experience the country life as much as I can." "My youngest is five years old, so I think my parents will be surprised at how much my child has grown," said the 44-year-old who was heading to her parent's home for the first time in three years. Reserved seats for the outbound lines of the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train, linking Tokyo and Osaka, were almost fully booked in the morning. At Haneda airport in Tokyo, a long line of masked passengers waited at one of the security checkpoints for domestic flights. According to All Nippon Airways Co., most outbound flights were also fully booked in the morning. "It makes us happy that the bustle of the Bon summer holiday period has come back for the first time in three years," said Akiko Oyamada, the airline's Tokyo airport general manager. A 38-year-old woman from Yokohama who was on her way to see her relatives in the northeastern prefecture of Akita with her family said, "My grandmother died during the coronavirus pandemic. We'll finally be able to visit her grave." The international lobby of Narita airport, east of Tokyo, was also packed with travelers. "Although I am worried about COVID-19, I'm scheduled to depart Japan without a hitch," said Hiroko Sakamoto, 34, from Kawasaki who was due to fly to France to attend a sporting event. "I want to enjoy my stay and avoid getting sick or hurt." Highways were also congested, with traffic jams over 30 kilometers long reported on the Kanetsu Expressway, which connects Tokyo and Niigata Prefecture, and the Tomei Expressway linking the capital and central Japan cities, according to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center. Until next Wednesday, the number of traffic jams stretching over 10 km long is expected to quadruple from a year earlier, occurring a total of 353 times, operators said. Meanwhile, reserved seats for the week from this Wednesday on Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains were up by 2.69 times from a year earlier, rising to around 60 percent capacity compared to 2018, before the global outbreak of the coronavirus, according to numbers released by Japan Railway companies last month. Reservations for domestic flights, operated by All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, are at about 80 percent of passenger levels in 2019. KYODO NEWS - Aug 11, 2022 - 20:11 | All, World, Japan Japan has agreed with the World Health Organization to establish a new organization that will focus on strengthening health care systems in developing countries, Foreign Ministry sources said Thursday. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus agreed on setting up the entity in Japan during phone talks in May, with its launch likely to be timed around the summit meeting of the Group of Seven nations in Hiroshima, western Japan, according to the sources. Japan is expected to bolster its presence by providing knowhow on social security for the new organization, which will be under the umbrella of the WHO and tasked to promote universal health coverage, the sources said. In 2012, the WHO endorsed a resolution for universal health coverage as at least half of the world's population lack access to basic health care. The new organization will also raise awareness of universal health coverage, and build a framework to prevent the spread of infectious diseases including the coronavirus. As Japan's national health insurance system has led to longer life expectancy, the government is expected to utilize that success for the WHO's new body. However, some experts have questioned Japan becoming the flag bearer for universal health coverage amid criticism over its social security system as the country struggles with a declining birthrate. 2022 World 5G Convention kicks off in NE China's Harbin Xinhua) 08:09, August 11, 2022 People experience VR devices supported by 5G networks at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) People visit the exhibition booth of ZTE at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) People visit the exhibition booth of China Telecom at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) Photo teken on Aug. 10, 2022 shows the opening ceremony of the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) People visit the exhibition booth of China Mobile at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) People experience the remote mining equipment supported by 5G network at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) Exhibitors demonstrate the model of 5G smart petrochemical plant at an exhibition booth of the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) An exhibitor demonstrates the 5G remote surgery robot at an exhibition booth of the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) People visit the maritime equipment area of the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) A man passes by a billboard at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) People visit the exhibition booth of China Broadnet at the 2022 World 5G Convention in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 10, 2022. The 2022 World 5G Convention kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) By Donican Lam, KYODO NEWS - Aug 11, 2022 - 14:56 | All, Feature, Japan Those wondering how the Netflix sci-fi thriller "Alice in Borderland" was able to completely empty of life one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossings will find their answer around 90 kilometers from the real thing, in quiet Tochigi Prefecture suburbia. Ashikaga Scramble City Studio, built in 2019 by Tokyo-based visual arts company Nouvelle Vague Co., is a roughly 6,600-square meter open set that replicates the famous Shibuya scramble intersection in true-to-life size. In addition to recreating the iconic five converging crosswalks, the set has also rebuilt some ground-level structures of the real Shibuya including entrances to the subway network, working traffic lights, and even a set of public toilets inside the gates of one of the station's entrances. "Because the set includes a complete replica of Shibuya Station, even productions without a large budget for special effects can shoot scenes that are impossible at the real station, bar some limitations on the lens used," Akira Morii and Tomoki Takase, the producer and line producer for "Alice in Borderland," said in an email interview. In the series, the main character Arisu and his friends suddenly find themselves in an emptied-out version of Tokyo after reemerging from a public restroom in Shibuya Station, setting the stage for a string of dangerous games they must play in order to survive. The original Netflix show and the Chinese film "Detective Chinatown 3," which both coincidentally had the same idea of building a set when preparing for their respective shoots in 2019, worked together to bring the proposal to life. Later, the Japanese film "Silent Tokyo" joined the project, and three shoots were slated for the set. Naoto Aizawa, head of the Ashikaga Film Commission, said his city's proactive bidding was one of the main reasons it was chosen to host the replica, which was built on the site of a disused horse racing track. "When consulting with us, (the production teams) felt as long as it was Ashikaga, we would make it work out somehow. I believe our relationship of trust with the film industry and hospitable support for shoots were highly thought of," said Aizawa. More well-known for the hanging purple wisteria at its flower park, Ashikaga has been actively promoting itself as a place to film since 2014, providing everything it has to offer from land to help in negotiating with local authorities. The effort appears to have paid off as the city has attracted over 390 on-location movie and drama projects as of fiscal 2021. Morii and Takase said that, in addition to the support provided by the city, the easy accessibility of the site from Tokyo and the enthusiasm of locals to participate as extras make Ashikaga an attractive place to film. The pair, who form part of the production team at Robot Communications Inc., is once again using the set to film season two of "Alice in Borderland," promising to deliver "a face of the Shibuya scramble crossing never before seen through the use of even more powerful visual effects than season one." Kentaro Yamaji, a spokesperson for Geek Pictures Inc., the set's operator and parent company of Nouvelle Vague, said that strategically-placed green screens mean the sky is the limit to the type of scenes that can be digitally created in post-production. Numerous movies, dramas, music videos and commercials have been filmed at the studio since it officially opened for rent in June 2020, including the recent live-action film adaption of CLAMP manga series "xxxHolic" and season two of the Netflix series "The Naked Director." But Yamaji said the coronavirus pandemic put a damper on initial hopes for more international productions to use the set. "We originally wanted to focus on overseas projects, but the studio opened when the COVID-19 situation was quite serious, so we have not been able to fully utilize it up till now," he said. As part of efforts to attract more film crews from outside Japan, Yamaji said the company earlier this year released a promotional video to showcase the studio, and has partnered with a CG company to create ads on social media. Aizawa said the pandemic has also affected domestic productions, with the opening of the studio not drawing as many film crews to Ashikaga as expected. While around 60-70 films and dramas were shot in the city per year pre-COVID, the number dropped by around half last year, he said. "A lot of things didn't go to plan due to the pandemic, and there were a lot of difficulties, but everyone worked hard to have made it this far," Aizawa said. Nouvelle Vague had planned to dismantle the open set in January 2020 after the initial three shoots, but later decided to extend its life after discussions with the Ashikaga city government. For their part, Morii and Takase expressed hopes the replica would continue to evolve with the rapidly changing face of the real Shibuya Station, saying, "It would be very helpful to us filmmakers if this studio continues to exist." Aerial photo taken on July 21, 2022 shows the Xinghuo Water Surface Photovoltaic Demonstration Project of Daqing Oilfield in Daqing, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Tao) BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's green finance market is in full swing, thanks to the rapid expansion of green industries and low-carbon transformation of traditional sectors amid the country's drive to promote sustainable development, an industry specialist told Xinhua in an interview. "Climate investment and financing have gradually become new breakthroughs of green finance amid the solid progress of global climate governance and carbon neutrality," said Li Jing, partner of climate change and sustainability services at Ernst & Young (EY) Greater China. Considering China's carbon peaking and neutrality goals, she is optimistic about sectors related to climate change and green growth in the country. Li took China's carbon trading market as a typical example, saying the country's national carbon market "provides an important incentive to advance low-carbon and green transition." The market helps optimize China's industrial and energy structures by encouraging energy-intensive industries to make technological innovations and offer more products that are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, she added. Launched in July 2021 as an important scheme for China to reduce its carbon footprint and meet emissions targets, the market is the world's largest in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it covers. In the first year of operation, it included 2,162 power-generating enterprises, covering about 4.5 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions. As of mid-July this year, its total trading volume had reached 194 million tonnes. Li is upbeat about the future of the carbon trading market, expecting wider inclusion of high-emission sectors. She is also impressed by China's progress in establishing various carbon trading centers, citing the soon-to-open international trading center for ocean carbon sink in Hainan as an example. According to an overall plan of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, from 2021 to 2025, the national carbon market will cover eight high-energy-consuming industries, including power generation, iron and steel, construction materials, non-ferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemicals, paper manufacturing and aviation, with a total of approximately 8,500 large emission-intensive enterprises. In terms of foreign investment utilization, Li said "the establishment of China's national carbon market helps improve the quality of foreign investment by attracting more capital to green industries, while reducing investment in energy-intensive sectors." She also underlined the importance of transition finance in promoting low-carbon growth. "It offers financial support to the low-carbon transformation of market entities, economic activities and projects, especially those with large amounts of carbon emissions or having strong negative impacts on the environment, to assist them in upgrading technology, saving energy and reducing carbon emissions," she said. Hailing China's efforts in further opening up the financial sector, Li highlighted future opportunities for foreign investors in multiple fields, especially regional development. Eyeing the opportunities related to green development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, EY China has signed an MoU with the China Emissions Exchange, she said. The two sides will work together to enrich and innovate green finance and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investment products, and gradually improve environmental information disclosure and enterprises' capacity for managing environmental and social risks in the region. "As a slew of factors, including macroeconomic trends, the international situation and COVID-19, affect the global capital market this year, China's continued high-quality opening-up of the financial sector will boost the confidence of overseas investors," she said. BEIJING, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's green finance market is in full swing, thanks to the rapid expansion of green industries and low-carbon transformation of traditional sectors amid the country's drive to promote sustainable development, an industry specialist told Xinhua in an interview. "Climate investment and financing have gradually become new breakthroughs of green finance amid the solid progress of global climate governance and carbon neutrality," said Li Jing, partner of climate change and sustainability services at Ernst & Young (EY) Greater China. Considering China's carbon peaking and neutrality goals, she is optimistic about sectors related to climate change and green growth in the country. Li took China's carbon trading market as a typical example, saying the country's national carbon market "provides an important incentive to advance low-carbon and green transition." The market helps optimize China's industrial and energy structures by encouraging energy-intensive industries to make technological innovations and offer more products that are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, she added. Launched in July 2021 as an important scheme for China to reduce its carbon footprint and meet emissions targets, the market is the world's largest in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions it covers. In the first year of operation, it included 2,162 power-generating enterprises, covering about 4.5 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions. As of mid-July this year, its total trading volume had reached 194 million tonnes. Li is upbeat about the future of the carbon trading market, expecting wider inclusion of high-emission sectors. She is also impressed by China's progress in establishing various carbon trading centers, citing the soon-to-open international trading center for ocean carbon sink in Hainan as an example. According to an overall plan of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, from 2021 to 2025, the national carbon market will cover eight high-energy-consuming industries, including power generation, iron and steel, construction materials, non-ferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemicals, paper manufacturing and aviation, with a total of approximately 8,500 large emission-intensive enterprises. In terms of foreign investment utilization, Li said "the establishment of China's national carbon market helps improve the quality of foreign investment by attracting more capital to green industries, while reducing investment in energy-intensive sectors." She also underlined the importance of transition finance in promoting low-carbon growth. "It offers financial support to the low-carbon transformation of market entities, economic activities and projects, especially those with large amounts of carbon emissions or having strong negative impacts on the environment, to assist them in upgrading technology, saving energy and reducing carbon emissions," she said. Hailing China's efforts in further opening up the financial sector, Li highlighted future opportunities for foreign investors in multiple fields, especially regional development. Eying the opportunities related to green development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, EY China has signed a MoU with the China Emissions Exchange, she said. The two sides will work together to enrich and innovate green finance and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investment products, gradually improve environmental information disclosure and enterprises' capacity for managing environmental and social risks in the region. "As a slew of factors, including macro economic trends, the international situation and COVID-19, affect the global capital market this year, China's continued high-quality opening-up of the financial sector will boost the confidence of overseas investors," she said. Workers make face masks at a factory in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia on July 19, 2022. (SSEZ/Handout via Xinhua) "Chinese aid and investment have played a very important role in supporting Cambodia's socio-economic development and poverty reduction through creating hundreds of thousands of jobs," a Cambodian expert said. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The solid relationship with China has provided great benefits to Cambodia's socio-economic development and poverty reduction, a Cambodian academic said on Monday. Senior economist Ky Sereyvath, director-general of the Institute of China Studies at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said China is the largest donor, investor and trading partner of Cambodia, and that the ties between the two countries are currently "as solid as the Great Wall of China." "Chinese aid and investment have played a very important role in supporting Cambodia's socio-economic development and poverty reduction through creating hundreds of thousands of jobs," he told Xinhua. Sereyvath said under the Belt and Road Initiative, China has helped build many mega-projects such as roads, bridges, ports, airports, hydropower plants, economic zones, and a national stadium in the Southeast Asian nation. The expert noted three remarkable Chinese invested projects in Cambodia, namely the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, the first ever Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway, and the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. "These projects have provided and will continue to provide great benefits to Cambodia." Moreover, he said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade pact and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement, both of which entered into force in January, have been giving a big boost to Cambodia's economic growth. "The two free trade agreements have provided larger market access for made-in-Cambodia products, and there is no doubt that Cambodia's exports to China and other RCEP countries will be bigger and bigger in the future," he said. Sereyvath also highlighted the growing China-Cambodia relations, saying that the ties have withstood the test of regional and international vicissitudes and grown even stronger since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1958. He said the two countries upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in December 2010 and bilateral ties are currently at an all-time high. "The iron-clad friendship between Cambodia and China is made based on mutual trust, respect, help and support," he said. "The ties between the two countries should serve as a role model of country-to-country relations." People work at a factory in the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia on July 19, 2022. (SSEZ/Handout via Xinhua) Sharing his view on the future of China-Cambodia relations, Sereyvath said bilateral ties would continue to deepen. "Chinese COVID-19 vaccines have not only protected millions of Cambodian people's lives and stabilized the health system, but also helped boost Cambodia's economic recovery," he said. Buoyed by its high vaccination rate, Cambodia has resumed all socio-economic activities with confidence and reopened its borders to travelers without quarantine since last November. "The Sino-Cambodian ties are currently very stable and unbreakable, and I think that the relations will be closer and stronger in the future, especially in politics, economics, trade, investment, tourism, culture and agriculture," he said. DAMASCUS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Syrian political expert said that the report released Tuesday by the China Society for Human Rights Studies included a precise recounting of the crimes committed by the United States in the Middle East region. Osama Danura, also a former member of the Syrian government delegation to the Syria peace talks in Geneva, said that the ongoing sufferings of the Syrian people are caused by U.S. crimes. Produced by Xinhua Global Service LUSAKA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Wednesday commissioned a memorial park built in honor of Chinese nationals who died during the construction of the Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway line in the 1970s. The commissioning of the TAZARA Memorial Park was attended by President Hakainde Hichilema and the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui, among others. Constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the memorial park has a museum of photographs as well as graves of 36 Chinese engineers and workers who died during the construction of the 1,860 km railway line which links Zambia and Tanzania. The layout of the Memorial Park is a dominating Chinese Knot viewed from above, which is a traditional Chinese cultural symbol for eternity. The commissioning ceremony started with a tour of the museum as well as the laying of wreaths in honor of the fallen heroes. In his remarks, the Zambia president thanked workers from the three countries who sacrificed their lives to build the railway line. He said it was incumbent upon the current generations to reflect on the sacrifices made by ensuring that the railway line was revitalized. He said during his recent visit to Tanzania, the two governments reaffirmed their resolve to ensure that the railway line was revitalized in partnership with China. The Zambian president said the current generation had a duty to carry on the spirit exhibited during the construction of the railway line by being committed to duty. "The best way to remember our foreign heroes is to revive TAZARA," he said. Hichilema further said the memorial park will become one of Zambia's key tourist attraction centers and directed the ministry responsible for tourism to ensure that it becomes part of the country's tourism package. On his part, the Chinese envoy said the best way to honor the martyrs of the TAZARA construction was to reactivate the railway line which has been facing operational challenges. Du said the Chinese government was currently embarking on efforts aimed at revitalizing the railway line following a request from the governments of Zambia and Tanzania. According to him, the reactivation of the railway line will not only help Zambia solve its transportation challenges and promote the export of more products but was an important part of the Belt and Road initiative. He noted that once reactivated, TAZARA will be a convenient, safe and environment-friendly mode of transportation that could promote the development of Zambia's copper mining industry. "China and Zambia share complementary economic advantages and reactivating TAZARA will help export more high-quality Zambia products to China and provide support for deepening China-Zambia cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and other fields," Du said. China, he said, was willing to work with Zambia and Tanzania to promote South-South Cooperation and safeguard international fairness and justice. Hassan Simba Yahya, the Tanzanian High Commissioner to Zambia, said the construction of the memorial park will go a long way in providing information to future generations on the construction of the railway line and the assistance rendered by China. TAZARA was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China, with commercial operations starting in July 1976, covering 1,860 kilometers from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Produced by Xinhua Global Service UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) deployed a rapid reaction force on Wednesday to protect civilians in Bamingui-Bangoran prefecture, a UN spokesman said. The UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) deployed the peacekeepers to Ndele amid reports of possible attacks by armed groups, said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. On Monday, hearings in the Special Criminal Court, with the mission's support, resumed in a case against three alleged members of the 3R group, Dujarric said. The case involves the killings of approximately 40 civilians in Lemouna and Koundjili in May 2019. The spokesman said MINUSCA continues to reinforce community protection mechanisms, including in Ouadda-Djalle in Vakaga prefecture, through training on an early warning system which has helped enhance security in the area. It is part of the continuing support for national authorities strengthening security, justice and accountability in the CAR. The country, one of the poorest in the world, is beset by violence between feuding domestic groups, ethnic tension and international armed groups raids. * U.S. foreign policy has prompted scenes of woe and horror worldwide and seriously jeopardized global peace and stability. * From the end of World War II to 2001, the United States has initiated 201 armed conflicts in 153 locations, accounting for more than 80 percent of the total wars that occurred across the world in that time. * Outright military aggression is not the only tool of U.S. control. It has also resorted to economic seduction, financial sanctions, cultural infiltration, incitements to riot, election manipulation and other ruses to covertly subvert so-called "ideologically hostile countries." * The consequences have extended beyond the human losses, economic collapses and social turmoil of targeted states to shatter regional and global stability. by Xinhua writer Guo Yage BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- "Intervention is as American as apple pie," late American political scientist Robert Jervis wrote in the introduction to a book entitled "The New American Interventionism." Jervis' words were written 23 years ago and remain valid today. They get to the heart of U.S. foreign policy, one that features meddling in the internal affairs of other countries and subverting their governance, with the ultimate aim of securing American hegemony. Such an interventionist foreign policy has prompted scenes of woe and horror worldwide and seriously jeopardized global peace and stability. Protesters gather in front of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq on Dec. 31, 2019 to condemn airstrikes by the U.S. forces against Hashd Shaabi bases in Iraq. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) TRAILS OF BLOODSHED In the spring of 1805, U.S. army officer and diplomatic consul William Eaton, in alliance with Hamet Karamanli, the deposed brother of Yusuf Karamanli, Pasha of Tripolitania, or today's Libya, marched an army to attack Derna. They easily captured the Tripolitanian city with the help of three U.S. ships, and the Pasha was forced to capitulate. The incident, which led to the end of the First Barbary War and a victorious United States, has been viewed by many scholars as the first U.S. attempt at a coup d'etat in a foreign government through military interventionism, triggering the country's consequent pursuit of global domination. Since then, the United States has launched more bloody overseas military intrusions, often swooping in on a country and launching deadly attacks until the target is thrown into chaos and its government overthrown. From the end of World War II to 2001, the United States has initiated 201 armed conflicts in 153 locations, accounting for more than 80 percent of the total wars that occurred across the world in that time. Since 2001, Washington and its allies have dropped an estimated average of 46 bombs on other countries daily. Those wars, mainly in the name of "democracy," "freedom" and "human rights" were instead a reckless interference in the domestic affairs of other countries, leaving behind death and destruction in the Middle East, Latin America and Eastern Europe. For example, U.S.-led NATO forces carried out continuous airstrikes for 78 days against Yugoslavia. The result? More than 8,000 civilians dead or injured and nearly 1 million displaced. The U.S.-launched war in Afghanistan killed around 50,000 Afghan civilians from 2001 to mid-April 2020 and reduced some 11 million to refugees. Furthermore, years of bloodshed have left more than 200,000 Iraqi civilians dead and dragged Libya into greater turmoil. The United States is "the most warlike nation in the history of the world," former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said in 2019, adding his country had only enjoyed 16 years of peace in its 242-year history. The U.S. history of looting "is associated with numerous military interventions and the organizations of coups to eliminate those governments that did not easily accede to their demands," Gilberto Valdes Gutierrez of the Cuban Institute of Philosophy told Xinhua. U.S. historian Paul L. Atwood has also summarized this bellicose nature of the United States: "War is the American way of life." The bombed Radio Television Serbia (RTS) building is seen in Belgrade, Serbia, March 21, 2022. In Belgrade, there are many scars left by the NATO bombings. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong) COVERT MANIPULATION Outright military aggression is not the only tool of U.S. control. It has also resorted to economic seduction, financial sanctions, cultural infiltration, incitements to riot, election manipulation and other ruses to covertly subvert so-called "ideologically hostile countries." Those underhanded moves were admitted by former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton in a CNN interview in mid-July. "As somebody who has helped plan coup d'etat, not here but other places, it takes a lot of work," he said. As the Boston College political scientist Lindsey O'Rourke wrote in her book "Covert Regime Change: America's Secret Cold War," from 1947 to 1989, the United States launched 64 covert operations of subversion in other countries. Over the past few decades, the U.S. government has fostered political unrest in Latin America, played a part in the "Arab Spring" and instigated "Color Revolutions" in Europe and Asia. In Latin America, it continues to meddle in the domestic affairs of regional countries under the "Monroe Doctrine." Washington's sanctions have increased tenfold in the past 20 years. It has long put Cuba, Venezuela, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria and others on its blacklist, wantonly disrupting their economies and damaging people's livelihoods, even amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with USA Today in September 2020, political scientist Dov H. Levin noted that the United States has intervened in 81 elections between 1946 and 2000, including those in Yugoslavia and Italy. An article published by Foreign Affairs in June 2020 said the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's first known covert action was to manipulate Italy's 1948 election by spreading incendiary propaganda, bankrolling their preferred candidate and orchestrating grassroots initiatives -- "all to advantage Italy's centrist forces over their leftist competitors." The United States has financed non-governmental organizations "that essentially are there to destabilize countries," said Alfred de Zayas, professor of international law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy, who, as an American, feels "vicariously responsible" for the misdeeds of his country. Photo taken on Sept. 2, 2021 shows damaged vehicles at the site of the U.S. airstrike in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua) ARROGANCE NEVER DIES "A modern form of 'Western arrogance" is how Greg Cusack, former member of the Iowa House of Representatives, described his country's foreign policy in an interview with Xinhua. He was right: From the beginning of its founding, the United States has formed a culture of piracy that advocates pillage and conquest. Later, as triumphalism reared its head in the West following the end of the Cold War, the United States, the world's sole superpower, saw a rare opportunity to reshape the globe as it saw fit and rule supreme. But its "unipolar moment" was short-lived. As the world shifts towards a multipolar one, the United States fears its global supremacy is weakening and has therefore started tightening its grip. "Washington's empire" is "built on foundations of greed and lust for power," writer and political commentator John Wight wrote in an opinion published in July. Its "imperial arrogance" is the same as that accompanying any empire, "established in the name not of peace and prosperity, but of war and exploitation," Wight wrote, adding the United States "seeks to dominate" and "has a policy of interfering in other states' internal affairs." Indeed, the United States has long undermined international rules, coerced others to pick sides and retaliated against those who refused to comply. The consequences have extended beyond the human losses, economic collapses and social turmoil of targeted states to shatter regional and global stability. And to justify its interventionist policy, the United States has masqueraded its misdeeds as "just war theory" and so-called "democratic experiments." Daniel Kovalik, an American expert on international human rights from the University of Pittsburgh, told Xinhua that the United States uses human rights as a "bludgeon" against targets. It has nothing to do with human rights, he said. "It's about U.S. economic and strategic interests." "The discourse about democracy is the U.S. tool of pressure on countries ... Every region they invaded was completely destroyed both physically and spiritually as they set neighbors against one another," said veteran Turkish journalist Tunc Akkoc. As an op-ed published last year in the South China Morning Post read, the United States "delivers all the consequences that a hegemon can inflict upon non-compliant states." The "different experiences of U.S. interventions" over the past decades "were not in favor of the peoples," Egyptian political expert Akram Hossam told Xinhua. (Xinhua reporters Sun Ding, Xiong Maoling and Deng Xianlai in Washington, Yan Liang, Yu Lizhen, Shooka Shemirani Arbabzadeh, Zhu Yubo and Wu Hao in Mexico City, Zhu Wanjun and Raul Menchaca in Havana, Ji Li in Kigali, Wang Feng and Zeynep Cermen in Istanbul, Tian Ye and Yao Bing in Cairo also contributed to the story.) (Video reporters: Meng Jing, Yu Fuqing, Yang Yiran, Yao Bing, Wu Changwei, Wang Feng; video editors: Liu Xiaorui, Li Qin) A Syrian political expert said that the report released Tuesday by the China Society for Human Rights Studies included a precise recounting of the crimes committed by the United States in the Middle East region. Osama Danura, also a former member of the Syrian government delegation to the Syria peace talks in Geneva, said that the ongoing sufferings of the Syrian people are caused by U.S. crimes. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2021 shows a whale near Kaikoura, New Zealand. A new study has showed many areas around New Zealand will become unsuitable for blue and sperm whales as global sea-surface temperatures continue to rise, with new modelling predicting they will be seeking refuge further south. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) WELLINGTON, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A new study has showed many areas around New Zealand will become unsuitable for blue and sperm whales as global sea-surface temperatures continue to rise, with new modelling predicting they will be seeking refuge further south. Areas around New Zealand's southern and eastern offshore islands will likely become more suitable for these species, but the move will have a destabilizing effect on marine ecosystems. These changes will likely have a negative effect on tourism in areas such as New Zealand's Kaikoura, known for whale watching, as sightings become less frequent and less reliable, according to the study recently published in the international journal Ecological Indicators, Most of the tourists going on a whale watching tour in Kaikoura can spot whales from their boats, Nick Jiang, a tour operator in New Zealand's South Island, told Xinhua on Thursday. However, the chance of spotting a giant sperm whale is decreasing. Instead, killer whales, humpback whales and other smaller whales are much easier to be spotted, Jiang said. Selling boat tickets for whale watching in Kaikoura, TripAdvisor said on its website "You are almost guaranteed to spot a whale, as you'll receive most of your ticket price back if you don't." Most of the whale watchers' comments on TripAdvisor are positive, such as "well worth the money" and "a once in a lifetime experience." The international collaborative study between Massey University, the University of Zurich, the University of Canterbury, and Flinders University, has shed light on how climate change will impact the distribution of great whales in New Zealand waters. It used a complex modelling approach to project the regional range shift of blue and sperm whales by the year 2100, under different climate change scenarios. The study showed a southerly shift of suitable habitat for both species, which "increases in magnitude as the ocean warms." The most severe climate change scenario that was tested generated a 61 percent loss and 42 percent decrease in currently suitable habitat for sperm and blue whales, mostly in New Zealand's northern waters. "Regardless of which of the climate change scenarios will be the reality, even the best-case scenario indicates notable changes in the distribution of suitable habitat for sperm and blue whales in New Zealand," said research lead Dr Katharina Peters of the University of Canterbury. Island nations such as New Zealand are extremely vulnerable to climate change impact on marine ecosystems because of their strong connection to the ocean, Peters said, adding sperm whales in New Zealand are critical for the tourism industry and local economy. Great whales, such as sperm and blue whales, are important ecosystem engineers. This means that they fulfill a multitude of tasks such as facilitating the transfer of nutrients from deep waters to the surface, and across latitudes via migration from feeding to calving areas. Their predicted future southward shift, driven by climate change, will impact ecosystem functioning and potentially destabilize ecological processes in the northern part of New Zealand, the study showed. The study also highlighted habitats that may be suitable in the future for both whale species in New Zealand's South Island and offshore islands, which provides an opportunity for their increased protection in the future. Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2021 shows a whale near Kaikoura, New Zealand. A new study has showed many areas around New Zealand will become unsuitable for blue and sperm whales as global sea-surface temperatures continue to rise, with new modelling predicting they will be seeking refuge further south. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) PARIS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Five European countries -- Germany, Greece, Poland, Romania and Austria -- are sending reinforcements to France to combat the wildfires in the southwest of the country, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday. "Germany, Greece, Poland, and in the next few hours Romania and Austria: our partners are coming to the aid of France in the face of the fires," the French president tweeted. "Across the territory, more than 10,000 firefighters and civil security personnel are mobilized against the flames." Four planes from the European Union (EU) firefighting fleet have been sent to France from Greece and Sweden, following a request from French authorities as forest fires are ravaging southwestern France in particular. Firefighting teams from Germany, Poland, Austria and Romania are on their way to support French firefighters under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the European Commission has announced. The EU Emergency Response Coordination Center is in close contact with the French authorities to support the coordination of firefighting operations. In addition, the EU's Copernicus satellite has been activated by France to collect essential data for first responders on burnt areas, according to the European Commission. More than 40,000 hectares of land have been burned so far this year in France, but likely to reach around 50,000 hectares according to European satellite data, more than three times the annual average for the past ten years, the AFP reported. In the department of Gironde in southwest France, 6,800 hectares have been burned and 10,000 people have been evacuated until Thursday morning. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin are on the spot to give their support to firefighters. People rally to protest against the Japanese government's decision to discharge contaminated radioactive wastewater in Fukushima Prefecture into the sea, in Tokyo, capital of Japan, April 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi) The Japanese government's drive to push through a long-term plan to release wastewater into the Pacific Ocean starting in the spring of 2023, despite domestic and international opposition, is extremely selfish, analysts say. TOKYO, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) has recently started construction of facilities that will discharge radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, taking another step in its plan to release nuclear-contaminated water. The Japanese government's drive to push through a long-term plan to release wastewater into the Pacific Ocean starting in the spring of 2023, despite domestic and international opposition, is extremely selfish, analysts say. SELFISHNESS Struck by a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit Japan's northeast on March 11, 2011, the No. 1-3 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant suffered core meltdowns, resulting in a level-7 nuclear accident, the highest on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. The plant has been generating a massive amount of radiation-tainted water since the accident happened as it needs water to cool the reactors. With groundwater and rainwater also flowing in, about 1.3 million tons of contaminated water are now stored at the nuclear plant and are still increasing at a rate of 140 tons a day. File photo taken on Nov. 12, 2011 shows the exterior of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. (Xinhua) TEPCO claimed that the water storage tank's current storage capacity of 1.37 million tons will run out this autumn and the plant has no more space for new water storage tanks to be constructed, so it has to release the contaminated water into the sea after filtering, purifying and diluting it. In response to TEPCO's claims, Japanese environmental groups pointed out that much of the land near the plant has been left idle due to nuclear leakage and could be used to construct additional water storage tanks. However, the Japanese government and TEPCO rejected the idea, citing the need for a large amount of time for communication and coordination as well as a lot more work. Environmentalists say it is not that the option is infeasible, it is because the Japanese government and TEPCO do not want to do it, as they put their own interests first. A panel of experts organized by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry had proposed five options when considering how to deal with the contaminated water. Among them, the Japanese government said the options of discharging the water into the sea and vapor release were two "most practical solutions" and it finally chose the former one, which "takes the shortest time and costs the least," passing on the risk to the whole world. BROKEN CREDIT Contaminated water generated at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant contains tritium, cesium, strontium and other radioactive materials. The Japanese government and TEPCO said they would use the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), a multi-nuclide removal equipment, to reduce the concentrations of 62 types of radioactive substances, with the exception of tritium, which is hard to remove by purification and will remain in the treated water. TEPCO believes that tritium normally remains in the wastewater at ordinary nuclear power stations, therefore it is safe to discharge tritium-contaminated water. Experts say TEPCO is trying to confuse the concept of the wastewater that meets international standards during normal operation of nuclear power plants with that of the complex nuclear-contaminated water produced after the core meltdowns at the wrecked Fukushima power plant. The actual results of ALPS are not as ideal as TEPCO claims. Japanese media have found that in addition to tritium, there are a variety of radioactive substances in the Fukushima nuclear wastewater that exceed the standard. TEPCO has also admitted that about 70 percent of the water treated by ALPS contains radionuclides other than tritium at the concentration which exceeds legally required standards and requires filtration again. Also the reliability of ALPS itself is questionable. According to a report by Japan's Asahi Shimbun in September 2021, 24 of the 25 filters used by ALPS to absorb radioactive substances were damaged, and the damage occurred two years ago, but TEPCO did not deal with it in time. A poster to boycott Japanese products is seen in a supermarket to protest against Japan's decision to dump radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, in Seoul, South Korea, April 14, 2021. (Photo by Xu Ruxi/Xinhua) The Korean Federation for Environmental Movements, a South Korean civic environmental organization, said that TEPCO claimed to have the ability to reduce the concentration of 62 radioactive substances excluding tritium before the discharge of the contaminated water, but this is by no means the truth. The organization warned that it is hard to clean the sea water once it is polluted. From the cover-up of the meltdown at the beginning of the Fukushima disaster to the bowing and apologizing for underreporting for more than a decade, TEPCO has left so many stains on its credibility that its nuclear credit has long since gone busted. OPPOSITION FROM ALL SIDES The willful push by the Japanese government and TEPCO to release wastewater into the sea has triggered strong opposition from both within Japan and its neighboring countries. Last Wednesday, a local civic group organized a protest outside the government house of Fukushima Prefecture to show their opposition to the plan. After TEPCO announced last Thursday the start of the construction of facilities for releasing radioactive wastewater into the sea, a Japanese environmental organization issued a statement on the same day, pointing out that the Japanese government and TEPCO had made written commitments on the matter saying "without the understanding of relevant personnel, no actions will be taken." However, the government still decided in April last year to release the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea without seeking advice from relevant parties to make it a fait accompli. People protest against Japan's decision to dump radioactive wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean outside Japanese embassy in Seoul, South Korea, April 14, 2021. (Photo by Xu Ruxi/Xinhua) On July 22, the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan officially endorsed TEPCO's nuclear-contaminated water discharge plan. Responding to this, Masanobu Sakamoto, president of the National Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Japan, said the plan has not gained the understanding of the public and the fishery industry and that the federation's firm opposition to the discharge had not changed at all. Greenpeace Seoul Office said that the danger of discharging nuclear-contaminated water into the sea is obvious. The Japanese government's decision to discharge the contaminated water into the sea when there are alternatives such as long-term storage violates the precautionary principle recognized by the international community. A Turkish scholar has said U.S. economic downturn and its financial hegemony have posed risks to other economies around the world. Kaya Ardic, a scholar specialized in international trade at Piri Reis University in Istanbul, Turkiye, told Xinhua that the U.S. is experiencing a recession that has affected other countries. Ardic further points out that as U.S. financial hegemony has dealt a blow to other economies, countries that hold large amounts of U.S. debt have begun to speak out. Produced by Xinhua Global Service A lecture meeting is held to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China in Busan, South Korea, Aug. 11, 2022. The two countries established their diplomatic relationship on Aug. 24, 1992. (Xinhua/Wang Yiliang) BUSAN, South Korea, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A lecture meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China was held here on Thursday. The two countries established their diplomatic relationship on Aug. 24, 1992. The meeting, organized by the Korea-China Friendship Association, was attended by Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon, head of Korea-China Friendship Association Shin Jung-taek, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate General in Busan Guo Peng, and representatives of the media, academia and industry from the two countries. Addressing the meeting, Shin said that South Korea and China should cherish their friendship, hoping that the two countries will help each other with inclusiveness and carry out friendly exchanges in the spirit of standing together in times of difficulties. In his address, Park expressed hope that in the complex and ever-changing international environment, bilateral relations between South Korea and China will continue to develop in the direction of mutual benefit, and noted that Busan is ready to play an important role in this process. Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said in his video address that since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries 30 years ago, China and South Korea have made brilliant achievements in exchanges and cooperation in various fields, setting a good example for the development of relations between countries with different systems. The Chinese side is willing to work with the South Korean side to continue strengthening strategic communication, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to upgrade bilateral relations, bring more benefits to the two peoples and inject more impetus into world and regional peace and development, Xing noted. Delivering a keynote speech, Guo said he hopes that China and South Korea, under the guidance of their leaders, will make good use of the bilateral dialogue mechanism and maintain smooth and high-quality political and diplomatic communication. A lecture meeting is held to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China in Busan, South Korea, Aug. 11, 2022. The two countries established their diplomatic relationship on Aug. 24, 1992. (Xinhua/Wang Yiliang) A lecture meeting is held to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and China in Busan, South Korea, Aug. 11, 2022. The two countries established their diplomatic relationship on Aug. 24, 1992. (Xinhua/Wang Yiliang) BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China published on Wednesday a white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era." The release of the white paper has attracted broad global attention. Many said that the white paper has set out the position and policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese government to promote national reunification in the new era, shown the firm will and resolute determination to pursue national reunification, and demonstrated that the peaceful reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Straits is a blessing for the international community and people around the world. REAFFIRMING TAIWAN IS PART OF CHINA Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the Pakistani Senate's Defense Committee, said he thinks the white paper has made clarity on the Taiwan question, and is "very categorical and very clear." The white paper tells about the history and legal facts, and justifies how Taiwan is an integral part of China, he said. "I think people will read the right conclusion from that, because it is based on facts, not fiction." The white paper on Taiwan is an important guide on how to address and solve the Taiwan question, said Joseph Siracusa, author and adjunct professor of political history and international diplomacy at Australia's Curtin University. Siracusa said in his opinion as a diplomatic scholar, he believes that it will be very helpful for the international community, in general, and the West, in particular, to better understand the Taiwan question. Avtandil Otinashvili, chief editor of Georgian Newsday Information Agency, said that under the current complicated international situation, the white paper has made a clear elaboration on China's major policies in advancing national reunification. From the white paper, the world can fully feel China's utmost sincerity in striving for peaceful national reunification, Otinashvili added. Mohamed Si Bachir, a professor at the University of Algiers in Algeria, noted that the Chinese government has firmly adhered to the basic policy of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" on solving the Taiwan question, saying that he applauded China's clear-cut and consistent position. Tang Zhimin, director of China ASEAN Studies at the Bangkok-based Panyapiwat Institute of Management, said that he has read from the white paper the Chinese nation's mainstream value of pursuing unification and opposing secession. The integration and development of both sides across the Taiwan Straits have brought the Chinese compatriots closer to each other, he noted, adding that the white paper highlights China's long-lasting original aspiration for peaceful reunification. Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said he was impressed by the emphasis on resolutely safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity as laid out in the white paper. Hoping that the paper can access a wider range of readers, he said this will help them better understand the history and status quo of the Taiwan question, and help smash the Western media's prejudice on the Taiwan question. SEPARATISTS' PLOT, EXTERNAL MEDDLING DOOMED TO FAIL This white paper clearly and detailedly explains the root cause of the Taiwan question and the question's future settlement path, Singaporean political commentator Ang Teck Sin said. Some U.S. politicians irresponsibly sent wrong signals to the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" and encouraged Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities to pursue "independence," which led to tensions in cross-Straits relations and endangered peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, Ang added. Tunisian political analyst Jomai Gasmi pointed out that it is obvious that the United States and other external forces intervened in the Taiwan question, saying that they hoped to profit from it. In the eyes of Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the publication of this white paper under the current circumstances is of great significance. The cause of destabilization, the cause of current friction in the Taiwan Straits, he noted, is because the United States and other external forces want to use the "Taiwan card." Luis Delgado, researcher of Venezuela's Center for Advanced Studies in Development and Emerging Economies, said a series of policies to benefit Taiwan by the Chinese government have provided many conveniences for cross-Straits economic and trade exchanges and significantly promoted the economic development and people's wellbeing in Taiwan region. Despite this, the DPP authorities have been colluding with external forces and "seeking independence by relying on foreign support," which has caused tensions in cross-Straits relations. Referring to the white paper which has exposed and criticized some external forces for their attempts "to contain China by exploiting the Taiwan question," and the risky acts of provocation that embolden the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, Diaa Helmy, secretary-general of Cairo-based Egyptian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, pointed out that the United States and other external forces sought to create tensions in a blatant and provocative way, and tried to use the Taiwan question to contain China's development. He added that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the attempt to encourage the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" is doomed to failure. Croatian political analyst Branimir Vidmarovic also condemned the acts attempting "to use Taiwan to contain China." It is foolish and dangerous for some Western forces to embolden the separatist forces, he said, adding that China has demonstrated its confidence to realize the unification of the country. Li Yeming, deputy chief of Singapore World War II History Research Society, noted that the whole world can see clearly that the U.S. side constantly misinterprets, blurs and hollows out the one-China principle, and uses various means to support the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence." The white paper clearly shows China's firm determination to oppose "Taiwan independence" and external interference, and that the great cause of China's reunification is an irresistible historical trend, he added. Sudheendra Kulkarni, former chairman of Mumbai-based think-tank Observer Research Foundation, said he firmly believes that the United States creates tensions in the Taiwan Straits, and China must take countermeasures, adding that the sinister intentions of the United States are doomed to failure, while China's complete reunification is unstoppable. Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar, noted that Taiwan region has enjoyed cordial, progressive and beneficial relations with the Chinese mainland for decades now, adding that there has been growing economic integration and closer cultural and social ties across the Taiwan Straits. PEACEFUL REUNIFICATION A BLESSING FOR THE WORLD Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy, vice president of Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, said China has exercised strong restraint and shown its prudence amid the current circumstance. A peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question will provide a political foundation and a secure environment for peace, stability and development in the region, she added. Balmukunda Regmi, a professor at Nepal's Tribhuvan University, said the white paper once again clarifies China's basic policy to resolve the Taiwan question. From the successful experience in history, people have the reason to believe that the basic policy of peaceful reunification and "one country, two systems" is conducive to stability and development across the Taiwan Straits. Bouthaina Shaaban, special adviser at the Syrian presidency, said the Chinese people speak a language of morals and the language of sharing and cooperation instead of the language of hegemony. In his view, peaceful reunification boasts a bright future, and conforms to the interests of all Chinese people. Abdulaziz Al-Shaabani, a Saudi expert on Chinese affairs, said achieving peaceful reunification across the Straits is a blessing not only for the Chinese nation and the Chinese people, but also for the international community and people all over the world, which is a result the international community expects to see. For Ang in Singapore, he said what he has felt in the white paper is China's position and attitude on continuing to strive for peaceful reunification with its utmost sincerity and efforts. He also said this is a responsible attitude towards the peace of all Chinese people, including the people of Taiwan, and people across the world, adding that the white paper has outlined a bright future for peaceful reunification in accordance with "one country, two systems." Aerial photo taken on July 28, 2022 shows a view of the Sanggan River National Wetland Park in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province. (Xinhua/Yang Chenguang) TAIYUAN, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Shanxi, a major coal-producing province in north China, has made continuous advances in high-quality development over the past decade, according to a press briefing held Wednesday. Shanxi's accumulated coal output over the past 10 years reached nearly 10 billion tonnes, accounting for about a quarter of China's total, said Lin Wu, secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, adding that Shanxi's coal output is expected to reach 1.3 billion tonnes in 2022. While ensuring China's energy supply, Shanxi has strived to push forward the transition of its energy supply structure by adopting measures such as accelerating the coordinated development of new energy and digitalization of its coal sector, among other efforts, Lin noted. Official data showed that the non-coal sector contributed 7.1 percentage points to Shanxi's year-on-year economic growth of 9.1 percent in 2021. Over the past decade, Shanxi also made efforts to improve its business environment and promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Since the beginning of 2021, 365 high-tech enterprises and three state-level science and technology innovation platforms, such as key state laboratories, have settled in Shanxi, according to the press briefing. Shanxi governor Lan Fo'an said the province has made great progress in improving the environment and people's livelihood. From 2017 to 2021, the ratio of days with good air quality in Shanxi increased from 65.7 percent to 72.1 percent, while the ratio of water categorized as good quality grew from 55.2 percent to 72.3 percent, said Lan, adding that the province's forest coverage rate has exceeded the national average. Shanxi has lifted 3.29 million people out of poverty over the years and, for many years in a row, the province spent more than 80 percent of its fiscal expenditure on improving people's livelihood, Lan said. BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The white paper titled "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era," released on Wednesday, has fully demonstrated the leadership core role played by the Communist Party of China (CPC) in pursuing the reunification of the motherland. The white paper has also further enhanced our confidence and determination to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, we must have a strong force to lead the Chinese people forward, and this strong force is the CPC. The CPC is committed to the historic mission of resolving the Taiwan question and realizing China's complete reunification, striving to de-escalate tension across the Taiwan Straits, set out on a path of peaceful development and make many breakthroughs in improving cross-Straits relations. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, the CPC and the Chinese government have adopted a series of major measures for charting the course of cross-Straits relations and realizing China's peaceful reunification. They have safeguarded peace and stability across the Straits, and promoted progress towards national reunification. Under the guidance of the CPC, great progress has been made in cross-Straits relations over the past seven decades, especially since the estrangement between the two sides was ended. We now have better conditions, more confidence, and greater capabilities to complete the historic mission of national reunification. The Taiwan question arose as a result of weakness and chaos in our nation, and it will be resolved as national rejuvenation becomes a reality. The reunification of the motherland will surely be achieved under the strong leadership of the CPC. HONG KONG, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee on Thursday pledged efforts to create a new chapter for the development of innovation and technology in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Hong Kong will seize the historic opportunities offered by the country's 14th Five-Year Plan to build itself into an international center for innovation and technology, Lee said at a forum on GBA innovation and technology cooperation. He said measures to gear up Hong Kong's innovation and technology development will be proposed in his policy address, which is expected to be delivered on Oct. 19 this year. Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang said in his video speech at the forum that the ministry will continue to support the building of an international innovation and technology hub in the GBA, and further open up national sci-tech programs to Hong Kong and Macao through inter-departmental efforts. Last year, Hong Kong's total research and development (R&D) expenditure exceeded 26.5 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 3.38 billion U.S. dollars), a record high, and the number of start-ups has increased to about 4,000, official data showed. Hong Kong ranked first in Asia and second globally in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2021, produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center, with its performance in technology being rated first in the world. Photo taken on June 2, 2022 shows the graves of Chinese engineers and workers in the TAZARA Memorial Park in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, Zambia. (Xinhua/Martin Mbangweta) Zambia on Wednesday commissioned a memorial park built in honor of Chinese nationals who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia railway line (TAZARA) in the 1970s. LUSAKA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Wednesday commissioned a memorial park built in honor of Chinese nationals who died during the construction of the Tanzania-Zambia railway line (TAZARA) in the 1970s. The commissioning of the TAZARA Memorial Park was attended by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and the Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui, among others. Constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the memorial park has a museum of photographs as well as graves of 36 Chinese engineers and workers who died during the construction of the 1,860 km railway line which links Zambia and Tanzania. The layout of the Memorial Park is a dominating Chinese Knot viewed from above, which is a traditional Chinese cultural symbol for eternity. The commissioning ceremony started with a tour of the museum as well as the laying of wreaths in honor of the fallen heroes. In his remarks, the Zambia president thanked workers from the three countries who sacrificed their lives to build the railway line. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema (R, Front) stands as a wreath is laid in honor of the Chinese nationals who died during the construction of the TAZARA railway line in the TAZARA Memorial Park in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, Zambia, on Aug. 10, 2022. (China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation/Handout via Xinhua) He said it was incumbent upon the current generations to reflect on the sacrifices made by ensuring that the railway line was revitalized. He added that during his recent visit to Tanzania, the two governments also reaffirmed their resolve to ensure that the railway line was revitalized in partnership with China. The Zambian president said the current generation had a duty to carry on the spirit exhibited during the construction of the railway line by being committed to duty. "The best way to remember our foreign heroes is to revive TAZARA," he said. Hichilema further said the memorial park will become one of Zambia's key tourist attraction centers and directed the ministry responsible for tourism to ensure that it becomes part of the country's tourism package. People visit the museum of the TAZARA Memorial Park in Chongwe, Lusaka Province, Zambia, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Martin Mbangweta) On his part, the Chinese envoy said the best way to honor the martyrs of the TAZARA construction was to reactivate the railway line which has been facing operational challenges. Du said the Chinese government was currently embarking on efforts aimed at revitalizing the railway line following a request from the governments of Zambia and Tanzania. According to him, the reactivation of the railway line will not only help Zambia solve its transportation challenges and promote the export of more products but was an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative. He noted that once reactivated, TAZARA will be a convenient, safe and environment-friendly mode of transportation that could promote the development of Zambia's copper mining industry. "China and Zambia share complementary economic advantages and reactivating TAZARA will help export more high-quality Zambia products to China and provide support for deepening China-Zambia cooperation in agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and other fields," Du said. China, he said, was willing to work with Zambia and Tanzania to promote South-South Cooperation and safeguard international fairness and justice. Hassan Simba Yahya, the Tanzanian High Commissioner to Zambia, said the construction of the memorial park will go a long way in providing information to future generations on the construction of the railway line and the assistance rendered by China. TAZARA was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China, with commercial operations starting in July 1976, covering 1,860 kilometers from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. ANKARA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish foreign minister on Thursday urged Finland and Sweden to take "concrete steps" about their commitments that should be fulfilled before their accession to the NATO. "They have not yet fulfilled their commitments made in the documents (to join NATO)," Mevlut Cavusoglu told the annual Ambassadors' Conference, which was held in the capital Ankara to discuss the Turkish foreign policy. Finland and Sweden decided to join NATO after the outbreak of Russia-Ukraine conflict in late February. However, their accession bid was initially blocked by Turkiye, which accused the two countries of supporting anti-Turkiye terrorist organizations after they refused Ankara's extradition requests for suspects affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Gulen movement. The three countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 28 that addressed Turkiye's concerns at the NATO summit in Madrid, in which Finland and Sweden pledged to support Turkiye's fight against terrorism and agreed to address its "pending deportation or extradition requests of terror suspects expeditiously and thoroughly." Member states of NATO, including Turkiye, signed accession protocols for Sweden and Finland in early July, starting the procedure to admit the two Nordic countries into the military alliance. The next step is for the parliaments of all NATO members to ratify their accession to NATO. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in July that Turkiye would suspend Finland and Sweden's NATO accession process if they failed to keep promises on counter-terrorism. "We want to learn why the necessary steps are not taken. There is no time pressure for us. Of course we have time pressure for the issue on terror, but eventually they are the countries that want to become NATO members," Cavusoglu said Thursday. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States and the European Union, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than three decades. The Gulen movement is led by and named after the U.S.-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen who is regarded by his followers as a spiritual leader. The Turkish government accuses the movement of masterminding the 2016 failed coup in which at least 250 people were killed. GENEVA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Thursday expressed alarm at the high number of Palestinians, including children, killed and injured in the latest escalation in Gaza. "Inflicting hurt on any child during the course of conflict is deeply disturbing, and the killing and maiming of so many children this year is unconscionable," said Bachelet in a media statement issued Thursday. The UN human rights office said Thursday that it has verified 48 Palestinian deaths in last week's violence from Aug. 5 to 7. Among them at least 22 were civilians, including 17 children and four women. Figures from the UN human rights office also showed that in the past week, 19 Palestinian children have been killed in the occupied Palestinian territory, bringing the death toll since the start of this year to 37. The office noted that while the ceasefire for the latest escalation in Gaza is holding, tensions remain very high in the West Bank, where four Palestinians were killed and 90 others were injured by live ammunition on Aug. 9. "The situation in Palestine is extremely fragile, and events such as in Nablus risk igniting further hostilities in Gaza. The utmost restraint is necessary to prevent further bloodshed, including by ensuring that firearms are used strictly in compliance with international standards," Bachelet said. UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday that he is "gravely concerned" about the unfolding situation in and around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. "I have appealed to all concerned to exercise common sense and reason and not to undertake any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety or security of the nuclear plant," he said in a statement. Ukraine and Russia have exchanged accusations over a strike on the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is one of the largest atomic power complexes in Europe and generates a quarter of Ukraine's total electricity. In his statement, Guterres said the United Nations continues to fully support the critical work of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its efforts to ensure the safe operations of the Zaporizhzhia plant. "I urge the parties to provide the IAEA mission with immediate, secure and unfettered access to the site," he said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday that instead of discussing absurd remarks such as setting up a no-fly zone over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, it is necessary for the IAEA to inspect the plant. Zakharova said that Russia requested a UN Security Council meeting on the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia plant, and the international community should comprehensively assess the situation. CAIRO, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people were killed on Wednesday in a collision between a microbus and a truck on the Aswan-Cairo agriculture road in southern Egypt. The truck crushed the microbus on which all the passengers were killed, Mohamed Al-Dikhily, manager of Aswan Ambulance Authority, told Xinhua. The high speed of the microbus driver was behind the accident, he noted. "Thirteen ambulances rushed to the scene of the accident to take the injured to the Aswan Public Hospital, and the dead people were transferred to the morgue," he added. Road accidents are common in Egypt because of poorly maintained road infrastructure and loosely enforced traffic regulations. Over the past few years, Egypt has been upgrading its road network, building new roads and bridges, and repairing old ones to reduce traffic accidents. ABUJA, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least 29 extremist militants were killed and 55 others arrested in anti-terror operations in Nigeria's northeast region in the past two weeks, a spokesman for the military said Thursday. Bernard Onyeuko, the national spokesman for the military, told a news briefing in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, that 52 kidnapped victims were also rescued in the region within the period. Onyeuko said during the same period, a total of 1,755 Boko Haram militants and their families surrendered to the government troops, who have continued to dominate the theater of operations across villages, mountains, towns, and cities in the northeastern part of the country. All the surrendered militants and their families were profiled and handed over to the relevant authority, according to the spokesman. Onyeuko noted a key commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) identified as Alhaji Modu, also known as Bem Bem, as well as his fighters, were killed in an airstrike by the military in the village of Degbawa, near the Mandara Mountains in the Gwoza local government area of the northern state of Borno on Aug. 3. "Information gathered from the locals had revealed that 20 terrorists were confirmed dead in the airstrike at the location, where the terrorists converged for a meeting before the strike," he said. That operation was followed by the arrest of three logistics suppliers of the Boko Haram and ISWAP in Buni Yadi, a town in Yobe, another northeastern state, Saturday, Onyeuko said. The ISWAP has been collaborating with its sister group Boko Haram to establish an Islamist state in northeast Nigeria. The terror groups have also extended their attacks to other countries in the Lake Chad Basin. SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's export of information and communications technology (ICT) products logged the first fall in over two years last month, government data showed Thursday. ICT products shipment dwindled 0.7 percent over the year to 19.34 billion U.S. dollars in July, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It marked the first decline in 26 months since May 2020. Import for ICT products climbed 16.8 percent to 13.22 billion dollars, sending the trade surplus to 6.12 billion dollars in July. The surplus was down 2.03 billion dollars from a year earlier. Semiconductor export grew 3.1 percent from a year earlier to 11.38 billion dollars in July, topping 10 billion dollars for the 15th consecutive month. System chip export kept a double-digit increase for the 16th straight month, but memory chip shipment diminished 13.5 percent to 6.17 billion dollars. Display panel shipment reduced 4.7 percent to 2 billion dollars, and mobile devices export went down 29.2 percent to 680 million dollars. ICT products export to the United States shrank 9.2 percent over the year to 2.41 billion dollars in July, marking the first reduction in 31 months. ICT shipment to Vietnam and the European Union (EU) kept growing for 16 months and 23 months in a row respectively. SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- South Korea logged a trade deficit in the first 10 days of August due to a faster increase in import than export, customs office data showed Thursday. The trade deficit amounted to 7.68 billion U.S. dollars in the Aug. 1-10 period, according to Korea Customs Service. The trade balance stayed in the red most months of this year, with deficits of 4.9 billion dollars in January, 2.48 billion dollars in April, 1.61 billion dollars in May, 2.58 billion dollars in June and 4.67 billion dollars in July respectively. Export gained 23.2 percent from a year earlier to 15.69 billion dollars in the 10-day period, and import surged 34.1 percent to 23.37 billion dollars. Import of the country's three major energy sources, including crude oil, natural gas and coal, came in at 6.19 billion dollars for the first 10 days of August, up 74.9 percent from the same period of last year. Import from Saudi Arabia almost doubled in the cited period, and those from the United States and Japan increased in double figures. Export for oil products and automobiles soared in triple digits, but semiconductor shipment shrank 5.1 percent. Shipment for mobile devices and computers declined in double figures, but export for auto parts and steel products logged a double-digit expansion. Export to the United States and the European Union (EU) climbed 17.5 percent and 66.2 percent each, and shipments to Vietnam advanced 10.2 percent. SYDNEY, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Mice reportedly have a "jumping gene" which enables their immune systems to fight off viruses, according to a new report from Australian researchers. The study, published in the journal Nature, offers insights into how the rodent's immune system is protected, which scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) believe could ultimately lead to more effective treatments of patients with serious infections. Explaining the findings in an online article on Scimex on Thursday, UNSW biomolecular scientist Cecile King said it revealed that a "jumping gene" or transposable element in mice could bolster their immune systems following a viral infection. King said up to two-thirds of a mammal's chromosomes were composed of such transposable element which can change their position within a genome and in doing so can create or reverse mutations or alter a cell's "genetic identity". To better understand the role of jumping genes, King's team observed what happened when a single transposable element was removed from a mouse's immune system. "Then we could ask questions about what transposable element actually do in terms of their function and effect on a complex biological system," she said. King said the team chose a transposable element near the Schlafen gene family, which are genes known to encourage cell proliferation in response to viruses. After knocking out one transposable element, called Lx9c11, the researchers infected the mice with a virus that attacks the pancreas. Those animals subsequently died. King said the results were comparable to people who had suffered from severe COVID-19. "We found they had increased damage to the pancreas; infiltration of cells into the lung; activation of immune cell subsets; dysregulated blood glucose levels; weight loss and lethality," she said. But when the team put Lx9c11 back into other still-living mice that had been infected with the virus, they survived. King said the team next planned to conduct similar tests on other transposable element to identify their specific roles in the body's fight against viruses. "We think this is going to be a commonly observed phenomenon, that we're going to learn how transposable element similar to Lx9c11 control the expression of gene families throughout the genome," she said. MOSCOW, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev paid a visit to Donbass on Thursday to explore measures to ensure the region's security and normalize life there. Medvedev wrote on Telegram that he met with the heads of Donbass and on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting on priority measures to ensure the security of Donbass. At the meeting, leaders of Russia's major law enforcement departments, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, and the construction minister, also considered issues of promoting economic and social development of Donbass. Medvedev said that the participants paid particular attention to the harmonization of Donbass' laws with Russian legislation, the restoration of infrastructure, the repair of hospitals, the preparation for the new school year, the solution to social problems, and the support of residents. TUNIS, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- The slogan of "defending human rights" raised by the United States is nothing but an umbrella to cover its serious human rights violations inside the country and the rest of the world, Tunisian political experts have told Xinhua. On the one hand, the United States is always ready to launch accusations against other countries, showing no respect for their basic human rights, Zouhair Maghzaoui, general secretary of the People's Movement of Tunisia, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "But on the other hand, the United States does not hesitate in many cases to commit the most heinous crimes in the field of human rights or to remain silent if the matter is concerning practices involving its allies," Maghzaoui added. For his part, Hicham El-Hajji, a political activist, said he believes that declarations of support for human rights issued by the United States around the world "are failing to persuade even children." Khaled Obeid, a political academic, said the U.S. human rights violations are "both an old and constantly renewed issue that the U.S. administration deals with through a logic of double standards." The experts agreed that the human rights situation in the United States, which has notorious records, has frequently exposed U.S. officials to repeated vitriolic criticism in the corridors of the United Nations. The U.S. government does not hesitate to use the issue of human rights to put pressure on other countries, in accordance with a policy of double standards, said the experts. NEW YORK, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Despite some positive advances, coronavirus-related deaths remain at a persistently high level in the United States, with nearly 400 American deaths to COVID-19 reported each day, a daily total that has not seen any significant declines since the spring, reported ABC News on Wednesday. Over the last seven days alone, the United States has reported just under 2,700 COVID-19 deaths; since the beginning of 2022, nearly 205,000 Americans have been lost to COVID-19, the report said, citing figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The latest viral surge has been largely driven by highly infectious variants, which continue to infect and reinfect Americans. It has been more than eight months since the original Omicron variant emerged, and although the original strain is no longer circulating in the United States, its subvariants continue to spread," said the report. BA.5, a subvariant of Omicron, is currently estimated to account for more than 87 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the country, the report said, noting that Omicron and its subvariants have been better at chipping away at vaccine efficacy, which has caused health experts to reignite their call for Americans to get vaccinated and boosted. Last week, Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease expert, warned that Americans who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations may be in "trouble" this fall, with immunity waning over time, it added. NEW YORK, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Native Americans in the U.S. state of Massachusetts are calling for a boycott of a popular living history museum featuring colonial reenactors portraying life in Plymouth, the famous English settlement founded by the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower, reported The Associated Press on Wednesday. "Members of the state's Wampanoag community and their supporters say Plimoth Patuxet Museums has not lived up to its promise of creating a 'bi-cultural museum' that equally tells the story of the European and Indigenous peoples that lived there," said the report. They say the "Historic Patuxet Homesite," the portion of the mostly outdoor museum focused on traditional Indigenous life, is inadequately small, in need of repairs and staffed by workers who aren't from local tribes, according to the report. Former museum staffers say museum officials for years ignored their suggestions for modernizing and expanding the outdoor exhibit, which marks its 50th anniversary next year, said the report. That, coupled with low pay and poor working conditions, led to the departure of many long-standing Native staffers who built the program into a must-see attraction by showcasing authentic Indigenous farming, cooking, canoe building and other cultural practices, it added. MATANZAS, Cuba, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least two people have died because of a massive fire at a fuel storage facility in the Cuban western province of Matanzas last week, the Ministry of Public Health said on Thursday. The two were confirmed dead after firefighters and rescue teams from Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico brought the fire under control on Wednesday. According to the ministry, 130 people have been treated in medical facilities after the large-scale fire, and 14 others are still missing. The fire started when a tank at the fuel farm near the port of Matanzas was engulfed in a huge blaze following a lightning strike at 7:00 p.m. local time on Friday, reaching a second tank on Saturday morning and triggering a series of explosions. According to official data, some 5,000 residents were evacuated from the area. Luis Wong, provincial director of Public Health in Matanzas, said that after putting out the fire, Cuban officials will begin the process of searching for the remains of potential victims. "We have the equipment, technology, and skilled personnel to start working at the fire scene when required," he added during a televised address. China: As Hong Kong eases its pandemic rules, online searches for flights to popular destinations such as Bangkok and Osaka have jumped tenfold, prompting an increase in airfares. The Hong Kong government on Monday reduced hotel quarantine times for inbound travelers from seven days to three, as well as four days of "home medical surveillance" with restricted movement, said Danwi Low, 41, head of talent acquisition at a city firm Said, she said she struggled to find cheap flights. Lo said she hopes to use up her air miles on travel to Japan or London before the end of the year, when she sits down at her computer shortly after the quarantine period ends. However, she clarified that some flights were "ridiculously expensive", while others were booked solely for redemption of air miles. It costs HK$12,000 [US$1,529] to get to Tokyo's Narita Airport. There are no flights into London. It's so absurd. I would research alternative locations or use a different airline," Low said. He insisted that he had previously spent between HK$3,000 and HK$4,000 on a trip to Tokyo. According to Jebsen Travel, a well-known city travel agency, the least expensive round-trip Cathay Pacific economy class fare from Hong Kong to London was HK$17,000 in August, up 41% from the minimum of HK$12,000 in June and July. A round-trip economy ticket on the airline to the British capital can cost up to HK$41,000 in June and July. An economy class round-trip ticket from Cathay to Hong Kong for London for the following Tuesday, Thursday or Friday could cost up to 35,000 Hong Kong dollars, according to a check made by the Post on Wednesday night. On Saturdays and Sundays, economy round-trip tickets were less expensive but still over HK$23,000. The average cost of a round-trip economy class ticket on Emirates flights via Bangkok and Dubai rose 36% to HK$13,200 in August, compared to around HK$9,700 in June and July. According to Jebsen, the high demand resulted in flights being fully booked. According to the travel agency, the cost of a round-trip economy class ticket on Cathay from Hong Kong to New York rose 10% in August, from an average of HK$12,000 in June and July to a minimum of HK$13,200. In August, the airline's maximum fare for return travel in economy class was HK$28,000. According to data from analytics firm Cirium, the average price of a flight from Hong Kong to London in May was HK$7,973, which includes taxes and fees. The company also found that the normal fare between New York and Hong Kong in May was HK$10,061 (at no extra charge). Following the easing of quarantine policy, Fannie Yeung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, predicted a 20-30% increase in Hong Kong traveling abroad. But she continued to urge an end to the quarantine requirements to revive the travel sector. Yeung emphasized a possible adjustment in residents to Hong Kong's travel habits and suggested that people may prefer to take longer journeys to "justify" the quarantine period. We have seen a few visits to Japan in the last 20 days, which is interesting. The 45-day event was the longest I had planned. Due to the pandemic and quarantine requirements, perhaps this is a unique pattern, she suggested. Information from international online travel agency Expedia showed that both Osaka and Bangkok saw a 1,000% increase in flight searches on their platforms over the past week. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, saw an increase of about 90% and inquiries increased by almost 50% in Singapore. Expedia saw a three-fold increase in outbound flight searches in the first 24 hours after the government announced quarantine changes, compared to a day earlier. According to an Expedia spokesperson, the increase reflected the city's significant demand for international travel. Compared to last Sunday, the day before the announcement , outbound flights from the platform increased by 176%, and Hong Kong users viewing outbound flights increased by 184%, according to Eddie Yip, on travel to Hong Kong and Taiwan. The e-commerce lead website for Trip.com. As a longtime favorite of Hong Kong tourists, popular Southeast Asian destinations such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are the focus of Yip's first strategy. The abundance of flights to these places can accommodate Hong Kongers looking to restart their travels, especially those who may consider a short trip as their first trip. Club Med, the operator of a chain of resorts, claimed that after the new quarantine rules were announced, it had started advertising its packages. According to an email newsletter obtained by the Post, resorts are being promoted in Phuket, Thailand and Bali, Indonesia. According to Club Med general manager Stuart de Bourgogne, the company's website traffic increased eightfold on the day the quarantine reduction was announced for the Hong Kong and Taiwan markets, levels of interest the company had not seen since February 2020. He added that Phuket, the Maldives, and Japanese ski resorts had been the most popular locations since Monday. Hong Kong will reduce the hotel quarantine period for visitors from other countries Canada provides 12,500 open work permits to young educated people AMTD Digital, a small Hong Kong firm's shares soared, read why KATHMANDU: China government has announced to offer an 800 million yuan, that is equivalent to USD 181 million, aid to Nepal for this year. The foreign minister of China, Wang Yi, made the announcement while speaking with Narayan Khadka, a representative from Nepal, on Wednesday in Qingdao. Wang, who is also the State Councillor, invited Khadka on a three-day trip to China. Following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the autonomous island last week, tensions between China and Taiwan are currently simmering and the journey takes place during this time. Khadka reaffirmed Nepal's steadfast adherence to the "One China Policy" at the meeting and gave the assurance that the country's territory will not be utilised for any actions against Beijing. According to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry in this city, Wang reaffirmed China's ongoing and unwavering support for Nepal's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity in his speech and pledged to assist in the nation's development efforts in accordance with the priorities of the government in Kathmandu. Both parties also set up a number of other agreements and understandings in addition to giving Nepal a fresh batch of financial aid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted. As Nepal is encountering a crippling shortage of chemical fertiliser, China has agreed to provide it. According to the Ministry, China has promised to seriously explore delivering chemical fertiliser and to investigate the viability of establishing a chemical fertiliser facility in Nepal in response to Nepal's request. Taiwan's opposition delegation departs for the mainland China Cuba, Mexico make progress in controlling fuel farm fire China will take all necessary steps to achieve reunification with Taiwan Seems like Ezra Miller has been riling himself up in trouble for too long, amid all the controversies a recent one states that a young mother and her three children were allegedly living with Ezra Miller at the actors Vermont farm are reportedly missing. As per a Rolling Stone report, Vermont State Police are looking for a 25-year-old woman and her kids, aged 5, 4 and 1. It has also been revealed that it was during a visit to locate the family at the farm that Miller was charged with felony burglary for allegedly stealing bottles of alcohol. Further, the report also indicated that the police believe The Flash star may be concealing their whereabouts. Court documents obtained by the publication show Vermont police officers saying they attempted at least twice over the weekend to serve the mom an emergency care order requested by the State Attorneys office, which demanded the youngsters removal from both the property and her care, as reported by Rolling Stone. Although the police have maintained that Miller told cops that the family hadnt lived there in months, which the State Attorneys office said seemed like an attempt to "evade service" of the order. Rolling Stone has also maintained that the mother was posting daily on social media from Miller's property until mid-July following the account appeared to have been deleted. The police order was reportedly drafted for fear of the childrens safety, as Millers property allegedly consists of firearms, ammunition and marijuana as stated in previous reports. Amid all these controversies, it was revealed that Miller reportedly did additional photography for the upcoming DCEU film, The Flash. Despite being charged with felony, Ezra Miller to still star in The Flash BHUBANESWAR:: The Odisha police have detained a Nigerian man from New Delhi for allegedly cheating a Balasore man of Rs30 lakh by honey-trapping him, police officials said on Thursday. The accused identified as Samson Emeke Alika has been arrested based on a case registered at cyber and economic offence police station, Balasore. Alika was staying in a rented accommodation in the national capital. On April 13, 2022, a man filed a complaint with the cyber police about honey-trapping and fraudulent activities. According to the complaint, the Nigerian man came to contact the victim on Facebook and introduced himself as a young woman from London. They later exchanged texts via WhatsApp, according to Meena Bindhani, the police station's inspector-in-charge (IIC). The woman then informed the victim that she had sent him expensive gifts like as gold biscuits, a Rolex watch, and an iPhone, according to Meena. She said, one day, a man identifying himself as a customs official from New Delhi called the victim and urged him to pay customs duties in order to collect the gifts. Accordingly, the victim kept on spending lakhs of rupees to receive the gifts. He has transferred about Rs 30 lakh but did not get the gifts. Later, he realised that he was trapped and cheated by cyber frauds, said the police inspector. The police said they have seized two mobile phones, one laptop, VISA from the arrested Nigerian man. The VISA of the accused has already been expired in 2018 while it seems that his passport is also not a real one. Further investigation into the case is on to nab other people involved in the case. Woman kills sister's daughter-in-law, comes to police station with severed head! Groom played Bride's dirty video at their Wedding to take revenge Police got huge success, recovered 266 kg of ganja China: Cross-strait tensions are at their highest point in decades after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island last week, experts said. Beijing may increase pressure on Taiwan but will carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of reunification by force. According to analysts, Taiwan's economy is unlikely to crash from Mainland officials; Instead, they will target politicians and companies that support freedom while attempting to win over the masses. A long-term military exercise by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is fueling rumors in some markets that Beijing is considering a blockade of the island, which would have an impact on the international shipping and semiconductor industries. Because doing so would negatively impact the lives of regular people, mainland officials have no desire to destroy Taiwan's economy, according to Lu Jiang, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a government with offices in Beijing. think tank. "Even if it gets to the point where pro-independence enthusiasts have to come out of their misery, [Beijing] will deal with it and restore economic and social order as quickly as possible." Beijing views Taiwan as a province that has separated from the mainland and should be united with it, possibly by force. However, any attack would be made more difficult by possible US military intervention. Despite the fact that the US and most other nations do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, Washington opposes any attempt to forcibly annex the island. Additionally, it would force the mainland to make intense diplomatic efforts, stockpile strategic goods such as crude oil and prepare for the prospect of prolonged Western sanctions. Although China keeps track of its crude oil reserves, it is believed that its reserves, which include imports and domestic production, could last 40 to 50 days. In response to provocations from the United States and Taiwan questioning the One-China doctrine, Lu said the military exercise was a show of resolve and capability. Due to the instability of US politics, the Taiwan card may be used frequently. He advised that we should be ready for war at all times. Taiwan is extremely vulnerable to geopolitical unrest and economic blockades; Last year, its foreign trade stood at US$830 billion, exceeding its GDP by US$773 billion. When Beijing fired ballistic missiles into waters off Taiwan in 1996 during the Taiwan Strait Crisis in response to former President Li Teng-Visit Hui's US, the island experienced a loss of talent and investment, and its stock market crashed. Mainland Taiwan is particularly vulnerable to economic sanctions as 40% of its trade is with China and Hong Kong. Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua said earlier this month that the island's oil reserves could last up to 146 days and that its natural gas reserves were about ten. Last week, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced that it would stop importing processed foods, cold-chain fish and citrus fruits from Taiwan. Additionally, it outlawed the export of natural sand, an ingredient used by the island's important semiconducting sector. When compared to the total value of bilateral trade, which stood at US$328 billion last year, targeted trade action is relatively modest. Beijing relied heavily on trade, economic and people-to-people exchanges to keep ties with the island intact. The strategy worked well between 2008 and 2016 when the pro-Beijing Kuomintang was in power and the two sides signed more than 20 economic agreements, boosting bilateral trade. However, relations deteriorated after the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party took office in 2016 and pushed for a New Southbound policy to cut back on cross-strait travel. Beijing stopped issuing personal travel authorizations to Taiwan in the summer of 2019. Prior to this, the island received over 2 million visitors annually from the mainland. According to Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist for Asia-Pacific at Natixis, "if the situation does not ease rapidly, the economic impact is set to be larger than the three major crises in the Taiwan Strait in the past." She explained that a potential blockade would have costly effects on areas that rely heavily on semiconductors. This could result in delays in energy shipments to Asian economies, due to shipping woes or slow shipping in the region. In the medium term, she predicted, this will accelerate the current trend toward supply chain diversification among different economies and businesses. According to Goldman Sachs, the recent cross-strait trade sanctions will have a short-term impact on Taiwan's growth of less than 0.1% of GDP. However, persistent trade shocks could have serious economic implications for Taiwan, including the mainland. A government researcher who spoke on the record said that China's fundamental argument is that sovereignty is not negotiable. Reunification should have been accomplished ten years ago based on military strength, the person claimed. However, there will be a lot to think about, such as how to stop US intervention and sanctions and how to revive the Taiwanese economy. According to the researcher, if Beijing escalated the situation, a swift military operation would be the most likely course of action rather than a protracted economic blockade. Beijing's current economic policies are unlikely to have a significant impact on bilateral trade, according to Beatrice Tsai, chief statistician of Taiwan's finance ministry, who also noted that both countries' electronics industries are very reliant on one another. According to Bloomberg, she said, "We expect very little chance that China will impose stricter economic sanctions on Taiwanese businesses due to our highly dependent economic relations." China announces USD 181 million aid for Nepal Airfares skyrocketed after Hong Kong quarantine rules were eased China will take all necessary steps to achieve reunification with Taiwan Home Politics How Nepals first lady is becoming the countrys de facto ruler Image for representation only Of late, lineage is no more advantage in Nepals grand old Nepali Congress party. Apparently, the political life of people like Shashanka Koirala, Sujata Koirala, Prakash Man Singh and Sirjana Shrestha Singh is approaching the denouement. Arzu Rana Deuba, the scholarly wife of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, however, is trying to be an exception. If you look at her recent actions, it is evident that she is trying her best to make the most of her husbands positions to make a statement in Nepali politics. If you look at it from a political standpoint, she is the countrys first lady. So her active role in politics is not unnatural as she has even been a Constituent Assembly member in the past. But, what is strange is her active role in party politics and state affairs as if Arzu Rana Deuba is the de facto ruler of the country. The new queen File: Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Rana Deuba Its impossible to object or speak against Arzu madam, says a Nepali Congress leader. It feels like weve gone back in time. People would be petrified to say anything against Queen Ashwariya Shah (King Birendras wife) during the monarchy. Arzu has a similar effect. The NC leader says Arzu Rana Deubas network in the government and the party has grown stronger and stronger in recent times. Helping her become influential are industrialists, contractors and businesspersons, says the leader. Her concerns are mostly about financial affairs, he says. The NC leader says businesspersons and NC members like Binod Chaudhary, Anil Rungta, Umesh Shrestha, Indra Baniya and Deepak Khadka are her main motivators. Another Nepali Congress leader accuses Arzu of controlling the countrys administrative mechanism after her husband became the prime minister. She showed that she was the one controlling bureaucracy. It all started with the Planning Commission, says the NC leader. PM Deuba had reportedly called economist Shakar Sharma from the US to make him the vice-chair of the National Planning Commission. But, after Arzu Rana Deuba intervened, the prime minister reluctantly made Biswo Nath Poudel the vice-chair of the commission. It is not that Poudel was not eligible; he is more than capable of leading the commission. It just left a bad taste as he entered the commission through the backdoor. Arzu Rana Deuba is the chair of Ullens School while Poudel was its board member. But, people close to Poudel say he was Deubas choice too. A source close to Poudel tells Onlinekhabar that Deuba had called Poudel two days after being the prime minister telling him he would be the new vice-chair of the planning body. Prime Minister does listen to others, but he does what he wants. I dont think Biswo Poudel got the position due to Arzu madam, he says. After being unable to make Sharma the vice-chair of the commission, Deuba appointed him Nepals ambassador to India. Arzu Rana Deuba played a major role in appointing ambassadors too. Sources say it was her who recommended the names of Shreedhar Khatri and Durga Bahadur Subedi to become ambassadors to the US and Japan respectively. Were not questioning their ability, but the manner in which they have been appointed is questionable, says an NC leader. Focus on finance and foreign affairs Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) foreign affairs department chief Vijay Chauthaiwale meets Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deubas wife Arzu Rana Deuba in New Delhi, on Wednesday, July 27, 2022. Photo: https://twitter.com/vijai63 Umesh Shreshta, who was appointed the state health minister on July 25, 2021, is someone who is close to Arzu Rana Deuba. Sources say Arzu played a major role in the promotion and transfer of people within the ministry during his tenure. After the Health Ministry was given to the CPN-Unified Socialist, PM Deuba gave Shrestha the role of looking after the Prime Ministers Office. Following that, Arzu then started to keep a keen interest in the promotion and transfer of officials in ministries that were being led by the Nepali Congress leaders. Examples of this are the appointment of Umesh Prasad Thani as the executive director of Nepal Oil Corporation, Bikal Poudel as the executive director of Security Printing Centre, Sunil Poudel as the managing director of Nepal Telecom and Pradeep Adhikari as the director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. She has also started to show a keen interest in the Department of Revenue Investigation and the Department of Money Laundering Investigation. The director-general of the Department of Revenue Investigation usually reports to the chief secretary of the government. But recently, the official has been constantly meeting Arzu Rana Deuba to brief her. A source says Arzus brother, Bhusan Rana, also has a keen insertest in cases related to revenues. Hence, a source even says Arzu even tried her best to interfere in a case against a multinational company. But, officials from the Department of Revenue Investigation did not allow her to do so. Sources also say that cases in the Department of Money Laundering Investigation have not gone ahead due to interference from Arzu Rana Deuba. Prithvi Bahadur Shahs case is one of them, says a source. Kuldev Thapa, who was on the verge of retiring from the National Investigation Department, got promoted as the additional chief investigation officer thanks to the first ladys favour. Narayan Khadka is the Minister for Foreign Affairs. But, when it comes to relations with India and the United States, Arzu Rana Deuba looks more active than him. She has personally tried to mend relations with Indias Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), which was angry with Nepal over the new map. Last year, she even met BJPs foreign affairs department chief Vijay Chauthaiwale and tied a rakhi. Since then, she has been regularly visiting him in New Delhi. Her actions have created frictions within the party as people have accused her of bypassing the official channels and not adhering to protocols. Shes not the prime minister. Neither is she a minister. She cannot be going around, doing what she pleases, said a Nepali Congress leader. Control over the party L-R: Arzu Rana, Narad Muni Rana and Laxman Chaudhary, key contestants of the 2017 elections in Kailali-5 Arzu Rana Deuba became a central member of the Nepali Congress during the partys 14th general convention in December 2021. If you look at it, she was very new to party politics. But, she was actively involved in picking people during the general convention. She called people and asked them to be ready to contest the party election from the Deuba panel. Many people won thanks to her, says a source from Nepali Congress. Out of the 148 central committee members of the prime ministers party, 82 per cent are from Deubas panel. As the number of central members increased, many new people got the chance to be central committee members. But, most of the new members from Deubas panel are close to Arzu. These new people dance to Arzu madams beat, says a source. If there is a vote within the party, I think Arzu will win to be the most popular leader. But, central member Rajeev Dhungana feels people are spreading unnecessary gossip about Arzu Rana Deuba. People protest for the sake of protesting because her meeting anyone is being subject to criticism, says Dhungana. Another central committee member Ram Hari Khatiwada says it was stupid to think PM Deuba did everything his wife told him to do. The next prime minister? File: Nepali Congress leader Arzu Rana Deuba A lot of members of the Nepali Congress have been calling Arzu Rana Deuba the future prime minister. According to them, there is talk of Nepali Congress and Maoist Centre sharing the government leadership in turn. If that happens, according to them, it is highly likely that Arzu will be prime minister at least once. But, to be prime minister, one has to be a member of the House of Representatives. However, Arzu, during the 2017 elections lost to Narad Muni Rana when she contested the elections from Kailali-5. Whether she will contest the elections from the same place or choose another one remains to be seen. But, sources claim her contesting the elections from Kailali is the safest option. Nonetheless, things are not going to be straight forwards as independent candidate Gopal Hamal won over Arzu Rana Deubas pick in the recent mayoral election in Dhangadhi, a major chunk of her constituency. Unless she can find a way to get Hamal on her side, it is not going to be straightforward for her, says a leader from Kailali. To gain popularity among the locals, Arzu Rana Deuba has made Jeevan Rana, a local Tharu leader, a central committee member of the party. But, how much that helps her remains to be seen as Prakash Bam from the Deuba panel will pose another threat to her. It wont be a surprise if she doesnt contest the elections directly, say NC leaders. This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length. Former national security adviser John Bolton on Wednesday slammed the Biden administration for negotiating with Iran on a new nuclear deal after it was revealed he was targeted in an Iranian assassination attempt, saying attempts to appease Tehran are encouraging threats against U.S. officials. Bolton told CNNs Wolf Blitzer on the Situation Room that because the nature of the Iranian regime drives it to this kind of action, President Biden should not be trying to revive a 2015 deal that limited Irans nuclear abilities in exchange for easing U.S. sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation. Its a big mistake for the administration to continue to show weakness to Iran by begging to get back in the 2015 nuclear deal, said Bolton, who has long been hawkish on Iran. It encourages Tehran to engage in just these kinds of terrorist activities. The Justice Department on Wednesday charged an Iranian nationalist and member of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with planning to hire someone to kill Bolton. The Justice Department said Shahram Poursafi began plotting the attack in October, likely to retaliate against Bolton for a January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the IRGCs elite Quds Force. Poursafi was planning to pay up to $300,000 for someone to kill Bolton in Maryland or Washington, D.C., according to the Justice Department, and was in contact with a U.S. resident whom he asked to kill Bolton. The resident is listed as a confidential source in department documents. Poursafi was also offering a $1 million bounty to kill another unknown person, which Axios reported was former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who also served under Trump. Earlier this month, police thwarted what they said was an attempted assassination of a prominent Iranian journalist in New York City, which she blamed on Tehran. Story continues The Biden administration has engaged in indirect negotiations with Tehran for months in an effort to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which former President Trump scrapped in 2018. Negotiations increasingly seem to be stalled. Biden said last month that the U.S. will not wait forever to revive a new nuclear deal Bolton resigned from the Trump administration in 2019 and was not involved with the drone strike on Soleimani, but he has long encouraged a more aggressive posture against Iran. He also served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under former President George W. Bush. On Wednesday, Bolton said the JCPOA was a mistake and has not gotten any better with age, urging the administration to drop the talks. The administration has been on its knees in Vienna, [Austria], begging to get back into the deal, which sends signals of weakness, Bolton said. If this doesnt show anything about Irans willingness to try and intimidate its adversaries, I dont know what else to say. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The non-medical home care franchise's CEO, Jeff Salter, will discuss how innovation can improve the way home care workers care for seniors and the disabled SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Caring Senior Service, a non-medical home care franchise, announced today that CEO and founder Jeff Salter is scheduled to discuss how innovation can improve the home care industry at the Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice's (TAHCH) 53rd Annual Meeting later this month and at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice's (NAHC) Annual Conference and Expo in October. Caring Senior Service CEO Jeff Salter will discuss how innovation can improve the home care service industry in two speaking engagements. "While it seems that non-medical home care has changed very little over the past few years, the fact is that innovation in the industry is coming and should be met with open arms," Salter said. "Technical advances in how we communicate with family members, how we physically care for clients, and how we interact with a client's own medical devices are something our workforce and our care management teams need to be trained to manage." Salter is slated to share key methods on how Caring Senior Service has evolved to meet today's challenges and what the industry will need to be competitive in the future. In his address titled, "The Home Care Industry Needs a Revolution," Salter will discuss some of the technologies and advancements home care companies should expect to see in the coming years. Caring Senior Service already uses a proprietary tablet-based software called Tendio to assist franchisees in operating their locations. This software offers a family/caregiver portal, real-time video conferencing, caregiver tracking, electronic timesheets and a messaging center. The home care company credits Tendio with improving workflows and enhancing service delivery. Salter is scheduled to speak at 11:15 a.m. on Aug. 31 at the three-day TAHCH conference in Round Rock, Texas. For more information, visit https://www.tahchannualmeeting.com/. The NAHC Annual Conference and Expo, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, will feature Salter's session on Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit https://www.nahc.org/. Story continues About Caring Senior Service Caring Senior Service is a non-medical home care services company based in San Antonio, Texas. Founded by CEO Jeff Salter in 1991, the company provides assistance to seniors, the disabled population and any adult who may need help with the tasks of everyday living such as bathing, running errands and preparing food. After adding locations throughout Texas in the 1990s, the company extended its reach through franchising in 2002. It now boasts more than 50 locations throughout the U.S. Its non-profit "Close the Gap in Senior Care" began in 2021 to raise awareness of the overlooked and underserved aspects of senior care. This program was launched when Salter rode an electric bike more than 9,000 miles to each Caring Senior Service location nationwide to raise awareness of home modifications needed to avoid fall risks among the senior population. For more information on Caring Senior Service, please visit their website at https://www.caringseniorservice.com/. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR (865) 977-1973 hripley@ripleypr.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/caring-senior-service-founder-slated-to-speak-at-home-care-conferences-301604046.html SOURCE Caring Senior Service Inside the Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, La., which began referring patients to clinics in New Mexico and southern Illinois in the days after the Dobbs decision, on June 28, 2022. (Emily Kask/The New York Times) After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, the law on abortion in Utah changed three times in five days. On Friday, the day of the courts decision, a so-called trigger law banning the procedure took effect. The following Monday, a judge blocked the ban and abortions resumed. The next day, state legislators revived an old law limiting abortions to 18 weeks of pregnancy. It changed day by day and hour by hour, said Dr. David Turok, an OB-GYN and the director of surgical services at the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah. There were days where we had people show up and wait in the waiting room, and we werent sure if we were going to be able to see them. The legal back and forth on abortion since the courts decision in Dobbs has not been confined to Utah. More than a dozen states moved quickly to ban the procedure, enacting trigger laws designed to take effect in the event Roe was overturned or reinstating old laws that were previously unenforceable. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times But lawsuits against the abortion bans just as quickly followed. Plaintiffs have argued that the bans run afoul of state constitutions, or are too vague or out of date to enforce. And judges in several states have agreed: Bans have been temporarily blocked, reinstated, and in some cases blocked again, as the cases have wound their way through the courts. For abortion providers and patients, this has meant navigating a situation in which abortion may be allowed one day and banned the next. Providers have canceled procedures midday or told patients to wait on standby in the event that abortion becomes temporarily legal again. The legal back and forth has also frustrated opponents of abortion who saw the Dobbs decision as having settled the question of whether states can prohibit the procedure. In Kentucky, the trigger ban took effect but was blocked by a circuit court judge less than a week later, angering Daniel Cameron, the states attorney general, a Republican. Story continues In the wake of an historic victory for life at the nations highest court, today, one judge in Kentucky has, without basis in the Kentucky Constitution, allowed two clinics to resume abortions, Cameron said in a statement after the ruling. A ban on abortion after six weeks of pregnancy was also blocked by the judges order. Two weeks later, a federal judge allowed a separate ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy to take effect, though the trigger ban, which would have stopped all abortions, remained blocked. EMW Womens Surgical Center, one of two abortion providers in Kentucky, saw 232 patients during this time, according to Brigitte Amiri, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union who is representing the clinic. Then, last week, a Kentucky court of appeals judge allowed the trigger ban to take effect while the case against it proceeds. All of this has been so chaotic and so confusing for patients and providers, Amiri said. The situation in Louisiana has been even more in flux. The states trigger ban has been blocked and reinstated three times in the course of six weeks. I think a lot of people were very discouraged, said Sarah Zagorski, a spokeswoman for Louisiana Right to Life, an anti-abortion group that worked with legislators in writing the states trigger law, known as the Human Life Protection Act. We went through a great deal of work to ensure that the Human Life Protection Act wasnt confusing or vague and that any issues of concern would be addressed. Kathaleen Pittman, the director of Hope Medical Group for Women, one of three abortion providers in Louisiana and a plaintiff in the lawsuit against the trigger ban, said that when the ban first took effect she began referring patients to clinics in New Mexico and southern Illinois. Before Dobbs, the clinic typically saw 15 to 45 patients a day. But many people who called could not travel or preferred to wait to see what happened in Louisiana. Pittman said the clinic continued to schedule patients for an initial consultation, so that in the event the ban were blocked, they could schedule their procedures. A few days later, on June 27, a judge blocked enforcement of the ban. We immediately started calling people and saying, Were back on can you come right now? Pittman said. The trigger bans in North Dakota and Wyoming were blocked before they could take effect. But even though abortion remained legal in those states, providers said that patients and medical professionals did not always know what was going on. People have called to ask me if the IUD is legal, if Plan B is legal, said Dr. Giovannina Anthony, an OB-GYN at Womens Health and Family Care, a family practice that is also Wyomings only abortion provider. Ive had patients referred to me by other doctors who dont even know if abortion is still legal in Wyoming. It illustrates what a lot of these laws are doing, which is just causing chaos and confusion. The Dobbs decision prompted the Red River Womens Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota, to prepare to move its facility across the river to Moorhead, Minnesota, where abortion remains legal. When news that a judge had blocked North Dakotas ban came late in the day on July 27, temporarily allowing abortions to continue, staffers began scheduling patients for the following week in Fargo instead, said Tammi Kromenaker, the clinics director. Weve started telling patients, We can provide an abortion to you, but it might be in North Dakota, or it might be in Minnesota, and we will let you know, she said. In some states, the enforcers of the abortion bans have asked for clarity in the laws. In West Virginia, the states attorney general said in a memo that an 1849 law banning abortion was on the books and enforceable after Dobbs, but he also asked state legislators to reconcile many of the conflicting abortion statues that had been written in the decades since. A few weeks later, a West Virginia judge blocked the ban, and the states only abortion provider began seeing patients again. West Virginia legislators scrambled to pass a new ban on abortion, but the bill has not been finalized. And in Arizona, there is still no consensus on whether abortion is legal. The states attorney general said abortion was banned, pointing to a 1901 law criminalizing the procedure. But abortion rights advocates say the old law cannot take effect until an injunction from 1973 is lifted. The uncertainty surrounding the possibility of criminal prosecution has meant that nearly all providers in the state have stopped offering abortions. You have actual abortion bans and then you have confusion that causes a ban, said Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick, the medical director and owner of Camelback Family Planning in Phoenix, which continues to provide abortions. Which is essentially a ban. 2022 The New York Times Company (Bloomberg) -- Harris Associates disclosed a stake in Credit Suisse Group AG of more than 10% after converting some of its holdings into American depositary receipts, underscoring its place as the banks biggest shareholder. Most Read from Bloomberg The investment firm owned 266 million shares, or 10.1% of the total, as of July 31, Harris Associates said in a US regulatory filing on Wednesday. The Swiss banks annual reports have long listed the firm with a 5.2% stake, which was the level it disclosed in 2013. We have consistently owned just under 10%, David Herro, chief investment officer for international equities at Harris, said in an emailed statement. There have been no major changes in our ownership. He said the firm converted some of its shares to ADRs and was obliged to report the stake as a result. Harris has stuck by Credit Suisse despite a rough run for the banks stock. The shares are down 78% since the 2013 disclosure, more than double the decline for a broader index of European banks, as the Swiss firm has shuffled through four chief executive officers and dealt with a number of scandals. The stock hit a record low last month and is still trading near that level. Herro has been a vocal shareholder in recent years. He was critical of former chairman Urs Rohner, who left last year, but gave his backing to former CEO Thomas Gottstein before he was replaced last month. While Harris said in the filing it had sole power to dispose of the whole stake, it only had sole voting power on about 70% of it. Qatar Investment Authority owned 5% of Credit Suisse as of Nov. 17, 2021, the second-biggest holding listed in the banks annual report. Story continues (Updates with comment from CIO Herro in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Ether hit a more than two-month high as the planned software upgrade to the Ethereum blockchain underwent a major test, potentially paving the way for one of the most significant changes in the cryptocurrency sector. Most Read from Bloomberg The token rose as much as 4.1% on Thursday and was trading at around $1,900 as of 7:49 a.m. in New York -- more than double a June low below $900 and far outpacing the rebound in Bitcoin over the period. Ether had surged to a record of more than $4,800 in November. Ether is the native coin of Ethereum -- the most important commercial blockchain -- and its ride higher atop the optimism surrounding the merge, as the planned network upgrade is known, has become emblematic of the nascent crypto rebound from this years painful rout. The Goerli test conducted late Wednesday New York time was a kind of dress-rehearsal for switching the Ethereum network from proof-of-work to a more energy-efficient proof-of-stake system. The full shift is expected next month. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin retweeted a post saying the test had activated proof-of-stake. In another tweet, Tim Beiko, a computer scientist who coordinates Ethereum developers, posted a screenshot suggesting the test of the planned merge had been successful. Kunal Goel, a research analyst at crypto intelligence firm Messari, also said the Goerli test had been passed. The software upgrade has been in the works for years, and Ethereums dominant role as a commercial highway in crypto underlines the sensitivity of the change. The blockchain supports more than 3,400 active decentralized apps, allowing for everything from gaming to trading. Ether tokens have a $229 billion market value, according to CoinMarketCap. Story continues Ethereum core developers may on Thursday set the date for when the blockchain undergoes the long-anticipated software update. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. BASE BUSINESS, NEW AND EXTENDED ALLIANCES DRIVE 24% GROWTH JUST - EVOTEC BIOLOGICS IN BUILD-UP PHASE - INVESTMENT ON TRACK ACQUISITION EXPANDS CAPABILITIES AND EXPERTISE IN CELL THERAPY GUIDANCE FOR FULL-YEAR 2022 REFINED HAMBURG, GERMANY / ACCESSWIRE / August 11, 2022 / Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) today announced its financial results for the first half-year of 2022. HIGHLIGHTS EVOTEC CONTINUES ITS STRONG ORGANIC REVENUE GROWTH IN ALL BUSINESS AREAS Group revenues increased by 24% to 336.9 m (H1 2021: 271.3 m) driven by strong demand for its base business; like-for-like revenue growth (excluding fx-effects) 19% Continued strong revenue growth momentum: Total EVT Execute revenues (incl. intersegment revenues) up 26% to 351.0 m (H1 2021: 279.5 m); EVT Innovate revenues due to a strong growth in Q2 up 36% to 78.0 m (H1 2021: 57.3 m) Reported adjusted Group EBITDA totalled 33.6 m (H1 2021: 36.2 m); excellent Group gross margin increasing by 270 bps to 27.3% excluding Just - Evotec Biologics, which is in its build up phase; lower contribution from milestones, upfronts and licenses as well as continued expenses for capacity expansion; higher energy costs, higher costs along the supply chain and costs related to the acquisition of Rigenerand Srl; negative effects partially offset by positive fx-effects Other non-operating result of (89.8) m (H1 2021: 106.1 m) explained by the non-cash fair value adjustments of the equity investment in publicly listed Exscientia plc. NEW AND EXTENDED ALLIANCES REFLECT SUCCESS OF GROWTH STRATEGY Significant operational and scientific step-up of targeted protein degradation alliance with Bristol Myers Squibb ("BMS") Several new integrated drug discovery collaborations signed, including INDiGO, CMC and DMPK agreements New collaborations signed, based on unique, data-driven platforms with Almirall (dermatology), Boehringer Ingelheim (iPSC), Eli Lilly (E.MPD), Janssen (Target AlloMod ) and Sernova (iPSC) Just - Evotec Biologics: Just -Evotec Biologics is currently in its initial build up phase. Strategic investments into disruptive technology platform show good progress - foundation laid for accelerated revenue growth; multiple new development and manufacturing agreements, e.g., among others with Alpine Immune Sciences (after period-end) Co-owned pipeline projects progressing well, e.g. Phase II start of BAY 2395840 (diabetic neuropathic pain), expansion with JingXin for EVT201, submission for approval in China Successful expansion of the EVO equity portfolio with new strategic equity stakes in several promising companies such as Centauri, IMIDomics, Sernova and Tubulis Launch of Aurobac Therapeutics, a joint venture with Boehringer Ingelheim and bioMerieux, to create the next generation of antimicrobials along with actionable diagnostics to fight Antimicrobial Resistance ("AMR") Story continues CORPORATE Effective May 2022, Dr Matthias Evers joins Management Board as Chief Business Officer ("CBO"), responsible for business development, digital technology and strategy Signing of definitive agreement to acquire the cell technology company Rigenerand Srl, a leader in the field of cGMP manufacturing of cell therapies, which will operate as Evotec (Modena) Srl Annual General Meeting 2022: Approval of all proposed agenda items; Camilla Macapili Languille elected to the Supervisory Board BUSINESS OUTLOOK FOR FULL-YEAR 2022 REFINED AND MID-TERM TARGETS 2025 CONFIRMED Group revenues now expected to be in a range of 715 - 735 m versus 700 - 720 m previously (unchanged at 690 - 710 m at constant exchange rates) (2021: 618 m) Adjusted Group EBITDA expected to be unchanged in the range of 105 - 120 m (new guidance range at constant exchange rates of 85 - 100 m versus 95 - 110 m previously) (2021: 107 m) Unpartnered research and development expenses expected to be in a range of 70 - 80 m (2021: 58 m) Mid-term goals target revenue growth to more than 1,000 m, adjusted EBITDA of at least 300 m and unpartnered research and development expenses of more than 100 m The forecast takes in account - as far as possible - the current increased global uncertainties related to e.g. the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, resulting in uncertainty around the global price and supply situation for energy, other raw materials and supplies as well as logistics relevant to the business. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Key figures of unaudited consolidated income statement & segment information Evotec SE & subsidiaries - First half-year 2022 In k EVT Execute EVT Innovate Intersegment Eliminations Evotec Group H1 2022 Evotec Group H1 2021 Revenues1) 258,847 78,028 - 336,875 271,302 Intersegment revenues 92,142 - (92,142) - - Costs of revenue (289,752) (68,324) 84,391 (273,686) (215,000) Gross profit 61,237 9,704 (7,751) 63,189 56,302 Gross margin in % 17.4% 12.4% - 18.8% 20.8% R&D expenses2) (2,561) (42,028) 7,751 (36,838) (35,434) SG&A expenses (54,139) (13,258) - (67,396) (46,383) Impairment of intangible assets - - - - (683) Other operating income (expenses), net 15,573 22,165 - - 37,738 34,513 Net operating income (loss) 20,110 (23,417) - (3,307) 8,315 Adjusted EBITDA3) 54,689 (21,053) - 33,636 36,188 1) Adjusted for exchange rate effects of 15.2 m, Group revenues would have amounted to 321.7 m 2) Includes unpartnered R&D expenses of 33.3 m in H1 2022 (H1 2021: 27.8 m) 3) Before changes in contingent consideration, income from bargain purchase and excluding impairments on goodwill, other intangible and tangible assets as well as the total non-operating result More detailed information and financial tables are available in our half-year report published on the Evotec website under the following link: https://www.evotec.com/en/investor-relations/publications Webcast/Conference Call The Company is going to hold a conference call to discuss the results as well as to provide an update on its performance. The conference call will be held in English. Conference call details Date: Thursday, 11 August 2022 Time: 02.00 pm CEST (08.00 am EDT, 01.00 pm BST) From Germany: +49 69 20 17 44 220 From France: +33 170 709 502 From Italy: +39 023 600 6663 From UK: +44 20 3009 2470 From USA: +1 877 423 0830 Access Code: 37893553# A simultaneous slide presentation for participants dialling in via phone is available at https://www.webcast-eqs.com/evotec20220811/no-audio . Webcast details To join the audio webcast and to access the presentation slides you will find a link on our homepage www.evotec.com shortly before the event. The on-demand version of the webcast will be available on our website: https://www.evotec.com/en/investor-relations/publications . ABOUT EVOTEC SE Evotec is a life science company with a unique business model that delivers on its mission to discover and develop highly effective therapeutics and make them available to the patients. The Company's multimodality platform comprises a unique combination of innovative technologies, data and science for the discovery, development, and production of first-in-class and best-in-class pharmaceutical products. Evotec leverages this "Data-driven R&D Autobahn to Cures" for proprietary projects and within a network of partners including all Top 20 Pharma and over 800 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, as well as other healthcare stakeholders. Evotec has strategic activities in a broad range of currently underserved therapeutic areas, including e.g. neurology, oncology, as well as metabolic and infectious diseases. Within these areas of expertise, Evotec aims to create the world-leading co-owned pipeline for innovative therapeutics and has to-date established a portfolio of more than 200 proprietary and co-owned R&D projects from early discovery to clinical development. Evotec operates globally with more than 4,200 highly qualified people. The Company's 16 sites offer highly synergistic technologies and services and operate as complementary clusters of excellence. For additional information please go to www.evotec.com and follow us on Twitter @Evotec and LinkedIn . FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This announcement contains forward-looking statements concerning future events, including the proposed offering and listing of Evotec's securities. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "should," "target," "would" and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements include comments regarding Evotec's expectations for revenues, Group EBITDA and unpartnered R&D expenses. These forward-looking statements are based on the information available to, and the expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by Evotec at the time these statements were made. No assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of Evotec. Evotec expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Evotec's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. IR Contact Evotec SE: Volker Braun, SVP Head of Global Investor Relations & ESG, Phone: +49.(0)40.56081-775, volker.braun@evotec.com SOURCE: Evotec SE View source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/711719/Evotec-SE-Reports-Results-for-the-First-Half-year-2022-and-Provides-Corporate-Updates Graphic Media Alliance presented the Flottman Company with six individual and two best of category awards in the 2021-22 Print Excellence Awards. Sue Flottman Steller, President and Co-owner of Flottman Company Inc. Sue Flottman Steller, President and Co-owner of Flottman Company Inc. a northern Kentucky bases commercial and pharmaceutical print global provider. 859.331.6636 | www.FlottmanCo.com Flottman Company Inc. Flottman Company Inc. 859.331.6636 | www.FlottmanCo.com Northern Kentucky / Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2021-22 Print Excellence Awards hosted by the Graphic Media Alliance recognized Flottman Companys print expertise with six (6) individual printing awards and two (2) best of category awards. Flottman Company is a premier manufacturer of miniature folded printed literature and a diverse full-service commercial printer for numerous client verticals. Flottman Company as a woman owned, WBENC certified, third generation, family business, continues to be an innovative thought leader in the commercial printing, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries. These multiple awards make Flottman Company one of this years most decorated printing facilities across the entire alliance of two hundred and fifty (250) printers representing Ohio, Michigan and Northern Kentucky. Each of Flottman Companys six entries into the 2022 Graphic Media Alliances Print Excellence Awards received recognition and two were named best of class by the judges. Flottman Company received the follow awards: Best of Categories: Programs Solemn Mass of Consecration Diocese of Covington Newsletters and House Organs Bread of Life Diocese of Covington Gold Award Programs Solemn Mass of Consecration Diocese of Covington Silver Award Newsletters Bread of Life Diocese of Covington Silver Award Design Marketing Advisor Corken Steel Silver Award Campaign Activation Enrollment Campaign St. Xavier High School Silver Award Brochure Design/Print Leaders Start Here Covington Latin School Bronze Award Corporate Communications Marketing Advisor Corken Steel Flottmans award-winning entries included digital, graphic design, corporate communications, collateral brochures, direct mailers, event programs and out-of-home marketing. The Flottman partners whom commissioned the work will each receive their own replica of the award. Story continues I am excited for our team here at Flottman Company to receive this level of recognition, said Sue Flottman Steller, President of Flottman Company, everyone here strives to deliver quality products that exceed customer expectations and these awards emphasize that success. Annually, the Graphic Media Alliance holds the Print Excellence Award competition to recognize printer companies in Ohio, Michigan and Northern Kentucky for print quality, creativity and innovation across thirty-four (34) production categories. This year the competition received three hundred and fifty (350) entries from forty-three (43) different companies. Entries are judged for quality, design, craftsmanship and production. This years entries were judged by two impartial, expert judges; Ken Eberhart, retired from Merrick Printing, Louisville, Kentucky and Jeff Ekstein of Willow Printing Group, Ontario Canada; combined they have over 75 years of print expertise. The Graphic Media Alliances new president Andrew Shaw oversaw the judging for his first time and was in awe of the entire process. Shaw commented that, The level of detail in which our judges review each entry is profound, in many categories our judges found it an enormous challenge to pick only one winner, I too was impressed with the quantity, diversity and quality of the entries. On August 17, 2022 at the Americas Print Show 2022, hosted by the Americas Printing Association Network (APAN) and the Graphic Media Alliance, there will be the Millcraft Print Excellence Grand Awards Ceremony where the Best of Category winners will be honored and from those winners the Best of Show Overall will be named. ### About the Flottman Company: www.FlottmanCo.com Flottman Company: www.FlottmanCo.com Flottman Company is a privately held, family-owned, 100-year young print manufacturing facility headquartered in Northern Kentucky. Flottman Company is a Certified Womans Business Enterprise in its third generation of family leadership. Flottman specializes in commercial printing, the production of miniature folded and printed pharmaceutical literature and digital marketing. Flottman Company: One Company, Many Solutions is also home to FUSIONWRX Inc (Marketing Specialists) and Rxperts Group (Complete Pharmaceutical Packaging Solutions.) Flottman Company is a registered WBENC Company. www.FlottmanCo.com. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, visit our Behance page and learn more about Flottman Company at our website: www.FlottmanCo.com. Attachments CONTACT: Ed McMasters Flottman Company, Inc 8593316636 emcmasters@FlottmanCo.com GLOBAL CITIZEN ANNOUNCES LINEUPS FOR 2022 GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK CITY & ACCRA, GHANA ON SEPTEMBER 24 PR Newswire NEW YORK and ACCRA, Ghana, Aug. 11, 2022 METALLICA, CHARLIE PUTH, JONAS BROTHERS, MANESKIN, MARIAH CAREY, MICKEY GUYTON AND ROSALIA SET TO PERFORM AT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL IN NEW YORK'S CENTRAL PARK PRIYANKA CHOPRA JONAS TO HOST GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: NYC USHER, SZA, STORMZY, GYAKIE, H.E.R., SARKODIE, STONEBWOY AND TEMS TO PERFORM AT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL IN BLACK STAR SQUARE IN ACCRA, GHANA GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL CALLS FOR WORLD LEADERS TO EMPOWER GIRLS, CLOSE THE CLIMATE FINANCE GAP, ALLEVIATE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS, AND RELIEVE CRUSHING DEBTS NOW Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to take action on the campaign's issues. Proudly supported by Global Partners: Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube, and NYC Campaign Partner World Wide Technology World Leaders supporting the campaign include Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Hakainde Hilchilema, President of Zambia; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA; Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Frank Bainimara, Prime Minister of Fiji; Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania;Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zambia; Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation; Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy of Belgium; Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Peter Sands, Executive Director, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; and more Broadcasting and streaming from Accra and New York City on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube and more Press Kit: Click here for artwork, press assets, quotes and social assets NEW YORK and ACCRA, Ghana, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- International advocacy organization Global Citizen today announced the lineups for the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival, taking place in New York City's Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco, and Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Global Citizen Festival 2022 Since it began lighting up Central Park's Great Lawn in 2012, the Global Citizen Festival has become the world's longest-running global campaign calling for an end to extreme poverty that unites millions of voices, amplified by the world's biggest artists, demanding world leaders take action NOW. Globally, the disproportionate impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed nearly 100 million more people into extreme poverty and is reversing recent trends of shrinking inequality, leading to the loss of at least three years of progress. Without urgent action NOW this backsliding will only worsen. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has aggravated the situation further, with as many as 323 million people now facing acute hunger, and 1.2 billion people now live in nations experiencing a perfect storm of food, energy, and financial crises. If we don't take action NOW, as many as 200 million more people may be plunged into extreme poverty by November. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November to step up and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls, close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall, deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis, and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to End Extreme Poverty NOW. With two stages in international cultural capitals, New York City and Accra, Ghana, the 2022 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube, and more. ABC News Live's broadcast will air on Saturday, September 24, and a primetime special, Global Citizen Festival: Take Action NOW, will air on ABC on Sunday, September 25 at 7:00 pm ET / 6:00 pm CT. Additional tune in details to follow in the coming weeks. Performers on the Central Park stage will include Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MANESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton and Rosalia with more to be announced. Global Citizen Festival: NYC will be hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Marking the 65th anniversary of Ghana's independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union, Accra's iconic Black Star Square will see live performances from Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, H.E.R., Sarkodie, Stonebwoy and TEMS with more to be announced. "Decades of systemic and political failures have led humanity into the midst of converging and rapidly deteriorating crises climate, hunger, health, war and conflict. The most marginalized populations are paying the price of the stagnant inaction of our leaders, and now millions of lives, and the future of our planet, are at stake. We refuse to just stand by and watch! We refuse to accept the starvation of multitudes when solutions are readily at hand. We demand a secure future for girls everywhere. We demand governments keep their promises on climate funding. We demand relief from debts unjustly crushing economies. And we demand action NOW, while there's still time to change our collective trajectory." Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen Global Citizen is calling for world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to take to the Global Citizen Festival stages and announce new commitments to End Extreme Poverty NOW, including: Deploy Financing NOW and immediately meet the total goal of reallocating $100 billion in IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), by making up the $40B shortfall. SDRs are a type of reserve asset mostly sitting unused by the world's wealthiest countries. These rights can immediately provide new and affordable financing relief for countries at high risk of financial and debt distress. There are 69 eligible low-income countries who stand to benefit from the reallocation of SDRs, many of which are in Africa. During the pandemic, many of these governments spent more on debt repayments than on education, health and social protection benefits combined. This funding is needed NOW to ensure governments have what they need to invest in strengthening health systems and pandemic preparedness, and the nutrition, welfare, and education of their citizens. Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal, Korea, and Sweden can transfer their Special Drawing Rights to the developing countries that desperately need them right now. Take Climate Action NOW and fulfill the $100 billion per year promises made in the Paris Agreement. Africa accounts for just 3-4 percent of global emissions, yet finds itself on the frontlines of the effects of climate change. Extreme temperatures and droughts, such as those in Somalia, threaten to make a mockery of our attempts to end extreme poverty and protect the planet. African countries and businesses stand ready to invest in green jobs and infrastructure, but they need genuine partnership to deliver. Having not contributed to the problem, it is unjust to expect that Africa shifts to renewable and clean energy without support from the wealthiest countries, who have indeed industrialized using fossil fuels over the past 150 years. Rich countries like Germany, Italy, the US, Canada and Australia must fulfill the promise that was meant to be delivered by 2020 and close the annual $10 billion shortfall. Empower Girls NOW and provide critical investments into girls' education, sexual and reproductive health and economic empowerment. In the last two years, more than 47 million women and girls have been pushed back into extreme poverty, and the pandemic has forced millions of girls out of the classroom and into unpaid care work. The US, UK, the European Commission, France, Germany and Italy can change this by pledging $600 million in financial support towards UNFPA, Education Cannot Wait and the Child Care Incentive Fund, launched this year by the White House. This will support new policies addressing the expansion of paid parental leave, including obligatory paternity leave, access to contraception and education. Mitigate a Global Food System Meltdown NOW by providing $500 million for Africa's farmers to make the most of the current planting season and fund the local production of fertilizers, tools, and equipment they need to produce more food. Africa is currently experiencing horrific food shortages as a result of Russia's unjust invasion of Ukraine. Yet the continent has enough arable land to feed the world, let alone its own citizens. Germany, the UK, the European Commission, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Belgium need to band together and provide funding to agencies like the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program and CGIAR to urgently equip farmers with the resources they need. Failure to do so NOW will make the present hunger crisis far worse over the coming year, as food supplies diminish and prices soar even higher. Throughout the campaign, Global Citizen will continue to defend and promote advocacy, ensuring marginalized voices are heard and leaders are held accountable to deliver on their promises. Global Citizen will elevate citizens' voices, especially from the Global South; defend the right of anyone to speak freely, dissent, and organize without fear of reprisals or violence; and call on corporations to refrain from using litigation to silence activists on the frontline. Without such efforts to champion the causes of those in peril, the achievement of our campaign goals will continue to be deprioritized by those in power. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign is supported by governments and world leaders including: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA; Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Frank Bainimara, Prime Minister of Fiji; Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zambia; Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy, Belgium; Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Anne Tvinnereim, Minister for International Development, Norway; Government of Luxembourg; Kingdom of the Netherlands; Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait; Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the UN; Ertharin Cousin, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Food Systems for the Future. "Ghana is honoured to host this year's edition of the Global Citizens Festival. I look forward to welcoming each and everyone of you to Accra, capital of the country at the centre of the world. Together, let us join hands and help accelerate progress towards the realization of the SDGs. We owe to the next generation to live in a world free from poverty, disease and the degradation of the environment. The time to help make a change is now. We must align forces to make an impact in Africa, and help end extreme poverty. I have called colleague African leaders to join me in September, and help break these systemic barriers that have been affecting our people. Let us build a strong foundation for future generations." H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana "While communities face injustices, crises and inequalities in the world, we simply cannot give up the fight and solidarity to end poverty. We need all voices in calling for a better future for everyone, everywhere. Now is the time for ambitious action. Together, with Global Citizen, we can keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals." Amina Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary General "This year we have strongly felt the impacts of climate change across international conflicts, global health, and economic crisis, raising the level of inequality higher than before. However, together our mission is possible. It is more important than ever that the world comes together to demand action from global leaders with a unified voice, NOW. Global Citizens must champion political and financial solutions, like climate and agricultural adaptation, that center the most vulnerable members of our global community and plant the seeds for dignified and prosperous futures." Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations & Ban Ki-moon Center for Global Citizens Co-chair "All over the world we are seeing the ravaging effects of the climate crisis, and the disastrous results of political inaction of not hearing or empowering the victims of poverty and disenfranchisement, of not allowing countries to work in collaboration to protect the global public good. NOW is the time for ordinary people to take action and fight, and for world leaders to listen and act, because their lives and livelihoods are at stake." Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados "An urgent, collective, and concerted effort is required to make progress toward ending extreme poverty. I am encouraged by the call to action issued by Global Citizen and I call upon leaders from around the world to add their voices, as we cannot afford to sit back and watch the status quo continue. It is time to break down the systemic barriers that have kept people in poverty and indeed, time to act to protect future generations from climate change." Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia "We live in perilously difficult times and it is our duty to fight hunger, poverty, discrimination, illness and effects of climate change. We need to pull together all our resources to ensure that the most vulnerable citizens can live in dignity and safety. I thus fully support the tireless efforts by Global Citizen to continue uniting us in this vital joint action." Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia "The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that all countries must have equitable access to the tools and technologies needed to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks and other health emergencies. This is why the World Health Organization brought public and private partners together to launch the innovative mRNA Technology Transfer Hub based in South Africa, with more than a dozen low- and middle-income countries joining so far. I welcome Global Citizen's support for this crucial initiative to diversify and expand manufacturing of life-saving vaccines, so that the world is better prepared to prevent and respond more equitably to infectious diseases and the next pandemic threat." Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization The 2022 Global Citizen Festival and the End Extreme Poverty NOW campaign are supported by a coalition of the world's leading brands and companies including Global Partners Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube. Global Citizen Festival: NYC Campaign Partner, World Wide Technology, has deepened their commitment to sustainability by signing the UN's Race to Zero in line with the Science Based Targets initiative, answering Global Citizen's call on corporations to make science-based targets. As Patron of Global Citizen's work in Africa, Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Executive, of Harith General Partners, supports Global Citizen's growth across Africa to reach more audiences and help achieve equity in places with high rates of extreme poverty. Global Citizen Festival: NYC is also honored to have the support of Mayor Adams, 110th Mayor of New York City. Co-chairs of Global Citizen and of this campaign include: Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture; Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi; Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines; Lorraine Twohill, CMO of Google; Marc Pritchard, CBO of P&G; and Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. Global Citizen's co-chairs are private sector leaders making commitments in support of the UN's Global Goals. They support Global Citizen's campaigns while helping to drive deeper engagement within the private sector. Policy partners supporting the campaign include: Action Against Hunger, ALLIED, BRAC, Ban Ki Moon Center for Global Citizens, Center for Environmental Peacebuilding, CGIAR, CIVICUS, charity: water, Conservation International, EarthRights, Education Cannot Wait, Focus 2030, Ford Foundation, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, Freedom House, Front Line Defenders, Fund for Global Human Rights, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, Gerando Falcoes, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Global Health Advocates France, Legal Empowerment Fund, International Disability Alliance, IFAD, International Organization for Migration, International Rescue Committee, International Service for Human Rights, LISC, Namati, NPX, One Acre Fund, OutRight Action International, Pandemic Action Network, People's Vaccine Alliance, Peace Boat, Re:wild, Rotary International, Science Based Target initiative, Social Gastronomy Movement, UN Foundation, UNFPA, UN Joint SDG Fund, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Benchmarking Alliance, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, World Health Organization, and WHO Foundation. Global Citizen Festival has gratefully received in-kind support from leading media companies, including: AIM GROUP, Bandsintown, BellaNaija, Billboard, Boo! Media, Branded Cities, Captivate, Clear Channel Outdoor, DDP Outdoor, Global OOH, GSTV, The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartRadio, Intersection, Interstate Outdoor, JC Decaux, MX, New Tradition, OAAA, Orange Barrel Media, Penske Media, Rolling Stone, Seen Media, Six Flags Theme Parks, Spotify, Variety, VIBE, Volta, The Wall Street Journal and YFM. Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to take action on the campaign's issues. For each action taken, users earn points that can be redeemed for tickets to the festivals. For more information about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival, visit www.globalcitizen.org , and follow @glblctzn on Instagram, Tik Tok, Twitter, and YouTube. Press Kit: Click here for artwork, press assets, quotes and social assets Contact: Global Citizen Inquiries: media@globalcitizen.org Media and Credential Inquiries: Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis for Global Citizen gc@sunshinesachs.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-citizen-announces-lineups-for-2022-global-citizen-festival-in-new-york-city--accra-ghana-on-september-24-301603929.html SOURCE Global Citizen BlueWeave Consulting and Research Pvt Ltd North America dominated the global healthcare supply chain management market share in 2021 due to the increasing number of unique device identification initiatives along with improved healthcare infrastructure. This is because the U.S.A is the largest employer in the healthcare sector, with more than 780 thousand companies, as per the State of Healthcare Industry Statistics for 2022. The Asia-Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest rate due to technical advancements and the availability of mobile-based healthcare solutions. New Delhi, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market is growing at a high CAGR because of the emergence of cloud-based and mobile-based solutions along with the adoption of GS1 system of standard in the healthcare industry globally. The increased need to improve the operational efficiency, reduce the operating costs, improve the profitability and quality are also driving the global healthcare supply chain management market. A recent study conducted by the strategic consulting and market research firm, BlueWeave Consulting, revealed that the Global healthcare supply chain management market was worth USD 2.2 billion in the year 2021. The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.2%, earning revenues of around USD 5.3 billion by the end of 2028. The global healthcare supply chain management market is booming because the healthcare industry is adopting a single integrated supply chain management software that performs important processes such as planning, designing, executing, controlling, purchasing, monitoring the flow of products and services, and synchronizing the demand and supply of products. The unfolding of cloud-based and mobile-based solutions has aided the healthcare industry in sharing, integrating, recording, and storing information and minimizing installation and maintenance costs. This efficient system helps to improve operational efficiency, reduce operating costs and improve the profitability and quality of the healthcare services. Story continues Digitalization by use of Software-Based Systems and Cloud-based Solutions to Drive the Market Growth Healthcare Supply Chain Management includes the supply chain management of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and surgical supplies. In a highly fragmented healthcare industry with high economies of scale, to meet the increasing customer demand and satisfaction, it is essential to customize the technology so as to emerge as quality healthcare providers. This is facilitated by the use of a single integrated software that manages all processes such as planning, designing, executing, controlling, purchasing, monitoring the flow of products and services, and synchronizing the demand and supply of products. Therefore, software-based systems are preferred over hardware systems due to the fast, reliable, and convenient flow of information. With changing times, healthcare organizations have adopted supply chain management systems to automate their processes; however, the level of automation in the different healthcare organizations varies. The supply chain management systems precisely capture, organize, retrieve, store and analyze data which minimizes the organization's operational costs. These systems also help stabilize the inventory by delivering better information on product needs and focusing on risk management strategies. Nevertheless, some healthcare organizations prefer to use the traditional techniques in dealing with important, top secret, and sensitive information; for example, many hospitals prefer to manually count their inventory in real-time. This lack of awareness, lack of trained staff, and issues with integration limit the growth of the global market. Request for Sample Report @ https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/report/healthcare-supply-chain-management-market/report-sample Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market - By End User Based on end users, the global healthcare supply chain management market is segmented into healthcare providers (hospitals, clinics, maternity centers, outpatient centers, pathology laboratories), healthcare manufacturers, distributors and retailers, and logistics companies. Amidst the segmentation, the healthcare product manufacturers segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021. Various pharmaceutical giants often outsource the manufacturing to contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMO) to cut down the cost of manufacturing and operations. To track the manufacturing process, warehouse management, and transportation, opting for an advanced healthcare supply chain management solution is essential. According to BlueWeave Consulting, in 2021, the second largest users of health supply chain management solutions were the healthcare providers due to the rising need for data for inventory management and procurement planning. Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market - Regional Insights Based on regions, the global healthcare supply chain management market has been segmented into five categories- North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. Amidst the segmentation, North America will lead the global healthcare supply chain management market share in 2021 due to the increasing number of unique device identification initiatives by the FDA and improved healthcare infrastructure. This is large because the U.S.A is the greatest employer in the healthcare sector, with more than 780 thousand companies to the State of Healthcare Industry Statistics for 2022. The Asia-Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest rate in the forecast period due to the availability of mobile-based healthcare solutions and technical advancements in the supply chain management domain. Please Visit the Press Release: https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/press-release/healthcare-supply-chain-management-market-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-13-2-during-forecast-period Impact of COVID-19 on Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world witnessed one of the worst recessions since WW2. The emergence of the covid-19 pandemic has brutally impacted the global healthcare supply chain management market. The lockdowns in major countries of the world affected the import and export of healthcare supplies like gloves, PPE kits, surgical masks, sanitizers, and medicines. Moreover, it resulted in overcrowding in hospitals, lack of beds, and low oxygen supply, to name a few. This eye-opening pandemic forced healthcare organizations, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies to adopt the software and cloud-based healthcare supply chain management system, which undoubtedly mitigated some of the challenges faced by the healthcare industry. Competitive Landscape The key players operating in the global healthcare supply chain management market are SAP, Infor, Oracle Corporation, TECSYS, McKesson Corporation, Manhattan Associates, Jump Technologies, JDA Software, LogiTag Systems, Advocate Health Care, Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX), Jabil, AmerisourceBergen, MEDICAL Information Technology Inc., CPSI, Meta, Elinext, EPIC Systems Corporation, Cognizant, Jag products LLC, Allscripts Healthcare LLC, Optum Inc., Cerner Corporation, Change Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Athenahealth, eClinicalWorks. The key marketing strategies adopted by the players are facility expansion, product diversification, alliances, collaborations, partnerships, and acquisition to expand their customer reach and gain a competitive edge in the overall market. Dont miss the business opportunity in the Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market. Consult our analysts to gain crucial insights and facilitate your business growth. The in-depth analysis of the report provides information about growth potential, upcoming trends, and statistics of the Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market. It also highlights the factors driving forecasts of total market size. The report promises to provide recent technology trends in the Global Healthcare Supply Chain Management Market and industry insights to help decision-makers make sound strategic decisions. Furthermore, the report also analyzes the growth drivers, challenges, and competitive dynamics of the market. Recent Development In April 2022, TraceLink introduced the multi-enterprise supply chain work management solution on the Opus Digital Network Platform for the healthcare and life sciences industry. In March 2022, Symplr put out plans to acquire GreenLight Medical, a medical supply chain management software company, to help build its product line and offer its clients more services in the Supply Chain Management arena. Scope of the Report Attributes Details Years Considered Historical data 2018-2021 Base Year 2021 Estimated Year - 2022 Forecast 2022 2028 Facts Covered Revenue in USD Billion Market Coverage North America (United States, Canada), Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Australia, Japan, South Korea), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico), Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, South Africa) Product Service/Segmentation By Component, By Delivery, By End User Key Players SAP, Infor, Oracle Corporation, TECSYS, McKesson Corporation, Manhattan Associates, Jump Technologies, JDA Software, LogiTag Systems, Advocate Health Care, Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX), Jabil, AmerisourceBergen, MEDICAL Information Technology Inc, CPSI, Meta, Elinext, EPIC Systems Corporation, Cognizant, Jag products LLC, Allscripts Healthcare LLC, Optum Inc., Cerner Corporation, Change Healthcare, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Athenahealth, and eClinicalWorks. By Component Software Inventory Order Warehouse Purchase Implant Transport Strategic Sourcing Consignment Hardware Barcode Scanner RFID Services By Delivery On-premise Cloud-based By End User Healthcare Providers Hospitals Clinics Maternity Centers Outpatient Centers Pathology Laboratories Healthcare Manufacturers Distributors and Retailers Logistics Companies By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin AmericaThe Middle East and Africa Please Find Below Some Related Reports: About Us BlueWeave Consulting provides comprehensive Market Intelligence (MI) Solutions to businesses regarding various products and services online and offline. We offer all-inclusive market research reports by analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data to boost the performance of your business solutions. BWC has built its reputation from the scratch by delivering quality inputs and nourishing long-lasting relationships with its clients. We are one of the promising digital MI solutions companies providing agile assistance to make your business endeavors successful. Contact Us: BlueWeave Consulting & Research Pvt. Ltd +1 866 658 6826 | +1 425 320 4776 | +44 1865 60 0662 info@blueweaveconsulting.com https://www.blueweaveconsulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueweaveconsulting/ (Bloomberg) -- Hedge funds would have to start giving the government significantly more information about their investment strategies under a proposal from the Securities and Exchange Commission to better keep tabs on risks to the financial system. Most Read from Bloomberg The expansion of confidential filings that big managers must file quarterly with the SEC would mark one of the biggest increases in regulation for the private-fund industry in a decade. The effort is the latest move by Biden administration regulators to clamp down on a relatively opaque corner of finance that they say can have major impacts on markets. The plan represents a dramatic reversal of fortune for hedge funds after years of fending off tougher Washington oversight. In January, the SEC took a step toward requiring large hedge funds and private-equity firms to more quickly report major losses and redemptions. The regulator is also considering ways to make fees more transparent. Private funds make up a significant part of our financial system that is growing, Gary Gensler, the agencys chair, told reporters on Wednesday. We can play a role by upping at least some of the transparency. While specific data included on the so-called Form PF isnt made public, regulators can use it in enforcement actions and to assess broader market risks. The changes, which the agencys three Democrats voted to propose during a commission meeting, immediately drew pushback from the industry and the SECs two Republican commissioners. Alternative asset managers currently provide extensive information to regulators, Bryan Corbett, the chief executive officer of the Managed Funds Association, said in a statement. The SEC should focus on better utilizing this information rather than imposing new burdens on fund managers that are of dubious utility. Story continues According to Gensler, regulators need the additional data to keep pace with the growth of the industry. He said that funds have grown much larger and their structures more complex since the confidential filings were first required after the financial crisis. The changes would also give regulators more visibility into hedge funds exposure to digital assets and associated risks, he told reporters. The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission also announced on Wednesday that it had voted to propose the changes. Under the plan, big firms would have to separately report each component included in complex structures, such as master-feeder arrangements and parallel funds. The current practice of aggregated reporting obscures risk profiles and makes comparisons of complex structures difficult, the SEC said in a statement. Existing reporting by advisers may not fully identify the potential risks hedge funds and private-equity are taking on, the agency said. The additional information would help agencies, as well as the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which includes banking regulators, gain a better understanding of the industrys potential as a source of systemic risk, the SEC said. The proposals would apply to hedge funds with net asset values of at least $500 million, the SEC said. Confidential information that funds file already can reveal the amount of debt piled onto the companies in buyouts, as well as where firms are investing. However, industry lobbyists have argued that the data gathered is of limited utility to regulators. Whats more, they say, the forms could reveal proprietary information behind investment strategies and pose a data security risk. As a result, access to the forms are very limited within the SEC. Republican SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce blasted the proposal as an attempt to scrape up greater information about private funds and expand regulation of private markets. She also said the SEC was leaning on a false narrative that systemic risk lurks behind every hedge fund activity in justifying the need for the proposal. The regulator will take public comment for at least 60 days on the proposal and consider feedback it receives. The SEC may then revise the proposal before holding a second vote to finalize the regulation several months from now. (Updates with CFTC vote to also propose the changes in eighth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Straits Research - Market Research Strategy | Strategy Consulting | Business Research | Business Consulting | Market Research The global inhaled nitric oxide market size was valued at USD 749.02 million in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 1,547.95 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period (20222030). North America Maintains the Top Position in the Global Inhaled Nitric Oxide Market New York, United States, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inhaled nitric oxide is a pulmonary vasodilator that considerably controls vascular muscle tone. It has emerged as a therapy for hypoxemic respiratory failure in infants with consistently elevated pulmonary vascular pressure and resultant right-to-left blood shunting (persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn). Neonatal hypoxic respiratory failure is characterized by chronic pulmonary hypertension of the newborn and several illnesses that contribute to pulmonary arterial hypertension, including meconium aspiration syndrome, sepsis, birth asphyxia, and respiratory distress syndrome. Depending on the treatment, 100 ppm and 800 ppm levels of nitric oxide are available. In addition, ongoing clinical trials investigate the use of inhaled nitric oxide in treating several disorders. The potential therapeutic impact of inhaled nitric oxide in adults is still uncertain, and FDA-approved indications are restricted to pediatric treatment. As a gas, nitric oxide is readily inhalable and classified as a pharmacotherapeutic. It relaxes the vascular smooth muscle by activating guanylate cyclase and boosting intracellular levels of cGMP, resulting in vasodilation and increased oxygenation. Nitric oxide is used in concert with a ventilator and other drugs to treat newborn (term and near-term) infants with respiratory failure due to pulmonary hypertension. Get a Free Sample Copy of This Report https://straitsresearch.com/report/inhaled-nitric-oxide-market/request-sample Growing Demand in the Healthcare Industry and an Increase in Chronic Diseases Drives the Global Market Due to a better knowledge of nitric oxide's role in the cardiovascular, immunological, and neural systems and the therapeutic use of inhaled nitric oxide gas, numerous fields of physiologic study have been revolutionized. Nitric oxide, when inhaled, causes preferential pulmonary vasodilation and lowers vascular resistance. These effects increase hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and oxygenation in patients' lungs. It is becoming increasingly clear that the healthcare industry will be a critical driver of global economic growth in the coming years. Story continues Treating nitric oxide inhalation may benefit children and adults suffering from several diseases. This substance cures a variety of adult respiratory distress syndrome therapies. It was estimated that 500,000 Americans with pulmonary hypertension from various causes had received nitric oxide inhalation therapy. These conditions include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypoxic respiratory failure, and pulmonary hypertension. According to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) study, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects 65 million individuals. It caused three million fatalities annually, making it the third most significant cause of mortality worldwide. Rising Investments in Research and Development Creates Tremendous Opportunities Inhaled nitric oxide treatment has not attained its full potential in numerous instances. As a result of the success of its applications, research and development activities for inhaled nitric oxide applications have increased. There are currently no approved medications for treating newborns with acute bronchiolitis, the most common reason for hospitalization worldwide. In the United States alone, hospitalization costs attributable to bronchiolitis amount to USD 1.7 billion. Even though supporting oxygen therapy and hydration are available, there is currently no treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective. In addition, clinical research utilizing inhaled nitric oxide to decrease platelet hyper-reactivity in patients with acute submassive pulmonary embolism was conducted in March 2020. Additionally, sickle cell disease in adults, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and malaria have focused on research and development activities. Consequently, there is a considerable probability that Inhalable nitric oxide will considerably contribute to the expansion of the market soon. Report Scope Report Metric Details Market Size USD 1.54 Billion by 2030 CAGR 8.4 % (2020-2030) Historical Data 2019-2020 Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022-2030 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Application, Regions Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, LAME, and the Rest of the World Key Companies Profiled/Vendors Air Liquide S.A., Bellerophon Therapeutics Inc., BOC Healthcare, Beyond Air Inc., Halma Plc, Linde Plc (Praxair Inc.), Mallinckrodt Plc, Novoteris LLC, Vero Biotech Llc, Nu-Med Plus Key Market Opportunities Growing Research and Development Leading to New Applications to Boost Market Opportunities Key Market Drivers Increasing Demand in the Healthcare Industry to Augment Market Growth Prospect Rise in Chronic Diseases Worldwide Buy Now Full Report https://straitsresearch.com/buy-now/inhaled-nitric-oxide-market Regional Analysis North America maintains the top position in the global market for inhaled nitric oxide. The United States held the most significant market share in North America for inhaled nitric oxide. One of the aspects driving the growth of the inhaled nitric oxide market is the increased occurrence of diseases in neonates, such as chronic pulmonary hypertension and neonatal hypoxic respiratory failure (HRF). The Europe region is anticipated to hold the second position in the global market for inhaled nitric oxide. Several measures have been made to utilize the region's potential by the relevant players. In the operating theatre and intensive care unit in Europe, inhaled nitric oxide has been used for several years to treat acute respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension. Key Highlights The global inhaled nitric oxide market was valued at USD 749.02 million in 2021. It is expected to reach USD 1,547.95 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period (20222030). Based on application, the global inhaled nitric oxide market is classified into Neonatal Respiratory Treatment, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Neonatal respiratory treatment is the most dominant and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period. The global inhaled oxide market is primarily classified into three regions, namely North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. North America contributed the most revenue and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period. Get a Free Sample Copy of This Report https://straitsresearch.com/report/inhaled-nitric-oxide-market/request-sample The global inhaled nitric oxide markets major players are Air Liquide S.A Bellerophon Therapeutics Inc. BOC Healthcare, Beyond Air, Inc. Halma Plc, and Linde Plc (Praxair, Inc.) Mallinckrodt Plc Novoteris LLC Vero Biotech Llc, Nu-Med Plus. Global Inhaled Nitric Oxide Market: Segmentation By Application Neonatal respiratory treatment Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) By Regions North America Europe Asia-pacific TABLE OF CONTENT Introduction Market Definition Market Scope Research Methodology Primary Research Research Methodology Assumptions & Exclusions Secondary Data Sources Market Overview Report Segmentation & Scope Value Chain Analysis: Inhaled Nitric Oxide Market Key Market Trends Drivers Restraints Opportunities Porters Five Forces Analysis Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining Power of Buyers Threat of Substitution Threat of New Entrants Competitive Rivalry Market Share Analysis Application Overview Introduction Market Size & Forecast Neonatal Respiratory Treatment Market Size & Forecast Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Market Size & Forecast Regional Overview Introduction Market Size & Forecast America North America U.S. By Application Canada By Application Mexico By Application Latin America By Application Europe Market Size & Forecast Germany By Application France By Application U.K. By Application Italy By Application Spain By Application Rest of Europe By Application Asia Pacific Market Size & Forecast Japan By Application China By Application Australia By Application India By Application South Korea By Application Rest of Asia-Pacific By Application Middle East & Africa Market Size & Forecast Saudi Arabia By Application South Africa By Application Kuwait By Application Rest of Middle East & Africa By Application Company Profile Air Liquide S.A Company Overview Financial Performance Recent Developments Product Portfolio Bellerophon Therapeutics Inc Company Overview Financial Performance Recent Developments Product Portfolio BOC Healthcare Company Overview Financial Performance Recent Developments Product Portfolio Conclusion & Recommendation Acronyms & Abbreviations Table of Content and Figure https://straitsresearch.com/report/inhaled-nitric-oxide-market/toc Market News In May 2022 , Air Liquide, Toyota, and CaetanoBus joined forces to accelerate the development of hydrogen mobility in Europe. In May 2022 , Air Liquide and Lhoist joined forces to launch a first-of-its-kind decarbonization project of lime production in France. In April 2022 , Linde to Increase Helium Supply in the U.S. In April 2022, Linde Signs New Supply Agreement with a Major Space Launch Company. News Media Moving Towards a Hydrogen Economy Top 10 Medical Device Companies in the World North America to Dominate the Oxygen Therapy Devices Market Have a Look at the Related Research Report? Medical Oxygen Concentrators Market : Information by Product (Portable and Stationary), Technology (Continuous and Pulse Flow), End-User (Hospitals, Others), and RegionForecast till 2029 Pulse Oximeter Market : Information by Type (Fingertip, Handheld, and Others), End-User (Hospitals, Homecare, and Others), and Region-Forecast till 2029 Nitrocellulose Market : Information by Application (Printing Inks, Automotive Paints, Wood Coatings), Product (M-Grade Cellulose, E-Grade Cellulose), and Region Forecast till 2030 Super Absorbent Polymer Market : Information by Type (Sodium Polyacrylate), Applications (Personal Hygiene, Agriculture, Medical, Industrial), and Region Forecast till 2030 Ceramic Matrix Composites Market : Information by Product (Oxide, Silicon Carbide, Carbon), Applications (Aerospace, Defence, Energy & Power), and Region Forecast till 2030 About Straits Research Pvt. Ltd. StraitsResearch is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision-makers. Straits Research Pvt. Ltd. provides actionable market research data, especially designed and presented for decision making and ROI. Whether you are looking at business sectors in the next town or crosswise over continents, we understand the significance of being acquainted with the clients purchase. We overcome our clients issues by recognizing and deciphering the target group and generating leads with utmost precision. We seek to collaborate with our clients to deliver a broad spectrum of results through a blend of market and business research approaches. For more information on your target market, please contact us below: Phone: +1 646 480 7505 (the U.S.) +91 8087085354 (APAC) +44 208 068 9665 (the U.K.) Email: sales@straitsresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter The company revealed its latest content offerings and key business updates at the event BEIJING, Aug. 11, 2022 /CNW/ -- iQIYI, an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, hosted its second North America Annual Content Showcase on Aug. 10, an event which serves to highlight the company's commitment to providing more high-quality, original C-Content (Chinese-language content) to viewers. Leo Geng, Senior Vice President of iQIYI said during the event, "We remain committed to creating best-in-class Asian entertainment as we build an extensive offering of high-quality content and make it more accessible for our North American audiences and partners. As a result, over the next two years, iQIYI will invest in the production of over 200 original Chinese-language content to meet the diverse demands of its global audience." During the showcase, iQIYI's North American team featured a selection of upcoming titles, including Love Between Fairy and Devil and Mr. Bad, two much-anticipated shows from iQIYI's Sweet On Theater. Love Between Fairy and Devil tells the story of a young fairy (played by Esther Yu) and a devious warrior (played by Dylan Wang). Mr. Bad is about a novelist (played by Shen Yue) who accidentally summons the villain (played by Chen Zheyuan) in the novel she has written. These two shows are representative of the Sweet On Theater, a collection that combines traditional mythology, sci-fi, comedy and fantasy, around the core theme of romance. A Post of Love Between Fairy and Devil A Post of Mr. Bad iQIYI is well-known amongst Generation Z in North America, and continues to introduce content suiting the interest of young adult and teen audiences. The Heart of Genius, which was released last month, follows a teen girl (played by Zhang Zifeng) alongside her father (played by Lei Jiayin) and her first love Pei Zhi (played by Zhang Xincheng). This is a story of the pursuit of truth and love between the three main characters. A Post of The Heart of Genius Meanwhile, Checkmate is a Chinese adaptation of the iconic Hercule Poirot series from Agatha Christie. Lost In the Kunlun Mountains is the new series starring Xu Kai, who is known for his previous role in series such as Falling Into Your Smile. In Fox Spirit Matchmaker 1 follows a romantic story starring lead actors Yang Mi and Gong Jun. In Love You Seven Times, Yang Chaoyue and Ding Yuxi come together in a story about two fairies who are banished to the mortal world. Thousand Years for You follows a thousand-year-old general (played by Ren Jialun) and his fantastical encounters with a tribal chief (played by Li Qin). Content on iQIYI International comes with subtitles in more than ten languages, a testament to iQIYI's longstanding commitment to promoting Asian content globally. Where can users watch iQIYI North America? iQIYI International can be downloaded from app stores or via its website: www.iq.com. iQIYI International is now also available via Smart TV applications so that more global users can gain access to iQIYI's rich content library. A full list of these is provided below: Samsung Smart TVs LG Smart TVs Google Chromecast Android phones and tablets Android TV iPhones and iPads Apple TV Amazon Fire TV ROKU TV CONTACT: iQIYI Press, press@qiyi.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iqiyi-north-america-presents-second-annual-content-showcase-to-highlight-original-c-content-301603268.html SOURCE iQIYI Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2022/11/c2675.html Donald Trumps former national security adviser John Bolton has said he was embarrassed at the low price of $300,000 offered to assassinate him by an Iranian military operative in a tongue-in-cheek comment. Mr Bolton was asked about his views by CNNs Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room on Wednesday on the US Justice Departments revelation of new details about the plot to assassinate him by announcing charges against an Iranian man. Well, I was embarrassed at the low price. I thought it wouldve been higher. But I guess maybe it was the exchange rate problem or something, Mr Bolton joked. I read the document with great interest. I had not seen it before. I was not aware of many of the specifics in it, although obviously I had long had a general understanding of what the threat was. On Wednesday, Shahram Poursafi, 45, was accused of trying to pay $300,000 (245,000) to an individual in the US to kill Mr Bolton, either in Washington DC or Maryland, the Justice Department said. Officials said the assassination plot would have been in retaliation for the killing of Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani by the US military in an airstrike in Baghdad in January 2020. In court documents, the DoJ said Mr Poursafi was working for Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, an elite unit of the Iranian Armed Forces overseeing foreign operations, and allegedly paid US individuals to carry out the killing in Washington DC. An Iranian government spokesperson has refuted the allegations, calling them baseless. Mr Bolton has served as a UN ambassador and a senior State Department official when George Bush was president. Serving 17 months in the Trump administration, Mr Bolton had left the White House in 2019 after a dispute with him over the question of whether sanctions on Iran should be removed as a way to negotiate. An image released by the FBI shows Shahram Poursafi, also known as Mehdi Rezayi of Tehran, Iran, in a 2021 image released by the U.S. Justice Department (via REUTERS) He had advocated for a regime change in Iran and supported Mr Trumps decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal. He strongly supported the war in Iraq which began in 2003. Story continues I think its quite correct to say many other Americans are the targets of this regime. It tells you what the regime is. It tells you about its character, Mr Bolton said. Frankly, from my point of view, the regimes terrorist activities are just the other side of the coin of its nuclear weapons program, and any idea this regime will adhere to its commitments on anything is just a terrible delusion, he added. Mr Bolton had casually admitted on television last month that he had experience in planning coups. As someone who has helped plan coups detat not here but, you know, other places it takes a lot of work, Mr Bolton had told CNNs Jake Tapper. SINGAPORE, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LGT Bank (Singapore) Ltd. (LGT Singapore) has appointed Ms. Neo Gim Huay, Member of the Managing Board and Head of the Centre for Nature and Climate at the World Economic Forum, and Mr. En Lee, Managing Director, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investments Asia at LGT, to its Board of Directors (Board), effective 2 June 2022. These appointments broaden LGT Singapore Board's strength in sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and sustainable investing. As recognized industry leaders in the sustainability and sustainable investing sectors, Gim Huay and En bring diverse skills and deep expertise to the Board in line with LGT's standing as a leading provider of sustainable, impact investment and venture philanthropic solutions. In sustainable investing, LGT has been a pioneer since 2007 and has continued to intensify its commitment by expanding sustainable and impact investment offerings across different portfolio management mandates and asset classes. By consistently pursuing a sustainability strategy, LGT aims to become a leading provider of sustainable investment solutions by 2025. Sustainability Background At the World Economic Forum, Gim Huay oversees climate and nature-related programs and partnerships, including accelerating climate action and scaling nature-based solutions as well as regenerating food, water and ocean systems and resource circularity. Prior to joining the WEF, Gim Huay held various Managing Director roles at Temasek International, namely Climate Change Strategy, Sustainability as well as Enterprise Development. She was formerly a Management Consultant with McKinsey in the US and Africa, including co-leading the set-up of McKinsey's first office in Sub Saharan Africa in Lagos, Nigeria. Before McKinsey, Gim Huay was in the Administrative Service of the Singapore Government, working in the Finance and Trade ministries, as well as the Singapore Embassy in the US. She is currently a Board Trustee of the Singapore Institute of Technology, Member of the Creating Shared Value Council at Nestle SA, Member of the Governing Council of the Water Resources Group, World Bank as well as International Special Advisor to the CCICED (China Council on International Cooperation on Environment and Development). Story continues Regional Impact Expert Having joined LGT in 2013, En leads and manages the regional impact investment portfolio in Southeast Asia and China. He is a Founding Partner and a Senior Advisor of Lightrock, LGT's global impact investing platform, an Investment Committee Member of LGT Venture Philanthropy, and has served on LGT's Global Sustainability Board. Before LGT, En was an Executive Director with Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong, advising investment funds. Previously, he was a Corporate Solicitor with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London specializing in private equity and M&A transactions. He has served on the World Economic Forum ESG Advisory Group, Asia Investor Group on Climate Change, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore Sustainable Finance Working Group. En is a member of the Impact Valuation Advisory Council of Novartis, the Advisory Committee of Triple P Financial Inclusion Fund, and the ESG and Sustainable Investing Expert Panel of the Wealth Management Institute. He also serves on the Boards of United Nations Global Compact Singapore, Asian Venture Philanthropy Network, and the Singapore Venture & Private Capital Association, where he co-chairs the ESG Committee. LGT's commitment to sustainability originates from the core values of the bank's owner, the Princely Family of Liechtenstein, which can trace its history back 900 years and has held sustainable and long-term thinking in high regard for over a century. LGT leads by example as a founding member of the United Nation's Net-Zero Banking Alliance and has signed an agreement with Climeworks to filter a part of LGT's greenhouse gas emissions from the air and permanently store them in the ground from 2025. LGT is committed to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions from operations and investments to net zero by 2030. "As a company with a long-term orientation and as investors and citizens, we must focus on addressing how industries and consumption can be sustainable and how we will get there. Competently implemented investment strategies with investments in well-managed, sustainability-oriented companies will make an important contribution to reducing environmental and social issues and generating attractive returns", said H.S.H. Prince Max von und zu Liechtenstein, Chairman and CEO LGT Group. In addition, LGT Group Foundation appointed Peter Nussbaum to its Board of Directors. He was a co-founding partner of the Munich office of Milbank, an international law firm. Prior to this, he was co-head of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's global private equity group. A German national, Peter Nussbaum serves as a board member of various companies and foundations of the Princely House of Liechtenstein including, since this year, CEO Administration of the Princely Assets. Peter Nussbaum's appointment on the Foundation's board is effective immediately. LGT in brief LGT is a leading international private banking and asset management group that has been fully controlled by the Liechtenstein Princely Family for over 90 years. As at 31 December 2021, LGT managed assets of CHF 285.8 billion (USD 313.7 billion) for wealthy private individuals and institutional clients. LGT employs over 4100 people who work out of more than 20 locations in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. www.lgt.com SOURCE LGT Focused on Advancing Branded Pipeline with Anticipated Launches and Bringing Existing Products to New Markets and Geographies Committed to Strengthening Balance Sheet, with a Disciplined Capital Allocation Focus; Benefiting from Cash Generation and Significant Liquidity Appointed New President & CEO and New Board of Directors with Deep Expertise and Decades of Leadership Experience in Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare and Finance Conference Call and Webcast Today at 8:30 a.m. ET DUBLIN, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt plc (OTCMKTS: MNKPF) ("Mallinckrodt" or the "Company"), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, today reported results for the second quarter ended July 1, 2022,1 and provided guidance for full year 2022. Mallinckrodt logo "This quarter represented an important moment for Mallinckrodt as we began the work of turning the business around and moving forward with renewed focus on our patients, products, pipeline and people following the completion of our financial reorganization," said Siggi Olafsson, President and Chief Executive Officer. "While the Company has faced many challenges, we have a strong foundation and significant potential, which is why I am excited to lead Mallinckrodt alongside the new Board of Directors. Together, we are focused on Mallinckrodt's future and re-energizing the organization around our shared passion for making an impact on patients' lives by addressing unmet medical needs. Mallinckrodt today benefits from significant liquidity, meaningful cash flows from operations, a solid U.S. commercial platform and competitive positioning in Critical Care and Immunology. While we have work to do, the foundational pieces are in place to stabilize the core brands and return the business to sustainable growth and profitability over time." Mr. Olafsson continued, "Our results for the quarter and our outlook for the year reflect the challenges we continue to face across the business. As we work to chart Mallinckrodt's path forward, our near-term priorities include strengthening the Company's balance sheet and continuing to generate strong cash flow; stabilizing our portfolio and maximizing opportunities for our in-market products; and investing strategically in our pipeline with a focus on potential cash contribution and return on investment. We're confident that by executing on our plans, we can create long-term value for our stakeholders while improving outcomes for patients with severe and critical conditions." Story continues Second Quarter 2022 Financial Results1 Mallinckrodt's net sales in the second quarter included $383.7 million in the predecessor period and $85.0 million in the successor period for total net sales in the quarter of $468.7 million, as compared to $546.4 million. This reflects a decrease of 14.2% on a reported basis and 13.8% on a constant currency basis. The Company's Specialty Brands segment reported net sales of $247.7 million in the predecessor period and $58.2 million in the successor period for a total of $305.9 million, as compared to $381.5 million. This reflects a decrease of 19.8% on a reported basis and 19.2% on a constant currency basis, primarily due to the impacts of competition on certain products including Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection), INOmax (nitric oxide) gas and Therakos immunology platform, the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to product utilization and continued payer scrutiny on overall specialty pharmaceutical spending. Mallinckrodt's Specialty Generics segment reported net sales of $136.0 million in the predecessor period and $26.8 million in the successor period for a total of $162.8 million, as compared to $164.9 million. This reflects a decrease of 1.3% on a reported basis and 1.2% on a constant currency basis, primarily due to a reduction of dosage opioids and controlled substances active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) net sales, offset partially by net sales growth in acetaminophen (APAP). The Company's net loss for the second quarter of 2022 included $193.5 million in the predecessor period and $63.7 million in the successor period for an aggregate net loss of $257.2 million, as compared to a net loss of $105.8 million. Mallinckrodt's Adjusted EBITDA was $126.0 million in the predecessor period and $30.3 million in the successor period for total Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter of $156.3 million, as compared to $199.5 million. This reflects a decrease of 21.7%, primarily due to lower net sales, negative impact from foreign currency, investments associated with the launch of StrataGraft (allogeneic cultured keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts in murine collagen - dsat) and launch preparedness for terlipressin, partially offset by other reductions in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses and research and development (R&D) expenses as the Company has undertaken specific actions over the past year to reduce the overall cost structure. The Company's cash balance at the end of the second quarter was $354.7 million. In addition, Mallinckrodt maintains a new undrawn $200 million accounts receivable financing facility closed in conjunction with emergence and ended the quarter with greater than $550 million in liquidity. Total principal debt outstanding at the end of the second quarter was $3.604 billion, with net debt of $3.249 billion, which differs from the balance sheet due to fresh-start accounting and excludes ongoing annual settlement payments. Bryan Reasons, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, said, "Having eliminated more than $1.3 billion in debt principal and closed a new $200 million accounts receivable financing facility with the overhang and expense of the opioid litigation now behind us, we have a clear path forward to continue operating the business in a responsible manner and delivering benefits to patients. Looking ahead, we are focused on further reducing debt as we continue enhancing operating efficiencies and generating additional cash through the successful execution of our strategic priorities." 2022 Financial Guidance For the full-year 2022, Mallinckrodt expects: 2022 Guidance Total net sales $1,875 million to $1,925 million Total net sales for Specialty Brands segment $1,250 million to $1,280 million Total net sales for Specialty Generics segment $625 million to $645 million Adjusted EBITDA $630 million to $660 million The Company does not provide a reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP guidance to the comparable GAAP measures as these items are inherently uncertain and difficult to estimate and cannot be predicted without unreasonable effort. Please see the "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Guidance" included in this release for a reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures for the second quarter and year to date. Conference Call and Webcast Mallinckrodt will hold a conference call today, August 11, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results of its financial performance for the second quarter 2022. The live call and subsequent replay can be accessed as follows: Directly via the webcast link (live and replay): https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/jzbp7d5r At the Company's website: http://www.mallinckrodt.com/investors About Mallinckrodt Mallinckrodt is a global business consisting of multiple wholly owned subsidiaries that develop, manufacture, market and distribute specialty pharmaceutical products and therapies. The Company's Specialty Brands reportable segment's areas of focus include autoimmune and rare diseases in specialty areas like neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, pulmonology, ophthalmology and oncology; immunotherapy and neonatal respiratory critical care therapies; analgesics; cultured skin substitutes and gastrointestinal products. Its Specialty Generics reportable segment includes specialty generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com. Mallinckrodt uses its website as a channel of distribution of important company information, such as press releases, investor presentations and other financial information. It also uses its website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding the Company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investor Relations page of the website for important and time-critical information. Visitors to the website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Relations page of the website. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES This press release contains financial measures, including adjusted EBITDA, adjusted gross profit, adjusted SG&A, adjusted R&D, net sales growth on a constant-currency basis, and net debt, which are considered "non-GAAP" financial measures under applicable SEC rules and regulations. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income or loss prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP") and adjusted for certain items that management believes are not reflective of the operational performance of the business. Adjustments to GAAP amounts include, as applicable to each measure, interest expense, net; income taxes; depreciation; amortization; restructuring charges, net; non-restructuring impairment charges; discontinued operations; changes in fair value of contingent consideration obligations; significant legal and environmental charges; separation costs; unrealized gain or loss on equity investment; reorganization items, net; share-based compensation; fresh-start inventory-related expenses; and other items identified by the company. Segment net sales growth on a constant-currency basis measures the change in segment net sales between current- and prior-year periods using a constant currency, the exchange rate in effect during the applicable prior-year period. Net debt as of July 1, 2022 represents the total principal debt outstanding of $3.604 billion, less cash of $354.7 million, each as prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company has provided these adjusted financial measures because they are used by management, along with financial measures in accordance with GAAP, to evaluate the company's operating performance. In addition, the company believes that they will be used by certain investors to measure Mallinckrodt's operating results. Management believes that presenting these adjusted measures provides useful information about the company's performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that the company does not believe are indicative of its core operating performance. These adjusted measures should be considered supplemental to and not a substitute for financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. The company's definition of these adjusted measures may differ from similarly titled measures used by others. Because adjusted financial measures exclude the effect of items that will increase or decrease the company's reported results of operations, management strongly encourages investors to review the company's consolidated financial statements and publicly filed reports in their entirety. A reconciliation of certain of these historical adjusted financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures is included in the tables accompanying this release. Further information regarding non-GAAP financial measures can be found on the Investor Relations page of the company's website. Predecessor Successor Presentation Our financial results for the period June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 reflects the Successor period, while the period April 2, 2022 through, and including, June 16, 2022 and the period January 1, 2022 through, and including, June 16, 2022 reflects the Predecessor periods. As a result of the application of fresh-start accounting, our financial statements for periods prior to the Effective Date are not comparable to those for periods subsequent to the Effective Date. Operating results for the Successor and Predecessor periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full fiscal year. Our results of operations as reported in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the Successor and Predecessor periods are in accordance with GAAP. The presentation of the combined financial information of the Predecessor and Successor for the three and six months ended July 1, 2022 is not in accordance with GAAP. However, we believe that for purposes of discussion and analysis, the combined financial information is useful for management and investors to assess our ongoing financial and operational performance and trends. Accordingly, in addition to presenting our results of operations as reported in our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, certain tables and discussion included within this release also present the combined results for the three and six months ended July 1, 2022. CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS RELATED TO FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements in this document that are not strictly historical, including statements regarding future financial condition and operating results, legal, economic, business, competitive and/or regulatory factors affecting Mallinckrodt's businesses, and any other statements regarding events or developments Mallinckrodt believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, may be "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks and uncertainties related to, among other things: the effects of the Chapter 11 cases on the liquidity, results of operations and businesses of Mallinckrodt and its subsidiaries; governmental investigations and inquiries, regulatory actions and lawsuits brought against Mallinckrodt by government agencies and private parties with respect to its historical commercialization of opioids, including the agreement set forth in the Plan regarding a global settlement to resolve all opioid-related claims; the settlement set forth in the Plan with governmental parties to resolve certain disputes relating to Acthar Gel; the ability to maintain relationships with Mallinckrodt's suppliers, customers, employees and other third parties as a result of, and following, the Chapter 11 cases; the possibility that Mallinckrodt may be unable to achieve its business and strategic goals even now that the Plan is successfully consummated; the non-dischargeability of certain claims against Mallinckrodt as part of the bankruptcy process; developing, funding and executing Mallinckrodt's business plan and continuing as a going concern; Mallinckrodt's post-bankruptcy capital structure; scrutiny from governments, legislative bodies and enforcement agencies related to sales, marketing and pricing practices; pricing pressure on certain of Mallinckrodt's products due to legal changes or changes in insurers' reimbursement practices resulting from recent increased public scrutiny of healthcare and pharmaceutical costs; the impact of the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus; the reimbursement practices of governmental health administration authorities, private health coverage insurers and other third-party payers; complex reporting and payment obligations under the Medicare and Medicaid rebate programs and other governmental purchasing and rebate programs; cost containment efforts of customers, purchasing groups, third-party payers and governmental organizations; changes in or failure to comply with relevant laws and regulations; Mallinckrodt's and its partners' ability to successfully develop or commercialize new products or expand commercial opportunities; Mallinckrodt's ability to navigate price fluctuations; competition; Mallinckrodt's and its partners' ability to protect intellectual property rights; limited clinical trial data for Acthar Gel; clinical studies and related regulatory processes; product liability losses and other litigation liability; material health, safety and environmental liabilities; potential indemnification liabilities to Covidien pursuant to the separation and distribution agreement; business development activities; retention of key personnel; the effectiveness of information technology infrastructure including cybersecurity and data leakage risks; customer concentration; Mallinckrodt's reliance on certain individual products that are material to its financial performance; Mallinckrodt's ability to receive procurement and production quotas granted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; complex manufacturing processes; conducting business internationally; Mallinckrodt's ability to achieve expected benefits from restructuring activities; Mallinckrodt's significant levels of intangible assets and related impairment testing; labor and employment laws and regulations; natural disasters or other catastrophic events; Mallinckrodt's substantial indebtedness, its ability to generate sufficient cash to reduce its indebtedness and its potential need and ability to incur further indebtedness; Mallinckrodt's ability to generate sufficient cash to service indebtedness even now that the prepetition indebtedness has been restructured; restrictions on Mallinckrodt's operations contained in the agreements governing Mallinckrodt's indebtedness; Mallinckrodt's variable rate indebtedness; future changes to U.S. and foreign tax laws or the impact of disputes with governmental tax authorities; and the impact of Irish laws. The "Risk Factors" section of Mallinckrodt's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC identify and describe in more detail the risks and uncertainties to which Mallinckrodt's businesses are subject. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date hereof and Mallinckrodt does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law. CONTACTS Investor Relations Daniel J. Speciale Global Corporate Controller and Chief Investor Relations Officer 314-302-6567 daniel.speciale@mnk.com Derek Belz Vice President, Investor Relations 314-654-3950 derek.belz@mnk.com Media Michael Freitag / Aaron Palash / Aura Reinhard Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher (212) 355-4449 Mallinckrodt, the "M" brand mark and the Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals logo are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company. Other brands are trademarks of a Mallinckrodt company or their respective owners. 2022 08/22. Exhibit 99.1 MALLINCKRODT PLC CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited, in millions, except per share data) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Percent of Net sales Percent of Net sales Percent of Net sales Net sales $ 85.0 100.0 % $ 383.7 100.0 % $ 546.4 100.0 % Cost of sales 102.2 120.2 266.8 69.5 331.6 60.7 Gross (loss) profit (17.2) (20.2) 116.9 32.0 214.8 39.3 Selling, general and administrative expenses 30.3 35.6 122.8 7.4 145.0 26.5 Research and development expenses 6.2 7.3 28.3 0.7 52.8 9.7 Restructuring charges, net 1.1 1.3 2.8 0.7 6.1 1.1 Operating (loss) income (54.8) (64.5) (37.0) (9.6) 10.9 2.0 Interest expense (21.1) (24.8) (50.4) (13.1) (52.4) (9.6) Interest income 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 Other income (expense), net 5.9 6.9 (10.5) (2.7) 11.3 2.1 Reorganization items, net (3.5) (4.1) (587.5) (153.1) (109.5) (20.0) Loss from continuing operations before income taxes (73.4) (86.4) (685.2) (178.6) (139.7) (25.6) Income tax benefit (9.7) (11.4) (491.4) (128.1) (33.5) (6.1) Loss from continuing operations (63.7) (74.9) (193.8) (50.5) (106.2) (19.4) Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.1 Net loss $ (63.7) (74.9) % $ (193.5) (50.4) % $ (105.8) (19.4) % Basic and diluted loss per share: Loss from continuing operations $ (4.83) $ (2.29) $ (1.25) Income from discontinued operations Net loss $ (4.83) $ (2.28) $ (1.25) Weighted-average number of shares outstanding Basic and diluted 13.2 84.8 84.7 MALLINCKRODT PLC CONSOLIDATED ADJUSTED EBITDA (unaudited, in millions) Successor Predecessor Period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022 Period from April 2, 2022 through June 16, 2022 Gross (Loss) Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Net loss $ (17.2) $ 30.3 $ 6.2 $ (63.7) $ 116.9 $ 122.8 $ 28.3 $ (193.5) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 21.0 50.2 Income taxes (9.7) (491.4) Depreciation 2.2 (0.5) (0.2) 2.9 14.6 (2.6) (0.7) 17.9 Amortization 45.5 45.5 126.0 (0.7) 126.7 Restructuring charges, net 1.1 2.8 Income from discontinued operations (0.3) Change in contingent consideration fair value (0.1) 0.1 Separation costs (1) (9.2) 9.2 (7.0) 7.0 Unrealized (gain) loss on equity investment (6.0) 18.5 Reorganization items, net 3.5 587.5 Share-based compensation (0.3) (0.2) 0.5 Fresh-start inventory-related expense (2) 26.5 26.5 As adjusted: $ 57.0 $ 20.6 $ 6.0 $ 30.3 $ 257.5 $ 112.1 $ 27.4 $ 126.0 Non-GAAP Combined Predecessor Three Months Ended July 1, 2022 Three Months Ended June 25, 2021 Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Gross Profit SG&A R&D Adjusted EBITDA Net loss $ 99.7 $ 153.1 $ 34.5 $ (257.2) $ 214.8 $ 145.0 $ 52.8 $ (105.8) Adjustments: Interest expense, net 71.2 52.4 Income taxes (501.1) (33.5) Depreciation 16.8 (3.1) (0.9) 20.8 17.0 (4.3) (1.5) 22.8 Amortization 171.5 (0.7) 172.2 144.4 (0.8) 145.2 Restructuring charges, net 3.9 6.1 Income from discontinued operations (0.3) (0.4) Change in contingent consideration fair value (0.1) 0.1 (5.3) 5.3 Separation costs (1) (16.2) 16.2 (0.3) 0.3 Unrealized loss (gain) on equity investment 12.5 (4.8) Reorganization items, net 591.0 109.5 Share-based compensation (0.3) (0.2) 0.5 0.1 (1.9) (0.4) 2.4 Fresh-start inventory-related expense (2) 26.5 26.5 As adjusted: $ 314.5 $ 132.7 $ 33.4 $ 156.3 $ 376.3 $ 132.4 $ 50.9 $ 199.5 (1) Represents costs included in selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily related to expenses incurred related to the Predecessor directors and officers' policy and severance for the former CEO of the Predecessor, in addition to professional fees and costs incurred as the Company explores potential sales of non-core assets to enable further deleveraging post-emergence. (2) Includes $24.1 million and $2.4 million of inventory fair-value step up expense and fresh-start inventory-related expense related to a change in accounting estimate, respectively, during the period from June 17, 2022 through July 1, 2022. Straits Research - Market Research Strategy | Strategy Consulting | Business Research | Business Consulting | Market Research The global medical aesthetics market size was valued at 61.23 USD billion in 2021. It is expected to reach around 138.64 USD billion, growing at a CAGR of 9.5% during the forecast period (20222030). North America leads the Worldwide Medical Aesthetics Market because of its vast elderly population and abundance of medical aesthetic procedure centers. New York, United States, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medical Aesthetics is a field of medicine that focuses on procedures and techniques that improve the skin's appearance, texture, and contours. It treats scars, moles, liver spots, excess fat, wrinkles, skin looseness, unwanted hair, cellulite, poker, and skin discoloration. Standard inclusions include dermatology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, reconstructive surgery, and plastic surgery. Get a Free Sample Copy of This Report https://straitsresearch.com/report/global-medical-aesthetics-market/request-sample Innovation in Technology, a Growing number of Expert Surgeons, and Increased Demand for Aging-Related Aesthetic Treatments Drives Global Market. Due to changes in modern lifestyle, obesity among people is gradually increasing and affects the elderly. Geriatric obesity has been noted in affluent countries. Hence the demand for the aesthetic market has increased over the period. The market is growing because of the growing number of qualified surgeons and new technology. Due to technology advancements and significant investments in research and development, plastic surgeries, breast implants, botulinum toxin injection therapy , and other anti-aging treatments and products have been created. Strict rules and regulations have prompted manufacturers to develop safer and more effective anti-aging treatments that directly impact consumers, increasing the market's growth potential. Increase in Demand in Emerging Nations Creates Tremendous Opportunities Medical aesthetics companies can benefit significantly from emerging markets like China, Brazil, Mexico, and India. Rising disposable incomes, increased medical tourism , and more knowledge of aesthetic specialties drive higher demand for medical aesthetic devices in these countries. The presence of many doctors in these emerging nations also helps the medical aesthetics market to thrive. Story continues Report Scope Report Metric Details Market Size USD 138.64 Billion by 2030 CAGR 9.5% (2020-2030) Historical Data 2019-2020 Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022-2030 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Type, End-User, Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, LAME and Rest of the World Key Companies Profiled/Vendors Alma Lasers Ltd. (A Division of Sisram Medical Ltd.), Allergan, Anika Therapeutics Inc., Cutera Inc., Cynosure (A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Hologic Inc.), En. S.P.A., Fotona D.O.O., Galderma (A Subsidiary of Nestle) Key Market Opportunities The Rising Demand For Aesthetic Treatments And Other Procedures Connected To Ageing Key Market Drivers Increase in Obesity among the Old Age People to Boost Market Progress Rising Demand for Aesthetic Treatments Buy Now Full Report https://straitsresearch.com/buy-now/global-medical-aesthetics-market Regional Analysis North America leads the Worldwide Medical Aesthetics Market because of its vast elderly population and abundance of medical aesthetic procedure centers. Rising per capita income and highly established cosmetic hospitals are two more aspects projected to promote market expansion. Asia-Pacific medical aesthetic market is expected to grow during the forecast period. The enormous demographic pool and arrival of significant companies in the Asia Pacific market are credited with the market's growth. The demand for medical aesthetics in Thailand, Japan, and China is growing significantly due to the region's booming medical tourism. Get a Free Sample Copy of This Report https://straitsresearch.com/report/global-medical-aesthetics-market/request-sample The global medical aesthetics market's major key players are Alma Lasers, Ltd. (A Division of Sisram Medical Ltd.) Allergan, Anika Therapeutics, Inc. Cutera, Inc., and Cynosure (A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Hologic, Inc.) El. En. S.P.A., Fotona D.O.O. Galderma (A Subsidiary of Nestle) Johnson & Johnson Merz Aesthetics, Inc. (A Division of Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA) Medytox, Inc., Sientra, Inc. Sinclair Pharma PLC Solta Medical (A Division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. Syneron Medical, Ltd. (A Part of Apax Partners). Global Medical Aesthetics Market: Segmentation By Type Surgical Procedures Non-Surgical Procedures By End-User Hospitals and Clinics Cosmetic Procedural Centers Ambulatory Centers Others By Regions North America Europe Asia-Pacific The Middle East and Africa Latin America TABLE OF CONTENT Introduction Market Definition Market Scope Research Methodology Primary Research Research Methodology Assumptions & Exclusions Secondary Data Sources Market Overview Report Segmentation & Scope Value Chain Analysis: Medical Aesthetics Market Key Market Trends Drivers Restraints Opportunities Porters Five Forces Analysis Bargaining Power of Suppliers Bargaining Power of Buyers Threat of Substitution Threat of New Entrants Competitive Rivalry Market Share Analysis Type Overview Introduction Market Size & Forecast Surgical Procedures Market Size & Forecast Non-Surgical Procedures Market Size & Forecast End-User Overview Introduction Market Size & Forecast Cosmetic Procedural Centers Market Size & Forecast Ambulatory Centers Market Size & Forecast Regional Overview Introduction Market Size & Forecast America North America U.S. By Type By End-User Canada By Type By End-User Mexico By Type By End-User Latin America By Type By End-User Europe Market Size & Forecast Germany By Type By End-User France By Type By End-User U.K. By Type By End-User Italy By Type By End-User Spain By Type By End-User Rest of Europe By Type By End-User Asia Pacific Market Size & Forecast Japan By Type By End-User China By Type By End-User Australia By Type By End-User India By Type By End-User South Korea By Type By End-User Rest of Asia-Pacific By Type By End-User Middle East & Africa Market Size & Forecast Saudi Arabia By Type By End-User South Africa By Type By End-User Kuwait By Type By End-User Rest of Middle East & Africa By Type By End-User Company Profile Alma Lasers Ltd. (A Division of Sisram Medical Ltd.) Company Overview Financial Performance Recent Developments Product Portfolio Allergan Company Overview Financial Performance Recent Developments Product Portfolio Anika Therapeutics Inc Company Overview Financial Performance Recent Developments Product Portfolio Conclusion & Recommendation Acronyms & Abbreviations Table of Content and Figure https://straitsresearch.com/report/global-medical-aesthetics-market/toc Market Players In March 2022 , Dubai hosted the Dubai World Dermatology and Laser Conference and Exhibition - the regions largest A&D event. In March 2022 , Dubai hosted the Dubai World Dermatology and Laser Conference and Exhibition - the regions largest A&D event. In January 2022, Sientra announced the acquisition of novel fat grafting technology from auragen aesthetics, LLC, which Accelerates Sientras vision to transform the art and science of plastic surgery beyond breast products to become a significant player in the medical aesthetics market. News Media Top 10 Medical Device Companies in the World Aesthetic Medicine Market to Thrive at an Astonishing Healthy CAGR during Forecast Period Have a Look at the Related Research Report? Facial Injectable Market : Information by Product (Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, Botulinum Toxin Type A, Polymer Fillers), Application (Aesthetics, Therapeutics), and Region Forecast till 2030 Cosmetic Dentistry Market : Information by Product Type (Dental Systems, Dental Implants, Dental Bridges, Dental Crowns, Orthodontic Braces, Dental Veneers), and Region Forecast till 2029 Fashion Face Mask Market : Information by Type (Anti-pollution, Non-Anti-Pollution), Distribution Channel (Online Retail Stores), Material (Fabric, Non-fabric), and Region - Forecast till 2029 Europe Consumer-Use IPL Hair Removal Services Market : Information by Service Provider (Beauty Clinics/Salons or Aesthetic Centers, Dermatology Clinics) and Region Forecast till 2027 Cosmetic Chemicals Market : Information by Product Type (Surfactants, Polymer Ingredients), Application (Skin Care, Hair Care), and Region Forecast till 2030 About Straits Research Pvt. Ltd. StraitsResearch is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision-makers. Straits Research Pvt. Ltd. provides actionable market research data, especially designed and presented for decision making and ROI. Whether you are looking at business sectors in the next town or crosswise over continents, we understand the significance of being acquainted with the clients purchase. We overcome our clients issues by recognizing and deciphering the target group and generating leads with utmost precision. We seek to collaborate with our clients to deliver a broad spectrum of results through a blend of market and business research approaches. For more information on your target market, please contact us below: Phone: +1 646 480 7505 (the U.S.) +91 8087085354 (APAC) +44 208 068 9665 (the U.K.) Email: sales@straitsresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter New Mexico State University Police sent out a report to the area community around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday that there is police activity in the area of Valley and University involving a shooting at the Motel 9. This story was updated at 2:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10. LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University Police sent out a report to the area community around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday that there is police activity in the area of Valley and University involving a shooting at the Motel 9. Police later clarified that it was nearer to the Super 8 Motel at 245 La Posada Ln. Police said two people were shot and were transported to an area hospital. No other information was immediately available. At 1:54 p.m., NMSU Police sent out an all-clear notice, stating, "The investigation is on going. Look for updates from the Las Cruces Police Department. This is an all clear message and there is not an on going threat to the university campus." As information becomes available, details will be posted at www.nmsu.edu, authorities said. This is a developing story. It will be updated as details become available. Others are reading: This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: All clear: NMSU Police report shooting near Super 8 Motel NZC-TSX NORZF-OTCQB VANCOUVER, BC, Aug. 11, 2022 /CNW/ - NorZinc Ltd. (TSX: NZC) (OTCQB: NORZF) (the "Company" or "NorZinc") is pleased to announce it has received the final new Land Use Permit ("LUP") from the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board ("MVLWB") for mine operations associated with the mine expansion plan of 2,400 tonnes per day ("tpd"), representing a significant milestone in the advancement of the Prairie Creek Project ("Prairie Creek" or the "Project"). NorZinc Ltd. logo (CNW Group/NorZinc Ltd.) Along with the issuance of the LUP, a recommendation for the final Water License ("WL") has been sent to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources ("ENR"), Government of the Northwest Territories ("GNWT") for approval, representing the last step of the approval of the application process to acquire new mine operating permits. The WL includes an update to the security requirements and the schedule for posting reflective of the 2,400 tpd application. This final WL approval process is subject to an initial 45-day review period by the Minister, who has the option of a one-time extension of this period for a further 45 days. "This represents a significant milestone for the Company with respect to completing permitting and the advancement of the Prairie Creek Project and indicates the regulatory bodies recognition of the benefits the Project will bring to the region and all stakeholders," said Rohan Hazelton, President & CEO, NorZinc. "The Company remains committed to the responsible mining at Prairie Creek to deliver the significant economic and social benefits to the local communities who are our partners in this process. We would like to thank the local communities for their continued support throughout this whole process." In 2013, following a full Environmental Assessment ("EA"), NorZinc was issued the operating permits for a 1,600 tpd mining operation at Prairie Creek. Full operating permits included a LUP and WL issued by the MVLWB, the only decision making/regulatory body for mine operating permits in the Northwest Territories. In May 2019, the Company was issued with a renewed LUP and WL by the MVLWB without significant changes. Story continues Following the receipt of the renewed LUP and WL, the Company applied for new mining permits to increase the throughput rate from 1,600 tpd to 2,400 tpd. The applications were subject to a preliminary screening, in which it was determined that the changes related to the increased throughput rate did not meet the threshold for an EA amendment, and as a result, the applications proceeded straight to the LUP and WL approval process. On October 21, 2021, the Company announced an updated Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Prairie Creek Mine based on a 2,400 tpd mining rate. Results included a robust after-tax NPV8% of US$299 million and an IRR of 17.7% with a life of mine of 20.3 years. The Company continues to work closely with the regulatory bodies, Parks Canada and the MVLWB, on the completion and final approval of the management plans ("MPs") associated with construction of Phase 1 of the All-Season Road. The Company expects to receive all Phase 1 MP approvals from the respective regulators in Q3 2022. About NorZinc NorZinc is a TSX-listed mine development Company trading under the symbol "NZC" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "NORZF". NorZinc is focused on developing its 100%-owned high-grade zinc-silver-lead Prairie Creek Project, located in the Northwest Territories. Cautionary Statement Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the approval of the final WL, and management's expectations regarding completion of the Phase 1 MP approvals. These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the risk that the final WL will not be approved, the risk that completion of the Phase 1 MP approvals may not occur within management's anticipated timelines or at all. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions which the Company believes to be reasonable, including without limitation, assumptions regarding the approval of the final WL, that the completion of the Phase 1 MP approvals will occur within the timelines currently anticipated by management. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. SOURCE NorZinc Ltd. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2022/11/c7616.html OTC Markets NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced FirstSun Capital Bancorp (OTCQX: FSUN), a financial holding company providing a full spectrum of deposit, lending, treasury management, wealth management and online banking products and services, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. FirstSun Capital Bancorp begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol FSUN. Investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the Company at www.otcmarkets.com. Joining the OTCQX Market marks an important milestone for community banks in the U.S. public markets. The OTCQX Market enables banks to maximize the value of being a public company by providing transparent trading and easy access to company information for shareholders. To qualify for OTCQX, community banks must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. We are excited to begin trading on the OTCQX Market, said Neal Arnold, President and Chief Executive Officer of FirstSun Capital Bancorp. This is an important milestone for FirstSun. We believe that trading on the OTCQX Market will improve visibility of our common stock, provide improved liquidity and enhance stockholder value. Raymond James acted as the companys OTCQX sponsor. About FirstSun Capital Bancorp FirstSun Capital Bancorp, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is the financial holding company for Sunflower Bank, N.A., which operates as Sunflower Bank, First National 1870 and Guardian Mortgage. Sunflower Bank provides a full range of relationship-focused services to meet personal, business and wealth management financial objectives, with a branch network in five states and mortgage capabilities in 43 states. FirstSun had total consolidated assets of $7.1 billion as of June 30, 2022. First National 1870 and Guardian Mortgage are divisions of Sunflower Bank, N.A. To learn more, visit ir.firstsuncb.com , SunflowerBank.com , FirstNational1870.com or GuardianMortgageOnline.com . Story continues About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX Best Market, OTCQB Venture Market and Pink Open Market. Our OTC Link Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets. OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN and OTC Link NQB are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com Fortune Business Insights Companies covered in refractories market are Alsey Refractories Co. (U.S.), Magnezit Group (Russia), Imerys (France), Posco Chemical (South Korea), RHI Magnesita (Austria), Saint-Gobain (France), Vesuvius (U.K.), Puyang Refractories Group Co., Ltd. (China), Refratechnik (Germany), Beijing Lier High Temperature Materials Co., Ltd. (China), HarbinsonWalker International (U.S.), Intocast Group (Germany), and others. Pune, India, Aug. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Fortune Business Insights, The global refractories market size reached USD 32.25 billion in 2021. The market valuation is predicted to rise from USD 33.01 billion in 2022 to USD 44.82 billion by 2029, registering a CAGR of 4.5% during 2022-2029. The growth of this market is driven by increasing demand across major industrial sectors including iron, steel, and other metals, glass, cement, paper & pulp, and petrochemicals. In recent years, development of refractories from combination of various materials has gained traction. Refractory customization to meet the global demand will further drive the market growth, says Fortune Business Insights, in its report titled Refractories Market, 2022-2029." Get a Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/refractories-market-103287 List of Key Players Profiled in the Refractories Report: Beijing Lier High Temperature Materials Co., Ltd. (China) HarbinsonWalker International (U.S.) Intocast Group (Germany) Alsey Refractories Co. (U.S.) Magnezit Group (Russia) Imerys (France) Posco Chemical (South Korea) RHI Magnesita (Austria) Saint-Gobain (France) Vesuvius (U.K.) Puyang Refractories Group Co., Ltd. (China) Refratechnik (Germany) Ruitai Materials Technology Co., Ltd. (China) Kaefer (Norway) Plibrico Company, LLC (U.S.) Krosaki Harima Corporation (Japan) Story continues Weakened Demand Across Key End-Use Sectors Affected Market Dynamics The COVID-19 pandemic impacted refractories market growth significantly. Despite refractory production being an essential service, supply chain uncertainty and subsequent lack of raw materials such as binders and non-clay sands dented the growth prospects for this market. Slowdown of automotive, construction, and other key sectors impacted the market trends. However, the recovery of these sectors post-pandemic will strengthen the market outlook over the forthcoming years. Report Scope & Segmentation: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022-2029 Forecast CAGR 4.5% 2029 Value Projection USD 44.82 Billion Base Year 2021 Refractories Market Size in 2022 USD 33.01 Billion Historical Data 2018-2020 No. of Pages 280 Segments Covered By Type, End-user and Regional Insights Refractories Market Growth Drivers Highly Carbon Intensive Manufacturing Process to Attract Environmental Concerns and Regulations Proliferating Trend of Refractory Customization to Transform Market Outlook Segments: According to form, the market is bifurcated into monolithic & unshaped and bricks & shaped. By product, the market share is broken down into clay and non-clay. Based on alkalinity, the market is bifurcated into basic and acidic & neutral. In terms of end-use industry, the market is split into iron & steel, cement, glass, non-ferrous metals, and others. Geographically, the market share is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific. Inquire Before Buying This Research Report: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/refractories-market-103287 Drivers & Restraints : Proliferating Trend of Refractory Customization to Transform Market Outlook Development of refractories from combination of various materials has gained traction. For example, magnesia materials and chromium oxide are combined together to form magnesia-chrome refractory. Customization results in numerous performance benefits such as higher refractoriness and exceptional resistance to chemical corrosion. Additional benefits include resistance to high temperatures and wear & tear. Regional Insights : Asia Pacific Refractories Market Value Stood at USD 20.76 Billion in 2021 Asia Pacific is slated to dominate the global refractories market share during 2022-2029. In 2021, the regional market reached a valuation of USD 20.76 billion. Growth is attributable to increasing steel production in Asia Pacific countries. The World Steel Association reports that the region constitutes more than 70% of the worlds steel production, with China alone accounting for nearly 50%. The market in North America is driven by the expanding iron, steel, and glass sectors. Meanwhile in Europe, growth will be influenced by rising demand across automotive sector. Competitive Landscape: Major Market Players Adopt New Strategies to Accelerate Growth & Expansion With the presence of major international companies as well as local emerging players, the global refractories market share is fairly fragmented. Several players are adopting new strategies such as collaborations, new product launches, acquisitions, mergers, and R&D investments as part of their growth and expansion goals. Many companies are also expanding their production capacities to meet the global market demand. Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/refractories-market-103287 Table of Content Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Refractories Market Size and Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Key Insights Key Emerging Trends For Major Countries Key Developments: Capacity Expansions, Acquisitions, Partnerships, etc. Latest Technological Advancement Insights on Regulatory Scenario Porters Five Forces Analysis Qualitative Insights on Impact of COVID-19 on Global Refractories Industry Supply Chain Analysis & Challenges due to Covid-19 Steps taken by Government / Companies to Overcome this Impact Potential Challenges and Opportunities due to COVID-19 Outbreak Global Refractories Industry Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2018-2029 Key Findings / Summary Market Size Estimates and Forecast - By Form Bricks & Shaped Monolithics & Unshaped Market Size Estimates and Forecast - By Product Clay Non Clay Market Size Estimates and Forecast - By Alkalinity Acidic & Neutral Basic Market Size Estimates and Forecast - By End-Use Industry Iron & Steel Non-Ferrous Metals Glass Cement Others Market Size Estimates and Forecast - By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Latest Industry Development: October 2021 - Intocast acquired Pyrol, a manufacturer and trader of refractory products and casting auxiliaries in Mexico. With this acquisition, Intocast bought the majority stake in Pyrol. This development would help the company to expand the business in South America and North America, which will help to offer better faster service, customer proximity, and shorter delivery routes. Speak to Our Expert: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/refractories-market-103287 Read Related Insights: Ceramics Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 Cement Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029 Graphite Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 9th Floor, Icon Tower, Baner - Mahalunge Road, Baner, Pune-411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US: +1 424 253 0390 UK: +44 2071 939123 APAC: +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com Connect us via Social Media Channels: LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Blogs The FBI has completed its ballistics analysis of evidence in the fatal shooting on the set of Rust last year, moving the investigation one step closer to completion. The Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office has been investigating the Oct. 21 shooting that took the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Detectives have been waiting for the FBI analysis before forwarding the case to prosecutors for consideration of potential charges. More from Variety Alec Baldwin was preparing to film a scene at the Bonanza Creek Ranch, a Western movie set outside Santa Fe, when his gun fired, striking Hutchins with a live round. The director, Joel Souza, was also injured. Much of the investigation has centered on how a live round made it onto the set, with a focus on armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, 24, who was working in that role on a film for just the second time. Investigators are still waiting to receive Baldwins phone records, nearly seven months after the actor turned over his phone to the Suffolk County Police Department, in New York state. The Santa Fe investigators got a warrant to search the phone in December, after Baldwin declined to provide it voluntarily. Under an agreement with Baldwins lawyers, the office agreed to have the Suffolk County authorities search the phone and turn over any evidence relevant to the Rust shooting. According to Juan Rios, spokesman for the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office, the Suffolk County authorities are still actively assisting the New Mexico authorities in obtaining, processing and disclosing Alec Baldwins phone records. He added that the records are forthcoming, and that once they are received, investigators will have to review them thoroughly before forwarding the case to the First Judicial District Attorneys Office. Story continues The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, which performs coroner functions in the state, completed its report after receiving the results of the FBI analysis. The coroners report was submitted to the Sheriffs office on Wednesday. In addition to the live round that killed Hutchins, investigators have said that seven other suspected live rounds were also found on the set. About 500 dummy and blank rounds were also found. The rounds were submitted to the FBI lab in Quantico, Va., to confirm whether they were live or not. RSVP today Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Christine Brown has reportedly taken another step in distancing herself from her husband and former sister wives. The reality star, 50, has made a gift of the land she owned at Coyote Pass, selling the parcel of the family's land to ex Kody Brown for the low price of only ten dollars, according to property deeds obtained by Us Weekly. Christine, who has long made her desire to move back to her home state of Utah clear, finally moved north post-split. Her new Utah home is close to two of her daughters, whom she shares with Kody. The family has been featured on TLC's Sister Wives for 16 seasons. Her Flagstaff, Arizona property will now belong to Kody and his remaining wives, according to the outlet. She chose to classify the transaction as a deed of gift, asking only $10 of her family. The land is valued at $213,420. The document reportedly said the following: "For the consideration of Ten Dollars, and other valuable consideration, I or we, Kody Winn Brown and Robyn Alice Brown, husband and wife and Christine R. Brown, a single woman do/does hereby convey to Kody Winn Brown and Robyn Alice Brown, husband and wife the following real property situated in Coconino County, Arizona." RELATED: Everything 'Sister Wives' Star Christine Brown Has Said About Her Relationship Issues with Ex Kody Christine Brown, Kody Brown Christine Brown/Instagram; Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock Representatives for Christine did not immediately respond to PEOPLE. The sale follows the couple's separation in 2021, which will be a central storyline of the upcoming season of Sister Wives. The trailer for season 17 shows Christine packing boxes and saying her goodbyes. Christine Brown Instagram Christine Brown Instagram The new season starts September 11 on TLC, with a significant change to the title card: The fourth ring on the 'I' in "Wives" falls off, hinting that Christine's split with Kody after 25 years will be addressed in the new episodes. Christine had opened up about their relationship challenges both on and off the show, and posted on her personal social media accounts with the announcement in 2021. Story continues RELATED VIDEO: Janelle Brown Celebrates Christine Brown's 50th Birthday at Murder Mystery Party: 'So Much Fun' "After more than 25 years together, Kody and I have grown apart and I have made the difficult decision to leave," the Sister Wives star, said in a statement on Instagram. "We will continue to be a strong presence in each other's lives as we parent our beautiful children and support our wonderful family. At this time, we ask for your grace and kindness as we navigate through this stage within our family." "Christine's decision to leave comes with a great deal of sadness," Kody, 52, added in his own statement. "We enjoyed many years together and I have a large amount of respect and admiration for her." RELATED: Christine Brown's Aunt Believes 'Sister Wives' Star Wasn't 'Genuinely Happy' in Kody Brown Marriage Christine entered the Brown family's plural marriage in 1994. At the time, Kody was already married to first wife Meri Brown and second wife Janelle Brown. Robyn Brown became Kody's fourth wife in 2010. During February's reunion episode Kody, 53, spoke of his "grieving" process after his ex-wife decided to leave. "My biggest problem for all of this experience is that I'm angry," he said. "Fast forward to this moment and grief has settled in." "Now, I just look forward to [the] healing process, managing it and coming to a place where we're friends again. We had this experience and that's over and [now she can] have a good life and be well, be happy," he added. "But I'm still in a grieving process now." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kody and Christine will remain co-parents to their six children, Mykelti, 25, Paedon, 23, Aspyn, 26, Ysabel, 18, Gwendlyn, 20 and Truely, 11. In her own reunion segment earlier in the month, Christine opened up about her decision to leave the marriage. "It's not fun breaking people's hearts," she said. "I mean, at my core, I just want people to be happy and I just want people to feel loved. But I knew I was making a decision that would break hearts and it tore me apart. And it was super, super sad." Christine will still be connecting with fans in her digital cooking show for TLC, Cooking with Just Christine. Luxembourg 11 August 2022 - Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Brs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) today announced the award of a sizeable1 contract by Aker BP for the Trell & Trine field development, located in the Alvheim area of the North Sea. The project involves a subsea tie-back of approximately 21 kilometers to the Alvheim FPSO, via the existing East Kameleon subsea manifold. The contract scope includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the pipelines, spools, protection covers and tie-ins using key vessels from Subsea 7s fleet. The production pipeline is a pipe-in-pipe design. Project management and engineering will commence immediately at Subsea 7s offices in Stavanger, Norway. Fabrication of the pipelines will take place at Subsea 7s spoolbase at Vigra, Norway and offshore operations are expected to take place in 2023 and 2024. Monica Th. Bjrkmann, Vice President for Subsea 7 Norway said: This award is a continuation of Aker BPs exciting development of the Alvheim area. The Trell & Trine field development is an excellent example of how our collaboration with Aker BP and Aker Solutions, through the Aker BP Subsea Alliance2, builds upon our collective experience from previous and ongoing projects. The partnership enables Subsea 7 to engage early in the field development process, optimising design solutions and contributing to a positive final investment decision. Subsea 7 is looking forward to continuing our collaboration for the Trell & Trine field development, with a focus on safe, efficient and reliable operations. Subsea 7 defines a sizeable contract as being between USD 50 million and USD 150 million. The Aker BP Subsea Alliance is a partnership between Aker BP, Subsea 7 and Aker Solutions. ******************************************************************************* Subsea 7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industrys partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs. Story continues Subsea 7 is listed on the Oslo Brs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62. ******************************************************************************* Contact for investor enquiries: Katherine Tonks Investor Relations Director Tel +44 (0)20 8210 5568 ir@subsea7.com Contact for media enquiries: Jan Roger Moksnes Communications Manager, Norway Tel +47 415 15 777 janroger.moksnes@subsea7.com www.subsea7.com Forward-Looking Statements: This announcement may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to our current expectations, beliefs, intentions, assumptions or strategies regarding the future and are subject to known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, future, goal, intend, likely may, plan, project, seek, should, strategy will, and similar expressions. The principal risks which could affect future operations of the Group are described in the Risk Management section of the Groups Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2021. Factors that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to): (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and within the parameters of our bids, and to avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenue; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditure by oil and gas companies, which is affected by fluctuations in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas; (v) unanticipated delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vi) competition and price fluctuations in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (vii) the loss of, or deterioration in our relationship with, any significant clients; (viii) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (ix) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labour unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (x) the effects of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster; (xi) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfil their obligations; (xii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations (including regulatory measures addressing climate change); (xiii) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xiv) equipment or mechanical failures, which could increase costs, impair revenue and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xv) the timely delivery of vessels on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programmes; (xvi) our ability to keep pace with technological changes and the impact of potential information technology, cyber security or data security breaches; and (xvii) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Attachment Photo credit: SpaceX On August 1, Russia launched a new spy spacecraft, likely to keep tabs on an American spy satellite. The orbits of the two spacecraft remain relatively close and the Russian version can change orbit as needed. Space stalking isnt new, nor is it limited to the Russians. A new Russian satellite, dubbed Kosmos 2558, took a ride on a Russian Soyuz-2.1v rocket on August 1, apparently destined for life as a spy satellite. Russia sent the satellite into the same orbital plane as USA 326, a classified American military satellite that launched into low-Earth orbit earlier this year via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Thats probably not a coincidence, and needless to say, the Pentagon is NOT happy. According to a February 2 press release from the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), USA 326 is a national security payload ... designed, built, and operated by the NRO to support its overhead reconnaissance mission. And it looks like Russia wants a closer look. You love the cosmos. So do we. Lets explore its mysteries togetherjoin Pop Mech Pro. Experts believe the new Russian satellite is meant to figure out a bit more about USA 326, based on the history of this type of Russian satellite, which has stalked American satellites in the past. Of course, the Russians arent advertising their intentions, and the United States hasnt volunteered to share all the ins and outs of its own spacecraft with the public, either. Presumably, it has some kind of sensor system thats optimized to observe other satellites, rather than the sort of usual observing satellite thats optimized to take pictures of the ground, Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, tells Gizmodo. We dont know that for sure, were just inferring that from how its behaving. Marco Langbroek, an astrodynamics lecturer at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands, wrote in a blog post that the launch of the new Russian satellite was timed to match USA 326 passing over the Russian spaceport Plesetsk. Story continues The two orbits are very close, he tells Gizmodo. The main difference being a relatively small difference of a few tens of kilometers in orbital altitude. So that is a very clear indication. Of course, this is nothing new. Back in 2020, a Russian inspector satellite called Kosmos 2542 synchronized its orbit with an NRO satellite called USA 245. China has also sent up its own inspector satellites, which the country says have been used to monitor its own equipment in geostationary orbit. With the American mission spelled out, yet still vague, maybe its not a surprise that this inspector satellite from Russia would want a peek at the activities of USA 326. Thats really irresponsible behavior, Gen. James H. Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command, says in a new NBC News interview. We see that its in a similar orbit to one of our high-value assets for the U.S. government. Could this be a new Cold War taking off in space? Editors Note: This story was originally published on August 4, 2022. Weve updated the piece to include new comments from the Pentagon. You Might Also Like LONDON, Aug. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yocova, the end-to-end platform for innovation in aviation, took a good look at the future aircraft demand forecasts from Airbus and Boeing. These came in the form of Airbus' Global Market Forecast and Boeing's Commercial Market Outlook. Both span the twenty years between 2022 and 2041, and cover both passenger and commercial freight. Yocova This year, after the dust from the A380 has settled, the COVID recovery seems clearer, and the global economic effects are more predictable, both are similar in some ways and different in others. At a relatively quiet Farnborough Airshow, Yocova took the opportunity to talk in depth with key forecasters from Airbus and Boeing. By the numbers: Airbus Airbus is predicting demand for 39,460 global deliveries over the next twenty years. Of those, regionally: 9,160 are for Asia-Pacific (excluding China) 8,420 are for China 8,120 are for Europe and the CIS 6,990 are for North America 3,000 are for the Middle East 2,550 are for Latin America 1,230 are for Africa Of the total deliveries, Airbus predicts that: 31,620 are 'typically narrowbody' 7,870 are 'typically widebody' With this 'typically' categorisation, Airbus takes account of the fact that a high-density narrowbody (think a Wizz Air A321neo at 230 passengers) sometimes carries more passengers than low-density widebody (think United's high-business 767 at 169 passengers). Airbus doesn't forecast for sub-100 seaters, and includes freighters. Airbus didn't issue a Global Services Forecast this year, but its last one pre-pandemic, in 2018 forecast a $4,600 billion dollar market. Airbus tells Yocova that it will be updated in September or October this year. By the numbers: Boeing Boeing is predicting 41,170 global deliveries over the next twenty years. Of those, regionally: 9,310 are for North America 8,550 are for Europe (not including Russia) 8,485 are for China 4,255 are for Southeast Asia 2,980 are for the Middle East 2,345 are for South Asia 2,240 are for Latin America 1,345 are for Northeast Asia (excluding China) 1,010 are for Africa 650 are for Oceania Story continues There are no forecasts this year for the Russia and Central Asia region. Of the total deliveries, Boeing predicts that: 30,880 are single-aisle mainline 7,230 are widebodies 2,120 are regional jets (more than three quarters of which are in North America) 940 are freighters Boeing also predicts a total services market value of $3,615 billion dollars. The differences Overall, Boeing and Airbus are within roughly five percent of each other on most forecasts, taking into account the different categories of aircraft being considered, regional market segmentations decided upon, and the absence of the Russian/CIS/Central Asian market in some forecasts. Boeing is predicting about 1,700 more aircraft than Airbus, roughly 5 percent more global aircraft demand, but Airbus cuts off its numbers at the bottom end as 100 passengers. With Boeing forecasting over 2,100 regional jets, it seems like the numbers are roughly a wash and certainly are very comparable given the amount of assumptions, predictions and calculations involved in a twenty-year forecasting effort. Indeed, the airframers agree on a surprising number of drill-down predictions. The first, with regard to China, is that the country's airlines will need some 8,400 aircraft Airbus and Boeing differ by just 65 aircraft in their predictions here. Non-China Asia-Pacific demand is 9,160 for Airbus, but Boeing splits this out into Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania and Northeast Asia. Together, these add up to 8,615, a difference of 545 aircraft about five percent more demand in the Airbus predictions. European predictions are roughly similar, with Airbus predicting 8,120 and Boeing 8,550 aircraft, a difference of five percent, this time with Boeing's predictions greater. In the Middle East, airlines will need some 3,000 aircraft the difference is just 20 aircraft between the two airframers and that roughly half of the demand here is going to be widebodies, a situation unique to the region. Most other regions are a 20 percent widebody to 80 percent narrowbody split, with the exception of Latin America where widebody demand is in single digit as a percentage. Numbers in this region, too, are roughly similar. Disagreements between the two forecasts come for North America at the higher level. Airbus predicts 6,990 aircraft will be required, while Boeing predicts 9,310, roughly a 25 percent difference or some 2,320 aircraft. However, subtracting the North American regional jet numbers of 1,630 from the Boeing numbers gives a difference of just 690, or 7 percent. Diving into those cargo divergences Headline numbers around production cargo demand were surprising. Airbus sees a strong market for 2,440 aircraft, including conversions, split into: 990 single-aisle freighters 890 mid-sized widebodies 560 large widebodies Boeing, meanwhile, splits its market differently, seeing a total demand of 2,795 aircraft, of which: 1,300 single-aisle freighters, as conversions 425 new medium widebodies 555 widebody conversions, split between medium and large widebodies 515 new large widebodies Boeing is predicting more narrowbody demand around thirty percent more than Airbus but Airbus is predicting about twenty percent more mid-sized widebody demand. Exact numbers are hard to calculate given that Boeing combines widebody conversions between large and medium widebodies. So Yocova jumped at the chance to ask detailed questions of Darren Hulst, Boeing's Vice President for Commercial Marketing, and Airbus' Bob Lange, Senior Vice President in charge of business analysis and market forecast. "The big trend we've seen materialise, although it's happening already during COVID, has been the switch in our behaviours to greater use of e-commerce, and greater use of e-commerce doesn't necessarily mean everything is more time sensitive, it means everything is more predictable, and needs to be more predictable," Lange tells Yocova. "So airfreight for e-commerce is about fulfilment of orders, it's about objects being where they need to be, when they need to be them, with a degree of dependability and regularity. And it also means that the densities of goods being shipped by air are decreasing. That changes the picture for our freight overall, and then equally it's the highest growing segment is close to 5 percent a year. So that's what's changing the demand and the nature of airfreight going forward." Boeing's Hulst, by contrast, is slightly less bullish and in different spaces on cargo demand. "I think the main area where that is manifest is in the short haul, regional logistics type models where you see a lot of the emergence of e-commerce networks or logistics networks through the use of converted single-aisle aircraft," Hulst tells Yocova. "I think that's the biggest place where we're going to see that, where instead of needing a full capability, high density aircraft, you're looking for volume, and I think the 737-800 BCF has really served the market as airlines build out the network that they want to serve with overnight, or next-day-type air." On the widebody side, Hulst says, "going one step further, the 767 conversions become the next option as far as more volume as networks mature, and as airlines sometimes need to go a little bit further. On the longhaul space, as we look at that intersection between general cargo and e-commerce. I think there's no question that big freighters are going to carry a lot of e-commerce. However, the need for that versatility drives airlines still towards, I think, more of a production freighter with that capability of 10 pounds per cubic foot of density. While they may not always use it, the ability to carry it is an important part of longhaul air cargo, because the diversity of goods that's carried kind of demands that you have that capability. However, I think we will see more and more e-commerce go longer and longer. And we'll see how that shifts the demand relative to the products that are in the market today or even potentially in the future." About Yocova Yocova is an end-to-end platform for innovation: digital infrastructure and services to facilitate the exchange of ideas, data, and apps in aviation. The platform is structured around the pillars of Community, Data Rooms and Marketplace: Community: the global aviation community on one open and trusted platform - connect and collaborate with aviation peers in public forums and private working groups Data collaboration: a decentralised, secure, and voluntary data API exchange giving you full control of who accesses your data to support your digital initiatives Marketplace: a trusted 'go to' aviation marketplace for digital transformation find, try, buy, and deploy leading digital aviation apps, data API's solutions and services, or sell and manage your own through a global route-to-market For OEM partners, Yocova provides a single command and control platform through which to securely distribute, authenticate, and update all digital content across the customer community. For OEM customers, a single entry-point for swift, efficient user access to all OEM digital content. Yocova continues to pursue its growth strategy at pace with over 1000+ members extending across the aviation value chain, including but not limited to professionals and enterprises from airlines, business jet operators, digital/data vendors, through to airports, ANSPs and OEMs. Contact details: To find out about Yocova membership, join conversations, groups, collaborate, and access the latest aviation insights and digital solutions, email members@yocova.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1874946/Yocova_Logo.jpg Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yocova-duelling-market-outlook-forecasts-301602557.html SOURCE Yocova The unrecognized Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have imposed severe restrictions on human and civil rights in the year since they took over de facto control of the country and must reverse course to avert a humanitarian disaster, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) monitoring group has asserted. The Afghan people are living a human rights nightmare, victims of both Taliban cruelty and international apathy, said Fereshta Abbasi, an HRW Afghanistan researcher. Afghanistans future will remain bleak unless foreign governments engage more actively with Taliban authorities while pressuring them vigorously on their rights record. The HRW statement cited Taliban restrictions on the rights of women and girls, suppression of the media, arbitrary detentions and torture, and summary executions. The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 after the U.S.-led international coalition withdrew from the country and the previous government quickly collapsed. The international community has not recognized its government and has limited engagement with the group. Since taking over, despite pledges to the contrary, the Taliban has largely blocked girls from attending secondary schools and barred women from traveling without an accompanying male family member. That travel ban has forced many women to give up outside employment. HRW noted that Taliban human rights abuses have brought widespread condemnation and imperiled international efforts to address the countrys dire humanitarian situation. The group cited Afghanistans economic collapse following the cutoff of international aid. After a year in power, Taliban leaders should recognize the catastrophe they have created and reverse course on rights before more Afghans suffer and more lives are lost, Abbasi said. A report issued on August 10 by the NGO Save the Children said that one-quarter of Afghan girls show signs of depression and 97 percent of families are struggling to provide food for their children. In May, the UN Security Council issued a statement expressing deep concern about the erosion of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. The statement called on the Taliban to swiftly reverse its policies and to adhere to their commitments to reopen schools for all female students without further delay. Four new laws that seek to help prevent and respond to wildfires went into effect on Wednesday after being passed by the Legislature earlier this year. One of the laws, House Bill 1111, increases the amount of property lost to wildfires that insurance providers have to cover upfront from 30% of the value to 65%. The law also extends the time frame wildfire victims have to rebuild their homes from 12 months to 36 months. Senate Bill 114 allows county commissioners to designate ponds as fire suppression ponds, protecting them from being drained if needed for firefighting resources. House Bill 1132 requires all controlled burns on private property to be reported to local fire departments. Finally, HB 1012 invests more than $7 million on forest health and restoration efforts. These days in Colorado, wildfire season lasts year round, Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, who sponsored SB 114, said. We have to be prepared to respond at any moment and give our brave first responders every possible tool they need to do their job. These new laws come as record-breaking wildfires have become more and more common in Colorado. At the end of December, Colorado suffered its most destructive wildfire in state history, when the Marshall fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Boulder County. Shortly before, the three largest wildfires in Colorado history occurred in 2020. The four laws taking effect Wednesday are among 11 wildfire-related measures that lawmakers passed this year, totaling tens of millions of dollars. The rest of the measures have already gone into effect, including legislation to increase firefighting resources, foster recovery efforts, conserve watersheds and fund wildfire mitigation incentives and outreach. The threat of wildfires continues to grow, said Sen. Tammy Story, D-Conifer, who sponsored four of the wildfire-related bills. Its important that were as prepared as possible to handle them. 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. A Monument police officer was released from the hospital after coming in contact with suspected narcotics. On Thursday, officers from the Monument Police Department were sent to a parking lot in the 15000 block of Jackson Creek Parkway. They were dispatched for a call of a "suspicious vehicle," according to police. After arrival, police found a woman, identified as Kaitlyn Lynch, 27, of Fulton, Mississippi. It is unclear what the outstanding warrant was for and police could not respond immediately for clarification. Officers found drug paraphernalia and suspected narcotics while in contact with the suspect. During the search and recovery of the vehicle, one police officer began to feel unwell and was transported to the hospital. He was released a few hours later, according to police. Lynch was arrested on suspicion of narcotics possession. The type of narcotic that affected the officer is unclear. The toxicology report has been sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and could take weeks to complete. Prosecutors on Wednesday called seven witnesses on the first day of preliminary hearings for a couple accused of allowing their 15-month-old child to die from ingesting fentanyl. Joenny Manuel Astacio Ottenwalder, 36, and Kira Lee Villalba, 29, were charged in June with one count of reckless child abuse causing death and three counts of controlled substance possession. The couple also faces six allegations in a new case filed against them in July, including reckless child abuse causing serious bodily injury, contributing to delinquency, and controlled substance distribution to a minor after they allegedly sold drugs on multiple occasions to a 13-year-old girl. She overdosed twice and survived. Ottenwalder's and Villalba's preliminary hearings regarding the death of their child and their alleged involvement in the 13-year-old's overdoses were held together. On Nov. 12, Ottenwalder and Villalba found their infant son Cairo Astacio dead, according to arrest records. Detectives received a search warrant for the couples home that same day and found significant amounts of drug paraphernalia there, which they later determined was heroin, cocaine, marijuana and a fourth substance, fentanyl, that had been redacted from the affidavit but was revealed in court Wednesday. Police said both Ottenwalder and Villalba were under the influence of fentanyl when Cairo Astacio died, and that there was such a high volume of items received that detectives were unable to test everything, records show. El Paso County Coroner Dr. Leon Kelly, a witness for the prosecution, said Cairo Astacio's death was an "accident" caused by "fentanyl intoxication." Kelly said Cairo Astacio's autopsy and toxicology screening revealed he had nearly 25 nanograms per milliliter of fentanyl more than "eight times" the lowest lethal amount for an adult in his body. The coroner said there was "little to zero chance" that the child could have overdosed via a "secondhand" kind of exposure, as defense attorneys suggested, and that the infant had almost certainly ingested a fentanyl pill, causing his death. The couple's substance-abuse issues were not new or unknown to authorities at the time of the incident. The affidavit states that the local Department of Human Services had been notified about the couple on three separate instances before their son's death. The first referral came two days after Cairo Astacio was born in September 2020, alleging Villalba used both heroin and methamphetamines during her pregnancy, as late as her second trimester. The second referrals arrived the next month and again alleged substance and emotional abuse by Villalba and Ottenwalder, who was claimed to be a drug dealer, and that the couple was not consistently bringing Cairo Astacio in for physician visits, and when they did, they arrived over an hour late for appointments. Because Cairo Astacio's death is an open case, El Paso County Department of Human Services spokeswoman Kristina Iodice said last month she could not provide information about whether the department had assigned Ottenwalder and Villalba a case manager to provide a safer living environment for the child. The couple also faces separate child abuse and controlled substance charges after a 13-year-old girl overdosed twice, according to an affidavit. The record said Ottenwalder began selling drugs since identified in court as fentanyl to the victim in late 2021. Records show the couple was with the victim during her first overdose on Dec. 19 and told police they had found her on the side of the road before calling 911. The victim later told detectives she had been smoking fentanyl in the car with the couple when she overdosed. Michael Ilizaliturri, an officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department, said he responded to the call on Dec. 19 to find the victim lying on the ground outside of the car, and that he believed the victim had been inside the car at one point because of the open door above her. Ilizaliturri said Villalba, who called 911 anonymously, refused to identify herself and the victim to police because of CSPD's involvement in the investigation of her child's death two months earlier. The affidavit states that the victim was "brought back to life from the brink of death." Court records show the victim contacted Ottenwalder to request drugs the day after her overdose, Dec. 20, and that despite warning her of the drugs danger, Ottenwalder sold her five pills for $50. During the hearing, a detective said the victim expressed no doubt that Ottenwalder and Villalba were the ones to provide her with the drug. The detective said one example of evidence was a series of texts between the parties that included "blue circle emojis" representing blue fentanyl pills. The same girl overdosed again on Feb. 11 and was revived at the Children's Hospital Colorado in Colorado Springs. Other witnesses included patrol officers tasked with collecting drug paraphernalia from the house in which Cairo Astacio died, detectives with the CSPD Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division, a chemist with the CSPD, and an expert with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Because a final witness was not able to testify Wednesday due to time constraints, the hearings have been set to continue Aug. 26, when Judge Laura Findorff is expected to rule whether the prosecution has established probable cause to keep the case moving in court. Ottenwalder and Villalba are being held in El Paso County jail on bond Ottenwalder on a $200,000 bond and Villalba on a $100,000 bond. Court records show that an additional bond of $250,000 has been set for them in the new case regarding the 13-year-old girl. This story has been updated to correct the vote count. The Colorado Springs City Council put the final administrative stamp of approval Wednesday on recreational marijuana questions that will head to the voters in November amid a downturn in the cannabis market statewide and locally. The board voted 6 to 2 to forward a citizen-backed question to voters that, if approved, would allow the existing 115 medical marijuana shops to transition to selling recreational marijuana next year. The council also forwarded a question that would add a 5% local tax to recreational marijuana sales. The tax could provide $5.6 million in 2023 for post-traumatic stress disorder services for veterans, mental health services for the whole community and public safety services. The council is required by law to either adopt ballot measures that have gathered sufficient petitions or to refer them to the voters. If the measure includes a tax increase, it must be referred to the voters, City Attorney Wynetta Massey said. Councilmen Randy Helms and Mike O'Malley voted against forwarding the question to the voters and Councilwoman Yolanda Avila was absent. Helms said he ran on a platform of not supporting recreational marijuana sales in part because marijuana is not federally legal and airmen and soldiers in the community could be kicked out of the military for partaking. Opposing recreational marijuana is part of setting a good example for them in our community, he said, adding that he did not believe the sales tax revenue would cover the cost of enforcement if the sales were allowed. However, he said he would support the voters' decision. "The people will get to speak," he said. Other councilmembers also seemed interested in their options to oppose the measure, asking Massey whether opposition was possible. "There is basically no choice under the statute. ... I dont even want to speculate about what could happen," Massey said. Proponents of the measure have seemed confident that voters will support the question and funded the collection of tens of thousands of signatures needed to place questions on the ballot. Democrats, Republicans and independents in Colorado have had an opportunity to see legalization play out and that will be positive for the campaign, said Truman Bradley, executive director of the Marijuana Industry Group. "I am confident that this measure will pass," he said. He said the 5% special local tax is a good compromise and won't hurt the heavily taxed industry. Recreational marijuana also would be subject to a 15% special state sales tax and 8.2% in existing sales taxes. The highly successful Manitou Springs recreational marijuana stores also demonstrate the local demand, he said. Alan Delwiche promoted recreational marijuana sales in Manitou Springs in 2014 and said since legalization there, life in town has remained largely the same. "There was a lot of fear and nervousness about it. ... All of those fears have proven to be just fears," he said. The failure of the ballot question in January to add a store in Manitou could have been related to the specifics of the question that would have allowed one property owner to open a store rather than opening it up more competitively, he said. He expects marijuana will be legalized nationally in the coming years, and some serious legislation has already been introduced. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would allow states to decide how to regulate marijuana, a movement that is well underway. Nineteen states have legalized recreational marijuana sales. At least six more are asking voters to legalize in November, according to Politico. As interest is rising nationally, in Colorado sales are going through a post-pandemic slump. State data showed showed medical marijuana sales in June dropped 44% compared to the same month last year from $19.2 million in sales to $34.5 million in 2021. Recreational sales dropped 17% from $152.7 million last June to $127.2 million to June 2022, according to a Marijuana Industry Group press release. Colorado Springs medical marijuana sales have also dropped from $136 million in 2020 to $117 million in 2021. However, medical marijuana sales spiked during the pandemic up from $96 million in 2019. The stores in town serve 23,912 registered medical marijuana card holders, city data shows. This year, four medical marijuana licenses have been surrendered to the city for various reasons and cannot be reactivated, City Clerk Sarah Johnson said. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. FILE PHOTO: Cars are parked in the employee parking lot at Tesla Inc's U.S. vehicle factory in Fremont, California, U.S., March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo Dr. Brian Erling is no longer CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services, the hospital system confirmed Tuesday. "We wish him well," said Lindsay Radford, director of communications for Centura Health. Centura Health, parent company of Penrose-St. Francis, declined to provide information about the circumstances of Erling's departure. "Per our policy, we do not comment on personnel matters," Radford said, adding, "Centura Health senior leaders and the Board of Trustees for Penrose-St. Francis have begun the process of identifying candidates for our next CEO." Glenn Strebe, chair of the Penrose-St. Francis Health Services Board of Trustees, declined to comment. The Gazette tried to contact other board members, including Martha Marzolf and David Lord, who did not respond to The Gazette's attempt to reach them. Board member Darryl Glenn, a former city councilman and El Paso County commissioner, did not provide any information and directed the request for comment to Strebe. Erling was named CEO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in 2018 after several months as interim CEO, taking over from Margaret Sabin, who resigned. He joined Centura in 2016, first as group chief medical officer. Before joining Centura, Erling spent three years at EmCare Alliance Group, which manages more than 6,000 providers in hospital-based medical specialties, in Denver as executive vice president and president. He also spent six years as director of Denver-based ambulance operator American Medical Response and was president of Apex Emergency Group in Denver for nearly 11 years. Penrose-St. Francis Health Services includes Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, and Centura Health is building St. Francis Hospital-Interquest, a 72-bed, $170 million hospital on Colorado Springs' north side, to join the system, with a planned opening in July 2023. St. Francis Hospital-Interquest will specialize in orthopedic and spine care and employ about 400 people. China launches 16 new satellites Xinhua) 08:10, August 11, 2022 A Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying 16 new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Aug. 10, 2022. The satellites, including a Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D09 satellite and Yunyao-1 04-08 satellites, were launched at 12:50 p.m. Beijing Time (0450 GMT) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua) TAIYUAN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday sent 16 new satellites into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern province of Shanxi. The satellites, including a Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D09 satellite and Yunyao-1 04-08 satellites, were launched by a Long March-6 carrier rocket at 12:50 p.m. Beijing Time and entered the planned orbit successfully. The new batch of satellites is mainly used in the fields such as commercial remote sensing and atmospheric imaging. This launch marked the 432nd mission for the Long March series carrier rockets. A Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying 16 new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Aug. 10, 2022. The satellites, including a Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D09 satellite and Yunyao-1 04-08 satellites, were launched at 12:50 p.m. Beijing Time (0450 GMT) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua) A Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying 16 new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Aug. 10, 2022. The satellites, including a Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D09 satellite and Yunyao-1 04-08 satellites, were launched at 12:50 p.m. Beijing Time (0450 GMT) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua) A Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying 16 new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Aug. 10, 2022. The satellites, including a Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D09 satellite and Yunyao-1 04-08 satellites, were launched at 12:50 p.m. Beijing Time (0450 GMT) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua) A Long March-6 carrier rocket carrying 16 new satellites blasts off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province on Aug. 10, 2022. The satellites, including a Jilin-1 Gaofen 03D09 satellite and Yunyao-1 04-08 satellites, were launched at 12:50 p.m. Beijing Time (0450 GMT) and entered the planned orbit successfully. (Photo by Zheng Bin/Xinhua) (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) DES MOINES Abortion would be illegal in Iowa after six weeks of pregnancy often before the woman knows she is pregnant if Gov. Kim Reynolds request to the Iowa courts is granted. Reynolds filed a motion Thursday asking a state court to lift an injunction on legislation passed in 2018 that would have banned abortions in Iowa at six weeks. That bill, passed by the Republican-led Iowa Legislature and signed into law by Reynolds, was halted at the time by a district judge who cited a previous Iowa Supreme Court ruling that negated a 24-hour waiting period for an abortion. But since the U.S. Supreme Court and Iowa Supreme Court earlier this year issued rulings that effectively repealed a pregnant persons right to abortion access, Reynolds is asking the state courts to now lift the injunction on the six-week ban. The historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe has given us a new hope and pathway forward to challenge the Iowa courts previous decision, Reynolds said in a statement. Life and death are determined by a persons heartbeat, and I believe that includes our unborn children. As long as Im governor, I will stand up for the sanctity of life and fight to protect the precious and innocent unborn lives. Currently, abortion is legal in Iowa through 20 weeks of pregnancy. The 2018 legislation is known as the fetal heartbeat bill, so named by its supporters because they say it bans abortions after a fetus heartbeat can be detected. However, medical experts say the heart is not developed at six weeks, and ultrasound machines at that point in a pregnancy are not actually detecting a heartbeat. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, what is actually heard at six weeks is the ultrasound machine translating electronic impulses that signify cardiac activity. It is clinically inaccurate to use the word heartbeat to describe the sound that can be heard on ultrasound in very early pregnancy. In fact, there are no chambers of the heart developed at the early stage in pregnancy that this word is used to describe, so there is no recognizable heartbeat, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says. If the court grants Reynolds request and the 2018 law is enacted, Iowa would join 13 other states that ban abortion at zero or six weeks of pregnancy, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a national nonprofit organization that monitors states abortion laws and advocates for access to reproductive health care. The Iowa law at issue includes an exemption for medical emergencies, and the ban would not apply to pregnancies that are the result of rape or incest, provided those are reported to law enforcement or a health care agency within specified time frames. The law states that a woman should not be criminally charged for having an abortion. But it does not grant the same protection for a physician who performs an abortion, nor any individual who assists the pregnant person who has an abortion. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, has declined to represent the state in the case, citing his opposition to the legislation. Reynolds, a Republican, and the state are being represented instead by Iowa conservative attorney Alan Ostergren and Alliance Defending Freedom, a national conservative legal organization that, according to its website, works to protect religious freedom, free speech, the sanctity of life, parental rights, and Gods design for marriage and family. Neither Ostergren nor the Alliance Defending Freedom are being paid by the state for their work on the case. Iowa Democrats criticized Reynolds approach. Our main differences on reproductive health are that I will be a governor who supports the will of the people. A majority of Iowans are pro-choice and I stand with them, Deidre DeJear, the Democratic candidate running against Reynolds in this falls election, said in a statement to The Gazette. When asked to what extent abortion should be legal in Iowa, DeJear said Republicans are focused on a numbers game. Im not willing to engage in that, she said. Its simple: laws should protect, not regulate, womens rights. During a virtual news conference Thursday, state lawmaker Jennifer Konfrst, the leader of the minority party Democrats in the Iowa House, noted public polling consistently shows a majority of Iowans and Americans believe abortion should be legal in some or most cases, and that Kansas voters recently voted down a proposed amendment that would have said their states constitution does not protect an individuals right to abortions. Iowa Republican state lawmakers have started the process of proposing a state constitutional amendment similar to the one that was voted down in Kansas. If approved by lawmakers again in 2023 or 2024, that proposal would be decided by Iowa voters as early as the 2024 elections. We know that Iowa Republicans want the most extreme abortion legislation they can get in the state. So rather than waiting until the Legislature comes back in January and having an honest conversation about what abortion law looks like in Iowa and what reproductive freedom looks like in this state, Republicans are running to the courts and trying to have them circumvent the will of the people and address it that way. Its another example of politics over people, Konfrst said. This is way extreme. Weve seen voters across the country reject this, and because the governor knows voters would reject this here in Iowa, shes playing politics. DES MOINES David May, a state appeals court judge from Polk City, is the newest Iowa Supreme Court justice, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Wednesday as she announced her fifth appointment to the seven-member court. May replaces former Justice Brent Appel, who retired this year upon reaching the state-mandated state Supreme Court retirement age of 72. Appel was the courts last remaining member appointed by a Democratic governor: Tom Vilsack in 2006. The other two members were appointed by then-Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican. May, 51, was a finalist for an Iowa Supreme Court vacancy in 2020. For the current vacancy, he was chosen from among three finalists. At every point in this decision, Judge May at the Iowa Court of Appeals stood out for his experience, his approach to interpretation, and his commitment to judicial restraint, Reynolds said during a news conference. A graduate of Drake University Law School, May has been serving on the Iowa Court of Appeals since 2019. Previously, he was a district judge in Central Iowas 5th Judicial District. May said he is excited to begin his work on the Supreme Court. I know the work will involve new challenges, certainly a different kind of case mix, he said. But whether youre at the district court or the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court, the basic principles of judging remain the same: judges dont exercise the powers of the executive and the legislature. We have a different job. Our job is to decide legal disputes. We call them cases. And we decide those cases based on the law as it is written and consistent with our oath to support the Constitution of the United States (and) support the constitution of the State of Iowa. Five judges applied for the most recent Supreme Court vacancy. The states judicial nominating commission whittled that field down to three finalists, from which Reynolds made her appointment. Justices are paid over $180,00 a year. The other finalists were Alan Heavens, a Northeast Iowa district court judge from Garnavillo; and William Miller, a lawyer with Dorsey & Whitney in Des Moines. While introducing her latest Supreme Court appointment, Reynolds on multiple occasions praised May's judicial philosophy. He understands that in our system of government laws are made only by those who are directly accountable to the people, and that as a result judges should respect the democratic process whenever possible, Reynolds said. Reynolds recently asked the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn a 2018 ruling that created a state right for women to have access to abortion services. With a different makeup than the one that made that 2018 ruling, the state Supreme Court overturned the 2018 ruling, which put into effect a 24-hour waiting period before a pregnant woman can have an abortion. Combined with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling a week later that eliminated the federal right to an abortion, the rulings cleared the way for more strict abortion restrictions in Iowa. Currently, abortion is legal in Iowa until 20 weeks of pregnancy. Reynolds also asked the Iowa Supreme Court to rehear the case in order to determine what kind of legal scrutiny the court will apply to future abortion restrictions. The court declined that request, sending the question first to a district court judge but one that likely is to return eventually to the Supreme Court. Reynolds is running for re-election to another four-year term. The Democratic challenger in this falls election, Deidre DeJear, issued a statement Wednesday asserting that Reynolds appointment of May was politically motivated. Iowans deserve leadership that puts them first. This appointment to the Iowa Supreme Court is another effort of Kim Reynolds, in line with the (Republican Party) agenda, to pack the courts with justices who do not represent the whole of our great state, DeJear said in the statement. This trajectory is a great danger to our everyday freedoms. The rule of law should be considered with impartiality, not twisted for political gain. Mays appointment to the Supreme Court creates a vacancy on the Court of Appeals that Reynolds will now move to fill. The Supreme Courts next oral arguments are scheduled for mid-September, according to the courts calendar. Quote: Whenever a major political scandal erupts before an election and voters blame the scandal on all parties about equally, virtually all incumbents, from whatever party, seeking reelection are returned to office. Quote: However, when voters blame such a scandal on only one party, incumbents from that party are likely to be defeated by challengers from other parties. Quote: If the voters reactions are guided by a principle, which one of the following principles would best account for the contrast in reactions described above? Quote: (A) Whenever one incumbent is responsible for one major political scandal and another incumbent is responsible for another, the consequences for the two incumbents should be the same. Quote: (B) When a major political scandal is blamed on incumbents from all parties, that judgment is more accurate than any judgment that incumbents from only on party are to blame. Quote: (C) Incumbents who are rightly blamed for a major political scandal should not seek reelection, but if they do, they should not be returned to office. contrast Quote: (D) Major political scandals can practically always be blamed on incumbents, but whether those incumbents should be voted out of office depends on who their challengers are. Quote: (E) When major political scandals are less the responsibility of individual incumbents than of the parties to which they belong, whatever party was responsible must be penalized when possible. Let's say that the mayor of a town always belongs to one of three political parties: X, Y, or Z. The town holds an election every year, voting either to keep the incumbent mayor (if that mayor runs for reelection) or to elect a new mayor.(Scenario 1): According to this statement, if a major political scandal erupts before one of the annual elections and voters blame the scandal on all three parties about equally, then the incumbent mayor, if seeking reelection, will almost certainly win the election, regardless of the mayor's political party affiliation. In other words, even though the incumbent belongs to a party that is equally blamed for the scandal, the incumbent and his/her party do not suffer negative political consequences.(Scenario 2): If the current mayor belongs to Party X, and voters blame the scandal on Party X, the current mayor, if seeking reelection, is likely to be defeated by a challenger from Party Y or Party Z. In other words, when the incumbent's party is the ONLY party blamed, the incumbent and his/her party DO suffer negative political consequences.Now on to the question stem:The "voters' reactions" are described in the first two sentences: scenario 1) when voters blame a pre-election scandal on all parties equally, the incumbent usually wins, and scenario 2) when voters blame a pre-election scandal on the party of the incumbent, the incumbent usually loses. If we are told that those reactions are guided by a principle, which principle would best account for the contrast in those reactions?The argument in the passage does not discuss how the voters would react if one incumbent were responsible for one major scandal and another incumbent were responsible for another. Choice (A) can be eliminated.We are looking for a principle that accounts for the contrast in the voters' reactions (scenario 1 vs scenario 2), and we don't care whether the judgment on which one reaction is based is more accurate than the judgment on which the other is based. Choice (B) can be eliminated.First, the passage does not consider whether incumbents blamed for a major political scandal should or should not seek reelection. Second, choice (C) only explains the voters' reaction in scenario 2 and does NOT explain thein those reactions. Choice (C) can be eliminated.This statement does not align with the information in the passage. According to the passage, if incumbents (and hence their parties) are blamed for a pre-election scandal, those incumbents will most likely lose the election, regardless of "who their challengers are." Choice (D) can be eliminated.First, apply this principle to scenario 2 (the incumbent's party--Party X, for example--receives all of the blame): in that case, Party X can easily be penalized by voting for someone in Party Y or Party Z. Now, consider scenario 1 (for example, the incumbent belongs to Party X but Parties X, Y, and Z all receive equal blame): if we follow the principle in statement (E), we should penalize ALL parties. If we vote for someone in Party Y or Z, one of those parties is rewarded while party X is penalized. There is no way to penalize all parties equally since a member of one of the parties has to win. In that case, the voters might just stick with the default option (the incumbent). Thus, choice (E) is the best choice._________________ Anthony Gill, who plays for the Washington Wizards of the NBA, returned to his former elementary school in High Point to give back to students on Thursday. The power forward was on hand to help World Vision give out food and backpacks to every Parkview Village Elementary student for the upcoming school year. Students were invited to come out to get the bookbags, food, play a few games, and meet Gill, who visited the school with his family. GREENSBORO U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is taking some steps she expects will provide more transparency about a planned facility for unaccompanied migrant children in the city. Congressional members of both political parties, as well as local leaders, news media and community members have been trying to gain more information from the federal agency about its plans for the site. DHHS has said it wants to use the campus of what was once the American Hebrew Academy boarding school to temporarily house immigrant children while they await reunification with family members or sponsors in the United States. SOUND OFF Have a question or concern about the federal government's planned facility for unaccompanied migrant children in Greensboro? You can email GreensboroPiedmontAcademy@acf.hhs.gov. The department's Office of Refugee Resettlement said in June that to meet its legal responsibility, the agency continuously explores potential facility options for future needs to ensure that children do not have to remain in border patrol facilities, which are not appropriate locations for children. By law, DHHS must provide care for children who have no lawful U.S. immigration status; are younger than 18; and who have no parent or legal guardian available to provide care and physical custody here. In a news release, Manning said that after she met with DHHS officials last week, the agency set up an email address for questions and concerns. The Greensboro Democrat also said that DHHS will "have a fact sheet available with information about the facility" and "will provide regular updates through an onsite public information officer once the facility is operational." Manning was unavailable to speak with the News & Record due to being booked with meetings in her district, according to her scheduler. I am pleased HHS has agreed to my request to better engage with the local community regarding the Influx Care Facility and to provide detailed information to local officials, who have expressed concerns over the lack of information-sharing and transparency, Manning said in the release. Mark Hobson, a Westridge Forest resident who has previously voiced concerns about the planned facility, said he was "skeptical" that DHHS is actually taking steps to be more open. "It sounds like motherhood and apple pie," he said. "Check the box ... not really saying anything." Hobson doesn't think that it makes sense to spend the money to house migrant children on what he termed a "five-star" campus. He added that his skepticism is bolstered by past experience information-sharing meetings DHHS held last month were by invitation only and largely for city and county officials. "Until such a time that there is a real track record, that any and all questions are answered quickly, honestly and without spin or bias, I will remain skeptical," he wrote in an email. According to local officials who attended that July meeting, DHHS said that the facility wouldn't open until Jan. 1 at the earliest. When first announced in June, DHHS anticipated opening this summer. Also, DHHS officials said that up to 800 teenagers could be housed and educated at the facility, and that the average stay would likely be between 15 and 40 days. Terry Billings, president of the Westridge Forest Homeowners Association, said he thought having a public information officer onsite "absolutely would be helpful." Still, Billings said he would like to see community meetings for local residents to share their concerns on topics such as traffic, security and the timing of the children's arrival. Billings said he hasn't really gotten any more information since reading the news reports of the July meetings with local officials. "If Kathy Manning has got a pipeline of information, I would love to share that with the association members," he said. RALEIGH The campaign committee for Attorney General Josh Stein, facing trouble for a TV ad aired against a rival in 2020, plans to ask a federal court to block enforcement of a state law making it illegal to knowingly circulate false reports to damage a candidates election chances. The notice of appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was filed Wednesday by the campaigns attorney. It comes a day after a trial judge refused to bar Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman from potentially using the law to prosecute anyone over the disputed commercial. Lawyers for Stein have argued the law is overly broad and chills political speech. By challenging the state law, Stein, a Democrat, may put himself in a bind between his public duties and his political future. Steins campaign committee argues that the statute is unconstitutional, noting one of the attorney generals chief jobs is to defend North Carolina laws in court. The law, which dates to at least 1931, makes it illegal to knowingly circulate false derogatory reports about candidates to harm them at the ballot box. Freemans investigation stems from a September 2020 State Board of Elections complaint about the ad, which was filed against Steins committee by his then-challenger, Republican Jim ONeill. U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles, in canceling her July 25 emergency order that had stopped the laws enforcement, wrote Tuesday that the statute was permissible under the Constitution. The ad talks about untested rape kits held by local law enforcement agencies, and a woman appearing in the commercial asserts that ONeill left 1,500 rape kits sitting on a shelf in Forsyth County, where hes been district attorney since 2009. Steins committee and two other plaintiffs sued last month to attempt to the have the law struck down as Freemans office prepared to take its investigation of the commercial to a state grand jury, according to legal briefs. No one has been charged in the case, and its unclear who specifically would have been a possible target. ONeill has said the 2020 ad was false because police agencies, not prosecutors, are responsible for testing rape kits. Stein, who defeated ONeill by fewer than 14,000 votes in November 2020, has defended the ads accuracy. He said it countered false accusations by ONeill that he had failed to act on over 15,000 untested rape kits since becoming attorney general in 2017. The voters deserved to be informed about the differences between how my opponent and I handled this critical public safety issue, Stein said in a statement Wednesday. I am confident that this statute will ultimately be struck down and we will move forward. After a state election board investigation, the matter was forwarded to Freemans office, after which the State Bureau of Investigation interviewed Stein, members of his campaign staff and the woman in the ad, who also worked in the attorney generals office, according to briefs. Separately on Wednesday, the state Democratic Party wrote Freeman demanding that she investigate comments ONeill made in the 2020 campaigns final months that the organization alleges were also false and derogatory. Party attorney John Wallace pointed to statements ONeill made to the media, one that he said alleged Stein had done nothing about the rape kits and another that alleged Stein had sued then-President Donald Trump over funding for a border wall with Mexico. Freeman, herself a Democrat, should apply equal protection under the law and open an investigation, party spokesperson Kate Frauenfelder said. In an emailed statement Wednesday evening, Freeman said the Democratic Party was requesting unique treatment but instead needed to follow the normal procedure in a campaign case by filing a complaint with the State Board of Elections. Freeman recused herself from investigating Steins ad, leaving it with a senior assistant district attorney in her office. The law at issue is a misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 60 days in jail with fines. Someone with an otherwise clean record would avoid active time if convicted. Time may be running out on any prosecution, as the statute of limitations on the count is two years. Urban legend has it that two lovers of Public Radio hiked a portable transmitter to the top of Mount Helena in 1984 and began beaming rebroadcasts of Montana Public Radio into Helena for the very first time. Since that auspicious day, more transmitters were added so that Helena is one of the rare communities in the country that gets broadcasts from three different public radio stations Montana Public Radios KUFM in Missoula, Yellowstone Public Radio KEMC in Billings and Bozemans alternative public radio station KGLT. The result is a whole lot of listening choices for all sorts of tastes in music, news, public affairs, plus an array of shows on arts, culture, food, science, technology, business, literature, media, storytelling and kids programming. Another LCPR milestone is on the horizon a community recording and podcast studio and Helena folks can help make it happen. Coming up 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, is the Last Chance Public Radio Block Party at Blackfoot River Brewing, 66 S. Park Ave. Hosted by Friends of KGLT and Blackfoot River Brewing Company, the block party will be LCPRs first live fundraiser since COVID-19 hit. It will help LCPR and the Holter Museum of Art launch their very own fully equipped recording studio, which they plan to house at the Holter, pending final board approval. Coming over for the block party are several carloads of DJs from KGLT to help celebrate. Ellen King-Rodgers, president of Friends of KGLT and the former station manager, cooked up the block party with some DJs and the help of Bethany Flint, Blackfoot co-managing partner. Flint and King-Rodgers are envisioning a street party with music by classic rock band, The Stand-Ins, food by SouthPaw Street, Taste Food Truck and Brooklyn Pizza plus plenty of Blackfoot craft beer on tap. The DJs prior to COVID, would all hop in cars and barrel on down there and see everybody, and the DJs would meet the listeners, King-Rodgers said. Everybody would have such a good time together that nobody wanted to go home. This year we talked about doing something it would be fun to have a celebration because we all havent been celebrating for a long time. All the money raised at the benefit will go to the broadcast studio and LCPR, she said. Since KGLT and the other stations do noncommercial educational radio, they rely on supporters like LCPR, listeners and underwriters for financial support as well as grants. Coming to Helena has always been a warm, and receptive and happy experience for all of us, King-Rodgers said. Last Chance Public Radio is a good bunch of people. Helena is super-duper fortunate to have broadcasts from three different stations. The new recording studio could be up and running by sometime this fall, said Jules Schoebel, LCPR vice-president and the Holter Museums events/volunteer coordinator and store manager. She and others on the LCPR board began researching the equipment theyd need about five years ago, but COVID derailed their plans. We reached out to all three public radio stations, said LCPR president Paul Driscoll, and we have really good buy-in. Now their plans are back on track. Schoebel and Driscoll would like to order the equipment this month and estimate the cost at about $23,000. They envision creating a fully equipped and functional recording studio that will be ideal for recording musicians, podcasts, interviews and Live from the Holter events, including artist talks and performances, she said. Plus, the equipment will be portable, so it can be rented out to local nonprofits, which opens up a lot more creative options for podcasts and live recordings. Were getting a lot of excitement about this, Schoebel said. They will be able to share podcast and program recordings with public radio stations, but also air them online. I would love to be doing live streaming sometime in the future. Its a perfect little marriage, she added, between LCPR and the Holter. I think its a great deal. I think were going to do it, said Holter executive director Chris Riccardo, although he cautioned it still needs official approval from the Holter board. I think its going to be a great addition. I think its a real working partnership. I believe strongly in it. Its a win-win for all of us. For more information on the block party, visit Facebook@KGLTBozeman and to help with the studio, contact admin@lastchanceradio.org. For more information about the Holter Museum of Art, visit https://holtermuseum.org/. A project in the country's top coal-producing area seeks to pump the carbon dioxide produced by burning that coal back underground. The project is one of dozens nationwide that stand to get a big boost from tax credits in the new climate bill plus a share of $2.5 billion in funding for carbon capture and storage in last year's infrastructure bill. It's also part of Wyoming's vision of becoming a center for carbon capture and storage. The work near the Dry Fork Station power plant outside Gillette so far involves drilling two injection wells nearly two miles underground. Proponents of carbon storage say the technology is straightforward but others are skeptical it can ever be done economically. Montana remains on track to switch over to a new statewide voter management system in January 2023, the state elections manager said Thursday, after an encouraging test of the system in the state's June primary election. Stuart Fuller, the elections manager in the Secretary of States office, told the State Administration and Veterans Affairs Interim Committee that a couple bugs in the system still need to be worked out, but otherwise the test run went smoothly. Twelve counties took part in what election officials refer to as a parallel test of the new system, in which the current system is used to conduct the election, while duplicating functions such as printing ballots on the new system. They ranged from rural, sparsely populated Fergus and Toole counties to the comparatively urban Flathead and Silver Bow counties. Silver Bow County Election Administrator Linda Sajor told the committee she also felt confident after the test. I think we are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were last year, and I am confident that we will be ready to go live in January, Sajor said. The top elections officials in several counties began growing concerned last year after initial testing of the system revealed what they said were substantial, unresolved problems within the new system, called ElectMT. In public comments offered to the same committee last November, they expressed alarm at the Secretary of States offices plans at the time, to move forward with the switchover to the new system at the beginning of 2022. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen ultimately decided to push the launch date back to 2023. The current system, MontanaVotes, is now more than 15 years old. Past Secretary of State Corey Stapleton initiated the effort to develop a successor to that system in 2019. Even those officials who raised the alarm about launching the new system too soon, however, have consistently praised the capabilities of the ElectMT system. On Thursday, Fuller said that one feature pegs each voters address to points in space in its geographic information system. With new congressional district maps in effect this year, and ongoing legislative redistricting to take effect in 2024, he said ElectMT will assign voters to new districts much more accurately and efficiently. Thats opposed to the current system, under which Fuller said you have to go in and manually assign address ranges to a precinct, and you have to do that across the entire state. The same dozen counties that held parallel tests during the primary are planning to do so again for the 2022 general election, Fuller said. MOOSE, Wyo. Grand Teton National Park Rangers conducted three major search and rescue operations within 24 hours this week as backcountry activity reaches its high point in the Tetons. On Monday, Aug. 8, at about 1:30 p.m., Teton Interagency Dispatch Center received a report of a disoriented 21-year-old female at Surprise Lake. Park rangers flew via helicopter to a landing zone near the lake where they prepared the woman for transport via short-haul out of the backcountry to Lupine Meadows. From there she was transported via ambulance to St. Johns Health. Short-haul is a rescue technique where an individual or individuals, often with gear, are suspended below the helicopter on a 150 to 250 foot rope. This method allows a rescuer more direct access to an injured party, and it is often used in the Teton Range where steep, rocky terrain makes it difficult to land a helicopter. The helicopter pilot barely had time to refuel before a call came in at about 3:30 p.m. the same day regarding the injury of a 22-year-old female. She suffered back injuries after jumping into Phelps Lake from a rock feature known as Jump Rock. The patient was unable to walk more than a few steps. Park rangers flew to the lake where and transported the woman via short-haul to White Grass Ranch, where she declined further medical assistance. The next day, on Aug. 9 at about 8 a.m., a climber on the traverse between Teewinot Mountain and Mount Owen contacted dispatch to report his climbing partner had taken a several-hundred-foot, un-roped fall, had a severe head injury and possibly broken bones. Four park rangers and rescue gear were flown to the site. The patient, a 24-year-old male, was treated and airlifted to Lupine Meadows where an emergency physician, park ambulance crew, and air ambulance crew further stabilized him. The patient was then transported via Air Idaho Rescue to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. The accidents are a reminder that backcountry travelers need to remember to plan ahead and follow basic safety protocols, including: Set a reasonable objective based on your groups experience. When planning a hike or climb, make sure it is well within the abilities of your least experienced group member. Know the weather forecast and be prepared for rain, snow, ice and cold. Temperatures and precipitation patterns can change rapidly at high elevations. Pay special attention when descending and moving across slippery surfaces. Most mountain accidents occur on the descent. Dont be afraid to turn around. Summit fever can be the greatest hazard of all. Research your intended route by consulting topographic maps, guidebooks, and rangers. Always tell a friend or family member your route and when you intend to return. Be prepared to care for yourself or your partner in case of an injury and carry the equipment, food and water necessary to stay out longer than you expect. Visit the park website at www.nps.gov/grte to learn more about the park and your planned activity before heading out. DECATUR Lindsey Craycraft and Dr. Perry P. Guaglianone have been elected to serve on the board of The Community Foundation of Macon County. Craycraft is an associate judge for the 6th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois. Guaglianone is a medical oncologist at Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois. Each will serve a three-year term and is eligible to serve up to three consecutive terms. These two community leaders join our current board members in their commitment to help our foundation succeed in its mission, says Natalie Beck, CEO of The Community Foundation of Macon County. Our goal is to connect the philanthropic goals of our donors with the needs of Macon County in order to identify and address those needs through leadership and community engagement. Public service has always been very important to me and serving on the Community Foundation Board is an impactful way to further serve our great community, Craycraft said. I look forward to helping connect and support organizations and individuals in need in the community, and I am excited to help in this significant responsibility. Im honored to join The Community Foundation Board, Guaglianone said. "The people in the Decatur and Macon County are so giving and thoughtful. Its amazing to see our communitys commitment to helping others and to be a part of making a difference right here. I look forward to serving on the board and being part of this great effort. The board members meet monthly to review and approve grants, oversee the foundations finances, and develop creative and effective ways of empowering fundholders, nonprofits and charitably inclined citizens to make good happen in Macon County. Established in 2000, The Community Foundation of Macon County stewards more than 365 funds and total assets of $53 million. To date, The Community Foundation has distributed over $38 million to charitable organizations and endeavors. DECATUR It was a heart attack that finally ended convicted Decatur killer Michael Slover Sr.s 65-year prison sentence, a coroner has confirmed. The cause of death of this 75-year-old male Michael Slover Sr. was chronic ischemic hypertensive and cardiovascular disease, Livingston County Coroner Danny Watson told the Herald & Review. He just died of your basic heart attack. Slovers life ended June 24 while serving his sentence at the Pontiac Correctional Center, which falls under Watsons jurisdiction. All deaths in custody are investigated by coroners under Illinois law. Asked if there had been any signs of foul play, Watson replied: None whatever, no. Slover received his sentence in Macon County Circuit Court in May of 2002 and had been due for parole in 2032. The patriarch of what turned out to be a family of murderers, he had been part of an elaborate scheme to shoot to death his former daughter-in-law, Karyn Hearn Slover, and dump her dismembered body in Lake Shelbyville. Convicted along with Slover Sr. was his wife, Jeannette Slover, and their son and the victims ex-husband, Michael Slover Jr. Jeannette Slover, 74, is serving her 60 year sentence at the Decatur Correctional Center. Her 52-year-old son is imprisoned at the Illinois River Correctional Center and is serving 65 years like his father. The mother is due for parole in 2029 and release in 2032 if she lives; her son has the same projected parole and release dates. The murder case that led to their convictions started on the evening of Sept. 27, 1996, when 23-year-old Karyn Hearn Slover had left the former East William Street offices of the Herald & Review and was never seen again until her body was found several days later. The victim, who worked in advertising for the newspaper, had been on her way to pick up her then 3-year-old son Kolten who was being babysat by her ex in-laws. Decatur police detectives would later figure out that the killer family had ambushed and shot her to death. The Slovers were determined, police said, to stop her taking their grandson out of state while she pursued a modeling opportunity. Commenting on Slover Sr.s death, Watson said it was typical of the heart disease associated with age and low activity, things like that. He also remarked that a lot of such disease is hereditary. Watson said the murderer's body was released soon after the autopsy was completed and the coroner had signed a certificate allowing the remains to be cremated. CHICAGO - Federal prosecutors this week shot back against accusations that the former lead prosecutor on the R. Kelly case had inappropriate contact with potential witnesses, saying much of the purportedly suspicious contact between her and a key victim had to do merely with scheduling and logistics. And attorneys for Kelly co-defendant Derrel McDavid made a fiery response Wednesday, saying they want to call the prosecutor as a trial witness to explain herself under oath. The filings were the latest in a wide-ranging battery of motions ahead of Kellys next trial. Most of the attorneys recent requests have yet to be resolved; jury selection begins Monday. Kelly, 55, was indicted in July 2019 on charges of conspiring with McDavid and another associate, Milton June Brown, to rig his 2008 child pornography case in Cook County and hide years of alleged sexual abuse of underage girls. The trial is slated to last at least a month. Among a flurry of other motions filed this week: Prosecutors request that the defense be prohibited from calling someone to testify about Kellys low IQ. A defense request to bar prosecutors from calling an expert witness in child sexual abuse and grooming. And an allegation by co-defendant McDavid that prosecutors have botched the chain of custody for a central videotape allegedly showing Kelly molesting his young teenage goddaughter. McDavids attorneys caused a splash last week when they said the former lead prosecutor on the case, Angel Krull, had communicated with the goddaughter and Chicago journalist Jim DeRogatis in a mysterious, clandestine, and totally inappropriate way. The goddaughter, who is now an adult, is expected to testify that she was the underage girl on the videos, and that she lied about it to investigators at the behest of Kelly and his associates. Krull left Chicago in 2020 to care for an ailing relative and is no longer handling the Kelly case. Prosecutors this week released the contents of the text messages between Krull and the woman, who is identified only as Minor 1. The vast majority of them have to do with scheduling times and places to meet up and have discussions. One personal text, in which Krull tells the woman that a pregnancy photo of her is beautiful and glowing, does not indicate anything inappropriate, prosecutors argued. The photographs in question were professional photos of Minor 1 which Minor 1 shared with many people, in celebration of her joy in being an expectant mother. The reaction AUSA Krull shared reflected nothing more than sincere happiness for a person who had suffered a great deal, but who was now experiencing great personal joy, Tuesdays motion states. The defendants efforts to attack the government personally or discourage a testifying victim should not be countenanced. There also is nothing inappropriate, the filing stated, about the nickname Krull used for Minor 1 in her phone: Boss Baby. McDavids attorneys, indignant, responded that prosecutors did not provide any kind of affidavit or other evidence to support their claims that everything was aboveboard, and urged the judge to make them turn over more information about what happened. One can only imagine how the government would respond if a criminal defendant took on a fake name and a surreptitious email account and used it to contact potential witnesses. When he declared he did nothing wrong or that he does not intend to call the witness after the communication is over, does anyone think the government gladly would accept his affirmation? they wrote. Krulls contact with DeRogatis in early 2019 was very limited, prosecutors said. She had a short phone conversation with him about possibly sharing the manuscript of his book, then had a brief email exchange. She did not respond to subsequent emails or voicemails from DeRogatis, the motion states. Krull did use a burner email account piedpiper312@gmail.com that was attached to a pseudonym, Demetrius Slovenski. But she only did that upon the advice of a Homeland Security Investigations agent, who created the account, the filing stated. Prosecutors reiterated that they are not considering DeRogatis as a government witness in the case. DeRogatis, whose reporting first brought the allegations against Kelly to light, has previously told the Tribune that he was the one to initiate contact with federal prosecutors, in an attempt to cultivate sources. That effort was unsuccessful, he said. Moreover, although defendants vaguely suggest that they may call DeRogatis in the defense case, they offer no explanation of the testimony he might give, or how that testimony would benefit the defense, prosecutors filing states. Given the nature of DeRogatis relationship to the case, it is highly unlikely that he would have any testimony beneficial to the defense. McDavids attorneys also filed a letter requesting that Krull be made available to testify as a witness in the trial hinting heavily that if she doesnt, jurors would be left to assume the worst about the governments motivations. Kellys Chicago trial comes on the heels of his sentencing in federal court in Brooklyn. In June, he was sentenced to a 30-year prison term for racketeering. He is appealing both the jurys verdict and the judges sentence. He also faces pending cases in Cook County, though those have largely been on hold since the federal indictments came down in 2019. The slew of pretrial motions filed at the last minute hints that a hotblooded legal brawl is ahead. Prosecutors, defense attorneys and Judge Harry Leinenweber have only a few days to resolve them before trial begins Monday. Some 100 prospective jurors are slated to arrive at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Thursday to fill out questionnaires ahead of jury selection an attempt to weed out ineligible or potentially biased jurors before any in-court questioning. All of the jurors coming in have already indicated that they would be able to sit for a lengthy trial. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today A few passing clouds. Low near 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low near 75F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Selina Knuth and her son Lincoln enter a New Braunfels Independent School District (NBISD) bus during a "Ride and Drive" event Thursday, August 4, 2022. NBISD's transportation department hosted the event to allow community members to ride and drive school buses. Additional school resource officers are on the way to each of the four high schools in Washington County, Virginia. Abingdon Town Manager Mike Cochran announced during Monday's Abingdon Town Council meeting that Abingdon Police Chief John Holbrook obtained a grant to fund an additional school resource officer at Abingdon High School. The Abingdon Police Department supplies officers at the two schools in the town limits Abingdon High School and E.B. Stanley Middle School. In turn, Washington County Sheriff Blake Andis has obtained similar state funding to put an additional school resource officer (SRO) at John S. Battle High School, Patrick Henry High School and Holston High School. In Washington County, weve had school resource officer for years, Andis said. Well be adding an additional school resource officer to every high school in the county, The sheriffs office provides 14 officers to cover all schools in the county with the exception of the schools in Abingdon, Andis said. They are in every school elementary, middle school and high school, he said. The four-year grant will allow flexibility for officers who need to take time off. They wanted to increase it across the state, Andis said. And it will help us tremendously. With these additional officers, it will be a lot more coverage. TAYLORSVILLE Billie Walker has been appointed to serve as health director of the Alexander County Health Department. She was named interim health director in May following the retirement of Leeanne Whisnant. Walker has worked her way up the ladder at the health department since 2003 when she was hired as a part-time bioterrorism coordinator. Soon thereafter, she was named the communicable disease nurse, and became director of nursing in 2008. Walker was promoted to assistant health director in 2019. I am honored to have been selected for this role and consider it a privilege to work every day with such an incredible group of public health professionals, Walker said. I look forward to continuing the work and mission of the Alexander County Health Department, which is to promote, protect, and ensure the health and well-being of every citizen of Alexander County. County Manager Rick French said he is proud of Walkers accomplishments over the years and is especially thankful for her dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Billie displayed exceptional leadership skills during the pandemic. It was a very stressful time, especially for the health department as they worked to keep everyone informed and healthy during this difficult time, said French. She has truly earned the title of health director. A native of Alexander County, Walker is a 1993 graduate of Alexander Central High School. During her secondary education, Walker said she already knew she wanted to be a nurse after taking health occupation classes at ACHS. She attended Catawba Valley Community College while working as a certified nurse assistant (CNA) at Catawba Memorial Hospital. She attained her nursing degree from CVCC in May 1999. Walker served as infection control nurse at Valley Nursing Center for more than a year, and then applied for her first job at the health department. As she advanced professionally, Walker continued her education as the succession plan evolved at the health department. She began classes at Gardner-Webb University in 2013 and graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The local health director position requires a masters degree, so Walker continued her studies at Gardner-Webb and attained her Master of Science in Nursing degree in 2018. This was a very strenuous time in my life as I juggled full-time work while raising a family and going to school at night, Walker related. Im proud of my personal and professional achievements as I have worked hard to earn this position with the Alexander County Health Department. I will strive to provide top-notch services for our citizens and a healthy work environment for our employees. Im very thankful for this opportunity. For more information about the Alexander County Health Department, visit https://alexanderhealth.org or call 828- 632-9704. A Lenoir man has been charged after police say they found two of his dogs locked in a hot car, with one of the dogs ultimately dying. Darrell William West, 60, is charged with a felony count of animal cruelty. He was issued a $3,000 secured bond, according to the release from Caldwell County. The charge stems from Sunday, when officers from the Lenoir Police Department and Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement took two dogs out of a car parked on Pennell Street around noon, according to the release. One dog died as a result of being left in the car. Officers cared for the other dog, bringing it to shade and providing water. The release said the dog ran away. The runaway dog, described as a small brown-and-black German shepherd mix, had not been found as of Thursday morning. Authorities ask anyone who sees the dog to call Animal Care Enforcement at 828-757-8625. West was arrested Tuesday, according to the release. Our domestic animals are like family, and we should treat them as such by providing them a healthy environment, Richard Gilliland, Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement director, said via the release. This horrible incident involving a dog is a reminder that pet ownership is a huge responsibility. Sections of N.C. Highway 127 and Main Avenue NE will be closed starting Friday so that workers can replace guardrails on the Rudy Wright Bridge, the City Walk pedestrian bridge above N.C. 127. The stretch of N.C. 127 between First Avenue NE and First Avenue SE will close at 6 p.m. Friday and will reopen Monday at 6 a.m., the city announced Wednesday. In addition, Main Avenue between Second Street NE and First Avenue will close at 7 a.m. on Friday and reopen at 6 a.m. on Aug. 19. Signs will denote detour routes. The sidewalk on the Main Avenue bridge, which is located adjacent to the pedestrian bridge, will be closed during the weekend but the city said it expects the sidewalk will reopen on Monday. The replacement of the guardrails brings the city a step closer to reopening the Rudy Wright Bridge for the first time since it was closed by the collapse of the City Walk arches on Feb. 18. However, it is unclear when pedestrians and bikers will once again be able to cross the bridge. Workers will come back later to add handrails and then the North Carolina Department of Transportation will have to inspect, according to the release from the city. The city gave no timeline for when workers would be able to install the handrails. In April, Carl Burchette, an attorney representing the city of Hickory, said Neill Grading & Construction Co. and Dane Construction would replace the rails. Burchette said the companies were estimating that it would take about three months for them to finish, a timeframe which would have put the replacement in late July. In the last few months, city officials such as Mayor Hank Guess have spoken about how difficulties getting supplies might change the timeframe for getting the bridge back open. Neill Grading was the contractor responsible for the City Walk, including the arches, while Dane Construction was a subcontractor responsible for installation of the arches. Neill and Dane are both facing a negligence and breach of contract lawsuit from the city over the fall of the $750,000, 40-ton arches. The lawsuit also names Western Wood Structures, the company which designed the arches, and Paul Gilham, the principal engineer at Western Wood. In the busy days of dairy farming, transition planning is an easy topic to kick down the road to tackle later on theres plenty of time left to figure that out, right? Similarly, estate plans or even personal wills that are related to the continuation of the farm business might get put off with the rationale that theyre not necessary yet. Those thoughts, however, dont change the fact that farming is one of the most dangerous industries for workplace injuries, and accidents unfortunately happen every day. Younger farmers looking to become future managers and owners may be especially likely to be working in this environment with no plan for their estate should something happen. No matter the amount of assets you may have, it is a good idea for young farmers to take a quick review of their plans and have a few key documents in place, advised attorney Kelly Wilfert. First are three in case of emergency items, said the Wisconsin-based agricultural lawyer. Have both a financial and health care power of attorney in place so that in case you are unable to make decisions for yourself, someone or multiple people you have appointed can. These documents may be set up to be effective immediately or go into effect at the time of a disability or incapacitation, Wilfert shared. Similarly, a HIPAA authorization will allow your health care provider to share your medical information with the trusted person(s) you have named. Without these documents, following an accident, your family may need to go to the court to request a guardian be appointed to make these decisions, wrote Wilfert. That process can make an already challenging time more difficult. The final item Wilfert recommends young farmers have is a basic will or trust. When putting a will together, consider who your estate would be transferred to if you had no plan. Is this who you want to control your assets, or who should control them? The second question may be especially important if a family business is in the process of transitioning and moving assets around. You may also want to consider if youre comfortable with your estate going through a public probate process and how any tax implications would be dealt with. Of course, if you have children, a will would need to include guidelines for their care as well as any assets they may receive. Creating an estate plan is likely not at the top of many young farmers to do lists, but having one in place can provide peace of mind for the rest of your family. Start small and allow the plan to grow and evolve as you and the business change over time, Wilfert advised. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2022 August 8, 2022 You don't mind if China's government can access your data, do you? Photo: Shutterstock TikTok, the widely popular and frequently scrutinised social media site, has come under fire in the Australian Parliament for misleading claims regarding its data practices. Earlier this year, a whistleblower contacted American site BuzzFeed with over 80 leaked recordings of internal meetings at TikTok, revealing that China-based employees have recurrently accessed private data about TikTok users. In an Australian Senate speech made on 4 August 2022, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security Senator James Paterson subsequently voiced concerns over the way TikTok handles the data of its Australian users, stating said data "is accessible in mainland China and had been repeatedly accessed in mainland China." This isn't the first time TikTok has been raised as an item of concern in the Senate. TikTok previously appeared before a parliamentary committee, and provided evidence which "assured the Parliament and through the Parliament, the Australian people, that the data of Australian users on their platform was safe". After said evidence was submitted, the worry surrounding TikTok's data privacy practices seemed to temporarily subside, with then Prime Minister Scott Morrison, although initially sceptical, going on to upload semi-regular content onto the platform. TikTok's claim of data safety was based on the fact that, in spite of TikTok transmitting data through China-based servers, the data was ultimately stored in countries such as the United States and Singapore. However, companies based in China have legal obligations to disclose data under certain conditions, regardless of the chosen method of storage. In an interview with the ABC, Senator Paterson said "because they're headquartered in China, they're subject to China's national security legislation, including its 2017 National Intelligence Law. And that law requires all companies and individuals to secretly cooperate with Chinese intelligence agencies if requested." The National Intelligence Law of China is notoriously controversial among security and privacy experts, often enabling apps and companies to collect and share data to Chinese intelligence agencies without disclosing said data sharing to the user. In this case, TikTok had seemingly neglected to disclose the implications of the National Intelligence Law in its submission to the Australian Parliament. "We only now know about this because of a leaked report from a whistleblower to BuzzFeed news," Senator Paterson said, adding that he wrote to TikTok Australia to clarify whether the same practice identified by BuzzFeed America also took place in Australia. "They replied to my letter on the 12th of July acknowledging yes, it is the case that Australian TikTok user data is accessible in mainland China," Senator Paterson concluded. Bans, bans and more bans The US asked Google and Apple to Remove TikTok in June, with the Commissioner of the US Federal Communications Commission saying it was clear that TikTok poses an unacceptable national security risk." TikTok has already faced bans in numerous countries, including India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, however, China's and TikTok's data practices aren't always the crux of these bans. Both Pakistan and Indonesia have cited "inappropriate content" for temporary bans against the app, and in the case of Afghanistan, a ban was proposed with aims to "prevent the younger generation from being misled." Notably, TikTok is an arguably unrivalled platform for accessible political content and activism - and many users from across the globe have used TikTok to spread awareness on important social issues. Given the widespread popularity and social utility of TikTok, it is difficult for a democratic country to explicitly prohibit use of the social media conglomerate, however, the need for appropriate data and security practices is clear. Paterson proposes next steps Senator Paterson proposed the now dissolved Senate Select Committee into Foreign Interference, which was formed during the previous government to "inquire into and report on the risk posed to Australias democracy by foreign interference through social media" be re-established. Senator Paterson cited TikTok as a driving factor in this proposition, and has said "all social media apps pose a form of risk. They are in the business of collecting information on us and then seeking to monetise it. "But there are some social media apps which pose a greater risk, for example, Tiktok and WeChat," he added. The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has reportedly briefed some federal MPs about the threat posed by apps, and encouraged federal ministers to use two separate mobile phones, one personal and one professional, for the purpose of data safety. Paterson critiqued this in his interview with the ABC, saying, "It's clearly not practical advice for the seven million Australians who also use that app. And so, I think much broader action is required. "Chinas obviously a very complex relationship. They have been seeking to economically coerce Australia. Intelligence agencies have previously said they are responsible for record levels of foreign interference, espionage and cyberattacks on Australia. And so it does pose a particularly acute concern, even though there are risks with all social media apps," he concluded, possibly in reference to the infamous cyber attack leveraged against Parliament in 2019. On 11 August, Senator Paterson is scheduled to appear and further discuss foreign affairs on the ABC's debate program, Q+A. WASHINGTON A former Rocky Mount, Virginia police sergeant who was in the first wave of rioters to force their way into the U.S. Capitol was sentenced Thursday to seven years and three months. The sentence for Thomas T.J. Robertson was equivalent to the harshest punishment to be delivered so far in the insurrection cases. It was the same as that given to another rioter whose actions were similar to Robertson's, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said in imposing the sentence. Robertson was wearing a gas mask and holding a large walking stick in a defensive posture across his chest as the angry mob approached police officers trying to defend the Upper West Terrace of the Capitol. The defendants conduct served only to advance the mobs progress toward the building, prosecutors said in a court memorandum that asked for an eight-year prison sentence. Robertson has already spent about 13 months in jail. His personal recognizance bond was revoked last summer after authorities learned that he had ordered an arsenal of 34 firearms online and then found a loaded M4 rifle and a partially assembled pipe bomb during a search of his Ferrum home. In April, a jury convicted Robertson of five felonies and one misdemeanor: Obstruction of an official proceeding, interfering with police officers during a civil disorder, entering a restricted area while armed with a dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct in a restricted area, disorderly conduct in the Capitol, and tampering with evidence. At the time, Robertson was just the second of more than 800 defendants charged in the insurrection to go before a jury. Juries do not recommend sentences in most federal cases, leaving that to judges after non-binding sentencing guidelines are calculated. Robertson was off duty at the time of the Jan. 6, 2021, uprising. Evidence showed that he and a younger colleague, former Rocky Mount police officer Jacob Fracker, joined a crowd of rioters after listening to then-President Donald Trump urge his supporters to fight like hell against an election he claimed was rigged against him. Fracker pleaded guilty and was a key witness against Robertson. He is scheduled to be sentenced next Tuesday, and prosecutors have asked that he be placed on probation. The European Commission proposes to extend four European transport corridors to the territory of Ukraine and Moldova, including the ports of Mariupol and Odesa, and exclude Russia and Belarus from the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The corresponding announcement on Thursday in Brussels was made by representative of the European Commission Adalbert Jahnz. He said that the European Commission was making a proposal to revise the rules on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to reflect the geopolitical landscape changes caused by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The amendments extend four European transport corridors to Ukraine and Moldova, including the ports of Mariupol and Odesa. These corridors will be key priorities in terms of restoring Ukraine's infrastructure. The proposals also exclude Russia and Belarus from the Trans-European transport map. In the current context, cooperation with Russia and Belarus is not only inappropriate, but also not in the interests of the European Union, he said. According to Jahnz, these proposals also aim to continue the use of European standards for new and existing railway tracks because of the differences, which are a factor in the vulnerability of the networks. The proposals will now be part of the already ongoing negotiations with the European Parliament and the European Council, launched earlier this year, the European Commission spokesman added. A significant percentage of organisations expose insecure or highly sensitive protocols, including SMB, SSH, and Telnet, to the public internet, according to the latest Cyber Risk and Readiness report from network detection and response specialist ExtraHop. The Cyber Risk and Readiness report shows that a significant percentage of organisations expose insecure or highly sensitive protocols, including SMB, SSH, and Telnet, to the public internet. According to the report Whether intentional or accidental, these exposures broden the attack surface of any organisation by providing cyberattackers an easy entry point into the network.shows that a significant percentage of organisations expose insecure or highly sensitive protocols, including SMB, SSH, and Telnet, to the public internet. Whether intentional or accidental, these exposures broden the attack surface of any organisation by providing cyberattackers an easy entry point into the network. The report goes on to say that: Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, governments and security experts around the world have noticed a significant increase in cyberattack activity. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and other government agencies such as ENISA, CERT-EU, ACSC, and SingCERT have strongly encouraged enterprises to focus on strengthening their overall security postures, starting with reducing the likelihood of a damaging cyber intrusion. One key recommendation made by these agencies is that organisations disable all unnecessary or insecure ports and protocols. In the new report, ExtraHop notes that it conducted an analysis of enterprise IT environments to benchmark the cybersecurity posture of organisations based on open ports and sensitive protocol exposure so that security and IT leaders can assess their risk posture and attack surface visibility relative to other organisations. Key findings of the ExtraHop report include: SSH is the Most Exposed Sensitive Protocol: Secure Shell (SSH) is a well-designed protocol with good cryptography for securely accessing remote devices. It is also one of the most widely used protocols, making it a favourite target for cybercriminals looking to access and control devices across an enterprise. Sixty-four percent of organisations have at least one device exposing this protocol to the public internet. LDAP Exposure is High: Lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) is a vendor-neutral application protocol that maintains distributed directory information in an organised, easy-to-query manner. Windows systems use LDAP to look up usernames in Active Directory. By default, these queries are transmitted in plaintext giving attackers an opportunity to discover usernames. With 41% of organisations having at least one device exposing LDAP to the public internet, this sensitive protocol has an outsized risk factor. Secure Shell (SSH) is a well-designed protocol with good cryptography for securely accessing remote devices. It is also one of the most widely used protocols, making it a favourite target for cybercriminals looking to access and control devices across an enterprise. Sixty-four percent of organisations have at least one device exposing this protocol to the public internet. LDAP Exposure is High: Lightweight directory access protocol (LDAP) is a vendor-neutral application protocol that maintains distributed directory information in an organised, easy-to-query manner. Windows systems use LDAP to look up usernames in Active Directory. By default, these queries are transmitted in plaintext giving attackers an opportunity to discover usernames. With 41% of organisations having at least one device exposing LDAP to the public internet, this sensitive protocol has an outsized risk factor. Exposed Database Protocols Open Doors for Attacks: Database protocols enable users and software to interact with databases, inserting, updating, and retrieving information. When an exposed device is listening on a database protocol, it exposes the database as well. Twenty-four percent of organisations have at least one device exposing Tabular Data Stream (TDS) to the public internet. This Microsoft protocol for communicating with databases transmits data in plaintext, making it vulnerable to interception. Database protocols enable users and software to interact with databases, inserting, updating, and retrieving information. When an exposed device is listening on a database protocol, it exposes the database as well. Twenty-four percent of organisations have at least one device exposing Tabular Data Stream (TDS) to the public internet. This Microsoft protocol for communicating with databases transmits data in plaintext, making it vulnerable to interception. File Server Protocols At Risk: In looking at the four protocol types (file server protocols, directory protocols, database protocols, and remote control protocols), the vast majority of cyberattacks occur in file server protocols, which involve attackers moving files from one place to another. Thirty-one percent of organisations have at least one device exposing Server Message Block (SMB) to the public internet. In looking at the four protocol types (file server protocols, directory protocols, database protocols, and remote control protocols), the vast majority of cyberattacks occur in file server protocols, which involve attackers moving files from one place to another. Thirty-one percent of organisations have at least one device exposing Server Message Block (SMB) to the public internet. FTP is Not As Secure As it Can Be: File transfer protocol (FTP) is not a full-service file access protocol. It sends files over networks as a stream and offers practically no security. It transmits data, including usernames and passwords, in plaintext, which makes its data easy to intercept. While there are at least two secure alternatives, 36% of organizations expose at least one device using this protocol to the public internet. File transfer protocol (FTP) is not a full-service file access protocol. It sends files over networks as a stream and offers practically no security. It transmits data, including usernames and passwords, in plaintext, which makes its data easy to intercept. While there are at least two secure alternatives, 36% of organizations expose at least one device using this protocol to the public internet. Protocol Usage Differs by Industry: This is indicative of different industries investing in different technologies and having different requirements for storing data and interacting with remote users. When considering all industries together, SMB was the most prevalent protocol exposed. In financial services, SMB is exposed in 28% of organisations. In healthcare, SMB is exposed in 51% of organisations. In manufacturing, SMB is exposed in 22% of organisations. In retail, SMB is exposed in 36% of organisations. In State and Local Government, SMB is exposed in 45% of organisations. In tech, SMB is exposed in 19% of organisations. Organisations Continue to Leverage Telnet: Telnet, an old protocol for connecting to remote devices, has been deprecated since 2002. Yet 12% of organisations have at least one device exposing this protocol to the public internet. As a best practice, IT organisations should disable Telnet anywhere it is found on their network. Ports and protocols are essentially the doors and hallways that attackers use for exploring networks and causing damage, said Jeff Costlow, CISO, ExtraHop. Thats why knowing which protocols are running on your network and what vulnerabilities are associated with them is so important. This gives defenders the knowledge to make an informed decision about their risk tolerance and take actions such as maintaining a continuous inventory of software and hardware in an environment, patching software quickly and continuously, and investing in tools for real-time insights and analysis to improve their cybersecurity readiness. Rohan Langdon, Area Vice President Australia and New Zealand, ExtraHop, added, The cyber risks faced by businesses are continuing to grow and for many organisations, the challenge is exacerbated because some of their IT systems in use were deployed years ago. They might be monitoring ageing equipment or managing core infrastructure and these could easily be missed when measuring the extent of the cyber risk being faced. Its only when the total cyber risk profile of an organisation is understood, including east-west traffic and exposed ports, that a comprehensive plan for its management can be devised and implemented. Today, governments, product developers, the business community and cybersecurity professionals all have important roles to play in ensuring Australian organisations keep pace with the challenges faced when delivering a cybersecurity posture fit for purpose and aligned with industry regulation, Essential Eight compliance and both internal employee and external supply chain security. Fifty percent of travellers use public Wi-Fi while on the road. However, only 20% of them use a VPN to protect themselves while being connected to a public network, according to a NordVPN survey. Travellers connect to public Wi-Fi in airports, cafes, parks, and trains. Some even use public computers to print their visa information or flight tickets. A virtual private network (VPN) in those cases is crucial if you want to make sure that your vacation will not be ruined by cybercriminals. Nobody wants to lose access to their device or their bank account during a trip to a foreign country, said NordVPN cybersecurity expert Daniel Markuson. As International VPN Day (19 August) is just around the corner, Markuson lists all the benefits offered by the service. Enhanced online security The main purpose of a VPN is to keep its users online connection secure even when they are away from home. Hackers can set up fake hotspots or access unsecured public routers and this way monitor users online activity. Once a user is connected, criminals can intercept their internet traffic, infect the device with malware, and steal their victims personal information, according to Markuson. When authenticating themselves on public Wi-Fi, users often need to type in their email address or phone number. However, if a user has accidentally connected to a hackers hotspot, they could be exposing themselves to danger. A VPN hides users IP address and encrypts their online activity. That means that, even if a user is using a malicious hotspot, the hacker behind it wont be able to monitor their activity. Therefore, getting a VPN for travel abroad is essential if you want to stay secure and private online. Access blocked websites Imagine the user is visiting the Great Wall of China and they want to update their social media or check the news while exploring. Suddenly, they encounter another kind of wall: Chinas Great Firewall. This phrase refers to the countrys wide-ranging internet restrictions, which ban access to Western media and websites, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Netflix, Twitter. China is not alone: Iran, Vietnam, Russia, Cuba, Indonesia, and many other countries censor the internet and decide what their citizens can access. With a VPN enabled, users can change your IP address, bypass censorship, and browse the internet freely. If they happen to work, study, or travel in one of these countries, a VPN is a vital tool. Depending on the country users are located, the prices for airline tickets, car reservations, and hotels might vary. Thats because businesses know that people in different countries can and will pay higher amounts for certain products and services. If travellers use VPN for travel, they can hop between servers in different countries and find the best deals available. Make the best of additional VPN features As the industry is evolving, many VPN providers add new features to make their users experience even more wholesome. NordVPN added the Meshnet feature that lets travellers connect to other devices directly no matter where in the world they are. This enables users to form a remote connection with their home or office PC from anywhere in the world to share files or for other uses. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 9 August 2022. Mobile virtual network operator and Internet provider Mate wants to be your best mate with a high value mobile plan, using the Telstra network, with great inclusions and low prices that will surely be very tempting to a lot of smartphone users. Mate. The company in an Australian owned Internet, NBN and mobile virrtual network operator of note, and it could very easily become your best Mate for quality, service and pricing! I previously video interviewed Mate GM Mark Fazio nearly a year ago, and learned what a great Internet and mobile provider the company is, with really competitive pricing, "mates rates" on various goods and services, Australian customer service and more, and I've been happy to follow the company's impressive progress. Now comes news of Mate's latest date with destiny, with the launch of an excellent value postpaid 5G plan, with no contracts, continuing its track record of providing top-notch service at a fantastic price for its Aussie customers. Indeed, Mate says its new 5G plan "is the best value 5G plan on the market using the Telmatestra Wholesale mobile network." This plan has 60GB of data, a data bank rollover feature that lets you store up to 500GB of unused monthly data, the inclusion of the global music streaming platform Tidal, unlimited national talk and text to standard Aussie numbers, and even unlimited international calls and SMS to 15 selected countries, which include Canada, China, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam. Even better still, this is all for the low-cost introductory offer of $40 per month and when Mate says its possibly the best in the market overall, it certainly will be hard to beat. Image credit: Mate's 5G $40 plan details It reminds me of when Amaysim, now owned by Optus, launched what was a game changing plan a decade ago, when it offered unlimited calls and text to Australian numbers, and a then whopping 4GB. There were no included calls to overseas numbers, there were no data bank options, but at the time, it was a great deal. Fast forward to 2022, and we have the modern equivalent. The Telstra Wholesale cap on 5G speeds is 250Mbps, and while those directly on the Telstra network can get faster 5G speeds, a 250Mbps cap is still much faster than the 4G peak speed of 100Mbps, so those with a 5G-capable phone but who have been stuck on a 4G plan will certainly feel the difference. Even those on a 5G plan directly with one of the three major carriers is unlikely to notice any differences. As Mate notes, "5G also provides Aussies with greater bandwidth, so users can look forward to taking advantage of their data. From seamless 4K video calls to being able to download a movie in seconds, the 5G plan offers an exceptionally high-performance experience no matter what your mobile needs are." Mark Fazio, Co-CEO of MATE, noted his pleasure at Mate being able to continue bringing its unique brand of local telco services at fantastic prices to the community, and stated: "The 5G mobile network gives Australians the speed and performance theyre looking for with even less lag time than ever before. Were thrilled to be able to offer Aussie consumers this great result at a price thats more affordable than ever.: Mate is also proud to note its use of the Telstra Wholesale network, which uses parts of Telstras 5G, 4G and 3G mobile networks in providing services to customers. Currently, 5G coverage reaches at least 75% of the Australian population, which is a huge boost, with the entire Telstra mobile coverage footprint covers more than 1.6 million square kilometres and reaches more than 98.8% of the Australian population. Mark concludes: "Weve been apart for too long. Our new soul mates 5G plan will help families and friends stay in touch whether theyre here in Australia or overseas. And its not going to cost them an arm and leg to do that. With the current economic situation, we feel good about that." Now, I had some questions, which included what the time limit was on the introductory pricing, whether the current 100GB 4G plan will move to 5G at some point, and whether Mate's service allowed users to have the same number added to their Apple Watch, which is something that is only reserved for the main carriers themselves. The answers I received were as follows: "The introductory price does not currently have an end date and the team doesn't have a set price that it will move to. Any customers on the $40 per month plan will continue to pay $40 even if the offer ends. "4G and 5G Plans are separate and the 100GB wont become 5G. They may at some point have a 100GB 5G plan however they have no set date for this. In the future, all plans will be 5G capable. "The 5G plan is not an eSIM plan. They are looking at plan and bundle options around eSim which would enable devices such as smartwatches and tablets to have a data plan without a physical SIM card. This would also allow eligible handsets to have a second phone number via eSim in addition to a physical SIM." So, if you have an Apple Watch and want it to have the same number as your iPhone, you'll be forced to stick with Telstra, Optus or Vodafone direct, and you can't connect the Mate 5G service to an eSIM plan. Hopefully, those are just limitations for now, and will one day be removed, but they're things currently beyond Mate's control. The plan puts up a great fight against Boost Mobile, another great MVNO on the Telstra network, and the full 4G network at that, which would be greater coverage than Mate, but for most living in the cities, extra regional coverage won't make much of a difference. Boost also doesn't yet offer 5G. Another difference is that Boost lets you call any country, with a limit of 300 minutes of international calls and texts, as opposed to full unlimited to the 15 countries listed above its Mate. Boost doesn't offer data banking either, which is certainly a consideration for some. So, Mate's new 5G mobile plan is definitely competitive, and an excellent deal for those who want access to the Telstra network without having to pay Telstra prices, while data banking up to a whopping 500GB. It's great, mate! CHARLESTON The Coles County Board approved two appointments during its meeting Tuesday night. The appointments were Ron Simonton to the North Fork Conservancy District and Dan Lawrence to the Coles County Board of Review. Both reappointments were of individuals who had previously served on the respective boards. County Board member Gail Mason abstained from voting for Simonton citing a lack of information. From here on out anytime we have appointments, I'm going to abstain when I don't have any information about the person, Mason said. In this case we have one where we have information and one where we simply have that he wants to be reappointed, don't know the person, don't know anything about it. In the vote for Lawrence, County Board member Rick Shook voted against the reappointment and member Michael Watts abstained from voting. During public comment, two individuals came to the board to ask about federal COVID relief funds and what was being done to help individual citizens. Though none of the funds have gone to individuals in the county as of Tuesdays meetings, applications are available in the County Treasurers Office in the Coles County Courthouse. CHARLESTON Eastern Illinois University housing staff got hands-on training for combatting an active shooter Wednesday morning with the help of the university's police department. Training took place in Buzzard Hall in a variety of areas to give the students an opportunity to practice in a variety of settings to see how they would handle the situation. Specifically, the groups practice A.L.I.C.E. training, which places emphasis alerting others there is an active shooter, locking down a secure place, give constant, real-time information using available technology, counter the shooter as a last resort and evacuate when possible. Eastern Housing and Dining Director Mark Hudson said similar training have been going on for around five years now to prepare the staff for worst-case scenarios. It is part of the resident assistants typical training that includes other safety-related trainings. I think it's very important for us to be prepared, no matter how remote the possibility is, so that you have some sense of what could happen and how can you respond to keep our residents safe, Hudson said. It's part of a much larger, long process of training and we put our RAs through for fire training and dealing with behavioral issues, as well as practices like this. But I'm thankful it's never happened in my career and hopefully never will. While it helps in the residence halls, Hudson said it can have more widespread benefits. If an RA is on site, they're going to be a person who's gonna have to step up and say, OK, here's what we're gonna do and direct people to do that, Hudson said. Two university police officers that were involved with the training, Sgt. Jeremy Shores and Officer Tony Hoh, said they were pleased with the outcome of the training. Hoh told students it is an ugly, not happy thing to think about, but something they should be prepared for in case of emergency. I think it's good that it is state-mandated that they participate in this training, but also I think their level of participation was really good, Shores said. They were very active. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, training in recent years had been changed to accommodate new protocols. This year training was completely back to normal. Allowing students to get the full experience was helpful, especially to students who have seen both versions of the training. Carly Nau, a second year RA, said this years training benefited her more than last years training. I think it's way better than last year honestly, it was more informational and hands-on, Nau said. First year RA Jaedah Franks said she felt prepared after the training. I think it kind of prepared you for the unexpected, especially my group, Franks said. We did the evacuation first and then we came in here to just talk about it and we heard the blank shot but we all were like off guard so I felt like it kind of gave us like the worst situation possible and what to do in that situation. Franks said if she is ever faced with an active shooter situation, she feels confident she could protect her residents and make them feel safe. Hanesbrands Inc. disclosed Thursday that a ransomware attack launched in May cost it about $100 million in global underwear sales during the second quarter. The Winston-Salem based apparel manufacturer reported in a May 31 regulatory filing that it began experiencing the ransomware attack on May 24. Ransomware is a type of malicious software employed by hackers that can block access to a computer system until a ransom is paid. In recent years, the targets have shifted from individuals to governments, companies, nonprofits and health care systems. Hanesbrands disclosed Thursday that its global supply chain network and ability to fulfill customer orders were affected for about three weeks. The ransomware attack also resulted in a $35 million reduction in adjusted operating profit, while lowering adjusted earnings per share by 8 cents. Hanesbrands did not say in the report or during a quarterly conference call with analysts whether it paid a ransom to regain access to its computer system. The company could not be immediately reached for comment on the subject. At this time, the company believes the cyber event has been contained, Hanesbrands said. There is no ongoing operational impact on the companys ability to provide its products and services. Despite the disruption, the company shipped all innerwear back-to-school seasonal commitments on time and in full. Hanesbrands said innerwear sales were down 12% to $685.8 million, adding that the ransomware attack and lower than expected in-store sales offset any benefit the manufacturer gained from increasing prices in the first quarter and increasing retail space. Overall net sales were down 13.5% year over year to $1.51 billion, while net income dropped 28.4% to $92.1 million and diluted earnings were down 11 cents to 26 cents. In the May 31 ransomware disclosure, Hanesbrands it had activated its incident response and business continuity plans designed to contain the incident. Hanesbrands said at the time it had notified law enforcement and was cooperating with the investigation in addition to engaging attorneys, a cybersecurity forensic firm and other professionals to deal with the response. It remains unclear if the attack affected only internal operations or whether the information held hostage affected employees and customers. In 2021, ransomware attacks were carried out on at least 2,323 local governments, schools and health care providers in the United States, according to a May 24 report to the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. One of the most recent high-profile ransomware attacks occurred in May 2021, affecting Colonial Pipeline, which has a major operational hub in Greensboro. The Colonial Pipeline shut down for six days because of the attack, affecting gasoline, diesel and jet fuel supplies in North Carolina and along the East Coast. It took several more days for supply to reach normal levels. Multiple sources confirmed to The Associated Press in May 2021 that Colonial Pipeline paid the criminals who committed the cyberattack a ransom of nearly $5 million in cryptocurrency for a software decryption key required to unscramble their data network. In 2018, ransomware attacks involving Iranian-based hackers struck the computer networks of hospitals and other targets in 43 states. That disrupted Laboratory Corp. of America in Burlington. There is no evidence that any LabCorp data was removed from our systems, LabCorp said in an Oct. 26 statement. The company said the attack affected access to test results for a limited period but that operations were returned to normal within a few days. U.S. lacks info A U.S. Senate ransomware report determined that the federal government lacks a complete picture of ransomware attacks. The report also found that the government lacks information on how much ransom was paid typically in the form of cryptocurrencies by victims of such attacks. Cryptocurrencies, which allow criminals to quickly extort huge sums of money, can be anonymized and do not have consistently enforced compliance with regulations, especially for foreign-based attackers, have further enabled cybercriminals to commit disruptive ransomware attacks that threaten our national and economic security, committee chairman Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said in a statement accompanying the report. The investigation found the federal government lacks the necessary information to deter and prevent these attacks and to hold foreign adversaries and cybercriminals accountable for perpetrating them, Peters said. Many of these attacks generated significant losses and damages for victims, the report said. Data from the FBI based on complaints from victims from 2018 to 2020 showed a 65.7% increase in victim count and a staggering 705% increase in adjusted losses. In 2021, the FBI received 3,729 ransomware complaints, with adjusted losses totaling $49.2 million, according to the report. But the data drastically underestimates the number of attacks and ransoms paid, and the FBI considers the numbers to be artificially low, the report said. The real cost of such attacks could range from several hundred million dollars to as much as $10 billion, the report said. In 2020, criminal gangs were said to have received at least $692 million in cryptocurrency as ransom payments, the report said, citing data from Chainalysis, a blockchain data and analysis company that tracks such payments. That compares with $152 million in ransoms paid in 2019, the report said. Another study by anti-malware company Emsisoft counted 24,770 ransomware incidents across the United States in 2019, with estimated damages, including downtime losses, of just under $10 billion, the report said. When viewed against patterns and (mostly) settled norm, the announcement last week by Chief Catrina Thompson of the Winston-Salem Police Department that shed be retiring by years end is not all that shocking. Since the late 1990s, police chiefs serve no more than five years before getting the gold watch and, more importantly, a nice pension bump that comes with being the citys top cop. Thompson, as confirmed by the citys human-relations department head, will be the sixth retired chief in that long blue line. Five of the six were homegrown. Each successfully negotiated a career ladder from patrol car to administrative office while attempting to juggle local politics, community sensibilities and the concerns of mostly young men and women tasked with the occasionally ugly business of policing a city with 252,175 residents many of whom are not pleased to see them. Careers (and fortunes) of the aspiring have been dashed by failure to grasp subtleties. And before years end, city leaders must choose another chief of police this one facing record job vacancies among the rank-and-file and flagging morale. It will not be easy and there will not be a more important hire for years to come. Big job, challenges First, a word of appreciation for Chief Thompson who, while not always seeming at complete ease being the face of the department, deftly managed to thread the needle between righteous community anger over the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and cries to defund the police which helped cause mass vacancies within large police city forces. During the summer of 2020 filled with near-nightly Black Lives Matter demonstrations, Thompson could be found leading from the front by showing solidarity with the aggrieved, guarding the safety of the community and showing support for her cops. The city kind of took the middle-of-the-road in 2020 with defund the police, said a veteran officer approaching retirement age. It was the right thing to do. Still, the spotlight on police (and policing) helped drive a stampede toward the exits as experienced cops decided to seek proverbial greener pastures. By most recent accounting, Winston-Salem faces a 25-percent police vacancy rate down roughly 130 sworn officers in a force budgeted to have more than 528. Some parts of policing are ugly. It doesnt mean its wrong. Thompson said in 2020 while addressing BLM demonstrators downtown. What happened to Floyd, was not just ugly. It was wrong. And we all know that. When she steps down in December and very likely into another high-paying job the newly retired Thompson, 54, will enjoy the financial security afforded by a pension of roughly $260,000 per year until she turns 62, when the amount decreases by about $50,000. (Relax about the figures or use of tax money. Police pay into their pensions the same way as private-sector employees put money into 401k plans, and the city plows money that would have been withheld for Social Security cops dont have that taken out of their checks into pension funds.) To anyone other than a cop counting the days until retirement, their spouses, HR specialists at City Hall and accountants, calculating a police pension is difficult math: 1.85 times years of service times the average of the four highest years of salary equals benefit. For Thompson, with a salary of $197,957, thatll come out to roughly $260,000 an additional $50,000 from a distinct separation pay benefit that lasts until age 62, a perk originally intended to cover a gap until fully vested officers were eligible to draw Social Security. For what its worth, per the HR department, the final salaries of the other former chiefs were: Barry Rountree ($162,778); Scott Cunningham ($124,080); Patricia Norris ($122,145); Linda Davis ($123,355) and George Sweat ($94,993). All but Cunningham rose through the ranks of the Winston-Salem department. New leader, old problem For the next chief man or woman, in-house choice or outside candidate the challenges will be as pressing as they are obvious. They begin (and end) with a 25-percent vacancy rate, those 130 jobs that needed filling yesterday. The stoic approach has it that its a blip, a problem, but nothing thats not being dealt with by professionals. The reality is that crime remains steady, and with 25 percent fewer cops to deal with it, jobs have had to be shuffled. Cops once assigned to the street-crimes unit now handle primary patrol duties. Technology can help, but computers and video cameras cant wrestle drunk wife-beaters into the back of cruisers. And thats what makes the choice of the next chief so important. Finding a way to stop the blue exodus is crucial for public safety. We need a chief who attracts strong political support and strong administrative support for officers, said Lt. David Rose of the Winston-Salem Police Department, and the president of the Triad Police Benevolent Association who was recently elected president of the statewide PBA. We need one who takes a serious look at the administrative review process and makes it fairer for our officers. Put plainly, a new police chief will find ways to curb formal reprimands meted out over stupid stuff. Things such as a cop being punished over paperwork a noncriminal police-service report over, say, a smashed windshield having it approved by a supervisor and later receiving a formal write-up for not calling it a violation of auto law or some such thing. Administrative review is the number one reason we have the vacancies we do, Rose said. We dont want bad cops or dirty cops on the job. We have smart, educated people out there. In other words, treat working cops like grown-ups. That seems like a simple place to begin a complicated search. WINSTON-SALEM Police say they are investigating a shooting Wednesday night that injured one person near the intersection of Old Greensboro Road and Barbara Jane Avenue. At 9:20 p.m., officers responded to a local hospital where Tyrese Keyshawn McCrae was dropped off after the shooting, according to a news release from the Winston-Salem Police Department. McCrae was treated and released from the hospital, police said. Authorities ask anyone with information to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700, Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800, or En Espanol at 336-728-3904. Administrators and leaders with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools greeted beginning teachers Wednesday with a welcoming ceremony that included balloons, pom-poms and oldies blasting from the speakers. One song that was apropos given the current staffing shortages: The Jackson 5s I Want You Back. About 145 beginning teachers will launch their careers when school starts back on Aug. 29. They come at a time when the school district is scrambling to find enough teachers for their classrooms, a scenario playing out across the country. The school district is expected to have 98 unfilled teaching positions by the start of the school year, Chief Human Resources Officer Leslie Alexander told the school board on Tuesday. Wednesdays beginning teacher orientation started with lots of fanfare, with smiling, dancing staff members cheering the teachers as they walked under a balloon arch into the Education Building on Bethania Station Road. Some of the teachers looked embarrassed by all the fuss; others loved it. It was amazing. I couldnt stop smiling, said Adriana Evans, a recent graduate of UNC Greensboro. Evans will teach seventh-grade science at Northwest Middle School. She decided to become a teacher as a young person growing up in Vance County. Her goal is to incorporate life skills into her science instruction. In most mission statements and school visions, they say they want to create a responsible citizen. So how do you that? Evans said. James Morris will be move into a teaching role at Parkland High School after working as an assistant in-school suspension teacher for several years in Guilford County Schools. Theres more growth here for me, Morris said. Theres a little nervousness considering Ill be in a new environment that will take some getting used to. The all-day orientation introduces beginning teachers to all facets of the school district. Superintendent Tricia McManus delivered something akin to a pep talk, welcoming the new teachers to what she called the greatest profession on earth because of the lasting impact it can have on children. You may work with a grump next door. You may have a micro-managing principal at some point. Thats no fun, McManus said. Youre going to face challenges along this journey, but I can tell you they are nothing compared to the rewards youll face along this journey. Its perhaps understood best as a sign of changing times. Wake Forest Baptist Church, the prominent and storied community institution that meets on the Wake Forest University campus, has made the difficult decision to dissolve in the near future due to a declining and aging membership, limited financial resources and a new rental policy imposed on the church by Wake Forest University, the Rev. Rayce Lamb, interim pastor, said in a letter Sunday, as the Journals John Deem reported. The scene of hundreds of thousands of sermons, classes and ceremonies, if not millions, the universitys Wait Chapel has served as a spiritual home for the congregation since 1956, when Wake Forest College first moved from Wake Forest to Winston-Salem. Its also been the home of several prominent ministers, as well as a hub of progressive social justice issues all while keeping one foot firmly planted in established Baptist doctrine. Those competing forces sometimes caused friction within the congregation and with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. The church rode a wave of controversy in the late 1990s and early 2000s, serving as one of the first churches in the area to perform civil unions for same-sex couples, before same-sex marriage was ultimately legalized a decision that didnt sit well with its parent organization. From marching for Civil Rights in the 1960s, providing care to AIDS patients in the 1990s, and being a tireless advocate for marriage equality in the 2000s, Wake Forest Baptist Church has never been afraid to fight for justice and share the expansive love of Christ, Lamb wrote in his letter. The impact this church has had on both the Winston-Salem and the Wake Forest University community cannot be overstated and it will be missed. But, while Wake Forest Baptist Church will cease to exist, the resilient faith held by its members will not, and together we will move forward to do Gods work in new ways. We trust it will be so. But things change. Church membership has dropped from hundreds in the 1950s and 60s including Wake Forest students, faculty and staff to a few dozen today, not enough to keep paying the rent. Between now and the time the church folds, it will meet in the smaller Davis Chapel rather than Wait Chapel. This isnt the only church in the area to close or downsize in recent times. Some churches dissolve because of scandal or inner division but more from practical factors like shifting demographics or population trends or competition from other churches. The closing serves as a reminder, though, that church attendance habits have been changing significantly in the U.S. for a while now. Last year, for the first time in several decades, Gallup found that fewer than half of U.S. adults belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque. Americans membership in houses of worship continued to decline last year, dropping below 50% for the first time in Gallups eight-decade trend, Gallup reported. U.S. church membership was 73% when Gallup first measured it in 1937 and remained near 70% for the next six decades, before beginning a steady decline around the turn of the 21st century. This coincides with the rise of the nones Americans who say they have no specific religious affiliation (and thus check the box marked none or nothing in particular). Time magazine defined this group as the fastest growing religious group in the United States in 2012, and its continued to grow since. But while they may not be particularly religious, it would be a mistake to identify the nones as anti-religion or immoral. Whether in a church building or elsewhere, people seek meaning, purpose and structure in their lives. Despite its source, many of us seem to agree on the values that help us make it through our days and associate with each other in rewarding ways: honesty, generosity, kindness and compassion. We could all use a little compassion these days. The members of Wake Forest Baptist Church have learned these values. We trust theyll take them along as they depart for new places. In a packed courtroom late last week, a district judge sentenced a Lincoln man to 106 years to life in prison and fined him $30,000 for a string of sexual assaults on boys in a case described by the lead Lincoln Police investigator as one of the worst he's ever seen. Graciano Lopez, the former owner of a Lincoln magic shop and lawn care business, stood and read from a letter, thanking the investigators "for working tirelessly so these young men's voices could be heard," and the two boys for "bravely starting this process." "You saved my life," he said tearfully. "And now I can get the help that I need." Lopez, 44, said he had let abuse from his past determine his future and wanted to apologize and take full responsibility for his actions and the harm he caused. "I didn't set out to hurt anyone, but in the end my actions hurt so many. Please forgive me," he said. Soon after, the mother of one of the victims read from her own letter, telling Lopez they would never be able to forget what he did. "Never in our wildest nightmares did we ever think you would be callous enough to cause this kind of pain. You accepted money from us for the mowing and magic shows and then left open wounds in your wake," she said. She said she and her husband tried to teach their sons about work ethic and mistakenly thought Lopez would be a good role model; instead, he took advantage and did unspeakable things to them. She said after he sexually assaulted one of their sons, he sat down at their table for dinner. "You are a monster. No doubt about it. But now we all know you are a pathetic human being," she said. She said she hoped Lopez never saw the light of day again, only prison bars. Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Chris Reid said Lopez argued he could be rehabilitated. But the question for the state was whether he ever could be trusted to return to society and not prey on children. "The state believes he has crossed the Rubicon, that he has passed the point of no return, where there are irreversible consequences for his actions," Reid said. He asked for a punishment that matched the gravity of Lopez's crimes, which includes 15 years of sexual abuse of at least eight children, many of them subjected to hundreds of individual sexual assaults. "He crossed a line 15 years ago because of his choices that no one else is responsible for but himself, and those choices have consequences," Reid said. "The victims need justice." In the end, Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong directed much of her comments to Lopez's victims, telling them she sincerely hoped this would help bring them some closure to these horrific events. She said the acts that resulted in the charges took place hundreds or thousands of times between 2005 and 2014. Strong said Lopez took advantage of positions of trust as a foster parent in the case of two victims, as an employer at his lawn service company and Jolly Beans Magic Castle, a magic shop near a middle school to sexually abuse vulnerable young children who looked up to him and trusted him. She said officials don't really know the exact number of victims, but she thanked the brave ones who came forward to stop Lopez from continuing to do this to others. "We don't have enough people in today's society that do that kind of thing, that are courageous, that stand up so that others will not be harmed. I am thankful to you," she said. And she sentenced Lopez, who had pleaded no contest, to 20 years for each of five victims of first-degree sexual assault for a total of 100 years to life, plus six years more on child abuse and third-degree sexual assault of a child charges. Lincoln Police began investigating Lopez in March 2021 when a child in his care contacted the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and reported Lopez had sexually assaulted him numerous times over the past several years. A two-month investigation led investigators to another seven victims, all of whom were under the age of 16 at the time they were abused. A Lancaster County judge on Wednesday signed an arrest warrant for a Lincoln man who police say fled to Canada as police investigated sexual abuse allegations against the 56-year-old, authorities said in court records. Issa Augustino has been charged with third-degree sexual assault of a child and felony child abuse, but remains at large, with recent bank activity indicating he is now in Canada, Lincoln Police Investigator Tyler Nitz said in the affidavit for Augustino's arrest. The investigation into Augustino began in June 2022, when a teenage girl told police he had been regularly sexually abusing her for at least five months, Nitz said in the affidavit. In two instances, the girl filmed the alleged assaults to prove they occurred, she told investigators. As the alleged abuse went on, the girl said Augustino began sending her money electronically, which she suspected was "'hush money' for the molestation," Nitz said. The 56-year-old fled the country in April. The University of Nebraska Board of Regents extended President Ted Carter's contract by three years on Thursday, potentially keeping the university's top leader in Nebraska through 2027. Carter's new contract, approved unanimously, also raises his base salary by 3% this year and adds a second deferred compensation package to incentivize the president to stay at NU. In all, Carter's total compensation could top $1.5 million beginning in 2023. As approved by regents, Carter's restructured contract includes: * An increase in base salary which is funded through a combination of state appropriations and tuition revenue from $934,600 to $962,638. * A new end date of Dec. 31, 2027. When he was hired in 2019, Carter's five-year contract expired at the end of 2024. * A second deferred compensation package that will put $340,000 in private money into an account beginning in 2023. Carter will be eligible to receive the money beginning in January 2024. * Carter's existing deferred compensation package provides an amount equal to 11.5% of his base salary as an incentive to stay at NU. Regents also awarded Carter, a former superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, a $105,000 performance bonus for the 2021-22 academic year. That amount is less than the $140,000 he was eligible to receive; Carter hit 89% of the benchmarks set for him by the board last year after first- to second-year retention numbers fell at several NU campuses. Omaha Regent Elizabeth O'Connor, who was the lone "no" vote when regents approved Carter's initial contract in 2019, citing concerns about the amount, said she supported the new contract terms. "Today, we are in a much better financial and operational position, we have more stable funding, we've emerged from a global pandemic stronger," she said. O'Connor credited Carter for "landmark actions" like the creation of Nebraska Promise, which allows in-state students from median household incomes to attend NU tuition-free, a plan to address $400 million in deferred maintenance projects, and a restructuring of university debt that will save taxpayers money. She said Carter has "exceeded expectations" and she believes he "will continue to produce outstanding results" for students and the state. "Quite frankly, I expect even better things in the next several years," O'Connor said. In other business: * Regents approved a budget request seeking 3% more in state appropriations for the university in the next biennium on a 7-0 vote, with one abstention. If approved by the Legislature and signed by the next governor, NU would receive $665 million in 2023-24 and $696 million in 2024-25. Carter said the request would not cover all of the university's costs. NU would be required to close a $12.5 million budget gap each year, either through enrollment growth, tuition increases or budget cuts. Regent Jim Pillen of Columbus, who is the Republican nominee for governor and will face state Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue in November, abstained. Nebraska's next governor will put forward their own two-year budget recommendations in January. * Neihardt Hall, the former home of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's honors program, and more recently, a location for students needing to quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be renovated into a student services center. Regents approved a $21.5 million plan to transform 100,000 square feet of space in the former residence hall into offices, conference rooms, lounges and other places serving students. The renovation will be funded through NU's $400 million deferred maintenance program. * Regents also approved a master lease with 21V LLC, an entity managed by Woodbury Corp. and WRK, to develop 16.5 acres on the former Cushman Motorworks site. In 2021, UNL announced plans to build the Unity Commons, a $175 million mixed-use development with housing for retirees and retail space near 21st and Vine streets. * Students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha will be shuttled back and forth between the Dodge and Scott campuses on an Arrow Stage Lines bus after regents approved a $7.2 million contract. The shuttle service runs approximately 250 days per year, with 4,200 riders using it daily. Over the course of the three-year contract, the cost to student users equates to roughly 38 cents per day. The Lincoln City Council on Wednesday made several changes to the mayors proposed biennial budget that would have the net effect of using $1.5 million from two cash reserve funds to add money for incentive programs for homeowners and businesses. The proposals include adding $1 million to a little-used business incentive called the Fast Forward Fund; adding $250,000 each year for incentives for homeowners buying more efficient heating and cooling systems; $100,000 to study the impact of development on the Salt Creek watershed; and freezing fee increases for child care programs and food service businesses. The council also approved shifting money from an unfilled City Council position to pay for an additional employee in the city clerks office a net savings of $133,121 over the two-year budget cycle. Of the six proposals offered by council members Sandra Washington, Richard Meginnis and Bennie Shobe, the group voted against only one change: a proposal by Meginnis to remove a new Health Department employee position. The council voted 4-3 against Meginnis proposal, which means the new position will remain a part of the budget. Tammy Ward, Meginnis and Jane Raybould voted to remove the position; Washington, Tom Beckius, Shobe and James Michael Bowers voted to keep it. The new position in the Health Department would use unfilled one-fourth full-time equivalent hours and money from existing fee revenue to pay for an environmental health educator. Meginnis said he didnt see the point of creating a position for someone to educate people about climate change, but Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department Director Pat Lopez said the position would be used to create an emergency management plan for natural disasters. While the city has infrastructure plans for emergencies caused by the accelerated rate of climate change events like floods or drought, it doesn't have plans for dealing with people. Those plans would include such things as where to move elderly people when there are floods, Lopez said. Its a much different plan to address human needs, Lopez told the council. Its not about educators going out and talking to people. Beckius and Washington both noted that the Health Department isnt asking for additional funding for the position. Bowers said he saw this as an investment in public safety, and Washington said she supports investing in planning. Ward said she supported Meginnis request to remove the position because the 67 new positions included in the mayors biennial budget gives her pause. A total 7% (budget) increase at a time when we dont know about an upcoming recession, and we did approve an extensive nursing program, I just cant support this in good conscience, she said. Meginnis said hed like the council to look into what fee revenue is used for, saying residents or businesses that pay fees for such things as pollution emissions or well inspections expect the revenue to go toward the service for which theyre being charged, not to fund new jobs. Another proposal to remove an unfilled position from the City Councils budget and use the majority of that money to pay for an additional employee in the city clerks office passed on a 6-1 vote. Bowers voted against it, saying the job of a research analyst for council members though unfilled would help keep the council independent from the executive branch, reduce the learning curve for new council members and enable them to be more responsive to constituents. Other council members noted that city department heads are responsive to their questions, and the position unfilled for at least three years leaves money sitting unused. I think $190,000 sitting in a fund is not doing taxpayers any good, Meginnis said. I think we need to move it. The City Council position would cost the city $192,622 during the two-year budget cycle. Meginnis proposed using $133,121 of that money over the two budget cycles to pay for an additional employee in the city clerks office one of the 67 new jobs added in the mayors budget. That city clerk position would remain in the budget and the $133,121 would be used to increase general fund reserves. The remaining $59,451 from the City Council analyst position would remain in the council budget for education and training for council members. The council unanimously passed four other proposed changes: * Shobes proposal to add $250,000 in each of the two budget years from the general fund reserves for education and incentives for residents replacing heating and cooling systems. He tweaked his request after council members failed to support it earlier, reducing the amount each year by $50,000 and expanding the request to include all property owners, not just low-income residents. * Meginnis proposal to freeze fee increases for child care programs and food service businesses for two years. Freezing the funds would cost $20,000 in 2022-23 and $40,600 the following year. The money would come from reserves in the Health Department budget. * Washingtons proposal to add $100,000 to the capital improvement program in 2022-23 to study the impact of development on the upper Salt Creek watershed. Environmental concerns raised by opponents of a planned development called Wilderness Crossing adjacent to Wilderness Park prompted the study. It would look at the effect on the watershed if the development goals of the 2050 Comprehensive Plan are realized. * Meginnis proposal to add $1 million from the general fund cash reserves to the Fast Forward Fund. Until this year when the city gave $3.35 million from the fund to Duncan Aviation it was a little-used business incentive fund created in 2009 using $6 million in surplus special assessments. Wednesdays votes on proposed changes to the budget arent binding, but allow city budget analysts to tweak the budget before the councils final vote on Aug. 22. Council members could still make changes until then. The mayor proposed a $243.5 million tax-funded budget for 2022-23, a 7.4% increase in spending or nearly $16.7 million. The budget would increase $9.8 million, or 4%, the following year. If everything had gone as planned Jamey Johnson would have played Lincoln on the Streets in 2020. But, like much in the pandemic, things didnt go as planned and the outlaw country heir saw his Lincoln show postponed to June 2021 show, then moved from Centennial Mall and M streets to Pinewood Bowl. There, it became Lincolns first major concert of the year, drawing 4,400 to the Pioneers Park amphitheater. Thursday, Johnson is scheduled to play the Grand Ole Opry, then hell jump in the bus to roll back to Lincoln for a makeup date of sorts, playing Lincoln on the Streets, the first show on a late summer/early fall tour that wont wrap until the end of October. That show very well could be newsworthy for the simplest of reasons: Johnson might play a new song. He hasnt released an album of original music in a dozen years. But hes played the unreleased 21 Guns at a couple of recent shows. I dont do new songs very often, Johnson told the crowd at Montanas Big Sky Festival last month I wrote one a couple of weeks ago. Its about an old friend of mine in the Marine Corps. It remains to be seen if 21 Guns will be on Fridays setlist. But it's certain that the show will include his classics, like the 2008s award-winning In Color, along with a bunch of well-selected covers that pay homage to countrys great songwriters and his outlaw heroes, and keep their music alive. Townes Van Zandts not around anymore to sing his songs, so somebodys got to sing them, Johnson said, according to Saving Country Music. Vern Gosdin, hes not here today. Neither is Merle Haggard and neither is George Jones. And without people like me out there covering those songs, they just stop. If nobody was singing Johnny Cash, theres a whole generation that would grow up without Johnny Cash. And if you ask me, thats not going to be a good world. The burly, bearded 47-year-old Alabaman rightfully considers himself to be the heir to Haggard and Waylon Jennings and, as a songwriter, Kris Kristofferson. In his two decades in the country industry, he has assumed their outlaw mantle. Moving from Montgomery to Nashville about 20 years ago, Johnson, like Willie Nelson, first got noticed as a songwriter, penning Honky Tonk Badonkadonk and I Got My Game On for Trace Adkins. But, again like Willie, his initial album fizzled and he got dropped from BNA Records. Then came That Lonesome Song. Initially self-released only on the internet, the 2008 album captured Johnsons deep baritone and captivating songwriting, got him signed by Mercury Nashville and generated the top-10 hit In Color. Johnson followed that critically acclaimed record two years later with The Guitar Song, a two-album set that revisited classic country themes, balancing them with covers of Keith Whitley and Kristofferson another indicator of where Johnson comes from. Two years later came Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran, on which Johnson rounded up the likes of Haggard, Nelson, George Strait and Emmylou Harris to pay tribute to the late writer of Make the World Go Away, I Fall to Pieces and A-11. Not surprisingly, given his recording recalcitrance and soft-spoken independent streak, Johnson wore out his welcome at Mercury. Leaving the major label for one he owns, Big Gassed Records, hes released a couple of singles since 2015. That, he told Rolling Stone in 2021, is because his shows now stand in for albums he hasnt made. Its almost like that little two-hour session on the stage has taken the place of making a record for me because every night, its a record, Johnson told Rolling Stone last year. My shows vary. Ill do whatever comes to mind at a show, whether its something new or some cover. Thats just what Johnson has done when he made his Lincoln debut at the Bourbon Theatre in 2016, opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd at Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2018 and at Pinewood last year, where he and his 10-piece band delivered one of the top 2021 shows in Lincoln and the best Ive seen from him. Blackberry Smoke will open Fridays 7 p.m. show. Admission at the gate is $45. A judge has ruled in favor of Nebraska prison officials and workers accused by a transgender inmate of failing to treat her gender dysphoria, denying her gender-conforming surgery and failing to protect her from another inmate. In an order last week, U.S. District Judge Brian C. Buescher said the inmate, identified as "Jane Doe" due to the nature of the allegations, lacked medical expert evidence to support her claims. "Without medical evidence, no reasonable jury could conclude that the providers were deliberately indifferent to Does serious medical need," he wrote. Her attorneys, Joy Shiffermiller and Abby Osborn, alleged she had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and was transitioning to be a woman before she was sentenced to prison in 2013. She initially was placed at Tecumseh State Correctional Institute, where they say she continually requested medical treatment for her gender dysphoria, but was told by prison employees and medical contractors that there was no medical need for it. Buescher said one of the doctor's being sued, Dr. Jeffrey Damme who was employed by Correct Care Solutions at the time, said he had several encounters with her before she ever mentioned to him a desire for hormone treatment and he had no experience treating gender dysphoria. In 2015, the prison did not have a written protocol for treating it. Shiffermiller alleged Damme overlooked the obvious situation: She was a woman in a men's prison. And her medical chart indicated she repeatedly told medical staff she wanted to continue hormone treatment, so the doctor should have known. After an evaluation in December 2015, her diagnosis was confirmed, and a treatment plan was adopted a month later. In April 2016, Damme authorized hormone treatment and she was prescribed medication to treat her condition. By then, she had gone two years at the Tecumseh prison without treatment, her attorneys said. Four months later, she was transferred to the Omaha Correctional Center, where she had to be diagnosed again before receiving treatment and was denied gender-conforming surgery. Buescher said despite Jane Doe's lawyers disputing nearly all the factual statements by the defendants, few were properly controverted, "and the evidentiary holes in Does case mean that no reasonable jury could find in her favor." He said they seemed to imply that Damme should have known of her need for medical treatment from her medical records, even if she did not tell him directly, and to assert that courts have recognized gender dysphoria as a serious medical need. Assuming without deciding that it is an "objectively serious medical condition requiring treatment," Buescher said there was no evidence Damme had been deliberately indifferent. He found the same true of Correct Care Solutions; Dr. Randy Kohl, the deputy director of Health Services at NDCS who retired in 2016; Omaha Correctional Center's Facility Health Administrator Dr. Kathleen Ogden; and Margaret Antley, a physician assistant there. Buescher said the expert evidence in the record demonstrates that gender dysphoria is a sophisticated medical condition on which medical professionals disagree about treatments. He previously dismissed claims that prison employees failed to protect Jane Doe by placing her in a cell with a convicted sex offender, who ultimately victimized her. He said he found no support for the notion that a substantial risk of harm or deliberate indifference to it "could be plausibly inferred from a prospective cellmates conviction of sexual offenses coupled with the alleged vulnerability of a transgender inmate transitioning to a woman in a mens prison." Buescher said the allegations invite him to speculate. And, he said, she hadn't plausibly alleged she suffered more than de minimis injuries (meaning too small to be meaningful or taken into consideration) from their alleged failure to protect her. A 71-year-old man who was critically injured Saturday in a fire at his Benson neighborhood home later died at an Omaha hospital, Omaha police said. James L. Campbell died after he was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center, police reported. A 43-year-old woman, Laci M. Campbell, was taken to the hospital to be treated for burns to her left hand and smoke inhalation, the report said. Firefighters were called to a home near 55th and Wirt streets about 9:30 a.m. Saturday and found light smoke coming from the house. Three occupants of the home had evacuated before firefighters arrived, according to an Omaha Fire Department report. The fire caused an estimated $35,000 damage to the home, which was valued at $71,500. Approximately $12,500 in the home's contents also were destroyed. A dog that lived in the home was missing, the fire department spokesman said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Moscow is struggling to replenish its troops as it suffers more losses in Ukraine. Now, it's offering prisoners amnesty to fight. Get the latest from the war. The pandemic showed us how vital child care is to our economy. Without reliable and proven child care, many people -- most of them women -- were forced to leave the workforce, creating employment challenges that continue to torment business owners everywhere. Nebraska continues to overcome the havoc of the last two years, but imagine how bad it might have been were it not for grants that kept many of the state's child care providers afloat. Federal pandemic relief funds delivered Nebraska child care providers a $98 million lifeline over the past nine months, according to state officials. Reports from the Department of Health and Human Services show that 2,269 providers or 80% of all licensed child care centers, family child care homes and preschools have gotten help through the Child Care Stabilization Grant program since October, the Omaha World-Herald reported last week. The funding has been critical in supporting a key part of the states economy, while also keeping quality child care available for children and working parents. A key in gauging the success of any program is determining the number of people who have benefitted from it. There are few programs that have a better participation rate or more positive outcomes. The successful grant cycles impacted the statewide provider network and brought stability and reliability to a vital industry in Nebraska, said Stephanie Beasley, children and family services director for the Department of Health and Human Services. HHS deserves a tip of the hat for establishing the grant program with Nebraskas share of the $24 billion in federal child care relief dollars provided through the American Rescue Plan Act. State officials awarded a total of $104 million in two rounds of grants, with the bulk of the money already disbursed. The last $6 million is set to be disbursed to second-round recipients in September. More funding is still needed because Nebraska's child care providers continue to struggle. With a shortage of workers, wages have soared making it difficult for providers to continue offering safe and affordable services to families. It's a pain that isn't unique to Nebraska. Nationally, the pandemic exacerbated the shortage of reliable and affordable child care, which in turn has restricted the growth of the broader economy. However, it might hurt more in the Cornhusker State, where pre-pandemic figures showed that more than 76% of Nebraska children under age 6 lived in homes where all adults worked, which is higher than the national average of 68%. Ensuring that child care remains a priority is essential to this state's economic future. While we hope that federal funding will continue, it needs to be a priority for state lawmakers, too. RACINE As the Racine Concert Band continues to celebrate its landmark 100th season, the band welcomes guest vocalist Darlene Kelsey and flute soloist Beth Kapralian. The bands principal flutist, Kapralian has been a Racine Concert Band member since 1994 and is a part-time elementary music teacher for Racine Unified Schools. She will perform Rhapsody for Flute by Stephen Bulla during the Sunday night program. She purchased this piece for the band and previously performed it as a soloist in 2016. I really like the way it sounds, Kapralian said. Kelsey making her second appearance as a guest artist with the band is a graduate of the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University and has performed with the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee, the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Grant Park Chorus and as a recitalist at the University of Chicago. She has a masters degree in Voice after earning a performance degree in oboe. She teaches at Forrestal Elementary School in North Chicago, Ill. She will sing four pieces Sunday night: The Kiss, a vocal waltz by Italian composer Luigi Arditi; the Kringleville Polka by Sverre Elsmo; I Feel a Song Comin On by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields; and the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein classic Getting to Know You from the 1951 Broadway hit The King & I. Kringleville Polka was composed in 1957 by Elsmo, a Racine resident, honoring the citys signature treat. 100 years strong Mark Eichner who received an honor from the band at its Aug. 7 concert in celebration of his 20th season as the music director will conduct the program. This is the bands final 2022 Sunday night outdoor concert, and Eichner said the group has a lot to be proud of as it marks its centennial year. The group is not just surviving but is thriving in a difficult and vastly changed environment, he said. Im struck by the many ways the band has evolved over the last 20 years. If we had continued to conduct ourselves as we did in 2002, we would have been bankrupted and wiped off the map long ago. Instead, were well-positioned to take a long-term view of what the Racine Concert Band can be in its second century. Mozart and Sousa Sunday nights program also includes: The Kings March by Richard Strauss. Overture to Les Petits Riens by W.A. Mozart. The Fantastic Toy Shop, a ballet suite that debuted in London in 1919. Ottorino Respighi wrote the music based on piano pieces by Gioachino Rossini. El Albanico by Alfredo Javaloyes. Spiritual by Don Gillis. Rollo Takes a Walk by David Maslanka. The piece is described as a tongue-in-cheek favorite and was inspired by Rollo, a character created by composer Charles Ives to represent ultra-conservative musical tastes. Highlights from the Broadway musical My Fair Lady by Alan Lerner and Freerick Loewe. The Thunderer march by John Philip Sousa. Don Rosen, a professional radio broadcaster for 50 years, is the master of ceremonies for the concert. Looking ahead Though the bands summer season ends Sunday night, the 100th anniversary celebration continues with a Nov. 1 concert at Racines Washington Park High School. Im super-stoked about the final concert of the centennial, Eichner said. The program continues the bands Rooted in Racine concerts. Our newest tradition features a guest artist soloist who developed their musical skills in our area, Eichner explained. Bill Nelson, a Washington Park and UW-Parkside alumnus, will be the soloist in a performance of the Tenor Saxophone Concerto by American Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Ward. It will be a great pleasure to collaborate will Bill again and also to conduct the only band work by composer Robert Ward not previously performed by the band. The November program also features the Racine Concert Bands third premiere of the year: A band version of Melodia from Daron Hagens Concerto for Brass Quintet. A native of Brookfield, Hagen moved to New York before I moved to Wisconsin, Eichner said. Still, our musical paths have crossed many times, and Daron authorized me to make the band version and conduct the premiere. Although Ive made many arrangements for the band, Eichner added, Ive never before arranged music by a living composer, who will undoubtedly take an interest in the outcome of the project. Federal prosecutors have charged two Minnesota men for allegedly participating in arsons and looting in Kenosha in August 2020 following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. It offers a detailed glimpse into what occurred inside some of the looted stores, and how such alleged criminals were organized. The two most recent defendants join a handful of others already charged with serious crimes committed here after driving to Kenosha from the Twin Cities in a coordinated group, according to court records. Anthony Clay, 24, and Antoine Eubanks, 30, each face the charge of conspiring to defraud the United States, among other things. Some of their co-conspirators have already been charged with criminal offenses. Clay and Eubanks were charged in a sealed complaint in April. They were indicted Tuesday and the complaint was unsealed. The 29-page complaint by U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Milwaukee special agent Rick Hankins details their alleged crimes during the Kenosha unrest. It also details the alleged crimes of their co-conspirators. Clay and Eubanks, along with Allen King, David Garner, Kevin Martinez and others allegedly drove to Kenosha from Minnesota on Aug. 24, the day after Downtown Kenosha experienced unprecedented chaos and violence over the Blake shooting. Charlies Bar incident On Aug. 26 , ATF and the Kenosha Police Department initiated a fire scene investigation at Charlies 10th Hole bar, 3805 22nd Ave. Investigators located two areas of separate fire damage, one on the outside of the building and one on the inside. The ATF determined both fires were incendiary in nature, according to the complaint. As part of their investigation, law enforcement collected hours of surveillance videos from multiple locations. Late Aug. 24, a male believed to be Garner was observed using an apparent ignitable liquid to set fire to the north exterior of the bar. A few minutes later, a male believed to be King is seen standing next to Garner holding an object that Garner pours liquid on. Soon after, surveillance cameras captured an illumination near the front window at the bar with King appearing near it, according to the complaint. Interior cameras at the bar reportedly captured images of a flaming object flying through the air from the direction of the front window and landing behind the bar. The male believed to be King, along with others in his group, subsequently fled westbound across 22nd Avenue toward a CVS located at 3726 22nd Ave. CVS store Approximately 14 people unlawfully entered a closed CVS store around 11:30 p.m. that night. The unlawful intruders allegedly included King, Martinez, Garner, Clay and Eubanks. Kenosha Police responded to the CVS burglary and observed the bottom half of CVSs glass sliding doors were shattered and entered the building to check for subjects. Officers reportedly located a silver hammer with a black handle and a flathead screwdriver with a black-and-red handle in the immediate area. Officers noted that cash drawers and pill bottles were strewn across the floor, and the store was in disarray. The pharmacy section of the CVS had hundreds of pill bottles strewn across the floor, one shelf of medication was tipped over, and the medication refrigerators were opened. CVS pharmacy completed an inventory and found that about $1,250 of controlled substances and $10,825 of non-controlled substances were missing from the store. A man identified as JM was charged with burglary. JM reportedly acknowledged that he had traveled with the group of people from the Twin Cities on August 24 to participate in the riots and tied King, Eubanks and Martinez to the burglary. Citgo gas station The Citgo gas station located at 2710 Roosevelt Road was also burglarized during the early morning hours of Aug. 25. The glass of the Citgos front windows and door were broken and surveillance video captured multiple people entering the gas station and looting. Shortly thereafter, a dark SUV approached the gas station and a man believed to be King exited the vehicle, with another individual believed to be Eubanks. King reportedly entered the store, possessing what appears to be a handgun. At one point King took a shooting stance with both hands on the suspected handgun and aimed it at the office/cashier booth door, according to the complaint. Shortly thereafter most of the other people inside the store quickly exited the store. After he placed the handgun in his front pocket, King then reportedly attempted to open the sliding windows to the cashier booth. At about this same time, Eubanks allegedly entered the gas station. Both males subsequently began working together to force open the cashier window. By around 12:25 a.m., King had exited the cashier booth with a metal garbage can containing cigarettes.. At approximately 1 a.m., a man believed to be Martinez entered the gas station. Martinez allegedly jumped onto the counter and entered the cashier booth. After he jumped into the cashier booth, Martinez assisted in collecting cigarettes. The Citgo gas station surveillance system also captured images of the male believed to be Eubanks collecting items, including cigarettes and lottery tickets, and removing those items from the store. Facebook evidence Law enforcement was eventually able to identify and obtain records of Facebook accounts maintained by Eubanks, Clay, King, Garner and Martinez. In one Facebook post, created on the date of the suspected arson, King reportedly indicated that he, Garner and Martinez were on a money mission. Kings next Facebook post was a video on his timeline at approximately 9:50 p.m. on Aug. 24 in which he announced that he and his group were in Kenosha. King himself is depicted wearing a red shirt and a covering over his head and face, consistent with his appearance during the arsons at Charlies 10th Hole bar. Later that same day, King reportedly sent photos with listed prices for items believed to be stolen from Kenosha, according to the complaint. Garner was arrested on Aug. 23, 2021. When questioned by investigators, Garner reportedly said they were just protesting when they first arrived, but that King started breaking stuff, and broke into car dealerships to try to steal cars. He also stated King started some fires with a flammable liquid he got from white men dressed as freedom fighters and who carried guns and were dressed like soldiers. RACINE City of Racine voters resoundingly rejected an increase in taxes by $2 million cumulatively in order to hire more police. The referendum would have funded 11 positions at the Racine Police Department, which were eliminated in 2020. The city administration says the eliminations were due to budget restraints and consistently decreasing support from the state, while critics say it was due to poor fiscal management. The referendum would also have provided around $500,000 for other crime prevention initiatives and would have allowed an additional $150,000 per year, every year afterward, to cover increases in salaries and benefits. Had the referendum passed, for a homeowner with a home assessed at $135,000, the tax increase would have represented approximately $71.55 per year. 2,846 Racine voters cast ballots in favor of the referendum, according to Tuesdays unofficial count, compared to 3,695 voting against the referendum. Mayor Cory Mason said the feedback he received from the public was conflicted. Generally, people wanted more policing, but they did not want their property taxes increased. Their fiscal concerns outweighed their public safety concerns, he said. Opposition One of the people who voted no on the referendum was Alderman Henry Perez, who is a retired Miami police officer and wants to see the RPD better-funded, but not with an increase in property taxes. He said he wanted to see the council prioritize public safety in the budget. Perez was also critical of the way the city used federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. He said the city used the money for feel good projects when it should have gone to necessary spending, such as public safety. However, ARPA funds could not have been used to permanently fund the 11 positions eliminated in 2020, since it was temporary money, but it could have been used to strengthen public safety. Perez said the money could have been used for a task force, as one option. Fiscal Alderman CJ Rouse described the voters he interacted with as angry and appalled that the city was asking to raise their property taxes. He said his district has a lot of people who are on fixed incomes as well as people who are struggling financially. Neither group felt they could afford an increase in property taxes at this time, he continued. He also said even the folks living in apartment buildings were concerned about what an increase in property taxes could due to rent. Rouse said voters also expressed concern that if the funds from the increased taxes were not used, that money would be rolled over into general government spending. He also heard from some voters who intended to vote against the referendum because they do not support law enforcement. He stressed, though, that those were few, and the majority of comments he heard expressed concern about the increase in property taxes. Alternatives There are alternatives to funding the 11 positions that were eliminated. Mason pointed out the state is sitting on a historic budget surplus, which could be used to increase aid to municipalities in order to shore up law enforcement budgets during a time when there has been an increase in crime. The surplus is projected to be $3.8 billion. He said for those in the legislature who purport to support police, here was the opportunity to do something meaningful and walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Efforts by Gov. Tony Evers to use the surplus for education and to send checks to voters have been rejected by the Wisconsin Legislature, which is firmly in GOP control. Republicans plan to build a plan to spend the money next year, and hope to do that with a Republican governor instead of Evers. Polls Relatively few Racine residents voted in the election. In a community with approximately 77,000 people, only 35,285 people are registered to vote, and only 6,541 voted in the referendum just 8.5% of the population. It hurts my heart to see it, Rouse said of the low voter turnout; though, he acknowledged it was part of the trend of people disengaging themselves from civic activities. Alderman Marcus West admitted he missed many a primary as a young man because he did not understand how local and state elections impacted the community. West noted that communities of color are more likely to vote in national elections and then skip local and state elections. If we want change in the state, we have to go to the polls, and vote for people who match our ideology, he said. It is important for us to get out in primaries and make our voices heard. West added the black community has a vision for itself, but in order for that vision to come to fruition, in order for change to come, they had to show up and vote in all the elections. Forward Rouse said the way forward to increase civic engagement should start in small ways, including the way officials interact with the public. As an example, he pointed out if a member of the council assisted a resident with reporting a burned-out streetlight, and then the streetlight was fixed, that person has engaged with the city in a positive way and might be open to more interactions. Rouse said he was currently on a mission to get more people to public meetings where their voices could be heard with particular reference to public comments and perhaps down the road with a run for an elected position. The main thing I want is to see people engaged, he said. The question The text of the referendum question that appeared on ballots Tuesday was as follows: "Under state law, the increase in the levy of the City of Racine for the tax to be imposed for the next fiscal year, 2023, is limited to 0.50%, based on the Citys best estimate, which results in a levy of $56,682,358. Shall the City of Racine be allowed to exceed this limit and increase the levy for the next fiscal year, 2023, for the purpose of increasing authorized sworn police personnel by 11 police officers and for the implementation of additional crime detection and prevention programs, by a total of 3.53%, based on the Citys best estimate, which results in a levy of $58,682,358 in 2023, and an additional $150,000 per year for each fiscal year thereafter?" Future Mason indicated prior to Tuesdays vote that the referendum being rejected could lead to cuts to services next year or in the years to follow. Due to state legislation that ties property tax increases to net new construction, the city is limited in its ability to raise revenue because it has so little net new construction. Mason called referendums one of our only paths forward for additional resources, outside of net new construction. This was the second failed City of Racine referendum in two years. In November 2020, a similar referendum aiming to raise taxes in order to fund public services failed by a vote of 19,106 to 10,198. A 17-year-old boy has been arrested for making bomb threats at Madison's Memorial High and other schools outside Dane County from February through April, Madison police reported. Joseph H. Garrison, of Madison and a student at Memorial, was cooperative and arrested without incident on Wednesday morning, police spokesperson Stephanie Fryer said in a statement. None of the threats were deemed credible, Fryer said. Detectives are referring felony charges of bomb scares and terrorist threats (party to a crime) against Garrison, Fryer said. The investigation is continuing and Madison police detectives are working with other law enforcement agencies, Fryer said. The Madison Police Department appreciates the support from staff at the Madison Metropolitan School District as this case was investigated, Fryer said. Police ask that anyone with information on the incident contact them at 608-255-2345. Tipsters may remain anonymous by contacting Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or P3Tips.com. Individuals contacting Crime Stoppers can receive a reward of up to $1,000 for tips that lead to an arrest. A slate of non-incumbent candidates who have promoted the myth that the 2020 presidential election can be decertified lost their primaries Tuesday against other Republicans who have been less enthusiastic about the notion or spoken out against it. Campaigning on lies about widespread fraud in the 2020 election that largely originated with former President Donald Trump, the groups loss comes as many Republican leaders are encouraging conservatives to look forward, not backward. But while decertification proved to be a losing issue for the several candidates who proposed it, Trump-backed candidates did well on Tuesday, a sign that the former presidents influence is still very much present in Wisconsin. Candidates who ran largely or partially on decertification, which cant happen under state law and the U.S. Constitution, include Rep. Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport, who ran for governor; attorney Karen Mueller, who ran for attorney general; Adam Steen, who ran against Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester; Chris Connell, who ran in an Assembly district near Eau Claire; Jay Schroeder, who ran for secretary of state; and Ruth Villareal, who challenged Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg. No one in the group immediately responded to a request for comment. Members of that group were often supportive of each other, appearing at one anothers events and backing other decertification proponents on social media. Two legislators who have repeated claims that the 2020 election can be decertified besides Ramthun state Rep. and Assembly Elections Committee chair Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, and Rep. Chuck Wichgers, R-Muskego, whom Ramthun said supported his legislation to decertify the 2020 election did not face primary challenges. Sen. Kathleen Bernier, R-Chippewa Falls, said single-issue candidates generally dont do well but added the decertification platform was very unsuccessful because the Republican base knows that you cannot undo an election. Ramthun was perhaps the most prominent candidate promoting decertification, but he failed to gather widespread support or Trumps endorsement. He ended up with about 6% of the vote in the race, according to The Associated Press. While he hasnt made it a central aspect of his platform, Republican gubernatorial nominee Tim Michels last week said everything will be on the table when asked about the topic, marking a shift from his comments a week earlier that decertification was not a priority. Steen, whom Trump endorsed in early August, also welcomed the support of former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. Vos chose Gableman to lead a 2020 election review but on Tuesday night called him an embarrassment to Wisconsin. Steens tight race against Vos unofficial numbers showed Vos leading by 260 votes out of nearly 10,000 cast made him by far the most competitive decertification proponent this cycle. Steen had not conceded the race by Wednesday afternoon. In a video that appears to have been recorded late Tuesday night, Steen said he would consider his next steps Wednesday morning. Bernier said Steens relative success against Vos was a reflection of the Trump endorsement and many Republicans dislike of Vos. The most bizarre behavior Ive ever seen in politics is the hate by Republicans for Robin Vos, she said. You know, its kind of obsessive. I think the better man won because if you ever check the Steen website, youll find that he is definitely an odd duck, she continued. Mueller, who also ran on investigating hospitals that didnt provide ivermectin to patients with COVID-19 despite numerous studies showing the drug was no more effective than a placebo garnered about 25% of the vote, putting her in third place behind former state lawmaker Adam Jarchow and the winner, Fond Du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney. Connell, a Republican candidate in the 68th Assembly District near Eau Claire, whose website put his impossible desire to Reclaim the Electors and Repeal the Steal front and center. He received about 23% of the vote Tuesday, behind Village of Fall Creek Trustee Karen Hurd with 57% of the vote. Hillarie Roth got just under 20%. Schroeder, who called to decertify the 2020 presidential election after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled absentee ballot drop boxes are illegal, got around 40% of the vote Tuesday. Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton, who wants to bring more election duties to the secretary of state office, received about 46% of the vote. Villareal, who shared a flyer about her speaking at a rally supportive of decertifying the 2020 election, received around 18% of the vote in the 9th Senate District to LeMahieus 71.4%. Attorney general Republican nominee Eric Toney and Democratic incumbent Josh Kaul have pivoted to the general election by claiming the other is not able to handle the offices public safety responsibilities, a preview of the attacks to come in the race over the next three months. Toney, Fond du Lac Countys district attorney, who beat two opponents in a close Republican primary Tuesday night, said during an acceptance speech that Kaul had turned his back on law enforcement. In his criticisms of Kauls leadership at the Department of Justice, Toney cites longer processing times at the Wisconsin State Crime Lab and vacant prosecutor posts. Kaul has said lame-duck laws passed by Republicans before he took office have denied his department millions in needed funding. Unlike him, I promise to uphold the rule of law and make public safety my top priority as Attorney General, Toney said on Twitter. Toney defeated former state lawmaker Adam Jarchow and lawyer Karen Mueller in Tuesdays primary with 37.5% of the vote. During the campaign, he used his decade of experience as a prosecutor to contrast himself with his main rival, Jarchow, who is a private practice lawyer. Kauls campaign hit back at Toney early Wednesday. Sondra Milkie, Kauls campaign manager, faulted Toneys office after a nine-time felon who was released on a $500 bail would go on to kill a firefighter during a shootout with police. In fact, the judge in the case set the man's bail. Toney not only refused to take responsibility, but tried to divert attention by fanning the flames of the Big Lie, Milkie said, referring to Toneys lawsuit to remove five members of the Wisconsin Election Commission that he announced the day after the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel first reported on the botched bail case. Milkie boosted Kauls experience as a federal prosecutor in Baltimore as well. As a federal prosecutor, Josh Kaul put murderers, gang members and drug traffickers behind bars, and as Attorney General, public safety has been his top priority, Milkie said. On Wednesday, Kaul appeared at the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association annual conference in Green Bay. A Department of Justice spokesperson was unable to provide a copy of Kauls remarks from the event. The Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police and dozens of police chiefs and sheriffs have already endorsed Toney, who is branding himself as law enforcements choice for attorney general. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct how the bail was set for a man released in 2019 who would go on to kill a firefighter during a shootout with police. The judge in the case set the man's bail. Federal authorities say they have captured a suspect who had been on the run since November when he escaped in Milwaukee. Robert Johnson Jr., 40, was being transported from Laredo, Texas, to the Rock County jail in Janesville in November, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, which said Johnson was facing drug charges and a sex offender registration violation as well as violation of his parole in a 2015 armed robbery conviction. Johnson, who was being transported by a private contractor, asked for his handcuffs to be removed so he could use the bathroom in the Mitchell International Airport, according to the Marshals Service. He then punched his escort and fled. The federal agency said Johnson was arrested Wednesday in Toledo after a pursuit that ended when he crashed his vehicle, where police found a firearm reported stolen from North Carolina. Johnson was listed Thursday as an inmate at the Lucas County Corrections Center in Toledo. With 32 cases of monkeypox reported and growing demand for the states nearly 3,300 doses of vaccine, Wisconsin plans to extend supply by giving people one-fifth the normal dose just under the skin instead of in deeper tissue, as approved this week by federal authorities. The ability to stretch our vaccine that much farther is a great opportunity, Dr. Ryan Westergaard, a chief medical officer with the state Department of Health Services, said Wednesday. As soon as possible, and in as many places as possible, were going to be encouraging people to use the new technique. The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the shallower, dose-sparing approach based on a 2015 study that found the method generated an immune response similar to that of a full dose given deeper below the skin. Nearly 9,500 cases of monkeypox have been reported nationwide this year, leading health officials to urge people at highest risk to get immunized even as a shortage of vaccine poses challenges. The viral illness, spread through close physical contact, causes a rash that may be painful or itchy and can include fever, chills, aches, swollen lymph nodes and respiratory symptoms. With most cases so far occurring among men who have sex with men, vaccine is being targeted at gay and bisexual men, trans men and women and nonbinary people who have had multiple sex partners in the past two weeks. Other priority groups are people with a sexual partner recently diagnosed with monkeypox, those who attended events with known monkeypox exposure and close contacts of cases identified through public health investigations. Vaccine is also being prioritized for people with HIV or other conditions that contribute to a weakened immune system. Wisconsin has been allocated nearly 6,000 vials of vaccine, of which 3,286 vials had arrived as of Wednesday, Westergaard said. Nearly 600 doses had been given as of Tuesday as clinics are ramping up around the state to meet demand, he said. The state should be able to request more vaccine next week, and splitting vials into five doses as now allowed should extend supply, he said. Clinics that arent ready to switch to the lower-dose, shallower method should continue giving shots the normal way, but will be encouraged to make the shift as soon as possible, he said. To be considered fully vaccinated, people must get two shots two weeks apart. Like some other vaccines, the monkeypox shots can be given to people after exposure in an attempt to prevent infection, as well as before people are exposed, Westergaard said. As supply increases, both methods will be used, he said. Dane County, which has reported six cases of monkeypox, has given 130 doses of vaccine, said Morgan Finke, spokesperson for Public Health Madison and Dane County. At the departments monkeypox vaccine clinic that started Aug. 1, 150 shots can be given per week, Finke said. As of Wednesday afternoon, some appointments were available for later this week and next week, she said. For information, call (608) 243-0556 or visit publichealthmdc.com/health-services/monkeypox. Westergaard said that even though most cases of monkeypox in the U.S. this year have been among men who have sex with men, anyone who has close physical contact with others could be at risk. We may be in the very early phases of this, he said. Anyone with skin could be infected by this. 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 Killeen, TX (76540) Today Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 77F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Considerable clouds this evening. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 77F. Winds light and variable. Kazakhstan, and Central Asia in general, needs a long-term energy and commodity export strategy. Economic and energy security for the landlocked countries requires diversification of the transportation options for export and import. Europe will need every extra barrel of oil it can get, and Kazakhstan needs reliable markets, so uninterrupted access to resources and markets through trusted connectivity with the likeminded countries should always be the priority in all times, good and bad. BACKGROUND: On July 6, a Russian court ordered the temporary closure over environmental concerns of the Novorossiysk oil terminal, which is a main export outlet for Kazakh oil. This happened just two days after Kazakhstans President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said to the EU that his country is willing to send more oil to Europe. Earlier, President Tokayev, speaking at the St. Petersburg economic summit, stated that Kazakhstan does not recognize quasi-state territories which, in our view, is what Luhansk and Donetsk are. There would be chaos in the world if hundreds of new countries emerged, even as there is a conflict between the legal principles of territorial integrity of states and the right of people living in them to self-determination. On July 11, the higher court heard the appeal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and changed the ruling from 30-day suspension of operations to the minor monetary penalty. The pipeline owned by CPC was commissioned in 2001 and connected the western Kazakh oil field of Tengiz to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. In addition to oil from Tengiz, the pipeline currently also carries oil from the offshore Kashagan and Karachaganak fields, as well as some Russian crude. The pipelines initial capacity was 600,000 barrels a day, which more than doubled after a major expansion project led by U.S. Chevron several years ago. Most of Kazakhstans crude oil goes to European refineries. The CPC pipeline was one of the elements of the multiple pipeline strategy supported by the U.S. since the mid-1990s, and aimed at diversification of the export infrastructure for the landlocked Caspian producers. The idea was also to have shared access to these infrastructure elements by the multiple producers of Caspian energy. Other projects of the strategy included the Baku-Supsa and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipelines, and the South Caucasus Gas pipeline, which initially connected the Caspian natural gas field Shah-Deniz to Georgia and Turkey, and now connects the same field to European consumers via Georgia, Turkey, Greece, Albania and Italy. This gas transportation network is today known as the Southern Gas Corridor. The CPC pipeline was always the most problematic among these pipelines, crossing multiple regions of Russia, and facing artificially created challenges on the regional as well as federal levels. This is the only pipeline on Russian territory not fully controlled by the Russian government, and hence the problems. Just in the last several months, the pipeline was closed in June due to the reported discovery of 50 World War II-era explosives in the Novorossiysk ports waters, and in March due to damage sustained during a storm. IMPLICATIONS: Manipulations with court decisions and regulatory procedures is not new in the CPCs history. Balancing the operational risks, producers in Kazakhstan frequently used the South Caucasus transportation corridor as a back-up export route for relatively smaller quantities of crude oil. Kazakhstan owns the oil terminal in Georgias Black Sea port of Batumi, which was heavily used for export of oil products in the past. However, the South Caucasus Corridor has hitherto not been a strategic priority for Kazakhstan, which has mostly relied on Russian infrastructure for its export and import needs despite its declared multi-vector foreign policy. This is true for oil, but also for other commodities including grain, fertilizers, coal etc. Importantly, the Caspian has almost three percent of the worlds proven oil reserves, and produces about three percent of the worlds crude oil. At the same time, the region has more than 12 percent of the worlds natural gas reserves, while producing less than five percent of global gas production. Due to export capacity restrictions, natural gas producers, most importantly Turkmenistan, have started production of value-added products from natural gas most of all fertilizers, which is an essential commodity for global food security. With the new geopolitical realities, all landlocked Central Asian countries need alternative routes to access markets, as well as for import needs. One natural option would be Iran, which is nevertheless also under sanctions and not all actors in Central Asia would be comfortable using that route. In addition, Iran still has a limited transit infrastructure. China is an alternative market that will remain important for Central Asia, but it is not going to be useful for transit due to distances to the sea. There is a southern option in the form of Pakistans ports via Afghanistan, but a lack of transit infrastructure, in particular for energy resources, makes this option less viable until the serious investments are made in infrastructure development. This leaves the South Caucasus Corridor, or the so-called Middle Corridor, connecting Central Asia to the South Caucasus via the Caspian Sea, and then to Turkey or the Black Sea. While limited in capacity, and facing some organizational challenges, this is the geographically shortest option for reaching Europe from Western China and wider Central Asia. This corridor is essential in resolving the current crisis in transportation; yet more importantly, it has a significant role to play for the growing economies of wider Central Asia for years to come, connecting the region to significant markets in Mediterranean and Europe. The Middle Corridor can easily connect to the countries of the Three Seas Initiative and thus reach Northern Europe via Romania today, as well as via Ukraine when the war is over. Even if Kazakhstan and other Central Asian states would enjoy a very harmonious partnership with Russia, it would be a wise strategy to keep alternative transportation options open and active. The current crisis shows that countries need to make a major effort to adjust to new realities. Despite years of high-level meetings, discussions, commitments and promises, the Middle Corridor has never received the deserved level of attention. However, responding to new realities, the regional governments are taking proactive steps to facilitate development of the Middle Corridor. The recent diplomatic effort and series of regional meetings and agreements are designed to reduce artificial barriers and increase coordination in order to increase efficiency of transportation. In early March 2022, an agreement was reached between Georgia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), which calls for establishing a Eurasian Rail Alliance, aimed at unifying regulations and reducing tariffs for transit cargo. On March 31, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Kazakhstan signed a quadrilateral declaration on the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor, emphasizing the importance of steps to strengthen the transit potential of the signatory states. In early May, offsite meetings of the working group and the general meeting of the association of legal entities International Association Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (hereinafter referred to as the Association) were held in Ankara. The participants of the general meeting approved tariff rates and volumes (forecast) of cargo transportation along the TITR route for 2022. This year, cargo transshipment is projected to grow six times, to the level of 3.2 million tons. This is due to the sharply increased demand for the TITR route against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. The container-shipping plan also aims to increase to 50,000 twenty-foot equivalent containers (TEU), which is double the amount shipped in 2021. On July 18, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson met with President Ilham Aliyev and Azerbaijans Energy Minister, and signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on strategic partnership in the energy sector. The MoU includes a commitment to double the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver at least 20 billion cubic meters (bcm) to the EU annually by 2027, which will contribute to the energy diversification objectives of Europe. Azerbaijan is already increasing deliveries of natural gas to the EU, from 8.1 bcm in 2021 to an expected 12 bcm in 2022. CONCLUSIONS: There is presently a unique opportunity to focus seriously on the development of the Middle Corridor. The economic potential in linking resource-rich, but landlocked, Central Asia and the resource-thirsty countries of Central and Eastern Europe remains mostly untapped, which can bring together the economic interests of pivotal states like Poland, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. If the hard and soft infrastructure elements can support increased transit volumes to lower the costs of transportation, thwe Middle Corridor will play a larger role in Asia-Europe trade. The expansion of Trans-Caspian connectivity and elimination of the transit bottleneck between the Eastern and Western shores of the Caspian should be a top priority. It is in the interest of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries to build long-term strategic linkages with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and other Black Sea countries with common interests. However, it is also in the great interest of Europe to facilitate and support these linkages. The region has a significant potential to contribute to European and global energy and food security, and Europe can and must support this process by greater engagement and participation in transit projects, including by focusing on creative ways to expand the Three Seas Initiative. Adding the Caspian Sea to the consideration of Central and Eastern European economic, energy, digital, and broader infrastructure connectivity projects will increase the focus of the bureaucracy in this direction, and will stimulate private sector engagement. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mamuka Tsereteli, Ph.D. is a Senior Fellow with the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute. Last week I spent a few hours helping a friend set up a new Google email account. She's only had one email account, which was handed out by her internet service provider years ago. She's changing ISPs and upgrading to fiber internet service. Her old email address is going away when she cancels her old service. I told her to hold off on canceling the old service to give her some time to notify everyone of her new email address. So, what is the best way to tell everyone you've got a new email address? You start by working your way back through your inbox and making a few lists based on the type of relationship you have with that contact. You can separate the messages into categories like personal, informational and business. Notifying your personal contacts is easy. You can send one message to everybody in your contact list and any other individual correspondents, notifying everyone that you have a new email address. Ideally, you'd put your new address in the "To" field and everyone else in the "BCC" field so you are not exposing everyone's email addresses. Your next list could be businesses you interact with financially. This might include your bank and other financial services like credit cards, insurance companies and retirement accounts. Also in this list would be utilities, any online services like Netflix or Amazon or other online retailers. Work your way back through several months of emails, and write everything down. You'll need to visit the website of each business and log in to your account. You'll need to look for the account settings page, which is where you can change your email address. This will take a few hours (trust me, it did), and it is possible you'll need to reset a few passwords along the way if you can't remember all the logins. Luckily, my friend had a pretty good list of all her various login names and passwords. I rely too much on my browsers to save my login information, which isn't ideal, but everyone should have a master list of how to log into their online accounts. It is important to note you should not cancel your old address too soon, because when you click the "forgot password" link on most sites, they will send a message to the old email address for verification. You can also create a category for websites that send you information. Perhaps you're on a weekly list to get the specials at your grocery store. You might not have an account with them, but you can visit their site again and sign up for their newsletter with your new address. Finally, you can set up an automated response on the old email to explain you are moving to a new email address. This is sometimes called a vacation responder or out-of-office response. You really don't know how long it will be active before the old ISP removes the email address, but it could be helpful. This process may take a month or two for everything to change over, and there may be some that you miss, like businesses you only interact with once or twice a year. These instructions also apply if you are moving to any email service, not just Google. The big benefit of having an email account from Google or Microsoft or Apple is you get to use it regardless of your internet provider. It can be your email address for the rest of your life. ST. PAUL, Minn. The Otto Bremer Trust has awarded $14,684,680 in grants and program-related investments as part of its most recent grantmaking cycle. More than $1.7 million was awarded to organizations in Wisconsin. La Crosse-area organizations received grants totaling $205,000. Our commitment to people and organizations across the region is reflected in the variety of investments OBT made in this latest grantmaking round, said Charlotte S. Johnson, co-CEO and trustee. The Otto Bremer Trust is a private charitable trust based in St. Paul. Created in 1944 by Otto Bremer, it is one of the nations largest philanthropic organizations and is committed to supporting a better quality of life for residents of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Since its founding, OBT has invested nearly $1 billion in people, places, and opportunities in its region. Visit ottobremer.org. Below is a list of grants awarded to area organizations: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse, Inc., La Crosse, $25,000. To provide legal and integration support services to immigrants throughout western and central Wisconsin. Cia Siab, Inc., La Crosse, $55,000. For general operations to provide intergenerational programming and wraparound services for the Hmoob community in La Crosse County. Great Rivers United Way, Inc., Onalaska, $75,000. To support Great Rivers HUB to improve health, meet social determinant-related needs, and increase school engagement of youth and families. The Salvation Army, La Crosse, $50,000. To provide social services, shelter, and resources to support unsheltered individuals in their pathway toward permanent housing. RACINE The chairman of the Racine County Republican Party, Ken Brown, along with a prominent conservative law firm, has filed a complaint challenging Racines Mobile Election Unit. The vehicle, purchased using donated funds from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, has been used since 2021 as a remote polling place and voter registration station. It remains a target of right-wing conspiracy theories regarding ballot stuffing despite there being no evidence of that. A City of Racine referendum backed by the mayor and the majority of the City Council that would have increased taxes to pay for more police failed by more than 800 votes in an election that saw only 6,541 ballots cast. During early voting in the primary election that ended Tuesday, the vehicle was available for absentee voters at 21 sites around the City of Racine on 11 dates for three hours at a time. The complaint, filed by Brown and the Milwaukee-based Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, alleges that the vehicle violates a state law. The law states, in part, that the designated (alternate early voting) site shall be located as near as practicable to the office of the municipal clerk or board of election commissioners and no site may be designated that affords an advantage to any political party. Brown claimed, when talking to a reporter Tuesday night, that having early voting sites that are not in the clerks office itself (located inside City Hall) are only allowed if the clerks office is not available. The city used the Mobile Election Unit in addition the clerks office throughout early voting in the primary election that just concluded. The complaint calls for the MEU to stop being used entirely. The City of Racine rejects this argument and has no plans to stop using the Mobile Election Unit in future elections unless it is told otherwise. Prior to purchasing and using the Mobile Election Unit, the city had vetted the legalities with our attorneys, City Clerk Tara McMenamin said in an email Tuesday afternoon. Our legal staff and myself believe we are in compliance with the law. Until an official ruling is provided, or new laws created, we will continue to provide accessible voting to all those legally able to vote in the City of Racine. The complaint filed by WILL with the Wisconsin Elections Commission Wednesday alleges that Conducting an election in this fashion leads to voter confusion, creates opportunities for partisan advantage and directly contradicts (state law). WILL alleges that the locations picked for early voting afforded an advantage to the Democratic Party because they tended to be in more heavily left-leaning districts. Whether Racine intended for partisan bias in their selection of locations is not a component of the law and therefore irrelevant to the issue at hand, states a WILL analysis. State Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, applauded the complaint in a statement Tuesday, tying it to a complaint he filed against the city April 6. Wanggaards complaint alleges that the city is illegally allowing ballot harvesting, citing an injunction from a Waukesha judge who interpreted state law to not allow ballots to be delivered by someone who isnt the voter. McMenamin said that the ruling Wanggaard cited has no effect on Racine. The judges injunction called on WEC to pull back guidance issued to clerks on how they could accept ballots delivered by someone who isnt the voter. WEC complied, but the injunction did not have a practical statewide effect. Just like with their illegal ballot harvesting in the spring election, Racine is again breaking the law with its mobile voting van, Wanggaard said in a statement Wednesday. Abraham Lincoln once said, A law without enforcement is just a suggestion. It is clear that the City of Racine believes election laws are merely suggestions to be manipulated to advantage Democrats politically. They are not. Like all laws, the election laws must be enforced, or they dont need to exist at all. I applaud WILL for filing this complaint, and call on the Wisconsin Election Commission to issue its ruling quickly. We cannot allow Racine to cheat in another election. WEC still has not ruled on Wanggaards complaint as the commission continues to work through a backlog of complaints filed in the last two years. Two other arguments raised in the complaint include: State law tends to refer to polling places as a building and not the inside of a van. That state law says absentee ballots cast early are to be kept in the clerks office or at the alternate site until they are to be counted. Brown alleges that keeping the ballots in the vehicle as it moves from place to place violates chain of custody requirements. The complaint refers to the location where the vehicle would be parked as the polling place itself, and thus keeping the ballots in the van and then driving to another location violates state law. The city said the second argument is baseless. After each visit, they (the ballots) are brought back to a secure location. They are never left in the MEU unattended, according to McMenamin. China on Wednesday repeated its military threats against Taiwan. The country also withdrew a promise not to send troops or administrators to Taiwan if it controls the island. China stated the policy in a document called "The Taiwan Question and China's Reunification in the New Era. The document came after nearly a week of missile firings and military exercises around the island in reaction to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit to Taiwan. China has long declared that self-governing Taiwan is a part of its territory. Its 2005 anti-secession law says the island could be brought under control by force if necessary. China re-stated its policy, saying, we will not renounce the use of force. It promised to take all necessary measures to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. In the document, China again promised peaceful reunification under "one country, two systems. It stated: Taiwan may continue its current social system and enjoy a high degree of autonomy in accordance with the law. It was the same promise that China made with the former British colony of Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997. The document recognized that Hong Kong faced a period of damaging social unrest and order was restored. Missing lines In two earlier documents related to Taiwan, from 1993 and 2000, China had said that it "will not send troops or administrative personnel to be based in Taiwan" after reaching what it describes as "reunification". That line of language did not appear in the latest document. Another line in the 2000 document said "anything can be negotiated" if Taiwan does not seek independence. That line is also missing from the latest document. Zhu Guilan is an expert from the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Tsinghua University. He told the state-run Global Times that the new document was published in preparation for the upcoming Communist Party Congress. Zhu added that Chinas economic and military power is now greater than ever. All major Taiwanese political parties have rejected the "one country, two systems" proposal. The policy has almost no public support on the island. Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council condemned the latest document. It said the document was "full of lies of wishful thinking and disregarded the facts. It also said the Republic of China - Taiwan's official name - was a sovereign state. "Only Taiwan's 23 million people have the right to decide on the future of Taiwan, the council said. China appears to have ended its week-long military exercises that affected air traffic and shipping in the area. Its defense ministry said the exercises had met the goal of sending a warning to those favoring Taiwans independence and their foreign supporters. I'm Dan Novak. Hai Do adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting from Reuters, The Associated Press and Global Times. _______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story renounce - v. to say something in an official way autonomy - n. the power or right to govern itself accordance - n. in a way that agrees with disregard - v. to ignore or treat something as unimportant sovereign - adj. having the right to govern itself The American space agency NASA recently released the first images observed by its powerful James Webb Space Telescope. NASA officials said the new images represented the Webbs ability to gather data and capture observations in more depth and detail than any other space telescope ever built. The images which showed distant space clouds and objects in highly colorful detail were widely shared online. Many social media users commented on the extreme clarity and depth seen in the pictures. NASA has said the high level of detail is made possible because the Webb telescope was built with the latest technology to observe infrared light. The new images were released July 12. NASA has continued to release information and images about the Webb on the telescopes official Twitter page. Recently, a French scientist also published a tweet that included an image he claimed had been observed by the Webb. The scientist is Etienne Klein, a well-known physicist in France and the director of research at the countrys Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission. The image Klein posted appeared as a round object surrounded by a black background. The object was mostly deep red, with other small, round shapes appearing yellow, orange and white. Klein wrote on Twitter that the object was a Webb-captured image of Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the sun. Klein described his excitement at the posted image. "This level of detail... A new world is revealed every day," he wrote. But in fact, as Klein later admitted, the picture was not of Proxima Centauri. Instead, the image showed a cut piece of Spanish sausage called chorizo. The physicist said he published the image and tweet as a joke. Some internet users immediately recognized the image as being false. Others, however, retweeted it with excitement, as another great example of the observation abilities of the Webb telescope. Some social media users later created memes to make fun of Kleins Twitter post. These included low-tech attempts to show a range of everyday objects meant to look like space objects. In admitting his joke, Klein wrote that in modern astronomy, "no object belonging to Spanish charcuterie exists anywhere but on Earth." Klein said he realized many users had not understood his joke. He said his reason for posting the image was to urge the public to "be wary of arguments from people in positions of authority. One Twitter user agreed with Kleins thinking and said he found the post funny. He added: And it should teach you a valuable lesson not to blindly believe everything you read without questioning it... But others suggested such a joke did nothing to help the problem of false news that continues to flood the internet and social media services. One user tweeted, Misinformation is dangerous, we believe in almost everything we are told and we dont have doubts when a scientist (provides) information. Another wrote Kleins action represented a misuse of power and called for the scientist to be fired. Klein later issued an official apology, saying he was sorry for what he described as a "scientist's joke." "I come to present my apologies to those who may have been shocked by my prank, which had nothing original about it," he wrote. A short time later, he posted another picture on Twitter. But this time it was an actual James Webb image released by NASA. He urged Twitter users to trust him this time that the image of the famous Cartwheel Galaxy was truly real. Im Bryan Lynn. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Agence-France Presse, Twitter and NASA. Quiz - Internet Users Question Colorful Telescope Image Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ___________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story reveal v. give someone a piece of information that is surprising or was previously secret meme n. images created for the internet that bring back fun or happy memories or make fun of something charcuterie n. a branch of cooking that involves meats and meat dishes wary adj. not trusting of something authority n. an official power of body that makes decisions blindly adj. not able to see of notice what is happening around you doubt v. a feeling of not being sure about something prank n. a trick that is intended to be funny original adj. something that is special and interesting because it is not the same as others ______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of this story? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 1. Write your comment in the box. 2. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. 3. 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. Wildlife experts in the United States are struggling with a problem: As some kinds of threatened animals increase in number, they put pressure on other at-risk creatures. Experts say these kinds of situations involve tradeoffs. But they do not necessarily show problems with special protection programs or the U.S. Endangered Species Act. These tradeoffs show the importance of protecting what some scientists call biological communities, rather than individual species. Winners and losers The famous bald eagles comeback has pressured rare water birds. Peregrine falcons are also making a comeback. But they threaten the birds called the California least tern and Western snowy plover. And, off the California coast, attacks from protected white sharks are hurting the recovery of threatened sea otters. Stuart Pimm is with Duke University in North Carolina. He is an extinction specialist. Clearly there are occasions when we get these conflicts between species that were trying to protect, Pimm said. But is it a major worry in conservation? No, he added. Conservation means the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources. Bruce Stein is a scientist with the National Wildlife Federation. Stein suggested that animal recoveries can produce tradeoffs. That is because some animals are more adaptable than others to changes in the climate or land. Stein said, A lot of ecosystems where these things are occurring are a little out of whack to begin with because weve altered them in some way." He added, With climate change, there are going to be winners and losers. The losers will tend to have specific habitat requirements, narrow ecological niches, and often will be the ones already declining. Nature at work Recovery of Americas national bird, the bald eagle, is a success. But in one area of Maine, the large bird creates a problem for the only U.S. breeding population of another kind of bird: great cormorants. When theyre disturbed by eagles, the adult cormorants will...leave their nests, said Don Lyons, a scientist at the National Audubon Societys Seabird Institute. Then gulls, crows, and other birds fly in to eat cormorant eggs and young. If this happens repeatedly, an entire colony can fail, Lyons said. Lyons team organizes volunteers to camp near cormorant gatherings to keep away eagles. But conflicts between recovering species and ones still in trouble do not always mean something is wrong, scientists say. Such conflicts could be a return to how things were before humans got involved. John Fitzpatrick of Cornell Universitys Laboratory of Ornithology said, When a population gets back to where its having the same interactions with other organisms as before it went down, thats nature at work. Lyons of the Audubon Society said the bald eagle is challenging our...notions about whats normal for prey such as great cormorants in New England. Cormorants might have been less numerous before eagles declined, he said. Lyons noted that the eagles recovery complicates the conservation of certain other species. But he added that their recovery isa welcome complication. Relationships between different animals are complex, said Stein of the National Wildlife Federation. He said it is often wiser to place effort on protecting and reconnecting habitats to support natural movements. Im John Russell. John Flesher, Christina Larson and Patrick Whittle reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. ______________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tradeoff n. : a situation in which you must choose between or balance two things that are opposite or cannot be had at the same time often + between species n. (pl.) a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants extinction n. : the state or situation that results when something (such as a plant or animal species) has died out completely adaptable adj. able to change or be changed in order to fit or work better in some situation or for some purpose : able to adapt or be adapted alter v. to change (something) habitat n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows disturb v. to prevent someone or something from doing what it normally does interaction n. the act of coming together and having an effect on each other often + with notion n. an idea or opinion complicate v. to make (something) more difficult or less simple ______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of environmental tradeoffs? 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. PLA operations around Taiwan a deterrent to collusion between separatists and external forces: spokesperson Xinhua) 08:14, August 11, 2022 BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The military operations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) around the Taiwan Island were righteous and necessary countermeasures to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Wednesday. The operations also acted as a deterrent against the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' collusion with external forces in making provocations, said Tan Kefei, the ministry's spokesperson. He made the remarks in response to media reports in Taiwan claiming that the mainland's military operations restricted Taiwan's strategic space. The relevant exercises and training were open, transparent, professional, and followed domestic and international laws as well as international practice, Tan said. "For the sake of the wellbeing of people in Taiwan, we will work with the greatest sincerity and exert our utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification. But the PLA will leave no room for separatist activities of 'Taiwan independence' and external interference in any form," he said. Ignoring the interests of the Chinese nation in exchange for gains of their own, the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces have embarked on a road of no return, he said. Currently, cross-Strait relations are again facing two options that will lead to two different futures, the Taiwan authorities should make the right choice, Tan said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) Molli Babler and her mom are Pyrex people. The pair began collecting the versatile vintage bakeware about six years ago, after a friend bought Babler a 1970s Butterfly Gold Pyrex mixing bowl set at an auction. Then it snowballed, said Babler, who along with her mother, Tracy Wright, began scouring every place she could for vintage patterned Pyrex: Antique stores. Garage sales. Flea markets. We followed so many Facebook pages devoted to decorative Pyrex pieces that once belonged to someones mom or grandma, she said, and started realizing that not only was there a group of people who love to collect them, but also to sell them. One of those Facebook pages last spring announced a huge, single-day, vintage Pyrex swap taking place in Kentucky. We had never heard about these swaps before, and we wanted to do something new and exciting, Babler explained, something that wasnt just a flea market. So she and Wright traveled to Bowling Green, and halfway into the swap swarming with Pyrex lovers and collectors, Both Mom and I looked at each other and said, Well, we probably should do one of these in Wisconsin this year. On Aug. 20, they will. More than 30 vendors from across the country will join Babler and Wright for their first Wisconsin Vintage Pyrex Swap and Sale in McFarland, both trading and selling colorful stacks of vintage Pyrex bowls, rows of Pyrex spice bottles, and even rare vintage Pyrex sets worth hundreds of dollars. And more. Local link The history of Pyrex has Madison ties. The fridge-to-oven kitchenware resulted from a legendary discovery by Jesse Littleton, a young physics professor from the University of Michigan who was hired to join the lab of the Corning, New York-based Corning Glass Works in the early 1910s. According to the Corning Museum of Glass, Littleton was charged with helping to develop a new product based on Cornings thermal shock-resistant NONEX glass created for American railroad companies. Most Pyrex fans know the near-mythological story that ensued, says an article on the museums website, pyrex.cmog.org. Jesse brought a sawed-off NONEX battery jar home for his wife, Becky, to try for baking. She made a sponge cake in this glass, thus demonstrating the potential for a glass bakeware product line which was to become Pyrex. The Littletons legendary son, Harvey, would go on to found the world-renowned studio art glass movement and the first studio hot glass program at an American university: UW-Madison. Anything pink And Pyrex would go on to become a kitchen staple, evolving from clear glass bowls to items like the Primary Colors Bowl Set, which retailed new from 1945 to 1949 at a cost of $2.50. Today the complete four-piece set can go for several hundred dollars. The so-called opal ware bowls lent themselves to surface designs; according to the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning Glass Works released more than 150 different patterns on Pyrex between 1956 and 1987. Those are the pieces often sought by collectors. For the Aug. 20 swap, Babler and Wright, who live in Barneveld, will bring along some 200 of their own items to sell, including complete sets. But surely they have their favorite Pyrex pieces the ones they would never part with? Mine is anything pink, said Wright, who works as a patient experience adviser for SSM Health. Mainly the Gooseberry print the bowl is pink, the pattern is white. But anything pink: Pink stripes, pink casseroles. Bablers passion is the Butterprint pattern, a turquoise design on white. She also recently developed an affection for the Snowflake Garland design and 1960s-era polka dot bowls. Collectors often find a niche, the two women explain: A Pyrex color, pattern or function, such as refrigerator sets, lasagna pans, or the Cinderella nesting bowls designed by the architect Philip Johnson, with a handle or spout on each side. Some people collect items for their sentimental value, because they remember a beloved parent or grandparent who owned a particular Pyrex piece. You name it, Wright said. Different people (collect) different things. Workhorses The Wisconsin swap will also feature other vintage kitchen items with brand names such as CorningWare, Fire King and Federal Glass, plus vintage whisks, percolators, blenders and the like. Pyrex items will range in quality from pristine to workhorses pieces that have been heavily used and well loved, Wright said. These are things that you should never, never put in the dishwasher because it can ruin the visual and lower an items value, said Wright. A single bowl at a swap can go from $5 to well over $200, depending on its rarity and condition, Babler said. Sets can run from $75 to $1,500. The website vintagecookbooklover.com claims that the most expensive Pyrex ever sold on eBay was an Oh My Stars Gold Constellation bowl with lid that went for $5,655 in June 2020. Some items when they were sold in the 1950s, cost $1.25, but that was expensive at the time, Babler said. People gave them as wedding gifts. TikTok Pyrex Most of the vendors expected at the Wisconsin Vintage Pyrex Swap and Sale are from the Midwest, but some are traveling from as far away as Texas and California. They will include at least two celebrities in the vintage Pyrex world: A TikTok personality from Iowa known for her Pyrex love, and a collector dubbed the Pyrex King from Pennsylvania. Vendors get first crack at purchases and trades before the swap opens to the public at 10 a.m. Buyers are encouraged to pay in cash, but some vendors may also accept PayPal, Venmo and credit cards, Babler said. Buyers are welcome to bring their own Pyrex pieces for possible swap or sale to a vendor, she said. While this years vendor spots are full, Wright and her daughter already are compiling a wait list for those who want to sell at the next Wisconsin swap, planned for spring or summer 2023, she said. And their own hunt will go on, with Babler and Wright continuing to look for that perfect Pyrex bowl or cup at yard sales and thrift stores. I dont think its something you can ever stop, said Babler, a real estate agent and builder. All my clients and real estate friends know we are Pyrex people. So everyone has an eye out for us when they see Pyrex. A 17-year-old Memorial High School student, who according to court documents admitted to running an online service that trafficked stolen online account passwords for money, also admitted he paid others who ran online swat services to phone bomb threats to the school on his behalf, a criminal complaint states. The complaint charged Joseph H. Garrison with five counts of making a bomb threat, three counts of making terrorist threats and one count of attempted bomb threat, all as party to a crime. The charges relate to threats made against Memorial High School on five occasions between Feb. 28 and April 27, all through a third party Garrison paid in bitcoin to phone in the threats, the complaint states. Some of the calls announced that there were bombs in or near the building, or threatened a school shooting. One said grenades would be thrown at the school. No explosives were found after any of the calls. Garrison is also suspected of having connections to two other swatting incidents at schools in Pennsylvania and Texas, according to the complaint. Swatting is falsely calling police to report violent or threatening situations in order to draw a large or heavily armed police response to a location. It is generally done to harass the target of the police response. Garrison, who was arrested Wednesday, appeared in Dane County Circuit Court on Thursday, where he was ordered released on a signature bond and banned from being at any Madison School District property. Attorney Eduardo Castro, appearing with Garrison, objected to that condition, telling Court Commissioner Brian Asmus that it was effectively a suspension or expulsion for Garrison, when those matters are handled by school districts through a process laid out in state law. But Asmus said he does not believe that law is intended to usurp his authority to set conditions of bond. I dont think I should abdicate my responsibility to protect the public and make people feel safe at school, Asmus said. In a statement released Thursday, the Madison School District said the safety and security of students and staff is a top priority for the district. These threats caused a tremendous amount of anxiety for our scholars, families and staff, and we are relieved to hear the investigation continues to progress, the statement reads. However, we are saddened to hear the person in custody is connected to our school. We appreciate MPD for their diligent work on this case, especially due to the impact it had on our school community. Online exchanges According to the complaint: After Garrison became a suspect, he met with police on June 14. During the interview, police showed Garrison a screenshot from social media that exposed him as the operator of an online service that sold stolen online account credentials to enable fraud. Garrison said he was paid for stolen credentials in bitcoin or through Cash App, and that the service at its peak made $15,000 per day. He said at one point he had an estimated $800,000. Garrison denied knowing anything about the Memorial threats, but allowed police to search his cellphone and two computers. On his cellphone, police found screenshots of what appeared to be threats demanding the balance of Garrisons cryptocurrency holdings, which threatened swat calls would be made against him or his family if he didnt comply. During a second interview, Garrison denied knowing who sent the threats, but ultimately admitted knowing people who made swatting calls for money. At first, he denied ever using such a service, but ultimately admitted he did. On his phone, police found a long text conversation between Garrison and a contact, and in it is a conversation about a bomb threat made to Memorial on Feb. 28. I am bored A probable cause affidavit filed with Garrisons case states that before the threat was made, Garrison wrote to his contact, I am bored as (expletive). Wanna go home. Later, around 10 a.m., he sent the contact an image of a text conversation with another person concerning the threat. He then wrote, swat man. The bomb threat was reported at 10:48 a.m. In a conversation on March 1, Garrison bragged about getting a lockdown to happen at a school in Pennsylvania that a friend apparently attends. The same day, in a conversation with another contact, Garrison provided bitcoin to that person for a second bomb threat at Memorial. Two calls were made to Memorial that day. Another conversation between Garrison and that person precedes another threat call made to Memorial the following day. In addition, there are conversations with Garrisons initial contact on April 27, the day that Memorial again received a bomb threat and one occurred at Vandergrift High School in Austin, Texas, where Garrisons contact is apparently a student. Despite the threat, the contact reported still having to take a test. Garrison reported that since that threat didnt work, another contact was carrying out one against Memorial. A Sauk City man who fired a gunshot that struck another driver during an alleged road rage incident last month on Highway 12 north of Middleton was charged Wednesday with first-degree reckless endangerment. Zakary S. Sykes, 20, was also charged with endangering safety by reckless use of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon for the July 22 incident in which another driver was shot in the chest, under his left armpit. I cant believe I got shot, the man told a Dane County sheriffs deputy shortly after the shooting, according to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday. Sykes, who was previously charged in Sauk County Circuit Court with eluding police after the shooting incident, was ordered jailed on $500 bail after appearing in Dane County Circuit Court on Wednesday. He was arrested Monday on the Dane County charges. Attorney Nicholas Rifelj, appearing in court with Sykes, said Sykes told police he was defending himself. Ive read the criminal complaint, Rifelj said. It describes facts where Mr. Sykes alleged that the other automobile and the other person involved brandished a weapon and that (Sykes) fired a weapon in return. Assuming thats true, thats very different from someone being a loose cannon and being out there and firing at will on the Beltline. Court Commissioner Brian Asmus, who declined to set a signature bond, said he took some issue with the incident being described as self-defense. In the complaint, Asmus said, theres actions that certainly belie that fact, things you wouldnt expect somebody to do. Hours after the shooting incident, two Dane County sheriffs officers who were part of the investigation were struck by a vehicle as they prepared to leave the scene. A Mount Horeb woman was arrested and later charged with causing injury by drunken driving. According to the complaint: The man called 911 about 7:45 p.m. on July 22 to report he had been shot while driving. Later, at UW Hospital, the man said he thought the other driver was angry with the way I was driving and was driving crazy. He said he was driving north on Highway 12 and trying to pass another vehicle in the left lane. The other driver, he said, must have felt he wasnt going fast enough to get into the right lane so that was when he must have been shot, though he said he did not see a gun and initially thought his vehicle had been struck with a rock. The man said he had a gun in the back seat of his vehicle. Later, detectives received word that the other driver, Sykes, had been located and wanted to talk. Sykes told detectives he had left work on Madisons Far West Side and was going about 65 mph on Highway 12 toward Sauk City. Sometime after Middleton, he said, he came upon an angry driver who switched lanes in front of him, which caused him to slam on his brakes. After that, Sykes said, the other driver kept changing lanes and would not let Sykes pass. When he was finally able to pass the other vehicle on the right, he said, the driver threw up his hands, then started digging around for something. At a traffic light at Highway K, Sykes said, they met up again. Sykes said he took off after the light turned green and tried to stay ahead of traffic, but the other driver got in front of him and again slammed on his brakes and shifted between the right and left lanes. The whole thing had started, Sykes said, when the other driver cut in front of him so erratically and started slamming on his brakes. He said that upset him, so he honked his horn and shot the middle finger and tried to pass the other vehicle on the right, and thats when the other driver started shifting lanes in front of him. Later, when Sykes passed the other driver on the left using the shoulder and median, he said he saw something black that he thought was a weapon, which he said the other driver pointed at him. As he tried to pass on the left, he said, the other vehicle tried to force him into a guardrail. Sykes said he grabbed a gun and shot once at the other vehicle, then sped off to get him off me. I didnt want to hit him, Sykes said. I didnt want to hurt him. I just wanted him to get the (expletive) off me. When he got to Sauk City, he said, he got scared, parked his truck, got into another vehicle and went home. He said he was freaking out. He said he threw the gun and its magazine in separate places once he had reached Sauk County. They were later recovered. A Milwaukee man who was fatally shot in a stolen car last month on Madisons North Side was shot by people helping the cars owner look for the car, according to a criminal complaint that was filed in late July but unsealed on Thursday following the arrest of a suspect in the shooting. The complaint states a man who was arrested on an Illinois warrant as police investigated the shooting death of Laron D. Bynum, 18, told police he was with Aquille T. Lowe, 27, and others on July 22 as they went to look for a stolen 2020 Kia Optima, which its owner had been told at that point was on Vera Court on Madisons North Side. The shooting occurred on Vera Court, and the stolen Optima, chased by a Nissan Rogue, was again shot after a chase that ended in the 1700 block of Vahlen Street, where the Optima came to a stop with its engine still running. A person who was inside the Optima, also interviewed by police, said Bynum, a back seat passenger, was struck by a bullet while the car was on Vera Court, the complaint states. The man who was in the Nissan Rogue with Lowe and others said Lowe and another man jumped out of the Rogue after it pulled up next to the Optima and began firing at the car, the complaint states. Lowe was arrested on Aug. 4 in Dayton, Ohio. On Tuesday, he waived his right to an extradition hearing and will be sent back to Madison to face charges. The complaint charges Lowe, of Fitchburg, with first-degree intentional homicide as party to a crime, two counts of attempted first-degree intentional homicide, possession of a firearm by a felon and first-degree reckless endangerment. According to the complaint: Police tracked down the owner of the Nissan Rogue in Sun Prairie. She said she had been asked to loan her car to others who included Lowe. She said Lowe paid her $100 to rent the Rogue. She said she met Lowe and another man in the 3300 block of Leopold Way in Fitchburg the same location where the Optima had been stolen and gave them the vehicle after they drove her back to Sun Prairie. Police reviewed interior security video from a building on Leopold Way and were able to identify Lowe and two other men in the video. Articles of clothing Lowe was wearing appeared to match clothing worn by the shooter at Vera Court, seen on exterior surveillance video from an apartment building there that captured the occupants of the Rogue getting out and firing at the Optima. All three wanted Police found that all three men were wanted on warrants. Executing a search warrant in the 3300 block of Leopold Way on July 28, police found one of the men and arrested him on an Illinois warrant. That man admitted to police he was in the Rogue the morning of July 22 but denied involvement in the shooting. He said the owner of the Rogue was driving, another woman was in the front passenger seat, and he, Lowe and another man were in the back seat. He said that morning he had agreed to help the owner of the Optima find the stolen car, which the owner had been told was on Vera Court. The Optima had been stolen about an hour before it was found on Vahlen Street around 11:20 a.m. They spotted the Optima when they arrived at Vera Court. The man said he ducked down after Lowe and the third man jumped out of the Rogue and began firing, then got back into the Rogue. He said they left the area, then saw the Optima again on Vahlen Street off Sherman Avenue. The man said Lowe and the other man were dropped off near North Thompson Drive and Highway 30, and he was dropped off on Camden Road. He said he didnt know anyone had been shot until later. Optima occupants A man who was driving the Optima, located by police after the shooting, along with a woman who had been in the car, told police someone had let him use the car but he didnt know it was stolen. He said they had gone to Vera Court to meet Bynum, whose name he did not know, when gunshots were suddenly fired. He said he drove it away and was later on Vahlen Street, more than two miles from Vera Court, when the car stopped moving even though the engine was still running. He and the woman ran from the car when they saw the Rogue pull up. The woman told police she heard another gunshot before she fled. The more than $1.1 million taxpayer-funded, GOP-ordered review of the 2020 election appears to be on its last legs, but the wheels began coming off five months ago when lead investigator Michael Gableman recommended the Legislature take the legally impossible step of decertifying the results. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who hired Gableman last year to lead the probe, in an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal on Thursday said that recommendation in a March interim report soured his opinion of the former state Supreme Court justice. I think theres a pretty broad consensus that the tack that we were on needs to come to a natural conclusion, so we need to figure that out, Vos told the State Journal. Vos, R-Rochester, said he offered Gableman clear parameters to follow before the investigation officially launched in July 2021: The review needed to be nonpartisan and Gableman should avoid both the limelight and political events. I think for most of calendar year 2021, Justice Gableman did a good job, Vos said. The review was initially intended to conclude by the end of last year, but Gableman himself admitted in June while providing testimony in one of four public records lawsuits related to the probe that he spent the first several months of his efforts getting up to speed on Wisconsin elections. In August, he attended a South Dakota event hosted by MyPillow CEO and election denier Mike Lindell billed as presenting irrefutable proof that Chinese-backed hackers helped steal the 2020 election for President Joe Biden. Gableman later said he was very disappointed with the lack of substance to back up those claims. He also traveled to Arizona that month to observe the widely discredited election audit conducted by Cyber Ninjas. He couldnt help himself and in the end he was going to rallies, he was attending political events which clearly looked like there was a partisan tinge to the investigation, Vos said. We stopped most of that, but then here we are where he does not just attend a political event but chooses to be involved in a very partisan way and then lie about it. Vos comments are in reference to what may be the final nail in the coffin for Gablemans review his direct involvement in backing Vos primary opponent. Despite being the longest-serving Assembly speaker in Wisconsin history and one of the most influential Republicans in the state, Vos on Tuesday narrowly avoided a primary loss to election denier Adam Steen, who came into the race with juggernaut endorsements from both Gableman and Trump. Here's why the 2020 election will never be 'decertified' There is no provision under the law or the Constitution by which the government can wipe out millions of citizens' votes. Unforgivable lie While Vos launched the review at Trumps behest, the former presidents opinion of Vos has soured over recent weeks due to the speakers refusal to entertain Trumps calls to decertify the results of the 2020 presidential election something that cannot happen under state law or the U.S. Constitution. Vos ultimately won by about 260 votes, according to unofficial results, but not before Gableman recorded a robocall days before the primary claiming that the man who hired him a year ago never wanted a real investigation. I never said we werent serious about the investigation, Vos said Thursday. Frankly, if you ask any Democrat and most Republicans in the state, they think I was pretty serious in spending the money and time and resources that we did. So for him to lie about it, thats kind of an unforgivable situation where you trust somebody because of their integrity and then at the end they lie. Vos said he plans to meet with Assembly Republicans next Tuesday to decide the fate of the review, but didnt offer specifics on next steps. Gableman did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. Lost my confidence Vos hired Gableman at a cost of $676,000, 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. Gableman was paid $11,000 per month for the first 10 months of the review, but Vos earlier this year paused the probe to allow time for pending lawsuits related to the review to play out in court and halved Gablemans monthly salary to $5,500. Gablemans salary cut came two months after he released an interim report of his review on March 1 in which he told state lawmakers they should take a very hard look at decertifying the results of the 2020 presidential election. Just two weeks later, on March 16, the former justice wrote in a private memo to Vos that decertification was a practical impossibility. For whatever reason he felt the need to put in that interim report ... that we could decertify, or at least that we should explore it, Vos said. Well, thats unconstitutional and impossible. At that point, he kind of lost my confidence. Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, like many state Democratic lawmakers, has long criticized Gablemans review and said Gablemans partisan views should have come as a surprise to no one, including Vos. Gableman attended a pro-Trump rally in November 2020, months before he was hired by Vos, and said a stolen election would be systematically unjust. This is a monster that is continuing to grow more and more heads because of the way that Speaker Vos is choosing to spend the taxpayers dollars, Agard said. Now that he has been on the receiving end of that toxicity, he wants to make that change? Weve been waving white flags and trying to draw his attention to that from the very beginning because this is who Gableman is. Sen. Kathleen Bernier, chair of the Senate elections committee and one of the few state Republicans to openly criticize Gablemans review, said I can only speak on the Senate and I think most of us regretted it, when asked about the probe. Much of the negative comments directed at Vos, including by Trump and state Rep. Timothy Ramthun, who has repeatedly called for decertifying the 2020 elections results, have focused on the belief that Vos was holding back Gablemans efforts. Did Robin want to let him loose on all kinds of harebrained ideas? No, he probably didnt, Bernier said. Did he hold him back from following some Ramthun conspiracy theories? Probably. But the fact of the matter is, that was a mistake, even hiring (Gableman). I mean, he is less than credible, in my opinion. Election laws While Bernier has long spoken about moving beyond the 2020 presidential election and the resultant election review, she also called for passing new election laws, which Republicans tried to do this past legislative session before Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed them. A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes. A report from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau last year found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election but made several recommendations for improvements. Vos offered a similar sentiment, noting that hes convinced that practices followed in the 2020 election were clearly done wrong, but added that we dont have a silver bullet to say this would have resulted in 20,000 ballots being different, we dont know that. We have to have it be that when an election is conducted, 99% of the people accept the result. Under the system we have right now, thats not true, Vos added. Somehow, we have to be better and that was my goal with the investigation, to show, yes there were problems, but in the end we have to move on and showcase how to fix it, not how to overturn it. I dont know how we get there. Seeking audit Agard, who along with a handful of Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday sent a letter to the Republican chair of the Legislatures Joint Legislative Audit Committee seeking a full audit of Gablemans review, said Vos holds some of the blame for the skepticism some Republicans still have over Wisconsins 2020 election. When you peddle conspiracy theories and feed lies to the people of Wisconsin and then you say you want to put that to bed, thats like saying to the arsonist, Here, you can take the hose, you can put the fire out and guess what, were going to give you a gold star for extinguishing that fire, Agard said. State Journal reporter Alexander Shur contributed to this report. LONDON (AP) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and senior ministers held inconclusive talks Thursday with energy companies amid mounting pressure to help residents cope with soaring gas and electricity prices. Johnson, who is in his final weeks as prime minister, joined Treasury chief Nadhim Zahawi and Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng at the meeting with firms including Scottish Power, EDF and Centrica. But with Johnson insisting that significant fiscal decisions must be left to his successor, the talks produced no relief for Britons struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. Johnson said the government would keep urging the electricity sector to continue working on ways we can ease the cost of living pressures and to invest further and faster in British energy security. There was a hint that the Conservative government could take action at some point. It said it continues to evaluate the extraordinary profits seen in certain parts of the electricity generation sector and the appropriate and proportionate steps to take. Energy bills around the world have soared this year as the war in Ukraine squeezes global oil and gas supplies. The problem is especially acute in Britain, where the bills that people pay are governed by a regulator-set price cap linked to wholesale prices. The average U.K. household fuel bill has risen more than 50% this year, and another increase is due in October. Consulting firm Cornwall Insight forecast this week that the average bill will top 3,500 pounds ($4,300) a year in the fall, and rise above 4,000 pounds ($4,900) in the new year. Energy suppliers say the price increases are not their fault. This is not in the hands of energy retailers, Dale Vince, founder of the energy firm Ecotricity, told Sky News. The problem is the crazy price of gas on global commodity markets. Anti-poverty campaigners say Britain is facing financial time bomb that could leave millions of people unable to heat their homes this winter. Johnson resigned as Conservative Party leader last month, and remains in office for a few more weeks as caretaker prime minister. The two candidates to replace him Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak cant act until one of them takes over as prime minister in September. Sunak who earlier this year signed off on a 400 pound ($490) payment to offset fuel bills that all households will get this fall has said he will offer more help, but has not given specifics. Truss says she prefers tax cuts to giving handouts, but also is facing intense pressure to help poor households. Opponents say by the time the new leader is announced on Sept. 5 and takes office the next day, it will be too late to avert an autumn crisis. Some want the U.K. to emulate France, where the government last month announced the nationalization of electricity giant EDF. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who led the U.K. during the global financial crisis of 2008, said Britain was now in the eye of a cost-of-living storm and action couldnt wait. Brown, a member of the opposition Labour Party, said the Conservative government should negotiate lower prices with energy firms, and suggested those that resisted could be temporarily nationalized. Writing in The Guardian, he said that crises dont take holidays, and dont politely hang fire certainly not to suit the convenience of a departing PM and the whims of two potential successors. Follow all AP stories on the fallout from the war in Europe in https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. This week Bruce Miller interviewed Abbi Jacobson and Chante Adams about "A League of Their Own," the new Amazon Prime show that takes its source material further. We catch up with our feelings on "Bullet Train, Prey" and "Sandman," as well as offer up preview Netflix's upcoming "13: The Musical." In honor of the new horror movie "Bodies Bodies Bodies" premiering in theaters we've got a list of movies that incorporate some high stakes games. Down below we've got links to all the stuff we talk about and places you can connect with us and subscribe to the show! Streamed & Screened is a podcast about movies and TV hosted by Bruce Miller, an entertainment reporter for multiple decades who is now the editor of the Sioux City Journal, Jared McNett, a reporter for the Sioux City Journal, and Chris Lay, the podcast operations manager for Lee Enterprises. Where to watch: High Stakes Games! Recent articles by Bruce Miller: Recent episodes of On Iowa Politics co-hosted by Jared: ALSO: "Cat Person" by Kristen Roupenian (The New Yorker, Dec. 4, 2017) Follow the show: TWIN FALLS Theres no such thing as a free lunch, as the old adage goes. For the last two years, however, the federal government provided free lunches to all students at public schools. Congress allowed the universal free lunch program to expire at the end of the school year in May. Now, school districts across the Magic Valley return to the system that had been in place prior to the pandemic, where meals will cost money each day at many schools, unless the childs family qualifies for free or reduced-price lunches. In Idaho, a number of schools will continue to have free lunches for all students. Nine of 16 Twin Falls schools qualify for free lunches based on family income. At the other seven schools in the district, lunches will cost money, to be paid by parents. Parents with children at any public school are encouraged to fill out a Federal application for free or reduced-price lunches, which uses an income-based formula to determine if the household qualifies for meal assistance. Ryan Bowman is the director of Educational Technology and Operations at Twin Falls School District. Bowman said that after a two-year pause in the process, returning to normal may take some people by surprise. The challenge that were going to face is the last two years parents havent had to fill out those forms, Bowman said. And now those forms are going to be required again. Families that participate in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) automatically qualify for free or reduced school lunches. Buhl Food Service Director Michelle Shaddy said that the applications for free or reduced-price meals help qualify the school for other federal funding programs because nearly all federal programs use those numbers. They affect more than just the food service department and the childrens ability to eat, Shaddy said. They also affect some of the other programs within the school district. Those financial numbers affect a heck of a lot. Along with the return to paid lunches, administrators and nutrition workers anticipate a return to lunch debt. In both Buhl and Twin Falls, the districts have opted to give lunches to any student who asks for them, regardless of whether they have money in their account. The lunch is added to their account, and the accounts are expected to be paid before the end of the year. Sometimes this doesnt happen. In that case, the district covers the cost of unpaid lunch debt. It comes out of the general fund, which means less money for supplies like books, and other materials. The food service program is not allowed to finish out a fiscal year in the red, Bowman said. They have to either break even or be in the black, so that puts it on (the districts) shoulders to take care of that. In 2019, the unpaid balance of lunch debt in Twin Falls was between $80,000 and $90,000, Bowman said. Chobani stepped in and paid off the outstanding balance that year. In other years, the district covered the balance. We absorb it. We have to, Bowman said. The alternative would be to turn a kid away, and thats not something we could ever do. We want to provide meals to these kids. In Buhl, the Harvest Moon Classic Car Club donated the proceeds from its annual fall fundraiser to pay off all the outstanding lunch debt for that district. I think it would be a bad practice to not feed kids when were having meal service and theyre hungry, Twin Falls School District spokesperson Eva Craner said. If a kid gets in the lunch line, regardless of whether they have money in their account, were going to feed them. I would like to say Im sorry for the entire situation and how it turned out, Michael Guizar said when Tribe asked him if hed like to make a statement. I have children of my own and I can imagine the problems they would have and I wouldnt want my children to go through that... SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) Hundreds of Bulgarians took to the streets of the capital Sofia Wednesday, voicing fears that the country's caretaker government could break with the policies of its pro-Western predecessor and revert to close energy ties with Russia. The second in a planned series of protests under the slogan #GAZwithme took place in front of the presidential building in Sofia and organizers said they want greater accountability from the caretaker cabinet. Many in European Union and NATO member Bulgaria fear that the previous, pro-Western government was toppled in June because of its hard stance against Russias invasion of Ukraine and its refusal to pay Russian energy giant Gazprom in rubles, Russia's currency. In late April, Russia cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria, the EUs poorest nation, after it rejected Moscow's demand to pay in rubles. Relations between the two former Soviet bloc allies tanked under the previous government. The first public statements by the current caretaker government, appointed by President Rumen Radev, indicate that Bulgaria could restart talks with Gazprom to avoid natural gas shortages later in the year. We refuse to be dependent on Gazprom and finance Putins outrageous war! read one of the banners at the protest. Atanas Sharkov, one of the protest organizers, called on Radev, who bears direct responsibility for the actions of the caretaker government, to guarantee that previous decisions will not be revised. He insisted that Gazprom must cease to be Bulgarias only gas supplier. It is high time to follow European policies and be part of Europe, Sharkov said. Last month, the leaders of Greece and Bulgaria marked the completion of a new pipeline that will supply natural gas from Azerbaijan to Bulgaria. They said commercial deliveries are expected to start by Oct. 1. If you start an organization that embodies Idaho values, it helps to come up with a name that describes that goal and has the added value of being true. Reclaim Idaho, the non-partisan volunteer group responsible for getting Medicaid Expansion and now the Quality Education Act on the ballot, is just such an organization. The group sprang from humble origins in Sandpoint when three friends organized residents to get a local school bond passed. Buoyed by their success in that small North Idaho city, they decided to scale their effort on a state-wide level. Their hundreds of volunteers took Idaho by storm in 2018 when they got Medicaid Expansion on the ballot. The measure passed with an overwhelming 61-percent of the vote. It received more votes than Idaho Governor Brad Little. Based on the 2016 Presidential election returns, Medicaid Expansion was more popular than Donald Trump and just as popular as 2020 Trump. Think on that for a second. Reclaim Idaho? More like, We Are Idaho. Truth be told, following the landslide Medicaid Expansion victory, there were rumblings that Reclaim Idaho would not be able to replicate their success. As the groups former Communications Director, I heard it all. However, Reclaim Idaho came roaring back in 2021, delivering 100,000 signatures from Idahoans all over the state who want to exercise their Constitutional rights to vote on how Idaho funds our public schools. Far from being a one-hit wonder, Reclaim Idaho has woven itself into the fabric and values of our great state. Theyre back. And so are you, the Idaho voter. Between now and Election Day, you will hear a lot about the tax aspects of this initiative. If you are reading this right now, theres about a 96-percent chance the initiative will have NO effect on you. The Quality Education Act calls for modest tax increases on the income OVER $250,000 for individuals and OVER $500,000 for married couples. In other words, it does NOTHING to your taxes unless you make $250,001 as an individual or $500,001 as a married couple. And even then, the tax only applies to the extra dollar over the threshold amounts. If youre a small business owner with taxable income under those amounts you will see NO change. In other words, almost no small businesses in Idaho will be affected. When I was gathering signatures during the initial effort in 2020 (derailed by Covid), I cant tell you how many working Idahoans shook their heads or laughed when I explained that to them. Does anyone in this town even make that much money? several people asked. The answer, of course, is not many. Working Idahoans and small business owners who want their kids to stay in Idaho and have a better life than them will see NO tax increase. However, those same people will be able to send their kids to schools which are better funded, better equipped, and filled with teachers not looking to leave our state for better pay elsewhere. The Quality Education Fund COULD also lower your property taxes. At the very least, it could slow them from rising. Remember, a big chunk of your property tax bill every year goes to school levies. Those special levies are no longer special. Theyre necessary to keep schools open because your elected leaders wont invest in your kids schools. Were dead last in the nation. They dont care how that limits opportunities for your children and Idaho businesses. They dont care that Idahoans all over the state are struggling to pay sky-rocketing property taxes. They dont care that Idahoans are being replaced by out-of-staters who come into Idaho with money from California, Oregon and Washington and force working Idahoans to move on. The Quality Education Act should be called the Education Equality Act. It will raise hundreds of millions of dollars every year so Idahos children can get an education that allows them to compete with the rest of the nation. All while doing nothing to your income taxes and potentially easing your property tax burden. You will no doubt be bombarded with propaganda funded by people from the very same states that are pushing Idahoans out of Idaho. Its time to toughen up. Vote for Idahoans, your children and our state by voting for the Quality Education Act. No Idahoans future should be a one-hit wonder. In most peoples minds, a constellation is a pattern of stars with ancient mythological origins. But, one hundred years ago this month, the constellations became something very different. The International Astronomical Union, best known as the agency that demoted Pluto, held its first general assembly in May 1922, at which it was agreed that the constellations needed to be formally defined (some astronomers had attempted to create new constellations as recently as 41 years earlier). American astronomer Henry Norris Russell proposed a list of 88 constellations at the meeting, along with three-letter abbreviations for each, which was officially adopted. Russell published the list in a letter dated August 28, 1922, in Popular Astronomy magazine, explaining that the abbreviations were inspired by the two-letter abbreviations for the chemical elements. Once this list was codified, the next step was to define the constellations boundaries, a task assigned to Belgian astronomer Eugene Delporte, and ratified at the IAUs third general assembly in 1930. At long last, ambiguity regarding to which constellation a celestial body belonged was forever eradicated. In effect, constellations were transformed from vaguely-defined star patterns to contiguous areas on the celestial sphere (akin to states of the USA) that extend to infinity, subdividing the sky into 88 provinces. For example, the Milky Ways giant neighbor, the Great Andromeda Galaxy, is so named because it lies within the borders of Andromeda, the Chained Princess. The fact that it is millions of light years beyond the stars the ancients chose to represent Princess Andromeda is irrelevant. Most of the abbreviations comprise the first three letters of their constellations names, except when their first three letters are identical. So, Cancer is Cnc, Canes Venatici is CVn, and Canis Major and Minor are CMa and CMi, respectively. Many people think folk music is just 1960s protest songs, but the genre is actually much more expansive than that. Greater folk culture encompasses not only song but also art, craft and food. The annual North Carolina Folk Festival held in downtown Greensboro each September celebrates the proud heritage of folk through all of these expressions and more. The concept of folklore and folk culture really refers to the people whove created it, says Amy Grossmann, the festivals president and CEO. North Carolina holds a very special place in folk history. From the mountains to the sea, theres such an incredible diversity of people whove contributed to our culture here. A classically trained violinist, Grossmann admits she wasnt terribly familiar with folk until she began working with the National Council for the Traditional Arts in the early 2000s. Through that experience, I became deeply exposed to folk and traditional music and all the culture that surrounds it, she says. It really changed my perspective about the bigger role of music in peoples lives, and Ive been working in the field of folklife ever since. The multicultural North Carolina Folk Festival takes over where the National Folk Festival left off following a three-year residency in Greensboro from 2015 to 2017 and continues to attract a huge audience of all ages and backgrounds. These are just a few of the main draws. Big names and newcomers Performance stages showcase not only familiar acts like the Father of Newgrass Sam Bush, Beau Soleil from Louisiana and Irish songstress Karan Casey but also a number of emerging artists as well. A meaningful kick-off Each year, the Songs of Hope and Justice pre-festival concert features great music and positive messages, setting the tone for a meaningful weekend to come. Festive food and drink Global cuisine, North Carolina barbecue, kettle corn, craft beer and cider from participating food trucks and vendors are among the food and drink options at the festival. Meanwhile, downtown restaurants can happily accommodate visitors looking for a sit-down meal. Kid stuff and unique shopping opportunities Interactive games, crafts and activities for guests of all ages are on hand in the festivals family area, thanks in part to support from local organizations. Handmade jewelry, pottery, woodwork, leatherwork, paintings, art, bookbinding and other crafts from more than 30 makers are some highlights of the juried marketplace. How to make the most of your festival experience Grossmann recommends allowing plenty of time to explore the full slate of offerings and activities. We do have some chairs on a first-come, first-served basis, but you might want to bring your own, she says. Stay hydrated, use plenty of sunscreen and just come with an open mind. Admission to the North Carolina Folk Festival is free, but donations are encouraged. This years event runs Sept. 9 to 11 in downtown Greensboro. Before you go, download the festivals mobile app (available for Apple and Android devices) for the most up-to-date news and information. The North Carolina Folk Festival is a nonprofit resident organization of the Greensboro Cultural Center, made possible by a significant in-kind contribution from Creative Greensboro, the city of Greensboros office for arts and culture. For more information, call 336-265-6943 or visit ncfolkfestival.com. This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com. To paraphrase Alice, who used the term to describe her adventures in Wonderland, election politics in America is getting curiouser and curiouser. North Carolina has been in the forefront of innovation and implementation. Modern day elections began evolving in 1973, when the North Carolina Congressional Club, headed by lawyers Tom Ellis and Carter Wrenn, brought sophisticated and then unheard-of techniques to political campaigns. Computers had become more commonplace but were infrequently used in the political world. The Congressional Club assembled hundreds of thousands of contributor names into a database, then employed mass direct mail marketing (again a relatively new concept) to raise millions of dollars in support of Jesse Helms, Ronald Reagan, Lauch Faircloth and other conservative candidates. Upward of 70% of those funds came from out of state. As Television became the main source for political advertising the Club employed the medium to create innovative and targeted attack ads against their candidates opponents. Who can forget the 1990 Helms campaign television ad against Charlotte Mayor and architect Harvey Gannt? The commercial started by showing a white mans hands crumpling up a sheet of paper, while the announcer admonished, you needed that job, and you were the best qualified, but they had to give it to a minority because of a racial quota. Is that really fair? Pollsters said the election outcome was a tossup until this ad aired. Helms won. North Carolina Democrats, firmly in control of our state legislature, used gerrymandering to draw districts more favorable to their legislative and congressional candidates, effectively allowing those drawing the maps to choose their voters instead of the voters choosing those elected. First used in 1812 by Massachusetts Governor Eldridge Gerry (hence the name), Democrats didnt invent the practice, but in our state they got progressively bolder in drawing district maps during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. When Republicans gained control of our legislature in 2011, they perfected gerrymandering to an art form, using redistricting to carve districts favorable to their candidates with techniques like cracking, packing and stacking. Cracking means that voters of a certain type (party, race, sex, etc.) are spread among several districts to dilute or crack their voting power. Packing does just the opposite. Voters (again of a certain race or belief) are packed into a single or a few districts to minimize their voting power in other districts. The classic example is majority minority districts that accomplish packing. Stacking, or double bunking, moves two incumbents into the same district. They can be from the same or different parties, but the net effect is that one incumbent will not survive. The courts, largely the North Carolina Supreme Court, have ruled some of these redistricting maps are so egregious as to violate our state constitution. But Republican leadership no longer wants to take the chance that state courts can overturn their gerrymandering, so they have brought a case before the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes our highest court will proclaim that state courts can no longer overturn redistricting decisions, thus giving lawmakers undisputed control. They base their argument on our Constitution that gives sole authority to draw districts to the General Assembly. Those who wrote that codicil in the Constitution never envisioned some of the shenanigans weve experienced. Republican leadership is encouraged about a favorable court decision because the U.S. high court is stacked with a Republican majority. No matter how outrageous the district is drawn and regardless of how it might disadvantage anyones ability to vote nobody can stop it. Oy Vey! This year we are witnessing another twist, where one political party actually raises money and runs advertising for a candidate of the opposite party in the primary election. The theory is that the party chooses to promote the opposition primary candidate they believe will be easiest to defeat in the general election. So instead of choosing their voters, as gerrymandering accomplishes, they are attempting to choose their general election opponents. This practice was first reported in the 2012 re-election campaign of U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat. Her campaign ran ads for a Republican primary candidate, believing that candidate easier for her to beat in the November election. This year North Carolina Democrats have embraced and expanded the practice. Some are predicting it could backfire on them, using their funds to give name recognition to the opposition candidate. Time will tell how well it works. We wont even go into the huge role that independent expenditure groups and their money have in elections. Just know that money is the mothers milk of elections. Where are we? Elections are primarily all attack all the time, choosing voters instead of voters choosing candidates, and now even choosing their opponents. I dont think Im alone in saying these exercises arent good for the democratic process and wont make our country better. Two policemen were killed and more than 800 inmates escaped on Tuesday night during an attack on a prison by militiamen in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, military sources and experts said Wednesday. A group of unidentified Mayi-Mayi attacked the central prison of Kakwangura in the town of Butembo. The first report, which is still provisional, is that two policemen on guard duty were killed, said Captain Antony Mualushayi, the army spokesman in Beni. One assailant was also killed and ammunition recovered, he added. The Mai Mai are members of Congolese self-defense groups. According to a prison source who requested anonymity, only 49 of the 872 people held in the prison remained there. This attack caused the death of at least two policemen and the flight of all the detainees, wrote on Twitter the Kivu Security Barometer (KST), an organization that has observers in the area, specifying that the ADF is suspected. Presented by the jihadist organization Islamic State (EI) as its branch in Central Africa (ISCAP in English), the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) group is accused of being responsible for the massacres of thousands of civilians in eastern Congo and of having committed attacks in Uganda. The ADF is said to be one of the deadliest groups in the eastern region of the DRC, which has been torn apart by violence for almost 30 years. In the DRC, deadly attacks on prisons and escapes of prisoners are often reported. The state-owned daily Le Soleil, one of Senegals leading newspapers, was back on the newsstands on Wednesday after employees resumed work after going on strike to protest against the bad management of their director general, staff representatives said. The newspaper had been absent from newsstands since 5 August following a rare strike over the non-payment of advertising bonuses to journalists and unfair dismissals, according to staff representatives. They also decried mismanagement and systematic plundering of (the newspapers) resources through nebulous deals and wheeling and dealing. We have decided to go back to work. The authorities have said they have heard us. We are waiting for their arbitration, Ndiol Maka Seck, coordinator of the college of staff delegates, made up of three of the companys unions, told the press on Wednesday. We need another manager because the contract of trust has been broken with the director general, added Mr Seck. The pro-government daily Le Soleil is the oldest in Senegal. It was founded in 1970. It is owned 51% by the state and 49% by other public institutions and is responsible for publicizing government policy. Eleven of the dailys journalists were briefly arrested on 4 August by the gendarmerie because they were protesting against Mbayes gabegic management, according to a statement by one of the newspapers employee unions. Morocco reaffirmed its position in support of One China policy as a basis, governing relations with Beijing. The position was reiterated by Moroccos ambassador to Beijing Aziz Mekouar who said Morocco respects Chinas territorial integrity and sovereignty and refrains from any interference in the internal issues of a UN member state. Morocco continues to support the Peoples Republic of China regarding this issue and renews the positions it has expressed whether at the bilateral level or within international organizations, Mekouar told state news agency MAP. Morocco has maintained a position of neutrality in conflicts opposing big powers while staying attached to the UN charter and international law as well as the peaceful resolution of inter-state disputes. In reaction to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Morocco has reiterated respect for the territorial integrity of all UN member states and urges parties to seek peaceful means to settle the dispute, without taking sides. China has escalated its military maneuvers near Taiwan in response to a visit to the island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virions, left, and spherical immature virions, right, obtained from a sample of human skin associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. Africas public health agency says it doesnt know how many of the continent's reported monkeypox cases this year are in men who have sex with men, and it warned Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022 against any stigmatization that might delay case reporting and affect the outbreak response. Credit: Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP, File Africa's public health agency says the continent of 1.3 billion people still does not have a single dose of the monkeypox vaccine, but "very advanced discussions" are underway with at least two partners. The acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ahmed Ogwell, told journalists on Thursday that he could not give details, but he said the partners are "largely multilateral institutions and non-African governments." There are no discussions with the private sector because all available doses have already been bought by countries, he said. But a clinical trial is underway in Congo for a vaccine, Jynneos, that's under emergency use authorization, Ogwell said. The two-dose vaccine is considered the main medical weapon against the disease, but its availability is limited. More monkeypox deaths have been reported on the African continent this year than anywhere in the world. Since May, nearly 90 countries have reported more than 31,000 cases. At least 2,947 monkeypox cases have been reported in 11 African countries this year, including 104 deaths, but most of the cases reported are suspect ones because the African continent also lacks enough diagnostic resources for thorough testing, the Africa CDC director said. Vials of empty monkeypox vaccines sit at a table at Seattle Central College in Seattle, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. Credit: Daniel Kim/The Seattle Times via AP The lack of vaccine doses and shortage of diagnostics is an echo of the challenges that Africa's 54 countries faced for months during the COVID-19 pandemic as richer countries elsewhere raced to secure supplies. The Africa director spoke as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is on the final leg of a three-country Africa visit, where he articulated Washington's new strategy for engaging with sub-Saharan African nations as "equal partners." Earlier this week Blinken was in Congo, which has many of the 136 new monkeypox cases reported across Africa in the past week. The World Health Organization classified the escalating outbreak of the once-rare monkeypox disease as an international emergency in July; the U.S. declared it a national emergency last week. Outside of Africa, 98% of cases are in men who have sex with men. With a limited global supply of vaccines, authorities are racing to stop monkeypox before it becomes entrenched. Registered pharmacist Sapana Patel holds a bottle of Monkeypox vaccine at a Pop-Up Monkeypox vaccination site on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022, in West Hollywood, Calif. Credit: AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File Monkeypox spread typically requires skin-to-skin or skin-to-mouth contact with an infected patient's lesions. People can also be infected through contact with the clothing or bedsheets of someone who has monkeypox lesions. Most people infected with monkeypox recover without treatment, but it can cause more severe symptoms like brain inflammation and in rare cases, death. The version of monkeypox spreading in Europe and North America has a lower fatality rate than the one circulating in Africa, where people have mostly been sickened after contact with infected wild animals like rodents and squirrels. Explore further Africa's alone in monkeypox deaths but has no vaccine doses 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Cornea implant made of collagen protein from pigs skin. Credit: Thor Balkhed/Linkoping University Researchers and entrepreneurs have developed an implant made of collagen protein from pig's skin, which resembles the human cornea. In a pilot study, the implant restored vision to 20 people with diseased corneas, most of whom were blind prior to receiving the implant. The study jointly led by researchers at Linkoping University (LiU) and LinkoCare Life Sciences AB has been published in Nature Biotechnology. The promising results bring hope to those suffering from corneal blindness and low vision by providing a bioengineered implant as an alternative to the transplantation of donated human corneas, which are scarce in countries where the need for them is greatest. "The results show that it is possible to develop a biomaterial that meets all the criteria for being used as human implants, which can be mass-produced and stored up to two years and thereby reach even more people with vision problems. This gets us around the problem of shortage of donated corneal tissue and access to other treatments for eye diseases," says Neil Lagali, professor at the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at LiU, one of the researchers behind the study. An estimated 12.7 million people around the world are blind due to their corneas, which is the outermost transparent layer of the eye, being damaged or diseased. Their only way of regaining vision is to receive a transplanted cornea from a human donor. But just one in 70 patients receives a cornea transplant. Furthermore, most of those who need cornea transplants live in low and middle-income countries in which access to treatments is very limited. "Safety and effectiveness of the bioengineered implants have been the core of our work, says Mehrdad Rafat, the researcher and entrepreneur behind the design and development of the implants. He is an adjunct associate professor (senior lecturer) at LiU's Department of Biomedical Engineering and founder and CEO of the company LinkoCare Life Sciences AB, which manufactures the bioengineered corneas used in the study. "We've made significant efforts to ensure that our invention will be widely available and affordable by all and not just by the wealthy. That's why this technology can be used in all parts of the world," he says. The cornea consists mainly of the protein collagen. To create an alternative to human cornea, the researchers used collagen molecules derived from pig skin that were highly purified and produced under strict conditions for human use. The pig skin used is a byproduct of the food industry, making it easy to access and economically advantageous. In the process of constructing the implant, the researchers stabilized the loose collagen molecules forming a robust and transparent material that could withstand handling and implantation in the eye. While donated corneas must be used within two weeks, the bioengineered corneas can be stored for up to two years before use. The researchers have also developed a new, minimally invasive method for treating the disease keratoconus, in which the cornea becomes so thin that it can lead to blindness. Today, a keratoconus patient's cornea at advanced stage is surgically removed and replaced by a donated cornea, which is sewn into place using surgical sutures. This kind of surgery is invasive and only done at larger university hospitals. In a pilot study, the implant restored vision to 20 people with diseased corneas, most of whom were blind prior to receiving the implant. Credit: Thor Balkhed/Linkoping University "A less invasive method could be used in more hospitals, thereby helping more people. With our method, the surgeon doesn't need to remove the patient's own tissue. Instead, a small incision is made, through which the implant is inserted into the existing cornea," says Neil Lagali, who has led the research group that has developed this surgical method. No stitches are needed with this new surgical method. The incision in the cornea can be made with high precision thanks to an advanced laser, but also, when needed, by hand with simple surgical instruments. The method was first tested on pigs and turned out to be simpler and potentially safer than a conventional cornea transplant. The surgical method and the implants were used by surgeons in Iran and India, two countries where many people suffer from corneal blindness and low vision, but where there is a significant lack of donated corneas and treatment options. Twenty people who were either blind or on the verge of losing sight due to advanced keratoconus participated in the pilot clinical study and received the biomaterial implant. The operations were free from complications; the tissue healed fast; and an eight-week treatment with immunosuppressive eye drops was enough to prevent rejection of the implant. With conventional cornea transplants, medicine must be taken for several years. The patients were followed for two years, and no complications were noted during that time. The primary purpose of the pilot clinical study was to investigate whether the implant was safe to use. However, the researchers were surprised by what happened with the implant. The cornea's thickness and curvature were restored to normal. At the group level, the participants' sight improved as much as it would have after a cornea transplant with donated tissue. Before the operation, 14 of the 20 participants were blind. After two years, none of them were blind any more. Three of the Indian participants who had been blind prior to the study had perfect (20/20) vision after the operation. A larger clinical study followed by market approval by regulatory authorities is needed before the implant can be used in health care. The researchers also want to study whether the technology can be used to treat more eye diseases, and whether the implant can be adapted to the individual for even greater efficacy. Explore further New type of artificial corneal implant that integrates directly into the eye wall More information: Mehrdad Rafat, Bioengineered corneal tissue for minimally invasive vision restoration in advanced keratoconus in two clinical cohorts, Nature Biotechnology (2022). www.nature.com/articles/s41587-022-01408-w Journal information: Nature Biotechnology Mehrdad Rafat, Bioengineered corneal tissue for minimally invasive vision restoration in advanced keratoconus in two clinical cohorts,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01408-w Evidence suggests a potential causal link for psoriasis and cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online June 29 in Frontiers in Immunology. Ning Gao, from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China, and colleagues used Mendelian randomization (MR) to examine the potential causal relationship between psoriasis and CVD. Genetic instruments from the genome-wide association study of European descent for psoriasis were used to examine the association with CVD. The primary analysis included inverse variance-weighted (IVW) MR analyses. The researchers found that genetic susceptibility to psoriasis was associated with an increased risk for heart failure, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, valvular heart disease, and large artery stroke using the fixed-effects IVW method, but no associations were seen for the other two subtypes of ischemic stroke (cardioembolic stroke and small vessel stroke). Weak evidence of horizontal diversity and heterogeneity was seen in a sensitivity analysis ensuring the stability of the results. "Our study provides evidence for a potential causal association between psoriasis and CVD," the authors write. "Combined with evidence from observational studies, early cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention in patients with psoriasis are of interest, which facilitate the introduction of individual-specific treatments as soon as possible." Explore further Smoking is causally associated with psoriasis risk More information: Ning Gao et al, The Association Between Psoriasis and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis, Frontiers in Immunology (2022). Journal information: Frontiers in Immunology Ning Gao et al, The Association Between Psoriasis and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis,(2022). DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.918224 Copyright 2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain The nation's top public health agency relaxed its COVID-19 guidelines Thursday, dropping the recommendation that Americans quarantine themselves if they come into close contact with an infected person. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said people no longer need to stay at least 6 feet away from others. The changes, which come more than 2 1/2 years after the start of the pandemic, are driven by a recognition that an estimated 95% of Americans 16 and older have acquired some level of immunity, either from being vaccinated or infected, agency officials said. "The current conditions of this pandemic are very different from those of the last two years," said the CDC's Greta Massetti, an author of the guidelines. Many places around the country long ago abandoned social distancing and other once-common precautions, but some of the changes could be particularly important for schools, which resume classes this month in many parts of the country. Perhaps the biggest education-related change is the end of the recommendation that schools do routine daily testing, although that practice can be reinstated in certain situations during a surge in infections, officials said. The CDC also dropped a "test-to-stay" recommendation, which said students exposed to COVID-19 could regularly testinstead of quarantining at hometo keep attending school. With no quarantine recommendation anymore, the testing option disappeared too. Masks continue to be recommended only in areas where community transmission is deemed high, or if a person is considered at high risk of severe illness. School districts across the U.S. have scaled back their COVID-19 precautions in recent weeks even before the latest guidance was issued. Some have promised a return to pre-pandemic schooling. Masks will be optional in most districts when classes resume this fall, and some of the nation's largest districts have dialed back or eliminated COVID-19 testing requirements. Public schools in Los Angeles are ending weekly COVID-19 tests, instead making at-home tests available to families, the district announced last week. Schools in North Carolina's Wake County also dropped weekly testing. Some others have moved away from test-to-stay programs that became unmanageable during surges of the omicron variant last school year. The American Federation of Teachers, one of the nation's largest teachers unions, said it welcomes the guidance. "Every educator and every parent starts every school year with great hope, and this year even more so," President Randi Weingarten said. "After two years of uncertainty and disruption, we need as normal a year as possible so we can focus like a laser on what kids need." The new recommendations prioritize keeping children in school as much as possible, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University's healthy building program. Previous isolation policies forced millions of students to stay home from school, he said, even though the virus poses a relatively low risk to young people. "Entire classrooms of kids had to miss school if they were deemed a close contact," he said. "The closed schools and learning disruption have been devastating." Others say the CDC is going too far in relaxing its guidelines. Allowing students to return to school five days after infection, without proof of a negative COVID-19 test, could lead to outbreaks in schools, said Anne Sosin, a public health researcher at Dartmouth College. That could force entire schools to close temporarily if teachers get sick in large numbers, a dilemma that some schools faced last year. "All of us want a stable school year, but wishful thinking is not the strategy for getting there," she said. "If we want a return to normal in our schools, we have to invest in the conditions for that, not just drop everything haphazardly like we're seeing across the country." The average numbers of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths have been relatively flat this summer, at around 100,000 cases a day and 300 to 400 deaths. The CDC previously said that if people who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations come into close contact with a person who tests positive, they should stay home for at least five days. Now the agency says quarantining at home is not necessary, but it urges those people to wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested after five. The agency continues to say that people who test positive should isolate from others for at least five days, regardless of whether they were vaccinated. CDC officials advise that people can end isolation if they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication and they are without symptoms or the symptoms are improving. Also on Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration updated its recommendations for how many times people exposed to COVID-19 should test. Previously, the FDA had advised taking two rapid antigen tests over two or three days to rule out infection. Now the agency recommends three tests. FDA officials said the change was based on new studies that suggest the old protocol can miss too many infections and result in people spreading the coronavirus, especially if they don't develop symptoms. Explore further CDC set to ease COVID guidance, including for schools 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: CC0 Public Domain 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 Wallace's 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 wasn't 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 mom's 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 wouldn't 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 Chicago Tribune this summer said their landlords didn't provide air conditioning. In Jacqueline Wallace's building, a "bring your own" AC policy remains in effect. In Chicago, building owners must ensure that occupants don't freeze at home in winter, but city ordinances don't similarly protect residents from unsafe temperatures during the summer. The City Council amended Chicago's 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 aren't taken from June through August, when heat waves and heat deaths tend to occur. The state hasn't 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 householdsa conservative estimatemeet 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 can't 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 doesn't want to be surprised with a charge she can't afford. "It's 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 didn't adopt federal guidance to reopen its cooling program in the current year. In the heat waves of July 2012 that Jacqueline Wallace didn't 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. "We're 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 don't 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 assistanceand availability in summerwould 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 couldn't find help, she said. "I kept emailing. I kept calling nothing," said Jackson, who lives in senior housing in Uptown. "That's the one thing that raises the electricitythe 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 don't 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 didn't come either, he said. A retired single father of two boys ages 15 and 22, Valdovinos said getting aid would mean he'd 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 there's 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 Bureau's 2020 American Community Survey. Hadden's 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 there's 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. I'm 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 can't 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 Melendez's high-rise do not. Rhodes pledged company maintenance would "find a permanent solution" for residents whose air conditioning shorts out. Meanwhile, Chicago's new cooling requirements don't 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. "I'm 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 he's still relying on a single fan to get through the rest of summer. One of the city's six cooling centers is 2 miles from Rio's 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. Chicago's 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 aren't 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 Chicago's 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 agency's public affairs director. "These locations serve as safe spaces for residents seeking refuge and relief from the weather," Dutra said. The department's 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 isn't 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 isn't 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 doesn't 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 you're 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 aren't 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 (Pangea's) 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 didn't comment on the association's 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 wouldn't replace the air conditioner that's built into her wall, she said. "It's 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. "It's a Band-Aid while we're 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 Semer's 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 offduring the summertime, when it was super hot. And a lot of people didn't have air conditioners, but they at least had fans. So then they didn't 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." Explore further Deaths of 3 women in early heat wave raise questions, fears 2022 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This photo provided by Gary Nichols shows him, right, with his brother, Alan, on the eve of his euthanization in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, in July 2019. Alan submitted a request to be euthanized and he was killed, despite concerns raised by his family and a nurse practitioner. Nichols family reported the case to police and health authorities, arguing that he lacked the capacity to understand the process and was not suffering unbearably among the requirements for euthanasia. Alan was basically put to death, his brother, Gary, says. Credit: Courtesy Gary Nichols via AP Alan Nichols had a history of depression and other medical issues, but none were life-threatening. When the 61-year-old Canadian was hospitalized in June 2019 over fears he might be suicidal, he asked his brother to "bust him out" as soon as possible. Within a month, Nichols submitted a request to be euthanized and he was killed, despite concerns raised by his family and a nurse practitioner. His application for euthanasia listed only one health condition as the reason for his request to die: hearing loss. Nichols' family reported the case to police and health authorities, arguing that he lacked the capacity to understand the process and was not suffering unbearablyamong the requirements for euthanasia. "Alan was basically put to death," his brother Gary Nichols said. Disability experts say the story is not unique in Canada, which arguably has the world's most permissive euthanasia rulesallowing people with serious disabilities to choose to be killed in the absence of any other medical issue. Many Canadians support euthanasia and the advocacy group Dying With Dignity says the procedure is "driven by compassion" to end suffering. But human rights advocates say the country's regulations lack necessary safeguards, devalue the lives of disabled people and are prompting doctors and health workers to suggest the procedure to those who might not otherwise consider it. Equally troubling, advocates say, are instances in which people have sought to be killed because they weren't getting adequate government support to live. Canada is set to expand euthanasia access next year, but these advocates say the system warrants further scrutiny now. Tim Stainton, director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship at the University of British Columbia, described Canada's euthanasia law as "probably the biggest existential threat to disabled people since the Nazis' program in Germany in the 1930s." Canada's health minister Jean-Yves Duclos, meanwhile, says the euthanasia law "recognizes the rights of all persons ... as well as the inherent and equal value of every life." Euthanasia, where doctors use drugs to kill patients, is legal in seven countriesBelgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spainplus several states in Australia. Other jurisdictions, including several U.S. states, permit assisted suicide, where patients take the lethal drug themselves. Canada's initial 2016 euthanasia law granted the procedure for people aged 18 and over who met several conditions, including having a "grievous and irremediable" medical condition causing unbearable suffering, and whose death was reasonably foreseeable. Legislators later removed the restriction that death be imminent, a move that critics say removed a key safeguard. Unlike other countries like Belgium and the Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal for two decades, Canada does not have monthly commissions to review potentially troubling cases. There is also no restriction on doctors suggesting euthanasia to patients who have not already requested it, a practice explicitly forbidden elsewhere. People who seek euthanasia in Canada are also not required to have exhausted all their treatment options, as is the case in Belgium and the Netherlands. This image shows part of a medical request form for euthanasia filled out by Alan Nichols of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. His application listed only one health condition as the reason for his request to die: hearing loss. The current law allows people with serious disabilities to choose to be killed in the absence of any other medical issue. Credit: Courtesy Gary Nichols via AP Under the current law, any adult with a serious illness, disease or disability can ask to be killed. Theresia Degener, a professor of law and disability studies at the Protestant University for Applied Sciences in Germany, said allowing euthanasia based exclusively on disability was a clear human rights violation. "The implication of Canada's law is that a life with disability is automatically less worth living and that in some cases, death is preferable," she said. After Alan Nichols' death, his family went to police, but in March an officer told the family that documentation showed that he "met the criteria" for euthanasia. In one of the euthanasia assessments filed by a nurse practitioner before Nichols was killed, she noted his history of seizures, frailty and "a failure to thrive." Trudo Lemmens, chair of health law and policy at the University of Toronto, said it was "astonishing" authorities concluded Nichols' death was justified. Meanwhile, some disabled Canadians have chosen to be killed in the face of mounting bills. Before being euthanized in August 2019 at age 41, Sean Tagert struggled to get the 24-hour-a-day care he needed. The government provided Tagert, who had Lou Gehrig's disease, with 16 hours of daily care at his home in Powell River, British Columbia. He spent about $264 Canadian dollars ($206) a day to cover the other eight hours. Health authorities suggested Tagert move to an institution, but he refused, saying he would be too far from his young son. "I know I'm asking for change," Tagert wrote in a FaceBook post before his death. "I just didn't realize that was an unacceptable thing to do." Stainton, the University of British Columbia professor, pointed out that no province or territory provides a disability benefit income above the poverty line. In some regions, he said it is as low as CA$850 ($662) a monthless than half the amount the government provided to people unable to work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Duclos, the national health minister, told The Associated Press he could not comment on specific cases but said all jurisdictions have a range of policies to support disabled people. He acknowledged "disparities in access to services and supports across the country." As assisted dying legislation is extended globallylawmakers are set to debate it in Britain and Portugal's Parliament recently backed a euthanasia billsome experts say the system in Canada warrants further scrutiny. Next year, Canada is set to allow people to be killed exclusively for mental health reasons. It is also considering extending euthanasia to "mature" minors, children under 18 who meet the same requirements as adults. Landry, Canada's human rights commissioner, said politicians should listen to the concerns of those facing hardships who believe euthanasia is their only option. "In an era where we recognize the right to die with dignity, we must do more to guarantee the right to live with dignity," she said. Explore further Belgian euthanasia cases hit record high 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A joint research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has discovered that the electrical stimulation of the eye surface can alleviate depression-like symptoms and improve cognitive function in animal models. These findings were recently published in Brain Stimulation and the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Major depression is the most common and severe psychiatric disorder across the world. Recently, the World Health Organization reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had triggered a massive increase in the number of people with anxiety and depression. About a quarter of patients do not respond adequately to the treatments available. Dr. Lim Lee Wei, Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences, HKUMed and a former Lee Kuan Yew Research Fellow in Singapore, reported in 2015 that deep brain stimulation of the prefrontal cortex in the brains of animals could improve memory function and relieve depressive symptoms. These therapeutic effects were attributed to the growth of brain cells in the hippocampus, a region of the brain known to be involved in learning and memory function. However, this technique, also known as deep brain stimulation, is invasive and requires surgery to implant electrodes in the brain, which may cause side effects such as infections and other post-operative complications. Research findings and significance A team of Hong Kong researchers headed by Dr. Lim Lee Wei; Dr. Leanne Chan Lai-hang, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, CityU; Professor Chan Ying-shing, Dexter H C Man Family Professor in Medical Science, Professor of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Associate Dean (Development and Infrastructure), HKUMed, and Director of the Neuroscience Research Centre, HKU, have been looking for alternative ways to treat neuropsychiatric diseases. They discovered that the non-invasive stimulation of the corneal surface of the eye (known as transcorneal electrical stimulation, or TES) that activates brain pathways, resulted in remarkable antidepressant-like effects and reduced stress hormones in an animal model for depression. Furthermore, this technique induced the expression of genes involved in the development and growth of brain cells in the hippocampus. In related experiments, Yu Wing-shan, Ph.D. student, and other research members from the School of Biomedical Sciences, HKUMed, investigated whether this approach could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease, a common type of dementia with no definitive cure. They found that this non-invasive stimulation in mice drastically improved memory performance and reduced beta-amyloid deposits in the hippocampus, which is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Leanne Chan Lai-hang, an expert on the electrical stimulation of visual and non-visual brain targets, described this research, "Transcorneal electrical stimulation is a non-invasive method initially developed to treat eye diseases, and it would be a major scientific breakthrough if it could be applied to treat neuropsychiatric diseases." "These research findings pave the way for new therapeutic opportunities to develop novel treatment for patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression and dementia. Nevertheless, clinical trials must be conducted to validate the efficacy and safety," remarked Professor Chan Ying-shing. Explore further Researchers discover non-invasive stimulation of eye as potential treatment of depression and dementia More information: Wing Shan Yu et al, Antidepressant-like effects of transcorneal electrical stimulation in rat models, Brain Stimulation (2022). Wing Shan Yu et al, Antidepressant-like effects of transcorneal electrical stimulation in rat models,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2022.05.018 Wing Shan Yu et al, Transcorneal electrical stimulation enhances cognitive functions in aged and 5XFAD mouse models, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2022). DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14850 For people with multiple sclerosis, certain factors early in their disease may determine their quality of life in the years to come, a new study suggests. In medicine, there are ways to objectively measure a disease's course, such as whether a medication is keeping it under control. And then there's health-related quality of lifethe way people with a medical condition feel about their day-to-day physical and mental functioning. Many studies have asked people with multiple sclerosis (MS) about their quality of life. But few have followed them over time, tracking how things change over the years. The new studypublished online Aug. 10 in Neurologydid look at that long-term trajectory and whether any factors early on could predict a worse course. It turned out there were a few: People who were relatively older when they were diagnosed with MS and those with more fatigue or physical impairments tended to have a poorer outlook in terms of physical well-being. Meanwhile, people with a relatively lower income or no college education tended to fare worse on measures of mental well-being. "Early factors, within the first three years of diagnosis, can help predict the long-term trajectory," said lead researcher Julia O'Mahony, of the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada. That's important, she said, because if doctors know certain patients have risk factors for poorer quality of life down the road, they can try to intervene. MS is a neurological disorder caused by a misguided immune system attack on the body's own myelinthe protective sheath around nerve fibers in the spine and brain. Depending on where the damage occurs, symptoms include vision problems, muscle weakness, numbness and difficulty with balance and coordination. Most people with MS have the relapsing-remitting form, in which symptoms flare for a time, then recede. Over time, the disease becomes more steadily progressive. The latest study involved 4,888 U.S. adults with MS who completed questionnaires on quality of life at least three times over 27 years. Looking at long-term trajectories, the study found people fell into different groups: A little over half consistently had low or "moderately" low quality of life, but many others saw changes. When it came to mental well-being, almost half of patients either consistently reported "normal" quality of life or showed positive change. "Some people start low, then improve," O'Mahony said. As for physical well-being, age at diagnosis was important. MS often arises in young adulthood, and in this study, people with poorer physical quality of life tended to be diagnosed relatively laterat age 46, on average. It's possible, O'Mahony said, that those individuals had additional health conditions. On the flip side, she noted, older age at diagnosis was tied to better mental well-being. "This is just speculation," O'Mahony said, "but greater life experience may help people deal with the diagnosis." A neurologist who reviewed the findings called the study "well done." It offers valuable information in finding certain factors that may predispose some people with MS to a worse course, said Dr. Barbara Giesser, of the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, Calif. The good news is that there are ways to help, according to Giesser, who is also a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "For anyone with MS, we want to get them on disease-modifying drugs," Giesser said, referring to the array of medications that can reduce MS flare-ups and slow disease progression. But beyond that, there are ways to treat issues like fatigue, functional impairments and depression, Giesser said. That may mean a referral to other providers, like a rehabilitation specialist or mental health professional. O'Mahony's team also found that social factors were key to mental well-being: People with incomes under $50,000 per year and those without a college education were at increased risk of difficulties. That could reflect many things, according to O'Mahony, including the stress of affording medication while trying to pay the rent and put food on the table. That underscores the importance of addressing the "social determinants" of MS patients' well-being, said Julie Fiol, associate vice president of health care access at the National MS Society. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services defines social determinants of health as conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play and worship. Mental health itself needs attention, Fiol said, be it formal therapy or connecting with a support group. But, she added, that alone is not enough if people cannot afford to pay the bills. The MS society's website lists some sources for financial help. Giesser said patients can also ask their doctor about local community resources. It's true, she noted, that neurologists may not ask about quality of life as often as they should. But patients should always feel free to bring up any concerns they have, Giesser said. Explore further Quality of life with multiple sclerosis may depend on several factors More information: The National MS Society has resources for The National MS Society has resources for living well with MS Julia O'Mahony et al, Physical and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life Trajectories Among People With Multiple Sclerosis, Neurology (2022). DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200931 Journal information: Neurology Copyright 2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved. The relationship between GCT genome and transcriptome. a Heatmap showing gene enrichment per GCT tissue relative to healthy seminiferous tubules, binned by cytoband. Colors correspond to significance of enrichment according to the adjusted p-value (false discovery rate correction). The number next to each histology is the number of eligible microbiopsies that informs the analysis (Supplementary Data 16). b Combined plot of the chromosome 12 copy number changes across all invasive tumors and the rolling average log2 fold-change in gene expression compared with healthy seminiferous tubules. The window size for the rolling average is 50 genes. The average log2 fold-change in expression across 12p was significantly higher than across comparable numbers of genes found across regions with near baseline ploidy (one-sided permutation test, p 5) (Supplementary Fig. 9), as indicated by the three asterisks. Credit: Nature Communications (2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31375-4 Researchers have studied the root of germ cell tumors and revealed molecular signatures that could help guide the course of treatment in the future. New research has detailed the origins of germ cell tumors, which are derived from the cells that give rise to sperm or eggs. The results shed light on how these tumors develop, and reveal possible future avenues for novel therapies. Scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and collaborators, uncovered that even though these tumors appear at different ages and can contain multiple cell types, their mutational origins can often be traced back to a genetic event that happened in the womb. In addition to this, these tumors utilize similar pathways of growth as normal tissues that could represent a potential target for treatment. The research, published 11 August 2022 in Nature Communications, also observed that tumors which develop before puberty carry distinct patterns of mutations, known as mutational signatures. While further investigation is needed, these could be used in the future to help inform clinical decisions when it comes to treating children with germ cell tumors. Malignant germ cell tumors can appear at any age and are one of the most common cancers of adolescent and young men. They also account for 5% of all childhood cancers, with around 45 children being diagnosed every year in the U.K. Germ cell tumors can be made up from a variety of cell types, including muscle, placenta or teeth and hair in some cases. The cell types that the tumor is composed of has implications for the prognosis, as some can be more aggressive than others. This study looked at how these tissues develop together within tumors, and contrasts them with how healthy tissues grow, which has not previously been possible. In this new research, scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and their collaborators, examined tumor samples from 15 individuals. By applying in-depth genetic sequencing techniques, they were able to study the DNA and RNA of all the different tissues they sampled within the tumors at an unprecedented resolution. By analyzing this extensive amount of genetic information, the team were able to trace the origin of the tumors all the way back to the beginning of their development in the womb. They found that the way tumors created tissues, such as cartilage or muscle, shared similarities with how those are created in a growing embryo which may represent novel treatment targets. The researchers also identified different mutational signatures in tumors of young children compared with tumor samples taken from older children, over the age of 12. Therefore, the mutational signatures the team found could be used as a future biomarker that allows healthcare professionals to identify which course of chemotherapy is the most appropriate based on the cancer's genetic makeup. This could prove particularly useful for children who develop these tumors around the current age cut-offs which determine the treatment they receive. "We are excited to find genetic features that can be used to distinguish the tumors so clearly. Clinically, treating teenage and young adult patients can be challenging as they fall between pediatric and adult treatment protocols. It is important to treat them sufficiently but not excessively to avoid long-term side effects, so getting the intensity of the chemotherapy right is important. Our research suggests that the genetic makeup of the tumor might be used to help categorize such patients, which will hopefully result in children, and indeed all patients with germ cell tumors, getting the most appropriate therapy in the future," says Dr. Thomas Oliver, co-first author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. "Germ cell tumors can be made up of a variety of different tissues, including smooth muscle and skin, and previously very little was known about the factors behind their development, making them difficult to understand and treat. Our research has shown that these tumors can be traced back to the same genetic event, and the tissue types have developed from different branches of the same family tree, shedding more light on how these tumors are formed," says Dr. Raheleh Rahbari, co-senior author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute. "Germ cell tumors affect around 45 children in the U.K. every year. However, they can also develop at any age. Interestingly, our research found that early development signals, those which you see while a fetus is developing in the womb, can be found in these tumors. In the future, it may be possible to target these, as is done in some blood cancers, to give a new type of therapy for those with this type of cancer," says Dr. Sam Behjati, co-senior author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Max Williamson, now 24, was diagnosed with testicular cancer at Bedford Hospital when he was 15 years old. Max said, "I noticed a growing lump which was worrying, and when I went to my GP I was quickly referred to my local hospital which gave me my diagnosis. I had no history of cancer in my family. I was then referred to Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for treatment. Whilst an operation removed the primary cancer, it rapidly spread to the lymph nodes in my abdomen and I had to undergo three courses of chemotherapy. "For me, an important part of experiencing cancer was trying to answer questions like 'Why me?' 'What happened to this part of my body to cause cancer?' Nine years on, it's so great to see the Cambridge team who looked after me (and many other researchers across the world) continuing to answer this question." Professor Matthew Murray, co-author on the paper and co-chair of the Biology Committee for the Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium, said, "Max had a malignant germ cell tumor, which is the leading adult cause for average years of life lost per person dying of cancer. When Max's tumor changed from localized to metastaticwith the rapid spread to his lymph nodeshis treatment had to be urgently changed from follow-up surveillance to chemotherapy. "This study, which analyzed both the DNA and RNA, found little relationship between the tissues the tumor madewhat we can see down the microscopeand the changes found in the genetic code. Clearly, the tissue's appearance doesn't tell the whole story and underlines the needs for additional molecular tests that can accurately predict a tumor's behavior. The genetic patterns observed in this study are also a significant step forward in our understanding of these tumors, which, with more research, will aim to improve and personalize treatment of this type of cancer for patients like Max." Explore further Tumor 'signatures' could provide key to more accurate treatment for deadliest cancers More information: Thomas R. W. Oliver et al, Clonal diversification and histogenesis of malignant germ cell tumours, Nature Communications (2022). Journal information: Nature Communications Thomas R. W. Oliver et al, Clonal diversification and histogenesis of malignant germ cell tumours,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31375-4 Photo: pixabay Canadian children being cyberbullied and their parents are not seeking help, despite cyberbullying rates being on par with the global average. Internationally, 63 per cent of children have experienced cyberbullying, according to a survey by computer security software company McAfee. In Canada, this number only lowers by three per cent. Despite over half of Canadian children surveyed experiencing cyberbullying, only 21 per cent of these children said they have sought help. Other than Japan, this was the lowest figure reported of the countries surveyed. While more than half of parents [globally] are talking to their children about different forms of cyberbullying, there is still vastly more that needs to be done to understand the growing threat of online safety for children, Gagan Singh, executive vice-president of McAfee, said in a press release. The survey determining this was completed by McAfee in July, and included 11,687 parents and their children aged 10 to 18 from 10 different countries. Globally, name calling was found to be the most prevalent form of cyberbullying. Exclusion from group chats and the spreading of false rumours followed closely behind as the second and third most common forms, both in Canada and internationally. Social media is major culprit Gone are the days when a shove on the playground was the most common form of bullying. Now, social media reigns as the place where most attacks take place. About three quarters of Canadian children said they have deleted a social media account to avoid cyberbullying. Many of those deleted accounts were likely Facebook accounts where 59 per cent of Canadian children said theyve experienced bullying. Following closely behind is Instagram, with a total of 57 per cent of Canadian children reporting experiences of cyberbullying while using their account. Internationally, Meta platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, were consistently ranked as the most dangerous places for cyberbullying, according to the survey. Lack of prevention by parents Canadian parents consistently ranked below the global average in terms of taking an active hand to keep their children safe online. The survey found Canadian parents are among the least likely to actively protect their children from cyberbullying. The global average of 85 per cent of parents taking action is seven per cent higher than the Canadian average the second lowest overall. Parents are displaying important gaps of knowledge around cyberbullying..., Singh said. Device monitoring, speaking with school officials, therapy and changing schools are all actions that Canadian parents reported being at least four per cent less likely to take than the global average. Using dialogue to remedy a situation is the only action that Canadian parents lined up with the global average on. This method of conversation, according to STOMP Out Bullying founder Ross Ellis, is among the most important when it comes to online protection. Kids need to feel comfortable online and only with the help, communication and guidance of their parents can kids feel safe, Ellis said in a statement. Its not a one-and-done conversation. Parents must maintain open communications on a regular basis in order to keep kids safe. Luckily, talking it out seems to come somewhat naturally to Canadian children who, according to the survey, are among the least likely to hide cyberbullying from their parents. However, when it comes to talking about cyberbullying with their friends, only half of Canadian children reported doing so 12 per cent below the global average. To lower these numbers globally and within Canada, Ellis says parents must keep up with their children when it comes to tech knowledge and take age limits on social media platforms more seriously. Most social media sites require children to be age 13 and older to use these sites, Ellis said. Kids under 13 are not mature enough to handle the online hatred, physical danger and predator events that occur online. Ellis added many kids on these sites who are younger than 13 were signed up by their parents. In todays world, parents must be more tech savvy than their children, he says. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Since May, there have been a lot of stories in the news about monkeypox. Depending on which stories you read, you may have heard that it's not very contagious, or that it's very contagious. You may have heard that it's not very dangerous, or that it's very dangerous. It's confusing. But we can help. To help get a handle on what we know about monkeypox, The Abstract spoke with Julie Swann and Matt Koci. Swann is a systems engineer with expertise in public health whose work focuses on making health care more efficient, effective and equitable. Swann is the department head and A. Doug Allison Distinguished Professor of the Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at NC State. Koci is a virologist and immunologist whose work focuses on host-microbe interactions; he is a professor in NC State's Prestage Department of Poultry Science. The Abstract: So, first question: what is monkeypox? Matt Koci: Monkeypox is a virus. It belongs to a family of viruses known as the pox family which contains the smallpox virus, camelpox and cowpox viruses, just to name a few of its close relatives. However, because names in science don't always make sense, chickenpox isn't a pox virus. Keeping with that theme, while monkeypox is a pox virus, it should probably be called rodentpox, since they are the more common carrier of the virus. This isn't like SARS-CoV-2. Monkeypox isn't a new virus. We've actually known about this virus since 1970. There have been several outbreaks of monkeypox over the past 50 years. Most have occurred in western Africa, but we've seen several outbreaks around the world. Most of these start off with someone who recently returned from a trip to Africa. One major exception to this pattern was a 2003 outbreak here in the U.S. that ended up affecting 71 people. The culprit in this case was an infected prairie dog that was purchased as a pet. It was later discovered that the prairie dog got it from Gambian pouched rats imported by an exotic-animals dealer. But while this isn't a new disease, something is different this time. This current outbreak has spread to over 76 countries, infected over 19,000 people, and lasted longer than any other previous outbreak. Right now, we don't know why that is, but early evidence suggests the variant of monkeypox associated with this current outbreak has evolved to spread from person-to-person more efficiently than we've ever seen monkeypox do before. Julie Swann: I agree with all of that. The summary is that monkeypox is a virus that has jumped from animal hosts to humans, and it is now spreading between or among humans independently. The current outbreak is human-driven and not related to monkeys or other animals. In the coming years, we will likely continue to hear about diseases that gain the ability to make human-human transmission and spread in new ways or to new populations. Monkeypox is not as easily spread as the virus that causes COVID-19, although the number of new cases and new geographical locations is staggering. TA: How hazardous is monkeypox to human health? Is it fatal? Does it leave scars? Koci: There are a lot of diseases that are worse than monkeypox. From a public health perspective COVID-19 is still a much bigger issue, but that doesn't mean we can ignore monkeypox. While monkeypox disease typically clears on its own in about 2 to 4 weeks, it's going to put painful blisters in places the sun don't shine for days to weeks. More severe illnesses that require hospitalization can happen, especially in kids and the immunocompromised. Looking at previous outbreaks, case fatality rates have been as high as 3-6%, but so far during this outbreak while there have been a few deaths globally, the case fatality rate is well under 0.1%, and none have been reported in the U.S. If you've been infected, symptoms typically start between five and 13 days later, but could be as long as three weeks later. Recent data from the current outbreak in the U.S. suggest the three most common first symptoms people report experiencing is fever (41% reported fever as the first symptom), rash (41%), or chills (16%). Regardless of what the initial symptoms were, patients reported several symptoms, some more common than others: rash (100% reported experiencing a rash at some point during the their illness), fever (63%), chills (59%), lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes, 59%), malaise (general discomfort, 57%), myalgia (muscle aches and pains, 55%), headache (51%), rectal pain (22%), pus or blood in stools (21%), abdominal pain (12%), rectal bleeding (10%), tenesmus (feeling like you have to go #2, but there's no #2 to go, 10%), vomiting or nausea (9%). The one symptom that everyone seems to experience is the tell-tale rash and blisters. These have been reported all over the body: genitals (46% reported experiencing a rash and/or blisters here), arms (40%), face (38%), legs (37%), perianal (between the buttocks and around the rectum, 31%), lips and mouth (25%), palms of hands (22%), trunk (22%), neck (18%), head (14%), soles of feet (11%). This normally clears up after 2-4 weeks; however, more severe cases requiring hospitalization can occur, especially in young children and the immune compromised. The rash and blisters can be quite painful, and can lead to scarring after they clear up. Swann: Previously, monkeypox has had two genetic groups (or "clades"). The group in the Congo Basin in central Africa has had higher fatality rates (e.g., sometimes 10%), while the group in west Africa has had lower rates (e.g., 1%). So far, the variants that are circulating in the U.S. have had even lower fatality rates although there have been deaths. A number of patients are reporting significant pain, and the symptoms can last for weeks. One of the concerns is not only the individual cases and outcomes that we are seeing, but also the possibility that the disease will become endemic in broad, new areas of the world. This possibility becomes more and more likely the slower the response to contain it. TA: How contagious is monkeypox? Koci: The good news here, at least historically, is that monkeypox doesn't spread as well as smallpox did, and it certainly spreads a lot slower than COVID-19. However, I say historically because while we've had outbreaks of monkeypox in the past, those outbreaks have burned out after a few days, with very limited human-to-human spread. This outbreak clearly has more human-to-human spread than we've seen in the past, so it's not clear how much we can use past outbreaks as a guide. However, it still looks like direct contact with infected people (skin-to-skin contact) or with anything they may have recently touched is probably the most efficient means of transmission. But the virus is also likely in respiratory droplets as well, so following the 3 Ws we practiced for COVID-19 will go a long way to protect you. Swann: It is less contagious than COVID-19 or influenza. In the past, monkeypox outbreaks have fizzled out before spreading widely. The current outbreak is different, possibly because of a combination of factors. There was likely monkeypox that had been undetected previously, there were amplifying events where the virus reached new people, and this was followed by global travel that spread it to new locations. In general, I think of it as a disease that is spread through intimate contact. This could be skin-to-skin contact, prolonged kissing, sharing of towels, etc. Risk is higher for people who have multiple sexual partners, and it may be higher if someone has other conditions with rashes or lesions in the genital area. We are also continuing to gather data on situations where transmission can occur in case the virus finds new pathways. There have been a small number of cases where transmission occurred within a household such as in people who used common clothing or bedding. TA: I've also seen people claiming that monkeypox is only a sexually-transmitted disease. That's not right, is it? Koci: No. Well, historically, no. Monkeypox outbreaks generally start with an initial transmission from an infected animal to a person through some sort of bite or direct contact with the body fluids of the infected animal. From there spread from person-to-person happens through close contact with respiratory droplets, contact with the rash and/or blisters of an infected person, or even through direct contact with an object the infected person contaminated, like bedding, linens, or clothing. Transmission has been associated with sex, but calling it a sexually-transmitted disease I think gives the wrong impression. Being in close contact, especially direct skin-to-skin contact, or contact with body fluids of someone with monkeypox is the best way to get it. So, can monkeypox be transmitted through sexual contact? Absolutely. I can't think of an activity that checks all the boxes for monkeypox transmission better than sex. However, I think it is very risky to refer to it as a sexually-transmitted disease. That gives people the impression that sex is the only way monkeypox is transmitted, and that's not the case. I should also point out that there is a lot of noise out there suggesting this is just a disease of men who have sex with men. I fear we're doing to monkeypox what we did to HIV in the early days of the AIDS pandemic. People will point at the fact that over 90% of the cases in the U.S. are men, the majority of whom self report as those who have sex with men, as if that is proof that it is a "gay disease." There is no such thing. Diseases move through community networks. Trying to claim otherwise only risks putting a stigma on the disease such that others will deny they are infected, maybe even not seek treatment, and put others at risk. Swann: Monkeypox is not considered a sexually-transmitted infection, although sexual activities between humans can be an efficient way to spread the disease. It can also be transmitted during pregnancy through the placenta, contact through respiratory pathways and by touching surfaces that are contaminated. From previous outbreaks, we also know that transmission can occur when preparing or eating meats from an infected animal, or by being scratched or bitten by an infected animal. A person can spread it at least from the beginning of symptoms until a rash is fully healed, which can take 2 to 4 weeks. It is not clear how long the virus particles remain contagious on surfaces, although so far direct-to-direct intimate contact has been involved in the vast majority of the cases we know about. Historically, it has been less contagious than diseases we routinely deal with, although the situation could be different in new environments and due to new changes stemming from mutation. The CDC has a good description online about the ways that monkeypox can be transmitted. My colleague is right to point out that this has had a big impact on the community of men who have sex with men (MSM), although they are not the only people affected. So far the majority of detected cases have been in that community, and I emphasize "so far." The initial amplifying events in Europe led to a seeding of the virus in that community and its social networks in the U.S. There has also been a lot of education and focus on testing in that community. It definitely has or can spread to others, such as nurses, maids, prisoners, college students, or commercial sex workers. Transmission may be more likely in congregate living settings, and/or among vulnerable communities with lower access to healthcare. In the Southeast, I am seeing some racial inequities in the reported cases so far, with high rates in Black men. This could be due to a variety of factors. Nationally we have had increased incidence and prevalence of STIs, so there are other communities at risk, partly because the presence of STIs with lesions could make transmission more likely. All of us should be thinking about how to respond to the disease, regardless of whether it is likely to affect us directly. TA: What can people do to reduce their risk of contracting monkeypox? Swann: First, if you or someone you know has a known exposure, or if someone has a rash or lesion that is unexpected (especially in the genital area), then get tested. At present, testing capacity has been built out beyond public laboratories to include commercial ones, where the sample is taken by a healthcare provider. If you have a known or suspected case of monkeypox, you may also benefit from treatment, either from a vaccine used as treatment or an antiviral. If you don't have a known exposure but have unexpected rashes or lesions, especially in the genital area, please refrain from intimate activities until you have seen a provider and/or been tested. People with monkeypox should also try to stay away from pets to avoid transmitting it to them. In addition, avoid close physical contact with someone who has monkeypox or similar lesions, and avoid touching the objects and materials used by them to the extent possible. Wash your hands often (with soap and water, or alcohol-based sanitizer). Some changes in sexual activity can reduce your risk as well. Since monkeypox is not only a sexually-transmitted infection, condoms may not be sufficient. Risk can be lessened by fewer partners, more skin barriers, fabric cleaning, activities delayed until after vaccination, etc. If you are at higher risk for monkeypox, you may be eligible for a vaccine. Supplies are limited, and state and local health departments are rolling it out for the highest-risk groups first. Check the guidelines for your local area for locations and priority groups. Koci: All I would add is that there is some speculation that if you received a vaccination against smallpox you might be protected. Specifically, there is some evidence that the smallpox vaccine is around 80% effective against monkeypox. Depending on where in the world you grew up, you may have gotten the smallpox vaccine as a kid. For example, routine use of the vaccine here in the U.S. stopped in 1972, so those who grew up in the U.S. who are 52 or older likely got the vaccine. I would not count on a shot you got over 50 years ago to provide a lot of protection. And again, don't confuse these with chickenpox. That isn't going to protect you either. If this outbreak continues, when the vaccine becomes widely available, get it. TA: I've also seen some public-health experts criticizing the government's response to monkeypox. What's that all about? Koci: Monkeypox is way less contagious than COVID-19. We already have FDA-approved vaccines that work against monkeypox. After dealing with COVID-19 for the past 2+ years, testing, tracing and containing monkeypox should be a walk in the park. But it looks like we're making all the same key early mistakes we made with COVID-19. We've been slow to react, and the messaging has been even more muddled. Swann: I am disappointed with the governmental response so far, although I acknowledge that a full-scale response is difficult when there is already a first pandemic going on. Also, I agree with my colleague about the relative risks related to monkeypox. The initial reports from monkeypox in the U.S. suggest a fatality rate that is lower than that of COVID-19, and it does not spread as easily. COVID-19 remains a significant threat for a large number of hospitalizations, deaths, and long-term health impacts from infections that are likely to occur in the coming months and beyond. Even though monkeypox is less of a risk than COVID-19, we should absolutely take it seriously. It is having a significant impact on individuals who acquire it, and we are at risk of allowing monkeypox to become an ongoing health challenge in the U.S. There are numerous ways the monkeypox outbreak has identified continued holes in our public health system. At present, states are not required to report cases of monkeypox to the CDC, so we do not have full visibility on the disease. Testing was initially only available in public health laboratories with limited capacity. Even now, the testing positivity is extremely high, suggesting that we have many cases that are going undiagnosed. We did not commit sufficient resources to the newest vaccine for it quickly, so supplies are delayed. The truth is that our public-health system has ongoing challenges related to responding to a novel virus or new type of disease outbreak. Sustained funding has been a problem for decades, and the structure of our health systems is not optimized for immediate response. We may also have some expectations that are difficult to meet even for private industry. i.e., ramping up from zero to full speed overnight. I prefer to focus on what we can fix immediately and prepare for in the medium term, while learning lessons that we implement for the long-term. This area, too, is changing rapidly, including restructuring of some federal agencies. TA: How do you think the government's response to monkeypox was informed by the COVID-19 pandemic? What about the public's response? Swann: I can see evidence that the experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic are already starting to inform the monkeypox response. Testing has been expanded to commercial laboratories; the U.S. has procured the largest supply of the new vaccine in the world; the CDC has formed a modeling group and connected with external researchers. We have also seen that some policies have been adapted, as they are rolled out and federal agencies respond to the needs of the public. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. public has much greater familiarity with testing, test positivity, transmission in different pathways, etc. We have to be sure that we are clear about the differences, such as the long period of infectiousness of monkeypox, and the relatively lower risk through airborne contact that is not intimate. I think the public also has some fatigue in general about diseases and disasters, with bombardment of other types as well. Koci: I hate to be more pessimistic, but I don't really see much evidence that we learned anything from COVID-19. The main problem with our COVID-19 response was how slow it got off the ground from a public health perspective, and how slow the public was to fully appreciate the size and scope of the problem (some still don't). The sooner you can react the better your chances of being able to control the fire instead of it controlling you. That's not a new lesson, but one we should have relearned from COVID-19. In January 2020 we watched as COVID-19 spread from country to country. We weren't doing the amount of testing we should have been, but two days after the first confirmed case in the U.S. the CDC declared a public health emergency. At that point there were just eight confirmed positive cases, but in reality there were likely hundreds, if not thousands, of cases. Flash forward to 2022. Monkeypox first showed up in Europe in early May, and in a matter of weeks we had the first confirmed case here in the U.S. on May 17th. But it took some 11-12 weeks for the CDC to declare a public health emergency. That was after monkeypox was found in 48 of 50 states, we have over 7,000 confirmed cases, and we account for 30% of all the cases in the world. Just like the early days of COVID-19, public health has had to ration tests, only using them on patients with typical symptoms and known exposures. There have been cases where people and their doctor had to fight to get tested because they didn't have a known exposure but were confirmed positive. That means there is more community spread than we know about. And just to drive home the point, the CDC has acknowledged that the true number of cases in the U.S. is likely much higher than what we know about. I'm glad to hear that the CDC is getting people to start modeling spread. And I'm glad that monkeypox was declared a national health emergency. That will make it easier for the CDC and state health agencies to share data. That is absolutely essential if we're going to have any shot at controlling this better than we are currently controlling COVID-19. But, in my opinion, if we learned anything from COVID-19 it shouldn't have taken this long to start. TA: What do you think the public can expect from the monkeypox outbreak in the coming months? Swann: This could go two ways. In the best case, testing is rolled out widely, vaccines arrive in time, and the number of cases decreases enough so that we could eventually eradicate monkeypox in the U.S. The U.S. would also need to focus on the disease as a worldwide phenomenon, as we have clearly seen that diseases do not know borders. On the other hand, monkeypox could continue spreading undiagnosed in individuals and in communities. In that case, it could become endemic, especially in specific settings like congregate living, colleges, etc., and especially in vulnerable communities that have lower access to healthcare or higher rates of undiagnosed sexually-transmitted infections. Koci: The next couple of months? With the fact that monkeypox is now in all 50 states, 77% of all cases are men between 18 and 44, and we're weeks away from the start of the college fall semester, we could see cases really take off. Again the good news is we already have an FDA approved vaccine that demonstrated 85% efficacy against monkeypox. If we can get enough doses of vaccine produced and distributed before the virus is allowed to spread too much more, it is possible that we can control this outbreak. However, what does this look like over the long-term? Mother Nature has something to say about that too. If we're lucky, the mutations that made this variant of monkeypox good at spreading in people will mean it no longer infects animals, specifically rodents. If this strain of monkeypox is only a human virus, then we could use the same strategy used in the 1970s and 1980s to eradicate smallpox, and completely control, even eliminate this monkeypox variant. Given the unbelievable stretch of good luck we've all enjoyed since the start of 2020 (is there a sarcasm font?), we may want to develop a hope for the best but plan for the worst strategy. The majority of monkeypox viruses that we know about seem to hang out in rodent species. If this virus can still infect mammals other than people, it will likely find animals in different parts of the world where it can hideallowing it to jump back into people every so often and in different random places to kick off new outbreaks that we'll have to incorporate into our new normal. Explore further What you should know about monkeypox Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A drug typically used to treat enlarged prostates and high blood pressure has shown promise as a potential new therapy for motor neuron disease (MND)also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)according to a new study. MND is a group of rare diseases that destroy nerve cells known as motor neurons, causing patients to slowly lose function of their muscles. In studies using zebrafish, mice and stem cell models, experts have demonstrated that the drug terazosin protects against the death of motor neurons by increasing their energy production. Researchers say the drug could help to slow the progression of a disease that affects around 5,000 adults in the UK. The average life expectancy is three years from the onset of symptoms. The team are starting a feasibility study into the drug's effect in MND patients. If this proves successful, they will look to launch a full clinical trial. It is still unclear why motor neurons die, but experts know that a decrease in their energy production takes place at an early stage of the disease. Motor neurons need to produce energy to carry the brain's instructions to the muscles. If there is not enough energy, the messages cannot be transferred effectively and movement is affected. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh, working with partners at the University of Oxford, targeted the energy production of motor neurons as a potential therapeutic strategy for treating MND. Using terazosin, which has previously been shown to be effective at increasing energy production in models of stroke and Parkinson's disease, the team wanted to determine if this drug could also protect motor neurons from MND. They focused on an enzymean active molecule in the cellsinvolved in energy production called PGK1. Zebrafish models of MND showed that either genetically increasing the amount of PGK1 in the zebrafish or treating them with terazosin to increase PGK1's activity improved the growth of motor neurons. Terazosin also protected motor neurons in a mouse model of MND, improving survival and delaying the progression of paralysis. The team also grew motor neurons in a dish and demonstrated that terazosin protects these cells by increasing energy levels. To investigate this further the teams at the Universities of Edinburgh and Oxford are inviting 50 patients from the Oxford MND Care and Research Centre to participate in a feasibility study, which will examine the impact of terazosin on key indicators of disease progression. The study is published in eBioMedicine. Research at the University of Edinburgh was carried out by a team at the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease, which was established by Euan MacDonald and his father Donald to improve the lives of people with MND. Dr. Helena Chaytow, senior postdoctoral researcher at University of Edinburgh's Euan MacDonald Centre and first author of the study, said, "Our work shows that terazosin is protective of motor neuron cell death in multiple models of MND, making it an exciting new potential therapy. The benefit of working with terazosin is that it is already prescribed for a different health condition, so we know that it is safe for humans and could quickly move to the clinic." Professor Tom Gillingwater, Professor of Anatomy at University of Edinburgh's Euan MacDonald Centre and study co-lead, said, "We are excited about the potential for terazosin to impact on the breakdown of motor neurons in MND. The current work illustrates the importance of bringing together scientists and clinicians in order to identify new targets for therapy suitable for taking forward into studies in human MND patients" Professor Kevin Talbot, Professor of Motor Neuron Biology at the University of Oxford and study co-lead, said, "We urgently need to accelerate the way drugs are developed from laboratory models into trials in patients. Our work uses a combination of approaches to increase the confidence that drugs will actually work in people with MND and significantly slow disease progression. It represents an important new step in the search for therapies." Dr. Jane Haley MBE, Director of Research for MND Scotland, said, "As key funders of this research study, we are delighted to see a potential new therapy for MND on the horizon. After testing in a range of models, the results of this study show us that terazosin, a drug currently used to treat enlarged prostates and high blood pressure, may be able to protect motor neurons. We are delighted that as a result, the drug will move to a feasibility study in Oxford, involving people living with MND. This is a wonderful example of researchers, clinicians and MND charities working together to try and speed up the search for new treatments for MNDbecause it's about time we found a cure." Jill Douglas, CEO of My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, said, "The Foundation is encouraged that the collaborative nature of this work will aid translation from the lab to the clinicit means that basic scientific research will be more meaningful in clinical practice. We are proud to have supported this collaboration and are continuing to support the first clinical trial of terazosin in people living with MND." Nicotine is addictive because it activates the brains dopamine network, which makes us feel good. UC Berkeley researchers now show in experiments on mice that nicotine in high doses also activates a recently discovered dopamine network that responds to unpleasant stimuli. This aversive dopamine network could be leveraged to create a therapy that boosts the negative effects and lessens the rewards of nicotine. Credit: Christine Liu, UC Berkeley If you remember your first hit on a cigarette, you know how sickening nicotine can be. Yet, for many people, the rewards of nicotine outweigh the negative effects of high doses. University of California, Berkeley, researchers have now mapped out part of the brain network responsible for the negative consequences of nicotine, opening the door to interventions that could boost the aversive effects to help people quit smoking. Though most addictive drugs at high doses can cause physiological symptoms that lead to unconsciousness or even death, nicotine is unique in making people physically ill when inhaled or ingested in large quantities. As a result, nicotine overdoses are rare, though the advent of e-cigarettes has made "nic-sick" symptoms like nausea and vomiting, dizziness, rapid heartbeat and headaches more common. The new research, conducted in mice, suggests that this aversive network could be manipulated to treat nicotine dependence. "Decades of research have focused on understanding how nicotine reward leads to drug addiction and what are the underlying brain circuits. In contrast, the brain circuits that mediate the aversive effects of nicotine are largely understudied," said Stephan Lammel, UC Berkeley associate professor of molecular and cell biology. "What we found is that the brain circuits that are activated after a high aversive dose are actually different from those that are activated when nicotine is delivered at a low dose. Now that we have an understanding of the different brain circuits, we think we can maybe develop a drug so that, when nicotine is taken at a low dose, these brain circuits can be coactivated to induce an acute aversive effect. This could actually be a very effective treatment for nicotine addiction in the future, which we currently do not have." Lammel and Christine Liu, who recently obtained her Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, also found that nicotine receptors in the reward pathway become desensitized by high doses of nicotine, which probably contributes to the negative experience of high doses. "The inhibitory inputs and the desensitization of nicotine receptors on the dopamine neurons themselves both contribute to decreased dopamine signaling in the reward pathway, then decreased feelings of pleasure and, therefore, behavioral aversion," Liu said. Lammel, Liu, graduate student Amanda Tose and their colleagues described the brain circuits involved in nicotine aversion in a paper accepted by the journal Neuron and now posted online. The yin and yang of dopamine Nicotine, like cocaine and heroin, is known to cause addiction by activating the body's reward network: Nicotine binds to receptors on cells that release the neurotransmitter dopamine into the brain, where it affects everything from pain perception and mood to memory. The dopamine network, in general, provides positive feedback that reinforces our desire to seek out pleasurable activities. But three years ago, Lammel and his colleagues discovered a parallel dopamine network that responds to unpleasurable stimuli by releasing dopamine into different areas of the brain than does the dopamine reward network. The discovery of this yin-yang nature of dopamine came at a time when it was becoming clear that dopamine performs quite different roles in various areas of the brain, exemplified by its function in voluntary movement, which is affected in Parkinson's disease. Since then, Lammel's team has found that some chemicals also stimulate the negative dopamine network. Lammel, Liu and Tose looked closely at nicotine's effects on the body precisely because of its known aversive effects at high doses, and found that it, too, activates the network. "This subcircuitry we reported had a major impact in the field," Lammel said. "For the first time, we identified this particular subcircuit of the dopamine system that was activated by negative emotional stimuli, such as an outburst of electrical shock. Now, we've found that a completely different stimulusa pharmacological stimulus, a drugactivates the same system. This means that the system is particularly designed to be activated by aversive stimuli." To demonstrate this for nicotine, Liu and her colleagues infused the drug into mice and measured the second-by-second release of dopamine in the brain using a recently developed technique called dLight-based fiber photometry. Previously, dopamine could only be measured over periods of minutes, which obscured the short-term responses of neurons to dopamine. They then used chemical antagonists to inactivate a specific nicotine receptor called alpha-7 in the aversion network, which reduced the effects of aversive nicotine on neural activity. Subsequent optogenetic experiments eliminated the aversive behavior. "In the animals where we were able to silence this population of neurons, we actually saw a strong preference for high-dose nicotine," Liu said. "So, by silencing the circuit, we were able to demonstrate for certain that this was a very important neural encoder of the behavioral aspect of high-dose nicotine." The only drug designed to help with nicotine cessation, varenicline, could work by increasing aversion via the alpha-7 receptor and lessening desensitization of the alpha-4/beta-2 receptor, she said, but its precise mechanism of action is currently unknown. Lammel noted that drugs that block the alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor might not work as a treatment for tobacco or nicotine addiction because they would block many necessary functions of the receptor. But identifying this nicotine receptor as key to mammals' aversion to high-dose nicotine will help researchers develop targeted drugs to tweak the body's response to a typical dose that a smoker would ingest when lighting up a cigarette. "Maybe in the future that will be an approach for nicotine addiction therapy, where we use genetic editing technologies to selectively target these receptors in specific brain circuits and then overexpress or delete receptors," Lammel said. "What we deliver here is a blueprint of a brain circuit and nicotine receptor subtype that is critically important for nicotine's aversive properties." Explore further Scientists identify the cells behind nicotine aversion in the mouse brain More information: Christine Liu et al, An inhibitory brainstem input to dopamine neurons encodes nicotine aversion, Neuron (2022). Journal information: Neuron Christine Liu et al, An inhibitory brainstem input to dopamine neurons encodes nicotine aversion,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.07.003 The research was conducted with Mongolian gerbils, rodents that form lasting pair bonds and raise their pups together. The work showed the nuanced effects of testosterone, depending on context. It also revealed how testosterone influences the neural activity of oxytocin cells, the so-called love hormone associated with social bonding. Credit: Aubrey Kelly Testosterone can foster friendly, prosocial behavior in males, a new animal study finds. The Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences published the research on Mongolian gerbils conducted by neuroscientists at Emory University. "For what we believe is the first time, we've demonstrated that testosterone can directly promote nonsexual, prosocial behavior, in addition to aggression, in the same individual," says Aubrey Kelly, Emory assistant professor of psychology and first author of the study. "It's surprising because normally we think of testosterone as increasing sexual behaviors and aggression. But we've shown that it can have more nuanced effects, depending on the social context." The work also revealed how testosterone influences the neural activity of oxytocin cellsthe so-called "love hormone" associated with social bonding. Richmond Thompson, a neuroscientist at Oxford College of Emory University, is co-author of the study. Kelly's lab has recently focused on the neural effects of oxytocin using rodent experimental models. Thompson's lab investigates the neural effects of steroids in fish. Both scientists are trying to get at the question of how hormones work in the brain to allow an animal to rapidly change its behavior, depending on the social context. In addition to sharing this research interest, Kelly and Thompson share a home as a married couple. "The idea for this paper was borne out of us talking together over a glass of wine," Kelly says. "It blends our two research worlds." The majority of human studies show that testosterone enhances aggressive behavior. Kelly and Thompson wondered if maybe testosterone might, in lockstep with being able to increase aggression toward intruders, also generally dampen prosocial behaviors. However, they also hypothesized that it might do something more radicalactually enhance positive social responses in contexts in which acting prosocially is appropriate. To test this question, the Kelly lab conducted experiments on Mongolian gerbils, rodents that form lasting pair bonds and raise their pups together. While males can become aggressive during mating and in defense of their territory, they also exhibit cuddling behavior after a female becomes pregnant, and they demonstrate protective behavior toward their pups. In one experiment, a male gerbil was introduced to a female gerbil. After they formed a pair bond and the female became pregnant, the males displayed the usual cuddling behaviors toward their partners. The researchers then gave the male subjects an injection of testosterone. They expected that the resulting acute rise in a male's testosterone level would lessen his cuddling behaviors if testosterone generally acts as an antisocial molecule. "Instead, we were surprised that a male gerbil became even more cuddly and prosocial with his partner," Kelly says. "He became like 'super partner.'" In a follow-up experiment a week later, the researchers conducted a resident-intruder test. The females were removed from the cages so that each male gerbil that had previously received a testosterone injection was alone in his home cage. An unknown male was then introduced into the cage. "Normally, a male would chase another male that came into its cage, or try to avoid it," Kelly says. "Instead, the resident males that had previously been injected with testosterone were more friendly to the intruder." The friendly behavior abruptly changed, however, when the original male subjects were given another injection of testosterone. They then began exhibiting normal chasing and/or avoidance behaviors with the intruder. "It was like they suddenly woke up and realized they weren't supposed to be friendly in that context," Kelly says. The researchers theorize that because the male subjects experienced a surge in testosterone while they were with their partners, it not only rapidly increased positive social responses toward them but also primed the males to act more prosocially in the future, even when the context changed and they were in the presence of another male. However, the second testosterone injection then rapidly prompted them to switch their behavior to become more aggressive, as appropriate to the context of a male intruder. "It appears that testosterone enhances context-appropriate behavior," Kelly says. "It seems to play a role in amplifying the tendency to be cuddly and protective or aggressive." The laboratory experiments, in a sense, slowed down what the males might experience almost simultaneously in the wild. In their natural habitat, Kelly explains, mating with a partner elevates testosterone, which primes them to act cuddly in the moment and in the near future while living with their partner, even if the testosterone levels decline. If a rival entered its burrow the gerbil would likely experience another surge of testosterone that would immediately help adjust his behavior so he can fend off the rival and protect his pups. Testosterone, then appears to help animals rapidly pivot between prosocial and antisocial responses as the social world changes. The current study also looked at how testosterone and oxytocin interact biologically. The results showed that the male subjects receiving injections of testosterone exhibited more oxytocin activity in their brains during interactions with a partner compared to males that did not receive the injections. "We know that systems of oxytocin and testosterone overlap in the brain but we don't really understand why," Kelly says. "Taken together, our results suggest that one of the reasons for this overlap may be so they can work together to promote prosocial behavior." Rather than just flipping an "on" or "off" button to modulate behaviors, hormones seem to play a more nuanced role, Kelly says. "It's like a complicated dashboard where one dial may need to move up a bit while another one moves down." Human behaviors are far more complex than those of Mongolian gerbils, but the researchers hope that their findings provide a basis for complementary studies in other species, including humans. "Our hormones are the same, and the parts of the brain they act upon are even the same," Thompson says. "So, learning how hormones like testosterone help other animals adjust to rapidly changing social contexts will not only help us understand the biological nuts and bolts that affect their behavior, but also predict and ultimately understand how the same molecules in human brains help shape our own responses to the social world around us." Explore further How low testosterone can affect men's health More information: Aubrey M. Kelly et al, Beyond sex and aggression: testosterone rapidly matches behavioural responses to social context and tries to predict the future, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2022). Journal information: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Aubrey M. Kelly et al, Beyond sex and aggression: testosterone rapidly matches behavioural responses to social context and tries to predict the future,(2022). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0453 When Nancy Erickson died in February at age 86, she left behind decades of shelves and portfolios filled with figure drawings and art materials, including fabrics, brushes, paints and more. She and her husband, Ron Erickson, lived at their Pattee Canyon home for 50 years, where she worked out of a custom-designed studio with windows facing the hills. She once spotted a mountain lion out back. On Saturday will be a sale of her figure drawings, made during sessions with her longtime group, the Pattee Canyon Ladies Salon, as well as materials she used for paintings and her large-scale fabric works of animals and figures that were exhibited around Montana, the U.S. and abroad. Its a fascinating way to look at an artists legacy in the room she worked in, said Leslie Van Stavern Millar, a longtime close friend and salon member. This is what she worked with, and what she made, Millar said. Ron went through all of the drawings culled from the years worth that she produced, with Millar's help, over the course of months. They picked roughly 50 to 70 with Nancy in mind, asking themselves whether she would approve if she saw a particular work hanging in someone elses living room. The larger drawings will be priced at $75-$100, the smaller ones at $25-$35. Looking at the works arranged on the wall, Ron said theres a visible consistency over time. It's difficult, for example, to look at a piece and say, Oh, that's from 1970, and this one over here is from 2020, he said. The sale will take place at 3250 Pattee Canyon Drive on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The drawings will be set up in the studio and the materials outside. Face coverings are required indoors. Parking is limited and folks should carpool if they can. 'Material heavy' Artists are material heavy workers, Millar said. The studio shows it. It has shelves filled with fabrics of all colors and patterns that Nancy used in her fabric wall sculptures, plus thread, a sewing machine, and more. (While going through the fabrics, they unearthed more of her journals, which will be donated to the Mansfield Archives in hopes a potential biographer can make use of them.) There is studio furniture and storage shelves. Nancy photographed her own work with a camera thats now for sale: a Calumet 4-by-5-inch view camera and heavy-duty tripod. Ron said theyre selling a selection from the many books they collected over the years, including volumes on individual artists and catalogs from museums. The studio is where, since 1989, Erickson convened twice monthly for figure drawing sessions with the Pattee Canyon Ladies Salon, a group that met continuously for decades. She was the founder and unnamed leader. Millar said working regularly from the figure was fundamental to Ericksons practice, along with a sense of community and friendship. It never involved formal critiques or expectations that a piece might end up in a public show. Drawing this way is an opportunity to set aside any sort of photographic reference and look at a human body in real time, with light and shadow, and a variety of body types depending on the model, she said. Erickson was known for her drawings and paintings and quilted works, frequently of animals and humans, and often with a message of concern for the effects society has had on the environment. She worked in fabric art starting in the 70s when it was less widely accepted. In time, her work was shown not only in museums, it was celebrated in the quilting and textile world. She participated in more than 500 shows during her career. Among her innovations were free-form cutouts of figures that broke out of the traditional form of the square. Looking at a selection of smaller drawings on the wall, Ron counted three that became large-scale fabric works. Fans of her animal and fabric works take note: This sale is focused on figure drawings, not major works. There are a small handful of bears in the room, including one that shows the animal's bone structure, reflecting her original field of study, zoology. The proceeds will go to the Montana Museum of Art and Culture and the Missoula Art Museum Nancy Erickson donated a selection of her works to the latters permanent collection several years ago. Later this fall, there will be numerous events marking her legacy. The MMAC is opening a show dedicated to the Ladies Salon on Oct 14. Theyve been working on an accompanying catalog and symposium. Simultaneously, her longtime local exhibition space, Gallery 709 at Montana Art and Framing, will show a selection of her work. Heres a quick guide to some upcoming arts and cultural events happening around Missoula. Symphony in the Park (Sunday, Aug. 14) Strings in Caras signal the start of a new season for the Missoula Symphony Orchestra. The annual free concert starts at 7 p.m., featuring Julia Tai, the music director, leading the MSO theme, Music for the Soul. The program includes pieces by Aretha Franklin, John Williams and Stephen Sondheim, according to a news release. Admission is free. Bring a lawn chair or blanket if you like. Food vendors and a bar will be serving. The MSO is also collecting donations of canned goods and non-perishable food items for the Missoula Food Bank. To see the full lineup of concerts for 2022-23, head to missoulasymphony.org. The Retail Song Cycle (Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 11-14) Catch a staged reading of a new, original musical: The Retail Song Cycle at the ZACC Show Room. Cameron Michael Fehring, University of Montana School of Music graduate, wrote the new work, which will be seen in a staged reading, based on a year he worked for a Fortune 500 retail company, according to a ZACC news release. Heres the plot: Mac, an idealistic young man from a small town with a strong work ethic who believes that people are generally good. After starting his gig, he navigates the reality of being a naive, eager new employee and coming to terms with the opposing forces of actual reality and retail reality. The show runs Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 11-13, with doors at 7 p.m. and show at 7:30. Theres a matinee on Sunday, Aug. 14, with doors at 1:30 p.m. and a show at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15. Bynum If You Got Em (Saturday, Aug. 13) Head to the Front for a laid-back Montana music festival. Bynum (If You Go Em) takes place in the open field behind JDs Wildlife Sanctuary (which is a bar, not a wildlife sanctuary.) With a small stage, a lineup of like-minded acts which fall loosely where Americana and DIY meet, and a view of the mountains to stage right, the festival is like a mini Red Ants Pants for the area. The lineup this year is: The Lucky Valentines, Nathan M. Godfrey and Mike Tod, Junior, Prison Baby, Austin Leonard Jones, Tift Merritt with Eric Heywood and Izaak Opatz. The suggested donation is $20, which includes on-site camping. It starts at 4 p.m. The bar serves up food as well. AJJ and WHY? (Thursday, Aug. 18) The social justice-minded punk band formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad will split a bill with hip-hop and cross-genre artist WHY? at the ZACC Show Room. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. THURSDAY, Aug. 11, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnancy significantly increases the odds of devastating outcomes from COVID-19, a new study confirms. Complications from the virus to pregnant women can include heart attack, arrhythmias, heart failure and long-haul symptoms, which may be hard to tell from other heart complications during pregnancy. Heart attacks are estimated to occur in up to 12% of patients. "Pregnant people need to know that they are at increased risk of a severe COVID-19 infection, including ICU admissions, cardiac complications, need for critical care and death for the patient or fetus," said researcher Dr. Joan Briller, a cardiologist and professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found pregnant women have an increased risk of severe COVID infection (10%); ICU admission (4%); mechanical ventilation (3%); and use of ECMO (0.2%), compared with other women. Also, pregnant women with COVID also are at higher risk for pre-term birth and stillbirths. And, researchers found, 33% of babies born to women with COVID had to be admitted to the newborn intensive care unit. In addition, researchers found racial disparities in outcomes for pregnant COVID patients. While Black women represented 14% of the women in the study, they accounted for as much as 27% of pregnancy-associated deaths. Among Hispanic women with COVID-19, pregnancy more than doubled the risk of death. Asian women and those who were Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders had the highest risks of ICU admissions. Despite those risks, Briller noted that vaccination rates among pregnant women have lagged behind those of other groups. "The CDC, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine, among others, recommend vaccination in pregnancy," she said, urging doctors to communicate this recommendation to patients. Briller said one factor hampering recognition of heart risks is failure to include pregnant women in clinical trials. "Consequently, women may be under-treated or inadequately treated due to lack studies addressing safety and efficacy of therapies during pregnancy or conversely be exposed to therapies where safety is not known," she said. The findings were published Aug. 10 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. More information For more about COVID-19 and pregnancy, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. SOURCE: American College of Cardiology, news release, Aug. 10, 2022 Was this page helpful? DOVER, Del. (AP) A Superior Court judge on Wednesday denied a motion by Delawares Department of Health and Social Services to quash a subpoena from the state auditors office seeking information regarding eligibility for Medicaid programs. Judge Craig Karsnitz rejected the notion that Auditor Kathleen McGuiness does not have the authority under Delaware law to conduct performance audits of state agencies such as the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance. DHSS attorneys had argued that the auditors duties were limited to conducting after-the-fact postaudits of financial transactions by state agencies. To me, this argument is unnecessarily convoluted, and the language of the Delaware statute is clear, Karsnitz wrote. A postaudit is an audit of a transaction or transactions after the fact, and a performance audit is a form of postaudit. This is exactly what we have here. A spokeswoman for DHSS said the agency is reviewing the ruling and will take appropriate next steps. McGuiness office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. McGuiness resorted to her subpoena power last August after notifying DHSS in May 2021 that her office would be conducting an audit of Medicaid eligibility for the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020. In her audit notification letter, McGuiness requested 14 different categories of records, including a list of all individuals who received Medicaid support during the three fiscal years. She also requested read-only access to Delawares Medicaid computer systems for two members of the audit team. DHSS Secretary Molly Magarik responded by asserting that the release of certain information, such a list of Medicaid participants, is prohibited by law. DHSS also argued that the proposed audit was both unauthorized and duplicative of reviews conducted by other government entities that have legal authority to investigate Medicaid, a program that serves almost a third of Delawares population. Magarik offered, in a show of good faith and transparency, to provide a much smaller amount of information, including organizational charts, training manuals and links to DHSS websites that are already publicly available. McGuiness refused to back down, however, saying DHSS had been unable to demonstrate for several years that it was effectively screening Medicaid applicants for eligibility before approving or denying benefits. McGuiness noted that a required independent annual audit of federal programs administration in 2020 included five repeat findings of problems involving DHSS that had been previously noted in the prior years audit. Three of the five repeat findings involved the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance, with material weakness found regarding compliance with Medicaid provider eligibility requirements and with Medicaid provider health and safety standards. The audit also found a significant deficiency regarding compliance with Medicaid client eligibility requirements. It is unconscionable that these failures continue to happen, especially within the Medicaid program, which serves such a vulnerable population, McGuiness said in a news release last year. Clearly, this is a problem that has existed for years long before the COVID-19 pandemic, so thats not a valid excuse for why these critical Medicaid reviews arent happening. The dispute involving scrutiny of the Medicaid program began a few months before McGuiness was indicted last October on felony counts of theft and witness intimidation, and misdemeanor charges of official misconduct, conflict of interest and noncompliance with procurement laws. The charges involved allegations that McGuiness engaged in favoritism in hiring her daughter as a part-time employee in 2020, improperly structured payments under a contract with a company she had used as a campaign consultant when running for lieutenant governor in 2016, and intimidated and harassed employees who questioned her conduct. McGuiness, who is responsible as auditor for rooting out government fraud, waste and abuse, was acquitted on the felony charges last month but convicted on the misdemeanor charges of conflict of interest, official misconduct and structuring a contract payment to avoid compliance with state procurement rules. The case marked the first time in Delaware history that a sitting statewide elected official had been convicted on criminal charges. McGuiness, who is seeking re-election and faces a Democratic primary challenger next month, faces a presumptive sentence of probation, but the convictions have not been formally entered and no sentencing date has been set. The trial judge is currently considering post-trial defense motions asking for a judgment of acquittal, or, in the alternative, a new trial. THURSDAY, Aug 11, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect among women with lung cancer, a new study finds. "The SHAWL [Sexual Health Assessment in Women with Lung Cancer] study is about bringing womens sexuality to the forefront of scientific discussions because it has been significantly understudied," said researcher Dr. Narjust Florez (Duma), associate director for the Cancer Care Equity Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. "When comparing the information before lung cancer diagnosis and after lung cancer diagnosis, the difference is staggering. Lung cancer significantly affects the sexual health of these women." For the study, participants were asked about sexual activity before lung cancer and during the 30 days before they completed the survey. In all, 249 women completed the survey. Within the month, 53% had sexual activity with themselves or someone else; 77% had little to no interest in sex; and 67% rarely or never wanted to have sex. The most common reasons for dissatisfaction with their sex life included fatigue (40%); feeling sad or unhappy (28%); issues with their partners (22%); and shortness of breath (15%), the study found. Marked differences were noted in decreased sexual desire (15% before diagnosis versus 31% after); and vaginal pain or discomfort (13% before diagnosis and 43% after). Of 127 women who reported sexual activity in the preceding month, 59% had issues with vaginal dryness and 26% had vaginal pain or discomfort. "Sexual dysfunction is prevalent in women with lung cancer, and we need to remember that sexual health is related to quality of life," Florez said in a Dana-Farber news release. She said sexual health should be considered as part of thoracic cancer treatment and more research is necessary to develop tailored interventions for lung cancer patients. Those whose sexual health is addressed have better quality of life, better pain control and better relationships with their partners and their health care team, Florez said. The findings were slated for presentation Tuesday at a meeting of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer in Vienna. Findings presented at medical meetings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information Learn more about lung cancer from the American Cancer Society. SOURCE: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, news release, Aug. 9, 2022 Was this page helpful? The Montana Department of Commerce announced $1.1 million in grant funding to enhance tourism for tribes in Montana. The Blackfeet Nation will receive $174,641.94 to improve the Buffalo Calf Interpretive Center, add toilets to two campgrounds, install art, offer remote car and boat rental activities, build five Blackfeet-style tipi lodges for rent at campgrounds and create a buffalo robe for display at the center. The Blackfeet Tribal Business Council is professionalizing its tourism efforts, and the tribe envisions a future when tourists don't just spend their money in the community but their time as well. The Chippewa Cree Tribe will receive $96,000 to purchase an off-road vehicle for its Buffalo Tour and install a new public address system at the powwow grounds. Until recently, bison hadnt roamed the Rocky Boy Reservation in decades. But that changed in October when the tribe welcomed the return of bison to their land. Now the tribe hopes to use the herd to feed their people, attract tourism and restore a sense of pride in the community. The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana will receive $147,550 to purchase landscape maintenance vehicles, implement facility repairs, install campground amenities and create a new fish cleaning station at the Hell Creek Recreation Area. The Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes will receive $194,484 for the Tatanka Omaskaskan Buffalo Trail Enhancement Project, renovate the Buffalo Ranch rental facility and upgrade the entrance to the Fort Peck Reservation. The Northern Cheyenne Nation will receive $203,813.81 for a shade pavilion at Birney powwow grounds, memorial statues, powwow arbor improvements and upgrades to the roads, picnic areas, restrooms and signage at Crazy Heads Recreation Area. The Crow Nation will receive $90,000 to expand the Apsaalooke Tours with two lift-equipped shuttle buses and to develop print materials for tours of Battle Loop, Chief Pretty Eagle Point, Rosebud Battle, Pictograph Cave and Chief Plenty Coups State Park. Luella Brien, Crow tribal tourism manager, said the grant was a fantastic first step in our plan to expand our offerings, which, in turn, will bring more guests to our beautiful homeland. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will receive $200,000 for repairs at Elmos Standing Arrow Pavilion, Blue Bay Campground and the Arlee dance and games pavilions. The Tribal Tourism Enhancement Grant is a pilot program that encourages tribes in Montana to boost long-term tourism offerings. Photo: The Canadian Press The world food crisis, made worse by the war in Ukraine, is leading to a rise in underage girls being forced into marriage, Canadian aid agencies warn. Plan International Canada said it has seen a worrying increase in the number of teenage girls in the developing world being forced into marriage because their families cannot afford to feed them. Twelve million girls under the age of 18 become child brides each year, forcing them to abandon school while putting their health at risk through early pregnancies, the agency said. It warned a 15 per cent decrease in child marriages over the past decade is now in reverse because of pressure on families. The problem is acute in countries facing food shortages where girls are frequently forced to leave school to marry, including in South Sudan, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Afghanistan. Bangladesh has one of the highest levels of underage marriage for girls in the world, according to Plan. The country's crops have been hit by severe flooding this year and it relies on Ukraine for much of its wheat. Tanjina Mirza, chief programs officer at Plan International Canada, said fewer girls are now being forced into marriage with investment in education in Bangladesh but this trend is under threat due to poverty, food shortages and the impact of climate change. She said Plan employees on the ground are reporting more girls being pulled out of school to be married in areas with acute food shortages. School meal programs, including those giving students rations to take home to encourage them to stay in school, are being shut down because of shortages, Mirza said in an interview. She said Plan is increasing provision of food, including through school meal programs, to try to keep children in school. Mirza said hunger is affecting 345 million people, with Ethiopia, South Sudan, Haiti, Burkina Faso and Niger among the most "food insecure" countries. She said 50 million people could face famine across 45 countries this year, and "girls' needs" particularly adolescent girls are often ignored when hunger grips a society. "We are in the grip of a devastating hunger situation that's currently affecting millions of children globally," she said. "Food insecurity exposes girls to dangers such as abuse, child labour and child marriage that lessens the financial burden on families: having one less mouth to feed and one less child to send to school is, in many cases, a matter of survival." She said "parents facing dire circumstances" are arranging marriages for their teenage daughters, but this is perpetuating "the cycle of poverty and hunger." According to Plan, nearly one in five girls are married before age 18 around the world. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death for girls aged 15 to 19. World Vision said in Afghanistan, where over 22 million people are going hungry, girls are being pulled from school and married off, including into violent homes, because their families can't afford to feed them. Afghanistan is now facing its worst hunger crisis in living memory. The latest stats show that 55 per cent of the population are facing acute levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, and children are dying due to starvation," said World Vision Afghanistan national director Asuntha Charles. "I am already seeing the horrific effect on children and particularly girls." Reyhana Patel, the director of communications and government relations at Islamic Relief Canada, said its employees working in Afghanistan "are relaying to us the horrific humanitarian crisis unfolding" there. "We've met with mothers who had to marry off their daughters so they can have food," she said. Haley Hodgson, spokeswoman for International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan, said he is working "with international partners to hold the Taliban to account for its horrific treatment and discrimination of women and girls." The war in Ukraine has deprived the UN World Food Program, which is among the aid agencies providing food in Afghanistan, of a major source of wheat. It has also driven up the price of grain and fuel, making it more expensive for aid agencies to feed the world's poor. Canada, one of the biggest contributors to the World Food Program, is among the countries to have condemned Moscow for blockading Ukraine's ports, bombing silos storing grain and stealing Ukrainian wheat. Ukraine has also accused Russia of exporting stolen Ukrainian wheat, claiming it is Russian, and of planting mines in Ukrainian fields so farmers cannot plant or harvest their crops. In a bid to ease the world food crisis, Russia and Ukraine last month signed agreements with Turkey and the United Nations to aid the export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea. CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming while a lawsuit that contests a ban on the procedure in nearly all cases moves ahead, a judge ruled Wednesday. The lawsuit will likely succeed because the ban appears to violate the state constitution and is vague, Teton County District Judge Melissa Owens, in Jackson, wrote in granting the preliminary injunction. In the meantime, the abortion ban would likely harm pregnant women, such as those with serious complications, and their doctors, who would risk prosecution by giving abortions in an attempt to help, Owens wrote. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, signed Wyoming's abortion trigger ban into law in March. The law was written to take effect if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, which happened June 24. The new Wyoming law would ban abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to protect the mother's life or health, not including psychological condition. Those who violate the ban would be charged with a felony punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The ban took effect July 27. But within hours Owens granted a temporary restraining order suspending the law, finding it would harm pregnant women and their doctors. Her latest ruling keeps the law suspended after the restraining order expired Wednesday. With both rulings, Owens sided with four women, including two obstetricians, and two nonprofits, including a planned Casper women's health care and abortion clinic that was firebombed in May, who sued to contest the law. The ruling is an important victory for abortion access, Julie Burkhart, founder of the Wellspring Health Access clinic, said in a statement. While we are heartened by todays outcome, we know the fight to keep abortion legal in Wyoming is far from over," Burkhart said. Wyoming will continue to defend the law in court, Gordon spokesman Michael Pearlman said by email Wednesday. Areas where the ban appears to violate the Wyoming constitution include a 2012 amendment guaranteeing the right to make one's own health care decisions, Owens wrote. Voters passed the amendment amid resistance to the federal Affordable Care Act, which sought to expand health insurance coverage and lower health care costs nationwide. The amendment had nothing to do with abortion, Wyoming special assistant attorney general Jay Jerde said in a hearing in the case Tuesday. Its just not within the facts that were kicking around at the time, Jerde said in court. A judge can't assume that voters didn't understand the full effect of the constitutional amendment, Owens wrote in keeping the abortion law suspended. The abortion ban also appears to violate the state constitution by discriminating against women, she wrote. Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver April 12, 1994, the day 11-year-old Jeremy Bullock was killed at Margaret Leary School, is a day that haunts many 28 years later. Anyone who grew up with us knows exactly where they were that day, said Hunter Terry, who went to school with Bullock and his twin brother, Josh. No matter what was going on, even if you werent there, you remember that day. Bullock was the unintentional victim of a school shooter, who meant to shoot a bully and got Bullock by mistake. In his honor, Bullocks family created the Jeremy Bullock Memorial Trust and Charities through Jeremy, which sponsor and fund a number of things, including the Jeremy Bullock Safe Schools Summit. The third annual summit took was held Tuesday and Wednesday at the Copper King Hotel and Convention Center with two days of speakers and workshops for teachers and school staff, with the mission of making schools safer for students. A fan favorite at the summit is the Student Voices Panel, which features a number of students who answer questions about what makes their school safe and what could make their school safer, among other things. The students on the Tuesday panel were Rylan Beye, a rising senior at Park High School in Livingston; Kip Pumnea and Reid Whitlock, both seniors at Butte High School; Will McGree, a freshman at Butte Central High School; Jason Johns, a sophomore at Butte High; and Keeley Janecke, a rising sixth-grader at Hillcrest Elementary School. Jeremy Bullocks sister, Kaity Bullock, moderated the student panel. As the students answered questions, a number of themes formed: open campus at Butte High, School Resource Officers and teachers are a big contributor to the students feelings of safety, and transparency in the reporting processes for things that alarm the students and the general goings on in the schools would make the students feel safer and more willing to report things. When Kaity Bullock asked the students what their schools key issue was, all three of the Butte High students Pumnea, Whitlock and Johns mentioned Butte Highs door being unlocked and open campus. My key safety issue is kids being able to leave the school and coming back and being able to prop the doors open, Pumnea said. During the question portion of the panel, Butte High Principal John Metz asked how the students who spoke about open campus thought others would feel if it were to be taken away. He mentioned that its not just students who would be affected by this policy, but local businesses. The students all agreed the student body would be upset and mad. Were not really at school to have fun, were there to learn, Pumnea said, eliciting a chuckle from the audience. Beye, for his part, mentioned his school, Park High, allows open campus for sophomores, juniors and seniors, but also only has one door people can enter through, the main door, which can always be seen by an administrators. And I think that is definitely super helpful, he said. I think thats something that other students can use and maybe build on. When asked what makes their schools safe, all the students mentioned being able to reach out to the authority figures at the school, whether that be teachers, counselors or SROs. Later, when Bullock asked what the role of an SRO is in school, they all seemed to agree that it is to listen to and protect students and the school. Beye elaborated on this by saying that an SRO in his school is not just a police officer in the school, but someone you can confide in, be friends with and trust. The students also seemed to reach a consensus that none of them really know what happens after they report something suspicious in their schools to a teacher or trusted adult, and a more transparent process where they know exactly what next steps are after the initial report would encourage them to speak out. They also all seemed to agree that schools are safer now than when their parents were in school, with the exception of Janecke who said that schools could be safer still and Johns who said that while schools are technically safer they seem less safe because of how prevalent violence seems to be now. The Law Enforcement Panel, which took place a couple of hours before the student panel and featured a number of SROs and law enforcement officers, talked about how active shooter protocols have changed since the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado, active shooter trainings for both parents and teachers, how an officer becomes an SRO and teachers being armed while at school. Sheriff Leo Dutton of Lewis and Clark County was on the panel, and retired Butte-Silver Bow undersheriff George Skuletich moderated. Dutton spoke about how, since Columbine, officers have been trained to act more immediately when theyre alerted of an active shooter, rather than waiting for backup. Sgt. Hal Richardson with the Bozeman police department, who oversees the SRO program there, spoke about an in-depth active shooter training the department has planned in the area for later this summer, and spoke about the importance of teachers knowing what to do in an active shooter situation. Skuletich echoed his sentiment, comparing active shooter training to fire drills. We havent lost a student in a fire since 1955, he said. Richardson said to become an SRO in Bozeman, an officer must have at least three years of experience in the department before they apply. So theyre already coming to the interview with hundreds of hour of training, he said. Both Skuletich and Dutton spoke against the idea of teachers carrying guns in schools, primarily because they said if an officer goes into a school with an active shooter and sees a teacher with a gun, they could mistake that person for the shooter. A video from Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., recorded specifically for the summit and shown earlier in the day, reportedly showed him speaking out against the idea of arming teachers in schools. The summit concludes Wednesday at 4 p.m. A Butte man accused of shooting a neighbor in the face and abdomen had a deep cut and other facial injuries himself when arrested and told police, He was going to kill me. But prosecutors charged 36-year-old Martin Bradley Coleman in the June 11 shooting and Thursday he pleaded not guilty to attempted deliberate homicide and felony possession of dangerous drugs. District Judge Kurt Krueger accepted the pleas and set the next hearing for Sept. 29. Coleman faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and up to life if convicted of attempted homicide and a maximum five years for the drug charge. Coleman was cuffed and dressed in orange jail garb during Thursdays hearing and when Krueger asked him if he had any questions about the charges, he said, I just dont think its right. He got a few more words out before the judge cut him off. Krueger also rejected a request from Colemans attorney to reduce bail from $250,000 to $25,000. A woman in the gallery then asked if she could say something. No you may not, the judge said. Coleman said the woman was his girlfriend, she lived in his house and he just wanted to visit, but Krueger said, Thank you and he was escorted out of the courtroom and returned to jail. Coleman is accused of shooting a 42-year-old man in a house in the 1300 block of East Park Place around 2 p.m. on June 11, a Saturday. A woman said the two were arguing in the living room and after she told them to take it outside, she heard gunshots. Police found the victim inside the door and before he was taken to the hospital, he said Marty was the shooter, he lived across the alley and drove a red truck, according to prosecutors. The victim survived his injuries. Police went to the suspects house and a woman told him he wasnt there and she hadnt seen him since morning. Officers located Colemans vehicle at an apartment complex several hours later and when he came out of an apartment, he was arrested. During the arrest of Coleman, he began crying and said he had been so scared all day, prosecutors wrote in charging documents. He also made a couple of comments, he was going to kill me, he was going to kill me. Police said he had numerous facial injuries, including a deep laceration, and an abrasion and bruising injury on his torso. Officers located a small caliber handgun in the apartment with blood on it and it had a bullet in the chamber. Police also found a pouch with a clear baggie containing a white crystal substance that appeared to be meth. During Thursdays hearing, defense attorney Sarah Busch said Coleman had moved from California to Montana four years ago to get a fresh start, and though he had a criminal history, none of it occurred in Montana. She said he had steady employment and other ties to Butte and was not a flight risk, but prosecutor Kelli Fivey opposed a bond reduction, citing the seriousness of the crime and other factors. WATERLOO A clerk at a Waterloo convenience store said an April shooting at the business started with an argument over the price of a lighter. Authorities allege Tony Cecil Orr Jr. began shooting at the clerk at Logan Convenience Store as his brother yelled at the employee. Orr, 18, of Memphis, Tenn., is charged with intimidation with a weapon, carrying weapons and going armed. His trial began Tuesday in Black Hawk County District Court and went to the jury on Wednesday. At Logan Convenience Store, 735 Logan Ave., disposable lighters were going for two for $1 or 75 cents each. Derrick Tatum, a clerk at the shop, said a patron argued with him over the price one day in April. The customer Alante Amaechi yelled and had some choice words, Tatum said while on the witness stand Tuesday. I said some smart things back to him, and he left, Tatum said. Then about three days later on April 20 Amaechi returned, allegedly with his brother, Orr, in tow, and resumed the squabble, threatening and talking reckless in line as Tatum waited on another customer, the clerk said. At some point, Orr, wearing a mask and standing by a shelf of potato chips near the door, pulled a handgun with an extended magazine from his waist and began shooting, Tatum told jurors. Orr aimed one shot and turned, firing behind him as he ran out the door, Tatum said. Two of the bullets came within a foot or two of Tatum and the customer he was ringing up. I ducked all the way to the floor, Tatum said. When he looked up, the gunman was gone, and patrons were checking themselves over for injuries. No one was hit by a bullet, prosecutors said. Tatum said he grabbed the store gun a revolver placed behind the counter just in case and called 911. Its unreal. I cant believe this just happened, Tatum said. In court, Tatum identified Orr as the shooter. Prosecutor Brad Walz said police recovered three spent shell casings and one fired bullet from the scene. When police searched a home where Orr had been staying nine days later, they found clothing and shoes similar to those seen in surveillance videos of the shooting. They also found an extended magazine and ammunition but no gun. MTN South Africa has rapidly expanded its 5G network during the first six months of 2022, the operators latest interim financial results have shown. Between January 2022 and June 2022, MTN spent R3.2 billion on capital expenditure in South Africa, which included upscaling its 5G network. By leveraging the spectrum in the 3,500MHz band it secured during Icasas high-demand frequency spectrum auction in March 2022, MTN could roll out 443 more 5G sites during the period. That brought its total number of active 5G sites to 1,391, an increase of almost 47%. MTN said it now covered nearly 20% of the countrys population with 5G and previously told MyBroadband it was targeting 25% coverage by the end of the year. MTN first launched its 5G network at the end of June 2020, offering coverage in a handful of suburbs in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Bloemfontein. As of June 2022, the operator had coverage in 38 cities and big towns across the country. To illustrate how fast MTN has expanded its network, the images below compare MTNs 5G coverage over time. The areas shown in red have MTN 5G coverage. 30 June 2020 Launch 14 December 2020 8 August 2021 11 August 2022 MTN also said mobile data revenue increased by 14.6% during the first half of the year to reach R9.05 billion, contributing 45.1% of MTN South Africas total service revenue of roughly 24.78 billion. This performance was supported by an increase of 15.3% in active data subscribers to 18.1 million and a 41.5% year-on-year rise in traffic, MTN explained. Notably, the average active MTN prepaid data customer consumed 2.6GB of data per month, an increase of 24% compared to the same period last year. Active postpaid data subscribers consumed nearly five times that amount 12.5GB per month which was a 26% higher average than between January 2021 and June 2021. The operator said the growth in data traffic was driven by an 18.9% reduction in the effective data rate across all business units. Enabling more 5G connectivity could allow MTN to continue growing mobile data usage. Although 5G does not use more data than 4G to load the same content, studies like the one conducted by Open Signal have found that users with access to 5G tend to consume more data. That could be because data-demanding applications like video streaming services can output at higher resolution due to increased network capacity. The image below shows MTNs 5G network across several provinces and around major cities in South Africa, as of 11 August 2022. Gauteng KwaZulu-Natal Free State and Northern Cape Eastern Cape Limpopo Cape Town and surrounds Mbombela (Nelspruit) and surrounds Amazon is advertising over 300 jobs in South Africa, including two positions that indicate that its plans to launch a marketplace in the country could come to fruition. The international e-commerce giant is advertising two managerial roles for the ZA marketplace and various software development, customer service, and solutions architect positions. In June 2022, leaked documents revealed that the company plans to expand to five new countries in Africa, South America, and Europe. Its expansion plans include launching a marketplace in South Africa. The retail giant will compete against Takealot, Makro, and other online retailers in the country. According to the leaked documents, Amazons plan codenamed Project Fela is to launch its South African marketplace by February 2023. Amazon also plans to launch its Fulfillment by Amazon service for third-party sellers in the country. Its Prime membership programme will also reportedly be available to South Africans shortly after launch. MyBroadband asked Amazon for an update on its plans to launch its operations in South Africa, but it did not respond by the time of publication. The company is also advertising various technical, business development, and customer service jobs in South Africa, including several work-from-home and seasonal positions. The table below summarises some of the latest positions available at Amazon in South Africa. The number of open posts per category is provided in brackets. Now read: Elon Musk sells more than R114 billion in Tesla shares Its only been about four months, but oh how life has changed for Igor Romanchenko and his family. It all started back in late February, some 6,000 miles from Napa Valley. Thats when Russian forces first invaded Ukraine. The military was bombing cities across the country. Millions evacuated, many on foot. Igor Romanchenkos grandmother Larysa Berezovska, his pregnant wife Anastasiia and his young daughter Emma, fled their home in Odesa. Romanchenko, who was working at sea, met them in Poland. After flying to Canada and walking across the U.S. border, the family made their way to California. By early April, they connected with Bob and Jean Edwards of St. Helena. The couple brought them to stay at their property in rural St. Helena. Many good things happened after that," said Igor Romanchenko. Members in St. Helena and around the county rallied to help. A car was loaned. A Go Fund Me campaign was launched. The family was able to apply for aid and legal help. 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. Thank you for all people, who have supported them, said Romanchenko. Each dollar was very big assistance for us, he said. Very helpful. More good news followed. Igor Romanchenkos mother, Svitlana Romanchenko, who had traveled to the U.S. separately from the family, joined them after leaving her temporary housing in Sacramento. And lastly, they welcomed a new U.S. citizen, and Napa native, to the family: Mark Romanchenko. Baby Mark was born on May 30, at 11:21 a.m., at Queen of the Valley Medical Center. Knowing the Romanchenkos housing in St. Helena would be short-term, John Schrader and Nyra Krstovich of Napa stepped forward with another kind offer. They have a home on Monticello Road which would be vacant due to a construction project on the property. We found the perfect tenants, Schrader said, with a smile. They can stay there, for possibly as long as a year. After all, its an American tradition to welcome immigrants, Schrader noted. Its the foundation of our country. Its what you should do, Krstovich said. Yes, most people want to help Ukrainian refugees, but not everybody has the means to do it. Its nice that we have the means. More locals stepped up, including realtor Hillary Ryan, banker Stefani Phipps and volunteer Norman Manzer. Hillside Christian Church and a local Seventh Day Adventist church have also contributed. We thankful for their kind hearts, said Igor Romanchenko. Igor Romanchenkos mother, Svitlana Romanchenko, 55, said that so far, the biggest surprise about the U.S. is how happy Americans seem. Very friendly people, she said. Svitlana Romanchenko is taking English as a second language classes at Napa Valley Adult Education. Is very important, for her to learn the language, she said. Napa Valley native becomes Ukrainian refugee When war broke out in Ukraine, this Napa Valley man (and his Ukrainian girlfriend) became refugees. This is their story. The family has done a little bit of sightseeing including visiting San Francisco. They rode the ferry, which Igor Romanchenko especially enjoyed because it reminds him of his work. Larysa Berezovska said she liked visiting Pier 39 in San Francisco. She also appreciates the clothing and other household supplies that have been donate to the family. Emma, age 4, is taking dance lessons at NV Dance Company. Do you like dance class? her father asked her. Yes! Emma said emphatically. Not quite old enough for Kindergarten, Emma will likely start preschool in the fall. Of course, all of this doesnt mean the family doesnt miss their home. St. Helena couple takes in Ukrainian refugee family A Napa Valley couple has taken in a Ukrainian refugee family. Meet the Romanchenkos. Its hard to understand why Im here, said Svitlana Romanchenko. Why this war happened, and in the 21st century? What is hard is to not understand, when the war will be over, she said. What is my future? Her son agreed. We are fine now but we dont know exactly what will be our future. The apartments they left behind (still standing) are providing shelter for other Ukraine refugees. We share that home, with others in need, he said. Please continue pray for Ukraine, Igor Romanchenko said. My family is safe but many families is still not safe, including Anastasiia Romanchenkos family who remain in the Ukraine. Napan supports Ukrainian family and friends from afar Napan Thomas Ault lives part time in Ukraine. He's now helping coordinate war relief efforts. Igor Romanchenko said that his next steps include getting permission to work in the U.S. Hed like to go back to working at a port, perhaps in Oakland or San Francisco. This would be good job, said Romanchenko. He is ready to provide for his family again. Svitlana Romanchenko, who is a nurse, said she would also like to work in health care again. We not just take and take, we like to be useful and serve what we can, said Igor Romanchenko. In the meantime, baby Mark is enjoying plenty of affection from all five of his Napa family members. Baby give us joy, change us for good, said Igor Romanchenko. We are so happy. When Gov. Gavin Newsom shut down much of the states economy 2 1/2 years ago to slow the spread of COVID-19, more than 2 million workers suddenly lost their jobs. Logic and compassion should have made easing the economic blow to those workers and their families a top priority. Unfortunately, however, it fell to the Employment Development Department, which had already demonstrated incompetence in a previous recession, to handle the tsunami of claims for unemployment insurance benefits and the predictable result was a total meltdown that deprived desperate workers of much-needed cash. While countless claims for state benefits were delayed, sometimes for months, or erroneously denied, EDDs staff approved many fraudulent claims for special federal benefits, resulting in more than $18 billion being paid to fraudsters, including some inmates in state prisons. Legitimate payments, when made, quickly exhausted the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the state was compelled to borrow more than $20 billion from the federal government to maintain benefits, a debt that will take many years to repay. EDDs massive managerial disaster could, and should, have been prevented had the states politicians not ignored numerous indications that EDD and the unemployment insurance (UI) program were train wrecks waiting to happen. On Monday, the Legislatures budget analyst, Gabe Petek, issued a detailed and sharply worded report on how EDD failed and what should be done to avoid a repeat. These failures trace back to the (unemployment insurance) programs basic design, which has encouraged EDD to adopt policies and practices that make it unreasonably difficult for eligible workers to get benefits, Petek told the Legislature. Although these problems are not new, the pandemic has highlighted the need for the state to rebalance the UI program in ways that make getting benefits to eligible workers a top priority. Peteks report also castigates EDD for concealing the extent of the unemployment insurance backlog by adopting a narrow interpretation of a state law requiring the agency to report data to the Legislature. As a result, Petek said, the Legislature was unaware of the widespread reliance on procedural denials at a time when the department could not process incoming mail and phone calls. Had getting payments to eligible workers been a top priority, the department could have reported the full scope of claims that were found ineligible instead of the narrowest scope to bring the issue to the Legislatures attention and begin work toward a solution. It was, in brief, incompetence compounded by coverup. One wonders whether anyone in the bureaucracy will be punished for concealing the facts. The report lists ways in which the application process could be streamlined, eliminating duplication and making it much easier for legitimate claims to be approved and benefits to be paid. It also hints that something must be done about the deplorable condition of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which is financed by payroll taxes on employers. California is one of only a few states that tax the minimum amount of a workers earnings, $7,000 a year, under federal law. A decades-long stalemate between employers and unions over taxes and benefits left the insurance fund incapable of absorbing even a mild recession, much less the COVID-19 shutdown, forcing the state to borrow from the feds. Peteks report challenges Newsom and the Legislature to make certain that the EDD disaster doesnt happen again. That would require procedural overhauls and technological upgrades, but also doing something about the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Its shameful that the richest state in the nation borrowed billions from Washington to pay benefits to workers who were unemployed because of a state emergency decree. According to information published by Huntington Ingalls Industries on August 11, 2022, the company shared that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has achieved a significant milestone in the construction of the Virginia-class submarine Massachusetts (SSN 798). Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Future Virginia class submarine USS Massachusetts (Picture source: HII) Shipbuilders working on Massachusetts recently reached pressure hull complete, meaning that all of the hull sections were joined to form a single, watertight unit. This is the last major construction milestone before the submarine is launched. About the Virginia class submarines The Virginia class, also known as the SSN-774 class, is a class of nuclear-powered cruise missile fast-attack submarines, in service in the United States Navy. Designed by General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries. Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations that increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth to significantly enhance their warfighting capabilities. These submarines are capable of supporting multiple mission areas and can operate at speeds of more than 25 knots for months at a time. The Virginia-class submarine has a length of 114.8 m, and a beam of 10.36 m. The submarine can reach a top speed of 28 miles per hour (45 km/h). She has a crew of 132 people including 15 officers and 117 enlisted. The Virginia Class is equipped with twelve Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes and four torpedo tubes (starting with SSN 784 North Dakota [Block II], the 12 VLS tubes are replaced by 2 large-diameter payload tubes). The submarines also carry Mk 48 ADCAP Torpedoes, UGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, Mk 60 CAPTOR mines, advanced mobile mines, and unmanned underwater vehicles. YEREVAN. Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Residents of 3 Artsakh [(Nagorno-Karabakh)] Republic settlementsAghavno, Berdzor, and Sus communitiesmust vacate their native dwellings by August 25. The rationale is that after the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020which was signed between RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, RF [(Russian Federation)] President Vladimir Putin, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyevwhen Russian peacekeepers were deployed on the Artsakh-Azerbaijani border, it was already clear that these territories will also be handed over [to Azerbaijan]. That is, it became known about [Armenians] leaving these territories still about two years ago, but during this time, a large number of investments were made, a school, a kindergarten were rebuilt in Aghavno [village]. According to Zhoghovurd dailys information, we are talking about an investment of about 300 thousand US dollars from non-state funds. In a conversation with Zhoghovurd daily, Aghavno village head Andranik Chavushyan confirmed our information that various investments were made in the village during this period, but he did not mention the exact amount. It turns out that even knowing that the residents should leave Aghavno, investments were made there, whereas instead those funds could have been directed to the improvement of other cities in Artsakhnot playing with people's emotions in vain. Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces Moderna vaccine production and research facility in April. Moderna says construction of its new mRNA vaccine factory in the Montreal area will begin later this year, with production expected to begin by the end of 2024. The vaccine manufacturer is announcing that it has agreed to purchase land in a biotechnology park in Laval, Que., a northern suburb of Montreal, to serve as the site of its biomanufacturing facility. The Massachusetts-based company says the site is ideal due to its proximity to a renowned research institute, the Institut national de la recherche scientifique. Moderna announced in April that it would build a factory in the Montreal area that would be able to produce 100 million doses of mRNA vaccines a year. The facility is expected to produce vaccines not only against COVID-19 but also targeting various respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The company says the facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2024, "subject to planning and regulatory approvals." "This location offers tremendous synergies to Moderna due to its proximity to a renowned research institute, in addition to fitting the requirements of the project and its importance to all Canadians and Quebecers," the company said in a news release. "We are pleased to have found the ideal site for the expected construction of our mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility." YEREVAN. Hraparak daily of Armenia writes: The fall session of the parliament of the eighth convocation will start on September 12. The opposition "Armenia" Faction, which has been boycotting the work of the parliament for months, does not specify whether or not they will attend the fall session. Information was circulated that a signature campaign was launched within the [opposition Armenia] bloc. The entire [election] list of the bloc (...) will submit a petition for self-recusal and the MPs of the faction will give up [their parliamentary] mandates. This is done so that traitors do not appear and side with the authorities by taking the mandate. However, the bloc does not comment on this information. The [aforesaid] list consists of 153 names, and it is not an easy thing to get the consent of so many people in connection with not taking the mandate. In addition, the one year of the prime minister's immunity has passed since August 2, and the parliament can start a process of no confidence against [PM Nikol] Pashinyan. However, our sources from both sides say that in recent months, such a gap has emerged between the opposition and the authorities that secret negotiations on the matter of starting a no-confidence process are from the genre of fantasy. And the [parliamentary] opposition alone does not have enough votes to successfully implement that process. 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 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared his countrys victory over COVID-19, Reuters reported. Kim ordered the lifting of maximum anti-epidemic measures imposed in May, though adding that North Korea must maintain a "steel-strong anti-epidemic barrier and intensifying the anti-epidemic work until the end of the global health crisis," North Korea's KCNA news agency reported on Thursday. North Korea has never confirmed how many people caught COVID. Instead, it has reported daily numbers of patients with fever, a tally that rose to some 4.77 million. But it has registered no new such cases since July 29. Kim made his declaration in a speech on Wednesday at a meeting on COVID policy with thousands of unmasked officials sitting indoors, according to footage from state broadcasters. Kim's sister, Kim Yo Jong, also addressed the gathering and said the young leader himself had suffered from fever symptoms, according to KCNA, indicating for the first time that he was likely infected with the virus. The World Health Organization has cast doubts on North Korea's assertions. North Korea's declaration on COVID comes despite no known vaccine program. Instead, it says it relied on lockdowns, domestically produced medicines, and what Kim called the "advantageous Korean-style socialist system." Former US President Donald Trump stated that agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) did not allow anyone, including his lawyers, to be present during the search of his estate in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The FBI and others from the Federal Government would not let anyone, including my lawyers, be anywhere near the areas that were rummaged and otherwise looked at during the raid on Mar-a-Lago. Everyone was asked to leave the premises, they wanted to be left alone, without any witnesses to see what they were doing, taking or, hopefully not, planting. Why did they STRONGLY insist on having nobody watching them, everybody out? Obama and Clinton were never raided, despite big disputes! according to a statement posted on Trump's Telegram channel. The New York Times, citing its sources, reported that the FBI was most likely interested in the documents that Trump took with him from the White House. In February, The Washington Post had reported that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) had seized several boxes of documents that Trump had taken from the White House. And Politico claims that Trump was in New York at the time of the aforesaid FBI search. Photo: . Dutch National Police witness Joerie van Schiandel was shown a photo of Aydin Coban after his arrest in The Netherlands in 2014. The image was presented to the jury as evidence as part of Crown Counsel's case. Sept. 20, 2022. That's the first day of what could be a multi-day sentencing hearing for Aydin Coban, and will come more than a month after he was found guilty on five charges in connection to the "sextortion" of a Port Coquitlam teen. Amanda Todd, at age 15, committed suicide in her home nearly a decade ago after posting a silent black-and-white video on YouTube about an online stalker by holding flash cards expressing her struggles. It immediately went viral around the world. Starting Tuesday, Sept. 20, Coban will find out how long he'll serve time after the 44-year-old Dutch national was convicted on charges related to extortion and criminal harassment last Saturday (Aug. 6). The decision came 10 hours after B.C. Supreme Court Justice Martha Devlin charged the jury, which saw 80 exhibits and heard testimony from 30 witnesses, including nine experts from the Netherlands, Australia and New York all of whom flew in for the in-person trial at the New Westminster courthouse. Coban was accused of tormenting Todd with online threats. During the nine-week trial, prosecutors presented thousands of printed pages in hefty binders, showing evidence of Cobans chats and calls with Amanda through various personas between Nov. 1, 2009, and Feb. 17, 2012 some grooming her, others threatening the girl that he would expose naked images of her to her friends and family if she didnt give him peep shows. Meanwhile, defence lawyers offered no evidence, telling the jury in their closing submissions that Coban was not the person behind 22 fake online aliases used to lure, harass and extort Amanda. During the trial, the jury also didnt hear how Amanda died nor about Cobans previous conviction in his native country. Finding peace The guilty charges were a "happy" moment for Amanda's mother Carol Todd, who has advocated against bullying and cyberbullying since her daughter's passing. "I was so happy and relieved to hear the guilty verdicts on all five charges," Carol Todd told the Tri-City News following the jury's decision. "After nine weeks [of trial] and almost 10 years, Amandas voice has been heard loud and clear. "Justice will not bring my daughter back, but her story will continue to bring hope to others that they are not alone, that they matter and that they have many people advocating for them." Todd, who is now receiving more offers to speak at cyberbullying and extortion conferences around the world on behalf of the Amanda Todd Legacy Society, said she expects Coban will serve his Canadian sentence in the Netherlands. She told the Tri-City News she was surprised at how fast the verdict came down. "I didnt expect it so quickly," said Todd, who positioned herself in the courtroom gallery to get a clear view of his reaction. During the trial, Coban often caught Todds eye before he pulled off his face mask and stepped into the prisoners box, where he took notes on a legal pad and on a laptop without internet connection. "He looked at me when he walked in and I looked at him. He didn't have that swagger anymore because he knew the jury had deliberated less than 24 hours. It was clear." She added, "I never let up. He picked the wrong girl with the right Mama Bear. Now, hes been convicted in a separate trial and he gets more jail time. That will protect all of the other girls he abused. Im happy for the victims that they know he has to spend extra jail time and they dont have to worry for 2025." "Sextortion" reports have skyrocketed since Amanda died in 2012. According to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the U.S., reports of online enticement shot up 98 per cent between 20192020, with mostly teenage boys as the sextortion targets. Coban charges Coban is convicted of the following: extortion importing and distributing child pornography possession of child pornography communicating with the intent to lure a child criminal harassment - with files from Janis Cleugh, Tri-City News "I Touched All Your Stuff" is a maddening, intriguing, shout-at-the-screen kind of documentary, seemingly wildly undisciplined yet rigorously (over)constructed it's the cinematic equivalent of the Pompidou Center, parading its structure all on the outside. The subject is convicted American drug smuggler Christopher Kirk, whose shaggy-dog tale of naivete and hopeless love so captivated Brazilian directors Maira Buehler and Matias Mariani that they plunged into his story, only to discover that winnowing truth from fiction was impossible. Kirk is an exasperating protagonist, the voiceover is annoying and the amount of filler footage would jam up the Erie Canal, yet con men are intrinsically fascinating, suggesting fests could have a conversation-starter on their hands. Apparently the directors initially thought of making a film about foreign jailbirds in Brazilian prisons: Then they met Kirk in the slammer and shifted focus after being won over by his winning, earnest manner. What really hooked them was his story about traveling to Colombia from Olympia, Wash., because he was tickled by a TV program on rampant hippopotami living in Pablo Escobar's former compound (subject of 2010's "Pablo's Hippos") hence the documentary's Portuguese title, which translates to "The Private Life of Hippos." Sometime later in "I Touched All Your Stuff," Buehler says Kirk is a great storyteller, but it's as if he's distanced from his own story. Well, duh: The guy is a master inventor if not (very likely) a psychopath. Advertisement Kirk himself, dressed in the yellow top you'd find at a Sao Paulo big house, looks like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, especially when discussing the love of his life, referred to only as V. She was a half-Japanese, half-Colombian woman of mystery, and the more Kirk describes their relationship, the more any sane person will question his veracity. The directors were given access to Kirk's hard drive, resulting in an overload of shots of thousands of file icons, with photos and songs (mostly by Joseph Arthur), though only one distant, fuzzy image of V. It's never clear when the directors cotton on to the fact that their subject is such a fabulist. If one goes chronologically, using the film's chapter divisions, then only after about 75 minutes do any of the many friends and associates interviewed state that Kirk uses his honest face as a front, disguising his less-than-savory activities. Before then, the folks back home in Michigan and Washington speak of him in saintly terms as the original naif, gullible and uncorrupted. Apparently they didn't know about his penchant for stories about con men and grifters. Advertisement Buehler and Mariani seem uninterested in asking probing questions (or even basic ones, like where was Kirk's money coming from?), probably because they realized there was no way of separating truth from lies. It's part of their bid for a multilayered approach, which deliberately uses directorial involvement as a way of reflecting on the limits of nonfiction filmmaking a topical subject, given the skyrocketing number of docu-fictions in recent years. Unfortunately, as if to concretize every identifiable statement, they overload "Stuff" with a barrage of footage with only tangential relevance: For example, when someone likens Kirk to Pinocchio, they insert scenes from "Pinocchio." No point is made without similarly unnecessary illustrations, and these constant cuts form a major source of irritation. The English-lingo title derives from a bizarre story about a friend of Kirk's who surprised him by wrapping his entire apartment, objects included, in aluminum foil. "I Touched All Your Stuff" -- Two-and-a-half stars MPAA rating: Not rated Running time: 1:31 Opens: Friday at Facets, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., facets.org Not a single family has left Aghavno, people are waiting. Suren Petrosyan, chairman of the Democratic Union party, told NEWS.am, adding that if 500 people arrive in Aghavno, the village can still be saved. Petrosyan, who has been in the village of Aghavno in Artsakh with his wife and two young children for four days, said his residents want to stay in their home village. "We have two weeks. Let's try to get results in these two weeks. We are in victim status. There are two choices: we either confront the challenges or we run away from them and die. If no one comes here, and only the villagers remain, there will be no other choice but to leave Aghavno. But once again I say that I will stay here with my family until the last moment," he said. The chairman of the Democratic United Party added that hundreds of people have said they will come to Aghavno. "There are cases when people come and get acquainted with the situation. They promise to come," he concluded. Recall that the situation in Artsakh heated up since August 1. Araik Harutyunyan, the president of the republic, announced at the meeting of the Security Council convened on August 2 that Azerbaijan through peacekeepers demanded to set up the corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia by a new route. The next day Azerbaijani units roughly violated the ceasefire by shelling the combat positions of the Defense Army and the permanent deployment of a military unit. In addition to small arms of various caliber, the enemy also used mortars, grenade launchers and UAVs, as a result of which contract servicemen Gurgen Gabrielyan and Artur Khachatryan were mortally wounded. 19 servicemen were wounded in varying degrees of severity. Already on August 5 the Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Artsakh Hayk Khanumyan informed the residents of Aghavno and Berdzor that they have to leave their houses by August 25. The Swedish government has decided to extradite a man wanted for fraud to Turkey. This is the first time since Turkey demanded the extradition of several individuals in exchange for allowing Stockholm to formally apply for NATO membership, Reuters reported. Turkey overrode its veto of Finland and Sweden's bid to join the Western alliance in June after weeks of tense negotiations in which Ankara accused the two Nordic countries of aiding the Kurds, whom Turkey considers terrorists. As part of the deal, Turkey presented a list of people to be extradited by Sweden. Sweden decided to extradite the 30-year-old man. "This is a normal routine matter. The person in question is a Turkish citizen and convicted of fraud offences in Turkey in 2013 and 2016," Minister of Justice Morgan Johansson said. "The Supreme Court has examined the issue as usual and concluded that there are no obstacles to extradition," he said. A justice ministry spokesman declined to say whether the man was on the list of people whose extradition Turkey has requested or to comment further on the matter. Sweden's SVT television station, which first reported the extradition, reported that the man had been sentenced to 14 years in prison in Turkey on several charges of bank card fraud. The man, who has been detained in Sweden since last year, claims he was wrongfully convicted because he converted to Christianity, refused to do military service and has Kurdish roots, SVT reported. But the key image the one that makes his Saint Pablo Tour so innovative, pointing at no less than the direction of pop culture itself is how those lights redistribute the attention of the traditional concert from the performer to the audience, reimagining the possibilities of a live performance. No joke: Kanye stands in the dark for much of the show. And so, if you're on the floor, it's hard not to notice how in the spotlight you are, how close you are to Kanye, how actually beneath this millionaire provocateur you have become. As the stage moves, you move, the crowd around you moves, a shepherd and his flock. And if you're in the bowl of seats above the floor: Your eye is drawn instinctively to that churning flood of an audience flowing beneath the artist, a roiling impromptu ballet/dance party/mosh pit, bathed in far more dramatic lighting than the guy on the stage. The transfer of the Lachin corridor was conditional from the very beginning, an expert on Azerbaijani issues Garnik Davtyan told journalists today. He said that there was an agreement with the trilateral statement of November 9: 2020-23 to present an alternative road project, but Azerbaijan will present the constructed road to the public in 2022. This gives the expert reason to believe that Nikol Pashinyan had a secret agreement with Azerbaijan behind the backs of the people. "I assume that there is a clearly treacherous secret process that has been hidden from the public and presented in the context of an era of peace. By hiding all the challenges, they are promoting the idea of an era of peace, which will entail more casualties. Second, the expert studies on the construction of an alternative road to Lachin were seen by the authorities as misinformation, dusting the public's eyes. In general, the transfer of the Berdzor corridor is a political agreement. There are also secret agreements under the clauses of the document which refer to Artsakh in order to receive concessions in future," he said. Garnik Davtyan does not consider it a coincidence that the Armenian armed forces left Artsakh a day earlier than August 3, and the next day the Azerbaijanis managed to enter the areas uncontrolled by the Artsakh Defense Army. "The head of the Ekhtsaog community confirmed that Azerbaijan's positions have recently advanced significantly. The main purpose of the Berdzor corridor was not only to create such a documented political environment that the corridor should be given away, but also to play on an emotional basis. When a villager, having experienced the hardships of a 44-day war that caused so many casualties, sees that there are no Azerbaijanis on the opposite hill, he at least feels peace of mind. After a short time, when he sees an Azerbaijani soldier there, he asks himself: How is it possible that there are Azerbaijanis there? Because of this, they gradually lose confidence in the state. People are not sure if their place of residence will be next," he said. Let us remind that the situation in Artsakh heated up from August 1. At the meeting of the Security Council convened on August 2 Arayik Harutyunyan stated that Azerbaijan demanded to set up a corridor connecting Artsakh with Armenia via peacekeepers, using the new route. The next day the Azerbaijani side, having grossly violated the ceasefire regime, shelled military positions and a military unit, also using mortars, grenade launchers and assault rifles, which resulted in 2 dead and 19 wounded on the Armenian side. Already on August 5 Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of Artsakh Hayk Khanumyan informed Aghavno and Berdzor residents that they should leave their houses till August 25. It should be mentioned that point 6 of the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 says that the parties should determine within three years the plan of constructing an alternative road which would connect Artsakh with Armenia. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan said on August 4 that work on the construction of the alternative road Lachin corridor has already begun and will be completed by spring. Azerbaijan has built a 30-kilometer section of the road, which should connect with the road built by the Armenian side. Russian peacekeepers will be stationed on a 5-kilometer section of the new route. Just in time for the start of fall classes, Emory University students can now opt to share their pronouns, gender identity and other personal characteristics in their official online profile and faculty class rosters. Following the adoption of the Student Name and Pronoun Policy, the university is launching the Student Characteristics Project this month. The project uses the Online Pathway to University Students (OPUS) to offer students the option to self-disclose characteristics including gender identity, sexual orientation, first-generation status, military affiliation, religious/spiritual identity and ethnicity, in addition to pronouns. A collaboration of the Office of the Provost, Campus Life, the Office of the University Registrar and Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRDS), with support from student testers, the project was initiated in response to student requests and reflects Emorys desire to foster student flourishing through inclusivity, engagement and alignment with their needs, according to the project team. Data and belonging In order for our campus community to be truly diverse, equitable and more inclusive, we must create space for all voices to be acknowledged and recognized at Emory, says Carol E. Henderson, vice provost for diversity and inclusion, chief diversity officer and adviser to the president. An important place to start is a more comprehensive consideration of who learns, lives, and contributes to the dynamic scholarly community that is Emory. According to Justin Shepherd, assistant vice provost for institutional research and decision support (IRDS), IRDS will use the data to look for opportunities to improve the student experience. For example, if the number of students reporting an affiliation is much higher than the number of students utilizing related services, that could indicate a need to improve outreach. Danielle M. Bruce-Steele, director of the Office of LGBT Life in Belonging and Community Justice, notes that the availability of this data will make it easier for the organizations she leads to provide student services and grow a stronger community. Shepherd agrees, saying, All students have different experiences. We want to offer robust services, so they feel welcomed and supported at Emory. Henderson foresees a greater sense of community and belonging across Emory as a result of this project. It will be transformative in our journey to create clearer pathways of change to better serve our students and strengthen our efforts in student flourishing and belonging. When students feel acknowledged, truly appreciated, valued and seen, they thrive. Emory will be all the better for it, she says. Faculty and staff resources Besides benefitting the university at the operational level, the Student Characteristics Project creates a mindset of inclusivity. For students, sharing this data with the university is a step towards being recognized and respected in classroom spaces, says Bruce-Steele. With OPUS officially serving as the system of record for student characteristics, the Center for Faculty Development and Excellence (CFDE) has prepared guidelines to help faculty and staff use the data to become stronger advocates for students. Faculty and staff are invited to attend a Summer Teaching Intensive workshop on pronoun usage on Wednesday, Aug. 10, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. Collecting data on student characteristics comes with a number of responsibilities in addition to training needs. Shepherd reports that strict privacy controls will protect the sensitive data, in accordance with FERPA and other regulations. Currently, the data students enter will display only on their own self-service page (accessible through their personal Emory login) and on faculty class rosters within OPUS. Other groups may request data using the Office of the University Registrars standard data request form. Student instructions To enter their characteristics data, students will log in to OPUS and click on the Profile tile, where theyll find a menu to guide them. Under the Personal Details tab, students can enter their pronouns; if they find their pronouns have not been listed, students can select the Pronouns Not Listed option, which will lead them to a freeform field that they can use to enter their pronouns. Within the Personal Details tab, students may also click the Biographic tab to enter first-generation status, with the ability to list for two parents. Students also have the opportunity to enter a military affiliation if one exists, as well as gender identity and sexual orientation. Here, as with pronouns, student can select a Not Listed option to enter responses not listed. Other menu options include Religious/Spiritual Identity (a change from the previously listed Religious Preference), which grants students the option to enter one or more affiliations, and Ethnicity, which also offers students the opportunity to choose one or more ethnicities. Using the Background tab, students can choose more specific options. If a student chooses Asian as their ethnicity, for example, the Background tab provides students a list of Asian countries from which to choose. While entering their characteristics, students can click on the blue icons that will provide more detail and explanations about the category and available options. For questions about the Student Characteristics Project, students, faculty and staff can contact the Office of the Registrar Story Highlights 41% say situation getting better, down from 63% Worry about getting COVID-19 is steady Much less confidence that vaccines can protect against new variants WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans remain more optimistic than pessimistic about the coronavirus situation in the U.S., but substantially fewer express optimism than did so this spring. Gallup's latest COVID-19 survey finds 41% of U.S. adults saying the COVID-19 situation is getting better, down from 63% measured in late April and early May. Thirty percent, up from 15%, say the situation is getting worse, while 29% believe it is staying the same. ###Embeddable### Americans' assessments of the COVID-19 situation have varied greatly over the course of the pandemic, typically in response to changes in infection rates throughout the country. Optimism was greatest in May and June 2021 when infections were sharply declining and most U.S. adults had gotten, or were getting, COVID-19 vaccinations. In contrast, optimism was lowest in the fall of 2020, before the release of vaccines and at the beginning of an infection surge that would peak in January 2021. Americans were also decidedly pessimistic in August 2021 and January 2022, also times when COVID-19 cases spiked. The latest survey, conducted July 26-Aug. 2, captures public opinion when new COVID-19 infections have risen to roughly 100,000 per day, on average, as the BA.2 variant has spread. By contrast, before Gallup's last update on Americans' reaction to the pandemic in April, the country was experiencing about 30,000 new cases per day. All political party groups are less optimistic about the COVID-19 situation than they were in April, with declines of 27 percentage points among Democrats, 21 points among independents and 19 points among Republicans. Democrats have been, and continue to be, the least optimistic group. They are now more likely to say the situation is getting worse (44%) than to say it is getting better (29%), while independents and Republicans continue to be optimistic, on balance. ###Embeddable### Most Expect Cases to Rise Later This Year; Don't See Pandemic as Over Since the first COVID-19 cases were detected in the U.S. in early 2020, infections have generally increased in the fall and winter months, as occurred in late 2020/early 2021 and late 2021/early 2022. Most Americans expect a similar pattern to occur later this year, with two-thirds predicting COVID-19 infections will increase either a great deal (23%) or a moderate amount (43%). Meanwhile, 27% think infections will stay at about the same level as they are now, while 8% expect them to decrease. More than eight in 10 Democrats expect COVID-19 cases to rise this fall and winter, while slightly less than half of Republicans do. But Republicans are much more inclined to think cases will stay at about the level as they are now (42%) than to believe they will decrease (12%). ###Embeddable### Expectations for a rise in cases later this year are consistent with Americans' beliefs, measured in a separate question in the survey, that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. Currently, 33% of U.S. adults say that the pandemic is over, while 67% say it is not. The one-third of Americans who think the pandemic has ended, while still the minority view, is essentially tied for the high in Gallup's trend, 34% measured in the April survey. Worry About Getting COVID-19 Steady, but Fewer Confident They Can Avoid It Americans' concern about personally contracting the coronavirus is unchanged, with 35% very or somewhat worried, similar to what Gallup has measured since last fall. Worry has been lower in the past, falling as low as 17% in June 2021, but has been as high as 58% in November 2020. ###Embeddable### Although worry is steady, fewer Americans today (26%) than in the spring (36%) say they are very confident they can protect themselves from being infected by the coronavirus when out in public. The current figure is roughly half of what it was in May 2021 when vaccines were widely available and infections were declining. ###Embeddable### In addition to the 26% of Americans who are very confident they can protect themselves from the coronavirus, 48% say they are somewhat confident, while 25% are not confident. The drop in confidence may reflect a recognition that some of the new variants might be more resistant to existing vaccines. Forty-six percent of Americans are very (6%) or moderately (40%) confident that existing vaccines can protect people from new variants of the virus. A year ago, in July 2021, 71% were very or moderately confident that vaccines would protect them from new variants. The poll also finds that 53% of Americans are worried about new strains of the virus spreading, although this is down from last year when between 61% and 68% were worried. Complete Normalcy Elusive; Social Distancing Uncommon An increasing but still relatively small share of Americans, 24%, say their life is completely back to the way it was before the pandemic. The current percentage saying their life has been fully restored to its pre-COVID state is now the highest in Gallup's trend and is up significantly from 9% in December. The majority of Americans, 55%, say their life is "somewhat back to normal," while 21% say their life is not yet back to normal. ###Embeddable### Thirty percent of those whose life is not completely back to normal -- equivalent to 23% of all U.S. adults -- believe their life will eventually get back to normal, resulting in 47% of U.S. adults either saying their life is already back to normal or they expect it to return to normal at some point. But that leaves the majority of U.S. adults, 53%, not expecting their life to ever be the same as it was before the pandemic. A substantial 56% of Americans also say their life is being disrupted either a great deal (15%) or a fair amount (41%) by the coronavirus situation. But smaller percentages of Americans say they are taking active steps to avoid COVID-19. In fact, most of Gallup's measures of social distancing behavior are at or near low points since the pandemic began. Nineteen percent of U.S. adults report they are completely (6%) or mostly (13%) isolating themselves from people outside their household, similar to the low of 17% who were doing so in late April. The figures have been relatively low since vaccines widely became available early in 2021. The percentage of Americans who say they have worn a face mask outside their home in the past seven days has dipped to 47%, a new low in the trend. In April, 50% reported wearing masks, and in February, 68% did. In the latter half of 2020, more than nine in 10 U.S. adults routinely said they were wearing face masks. Americans are also unlikely to say they are avoiding going to public places (22%), avoiding small gatherings (16%), avoiding large crowds (32%), and avoiding public transportation (25%), including airplanes. Bottom Line Americans appear to increasingly accept the coronavirus as a persistent part of life, believing the pandemic is not over and that cases will rise during the fall and winter months. The majority believe their life will never be the same as it was before the pandemic began. Perhaps because of this realization, Americans have largely abandoned the social distancing measures they commonly practiced in the earlier stages of the pandemic. They may accept the high likelihood they will get infected at some point and rely on vaccines to protect them from serious illness. However, these changes are occurring at a time when public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines' ability to protect people from new variants is waning. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter. Learn more about how the Gallup Panel works. Rising 3L Jason Perez spent the summer as a certified legal intern in the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office, thanks to Miami Law's Litigation Skills Program. A certified legal intern can represent clients in and out of court on behalf of a government agency or legal aid organization and speak on the official court record if a licensed Florida attorney supervises them. The program provides the certified student with valuable real-life experience as a lawyer. Uncertified students are not allowed to represent clients in this way. "For some time, I have had a strong motivation to work in the public interest and a fascination of our criminal justice system," said Perez. "Specifically, I have been drawn to the work criminal prosecutors do in making our communities a safer place. As a longtime resident of South Florida, it seemed only right that I do whatever I can to work at the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office." Students who complete Litigation Skills I can be placed in the six-credit externship program, which is certified by the Supreme Court of Florida to engage in the supervised practice of law. The Litigation Skills Externship Program allows students to apply the trial and pre-trial skills learned during the Litigation Skills I semester in a live client setting. "Through the litigation skills program, I was able to secure a summer internship at the office as a certified legal intern," said Perez, who also previously worked as a legal intern for the City of Miami Beach Attorney's Office. "What the program did more than anything else was train me to be an effective litigator. The hours I spent preparing for direct- and cross-examinations and various steps of the pre-trial phase of litigation have prepared me for most of the work I have done in my internship." Students may represent clients in criminal and civil matters and argue cases in circuit, county, and federal courts or other tribunals under the supervision of practicing attorneys. Externs are placed locally, nationally, and internationally. "As a CLI, I have been able to do almost all the work that regular assistant state attorneys do daily," said Perez, who received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University. "I am constantly formulating plea offers and contacting victims to get their input on how they would prefer their case to proceed. "Likewise, conducting mock direct examinations in class helped greatly when it came time to argue against a motion to suppress. I am confident in my ability to effectively argue on behalf of the state because of the valuable experience and education I gained through my litigation skills courses," he said. Read more about Miami Law's Litigation Skills Program For violinist Rachel Barton Pine, its paid to be prepared. Last summer, soloist Midori fell ill just before her Ravinia performance of Prokofievs Violin Concerto No. 1, leaving no time to rehearse or change the program. With just 3 hours notice, Pine jumped in as a substitute, wrapping some eleventh-hour score study in the car. Last month at the Grant Park Music Festival, Pine did it again, playing Bruchs Violin Concerto No. 1 after percussionist She-e Wu contracted COVID-19. Advertisement That time, Pine says, the day-and-a-half notice felt practically cushy. Ill probably never get a call as insane (as the Ravinia substitution) in my lifetime its just so unusual. But now, my standard has been lowered. I was like, Oh, Ive got a whole entire 33 hours! she jokes. Advertisement As herculean as it is, most soloists can pull off a concerto on relatively short notice, especially if theres time for a change in the program, as there was at Grant Park. Bruch was an obvious choice: Pine has known the concerto since she was an 8-year-old local prodigy and shes performed it nearly as long; Grant Park conductor David Chan also knew the piece well enough to dust it off with little rehearsal. Nor is her summer of Bruch over: Shell play the piece for a solo appearance Aug. 13 at the Peninsula Music Festival in Door County, Wisconsin. In comparison, her Ravinia substitution, where the program was already set, was like bottling lightning. Fortunately, Pine spent most of 2021 creating 24in24, a live video series that dissected 24 violin concertos in as many weeks, including the Prokofiev. Intended to be a resource for intermediate and advanced violinists, 24in24 largely focuses on some of the most frequently performed concertos. I realized that I was missing these concertos that I was used to just living with. Theyre like my close friends, Pine says. Rachel Barton Pine playing Billy Childs' Violin Concerto No. 2 with the Grant Park Festival Orchestra in Chicago on July 16, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune) One of the perks of picking those friends? Pine also included concertos that arent programmed as often as other classics, but which she believes should be like Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georgess Violin Concerto in A Major from his Op. 5 set. While many are learning about the multitalented Bologne for the first time, thanks to his works long-brewing renaissance, Pine has a long association with this concerto. While Pine was the 17-year-old concertmaster of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Chicago Symphonys training ensemble, its conductor Michael Morgan the late music director of the Oakland Symphony who once held appointments at the CSO and Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) programmed a then-rare concert entirely of music by Black composers. Pine was called upon to perform a concerto by J.J.O. de Meude-Monpas, a composer who, like Bologne, was an 18th century French composer thought to be of African descent. Ironically, that turned out not to be the case. Researchers now agree that the epithet often attached to Meude-Monpass name le noir likely identified him not by race but as a Black Musketeer, so named for their black steeds. But Morgans program sent Pine down a rabbit hole that led her to the Center for Black Music Research (CBMR) at Columbia College, then to her 1997 debut solo album, Violin Concertos by Black Composers of the 18th and 19th Centuries. At CBMR, she not only learned about Bologne for the first time but about a Chicagoan named Florence Price. Tantalizingly, archivists only had one page of a lost violin concerto by the composer. All these years, Ive been mourning the loss of the Florence Price concerto, Pine says. Rachel Barton Pine playing with the Grant Park Festival Orchestra in Chicago on July 16, 2022. (Vincent D. Johnson / Chicago Tribune) Much has happened since then. In 2009, some 200 compositions by Price were discovered in her dilapidated vacation home in Kankakee County, which turned up not one but two violin concertos. Tragically, Morgan died last August; Chicagos Black classical worlds have been similarly rocked by the deaths of violinist and pedagogue Robert Fisher and CYSO associate conductor Terrance Gray. Advertisement Terrance was going to be my daughters youth orchestra conductor next year. For five years, shed wanted to get to the next level to make it into Terrances orchestra. Now, hes gone, and thats so rough, Pine says. Pine met Fisher and Gray in Civic, sharing a stand with Gray for several seasons. Gray, who died in June, became a close friend and unflagging editing consultant for Pines Music by Black Composers project, which publishes sheet music anthologies for string students across levels. Terrance had the perfect combination of experience to advise us, as a fine violinist who worked with young students on a regular basis. For him to donate so many hours of his life to doing this task was incredibly generous, Pine says. Pine and Cedille Records, which released Violin Concertos by Black Composers, will release a 25th anniversary reissue Sept. 9 under a new title and dedicate it to Morgan, Fisher and Gray. Violin Concertos by Black Composers Through the Centuries strikes the Meude-Monpas concerto, replacing it with a brand-new recording of Prices Violin Concerto No. 2 recorded with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and conductor Jonathon Heyward, who last month was crowned Marin Alsops successor at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Pine says two things need to happen for musicians like Heyward and programs like Morgans Civic concert to cease being outliers in classical music. First of all, as a self-professed geek who reads musicological journals for fun, she hopes the push to publish more music by Black composers will prize editorial quality as well as quantity. Thats not currently the case. You have publishing companies doing slipshod jobs because they know they have a monopoly (on the publication rights). They can have the page rife with errors and still make as much money, Pine says. Advertisement Second, young musicians, regardless of race, need to hear and play the music of Black composers from an early age and see them, too. The Music by Black Composers anthologies include composer portraits so young musicians can call to mind the people behind the works as readily as Mozarts mousy smile or Beethovens bedhead like a headshot of CSO composer-in-residence Jessie Montgomery, who is composing a violin duo for her and Pine to premiere at Symphony Center next spring. Pine says the composer portraits have been a favorite feature of her 10-year-old daughter, Sylvia, herself a violinist. Shes said, Oh, Mr. (Thomas) Wiggins is watching me practice his piece, Pine says. That visibility doubtlessly made a world of difference for generations of Chicagoans who were taught by Morgan, Fisher and Gray Pine included. They really advocated for this music as a way to connect with African-American students they were mentoring, Pine says. The best way we can honor them is to carry on their work. Pines upcoming performances include: Advertisement Bruchs Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. August 13 at Door Community Auditorium, 3926 Hwy. 42, Fish Creek, Wisc., tickets $11-$80, peninsulamusicfestival.org Prices Violin Concerto No. 2 with Chicago Sinfonietta, 8 p.m. March 18, 2023 at Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville, and 7:30 p.m. March 20, 2023 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., tickets $27-$107, chicagosinfonietta.org New violin duo commission by Jessie Montgomery, performed with the composer for the CSOs MusicNOW series, 7 p.m. April 24, 2023 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave., tickets $30-$50, cso.org Hannah Edgar is a freelance writer. The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism helps fund our classical music coverage. The Chicago Tribune maintains complete editorial control over assignments and content. Sri Lankan ex-leader arrives in Bangkok Sri Lankan ex-leader arrives in Bangkok Former Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday arrived in Bangkok after his visa ran out following a month-long stint in Singapore where he had taken refuge from protesters at home. The deposed leader landed on a private jet at Don Mueang International Airport around 8pm local time (1200 GMT), a senior Thai official said. He left the airport's VIP section around 40 minutes later with his wife and got into a black sedan, local media reported. Rajapaksa flew into Singapore from the Maldives on July 14 after fleeing a deepening economic crisis and widespread protests in Sri Lanka. He tendered his resignation shortly after his arrival. Sri Lankans arriving in Singapore normally receive a 30-day visa, but authorities said they had initially given Rajapaksa only two weeks and later extended the visa by another two weeks. "The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirms that Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa left Singapore on 11 August," Singapore's immigration office said. The Thai foreign ministry, as well as a source in Colombo, had said on Wednesday that he was seeking a new safe haven in Thailand. Rajapaksa fled his nation after tens of thousands of protesters overran his official residence last month angry about acute shortages of food, fuel and medicine endured by Sri Lanka's 22 million people since late last year. An international human rights group last month formally asked Singapore to indict Rajapaksa for crimes against humanity during his country's decades-long civil war that ended in 2009. The South Africa-based International Truth and Justice Project said it had urged Singapore to exercise universal jurisdiction to arrest the former president for grave breaches of international humanitarian law. Rajapaksa helmed Sri Lanka's defence ministry while his brother Mahinda was president when the country's brutal Tamil separatist conflict came to a bloody end. Singapore's Attorney-General's Chambers confirmed it had received a complaint from the rights group without giving details. "His Singapore visa runs out on Thursday," a close associate of Rajapaksa said in Colombo on Wednesday. "He had applied for an extension, but it had not come through as of Wednesday morning." The source said Rajapaksa planned a short stay in Thailand and would return to Singapore. The Thai foreign ministry confirmed it had received a request from Colombo for the 73-year-old deposed leader to visit and an assurance that he would not seek political asylum. "The Thai side received a request for the former president to enter Thailand from the current government of Sri Lanka," ministry spokesman Tanee Sangrat said in a statement. "The stay is temporary in nature with the aim of onward travel. No political asylum has been sought." The Rajapaksa confidant said the former leader was keen to go home as protests against his administration had fizzled out, but his successor Ranil Wickremesinghe had advised him against an early return. Singapore officials had said he was on a private visit to the city-state and the foreign minister stressed that he was not given any special privileges. "In general, the Singapore government does not accord privileges, immunity and hospitality to former heads of state or heads of government," Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said in a written reply to a question in parliament last week. "Consequently, former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa was not accorded any privileges, immunity or hospitality." (AFP) New Delhi [India], August 11 (ANI/ATK): After fighting a long battle of almost a year, American Precoat Specialty, a Noida-based electro galvanized steel producer company has finally won the day after the Government had recently imposed anti-dumping duty on electro galvanized steel. The company filed an application before the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) back on December 28, 2021, appealing an investigation of anti-dumping duty, from countries like Korea, Japan and Singapore. It was primarily intended to follow in the path of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and promote his grand vision of an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'. The Government's latest decision of imposing an anti-dumping duty on electrogalvanized steel from foreign countries has generated a wave of gratification among local steel manufacturers. This move is expected to provide local manufacturers with a proportional platform to grow and become at par with their international counterparts, without facing the arbitrariness of foreign exporters. Expressing his excitement in the joyous moment, Dr Shubh Gautam Chief Technical Architect of American Precoat Specialty said, "It was an extended battle. However, now that the decision has come in the favour of our countrymen, we are sure that our homegrown steel manufacturing companies will be greatly benefitted, as they would no longer require importing steel from abroad at expensive prices. India is a land of possibilities and it has immense potential to produce electro-galvanised steel and also has a world-class market for the same. Now, with our products manufactured domestically, we can look forward to our country taking small but promising steps towards self-reliance, as well as a stronger economy." American Precoat Speciality was founded in 2005 by Dr Shubh Gautam, who recently launched its electro-galvanised steel plant in Valsad, Gujarat. The company has many patents for lining and sealing products for the food and beverage industry. American Precoat as a Group is a diversified group, excelling in Pre-Coated Metal Solutions, special industrial coatings, Polyurethane Systems, Specialty Lining and Sealing systems, Specialty Chemicals, Surface Property Extenders. In each of their domains Company has emerged as a dominant player in a very short span. This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK) L&T Construction Equipment Limited (LTCEL), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro, said on Thursday it has dispatched the first batch of 25 special variant Wheel Loaders to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The Wheel Loaders supplied by LTCEL are suitable for operation in harsh terrains - high altitudes and extreme weather conditions. These sturdy machines (model L&T 9020) are fitted with 'Cold Starting Kits', enabling them to operate in sub-zero temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees. BRO will deploy them to strengthen road infrastructure in Northeast, North and Northwest India, according to a statement released by Larsen & Toubro (L&T). "These machines, as part of our contribution to Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, are designed and developed by our Product Development Centre at Coimbatore and have more than 90 per cent indigenous content in line with Government's vision to promote local manufacturing," said S N Subrahmanyan, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Larsen & Toubro. BRO is India's multifaceted, transnational construction organisation committed to meeting the strategic needs of the armed forces in maintaining the security and integrity of the Nation. It plays a pivotal role in constructing and maintaining operational road infrastructure in inhospitable, far-flung border areas, contributing to the region's socio-economic development. BRO had invited bids as part of the Government of India's efforts to build roads and bridges in border areas. LTCEL bagged the contract for supplying 70 L&T 9020 Wheel Loaders, its single largest order, against stiff competition from domestic and multinational companies. Arvind K Garg, Executive Vice President and Head, L&T Construction and Mining Machinery Business (L&T CMB), and Director, LTCEL said: "LTCEL has been involved in the supply of the indigenous machines for various strategic initiatives of the Indian Government. It has also supplied machines for varied applications required for UN peacekeeping mission, Public Sector Units (PSUs) and the BRO, apart from supplying them in large numbers to private contractors for building India's infrastructure." LTCEL is engaged in manufacturing a diverse range of Road Construction Equipment such as Vibratory Compactors, Pneumatic Tyred Rollers, Asphalt Pavers, Skid Steer Loaders, Wheel Loaders and Hydraulic Excavators, besides attachments such as Crusher Buckets and Slope Compactors. It also manufactures and markets high-precision Hydraulic Components, Customised Systems for applications in Construction Equipment, Industrial Machinery and other engineering sectors. (ANI) The search which was conducted on August 8 covered more than three dozen premises located in Jaipur and Kota. During the course of the search, a large number of incriminating documentary and digital evidence have been found and seized, a Central Board of Direct Taxes spokesperson said. "The analysis of seized evidence of real estate business reveals that the group has been indulging in large scale tax evasion by accepting on-money in cash on the sale of residential dwellings and land which has not been recorded in the regular books of account," the spokesperson said. "Further, evidence pertaining to the out-of-books sale of gems and jewellery were also unearthed during the search." The search also revealed that the unaccounted income so earned has been invested in land, and construction of the luxury hotel and has also been used in financing cash loans. The seized evidence contains details of interest income earned on these cash loans which have not been recorded in the books of account. A preliminary investigation indicates that the group has indulged in the generation of unaccounted income exceeding Rs 150 crore. So far, the search operation has resulted in the seizure of unaccounted assets exceeding Rs 11 crore. Further investigations are in progress. (ANI) Petrol pumps in Uttar Pradesh will act as promotional hubs and showcase destinations for the One District One Product (ODOP) items, according to an official statement released on Thursday. Under the pilot project, the ODOP stalls will be set up at Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) petrol pumps at Husaria and Jiamau in Lucknow. However, in due course, ODOP stalls will be set up at IOC's other petrol stations in the state as well. Navneet Sehgal, Additional Chief Secretary, Micro, Small and Medium Industries (MSME), Government of Uttar Pradesh, informed that the state government is making every possible effort to promote ODOP and to give a wider platform to the local artisans, craftsmen, potters and weavers. In this context, a meeting was held with the officials of Indian Oil Corporation in which it has been decided to utilise petrol pumps now as showcase destinations for ODOP items, Sehgal said in the statement. To give a special and unique identity to the ODOP products and provide it with a bigger market, preparations are being made to open stalls at petrol pumps in the state. A meeting in this regard was held with Indian Oil Corporation and soon their petrol pumps will have stalls showcasing ODOP items, Sehgal added. He further said that the stalls of the ODOP products at the petrol pumps will be of standard size and will be set up soon after an agreement between the Government and the IOC regarding the size. The UP government's One District, One Product Programme aims to encourage indigenous and specialised products and crafts. For modernisation, proper marketing, branding and enhancing the quality of the products, the state government also offers loans, training and toolkits, marketing assistance and Common Facility Centres (CFC). The government has also been establishing communication with the embassies to ensure that ODOP items get international recognition. (ANI) Actor Vijay Varma is currently enjoying success as he has been bombarded with praises ever since his latest film "Darlings" was unveiled on Netflix. The actor played the role of Hamza, a character who is both an alcoholic and an abusive spouse. He is getting a tonne of appreciation from the audience despite playing a bad guy because of his excellent performance. While the actor took on a dark role, he opened up about his parent's reaction to the film. Vijay said, "I am getting all kinds of reactions after the release of Darlings; some are saying we hate Hamza, some are praising my performing skills...but the funniest has been my mom. She watched the film and called me in panic. She was worried that no one would marry her son now (laughs). I get where she was coming from but I had such a good laugh after hearing her reaction. I had to calm her down and assure her that this won't happen. Secretly, I am also hoping it doesn't." A few days ago, Vijay took a stroll down memory lane and shared BTS pictures with his co-stars Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Roshan Mathew and director Jasmeet K. Reen on his Instagram handle. Alongside the pictures, he penned a sweet note for all of them for making him learn important aspects of acting. "Darlings is made with a lot of love and efforts of some of the most incredible creative minds and stalwarts. I was surrounded by people I learn from and aspire from. The best team one can ask for. Here's the proof," he wrote. Vijay also shared a picture with the film's co-producer none other than Shah Rukh Khan. Helmed by debutant Jasmeet K Reen, "Darlings" is a dark comedy centred around the marriage of Alia and Vijay. The story is a powerful take on domestic abuse and revolves around Alia Bhatt's retaliation after facing abuse at the hands of her husband Humza (Vijay). In the upcoming months, Vijay, who has previously worked in 'She' and 'Gully Boy', will be seen in 'Devotion of Suspect X' with Kareena Kapoor Khan, 'Dahaad' with Sonakshi Sinha, 'Mirzapur 3' and Sumit Saxena's untitled project. (ANI) Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan soaked himself in the spirit of patriotism as he spent his day with the Indian Navy sailors in Vishakhapatnam. The Indian Navy works to protect the shores of our nation, often sacrificing their lives, and time with their families, only to ensure that the Indian seas are safe and secure. To pay an ode to the Armed forces, Salman Khan took a day off from work to spend some time with the sailors in Visakhapatnam. The heartwarming images that went viral on social media depict the joy on their faces. Waving the tri-colour joyously, Salman had a fun time with the sailors. Independence Day is just around the corner this was the 'Bhaijaan's way of starting the celebrations! The Indian Navy officials looked quite ecstatic to have him on board. They hoisted the Indian flag together with the actor and did quite a few other fun activities too. From hearing about their lives, training, time away from loved ones, seeing the state-of-the-art vessel, cooking on the ship to doing push-up challenges, signing autographs, and hoisting the Indian flag, it was a day full of patriotism, laughter, and fun! Salman was left awed by the patriotism and courage the armed forces of our nation has. This is not the first time that Salman visited the Indian Navy. In 2014, Salman spent Independence Day with the Naval officers in Goa. Talking about his love for the armed forces, he even played the role of a naval officer in his movie 'Bharat' in which he starred opposite Katrina Kaif. (ANI) Hollywood legend Steve Martin is ready to embark on a new journey as the veteran actor has announced his retirement. According to Fox News, has been an Emmy and Grammy Award winner for his extensive work, which includes writing, acting, music, comedy and producing. During his late 60s, two things happened for Martin, he became a father and he saw a resurgence in his career. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin said, "There's a time in your career when people are dying to see you...Now is the time in my career when I'm the one who's got to show up." However, he will not be showing up for much longer, as he says he will retire when 'Only Murders in the Building' ends on Hulu. The show was recently renewed for a third season. "When this television show is done, I'm not going to seek others. I'm not going to seek other movies. I don't want to do cameos. This is, weirdly, it," Martin said. He has made several cameos on 'Saturday Night Live', the show that made him a star and has also been a special guest on 19 occasions and hosted 15 times. While he may not be working for much longer, Martin is clearly at the top of his game. He is currently nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series at the Emmys for his role as Charles Haden-Savage on his Hulu hit show, as per Fox News. (ANI) According to a recent study, a medication commonly used to treat enlarged prostates and high blood pressure has demonstrated promise as a potential new treatment for motor neuron disease (MND), also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Motor neuron disease (MND) is a group of uncommon diseases that slowly robs patients of the ability to control their muscles by destroying the motor neurons in their bodies. Experts have shown that the drug terazosin prevents the death of motor neurons by increasing their energy production in studies using zebrafish, mice, and stem cell models. The medication, according to researchers, may aid in slowing the progression of a disease that affects about 5,000 adults in the UK. Three years are the typical life expectancy following the onset of symptoms. The group is beginning a feasibility study to examine the medication's impact on MND patients. If this is successful, they plan to start a comprehensive clinical trial. Although the exact cause of motor neuron death is still unknown, scientists do know that early in the disease, motor neurons start producing less energy. For the motor neurons to transmit the brain's commands to the muscles, energy must be produced. Movement is hampered and messages cannot be transmitted effectively when there is insufficient energy. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh and their collaborators from the University of Oxford focused on motor neurons' energy production as a potential therapeutic approach for treating MND. The team wanted to see if terazosin, which has been shown to be effective at increasing energy production in models of Parkinson's disease and stroke, could also protect motor neurons from MND. They concentrated on PGK1, an enzyme that is an active molecule in cells and is involved in energy production. Zebrafish models of MND demonstrated that either genetically boosting PGK1 levels or administering terazosin to the fish to boost PGK1 activity improved the growth of motor neurons. In a mouse model of MND, terazosin also shielded motor neurons, increasing survival and delaying the onset of paralysis. The team showed that terazosin protects motor neurons by boosting energy levels by growing these cells in a dish. The Oxford MND Care and Research Centre's 50 patients are being invited to take part in a feasibility study that will look at the effect of terazosin on important markers of disease progression in order to further investigate this. The research has been released in biomedicine. The My Name'5 Doddie Foundation and MND Scotland provided funding for it. A team from the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease, which was founded by Euan MacDonald and his father Donald to enhance the lives of those with MND, conducted research at the University of Edinburgh. "Our work shows that terazosin is protective of motor neuron cell death in multiple models of MND, making it an exciting new potential therapy," said Dr. Helena Chaytow, senior postdoctoral researcher at the University of Edinburgh's Euan MacDonald Centre and the study's first author. We can quickly move terazosin to the clinic because it is already approved for use in treating a different medical conditions, which is an advantage of using it. The study's co-leader and professor of anatomy at the Euan MacDonald Centre at the University of Edinburgh, Professor Tom Gillingwater, stated: "We are excited about the potential for terazosin to impact on the breakdown of motor neurons in MND. The current work demonstrates the value of collaborating between scientists and clinicians to find novel therapeutic targets that can be tested in human MND patients. The study's co-leader and Oxford University professor of motor neuron biology, Professor Kevin Talbot, stated: "We urgently need to accelerate the way drugs are developed from laboratory models into trials in patients. Our research employs a variety of techniques to raise the likelihood that medications will be effective in MND patients and significantly slow the course of the disease. It represents a significant new step in the pursuit of treatments. As the primary funders of this research study, Dr. Jane Haley MBE, Director of Research for MND Scotland, stated: "We are thrilled to see a potential new therapy for MND on the horizon. The findings of this study suggest that terazosin, a medication currently used to treat enlarged prostates and high blood pressure, may be able to protect motor neurons after testing in a variety of models. We are happy that the drug will now be the subject of a feasibility study in Oxford that includes MND patients. It's about time we found a cure, so it's great to see researchers, medical professionals, and MND charities collaborating to find new treatments for MND. (ANI) A plea has moved in the Delhi High Court to disqualify Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain from the Assembly and the Cabinet, stating he has become "unsound of mind" and has "memory loss" and is currently under the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) since May 31 in an alleged money laundering case. "The Delhi Government is clearly violating the Provisions of the Constitution of India under Article 191 (1)(b) which clearly states 'a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of the Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of state if he is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court," said the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by petitioner Ashish Kumar Srivastava through Advocate Rudra Vikram Singh. Jain, whose bail was denied in various hearings since May 31, is currently admitted to a city government-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, as he complained of medical issues. The CBI has accused Jain, his wife and others of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act. On March 31, the ED provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to companies beneficially owned and controlled by the minister. On June 6, the ED conducted raids at multiple locations belonging to Jain, his wife and his accomplices, who had either directly or indirectly assisted him or participated in the processes of money laundering. The recovery of Rs 2.85 crore in cash and 133 gold coins weighing 1.80 kg was made during the raid. Recently, a similar plea seeking suspension of Jain was dismissed by the high court. It was contended that Jain was arrested over his alleged involvement in hawala transactions in 2015-2016 with a Kolkata-based firm. The arrest is repugnant and inconsistent to the rule of law as he is a public servant having a constitutional oath to uphold the rule of law in the interest of the public, it stated. --IANS jw/vd ( 340 Words) 2022-08-10-21:02:01 (IANS) 4,765 trucks carrying relief supplies to Ethiopia's Tigray since April: UNHCR Xinhua) 08:28, August 11, 2022 ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Wednesday said a total of 4,765 trucks carrying relief supplies have entered Ethiopia's conflict-hit Tigray region since April. The UNHCR, in its latest Ethiopia emergency situation update posted Wednesday, said that since the resumption of humanitarian convoys into the Tigray region in April, 4,765 trucks carrying relief supplies have entered the region, including more than 60 trucks from UNHCR. It warned that the shortage of fuel remains a critical bottleneck to sustaining relief operations in Tigray, hindering the onward distribution of relief supplies from Mekelle, the regional capital of Tigray, to other areas. The UN refugee agency said the humanitarian situation across northern Ethiopia continues to seriously impact refugees, the internally displaced and host communities. "Civilians have endured months of conflict with extremely limited basic services and assistance available, leading to a significant escalation in humanitarian needs with ongoing new displacements," the UNHCR said, stressing the security situation remains volatile in the region, affecting civilians and constraining humanitarian actors on the ground, despite the announcement of a humanitarian truce. Meanwhile, the UNHCR said health services resumed in the Mai Aini and Adi Harush refugee camps, predominantly hosting Eritrean refugees, with the support of UNHCR providing fuel for ambulances to facilitate the referral of emergency cases to Shire and other referral hospitals. Salaries of health staff were paid for the first time after ten months. Primary education also restarted in both camps with 826 learners enrolled in Adi Harush and 457 learners in Mai Aini. Water supply services resumed in July across the two camps. The UNHCR further said it has continued to reach out to Eritrean refugees and provide cash support to the most vulnerable across Ethiopia's Tigray region. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Liang Jun) The entrance to the FBI headquarters in Cincinnati is shown Thursday, August 11, 2022. An armed man decked out in body armor tried to breach a security screening area at an FBI field office in Ohio on Thursday, then fled and exchanged gunfire in a standoff with law enforcement, authorities said. (Liz Dufour/AP) WILMINGTON, Ohio An armed man clad in body armor who tried to breach the FBIs Cincinnati office on Thursday was shot and killed by police after he fled the scene and engaged in an hourslong standoff in a rural part of the state, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. The confrontation came as officials warned of an increase in threats against federal agents in the days following a search of former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Advertisement The man is believed to have been in Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and may have been present at the Capitol on the day of the attack, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the matter. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The suspect was identified as Ricky Shiffer, 42, according to the law enforcement official. He was not charged with any crimes in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, the official said. Federal investigators are examining whether Shiffer may have had ties to far-right extremist groups, including the Proud Boys, the official said. Advertisement Shiffer attempted to breach the visitor screening area at the FBI office at around 9:15 a.m., and fled when agents confronted him, according to federal authorities account of the incident. After fleeing onto Interstate 71, he was spotted by a trooper and fired shots as the trooper pursued him, said Lt. Nathan Dennis, a Ohio State Highway Patrol spokesperson, at a press conference. Shiffer left the interstate north of Cincinnati and abandoned his car on rural roads, where he exchanged gunfire with police and sustained injuries, although no one else was hurt, Dennis said. Shiffer was shot after he raised a gun toward police at around 3 p.m. Thursday, Dennis said. The fatal encounter with police happened after negotiations failed and police tried unsuccessfully to use less lethal tactics, Dennis said, without providing details. State highway workers blocked off roads leading to the scene as a helicopter flew over the area. Officials locked down a mile radius near the interstate and urged residents and business owners to lock doors and stay inside. The interstate has been reopened. There have been growing threats in recent days against FBI agents and offices across the country since federal agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. On Gab, a social media site popular with white supremacists and antisemites, users have warned they are preparing for an armed revolution. Federal officials have also been tracking an array of other concerning chatter on Gab and other platforms threatening violence against federal agents. FBI Director Christopher Wray denounced the threats as he visited another FBI office in Nebraska on Wednesday. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who youre upset with, Wray said Wednesday in Omaha. The FBI on Wednesday also warned its agents to avoid protesters and ensure their security key cards are not visible outside FBI space, citing an increase in social media threats to bureau personnel and facilities. It also warned agents to be aware of their surroundings and potential protesters. Advertisement The warning did not specifically mention this weeks search of Mar-a-Lago but attributed the online threats to recent media reporting on FBI investigative activity. Welsh-Huggins reported from Columbus, Ohio. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this report. The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted bail to 82-year-old P. Varavara Rao, an accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case, rejecting the NIA's argument that neither age nor medical condition can become a factor for bail to an UAPA accused. Opposing Rao's bail plea, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) claimed before a bench headed by Justice U.U. Lalit that he is involved in "serious anti-national activities". Justice Lalit noted that the medical condition of Rao, who is currently out on interim bail on medical grounds, has not improved to such an extent over a period that the facility of bail granted earlier to him be withdrawn. Also, he had spent around two-and-a-half-year in custody. During the hearing, the top court shot a volley of questions at the NIA's counsel in connection with the case. The bench, also comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia, asked Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the NIA, when the trial in the case will start, and noted that the trial court has not framed charges against the accused though charge sheet has been filed. At this juncture, senior advocate Anand Grover, representing Rao, submitted that the trial will take at least 10 years even if it starts today and there are 16 accused. Raju contested this line of argument. However, the bench asked Raju, how much time will it take to complete the trial, and he replied that it will take one and a half years. The top court expressed its view to grant bail to Rao considering his advanced age and medical ailments. Raju argued allegations against him are grave and pointed out at certain alleged correspondences, where discussions were held with fellow comrades regarding plans to finance the procurement of weapons to be used against the armed forces. He said that the Maoists are responsible for ambushing security forces. After hearing detailed arguments, the top court said considering the totality of circumstances, in ots view, the appellant is entitled to the relief of bail on medical grounds. It deleted the condition which was imposed by the Bombay High Court in the February last year order, limiting the period of bail granted to Rao on the medical condition to six months. Rao had moved the top court challenging the Bombay High Court's order of April 13, which declined his request to stay at his home in Telangana. However, the high court extended the period of temporary bail for three months against the backdrop of medical reasons. In the plea, Rao submitted before the top court that any further incarceration would ring the death knell for him against the backdrop of his advancing age and deteriorating health, which is a fatal combination. --IANS ss/vd ( 467 Words) 2022-08-10-21:16:04 (IANS) The POCSO court in Palakkad on Wednesday rejected the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet on the death of two minor sisters from Walayar. The court directed CBI to conduct a re-investigation into it. The mother of the two minor girls had approached the court raising concerns about the chargesheet. She said that the CBI chargesheet was similar to the chargesheet filed by the Kerala police. The mother also claimed that her two daughters were murdered. The elder sister, aged 13, was found hanging in her house on January 13, 2017. Within two months, her nine-year-old sibling was also found hanging in her house on March 4, 2017. As per the postmortem reports, both the girls were subjected to sexual assault. The autopsy report in the case of the younger girl even suggested the possibility of homicidal hanging. According to the chargesheet, the girls were sexually abused and they committed suicide unable to bear this but the family says both were murdered. However, three people were arrested in connection with the case and two of them are in jail and one got bail. One of the four accused, Pradeep Kumar, died in 2020 in a suspected suicide. The remaining accused are Valiya Madhu, Kutty Madhu and Shibu. Valiya Madhu and Kutti Madhu, are close relatives of the family another accused Shibu is a close family friend. "Happy on the verdict. Court has rejected the police charge sheet as well as the CBI chargesheet. We met the CBI team and told them that our daughters were murdered. But they did not listen. Our demand is that the officers who are investigating the case should again probe it sincerely," said the mother. Last year, the Kerala High set aside a Palakkad Special Court verdict acquitting all the accused in the rape and death case of two minor siblings at Walayar in Palakkad in the year 2017. The court had ordered a re-trial in the case and that all four accused should appear before the trial court on January 20. The court has also given liberty to the prosecution to seek further investigation in the case. In October 2019, a Special Court at Palakkad had acquitted four persons. The elder sister, aged 13, was found hanging in her house on January 13, 2017.(ANI) Former Kerala Finance Minister and CPIM Central Committee member Thomas Issac on Wednesday filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court challenging the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for interrogation in connection with the financial transactions of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). ED has issued the second summons to him asking to appear before it on Thursday at its Kochi office.' The petition seeks to quash the ED summons and seeks an interim relief to restrain the ED from initiating any coercive steps against him in furtherance of the summons. Single Bench of Justice VG Arun will consider the petition on Thursday. In the petition, he contended that "without disclosing the real nature of the investigation, the petitioner has asked to appear on August 11 to explain his role in the KIIFB. Though the summons mentions provisions of the FEMA and the IT Act, it does not reveal what are the violations to which the petitioner is required to respond." The attempt of the ED is to initiate a "fishing and roving enquiry" by keeping the petitioner in dark about the real nature of the allegations. The "fishing a roving enquiry" had been time and again deprecated by the Apex Court. It is a trite and settled law that the investigation can only be with regard to any offence. KIIFB is a statutory body under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Act and the petitioner's role has been in accordance with the statutory provisions. The details pertaining to KIIFB and the petitioner's role are available in the public domain. Before the summons was actually served to the petitioner, it was leaked to the media, giving "political overtones" to the issue. Such unwarranted fishing and roving enquiry into the activities of a body corporate duly incorporated under the relevant statute enacted by the State Legislature, functioning in accordance with the provisions of the said statute as well as other statutes are in violation of the federal structure under the Constitution. ED had repeatedly summoned the Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Managing Director, Joint Fund Manager and Assistant General Manager of KIIFB over a period of one and a half years starting from March 2021. As KIIFB is extending financial assistance to various development projects in the State, repeated interference by the ED will affect the body's fund mobilization efforts. ED officials are acting unfairly with malafide motives and apprehend "unlawful incarceration" at the behest of the agency. (ANI) Union Minister of State for Tourism and Ports Shripad Naik said on Wednesday that work for the Mopa airport was delayed due to court cases, but it will be completed in another two to three months. "There are many reasons for the delay in completion of Mopa airport work. Since the acquisition of land, cases (were fought) in the high court and Supreme Court. There was also a stay. Now 98 per cent work has been completed. In another two to three months, the entire work will be completed," Naik said. "Mopa airport will be one of the best airports in India. I thank all those who have given land for this airport and those who supported the project," he said. "The future of the state's economy also lies with the Mopa airport, which will boost tourism. The defence airport in Dabolim airport is not sufficient for us and hence we needed this airport," Naik said. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had recently said that inauguration of Mopa airport has been delayed, which was supposed to take place between August 15 and 30. --IANS sanjay/arm ( 197 Words) 2022-08-10-23:00:02 (IANS) The High-Level Clearance Authority (HLCA), headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has approved the projects including a Rs 41,653 crore proposal of Adani Enterprises Ltd. Adani Enterprises has proposed to set up a 4 MTPA (million tonne per annum) alumina refinery and 175 MW captive power plant at Kashipur in Rayagada district, a state government press statement said. The proposal of Orissa Alloy Steel Pvt Ltd to set up a 2.5 MTPA steel plant and 370 MW captive power plant in Kalinga Nagar of Jajpur district with an investment of Rs 8,000 crore was also approved during the HLCA meeting. Sompuri Infrastructures Private Ltd got the approval of the state government to set up a 24 MTPA pellet plant and 6 MTPA of filter cake at Dhamra, in Bhadrak district at an investment of Rs 7,811 crore, it said. The above company will also set up a 30 MTPA beneficiation plant in Keonjhar district against an investment of Rs 4592.18 crore and a 30 MTPA slurry pipeline at a cost of Rs 3,674 crore. Approval was also given to Aarti Steels Ltd for expansion of its steel plant at Athgarh, in Cuttack district, at an investment of Rs 3,000 crore. The committee has approved the proposal of ReNew EFuels Private Ltd (REFPL) for setting up a green hydrogen and green ammonia plant at Paradip against an investment of Rs 2,000 crore. ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Ltd's proposal for setting up a 6 MTPA beneficiation plant and 12 MTPA slurry pipeline in Keonjhar district at an investment of Rs 1,490 crore, got the nod of the government. The committee has also given approval to a Rs 1,000 crore project of Tata Steel Ltd, a Rs 1,400 crore steel plant project by Rungta Metals Private Ltd (RMPL) in Rairangpur of Mayurbhanj district. --IANS bbm/vd ( 341 Words) 2022-08-10-23:02:01 (IANS) Reacting to Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's letter to LG Vinay Kumar Saxena over the alleged MCD toll tax scam, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said on Wednesday that it reflects Sisodia's frustration over the ongoing inquires into scams in the excise department and classroom construction in schools. "No scam has taken place in the MCD with regard to toll tax collection. The fact is that after the construction of the Eastern Western corridor in 2018, the commercial vehicles which crossed Delhi to go to other states have stopped coming in and as a result, Delhi's toll tax collection has dropped by around 70 per cent," claimed Kapoor. He said that due to this, the then toll tax collection contractor, who had taken annual contract at Rs 1,260 crore, suffered huge losses in collections. The contractor partially paid the MCD and quit work thereafter. After the contractor quit, the MCD forfeited his security deposit and launched legal recovery proceedings, claimed Kapoor. At present, the toll tax collection contractor is regularly making proper payments for the last two years, he said. The BJP spokesperson added that the Arvind Kejriwal government is politically embarrassed and frustrated due to the exposure of the excise department scam and is trying its best to divert public attention from it. Levelling allegations against the MCD is part of the ploy to divert public attention, he said. Earlier in the day, Sisodia had written to Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena, demanding a CBI probe into the alleged toll tax scam of Rs 6,000 crore in the MCD. "Drawing your attention towards a huge corruption in Delhi's municipal corporation, I want to request you to get the CBI to probe the matter and take strict action against those involved in corruption. This corruption has led to losses to the tune of around Rs 6,000 crore," Sisodia said. --IANS avr/arm ( 326 Words) 2022-08-10-23:20:01 (IANS) BJP national general secretary and state in-charge Arun Singh inaugurated the Yatra from the Devnarayan temple. The Yatra passed through different villages of Amer with people showering flowers along the way. On the call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tiranga rallies are being taken out in all the districts of the country to commemorate 75 years of India's Independence. --IANS arc/arm ( 102 Words) 2022-08-10-23:24:01 (IANS) Mangaluru Police on Wednesday said that they have arrested seven accused in the murder case of the BJP youth leader Praveen Nettaru while three more main accused are still absconding. Alok Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Mangaluru said that police and National Investigation Agency (NIA) will issue warrants for three accused who are absconding. "We have already arrested 7 accused in Praveen Nettaru murder case. Three more main accused are yet to be arrested," said Kumar. On Wednesday, police held a review meeting at Bellare with officers of the different districts along with NIA. "We will take action against those who are directly or indirectly involved. NIA is also with us. We (Karnataka police and NIA) will discuss those who are absconded. And will issue a warrant to them through court, seizure of their property and other things," Kumar had said before the meeting. He said that police are aware of the three main accused including their family, address and other details but somebody has harboured them. Kumar also said that they are also collecting the evidence to ensure whether PFI is involved or not in this case. "We will ensure whether PFI is involved or not in this case. We can't say directly without any evidence. We are collecting the evidence. But someone has a suspected link with PFI. Still, we are collecting evidence on it. After that only we can say clearly," he added. Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra while making a statement on the incident said that the involvement of the extremist Popular Front of India (PFI), and its political arm Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) is suspected. Praveen Nettaru, a young BJP worker, was attacked with lethal weapons by unidentified people on a bike in Bellare in Dakshina Kannada in the late evening on July 19. When the BJP Yuva Morcha leader was murdered, he was heading toward his home. Tension prevailed in several parts of the Dakshin Kannada district after the murder. Protests also erupted over the murder in several parts of the districts. (ANI) Former West Bengal Governor and National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar will take oath as the next Vice President of India' on Thursday. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the Oath of Office to the elected Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 11:45 am today. Dhankhar was elected as the Vice President on August 6. He defeated the Opposition's Margaret Alva to emerge as a winner. On August 7, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey jointly signed the 'Certification of the Election of Jagdeep Dhankar as the next Vice President of India'. The BJP-led NDA candidate won the election comfortably with 528 votes against Alva's 182. The Vice President is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Dhankhar secured 74.36 per cent. He has the highest winning margin in the last six vice presidential elections held since 1997. The returning officer of the vice presidential election said of the total 780 electors, 725 cast their ballots but 15 votes were found to be invalid. The turnout was 92.94 per cent, he said, adding that a candidate needed 356 votes to get elected. The Trinamool Congress, which has a total of 36 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, had abstained from the election. However, two of its MPs had cast their ballots. As many as 55 MPs did not vote in the vice presidential election. Born on May 18, 1951, in an agrarian household in a village in Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district, Dhankhar completed his school education from Sainik School, Chittorgarh. After finishing his graduation in physics, he pursued LLB from the University of Rajasthan. Despite being a first-generation professional, he became one of the leading lawyers in the state. Dhankhar, 71, has practised in both the Rajasthan High Court and the Supreme Court of India. He 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. Dhankhar was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019. He resigned from the post of West Bengal Governor on July 17 after his name was announced as the vice Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The Vice President of India, which is the second-highest constitutional post in the country, is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. The Vice President is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Dhankar will preside over the proceedings of the Upper House of Parliament at a time when there are apparent divisions between the treasury benches and the opposition. With Dhankhar's election as Vice-President, the presiding officers of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will be from Rajasthan. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President JP Nadda will be on a two-day visit to Tripura from August 27 to make a strategy for the 2023 assembly elections. Nadda will reach Agartala on August 27. As per the sources, Nadda will hold a meeting with the party officials to decide the strategy regarding assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held next year and will discuss the election strategy. During his two-day visit, he can also hold a meeting of the party's office bearers and the core committee. The BJP President may address a rally in Agartala. Recently, Chief Minister Manik Saha met Nadda in New Delhi, during which the Chief Minister briefed him about the current political scenario and organizational activities of the state. Earlier, Nadda has cancelled the state tour twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier on July 8, the Chief Minister took the oath as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Tripura Assembly Constituency. The Chief Minister contested the Assembly bypoll from the Town Bardowali constituency and won the polls by a margin of 6,104 votes. After resigning as a Rajya Sabha MP, he won the MLA seat from 8-no Town Bordowali Assembly Constituency on June 23, 2022. He is presently serving as the 11th Chief Minister of Tripura. In a sudden turn of events, Saha was sworn in as the chief minister of Tripura on May 15 after the BJP decided on a leadership change in the state a year ahead of the Assembly elections by replacing Biplab Kumar Deb with Saha as the Chief Minister. Tripura unit of the BJP leaders was surprised with the choice of Manik Saha as chief minister as he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from the lone seat barely two months ago. The 69-year-old was elected to the Rajya Sabha on April 3 in the biennial election to the Upper House. Bharatiya Janata Party is currently the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha. Saha is also the chief of the party in the state. Saha joined the BJP in 2016 after quitting Congress. He was made state party chief in 2020 and elected to Rajya Sabha in March this year. The polls in the state are likely to be held in March next year. (ANI) The 6300 block of North Cicero Avenue on Aug. 11, 2022, near where a 5-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run Wednesday night in Chicago. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) A 5-year-old boy who died Wednesday night after being struck by two vehicles in the Edgebrook neighborhood on Chicagos Far North Side, one of which fled after hitting the boy, has been identified, officials said. Taha Khan had been in the street in the 6300 block of North Cicero Avenue shortly after 9 p.m. when he was struck by a red Jeep SUV traveling north on Cicero, according to police and the Cook County medical examiners office. Advertisement Tahas father told police the boy likely slipped out of the front door of the house while he was talking to a neighbor in the backyard, according to police. The driver of the Jeep fled the scene immediately after the crash. Advertisement Taha was then hit by a 2013 Volvo, which also had been traveling north on Cicero. The 50-year-old man driving the XC70 Volvo stopped and gave CPR to the boy until an ambulance arrived, police said. City paramedics rushed Taha to Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston in critical condition. He later was pronounced dead, according to the medical examiners office, which said Taha died of multiple injuries from the crash, and ruled his death accidental. Danielle Maniscalco and her family, who used to live on the 6300 block of North Cicero, were heading home from a baseball game Wednesday night when they saw police and ambulances on the street. On Thursday morning she saw what happened on the news. Im a pediatric ICU nurse so we see things that most people dont see, Maniscalco said. But when it happens right in front of where you used to live a month ago, I mean, its absolutely heartbreaking. After living on the block for more than two years, her family moved further into the neighborhood in June because of how dangerous it felt to live in the townhomes on Cicero Avenue, Maniscalco said. She has two kids, ages 1 and 7. Theres nothing over there thats preventing anyone from speeding and the distance from light to light is pretty long, she said. Maniscalco said the people who live in the townhomes on that block, where she used to live, have to park on both sides of the street, which means theyre having to cross the street to get home about 50% of the time. Before moving, Maniscalco also had to cross the street to take her youngest daughter to a daycare on Cicero Avenue. Advertisement That is just a complete nightmare, she said. You were just hoping that someones gonna stop and let you cross. Otherwise we would have to walk to the end of the block to catch a light, which is just really not feasible. The Edgebrook fatal hit-and-run is similar to an Aug. 2 pedestrian fatality in Lawndale, in which a 58-year-old man was struck by two vehicles, one of which failed to stop. In that unrelated crash, the driver of a silver car the first to hit the man fled the scene, police said. The driver of the second car to hit the pedestrian, a 20-year-old man, remained on the scene in the 4000 block of West 5th Avenue. Also in Lawndale, 11-year-old JaLon James had just completed fifth grade and was on the honor roll when he was fatally struck by a car in a mid-June hit-and-run. His grandmother, Nicole Harrison, said JaLon who was one of seven children and who had a twin brother named JaLen enjoyed dancing, TikTok and playing games. JaLon was one of at least three children under 12 to die after being hit by a vehicle in June. Three-year-old Lily Grace Shambrook and 2-year-old Raphael Rafi Cardenas each were fatally struck by vehicles in separate accidents in the first weeks of June, causing concern among Chicagos cycling community. Lily Grace had been in a rear seat affixed to an adult bicycle in Uptown on June 2 when a semi hit the bike. Rafi had been crossing a street on a mini-scooter June 9 in the Lincoln Square neighborhood when he was fatally struck. Advertisement Also in June, 75-year-old Peter Paquette, known as an avid volunteer in the 47th Ward, was fatally struck by a car in an Irving Park Road crosswalk in the North Center neighborhood. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > The string of fatalities led to anger and frustration among community members who held a June 12 rally to advocate for road improvements that would keep cyclists and pedestrians safer. Supporters want citywide infrastructure improvements to prioritize the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, a sometimes politically fraught issue, as parts of the population push back for fear of losing parking spaces and traffic lanes. Car crash deaths have risen in recent years, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. A report released by the agency focusing on motor vehicle fatalities in 2021 found such deaths increased by more than 10% over the prior year. Pedestrian fatalities were up 13% and cycling fatalities 5% in 2021, according to the report. In the past 10 years, bike and pedestrian fatalities have made up an increasing share of traffic deaths, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Pedestrian fatalities in the U.S., which made up about 13% of total traffic deaths in 2010, shot up to nearly 17% in 2019, according to the FHWA. Wednesdays hit-and-run remains under investigation by the major accidents division of the Chicago Police Department. Officials did not immediately respond to a request for additional information. Check back for updates. Advertisement Chicago Tribunes Rosemary Sobol contributed. kdouglas@chicagotribune.com According to officials, in the attack that took place 25 km from Rajouri and three Army personnel lost their lives. Security officials have cordoned off the area and additional parties have been dispatched to the location. Mukesh Singh, Additional Director General of Police, Jammu Zone said, "Someone tried to cross the fence of the Army camp at Pargal in Darhal area of Rajouri. Exchange of fire took place. Additional parties despatched for the location, 6 km from Darhal PS. Two terrorists killed." The attack comes days ahead of the celebration of the 75th Independence Day. The operation is underway. The attack comes a day after three LeT terrorists were neutralised by security forces in Budgam. One of the killed terrorists was involved in the killing of civilians Rahul Bhat and Amreen Bhat. (ANI) Senior Superintendent of Police of Special Task Force Uttarakhand, Ajay Singh has said that it has arrested Gaurav Chauhan, Additional Private Secretary working in Public Works and Forest Department of state Secretariat in connection with the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission paper leak case. Chauhan was summoned for questioning in connection with the matter yesterday and was later arrested. A total of 15 people have been arrested in the case so far. "The investigation in the UKSSSC paper leak case has now reached the Uttarakhand Secretariat after Printing Press Lucknow and Recruitment Commission," the SSP said. "On the basis of thorough interrogation of the accused and other students arrested earlier and in strong evidence, information was given from Manoj Joshi (court employee) and accused Tushar Chauhan regarding the exam question paper leak," he added. Singh further informed that the deal was struck by the accused with two candidates for Rs 15 lakhs each, out of which Rs 24 lakhs were obtained by the accused through the candidate after the results of the examination. "The balance was paid to others before the examination. The above arrest has been made on the basis of interrogation and available evidence and electronic evidence," he said. A Special Task Force (STF) had been constituted to investigate alleged irregularities, according to sources. The Dehradun Police had registered a case against unidentified persons in the case of alleged rigging in the graduation level recruitment examination. After the registration of the case, the Police Headquarters (PHQ) handed over the investigation of the matter to the STF. The probe was ordered by state director general of police Ashok Kumar on the directions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The UKSSSC conducted a written exam on December 4 and 5 last year (2021). This was the biggest examination of the commission for 854 posts, in which 13 categories of posts of different departments were to be filled. (ANI) Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday rejected claims by Bharatiya Janata Party MP and his former deputy chief minister Sushil Modi that the JD(U) had split with the NDA as the chief minister was not made the Vice President. Dismissing it as a totally bogus claim Nitish Kumar told reporters: "You heard a man (Sushil Modi) say that I wanted to be Vice President. What a joke! I have no such desire. Did they forget how much our party supported their President and Vice-President candidate? We were waiting for the election to be over and then convened our meeting." "Let them talk so much about me that they may get a position," Kumar said On Wednesday, Sushil Modi, claimed that Nitish Kumar wanted to be the Vice President of India, an election which was held on August 6, in which NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar emerged victorious defeating Opposition candidate Margaret Alva. "Nitish wanted to become Vice President of India. Many JDU senior leaders had sent feelers to BJP Ministers to see if it was possible," Sushil Kumar Modi said in a tweet. Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister again yesterday after parting ways with the BJP and joining the RJD-led Grand Alliance to form government in the state. Kumar parted ways with the BJP alleging that the party was trying to break the JD(U), and joined hands with the political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. Speculation was rife regarding his future with suggestions of his "national ambitions" doing rounds in the political sphere. The BJP alleged that by joining with the RJD, Nitish Kumar had disrespected the mandate given by the people. Meanwhile, soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Kumar said that the party made the decision together to leave the BJP. "The party made the decision together (to leave BJP). I did not want to be the Chief Minister after the previous election. But a lot of pressure was put on me to handle the post. When there were talks with them (points towards Tejashwi Yadav), the decision was made. whether I will stay or not (till 2024)...they can say what they want, but I will not live in the year 2014," the Chief Minister said. Kumar also called for a united Opposition ahead of the General elections scheduled to be held in 2024. (ANI) The Central government has notified the establishment of campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Goa and Tripura. The Women Safety Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday issued a notification mentioning the move of the Central government as part of plans to set up 10 NFSU campuses in different states and five abroad over the next five years. "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (4) of section 4 of the National Forensic Sciences University Act, 2020 (32 of 2020), the Central Government hereby notifies that the campuses established at Goa and Tripura shall include as the campuses of the National Forensic Sciences University," the notification reads. Gandhinagar-based National Forensic Science University (NFSU) was formed by an Act of Parliament in 2020. Establishing 10 NFSU campuses in different states is a move to incorporate forensic sciences into the police and judicial systems of states as per the requirements of their respective law and order situations. The move is part of the plan of the MHA under which the university functions. As per official sources, the university vis-a-vis MHA was in talks with Tripura and Goa governments to open its campuses. Similar talks were also on with Manipur, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Odisha, Assam, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to open its campuses. The NFSU Gandhinagar has an ambitious plan of opening over 20 Training Centres, 10 campuses in India, five campuses abroad and 50-100 affiliated colleges in the next four-five years. In August last year, the NFSU took its first step in this direction when it set up a DNA testing centre in Lucknow's Institute of Forensic Sciences. In the initial phase, teams of faculty, scholars and students of NFSU Gandhinagar will be visiting the proposed campuses in different states in order to understand their crime investigation needs. The NFSU, which is aligned with the Gujarat state Directorate of Forensic Sciences Laboratory, is India's premier laboratory for forensic sciences and technical investigation. (ANI) Former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Tarkishore Prasad on Thursday alleged that Nitish Kumar's "dreams of becoming the prime minister" made him "betray the mandate of the people" and joins hands with the RJD. Prasad, who was the number two in the BJP-JD(U) government, took on Nitish Kumar a day after the JD(U) leader was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister again with support from RJD and Congress. The BJP leader alleged that Kumar "went quiet" on the issue of corruption after joining the grand alliance, of which Lalu Prasad Yadav's RJD is a part. "Day before yesterday, he (Bihar CM Nitish Kumar) accused BJP of attempting to break the JD(U) and he went quiet on the matter of corruption as if Lalu Prasad Yadav's family's corruption cases are now closed and they have become clean. But the issues still exist and the action is underway," Prasad said. "Whenever he dreams of becoming the Prime Minister, he says things like this because his desire inspires him to betray the mandate of the people," the BJP leader said. On Wednesday, BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had claimed that Nitish Kumar wanted to become the Vice President and suggested that he was miffed with the BJP which chose Jagdeep Dhankhar for the position. Nitish Kumar dismissed the claim as "totally bogus". There has been speculation that Nitish Kumar is gearing up a larger role at the national level. However, the Chief Minister rejected any such speculations after being sworn in. "Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (on PM post)," he had told reporters. Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister again yesterday after parting ways with the BJP and joining the RJD-led Grand Alliance to form government in the state. Kumar parted ways with the BJP alleging that it was trying to break the JD(U), and joined hands with the political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. The BJP alleged that by joining with the RJD, Nitish Kumar had disrespected the mandate given by the people. Meanwhile, soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Kumar said that the party made the decision to leave the BJP through internal consensus. (ANI) New Delhi [India], August 11: (ANI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to eight Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in the West Bengal coal scam case asking them to join its probe here in the national capital, officials said on Thursday. Among those who were issued summons are IPS officers Gyanwant Singh, Koteswara Rao, S Selvamurugan, Shyam Singh, Rajeev Mishra, Sukesh Kumar Jain, and Tathagata Basu.The IPS officers are from West Bengal, and their questioning is expected to start anytime between August 21 to August 31. Sources said few of the summoned IPS officers were deputed in the area where illegal coal mining and smuggling were taking place. The probe by the ED, according to sources, indicates that the IPS officers were aware of the coal smuggling racket, but no action was taken by them. Sources also claimed that a few police officials were also involved in the transportation of cash in official vehicles. Vinay Mishra, TMC youth leader and prime accused in the case, is allegedly a close associate of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, who was also questioned by the ED this year in March. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started the probe in the coal smuggling case and the ED initiated a parallel investigation. The CBI registered the case in November 2020. It is alleged that illegally mined coal, worth several thousand crores of rupees, has been sold in the black market over several years by a racket operating in the western parts of West Bengal where the Eastern Coalfields Limited runs several mines. On February 21 last year, a CBI team visited Abhishek's residence and summoned his wife Rujira and his sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir over an alleged connection in the coal scam. The ED lodged a case under the provisions of the PMLA based on a November 2020 FIR registered by the CBI that alleged a multi-crore coal pilferage scam related to Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in the state's Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol. Local coal operator Anup Majhi alias Lala is alleged to be the prime suspect in the case. The ED had claimed that the parliamentarian was a beneficiary of funds obtained from this illegal trade. It has arrested two people in this case till now. (ANI) Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday ordered the registration of an First Information Report (FIR) against 11 former Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials over alleged financial misappropriation and violation of norms. Saxena also ordered the withdrawal of pension benefits to nine retired officials. "Lt Governor, VK Saxena, in his capacity as Chairman DDA, has ordered that an FIR be registered against the then Member (Finance) and Member (Engineering) of DDA, apart from 9 other officials of DDA in a 9-year-old case of blatant financial misappropriation and violation of Codal Formalities, CPWD Works Manual and General Financial Rules (GFR), that was reported in 2013," said an official statement from the LG office. These nine DDA officials are all retired and include a Chief Engineer, Superintendent Engineer and Executive Engineer and others from the finance and accounts departments. The said action will be taken against Abhay Kumar Sinha, then Member (Engineering), Venkatesh Mohan, the then Member (Finance), Om Prakash, CE (Retd) Nahar Singh SE (Retd) JP Sharma, EE (Retd), PK Chawla, Dy. CAO (Retd), Jasvir Singh, AAO (Retd), SC Mongia, AAD (Retd), SC Mittal, AE (Retd), RC Jain, AE (Retd) and Dilbagh Singh Bains, AE (Retd). Considering the grave misconduct and loss to the exchequer, the LG has also ordered to ''permanently withdraw the full pension benefits'' of these retired officials, against the department's recommendation of withdrawing only 25 percent of their pension, the statement said. The case pertains to the up-gradation and beautification of the Coronation Park at Kingsway Camp that was awarded to M/s Ajab Singh and Co. in 2013. The tender cost of the work was Rs 14.24 crore but additional work amounting to Rs 114.83 crore was also carried out at Narela and Dhirpur, without any sanctions. "The original project cost of Rs 14.24 crore was escalated to Rs. 28.36 crores and the same was further deviated with additional work, at a different location altogether, amounting for Rs 114.83 Crore was executed without any sanctioned estimate. This resulted in the overall payment of Rs 142.08 Crore to the agency," it said. According to the statement, this gross irregularity was pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report in 2016, which concluded an overall deviation of 897.67 per cent (almost nine times) from the original work. This additional work should have been done through fresh tenders that would have not only saved crores in terms of competitive biddings but also ensured better quality, it said. "However, in what appears to be a case of convenient collusion between the contractor and officials, all laid down norms were violated to benefit the contractor in lieu of probable commissions," it said further. The execution of the additional work, here, was approved by the then Chief Engineer (North Zone) on the day of his retirement on 31 October 2014. The then Member (Engineering) DDA had granted in-principle approval for carrying out additional work amounting to Rs 114. 83 Crore, even as awarding any additional work required calling fresh tender. Further, the DDA officials, from the Accounts and Finance department released payments by diverting funds from other heads, and thus violated the laid procedures. The LG expressed serious displeasure and took strict note of the manner in which the supervisory officers - Member (Engineering) and Member (Finance) failed in their responsibility to effectively supervise their subordinate officers, which resulted in the charged officers blatantly violating the provisions of Central Public Works Department (CPWD) Works Manual and GFR and causing avoidable loss to DDA. ''From the foregoing, I am of the considered view that the entire sequence of events amounts to criminal breach of trust and the angle of corruption cannot be ruled out. Hence, it is directed to register FIR in this case against all concerned, including incumbent Supervisory Officers, viz. Abhai Kumar Sinha EM, DDA and Venkatesh Mohan, EM, DDA within 15 days,'' the LG said in his order. ''In addition, a foolproof system should be put in place for effective supervision and internal Audit mechanism, to ensure that such incidents do not reoccur in the future. A report to be submitted for my perusal within 15 days,'' the order further read. Notably, when the file first came to LG, about a month ago, it proposed action against the engineers concerned. However, the LG asked for the procedures and levels of clearances required to be put on record and accordingly pointed out as to who all were involved in the execution of this entire project. As it turned out, the strings went right up to the heads of Engineering and Finance departments of the DDA. (ANI) The accused also snatched the victim's jewellery. "Six persons were arrested for allegedly raping a woman at knifepoint in a car near Porur, Chennai. They took away 15 sovereigns of gold jewellery from the woman. Based on the woman's complaint, a case has been registered," the Tamil Nadu police informed. The incident took place when the woman from Porur, aged 40 years, was travelling with a driver in her own car at night. Quoting the victim, the police claimed that the woman was travelling in the car from Porur near Kolathuvancheri, when some men, intoxicated with ganja blocked their vehicle and threatened the driver with a knife. They attacked the driver and took her the woman to a deserted place surrounded by brambles. The police arrested Suriya Prakash (21), Dinesh (28) Ganesh (19), Karuppaiah (27), Santosh (21), and Subash (19). The accused were taken into custody and produced before a court. It is further revealed that the sale of ganja is increasing in the Kolathuvancheri area of the state. There have been reports that intoxicated addicts often indulge in incidences of robbery and other crimes. (ANI) The clashes took place after a Hindu boy went to meet a Muslim girl on the occasion of Muharram, following which arguments broke out between two sections. Two people, who lost their lives in the alleged communal clash were identified as Pasha Walli (22) and Yenakapaa Talavad (60)-- who succumbed to their injuries and died in the hospital. Right after that the people from both communities joined them and started beating each other. A total of eight people were injured in the clash, so far. The local administration has imposed Section 144 in the area. Further investigation into the matter is going on. (ANI) Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Wednesday that in order for local health departments to respond quickly to critical outbreaks such as the monkeypox virus, they are going to need greater flexibility in spending from the federal government. Arwady also shared new guidance that will allow the current monkeypox vaccine stock to inoculate five times more people per vial. Advertisement At a news conference Wednesday, Arwady said more than 90% of the citys public health department money comes from the federal government and is often tied to specific diseases in bills passed by Congress. Right now, money earmarked for specific parts of the COVID-19 response that are going unused cannot be redirected to fund the citys response to the monkeypox health emergency, she said. Dr. Allison Arwady speaks to the media on Feb. 22, 2022. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) Weve not been able to use our unspent COVID funds to address the MPV outbreak. Weve not received a single dollar (for the monkeypox virus), Arwady said. We actually dont need significantly more money. But we need flexibility to use the funding that we have right now to spend on MPV. Advertisement Arwady said she wants to see the federal government fund disease prevention in a way that empowers flexibility and is tied to population levels. Stable, consistent funding would allow CDPH to build permanent infrastructure to look for reemerging diseases, identify new variants and respond to critical outbreaks, Arwady said. I have no ability right now to fund that beyond two years from now when the COVID money runs out, she said. This is a big deal. All over the country, public health organizations are not set up well to build and sustain. Monkeypox emergency declarations from the state and federal governments may help increase funding flexibility, Arwady added. But its already too late: I needed this flexibility back in June when the first cases were here, she said. [ Gov. J.B. Pritzker declares monkeypox virus a statewide public health emergency ] Chicagos monkeypox case count climbed to 584 Wednesday and vaccine demand has far outpaced supply among the at-risk populations targeted by the health department, which includes people directly exposed to the disease and men who have sex with men anonymously or with multiple partners. But a new U.S. Food and Drug Administration decision permitting the main monkeypox vaccine to be administered just below the skin will soon allow up to five times as many vaccinations per vial. This is excellent news, but because it is a much less common administration approach, it will require a significant shift in operations over the next few weeks, the CDPH said in a statement Wednesday. The CDPH has ordered thousands of the smaller needles and syringes required by the new procedure and will be working with state and federal authorities to train people how to deliver the intradermal shot. Chicagos monkeypox response is also buffeted by new shipments of vaccine doses, Arwady said. Around 13,000 doses from the federal government arrived last Wednesday, she said, and another 20,000 are expected soon. Chris Algera, left, and Bertrand Briere wait to receive smallpox/monkeypox vaccines at the Cell Block Chicago club office space in the 3700 block of North Halsted Street on Aug. 6, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Its not something we could do earlier on, not cause we dont know how, but because we didnt have vaccine, she said. Advertisement Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > The city is using codes to schedule new monkeypox vaccine appointments. The codes, which change every week, are first released to health care providers and community-based organizations that work with people who often have limited access to health care services, such as African Americans and Latinos. The city has 3,000 vaccine appointments at large clinics this weekend, Arwady said. Cases continue to predominantly affect gay men and other men who have sex with men, a trend that health officials say stems from tight sexual networks. But theres no biological reason why men who have sex with men have been so far hit hardest by the virus and nothing to stop it from spreading more aggressively within other populations, authorities have reiterated. The smallpox-related monkeypox virus was first detected in humans in 1970 and is endemic to parts of west and central Africa. The illness often begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes before progressing to painful, large rashes throughout the body and often around the genital area that look like pimples or blisters. Monkeypox symptoms can last up to four weeks For information on how to secure a monkeypox vaccine, visit the Chicago Public Health Departments monkeypox vaccination page. jsheridan@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @jakesheridan_ Nitish Kumar was sworn Chief Minister for a record eighth time on Wednesday after he resigned from the post a day earlier and quit the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. The decision to hold the floor test on August 24 and make a suitable recommendation for convening state assembly was taken at a cabinet meeting attended by Kumar and Yadav on Wednesday. Sources said that expansion of the cabinet is likely to take place on August 16 and RJD will have more ministers than the Janata Dal-United. Mahagathbandhan or Grand Alliance has the support of 164 members in the assembly. Nitish Kumar broke his alliance with the BJP for the second time in eight years on Tuesday before joining hands with RJD and other parties in the Mahagathbandhan including the Congress and Left parties. The Grand Alliance also has the support of HAM, which has four MLAs in the Assembly. BJP has accused Nitish Kumar of "disrespecting" the mandate given by the people of Bihar. BJP and JD-U had fought the assembly polls together in 2020. Nitish Kumar was made Chief Minister though the BJP won more seats. Sources said that Congress is likely to have 2-3 representatives in the cabinet and HAM may get one berth. (ANI) Maharashtra minister Deepak Kesarkar on Thursday said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar might "reconsider" his decision to part ways with the BJP if he felt he had picked a "wrong party". "It's just a phase. I don't mean to criticise him (CM Nitish Kumar). He is a senior politician who has served the state well as the CM. But he may reconsider his decision if he feels that he has picked the wrong party. That's not unprecedented," Deepak Kesarkar said while commenting on the recent political developments in Bihar. There has been speculation that Nitish Kumar is gearing up for a larger role at the national level. However, the Bihar Chief Minister rejected any such speculation after being sworn in. "Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024? I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024. I am not a contender for any such post (PM post)," he said. Kumar was sworn in as Bihar Chief Minister again yesterday after parting ways with the BJP and joining the RJD-led Grand Alliance to form a new government in the state. Kumar ditched the BJP alleging that it was trying to break his JD(U), and joined hands with former political opponents RJD in the Mahagathbandhan on Tuesday. The BJP alleged that by joining with the RJD, Nitish Kumar had disrespected the mandate given by the people. Meanwhile, soon after the swearing-in ceremony, Kumar said that his party made the decision to leave the BJP through internal consensus. He sought cooperation from interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi for change in Bihar. Sonia Gandhi asked him to contact Rahul Gandhi as well. However, Kumar gave the responsibility to contact Congress leader Rahul Congress to Tejashwi Yadav. Tejashwi immediately contacted Rahul Gandhi. Notably, Rahul Gandhi agreed to be in touch with the party in-charge of the state Bhakta Charan Das. After this talks took place and the script for the change was ready. Nitish wanted such a majority so that the BJP could not topple the government by making a dent in it, so remained silent till the figure reached 164 through the Left and Congress and the bet was played as soon as he got the chance. Meanwhile, BJP leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi suggested that the fallout between his party and Nitish Kumar could be linked to the Bihar chief minister's desire to become the country's vice president. Kumar was a long-time BJP ally before snapping ties in 2013. He later again joined hands in 2017. Kumar said that there was a unanimous decision in the party meeting in the morning "to break off ties". JD-U and BJP had fought the 2020 assembly polls together and Nitish Kumar was made the chief minister of the alliance though the BJP had won more seats. Nitish Kumar's ties with BJP stretched to over two decades and he was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1996. JD-U leaders indicated that factors including the developments related to the exit of RCP Singh from the party had soured ties with BJP. JD-U leaders have also been chafing at the role of Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan during the 2020 assembly polls and have indicated that his putting up candidates from seats contested by the party had damaged it. JD-U and RJD had fought the 2015 Bihar polls together. JD-U has 45 and the RJD has 79 MLAs in the 243-member Bihar assembly. JD-U is the third major ally to leave the BJP in the past three years after Shiv Sena in Maharashtra and Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab. (ANI) The BJP on Thursday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claiming that the culture of 'revdis' being promoted by the outfit was more focussed on advertising but weak on governance. "I am here to expose the free education model of Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal's mantra is Vigyapan par zor, Vyavastha me kamjor (Focus on advertisements, weak on governance). Kejriwal's revdi model means that of the 500 schools and 20 colleges promised, none have been delivered. This is the revdi culture we caution against," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla addressing a press conference. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken about the perils of populism and its pitfalls. "As we can observe the trend in various countries, those who practised the policy of providing freebies were embroiled in several corrupt practices. Kejriwal chose to take this comment personally. Is this the case of Chor ki darhi me tinka?" he asked. Poonawalla said there is a between welfare policy and revdi politics. Welfare policies empower a targeted section who have been deprived of necessities. These add to the productivity of the population. "Whereas, revdi culture is a lollipop dished out for political gains and makes no transformation to people's lives. They misuse the taxpayer's money," he added. The BJP leader spoke of how Kejriwal instead of providing free education, free water, free electricity, free health had opted for "free corruption, free pollution, free advertisements, free appeasements, free drugs and liquor". Poonawalla then gave an example of, what he termed as, a "complete failure" of the Kejriwal government in the education sector. He claimed that Kejriwal promised 500 new schools and 20 new colleges but instead licensed upto 850 liquor vends. He said that of the 1027 Delhi government schools, many did not have the science stream in 11th and 12th while over 745 were functioning without a principal. As many as 418 schools have no vice principal and 40,000 seats meant for EWS had not been filled as per the RTE act, he claimed. Poonawalla further said that Kejriwal had planned to increase the fees of private institutions and diploma level institutions by almost 7 percent and caused hardship to poor students but the Delhi Lieutenant Governor stopped this proposal. He further claimed that 22,000 guest teachers lost jobs and were not made permanent teachers. "Almost 45,000 teacher positions were lying vacant in schools," he added. Poonawalla slammed the Kejriwal government for indulging in "corruption even in the education sector" and referred to a letter written by the education ministry to the PWD about various "shortcomings and illegalities in the construction of classrooms". In a reference to arrested TMC minister Partha Chatterjee, the BJP leader said "Kejriwal was only protecting his 'Parthas' and said AAP ministers like Satyendra Jain and Manish Sisodia faced serious allegations. The AAP has refuted charges against its leaders. The BJP and AAP had engaged in a war of words on the freebie culture. While the BJP has emphasised that such politics is not in the people's interest, AAP has claimed that it politics was in favour of the poor. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid a courtesy call to Union Minister, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Mahendra Nath Pandey, in New Delhi and said that the state government will send a proposal for an electronic charging station on the Char Dham Yatra route. "The Chief Minister requested to direct the officers concerned to transfer the industrial unit HMT located in Nainital district to the Government of Uttarakhand. It was decided in the meeting that the Uttarakhand government would send a proposal to the Central government for an electronic charging station on the Char Dham Yatra route," read an official statement. The Chief Minister said that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had approved its closure due to the continuous loss of the HMT Industrial Unit located in the Nainital district. In order of approval, the HMT Ranibagh unit is proposed to be transferred to Uttarakhand Government on as is where is basis. The Government of Uttarakhand has sent its consent to the Ministry of Heavy Industries to purchase HMT Ranibagh unit at the price assessed by NBCC. The Chief Minister requested the Union Minister to give necessary directions to the officers concerned for the transfer of industrial unit HMT. "New industries would be set up in the area and employment opportunities would be generated after the transfer of the industrial unit," said CM Dhami. (ANI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal saying he had given a "perverse twist" to the debate on freebies as health and education were never considered giveaways and no Indian government has ever denied them to the people. Sitharaman said that by classifying education and health as freebies, Kejriwal was trying to instil fear in minds of the poor. There should be a genuine debate on this matter, she said. The Finance Minister was responding to questions raised by the Delhi Chief Minister on freebies. Earlier, the BJP had also criticised Kejriwal saying that the culture of 'revdis' being promoted by AAP was more focussed on advertising but weak on governance. "I am here to expose the free education model of Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal's mantra is Vigyapan par zor, Vyavastha me kamjor (Focus on advertisements, weak on governance). Kejriwal's revdi model means that of the 500 schools and 20 colleges promised, none have been delivered. This is the revdi culture we caution against," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla addressing a press conference. A government source said Kejriwal was deliberately framing the argument in a wrong manner. "Nobody is saying that free benefits to the poor are wrong. But it is also wrong to classify the loan write-offs as being freebies, or to say that corporate tax rate cut was designed to benefit corporates," the source said. According to a source, the central government is perhaps the first one to be giving free food over and above the highly subsidised food provided under the National Food Security Act. The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana provides 5 kg of free foodgrain to 80 crore people every month, and at the end of September 2022 it would have been running for 2.5 years. "We have seen many political parties promise free television sets, kitchenware, gold jewellery, free mobile phones for all ration card holders, free electricity up to certain units to every household, gold as marriage assistance, laptops, washing machines, sarees, free internet connection, bicycles, etc to lure the voters," added the source. Government sources questioned that opposition saying it does not seem to have any coherent strategy to take long-term corrective steps, create more employment, boost incomes or improve the ease of doing business. They are unable to resolve issues adversely affecting people. The entire focus is to simply promise freebies and allurements to either win elections or stay in power by offering them as 'bait' to woo the voters. There is no justification for political parties offering freebies that the government's exchequer cannot afford and will eventually lead to bankruptcy of the state. When they promise free electricity, water or other freebies, they are merely borrowing from future generations to reward present ones. Responding to the MGNREGA allegation of Kejriwal, that Centre says it does not have the money to pay the 100 days wages of MGNREGA, the source said it was a lie. "He should look at the Budget documents in detail before commenting. The fact of the matter is that the Government has been flexible and has raised the allocation for MGNREGA as and when needed," the source added. The allocation for MGNREGA was Rs 61,500 crore in Budget 2020-21, before the pandemic arrived. However, seeing the impact of the pandemic, this was increased to an unprecedented Rs 1,11,500 crore in the Revised Estimates of which Rs 1,11,169 crore was actually spent, a historic amount. The next year, while Rs 73,000 crore was budgeted for MGNREGA in 2021-22, this was increased to Rs 98,000 crore in the Revised estimate in response to the demand. On Kejriwal allegation that in 75 years since independence, for the first time wheat and rice are being taxed, the source said that Kejriwal should instead ask his Finance Minister Manish Sisodia that why he did not raise any objections to this during the GST Council meeting, or provide any sort of objection when the Fitment Committee came with its report, or the Group of Ministers was sitting on the issue. Responding to the allegation of Kejriwal that Centre has collected Rs 3.5 lakh crore a year from the tax on petrol and diesel, where has the money gone, source said that RBI data in its 'Handbook of Indian Statistics' shows total developmental expenditure incurred by the Modi Government in 2014-22 was Rs 90.9 lakh cr, far higher than is being alleged by some sections of the Opposition. In contrast, only Rs 49.2 lakh crore was spent on this during 2004-14. The expenditure incurred by the Modi Government includes Rs 24.85 lakh crore spent so far on food, fuel and fertiliser subsidies and Rs 26.3 lakh crore on capital creation. Over the 10 years of UPA, only Rs 13.9 lakh crore was spent on subsidies. The developmental expenditure incurred by the Modi Govt of Rs 90.9 lakh cr so far is over and above the Rs 93,685.68 crore already spent between 2014 and 2022 on repaying the UPA-era oil bonds. Further, an additional Rs 1.48 lakh crore will be paid by 2026. Add to this the fact that the Government is spending Rs 3.4 lakh crore on providing free foodgrain under PMGKAY, and is also providing COVID-19 vaccines for free. Responding to the Kejriwal comment that Rs 10 lakh crore of loans of their super-rich friends have been waived off, Govt source said that he would know the basic concepts that Write-offs are not waivers. Write-offs are technical requirements as per the RBI, and the recovery process continues. RBI data shows that not only has the amount written off by PSBs fallen since 2018-19, the amount recovered from written off accounts has increased over that period. Out of the 12,265 designated wilful defaulters as on March 31, 2022, a suit has been filed against 12,076 (98.5%), FIRs have been lodged against 40.2% and SARFAESI action has been initiated against 75.5%. Banks have recovered over Rs 8.6-lakh crore bad loans in the last eight years on account of strong measures initiated by the government and the Reserve Bank. On Kejriwal's comment that vast benefits have been given to corporates through tax benefit, source said that following the 2019 corporate tax cuts, this Government was accused of favouring corporates at the expense of Government revenue. However, the truth is as follows: Total corporation tax collections in 2019-20 did decline by about 16% to Rs 5.57 trillion, compared to Rs 6.63 trillion in 2018-19. But the decline was just about Rs 1 trillion and not Rs 1.45 trillion, as was feared at the time. The tax collection figures for 2020-21 are not relevant because of the Covid impact. The latest provisional unaudited numbers with the Controller General of Accounts show that in 2021-22, corporation tax collections rose to Rs 7.12 trillion, surpassing by a good margin the collections made in 2018-19. On Kejriwal comment that devolution to the States has come down from 42% to 29-30%, source said that one of the key tenets espoused by the Modi Government is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, which also includes embracing the ideal of cooperative federalism. It is in keeping with this ideal that the Centre whole-heartedly accepted the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission to increase the States' share in central taxes to 42% from the earlier 32%. This has been retained under the 15th Finance Commission as well. Firstly, Central transfers to States have not come down. From about Rs6 lakh crore in 2013-14 (39% of the gross revenue receipts of the Centre, including State's share in Central Taxes), resources transferred to States have increased to almost Rs17 lakh crore in the current budget (60% of the gross revenue receipts of the Centre), a nearly three-fold increase. In fact, the Centre has been transferring the devolution amount to States in advance. This has been done thrice so far, the latest of which was yesterday when the Centre released two instalments of tax devolution to State Governments amounting to Rs. 1,16,665.75 crore, as against normal monthly devolution of Rs 58,332.86 crore. Earlier, on Wednesday, Kejriwal hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that taxpayers are betrayed when their tax money is used to waive off loans of "rich friends".Kejriwal's reaction came on PM Modi's statement on freebies. The Aam Aadmi Aadmi party leader further stated, "The common man is betrayed over the fact that GST has been imposed on essential food items like milk and curd while tax rebates have been given to the rich people."(ANI) Reacting to a viral video of a man smoking inside a SpiceJet flight, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that there will no tolerance for such behaviour. "Investigating it. There will be no tolerance towards such hazardous behaviour," Scindia said. An investigation found that the accused Balvinder Kataria alias Bobby Kataria had travelled from Dubai to New Delhi via SpiceJet. Scindia said, "The incident took place in January this year. Kataria boarded the SpiceJet flight from Dubai. A police complaint was lodged. Also, as per Civil Aviation requirements, an enquiry was conducted by SpiceJet. He was banned from flying on Spicejet flights for 15 days thereafter." Kataria landed in Delhi on January 23 and the video is not available on his Facebook and Instagram pages now. "Balvinder Kataria had travelled from Dubai to New Delhi on the SpiceJet flight. He landed in Delhi on January 23. The video is not available on his FB/Insta page. The action was taken by the aviation security earlier," The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security told ANI. Scindia's reaction came in a reply to one Twitter user Umesh Kumar who had tweeted the video captioning it as "This is the condition of security at the airports of India. This is the person who is openly flouting the laws of the nation..." (Tweet roughly translated from Hindi) https://twitter.com/Umeshnni/status/1557421800166166528 Soon after its release on social media platforms, the video sparked a controversy regarding the security and law and order around the airline's norms. (ANI) The Aam Aadmi Party's Goa unit President Amit Palekar slammed Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over his remarks while rejecting advice from other political parties and called Sawant's views "arrogant". "Instead of taking AAP's suggestion positively, the CM makes a statement that he doesn't need to seek advice from the opposition and his government is capable of running the government schools," said Palekar. The AAP leader also slammed the CM for the decline in the number of government schools in Goa. "The number of government schools declined in the last 10 years; however, private schools run by BJP's office bearers have been flourishing in the last 10 years. Rather than pointing fingers at teachers, the CM should analyse his performance as education minister of Goa. It seems like the BJP government is playing with the future of the children of Goa," he added. Palekar also noted that, "AAP is willing to take a delegation of students, teachers, officials from the Department of Education and Ministers so that they can observe how government schools are run and the state-of-the-art infrastructure has been constructed by the AAP government". AAP Vice President Surel Tilve demanded that the government should appoint a full-time education minister, noting that CM Sawant is overloaded with other portfolios. Tilve stated elementary schools now serve only as polling booths and that the BJP administration has not made any efforts to improve the educational environment in schools. AAP Vice President Valmiki Naik questioned CM Sawant if he had read any research suggesting that Goa's population would decline over the following 10 years. He said, "As individuals, we always plan with our future in mind. Even the government is required to prepare everything with the next 10 years in mind. The Sawant government is occupied in closing existing schools rather than expanding or improving current facilities". (ANI) Subedar Rajendra Prasad, Rifleman Manoj Kumar and Rifleman Lakshmanan D made the supreme sacrifice for the country during the operation on Thursday morning. However, the Army managed to foil a suicide bomb attack on its base here and killed both the terrorists. The martyred persons were shifted to medical facilities for further treatment, Army officials said here. "In a terrorist attack 25 km from Rajouri, two terrorists carried out a suicide bomb attack on an Army company operating base. Both terrorists have been killed while three own troops have lost their lives. Operations in progress," Indian Army officials told ANI. "One Officer along with two other jawans is injured in the terrorist attack and has been rushed for medical treatment," the sources said. 16 Corps Commander Lt Gen Manjinder Singh is constantly monitoring the situation on the ground. The area is being sanitised, they added. The suicide bomb attack on the company operating base of a Rashtriya Rifles unit in Pargal located in the Darhal area of Rajouri looks like an attempt to carry out a Uri-like attack where terrorists had infiltrated the Army camp and killed 19 soldiers. The attempt to infiltrate the Army camp took place days ahead of the 75th Independence Day celebration in the country. Notably, the attack comes a day after three LeT terrorists were neutralised by security forces in Budgam. One of the killed terrorists was involved in the killing of civilians Rahul Bhat and Amreen Bhat. "All the three hiding LeT terrorists neutralised. Bodies being retrieved from the site, identification is yet to be ascertained. Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition were recovered. A big success for us" said a tweet by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir. (ANI) Election Commission of India (ECI) hosted a virtual meeting of the 'Asian Regional Forum' on the theme 'Making our Elections Inclusive, Accessible and Participative at Nirvachan Sadan on Thursday. The Regional Forum meeting was a precursor to 'Summit for Electoral Democracy' to be hosted by the National Electoral Institute of Mexico in the coming month. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, in his keynote address, said that democracy and democratic institutions flourish when all groups of people are fully represented. No democracy can ever be meaningful and aspirational, unless it is inclusive for all citizens, accessible without fear or favour and participative despite differential social, political, and economic vulnerabilities. He exhorted all Election Management Bodies (EMBs) for continuous self-evaluation and strengthening of their systems, to meet the rising expectations from citizens and to deal with the emerging challenges during the electoral process. According to an official release, he added that the framework for assessment and so-called ranking of democracies by global evaluating agencies should be objective and contextual, factoring in the magnitude, socio, cultural and geographical context in which each country and EMB functions. Welcoming the idea for this global 'Summit for Electoral Democracy', Rajiv Kumar said that the integrity of elections and democracy go hand-in-hand and generate global peace, prosperity and stability. He cautioned the EMBs about the opportunities and challenges emerging from ever-increasing outreach through social media which also assumes criticality in terms of legal, regulatory framework and limitations across geographies to address fake news/narratives and surrogate advertising. Complimenting the EMBs for various initiatives taken by them for accessible and inclusive elections, CEC said that there is scope to explore the possibilities of remote voting for the inclusion of migrant voters as well as marginalized voters to end barriers in the electoral processes more effectively. A recorded message from Mr. Lorenzo C. Vianello, President, National Electoral Institute (INE) of Mexico was also shared with the participants. Representatives from Election Management Bodies of Mexico, Mauritius, Philippines, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Maldives, International IDEA, Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) and International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) participated in the meet. Senior officials from Election Commission of India were also present during the meet. (ANI) On the occasions of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Maharshi Aurobindo and the 75th Year of Independence, the Ministry of Culture is commemorating the life and philosophy of Shri Aurobindo by undertaking spiritual programmes in 75 prisons across the nation between August 12-15, 2022. The purpose of these programmes is to 'transform' the lives of prison inmates through the inculcation of the philosophy of Shri Aurobindo and by the practice of Yoga and Meditation, the ministry informed in its official release. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has said that there is a need for the transformation of the life of inmates of jails through self-thinking and realisation, and prisons all across the country should organize programmes on the life of Maharishi Aurobindo so as to enable the inmates to embark upon a new journey of life. To this effect, the Ministry of Culture has partnered with notable spiritual leaders and organizations to carry out these programmes. Ministry of Culture has identified 75 prisons across the nation, (primarily keeping in mind their association with National Freedom Struggle) where these programs shall take place. As many as five organisations, including Ramakrishna Mission, Patanjali, Art of Living, Isha Foundation and Satsang Foundation have been roped in for conducting programmes from August 12-15 in 23 states of the country to facilitate Yoga, Meditation and imparting of teachings of Sri Aurobindo to prison inmates. (ANI) The president of the University of Oregon and a former University of Chicago law school dean on Thursday was named 17th president of Northwestern University. Michael Schill, who has led the University of Oregon since 2015, has a tenured faculty appointment in the University of Oregon School of Law. He previously was the dean and Harry N. Wyatt Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School, dean of the UCLA School of Law, and was a chaired professor at NYU and the University of Pennsylvania, officials at Northwestern said in a statement. Advertisement Despite earning degrees from two Ivy League institutions an undergraduate degree in public policy from Princeton University, which he attended on a scholarship, and a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School Schill said he is most proud of his background as a first generation college graduate. Michael Schill, president of the University of Oregon, has been named the 17th president of Northwestern University, the school's board of trustees announced Thursday. Schill will begin his new job this fall. (Northwestern University) A native of Schenectady, New York, Schills father worked in a clothing factory and his mother was a registered nurse. He credits his parents with instilling in him and his sister a passion for education. Advertisement What is increasingly important is that people like me, who come from modest backgrounds, have sufficient financial aid, and we make sure as a country that everyone is educated, which opened up the world for me and my sister, Schill said. Reflecting on the unrest that erupted on university campuses nationwide following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, including at Northwestern, Schill recalled being present at a Black Lives Matter student protest at the University of Oregon campus. The students knew I was there, and I made a point to be out there, and afterward, I asked the leaders to come back to my office, so we could all talk, Schill said. What students need, and what a president needs to do, is to listen. It doesnt mean you necessarily will always agree. But just listening made a huge difference. Schills appointment comes just one month after Northwesterns President-elect Rebecca Blank announced she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and would no longer be able to fulfill her role as the 17th president and first woman to lead the university. Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > Blank, the former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin at Madison, said last month she planned to return to the Madison area for cancer treatment and would spend the coming weeks and months focusing on her health and family. I really extend my best wishes to Becky, who is a friend of mine, Schill said. She will be a really helpful resource, and I wish her the best to beat this illness. Schill, whose academic research for decades has focused on affordable housing, land use and race discrimination in the housing market, said he looks forward to enhancing Northwesterns standing as an innovation hub for the Chicago area, for Illinois, for the nation and the world. The founder of the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University, which has become the nations leading research center on housing and the built environment, Schill was presented with the Impact Award for Excellence in Housing from New York Citys Citizens Housing and Planning Council in 2010, officials said. Advertisement In 2016, Schill ushered in a billion-dollar initiative called the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact to transform innovation at the University of Oregon, and he fostered a partnership between the university and Oregon Health and Sciences University for societal benefit and to advance treatments and cures for cancer, officials said. I am committed to diversity, Schill said in a statement. The true potential of a place like Northwestern cannot be fulfilled without bringing people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, abilities and identities together as well as students, staff and faculty members who span the spectrum of ideological and political viewpoints. kcullotta@chicagotribune.com Sinha, who is a BJP MLA, on Thursday refused to comment on the no-confidence notice submitted against him. "As long as I am on this post, I will give no statement to the media on this (political development)," Sinha told reporters. The motion against Sinha is likely to be taken up by the House when it meets to enable the Nitish Kumar government to prove its majority. Nitish Kumar-led government will go for floor test on August 24. Kumar had earlier said that the government has the support of seven parties and 164 MLAs. Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar chief minister on Wednesday for a record eighth time after he severed ties with BJP a day earlier and resigned as chief minister. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took oath as Deputy Chief Minister. (ANI) Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's another trustworthy aide has lost his job in the party. Party sources told IANS that it is a clear indication that state BJP chief C.R. Patil and Rupani have not yet resolved their differences. Patil has appointed Suresh Godhani and Nituben Bambhaniya as Surendranagar district in-charges. In other words Patil has relieved Nitin Bhardwaj from his responsibility of Surendranagar. In the party Bhardwaj is considered the right hand man of Vijay Rupani. Bhardwaj told the local media, "I am a party worker and will continue to work for the party, in future whenever the party gives me any work, I will carry it out with commitment and determination." When IANS contacted Surendranagar BJP District Committee President Jagdish Makwana for his comments on dropping Bhardwaj, he said, "I have no idea about any such development." In the BJP and especially in Saurashtra, Nitin Bhardwaj is considered a lieutenant of Vijay Rupani. Within the party, Rupani's opponents once used to say that Bhardwaj was acting like a super CM during Rupani's tenure as chief minister. Officers in Rajkot had to report to Bhardwaj with official files. Earlier, another Rupani lieutenant Dhansukh Bhanderi was asked to resign as the chairman of the Gujarat Municipal Finance Board. Party sources said since the appointment of C R Patil as the state unit chief, Rupani and Patil have not been getting along. There are major differences between the two, which was affecting the party's performance in the state. In 2021, the party's national leadership decided to seek the resignations of the Rupani cabinet and form a fresh cabinet under Bhupendra Patel's leadership. Since then Rupani and his group have been constantly sidelined by the BJP's state leaders. Though Rupani is a member of the parliamentary board and executive committee, he has little say in party affairs, said sources. --IANS haresh/bg ( 325 Words) 2022-08-11-19:18:02 (IANS) Newly appointed deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav invited ED, CBI and Income Tax to open their offices inside his residence and investigate whatever they want. "We have no objection with it," Yadav said. "We want the people of ED, CBI, Income Tax to open the offices inside my house. Still, if they would not get peace then what can I do? We have no objection with whatever they want to investigate against us," Tejashwi said. "Lalan Singh, the national president of JD-U, rightly pointed out that we have nothing to hide and we are not afraid of central agencies. They have chargesheeted me a long time ago but initiated trial in the court. They do not have proof against me. The case (IRCTC scam) happened at a time when I did not have beards and mustache," Tejashwi said. "During 18-month tenure as a deputy chief minister of Bihar, there was not a single charge of corruption on me. We have 18 ministers under the RJD quota and none of them were involved in any kind of corruption case," Tejashwi said. "BJP has only one modus operandi to create fear through CBI, ED, Income Tax and if any leader is scared of. If anyone is ready for horse-trading, fix the rate and buy it," Tejashwi said. "After the formation of a new government in Bihar, it brings a smile on the faces of common people not only in the cities but in villages, Panchayats and blocks. We are committed to form a government with the motive of 'Dawai, Sichai, Padhai, Kamai, Sunwai and Karwayi'. Once the government passes the vote of trust in the Bihar assembly, we will give jobs to every hand in Bihar," Tejashwi said. After becoming Bihar's deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav went to Delhi to take the blessings of his father Lalu Prasad. --IANS ajk/uk ( 323 Words) 2022-08-11-19:30:02 (IANS) Rani Abbakka, the great Tulu queen regarded as the first female freedom fighter of India, is not only known for her valour who repulsed the Portuguese army, but also her strength to unite people of different faiths against the armed forces of a foreign state. The queen hails from Karnataka, which is, currently, communally divided. A region witnessing revenge killings among Hindus and Muslims, this state has a great lesson to learn from the legacy of Rani Abbakka, when Muslims and Hindus unitedly fought under her leadership against the Portuguese. Rani Abbakka Chowta was the first Tuluva queen from Ullal province of the present Dakshina Kannada district. She represented the Chowta dynasty which ruled Tulu Nadu, comprising strategic regions of coastal Karnataka. The Portuguese forces, after establishing their rule in Goa, turned their focus on capturing Mangaluru, Ullal ports. The brave Rani Abbakka, who left her husband and came back to her father, repulsed the Portuguese attacks for four decades, leading the army from the front. She is regarded as one of the foremost woman warriors and bravest of the fighters. Historians say Rani Abbakka has not been given her due place in India''s as well as Karnataka''s history. Abbakka''s uncle Tirumalaraya crowned her as the queen of Ullal. She married Lakshmappa Arasa Bangaraja II. However, the marriage did not last very long, as Rani Abbakka returned to Ullal. Ullal port was a prosperous port and hub of the spice trade to the outer world and the Portuguese, Dutch and British had clearly set their eyes on it. Knowing about the crouching foreign forces waiting for a chance to take over Ullal, the local chieftains united, forgetting their communal reservations. Rani Abbakka gave equal representation to Hindus, Jains and Muslims. During her rule in the 16th century, the coastal region was an example of unity and integrity for the entire nation, as Hindus and Muslims stood shoulder to shoulder in every aspect. When the Portuguese, unable to find traitors, came to know that Rani Abbakka''s estranged husband nursed a deep grudge against her, they launched attacks on Ullal from 1555 to 1568. After Ullal was captured, Rani Abbakka took shelter in a mosque. She gathered an army and launched an attack on the Portuguese, in no time. Her army fought with valour and killed General Joao Peixoto after which the Portuguese had to retreat. She forged an alliance with the Bijapur Sultan and the Calicut (Kerala) rulers. However, she was captured by the Portuguese army and sent to jail later. Folklore has it that even in prison she revolted and died fighting. Her tale has been told through Yakshagana, the famous local art form of the region. The Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava is held every year to commemorate her bravery and awards are given in her name. In 2003, the Indian postal department issued a special cover on Rani Abbakka. The bronze statues of the late queen are installed in Ullal and Bengaluru. The Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS is named after Rani Abbakka. Karnataka, which is presently in the news for Hindu-Muslim clashes, was once united and together repulsed attacks by foreign occupying forces. The foreign enemies could not find internal enemies and destroy their local kingdoms as Hindus, Muslims and Jains were united. Patriots are still waiting for the day when people of different faiths will unite against the common enemy. --IANS mka/sks/bg ( 581 Words) 2022-08-11-20:24:03 (IANS) After a video of a man smoking inside a SpiceJet flight surfaced on the internet, the carrier aircraft on Thursday said that the action was taken as the passenger was put on a no-flying list by the airline for 15 days in February 2022. However, the accused social media influencer Balvinder Kataria alias Bobby Kataria claimed that it was a dummy plane and it was a part of his shooting in Dubai. "The video in which I was seen smoking is not a normal airplane, it was a dummy plane and that was a part of my shooting in Dubai. Taking lighter inside the plane is not allowed," said Kataria. In the video, Kataria is seen lying down on the aircraft seat and lighting a cigarette and taking a couple of puffs. In a statement SpiceJet said, the matter had been investigated thoroughly in January 2022 when the video was brought to our notice and a complaint had been filed by the airline with the Udyog Vihar police station in Gurugram. "The video, the investigation had revealed, was shot on January 20, 2022, while passengers were boarding flight SG 706 scheduled to operate from Dubai to Delhi. The said passenger and his co-passengers shot the video on the 21st row when the cabin crew were occupied with completing the on-boarding procedure. None of the passengers or crew was aware of the act," the statement reads. It further said that the matter came to the airline's notice on January 24, 2022, through social media posts. "The matter was referred to the Internal Committee constituted as per the provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on the handling of unruly passengers (not consisting of any SpiceJet employee). The said the passenger was put on a no flying list by the airline for 15 days in February 2022," the statement added. Defending himself, Kataria said that the video in question is an old video shot in Dubai. "The video in which I was seen smoking is not a normal airplane, it was a dummy plane and that was a part of my shooting in Dubai. I want to ask everyone; how can a lighter make its way into an airplane? It would be detected by a scanner. A cigarette still one can carry, but not a lighter. It was shot in 2019 or 2020," said Kataria. Meanwhile, reacting to a viral video of a man smoking inside a SpiceJet flight, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that there will no tolerance for such behaviour. "Investigating it. There will be no tolerance towards such hazardous behaviour," Scindia said. An investigation found that the accused Balvinder Kataria alias Bobby Kataria had travelled from Dubai to New Delhi via SpiceJet. "The incident took place in January this year. Kataria boarded the SpiceJet flight from Dubai. A police complaint was lodged. Also, as per Civil Aviation requirements, an enquiry was conducted by SpiceJet. He was banned from flying on Spicejet flights for 15 days thereafter," said Scindia. Kataria landed in Delhi on January 23 and the video is not available on his Facebook and Instagram pages now. "Balvinder Kataria had travelled from Dubai to New Delhi on the SpiceJet flight. He landed in Delhi on January 23. The video is not available on his FB/Insta page. The action was taken by the aviation security earlier," The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security told ANI. Soon after its release on social media platforms, the video sparked a controversy regarding the security and law and order around the airline's norms. Another case has also been registered against Kataria at Dehradun's Cantt police station for allegedly consuming liquor in the middle of a road in Uttarakhand. [{d57383a1-7890-4045-96fc-dd91abc2fb5c:intradmin/FZ4a8-6VEAAMANf.jpg}] A case has been registered under sections 342, 336, 290 and 510 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 67 IT Act, said Uttarakhand Police. Talking about the Dehradun video, Kataria said that the video is not from Uttarakhand. "I do not even remember when was it recorded and even that must have been a part of my shoot, I did not consume alcohol and that video is not from Uttarakhand," he added. (ANI) Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh on Thursday visited the residence of a 17-year-old girl, who died by suicide after alleged torture by teachers last month in Kallakurichi. This is the first time since the incident that Minister Anbil Mahesh visited the girl's parents.He paid respects to the girl. When the minister visited the girl's residence, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin also spoke to the student's mother over the phone. Taking to Twitter, Mahesh shared pictures from his visit and said, "Who is responsible for the death of the student, they will be punished. We will take action whoever did wrong things." He also said that her parents can meet him anytime. "You can meet me whenever possible, for you anytime. Be strong," he said. A Class 12 student in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi died by suicide after alleged torture by teachers. Violence broke out in parts of Tamil Nadu after the Class 12 student jumped off her hostel building on July 13. She was allegedly tortured by a teacher, as stated in the girl's suicide note. On July 18, the Madras High Court ordered a second autopsy of the girl who killed herself after she was allegedly harassed by two teachers at her school in Kallakurichi. The court ordered that the father of the girl be allowed to remain during the procedure. The first post-mortem report mentioned "abrasions", according to the police. The cause of death as mentioned in the first autopsy was multiple injuries and a haemorrhage. The Class XII student who purportedly jumped from the terrace of her hostel at a private school in Tamil Nadu's Kallakuruchi sparked violent protests in the district, prompting the Salem police to deploy heavy security around the school and other areas. Section 144 had to be imposed in several areas. The High Court also ordered the Police to find out who instigated the violence. Her family alleges that two teachers had mentally harassed and humiliated her. (ANI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said he is visiting the homes of senior citizens in Guwahati and gifting one national flag to each one of them under the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign. He also hoped that this 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign become successful. "I am visiting the homes of senior citizens in Guwahati one after the other and gifting one national flag to each one of them under the 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign and I hope that this 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign becomes successful," said Sarma. Till August 9, national flags worth more than Rs 16.07 crore have been sold so far in Assam ahead of the Independence Day and "Har Ghar Tiranga" campaign. According to an official statement, around 32,58,134 national flags, created by self-help groups, were sold around the state. The total amount received from this sale is Rs 12.47 crore. The Assam government, through the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department, has been working to make these flags available at 34,000 fair-priced stores across the state. Fair Price (FP) shops are providing these flags to NFSA beneficiaries for Rs 18 each. So far, these FP stores have sold almost 20 lakh national flags worth Rs 3.60 crore. The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign is part of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav,' which will be held from August 13 to 15 to commemorate India's 75th anniversary of independence. The Assam government has used several methods to persuade people to hoist the tricolour at their homes, offices, and commercial establishments in order to make the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign a success. The state government is also taking steps to ensure that more than 80 lakh national flags are hoisted during the three-day campaign to demonstrate patriotism toward the nation. '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 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 tri-colour. (ANI) Anthropology professors and field primatologists have documented the daily life of hundreds of large-brained capuchin monkeys in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. They have found that female capuchin monkeys who are better integrated into social networks with other adult females tend to survive longer. Social interactions measured include giving and receiving grooming, foraging nearby and helping each other in conflicts by fighting or making aggressive sounds and facial expressions. White-faced capuchin monkeys engage in socially learned human-like rituals to test the quality of their friendships. "As humans, we assume there is some benefit to social interactions, but it is really hard to measure the success of our behavioral strategies," said UCLA anthropology professor and field primatologist Susan Perry. "Why do we invest so much in our relationships with others? Does it lead to a longer lifespan? Does it lead to more reproductive success? It requires a colossal effort to measure this in humans and other animals." Perry would know. Since 1990, she has been directing Lomas Barbudal Capuchin Monkey Project in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where her team of researchers document the daily life of hundreds of large-brained monkeys. While chimpanzees and orangutans are more closely related to humans, the white-faced capuchin monkey has highly sophisticated social structures that influence behavior and are passed to others. Throughout the year, Perry's team of graduate students, postdoctoral students, international volunteers and local researchers, trek into the forest for 13-hour days of observation to try to draw conclusions that may help us understand our own relationships, culture and other behaviors. Female-female relationships matter The latest findings, published recently in Behavioral Ecology, honed in on the relationship between female capuchins' social integration and survival. The authors tracked the female monkeys' interactions with other females, males and companions of any sex and age, based on 18 years of data. Lead author Kotrina Kajokaite earned her bachelor's, master's and doctorate at UCLA while working with the monkey project data under Perry's supervision. Their key finding -- adult female capuchins who are better integrated into social networks with other adult females survive longer. Interactions counted in the study included giving and receiving grooming, foraging nearby, and taking part in coalitionary conflicts -- intervening to help one another in conflicts by fighting, chasing, or making aggressive sounds and facial expressions. There was no evidence that heterosexual relationships provided any survival-related benefits to females, at least regarding the types of behaviors measured in this study. But this doesn't rule out the possibility that some adult females might benefit from social interactions with one or a few male partners who co-reside with them for long periods of time. While there is also some evidence that females who were more socially integrated into their overall group survived longer, the overwhelming conclusion from the research is that female-female relationships had the greatest impact on survival. Testing friendship through rituals In a different study published in a special journal of the Royal Society, Perry's team observed white-faced capuchin monkeys engaging in socially learned human-like rituals. Among the interactions: inserting a finger into the mouth, eye, nostril or ear of a social partner; prying open each other's mouths or hand to conduct a detailed inspection of its contents; passing an object back and forth from mouth to mouth in a gentle tug-o-war; and clasping each other's hands. Other rituals observed included cupping the hand over some part of the partner's face, sucking on an appendage belonging to the partner and using the partner's back or belly as a drum to create loud, rhythmic noises. Some of these rituals went on for up to 30 minutes, even though some include uncomfortable elements that might be expected to annoy a partner. How do these behaviors function in the lives of these animals and what -- if anything -- can they tell us about the evolution of ritual behaviors in humans? The rituals are used to test the quality of friendships and alliances and are particularly prevalent in pairs of monkeys uncertain of the current status of their relationship, Perry said. They're most often performed by pairs that rarely interact; the rituals are also most often used by monkeys with a history of primarily friendly interactions. Although the capuchin rituals have nearly all the elements present in anthropologists' and psychologists' definitions of rituals, they differ from humans in that they are not performed simultaneously by all members of a group. Perry said the psychology behind the nonhuman primates' bond-testing may have been an evolutionary precursor to the more group-oriented form of humans' ritual practices. (ANI) US President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed into law a bill which expands the medical benefits for the veterans who were exposed to toxins from burning pits of trash on military bases, a step to support veterans and their families. Taking to Twitter, Biden said that the PACT (Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics) Act is the most significant law in the nation's history to help millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their military service. In a series of tweets, Biden said, "As a nation, our truly sacred obligation is to equip those we send into harm's way and care for them and their families when they come home. Moments ago, I signed the PACT Act into law, and we took one step closer to fulfilling that sacred obligation." "Today is long overdue, but we got it done together. The Heath Robinson PACT Act is the law of the land. And for veterans and military families, today represents hope that our vets get better care - faster - when they return home," he said in a tweet. This law is deeply personal for the President, who has long speculated that his son Beau Biden has developed brain cancer from exposure to burn pits in Iraq while serving as a member of the Delaware National Guard. Before signing the legislation, Biden described the lingering effects of the exposures, The New York Times reported. "Toxic smoke, thick with poisons, spreading through the air and into the lungs of our troops," he said adding "When they came home, many of the fittest and best warriors that we sent to war were not the same. Headaches, numbness, dizziness, cancer. My son, Beau, was one of them." In a ceremony packed with veterans and their families in the East Room of the White House, President Biden called the new law progress toward fulfilling "a sacred obligation" to those who defended the nation and their families. The law passed despite a last-minute delay by Republican Senators, who blocked its passage but backed down after an intense backlash, reported The New York Times. "This is the most significant law our nation has ever passed to help millions of veterans who are exposed to toxic substances during their military services," Biden said, adding a few minutes later: "This law is long overdue. We finally got it done, together." Prior to the signing of the PACT Act, the White House said that President Biden believes that the nation has a sacred obligation to properly prepare and equip the troops that were sent into harm's way - and to care for them and their families when they return home. "Sometimes military service can result in increased health risks for our veterans, and some injuries and illnesses like asthma, cancer, and others can take years to manifest. These realities can make it difficult for veterans to establish a direct connection between their service and disabilities resulting from military environmental exposures such as burn pits - a necessary step to ensure they receive the health care they earned," the statement added. The act is named in honour of Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson, a combat medic who died from a rare form of lung cancer. "I'm in awe of Danielle Robinson and her family's courage. Through their pain of losing husband, father, and son Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson to toxic exposure, they found purpose to demand that we do better by our vets. Today, with the signing of the PACT Act, we are," Biden said in a tweet. This historic legislation will help deliver more timely benefits and services to more than 5 million veterans, across all generations, who may have been impacted by toxic exposures while serving the country. The PACT Act will ensure veterans that they can receive high-quality health care screenings and services related to potential toxic exposures. The PACT Act expands access to VA (Veterans Affairs) health care services for veterans exposed during their military service. "For post-9/11 combat veterans, the bill extends the period of time they have to enrol in VA health care from five to ten years post-discharge. For those combat veterans who do not fall within that window, the bill also creates a one-year open enrollment period. These expansions mean that more veterans can enrol in VA health care without having to demonstrate a service-connected disability," the statement reads. This bill also delivers critical resources to VA to ensure it can deliver timely access to services and benefits for all veterans eligible - including those already enrolled. "The PACT Act provides VA with mechanisms to enhance claims processing and to increase the workforce. The bill also invests in VA health care facilities by authorizing 31 major medical health clinics and research facilities in 19 states," the statement noted. (ANI) The Ukrainian army will respond to the Russian shelling of the town of Marhanets where 13 people were killed and at least 10 were injured, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message. Zelenskyy further said that Ukraine needed to consider how to inflict as much damage as possible on Russian forces and thereby shorten the war, Al Jazeera reported. Earlier, the Group of Seven (G7) nations asked Russia to vacate Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine citing a risk of a dangerous nuclear accident. The statement was issued by foreign ministers of G7 countries came after shelling near the nuclear power plant in recent days that drew condemnation from international atomic officials. This comes as Western media reports said Russian forces occupying the Zaporizhzhya plant have turned the site into a military base. "We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the High Representative of the European Union reiterate our strongest condemnation of the ongoing unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine," the G7 said in a statement. They said the Russian Federation must immediately withdraw its troops from within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders and respect Ukraine's territory and sovereignty. "In that context, we demand that Russia immediately hand back full control to its rightful sovereign owner, Ukraine, of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant as well as of all nuclear facilities within Ukraine's internationally recognized borders to ensure their safe and secure operations," the leaders said and added, "it is Russia's continued control of the plant that endangers the region." The G7 leaders said they remain profoundly concerned by the serious threat that the seizure of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and other actions by Russian armed forces pose to the safety and security of these facilities, significantly raising the risk of a nuclear accident or incident and endangering the population of Ukraine, neighbouring states and the international community. "It also undermines the IAEA's ability to monitor Ukraine's peaceful nuclear activities for safeguarding purposes," the statement added. Meanwhile, alleged Russian attacks on the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut have killed at least six people and left three others injured, the regional governor claimed, according to Al Jazeera. "The Russians bombed the city with a multiple rocket launcher, hitting a residential area. According to initial information, 12 residential buildings have been damaged and four are on fire," Pavlo Kyrylenko wrote on Telegram. (ANI) A Karachi court on Thursday acquitted the Pakistani television station ARY News head Ammad Yousaf, who was charged with sedition and arrested from his house in the early hours of Wednesday. Senior Vice President of the outlet, Yousuf was produced before the Malir district Court today. He was brought in an armoured vehicle and was not allowed to meet his lawyers and family members, ARY News reported. A day earlier, Yousuf's lawyer Naeem Qureshi requested the court to withdraw a First Information Report (FIR) against the head of ARY News. "We will apply for bail if the court does not withdraw the FIR," he said. According to the lawyer, the FIR against Yousuf in Karachi is illegal. "The FIR registered in Memon Goth police station is against the court decisions," he added. Yousaf while talking to the media after the decision said he was thankful to everyone who has supported ARY NEWS during the testing time. On Wednesday, Yousuf was arrested after the channel, which is the country's biggest private broadcaster, was served a show-cause notice by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday. President and CEO of ARY Digital Network Salman Iqbal, Anchor persons, Arshad Sharif and Khawar Ghuman were also booked under sedition charges. On the complaint of the Station House Officer (SHO), a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Karachi's Memon Goth police station. According to the channel, the FIR was registered just an hour before the arrest of ARY News head Ammad Yousaf. The FIR has been registered under sections 120, 124A, 131, and 153A in which sedition and charges of plotting alleged conspiracy have been included. ARY News said that its journalist was arrested by Karachi Police and a raiding team broke into his house from the main gate in the middle of the night. It has termed Yousaf's arrest as retaliation by the government against the channel and noted that police officers in plain clothes forcibly entered the journalist's house. The journalists' bodies and press clubs termed the arrest of ARY News senior Vice President an act of victimization and said that journalists will call for a nationwide protest if Ammad Yousaf is not released immediately, ARY News reported. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in its statement said that the government should come to its senses. Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court on Wednesday ordered the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to immediately restore the ARY News transmission across the country. The Sindh High Court, in the 10-page order, suspended the show-cause notice issued to ARY News by PEMRA. The court also stopped the media regulatory authority from suspending the license of TV channels till the next hearing. The court also issued notice to PEMRA and the deputy attorney general and adjourned the hearing until August 17, ARY News reported. Soon it was revealed that PEMRA had ordered the suspension over a statement given by a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shehbaz Gill among other reasons, the ARY News distanced itself from Gill's statement and issued a statement on the matter. The statement added that comments or opinions of any individual televised by the network do not represent the channel's policy. Shahbaz Gill's statement was his personal opinion not ARY's editorial policy, it added. Advocate Azhar Siddique along with PFUJ President Shahzad Butt, ARY NEWS reporter and members of civil society filed a petition before the Lahore registry of the apex court. The petition stated that two FIRs were registered on a similar complaint in Islamabad and Karachi against the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. It further said that the CEO of ARY NEWS and administration has also been booked in the case while head of news Ammad Yousaf was arrested in a similar case. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday issued a show-cause notice to ARY News for airing what it called was "false, hateful and seditious" content and describing it as a threat to national security, Dawn reported. Prior to the issuance of the notice, ARY News went off air in many parts of the country on Monday evening. ARY News' transmission was suspended in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot, Hyderabad, Faisalabad and other cities. As the news outlet shutdown continued, many leaders of Imran Khan's party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) took to Twitter and registered their protests. Regulatory watchdog PEMRA alleged that the channel was airing "false, hateful and seditious" content based on "absolute disinformation with a clear and present threat to national security by instigating rebellion within the armed forces", Dawn reported. In its notice to the news outlet, the regulatory watchdog also termed the news anchor who delivered the news as "biased." The entire episode was perpetuated due to a news piece aired by the channel on how the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has reportedly activated its strategic media cell to malign Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and the country's former prime minister Imran Khan. The PEMRA notice to ARY News alleged that PTI leader Shehbaz Gill had made "highly hateful and seditious" remarks tantamount to "incite armed forces towards revolt," Dawn reported. Shortly after ARY News was taken off air, PTI leader and close aide of Imran Khan, Shahbaz Gill was arrested in Islamabad on Tuesday. An Islamabad police spokesperson said that Gill has been taken into custody for inciting the public against the state institutions, Geo News reported. PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Gill was picked up from Banigala Chowk by unidentified personnel in cars with missing number plates. (ANI) Owing to the hard-line "Zero Covid Policy" of the authoritarian regime of Xi Jinping in China, the number of people protesting in the country is witnessing a perpetual rise. The peaceful protests have gradually turned into violent riots due to assertiveness of the Chinese administration. Since the beginning of 2022, in the major political hotspots throughout China which include Shanghai, Shandong, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Anhui there have been 430 civilian demonstrations to date which were followed by 120 authoritarian responses by the state. There have been repeated incidents of growing rage against the administration amongst citizens in the above-mentioned political hotspots. And since the state forcefully deals with these incidents, the rage again increases. Consequently, protests and riots have spiked. Lately, this has been the trend in China, the HK Post reported. The key reason behind this rise in the number of protests is stricter COVID-19-related lockdown restrictions that are being imposed in areas especially having higher populations. Chinese authorities have been extremely strict about their 'zero-COVID' policy approach even though it is causing a huge financial disruption to the lives of common citizens as they must face repetitive tests and quarantines. The preventive measures taken by the state have affected the livelihoods of citizens in the form of delayed salary payments and shortage in the supplies of everyday merchandise. The common citizen believes that this approach taken by the government is very paradoxical considering the situation on the ground. Recently, in Hong Kong, authorities clamped down upon hundreds of protestors who were peacefully demanding their savings from the banks that are facing financial crises. Zhengzhou, which is the provincial capital of Henan also witnessed a similar kind of protest in front of the branch office of the nation's central bank, the People's Bank of China. It was attended by almost 1000 protestors and is considered one of the largest protests in recent times in the province, the HK Post reported. Some of the videos circulated on Chinese social media show that numerous houses were demolished, and residents have been constantly threatened with punitive actions as part of the COVID crackdown in Shanghai. Domestic travel has been very restricted lately and the travel history of the citizens is being monitored constantly by the authorities. These ruthless and harsh measures have given more reason for the antipathy to grow amongst citizens. However, protestors feel that their concerns are not reaching the deaf ears of the administration. During the Beijing Olympics, countries like the US, the U.K, Australia, Canada, Japan as well as India refused to send delegations on the ground of human rights abuses in China. Around the same time, Hong Kong observed massive protests since the government was tightening its control around the once autonomous territory. China then passed an exceedingly controversial national security law, which reduces the judicial autonomy of Hong Kong and makes it easier for the state to punish protestors and activists. Immediately after that, almost 150 arrests happened as a part of the government crackdown over protests, the HK Post reported. Since 2019, more than 10,000 protestors and activists have been arrested so far. The government used every measure under its authority to curb the resentments which included tear gas, and police batons. So far, almost 2850 protestors have been prosecuted under various charges. These charges include rioting, illegal gathering at mass levels and possession of weapons according to the official Chinese database. To date, 1172 people mostly consist of high school and university students are facing sentences in prison. From April to June 2022, multiple incidences consisting of mostly the working-class resentment towards the state for the issue of delayed salaries/payments were witnessed. Between June and July 2022, Hong Kong also saw several protests which were brutally dealt with by the government. The crackdown from the government included warrants being issued for home searches and arrest of protestors, keeping a check on access to public spaces as well as terminating railway services. From the state, one of the measures that have been employed is the tightening of control over social media platforms where the information especially videos and keywords regarding the protests can be shared or accessed. Authorities have enforced censors to filter or wipe out the details of disgruntled people like homebuyers who have invested their money in the projects, but have yet to get ownership of their homes and as a result, they have been threatening to pay mortgages, the HK Post reported. The current timing is very crucial for Beijing especially as President Xi Jinping is expected to be selected chosen for the third consecutive term at the 20th Communist Party Congress later this year. So, considering that in mind, domestic stability is very crucial for the current administration. (ANI) The 14th Dalai Lama's idea of Universal Responsibility is that of a global responsibility that every human being should carry within and it is the biggest contribution of Tibetan culture to the world today, said Hollywood actor Richard Gere, a special guest at the 87th birthday celebrations of Dalai Lama at the seat of Tibetan government-in-exile in India, earlier this month. "It's important to the world, important to the universe, what the Tibetans have been able to achieve in promoting this ideal of a Bodhisattva, and a sense of universal responsibility", remarked Gere, as per a Tibet Rights Collective report. He believes that it is this idea of global accountability that is the biggest contribution of Tibetan culture to the world today and adds that humanity can benefit from such values derived from Tibetan culture. According to Gere, it is the most important value/ lesson the rest of the world can learn from His Holiness and Tibetan culture. This can be achieved by understanding the deep sense of interconnectedness and responsibility for each other that saturates Tibetan Buddhism and culture. This has been the key force and power behind Dalai Lama's advocacy for Tibet, Tibet's leader and the Tibetan cause; in working for Tibet, Gere sees the possibility of saving this force and the possibility of universal brotherhood. "In saving Tibet", according to Gere, "you save the possibility that we are all brothers, sisters". Chinese government has constantly targeted human rights activists or anyone who supports and echoes democracy in the country. But the Hollywood actor Richard Gere has always stood up against tyranny and has been spreading greater awareness about the cause of Tibetan freedom and the value of Buddhist practice, refusing to budge in the face of threats and bans. Gere said that his lack of roles is partly to do with his criticism of China's occupation of Tibet. In his opinion, Hollywood is fearful of offending China which is now the second-biggest box-office market in the world. The most defining moment in Gere's activism for Tibet was the Academy Awards ceremony of 1993 when he chose to use the platform for talking about the human rights violations underway in Tibet. "With the knowledge of what a horrendous, horrendous human rights situation there is in China, [and Tibet] I wonder if we could all send love and truth and sanity to Deng Xiaoping right now in Beijing if maybe he will take his troops, take them away from Tibet and allow these people to live as free, independent people again", he said, going off script. China was not ready to, not surprisingly, take this lightly. The actor has been banned for life from China and from future Oscar broadcasts. Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Richard Gere called for a "Declaration of Truth" about China's oppression of the Tibetan people. He reiterated his demand that there needed to be more transparency regarding the human rights situation in Tibet; "You can't participate in the Olympics and not talk about what's going on negatively in China". Gere's stint with Buddhism started in the late 1970s when he travelled to Nepal and India where he met many Tibetan Buddhist monks. After meeting the Dalai Lama in India, he became a practising Tibetan Buddhist of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism and an active follower and supporter of His Holiness, the Tibet Rights Collective report said. Gere was also the Co-Founder and Chairman of Tibet House US, dedicated to preserving Tibetan art, culture, and philosophy in 1987 and joined the Board of Directors at the International Campaign for Tibet in 1992. He has served as its Board Chairman since 1995. The Gere Foundation by Richard Gere awards grants to groups dedicated to the cultural preservation of Tibet and the Tibetan people, dedicated to providing HIV/AIDS care, research and treatment and to those organizations addressing human rights violations throughout the world. Gere Foundation provides grants to organizations that work for the Tibetan cause including International Campaign for Tibet, Students for Free Tibet and Tibetans Children's Villages. The Golden Globe Winner has faced rejections from the Hollywood industry and has been at the receiving end of the hyper-nationalistic Chinese cyber army's ire because of his vocal stance on Tibet. However, the actor has refused to let anything and anyone overpower his strong sense of Universal Responsibility and he continues to stand up for the world's Third Pole and its inhabitant's longing for their homeland and its exiled leader. (ANI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Government of Japan, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced a new initiative to accelerate climate action in 10 states and Union Territories across the country. An official release stated that the initiative will support Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) to achieve net-zero emissions and ensure climate-resilient development. It will be rolled out in partnership with the IMD at the Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The launch comes within a week of the Cabinet approval of India's updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDCs) to be communicated to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Under the initiative, UNDP will work with IMD to promote climate resilience and MNRE to promote climate mitigation by deploying clean energy infrastructure and low-emission technologies in key sectors including Transport, Health, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and Agriculture. This includes solarizing 150 healthcare facilities, 20 micro-enterprises, and installing 85 Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations and 30 solar cold storage systems across the 10 states. The project will also demonstrate resilient climate planning at the grassroots through climate information flow systems for 30 Gram Panchayats. Furthermore, the initiative aims to promote green jobs and green entrepreneurship in sectors like Renewable Energy by providing skilling and training to 2000+ people. Japan has extended USD 5.16 million in climate grant to UNDP India for the project. This is part of Japan's global support to 23 countries through UNDP's 'Climate Promise - From Pledge to Impact' programme for scaling up its support to turn NDCs into concrete action. Speaking on the partnership, Hokugo Kyoko, Minister (Economic and Development), Embassy of Japan in India, shared, "Our common goal of decarbonisation and sustainable development will require deeper climate partnerships in near future, and we are convinced that sectors which fall under the ambit of this UNDP project, such as transport, health, industries, and agriculture, are indispensable components that require interventions. Through the EV charging facilities, solarization of health centers, energy audits, and provision of information on institutional vulnerability to be implemented in the project, the project is expected to benefit not only the fight against climate change but also impact various actors, including health workers, workers in MSMEs and farmers, which will surely lead to sustainable development in India." Shoko Noda, Resident Representative, UNDP India, highlighted, "We need to accelerate the adoption of clean energy for effective climate action. This process should be inclusive and secure just transition by ensuring sustainable livelihoods and energy access to leave no one behind. We are thankful to the Government of Japan for its partnership. UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of India in achieving its climate targets and promoting climate-resilient growth." At the launch, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Government of India, mentioned, "IMD has consistently led the charge on climate action and in this project, we aim to demonstrate how IMD's climate forecasts can be utilized to guide development planning. IMD supports the project activities in the districts of Uttarkashi in the state of Uttarakhand, Gyalshing and Soreng in the state of Sikkim. in two types of support - 1. with climate forecasts and weather advisories to improve disaster preparedness in some of the most high-risk geographies and 2. With technical expertise during gram panchayat planning to develop climate-informed plans." The project will be rolled out in the states and Union Territories of Bihar, Delhi-NCR, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh between 2022-23. At the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November 2021, India pledged to cut the country's total projected carbon emission by 1 billion tonnes by 2030, install 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030, reduce the carbon intensity of the nation's economy by less than 45 per cent by the end of the decade and net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. (ANI) As Afghanistan continues to bear the brunt of mysterious killings and crimes, another incident has taken place in the country in which some unidentified people tossed the body of a man out of a car on the streets in Nimruz province. The dead body was reportedly discovered on Wednesday in the second district of Zaranj city which is the provincial capital of Nimruz, Khaama Press reported citing the Taliban's head of Information and Culture in Nimruz, Mufti Habibullah Elham. According to the Taliban official, the CCTV footage displayed two vehicles dropping the man's body in the second district of Zaranj city and speeding away right after. No one has been apprehended on suspicion of committing the brutal crime, according to Habibullah Elham. As per the local sources in eastern Afghanistan, two people were murdered by armed intruders on Wednesday in the province's capital, reported Khaama Press. Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, several provinces in Afghanistan continue to experience inexplicable and mysterious killings and other crimes, despite the organisation's assurances that security measures are in place. Under the Taliban's rule, killings, theft, illicit activities, family blood feuds, and suicide reports have seen a massive surge recently. The human rights situation has been exacerbated by a nationwide economic, financial and humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. Acts of terror, blasts and attacks have become a new normal with unabated human rights violations involving ceaseless murder of civilians, destroying mosques and temples, assaulting women, and fuelling terror in the region. With the US troop withdrawal from the country, large-scale violence has been unleashed creating political uncertainty in different parts of the country. At least 59 per cent of the population is now in need of humanitarian assistance - an increase of 6 million people compared with the beginning of 2021, according to UNAMA. (ANI) Amid the growing outcry over the women's rights situation in Afghanistan, a top Taliban official has said that the schools for female students are closed for religious issues and that there is a need for agreement of Islamic scholars on this matter. Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said efforts are underway to reopen girls' schools. "If (we) were acting on Pakistan's instruction, the problems of the schools and other problems would have already been solved. This is a religious issue and it needs Islamic cleric's agreement," Mujahid was quoted as saying by TOLOnews. The Taliban official said that opposing the decision of the Islamic clerics regarding the schools will have negative consequences. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) last month released a report outlining the human rights situation in Afghanistan ever since the Taliban takeover. The report summarises UNAMA's findings with regards to the protection of civilians, extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, fundamental freedoms and the situation in places of detention. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) today said the Taliban have broken multiple pledges to respect human rights and women's rights since taking over Afghanistan a year ago. After capturing Kabul in August last year, the Islamic authorities have imposed severe restrictions on women's and girls' rights, suppressed the media, and arbitrarily detained, tortured, and summarily executed critics and perceived opponents, among other abuses. The New York-based rights group in its report said Taliban human rights abuses have brought widespread condemnation and imperilled international efforts to address the country's dire humanitarian situation. The economy has collapsed, largely because governments have cut foreign assistance and restricted international economic transactions. More than 90 per cent of Afghans have been food insecure for almost a year, causing millions of children to suffer from acute malnutrition and threatening serious long-term health problems. "The Afghan people are living a human rights nightmare, victims of both Taliban cruelty and international apathy," said Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at HRW. "Afghanistan's future will remain bleak unless foreign governments engage more actively with Taliban authorities while pressuring them vigorously on their rights record." Since taking power, the Taliban have imposed rules that comprehensively prevent women and girls from exercising their most fundamental rights to expression, movement, and education, and affect their other basic rights to life, livelihood, health care, food, and water. (ANI) A French Air and Space Force contingent, including three Rafale jets, was hosted in India during Indo-Pacific deployment on Wednesday, a statement issued by the French Embassy in New Delhi said. The contingent which was en route to New Caledonia was hosted for a technical stopover at Air Force Station in Sulur town of Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore district on August 10-11 during a long-distance deployment from metropolitan France to the Pacific Ocean. "From 10th August to 18th September, the French Air and Space Force is carrying out a major long-range mission in the Indo-Pacific, code-named Pegase 22. The first stage of this mission aims to demonstrate France's capacity for long-distance air power projection by deploying an Air Force contingent from metropolitan France to the French territory of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean in less than 72 hours (10th-12th August). To achieve this unprecedented 16,600-km deployment, the Air Force contingent made a technical stopover in India, at Air Force Station Sulur," the statement read. The contingent which comprises three Rafale jets and support aircraft, landed at Air Force Station Sulur on Wednesday evening and flew out in the early hours of Thursday after refuelling, as per the French Embassy. "The operation demonstrated a high level of mutual trust and interoperability between the French and Indian Air Forces, which has been further boosted by the fact that both Air Forces now fly Rafale jets. It also illustrated the concrete implementation of the reciprocal logistics support agreement signed by France and India in 2018," the statement read further. Lauding the IAF's role in this successful operation, the Ambassador of France to India, Emmanuel Lenain, said: "France is a resident power of the Indo-Pacific, and this ambitious long-distance air power projection demonstrates our commitment to the region and our partners. It is only natural that to carry out this mission, we rely on India, our foremost strategic partner in Asia. My heartfelt thanks to the Indian Air Force for welcoming the French contingent." In the following stages of Mission Pegase 22, the French Air Force contingent will take part in the "Pitch Black" air exercise taking place in Australia from 17th August to 10th September. The Indian Air Force will also participate in this multilateral drill, along with Australia, Japan, United States, Germany, Indonesia, Singapore, United Kingdom, and South Korea. Mission Pegase 22 is a powerful demonstration of France's capacity for quick deployment in the Indo-Pacific. The mission is also proof that the security situation in Europe has not diminished the French and European commitment in the Indo-Pacific. In this respect, it also aims to strengthen ties with key strategic partners, such as India, and underline France's support for security and stability in the region. India and France have traditionally close and friendly relations. In 1998, the two countries entered into a Strategic Partnership which is emblematic of their convergence of views on a range of international issues apart from a close and growing bilateral relationship. (ANI) Former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai has expressed concern over the education ban on girls' education imposed by the Taliban and said such a step could push the country further backwards. He also said the regime must ensure that all sections of the population feel represented by the government. "We must make sure that all the Afghan people see themselves as belonging to this country and represented by the government, and that we take all the necessary steps to prove to the rest of the world that we mean well for Afghanistan," former president Karzai said in an interview with America's National Public Radio. Karzai also expressed concerns on the ban on education of girls in the country and emphasised that it has caused the entire nation to fall behind, Khaama Press reported. Last year in August, when the Taliban took control of Kabul, the previous government fell and tens of thousands of Afghans fled their homeland. Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014, was not one of them. As per Khaama Press, Karzai called on the US to assist the Afghan people by unfreezing the country's frozen foreign reserves, as he described the evacuation process and withdrawal of US forces very dishonorable. The situation of human rights in Afghanistan has also worsened since the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to power in August last year. Taliban has imposed draconian restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement for women and girls. The Taliban's decision to ban female students above grade six from going to school has drawn widespread criticism at the national and international levels. Further, the Taliban regime has also curtailed women's rights and freedoms with women largely excluded from the workforce due to the economic crisis and restrictions. As a result of this, women and girls in Afghanistan are facing a human rights crisis, deprived of the fundamental rights to non-discrimination, education, work, public participation and health. Afghan women are staring at a bleak future due to a number of restrictions imposed by the Taliban governing aspects of their lives. According to Human Rights Watch (HRW), women and girls are blocked from accessing health care as well. Reports suggest that women and girls facing violence have no escape route. Allowing girls into schools and other educational institutes has been one of the main demands of the international community. The majority of countries have refused to formally recognize the Taliban amid worries over their treatment of girls and women and other human rights issues. Women are no longer allowed to travel unless accompanied by men related to them and are being curtailed from wearing make-up as well as their reproductive rights. Although the fighting in the country has ended, serious human rights violations continue unabated. (ANI) Amid worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan due to presence of the Taliban, local residents have been holding protests, demanding peace and protection, said Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday expressing his apprehensions at the success of talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the National Assembly session. The demonstrations have created political instability in the province, the minister said, adding that anti-Taliban feelings have been growing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) against the Taliban presence in their area, Dawn reported. In a further statement, a Member of National Assembly from Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), Mohsin Dawar drew the attention of the house towards the rise in terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) stating that it has happened after arrival of Taliban from Afghanistan. "A committee comprising political elders had been constituted to visit the Pakistan-Afghanistan entry point at Ghulam Khan area in North Waziristan to persuade the protesters to open the trade route which they had closed in protest against killings of tribals," Dawar added. Speaking on the deteriorating situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dawar said the people of North Waziristan had been protesting for the past 26 days, demanding peace and protection. The lawmaker claimed terrorism had spread across KP and warned it would soon grip the whole country if not taken into strict consideration. Dawar said the Taliban were telling the local people that their leadership had directed them to return to the area in the wake of the ongoing talks between Pakistani authorities and the TTP. Furthermore, a PTI dissident Noor Alam Khan also lambasted the PTI leadership over the campaign and praised the army for its services to the country in the wake of the war against terrorism. Without naming PTI's Shahbaz Gill, Khan said those who did not like Pakistan and its army, should leave the country, reported Dawn. Meanwhile, PTI MNA from Jacobabad, Mohammadmian Soomr who had served as the privatisation minister during the previous PTI government got de-seated in the National Assembly session. He had not submitted his resignation with his other party colleagues, including Imran Khan at the time of the election of Shehbaz Sharif as the prime minister. The National Assembly also passed four bills which are National Meteorology Institute of Pakistan Bill 2022, the Public Private Partnership Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022, the Iqbal Academy Pakistan Bill 2022 and the Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill 2022, adjourning the session till Saturday. (ANI) A batch of six aircrafts purchased from China by Nepal Airlines has resulted in a huge loss as they remain defunct and rusting. Imported with high hopes to fly to the remote and unserved sectors, three 17-seater Y12e and two 56-seater MA60 aircraft are gathering rust on the parking bay of Tribhuwan International Airport. A sixth crashed in Nepalgunj. In November 2012, state-flag-carrier-Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) signed a commercial agreement with Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), a Chinese Government undertaking to procure the aircrafts. China at the time had provided the grant and concessional loan assistance of 408 million Chinese Yuan, equivalent to Nepali rupees 6.67 billion. Out of the total aid money, a grant worth 180 million yuan (Nepali rupee 2.94 billion) went to pay for one MA60 and one Y12e aircraft. The other aircraft were bought for 228 million yuan (Nepali rupee 3.72 billion) with a soft loan provided by China's EXIM Bank. Soon after their arrival, the NAC board then realized that aircrafts need more cost to operate than to purchase and bring it, to Nepal. In July 2020, the NAC board decided to stop the operation of aircrafts and since has been kept in the Tribhuwan International Airport. Though the planes are out of service due to high-cost operationalization and unfit to fly, the Ministry of Finance has started paying back the interest on the loans for the planes. "Annual interest of 1.5 per cent and service charge and management expenses of 0.4 per cent of the overall loan amount needs to be paid. Two instalments has already been paid which includes the interest on the loans that were provided by EXIM Bank," Hira Neupane, spokesperson at the Public Debt Management Office of the Finance Ministry confirmed. As per the November 2012 agreement, China had given a seven-year grace period under which Nepal Airlines would not have to pay interest and instalment payments. The payback period of the loan is 20 years or by March 21, 2034. The planes have completed the seven-year grace period privilege. The first quarterly instalment of 10.9 million yuan (Nepali rupees 205.67 million) was sent in September 2021 while the second instalment was sent in March. The accumulated losses on the five Chinese planes have already crossed Nepali rupees 2 billion. Before the planes were grounded, the total accumulated losses of these planes were Nepali rupees 1.9 billion, nearly half of the cost of the planes. With the planes grounded, the operating costs have dropped for Nepal Airlines, but it has to pay insurance premiums for the aircraft and parts. (ANI) The delegation of the European Union (EU) to Sri Lanka met Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and urged him to devote special attention to Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), IMF and Human Rights Council as it assured the island country of its support to overcome the ongoing crisis. "We agree bringing Sri Lanka back on track requires joint and inclusive action on foreign affairs," the delegation said and emphasized the need to give special attention to three ongoing key processes GSP+, bailout package from the IMF, and Human Rights Council, NewsWire reported. In a Twitter message, the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka said the EU Ambassadors had a constructive meeting with the Sri Lankan President. "Had a constructive meeting w/ Pres.@RW_UNP today is a partner in challenging times. For us, protection of civil & #humanrights, above all freedom of expression and right to dissent is of utmost importance. We agree bringing back on track requires joint & inclusive action," the tweet read. EU further added that concrete steps should be taken by the government of Sri Lanka to make these processes a success. Assuring a concrete partnership to Sri Lanka, the delegation of the European Union said that in order to bring the country back on track, joint and inclusive action on foreign affairs is the need of the hour. Moreover, the delegation also pointed out that the protection of civil and human rights, above all freedom of expression and right to dissent, is of utmost importance. Since the beginning of 2022, Sri Lanka 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." With many Sri Lankans experiencing extreme shortages of essentials including food and fuel, peaceful protests began in March. The protests led then-Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign on May 9, and his brother, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to flee the country on July 13 and resign the following day. Wickremasinghe became acting president, and parliament elected him as the new president on July 20 with the support of the Rajapaksas' political party, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna. (ANI) On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal sent a letter along with a sacred thread, Rakhi, to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging him to ensure justice for an Indian-origin woman Mandeep Kaur who died by suicide in New York. The DCW chief on Thursday also demanded ensuring the safety of Indian women living abroad. "Mandeep Kaur committed suicide in New York after 8 years of domestic violence. On Rakshabandhan, a letter has been written to the External Affairs Minister @DrSjaishankar ji to get justice for sister Mandeep along with Rakhi. It has also demanded to ensure the safety of Indian women living abroad," she tweeted in Hindi today. Kaur, who was allegedly tortured by her husband, died by suicide on August 3 after she posted an online video in which she spoke about years of traumatic domestic abuse by her husband Ranjotveer Singh Sandhu. The distressing video went viral and sparked massive outrage across India and abroad. Moreover, Shiv Sena Member of Parliament Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday also wrote to the Foriegn Minister demanding the creation of an institutional mechanism to deal with domestic abuse abroad following the tragic suicide of an Indian-origin woman. "In my letter to MEA and WCD highlighted the recent suicide of Mandeep Kaur in NYC due to continued domestic violence and abuse by the husband. From 2017-19, Indian Missions have received over 3955 complaints from married women of Indian citizenship of domestic violence and harassment," she had tweeted. Prior to that, AAP Member of Parliament Raghav Chadha had met Jaishankar and handed over a representation to demand justice for the Indian woman. "I urge your good offices to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice and her family's demands regarding bringing her body back to India are met immediately," he stated in the letter on Monday.] The Indian consulate in New York City expressed grief over her demise. "We are deeply saddened by the death of Mandeep Kaur in Queens, New York under most tragic circumstances. We are in touch with the US authorities at the Federal and local levels as well as the community. We stand ready to render all assistance," it had tweeted. Before ending her life, Kaur released a heart-rending video, narrating the excruciatingly painful details of the torture she faced at the hands of her husband following which a massive storm took over social media. (ANI) Two adults were taken to area hospitals after a fire broke out at a two-story house Wednesday night in northeast Mecklenburg County near the Cabarrus County line, fire officials said. ALSO READ: 3 children, 2 adults displaced from home after Harrisburg house fire The Charlotte Fire Department was called to Breezehill Lane near Highway 49 and saw smoke coming from the house. Four adults and a child who were inside managed to escape the home that was heavily damaged by the blaze, fire officials said. The two people who were hospitalized had non-life-threatening injuries. A lit candle that ignited nearby combustibles started the accidental fire, officials said. The Harrisburg Fire Department was also called to fight the fire. >>Watch Channel 9s LIVE STREAM wherever you are, at this link. STRUCTURE FIRE: 11300 block Breezehill Ln. Smoke showing on arrival. Station 35 area. pic.twitter.com/Mp19NUa6fE Charlotte Fire Dept (@CharlotteFD) August 10, 2022 Return to this story for updates. (Watch the video below: 1 dead, 1 hurt in northwest Charlotte wreck, paramedics confirm) Several people were hurt Thursday morning following a crash along State Road 46, the Seminole County Fire Department said. SCFD indicated on social media that a deer crossing the road contributed to the crash. READ: More alleged abuse victims identified in case against Sanford foster parent Troopers first reported the crash around 7:15 a.m. near North Hart Road in Geneva. SCFD said of the eight patients who were transported to hospitals, six suffered minor injuries and two had serious injuries. State Road 46 was shut down for an hour. WATCH: Man robs woman holding baby at gun point in Orange County shopping center Traffic crash this morning - 320 W SR 46 Geneva 8 patients transported, two serious condition & 6 with minor injuries Caused by a deer crossing 46 was shut down for an hour pic.twitter.com/6xEStTWjGg Seminole County Fire Department (SCFD) PIO Media (@scfdpio) August 11, 2022 Eyewitness News has reached out to Florida Highway Patrol for more details about the crash. Monitor WFTV.com for updates on this developing story. READ: OnlyFans model, Instagram influencer Courtney Clenney arrested on murder charge 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. GENEVA (Reuters) - South Africa has negotiated a settlement with the European Union to clear hundreds of shipping containers of citrus fruit stuck in EU ports, the South African government said on Thursday. Shipments were disrupted after the trade bloc implemented new phytosanitary rules that led to a WTO dispute being declared in July, the first-ever WTO dispute settlement case initiated by South Africa. The EU imposed the new measures over concerns it had with the False Codling Moth (FCM) on citrus fruit, with new measures including enhanced cold treatment for oranges and additional phytosanitary declarations for grapefruit and soft citrus. The measures were published on June 21 and were set to come into force by June 24 when many shipments were already enroute to Europe. "The interim measures provide that the consignments be treated at the cold treatment facilities in the EU and the department to notify other EU member states," said South Africa's department of agriculture affairs in a statement. It added that over 2,000 containers valued at an estimated valued 500 million rand ($31 mln) were affected by this blockage. ($1 = 16.2495 rand) (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Jan Harvey and Toby Chopra) Amid complaints in the U.S. over the lack of monkeypox vaccine, Africa, where the disease is endemic in some areas, still doesn't have a single dose. (Daniel Kim / Seattle Times) Africas public health agency says the continent of 1.3 billion people still does not have a single dose of the monkeypox vaccine, but very advanced discussions are underway with at least two partners. The acting director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ahmed Ogwell, told journalists Thursday that he could not give details but that the partners are largely multilateral institutions and non-African governments. There are no discussions with the private sector because all available doses have already been bought by countries, he said. But a clinical trial is underway in Congo for a vaccine, Jynneos, that's under emergency-use authorization, Ogwell said. The two-dose vaccine is considered the main medical weapon against the disease, but its availability is limited. The Africa CDC did not immediately respond to a question about details of the trial. More monkeypox deaths have been reported on the African continent this year than anywhere in the world. Since May, nearly 90 countries have reported more than 31,000 cases. At least 2,947 monkeypox cases have been reported in 11 African countries this year, including 104 deaths, but most of the cases reported are suspect ones because the African continent also lacks enough diagnostic resources for thorough testing, the Africa CDC director said. The lack of vaccine doses and shortage of diagnostics is an echo of the challenges that Africas 54 countries faced for months during the COVID-19 pandemic as richer countries elsewhere raced to secure supplies. The Africa director spoke as U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken is on the final leg of a three-country Africa visit, where he articulated Washingtons new strategy for engaging with sub-Saharan African nations as equal partners. Earlier this week Blinken was in Congo, which has many of the 136 new monkeypox cases reported across Africa in the past week. The World Health Organization classified the escalating outbreak of the once-rare monkeypox as an international emergency in July. The U.S. declared it a national emergency last week. Story continues Outside of Africa, 98% of cases are in men who have sex with men. With a limited global supply of vaccines, authorities are racing to stop monkeypox before it becomes entrenched. Monkeypox typically spreads via skin-to-skin or skin-to-mouth contact with an infected patients lesions. People can also be infected through contact with the clothing or bedsheets of someone who has monkeypox lesions. Most people infected with monkeypox recover without treatment, but it can cause more severe symptoms such as brain inflammation and, in rare cases, death. The version of monkeypox spreading in Europe and North America has a lower fatality rate than the one circulating in Africa, where people have mostly been sickened after contact with infected wild animals such as rodents and squirrels. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. More than 1,000 American Airlines flights scheduled to take off this fall from Charlotte Douglas International Airport have been scratched from the lineup. A spokesperson told Channel 9 that the adjustments made last month include canceling 504 flights from its September calendar and another 595 from October. ALSO READ: American Airlines cutting another CLT flight this fall The daily average of American Airlines departures from Charlotte is down to 527 in September and 548 in October, the Charlotte Observer reported. Now, 16,338 trips will depart from Charlotte in September and 17,003 in October. While flights were canceled, no routes were removed during the service reduction. Theyre not meeting demand, said Dennis Tajer, spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association. Theyre meeting the limits of their plan of having enough pilots trained to do the flying. >>Watch Channel 9s LIVE STREAM wherever you are, at this link. Tajer, who is with the American Airlines pilots union, blamed the cuts on a shortage of trained staff. Heres the catch. When you have less flights out there, ticket prices go up, he said. Its because they failed to plan. Ultimately, our passengers are going to suffer from this. A representative for American Airlines said affected customers will be contacted with new flight options or may be eligible for a refund. (WATCH BELOW: Travel troubles continue at Charlotte Douglas) Angelina Jolie was feeling all the emotions she moved her 17-year-old daughter, Zahara, into her Spelman College dorm room on Wednesday. Im gonna start crying. I have not started crying yet, Jolie, 47, told vice president for student affairs, Darryl Holloman, in a video posted to his Instagram. In the clip, the actor is seen standing next to the schools president, Dr. Helene Gayle, who assures her that she will have plenty of time to cry at one of the upcoming ceremonies. Gayle then jokes that these events were created to "induce" tears from parents. I heard tomorrow nights the big night, Jolie says. Im holding it together. When Holloman asks Jolie how it feels to be a Spelman mom, she crosses her hands over her chest. Im so excited. Im so excited," she replies. Holloman also shared a picture of himself with Jolie and Zahara in what appears to be her freshman dorm room. Jolie is shown in a signature all-black outfit, while Zahara is also casual in jeans and short sleeves. Welcome to campus, Zahara, c2026!! Holloman captioned his post. "We are honored that Zahara Jolie-Pitt and her family chose Spelman College, and we welcome Zahara enthusiastically into the Spelman sisterhood, Gayle told TODAY Parents in an email on Thursday. As the #1 HBCU in the country, theres no place quite like Spelman, which has been an incubator for Black womens education and excellence for more than 140 years. As well, it has a global network of alumnae that have and continue to change the world. Dr. Daryl Holloman, vice president for student affairs at Spelman College, posed with Angelina Jolie and Zahara Jolie-Pitt, who will graduate with the class of 2026. (Courtesy Dr. Darryl Holloman) In addition to Zahara, Jolie shares Maddox, 20, Pax, 18, Shiloh, 16, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 14, with her ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Jolie announced earlier this month that Zahara would be attending the historically Black, womens liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia. Zahara with her Spelman sisters! the Maleficent star wrote on Instagram. Congratulations to all new students starting this year. A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl." Story continues There's a chance Zahara could be following in her humanitarian mom's footsteps. In February, Zahara accompanied Jolie to Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act in the U.S. Senate. Im also glad to share in the advocacy with Zahara and for her presence to calm my nerves before todays press conference, Jolie wrote at the time. Related Video: Concerns raised over semi-basement homes in South Korea following the catastrophic rain flood on Monday have prompted officials to phase them out. Semi-basement homes, known as banjiha in Korean, first gained global recognition after they were shown in Bong Joon-hos popular 2019 film Parasite. The homes, typically occupied by lower-income individuals, became a symbol of South Koreas growing financial disparity in society. After four people died in their semi-basement homes following the flooding on Monday, South Koreans were outraged over the dangers of the homes. This prompted officials to begin phasing out banjiha homes, discontinue the granting of permits for semi-basement apartments and set in motion plans to convert existing ones over time. Two sisters in their 40s and the 13-year-old daughter of one of the sisters, as well as a fourth person, all died in their semi-basement homes during the flooding. More from NextShark: SF attorney seeks publics help identifying man who attacked his elderly parents in Bay Area With the new proposal, banjiha landlords will be given 10 to 20 years to convert the apartments for non-residential use. Civic groups have demanded the government assist semi-basement residents in moving out of their homes. We condemn the governments negligence on those marginalized in housing for this tragedy, the Citizens Coalitions for Economic Justice stated per The Korea Herald. As rainfall becomes stronger and more frequent under the influence of climate change, it must embark on a fundamental change of its approach to semi-basement residents. More from NextShark: Chinese man goes viral for picking up eggs using massive iron chopsticks The government must provide a great number of public houses for tenants so that they can avoid homes that lag behind minimum housing level, the Joint Action for Setting Right the Basic Livelihood Security Act, a coalition of 34 groups, said in a statement. Seoul and nearby cities were hit by a catastrophic flooding triggered by a historic rainfall that began on Monday morning and intensified through the evening. Streets were flooded as people waded through thigh-high waters and cars were half-submerged. There have been 11 confirmed deaths so far. Story continues More from NextShark: Man Who Shoved Elderly Asian Woman RELEASED By Police Without Bail, 'Under Supervision' Featured Image: KBS News Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Chinese in Ukraine advised to not display China flags amid pro-Russia Chinese social media, news stories LONDON Babcock International has signed its second deal in a fortnight aimed at offering Israeli technology for British defense programs. The British companys latest agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries and its subsidiary Elta Systems is aimed at proposing a long-range radar for the Defence Ministrys Serpens program. The program, valued in excess of 400 million (U.S. $486 million) is for the British Armys next-generation weapon-locating system that needs to be able to detect and find hostile mortars, artillery and rockets. The agreement will see Eltas battle-proven Compact Multi-Mission Radar offered by Babcock in the U.K. Babcock said in an Aug. 11 statement that the system will be partly produced and integrated in the U.K. Britain wants to replace its current capability, the Saab-supplied Mamba, around 2026. The Swedish company was awarded a 46 million deal in 2020 to extend the life of the program until Serpens is ready for deployment. The agreement with IAI comes about two weeks after Babcock inked a deal with another Israeli company to propose technology to the British Army on this occasion to offer a battle management, command, control, communications, computers and intelligence capability for a new ground-based air defense capability. Babcock signed the memorandum of understanding with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to offer the latters Micad platform for the Defence Ministrys Sky Sabre GBAD program, which is based on the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile built by the European consortium MBDA. Babcock and Rafael have worked together in the delivery and maintenance of the Sky Sabre system since 2017, with the first units introduced to British forces in the Falklands. It makes clear sense for both parties to further develop the collaboration so that Micad can be readily offered into the wider land GBAD program, Simon Holford, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance director at Babcock, said during the Farnborough Airshow last month when the tie-up was announced. On a recent episode of her podcast, journalist Bari Weiss informed her guest, Senator Tim Scott (R., S.C.), that during her stint at the New York Times, an editor instructed a colleague to check with Senator Schumer before running an op-ed on police reform he had submitted. Well, heres what happened. I was at the New York Times and you or your staff sent in an op-ed about the bill and why it fell apart, and this is the part Im not sure if you know, began Weiss. There was a discussion about the piece and whether or not we should run it. And one colleague, a more senior colleague said to a more junior colleague who was pushing for the piece, Do you think the Republicans really care about minority rights? According to Weiss, when the junior employee replied I think Tim Scott cares about minority rights, his superior told him to check with Senator Schumer before we run it. The junior employee did not comply with that order, said Weiss, who asked Scott if he was surprised by the story. I am disappointed to hear that. I am not surprised to hear that. You have to remember that the Washington Post fact-checked my life, observed Scott. At the time of the op-ed submission, Scott was spearheading the effort to pass a police reform bill in the wake of George Floyds murder at the hands of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The bill, which would have denied federal funding to departments that refused to ban the chokehold, ultimately stalled an outcome Scott blamed on Democrats, who he claims wanted to use the issue of police brutality as a political cudgel more than they wanted to offer solutions. Last spring, the Posts Glenn Kessler delved into Scotts family history, reporting that Tim Scott often talks about his grandfather and cotton. Theres more to that tale. Kessler did not rate Scotts narrative as either true or false, but criticized him for not acknowledging that after the Civil War, Scotts ancestors, born into slavery, owned their own farmland. Story continues Scott described the process as disrespectful and dishonoring, before observing that there is something in national media that wants to frame any conservatives, particularly black conservatives as being disingenuous or insincere or a tool for the conservatives. When in fact the black community is consistently as conservative as any community. The Timess opinion page has been the subject of a number of accusations of bias over the years, running pieces from terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani and Chinese Communist Party propagandists with little internal dissent while affixing editors notes to and, evidently checking with Democratic Party leadership before publishing articles from American conservatives. A spokesman for the Times responded to a request for comment on Weisss allegations by insisting that New York Times Opinion never seeks outside approval or consultation whether to publish guest opinion essays. Weiss left the Times in 2021, writing in her resignation letter that the paper of record is, more and more, the record of those living in a distant galaxy, one whose concerns are profoundly removed from the lives of most people. More from National Review The Democratic candidate for Texas Governor, Beto ORourke grew frustrated during a town hall meeting, calling a voter a motherf***er. The former House Representative and candidate for Senate and President called out an attendee in the crowd who laughed as Mr ORourke discussed the Uvalde school shooting that took place earlier this year in which 19 children were killed. The laughter prompted Mr ORourke to quickly turn around. It may be funny to you, motherf***er, but its not funny to me, he said, according to The Hill. More follows... Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto ORourke on Wednesday snapped at a heckler who laughed as he discussed a recent mass shooting. ORourke, who has expressed outrage after a gunman opened fire inside an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school and killed 19 children and two adults, delivered a speech at a town hall in the city of Mineral Wells. While discussing some details of the tragedy, somebody in the crowd laughed, prompting ORourke to swiftly turn around. It may be funny to you, motherfer, he said, but its not funny to me. ORourke earned a round of applause from the crowd for the response. The Democratic candidate, who has pushed for more restrictive gun laws, will face off against GOP Gov. Greg Abbott in November. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The scene outside a McDonald's in downtown Kyiv in June 2020. (Efrem Lukatsky / Associated Press) McDonald's will start reopening some of its restaurants in Ukraine in coming months, a step toward a greater sense of normalcy in the war-torn country and a show of support after the American fast-food chain pulled out of Russia. The burger giant closed its Ukrainian restaurants after Russia's invasion nearly six months ago but has continued to pay more than 10,000 McDonald's employees in the country. McDonald's said Thursday that it would gradually reopen some restaurants in the capital, Kyiv, and in western Ukraine, where other companies are doing business away from the fighting, which has been concentrated in the east and south. Western businesses like Nike, KFC and Spanish clothing retailer Mango are open in Kyiv. Weve spoken extensively to our employees who have expressed a strong desire to return to work and see our restaurants in Ukraine reopen," Paul Pomroy, corporate senior vice president of international operated markets, said in a message to employees. In recent months, the belief that this would support a small but important sense of normalcy has grown stronger." The Ukrainian economy has been severely damaged by the war, and restarting businesses, even in a limited capacity, would help. The International Monetary Fund expects Ukraine's economy to shrink by 35% this year. McDonald's has 109 restaurants in Ukraine but didn't say how many would reopen, when exactly it would start happening or which locations would be the first to welcome back customers. The company said it would start working with vendors over the next few months to get supplies to restaurants, prepare those stores, bring back employees and launch safety procedures with the war still raging to the east. Although it will start to reopen in Ukraine, McDonalds has sold its 850 restaurants in Russia to a franchise owner. That came three decades after McDonalds opened its first location in Moscow, becoming a powerful symbol of easing Cold War tensions. Story continues McDonald's had shuttered hundreds of Russian locations in March, costing the company about $55 million per month. Selling its Russian restaurants was the first time the company has de-arched, or exited, a major market. Alexander Govor, who held a license for 25 McDonald's outposts in Siberia, has begun reopening former McDonald's locations under the name Vkusno-i Tochka, or Tasty-period. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Former national security adviser John Bolton on Thursday said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is overwhelmingly professional, pushing back against claims the agency conducted a politically motivated search of former President Trumps Florida estate this week. On CNNs New Day, Bolton told hosts John Berman and Brianna Keilar hes had long experience with the DOJ and believes in the integrity of the department. Overwhelmingly, they are professional in carrying out of their duties, he said. I dont recognize a lot of the criticisms that are being made of these institutions. Bolton, who was a target of an Iranian plot to assassinate him, according to charges unsealed by the DOJ this week, served in the Trump administration from 2018 to 2019. The FBIs Monday morning search of Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., ignited a firestorm of controversy from the right, with a number of GOP lawmakers and Trump allies accusing the Biden administration of going after the former president for political reasons ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has called to defund the FBI, while House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) pledged to implement immediate oversight of the DOJ if Republicans capture the House in the midterm elections. While the DOJ has remained mum on the incident, FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday called threats circulating online against federal agents and the Justice Department deplorable and dangerous. The DOJ earlier this year opened an investigation into the alleged seizure of classified documents Trump was supposed to turn over before leaving the White House, after the National Archives and Records Administration reported they reclaimed 15 boxes of documents from the former president. Bolton on Thursday said that both the right and the left are demeaning the nations institutions, arguing that liberals have gone too far in their criticism of the Secret Service, which is now the center of a probe into the agency allegedly wiping text messages related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Youve got the left attacking the Secret Service, the right attacking the FBI, Bolton said, adding hes worked with both institutions and is an advocate of law and order above all else. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN (Reuters) - An international food crisis exacerbated by the Ukraine war has spurred Canada to boost an over $6 billion annual foreign aid budget to help the most hard-hit countries in Africa and the Middle East, Canada's aid minister said on Thursday. "The Ukraine crisis is creating shock waves when it comes to supply chain and especially food security and impacting the most vulnerable at the most difficult time," said Harjit Sajjan, Canadian Minister of International Development. "We are making adjustments to reflect this ... People are going hungry because the prices of food have gone up," Sajjan told Reuters in an interview in Jordan, the first leg of a regional tour that also takes him to Egypt and Lebanon. He did not give the new aid figure but Ottowa-based Canadian International Development Platform said there was a 27% rise in foreign aid last year to around $6.6 billion. The United Nations has said a global food crisis fuelled by conflict, climate shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic is growing because of the ripple effects of the war in Ukraine driving rising prices of food, fuel and fertilizer. Over 50 million people in Eastern Africa will face acute food insecurity this year, according to a new study backed by the U.N. Word Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Sajjan said Canada is boosting aid to the WFP, whose annual requirements have reached an all time high of $22.2 billion, without taking away from other development programmes. "We have increased our support for the Middle East region when it comes to food," he said citing as one example Lebanon, which has a significant reliance on Ukraine wheat and is facing bread shortages. He described as a positive step an agreement brokered with Russia and Ukraine last month by the United Nations and Turkey to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports but said the few shipments so far were not enough to ease the crisis. Story continues Canada was also increasing aid to Egypt, typically the world's biggest wheat importer, and to Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria that have been riven by conflict. Canada was also looking at how to help improve resilience in African countries, noting in particular the continent's shortage of food storage. (Reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi; Editing by Frances Kerry) A car crashed into the side of a bank in Hampton Township Thursday afternoon. Crews were called to the Citizens Bank in the 4700 block of Route 8 around noon. Chopper 11 flew over the scene and could see one car that went over a small hill and hit the building. There didnt appear to be any major damage to the building. Emergency crews told Channel 11 that one person was taken to the hospital. Were working to learn more about their condition and how this crash happened. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that he had no information to offer at the moment when asked to comment on a media report that President Xi Jinping will visit Saudi Arabia next week. The Guardian reported on Thursday that plans are underway in Saudi Arabia for a gala reception for Xi, without saying where it got the information from. Xi has not made any official visit to a foreign country since January 2020. (Reporting by Martin Quin Pollard; writing by Ryan Woo; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) A popular Chinese medical information site has been censored by authorities for "violation of relevant laws and regulations", months after its criticism of a government-backed herbal Covid-19 treatment sent shares in a pharmaceutical giant tumbling. DXY, which counts tech giant Tencent among its investors and runs a host of health-related services, previously questioned the value of Lianhua Qingwen, a herbal remedy marketed for fever and sore throats, as a Covid-19 treatment. China approved the concoction -- made up of ingredients like honeysuckle and apricot seeds -- as a Covid-19 treatment in 2020, and it was distributed to Shanghai residents during the city's outbreak this year. DXY's article, which has now been deleted from its website, was part of a wave of reports that caused shares in Lianhua Qingwen's producer -- one of China's largest traditional medicine companies -- to plunge. The website has now been banned from posting on at least five of its Weibo social media accounts, with a notice at the top of its official page saying that due to "violation of relevant laws and regulations, this user is currently prohibited from posting". DXY's official WeChat accounts, which typically publish multiple articles a day on medical topics, have not been updated since Monday. The Weibo notice did not specify which regulations had been violated by DXY, which did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. - 'No right to ban them' - The Chinese government has increasingly promoted traditional medicine at home and abroad in recent years, often with nationalistic undertones. DXY's coverage prompted criticism that it was targeting traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in order to promote Western pharmaceuticals. The decision to freeze DXY's social media accounts was lauded by some Weibo users, who accused the company of working with "anti-China forces" and peddling false information. "For this vicious thing eating the anti-Chinese capitalists' dog food, the best days are in the past," one Weibo user wrote. Story continues But others lamented the loss of a valued source of misinformation-free medical guidance and said they disagreed with the censorship. "My mother used to be the kind of person who would make her kids eat chicken gallbladder for fevers," one wrote, crediting DXY with giving her parent access to modern medical information. "You have the right to (criticise) DXY on Weibo, but you don't have the right to ban them," the user wrote. The United States and other countries have warned there is no evidence Lianhua Qingwen works to prevent or cure Covid-19, even as it has increasingly been promoted by government authorities in China and Hong Kong. The US Food and Drug Administration has said it has not approved Lianhua Qingwen and that coronavirus-related claims about it were "not supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence". Beijing issued its first white paper on TCM in 2016, laying out plans to build medicine centres and dispatch practitioners to developing countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. President Xi Jinping has described TCM as a "treasure of Chinese civilisation" and has said that it should be given as much weight as other treatments. Beijing's National Health Commission has also dispatched TCM practitioners as part of its medical reinforcement teams sent to fight Covid-19 outbreaks across the country. tjx/oho/aha Yes, there is an additional option for Hoosier parents to choose and pay for special education services for their children. Starting July 1, the Indiana Education Scholarship Account (ESA) program allows families who opt out of traditional schooling to find their own special education programs and services for their eligible child. The program provides funds to eligible students for pre-approved education expenses, including tuition, therapies, assessments and fee-for-service transportation at pre-approved education service providers. This new program falls under the Indiana State Treasurers office, not the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). More in opinion:Opening a new chapter with confidence What news articles promoting this new option and the state treasurers office are not talking about are potential negative consequences of the program, including: Depending on the severity of your childs special education needs, the ESA may not cover every service your child needs. When you take an ESA, you are giving up your childs right to a free and appropriate education under federal law and your child loses his or her due process rights. If you choose the ESA option, the state provides no protections. The IDOE will not be involved, and the State Treasurers Office has said it will not get involved in disputes. This is purely funding for private services. If the provider doesn't follow an Individual Education Plan (IEP), or mistreats children, or overbills, parents are on their own to resolve the situation. If parents need an attorney to resolve issues, they will be on their own to pay the attorney's fees. Providers who can be paid by this program are not obligated to follow the child's IEP. Providers who can be paid by this program can refuse to serve your child at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. Parents will be responsible for paying for the required state assessment for children whose families take an ESA for special education services. As yet, it is unclear how parents can access the test. Story continues The ESA program may be helpful for a very limited number of children, but it is problematic for the overall future of education for children with disabilities, since the ESA program ends state and federal legal protections. Even if you do not have a child with disabilities, you should be concerned about your taxes going to fund ESAs. Other states with ESAs have found instances of ESA money being spent on items that had nothing to do with educating children. Cathy Fuentes-Rohwer is president of Indiana Coalition for Public Education. Glenda Ritz served as Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2013 to 2017. Rachel Burke is president of Indiana PTA. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Column: Indiana's new special education program is worrisome We can readily understand why investors are attracted to unprofitable companies. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com? So, the natural question for Rua Bioscience (NZSE:RUA) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. For the purposes of this article, cash burn is the annual rate at which an unprofitable company spends cash to fund its growth; its negative free cash flow. The first step is to compare its cash burn with its cash reserves, to give us its 'cash runway'. View our latest analysis for Rua Bioscience When Might Rua Bioscience Run Out Of Money? A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. As at December 2021, Rua Bioscience had cash of NZ$12m and such minimal debt that we can ignore it for the purposes of this analysis. Looking at the last year, the company burnt through NZ$6.8m. Therefore, from December 2021 it had roughly 22 months of cash runway. That's not too bad, but it's fair to say the end of the cash runway is in sight, unless cash burn reduces drastically. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years. How Is Rua Bioscience's Cash Burn Changing Over Time? Because Rua Bioscience isn't currently generating revenue, we consider it an early-stage business. Nonetheless, we can still examine its cash burn trajectory as part of our assessment of its cash burn situation. As it happens, the company's cash burn reduced by 2.7% over the last year, which suggests that management are maintaining a fairly steady rate of business development, albeit with a slight decrease in spending. Rua Bioscience makes us a little nervous due to its lack of substantial operating revenue. So we'd generally prefer stocks from this list of stocks that have analysts forecasting growth. How Easily Can Rua Bioscience Raise Cash? While Rua Bioscience is showing a solid reduction in its cash burn, it's still worth considering how easily it could raise more cash, even just to fuel faster growth. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Many companies end up issuing new shares to fund future growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations. Since it has a market capitalisation of NZ$47m, Rua Bioscience's NZ$6.8m in cash burn equates to about 14% of its market value. Given that situation, it's fair to say the company wouldn't have much trouble raising more cash for growth, but shareholders would be somewhat diluted. Is Rua Bioscience's Cash Burn A Worry? Rua Bioscience appears to be in pretty good health when it comes to its cash burn situation. Not only was its cash burn relative to its market cap quite good, but its cash runway was a real positive. Cash burning companies are always on the riskier side of things, but after considering all of the factors discussed in this short piece, we're not too worried about its rate of cash burn. Taking a deeper dive, we've spotted 4 warning signs for Rua Bioscience you should be aware of, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us. Of course Rua Bioscience may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying. 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 Reported COVID-19 cases in Arizona were slightly lower last week, as was the percentage of tests returning positive for the virus, according to the state's weekly update. Health officials on Wednesday added 13,501 new COVID-19 cases and 59 new known deaths over the weeklong period ending Aug. 6. June and July saw relatively similar weekly case additions, and Wednesday's was the lowest reported since May. Case counts are still far below the winter, state data shows. Case numbers in recent months likely are not showing the full picture of infections as many more people have used at-home test kits and may not report positive results to their doctors or county health departments. Arizona, like other states, is seeing ongoing elevated cases largely driven by two contagious subvariants of the virus, BA.4 and BA.5, with BA.5 the more dominant of the two. It's also likely contributing to reinfections given its contagiousness and ability to evade antibodies. Residents in four of Arizonas 15 counties should be wearing face masks indoors in public because of COVID-19 levels, according to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Thursday. Those counties were Mohave, Apache, Yuma and La Paz. The CDCs community level guidance is updated weekly and ranks counties as low, medium and high, or green, yellow and orange. The six Arizona counties designated as medium were Navajo, Pinal, Gila, Graham, Santa Cruz and Greenlee. Maricopa, Pima, Coconino, Yavapai and Cochise were low as of Thursday. The metrics are based on a countys COVID-19 hospital bed use, COVID-19 hospital admissions and case rates for the virus over the past week. Reported cases since the pandemic began are over 2.2 million. Known deaths in Arizona are at about 30,900. Wednesday marked the 24th of the weekly updates to the state's data dashboard, instead of daily updates that Arizonans became accustomed to following for the latest data on infections, illnesses and deaths. Story continues The previous week's update added 15,034 cases and 74 deaths, compared with 17,249 cases and 70 deaths three weeks ago and 18,135 cases and 66 deaths four weeks ago. This week's update shows the differences between data reported for the week of July 31-Aug. 6 and July 24-30. Health officials say weekly updates match how public health monitors trends and other disease reporting. Assess your COVID-19 risk: Is it safe to go to restaurants, bars and concerts? Case numbers generally were relatively lower in the past couple of months, and public health experts estimate cases of the highly contagious omicron variant peaked in Arizona around mid-January. The state data dashboard no longer shows key hospitalization information since Gov. Doug Ducey ended the COVID-19 emergency declaration March 30. State health officials said hospitals are no longer required to report some COVID-19 surveillance data to the state, meaning certain graphs showing weekly hospitalization levels for the disease and bed usage by COVID-19 patients are no longer updated. At the time that data reporting stopped, hospitalizations for the disease had dropped steadily since late January. The CDC still reports state hospitalization data for Arizona and showed a 4.9% decrease in the seven-day average of COVID-19 hospital admissions during Aug. 1-7 compared with July 25-31. Hospital admissions last week were down 83.3% from the peak seven-day average in early January 2021. The number of known deaths in the state was at 30,901 as of Wednesday, after passing 30,000 known deaths in the May 4 update, 29,000 deaths in the March 30 update, 28,000 deaths in the March 9 update, 27,000 deaths on Feb. 10 and 26,000 deaths on Jan. 28. The state surpassed 25,000 deaths on Jan. 13. Deaths are now reported with a four-week lag. Arizona's overall pandemic death rate since early 2020 is the third-highest nationwide. State data on breakthrough infections The state in December began publicly disclosing data on breakthrough COVID-19 infections, and state officials say the data underscores the effectiveness of the vaccine, especially for people with booster doses. Data from June show that 23.3% of hospitalizations and 22.4% of COVID-19 deaths were among fully vaccinated people without a booster, with 47.3% of hospitalizations and 42.7% of deaths among unvaccinated people. Fully vaccinated people with a booster made up 29.4% of hospitalizations and 34.9% of deaths in June. The monthly data no longer includes a breakdown of cases by vaccination status, just hospitalizations and deaths. Health officials said that's because testing changes, including more at-home testing, made that comparison "far less reliable." The COVID-19 virus' disproportionate impact on older adults, who are also more likely to have a booster dose, could help explain why a higher percentage of people who were fully vaccinated and boosted died of COVID-19 in June than those who were fully vaccinated and not boosted. The effectiveness of boosters also appears to wane after several months. But the precise explanation for those percentages of deaths is unclear. Looking at the proportions of deaths by vaccination status does not tell the risk, though. State health officials recommend considering the rates of death among boosted individuals versus unvaccinated individuals, which show significantly lower death rates in vaccinated and boosted individuals compared with unvaccinated individuals. Biden was vaccinated and boosted: Here's why he still got COVID-19 Health officials emphasize the best protection against severe illness from COVID-19 is to remain up to date with recommended vaccinations, including second booster doses for those 50 and older and people who are immunocompromised. Unvaccinated people 12 and older in Arizona had a 9.8 times greater risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 and 12 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 in June compared with fully vaccinated people with a booster, according to a state analysis. Unvaccinated people had a 8.4 times greater risk of hospitalization and 10 times greater risk of dying from COVID-19 compared with individuals who were fully vaccinated without a booster. As of July 13, there had been 2,057 breakthrough deaths in fully vaccinated individuals, according to state health officials preliminary data, which works out to a breakthrough death rate of about 0.04% among fully vaccinated people. Case rates and death reports Contagious omicron subvariants, particularly BA.5, are contributing to many of the cases in Arizona, according to results from sequencing labs. Percent positivity, which refers to the percentage of COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are positive, varies somewhat based on how it's measured. It was high in the winter months, a sign of more community spread. Then it was much lower but began climbing upward in April. Arizona's percent positivity for COVID-19 testing was at 3% for the week of April 3, 4% for the week of April 10, 5% for the week of April 17, 6% for the week of April 24, 8% for the week of May 1, 11% for the week of May 8, 15% for the week of May 15, 18% for the week of May 22, 21% for the week of May 29, 22% for the week of June 5, 23% for the week of June 12, 27% for the week of June 19, 26% for the week of June 26, 28% for the week of July 3, 29% for the week of July 10, 29% for the week of July 17, 27% for the week of July 24 and 25% for the week of July 31. The percentages are now for all diagnostic tests conducted, rather than for unique individuals tested, after a change to the state dashboard. A positivity rate of 5% or less is considered a good benchmark that the disease's spread is under control. The state's overall COVID-19 death and case rates since Jan. 21, 2020, still remain among the worst in the country. The COVID-19 death rate in Arizona since the pandemic began is 423 deaths per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC, putting it third in the country in a state ranking that separates New York City from New York state. The U.S. average is 310 deaths per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC. New York City has the highest death rate, at 491 deaths per 100,000 people, followed by Mississippi at 426. Arizona's first known death from the disease occurred in mid-March 2020. Many of the reported deaths occurred days or weeks before because of reporting delays and death certificate matching. A total of 2,224,964 COVID-19 cases were identified across the state through Aug. 6. Vaccination update Arizonans ages 6 months and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, while the Moderna vaccine is approved for children ages 6 months to 5 years and people 18 and older. The CDC has recommended the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on a more limited basis for people 18 and older. Many individuals are eligible for booster doses, too. The state reported nearly 5.3 million people in Arizona about 73.5% of the total state population had received at least one vaccine dose through Aug. 6, with about 4.5 million residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The states data dashboard now separates out doses administered to Arizona residents versus all doses administered in the state. Arizona's rate of fully vaccinated people out of the total population was 62.8%, which was behind the national rate of 67.2%, according to the CDC as of Aug. 3. Out of people ages 5 and older, 66.7% of those in Arizona were fully vaccinated, compared with 71.4% at the national level, CDC data shows. Health experts strongly recommend booster shots for those eligible, especially with the omicron variant spreading. About 47.7% of fully vaccinated Arizonans over the age of 18 had received a first booster shot as of Aug. 3, below the national rate of 51.4% for that same age group. What to know about latest numbers Reported cases in Arizona: 2,224,964, as of Aug. 6. Cases by county: 1,399,709 in Maricopa; 283,188 in Pima; 144,191 in Pinal; 66,610 in Yuma; 62,861 in Mohave; 53,610 in Yavapai; 48,679 in Coconino; 42,901 in Navajo; 35,115 in Cochise; 29,781 in Apache; 19,191 in Gila; 18,036 in Santa Cruz; 13,005 in Graham; 5,669 in La Paz; and 2,418 in Greenlee, according to state numbers. The rate of cases per 100,000 people since the pandemic began is highest in Apache County, followed by Navajo, Gila, Santa Cruz, Graham and Coconino counties, according to state data. The rate in Apache County is 41,473 cases per 100,000 people. By comparison, the U.S. average rate since the pandemic began is 27,752 cases per 100,000 people as of Tuesday, according to the CDC. The Navajo Nation reported 60,723 cases and 1,859 confirmed deaths as of July 28. The Navajo Nation includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. The Arizona Department of Corrections reported 15,313 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday, including 2,470 in Tucson, 2,277 in Eyman, 2,242 in Yuma, 1,785 in Lewis and 1,532 in Phoenix; 57,767 inmates statewide have been tested. A total of 5,550 prison staff members have self-reported testing positive, the department said. Sixty-two incarcerated people in Arizona are confirmed to have died of COVID-19, with 16 additional deaths under investigation. The race/ethnicity breakdown of cases since the start of the pandemic in 2020 is 40% white, 29% Hispanic or Latino, 5% American Indian, 4% Black and 2% Asian/Pacific Islander. Race/ethnicity of positive cases since the onset of the pandemic is unknown in 15% of cases and listed as other race in 6% of cases. Of those who have tested positive in Arizona since the start of the pandemic, about 21% were younger than 20, 42% were 20-44, 13% were 45-54, 11% were 55-64 and 12% were age 65 or older. Laboratories had completed 20,442,677 total diagnostic tests for COVID-19 as of Aug. 6, 12.6% of which have come back positive. That number includes both PCR and antigen testing. Percent positivity was at 25% for the week of July 31, slightly lower than previous weeks but still at a high level. The state numbers leave out data from labs that do not report electronically. The state Health Department includes probable cases as anyone with a positive antigen test, another type of test to determine infection. Antigen tests (not related to antibody tests) use a nasal swab or another fluid sample to test for current infection. Results are typically produced within 15 minutes. A positive antigen test result is considered very accurate, but there's an increased chance of false-negative results, Mayo Clinic officials said. They say a doctor may recommend a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test to confirm a negative antigen test result. Arizona as of Tuesday had the 14th highest overall case rate in the country since Jan. 21, 2020. Ahead of Arizona in cases per 100,000 people since the pandemic began are Alaska, Rhode Island, North Dakota, Guam, Kentucky, New York City, Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Delaware, according to the CDC. Arizona's infection rate is 30,383 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. The national average is 27,752 cases per 100,000 people, although the rates in states hard hit early in the pandemic may be an undercount because of a lack of available testing in March and April 2020. Reported deaths in Arizona: 30,901 Deaths by county: 17,692 in Maricopa; 3,932 in Pima; 1,707 in Pinal; 1,511 in Mohave; 1,253 in Yavapai; 1,192 in Yuma; 923 in Navajo; 619 in Apache; 586 in Cochise; 489 in Coconino; 391 in Gila; 237 in Santa Cruz; 182 in Graham; 148 in La Paz; and 39 in Greenlee. People age 65 and older make up 22,012 of the 30,901 deaths, or 71%. About 15% of deaths were among people 55-64 years old, 8% were 45-54 and 5% were 20-44 years old. While race/ethnicity was unknown for 4% of deaths, 56% of those who died were white, 26% were Hispanic or Latino, 7% were Native American, 3% were Black and 1% were Asian/Pacific Islander, the state data shows. The global death toll as of Wednesday was 6,425,791. The U.S. had the highest death count of any country in the world, at 1,034,877, followed by Brazil at 680,531 and India at 526,826, according to Johns Hopkins University. Arizona's 30,901 deaths represent about 3% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States. Republic reporter Stephanie Innes contributed to this article. Reach the reporter at Alison.Steinbach@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-4282. Follow her on Twitter @alisteinbach. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona weekly COVID-19 update adds 13,501 cases, 59 deaths A 32-year-old woman was going through self-checkout with two younger girls when a Meijer cashier told her she had too many items to use the self-scan checkout, according to Michigan authorities. The woman said she had two separate orders one for her daughter and finished the grocery transaction, but she didnt leave the Rochester Hills store, according to a news release from the Oakland County Sheriffs Office. The 55-year-old cashier went to use the restroom on her break shortly before 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, authorities said. While in the restroom, the cashier overheard someone speaking, according to the news release. She looked through an opening in the stall to see what was happening when the suspect kicked the locked stall door in, causing it to strike the employee on the head. The worker composed herself and looked out to see that the woman had left the restroom, officials said. But the customer was again waiting for her to exit the bathroom, according to WJBK. The suspect waited and confronted the cashier, grabbing her by the hair and throwing her to the ground, authorities said. Further, the suspect punched her repeatedly before leaving the store with the two young females. A tuft of the cashiers hair was found lying on the ground near where the assault had taken place. The customer drove away, and the cashier declined medical treatment at the store. About a week later, on Aug. 9, detectives requested the publics help in identifying the customer. She has since been identified. Authorities say the Pontiac woman is not yet in custody, WDIV reported, but the case will be sent to the prosecutors office on Aug. 11. Pontiac is about 10 miles west of Rochester Hills in the Detroit metropolitan area. 23-year-old store clerk kills man assaulting him behind the register, Texas cops say Man ambushes Walmart worker with machete he stole from the store, Indiana cops say Food Lion worker stabbed in chest during attempted robbery outside store, NC cops say Jack in the Box staff fight ends with one facing homicide charge, Tennessee cops say OMG! Everything is sooo cute and it's all on sale! (Photos: Amazon, Hanna Andersson, Amazon, Boden, Amazon) It's time for back-to-school shopping for supplies, shoes and apparel. But right this instant, it's cute o'clock! Yes, get ready for cute overload, everybody. This week, as we combed the back-to-school hub at Amazon and the school supply section at Walmart for the best deals, we ran into so much adorableness and we simply couldn't get enough. So we extended the search to celebrated names, such as Hanna Andersson (currently having a sitewide 30% off sale!) and Boden for more delights. If your kiddo loves irresistible outfits, shoes and accessories (and you love a good deal), then browse the clearance sales at forever cute 'n' cool Betsey Johnson, deal-haven Nordstrom Rack, ever-sustainable Baggu and the always-inclusive Primary too. Of course, some eye-rolling teens prefer cool to cute and luckily we have a bunch of options for them too. But first, enjoy all this sweetness we've found! We couldn't stop at just 20... Here are our 22 picks, all on sale. Squee-worthy school supplies on sale This water bottle has an overall 4.8 rating and over 3,600 five-star fans. One happy shopper reported, "These water bottles are simply the best. Double wall insulation ensures no sweat and keeps ice water very cold for a very long time. Many times we are dumping out of ice from the day before to refill the next day." "So cute," wrote a five-star fan. "Who doesn't love a kitty Post-it dispenser?!...It works perfect with the accordion style Post-it notes. I've gotten many comments on it. Definitely worth purchasing." Angoobaby Angoobaby Standing Telescopic Pencil Case $7 $16 Save $9 $7 at Amazon If you have a child obsessed with Boba tea and fun pencil pouches (stops typing to raise hand), then nab this. The expressions take the cuteness over the top. Attention teens: This doubles as a cosmetics case! "Absolutely adorable," raved one five-star Amazon reviewer. "This pencil case is so cute! It is not thin and has a semi hard bottom so it can stand up. You can move the top part up and down. It's tall enough for the long Sharpie highlighters. It will be able to hold a lot of pens." Bentgo Bentgo Kids Lunch Bag $23 $40 Save $17 $23 at Amazon Totes adorbs! This double-insulated, water-resistant lunch box is functional (it even has a water bottle holder) and fabulous. Which dog is your fave? Be sure to click the on-page coupon for the full discount. An Amazon No. 1 bestseller, this lunch bag has over 7,000 five-star fans! "The best kids lunchbox on the market," reports a happy shopper. "This lunch box has been used 5 days a week for 7 months. It has no visible wear, just a little kid grime. The inside is super easy to wipe out and clean; the inside is huge too. If your child brings a lunch daily they NEED THIS LUNCHBOX!" Story continues Be sure to click the on-page coupon for the full discount. Nordstrom Rack Luv Betsey by Betsey Johnson Rainbow Stripe Full Size Backpack $42 $108 Save $66 $42 at Nordstrom Rack Zoom in! It's even sweeter up close. Teens will adore this iridescent rainbow glow backpack that's quilted with tiny hearts at the seams. The interior is a shiny black speckled with pink stars. Dreamy. Bonus: It comes with a crossbody purse for post-school hangs! "Beautiful. It looks just like the pictures. Its a great size," writes a pleased parent. "Its large enough for a folder and lunchbox with room left over." Cute shoes & accessories on sale "Perfect boots and vibrant colors," wrote one happy repeat customer. "I have bought a pair of these boots - in different colors for the past 5 years for my daughter. They are gorgeous and well made perfect Autumn boots. They go well with any outfit, she wears them with everything!" Betsey Johnson Betsey Johnson Betsey Time Berryful $28 $72 Save $44 $28 at Betsey Johnson Even the font of the numbers is delightful on this dreamy strawberry watch. Use code HOTSTUFF at checkout for the deepest discount! "I dont like it. I love It!" raved one shopper. "It truly is a pretty watch...I hadnt realized how complimentary it is to all skin tones." Stance stands behind these socks going so far as to offer a no-tear guarantee for life! Baggu Baggu Kids Fabric Mask Set $13 $32 Save $19 $13 at Baggu The fruit patterns are super snacky on this trio of reusable masks, but we like all the perky patterns Baggu has on sale. Nordstrom Rack Dr. Martens 1460 Boot $48 $60 Save $12 $48 at Nordstrom Rack Docs on little feet are downright adorable. Make them a sparkly, bright blue and on sale, and we can't resist. They're on sale in pink too! Adorable on-sale apparel "Love it!" raves a fan. "Super cute, soft fabric, rich colors, and excellent quality." Primary Primary Double heart graphic tee $9 $18 Save $9 $9 at Primary They'll remember how loved they are all day long with these intersecting hearts on their chest. "Shirt is perfect in quality, style and fit!" shared a shopper. Hanna Andersson Hanna Andersson Rainbow Faux Shearling Lined Hoodie $48 $68 Save $20 $48 at Hanna Andersson They'll have a roaring good time in this unisex, zippered dino hoodie. The outside is French Terry and the faux shearling lining makes it great for chilly classrooms and the changing seasons. See all six styles all high-quality and made to last! "A warm hoodie for fall, nicely gender-neutral so her little brother will get it later," said a fan. Etsy RoseTeesDesign Handmade Customizable T-Shirt $9 $13 Save $4 $9 at Etsy Hello, retro! Choose from several grades, messages ("School Shirt," "3rd Grade Life," "First Day Of School," etc.), colors and sizes and this Etsy seller will make it happen! This bestselling design has many fans. One happy shopper reported: "Seller was super easy to communicate with and responded quickly. This shirt is a perfect way to start off the school year!" Even more delightful back-to-school deals The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Life's newsletter. Chad, officially known as the Republic of Chad, is located in central Africa. It gained independence from France on August 11, 1960, which is relatively recent. Africa is the cradle of civilization and Chad, the fifth largest country there, shaped it. According to South African History Online (SAHO), Chad is one of several potential sites for the cradle of humankind in Africa. The discovery of a 6- to- 7 million year old hominid-like skull substantiates this claim. Various tribes ruled Chad, with the Sao people among the first. But it wasnt long before the Kanembu tribe usurped them; aided by superior understanding of iron works and agriculture. Chad has known some dark days- and they didnt start with French invasion. Slavery existed beforehand and colonialism worsened the state of the country. Not many French officials wanted to take up base there, which put the onus on local leaders to run things. These leaders used fear and violence to force obedience from the people. Kidnapping, stealing livestock and setting fire to homes were just three ways this was done. On pain of death, people did back-breaking work with no compensation. The French established a head tax system and showed no mercy to those who evaded taxes. SAHO mentions a related incident that occurred in Bouna, in southern Chad. The local chief who was in charge of collecting taxes in the area decided to charge double tax, and the Bouna people refused to pay. France responded with military force, resulting in the deaths of thousands. Even the elements conspired against Chad, as famine and drought were ongoing problems. According to SAHO, 30,000 people died of starvation between 1913 and 1918 alone. Chad turned a new page in August 1960, with the election of the first president, Francois Tombalbaye. It was clear that he had his work cut out for him. The young nation wrestled with abject poverty, scant resources, poor infrastructure and conflict of one sort or the other. The presidents policies earned him many enemies, including the army. He banned all political parties he opposed and cast his rivals into exile or prison. The Chadian army assassinated him in 1975. Tombalbaye wasnt the only president to die in office. Idriss Deby, who was president for over thirty years, was killed by rebels in April 2021. His son, Mahamat, is in power now. If you decide to travel to Chad, the best advice is to be mindful. The capital city of Ndjamena has a national museum and a central market. If you want to be close to the Sahara, check out Faya-Largeau. South of the Sahara is Zakouma National Park, a refuge for elephants, giraffes and various birds. By George Obulutsa and Ayenat Mersie NAIROBI/ELDORET, Kenya (Reuters) -Kenyans crowded round radios and televisions on Thursday, increasingly anxious for news of who their next president might be, two days after voting in an election ended. The East African country's election commission (IEBC) has neither released a running tally of results nor said when it plans to announce the winner, but unofficial and sometimes conflicting media counts show a nail-bitingly close race. Veteran opposition leader and former political prisoner Raila Odinga, 77, is making his fifth stab at the presidency. He stands neck and neck with outgoing Deputy President William Ruto, 55. Kenyan media are compiling results from images of forms that the commission uploaded on to its website from more than 46,000 polling stations, a mammoth task that means their tallies differ, and lag far behind the amount of raw data available. Amid concerns that those discrepancies could trigger claims of rigging, which have sparked deadly violence after recent ballot, many are urging their fellow citizens - after a largely peaceful election - to wait patiently for the official results. Outside a butcher's shop in the western town of Eldoret, dozens of men backslapped each other as they crowded round to read the latest headlines and argued over the relative merits of Ruto and Odinga. But they all expressed faith in the commission's ability to deliver a true result. "This (radio) station is saying this; this station is saying that - we dont engage with those figures," said 22-year old driver Ian Kipchirchir. "Only the IEBC (The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) has the truth.. We trust the IEBC." Scrutinising newspaper headlines two streets away, Ongao Okello added: "There is so much impatience... Given the experience that we have in Kenya, we have to be patient and just wait." More than 1,200 people were killed in widespread violence that followed the 2007 election, and more than 100 died after the 2017 polls. Story continues That history adds to scrutiny on an electoral commission wary of repeating mistakes in tallying that caused the Supreme Court to nullify the 2017 result and order a re-run. LOWER TURNOUT The 2022 outcome is being watched carefully overseas too. Kenya is the region's richest economy, a stable nation in a volatile region and a close Western ally that hosts regional headquarters for Alphabet, Visa and other international groups. International observers were generally positive about the election, despite some last-minute printing problems, changes to procedures and inconsistencies in posting results. Amnesty International however said political parties were intentionally spreading confusion by sharing false reports. "Several posts by both KENYA KWANZA and AZIMIO candidates and their supporters have intentionally sought to misinform the electorate ...on the electoral process and the election results," a statement by the rights group said, referring to Ruto and Odinga's political alliances. Former U.S. ambassador Johnnie Carson - a board member of the National Democratic Institute, an election monitor - said the process needed to be trustworthy more than it needed to be fast. "The technology should not outpace the trust and integrity the citizens have in the process," he said. Meanwhile, media outlets are filling the information gap. By 1500 GMT on Thursday, the privately-owned Nation group had tallied results from 89% of polling stations and put Ruto ahead with 50.20% of the vote and Odinga at 49.12%. At the same time, privately-owned Citizen gave Ruto 49.09% of the vote and Odinga 49.51%. According to a Reuters tally of 98 out of 291 constituency-level results forms at 1500 GMT, Odinga had 51.5% votes and Ruto had 47.86%. Outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta has reached his two-term limit. He has endorsed Odinga after falling out with Ruto after the last election. The winning candidate must get 50% of the vote plus one to win, and at least a quarter of votes in 24 out of Kenya's 47 counties. If there is no outright winner, there will be a second round of voting without the two presidential candidates currently receiving less than one percent between them. Many Kenyans, frustrated by the shifting alliances of the elites and fed up of rising prices and corruption, didn't bother to vote in Tuesday's round at all. The commission said turnout for the ballot, which also included legislative and local elections, was about 65%, down from nearly 80% in 2017. (Additional reporting by Katharine Houreld and Duncan Miriri in Nairobi, Ayenat Mersie in Eldoret, Daud Yussuf in Garissa; Writing by Katharine Houreld; Editing by Toby Chopra, Alexandra Hudson and John Stonestreet) By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Western countries on Thursday committed more than 1.5 billion euros ($1.55 billion) in cash, equipment and training to boost Ukraine's military capabilities in its war against Russia, Danish Defence Minister Morten Bodskov said. The money, which was pledged by a group of 26 countries at a conference in Copenhagen, will be used to supply existing weapons, missiles and ammunition, increase weapon production for Ukraine, train Ukrainian soldiers, and de-mine war-torn areas in Ukraine. "We will continue to assist Ukraine in its military needs," Bodskov told journalists at the end of the conference that brought together European defence ministers to discuss long-term support for the country's defence against Russia's invasion. Defence ministers of Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic signalled willingness to expand productions of artillery systems, munitions, and other military equipments to Ukraine, Bodskov said. Britain, which has already donated advanced weapons systems to Ukraine and given thousands of its troops military training, on Thursday pledged an additional 300 million euros, including multiple-launch rocket systems and precision guided M31A1 missiles that can strike targets up to 80 km (50 miles) away. "President Putin would have gambled that come August...we would have all got bored of the conflict and the international community would have gone off in different directions. Well today is proof of the opposite," UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said. The commitments come after the government in Kyiv made repeated appeals to the West to send more weapons, including long-range artillery, as it tries to turn the tide on Russia's Feb. 24 invasion. Ukraine said earlier this month it had received another delivery of high-precision heavy weapons from Germany and the United States. Moscow, which has accused the West of dragging out the conflict by giving Ukraine more arms, says it is conducting a "special military operation" in Ukraine aimed at safeguarding Russia's security against NATO expansion. ($1 = 0.9684 euros) (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Sachin Ravikumar; Writing by Stine Jacobsen; Editing by Terje Solsvik, David Holmes and Mike Harrison) Men are hit harder by COVID. They are more likely than women to become severely ill, and more likely to die of the disease. Now a growing body of research shows that COVID also affects them in ways they may not want to talk about; COVID can cause erectile dysfunction and infertility. Recent studies have shown that the virus can lower testosterone levels and sperm counts. The good news is that these effects, for most, are temporary. Treatments are available. And specialists in urology and reproductive health emphasize that vaccines for COVID have no such side effects. They highly recommend that all men get vaccinated as a way to avoid these complications. Ive seen patients who never had troubles with erections, orgasm or their sex drive and then they got COVID, said Dr. Danielle Velez, a specialist in male infertility and sexual dysfunction at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. The link between COVID and erectile dysfunction is real When you have acute COVID, for a variety of reasons you can have a much higher chance of erectile dysfunction, said Dr. Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad, a physician with New Jersey Urology, director of the Center for Male Reproductive Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center and a professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Part of it is the anxiety and stress of being confined to home, he said, referring to the early days of pandemic lockdowns and the isolation periods after a positive test result. But there are also physiological reasons. There are a lot of things that have to go into a good erection, said Velez. Its not just being in the right mindset it's a delicate interplay of hormones firing at the right time, adequate blood flow, and functional nerves sending signals to the penis. A study titled Mask up to keep it up surveyed 100 sexually active men in Italy during the pandemics early months. It found a significant effect of COVID-19 on the development of erectile dysfunction, even after correcting for the mens psychological state, obesity and age. Story continues COVID infection can reduce testosterone levels. Testosterone, a hormone produced in the testes, is important because it affects libido and muscle strength, among other functions. When the virus attacks, it sort of shuts the factory down, said Sadeghi-Nejad. Thats because cells in the testes, like those in the lungs, heart and blood vessels that have been vulnerable to COVID, have a protein on their surface where the virus likes to bond. The viruss spike protein fits into this surface protein like a key into a lock, allowing it to invade the cell. Evidence suggests that the more severe the COVID infection, the greater the reduction in testosterone, Sadeghi-Nejad said. The virus can affect the blood vessels of the penis. The SARS-CoV-2 virus also bonds with epithelial cells that line the blood vessels of the penis. That can affect the blood flow essential to a good erection. Epithelial cells line blood vessels elsewhere in the body and the lungs, where COVIDs effects on clotting and inflammation have been well-documented. The effect is similar. The virus also can cause swelling of the testicles and epididymis, the sperm-producing organ next to the testis. Several small studies found that 10% to 22% of men with active, severe COVID illness suffered these effects. A positive COVID test can cause anxiety, but there are also physiological reasons why men's health is affected. Those who had preexisting erectile dysfunction also were more likely to get severe illness with COVID, it found. The conditions that predispose men to erectile dysfunction high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and a history of heart disease also increase the risks of COVID. COVID's impact on sex drive can have long-term consequences Their experiences run the gamut, she said, from Its really crept up on me; I have less and less interest in sex and worse erections, to some who said it was like a light switch. Suddenly they couldnt get an erection and had zero interest in sex anymore. For a 40-year-old ex-Marine and police officer who chose not to get vaccinated, a COVID infection in March 2021 had life-changing consequences. James, who asked that only his middle name be used, to protect his privacy, was sick for three weeks and developed bronchitis and pneumonia, but did not seek hospital care. When I started to get a little bit of my energy back," he said, "it was very difficult to be intimate with my wife. Over time, his continuing symptoms, which also included a cough, tightness in his chest and fatigue, led him to seek care for long COVID symptoms at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. After a referral to Velez, he began treatment with testosterone and another medication intended to help preserve fertility. But by that time, his wife had left him. There were other reasons for the end of their 18-year marriage, James said, but COVIDs impact on their sex life was part of it. I feel like an old, fat man, he said. I get tired just going up the stairs with laundry. He is focused on increasing his testosterone levels to reduce his fatigue, and has applied for early retirement from the police department. Does COVID affect pregnancy? Sperm are affected in three ways by COVID their concentration, travel speed (motility), and shape (morphology). In addition, COVID causes temporary infertility in some men. We know that COVID infections can turn off, or down-regulate, sperm production, said Dr. Eric Seaman, a urologist and male fertility expert at New Jersey Urology, part of Summit Health. But unless theyre so sick theyre hospitalized, in three months men are pretty much back where they started from." Fever and inflammation can influence sperm production. Experts say sperm are affected in three ways by COVID: their concentration, travel speed (motility) and shape (morphology). Said Sadeghi-Nejad: All of these can affect fertility rates. COVID infection was associated with slightly longer time-to-pregnancy among couples where the male partner had recently tested positive for COVID19, researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health found, in a study published in January. The association went away after 60 days. The couples were 18% less likely to conceive within 60 days of the mans positive COVID test, but there was no difference if the infection had occurred more than two months before, according to the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health. It analyzed data from more than 2,000 couples who were trying to get pregnant from December 2020 through September 2021 and participated in the PREgnancy STudy Online (PRESTO). Any delay can be difficult for couples eager to have a baby. The hardest part about fertility, once a couple decides they want to have a baby, they want to be pregnant yesterday, said Velez. It can take a while to see a positive pregnancy test. Men with concerns about the long-term effects of COVID on their sexual or reproductive health should see a specialist, said Sadeghi-Nejad. There are solutions. For James, the ex-Marine being treated for low testosterone, fertility has not been an issue. He has signed on as a sperm donor with an online app, he said, and was approached by a lesbian couple who wanted to have a baby. I have helped a couple couples conceive, he said. More COVID coverage:NJ orders 51K doses of COVID vaccine for kids Current research suggests that the risk of sexual transmission of COVID by men who are fully recovered is negligible, a study published in February reported. Does the COVID vaccine affect pregnancy? The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. COVID vaccines, in contrast to COVID disease, do not affect fertility or mens sexual function, according to several studies. The study of more than 2,000 couples, funded by the National Institutes of Health, found no differences in the chances of conception if either male or female partner had been vaccinated, compared to unvaccinated couples. The results were similar regardless of the type of vaccine, whether one or two doses had been received by either the man or the woman, how recently theyd been vaccinated, or whether they were health care workers or had a history of infertility, the NIH said. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, which includes specialists in both male and female reproductive health as well others, strongly urges people who are trying to get pregnant to get vaccinated. There is no current credible evidence to support that COVID-19 vaccines may impact fertility, its recap of the research said in March 2021. However, there may be a negative impact of COVID-19 disease on male fertility. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is currently no evidence that COVID vaccines cause fertility problems in women or men. Specialists in the field get questions about this all the time, they said. Read next:COVID crisis created opportunity to feed North Jersey's hungry and save local restaurants Thats a very important take-home message, said Sadeghi-Nejad. We as a community of reproductive endocrinologists and male fertility specialists very much encourage our patients to get vaccinated. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Does COVID cause erectile dysfunction? What you should know Former President Donald Trump. Scott Olson/Getty Images The DOJ subpoenaed Trump for classified documents before authorizing the Mar-a-Lago raid, NYT reported. Sources told NYT investigators believed some of the documents were so sensitive that the DOJ felt it had no choice but to send in the feds. Conservative commentator and Trump ally John Solomon first revealed the existence of the subpoena Wednesday night. A grand jury subpoenaed former President Donald Trump for classified documents he took from the White House to Mar-a-Lago before the FBI took the dramatic step of searching his home, The New York Times reported. Two people who were briefed on the documents, some of which were classified, told The Times that investigators believed some of the material was so sensitive and critical to national security that the Justice Department had no choice but to send FBI agents to retrieve them from Mar-a-Lago. Legal experts say the process of obtaining the search warrant likely started weeks ago and that it was approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department, including FBI Director Christopher Wray who Trump appointed in 2017 after firing James Comey and Attorney General Merrick Garland. Trump's lawyer, Christina Bobb, told news outlets that investigators seized around a dozen boxes from the compound's basement storage area in their raid. Trump announced the raid on Monday. In a lengthy statement, he accused the Justice Department and the FBI of "prosecutorial misconduct" and "political persecution," adding: "They even broke into my safe!" It was initially unclear what the search warrant related to, but ABC News later cited sources saying it was related to 15 boxes of documents that Trump had taken to Mar-a-Lago upon leaving office. He returned them to the archives in January after being told to give them back, but the agency asked the Justice Department in February to investigate if Trump broke the law when he initially moved the documents. Bobb told The Washington Post that the search warrant, which has not been publicly released, indicated that investigators are examining if there were any violations of laws around classified materials. Story continues Gene Rossi, a longtime former federal prosecutor, also told Insider this week that he would be "shocked" if the affidavit supporting the warrant didn't include probable cause suggesting Trump violated other laws including statutes against obstruction, insurrection, sedition, and more. "You only get one shot at doing a search of Donald Trump's home," he said. "The Department of Justice is not going to blow their wad, in my view, on just looking at ... the records statute." John Solomon, a conservative commentator who also represents Trump before the National Archives, first revealed the existence of the subpoena late Wednesday on his website. Solomon wrote that the subpoena was sent in June and that Trump replied by "turning over responsive evidence, surrendering security surveillance footage and allowing federal agents and a senior Justice Department lawyer to tour his private storage locker, according to a half dozen people familiar with the incident." Following Monday's raid, Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal reported that an informant tipped authorities off that classified government documents may have been improperly stored at Mar-a-Lago. Trump's longtime former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, told CNN on Thursday that Trump likely feels "trapped" and fears that whoever tipped off the feds has more dirt on him. This story is breaking. Check back for updates. Read the original article on Business Insider Image via Getty/James Devaney Following the FBI search of Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida on Monday, the former president has invoked the Fifth Amendment. As part of the state of New Yorks probe into Trumps business practices with his company, he announced on Wednesday that he will not answer any questions in the case. Under the advice of my counsel and for all of the above reasons, I declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution," Trump said in a statement, per CNN. He was scheduled to be deposed by lawyers from New York Attorney General Letitia James office as part of the civil investigation into the Trump Organization, which is alleged to have misled lenders, insurers, and tax authorities with misleading financial documents. In his post on Truth Social, where he announced his intentions to invoke the Fifth Amendment, he described the investigation as the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history. He also referred to the U.S. as a Banana Republic, which a number of notable right-wing pundits have also asserted following the FBI raid of his Florida home. Trump previously suggested that anyone who is truly innocent would not plead the Fifth during a 2016 campaign rally in Iowa, as CNNs Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins pointed out. Trump, who once indicated innocent people don't plead the Fifth, defends doing so while sitting with lawyers from New York Attorney General Letitia James' office. "I once asked, 'If youre innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?' Now I know the answer to that question." pic.twitter.com/xdUck1GiED Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 10, 2022 The testimony arrives just days after FBI agents searched Trumps Florida home in Palm Beach. He confirmed the search in a statement, in which he alleged his residence was under siege by authorities even though he had been working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies. He has already accused FBI agents of planting evidence during the search, and said federal agents did not let his legal team observe their activities in his home. Story continues Related Articles More Complex Sign up for the Complex Newsletter for breaking news, events, and unique stories. Follow Complex on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani, owner of Door County Candle Co., is shown with one of the Ukraine Candles her company is selling to raise funds for humanitarian aid in Ukraine. Profits from the candles are being donated to Razom for Ukraine. People across the U.S. have pulled together since late February to help people in need in Ukraine after that country was invaded and bombarded by Russian forces. That's happened in Kewaunee and Door counties, too, with two businesses owned or operated by Ukrainians and one with ties to the besieged country running fundraisers for relief efforts to help those people. Two of those fundraisers are continuing in varied ways since the ongoing war began more than five months ago in fact, Door County Candle Co. is ramping things up with a new campaign while the third took place within the past few weeks. Here's an update on how people responded to these relief efforts so far, and on the new fundraising effort. Door County Candle Co., Sturgeon Bay Some might say Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani, owner of Door County Candle Co. and a second-generation Ukrainian, already has done plenty to provide relief for people in Ukraine affected by the invasion. She's certainly far exceeded the goal she set for her fundraising efforts more than 140 times what she expected, in fact. But it's not enough for Trapani, so she's started an enhanced effort this week. On Feb. 26, the business began selling Ukraine Candles that were leftovers the company made for a fundraiser for a school in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood of Chicago. Trapani said she would donate profits from sales of the half-blue, half-yellow the colors of the Ukrainian flag and vanilla-scented candles to the emergency response fund of Razom for Ukraine (Razom is Ukrainian for "together"), a nonprofit organization working to provide humanitarian aid and help create opportunities in that country. Hoping to sell 500 or so of the handcrafted Ukraine Candles and raise about $5,000, as Trapani told the Advocate, the company instead sold about 4,500 of them in the first week of the fundraiser. RELATED: 'It's incredible.' Door County shop sells thousands of specialty candles to raise money for Ukrainians Story continues The effort generated national stories in its first weeks on ABC's "World News Tonight with David Muir" and "PBS NewsHour" as well as TV stations from Milwaukee and Chicago, which undoubtedly helped fuel the fundraiser. Within three weeks, more than 20,000 Ukraine Candles were sold, and by the first week of May, little more than two months in, more than 50,000 were sold to generate about $525,000 for Razom, with online orders going to all 50 states and Puerto Rico. As of this week, the business' Facebook page says they've donated more than $700,000 to help "provide critical relief and recovery." But the war in Ukraine continues, and Trapani says help still is needed. "I don't plan on stopping, period," she told the Advocate in May. "Even when the war is done, there is still a country that is going to be rebuilt. There's a lot to go, and if our candle is a way to raise money, then I plan on continuing that." Door County Candle Co. candlemaker Larry Mickelson pours wax to make Ukraine Candles tin the blue and yellow colors that represent that country. The Sturgeon Bay candle making business has raised more than $700,000 for relief organization Razom for Ukraine through sales of the candles and is now launching a #LighttoUnite campaign to push the total to $1 million. So, she's upping the ante. The company announced Monday it's starting a #LighttoUnite campaign that runs through Aug. 24 Independence Day for Ukraine. In addition to continuing to donate all Ukraine Candle profits to Razom, it will donate $5 for each of its Lemongrass or Lakeshore candles sold, with the goal of increasing the total funds raised to $1 million. The lemon-scented Lemongrass candle is colored yellow and the fresh, clean-scented Lakeshore one is blue, so these candles also follow the Ukrainian colors theme. Cost of the Ukraine Candle is $29.95; cost of the Lemongrass or Lakeshore candle is $25.95. To order or for more information, visit the Door County Candle store, 5789 State 42, Sturgeon Bay; call 920-746-2125; or visit doorcountycandle.com or the "Door County Candle Company" Facebook page. Wakker Cheese, Kewaunee As a native of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city (more than 1.4 million residents) and a major target of Russian bombardment since the start of the war, Wakker Cheese operations manager Sergii Aleksieiev felt the pain of what was happening in his homeland. The fundraiser Aleksieiev launched at the start of March donated not just a portion of the proceeds from certain goods, but all proceeds from all goods sold by Wakker Cheese to relief supplies for Ukrainian people. The funds went to volunteers in nearby countries to buy needed supplies, such as first-aid kits and sleeping bags, and transport them into Ukraine so they could be given as directly as possible to Ukrainians in need because of the war. That ran through March and April, Aleksieiev said, bringing not just shoppers to the downtown Kewaunee cheese store but also many online orders for Wakker's goudas, cheddars and other food items. However, Aleksieiev said he worked those two months without a single day off. Wakker Cheese operations manager Sergii Aleksieiev, a native of Ukraine, looks out the window of the downtown Kewaunee cheese shop March 7. For about two months, the store sent 100% of proceeds from all sales to Ukrainians for relief supplies and continues to donate some proceeds; thus far they've donated about $70,000. Since then, Wakker Cheese has continued to donate to relief efforts in Ukraine, just not all proceeds like before, and some people have donated money for Aleksieiev to forward over. He doesn't have an exact figure but estimates he's donated about $70,000 through the cheese shop. RELATED: Wakker Cheese shop in Kewaunee donating all proceeds from sales to Ukraine relief supplies "We're still collecting in some way, not like we were doing in March and April," Aleksieiev said. "It was kind of hard to keep it up. ... We will send out more from cheese sales." Aleksieiev, who moved to Kewaunee from Ukraine in 2015, has kept Wakker Cheese involved in relief efforts in other ways in recent months. The company donated cheese to a picnic in July in the Milwaukee area to raise money for Wisconsin Ukrainians, Inc. And, sometime in the next couple of weeks, Aleksieiev will open an online auction for a 24-by-30-inch painting of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy titled "Portrait of Courage," again with proceeds going to Ukrainian relief supplies. People interested in the auction can visit the Wakker Cheese Facebook page for information on getting a link to the auction. "Portrait of Courage," a portrait of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by Chicago artist Casey Despot, will be sold in an online auction by Wakker Cheese of Kewaunee with proceeds going to relief supplies for people in Ukraine. And, Aleksieiev and his wife, Iuliia, will sponsor and host a family of four Ukrainian refugees at their house in Kewaunee. He said they will live there until it is safe for them to return home. It's obviously unclear when that will be possible. Aleksieiev said in the months since he spoke with the Star-News for its story on the fundraiser, a building where he used to live and another where he attended school in Kharkiv both were destroyed by the Russian invaders, and some people he knew were killed by missile attacks in the important port city of Odesa. So while Aleksieiev is thankful for the help from people in Northeast Wisconsin and across the country, he hopes the generosity will continue, so he can continue to help those in his native land. "I feel so grateful to Americans that supported our efforts to help Ukraine to fight evil and protect democracy and freedom," Aleksieiev said. "The U.S. is a land of incredibly kind and generous people. I am happy that we were able to help my home country, at least with some financial support. "But at the same time, I feel like there is more that could be done. So we will continue to support Ukrainians one way or the other." Wakker Cheese is at 409 Milwaukee St., Kewaunee. To buy cheese and other products whose proceeds will be donated for sleeping bags, first-aid kits and other relief supplies for people in Ukraine, visit the shop, call 920-388-6500 or visit wakkercheese.com or facebook.com/wakkercheese. Barnard Farms, Carlsville Susan Barnard, co-owner and manager of Barnard Farms, launched a fundraising effort called Pick Cherries for Ukraine on July 17. The business just north of Sturgeon Bay grows and picks tart and sweet cherries, apricots, apples and other fruits on its 50 acres, then sells them at their Door County Fruit Connection roadside stand. But the farm, which traditionally has relied on a mix of local workers and workers from outside the U.S. who come to Door County for the summer and work, was shorthanded on workers this year. RELATED: Volunteers can pick Door County cherries for Ukraine relief efforts Among the foreign workers who over the years picked fruits for Barnard were six Ukrainians and one from Moldava, Ukraine's neighbor. Barnard said those summer workers became like family to her and she felt the pain when she saw images and learned of the devastation taking place in Ukraine. So, to fill the staffing gaps and help Ukraine, Barnard implemented her own fundraiser. During it, people volunteered to pick cherries for the farm, and the money that would have been paid to employees, $20 an hour, instead was donated to Wisconsin Ukrainians, Inc., which has been providing humanitarian aid to the war-torn country ranging from first-aid kits, boots and body armor to hygiene products and window panes for an explosion-damaged hospital. Jennifer Manke of Sturgeon Bay picks cherries for Barnard Farms, which held a Pick Cherries for Ukraine fundraiser for two weeks in July, raising $8,700. Barnard Farm also has a pick-your-own tart cherry season, and during the fundraiser, half of the $14 per bucket fee for those who picked their own went to Wisconsin Ukrainians as well. Plus, cash donations were welcomed from those who didn't pick but wanted to help. The effort was intended to run eight days, through July 25, but was extended another week. The results? Volunteer pickers worked 232 hours and 271 pails of pick-your-owns were picked. Added to cash donations, Barnard was able to donate $8,700 to Wisconsin Ukrainians. "I am both thrilled and delighted to be able to be able to do with with all of you," Barnard wrote in a message on the farm's website. "Your love and generosity is impressive." Barnard Farms and Door County Fruit Connection are at 5807 State 42, Sturgeon Bay (Carlsville). For more information, visit pickyourowndoorcountycherries.com. Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com. FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website FOR MORE KEWAUNEE COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: How much did these Door, Kewaunee County businesses raise for Ukraine? Homeownership is a primary key to building wealth, but there is an alarming gap between Black homeowners and those who are white. Often, the underrepresented group doesnt even have a fighting chance to successfully apply for a mortgage due to multiple factors such as little to no credit. To level the playing field for Black people in America, Ashley D. Bell and Dr. Bernice A. King have joined forces in shaking up the traditional mortgage lending industry. Gearing Up For Ready Life The two leaders are set to launch Ready Life a fintech platform that offers a new path to homeownership that excludes credit scores from eligibility requirements. If consumers use Ready Lifes mobile banking platform to pay their rent on time, they will have the opportunity to qualify for a mortgage. After initially brainstorming on how they could play a role in making a difference together, the end result was a platform that intends to give people a fresh start and hope for the future of mortgage lenders, especially for the Black community. It goes back to the National Black Bank Foundation and our work to support Black-owned financial institutions. I think its just been a running conversation with Bernice and me about, How can we do more? And I think her legacy as an individual leader in our city and around our country and world, focusing on the least, the last and the left behind has really empowered her to really step into this space. So, Ive just been fortunate to have her leadership and friendship. He continued: We thought about What could be next? How do we prepare for the future? Dealing with the current crisis with Black banks now, but also thinking about, What does the Black bank of the future look like? What does lending look like in the future? This just seemed like a natural evolution of that journey of that discussion. Story continues What The Platform Is Set To Offer Backed by Figure Technologies, Inc., Ready Life uses blockchain technology to support families, no matter their background, in buying their first home. Not only will the platform be a helping hand toward people becoming homeowners, but it is also going to educate them on the overall process. As of now, Ready Lifes services include ReadyPay Visa Debit Card, Ready Mortgage, and Ready Merchant. An Extension Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Legacy While homeownership aids in building generational wealth, starting the process early is just as important. With that said, Ready Life aims to help in decreasing the age of the average home buyer. Ahead of its launch, Dr. King has vocalized that the platform is an extension of her father Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and his work. Toward the end of his journey, he was looking at how to build the economic standing of the Black community. A lot of people [probably] didnt know that my parents rented until 1966, Dr. King shared with AfroTech. At that time, my father would have been about 36 years of age. So, this gives us an opportunity to ensure that coming out of college even young people can qualify to own a home because when youre just coming out of college, you havent necessarily established your credit history. Dr. King added: This is an opportunity to start off even on our platform and at the same time begin the process of building generational wealth. I think thats so important. Blavity TV Check out the full interview on Blavity TV to learn more about how Ashley D. Bell and Dr. Bernice A. King are working to advance Black homeownership with their platform, which launches this fall. London The parks of England, usually lush with green grass, have turned yellow. Even the spot known as the source of the mighty River Thames has dried up for the first time in decades. The U.K. has experienced months of low rainfall and high temperatures. Last month was the driest July recorded in England in almost 90 years, since 1935. The British government's environmental agency has warned that if the dry conditions continue, "many parts of England will move into drought." The combination of low rainfall and successive heat waves has hit farmers hard. Some are already seeing their crop yields decline. Vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts should be planted now to harvest in the winter, but with much of their land parched, some farmers are delaying planting the new crop. Others are going ahead, unsure how much might survive. Cows eat straw and grass silage, which is normally a winter feed, at a farm in Harpole, near Northampton, England, August 10, 2022. The cows have been on the supplementary food from the start of August due to hot, dry weather and lack of fresh grass. / Credit: ANDREW BOYERS/REUTERS The dry conditions are also affecting livestock farmers. Fields where cattle graze have dried the grass that should be feeding on now. Just like in the U.S., many British and European farmers are already using their winter feed, which could cause problems later in the year. Much of the European continent struggling under similar conditions, with dry spells and heat waves shrinking waterways, cracking farmland and allowing wild fires to rage. More than 60% of the EU and U.K.'s combined lands are now under drought warnings or alerts, according to the European Drought Observatory. One senior scientist with the European Commission warned that Europe is on course to suffer through its worst drought in 500 years. Wildfires are charring thousands of acres of tinder-dry brush and destroying homes in Spain, Portugal and France. French officials have already declared it the country's "most severe" drought on record. Authorities there say dozens of municipalities have seen their drinking water supplies run dry, leaving them to rely on water brought in by tanker trucks. In Germany, water levels of the Rhine River have dropped so far that it's making it harder for ships to transport goods, including coal and gasoline, which the country sorely needs amid soaring global energy prices. Story continues Some ships are being forced to carry only 25% of their usual cargo capacity to avoid running aground. Scientists have said heat waves are increasing in both frequency and intensity faster in Europe than almost anywhere else on Earth, and they say human-induced climate change is playing a critical role in those changing weather patterns. Gas prices drop under $4 average for first time since March U.S. weekly jobless claims rise for second straight week Attorney General Garland "personally approved" Mar-a-Lago search warrant Invasive wasps are moving north into the warming oak savannahs of the inland Pacific Northwest putting forests there at risk, a new study has found. As they move north, the social insects are entering regions with far fewer predators to keep their populations in check, according to the study, published on Wednesday in Journal of Animal Ecology. One particular species called oak gall wasps lay their eggs in structures (galls) that they build on the leaves and foliage of oak trees, the study explained. In the native range, you might find a handful of galls on a single leaf. In the expanded range, sometimes youre finding thousands on a single tree, co-author Kirsten Prior, of Binghamton University, said in a statement. Prior and her colleagues found that the wasps are taking advantage of a natural paradigm in which a species that moves north almost inevitably enters the zone of lesser competition where it can cause greater disruption. That means protecting biodiversity can serve a defensive function for ecosystems, according to co-author Dylan Jones, also from Binghamton University. If we have strong competitors and predators, that might make areas less susceptible to invading species, Jones said. Welcome to Equilibrium, a newsletter that tracks the growing global battle over the future of sustainability. Were Saul Elbein and Sharon Udasin. Send us tips and feedback. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here. Today well survey the fraught role humans play in the survival of the worlds largest ice sheet, followed by the expansion of the trans-Atlantic drought to newer, and historically more temperate, climes. Then well look at two big blind spots in how policymakers predict the danger that extreme weather poses to societies and economies alike. Fate of worlds biggest ice sheet in human hands Humans could prevent the demise of the worlds largest ice sheet by keeping global warming below a threshold set in the 2015 Paris climate accords, scientists declared on Wednesday. Story continues The worst effects of climate change on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet might be avoidable if temperatures do not rise by more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, the researchers revealed in a new study in Nature. Where does that threshold come from? Countries agreed to adhere to this limit as part of the Paris Climate Agreement, signed at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Saving the ice: If warming stays below 2 degrees Celsius, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet which holds most of the Earths glacier ice would contribute less than half a meter to sea level rise by the year 2500, according to the scientists. But if warming surges beyond that threshold, the ice sheet could contribute several meters to sea-level rise in just a few centuries, the researchers warned. A precarious future: The fate of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet remains very much in our hands, lead author Chris Stokes, of the U.K.s Durham University, said in a statement. This ice sheet is by far the largest on the planet, he added, stressing that its really important that we do not awaken this sleeping giant. Global effort: An international research team worked to assess the potential impacts of different emissions levels and temperatures on the ice sheet by 2100, 2300 and 2500. Their analysis revealed that if warming persists beyond 2100, then the ice sheet could add several meters to global sea level rise over the coming centuries. This surge would add to the substantial contributions coming from Greenland and West Antarctica potentially threatening millions of people worldwide. Window for action: We now have a very small window of opportunity to rapidly lower our greenhouse gas emissions, limit the rise in global temperatures and preserve the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, co-author Nerilie Abram, of the Australian National University, said in a statement. Its vitally important that countries achieve and strengthen their commitments to the Paris Agreement, Abram added. To read the full story, please click here. Drought strikes both sides of the Atlantic The western U.S. has long been wrestling with drought, but this battle has now extended to less frequent participants: the more temperate states on either side of the Atlantic. Europe is parched: Drought is affecting about 60 percent of the EU and the U.K., Axios reported, citing the European Drought Observatory. France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands are facing water shortages. The EUs Copernicus Climate Change Service has declared an increased fire danger due to the lack of rain. German artery at risk: Weeks of sizzling temperatures and reduced precipitation have caused the water levels of Germanys Rhine River to dwindle, according to Reuters. The Rhine is an important route for products such as grains, chemicals and coal, Reuters reported. Shipping issues abound: A transportation ministry spokesman told reporters on Wednesday that the government expects an intensification of the low water level, according to Reuters. Less water has meant delays in shipping and fivefold increases in freight costs. These difficulties are occurring with the backdrop of energy shortages caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Driest July in England since 1935: Englands Met Office recently revealed that July 2022 was the driest July for all of England since 1935. The U.K. received just 56 percent of its average rainfall last month, according to the Met Office. And on the other side of the Atlantic? Officials in New Jersey announced a statewide drought watch on Tuesday for the first time in six years. The watch serves to sow public awareness about water stress and encourage voluntary conservation, according to the Department of Environmental Protection. The declaration of a drought warning or emergency with mandatory restrictions could become necessary, the agency warned. Rhode Island is also sounding the alarm: Also on Tuesday, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee (D) issued a drought advisory in his state. An advisory, last issued in September 2020, precedes a drought watch in Rhode Island. As a precaution, I encourage residents and businesses to consider taking water conservation measures, McKee said in a statement. Things are even more severe in Massachusetts: Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Beth Card on Tuesday upgraded most of the state to Level 3-Critical Drought, one step below an emergency declaration. It is incredibly important that we all practice water conservation and adhere to local requirements, Card said in a statement. Threats from extreme weather are underestimated Entire societies could be destabilized by the cascading and interacting effects of climate change-fueled disasters, a new study has found. Health food and agriculture are at particular risk of domino-like collapses that could damage entire socioeconomic systems, the study in PLOS Climate found. The interconnected nature of modern global economies makes them especially vulnerable to disruptions. Concurrent disasters like heat waves occurring alongside hurricanes or drought increase the impacts. For example: As the 2018 drought dropped the levels of Europes rivers, heat waves also melted roads and buckled railroad tracks, the scientists found. That made it harder for transportation systems to adapt. Those impacts didnt happen in isolation: Heat waves also damaged crops, dried up water sources and cut into the ability of workers to labor outside. To make matters worse: The effects of climate disturbances on global economies are often longer lasting and more severe than models predict, another paper released on Wednesday warned. That means the costs of climate-fueled disaster and therefore of burning fossil fuels is likely being undercounted, according to the study, published in Environmental Research Letters. Climate models tend to largely survey only the most immediate and acute economic impacts of phenomena like heat waves. But in about a quarter of countries surveyed, the effects of climate-fueled temperature spike damaged economies for at least a decade. Impacts linger: Many countries are likely experiencing persistent temperature effects, lead author Bernardo Bastien-Olvera, of the University of California Davis, said in a statement. That might play out in the aftermath of heat-induced crop failures which are on track to increase by 2030, a study in Environmental Research Letters found last year. Or it could show up in the impacts of industrial failures, like the Google data centers knocked offline in London in July by Britains heat wave, according to Bloomberg. Our research adds to the evidence suggesting that impacts are far more uncertain and potentially larger than previously thought, Bastien-Olvera added. Forest Service may overstate extent of protections Claims from the U.S. Forest Service that it has secured 40 million acres against destructive wildfires are likely inflated, researchers and service members told NBC. The method that the Forest Service uses to calculate total numbers of acres treated allows for a great deal of double-counting. That means the agency may have treated 20 to 30 percent less forest in some regions than what its published numbers would suggest. The USFS estimates that an additional 80 million acres under its control are at risk for catastrophic fires or abnormal impacts from insects and disease. Agency comment: A Forest Service spokesperson told NBC that the difference between treated and untreated areas was not black and white, and that many areas required multiple rounds of treatment. This approach carries risks: It makes sense we want to show how much work it takes to get something treated. It doesnt [make sense] to count the same acres over and over again and say we fixed this much, a USFS official told CNN under condition of anonymity. If you interpreted those numbers to say, Hey, we mitigated risk on this many acres, youd be wrong, the official added. Weather Wednesday Losing heart in Seoul, Puerto Rico gets a grid upgrade and Kentuckys troubles are far from over. South Korean floods widen social gaps in Seoul Devastating floods that hit South Koreas capital earlier this week caused inconvenience and monetary losses to Seouls wealthier residents, but they have also snuffed out what little hope poorer inhabitants had just to keep going, according to Reuters. Ive got no money, nothing. But I had come here to live in this basement, as it was only option I had to live with my daughter, one man, who is now sleeping in a park, told Reuters. Grid assessment system aims to mitigate extreme weather damage in Puerto Rico The Department of Energys Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has set up a power grid assessment system in Puerto Rico that aims to identify severe weather threats and strengthen critical infrastructure. The new system helps emergency managers better anticipate storm impacts by simulating historical storm trajectories with a range of different wind intensity estimates, a statement from the laboratory said. Cold front threatens flood-bashed Kentucky; could cool Northeast Regions of the greater Mississippi Valley already devastated by late July floods like St. Louis, West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky are facing a new wave of potentially devastating thunderstorms, AccuWeather reported. On the flip side, the cold front responsible for that rain will likely bring a taste of fall temperatures to Northeastern cities sweltering in record-breaking heat, according to AccuWeather. Please visit The Hills Sustainability section online for the web version of this newsletter and more stories. Well see you tomorrow. VIEW THE FULL VERSION HERE For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. After months of COVID-19 concert cancellations, symphony orchestras are ready to again follow the conductor's baton this summer. On Friday night, an audience packed the Beijing Concert Hall, one of the most popular venues for classical music fans. They were about to witness the birth of a new symphony orchestrathe Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra, the first private symphony orchestra in the capital. This was the first concert of the orchestra that performed under the guidance of conductor Fan Tao. One of their pieces was Symphony No 9 in E minor, From the New World, composed by Antonin Dvorak in 1893. It might be one of the best-known classical music pieces among Chinese audiences. "It's exciting, isn't it?" says Fan, who is the music director of the new orchestra. "Dvorak wrote that music piece about a year after he moved to the United States. His new life in the US yielded the piece that became widely regarded as his signature work. We decided to perform it during the first concert of the Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra, hoping to deliver the same message. From now on, we will embark on a new journey together, with the audience and our musicians." Violinist Chai Liang joined in the concert, performing Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major with the orchestra. The orchestra also played the overture of the German opera, Oberon, by German composer Carl Maria von Weber, before a big cake was presented onstage to celebrate the arrival of the orchestra. According to Fan, the Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra will give more than 10 concerts in the following two months. This program includes a concert featuring music by Ludwig van Beethoven, which will be held on Sept 30 at the Beijing Concert Hall, and a concert of work by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, which will be held on Oct 3 at the National Library Concert Hall in Beijing. "People are curious about us because it's challenging for symphony orchestras to survive amid the pandemic, let alone launching," says Fan. "We are fully prepared. The first concert sold out fast, which also gave us lots of confidence." He adds that during the summer vacation, many parents take their children to concerts. Fan graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and spent more than 30 years working with Chinese symphony orchestras, such as the China Broadcasting Film Symphony Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the symphony orchestra of the National Ballet of China. He considers working with the Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra a new chapter of his career. "Most of the symphony orchestras are supported by local governments financially. We want to create a symphony orchestra that is totally different in terms of operation," says Fan. "We will keep the orchestra going by relying on revenues of our concerts totally. It will pave the way for a new trend of running symphony orchestras in China." His confidence came from his partner, Beijing-based company, Music Fans, which has held more than 4,000 performances across the country during the past 18 years. The company both owns and runs the new symphony orchestra. In early 2020, in the wake of the pandemic, the company faced the same problem as many companies in the performing arts industry. "It was a tough time," says Song Jianping, founder and owner of Music Fans, who is also the president of Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra. "We had no shows at all. However, we also saw unexpected opportunities." In early 2020, the company was about to launch a new venue for live performances, in Sanlitun, one of the most popular hubs of food, drink and shopping in the capital. The plan was postponed due to the pandemic. As the pandemic went on, many business owners terminated their rent contracts because of reduced footfall. However, Song decided to rent the venue and expand its space to 4,000 square meters. "The rent was much lower than it was before the pandemic. We decided to give it a try," says Song. "Despite the circumstances, we are optimistic about the return of live performances, especially classical music, which appeals to people of different ages." In September 2020, when the pandemic was more or less under control and performing arts organizations and venues slowly reopened, the company held its first live concert at the new venue. It was sold out. "We know our audience. Though many performing arts organizations had virtual concerts to keep their audience engaged, orchestral music is a live experience, which requires all the participants, performers and listeners alike, to be in the same room together," Song says. Soon, he discussed the idea of launching a new symphony orchestra with his old friend, Fan. They agreed immediately to put their ideas about the Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra into action. Auditions took place early this year and so far, the orchestra has more than 20 musicians, including its first principal violinist Yang Min, a professor at the China Conservatory of Music, who has worked abroad with symphony orchestras, such as the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. "Many of the musicians in the orchestra are young. Though they may not have lots of experience of working in a symphony orchestra, they learn fast and work hard together," says Yang, who was born into a musical family in Beijing, started to play the violin at the age of 5 and graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. "There are many graduates from music schools in China and they need job opportunities. Unlike working with established symphony orchestras, they gain a very different experience by working with a new symphony orchestra. We are witnessing its growth from zero," says Yang. Fan says that the goal is to build the Beijing Union Symphony Orchestra into a full-sized orchestra and the recruitment is open to musicians from around the world. When he ponders the potential of his defense, there are a couple of moments from this spring that stand out to Vikings defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. While trying to teach parts of his 3-4 scheme a few months ago, inundating his players with new information in the process, Donatell remembers inside linebackers Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks approaching him on separate occasions. The message from Kendricks? He loved playing with Hicks. The message from Hicks? He loved playing with Kendricks. That both players went out of their way to praise one another at the time spoke to the natural chemistry on and off the field. That has blossomed into a friendship this summer, with Kendricks and Hicks consistently seen together at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. They are inseparable and they didnt know each other five months ago, Donatell said with a smile. What a special plus for us. Indeed. As the Vikings shift to a 3-4 scheme this season which puts a ton of stress on the inside linebackers to make quick decisions they are going to need Kendricks and Hicks to be on the same page as much as possible. The fact that they have become fast friends similar to the dynamic duo of Danielle Hunter and ZaDarius Smith off the edge could prove to be useful on that front. We definitely see things the same way, said Kendricks, who has played in a 4-3 scheme for his whole career to this point. We are very like-minded, so the things that make sense make sense to both of us, and the things that dont make sense, we usually agree on that, as well. Though it hasnt gotten to the point where they are finishing each others sentences, Kendricks and Hicks have started to find ways to communicate without actually speaking. Maybe its a glance before the snap. Maybe its a hand gesture while the play is underway. Maybe its a combination of a few things. Story continues Hicks called it that nonverbal communication, where we know what each other is thinking and reacting off of it. Thats what were practicing, said Hicks, who has experience in a 3-4 scheme. Thats the beauty of training camp and going against (an) offense that has so many different wrinkles to it. Weve had a lot of things that weve had to talk through and work through, and its making us better. Sometimes that means Kendricks and Hicks have been caught out of position. Thats fine with them as long as they are learning from their mistakes. If we get beat on something, we both know it at the same time, Kendricks said. Then we get another chance and get a different look at it and were like, OK. Lets talk about that now. We both kind of have the same lingo. Thats made for a smooth transition so far. While both players still have a lot to learn before the Sept. 11 season opener against the Green Bay Packers, they are happy to be doing it together. Its special because you dont always get that opportunity to play next to somebody who sees things that way you do, Hicks said. Playing alongside Kendricks, Hicks added, is a big reason he signed with Minnesota after four seasons in Philadelphia and three in Arizona. Its been great so far, he said. As for Donatell, hes thrilled with how Kendricks and Hicks have looked in training camp. The way they play off each other, Donatell said, I havent been around much better. Related Articles Several people gathered outside a local nonprofit organization in Atlanta earlier this week to protest its alleged misuse of funds meant to help minorities and refugees. The Center for Pan Asian Community Service (CPACS) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on serving Asian Americans and other underrepresented populations in Atlanta. Chaiwon Kim, one of its former co-CEOs, is accused of appropriating the nonprofits money for personal use. Kim, who was allegedly terminated recently from her position, has reportedly been telling staff members that she is retiring. Protesters gathered outside CPACS on Monday, chanting and waving signs in response to the recent controversy. More from NextShark: No bail for Las Vegas man accused of shooting Chinatown restaurant worker 11 times Dr. Jung Ha Kim, the other co-CEO, was recently fired, which she believes was retaliation for speaking out against Kims alleged mistreatment of staff members and misuse of CPACS money. She was hand-served a dismissal letter on Thursday with no justification or context given for the firing. (Its) not only unfair to an underappreciated staff, but the fact that people are working here and she took the credit. And she used and abused the funding that they had from taxpayer money that she used for her own personal profit. That speaks painfully and deeply to all of us, Dr. Kim told WSB-TV. A staff member at CPACS, who wishes to remain anonymous, believes that Dr. Kim was unjustly terminated from her position. More from NextShark: Vietnamese man sold his daughter, 13, to Chinese traffickers for $4,300 to pay for medical treatment CPACS has community within its name, yet the only time I feel a sense of community is when I'm outside of the building, they told NextShark. I couldn't care less about the wage I got when Chaiwon Kim was CEO, because I cared about working for the community. However, in the less than one-and-a-half years that Dr. Jung Ha Kim was CEO, I felt more sense of community than ever before. This incredible woman single-handedly brought purpose and meaning back into the mission statement that CPACS staff has long been working for. Story continues The anonymous staff member said they and their coworkers have felt outrage at the situation. My coworkers and I are not protesting because we want to, but because we have to. How dare a minority woman already bring down the close to 99 percent minority staff that have been working for her, and when her replacement did not live up to her dictatorship standards, she convinced the board of directors to have this said replacement fired, the staff member said. More from NextShark: Chinese restaurant waiters captured on video wrestling a dine-and-dasher in Adelaide's Chinatown An internal investigation launched into CPACS revealed concerns in several facets of CPACS operations where some require immediate internal responsive action. It was discovered that Kim and her husband had allegedly spent approximately $400,000 on renovations for four buildings that they owned between 2013 and 2021. Kim had also hired several family members and allegedly showed nepotism and favoritism in compensation. She appointed her son as the director of HR and approved of a significant salary increase that was atypical for the rest of the staff. Kim had also hired her sister in 2022, and staff members chosen by Kim showed significant salary increases of around 20-36 percent. Other staff members reported around a five percent salary raise. More from NextShark: Woman charged with animal abuse for hoarding 221 dogs in her home in Japan In addition, the investigation found that Kim had spent around $47,000 in 2020 to purchase two Hyundai vehicles. She also compensated her husband for medical services although he did not report for work and was unable to perform clinical services. The investigation listed many other improper purchases, including gas cards, Costco purchases and furniture. On Friday, Dr. Kim and staff members walked out of CPACS in solidarity. A GoFundMe was launched to support staff members. An interim CEO has been hired in the meantime. Featured Image: YouTube A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a former Rocky Mount, Va., police officer to 87 months in jail for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, matching the longest prison term handed down for one of the convicted rioters to date and illustrating how former members of law enforcement and the military participated in the violent insurrection. At a two-hour sentencing hearing for former Virginia police Sgt. Thomas Robertson in U.S. District Court in Washington, Judge Christopher Cooper told Robertson that as a member of law enforcement he took an oath to obey the law. But citing witness testimony and text messages, the judge said that Robertson had told a close friend that he was prepared to fight a civil war. Even after his arrest and initial release on bail, the judge said Robertson destroyed evidence and kept a sophisticated rifle and explosive device at his home in violation of the courts order. Federal authorities ultimately re-arrested Robertson and learned that while on bail, he had arranged to buy more than 30 more guns in violation of the judges order. Thomas Robertson, right, a former police sergeant from Virginia, and Jacob Fracker pose inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Justice) You were not some bystander who just got swept up in the crowd, Cooper said Thursday. It really seems as though you think of partisan politics as war and that you continue to believe these conspiracy theories. In April, Robertson became the second accused Jan. 6 rioter to face trial by jury. Jurors found him guilty on all six counts of which he was charged, including obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder. In March, Guy Reffitt, an alleged recruiter for the far-right Three Percenters group, also received an 87-month prison sentence from a different federal judge after a jury convicted him on charges relating to his alleged participation in the riot, though Reffitt never entered the Capitol. While federal authorities have charged more than 880 defendants with participation in the riot or related activity, so far only 12 defendants have been found guilty at trials, including 10 who were found guilty of felony charges. Approximately 353 individuals have pleaded guilty to a variety of federal charges, while roughly 280 have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors. Story continues Sources close to the investigation have said that authorities think they have evidence that as many as 2,500 people participated in the riot but it is presently unclear how far the investigation will proceed and certainly unclear how Congress will view the probe if Republicans take over one or both legislative chambers after Novembers midterm elections. This still photo from video shows Guy Reffitt, in a blue jacket, rinsing his eyes outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Dept. of Justice) As the riot unfolded, Robertson was among hundreds of Trump supporters who broke their way into the Capitol building. He was accompanied by Jacob Fracker, an associate from Virginia with whom he posed for pictures in the Capitol crypt. In her presentation to the judge at Robertsons sentencing hearing, Department of Justice prosecutor Liz Aloi highlighted photos taken during the riot that showed Robertson carrying a large wooden stick as he approached officers guarding the Capitol. Prosecutors also noted that he and Fracker were both wearing gas masks. Fracker, also a former Rocky Mount police officer, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in the case against Robertson. In exchange for that cooperation, Fracker, who will be sentenced on Aug. 16, is expected to receive a sentence of six months probation, according to court filings. In a four-page handwritten letter to Judge Cooper submitted on July 28, Robertson, who entered the courtroom wearing an orange prison uniform, expressed regret for his his part in the violence. I take full responsibility for my actions that day and any poor decisions I made, he wrote. I want to be clear and up front. Im not providing excuses for any of my behavior or actions on 1/6/21. He went on to describe how disruptions to his personal life were a key factor in the radicalization that led him to participate in riot at the Capitol. In late November 2020, he told the judge, an older friend of mine suffered a fall in his home, which ultimately resulted in a diagnosis of stage 4 brain cancer. From that date I became his primary care taker and contact for health care and Hospice. All in addition to my full time job as a Police Sergeant and my running of my small farm, Robertson wrote. Police clash with Trump supporters who breached security and entered the Capitol building, Jan. 6, 2021. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) At the same time, Robertson wrote, his wife took a job in New York City working for the Office of Medical Examiner, leaving him at home alone to tend to his sick friend, who he described as a vocal and enthusiastic Trump supporter. Robertson wrote that as a result of caring for him, I was exposed to lots of pro Trump, anti Biden media. The cumulative stress of all this caused me to start drinking far more, and far harder, alcohol than I ever had, Robertson said in his letter to the judge, adding that, the result was shameful and not at all indicative of the person I am, or have ever been. Mark Rollins, Robertsons lawyer, noted that while evidence showed Robertson brandishing a large stick as he approached police guarding the Capitol, We never see him using it, a point that the judge confirmed. While conceding that Robertson had made some mistakes in his life, Rollins noted that Robertson had served his country, both as a police officer and as an Army soldier and defense contractor. This man had a good character, serving the public as both a military and police officer, Rollins said, saying that his clients life is already a shambles and asking the judge for sympathy in his sentencing. By contrast, in a lengthy sentencing memo entered in the court record on Aug. 4, prosecutors raised serious questions about the accuracy and truthfulness of Robertsons account, asserting he used his law enforcement training to block Metropolitan Police Officers attempting to hold back the mob. Prosecutors argued that for his efforts to impede law enforcement, overturn the election results and destroy the evidence, the judge should sentence Robertson to eight years in jail, three years of probation, $2,000 of restitution and a $100 fine for each of the six criminal counts for which he was convicted. On Thursday, the judge handed down a sentence that trimmed the prosecutions suggested jail time by nine months, but let the recommendations for probation and fines stand. Robertson will receive credit for the 13 months he has already served behind bars as his trial progressed. _____ The rioters got within 2 doors of Vice President Mike Pence's office. See how in this 3D explainer from Yahoo Immersive. By Carolina Mandl and Angelique Chen NEW YORK (Reuters) -SoftBank Group Corp is set to post a gain of $34.1 billion by reducing its stake in Alibaba Group Holding from 23.7% to 14.6%. But the Japanese conglomerate will not sell its shares directly in the market. It is using a complex security called "prepaid forward contracts," which is a derivative largely used by investors. Here's how these contracts work: WHAT ARE PREPAID FORWARD CONTRACTS? A prepaid forward contract is a type of derivative contract that allows an investor to hedge risks associated with an equity investment in a company. HOW DOES IT WORKS? The contract involves a floor and a cap price, limiting investors' exposure to that price range. To settle the contracts, investors can either pay financial institutions in cash or hand the physical shares. "If the stock goes down in value below the floor, the investor is protected from that depreciation. On the other hand, if the stock appreciates above the cap, the investor doesn't participate in that upside," said David Martinez, an associate at law firm Clifford Chance. ARE THERE OTHER ADVANTAGES TO PREPAID FORWARD CONTRACTS? Prepaid forward contracts are widely used by investors who want to monetize positions without actually selling the stocks, said Gareth Old, a partner at Clifford Chance. To advance the money, financial institutions use the floor price of the range and apply a discount rate. Prepaid forward contracts also offer some fiscal advantages, as investors only have to pay taxes on capital gains when the contract is settled. WHY HAS SOFTBANK DECIDED TO PREPAY THE CONTRACTS BY DELIVERING ALIBABA'S SHARES? SoftBank decided to hand 242 million shares in Alibaba to financial institutions because equity market conditions are challenging for a direct sale of the shares. SoftBank also said the physical settlement would eliminate concerns about future cash outflows, reduce costs related to those contracts, and shore up its defenses against the market downturn. Story continues The Japanese conglomerate stands to gain $34 billion from unrealized gains and also from the physical settlement. "Obviously, they want cash," said Bo Pei, senior equity research analyst at U.S. Tiger Securities. "The whole technology sector is down like 30%-40%. SoftBank has historically been heavily invested in these areas, and now they need cash." (Reporting by Carolina Mandl and Angelique Chen in New York; Editing by Anirban Sen and Lincoln Feast.) Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks at a news briefing at the Pentagon on July 20, 2022. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Less than a month after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin took the extraordinary step of pausing all operations for 24 hours to address extremism in the ranks. Pentagon officials had been shaken by service members prominent role in the events of Jan. 6. Of the 884 criminal defendants charged to date with taking part in the insurrection, more than 80 were veterans. Thats almost 10% of those charged. More remarkable, at least five of the rioters were serving in the military at the time of the assault: an active-duty Marine officer and four reservists. Service members involvement in the insurrection has made the spread of extremism particularly white nationalism a significant issue for the U.S. military. Solving the problem A blue ribbon committee called the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group was quickly commissioned in April 2021 to evaluate the extent of the problem. The group found about 100 substantiated cases of extremism in the U.S. armed forces in 2021. The latest instance occurred in July 2022, when Francis Harker, a National Guard member with white supremacist connections, was sentenced to four years in prison for planning an anti-government attack on police. Harker, who carried a picture saying there is no God but Hitler, was planning to attack police officers in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with Molotov cocktails and semi-automatic rifles. Worried, Austin has tightened the rules regarding political speech within the military. The new rules prohibit any statement that advocates for violence to achieve goals that are political or idealogical in nature. The ban applies to members of the military both on and off duty. Also, for the first time, the new rules prohibit statements on social media that promote or otherwise endorse extremist activities. While the intent behind the new rules is laudable, political speech even of an offensive or distasteful nature goes to the core of U.S. democracy. Americans in uniform are still Americans, protected by the First Amendment and afforded the constitutional right of free speech. Story continues In light of the stricter policy, it is useful to consider how courts apply the First Amendment in the military context. Good order and discipline While soldiers and sailors are certainly not excluded from the protection of the First Amendment, it is fair to say they operate under a diluted version of it. As one federal judge observed, the sweep of the protection is less comprehensive in the military context, given the different character of the military community and mission. The right to speak out as a free American must be balanced against providing an effective fighting force for the defense of our Country, a federal judge noted in a separate case. These and other federal judges point to the militarys need for good order and discipline in justifying this approach. While never precisely defined, good order and discipline is generally considered being obedient to orders, having respect for ones chain of command and showing allegiance to the Constitution. Speech that prevents the orderly accomplishment of the mission or promotes disloyalty and dissatisfaction within the ranks harms good order and discipline, and can be restricted. In 1974, for example, the Supreme Court ruled that the Army can punish an officer for encouraging subordinates to refuse to deploy. The officers comments included: The United States is wrong in being involved in the Vietnam War. I would refuse to go back to Vietnam if ordered to do so. In 1980, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Army could legally fire an ROTC cadet for making racist remarks during a newspaper interview. Explaining his political philosophy, the cadet said: What I am saying is that Blacks are obviously further behind the whites on the evolutionary scale. In 2012, a San Diego district court ruled that the Marine Corps can lawfully discharge a sergeant who mocked president Barack Obama while appearing on the Chris Matthews Show. At one point the sergeant told the host: As an active duty Marine, I say screw Obama and I will not follow his orders. While each of these statements is protected by the First Amendment in civilian life, they crossed the line in military life because they were deemed harmful to morale and represented what one federal court described as more than political discussion at an enlisted or officers club. The militarys job is to fight, not debate In deciding these First Amendment cases, courts often hark back to why the military exists in the first place. It is the primary business of armies and navies to fight the nations wars should the occasion arise, the Supreme Court said in 1955. In a separate case, the Supreme Court declared: An army is not a deliberate body. It is the executive arm. Its law is that of obedience. U.S. soldiers stand to attention at the United States Army military training base in Germany on July 13, 2022. Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images Quickly following orders can mark the difference between life and death in combat. On a national level, the degree to which an army is disciplined can win or lose wars. A mindset of obedience does not come solely from classroom training but from repeated rehearsals under realistic conditions. As a military judge observed in a 1972 decision, while service members are free to discuss political issues when off duty, the primary function of a military organization is to execute orders, not to debate the wisdom of decisions that the Constitution entrusts to Congress, the judiciary and the commander in chief. New policy bans liking extremist messages The U.S. militarys revised approach to political speech prohibits retweeting or even liking messages that promote anti-government or white nationalist and other extremist groups. Does a restriction this broad comply with legal precedent? As a law professor who has served more than 20 years in the U.S military, I believe the broader rules will probably be upheld if challenged on First Amendment grounds. The most comparable case is Blameuser v. Andrews, a 1980 case from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals where an ROTC cadet espoused white supremacist political views in a newspaper interview. Amongst other extremist remarks, the cadet told the reporter: You see, I believe that in the final analysis, the Nazi Socialist Party will take over America and possibly the whole world. Finding that the statements harmed good order and discipline, the Seventh Circuit ruled that the Army did not violate the First Amendment when it subsequently removed him from the officer training program. The cadets views on race relations draw into question his ability to obey commands, especially in a situation in which he regards the military superior as socially inferior, the Blameuser decision said. The military has wide latitude in deciding who is deserving of the special trust and confidence that comes with military employment. Military officials are free to consider political and social beliefs that are inimical to the vital mission of the agency in making hiring and firing decisions, the Blameuser decision said. Social media posts expressing support for violent political activities will likely be treated in the same way. As the Seventh Circuit said in Blameuser, by liking or retweeting an extremist message, a service members actions are demonstrably incompatible with the important public office they hold. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Dwight Stirling, University of Southern California. Read more: Dr. Dwight Stirling is a reserve JAG officer in the California National Guard. The views expressed in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency. Viral Facebook post: Ted Cruz leaks new document obtained from Hunters laptop implicating Nancy Pelosi. PolitiFact's ruling: False Here's why: A recent Facebook post promises a bombshell from the laptop of President Joe Bidens son thats big enough to blow up the House speaker. "Boom!" the Aug. 8 post says. "Its over! Ted Cruz leaks new document obtained from Hunters laptop implicating Nancy Pelosi." This post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. The post features a 20-minute video with two clips of the junior Republican senator from Texas, but in neither does he discuss Hunter Biden, his laptop, and Pelosi, a Democrat from California. The first shows Cruz at an Aug. 3 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing asking Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite why more people protesting outside of the homes of Supreme Court justices havent been prosecuted. In the second, Cruz is addressing attendees of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas a couple of days later. There were no leaks as described in the Facebook post in his speech. Looking more broadly for reports of what the post claims, we discovered none, though we did find a USA Today fact-check that looked at a similar claim of Cruz revealing a deal between Pelosi and Biden. In this case, unrelated videos of Cruz were also used. We rate this post False. Our Sources This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: PolitiFact: Ted Cruz did not leak document implicating Hunter Biden 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 A former U.S. soldier who was captured by Russian-backed forces in Ukraine two months ago told his mother in a phone call that he and two other American prisoners are still in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the family said in a press release. Alex Drueke spoke to his mother, Lois "Bunny" Drueke, and a U.S. State Department case manager Thursday morning, the family said. "Several things he said seem to indicate they are still in the Donetsk region of Ukraine," Bunny Drueke said in the press release. "When he was able to call two weeks ago, he said they had been moved to an actual prison, so we weren't sure if they had maybe been relocated to Russia. But now I don't think they have." U.S. military veterans Andy Tai Ngoc Huynh and Alexander Drueke left their homes in Alabama to serve with Ukraine's army on the battlefield. They were reportedly captured by Russian forces during fighting in eastern Ukraine in June 2022. / Credit: CBS News She said he mentioned a "nearby bombing of a water filtration plant that left a lot of Donetsk without running water, so they have been given bottled water the past couple of days." Alex also asked if "the news in America was showing that 'people are dying here in Donetsk and Donbas,'" according to Bunny Dreuke. The State Department has not confirmed whether the men are in Donetsk. Two months ago, Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh, who were volunteering with a squadron of foreign fighters alongside the Ukrainian army, were captured by Russian forces. The U.S. is working to confirm whether a third American, identified as retired Marine Captain Grady Kurpasi, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. military, was also taken prisoner. He went silent after taking small-arms fire in the Kherson region earlier this summer, according to a family friend. Ukrainian government spokespeople have classified them as prisoners of war. In a Thursday press release, Bunny Drueke said her son "sounded stronger and more like himself than ever before." According to Alex's aunt, Dianna Shaw, he said that he's in a prison cell with Huynh and an unidentified third American. They play "mind games" and chess, using trash as game pieces, and also get time outside, she said she was told. Alex also asked his mom about the sort of news coverage the war is receiving in the U.S. Story continues "While it sounds just like Alex to want to know about this, we also assume this is something his captors wanted him to ask because he kept returning to the subject throughout the call," Shaw said. "Alex made a couple of statements that clearly were provided to him and intended to portray Russia as non-aggressors in the conflict," Shaw added. The press release said the family is not repeating those statements. "POWs are often used for propaganda purposes, so we want to remind the public to be skeptical of any statements the men make in Russian-generated media," Shaw said. Last month, Russian media released unverified images and videos allegedly showing the prisoners. Bunny Drueke said one of the people in the images was her son. "Unmistakably under duress, but thank God they're alive," Bunny Drueke told CBS News foreign correspondent Chris Livesay at the time. Thursday's press release said both Drueke and Huynh's families are receiving briefings from government officials and support from "NGOs that serve families of hostages and detainees." Russia's war in Ukraine has been ongoing since February. Much of the heavy fighting has been in the eastern portion of the country, including Donetsk. Drueke's mother previously told "CBS Mornings" that her son "felt very strongly that Putin needed to be stopped, because he said Putin is not going to be satisfied with just part of Ukraine, or even all of Ukraine." Gas prices drop under $4 average for first time since March 4,000 beagles rescued from breeding facility USPS announces rate increase for holiday shipping An informant familiar with Mar-a-Lago and the whereabouts of classified documents former President Donald Trump potentially stored there tipped off the FBI before it executed a search warrant on Monday, according to reports from Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. The National Archives retrieved 15 boxes of documents from the Palm Beach, Florida, residence in February before asking the Justice Department to investigate Trumps potential crimes in violating the Presidential Records Act by storing government materials at his home. On Monday, the FBI searched the residence and private club, reportedly as part of an investigation into whether Trump mishandled classified documents. The raid didnt transpire without inside help. Two senior government officials, who requested to stay anonymous but had information about the search, told Newsweek that one individual guided authorities to documents at Mar-a-Lago and that the raid was set to occur when Trump was out of town to avoid a galvanizing photo-op. The Wall Street Journal corroborated those claims, speaking with anonymous sources who said the informant knew the location of these classified documents and that Trump stored many more at Mar-a-Lago than the 15 boxes retrieved in February. The former president made it a felony to mishandle classified documents in 2018. Local law enforcement officers stand guard in front of Trump's Mar-A-Lago property on Aug. 9. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images) Local law enforcement officers stand guard in front of Trump's Mar-A-Lago property on Aug. 9. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images) Outraged Republicans, including Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), have rallied around the former president by suggesting the Biden administration weaponized the Justice Department against Trump. The former president spread a conspiracy theory Wednesday on his Truth Social platform that the FBI planted documents at Mar-a-Lago. Mondays brazen raid was not just unprecedented, it was completely unnecessary, Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich told the Journal. President Trump and his representatives have gone to painstaking lengths in communicating and cooperating with all the appropriate agencies. Story continues FBI Director Christopher Wray, who denounced threats against the agency by Trumps loyalist supporters, was appointed in 2017 by Trump himself. Sources close to Trump told Rolling Stone he is now so paranoid hes worried about being wiretapped and trying to root out the FBI rat. He has asked me and others, Do you think our phones are tapped? one source told Rolling Stone. Given the sheer volume of investigations going on into the (former) president, I do not think hes assuming anything is outside the realm of possibility. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Firefighters tackle a blaze near Saint-Magne, south of Bordeaux, in southwestern France on Wednesday. (SDIS 33) Firefighters from across Europe struggled Thursday to contain a huge wildfire in France that has swept through a large swath of pine forest. Meanwhile, Germans and Poles faced a mass fish die-off in a river flowing between their countries. Europe is suffering under a severe heat wave and drought that has produced tragic consequences for farmers and ecosystems already under threat from climate change and pollution. The drought is causing a loss of agricultural products and other food at a time when supply shortages and Russia's war against Ukraine have caused inflation to spike. In France, which is enduring its worst drought on record, flames raged through pine forests overnight, illuminating the sky with an intense orange light in the Gironde region, which was ravaged by flames last month, and in neighboring Landes. More than 26 square miles have burned since Tuesday. The French wildfires have forced the evacuation of about 10,000 people and destroyed at least 16 houses. Along the Oder River, which flows from Czech Republic north into the Baltic Sea, volunteers have been collecting dead fish that have washed ashore in Poland and Germany. Piotr Nieznanski, the conservation policy director at WWF Poland, said it appears that a toxic chemical was released into the water by an industry and the low water levels caused by the drought has made conditions far more dangerous for the fish. A tragic event is happening along the Oder River, an international river, and there is no transparent information about what is going on, he said, calling on government authorities to investigate. People living along the river have been warned not to swim in the water or even touch it. Polands state water management body said the drought and high temperatures can cause even small amounts of pollution to lead to an ecological disaster. It has not identified the source of the pollution. In northern Serbia, the dry bed of the Conopljankso reservoir is now littered with dead fish that were unable to survive the drought. Story continues The water level along Germany's Rhine River was at risk of falling so low that it could become difficult to transport goods including critical energy items such as coal and gasoline. In Italy, which is experiencing its worst drought in seven decades, the parched Po River has already caused billions of euros in losses to farmers who normally rely on Italy's longest river to irrigate their fields and rice paddies. I am young and I do not remember anything like this, but even the elderly in my village or the other villages around here have never seen anything like this, never ever, said Antonio Cestari, a 35-year-old farmer in Ficarolo who says he expects to produce only half his usual crops of corn, wheat and soy because his river-fed wells have such low water levels. The Po runs 405 miles from the northwestern city of Turin to Venice. It has dozens of tributary rivers, but northern Italy hasnt seen rainfall for months, and this years snowfall was down by 70%. The drying up of the Po is also jeopardizing drinking water in Italys densely populated and highly industrialized districts. In Portugal, the Serra da Estrela national park was also being ravaged by a wildfire. Some 1,500 firefighters, 476 vehicles and 12 aircraft were deployed to fight it, but the wind-driven blaze 150 miles northeast of Lisbon was very hard to reach, with inaccessible peaks almost 6,560 feet high and deep ravines. The fire has charred 25,000 acres of woodland. In Britain, where temperatures hit a record 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit in July, the weather office has issued a new warning for extreme heat from Thursday through Sunday, with temperatures forecast to reach 96.8 F. It has been one of the driest summers on record in southern Britain, and the Met Office weather service said there is an exceptional risk of wildfires over the next few days. London Fire Brigade said its control room had dealt with 340 grass, garbage and open-land fires during the first week of August, eight times the number from last year. Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Smith said the grass in London is tinderbox dry, and the smallest of sparks can start a blaze which could cause devastation. In Switzerland, a drought and high temperatures have endangered fish populations, and authorities have begun moving fish out of some creeks that were running dry. In Hausen, in the canton of Zurich, officials caught hundreds of fish, many of them brown trout, in the almost dried-up Heischerbach, Juchbach and Muehlebach creeks this week by anesthetizing them with electric shocks and immediately placing them in a water tank enriched with oxygen, local media reported. The fish were taken to creeks that still carry enough water. Despite all the harm caused by the extreme weather, Swiss authorities see one morbid upside: They believe there's hope of finding some people who went missing in the mountains in the last few years because their bodies are being released as glaciers melt. In the Swiss canton of Valais, melting glaciers have recently revealed parts of a crashed airplane and, at separate locations, at least two skeletons. The bodies have not yet been identified, news website 20Minuten reported Thursday. Spanish state television showed dozens of trucks heading to France having to turn around and stay in Spain because wildfires had forced authorities to close some border crossings. RTVE reported that truckers, many carrying perishable goods, were looking for ways to cross the border because the parking areas around the Irun crossing were full. This week, France is in its fourth heat wave of the year as it faces what the government describes as the country's worst drought on record. Temperatures were expected to reach 104 F on Thursday. Gera reported from Warsaw. Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Jill Lawless in London, Ciaran Giles in Madrid, Andrea Rosa in Ficarolo, Italy, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed reporting. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.